Thursday, August 26, 2021 Edition

Thursday, August 26, 2021/ Muharram 18, 1443 AH

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Ortom inciting race hatred against Fulani, says Presidency

>>>PG 2

Fresh 24 hours curfew imposed on Jos North As renewed attack claims 20, 10 arrested

>>>PG 5

Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Buba Maruwa in a group photograph with the beneficiaries during the presentation of burial expenses to the families of deceased officers of the agency, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Kano-Kaduna rail project to be ready in18 months -Contractor PDP Governors in emergency meeting today over crisis PAGE 2

NDA attack: DHQ denies guards asleep when gunmen struck Tuesday PAGE 5

>>PG 8

Reps accuse PPPRA of NNPC to begin doctoring PMS revenue electronic monitoring of documents fuel distribution PAGE 4

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 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

23

World News

24

Olukoya’s govt marked a phenomenal moment in old Ondo – Akeredolu Page 15

Digest

25

Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

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Ortom inciting race hatred against Fulani, says Presidency

By Egena Sunday Ode

T

he Presidency has accused Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, of incitement of race hatred against the Fulani.

It said Ortom has specifically stirred up hatred by targeting one single ethnic group in Nigeria – using language reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Presidency Spokesman, Garba Shehu, the presidency, accordingly, noted that the character exhibited by the governor who it described as having only a few political principles, portrayed him as a man not worthy of a public office.

The statement read: “Governor Samuel Ortom has few political principles. We can see this from the fact that he has changed political party five times during his undistinguished career.

“Every time he feels the wind may be blowing in a certain direction, he follows it.

“Unfortunately, for the good citizens of Benue State, the most dangerous direction he blows in today is that of sectarianism and ethnicity.

“In an attempt to boost his sinking political fortunes, Ortom takes the cheapest and lowest route possible by playing on ethnic themes – and in doing so knowingly causes deaths of innocent Nigerians by inciting farmers

against herders, and Christians against Muslims.

“Specifically, Ortom stirs up hatred by targeting one single ethnic group in Nigeria – using language reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide.

“As was the case in Rwanda where the then Hutu leaders of the country incited their countrymen against each other, claiming there was a “secret Tutsi agenda” over the Hutu, Ortom claims there is a “secret Fulanization agenda” over other ethnic groups in his state and in Nigeria. This is a copy of the language of Hutu Power - which falsely, and intentionally, accused the Rwandan Tutsi of plans to dominate the country.

“This wicked talk is aimed at giving

cover to his so-called “policy” on the Ranches Establishment Law – which in reality is purely an act of denial of the law - intended to withhold rights and freedoms from one ethnic group alone, whilst inciting race hatred against them amongst all others.

“These are not the actions of a man who should be trusted with running public services or holding public office.

“For the governor of a major state in Nigeria to be politically driven by ethnic hatred is a stain on our country.

“The good, and fair-minded people of Benue State deserve more than this, and we look forward to the next elections when they have an opportunity to restore its greatness.”

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education Arc, Sunny Echono (right) presenting Letter of Appointment to the new Director General, National Mathematical Centre, Prof. Promise Mebine, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Crisis: PDP Governors hold emergency meeting today on way forward

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

G

overnors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, have scheduled an emergency for today in Abuja to discuss recent developments in the PDP. It will be recalled that the crisis rocking the PDP, had, Tuesday, assumed a new dimension with the two Deputy National Chairmen of the party laying claim to the acting national Chairman of the party.

The development was sequel to the Monday’s order of a High

Court of Rivers State, which issued an interim injunction restraining Prince Uche Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman and member of the PDP. Following the restraining order, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi and The Deputy National Chairman (South) Senator Suleiman Nazif are both laying claim to the position of the Acting Chairman of the main opposition party in the country The Chairman of the PDP Governors, Forum, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,

has, in consultation with his colleagues, summoned an emergency meeting of the Forum to hold today The meeting is slated to hold by at 5pm.

The venue of the meeting was however not disclosed.

The Governors have enjoined all PDP members and stakeholders to exercise patience as efforts are being made to ensure continued stability of the Party in the days ahead.

A statement yesterday by the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Hon CID

Maduabum, reads, “The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum , Rt Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR, in consultation with his colleagues have summoned an emergency meeting of the Forum to hold on Thursday 26th August, 2021 at 5pm.

“The meeting will discuss recent developments in the PDP. “The Governors enjoined all PDP members and stakeholders to exercise patience as efforts are being made to ensure continued stability of the Party in the days ahead”, it said.

Wase condemns another attack on Yelwa Zangam village, Jos north.

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase has condemned in strong terms yet another attack on Yelwa Zagam village in Jos north local government area of Plateau state.

The Deputy Speaker described the attack as ‘inhuman, senseles

and unwarranted;’ saying ‘the attackers must be brought to book.’

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammed Puma, Wase urged the people of Plateau state to remain calm, peaceful, law abiding and refrain from reprisals that will worsen the already fragile situation.

The Deputy Speaker further called on the citizens of the state to embrace dialogue and proactive peace building measures aimed at steaming out ethinic and religious sentiments among the people for a lasting peace.

He however commends security agencies for their timely response, urging them to ensure no stone is eft unturned in fishing

out the perpetrators of this henous act.

The Deputy Speaker commiserated with the families of those affected and all law-abiding citizens, urging them to continue to support measures put in place by the federal and the state government in bringing these ugly attacks under control.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

NEWS

Ag. News Editor, Tobias Lengnam

Gunmen kill 8, injure 2, abduct 1 in Benue attack From: Uche Makurdi

PAGE 3

Nnorom,

A

t least 8 persons were reportedly killed on Wednesday at a market in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State by persons suspected to be herdsmen.

However, Police authorities said 6 persons were killed and 2 injured at about 7pm yesterday by unknown gunmen at Yelwata, a border town between Benue State and Nasarawa State.

Chairman of Guma Local Government Caleb Aba told newsmen in a telephone chat that two(2) persons were injured while another one person was abducted during the attack.

According to Caleb, “there was no provocation or attack on the herders to warrant this”.

Police Public Relations’Officer DSP Catherine Anene confirmed the incident.

Insecurity: PDP urges NASS members to cut short recess to save nation By Folorunso Abuja

Alagbede,

D

isturbed by the increasing level of insecurity in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on members of the National Assembly to cut short their holiday and quickly come together, using their legislative instruments, to protect the country from falling apart.

The PDP, which particularly lamented the Tuesday’s invasion of the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, where two officers were killed and another kidnapped, and later found dead, noted that the invasion has exposed the vulnerability of all Nigerians to the attack of bandits and sundry

...Carpets Buhari criminal elements.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, while addressing journalists yesterday, noted that the situation has never been this bad stressing that it is unthinkable that a military facility such as the NDA would be invaded like that.

The party stated this in the wake of Tuesday’s invasion of the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, by suspected bandits which led to the death of three officers.

Ologbondiyan said: “It has never been this bad and it is unthinkable that a military facility such as the NDA would be invaded and officers killed.

“A Boy Scout leader would have provided better leadership

than the President is currently doing.

“At least in those days, leader of the Boy Scout would protect every member and ensure they were safe. Nigerians are not currently having that under Buhari.

Ologbondiyan described President Buhari’s leadership as incapable of addressing the existential threat occasioned by the violent campaign of bandits and terrorists.

While lamenting that the invasion of the military academy has exposed the vulnerability of all Nigerians to the attack of bandits and sundry criminal elements; the publicity scribe called on members of the National

Assembly to cut short their recess and quickly convene at plenary to find ways of keeping the country safer for Nigerians.

His words, “The PDP calls on members of the National Assembly to cut short their holiday and quickly come together using their legislative instruments to protect our country from falling apart.”

Ologbondiyan however assured that the internal crisis in the party would be resolved and that at the end, “the PDP will emerge stronger.”

He described the main opposition party as “one, indivisible, indissoluble party that is the preferred choice of Nigerians to oust the APC from power in 2023.”

AIB vows to simplify aircraft accidents report with digital graphic format

By Albert Akota

T

he Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Engr Akin Olateru has vowed to simplify aircraft accident reports with digital format for quick dissemination of information of incidents to relevant authorities.

The commissioner who stated this yesterday in Abuja during a 2-day Industry Engagement on the review of Accident reports, said Nigeria will be the first in the world to come up with such format of Accident Investigation reporting system.

He said his plan is to present report to the world by using a website.

L-R: Talha Siddiqui, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, Danburam Zazzau and Barden Keffi, Dr. Sani Shaaban and Dan Malikin Matazu, Alhaji Usman A.A Dan Malam, the Sarkin Dawakin Ungwar Muazu celebrating birthday of Danburam’s at his residence in Zaria, Photo: BASHIR BELLO

Aides mark Zulum’s 52nd birthday with publication

A

combination of media aides and social media associates yesterday celebrated the 52nd birthday of Borno State Governor, Prof.

Babagana Umara Zulum, with the launch of “Second Verdict”, which is a compendium of published news, analyses, features, columns, commentaries, discourse editorials, selected speeches and score card, in the Governor’s second year.

This is according to a statement yesterday by Zulum’s media aide, Isa Gusau.

Zulum was born on Monday, August 25, 1969 in Mafa town, Borno State.

The 331-page compendium with over 300 articles, structured in 17 thematic sections, was unveiled by Zulum’s Chief of Staff and Publisher of the Compendium, Prof. Isa Hussaini Marte, at the Government House in Maiduguri.

The unveiling took place on Tuesday night, the eve of Zulum’s 52nd birthday with the theme: “Celebrating Zulum’s 52nd Birthday with 2nd Verdict”.

Leading members of the editorial board to present copies to the Chief of Staff, the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Babasheikh Haruna, revealed that the

compendium, which was second in series, had been ready since July, but the editorial board, led

by Editor-in-Chief and Special Adviser on Public Relations and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau, agreed to delay the public presentation till August 25, to coincide with Governor Zulum’s 52nd birthday.

He explained that the decision was taken at a July meeting in Maiduguri, that was chaired by the Editor-in-Chief, Malam Isa Gusau. Even though Gusau knew he was going to miss the public presentation, as he was due for return to a University in UK, to round up a post-

graduate programme he began in September last year.

Babashiekh, who is the compendium’s deputy editor, noted that the editorial members thought of the presentation as their own way of honoring a Professor with the release of a valuable compilation that documents Government’s policies, programmes and projects, and chronicles events in ways that will be useful for readers.

The compendium’s editorial adviser and consultant editor, Dr. Sharafa Dauda of the department of Mass Communication at the

University of Maiduguri, in his remarks, gave details of the compendium’s entire structure, recalling that it took one year to plan, gather articles, sort them according to their timelines, structure them into sections, edit and plan them into pages with accompanying photos.

Unveiling the compendium, Zulum’s Chief of Staff, Prof.

Marte, commended the Governor’s media aides and social media associates for working round-the-clock throughout the year, to produce a second compendium, which was modeled after the “First Verdict”, that was released in August 2020.

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

APPRECIATION

W

ith gratitude to ALLAH Almighty, I like on behalf of my family to thank sincerely Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Dr Ahmed Lawan, President of the Senate; His Excellency Mahamadou Issoufou, former President, Republic of Niger; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Governors, both serving and former; Members of the National Assembly, serving and former; Members of Federal Executive Council; Defence, Security and Intelligence Chiefs (both serving and retired); Royal fathers and traditional rulers; Religious leaders; Captains of Industry; Leaders of the media; Members of the academia; Members of the Diplomatic Community; Leadership of political parties; Public and Civil Servants (Technocrats, serving and retired); Leadership and members of various trade unions; Family members, friends, associates and many other categories of well-wishers

too numerous to mention who attended the marriage ceremony in Bichi and reception in Abuja.

Furthermore, I thank members of the public who lined the streets in staggering numbers in Kano and Bichi most of the day on Friday. I sincerely thank you all.

I am also sincerely grateful to those who were unable to come but offered prayers for Yusuf and Zahra and for the success of the occasions. God has answered your prayers.

I trust all have returned safely to their respective homes. I shall forever remember with gratitude the kind solidarity shown to me by the people of Nigeria during this occasion.

We are, indeed, overwhelmed by your support and solidarity. We value and appreciate you all.

SIGN:

MUHAMMADU BUHARI

President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

NDA attack: DHQ denies guards asleep when gunmen struck Tuesday

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Defence Headquarters in Abuja has denied report its officers on duty were asleep when terrorists attack the military institution on Tuesday killing two and abducting one officer.

“The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to a news publication by Cable online news media claiming that personnel on duty at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) CCTV monitoring room were sleeping when bandits attacked the officers’ residential quarters leading to the death of two officers and the abduction of 1 other officer,” a statement signed by Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, Director Defence Information said on Wednesday.

“The Nigerian Armed Forces wishes to state categorically that the allegation is untrue and hence challenge the Cable Online to publish forthwith a verifiable proof of personnel sleeping during the incident,” the statement said.

DHQ said it is imperative to caution the Cable Online media to guide against being used as a propaganda tool by enemies of our dear country.

“The Cable Online should not consciously or unconsciously collaborate with these unscrupulous elements to spread unverified stories on the unfortunate event that occurred at NDA Kaduna while tarnishing the good image and reputation of personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in the eyes of the civil populace.

“It is perhaps important to mention that the AFN as a professional force consist of highly trained personnel who are dedicated to their duties of protecting lives and property of all Nigerians.

Let me use this opportunity, to reiterate that the NDA authorities, acting on the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff has constituted a board of enquiry to ascertain the remote and immediate cause(s) of the breach of security with a view to sanction any personnel found culpable and also prevent future occurrence.”

PAGE 5

NEWS

Over 20 people killed in fresh Plateau attack

• Lalong reintroduces 24 hours curfew in Jos North Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau, Jos

N

o fewer than 20 people have been reportedly killed at Yelwan Zangam community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that houses were also burnt down in the attack which

is coming days after the killing of over 20 travelers in Gada-biyu – Rukuba road, of same Jos North LGA. A source confided in our reporter that the attack happened on Wednesday morning which resulted in killings of many and destruction of property.

He said more than 30 people were killed, before security

personnel arrived at the area.

There was no certainty on the amount of casualties recorded as a result of the attack.

However, the Plateau State Government had re-imposesd 24hours curfew on Jos North Local Government area following rising tension in the city center.

A statement signed by the Director of Press and Public

Affairs to the Governor, Dr. Makut Simon Macham also said that 10 people suspected to be connected with the attack were arrested.

Meanwhile efforts to reach the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Uba Gabriel Ugabah didn’t yield fruit as at the time of filling this report.

The Governor of Imo State Senator Hope Uzodinma briefs State House Media after a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the State House, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Minority Reps decry attack on NDA, others

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives said it is alarmed by escalated acts of terrorism and bandits attacks across the country and particularly the Monday’s invasion of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) resulting in the killing and abduction of military officers.

The Minority Caucus in a statement by its Leader Hon. Ndudi Elumelu noted that the heightened attacks on military formations and mindless killings

and maiming of innocent Nigerians by bandits and terrorists in various parts of the country, despite the assurances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is worrisome.

He said, “It is lamentable that hardly a day passes without the nation being jolted by reports of gruesome mass killings, abductions, arson and mindless plundering by terrorists and bandits who are now freely operating on our highways, schools and communities in various parts of the country.

“The situation has become extremely horrifying in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Yobe, Benue, Borno, Niger and other states across our nation where killers and kidnappers are now having a field day raiding communities and killing our compatriots.

“Yesterday night, 35 Nigerians were reportedly massacred in Yelwan Zangam in Jos, Plateau state, barely a week after innocent travelers were ambushed and brutally murdered in the state.

“Our caucus is distressed that

every day, families are deprived of their breadwinners, scores of children are orphaned, wives are turned to widows, husbands turned to widowers, parents are made to bury their children hacked down in their prime, with others languishing in their captors’ dens and family source of livelihood destroyed.

“The minority caucus, after extensive considerations demands an immediate and decisive action

by APC-led Federal Government to check the ugly trend and save our nation from collapse.

Two brothers charged with assault on Kaduna Electric staff

By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Kaduna State Police Command has arraigned two brothers, Mohammed Mahmud and Mubarak Mahmud all of No. 6, Dan Damisa Road, Unguwar Shanu, Kaduna before the Chief Magistrate Court 26, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna for attacking and assauting a Staff of

Kaduna Electric on lawful duty.

The Officer in Charge of Legal matters of the Kaduna State Police Command, Supritendant of Police (Barrister) Martins Leonard Danjuma, who stood in for the Commissioner of Police, stated in the First Information Report, FIR presented to the Court that the accused persons were charged with the offences of “criminal

conspiracy, use of criminal force, assault, theft and deliberately causing harm in order to deter public servant from lawful duty contrary to sections 59, 238, 240, 271 and 272(2) of the Kaduna State Penal Code 2017”.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of Two hundred thousand naira each with two sureties who

shall have landed properties within the Court’s jurisdiction and must deposit their international passports with the Court registry.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Her Worship, Hon. Gwan Ucha ordered that the accused persons be remanded in correctional custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case to

September 6, 2021 for further hearing.

It would recalled that the two brothers last week attacked, without any provocation, a staff of Kaduna Electric, Aliyu Abdullahi which resulted in the hospitalisation of the said staff.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 6

NEWS

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mela Kyari,has revealed that the corporation would henceforth begin the electronic monitoring of fuel distribution across the country.

Kyari disclosed this at the 2022-2024 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Finance.

He said that there was an ongoing initiative to put electronic monitor on tank and fuel stations that would monitor the distribution of fuel in the country.

He stated that with the electronic monitoring, every truck carrying fuel would be visible as they discharged their load and would see all the fuel stations as they discharged.

Kyari said that the national fuel consumption per day may not be above 60 million litters as being speculated, adding however that anytime NNPC supply less than that, there would be problem.

He also said that President Muhammadu Buhari had personally directed him to take step that would curtail cross border smuggling, while also admitting the challenges posed by land borders, aiding activities of smugglers.

The GMD said that those who took crude oil across the border would not sell at official price.

2023 Presidency: Youth drums support for Yahaya Bello

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he National Youth Mandate Group (NYMG), has drummed support for the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and pledged loyalty to his ambition to become Nigeria’s president come 2023.

The Convener, Comrade Abbah Abbah made this known to journalists in Abuja yesterday.

The group noted that Bello has the requisite capacity and has distinguished himself in employment of young people into position of authority.

The group said Bello will set up structures and put policies in place to reduce the youth’s non interest in politics.

Comrade Abbah said,”Nigerian’s youth has consistently demonstrated willingness and ability to foster lasting change.

“In 2023 NYMG will only support the likes of Bello, who has distinguished himself in Youth Empowerment.”

NNPC to begin electronic monitoring of fuel distribution He said that the corporation was already engaging the Republic of Niger to establish a retail NNPC outlet I. A move that would curtail the activities of smugglers.

He stated that the country may not exit the fuel subsidy regime in 2022, but stressed that by 2023 when the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) might had been fully

activated.

He said that the decision of the NNPC to be on the board of Dangote refinery was a calculated attempt, adding that as at today Nigeria does not have a strategic storage.

“We are taking interest in Dangote refinery and up till now he dies not want us to take 50 per

cent equity and it was structured on the fact that he must buy 3000 barrel of crude oil from us per day,” he stated.

He said that Dangote had a choice to buy crude oil from anywhere in the works but we insisted that he must buy from the country, stressing that it was a good deal the NNPC was proud

to enter into.

Kyari said that contrary to insinuation, the NNPC had not abandoned the country’s refineries and it was not about taking 500 million dollars loan to repair them.

He said that non of the country’s refinery had undergone full scale rehabilitation since 2000.

Former Vice President, and Chairman, Board of trustees, Baze University, Arc. Namadi Sambo presenting a souvenir to the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello during a visit by the Board of Trustees of the University to the FCTA, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Again, Gombe Gov. Inuwa meets with Chief of Defence Staff in Abuja From: David Hassan, Gombe

G

overnor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State was earlier yesterday at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja where he met with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

This is according to a statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director-General

( Press Affairs) Government House Gombe yesterday.

Although the meeting took place behind closed doors, it may not be unconnected with Governor Yahaya’s efforts and commitment to ensuring the sustenance of prevailing peace and security in Gombe State, the statement said.

It will be recalled that Governor Inuwa Yahaya was at

the DHQ about two weeks ago where he expressed Gombe State’s readiness to continue to partner with the Nigerian Armed Forces as well as provide all necessary support in the effort to combat all forms of criminality given the current dynamics of insecurity in parts of the country.

Gombe is in the North East, which is the epicenter of insurgency, with the state

harbouring a lot of internally displaced persons from the insurgency-hit neighbouring states and also hosting the Nigerian Army’s de-radicalisation camp for repentant insurgents, hence Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s constant engagement with heads of various security agencies in order to maintain and safeguard the most cherished peace in his state.

2023: Group tasks PDP to present credible presidential candidate By Folorunso Abuja

A

Alagbede,

group, The PDP ACTION 2023, has said that the best way for the party to come out of its current crisis stronger is by presenting an acceptable candidate for 2023 presidential election.

This is even as the group has advised former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to stay off the forthcoming general election

....Urges Atiku to step aside and play a fatherly role by offering advice to the party.

The PDP Action 2023 group, in a statement yesterday by its Chairman, Hon. Rufus Omeire, suggested that the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 election should step aside and allow others, preferably the younger generation, to step forward.

According to the group, ‘The current crisis in PDP is a normal

struggle in party politics. We believe PDP Governors and stakeholders will soon resolve the crisis and PDP will emerge stronger.

“For PDP to achieve this aim, it should present an acceptable candidate for President in 2023”, it said.

The group added that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar can be asked to take the position of the Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, where

he will play an advisory role to younger politicians, as an elder statesman.

Continuing, it said, “We think that time has come for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to step aside and allow others, preferably the younger generation, to step forward.

“He can be asked to take the position of the Chairman PDP Board of Trustees where he will play an advisory role to younger politicians, as an elder statesman.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

Police Forum boost security in Kaduna From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Security in kaduna State received a boost yesterday as the Police Public Enlightenment Campaign Forum is set to partner Kaduna State Government on training five thousand seven hundred and fifty eight youths on intelligence gathering and curbing crime in the state.

Chief Sheriff and National Coordinator of the forum, DSP Abdullahi Al-Asad Umar Ladan Spy stated this while briefing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday.

He explained that the collaboration is with Banpet Security and surveillance Services to ensure that two hundred and fifty youths are trained in all the local government areas in the state.

He further explained that the selected youths are also expected to be trained on community policing and electronic security technology soft and hard wares.

PAGE 7

NEWS Banditry: I-G re-strategising on security in Zamfara –AIG

T

he Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Usman Baba, has introduced practical strategies to end the security challenges facing Zamfara.

The Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police (AIG) Zone 10 Sokoto, Mr Ali Janga made this known on Wednesday when

he visited Zamfara over recent security situation in the state.

Speaking to newsmen after meeting with police officers and men at police headquarters Gusau, the AIG said the police under the I-G, Police, restrategised its measures to end security challenges in Zamfara and other parts of the country.

“I am here because the I-G directed me to brief the officers and men of the command about their constitutional duties as police.

“We adopted new measures to improve security in the state.

We are going to partner with other security agencies to tackle the challenges”, Janga said.

The AIG charged the officers and men to be proactive and be at alert.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AIG also visited Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello to seek for traditional rulers support in the fight against bandits in the state (NAN)

Benin monarch urges IGP to prioritise welfare of personnel

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

T

he Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare has urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Akali Baba to prioritise the welfare of Nigeria police personnel.

The Royal father disclosed this

when the police boss led top officers on a familiarization tour to his palace on Tuesday in Benin city, Edo State Capital.

He identified lack of accommodation, poor remuneration and non availability of modern equipment as counter productive to the operations of the force.

He implored the IGP to deploy high technological equipment in cracking down criminals instead of relying on old system.

Oba Ewuare assured his guests that the Benin throne is determined to support the police to eradicate crimes in Nigeria.

Earlier the Inspector-General of

police, Mr Usman Akali Baba told the monarch that he was in Benin on a familiarization tour to boost the morale of officers and men of the force He further solicited for royal prayers and blessings and pledged his determination in preventing and fighting crime.

Nigeria needs to diversify beyond oil for sustainability

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Director General National Council for Arts Culture (NCAC) Otunba Runsewe said Nigeria need to diversify beyond oil for sustainability of the country’s economy.

“This is the time government at all levels should pump money made from crude oil into tourism and culture for sustainable growth and development of the country.”

Runsewe made the disclosure while speaking at an interactive session with stakeholders in the Arts, Culture and Tourism sector and members of the media in Lagos recently.

He said “the country must wake up to the current economic realities, and with the breakdown of the Covid-19 pandemic globally, nations of the world are exploring various means of growing their economy.

“As the price of oil continue to fall, Nigeria’s economy has been badly affected, necessitating the need for the diversification to areas like tourism, art and culture”.

In the words of Runsewe, the forgoing goes to underscore the compelling need for diversification as the only way for a sustainable economic development in Nigeria.

Runsewe explained that: “Nigeria is known to be one of the most culturally diverse nations of the world. It has over 250 distinct ethnic groups, each with unique Culture and cultural products.

“The rich and diverse cultural assets of Nigeria have the capacity of sustaining a robust Tourism industry and driving the process of socio-economic development if adequately explored”.

R-L Group Managing Director Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Alhaji Mele Kyari, and Group General Manager Corporate Planning and Strategic NNPC Mrs. Oritse Meyiwa Eyesan, during the 2022- 2024 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), interactive session with House of Representatives Committee on Finance, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Insurgency: Remain focused, proactive, COAS tells troops

T

he Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has urged troops to remain focused and proactive in tackling the current security challenges in the country.

Yahaya made the call while addressing officers and men of the 4 Bridage Headquarters in Benin.

The COAS, who was in Benin on a working visit to formation and units said: ”You must be proactive and be at alert. ”My visit to Benin is to get first hand information and to boost your morale. I assure you that the necessary logistics for effective operations would be

made available without delay. ”No warfare can be effectively fought without adequate logistics and tactful planning,” he said.

Earlier, the COAS paid a courtesy visit on the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II. Yahaya informed the royal father that he was on a working visit to formation and units in Edo. He appreciated the Oba for his prayers for peaceful coexistence among the people of the state.

Oba Ewuare II, in a remark, commended the Nigerian army in its fight against insurgency

nationwide, saying his palace was open for consultation on peaceful conflict resolution.

He said : ”We keep praying for the Nigerian Army for the wonderful efforts to keep the country together. ”It is not easy to keep and maintain peace. It is always work in progress. But we commend you and your officers for keeping our nation peaceful despite the several challenges..

Ewuare said that although sometimes peaceful resolution might seem elusive, but with prayers the needed lasting solutions is always realisable.

“There will always be

conflict but it’s the wisdom to find lasting solution without resorting to bloodbath that matters.

“We will always do our best from the palace with prayers to God and our ancestors and remember that you have a home here in the palace for consultation anytime,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Yahaya also performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport auditorium and inspected the donated 20-bedroom accommodation project by the state government. ( NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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NEWS

Kaduna SEMA mainstreams nutrition in emergency response

T

he Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (Kaduna SEMA) says it is mainstreaming nutrition in its emergency response to reduce malnutrition among vulnerable group during emergencies.

The Executive Secretary of SEMA, Mr Hassan Abubakar, said this in Kaduna at a two-day training of local government Nutrition Focal Persons (NFP) as Local Government Nutrition Emergency Mangers organised by the agency.

Abubakar explained that the training was designed to mainstream nutrition in feeding programmes during emergencies in order to meet the nutritional needs of women and children and other vulnerable groups during emergencies.

He said that the incidences and severity of public emergencies due to conflicts, flood, other human and natural disasters, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had been on the increase in the state.

Abubakar said the women, children, the aged and persons with disabilities were usually the most affected.

According to him, inadequate access to nutritious food has remained a major challenge to people affected by disasters or conflicts, in IDPs camps during emergency.

“This necessitated the need to train the NFPs in the 23 local government areas of the state as emergency managers on how to mainstream nutrition in emergency response.”

Kaduna SEMA’s Director, Finance and Administration, Mr Aminu Adamu, said that the objective of the workshop was for the nutrition emergency managers to work with the agency in addressing nutrition during emergencies.

He added that the training was designed to improve their skills on how to support SEMA and address the nutritional needs of vulnerable groups, particularly women and children under five years.

Mr Umar Bambale, the Project Manager, Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan, commended SEMA for organising the training, describing it as “timely”, considering the frequency of emergencies in the state.

Similarly, Mr Sani Hassan of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria said that the training was very critical in ensuring that the emergency response takes care of the nutritional needs of vulnerable groups.

“Emergencies are inevitable, as such we must be prepared to ensure that our response does not leave anyone behind, particularly women and children.

“I am happy that the local government Nutrition Focal Persons are part of the training because they will play a critical role in ensuring successful implementation of emergency feeding programme,” Hassan said.

Also, Mrs Sah Kwasu, State Team Lead, Alive and Thrive (fhi 360) said that the training would improve the knowledge of participants to be able to reach out to all vulnerable groups with nutritional support. (NAN)

Kano-Kaduna rail project to be ready before 18 months -Contractor From Kano

Mustapha

Adamu,

T

he management of China Civil Engineering and Construction Cooperation (CCECC), the firm contracted to execute the Kano - Kaduna rail line project has disclosed that the project will be completed before the deadline of 18 months.

Speaking at the construction

site situated at Zawachiki in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano state on Tuesday, the Personnel Manager of the company, Muhammad Kabir said with the level at which land clearing is at the moment, the project will be completed before the scheduled time.

He also said that, they have already mobilized their staff from Ibadan base down to Kano and

Kaduna axis to ensure the timely completion of the project. “ We have mobilized our staff strength from Ibadan down to nine different sites of this project and the clearing is at advance stage. “ All our nine sites will be working simultaneously to ensure speedy completion, as the compensation payment for the remaining sites has commenced today” Muhammad said.

Kano-Kaduna railline project is part of the federal government initiative to revive the country’s transport system inorder to boost the economy and reduce the number of millions of youth unemployment.

Recall that President Muhammad Buhari inaugurated the project in July 2021 with the 18 months as the deadline for its completion.

Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. James Faleke, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Abdullahi Said Musa and a member of the Committee, Hon. Johnson Egwakhide Oghuma, during the interactive session on 20222024 MediumTerm Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), at the National Assembly on Tuesday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

High Court vindicates House Spokesperson, says change of name not forgery

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Spokesperson of the House of Representatives Rep. Benjamin Kalu has been vindicated from the suit filed against him in High Court by Okey Ezeala, alleging name forgery on his academic certifications.

Recall that Okey Ezeala filed a case against the legislator claiming that there was a name discrepancy in his academic certificates, as well as a candidate of the PDP, Chima Anyaso, who lost in the last election against the legislator made attempt to join the suit earlier.

In a court judgement delivered

by Justice A.O. Chijioke at the High Court in Umuahia, the judge dismissed the suit against Rep. Benjamin Kalu describing it as malicious. Justice Chijioke agreed with all the arguments of Rep. Benjamin Kalu’s lead Counsel, K.C Nwufor SAN, affirming that: “The matter is a pre-election matter and therefore statute barred and frivolous.

Rep. Benjamin Kalu fully complied with the law in his change of name The claimant failed to differentiate or prove his claims

of forgery and impersonation against Rep. Benjamin Kalu” The court also agreed with K.C Nwufor SAN, that the claimant ought to have produced the original bearer of the name which Rep. Kalu was alleged to have impersonated.

Addressing Chima Anyaso’s attempt to join the suit as a coclaimant against Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the court described it as improper and malicious considering that Chima Anyaso had exhausted all his rights in this matter having lost at the election, election tribunal and court of appeal.

In the 1-hour 30-minute long judgment, the court also stated that the suit against the legislator appeared to be a case of “the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob”.

Thus, confirming the statements made by the Senior Legislative Aide to Rep. Benjamin Kalu some days ago alleging that Chima Anyaso masterminded and funded this frivolous suit against Rep. Kalu in order to distract him from fulfilling his mandate.

Upon dismissing the case, the court also awarded costs against the Claimant.

It was gathered that Chima

Anyaso and supporters were sighted in the court premises expectant that judgement would go against the legislator as Attempts by our correspondents to reach Chima Anyaso failed as he could not be reached.

In his reaction, Rep. Kalu said “As I have always said, God is the God of justice. As a believer in God, I was confident that He would not allow injustice to be meted against me.

“Also, as a product of the judiciary, I had absolute confidence in the ability of the judiciary to sustain justice especially when the facts speak so clearly for themselves “I have experienced the competence of the judiciary from the time of the elections, tribunal and court of appeal. So, I was certain that the judiciary would sustain their fairness and gladly they did not disappoint me. I thank my supporters who believed in me, who stood by me and showed great concern during this period” “It has been a horrible two years, going in and out of court.

The idea of this litigation was to distract me from working for the people of Bende, however I have

refused to be distracted. As you can see I am currently inspecting sites for new projects and several of the completed projects are set to be commissioned soon.’

In an interview with newsmen, K.C Nwufor SAN, the lead counsel to Rep. Kalu, responded that all the issues raised by him were fully upheld by the Court while none of the issues raised by the claimant survived. He added: “It is a day for justice and I am happy that justice has been done. As you can see, this was a frivolous and malicious suit aimed at defaming the clean reputation of one of the best legislators Abia state has ever sent to Abuja. It was aimed at denting his reputation as the image maker and spokesperson of the National Assembly; a man who resisted every attempt to blackmail him in this matter.

“The character of our client has been defamed and so as we speak, we are preparing to file an action against the claimant and his co-detractors to the tune of 5 billion Naira for defamation of the character of our client and the institution that he represents” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

R

esidents of Danmaliki Cikasarari in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State have decried that they have been in total blackout for over three years.

The residents said they have been living without electricity supply since 2018 and all their efforts to restore power in the area have been unsuccessful.

The people of the area also said that the state government had donated a transformer for them through Naziru Zakari Sheka, the then Member, representing Kumbotso Constituency in the Kano House of Assembly, but it is yet to be installed.

The community members

30th Anniversary: Delta to honour iconic contributors to statehood

PAGE 9

NEWS

We’ve spent 3 years in total blackout, Kano residents cry out decried that the situation has subjected them into untold hardships, as their socio-economic well-being had been adversely affected.

A resident of the area, Aminu Abdullahi said they have suffered untold hardships since the blackout started in 2018, adding that they had been left in a fleeting hope that electricity would be restored in the area.

“We have been without electricity supply since early 2018.

We have been suffering from this situation. Our socio-economic life has been negatively affected.

“Our businesses have been paralysed. This is in addition to outbreak of diseases such as malaria,

because we are sleeping with mosquito. Whenever hot season set in, our suffering would be worse. We need urgent intervention. “ We call on the KEDCO and the state government to come to our rescue as this situation is no longer bearable to us,” Abdullahi said.

Another resident, Audu Jani stated that the state government, through the then member House of assembly, had donated a transformer to the community but it is yet to be installed. We have severally contacted the KEDCO and other relevant authorities to install the transformer for us, but our efforts are unsuccessful yet. “ We have been in a difficult situation due to this power outage.

The situation is unbearable. This electricity is essential to us because it helps us boost our economy. Our businesses have now been affected negatively.

“We have workshops where we use power to run them, now we have to defend on petroleum and diesel which are costly. We therefore appeal to authorities to come to our aid, “ Jani appealed.

When contacted for comment, Head Corporate Unit of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) Ibrahim Shawai said the community members ought to contact Rural Electrification Board (REB) since the transformer was given to them by the state government.

According to him, the said transformer donated to the community has not been officially handed over to KEDCO for connection, therefore, the residents should contact REB for onward handover to the company for installation.

Shawai also explained that the community could also contact KEDCO directly for connection of the transformer, but they should form a committee, write an application to the headquarters of the company.

He noted that the connection of a transformer follow a due process and procedures which communities have to follow to get themselves connected.

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Government on Monday said it would honour illustrious Deltans who contributed immensely to the growth and development of the state as it celebrates the 30th anniversary of its creation.

Chairman of Central Organising Committee for ``Delta at 30 Celebration’’, Dr Kingsley Emu, made this known at a media briefing in Asaba as part of activities of the week-long celebration of the anniversary.

Emu, who is Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, said that Delta at 30 came with a lot of pomp and fulfillment as the state had retained its identity since being part of the defunct MidWest and Bendel States.

He said that the state had consistently done well in sports since its creation just like in the days of Mid-West and Bendel State, adding that Delta had always been unique and significant in the comity of states.

“It is a week-long programme, starting with a Stakeholders Interactive Forum on Tuesday at the Event Centre, Asaba, while Children Talent Display will take place on Wednesday at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.

“There will be a Youth Variety Show also on Wednesday while an interdenominational thanksgiving service will hold on Friday at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Asaba. Thereafter, a Gala and Award Night would be held at the Event Centre,” he disclosed.

According to Emu, who was flanked by some members of the committee, posthumous award would be conferred on some illustrious Deltans in recognition of their political sagacity and iconic contributions to the creation and development of the state.

He listed the award categories to include Lifetime Achievers, Posthumous, Academia and Sports.

Beneficiaries, at the presentation of burial expenses to the families of deceased officers of the agency by the Chairman of NDLEA Brig.

Gen. Buba Marua in burial yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

NGO distributes dignity kits to vulnerable adolescent girls in Kaduna

T

he Hope for Communities and Children Initiative (H4CC), an NGO, has distributed 150 dignity kits to vulnerable adolescent girls in Kaduna.

The Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Hadiza Umar, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Wednesday.

Umar explained that the dignity kits donated by the United Nations Population Funds contained a wrapping cloth, towel, bucket, mat, hijab, reusable

sanitary pad, body cream, shaving stick and a whistle.

She said that the kits were distributed to 50 girls each in Kauru, Makarfi and Kaduna North Local Government areas of the state to contribute to the specific sanitary and hygiene needs of vulnerable girls.

She said that the kits were distributed after a Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) sensitisation for adolescent girls at primary healthcare centres in the respective LGAs. “The sensitisation was for the

girls to understand their body and their reproductive rights and what puts them at risk of gender-based violence.

“It is also to help them to protect themselves from unwanted sexual relations, maintain a good menstrual hygiene and adopt healthy behaviours to live a quality life.

“To do this, we had to go through the Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Board, so that we can link the adolescent girls to healthcare centres in their communities to increase demand

for SRH services,” she said.

NAN reports that the donations were part of UNFPA’s series of Risk Communications and Community Engagement (RCCE) activities under the United Nations support to the national COVID-19 multisectoral pandemic response.

The RCCE initiative is aimed at ensuring that risk and impact of gender-based violence and interconnecting sexual and reproductive health consequences are mitigated.

(NAN)

FG lauds Jigawa, SCI for effort to domesticate medical oxygen policy From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

T

he federal government has commended Jigawa State for efforts to domesticate the national policy on medical

Oxygen in health facilities in the state.

The commendation was made by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Elanire, while speaking at a stakeholders consultative

workshop for adoption of national policy on medical Oxygen in health facilities in Dutse, Jigawa State.

The minister who was represented by the Oxygen desk

officer, department of hospital services, ministry of health, Mr. Bishara Emanuel Bennett, also commended the Save the Children International for organizing the workshop.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 10

NEWS

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), has said that Save the Children International (SCI), Nigeria’s REACH project has contributed its quota to the growth and development as well as the general well-being of Nigerian adolescents and young people especially the girl child.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, at the closing ceremony of the Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make informed choices for their health in Nigeria (REACH project), Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said the project has helped a lot of young people in the states of; Katsina, Gombe and Zamfara.

He recalled that the Federal Ministry of Health through the Department of Family Health in collaboration with Save the Children with funding support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) implemented a three (3) year REACH project in Gombe, Katsina and Zamfara States.

He said the aim of the intervention was to improve young people’s access to Gender Responsive Quality Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Right in 300 Communities across six LGAs from the above three selected States.

“This is fully in line with our vision and priorities of improving access to quality health care and attainment of UHC leaving no one behind.

“Other areas where the Department has enjoyed the collaboration of Save the Children Nigeria through the REACH project are: Development of the Adolescent Health and Development M&E Framework, Re-printing of the National Training Manual for the Health and Development of Adolescents and Young People in Nigeria, Printing of the National Policy

SCI REACH project contributes to devt of Nigeria’s adolescents -FG on the Health and Development of Adolescents and Young People in Nigeria and Printing of the Gender in Health Policy.

“There is no doubt that the project has within these three and half years achieved the set objectives in affecting young women and girls positively in the following areas: child marriage, early childbearing, educational attainment genderbased violence, decisions ability and access/utilization of services and improved sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) knowledge.

“It has reached and empowered adolescents on age of marriage and capacities of health, gender

responsive adolescent friendly services and health facility services.

Also speaking, the Country Director, Save the Children International, Shannon Ward, said, “when we started the programme in 3018, we were worried about the acceptance of an adolescent sexual reproductive health project targeting 10-19 year olds, but the acceptance we received in the last 3 and the half years is beyond expectations.

“It is with the strength and consistency of the 3 states governments, the FMOH, LGA stakeholders, community leaders, religious and traditional leaders, parents, and adolescent boys

and girls support that we have made great strides towards accomplishing the objectives of the project - Ensuring that adolescent girls and boys (aged 10-19 years) have access to “gender responsive” adolescent sexual and reproductive health services and rights.”

She said the project has indirectly and directly reached 183,164 people through its various approaches.

The SCI boss added that, “the project has targeted 62 health facilities providing capacity strengthening to 255 health workers on a series

of clinical trainings (LARC- Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives , Prevention and management of STI, post Abortive care, CLMS- Contraceptives Logistic Management System , FP counselling, SGBV and much more).

The ‘project has graduated over 100,000 married and unmarried adolescents.”

On her part, REACH Project Director, Rahinatu Hussaini said,the team was happy to improve sexual reproductive health in those states.

“We are happy about this feat in those communities in the three states. The adolescents are aware of their rights and can advocate for such rights.”

Gbajabiamila mourns Senator Durojaiye’s death

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, has described as sad and painful, the passing of a Fourth Republic Senator, chief Biyi Durojaiye.

The Speaker said Senator Durojaiye, a chieftain of the defunct NADECO, was a patriotic Nigerian who gave his all in all for the development of the country.

A statement by the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, said Senator Durojaiye, who was born in 1933, was a core democrat with uncommon credentials.

The Speaker recalled how the late Durojaiye contributed to the development of Nigeria’s democracy through robust and purposeful engagements as a foremost economist, barrister and solicitor.

Gbajabiamila prayed for the repose of the soul of Senator Durojaiye, whom he said would be sorely missed and prayed God to comfort his family at this moment of grief.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi (3rd, L); Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of University of Calabar Governing Council, General Martin Luther-Agwai (2nd, R); Registrar of the University of Calabar, Mr Gabriel Egbe(R); Commissioner of Police in Cross River, Mr Aminu Alhassan(3rd,R) and others during the visit of the commissioner to UNICAL, in Calabar on Wednesday (25/8/21).

Group advocates Health Ministry recognises 2023: presidential power shift MTMPN, says chairman to North Central

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Chairman of the Modern Traditional Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria (MTMPN) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Gimba Zubairu, has said that the Federal Ministry of Health has given recognition to MTMPN in totality to co-ordinate the traditional medicine practitioners across the country.

He also said the Department of the Traditional, Complementary Alternative Medicine in the Ministry was working assiduously with the president of MTMPN, Dr Ibrahim Dada Nakowa to actualise their dream for the traditional medicine healers.

Zubairu who made the disclosure while

speaking with People’s Daily after a meeting with the chairmen of the association in Gwagwalada on Saturday, pointing out that MTMPN is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

He advised the entire members of MTMPN to work towards the progress of the association, and called on the members to co-operate with the leadership of the newly established MTMPN. He revealed that MTMPN will be launched officially on the 26th of September, 2021 by the leadership of the association.

Also speaking, the Deputy president of MTMPN, Dr Adamu Ibrahim, warned the traditional medicine practitioners against using fake herbs to treat people.

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

N

orth Central Network for Better Nigeria leadership has charged all leading political parties in Nigeria to allow the presidential ticket to candidate from the North central to enhance equity, justice and political inclusiveness.

The Director General of the Network, Ambassador Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi made the appeal in a press briefing on their nine point demand in Minna.

Muregi emphasized the need for the North central to be considered, saying it is necessary.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

You’re all being hasty

G

overnors of the 36 states of the federation have complained over the Petroleum Industry Act that President Muhammadu signed earlier this August. The National Assembly passed the bill in July. Reacting to the PIA, they said Monday that they were not comfortable with some of the provisions and set up a committee to suggest amendments.

to him, the committee would make recommendations which would be submitted to the implementation committee for possible amendment of the Act. “The law is to regulate the system. I like to say that the law is not perfect but it is a good starting point.

“We have observed certain provisions and lack of provisions for the sub-national sector in the law and because of the observation, we tackled the matter at the FAAC, which was chaired by the minister in a representative capacity and we have been assured that the concerns would be taken on board. And based on the timeline of 12 months provided, the implementation committee should be able to work out an amendment to the Act.”

Nigerian Governors Forum’s chairman and Ekiti State’s governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had last Thursday expressed concerns over the 30 per cent allocation for frontier exploration and three per cent for host communities in the PIA. He said both provisions, if implemented, would deplete the Federation Account, adding, “We worry more about the entire federation and not about selected parts of the federation. For us as governors, that is We have observed a distinction without a difference. We are certain provisions and talking about depletion lack of provisions for the of the Federation Account, whether it sub-national sector in is three percent or 30 the law and because percent.”

“

Let us acknowledge, at the onset, that the governors are right to complain.

They are major stakeholders in the Nigeria Project.

The fortunes of their of the observation, we states are tied to The six-man tackled the matter at the performance committee the the FAAC, which was of the PIA. governors have set They fear that chaired by the minister the federation up is chaired by Delta in a representative State Commissioner account from for Finance, Fidelis capacity and we have which they Tilije. Benue State’s draw statutory been assured that the a l l o c a t i o n s Commissioner of concerns would be Finance, Mr. David would be Olofu is chairman d e p l e t e d taken on board. And of Forum of State depleted based on the timeline by Commissioners of financial Finance.

He said of 12 months provided, a l l o c a t i o n s Monday that the to oil host the implementation committee would communities in committee should be the PIA. In this submit proposed able to work out an amendments to the sense, we find Act to the steering amendment to the Act. the governors’ committee on the PIA complaint to set up by President be selfish and Buhari. therefore, condemnable. Their selfishness is the only reason why He said the forum agreed that they are rejecting a law enacted by there were grey areas in the PIA elected representatives of Nigerians which did not take into consideration and assented to by an elected the interest of the states. According President.

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The dictator in every Nigerian

By Fredrick Nwabufo

W

e all detest dictatorship when we are the victims of its reverberations, but when we wear the jackboots and are handing down orders, censures; singling shots, cutting down, attacking and destroying other people we palliate our actions. In most cases, we subsume our venture in tyranny as ‘’activism’’ – a term that has now become nebulous and an umbrella for highwaymen clutching the banner of civil advocacy.

There is a dictator in every Nigerian. We want to be heard, but we do not want to hear others. Even when we listen, it is not to understand but to muster ammunition for a belligerent response. The falcon does not hear the falconer. We have become so regimented in our cerebration that any view which does not follow a ‘’popular solitary narrative’’ is blitzed, and the messenger assailed ruthlessly.

It must be our way or the highway to hell. A straitjacket opinion dominates the landscape and all contrary perspectives sentenced to silence. If you dare to think different or say different, you are cancelled, ridiculed, vilified and slandered. In our world, everyone must be on the bandwagon of the solitary narrative.

Is this not a tyranny of opinion? Are we not dictators?

I have become a staple for vicious internet hobgoblins. These imps find my unyielding stance on national issues vexatious. To them, it is uncharacteristic for someone from the south-east to speak in defence of Nigeria or take a position away from the prevailing socio-political doctrine. Their run-off-the-mill argument is that since I am Igbo, I must defend the Igbo – whether for good or for evil. But I cannot fit into that provincial receptacle. It is not me. My calling is for humanity regardless of tribe, religion or political persuasion.

When it is time to take a righteous stand for any group whether – Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Fulani, Igala, Ibibio, or Ijaw – I will proudly do so. What affects one afflicts all of us.

Native mentation. This is our challenge -- to see in tribal silos and do not to think beyond the tribe. We must evolve beyond this drawback.

Armies of Nigerians from different sections of the country must rise up and defend Nigeria and Nigerians.

We should not always retreat into ethnic shells and interpret national matters by sectional prejudice. We must stand in the beautiful middle dividing nonsenses.

My stint in activism enriched my knowledge of civil advocacies – and their ugly underbelly. The clouds are not always white and robins do not always sing. The Nigerian civil society space is one that is tainted and blackened by ego, rapaciousness, and sleaze. I participated in some advocacies in the past with a mind brimming with passion for Nigeria and a fist raised for a change

in my country. I was naive. My dispassionate commitment to certain causes and conviction led me down the primrose path of deception. In my innocence, I assumed everyone raising a fist and parroting slogans had genuine intentions.

It was devastating for me when I realised some of these advocacies are well-oiled campaigns promoted by unclean characters. Most civil advocacies do not sprout organically.

There is always a mighty hand behind the curtains pulling the marionettes.

There is also the all-knowing complex with the activism industry. ‘’Activists’’ appear to have the right prescriptions to Nigeria’s problems as well as the Midas touch to turn things around. They make pleasing noises; shout the loudest in the room, deliver wry but perfect oneliners, and seal every oration with powerful quotes from famous persons -- all by rote. They know what to say in every situation. But many of these advocates from the Nigerian ‘’activism community’’ found themselves in government and became what they stood against in their days in the trenches – and instead of bringing change, they caused government to atrophy with a Sadim touch.

A once vibrant activist with a mouth full of hot words revealed his true plumage and betrayed his hypocrisy when he became state governor and then national chairman of a major political party. There are many like that in the activism community waiting for their turn at the table. And while they are waiting they must keep shouting until their mouth is fed.

While the ‘’activism community’’ claims to be at war with tyranny, it does not brook opposition. Members who do a volt-face or have a change of perspective are ‘’de-comraded’’ or dismissed as ‘’compromised’’.

There is a dictatorship of opinion in the activism community. It must be ‘’attack, tear down, criticise and pull down’’. If you happen to point out the flickers of hope in the system, you are reduced to a quisling.

This does not obviate the place of genuine activists – those whose singular pursuit is to see a better Nigeria. Even in a crate of rotten eggs, we still have the unsoiled ones.

There is a dictator in every Nigerian. We hold those in government to scrutiny for alleged acts of tyranny while ignoring our own complicity. We should hear one another. If you insist only your way must stand, how are you different from Idi Amin? Dictatorship stirs resistance. When you come to people from a position of tyranny, naturally they will resist you. This is a normal human reaction. No one wants to be dictated to, no one wants to be pushed around or made to feel like an indentured slave. We should hear one another.

By Fredrick ‘Mr One Nigeria’ Nwabufo Twitter/Facebook/ Instagram: @FredrickNwabufo

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 12

Opinion

Competency tests: Why always the teachers?

By Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed

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overnments should ensure enough teaching equipment, textbooks, aids and other things for these teachers. They should organise frequent trainings, seminars and lectures for these teachers. They should adequately fund the schools so that they would feel no lack and teachers’ salaries should be paid before due regularly.

This would improve them and there will no lackadaisical attitudes to work again.

Competency tests as the name implies are the kind of tests that are organised to consider the professional capability of teachers in Nigeria. It is a legal examination and it is stipulated under the Civil Service General Orders and Public Service Rules (G.O. and PSR) that the only qualified body that can set these aptitude tests for teachers is the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

In this article, I will analyse the details of its recent conducts in Nigerian States and elucidate the opinions of the masses on it.

In November 2017, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State conducted ample competency tests for teaching teachers in Kaduna State. Beyond the Governor’s expectation, the teachers failed woefully. It was so disheartening to the governor that he made it lucid to the teachers that they would all be sacked.

Days later, Governor Ayodele Fayose from Ekiti State (The Home of Books in Nigeria) accused El-

Rufai of no fair play. “I’m warning Nigerians again, the agenda of the APC is to sack workers. They are sacking teachers in Kaduna and Buhari is supporting them”, Fayose opined. This press release divulged to the citizens that even Mr. President himself is aware of this.

“Your Excellency Sir, We are not sacking teachers in Kaduna.

Rather, we are replacing unqualified people who are unfit to be called teachers to save the future of the next generation”, El-Rufai yelled back in correction.

A veteran media icon and spokesperson of the Ekiti Governor in person of Mr. Lere Olayinka opined that even Ekiti that is the best in academic field does not sack teachers anyhow and he advised ElRufai to come and learn from them.

His Twitter post reads, “In Ekiti, we did not conduct competency tests for teachers, we still made first position in NECO in 2016 and 2017. El-Rufai can come and learn from us”.

In a wrathful response to the Governor El-Rufai’s planned action, a gallant pivotal pillar from the Kaduna State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Amba confirmed that it was a general decision of the body to commence an indefinite strike on November 23 if the government still continue to fulfill his wicked promise of dismissal of teachers.

However, El-Rufai stood his ground because it was an object of melancholy to him that 22, 000 (as alleged) couldn’t pass the common Primary Four questions set to assess

them. He viewed the decision of the teachers as a mere threat and disregarded it as the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board Chairman, Nasiru Umar during a press conference announced that El-Rufai’s plan is to recruit 25, 000 new teachers in place of the one he would sack.

In the wee hours of 22nd January, 2018, it was a breaking but dejected news that Governor ElRufai sacked the 22, 000 teachers as he had vowed earlier. This spelt doom for the dismissed teachers and the entire state was catapulted into a sorrowful stance throughout that week.

Another real account has it that Governor El-Rufai would conduct another tests for the teachers in his dear state, this was disclosed

by Mohammed Mubarak who is a Permanent Member of Physical and Project Monitoring, Kaduna State Universal Basic Education on July 14th, 2021.

Reacting angrily to apoplectically to the news, Ibrahim Dalhatu signed a communique in which the teachers clarified it for the Governor that they would not sit for any nitwit test if he tried it with them this time around.

Furthermore, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State was reported to have organised an impromptu but sudden tests for teachers in Baga, a town in Kukawa Local Government. After the tests, the governor encouraged the teachers with presents of money and yards of fabrics.

Isa Gasau, the media adviser of the Governor assured that those who failed the tests would either

be enrolled for further training or redeployed to the administrative department.

My question is that why is the aptitude tests only for the teachers?

There are many professions that have not yet recorded a single success but the eyes of the two governments are blind to this. The teachers that El-Rufai sacked, didn’t he owe them any salary? He should consider their efforts and pardon them though with strict warnings.

Obviously, everyone in this country knows that these teachers are not well treated despite the fact that they are the bedrock of every nation. They should conduct the tests for other sectors too.

Buhari cannot be blamed for concurring to El-Rufai’s view of teachers’ dismissals because what the Governor would claim was that he intended to ensure standard education in his State as could be seen in his tweet above. Even you will heartily support this!

The statement of Lere Olayinka could be termed invective and an ordure to the sleek face of Governor El-Rufai but it was the truth. Like a paradox, it only seems absurd but has a sagacious meaning. Could El-Rufai claimed that he was the best Quantity Surveyor in Nigeria?

Certainly, no! And don’t forget he had his universty degree in this discipline. Even Governor Zulum who was a Professor of Agricultural Engineering still had honchos in the field too. The two governments should have used their wealth of experience in administration to leave the teachers alone because the Holy Books made it clear that

no one is perfect and omniscient except God. Although the aptitude tests are legal as seen in the acts referred to above but in the same lane, it is ultra vires and also null and void for the Governor to conduct it. It is not his primary duty. I doubt if the questions are actually based on their professional ism.

I would advise that governments should look indepth into problems that would turn the boats of their various states down if care is not taken and leave the teachers wholly.

They are trying their best, it is not easy to impart knowledge in others.

If it was an easy task, Zulum would not have resigned his lecturing appointment with the University of Maiduguri.

Governments should ensure enough teaching equipment, textbooks, aids and other things for these teachers. They should organise frequent trainings, seminars and lectures for these teachers. They should adequately fund the schools so that they would feel no lack and teachers’ salaries should be paid before due regularly. This would improve them and there will no lackadaisical attitudes to work again.

“Justice and Service” as seen in NUT’s motto should be given to them. Why always the teachers?

Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed is a Nigerian bilingual writer, bard, content writer, professional editor, legal researcher, tutor, essayist, clown and online reporter from Offa, a prominent town in Kwara State.

Tulsa race massacre reveals hypocrisy of American human rights

By Liu Weidong

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horrendous race massacre took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma a hundred years ago, in which thousands of white racists shot at black men, set fires and even dropped firebombs from airplanes. The massacre took hundreds of lives and wiped out neighborhoods.

However, the U.S. government, media and social groups have long stayed silent on this event. They not only refuse to bring the rioters to justice, but also oppressed those who revealed the truth, trying to erase it from history.

The U.S. has long proclaimed itself a “human rights defender,” and takes pride in its system of separation of powers. However, these so-called “advantages” corrected no mistake in the Tulsa race massacre and the following course of history. They even made worse mistakes and covered the truth, and completely destroyed the dream of the black community in Tulsa to seek equity and justice. Till today, there are still secrets untold about the Tulsa race massacre.

Searching for the truths about the massacre would help us better understand what really happened then, and further reveal the disgraceful role played by the U.S. government and the hypocrisy of American human

rights.

The white supremacists had their way in the massacre because they were large in number, well equipped, and cruel, and the local black people lacked precaution and weapons despite their wealth. However, there were two more important reasons. First, the local government apparently played favorites with the whites. Police officials and the National Guards not only turned a blind eye to the violent crimes committed by the whites, but also arrested black resisters. Second, the federal government also shut its eyes to what was happening.

Why has the U.S. government always been guarding the secrets about the massacre? Even the U.S. Congress, which says it places huge importance on human rights issues and frequently accuses other countries of human rights problems, is silent on the matter.

Americans’ values are closely associated with their religious belief.

Many Americans think they are the “chosen ones” living in “the city upon a hill,” and represent the world’s most advanced system and civilization.

Therefore, there’s no chance for their country to make a mistake.

Besides, many white people live with a deep-rooted ethnocentrism. They believe it’s justifiable to destroy a black community that is wealthier than

a white one, and don’t consider it a crime. In addition, the white people made up the majority of the voters back then, so to condemn the white supremacists meant political risk.

That’s why the U.S. politicians acted as if they knew nothing about the crimes committed by the whites.

It’s not weird that the massacre has rarely been taken by political parties as a bargaining chip. Whether a U.S. political party says it represents an interest group depends on how much it can get from the group. The black community had little political influence then and therefore was “useless” for both the Democrats and the Republicans. On top of that, the two political parties shared similar political positions on the racial problem. Besides, the racial problem was not a key matter on the political agenda of the U.S. as the massacre took place just after the World War I when the U.S. needed to carve out spheres of influence in the world and recover domestic economy.

Even the U.S. media, which has always boasted its “objectivity and impartiality,” failed to play its role as a monitor. Media organizations have their own “political correctness,” as media practitioners are mostly white people holding mainstream values. At that time, it was generally believed that African Americans

shouldn’t enjoy the same rights and interests with the white people, and didn’t deserve to be wealthier than the latter. Therefore, the U.S. media turned a blind eye to the massacre.

In addition, the massacre was said to be a riot by the local government, so the media didn’t reveal the motivations of the white racists.

On the contrary, it claimed that it was the provocation of the black people that triggered a fight-back from the white community, and finally “justice prevailed over the evil.” What’s worse, Tulsa is located in a remote area, and the massacre was not widely reported due to the limited say of the local black community in the media circle.

Why didn’t the black community fight back in an organized order? On one hand, the U.S. governments at all levels were always oppressing the black people. On the other hand, the morale of many black people had been destroyed in times and times of failures of their resisting struggles against the white people in history.

The racial segregation also hindered solidarity of the black community.

Unfortunately, the discrimination against African Americans is still haunting the country 100 years after the massacre.

Though such discrimination is prohibited by laws, it still exists in

the U.S. society. Many black people have become top businessmen and politicians, but they are just the elite blacks gaining a foothold in a white-dominated society, which doesn’t narrow the gap between races. Both the Democrats and the Republicans say they care about African Americans, but what they really aim at is the votes from the black community, rather than the latter’s political and economic status.

Besides, African Americans are still facing obvious discrimination in U.S. policies, especially on judicial level.

What has been said above exactly explains why U.S. governments and society chose to stay silent on the Tulsa race massacre and even covered up facts. It is closely related to the White House’s double standard in the sphere of human rights, the two political parties’ short-sighted pursuit of political interests, as well as the deep-rooted discrimination of the mainstream society against ethnic minorities.

The Tulsa race massacre is a deep scar that will never be erased from the American history. It is reeling off the hypocrisy of the American human rights.

(Liu Weidong is a researcher with the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

Comment

Legal Aid Council and Police Duty Solicitor Scheme

By Amaka Agbaih

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he Director-General of Legal Aid Council Mr. Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar played host to the Advisory Committee Meeting on force Order 20. The meeting which took place last week Wednesday was held at the headquarters conference room.

The essence of the meeting was to chat the way forward for the progress of Police Duty Solicitor Scheme (PDSS).

The Director General, who is al s o t h e C o - C h a i r m a n o f the committee in his opening remark, welcomed all the stakeholders and appreciated them for their sacrifices so far on the implementation of PDSS. The chairman explained that the meeting could not hold for a period of two years largely because of the Covid-19 which grounded the whole World Nigeria inclusive.

However, he was optimistic that the meeting will yield result.

The Committee members that were present at the meeting are representatives from the office of the attorney General of the Federation, REPLACE, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) OSIJI National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria Bar Association, National Orientation Agency, Rule of Law, etc.

After observing the necessary protocol, the committee deliberated on the various challenges that have hindered the smooth running of PDSS. It therefore, resolved to pay a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Usman Alkali Baba to discuss all the obstacles confronting the

scheme bearing in mind that it’s the Police baby. To drive home all the articulated issues raised, a 5 man co-ordination sub-committee force order was set up with the following terms of reference.

To develop a strategic plan as touching to funding, Sensitization Communication and advocacy and the sub-committee were drawn from NBA, NYSC and LAC. To a lay man: A force order is a statutory instrument under the police act. It regulates the operations and powers of the Nigeria Police Force. Force Order is made by the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP) and has nationwide effect. Force order 20 addresses “Free legal services to detained persons in Police formations” PDSS therefore, is a mechanism for its delivery. For further explanation, it seeks to address the challenges of pre-trial

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own and usually if, it is evident that he or she cannot afford one.

Ordinarily a person arrested by the police is not supposed to remain in custody beyond 24 hours, but the question is, how many Nigerians are in the picture of this scheme? Many do not have an idea where to turn or whether they should ask for a solicitor to represent them at the court or police station.

The legal aid council and open society justice initiative as far back as 2004/2005 collaborated and designed the initial framework which is the creation of a computer – based criminal justice information management system to monitor the movement of cases from the point of arrest to the conclusion of the case.

The scheme started with 16 Young Lawyers who are on National service to their father

frontiers more successes have been recorded as the Country now have it in Kebbi, Edo, Ibadan, Lagos, FCT. The major bottleneck as identified by the stakeholders is the manner in which our Nigeria Police arrest and detain suspects who may be innocent. Nigerian should know that duty Solicitors are knowledgeable in their field and ever ready to assist persons in the Custody of Police. Nigerians should learn how to speak out and seek for help because a closed mouth is a closed destiny.

The Government through her agencies, parastatals has put certain mechanism to see that the Justice Sector in Nigeria works. The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are not left out in the arrangement. They are collaborating with relevant organizations for the good of the

The Government through her agencies, parastatals has put certain mechanism to see that the Justice Sector in Nigeria works. The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are not left out in the arrangement. They are collaborating with relevant organizations for the good of the masses.

detention in Nigeria.

A duty solicitor or a duty lawyer is a solicitor whose services are available to a person either suspected of, or charged with, a criminal offence free of charge, if the person in question does not have access to a solicitor of their

land and within a short period of time secured the release of over 13,000 criminal suspects from police stations and prisons now custodian centres from the four pilot state namely Ondo, Sokoto, Imo and Kaduna but today through the efforts of the

masses.

The Police duty solicitor scheme with the backing of force order 20 is a good thing that is happening to Nigerians and the Justice Sector. However, many Nigerians will come to appreciate it more when it is

fully implemented across the Federation because at that level majority of the masses will be in the picture of what PDSS is all about. PDSS in a nutshell will correct the injustice being meted out on some people by the Nigeria Police as only established offenders will be arrested and detained by our various custodian centre.

It should be recalled that Legal Aid Council, the voice of the voiceless is a government parastatal being supervised by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The Council was established in the year 1976 and was charged with the mandate of providing free Legal Aid Services to the indigent Nigerians who cannot afford the services of private legal practitioners.

More importantly, the council has not failed in this aspect as many Nigerians have enjoyed free access to justice and also have their cases settled through.

To bring its services down to the grassroots, Legal Aid Council has Offices in every state capital and some local government Areas.

In Abuja, it has FCT office at the Federal Secretariat Complex, with office in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils. Head office annex is located in Area 3, Garki, Abuja.

This is done to serve the populace better. In their own wisdom, LAC established an office in Karu Local Government secretariat bearing in mind that most people that work in Abuja reside there.

Amaka Agbaih writes in from Legal Aid Council, Abuja

Media as the watch dog; A foe of the govt, a friend to the masses

By Ishaq Habeeb

A

s I penned this, the bandits that attacked, killed and kidnapped Nigerian army personnel yesterday, at their strongest base, are probably out there somewhere right now, reading the trending news headlines, gloating, having a house party and perhaps, promoting their daredevil commandants behind the brazen attack on Nigeria’s strongest military facility, for their dare devilishness.

The media, serves as the fourth estate, or the fourth arm of government, that works to ensure that the rights and privileges of Nigerian citizens; rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of information, among others, are well protected and granted, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

The media carry out the daunting task of holding the government accountable for their deeds, misdeeds, actions or inactions, by informing and educating the citizenry about the state of the nation, which motivates

people to insist that the govt keep their campaign promises and are sticking to the rule of law in ways that wouldn’t tamper with the lives and well-being of the citizenry.

In present day Nigeria however, practicing balanced journalism is arguably one of the hardest jobs there is, as Journalists are torn in between two dilemmas, on the one hand, having to own up to their responsibility of informing the people of daily happenings and state of the nation, being as informative and as accurate as possible while at it.

While on the other hand, they can’t do that now without

“

inadvertently having to have given criminal elements, e.g, bandits, unmerited media popularity, which subsequently emboldens them and their heinous activities, plus undermining govt’s small efforts in tackling the state of wanton insecurity, currently bedeviling us in Nigeria.

Take today for example, virtually every news media platform in the Country is carrying a headline, detailing reports of bandit attack on Nigerian Defence Academy, in Afaka, Kaduna state, where two or so officers were said to have reportedly been shot dead and one other, allegedly abducted.

Recently, rumors were that the APC govt, in its autocratic fashion, attempts to gag Nigeria’s media from reporting successful terrorist-attack stories, as part of efforts to demoralize the terrorists, instead of emboldening them with catchy news headlines by the media, especially about such embarrassing attacks on key federal facilities as NDA and/or it’s personnel, whenever there’s any.

The policy, undemocratic as it is may seem, may not be entirely misplaced, although the govt, if there’s strong political will, can do a lot better in handling the

In present day Nigeria however, practicing balanced journalism is arguably one of the hardest jobs there is, as Journalists are torn in between two dilemmas, on the one hand, having to own up to their responsibility of informing the people of daily happenings and state of the nation, being as informative and as accurate as possible while at it.

insecurity problem, than just gagging the news media for simply doing their job, legitimately.

As I penned this, the bandits that attacked, killed and kidnapped Nigerian army personnel yesterday, at their strongest base, are probably out there somewhere right now, reading the trending news headlines, gloating, having a house party and perhaps, promoting their daredevil commandants behind the brazen attack on Nigeria’s strongest military facility, for their dare devilishness.

Now you can see how the media, by simply doing their job, are inadvertently giving the bandits, undeserved media popularity, which is what the govt was thinking -in their narrow approachwhen they moved to regulate the way media reports such news, which is, of course, morale-depleting for the security operatives and moraleboosting for the terrorists.

Ishaq Habeeb is a pubic affairs analyst and a freelance Journalist, he writes from Nigeria and can be reached through simplyishaqhabeeb@gmail.com

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 14

NEWS Agency supports business growth in FCT

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he Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) has evolved strategies to eliminate regulatory bottlenecks that hampers business growth and promoting ethical business practice in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Acting Managing Director of the agency, Malam Shehu Abdulkadir, disclosed this at the 8th Edition of Business 360, held at the Entrepreneurial Complex of AEA, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 8th Edition of Business 360 is “Leveraging on Technology and Innovation for Enterprise Productivity”.

Abdulkadir said that the theme was apt and borne out of the experience faced by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He explained that the idea of business 360 was conceived to provide all the relevant business development services such as training, enterprise promotion, market linkage, regulatory clinics, business advisory and other key areas on demand to entrepreneurs who require such services.

He added that it was designed to bring business regulatory bodies, business service providers, business owners and business developers together towards creating a synergy that would be beneficial to the growth of businesses in the FCT. Abdulkadir said that MSMEs are constrained in terms of resources such as technology, finance, marketing and human resources.

He noted that the ability of MSMEs to compete in the global market depends on their access to these resources and those that have better access to these resources are able to exhibit better innovative and economic performance.

According to him, the 8th edition of business 360 will serve as a platform to actualise one of the agency’s cardinal objectives to promote the adoption of technology

by MSME. He also said that the programme would provide an opportunity for interaction between the private and public sectors.

This, according to him, will no doubt lead to greater synergy and an enabling environment for MSMEs to thrive.

“It is therefore one of the agency’s strategies aimed at eliminating regulatory bottlenecks that hampers business growth and promoting ethical business practice in the FCT. “A lot of MSMEs experienced contraction in their growth due to restrictions and lock down measures instituted to curb the spread of the virus.

“MSMEs that adopted the use of technology in their business were able to sustain their activities.

“Technology is a driver of growth and would spur MSMEs to compete in a global economy especially in developing countries where they are exposed to intense competition due to the accelerated process of globalisation.” (NAN)

People in France see Nigeria as terrorist country -Envoy From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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rench Ambassador to Nigeria, Jerome Pasquire has said that contrary to perception and notions in France that Nigeria is a terrorist country, the envoy said he has completely seen the opposite.

He rather described Nigeria as a sprawling investment hub where French investors are at liberty to invest their wealth for rapid biliteral economic ties to be fully consolidated for the benefits of the two countries.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after being conducted round the permanent site of the Dala In Land Dry Port by the Managing Director of the Company, Ahamad Rabiu in Kano on Tuesday, the French envoy stated that it took him a painstaking pain to convince investors in France to agree that they can invest in the country without hinderence.

According to him, his visit to Kano state, the commercial nerve centre of northern Nigeria and subsaharan Africa had made him to be fully convinced that all what was said against Nigeria in France is not true.

Pasquire added that in France, he had to take a painstaking effort to convinve his countrymen to

comprehend the fact that Nigeria is not a country of terrorists as it was wrongly perceived, adding that the country is on the priority of the French government in the area of trade and investment.

According to him, the two countries have possessed the much needed potentials to forge ahead in the economic sphere in the face of the abundant resources Nigeria is endowed with.

The Envoy stated that the French government had already made sustained efforts, aimed at consolidating the ties for a robust business atmosphere to thrive at the time the quest for investment was high.

He said” our people have a wrong notion of Nigeria as far as the issue of insecurity and terrorism is concerned. As one representing the interest of our country, we are saddled with the pain of convincing our people to understand the simple fact that Nigeria is a great investment hub. The country have the much needed potentials to be relied upon in terms of trade and investment.

“We are here in Kano today and saw the potentials of Kano as a sprawling commercial nerve

centre. We are also impressed with the hospitality we have received.

“We are hoping to build and consolidate trade and investment ties with notable business tycoons like Adenuga, Dangote and others across the country. the issue of investment is the prevailing vogue all over the country” he remarked.

Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of Dala in Land Dry Port, Alhaji Ahamad Rabiu said, the decision effected for the establishment of a formidable dry port in Kano was to reduce the persistent gridlocks at the TinClcan Island for the business of exporting goods out of the country to be enhanced.

He added that the rail line project in Kano at the behest of the Federal Government would be a major catalyst towards achieving the desired goals.

While thanking governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for strongly supporting the conception and the eventual establishment of the Dala in Land Dry Port, the Managing Director however stated that the Port is poised to be used as a launch-pad for cargoes’ operations via the rail line.

He stressed that with the giant

strides so far effected, French investors would be convinced that the country mean business.

The Managing Director also revealed that Kano State Government had disbursed 2.3 billion Naira for the provision of infrastructures for the takeup operation of Inland Dry Port, Kumbotso Kano, sometimes last year, and already they have fully commences work since.

He explained that the infrastructure to be provided by the state government includes access road, perimeter fence, water and electricity among others, which already have them in place.

The Managing Director who was a former commissioner of Commerce in Kano explained that the Inland Dry Port was approved by the federal government for over ten years, but the project was in a coma until the present administration in Kano approved the disbursement.

Rabiu Ahmed noted that the project when completed would provide thousands of job opportunities to the teeming youths and boost the state IGR as well as promote export not only in Kano but the zone.

From left: Director, Water Resources, Mrs Helen Taiwo; Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello; and Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Mr Olalekan Shodeinde, during a news conference on the resumed heavy rainfall in September and release of water from Oyan Dam, in Lagos on Wednesday (25/8/21)

Confusion in PDP, as 2 Dep Chairmen lay claim to acting Chairman

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

T

he crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday assumed a new dimension with the two Deputy National Chairmen of the party laying claim to the acting national Chairman of the party.

The development was sequel to the Tuesday’s order of a High Court of Rivers State, which issued an interim injunction restraining Prince Uche Secondus from parading himself as the national chairman and member of the PDP. Following the restraining order, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi and The Deputy National Chairman (South) Senator Suleiman Nazif are both laying claim to the position of the Acting

**Akinwonmi suspends NWC meeting **Sen. Nazif calls for NEC meeting on Friday Chairman of the main opposition party in the country Despite the provisions of Section 35 of PDP the constitution which allowed Akinwonmi to take over from the embattled Chairman, Senator Nazif claimed yesterday that the Deputy National Chairman (South) is incapacitated, had not attended NWC meeting in the last 10 months and as such cannot act in that capacity.

In a statement on Tuesday morning, Akinwonmi, who cited Section 35 (b) of the PDP Constitution to back his action, suspended the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the party scheduled to hold yesterdayay (Tuesday).

He said “Section 35(3) (b) of the constitution of the People’s Democratic

Party empowers me to summon and preside over party meetings in the absence of the national chairman.

“Our attention was drawn yesterday evening to a court order which purports to restrain our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus from summoning and presiding over the meetings of the organs of the party.

“In the foregoing circumstances, as Deputy National Chairman (South) of the People’s Democratic Party, after the consultations and in exercise of the aforesaid powers, hereby deem it fit and prosper to postpone the National Working Committee meeting earlier scheduled for today until further notice to allow for broader consultations in the overall interest of our party”.

However, in a counter development,

Senator Nazif Suleiman (PDP Deputy National Chairman, North) convened an emergency meeting of some factions of the NWC at the party’s secretariat, claiming that he is the rightful person for the position of the Acting Chairman.

Suleiman pointed out that Elder Akinwonmi is incapacitated and has not attended NWC meeting in the last ten months.

Addressing a meeting of a faction of the NWC yesterday, he said, “Members of the NWC, we will recall that this morning (Tuesday) we are in possession of a valid court order, from a high court in Degema, Rivers State, issuing an order removing Secondus as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as National Chairman of our great party.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

Stop blaming Buhari for your failures, Tiv youths tell Ortom

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he Tiv Youth Council Worldwide has said the examination of the performance of Governor Samuel Ortom within the last six years has revealed that he has failed woefully.

The group President, Hon. Mike Msuaan, said that Governor Ortom’s continuous attack on the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari remains a diversionary ploy intended to distract the people of the state from questioning his abysmal performance.

The group charged Governor Ortom to rather collaborate with the Federal government agencies to further consolidate on the relative peace in the state than to embark on a political campaign in a bid to strengthen his stranglehold on the state.

Reacting to an interview granted

by Governor Ortom on Channels Television wherein the Governor made several accusations on President Muhammadu Buhari, the group expressed worry that a Governor who ranks the least and has virtually done nothing will always pick the President who has done a lot for the people of the state as a tool for driving his personal political ambition in the face of many challenges the state is grappling with under his watch.

The group thereby called on all Benue stakeholders, traditional leaders, groups, party men and women to speak truth to power by calling Governor Ortom to order.

The group challenged the governor to mention the ongoing or completed projects to his credit for the general public to compare notes.

The group noted: “Governor Ortom obviously has several MoUs to his credit: none of which has come to light. Governor Ortom cannot continue with the deceitful posturing of fighting or defending the people of Benue state, when he has practically failed in securing their lives as he swore on oath to do.

“It is crass ineptitude for a Governor who presides over the state security meetings and hosts security votes of the state, to persistently dish out blames to the President as though he was elected to check-mate the President.”

PAGE 15

‘Secondus sack reveals Atiku/Wike will contest 2023 presidency on PDP platform’

By Musa Baba Adamu

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chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Olusegun Bamgbose, has said that the recent order by a Rivers State High Court restraining the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from parading himself as the chairman, is an indication that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, will contest the 2023 presidential election using PDP platform.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Bamgbose said that the Imo State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has highjacked the PDP, adding that a previous visit to Rivers State by the former Vice President is a political homage to prepare grounds for his 2023

presidential ambition.

He said the Port Harcourt court ruling signaled the end of PDP as a national party in Nigeria, adding that the party has now become a regional party.

Bamgbose said that this will ultimately spell doom for the party in 2023, adding that Wike and Atiku may be plotting to enter the 2023 race as running mates.

Recall that the leadership crisis currently rocking PDP worsened on Monday when the High Court in Rivers State restrained Uche Secondus from parading himself as the National Chairman of the party.

The order was given by Justice O. Gbasam of the State High Court sitting in Degema local government area of the State.

The judge also approved the

suspension of Secondus as a member of the party pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

To this end, Bamgbose said “Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has succeeded in hijacking the party structure and thus become the most powerful member of the party as of today.

“It’s most unfortunate that one who was never a founding member of the party has now taken over the structure of the party. One wonders why Atiku Abubakar should pay homage to Wike in order to pave the way for him to clinch the party’s ticket.

“One won’t be surprised if Wike will eventually be running mate to Atiku come 2023. PDP has lost its opposition status and

NNPP will certainly take over.

“There is nothing on the ground to show that PDP can wrestle power from APC come 2023. I foresee NNPP springing surprises come 2023.

“PDP has now become a limited liability company whereby Governor Wike has emerged as Managing Director of the PLC. This is sad, party-turnedcompany.

“Atiku’s intervention is too late in the day. Those visualizing PDP to take over from APC come 2023 should be seen as daydreamers.

“They are very far from reality.

Nigerians must switch over to New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP. We are very confident that it is the best alternative to take over power from APC come 2023.”

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), Dr. Babayo Ardo (middle), flanked by the Management and awardees Staff of the Ministry, during the recognition of outstanding and dedicated staff of the Ministry, in line with the current Reform Policy in the Federal Civil Service (Civil Service Award) held yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Ex Osun Gov, Onyinlola declares interest on Secondus seat amidst PDP crisis

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

former governor of Osun State, who was also former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has declared his intention to succeed the embattled national Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus.

Speaking in Osun, Oyinlola said his aspiration would depend on two conditions, which will

include if the position is zoned to the South West and his ability to muster the stakeholders of the party.

He revealed that he is more prepared to serve in the office of PDP National Chairman because he has garnered a decade of cumulative experience in governance both as military administrator of Lagos State and third civilian governor of Osun State.

While describing his achievements in government as no mean feat, he accused those using his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 to attack him as cheap blackmailers.

According to him, his leaving the PDP was because the party drove him away by engineering his removal.

He said a plan was concocted because President Goodluck

Ebele Jonathan wanted to run for a second term in 2015.

The former Commander of Nigerian military contingent to Somalia stated that for such positions it is only capacity, capability and integrity that mattered.

He added that his records stood for him because he had served in two states in Nigeria without being found wanting.

Olukoya’s govt marked a phenomenal moment in old Ondo – Akeredolu

By Christiana Ekpa

G

overnor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has described the late former military governor of the Old Ondo State, Rear Admiral Sunday Abiodun Olukoya (rtd) as a man who marked a phenomenal moment in many ways.

According to Akeredolu while reacting to the death of the former

governor, Olukoya’s untainted humility, self discipline and incurable desire for a better society stood him out as a dependable ally in the journey towards Nigeria’s quest for an egalitarian society.

The governor stated this in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo.

Olukoya who died on Tuesday served as Military Governor of the

old Ondo State from September 1990 to January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) as a Navy Captain.

Akeredolu added that the footprints of the late Olukoya on the democratic path where he served as a veritable and supportive pillar will be remembered in the state.

“If at all, his displayed

patriotism, altruistic disposition as well as personal commitment to the democratic process of his era were very alluring, he gave his all, unarguably, for the benefit of our people.

“As the State Government awaits further briefings from the family of the departed Elder Statesman as regards burial arrangements, Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu,

SAN, has expressed condolences to the family of the deceased on behalf of the Government and good people of Ondo State.

“No doubt, the period of our departed former governor of the Old Ondo State, now Ondo and Ekiti states, was a remarkably phenomenal moment in many ways.”

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

POLITICS

Lagos PDP chairman, Adegbola is dead

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Dominic Adegbola, has died of COVID-19 related ailments.

His death was confirmed by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Taofik Gani, on Wednesday.

Gani hailed Adegbola as “an exceptional politician who had deployed much of his hard-earned money into philanthropism.”

Until his death, Adegbola was the Medical Director of Santa Maria Hospital.

He had held many political positions, notable amongst being State SDP officer; State Chairman of PAC; National Chairman of APN (Founded by late Jakande); State Chairman of Lagos PDP. Adegbola had also contested for the Lagos state governorship under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Gani described his death “as Martyrdom as he was dogged about the emancipation of the oppressed, pauperized and less privileged.

“He will be forever remembered in Lagos Politics.

We condole with his family. All PDP flags In the state shall fly at half-mast. All PDP meetings at this time are to be prayers for him.

Burial arrangements will be confirmed by the family.

Anambra: Enugu A/Court rejects Umeoji’s moves to stop Soludo candidacy

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

Special panel of the Court of Appeal sitting at Enugu and presided over by His Lordship, Hon Justice Monica Dongban Mensem yesterday struck out the appeal filed by Jude Okeke/Umeoji against the judgment of His Lordship, Hon Justice C C Okaa delivered on the 19th of July, 2021.

The Court of Appeal further awarded a cost of #100,000.00 against Jude Okeke and in favour of Ozonkpu Dr Victor Oye. Hon Justice C. C. Okaa had on the 19th of July, 2021 delivered a landmark judgement upholding the leadership of APGA under the Chairmanship of Victor Oye and held that the National Officers of APGA elected at the National

Convention of APGA held in Awka, Anambra State, are still lawfully in office.

Thus, the Appeal Court said they are entitled to carry out the functions of their office, including the nomination of candidates for the Anambra State Governorship election.

The court further held that Chief Edozie Njoku and all those purportedly elected alongside him, as well as any other person purporting to have replaced Chief Edozie Njoku, are not National Officers of APGA and cannot lawfully perform the functions of that office.

Recall that Jude Okeke had earlier appealed against the said judgment, which was struck out by the Court of Appeal, Awka Division in a well considered

ruling delivered on the 2nd day of August, 2021.

In a rather bizarre twist, Jude Okeke and Hon Umeoji had, through their lawyers, filed yet another application for leave to appeal against the judgment of Hon Justice C C Okaa.

However, upon receipt of the Counter affidavit of Oye/Soludo in opposition to the incompetent application for leave, Okeke/ Umeoji have realized the futility or impossibility of challenging the erudite judgment and decided to surrender.

It was gathered that the lawyers for Umeoji/Jude Okeke didn’t want to tarnish their reputation or embarrass themselves by being involved in frivolous court cases.

Consequently, the Special Panel of the Court of Appeal was

faced with no further option than to dismiss the appeal.

Meanwhile, an APGA chieftain who pleaded anonymity said the judgement of the Court of Appeal has laid to rest the issues bordering on the validly nominated candidate of APGA for the November 6 governorship election.

The Court of Appeal, Kano Division had earlier made a pronouncement on the valid occupant of the office of the National Chairman of APGA and the person entitled to nominate the candidate of APGA in Anambra State.

INEC, in obedience to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, has since listed Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the duly nominated candidate of APGA for the election.

The Governor of Imo State Senator Hope Uzodinma briefs State House Media after a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the State House, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Ex Reps member says NDA attack scandalous, disgraceful

By Christiana Ekpa

A

former member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State, Hon. Bitrus Kaze, has said the recent attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as an unfortunate descend to an all new low of Nigeria under a supposed Nigerian war veteran.

Reacting to the invasion of the Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, on Tuesday, he said “Clearly Nigeria has never seen any deterioration and collapse of our security architecture like is happening under the Gen. Buhari/APC civilian junta.”

According to him, “The security breach in the Afaka campus of the NDA, Nigeria’s premier defense institution is to say the least scandalous, very disgraceful and pathetic.”

Kaze, who represented Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency between 2007 to 2015, maintained that, “If the security of our elite military will be so recklessly violated by a

ragtag army of the now famous ‘unknown gunmen’, it should be crystal clear what risks we the bloody civilians bear, but for the mercies of God, we are existing by mere trial and error.

“Since the hunter became the hunted following the sordid events of the early hours of last Tuesday, in Afaka Kaduna State, Nigerians have been waiting in vain for the source of the usual ‘we are on top of the situation’ public statement from the establishment.

“From pursuing the nothernization agenda, to fulanization, the PMB/APC civilian dictatorship have just upped their game, the drive towards the Afghanistanization of Nigeria has just begun.”

The former lawmaker however said, “To merely condemn as always no longer makes sense, what happened to the $1 billion security investment, the first Nigerian military drone and the much celebrated Tucano aircrafts?

“I join fellow patriots to sympathize with the families,

relations and friends of all the victims of this dastardly act and pray for the repose of their souls”.

Speaking also, Comrade Japhet La’abes, a civil society activist, in his reaction said, “The insecurity we are faced with in Nigeria is state sponsored. It is a deliberate attempt by the Hausa/ Fulani oligarchy to annihilate the indigenous people of Nigeria and take over their ancestral lands.”

La’abes maintained that, “The actions and inactions of the APCled Buhari administration are clear enough for every discerning mind. And until men and women of good conscience rise up against these barbaric Fulani irredentists and jihadists, the worst is yet to come. The victory of good over evil is sure.

“Until then, Nigerians must be proactive enough to confront the evil machinations of these senseless killers.

“In the face of these obvious and existential threats to lives and property, every community needs to take proactive measures in defence of their land, and

community members for obvious reasons.”

According to him, “What transpired in Afghanistan recently is a clear early warning signal to the Nigerian people. A stitch in time saves nine!”.

Also speaking, an Executive Director with the Civil Liberties Organisation, Steve Aluko, said, “It is regrettable and condemnable, but speaks bountifully of what we are as a supposed sovereign nation.

“It is unfortunate for a nation called and celebrated as a giant of Africa and to a larger extent it resoundingly sparks off the vulnerability of our people.”

According to him, “Excuses given by the military only condescend and affirm celebrations of unsanctioned negligence, decay and rots in the security agencies and weak capacity to act whenever the need arises.”

On the part of the terrorist, Aluko said, “it is an attempt to demystify the military mights, discourage and disarticulate them

in frontal fight against terrorism.

“It is also meant to dislocate the mindset of the civilians in joint efforts to help in combating the ill wind of criminalities.

“The profile of the victims dictates a pretence to selective killing and furtherance of a perceived agenda of selected identity.

“In all it affirms that Nigerians should unite collectively to defeat all forms of criminality and terrorism amidst us all for us to achieve these we must burry all forms of shades of crisis of identities in religion, ethnicity and regions to win this war”, he maintained.

“We call for immediate investigation to stop a repeat of these incidents.

“Above all, Nigerians must be protected and defended wherever they choose to reside in Nigeria, and all over the world.

“While we demand for accountability and sanction those that are found culpable and negligent in the course of their duty.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 17

Stock Watch: Wednesday, August 25, 2021 Low

OPEN Volume Close High

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

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5.80 6.00 ACCESS -0.35 3.94 3.94 AFRIPRUD 0.00 0.27 0.27 AGLEVENT 0.00 0.64 0.64 AIICO 0.00 8.60 8.60 BERGER 0.00 67.00 67.00 BETAGLAS -1.30 3.79 3.79 BOCGAS -0.42 9.65 10.05 CADBURY -0.40 31.50 31.50 CAP -2.50 1.90 1.90 CAVERTON -0.02 18.45 18.45 CCNN 0.00 1.72 1.72 CHAMPION -0.12 23.25 23.25 CONOIL 0.00 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0.20 0.20 COURTVILLE 0.00 6.10 6.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 1.75 1.75 CUTIX 0.00 186.00 186.00 DANGCEM 0.00 6.00 6.25 DANGFLOUR -0.65 14.60 14.60 DANGSUGAR 0.05 1.80 2.00 DIAMONDBNK -0.20 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 4.30 4.30 ETERNA -0.40 14.00 14.00 ETI 0.00 7.45 7.60 FBNH -0.35 1.62 1.67 FCMB -0.03 1.92 1.98 FIDELITYBK -0.04 4.95 4.95 FIDSON 0.00 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.00 21.85 21.85 FLOURMILL 0.00 29.60 29.60 FO -1.10 0.20 0.20 FTNCOCOA 0.00 12.20 12.20 GLAXOSMITH -0.85 33.50 33.50 GUARANTY 0.55 72.00 72.00 GUINNESS 0.00 1.18 1.18 HONYFLOUR 0.00 1.53 1.53 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 31.50 31.50 INTBREW 0.00 0.53 0.53 JAIZBANK -0.01 0.20 0.21 JAPAULOIL 0.00 23.25 23.25 JBERGER 0.00 0.44 0.44 JOHNHOLT 0.00 0.30 0.30 LASACO 0.00 1.36 1.36 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0.72 0.72 LINKASSURE 0.00 0.52 0.52 LIVESTOCK 0.03 1.83 1.83 MANSARD 0.00 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00

Stock Close Gain UPL 1.14 0.13 LIVESTOCK 0.52 0.01 SOVRENINS 0.21 0.03 OKOMUOIL 60.00 1.80 GUARANTY 23.50 0.55

Low 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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0.11 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.43 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.05 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 124.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 18.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 78.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 0.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 2.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 552.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

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Stock Close Loss DIAMONDBNK 1.30 -0.10 BOCGAS 2.59 -0.22 VITAFOAM 3.50 -0.39 DANGFLOUR 6.00 -0.45 UAC-PROP 1.74 -0.18

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

NEWS

NSSEC seek Reps accuse PPPRA of doctoring collaboration PMS revenue documents with devt T partners

By Christiana Ekpa

By Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

T

he Executive Secretary National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) Dr. Benjamin Abakpa has appealed to the Development Partners to collaborate with the Commission in addressing challenges confronting the Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria.

He made this known when group of Development Partners paid a working visit to his office in Abuja, to ascertain how the Commission is set in repositioning the Senior Secondary Education in the Country and also to seek ways of collaboration with NSSEC. According to him, accessing NSSEC fund is not a goldmine, rather it is a commitment towards raising the standard of the Senior Secondary Education in the country.

Dr Abakpa emphasized on the Commiss ion’s commitment in building an accurate data base for all the Senior Secondary Schools across theCountry for effective planning, learning, and proper disbursement of the NSSEC fund.

He further said that, there are stated guidelines to access the NSSECfund for the Federal, State, Private and Missionary Schools and calledon all to put the right measures in place so as to meet the stated criteria needed to access the initial fund to meet some specific needs in he Senior Secondary Education.

he House of Representatives committee on Finance yesterday walked out the Pipeline Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) for failing to give appropriate figures on its daily output of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) and other petroleum products in the country.

Chairman of the Committee, James Faleke and other members unanimously agreed that, there are discrepancies in the records presented vis-a-vis revenues due to the government was incoherent.

The Committee chairman also asked the agency to reappear on Thursday to give further clarification on the descripancies noticed in their documents as the PPPRA Assistant General Manager (AGM), Corporate Services, Kimshi Apollo could not give clear answers to some of the questions

asked by the lawmakers.

Trouble started as the Chairman of the Finance Committee pointed that the documents submitted by the agency showed that the daily output of PMS and other products has been the same from 2018 to 2019.

The Lawmaker equally observed that the daily consumption of PMS was put at 48 million litres within the period under review while Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) was put at 10.5 million litres per day.

However, in another document the agency claimed that, it discharges discharges 59.90 million litres daily in January 2019, 55.04 million in February and 55.66 million litres in March.

The documents further indicated that, the supply jumped to 60.27 million litres in January 2020 then 60.56 million litres in February and down to 56.07

million litres in March 2020.

The supply further jumped to 61.92 litres per day in January 2021 and down to 58.09 million litres in January and moved up to 66.64 million litres in March 2021.

Chairman of the Committee Faleke also noted that the agency provided conflicting records on the daily discharge and consumption of petroleum products in the country.

According to him, “the records presented have contradictions that cannot be ignored”.

“Tell us that the documents are not correct so that we can move forward.So, the data you gave us yesterday which says 52 million per day was wrong, so your Naira figure too will be wrong.

“We are working on this foundation, upon which we will develop and work with tomorrow,” he said.

In his response, Apollo said,

they brought the constant figure of 48 million litres based on what transpired earlier Monday regarding the average daily consumption by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

In his ruling, the Committee chairman directed PPPRA to produce the records of all the daily output of petroleum products as well as the revenue remittances to the federal government unfailingly.

It also demanded from the Financial Reporting Council, the Accountant General Office as well as the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to scrutinize the records and reappear on Thursday.

“It was interesting to note that after submitting their data it is assumed they got to find out that figures in their records were doctored and ambiguous. So we are giving them till tomorrow to come back”

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, during the Governor’s visit to Defence Headquarters in Abuja yesterday

Attacks on NDA, an affront to FCT: Gwagwalada Area Council gets new NULGE Chairman military -Human rights boss

By Usman Shuaibu for the sake of a tremendous victory.

By Albert Akota

T

he Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu has condemned in strong terms the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), describing it as an affront on Nigeria’s security which is highly unacceptable.

Ojukwu while expressing shock and

disappointment as he reacted to the news of the attack in his office, Tuesday, in Abuja said the NDA is the pride of the country where people from other parts of the world come to train.

“The invasion of the institution with high international repute where very intelligent military officers are produced is most unfortunate, unexpected

and condemnable” he lamented.

Speaking further, Ojukwu said the attack on the military institution is bad in itself, and worst of it all is the killing and abduction involved “and this is the worst form of human rights violations of our time. Military Officers like other security personnel are entitled to carry out their duties in relative safety and security.

The leadership of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday swore-in comrade Emmanuel Musa as the new Chairman of the union in the Area Council.

In his acceptance speech, Musa said he would provide a conducive working environment for the staff, adding that the staff welfare will be given a top priority.

He said he would continue to maintain a good relationship with the staff and management of the council

His words: “I will not in any condition or choice allow my personal interest to overshadow my core responsibility in office. And I promise to be your servant leader not a boss”.

He said his leadership would welcome meaningful suggestions as well as advice that would keep the staff together.

He said: “It is paramount to note that the ideology of the “Unionism is dialogue” and not confrontation unless proved otherwise. Therefore, we shall exhaust all avenues for dialoging of getting things done, Inshallah”.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 20

N1.8trn Tax Evasion: Tribunal orders DSTV to pay N900bn deposit...

T

By Etuka Sunday

he Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) sitting in Lagos on Tuesday, 24th August , 2021 ordered Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of popular cable television services, DSTV, to pay (900billion) 50 per cent of N1.8 trillion which the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has determined through a forensic audit to be the amount in taxes that Multichoice Nigeria Limited had failed to pay to the Government of Nigeria in past assessment years.

The five-member TAT led by its Chairman, Professor A.B. Ahmed, issued the order following an application to it by the Counsel to FIRS. TheFact Nigeria reports that the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 (FIRS Act) requires persons or companies seeking to contest a tax assessment to pay all or a stipulated percentage of the tax assessed before they can be allowed to argue their appeal contesting the assessment at TAT. The FIRS Counsel made the application under Order XI of the TAT Procedure Rules 2010 which enables a party to make an application at any stage of the proceedings. Counsel for FIRS drew the attention of the Tribunal to Paragraph 15(7) of the Fifth Schedule to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 and urge the Tribunal to direct Multichoice Nigeria Limited to deposit with the FIRS 50 percent of the amount of the Assessment under Appeal as security and a condition that must be fulfilled before the prosecution of the Appeal brought before TAT. Incertain defined circumstances

to which the Multichoice appeal fits, Paragraph 15(7) of the Fifth Schedule to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 (FIRS Act) requires persons or companies seeking to contest a tax assessment to pay all or a stipulated percentage of the tax assessed before they can be allowed to argue their appeal contesting the assessment at TAT. Multichoice Nigeria Limited filed the matter at the Lagos TAT following its dispute over FIRS’ issuance of Notices of Assessment and Demand Note in the sum of N1, 822, 923,909,313.94k on 7 April 2021.

The Director, Communications and Liaison Department, FIRS, Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad in a statement said, the amount constitutes what the FIRS calculated as due in taxation to the Federal Government of Nigeria from Multichoice after an investigation over several months to determine the extent to which Multichoice has been evading taxes in Nigeria.

At Tuesday’s hearing of the matter in Appeal No: TAT/LZ/ CIT/062/2021 19/08/2021 (Multichoice Nigeria Limited v.

Federal Inland Revenue Service), Multichoice Nigeria Limited

amended its Notice of Appeal and thereafter sought through its counsel, Bidemi Olumide of AO2 Law Firm for an adjournment of the proceedings to enable it to respond to the FIRS’ formal application for Accelerated hearing of the Appeal and prayer before the TAT directing Multichoice to produce before the Tribunal the integrated Annual report and Management Account Statements of Multichoice Group Ltd for Tax Years 2012 to 2020., among other prayers.

In response, however, the FIRS Counsel asked TAT to issue an order requiring that Multichoice

makes the statutory deposit of 50% of the disputed sum.

After hearing arguments from both sides, TAT upheld the FIRS submission and directed Multichoice Nigeria Limited to deposit with the FIRS an amount equals 50 percent of the Assessment under the Appeal plus a sum equal to 10% of the said deposit as a condition precedent for further Hearing of the Appeal.

Thereafter, TAT adjourned the Appeal to 23 September 2021 for report of compliance with its Order and continuation of the hearing, subject to compliance with the Tribunal’s order.

R-L Group Managing Director Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Alhaji Mele Kyari, and Group General Manager Corporate Planning and Strategic NNPC Mrs. Oritse Meyiwa Eyesan, during the 2022- 2024 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), interactive session with House of Representatives Committee on Finance, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Power: We didn’t lobby NERC to suspend eligible customer regulation -DisCos

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Association of the Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) has dismissed claims that the Distribution Companies (DisCos) had pressured the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to suspend trading of electricity under the Eligible Customer Regulation (ECR) 2017.

Referring to a report in The Nation Newspaper of 16th of August 2021, ‘Investors battle electricity regulator over policy suspension’, Executive Director, Research & Advocacy at ANED, Barr. Sunday Oduntan said, “Whilst the concerns of the author and the stakeholders behind the publication are misplaced and unfounded, we found it compelling to set the records straight on the issues brought forward in the said publication.”

The DisCos also said they recognize the relevant provisions of the ESPRA 2005 and the ECR as well as their objectives, noting that there has been improvements

in DisCos’ performance with more collaborations to increase efficiencies of the DisCos and indeed the entire value chain to achieve clean, safe and uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians.

“The Regulation is therefore a welcome initiative provided that the stakeholders comply with the laid down procedures and requirements.

“In response to the insinuation that NERC and the DisCos are colluding to frustrate the implementation of the Regulation, we wish to state unequivocally that this is untrue, unfounded, preposterous, and irresponsible of the stakeholders who have failed to meet the requirements of the Regulation and attempting to pass the buck.

“In fact, to fault NERC (who have been unduly lenient with them) as they have, is undermining the powers of the Commission as the regulator of the Nigerian power sector, vested with the requisite authority to ensure sanity in the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM) and NESI as provided by the EPSRA.”

The DisCos’ association noted that the Eligible Customer Regulation (ECR) 2017 effective 1st November 2017, is derived from the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) 2005, which gives the Minister of Power the authority to declare the commencement of the Eligible Customers Regime.

The Regulation further empowers NERC to administer the regime and receive applications for eligibility customer status and to review or grant approval where conditions have been met by such applicants.

ECR states that customers using over 2 megawatts hour per hour (MWh/h) who have the NERC approval can get their electricity from the Generation Companies (GenCos) rather than through the traditional electricity market route which involved the entire electricity value chain: GenCos, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Distribution Companies (DisCos).

NERC confirmed in its letter to TCN on suspending the bilateral electricity trade that such customers are yet to meet requirements that include requisite energy demand, proof of excess capacity by the GenCos to supply the energy, payment of requisite charges and fees to exit conventional network, and getting eligible status from NERC. However, the article failed to mention this as it only noted that “electricity consumers, who feel dissatisfied with the services of the DisCos in their area, can request and receive alternative electricity distribution services from any of the available Eligible Customer vendors in their area if their power requirement is over 2MW.” Again, available records indicate that NERC has not approved any application for eligible customer status.

Despite that, “These companies proceeded to arrogate the powers of NERC to themselves by vesting in themselves eligible customer status and continued the

unlawful and illegal operations over the years unperturbed. The illegal and unlawful operations of these companies and the GenCos involved are direct cannibalization of the electricity market and the entire value chain,” said Oduntan.

“NERC, having duly noticed the damaging impact of these illegal “eligible customers” on the electricity market and the entire value chain, had to issue a directive with Ref. No: NERC/REG/OCFML/APPR/ EC/2655/068, dated 7th July, 2021, to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to transfer back to the Distribution Companies all electricity customers that failed to obtain eligibility status under its Eligible Customer Regulations 2017 -Regulation No. NERC 111.”

ANED also clarified that NERC has not cancelled the Regulation as claimed. “The directive is simply to stop the illegality that has been perpetrated by these unscrupulous companies and their supplier GenCo who have gone rogue for four years unchecked.”

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 20

BUSINESS

Kyari clarifies revenue projection for 2022-2024 Framework

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, on Wednesday received accolades from the House of Representatives Committee on Finance for providing detailed explanations on some burning Oil Industry issues at an interactive session on the 20222024 Medium Term Expenditure and Revenue Framework (MTERF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abiodun James Faleke, commended the NNPC GMD for providing an in-depth explanation and insider perspective on some issues surrounding the operations of the

NNPC and the Oil Industry stating: “You have made our day. The committee is better informed based on explanations provided by the GMD.” TheFact Nigeria reports that Mallam Kyari, in his presentation, provided a base oil price scenario in the medium term as follows: $57 per barrel for 2022, $61 per barrel for 2023 and $62 per barrel for 2023.

Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammad in a statement quoted Kyari to have explained that the assumptions were arrived at after a careful appraisal of the three-year historical dated Brent Oil Price average of $59.07 per barrel premised on Platts Spot Prices.

“Price growth is to be moderated

by the lingering concerns over COVID-19, increased energy efficiency, switching due to increased utilization of gas and alternatives for electricity generation. These are reflected in the Medium Term Revenue Framework’’ Kyari informed.

On the perennial issue of smuggling of petroleum products, Kyari implored the National Assembly to come to the aid of the Corporation in battling the menace, noting that the Corporation, based on the directive of Mr. President, had mobilized some Federal Agencies like the Customs, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Police, Civil Defence Corps and others, to find workable solutions to the menace.

On the propriety of establishing

NNPC Retail stations in neigbouring countries to curb the challenge of illegal haulage of petroleum products across the border, Kyari said though the NNPC once considered the option, it had to jettison the idea when it became imperative that the measure would be counterproductive.

He explained that people who are smuggling are not looking for officially priced petroleum products.

He further noted that going ahead to establish NNPC Retail stations would not yield the desired result since the people who take products across the border are not interested in selling at the official prevailing prices at approved stations but are interested in under the counter deals.

The NNPC GMD also took time

to provide detailed explanation on the Corporation’s equity shareholding interest in Dangote Refinery, noting that the package which was at the instance of NNPC is designed to guarantee national energy security.

He stated that the equity interest was secured after due consideration of the national interest and best possible options.

“We will have right to 20 percent of production from this facility. We structured our equity participation on the basis that the refinery must buy at least 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day of our production. This guarantees our market at a period when every country is struggling to find market for their crude oil’’ he explained.

Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. James Faleke, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Abdullahi Said Musa and a member of the Committee, Hon. Johnson Egwakhide Oghuma, during the interactive session on 20222024 MediumTerm Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), at the National Assembly on Tuesday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Seplat, Dr. Orjiako win global awards for outstanding indigenous performance

By Etuka Sunday

S

eplat Energy Plc and its Board Chairman, Dr. ABC Orjiako have emerged winners at the Energy & Corporate Africa Leadership Award Night/Dinner held last week at the Hilton Post Oak, Houston, Texas, Unite States for outstanding indigenous performance.

The award was the climax of the Annual Sub-Saharan Africa Oil/Gas Conference that started from 12th August to 13th August with the theme: The Future of Upstream, Advancing Digitalization and Gas Development Options in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Orjiako delivered the keynote address at the event.

Seplat was recognized as the largest indigenous domestic

supplier of gas whilst Dr. Orjiako won the top indigenous entrepreneur award in the energy sector.

The Leadership Award Night gave an opportunity to profile and celebrate personalities that have helped to stabilize and grow oil/gas business in Sub-Saharan Africa. Among the recipients of the award were: Chief Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who was conferred with the Africa Leadership Award; Mallam Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for transformational leadership award, amongst others.

Commenting on the awards, Dr. Orjiako, on behalf of the Board, management and staff of the Company, thanked

Energy & Corporate Africa, the organisers of the events, for the honour and recognition accorded the Company and himself.

He expressed the Company’s appreciation, saying the awards highlight the hard work and resilience consistently displayed over time.

“Since inception, Seplat has continued to strive for operational excellence and sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.

The awards will continue to propel us to greater achievements,” he assured.

Meanwhile, Dr. Orjiako’s insightful keynote address brought to the fore statistics highlighting the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region as an excellent hub for future upstream growth with opportunities and a ready market for diversification

into other allied areas such as refining, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and power. He thus urged Africans and foreign investors alike to harness the growth potential of African developing countries to boost development and global growth. He added that the challenges of SSA present a significant opportunity for those seeking returns.

He also urged energy corporations to show responsibility in neutralising their respective emission footprints and sign up for climate change policies to protect the environment. Likewise, SSA policymakers should embrace programmes that will strike the needed balance.

The Seplat Energy Chairman said that as the world moves toward energy transition with

Climate Change/ESG Advocacy/ Policy Changes dominating the energy discussion, gas will continue to play an increasingly important role.

He affirmed that the new way of thinking had led the Company to change its name from Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc to Seplat Energy Plc. He asserted: “Our unique business direction reflects our renewed focus on the entire energy value chain while incorporating cleaner and more sustainable forms of energy to power Nigeria / Africa’s present and future demand.”

The Chairman’s keynote address was well received and applauded for its relevance to the conversation on Energy Transition, and Seplat was lauded for its continuous giant strides I Nigeria and beyond.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST26, 2021

METRO

PAGE 21

FCTA reiterates resolve to resettle,

compensate indigenous communities T

By Stanley Onyekwere

he FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has reiterated the determination of the FCT Administration to resettle and compensate the indigenous communities, with a view to realising the dreams of the founding fathers of Abuja.

Aliyu, who stated this at the one-day Town Hall meeting on resettlement and compensation matters in the FCT, also argued that indigenous communities should be resettled if the territory wants to get rid of slums and prevent the already perceptible slide into urban decay.

Aliyu lamented that policy

changes have constituted a major challenge to the resettlement issue, stressing that within 27 years, from 1976-2003, four major policy changes have affected resettlement policy in the Federal Capital Territory.

“For us to realise the capital city of our dreams, we have to pay due regard to the original inhabitants whose sacrifice of ancestral heritage is enabling our national developmental aspirations.

“We recognise that it is incumbent upon us to resettle and compensate these indigenous communities where the implementation of the approved development plans demands such.

“ Once we do that, we can be on our way to the emergence of Abuja as envisaged by our founding fathers, a city in which liveability standards are comparable to those in any capital city in the world, and the sanctity and well-being of all and sundry is guaranteed by a just and equitable governance system.

“Over these years, the need has continued to exist for development-induced displacement and resettlement as the nation’s capital has continued to evolve into Africa’s fastest growing metropolis”, Aliyu stressed.

The minister, however,

assured that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) saddled with this responsibility, is up and doing to see that communities due for resettlement are properly relocated.

She revealed that already, the arrangements are in top gear to relocate communities such as Jabi-Yakubu, JabiSamuel and Mabushi to Shere-Galuwyi, adding that the process of relocating others has commenced, and more communities would be permanently relocated next year.

Similarly, FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, said effective resettlement

policy remains the collective responsibilities of both government and residents, noting that the Administration remains resolute by ensuring the realisation of delivering a world class city and territory comparable to the best in the world.

He said the FCT Administration frowns at the ugly situation where unsuspecting citizens acquire land in the territory from unauthorised sources only to face unpleasant consequences thereafter, just as he advised that residents who wish to acquire land in the FCT to follow due process as laid down by the Administration.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), Prof. Suleiman Elias Bagoro, Director Strategic planning Department of TETfund, Arch. Inene Eriuwo, Acting Director, Education Support Service, Mr. Kolapo Okunlola and Director Corporate Affairs of TETfund, Mr. Abdulmumin Oniyangi, during the TETfund One- Day stakeholders briefing of All Heads of beneficiary institutions, at the NAF Conference Centre, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Mpape demolition: Residents demand security surveillance over dislodged ‘criminals’

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n the wake of the ongoing strategic demolition exercise in Mpape community, some residents in the densely populated area, are demanding for more security surveillance to checkmate dislodged criminal elements from continuing with their attacks on innocent people.

The concerned residents complained that since the exercise started with focus on structures on road corridors and shanties harbouring the suspected criminals, unprovoked attacks and snatching of personal belongings of innocent people have persisted.

However, the cleanup exercise on Tuesday claimed over 536 structures, mostly of shanties, including local drama

theatres, also known as ‘gidan drama’ in hausa language and several other places, suspected to be criminal hideouts.

Also, while some residents said the exercise had given them a environmental ambience for fresh breath, others are pleading that the exercise should just restricted to the roads.

Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah who insisted that the cleanup exercise would be sustained for a long time, also stated that restoring sanity to Mpape was a commitment that FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has vowed to.

Attah, also explained that some of the structures that were removed far away from the road corridors, were those allegedly harbouring some criminal elements.

He noted that while the administration was pained that many residents were affected by the exercise, he added that government cannot watch illegalities to over run it. “ what we observed today is the excessive level of criminalities in Mpape is very worrisome, you can see that even today they are still snatching people’s things. “ Several arrests have been made of the criminals. We thought we could just restrict ourselves to along the roads, but we have to move to where the criminals are staying”, he said.

On the arrested suspects, the Commander Combined Task Force, Idowu Azeez disclosed that about four suspected criminals that were arrested with some dangerous weapons were handed over to

the Mpape Police divisional headquarters for further investigation.

He also noted that security will be beefed in the area to forestall further attacks of the residents.

On his part, the Secretary, FCT Command and Control, Peter Olumuji said the Secretariat of Security Services was working in concert with relevant security agencies to provide more surveillance within the area.

Olumuji noted that the reported increased snatching of personal belongings from residents, was because the dislodged criminal elements have become shelterless.

He added that the security arrangements been put in place will ensure that all the criminal elements were completely eliminated from the place.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

PAGE 22

world news

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

British stamps banned from Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean

M

auritius has moved a symbolic step closer to wresting control of the Chagos Islands, in the Indian Ocean, from the UK. The Universal Postal Union (UPU), a UN agency in charge of the world’s postal policies, voted to block the use of UK stamps from the remote archipelago.

All post to and from the Chagos Islands must now bear stamps from Mauritius.

The UK says it will not cede control until the islands are no longer needed for security purposes.

The US currently uses the largest of the islands - Diego Garcia - for a military air base on what the UK describes as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

Stamps marked British Indian Ocean Territory now won’t be recognised

Three powerful UN bodies have already ruled that the archipelago, which has a

population of about 3,000, is part of Britain’s old empire and should be handed to

Mauritius immediately.

A set of pretty postal stamps showing sea slugs and

angel fish might not seem like the sharp end of international diplomacy, the BBC’s Africa correspondent Andrew Harding says.

But he adds that the near unanimous vote by the UPU to make those stamps illegal worldwide, is a blow to Britain, and another sign of its growing isolation over its claim to the Chagos Islands.

The next step could see Mauritius seeking to ban international flights over the area - a vast chunk of the Indian Ocean.

All indications so far show that on the Chagos issue Britain has almost no allies left, our correspondent says.

Source: BBC

China to quicken formulation and introduction of 2021 version of negative list for foreign investment: MOFCOM official

By Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

C

hina will pick up pace in formulating and introducing the 2021 version of negative list for foreign investment and continuously expand its opening-up, in a bid to facilitate high-quality development through higher-level opening-up, said an official with the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on August 23.

China has opened more fields up and further widened market access for foreign enterprises in recent years, said Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce in China.

The country has not only cut the items on its national negative list for foreign investment to 33 from 93 in the 2015 version of the national negative list, but raised foreign equity caps in industries including automobile, finance

and securities, Wang noted.

China’s efforts to open its market wider have paid off. Since 2012, the overall scale of the country’s foreign investment inflow has maintained growth. For nearly four years, China has remained the world’s second largest recipient of foreign investment.

Last year, foreign direct investment (FDI) into China rose 4.5 percent while the global FDI flows fell by 40 percent.

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 56 percent of U.S. companies, 73 percent of European companies, and 89 percent of Japanese companies in China still made profits last year, according to reports released by foreign chambers of commerce in China.

Most foreign companies in China are also participants in the country’s construction of “dual circulation” development pattern whereby domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the

mainstay, noted Wang.

Foreign-funded enterprises operate in China and benefit China, Wang said, explaining that on the one hand, with their production, sale and purchase activities all conducted in China, foreign enterprises have become deeply integrated into China’s internal circulation; on the other hand, they have completed two fifths of China’s imports and exports, thus facilitating the interaction between the country’s domestic market and global markets.

The MOFCOM plans to roll out measures in four aspects to draw foreign investment, according to Wang.

For starters, the MOFCOM will continue shortening the country’s negative list and widening market access for foreign investment, continuously easing restrictions and expanding opening-up. Meanwhile, the country will advance negotiations on free-trade agreements and actively participate in

and promote WTO reform.

Second, the MOFCOM will further improve services for foreign companies.

The ministry, together with 20 other government departments and major provinces in China, has established a task force for key foreign-invested projects, which has performed its function of solving problems for key foreign-invested companies and projects and will provide even better services in the future.

Third, the MOFCOM will give full play to the role of complaint mechanism to safeguard the rights and interests of foreign-funded enterprises in accordance with the law. The Investment Promotion Agency of the MOFCOM has set up the National Center for Complaints of Foreign-invested Enterprises. Regional foreign company complaint handling organs can also be found on the website of the MOFCOM. Fourth, China will push ahead

with the implementation of the foreign investment law and its supporting rules and regulations to create a world-class business environment established on market principles and the rule of law.

Pilot free trade zones, as China’s new platform of opening-up and test fields of the country’s reform and openingup, have launched 278 institutional innovations at the national level. The construction of the country’s Hainan Free Trade Port is also progressing steadily.

China intends to follow international economic and trade rules of higher standards to expand opening-up, such as rules of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, said Wang.

“We will also further shorten the negative lists for foreign investment in pilot free trade zones, for which we have always been working hard,” Wang said.

China issues trial regulation to ensure data security for car users

By Wang Zheng, People’s Daily

C

hina published a trial regulation on the management of vehicle data on August 21, aiming to standardize vehicle data processing in a bid to protect the lawful rights and interest of individuals and organizations, safeguard national security and public interest, and promote rational development and utilization of data collected from automobiles.

The trial regulation on vehicle data security, which is going to be put into force on October 1 this year, represents the country’s efforts to address security concerns triggered by certain features of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) in recent years.

While ICVs have increasingly won favor with car users, some safety issues related to such vehicles have attracted wide attention from their users and practitioners of the industry.

Some car owners are concerned that since they can open the door of their cars through

facial recognition, their facial information collected by the camera might be abused, and some worry that when they talk about business plans over the phone in an ICV, information collected by the camera inside the vehicle will be leaked.

According to a report on China’s Internet development released in July this year, sales volume of ICVs in China rose 107 percent year on year to over 3.03 million last year, when the market penetration rate of such cars stood at around 15 percent.

In the first quarter of 2021, the market penetration rate of L2 semi-autonomous ICVs reached 17.8 percent, while that of L2 ICVs among new energy vehicles (NEVs) grew to 30.9 percent in the country, suggested the report.

Sales of L2 and L3 ICVs (with capabilities to achieve partial automatic driving operations in specific environment) are expected to make up about 50 percent of the total new car sales in China by 2025, according to the report.

A survey revealed that an ICV collects at least 10TB of data a day, with the data not only including information about the driver and passengers’ facial expressions, movements, sight, and voices, but the vehicle’s geographic position, interior and exterior environment, as well as its utilization of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), said Huang Peng, vice chief engineer with China’s national industry information security and development research center, at the Intelligent Connected Vehicle Industry Development and Safety Forum of 2021 China Auto Forum.

“At present, vehicle data handling capacity is becoming stronger, and the scale of vehicle data is huge. At the same time, security issues and potential risks related to vehicle data seem more and more prominent,” said an executive from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).

According to the official, relevant problems mainly include vehicle data processors’ collection of more important data

than is actually needed, illegal processing of personal information, especially sensitive personal information, without user’s consent, and illegal export of important data without security assessment.

It’s imperative to strengthen vehicle data security management so as to prevent and resolve these security problems and potential risks, the executive said.

China’s newly issued trial regulation on vehicle data security has explicitly defined and determined the types of personal information, sensitive personal information, and important data.

Meanwhile, the document pointed out that vehicle data processors should give equal attention to data security and development, adhere to principles including “in-vehicle processing”, “no collection by default”, “proper precision” as well as “anonymization” in the processing of vehicle data, and reduce unordered collection, illegal use and abuse of vehicle data.

“In-vehicle processing” requires data processors to process data inside the vehicle and not provide data outside the vehicle unless necessary; “no collection by default” means that the default setting on the vehicle should involve no collection of data unless the driver specifically sets otherwise; “proper precision” requires automobile manufacturers and service providers to decide the coverage and resolution of relevant devices in vehicles, such as camera and radar, according to the requirements of vehicle functions and services for the accuracy of data; and “anonymization” requires processors of vehicle data to anonymize and de-identify personal information to the greatest extent, explained the CAC official.

The trial regulation stressed that vehicle data processors should abide by the provision that requires important data to be stored in China according to law when processing important data, and enhance protection of the security of important data.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

N

e w s

Ghana to conduct a mass burial for unclaimed bodies

T

he police in Ghana have notified the public that they will be conducting a mass burial for 200 unidentified and unclaimed bodies It is to start “by close of work this week”, according to a statement released by Ghana’s Police Service.

The move was aimed at clearing out the mortuary at the country’s police hospital, an official told the BBC. The bodies, which have accumulated over the past six months, include victims of hitand-run accidents and people who had died on the streets, Ghana Police Hospital official Yaw Nketta-Yeboah said.

They were also unidentified victims of crime and some who had died on admission to hospitals but who had been abandoned by their families, he added.

The police hospital urged members of the public to try contact its pathology department this week to help identify the bodies.

This was to prevent a situation where bodies would be wrongly earmarked for mass burial, it said.

The police hospital has periodically conducted mass burials for unclaimed bodies despite burials being culturally important in the West African nation.

‘Last major push’ against insurgents in Mozambique

R

wandan and Mozambican troops have reportedly encircled militants in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province ahead of a “last major military push” against the Islamic State-linked insurgents.

The forces are surrounding the militants in the areas of Siri I and Siri II. The military push comes barely four days after the joint forces seized Mbau - another key insurgent stronghold - after a fierce battle.

Military sources reported that more than 100 people were released from jihadist captivity, and dozens of militants were killed.

On 8 August, the joint forces drove out insurgents from Mocimboa da Praia, a port city that had been the headquarters of the militants for more than three years.

After fleeing the city, the insurgents moved further southwards into the thick forests of Mbau. Siri I and Siri II are the insurgents only remaining major hideouts in Mocimboa da Praia.

In July, Rwanda deployed 1,000 troops to Cabo Delgado at the request of Mozambique to help fight the jihadists, stabilise the area and restore the authority of the state.

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f r i c a

Madagascar on the brink of climate change-induced famine

M

adagascar is on the brink of experiencing the world’s first “climate change famine”, according to the United Nations, which says tens of thousands of people are already suffering “catastrophic” levels of hunger and food insecurity after four years without rain.

The drought - the worst in four decades - has devastated isolated farming communities in the south of the country, leaving families to scavenge for insects to survive.

“These are famine-like conditions and they’re being driven by climate not conflict,” said the UN World Food Programme’s Shelley Thakral.

The UN estimates that 30,000 people are currently experiencing the highest internationally recognised level of food insecurity - level five - and there are concerns the number affected could rise sharply as Madagascar enters the traditional “lean season” before harvest.

“This is unprecedented.

These people have done nothing to contribute to climate change.

They don’t burn fossil fuels… and yet they are bearing the brunt of climate change,” said Ms Thakral.

In the remote village of Fandiova, in Amboasary district, families recently showed a visiting WFP team the locusts that they were eating.

“I clean the insects as best I can but there’s almost no water,” said Tamaria, a mother of four, who goes by one name.

“My children and I have been eating this every day now for eight months because we have nothing else to eat and no rain to allow us to harvest what we have sown,” she added.

“Today we have absolutely

At least half a million children under the age of five are in danger of being acutely malnourished, the UN says

Successive droughts have dried out the soil in the south of the country nothing to eat except cactus leaves,” said Bole, a mother of three, sitting on the dry earth.

She said her husband had recently died of hunger, as had a neighbour, leaving her with two more children to feed.

“What can I say? Our life is all about looking for cactus leaves, again and again, to survive.”

Improve water management Although Madagascar

experiences frequent droughts and is often affected by the change in weather patterns caused by El Niño, experts believe climate change can be directly linked to the current crisis.

“With the latest IPCC report we saw that Madagascar has observed an increase in aridity.

And that is expected to increase if climate change continues.

“In many ways this can be

seen as a very powerful argument for people to change their ways,” said Dr Rondro Barimalala, a Madagascan scientist working at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Viewing the same atmospheric data at Santa Barbara University in California, director of the Climate Hazards Center, Chris Funk, confirmed the link with “warming in the atmosphere”, and said the Madagascan authorities needed to work to improve water management.

“We think there’s a lot that can be done in the short term. We can often forecast when there’s going to be above normal rains and farmers can use that information to increase their crop production.

We’re not powerless in the face of climate change,” he added.

The current drought’s impact is now being felt in larger towns in southern Madagascar too, with many children forced to beg on the streets for food.

“The prices in the market are going up - three or four times.

People are selling their land to get some money to buy food,” added Tsina Endor, who works for a charity, Seed, in Tolanaro.

Her colleague, Lomba Hasoavana, said he and many others had taken to sleeping in their cassava fields to try to protect their crops from people desperate for food, but this had become too dangerous.

“You could risk your life. I find it really, really hard because every day I have to think about feeding myself and my family,” he said, adding: “Everything is so unpredictable about the weather now. It’s a huge, huge question mark - what will happen tomorrow?”

SA pauses extradition of Mozambique ex-minister

S

outh Africa’s decision to extradite former Mozambique finance minister Manuel Chang to his home country has been blocked pending a court hearing after a civil society organisation objected, Reuters news agency reports, quoting court documents.

Mr Chang is accused of corruption after allegedly receiving bribes to sign off on international

loans of $2bn (£1.5bn) intended to buy fishing trawlers and military patrol boats. However, much of it was allegedly diverted to government officials. Mr Chang denies any wrongdoing.

South Africa’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola has given an undertaking that Mr Chang will not be extradited” until a decision is handed down by a court on Friday,

Reuters reports.

The hearing will focus on an application by the Mozambique Budget Monitoring Forum (FMO), a group of civil society organisations, to stop the extradition until arguments against it can be heard.

It wants the ex-minister to be extradited to the US, where he is also wanted on similar charges,

Reuters reports.

Chang was arrested in December 2018 and held in South Africa while the government considered the rival extradition requests.

Civil society groups in South Africa and Mozambique have questioned whether Mozambique has the political will or capacity to mount a proper prosecution.

Morocco rejects Algeria’s reasons for severing ties

M

orocco has rejected reasons put forward

by Algeria in its decision to sever diplomatic relations with its North African neighbour.

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra announced his country’s decision on Tuesday to cut all ties with Morocco for “hostile acts”.

Algiers accused its neighbour of providing support to members of the MAK separatist movement, which is fighting for self-

determination in the Kabylie region of Algeria.

MAK is believed to have started forest fires in Algeria, and is also accused of involvement in the killing of a man mistaken for an arsonist.

In response, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Morocco rejects this unjustified decision. The pretext is fallacious and absurd.

“The Moroccan kingdom will however remain a credible and loyal to the

Algerian people and will continue to act with wisdom.”

The Algerian foreign ministry had previously summoned the Moroccan ambassador over remarks the Moroccan envoy to the UN had made backing the separatist movement in Algeria.

Rabat has not provided a response to Algiers questions.

This is believed to have exacerbated the row between the two countries and led to Algeria severing all ties.

Morocco has also been

accused of using Israeli technology to spy on journalists and foreign officials, including Algerian military and political leaders.

The Moroccan government denies this.

The already fractious relations between Algeria and Morocco over Western Sahara has worsened recently with Rabat re-establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.

Source: BBC

PAGE 24

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

N e w s F r o m A SI A E China’s Hangzhou revives historical and cultural heritage of centuries-old Grand Canal

By Dou Hanyang, People’s Daily

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aking a “water bus” at the Wulinmen Wharf in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, and traveling north for about 30 minutes along the Grand Canal, a vast waterway connecting Beijing and Hangzhou, one can arrive at the Gongchen Bridge, a stone arch bridge over the canal.

To the east of the bridge stand lofty modern buildings, and historical and cultural blocks are situated on the other side. Standing on the bridge spanning the Grand Canal, visitors can feel both the hustle and bustle of modern life and charm of the historical heritage of Hangzhou.

The Grand Canal, which stretches nearly 3,200 kilometers, is made up of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, the Grand Canal built during the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the Eastern Zhejiang Canal, which is an extension to the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal.

With a history of more than 2,500 years, the Grand Canal is hailed as a grand project created by ancient Chinese people. The “golden waterway”, known as a crucial path for the transportation of goods in ancient China, is injecting new vitality into the city.

After putting into operation “water buses” along arteries of the canal, Hangzhou has launched four characteristic routes for sightseeing, not only allowing visitors to tour around the city by traveling along the river, but benefiting commuters in the city.

The Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal is surrounded by rich historical and cultural remains.

In 2014, the Grand Canal was

Photo taken on June 15, 2021, shows magnificent scenery of Tangqi township, Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, at night. (Photo by Xu Genzhu/People’s Daily Online) incorporated into the World Heritage List of the surroundings of the waterway, set up a the United Nations Educational, Scientific museum for the canal and created a public and Cultural Organization, including six space for leisure activities near the canal, heritage sites and five riverways of the fully showing culture along the waterway Hangzhou section, which runs for about 110 and making the “calling card” of the city kilometers, making Hangzhou one of the more shining. cities with the most heritage sites among all The protection of the Grand Canal has cities along the canal. been based on the city’s development and While vigorously promoting the integrated into the renovation projects of comprehensive conservation of the Grand the city.

Canal, Hangzhou has improved road Under the principle of “renovating networks, enriched scenic spots, beautified ancient buildings while preserving their

original features and ensuring minimal intervention”, Hangzhou has improved the three historical blocks along the canal to protect and inherit its cultural heritage while actively boosted the development of cultural tourism in recent years.

Gongshu district of Hangzhou, together with the Grand Canal Group, has been renovated while keeping the traditional features of ancient buildings in historical blocks near the canal. At the same time, it has improved the infrastructure for residents and allowed over two million residents to live comfortably and pleasantly on the banks, reshaping a characteristic urban waterfront landscape.

The three historical blocks along the canal in Hangzhou have different development orientations. Based on their geographical positions, they are designed as a miniature typical water town in south China, a block featuring relaxed pace of life, and a scenic area of intangible cultural heritage, respectively.

The closely related three blocks, while forming along the canal an area that enables the public to enjoy culture and entertainment activities, help spread excellent traditional Chinese culture among more people.

The ever-flowing canal represents numerous development opportunities. As long as cities along the canal earnestly fulfill their responsibility to protect and make use of the waterway while inheriting its historical and cultural heritage, ensure accurate positioning and introduce innovative ideas and methods to the development of their sections of the canal, and integrate and optimize resources, they will certainly revive the canal and give it a new charm.

Digitalization enables Mogao Grottoes in China’s Dunhuang to transcend time and space

By Qiang Yuwen, People’s Daily

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n the office of culture heritage digitalization research center of Wuhan University in central China’s Hubei province, researcher Huang Xianfeng clicked on the screen of a computer, thus “opening” a mottled wooden gate of a famous UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu province.

As soon as the virtual gate opened, magnificent ancient murals leapt to the eyes.

Images of flying apsaras on these murals, including their clothing patterns, were vividly shown to the finest of details. As the viewing angles changed, everything in the caves was presented to viewers in front the computer screen.

Thanks to the use of digital technologies, researchers have created the 3D models of Mogao Grottoes without a single deformation in computer, allowing people to observe every little detail of the spectacular cultural heritage of the site even if they couldn’t visit the place in person.

For the groundbreaking achievement, scientific researchers of two generations in Dunhuang Academy China and Wuhan University worked ceaselessly for more than a decade.

Dunhuang Academy China began to explore the application of digital technologies in the preservation of cultural heritage in the 1990s, when digitalization was still a new term.

However, the work had to be suspended after several attempts, as researchers lacked mature technologies and precision instruments and only had access to low-resolution film cameras.

In 2007, Zhu Yixuan, a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing of Wuhan University, and her husband Li Deren, also a renowned expert in surveying and mapping, went to Dunhuang for investigation at the invitation of Fan Jinshi, then president of Dunhuang Academy China.

Seeing that the once bright colors of beautiful murals and delicate patterns of clay statues in Mogao Grottoes gradually fade as time passed by, they were deeply worried.

Huang Xianfeng (right) and Zhang Fan (middle), both researchers devoted to the preservation of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu province, scan murals in a cave with a staff member of Dunhuang Academy China. (File photo) “We hope to help the ancient artworks in Since the murals and Buddhist statues in those caves transcend time and space through the grottoes were created more than 1,000 years scientific and technological means, and revitalize ago, they were already very fragile when these Dunhuang with digital technologies,” Zhu said. researchers tried to revitalize them through After tremendous amount of research and digital technologies. argumentation, the couple eventually decided “Some murals were extremely mottled and to employ modern photogrammetry and remote could be easily damaged,” Huang recalled, sensing technologies to achieve 3D digital disclosing that researchers were very careful reconstruction of Mogao Grottoes and build a every time they used instruments in the caves of 3D digital model in computer. the Mogao Grottoes.

In 2008, Zhu, who was then more than 70 After obtaining the precious raw data, years old, led a team made up of more than ten the research team found that the complexity researchers from Wuhan University, including of modeling and adjustment for a 1:1 digital Huang, to Dunhuang. The main task of the replica of the UNESCO World Heritage site research team was to scan Mogao Grottoes with was far greater than expected. And traditional 3D laser scanners, take pictures of the caves, technological means of surveying and mapping and then process relevant data. couldn’t satisfy the needs of the task.

“To put it simply, we first scanned the In an effort to solve the bottleneck, Huang grottoes to get their 3D frameworks and shapes went to Dunhuang again with his doctoral and then added colors and patterns to them to students Zhang Fan and Zhang Zhichao. They create highly accurate and colored 3D models,” were determined to develop independent and Huang explained. controllable modeling software, for which they

often skipped meals and sleep and programmed for more than 20 hours straight a day.

More than two months later, a software tool which can handle high-quality texture mapping for complex models of cultural heritage was finally created, breaking through obstacle blocking a critical link in the digitalization endeavor.

After the technical obstacle was overcome, Li put forward the idea of collecting more data to integrate Mogao Grottoes with its surrounding environment in digital models.

“Not only data on Mogao Grottoes, cultural heritage data in Dunhuang should all be collected and recorded so that we can provide more comprehensive information for the protection of cultural heritage,” Li said.

A year later, Huang went to Dunhuang the third time with several other teachers and students. During the over two months they spent in the city, these researchers conducted largescale aerial survey with laser scanners carried by borrowed transport plane, and used ground laser scanners and close-range photogrammetry instruments to carry out a survey of the surroundings of Mogao Grottoes, including the precipices where grottoes are located and the ancient buildings of the site, obtaining all kinds of data on the cultural heritage site.

“In the past, we didn’t know the distance between grottoes as we didn’t have 3D data that can help see the whole picture. Now we are even able to tell the thickness of the walls, which offers important data support for the preservation of the grottoes,” Zhang Fan said.

According to Zhang, they collected 3D data that show the site from an overall perspective in 2016, which, in comparison with the data collected ten years ago, helped further enhance the protection for Mogao Grottoes.

“Our students are working on such subjects as virtual restoration of murals and system for the labeling and identification of damage to cultural relics. We will pass on the relay baton of protecting Dunhuang from generation to generation,” Zhang said.

Thanks to efforts to preserve and inherit cultural heritage of Dunhuang with digital technologies, cultural relics in the city have become more charming.

Environment

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

25

Poor environmental sanitation, hygiene practices responsible for Cholera outbreak -Minister

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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he Ministry of Environment,Mohammmad Abubabar said the cholera outbreak in the country is due to poor environmental sanitation and hygiene practices in the country.

Abubabar advises citizens to imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices and take preventive and control measures such as Keeping the environment clean;ensuring the use of clean and safe water;washing hands regularly with soap and running water especially at critical moments such as after using the toilet, after coughing or sneezing; after cleaning a child who has gone to the toilet; after touching books and money; before preparing food; before (and after eating); and after playing with animals.

The minister disclosed this at a press conference,in Abuja, following the outbreak of Cholera in the country.

He noted that his ministry,over the years,has collaborated with stakeholders cutting across government at all levels, organized private sector, NonGovernmental Organisations (NGO’s), Community Based Organisations (CBO’s), academia, development partners, among others to deliver adequate sanitation and hygiene services to the citizenry, regretted that “despite all these efforts, the country continues to suffer from cholera epidermic and other sanitation enabled diseases every year.”

“This is largely due to our collective behaviours and attitude towards environmental sanitation and hygiene practices which are very poor,” “The ministry in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including Environmental Health Officer’s (EHO’s) in the states and local government areas will embark on nationwide intervention response activities covering sanitary inspection of premises/environmental health uurveillance of hotspot communities.

“Other measures are disinfection of contaminated water sources/ sites;strengthening capacity of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in the state ministries of environment and the affected local government areas”and

sanitary inspection of food business premises of affected communities”.

“Advocacy, sensitization and community town hall meetings on control of open defecation practices and its health impact;sanitary inspection of Schools (Primary & Secondary) in affected communities;training of community volunteers on safe water handling, environmental sanitation and hygiene practices;working with the state and local governments to ensure enforcement of relevant environmental sanitation laws, standards and regulations and guidelines in all the communities”,he stated He also advised citizens to avoid open defecation;cooking food well;keeping it covered and eating it hot as well as disposing wastes regularly and at designated collection centres.

He also charge all state governments, commissioners of environment, local government chairmen/councillors and environmental health officers across the country to step up their sanitation and hygiene programmes and activities to control and prevent further outbreak and

spread of cholera in our country,” He assured the general public that the “Federal Ministry of Environment remains committed to ensuring a clean and healthy environment for all Nigerians.” ” This is a collective responsibility which requires concerted efforts of all and sundry. This is the only way we can prevent and curtail incidences of cholera outbreak and other communicable diseases. I therefore call on all members of the public to keep their environment clean,”he added.

He explained that government will be flagging off National Environmental Sanitation Response Intervention for cholera outbreak in Kubwa, Abuja which is currently the epi-centre in the FCT. “Nigeria is currently experiencing cholera outbreak in several parts of the country with reported cases of fatalities. “ Latest situation report from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released on 10th August 2021 indicated a total number of 33,661 suspected cases including 938 deaths in 22 states and FCT(Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe,

Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross River, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, Borno, Kastina, Adamawa and FCT) with increasing number of new cases in, Zamfara, Bauchi, Kano, Gombe, Plateau, Niger, Zamfara and Abuja FCT”.

He explained that, It is against this background that the Federal Ministry of Environment is organising this press conference to respond to the increasing rate of spread of Cholera cases across the country, sensitize the general public on cholera preventive and control measures to avert further outbreaks and strengthen collaboration with NCDC and other stakeholders in tackling the cholera scourge.

The minister in responding to the in recent cholera outbreak, said the federal ministry of environment,has activated the Sanitation Desks in the 36 State Ministries of Environment and FCT. He urged them to carry out environmental sanitation activities in their various states aimed at containing the outbreak.

A cross-section of delegates at the 21st Regular National Council on Women Affairs meeting in Uyo on Tuesday (24/8/21).

NTCA,CAPPA calls on NBC to ban smoking in Big Brother Naija Season 6s

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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he Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have urged the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction the organizers of Big Brother Naija Season 6 for wilfully defy the agency’s directive on smoking in the Big Brother Naija Show.

The NBC had issued a directive prohibiting smoking in the show following a letter jointly written by NTCA and CAPPA on July 16, 2021, drawing the agency’s attention to the organisers’ violation of the provisions of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019 pertaining to the ban of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorships (TAPS).

Section 12(1) of the NTC Act 2015 defines tobacco advertising and promotion to include “any form of commercial communication, recommendation, or action with the aim, effect, or likely effect of promoting a tobacco product or tobacco use directly or indirectly. That section also states that: “no person shall promote or advertise tobacco or tobacco products in any form.”

In the letter jointly signed by CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi and NTCA Programme Manager, Chibuike Nwokorie, dated 23rd August 2021, and addressed to the Director General of the NBC, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, both organisations said that the organisers of the Big Brother Naija Season 6 have continued to flout the directive.

They revealed that the infractions by the Housemates shown smoking cigarettes

in the Big Brother Naija Season 6 were noticed on the 2nd, 5th, 10th, 11th, and 13th of August 2021.

In the letter, the NTCA and CAPPA stated that findings by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that movies and entertainment materials are the most veritable tools of the tobacco industry which has been instrumental in the transfer of ideas and promotion of alternative lifestyles to kids.

“The kids, generally impressionable, are enticed by what they see and are initiated into using tobacco products through advertising and subliminal promotion of smoking scenes in movies, music videos and product placements.

“Big Brother Naija Show has a great impression on the youths, and it is unfortunate that smoking scenes are being promoted at a time that research

has shown that smokers are more susceptible to developing complications or even death if they contract the Coronavirus. ..This is also happening at a time that the government is working relentlessly to reduce smoking initiation in the country”.

While the organisations commended the NBC for prompt response to their letter dated 16th July 2021 requesting the enforcement of the NTC Act 2015 and the Regulations, they said it was disheartening that there has been blatant disregard of the directive in the ongoing Big Brother Naija Season 6.

They urged the NBC to enforce the NTC Act 2015 and the NTC Regulations 2019 by sanctioning the organizers of Big Brother Naija Season 6 for wilfully disobeying the directive and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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FEATURE

Can the US crack down on fake vaccination cards?

New York bartender Jennifer thinks fakes will be hard to spot As more people in the US are asked to prove they have been vaccinated in order to work, study or socialise, a flourishing black market in fake vaccination cards has sprung up. But what can be done to tackle it? he operator behind "C ovid19vaccinecardsss" took just seconds to reply. One of a slew of Instagram accounts hawking fake proof of Covid-19 vaccination cards, whoever was running the page was eager to sell, inviting the BBC to move over to an encrypted messaging app to make a deal.

For $100 (£70), the vendor would deliver a "registered" card, with either the logo of the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) or Britain's National Health Service.

Payment could be made in Apple Pay or Bitcoin and delivery would be "discrete" and within 24 hours, they promised. "Your cards will be saved into the database system," they told the BBC. "[These are] very good original vaccine cards, no worries." As the Delta variant of coronavirus sweeps the US, businesses, universities and cities such as New York and San Francisco have introduced vaccine mandates to boost uptake of jabs.

But vaccine hesitancy remains high and a cottage industry for bogus inoculation cards has emerged to help people get around the rules.

Fakes have been sold on platforms from eBay to Whatsapp and there have been high profile busts, with warnings that counterfeiters and buyers could face jail.

Yet users, authorities and many others are sceptical that the use of false cards can be stopped.

Jennifer is head bartender at the busy Peculiar Pub in Greenwich Village, New York, where customers must show proof of vaccination in order to enter as part of a citywide mandate affecting bars, gyms and other indoor venues.

No one's raised her suspicions yet but she thinks it will be "really hard" to spot fake vaccination documents, which in New York can take the form of a paper card from the health authorities or merely a photo of that card. ;As long as it's printed and you can just write a date, how am I going to know the person that injected you and where you got it?

There are hundreds and thousands of vaccination sites in the US, people can come to your home now to give you the vaccine." Counterfeiters appear to be doing brisk business.

Last week, customs officials in Memphis, Tennessee and Anchorage, Alaska seized 6,000 false vaccination cards in separate shipments from China destined for

T

recipients across the US. They were printed with the CDC logo and closely resembled the genuine cards given to US citizens when they get vaccinated. However, when officials looked closer they noticed spelling mistakes and poor printing quality.

Two visitors from the mainland were arrested Sunday at Honolulu's airport for violating

an Emergency Proclamation by falsifying vaccination cards to travel to Hawaiʻi. Investigators from the AG's office made the arrests after following up on a tip from a community member.

At the same time, more people who are using false documents are getting caught.

Recently, a Miami couple was arrested for allegedly trying to enter

New York bartender Jennifer thinks fakes will be hard to spot

A bar manager checks paperwork

Hawaii using fake cards in breach of the state's travel laws, which require proof of vaccination or a negative test result to avoid quarantine.

Enzo Dalmazzo, 43, and Daniela Dalmazzo, 31, who travelled with their two children, are facing $8,000 (£5,000) in fines - although the maximum penalty could have been jail.

The flourishing market has prompted warnings from the FBI that unauthorised use of a government agency's seal is a crime and violators could face fines or up to five years in prison.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate majority leader, has called for a federal crackdown and national education campaign to stop counterfeiting. Why, he also asked, were people risking prosecution to get fake vaccine cards when jabs are free and plentiful in the US? Stacey, who works at another busy Greenwich Village bar, says friends of hers are thinking of buying fake cards because they do not want to get jabbed over fears about vaccine safety.

Resistance to jabs and vaccine mandates is fierce in some parts of the US, where only 60% of the adult population is fully vaccinated, and typically driven by online disinformation and calls to protect civil liberties.

Stacey, who is vaccinated, says her friends think vaccine mandates could stop them doing everyday things if they become more common, and so fake documentation will offer a workaround.

But she adds: "It's worrisome in terms of public health.

If they are choosing to come in with a fake vaccination card they are putting themselves at risk to people who are doing the same thing." Bogus cards are easily available on social media, messaging apps and the dark web where they can be bought for anywhere between $25 (£18) and $500, according to reports.

On Instagram accounts often promote fake cards alongside images featuring anti-vaccination slogans or disinformation about vaccine safety.

Instagram shut down accounts the BBC reported but others remain on its site. Anyone buying, selling, or trading in fake, or genuine, medical documents on its platforms will be barred, the company said.

We'll continue to identify and remove this content whenever

we find it, and will disable accounts, pages or groups that repeatedly break our rules," a spokeswoman told the BBC. Some New York businesses are concerned they could be held liable if someone is found on theirpremises with a fake card.

Sean, who manages Off the Wagon, another nightspot in Greenwich Village, thinks all proof-of- vaccination cards should be digital to stop fraud.

Such passes are planned or in use in the UK and Denmark, for example, but the US has no similar scheme.

Several digital vaccine apps are available within New York City, but bars like Sean's still can't access systems to scan them, which worries him. "I am expecting [fake vaccination cards] just like I expect fake IDs for underage drinking," he tells the BBC. "But there isn't much you can do about the paper ones. "That's why it is important to know we won't be held liable… We're at the very early stages with all of this, it's a fickle process." Source: BBC Quote They were printed with the CDC logo and closely resembled the genuine cards given to US citizens when they get vaccinated.

However, when officials looked closer they noticed spelling mistakes and poor printing quality.

Two visitors from the mainland were arrested Sunday at Honolulu's airport for violating an Emergency Proclamation by falsifying vaccination cards to travel to Hawaiʻi.

Investigators from the AG's office made the arrests after following up on a tip from a community member.

At the same time, more people who are using false documents are getting caught.

Recently, a Miami couple was arrested for allegedly trying to enter Hawaii using fake cards in breach of the state's travel laws, which require proof of vaccination or a negative test result to avoid quarantine.

Enzo Dalmazzo, 43, and Daniela Dalmazzo, 31, who travelled with their two children, are facing $8,000 (£5,000) in fines - although the maximum penalty could have been jail.

to jabs and vaccine “ Resistance mandates is fierce in some parts

Bartender Stacey says vaccine hesitancy is driving the desire for fakes

of the US, where only 60% of the adult population is fully vaccinated, and typically driven by online disinformation and calls to protect civil liberties.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, august 26, 2021

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PAGE 28

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ADEYEYE OLUBUNMI JOHN :CHAIRMAN 2. ADEYEYE VICTORIA OLUFEMI: SECRETARY 3.ADEYEYE ADEDOLA BOLUWATIFE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE BY PRESENTING OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE. 2. TO COMMUNICATE AND ENCOURAGE THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY EDUCATION 3. TO ORGANIZE AND ATTRACT VOCATIONAL INITIATIVES FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES AND TALENTED CITIZENS. 4. TO EMBARK ON MEDICAL OUTREACHES AND PROVIDE BASIC PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE INTERVENTIONS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

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PUBLIC NOTICE BELIEVER’S BIBLE CHURCH OF MOUNT ZION.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1) EHIDIAMEN OIGBOCHIE CHRISTOPHER (CHAIRMAN) (2) AGUANBHUNU MONICA JOY (SEC) (3) IDAHOR JONATHAN THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED SECRETARY

PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

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29

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

You are a good example to our students on hard work - FUTO VC tells Anyanacho

By Amaechi Agbo

C

ommendations have continued to pour in to Nigeria female Taekwondo Olympic debutant, Elizabeth Anyanacho as the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO Prof. Nnenna Oti describes Ms Anayanacho as a “good example to the students of the University on hard work.”

Prof Oti who made the commendation when Elizabeth Anyanacho and her mentor/ coach, Chika Chukwumerije paid her a courtesy call on Wednesday expressed joy that her students could go beyond their academic career to pursue their sporting talents Represented by the deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Emeka Emmanuel Oguike, the VC said Elizabeth’s exploits in sports especially her participation in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo Japan, four years ahead of her projected debut, would act as a catalyst in inspiring other women in the community to aim high and work hard.

“We commend Elizabeth for her performance at the Tokyo Olympics, despite being four years early in her training plan. She is a good example to our students to work hard on all fronts. The University will continue to create an enabling environment to ensure students can develop on various fronts.”

“We are proud that a FUTO Alumna trained a FUTO student to become an Olympian. We are the only university to boast of having two Taekwondo Olympians and one Olympic

Photo: Elizabeth Anyanacho (right) with Prof. Emeka Emmanuel, VC’s rep. during the courtesy visit on Wednesday Medalist. It is a history we are Commissioner of Sports, Hon. Chukwumerije expressed proud of and hope we can build Daniel Chike Ogu, in the visit. gratitude to the University on in the future.”

Elizabeth, who is a 400 level management for extending the Prof.

Oguike further student of Statistics department needed support to Elizabeth 15 expeessed high hopes that of the university, represented years after. females in the community Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 “I was in FUTO when could be inspired with the Olympics in the Taekwondo I participated in my first ventures and achievements of female -67kg category.

Olympics - Athens 2004. This Elizabeth.

In doing so, Elizabeth University fully supported me “It is befitting to also became the first woman in 16 and made it possible for me note that the first female years to represent Nigeria at at that time to also succeed Vice Chancellor of FUTO is the Olympics in the Taekwondo outside my academics. welcoming the first female event and the second woman I am thrilled that FUTO Taekwondo Olympian of FUTO. ever in the nation’s history. has maintained it’s policy of This will serve as a source of Chukwumerije on the other supporting students developing inspiration to female students hand, who graduated with a their talents outside of of the institution and the entire B.Eng Mechanical from FUTO academia, It’s something other community. in 2005, was a bronze medalist universities can emulate,” he Elizabeth and Chukwumerije for Nigeria in the Olympics said . were accompanied by the state held in Beijing, China in 2008.

Elizabeth who returned

to the university a fortnight ago also added her voice in appreciation to the school authorities for their support.

“I want to thank the University for supporting my Olympic journey. It was very difficult to combine my studies and training. The university gave me exemptions and permissions at critical times that enabled me train and qualify for and participate at the Olympics.”

Commissioner of Sports in Imo State, Hon. Ogu Chike, congratulated the University and Anyanacho on the sporting feat.

“Imo state is proud of Anyanacho, and proud of FUTO’s support in producing two Taekwondo Olympians.

We must find ways to harness this experience to ensure the state keeps producing top elite athletes across various sports.”

Chukwumerije presented official pins and Tokyo 2020 token to the University leadership, as a show of affection for the University’s support for Taekwondo at the university.

Also present at the courtesy visit was the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof C.E Orji; FUTO Director of Sports, Mr Dominic Obichere; and former board member of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Dr Mrs Pat Anyanwu.

FUTO is the oldest university of technology in Nigeria. It was established in 1980 with the composition and appointment of the first provisional council made by the then president, Shehu Shagari.

World Cup qualifiees: NFF, Rohr at “war” over inclusion of Leon Balogun in Eagles List

By Amaechi Agbo

A

ll is not well within the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and its employee, Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles coach as the two parties are in heated disagreement over the inclusion of Leon Balogun in the expected list of invited players for the 2022 World Cup qualifying matches against Liberia and Cape Verde next week It was gathered that NFF

is insisting Gernot Rohr must excuse Leon Balogun from the team but the coach and senior members of the team disagreed and stood for Balogun.

The list which was to be released on Monday, has been delayed over the dissection.

NFF are furious that the Rangers of Scotland defender should be excluded from the team as punishment for criticising the federation on radio last month as well as exposing to the global football community that the

Super Eagles are being owed months of match bonuses.

Another reason the list is delayed with less than two weeks to the first match is the fact that NFF and Rohr are aware of the EPL decision on the Covid-19 red-list country by British Government in which Cape Verde was captured and their decision not to release players in the Premiership for the international break.

Rohr’s trusted armies, Kelechi Iheancho, Wilfred Ndidi,

William Troost-Ekong, Alex Iwobi, Peter Etebo, Emmanuel Dennis, Frank Onyeka are all expected to miss the matches in view of the premier league decision.

Gernot Rohr who clocked five years as Super Eagles coach on August 9 this year is expected to arrive in Nigeria on Thursday to begin preparation for the matches with about 10 key players expected to miss the clashes.

It is reported that the NFF

doesn’t have a solution for now concerning the “unavailability” of these players, hence the logjam.

Nigeria will take on Liberia on September 3rd next week at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos and then battle Cape Verde September 7thin Praia away.

The camp is expected to open this Sunday in Lagos. while the team is expected to depart for Praia via Lagos on September 6th for the return leg

PAGE 30

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D’Tigers devour Mali as Afrobasket gets underway in Kigali

By Amaechi Agbo

N

igeria’s D’Tigers started their 2021 Afrobasket championship on a winning note with a dominant 81-73pts win against a determined Malian team.

The win which was the first after its last win against Argentina in the run up to the 2020 Olympics saw a young Nigerian team captained by Stephen Domingo bagging the maximum points.

After running to a 28-12pts lead in the first quarter, fatigue induced turnovers and wayward shooting saw the Malians coming back within a touching distance.

D’Tigers were able to cling to a 44-43points lead heading into halftime.

Third quarter saw the Mike Brown inspired side shooting themselves to a 71-53pts lead as they did enough to hold off the marauding Malians in the fourth quarter to close out the game.

Benjamin Emelogu who helped the team with 18pts, 4 assists and 8 rebounds had an amazing day on the court posting a 60.0% accuracy from the three point line where he got all his points from 10 attempts.

Domingo who was recently with the San Antonio Spurs during the NBA Summer League added 16pts, 5 assists and 5 rebounds.

Uzodinma Utomi scored 15pts while TK Edogi was the highest rebounder for the team with a total of 12 and contributing 5pts offensively in the game.

Speaking after the game, Brown praised his lads for holding their heads above the waters in the first game against a typical physical African team.

He said, “We have to take care of the ball better, we can’t foul. Teams are going to get beat, teams are going to get upset.

What you do is just learn from it and hopefully grow from it.”

Nigeria will face Kenya in their next game.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2021

R

Nigeria’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers in jeopardy as Keep players set to miss out

By Amaechi Agbo

S

uper Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr is under immense pressure as several of his key players in the English Premiership League are set to miss the opening phase of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers next month.

Barely 8 days to the all import qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde on Friday next week and four days later, respectively, Genort Rohr is yet to release his list.

The German coach is sweating to find a rhythm as Leicester City’s duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheancho; Watford’s trio of Peter Etebo, William Troost-Ekong and Emmanuel Dennis as well as Alex Iwobi of Everton and Frank Onyeka of Brentford are all expected to miss the first two qualifiers in September.

Nigeria is billed to play the Lone Star of Liberia on Friday next week and face the Blue Shacks of Cape Verde on the following Tuesday.

However, following the Premier League announcement Tuesday that international players due to play in Covid-19 red-list countries will not be released

Gernot Rohr, Super Eagles coach from their clubs in the upcoming FIFA windows, Rohr is racing against time on how to riggule out of the quagmire.

The top-flight wrote that the decision follows FIFA’s reluctance to extend its ‘temporary release exception for players required to quarantine’ upon their return from international duty.

“There are currently 60 countries and territories on the red list, with the Premier League

noting that almost 60 of its players were due to travel to 26 of these during the international break.

Uruguay and Egypt are amongst the countries on the red list right now, so the likes of Mohamed Salah and Edinson Cavani will not be released

by Liverpool and Man United respectively,” the release said Tuesday.

Brazil are also on the red list

and their national team will be hit extremely hard with Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino of Liverpool were called up, as well as Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, Manchester United midfielder Fred, Man City duo Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Everton forward Richarlison and Leeds attacker Raphinha.

Brazil are facing off against Argentina in the September break – who will miss Emiliano Martinez now, and will have to do without eight Premier League as they look to bounce back from their Copa America final defeat to La Albiceleste.

The Premier League add that if players were released to these areas deemed concerning in regards to Covid-19 by the UK government, the 10 days of quarantine would leave them unable to play and prepare for two top-flight matchdays, a European round and the third stage of the League Cup. “The Premier League and its member clubs are clearly unwilling to risk the release of their players to areas of concern, which would leave them without some of their biggest stars for a couple of fixtures,” the statement concluded.

Rita Chikwelu headlines 4 Super Falcons players to watch in Aisha Buhari Cup

By Amaechi Agbo

W

ith less than three weeks to the commencement of the maiden edition of Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football tournament in September, Super Falcons are posited to reassert their continental dominance in Lagos.

As the countdown begins for the prestigious Invitational it is imperative to take a look at the four key Super Falcons players to watch out for: Rita Chikwelu Asisat Oshoala, Onome Ebi, and Rasheedat Ajibade Rita Chikwelu is another Nigerian professional who plays for Spanish club, Madrid CFF. She previously played for Umea IK and Kristianstads DFF. A midfield general, combative in the middle of the park with amazing skills, full of strength, Rita’s sense of creativity in the middle of the park is renown.

From 2006 to 2009 Chikwelu played in Finland for FC United.

She was the top scorer of Finnish women’s league Naisten Liiga in 2009 with 22 goals She made her international appearance nfir Super Falcons in

Rita Chikwelu, Super Falcons Midfielder.

2007 and so far had 33 caps with 15 goals reward.

In 2020, she joined Madrid Club de Fútbol Femenino, Madrid CFF. Asisat Oshoala is the reigning African Woman Player of the Year.

She is a toast of all fans in African football. A role model in football for the upcoming players, her eyes for goal remains ever-sharp,

no wonder she is playing in one of the biggest teams in the world, FC Barcelona. The former FC Robo Queens of Lagos goal-poacher will be the chief tormentor of the opponents’ defence when the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament gets underway in a few weeks Onome Ebi is the oldest player in the team as well as the most

The date and venue of his attack and death we’re not readily available.

Jos has come under severe security threats in recent times following the gruesome murder

of over 22 travellers in the capital city last week.

The act has led to different state governments including Enugu, Osun, Ekiti - among others, evacuating their students

capped player in the present Super Falcons’ squad. Her wealth of experience in the defence-line can never go unnoticed; she is a trojan in the defence with fabulous qualities such as aerial power and timing in tackling. Game-reading ability is her greatest strength.

Above all, she is a leader on and off the field of play.

Rasheedat Ajibade is a product of FC Robo Queens who passed through the junior category before she finally graduated to the Super Falcons. She shone brightly for the Flamingos and Falconets. She is versatile, can play as a central striker as well as from the wings.

Her versatility brought about the meteoric rise in her career as a professional footballer. She is definitely one of the star players to watch out for in the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament.

The Aisha Buhari Cup will commence from September 13 through 21 with the nine-time Africa Women’s Cup Nations, AWCON winners scheduled to play Mali and Morocco in Group A while Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa will square up in Group B.

Former Akwa United player, Christio Davies killed in Jos crisis

By Amaechi Agbo

T

he Crisis rocking Jos, Plateau State capital, has taken the life of ex Akwa United player Imo Christo Davies

T

who was Stabbed to death in the capital city.

According to Family Sources, the murder is connected to the religious crisis rocking the City of Jos.

from the University of Jos back home.

Meanwhile with various number of deaths reported in the capital including 8 police officer, the Plateau State Government

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, august 26, 2021

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THURSDAY, AUGSUT 26, 2021

SPORTS LATEST

Harry Kane makes u-turn on Tottenham future

E

ngland captain Harry Kane says he will be “staying at Tottenham this summer” and is “100% focused on helping the team achieve success” in the new season.

Manchester City were keen to sign Kane, who believed he had a gentleman’s agreement with chairman Daniel Levy to leave Spurs this summer.

Kane played his first game of the season on Sunday, coming on as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Wolves.

“I will be staying at Tottenham this summer and will be 100% focused on helping the team achieve success.”

Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo described Kane’s decision “fantastic news” Afghan Female footballers evacuated from Kabul More than 75 people associated with the Afghanistan Women’s national football team including players, officials and their family have manage escape from the Taliban to seek refuge in Australia.

Fifpro, the global players’ union, was among several bodies in discussions with governments across the world to try secure the safe evacuation of the players.

Fifpro had been engaged with six governments for the past ten days, with the route to Australia developing around four days ago.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi ADVERT: NEWS: KANO: LAGOS:

. . . putting the people first

THIS SPACE IS FOR SALE

That child really matters S

ince 1989, 194 countries have acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Only three countries – USA, South Sudan, and Somalia have not. The convention seeks to change the way children are viewed and treated, set aside distinct set of rights for children under the age of 18, who must not be treated as passive objects of care and charity.

This convention has changed the global conversation about children, and set the agenda on children’s right to survival, development, protection and participation. But much as the world continues this conversation, the vicissitudes of children globally have not witnessed any tremendous turn-around.

Worse hit by the vagaries of hunger, violence, deprivation and bad governance are children in sub-Sahara Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Like in most developing nations, the Nigerian child has had an unfair dosage of the macabre quartet, worse than before the domestication of the CRC into national law in September 2003.

When hundreds of girls were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State and dozens of boys were slaughtered in a dawn raid by Boko Haram insurgents in Buni Yadi, Yobe State, an outraged world called for justice.

That call remains just that, a cry for not much has been achieved in that direction as children are used as spies and human explosives to perpetrate heinous crimes like mass murder while many more are forced into militias.

Many that should be in schools are either in refugee camps or forced into militias indoctrinated

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THURSDAY COLUMN By

SAFIYA ADAMU yandokye@gmail.com to perpetuate man’s inhumanity to man in the name of religion. But these atrocities are only part of a global picture.

In other parts of the world, just like in Nigeria and most sub-Saharan Africa, children are forced into slavery. Children throughout the world are subjected to myriad of abuses within the family, public institutions, including schools, and when going about routine activities.

In many instances, their suffering is largely invisible and silent, but very much present.

Today hundreds of children in and out of school are being kidnapped in Nigeria, by unscrupulous, senseless unreasonable adults whose skulls contain concentrate of cannabis and whatever substance they can lay their hands on. Smoked out reason these elements now stride around the nation and the

“

Northwest in particular like marauding beasts in hunt for blood. They get more and more daring striking fear in the hearts of parents and guardians.

We are at an all time low in insecurity and display of utter callousness.

Every year the world commemorates the International Day of the child with pageantry and speeches that pronounce more promises that never go beyond the podium, worth less than the paper they are written on.

Hundreds of children are out there forced to sleep in open fields exposed to any and every conceivable and inconceivable vagaries, being sucked into trauma some may never get out of. Yet we joyfully spend the task payers’ monies on private jets and chartered flights to attend weddings that add no socio – economic values to our common well being. It is a sordid story for the future,

In other parts of the world, just like in Nigeria and most sub-Saharan Africa, children are forced into slavery. Children throughout the world are subjected to myriad of abuses within the family, public institutions, including schools, and when going about routine activities. In many instances, their suffering is largely invisible and silent, but very much present

it is a sign of how low we have sunk in governance, it is an exhibition of how cheap we have become as a people. It only tells the story of who we are as a people. I duff my hat for these great exhibitors of a people in wilderness.

Provisions of the African Charter of the Child have failed the African child and the Nigerian child in particular. Children’s voices are easily ignored because they are not heard, no one speaks for them; not the Ministry for Women Affairs, not youths and development, not even the Ministry of education. So who speaks for them? We have failed our children, our future is in jeopardy, and the elders are lost are lost, their heads are buried in the sand, they play the ostrich and pretend all is well while the lowly parents coil up in fetal positions and cry themselves to sleep. That is if the sleep comes, yes we have failed the children and we have run out of excuses. Today children kidnapped from schools are too numerous for any form of comfort; I strain and yearn for words of comfort but I hear none as the days drag on for students of FGGC Yauri.

DAN GAYE DANGAYE

Kano-Kaduna rail project to be ready in18 months -Contractor

Sharp sharp abeg!

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