Thursday, February 27, 2020 Edition

Thursday, February 27, 2020/ Rajab 3, 1441 AH

Vol. 33 No. 068

2145 Days after

N1.5b scam: EFCC arrests exKano Speaker, Ali-Danja >>>page 3

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peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Bayelsa guber: S/court dismisses APC's appeal, upholds PDP winner

>>>page 5

Reps probe excess, illegal charges by banks on accounts >>>page 5

Cathedral Administrator, Our Lady Queen of Nigeria (OLQON) Pro-Cathedral Church, Rev Fr John Jimoh (R) applying ash on Catholic faithful  during the Ash Wednesday Mass to mark the beginning of Lent at OLQON Parish Garki, yesterday in Abuja.

Buhari tasks military on strategies Again, NECO sacks 19 staff Customs: Rice being smuggled into Nigeria with caskets, gas cylinders against ISWAP threats for certificate forgery pAGE 2

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

News CONTENTS News

2-10, 14

Editorial

11

Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Health

18

Business

19-20

Feature

21

World News

22

Africa News

23

World News

24

Niger govt seeks N/Korea, UN- Habitat support for its urban policy

Buhari tasks military on strategies against ISWAP threats

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has charged the Nigerian military to reexamine strategies towards defeating the Islamic States for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the North East.

Buhari gave the directives at the opening of the 10th National Security Seminar organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC), on Wednesday in Abuja.

The seminar with the theme; “Combating Insecurity in Nigeria” was organised in collaboration with the Office National Security Adviser (ONSA) and NDC. Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said new threats in the areas of insurgency and terrorism had emerged due mainly to the defeat of ISIS. He, however, stated that the security agencies had been given renewed mandate to deal mercilessly with all forms of criminality such as terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

“This is a major concern and threat to us, as their presence in the West African Sahel region poses great danger not only to Nigeria but the entire region.

“Thus we are exploring higher level of collaboration among

all nations and international organisations to effectively curtail the spread of terrorism and defeat insurgency and terrorism.

“No doubt, our forces have over the years worked hard to defeat Boko Haram and they will as well re-examine their strategies to deal with ISWAP that has invaded parts of the country.

“The criminal elements using kidnapping and other criminal activities as a way to get rich quick should either stop such acts forthwith or face the full weight of the law as security agencies have a renewed mandate to deal with such acts of criminality,’’ he said.

Buhari said the government would continue to prioritise security, adding that the seminar was necessary especially at a time when the government was making efforts to ensure attainment of sustainable peace in the country.

He said that AANDEC’s close collaboration with ONSA, NDC and other security agencies presented the type of desired collaborative efforts towards addressing major security issues and challenges facing the country.

He said it is therefore expected that at the end of the seminar, we will have some implementable recommendations that can move the nation forward.

“As we all know, security should be the concern of everyone hence we must all corporate and work collaboratively to address security issues from all perspectives, be it physical or human.

“The nexus between physical and human security makes it necessary for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to be highly productive.

“States and Local Governments should also view workers’ welfare with utmost priority while all security agencies in particular must deal appropriately with extremist tendencies that are capable of affecting peace and development of the nation, according to the law.

“The National Security Strategy 2019 is very clear on these and we shall implement every aspect of it.’’

On the border closure, Mr Buhari said government had to consider temporary closure of land borders with a view to taking a closer look at how to address the challenges of smuggling and illegal movement of weapons.

He added that the border issue would be properly examined in collaboration with its neighbours to put in place acceptable measures to prevent illegal economic activities and other related crimes.

L-R: President, Alumni of National Defence College (ANNDEC), retired Maj.-Gen. Garba Audu; Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College (NDC), Maj.-Gen. Elias Attu; Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Mackson Kadiri and Minister of Defence, retired Maj.Gen Bashir Magashi, at the opening ceremony of the 10th National Security Seminar organized by ANNDEC, yesterday in Abuja

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Environment 25 Feature

26

Sports 30-31 Back Page

32

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The president commended AANDEC for its contribution over the years towards enhancing security, peace and development in Nigeria.

On his part, the Minister of Defence, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Nuratu Batagarawa, acknowledge the effort of President Buhari for creating an enabling environment to resolve the prevailing security challenges.

Mr Magashi said it was imperative to forge a common front among the security challenges to finding permanent solutions to the security challenges, adding that seminar was apt.

He said the ministry would put in measures to implement the recommendations from the communique at the end of the seminar.

He said it is believed that the seminar will go a long way in providing far reaching recommendations that would help in tackling the national security challenges.

Earlier, the president of AANDEC, Garba Audu, a retired major general, disclosed that the seminar was organised with a view to proffering solutions to national security challenges.

NAN

NCAC working to strengthen Nigeria’s cultural values, says Runsewe

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Olusegun Runsewe said his agency is working towards strengthen Nigeria’s culture values.

Runsewe made the disclosure

when he received the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) and the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), at the national headquarters of the agency in Abuja.

He urged them to pay adequate attention in promoting

the development of the country’s cultural industry.

Runsewe said the associations should always provide avenues and promote contents that would sell Nigeria’s culture to foreign and local tourists.

He also emphasised the need for adequate attention for the

marketing and promotion of Nigeria’s cultural products and tourism destinations.

He observed that most of Nigeria’s sellable products are relatively unpopular or even unknown because they are not marketed well to the outside world and called for effective and efficient rebranding.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

News

Coronavirus, Lassa fever: Reps seek equipment procurement powers for health ministry

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives yesterday asked for the restoration of equipment procurement powers to the Ministry of Health to pro-actively tackle the menace of Lassa fever and coronavirus.

The House stated that the inability of the ministry to procure equipment, protective personnel gadgets and other laboratory and logistical equipment/services, reagents and drugs was seriously hampering the noble efforts of the federal government to tight and contain the coronavirus and Lassa fever epidemics.

Motion to this effect was comoved by Hons. Shehu Balarabe Kakale, Tanko Sonunu and Babatunde Adejare at Wednesday plenary.

Moving the motion, Kakale noted that the Federal government has proactively provided or released huge sums of money amounting to about N386m for the effort.

He however, expressed concern that basic protective equipment like face masks, thermal scanners and gloves are rapidly depleted and going out of stock in the ministry.

He said: “The House is also concerned that all procurement issues of one maridated ministry are going to another ministry in this case Agriculture means outright violation ofthe Procurement act and therefore illegal.

“Worried that the Federal government has stripped the Ministry of Health of its Procurement powers and transferred same to the ministry of Agriculture since the last quarter of last year.

“Also worried that this scenario seriously causes inefficiency, delays and corrupt practices in the system putting millions of Nigerian lives and the economy in grievous danger.”

Adopting the motion, the House resolved to investigate the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Finance and Health on the reasons for their violation of the Procurement Act. It also asked the Ministry of Agriculture to concentrate on its mandate of zoonotic disease control, animal, public health and veterinary services in the allimportant collaborative effort with relevant MDAs to contain these highly infectious and other diseases.

Members also directed all relevant MDAs to redouble efforts and support the Federal Government in protecting the precious lives of Nigerians in the face of the unprecedented health challenges while mandating the committees on Health, Agriculture and Finance to ensure implementation.

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

N1.5b scam: EFCC arrests exKano Speaker, Ali-Danja

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kano has arrested a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Isiyaku AliDanja, for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of constituency projects’ funds amounting to N1.5 billion.

This was contained in a statement issued by EFCC acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade yesterday.

The statement said AliDanja was arrested following a petition alleging the diversion of funds meant for payment of

tax liabilities to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) by Kano State Government.

It said the fund amounting to over N1.5 billion, was diverted and misappropriated from the sub-treasury account of the state government.

“Several suspicious payments were allegedly traced to some beneficiaries, including some made to Allad Drilling Limited, a company in which Mr Ali-Danja is the sole signatory to its accounts,” the statement said.

“Investigation by the EFCC further revealed that the funds were on several occasions personally withdrawn in cash

by the suspect, while he was the only one who could officially state whether jobs were done before any payments could be made “It would be recalled that the EFCC had earlier arrested the Commissioner for Special Duties in the State, Mukhtar Ishaq, for allegedly diverting funds meant for Kano Municipal Local Government while he was chairman of the said local government.

“Mukhtar was arrested

by EFCC following a petition that alleged that while he was chairman of Kano Municipal, he diverted funds meant for projects, development and

empowerment of the people,” the statement further said.

The petitioner the statement said also alleged that Mr Mukhtar ordered the deduction of N30, 000 from the account of each council member without justification.

The lawmaker was also accused to have allegedly converted property of Kofar Nassarawa Primary School, Kano, into shops and sold the same at N10 million per shop and diverted the money to his personal use.

According to the EFCC, the accused would be charged to court on completion of investigations.

R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari, Commissioners are Hon Babagana Modu, Sen Abubakar Tutare, Hakeem Akamo, Motunrayo Akintomide, Chief Francis Atanomeyovwi and Mr Bassey Olusegun Etuk during the swearing-in held at the Council Chambers State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Fashola hands over 69km road to UniBen

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has handed over a 69 kilometer road constructed by the ministry to the University of Benin, Benin City.

Fashola said the Federal Government was constructing and rehabilitating internal roads in higher institutions through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to make learning pleasurable and less stressful.

Fashola made the remarks at the University of Benin , Benin City, Edo State yesterday during the handing over ceremony .

In the words of the minister, “It is un-debatable that quality education will be impacted by the

quality of infrastructure and the learning environment.”

The minister who was represented by the ministry’s Controller of Works in Edo State,Engr.Oke Owhe said the ministry has 43 internal road projects in tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones of the country out of which 18 had been completed.

He said the ministry has commenced the process of handing over the completed internal road projects in tertiary institutions such as universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.

The minister noted that with that intervention students are expressing renewed enthusiasm with regard to attending classes

because some defective roads have been restored to motorability.

The Vice -Chancellor of University of Benin,Prof.Lillian Salami who was represented by Prof.Ikponwosa Omoruyi,Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration said that they value the intervention through the road project.

She added that through an intervention like this the burden of university education would be more lighter.

This was contained in a press statement signed by Stephen Kilebi Deputy Director (Press), said Prof.Salami assured that the road would be put into good use and maintained.

The President of University of Benin Students Union,Egbu

Benjamin Notana thanked the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing and the Ministry for the kind gesture.

In Notana’s words, “Before now we found it very difficult to access this road.But now it is no longer as it used to be.Right now we don’t experience flood or gallops when going to classes.It is a very welcome development.We are very much happy about it.”

The constructed road is linking the Departments of Pharmacy and Nursing in the institution with three car parks and drainages.

It could be recalled that the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola is an alumnus of University of Benin.

PAGE 4

News

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contracts for construction of two roads from Sokoto and Jigawa states up to Nigeria’s borders with Niger Republic at a total cost of about N30 billion.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this to State House Correspondents at the end of a long Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the first contract of N9.5 billion was for the 47-kilometer road from BalleKurdella in Sokoto State to the border in Niger Republic border.

The second contract was for the 50-kilometer road from Kunya in Jigawa state to the Niger Republic border, and it will be constructed by Mothercat civil engineering firm at a cost of N19.76 billion.

Fashola explained that the contracts were approved as part of strategies to implement

Buhari inaugurates National Assembly Service Commission

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the National Assembly Service Commission.

The commission to be chaired

by Engr. Ahmed Kadi Amshi, (Yobe, North East) also have Babagana Modu, Member (Borno, North East); Abubakar Tutare (Taraba, North East); Hakeem Akamo (Lagos, South West); Tunrayo Akintomide (Ondo, South West); Atanomeyorwi Francis (Delta, South South) as members.

Others are: Bassey Etuk (Akwa-Ibom); Bailyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi (Zamfara, North West); Sani Saidu Kazaure (Jigawa, North West); Julius Ucha (Ebonyi, South East); Nnamdi Anyaechie (Imo, South East); Auwalu Aliyu Ohindase (Kogi, North Central); and Muazu Is’haq (Nasarawa, North Central).

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

FG approves N30bn for roads linking Niger Republic the administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), to boost trade and economy, especially given the international commercial activities in those areas.

Besides, the two roads are in line with the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) recently signed by Nigeria to promote trade among African countries, the Minister added.

Other approvals by FEC yesterday

included the extension of contract services for Kontagora irrigation project in Niger State by three years at a cost of N734.5 million.

The project was started in 1987 but abandoned until resuscitated recently, according to the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, who briefed the press on the approval.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, similarly announced the approval

of two contracts for his ministry.

The first was the refurbishment of the Abuja office of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), at a cost of N591.8 million.

The second contract was for construction and equipping the AIB’s training school, also in Abuja for N645.4 million.

Minister of Mines and Steel, Olamilekan Adegbite, presented to the Council a report card of

his Ministry and parastatals for the first 100 days; while his counterpart in the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, did the same.

Pantami disclosed that the government has been able to generate N50 billion from Stamp Duty. He said the money has been kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s coffer.

L-R: Director, Economic Growth, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment ,Mr Eloho Samuel; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Mariam Katagun; and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during a meeting on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

SERVICOM boss harps on transparency as key to devt

By Paul Efiong

T

he National Coordinator/ CEO of SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli has called on those in position of authority to recognize that improvement and transparency in government processes is the key for sustainable development of our country, emphasising that the quality of services rendered to customers is no longer a choice but a right of citizens.

She spoke when she paid an advocacy visit to the Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday in Abuja .

This was contained in a statement by Henrietta Okokon

(Mrs) Public Awareness Manager (SERVICOM) issued yesterday in Abuja.

According to the statement, during her visit, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said that Government is about the people and quality of governance is determined by the quality of service delivered to citizens and the extent to which these services meet their need and expectation.

Mrs Nnenna stated that citizens are the life blood of any organization. The National Coordinator called on the management of the Commission to support the SERVICOM Unit by ensuring that service delivery gaps are identified and rectified, with recommendations implemented,

reported upon and reviewed for continuous service improvement.

She stated that the purpose of her visit to the Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was to further strengthen the SERVICOM unit through continuous support from management on the implementation of work plan reporting, charter implementation and periodic reviews.

Akajemeli called on the management of the Commission to empower Nodal and Focal Officers in the organization as they are SERVICOM’s foot soldiers in entrenching the culture of citizenfocused service delivery in EFCC. This she said wouldbe achieved through sustainable service

improvements through, capacity building for staff, customer service charter and self-assessments and surveys.

The EFCC Charman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, in his remarks advised the entire staff of the Commission to always do the right thing in order to ensure effective service delivery to Nigerians.

He further stated that the Commission has adopted a sectorial approach in its fight against crimes and corruption, and called for collaboration with SERVICOM to ensure the Commission wins her fight against corruption by keying into integrity transparency, accountability, efficiency for satisfactory service delivery in Nigeria.

IDPs protest food shortage in Adamawa camp From Umar Dankano , Yola.

S

ome Internally Displaced Persons of the Fufore International Transit Camp have protested against shortage of food supply and other necessities of human life for over four months.

The displaced persons both men and women who staged the peaceful protest on Wednesday accused the National Emergency Management Agency,NEMA of not supplying food for them, lamenting that it was not their making to become liabilities

but due to insurgency that ravaged their communities.

Chairman of the camp, Mallam Umar Bakura who spoke on behalf of the displaced persons narrated that as leaders in the camp, they have been holding meetings over the constraints with the officials of NEMA for sometimes now but to no avail.

Bakura decried that the situation is becoming worse by the day as some of the IDPs have been starved to the level of death in some cases, calling on federal government under

President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene quickly to save lives.

“For almost four months we have not received food supply from NEMA and we are 1,500 people leaving in that camp ,mostly from Bama,Gwoza and Ganboru gala of Borno state.

“We are appealing to the federal government especially our President, Muhammadu Buhari and our amiable Governor Zulum to look in to our plight because we have children, elderly and the orphans “.Bakura pleaded

He also maintained that there are cases of malnutrition affecting mostly children in the camp suggesting the government should relocate them back to their communities if the security of the areas is guaranteed.

Reacting to the development, NEMA’s Operational Official in charge of Adamawa and Taraba States, Mr.Midala Anuhu confirmed that the Agency is in the picture of the IDPs predicament.

“The Agency is aware of their situation and it was in December

2019 ,we provided food items to them even though we have forwarded their case to our national headquarters in Abuja awaiting their approval.

“Any time a matching directive is given from above,we will supply them with food because we have food stuffs in our stores in Yola,”Anuhu added.

Our correspondent reports that the Fufore International Transit camp is housing 1,500 IDPs and is situated at the boarder town of Fufore in Fufore local government area of the state

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

News

Reps probe excess, illegal charges by banks on accounts

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the excess and illegal charges by banks on accounts of both private and public customers, including that of the National Assembly.

The House, equally mandated its Committee on Banking to liaise with professional financial consultants to investigate and determine the extent of excess charges on the House of Representatives accounts, other public institutions and individuals held in various banks to determine the extent of excess charges, if any, in the last eight (8) years.

It also resolved that the House Committee on Banking should within four weeks report back to the House with recommendations for possible further legislative actions.

These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance on: “Need to Investigate Excess and Illegal Charges by Banks on Public Institutions and Private Accounts

by Various Banks in Nigeria”, sponsored by Yususf Gagdi (APC, Plateau).

Gagdi while presenting the motion argued that the role of banks and the banking sector, when properly managed and run in accordance with banking ethics while adhering to international best practices, arguably opens up the economy as it gaivanizes the critical factors of production and wealth creation, thereby making the banking sector very pivotal to development.

He said, the House noted that as pivotal as the banking industry is to economic development coupled with its tremendous growth in

Nigeria over the years, supporting the federal government policy of ease of doing business, the experiences of individuals, public institutions and corporate customers of banks have been that of mixed feelings.

According to the lawmaker, the mixed feelings are formed by excess and illegal debits on accounts held by customers in the name of bank charges which have been very disturbing, as various charges ranging from ATM charges, account maintenance fee card maintenance charges SMS notification charges, token maintenance fees to stamp duty fees, amongst others have been sources of worries to customers across the country.

Gagdi said the House further noted that although the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has intervened on this issue on countless occasions, many of these illegal charges have continues unabated for a number of reasons which include but not limited to size of the amount, logistics and cost of following the matter through to conclusion since the banks are aware that customers are not likely going to abandon their jobs and businesses to chase after what is considered as insignificant amount of money.

He added that the House is: “aware that while the banking industry is supposed to be a catalyst for economic growth and wealth creation, lack of

transparency in the industry has made investment by local and foreign investors very unattractive due to the illegal dealings and meddling with depositors’ accounts by Nigerian banks.

“Saddened that the National Assembly specifically, the House of Representatives and other government institutions and agencies saddled with the responsibility of regulating the industry and protecting the interests of the general public, being customers of these banks are also victims of these excess and illegal charges by their bankers.

“Worried that while we may choose to color or dress the language used to qualify the action of these banks by merely

referring to it as excess charges, the reality remains that it is an outright stealing of customers’ deposits by banks and every hand must be on deck by any affected customer including the House of Representatives to seek redress in one way or the other.

“Certain that the House of Representatives being a public institution and one of the three Arms of Government accountable for the use of tax payers’ money, prudence demands that the House commence an investigation of the activities of its accounts held in various banks to determine the extent of and illegal charges, if any, by its bankers with a view to recover same in the interest of the House.”

Speaker House of Representatives Femi Hakeem Gbajabiamila (4th left), Chairman Nigerian National Group of Parliamentarians for Global Actions ( NNGPGA), Hon. Abdulrazaq Sa’ad Namdas (3rd left) with other members, after the inauguration of NNGPGA, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Bayelsa guber: S/court dismisses APC’s judgement review application

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Supreme Court, yesterday refused to reverse its February 13, judgment that nullified the election of David Lyon and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, as Governor and deputy governor of Bayelsa state respectively.

The panel that sat at the sitting tagged “Special” in its lead judgement read by Justice Amina Augie, held that the application for review “lacks merit”.

The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel of Justices headed by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, dismissed the two different applications filed by

Lyon and his deputy, as well as the All Progressive Congress, APC. Delivering the ruling, Justice Amina Augie, described the fresh applications as “highly vexatious, frivolous and gross abuse of the judicial process”.

The court held that Order 8, rule 16 of the Supreme court said the court ‘’shall not’’ review its order.

The panel maintained that the application for the Apex court to sit on appeals over its final judgement were aimed at “desecrating the sanctity of the court,’’ ‘’ The court is not authorized and lack jurisdiction to review the judgment delivered on February

13, 2020. ‘’ Granting this request would amount to violating the finality of its judgment if the applications were granted. ‘’ Granting the applications would open a floodgate for the review of decisions of the Supreme Court.

“There must be an end to litigation. ‘’ The decision of the Supreme Court is final for ages in a matter” and only legislation could change it. ‘’ With tears in my eyes i regretted that “very senior” lawyers were responsible for filing the applications. ‘’ Our decision is final in its

sense of it, final and can not be reviewed.

Consequently, it awarded a cost of N10million each against Lyon, Degi-Eremieoyo and APC, to be paid in favour of governor Douye Diri, his deputy, Lawrence Ewhruojakpo and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The court ordered that the cost should be paid by respective counsel to the Applicants for bringing such frivolous applications on behalf of their clients.

Recall that supreme court had on February 13, nullified the election of David Lyon and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, as Governor and

deputy governor respectively.

Consequently, the apex court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue fresh certificates to the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election, which were Douye Diri, and Lawrence Ewhruojakpo of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidates.

Miffed by the decision, Lyon and his party, the All Progressives Congress headed back to the Supreme Court, demanding a review of the judgement.

They urged the court to set aside it’s order and restore Lyon as governor of Bayelsa state.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PAGE 6

News

Niger govt seeks N/ Korea, UNHabitat support for its urban policy From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

Again, NECO dismisses 19 staff for certificate forgery From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

T

he Governing Board of the National Examinations Council (NECO) has approved the dismissal of 19 staff from her service for certificate forgery.

This was contained in a press statement issued by Azeez Sani,

Head, Information and Public Relations Division that was made available to journalists yesterday in Minna.

Consequently, a Staff Certificate Verification Committee constituted by the management carried out its assignment diligently by inviting some staff with questionable credentials to appear before it, during which

the affected staff attested that their certificates were forged.

According to the statement, “the committee also contacted the schools and institutions which the affected staff claimed to have attended and the schools and Institutions denied having certificated them.”

The Governing Board of the Council vetted the report of the Certificate Verification

Committee and approved the dismissal of the affected staff at its 52nd regular meeting.

It would be recalled that earlier the Governing Board had at its 17th Extra Ordinary meeting in November, 2019, also approved the dismissal of 70 staff for certificate forgery.

The certificate verification exercise which is on - going is aimed at sanitizing the system.

N

iger State government has disclosed that it is seeking for the financial support of the North Korea government and technical assistance of UN- Habitat to prepare the state urban policy.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman Technical Support Team (TST), Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane made the disclosure at a press briefing yesterday in Minna.

He stated that this would enable its citizens take their rightful place in transforming the Niger state into a state that embodies “Equity in Development” and “a state for all Nigerlites” which was the major objective of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

The SSG however, hinted that the recently concluded town hall meetings in Minna, Bida, Suleja and Kontagora where the 25 local governments attended has provided an accurate and reliable evidence of the development challenges across the state.

He added that the meeting has also revealed the passion, hopes and aspirations of participants in their various localities through the data generated from each local council.

He reiterated that Niger State Urban Policy must seek to comprehensively address equitable, social inclusiveness, resilient and self - sustaining state where no one and no place would be left behind in development.

The TST Chairman further revealed some of the core issues to embarked on as it preparation for the State Urban Policy (SUP) to includes; social development, education, agriculture, road and rail transportation network, provision of mass and affordable housing.

Others are introduction of green economic development, enhancing of capacity of the local governments as well as to enhanced Internal Generated Revenue IGR potentials of the state and local councils.

L-R; Minister of State Agriculture, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri, Minister of State Science and Technology, Mohammed Abdullahi, Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Alh Zubairu Dada and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Ali Isa Pantami during the FEC Meeting held at the Council Chambers, State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Ash Wednesday: Christians are mourning, says Rev. Fr. Chukwuedo From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he Lenten period commenced on Wednesday at Catholic Churches all over the world with Rev. Fr. Donatus Chukwuedo saying Christians were mourning the unabated killings of innocent Nigerians by members of Boko Haram.

At the Catholic Church of the Ascension, Asaba, Rev. Fr. Donatus Chukwuedo said Catholics were mourning that was why the faithful were adorning black attires.

He observed that it was sad that the killings, shedding of innocent blood were going on unabated and those in authority were doing little or nothing to keep a check on the situation and that God would intervene in the affairs of the country.

The Priest called on Catholics to be prayerful and accommodate other Christians, noting that with a united church, the issue of persecution would be a thing of the past.

He said, “We begin the Lenten season with fasting, prayers, and almsgiving and above having pains in our hearts for our sins, we must repent. This is the best time to repent.

“The ashes should be a reminder of our nothingness before God, acknowledging our frailty, looking up to God for His intervention.

“We are crying, we are mourning, we are tired and sick of the killings going on in our country and putting on black clothes on a significant day as this is our own way of calling on God to save us and we are mourning with the families of

those who lost dear ones.

“These are killers, deriving joy in spilling human blood; whenever they kill, they cheer themselves; Christinanity is under threat; Christians should be united to fight the common enemy, we should stop fighting ourselves.

“As Catholics, we should practice Catholicism by our actions, showing love to all.

“No religion should be preaching and celebrating violence, killing and promising rewards for those who kill the innocents.

“If members of Boko Haram do not repent, God will send them to the pit of hell, they should repent and those who say that they are our leaders should make practical efforts to stop the killing, terrorism; no one should derive joy in the suffering of

others.

“How can you shut down where food is coming from and open the borders to those who are coming to kill and maim?

Who are the bandits? Who are the faceless people that are attacking us? Where are they coming from? What is their mission?

“We ask God to heal us, we ask God to save us through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Our Correspondent reports that this year’s Ash Wednesday was very solemn, the hymns were those rendered during funerals and the pains in the hearts of the worshippers could be felt as they were almost in tears after the Holy Mass which featured the symbolic rubbing of ash on the foreheads of the Catholics by Rev. Fr. Chukwuedo and his assistant, Rev. Fr. Solomon Ugwummadu.

FRSC training school in Delta ready Sept – Gov. Okowa From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, said Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) training school under construction in the state, would be ready in September, 2020.

He told journalists after inspecting the project located at

Owa Oyibu, on Tuesday that the contractors handling the project had assured that it would be completed in June.

Work commenced on the project being financed by the state government in January, 2020.

The Governor, who also inspected construction work at Mother and Child Hospital and Diagnostic

Centre, Owa Alero, assured Deltans of his administration’s commitment to executing projects that would impact on the people.

He disclosed that the projects would be delivered on schedule and to specifications.

“I am impressed with the pace of work at the Mother and Child Hospital and Diagnostic Centre and

this FRSC Inspectorate School we have inspected today.

“The contractors are building to approved standards and for the FRSC school, the contractor has given the assurance that the work will be completed before the end of June which means that it will be operational from September,” the Governor said.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

News

Banditry: Hunter hands over recovered arms to Bauchi gov.

From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

B

auchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has Wednesday received the arms and other weapons recovered from bandits in Lame- Burra forest by the renowned armed robbers hunter in the country, Alhaji Ali Kwara.

Receiving the recovered arms and equipment at the Government House Bauchi, Governor Bala attributed the development to the partnership between the state government, security agencies and the renowned hunter.

He said already his administration is working in active synergy with the renowned hunter as part of efforts to bring to an end, kidnapping, robbery and all forms of criminal activities in the state.

Governor Bala welcome the initiative of the Inspector General of Police of deepening community engagement on security, describing it as a tool for ensuring peace and security in the society.

The governor who thanked Alhaji Ali Kwara for facilitating the recovery of the arms, pledged to provide the needed support to security agencies working in the state for effective discharge of their assigned responsibilities and handed over the recovered items to the State Police Commissioner.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr Philip Mako while receiving the recovered equipment, said the police with the support of critical stakeholders, will ensure the maintenance of peace.

The Commissioner used the medium to appeal to the entire citizens of the state to key into the police community engagement on security to enable police rid the country out of criminal activities.

Earlier, the renowned hunter in the country, Alhaji Ali Kwara, said the items were recovered from bandits planned to conduct criminal activities in various places in the state.

Delta: 4 suspects in police net over killing of PDP youth leader From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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resh trouble has erupted in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State following eight suspected cultists allegedly fingered in the murder of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) Youth Leader, Wisdom Iroro, in the area recently.

It was gathered that four of the suspects: Festus Ogheneovo, Abel Onoriode, Lucky Enajero and Erona Lucky are currently being detained at the Abraka Police station for further investigation, while others are said to be on the run and their whereabouts is still unknown.

The Divisional Police Officer ( DPO) of the station, CSP Hassan Isah who confirmed

this to journalists in the area on Wednesday, said that two of the arrested suspects , Abel Onoriode and Lucky Enajero are members of the anti- cult group led by one Festus Ogheneovo, adding that Abel has been a bossom friend of late Wisdom Iroro and was the one that reportedly hinted Lucky about the discovery of$10,000 in Iroro’s Bitcoin Wallet before he contacted the said Festus who allegedly promised to get other five members of the fraternity for the robbery operation.

Sources said that on the day of the attack, Abel was reportedly with Iroro and was in touch with Festus and the others via text messages, giving them details of the whereabouts of Iroro and Abel were alleged eventually invited the robbers as soon as

Iroro was home But CSP Hassan Isah further confirmed that the confessional statements by the suspects indicated that their intentions for carrying out the operation was to dispossess Iroro of the$10,000 in his Bitcoin Wallet, but were disappointed to find out that what was left when they struck was $400, adding that the suspects claimed they were forced to Shoot him twice during the process of opening his account through his phone when he attempted to know who they were with the aid of his phone’s light.

They were said to have eventually left with the phone and days later planned to sell the phone to a buyer who rather than purchase it decided to contact security operatives.

CSP Hassan Isah said that the police were on the trail of the other suspects at large, adding that since the matter was a murder case , the suspects would soon be moved to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department ( CID) in Asaba for further investigation and process to charge them to court.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested four of the suspects on Tuesday through the help of the anti-cult group while the Commandant of the group, Oghene Ufuoma confirmed that two members of the group who were fingered were expelled before they rob others with their dirty involvement and desperate move to get rich quickly through the group.

Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas in company of Mr Ian Appleby inspecting agunboat under construction at SEWA Nigeria Limited, recently in Port Harcourt. Photo: DINFO

Hundreds flee Benue community over fresh attack From Uche Makurdi

H

Nnorom,

undreds of people are said to have fled from the border town between Benue and Ebonyi States following renewed attack on Agila people of Ado local government area by Ngbo people.

The crisis which has preceded many years have seen many killed in the past.

Confirming this to journalists on phone, parish priest of St. Peters’ Catholic Church, Agila Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Onoja said his church came under heavy attack by the Ngbo warriors.

“There was heavy shooting in the church. Since the crisis started, this is the first time, I am experiencing this. They

wrote an inscription on the wall telling Agila people to depart the land. They nearly killed a young man who was farming behind the church. I called the Deputy Governor Engr. Benson Abounu who promised that government will send soldiers to the area but as I speak to you nothing has been done. We are living in fear.

Several persons have deserted the area and fled for safety.

Council Chairman, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, Mr. James Oche has decried the incessant attack on the people of Agila by Ngbo people of Ebonyi State.

Oche accused the Ngbo people of attempting to frustrate the boundary demarcation between Benue and Ebonyi States as well as Enugu and Benue States.

He made the accusation while speaking with our correspondent on phone, intimating on series of unprovoked attacks on his people.

According to him, ‘this is the second attack in a week.

They attacked Government Secondary School, Agila and a Catholic Church. Though, there are no casualties but basically, they are carrying out these attacks to frustrate the Federal government’s effort at rebeaconing the Benue/Enugu and Benue/Ebonyi boundaries.

That is the motive.

“As a matter of fact, we saw that there would be further attacks on Agila, Ijigban and Ekele, these are border communities. Only recently, the Federal government released money for rebeaconing

of our boundaries. So, all these attacks are meant to frustrate the process”, Oche observed.

Collaborating the Chairman’s account, an eye witness and former chairman of the area, Mr. Otse Otokpa said a girl from Agila had gone to fetch water at the Reverend Father’s House and was almost killed as she ran away.

He further said the Ngbo people attempted to attack the Government Secondary School but the locals cordoned it to prevent an attack.

Meanwhile, all efforts to get the comments of the Acting Benue State Governor Engr.

Benson Abounu who is the Chairman, Benue State Boundary Committee failed as he did not respond to calls or reply to text messages sent to his phone.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PAGE 8

News

From Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

O

ver 200 students of Government Secondary School, Gboko, Benue State have been rendered homeless following a fire incident that razed down their hostels.

The early morning inferno almost consumes every building in the school.

It was gathered that, the fire which started at about 8:30 am affected the Green and Orange 1 of the Male hostel and destroyed JAMB/WAEC/ NECO candidates documents, Cash, foodstuffs and other valuables belongings to over 200 students.

Also, part of the of the red house of the male hostel was affected.

However, no life was lost as the occupant students numbering over 200 were in classrooms at the time of the

200 students stranded as fire razes hostels in Benue inferno.

The School Principal, Mr. Francis Iorfa Tarkumbur who was seen helping fire fighters to put out the fire declined to speak on the possible cause of the

inferno .But sources said that it may not be unconnected with power surge and fluctuations that was experienced in the school premises at a about 8 am yesterday .

A student who pleaded anonymity told our reporter that some students attempted going into their burning hostel to remove property but were stopped by the school officials.

At press time it was difficult to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and where the over 200 students would be accommodated by the school authority.

L-R: President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, discussing with the Leader of the delegation from United Nations Programming Mission and Director of Global Tuberculosis Programme, Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, during a courtesy visit by the UN Mission to the Senate President at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Coronavirus spread concerning but no cause Kaduna govt moves to safeguard Social Protection Programmes for alarm include the Kaduna State while ensuring that the people of organised to collate and prioritise From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna – EU Emergencies Nutrition Action the state maximise the benefits roles of key actors around social

T

he outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Europe is concerning but no reason for alarm, the European Union said on Wednesday.

“This is a situation of concern but we must not give in to panic,” EU Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, told reporters in Rome after meeting Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza.

“We must also be vigilant when it comes to misinformation and disinformation as well as xenophobic statements which are misleading citizens and putting in question the work of public authorities,” she added.

Italy, France, Spain, are some of the biggest hits in Europe.AFP

T

he Kaduna State Government has commenced the development of a social protection policy to guide the implementation of Social Protection Programmes (SPP) in the state.

Saude Atoyebi, Chair, State Steering Committee on Social Investment, made this known on Tuesday in Zaria, at the opening of a two-day Situation Analysis Workshop on social protection problems in the state.

Atoyebi said that the process, being supported by Save the Children International (SCI) was to put strong systems in place in addressing the plight of the marginalised and vulnerable groups in the state.

She said that state government was implementing a lot of programmes to enhance the wellbeing of its citizens and reduce vulnerability.

“Some of the interventions

Plan to address malnutrition in children and Kaduna State Women Empowerment Fund which provides loans to women.

“Others are the free education up to senior secondary school; free medication for pregnant women and children under five; and contributory health and pension schemes.

“There is equally the National Social Investment Programmes benefiting over one million beneficiaries in the state,” she said.

She added that the government has established a multi-sectoral state steering committee on social investments.

Atoyebi said that the committee would ensure that Kaduna State has an inclusive and robust social protection policy and to harmonise all social protection initiatives in the state.

This according to her is to minimise duplication of efforts

available to them.

She said that work has commenced in earnest not just to produce a document, but one that is implementable and reflects the desires of the people.

“Engagements are ongoing with various government agencies and stakeholders.

“We have consulted with current and potential beneficiaries of social protection interventions in the three Senatorial Zones of the states.

“The ultimate goal of the government is to entrench a structured benefits system that is meritorious and reaches the poorest and most vulnerable among us,” she added.

The head of the committee said that the engagements so far have been frank, productive and revealing, adding that feedback would form part of the policy document.

“The workshop was also

protection at all levels of the society.

“We also want to prioritise and articulate how the challenges and emerging issues can be addressed by social protection, propose appropriate response to identified issues.

“We also want to explore current opportunities, liabilities and risk to social protection project in the state and propose appropriate actions for them,’’ she said.

Also speaking, Mrs Eunice Victor, Social Protection and Inclusion Coordinator, Child Development Grant Programme, SCI, commended all stakeholders for the effort towards developing a robust SPP policy in the state.

She reiterated SCI’s continued support toward ensuring strong social protection systems and capacity for the scale up of SPP to improve ability, opportunity and dignity for the poor and vulnerable.

Criminals smuggling rice into Nigeria with caskets, gas cylinders – Customs

T

he Nigeria Customs Service says ingenuity deployed by criminals or smugglers has made it possible for contraband items to come into the country.

The Customs’ Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday.

Attah explained that there were so many factors responsible for the entrance of smuggled items into the country in spite of

efforts to stop them by the service.

He said most smugglers use unapproved routes to bring in their contraband goods into the country while some conceal the items in a manner that they might be lucky to escape arrest by the customs operatives.

“People often ask where were customs operatives when contraband goods entered the country without being stopped.

“We have seen a situation where rice is smuggled using gas

cylinders or a situation where a spare tyre is used. The tyre is perforated and rice is loaded inside and when you open the booth you see what is supposed to be a tyre.

“If you do not have a tip-off, you are not likely to know that inside that spare tyre are 10 or 15 mudus (measures) of foreign rice.

“Another circumstance, smugglers use casket that is used to carry a corpse to either smuggle rice or petrol. They sometimes

load petro in jerry cans and put it inside a casket, wrapped in such a way that you think is carrying a dead body.

“A situation like this, if you don’t have intelligence, you wouldn’t know. For instance, without a tip-off, it is unlikely as a human being to accost a vehicle carrying the casket with a supposed dead body and request for such to be opened.

“If people with all these tricks succeed and escape, their

smuggled items are what you find in shops, markets, and houses,’’ he explained.

He added that smugglers’ actions were meant to sabotage the economy and the security of the country and assured Nigerians that the service was determined and committed to checking that.

Attah disclosed that customs had fortified its strategies and intelligence to check the activities of smugglers in the country.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

Court remands father for defiling 2 daughters aged 3, 7 years From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A

Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered that Muhammad Saleh a father accused of defiling his two daughters ages 3 and 7 respectively be remanded in prison custody.

The court presided over by Musa Lawal gave the order when the case came up for mention yesterday.

The court earlier held that the accused was not served with the new charges levelled against him by the prosecution.

The court also learnt that his lawyer, Baba Ibi was neither in court to brief the court whether his client was served or not.

To this end, the Magistrate Court Judge, Musa Lawal ruled that, ‘ In view of the fact that the accused was not served, and his lawyer who could have address the court properly was consciously absent in court, l hereby ruled that the prosecutor should serve the accused before the next sitting. The accused should also be remanded in prison custody until all processes are followed.

Earlier, the state prosecutor, Suleiman Ibrahim Kufena had told the court that in compliance with the court directives that the prosecutor should have legal advice on what to do with the accused.

He said, ‘Am happy your lord to inform you that we have sought legal advice to charge the accused before a competent high Court. His case file is before High Court Two now .

Meanwhile in an interview with journalists after the adjournment, the prosecutor Kufena said the court has no legal right to continue the case, saying the court can only act on the First Information Report. That was the reason we approach a high court. It is only a high Court can entertain for rape and incest cases.

According to him, the accused is being charge for rape and incest which are contrary to sections 258 of the Kaduna penal code and 370 respectively.

‘If convicted for the rape, the accused will be sentenced to life imprisonment, while in the case of incest he will be convicted to not less than 14 years in prison.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has applied for the custody of the minors to enable the government take proper care of them.

The state Commissioner for Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba made the plea before a sharia court sitting in Rigasa where the accused was first brought before it.

Page 9

News

Surveyor General moves to map all federating units

By Ochiaka Ugwu

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he Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGoF) is to undertake the survey and mapping in a large scale the entire federating units of the country in order to unlock the rich resources of the vast Nigerian land for massive infrastructure and physical development to enhance national prosperity.

Surveyor General of the Federation (SGoF), Surveyor Samuel A. Taiwo who disclosed this in his remarks at the biweekly management meeting of OSGoF in Abuja said the Federal Government was passionate about this hence, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing,

BabatundeRajiFashola, SAN has prodded for this at the 7th Retreat of the management of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing held recently in Gombe according to Surveyor Taiwo.

Being aware of the relevance of surveying and mapping as a former governor who made indelible mark in land administration and physical development especially in Lagos State, the SGoF said the Honourable Minister has also urged OSGoF to work hand-in-hand with the various departments of ministry for land identification and value addition.

The SGoF charged members of his management at OSGoF to embrace innovation and support

his plan of repositioning of the Office for better service delivery for national development pointing out that all departmental projects must be impactful as drivers of the socioeconomic polices and projects of the Federal Government.

He explained that every project must underscore relevance and the value it would bring to bear on the economy in order to avoid waste of scarce resource.

Because of the enormous task set before OSGoF, Surveyor Taiwo reiterated that the members of management would meet fortnightly to give and assess reports on various activities and projects to abreast the staff necessary information

that would elicit the desire action.

He therefore informed the Director of Human Resource Management to always ensure to call for the bi-weekly management meeting even in his absence directing that the most senior director in the management could hold sway in his absence. He noted that every worker in the employ of the government remains a servant of the people and thus, government work should not be put on hold.

“We must continue to work as a team, and must avoid breaking the ranks for the Honourable Minister charges that we all work as a team to enable the Ministry of Works and Housing in the whole delivers dividends”, he stressed.

Deputy Director, Welfare Department, Army Administration, Nigerian Army, Brig.Gen. Isa Abdullahi (left), presenting cheque to Obinna Akataobi (son) and Stella Akataobi (widow), during the presentation of cheques to the families of fallen heroes, yesterday in Abuja.

Corruption in health sector worries Zamfara lawmakers From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

T

he Zamfara State House of Assembly has expressed concern over alleged massive corruption bedeviling the state’s health sector that led to the increasing rate of maternal and child deaths in the state.

This was disclosed by the Chairman Zamfara State House Committee on Health, Honorable Abdul Nasir Gayari during a one- day meeting organized for stakeholders by the Advocacy Nigeria, a non-governmental organization in Gusau, the state capital.

Honorable Gayari, who said the State Assembly has unanimously agreed to pay

more attention on health sector with a view to ensure end of unnecessary deaths of pregnant women and children by securing easy access to health services for the good people of the state.

“We already have laws which were enacted and signed by previous governments that empowered rights to free health services for women and children, and both the present executive and legislative arms of the state have taken that into consideration”, honorable Gayari has stated.

He further informed that, all the general hospitals were under renovation to meet their standard requirements, adding that, “The present administration of Governor Matawalle has already

awarded contracts for the immediate installation of needed medical equipment.”

He pledged to present the need to implement the National Health Act 2014 as delivered in a speech by the Chairman Zamfara chapter of the Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Comrade Abubakar Gummi, before the state house assembly for deliberations.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Mannir Bature Tsafe, has assured the meeting with most needed corporation with credible information that would help to get rid of all forms of corruption in the health sector.

Earlier, the National

President of Advocacy Nigeria, honorable Asma’u Sani represented by the zonal Coordinator North-west, Mrs. Chinyere Nkenna, said the aim of the meeting was to target for the increased commitments, planning by both service providers and women groups to promote maternal and child health services.

In his welcome address, the Zamfara State Coordinator Advocacy Nigeria, Comrade Rabi’u Sambo, said part of the main objective of the activity was to mobilize voices to speak up against impact of corruption especially for women and to build the capacity of individuals and groups to demand for accountability at all levels.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PAGE 10

N ews

CSOs pass vote of confidence on SON DG, mgt

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Conference of Harmonised Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria on Wednesday passed a unanimous vote of confidence on the Standard Organisation Of Nigeria.

The group at a Press conference held at Top Rank Hotel Utako yesterday said the vote of confidence became necessary following the end of a comprehensive independent audit and investigation of parastatals by the civil society.

The chairman of the Harmonised board, Bishop Abel Oduma said the decision became imminent after months of painstaking investigations by independent audit and investigators.

He thanked the office of the auditor general and the security cover provided to enable an independent investigation of parastatals by the civil society.

Hear him” this is about a great deal because of the cooperation from both the security agencies and government relevant authorities, above all, the maturity and cooperation of the management of the standard Organisation Of Nigeria is unprecedented.

“This report is the second edition in a series of our activities earmarked to enhance accountability and transparency in government in line with the commitment of the president Buhari administrations anti curruption mantra.

“We are encouraged by the strict adherence to due process by the management of Standard Organisation Of Nigeria under the leadership of Mr Osita O. Aboloma . We are constrained to urge other agencies and parastatals to emulate such levels of transparency and accountability going forward.

“This press conference is one of the many platforms put in place by civil society organisations to brief nigerians on the true situation of things as opposed to unverified assumptions and sentiments often bandied by quacks and political players.”

2020 hajj: NAHCON sets up C’ttee on catering

By Maryam Garba Hasaan

I

n a bid to ensure pilgrims are provided food according to regulated set standards, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Barr. Zikirullah Kunle Hassan, has set up a 6 man committee.

The committee was also set up to ensure this year’s intending pilgrims get value for their money with a balance diet prepared under hygienic environments as agreed by the laid down rules instituted by

the new board.

A statement issued by the Deputy, Director Information and Publications, Fatima Muhammed Mustapha, said the committee comprising of members of the House of Representatives and staff of the Commission have commenced inspection of all kitchens that would provide catering services for this year’s hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

It said the committee is requesting for valid documents from the service providers to

verify they are duly registered with the Saudi relevant authorities and prove of successful service rendered to pilgrims in the past.

The statement further said that other yardsticks used by the committee before any catering company will pre qualify to feed Nigeria’s pilgrims for 2020 hajj include company’s medical, health position and proof of resident permit of staff employed by all the catering companies.

It said such are key criteria for pre-qualification to serve Nigeria’s

pilgrims adding that other criteria are the general sanitation of the companies, their capacity of industrial equipment, number of delivery vans to convey pilgrims’ meals and as at when due and most importantly, evidence of partnership with Nigerian caterers.

The statement said during the inauguration of the committee, the chairman cautioned its members not to compromise standards of services to be rendered to pilgrims as it is a trust bestowed on the commission.

R-L : Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar, Country Director, Odyssey Educational Foundation Madam Stella UgochukwuDenis , Student Ambassador, Odyssey Educational Foundation ,Bello Maryam and the Secretary, Odyssey Educational Foundation Chukwuyem Loveth , during the Courtesy Visit by the Executives of Odyssey Educational Foundation to the Permanent Secretary , yesterday in Abuja . Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Durbar Hotel: El-Rufai begins out of court settlement From Kaduna

K

Femi

Oyelola,

aduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and other government agencies have complied with the court order asking them to keep off the demolished Durbar Hotel owned by the family of late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

Counsel to the management of Durbar Hotel, Mr. Reuben Atabor informed the court during the sitting yesterday.

“We had a meeting in the office of the Attorney General

of the State (AGS) yesterday (Tuesday). We have started talking in amicable way. “ Your Lordship, the court order has been complied with. No more presence of government officials and its agencies on the property.

“We wish to request for another date to bring back progress report of settlement to the court.”

Responding, counsel to the state government, Mr. Sanusi Usman, who is the Director of Litigation in the State Ministry of Justice, confirmed the information given by Mr.

Atabo, saying, “I agreed with the position of Mr. Atabo.”

In this regard, the Presiding Judge, Justice Hannatu Balogun, fixed April 7, to hear progress report of settlement by the parties involved.

The court had earlier adjourned to February 26 for the report on compliance with court order by governor ElRufai and government officials.

Recall that the court had fixed February 11 to receive report whether or not Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-rufai and other agents of the state government had complied with

court order, restraining them from demolishing and taking over Durbar Hotel.

Usman had told the court that the State government had handed off the disputed hotel soon after the demolition, and as such no government agent could be seen at the site.

He however, said those found on the property were, “Scavengers who are there to see what they can get on the property.

“The presence of large number of scavengers attracted security agencies who went there to keep peace.”

Stakeholders decry high rate of suicide in Nigeria

By Paul Efiong,Abuja

S

takeholders on Wednesday in Abuja have decried high rate of suicide in Nigeria, describing the situation as strange in the country and called for synergy to curb the embarrassing situation.

Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, President Medical Women International Association, made the observation while delivering her speech at the ``Consultative Forum on Sharing Experiences for the Conduct of 2nd Peer Review of the Federal Republic of

Nigeria``.

The forum organised by the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa`s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), attracted women organisations, youths, people living with disabilities, Albino Association to brainstorm ahead of AUDA-NEPAD`s mandates in Africa, Nigeria in particular.

The review known as African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), is the process that gives member states a space for national dialogue on governance and socio-

economic indicators and an opportunity to build consensus on a way forward.

Speaking further, Nwadinobi said besides the poor economic challenges in the country, there were some level of negligence of societal roles by eligible ones in the society, which could also contribute to some of these challenges.

She, however, expressed optimism that with cooperation in the society, Nigeria would overcome the challenge.

Also, Miss Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programmes YIAGA AFRICA, expressed

worried over the population explosion in Africa and Nigeria in particular without strong economic support which according to her, may affect negatively on the society.

According to her, the situation is critical as Africa and Nigeria would be global players, hence the need for economic empowerment to sustain challenges associated with it.

Earlier, Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator AUDA-NEPAD, expressed satisfaction over the response by the participant to the forum.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

C

This Lenten season

hristians all over the world are observing the season of Lent, which began on Wednesday, Feb. 26th. Lent is a 40-day period, marked by fasting, prayers, penance, repentance, self denial and works of charity ahead of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also a time for sober reflection and positive action. Christians end Lent with the celebration of Easter, which is the triumph of Jesus over sin, death and his taking over the burdens of their own sins.

another for genuine renewal to come.

spiritual

Through prayers that allow us to give up ourselves, we can seek and open ourselves up before God and hear anew the call. We can seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We can seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, and our lives in His hands again. And we can seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death and by recognizing God again.

We need to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more and to come worship him in victory and hope that go beyond new clothes and the happy music.

At Lent, eating of meat and associated products are traditionally prohibited as a mark of self discipline, and a form of spiritual cleansing. Most times, they are expected to deny themselves We can seek We urge Christians only a favourite item of to mark the season consumption, such as to recognize with all sense of alcohol. and and respond selflessness In Nigeria, the season supplicate God for the afresh to God’s peace and prosperity has traditionally been presence in of our land. We marked by penitential prayers, fasting, and our lives and admonish the faithful alms giving. Many focus to imbibe the lesson in our world. of the Lent,.a time on charitable deeds, especially helping those We can seek when some Christians in need with food and prepare for Easter by to place our observing a period of clothing or by simply giving money to charity needs, our fasting, repentance, organizations.

Most moderation and fears, our Christian churches that spiritual discipline. failures, our There is the need observe Lent focus on it as a time of prayer, especially hopes, and to set aside time penance - repentance for to reflect on Jesus failures and sins and as a our lives in His Christ, his suffering way to focus on the need hands again and his sacrifice, for God’s grace. his life, death, resurrection and, above all, his love For Christians, it is a time to for humanity. place self under God in humility. It is a way to confess total inadequacy What our nation needs at this time before Him; a way to strip self of all is love, sacrifice and forgiveness, pretenses to righteousness; a way we must all pray and join hands to come before God in “dust and with our security agencies so that ashes”. It is a way to empty self of God can, in His infinite mercies false pride, rationalizations that on the occasion of Lent, help the prevent one from seeing himself as country conquer insurgency that is a needy creature and perfectionist. ravaging parts of the country. We task our Christian brethren to use It begins on Ash Wednesday this season of spirituality to preach in ashes. And it journeys through and practically demonstrate love darkness. It is a spiritual pilgrimage for other faiths so as to promote that you must make one way or religious harmony in the country.

“

OUR MISSION

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

Facts and fallacies surrounding coronavirus

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By Yasir Masood

I

was in Beijing when the outbreak of a novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) caught the attention of the whole country. The early outbreak response on the part of the Chinese government is highly commendable because it has helped severely restrict the diffusion of the virus to the rest of the world.

However, the push to pen this piece was the torment and flippant response of some of the Western media who went so far as to seize on this human calamity as something to exploit, politicize and weaponize in order to blame, defame and diminish China. Making a mockery of and joking about a natural calamity by publishing such disparaging material is indeed thoroughly hapless, irresponsible and unfeeling and should be condemned by all decent people.

Unfortunately, in this wild goose chase to deprecate China at this testing time in its recent history, some of the anti-Chinese Western media have crossed the limits of human norms and decency in ways never witnessed by the human society even in the times of the worst enmity between nations.

Moreover, the facts of the epidemic are distorted and the whole matter is blown out of proportion to create an aura of a massive panic, uncertainty, fear and furor among the global populace.

First of all, as per known history of human civilizations, epidemics have taken millions of lives and even now can bring havoc at anytime anywhere in the world. In fact, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, heat waves, melting of icebergs and global warming are collective challenges to the whole of humanity.

Epidemics and natural disasters have no boundaries and they do not announce their arrival and the wreckage they cause. Now, it is absolutely absurd and ridiculously inhumane that, in a calamity of such a big scale when people are dying and huge sacrifices are being made, the German magazine Der Spiegel, on the cover page reads: Corona-Virus, Made in China and the Wall Street Journal published an opinion entitled, “China Is The Real Sick Man of Asia.”

Moreover, under the cloak of freedom of speech, Danish cartoons ridiculed China by replacing the stars on the Chinese national flag with images of coronavirus, and France carried a publication titled “Yellow Alert” showing a woman in a mask. Is it the role of the media of these so-called civilized, democratic and liberal nations to exude this kind of racism, disparagement and hatred against humanity? Is this what freedom of speech, democracy and liberalism really mean?

At the same time racist comments expressing disgust, discrimination and denigration are hurled on social media against a nation which is working 24/7 with undying determination to get rid of this epidemic.

Chinese people are mocked on social media for their eating habits, like eating bats (using photographs not taken in China but on a Pacific island) and monkeys, etc. All these punitive practices carried against China at the time of

tragedy are clear indications of calculated misrepresentation designed to malign China by publishing fiction rather than facts in all sources of the media. Also, a lot of assumptions are made and speculations are drawn about the economic slowdown of China, forgetting the fact that China has the tendency and track record to bounce back stronger.

An article published on February 9, 2020, “China Will Win, and Soon,” written

by China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing, revealed some interesting facts.

“Currently, the number of cured cases has started to exceed the number of deaths with each day that passes.

“There are only around 170 cases of infections worldwide, less than 1 percent of the cases in China. The casefatality rate of NCP is 2 percent, much lower than previous epidemics. In 2009, the H1N1 outbreak in the U.S. spread to 214 countries and regions, with a 17.4-percent case-fatality rate. In 2012, the case-fatality rate of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) was 34.4 percent. And the case-fatality rate of the Ebola epidemic was 40.4 percent.”

I wonder how the facts are twisted and presented differently. For instance, a declared global pandemic, H1N1 (swine flu), which emerged in the U.S. in 2009, eventually infected 60 million and initially killed a minimum of 18,449 people in that year. According to a 2012 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the final death toll was close to 300,000.

During that deadly outbreak, we don’t recall any xenophobic anti-American attacks across the globe. Why then are there such attacks against China now?

Do you know it took six months for the U.S. to declare a national emergency?

Did any government from the onset in April 2009 through the end in April 2010, including the month of June, when H1N1 was declared an international emergency global pandemic, then send out a notice to its citizens that they should leave the United States? Did they close their borders to American travelers? Why is the response so different compared to previous pandemics and why are Chinese facing xenophobic attacks?

As we all know, China has a long history of combating mountainous challenges and has always been able to turn tragedies into opportunities. The experience of tackling SARS effectively back in 2003 is still relevant and handy. The dark days will be over soon, and the bright days are just around the corner.

At present, the world must unite in the struggle to combat this virus and must give credit to the people from all walks of life who are on the front lines of this struggle, which is being waged not just for China but in the name of common humanity and to protect people throughout the world.

Yasir Masood is a Beijing-based international relations analyst, academic and a journalist with a special focus on China affairs. He is the former Director of Media and Publications at the Centre of Excellence-China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Islamabad. Currently, he is a PhD scholar at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PAGE 13

Comment

Rend your heart, not your garment

Insecurity and the reign of error in Nigeria

L

D

By Seye Fakinlede

et me be the first to welcome you to this year’s Ash Wednesday.

One of the practices I love about the Orthodox churches, and the Lenten calendar, is how the year is apportioned with different events, in order to build up their worshippers.

The Ash Wednesday for example, but sadly, it is more of a religious activity rather than a true reflection of an inward repentance.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of lent, and the beginning of a six-week penitence before Easter. It is also a call to humble one’s self towards the coming forty-days fasting, solely trusting in Jesus, to guide for strength. It is also a symbolic call to get rid of all the weights hindering the Christian journey.

The idea of this day is the universal truth because every religion of the world, share

a similitude penitence display of an inward sorrow, even though their concept of god, doctrine, and their observation of this may be different, and in most cases re-defined.

And according to the Jewish tradition, the symbolic putting of ash on ones forehead would mean agonizing, because from the scriptures, beloved kings, prophets, “faithfuls”, displayed this whenever they wronged the “Jewish God”.

This and many more confirms that the wearing of ash is an outward display of penitence, which is the supposedly sorrow in the hearts of orthodox congregants.

However, rather than wear this ash religiously wear every year, why not engage in a true repentance and a change of attitude towards reforming our lives, and the nation.

Why not wear true penitence in actively pursuing justice in the country? The country has become so lawless even with the presence of the

constitution. We’ve succeeded to handicap our judiciary and deliberately spite at its orders.

Why not robe ourselves in a sincere shame?

We’ve all become characters from Williams Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Our ears have been deafened to the cries of the oppressed, and marginalized. Yet, we “Allah akbar” on Friday and “bless the Lord” on Sundays.

We have equate outward look for the heart’s authenticity. Niyi Osundare’s imagery in “The Leader and the Led” best describes the chaotic state of the nation. Yet, we are more composed like a school child at the sight of the cane, hypocrites.

Why wear ash, when we have not actively fight against our truest cancer of corruption; nepotism; religious fanaticism; ethnicity? Our sober display on Ash Wednesday doesn’t mean we have clipped our claws for Thursday. We have forgot that true penitence is never being

fanatical in the observation of any religious procedures, nor actively belonging to any of the faith blocs.

Why wear ash, when our lives are no longer safe? Deaths upon deaths. Calamities upon calamities. Security threats upon security threats.

Why wear ash when our educational system is now haunted? An endless lists of sexual assault cases, and its victimization.

Why wear ash when our health facilities are crying for mercy? Sober looks are not true repentance Yee faithful worshipers.

Rather than put the ash on the forehead, put them in the heart, and always remember, a true national repentance is to “rend your heart, and not your garment.”

Happy Ash Wednesday? Okay, same to me.

Seye Fakinlede is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Nigeria: Executive hypocrisy and parliamentary inanities

By Emmanuel Onwubiko

T

he British parliamentary system of government is assumed to be the global reference point in the area of administration of operational funds for the work of law making in such a way that transparency and accountability are deeply enshrined.

The lawmakers of Great Britain are paid by the people of Britain and are therefore expected to justify the payments. Parliamentarians render proper accounts to their constituents and run open offices in their constituencies.

The democratic institutions of checks and balances are so viable that for every expense, the legislators are expected to show cause and indeed retire those expenditures through a verifiable mechanism.

The British government is a very transparent institution so much so that a citizen does not need to first of all file a freedom of information request before a response can be offered on the expenses spent to run the government.

These critical financing information are broadly uploaded on a publicly funded website.

So what exactly does a British parliamentarian earn?

This information is necessary before we can holistically analyse the Nigerian setting in which the financing of parliament is opaque and there is no transparency or accountability.

The basic annual salary for an MP from 1 April 2019 is £79,468. MPs also receive expenses to cover the costs of running an office, employing staff, having somewhere to live in London or their constituency, and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has set and administered MPs’ pay since 2011.

Further, we learnt that since the May 2010 General Election the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) has been responsible for the regulation and payment of expenses to Members of the House of Commons.

The official website of the British Parliament also states that the House of Commons provides cash limited sum per year for the provision of postage paid envelopes and House of Commons sationery to all Members; this sum is in addition to any costs that may be reimbursed under the IPSA expenses scheme.

The beauty of British politics is manifested in the fact that precisely in June 2009 more than a million documents and receipts were made available to the public online. These related to MPs’ claims dating back to 2004/05 and up to 2007/08.

Relatedly, on 24 May 2011 the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) was made responsible for determining MPs’ pay and setting the level of any increase in their salary.

IPSA is also responsible for the oversight of the MPs’ pension scheme.

In the Commons, some MPs are paid more because of the special jobs they hold.

For example, the Speaker and the Chairs of committees receive an extra salary.

Most MPs who are also ministers in the government are paid an extra ministerial salary.

The MPs’ Pension Scheme is part of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund.

Further information about the scheme can be found on the PCPF website, so says the officials running the website.

To ensure that plural democratic institutions are alive to their responsibilities to the people, we are told that some money is paid to those political parties represented in Parliament who are not in government. This is to help ensure that the Opposition and minority parties have enough funds to carry out their parliamentary role and to put across their views. The amount given to each party depends on how many people voted for them at the last general election and how many of their candidates were elected. In the House of Commons this is known as ‘Short Money’; in the House of Lords it is known as ‘Cranborne money’; (Pay and expenses for MPs) Pay and expenses for MPs Find out the current annual salary for an MP and the additional allowances they are entitled toWhy do I have to dwell extensively on the British parliamentary system and the peculiarities of their ways of transparently administering public fund?

This is done because Nigeria gained political independence from Great Britain in 1960. The British spent well over a century governing Nigeria and so it is expected that as rational beings we have no reason why we can’t be transparent and accountable. Why is Nigeria accursed with thieving political elite when the British that gave us independence are very much practicing transparency?

Nigeria is also practicing partly British parliamentary system and the United States of America’s presidential system of government.

The United States of America is also a bastion of transparency and accountability.

Then I ask, since we practice both British Parliamentary system and the USA presidential system of administration why don’t the political elite borrow those values of transparency and accountability?

How come then that it took the courage of an ‘internal rebel’ like Senator Shehu Sani who represented Kaduna Central senatorial constituency for Nigerians to know what each national law makers earn.

What then is the role of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, which is statutorily charged with fixing remuneration of public office holders?

Why are there wide disparities between what

is allowed by this statutory body as payments for the legislators and the actual benefits they draw from the public fund?

Why would one senator for instance draw as much as N36m as monthly take home payment?

This amount is almost the entire yearly salaries of half dozen university professors.

The skewed payment module adopted for the National Assembly members is actually one of the painful inanities of the current parliamentarians.

Other inanities are the humongous amount of public fund to be funnelled by the National Assembly to renovate the National Assembly complex and to purchase foreign sold exotic automobiles for these legislators.

Perhaps, it was in a bid to attempt to divert our attention from the huge financial wastages in running the National Assembly that prompted President Muhammadu Buhari to publicly defend the criticisms that the Federal law makers are overpaid. The President however shot himself on the leg because available statistical data shows that Nigeria pays more to run the National Assembly than even advanced economies like Britain and the USA. As if Nigerians are imbeciles, president Buhari asked us to stop accusing the legislators of over paying themselves.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) said it is wrong for Nigerians to perceive the National Assembly as being “highly overpaid” for doing little.

He said the lack of trust in the lawmakers had made their critics not to see the enormous work they were doing for the country.

Buhari said this in Abuja last Wednesday when the House of Representatives launched The Green Chamber Magazine, a publication by the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs.

Buhari, speaking through Lai Mohammed, said the parliamentarians did not share money without working.

He said, “Hitherto, the public perception of the National Assembly is that of a bicameral legislature where overly comfortable and highly-overpaid members merely stuff wads of currency notes into their pockets for little work done. This wrong perception has resulted partly from the lack of understanding of the enormous work of lawmakers, especially outside the glare of television cameras.

“But with a magazine that will be the authoritative source of anything that goes on in the House – motions being moved, bills being passed, national issues being discussed and constituency projects – the public will be better informed on the activities of the House, and this will in turn reflect in an improved public perception.

“In addition, it will help the House to tell its own story, rather than relying on others to take

charge of their narrative. It is said that no one can tell your story better than you.”

Even from that venue there emerged strong disagreements. The Guest lecturer seems to be saying that these legislators are motivated by cash. Just like the guest speaker said, Nigerians know that the legislators see Nigeria as a cash cow.

Perhaps, that true reflection of the National Assembly as being cash driven informed the mindset of the former Director of Kenya’s AntiCorruption Commission and Director of the Kenya School of Laws, Prof Patrick Lumumba, who was a keynote speaker at the event, who then asked if the lawmakers were following the footsteps of Nigeria’s founding fathers who, he said, had a clear vision for the country.

He said, “I read your great founding leaders. I read the works of Nnamdi Azikiwe and I listened to him in those early days. He was as eloquent as he was passionate in telling Nigerians and Africans – because he was called the Zik of Africa – that leadership is about service. This magazine is an occasion for you to demonstrate to Africa that you are servant-leaders.

“I did not only read about Nnamdi Azikiwe, I also read about Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in his younger days – eloquent and passionate about Nigeria. You may not have agreed with all that he said and did, but you cannot deny the fact, the clarity of vision and the need for marshaling the people as the only antidote to the problems that have afflicted Nigeria, and by extension Africa.

“Now that you have been given the honour and privilege of serving Nigeria, now that Nigerians and Africans refer to you as honourable members, the question is: are you honourable members or horrible members?

The question as to whether you are honourable members is determined by the service that you render to the people.”

The answers to the above interrogatories are notorious.

This is self-evident because over 90% of Nigerians view the current federal government officials as being very dishonest. So, the citizens simply laughed at the president for the above statement.

Yes! Mr. president’s statement defending th huge funding commitments to meet the running costs of the National Assembly does not meet the threshold of honesty because if you look at the decision of president Buhari to deprive Nigerians of the opportunity to buy foreign rice and then watch the same president allow the national assembly to buy multimillion dollars’ worth of foreign cars, all that you can say is that political hypocrisy is a religion amongst Nigerian political elite. *Emmanuel Onwubiko is the Head of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria

By Chidi Amuta

enise Uwimana may not be a very familiar name in these parts. She is a Rwandan woman who experienced the genocide in her country first hand and survived to tell the sordid tale. Her recent book, ‘From Red Earth’, is a gripping unforgettable tale of that most bloody episode in recent African history. It is a graphic searing personal experience that drips with blood, death and bestiality.

The book is important not just as a well-written personal experience of an individual. It captures the damning role of divisive clannish leadership in destroying a nation. It is also a testimony to the redeeming quality of honest nationalistic leadership in rescuing and reuniting a nation so afflicted from the abyss of tragic self-destruction.

Its ultimate message and indeed that of present day Rwanda is that national healing, reconciliation and progress are possible after a descent into the cauldron of self inflicted tragedy.

The story of Rwanda is now a household tale in the world. Deeply entrenched divisive ethnocentric leadership had split a nation down the line. In pre-Kagame Rwanda, you were either Hutu or Tutsi. The tragic assassination of the Hutu president immediately sparked off a gale of mayhem and reprisal killings of the Tutsi minority in a genocidal orgy that consumed an entire nation. Government media, the army and all key institutions of state, being de facto Hutu dominated, became shameless promoters of hate and genocide. The international community was overwhelmed. Death and destruction swept through the entire country in dizzying rapidity, leaving over 800,000 dead. This is the effective backdrop to the emergence of Paul Kagame, a soldier for good, an exemplary statesman and nation builder of historic proportions.

I have entered this preface in the face of the present frightening gale of insecurity and virtual meltdown of the Nigerian state. The most elementary guarantee of the security of life and limbs is drifting away in most parts. An array of casual criminal gangs have virtually overrun the

entire country thereby abridging the freedom of citizens to move freely in a nation they call home.

All over the country, it is an unbroken tale of kidnappings, assassinations, senseless killings, armed robbery and rape. On nearly every lip, insecurity has become a unifying idiom that cuts across our multiple divides, afflicting the lowly and the mighty.

As citizens scamper for whatever protection they can find, regional security formations have sprouted in rapid succession. From the primordial dark forests of ancestry, politicians are invoking mostly animals of prey for names of their regional security outfits. The choice of predators to convey the hunger to protect one’s region is also a metaphor of what Nigeria under Major General Buhari has become. This place is degenerating into a Hobbesian jungle in which life is short and brutish while clashing factions prime to consume each other in a frenzy of rapacious hate. The current national landscape is hardly recognizable as Nigeria.

What is amazing is the cynical groping for why and how we got to this sorry pass. In spite of the protestations of regime megaphones, responsibility for the current situation lies squarely at the doorstep of president Muhammadu Buhari.

His leadership has carved up the nation into factions along religious, ethnic and geo political lines. His medieval economic perspective and sheer incompetence has deepened the economic desperation which breeds violence and desperate criminality.

At no other time in our history has the mainstream of national power been so totally commandeered by a geo political hegemony as under Buhari. The undisguised clannish and nepotic usurpation of the strategic heights of national power by a select sectional elite has alienated the rest of the country and increased divisive pressures. Simply put, other Nigerian groups are afraid and suspicious of Mr. Buhari and his sectional warlords.

Worse still, in body language and direct utterances, the president seems to have sealed a legacy of divisions, factions and mutual suspicion.

Nigerians are now either Christians or Muslims, Northerners or Southerners. Others choose simply to be Yorubas, Igbos, Niger Deltans or Middle Beltans or whatever umbrella best reassures gives them.

A tacit state licensing of killer herdsmen and their authorized unionization as Miyetti Allah with hardly disguised federal government protection has inspired a sense of siege among the rest of the populace. Suddenly, banditry and hooliganism have emerged as sub sectors of an unacknowledged guerilla economy. Helpless state governors are patronizing the chieftains of banditry to buy respite for their people thereby funding the forces of insecurity from official sources.

Add to this the open acrimony and lack of symmetry among the leaders of the security forces.

Nasty exchanges between the National Security Adviser and the President’s all powerful Chief of Staff have in recent days showcased a series of ugly palace rivalries that have raged uncontrolled for most of Mr. Buhari’s tenure.

While the embarrassing power squabbles have literally taken the president and his administration hostage, the Boko Haram insurgency has graduated from a sectarian uprising to a full-scale insurgency war that has lasted a whole decade.

As it drags on and gets nastier, Boko Haram has aggravated the religious divide in the country. Its message of terror is clearly sectarian and antiNigerian.

The nationwide outrage at the spate of insecurity has yielded some positives. The National Assembly struck a much-desired bipartisan accord when it recently rose in unison to condemn the executive’s sloppy handling of national security.

Even the northern political elite on whose behalf Mr. Buhari has been grandstanding has come out to thrash the president. The traditional separation of church and state has flowed into open citizen protest against insecurity. Reverend Adeboye has led an open street protest march.

Bishop Kukah has upbraided the president for his epic misrule. Influential traditional rulers, among them the Sultan of Sokoto and Emir of Kano have added their voice to the national outrage.

The threat of total anarchy has thrown into question the very survival of the nation. In a bid to justify the right of individuals and groups to secure themselves in the absence of credible guarantees by the federal sovereign, our federal constitution is under immense confederal pressure. The states of the South West have tacitly secured a right to set up a regional security outfit, Amotekun. Other regions are following suit.

Consequently, the national political order instituted after the civil war is being dismantled.

For 50 years and more, Nigeria has survived on the basis of a unified military and police command structure with national unity as its overriding priority. That structure is about to be bludgeoned out of existence with nothing in sight to replace it.

We are in a desperate national emergency which no one has had the courage to declare openly. An urgent task of existential proportions is facing president Buhari. He has to act right away in quick staccato fashion. It is time to thank everyone and rejig his administration. First, he has to free the strategic heights of national power from his clansmen and cohorts most of whose greed and incompetence has brought us to this sorry pass.

Thereafter, the president must seek the views of the widest spectrum of patriotic knowledgeable Nigerians to understand the roots of the present threats to national survival. In tandem, the National Assembly should embark on a serious review of the 1999 constitution to take into account the current realities of an unsettled nation.

The current situation can still be remedied.

The first condition is that the Buhari presidency must course correct quickly. Incidentally, this requires a change of attitude and strategy. This is not the time for arrogant posturing by regime megaphones. The president was elected to lead a nation, not to follow his glorified lieutenants.

He needs to urgently send out a new message of national healing and reunification. AS I reread Denise Uwimana’s From Red Earth, I am frightening at how quickly a nation riven by divisive tendencies from the top can unravel.

––Dr. Chidi Amuta writes from Lagos.

The truth about Katsina, Zamfara killings

By Yemi Adebowale

T

he unending killings in Katsina and Zamfara states by so-called bandits will persist for a very long time if political leaders and security agents continue to act in support of the warring factions. This is the crux of the matter. Let me break it down. What is happening in Katsina, Zamfara and to some extent, Sokoto, is war between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers, over grazing land.

The bandits are Fulani militias. They fight for the herders that want unfettered access to farm lands.

Herders often call the militias when they suffer casualties. The Hausa farmers also have their militias called Yan Sakai. They retaliate for Hausa farmers when their farm lands are destroyed and farmers killed. It is one big mess compounded by politicians and security agents that have refused to act dispassionately. This is why hundreds of lives have been consumed by this disaster in these states, in the last five years or thereabout. The states mentioned hitherto experienced very tiny crisis between the herders and farmers, prior to Muhammadu Buhari’s emergence as President.

But immediately he became President, the Fulani herders were emboldened, because “our brother is now in charge,” and the drive for unencumbered access to farm lands assumed a frightening dimension. Of course, security agents also became lackadaisical when called upon to respond to attacks by Fulani militias.

Let me buttress it with this attack. On November 20, 2018, a clash between herders and farmers in Gora Village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, left scores of people dead.

The violent clash started when a herdsman pushed his cows into the plantation of a farmer who was harvesting his beans. The farmer violently pushed

the cows back and the herder resisted, killing the farmer in the process. The relatives of the farmer retaliated and also killed the herder. When the relatives of the herder got the information that their brother had been killed, they trooped to Gora, with Fulani militias, and started shooting at sight.

At the end of the day, scores of Gora villagers were killed and several others injured. A team of security men comprising soldiers, police from anti-robbery squad and operatives from the State Security Service arrived the scene almost 24 hours after the damage had been done.

As for politicians refusing to dispassionately respond to the crisis in the North-west, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State is the biggest culprit.

He has persistently been taking sides. This is why his hopeless amnesty programme for bandits in the state is not working. I will cite the example of the killings by Fulani militias in Tsauwa and Dankar villages of Batsari Local Government Area of the state. 30 people were slaughtered here by Fulani militias on February14, with several houses razed and animals burnt. The District Head of Batsari who is also Sarki Ruma, Tukur Muaazu, described the incident as horrible: “I have never seen this type of destruction in my life. The bandits arrived in Tsauwa about 7pm on Friday when Muslim residents were about observing Magrib prayer.

Some were also preparing to sleep. The bandits laid siege to the village, killing and destroying anything they sighted. I appeal to Governor Aminu Masari to come to the aid of the victims. I am also appealing for security in the community to be strengthened.”

The reaction of Masari, from the comfort of his office, was to say that two Fulanis were killed in Tsauwa and Dankar villages, and that the Fulanis simply retaliated. He pretends to be unaware that those who killed innocent human beings are

as guilty as those who retaliated. Majority of the victims in the villages attacked were old people and children. Eight days after the killings, this governor has not deemed it worthy to pay a condolence visit to the traumatised residents of Tsauwa and Dankar. I remember hearing Masari saying that he had banned Yan Sakai in Katsina State. But he is yet to ban the equally violent Fulani militias.

As for the police in Katsina State, eight days after the attack in Tsauwa and Dankar, they have only succeeded in arresting just one man in connection with a crime that was perpetrated by over 100 people on motorcycles. For the Army, they recovered nine motorcycles belonging to the “bandits” but they were unable to arrest a single “bandit” involved in the crime. I suspect those who were riding the motorcycles escaped, leaving behind their motorcycles. What a country!

Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Sanusi Buba, after visiting the two villages, said security operatives were already after the bandits. Anybody expecting a good result would most likely wait till eternity. If those who carried out the attacks in Tsauwa and Dankar had been arrested and put on trial, it would have sent a strong signal to all the warring factions that government is serious about ending the crisis. But it did not happen. Just as in numerous previous cases, it may never happen.

Even President Buhari was busy analysing the “retaliation” in the Tsauwa and Dankar killings, saying the killings were done in reprisal for what the farmers had done to the bandits earlier. He said bandits had been subjected to jungle justice by the affected communities, causing the miscreants to return to the communities to wreak havoc. Buhari, however, condemned the attacks, insisting that no one had the right to take laws into his own hands.

He added: “Local communities that catch bandits should hand over the suspects to law enforcement authorities instead of meting out capital punishment, leading to a cycle of revenge and counter revenge. The authorities must be allowed to investigate and deal with any breach that occurs.

There is no place for violence in a decent society.”

My dear President, if justice had been served to the killers, there would probably be no retaliatory killings in these troubled communities. This violence will continue if criminals are not punished.

I have not heard of a single bandit convicted in Zamfara or Katsina state, since this crisis escalated.

In Zamfara State, when it comes to political leaders not responding dispassionately to the herders/farmers crisis, former governor AbdulAzziz Yari remains the biggest culprit. While his reign lasted, Zamfara was a killing field. Yari supposedly backs one of the warring factions.

Even now that he is out of government, he is still suspected to be fueling the crisis. Incumbent Governor Bello Matawallen of Zamfara State has to do more, to prove that he is willing to tackle the problem impassively. Killings by bandits have only slowed down in Zamfara. Matawallen should aim at ending it. Killers must be made to face the full weight of the law in order to end retaliatory killings. Bandits must not just be punished. They must be seen to have been punished.

For the herders looking for unfettered access to farm lands, they must be told that this is unacceptable. The way to go is ranching. For peace to reign, herders must be compelled to cuddle ranching. Governors in the North-west have enough lands for this. They should further provide technical and financial support to the herders to settle in the ranches.

Yemi Adebowale is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

N ews

Cross River Assembly approves 70 special advisers for Gov. Ayade C the appointments.

Also at plenary, the bill for the creation of “Cross River State Consumer Protection Agency 2020” scaled through second reading.

The sponsor of the bill and member representing Etung State Constituency, Chris Mbu-Ogar, said the bill intended to regulate, control as well as monitor the profits of the producers against the final consumer.

“Distinguished colleagues, this bill is necessary at this moment because it will check the excesses

of fake and expired products in the state, which have dominated the markets.

“Cross River people die daily as a result of what is consumed; this bill seeks to protect what we consume,” he said.

Members who contributed on the bill said it would check the attitude of some food vendors who exposed food publicly, sold along dirty gutters as well as turned Cross River into a market for substandard products.

The members further observed

that the Consumer Protection law passed by the Federal Government was not doing enough in the state.

They called on the state government to engage the services of people of proven integrity and technical expertise to manage the agency at the state level for optimal result.

The Speaker of the House, Eteng Jonah-Williams, committed the bill to the Committee on Health, with a mandate to report back to the House in two weeks.(NAN)

ross River House of Assembly has granted Governor Ben Ayade’s request for the appointment of 70 more Special Advisers to assist in government functions.

The governor had in December 2019 appointed 70 aides and the new appointees would increase the number of political aides to 140.

The correspondence, addressed to the House, and dated, February 20, was signed by the Secretary to State Government, Tina Agbor, and

read on the floor of the House by the Clerk, Bassey Ekpenyong, on Wednesday in Calabar.

The House in a motion, filed by its leader, Peter Odey, and seconded by the Deputy Leader, Fred Osim, unanimously resolved and granted consequential approval to the request.

Mr Odey said the approval was based on the Assembly’s earlier request to Mr Ayade through writing, on the need to cover other constituencies not yet considered in

Permanent Secretary advocates Nigerian languages for science education

FCT College of Education is underfunded, says ex-lecturer

By Paul Efiong

By Usman Shuaibu

A

retired Chief lecturer from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) College of Education Zuba in Gwagwalada Area Council, Dr Mohammed Usman, has expressed with dismay that the FCT College of Education is underfunded by the FCT Administration.

Usman, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen after he presented the 2nd

inaugural lecture of the College entitled Social Studies, ‘Jack of All Trades’ at the College’s multi-purpose hall, saying that the inaugural lecture is where the lecturer is expected to put in the wealth of his experiences.

He urged the authorities of the colleges of education across the country to deem it necessary to give consideration to the inaugural lectures in the interest of the upcoming lecturers and students.

He then tasked the FCT Administration to always gear towards providing infrastructural facilities across the FCT schools to enhance learning.

Also speaking, the Registrar of the College, Dr (Mrs) Grace Tyoden, said the management of the college would continue to sustain the inaugural lecture to update the knowledge of the academicians, and noted that not all the Colleges of Education

T

he Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Mohammed Bello has advocated the use of Nigerian languages to teach school children Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) so as to aid proper understanding by them.

He stated this when he received Odyssey Educational Foundation, a NGO that promotes girl child education, in his office on Wednesday in Abuja.

He further pledged the continuous support of the Ministry for young students and scientists and said the Ministry will work with the foundation to specially promote Girl child education.

In his words, “Educate a female child, empower a nation”, adding that the process of fighting corruption should start from the homes, as the home is the beginning of the socialization process.

Dr. Umar said promoting GIRL CHILD EDUCATION is of utmost importance to Nigeria and is essential for the development of the nation.

Dr. Umar, used the opportunity to invite the Oddyseyy foundation to the upcoming Science and Innovation EXPO to be hosted by the Ministry and urged them to come up with innovative ideas that could be of benefit to the nation.

Earlier, the Country Director of Odyssey Foundation, Stella Uzochukwu Dennis, said the foundation intends to collaborate and work closely with the Ministry to promote Girl child education for the benefit of the nation.

that had started inaugural lecture(s).

She equally appealed to the FCT Administration to allocate more funds to the College in order to maintain its academic standard or programmes.

Tyoden, therefore, called on the lecturers of the College to continue to update their knowledge through seminars, workshops and researches in order to meet up with international standard.

L-R: Representative of the Director General, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Obiora Manafa; President, National Association of Government Approved Free Right Forwarders, Chief Increase Uche and Head of Ports and Borders of SON, Yahaya Bukar, during the SON maritime stakeholders sensitization workshop, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

Police recover 43 rifles in Bauchi forest

T

he Bauchi State Police Command has uncovered 43 rifles and 1,117 ammunition hidden at the Lame/Burra forest in Ningi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Governor Bala Mohammad disclosed this when the weapons were displayed at the Government House, Bauchi, on Wednesday.

Mr Mohammad said the weapons were recovered in collaboration with a renowned hunter, Ali Kwara and his team.

“The weapons were

recovered at Burra/Lame forest by the police in collaboration with the Ali Kwara team. They confiscated them from bandits who are now at large.

“There are informants within and outside Bauchi that are helping us to do this,’’ he said.

The governor said that the feat was achieved following collaboration between the state government, Ali Kwara and the police.

He also said the state would encourage community policing in order to identify bandits and

armed robbers who migrated from other states to Bauchi, looking for safe haven.

Mr Mohammed, however, vowed that there would be no hiding place for criminals in the state.

“We will now surrender the arms and ammunition to the Nigeria Police Force for custody.

“We urge the military to collaborate with the Ali Kwara team, we are ready to support them in terms of mobility and logistics,’’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Kwara said the recovered guns were buried

underground at the forest by bandits.

“There is an armed robber we have been trailing for long, he is involved in kidnapping in this area and he also operates in Taraba, Benue and Plateau.

“He usually comes from Zamfara. The guns that you are seeing today, I got information from a boy that some strangers have smuggled arms into the state and that he took part in burying the guns underground.

“He took us to the forest, where we recovered the arms,’’ he said.(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PDP chapters can’t conduct primaries alone - Secondus

By Lateef Ibrahim

T

he National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has reminded the states’ chapters of the party that only the national body, in conjunction with the state, can conduct all congresses, primaries and submit list of their candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Secondus said this yesterday during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the PDP from Ogun State, led by Hon. Ladi Adebutu, who came to brief the national leadership of the party of the reconciliation efforts they had made in the state.

The two factions of the PDP, Ogun state chapter, specifically said that they have, to a very large extent, reconciled and pledged to forge a common front in the interest of the party.

Prince Secondus specifically to the state chapters of the PDP that the law is very clear on the issue of congresses and primaries, stressing that anything contrary to that will be against the law.

The PDP National Chairman said, “It is also very clear that only national body, in conjunction with the state can conduct all congresses, primaries and can submit list of their candidate to INEC. “The law is very clear and anything contrary to that will against the law”.

Speaking on the issue of reconciliation among the members of the party in Ogun State, Secondus said, “This shows clearly, that PDP has an internal conflict resolution mechanism to settle issues that have been lingering for long time.

“By your statement and your submission today, it means that all ramblings in Ogun state have been put to rest and including the legal issues.

Adamawa rPDP to begin registration of new members From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he interim chairman of the Adamawa state Reformed Peoples Democratic Party (R/ PDP), Alhaji Jauro Hammanjoda Girei, has charged the stakeholders and supporters of the party to unite as a formidable force to fight impunity and injustices.

Alhaji Jauro Girei gave the charge at a press conference in Yola yesterday, stressing that what is causing the ongoing fracas within the party was due to unfair treatment mated out on the aggrieved members right from the conduct of party congresses from the wards up to state level.

Girei stated that nowhere in the

political scene globally that you work as a team to the victory of your party only for very few to take charge to the detriment of co-travelers and expect peace and harmony to exist, calling on stakeholders to do the needful in addressing the unnecessary differences.

He also announced that the party interim leadership under his watch will soon form three main committees namely: Advisory committee, Reconciliation committee and Disciplinary committee with a sole aim of offering solutions on best to move the party as one big family.

He explained that by tomorrow (Friday) all party chairmen and secretaries of the twenty one (21)

local government areas in the state will commence registration of membership and issuance of party card in their new rPDP register.

The chairman added that the registration is optional as any one with the old registration card of the other faction in the state can still maintain it since it is the party but only divided due to clash of interests.

Hammanjoda commended the bold step taken by Umar Ardo in challenging the alleged unconstitutional formation of the Barrister shehu Tahir led state exco which the government is recognizing in the state.

Continuing Hammanjoda added that just two days ago serving senator

Ishaku Abbo representing Adamawa Northern district in the senate declared his support hundred percent to course of rPDP public ally insisting that they are on the right track.

“I want to use this forum to acknowledge the encouraging support we are receiving from all and sundry in the state and beyond in which the latest was from distinguished Senator Abbo who just two days back added his blessings on our movement.

“Ours is to fight the state government under Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri but calling for attention with the simple aim righting the wrongs so that peace,harmony and tranquility can be achieved.

L-R: Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Public Account (PAC), Hon. Oluwole Oke, Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Abdulkareem Sa’ad and a member, Hon. Edun Olanrewaju, during an investigative hearing on the refusal of Government agencies to render their audited Accounts covering the period of 2014-2018 to the Auditor-General of the Federation at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Reps to repeal Police Act, as bill scale second reading

By Christiana Ekpa

A

Bill for an Act to Repeal the Police Act and enact Nigeria Police Bill yesterday scale second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill sponsored and presented by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau) during Wednesday plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila,

was initially stepped down due to the absence of Gagdi after the House resumed sitting from its break at 1:17 p.m.

The Ninth House introduced a 15-minute tea break majorly for health reasons.

The Speaker Gbajabiamila had warned members to take the business of the House seriously and resume sitting at the agreed time.

However, the sponsor of the bill showed up and appealed to the House to move a motion to enable him present the bill.

The Bill is for an Act to Repeal the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Enact the Nigeria Police Bill to provide the Framework for the Nigeria Police Force.

Gagdi said that the bill would ensure “cooperation and

partnership between the police and host communities in maintaining peace and combating crimes”.

The lawmaker emphasised that the current Police Act was based on the same Act of 1943.

He said that the act was “flawed with deficiencies” and needed to be replaced with one that would reflect and address the current security challenges in the country and also international best practices.

Reps threaten to deduct JAMB allocation, swoop on MTN

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives Committee on Finance yesterday threatened to order the finance ministry to deduct billions of Naira from the allocations of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The Committee equally asked MTN to provide all evidences of tax remittances to government since the beginning of its operations Chairman, House Committee on Finance, James Faleke (APC, Lagos) while speaking midway during the submission of Muftahu Bello who represented the JAMB

Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede said the examination body had not been making proper remittance from 2011 to 2015.

He said that records before the committee have shown that, JAMB has failed to remit anything as it claimed that it ran at a loss.

However, the chairman asked the JAMB official how the organisation gets money to ran its operations in the year 2015.

Bello disclosed that, when the present JAMB management came on board, they started remitting funds without defaulting.

According to him, they even overpaid the amount due in 2017

by over a billion Naira.

After the submission, the committee resolved to place JAMB on Status Enquiry to ascertain the billions owed federal government

by JAMB from 2011 to 2015.

He warned that, the committee may direct the Ministry of Finance to deduct all the monies owed by JAMB from source.

Similarly, the committee has also directed MTN to provide its various financial details to provide insight into its operations and remittances of revenues and other funds to the government since the beginning of its operations.

A team of the company’s

management led by its Head of Finance, Olajide Yesufu appeared before the committee on Finance on Wednesday.

Yesufu further disclosed that, MTN also collects VAT on behalf of the federal and state government which were remitted through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Explaining further, the MTN official said that, the records submitted to the committee have many accounting technicalities which have to be broken down and explained.

He promised to provide all the details and other documents

to the committee when next they appear.

Speaking, chairman of the committee, James Faleke disclosed that, MTN has raked in billions from its operations in Nigeria as in 2011 alone, the company made N2.3 billion as connection fee from its various subscribers.

Faleke therefore directed MTN to produce evidences of Quarterly returns to NCC, Management Accounts, Computation details, Ledgers to cover post pioneer details, records of fixed assets both local and international, details of importation of equipments.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

PAGE 16

POLITICS

Reps to pass PIGB June Gbajabiamila

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Speaker of the House of Representatives. Rep Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the House would do all it can to pass the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) before the end of June.

Gbajabiamila said the PIGB is on the front burner of the House, hence the members of the Green Chamber would commence the process of its passage soon.

He said although PIGB has been in the National Assembly for years, the current 9th Assembly is committed to putting it to rest.

He told a delegation of the Experts Advisory Panel of the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter who paid him a courtesy call on Wednesday in Abuja that the House needs the support and partnership of such group.

“I thank you for coming to the House of Representatives. Thank you for your collaboration. These are the things we look forward to.

These are the things we need to do.

“The legislature needs to work with you. We need to work together. Oil and gas is an integral part of our economy. It remains the mainstay of our economy, and so we have to work together to protect it.

“It requires us to work with those who understand the nuances of that sector. For the oil and gas industry to develop, there has to be a symbiotic relationship. You have the knowledge and we have the capacity to make it happen.

“PIGB is on the front burner.

We intend to start the process soon. We’re hoping that by June, we’ll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Gbajabiamila added that the House would use the zeal and patriotism with which it passed the Deep Offshore Sharing Agreement Law to pass the PIGB. Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Odein Ajumogobia, who is a former minister of state for petroleum resources, said the panel was at the Speaker’s office to seek his understanding and cooperation to pass some bills that could boost Nigeria’s economy, one of which is the PIGB.

Interim IPAC C’ttee plans future for deregistered parties

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he interim management committee of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has disclosed that it is planning a way forward for members of about seventy four political parties recently deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over inability to win any elective seats.

In a press briefing in Abuja, the Interim Committee Chairman, Leonard Nzenwa, said that it became imperative to set up the Committee to pilot the activities of the Council because it cannot afford to be grounded because

some political parties were deregistered.

He said, “After reviewing events that have unfolded over this period, the Interim Management Committee of the registered 18 political parties, whilst still discussing the way forward for these our colleagues.

“We are aware that the Inter Party Advisory Council made up of only registered political parties as spelt out in its revised code of conduct for political parties in Nigeria (2018), Laws governing elections in Nigeria which include the Electoral Act 2010, INEC Regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections and

innumerate extracts from 1999 Constitution relating to conduct, management and powers of INEC remain committed to the high mission of IPAC in consolidating our democracy.

“Driven therefore by this overriding need to ensure an environment conducive for successful elections going forward, and also for the greater obligatory requirement not to create vacuum in our electoral system and in the leadership of IPAC by ceasing not to act while the political system is brought to a halt on account of the deregistration of the 74 political parties.”

It added that a 360 degree L-R: Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso; former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Deputy Governor of Lagos State/ Representative of the Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and Convener/Managing Director, Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo, during the Freedom Online 3rd Annual Lecture, entitled, Nigeria: Foundation, Fundamentals, Future, held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, yesterday in Lagos.

engagement needed to be activated without delay to collectively engage with INEC and other core stakeholders saddled with the responsibility of planning, coordinating, monitoring and managing election matters in the country.

It said “Based on the forgoing, IPAC, a registered body of recognised political parties in the country occupies strategic and preeminent position in the united effort to contribute to the development of our electoral process and system.”

According to him, there is a need to restate that as stakeholders, especially now that many of the deregistered political parties seek legitimacy from the courts and INEC reasserts its commitment and resolve to clean up the electoral system, the Interim Management Committee steering the affairs of the 18 registered political parties in the country will not detain itself not to undertake crucial functions beholden to it to exercise towards promoting dialogue and adjudicating between among the political parties and several stakeholders seeking to reach out and engage with the registered political parties under the banner of IPAC. “In furtherance of the above, State chapters of IPAC are hereby directed to replicate the Interim Management Committee to oversee the affairs of the Council in their respective states pending when election is to be conducted.”

Lawmakers, Media, CSOs to add Nutrition in Child Right Act From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

T

he relevant committees from Kano state asseembly, media practitioners and civil society organisations (CSOs) held a retreat to deliberate on how to include good nutrition in the Child Rights Act as best solution to rampant malnutrition cases in the state.

The retreat which was organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Ais‎ha Buhari Foundation (ABF) through International Society of Media in Public Health held at three

star hotel Dutse.

While making her presentation at a retreat, the ISMPH focal person Damilola Popoola said, media has a vital role to play in addressing malnutritions cases.

She said, media and CSOs ‎through advocacy and investigative reports can convince both lawmakers and executive to take an urgent action on malnutrition for better health of our children.

Also speaking at the retreat, the ABF project coordinator Miss Omole Ukwedeh explained that,looking at how expensive of imported RUTF is,

and unnecessary delay in the process of it procurement, is right ti‎me for lawmakers to make an urgent intervention and save the lives of children we are loosing every day.

“As we have some local companies that are producing RUTF like Dala Foods company in Kano and many more, our lawmakers should enact a law that would support such company’s RUTF as we are blessed with all ingredients in the country,” she said.

While making her presentation on the success, challenges and of opportunities on the SAM

intervention, mrs Rosely Gabriel said, legislators has a vital role to play in addressing SAM in Kano state.

According to her, tha major challenge of SAM in Kano is non release of funds for the procurement of RUTF for under five years old children.

In his remarks, the executive director Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA‎) comrade Kabir Sa’idu Dakata assured that CSOs would continue highlighting government to patronise local produce RUTF as better solution to SAM.‎

Senate seeks WHO partnership to end tuberculosis

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has appealed to the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to lend their support to the Nigerian Government towards ensuring the eradication of tuberculosis in the country.

Lawan made the appeal when a delegation of the United Nations Programming Mission paid a visit to his office at the National Assembly, Abuja.

The Senate President said, “This is the time for us to prioritize our enlightenment,

education and even investment in noncommunicable disease as well.

“We are very grateful for your support for our country for a long time. The National Assembly has been very supportive of increasing investments in the Health sector.

“Recall that in the Eighth National Assembly, we passed a legislation to devote about one percent of our annual budget to Universal Health coverage, and that translated into about fifty-five to sixty billion naira annually, and this is in clear view that the health sector in Nigeria receives more resources for investment, but that is not enough.”

“Nigeria is a big country, and the kind of figure we have – two hundred million people – requires that we have more investment in the health sector than we have been able to do.

“But we are also constrained by the paucity of funds, we wish we could have more funds, and while we are trying to do our best, the United Nations and other bodies such as the World Health Organization should try to support our country.

“So, we hope that this support for noncommunicable diseases will continue and be even expanded,” the Senate President appealed.

Lawan said the statistics in which Nigeria is ranked number one in Africa in terms of tuberculosis infection rate is not good enough.

“If we are number one in the African subregion and ranked ten in the world, it is not an enviable statistic.

“It is not a good commentary that we are in that kind of leading position from behind.

So, we have to do a lot of work, and I want to take this opportunity to request and plead that you help us attend to these issues while we continue to keep the health sector and try to see how much more of investment we can make as a country.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

POLITICS

South West to get Development commission, as Reps pass Bill 2nd reading

By Christiana Ekpa

A

bill for the establishment of South West Development Commission (SWDC) yesterday passed for second reading at the House of Representatives.

By this passage, the next stage is for the bill is a public hearing.

The bill when eventually assented to by President Muhammad Buhari, will enable the zone to have joined other

PDP hails Supreme Court judgement on Bayelsa, raises alarm over Imo

By Lateef Ibrahim

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed yesterday’s judgement of the Supreme court which upheld its earlier ruling that the candidate of the party, Senator Duoye Diri and his deputy are the valid elected governor and deputy governor of the State.

The apex court had yesterday refused the request of the All Progressives Congress, APC, its governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon and his running mate to reverse itself on the declaration of the PDP as winner of the Bayelsa election.

The PDP, in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, lauded the judgement.

The leading opposition party has however alerted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently mounting pressure on the Supreme Court to restrain itself from reversing the flawed judgment on the Imo State Governorship election despite obvious mistakes in that judgement, which is now threatening the stability of our nation.

The statement noted that the elements and grounds for the demands by the PDP and majority of Nigerians for the reversal of Imo state governorship election judgment are completely different from those of Bayelsa.

The PDP explained that its demand on Imo is not in any way in contestation of the authority and finality of the Supreme Court but a patriotic effort to assist the Supreme Court affirm its infallibility by correcting the inherent mistakes in the judgment which came as a result of misleading presentation to it by the APC.

geopolitical zone who already enjoy development funds from the federal government.

Currently, out of 6 geopolitical zones in the country, three geopolitical zones are enjoying the funds.

They are the Niger Delta Development Commission, North East Development Commission and the South East Development Commission which is waiting for presidential assent.

Titled “A Bill for An Act to Establish the South West

Development Commission Bill 2020 and Other Related Matters (HB 597),” the bill is sponsored

by Hon. Femi Fakeye from Osun State.

The Bill co-sponsored by Hon. Nkiru Onyejiocha and 79 others is essentially to tackle ecological problems and other related environmental and developmental challenges in the region.

According to Fakaye who led the debate at Wednesday plenary, the bill has 33 sections.

Sections 1 to 6 addressing establishment and governance issues. Sections 7 and 8 deal with the functions and powers of the Board, while Sections 9 to 16 address issues having to do with the Commission’s structure, staffing, management and appointment of its Board of Directors and Board Secretary.

Sections 17 to 25 are dedicated to the funding, budgeting and the production of periodic reports, as well as the configuration of physical offices and premises for

the Commission.

Section 26 specifically authorizes the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to issue general or specific directives to the Commission from time to time while Sections 27 to 33 deal with legal and litigation matters.

In his debate, Fakaye who recalled the creation of regional governments at Nigeria’s independence stated that the south west at the moment needed to revive its infrastructures.

Senate holds valedictory session for late Sen. Longjan

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate on Wednesday held a valedictory session in honour of the late Senator Ignatius Longjan who represented Plateau South and died on February 10 after a protracted illness.

The session followed a motion moved by Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, having moved for the suspension of Order 17 of the Senate to allow visitors into the chamber.

Senators dressed in white and back attires took turn to pay glowing tributes to the late senator.

First to pay tribute was Abdullahi who said that the passage of Longjan had sent the upper chamber into deep mourning.

"The passing of Sen. Longjan came as a rude shock, like a thunderbolt to all of us. His sudden exit is a very big blow not only to his immediate family but to all of us.

" His death has robbed the whole nation, Quanpan Local Government Plateau South Senatorial District and all students, unions, associations and the National Assembly of the services of one its best and finest political and diplomatic icon."

Abdullahi said that the late Longjan would forever live the memories of lawmakers as a patriotic, humble, peaceful and a great man of integrity.

"He rose yo the pinnacle of his career as a diplomat and

politician by hard work and dedication to duty."

Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe said that yet again, the Senate had lost another good man.

"A few days ago we were here doing this same thing, a valedictory for one of our colleagues.

"The question we always ask, Mr President is, why are we losing the good ones. All the wicked people are in this country they don't die.

R-L: Former Chairman, Inter -Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Hon. Mohammed Nalado, Interim Secretary IPAC, Hon Yusuf Dantalle, Interim Chairman IPAC, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa and the IPAC Interim Publicity Secretary , Hon. Agbo Major, during the council press conference on state of Political parties affairs and other National Issues, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Reps issue arrest warrant on Ogun- Osun River Basin MD

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives has issued a warrant of arrest on the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer CEO of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority Olufemi Olayemi for failing to appear before its Committee on Public Accounts probing the audited accounts of ministries, departments and agencies of federal government.

The House Committee Chairman Hon. Oluwole Oke directed its Clerk to issue the warrant of arrest on the CEO of

the agency on Wednesday at the ongoing investigative hearing of the Committee where it directed the agency to re-appear for their backlog of unaudited accounts.

Oke who was furious when he called on the Managing Director of the agency and he was not in attendance said that he particularly directed the agency boss to re-appear today for their own audited accounts to be scrutinized and wondered why the agency helmsman failed to turn up.

Meanwhile the Committee has placed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, the

Nigerian Agriculture Quarantine Service, the National Insurance Commission NICON under status enquiry for failing to properly submit their audited accounts as an when due.

The Committee Chairman had noted that most of these agencies that made some efforts to submit their yearly audited accounts did so after more than one year against the extant provision of the laws.

The Osun born lawmaker frowned at the non-appearance of the CEOs of the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS, Upper Benue and Benin Owena Development Authorities and

some other agencies and called on them to urgently report to the probe panel or be ready for arrest and other sanctions.

The Committee also quized the management of the Federal Medical Centre Jabi Abuja, Federal Medical Centre Ebutte Meta, Lagos and other hospitals for keeping a backlog of unaudited accounts.

The lawmaker and other committee members had grilled the Chief Medical Director CMD of FMC Ebute Meta Dr. Dani Dada who said that he had submitted the audited accounts up date since he only assumed office in 2017.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

Stock Watch: Wednesday, February 26, 2019 Low

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Stock Close Gain UPL 3.14 0.02 LIVESTOCK 1.42 0.04 SOVRENINS 1.28 0.03 OKOMUOIL 10.00 0.60 GUARANTY 23.50 0.25

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2.45 2.45 0 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00 0 0.21 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.63 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.15 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 24.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 1.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 6.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 12.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 68.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 1.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 1.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 52.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0

Top Losers Stock Close Loss DIAMONDBNK 0.70 -0.20 BOCGAS 0.89 -0.22 VITAFOAM 1.20 -0.39 DANGFLOUR 2.00 -0.45 UAC-PROP 0.94 -0.28

Tax avoidance: Tribunal orders ECOBank to pay N1.6bn to FIRS

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Tax Appeal Tribunal, Lagos Zone has declared as illegal, null and void the decision of ECO Bank Nigeria Limited to pay N5,545,000,000 as dividends to its shareholders in a year the bank claimed it made no taxable profit and rather declared losses from its banking operation.

The Director, Communications and Liaison Department, FIRS, Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad in a statement said, the tribunal reached this decision in its judgement dated February 20, 2020 which it delivered in Appeal No. TAT/LZ/CIT/024/2018.

Consequentially, ECO Bank must now pay at least N1,663,500,000 to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as Company Income Tax for the year in dispute - 2016

ECO Bank had dragged the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to court over the insistence of the Service that the bank must pay in full its excess dividend tax liability of N2,079,375,000, inclusive of interest and penalty for the Year of Assessment (YOA) 2016.

But ECO Bank argued that the dividend it paid out was tax exempt as N4,372,244,556 out of the total sum was “profit from bonds and treasury bills”, which was not taxable based on the provisions of the Company Income Tax (Exemption of Bonds and ShortTerm Government Securities) Order, 2011.

Admitting to only making N1,172755,444 “trading profits” from other business sources, ECO Bank decided that it would only pay N351,826,663 tax to the FIRS, which it paid the Service after

some months of delay.

However, the FIRS “demanded for the immediate payment of the outstanding excess dividend tax liability of N1,311,673,367” from the bank, which impasse led to suit before the tax tribunal.

In its argument before the court, ECO Bank presented three issues for determination, namely whether the FIRS “was correct to assess the Appellant to tax under Section 19 of CITA” when the income earned was “from Bonds, Treasury Bills and other Government Securities”; whether the FIRS “misdirected itself by failing to take account the CIT paid by the Appellant”; and “whether by the rules of Interpretation of Statutes, the Respondent has erred in law in its application of Section 19 of CITA”.

In its consideration of the three issues raised, the tax tribunal

resolved them in favour of the FIRS. It held that “companies that invest in bonds will, by virtue of the tax exemption, become liable to pay excess dividend tax on their profits.”

The court averred that “if the tax exemption granted by the order (Company Income Tax (Exemption of Bonds and ShortTerm Government Securities) Order, 2011) creates an excess dividend situation” ECO Bank or any other company “should be liable to pay excess dividend tax on the same income that otherwise would have been exempted from tax.”

The tribunal stressed that “a liability to pay excess dividend tax arises where a company that seeks to pay dividend has no taxable profit as in the instant case but has distributable profit that is higher than the taxable profit.”

The tribunal also held that the FIRS properly directed itself by not failing “to take into account the sum already settled by the Appellant” (ECO Bank) in the Service’s “total assessment of N1,663,500,000.”

Addressing the final issue for determination, the tax tribunal headed by Prof. A.B. Ahmed also found that the FIRS did not err “in law in its application of Section 19 of CITA,” stressing that the law was enacted to address the “mischief” which corporate entities resort to as tax avoidance schemes under which they twisted “the law to suit their own ends”, especially to “prevent shareholders from sharing dividend without payment of tax for whatever reason.”

Consequently, the tribunal declared that the ECO Bank “appeal fails and is hereby dismissed.”

Investment in NNPC to expand Domestic Gas Footprint from 1.1BSCF to 2.2BSCF older persons’ products will enhance youth employment -Expert

By Etuka Sunday

T

By Miriam Humbe

C

ompanies must invest in producing products beneficial to the older persons, as this tends to provide new entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth as the older population are assets and social capital to every nation.

This is because the ageing population represents an opportunity for economic growth in products and services that cater to the needs of older adults.

This drives goals, policy and practice, social developments and innovations required to support and release healthy and active agency and the enabling environment.

Executive Director, Dave Omokaro Foundation, Dr. Emem Omokaro said these while presenting a paper at the five-day training for Journalists and other stakeholders in Abuja.

The training was organized in collaboration with the United Nations International Institute on Ageing in Abuja.

Dr. Omokaro said that ageism denies a nation its conceptual framework that unlocks hidden treasure, adding that the nation can harness gold out of its silver haired citizens.

She said: “The central challenge to the broader intersectoral efforts is finding answers to these questions; therein lies the path to innovation and discovery of new entrepreneurial opportunities.”

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will aggressively expand its domestic gas footprint with the delivery of the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) II to double capacity from 1.1billion standard cubic feet of gas (BSCF) to 2.2BSCF and the OB3 gas pipeline to connect East and the West.

Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari, made this known at the ongoing 4th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) in Lagos.

Speaking on the conference theme: “Oil & Gas as an Enabler for Economic Transformation in Sub Saharan Africa”, Mallam Kyari stated that the NNPC would commence the construction of the Ajaokuta-KadunaKano gas pipeline in Q2 2020 to serve as an enabler to further boost the economic activities of the country.

Represented by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, Engr. Yusuf Usman, Mallam Kyari stated that the recent passage of the Deep Offshore Act into law has set the Industry on the path of irreversible growth.

Mallam Kyari posited that Nigeria as Africa’s leading exporter of LNG and the 4th in the World after Qatar, Australia and Malaysia, was ready to capture more LNG market with the Final Investment Decision of the NLNG Train 7.

“Oil and gas resources have remained the major source of revenue that has kept the wheels of Nigeria moving for over five (5) decades. Oil, as we all know, has served as key enabler to the economic transformation of many nations like Norway, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and many other oil resources dependent nations,” Mallam Kyari submitted.

According to him, it is not a new story that most resource dependent nations rely on their dominant natural resource to drive other key economic initiatives and activities,

L-R: Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. James Faleke, Deputy chairman of the committee, Hon. Saidu Abdullahi and a member of the committee, Hon. Hemen Hembe, during an interactive meeting on non-remittance of revenue to the Federal Government at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa noting that this is true of Nigeria and many other countries represented at the conference.

He informed that the connection between Oil and Gas Industry and the Nigeria economy was intricate, stressing that the state of every aspect of the nation’s economic and social life revolved around the hydrocarbon resource.

Mallam Kyari called for more hard work to diversify the economy away from over dependence on oil revenues in order to avoid the risk of market fluctuations that may impact the nation’s fiscal equation.

“The current Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has made it a priority to ensure revenues from oil and gas resources are utilized to support the emergence and growth of other non-oil sectors of the economy.

In order to achieve this objective, it means more money will be required from the oil and gas to fund new economic projects outside the Oil and Gas Industry,” the GMD stated.

Mallam Kyari said the NNPC, as a national Oil Company, had been repositioned to support the vision of Mr. President for economic diversification, even as he maintained

that in the Upstream, the corporation targeted increasing oil production from 2.3million barrels per day to 3million bbl/day and at the same time working with partners to significantly reduce cost per barrel in order to improve the flow of the needed revenue to support economic diversification.

He said the NNPC was encouraging private investors to join the train that traverses the oil and gas value chain to create more value and job opportunities for the nation’s teaming youths.

Mallam Kyari informed that Nigeria was still a net importer of petroleum products due to the current state of NNPC refineries and the long absence of private investment in the refining sector.

He said the NNPC was inviting investors to key into the revamp and expansion of domestic refining capacity in order to support the growth of the Downstream sector and guaranty energy security for the nation.

“We are progressing with the establishment of condensate refineries to fast-track domestic supply of petroleum products. In the same vein, the corporation would

support the actualization of the 650Kbbl/day Dangote Refinery, as well as other private initiatives along this line. Our plan is for Nigeria to become a net exporter of petroleum products by 2023,” Mallam Kyari enthused.

He said that NNPC was leveraging technology and innovation to achieve the goal of building an energy company of global excellence.

The GMD implored all stakeholders to collaborate with the corporation in an atmosphere that is beneficial to all and emplaces Nigeria on the path of growth and development.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mr. Bank-Anthony Okoroafor, applauded Mallam Kyari for being a true friend of the Industry and called for deeper regional integration among African Countries to boost the Continent’s economic activities.

Highpoint of the 3-day conference was panel sessions, tour of the exhibition pavilions and presentation of Award of Excellence to Mr. Okoroafor by the representative of the GMD, Engr. Yusuf Usman.

PAGE 20

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

Energy

Representative of Jos Electricity Distribution PLC, Mr Oluwola Solaajala (right), addressing stakeholders, during the Jos Electricity Distribution PLC customers’ consultative stakeholders’ forum meeting, yesterday in Jos. Photo: NAN

Shipowners applauds Sylva, seeks to deepen collaboration

By Etuka Sunday

T References to TCN’s ability to transmit 7000MW to DisCos inaccurate, misleading -ANED

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributor (ANED) has said that the references to Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)’s ability to transmitting 7000megawatts to Distribution Companies (DisCos) was inaccurate and misleading.

ANED said, the power distribution by the DisCos to end-customers was limited by power infeed from TCN. The Executive Director, Research & Advocacy, ANED, Barr. Sunday Oduntan in a statement said, the comment that “Nigeria currently generates 13,000 megawatts of electricity, it transmits 7,000 to Discos while the distribution companies can only distribute 3,000 megawatts to end users” was attributed to Mr. Saleh Mamman, the Honourable Minister of Power, speaking to journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Barr. Oduntan said, a review of the daily power reports published by the TCN’s National Control Centre (NCC), government entities, would indicate that the peak generation ever recorded in Nigeria is 5,375 MW, of which only 4,303 MW of energy was wheeled or transmitted by TCN to the DisCos. He said, a further review, historically, would

indicate that TCN has never wheeled or transmitted energy above 4,557 MW nor matched its transmission to any of the generation peaks to date. As such, references to TCN’s ability to transmitting “…7,000 to Discos…” is inaccurate and misleading.

ANED said, TCN’s attestations of a transmission capacity of 8,100 MW was based on nothing more than a computer simulation and not tested, proven or practical capacity.

“As a matter of fact, the recent Siemens “Electrification Roadmap for Nigeria” report, May 7th, 2019 states “Today, power distribution by the Discos’s to end-customers is limited by power infeed from TCN.” The same report also states that the capacity of the “last mile,” DisCo capacity, “…is about twice as high as the peak supply delivered by TCN to the respective distribution utilities (where the peak was 5.2 GW across all Nigeria in 2018).”

“Additionally, a System Adequacy report authored

by TCN’s Market Operator (July 2017), stated that, “Transmission constraints frequently limited the power flows in the network.”

“Per the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in its December 2019 TCN Minor Review Orderstated that “…whereas the CAPEX provided to TCN in MYTO-2015 Order was

to support the evacuation of the average projected generation of 5,465MW in 2016 to 10,493MW in 2019, actual average generation remained between 3,500MW to 4,OOOMW during the same period.”

“Maximum Available Capacity to Date,” for generation, indicated in the NCC report on the date (February 20, 2020) of the Honourable Minister’s comments was 7,652.2 MW. Thus, raising a question as to the basis for the Honourable Minister’s reference to 13,000 MW of generation.

“Indeed, of the available generation capacity, 1,500 MW continues to be constrained by lack of gas, given that twenty-five (25) out of twenty-eight (28) generating plants are thermal plants that are fuelled by gas. Grid and hydro issues provide additional constraints to generation availability.

“In simple terms, the DisCos can only deliver the energy that is transmitted or wheeled to them by TCN, based on the amount generated. Of greater importance is the need, at a minimum, for a realignment of gas, generation, transmission and distribution capacities, that will provide the country with a level of consistent power supply. Any unsupported or inaccurate information amounts to deviation from this minimum and needless distraction from issues of sectoral urgency.

Mambilla Power Project: Reps order HYPPADEC to rellocate to Niger

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Chairman, House Committee on Power, Hon. Magaji Da’u Aliyu yesterday declared that the over 40 years old Mambilla Hydro-Power project exited only on papers, saying there was nothing on ground to show that the project has commenced before the coming of this administration.

His conclusion came shortly after a Right of Way report from the Director, Renewable Energy & Rural Power Access, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo that the land for the project has just been acquired.

“There was no legal title to the land until now,” Engr. Yabo said.

Speaking after his report, the Chairman said,”I wish to sincerely thank President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Power for achieving this feat, there was never anything like Mambilla power project, it exists only in books and on papers before this government.”

Hon. Aliyu spoke during the Committee’s oversight visit to the Ministry of Power Headquarters, Abuja.

He said, the approval of funds and other activities geared towards kick starting the Mambilla Power Project was an indication of govemment’s display of politicai will in

providing adequate and steady power supply to Nigerians.

He said, as representatives of the people, it was the constitutional mandate of the committee to undertake periodic oversight visit in compliance with Statutory provisions.

He said, the aim was to ensure prudent utilization of appropriated funds and to be on the same page with the executive in ensuring infrastructural development.

The Committee Chair said, the National Assembly was inquisitive about the slow rate of implementation of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Act, 2010 and its subsequent amendment, therefore, drew the attention of the minister to the House’s earlier resolution that HYPPADEC should commence operation by the 1st of January, 2020.

Following the resolution, he ordered HYPPADEC to rellocate to Niger to commence operation.

On NBET, he said, the committee observed the power play by agents of the executive arm concerning the happenings at the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Pic (NBET).

He noted that NBET remains an Agency under the Ministry of Power, saying there would be no 2021 Budget appropriation for

NBET if it does not move back to the Ministry of Power.

“NBET no doubt, has a critical role to play as the key financial organ _of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

“As lawmakers, we frown at every possible attempt at contravening aspects of the law. The provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005 with regards to successor companies, shows clearly that NBET is an agency under the Ministry of Power. It is my opinion that the alleged decision to move the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Plc from the Ministry of Power to the Ministry of Finahce is akin to hitting the self-destruct button.

“We cannot afford to play politics with an issue as sensitive and as vital as this. I therefore wish to use this medium to reiterate that as far as the National Assembiy is concerned NBET still remains an agency under the Ministry of Power.”

“And let me say it for the avoidance of doubt, if anybody tries to play fast on this, the National Assembly will not appropriate Funds to NBET in 2021Budget,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman said, the HYPPADEC Act was passed into law in August 2010 and amended in July 2018.

he Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) led by its President, Dr. Mkgeorge O. Onyung paid a high-value visit to the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (HMSPR), H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva.

The conversation centered on the need to synergize on building an ecosystem around shipbuilding that can align with global standards while embracing local content guidelines.

The President, Dr. Onyung in his impact statement revealed that the Association is keen on floating a Ship Repair Centre in Nigeria under a PPP Arrangement while currently exploring ways to cement a proposed consortium that will scale individual company efforts in providing cargo lifting service.

In furtherance, the First Vice President of the Association, Mr. Eno J. Williams noted that in covering the broad spectrum of its core objectives, SOAN is deeply focused on working towards fostering and revamping the ecosystem that it operates in.

A statement by GGM/SA Media to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Garba Deen Muhammad said, the HMSPR, Chief Sylva encouraged the visiting team to open a communication channel that will ensure seamless synergy and foster collaborations.

He further stated that deep collaborations will offer the opportunity to look beyond the current operational challenges of the players in the business to deliver solutions that will work towards closing all gaps.

Chief Sylva noted that the utility of the collaboration will further cement the priority agenda to work assiduously to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his poise to achieving his target of raising millions of Nigerians out of poverty via job creation.

The visiting team comprised of its President Dr. Mkgeorge O. Onyung; First Vice President of the Association, Mr. Eno J. Williams; Chairman, Technical Committee, Dr. Lucky Akhiwu, Founding Member, Dr. Emi Member-Otaji and erstwhile member, Gbenga Sokefun.

METRO

Page 21

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

Motorists escape death by whiskers as fire engulfs Petrol station

By Stanley Onyekwere

S

ome motorists yesterday escaped death by the whiskers as fire engulfed some section of Shema Filling station, on the corridor of the busy Kubwa expressway, in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

It was gathered that the fire

incident at the petrol filing station very close to the Katampe Hill caused serious pandemonium and disrupted vehicular and human movement in the area.

Eyewitness accounts said a thick cloud of dark smoke made it skywards amidst intermittent loud bangs, motorists (customers) and workers at

the petrol station outlet, forcing them to scamper for safety as frantic.

Also, it was learnt that unsuccessful, efforts were made by some of the workers to neutralize the raging fire with fire extinguishers.

Preliminary checks revealed that although the fire was said to have started from a fuel tanker parked

within the filling station, the cause of the fire in the tanker was yet to be ascertained as at the time of this report.

However, before the FCT Fire Service could get to the scene, the fire had already done considerable damage to the roofing and last floor of the one storey administrative and

shops building building as well as three fuel dispensing machines within the filling station.

Our correspondent reports that although the fire fighters eventually brought the raging fire under control as no lives were lost in the inferno, many motorists were caught up in traffic gridlock on the road.

Coronavirus: FCT health workers warned against stigmatisation of patients

By Stanley Onyekwere

H

ealth workers in both private and public health care facilities have been implored to eschew all forms stigmatisation of patients, following heightened fear over the deadly Novel Corona Virus Infection and other epidemic prone diseases.

In particular, medical personnel were cautioned to avoid any form of stigmatisation while handling patients especially those with common symptoms of epidemic prone diseases seeking medical attention in the hospitals.

Director, FCT Public Health Department, Dr. Josephine Okechukwu gave this charge yesterday at a one-day capacity building programme for FCT Health care workers on epidemic prone diseases, in Area 10, Garki-Abuja.

Okechukwu, who sensitised the about 100 participants drawn from private and public hospitals on trending Novel Corona Virus Infection code named COVID-19, revealed it has high case fatality rate and spread, which makes it an epidemic prone disease.

She added that the COVID-19 person to person transmission mainly occurs in households and hospital settings.

According to her, although there is no confirmed case of Corona Virus in Nigeria, health care workers should take up the challenges of propagating preventive measures especially improved hygiene practices in healthcare setting and households in the FCT. “The healthcare settings are the first homes for healthcare workers in any society, because they spend most of their time there.

“Always use personal protective equipment eg: faces mask, hand gloves, as they need to be alive, in order to effectively take care of their patients,” she stressed.

Also speaking, Chairman, FCT Medical and health workers Union, Mr. Okoro N Okoro, who lauded the initiative, pledged therir commitment towards ensuring the entrenchment of highest preventive measures against epidemic prone diseases in FCT. He therefore called for more synergy among healthcare providers and other stakeholders in the system.

Our correspondent reports that the training courses covered seven contemporary epidemic prone diseases in the FCT, after which participants are expected to bring to the fore their already existing knowledge and experience, to boost best practices in healthcare delivery.

A woman begging with her two kids, at Mararaba near FCT, yesterday. Photo: Mahmud Isa

FCTA seeks more PPP initiatives to boost public institutions

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has called for an increase in Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to facilitate the development of public facilities in the Territory.

Making this call yesterday on behalf of the FCT Administration, Acting Secretary for Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Mallam Musa Abdulraheem, PPP arrangement is a way to go in providing rapid facilities in public institutions, so that government pays for them over a period of time.

Abdulraheem, spoke at the

commissioning ceremony of a high technology machine, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory, at the Karu General Hospital, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The HHSS boss, who was represented by the Director of planning, research and statistics Department, in the secretariat, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, said the administration is passionate about PPP initiative as it ensures that the available little resources are utilized by government for other purposes.

He therefore called for more PPP arrangements in all government hospitals and other departments in the territory for the benefit of

residents.

He further noted that the PCR laboratory would be of greater important to residents of Karu community and the FCT in general, adding that the facility would be replicated in other health facilities in the territory, especially in the face of the emerging viral diseases.

Earlier in a welcome address, the medical director of Karu General Hospital, Dr. Osamuede Belle Ojo, reiterated that the commissioning of the new facility is part of the objectives of the FCTA of providing better healthcare services to serve the community better.

Ojo explained that the machine is meant to test viral infections, such as HIV,

hepatitis B and hepatitis C, detect and check their severity, as well as follow up to know if the patient is getting better or getting worse.

According to her, the machine can do so many other things, including detection of other viral diseases such Lassa fever, coronavirus, if the capacity of the machine is increased.

Also speaking, the general manager of the hospital, Dr Francis Alu, disclosed that the administration did not spend anything to acquire the facility, except the space for the laboratory and the MoU it signed with the partner, adding that based on the MOU, the hospital is supposed to pay for the facility over a period of time.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

Page 22

world news

Mexico worried

by US ruling over boy’s border killing

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Coronavirus: Outbreak spreads in Europe from Italy

S The ruling closes the door on a lawsuit the parents of Sergio Hernández wanted to bring against the agent who killed him

T

he Mexican government says it regrets a ruling by the US Supreme Court that bars the family of a Mexican boy who was killed in 2010 from suing the US border patrol agent who shot him.

The boy, Sergio Hernández, was shot dead on Mexican soil by US border patrol agent Jesús Mesa, who was on the US side of the border.

The court ruled that the parents could not use US courts to sue Mr Mesa.

The Mexican government says it is concerned it could set a precedent.

What happened in 2010?

The incident happened on the border between El Paso, Texas, and Juárez, Mexico. Agent Mesa was on a bicycle patrol on the US side of the border and was reportedly alerted to the presence of people smugglers.

Sergio Hernández, 15, was with a group of youths in the dry bed of the Rio Grande when Agent Mesa approached.

The international border runs through the middle of the concrete culvert built to contain the river but is unmarked.

His family said Sergio was playing with his friends, who were daring each other to run up the incline and touch the fence on the US side.

Agent Mesa detained one of the boys for illegally crossing the border, but Sergio Hernández and another boy ran and hid behind a pillar on the Mexican side.

He was shot twice by Agent Mesa as the boy peaked out from behind the pillar. An investigation by US authorities ruled that the agent had acted in self defence but found no evidence that Sergio Hernández had thrown any stones.

What was the court case about?

The Mexican authorities charged Agent Mesa with murder but the US authorities refused to extradite him so Sergio Hernández’s family tried to sue Agent Mesa in the US for violating the US constitution by using excessive force.

Lower courts dismissed the case and it went to the US Supreme Court. In a five to four decision divided along conservative-liberal lines, the Supreme Court decided to uphold the lower court’s decision.

everal European countries have announced their first coronavirus cases, all apparently linked to the growing outbreak in Italy.

Austria, Croatia and Switzerland said the cases involved people who had been to Italy, as did Algeria in Africa.

The first positive virus test has been recorded in Latin America a Brazilian resident just returned from Italy.

Italy has in recent days become Europe’s worst-affected country, with more than 300 cases and 11 deaths.

But its neighbours have decided closing borders would be “disproportionate”.

Health ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the EU Commission committed to keeping frontiers open at a meeting on Tuesday as new cases of the virus emerged throughout Europe and in central and southern Italy.

“We’re talking about a virus that doesn’t respect borders,” said Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza.

How close are we to a pandemic?

What you need to know Tell us how you’ve been affected by emailing haveyoursay@bbc. co.uk.

His German counterpart Jens Spahn said the neighbours were taking the situation “very, very seriously” but acknowledged “it

Cases have emerged for the first time in countries such as Austria following the Italian outbreak could get worse before it gets better”.

In the UK, schoolchildren returning from holidays in northern Italy have been sent home, with the government issuing new guidance to travellers.

But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there were no plans to stop flights from Italy, which attracts about three million British visitors each year.

“If you look at Italy, they stopped all flights from China and they’re now the worst-affected country in Europe,” he said.

What’s the latest around

Europe?

What’s the global picture?

More than 80,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus, which originated in China.

Officials in Iran on Wednesday said 19 people had died from the coronavirus, while 139 had been infected.

It is widely believed that the scale of infection in Iran is far greater than official figures suggest. The infection of the country’s deputy health minister has deepened fears that the virus has already spread widely.

President Hassan Rouhani said there were no plans to impose quarantine rules on any cities or regions, but that “if an individual has early symptoms, that person must be quarantined.”

South Korea on Wednesday reported 115 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections there to 1,261, according to local media reports. Eleven people have died in the country, which has the most infections outside China.

The US military confirmed that one of its soldiers based in South Korea had tested positive for the virus, marking the first infection of a US service member.

It said the 23-year-old soldier who had been based near the city of Daegu - was in self-quarantine.

Some 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against potential aggression from North Korea.

Many of the cases in South Korea are linked to a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the city of Daegu. All the church’s more than 215,000 members are now being tested by health authorities, according to reports.

In Brazil, local media reported on Tuesday that an initial test on a 61-year-old man who had recently been to northern Italy had come out positive.

They said the man, from São Paulo, would be tested again for final confirmation.

Source: BBC

Mario Cerciello Rega case: US students in Italian court over police murder

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wo US students accused of murdering a police officer have appeared in court in Italy at the start of their trial.

Mario Cerciello Rega, 35, was stabbed to death last July as he investigated a drug deal gone wrong in central Rome.

Californian students Finnegan Lee Elder and Gabriel Christian Natale-Hjorth face life sentences if convicted.

The US students say they were acting in self-defence, believing the

two officers - who they say did not identify themselves - were criminals.

Rega’s murder received huge amounts of attention in Italy. He had only just returned to duty from his honeymoon, and huge crowds turned out for his funeral at the same church where was married just 43 days before.

But there have also been questions about how the case has been handled.

How did Rega die?

Mr Elder and Mr Natale-Hjorth

- both teenagers at the time - were allegedly trying to buy cocaine last summer in the Trastevere area, near to Vatican City.

Investigators said a man named Sergio Brugiatelli helped the pair find a dealer. But the students were allegedly sold crushed aspirin instead of drugs.

Both men then are said to have taken Mr Brugiatelli’s rucksack, and demanded their money back and a gram of cocaine in exchange.

At this point, Mr Brugiatelli

allegedly rang the police. Undercover officers Rega and his partner, Andrea Varriale, arrived soon after.

During the ensuing brawl Rega was stabbed 11 times with an 18cm (7 inch) blade. Police said they later found the weapon hidden behind a false panel in the US students’ hotel room.

Mr Elder has admitted stabbing the officer. But both he and Mr Natale-Hjorth stand accused of murdering Rega, and are also facing extortion charges.

Germany overturns ban on professionally assisted suicide

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five-year-old law banning professionally assisted suicide has been rejected as unconstitutional by Germany’s top court.

The court backed complaints by a group of terminally ill patients and doctors who challenged the law that made “commercial promotion of assisted suicide” a criminal offence.

Assisted dying had been legal.

But the law change prompted terminally ill people to go to Switzerland and the Netherlands to end their lives.

Advice centres that operated until 2015

had to stop working because of the risk of a jail sentence for promoting suicide.

The law was aimed at stopping groups or individuals creating a form of business, by helping people to die in return for money. In practice it meant a ban on providing any type of “recurring” assistance.

Medical ethics expert Gita Neumann, who has provided advice and support for years to people in their 80s said she knew of no doctor in Germany who had helped with assisted suicide in the past five years, because of the new clause in the criminal code.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

One of the plaintiffs, Dr Matthias Thöns, said that normal palliative work had become criminalised. However, the head of Germany’s palliative medicine society, Heiner Melching, warned that overturning the ban could open a door to “self-styled euthanasia assistants”.

What the court ruled The head of Germany’s constitutional court, Andreas Vosskuhle, said on Wednesday that while parliament could pass laws on preventing suicide and increasing palliative care, it was not entitled to affect the impunity of assisted suicide.

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Zambia’s Kaunda calls for end to gas attacks

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ambia’s founding President Kenneth Kaunda has called for an end to the mysterious gas attacks on homes and public buildings in the southern African nation.

At least 50 people suspected to be behind the attacks have been killed by mobs since the first case was reported in December.

“I emphasize this point: the chemical attacks must be stopped. And the mob attacks on suspected members of the public must stop”, the 96-year-old Mr Kaunda told the state-owned news agency, the Zambia National Information Services.

In one mob attack last week, a man joined a crowd that was beating up a suspect, not aware that it was his uncle. The suspect was killed by the mob.

Mr Kaunda said the attacks on homes, schools, colleges and prisons was of grave concern because Zambia was always known as a peaceful country.

“The chemical attacks and mob justice on fellow members of society disturb the efforts we have [made] towards a society of harmony and stability,” he added.

Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu has offered a $17,000 (£13,000) reward for the arrest of people behind the attacks and has deployed the army to the most-affected areas to help reassure the public.

More than 370 homes have been targeted in the last three weeks in the country’s Copperbelt province, affecting at least 1,000 people.

A suspect interrogated on video by those who caught him said the attackers wanted to draw blood in syringes from those who had passed out.

There has been speculation that the blood is being taken for use in rituals such as those that claim to bring good luck or wealth.

A lesbian Zimbabwean’s struggle for asylum in the UK

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ore than 1,500 people claim asylum in the UK each year, claiming that they are persecuted for being gay.

But it’s not an easy thing to prove.

Angel fled Zimbabwe in fear of her life after police found her in bed with another woman five years ago.

It’s taken most of the time since then for her to convince the UK authorities that she is gay and will be persecuted if she returns.

In 2015, she was interviewed by an official whose job was to work out whether she was lying.

For seven hours, the interviewer picked at the threads of her life story.

She explained that she was still scared to open up to people and that she still carried the stigma of being a lesbian heavy in her heart.

The interviewer didn’t seem satisfied and tried again.

Just a handful of encounters with women, no long-term relationships, no attempts at meeting women in the UK. Why then did Angel identify as a lesbian?

She struggled to find the words. “It is because of the feelings that I feel,” she said.

“I have not been given a free platform to practise my sexuality.”

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Hosni Mubarak: Egypt holds military funeral for ousted president

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military funeral has been held in Egypt for former President Hosni Mubarak, who died on Tuesday aged 91.

The current President, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, walked alongside Mubarak’s sons, Alaa and Gamal, in a procession behind his coffin as it was taken to the Field Marshal Tantawi mosque in Cairo.

The government has declared three days of national mourning.

Mubarak was forced out of office by an Arab Spring popular uprising in 2011, after 30 years in power.

He spent the next six years in prison or military hospitals while standing trial on various charges.

In 2012, Mubarak was sentenced to life after being convicted of complicity in the murder of protesters during the uprising. But he was eventually cleared on appeal.

He was also given a three-year jail sentence for embezzling public funds.

State media reported that he died at a Cairo hospital after undergoing surgery.

Dozens of Hosni Mubarak’s supporters, many dressed in black, gathered outside the mosque where the funeral was held. They held signs expressing gratitude for Egypt’s “greatest leader”.

“He was a wise man who kept this country stable for 30 years,” a middle-aged man told me.

Stability was Mubarak’s watchword. He took pride in

Egypt’s current president paid tribute to Hosni Mubarak’s military service keeping everything under control during his long autocratic rule.

But this came at a massive price, according to his critics.

Egyptians who took part in the 2011 revolution say he was a corrupt dictator. They hold him responsible for the problems Egypt is suffering at the moment.

“It’s all part of his terrible legacy,” one young man said.

Some people on social media asked why Mubarak was given such a funeral when he had been convicted of corruption. They also compared his treatment to that of his ousted successor, Mohammed Morsi, who died last year while in court and was buried overnight with only a few members of his

family in attendance.

Morsi was an Islamist, however, while Mubarak belonged to the military - an institution that has dominated Egypt’s political scene for more than six decades.

While some Egyptians consider Mubarak a figure from the past, a considerable number believe the time when he was in power was better than it is now. They say he left a small space for freedom of expression, unlike the current president.

President Sisi has expressed “deep condolences” to Mubarak’s family.

A statement paid tribute to his military service during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. But it did not

mention his time as president. “[He was] one of the heroes of the glorious October war, when he led the air force during the war that restored dignity and pride to the Arab nation,” it said.

Mr Sisi served as Mubarak’s military intelligence chief and led the military’s overthrow of his democratically elected successor, Mohammed Morsi, in 2013.

Since then, he has overseen an unprecedented crackdown on dissent, in which tens of thousands of people have reportedly been detained, hundreds have been handed preliminary deaths sentences, and hundreds more have gone missing.

Kenya university’s rape memo sparks anger

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top Kenyan university has apologised after blaming “reckless” female students for becoming victims of rape.

The security memo, which was sent to all students on Tuesday, was “insensitive”, the University of Nairobi’s vice chancellor admitted.

A petition started in response to the memo questioned how women could be blamed for their own rape.

Popular media personality, Adelle Onyango, posted on Instagram: “This is what victim shaming looks like.”

The 31-year-old, who is a rape survivor, told her 374,000 followers that she was outraged that the university had had no condemnation for the rapists.

“This is what normalisation of rape looks like. And we will not stand for it.”

The memo, signed by the head of security, said the rising number of cases of robbery and rape of university students in the capital, Nairobi, occurred at certain spots close to campuses.

“In all the three rape incidences reported last year, a clear case of recklessness on the part of our female students can be drawn,” it said.

It gave an example of a drunk student who was gang raped on

The vice chancellor said students should call the university’s safety unit with security concerns her way back in the early hours of the morning.

It also included tips about how to keep safe in social gatherings, suggesting students always go out with trusted friends, memorise important numbers in case they lost a phone and never leave their drinks unattended.

Ms Onyango, who is raising funds to launch Safe 24/7 to offer free therapy and support to survivors of rape, said such

advice given to women was part of the problem.

“Right now, where we go, what time we will go there, who we will go with, how we will get there, what we will wear etc is governed by how safe we will be and that is NOT normal neither is it OK! “If men just stopped raping us, rape will stop.”

The Change.org petition, so far signed by nearly 1,500 people, said: “Misogyny has

been time and again endorsed by the powers in play in Kenya, and that has got to stop.”

Stephen Kaima, the university’s vice chancellor, said students were advised to call the security department whenever they faced “security challenges during day and night”.

According to a Kenya National Bureau of Statistics study from 2014, 14% of Kenyan women have experienced sexual violence.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

Delhi riots: City tense after Hindu-Muslim clashes leave 23 dead

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elhi remains on edge after a third consecutive night of rioting, with reports of Muslim homes and shops being targeted by violent mobs.

Twenty-three people have been killed so far in the deadliest violence the Indian capital has seen in decades.

The clashes first broke out on Sunday between protesters for and against a controversial citizenship law.

But they have since taken on communal overtones, with reports of many Muslims being attacked.

Photographs, videos and accounts on social media paint a chilling image of the last few days - of mostly Hindu mobs beating unarmed men, including journalists; of groups of men with sticks, iron rods and stones wandering the streets; and of Hindus and Muslims facing off.

Access to these areas was severely restricted on Tuesday, when most of the violence took place. Judging by the names released so far, both Muslims and Hindus are among the dead and injured.

The Delhi High Court, which is hearing petitions about the violence, has said it cannot let “another 1984” happen on its “watch”. In 1984, more than 3,000 Sikhs were killed in antiSikh riots in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra

Vehicles were set alight during clashes in the capital Modi tweeted on Wednesday, three days after the violence broke out, appealing for peace.

He added that he had reviewed the situation and police were working to restore normalcy.

Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi has called for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he is “responsible” for the violence.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has described the situation as “alarming” and demanded for the army to be

Uighur mother makes plea to join Australian husband

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I want to leave and be with my husband,” read the handwritten sign, held up to the camera and posted on Twitter in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Its author - Nadila Wumaier, a member of China’s Uighur Muslim minority - is reportedly under house arrest in China’s western Xinjiang region with her two-yearold son.

She wanted her message to be known, after a Chinese official went on Australian television and told audiences Ms Wumaier was in China by choice.

Her husband, Sadam Abdusalam, had challenged the claim during the same programme - ABC’s Q&A news - on Monday evening.

Mr Abdusalam has been campaigning for his wife’s release for months.

Although Ms Wumaier is not an Australian citizen, both her husband and son Lutfy are, and the Australian government has previously formally requested that they be allowed to leave China.

“My son is an Australian citizen and holding an Australian passport and I have never met him,” said Mr Abdusalam, during the broadcast.

“The Australian Government have given my wife a visa so they

can come and join me in Australia, but the Chinese Government won’t let them leave,” he went on to say.

“Why have the Communist Party locked up one million Uighurs? Will you release our family members?”

Rights groups say China is holding about a million Uighurs and other Muslims in detention.

However, China denies any wrongdoing, saying it is combating terrorism and religious extremism.

In Ms Wumaier’s case, Chinese authorities have been tight-lipped.

However, Wang Xining, the deputy head of mission at the Chinese embassy in Australia, made a rare public appearance as a guest on Q&A. He responded to criticism by saying that the couple’s marriage was not recognised under Chinese law and that Ms Wumaier had expressed a wish to remain in China.

Some hours after the broadcast, Mr Abdusalam shared his wife’s handwritten denial via his Twitter account.

Amnesty International Australia rejected Mr Wang’s statement, saying that both Ms Wumaier and the partner of another Uighur Australian held in Xinjiang were “desperate to [be] reunited in Australia”.

called in.

The unrest is centred around Muslim-majority neighbourhoods - such as Maujpur, Mustafabad, Jaffrabad and Shiv Vihar - in north-east Delhi.

The streets in these areas are littered with stones and shattered glass, broken and burnt vehicles are strewn about, and the stench of smoke from smouldering buildings fills the air.

What is happening now?

While fresh clashes have not

been reported on Wednesday, the city continues to simmer.

BBC reporters saw Muslim residents in Mustafabad leaving their homes with bags and bundles of their belongings, fearing further clashes.

Some 189 people are injured, according to officials at the Guru Teg Bahadur hospital where many of them have been admitted.

BBC reporters at the hospital say they saw people with all sorts of injuries, including bullet wounds, scrambling for

treatment. They say the hospital seemed “overwhelmed”, and many of the injured were “too scared to go back home”.

Many, including journalists, have tweeted and spoken of mobs demanding to know their religion.

At least one photojournalist said he was asked to remove his pants to prove his identity. This has also happened during religious riots in the past to identify Muslims as they are usually circumcised.

‘Burned prayer mats and a torn Koran’ A small crowd of around a dozen people is standing outside a vandalised mosque in Ashok Nagar, one of the areas worst affected by the violence.

The front of the green and white building is scorched. An Indian flag and a saffron flag, commonly associated with rightwing Hindu groups, are flying from one of the minarets.

Torn pages from the Koran are strewn outside the building.

Two young men are picking up the pages and putting them in a plastic bag.

One man says he will take the pages and bury them in a graveyard.

As I enter the building, I see skull caps and partially burned prayer mats.

The area where the mosque stands is a Hindu neighbourhood, but residents say that they had nothing to do with its desecration.

Hong Kong to give cash gift of $1,200 to residents

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ong Kong will hand out cash to adult permanent residents, to help boost spending and ease financial burden.

As part of the annual budget, $10,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,280; £985) was announced for about seven million people over the age of 18.

The territory’s economy has been battered by months of violent political unrest, and more recently suffered from the impact of the coronavirus.

The city has had 81 confirmed cases of the virus and two deaths.

“Hong Kong’s economy is facing enormous challenges this year,” Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Wednesday.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to disburse HK$10,000 to Hong Kong permanent residents aged 18 or above, with a view to encouraging and boosting local consumption on the one hand, and relieving people’s financial burden on the other,” Mr Chan said.

The individual handouts are part of a HK$120bn relief package to ease the impact of the protests and virus on the economy.

Authorities will also lower public housing rent and there will

Virus fears are only the latest in a string of troubles for Hong Kong be rebates in salary and property taxes.

The budget deficit is projected to rise to nearly $18bn by 2021 - a record for the territory.

Analysis: How close are we to a pandemic?

Hong Kong had previously announced a relief fund for sectors that have suffered because of the outbreak, including cash handouts for businesses like restaurants and travel operations.

The territory’s economy

is suffering from months of political unrest which has seen pro-democracy activists in often violent clashes with the police.

In the last weeks, the threat of the coronavirus spilling over from the mainland has slowed down much of public life and dealt a serious blow to the tourism sector.

The financial hub is also reeling from the ongoing USChina trade war, slowing down trade between the world’s two largest economies.

Environment PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

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By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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he National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA), said it collaborating with relevant stakeholders to develop a policy document on the management of mass fatalities in Nigeria .

The Director General NEMA, Mustpha Maihaja stated this,while declaring a one day workshop on the development of National Mass Fatality Response Plan for Nigeria in Abuja yesterday.

Maihaja who was represented by Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Mr. Vincent Owan said the the workshop couldn’t have come at abetter time than now judging from the experience of the past.

He said “Over the years Nigeria has employed various discretion in mass fatalities management resulting from lack of proper identification of victims due to the absence of

NEMA collaborate with stakeholders to develop policy document on mass fatalities mgt Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)”.

The DG explained that to maximise the benelit of mass disaster victims management, “It is desirable to develop a broad-based consensus relying on decisions reached outside the hospital emergency systems.”

He said “the main plank of the framework series of actions would be developed by stakeholders necessary to address the management of the dead with dignity.

Peoples Daily recalled that a round table meeting with various stakeholders was held on the 17th of December, 2019 to develop a robust National Mass Fatality Response Plan

for Nigeria.

“One of the resolutions of the meeting was to convey an enlarged stakeholders meeting to identify existing gaps in the management of Mass Fatality in Nigeria.

Mass Fatalities result substantially in Nigeria from explosion, bombing and inter-tribal conflicts.

“Such attacks are often against the untrained, unsuspecting and unprotected civilians hence, such helpless situation brought to the fore the need to address the challenges and accord the dead the required dignity.”,Maihaja said

Also, the Protection Coordinator,lntemational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) ,Maryam Kashefi,said the initiative of NEMA, was to help prevent people from going missing by paving the way to the development of a national mass fatality handling plan.

She said this will represent a milestone in Africa and it would address the complexity of coordination mechanisms in situations of disasters beca use in the end, humanitarian management of the dead is about the caring for the living, and helping grieved families to mourn and go forward with their lives.

CEPEJ wants FG, states to rescue Sokebolou, Yokiri communities SPDC

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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n environmental advocacy Non -Governmental Organization( NGO) that stands for a cleaner, better and heathy environment, Center For Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, has called on the has called Federal government, state and other relevant stakeholders in the Niger Delta Region as a matter of urgency to prevail on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPCD) to stop Forthwith the further use of untreated hazardous chemicals in Sokebolou and Yokiri Waterways of Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The National Coordinator of CEPEJ Comrade Mulade Sheriff made the disclosure in Abuja recently,stating that “our attention has been drawn to the ugly menace and investigation carried out clearly showed that SPDC deposited some unnamed dangerous hazardous chemical into Sokebolou, Yokiri Obotobo 1 & 2, and other communities’ waterways at Ogulagha Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State,.

He is the chemical is currently constituting serious health hazards to the people and has also led to the destruction of aquatic organisms living in the waterways.

According to the information gathered from some of the leaders of the communities, among which are, Prince Churchill Dose, chairman Sokebolou community and Engr.

Moses Ibilou, chairman Yokiri community, “they stated that the deadly chemicals were deposited by SPDC Jack-up rig operations activities at its WELL 73 and has resulted in the death of fishes and other aquatic organisms. The leaders also stated that their lives are no longer safe in the communities as their people are coming down with complex health challenges due to the chemical.

The community representatives noted that “the chemical is killing fishes in their waterways and more frightening is that the people from within and other areas are coming to Sokebolou, Yokiri and Obotobo 1 & 2 communities waterways to pick-up fishes killed by the said dangerous unknown chemical deposited by SPDC operations within the communities.”

CEPEJ is using this medium to call on the Federal, State Government, NOSDRA, NESREA, and other relevant environmental experts and environmental regulatory bodies of both States and Federal Government to call and order SPDC to stop the illegal environmental pollution through the release of this unknown deadly chemical into the territorial waters.

That SPDC should take immediate action to avoid further spread and provide relief materials to the affected communities immediately to cushion their suffering.

Cross section of participants at the one day workshop on the development of National Mass Fatality Response Plan for Nigeria in Abuja yesterday.

CEPEJ also calls on those in charge of health related agencies to access the impact of the chemicals on the environment, the inhabitants and the aquatic animals through environmental social impact assessment to ascertain the level of damage done to the people and the area.

CEPEJ noted that such callous action from SPDC on already annihilated people through the desperate pollution and killing of aquatic

animals and desecration of waterways with such harmful chemical deserve adequate compensation to the affected communities.

The level of compensation should be in line with the level of damage from the assessment to be carried out.

CEPEJ also strongly advised that critical stakeholders as stated above and others should take urgent step in conducting Environmental Impact Accessment (EIA)

through Joint investigative Visit (JIV) comprising of SPDC top management, Community Representatives, NOSDRA and other regulatory Agencies of both State and Federal Government to ascertain the negative effect of the chemical, because failure to do this may result in health problems arising from bioaccumulation through food chain to humans in the nearest future and it may impinge life on the community residents and its environs.

In furtherance of our advocacy mantra, quest for justice and peace at all times, we are obliged to inform and place on notice our high and revered governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Delta State Government and all agencies mentioned in this publication for a speedy action from the perpetrator of this heinous crime against our law and abiding communities as CEPEJ will not hesitate to institute a suit against SPDC if deaf ears are paid to the communities affected. The Center request that the issue be properly addressed, SPDC should not be divisive, they should be humane and shun their divide and rule tactics against the communities because the future of the Niger Delta Environment is at stake.

Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Governor of Rivers State

T

he climate change quiz competition, which commences on 21 will end on February 28, 2020 in Port Harcourt, shall be is the first of it’s kind to be held in the region.

The competition’s peer education session on climate change actions will create the awareness needed to meet the needs of the present generation without jeopardising the ability and encouragement of future generations to come up with climate-smart innovative solutions, according to the organisers.

Tito Uzomah, Executive Director of PIGD, said: “This can be mostly achieved if the younger generations within the age bracket of 10 to 17 years in secondary schools become part of the key players and advocates in climate change and

environmental sustainability.

“Hence, Education for Sustainable Development becomes imperative in the teaching and learning curricular in secondary schools to transform young people, impact skills and change misconceptions towards curbing climate change “We will use the week to raise awareness within schools in Port Harcourt on climate crisis and proffer solutions to end environmental pollution in the Niger Delta region.

“Our environment needs attention and environmental education in our secondary schools is key to achieving this. We need to educate our young about climate crisis by introducing sustainable development tenets into the informal activities of secondary schools in Nigeria, aimed

at generating the needed momentum towards the reorientation of our educational systems in line with global environmental agendas on education and creating collaboration on environmental sustainability among schools.”

PIGD, it was gathered, aims to inculcate in students and schools core values underlying the sustainability paradigm, such as children, women and gender, climate crisis, environmental pollutions and waste management, climate smart agriculture, climate smart innovations, green energy, plastic recycling and SDG’s action.

“We know it will require working together to succeed hence we are using the NCSFPAS framework to organise this climate change quiz competition,” Uzomah added.

Environmental groups drag Norwegian govt to Supreme Court over oil drilling in the Arctic

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ndications are that history is being written as environmentalist organisations take the Norwegian government to the Supreme Court over oil licences in the Arctic.

Environmentalists consider Arctic offshore drilling too dangerous “Opening up the pristine areas in the Arctic for oil drilling in the time of climate emergency is not acceptable. We hope and believe that the Supreme Court will find the climate crisis to be a global problem and recognise Norway’s substantial impact.

The use of oil and gas produced in Norway and burned elsewhere contributes to 10 times the domestic emissions of Norway,” said Frode

Pleym, head of Greenpeace Norway.

Greenpeace Nordic and Nature and Youth sued the Norwegian government for handing out oil drilling licences in new areas in the Arctic in 2016.

The organisations claim the licences are in violation of the Norwegian Constitution, which establishes the right to a healthy environment and places on the government a duty to uphold this right for current and future generations.

The co-plaintiffs are backed by the interveners Grandparents’ Climate Campaign and Friends of the Earth Norway.

“This case is part of a growing wave of climate

lawsuits. People all over the world are stepping up for the climate, and more than 600 climate cases have been filed worldwide to assert the rights of people impacted by the climate crisis.

The Urgenda lawsuit which won in the Dutch Supreme Court establishes State responsibility for concrete action to address the climate crisis. That gives us a lot of hope when we now take this case to the Supreme Court,”, said Pleym.

Even though the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the State, the judgement still contains important victories for the organisations, according to observers.

Source :Environewsnigeria

PEOPLES DAILY, Thursday, february 27, 2020

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Feature

The Judiciary: Facilitator or hindrance to democracy in Africa?

By Paul Ejime

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n political science, the ‘trias politica’ model for the governance of the state, popularised in modern democracy recognises the separation of powers, the division of state powers into three branches - legislature, executive and the judiciary.

The idea contrasts with the fusion of powers in the parliamentary system, where the executive and legislative branches overlap.

The ‘tripartite system’ is commonly ascribed to the French political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, who in his 1748 famous book, ‘The Spirit of the Laws’ espoused the theory of ‘distribution’ of powers. According to him, “When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person or the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.”

Montesquieu and other political philosophers/ scholars made a special case for the judicial arm of government as a critical pillar of the tripod of democracy. He emphasised: “there is no liberty if the judiciary power be not separated from the legislative and executive.” “…There would be an end of everything, were the same man or the same body, whether of the nobles or of the people, to exercise those three powers, that of enacting laws, that of executing the public resolutions, and of trying the causes of individuals.” Specifically, he argued that “the independence of the judiciary has to be real, and not merely apparent.”

It is against this background that we can situate the role or function of the judicial arm of government within the context of the consolidation of democracy in Africa, based on the recent pronouncements by Supreme Courts or Constitutional Councils/Courts on electoral disputes in a growing number of African countries - Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Guinea Bissau, and counting.

Political historians and legal experts will recall the “twelve two-thirds” legal mathematics in the Awolowo v. Shagari lawsuit instituted by the then opposition leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo against President-elect Alhaji Shehu Shagari following Nigeria’s 11th August 1979, presidential election during the Second Republic.

Awolowo had mounted the legal challenge on the grounds that Section 34 A (i)(c)(ii) of the Electoral Decree No 73 of 1977 was not met (winning one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of all the states of the Nigerian federation). The Election Tribunal dismissed his case and the Supreme Court presided by Justice Atanda Fatai Williams in a majority verdict affirmed the decision of the tribunal on 26th September 1979, with Justice Kayode Eso, giving the lone dissenting judgement. That apex court ruling remains a precedent in Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

There have also been numerous equally controversial, judicial pronouncements over electoral disputes since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 after a prolonged spell of military rule. There was the Chibuike Amaechi’s case following the Rivers State governorship election of 2007. Amaechi had contested and won the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary, but his name was substituted by the party, an action which he challenged in court. That case progressed to the Supreme Court, which on 26th October 2007, ruled that Amaechi was the rightful PDP candidate and therefore the winner of the April 2007 poll, eventhough his name was not on the ballot.

Nigeria’s former labour leader Adams Oshiomhole also ran in April 2007 for governor of Edo State under the Action Congress Party, with which his Labour Party had entered an alliance.

PDP candidate Oserheimen Osunbor was declared the winner by the electoral commission, but on 20th March 2008, an Edo State election

tribunal nullified Osunbor’s victory and declared Oshiomhole, the winner. A Federal Appeal Court sitting in Benin City on 11th November 2008 upheld that ruling based on several voting irregularities cited during the election proceedings.

In Cote d’Ivoire, the spill-over effects of the 2010/2011 post-election conflict are still festering. While the Ivorian Commission Electorale Indépendante (CEI), had announced provisional results declaring Alassane Ouattara winner of the second round of the 2010 election against sitting President Laurent Gbagbo, the Ivorian Constitutional Council (or Constitutional Court in some African countries), insisted that the CEI had no authority to announce any results, because it had already missed the deadline, and consequently the results were to be invalid.

At the heart of the dispute is article 94 of the Constitution of Côte d’Ivoire which states that: The Constitutional Council shall control the regularity of the operations of the referendum and proclaim the final results of presidential elections.

The rest they say is history. Cote d’Ivoire ended up with two presidents and descended into unending constitutional and political crises. President-elect Ouattara is in power with the support of the UN and French Forces while Gbagbo ended up in prison at The Hague after his conviction by the International Criminal Court.

Following the 2007 post-election violence that killed more than 1,000 people in Kenya, the country in 2010, adopted a new constitution, which in addition to entrenching the concept of separation of powers with checks and balances, significantly reduced the powers of what had been perceived as an imperial presidency. The country’s 2013 presidential election in which President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner was eventually settled by the Supreme Court after his veteran opposition rival Raila Odinga challenged the result.

Again, the August 2017 presidential contest between the two perennial political opponents also ended up at the Supreme Court, which this time, nullified the victory of candidate Kenyatta, citing irregularities, and ordered a vote re-run which Kenyatta eventually won.

Malawi, a southern African country, has also not been spared judicial intervention in its national election. The county’s Constitutional Court on 3rd February 2020 declared the election of sitting President Peter Mutharika a nullity.

On 12th February the same court threw out Mutharika’s appeal and insisted on a re-run of the 21st May 2019 vote within 151 days. While Mutharika remains in power until a new election takes place, Malawi is in political anxiety.

Voters in Guinea-Bissau also went to the polls on 29th December 2019 to elect their president but it only took the decision of the Supreme Court to affirm the people’s will by rejecting a challenge brought by the runner-up Domingos Simoes Pereira of the ruling party, against the victory of opposition president-elect Umaro Cissoko Embalo. Politial observers fear that that legal victory is unliktely to end the perennial political instability in that country.

Back in Nigeria where the 23rd February 2019 presidential contest involving sitting President Muhammadu Buhari and 72 other candidates also ended up at the Supreme Court at the instance of the main opposition candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. The apex court upheld the lower courts’ verdicts that declared Buhari victorious and like the presidential poll, several results of the 29 out the 36 states’ governorship elections held on the 9th of March 2019 also received the attention of the Supreme Court.

However, the Supreme Court’s verdicts on the election disputes in the Eastern state of Imo, and the Southern state of Bayelsa stood out, not only for their surprise or shock but also for their potential conseuqences on the polity.

On the Imo poll, the Court of Appeal had earlier upheld the election of PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha, but the Supreme Court on 14th January 2020, overturned that decision and gave victory instead to APC’s Hope Uzodima. The Supreme Court in reaching its decision appeared to rely on the argument by Uzodima’s legal team, which canvassed the addition of votes from more than 300 polling units, which were excluded from the original tally.

Reactions to that Supreme Court’s decision, both local and international are as diverse and varied as those offering them, but more telling is the implication that adding the excluded votes would mean there were more votes cast than the number of registered voters in Imo state (overvoting), which is an infringement of the electoral law. The PDP candidate has since returned to the Supreme Court, seeking a review of the case.

But while Nigerians were still waiting for the final word on the Imo gubernatorial poll dispute, the Supreme Court on the 13th of February 2020 dropped another controversial verdict on the 16th November 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa. That state’s APC governor-elect, David Lyon, and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, were already preparing to be inaugurated on 14th February, when the Supreme Court nullified their election and ordered the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), Nigeria to withdraw the Certificates of Return issued to them. The Court cited inconsistencies in the qualification certificates tendered by the APC deputy governor-elect Degi-Eremienyo. The PDP candidate Douye Diri and his running mate Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the beneficiaries of the that Supreme Court’s decision have since been sworn in as governor and deputy governor of Bayelsa state. The APC has also returned to the apex court for a review of its ruling.

Before then, the Supreme Court had previously intervened in disputes over the governorship elections in Nigeria’s northern state of Zamfara and southern state of Rivers, by upholding the verdicts of the lower/appellant courts that disqualified the APC candidates that emerged from flawed party primaries.

Doubtless, the involvement of the judiciary in resolving electoral disputes is well-intentioned and derives from the provisions of national constitutions or electoral laws, but the frequency of such interventions is becoming a troubling ‘new normal’ in Africa, raising a fundamental question whether judicial verdicts, which in some cases, are based on ‘legal technicalities’ can deliver democracy? Or whether through these controversial decisions, the judiciary is playing its role as the bulwark, facilitator or a hindrance to democracy in Africa?

Some might argue that the recruitment process of judges or judicial officers could or do in fact encourage the intervention of the judiciary in politics and therefore, the electoral process. For instance, some constitutions confer on the executive arm of government the power to appoint and dispense with the judges and judicial officers. Therefore, political interference no matter how subtle, cannot be ruled out.

It could also be argued that the judiciary is not entirely to blame for the hijacking of

the political process, more than politicians who stand accused of corrupting the judicial system or “buying” court judgements. Indeed, it has become fashionable for politicians to undermine or manipulate the electoral process, claim ‘electoral victory’ and then ask aggrieved opponents to go to court to seek redress, knowing that they would ‘get their way’ in the courtroom.

And where do the electoral commissions, the scapegoat of every politician who loses any election stand in this equation vis-à-vis their core function of delivering credible elections and the spiralling costs of elections in Africa? For instance, Nigeria’s INEC is made to attend to more than 800 different legal suits emanating from electoral disputes within one electoral cycle, some of which are deliberately orchestrated by politicians to buy time. The tactic is not only time-consuming but costly and unhelpful to the conduct of credible elections or consolidation of democracy.

But the bottom line is that while the executive and legislative arms of government can afford to falter, and they should not, the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, and to whom much is given, they say, much is expected.

According to the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, one of Nigeria’s legal luminaries, described by former Chief Justice Mohammed Bello as “the Socrates of Supreme Court:” “If the legislature is corrupt, you go to the judiciary for redress. If the executive is corrupt you go to the judiciary for remedy. (But) If the judiciary itself is corrupt, where do you go from there?

Their Lordships of the apex courts in any country that practices democracy do not only interpret the law; they make laws. Judges in all cases, and more so on electoral matters, bordering on the control and distribution of coveted state power and national resources, the rule of law and human rights, must be apolitical, independent and beyond reproach.

This is because their judgements are legal precedents that guide the evolution of law and jurisprudence. Hence, Justice Oputa in a famous lead judgement in the Adegoke Motors Ltd. v. Dr Babatunde Adesanya & Anor (1989) emphasised that: “(The Supreme Court verdicts) …are final not because we (judges) are infallible; rather we are infallible because we are final.”

It is not for nothing that the statue of justice is depicted as a blindfolded woman (Themis, the Greek Goddess of Law and Justice) holding a sword or scroll in one hand and scales in the other. Under the Greco-Roman mythology, the Scales of Justice represent the balance of the individual against the needs of society and a fair balance between the interests of individuals. The Scroll, on the other hand, represents learning and knowledge; while the Sword of Justice is the active force, a symbol of power, protection, authority and vigilance. The Blindfold, symbolizes Blind Justice, equality, knowing no differences in the parties involved.

While the executives operate from Mansions or Villas, and the legislature from hallowed Chambers, the court is the ‘Temple of Justice,’ and the temple here connotes sanctity and closeness to God! The celebrated British Judge, Alfred Thompson Denning, or Lord Denning, could not have been more brutal in defence of the integrity and independence of the judiciary when he insisted, while commenting on the wrongful convictions of the Birmingham Six in 1988, that: “… It is better that some innocent men remain in jail than that the integrity of the English judicial system be impugned.” That view might be controversial but only goes to demonstrate the esteem at which the judicial arm of government is held.

Paul Ejime is a Media and Communications Specialist.

Health

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Why data should drive Nigeria’s health sector

T

he Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and stakeholders in the health sector recently converged on the nation’s capital to jawjaw on importance of data in information dissemination in the country’s health sector.

The two days National Dissemination Workshop of the Revised National Health Management Information System (NHMIS) which was meant to revise the NHMIS tools to the States, implementing partners and other relevant stakeholders amongst others.

The workshop saw Commissioners of healths, data experts from the 36 states and other stakeholders in the sector.

Speaking, the Minister said the Health Information System (HIS) is one of six key Building Blocks of the healthcare system, designed for the collection, analysis, use and dissemination of health-related data, towards improving health outcomes.

“The HIS is important in providing guidance for decision making on the other five blocks. The System is not only for the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of health care service activities, but also for day-today patient management, health education, resource allocation, disease prioritization, and decision making. Therefore, a functioning health information system should produce the right information at the right time, to enable policymakers, managers, and service providers to make accurate, timely evidencebased decisions, to lead to sustainable health outcomes at all levels of care.

“Despite the benefits, poor data quality and limited use of information generated is a major concern. Some health care providers report routine health data with limited or understanding of the tools. Their use of the tools for decision making at lower levels is also uncertain, neither is there a routine feedback on reports sent to the next reporting level.

Funding for Health Management Information system and related monitoring and evaluation activities has so far been largely donordependent. This is neither sustainable nor desirable. Though the National Council on Health in 1996 and the 2014 NHMIS Policy recommended government budget lines for NHMIS activities at all levels, it has not been optimally implemented.”

“The tools review process is in accordance with the National NHMIS Policy 2014, which recommended that the NHMIS Tools be reviewed every two years. However, the last review of this data collection and reporting tools was done in 2013; review is necessary to remove obsolete data elements and update the registers with new ones to meet programmes and stakeholders information needs”.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health(FMOH), Mr Abdulaziz Mashi Abdulaziz has said that Health Management Information System(HMIS), would check quality of services at different

Minister of health, Osagie Ehanire levels of healthcare delivery in the country.

The permanent secretary said that the objective of the HMIS would be to record information on health events and check the quality of services at different levels of health care delivery.

He said that HMIS was a tool to gauge patient satisfaction and quality of care in the country.

Abdulaziz said that it could be an instrument which would be used to improve patient satisfaction with health services in the Primary Health Care Centers by tracking certain dimensions of quality service delivery.

He said that the quality service delivery could be checked by comparing perceptions of services delivered with the expected standards.

“The objective of the HMIS would be to record information on health events and check the quality of services at different levels of health care.

“The importance of patient assessment is a part of the concept of giving importance to patient’s views in improving the quality of

healthcare delivery,” he said.

The permanent secretary said that the expected benefits include; enhancing Nigerians satisfaction through improved communication; greater provider sensitivity towards Nigerians.

Abdulaziz added that it would also enhanced community awareness about the quality of services; and overall better used of services in the healthcare delivery system.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health in Zamfara state, Yahaya Muhammed, said data is necessary in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

He said the move towards analyzing proper data in the health sector will help the country to revamp its health sector.

He said the Zamfara state governor is doing a lot in the sector to return it to its lost glory.

Also, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, Director, Health Planning, Research & Statistics, said an efficient and effective HMIS was critical to both the healthcare system and to the health of Nigerians by providing the system and

data central for policy planning, setting of targets and policy implementation.

Meribole said that it requires the availability of, access to, and analysis of accurate and adequate information that address district, national and institutional development as well as implementation of challenges.

The director said that for sustainability, HMIS considered local settings when designed, stating that stakeholders worked with governments and donors to help build integrated information systems aimed at addressing the challenges in the health sector.

According to him, other than health information system policy and strategic framework development, such challenges encompass national, sub-national information systems integrated with human resource management systems, monitoring and evaluation systems as well as related institutional capacity building.

On his part, Dr. Emmanuel Abatta, head of MHIS in the ministry of health, said the Department of Health Planning, Research & Statistics of the Federal Ministry of Health, has the mandate to ensure the availability of timely, reliable data for evidence-based decision making at all level.

“This led to the establishment of the National Health Management Information System (NHMIS). The NHMIS is a data collection system specifically designed to support planning, management, and decision making in health facilities and organizational levels. In a desire to strengthen the Health Information system, the 56th & 57th sessions of the National Council on Health approved (i) the use of a single integrated but decentralized national routine health database (DHIS 2) hoisted at the Federal Ministry of Health and (ii) the use of a harmonized NHMIS data collection and reporting tools.”

Dr Chinedu Chukwu, Senior Technical Manager, Global Fund Malaria Grant for Management Sciences for Health, said that monitoring and evaluation of any Healthcare system at all levels could not be emphasized.

Chukwu said that the major functions of the HMIS was to collect and manage the health service delivery information for all level of healthcare service delivery outlets in the country.

He said that the HMIS would aide the government to verify, process, analyze the collection of data at all levels and would provide feedbacks on achievements, coverage, continuity and quality of health services to all its healthcare facilities.

The expert said that HMIS would enable the government to disseminate health information through efficient methods and technologies and to also publish a comprehensive annual report in the health sector.

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Fosla Academy, Nasarawa State University strengthen scholarship partnership

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Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

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N

igeria’s first premium private football/ education academy, Fosla Academy Wednesday visited the new Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Laffia Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed were two items were discussed.

Fosla Academy delegation was led by the proprietor, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdulahi who arrived the new VC’s office at 9:45am after.

The proprietor, told the VC, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed that their visit was to first and foremost congratulate him on his new but well deserved appointment and also to bring to his table the existing partnership between the academy and the University.

“We are here to say congratulations to you on your well-deserved elevation and new position. You are no doubt suited for this and just as your predecessor did very well, I believe you will surpass him.

“We also came, My VC, to bring to your table the existing partnership between Fosla Academy and the University where graduates from our academy are sent here to continue their education at the university. We currently have three sets of students right now in the University since 2017 and that was why we felt the need to come today to congratulate you and also intimate you on the partnership,” the former NFF President said.

In his response, the Vice Chancellor commended the management of the academy for the unique job they are doing and lauded their initiative of promoting the importance of education in the life of an athlete or footballer.

“I am honoured to meet you. I have been briefed about your laudable project. Fosla Academy is a household name within the university community and the crop of players/ students we have here from your academy are exceptional.

“Combining education and football career is an excellent innovation because most times our athletes or footballers push their sporting career without paying attention to their education.

Many of our ex internationals have this situation but here today, you are changing the narrative. I commend you and your team “I am not unaware of the existing partnership and I give you my word, we will continue to keep to it. We will improve in it where necessary and we will continue to do our best to promote what Fosla Academy is doing and together we will ensure an egalitarian society,” he said.

Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed replaced Professor Muhammed Mainoma Akaro as the Nasarawa State University Vice Chancellor late 2019.

Over 45 students from Fosla Academy on scholarship are currently studying various courses at the university. The first set is in their third year.

Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Prof. Suleiman Bala Mohammed with Alhaji Sani Lulu during the visit Wednesday

Abia Warriors Fined N5 Million For Crowd Violence

By Amaechi Agbo

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home matches behind closed doors with no fans before a possible review which can only be carried out if the LMC is satisfied that conditions which led to

igeria Professional Football League, NPFL side, Abia Warriors of Umuahia have been fined N5, 000, 000, 000 (five million naira) only as a result of fans violence that marred the club’s Matchday 20 against Enyimba.

The fine was handed down to the Abia State based side by the League Management Company, LMC Wednesday Warriors are to pay the fine within 10 working days and have 24 hours to accept or appeal against the decision In the decision released, Enyimba International FC will receive N2.5m as compensation for injuries and damages to property.

The release reads: Abia Warriors have been fined N5,000,000 to be paid within 10 working days in a Summary Jurisdiction exercised by the LMC on the disruption of the Matchday 20 fixture in Umuahia against Enyimba International Abia Warriors are also to play a minimum of their next 3 consecutive Abia Warriors team

the disruption has been completely eliminated Out of the N5m fine, Enyimba International FC will receive N2.5m as

compensation for injuries and damages to property. Abia Warriors have 48 hours to accept in writing, this decision or seek to appear before a panel.

Tokyo Olympics: NBBF President optimistic D’Tigers, D’Tigress can win medal>>>PG30

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FIFA praises India U-17 women’s coach, Precisous Dede

Precious Dede with India U-17 female goalkeepers

By Amaechi Agbo

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lobal football governing body, FIFA has poured ecomium on former Super Falcons goalkeeper, Precisous Dede as she tutros the Indian U-17 Female national team.

FIFA on Monday posted a picture of the two-time Africa Women Cup of Nationas, AWCON winner along with two Indian U-17 goalkeepers on the Twitter handlle with the following accompnying statement “She’s a @NGSuper_Falcons legend, two-time African champion and veteran of Keycap digit four #FIFAWWC editions Flag of NigeriaRaising hands “Now Precious Dede is preparing @IndianFootball’s goalkeepers for a #U17WWC on home soil Flag of IndiaTrophyEarth globe asia-

australia and she’s loving every minute.”

Precious Uzoaru Dede made 99 appearances for the Super Falcons and formerly played for several clubs including Delta Queens FC, Ibom Queens and Arna-Bjørnar of Norway.

Dede was in the Falcons squads over the years, including the Women’s World Cup tournaments of 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015; the Olympic tournaments of Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, and the African Women’s Championship tournaments of 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014, winning it twice (2010, 2014).

Former Super Falcons coach, Thomas Dennerby, it could be recalled, apponted Dede as his goalkeeper assitant for the Indian U-17 female national team in 2019.

Tokyo Olympics: NBBF President optimistic D’Tigers, D’Tigress can win medal

By Amaechi Agbo

A

lthough for the first time in many editions that no Nigeria football team will be in an Olympic Games, the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF President, Musa Kida has expressed optimism that the male and female national basketball teams will shock the world and win medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, Bestchoicesports.com. ng can report.

Answering questions from journalists recently, the NBBF President said that the teams’ are in the Olympics not just to add to the numbers of participating teams but to shock the world and be amongst the best.

With the current synergy and talents in the teams (D’Tigers and D’Tigress), he is not doubtful that they can compete with the best around the world and fly Nigeria’s flag high in Tokyo.

“D’Tigers and D’Tigresses are teams that have the true spirit of Nigerians in them which is the spirit to win and perform optimally. They are going to perform extremely well and may go ahead to shock the world

again and this will be an excellent outing” Being the only team sport to have so far qualified for the Games in Nigeria and the first time both teams will be featuring during the same summer Olympics (also first in Africa), expectations are high for the team to perform.

Ranked number one in Africa and 14th in the world, D’Tigress will be making a return to the games after their last outing in 2004 in Athens, Greece while the men ranked first in Africa and 23rd in the world are making return after the Rio 2016 Games.

The NBBF president also recognizes this and said the federation with the help of the Federal Ministry of Sports will leave no stone unturned to prepare the team well for the Olympics.

“The prospects are brighter with the Technical crew of D’Tigers that we have right now. The players we intend to invite include our players in the domestic league.

We are going to have an array of a formidable team and we will shock the world.”

The 2020 Summer Games will hold from Friday, 24th of July to Sunday, 9th of August

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

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t

Goddosky FC battle FCT League Champions, WACO FA in an epic clash

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ationwide League One, NLO campaigners, Goddosky FC of Anambra state will battle 2019 FCT FA League champions, Waco Football Academy in an epic encounter expected to draw thousands of fans in the federal capital territory.

The battle which will be organised

by Pretty Sports Media (PSM) promises to be mouth-watering, will take centre stage 3:30pm at the FCT Area 3 Playing Ground in Abuja on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Ahead of the clash, the Chairman of Goddosky FC, Chief Eloka Agbasimelo, AKA (Oga ndi Oga) said that the friendly game is aimed at exposing the team ahead of the start of the NLO in March.

“We want to expose our team, that’s why we want play against the FCT league champions because we know that they are a very good side as

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

IGNATIUS HOUSE FOUNDATION

our team “With the match our technical crew will see the areas the team will need to improve on ahead of our campaign at the nationwide league.

According to him “The players are working hard to make a ground breaking statement in the match and also they have promised to give their

best to win the Nationwide league”.

The Goddosky FC which was formed in 2009 will be out in search for the Nationwide League One title and a ticket to play in the Nigeria National League (NNL) at the end of the league 2020 season.

The 2020 NLO season is expected to start on March 26, 2020.

FWC Champions FC get new management team ahead of 2020 NLO kickoff

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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.

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ILORO PROGRESSIVE YOUTHS FOUNDATION

GBADAMOSI

FCT FA commiserates with Kano Pillars over Baleria’s death

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he Board, Federal Capital Territory, Football Association (FCT FA) has expressed grief over the death of the Kano Pillars Team Manager, Kabiru Baleria who died on Tuesday at the age of 57 after a brief illness.

In a condolence message sent by the association, the Board, while condoling with the Kano State Football Association and Kano Pillars Football Club described the deceased as diligent and hard working gentleman while praying that God almighty give his family the fortitude

to bear the great loss.

Chairman, FCT FA, Alhaji Mohammed Moutar on behalf of the Board said: “We are sad when we heard the death of Kano Pillars Team Manager, Kabiru Baleria, he died when the team need him the most.

“We commiserate with his family, Kano Pillars and Kano State FA under leadership of Alhaji Inuwa Ahlan and pray that God grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Kabiru Baleria was a former White Eagle’s player, he also played for the

Golden Stars, El kanemi Warriors of Borno, Canon Sportif of Cameroon, as well as Kano Pillars.

The former Flying Eagles player also plied his trade in the Saudi Arabian League, went for trials in Spain with Deportivo La Coruna in 1989.

He was an Assistant Coach to the Nigeria Under 17 team under Coach Emmanuel Amuneke.

He also coached Kano Pillars where he later served as the substantive Team Manager of the team.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD 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.

This is to confirm that I, BIRIMOTE HEERA MUKHI is the same person as MUKHI, BIRIMOTE HEERA. All documents bearing my names aforesaid remain valid. This is for the notification of those concerned and the general public.

Public Relations Officers of the club.

Ibrahim Bello takes charge of the Welfare department and will be assisted by Ndubisi Obasi.

Other positions announced are the HOD Admin and Finance, Uloma Chukwu, and the HOD Marketing/ Sponsorship/Image Rights, Mr Biodun.

Shortly after taking their oath of office, the newly appointed officials were charged by Pastor Yakubu to help the club meet her target of securing a promotion to the NNL as well as secure viable sponsorship deals.

CENTRE FOR JOINT ACTION AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA

THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1) prophetess Grace kelechukwu - general overcess (2) Temple Chidubem kelechukwu, (3) EMEKA Ezerike, (4) Ogustine ,c, Ebenye,

MUKHI

introduced the new officers, in addition to overseeing their oath of office pledge, alongside the CEO and Director of Sports, Mr Botar Mkav and Mr Olayinka Oladunjuoye respectively.

However, Philip Atar has been named as the new Team Manager with Daniel Yunusa taking the role as the Technical Adviser while Stanley Ndubisi stands as the Scouting Officer Emeka Anyanba, therefore, takes the position of the HOD for the Marketing team while Any Ajuonuma and Theodora Okonko will be the

MOUNT ZION THRONE OF GRACE PRAYER MINISTRY

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Fr. NWEKE UGO(chairman) 2.Fr. AGBO ALOYSIUS CHIKERE(secretary) 3.Fr. CHIDOLUE IKECHUKWU PETER

ABDULRAZAK

ith the March 26 kickoff date for the 2020 Nationwide League One, NLO season drawing ever closer, the management FWC Champions FC has beefed up its management team with the appointment of new hands to up the team’s project The FWC Champions FC has named new Marketing, Welfare, and Public Relations Officers alongside other three (3) positions in a new management restructuring Chairman of the club, Pastor Yakubu Yola Adamu at his office,

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I, formerly known as ABDULRAZAK YUSUF Now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULRAZAK YUSUF RILWAN. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

Some of the new management staff

PUBLIC NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.ART EXHIBITION TO ADDRESS SOCIAL CONCERNS OF LEADERSHIP, FAITH, WELLNESS, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.

Christopher Chinedu

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday february 27, 2020

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS GBADAMOSI AYINLA ABUBAKAR. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS GBADAMOSI AYINLA BAKARE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.

EJERE ANIEKEME OMOAEFE 2.

EJERE OMOAEFE JOSEPH

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. AKOMOLAFE SUNDAY - CHAIRMAN 2. FADARE O. FESTUS - SECRETARY 3. FAMILUSI E. OLUWASEUN - MEMBER 4. ADEBO BEN SOLA - MEMBER 5. ADARAMOLA OLAMIDE SAMUEL - MEMBER 6. ADARALEGBE AKINTAYO OLAOLUWA - MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO SUSTAIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF PEACE. 2. TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE INTERFACE AMONG ILORO INDIGENES IN DIASPORA. 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 : FEMI FAMILUSI, ESQ.

NNORUKA

PUBLIC NOTICE VEHICLE FREIGHT HAULIERS ASSOCIATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. LAWAL AFEEZ 2. OJELEYE OLUYEMI ADISA 3. OMOTOSHO MICHAEL OLUYEMI 4. YUSUF AKEEM O. 5. AKINWANDE OLUGBENGA ADENIYI THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO EXPRESS THE VIEWS OF OUR MEMBERS ON MATTERS AFFECTING OUR INTEREST IN TRANSPORTATION. 2. TO ADVANCE THE INTEREST OF TRANSPORTATION OF GOOODS BY MOTOR VEHICLE. 3.TO FOSTER AND ADVANCE SAFETY BY PUBLIC ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. 4.TO AFFILIATE WITH THE ESTABLISH RECIPROCAL RELATIONS WITH OTHER ASSOCIATIONS, COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL BUSINESSES. 5.TO ISSUES OUR MEMBERSHIP STICKERS AND CERTIFICATES TO OUR MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

DEBORAH

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. AKINYEMI FAROUNBI - CHAIRMAN 2. KAYODE OLUSA 3. TOLA ATINMO 4. JESUFERANMI EMMANUEL FAROUNBI - SECRETARY 5. OMALARA EVELYN FAROUNBI 6. ADETOLA BABATUNDE ADENIYI. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To support indigent and less privileged kids and widows in Oyo State by assisting them through vocational training.

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THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To promote unity, friendship, camaraderie and togetherness among the people of Nigeria and in diaspora as well as safe guard the rich cultural heritage, traditions and practices of the regions.

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DR. FRANK AKINYEMI OLORI - CHAIRMAN/CEO 2. MR. OKEKE UZOCHUKWU ABUBAKAR - MEMBER 3. MR. DANIEL NDUBUISI NWOKEOJI - SECRETARY. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To engage in the Promotion of Research, Dialogue, Public Lectures, Advocacy, Training/Teaching Activities and Programmes in the Key Areas of Collective Action and Corruption Reduction, Development Administration, Education, Security and Sustainable Peace-Building and Poverty Reduction.

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3. Conducting Collective Action and Corruption Reduction Programmes, Advocacy Programmes, Catch Them Young Programmes for Re-Orientation and Ethical Rebirth for Lecturers, Teachers and Students in Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions at the Federal, State and Local Government Levels including the Public and Private Sectors in Nigeria.

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Sunday

Ndupana

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IGALA NATION DEVELOPMENT CONGRESS

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DR. YAKUBU HARUNA UGWOLAWO 2. CHIEF ROBERT USMAN AUDU 3. DR. SIMEON OMAKOJI OYIGUH 4. HON. DAVID INA OGU 5. CHIEF DR. JOSEPH ERICO AMEH 6. DR. MOHAMMED SEKURU ABDULLAHI 7. HON. ABDULKADIR ABUBAKAR ALI 8. ALH. CHIEF INUWA OCHEJA IYODO 9. PROF. SAMUEL STEPHENSON AGWOJOGWA 10. MR. SUNDAY INAH SUNDAY 11. ALH. NUHU RAMAT HARUNA 12. ALH. DANJUMA BELLO IBRAHIM 13. HRH CHIEF SANNI YAKUBU EJIMA 14. BARR. UNUBI AKOH THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To promote peace, love and unity in Igala/Bassa community.

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. . . putting the people first

thursday february 27, 2020

SPORTS latest

CAS confirm Manchester City appeal against UEFA’s Champions League ban

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he Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that they have registered an appeal from Manchester City as the reigning Premier League champions fight to overturn a two-season Champions League ban.

UEFA found the club guilty of breaching Financial Fair Play rules and handed City a €30m fine on top of their two-year European suspension.

City moved quickly to profess their innocence and vowed to prove UEFA wrong, with a CAS appeal the first order of business.

Joseph Yobo prepared to prove critics wrong

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uper Eagles former captain and assistant coach Joseph Yobo has stated his readiness to prove all doubters wrong as he looks set to resume to his new role.

The former Super Eagles skipper was installed as the country’s national team assistant boss following Imama Amapakabo’s removal.

In a chat, the former Everton defender said he is not bothered with the sort of criticisms that greeted his appointment by the NFF. However, he hinted of his desire to prove his critics wrong by doing everything required to succeed in his role.

Yobo said if no one criticized him, he might not see the job as a massive one.

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‘Conscience’ of a lawless nation

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avid Emile Durkheim, the French social scientist reputed to be the father of Sociology, in his explanation of ‘criminal behavior’ said that ‘crime’ is a consequence of the existence of a ‘collectively supported morality’ –meaning that a conduct becomes offensive (or criminal) only because it has no place among other conducts which members of the society ‘collectively support’ as permissible within the context of what they hold to be morally tolerable. It does not matter that a society has not formally coded that particular ‘conduct’ as unlawful. It is sufficient that the collective will of the society rejects it because it offensive. And so it is in the totality of what the collective will of a people approves as tolerable or permissible conduct that the ‘conscience of a society’ is said to reside; so that a ‘crime’, by definition, is simply that particular conduct which is inconsistent with what gives peaceful repose to the conscience of the society. It is the reason criminologists say that a crime violates the ‘conscience of the society’.

Every reasonably organized society and which is guided by the ‘collectively supported morality’ is bound to be shocked or even outraged by the deviant behavior of any of its members which violates its collective conscience. And even the most primitive societies express this outrage by the enforcement of certain punitive measures which they must also have collectively instituted to serve both as retribution and as deterrence.

Plus these punitive and retributive measures may range from the innocuous (such as ostracism) even to the supremely gargantuan (namely death sentence).

A violation of Nigeria’s criminal laws represents an assail on our ‘collectively supported morality’ because they constitute a violation of our collective conscience. Unless by the punitive and retributive measures we enforce, we manifest our collective shock or outraged against the conducts of the deviant members of our community, we provide no verifiable proof that we find such conducts offensive or intolerable; or that we care at all that they violate our ‘collective conscience’. On the contrary a wantonly permissive society betrays the absence of a ‘collective conscience’. Only a conscienceless or an unconscionable society is not jealous of its ‘collectively supported morality’.

It is the reason that Durkheim said ‘a conduct does not shock the human conscience because it is criminal’, rather it is criminal ‘because it shocks the human conscience’.

Meaning that whenever we are collectively and

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THURSDAY Column WITH Mohammed Adamu (08035892325 sms only)

dankande2@gmail.com spontaneously shocked or outraged by a conduct, that conduct is criminal –notwithstanding that our statute books have not documented it as such. If it has the capacity to shock or to outrage the collective will, then it must be offensive enough to be criminal –such as gay marriage.

Spontaneous outrage is thus the quotient between the ‘law in statute’ and the ‘law in action’; or between offenses which are ‘mala inse’ (i.e. by their very nature repugnant e.g. murder or arson), and offenses which are ‘mala prohibita’ (or those which are criminal only because the law says they are, e.g polygamy in some jurisdictions). And so the basis of Durkheim’s understanding of ‘crime’ is that a conduct is not reproved (as in rejected) as a crime, rather it is a crime because it is reproved (rejected) by the society.

And maybe it is the reason we still struggle with ‘corruption’ in Nigeria, especially in the public sector, because although we have listed it as a crime in our statute books, in reality we do not collectively feel outraged when deviant members of our society perpetrate it Or rather we appear to be selectively shocked and thus selectively also outraged by corruption –depending on who is committing the offense, or who by its commission benefits. Just as we also appear to be selectively outraged by the mayhem and the wanton bloodletting that currently threaten our communities. Just now we are in profuse condemnation of some conducts, and just now we are in wanton let, or even defense, of others. When it is auspicious to play the victims of aggression we know all the theatrics necessary to criminalize even the silence of our political enemies. And when it is expedient to be the aggressors, we know all the law in the books to justify our right to bay for the blood of the enemy.

In fact how we are easily able to be disproportionately –rather than collectively- shocked or outraged by the unspeakable conducts of the deviant members of our society, should provide fresh grounds for the theorizing adventure of social scientists. Our situation especially in Nigeria provides a middle –even if more insidious- ground between the collectively unconscionable and the collectively conscienceless

society. We are a cross between two undesirables because we are adept at playing only the ‘collectively hypocritical society’. In fact, how we are able to be boisterously shocked and outraged by a thing in the morning, and yet be equally amorously in bed with it at night, can only be exciting to the Durkheims of this world who apprehend it as a subject of academic enquiry and not as an existential problem to live with.

And this ‘collective hypocrisy’ is not helped by the fact that Nigeria is are already the ‘anomic’ nation also of Emile Durkheim’s other – no less self harming- theory of the ‘normless’ society; the acute state which he said a society inevitably finds itself after a long period of total breakdown of its normative and moral values. Durkheim called this situation ‘the state of normlessness’.

It is the stage at which deviance and crime appear to upstage law and order so much that the patently abnormal begins to assume the garb of normality. It is the state when the law because it obviously can do no right at all, it therefore imposes it as a duty on itself not to attempt to bar any wrong. The anomic society of Durkheim’s description is epitomized by a surfeit of laws existing in statute –but not in action.

Shakespeare, in his tragic-comic play ‘Measure For Measure’ likens it to “an overgrown lion in a cave that goes not out to prey” –so that over time the king becomes more mocked at than feared. The anomic state is the stage Shakespeare said, when “Liberty plucks Justice by the nose”.

A nation which regresses from its ‘season of anomie’ (apologies to Soyinka), to one that is also unable to nurse a collective conscience, is the ultimate ‘failed state’. Such a nation cannot be shocked or outraged by the deviant conduct of its conscienceless or unconscionable members. What else will shock or outrage a nation that has seen Boko Haram at its beastliest -slaughtering or roasting innocent human beings alive, or burning and bombing places of worship in which innocent, harmless, faithful have merely gathered to say doxology to God even for their longsuffering? Or what else will shock or outrage a nation that has seen bandits, outlaws, marauders,

gangsters and brigands at their beastliest, invading defenseless village communities setting on fire huts and barns, farms and farmlands and killing one and all –men and women, young and old, -including ripping the stomachs of pregnant women, perhaps in mockheroic determination to reach the very jugular of innocence itself (the unformed human, an inchoate foetal right in the artistic hand of the creator), and by driving a dagger in its chest, perhaps to say to God ‘Nope! This one is staying back!’

Or what else will shock or outrage a nation if what happened at Auna recently did not, where bandits would set a bus (filled with strange, harmless innocent passengers) on fire, and they would wait so patiently to see it burn out, so that even when one of the hapless women in the bus threw her baby out in the hope that it might survive what was about to consume her, the bandits –with such terribly murderous animus that one cannot just understand- would throw the puny, innocent child back in the burning bus, to roast with its mother?

If these are not horrendous enough to unite our disparately selective consciences into one common hub of united outrage, one wonders, what else can? In fact how we are able to carry on as if nothing is amiss while such gory, barbaric acts take place almost every minute, speaks volume about our incapacity to nurse a collective conscience in Nigeria. Or maybe you wonder whether, the collective conscience of a people, with time, after a surfeit of gory spectacles and horrible occurrences, loses its critical vigor, so that what, at some time in the past, had shocked, horrified or outraged it, may no longer evince even a modicum of empathy from it. When then may we come out of this chasm? The abyss that we have trapped ourselves in, of collective consciencelessness?

DAN Dan GAYE gaye

FG: DISCOs have failed, incapable of power supply -News

Sack them!

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