Wednesday, July 28, 2021 Edition

Wednesday, July 28, 2021/ Dhuʻl-Hijjah 18, 1442 AH

Vol. 37 No. 017 N200

2639 Days after Malam Wada Maida (1950-2020), founding Chairman, Board of the Peoples Media Limited

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The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

COVID-19: NCDC records 213 new infections, 2 deaths PAGE 6

Kidnappers of Kaduna traditional ruler demand N100m ransom

page 7

New wigs during the 2021 Call to Bar in Abuja yesterday

MPC: Why we retained interest rate at 11. 5% - CBN FCT: Mpape residents 681 law school get 2-week notice of students fail 2021 Bar final exams demolition pAGE 21

pAGE 5

Pension fund hits N12.66trn – PenCom pAGE 4

>>PG 19

Gombe imposes 24-hour curfew on Balanga LG communities pAGE 5

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

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

2023: PDP Governors want NASS to allow e-transmission of elections’ results From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

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he People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum on Monday called on the National Assembly to entrench electronic transmission of elections’ results in the Nigerian electoral jurisprudence.

The governors made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of the 11th meeting held in Bauchi on Monday.

The governors said they identified with the need for a free,

fair and credible elections in the country.

The meeting requested Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which the governors described as “the only body empowered by the Constitution to conduct elections”, to deploy appropriate technologies necessary to ensure that the votes of every Nigerian is counted and made to count.

“The meeting further called on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), especially, the Universal Service Provision

Fund (USPF), Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Telephone Companies (Telcos) and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that universal access and service of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are provided especially in rural, un-served and under-served areas of the country before the 2023 general elections,” the communiqué added.

The PDP Governors’ Forum condemned the attempt to foist one method of conducting primaries, that is direct method only, on all

political parties through the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, submitting that, “the method is prone to massive rigging, as evidenced by a situation where President Buhari scored about 15 million votes in the 2018 APC direct primaries only to score 15 million votes from the entire country in the 2019 general election.”

The governors, therefore, advised that political parties, should be allowed to decide whether to use direct or indirect method of conducting primaries as part of internal democracy in political parties.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

News

Ag News Editor, Tobias Lengnan Dapam Vaccines, digital infrastructure will ther by the phone calls that have cations against the Claimant.

The PDP National Chair- trailed the said publications, which prosper Africa man is also asking for the sum of calls were put across to the claimant N5,000,000,000.00 (Five Billion by his Pastors, Governors, Sena- – WTO, U.S Naira) only, being general damages tors, Honourable Members of both

Secondus slams N5b libel suite against Afegbua

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

T

he National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has dragged the former Edo state Commissioner for Information, Prince Kassim Afegbus to a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Abuja claiming N5 billion among others for libelous publications against him.

In the case, Prince Secondus is claiming that the allegation by Prince Afegbua, published by several media establishments within and outside the country, saying that he misappropriated the sum of ten billion naira (10 billion) belonging to the PDP libeled him as nothing of such happened.

In the writ of summons filed by Emeka Etiaba, SAN, against Prince Afegbua, Media Trust Ltd and the Sun Publishing Ltd, Prince Secondus is seeking a declaration of the court that the Prince Afegbua have failed to prove that the Peoples Democratic Party generated the sum of N10, 000, 000, 000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) from sale of

nomination forms and/or other sources since 2017.

Other are: *A Declaration that the publications complained against are false and malicious. *A Declaration that the false and malicious publications made by the Defendants against the Claimant (the subjectmatter of this Suit) is Defamatory. *And an order of this court directing the defendants to publish a written apology in all the News and Social media platforms including but not limited to the Daily Trust Newspaper, Daily Sun Newspaper, This Day Newspaper, The Guardian Newspaper, Punch Newspaper, Pilot, New Telegraph, The Nation, Nigerian Television Authority, African Independent Television, Channels Television among others where the defamatory materials were published and in particular, the 2nd and 3rd defendants’ Newspapers. *An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents and privies from further making the defamatory publi-

for the humiliation, castigation, vilification, attack of the Claimant’s integrity and person by the defamatory publications.

Prince Secondus further claims that the publications are false and the said publications which the 1st Defendant knows to be false have brought him to odium and have seriously challenged his right standing in the society as a trustworthy character.

Prince Secondus also noted that the libelous publications have been read by prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party, members of the Public (both Nigerians and non-Nigerians) as they were published in several news and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others operating both in Nigeria and in the whole world.

He said that the fact that the publications were read by the general public has been confirmed fur-

the House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly, Commissioners and many prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party nationwide have portrayed his personality in bad light Secondus stated in the case that in the estimation of the right thinking or reasonable members of the public whose perception of him are that he is a person of fraudulent character, a person lacking in sincerity and integrity; person with greedy character; an incompetent personality in management of such an exalted office of the National Chairman of the PDP; an evil and untrustworthy person; and a person not worthy of public trust.

Before going to court Prince Secondus had through his counsel Emeka Etiaba SAN written to Prince Afegbua to retract the publication and apologize, but he refused.

Gombe Governor mourns prominent Suya Spot owner, Alkasim Page 10 Environment 25 Feature

26

Sports

30-31

Back Page

Kaduna State refutes allegations of suspended resumption of schools

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L-R: CEO MFF Housing, Mr. Sam Odia; Promoter of the Abuja International Housing Show, Mr Festus Adebayo; Minister of State Works and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu and Minister of State Works and Housing Republic of Ghana, Hon. Freda Prempeh, during the opening of the Abuja International Housing Show, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna L-R: Special Adviser to Borno State Governor on Trade and Investment, Barr. Basher Maidugu; of the Abuja International Housing Show, Mr Festus Adebayo; Minister of State Works and Housing, Abubakar Aliyu and Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Shelter Afrique, Mr. Andrew Chimphondah, during the opening of 15th Abuja International Housing Show, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

42 State House staff take Oath of Secrecy

T

he Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar on Tuesday in Abuja warned staff that disclosing confidential information without authorisation will attract penalties under the public service rules.

He stated this at the administration of Oath of Secrecy and Declaration of Secrecy to 42 staff of the State House, administered by Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court.

A statement by the Assistant Director of Information, State House, Patience Tilley Gyado said

the Permanent Secretary explained that the oaths were administered to staff members who handle classified documents. ‘‘We discovered that due to deployment of officers and retirement a number of our staff need to be placed under the radar so that they will be aware that their jobs, the kind of documents or information they are handling from day to day and beyond, are so important and must be safeguarded. ‘‘That’s the reason we decided to do the needful by administering the Oath of Secrecy, highlighting the

importance of letting them know what information they are managing and the consequences of the breach of such information,’’ he said.

A according to the statement, the Permanent Secretary, who disclosed that the exercise will be continuous, expressed delight that so far the State House has not recorded any breach of information. ‘‘We have not had any breach.

We don’t anticipate having any breach. ‘‘But then it’s our duty to let them understand that if there is any, there will be consequences

after investigations and that also includes after they have retired from the Civil Service,’’ he said.

Before the administration of the Oaths, Mr Tukur Yahaya, the Director of Special Services Department, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, took the staff through sensitization, explaining the essence of the Official Secrets Act, 1962. ‘‘The essence of this exercise is to ensure the safety and security of government information, documents and facilities,’’ he said.

K

aduna State Government has refuted the reports that resumption of schools across the state was suspended indefinitely.

The State Commissioner for Education Shehu Usman

Muhammad stated this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna, yesterday.

The statement stated that the attention of the Ministry of Education was drawn to a fake news report in circulation, alleging that the state government has suspended the resumption

of schools across the state until further notice.

“The purported report attributed to the Governor, Nasir El-Rufai further declared that he stated it while addressing a stakeholders’ meeting on Monday, due to the ongoing aggressive military operation against bandits

in most parts of the state.

“The Ministry of Education wishes to inform the public that the information is false and lack any basis as the Governor was neither in a meeting with stakeholders nor made any disclosure of such nature to anyone.”

Buhari lauds Nigeria’s relations with Spain, Qatar

By Egena Sunday Ode

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igeria values ties with her long time allies, and will continue to lubricate the relationships, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The President spoke Monday at State House, Abuja, while receiving the outgoing Ambassadors of Spain, and The State of Qatar, in separate audiences, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said in a statement on

Monday.

To His Excellency, Marcelino Cabanas Ansorena, President Buhari said Spain would ever remain relevant in the developed world, noting that Nigeria was glad to be in relationship with such country in the areas of trade, technology, education, and other spheres of life. “Generation after generation, we have been together, and we will continue to build on the relationship, “ the President was quoted to have said.

Ambassador Ansorena disclosed

that his four years in Nigeria were pleasurable ones, adding that relations between the countries “continue to be excellent.”

He promised to be a new Ambassador of Nigeria to Spain, pledging that his country would continue to invest more in agriculture, food processing, and fight human trafficking.

The outgoing Ambassador commended Nigeria’s democracy, saying it has consolidated, “and will continue to grow.”

To His Excellency, Abdulaziz Mubarak Al Muhanadi, the outgoing Ambassador of The State of Qatar, President Buhari said relations between the two countries have been strong and credible, particularly as oil producing nations.

He noted that the two countries were closely related, and the ties would be maintained, according to the statement by Adesina.

The Ambassador thanked the President for the support extended to him, to make his tour of duty successful.

T

he World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations say access to vaccines, digital infrastructure and women and youth inclusion will propel economic prosperity in Africa.

This was disclosed in a virtual conversation entitled: “It’s Your Turn! Africa’s Recovery Talk Series” hosted by Mrs Vera Songwe, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on Monday.

High-level participants at the conversation were: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the UN. Okonjo-Iweala said Africa was doing well before the COVID-19 and gave an all-African approach to driving prosperity on the continent.

She said “We have to talk of one important thing that will bring Africa back on that sustainable path and that is the vaccine inequity.

“The second is youths and digital. Our youths are our resource and more that 40 per cent of them are on the internet doing amazing things, starting amazing businesses.

“I am very hopeful that if we can encourage our youths and improve our digital infrastructure, digitise our trade even, that can help.

“The other is women and micro, medium and small enterprises inclusion. If we can empower our women and get liquidity to our micro, medium and small enterprises and both work in tandem, because about 50 per cent of many of these enterprises are owned by women, I think that will help us propel a recovery.”

The WTO director-general lauded efforts of African governments in their responses to the all-African approach to the pandemic and in regional governance.

“It shows we can act as one and many innovations are put in place.

“All of these gave us the leverage we needed to dialogue with the rest of the world and think it will result in more vaccines in the next few months. A continental approach is the first thing,” she noted.

She also commended efforts of the UNECA in adding resources and liquidity on the continent.

“One thing that you have started in the UNECA, you are trying to put in place a liquidity and sustainability facility to get to start a repurchase market on the continent, which we do not have, so we have a way of increasing demand of our sovereign bonds, bringing down the price making liquidity more available on the continent.

“That will put additional resources into the pockets and the revenues of our governments and that can help us drive prosperity,” she emphasised.

Meanwhile, Thomas-Greenfield stressed that the issue of prosperity equaled the future and hope for Africa.

She said “The U.S. sees this as an essential step in achieving our goals that if there is a prosperous Africa, we are all successful. That means ensuring multilateral vaccine response to the pandemic.” (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

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News

Minister urges diaspora group to counter false narratives about Nigeria

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

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he Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has called on the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) to help counter the false narratives by secessionist groups, insurgents and anarchists who portray Nigeria in a bad light.

The Minister made the call in Abuja on yesterday when he received members of NIDO, UK Chapter, on a courtesy visit.

“As an organized and well connected group, I implore NIDO to leverage its contacts in government circles, parliamentary groups and global think tanks in world capitals to help change the narrative and sweep the carpet off the feet of secessionist groups, insurgents and anarchists who are bent on pushing false narratives to portray Nigeria in bad light. ‘’I have no doubt that you will take this call seriously and do everything in your power to change the narrative for the better,” he said.

This was contained in statement signed and issued by Segun Adeyemi Special Assistant To The President (Media) Office of The Minister of Information and Culture.

Mohammed said the Buhari Administration considers Nigerians in Diaspora as critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project, hence has done the unprecedented by establishing the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) which, he said, has been doing a good job in coordinating and providing an organized system of collaborations of Nigerians in Diaspora.

He slammed some Nigerians in Diaspora who are helping to fund the nefarious activities of secessionist groups that are campaigning around the world to propagate their fake narratives about the country.

“Instead of contributing their own quota, all you hear from a section of Nigerians in Diaspora and their allies back home are fake narratives and untrue allegations of religious persecution, political marginalization, human rights abuses, etc. These are baseless and false,” the Minister said.

Acknowledging that Nigeria is facing some challenges including dwindling revenue, he said in spite of the challenges, the Administration has recorded tremendous achievements in the area of infrastructure - roads, rail, power, housing, dams, etc. and agriculture, where the country is closer than ever to achieving selfsufficiency in major staples.

Alhaji Mohammed also listed the fight against corruption, which the Administration is prosecuting in an institutionalized manner, as well as the revamping of the economy, especially through diversification, as some of the achievements of the Buhari Administration.

Pension fund hits N12.66trn – PenCom

T

he National Pension Commision (PenCom) said pension fund assets had risen to N12.66 trillion as at June 30, with contributors under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) hitting the 9.38 million mark.

The Director General, PenCom , Mrs Aisha DahirUmar, said this at the 2021 Journalists Workshop held on Monday in Lagos, with the theme: Positioning the Pension Industry in the Post COVID-19 Era. Dahir-Umar, represented

by Mr Peter Aghahowa, Head, Corporate Communication, PenCom, noted that the consistent growth trajectory justified the commission’s overriding investment philosophy of ensuring the safety of pension fund assets.

She assured pension stakeholders that the implementation of the CPS

remained on course.

Dahir-Umar stated that the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a review of business processes across various organisations, which made it imperative for the commision to deepen technology innovation.

“COVID-19 has engendered socio-economic disruptions of the entire global order, with multifarious challenges in conducting hitherto routine activities.

“It was, therefore, imperative for the commission to deepen technological innovation to navigate through the challenges imposed by the pandemic.

“The most recent technological innovation introduced by the commission is the in-house designed and developed online enrolment application.

“The application has

capabilities to register, verify and enroll prospective retirees of Treasury-Funded Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),” she said.

According to her, by the deployment of this new application, mass gathering of people has been avoided while enhancing convenience for the prospective retirees through a seamless enrolment process.

The DG mentioned that another notable technological innovation by the commission was the design and deployment of the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) Transfer System (RTS), which was launched in November 2020.

She emphasised that public enlightenment and education was one of the five strategic focus areas currently pursued by the commission.

“This is considered germane considering that 17 years after the pension reform in Nigeria, there still exists a knowledge gap on the CPS. “Consequently, the commission is committed to reinvigorating its public enlightenment and education drive in order to address this challenge,” she said.

According to her, other strategic focus areas of PenCom include the resolution of outstanding pension liabilities of the Federal Government; portfolio diversification of pension fund investments.

She also mentioned improvement in customer service delivery across the pension industry and unrelenting pursuit of sustainable growth of the pension industry by expanding the coverage of the CPS. (NAN)

(From right): The Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, his daughter, Saarah Asabi Na’Allah, when she got married to Lukman Adewale Faniyi (left ) in Ilorin, Kwara State over the weekend.

PDP berates Buhari for travelling to London for virtual meeting By Folorunso Abuja

T

Alagbede,

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as appalling that President Muhammadu Buhari could deploy the nation’s resources to travel to London for the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021-2025, when the meeting is scheduled to be virtual.

The PDP also berated the Buhari presidency for trying to hide his private appointment with his doctors under the virtual meeting apparently in a bid to launder his consistent failure to honour his pre-2015 campaign promise not to embark

on medical tourism, if elected President.

The main opposition party said these in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja.

The party insisted that President Buhari has no justification to travel to faraway London, since the meeting is virtual meeting or for a medical checkup, which he could have done at home, if his administration “had not wrecked our healthcare system”.

According to the PDP, “Mr. President’s action has confirmed the stand by majority of Nigerians that he is wasteful, thinks only about himself and cares less about millions

of our citizens, who do not have access to foreign medical treatment, but who are dying on daily basis because the Buhari administration has crippled our health sector.

“It is disheartening that while Mr. President is spending tax payers’ money relishing the expertise of London doctors and the luxury of medical facilities in that country, millions of Nigerians are dying in decrepit medical facilities at home.

“Moreover, is it not atrocious that Mr. President is more interested in going to London for a virtual education summit when hundreds of students, who ought to be beneficiaries of the meeting, are languishing in kidnappers’ dens, with the

Buhari administration taking no concrete steps to rescue them and end incessant abduction of students in Nigeria?

“Indeed, there is no way history will be kind with President Buhari, as he has always wished, if he continue in his manner of thinking only about his needs at the expense of the generality of Nigerians.

“Our party however urges Nigerian not to resign to despondency in the face of such incompetent, selfish and insensitive Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, but to remain resilient in rallying on the platform of the PDP to rescue our nation from misrule”, the statement concluded.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

Zamfara Police debunks abduction of 60 Commuters From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

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amfara State Police Command has dismissed reports by both conventional and social media that 60 passengers were abducted while returning from Abuja along Gusau-Sokoto road last week Sunday.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Command’s Spokesman, SP Shehu Mohammed which viewed it as inaccurate and a calculated attempt by some mischief makers to create fear and apprehension into the minds of the general public, especially the commuters.

The statement further stated that, “On Sunday 25th July, 2021, large number of armed bandits blocked a Toyota Bus Vehicle, blonging to Sokoto State Mass Transit and abducted eleven Passengers who were travelling from Sokoto-Abuja along SokotoGusau road in Bakura local government area.

“Police Tactical operatives attached to Operation Restore Peace were alerted, and they quickly mobilized to the location and dislodged the hoodlums who blocked many vehicles for abduction during which the road was instantly cleared for motorists and other road users and reinforced more Police Operatives to improve the security and safety of the commuters.

“In the course of mopping up the scene, a Toyota Bus Vehicle belonging to Sokoto State Mass Transit was sighted empty and it was revealed that eleven passengers including the driver were abducted and taken to the bush before the arrival of the Police.

“The Operatives further embarked on search and rescue operation in the surrounding bush with a view to rescuing the kidnapped victims. Two persons who were left far behind with other hoodlums were abandoned by their captors for fear of being neutralised by the Police Operatives, the remaining nine victims were taken to the forest.

“The Command is currently employing various search and rescue strategies aimed at rescuing the victims safely, in view of which the Command enjoined members of the public to disregard the abduction of 60 people. On the other hand, members of the press are urged to always verify the authenticity of any information that comes their way before going to the public”, the statement added.

News

681 law students fail 2021 Bar final examinations T

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

he Nigerian Law School, yesterday informed that 618 intending lawyers that sat for the December 2020, Bar final examinations, failed.

The school also revealed that the law graduates of National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, would be permitted to do special remedial course at the Nigerian Law School, going forward.

Breaking down the general performance, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isah Chiroma, said out of 1,561students who participated in the examination, a total of 880 passed while 682 students failed.

Equally admitted into the Bar on the day-one of the Call to Bar were 4 candidates from previous Bar Final Examinations.

He said: “The Council of Legal Education, Nigerian Law School have been receiving commendations from stakeholders and the general public for offering Admissions to Law graduates of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for special remedial course.

“I am also to respectfully inform you all that the programme will commence on Monday June 28, 2021 at the Nigerian Law School Headquarters, Bwari, Abuja”.

In his address, the Chairman of Body of Benchers, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, implored the new wigs to always uphold the tenets of the rule of law where ever they found themselves.

“As members of a learned and noble profession, you will be required to carry out your duties in a professional manner. This

entails demonstrating a high sense of civility, honesty, integrity and compliance with laid clown rules and regulations. You must commit yourself to the fair administration of justice and to doing your part in facilitating true access to justice.

“Once again, I extend my sincere congratulations to all the new wigs and formally address you as my learned Friends.

Always remember how much you have labored in time past and the sacrifices your loved ones have made for you to succeed and strive to exhibit the highest sense of responsibility which the legal profession is known for all over the world. Having achieved this milestone, may your lives be forever enriched,” Justice RhodesVivour stated.

He warned that the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary

Committee, LPDC, would not hesitate to wield the big stick against any lawyer whose conduct “negate the sacrosanct standards of the profession or amount to infamous conduct in a professional respect”.

“The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee has been carrying out its mandate in a just and fair manner without giving rooms for compromise, affection or ill-will.

“From January to July 2021, three lawyers were disbarred, six lawyers were suspended (ranging from two years to four) and one lawyer was admonished.

“You are therefore advised to be of good behaviour and abide by the ethics and tradition of the profession to avoid being brought before the Committee”, Justice Rhodes-Vivour added.

Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola (L) during the inspection of the ongoing Construction of fly over bridge at Makun Ishagamu on Lagos-Ibadan Express-way on Tuesday (27/7/21).

Gombe imposes 24-hour curfew on communities in Balanga LG From: David Hassan, Gombe

F

ollowing renewed communal violence that erupted between Lunguda and Waja ethnic groups in Balanga Local Government Area, the Gombe State Government has imposed a 24

hour curfew on some communities, including Nyuwar, Jessu, Heme, Yolde Gelentuku, Sikam, WalaLunguda and environs with immediate effect.

This is according to a statement issued yesterday by by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director-General ( Press

Affairs) of Government House Gombe .The Secretary to the State Government, Prof.

Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, who made the announcement, said the decision followed renewed violence that erupted in the communities earlier

yesterday.

According to the SSG, the curfew became necessary to restore peace and order in the affected areas.

He said security personnel have been deployed to restore normalcy while the curfew will subsist until further notice.

Tambuwal commissions new extension of Bauchi Government House From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

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he Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

has commissioned a new extension of Bauchi Government House built by Governor Bala Mohammed.

Commissioning the building was part of the activities slated before

the commencement of PDP Governors Forum meeting in Bauchi.

He commended the Bauchi State Governor for executing a legacy project that will improve government workers by

extension improving the living standard of Bauchi State citizens and Nigeria through good governance.

Tambuwal lamented that the bad governance of the federal government

is affecting Nigerians.

He said that all the PDP governors across the country are performing in their various states even as he called on Nigerians to always pray for them.

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

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News

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

News

Kidnappers of Kaduna raditional ruler demand N100m ransom From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he kidnappers of the paramount ruler of the Ham people, Kopp Ham, Danladi Gyet Maude of Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna , have placed a N100 million ransom for his release.

A source close to the Palace confirmed that the kidnappers reached the family on phone yesterday morning where they placed their demand before the traditional ruler could regain his freedom.

The 83-year old paramount ruler was on Monday abducted at his farm situated along KwoiKeffi highway.

The abducted monarch was said to be in the company of his security aides when the kidnappers stormed the farm at about 2 pm and took him away.

However, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, assured that the Kaduna Police Command was in touch with the Nasarawa Police Command on the matter.

We ‘ll always look at aggressive measures to protect human rights, Ojukwu vows

By Albert Akota

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he Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Tony Ojukwu has said that the commission will always look at every aggressive measures to protect human rights in Nigeria.

The NHRC boss who disclosed this yesterday during official unveiling of the human rights Africa international pageant, said that new and innovative ways of getting the gospel of human rights into nook and cranny of the county and Africa as a whole is not negotiable.

Ojukwu who used the opportunity to signed memorandum of understanding with Human Rights Africa International Pageant (THRAIP) said the pageantry is a reality show that aims at showcasing human rights culture throughout the Africa continent, targeting the youths as well serve as a platform for human rights sensitization and

Some women buying sweet Melon at Railway Station Market in kaduna on Tuesday (27/7/21).

Nigerian youths need more vocational training, skills acquisitionNIHOTOUR

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Director General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Nura Kangiwa said Nigerian youths need more vocational training and skills acquisition that will make them gainfully employable.

He made this know during Skills Acquisition and Empowerment of Youths and Women in Arts and Crafts at the Oshogbo Campus of the Institute.

Kangiwa, represented by the Director Research and Development and General Studies of the Institute,Dr. Taiwo Famogbiyele, said self-employed and self-reliant, is the surest way to curb unemployment in the country.

COVID-19: NCDC records 213 new infections, 2 deaths

Osinbajo wants justice to embrace technology and innovation

Okowa congratulates African Poetry Prize winner, Othuke Umukoro

Contribute toward surmounting developmental challenges, Okowa charges appointees

N

igeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) recorded 213 additional new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 171, 324, as of July 26, 2021.

The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Tuesday morning.

The health agency also stated that it recorded two COVID-19 related deaths on Monday, while additional nine people recovered

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

G

overnor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has congratulated budding poet, Othuke Umukoro, for emerging winner of Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2021.

Okowa’s felicitation with the Olomoro in Isoko South of Delta-born poet was conveyed in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika in

from the virus, as of July 26, 2021.

It added that the new infections were recorded in 12 states, namely: Lagos-157, Rivers-20, Plateau-12, Enugu-6, Oyo-6, Gombe-3, Bauchi-2, Imo2, Kaduna-2, Edo-1, Ekiti-1, and Ogun-1.

It noted that since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease in the country on Feb. 27, 2020, a total of 2,134 persons lost their lives, while 164,798 recovered from the

Asaba.

He described Umukoro, a teacher, as one of Nigeria’s brightest exports to the literary world, noting that the global community was yet to see the best from him.

The governor lauded the University of Ibadan graduate for his brilliant contribution to poetry genre and for bringing honour and fame to himself and to Delta.

“On behalf of the government

virus and discharged from health centres across the country.

NCDC added that a multisectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 2, had continued to coordinate the national response activities.

It stated that the country tested more than 2.4 million samples for the virus and had detected 10 COVID-19 Delta variant, recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as

and people of Delta, I congratulate Mr Othuke Umukoro for winning the $3,000-Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2021.

“As a state, we are particularly proud of your great accomplishment and it is our prayer that you work harder to win more laurels in the near future. ``We also pray that you will be a good model to young people in our State, and that you spare

a variant of concern, given its increased transmissibility.

The variant had been detected in over 100 countries and may spread further.

The variant has also been linked to a surge in cases in countries where it is the dominant strain in circulation.

There are ongoing studies to understand the impact of the variant on existing vaccines and therapeutics.(NAN)

some time to mentor those that your attainment will inspire,” Okowa said.

Umukoro was chosen from a shortlist of eight poets, including Gambia’s Kweku Abimbola, Uganda’s Arao Ameny, South Africa’s Isabelle Baafi, Somalia’s Asmaa Jama, Lesotho’s Tumello Motabola and compatriots Oluwadare Popoola and Yomi Sode.

FCT minister charges pilgrims not to return to Nigeria untransformed

By Albert Akota

T

he Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Bello has

education right for the living.

He reiterated that the pageant is on beauty of knowledge, ideas and intellect, where knowledge in all areas of human rights will promote and protect through drama and skills, as a way of increasing the knowledge and understanding of human rights amongst the viewers of TV and other social media handles where the pageant will be streamed.

He noted that implementing the project will not only benefiting the individual citizens of Nigeria in particular but will also be contributing to the fulfillment of major obligations and commitment of the county in the realm of human rights in Africa and the world at large.

Speaking earlier, princess Barbara Amaka founder, House of Eden said that human rights Africa international pageant has fundamental aims to promote a more efficacious human rights culture all across Africa.

charged intending pilgrims to Kingdom of Jordan not to return to Nigeria same but pray fervently for peace of the nation.

The Minister who stated this

yesterday during second flag- off ceremony of 2020 main pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Jordan at Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport Abuja, implored them not

to consider pilgrimage to Jordan as tourism but opportunity to pray for the peace of Nigeria, transformation and development as well smooth coexistence among Nigerians.

The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Oluseade Adesola urged the pilgrims to always pray.

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

V

ice President Yemi Osinbajo said the Nigerian justice system must embrace technology and innovation for efficient service delivery.

Osinbajo said technology is imperative for the evolution of the profession and national development.

The vice president revealed this in a statement by his spokesman Laolu Akande on Monday in Abuja.

He said when he delivered a pre-recorded speech as a guest speaker at the 2021 Annual Law Week of the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

The theme of the event is “Disruption, innovation and the bar”.

Osinbajo said technology and innovation would ensure that the country’s justice delivery mechanism is based on a system of enforceable and discernible laws and effective institutions.

The vice president said the country’s justice

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday, charged political appointees in his administration to contribute to efforts of the state government in surmounting socio-economic and developmental challenges confronting the state.

Okowa gave the charge while swearing in eight new Special Advisers at the Government House, Asaba.

He remarked that appointments made by him so far were not to fulfill requirement of Section 196 of the Constitution, but was a deliberate effort at bringing into governance, men and women of impeccable character and vast knowledge on how to tackle unemployment, poverty, anti-social vices, suspicion and distrust.

“I expect concrete, measurable inputs

system could support essential investments in the current vibrant economy.

“Questions should also be asked about preparing our profession to engage in new markets as presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA).

“Nigerian banks and financial services are already crossing borders in Africa, acquiring banks in several African countries.

“Thus, AfCTA will open up new cross-border business opportunities, and our profession should pay attention to the rules of engagement for legal services and how they can propel our business. “ Innovation in Nigeria’s legal profession requires urgency to fit into the world that thrives on the knowledge-based economy and jobs threatened by digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI), VP says .

He cited the example of how the continuous improvement in the quality of smartphone cameras has disrupted global digital camera sales.

from everyone of the new set of appointees as I do of all that came before them.

“It has been my observation that many appointees, all too frequently, are content to bask in the prestige of the office without really proffering ideas and concepts to the many developmental problems that confront us,” the governor said.

He stated that his administration believed that the stability, peaceful coexistence and prosperity of the state depended on the ability to run an allinclusive government peopled by men and women that could oil the wheel of Stronger Delta vision.

He added that the state was driven by a strong, diversified, resilient economy, transparency, effective public communication, community engagement and excellent service delivery.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

PAGE 8

News

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board (Amendment) Act, 2021.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday 26th July 2021 signed the Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board (Amendment) Act Cap. O10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for the establishment of the Orthopedic Hospital Jos Plateau State..

The Hospital which is under the control of the Orthopedic Hospitals Management Board, will be affiliated to the University teaching hospital Jos and will provide specialised orthopedic

PAGE 9

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

Wase applaud Buhari for signing Jos orthopaedic hospital bill treatment and medical services.

Recall that the House of Representatives had on 24 March 2021 approved the amendment of the Orthopaedic Hospitals Management Board Laws to provide for the establishment of Orthopaedic Hospital in Jos. The bill which was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon Ahmed Idris Wase will provide specialised orthopedic treatment and other medical services.

Speaking when he received the executive governor of

Plateau who was in his house to comisarates with him over the death of his elder sister Hajia Maryam, who passed on recently, the Deputy Speaker said the orthopedic hospital would bring a relief to the people of Plateau and the entire people of north central and northeast geopolitical zones.

The Deputy Speaker further said “on behalf of the good people of Plateau state, I wish to sincerely thank His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari for assenting to the bill and the executive

governor of Plateau state, his excellency Dr. Simon Bako Lalong for his untiring support in the processes that led to the passage and signing of this bill.

Earlier in his remarks, Governor Lalong said he received the cheering news of the President’s assent to the amended Act with excitement and profound gratitude because of the impact it will have not only on the people of Plateau State, but the entire neighbouring States.

Lalong also praised the Deputy Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Rt. Hon. Idris Wase for sponsoring the bill and following through with its passage and assent.

He thanked the leadership of the National Assembly, members of the Plateau caucus in the National Assembly and other legislators who played a great role in supporting the passage of the amended Act. He assured of the cooperation of the Plateau State Government towards the successful take off and operations of the Orthopaedic Hospital.

FCT: Gwagwalada APC flag bearer visits Abdulmalik, Dobi during Sallah

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2022 Area Council election in Gwagwalada of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has paid Sallah homage to the Chairman of APC in the FCT, Alhaji Abdulmalik Usman as well as the former lawmaker representing Abuja South Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi at their respective homes.

The Gwagwalada APC flagbearer was accompanied by the party members / supporters to Dagiri and Dobi.

In their separate responses, Abdulmalik and Dobi thanked Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri for the visit.

Both Dobi and Abdulmalik charged the APC members/ supporters to work for the victory of the party in 2022 Area Council Chairmanship election in the area.

In a similar development, the youths, elders and women of Anguwan Azara in Gwagwalada Area Council had visited the Honorable Abubakar Jibrin Giri at his residence.

The APC youths chairman of Anguwan Azara, Mr. Sani Ali said the purpose of the visit was to congratulate the Gwagwalada APC flagbearer for winning the party primary.

He pointed out that the youths, elders and women who are members of the party declared their support for the APC chairmanship candidate.

L-R: The First Black Member of the Polish Parliament, Hon. John Abraham Godson, The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, wife of the First Black Polish Parliamentarian, Chief Mrs Miriam Godson and the coordinator Nigerian Diaspora Summit Initiative, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, during the 2021 Nigerian Diaspora day ceremony, held recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

UBEC inaugurates anti corruption unit, partners ICPC

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

T

he Universal basic Education Commission (UBEC) in the fight against corruption, inaugurated Anti Corruption and Transparency Unit in partnership with Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (ICPC).

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr. Hammid Bobboyi, while inaugurating the

members of the Universal Basic Education – Anti Corruption and Transparency Unit (UBEC ACTU) said; UBEC will continue to operate within the provision of global best practices and ensure that staff continue to live above board and shun all forms of corrupt practices.

Bobboyi who was represented by the Director, Finance and Accounts, Sir Mike Aule said ‘’It is no longer secret that corruption is pervasive in Nigeria. Not only

do we experience poor service delivery and lack of due process in the conduct of Government Business in the Country, but we have penchant for embezzlement of public funds. It is in order to reverse these ugly trends that the Federal government though the ICPC set up the AntiCorruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU).

He urged the ICPC to continually assist with expert advice so UBEC can stay on

the path of sanity and fiscal discipline in the affairs of UBEC in particular and the basic education sub-sector.

The UBEC ACTU is charged with the responsibility of liaising with ICPC at all times for advice and direction, monitor and investigate all cases bordering on corrupt practices, in the discharge of their responsibilities, and report to the Executive Secretary for prompt action.

FCT: Gbessan monarch tasks muslims to imbibe spirit of togetherness

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Village Head of Gbessan Community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Alhaji Musa Yetu, has tasked the Muslims to always tolerate one another for the sake of togetherness.

Yetu, who gave the charge in an interview with Peoples Daily Correspondent during the Sallah celebration in the community, also urged the Muslims to continue to live in peace with everybody irrespective of religious inclinations.

He further called on both Muslims and Christians to deem it necessary to pray for the unity

of the country.

The Gbessan Community leader thanked the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation for distributing cow meats to the residents of the FCT during the Eid-Kabir celebration.

In another development, the Gbessan Village Head urged the married couples to always respect their husbands, as he

gave out his daughter, Princess Nama Safiya Musa for marriage.

He therefore, advised his daughter to be submissive to her husband, saying that marriage is all about mutual understanding.

Princess Nana Safiya Musa was wedded to Mallam Musa Yahaya of Chibiri Village in Kuje Area Council.

SIGNED: MANAGEMENT

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

PAGE 10

News

Gombe Governor mourns prominent Suya Spot owner, Alkasim From: Gombe

David

Hassan,

G

ombe state Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has expressed grief over the death of businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Alkasim Mai Nama, owner of prominent Suya spot in Gombe who died yesterday after a brief illness.

Governor Yahaya who led a government delegation to the funeral prayer for the late entrepreneur, described the demise of Alhaji Alkasim as a great loss to the state and its people.

He said the late Alkasim was a gentleman and great philanthropist who will be sorely missed.

The Governor, conveyed his heartfelt condolences, on behalf of the Government and people of Gombe State, to the family of the deceased and his associates, praying Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannat Firdaus.

On the Governor’s entourage at the funeral prayer were the Chief of staff, Alhaji Abubakar Inuwa Kari, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo, APC chieftain, Alhaji Buba Sharu and other aides.

Reps, families shocked as Custom dismisses killing of 5 Iseyin citizens

By Christiana Ekpa

E

motions were high on Tuesday during an investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise Duties, when Assistant Legal Adviser to the Nigeria Customs Sevice, Umar Lawal attempted to discountenance a medical doctor’s report on the cause of death of the victims of the Iseyin killing in Oyo State.

The committee has been mandated by the House to investigate the reported killing of five members of the community by

officers of the Service.

Lawal while handing over the report which stated both primary and secondary causes of death of one of the victims followed with argument that the report may have been based on hear-say, throwing relatives, and mother of one of the victims, Mrs. Akintolatan Bosede, as well as other observers into weeping at the investigative hearing.

The committee members were also taken aback by the lawyers submission that “nobody was killed” in the incident which happened on May 13,2021.

A leader of the Iseyin

community, Alhaji Rasaki Tijani who led other relatives of the victims to the hearing had earlier in his submissions, told the Hon. Leke Abejide-led committee that five members of his community were killed after 50 villages from the border, and insisted that the victims were not smugglers.

“Those killed were not smugglers. We are not saying customs or any other government agency should not do its job, but they came into the town to shoot innocent people”, he stated, He added that the officers came across all 50 towns before coming to

Isheyin, more than 200 km from the border.

He therefore appealed to committee to help, for those affected will be compensated..

Led in defence by an Acting Deputy Comptroller General, Etom Edorhe, the legal adviser however, said the incident happened when the men and officers were at a roving patrol, and intercepted two Pathfinder jeeps laden with foreign parboiled rice, made attempted arrest, but that the smugglers abandoned the vehicles, only for a mob to mobilise to the Service’s base.

T

L-R: Deputy Director/Overseer, Studies Department, NJI, Olumo Abdulazeez; Institute Secretary, NJI, Abubakar Maidama and Deputy Director/Overseer Research Department, Gilbert Tor, during the opening ceremony of the National Workshop for Registrars, Court Clerks and Bailiffs, at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

prospective retirees of treasuryfunded Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Aghahowa said PenCom would test-run the online enrolment application between Aug. 2 to 20 with selected MDAs. He stated that the MDAs would be selected across the six geopolitical zones in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Accordingly, the online enrolment application would be hosted on PenCom website : www. pencom.gov.ng.

“As a prelude to the formal deployment of the online enrolment application, PenCom would commence a pilot run of the exercise from between Aug. 2 to 20.

“This will be done with selected MDAs in the six GeoPolitical Zones and the Federal

Capital Territory (FCT) in order to test-run the application with realtime data,” he said.

He said the application would go live after a test-run on a date to be announced by the commission in due course.

The PenCom spokesperson explained that the affected retirees or prospective retirees were expected to undergo the data recapturing with their respective Pension Fund Administrators

(PFAs), as pre-requisite for the online enrolment.

Aghahowa said the data recapturing entailed updating personal details and providing National Identification Number (NIN).

“However, retirees or prospective retirees who have already undergone the data recapture excercise with their PFAs are not required to repeat the exercise,” he said. (NAN)

Benue APC commences issuance of ward nomination forms

From Uche Makurdi

T

Nnorom,

he All Progressives Congress (APC), in Benue State yesterday commenced the issuance of

PAGE 11

ward nomination forms to aspirants who are seeking various positions in the forthcoming ward congresses of the party.

According to a release signed by the State Chapter

Chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro, and made available to Peoplesdaily said payment is to be made at designated banks as prescribed by the National Secretariat.

The party urged all

stakeholders to in compliance with the directive of the National Working Committee, hold meetings in their various wards and arrive at consensus candidates where possible while elections would hold in

areas where no consensus has been achieved.

“Party members are to strictly adhere to the guidelines as released by the APC National Secretariat”, the statement read.

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

Passage of the PIB, at last

B

oth chambers of the Nigeria’s revenue, a move industry experts said National Assembly (parliament) at the time could put billions of dollars have passed a bill that overhauls of offshore oil investments at risk. Now nearly every aspect of the country’s oil it has changed its stance in an attempt and gas production, putting a project to balance its immediate revenue that has been in the works for two demands with the need to lock-in longdecades one step closer to presidential term investment for its oil industry. assent. It happened July 1. Legislators Key changes to the bill would lower had been hashing out details of the the royalties for new production from bill since President Muhammadu deepwater oilfields to 5% from 7.5% and Buhari presented an initial version in boost the production level that triggers September last year, but an overhaul higher royalties from 15,000 barrels per has been in the works for some 20 day (bpd) to 50,000 bpd. But company years. executives said that “terms are not The chambers had been expected sufficiently competitive to stimulate the to vote clause by clause on the more desired new investments.” They noted than 400-page long report, but instead that Nigeria got just 4% of the $70 quickly approved the full package. billion invested in sanctioned projects Each chamber made changes before in Africa between 2015 and 2019. approving the package, and the Last year, oil industry analysts had senate lowered the share of money warned Nigeria’s oil output could fall for oil-producing communities to 3% sharply without reforms. Now they are while the House approved 5%. The saying the changes to the bill “show that chambers then sat together (the government) and accepted the senate’s listened.

They recommendation. recognise the The package also includes need to attract a string of changes sought investment, by oil majors, including not just in the There is one amended royalties and Nigerian context contentious fiscal terms for oil and gas but globally in the production, and the transfer change. It is section energy transition. of state oil company NNPC’s 240 that upholds the The competition is assets and liabilities to a to be more 3% recommended going limited liability corporation intense, and this created by the bill. It also in the original bill for is a move in the divided the stakes in the host communities right direction to new NNPC Limited evenly attain and attract in place of 5% between the finance and investment.” recommended However, petroleum ministries, but they by the House of also said that not would not allow for public share sales without further Representatives. all the gas terms government approval. the bill were This will not please in Leaders agreed earlier good enough to this year to sweeten the host communities spur development, terms for oil companies in and may spark fresh which Nigeria has an effort to attract much said it wants for its unrests there. needed investment in an “decade of gas.” era of shrinking global There is one cash for fossil fuel production. The contentious change. It is section 240 country has sweetened the terms of that upholds the 3% recommended in a sweeping oil reform bill in a bid to the original bill for host communities attract much needed investment to its in place of 5% recommended by the oil industry, people closely involved House of Representatives. This will with the legislation said. not please host communities and may The proposed changes signal a shift spark fresh unrests there.

by Africa’s largest oil producer and We salute the this 9th National show the impact of an increasingly Assembly for delivering the PIB competitive environment in the in record time, after almost 20energy business after 2020’s global year delay. Warts and all, the draft oil price collapse and an expected shift legislation, if and when assented to to renewables.

by Buhari, will bring about sanity in an Nigeria in 2019 had fast-tracked industry plagued by crass corruption a law to boost its take of offshore oil and opaqueness.

“

PenCom develops automatic pre-retirement verification, enrollment application he National Pension Commission (PenCom) on Tuesday announced that it had developed an online application to automate preretirement verification and enrollment.

A statement signed by the commission’s Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Peter Aghahowa, in Lagos, said the application had the capability to register, verify and enrol

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

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OUR PEOPLE

“To be the market Chief Operating Officer place of ideas and /Editor, the leading player Hameed M. Bello, PhD in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while HEAD, ADVERT delivering value to patrick UGAMA our stakeholders”

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Dilemma of Abuja

buja is seriously faced with the problems of internal displacements. For instance, Boko Haram insurgency has displaced about 2.4million Nigerians in the Lake Chad basin of our country.

There is also many unresolved displacement issues which arise due to the jihadist violence, armed banditry, farmers-herders conflicts and many more. Nigeria’s displaced populations continue to rise as this violence and conflicts continue unabated. Therefore, as the country battles security challenges, one of its attendant consequences is the displacements of persons and Abuja is not an exception.

It is true that Nigeria’s displaced population are vulnerable, without sufficient source of livelihood, thus the burdens of provisions falls on governments. This also applies to the FCT. Though Abuja has not been affected by internal conflicts and generalized violence directly, it is the Nations capital and seat of government and so it is a city that accepts everybody and it is for everybody and the indigene of neighboring states also runs to it for succor in the period of adversity, as a result Abuja is dealing with the ongoing tasks of responding to a fluctuating but always sizeable internally displaced populations.

Some of this conflicts that has caused the need to camp the internally displaced person are conflicts over assess to land, citizenships and broader questions of identity.

Indigenous groups have always reportedly prevented settlers from having access to lands or business or assessing jobs and education.

Internal displacement in Abuja are also as a result of flooding and erosions.

For example violence between Muslims and Christians in Jos, a nearby city to Abuja in 2010, has led to influx of many to Abuja for temporal shelter and this is happening unabated since then and this numbers are increasing by the day.

In Abuja itself, the issue of adhering to the original master plans of Abuja has put many residents at risks of loosing their homes and livelihoods and this has compounded the issue of dealing with how to cater for the many internally displaced persons and this is because of the compelling needs of the governments dealing with the issue of urban slumps under the urban renewal programmes and strategies.

It is to the credit of the Minister of the FCT. and his administration that it has a resettlement plans for the IDP,s to provide alternative accommodations for the hundreds of thousands of displaced persons expended anytime there is crisis in the city or the country in general. Violent competitions for land, political power

and oil wealth especially in the Delta regions of the country, the dreaded Boko haram insurgencies and the ceding of Bakassi to cameroun has made thousands of persons moved to Abuja and without a settlement plan becomes IDP,s in Abuja.

In Abuja today, the Minister has outlined a legal and policy framework which he puts in place to oversee a comprehensive state response to the IDP,s issue. The Minister has also approved a holistic implementations of the African union protocols and conventions in dealing with the internally displaced persons in the city. The united nations conventions for the protections and assistance to the IDP,s as been implemented in Abuja through the Minister, covers all causes of displacements.

The National responsibilities of dealing with the issues of displacements lies with the governments at all levels in Nigeria and this the Minister admits in his responses to the issue of internally displaced persons. Today in Abuja, it is only when the response at the local governments is ineffective that the city administration is called upon for supports as the Minister has always put in place measures that has always made the area council equiped to deal with the IDP,s issue abinitio.

In order to cover the gap and ameliorate the plight of the internally displaced persons in Abuja, the Minister has set up a ministerial committee that he saddled with the responsibilities of drafting an IDP,s policy for the FCT to assist in registration and issuance of identity cards, prevention and reduction in terms of internal displacements, to allocate responsibilities to organs and agencies of governments, nongovernmentals and civil societies organisations. The committees work culminated in the FCT policy of displacements which was prepared, handed over to the government and adopted during this Mallam Mohammadu Musa Bello,s administration.

In the absence of a legal and institutional framework which the Minister has always advocated, provision of assistance, protections, reintegration and resettlements of IDP,s which were hitherto undertaken by organs of governments on an adhoc and reactive bases has stopped in the FCT due to the fact that the ministerial draft policy for the assistance and supports to the displaced persons has allocates responsibities to the different arms of governmental agencies for the different aspects of the short, medium and long terms response to internal displacement and the benefit are there for all to see.

Jamila Musa, Abuja

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

Opinion

The 9th NASS and Posterity

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

A

ristotle reportedly noted in his poetics, that stories should have a beginning, middle, and an end. They should have complex characters as well as a plot that incorporates a reversal of fortune and a lesson learned.

Well said by Aristotle but definitely, such rule cannot apply when writing a story about the Nigeria’s 9th National Assembly ably headed by Senator Ahmed Lawan. The reason for this assertion is barefaced. The 9th NASS is reputed for visiting Nigerians with conflicting and unexpected answers each time demand for good governance is made.

As an illustration, when the Nigeria’s Senate recently, in response to public outcry, rejected the nomination of Ms Lauretta Onochie, an aide to Mr. President, as INEC Commissioner, the nation particularly the poor masses hastily concluded that the Federal lawmakers have finally internalized what it means to be independent and legislate for the poor.

But that excitement was short-lived as the NASS through their action a few days later told Nigerians that they are never tired of controversy. This time around, the National Assembly (NASS) voted against electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A move many considered as anti-democracy and anti-people.

Qualifying the situation as a crisis is the awareness that this sloppy, floppy and slanted decision came a few days after the same 9th NASS passed the long awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which inexplicably and unexpectedly made some frustrating provisions against host communities. And at about the same time Mr.Olusegun Odebunmi, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC, sponsored before the House of Representatives a Bill for the amendment of the National Broadcasting Act (2010), otherwise referred to as the NBC Act and the Nigerian Press Council Act (1992). Bill industry watchers describe it as not only draconian in nature but laced with the capacity to silence free speech.

However, while swift and conflicting reactions, utter confusion and frustration

continues to trail the 9th NASS actions, I must underline that for reasons,none of these anti people’s legislation came to me as a surprise. The facts are there and speak for it.

But before then, let’s add context to the discourse.

Fundamentally, everyone in the National Assembly is, or ought to be, traditionally interested in the day-today existence of the average people in the country and honestly work hard to improve their lives by offering selfless service in the offices they occupy.

But contrary to this expectation, a peep at the 9th Assembly in the past two yearS will reveal that although the present 9th Assembly, going by the profile of members, is arguably filled with the best trained and most highly skilled in the history of NASS in Nigeria. But asymmetrical personal interest has not allowed them to do the job of lawmaking that will enhance the life chances of Nigerians. Indeed, one event that first raised the red flag and did so well to reveal that the present Assembly may not be allergic to controversy or scandal was the out-of-the-ordinary political interplays, and considerable uncertainties that lasted for weeks created by new and returning members of the 9th Assembly angling for principal positions in both the senate and House of Representatives.

What, however, made that situation a very curious one was that an exercise like election of principal officers which constitutionally supposed to be an internal affair within the Assembly, suddenly against all known logic got characterized by national intrigue with the ruling party, The All Progressive Congress (APC) taking time to underline the advantages, and otherwise of having a particular lawmaker in a particular position. Without any lesson learned, the exposed systematized personal interest in the 9th Assembly was amplified by the controversy that characterized the lawmakers first official assignment—the screening of the ministerial nominees that was silent on portfolios forwarded to the house by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Aside from the non attachment of portfolios rendering the senators clueless in generating relevant strategic questions for the nominees, what really caused concern among Nigerians with critical interest was the senator’s adoption of

the doctrine of ‘take a bow and go’ for the majority of the nominees that were once senators. Without minding whether they (ex-senators) are familiar with the magnitude and urgency of our problem as a nation or laced with the requisite knowledge that the ministerial positions demand to help the nation come out of its present predicament. Before the apprehension raised by the Lawan led senate not allowing Nigerians know what the Ex- Senators on the list have done in the past, currently doing, or will do when they become ministers, could settle, that of the planned purchase of the controversial SUV’s cars was up.

While Nigerians were still waiting for the commencement of governance, the leadership of the National Assembly before embarking on its eight-week recess, which ended on September 24, 2019, began moves to procure operational vehicles for the lawmakers that make up its dual legislative chambers. Essentially, while there was no question that highoffices such as the National Assembly need operational vehicles to facilitate their responsibilities, the stunning aspect of this episode going by reports is with the estimated current price of the chosen vehicle now N50 million. And the Senate needed about N5.550 billion to get enough quantity for its members.

What is considerably different is the question; how can a nation spend over N5billion on such project in a country with slow economic but high population growth? Where excruciating poverty and starvation daily drives more people into the ranks of beggars? And where so many children are presently out of school?

As if Nigerians were never tired of receiving frightening packages from the 9th Assembly, at about the same time the world leaders were standing up with sets of values that encourage listening and responding constructively to views expressed by citizens, giving others the benefits of the doubt, providing support and recognizing the interests and achievements of its citizens, the Senate came out with two Bills that critical minds and of course the global community qualified as obnoxious-the Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, and the hate speech bill. At the most basic level, while the Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani

F

abricating and spreading lies, and manipulating media into hyping so-called “evidence” for “presumption of guilt” is a common practice for the White House to slander, tarnish and oppress other countries.

The impacts of the “two-man acts” staged by Washington and relevant media organizations, including the “washing powder” lie that triggered Iraq war and the fake video of “White Helmets” that started the crisis in Syria, are still lingering today, becoming an inescapable stain of the US that reminds the world of how dangerous American hegemony is.

Today, the US is once again employing the same old trick on the serious and scientific issue of origin tracing of COVID-19, trying to pass the buck and contain the development of China by demonizing and stigmatizing the country.

Is Washington planning to make another “washing powder” lie, or fake some other “White Helmets” videos? If so, then it will not bring a single change to Washington’s failure in pandemic control, and only marks a serious underestimation of China’s resolution, willpower and capability to safeguard its interests on its way to

the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Instead of finding a way to kill the coronavirus, the White House has never stopped making and spreading the political virus to achieve self-interest and contain China’s development over the past year.

Calling COVID-19 the “China virus,” the White House instigated US officials to put the blame on China.

There was even a 57-page strategy document that taught US politicians to slander China with the pandemic. The US government made hypes of the socalled “lab leak theory,” and launched a notorious intelligence operation to force the “lab leak” on China. It also resorted to “origin sourcing terrorism,” coercing the WHO and some scientists to give up objectivity.

As a result, the second stage of the origin tracing work is deviating from science-based principles.

The US, doing everything to make and spread lies, is just trampling on human civilization and the norms governing international relations.

Over the past year, there have been nearly 35 million infections and over 610,000 deaths in the US, and the country is always trapped in a cycle of “deterioration - alleviation deterioration,” which explains that making lies hurts not only others, but also the US itself.

The WHO outlined the importance of fighting infodemic as early as February the last year, as it believes rumors would harm the global efforts in fighting COVID-19. It also established a managing board for fighting infodemic.

The Lancet once published a joint statement by 27 top scientists in public health, expressing strong condemnation of the conspiracy theories about COVID-19.

“Conspiracy theories do nothing but create fear, rumours, and prejudice that jeopardise our global collaboration in the fight against this virus,” the statement said.

In the past year, the political virus made by Washington has become a public enemy of the world. Deluded by the rumors fabricated by the US, Asian hate started in the country and other parts of the world, which was indicated by an increasing number of hate crimes committed against Asian people. Besides, it was because of the coercion from the US, the origin tracing work of the virus is not being advanced based on scientific principles, professionalism, or objectivity.

Peter Daszak, a member of a WHO expert team sent to China for COVID-19 origin tracing, said China is a victim of the so-called “lab leak theory.” The Nature magazine said the US tone about the so-called “lab leak

Comment

Ekumeku War: 31-Year War against British Invasion Musa,(APC Niger East), among other provisions, seeks to curtail the spread of fake information. And seeks a three-year jail term for anyone involved in what it calls the abuse of social media or an option of fine of N150, 000 or both. It also proposed a fine of N10 million for media houses involved in peddling falsehood or misleading the public.

The hate speech bill on its part, proposed that any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person shall die by hanging upon conviction. This is in addition to its call for the establishment of an ‘Independent National Commission for Hate Speeches’, which shall enforce hate speech laws across the country.

The above defect is by no means unique to the Senate. In fact, if what is happening in the Senate is considered

by Nigerians as a challenge, that of the House of Representative is a crisis.

Take as an illustration, a glance at the history of attempts seeking regulation of non-profitable organizations (NPOs) in Nigeria will reveal that no bill has ever received the level of knocks like the 9th Assembly planned but now suspended re-introduction of the NGO Bill formerly sponsored by late Honorable Umar Buba Jibril of the out-gone 8th Assembly.

The reasons for such knocks were built on the fact that if passed, it contains far-reaching, restrictive provisions than its counterparts. But one point they(House) failed to remember is that Non-Profitable Organizationsarenotjustanotherplatform for disseminating the truth or falsehood, information, foodstuff and other relief materials that can be controlled at will.

Rather, it is a platform for pursuing the truth, and the decentralized creation and distribution of ideas; in the same way, that government is a decentralized body for the promotion and protection of the people’s life chances. It is a platform, in other words, fordevelopmentthatthegovernmentmust partner with instead of vilification.

Looking at commentary, what also made the Bill a very controversial one lies in its quest for a regulatory commission established which shall facilitate and coordinate the work of all national and international civil society organisations and will assist in checking any likelihood of any civil society organisation being illegally sponsored against the interest of Nigeria. Weeks after the suspension of the

Bill due to public outcry, the House in a related move declined the opportunity to promote local content- an expression that is daily preached within the government circle without compliance. As the house refused to patronize the locally assembled vehicles by Innoson Group, said to have been recommended for them; and in its place, opt for the 2020 edition of Toyota Camry which will not only double the price of the initially recommended but, will cost a whoopingN5Billiontopurchase400ofthe Toyota Camry model needed by the house.

Essentially, aside from the rejection of Innoson brand of SUV’s initially recommended for members, and in its place, went for 2020 edition of Toyota Camry, that will gulp about N5billion of tax payers money, what, however, made the development newsy is that the house going by report has before now been at the forefront promoting the local content laws in the country. Of course, one strategic implication of the above is that it explains why what is today said at the floor of the nationalassemblyhardlymattersthatmuch more to the people.

Within the distance, the House, again, throughHonourableOdebumiOlusegun,of Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere federal constituency (APC, Oyo), pushed for the passage of a bill tagged; “Bill for an Act to Alter Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(as amended), which provides that: “no civil or criminal proceedingsshallbeinstitutedorcontinued against the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors during their period of office.” And have same provisionextendedtoaccommodate/cover Presiding Officers of Legislative officers during their period of office.” This, and many other worrying developments from thecurrent9thAssemblyinthelasttwoyear is in my views not the best way to legislate for the poor.

As the world watches in awe, Nigeria and Nigerians who are the victims’ of these ill fated legislations may forgive but they will never forget the 9th NASS. In fact, generations yet unborn will hear of their deeds and marvel at their legislation as posterity is already taking records.

UtomiistheProgrammeCoordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and EconomicJusticeAdvocacy(SEJA),Lagos.

He could be reached via;jeromeutomi@ yahoo.com/08032725374.

The US is doing everything to make and spread lies about COVID-19

By Zhong Sheng

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

theory” is unsettling, and some toxic remarks might thwart efforts to study the origins of the virus.

Lies are always lies and are easily shattered by facts. In the first stage of the origin tracing work, China upheld principles of openness, transparency, science and cooperation, and did all it could to support the WHO expert team consisting of scientists from multiple countries and organize and coordinate relevant departments. The experts went to all the places they wanted to visit, and met all the people they wanted to see.

China has sufficient evidence indicating that the Wuhan Institute of Virology has never conducted the gain-of-function experiment on coronavirus, or artificially made the virus. Besides, no staff member or postgraduate student of the institute has contracted COVID-19, and there are not any traces of modification in the virus, which totally rules out the theory that it was man-made.

Because of such facts and confidence, China will not accept the second-phase origin tracing work which disrespects common sense and science and aims at tarnishing itself, before an investigation is carried out into the US, the hardest-hit country by COVID-19.

The US made lies about the pandemic to slander China, because

some Americans are not willing to accept a growing China. Their practices once again showed how hegemonic the US is, and mirrored the ignorance of the US for the development trend of the world. It seems like that Washington has forgotten that it is facing the world’s second largest economy that is resolute and competent to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind and providing new opportunities for the world with its own development. So far, there have been nearly 60 countries sending letters to the WHO in recognition of the conclusion reached in the first-phase origin tracing and opposing politicizing the origin tracing work. Besides, over 12 million Chinese people have signed an online petition in just days, requesting the WHO to launch an origin-tracing investigation into the US. “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The rumors fabricated and spread by the US can neither blind the people nor cover the facts, and are destined to fail.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on China’s foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Victor Wilberforce

W

i th the i nva si on of Ndoni in 1870 and bombardment of Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) on 2 November 1897, the stage was set for the Ekumeku war that engulfed the whole of Anioma.

The Ekumeku Movement consisted of a series of uprisings against the rising power of the Royal Niger Company of the British Empire in the Anioma communities of the Western Igboland.

The British penetration of what is now known as Nigeria met with various forms of resistance throughout the country.

In the south, the British had to fight many wars, in particular the wars against the Ijebu (a Yoruba group) in 1892, the Aro of Eastern Igboland in 1901–1902, and in 1883–1914, the Anioma of Western Igboland.

HISTORY Opposition was strong in Anioma land where a series of wars were waged against the British.

The Ekumeku, who were well organised and whose leaders were joined in secrecy oaths, effectively utilised guerrilla tactics to attack the British.

Their forces, which were drawn from thousands of Anioma youth from all parts of Anioma land, created many problems

for the British, but the British used forceful tactics and heavy armaments (destroying homes, farms, and roads) to prevail.

The Ekumeku, however, became a great source of Anioma nationalism.

T h e Ekumeku Movement is unique in Anioma history for two reasons.

First, the length of time the movement endured, comprising military campaigns over a period of thirty one years.

Secondly it is the outstanding example in Anioma Civilization of an attempt to unite previously disunited states to resist the colonial army.

You have seen that one crucial reason for Anioma defeat was the great discrepancy of scale between the average Anioma community and the colonial army.

The British decided on a preemptive strike, and in December 1902 sent a powerful expedition which systematically destroyed a number of towns and imprisoned their leaders.

This, it was assumed, was the end of the Ekumeku..”the Ekumeku and other secret societies have been completely broken”.

In 1904, the Ekumeku rose again. This time they changed

“

British sent an expedition to Ogwashi-Uku but they failed in the expedition.

The British perceived, in the whole Asaba hinterland, a sympathy with the Ekumeku, and a disposition to throw off government authority.

In 1911, there was a final round-up of Ekumeku leaders in various towns that was followed, once more, by imprisonments.

The acting lieutenant-governor of the southern provinces sent an agitated telegram to Lagos: “Whole country is above area…is the state of rebellion.”

Reinforcements arrived from Lokoja, and the British proceeded to a confrontation at Akegbe. We quote both the contemporary British accounts of the battle at Nkwo market.

THE WAR With the invasion of Ndoni in 1870 and bombardment of OnichaAdo (Onitsha) on 2 November 1897, the stage was set for the Ekumeku war that engulfed the whole of Anioma.

The Royal Niger Company (RNC) commandered by Major

The Royal Niger Company (RNC) commandered

by Major Festing engaged Ibusa in 1898, and in 1904 it was the people of Owa/Ukwunzu against the British in a war that W. E. B. Crawford Coupland requested for more arms to crush the western Anioma communities. their tactics, mistakenly, it would seem in retrospect, abandoning the united guerilla warfare of 1898 for the individual defence of each town.

The last act of the Eureka drama began in late 1909. The occasion was a succession dispute in Ogwashi-Uku. One of the claimants, Nzekwe, the son of the last Obi, feared that the British would deprive him of his throne, and decided to fight for his inheritance.

On 2 November 1909, the

Festing engaged Ibusa in 1898, and in 1904 it was the people of Owa/Ukwunzu against the British in a war that W. E. B. Crawford Coupland requested for more arms to crush the western Anioma communities.

Owa would once again engage the British in 1906 in battle that S. O. Crewe lost his own life. On 2 November 1909, it was finally the turn of Ogwashi-Ukwu who matched the British.

In this war the British sustained many casualties with the death of H. C. Chapman.

AFTERMATH Although the Ekumeku failed in 1914, the Western Igbos of Anioma treasure their memory as imperishable legacy.

Heroes included Dunkwu Isus of Onicha-Olona, Nwabuzo Iyogolo of Ogwashi-Ukwu, Awuno Ugbo, Dike of Ugbodu, Obi of Akumazi, Agbambu Oshue of Igbuzo, Idabor of IsseleUkwu, Ochei Aghaeze of OnichaOlona, Abuzu of Idumuje-Unor, Idegwu Otokpoike of UbuluUkwu are still remembered in Anioma land.

The Ekumeku War is one of the most vigorous campaigns of opposition to the British empire and inspired later rebellions such as the Mau Mau of Kenya.

Victor Wilberforce is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Students of education need passion

By Omar Muaz

A

degree in Education does not necessarily mean one has to become a teacher. Graduates have gone onto a range of professions, including curriculum designers, education psychologists and education officers in museums or community services. Hitherto, don’t see any wrength in becoming a teacher.

“Teacher is a maker of man. He is foundation of all Education, and thus of the whole civilization of mankind, present and future. No nation reconstruction is possible without the active cooperation of the teacher.” — John Adams What leads me to write this short piece for intending teachers — whether they be students in secondary schools, senior students who are seeking entry to a college of education, faculty of education in universites or the students who have just embarked on a course in a college or department of education — to let them wary that it’s fairly a good idea to be a “nation builder”. What those students have experienced in their schooling and the way they conceived their future “roles” as teachers may well give rise to misconception about their welfare and richness since the profession and its entire section have been maltreated not just by the government but

its stakeholders which I effective the mind out of blind alleys should the students of education are in the intend to change the story at the be a purpose of a living. field coincidentally or were coerced end.

There are not less than 144 which literally means they lack The various attempts that have available courses under faculty of passion for the course. been made to define education, education in all Nigerian universities I observed the students of identifying teachers and their and according to NCCE, 2013, there education for a while and most of roles in building a nation since the are 152 colleges of education in them are in the field for I-have-nocreation of option reason. the universe The difference have made it in the level increasingly of success clear that no b e t w e e n satisfactory students who d e f i n i t i o n The best brains leaving the “frustrations” of Nigerian higher are in the field can be made willingly and or the roles who institutions of learning for more rewarding sectors or those of a teacher unwillingly in a nation f o u n d building can seeking better opportunities outside the country is causing themselves in be obtained a major lecturer-gap in the Nigerian higher institutions, isTheperceptible. until the students w h o l e would possibly most especially in the science disciplines. purpose of have the education same brilliant as a nation mind but a builder has different level been closely of enthusiasm examined as meant different the role of levels of results a teacher is a multi-faceted one Nigeria, consisting of 21 federal, in building a nation or destroying comprising academic, pedagogical 82 private and 54 state colleges of it. If my memory serves me right, and social roles. education and all aim at producing there was a colleague of mine who So let us rid ourselves teachers who are the representatives said to me his regret of being an immediately of the mindset that of a nation who inculcates moral education student. I never blamed education is a common course of precepts. But why do Nigeria lag him of telling me the truth because study like history, mathematics, in terms of development and still passion can’t be faked. Only I languages etc. It should be clear have rough education system know, it can be created. that all education is life and all life despite having enough colleges of Despite the emerging is education and to study what lifts education? It’s because the most of challenges the teaching – and the

“

teachers – face which include; poor teachers’ salary structure and other remunerations, deteriorating condition of resources allocation for enhance teaching-learning process, differential categorization of teachers, discriminative political interference and low degree of autonomy, it is good to know that a teacher can be rightly called a “nation builder” but a “nation destroyer” if he or she studies education coercedly. One thing to also note, a degree in Education does not necessarily mean one has to become a teacher. Graduates have gone onto a range of professions, including curriculum designers, education psychologists and education officers in museums or community services.

Hitherto, don’t see any wrength in becoming a teacher.

Different professions are needed for many things that are useful and needed but teachers are the prerequisites for modern society. We need every voting citizen to have a basic set of skills, like reading, writing, math and general knowledge that all take a good while to teach. If the entire country would shun the discipline “education” for the better ones as some fickle-minded students think, then the nation will have its ladder to development splintered.

Omar Muaz can be reached at muazuumar45@gmail.com

PAGE 14

N ews

Okowa urges Nigerians to embrace positive, impactful living

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has called on Nigerians to dedicate themselves to lives of service to God and humanity in order to impact positively on society.

He gave the charge at the funeral Mass of late member of Delta House of Assembly, Mr Kenneth Ogba, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state at the weekend.

Okowa, who was in company of his Deputy, Kingsley Otuaro; Speaker, House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and his wife, Tobore; Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Christopher Ochor, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Kingsley Esiso and other top government functionaries, said the late Ogba lived a life of great testimonies and impact.

He condoled with the deceased’s family, the state legislature and the Isoko people, and urged the immediate family to keep looking up to God to renew their faith at this difficult time.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I again condole with the family of our late brother, Hon. Kenneth Edafe Ogba.

“Our brother for whom we are here today was a member of the State’s House of Assembly and he related very well with his colleagues and made great impacts in his immediate community.

“I didn’t know him too well before the election, but shortly after, I began to be very fond of him; unfortunately, the Lord took him and we cannot question God. “I urge you all to renew your faith in the Lord because no matter what we say as men, it is only God who can actually fill the gap,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

Bagudu approved renovation of 36 PHCs From Ahmed Birnin Kebbi

I

Idris,

n its efforts in strengthing the health care services delivery in the State,

the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has approved the renovation of 35 Primary Health Care Centers across the state.

This was disclosed

yesterday by the Hon. Commissioner of Health, Jafar Muhammad in Birnin Kebbi.

He added that the approval was inline with

the present administration’s mission and vision in transforming the health sectors and bring sanity to the health institutions across the state.

F

Party interest should take precedence in resolving PDP crisis - Ortom From: Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

B

enue State Governor Samuel Ortom has stressed that party interest should supercede personalities in resolving the crisis in the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP.

PDP Governors on Monday converged in Bauchi State to discuss issues affecting the nation, ranging from security to economy.

But it should be noted that the party is imbroglio in internal crisis.

The crisis is between Rivers

State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the National Chairman of the Party, Uche Secondus.

Speaking with newsmen on arrival from Bauchi State, Governor Ortom averred that this is not the first time the party is engrossed in conflict, but expressed optimism that it will

not affect its fortunes in the run off to 2023 election.

“There is nothing wrong.

We always have crisis but we always resolve it. We have some of our colleagues who are good in conflict management. It is about the party interest and not personalities”.

Germany awards scholarships to 9 NFI students – Spokesman

N

ine students undergoing Masters degree programmes in Film Culture and Archival Studies at the National Film Institute (NFI) have been selected to benefit from a German scholarship scheme.

The students are to benefit from the 2021 Foreign Scholarship scheme of DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) known as the German Academic Exchange Service.

A statement signed by Brian Etuk, Head, Public Affairs, Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), in Jos, on Monday, said the scholarship for the 2021 academic session of the

Ekiti 2022: Oni opposes zoning, says it will damage PDP’s chances

By Musa Baba Adamu

L-R: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Customs, Hon. Leke Abejide, Clerk of the Committee, Malam Aliyu Maccido and a member of the Committee, Hon. Kasimu Bello Maigari, during the Customs committee investigative hearing on the killing in Iseyi LGA by Men of Nigeria customs, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

two year master degree programme covers mobility cost, monthly residency grant, German language studies grant, living costs and tuition fees.

It said the scholarship was in foreign and domestic categories, stating that the beneficiaries were selected after they submitted proposals on their intended areas of final dissertations, demonstrable knowledge of the course of study and justification of application for consideration.

The statement listed Nnenna Ukoha, Stephen Okoh and Collins Okorocha as beneficiaries of the foreign component, while Dasiyap

Inusa, Ishaku Gumut, Wonah Barnabas, Benjamin Benji, Blessing Izang and Solomon Idyo are the domestic component beneficiaries of the scholarship.

Dr Chidia Maduekwe, Managing Director/ Chief Executive, NFC, congratulated the beneficiaries while urging them to effectively and judiciously utilize the funds and opportunities to justify their studies and future prospects in the field of film culture and archival studies.

Maduekwe highlighted areas of focus to include restoration, digitization, preservation, codification and classification of creative

works and audio-visual heritage, which the master programme was designed to achieve.

He commended Goethe University, Frankfurt, Arsenal Institute for Film & Video Art Berlin, Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) (German Institutions), University of Jos and the Lagos Film Society for the partnership on the Masters in Film Culture & Archival Studies programme in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, calls for applications from qualified candidates for admission into the 2020/2021

academic session of the Masters degree programme has commenced, the statement announced.

It directed qualified applicants for the programme to visit https:// portal.unijos.edu/Account/ AdmissionRegistration? programme=Masters to complete the application process.

The 2020/2021 admission process would be the second for candidates of the Masters programme, and the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa.

Courses taught during the two-year period cover a broad range of practical, theoretical and thematic film archiving. (NAN)

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

ormer Governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni, has opposed the agitations by some politicians in the State that power shifts to the Southern Senatorial District in 2022, saying it would be a great disservice to the opposition party.

In a viled tactical response to these agitations, Oni said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should place priority on who can defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), than the primordial and narrow sentiment of zoning.

Specifically, he told the APC that it has lost the June 18, 2021 governorship election in Ekiti State, saying the voters have rejected the ruling party over its failure in the areas of security, employment generation and economy.

In recent times, politicians of southern extraction, including former Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof Kolapo Olusola, had vehemently insisted that the PDP should zone its governorship ticket to the South, which has not produced the governor since 1999.

But responding, the former governor in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday during an interactive session with newsmen on his mission to return to Ekiti government house in 2022, said zoning will do incalculable damage to the PDP. According to him, “When I was going in 2010, I said we should help the South to become Governor. No Governor had ever liked the South more than me. I gave key positions like the Minister, Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner for Works to the South when I was Governor.

“Let me say this clearly,

only a ruling party can zone governorship. But if you are in opposition, you should only think of who can take power.

Let me thank Mr Ayodele Fayose, he had the luxury as a governor and he went for it, though we lost in 2018.

“Governor Kayode Fayemi, who is in power, is the only one that can answer the zoning call now because he is in government. The PDP should think of who can win the election. We don’t want to be nice guys this time, but a good and determined opposition party”.

Oni posited that the PDP has a high possibility of

winning the next election in Ekiti, saying the populace was already disillusioned with the APC reign, which he described as an abysmal failure.

“Ekiti voters are ready for us, I mean ready to vote for us. No party can be luckier than this. Our road to the government house is almost clear, people have been saying that to us. Though we have internal crises, but we will resolve our differences, because we don’t want to play second fiddle again”.

The former governor described the insecurity in Ekiti, where people were being killed and kidnapped as very

unfortunate, saying he would rise to the occasion and stem the tide if given the opportunity to serve as governor.

He added “The issue of insecurity is very unfortunate but not peculiar to Ekiti alone.

When I was the governor, we constructed a panic alert system, that can alert the police anywhere there was a gunshot in Ekiti and police will just come to the location quickly to rescue the situation.

“You don’t allow insecurity to come and meet you, it will overwhelm you and this is what we are experiencing now.

As someone who is fighting insecurity, you must be at the

front thinking outside the box.

Those in government should have a rethink on the security issues”.

Oni, who branded the PDP as a bit more democratized than other parties in the country in the handling of primaries, said nothing short of a free and fair primary will be acceptable to members to select a credible candidate for the impending governorship poll.

“We are not imposing consensus and whoever has the largest appeal should win the primary and get the ticket.

That is our belief and that is what is going to happen”, he maintained.

Member of the House of Representatives, representing Langtang North and South Federal Constituency, Beni Lar (M) and Chairman, Langtang North Local Government Area, Mr Ubandoma Laven (2nd, R) with some of the beneficiaries during the distribution of fertilizers, seedlings and farm tools as empowerment of women and youths in the constituency, in Plateau on Tuesday (27/7/21).

PGF to Umahi: We note your insightful inputs in governance since you joined APC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has said it has acknowledged the insightful and resolute contributions to the challenges of governance by the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, especially since he took the decision to join forces with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement issued yesterday by the chairman of the APC Governors Forum, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, PGF said this has manifested in the way he handles affairs in Ebonyi State and his contributions to governance at National level.

In a birthday felicitation message by the PGF to mark Governor Umahi’s 58th birthday, Governor Bagudu

also noted with delight that the Ebonyi helmsman has remained committed to a united and prosperous Nigeria.

The statement reads “Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) joins all Nigerians, to celebrate with His Excellency, David Nweze Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State on his 58th birthday.

We celebrate this special occasion with your family, the good people

of Ebonyi State and other wellmeaning Nigerians.

“We in particular, wish to acknowledge and commend your leadership, vision and commitment to a united prosperous Nigeria.

“Under the leadership of our party, APC, since you joined us, we acknowledge your contributions through your insightful and resolute inputs to

the processes of responding to challenges of governance both in Ebonyi State and at the national level.”

The PGF also reiterated its commitment to rolling out programmes that would strengthen the capacity of the APC Government at all levels to create jobs, stimulate economic activities, reduce inequality and poverty in Nigeria.

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

PAGE 16

POLITICS

APC yet to connect with Nigerian masses ahead of 2023 general election - PGF DG

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Moh Lukman, has expressed concern that despite the fast approaching 2023 general election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) still has a lot of grounds to cover in endearing the party and its manifesto to the masses of Nigeria.

In a statement issued yesterday by the PGF DG, the party said there is need for the party to embark on aggressive mobilisation and selling of the party ideals to Nigerians, as a measure to guarantee an impressive outing in the 2023 general election.

According to Lukman, “...being members of the APC, we should be able to acknowledge too that although, the slogan of the APC is CHANGE, which underlines the commitment of the party and its leadership to bring about change in the country, the programmatic details as articulated in the party’s manifesto require a mobilisation programme in order to win the support of Nigerians.

“One of the big gaps confronting the APC, which unfortunately makes it easy for

opposition politicians to dent the party and its governments’ is the absence of mobilisation programme to engage Nigerians to take responsibility in their different fields of endevours in responding to challenges facing the country.

“Getting Nigerians to take responsibility in their different fields of endevours in responding to challenges facing the country is a critical success factor in terms of producing the change envisioned by the APC and its leadership as articulated in the manifesto of the party.”

While raising the alarm over sustained blame game approach

by APC to governance, even six years after Nigerians voted the party to power, the DG said President Muhammadu Buhari and all those who rode to power through APC, must desist and design strategy to meet the desires of Nigerian masses, especially by first taking responsibility of their actions and inactions.

Recalling how APC emerged to wrest power from the then opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lukman said “It is hardly disputable that PDP mismanaged and squandered opportunities for sixteen years between 1999 and 2015. No need

to go into details as that is not the focus. What is more important at this point is the recognition that it was easy for Nigerians to register their support for APC, and on that account voted PDP out of power in 2015.

“Of course, there were contextual factors, which made the APC to win the support of Nigerians. These factors include the successful merger of defunct opposition parties – Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) and Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) – combined with relatively transparent processes of candidate selection for the 2015 elections, especially the Presidential Candidate, together with all the inspiring campaign promises and the personality of President Muhammadu Buhari as the Presidential Candidate of the APC. With all these, the APC was able to win the 2015 elections and Nigerians had very high expectations.

“The question is, to what extent did the APC and its governments meet or are meeting the expectations of Nigerians?

What are the challenges and how

is the APC and its governments responding to these challenges?

Compared to PDP, how different is the APC? “The fundamental issue is the question of the extent to which APC leaders and members are responding to challenges. Are we taking responsibility? The good thing is that, in APC, leaders are not in denial of the challenges.

This was not the case with PDP before 2015 and up this moment.”

He said though the ruling party inherited a battered system from the now opposition PDP in 2015, the party may not had fared well in confronting the challenges it met on ground, citing the Rwandan experience.

He however challenged the people in authority to develop a problem solving mechanism while noting that the nation’s challenges are more likely to get worse if nothing is done to arrest the situation.

The DG argued further that despite the wide recognition and acknowledgement that the challenges facing Nigeria as a nation are deep rooted, it will require a robust programme of reorientation in the country to sustain the envisioned change APC and its leadership are working to achieve, adding that

“once the focus and scope of initiatives is limited to operations of government institutions, and non-governmental institutions continue with business-as-usual practices, most of the challenges facing the country will linger.

“For instance, take the case of insecurity, which is the most important threat to the survival of the country. As much as combative military operations against insurgency in all its manifestations – banditry, kidnappings, abductions, etc.

– is fundamental to restoring order and protection of lives and property in the country, equally important is also how Nigerians across all strata of social life are being mobilised to take responsibility in restoring order and guaranteeing security of life and property in every part of the country.

“How is government working to raise awareness of Nigerians in terms of what to look out for as danger signals in our different communities? What kind of conducts by citizens, including community leaders constitute risk factors and therefore indicative of security challenges? What should be done, where and who to report to? What other initiatives should citizens take?”

Political leaders have failed Nigerian youths – Imo-born entrepreneur, Ngoforo

By Christiana Ekpa

A

n entrepreneur, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, has said the contemporary political leaders in Nigeria have failed woefully to create the enabling environment for the youths.

Ngoforo, who hails from Arondizogu in Ideato-north LGA of Imo State made this acclamation during the inauguration of his brainchild project, Oganihu Ideato Project (OID).

The entrepreneur further said that the modern economy had become knowledge-driven, hence the need for Ideato and Imo youths at large to remain competitive globally.

According to him, “our political leaders have failed to intervene and create the enabling environment so as to unleash the potentials of our youths.

“We have many rich men in our society, but how many of them are ready to help the youths? They only use them to win elections and dump them.

“I have personally sent twenty-two of our youths to the United Kingdom for studies. I sent another sixteen to South Africa. This is exactly what our leaders should be doing.

“Our people are blessed. We have enormous potential as a people and budding talents. All we need is the proper harnessing of those skills. This is the only way we can unlock our individual potentials.”

“The secret of all prosperous societies is that they invest in developing the capacity of their people.

Training our people in viable skills and making them sustainably self-reliant is a task we must achieve at all costs,” he said.

From left: Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, welcome President Muhammadu Buhari to London as he arrives for the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in London on Tuesday (27/7/21).

Your attack is political, baseless – IPAC replies FPPP over CVR in Osun

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Osun State Chapter, has described the attack on the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration Exercise in the state as fake, political, biased and baseless.

This is just as Osun IPAC disassociated itself from the publication by an NGO, FPPP, saying it does not in any way reflect the position of IPAC as the body saddled with the responsibility of interfacing between all registered political parties and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It will be recalled that the

Forum of Progressives Political Parties (FPPP), in the state on Monday, raised suspicion over the recorded number of fresh eligible voters.

FPPP said it was surprising that Osun could record over 259, 000 fresh eligible voters, a figure it said was higher than the total registrations in North West, North East, South-South and South-East geopolitical zones combined.

IPAC, in a statement by its chairman, Wale Adebayo, called for calmness and advised Osun citizens to shun any fake information that is capable of causing civil unrest or instilling fear of disenfranchisement in their minds.

Adebayo who is also the State Chairman of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), said he has constituted a 3-man committee to look into the spurious allegations raised by the faceless group.

He said constituted Committee members are expected to meet with the management of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to get an indepth explanation on the raised issue.

He explained that the committee is expected to file their report and submit it to the leadership of Osun IPAC within three days, which will be made available to the public.

The IPAC chairman stressed

that one of the fundamental reasons for the creation of IPAC is to address issues, intimidation, grievances or unsupportive behaviours that disenfranchises voters and the electoral system in the country.

“Whenever these are recorded, the body is empowered to step into the matter, with the aim of tackling it head-on, to the interest of all its constituent members.

“In as much as every political party under IPAC is entitled to its political views and ideology, IPAC as a political structure should be respected and duly consulted whenever it has to do with electioneering matters and interface with INEC,” he stated.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

POLITICS INEC CVR: Group raise suspicion, demands forensic audit to verify figures

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

demand has been put to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately conduct a forensic audit on the generated and appropriated figures of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in order to reveal the true position of things.

This demand was contained in a joint press statement issued on Monday in Osogbo during a press conference held by the Forum of Progressive Political Parties (FPPP) led by Idowu Omidiji, the Osun State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

According to Omidiji who spoke on behalf of his colleagues,

Bello Adebayo from the Labour Party and Remi Ayanlade from the Young Progressives Party (YPP), the forum had observed with serious concern, the geometrical and skyrocketing figures emanating from the website of INEC on a weekly basis of the ongoing CVR in Osun state.

He noted that these had made it imperative to update and brief the media and call the attention of the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and his entire management to the scenario playing out in Osun state which is just one out of the 36 states in Nigeria.

While declaring that the outcome of the CVR exercise was totally suspicious and unexpected to the forum, Omodiji expressed

surprise that in both Anambra and Ekiti where gubernatorial elections were to hold before the 26th July, 2022 election in Osun, the figures as copied from the INEC website indicated that as at 26th of July, 2021, Anambra state is having 65,014 fresh eligible voters while Ekiti state whose election will come up in June 2022 has just registered 19,043 new and fresh voters.

According to him, “Our own Osun State has miraculously registered 259,450 fresh voters. We dare say that there is no sufficient, logical, political or economic justification for such an outrageous figure.

“It is also public knowledge that the ongoing CVR for fresh voters is being conducted online via the INEC website using the availability

of internet, is it not a miracle that a state like Osun which has one of the lowest and weakest internet penetrations, which is very far below that of Rivers, Kano, Abuja and Lagos states in terms of internet connectivity, usage and penetration has registered close to 300,000 persons in less than 30 days?

“We make bold to say that the Forum of Progressive Political Parties in Osun state is greatly worried by the continuing reflection of events as being displayed by INEC.” The ADC Chairman declared that it was also worrisome and ridiculous that the CVR figures revealed that the new voters in the entire highly politically inclined North West, North East, South

South and South East geopolitical zones combined together were far below what Osun state alone has generated in the last twenty-one days.

“This puts the integrity of the ongoing CVR exercise of INEC in question.

“We have been tutored and received briefings by an array of young ICT compliant gurus and engineers and we are convinced beyond reasonable doubts, going by the avalanche of evidences and available information at our disposal that the electronic server and few unscrupulous elements in INEC might have been compromised to fill an inexistent and unrealistic number from the backend of the INEC server”, he concluded.

Politicians should have other jobs apart from politics – Tonye Princewill

By Christiana Ekpa

A

n All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, has said that Nigerians should not allow jobless politicians to occupy political offices.

According to him, a politician should have daytime jobs and should be professional in a particular field so he is alway able to bring something to the table.

“We shouldn’t have politicians who don’t have daytime jobs. We should have politicians who are bringing something to the table. Politicians with wealth of experience in the real world,” the ex APC governorship aspirant in Rivers said.

“They don’t necessarily have to be businessmen; they can be professionals of any sort. But it is very good when you bring that experience to the political space. A lot of people go from school to politics and I don’t think that is ideal. Everyone has their own unique perspective and this is mine.

“As a businessman, I have learnt how to use money well and how to develop opportunities, and like a CEO of a major multi-international in Nigeria told me, the politicians don’t understand the language of business, so they can’t create the environment for us to strive.

“And I think that’s very important because the largest employer of labour should the Small-Medium Scale Enterprise.

“So if the largest employer of labour is the Small-Medium Scale Enterprise, it means the politicians should be helping the Small-Medium Scale Enterprise and if they don’t understand the Small-Medium Scale Enterprise like the multiple taxations, cheap and affordable capital and skills development for staff, then there is a problem.

“If they don’t understand those issues there’s no way they can create an environment for businesses to strive and of course, it means that the unemployment issues we have in Nigeria will continue to rise just to say that Nigeria by 2050 would probably be the third-largest country in the world, and if we don’t sort out the employment issues of this generation then we have a major problem ahead of us”, he said.

Member of the House of Representatives, representing Langtang North and South Federal Constituency, Beni Lar (L) having a jolly good time with some women during the distribution of fertilizers, seedlings and farm tools as empowerment of women and youths by the legislator in Langtang North and South Federal Constituency of Plateau on Tuesday (27/7/21).

Ogun LG polls: Low turnout, bad signal for democracy – PDP’s Olumide Jones

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he low turnout recorded during Saturday’s local government elections in Ogun State has continued to generate reactions from stakeholders in the state.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olumide Jones, has described voter apathy across the councils as a bad signal for democracy.

Jones, in an interview, expressed worry that the people of Ogun State were not interested in choosing who would govern them at the grassroots level.

This, he said, could be attributed to the failure of those elected into power to ensure the people enjoy the dividends of democracy.

He noted that the low turnout of voters alluded to the fact that

people have lost faith in the APC led Government in Ogun state, saying it is also a bad sign for the nation’s nascent democracy.

“It is a bad sign when people are no longer interested in how they are governed, because of the way the leaders are ruling the masses.

“People are not happy again.

They can’t even speak their mind.

They don’t have faith in the government again because of the way things are in the land.

“Also, the result from various polling units attested to the fact that people didn’t come out to vote because they are fed up and the government has failed,” Jones said.

The former senatorial candidate, however, said “We will continue to encourage our people to just patiently wait to vote for a party that will bring true and positive change to Ogun state and

the nation come 2023.”

He spoke further that, “there is hunger in the land. Nothing seems to be working right since 2015.

Economic and security situations have become determined to have the worst record in the history of the country.

“Gone are those days that you can speak out, but now, everyone has been gagged. People can’t sleep with two eyes closed. Even villages are now deserted because of the fear of insecurity in the state and the country at large.

“It’s a bad sign for people to be fed up to the extent of not being willing to go out and vote. It’s a bad signal for democracy.

“People are no longer interested in what is happening because their voices have never been heard.

“It has become a case of APC members alone in governance and this is because people are tired. It’s

obvious everywhere you go.

“APC government has failed Nigerians. It is what we can all see everywhere in the country, and that’s why we are saying that it is only the PDP that can give better governance to the people.

“We have ruled Ogun for eight years and People can see the difference. I am not saying we are perfect without flaws, but I can assure you that we have the understanding of the grassroots challenges, and with the new set of young people coming into the party with a good ideology, I believe we will change the country at all levels and Ogun State in particular,” he emphasised.

Recall that the APC won in all the 20 local governments of the state, while the newly-elected Chairmen and councillors were inaugurated on Monday by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

News

S

eventy per cent of adults in the European Union(EU) had been jabbed at least once against COVID-19, the European Commission announced on Tuesday.

“These figures put Europe among the world leaders,’’ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

About 57 per cent of adults had been fully vaccinated, she said.

Numbers differ widely across the bloc, however.

In Romania, for example, only just above 30 per cent of the adult population had been jabbed once.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control had said.

Denmark, by contrast, had

70% of adults in EU have received at least one vaccine fully inoculated 60 per cent, and almost 84 per cent of the population had received one shot so far.

In spite of improved

vaccination rates in the EU, von der Leyen urged the countries and citizens not to let their guard down against the virus.

“The Delta variant is very dangerous,’’ she said, calling on everyone who had the opportunity to get vaccinated.

In recent weeks, the spread

of the Delta variant more contagious than previous variants has led to a surge of infections in countries around the globe. (dpa/NAN)

Niger govt to sustain support for farmers From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

N

iger State Government has flagged off the third Niger wet season agricultural inputs and equipment fair with hope to improve the process of production for increased output.

The event took place at Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna.

The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello represented by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development Alhaji Zakari Haliru Jikantoro explained that the fair will provide another opportunity to assess new technologies in the agricultural value chain.

Also speaking, the commissioner of agriculture and rural development represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Idris Usman reiterated the determination to transform the agricultural sector in the state.

He noted that the state is implementing paradigm shift from dependence from oil to non - oil sources of revenue.

He added that it would not relent in its support for agriculture in the state as all efforts to ensure that farmers have improved varieties of seeds and other quality inputs and farming equipping are given priority.

L-R: Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, receiving a letter of condolence from the executive governor of Plateau state, Dr. Simon Bako Lalong on the death of his elder sister, Hajia Maryan Idris who passed on recentlyg.

Muslim media group hails freedom of abducted Bethel Baptist students By Folorunso Abuja

Alagbede,

T

he Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, MMWGN, has hailed the freedom of 28 Bethel Baptist High School students in Chikum Local Government of Kaduna State.

The group, in a statement yesterday by its National Coordinator, Mal. Abdullahi Ibrahim, the condemned the ‘siege’ of criminals on Nigerians especially in the Northern States of Nigeria.

The MMWGN therefore called on the security agencies, especially the Military, the Police and Department of Security Services, to upscale their efforts in curbing the violent crimes of kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria.

According to the group, “The Nation’s intelligence and security

mechanism ought to have located the dens of these criminals and be able to track them down since they started their nefarious activities several years back”.

While commending the Federal Government’s efforts towards arresting the wave of crimes across the country, the group however that the failure of terrorists to release the kidnapped 137 children of an Islamiyyah School in Tegina, Niger State is a serious challenge to the FG and the Niger State Government.

The MMWGN pointed out that equally of challenge to the government is the recurring kidnapping in Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina States.

The group said, “The information that some of the children kidnapped from Islamiyyah Schools in Tegina are

kept somewhere near Shiroro also in Niger State, is disturbing as security and State Government officials keeping mum over this issue inspite of the hardship on these children leading to the death of three of them already”.

The MMWGN called on the all concerned in governments to urgently relieve agonizing parents and guardians of grief by doing the needful to set the innocent children free, while efforts should be made to capture alive those tormenting Nigeria with these crimes so that they could be made to face the law.

Commenting on the weekend’s Local Government elections in Lagos and Ogun States, the group stated that the low-turn-out of voters in TN the two states for the elections, confirmed that the electorates are tired of deceitful polls.

It recalled that despite several demands for justice, transparency and accountability in LG elections, which made citizens to demand for scrapping of States’ Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC), the nation is still continuing with undemocratic process where State Governments choose whoever will contest, organise and supervise same elections and award all results in their own favour.

This, the group said, is fraudulent, unjust, unacceptable and unsustainable.

It therefore called on the National Assembly to amend the relevant portion of the 1999 Constitution to give the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to organise LG elections and scrap States Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) without further delay.

2023: PDP pledges to reclaim power, make things better From Mohammed,Bauchi

T

Ahmad

hirteen Governors under the aegies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

have pledge to regain central power in 2023 and make things better for the country and its citizens.

The PDP governors forum said this in Bauchi yesterday.

They assured Nigerians that the

party will salvage the nation from all its challenges.

Speaking at a reception held at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Bauchi after their meeting, Chairman of the PDP Governors’

Forum and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, said that the PDP has the solution to the predicaments facing the country.

Represented by the Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku,

Tambuwal said that the country was in a very sorry state and is faced with challenges ranging from insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, unemployment, poverty among others.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

MPC: Why we retained interest rate at 11. 5% - CBN

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has again voted to retain the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 11.5 percent and hold all policy parameters constant.

Rising from its meeting in Abuja, Tuesday, the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele announced that the Committee decided by a unanimous vote to retain the MPR at 11.5 per cent; retain the asymmetric corridor of +100/-700 basis points around the MPR; retain the CRR at 27.5 per cent; and retain the Liquidity Ratio at 30 per cent.

Emefiele said, the MPC made the decision to hold all policy parameters constant; believing that a hold stance will enable the continued permeation of current policy measures in supporting the recorded growth recovery and macro-economic stability.

He said, MPC was delighted at the meeting that inflation had begun to trend downwards, while output growth had remained positive.

He said, the Committee, however, was of the opinion that there was a need to continue to put in place policy measures that will further and faster drive down inflation, while at the same time accelerate output growth to levels above population growth rate.

“Whereas, the arsenal at its disposal had almost become fully

exhausted, MPC believe that there is the need to continue to use those tools that had been adopted so far, even in a more aggressive manner.

“MPC, therefore, encourage the Bank to continue using its existing administrative methods to rein-in inflation by the use of its discretionary CRR policy to mop-up liquidity from the banking system as the need arises.

“The Committee also

encouraged the Bank to continue the use of its intervention mechanism to deploy funds to output-stimulating and employment-generating sectors of the economy, such as, the Targeted Credit Facility, AGSMEIS, Agriculture and Manufacturing”, he said.

The apex bank governor said, “in the Committee’s view, the current situation, neither gives room for tightening, as this will hurt output growth, nor,

loosening, as this will exacerbate inflationary pressures.

“On tightening, MPC feels that whereas this will limit excess liquidity available to attack the foreign exchange market, it nevertheless feels that tightening will reduce money supply and thus, inhibits the ability of Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to create credit that is needed to stimulate manufacturing output which could also help to moderate prices.

“On loosening, whereas MPC feels this should transmit into lower market interest rates which could improve the ability of obligors to repay their loans and reduce NPLs, it nevertheless feels loosening would not only exacerbate inflationary pressure, but this would increase negative real rate of return and discourage investments in the domestic economy”, the MPC Chairman said.

Standing 3rd left is Prof. E.J. Bala [rep.of Minister for Science and Technology] flanked by the VC of UNN, Prof. Charles Igwe and Engr. Chuka Eze of Oilserv. 1st left is LOC chairman Prof. Fabian Ezema; Her Excellency Chief Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Special guest; Arc. Dr. Nkwegu; representative of Senator Uche Ekwunife; Prof. Rose Osuji; a guest; and Prof. Kenneth Ozoemena.

OilServ Group Assures Support For Nanotechnology Research In Nigeria

By Etuka Sunday

O

ilServ Group Chairman, Dr. Emeka Okwuosa said, the company would support research targeted at the advancement of Nanotechnology in Nigeria.

Dr. Okwuosa gave the assurance Monday at the 4th African Nano Conference organised by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State.

He said, “over the last seven (7) years, Oilserv Group has been strongly committed to the Nanotechnology Research Group of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, since the 1st Conference was held in 2014.

“Our abiding faith in the Nanotechnology Research Group to provide an alternative modern technology as a means of solving immediate societal problems and improving human life has spurred us into supporting this worthy and noble cause.

“I assure you that Oilserv Group will continue to lend its unflinching support to the Nanotechnology Research Group. We believe

that our continued support and collaboration with the Nanotechnology Group will create the much-desired value”, he said.

The Oilserv chair said, the theme for this year’s conference.

Nanotechnology: “A springboard for national development” carefully chosen by the Local Organizing Committee couldn’t be more suitable in the light of emerging global technological trends.

He said, research and development in Nanotechnology would play a leading role in putting Nigeria on the global map of scientific and technological achievements.

Engr. Okwuosa explicated nanotechnology as one of the most promising and revolutionary technologies and its applications in the field of Energy, Environment, Agriculture, and Health in the developing world.

He said, research over the past decade has shown that nanotechnology can be harnessed to handle some of

the gravest developmental problems confronting the developing/emerging world.

Consequently, numerous emerging states have launched nanotechnology projects to reinforce their capability and continue economic development.

On application of nanotechnology to energy, he said, it provides the potential to enhance energy efficiency across all branches of industry and to economically leverage renewable energy production through new technological solutions and optimized production technologies.

He said, Nanotechnology could be used to address health issues in the developing world.

“At present, nanotechnology is turning out to be vital driving force behind innovation in healthcare and medicine, with a range of developments counting imaging technologies, drug delivery systems, implantable devices, biosensors, and nanoscale therapeutics.

“Nanotechnology holds huge potential in the

prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19,” he said.

According to him, the application of nanotechnology in various fields was slow and suffers from several challenges.

“First of all, in most developing countries resources for contribution to front-line science is lacking. The cost for acquisition of intellectual property rights is high nanotech. There is a lack of human and policy capacity.

The political instability in African developing countries is also an issue.

“Secondly, developing countries usually have low average incomes and face low spending by the government in research and development.

Low government spending deteriorates situation for nanotechnology to even be contemplated in lessdeveloped countries. The case is true from Bangladesh and Ghana.

“Lastly, developing countries confront technology communication challenges particularly absence of

educational materials in proper language, poor public involvement or awareness, Misappropriation of terminology (false promotion etc); insufficient links between actors in different countries because of differences in standards and policies, language barrier, etc”, he said.

In addressing the challenges, the Oilserv Chair said, issues related to the adoption of nanotechnology in developing countries could be handled by addressing the funding requirement of the research.

He said, “Nanotechnology is the future of the developing world and is vital to close the gap between the global south and global north as well as to increase the peoples’ standard of living and to ensure sustained economic growth”.

He however, commended the University for bringing together renowned scholars, faculties and students from across the world to brainstorm and proffer solutions for the advancement of Nanotechnology in Nigeria.

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PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay june 28, 2021

News

ICTEL: Danbatta Seeks Innovative PPP Approaches For Safer Telecoms Infrastructure

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof.

Umar Danbatta has called for more innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP) approaches for robust, resilient and safer telecoms infrastructure, and ways to attract more investment into the sector.

Prof. Danbatta made the call Tuesday in his keynote speech at the 2021 Virtual Conference and Exhibition on Information Communication Technology and Telecommunications (ICTEL) organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCT). *The t*heme for this year’s Conference is: ‘Disruptions, Resilience and Governance in Digital Economy’.

Danbatta noted that despite the various PPP interventions being undertaken by the government and similar initiatives at the Commission, a number of challenges persist in the telecom ecosystem.

“These include multiple taxation and regulation, Right of Way (RoW) issue, vandalism, poor electricity supply, and lately worsening insecurity. All of these factors affect both the tempo and quality of infrastructure rollout by the private sector licensees, who are the main engine of growth in the telecom sector. These challenges also affect the quality of telecom services and by extension the Quality of Experience (QoE) of telecom consumers”, he said.

He therefore, urged the panel of eminent speakers at the event to “suggest better and more innovative PPP approaches that may be explored by the government towards making our telecoms infrastructure safer, more resilient, more robust, and how we may attract more investment into the sector.”

He reiterated that the Commission was committed to continuously engaging relevant stakeholders, both in the public and private sectors, in the country and beyond, in order to ensure that appropriate infrastructure befitting a modern digital economy system is available in the country to deepen government’s determination and commitment to total digital transformation of services in the country.

The NCC Boss said, “the role of public-private partnership in infrastructure development in Nigeria cannot be over emphasised because an adequate, robust and functioning infrastructure is the bedrock of communal and societal development.

“Therefore, to meet future challenges, our industries and infrastructure must be upgraded by evolving an enduring PPP model that services all the sectors of the economy.

“Objectively, the high level of infrastructure deficit and its attendant effect on socioeconomic development in Nigeria explains government’s concern and search for an alternative means of providing infrastructure for the Nigeria’s teeming population”, he said.

He said, the Commission

has engaged in a number of PPP engagement through Initiatives such as Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF), a multisectoral committee of private and public sector institutions whose collaboration with the Commission has bolstered Commission’s determination to continually improve on all principles of protection of telecoms consumers from an array of service challenges as well as incidences of frauds and other associated risks of online transactions.

He said, in a concrete expression of belief in the centrality of PPP principles, the NCC, in November 2020, created

a ‘PPP Unit’ as a division under its Special Duties Department.

“The Unit is overseeing the implementation of the NCC’s revenue assurance solutions (RAS) as well as the Device Management System (DMS) project.

“The two projects are being implemented in collaboration with private sector players. While the RAS is intended to address the revenue leakages accruable to the government, through the NCC; the DMS is intended to address the issue of type approval of telecom equipment and devices to ensure originality and standardisation because of the implication of substandard devices for health

and quality of service.

“The DMS is also instituted to tackle the problem of SIM boxing and call masking, which not only constitutes threat to national security but also a mark of anti-competitive practice in the telecoms sector and a basis for loss of revenue in tax remittances to the government”, he said.

The EVC, however, commended the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for its Consistency in Organising ICTEL despite the challenges imposed by the raging pandemic, and assured the Commission’s continued collaboration as much as the social and economic realities permit.

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

METRO

Page 21

Eid-el-Kabir: FCT Minister harps on imbibing ideals of sacrifice, selflessness

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n furtherance with its ongoing city wide cleaning exercise, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued a-two-week demolition notice to residents of Mpape Community, one of the densely populated suburbs of Abuja.

The FCTA explained that the two weeks notice was in line with the policy of its to carry all relevant stakeholders along in sensitising all affected communities, and ensuring maximum compliance.

Making this disclosure yesterday, Chairman, FCT

Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, noted that the purported directive from a Commissioner of Public Complaint Commission that demolition within the city should be halted, can’t prevent the removal of all illegal structures constituting environmental nuisances.

Attah explained that moving the bulldozers to Mpape for the clean up, was in response to the cry of the residents who had complained that activities of traders and mechanics, illegally occupying the road corridors were obstructing traffic flows.

According to him, after the two

weeks, all illegal structures along the road would be demolished, to save the people from any untoward situation that could threaten both human lives and the environment. “ We will be entering Mpape in the next two weeks. We have asked them to remove whatever is on the roadside. The beauty of the exercise, is that it was the Landlords and tenants who wrote to the Minister to come for the demolition. “ They said the whole road stretch is not passable, a journey from Mpape to the city centre that should take 6 or 7 minutes, is now 1 or two hours because of traffic gridlock.

“ We are moving into Mpape with up to six bulldozers to remove every nuisances. It is going to be massive removal of illegal containers occupying the road shoulders, all mechanic workshops, car wash and blood industries and all the attachment that people have located on the road. “ We are also going to ensure that all undeveloped plots of land along the road shoulders are left empty, so that activities there will not flow to the road. “ The alleged directive from a Commissioner of the Public Complaint Commission did not mention Mpape, the Commissioner

referred to the exercise at Iddo Sarki, where some people alleged that we demolished indigenous peoples houses. “ The Commissioner has gone to the community and have discovered that no house belonging to any indigene was demolished. “ I can state that not a single house belonging to an Abuja indigene was demolished. The houses that were demolished at Iddo Sarki were all houses built by people who illegally bought land from local Chiefs. Over 90 percent of the demolished buildings were actually owned by uniformed people “, Attah added.

A cross-section of some of the newly promoted Commissioners of Police before their decoration at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday (27/7/21).

From left: Director, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr Emmanuel Adeoye (L) conducts round the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, during an inspection tour of the newly constructed Ikom Bridge by the Federal Government, in Cross River Tuesday (27/7/21).

Nigeria to increase capacity in oil, gas, power generation -Osinbajo

By Etuka Sunday

N

igeria’s Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo yesterday restated the commitment of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to increase capacity in oil, gas and power generation.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this while declaring opened the 14th Annual International Conference of Nigerian Association for Energy Economics (NAEE)/ International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) held at the PTDF Building in Abuja.

The theme of the Conference is: “Strategic Responses of the Energy Sector to COVID-19 and the Impact on African Economies”.

Osinbajo said, the administration has birthed key initiatives, especially the NLNG Train 7, FID that would lead to an increase capacity of up to 30 percent at bonny Island in Lagos that would keep Nigeria at the forefront of leaders in Liquified Natural Gas globally.

The VP said the continued progress on the $2.6 billion AKK pipeline would allow closer integration of energy access across the country and increase the number of gas based industries across the country.

He noted that “as the sixth largest gas country and ninth in gas export, Nigeria needs to consume more gas to energise our economy”.

He said, the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly, advanced work at Dangote refinery and ongoing rehabilitation of P/ Harcourt refinery would position the country for self sustainability in refined product.

Represented by the Special adviser to President on Infrastructure, Ahmad Zakari, Osinbajo said, efforts are also being made to stabilise the power sector.

The VP said, electricity tariff reforms and service-based tariff has increased revenue collection in the sector by 63 percent, thereby increasing revenue to gas producers and stabilising the value chain.

“Electricity Tariff Reforms with the Service Based Tariff that have increased collections from the electricity sector by 63%, increasing revenue assurance for gas producers and stabilizing the value chain … it is anticipated that all electricity market revenues will be obtained from the market with limited subsidies as reforms in metering and efficiency with the DISCOs continue to improve.

“Accelerated investment in

Transmission and Distribution (over $3 billion) Infrastructure that will put Nigeria on a path to 10GW+ and beyond … through interventions with the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Siemens partnership, the World Bank and African Development Bank, JICA, AFD and others”, he said.

He lauded the NAEE’s capacity to bring together the academia, policy makers, government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and businessowners, all in one place to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the energy industry in Nigeria.

“Judging from the lineup of academics, experts and business leaders at this event, I have no doubt that we are on the cusp of learning new, innovative ways through which the energy sector can respond to Covid-19 and other challenges”, he said.

Also speaking, the President NAEE, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe said, at a time when the world, especially the third world countries are ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, there was need for cross fertilisation of ideas in order to change the narrative.

“Global coronavirus pandemic has continued to ravage the world since early 2020. It has become the world’s greatest challenge, exacerbating global poverty but

serving to emphasize that there was now the need for radical change.

“An estimated 689 million people, comprising approximately roughly 9% of the global population, were estimated to live in in extreme poverty in 2020.

“70% of these persons are in Africa and a hundred million of these are in Nigeria. It has recently taken over from India as the Poverty Capital of the world, with the unenviable position of being the country with about 90 million people living in extreme poverty.

“Into this daunting mix, there is now the International Energy Agency’s extremely ambitious net zero carbon economy target to contend with.

“For African countries, which have the problem of low levels of access to modern energy services, and which have no option but to grow their energy industries, this presents a very interesting and- to me- exciting challenge.

Africa abounds in energy resources- coal, bitumen, crude oil, natural gas, solar energy, wind, tidal and wave energy, geothermal energy etc. The continent is blessed! Unfortunately these resources have so far not been harnessed so as to unlock their vast potentials for the use of the people.

“Again unfortunately, Nigeria has not only come to epitomise the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in the energy sector, but also has the strange revenuedraining paradox of being both a major exporter of crude oil and a major importer of petroleum products which are subsidized at a cost that the nation cannot afford. This does not augur well in this time and season. The primary promise on the horizon is the Petroleum Industry Bill, which one hopes will soon be assented to by the President”, she said.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Dr Bello Gusau said, in Nigeria, where the oil sector accounts for half of the government’s revenue and 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings, GDP growth for oil has not been recovering as expected, a trend, he said, could potentially have a negative implications for quick economic recovery in a post COVID-19 era.

He however, expressed confidence that the PIB would create a suitable fiscal regime and business environment that will incentivise and attract foreign investment.

On capacity building as a response, he said, the PTDF would always be available to support the industry.

NSCDC-FCT inaugurates Taskforce against ‘fake’ security firms

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n order to check quackery among operators of private security guards in the Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has established a high-powered taskforce to check the menace.

Our correspondent reports that the FCT Command of the Corps constituted the taskforce with executive of the Association of Licensed

Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN) on board.

Inaugurating the Taskforce yesterday, FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, Peter Maigari said the core objective of the Taskforce is to fish out private security guard companies who are not licensed, or operating with expired licence.

Maigari said: “ The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is saddled with the mandate of licencing private guard companies and monitoring their activities;

however, we discovered that some of these companies were not licensed.

“Those who are licensed know those ones who are not licensed, so in order for us to fish out those who are not licensed, we are now forming a taskforce to make sure we go after them.

“And to equally review those licensed to ensure that they are not using expired licence. So, they should step up and do the needful. It’s either they come to register and be licensed or they

quit the business”.

According to him, “once the unlicensed security guards have refused to step up, and be licensed, is as good as building legality upon illegality.

“Such people (unlicensed security guards) will harbour some of these criminals we are seeing parading everywhere, that’s why we are asking them to stop”.

Responding, Chairman of the Taskforce, Kufana Danjuma, noted that the initiative is part of the solution to effectively

tackle the issue, which is among the biggest problems in the FCT and country at large.

Danjuma, who is also a member of ALPSPN, that since 2009 quackery have been happening in the FCT and other parts of the country, but there is no proper sanitation especially amid the prevailing security problems.

He therefore assured that given the needed political will from relevant stakeholders, the taskforce will efficiently deliver on its mandate.

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

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world news

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Capitol riot: Policeman tells 6 January hearing he feared he would die A

police officer who defended the US Capitol during a riot by Donald Trump supporters on 6 January has said he feared he would be crushed by the mob.

“This is how I’m going to die,” tearful Aquilino Gonell told a Congressional committee on the first day of an inquiry into the Washington DC attack.

Another officer, Harry Dunn, who is black, said he was racially abused.

At least 535 rioters have been arrested since the attack that left five dead, including one police officer.

Prosecutors have so far secured only a few convictions.

The assault led to the political impeachment and acquittal of Republican Mr Trump, who was accused by lawmakers of inciting the riot - a claim he has repeatedly denied.

The inquiry in the House committee is being conducted almost entirely by Democrats, after most Republicans boycotted the proceedings.

However, two Republicans - Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger - have broken ranks to join the investigation.

“If those responsible are not held accountable... this will remain a cancer on our constitutional republic,” Ms Cheney said as the hearing began on Tuesday.

The select committee was formed after Republicans objected to an independent commission such as the one that investigated the 11 September 2001 attacks.

On Tuesday, four police officers described being beaten and assaulted by rioters who had come to disrupt the

The scene on 6 January was described as a “medieval battlefield” certification by Congress of President Joe Biden’s election victory.

Officer Gonell described the scene as a “medieval battlefield”.

Wiping away tears, he described returning home and pushing his wife away from him because of the amount of chemical irritant that had soaked into his uniform.

The Iraq War veteran went on to criticise Republicans for what he described as their “continuous shocking attempt” to “ignore or destroy

the truth” about that day.

Asked by Ms Cheney about Mr Trump’s claim that they were a “very loving crowd,” Sgt Gonell hit back: “I’m still recovering from those hugs and kisses.”

“If that was hugs and kisses, we should all go to his house and do the same thing to him.”He later said that he did not mean for anyone to go to Mr Trump’s home, and apologised for the “outburst”.

Officer Dunn said he told several

protesters that he had voted for Mr Biden.

“Does my vote not count? Am I nobody?” he told them, after they wrongly claimed that the election was fraudulent.

“That prompted a torrent of racial epithets,” he testified. “One woman in a pink Maga [Make America Great Again] shirt yelled, ‘You hear that, guys, this [expletive] voted for Joe Biden!”

“No-one had ever - ever - called me a [expletive] while wearing the uniform

of a Capitol police officer.”

Officer Michael Fanone slammed his fist on the desk as he accused Republicans of a “disgraceful” violation of their oaths of office.

Mr Kinzinger, one of the only Republicans who voted to impeach Mr Trump for his role in the riot, appeared to hold back tears as he criticised his colleagues.

“We still don’t know exactly what happened. Why? Because many in my party have treated this as just another partisan fight. It’s toxic and it’s a disservice to the officers and their families,” Mr Kinzinger said.

Officer Dunn said he did not fully process the racial comment until the following days.

“I was just trying to survive that day, and get home.

“When I was able to process it, it was so emotional. It was so disheartening and disappointing that we live in a country like that, where they attack you because of the colour of your skin.

“Just to hurt you. Those words are weapons.”

Officer Daniel Hodges’ lip trembled with emotion as he was shown a video of himself trapped in a doorway being pummelled by rioters, who he repeatedly referred to as “terrorists” during his testimony.

“To my perpetual confusion, I saw the Thin Blue Line flag, a symbol of support for police, more than once, as the terrorists continued to ignore our commands and attacked us,” he said.

Source: BBC

US political manipulation over origin tracing poisoning the world

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

T

he US has recently enhanced its efforts to manipulate the origin tracing of COVID-19 via political means. It seemingly cares about the origin tracing work, but actually has done nothing conducive to it or global solidarity.

Some US government officials, when using origin tracing to stigmatize China, even shamelessly employed the words such as “responsibility” and “saving lives.” Compared with China, which has achieved major strategic results in the fight against the virus within such a short period of time, the US, enjoying the world’s most developed and maturest medical technologies, not only failed to control the pandemic at home and caused nearly 35 million infections and 610,000 deaths, but also made the virus flow outbound. When did such a US show its responsibility and genuinely care about lives?

The US failed to put the pandemic under control at home, and didn’t take effective border control measures, which further exacerbated the global spread of the virus. The US, arrogantly

neglecting science, has seriously threatened the lives and health of the people of other countries.

According to the National Travel and Tourism Office of the US, over 23.19 million US citizens went abroad via air and land ports between April 2020 and March 2021. The period from November 2020 to January 2021 is the peak of the epidemic in the United States, with an average of 186,000 newly diagnosed cases per day. During the same period, the average number of U.S. citizens going abroad was 87,000, reaching a peak..

A May 2020 report by Tel Aviv University in Israel indicated that nearly 70 percent of the strains of the confirmed cases in the country came from the US, and a South Korean media organization also reported on Feb. 25 this year that 35 percent of the 7,000 imported COVID-19 cases in South Korea were from the US. According to New Zealand media, 182 COVID-19 cases were imported from the US between February 2020 and January 2021. Australian Government Department of Health said in May last year that among the 6,000 confirmed cases in the country, 14 percent came from the U.S.

Turning a deaf ear to the opposition from the international society and putting aside international justice, the US repatriated massive illegal immigrants, which made the pandemic situation in Latin American countries even worse.

CNN, citing US Department of Homeland Security, said a total of 160,000 illegal immigrants were repatriated by the US between March and September 2020. Another American media outlet also reported that many illegal immigrants from Central America lived in poor conditions at American shelters, and they were not quarantined or tested for the virus before being sent back home. As a result, infections were found among those repatriated to Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico and Haiti. Guatemala’s minister of health said in April last year that 50 percent to 75 percent of the repatriated from the US contracted the coronavirus, accounting for 19 percent of the total infections in the country.

According to the minister, 71 were tested positive on a flight carrying 76 repatriated Guatemalans from the US on April 13.

On April 8, 2020, a joint statement was released by more than 60 organizations to

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

condemn the US repatriating illegal immigrants amid global travel restrictions and strict control measures. The New York Times said in a comment that the US was consciously spreading the pandemic beyond its borders by continuing to deport thousands of immigrants, many infected with the coronavirus, to poor countries ill equipped to cope with the disease.

US personnel overseas attached little importance on the health of local communities and disrespected local quarantine regulations, which made the virus spread faster. In early July 2020, governor of Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture confirmed on a press conference that tens of American military personnel at a US military base in the prefecture were infected with COVID-19, but the US side refused to take quarantine measures and allowed batches of soldiers to leave the base. On May 31, 2021, a large number of US military personnel on vacation in South Korea went out of a military base and gathered at the Haeundae beach, Busan. They refused to wear masks, which triggered strong dissatisfaction among local residents.

Facts have proved that the

US is the largest stumbling block for the global anti-pandemic progress.

Its irresponsible policies are just poisoning the world, especially the developing countries.

At present, Washington is on one hand politicizing the scientific issue of origin tracing, and on the other hand pretending to be responsible, trying to deceive the international society for ulterior political motives with its hypocrisy.

Actions speak louder than words, and the real sense of responsibility is only embodied by concrete actions. According to the latest statistics released by the US itself, nearly 120,000 new infections were reported on July 23, the highest in the recent five months.

Before it really works on pandemic control at home, abandons egoism in the fight against the virus and responds to the questions of the international society with transparency, the US is disqualified at all to mention words like “responsibility” and “saving lives.”

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on China’s foreign policy and international affairs.)

e w s

One of Libya’s most-wanted dies in gunfire

T

he media in Libya has reported that Mohammed al-Kani, one of the wartorn country’s most infamous militiamen, has been killed in the town of Tarhuna.

Mr al-Kani was accused of murdering men, women and children in the small town southeast of the capital, Tripoli.

He and his family had terrorised the town for years - but were defeated by forces aligned to the UN-backed government in June 2020.

He went underground and is said to have died in an exchange of fire with security forces who had gone to arrest him at a hideout.

Footage shared widely on social media shows jubilant people in the streets of Tarhuna celebrating his death:

BioNTech wants to pilot new malaria jab ‘by 2022’

G

erman drug maker BioNTech plans to develop its first malaria vaccine and begin clinical trials by next year.

The ambitious turnaround time is thanks to the MRNA technology used to develop the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines in under a year.

The only approved malaria vaccine, Mosquirix, took scientists at GlaxoSmithKline more than 30 years to develop.

Malaria kills more than 400,000 people annually, most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Apart from vaccines and pills, countries - including Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya - use drones to find mosquito breeding grounds and kill the larvae before they hatch.

Eswatini MPs fear for their lives after protest arrests

T

wo Eswatini MPs - who were at the forefront of pro-democracy protests that broke out last month - have told the BBC that they fear for their own lives.

Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube spoke to the Focus on Africa programme from a police cell in the capital, Mbabane, where they have been kept since their arrest over the weekend.

Mr Mabuza blamed King Mswati III for the troubles that sparked the protests which left at least 50 people dead, most reportedly shot by security services.

“The king is abusing the law, he’s just breaking everything... [he] doesn’t like it when challenged about the way he governs the country,” Mr Mabuza said.

Mr Dube said he feared that they may be “killed through poisoning”.

He added that among the reforms that pro-democracy supporters want is a directly elected prime minister, instead of one appointed by the king.

“We never tried to overthrow the king, we are just exercising our rights in calling for democratic reforms,” he added.

Mr Dube said he supported calls for the southern African regional body, Sadc, to be involved in resolving the political crisis.

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Army seizes militant base in Mozambique - reports

T

here are reports from Mozambique that the army - along with troops from Rwanda - have retaken a base from Islamist militants in the northern Cabo Delgado province.

It is hard to verify exactly what happened but it has been widely reported that the jihadist base at Awasse was captured by Rwandan

and government troops after a serious gun battle.

This could make it easier to retake the nearby coastal town of Mocimboa da Praia, which was seized by the Islamist militant fighters seized it a year ago.

President Filipe Nyusi recently welcomed the arrival of Rwandan troops who have just

been joined by several hundred from Botswana.

It is part of a regional effort to help Mozambique fight back against the jihadists to contain a growing rebellion in the gas-rich area.

The government in Maputo hopes the arrival of foreign troops is going to help stop a rebellion

that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and forced the closure of a multibillion-dollar gas project.

But some analysts point to examples elsewhere on the continent where the intervention of foreign troops and an overreliance on a military solution have seen conflicts spread.

Tokyo Olympics: Medals, disappointment and controversy for Africa on day four

T

atjana Schoenmaker and Bianca Buitendag both won silver on day four of the Olympics to claim South Africa’s first medals of Tokyo 2020.

However there was disappointment for South Africa men’s rugby sevens team as they failed to reach the semi-finals and a possible medal.

Moroccan boxer Youness Baalla was at the centre of controversy in the boxing ring as he attempted to bite his opponent from New Zealand.

In the women’s football Zambia’s Copper Queens lost 1-0 to Brazil in their final group to crash out of the tournament.

Swimming South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker had to settle for silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke as she finished behind surprise winner the USA’s Lydia Jacoby.

Schoenmaker qualified fastest for the final having set the Olympic record in the heats but was edged out by 17-year-old Jacoby for the gold with USA’s world record holder Lilly King winning bronze.

“It is amazing. I really hope this brings a little bit of hope for South Africa and we are obviously going through a tough time at the moment,” she said.

“If that shows us there’s hope

South African swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker won silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke in South Africa then it is because obviously, we know sport unites countries we have seen it with the rugby world cup so hopefully the Olympics does the same.”

She has another chance in the pool when she races in Wednesday’s heats of her preferred event the 200m breaststroke, in which she is

the reigning world silver medallist.

“I am a bit nervous for that but I am excited we have a whole days rest. I can’t wait to sleep a little and refocus for the 200,” she added.

“See how it goes in the heats and then build up to that I am ready and I feel I am in a good place and in good form.”

Her compatriot Chad le Clos reached Wednesday’s final of the men’s 200m butterfly third fastest after he won his semi-final.

The 29-year-old is aiming for his fifth Olympic medal and second gold, after he won the 200m butterfly title at London 2012.

Source: BBC

Ex-president refuses to face tax fraud questioning

M

alawi’s former president, Peter M u t h a r i k a , has refused to allow the national anti-corruption body to question him about allegations of tax fraud.

Under Malawian law presidents are entitled to import goods without paying

tax, but eyebrows were raised when $6.6m (£4.8m) worth of cement was purchased tax-free in 2019 using President Mutharika’s exemption code.

It later transpired that some aides of the former president were using the president’s tax exemption

code to import goods The latest statement from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) says it intends to interview the former president, but he released his own statement saying he had a right to remain silent.

In his statement, Mr Mutharika claimed he had

already been questioned by police over the matter last August. In it he also accuses ACB of pre-emptively freezing his bank account as part of “a sustained political witch hunt” that is “intended to humiliate and taunt me psychologically”.

Ethiopian runner breaks silence after Olympics snub

K

enenisa Bekele, the secondfastest marathon runner of all time, has broken his silence after being snubbed by Ethiopia’s Olympic Committee.

The 39-year-old hinted that his career was far from over.

“Unfortunately, I am not

selected for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. At the moment, I’m working hard and training well.

There is still some unfinished business,” he posted on Instagram.

Kenenisa, who already has three Olympic gold medals to

his name, was not shortlisted to represent Ethiopia at the Tokyo Games after he boycotted trials in May. He has previously accused some people of working against his selection and had said he was unhappy about the timing of the

trials.

Ethiopia’s marathon team will be led by Shura Kitata, who outran Kenya’s Eluid Kipchoge to win the London Marathon in October 2020.

Mosques in Ivory Coast win World Heritage status

E

ight mosques in northern Ivory Coast, whose style is believed to have originated in the Mali Empire seven centuries ago, have been granted Unesco World

Heritage status.

The buildings are “highly important testimonies to the trans-Saharan trade” that continued to thrive as the region prospered, the UN heritage body says.

The mosques in the towns of Tengréla, Kouto, Sorobango, Samatiguila, M’Bengué, Kong and Kaouara “are the best conserved of 20 such edifices that remain in Ivory

Coast, where hundreds existed early last century,” Unesco says.

Their new status means they are considered to have universal cultural value that will grant them extra protection.

e w s F r o m A S I A China-Europe freight trains make more trips, provide better services

Property Feature

By Lu Yanan, Feng Xuejun, People’s Daily

Europe freight train assembly center in the city and then regrouped before leaving for Western Europe.

By Mashe Gwamna

Containers with Customs seal are exempted from out-of-box inspection and allowed to be directly loaded onto China-Europe freight trains at the assembly center based on relevant Customs clearance notice, thus significantly improving operating efficiency of the trains.

In recent years, multiple authorities in China have made concerted efforts to improve the Customs clearance efficiency for China-Europe freight trains.

Since the beginning of this year, Manzhouli Railway Station in Manzhouli, north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has realized the sharing of information online with parties involved in the joint inspection and multimodal transport of goods, such as the Customs and freight forwarders, by leveraging its digital port system.

By making detailed plans for the Customs clearance and transportation of China-Europe freight trains, the railway station has managed to shorten the time needed for procedures from declaration to clearance of goods at Customs from about half a day to less than 30 minutes on average.

China-Europe freight trains bear great significance for promoting efforts to strengthen infrastructure construction and improve the construction of transportation networks in countries along their routes, and make railway transportation between Europe and China more stable, said Olaf Krueger, chairman of Germany’s International Rail Freight Business Association (IBS).

With the establishment and improvement of an interactive and complex railway network, trade contacts between Europe and China will be increasingly deepened, which is going to further advance the course of economic globalization and make the results of economic development benefit people in countries and regions along the routes of China-Europe freight trains, according to Krueger.

n Estate Surveyor and Valuer (ESV) Oladiran Ofi, has viewed the profession as one of the widest and deepest professional practices within the built environment.

Ofi, stated this in a chat with Our reporter in Abuja.

“This profession in view of its wide spectrum curriculum encompasses Land Administration, Valuation, Property Management, Plant and Machinery Valuation, Project Management, Estate agency, Arbitration, Property Taxation and Rating, Environmental Impact Assessment, Feasibility and viability studies, Building construction, Facility Management and host of

PAGE 24

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

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China-Europe freight trains, which feature long-distance transport of large volume of freight between different continents and countries, have seen its transport network extend to 168 cities in 23 European countries and become a global public good widely recognized by countries along its routes. In the first half of this year, China-Europe freight trains witnessed a rise in both its number of trips and quality of services.

Railway operator of Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi province, increased the number of its ChinaEurope freight trains from 41 to 50 during the first six months of this year.

Xi’an continued to rank first in the country in terms of the number of train trips, the volume of goods transported, and the proportion of fully loaded trains.

During the same period, Horgos port and Alashankou port in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region both saw their number of freight train trips to and from Europe and Central Asia exceed 3,000, with an increase in the volume of both imports and exports.

These rising indexes have reflected the rapid development of the ChinaEurope freight trains. According to data from China State Railway Group, China-Europe freight trains made a record 7,377 trips and sent out 707,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of goods in the first six months of this year, up 43 percent and 52 percent respectively from the same period last year.

On the morning of June 2, a China-Europe freight train fully loaded with treadmills, exercise bikes, sterile syringes and other goods left Zhongding Logistics Park in north China’s Shanxi province for the railway station of Valenton, Paris, France, marking the launch of the first direct China-Europe freight train route linking Shanxi with France.

“The launch of the new route increased the number of China-Europe freight train routes covered by our company’s services to nine. It makes

Photo taken on April 1, 2021, shows railway workers of the port of Erenhot in north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region having containers lifted onto a China-Europe freight train. (Photo by Xia Liang/People’s Daily Online) our company more competitive,” said Zhou Zhifei, deputy general manager of Zhongding Logistics Park.

While constantly expanding their routes, operators of China-Europe freight trains have continuously increased the number of train trips.

From January to June, Zhongding Logistics Park alone saw 74 outbound trips made by China-Europe freight trains, which sent out 7,148 TEUs of goods, representing a year-on-year growth rate of 48 percent, according to Zhou.

As the variety of goods becomes increasingly rich, the added value of products transported by China-Europe freight trains is getting higher.

In the first half of this year, a total of 1,079 trips were made by China-Europe freight trains departing from east China’s Zhejiang province, according

to Chen Dengke, deputy director of Jinhua freight center of China Railway Shanghai Bureau Group Co., Ltd. The number of containers transported from and to Zhejiang increased by 204.4 percent year on year during the period, and the composition of goods has changed from small commodities to high-tech products like automobiles and photovoltaic power generation equipment, said Chen.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19, export of Guangxi LiuGong Group Co., Ltd., a machinery manufacturer based in Liuzhou city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was affected for a time due to slow customs clearance procedures at both highway and waterway ports. Fortunately, railway operator of Nanning city, capital of Guangxi, reached out to the company and opened for it a new route linking

Liuzhou city with Moscow, Russia.

“China-Europe freight trains can save at least two weeks of transport time compared to our past sea transportation and road transportation,” said Xue Bing, head of the international division of LiuGong Group Co., Ltd. Grasping well the pain points of clients and addressing difficult problems of the market, China-Europe freight trains have made more than 40,000 trips accumulatively. The evergrowing number of trips comes from the trains’ constantly improving capacity for providing comprehensive services.

In response to the demand for a concentration of goods from different areas before transportation, railway operator of Xi’an launched 15 transprovincial routes and four local routes to have trains carrying goods from various areas gathered at the China-

New occupations enjoy popularity among young people in China

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily

E

arlier this year, China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), together with two other government departments, gave official recognition of 18 new professions including integrated circuit engineer and technician, corporate compliance consultant, drink designer, bringing the total number of new occupations released

by China since 2019 to 56.

As digital technologies are increasingly integrated into various industries in China in recent years, companies have shown an urgent need for digital transformation, thus generating new professions like digitalization manager, online education service provider, and allmedia operator.

Besides, the advances of digital technologies have fueled platform economy, which brings about delivery personnel for online orders, taxi-hailing service provider, and other new occupations.

As manufacturing quickens pace in transformation and upgrading and becomes more advanced and intelligent, a number of new occupations that require professional skills have come along.

With the application of cuttingedge technologies, professions that existed only in science fiction, including industrial robot system operator and quantum computing

engineer, have come into the real world, driving Made-in-China products to become more intelligent.

Chinese people have shown evident need for consumption upgrading with continuous improvement in their living standards. Their increasing demand for health, nursing, elderly care, and food safety has stimulated a batch of new professions, including health carers, respiratory therapists, assistive technology consultants for rehabilitation, and capacity assessors for the elderly.

Besides, the rise of the economy based on people’s interests has led to the emergence of new occupations in niche areas of consumption.

For example, room escape games popular with youngsters have incubated new professions like room escape game scriptwriter, sound effect technician, as well as center control and operation personnel.

New professions are favored by young people in China as they are more flexible, suit their interests, and provide platform for them to realize personal values. A survey suggests over 50 percent of the young respondents hope to try new professions, and nearly 20 percent have already been engaged in new occupations.

Huang Zusheng, one of the first batch of digitalization managers in China, has seen his annual pay jump to 350,000 yuan ($53,978) from less than one hundred thousand

Photo taken on Oct. 21, 2020 shows contestants performing tasks related to the application of smart sensor technologies in a qualification trial of China’s national artificial intelligence technical skills competition at a competition site in east China’s Anhui province. (Photo by Wang Biao/People’s Daily Online) yuan in 2014. He doesn’t need to and management system, and worry about employment at all, as reduce costs and increase efficiency he often receives job offers from through digital administrative management. companies.

Huang’s experience unveils Many small and medium-sized companies still adopt a workshop- the appeal of new occupations. style management model, under According to a report on the which employees are highly prospects of digitalization managers dependent on the boss. These released by the MOHRSS, 87 firms generally need digitalized percent of digitalization managers management, according to Huang, gain a salary 1-3 times the local who explained that his job is to help average salary. Companies that are companies build organizational equipped with one digitalization structure, personnel composition manager every ten employees are 35

to 50 percent more efficient in work than those without digitalization managers, the report said.

China has seen the number of digitalization managers exceed 2 million since it officially recognized it as a new profession in 2019.

A tech blogger known as MediaStorm on a website, who started to make videos as a hobby, has now set up a production team with about 50 members and registered an income of over 20 million yuan last year. By the end of 2020, the website had 1.9 million monthly active bloggers.

To judge from the huge demand, new occupations have broad prospects. It is estimated that in the next five years, China will need nearly 1.5 million cloud computing engineers and technicians, nearly 5 million Internet of Things (IoT) installation and commissioning personnel, nearly one million drone operators, nearly 1.5 million agricultural managers, nearly five million AI talents, nearly 1.3 million building information modeling technicians, 1.25 million industrial robot system operators and 1.25 million industrial robot operation and maintenance personnel, according to a report issued by the employment training technical instruction center under the MOHRSS. The country faces a nearly 10 million talent gap in relevant fields, suggested the report.

Umaru

A

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESday, JULY 28, 2021

25

ESV widest profession within the built environment -ESV. Ofi

An Estate Surveyor and Valuer (ESV) Oladiran Ofi

other stakes in the built environment makes the

profession to standout.

“It goes without saying

that a well-trained Estate Surveyor and Valuer from a reputable University or Polytechnic must have undergone various courses that cuts across many disciplines that have impact in the environment, such as Architecture, Land Surveying, Building Construction Law (as it relates to land, contract Tort Arbitration etc) Town Planning, Valuation, Sociology, Philosophy etc.”

He said with all the fields of studies, it is necessary to acknowledge that the practice of Estate Surveying and Valuation, adding that, “since the knowledge and training

of a qualified Estate Surveyors and Valuers covers Economics, Engineering, Estate Management, Law and Sociology among others, it then means that only those Estate Surveyors and Valuers who have actually excelled that will be able to meet the requirement for sufficiency and currency of knowledge in practice.

“It is therefore incumbent in the Valuer to continually expose themselves to contemporary international practices, laws and conventions, so that the quality of their service meets the required standard.”

Nigeria, Cameroon border bridge will facilitate 17 million housing deficits international trade - Fashola not realistic -Fashola

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola recently, described the numbers of empty houses in the country as overwhelming just as he disclosed that the claim that the country has over 17 million housing deficits is not realistic.

Fashola spoke in Abuja shortly after he inaugurated the newly reconstituted Board of Directors of the Federal Housing Authority, (FHA) under the chairmanship of Senator Lawal Shaibu.

While disputing the 17million housing deficits’ figure, the minister said the claim could not be justified because of huge numbers of empty houses that are scattered around the country.

“There are housing deficits in urban areas no doubt but there are empty houses in the rural areas and even in the urban centres where there is deficit. There are many empty houses across the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Lagos, Port Harcourt , Onitsha, Asaba.

There are empty houses all over the major urban centres of Nigeria,” Fashola said.

He charged the new board to build more federal housing estates like the one they built in Gwarimpa and others to accommodate many Nigerians and also charged the new 13-board member to explore the ongoing development agenda of the present administration, especially in the area of job creation.

He said one of the priorities of the government is building of infrastructure which, according to him, has helped in creating jobs for the teeming population in both the formal and informal sector.

Fashola also challenged them to deliver on the mandate of the agency by embarking on building of new cities and other housing projects in order to cater for accommodation needs of Nigerians.

He added that the policy of the government is to deliver affordable housing, acceptable to Nigerians, saying that the agencies are the implementing arms “for housing delivery through FHA.

T

he completed border bridge at Mfum community between Nigeria and Cameroun and the Ikom bridge will facilitate international trade between the two countries when inaugurated.

The Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, made the remark while inspecting the two -lane bridge over the Cross River at the Cameroun and the Nigeria new Border at Ekok /Mfum and the new Ikom Bridge in Cross River State.

“This is the A-4 Axis coming from Calabar to Maiduguri through Ogoja to Katsina-Ala. So you will expect more volume of trade. And it is no accident that Cross River State bears its name.

It is actually the River that named the state. That River opens to the sea and the Gulf of Guinea. And so high impact on international trade is expected”, he said.

According to a statement signed and issued by Boade Akinola, D (Press and Public Relations), stated that Fashola said “We have had very strong relationship with Cameroon in terms of trade and business and if you go to Aba, Enugu, Abakaliki, for example, this is the route that facilitates trade, agro produce, merchandise, manufactured goods from Aba in Abia State.’’

The Minister explained that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s strategy of planning and execution of infrastructure projects was yielding results through successful completion.

“This is a very strategic infrastructure to take Nigeria to the future for many more decades to facilitate relationship between brothers and sisters in Cameroun and Nigeria and to strengthen the bond of relationship in a joint development with the Republic of Cameroun and Nigeria.”

Fashola said, adding that ‘’We are now entering the season of completion of infrastructure projects.”

The Minister while speaking with journalists after inspecting both the Nigeria /Cameron Joint Border Bridge at Mfom /Ekot and the New Ikom Bridge at Ikom in Cross River Stated noted that these

The Minister of State for Works and Housing Engineer Abubakar D Aliyu delivering his speech on behalf of the Minister of Works and Housing Mr Babatunde Fashola at the event . bridges would increase the prosperity as we speak, the job is 92% completed, of the people, facilitate hundreds of with the time lapse of 68%. We are moving jobs, movement of agro produce and faster than the scheduled time, so by end manufactured goods, joint border patrol of October we should be done with the that would lead to security efficiency and bridge.”

According to him “the Road Lane position both nations to take the benefit of Marking has also been done. the free trade zone agreement.

The Federal Controller of Works in Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade who was represented by the Cross River State, Engr. Bassey Nsentip State Commissioner for Works, Engr. disclosed that several road projects were Dane Osimasu at the sites of the inspection progressing without hitches in the State.

The Executive Chairman of Etung said the Minister is a conceptualizer , implementor and committed to road Local Government Council Cross River development in the state. He assured the State, Hon. Nkom Etuk praised the Honourable Minister that counterpart Ministry of Works and Housing for the funding from the state would always remarkable job done on the bridges.

The Ajassor Community be provided where it is necessary in Representative, Hon. Victor Njor said the infrastructure development projects.

The Director Highway Bridges and border bridge has enchanced joint border Design Federal Ministry of Works and patrol linking Cameroun and Nigeria Housing, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye said within their community and the people during the inspection of Ikom bridge, “The shall come out en mass when the bridge project was awarded in October 2018 and will be inaugurated soon.

The border bridge between Nigeria it is due to finish by 7th November, 2021.”

The Director said, “The rate at which and Cameroun is funded by the African the contractor is working, by the end of Development Bank while the Ikom bridge October it should be finished. Right now is through the Sukuk bond.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESday, JULY 28, 2021

FEATURE

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

26 Mapping the advance of the Taliban in Afghanistan

O

ver the last 20 years, the control map of Afghanistan has been an ever-changing canvas. Here, we look at the fluctuating picture of who controls which areas.

It appears the Taliban have been emboldened in recent weeks by the withdrawal of US troops - retaking many districts from government forces.

Research from the BBC Afghan service shows the militants now have a strong presence across the country, including in the north and northeast and central provinces like Ghazni and Maidan Wardak.

They are also closing in on major cities such as Kunduz, Herat, Kandahar and Lashkar Gah. By control, we mean districts where the administrative centre, police headquarters and all other government institutions are controlled by the Taliban.

US troops and their Nato and regional allies forced the Taliban from power in November 2001.

The group had been harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other alQaeda figures linked to the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. But despite a continued international presence in the region, billions of dollars of support and training for the Afghan government forces, the Taliban regrouped and gradually regained strength in more remote areas.

Their main areas of influence were around their traditional strongholds in the south and south-west - northern Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, and Zabul provinces. But also, in the hills of southern Faryab in the northwest and the mountains of Badakhshan in the north east.

A BBC study in 2017 showed the Taliban were in full control of a number of districts. But the research also showed they were active in many other parts of the country, mounting weekly or monthly attacks in some areas, suggesting significantly higher strength than previous estimates.

About 15 million people - half the population - were reported to be living in areas either controlled by the Taliban or where the

“

The resurgent Taliban have taken more territory in Afghanistan in the last two months than at any

Taliban were openly present and regularly mounted attacks against government forces.

Are the Taliban holding ground?

Although they now control more territory than they have since 2001, the situation on the ground is fluid.

The government has been forced to abandon some district administrative centres, where it could not withstand pressure from the Taliban. Others have been taken by force.

Where the government has been able to reorganise its forces or gather local militias, it has

US troops and their Nato and regional allies forced the Taliban from power in November 2001. The group had been harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures linked to the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. But despite a continued international presence in the region, billions of dollars of support and training for the Afghan government forces, the Taliban regrouped and gradually regained strength in more remote areas.

recaptured some areas that were lost - or fighting in those areas continues. Although most US troops left in June, a handful remain in Kabul and the US Air Force has carried out airstrikes against Taliban positions over the past few days.

Afghan government forces mainly hold the cities and districts which are on the plains or in river valleys - which is also

where most of the population live.

Areas where the Taliban are strongest are sparsely populated, with fewer than 50 people per square kilometre in many areas.

The government says it has sent reinforcements to all major cities that are threatened by the Taliban and has imposed a month-long night curfew across almost all of the country in a bid

to stop the Taliban from invading cities.

Although they appear to be closing in on centres such as Herat and Kandahar, the Taliban have not yet been able to capture one. The territorial gains they do make, however, strengthen their position in negotiations, and also generate revenue in the form of taxes and war booty.

A record number of civilians have been killed as a result of the conflict in the first half of this year.

The UN blames most of the 1,600 civilian deaths on the Taliban and other anti-government elements. The fighting has also forced many people to flee their homes - around 300,000 have been displaced since the start of the year. The UNHCR says a new wave of internal displacement across the provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz, Balkh, Baghlan and Takhar comes as the Taliban has captured large swathes of rural territory.

Some people flee to villages or neighbouring districts and return home days later, others remain displaced for some time.

The AFP news agency reports that the Taliban’s offensives have also forced Afghan refugees and government troops to cross the border into Tajikistan.

Customs duty on goods entering the country via crossings they control is now collected by the Taliban - although exact amounts are unclear as the volume of trade has fallen as a result of the fighting.

But, Islam Qala on the border with Iran was, for example, capable of generating more than $20m per month.

Disruption to the flow of imports and exports has affected prices of essential goods in the markets - fuel and foodstuffs in particular.

Additional reporting by BBC Afghan service

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THOM-MANUEL OBENE SOKARI DABA CHRISTIANA 2.

THOM-MANUEL FYNE GIMBIYA 3.

KPAKOL MAGNUS LEKARA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. 1. POVERTY ALLEVIATION 2. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 3. SKILL AQUISITION 4. EMPOWERMENT 5. CAPACITY BUILDING 6. GRASSROOTS SENSITIZATION ON ECONOMIC, HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL ISSUES. 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.

Source: BBC

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The Taliban are also reported to control a number of major border crossings, including Spin Boldak, a major gateway to Pakistan.

PAGE 27

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Babalola Rafiu Tunde ----Chairman 2..Abubakar Umaru Shaaba ---Secretary 3.Lawal Suleiman 4.Mohammed ---Trustee THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To encourage social educational interaction amongst rural areas thereby promoting peace 2.To grant scholarship and academic aid to indigent citizens of the state 3.To help social development in rural areas by providing free basic amenities 4.To encourage vocational training and skill development across rural areas.

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

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Garba Dauda Bundot - Chairman 2.Ameh Peter Aneke - Secretary 3.Stella Chukwu 4.Andrew Jasper Chinagorom 5.Asonibare Samuel Sola 6.Ezeife Chukwuemeka Pius 7.Shamaki Nuhu Jilebi 8.Ozoemena Anthony 9.Yahaya David

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.Develop Sustainable program models for less privileged widows and orphans nationwide.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OGUJIOFOR LILIAN UCHENNA - CHAIRMAN 2. OKOYE NNEAMAKA ROSELINE - SECRETARY 3. NZEWI GOLD CHINEZE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : a) To provide medical outreach to the unstably and the elderly in the community. b) To cater for the welfare and improvement of life for the elderly, widows and their children. c) To care for, protect, empower and provide free education for the orphans and less privilege.

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

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS 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.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

WEDNESDAY, july 28, 2021

SWAN FCT celebrates Naija Ratels FC Boss on birthday

By Albert Akota

public NOTICE

public NOTICE

ukaga

HELPHER FOUNDATION FOR EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRL-CHILD

LIGHT BEARERS COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH

I, formerly known and addressed as UKAGA EBERECHUKWU DELIGHT now wish to be known and addressed as UKAGA EBERE. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.ADEBIYI NGOZI 2.NZEKA ESTHER. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO PROVIDE FOR THE WELL-BEING OF WOMEN IN NEED, MORE PARTICULARLY THOSE EXPOSED TO ANY FORM OF ABUSE. 2. TO PROVIDE FOR ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN DEPRIVED OF EDUCATION AS WELL AS ENCOURAGE LESS PRIVILEGED WOMEN TO ACQUIRE FORMAL EDUCATION. 3. TO FOSTER, ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE EMPOWERMENT AND WELL-BEING OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN BY MEANS OF EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTANCE. 4. TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ILL HEALTH. 5. TO AFFILIATE WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED ASSOCIATIONS; CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE TOWARDS MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED. 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 INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. MICHAEL OLUSEGUN ONAYIGA. - CHAIRMAN. 2. OLUDELE BENJAMIN OLUSOLA. 3. FAMAKINWA EMMANUEL ADEDAYO. - SECRETARY. 4. DEACONESS SADIA IYABO OLADIPUPO. 5. ELIZABETH AJOKE ONAYIGA. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO WIN SOULS FOR CHRIST. 2. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD. 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.

SIGNED : SECRETARY - 08038769236

chidinma

mohammed

I, formerly known and addressed as CHIDIMMA ONWUAMAEGBU now wish to be known and addressed as CHIDIMMA JULIET ADEMU. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known as MOHAMMAD ADAMU DANLAMI now wish to be known and addressed as MOHAMMED ADAMU DANLAMI. All former documents remain valid. FIRST BANK PLC AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE

correction of name

confirmation of name

This is to inform the general public that my surname is AHMED, firstname ALHAJI and LODIYO as middle name and not Ahamed ALHAJI LODIYO. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

This is to inform the general public that OJOCHENEMI HARUNA E. Is the same as OJOCHENEMI HARUNA MAJI EMMANUEL, however, I wish to be known and addressed as OJOCHENEMI HARUNA MAJI EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

muhammad

musa

I, formerly known as Muhd Adamu now wish to be known and addressed as Muhammad Adamu. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

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

salifu

abdulsalam

I, formerly known and addressed as Salifu Sadiq Abubakar now wish to be known and addressed as Salifu Sadiq. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as YUSUF ABDULSALAM now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULSALAM YUSIF, date of birth 12/08/1970. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

amos

umar

I, formerly known and addressed as amos isaac maha now wish to be known and addressed as amos idris maha. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Ibrahim Ali now wish to be known and addressed as Umar Ali Ibrahim. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note.

eke

najib

I, formerly known as Eke amaka cynthia now wish to be known and addressed as eke nwaamaka cynthia. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

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

amina I, formerly known and addressed as AMINA ABDULLAH YARO now wish to be known and addressed as AMINA YARO. All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note. salihu I, formerly known and addressed as Salihu Hamzat now wish to be known and addressed as Salihu Hamza.

All former document remain valid, General public and Authority concerned should please take note. public NOTICE FOREST MINISTRY, PRAYER MOUNTAIN AND REHABILITATION CENTER The General Public is hereby notified that the above name MINISTRY/ CENTER has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under the relevant Part of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.

THE TRUSTEES OF THE MINISTRY/CENTER ARE: 1. VEN. EGWUENU VINCENT CHUKWUKADIBIA 2. MRS. EGWUENU CHINYERE ADELIINE 3. REV. OGBUCHUKWU MAKUO LOTANNA (ESQ) THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MINISTRY/CENTER ARE: 1.To be a prayer solution ground.

2. To be a center of healing to all manner of spiritual problems.

3. To be a place for rehabilitation of people with any form of deformation.

4.To be a place for rehabilitation and skills acquisition for deformed individuals.

5. To be a place for spiritual formation for intending ministers of the Gospel.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the day of this publication.

SIGNED: N. NANCHANG ESQ. 08136373731 (ESQ)

dahiru I formerly known as Dahiru Sabo Faragai, now wished to be known and addressed as Dahiru Sabo Mustapha, all former documents remained valid, Access Bank and general public to take note. dan I formerly known as HARUNA ADAMU, now wished to be known and addressed as DAN NINGI, all former documents remained valid, Access Bank and general public to take note.

DANLADI I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ZAGA AUTA. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS DANLADI MONDAY. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

T

he Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) FCT chapter has congratulated the proprietor of one of Nigeria’s rising women football club Naija Ratels, Barr.

Paul Edeh.

Chairman of SWAN FCT Comrade Ndubueze Chidoka in a congratulatory message conveyed via a press statement yesterday hailed Barr. Edeh who he described as a sports administrator per excellence.

Comrade Chidoka recalled with nostalgia how the young Naija Ratel FC Chief Executive Officer has passionately and steadily set a new pace in the growth and sustained development of two women clubs in the country.

“In too long a time that I have known Barr. Paul Edeh, his approach and passion in engaging young Nigerians especially the women in meaning venture, using football as a veritable tool is amazing.

“He has invested and still investing his personal resources so

much on many young footballers who are enjoying their career due to his desire to add value to their lives.

“On behalf of my professional

colleagues, I pray that God almighty give you long life with fulfillment and utmost accomplishments now and always,” the SWAN chairman

said.

Naija Ratels will be among the club in the country’s apex women League when the new season gets underway after they gained

promotion from the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) championship stable recently.

Tokyo Olympics: “She has a great future” – Minister commends Offiong

T

he Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has commended efforts of Edem Offiong despite her failure to progress to the next round in the women’s singles table tennis event at the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Edem Offiong summoned an impressive 4-1 victory (118,11-9,11-9,9-11,11-4) over Hungarian Dora Madarasz to secure Nigeria’s first win at the Olympic Games.

Having progressed to the second round of the women’s singles table tennis, Offiong Edem loses to Lily Zhang 4-1 (15-13, 2-11, 2-11, 8-11, 6-11) and was been eliminated from this year’s Olympics.

Despite the ouster, the minister of Sports, Sunday Dare who commended her efforts saw bright light in the future of the young athlete.

He said, “Edem Effiong played her best against Three-time American Champion, Lily Zhang at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics But lost.

Edem came close and exhibited strength and talent. She has a great future. Nigeria thanks her for making the country proud at the Olympics.”

Elizabeth Anyanacho despite her loss in Taekwondo still stand a chance of podium finish as Nigeria await positive results from wrestling and athletics.

D Tigers: Nigeria is proud of you - Minister

PG30 >>>PG30

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S p

Tokyo 2020: Igali Laments poor preparations of Nigeria’s athletes

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, july 28, 2021

r

t

D’Tigress: I am not disappointed, sports Minister

By Albert Akota

T A

s athletes battle it out at the Tokyo Olympics games in Japan.

Former Olympic gold medallist and caretaker boss of the Nigeria wrestling federation, Honourable Daniel Igali says not enough is directly being done to harness and prepare Nigerian athletes for Olympic glory.

“The truth is that sports is expensive, very expensive to run.

In addition to getting the right people to manage our sports, we must massively invest in our athletes”.

With few athletes crashing out of the race for a podium finish at the Tokyo Olympic games,

Honourable Igali stated that paucity of funds was the reason for the dwindling fortunes of team Nigeria at the Olympics.

“The female Canadian wrestling team’s budget for the past two years of the Olympic cycle was $4.6 million. What’s the combined budget of all sports feerations in Nigeria? It shall get better” Igali stated.

The Bayelsa state Commissioner for youth and sports development, want government to do more for sports through proper athletes funding.

“Just look at the countries with the most gold medals at the current Olympic, it tells the story”. Igali lamented.

he Honourable Minister of youth and sports development Mr. Sunday Dare who have deemed it fit to watch virtually every games of Team Nigeria in Tokyo was in the stand again tor cheer D’Tigress up, although they lost the match in question but was full of praise of the Team D’Tigress.

According to the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare: “I watched the game from the start to the end. Every moment.

I saw players who can fight and they fought. From 20 Points disadvantage, I saw them climb back steadily.

The height and built of the Americans not withstanding.

The next game will be better.

I trust them. They are like a family. Going up against the Americans like they did, our team is good and can be better”

NWUKE ONWA ORPHANAGE CARE FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 TRUSTEES (1) AMOSU ALBERT OLUWATOBI - CHAIRMAN (2) ORIMOLADE OLUYEMI MICHAEL - SECRETARY (3) GANIU TUNDE JIMOH (4) BOB BENSON (5) ITIMI ANDREW (6) NGENE OSITA SAMUEL. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES. (1) To encourage and promote the educational, cultural and social development of the school.

(2) To cooperate with other bodies, organization, institutions within and outside Nigeria to evolve and sustain a high standard of education in the school.

(3) To build a sense of belonging and cooperation among members necessary for the development and well being of the members of the association and the school.

SULEIMAN

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

public NOTICE

ECODITE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 TRUSTEES ARE (1) OSIAGWU EDITH - CHAIRMAN (2) JOSEPH MONICA RONMA - SECRETARY (3) ARIBISALA OLAJIDE. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES. (1) To promote reading culture among youngsters

by Equipping Library with Adequate Collection and Organization.

JONALEN GLOBAL MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENT (O OF C), OF CUSTOM DUTY PARTICULARS FOR VEHICLE ON 18TH JANUARY 2021.

BELONGING TO MR TAIYE AYO OF HSE 6 D EFAB ESTATE, LOKOGOMA ABUJA, WITH REGISTRATION NUMBER: YAB140AH CHASIS NUMBER, 4T1BK46K87U537796, VEHICLE: TOYOTA CAMRY COLOUR CUSTOM, TYPE SALOON CAR BTW 1.6-2.0 CAPACITY.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To preach and propagate the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

public NOTICE

JESUS RESCUES THE PERISHING SOULS MISSION OUTREACH THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 TRUSTEES (1) CHUKWUJINDU GIBSON MADUOBI -SECRETARY (2) CHUKWUJINDU BLESSING CHINONYE---CHAIRMAN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST .

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: SECRETARY

I , CHINWE ELISHEMA EMEFOH, of Nkwelle Village Uke in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State hereby wish to inform the general that I am the owner of PLOT 325 LOCATED AT CADASTRAL ZONE CO2 GWARINPA l, ABUJA, That I was issued with RE-CERTIFICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DT 10036 on the 14/7/2005 which I lost together with other documents in December 2017 while I was relocating to a new apartment within the same Town, Uke All efforts made to trace the missing documents, RECERTIFICATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DT 10036 inclusive proved abortive.If foundplease contactthe nearest police station. Concerned authorities and general public to take note.

public NOTICE

GRAND INDEPENDENT TALENTED MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION, ABUJA

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “F” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. DENNIS CHINONSO PRINCEWILL 2. IBELEGBU ANTHONY CHIDEBERE 3. OKORO CHIMEZIE EMMANUEL 4. OJUKWU NDOCHUKWU TIMOTHY 5. AKOR JOHNPRAISE CHUKWUNEYE 6. ONYEKACHUKWU EJIOFOR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE GOOD MUSIC IN NIGERIA 2. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS AND ENCOURAGE AND MAINTAIN A REGULAR RELATIONSHIP AMONG MEMBERS

ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE MISSING DOCUMENTS PROVE ABORTIVE. PLEASE THE AGIS AND FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ADMINISTRATION (FCTA) SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

SPACE FOR SALE

my wrong name is Sulaiman Adam Muhammad, and wrong Date of birth is 1. January 1940. my correct name is Suleiman Adam Muhammad, CORRECT date of birth IS 6 June 1970. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

public NOTICE

public NOTICE

public NOTICE Destiny Restoration and International Gospel Ministry..............CAC/IT/ - 22649 THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEE UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

OLD TRUSTEES 1. Mr Silas Bem Gurgur.......REMOVED 2. Mr. Vincent Ayuwe........REMOVED 3. Mrs Faith Ayuwa ...................RETAINED NEW TRUSTEES 1. Ayuwe Faith Alelegwu 2. Ayuwe Chukwuemeka Emmanuel 3. Ayuwe miracle Chinoso AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR- GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P. M. B. 198, ABUJA, FCT WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION Signed secretary

WATCHTOWER PRAYER NETWORK

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “F” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. Madu Chima John (Chairman) 2. Nwora Johnson Chukwuemeka (Secretary) 3. Onyeji Udoka Dennis 4. Obetta Tochukwu Mike

TRUSTEES 1 CHUKWUEMEKA EMMANUEL OKEKE 2 Benita Chimezie Okeke 3 MODEBE MICHAEL CHINWUBA

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

RESTORATION FAITH TABERNACLE OF PRAISE

SIGNED. SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To promote the placement of willing, capable and committed uneducated youths into adult education classes, courses, volunteer and internship programs with a view to ensure literacy.

SIGNED: ABUBAKAR SHAFAATU SAIDU (Secretary)

CHIKEZIE CHARITY FOUNDATION

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

TRUSTEES 1. UMAR MARYAM ALIYU 2.MUHAMMAD AISHA ALIYU 3.ABUBAKAR SHAFAATU SAIDU

SIGNED. SECRETARY

public NOTICE

TRUSTEES 1. CHIKEZIE PRINCE KENNETH - CHAIRMAN 2. ONYEKWERE HYACINTH EZE - SECRETARY 3. OSUAGWU BENNETH 4. JAMES FAITH

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE TO HELP AND PROMOTE SKILL ACQUISITION AND SELF RELIANCE AMONG YOUTH

HILLARE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION

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 “F” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020.

public NOTICE

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

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF IT MEMBERS

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

TRUSTEES 1. UMEPA JACOB JONATHAN 2. JACOB HELEN ELEOJO

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

IFEMELUMMA SOCIAL FRIENDS ASSOCIATION ABUJA.

public NOTICE THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020

Page 31

CLASSIFIED

public NOTICE

CLASSIFIED public NOTICE

PEOPLES DAILY, WednesDay july 28, 2021

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020

TRUSTEES ARE 1. Degreat John Divine - Chairman 2. Divine Blessing John 3. Francis-udoh Blessing Idongesit - Secretary 4. Joana Igwe Enuoyibo 5. Nsikan Emem Ekpo 6. Janet Ayantope Ayangbemi - Treasurer 7. Nwaorah David

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST .

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

public NOTICE

XARI EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 TRUSTEES 1. Priscilla Efe Johnson- Chairman 2. Elisha Mamman Trustee 3. Catherine Ebunoluwa Bamidele - Trustee 4. Jessica Ojonemi Amaga - Secretary AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To educate women, girls and young people on social ills that affects them which includes but not limited to sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape and underage marriage.

2. To identify and rectify social ills that affect children and girls with the aim to rebuild victims of such ills through organizing campaigns, talk shows, workshops and seminars.

3. To provide indigent girls and women with basic necessaries that could help them better their life.

4. To help empower women in Nigeria and Africa in line with the sustainable development goal on gender equality by bridging the gender inequality gap through capacity building for carrying out industry related assignments.

Aims & objectives To preach and propagate the Gospel of our lord Jesus Christ well as to educate and reform people through the holy spirit as presented in the only Bible in all part of Nigeria and the whole world at large..

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: SECRETARY

public NOTICE NWUKE ONWA ORPHANAGE CARE FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 TRUSTEES ARE 1. Nwuke Fedelis 2. Silvanus Odira 3. Okoye Theodora 4. Joy Umenwa 5. Umezulike Juliet 6. Nwuke Chidinma Agness 7. Ogbe Onyenashia Viçtoria Aims & objectives 1. To cater for the welfare of it’s members and less privileged.

2. To empower the Orphans through education and skills acquisition.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

public NOTICE HOVAS PEACE & DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS BEEN APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 TRUSTEES (1) OKAFOR CHRISTIAN IZUCHUKWU (2) OKAFOR IFEOMA CHINELO AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (1) TO WORK FOR A PEACEFUL , LESS VIOLENT SOCIETY , SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF UNDER PRIVILEGED INDIVIDUALS , GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES INCLUDING CHILDREN , WOMEN AND ADULTS IN NIGERIA. (2) TO CONDUCT CHARITABLE HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN ANY PART IN THE WORLD WITH FOCUS ON CREATING A MORE PEACEFUL AND VIOLENCE FREE WORLD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION PRESENTED BY: IFESI NWODO & CO. (LEGAL PRACTITIONERS & CONSULTANTS ) 08032146601.

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WednesDay july 28, 2021

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SPORTS Nigeria, a young democracy on trial latest WEDNESDAY COLUMN Neymar: Paris StW By Germain forward and Barcelona settle legal dispute

B

arcelona have reached an out-of-court agreement with their former player Neymar to end a legal dispute in “amicable fashion”.

Brazil forward Neymar, 29, claimed Barca refused to pay him £37.2m in owed loyalty bonuses after his £200m move to Paris St-Germain in 2017.

Barca then started legal proceedings to get him to pay back the £8m he received when he signed a new deal in 2016.

Last June, a Spanish court ordered Neymar to pay Barca £6.1m.

But reports said he had appealed against the decision and launched a new case, which is now void.

The La Liga side said in a statement: “FC Barcelona announce that it has ended out of court in amicable fashion the various labour and civil litigation cases that were open with the Brazilian player Neymar.

“As such, a transactional agreement between the club and the player has been signed to end the legal cases that were pending between the two parties.” The defending champion did not need to find his best level, still having enough quality to win 6-2 6-4 6-2 against 17th seed Garin.

The Serb will now contest the 50th Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career.

Djokovic will play Marton Fucsovics in the last eight after the Hungarian beat Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev.

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e have put the integrity and sanctity of Nigeria to the test as a people and a generation. We have summoned the soul and spirit of the country to answer to atrocities we framed up to be unacceptable to us; right in conscience, Nigeria is to answer to the reasons why it should be blessed with a huge population of diverse nationalities and expected to take advantage of its blessedness like other nations have done.

Our diversity ought to be a blessing; an opportunity very rare and which ought to be fully taken

by Nigeria and Nigerians; but unfortunately, Nigerians turned that rare opportunity at massive development into the most weaponized rod of the destruction of the country. China is today turning its massive estimated population of 1.4 billion into its first and most important resource for national development within a rather short period. America, over the century, has cleverly stimulated its diversity into a unified structure that has turned the United States of America into the powerhouse of the globe defensively and economically.

Nigeria is a country massively blessed with over 200 million people, uniquely great and endowed ethnic nationalities, but we have all together failed to see the blessedness in our unique population and tribal diversity; rather, we have magnified the factors that divide and turn the units against one another, until the center could not hold and fractures.

Unity of purpose and direction is an ingredient every multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation cannot afford to lose grip of, if it wants to move forward. It was not only that the seed of regional separatism was created in Nigeria as an aftermath of the 1965 coup and the counter coup of 1966, but it has been fed and nurtured to maturity by everyone the nation has looked up to, at various times till now, to stand by it and speak for it. At all times, when it matters most to know who is on the side of Nigeria, we have all mostly come out standing behind ethnic, political and religious affiliations at the expense of the country.

No wonder, all our attempts at unification of the country; all our deceitful pronouncements of patriotism, have broken down, each and every time there is a conflict of identification between who is a Nigeria and who is a Yoruba man, a Hausa man or an Ibo man for an obvious example. Pathetically, we will all for an umpteenth time pick our tribal, ethnic affiliations ahead of the nation, but yet desire a working system in the nation we all consider a mere secondary home.

Some years back, a prominent Yoruba elder declared publicly he was first a Yoruba man before being a Nigerian; and we all hailed him!

By that utterance, he re-echoes the long term aberration, a trojan horse - intentionally or otherwise

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that has taken away the capacity of the country to develop at its natural propensity.

It is here in Nigeria, because of the polarisation we have created on all fronts that we select issues that are worth recognising and discussing only on the basis of affiliations to religion, ethnic and political biases; we close our eyes to issues that affect the sanctity and coherence of the country if there are tendencies that they would affect our internalised, adopted and cherished prejudices. I couldn’t imagine how the very vocal voices of the Sowores, Falanas, Omokiris and their other PDP elements would pretend not to be abreast of the news of the nation’s newly acquired war planes and renewed onslaughts against the evolving banditry and Boko Haram nor of the scores of earnest government efforts at addressing pressing challenges of the country, but would never hesitate to propagate with reckless abandon any unverified information be it remotely that would undermine any element of the ruling party, the Islamic religion, the North in general and the Fulani in particular.

The Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho cases are yet another eye opener for us as Nigerians. For years and months, the country was terrorised by the actions of these men; the Southeast, for instance, became a shadow of itself as precious lives were unnecessarily lost. The elders of the two regions were literally quiet, while watching IPOB devastating the region and setting the country on fire. Also, the leaders of the Southwest were no way better; they were either nudging acclaimed separationists or pretending not to care, until the arrest of the duo.

And now, it becomes clear that these elders, the traditional rulers, and politicians knew more than we all thought about the exploits of these two men; they saw nothing wrong in the utterances that heated upcountry, took away peace and unity from us, and tended to disintegrate the nation. They were

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okay with the Nnamdi Kanu’s order to his foot soldiers to attack military men, burn down police stations and other government institutions, and kill Igbos who do not buy his ideology.

When the Yoruba nation set up its high -powered delegation to secure the release of Sunday Igboho after his total disregard for the law of Nigeria and the atrocities against the constitutional order of the country, when he directed his followers to forcefully open the nation’s Idi-Iroko border to smugglers and actually confronted, overpowered and dispossessed the Custom officers, in their areas of assignment, of their arms, when he was boasting of stockpiling guns and ammunitions to fight the Nigeria security and boldly declared he was taking the region out of the country and there is nothing the Federal government could do about it, they tacitly sent us, the signal that the man was speaking for the entire Yoruba including them; the message that they are in support of a broken and balkanised Nigeria. It is so unfortunate seeing the caliber of personalities who chose to stand up for the man against the sanctity of the country, and it becomes more glaring that the one Nigeria agenda is more threatened than we could imagine.

They knew the same Igboho was a diehard PDP stalwart; the Igboho who saw nothing wrong with Nigeria during the Obasanjo regime, saw nothing wrong with the country while the economy of Nigeria was bastardised under Jonathan who shockingly told us that stealing was not corruption.

The Igboho that didn’t see anything wrong and worth fighting for when the Jonathan administration totally alienated the Southwest, a concern that was well publicised in the media; the same man that was the arrow head of the Seyi Makinde election campaign and was busy dancing from Oyo to Kogi to Ondo to support the party (PDP) cause.

They knew his current attack was political, yet they were with

It is here in Nigeria, because of the polarisation we have created on all fronts that we select issues that are worth recognising and discussing only on the basis of affiliations to religion, ethnic and political biases

him in it all because they first see themselves as Yoruba before other considerations.

There are good works everywhere but they either don’t see them or pretend not to see them, but they see what is not working. They are Nigerians but never talk of the blooming investment in railway transportation across the country; they never make mention of the almost completed second Niger bridge; they would not see the huge investment in national security and counterinsurgency and the daily decimation of the ranks of the bandits and Boko Haram, but they would not miss out on propagating every single attack, killing and kidnapping.

There has been tremendous improvement in electricity supply across the country over the last years, but the government would not get the applause it rightly deserves because they would pretend not to see it. They prefer to keep their bases in the dark, under-informed and resentful against the nation.

They would prefer the mischievous narrative that presents ‘pampered bandits and insurgents’ while the government is clamping down on ‘innocent Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho,’ while they ignore and prefer no one hears of the tons of bandits and insurgents that are wasted by the superior power of the Nigeria Army on daily basis.

By the way, why would any sensible person compare two individuals who made themselves publicly known as enemies of the state with hundreds if not thousands of faceless bandits as if they are equal entities; besides mischief or sheer ignorance? One Nnamdi Kanu or Sunday Igboho is not the same as hundreds or thousands of faceless bandits!

This country, obviously is on trial and the elders of the land, those we look up to, to stand and defend the integrity and indivisibility of the nation have come out openly to tell us where they belong. Who is on the side of Nigeria now?

GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!

DAN Dan GAYE gaYE

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