Monday, December 20, 2021 Edition

Monday, Deceember 20, 2021/ Jimada Ula 8 1443 AH,

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

Vol. 38 No. 098

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BETHEL BAPTIST HIGH SCHOOL, KUJAMA

163 DAYS

Reps summon Interior Minister, NIS CG, others over handling of visa, passports >>>PG 5

Bandits kill over 38 persons inAsKaduna communities Police arrest 11 notorious kidnappers

>>PG 5

President Muhammadu Buhari with his Son and newly Turbanned Talban Daura Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari and Chief of Staff, Prof ibrahim Gambari and others aides shortly on his return from an official visit to Istanbul, Turkey. PHOTO; STATE HOUSE

COVID-19: Ganduje flags-off mass vaccination exercise

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Insecurity: We have Nigeria will not mortgage Customs recruitment: We Ghost doctor paid are under pressure from for 3 years, Niger govt capacity to assist security national assets for constituents, lawmakers reveals Chinese loans — DMO agencies - Hunters cry out PAGE 4

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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NEWS CONTENTS News 2-14

COVID-19: Ganduje flags-off mass vaccination exercise

12-13

From Kano

Politics 15-17

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Op.Ed

Stock Watch Business

18 19-20

Metro

21

World New

22

Africa News

23

World News

24

COAS tasks soldiers on professionalism Page 7

Education

25

Feature 26 Sports 29-31 Back Page

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Mustapha

Adamu,

overnor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has flagged-off mass vaccination exercise against COVID-19 and launched access to care, under Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

A statement by Abba Anwar, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the initiative was for an effective taming of all stages of COVID-19 pandemic, amid all sectors of health experts, including development partners.

He said the exercise took place at Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, yesterday, as the governor revealed that, “As we are graduating from vaccination of targeted groups and population, we now open a new chapter, which is called Mass Vaccination.”

He added that the launching ceremony was organised by the State Primary Healthcare Management Agency (KSPHMA) in collaboration with the State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), through the state Ministry of Health.

The governor reiterated that, “We took all the necessary measures that were (are) required to tame COVID-19 in the state.

That effort was made possible by the Will of Allah.”

Adding that, “We also need to appreciate the efforts put by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Abdussamad Isyaka Rabi’u, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, our health workers and of course our security agencies for enforcing COVID-19 protocols.”

On access to healthcare he said “Our aim is to have good access to healthcare service delivery across

all the 44 local governments.

To also have functional primary healthcare for our health facilities.”

Encouraging that, the idea attempts to have minimum requirements for personnel, consumables, physical maintenance, among others.

The governor distributed identity cards for enrollees and presented Cheques to health facilities in the state, to the tune of Millions of Naira, amid jubilation in appreciation of his concern for the development of healthcare delivery services.

Wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President, 9th House of Representatives Members’ Spouses Association (HORMSA), Salamatu Gbajabiamila (4th right) admiring the painting skills of young participants at the Christmas party hosted by HORMSA at the Abuja Children’ Park and Zoo, Garki for children from some orphanages, at the weekend in Abuja

Change your perception about older persons - Omokaro tells Nigerians

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r Emem Omokaro, the Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) has urged Nigerians to change their perception of older persons as witches or wizards rather they should be seen as assets.

Omokaro made the call on Sunday at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

She said that older persons were often neglected or treated badly because of the perception by some that they possesd witchcraft spirit and their rights were being abused.

She said that the National Senior Citizens Centre was therefore established to carter and look into the plight of the elderly to guarantee their safety and protect their rights among others.

According to her, older persons are assets and the centre intends for Nigerians to recognise those potential in different areas and to tap into them.

“We have to first change the mindset of people on the perception of aging.

“There has been for a long very time pessimistic perception of aging that once you are old, you are just waiting to die.

“Once you are old, your brain is frozen and once you are old, you are ugly, whereas it is the opposite

because you have spent your years, your lifetime the life course gathering experience.

“You have become an institutional memory like a bank.

“So we believe in experience, we believe that older persons are assets and older persons are very creative, older persons have experience.”

Omokaro said that the centre was working with other Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to carry out its mandate and have a wider coverage to carter for the rights of older persons in Nigeria.

She said that technical working groups, sometimes bilateral and sometimes multilateral in nature were set up because of the centre’s multi sectorial approach to catering for the aged.

“We have between us and the National Human Rights Commission and then Legal Aids Council, and then National Orientation Agency, this is because we want to work with them to reorient citizenry to understand and respect the rights of older persons.

“We want to develop Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials; we want to project the dignity of older persons; we want to stop, stem elder abuse.

“I am sure you know that

incidence of dementia is rising and older persons in those communities are being tagged witches and wizards and being stoned, striped on the streets and beaten.

“So we want to develop a module of Anti-elder Abuse Community Based Rapid Response Mechanism.

“So all these agencies I mentioned have offices nationwide, have programmes and services, procedures and mechanisms that we can use with them.

“So what we need to do is build their own capacity in aging to understand where we are coming from and then partner to use this procedures to get to the communities.’’

Omokaro said that the centre was working to make older persons more productive by having them register what they wanted to do under a unit in its entrepreneurship and livelihood department known as the continuing engagement unit.

She said the centre would harness and have the data of all the older diplomats and other aged persons with wealth of knowledge to mine their experiences for national development.

She said this was in line with the centre’s mandate to build the capacities of older persons and it would achieve that in collaboration

with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) .

Omokaro said that the centre was already developing its flagship programmes to be launched very soon because older persons “are assets and the centre wants Nigerians to recognise those potential in different areas and to tap into them.”

She said that the centre was also being positioned to be intergenerational, adding that “when you are intergenerational you build a more cohesive society.”

Omokaro said that the community programmes were being positioned to be intergenerational because Nigerian communities were now being emptied of our youths, who had no business being in the city.

“What are they doing where are they ? They are just hanging in towns and doing really nothing.

“Whereas our communities are much endowed and the older persons are still back there in the communities doing the things they have been doing for years and they are getting weary. `So we want to incentify our youths to look into their communities and see how we can develop community livelihoods and get it to be intergenerational with shared prosperity,:” she said (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

NEWS

Ag News Editor, Tobias Lengnam

By Christiana Ekpa

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embers of the House of Representatives are under intense pressure from constituents, seeking jobs in the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in the ongoing recruitment exercise by the Service.

Leke Abejide, Chairman of the House Committee on Customs and Excise who gave this indication at a press conference in Abuja said the exercise was not full recruitment but to fill the gaps of cadres not filled in the last recruitment process.

Abejide said it became important to make the clarification because of the pressures from their constituents who are not aware that the NCS is not undertaking massive recruitment.

The lawmaker explained that Customs has “four (4) cadres to recruit namely: Superintendent, Inspectorate, Level 04 and Level 03, one per LGA. Any cadre already filled in the just concluded recruitment will not be available in the portal opened on 13/12/2021.

Abejide decried the level of pressure being mounted on members of the House to lobby for slots on their behalf, stressing that the amount of pressure necessitated the press briefing to correct some erroneous insinuations.

He urged Nigerians, especially those interested in applying for NCS jobs, to find out the cadres that exist in their LGAs. He said the House was

APC promises to retain power beyond 2023 - BSO From Yakubu Minna

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Mustapha,

he Niger state Coordinator of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) Alhaji Umar Shuaibu has said that the ruling All Progressives Congress will maintain power beyond 2023 after the end of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Shuaibu stated this yesterday at a strategic meeting of the organisation in Minna, saying that the BSO has structures on ground all over the country.

He added that having successfully delivered President Buhari for two terms, the organisation would not allow any person to hijack it.

Umar Shuaibu who was optimistic that the performance of President Buhari within the period of his six years in office has surpassed the 16 years of PDP performance.

Customs recruitment: We are under pressure from constituents, lawmakers cry out

working on a bill to reform NCS, adding that it would repeal and re-enact the law to enable it recruit massively.

According to him, the NCS ought to have 30,000

personnel but that currently, it has about 15,000 personnel, adding that the number was grossly inadequate “If the current CEMA Bill before the National Assembly

is passed and the Nigeria Customs Service has the proposed 4 percent FOB it will be easier for them to recruit over 10,000 Officers at once and also be able to pay them.

“At the moment the 7 percent collection cannot allow them to do that because it is insufficient to pay salaries of the current 15,439 officers in its workforce.”

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Edet Akpan; Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi; Country Representative in Nigeria, Power China, Mr Ji Yuxin; Director of

Insecurity: Kadiriyya sect holds special peace prayer in Kano From Kano

Mustapha

Adamu,

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he Kadiriyya Movement, an Islamic sect has held a special prayer session against the lingering insecurity bidevilling northern part of Nigeria and the country as a whole.

Addressing journalists shortly after the prayer session, the e leader of Kadiriya Movement in Africa, Sheikh Karibullah Nasiru Kabara charged Nigerians to intensify prayers to God for bringing an end to the current security challenges in the country.

He said the current security

challenges in Nigeria and other parts of the world are very worrisome and need God’s intervention, noting that people need to devote themselves to the worship of God, seek His forgiveness and shun all immoral acts .

Sheikh Kabara advised the general populace to embrace prayers on daily basis and build a decent relationship between themselves and the Almighty God. “We should go back and screen our relationship between ourselves and our creator, we should repent and shun all immoral acts, we should help the needy and respect our

parents “ The Islamic cleric enjoined the Muslim Ummah in all parts of the country and world at large to intensify prayers for the peaceful coexistence in all parts of the world.

He noted that special prayers for calamity that befall people were originated from the time of Holy Prophet Muhammad, adding that it is imperative to hold it at this critical time.

He said old people, children and even women are enjoined to attend such kind of special prayers, urging that the message passed during the prayer should be disseminated to those that could not attend

the prayer session.

He also enjoined the Muslim population to constantly imbibe the culture of sending salutations to the Holy Prophet, seeking forgiveness to Allah and embrace the recitation of the Holy Quran on daily basis.

The Kadiriyya leader noted that “if we embrace these supplications, Allah will answer our prayers,” “Whoever is planning this insecurity God is more powerful than him,” he said.

Our reporter observed that during the national prayers, complete Holy Quran was recited then followed by special prayers.

Fake news: Group calls for promotion of media literacy

By Abubakar Yunusa,Abuja

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o stem the tide of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, a civil society group for good governance has stressed the

need for government at all levels to come up with policies that can reduce fake news, misinformation as well as promote media literacy in the country.

The President of the Group, Comrade Ogakwu Dominic made

the call in Abuja at a roundtable on fake news organized by Civil society group for good governance.

Comrade Dominic explained that “As 2023 general elections draws nearer it has become

necessary for the group to come out with a platform with the aim of combating the menace of politics of bitterness during electioneering campaign by politicians through the use of social media”.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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NEWS

PDP urges Buhari not to frustrate electoral bill

Insecurity: We have capacity to assist security agencies - Hunters From: Ahmad Muhammad, Bauchi

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traditional security outfit, Hunters Association of Nigeria has declared to support security agencies in

the fight against kidnapping, banditry, and other forms of insecurity currently facing the country.

National Chairman of the group, Muhammadu Usman Tola disclosed this in Bauchi

at the annual meeting and inauguration of new officials of the Association.

Tola said hunters, know the terrain of Nigeria’s forest, where bandits and insurgents hide, opining that, a lot of

success would be achieved if hunters and security agents come together for a common goal.

He said ensuring a peaceful Nigeria remains the priority of every hunter in the country.

L,- R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Edet Akpan; Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi; and Country Representative in Nigeria, Power China, Mr Ji Yuxin, during the presentation of Rural Solar Equipment to the Minister on Friday in Abuja .

From: Ahmad Idris, Birnin kebbi

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he People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) Kebbi State chapter has told president Muhammad Buhari not to furstrate the passage of the electoral bill.

The party said any attempt to do such will attract protest.

Speaking to journalists in Birnin kebbi,the state party chairman Ibrahim Usman Manzu who spoke through the party Treasure Haruna Mohammed Shau said Mr. President’s approval will be the only remedy to rescue the Nigeria Democracy.

Photo: Justin Imoowo

NBA Chairman Budget padding: CSOs want Sen. Barau Jibrin sacked pledges commitment as Senate committee chair on appropriation to association S

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

By Usman Shuaibu

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he Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Isah Aliyu, has said that his leadership would remain committed to the welfare of the members of the Eagle Bar. Aliyu, who stated this in an interview with newsmen during the 2021 Law Dinner/Award Night organized by the Eagle Bar in Gwagwalada.

He said he would continue to work hand in hand with other executives to move the Eagle Bar to the greater height.

He also said his administration was working tirelessly towards the development of the land in order to have a Befitting Bar Centre for the branch.

He disclosed that during the law Dinner the past Chairmen of the Eagle Bar, the legal luminaries, the traditional rulers and the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) among others were conferred with the merit awards.

Aliyu, however, thanked the Law Dinner organizing committee for their commitment towards the success of the event.

On his part, one of the members of the 2021 Law Dinner organizing committee, Barr. Igah Albert commended the chairman of the branch for his commitment to the progress of the Eagle Bar. Albert, therefore, said the eagle bar was known to be growing at a fast pace due to the vision of the branch chairman.

ome civil society organisations on Thursday, December 16, 2021, called on Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan to sack the chairman Senate committee on appropriation, Senator Barau Jibrin.

The groups, Guidance of Democracy and Development Initiative (GDDI) and Partners for Legislative Agenda in Nigeria (PLAN) stated that cannot remain the chairman of the committee in the face of the report of his involvement in budget padding.

Leaders of the group, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince of GDDI and Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta,

noted that Senator Jibrin’s continuous leadership of such a sensitive committee is in variance with the All Progressives Congress anti-corruption crusade. ‘’It is therefore incumbent on you as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to rise to the moral and patriotic occasion before you and sack the indicted Senator,’’ the groups told Lawan.

They further said: ‘’We are very saddened about the manifestation of corruption in Nigeria in its instituted forms. At a period of undeniable economic downturn and financial austerity for the federal government, it is suffocating to live with the fact that as long as a character like

Senator Barau Jibrin chairs the Appropriation Committee of the Senate, budget padding will be the order of the day. ‘’The 2020 Appropriation Act is full of padded expenditures which have now been pronounced by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as failing in all the integrity tests of accepted procedures in procurement and an aberration to the provisions of the Procurement Act. ‘’In the reported Constituency and Executive Tracking Exercise Phase 3 Report of the ICPC, it has become obvious that Senator Barau Jibrin has bestrode our national budget as a monstrous

Colossus, creating expenditures that can only be criminally explained, or accounted for. ‘’And expectedly, the Senator has not denied the allegations in the ICPC report against him. A man who is found to have grossly abused our National Budget should not by any moral compass be allowed to continue to superintend over the legislative scrutiny of our National Budget. ‘’It is no longer news that various contract scams have been traced to Sinity Nig. Ltd, Engr Jibril Electrical Engineering and Talgo Luxury Estate Investment Nig. Ltd (companies owned by Senator Jibrin, and his family members, or in which he has serious stakes in).

president, assistant general secretary, financial secretary and legal adviser, which were not filled yesterday because there were no nominations into them.

The election was conducted by a three-member Electoral Panel, which had the Chairman of Daily Trust, Kabiru Yusuf; the founder of Radio Now, Kadaria Ahmed and Mr Adedoyin as members.

The oath of office for the newly constituted exco members was administered immediately after the general assembly by a Lawyer/Notary Public, Zainab Musa.

The swearing-in of the exco was witnessed by the global IPI Executive Board member, Mr Adedoyin, and members of the Nigerian chapter of the Institute, among whom were a Director in Media Trust Limited, Mannir DanAli; Chairman of the Editorial Board of Blueprint, Zainab Suleiman Okino; Deputy Editor, 21st Century Chronicle, Catherine Agbo, and Dr. Akinreti.

In his acceptance speech after his emergence as president, Mr Mojeed, who expressed the appreciation of his team to all members of IPI Nigeria for the confidence reposed in them, assured that the new exco would work harder towards deepening press

freedom and accelerating free speech in Nigeria, and the world at large.

“We will also work at deepening collaboration with newsrooms and other organisations in the defence of press freedom in Nigeria and elsewhere,” he said, adding that: “We will implement measures and programmes that will make ours a stronger voice as we firmly stand up for media freedom, freedom of speech and the free flow of news and information whenever, wherever and however they are threatened.”

Continuing, the PREMIUM TIMES COO, said, “Our team will also take a holistic look at the key issues confronting our newsrooms today and undermining press freedom one way and another. The issues include those concerning ethics, regulation, sustainability, credibility, and fake news.”

Messrs. Mojeed and Shekarau took over yesterday from Mallam Kabiru Yusuf and Mr Adedoyin, who had piloted the affairs of the body for years as chairman and secretary, respectively, and have since been elevated to the Board of Trustees of the organisation. Other members of the Board of Trustees of IPI Nigeria

are Ms Ahmed; the Managing Director of ThisDay Newspapers, Eniola Bello, and veteran journalist, and Newsport Online, Folu Olamiti.

The general assembly of IPI Nigeria had at a session held on August 5 this year ratified proposals made for the expansion of its current executive council (Exco), which gave room for the creation of additional offices in the Exco such as deputy president, assistant secretary, and legal adviser.

The congress also approved the change in nomenclature of the highest leadership position in its Exco, from being addressed as Chairman to President, while also adopting a proposal to adopt the name Secretary in place of General Secretary for its scribe.

The International Press Institute (IPI) is a global network of media executives, editors and leading journalists. Since its establishment in 1950, it has consistently and strongly crusaded for media freedom in every corner of the world.

The Nigerian chapter of the Institute has also done the same to some degree, deploying the platform to resist brutal assaults on press freedom in Nigeria.

IPI Nigeria gets new leaders; Mojeed President, Shekarau Secretary

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he Editor-in-Chief/Chief Operating Officer of PREMIUM TIMES Nigeria, Muskilu Mojeed has emerged as President of the Nigeria chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Mr Mojeed emerged as president unopposed during a session of the General Assembly of the Institute, which was held physically and virtually in Abuja on Thursday.

Also at the meeting, the General Manager, Business and Strategy of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Ahmed I. Shekarau, was elected Secretary of IPI Nigeria.

Mr Shekarau won the majority of the votes cast at the election, defeating his only contender, Dr Qasim Akinreti, who is the Deputy Director, Digital Media, at the Voice of Nigeria (VON).

A statement issued Friday in Abuja by the Executive Board member of the global body of the Institute, Raheem Adedoyin, also announced the emergence, unopposed, of Rafatu Salami, Assistant Director, Digital Media of VON, as Treasurer.

The statement disclosed that the General Assembly mandated the newly constituted exco to work towards filling the vacant positions of deputy

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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NEWS

Bandits kill over 38 persons in Kaduna communities ***As Police arrest 11 notorious kidnappers in Taraba, recover 7 AK47 rifles 121 live ammunition, others

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam & “The suspects, Luka Adam, Femi Oyelola, Kaduna Shuaibu Nuhu, Moses Amos, Peters Mashi, Ahmadu Mallam, aduna State Commissioner Adamu Mohammed, Dahiru for Internal Security and Mallam Dalha, Gambo Isah, Sanusi Home Affairs, Samuel Ahmadu, Mallam Mohammed Aruwan has said that bandits Mauludu, Ibrahim Idi, all indigenes have killed over 38 persons and of Taraba State, were arrested by destroyed property worth millions the Police team from their various of naira in Giwa Local Government criminal hideouts.”

Area of Kaduna State on Saturday.

The Police investigations This is as Nigerian police revealed that the suspects, who arrested 11 notorious kidnappers have also been on the wanted list in Taraba state and recovered of the Taraba Police Command, weapons. are members of a notorious This was contained in a kidnap syndicate and have been statement made available to the evidentially linked to the recent media in Kaduna yesterday. upsurge in incidents of kidnapping The statement stated that the bandits attacked Kauran Fawa, Marke, and Riheya villages in Idasu, Giwa Local Government Area, leaving more than 38 residents dead.

The bandits were also said to have burnt houses, trucks and cars, along with agricultural produce on various farms.

The commissioner stated that Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who received the reports with sadness, sent condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for divine repose of victims’ souls.

The Governor also commiserated with the affected communities and directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency to conduct an urgent assessment of the area towards providing relief.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Police yesterday said its Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team, working with the Taraba State Police Command, arrested a total of eleven (11) notorious kidnapping suspects in Taraba State for their complicity and various criminal By Christiana Ekpa roles in the recent trend of kidnapping incidents in Taraba he House of Representatives State.

Committee Public Accounts The police in a statement issued Committee, PAC, has yesterday by its spokesperson, summoned the Minister of Interior, Frank Mba, said the crimes the Permanent Secretary of the included; the kidnapping of a Ministry, the Acting Comptroller serving personnel of the Nigeria General of Immigration over Customs Service, kidnapping of a engagement of consultants to manage relative of the Emir of Jalingo and visa and passport related matters at the killing of a Police Sergeant in the nation’s missions across the world.

Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

The Committee Chaired by Dr The statement said the Police Busayo Oluwole Oke issued the team equally recovered seven (7) summon on the affected individuals AK47 rifles, two (2) Beretta pistols, when the Acting Comptroller General one hundred and twenty-one of the Service, Idris Jere, represented (121) rounds of live ammunition by an Assistant Comptroller General, of different calibre, four (4) Budget Olubusola Fashakin, magazines, masks, illicit drugs and appeared before the committee over other incriminating items during a query from the office of the Auditor raids of various hideouts of the General of the Federation against the suspects in the State.

NIS. “The arrest of the suspects The Chairman lamented the ugly follows the deployment of operatives of the Intelligence Response Team by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman resident Muhammadu Buhari Alkali Baba, to Taraba State to congratulates the Editor-in-Chief/ complement the efforts of the Chief Operating Officer of Premium Taraba State Police Command in Times Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, who has promptly containing the disturbing emerged the President of the Nigeria trend of kidnapping, armed chapter of the International Press Institute robbery, and other violent crimes (IPI). in the State.

President Buhari also felicitates

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in the State, including the deliberate and calculated attacks on security personnel.

“Investigations also revealed how two (2) of the suspects, Gambo Isah and Sanusi Ahmadu masterminded the killing of the Police Sergeant and left a Police Inspector with gunshot injuries in their recent operation to enable them escape arrest having abducted some victims in Jalingo recently.

“Investigations further revealed that the modi operandi of the suspects include trailing individuals - Business owners, Government Functionaries,

motorists with flashy and exotic cars, etc - to their houses and thereafter planning and executing the kidnap of such persons. They also collect huge sums of money as ransom from relatives and friends of their victims before their release.

“The Police in the course of investigations equally identified and raided various criminal hideouts where kidnap victims are usually kept. While cache of weapons and other incriminating items were recovered from the hideouts, all the kidnap victims held hostage at the various hideouts were carefully and successfully rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.

Meanwhile investigators are intensifying efforts at arresting other suspects currently at large.”

The IGP, while commending the people of Taraba State for supporting the Police especially in providing useful information that aided the prompt apprehension of the suspects, assured that the Police will continue to work with all stakeholders in deepening the collective safety of the Taraba people.

The IGP condoled the family of the late Sergeant Ogidi Habu and added that the Force will sustain efforts at improving public safety in all Nigerian communities.

The Founder, United Vessels of Love Foundation (U-VOL) Faith Adole (middle) with some medical and non medical Volunteers,during the Foundation Free Medical outreach and treatment in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora C o m m i s s i o n (NIDCOM( for the sick ones, the elderly and other vulnerablle Peoples on various iilment, recently in Obi Community , Obi LGA of Benue State.

Reps summon Interior Minister, Perm Sec NIS CG over handling of visa, passports by consultants

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incident was costing the country a lot of money and should be stopped immediately since there were Personnel adequately trained for the same purpose.

According to him, “we visited your Embassies and the Auditor General raised some queries on some Missions so we visited South Africa and Atlanta, US. We discovered that Nigeria is losing serious money through your operations. You engaged consultants to manage your passports and visas platform “In our opinion, NIS personnel were trained to manage visa and passport matters. That is your core mandate. So on what basis are you now engaging Consultants. So what are you people doing in the offices. So your men are idle, roaming the streets, this is not acceptable to the Parliament, something has to be done to stop the economy wastage

“I give you a scenario, In South Africa, out of a revenue of $213, a Consultant took $90. Out of that $213 only $15 came to the Nigerian purse.

That particular consultant is managing 14 countries. And Nigeria is bleeding through this window and we would continue to borrow money to finance our budget and one person sitting down in the corner of his room is making $90 on each applicant. It would not continue.

“The Minister of Interior, the Permanent Secretary, the CG of the Service is to cause appearance before this committee to speak to this issue. You have a letter from this committee asking you to furnish this committee with the particulars of all the Consultants you have engaged and the agreement you signed with them.

Nigeria is bleeding through this window “What are your personnel doing?

Why did we train you and engage you?

Your personnel are idle, roaming the streets, sitting down in the offices and Consultants are doing your job and taking away our money.

“The Minister of Interior, the Permanent Secretary, the CG have to come with the agreement you signed and give reasons that they have to deny personnel trained and employed to do this work. You are also exposing Nigerians to risk. Data protection. We owe Nigerians a high duty of care and we would discharge it.”

The Committee also directed NIS to furnish it with procurement records for utilization of money collected through service wide votes and deployed for capital purposes from 2013 to 2018.

The Committee said this was necessary due to discrepancies in the submissions by the NIS to the committee on how the funds were managed over the years.

Buhari congratulates Premium Times E-I-C, Daily Trust Gm, on election as president, secretary of IPI

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with the General Manager, Business and Strategy of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Ahmed I. Shekarau, who was elected Secretary of IPI Nigeria, a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said at the weekend.

The President salutes the diligence

and brilliance of both journalists, who have distinguished themselves in their chosen career with many recognitions and awards, urging them to bring their versatile experience in the media to reflect on the Institute.

The President also felicitates with the IPI on its successful General Assembly, saluting

the outgoing leadership for providing sound management for the institute.

President Buhari looks forward to working with the new executive to advance the interests of the nation, which are not at variance with the IPI in the promotion of journalism, social justice and human rights.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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NEWS

CNG postpones mega pan northern summit on insecurity

By Abubakar Yunusa Abuja

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he Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG has announced the postponement of its planned Mega Pan Northern Summit, from 20 to 21st December 2021to January 5 to 6th 2022 because of the festive season.

Recall that the group has declared both the Federal and States Government have failed in their responsibility to keep the country secured from incessant banditry, kidnappings, armed robbery and terrorism, especially in northern Nigeria.

It is against this backdrop they agreed to hold the Mega Pan Northern Nigerian Summit under the Chairmanship of the convener of the Northern Elders Forum, professor Ango Abdullahi to look into a profer definite solutions to the security challenges in the region.

“The Summit shall involve critical stakeholders as traditional rulers, clerics of all faiths, academics, community leaders, security personnel, students, women, youth, and all trade organizations including ASUU, COASU, NUT, NUJ, NULGE, NGE, and others”.

Nigeria will not mortgage national assets for Chinese loans — DMO

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he Debt Management Office (DMO) has clarified that loans from China to Nigeria, which presently stood at 3.59 billion dollars, constitutes only 9.4 per cent of the country’s total foreign debt stock of 37.9 billion dollars.

Ms Patience Oniha, DirectorGeneral, DMO, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

She also clarified that the loans were largely concessional, as no national asset was tagged as collateral.

NAN reports that in recent times, both the social and mainstream media have been awash with news about some African countries, including Nigeria, facing the threat of losing some critical national assets to the Asian country due to high level

indebtedness.

“Nigeria’s total debt stock as at Sept. 30 was 37.9 billion dollars, this figure comprised the external debt stock of the Federal Government, 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory. “ But total loans from China stands at 3.59 billion dollars, which is 9.47 per cent of the total external debt. The loans did not require any national asset as collateral; they were largely concessional,’’ she said.

Oniha urged Nigerians to always endeavour to verify sensitive information from official sources before disseminating it.

She explained that before foreign loans were contracted, very sensitive steps were taken by multiple institutions of government to ensure that they

were beneficial to the nation.

“Before any foreign loan is contracted, including the issuance of Eurobond, they are approved by the Federal Executive Council and thereafter, the National Assembly.

“An important and extremely critical step is that the loan agreements are approved by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“An opinion is issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice before the agreements are signed.

“Several measures which operate seamlessly have been put in place to ensure that data on debt are available and that debt is serviced as at when due.

Provisions are made explicitly for debt service in the annual budgets,’’ she said.

Oniha explained that the loans

agreements provided a number of steps to take to resolve dispute when they arise.

“The first action is that the parties should resolve it within themselves and if that fails, they go to arbitration.

“In other words, a lender, in this case, China, would not just pounce on an asset at the first sign of a dispute, including defaults,’’ the she said.

She explained that the DMO maintained proper records of debts, provided projections for debt service and processed the actual payments for debt service.

She pointed out that those functions were carried out in conjunction with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

(NAN)

APC Supporters in Langtang North Local Government Area ofPlateau state during their protest over the Misconduct of the Local Government Chairman art the weekend.

Bomo Deoku Social Club celebrates 15 years anniversary

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he leadership of Bomo Deoku Social Club Zuba, Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Sunday celebrated fifteen years’ anniversary as the club appealed for N 15million to build its hall in the area.

Speaking to Peoples Daily correspondent during the celebration of the anniversary in Zuba, the patron of the club, Dr Wasiu Tunwase, who is also the Otunba of Yoruba community in the FCT, urged the leadership of the club to continue to handle the club diligently.

Tunwase said he would continue to support the club 100% in order to achieve its goals for the members.

He noted that despite the challenges faced by the club the leadership of the club had done a lot of things, and prayed for the executives to get more money to build the hall.

He, explained that the executives, as well as the members of the social club, are always ready to take advice from the elders that will move the club to the next level.

The Bomo Deoku Social Club Patron, therefore, used the occasion to call on the entire Yoruba in the FCT to live as one indivisible entity for the sake of togetherness.

Group partners FG on youth empowerment

By Paul Efiong

A

foremost indigenous engineering outfit, Brightade Engineering Company limited (BECL) has stated that it is collaborating with the Federal Government through the federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in order to achieve their sole aims and objectives of embarking on massive youth empowerment in order to stem the tide of youth restiveness and crime in the country.

The group said the partnership is also the aim of World Bank

Group’s passion especially on education which is in line with the objective of BECL on certification and recertification of expertise through trainings.

The Managing Director/CEO of the company, Engr. Kenneth Koko Odohofre in an interview with journalists in Abuja stated that youth empowerment mean different things to different people.

“To politicians it means sharing of meager amount to some selected few individuals before the election to enable recipients cast their votes for them during

elections while educationists see empowerment as processes that could lead to one emotional, psychological, socio- economic emancipation or uplifting”.

The Chief Consultant of the Coy, Barrester Nwike Emmanuel explained that BECL has come up tall in order to redefine what empowerment means to Nigerians with specific reference to youths, including women of all categories with the whole objective of creating employment opportunity to jobless but qualify young men and women through contructive and meaningful engagment throughout out

Nigeria.

“Before its emergence, BECL had to investigate reasons while some with formal education certificates are not accorded opportunity to get their dream jobs in the country to enable them live meaningful lives.

According to him, the outfit equally investigated underground rationale for sharing money to jobless youths and the unemployed in recent past which saw them vote politicians into offices after which they are dumped and call thugs by the same people whom they assisted into office.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

NDC graduates 34 officers on gender mainstreaming

T

he National Defence College (NDC) has graduated 34 middle level officers from the military, security and paramilitary agencies on gender mainstreaming in the security institutions and training academy.

The participants were drawn from the military, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NCDC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and Federal Fire Service.

Rear Adm. Oladele Daji, Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), said the course was aimed at equipping the participants on the concept of gender mainstreaming and enhance their understanding on gender responsiveness in the security sector.

Daji, represented by Dr Danladi Nit, Acting Provost, NDC Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, expressed optimism that the participants were better informed on gender mainstreaming and requisite skills in dealing with gender related issues.

He commended the UN Women for its commitment towards entrenching gender consciousness and bridging the gender gap in the nation’s security sector.

“This course has 34 participants from the various security sector, and I must commend you for applying yourself to this course.

“It is my hope that you make use of the knowledge you have acquired upon your return to your various institutions,” he said.

Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Country Representative, said that women peace and security was one of the thematic areas of focus by the UN Women.

Lamptey who was represented by Mr Peter Mancha, Programme Specialist, said the organisation had been supporting the government of Nigeria to meet the commitment of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of which Nigeria had domesticated the action plan.

She commended NDC for being a strategic partner in gender mainstreaming in the security forces by conducting training on gender for senior female officers of the various security agencies.

According to her, the UN women has created platform for inter-agency coordination among the security institutions known as gender reference group in the security sector.

She said the group had been meeting on quarterly basis to look at how to bridge the existing gap in the military and other security organisations.

Lamptey commended the Chief of Defece Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor for his commitment towards enhancing gender mainstreaming in the armed forces.

PAGE 7

CRIME NEWS

COAS tasks soldiers on professionalism

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he Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has called on army personnel to be responsive and professional in the discharge of their duties.

The COAS made the call during the Passing out Parade (POP) of 4,828 soldiers of the 81 Regular Recruit Intake on Saturday in Zaria.

Yahaya, who was the Special

Guest of Honour and Reviewing Officer of the POP, urged the recruits to maintain a high standard of professionalism and remain good ambassadors of Depot Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“As for the passing out recruits, you are all aware, Nigeria is currently facing numerous security challenges such as the activities of Boko Haram

terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, secessionist agitators and other criminal elements. “ I wish to state that these security challenges can only be surmounted by the collective resolve and effort of every officer and soldier of the Nigerian Army, including those of you passing out today,’’ he said.

Yahaya urged the new soldiers to apply the mental, physical and

moral training acquired over the past few months as well as those you will be exposed to at your respective units, formations and corps.

He added that the army expected them to uphold the Nigerian Army core values of loyalty, selfless service, courage, discipline, integrity and respect for others which are sacred to all personnel.

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

The governor commended Old Boys of the school for coming together to rescue their alma mater through projects initiatives He said “I am excited that as Old Boys you have gathered together to develop the school that has made it possible for us to attain the positions we are today.

“Growing up as a young man I had fond memories of this school, especially during the Inter-House Sports Competitions.

“Ika Grammar School had earned a name long before I went to school and i believe that none of us would want to see the school go down to the extent that we

can’t tell people that we attended the school.

“I must thank Bishop Ekpenisi for the efforts he has made to upgrade the facilities here.

“There is need to improve infrastructure in the school because no matter how good your teachers are, if the ambience of the school is not appealing to the child he can never be comfortable to study.”

Okowa charged the old students to donate generously to the development of the school and announced that the State Government would carry out proper renovation of the

administration block.

“We are not paying much attention to education and I believe that is part of the problems we are having today as a country.

“This school gave birth to who you are today and it’s important that we pay special attention to it otherwise the lives of many children would have been spoilt or lost,” He commended the school for producing illustrious Ika sons in positions of authority, but decried the prevailing situation in the society where cultism had permeated the entire education chain.

Okowa deplores cultism in schools

D

elta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has deplored rising cases of cultism in schools across the country and urged stakeholders to work towards eradicating the scourge.

He said at the launching and ground-breaking of projects at Ika Grammar School, Boji Boji Owa in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state, at the weekend that teachers, parents and other stakeholders had the responsibility of inculcating morals in students to prevent them from cults activities.

Chief Judge Federal High Court , Justice John Tsoho ( right ) , Chairperson Sport Club and Head Bail Unit, Oyibo Lami Anthony ( middle ) and Chief Registrar, Emmanuel Gakko during the Presentation of Trophy and medals won by federal high court sport club, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Despite challenges, Nigerians expect more from govt - Okowa

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

G

overnor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on at the weekend said despite the present insecurity, COVID-19 pandemic, economic and governance challenges bedeviling the country, Nigerians expect more from the government.

Okowa stated this at the grand reception in honour of the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah at the palace of the Obuzor of Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

He commended the Oshimili North Traditional Rulers Committee for the honour done

on the State Scribe, adding that the reception would encourage Ukah to do more for the people.

According to the governor, i am glad to witness this ceremony, because when you know that you have a support base, it enables you to do more and as Chief Ukah did say, the SSG is not a position you just appoint anybody.

“For anyone to be appointed SSG you must have a very close working relationship with the Governor because the office demands total loyalty.

“God placed him on my way and he became a Commissioner and displayed good qualities that made him return again as Commissioner before becoming

Secretary to Government,” he said.

He appealed for more support for the SSG and commended all the elected and appointed political office holders for coming to support their own and urged them to remain united in the interest of the party.

“There are so many challenges facing our nation today, from insecurity to COVID-19 pandemic, the economy and poor governance structures.

“Inspite of all these challenges, our people are expectant and we must work with one purpose to do things in the best interest of the people and to bring development to the people in the best way we

can at every point in time.

“We will continue to work till the very last day of this administration, we will not allow politics to distract us,” Okowa said.

In an address on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Obi of Ukala-Okpuno Kingdom, HRM Clement Ejiofor thanked the Governor for finding their son worthy to be elevated to such an office.

They lauded the governor for the efficient deployment of available resources for the overall socio-economic development of the state and assured the Governor of their unalloyed support in 2023 and beyond.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 8

NEWS

EU distributes 20 motorcycles to 7 LGAs in Adamawa From Umar Dankano,Yola

T

he European Union (EU) in its drive to ensure increased food production and security in Northern Nigeria has distributed 20 motorcycles to 7 Local Governments Areas in Adamawa state.

Making presentation of the 3 motorcycles each to the field officers in Mayo belwa and Numan councils weekend, Team Leader of the implementation partners(OXFAM & CRUDAN), Mr.JohnBosco Abazie told the gatherings that the EU is funding the project to improve sustainability in food security and increased income sources to community members.

Abazie who is the Monitoring,Evaluation,Learning Social Accountability Officer of OXFAM, said the project funded by EU was determined to encourage food farming with a view to eradicating poverty through village savings and Loans Association.

NSCC to create ID cards for older persons – Official

D

r Emem Omokaro, the Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) on Sunday said plans were being made to create identity cards for the aged for easy access to social amenities in the country.

Omakaro, who made this known in Abuja when she featured in the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum said that the identity card for the aged would enable them get prompt and first hand services.

According to her, older persons face a lot of challenges in the society not just attitudinal barriers but also physical barriers resulting in discriminations.

She said that the aged do not deserve such treatments due to the years and what they had given to the society, adding that they deserved a better pay back from the society.

“One of such ways is the society should give back to the elderly by way of creating agefriendly services for the senior citizens.

“So we want to build a Nigeria where senior citizens will be dignified; we want Nigeria to see it also in the sense of financial assistance. ”When you go into the bank, you just see older persons lined up, youths are in front, the older persons are lined up behind, this should never happen. ”So the idea is that they should walk anywhere and get prompt service with their ID.” Omokaro said that there should be safe transportation for them with discounts.

“There was a time when we had this in Nigeria, so with their ID they can go to hospital or to a pharmacy and get pharmaceutical coupons, if they

want to be seated on the train they get first class services.

“You don’t have to announce I am old, once people see your ID card, they just know ,” she said Omokaro said that the centre was looking for a Nigeria where youths would want to grow old.

She said because they would see the elderly and respect them ‘”and they see the tradition of society that pays back somebody who has invested so much in the country .”

She said that the centre at inception interacted with older persons, urging them to list their needs so they could be catered for properly .

“They came listing them and one of it was that they had suffered enough discrimination, they said please identify us and we need age-friendly services .

“That was in the communique that I now took amongst others

to present to the minister and with a memo to facilitates it; this is what they want to Hajia Sadiyah Farouk, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development.

“So she is pushing it, hopefully we will hear the news,’’ she said.

The D-G stressed the need to establish the anti-elder abuse response volunteer squad, saying it would caution and curb various abuses encountered by older persons in the society.

She said some of the being encountered by older persons were verbal, emotional, financial, caregiver and family abuses.

She, however, noted that the Centre was working with national human rights and the legal aid counsel to provide legal assistance in issues related to the aged. (NAN)

Gender equality bills contradict Islam, Northern cultures -Senators

By Abubakar Yunusa

N

orthern senators, on Wednesday kicked against a proposed law for women empowerment in Nigeria, saying its content contradicts Islam and northern cultural values.

Senator Abiodun Olujimi of Ekiti has been pushing to get the bill through the parliament since 2016, but some senators have raised different concerns to get the bill shut down or at least returned to the initial stages.

Mrs Olujimi said the bill will “allow for the prohibition of all forms of discrimination against women and provide for the equality of all persons,” including people of determination in the society.

But some northern senators said the bill was not properly worded, especially its title that seeks equality rather than equity; while arguing strongly that it would contravene the tenets of Islam.

Members of the Civil Society Groups for Transparency and Accountability led by their Spokesperson, Comrade Sunday Attah (R), during the solidarity rally to support the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sen. Barau Jibrin, at the entrance to National Assembly Complex, at the weekend in Abuja.

Okowa congratulates Saraki at 59

G

ov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has congratulated former President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on his 59th birth anniversary.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, Okowa acknowledged Saraki’s immense contributions to nation-building in his many years of service to his state, Kwara and country.

He said that Saraki, former governor of Kwara and 13th President of the Senate,

contributed in great measures in those capacities and others to political development of the country.

Okowa particularly lauded the Wazirin Ilorin for his remarkable efforts in the re-building and growth of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“As President of the Senate in the 8th Assembly, you presided over a pro-people Red Chamber which was dedicated to legislation aimed at making lives better for Nigerians.

“The Senate under your leadership worked for, supported and obeyed the rule of law in all its dealings. You brought uncommon courage, exceptional patriotism and effusive statesmanship to bear on your job as president of the senate and Chairman of the National Assembly.

“Nigerians are grateful to you for ensuring the independence of the legislature, and as an integral member of our party’s rescue mission, we appreciate the outstanding contributions you are

making to that course.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I join your family, political associates, friends and well-wishers to thank Almighty God for your life which has been marked with outstanding accomplishments.

“As you clock 59 years today, it is my prayer that God will continue to bless you with good health and wisdom to sustain your compassionate service to mankind,’’ he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

FG collaborates with stakeholders to mitigate aflatoxin

By Amaechi Agbo

T

he federal government is seeking collaboration with relevant bodies and stakeholders in the agricultural sector to tackle the effect of Aflatoxin on food production in Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Ernest Umakhihe who disclosed this in Abuja stated that the initiative would help to achieve proper nutrition and food security for all Nigerians as well as promote sustainable economic development.

The Permanent Secretary who was represented by Director, federal Department of Agriculture, Mrs Karima Babangida, made this known at the Inception Workshop on Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Technical Support to Aflatoxin Management and Mitigation in Nigeria.

He noted that the federal government through the ministry is prioritizing the control and mitigation of Aflatoxin contaminations in food and feed produce in Nigeria.

Niger Gov. urges retired HOS, Perm Secs to assist revitalize civil service From Yakubu Minna

N

Mustapha,

iger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has charged retired Head of Service and Permanent Secretaries Association to assist in process of revatalization of the civil service for optimal results.

The governor gave this charge at the 4th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Retired Niger State Head Of Service and Permanent Secretaries in Minna.

He said efforts are in progress to turn around the current challenges facing the retirees in the state.

Represented by the Secretary to the Niger State Government who is also a former HOS, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane emphasized on the need to restored discipline and reactivate mentorship within the civil service.

PAGE 9

NEWS

House leader, Doguwa launches Kano

Correspondents’ Chapel’s Almanac with N5m From Kano

Mustapha

Adamu,

T

he Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa on Friday launched the 2022 Almanac of the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel.

The lawmaker launched the calendar immediately after receiving an award, titled; Award for Legislative Excellence by the Chapel, during its 3rd edition of the annual Award Nite/Almanac Launching, held at Tahir Guest Palace, in Kano.

While launching the Almanac, the House Majority Leader then announced the purchase of 10 copies of the calendar at the sum of N5 million, evoking cheers and applause from the crowd that attended the event.

In his speech, Doguwa hailed the organizers of the events, but

added that there was need to use such occasion to attract notable leaders in the country to discuss the way forward for the nation.

He also tasked journalists on the need to use their profession in promoting good virtues, national unity and security.

The House Leader, who recalled his days as a trained journalist, described journalism and journalists as pacesetters and “teachers” who members of the society look up to in moulding opinion in crucial matters that affect the people and the nation.

According to him, “in as much as the government in power is doing all it can to salvage the country, journalists through annual lectures and symposia can even do better towards promoting national unity, security and socioeconomic development.”

Others who purchased the Almanac include, representative

of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Commissioner of Special Duties, Mukhtar Ishaq Yakasai who announced the donation of N1 million on behalf of Kano state government and Dr. Sule Ya’u Sule, Bayero University, Kano (BUK) lecturer and Media Manager to former Governor of Kano state, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau (N2 million).

Others include Barr. Inuwa Waya (N500, 000), Hon. Suleiman Abdulraman Kawu Sumaila (N500, 000), Managing Director of Kano Road Traffic Agency (N200, 000), .

Among those who received award include Inuwa Waya, Danagundi, Kawu Sumaila, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy gubernatorial candidate in 2019 elections, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam, Hon. Nasir Ali Ahmed representing Nassarawa Federal Constituency,

and the Kano state Command of the Department of State Service (DSS).

In his remarks at the occasion, the Kano state Commissioner of Information, Malam Muhammad Garbage who spoke through the Director of Information at the Ministry, Inuwa Yakasai, appreciated working journalists in the state for upholding professionalism in the discharge of their duties, even though he regretted the attitude of few elements who overlook the virtues of the noble profession.

The former National President of NUJ, however, promised that the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will always support journalists in the discharge of their duties and ensure that no journalists is victimized or attacked in the cause of discharging his or her constitutional duties.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya (middle) signing the State’s 2022 budget. With him are: Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau ( 2nd L), Speaker Gombe State House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Luggerewo ( 2nd R), Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation Hon. All Baba Manu ( R) and Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi (Left) on Friday in Gombe State.

National park tasks staff on accountability, transparency

T

he National Park Service has urged Accountants, auditors and other officers in the service to maintain high level of accountability and transparency for quality service delivery.

The Conservator General of the Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni gave the advice at a 5-day training for staff of the service, organised in collaboration with Global Advisory Services in Abuja.

He specifically noted that revenue officers must be accountable and willing at all times to bring up new ways of boosting government income for better service delivery.

Goni added that store officers being the custodians of government assets must be

prudent and vigilant.

The training was organised for conservators of parks, accountants, auditors and store officers The conservator general said the training aimed at achieving higher levels of probity, accountability and transparency as well as quality service delivery.

He further noted that it would enable the officers to be abreast with current development in their fields.

He emphasised that the training would enable them to deliver effective service and cope with current emerging security challenges.

Goni urged the officers to familiarise themselves with all policy thrusts of government as

“they affect our various jobs“.

According to him, as park managers, they must know those they work with, and must work selflessly, relentlessly and with the visions of a winner “The finance, the audit, the store and revenue officers must rise up to their responsibilities knowing that the enormous assets and liabilities of this great services is entrusted into their hands.

“They will be held accountable for all their actions and inactions,“.

The conservator general noted that the training was one of the initiatives adopted to boost revenue generation. “ The officers saddled with the responsibility of keeping

the books and records must rise up to their responsibility to avoid dragging the service into embarrassment and sanctions.

“The auditors should be at the heels of the various role players to ensure timely and quality delivery of tasks and services not as bloodhounds but as watchdogs.

“The revenue officers must be accountable and willing at all times to bring up new ways of boosting government income for better service delivery and the store officers as the custodians of government assets must be prudent and vigilant.

“This will prevent losses and ensure the safety and wellbeing of every asset in their custody,“ he said. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 10

NEWS Nigeria gets $98 million Islamic bank loan to boost bilingual education

By Maryam Abeeb

T

he Board of Executive Directors of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved a Multiyear Financial Facility Programme of $98 million for the promotion of Bilingual Education in Nigeria for the period of 2012 to 2015.

Head, Public Relations and Protocol, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mr David Apeh who made this known in a statement in Abuja said the aim of the project was to contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic condition of Nigeria, ensure inclusive education and promote bilingual education.

He listed the nine (9) benefitting states in the project as; Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Osun.

Apeh added that the major components of the project were to create access to basic education, improve quality and enhance the management capacity of school administrators.

He disclosed that in all, 30 Bilingual Education Boarding Schools are to be constructed in the 9 States, which would help boost enrolment and reduce the out-of-schoolchildren (OOSC) syndrome as well as expose learners to the knowledge of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

“Another important feature of this project is the Awqaf and Istisnaa imbedded to provide real estate business for sustainable income for the programme.

“The Project is being coordinated at the National level by Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), National Coordinating Unit (NCU) with supervision by Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Finance,” he said.

The UBEC spokesperson indicated that the National Coordinating Unit has already engaged consultants to design, review and supervise the civil works of the projects and has also engaged the services of a Monitoring and Evaluation consultant.

He further noted that the office furniture and equipment have been procured for the 9 participating States, adding the process of the civil work has just commenced.

He said a stakeholders meeting was organized to brief the States on the level of the project implementation with the 9 states represented by their Commissioners of Finance, SUBEB Chairmen, Heads of Project Management Units (PMUs) and Tsangaya Arabic and Islamic Education Agencies.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Executive Secretary, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical), Prof. Bala Zakari, also had in attendance, members of UBEC management as well as the representatives of the Federal Ministries of Education, Finance and IsDB. Bobboyi in his remark, informed the State Governments that the project was a loan that has to be repaid hence, the need to ensure its effective implementation and prudent management.

Ghost doctor paid for 3 years, Niger govt reveals From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

N

iger State Government said it had sanctioned some senior medical workers for negligence and

discovered one of its staff had been receiving salaries for over three years without stepping into any hospital or the Ministry of Health.

The commissioner for health, Dr Mohammed Makunsidi

while addressing Journalists at government house in Minna, said that the sanctions ranging from sack to demotion were invoked on some senior professionals in the health sector for “ gross professional misconduct”.

Makunsidi also stated that there was also a shocking revelation where a member of staff of the ministry was found to be officially on Grade Level 4 but had been drawing the salary of a Grade level 14 officer.

L-R: Editor-In-Chief, Economic Confidential, Alhaji Yushau Shuaib, Director of Defence Information (DDI)/ Award recipient of Media Friendly Personality of the Year, Major General Olufemi Benjamin Sawyerr and former deputy President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Malam Uba Gaya, during the security emergency management and Spokespersons Communication Awards, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Delta youths making difference in nation’s economy - Okowa

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

G

overnor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Wednesday, said youths in the state were making remarkable difference in the economic development of communities, state and country.

Okowa stated this at the flagoff of the second cycle of Rural Youth Skill Acquisition (RYSA) programme held at the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.

Okowa said that RYSA

second cycle tagged “Making a Difference” was imperative as Delta youths were poised to change the narrative about the youths in the country, and particularly the state.

He said that the selection of the 810 participants in the current cycle was predicated on the principle of geographical spread, with three youths emerging from each of the 270 electoral wards in the state.

“As you may be aware, RYSA is targeted specifically at young men and women in our rural communities with basic

knowledge and skills in their preferred enterprises.

“Aside from the usual Starter Packs, what we do in RYSA is to improve their capacity to grow their businesses through a training regimen that equips them with life, social, and business management skills.

“Listening to the three beneficiaries of the programme, who spoke to us here, there will be good times and bad times but with commitment and prayer, you will find yourself a success story if you remain committed to that focus of being a success

story in that programme.

“My joy is that years to come I will meet some of you in different places to tell me that once upon a time you got support and advice from the government and you are now a success story and a household name in Delta and our nation Nigeria,” he said.

He urged the participants to be punctual, maintain strict observance of rules and regulations both at the camp and at their internship placements and display a determination to excel, no matter the odds.

NDE trains 30 women in Niger State From Yakubu Minna

N

Mustapha,

ational Directorate of Employment (NDE), in Niger state has commenced the training of no fewer than 30 unemployed

women in various skills acquisitions to be self reliant.

State Coordinator, Alhaji Abdulmalik Liman Abubakar in an interview during the training in Minna, said woman are very crucial in complementing the efforts of their husbands in taking

care of the home front needs, hence the training.

Liman urged beneficiaries to take the training with all seriousness to be equipped with the prerequisite knowledge.

According to him, the training consisted of hair turban, hair wig

and decorative paint making.

The Director of Small Scale Enterprises department headquarters Abuja, represented

by Mrs Nonye Iweka urged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity of the training seriously for the benefits of the society.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

Still on the Lagos #ENDSARS panel’s report

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he integrity of the report of the #ENDSARS inquiry panel set up by the Lagos State government has been compromised by leaks and contradictory side comments by panel members as well as the government’s legal consultant. All this even before the government has published a promised white paper.

The panel was set up to investigate alleged massacre at Legos’ Lekki tollgate and protests against police brutality that preceded it on October 20, 2020. The panel sat for a year, taking testimonies of eyewitnesses, protesters and security personnel. It submitted its findings and recommendations to the Lagos government Nov. 15. Its major finding was that there was indeed a massacre by security forces.

The report was, however, leaked to the news media before the government officially acknowledged receipt of it.

The leak was followed by comments by some members of the committee, contradicting each other, the Lagos government’s legal aide, the federal government and foreign governments. For example, the government’s counsel, Abiodun Jelili Owonikoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), speaking on Arise TV last Thursday, said that the panel’s report he had seen was “unsigned” and going through it, he could tell it was not “an unanimous decision of the members’ position. It may well be a draft of a minority report.”

He said he was shocked to read in the report “particular findings with regard to 40 something victims, some of whom were described as deceased or missing and some of whom had come out to say they did not die, especially a man who came to testify at his brother’s death to whom damages amounting to N15 million were to be awarded. Any report that had that fundamental error will not be supported by any reasonable person.”

Owonikoko added, “The mistake by the government is that it should have appointed two panels. The panel was set up to address police brutality and EndSARS and in the course of its work, the Lekki incident happened. The panel’s work had to be expanded. Three members of that panel are protagonists. They are not entitled to sit on that panel. That was why they initially had dissenting opinions as soon as the tollgate incident happened. Some of them were in the position to express dispassionate opinions. The one that issued a statement, “Adegboruwa, stopped coming to sitting for five months. These people swore to an oath

of fidelity, impartiality and confidentiality, not to divulge the content of proceedings anywhere, except await government reports.”

The leak and the controversy it sparked led the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to dismiss it as “tales by moonlight”. Speaking to journalists Tuesday Nov. 23 in Abuja, he noted that the report was filled with “discrepancies that invalidate its authenticity”. He repeated his claim that the incident was a “phantom massacre” and the panel’s conclusions “not backed by verifiable facts”. According to him, “There’s absolutely nothing in the report that is circulating to make us change our minds that there was a massacre in Lekki on October 20, 2020”.

President Muhammadu Buhari, meanwhile, has promised to look into the reports from the states that investigated the #ENDSARS protests “as soon as the Federal Government receives them through the National Economic Council. He told visiting U.S Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken last week at the State House in Abuja last week that his government was awaiting the submission of panels’ reports. Until then, he urged caution.

It is also the position of the Lagos government.

Its commissioner of information and strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said, “There have been arguments in the public space over the report. There is a need for us to restrain ourselves from nullifying the good intentions of the government in setting up this panel, which was well encouraged to do its job, a fact that was acknowledged by the panel.

“In accordance with the Tribunal of Inquiry Law 2015, a committee has been set up to bring up a White Paper on the report to determine the next line of action. At the appropriate time, the government will make known its views on all the issues raised by the panel through the release of a White Paper.”

We regret this avoidable controversy trailing the Lagos report. It is emotive because Lagos was the epicenter of the protests and more physical destruction and loss of life happened there than did elsewhere. But these facts do not justify this needless controversy that threatens to undo a very good intention. We condemn it but we note the voices of reason that President Buhari and Lagos State government represent. Caution and patience they have urged. So it should be.

“

Three members of that panel are protagonists. They are not entitled to sit on that panel.

That was why they initially had dissenting opinions as soon as the tollgate incident happened.

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The commitment gap among Nigeria’s political elites

In every society in human history, including the United States, those in power seek to imbue themselves with the attributes of religion and patriotism as a way of getting greater support for their policy and insulating themselves from any criticism.” -George J. Mitchell Nigeria’s loss of all indices that befits her status as a developing nation, and consequent forfeiture of her bragging right as an emerging economy is owed, not to the maniacally overused word -- ‘corruption,’ but to utter banishment of the culture of germane ethics in public service engagements. Our public office holders’ emulation of Western civilization and imbibing the worldview of advanced nations is selective. They reference the first world countries only to the extent that their interest and ego are not bruised.

When it comes to ethics of governance, Africa occupies the plebeian base of the rung.

Power drunkenness and sit-tight syndrome in public office continues to bane our political development. Think of the Idi Amins, the Mobutu Sesèsèkos, the Gbagbos, the Kabilas, the Sani Abachas, the Gadaffis, the Mugabes etc.

In Asia, Europe and America, patriotism guides most motives of men in public service, and so it is easier to see a leader throw in the towel once he is perceived to have lived below expectation in the discharge of his duties (even in private life).

This far-flung odious ill of holding unto power at all cost, may not be exclusive to Africa, but the West has in place fortified system mingled with platonic love of fatherland that compels compliance. In 2015, there was unprecedented information leakage of several “black spider letters” from British heir apparent, Prince Charles to PM Tony Blair persuading him to make some policy adjustments that would arrogate him some allowance to expropriate certain influence in government. How it broke out remained a shock to the royal family. But the tamed media tussle that trailed the alleged incident showed how sane and civil that clime is. No media house was sanctioned.

In Nigeria, Twitter pulled down an incisive tweet of the President and he swiftly pulled down the entire platform and banished it out of the country. An inflamed black man kills ants with hammer and hunts mosquitos with gun.

Recall the infamous Vatileaks which revealed compelling evidence of alleged ‘corruption’ within the papal curia of the Catholic Church. Many pundits believed the scandal remotely persuaded the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. A typical black man, in Benedict’s position would have subjected the news outlet that sold that news to trials and gag it to obfuscate the evidence.

He never did any of sort. Even the papal Butler, Paolo Gabriele, who pleaded guilty to illegal leakage of those controlled documents to Italian journalist, Gianluigi Nuzzi, was granted amnesty and pardoned by the Supreme Pontiff.

All he did afterwards, was to calmly pack his baggage and abdicate the Petrine Chair, citing failing health.

The lesson from the whole episode is that whether the Holy Father resigned due remotely, or immediately, to health concerns or fallout of Vatileaks scandal, it is heroic to toe that path. He quitted the moment he noticed that his position had become untenable. So he gave way for someone better disposed to take over. That’s how people led by selfless love for institutions act. It doesn’t happen in our own part of the world.

When Sepp Blatter’s body language indicated unwholesome desire to seek additional tenure after 17 years as FIFA President, the system was fortified to suffocate such inordinate urge. He voluntarily stepped down before the end of a subsisting term, the same week that seven FIFA officials were

arrested on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering in 2015. Part of his resignation statement read: “My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody.”

But here, Athletics Federation of Nigeria was mired in a scandal of fraudulent contracts over Jersey production for our contingents at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, and none of the parties involved in that ignominy was sanctioned nor did they have any reputation to protect by standing down.

On Wednesday December 01 2021, Turkey’s Finance Minister Lutfi Elvan resigned amidst an unprecedented currency crisis, according to a decision published in the Official Gazette.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appointed Nureddin Nebati as the new minister of treasury and finance, the Sabah newspaper reported.

The resignation comes amidst a currency crisis that has seen the Turkish lira fall to record lows, further diminishing the purchasing power of Turks. Turkey lira crisis leaves workers and middle class struggling to make ends meet. The country’s finance minister had some honours to protect. He felt he has failed in his duty as manager of the country’s economy, and therefore in the love of fatherland, the honourable thing to do is throw in the towel. And he did!

Juxtapose Turkey’s scenario with Nigeria’s and you will weep for our salvation. Imagine how low naira has dropped in value and worth, yet Hon Minister of Finance and CBN governor stay put.

Our Correctional Service custodian centres have recently been serially attacked and broken into across the length and breadth of our land, yet the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rt. Hon. Rauf Aragbesola retained his seat in tact. Last week he was on air to say that we should not even contemplate his resignation.

Earlier this year, on May 31, Belgian ambassador to South Korea lost his diplomatic post when his wife took laws into her hands and slapped someone recklessly in that country.

In Nigeria, D.G of Code of conduct Tribunal feasted on a mere Mai Guard at Banex plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, in public glare and nothing happened. Two years ago, a sitting senator descended on a lady in a sex toy shop in the same Wuse 2 and nothing happened.

Impunity rules the day!

In his days as governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole verbally assaulted a widow on the streets of Benin, and his tenures and office remained ‘sacrosanct.’

In the heated politics of pre-2015 election, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal (present governor of Sokoto state) as Speaker of House of Reps, lead a ‘mob’ of other parliamentarians into jumping national assembly fence to force themselves into the chambers against legitimate police barricade. An act that scandalized our kids on national television. He was untouchable.

The mace of the Senate of federal republic of Nigeria was violently snatched in plenary and the senator fingered to have masterminded the opprobrium was rewarded with higher office.

Our narrow-mindedness and continued celebration of mediocrity was why President Jonathan’s acceptance of election result in 2015, when it was obvious that he was losing, became a breaking news. This was common place across saner climes; so ordinarily, GEJ did nothing exceptional, but because we were acclimated with inanities, we had continued to celebrate him years after.

Like Prof. Oyewale Tomori would say: “the disease that had plagued Nigeria came surreptitiously, slew good governance, murdered societal sanctity and eradicated individual integrity. This disease came in three forms of greedy self-interest, blatant lack of patriotism and unabashed shamelessness.”

May daylight spare us! ✍Jude Eze.

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

Opinion

Development plans in Nigeria: Lessons from the past and way forward

By Khalifa Musa Muhammad

A

ccording to Benjamin Franklin “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. On 10 November 2021, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, announced the launching of the 20212025 National Development Plan during the virtual Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. A development plan is like a roadmap and it is crucial to achieving sustainable economic growth.

Indeed this is commendable and it seems the administration is learning from its mistakes. It has not escaped our memory that it took a while for the administration to have a presidential economic adviser or an economic team.

It did not stop there but, in its first term, the administration spent six months without having ministers. A development plan does not indicate the end of all worries or problems. Nigeria has had numerous plans to promote economic growth and four of the plans have been labelled national development plans. Sadly, these plans have not really satisfactorily achieved their objectives.

The First National Development Plan (1962-1968) was comprehensive and one of its objectives was to speed up the rate of economic growth. Impressively, the contribution of the industrial sector rose from 5% to 8% from 1960 to 1970. The projects that were executed under this plan include: Port Harcourt Refinery, the Niger Bridge and Kainji Dam, amongst others. Unfortunately,

the coups of 1966 and civil war affected the performance of the plan.

The Second National Development Plan (1970-1975) was launched to ameliorate the effects caused by the 30-month old civil war. One of the objectives of the plan was to create a free and democratic society. Wow! How kind of the military regime.

The plan was during the oil boom period and the projected capital expenditure was close to 5 billion naira. The plan pursued the indigenization policy to encourage Nigerians to take part in financial, commercial and industrial activities of the Nigerian economy.

Sadly, the indigenization policy was not as successful despite the promulgation of decrees to ensure compliance.

The Third National Development Plan (1975-1980) had a projected investment pegged at 43.3 billion naira.

Diversification and reducing unemployment were part of the objectives of the plan. But financial allocation to agriculture was just 5% despite the contribution of agriculture to achieve the objectives of the plan. The Third National Development did not really achieve its target and some of the projects have not made the desired impact on the economy.

One of which is the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex.

The Fourth National Development Plan (19811985) also looked to reduce unemployment and underemployment. The capital investments were projected at 82 billion naira. Unfortunately, with high inflation and inability

to realize enough resources, financing of the plan was affected. This was not helped by the backlog of projects from the previous plans. A conference was held in November 1984 at the University of Ibadan to put in place mechanisms for the Fifth National Development Plan. The talk took place but the plan never saw the light of the day. These plans have been followed up by other plans in order advance growth and development but all have failed to meet their desired objectives.

The 2021-2025 National Development Plan is a successor to the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) which was to last from 2017 to 2020. The ERGP was launched so that the economy will bounce back from recession and then be put on a pedestal that will lead to improved and sustainable growth; in order to avoid further decline. The main priorities of the ERGP are: (a) stabilizing the macroeconomic environment with low inflation, stable exchange rates and sustainable fiscal and external balances (b) using agriculture to achieve food security, create jobs and save foreign exchange for food imports (c) ensuring energy sufficiency (power and petroleum products).

As at 2019 the ERGP failed to meet some of its projections like: the projection of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was 4.5% while the actual value was 2.27%; the projection of unemployment/ underemployment was 29.65% and the actual value was 43.3%; the projection for the oil

production was 2.4 mpbd but the actual value was 2.0 mpbd. I chose 2019 for the comparison because of the covid-19 pandemic that has been affecting the economy since 2020.

The ERGP plan envisaged delivering 10 GW operational capacity by 2020. On 28 October 2020, the then Minister of Power Engr Sale Mamman told the House of Representatives Committee that the capacity of the power generation grid was 13,000 MW with a capacity to evacuate 5,500 MW. In the 21st century the need for technology can never be overemphasised. With the aid of technology things are now not just easier but faster. Electricity helps to drive the tapping of the benefits of technology. An appraisal of the ERGP shows that it failed to achieve its target and objectives.

Similarly, previous national development plans have failed to really meet their targets.

History helps us to reflect and avoid mistakes. Previous plans have highlighted the need to diversify the economy and reduce unemployment but much has not been achieved in these regard.

This is sad and worrisome for a country like Nigeria. Corruption; lack of relevant and accurate data; over ambitious plans; lack of political will and plan discipline; and lack of continuity in governance have all hampered the success of these development plans. Today, adding to these threats is insecurity.

Nigeria is currently ravaged by insecurity. The northwestern part of Nigeria is heavily infested by bandits/kidnappers who scare away travellers. For example,

the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road has been badly affected by the insecurity. This road is vital to the economy because it helps in the conveyance of goods and services by linking the northwest and northeast Nigeria to the southern part of the country. This is one of the many routes threatened by insecurity in Nigeria. Insecurity inhibits growth and development and without peace and unity there is not much progress that can be achieved from the ambitious 2021-2025 National Development Plan. The plan will be another failure if we fail to nip this challenge in the bud.

Furthermore, entertainment and sports are two areas that need more attention by government to promote national development.

The government should create an enabling environment for the teeming youth to display and showcase their potentials. This will increase revenue and enable the government in achieving its desire of lifting 100 million people out of poverty in 10 years.

I hope the current ambitious plan will achieve its objectives and not face setbacks of previous plans.

It is time to put an end to designing over ambitious plans in this country.

The policymakers should always ensure that the projections are true reflections of the situations on ground to really meet the objectives of the plan. The progress of Nigeria is not commensurate to its potential.

Hopefully with sound plans that mirror realities on ground we will achieve a lot as a nation.

Khalifa Musa Muhammad a public affairs analyst from Kaduna.

Cry Lagos, cry! So Nigeria may weep

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi

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he Bible is a manual for life and its many lessons are golden. Weeping it says, may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. But many nights for weeping had gone by for my nation Nigeria, with hope dashed by incompetent leadership, she smiles in the midst of untold hardship, with a political class feasting, at the expense of the masses. Her joyful morning seems delayed! Not by God, but by the people for they have entrusted leadership to a group of insensitive men and women whom we should better describe as clowns and their political party is better called Alawada People’s Congress!

Leadership is everything, and everything is leadership!

Ecclesiastes 10:16 (Voice Of His Word Version) Trouble to you o nation, when your leaders are childish and your incompetent officials are living and partying like there is no tomorrow.

Maturity is one of the many lessons of the Bible for a would be leader, using a “child” paradoxically, a nation whose leaders are childish is in serious trouble! Contextualizing maturity, it is not limited to age, you can be old and immature. Leadership requires emotional maturity, communication maturity and relational maturity.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

(BAT), may be scored average in emotional maturity, but he betrayed communication and relational maturity required from someone who will preside over a multi religious and tribal nation.

A 1/3 in this rating is a pointer to a post 2023 Presidency. He was in the week leading to the book launch of Bisi Akande reported in the news to have promised some Northern Elders not to worry about the entire Yoruba People of South West Nigeria! Tinubu told them, he knows how to handle the Yorubas! He is obviously not being flippant. This of course is not the only statement made in the secret meeting. Tinubu’s statement about the Yorubas, as demeaning as it sounds, is very dignifying when put side by side with what he said about South East and South South. If he will be bothered to handle the Yorubas of the South West, the 2 regions of South East, South South are so inconsequential in Tinubu’s political calculations that he is not prepared to loose a night’s sleep over them! A Presidential Candidate that sees the need to engage Northerners who have an upper hand in the present Administration, while looking down at the most marginalized region of South East is one person the South East can’t afford to have as their President. To blatantly disregard the feeling of the Yoruba people in the midst of terror that Fulani herders constitute to the farmers and farming communities of south west, promising he can handle them before the

very region responsible for their travail, is the height of insensitivity!

His audience were converged by his long time friend and political associate.

Since Tinubu’s claim was made public, the South East and South South have been reacting to a statement informed by facts. A simple consideration for statistics of past Elections since 1999 will prove him right. It is left to them to right the wrongs of their political apathy!

On Tinubu’s Muslim/Muslim Ticket, one would have expected a response from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which has been hell bent on their position about President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim under whom CAN claims that her members in the country have suffered persecution, but they have so far remained silent!

CAN is headed by a Yoruba man in person of Dr Samson Ayokunle.

Ayokunle’s silence is of course to me a proof of Tinubu’s capacity to handle the Yoruba people which includes our CAN President! A section of CAN has recently been mooting the need for fairness and equity, as well as the need to allow a bloc in CAN, the Organisation of African Indigenous Churches, which comprises white garment Churches majorly, to produce the next President of CAN which if acceded to may see another Yoruba man becoming the CAN President, the possibility this will offer the SWAGA gang is that one of them, Odumbaku, a close associate of

BAT may become CAN President or at best to keep eyes off him, someone not openly known to be partisan but who is loyal to Baba Eto may be the strategy with which the Yorubas will be handled.

“Eto” in Yoruba means arrangement, with Baba eto, 2023 seems to have been long arranged! The cards are only being pulled out for the game when it matters!

Tinubu has been so preoccupied with his ambition not to notice the cry from Dowen, nor the anguish of mothers in Badagry who lost 8 children to an avoidable circumstances. The kids were said to have locked themselves in an abandoned SUV! If 8 was too small a figure to be bothered about, a few days later a utility vehicle said to be chased by one of the safety/security agencies ran over students, while many were said to have died on the spot, several others who sustained varying degrees of injury laid in the hospital recuperating. Not even the rise in figure of our children lost will make our leaders bat an eye lid!

Just days before the Ojodu incident to Badagry incident, had followed echoes of cries from mothers at Dowen, for which the people of Lagos have been mourning. In the midst of our gnashing of teeth, a party was called in Lagos by friends and associates of Chief Bisi Akande, 1st interim chairman of APC, APC his party and of course the “father” of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

and his “son”, “Lagos”, represented by all men and women of means in the Administration of Lagos State ably led

by His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwó-Olú!

If this meeting has been long fixed before the many sad occurrences from which Lagosians are yet to recover, one would have expected a change of venue to Osun State, the home State of Chief Bisi Akande or Oyo the unofficial political headquarters of Yoruba politics or at best to Abuja to save the President stress and Lagosians the agony of adding pepper to injury with the dance upon the death of innocent children!

Eminent Nigerians showed up in Lagos to rejoice with Chief Bisi Akande, yet not a single person amidst them commiserated with Lagos over any of the calamities! The Chief mourner in Lagos has changed his mourning clothes with dancing shoes to match. A mention of those calamities and one minute silence would have betrayed the mood of the host and their careless audience.

So, the event went on as if nothing had happened. As the saying goes, “he who wears the shoes knows where it pinches”.

Mothers of “murdered” students on the state’s road at Ojodu are left with their shoes! May the good Lord comfort them!

Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi is a strategic communicator, with focus of transformation and can be reached at bolajiakinyemi66@gmail.com

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 13

A virus, vaccination and vexation

By Kene Obiezu

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he virus also exposed just how shallow public accountability remains in Nigeria, and the vast depths of public anger. The management of funds meant to alleviate the difficulties occasioned by the virus was without transparency.

Officials went about distributing palliatives. But many of the recipients were only ghost recipients.

As the novel Corona Virus 2019 ripped through western capitals leaving death and disease in its wake, many Nigerians quaked in their boots. What would happen when it got here, many asked? How would a country and with historic hygiene hurdles cope?

How would a country overflowing with superstitions cope? The predictions were apocalyptic: experts predicted millions of deaths and catastrophic infection rates.

The dire predictions saw many clinging to their prayer beads

and hope.

With people dropping like flies in Spain and Italy, the virus soon found its way into Africa and then Nigeria. It was brought here by those who having visited affected countries failed to take requisite precautions.

But Nigerians were spared the worst. Although, the virus sent some notable Nigerians to their graves, the infection and mortality rates were comparatively lower than what obtained in some other countries.

While the virus did not kill or sicken millions, it wrought long-lasting changes to the way Nigerians lived and did business.

Historically hygiene-lax, Nigerians were forced to sit up and learn frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitizers.

Nigerians also grumbled their way to the use of face masks.

Other measures like social distancing and closure of public spaces were obeyed more in breach, especially by many public officers.

The virus also whipped up a

potpourri of issues, especially after the country went into a lockdown. Many livelihoods that supported vulnerable Nigerians were wiped out while many families found their resources eviscerated.

The virus also exposed just how shallow public accountability remains in Nigeria, and the vast depths of public anger. The management of funds meant to alleviate the difficulties occasioned by the virus was without transparency.

Officials went about distributing palliatives. But many of the recipients were only ghost recipients.

While many were said to have become rich beyond the dreams of avarice from the funds, locations of warehouses holding palliatives soon leaked and Nigerians swarmed.

The images will stay long in the memory. From Jos, the Plateau State Capital, to Kubwa and Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory, and a handful of other places around the

country, Nigerians fell upon the warehouses with a vengeance, carting away practically everything they could find.

As the virus raged, so did superstitions and skepticism.

Many openly questioned its existence. Many branded it a fictitious invention of the West.

The religious among Nigerians went as far as resurrecting an age-long feud with science.

Thankfully, the development of vaccines continued at pace.

The breakthrough finally came months after the virus cut loose.

Vaccines were soon ready and vaccination commenced.

Many have since been vaccinated. But many remain skeptical about the provenance and efficacy of the vaccines. So, in Nigeria, many are yet to receive the jab.

Now, with the Omicron variant of the virus in town, it is not just internal vexations that convulse the country. Already, there have been diplomatic spats and tit-for-tat actions by countries reeling from the new

Threats to food security in Nigeria

By Jide Ojo

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here is no gainsaying that Nigeria is seriously challenged. It is obvious, isn’t it? However, the greatest threat to national stability today is food security. By way of definition, food security is the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. The family menu is fast disappearing. Juju music icon, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, in one of his classic albums released in the late 1980s said Nigerians were using formula to eat. He sang about various eating formula such as 0-0-1, 0-1-0, 1-0-0, 1-0-1 and many others. The 1 in those numerals represents the meals families eat per day out of the three they are supposed to eat. True, in many homes, particularly, among the majority poor Nigerians, hardly will one see those who are having 1-1-1 which represents three square meals per day. Food is a serious matter. It is said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Hunger and starvation had precipitated revolution in many countries. History has it that one of the causes of the French Revolution (1789 – 1790) was as a result of the increase in the price of bread.

I have been very worried about the increasing food insecurity in Nigeria. Workers are not being paid as and when due, both in the public and private sectors. High inflation, (now at 16.5 per cent), downsizing and rightsizing of workforce are now rife, so also is non-absorption of teeming unemployed youths in any meaningful and gainful employment. Upon all, food prices have hit the rooftop.

Expectedly, there is an exponential increase in crime rates. These are all threats to national security.

More directly, our agricultural sector which is primarily responsible for putting food on our table has been in the doldrums since the discovery of black gold which is crude oil in Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa State about 1956. All the initiatives such as Operation Feed the Nation by the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime; the Green Revolution initiative of President Shehu Shagari, and similar ones by successive administrations have been more of lip service. As things stand, our choices are very limited as the crude oil which has been our mainstay since the 60s is no longer a money spinner as it used to be. This is because of the low price the commodity now commands in the international market.

Despite that, the sabotage on oil and gas pipelines by vandals and militants in the Niger Delta has ensured that our 2.2mbpd OPEC quota upon which the 2016 national budget is based can no longer be met. This has gone a long way to threaten the full implementation of the 2016 Appropriation Act. The fiendish activities of the pipeline vandals apart from being an economic sabotage are also a menace to food security. This is because of the environmental degradation such acts engendered. The eco-system is destroyed as the water gets polluted by the toxic crude oil spill. Concomitantly, the fishes, crabs, prawns and other aquatic lives get destroyed. Even the farmlands affected by oil spills become degraded and sterile for

any agricultural cultivation. That is why I have been appealing to militant groups such as the Niger Delta Avengers to stop cutting their nose in order to spite their faces. While it is true that by blowing up oil and gas pipelines, government will lose revenue, however, they are further impoverishing their kith and kins who are engaged in agric- business as they will also suffer collateral damage of losing their means of livelihood.

They should imagine how long it took the Federal Government to kick-start the clean-up of the devastated Ogoniland.

Another potent threat to food security is the desertification being experienced in Northern Nigeria. Hundreds of kilometres of landmass have been lost to desert encroachment, largely as a result of draught and other human factor such as indiscriminate felling of trees.

This phenomenon largely precipitated the exodus of cattle herders from the core north to the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria where they could get grass and water for their cattle. That migration has been a major source of conflict between farmers and cattle herders. There have been accusations and counteraccusations that cattle herders have been shepherding their cattle to graze on farmlands, a move the farmers have stoutly resisted. Disagreement over this issue has led to hundreds of deaths and destruction of property worth Billions of Naira in places like Benue and Enugu states. The point being made here is that the face-off between these two groups of people constitutes a big threat to food security in Nigeria. Both farmers

Comment

and cattle herders are food producers and a fight between the two groups does not augur well for the country.

Flooding is another threat to food security. In 2012, Nigeria witnessed flooding despite the early warning by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.

Available records show that 2012 flooding directly affected 30 states, killed 363 citizens, injured 5,851 and displaced 3,871,053 persons. The total value of destroyed physical and durable assets caused by the floods in the most affected states was estimated to have reached N1.48tn. This year, NIMET had through its Seasonal Rainfall Prediction said about 16 states faced the danger of flooding in 2016. What are we doing to forestall that from happening?

If we allow it through our accustomed negligence and nonchalant attitude, we should be rest assured that it will pose threat to food security as many farmlands will be washed off and farmers who are displaced will not be able to nurture their plants.

The activities of terrorist Boko Haram in the North-East have since 2009 posed a major threat to food production and security in Nigeria. As the group embarked on their destructive missions, many farmers have been killed and those who manage to escape have had to abandon their farmlands to live as Internally Displaced Persons in camps and host communities. I recall that some years ago, some traders who sold foodstuffs at Bodija market in Ibadan were slaughtered by this insurgent group on their way to Borno State to buy farm produce.

variant.

As a sick world looks ahead unsure of what to make of a virus whose true origin is still shrouded behind China`s iron curtain, Nigeria must take the many lessons of the pandemic to heart and fortify its health care system.

It is no secret that health care in Nigeria is expensive, leaving children with some of the steepest prices to pay. Many public hospitals in the country grumble with disrepair perfectly mirroring the disgruntled medical personnel who staff them and go months without pay.

There remains a lot of work to be done before Nigeria can get its public health priorities right.

There is no guarantee that in the future, something as vicious as the virus will not emerge.

If and when it does, Nigeria must be prepared to handle its unique pressures.

Kene Obiezu can be reached at keneobiezu@gmail.com

I may have painted a gory picture about the food security situation in Nigeria. However, it is not a hopeless case. I have listened to the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at different fora and he sounds very convincing about how to deal with the daunting challenges being a practising farmer himself. Just on July 20, 2016, the Federal Executive Council met and approved the Agriculture Promotion Policy (2016-2019). According to Ogbeh, the policy outlined all that needed to be done to achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture. He said: “The document is entitled, ‘The Green Alternative’ and it outlines virtually everything we need to do, every policy we need to undertake to achieve selfsufficiency in agriculture and also to become a major exporter of agricultural products.”

It is imperative we all know that we are stakeholders in tackling the issue of food security. We can be smallholder farmers planting vegetables and fruits in our backyards. We can engage in small scale animal husbandry and poultry in our homes. We can also provide an enabling environment so that those who want to engage in agriculture can practise without fear of molestation.

It is gratifying that the Imo State Government has declared Thursday and Friday as farming days for its work force. I do hope the government will provide the needed incentives for the workers to engage in farming.

Food security is the best security because, as the saying goes, an hungry man is an angry man.

Jide Ojo is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 14

NEWS

Niger community rejects Etsu Nupe’s new District Head

Niger APC sets up 11-man reconciliatory committee

R

N

From Minna

Yakubu

Mustapha,

esidents of Gaba community in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State have expressed dismay over the selection of Alhaji Yusuf Gana, as the new traditional ruler of the community by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, Gaba Development Association, Mr Paul Y. Gana, expressed worry, saying the popular candidate elected by the community members to occupy the vacant stool was jettisoned for an unpopular individual.

The association lamented that in the history of Gaba, the selection of the traditional ruler has never been subjected to the approval of the emir and expressed concern why the individual elected by the people was set aside for another person.

From Minna

Yakubu

Mustapha,

iger State All Progressives Congress (APC), has inaugurated an 11-man

reconciliatory committee to meet the yarning and expectations of its aggrieved members.

The State Party Chairman, Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro made the disclosure in an interview after

the inaugural ceremony at the government House in Minna.

The chairman explained that the reconciliation committee is expected to abide strictly by the terms of references towards ensuring that

they meet up with the date given to them to complete their findings.

The chairman of the reconciliatory committee, Hon. Bawa Bwari assured the party of discharging their duties diligently.

Delta to complete Ugbolu-AkwukwuIgbo road

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, at the weekend assured people of Oshimili North Local Government Area that his administration would complete ongoing construction of UgboluAkwukwu-Igbo road in the area.

He also announced that the government would construct Achalla-Ibusa road also in the same area before the end of his tenure.

Okowa made this known at the inauguration of Oshimili North Local Government Area Liaison Office, Ibusa.

He commended Chairman of the local government area, Mr Innocent Esewezie,for his commitment and dedication to duty, which was already reflecting in his performance in just about nine months in office, and expressed confidence that the chairman’s best was yet to come.

According to the governor, this project came from someone who had already prepared himself for office.

“He obviously hit the ground running and in less than nine months he has put up this building, a liaison office that will help the council in ensuring effective communication with the people of this area.

“I congratulate you, chairman, on this wonderful edifice and I must also thank the councilors because this can only happen when there is co-operation.

“At a time local government councils are having difficulty in paying salaries, it can only be a government with probity and accountability that can achieve this at this time,” he said.

He, therefore, urged the chairman to remain focused, adding that a bright future awaited him.

R-L: Rep of Dg, BPP and Director, Energy Infrastructure Department, Engr. Babatunde Kuye, Head, Public Relations And Protocol/ Media, Bpp, Mrs Janet Mcdickson and Head, Research, Training And Strategic Planning, BPP, Mr. Adebowale Adedokun during the examination of the 2nd batch of public procurement conversion for procurement officers in ministries, departments, agencies, parastatals and commissions of federal government At Digital Bridge Institute, Oshodi, Ikeja Lagos.

Congestion: Lagos seeks collaboration on waterways

L

agos State Government is seeking for Public and Private collaboration to foster growth and investment in the waterways transportation in order to reduce traffic congestion in the state.

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state disclosed this during the Lagos Waterways Investment Summit organised by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) in Lagos on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit was the maiden edition put together by Future Cities Nigeria (FCN) and LASWA. The theme of the event is “Lagos State Transportation: Transformation and Investment Opportunities”.

Sanwo-Olu said that areas of investment required by the private sector included the provision of water transportation (passengers, car and cargo), construction of infrastructure and management, technical partnership and consultancy, financing and provision of logistics.

He said that the state covers 1,171 square kilometres of Nigeria’s land mass, 40 per cent is water, with lagoons and creeks covering 22 per cent.

Sanwo-Olu, represented

by Mr Ope George, the Special Adviser, Office of Public-Private Partnership, said that successful

partnership with the private sector in waterways would bring positive change to the state’s socioeconomic status.

The governor noted that the state government had made some interventions in the waterways sector, which would further boost the enabling environment for the private sector.

According to him, that the Lagos State Ferry Service (LAGFERRY) ferried members of the national soccer team, the Super Eagles, to Porto Novo on March 26, bears a bold testimony to this vast potential.

He noted that the state is the most populous and the engine-room of its business and commercial activities, housing headquarters of many giants in the financial and industrial sectors.

The Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Investments to SanwoOlu, Mrs Solape Hammond, said the state promised to identify and promote genuine and specific foreign direct investment on waterways in the state.

Hammond said the state would always serve as a ‘business ombudsman’ that helps investors and the local business community navigate government bureaucracy.

She noted that the state would also act as a one-stop shop for investors intending to invest in

Lagos State, thereby promoting private, civil and development sector partnership.

Hammond said it was an incontrovertible fact that Lagos derived its age-long excellence in significant measure from the worthy contribution of the private investment to its socio-economic development.

“We assure our potential investors that your investments are safe-Fitch international just improved our rating from AA+ to AAA long term for fiscal red pins,’’ she said.

The General Manager, LASWA, Mr Damilola Emmanuel, highlighting the achievement of the state government in the waterways, said it had access 15 of the 20 local governments in the waterways.

Emmanuel said the purpose of the investment opportunities in the waterways was to provide an alternative public transportation service that was accessible and affordable to all sections of the state.

He said: “The investment opportunities will therefore compliment the efforts of the present government to combat traffic congestion on the Lagos roads.

“It will also reduce the amount of time it takes for citizens to commute especially during the peak period.

“In addition, this will also assist in poverty alleviation through increased economic activities from the provision of safe, cheap and reliable transportation,’’ he said.

Emmanuel said LASWA had adopted a ferry operators licensing framework, prioritised route had been approved and it also had a route licensing template for private investors to thrive in the waterways transport sector.

The Managing Director, National Island Waterways Authority, Mr George Moghalu, urged the state government to collaborate with the Federal Government on waterways development in the state.

Moghalu said that the partnership should be in the area of safety, sensitisation campaign for boat operators and security of waterways users.

He said the state government should also partner with NIWA in the area that would not lead to multiple taxations on the part of boat operators.

The managing director said NIWA’s doors was opened to collaborate and partner with key stakeholders to ensure that the waterways are attractive to investors and users in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chairman House Committee on Transportation Temitope Adewale, British Deputy

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has urged the national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to discard his 2023 presidential ambition and support a younger candidate from the South East part of the country.

Fielding questions from journàlists during the 2021 Eke Day in Abuja, Okechukwu said anointing a candidate in the South East by the former Lagos Governor, will not only unite APC in the South, but also pay him better to retain his position as kingmaker, than President.

Okechukwu said looking ahead to the 2023 Presidential elections, the best thing Tinubu should do was to jettison his presidential ambition and back a younger aspirant from the South in line with the country’s zoning convention.

While appreciating the huge contributions of the former Lagos State governor to Nigeria’s democracy, Okechukwu, who was also a member of the merger committee that birthed APC, Okechukwu said Tinubu should resist the temptation of political greed.

Discard 2023 presidential ambition, anoint South East candidate - VON DG to Tinubu

He said “If one has the ears our national leader, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on whether he should run or not for the exalted office of the President of Nigeria in 2023, my candid advice is that he should use his abundant endowments to unite the APC, mobilise the South and our beloved country, by backing a candidate from the southeast.”

Okechukwu recalled President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to youths in 2018, when he signed the not-too-young-to-run bill into law, saying that Jgaban Borgu should support President Buhari by throwing his weight behind a younger person from the South, particularly the Southeast geopolitical zone to succeed President Buhari in 2023.

He stated that: “As one of the

major participants at the merger talks that produced APC, I am confident that Tinubu’s job as a national leader is well carved out for him. He is a strategist and has the eyes to spot excellence and winning ways.

“Asiwaju should do the job of a mobiliser by helping to galvanise the party for a compromise candidate.

By so doing, he would have united the South forever and dispelled the notion by some northerner stakeholders that their reluctance to support southern candidates is based on lack of cohesion among the two major geopolitical zones in the south.

“If Tinubu widens his search he will definitely find a credible candidate from the Southeast that could easily defeat the presumed PDP candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

“So, what am saying is that Tinubu would have wittingly used one stone to kill two birds, namely, uniting APC, the South and by extension, the entire country.”

Okechukwu emphasized that it will be statesmanlike for Asiwaju to be a Kingmaker than throwing his hat into the ring after more than three decades in the field.

He denied alleged power transfer agreement between Tinubu and Buhari in 2015 to be his running mate in the presidential election, saying “All I recall is that there was raging debate on the propriety of Muslim/Muslim ticket as to whether it can guarantee victory of the APC at the 2015 presidential election.

“This was, to the best of my knowledge, what denied Tinubu the Vice Presidential slot and not the flimsy insinuation of breach of

agreement. The scale of Muslim/ Muslim ticket was weighty unlike in 1993 when Abiola/Kingibe ticket was explored. It was thoroughly debated and dropped, for defeat phobia.”

Okechukwu said President Buhari did not breach any agreement with Tinubu, adding that against that background, Tinubu should etch his name in gold if he utilises his God-endowed resources to support anyone from the Southeast to be Nigeria President of Igbo extraction.

On Tinubu supporting the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, instead of a Southeast candidate, the VON DG asserted that since the power rotation started from the South-West in 1999, equity and natural justice demands that the South-East should be allowed to produce the President in 2023.

The Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo inspecting the combined Passing Out Parade of DSSC 28, SDPCT 2021 and NNBTS Batch 31 at the Nigerian Naval College on Saturday in Onne Port Harcourt Rivers State .

APGA vows to win more governorship, National Assembly seats in 2023 election

Photo: Dinfo NHQ

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Ike Oye, has vowed that the party will win more gubernatorial and legislative seats in Nigeria during the 2023 general election.

Oye, in a statement issued on Sunday by the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Barrister Tex Okechukwu, said this at the end of the enlarged meeting of the National Working Committee of the party held at its National Secretariat in Abuja.

The APGA National Chairman also reiterated that the party will spread more and even overtake other major political parties in Nigeria.

“APGA is consistently rising, spreading all over the country as the most formidable political party giving its pacesetting antecedents in all democratic ramifications.

“Nigerian people have seen that APGA is transparent, diligent and determined to take the party to the next level, unlike other parties. They are indicating interest to join from all over the country and even from the diaspora.

“Even the defectors are full of regrets and are making frantic efforts to rescind and reverse their mischievous mistakes by decamping to APC”, Oye said in the statement.

He further assured that APGA is the bride and pride of contemporary Nigeria politicians.

Orji Kalu sued in Bauchi High Court over failure to declare for 2023 Presidency

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

wo Bauchi State indigenes, Aliyu Ladan and Lawan Abdullahi, have sued a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzo Kalu, before the Bauchi State High Court, over his failure to declare for the 2023 presidency.

Addressing a press conference in Bauchi, the plaintiffs, Aliyu Ladan and Lawan Abdullahi, said they had an agreement with Kalu to contest the presidency under the platform of APC in 2023, but he was being reluctant to declare his interest.

The plaintiffs said they know Kalu’s capacity, which is why they want him to be Nigeria’s next President, adding that only a strategic thinker like the former Abia State governor could rescue the country from its current parlous state.

They added that they approached the court, presided over by Justice Mohammed A Sambo, to compel the Senate Chief Whip to not only respect the agreement they had with him, but also to declare his interest to run in the 2023 general election as a presidential candidate.

“We know his capacity to change the scenario; his capacity to change things from negative to positive. He had done it in Abia State. Despite its challenges, Kalu turned the people of Abia into good persons in Nigeria.

“As a result of his laudable achievements and leadership capacity, we entered into an agreement with him last 2nd February 2021 that he will contest for president but he is reluctant to declare his interest.

“Kalu is a person with all the capacity and capability to change

the narratives of the nation. He is a man of purpose and foresight, a mentor to many citizens, a dynamic Nigerian, an advocate of justice, a revolutionary politician, a consummate administrator, master strategist. In fact, he is a blessing not only to Igbo but entire all Nigerians.

“We are in court because we want the court to respect our agreement for contesting as President of Nigeria. We want the court to compel Kalu to declare his interest to run in the 2023 general election as a presidential candidate under the platform of APC or any other party.

“We want the court to direct Kalu to commence preparation and put all the necessary machinery in place for the purpose of contesting as a presidential candidate,” the plaintiffs said.

According to them, many

credible groups across the six geopolitical zones of the country were drumming support for Kalu to vie for the 2023 presidency, noting that they found the former governor worthy to lead Nigeria and deliver good governance to the country.

They asserted that Kalu’s credibility, honesty and capacity to deliver endeared him to all Nigerians, adding that, “Kalu has deep relationships with all Nigerians across divides and he has never disappointed in any of these relations.

Meanwhile, they disclosed that while their case against the former governor had been adjourned to 27th January 2022 for hearing, Justice Sambo had ordered them to serve Kalu with the originating summons in the suit, marked BA/331/2021, in Abuja outside the jurisdiction of the court.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 16

POLITICS

2022 guber: Olanipekun blames Ekiti South political leaders for marginalization

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has blamed the politicians from the Ekiti South Senatorial District of the State for the alleged political marginalisation and misadventures of the zone in the state’s governance structure.

Speaking in Ikere-Ekiti on Sunday at the annual Wole Olanipekun’s Christmas Carol on the vociferous agitations for power shift to the south and alleged political marginalisation of the zone in the state’s governance structure, Olanipekun accused the leaders of being too timid to speak out for the zone in its quest to produce a governor.

He argued that the political leaders of southern extraction were architects of their political misfortunes.

He recalled that Ekiti South has not produced the governor of the state since 1996 that the state was created out of the old Ondo State, whereas North and South had since been rotating the coveted seat between themselves.

The legal luminary attributed the alleged political misadventures of the district to the disunity among the ranks and files of its politicians, who he said were working at cross purposes, thus, making the struggle to produce governor impossible.

Olanipekun, who was visibly embittered by the development, pointed fingers at some prominent politicians in the south who he called “midgets” for betraying the zone’s cause to mount the governorship seat in exchange for “political tokenism”.

He said that some Ekiti South politicians have made themselves willing tools in doing the dictates and biddings of those from the North and Central zones solely for their parochial and selfish interests.

“I pity those who say they are politicians from the Ekiti South.

They want to play second fiddle because they think they are inferior.

That is the way I see it. But if you say I want to be deputy governor and I want to play a second fiddle, then, they will treat you as a second fiddler.

“To me, I don’t blame the people from the North if you so-called politicians from the South feel inferior and they give them political tokenism and they will accept it.

They see themselves as midget and see those from the North and Central as the giants. And they behave like zombies”, he added.

He expressed displeasure that the zone had been relegated to the background in the state’s convoluted political equations despite its humongous electoral weight in terms of population, the calibre of political actors and the number of local government areas.

He regretted that the district which was reputed for being an

2023: ‘Emir of Daura has proved us right on choice of Osinbajo’ - Says group

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

P

rogressive Consolidation Group (PCG) has said the Non-partisan statements by the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar, extolling the leadership qualities of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has reinforced the resolve of its members to actualise an Osinbajo Presidency in 2023.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its leadership, the PCG, which is the first intra-party pressure group to be officially recognized by the All Progressives Congress (APC), emphasized that their outing in Katsina and the warm reception given to Professor Osinbajo by the masses and royalty, speaks volumes about what people with good foresight should expect in 2023.

A statement issued yesterday by the spokesman of the proOsinbajo group, Barrister

Emmanuel Pippa, the PCG stated “The revered royal father’s objective and very positive comments extolling the positive attributes of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo further reinforces convictions about the fatherly wisdom of the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar, and the genuine leadership qualities of Professor Osinbajo.

“It was a crucial meeting between clarity of vision and clarity of perception and fortunately, members of the PCG which is the mobilization arm of The Progressive Project (TPP) were on hand to join the entire people of Daura Emirate in witnessing not only an installation but also, an unfolding of future events”.

In their statement, the PCG noted that the Emir who was not given to frivolity unequivocally acknowledged that Osinbajo “is a

very good Man, He is my favorite person”.

According to Barrister Pippa, the warm and enthusiastic reception granted the Vice President by ordinary citizens, as well as the Emir of Daura’s affirmation that “He is a noble man who keeps his promises and a trustworthy person who has so much patience and knows what to do at any given time,” clearly differentiates Osinbajo from other aspirants to the nation’s top position.

“Knowing that Professor Osinbajo has been a very loyal and trustworthy Vice President and understanding that he is a man of great intellectual capacity, further reinforces the hopes of Nigeria’s true Progressives, who look forward to a consolidation of gains made under President Muhammadu Buhari as well as a decisive march towards national

greatness, unity and development.

“The Emir of Daura is too frank and candid to refer to just anyone as his favourite person and as someone who keeps promises; luckily for us in the PCG, the great leadership qualities of Professor Yemi Osinbajo is perceptible to the highly-placed and millions of ordinary citizens whose votes will decide the outcome of 2023 presidential elections,” he added.

According to the PCG spokesman, members of the group who joined multitudes of others to welcome Prof Yemi Osinbajo to Daura include the PCG’s National Chairman, Dr. Ali Rabi’u Kurfi, chairman of Katsina state chapter of PCG, Alhaji Abu Gafai, its Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Marusa, Treasurer, Alh Abu Huraira, PCG’s Woman Leader, Hajia Rukkaya Daura and its Financial Secretary, Mr. Sani Shu’aibu.

R-L: Founder / CEO, Arise Monaliza Foundation, Monaliza Chinda-Coker, Legal Adviser / Steering Committee Member of the Foundation, Barr. Aham Njoku and the Chairman, Arise Monaliza Foundation Steering Committee, Mr. Ejike Asiegbu, during the Foundation sensitization Programme and maiden Press conference on Lupus disease in Nigeria, held yesterday in Abuja.. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

No retreat in same page with Buhari to deliver campaign promises By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Sunday said the National Assembly will continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver on promises made to the Nigerian people.

A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ola Awonoyi, said Lawan made the remarks in Gombe at the launch of empowerment programme of Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali for

his constituents.

Alkali, an All Progressive Congress(APC) senator, is representing Gombe North Senatorial District in the Senate.

According to the statement, the Senate President said Buhari had never rested for a second in his determination to turn around the fortune of the country.

“President Muhammadu Buhari who is the leader of this party(APC) in this country, who has given us great leadership from 2015 to date, who has shown great desire to turn around the fortune

of this country, has never rested for a second.

“He is doing his best even though we are still not out of the woods but we have done so much between 2015 and 2021.

“By the Grace of God, the National Assembly will continue to support Mr President to ensure that he delivers on our campaign promises to Nigerians,” Lawan said.

The Senate President commended the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya who is also of APC for

the significant transformation brought to the state.

He showered encomium on Senator Alkali for providing quality representation for his people at the National Assembly.

The Senate President urged the Gombe people to consider giving both the Governor and the Senator another chance to continue with the good work they are doing for them.

At the event which was held at the APC Square, Senator Alkali gave out Peugeot 406 cars, several hundreds of motorcycles, farming

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

POLITICS

Buhari Committed to one Nigeria - PGF

*Says Gov Bello represents APC success story

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he All Progressive Congress Governors Forum (PGF) has said President Muhammadu Buhari has shown commitment to a united and prosperous Nigeria, even as it hailed Governor Sani Bello of Niger State for representing the success story of the APC Government.

In a statement issued yesterday by the chairman of APC Governors Forum, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, who is also the Governor of Kebbi State, the APC Governors Forum, which hailed President Buhari on his 79th birthday, said his Government will continue to triumph over the numerous challenges facing Nigeria.

The statement said “The Progressive Governors Forum joins His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and his family to celebrate his 79th birthday.

Together with all Nigerians, we celebrate this special day with you and your family.

“We acknowledge and commend your leadership, vision and commitment to a united prosperous Nigeria. In the last few years, the world has been challenged further to nation specific issues. We are confident that under your leadership, we shall continue to triumph over our challenges while progressing to a stronger, prosperous and more peaceful nation.

“As we wish you a happy birthday and also say a big thank you for your selfless service to our dear country, we reaffirm our commitment to work under your leadership with the abiding faith and belief that the initiatives of our APC Federal Government will meet all the expectations of Nigerians.

“We are very proud of your patriotic leadership. You are our role model and a source of inspiration.”

In a related development, the APC Governors, while commending the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, over his 54th birthday anniversary celebration, said he has made great contribution to the success of managing governance in APC administration both at State and Federal level.

“The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) join HE Abubakar Sani Bello, Governor of Niger State to celebrate his 54th birthday. Along with the people of Niger State, and other wellmeaning Nigerians, we celebrate this special occasion with you and your family.

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

2023: President of Igbo extraction will heal, unite Nigeria – Ohanaeze

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he apex socio-cultural organization in Igboland, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has reaffirmed the belief of the Igbo people in the unity of Nigeria.

In a Christmas and New Year address presented by Professor George Obiozor, the PresidentGeneral of the group, at a press conference held in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Sunday, the group insisted that the Igbo nation seeks justice as, throughout history, those denied justice have had no interest in peace.

He also maintained that a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction has become imperative and an idea whose time has come, adding that it is a national

necessity that is anchored on equity, justice and fairness.

Obiozor further reiterated that a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction is politically justifiable and morally defensible, positing also that it would heal and unite the nation.

He disclosed that Ohanaeze Ndigbo will soon announce a political action committee to canvass for the support and understanding of other Nigerians towards the actualization of a President of the Igbo bloc.

According to him, “be not discouraged, the Igbo struggle for Justice, equity and fairness in Nigeria has been long and agonizing, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“As Nelson Mandela said, it looks impossible until it is done. With the new narratives of courage without rancour, wisdom without humility, we will be able to persuade our fellow Nigerians that it is time to reintegrate Ndigbo effectively into the mainstream of Nigerian political process and governance. This is in the national interest.”

Obiozor expressed dismay that Igbo talents and ability to turn adversities into advantages, obstacles into opportunities and difficulties into dividends have been misrepresented as attempts at domination, hence confronted with anger, hostility and violence at any given crisis in Nigeria and even outside the country.

Obiozor partly stated, “In fact, no people in recent history have been unfortunate or at best had a mixed fortune or blessings as Ndigbo in Nigeria politics and governance. For example, quite often the Igbo energy and enterprise were misunderstood as being overambitious.

“In 1999, the country for the purpose of healing the Nation and creative use of crises and conflicts yielded the Presidency to the South West. I ask Ndigbo everywhere from today to make every effort to convince other Nigerians in Political parties and organizations that ours is a righteous cause whose time has come”.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Babayo Ardo, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen Godswill Obot Akpabio, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Tijiani Bande and the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Sen.Donald Omotayo Alasoadura, during the Nigeria Permanent Representative courtesy visit to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

NILDS debunks AGF’s alleged N375.8m vehicle purchase

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has debunked claims made by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation on alleged N375.8million vehicle purchase in 2016.

The AGF had in the 2016 Audit Report, alleged that NILDS cornered N36million from inflation of prices of 11 vehicles it purchased in the year totalling N375.8million.

AGF, in the Audit report, also alleged that NILDS under the leadership of Professor Ladi Hamalai, also illegally paid N67million into another account.

The query reads “At the National Institute for Legislative Studies, it was observed that 11 (eleven) motor vehicles were purchased at a contract sum of N375,867,000.00 (Three

hundred and seventy-five million, eight hundred and sixty-seven thousand naira) in April 2016. Examination of the Capital Account Cashbook revealed that an additional sum of N36,610,000.00 (Thirtysix million, six hundred and ten thousand naira) was paid in favour of the contractor in September 2016 under the same contract, without approval.

“The Management of the Institute should justify the overpayment, which is in excess of the contract sum, otherwise the sum of N36,610,000.00 (Thirty-six million, six hundred and ten thousand naira) overpaid should be recovered from the contractor and recovery particulars forwarded for verification.”

Another query reads, “Payments totalling ₦67,296,478.00 (Sixty-seven million, two hundred and

ninety-six thousand, four hundred and seventy-eight naira) were revealed to be made to payees other than the payees specified in the payment vouchers.

“This is contrary to the provision of FR 613 which stipulated that “Payments shall be made only to the persons named in the vouchers or their properly authorized representatives. This irregularity could result to diversion and misappropriation of government funds.

“The Director-General is required to recover the total sum of ₦67,296,478.00 (Sixty-seven million, two hundred and ninetysix thousand, four hundred and seventy-eight naira) and refund back to Treasury with evidence of recovery forwarded to my office. 88 Office of the AuditorGeneral for the Federation.”

But, NILDS in its response

to the queries as made available by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts , investigating the queries , said the alleged N36million difference in the vehicles purchase arose from price variation due to change in the model of the vehicle supplied and was done with full approval of appropriate authorities and in line with laid down proceses and procedures.

The Institute on the alleged N67million paid to payees not on vouchers , said the infraction has been sorted out with the contractors who supplied the vehicles.

Meanwhile , the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts , Senator Mathew Urhoghide ( PDP Edo South ) , has directed the Clerk of the Committee to invite NILDS management for physical appearance and defence of the queries.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 18

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1.80 3.15 0 2.94 3.94 0 1.27 0.27 0 1.64 0.64 0 3.60 8.60 0 17.00 68.30 0 2.79 4.21 0 6.65 10.05 0 31.50 34.00 0 1.90 1.92 0 18.45 18.45 0 1.72 1.84 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 0 6.10 6.10 0 1.75 1.75 0 186.00 186.00 0 6.00 6.65 0 14.60 14.55 0 1.80 2.00 0 3.37 3.37 0 4.30 4.70 0 14.00 14.00 0 7.35 7.80 0 1.62 1.65 0 1.91 1.96 0 4.95 4.95 99 0.33 0.33 0 21.85 21.85 0 29.60 30.70 0 0.20 0.20 0 12.20 13.05 0 32.60 32.95 0 72.00 72.00 0 1.18 1.18 0 1.53 1.53 0 31.50 31.50 0 0.51 0.54 0 0.20 0.20 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.44 0.44 0 0.30 0.30 0 1.36 1.36 0 0.72 0.72 0 0.52 0.49 0 1.83 1.83 0 2.45 2.45 0

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2.80 4.00 ACCESS -0.15 4.94 1.94 AFRIPRUD 0.10 1.27 0.27 AGLEVENT 0.30 0.64 0.64 AIICO 0.00 4.60 4.60 BERGER 0.00 27.00 37.00 BETAGLAS -2.30 1.79 3.79 BOCGAS -1.42 5.65 15.05 CADBURY -0.40 11.50 31.50 CAP -2.50 1.90 1.90 CAVERTON -0.02 13.45 18.45 CCNN 0.00 1.72 1.72 CHAMPION -0.12 21.25 23.25 CONOIL 0.00 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0.20 0.20 COURTVILLE 0.00 4.10 6.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 1.75 1.75 CUTIX 0.00 16.00 186.00 DANGCEM 0.00 8.00 6.25 DANGFLOUR -0.65 14.60 14.60 DANGSUGAR 0.05 1.80 2.00 DIAMONDBNK -0.20 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 4.30 4.30 ETERNA -0.40 14.00 14.00 ETI 0.00 7.45 7.60 FBNH -0.35 1.62 1.67 FCMB -0.03 1.92 1.98 FIDELITYBK -0.04 4.95 4.95 FIDSON 0.00 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.00 21.85 21.85 FLOURMILL 0.00 29.60 29.60 FO -1.10 0.20 0.20 FTNCOCOA 0.00 12.20 12.20 GLAXOSMITH -0.85 33.50 33.50 GUARANTY 0.55 72.00 72.00 GUINNESS 0.00 1.18 1.18 HONYFLOUR 0.00 1.53 1.53 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 31.50 31.50 INTBREW 0.00 0.53 0.53 JAIZBANK -0.01 0.20 0.21 JAPAULOIL 0.00 23.25 23.25 JBERGER 0.00 0.44 0.44 JOHNHOLT 0.00 0.30 0.30 LASACO 0.00 1.36 1.36 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0.72 0.72 LINKASSURE 0.00 0.52 0.52 LIVESTOCK 0.03 1.83 1.83 MANSARD 0.00 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00

Top Gainers Stock Close Gain UPL 1.14 0.03 LIVESTOCK 0.52 0.11 SOVRENINS 0.21 0.13 OKOMUOIL 60.00 1.30 GUARANTY 23.50 1.55

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0.01 0.11 0 0.11 0.11 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.23 0.33 0 0.43 0.23 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.15 2.15 261 3.05 2.15 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 124.80 184.80 0 144.80 144.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 0 2.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 18.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 78.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 0.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 2.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 552.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2021 NgTradeOnline

Top Losers Stock Close Loss DIAMONDBNK 2.10 -0.12 BOCGAS 1.39 -0.12 VITAFOAM 1.50 -0.29 DANGFLOUR 2.50 -0.15 UAC-PROP 1.34 -0.28

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced a huge leap in trading surplus of N141.96billion recorded in June 2021 compared to a deficit of N37.46Billion in May 2021.

This is contained in the June 2021 figures of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR).

A trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammad in a statement said, in June 2021, NNPC Group operating revenue as compared to May 2021, decreased by 9.07% or N89.27billion to stand at N894.64billion.

Similarly, expenditure for the month decreased by 29.32% or N299.44billion to stand at N721.93billion.

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele; and the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, have expressed satisfaction with the level of renovation work being carried out at the Lagos Creative & Entertainment Centre (LC&EC), popularly known as the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Exchanging views during a high-level inspection of the facility on Sunday, December 12, 2021, the Project’s Steering Committee, led by its Chairman and CBN Governor, Mr. Emefiele, noted that major milestones had been achieved since the project’s commencement on site early in 2021.

The over N40 billion investment committed to the project by the Bankers’ Committee is expected to deliver far-reaching benefits to the Nigerian economy and supports the initiatives of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to grow the creative industry and provide jobs to Nigeria’s youth population.

Since the award of contracts in March 2021, the main and subcontractors and several specialist contractors have followed a rigorous project plan of identifying and saving items of significant historical value and art, stripping away and decommissioning, carrying out integrity assessments, creating new services routes, and remodelling some of the interior spaces including nearly 300 units of conveniences.

Sanwo-Olu, Emefiele, Mohammed and

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has successfully carried out a mock session for the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction for the deployment of the Fifth Generation (5G) network in the country.

The simulated auction, which took place on today, Friday, December 10, 2021 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, was preparatory to the main auction scheduled to take place on Monday, December 13, 2021 at same venue.

The conduct of the simulation exercise was in line with the requirements stipulated in the Information Memorandum (IM) for 3.5 GHz spectrum auction.

The IM is a document that defines the process for the licensing of the 3.5 GHz spectrum band earlier published in the Commission’s website at the inception of the auction process.

Using the Ascending Clock Auction System for the mock session, the three qualified bidders for the 3.5 GHz spectrum, namely MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications Ltd, and Airtel Networks Ltd, participated in the software-based simulated auction exercise.

The Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr.

PAGE 19

NNPC records N141.96bn trading surplus Thus, in the period under review, expenditure as a proportion of revenue was 0.81%, compared to the figure in May which stood at 1.04%.

The report also noted that the increase in trading surplus was due mainly to the increased sales of crude oil and gas by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), an Upstream subsidiary of the NNPC, and the increased gas sales and depreciation postings by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC).

The positive outlook was further bolstered by the performance of Duke Oil and the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) which also added to the improved bottom line.

Trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.

According to the report, in plus or trading

deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.

According to the report, in To ensure continuous supply and effective distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) across the country, a total of 1.63bn litres of PMS translating to 54.50mn liters/day were supplied in June 2021.

The report indicated that in June 2021, 47 pipeline points were vandalized representing 26.56% decrease from the 64 points recorded in May 2021. Port Harcourt Area accounted for 43%, while Mosimi and Kaduna Areas accounted for 51% and 6% respectively of the vandalized points.

In the gas sector, a total of 223.77billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month of June 2021 translating to an average daily production of 7,459.88million

standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

For the period of June 2020 to June 2021, a total of 2,890.11bcf of gas was produced representing an average daily production of 7,321.36mmscfd during the period.

Period-to-date production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and NPDC contributed 59.84%, 20.26% and 19.90% respectively to the total national gas production.

The 71st edition of the MFOR highlights NNPC’s activities for the period of June 2020 to June 2021.

In line with its commitment to transparency and accountability, NNPC has continued to sustain effective communication with stakeholders through this report via publications on its website, independent online news portals and in national dailies.

Renovation work at National Arts Theatre excites Sanwo-Olu, Emefiele other members of the Steering committee, including the CBN Deputy Governor in charge of Financial System Stability (FSS), Mrs. Aishah Ahmad; the Group Managing Director of Access Bank and Chairman of the Body of Bank CEOs, Herbert Wigwe; and the Managing Director of GT Holding Company, Segun Agbaje, noted that the entire heating, ventilation, air conditioning system, power, water supply and sewage systems were currently being replaced while fire safety standards are being significantly upgraded.

The nearly 3000sqm roof terrace, which had been a major source of leakages, is also currently

undergoing repair, while the floors, walls, panels, and ceilings have been stripped back as part of a plan to ensure that all underlying structures are able to support new finishes.

In the 4000-seater main bowl, the new stage infrastructure will deliver future-fit performing arts spaces, for dance, theatre, music, and multimedia, with adjustable acoustics and advanced technical systems, adaptable to the requirements of audiences, artists, and sponsors.

The team also observed that the banquet halls and exhibition spaces as well as the two 500-seater cinemas had been stripped out, with new walls,

floor and ceiling finishes being installed.

It will be recalled that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele led members of the Bankers’ Committee to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Government in February 2021, for the handover of the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Emefiele, at the MOU signing had noted that revamping the National Arts Theatre would unlock the creative talents of hundreds of thousands of Nigerian youths in the fields of music, movie production, fashion, and information technology.

L - R: GMD/CEO of Access Bank Plc and Chairman, Body of Bank CEOs, Herbert Wigwe; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; CBN Deputy Governor in charge of Financial System Stability, Aishah Ahmad; and GMD of GT Holding Plc, Segun Agbaje at the inspection of restoration and renovation work on the Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre (National Theatre) in Lagos on Sunday.

5G: NCC carries out Mock Auction of 3.5 GHz spectrum Ikechukwu Adinde in a statement said, the mock auction was witnessed by the Chairman, Board of Commissioners, NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande; the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta; Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska and the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu.

Others, who witnessed the mock auction include representatives from the bidding companies, senior management staff from relevant departments of the Commission, technical consultants, software consultants, legal consultants and other external observers.

Following the successful mock auction, the stage is set for the Commission to license two slots in the 3.5 GHz spectrum band expected to be picked by successful bidders at the end of the Main Auction on Monday, December 13, 2021.

The auction on Monday will mark a turning point in Nigeria’s determination to harness the benefits of 5G for the nation’s socio-economic growth as concrete roll-out of 5G commences in

2022.

In a brief remark at the Mock Auction, Danbatta said the Commission had taken all necessary steps to ensure due diligence on the credibility of the consultants and to safeguard the integrity of the software solution being used to carry out the implementation of this historic national assignment.

“This is consistent with the open, credible transparent and fair manner by which the Commission is known to have conducted previous auction processes, which have been locally and globally applauded,” Danbatta said.

In order to ensure a fail-proof process, the Commission also carried out a simulation of the manual process of the the auction, aside the electronic mock. This is to ensure that bidders are also familiar with the manual auction in case of any circumstances on the Main Action Day that may warrant a need to switch to the Manual Auction. It is pertinent to note that the two formselectronic and manual- are clearly stated in the IM and they follow the same process.

Representatives of the bidding companies, the

Commission, the consultants and other observers at the Mock Auction expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the simulation exercise, which also provided opportunity for the Commission to perfect the auction process ahead of the Main Auction.

The Commission had commenced the process for the auction of the 5G spectrum in the last quarter of the 2021 and had, since then, carried out a number of activities ahead of the Main Auction.

October 7, 2021, the Commission had published the Draft Information Memorandum (IM) on the auction of the 5G spectrum on its website (www.ncc.gov.ng) and issued a public notice in major channels, including print, electronic, and new digital media. Comments on the draft IM were received by the Commission up until October 28, 2021.

On November 3, 2021, the Commission held a stakeholders’ engagement forum in Lagos at which comments received from a broad segment of stakeholders, including the major operators, were exhaustively discussed and considered.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 20

BU$IN€SS Pantami, Danbatta, Others to speak at NITRA Annual Conference

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof.

Isa Pantami, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, other heads of agencies and parastatals under the ministry are scheduled to grace the maiden edition of the Annual Conference of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA), in Abuja.

With the theme: Digitisation as an Enabler for Tackling Insecurity in Nigeria, the NITRA Conference is also expected to assemble the crème de la crème from the private sector for cross

fertilisation of ideas, so as to advance the digital economic agenda of the Federal Government.

Scheduled to hold on December 13, 2021 at the National Press Center, Radio House, the event will provide opportunity for telecoms stakeholders to brainstorm on ways to leverage technology to proffer solutions to the increasing security threats in the country.

The invited industry experts were deliberately selected to do justice to the topical papers that will be presented at the Conference, therefore, the association is confident that participants will be visibly elated.

It is worthy of note that the giant strides through the various pillars of

reforms introduced by the Honourable Minister has repositioned the sector as a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The ministry’s aggressive pursuit of positive reforms has no doubt put Nigeria on the path to attainment of Nigeria’s digitalisation before the targeted 2030 date.

As one of the sector’s stakeholders, NITRA did not only see the inaugural annual conference as part of the synergy with the Ministry, Agencies and Departments, but also as an avenue to promote the activities and laudable achievements of the sector.

The association’s President, Mr Blessing Olaifa, in a statement expressed optimism that the annual conference

would live up to expectations.

He assures that the lessons that would be learnt from this year’s conference would be used to consolidate on the association’s next edition of the conference.

Partners expected at the Conference are: Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone, Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), ATCON, ALTON, MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Airtel Nigeria, 9Mobile, amongst numerous others.

L-R: District Secretary Rotary International District 9125 James Ugbede, President Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama Victoria Unoarumi, District Governor District 9125 Ayoola Oyedokun, Assistant Rotary International District Zonal coordinator 9125-Zone 2 Oye Oyewo and Dame Princess Joy Okoro during the family Day of Rotary on Saturday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Twist in AEDC crisis, as Court asks parties to stay action

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Stakeholders’ Crisis at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), has taken a new twist as a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja on Friday, asked parties involved to stay action pending a hearing slated for December 20, 2021.

Recall, the Crisis became visible Monday, when the DisCo’s union under the auspices of the National Union of Electricity

Workers (NUEE) went on strike over unpaid allowances and other entitlements, forcing the government to suspend the company’s management.

The Minister of Power, Engr.

Abubakar Aliyu then said in a statement that the removal of the management was because UBA exercised its right to takeover the DisCo’s 60 percent stake due to failure of the shareholders KANN Utility to complete a loan obligation.

On Thursday, the Bureau of

Public Enterprises (BPE) which holds 40% stake on behalf of the federal government, announced the interim management led by a former PHCN executive, Engr.

Bada Akinwumi.

As of Friday, the new management was yet to assume duty. However, the shareholders comprising CEC Africa and KANN had filed a suit on December 8 (Wednesday), titled FHC/ABJ/CS/1557/2021, restraining the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), BPE, UBA and United Capital Trustees Limited and AEDC from any action against the shareholders.

Sources from the parties who were at the hearing on Friday, said Justice Inyang Ekwo the presiding judge ordered that the defendants be notified within five days of the stay action order.

It was not clear if the maintenance of status quo order by the judge, should be effective before the announcement

of the removal of the AEDC management or after the decision was taken as of Monday.

But the sharehokders in the ex-parte motion had sought an order restraining the AGF, CBN, BPE and Ministry of Finance from interfering with the operations and management of AEDC. They also sought the legal directive to restrain UBA and its parties from taking over the shareholders equity in the DisCo.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

Crushing seized motorcycles eye-opener to road traffic violators - DRTS

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he ongoing crushing of forfeited commercial motorcycles should be a real eye-opener to those bent on always violating traffic rules and regulations of the FCT Administration, according to Head of Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) Taskteam, Adamu Shehu Maiwada.

This assertion is coming against the backdrop of the commencement of crushing of confiscated motorcycles , hitherto used for commercial purposes otherwise known as Okada operations within restricted areas of Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

Maiwada, in an interview with PeoplesDaily on the sidelines of the official flag off of the execise, maintained that the crushing of forfeited okadas is going to be a continuous exercise until okada riders obey the prevailing relevant traffic order of the FCTA. He said: “Almost about one hundred and sixty motorcycles of the total 1,500 forfeited are crushed daily, and we have another six hundred confiscated motorcycles on ground waiting for court order for forfeiture.

“I want to call the attention of other people they might not know about the ongoing crushing of confiscated and forfeited motorcycles, it has commenced.

“And it’s going to be a continuous exercise, so those that are not aware of the okada ban should desist from violating the order, as they should only operate where they are allowed to do so within the Territory.”

Also, commenting on the concerns of some people that the okada operators are loosing their source of income, the DRTS Taskteam Head said; “ no, they make it so, because they have been given the guidelines, clearly letting them know where to operate, and where not to operate. “ So, it’s only those who disobey that their motorcycles are being confiscated and crushed. So, nobody should blame us for collecting their motorcycles, but the defaulters should be blamed for violating the law. “ We are not going to relent on our efforts to get rid of commercial motorcycles from undesignated areas within the nation’s capital city, as we will make sure to continue with our enforcement exercise until we achieve our goal.”

METRO

PAGE 21

ARDS boss restates FCTA’s commitment to boost food

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Secretary for FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS), Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim has restated the commitment of the FCT Administration to the attainment of food security.

Abubakar made this assertion in Kuje Area Council at the start of

his familiarisation tour of projects under the Secretariat .

According to him, the FCT is blessed with rich abundant land and water resources which the Administration he said is determined to harness to not only address the issue of hunger but create employment opportunities for the teeming population of the city.

While, at the FCT Veterinary

clinic in Kuje, the Secretary charged the Veterinary Health personnel to keep doing their best in the delivery of efficient services, assuring them that the Secretariat will look Into ways of upgrading Veterinary health facilities in the FCT to modern standards.

He thanked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for constructing additional structures

at the center which he noted will impact positively on Veterinary Health service delivery in the FCT. He however, called on residents to patronise only certified Veterinary practitioners to ensure the saftey and good health for their animals.

Other projects visited by the Secretary during the tour included the Jeda Plant Nursery and the FCT forest reserve.

The Represented of the President / Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd right front row), Minister of Humanitarian , Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq (3rd left front row) flanked by the elderlies (the senior Citizens) , during the 1st Presidential Summit on Aging, organized by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in conjunction with the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) held at the Shehu Yaradua Center in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Minister leads Ambassadors on peace walk in Abuja

By Stanley Onyekwere

F

CT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has called for unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians, when she led Ambassadors of Voice for Change on a road show along major streets of Abuja.

Aliyu, who was joined by the immediate members of her family during the road show stressed that no matter the divergent views, tribes and religions, the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable, adding that it is the duty of every Nigerian to join the peace campaign.

She also assured that the peace campaign would be taken to the

36 states of the federation to speak the language of peace to other youths in major cities, stating that with the commencement of the peace campaign, Nigerian youths have resolved not to be used as tool for destruction.

According to her: “Maybe we need to remind ourselves that though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand.

No matter our divergent views, no matter our faith, gender, tribe, we must be able to tell ourselves that united we are stronger.

“I appeal to us all with a very strong voice that this road show is not fun fair. Tell your neighbours that from this moment the youths

of this country are in one voice saying that we shall fight no more.

“It is your duty and mine to save our common patrimony. I have spoken to my own daughters to stand with me and they are all here to say united we are stronger”.

She, therefore, called on youth to fight for the emancipation of Nigeria and for the country to regain its rightful place in committee of nations through the provisions of infrastructures, quality education, and service delivery to Nigerians.

Earlier, the Mandate Secretary FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS), Hajia Hadiza

Mohammed Kabir, commended the Ambassadors of Voice for Change for organising the peace campaign, noting that the country needs peace more than ever before.

She pledged that the Social Development Secretariat would continue to support initiatives that would bring meaningful development to the society.

Popular Nollywood actors that joined in the road show include John Ikechukwu Okafor popularly known as Mr. Ibu, Zack Orji, Benedict Johnson, Saeed Balogun, Chiege Alisugwe , and a popular Afro Beat, Sir Shina Peter amongst others.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

PAGE 22

world news

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Kentucky tornadoes: Desperate search for survivors as death toll rises A

desperate search for survivors is under way in parts of six US states devastated by powerful tornadoes that have left at least 83 people dead.

Dozens more people are missing and entire towns were destroyed by about 30 tornadoes on Friday.

President Biden has declared a disaster in Kentucky, the worstaffected state.

More than 70 people have died in the state, including dozens in a candle factory, and the death toll is expected to rise above 100.

Local congressman James Comer, working with rescuers in the ruined town of Mayfield, said the tornado there was the widest ever seen.

“It’s the most devastating storm damage I’ve seen in my entire life. We’ve had tornadoes that have been the same length as this tornado but we’ve never had one with the width of this tornado,” he said.

Forty people have been rescued from the collapsed candle factory in Mayfield but 60 more remain missing and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who has visited the scene, said it was unlikely there were more survivors.

“There’s at least 15ft of metal with cars on top of it, barrels of corrosive chemicals that are there.

Rescuers search through the wreckage of the Mayfield candle factory It’ll be a miracle if anybody else is found alive in it,” he said.

One candle factory employee made a desperate plea for help on Facebook from under the wreckage as co-workers could be heard moaning in the background.

“We are trapped, please, y’all, get us some help,” said Kyanna Parsons-Perez - who was later rescued - in the broadcast played on CNN. Mayfield resident Tony

Meeker described the moment the tornado hit.

“Out of nowhere the sirens went off and then not long after that our ears popped. I mean it was like the pressure dropped.

And then it felt like our house was about to just be gone, get carried off,” he said.

“It looks like a bomb went off. I don’t know how anybody could’ve lived. I feel bad for anybody that didn’t make it or people who got stuck. I’m sure it was terrifying.”

Mr Beshear said the tornado had wrecked places all along its 227-mile (365km) path, including the town of Dawson Springs.

“One block from my grandparents’ house, there’s no house standing and we don’t know where all those people are,” he said.

Tornadoes also collapsed an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, killing six people. Police said it was still unknown how many workers were

missing. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said he was “heartbroken” and pledged support to the community.

Mr Biden has signed a Federal Emergency Disaster Declaration, releasing funds for Kentucky. He said the loss of life caused by the tornadoes was a “tragedy”.

The president said teams from the emergency agency Fema would go to Kentucky on Sunday to offer additional resources including help with temporary housing for those whose homes had been destroyed or badly damaged.

Tens of thousands of people in the state remain without power and water.

Emergency funds were also available for the other affected states - Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee and Mississippi - if they needed it, Mr Biden said.

Destruction everywhere The destruction is extraordinary to see. The strong line of storms tore through a neighbourhood in Bowling Green in southern Kentucky Dozens of homes are severely damaged or completely destroyed.

Power lines hang loosely on the roads and whole trees have been uprooted. Toys, books, clothing are scattered across peoples’ lawns. Source: BBC

America’s addiction to war causes disasters for world

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

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lthough the U.S. always justifies the wars it wages abroad with various pretexts, facts have fully proved that the U.S. is a hegemonic power with an addiction to war and the greatest source of risks to global peace and stability.

The year 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the outbreak of the Afghan war and the 10th anniversary of the outbreaks of the wars in Libya and Syria. These wars are all a result of America’s excessive and willful use of force.

The U.S. is the biggest driver behind the escalation of conflicts in relevant countries, and is inescapably responsible for the humanitarian disasters caused by these wars.

The history of the U.S. is one of constant wars of aggression and imperial expansion, according to American historian Paul Atwood, who pointed out that war is the American way of life.

Throughout about 240 years of U.S. history, there were only 16 years when it wasn’t involved in a war.

After World War II, the U.S. became a superpower and found it harder to resist its desire to wage wars.

Incomplete statistics show that from the end of World War II in 1945 to 2001, a total of 248 armed conflicts happened in 153 regions in the world, among which 201, or around 81 percent, were started by the U.S. Waging wars across the world on various pretexts, the U.S. is the real culprit threatening world peace, according to Tom Fowdy, a British political and international relations analyst.

Although some wars have ended long before, the wounds and scars they left in certain countries and the grave consequences they caused for regional security landscape can still hardly heal or be remedied.

It’s estimated that at least 800,000 tons of explosive remnants of war from the U.S. remain to this day in Vietnam, which, at the current rate, would take 300 years to clean.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the international landscape has undergone profound changes and the international community has shown a stronger desire for peace. However, the U.S. has never stopped waging wars against foreign countries.

The war machine of the U.S. has roared all the way across the planet,

inflicting disasters on countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria.

“In the early 21st century, if any power sought world domination, coercing others and flouting rules, it was the United States,” said an article published on the website of The New York Times in October 2020.

Statistics released by the Smithsonian Institution in the U.S. revealed that the wars and military operations started by the U.S. in the name of counter-terrorism since 2001 have spread to more than 40 percent of the world’s countries.

These so-called “wars on terror” have killed over 800,000 people, made more than 38 million people destitute and homeless, and are estimated to cost the U.S. government more than $8 trillion, suggested data from the Costs of War Project of Brown University in the U.S. In summer this year, the chaos caused by the hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan astonished the world.

The Afghan war that lasted for 20 years has brought untold sufferings to the Afghan people. More than 100,000 Afghan civilians were killed or injured by the weapons of U.S.

armed forces and its allied forces, and over 10 million people lost their homes due to the war.

Eventually, the U.S. armed forces simply walked away irresponsibly, leaving the Afghan people to face the long-term sufferings inflicted by the war.

The huge disasters caused by those wars started and conflicts provoked by the U.S. abroad should have been a wake-up call for the country. However, up to now, the trigger-happy superpower still hasn’t reflected upon its deeds and plucked up the courage to change its course.

In order to avoid being held accountable by the international community for those wars and conflicts, the U.S. has racked its brains in proving the justifiability of its misdeeds, creating such rhetoric as Pax Americana, human rights above national sovereignty, duty to intervene and rules-based international order.

However, no matter how hard Washington tries to beautify those wars, it can neither make up for the huge loss of life caused by wars, erase the deep wounds wars left on countless families, reverse the turmoil and disorder caused by wars in other

countries, nor cover up the long-term challenges wars posed to regional security landscape.

The U.S. should reflect on the pernicious influence of its war machine, pointed out an article published recently on Al-Watan, a newspaper in Bahrain.

Peace, development, and winwin cooperation have become the prevailing trend of the times. Going against the trend, the U.S. frequently interferes in the domestic affairs of other countries on the pretext of “democracy” or “human rights”, and still indulges in hegemonism and power politics.

The international community must put the U.S. under a war origins-tracing investigation, for investigating the evil consequences of the wars willfully waged by the U.S. and holding the drivers behind the wars accountable is the requirement of international justice and the international community’s responsibility to history and future generations.

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

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n his eulogy to South Africa’s last president of apartheid South Africa, FW de Klerk, President Cyril Ramaphosa tried to strike a balance between acknowledging the ill feeling there is still towards him and his contribution to creating a democratic country.

De Klerk, who died last month at 85, was instrumental in leading the country’s white minority towards accepting the dismantling of the racist apartheid system in the 1990s.

At the same time, he was a beneficiary of that system and responsible for some of its crimes.

Speaking at a state memorial service in Cape Town, President Ramaphosa said that De Klerk’s 1990 address calling for the release from prison of the leader of the anti-apartheid struggle, Nelson Mandela, was a “brave act”.

He also praised his “courage and conviction”.

But Mr Ramaphosa added that it was important to recognise that “his contribution and his legacy remain contested”.

“We can neither ignore nor must we seek to dismiss the anger and the pain and the disappointment of those who recall the place FW de Klerk occupied in the hierarchy of an oppressive state.”

Nevertheless he “played an important role in the evolution of our new democracy whether we like it or not”.

Before the memorial service, police broke up a small protest outside Cape Town’s Groote Kerk with demonstrators demanding “justice for apartheid victims”.

“We can neither ignore nor must we seek to dismiss the anger and the pain and the disappointment of those who recall the place FW de Klerk occupied in the hierarchy of an oppressive state.”

Nevertheless he “played an important role in the evolution of our new democracy whether we like it or not”.

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F r o m A f r i c a Reckya Madougou: Opposition leader jailing damages Benin democracy - lawyer

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he 20-year sentence handed to Beninese opposition leader Reckya Madougou is part of efforts to stifle democracy, her lawyer has told the BBC. Madougou was convicted of financing terrorism by a special court in the early hours of Saturday morning.

She was the second opposition figure to be jailed within a week.

Benin, once praised as a multiparty democracy, has taken a more autocratic turn under the presidency of Patrice Talon, rights groups say.

He was first elected in 2016, defeating the favoured candidate of the outgoing president. But earlier this year, all his main challengers, including Madougou, were excluded from the presidential election, which he won with 86% of the vote.

Madougou was arrested in the weeks leading up to April’s vote.

The former justice minister was accused of trying to destabilise the country by providing funds for people plotting to assassinate leading politicians. Her supporters said the charges were a fabrication.

She was found guilty in a trial that lasted less than a day in which no evidence was presented, according to her legal team.

“It’s a dark day for democracy in the country,” Madougou’s lawyer

Supporters of Reckya Madougou gathered outside the court in Porto-Novo when the trial began on Friday Renaud Agbodjo told the BBC after Saturday’s verdict. “[Her] conviction symbolises the asphyxiation of democracy in Benin.”

Shortly before the verdict was read out Madougou told the court: “I have never been and I will never be a terrorist.”

She added that if the guilty verdict helped people reflect on

what was happening in the country then “I would not have suffered in vain”.

Last Tuesday, the same court in the capital, Porto-Novo, sentenced another opposition figure, Joel Aivo, to 10 years for plotting against the state.

Other political rivals have fled the country and even a judge, who had been part of the court that

convicted Madougou, went into exile citing intolerable pressure from the government.

In its report on Benin last year, rights group Amnesty International said that “rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly [had been] unduly restricted”, adding that people had been unjustly prosecuted and police were accused of using excessive force.

Bristol boy helps charity recycle 10,000th prosthetic leg

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charity that donates prosthetic limbs to people in Africa is celebrating recycling its 10,000th leg.

Bristol-based group Legs4Africa has been saving the legs from landfill and sending the parts for free since 2014.

The prosthetic leg that helped it reach its latest milestone was donated by nine-year-old Isaac, from Bristol.

His father Robert said they are “grateful” his old leg will be “loved and put to good use” in The Gambia, rather than gathering dust in an attic.

According to the charity, almost 5,000 prosthetic legs go into landfill every year in the UK. Since its inception, it has been collecting more than 50 per cent

of those legs.

Its team breaks them down for the parts and safety checks each element before deeming them reusable.

“I think it’s become relatively easy, here in the UK, to take having a prosthetic leg for granted, but we are very grateful as a family that Isaac has been given the opportunity to walk with a prosthetic,” Robert said.

“We are extremely fortunate that we have the NHS in this country.”

He said it was an easy decision for the family to donate Isaac’s used prosthetic.

“It gives us great pleasure to know that his leg is being loved and put to good use in The Gambia, rather than gathering

The charity saves the prosthetic legs from landfill dust in an attic.

“It would be great to think that in a few months there will be a child kicking a football or riding their bike in the Gambia, wearing Isaac’s donated leg,” he added.

Legs4Africa communications manager Evie Dickinson said when the charity started it estimated 4,500 people in The Gambia were in need of a prosthetic leg.

Isabel dos Santos: Angolan billionaire hit with US visa restrictions

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he US will deny entry to Isabel dos Santos, once said to be Africa’s richest woman, for “involvement in significant corruption”.

Her name appears on a list released by the State Department of people accused of corruption and who are facing sanctions.

Ms Dos Santos, 48, is the daughter of Angola’s former president, José Eduardo dos Santos, who left office in 2017.

While he was president, she was chair of the state oil company.

According to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Ms Dos Santos used

her position to engage in corruption by “misappropriating public funds for her personal benefit”.

His statement did not go into details about what Ms Dos Santos is accused of having done.

Visa restrictions issued by the State department will bar Ms Dos Santos and her immediate family members from entering the US. She has not been subject to any financial sanctions.

In 2013, Forbes declared Ms Dos Santos the richest woman in Africa, with

an estimated net worth of $3.5bn (£2.6bn).

She was dropped from the list in 2020, with Forbes estimating that $1.6bn in assets are frozen in Angola and Portugal.

Ms Dos Santos was still believed to be worth over $2bn in January 2020. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has linked her to luxury apartments owned in both London and Lisbon, as well as a $35m yacht purchased through a shell company.

Last year, the BBC reported on leaked documents that revealed how she had made her fortune through allegedly exploiting

her own country and corruption.

She got access to lucrative deals involving land, oil, diamonds and telecoms when her father was president.

The documents showed how she and her husband were allowed to buy valuable state assets in a series of suspicious deals.

At the time, Ms Dos Santos said the allegations against her were entirely false and that there was a politically motivated witch hunt by the Angolan government.

She has not responded to a request for comment on the US move from the BBC Source: BBC.

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

Chinese think tank’s report reveals truths about American democracy

By Wu Gang, Wang Xiaobo, People’s Daily

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he Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, issued a research report during a press conference on Monday, raising ten questions on American democracy from ten angles, including the American system in practice, national governance, social circumstances, human rights, and freedom situation, and international influence, while telling the truths about American democracy by citing vast amounts of facts, data, and opinions of various institutions, personages, and experts in the world.

The report titled “Ten Questions for American Democracy” has been published in five languages, i.e., Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, with its Chinese edition consisting of 23,000 characters.

Representatives from the embassies of more than 30 countries in China, nearly 20 foreign media outlets in Beijing, and journalists from more than 40 domestic media organizations participated in the press conference, also serving as a seminar on the report.

Chinese and foreign attendees at the conference all believe that the U.S. should face its democracy issues, listen to the real voices of other countries, correct its wrongdoings both at home and abroad, and actually start to seek benefits for people in the U.S. and the entire world.

As the COVID-19 epidemic is running riot across the world and the global economic recovery remains sluggish, countries are faced with considerable challenges in development.

When humanity needs solidarity the most, the U.S. government, however, still demarcates ideological boundaries and causes divisions around the world, arousing the indignation of many countries.

“Democracy is a right of all people, not a monopoly of several countries. It is absurd for any government to declare its monopoly on the definition or model of ‘democracy’,” says the report.

In recent years, American democracy has gradually metamorphosed.

Domestically, it has become a tool for a few politicians to seek personal gains, violating human rights and tearing society apart; internationally, it has become a front and excuse for the U.S. to maintain hegemony, interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and undermine the international order, according to the report.

Democracy means that people are masters of the country, says the report, pointing out that in today’s America, “minority over the majority,” “power serves the capital,” and “people’s will is difficult to truly realize” are the unfortunate realities.

The report cited the conclusion of a report from Princeton University and Northwest University based on an analysis of nearly 1,800 American policies: ordinary people and groups representing the interests of the masses in the U.S. have little independent political influence; however, economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have a strong ability to control policies.

Western capitalist countries judge democracy simply by whether it has a parliamentary system and the so-called “separation of powers” system; such an approach that focuses on form rather than results can easily be proven wrong, said John Ross, former director of Economic and Business Policy for the Mayor of London.

Ross believes that in the discussion of democracy, the focus should be placed on the practical results, that is, the improvement of the quality of life of the people because democracy is about people living a happier and more dignified life.

By the end of 2020, more than 50 million Americans were food insecure, which was nearly 50 percent higher than that of 2019; according to the data of the Federal Reserve, as of the second quarter of 2021, the top 1 percent of Americans had about $43.27 trillion in wealth, 14.3 times that of the bottom 50 percent of Americans ($3.03 trillion); the U.S. accounts for only 4 percent of the world’s population, and yet

Photo shows the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish editions of the research report titled “Ten Questions for American Democracy” released by Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. (Photo/ Website of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China) 35 percent of firearm suicides worldwide.

Based on comprehensive data analysis, the report concluded that the U.S., despite its democratic shortcomings, is engaged in “democratic diplomacy,” dumping its claimed democratic model, irrespective of the needs of various countries, disregarding the society of each country, disdaining the principles of each country, and not supporting the goals of each country, which fully reflects the fallacy of the premise, framework, principle, and purpose of its “democratic diplomacy.”

Wang Wen, executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, noted that more and more people in the world no longer approve of American democracy.

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center shows that 57 percent of respondents from outside the U.S. said that the American democracy “used to be a good example but has not been in recent years”;

and that another 23 percent said the U.S. had never been a good model of democracy in other countries.

American democracy has caused social disorder, deepened people’s suffering at home, created disasters and turmoil, and undermined international order abroad, over which the international community has expressed great concern.

The U.S. is a veritable “refugee maker” in the world today, making at least 37 million people destitute and homeless by the wars it has launched since the September 11 attacks, according to the report of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies.

“Democracy is a common value of all humanity. There is no universal democratic model in the world. Democracy is a rich and diversified path independently chosen by all countries, rather than a single routine forced to be imposed upon others,” stresses the report.

Russia Ukraine: Massive consequences if Moscow invades, G7 says

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he G7 group of rich democracies has warned Russia of “massive consequences” if it invades Ukraine.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, speaking after a summit in Liverpool, said the group wanted Russia to stop its aggression towards Ukraine However President Putin told President Biden during their video call last week that Russian troops did not pose a threat to anyone, Russian media report.

Tensions are growing as Moscow amasses troops on Ukraine’s border.

Mr Putin added that he had no particular grounds for optimism after speaking to Mr Biden, but would like to meet him in person, local media quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Russia and the US continue to have serious conceptual differences, Mr Peskov added.

Ukrainian authorities have said Moscow could be planning a military offensive at the end of January, although US officials say it is not yet clear whether Mr Putin has made a decision.

On Tuesday Mr Biden and Mr Putin held a virtual summit aimed at reducing

tensions in the region.

Mr Biden said he had made it clear to Mr Putin that there would be “economic consequences like none he’s ever seen” if he invaded Ukraine.

On Sunday the G7 echoed that, saying: “Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response.”

The G7 called on Russia to “de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities.”

Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine?

What would be the fallout if Russia invaded Ukraine?

What next for Ukraine after PutinBiden talks?

Ukraine shares borders with both the EU and Russia, but as a former Soviet republic it has deep social and cultural ties with Russia.

However, Russia has accused Ukraine of provocation, and sought guarantees against eastward Nato expansion and deployment of weapons close to its border.

On Thursday Mr Putin hardened his

Russian troop build-up: View from Ukraine front line rhetoric over the situation in Ukraine, saying the war in the country’s east looked like genocide.

Russian-backed rebels have been

fighting Ukrainian troops there since 2014.

“We see and know what is happening in Donbas,” he said, referring to the conflict zone. “It certainly looks like genocide.”

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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Feature

Why Africa urgently needs its own genetic library

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t was just a “crazy idea” to start with, says Ambroise Wonkam, professor of medical genetics at Cape Town university in South Africa.

He is talking about his vision of creating a huge library of genetic information about the population of Africa, outlined in the science journal Nature, earlier this year.

The Three Million African Genomes (3MAG) project emerged from his work on how genetic mutations among Africans contribute to conditions like sickle-cell disease and hearing impairments.

He points out that African genes hold a wealth of genetic variation, beyond that observed by scientists in Europe and elsewhere.

“We are all African but only a small fraction of Africans moved out of Africa about 20-40,000 years ago and settled in Europe and in Asia,” he says.

Only about 2% of the human genomes that have been mapped are African Prof Wonkam is also concerned about equity. “Too little of the knowledge and applications from genomics have benefited the global south because of inequalities in health-care systems, a small local research workforce and lack of funding,” he says.

Only about 2% of the genomes mapped globally are African, and a good proportion of these are African American. This comes from a lack of prioritising funding, policies and training infrastructure, he says, but it also means the understanding of genetic medicine as a whole is lopsided.

Studies of African genomes will also help to correct injustices, he says: “Estimates of genetic risk scores for people of African descent that predict, say, the likelihood of cardiomyopathies or schizophrenia can be unreliable or even misleading using tools that work well in Europeans.”

To address these inequities, Prof Wonkam and other scientists

“

are talking to governments, companies and professional bodies across Africa and internationally, in order to build up capacity over the next decade to make the vision a reality.

Estimates of genetic risk scores for people of African descent can be unreliable, says Prof Wonkam The number of three million is the minimum he expects to accurately map genetic variations across Africa. As a comparison, the UK Biobank currently aims to sequence half a million genomes in under three years, but the UK’s 68 million population is just a fraction of Africa’s 1.3 billion.

Prof Wonkam says the project will take 10 years, and will cost around $450m (£335m) per year, and says industry is already showing an interest in it.

Biotech firms say they welcome any expansion of the library of African genomes.

The Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research (CPGR) in Cape Town works with biotech firm Artisan Biomed on a variety of diagnostic tests. The firm says it is affected by the gaps in the availability of genomic information relevant to local populations.

For example, it may find a genetic mutation in someone and not know for certain if that variation is associated with a disease, especially as a marker for that particular population.

The Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research works with private firms to further their research “The more information you have at that level, the better the diagnosis, treatment and eventually care can be for any individual, regardless of your ethnicity,” says Dr Lindsay Petersen, chief operations officer. design a better diagnostic toolkit that is better suited to African populations, for instance.

“Because of the limited data sets of the African genome, it needs that hand in hand connection with research and innovation, because without that it’s just another test that has been designed for a

The number of three million is the minimum he expects to accurately map genetic variations across Africa. As a comparison, the UK Biobank currently aims to sequence half a million genomes in under three years, but the UK’s 68 million population is just a fraction of Africa’s 1.3 billion.

particularly in the strained South African system.

One of those hoping to take part in the 3MAG project is Dr Aron Abera, genomics scientist at Inqaba Biotech in Pretoria, which offers genetic sequencing and other services to research and industry.

The firm employs over 100 people in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Currently, most of the genetics samples collected in these countries are still processed in South Africa, but Dr Abera hopes to increase the number of laboratories soon.

The gaps are not only in infrastructure, but also in staff.

Over the last 20 years, Inqaba has focused on using staff and interns from the African continent - but Prof Ambroise Wonkam hopes to create a vast database of it now has to expand its training African genomes programme as well.

Back in Cape Town, Prof Wonkam says that while the costs are huge, the project will “improve capacity in a whole range of biomedical disciplines that will equip Africa to tackle public-health challenges more equitably”.

He says: “We have to be ambitious when we are in Africa.

You have so many challenges you cannot see small, you have to see big - and really big.”

Source: BBC Quote Prof Wonkam is also concerned about equity. “Too little of the knowledge and applications from genomics have benefited the global south because of inequalities in health-care systems, a small local research workforce and Only about 2% of the human genomes that have been mapped lack of funding,” he says. are African Only about 2% of the genomes mapped globally are African, and a good proportion of these are African American. This comes from a lack of prioritising funding, policies and training infrastructure, he says, but it also means the understanding of genetic medicine as a whole is lopsided.

Studies of African genomes will also help to correct injustices, he says: “Estimates of genetic risk scores for people of African descent that predict, say, the likelihood of cardiomyopathies or schizophrenia can be unreliable or even misleading using tools that work well in Europeans.”

To address these inequities, Prof Wonkam and other scientists are talking to Estimates of genetic risk scores for people of African descent governments, companies and can be unreliable, says Prof Wonkam professional bodies across Caucasian population that may or would help streamline processes Africa and internationally, in may not have much of an effect and improve the development of order to build up capacity over within the African populations,” research, and perhaps one day provide cheaper, more effective the next decade to make the says Dr Judith Hornby Cuff.

She says the 3MAG project and more accessible health care, vision a reality.

Education Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

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he Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) has sponsored a total of sponsored close to 30,000 lecturers for master’s and Ph.D. programmes in both local and foreign institutions in the last ten years.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, at the 10th anniversary of the Fund.

According to him, “In a conscious effort to support the capacity of lecturers in public tertiary educational institutions, the Fund created the Academic Staff Training and Development Programme.

To date, the Fund has sponsored close to 30,000 lecturers for master’s and Ph.D. programmes in both local and foreign institutions.”

Bogoro said since inception, TETFund has also been providing support for Teaching Practice in federal and state Colleges of Education across the country, saying that the Fund has so far, supported over 71,263 lecturers under its Teachers’ Supervision Programme.

“Considering the vital role that libraries play in educational institutions, TETFund has also allocated substantial funds to public Federal and state Tertiary Institutions for the acquisition of library books, e-library resources and academic manuscript development to books in order to promote and support research, teaching and learning.

“So far, the Fund has procured over 2,080,041 books for use in the libraries, 152,844 E-Resources and 380,778 equipment and furniture distributed across public tertiary institutions in Nigeria. I am pleased to inform you that upon recommendation of the Hon. Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved that TETFund complete the National Library which symbolizes institutional repository of knowledge and research globally,” he said.

He noted that the Fund remain committed to its core values which include democratic decision-making and management style; respect for human and socio-economic rights of all staff; transparency and accountability; originality, creativity and pursuit of excellence and efficiency; respect for the view-point and interest of government, tax payers, beneficiaries and other stakeholders; belief in wide-scale consultation with stakeholders; promotion of transparency and accountability by the beneficiaries of TETFund among others.

He said the main ambition for the future includes “To champion the establishment of a National Research and Development Foundation (NR&DF) for Nigeria, in order to make Nigeria’s economy more competitive in all spheres through sustainable funding and management, institutionalization of the Triple Helix Model which will culminate in the alliance of the academic, the private sector and the government for a knowledge-driven economy, iImproving the ranking of universities in particular and the other Beneficiary Institutions in Nigeria through deepening research, building manpower capacity of the academia and enhancing research infrastructural base,” amongst others.

Bogoro said as the it mark 10 years of impactful transformation of public tertiary educational institutions, it will ensure resolute commitment to continuously contribute positively to making public tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria truly globally competitive and to the overall economic and technological development of the country.

Also speaking, the representative of the minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, Arch. Sonny Echono, the permanent secretary, federal ministry of education commended the Fund for the solid foundation that successful leaderships have been able to lay, while reiterating the ministry’s continued support to the Fund.

Earlier, the governor of Kebbi state, His Excellency, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu commended the Fund for making

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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TETFund Sponsored 30,000 Lecturers For Masters, Ph.D Programmes - Bogoro good use of its funds over the years.

He reiterated the need for greater funding in the education sector.

Bogoro, says the Fund has executed 152, 838 infrastructural projects in public universities and other beneficiary institutions in the last 10 years.

He said the projects included lecture theatres, classrooms, hostels, offices, road networks, laboratories and fencing in some institutions in different parts of the country.

Bogoro added that the Fund had also sponsored about 30,000 lecturers for master’s and Ph.D. programmes in both local and foreign institutions.

He further noted that a bid to boost human capacity in the beneficiary institutions, over 68,000 academic and non-academic staff of public tertiary institutions had been sponsored by the Fund to attend local and foreign conferences.

He stressed that the Fund equally supported over 71,263 lecturers under its Teachers’ Supervision Programme among over achievements.

“So far, the Fund has procured over 2,080,041 books for use in the libraries, 152,844 E-Resources and 380,778 equipment and furniture distributed across public tertiary institutions in Nigeria,” he said.

Bogoro disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved that TETFund complete the National Library which, he said symbolised institutional repository of knowledge and research globally.

On research, Bogoro said 2011, the Fund launched the National Research Fund (NRF) with a seed fund of N3billion as take-off grant to support cutting edge research in areas of critical national need and development.

He added that 2015, N1billion was

added, in 2019, allocation became annual and N5billion was approved for that year.

He further added that in 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved additional 50 per cent increase in allocation to the NRF, making it N7.5billion for that year and N8.5billion in 2021.

“So far, a total sum of N9billion has been accessed by lecturers to finance their research activities.

“A total of 457 research projects have been approved across the country, some have been completed while some are still ongoing.

“The Fund also allocates funds on an annual basis to support Academic Research Journals and institution Based Research (IBR) for research projects not more than N2million per project.

“So far, about 2,175 projects have been approved for Institution Based

Research and 342 Academic Research Journal projects were undertaken between 2011 and 2021,” he said.

The executive secretary also disclosed that TETFund had been playing significant role in Covid 19 Research in the country and drug development in general.

He commended the Chairman of TETFund Board of Trustees(BOT) Kashim Ibrahim-Imam for approving four mega research clusters.

He said the clusters had with funds ranging from N250million to N450million in response to COVID-19 Vaccines and Drug Research, Security/ Defense and Dairy Research and development in the 2021 budget.

Bogoro assured that the Fund would continuously contribute positively to making public tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria truly globally competitive.

From left: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Hassan Musa; Director, Department of Climate Change in the Ministry, Iniobong Abiola-Awe; and Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, during the Post2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) National Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja on Thursday

Curricular review for secondary schools underway says FG Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

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ederal Government said that it is putting finishing touches on its plans to review curricular being used for teaching and learning in secondary schools especially the senior classes.

To achieve this, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has been asked to work with other relevant agencies of the government to achieve the task.

Head, Press and Public Relations, National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Fatima Bappare, in a statement indicated that NSSEC Executive Secretary, Dr Benjamin Abakpa, confirmed the development at a three-day sensitisation and advocacy programme organised for education stakeholders in the North Central geopolitical zone, in

Benue State.

She said that NSSEC has been mandated to revamp the senior secondary education system to meet the global minimum standard, and the Commission has mapped out realistic strategies to achieve the target.

She said the NSSEC boss was optimistic that adopted strategies would help tremendously in addressing some of the challenges confronting the senior secondary education, thereby, soliciting the support of all stakeholders to collaborate with NSSEC to ensure the lost glory of the senior secondary education is fully restored.

She explained that the Commission is saddled with the responsibility, among others, to set minimum standards and ensure that secondary education meets the needs of our country as well

as global competitiveness.

To achieve these, she said that Dr Abakpa said the Commission was embarking on sensitisation and advocacy across the country to carry all the stakeholders along in the project.

She also said the Commission was making effort in developing an accurate database of senior secondary schools across the country to enable it to plan well for them.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Benson Abounu, in his remarks, applauded the Federal Government for resuscitating the law that established NSSEC and charged the Commission to render its services for all and not be selective in their work.

He encouraged the leadership of NSSEC to ensure that the mandate of repositioning of senior secondary education is actualised.

Pope Francis Appoints Nigerian Priest As Permanent Representstive To UN

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

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ope Francis has appointed a Nigerian Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Abia Abia State And Apostolic Nuncio to the Antilles, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu as the Permanent Observer of the Holy See, that is the vatican to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions in Geneva.

Pope Francis Also appointed Archbishop Nwachukwu as pamanent Observer to the World Trade Organization, WTO and the Representative of the Vatican to the International Migrations Organization(1OM).

The appointment is contained in a press release by the Office of the Antilles Episcopal Conference Secretariat, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobbago on friday December 17, 2021, where Archbishop Nwachukwu is currently serving as Apostolic Nuncio.

Until his appointment, Archbishop Nwachukwu

was transferred from Nicaragua to the current Mission in Trinidad and Tobago on 4 November 2017, and assume office on 19 March 2018.

According to the new appointment, Archbishop Nwachukwu will still remain in charge of the Mission in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and Antilles, until he departs for the new mission at the United Nations at the beginning of March 2022.

Brief profile of Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, B.Phil, LSS(CD), STD, DCL. Fortunatus Nwachukwu was born on 10 May 1960 in Umuokoro, Eziama-Ntigha, in Isia-Ala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State.

He is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Aba, in Abia State, ordained on 17 June, 1984.

In January 1972, he was admitted into Immaculate Conception Semary, Ahiaeke Umuahia, at the age of 11. Three years later, in 1975, he and some of his classmates were allowed to sit the last London GCE, before the West African Examination Council

(WAEC) took over the organization of the secondary school final examinations.

His result was excellent. He then taught Mathematics and Latin in the same seminary until 1977, when he was sent to continue his priestly formation at the newly opened Philosophy Faculty of the Bigard Memorial Seminary at Ikot Ekpene.

From 1980 to 1984 he completed his seminary formation at the Theology Faculty of the same Bigard Memorial Seminary at Enugu. He passed his Bachelor of Divinity examinations with a summa cum laude and was honoured to give the valedictory speech at the graduation of his class. That same year, 1984, on 17 June, the late Bishop of Umuahia, Rt. Rev. Anthony Gogo Nwedo, C.S.Sp., ordained him to the Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Umuahia, at St Eugene’s Parish Church in Aba. He would later be transferred to the Diocese of Aba, when it was created in 1990.Eziaba Agbani” in recognition of the immense help he rendered to a son of that community while in Europe.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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INSIGHT

Takeaways from President Buhari’s epic visit to Turkey

By Garba Shehu

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he purpose of the President’s trip to Turkey, December 16th to 19th was to participate in the 3rd TurkeyAfrica Partnership Summit, with an appealing theme: “Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity.”

Our national strategy was laid out before departure, based on a strong optimism that the summit will work well for all the leaders. Turkey is serious about working with Africa in a win-win relationship.

Though not yet accepted as a member of the EU, it is a major player in the continent in many ways and is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Turkey also has strong links in the MiddleEast. In Asia, the competition is stiff, with China, Japan, South Korea and the rest. But see what discipline, national mobilization and determination have brought Turkey to where it is today. So, Africa may seem for them, a good bet for solidarity and market.

For us on the continent, it is not in doubt that the big countries are not outrightly helpful at all times. In some instances, as with the COVID-19 vaccine, we have seen how might becomes right.

So, really, the embrace of Turkey by Africa is a logical path to follow, given that the country had gone through the big economies in search of economic and national development, abandoned that process and became, on their own, the fastest growing economy in Europe.

Annual trade between Turkey and Africa was USD 5.5 billion in 2003. Today, it has risen to USD 26 billion. Under the Erdogan leadership, the country has grown its presence in Africa from 12 embassies to 42.

Turkish Airlines flies to 50 destinations in 30 African countries.

President Erdogan has himself described his country as being an “AfroEuro-Asian state,” and was on record as being the first non-African Head of State to visit Somalia. Turkey has arrived as a world power. They have advanced in so many areas.

In going to Turkey, the position of the President’s team was: If the partnership through the multilateral process works for us, it will help. All six ministers on the delegation held meetings with their respective counterparts to deepen the good bilateral relations between us. We went there in search of partnerships, partnerships that Nigeria stands to gain from.

When he came here in October, President Erdogan and President Buhari had the two countries sign three Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs, and four agreements on a variety of subjects that included political consultation, energy, hydrocarbons, mining, youth, double taxation and the reform and development of the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna.

The starting point of this engagement was the meeting between the two leadersPresident Muhammadu Buhari and the Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip

President Muhammadu Buhari Erdogan. The tone of this meeting was itself set by the officials who accompanied the President: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency. And from all accounts, the meeting met all expectations: Turkish leader Erdogan agreed to work with President Buhari in tackling insurgents and other security challenges facing this country.

This is significant in many ways. Turkey today not only has a modern defence industry but one that is technologically advanced. Their intervention against ISIL in Syria and Iraq and even Libya has brought them a lot of respect. When they intervened on the side of Azerbaijan in that country’s war against Armenia, that participation using especially that impressive drone technology was the single most important game-changer. Turkish technology, be they drones or even through the supply or manufacture of military ordinance in Nigeria will surely quicken the process and efforts to rid the country of pockets of terrorists and the menace of kidnappers and bandits. From their wide experience and advances in technology in fighting terrorism and banditry, they have a lot to give and they have assured us that they will give that support.

Flowing from the meeting of leaders, the heads of our defence and security establishments were afforded

“

long engagements with their Turkish counterparts. The meetings took time to reflect on what Nigeria needs to overcome the problem of insecurity. These issues revolved around the use of technology to fight crime, something that everyone is doing, and so why not Nigeria.

As we go into January next year, a team from the Turkish defence establishment is expected to be in Nigeria in the effort to advance the discussions on the issue of military procurement.

The national security component equally has a Turkish angle to it and one that turned to be one of the gains, in the sense that both countries have a common view of what Turkey perceives as a security threat to their nation and its leaders present in Nigeria. This is about some Turkish investments, schools and hospitals associated with an opposition figure linked to the abortive coup and attempted assassination of President Erdogan. This had existed as a critical but unspoken issue, with the potential to undermine the relationship in spite of the strong bond of friendship based on trust between the leaders of the two nations. It appears however that a strong common ground and understanding is reached.

The government of Nigeria will not allow any part of our territory to be used to undermine a friendly state such as Turkey. Under our strict Central Bank and Financial Intelligence Unit’s governance

The national security component equally has a Turkish angle to it and one that turned to be one of the gains, in the sense that both countries have a common view of what Turkey perceives as a security threat to their nation and its leaders present in Nigeria. This is about some Turkish investments, schools and hospitals associated with an opposition figure linked to the abortive coup and attempted assassination of President Erdogan.

structure and management, money from the investments in issue cannot be moved anywhere to finance subversive activities.

While protection of foreign investment is sacrosanct, government clearly will not allow interest, individual or group, to undermine the very warm and cordial relationship between the two nations.

Turkey has achieved so much in infrastructure, which is something very close to the heart of the President. Turkey has shown real capacity in heavy capital projects in many countries and this has another advantage to us.

As it is now, we are reliant on just one country for infrastructure and Turkey should help us to diversify.

From these bilateral meetings, the ground has been laid for the setting up of education, health and leisure projects including the proposal for a big hotel and conference center project in Abuja.

In the not-too-distant future, the administration of the Federal Capital Territory will be receiving the team of investors including the world- famous Ma’arif Foundation to be shown exact locations for the setting up of a five-star hotel and conference center, schools and a world-class hospital.

Three other companies have a strong interest in other areas, with the first, in oil and gas, and from which a good outcome is expected by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC Mele Kyari and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo. One of the other investors is coming with interest in the Abuja property market, real estate and the creative industry especially film making and another, with interest in the construction sector. This is the company that built Turkey’s famous undersea tunnel.

Finally, it is important to say that President Buhari was in Turkey on a special request by the Turkish President.

By an earlier agreement, the number of African leaders at the four-yearly summit was rationalized to just 15, and leaders were chosen to attend as representatives of either the African Union or the elected leaders of sub-regional groups such as ECOWAS, the South African Development Community, SADC and the rest. Each subregional leader presented a representative statement, and in the case of ECOWAS, it was President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, its Chairman. No national statements were planned for, except for Nigeria where our President was given a special speaking opportunity.

As to be expected, President Buhari used it to good effect, calling for increased support for Africa in fighting terrorism, vaccine equity and manufacture on the continent and for combined efforts to address the effects of climate change.

The Nigerian delegation returned to Nigeria on a high note of expectation that this was indeed, a visit worth undertaking.

Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media &

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PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Nimrod urges FG to develop beach soccer game

By Albert Akota

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resident of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Musa Nimrod, has called for the establishment of Nigeria Beach Games to discover more talents for the national teams.

Mr Nimrod stated that Nigeria needs to start putting up structures for the development of the game, especially with the rapid development of beach games in Africa.

He called on the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to immediately establish the beach games to enhance Nigeria’s participation in international competitions.

“We are agitating for the beach games in Nigeria, we cannot be going to World beach games and Africa beach games without having Nigeria beach games.

“Today we have beach volleyball, beach soccer, beach handball, so to perform well internationally we have to start locally.

“I am appealing to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to immediately establish the

Nigeria Beach Games. It doesn’t cost much. They are very cheap; we have the sand everywhere,”

he said.

He said the Nigeria Volleyball Federation would

continue to work with relevant stakeholders to develop the sport in Nigeria.

Nigeria competed at the inaugural African Beach Games in Sal, Cape Verde in June 2019.

Kingsley wins Nigeria’s Gold Medal at World Weightlifting Championship

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tella Kingsley etched Nigeria’s name on the global weightlifting map as she won her first gold medal at the ongoing IWF World Championship in Uzbekistan which also serves as 2022 Commonwealth Games qualifier in Birmingham, England next year.

The Commonwealth Championship also holds along with the International Weightlifting Federation, IWF World Championship which commenced on Tuesday The 19-year old won Commonwealth Championships Gold medal and placed 5th position at the IWF World Championship in the 49kg women category with a lift of Snatch 72 kg, Clean & Jerk 96 kg on a Total of 168 kg.

With the gold clinched, Stella have therefore qualified for next year’s Commonwealth Birmingham, England which will start on July 28 and end on August 8, 2022.

Jhili Dalabehera from India won silver while Winnifred Ntumi from

Ghana won the Bronze.

Speaking one the feat, the Akwa Ibom State born lifter said she was happy with the feat adding that she wanted the gold from the beginning and worked hard to achieve it.

“I’m very much happy. I’m super grateful to God almighty “You know, they say if you want something you won’t just sit at a place and expect miracle to happen. You have to stand up and work for what you want.

“I wanted the gold so badly, I trained for it and I’m grateful my effort wasn’t in vain,” she said.

She thanked Nigerians, her coaches and the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, President and board for their support.

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Real Madrid Rejects West Ham’s €25m Bid Hazard

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ts no secret that Real Madrid’s patience for Eden Hazard has grown really thin and they are looking to cash in on him.

Hazard was such a success at Chelsea and became a household at the Stamford Bridge before he was snapped up by the Los Blancos in 2019, joining for a fee of €100 million, which could rise to €146.1 million due to additional fees, on a deal worth £400,000 per week.

Real Madrid Reject West Ham’s €25m Bid For Eden Hazard As La Liga Clubs Reject Florentino Perez Project Paraguay Appoint Marcello Frigerio As Coach Of Women’s Team FIFA Rankings: USWNT End 2021 As The Top Ranked Women’s Team “We Have Been Thinking About Haaland’s Next Move For Two Years” Mino Raiola, Erling Haaland’s Agent Confesses OFFICIAL: Alex Collado Joins Granada On Loan The 30-year-old has struggled with injuries during his time at the Bernabeu and has managed just five goals in 55 appearances in his twoand-a-half seasons at the club.

Folashade wins another Gold Medal For Nigeria at IWF World Championship

By Ameachi Agbo

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awal Rafiatu Folashade has yet another gold medal for Nigeria at the International Weightlifting Federation, IWF World Championship in Uzbekistan.

Lawal on Saturday, competing in the 59kg category clinched the medal in the Commonwealth Championship as the IWF Championship also serves as the 2022 Bermignham Commonwealth Games qualifier.

She posed a lift of 207kh to emerge the best in the Commonwealth Championship which also qualifies her automatically for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Bermignham, England next year The International Weightlifting Federation, IWF World Championship ongoing in Tashkent, Uzbekistan also serves as 2022 Commonwealth Games qualifier.

By this feat, Lawal has become the 3rd Nigerian weightlifter who have automatically qualified for the Games next year after winning gold at the IWF World Championship.

Lawal who won 3 silver at the 2019 Africa Games, 3 gold at the 2020 Solidarity Championship in Uzbekistan, is placed 6th in the IWF World Championship.

She joins her compatriots, Stella Kingsley and Olarinoye Adenike Adijat on the gold medal list while Edidiong Umoafia won silver on Friday.

Apart from winning three gold medals and a silver in the Commonwealth

Championship, Nigeria has also won a sliver and two bronze medals in the IWF World Championship.

Speaking in an interview from their camp in Tashkent, Uzbekistan ahead of her competition on Saturday, Lawal said she had trained and prepared for the championship and would do her best to make her country proud “I have trained very well for this competition. I will try my possible best for my country to have medals,” she said.

Speaking on the gold medal and Commonwealth Games qualification, President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF, Dr Ibrahim Abdul congratulated the lifter for doing the country and the federation proud.

The elated president who sent his message to Lawal and her co-lifters after her competition, commended her for joining her compatriots on the medals podium and stressed that the federation under his watch will not relent in supporting the athletes to excel.

“I am once again happy. It has been a successful IWF Championship by the feats our lifters in Uzbekistan have achieved.

“Stella Kingsley started the journey to this success and the lifters have remianed resolute and resilient.

“I congratulate Folashade Lawal on her record. I have said it before and I say it again that I have no doubt about what Nigerian weightlifters can achieve “On our part as a federation, saddled with the responsibility of developing this

game in the country, we will not relent in supporting our athletes to make sure that they excel anywhere,” he said.

Nigeria contingent currently has 7 medals in the competition - 3 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze.

Nigeria will continue are medal

winning push on Monday when 13th December when Joy Ogbonne Ese competes in 71kg women category.

She will weigh in by 10am Uzbekistan time (2pm Nigeria time) while the competition in the category will commence by 4pm Nigeria time

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

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s s u e s

The United States And Pontification Of Democracy For Self-Gains

BY Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim

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he concept of democracy ubiquitously connotes majority rule and minority rights, where choice of the majority prevails in determining the structures of governance by the power of their votes considering the societal structuration and the bid to improve their lives and the society. The rights of the minority are to be fully guaranteed and respected as members of the society. Protection of these rights is what sustains democracy and manifest the beauty of the system. It is also notable that ancient European scholars such as Plato have condemned the practice of democracy as not the best form process of governance when he advocated for platocracy. The imagery of the trend is that illiterates and lunatics can win elections through democratic processes and people without competence can become leaders without the knowledge of how to politically satisfy the electorates.

Recently, President Joe Biden hosted a summit for democracy on December 9 and 10. “The summit will focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies and will provide a platform for leaders to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms, and initiatives to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad,” a statement posted on U.S department of State reads: The United States so far, has extended invitation to countries perceived as its allies, and did not invite others branded as ‘undemocratic, authoritarian, dictatorship, etc. It is clear that there are countries in the world that are happier today than the so called allies of the United States and do not go by the American style of democracy. Countries like Qatar, UAE, Oman and China among others have their styles of governance and their citizens are doing well than the American citizens in many perspectives. It also seems that Biden is inviting allies not democracies with whom the U.S. shares similar interest from the constructivist analogy. If you exclude China, that suggests failure of the American trade war against China and the U.S. is taking a different strategy to contain the rising nature of China which former American President Jimmy Carter warned that, the “rise of China is inevitable.”

The American democratic system is such one of the worst democracies in the world as the negation of the peoples’ right to live has been recorded such as the black lives matter in the United States, the AmericanSpanish war in 1898, the Korean war in 1950, Vietnam war 1954–1975, the Gulf War 1991, Somalia war 199293, Iraq war 2003, invasion of Libya in 2011 and the Afghan war 2001–2021, among others, are all interventionist gestures against independent entities around the world that killed innocents, deprived people the right to existence and made these countries a sheer theatres of war that these countries have continued to suffer from American invasion and brutalities. The above records disqualify the United States to serve as a leading figure of democracy; the United States should not have the guts and temerity to form a democracy league to defend its tenets either at home or abroad due to the above mentioned atrocities committed.

The United States imposes democracy on other people without allowing them to live according to their own way of living. China practices socialist democracy and it brings about political utility to the Chinese people better than what is obtainable in the United States and Europe. The reality is that the American Empire is on the decline, loosing influence gradually on the world stage, withdrawing from significant international engagements and trying to reposition itself, but it is too late as the expiration of an empire when it is due cannot be reversed as fixated by the natural laws.

The major challenge the U.S. faces today is not even Russia despite the hours of phone call made between Putin and Biden and the caveat issued to Russia on Ukraine, but the major idea is how to gang up against China and decimate its rising global influence. It is also attributable to U.S. decision not to send American officials to Beijing for 2022 Olympics and calling on other countries to boycott it and Australia having dicey relations with China has already joined the league. The democracy summit organized by Biden is such a league that will rejuvenate policy of containment just as we saw under Harry Truman Doctrine starting in 1947 to contain the spread of communism as practiced by Soviet Russia. The American ignorance is hinged on the fact that other Empires had fallen through historical records and the American Empire cannot last forever.

From the pedigree the American foreign policy as formulated by the hitherto founding fathers was not reflective of democratic principles. The founding fathers considered Americans first, that is, the United States would not go to war except American interest was at stake or its security being threatened. It was President Woodrow Wilson who changed this position to ethical idealism which considered humanity as a scope of American foreign policy. The American foreign policy is driven by national interests rather than democracy. It is well known that the US administration has cooperated with tyrants and terrorists like Alqa’eda and ISIS, and has for decades plotted regime change

Presidents Joe Biden

Presidents Xi Jinping

of legitimate governments across the world. The true history of America shows that the biggest genocide in human history did not happen in Nazi Germany but on American soil where an estimated 100 million Native Americans were slaughtered in order to take away their homeland. The U.S economy was built on slavery, which represented the greatest human rights abuse.

Until today, racial discrimination in the U.S is still alive.

It is in line with the above that it becomes imperative to disentangle the truth from the falsehood, especially as it relates to true democracy in contemporary international system. “Democracy that works” showcases a white paper issued by the PRC which depicts systematic introduction to China’s democratic values, their course of development, institutional arrangements and systems, actions, as well as relevant achievements and contributions. The document notes that a whole-process people’s democracy integrates process-oriented democracy with results-oriented democracy, procedural democracy with substantive democracy, direct democracy with indirect democracy, and people’s democracy with the will of the state. It is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. It is true democracy that works. The white paper contains a text on China’s democracy which puts the people as the country’s masters. The people’s status as masters of the country is the essence of people’s democracy in China. The white paper reviewed the process in which the Party led the people in developing democracy during the New Democratic Revolution period (19191949), socialist revolution and reconstruction period (1949-1978), and the years of reforms, opening-up and socialist modernization after 1978.

China has adopted the governing system of the people’s democratic dictatorship, upholding the unity of democracy and dictatorship to ensure the people’s status as masters of the country. The system of people’s congresses has been adopted as the governing structure, through which the people exercise state power effectively. China has upheld and improved the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under CPC leadership. The system is able to avoid situations where there is discussion without decision and there is decision without action. It also effectively mitigates the risks of inadequate oversight in one-party rule, and the problems of destructive competition in multiparty political systems. China has consolidated and developed the broad patriotic united front, systematically promoting harmonious relations between political parties, between ethnic groups, between religions, between social groups, and between Chinese people at home and overseas. China has upheld and improved the system of regional ethnic autonomy, making the people of all ethnic groups the masters of the country on the principle of ensuring the solidarity and unity of the country. China has also upheld and improved the system of community-level self-governance. Democracy at the primary level has been expanded so that local residents can manage their own affairs by serving the community, undertaking self-education, and exercising public scrutiny.

The whole-process people’s democracy in China is a complete system with supporting mechanisms and procedures, and has been fully tested through a wide participation. China’s whole-process people’s democracy is a combination of electoral democracy and consultative democracy, and is applied through a combination of elections, consultations, decisionmaking, management, and oversight. It covers the economic, political, cultural, social, eco-environmental, and other fields, with a focus on national development, social governance, and people’s lives. Whole-process people’s democracy ensures that the people’s voices are heard and their wishes are represented in every aspect of China’s political and social life. It prevents individuals from manipulating the political process to win elections, and leaves no room for politicians to shower promises while campaigning and break them

all once elected. Chinese democratic system is an extensive and true democracy that works. Democracy is not a decorative ornament, but an instrument for addressing the issues that concern the people. In China, all power belongs to the people, and the people enjoy extensive rights. In China, the people have gained a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness, security, and human rights are fully respected and protected. In China, democratic participation has kept expanding, and the people’s demands can be freely expressed and effectively fulfilled.

It should be noted that “One essential feature of a good model of democracy is that it will promote sound governance and boost national development,” and “It is hard to see how a country can serve as a good example for the rest of the world if its own model of democracy is unsuccessful or inefficient in national governance.”

In addition, “a good model of democracy should build consensus rather than creating social rifts and conflicts, safeguard social equity and justice rather than widening social disparities in favor of vested interests, maintain social order and stability rather than causing chaos and turmoil, and inspire positivity and appreciation of the good and the beautiful rather than instigating negativity and promoting the false and the evil.”

China’s democracy has boosted national development and social progress, and ensured the wellbeing of the people.

China’s democracy has contributed a new model to the international political spectrum. Representing nearly one-fifth of the world’s population, the morethan-1.4 billion Chinese people enjoy the status as masters of the country and extensive rights and freedoms. China has explored a new path to democracy and contributed its experience to global political progress.” China has created and developed wholeprocess people’s democracy in line with its national conditions. This is a form of democracy with distinctive Chinese features which at the same time reflects humanity’s universal desire for democracy.” The white paper states that, “there is no single road to democracy…

China has achieved considerable progress in developing democracy; … China still needs to make further improvements.” This sounds democratic as accepting the fact that there is the need for improvement unlike the American values seeing America being perfect all the time.

The American Republican Party does not represent democratic leadership from its domestic and international engagements. Internally the Republican Party supports division among the divergent groups of the United States, and this is evident in how Donald Trump divided America and ruled based on the founding fathers principle of “America First.” The difference between the United States and China is that “the Chinese people are willing to work together with all other peoples around the world to carry forward the common values of humanity, peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom. In a spirit of mutual respect and following the principle of seeking common ground while setting aside differences. China adds new elements to the world’s political structure and advance towards a global community of shared future together.” This can be seen in the Belt and Road Initiative and other multilateral and bilateral relations, especially the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, whose summit just ended on the 30th of December, 2021 in Dakar Senegal.

The factual negation and reduction of Chinese democratic setting by the United States only justify rivalry which the U.S. pursues due to the enviable position of China in the world’s political-economy.

Chinese democracy deals with elective positions in democratic representation in law-making as obtainable in the National People’s Congress, with members elected from rural, township, provincial and central levels. The system of people’s congresses is China’s fundamental political system, whose original aspiration and essence is to ensure Chinese people’s status as

masters of the country. The Constitution stipulates that all power in China belongs to the people. The election of deputies to people’s congresses, which is the basis of the system of people’s congresses, has two notable features: (1) the rights to vote for Chinese citizens are the most extensive. According to the Constitution, all citizens of the PRC who have reached the age of 18 shall have the right to vote and stand for election (2) persons deprived of political rights in accordance with law shall be an exception. Currently, more than 1 billion voters are participating in the elections to people’s congresses at the township and county levels. Elections at the grassroots level are the most dynamic form of China’s whole-process people’s democracy, and also the world’s largest elections.

Considering the above trend of Chinese democratic settings, it can be argued that China is the largest democracy in the world and the most responsive political system on earth due to the number of people who participate in the democratic process and how the government responds to the wishes and aspirations of the people. In Chinese democracy, the deputies to people’s congresses are fully representative of the people. China has five-level deputies: national, provincial, city, county, and township. At the end of 2020, 2.623 million people were serving as deputies to people’s congresses at all levels nationwide. Among them, 2.478 million are at the township and county levels, accounting for 94.5% of the total. Deputies at the township and county levels are directly elected by the public; one person has one vote. Deputies to people’s congresses at the city, provincial, and national levels are elected by people’s congresses at the next level below.

China’s Electoral Law stipulates that there shall be an appropriate number of deputies from all regions, ethnic groups, and sectors, and makes clear requirements for the proportion of deputies elected from the grassroots level, especially workers, farmers, professionals and technicians, women, and ethnic minorities. It can be said that in China, deputies to people’s congresses come from every region, every industry, every field, and every ethnic group, which makes China the largest democracy in the world.

Chinese democracy is the most inclusive one in the world, dealing with cooption of different groups of the society into political participation. China respects the rights of women to political participation and shares political positions with them. Among the nearly 3,000 deputies to the 13th NPC, 742 are women deputies, accounting for 24.9% of the total; and 468 workers and farmers, accounting for 15.7% of the total, including 45 migrant workers. Moreover, 613 deputies are professionals, accounting for 20.6% of the total, and 438 deputies are from ethnic minority groups, accounting for 14.7% of the total. All 55 ethnic minorities in China have NPC deputy representation.

Even those with a very small population would have at least one NPC deputy. For example, the Monba ethnic group in Tibet, which has a population of around 10,000, also has one NPC deputy, who is female. She is a teacher at a local elementary school.

On the issue of suffrage, the U.S. turned to consider women only in 18th century, while the United Kingdom in the 17th Century. In what defines China’s electoral system, China’s first Electoral Law in 1953 granted the universality of the right to vote. It took Western countries several hundred years to realize universal suffrage in the legal sense while China achieved true universal suffrage without all those twists and turns.

On the increasing number of people participating in elections -which is also the voter turnout-since the initiation of reform and opening up, China has conducted 12 direct elections to people’s congresses at the township level and 11 direct elections at the county level, with a current participation rate of around 90%.

On election funding in China, finances for deputy elections come from the treasury, which provides an institutional guarantee that election integrity will not be compromised by financial interests.

People’s democracy is manifest in the China’s CPPCC, which is the all-encompassing political collectivism as it integrates all sectors of the society and gives them sense of belonging and emotional ties. The CPPCC originates from the political system created by the leading CPC and all non-communist parties, public figures without party affiliation, people’s organizations, and public figures of all China’s ethnic groups and sectors of society. It is deeply rooted in China’s history and culture, and is an important means to achieve people’s democracy in China. In September 1949, the first plenary session of the CPPCC was held, marking the formal establishment of the system of the CPPCC. For more than 70 years, under the leadership of the CPC, the CPPCC has adhered to the two themes of solidarity and democracy, served the central tasks of the CPC and the country, and played an important role in the great practice of establishing and developing the PRC, exploring paths of reforms, and realizing the Chinese Dream.

Ibrahim is of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Abuja.

. . . putting the people first

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2021

Another look at world LATEST AMK Foundation HIV/AIDS day in Nigeria SPORTS LATEST

reaffirms commitment to empowerment of youths through sports

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n continuation of its avowed commitment to the empowerment and development of Nigeria, nay African youths, one of Nigeria’s leading non-governmental organizations, the Ahmadu Musa Kida Foundation, is rolling out strategically beneficial programmes towards achieving its goals.

In a press release, AMK Foundation, stated that going into the first quarter of year 2022, it would improve its empowerment programmes, particularly in education, sports, vocational and skills acquisition.

In recent past, AMK Foundation have spent hundreds of million naira to train and empower youths in Nigeria and across West Africa in different fields of endeavours.

Remarkable amongst AMK Foundation recent empowerment programmes for Nigeria and West African youths were the free basketball training programmes, sponsorship of youth basketball competitions with attractive prizes and incentives, provision of playing kits, as well as, training programmes for the trainers.

The press statement disclosed further that all the planned empowerment programmes shall witness remarkable improvement.

The brain behind the foundation remain passionate and truly committed to his dreams of contributing towards the achievement of a better, inspired, progressive and harmonious soceity.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

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By Jude Eze

Guest Columnist

D

ecember 1, annually is world HIV/AIDS day. It is a day set aside, globally, to reflect on the unprinted effects of that yet incurable pandemic and strategize on the better way to chart its prevention and management, especially among the third worlds.

In Nigeria, the Ministry of Health through some agencies like National Action Committee On Aids (NACA), alongside many NGOs joins the rest of the world in marking the event using some programs mapped out to sensitize and conscientize the teeming Nigeria populace on how to prevent, treat or manage the health monster. On TV screens, I have followed their activities of the day over the years.

But this year, I was opportuned to witness firsthand what they do and how they do it.

At a marketplace, I spotted a group of youngsters (probably volunteer healthcare workers) in a makeshift booth with a public address system calling the people to embrace regular testing as a way of knowing their status. “If you test negative, try and stay negative. If you test positive, know that it is not the end of the world; engage the antiretroviral therapy.” This of course is (or do I say should be) the customary message of free testing and counseling exercise in every campaign against HIV/AIDS as they run tests for members of the public.

And I decided to go closer.

Within 5 minutes of observation, I lost it out with them on a number of issues and key factors.

First, medical diagnostic tests are affected by many variables that must be taken into account while carrying out the tests. Of all the factors that affect the validity, precision, accuracy, reliability or reproducibility of Lab test, none is as slick as temperature. Most of the kits and reagents employed in the processes are thermolabile (sensitive to temperature changes). These NGOs don’t seem to appreciate this scientific fact. The HIV rapid diagnostic strips of choice is usually the Determine brand. That’s what NACA uses too. The manufacturer’s temperature specifications for its storage is fridge temperatures (2-8 degrees Celsius). While its run

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By Jude Eze temperature is room temperature (18-25 degrees Celsius). Hence iceparks are usually used to maintain the temperature if cooler van is not affordable, while on a survey screening or outdoor pilot studies.

I was aghast to see some of these advocates run the tests and issue results with reckless abandon under a blazing ambient afternoon temperature well above 36 degrees Celsius.

That’s how pitiful our domestic health care provision for the common man is. How reliable are those results? The known fact is that issuing out false positive or negative results were inevitable there. But in a country where measurement means almost nothing, anything can go.

If data means anything to us in the fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic, then we should be mindful of how results are generated from the Labs.

Whoever was in charge of the exercise must have instructed them in line with the product instruction leaflet on how to interprete the result from the test strips. But he failed to detail them on the effect of variables such as temperature and time of run on the result.

Inability of our health workers to conform to standard operational procedure stipulated in quality management system (QMS) is part of the reason why each time our government officials fall sick, they charter the next available aircraft to Europe and Americas, where systems work and where basic scientific principles for diagnosis and cure are observed.

“

While patiently observing, I sighted the Leader of the group who must have been a ranked official from the Agency, sitting idle, at the back of the canopy. Beside him is a Lady that looks every inch like his assistant. They were gisting as the man throws his weight around caring less about how the Corps Members were carrying out the tests.

Such perfunctory and laissez-faire attitudes to duty has been the bane of both public and private service.

Another unsettling reality I noticed from the exercise is that Nigeria health authorities are still poor with counseling skills. The banner that hung on their table read “free HIV counseling and testing”.

This means they should counsel the subjects who volunteer to run the test on various issues relating to HIV/AIDS. These includes: informing them on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the syndrome.

Enlightening them on the four major routes of transmission, teaching them the ABCs of preventing it, conscentizing them on the dangers of stigmatization; and above all, giving them the orientation that HIV seropositivity is not the end of the world, et cetera.

But much to my disgust they did none of the above. One girl among them was busy going about the arena sharing latex contraceptives, while the Corpers were busy needlepricking the volunteers, running the tests and issuing out results with finese. This is not right. Things need to change if we are to be considered serious and honest in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Whoever was in charge of the exercise must have instructed them in line with the product instruction leaflet on how to interprete the result from the test strips. But he failed to detail them on the effect of variables such as temperature and time of run on the result.

At this point, let me pause and wish all our followers and readers in this space merry Christmas and a prosperous new year in advance.

Despite all the odds and glooms of this year, we have gotten to its end to the glory of God. We can only hope for the best in the coming year trusting that it will fare better for us and our country than this passing year.

Like Fulton J. Sheen would say; “the beginning of a new year is an opportunity for improvement. It makes little difference what the past has been, for we are not to look back to see if the furrow be crooked. What matters most is the sanctification of the now moment. Time is so precious that God doles it out second by second. If life in the past has been evil, the new year is an opportunity for penance. In such a way is time redeemed. If life, however, has been virtuous, the new year is an opportunity for greater self-perfection.”

This is actualizeable if we let Christ the Prince of peace into our lives and allow His principles guide our steps.

Christian theologians teach that “the Christmas message is not that peace will come automatically, because Christ is born in Bethlehem; that birth in Bethlehem was the prelude to His birth in our hearts by grace and faith and love. Peace belongs only to those who will to have it.

If there is no peace in the world today, it is not because Christ did not come; it is because we did not let Him in.

May daylight spare us!

DAN GAYE DANGAI

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