Hope Rises for 2019 Budget, Oil Price Rebounds to $60 Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Hope for the implementation of the 2019 budget was rekindled yesterday as crude oil price climbed around three per cent to rebound to $60 per barrel.
This followed the extension of talks between the United States and China in Beijing, which raised hopes that the world’s two largest economies would resolve their trade standoff. The United States West
Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at $51.36 per barrel, up $1.58, or 3.17 per cent, the first time this year that WTI has topped $50. Reuters reported that the international Brent crude rose by $1.63, or 2.78 per cent, at
$60.35 per barrel. Brent price hit last year’s high of $86 in October, a development that encouraged the federal government to predicate this year’s budget on oil price of $60, against the $50 per barrel oil price
benchmark proposed in the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP). The federal government also predicated the budget on the production of 2.3 million barrels per day of crude oil. Also N305 was proposed
as exchange rate to the dollar. But before the presentation of the budget to the National Assembly, oil price dropped to $48, raising fears on the capacity of the federal Continued on page 10
Gencos Accuse Discos of Inhibiting Higher Power Generation, Supply ... Page 10 Thursday 10 January, 2019
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Buhari Hints at Realignment of Salaries of FG Workers with Jumbo Pay Labour: We will resist any cut in wages Avoid delay, present minimum wage bill Tuesday, Senate advises president Omololu Ogunmade and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Inaugurating the Technical Advisory Committee on National Minimum Wage yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari put smiles on the faces of workers, stating that wage increase had become inevitable and non-negotiable.
"I want to make it clear that there is no question about whether the National Minimum Wage will be reviewed upwards. I am committed to a review of the Minimum Wage,� Buhari told the advisors at the State House, Abuja. Continued on page 6
Act within Electoral Law, INEC Tells Security Agencies Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in the country to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Electoral Act, and avoid giving Nigerians the
impression that they have their separate security arrangements outside of those sanctioned by the commission. In his regular consultative meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Elections (ICCES) held yesterday Continued on page 10
Credit to Private Sector Falls Marginally to N23.083tn ‌ Page 6
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NEW MINIMUM WAGE BECKONS‌ L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari; Chairman, Technical Advisory Committee on the Implementation of an Increase in the National Minimum Wage, Mr. Bismarck Rewane; and other members, Dr. Ayo Teriba, Senator Udo Udoma (Minister of Budget and National Planning), and Mr. Babatunde Fowler (Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service), during the inauguration of the committee in Abuja‌yesterday
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Credit to Private Sector Falls Marginally to N23.083tn
Obinna Chima
Banking sector credit to the private sector dropped slightly year-on-year by N55.7 billion to N23.083 trillion as of November 2018, from the N23.138 trillion it was at the end of October, 2018. Also, net credit to government fell to N2.980 trillion as at the end of November, lower than the N3.756 trillion it was at the end of October 2018. This was gathered from the latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) money and credit statistics for November
2018. Also, narrow money supply (M1), which includes all physical monies such as coins and currency along with demand deposits and other assets held by the central bank dropped to N10.689 trillion at the end of the month under review, as against the N11.241 trillion recorded the previous month. But currency-in-circulation increased in the review period to N2.100 trillion, compared with the N1.956 trillion it was the previous month. The data showed that currency outside banks
increased to N1.712 trillion as of the review month, up from the N1.602 trillion it was the previous month. However, while Banks Reserves dropped to N4.306 trillion from the N5.028 trillion it was at the end of October 2018, Quasi Money, which are highly liquid assets other than cash, that can be quickly converted, stood at N14.775 trillion as at the review month, from N14.800 trillion. In addition, demand deposits, which are funds held in an account from which deposited funds can be withdrawn at any time
without any advance notice to the depository institution fell marginally from N9.640 trillion the previous month, to N8.978 trillion in the review month. The credit statistics also revealed that CBN bills held by money holding sectors improved to N6.333 trillion, from N5.984 trillion the previous month. As part of efforts to encourage lending to the private sector, the CBN had introduced the real sector support facility (RSSF). The facility was expected to boost investment and provide low cost funding for businesses. The activities covered
under the scheme are Greenfield (new) and expansion (Brownfield) projects in manufacturing, agriculture and other related sectors approved by the CBN. In his outlook for 2019, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had predicted that monetary policy stance would remain judicious, research driven, adequate and supportive of the real economy subject to underlying fundamentals. He pointed out that the current tight monetary policy stance was expected to continue in the near-term, especially in view of rising
inflation expectations and exchange market pressures. “Though we will act to appropriately adjust the policy rate in line with unfolding conditions and outlooks, the CBN will continue to ensure that the policy interest rate is delicately set to balance the objectives of price stability with output stabilisation. “Though the CBN has so far managed to maintain exchange rate stability, the current capital flow reversals from emerging markets are expected to continue to exert considerable pressure on market rates.�
I Won’t Use Govt Money for Campaigns, Buhari Promises Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja said he was committed to eliminating corruption in campaign financing, vowing not to use any money from the treasury for his re-election campaign. The president, according to a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina,
said the president made the disclosure, while speaking at the close of yesterday’s weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the Council Chamber of the State House. Adesina said Buhari directed members of his cabinet ministers to take advantage of technology to reach out to voters on the need to return the All Progressives Congress (APC)- led administration in
next month’s general elections. He quoted the president as saying, “As political parties spread their ideologies and views to every nook and crannies of the country, the issue of cash payment to voters and its corrupting influence in electioneering has once again become a topical issue. “Try and use text and multimedia messages to seek votes
for the party and government. ‘‘There is no money from the treasury for use in the campaigns. I will not authorise that.� According to him, Buhari declared that the APC-led administration has a clear development agenda best suited to take Nigeria forward and sustain economic development. ‘‘This message needs to be
taken to all Nigerians but we cannot use money from the treasury to share out to prospective voters. ‘‘Nigerians want change and we alone can deliver that change. Our people can no longer be swayed by money politics,’’ he was further quoted to have said. The statement added that the president also used the occasion, which was a
valedictory session for the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, to wish the minister success in her electoral contest. “The minister had signified her desire to leave the cabinet, in line with existing regulations, to run for a legislative seat in her native Yobe State,� the statement added.
found out is that they will be in office on that day and that is what we are banking on. They are resuming on the January 16th and they cannot resume on that day and again proceed for recess, it is not possible. "We have taken that into consideration to say that on or before January 23, the government should submit the bill. It is an agreement that was signed by three Ministers, that of Finance, Budget and Planning and Labour and Employment, while NLC and TUC signed on behalf of labour."
on Tuesday and would sit for three legislative days, ending on Thursday with the 2019 Budget as its priority before proceeding on recess to enable its members go to their constituencies for campaign for the forthcoming general elections starting on February 16. “The Senate President has advised the executive to submit the minimum wage bill by Tuesday so that the National Assembly can give it accelerated passage,� Olaniyonu said in reply to a THISDAY enquiry on feasibility of the federal government’s pledge to present the bill by January 23 for passage into law. “For it to be passed into law before the elections, it has to come in by Tuesday,� he quoted his boss to have said, adding that the federal legislature had given its word to labour that it would expedite action on the bill once it is before it.
BUHARI HINTS AT REALIGNMENT OF SALARIES OF FG WORKERS WITH JUMBO PAY But he might, however, have raised the red flag when he hinted at a review of the pay of federal government workers whose packages are already above the N30,000 new minimum pay being insisted upon by organised labour. Labour’s response to the hint was swift yesterday: it would be resisted. The president spoke in measured tones as he said although the reality was that workers’ pay would have to move up, those who had crossed the new bar would have understand the federal government’s call for a review of the excess in view of its dwindling purse. According to him, even though the minimum wage is on exclusive legislative list, state governors are being carried along because of the current prevalent economic challenges. He said since the provisions for the payment of the new minimum wage had already been made in the 2019 budget, funding the increase would not be difficult. However, the president said the new minimum wage would not be automatic for every federal government worker, pointing out that instead, salaries of civil servants already earning above the national minimum wage would be reviewed. Those expected to be affected by this review are the staff of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), among others, who earn humongous salaries. Buhari told the committee members, "It is important to explain that even though the subject of a National Minimum Wage is in the Exclusive Legislative List,
we have been meeting with the state governors because it is imperative that the federal government carries the state governments along in determining any upward review of the minimum wage for workers. "This is especially necessary considering the prevailing public sector revenue challenges, which have made it extremely difficult for some of the governments to pay workers as and when due. "As you know we, at the federal level, have made adequate provision for the increase in the minimum wage in our 2019 budget proposals which we submitted to the National Assembly. "Therefore, we will be able to meet the additional costs that will be incurred in moving up all personnel who are currently earning below the new minimum wage. "However, we anticipate that after the new minimum wage has been passed into law, we will be going into negotiations for salary review for all the workers who are already earning above the new minimum wage. It is, therefore, important that we are properly prepared to meet these demands." The president added that the national minimum wage must be done in a way that it will have no adverse effects on the targets set by the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). According to him, it was against that background that the constitution of a technical committee to advise the government about the funding of additional wage bill ahead of implementation had become imperative. The committee's terms of reference as listed by Buhari are: "To develop, and advise
government on how to successfully bring about a smooth implementation of impending wage increases; "Identify new revenue sources, as well as areas of existing expenditure from where some savings could be made in order to fund the wage increases without adversely impacting the nation’s development goals as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan; "Propose a work plan and modalities for the implementation of the salary increases; "Any other suggestions that will assist in the implementation of this, and future wage increases." The president said given the urgency of the national minimum wage matter, the committee has one month to conclude its assignment and submit its recommendations. The committee is chaired by notable economist, Mr. Bismarck Rewane.
Labour: We Will Resist Any Cut in Wages Meanwhile, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has said it would oppose any move to tamper with legitimately earned salaries of workers in guise of implementing the new minimum wage. President of NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, who reacted to the speech by Buhari at the inauguration of a technical committee on minimum wage yesterday in which he said that federal government might review workers' salaries that are in excess of new minimum wage. Speaking to THISDAY on telephone yesterday, Wabba rejected the position, saying that there is no basis for such a move. He said there is nowhere in
the world that an introduction of new minimum wage will cause a reduction in earned wages by workers. Wabba said, "That is not the principle behind the minimum wage and the technical committee is simply a government committee. It is their internal mechanism. I am not so sure that minimum wage is about reducing workers wages. If they have earned their salaries legitimately, there is no way the minimum wage can reduce it. In fact the minimum wage is about empowering workers and improving on what they collect. I don't think that decision is right because every salary a worker earns is legitimately negotiated on the table. "I think what they need to do is to reduce salaries of political office holders, those that are collecting salaries that are not appropriated or salaries that are humongous. We know the wastages are the security votes and the high cost of governance," he said. Speaking also on the feasibility of government assurances to labour that it would transmit the bill for the N30, 000 new minimum wage to the National Assembly, Wabba said there is every reason to believe that such will happen. He said the information at the disposal of Labour is that the National Assembly will be resuming from recess on January 16 and that they will be ready to receive the minimum wage bill on that day. According to Wabba, the labour movement has been assured that the lawmakers will make the opportunity available for the government to submit the bill within the stipulated period. He said, "What we have
Avoid Delay, Present Minimum Wage Bill Tuesday, Senate Advises President And given the urgency of the federal government’s understanding with labour to transmit the minimum wage bill to the National Assembly by January 23, the Senate advised the president yesterday to avoid any further delay and send the bill on Tuesday as the federal legislature might adjourn for electioneering next Thursday. Senate President Bukola Saraki, who spoke through his media aide, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, said it was imperative for the president to transmit the bill by Tuesday so that both chambers of the National Assembly could give it accelerated passage before embarking on recess on Thursday. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had signed a MoU with labour last Monday committing the executive to the submission of the bill to the legislature by January 23. The National Assembly would resume from its Xmas and New Year break
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Gencos Accuse Discos of Inhibiting Higher Power Generation, Supply Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Power generation companies (Gencos) have accused the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) of being responsible for the low power supply in the country, saying the Discos arbitrarily determine the quantity of power to distribute to the consumers, without regards to the power the Gencos can generate and supply to the grid for distribution. The Gencos also accused the regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) of encouraging the Discos to limit the quantity of power being generated and supplied to the stranded public. In their reactions to a recent claim by the Discos that the Gencos were only
able to generate an average of 3,453 megawatts (MW) to the national grid since 2013 when the power market privatisation was implemented, the generation companies under the aegis of the Association of Power Generating Companies (APGC), told THISDAY yesterday that NERC had encouraged the Discos to limit the quantity of power to be distributed. According to the Gencos, the regulatory agency had in connivance with the Discos included in the Transition Electricity Market (TEM) Supplementary Order of 2015, terms that limited the volume of electricity they can put on the grid and be paid for. In a note sent to THISDAY by the Executive Secretary of APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji, the Gencos claimed the reduction
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola
in their billable generation capacity was instigated by the Discos and approved by the NERC.
They further explained that with this development, the Discos would continue to determine the quantity of power to be distributed to consumers and not the quantity the Gencos would make available for sale. The Gencos further disclosed that NERC had also directed that metered energy be converted into capacity for billing. “This regulatory directive, on a monthly basis, brings down the actual billable mobilised Gencos capacity, leading to the Discos billed less. It is believed that this reduction of capacity during billing was instigated by the Discos and the regulator approved of it. “The current state of the market, where a generation company is short-changed for the benefit of other market participant negates
the tenets of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO),� said the Gencos. They noted: “The result of the foregoing is that, Gencos have not been receiving full payment for the electricity supplied by them, while the gas suppliers have also not been receiving full payments for gas supplied to the Gencos. “This has accounted for the sub-optimal growth, inefficient operation and the current dire situation of the Gencos, which has huge negative impact on the entire power sector. The current NESI, completely negates the tenets of the MYTO as a model to incentivise prudent operators.� According to them: “In summary, the current tariff is calculated for the Discos based on the actual generation, meaning what each Disco actually receive
on monthly bases as dictated by themselves in line with their load rejection and allowed by the regulator (this can be verified from NERC). “This clearly implies that the power on the grid is determined purely by what the Discos decide to take and not what is declared as available to be supplied by the Gencos or documented by the System Operator.� “If this is the case, we do not see how the Discos whose abysmal performance is responsible for the state of the market cries wolf and foul. It is akin to the story of the millipede and the person who stepped on the millipede. The NESI should move past this attention seeking behaviour to a reality and solution seeking mode,� the Gencos added.
Detention: Dasuki Seeks Intervention of Olanipekun, Agbakoba, Falana, Others Alex Enumah in Abuja Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja, to invite legal giants to seek their views on the implications of his continued detention by the federal government. Dasuki, who is standing trial for alleged illegal possession of firearms and money laundering, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2015. There have been several rulings of the court ordering his release on bail. For instance, on July 2, 2018, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu admitted Dasuki to bail and declared that his continued detention by the DSS since
2015 was illegal and an aberration of the law. On December 11, 2018, the former NSA prayed the court for an order to adjourn his matter sine die, pending the federal government’s compliance with the court’s judgment as delivered by Justice Ojukwu. At the resumed hearing on his case yesterday, he informed the court of an application he filed, asking the court to invite ‘Amici Curiae’ for the hearing of his December 11, 2018, application, which he said, had become a constitutional issue. Amici Curiae is plural for Amicus Curiae which literally means `friend of the court’. An amicus curiae is someone who is not a party to a case
but who assists a court by offering information, expertise or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. Counsel to Dasuki, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, who moved the application, urged the court to step down hearing of the December 11, 2018 application, pending the determination of the motion seeking the intervention of legal luminaries in the matter. In the December 11, 2018 application, Dasuki had prayed the court to adjourn the suit indefinitely just as he had questioned the competence of the lead prosecuting counsel in the matter. Those listed as Amici Curiae are all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN). They include two former Presidents of the
Nigerian Bar Association (NB), Chief Wole Olanipekun and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba; human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana; and Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi. Others are Mr. Onyeachi Ikpeazu and the incumbent NBA President, Mr. Paul Usoro. He said the application was predicated on the grounds that an Amici Curiae could be invited by the court at any stage of the proceedings. “The person is invited to make contributions on novel or legal conundrums, which may have far-reaching implications on either the society or practice of the law.� In addition, the counsel said issues submitted for consideration in Dasuki’s motion on notice of December
11, 2018, raised very serious and unusual situations. According to him, the issues raised have far-reaching legal implications on the viability of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) the Nigerian criminal jurisprudence, rule of law, and sanctity/authority of the bench and the practice of law. In an affidavit deposed to by one Dolapo Kehinde, the deponent submitted that the court had inherent powers to invite or request contributions from the enumerated Amici Curiae He said this would enable them give their views with respect to the issues raised for consideration in the said application. According to Kehinde, it
is in the overall interest of justice, sanctity of the bench, preservation of the constitution and sustenance of the rule of law, for the court to grant the application. He said the motion on notice touched on very sensitive constitutional issues on usual circumstances which would impact on both the authority of the bench and law practice in Nigeria. The deponent averred that the continued detention of the applicant was indicative of the fact that the complainant had no regards for the rule of law, hence the need for the intervention of eminent lawyers in the matter. The trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, adjourned the matter till January 29.
security personnel necessary for elections or by registrations of voters and shall assign them in a manner to be determined by the commission in consultation with the relevant security agencies provided that the commission shall only request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces for protection of election materials and protection of election officials.’ “In particular, we are committed to ensuring the
elections are organised in such a manner that security agencies are not perceived to be running parallel arrangement with INEC. Rather, it should strictly be INEC’s plan for the election that should be implemented.� The chairman said the meeting was convened primarily to update members of ICCES on INEC’s preparations for the general elections, and also an opportunity to hear from the security agencies on their
preparations so far. He revealed that the commission had so far implemented 10 out of 14 activities on the timetable and schedule of activities for the election, adding that the four outstanding activities are the publication of the list of candidates, the submission of names of polling agents by political parties, the last day of campaign and the dates for the two categories of elections.
sides. The World Bank expects global economic growth to slow to 2.9 per cent in 2019 from three per cent in 2018, it said in a semi-annual report released late on Tuesday. More fundamentally, oil prices have been receiving support from supply cuts started at the end of 2018 by
the OPEC and allies including Russia. The OPEC-led cuts are aimed at reining in an emerging supply overhang, in part because U.S. crude output surged by around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2018 to a record 11.7 million bpd. However, US crude stocks fell less than expected last
week, while gasoline and distillate inventories rose more than expected, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said yesterday. Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 10.6 million barrels, more than five times the expected 1.9 million-barrel increase, the EIA data showed.
ACT WITHIN ELECTORAL LAW, INEC TELLS SECURITY AGENCIES in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, warned the security agencies against running parallel security arrangements to the commission’s, saying its security plans should be strictly implemented by the agencies. Yakubu added that learning from the experiences of some of the 195 off-season elections conducted since 2015, that it was seeking a different approach to the deployment of security forces during elections.
Yakubu said, “Learning from the experiences of some of the 195 off-season elections conducted since 2015, it is pertinent to draw our attention to the need for a different approach to the deployment of security forces during elections. The Nigerian Police Force remains the lead agency for election security. Other security agencies will play a supportive role to the Nigerian Police.�
The chairman stated that the commission needs new security architecture in the general elections, consistent with the provision of Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. He stated, “Section 29(3) states, ‘Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law for purposes of securing the vote, the Commission shall be responsible for requesting for the deployment of relevant
HOPE RISES FOR 2019 BUDGET, OIL PRICE REBOUNDS TO $60 government to fund the budget. However, with the efforts by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce the excess inventory in the market, oil price rose by 12 per cent in December. Both crude price benchmarks added to Tuesday’s two per cent gains and have now been
on the rise for eight straight days - their longest rally since June 2017. The trade talks in Beijing were carried over into an unscheduled third day yesterday, amid signs of progress on issues including purchases of US farm and energy commodities and increased US access to China’s
markets. “Talks with China are going very well!� United States President Donald Trump tweeted, without elaborating. State newspaper, China Daily said yesterday that Beijing was keen to put an end to its trade dispute with the United States, but that any agreement must involve compromise on both
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COMMENT
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
AFRICAN UNION’S SCANDAL OVER DRC The AU could do more for the Democratic Republic of Congo, argues Okello Oculi
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he last time that NATO countries and their multinational corporations became hysterical and openly violent against a Congolese leader was when Mobutu Sese Seko (from 1965 – 1997) changed from developing Congolese nationalism through promoting creativity in music; football; replacing foreign Christian names with African names, and establishing a one-party system, to adopting Nigeria’s Economic Indiginisation programme. Even though World Bank and IMF officials found him to be brilliant and most knowledgeable, the media depicted his economic nationalism as madness and incurable corruption. Joseph Kabila fought in the military alliance with troops from Rwanda and Uganda to get rid of Mobutu’s regime following President Bill Clinton’s plan to use the 1994 genocide in Rwanda to send foreign troops into Zaire (Congo) in support of Laurent Kabila. There was no evidence that it was Mobutu and not France which trained those who conducted the genocide. The flight of refugees and criminal genociders into his country became his crime. Joseph Kabila has grown from a military officer who was keen to build alliances and consensus with diverse political leaders and warlords in 1998 to a builder of a ruling team of highly educated politicians who are committed to building a strong state by 2016. He won two elections in 2006 and 2011 with clear majorities mobilised by a strong political party. Named as ‘’People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy’’, the party was a significant improvement to Mobutu’s self-centred patronage tool: the ‘’Movement for the Popular Revolution’’. In the face of up to 120 militia groups sponsored by as many as 85 multinational companies – according to a United Nations ‘’Panel of Experts on Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth in the Congo’’ – NATO countries became increasingly alarmed that Joseph Kabila may invent a monster for them in the form of a Strong State in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They also recalled that he had received military training in China; a condition which made him suffer from the virus of awarding to China contracts for vital industry-linked minerals including, COBALT and COLTAN. President Eisenhower had ordered the assassination of Congo’s first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, because it was feared that he would give communist Soviet Union states access to rich uranium deposits in Kananga and other parts of Kasai province. Joseph Kabila has been pragmatic by ignoring the extraction of resources by Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe even though Rwanda and Uganda have incurred attacks by militarised groups that hide in eastern Congo and legitimately conducted military offensives against them. Unlike opportunists who would divert public resources into fighting
WHILE PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES AND MILITIA GROUPS CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT ASPIRATIONS FOR CURATIVE POWER AMONG THE 60 MILLION UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS IN AFRICA, THE AFRICAN UNION CONTINUES TO FAIL IN TAPPING THIS POOL OF ASPIRATIONS
militias, Kabila and his team have focused on building a strong state as a tool for protecting sovereignty against a long tradition which Michael Nest, Francois Grignon and Ernest Kisangani described as of ‘’a predatory network of elite, including army and government leaders and multinational companies’’. Joseph Kabila and his father Laurent Kabila brought into Congo what has been labelled as ‘’Africa’s First World War’’, and proxy wars against their country by outsiders. From 1997 to 2018 these wars have killed an estimated six million villagers through gun and machete violence plus resulting diseases and malnutrition. In his speech at the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, Dr. Dennis Mukwege, the Congolese surgeon and gynaecologist, condemned a local member of the National Assembly who feeds local youths with cocaine so that they can use barbarism to slaughter and drive communities away from mineral-rich locations. In Kasai, Catholic Archbishop Marcel Basanguka told journalist Catherine Byaruhanga that youths who engaged in violence in Kasai province after June 2016 are so poor that ‘’today they can’t even get married; they don’t have money ...young people don’t have a future’’. General Gaylord Tshimbala has exploited this frustration resulting from poverty into a myth for his militia: saying that ‘’voodoo makes him invincible; bullets have no effect on me, even if I was hit by a rocket ...the bullet slip off me like water’’. While Pentecostal churches and militia groups continue to exploit aspirations for curative power among the 60 million unemployed youths in Africa, the African Union continues to fail in tapping this pool of aspirations. The tragic mayhem in Kasai province of D.R.Congo remained ignored until, as late as 2016, violence entrepreneurs exploded in revenge for a deposed traditional ruler, Chief Kwamina Nsapu. The African Union is yet to invent ‘Pan-African Brain and Labour Warriors for Reconstructing D.R. Congo’ which would be fuelled by aspirations for a sense of power and achievement in youths. The thousands of youths in a belt which runs from Gambia and Senegal to Eritrea and Ethiopia who either drown in seas and oceans or roast in the Sahara Desert cry out for that call to heroism which once drew young Americans and Europeans to fight for democracy against fascism in Spain. Kabila and his team of leaders would readily and pragmatically have the lure of getting a legitimate share of Congo’s resources is a magnet to adventurous African youths as replacement to the hundreds of rapacious multinational corporations pillaging their country.
OF FIGURES AND THEIR APPLICATION
Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi will bring their business and financial experiences to bear on the economy, writes Jude Atupulazi
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ake no mistake about this: the greatest challenge facing the Nigerian nation today is economic. With little else to rely on for foreign exchange, save her oil, which in itself is no longer the life saver it used to be, the country is teetering on the precipice of economic collapse amid high inflation rate, high unemployment rate and high cost of living occasioned by poor, visionless and inept leadership. As the country inches closer and closer to the 2019 general election therefore, it has become imperative that only the right choice of leaders by the electorate can halt the nation’s ominous slide to an ineluctable disaster. Thankfully though, all hope is not lost for the nation as a light appears to shine at the end of her tunnel. That shining light is represented by the Atiku/Obi ticket. Indeed, to say that this ticket represents hope for Nigeria is akin to affirming that God is in heaven. The two men have what it takes to effect a real change for Nigeria, being employers of labour and active players in business. The above is what the current occupiers of Aso Rock lack. With due respect, both men (the incumbent president and his vice), may be experts in their field but not in the management of resources. For instance, while it is easy to reel out economic theories as a teacher, it is certainly a different kettle of fish to put it to practice; just as instilling discipline in officers and men is different from manipulating figures in the business world. Thus, most people who have a faulty car, would rather call a roadside mechanic to fix their cars than seek the opinion of a university don from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. This is the difference experience makes. But still, that doesn’t diminish the Mechanical Engineer in any way. It’s only that it is foolhardy to expect magic from one who neither owned a kiosk nor ran a business centre to excel in the business world, how much more when something as big and as important as reviving the economy of a nation is involved. Therefore, in Atiku and Obi, Nigeria will have two people who are deeply involved in the
business of managing finances and who have succeeded in doing so. In Peter Obi, the running mate of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the country will certainly not have wished for a better manager of the economy which the office of the Vice-President is saddled with. Before he became governor, he was a highly successful business guru and was also chairman of banks and other highbrow financial companies, despite his young age. He would go on to bring his experience in the business and financial world to bear as governor of his state, Anambra, where he led by example, transforming the state to one with a solid economic base, through prudent management of resources and a wonderful partnership with international donor agencies who swarmed the state in appreciation of Obi’s economic savvy and money management skills. While some other governors bequeathed huge financial deficits to their successors in leaving office, Obi left an astounding N75b behind for his successor, helping him to take off on a strong footing. He achieved this despite his state receiving what can be termed peanuts from the Federation Account. Even the state’s internally generated revenue was nothing compared to states like Lagos, Rivers and some oil states. But he was smart to win the trust and confidence of donor agencies which helped in the development of the state, thus saving the masses from exploitative taxation. Obi’s financial wizardry was not lost on Nigerians as he became the first governor not under the ruling party to serve as financial adviser to the president and also as a member the nation’s economic management team. Indeed, the imprints of Obi in governance came at a time it was considered well-nigh impossible for any governor to do such. This is perhaps why a lot of Nigerians listen to him whenever he speaks today. Even his next boss, Atiku Abubakar, is well aware of Obi’s qualities in the management of finances. He was recently quoted in a Punchonline report as saying that Nigeria had not produced leaders like Obi and himself since 1960. The report stated thus: ‘’The presidential
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday said the type of leadership that he and his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi, offer Nigerians has not been seen in the country since Independence. ‘’Atiku, who spoke during a town hall meeting with representatives of the business community in Aba, Abia State, blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress for allegedly instigating economic regression in the country. ‘’According to the PDP candidate, Nigerians cannot afford to have 50 million unemployed men and women. ‘’He said, ‘That is why there is insecurity. To be able to do business, you must have a secure environment. Otherwise, you will not even be able to come out of your house and go to your factory’. “We have two very experienced men, both in governance and business: Peter Obi and myself. I don’t think Nigeria has ever produced this type of leadership since Independence. If you are doubting us, you know what you should do? Try the two of us. “If you’re producing juice, I’m a manufacturer of beverages. If you’re producing plastics, I’m a manufacturer of plastics. If you have poultry, I’m a manufacturer of livestock. “If you’re selling food in the market, I own fast food (restaurants). If you are in printing, I have a printing industry. If you are into broadcasting, I own television stations. So, what are you going to tell me?� Still according to the report, Abubakar stated that his various companies had been spending N600m to pay for trucks’ haulage until he decided to start his own haulage business. “I sat down with them and said, ‘No, we must go into road haulage. Let’s have our own trucks. I can’t spend N600m on mere road haulage.’ And today, we’re in a successful haulage industry. “So, my brothers and sisters, the government that has tried to solve most of the challenges that the business community are facing in this country is the PDP government and here is another opportunity, so you don’t repeat the mistake of bringing back this government,� he said. Well, Atiku has said it all. The problems facing Nigeria today are basically caused by square pegs
being placed on round holes. The square pegs may be good in themselves but so long as their shapes don’t match the holes, they can never cover them. Atiku’s assessment of his running mate and himself came soon after Obi wowed the nation with his knowledge of figures at the last debate for VicePresidential candidates. While the other candidates struggled to talk without looking at their jotters, Obi comfortably reeled out his points, making comparative analyses of what obtains in Nigeria and other countries and explaining why and how. There was no doubt that he was a man at home with issues, having certainly faced them head on previously in business and leadership. Perhaps those who do not know him well may just think it was one of those things some people try to put up in order to impress. Those who think that way may be forgiven for just not knowing him. I recall during the campaigns for the 2003 governorship election in AnambraState, the people of the state, most of whom were seeing and knowing Obi for the first time, saw him reeling out figures the same way. He used figures to tell them how he intended to do what he was promising. They were thrilled, at least many of them. It was the first time anyone would be campaigning that way. There were however some who doubted his ability to execute his blueprint to the letter as he was promising. To them, it was too good to be true. Then, for instance, while others were talking about two-point, three-point agenda, Obi was talking about not one, not two, but all-point agenda. Those doubters wondered how that was possible when those before him who gave a ceiling to theirs failed to achieve them. But they did not reckon with the man, Peter. He came, saw and conquered and made history as the first governor who worked on all sectors and succeeded. Today, it is believed that his vast experience and connections in business helped in no small measure in the achievement of that feat. This is even as it was known by those privileged to do so, that he spent time visiting places, researching and asking questions and getting answers to critical problems facing his state, such that even before he came aboard, he already had the solutions to most of the problems in his fingertips. Atupulazi wrote from Awka, Anambra State
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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
EDITORIAL Why We Must Deal With Piracy There is need to strengthen the enabling laws to fight piracy
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othing can be more disheartening for writers and artistes than to see their works being pirated and sold on the streets of major cities unchallenged. From Lagos to Sokoto and from Enugu to Port Harcourt, the story is the same. Vendors of pirated audio and video CDs and DVDs publicly display their merchandise with impunity and the law enforcement agents appear helpless. The same goes for books and printed materials. The absence of any coherent strategy to deal with the problem is killing creativity in the country. Authors, publishers, producers and artistes spend a lot of time, money and effort to produce such intellectual works. Yet within a few hours, and with relatively cheap electronic equipment, the pirate, working from the comfort of his house, can make thousands of copies of such painstaking works. These unscrupulous characters thereafter sell the pirated works for a fraction of the price pegged by the authentic producer or author. APART FROM THE Apart from the huge HUGE FINANCIAL financial losses LOSSES INCURRED incurred by the ownBY THE OWNERS OF ers of the intellectual THE INTELLECTUAL property, nothing PROPERTY, NOTHING kills creativity as fast as piracy. KILLS CREATIVITY AS There is no gainFAST AS PIRACY saying the benefits literary and artistic works have brought Nigeria. Our country has produced the late Professor Chinua Achebe (the author of the globally acclaimed ‘Things Fall Apart’), Professor Wole Soyinka, (the first African to win a Nobel prize in Literature as far back as 1986), and award winning writers like Ben Okri and Chimamanda Adichie, among others. These literary giants have helped to put Nigeria on the global map. Today, Nollywood, said to be the second
T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE
T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO
largest movie industry in the world, has in no small measure helped export Nigeria to the world. Who knows how many Achebes and Soyinkas have been forced to quit writing on account of the activities of pirates? Today, it is not uncommon to find several celebrated writers and artistes living in penury as pirates ride piggy-back on their intellectual works to fortune. The Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), the body empowered by law to deal with copyright issues in Nigeria, has made remarkable gains in the area of fighting piracy. At the occasion of the 2015 World Book and Copyright Day, Mr Afam Ezekude, NCC Director General announced that the commission had publicly burnt 722 million copies of pirated musical, literary and film works valued at N6.5 billion. He further disclosed that 235 surveillance operations were carried out in 2014, in addition to 203 strategic anti-piracy operations leading to the arrest of 443 suspected pirates. Unfortunately, given the huge gains to be made and the enormous resources at their disposal, the pirates are fighting back. For every book or CD the NCC destroyed, the pirates, it would seem, produced 10. Armed with ever-changing cutting-edge technology, the pirates appear to be one step ahead. The laws have not helped matters. Most of the copyright laws were passed during the analogue era of audio and video tapes. With such technology as MP4 and several computer and mobile telephone applications like Facebook, Youtube, WhatsApp, Instagram, to name a few, sharing pictures, audio and video files is just a click away. Piracy is an ill-wind that blows no good. To fight this scourge we need to strengthen the enabling laws and seek more efficient ways to track and punish offenders. Also, the NCC should be better funded to be ahead of the pirates. Above all, the people also need more enlightenment on what damage they do to creativity when they patronise pirated works. Engaging the consumers of pirated works will therefore be a good starting point for the NCC.
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LIFTING THE SIEGE ON DAILY TRUST
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or years, there has been a tension between the military and the media over the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram, essentially because of the mindset by the former that it has a monopoly on patriotism. But what the latter fails to understand is that it cannot win a war, especially one against insurgency, without the support and collaboration of the media. Besides, those who carry arms on behalf of the state cannot act above the law, no matter what they consider the rightness of their cause. It is within this context that the unfortunate development at Daily Trust newspaper stands condemned. Yes, there was an error of judgement on the part of Daily Trust last Sunday because the story which irked the military ought not to have been published, in the interest of national security. So, it was a big goof on the part of the editor to have run such a story. But the response by the military is not only unhelpful, it is counter-productive. If they are to succeed in the war against Boko Haram, they need the media on their side, not against them. In the age of terror, it is a necessity that the media and military embrace cooperative form of engagement and that is what obtains in other countries where there are threats to
national security such as we have in Nigeria today. The Chief Executive Officer/Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Mannir Dan Ali is my very good friend and I felt sad on Tuesday when he recounted to me their experience since Sunday. It is even more shocking that despite all the talk about ‘resolving the crisis through dialogue’ nobody in either the military or government has reached out to him or other management staff of the media house. Several of their computers carted away by the military have also not been returned nor the phones of some of their staff that were seized. While the anger of the military is justified given the sensitivity of the report, I believe they went about it the wrong way. Daily Trust is not, and cannot be, an enemy of the military in the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram. Like other media houses, it is a partner in the efforts to rid our country of terrorism. A mistake was made from which lessons will be learned. But it does not warrant the excessive use of force that was on display last Sunday. There is therefore an urgent need for the military to have a session with the Daily Trust management and resolve whatever misgivings there are. It is in the interest of both parties to do that. Olusegun Adeniyi, Abuja
INEC, ZAKARI AND THE POLLS
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s an ardent Atiku Abubakar’s supporter, I must admit I was slightly taken aback by the exhibition of elementary-grade logic in the bold appointment of Amina Zakari to head the presidentialnumbers collation centre at next month’s polls in Nigeria; we knew all along that Amina was up to some game. Recall the Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, and Osun gubernatorialelection imbroglio; in fact, at INEC, she is regarded as the “real man” whilst Mahmoud Yakubu is just a figurehead. It has long been known that she was related to President Muhammadu Buhari, either by blood, or by law, or both, since incidences of relatives marrying one another is not a taboo in the North. Actually, in Islam, first cousins could marry one another. If there were no strong bond there, how come Amina’s bother is heading the next most “juicy” federal ministry after that of petroleum resources? INEC’s New Year gift has ensured that Atiku would dispute
the figures if he is not announced the winner of the election. Atiku now has legit carte blanche to “make some noise” and proceed all the way to the Supreme Court to question the improprieties of a poll that would declare Buhari winner. Add to that is the boon that, having been so “robbed” by the cabal, instead of turning to Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in 2023, the PDP North would stick to Atiku. In 2023 (assuming Buhari wins in 2019), since the outcome of Nigeria’s presidential election is not styled after the US’s model where the Electoral College influence determines the winner but a simple majority does this here, the North would turn to PDP in unison and continue where another Northerner left off. That is a reality Nigerians should be aware of; this hullaballoo about handing power over to the Southeast or the Southwest by the APC in 2023 is political hogwash. Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State
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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 10, 2019
POLITICS
Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com (08114495324 SMS ONLY)
PERSONALITY INTERVIEW
‘I Don’t Intend to Be a Spare Tyre Deputy’ Mrs. Haleemat Oluwayemisi Busari, running mate to the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, tells Mary Nnah how she intends to run Lagos State with her principal the candidate because I stood out for my conduct, integrity and friendly nature. I am a people’s person and I have been doing a lot of charity without ever making noise about them.
After being in the corporate world for so long, how are you going to cope with politics? It is similar because what you do in the corporate world is what you do in the political world. In the corporate world, you set goals and objectives then you deliver. Same thing in the political world, you set goals and objectives, which you must deliver.
What made you to accept to work with Jimi Agbaje and what was your first reaction when you were told to do this? When I was first reached out to, my initial reaction was to retreat into myself and go back to my maker. I am a Muslim and we have something that we do when we are trying to take serious decisions. It is called Istiara. It is a process whereby you go into yourself and you talk to your God and ask Him if the decision you are about to take is what He wants for you. And that was exactly what I did because that is how I run my life. I take decisions based on what God has in store for me. Sometimes I am passionate about some things but sometimes some things are not good for you at a particular time when God hasn’t approved of it. And so, my initial reaction was a case of, ‘hmmm, God is this from you?’ Is this what you want me to do? Is this how You want me to impact? I prayed about it for a couple of days and I felt at peace. You know there is a way you feel at peace with something and you know it is the right thing to do. And like I said, because it is also something that I am passionate about and I am always thinking of how to do things differently, so I was like, okay God you are you are giving me a platform for me to implement this passion that I have always had. So, it wasn’t very difficult for me to accept the offer. And then, my husband played a very important role. I am a woman – a working woman but I am also a very traditional woman. There are some values that I hold and some of those values are the fact that as a married woman, if you don’t have your husband at your side, there is very little you can do. I mean it is only an unwise woman that will take decisions without carrying her husband along. Though in the real sense, it is the women who always take decisions in the house. So, he also had to play a big role in it because whatever comes out of it, both of us are going to have to deal with it. If I don’t have him behind me, there is no way I can do it.
As woman can you cope with the Nigerian political terrain? Tell, me what is in the Nigeria political terrain? The prevailing believe is that it is dirty, messy and there is so much corruption and often times women are intimidated. Will you be able to stand all of these? I think it is a function of who you are, your brand and how you position yourself. I think that is very important - who you are, your brand, your values and how you position yourself is very important – because it is rough. The corporate world can be rough as well because you also have corporate world politics. If you say the political world is rough, dirty and not fair to ladies, then you decide that you do not want to fight a pig, because if you fight a pig, you get dirty and so you can pick how you want to play and the way you want to play. Now when you say it is not fair to women, which is what I am also saying, that it is all about who you are and how you position yourself. I have been asked to play a role and I am a woman, I remember that one of the very first things I discussed with my principal at the point of engagement was what kind of deputy governor he was looking for. Is it a spare tyre deputy governor that he was looking for or was it a deputy governor that can jointly govern, think together and come up with ideas that would lead to what it is that we are trying to achieve? And what he said was that clearly he was not looking for a spare tyre deputy governor but that he was looking for somebody he would do the work together with, which is why I said it is about you and your positioning because as far as I am concerned, I haven’t been done a favour because I am bringing something to the table. I am confident that I have my own values, my skills and my own positives and that I am bringing stuff to the table. Why should I not be who I am and have a say at whatever it is that we are trying to achieve because I don’t intend to be a spare tyre deputy governor? I think it is also the function of the individual, if you short- change yourself and position yourself in a way that shows you are not
Busari confident and that you don’t know what you are doing, you would be treated like that. That is where it starts – who are you and how do you position yourself? How did you arrive at you being picked as a running mate to Jimi Agbaje? I think what I have done in the past and my life spoke for me. I have always been somebody who does not believe in maintaining status quo. I have always engaged with the people, I mean intellectually on how we can ensure that we bring change to the country. I have not been an active politician till now but in my own way with the group that we hold discussions, I have impacted a lot of lives.
I guess that at some point you would be identified if you are the right person for something. With all sense of humility with due respect, that is what happened in this situation. I was called and I accepted to serve because it is something, I have always been passionate about. What sort of barrier did you encounter when your name came up for this position? I didn’t ask for it and I didn’t lobby for it so I don’t know if there were barriers. When the selection process was going to start, I guess. a lot of people were brought to the table and it took a lot of time during which they were investigated but I became
How did your husband react to your selection as a running mate to Jimi Agbaje? He is also someone that runs his life based on what Allah destines and believes. When I reached out to him, he said let Allah’s will be done.
OSUN GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION TRIBUNAL UPDATE
Drama at Osun Governorship Election Tribunal By Our Reporter It was a day full of drama and surprises again at Osun State Governorship election petition Tribunal in Abuja before Justices; Mohammad Sirajo, Peter Chudi Obiorah and Adeboye Gbolagunte as a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) witness from Iwo resisted attempts by an All Progressives Congress (APC) /Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lawyer to substitute his pink results sheet before the court. The controversy started when the APC counsel, Sanusi Lasun (SAN), presented a pink copy of the result sheet, EC8A, to the PDP to find out if it was the same as that given to him on election day. The witness while accepting that
the copy is the same however pointed out that his signature in the lawyer’s copy has been tampered with. He then insisted on copy with his signature. Lawyers representing the PDP led by Mr. Nathaniel Oke (SAN) and Dr. Paul Ananaba (SAN) also objected to this approach of forcing a purported evidence on a witness during cross examination when the Petitioners will not in principle (of justice) be opportuned to further re-examine him on the document “forced” on him . The tribunal rejected admitting the document because the witness did not tender it himself neither could a document be forced on him before the court during cross examination since
he denied knowledge of such document. The altercations took almost 15 minutes until the panel chairman ruled in favour of the witness.The witness copy of the pink result was eventually adopted. Another drama occurred when the APC counsel again attempted to stop the submission of a PDP witness from being adopted as exhibit. After extensive arguments, the witness’s submission was adopted by the tribunal. PDP witnesses reiterated a common line in their submissions that the pink copy issued on the day of election is different from the white certified true copy which they alleged has been doctored. Witness upon witness cited differences in the pink copy and the white copy to prove that
the purportedly certified copies were doctored after the election. Meanwhile, a counsel to the petitioner, Barrister Nathaniel Oke (SAN) speaking with journalists after the sitting said “Our witnesses are doing well. Their submissions are streghtening our case. “They are proving before the court that the results sheets are doctored and manipulated. They are letting the tribunal know that the pink copies issued to agents are more authentic than the purportedly white “certified true copies”, which are obviously forgeries! the counsel said.” The defense counsel, Barr. Layonu, also said that the case is going on well and strengthens the results declared by INEC. Sitting resumes tomorrow.
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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JANUARY 10, 2019
POLITICS
‘I Want to Leapfrog Ogun into the Next Level of Prosperity’ t
Femi Ogbonnikan meets the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Mr. Oluseyi Olufade-Olowookere, who bares his mind on his aspiration You have thrown your hat into the Ogun State governorship ring, what are those things you intend to bring to the table? It is true that I have thrown my hat into the governorship ring of Ogun State. People need to be given more and better options. We have come to find out that the choices are from the choices from a few that present themselves. I am looking at the political landscape of Ogun State and I realise that, at that time, which is about one year and a half ago, the options that were available were the same old band and who want to replicate themselves or some godfathers who want to perpetuate themselves. The third reason is that, I know that I have the experience, the capacity, the competence, the network and the energy to leapfrog the state into its next level of prosperity and better life for everybody, especially for the larger population of the residents and indigenes of the state. I am also thinking that I will be bringing some hope and succour, particularly for the youths that form between 60 and 75 percent of the population. Everywhere I have gone, I have encountered them and also interacted with them, they have told me, that they are encouraged and motivated to even do more and have someone like me in the race. Before now, it has been made to seem to be a contest for billionaires or people who have stolen money or for people who have godfathers. I use to tell people, that God is my only godfather. Specifically, what change do you intend to bring to Ogun State? Change is a word that has been thrown around a lot. We are going to bring about a true change. Change can also be relative. The kind of change we want to bring to Ogun State will be five-dimensional. One is to bring about change, the experimental lifestyle at the grassroots level viz-a-vis health care, education, agricultural input and output, infrastructure, the general wellbeing, and sense of belonging and participation in government. We are going to run a bottom-up inclusive and adaptive kind of government which is about, what do you want? What do you think? What do you want from what we are doing? What do you think about what we are trying to do? Or what we are thinking to do? And what is uppermost or important for you as indigenes or residents or grassroots persons? These are the questions we are going to be asking ourselves. And this is the kind of government we are going to run.
Olufade-Olowookere That is a change, because the people would feel included. They would feel carried along. They would feel there is a government that hears them or that listens to them. Because one thing is to listen and it is another thing to hear. There are three things and they are part of our change. Access to good health is a fundamental human right. At least, within a five kilometre radius from where you live, there will be a health facility. Right now, that is not the case in Ogun State. Over 50 percent of the population do not have access to health care within a five-kilometre radius or within a five-minute drive in the event there is an emergency. Also, over 50 percent of the population do not have access to quality education, especially government provided free education. We want to be able to implement these. We want to ensure that there is a functional hospital or primary health care centre in every ward of the state. We want to ensure, that there is a functional technologyenabled school, especially primary schools in all the 236 wards of the state. We also want to ensure that every child of secondary school education level has access to quality education in each local government. The content being taught must be qualitative; the tools being used for teaching must also be qualitative and technology driven; and the environment safe and sound for learning. In terms of infrastructure, it is sad that a father who was able to go to farm last year or five years ago, is unable to do so anymore because he doesn’t have access. The roads are bad or the motorcycle he used is spoilt. These are the things we want to change. We want to make things different. People should
have access to their means of livelihood. In a very simplistic manner, we do not have to build very complicated roads. And sometimes, what people need are graded roads or simply called “access roads” which are functionally done to stand the test of time. I am not talking of an access road that you build now and soon it becomes useless. It is possible to make access roads that will endure for two or three years. Infrastructure can also include transportation and it can also include access to good water. In terms of agriculture input and output, we want to also be able to move from a 20-kg yield to say a 100-kg yield. Because of the prevailing circumstances, some are only able to harvest 20-kg of cassava, we want to encourage him to harvest more than three folds. We want to engage them at the grassroots level and ask them, those things that are hindering them from doing more? Is it the input? Is it the environment? Is it the access to credit? And we want to be able to provide these things that would enable their output or yield to increase, because we know that once their yield increases they will have a better life. There is more to sell and their lives will be better. This is the kind of change that is essential. Capping all that, the overall ranking change for us, is going to our style and approach to governance. Our governance would be simple. It would be innovative. And of course, we are going to take courageous steps to impact on the lives of the people. What do you think are wrong with those policies that are currently in place? Well, I have come to realise that a lot of people in authority actually have good intentions. Or they have good ideas, but how to implement them is the problem. I dare say that, the current government in Ogun State is one of those that perhaps, started with a good idea, because I am a scientific person and I try to see things from empirical or evidential perspective. You can see from the capital of Ogun State, Abeokuta, a lot has been done in terms of infrastructure and all of that. Fair! But what is wrong is, you may have a good design or plan and all that, but not have the know-how or the capacity to implement it. So, this is what I think is wrong. They don’t have the capacity and political will and this can be, both individual which has to do with the capacity of the individual or those in authority, and it can also be systemic. It is a combination of both, because if the person in authority knows how to do things or get
things done, he or she would adjust the system. Or, he would bring about change in the system that would make implementation easy. But if the person doesn’t know or lack the political will or he is too distracted or has other ideas, particularly inter-personal or parochial ideas or he is limited in terms of exposure then, you can’t give what you do not have. So, what I think is currently wrong, we have had a government that has not been broad-minded, in terms of approach. And the reason I say so is this. A government should impact positively in every nook and cranny of the state. A state government that doesn’t allow local governments to function, at least up to 60 percent of how they are allowed constitutionally, is not a government that is broad-minded, because from the centre, there is only little you can do. Project management or implementation requires hierarchical approach and it is what is called work-breakdown structure. The only tier of government that has access to visibility of small pockets of job, that needs to be done, is the local government. So, one thing that is wrong, first and foremost is, that the state government has not promoted or encouraged local government autonomy in anyway. All I hear is that what the state government does to the allocations, is just to give them a stipend, I read somewhere, N2 million for salaries. How can a local government function with that? Why won’t we have faulty roads, faulty health care, with all these things local governments should do? That is one thing that is definitely wrong. The other thing that is definitely wrong in this current government is the concept of priorities. Your concept of priorities inform your cost benefit analyses. It is how you do things and how you spend government’s money, and that is priority. The third, I think, there is an over-politicisation of issues, especially excessive partisanship. When I become the governor of Ogun State, I become the governor of everybody. I hear in Ogun State, that there are about 39 active political parties and I would become the governor of all the 39 parties. Therefore, we will put that behind us, yes, that the party is supreme. They would say, party loyalists should be first beneficiaries but that does not mean, that I would run the state, as though the party belongs to them and the rest are not human beings and should not have the benefit of government. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com
‘Buhari Has A History of Electoral Superiority Over Atiku’ A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Deputy Director in-charge of logistics for the party’s Presidential Campaign Council, Alhaji Nasiru Danu tells Onyebuchi Ezigbo that President Muhammadu Buhari will always defeat the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar hands down How would you describe President Muhammadu Buhari, having been one of his foot soldiers for many years? I don’t know if I am qualified enough to describe who Muhammadu Buhari is. This was a struggle that started in 2002 and he contested in 2003, 2007 in two different elections. He is one of the committed leaders and democrats in this country who follows due process. He lost the election in 2003 after we were rigged out and he calmed all his supporters to shun violence. He went to court. In 2007, he did the same thing and I was with him. We were in the courts until judgement came out fully which wasn’t in our favour. In 2010, we all formed the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), of course headed By President Muhammadu Buhari. It became a success story and from CPC we produced a governor in Nasarawa state even after all the rigging by the PDP, we still were able to produce a governor, some senators and some House of Representatives members. In 2013, the merger started again which basically was between the CPC and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), later on, some part of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and also some five governors from PDP joined after we had formed the APC. I am just giving you the background. In the 2015 election that was conducted by
Danu the PDP-led administration, we won. This time around, with the strong support from South-west. We also had stronger support from the Middle-belt especially Benue state and other parts of the country in the South- south and even the South-east. Today, this administration has spent only about three and half years and you can see the story. I will start with the anti-corruption fight; locally and internationally everybody is feeling the effect of anti-corruption of President Muhammadu Buhari. The war
against corruption is real and he is doing it and that is why you saw President Buhari being the first African leader to go and address the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges in Hague, about four months ago and then also the African Union made him, the head of anti-corruption crusade in the entire Africa. There are so many other heads of state but they see him as the most qualified person to lead the fight against corruption and to be given that very sensitive position. I am not just talking about Africa, when you look at the reception given to him in America by President Barrack Obama you will know and I am sure you would be proud to be a Nigerian. Even President Donald Trump, if you listen to what he said about President Buhari. I know you have heard the story of the former Prime Minister of United Kingdom, who was caught in the Queen’s place with some other Heads of states and leaders talking about Nigeria being “fantastically corrupt” and in his wisdom President Buhari said he agrees with him but he isn’t here to justify whether we are corrupt or not. What he is saying is that though we are corrupt and we are working hard to see how we can stop that corruption, they should give us back our monies stashed away in their banks by the corrupt ones. When the corrupt Nigerians loot money to their country they don’t bring it back and
all we are saying is that they should give us our money back. This is a very smart way of answering such questions. Going back home, we talk about different kinds of empowerment. You know there is a lot of looted funds stashed abroad and some of the conditions these European countries gave us is that we must use that money directly for the wellbeing of the masses and that is the programme you see us doing all around the country. Tradermoni and some other projects like the school feeding program, the N-Power and a lot more. I am talking about trying to help the less privileged, those who can’t afford to earn a living, as well those just finishing school. But then it is not the only thing done by this government, there is currently a revolution in the agriculture sector. You can see people are building capacity in large scale farming and it is not just the northerners, the southerners are included. Look at the rice farm in Jigawa, people are cultivating tomato, look at what is happening in Kebbi, look at what is happening in Edo, look at the rice production in Ebonyi; all over the country, everybody is doing some kind of farming. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com
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FEATURES
Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325
Advocating Reforms for Accountability, Transparency Mary Nnah writes that the crux of the recent Nigeria Education Innovation Summit organised by The Education Partnership Centre, which attracted nearly 250 high-level delegates and key players in the education ecosystem, was a call for transparency and accountability in the sector
E
ducation world over is seen as the cornerstone of development. It forms the basis for literacy, skills acquisition, technological advancement as well as the ability to harness the natural resources of the environment for development and this all-important sector is faced with myriad of problems in Nigeria. Prominent among the problem areas that brings to light the poor show of the sector are the poor quality of school products, flawed administrative procedures and lack of accountability in the school system, politicised employment and appointment of school heads, improper supervision and defective quality assurance and control mechanism. These among many others things were points of discussion at a recent summit in Lagos. Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, once said the problem with Nigeria’s education system is no more funding but accountability and transparency, adding that the fundamental challenge of education in Nigeria is the many decades of poor sector governance and entrenched dysfunction with no mechanism of accountability and performance. While education spending levels and enrollment rates in schools have increased across the developing world, a variety of research studies and datasets show that learning levels remain low. These data also shows that low learning levels have persisted over some time and are especially dire in rural areas, highlighting some of the pressing challenges facing many developing countries. It was therefore in line with this fact that the UNESCO Policy and Research Expert, Dr William C. Smith; advocated for collaboration amongst all stakeholders in the education sector as the only sustainable way towards attaining the much-needed reforms in Nigeria. Whilst delivering the keynote address at the recently concluded 2018 Nigeria Education Innovation Summit (NEDIS), Smith who led the thematic section of the 2017/2018 GEM Report Accountability in Education: Meeting our Commitments, recommended this best practice to participants drawn from the public, private and non-profit sectors from within and outside Nigeria. Nearly 250 high-level delegates and key players in the education ecosystem gathered in Lagos at the Nigerian Education Innovation Summit (NEDIS) 2018; a two-day convening designed to strengthen the design, implementation and scaling up of education innovations in Nigeria. This year’s summit themed, ‘Accountability and Transparency in the Education Sector: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities’, hosted by The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre attracted experts and stakeholder to share knowledge and discuss issues, challenges and innovative practices pertaining to accountability and transparency in Nigeria’s education sector. When giving a brief context to the summit theme, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, a steering committee member of the National Innovation Collaboration on Education, highlighted that only students are held accountable through testing because they are regarded as the weakest in the ecosystem, while other stakeholders within the ecosystem are hardly held responsible. Periodic Reviews Speaking on the theme of the summit during his keynote address, Smith advocated for periodic reviews and assessment studies in order to identify missing gaps and find solutions to uneven development outcomes across Nigeria’s educational system, ‘responsibility can be shared, but accountability cannot’, he added. Experts at the summit were of the view that every organisation either commercial or otherwise including schools are established and sustained essentially to achieve certain assured objectives, stressing that in the education system, one of the vital mechanisms to be put in place towards achieving the goals of the school and
L-R: Senior Policy Analyst, UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), Dr. William Smith; Managing Director, The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre), Dr. Modupe Adefeso-Olateju; Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo; Nigeria Country Director, Development Alternatives Inc (DIA), Dr. Joe Abah; Chief Executive Officer, Edumark, Mrs. Yinka Ogunde; National Programme Manager, DFID's Partnership to Engage, Reform and LearnAccountable, Responsive and Capable (PERL-ARC), Mr. Ifeanyi Pters-Uguwoke and Product Marketing Manager, Grow with Google, Google Nigeria, Ms. Simbo Olatoregun
L-R: Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe; Vice President, Measurement and Evaluation, Bridge International Academies, Mr. Steve Cantrell; Director, ACT F oundation, Mrs. Ndijreke Okwuegburam; representative of Commissioner, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Mallam Othman Shehu Sani; Education Adviser, Department for International Development (DFID), Mrs Esohe Eigbike; Teacher, Edo State Ministry of Education, Mr.Nosakhare Owen Erhahon, and Managing Director, The Education Partnership (TEP) Centre, Dr. Modupe Adefeso-Olateju
ensuring quality service delivery to the society is accountability. Accountability etiquette tends to imply that performance is related to the organisational goals. Collaboration During her opening remarks at NEDIS 2018, the convener; Dr. Modupe Adefeso - Olateju, Managing Director, TEP Centre, who remarked on the importance of the conference said, “Collaboration, networking and partnerships have been the biggest outcomes from this platform every year�. Olateju also added that adequate planning and proper reporting and verification should be imbibed in order to ensure responsibility is taken for performance and non-performance. “Education as an investment in human capital has become a matter of priority for both government and individuals. The general belief is that education helps to enhance the well-being of the individual and the society at large. With this socio-economic satisfaction, education in Nigeria is seen as a big industry with large investment�, Olateju noted.
No approach to accountability will be successful without a strong enabling environment that provides actors with adequate resources, capacity, motivation and information to fulďŹ l their responsibilities
Transparency Delegates at the event included, Nigeria Country Director, Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), Dr. Joe Abah; Senior Programme Officer, MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Amina Salihu; Education Adviser - United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), Ms. Esohe Eigbike and Executive Chairman Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Oviawe. Others include Mr. Alhaji Ja’afaru Sani, Ms Abiose Adams; Vice-President Measurement and Evaluation, Bridge International Academies, Steve Cantrell; Nosakhare Owen Erhahon, an Edo State school teacher and many more, were unanimous about the importance of punitive measures for leaders and policy makers especially at the state levels for non- transparent and non-accountable practices. They stressed that that information about transparency in education should be in the public domain to the citizens and that personal development and human capacity building should be made a priority. Charge to Media The media was charged to be actively engaged and diligent at ensuring that citizens have a good perception of the transparency models being recommended in the education sector in order to effectively advocate for the desired change. Media professionals were told to communicate properly the vision of the educational system developed by government so it can be understood by every citizen. Stakeholders Stakeholders at the event expressed belief that as an investment, there are problems associated with its financing, adding that one of the factors that have contributed to these problems is the widening perception of education as the key to upward economic and social mobility. This has
implication in expecting that education should be able to yield dividends in line with the need of the nation. Therefore, on societal grounds and from economic perspectives, great investments were found on societal grounds, whereas from economic perspectives, great investments in education can be justified because of its expected generous returns. UNESCO Report The United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), is known for tasking governments to design accountability and transparency for schools and teachers, adding that governments should set up independent institutions to handle complaints emanating from the sector. While calling for transparency and accountability in the education sector, Manos Antoninis, Director of UNESCO, Global Education Monitoring (GEM), in his 2017 report said: �Governments should develop credible and efficient regulations with associated sanctions for all education providers, public and private, that ensure non-discrimination and the quality of education. They should allow for democratic participation, respect media freedom to scrutinise education and set up independent institutions to handle complaints.� He added that, “governments should design accountability for schools and teachers that is supportive and avoid punitive mechanisms, especially those based on narrow performance measures. Whereas transparency would help identify problems, only one in six governments publish annual education monitoring reports.� Antoninis stressed that strong independent bodies such as ombudsmen, parliaments and audit institutions are also needed to hold governments to account for education because lack of accountability opens the door to corruption. The report argued that it is crucial to set and enforce regulations ranging from contract tendering to teacher qualifications. Fewer than half of low and middle-income countries had standards for early childhood education and just a handful had mechanisms to monitor compliance. There are no regulations on class sizes in almost half of countries. �No approach to accountability will be successful without a strong enabling environment that provides actors with adequate resources, capacity, motivation and information to fulfil their responsibilities,� Antoninis added. While citing Lagos State as an example, Antoninis said: �In Lagos, Nigeria, only 26 per cent of private schools in 2010/2011 had been approved by the State Ministry of Education.� Pointing out the danger of unapproved schools, he warned that in countries with weak accreditation processes, thousands of students would graduate with unrecognised degrees. He noted also that in Kenya and Uganda, private schools were operating without qualified teachers and with inadequate infrastructure before regulations were put in place and courts shut them down. He however, advised that where formal mechanisms fail, citizens could play a vital role in holding governments to account for meeting their right to education. In Colombia, he said, a citizens’ campaign successfully challenged the government in court leading to the establishment of free education. The report emphasised the importance of accountability in addressing gaps and inequalities. Globally, less than 20 per cent of countries legally guarantee 12 years of free and compulsory education. There are 264 million children and youth out of school and 100 million young people currently unable to read. Education from the investment point of view, he said, is an input-output process, adding, “the process in terms of desirability is a function of cost-benefit, cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness analysis, which is measured in terms of utilisation of real resources. The CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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PERSPECTIVE
Gov. Ugwuanyi and the Rescue of Enugu Fire Victims By Samson Ezea
G
overnance is all about being responsible and responsive to the immediate needs of the people. It is about impacting directly on the lives of the people, by providing them with the much needed reliefs when it matters most. The above aphorism captured the quick and immediate response of the Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to the victims of two fire incidents that occurred at Ugboezeji, Abakpa Nike and Trans Ekulu during the Yuletide/ Xmas celebrations. Upon receiving the news of the inferno at Ugboezeji, a suburb in Abakpa Nike on Xmas day, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi quickly dispatched government delegation led by the Speaker, House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edwin Ubosi to sympathise with the victims, which include three widows and two other tenants. Consequently, Governor Ugwuanyi in his usual philanthropic disposition gave the five tenants of the burnt building N500,000 each and the landlord received N1 million. The victims, who could not hide their joy visited the Government House on a thank-you visit to the governor. Speaking during the visit, the daughter of the late landlord of the burnt property, Priscillia Aniekwe, thanked the governor for rescuing the with the cash donations. One of the victims, a widow, Mrs Nneka Onyekwelu said: “We are happy for our God fearing governor Gburugburu has done for us. Let Almighty God bless him. We had lost hope, when everything we had got burnt and our governor came to our rescue immediately. What a caring and people’s governor that is always there for his people�. Also not left out are three victims, who lost their bus and two tricycles in another Xmas fire incident at a filling station in Trans Ekulu, that was caused by the spark of light by the nozzle of a truck that was discharging gas at the filling station. The governor had during his visit to the scene of the inferno assured the victims that he would replace their burnt tricycles and bus. Some days, the victims were invited to Government House, where they handed over two brand new tricycles and one bus by the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, Mrs Nkechi Eneh on behalf of the governor. Expressing his joy, one of the victims, John Obalezi said: �We are here because the governor visited when our bus and tricycles got burnt at the filling station inferno and asked us not to cry again that he will wipe our tears. We are here because he invited us today and gave a brand new bus and two tricycles as he promised. We are grateful to our governor and pray for his re-election victory.� Similarly, the bus driver, Sunday Ugwu said: I am very happy. Today is my happiest day of my life. I did know that I will get my burnt bus again.� Of utmost importance in Governor Ugwuanyi’s immediate and kind gestures to the poor victims of the inferno who were almost hopeless is that he has saved souls. The governor has given hope to the hopeless and turned their Yuletide and New Year celebrations from bleak to bright. It is only a handy and
CONTINED FROM PAGE 20 cost-expenditure in education is escalating. This trend has bugged the minds of many investors in education because of the deficiency seen in the educational products". Decades of Neglect Over the years calls for accountability have become imperative because of the demand for constructive changes in the education system. In the schools, administrators and their subordinates have been said to neglect these essential ingredients in the performance of their administrative functions.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during an on-the-spot assessment of the burnt filling station
Jubilant victims of the filling station inferno after the governor redeemed his pledge of replacing their burnt bus and two tricycles
accessible governor like Ugwuanyi that can promptly visit the scene of the incidents, identify the victims and quickly assist them. In most cases, it is either things or funds meant to assist such victims gets diverted or held up in bureaucratic bottlenecks, all in a bid to frustrate the beneficiaries. That was not the case with the victims of Enugu Xmas fire incidents. What is also gladdening about the governor’s action is the direct impact the assistance will have on the victims and their dependents. Also worthy of mention in the Xmas fire incidents is the dexterity and expertise displayed by the well-equipped personnel of the State Fire Service in combating the incidents. That
helped in reducing drastically the destruction of lives and properties. Anybody who witnessed thefire incidents, especially that of the filling station will know that if not for the quick intervention of the state fire service personnel, the whole of Trans Ekulu would have been razed down. So, it is visionary and responsive of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration to have embarked on the immediate construction and equipping of five additional fire service stations in Orba in Udenu Council area, Enugu-Ezike headquarters of Igbo North Council area, Orji River, Ninth Mile Corner in Udi Council Area and Agbani in Nkanu West Council on assump-
tion office in 2015. This came after the state existedwith three dilapidated fire service stations located at Ogui, Enugu North Council, Nsukka in Nsukka Council area, and Idaw River in Enugu South council, that were all built in 1962.Apart from completing and equipping new fire service stations, the existing three had been rehabilitated and upgraded. That is the reason the personnel of state fire service have been able to combat and control inferno in the state as was witnessed in Abakpa and Trans Ekulu during the Yuletide and New year celebrations. t&[FB XSPUF GSPN *OEFQFOEFODF -BZPVU &OVHV
ADVOCATING REFORMS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY The effect is that there are neglect returns and wastages in the system. Wastage of real resources, human, fiscal and materials, is now rampant in the system, some resources are misallocated and misused. Huge direct and indirect loss involved is of great concern to investors. Obviously, administrators are confronted with enormous challenges as regards matter of accountability during their managerial function. Accountability in education sector has become very imperative considering the fact that the society expects very much from the school
system. All operators in the school system have an obligation to live up to their responsibilities by making the education system very responsive, competitive and productive. Recommendation An important conclusion from the summit was the clear focus on long-term planning and investment for sustainable development of the education sector in Nigeria. Speakers and delegates discouraged the short-term spending habits of public and non-state actors in education. According to them, education funding and development can
only be sustained by establishing evidence-based accountability measures. The fourth edition of NEDIS recommended that the quest for quality education in Nigeria can become a reality if the government provides an enabling environment for the development and implementation of sound policies and structures related to accountability and transparency. The popular proverbial saying that, “No man is an Island� rings true for accountability and transparency in education because the establishment of strong accountability systems require collaborative efforts among all stakeholders.
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Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (middle) anked by Bukky Onabanjo (left) and Gboyega Onabanjo, both are the children of Late First Civilian Governor of Ogun State, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, during the Vice President visit to the family, in Ijebu, Ogun State... recently
Wife of Kebbi State/ CEO, Medicard Cancer Center, Dr. Zenaib Bagudu; presenting an Award of Recognition to CEO, Arise Women Foundation, Dr. Siju Iluyomade, for her numerous contribution and impact on the lives of women, men and children in Nigeria and beyond, at the Arise Women dinner/award night, in Abuja‌recently
Presidential candidate of PDP and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar and former Governor of Sokoto, Alhaji Attahiru Bafawara during a condolence visit of Atiku to the late family of former President Shehu Shagari in Sokoto... recently
L-R: Pastor (Mrs) Florence Akala; Oyo State ADP Governorship Candidate, Otunba Christopher Alawo Akala and Oluwakeni lighting the Christmas candle, during the 2018 Ogbomoso Interdenominational christmas carol and nine lessons at Opadoyin Akala lodge, Ogbomoso Oyo State.... recently
L-R: Chairperson, Arewa Award and Dinner Committee, Hajia Fatima Bako; Managing Director/CEO, Xmedia Group and Media Consultant for Arewa Festival and Award, Mr. Tunde Lawrence; Media Director, BOSICG, Kenny Saint-Brown and Member, Arewa Award Festival Committee, Aisha Abubakar, during the Arewa festival, at Agege Stadium, Lagos‌‌.recently
Wife of Ondo State Governor, Chief (Mrs) Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, (left), being installed as “Nneora Ndigboâ€? (mother of Ndigbo) by Ogbuehi Zephnaiah Chukwuma, Ogbuehi Xvi of Umudara, in Ihiala, Anambra State‌‌ recently
L-R: Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State, Alhaji Tunde Balogun; Governorship Candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; Women Leader in Lagos State, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas and Senatorial Women Leader, Alhaja. Evenly Otitolaye, during the end of the year and the new party of the APC Women Leaders, in Lagos State, at the Party Secretariat, Ogba Lagos.....recently
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Quick Takes Intel Targets 5G Infrastructure
Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă– Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă˜ Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Íł Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă— Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ě™ Ă™ Ěš ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă˜Ă?âÞ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ë› Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ ĂŒĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ åÓÞÒ ÔÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–ËŞĂ? ËÞË Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;ĂšËœ Ă‹Ă Ă“Ă˜ Ă’Ă?Ă˜Ă™ĂŁËœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË? ËŤ Ù×ÚĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž Íł Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Þ˛ Ă’Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă? Íł ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂœĂ?Ă›Ă&#x;Ă“ĂœĂ? Ă?Ù×ÚĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ×Ùà Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă?Ăœ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?ÞÞĂ?Ăœ ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă– ÞÙ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă?˛ˏ Ă’Ă? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?Ă’Ă“ĂšËœ Ă?ÙÎĂ?Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ Ă“ĂŽĂ‘Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘
Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–ËŞĂ? ÍŻÍŽĂ˜Ă— ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă™Ă˜ ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ăœ ÍŻÍŽÍŽ ĂŒËšĂ? ÎËÞË ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;ÖÞÓÚÖĂ? ËÚÚÖÓĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă“Ă—Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă–ĂŁËœ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ ÞÙ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă? ÎËÞË ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁĚ‹Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?ÓÞÓà Ă? ËÚÚÖÓĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ë› ÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?Ă’Ă“ĂšËœ Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă– Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÓÞ˪Ă? Ă‹Ă“Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ÞÙ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ Ͳ͎ ĂšĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂŒĂŁ Í°ÍŽÍ°Í°Ëœ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— äĂ?ĂœĂ™ Ă“Ă˜ Ͱ͎ͯͲ˛ Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ Ă“ĂŽĂ‘Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă‹Ă Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă™Ă? Ͱ͎ͯ͡˛ ÙåĂ?Ă Ă?ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–Ë› Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄĂ?ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă‹Ă•Ă?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄ Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“ĂžĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ëž ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă˜Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ’ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ě‹ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Í°Ëž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă“Ă–Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÞËĂ?Ă•Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă–Ă™Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă—Ă‹Ă‘Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë›
Luxury Lifestyle Market Holds Exhibition
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
L-R: Acting Managing Director, 9mobile, Stephane Beuvelet; Winner, 9mobile Photography Competition, Oluwatoyin Obafemi and Head, Sponsorship and Experience, 9mobile, Modupe Thani, at the presentation ceremony to finalists in the competition held in Lagos‌recently
NCC, Telcos Push for Review of National Broadband Plan Stories by Emma Okonji With the expiration of the country’s five-year National Broadband Plan in December 2018, coupled with the fact that Nigeria narrowly attained and surpassed the 30 per cent broadband target, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and telecommunication operators (Telcos) have called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency, review the plan. This, among others, is to set another broadband target for the country. The federal government in 2013 had issued the National Broadband Plan (2013-2018), which sets penetration targets for both fixed and mobile broadband throughout Nigeria.
TELECOM Of the many targets set by the document, the most prominent one was the projection that Nigeria must reach 30 per cent broadband penetration by December 2018, which was achieved last year. Having attained the feat, industry stakeholders are insisting that there is need for a review of the broadband plan, in order to set new and higher target for the industry. The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, who spoke on behalf of telecoms industry stakeholders, which he represents, told THISDAY that the review became necessary, to enable
Nigerian government tackle the growing demand for broadband access, which he said has become a global phenomenon. “For Nigeria to be fully digitised in 2019, government must raise broadband penetration level to 50 per cent at the end of 2019 and further raise it to 80 per cent by 2020, when we will be expecting 5G rollout,� Adebayo said. Commending industry stakeholders for their contributions in attaining 30.9 per cent broadband penetration, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said it would not rest its oars after meeting the country’s National Broadband Plan target for 2018, but would ensure its review that will set new target for Nigeria. In a recent statement, the NCC had stated: “Finally, Nigeria can-
not rest on its oars. It is important that the National Broadband Plan, which, incidentally, expired last year 2018 be reviewed. “As the Broadband Commission’s report noted, several countries are reworking their broadband targets to set performance indices in more targeted terms such as speed of service offered and percentage of coverage, penetration and accessibility to specific groups. “It is important that Nigeria embrace this. The country may also need to re-examine its definition of “Broadband� and move from the current speed rate of 1.5/mbps to something more aggressive. “It is tempting to simply suggest that Nigeria adopt speed limits Continued on page 24
Experts List Global Security Measures for 5G Rollout As Nigeria and other countries across the world begin preparation for 5G rollout by 2020, global experts have listed security measures and scalability that countries must adhere to in order to achieve successful 5G rollout. From the second, third and fourth generation networks, also known as 2G, 3G and 4G networks, operators anticipated the need to roll out the fifth generation network (5G) by 2020, which comes with higher speed of operations, and unique features that will address smart city projects, where connected devices will communicate with human to determine health sta-
TELECOM tus of individuals, among other benefits like machine-to-machine communication and human-tomachine communication. The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, had in November last year, announced Nigeria’s preparation for 5G rollout by 2020. Ericsson, a global technology solution provider, in a report noted that with “the inherent security of the 4G/5G networks, we are creating an overall system security that can scale to many
new use cases, connections and devices. “With a solid underpinning of standardised 3GPP security including privacy and data protection, we have added analytics, intelligence and capabilities to orchestrate security from device to cloud.� Based on 5G technologies and standards, service providers will be well suited to address some of the emerging security challenges, the experts further stated. Addressing the issue of privacy has been of high priority in the 5G system from the beginning so that subscribers’ privacy is included by design.
The devices and the network mutually authenticate each other and use integrity-protected signalling. This setup makes it unfeasible for an unauthorised party to decrypt and read the information that is communicated over the air. The most important new privacy feature in the 5G system is enabling a home operator to conceal a subscriber’s long-term identifier, roaming or not, while simultaneously complying with regulatory duties, the report noted. Commending nations that are Continued on page 24
Ă’Ă? Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ÞãÖĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ě™ Ěš Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÒÙÖÎ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă˘Ă’Ă“ĂŒĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜ Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂœĂŁ ͜ÞÒ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ͡ÞÒ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍˇËœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă?ÒÙÚÚĂ?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ Ă‹ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂŁËœ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ÞãÖĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ăž ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?ÞËÞĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÒËÞË? ËŤ Ă‹Ă?Ăž ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœËœ ÖÙà Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂŁĚ‹ Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă–Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ ÑËÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?Ăž Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă’Ă? Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ÞãÖĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă‹ ÞåÙ̋ÎËã ÚÙÚ Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžË› Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ? ĂĄĂ?ĂœĂ? ĂžĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ‹ĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă–Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ăž ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ě‹ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă? Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁËœ ËäĂ?Ă–Ă–Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂŁËœ Ă‹ĂŒĂ?Ă–Ëœ Ă˜ Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÖÙÞĂ? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?Ě‹ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă•ĂŽĂœĂ™Ăš Ă™Ă? Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ăž Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÑÙÙÎ Ă?ÙÙβ ËŤ Ă’Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă–Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă‹ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄËœ Ă‹Ă–ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ăž Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ åÓÞÒ Ă‹ ĂœĂ‹ĂšĂ“ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂĄĂ?ËÖÞÒ Ă?Ă–Ă‹Ă?Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂŽĂ“Ă?ÚÖËãĂ? ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ? ÞÙ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă–Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă? ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÎÓÑÓÞËÖ Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă‹ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă’Ă?Ă‹Ă Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÞÒÓĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ ËÖÖ̋ÞÓ×Ă? ÒÓÑÒ˛ˏ
Ăž Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ?ĂŽË? ËŤ Ă’Ă? Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă– Ă–Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ ÑÙÙÎĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă’ Ă‹ĂšĂšĂœĂ™Ă˘Ă“Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă–ĂŁ ÍœÍ˛ÍŽÍł ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‘Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ ĂŒĂŁ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍˇËœ åÓÞÒ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ÞÙ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžËœ Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ăž Ă‹ ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? ͳ˛ʹÚĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ĂšĂ?Ăœ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂœĂ–ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜Ă•Ë› Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ‘Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂžĂ’ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă&#x;âĂ&#x;ĂœĂŁ Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹ Ă“Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ëœ Ă?ÙÖÖÙåĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–ĂŁ ĂŒĂ?Ă’Ă“Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë›
BMW Demonstrates Riderless Motorcycle
Ă™ĂžĂ™ĂœĂœĂ‹ĂŽ Ă“Ă? ÞÙ Ă?ÒÙåĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă‹ ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ–Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?ĂŁĂ?Ă–Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂžĂ™ĂžĂŁĂšĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?Ăž ÞÓ×Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ͱ͎ͯ͡ Ă‘Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă– Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?Ăœ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă‘Ă‹Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? ÍŻÍ°ÍŽÍŽ Ëœ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂžĂ™ĂžĂŁĂšĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ ÞÙ ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ? Ă™Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ˜Ă?ĂœËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÖÙå ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ ÞÙ Ă‹ Ă?ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ÞÓÖÖ ĚŽ Ă?Ù×ÚÖĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă–ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂšĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ë› Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂžĂ™ĂžĂŁĂšĂ? Ă“Ă? Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂœĂ™Ă‹ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ–ĂŁĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă? Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ÞÙ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?ĂŁĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂœËœ Ă?Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ?ĂœËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‹ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă?Ăœ Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă– Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?ÞÓà ÓÞã ÞÙ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ“Ă Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă?Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžË›
Fujitsu, Ericsson Collaborate
Ă&#x;ÔÓÞĂ?Ă&#x; Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĚ‹ĂžĂ™Ě‹Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Íł Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă‹ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă? ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ?ÒÓÚ˛ Ă’Ă? ÞåÙ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă”Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂŒĂ“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ ĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ?ÙÖÓÙĂ? ĚŽ Ă?ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ“Ă™ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• ĚŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂŁĂ˜Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă? Íł Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă‘Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă– Íł Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ë› Ă’Ă? ÞåÙ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă“Ă— ÞÙ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ? Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă• ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ă–Ă–Ă‹ĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‘Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁË›
“The 21st century is not just the knowledge century, it is the innovation century. Such innovation must be deliberately articulated as a national policy to get Nigerian youths and the infants digitally savvy from early school� Administrator, Digital Bridge Institute,
Dr. Ike Adinde
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NCC, TELCOS PUSH FOR REVIEW OF NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN set by other more developed economies. But that would be rather shallow. Speed and other targets need to be set in accordance with local conditions, and the earlier this is done, the better for Nigeria.� The Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, had re-emphasised the commissions’ commitment in ensuring the provision of broadband infrastructure across the country to achieve last-mile connectivity. Danbatta had noted that the NCC would ensure the provision of broadband infrastructure across the country to achieve last-mile connectivity. EXPERTS LIST GLOBAL SECURITY MEASURES FOR 5G ROLLOUT already making preparations for 5G rollout, experts also listed security measures that individual countries must adopt in order to experience hitch-free rollout. “With the digital transformation of industries, we are entering the cyber-physical domain through robots, sensors and autonomous cyber-physical processes, which will further introduce new dimensions of attack vectors and vulnerability through these connected digital systems. “Novel types of attack, as well as new privacy and cybersecurity regulations, may take many industries by surprise. “The expectations of the public and governments regarding security and privacy are very high. At the same time, information security is a top concern among enterprises on a digital transformation journey. “Organisations need to be secured from the start, protecting personal information, company secrets, and critical infrastructure. Regulators need to walk a fine line between protecting privacy, safeguarding national security, stimulating economic growth, and benefiting society at large. “To succeed with the transformation that 5G brings about, industries need to gather competence and understand new threats and how to mitigate them,� the experts said in a document that was recently released.
Global Cybersecurity Industry to Generate More Jobs in 2019 Emma Okonji
Dixon, who is the Head of Operations, Centre for Cybersecurity, World Economic Forum; and Amy Jordan, who is the Delivery Lead, Centre for Cybersecurity, World Economic Forum, highlighted that four very human characteristics would be the most important in the cyber arena, and in the fourth industrial revolution. They listed them to include: Creativity, Problem-solving, Leadership and people management, and Critical thinking. According to them, cybersecurity is quickly becoming one of the most important
industries for artificial intelligence, automation and machine learning technology. Analysing and defending against attacks is still a relatively manual process, akin to a Victorian factory model. “Any security operations centre has a long list of processes and actions which it is seeking to automate, and ultimately make redundant. This is a good thing – jobs, not people, need to change,� they said in a statement. In the area of Problemsolving, they were of the view that the most difficult global challenges in cyber-
security today consist of navigating the increasingly complex regulatory and legal environment, while promoting optimum conditions for innovation and cross-border collaboration against threats. They cited the recent Annual Gathering of the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity, where topics addressed involved challenging policy coordination, and blocks to international collaboration as a result of a lack of regulatory consistency. For leadership and people management, they were of the view that cyber leaders of the future would face a
Experts in the global cybersecurity industry have predicted that more professionals will fill job vacancies to be created by the rise in global cybersecurity activities. Some have even predicted that it could lead to job crisis if the situation is not properly managed. According to recent estimates, India alone requires an additional two million cybersecurity professionals in the next two years. Some put the global estimate as high as 3.5 million by 2022. Salaries are tracking these demands, with graduate level analyst positions in the US touching $100,000 per annum, the highest of any profession. As the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2018 outlines, technological drivers are increasingly challenging traditional jobs and careers. Those that are charged with securing the digital revolution are scrambling for talent. Nearly every technologically advanced state in the world is working out how to fill a skills shortage. But it is just as glib to state that we need more “cyberâ€? people as it would be to say we need more “medicalâ€? people. With governments and corporations increasingly focused on building a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline, they are potentially excluding those with the backgrounds and skill sets required to keep pace with ever-evolving changes in technology, and to maximize its benefits, the L-R: Marketing Manager Tecno Nigeria, Abel Huo; Marketing Director, Tecno West Africa, Eric Wang; Deputy Business Director, Chidi experts said. Experts such as William Okonkwo; Business Director, Eason Duan and Emmanuel Ekwe, at the launch of the Tecno Camon 11 in Lagos‌ recently
PRODUCT LAUNCH
NEXIM Bank to Revamp Ailing Industries, Boost Non-oil Exports Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Nigerian ExportImport Bank (NEXIM) in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institutions, have said it will implement two intervention schemes to revamp ailing industries and enhance their contributions to non-oil exports in the country. The intervention schemes, according to the
bank are in two categories, predicated on its broad philosophy of “Produce, Add Value and Export� (PAVE) policy in line with the diversification strategy of federal government as enunciated in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). Speaking in Katsina State, during its two-day exporters’ enlightenment forum on Tuesday, the Managing Director of the Bank, Abba Bello, said the
bank’s objective was to support export-oriented projects in all parts of the country. He reaffirmed that besides revenue volatility, the oil sector is incapable of supporting inclusive economic growth that would provide jobs and economic opportunities for the country’s teeming population, hence the initiative. “Our plan is to assist indigenous producers to
optimise capacity and also move up the value chain to produce finished products. “We have observed that the north-west is quite rich in agricultural and mineral endowments and therefore has the capacity to benefit significantly under the programme. “A portion of the Export Development Fund has also been set aside to support industries that are major employers of women
Group Business Editor
Nigeria, 87 Others to BeneďŹ t from CTO
Capital Market Editor
Emma Okonji
Obinna Chima Goddy Egene
AgriBusiness/Industry Editor
Ă™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ äĂ? Comms/e-Business Editor
Emma Okonji
Senior Correspondent
Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents
Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Cap Mkt) ÔÓÙĂ?Ă™Ăœ Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? (Energy) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (Nation’s Capital) Reporters
Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (Maritime)
tough challenge. They advised that people must balance an understanding of increasingly complex technical systems, and how they and their users interact with them, with the management of an increasingly diverse global workforce operating in local markets and cultures. In the area of critical thinking, the experts said new systems and technologies, such as offensive artificial intelligence would make it even harder. They said attribution and prosecution remain the critical gap in building effective deterrence models.
The Commonwealth Secretariat in London has announced new strategy to promote partnership with the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation (CTO). The initiative is expected to benefit Nigeria and 87 accredited Commonwealth organisations. Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, Patricia Scotland, who made the announcement, said the strategy
would boost collaboration between the 87 accredited Commonwealth organisations, in order to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The CTO is part of the Commonwealth family which includes 87 partner organisations, officially referred to as ‘Accredited Organisations’ which include a wide range of inter-governmental, professional and civil society organisations. The Secretary-General said
the new Commonwealth Secretariat Partnerships Strategy would provide a clear method for engaging with each category of partner from a results-based management perspective. According to her, “Most of you will be aware that on becoming Secretary-General, I undertook a review which led to re- organisation of the Secretariat. “Within our reconfigured structure, and so that we are better placed to mobilise the potential of partnerships,
a dedicated Innovation and Partnerships team was established within the Strategy, Portfolio and Partnerships Division. “This is an important element in the new structure, because collaborating with international and Commonwealth partners is a key principle in the outcomes-based strategic plan to which we are now working and which covers the period until our financial year 2020/21.� During the dialogue,
and youth under a special economic empowerment scheme for the vulnerable groups,� he explained Also speaking, the Katsina state Governor Aminu Bello Masari, represented by the state Commissioner of Commerce and Industries, Abubakar Yusuf said government established an investment promotion agency to collaborate with NEXIM to enhance exportation of commodities from the state.
Acting Secretary-General of the CTO, Gisa Fuatai Purcell, received updates on how the accreditation process works, on election observation, the Commonwealth’s cyber declaration and its implementation, as well as an update from the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration. “The CTO looks forward to working even more closely with the Secretariat and further expand our partnership with them,� Purcell said.
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Anionwu: Technology Innovation Will Bridge Financial Inclusion Gap Head, Digital Services, Diamond Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Anionwu spoke with Emma Okonji about value in the bank’s newly upgraded app, and how it will further bridge the country’s financial inclusion gap, among others. Excerpts: take advantage of.
How do you see government policies in driving banking services in 2019? Government policies for the banking sector are meant to regulate the sector and also protect the players in the sector, including the customers. I expect to see government policies in 2019, in a manner that will further shape the banking industry. I expect more award of licences for FinTech players in order to increase partnerships with the banks, which in my view, will create more job opportunities in 2019.
What are the unique offerings under the Diamond Digital Services? Under the Diamond Digital Services (DDS), we offer the Diamond Mobile App, Diamond Internet Banking, Diamond Chatbot and other digital channeled through which we offer unique services to our esteemed customers. One of the features of your upgraded app is the Quick Loan. How does it work, and of what beneďŹ t is it to your customers? Quick Loan is on the outside of the app and it is easy to use. Once a customer clicks on the link, it will come up with some security details and once the details are accurately supplied by the customer, the customer gets the loan immediately and the customer’s account is credited without any collaterals.
What is your bank doing to help the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) achieve ďŹ nancial inclusion for Nigeria? We are big in the area of financial inclusion and we have lots of solutions that are geared towards achieving financial inclusion and bridge the existing financial inclusion gap in the country. We have opened several Diamond Y’ello Account across the country, which seeks to get in more people at the grassroots into the financial services space. We have over 10 million of the Diamond Y’ello Account and for our Beta Proposition, we have couple of millions of accounts that target the unbanked. We will continue to provide products and services that will speak to the unbaked sector of the Nigerian economy. There is a global belief that Nigeria is still a cash-based economy despite CBN’s efforts and that of the banks to achieve ďŹ nancial inclusion. What is your view about this assumption? It is true that a lot of Nigerians still carry physical cash but that does not mean that Nigeria is a cash-based economy because a lot has been achieved in the cashless economy drive of the CBN. The truth is that we cannot completely eliminate cash from the system and this is not a Nigerian thing, it is a global phenomenon. Again I think it is a gradual process to fully achieve financial inclusion. The news of merger between Diamond Bank and Access Bank is all over the place. What informed the merger and what value is it going to bring to your customers? The merger is a good step in the right direction because it is going to bring more value for both bank customers. What the partnership and merger means is that our bank customers will have access to more Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and other digital channels for their financial transactions, which is about more value to the customer at no cost. The merger will see both banks building Africa’s largest retail bank. What is your biggest challenge in driving the upgraded mobile app? Our biggest challenge is about those bank customers that have refused to embrace change in this digital age. We still have some customers who do not want to use any of our mobile apps for transaction, but prefer to go to our physical bank branches to carry out their financial transactions. We need such customers to embrace technology and enjoy the convenience that our mobile app brings to the table of financial transactions. The challenge is that we must still provide service to such customers at a great cost to us but digital services come with convenience for the customers and reduces cost for us as a bank. But the refusal of customers to embrace digital transactions has been linked to fear of losing their hard-earned monies to cybercriminals who most times, hack into customers’ account to defraud customers. How best are you addressing their fears? We are big on security and it is one of my major deliverables to ensure safety in all our digital channels. What we have done with the mobile app in terms of security, is to make sure that the customer is responsible for his or her own security. I say this because the customer is in charge of his or her PIN, Password and other security details that are known to only the customer, which must not be disclosed to another person.
So how does your bank identify those that are qualiďŹ ed for a loan and how does it ensure repayment of loans? In terms of identification of customers, it is easy because Quick Loan is designed for only customers at the moment, but in developing subsequent bills payment, we will include both the bank customers and non-bank customers, so that non-bank customers can use their debit cards to access the loan. As for the repayment, we have criteria for loan repayment. The terms and conditions for the loan varies with the amount of loan requested by different customers. So there is no fixed terms and conditions for loan repayment, but it depends on the amount that is being requested. Anionwu
On our part, we have various layers of security on our mobile app, which prevent unauthorised access and protect customers’ funds at all times. How has Diamond Bank been able to use technology to drive banking services in the past years, and what are your experiences as head of the Diamond Bank digital team? I became the head of the digital team at Diamond Bank in August 2017 and it has been interesting and also challenging in driving the digital team of the bank, where digital transformation is our priority. The fact remains that technology is fast driving banking operations and the application of technology solutions is the only way to achieve digital transformation that will close the current financial inclusion gap in the country. For my team, we have always been technology focused and our bank is at the forefront of technology innovation to further drive banking services and boost customer experience, and we as a bank, pride ourselves as one of the biggest in retail
The truth is that we cannot completely eliminate cash from the system and this is not a Nigerian thing, it is a global phenomenon. Again I think it is a gradual process to fully achieve ďŹ nancial inclusion
banking that is driven by technology. Most of our banking initiatives are technology based and it has helped us to bring down the cost of banking and to give customers varieties of digital services that have impacted positively on their banking lifestyles and businesses. As a digital bank, we offer our customers with digital services that are convenient and comfortable for them. Diamond Bank recently announced upgrade of its digital app. What informed the upgrade and how has the upgrade impacted your customers? As a technology driven bank, we flow with times and trends in the banking sector, which of course informed our decision for upgrade. Aside the recent upgrade, we do upgrade as frequent as possible, depending on the trend and customer demand. We listen to our customers, get feedback and act based on our feedback from customers, and that was one of the major deciding factor for the recent app upgrade that we embarked upon. In Diamond Bank, we set the pace for other banks to follow, when it comes to digital innovation in the banking sector. So what are the features of the upgraded app that will trigger as the game changer in the ďŹ nancial sector? The game changer is a situation that we have created around the upgraded app, such that anybody can use the app, irrespective of whether the user is our bank customer or not. In essence, our customers and customers-to-be can conveniently make use of the app to do several baking transactions from the comfort of their homes and offices, without necessarily going to the banking hall. So the app is redesigned in such a way that without logging into the app users can still pay their bills using their cards. So if a non-Diamond Bank customer wants to use the service, the person can conveniently do so without logging into the app. From outside of the app, the person can click on Quick Bill Payment use his or her bank’s card, which could be any bank’s card to do any form of transaction. We also have the Quick Loans on the outside of the app for non-Diamond Bank customer to
So what makes Diamond Bank app stands out among other banking apps in the ďŹ nancial industry sector? So many things stand us out in terms of our app. Firstly, it is customer-centric and customer-driven. It is largely designed to meet customers’ needs, based on the feedback we get from customers. We looked at the needs of our customers from all our branches and we develop app to address these needs. For example, we discovered that majority of our customers have need to pay for their DSTV subscriptions and we decided to factor DSTV payment into our app, for the ease and convenience of our esteemed customers. So our unique proposition is about convenience and cost saving for our customers. We are innovative as a bank and we have brought our innovativeness to play in the app, just to bring convenience for our customers and that of course largely stands us out. What are your views about the emergence of FinTech players in the ďŹ nancial services deliveries. Do you still see them as threat or business companion? At Diamond Bank, we are technology driven and we had never seen the operations of FinTech as threat because they are into technology innovation, which is key to our business as a bank. We have partnered FinTech from the beginning and we still partner them and we see them as business companion. FinTech players have developed a lot of financial solutions that have brought speed of business and convenience in the banking industry and that has always been our goal and aspiration as an innovative bank whose processes are driven by technology. As the head of digital team for Diamond Bank, how has your team been able to leverage technology to drive processes, especially in today’s competitive banking operations? I do not mean to sound arrogant when I say we do not see competitors in the financial space that we play. We are ahead of others because we are technology driven and we do not see others as our competitors. We are pacesetters in terms of digital innovation in the banking sector. My team has been very hard working and we have been able to use technology to address customer needs.
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ANALYSIS
Empowering Fintechs Interswitch, among others, is driving the growth of local FinTech talent through intensive training of engineering graduates, writes Emma Okonji The need for continuous training and engagement of fresh graduates has become a thing of necessity for all Nigerians in order to reduce the mass movement of young and talented graduates that inadvertently constitute the ‘brain-drain’ syndrome in an attempt to search for greener pasture. In recent time, Nigeria has witnessed a drift among young university graduates who suddenly took pleasure to seek for better livelihood outside the country. The local FinTech sector appears hard-hit by the increasing brain-drain. The exodus of talent from developing economies remains a critical issue of concern, affecting not only the human resource development index of these economies but also cascading into numerous additional multiplier effects that militate against socio-economic growth and development. It appears the trend of highly skilled Nigerian professionals from diverse fields, notably in sectors like health, technology and education, leaving the shores of the country for Europe, America and Canada in search of greener pasture is rising almost on daily basis.
The brain-drain Companies in the technology innovation space in Nigeria, especially FinTechs and banks are witnessing an increasing trend in which the prime of the country’s software engineering talent are being head-hunted and recruited by the best companies in the world. The youths are increasingly moving to North America, Middle East, Western and Eastern Europe, with attractive and widely unmatchable employment offers. Ironically, most of these young men and women attended Nigerian Universities and have been nurtured by local FinTechs to the level where they are able to comfortably compete with the best from anywhere in the world, and as such appear attractive to these foreign technology enterprises. According to a recent publication by Quartz Africa, the exodus follows a decade of triumphs for the ecosystem, which has recorded several startups and tech hub launches and attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in investment. The report interestingly highlights that while Lagos is the most valuable of Africa’s biggest tech ecosystems, it is also the least lucrative for software engineers, drawing comparisons between earnings of developers in Lagos against elsewhere and estimating that software engineers in Lagos earn around $5,000 and below annually – a shortfall which is very likely causing many to seek higher-paying opportunities elsewhere.
Addressing the brain-drain For Interswitch, the time has come to re-write the narrative and put a stop to the brain-drain syndrome. Interswitch Group has seen the glass as half-full, rather than being despondent, as far as the situation is concerned. With a view to not only promote the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Nigeria, but also to consciously change the narrative around
the issue of brain-drain of talented Nigerians to other markets, Interswitch recently recruited a number of Software Engineers to participate in a six-month internship programme. According to the company, this vision draws analogies from the renaissance that Nigeria has witnessed, notably in the entertainment sector (music and movies), which have boomed in recent years on the strength of the sheer resilience and sprit of enterprise of Nigerians, without a necessary dependence on government intervention. These young Nigerians, who are currently being trained under the Interswitch Internship Programme, were selected through a careful process after a widespread call was made for newly graduated software engineers to apply. The six months intensive training is focused on teaching the graduates basic engineering theories as well as real – life application and is designed to be an ongoing effort. Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer at Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, shed light on the company’s determination to ensure that these graduates develop into great engineers who can not only contribute to the growth of the local economy but can also go on to compete in the global tech marketplace, with potential benefits that would accrue to Nigeria, their home country.
The strategy According to Elegbe, “At Interswitch, we have a maxim that speaks to the capacity to ‘see beyond the big picture’, and that is exactly what we have chosen to do, against the backdrop of the seemingly negative sentiment around what appears to be the exacerbating loss of
valuable talent to foreign markets. Instead of complaining about the problem, we are taking the “bull by the horns� and challenging the prevalent mindset. We strongly believe that Interswitch is well positioned to contribute to re-writing the narrative around the issue of brain-drain from Africa. The reality is that whilst we may not be able to contain the exodus in the short term, the onus lies on tech firms like ours to aggressively raise a new generation of talent not just to meet our own recruitment requirements, but to replenish the talent pipeline for the local industry. Our view is that we are in a position to champion this cause by grooming technology talent who are not only relevant within the local context but essentially also able to compete in a globalized world in which talent is in geographical flux.�
FinTech talent export Elegbe further said Interswitch recognises FinTech talent export as a trend that can positively impact the economy and indeed the future of Nigeria. He highlights that “Many years ago, we witnessed the remarkable growth of nascent industries such as what we call ‘Nollywood’ and of course, the music industry, into what today are significant economic and reputational capital contributors capable of contributing to the nation’s economy, harnessing local skills and technologies.� Besides being trained by the experts at Interswitch, he added that some of the graduate interns who excel during the programme will be considered for subsequent full-time employment at Interswitch. While some would be trained to add value to the burgeoning wider
technology and entrepreneurship landscape in Nigeria, others may be inclined to choose to expose themselves to opportunities on the global scene. These opportunities offer some latent, currently overlooked but highly feasible benefits to the Nigerian economy, including a potential to boost the trend of international remittances into the country with obvious positive economic impact.
Perception of tech talent Interswitch interestingly takes a view that the brain drain trend should not be an indicator of doom as the world is invariably starting to recognise that Nigeria has a talent pool of tech-savvy workforce who can contribute to this fast evolving and growing global economy. Commenting on the academy and internship programme, the Group Chief Information Officer at Interswitch, Babafemi Ogungbamila, said: “At Interswitch we believe that the exposure that these young men and women will have would augment their commendable effort at self-investment, with a view to becoming best-in-class developers and architects. These young people will represent the next generation of FinTech entrepreneurs who after their stints abroad/ or during their stints abroad will build the next Amazon, Google or whatever will change the world in the next 3-5 years. We have a unique opportunity to globally brand Nigeria as the source of uniquely qualified computing expertise and with time, the home of technological ingenuity. “The interns will spend the first three months with Interswitch, learning the theoretical application of software engineering.�
Inlaks Launches New ATM Models to Boost Cashless Initiative Emma Okonji In a bid to support Nigeria’s cashless initiative and bridge the existing financial inclusion gap, leading system integrator in sub-Saharan Africa, Inlaks, in conjunction with Hyosung TNS of South Korea has introduced two new Automated Teller Machine (ATM) models - MX 5600ST, MX 8600T and MS500. Inlaks has been at the forefront of supporting the Cashless Nigeria initiative championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the deployment of over 6,000 Hyosung ATM to several banking institutions in Nigeria. The company has also partnered the Committee of e-
Business Industry Heads (CeBIH) in implementing their vision to drive the adoption of electronic banking services through the right technologies, policies, standards, and innovation. Executive Director, Infrastructure Business Division at Inlaks, Mr. Babatope Dare said: “The new Hyosung Self-service channels will be fully integrated by the financial institutions more than ever today to deliver absolute reliability, maximum efficiency and ultimate usability by the innovative terminals. To capitalise on the new consumer demands, the Hyosung ATMs offer innovative features like Near Field Communication (NFC), Barcode, fingerprint
biometric reader and many new security features.� He further mentioned that Inlaks has grown to becoming a trusted business partner to the banks to enable them attain the desired values on their investment on ATMs. Speaking during the retreat, annual retreat of CeBIH which held recently in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Vice President, Global Business Division at Hyosung TNS, Mr. Chang-Hak Kim, commended Inlaks for blazing the trail in providing best-in-class self-service payment terminals in Nigeria and conveyed Hyosung’s enthusiasm to forge ahead with future partnerships with Inlaks and the banking community at
large. The e-Business industry heads applauded the innovative Hyosung ATMs following a first-hand experience of the MX 5600ST, MX8600ST, and MS500 models while attesting to the potential value that will be added to financial institutions nationwide once the new models are fully adopted by the banks. The MX 8600T is a unique self-service terminal with cash deposit and recycling technology using the superior neo-Bills Recycling Module Technology. This sleek and slim model is easy to install and equipped with the latest technology like the contactless reader, biometrics, barcode reader, anti-skimming
protection, touch screen, and functional keys. The deposit/ recycler modules come with advanced bill recognition technology and an advanced transaction speed of up to 12 notes per second, up to five recycling cassettes and 300 notes per transaction. MS 500 is the new Teller Cash Recycler which can be used as a deposit and recycler by tellers at the branch, or as a bulk cash deposit machine by customers. The Ms500 supports a large volume of cash deposits, with a note speed of up to 12 notes per second and a continuous deposit feeding allowing for even faster processing of deposits and note validation.
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Imports of DDB Grand Prix Win Raheem Akingbolu takes a look at the recent happenings in the nation’s advertising industry and concludes that the notion that the old generation agencies are not reinventing may not be true With digital revolution which appears to be redefining the global advertising industry, it is believed in some quarters that old generation agencies in Nigeria are fading away as a result of the huge influence of traditional thinking on their campaigns and operations. However, as popular as the notion is, many analysts have dismissed this as a mere campaign of calumny to de-market the older agencies. In Nigeria, a few agencies, especially DDB Lagos, Insight Communications and SO&U Saatchi and Saatchi, are proving the notion wrong with their exploits in the market. For instance, since the inauguration of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF), the three agencies have not been found wanting when it comes to winning major awards. Besides, DDB has also made significant impact in global competitions. At the last edition of LAIF awards in Lagos, which is Nigeria’s most definitive event that recognises, rewards and promotes creative excellence in all areas of advertising and marketing communications, DDB again proved its mettle by pushing other agencies to the back seat. As the evening wore on, it was not clear which Agency would take the day as quite a couple of veterans such as Insight and SO&U were making a good showing along with usual suspects X3M Ideas and Noah’s Ark. The intense competition was also heightened by the strong wins made by younger Agencies such as Culture, Etuodi, BBDO and UpIntheSky. However, if there was one agency that clearly demonstrated a superior creative breadth and depth in diverse award winning work it was DDB Lagos. At the end of the evening DDB had yet again topped the overall list of creative agencies in Nigeria by winning the Grand Prix award for the acclaimed “Man in the Box campaign� for MTN. DDB Lagos was also awarded 6 Gold plaques for outstanding campaign ideas in “Children’s day�, “Independence day�, “My Influence� and “Man in The Box� for Royco, Baileys, Sunlight and MTN respectively. Speaking on the Grand Prix Award
for MTN ManInThe Box, the Regional President Aegis Dentsu and Chief Juror of the LAIF Awards, Michael Zylstra, noted that the concept won the top prize as an integrated and interactive innovation for growing SME businesses. Because of its exceptional idea concept the “Man in The Box� won Gold plagues in 3 different categories. Silver (4) and Bronze (9) plagues were awarded also for campaigns like; “Reasons to Smile�, “See us 2 Male�, “Corn�, “Waist Line�, “Upper Room�, “Verve Naira Note (Worker ’s Day)� etc for other several brands. Below is array of the awards for DDB Lagos; The Grand Prix is LAIF’s most prestigious award which is only given for an outstanding creative concept that has been able to redefine the industry standards. The man in the box is Nigeria’s first innovative outdoor campaign which was conceptualised by DDB Lagos for
MTN to showcase a game changing enterprise solution for SMEs and to make sure their businesses are noticed. The campaign was projected to be seen as a win-win for both MTN and the SMEs. The spotlight of the campaign was to convey an understanding of the painpoints of SMEs while giving them a unique platform to promote their offerings to a bigger audience. The billboard was transformed into an office space making “Man in the Box� campaign Nigeria’s first innovative outdoor campaign. This caught everyone’s attention but most especially the eyes of small business owners. These business owners were then given use of the box to work in and to showcase their products or services for an entire day each. Aside giving the SMEs their own mini marketing boost and increasing exposure and media following for their respective brands, MTN also get to put their technology
in front of the very people they were trying to reach. Locally, “Man in the Box� received accolades for its effectiveness because it delivered on the promise that MTN knows what keeps SMEs up and is willing to go beyond the norm to provide solutions. DDB Lagos partnered with other agencies; TBWA a creative agency, PHD for outdoor media plan and Playhouse Communication, a local digital agency to bring this idea to life. DDB Lagos is one of most awarded agencies in Nigeria at the annual LAIF Award ceremony since its inception 13 years ago. DDB Lagos is also the first Nigerian creative agency to receive international recognition when it won an EPICA Award for its “Speechless� campaign developed for GirlHub (an advocacy project for the Northern girl child sponsored by the Nike Foundation in partnership with USAID/ DFID) in 2012.
‘Human TrafďŹ cking Taking Horrifying IFAD Empowers Youths Dimension’ The International Fund for agricultural techniques. Ugo Aliogo The Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, has stated that human trafficking has taken on horrific dimension as armed groups and terrorists use it to spread fear and gain victims to offer as incentives to recruit new fighters, citing child soldiers, forced labour and sexual slavery as examples. Fedotov in a statement on the United Nations website, noted that while the average numbers of reported victims had fluctuated during the earlier years for which UNODC had collected data, the global trend has shown a steady increase since 2010. The statement also noted that Asia and the Americas are the regions which have seen the largest increase in the numbers of victims detected, “which may be explained by improved methods of detecting, recording and reporting data on trafficking – or a real increase in the number of victims.â€? It explained that most victims of trafficking detected outside
their region of origin are from East Asia, followed by subSaharan Africa, adding that there has been an increase in the number of convictions for trafficking in these regions, The statement which referred to a study added that large areas of impunity still exist in many Asian and African countries, and conviction rates for trafficking remain very low. According to Fedotov, “Trafficking for sexual exploitation is the most prevalent form in European countries, whilst in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, forced labour is the main factor driving the illicit trade. “Women and girls make up most trafficking victims worldwide: almost three-quarters of them are trafficked for sexual exploitation, and 35 per cent (women and girls) are trafficked for forced labour. “The main focus of the report is on the impact of armed conflict on trafficking. In conflict zones, where the rule of law is weak, and civilians have little protection from crime, armed
groups and criminals may take the opportunity to traffic them. “One example given in the study is the phenomenon of girls and young women in refugee camps in the Middle East being “married off� without their consent and subjected to sexual exploitation in neighbouring countries. “Addressing human trafficking is a key part of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda, requiring Member States to monitor progress in tackling the problem, and report the number of victims by sex, age and form of exploitation. “However, significant gaps in knowledge remain, with many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and some parts of East Asia still lacking sufficient capacity to record and share data on trafficking in persons. “This report shows that we need to step up technical assistance and strengthen cooperation, to support all countries to protect victims and bring criminals to justice, and achieve the sustainable development goals.�
Agricultural Development (IFAD) has empowered some young and passionate Africans dedicated to small rural businesses in the agriculture sector of their countries. These seven women and men were beneficiaries of IFAD projects in Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, and they recently participated in a one-week learning exchange programme in Brazil focused on climate resilient post-harvest management of cassava. “The techniques that I have learned in Brazil will be so innovative in my home area that I will even hire employees to expand my business,â€? FelicitĂŠ Bedzigui, a 27-year-old participant who runs a cassava processing initiative in Cameroon said. During the training in Brazil, she was so inspired seeing the production of snacks made of cassava (beiju and chips) that now she plans to start making them in her home village. FelicitÊ’s motivation to replicate the knowledge acquired in Brazil was good for her community in different ways. It encouraged innovation through the introduction of new
Local jobs were created and it promoted climate change adaptation by stimulating the use of climate resilient agricultural products and improving cassava processing practices. All these positive results contribute to making agriculture more attractive to rural youth Funded by the second phase of IFAD’s Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP II), the exchange programme was held in November 2018 in partnership with the Brazil Africa Institute (IBRAF) and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA). It was designed for young African agripreneurs who can contribute to a climate resilient rural transformation in their home countries. “They come from countries where climate change has significantly impacted on agricultural production and the livelihoods of rural families, prompting many young people to leave the countryside in search of a better life in urban areas. “We want to reverse this trend by empowering young people from rural areas with knowledge
and skills to make agriculture more sustainable and a more attractive market for the new generations,� stresses Amath Pathe Sene, IFAD’s environment and climate specialist for West and Central Africa. The participants visited cassava processing units and farming cooperatives in different municipalities in Brazil’s Bahia state. All activities were planned and coordinated by Joselito Motta, a charismatic 71-yearold agricultural engineer with impressive skills and knowledge about cassava manufacturing. To the youth, he spoke enthusiastically: “It would be a shame to keep this knowledge to myself. I am really pleased to share it with them.� Cassava is a symbol of the historical ties between the two sides of the South Atlantic. The plant was brought from Brazil to Africa over the centuries by Portuguese navigators. Today both benefit from this nutritious vegetable which grows well in tropical areas and is pretty resilient to climate change, and cassava farmers from these nations have a lot to learn and share.
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Going Experiential with Political Campaign As the campaigns for next month general elections get to the peak, politicians are going beyond the traditional advertising to engage Nigerians. Raheem Akingbolu reports. Beyond traditional method of pasting posters on the street or using radio jingle and newspaper advertising, leading contenders in the 2019 elections are begin to look outside the box to engage Nigerians. Towards the build up to the 2015 elections, Nigerian politicians bombarded various social media channels to communicate and engage members of the public. In the last few months, more channels are being explored to deepen political campaigns. From Buhari – Osinbajo; to Atiku – Obi; Babajide Sanwo Olu to Jimi Agbaje, the story is the same, depending on who have the wherewithal to outsmart the other. Perhaps because of the seeming propaganda that is associated with Facebook users, some politicians are beginning to go the extra mile to tell their stories. A good example is the All Progressive Congress gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, who appeared to have taken his campaign a notch higher by deploring his campaign arsenal to experiential marketing. Like Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has been consistent in his house-to-house campaign, Sanwoolu has inaugurated an activation platform that enables him to be moving from one spot to the other to engage Lagosians. Recently, in a creative approach to proffering solution to some of the society’s challenges, he caused a stir at the high brow Lekki Tollgate as he personally moved in with his team to free the congested evening drive traffic between 6 – 7pm, to achieve seamless free flow of traffic. Sanwoolu disclosed to a few marketing reporters during the exercise his intention to deploy different marketing communication tools to engage Lagosians, as he seeks the residents’ consent for office, at the general elections, scheduled to hold next month. Speaking on the relevance of the on-the-spot assessment of the traffic situation in the area, the Lagos APC guber candidate stated that he would deploy both the traditional and new media to ensure that pulses of Lagosians are constantly felt. He described the day’s ‘mini marketing’ activation in that part of the city, as one of the ways he intends to constantly converse with those in that part of the city, and Lagosians, generally, and get a feedback. “We’ve started tweeting to ask what the challenges are. And this is one of our demonstrations. We hope to continue with this so that Lagosians can converse with us. It would provide them the opportunity to have an unfettered access to us. It will also provide that opportunity for them to tell us those things they want us to improve upon and those they want us to change. Those are the conversations and that is what governance is all about,� he stated. Sanwoolu described the evening activity, around the area as a simulation, designed to understand the traffic problem in the area, at that particular period, with a view to solving them. “For us, what we are doing now is a simulation.
Sanwo-Olu
It’s a simulation to see how much of the traffic backlog we can clear. For us, it’s a simulation to understand and have a first-hand feel of how we should solve the traffic problem of Lagos, especially in the evening part of the day. “One of the things we are considering is how we can creatively extend these 12 lanes to 16 or 18, so that when vehicles are coming, they will have a lot of space to work with, and in the morning do there verse,� he stated. Sanwoolu believes good governance can only be achieved if the people are involved. He stated that he hopes to achieve this by constantly engaging the people of the state, not only at political rallies, but through different channels of communication that would enable him feel their pulses. Meanwhile, the activation which is obviously form part of the APC governorship candidate’s strategic campaign was orchestrated with the aim of engaging with Lagosians who ply the busy road. Right above the toll bridge, two electronic billboards one on each side drive toll plaza, ordinarily display a number of commercials each taking turn to occupy the vast screen for about 1 minute, were brought to a standstill for the one-hour time frame which the activation lasted. Both sides simultaneously displayed the message: “My name is Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu, I will really like to engage with you #ForAGreaterLagos Seasons Greetings�. As this was beautifully displayed in its lush
blue background and imposing print of the governorship aspirants, the organizers of the activation were said to have paid a lump sum for all vehicles using the facility for the one hour duration. Hence, the team was able to move in, deliver brochures, handbills as well as water to cool motorists’ thirst after a hectic day at work. Like every free gifts, a few took exception to the distribution of table water, majority of motorists accepted the offer with open arms. However, the idea of toll free watch the joker of the day as it allows the motorists to patiently listen and accept leaflets. According to the one of the materials distributed to commuters, challenges confronting the state need critical solutions as Lagos moves to the next threshold in her 51-year development trajectory. “A state which despite the smallest land mass, has one of the largest populations of about 20million inhabitants, will need about $100billion dollars over the next 20 -25 years to address its existing infrastructural deficits, hence, the conversation being ignited,� Yet another of the materials adds that for the state which currently runs on an annual budget of less than$3billion dollars to leapfrog to the next phase of development, quality leadership is a critical requirement. The idea is for the aspirant to introduce himself at a closer range and start a conversation on moving the state to a greater level. Part of the conversation will be around traffic congestion, better education, security issues, health, food
sufficiency and a lot more. Speaking on the mission Sanwo-Olu says “We are doing a simulation to understand what exactly is causing traffic rigour, we want to see if we can innovatively clear the backlog. It is for us to have a first- hand feel on how we should solve a traffic challenge in this city. We could innovate with the lanes depending on which side the traffic is heavy�. Suggesting that the problem solving conversation is better ignited where the troubles bite the most, the APC flag bearer declared, “You cannot get to the root of the matter when you’re in your office, you can only do it when you come around like this and let them test of the good things we are talking about to make Lagos, Your Lagos a greater Lagos for all of us. This is why we are here this evening and it’s just the beginning, we will be going to a lot of places with a view to jointly provide solutions to some of the challenges we all face�. This implies that more of these activation are likely to be been seen across different sectors of the state. However, to Sanwo-Olu feedbacks from the public will be of greater significance to his team’s efforts at bringing about workable solutions for Lagosians. “We are going to elective positions to create better life for the people. We are not meant to be a stumbling block�, he promised as he stylishly rolls out his campaign. Though, he called it a simulation but the engagement with you (relevant stakeholders) #ForAGreaterLagos has really started.
Firm Introduces Tool to Enhance Marketing Intelligence Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network (MFDAN) has launched the second wave of Dentsu Aegis’ Proprietary tool CCS (Consumer Connection System). The CCS is the Agency’s single source data system that houses an array of media insights, product consumption and behavioral attitudes that have effects on how consumers interact with media in relation to brand communication. Since the inception of CCS in 2016, the tool was said to have put the agency in an articulated strategic position on how to connect better with consumers, targeting them efficiently whilst optimising Advertisers’ budgets. The new tool is expected to help media, brand owners and advertisers connect better with consumers, targeting them
efficiently while optimising advertisers’ budget. According to the Chief Executive Officer, MFDAN, Emeka Okeke, CCS is the agency’s single source data system that houses an array of media insights, product consumption and behavioural attitudes that have effects on how consumers interact with media in relation to brand communication. Okeke at a media launch of CCS wave two, noted that since the inception of CCS in 2016, the tool had put the agency in articulated strategic position on how to connect better with consumers. He said the CCS Nigeria 2018 study was a groundbreaking study and communications planning tool for advertising, marketing and communications practitioners in
Nigeria, adding that the tool had shifted the paradigm of media strategy and planning within its network. He added that CCS Nigeria enhances its view of the local Nigerian media landscape, not only by media channel, but in providing a holistic consumer journey and media ecosystem in which brands could navigate so as to capitalise on better media choices in targeting their audiences. He stated that in developing consumer connection plans that best fits a brands’ objectives, CCS also provided insight into consumers’ mindsets when engaging with different media types or reaction variables to media. “CCS also allows us to shape the way we approach content across different target audiences. If for
example we identify that through CCS, 72 per cent of consumers expect advertising on social media to be entertaining and informative at the same time, this helps in guiding the media channels and creative direction required to achieve media best practices. “Activating a truly consumercentric approach in developing media strategy is now a reality for us and our clients. “2019 is going to be massive uplift. We will be moving into people-based data, which is personal identifiable data that will enable you not to target groups, but real persons. This data will help marketers to prioritise their investment. The extent to which the data will help advertisers, media owners and planners’ businesses will depend on how
flexible they are in listening to what their audiences want,� he explained. Similar to the first wave of CCS Nigeria, the 2018 survey covers urban adults 18+ SEC ABCD, and was designed to be a more robust research study with a wider coverage of key marketing cities of commercialisation including 20 key economically active cities, as opposed 9 cities previously covered, he added. “Furthermore, the sample size increased by approximately 45 per cent from n=6000+ to n=9000+. This new wave now includes a variety of category and brand usage questions including the alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages category, FMCG brands such as consumption of food, oil & gas usage, numerous technology
categories; just to mention a few. “Most importantly, the Outdoor Connection System (OCS) portion of the survey has been included to bring better precision in how OOH is planned and executed. With OCS we can not only measure recall on billboards, but also ascertain feelings, interactions and actions taken when consumers see advertising in the out of home environment. “With over 80+ media touchpoints covered at an individual, single-source level, CCS Nigeria enhances our view of the local Nigerian media landscape; not only by media channel, but in providing a holistic consumer journey and media ecosystem in which brands can navigate so as to capitalise on better media choices in targeting their audiences.�
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Ghana: Planting Economic Seeds for Future Prosperity Christine Lagarde This is the second day of my visit here in Ghana, and it is perhaps even more enjoyable than yesterday—because I continue to hear the word ‘ akwaaba.’ As you know, akwaaba is not just a simple ‘welcome;’ it is an expression of warmth and openness that allows visitors like myself to connect with Ghana at a deeper level. Add to this the benefits of political stability, a drive to build a better future, and the boundless creativity of the Ghanaian people, and you have a powerful mix of ingredients. A recipe that has been driving the economic wellbeing of this nation. These ingredients can also help drive Ghana’snext economic transformation. President Akufo-Addo described this vision with three words: Ghana beyond aid. The longer-term goal is to become a thriving emerging market economy—one that has the capacity to unlock the full potential of Ghanaians, young and old, rich and poor, here in Accra and across this nation. In many ways, this story began in the late 19th century when a blacksmith named Tetteh Quarshie brought the first cocoa beans into this country—hidden underneath his toolbox. By growing the first cocoa trees, Tetteh Quarshie helped usher in a new era—planting the seeds of what has become a diversified and fast-growing economy. That spirit is more important than ever to ensure Ghana’s future prosperity and to meet the challenges of the present—from reducing high debt, to boosting productivity, to creating opportunities for all. I am convinced that Ghana can achieve this next transformation by planting new economic seeds, especially fiscal and financial seeds. This is about growing a more resilient and more vibrant economy—a tree that will nourish future generations. This is what I would like to focus on today. 1. Economic Environment and Implications for Ghana Let us start with the key “environmental factors.� One is, of course, the changing global economic landscape. In October, the IMF cut its global growth forecast to 3.7 per cent for 2018 and 2019. And recent data from emerging markets and the euro area suggest that the momentum may have slowed even more than we had expected. This means that, after a good stretch of solid growth, the world is now facing a period where significant risks are materializing, and darker clouds are looming. For example, many developing economies are facing pressures from a stronger U.S. dollar, tightening financial market conditions, and increased trade tensions. On that point, the IMF has called on all countries to help de-escalate the current trade disputes. Fixing the global trade system and making it fit for the future will be essential. I am hopeful because there is an appetite to expand and improve trade, especially in this region. Think of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which Ghana has strongly supported, and which could boost intraAfrican trade by at least 50 per cent within five years. So, when it comes to trade, countries such as Ghana know that there is strength in unity. By expanding trade, economies in this region can boost growth and innovation, while delivering on the promise of creating new jobs with higher wages. This will be critical to keep up with a rapidly growing workforce. If Sub-Saharan Africa is to enjoy a demographic dividend— a prolonged period of high and inclusive growth—it would need to create an estimated 20 million jobs per year—which is one of the issues that we discussed at yesterday’s conference on the Future of Work. And yet, even as policymakers manage these challenges, they also need to address the decisive “environmental factor� —climate change. Here I am thinking of the livelihoods
Lagarde
of farmers, who will be affected by rising temperatures and more volatile weather patterns. I am also thinking of the rapidly expanding urban centers, and their potential impact on climate change. Over the next decade, many emerging and developing economies will likely see further increases in urbanization, and with that comes new infrastructure—worth trillions of dollars globally. The key is to avoid new projects that lock in carbon-intensive energy and transportation structures. It means building “greener� cities that can actually help us fight climate change. As Kofi Annan once put it: “The world is not ours to keep. We hold it in trust for future generations.� 2. Planting Economic Seeds With this in mind, let me focus on how Ghana can grow a more resilient and more vibrant economy. The good news is that, in many areas, sound policies are bearing fruit. Over the past two decades, extreme poverty levels have declined by more than two thirds; life expectancy has increased by 10 percent; and real per capita income has grown by more than 80 percent. But that is not the whole story. Over the past two years, Ghana has implemented bold policies to reach another set of milestones: Inflation has come down to single digits. There is a primary fiscal surplus for the first time in more than a decade. And strong growth—of about 7 percent—is expected over the medium-term, partly due to higher oil and gas production. These are remarkable achievements and a testament to Ghana’s immense potential. At the same time, vulnerabilities have continued to build up, including high levels of public debt, fiscal risks related to the energy sector, and vulnerabilities in the financial sector. Policymakers can meet these challenges by building on the progress made and by planting new seeds. a) Planting seeds to cope with nearterm vulnerabilities I would like to highlight some of these economic seeds—such as revenues, riskreduction, and resilience. What do I mean? First, there is room to generate higher public revenues to ensure sustainable priority spending, especially on education, and to reduce borrowing needs. Already, about 42 pesewa for every cedi collected by the government is used to service outstanding public debt. A first step is to broaden the tax base, reduce leakages, and streamline tax exemptions to make them more targeted. At the
same time, it is critical to avoid overspending—to maintain fiscal discipline—especially in election years. Second, there is room for risk-reduction in the energy sector. The goal is to further strengthen the finances of public energy companies through improved oversight and management and by reforming utility tariffs. Third, there is scope to increase the resilience of the financial system —where we have recently seen the closure and resolution of seven banks in 12 months. These were courageous steps to bolster financial stability and pave the way for greater financial inclusion. Now the focus is on addressing remaining weaknesses, including in the non-bank sector. The IMF has been working in partnership with Ghana on these and many other pressing issues—through policy advice, financial support when needed, and by providing hands-on training and capacity building. Going forward, the Fund remains deeply committed to Ghana—not just in addressing immediate challenges, but in planting the seeds of more durable and more widely shared prosperity. b) Planting seeds to foster durable and inclusive growth We know that Ghana has the potential to become a thriving, and more inclusive, emerging market economy. We also know that there is a policy roadmap—the Sustainable Development Goals—to support this transformation. Reaching key goals in such areas as health, education, and access to water is not an easy task. While responsibility for achieving the SDGs must begin with efforts by the public sector, it cannot end there. In particular, it requires a partnership with the private sector, domestic and foreign. It also requires a steadfast commitment to fairness, especially in countries with heavy debt burdens. Yes, the priority is to reduce non-essential spending to cut debt, but countries also need to maintain, or increase, essential social spending—investments in people. That spirit is reflected in Ghana’s decision to launch a free Senior High School program, which saw a 36 percent jump in student enrollment over the past year. Of course, Ghana is already, in many ways, a modern economy. When Google recently decided to open a research center for artificial intelligence in Accra—the first one in Africa—people were excited but not really surprised. Why? Because Ghana has a robust network of academic institutions as well as a growing number of innovative startups in various sectors—from fintech, to fashion, to
social media. And think of the vibrant film and music scenes that are resonating across the region and beyond. But there is always more work to be done. For example, Ghana can be proud of its relatively low gender gap in economic participation [3] —but there is room to improve women’s access to university education and leadership positions in public office. There is also room to lift productivity and reduce income inequality by scaling up infrastructure investment. Consider the enormous benefits of upgrading road networks in farming regions and modernizing ports and power plants. This requires high-quality projects that are based on sound management and transparent financing—which, in turn, is critical for debt sustainability, ‘value for money,’ and good governance. Which brings me to my final point—stepping up the fight against corruption. This is, in the words of President Akufo-Addo, “not a battle I can wage or win alone.� [4] The need for collective action—for joint responsibility—is reflected in a series of anticorruption initiatives led by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the Auditor General, and the Bank of Ghana—to name just a few. The stakes are high, not just here in Ghana but across the world. The annual cost of bribery alone is over $1.5 trillion— roughly 2 percent of global GDP. [5] And it is estimated that Africa is losing more than $50 billion a year through illicit financial outflows. [6] These funds should be put to better use— for education and healthcare, and to build stronger institutions that can help protect the public purse. That is why we need a stronger alliance among individual citizens, civil society, governments, and international institutions, including the IMF. Together we can wage and win this struggle, for the benefit of all. Conclusion Let me conclude with a quote from Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah: “ We face neither East nor West: we face forward.� Indeed, Ghana was the first African nation to gain independence; it was the first multiparty democracy; and now it is the first to lay out a bold vision of moving beyond aid. Today policymakers have an opportunity to face forward by addressing near-term vulnerabilities and fostering more durable and more widely shared prosperity. Today we are working in partnership to plant economic seeds and grow a tree that will nourish future generations. -Lagarde is the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
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Why Osinbajo Should Chair Council for Capital Market Masterplan Uche Uwaleke
It is no longer news that the Nigerian equities market, with a disappointing record of -18.84 per cent Year-to-Date return, was among the poor performing stock markets in the world last year. This partly explains the weak and non-inclusive real GDP growth witnessed in 2018. When the 10-year (2015–2025) Capital Market Master Plan (CMMP) was launched in November 2014, it was meant to harness the potentials of the market in catalysing economic growth and development. Consistent with the CMMP, the Securities and Exchange Commission has undertaken a raft of initiatives to enhance transparency and boost investors’ confidence notable among which are the establishment of a National Investors Protection Fund meant to cushion the adverse effect of losses suffered in the stock market and encourage domestic retail investors, the e-Dividend Mandate Management System (eDMMS) developed to minimize cases of unclaimed dividends by enabling direct payment of investors’ dividends into their nominated bank accounts and the Direct Cash Settlement scheme which ensures that investors receive their money directly whenever securities are sold. Others include the corporate governance scorecard for companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange designed to foster good governance practices by public companies as well as the recapitalization of capital market operators aimed at improving their baseline infrastructure and service delivery which has gone a long way in curbing sharp practices in the market. As a complement, the NSE has implemented minimum operating standards for market operators as well as launched the Premium Board which offers issuers the benefits of greater visibility and opportunities to raise capital. In addition, physical share certificates have been fully converted into electronic form in what is known as dematerialisation of share certificates. Also, activities in the non-interest capital market space are beginning to gain traction especially with the introduction of sukuk. Furthermore, information obtained from the SEC website indicate that as part of efforts to boost capital market literacy, the Commission, in conjunction with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), is walking the talk concerning the inclusion of capital market studies in the curriculum of both Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Despite these giant strides, the journey to making the Nigerian capital market ‘one of the largest, most liquid, most diversified and most sophisticated emerging markets by 2025’ seems very far. The market is still shallow and concentrated and yet to be properly positioned to support Nigeria’s economic priorities. The flagship securities exchange, the NSE, is small compared to most emerging markets. Many of the systemically important corporations such as the International Oil and Telecom companies are not listed on the stock exchange and so it is easy to see why the market fails as a barometer for measuring economic performance. Moreover, the performance of the equities market remains tied to the apron-string of foreign investors who often dictate the pace of market activity. This has left the market vulnerable to
Marina
external shocks. In fact, there is a consensus among market players that the dismal performance of the stock market in 2018 has a lot to do with the exit of foreign portfolio investors. Against the backdrop of its outstanding performance in 2017 when the return was in excess of 40 per cent, it is evident that volatility in the stock market is more pronounced in Nigeria than elsewhere in Africa. Some major initiatives in the CMMP to create stability in the market, boost domestic participation and enhance its contribution to the nation’s economy include establishing a National Savings Strategy, reducing the tax burden for listed companies, promoting capital market participation in the listing of government-owned firms as well as granting incentives for companies in
The plan was adopted as a national project with support from the highest levels of government. The Prime Minister championed its implementation. Not surprisingly, market size nearly tripled from US$186 billion in 2000 to US$517 billion by 2010. The success of the plan paved way for the launch of a second master plan currently being implemented till 2020
priority sectors to get listed. Others include establishing specialized funds to support critical economic sectors as well as incentivizing venture capital and private equity. All of these will entail proactive and sustained engagement with the Executive and the Legislature. In recognition of this therefore, the implementation architecture includes a Capital Market Master Plan Implementation Council (CAMMIC) currently led by Mr Tola Mobolurin, a seasoned professional who commands a lot of respect within and outside the capital market community. However, in view of the pivotal role of CAMMIC in fast tracking the implementation of the CMMP including through interfacing with senior government officials, it stands to reason that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who heads the Economic Team, is better positioned to lead the CAMMIC. In many jurisdictions with success stories in capital market plan execution, the implementation Council or Committee as the case may be is led by the Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister with membership drawn from very top government officials most of whom report to the President. A few examples will suffice. In Kenya, a high-level Committee (CMMP-SC) championing the implementation of the Capital Market Master Plan is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary National Treasury (the equivalent of a Finance Minister). Other members of the CMMP-SC include the Attorney General, Cabinet Secretary Agriculture, Cabinet Secretary Mining, the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, the CEO of the Capital Markets Authority among other top government officials. Sri Lanka shares a similar experience where the Capital Market Advisory Council is the key driver and is chaired by the Secretary to the Sri Lankan Treasury with the Governor of Sri Lanka Central Bank as a member. The case of Malaysia is quite instructive. The country developed and launched its first 10-year (2001–2010) capital
market master plan in 2001. The plan was adopted as a national project with support from the highest levels of government. The Prime Minister championed its implementation. Not surprisingly, market size nearly tripled from US$186 billion in 2000 to US$517 billion by 2010. The success of the plan paved way for the launch of a second master plan currently being implemented till 2020. Back home, ownership of the CMMP at the highest level will equally pay off. To this end, the 12-member CAMMIC which comprises the DG SEC, Deputy Governor (financial System Stability) of CBN, DG PENCOM, CEO of the NSE, Chairmen of the capital market committees of both chambers of the National Assembly and some other distinguished Nigerians should be expanded to include the Ministers of Finance, Justice, Budget & National Planning, Industry, Trade & Investment and Education. By so doing, it is easier to obtain the buy-in of the Federal Executive Council. That said, a key priority in forging ahead should be to include CMMP as an integral part of the government’s economic recovery and growth agenda especially given the fact that the capital market received no mention in the ERGP. It bears repeating that the successful implementation of the CMMP hinges on support from the government hence the need to have somebody operating at the highest level as head of CAMMIC. To this end, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the Chairman of the National Economic Council and who has been successfully piloting the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, should also be saddled with the responsibility of championing advocacy for major initiatives contained in the capital market master plan. -Uwaleke, of Nasarawa State University Keffi is Nigeria’s first Professor of Capital Market and the President of the Association of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria
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Statisticians Move to Measure Illicit Financial Flows Accounting of trade and financial flows is easier when the money is legitimate. But how do you measure the impact of illicit financial flows when the cash is technically invisible or deliberately hidden? A joint workshop to help Latin American countries delve into these murky waters – and measure them – was held by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UNCTAD in Mexico City recently. “Statisticians are required to measure illicit financial flows, but it is a huge challenge,� said UNCTAD’s head of statistics and information, Steve MacFeely. The regional technical meeting on measuring illicit financial flows related to criminal activities focused on target 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator 16.4.1. Participants from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Panama discussed how countries can best integrate or reconcile the measurement of criminal and illicit flows – and the off-book sub-economies they create – with their national accounts and balance of payments. Subject matter experts also attended from Italy, Indonesia and international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Transcrime.
Accounting for crime The meeting focused on criminal activities such as illegal drug production and trafficking and prostitution. “The Italian case was fascinating. They have incorporated illegal drugs and prostitution into their national accounts,� MacFeely said. “The main lesson was that this was not easy to do, but that it can be done,� he said, adding that it may be possible to adapt a similar approach for other types of illicit activities. One approach the meeting considered is the development of a criminal activity satellite account. “This would provide a framework linked to the central accounts and would help statisticians to focus on specific criminal activities in the context of the wider national accounts,� Mr. MacFeely added. Participants worked through several case studies, covering drug trafficking and smuggling, to understand how criminal supply chain should be captured in the national accounts.
understand the distinction between income generation operations and income management operations. “This means distinguishing between the criminal activities that generate the income and the subsequent activities to manage that income, for example, investments,� he said. Organized crime is increasingly using digital avenues to facilitate trade and manage incomes. One issue discussed is whether crypto-currencies are an important facilitator of illicit financial flows. “No-one quite knows the impact of crypto-currencies on illegal economies, this will probably need to be addressed in the coming years,� MacFeely noted.
Digital crime
Doubling up
An essential aspect of this work was to
Another consideration for the group
was how to understand illicit flows in the context of the legitimate national economy and how to avoid double-counting. “Double counting is always an issue,� said MacFeely. “Particularly where the ‘goods’, in this case drugs, are transiting through several countries and may be altered at each stage.� “There can be double counting when we compare imports and exports of different countries, but also when we compare intermediate production and final consumption.�
Hitting SDG targets The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations blueprint adopted by countries in 2015 to address
social, economic and environmental problems and iniquities, depends on reliable measurement. “These flows need to be accounted for and understood so we can understand progress towards targets in the 2030 Agenda and inform policies to help achieve that,� said MacFeely. The 17 SDGs are the core of the 2030 Agenda, and SDG 16 focuses on peace, justice and strong institutions. Target 4 of SDG 16 calls for illicit financial and arms flows to be “significantly reduced�. It also aims to strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets, and combat all forms of organized crime, with the goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.
NERC Names Four DisCos With 50% Metering of Consumers The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), has named four out of 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) in the country that have metered up to 50 per cent of customers under their franchise areas. NERC in its 2018 second quarter report published on its website also revealed that only about 45 per cent out of the total 7,476,856 registered customers had been metered by the 11 DisCos. “It is evident that only four DisCos, namely Abuja, Benin, Eko and Port-Harcourt have metered not less than 50 per cent of their registered customers as at the end of the second quarter of 2018,� the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the stated to have explained. According to NERC, of the total 7,973,867,registered active electricity customers, only 3,547,129 have been metered. NERC said 55.5 per cent of end-use
customers were still on estimated billing methodology. It said in comparison to the preceding quarter, the number of registered customers increased by 9.32 per cent, while the metered customers increased by 3.3 per cent. NERC said the increase in registered customer population was as a result of the ongoing customer enumeration exercise by DisCos. The commission said the exercise had helped DisCos to properly register individuals who have previously consumed electricity through illegal connection to the networks. It, however, said in spite of growth inthe number of metered customer total meters deployed by DisCos during the quarter was significantly lower than the expected quarterly metering deployment under the performance agreement. “Whereas the performance agreement with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE)
envisaged deployments of 1,640,411 per annum, that is quarterly average of 410,103, only 113,126 meters were installed by DisCos during the period under review.’’ It listed the metering status of electricity customers by DisCos in the quarter to include: Kano 20 per cent, Yola 21 per cent, Kaduna 28 per cent, Jos 35 per cent. Enugu 35 per cent. Others are, Ibadan 43 per cent, Ikeja 49 per cent, Eko 50 per cent, Abuja 54 per cent, Benin 64 per cent, and Port-Harcourt 68 per cent respectively. On customers complaints, NERC said DisCos nationwide received a total of 153,227 complaints as against 108,871 complaints received in the first quarter of 2018. It said the proportion of the number of complaints resolved by DisCos reduced to 61.2 per cent from the 66.9 per cent recorded in the first quarter “Benin DisCo had the
highest number of complaints followed by Ikeja DisCo, on the other hand, Yola DisCo recorded the lowest number of complaints. “Yola, Kano, Jos and Abuja DisCos, recorded a higher rate of over 90 per cent of complaints resolved, reflecting better performance in dealing with customer complaints compared to other distribution companies.’’ The Commission said the customer complaints centered on service interruption, poor voltage, load shedding, metering, estimated billing, disconnection, delayed connection, among others. “Majority of the DisCos received huge number of complaints on each of the afore-mentioned key issues.’’ NERC howeve,r said Jos and Kano DisCos received just one complaint each on load shedding, while Jos and Yola DisCos had one complaint each on delayed
connection. It said metering and billing still dominate the customer complaints, resulting in 68 per cent of the total complaints received during the period under review. “This implies that on average, about 1,152 customers complained about metering and billing per day. “Another issue of serious concern is service interruption, accounting for 14 per cent of the total customer complaints received.’’ It said at the end of the quarter under review, the commission had established 25 forum offices across the country for effective adjudication of customer complaints. On market remittance, NERC said the liquidity challenge in the Nigerian electricity supply industry continued to manifest during the period under review. This it said was evidenced in the DisCos’ level of remittances of electricity invoice for energy received
to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) and the Market Operato (MO). “During the second quarter of 2018, the DisCos were issued a total invoice of N161.4billion for energy received from NBET and for the administrative services by MO. “But only a sum of N53.7 billion of the invoice was settled, creating a total deficit of N107.7 billion.’’ It said a comparative analysis of market performance by DisCos in the second quarter of 2018 indicated an overall settlement rate of only 30 per cent of the market invoice. According to NERC, none of the DisCos exceeded a threshold settlement of 50 per cent of its market invoices in the quarter . It said Jos DisCo recorded the worst remittance performance of 10 per cent, adding that the commission was presently reviewing the viability of the DisCO as a going concern.
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BUSINESSWORLD
DEVELOPMENT
Embracing Farming Ugo Aliogo in this report writes about a young agriculture entrepreneur who has embraced farming as a career path and is making remarkable breakthrough The craving for white collar jobs among the younger generation is natural because of the glitz and glamour that comes with it. For a large section of the millennial, the desire to go into farming is not an option in sight. Farming is seen as crude and dirty. But for a few, it is different. For these set of people, farming is a career path. It is a source of livelihood. Though as a business, it does not come with quick wins, and breakthrough stories. But there are those with proven results and successes have their stories to share. Michael Olanismi is one individual who has taken this somewhat unusual career path, abandoning the lush glories and promises of white collar job. He is a man driven by passion for agriculture. His farming career began early in life, when he started farming with his parents. Despite the unpleasant nature of peasant farming in the country, Olanismi’s desire was to own big farm in the future. At the age of eight, he decided to own his farm, whilst working in his parents. He realised that his parents had tough times on the farm because they didn’t have enough money to embark on large scale farming. “I started having my own farm aside my parent’s farm since I was age 8. I believed my parents had tough times on the farm because they don’t have money for large scale farming and I believe if I go to school, get educated, do big businesses and get money, I can be a very successful and happy farmer. “So after three years of running several small scale businesses, I decided to kick start my dream to own a farm,� he noted. In a bid to pursue his dream, he proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to study food science and technology, a new wave of opportunity which he hoped would give him advance his knowledge on how to carry out the farming practices better. After the University Education, he pursued a degree in degree in business information system in Malaysia. Beyond farming, he is also passionate about entrepreneurship. This led him to participate in at the agro-processing and value-chain training sponsored by the Bank of Industry in 2016. He was also one of the emerging entrepreneurs selected and trained by the U.S. Consulate Lagos and FSD VTE in year 2017. He was also selected for Adansonia Entrepreneurship programme for emerging entrepreneurs in Africa by Bocconi University, Milan, Italy in 2017. In 2018, he was selected for YALI West Africa Regional Leadership Programme. Also, in 2018, he became a member of the Commonwealth open leadership center. To further his dreams, in 2016, he cofounded of Modate Farms with Mercy Ajifola. They specialise in the production of essential vegetables such as bell pepper, scotch bonnet, okra and tomatoes. They chose these crops because they are not usually grown around his location despite being consumed daily. “Growing up, I used to believe our soil type cannot grow these crops but I was surprised that they can actually do well here, so I decided to start my farm venture from there. I also do little of cassava due to its popularity here, available market and people to process for me. “I look forward to establishing large scale greenhouse farming once I am able to raise enough funds for it. “I am still in the zone of small scale farming because I still cultivate less than five acres. Nevertheless, I have expanded since the past three years. I started with dry season vegetable on one plot of land in 2016 and in 2018 in partnership with Mercy Ajifola another passionate agripreneurs Modate Farms did more than
three acres,� he noted. He further noted that as a Small Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs), access to capital is not easy, because of the bottlenecks involved. According to him: “I have attended two Bank of Industry (BOI) sponsored training, but I will have to build capacity, before I will be fit for such loan. Loan from commercial banks is not advisable for a start-up farmer. The easiest form of funding is the Bank of Agriculture, (BOA) “If you can present a viable idea, you can get loan without collateral and with relatively low interest rate. Shortly after the emerging entrepreneur training in 2017, I was able to secure a small loan from BOA to expand my vegetable farm. “The market is everywhere, peppers and tomatoes are everyday need so it is easy to get market women from the nearest market to our produce. There are larger markets around when the volume is large for example Shasha market in Akure.� One of the most frustrating challenges they have encountered so far is access to quality seeds and agrochemicals. In 2017, they recorded a huge loss due to bad seeds and also early in 2018, they
Despite agriculture being the main occupation in most of the communities in the state, government in the state don’t consider constructing or maintaining farm roads which I believe will have greater social and economic impacts than most of their capital projects
encountered a setback when a weed killer malfunctioned. After rigorous research, they have been able to locate reliable sources for the right seeds and chemicals. They get most of their seeds now from National Horticulture Research Center (NIHORT) Ibadan, Oyo State. They realised that not all farmers in the country can always travel to Ibadan to get good seeds. Therefore, they are currently working on an ecommerce project that would be selling only farm inputs, equipment and materials, “so that other young people who want to venture into farming will not experience the same challenge.� He said: “With the support of my partner and co-founder, we launched a community development initiative termed Secured Africa Initiative. Through this foundation, we enrol some out of school young boys and girls to engage work on the farm for one year. “A certain percentage of the proceeds of the farm are used for empowering the beneficiaries. And they also get monthly stipend during that year. “During the scheme, the beneficiaries learn new skills and we help them start-up in their new business at the end of the year. Due to low start-up income, we were only able to engage three people last year. “If we are able to get sponsors and investors, we plan to involve and empower at least 20 participants each year. With the involvement of these participants and other casual and contract labour, we were able to achieve stability on the farm despite the early setback. “The participants helped in monitoring the farm work. The low use of irrigation in this country is a very big opportunity for people to invest in. Production of vegetables during dry season is very profitable, although it is capital intensive due to cost of setting up irrigation facilities, but you can quickly get back your capital within a short time. “We tried to do some fund raising last year to do irrigation, but could not meet up. I hope we are able to secure fund this year to setup our irrigation facilities.� Despite the early setbacks during planting, they were still able to break even in 2018 owing to the fact that their major harvest was able to escape glut and sold
at relatively good prices.
Making Agriculture Attractive If government needs to make agriculture attractive for investment, Olanismi noted that there is need to identify passionate youths and support them. He also noted that there are many young people equally passionate about making impact in the agriculture sector. He explained that if government provides support for me in terms of land, finance, training and mentorship, he can provide jobs for more than 2000 youths that he would engage in different stages of the agriculture value chain. He argued that if the government can focus on identifying passionate agri-preneurs, then it would provide opportunity to build ventures that would employ thousands of other young people and give them the income security they want. Olanismi urged government to also implement policies that regulate the prices of crops in the country, adding that farmers are suffering because the government is not really concerned about their welfare. He added that if prices are regulated and distribution channels are well supported to minimise waste, the agriculture sector would be more attractive for investment. According to Olanismi: “I will rate the ease of doing farm business here in Ondo State as average. You can easily secure farmland especially if you go through a local who can link you up with land owners. “I don’t know of reputable agents who can help acquire parcels of land for farming. I have access to as many hectares of land as I need because I situate my farm at my home town of Ifon, Ose Local Government Area, Ondo state. “The buyers in the market can be frustrating especially when there is glut. Lack of government regulations make it worse. Lack of good road network is another major challenge to farming in Ondo state. “Despite agriculture being the main occupation in most of the communities in the state, government in the state don’t consider constructing or maintaining farm roads which I believe will have greater social and economic impacts than most of their capital projects.�
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Giving Oyo Communities Facelift The Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency in conjunction with the World Bank is extending succour to many helpless communities in Oyo, Ugo Aliogo writes For many rural communities in Oyo State hitherto deprived of many social amenities such as electricity supply, medical centres, bridges, motorable roads, classrooms, potable water, among others, better times are here as the state Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) in conjunction with the World Bank has been extending developmental projects to their areas. The agency in the current phase offered by the World Bank in its additional financing extended to Oyo and it is billed to cover 2015-2020, dotted rural communities in Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun upper areas of the state. A recent visit to Ogbere, Anuoluwapo, in Ona Ara Local Government, in Oyo Alaafin; Sakilap and Wewe in Saki areas revealed that people have started feeling the impacts of the water, electricity and roads projects undertaken in the area by the agency. Power supply particularly exited many communities when light was either restored or newly brought to those who for decades were in darkness. In most of the communities, dwellers, even the house owners were massively moving out because of decades without light, high level of insecurity and lack of basic amenities. The General Manager of the Agency, Mr. Adewole Babatunde, who led journalists to the numerous projects implemented by the communities through the support of the Agency of the Oyo State Government, CSDA with the World Bank assisted fund across the state, described the intervention as timely for the people of the affected areas. Babatunde said many communities across the state have benefited from the gesture and the agency wish to do more for development of the rural communities in the state. He said the communities set up a committee called CSDP, headed by an elder in the community and appointed a chairman, secretary and treasurer to oversee the project. “What we did was to provide financial support for the communities. We asked them to provide 10 percent of the overall cost of the project and we raised the balance to fund the project. It is a counterpart funding by the Oyo state government and the World Bank to bring development to the rural communities,� Babatunde noted. Among the areas people benefited included: classrooms, electrification, water, community halls, bridges, roads, drainages and health centres. Babatunde said: “As you can see in Isale Odo and Kishi in Irepo local government area, the community installed 500KVA Transformer and Extended Electricitrification, coupled with Completion of Community Hall, and Drilling of two Motorised Borehole. “The people of Surulere Community, Sakilap, Weewe Local Council Development Area (LCDA) also benefited from electrification after many years of neglect with two unit motorised borehole and health center in their community. “In Ajaawa, and Oosu, Ayigbiri communities of the state, CSDA also funded construction of examination hall, implemented by Omo Obate Community Project Management Committee (CPMC) at Baptist Grammar School, Ajaawa and a block of science laboratory at Community High School, Oosu, Ayigbiri, all in Ogbomoso axis of the state. In Saki West Local Government area of the state, we supported construction of health centre and bridges for Elegbo
Ajimobi
community for betterment of livelihood.� He further noted that some areas in Ibadan, the residents also benefited from the projects because there are areas where people were living in darkness before the intervention. According to him, the areas in Ibadan include; Ogbere and Anuoluwapo communities in Ona-ara local government of Ibadan the Oyo state capital where people were living in black out for over five years before intervention of the CSDA. Residents in those communities appreciated the gesture and promised to maintain the projects for future generations to benefit from it. A resident of Isale-Odo in Saki area, Jimoh Tiyamiyu, said: “The commitment of the community towards electrification of the community was just 10 percent of the total amount spent on the whole projects. We choose electricity as a result of the necessity of power to us, we also demanded for water and completion of our ongoing community
These projects will boost the economic and livelihood of this community because some business has already been folding up as a result of the low current of light and nonavailability of water in the community, but we are able to overcome this problems through this intervention
hall project. “These projects will boost the economic and livelihood of this community because some business has already been folding up as a result of the low current of light and non-availability of water in the community, but we are able to overcome this problems through this intervention.� Another resident of Saki, Pastor Lawrence Bamgbopa, who said the community was in black out for many years noted that they converged at a community meeting and they resolved that they needed health center which was constructed for them. “Before now, we had a problem of Health facility. The one we are using before was not adequate enough, and its location is very far and that is why the community requested for another one. We rented an apartment which serve as our health center before, and there is no enough space to admit patient because the place was not convenient.� For the residents of Ajaawa, it was a classroom for their children, a Pastor Thomas Adunole said the intervention has eased a lot of stress in the community in terms of the academic welfare of their children. “The one our children were using before was a death trap to our students. We have been trying all our best to resolve this issue and luckily, CSDP came to our aids and relieved us of this challenges which was a great relief. CSDP also built a science laboratory for us at Community Grammar School, to allow our students to have access to quality and practically science learning and hopefully, a motorized bore hole will also be giving to us at the completion of these two projects. “This projects has been denying our students to write their exam in this school as a result of inadequate examination hall, we used to dispatched our students to a neighbouring schools to sit for their WAEC exam, we were told unless we have a good examination hall, our students will not be allow to do their WAEC examination here in this school because of the bad condition
of our exam hall and rain that use to disturb our students while writing their exam,� Adunole. The Chairman of CSDP Kajola Local Government, Mr. Tajudeen Ogummodede, said over 30 houses are benefiting from the water project constructed in the area. Another resident, Kehinde Ojerinu said they have had water supply challenge in the community before now, adding that the water they consumed before CSDP came to their aids was full of germs due to dirty because people dumped refuse into it. He said: “But today, we now have quality water supply at our door step through the intervention of CSDP. Everything has changed because our people now have access to quality water as a result of the water project put in place by CSDP.� In Sepeteri, Nofisat Adebola, the Secretary of Community Project Monitoring Committee told journalists that water has been a major problem in the area. He said the issue of water before this project was put in place was their major problem. He also stated that people used to fetch water from a river called Akindi, and the river was contaminated because people dump their refuse and defecate in it. He added: But since the intervention of CSDP, our problem has been resolved. The water project has resolved the issue of diseases contacted by the people through the contaminated water they consumed from the stream and they are now living a healthy life.� In Isale-Odo Community, Irepodun Local Government, Kishi a resident, Alhaji Busari Agorobogunbolu, told journalists that everybody has benefited immensely from all these projects, “it has been a while we have been suffering from quality water, light and the completion of our ongoing town hall project but the intervention of CSDP has ease our suffering.� Speaking of the maintenance of the project, Salaudeen Sikiru Elemesi said: “we charged, N20 per keg for the maintenance of the motorised boreholes so that we could use it for many years.�
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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325
Giant Step towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage The recent launch of the second National Strategic Health Development Plan and the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund has inched Nigeria closer towards achieving Universal Health Coverage. Martins Ifijeh writes
Stakeholders at the presidential launch of BHCPF and NSHDP II
I
n a sector often known for churning out some of the worst indices on maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition status, human capital development and disease prevention, there seems to be a glimmer of hope with the launch of the second National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) and the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund (BHCPF). The launch, which was done by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja last Tuesday, has again brought to the fore the need for Nigeria to move speedily towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as several grounds have been lost due to lack of political will to address issues around the health of citizens. Funding Healthcare On specifics, the second NSHDP is the country’s five years policy road map from 2018 to 2022 that would ensure overall improvement of the health of Nigerians through five strategic pillars and 15 priority areas. The pillars include enabling environment for attainment of health sector goals, increased utilisation of essential package of health services, strengthening health systems and protection from health emergencies as well as health financing. On the other hand, the BHCPF is a fund allocation to cater for the basic healthcare needs of all Nigerians. In the 2018 budget, the federal government allocated one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, amounting to N55.17, to drive it. Development partners like the Global Financing Facility of the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have also contributed to the purse. While the two programmes by the federal government will no doubt move Nigeria towards achieving UHC through provision of basic and quality healthcare to Nigerians, the official roll out done by Buhari has put concrete steps on ground to ensure every Nigerian, especially the poor, truly access healthcare the way they should. As a collective effort to address Nigeria’s poor healthcare indices and improve human capital development, the Nigerian government, the World Bank Group and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have jointly committed $180 million to fund Universal Health Coverage through BHCPF.
Speaking during the launch, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewale said with the funds already on ground, the implementation of the programme has kicked off. Adewale said the federal government has started the release of its allocated N57.15 billion for the fund, while the World Bank’s Global Finance Facility has released N$20 million, and the BMGF has released $1.5 million out of the $2 million it pledged. He said: ‘This fund means Nigerians will be entitled to free antenatal care, free delivery, and free caesarian sessions. It also covers for diabetes and hypertension screening, as well as free treatment for malaria and tuberculosis tests. “We are particularly happy for this launch because this will benefit poor Nigerians who are quite disadvantaged. The health indicator for the rich in Nigeria is not different from what is seen in developed countries. So this will go a long way in improving the healthcare of poor Nigerians, and by extension improve human capital development. “We have worked on the national health policy, developed the national health strategic plan and the BHCPF. We are now starting a brand new journey to ensure we expand access to every nook and cranny of the country.” He assured Nigerians that the funds will not be mismanaged, as it will be sent directly to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), where they will be disbursed to states where they
This fund means Nigerians will be entitled to free antenatal care, free delivery, and free caesarian sessions. It also covers for diabetes and hypertension screening, as well as free treatment for malaria and tuberculosis
are needed. “To ensure accountability, we have also agreed with our contributors that they can audit the account anytime they want,” he added. Health as Top Priority Launching the fund, Buhari said one of his cardinal promises was to make health of Nigerians top priority, adding that it was time to focus more on the people living in rural areas. Buhari who was represented by the Minister for Budget and Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said the launch of both BHCPF and the Second National Strategic Health Development Plan (2018-2022) was part of the health sector’s agenda to achieve universal health coverage. He said: “I had in January, 2017, also flagged off the Primary Health Care Revitalisation Programme in Kuchingoro to kick-start the plan of having 10,000 functional primary healthcare facilities with at least one functional health facility in every political ward in the country. “Our effort at revitalising the PHCs is to ensure that quality basic healthcare service is delivered to majority of Nigerians irrespective of their location in the country. We shall focus more on the people living in the rural areas and the vulnerable population in our society such as women, children under five years of age and the elderly in collaboration with national and international partners. “One of the main objectives of our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is investing in our people. Our administration in recognition of this, provided N55 billion, the one per cent CRF to cater for the BHCPF in fulfillment of the National Health Act, 2014. “International partners such as the World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and USAID are also contributing to the Fund. The brand name for this programme is “HUWE” meaning life.” According to him, the BHCPF will provide the sustainable fiscal space healthcare and will increase the human capital base of our economy. “We must recognise that UHC is a destination and Nigeria is putting in place processes to achieve it. I am told that very strict accountability and transparency mechanisms have been put in place to ensure there is no corruption in the use of the funds. The first phase of the roll out is what we are
launching here today in the six states and the FCT. All other states will benefit from the fund as they fulfill the laid down criteria for accessing the fund.” He also emphasised that providing quality, affordable healthcare to Nigerians devoid of financial hardship was in alignment with the agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that they promised to provide succor to the poor while at the same time providing for all other segments of the society. He said: “I am aware that out of pocket payment for health constitute over 70 per cent of total health expenditure in Nigeria. Our vision is to reverse this ugly situation and promote shared prosperity. The two main game changers for achieving Universal Health Coverage is a functioning Primary Health Care System and a mandatory Universal Health Insurance Scheme.” He also said the government was providing money through the Saving One Million Lives Performance for Result Initiative to states to improve their performance on health. “The presentation of the cheques here to high performing states today is a testament of our resolve to improve the health indices in our country and encourage competitiveness among the states by paying for performance.” The six beneficiary states are Niger, Osun, Abia, Katsina, Edo, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory. World Bank Involvement Giving his keynote speech, the Country Director, World Bank, Nigeria, Rachid Benmassaoud, said the launch of the fund was a step in the right direction, adding that with the latest World Bank Human Capital Index recently released, Nigeria needs to do more to improve the health and nutrition of its people as part of plans to change the human capital narrative. Benmassaoud, who was represented by the Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist, World Bank, Khairy Al-Jamal said: “I am particularly glad that the BHCPF and the Second National Strategic Health Development Plan will help in moving Nigeria towards universal health coverage. “One thing is key, the accountability framework of this scheme is strong, so we are optimistic that this will help improve health indices in Nigeria,” he said
T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
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HEALTH
Ethiopia Ex-minister: Nigeria’s Quest for $300M Will Bridge Malaria Funding Gap Dr. KeseteAdmasu is the former Minister of Health, Ethiopia, and the current Chief Executive Officer, Roll Back Malaria Partnership to End Malaria. In this exclusive interview with Martins Ifijeh, he said Nigeria’s quest for $300 million will help bridge substantial malaria funding gaps in 13 states of the country. He also spoke on other ways of addressing malaria burden globally. Excerpts: In your last interview with THISDAY, you mentioned Nigeria has a huge funding gap in the fight against malaria. But the government responded that it was doing its best and that it would meet the year 2030 deadline. What is your take on this? Nigeria has the highest burden of malaria worldwide. The challenges to overcome, including the funding objectives, are significant, so it is very encouraging to see Nigeria working hard to try and resolve the funding gap in the fight against malaria. In fact, the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership is providing technical assistance to the government of Nigeria in its effort to mobilise 300 million dollars from the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank. If these resources are made available, it will help bridge the substantial gaps in 13 states in Nigeria. It is important that government in all countries remain accountable and bridge the funding gaps so that they can better serve the most vulnerable. What is the consequence of the present stalled progress in the fight against Malaria? After years of unprecedented progress since the year 2000, we have started to see stalling of progress in the fight against malaria over the last two years. This should serve as a wakeup call and warrants an urgent response. Otherwise, with flat lining of funding, complacency, and population growth, we will not be able to meet the ambitious 2030 goals. This means the most vulnerable communities, women and children, and the poor will continue to suffer from the consequences of malaria. As malaria is the disease of poverty, communities will be trapped in poverty because of lack of progress in the fight against the scourge. In short, as history teaches us, unless we take a decisive action now, the risk of reversal of the massive gains we have in the fight against malaria is real and it is the poor and most vulnerable communities who will pay the highest price. Therefore, we must continue the effort to protect hard-earned progress and reignite the pace of progress toward our goal of ending malaria. What is the role of RBM in the fight against this burden? The 500+ members of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria are committed to working together to turn the tide back towards our global goal to end malaria. The fight against malaria needs renewed vigour. ‘Business as usual’ is no longer
an option when it comes to fighting malaria. We need better data, closer coordination among partners on the ground, and new and improved tools that will help us counter emerging resistance and other threats. By working together as the RBM Partnership, it is more likely that this will be achieved. We strongly believe the “high burden” response’s aggressive new approach, supported by the entire RBM Partnership, will jumpstart progress against malaria and builds on a year of renewed attention to the malaria fight. You were once a Minister of Health in Ethiopia. You know the challenges faced by health ministries across Africa in achieving healthcare goals. What advice would you give to various governments and their health ministries in the fight against public health issues like malaria? Achieving healthcare goals in any country requires political commitment and country ownership. It is of paramount importance to make sure that countries and specially governments are on the driving seat to define the public health priorities and strategies which fit the specific context of each country. So, my advice is simple, define your priorities, own and lead the strategies, form a guiding coalition across governments (both national and sub-national) and societies, and focus on results. With such high stakes, it is critical that all parts of society come together to help beat the disease. Government and health ministries are essential for making high level decisions and investment, and so we must ensure that those at the highest levels are engaged with the fight to ensure that the 2030 malaria goals are met. Considering that Nigeria constitutes 27 per cent of the global burden, don’t you think the country needs increased attention from the likes of RBM, philanthropic organisations and development partners in the fight against malaria? For the world to meet its 2030 malaria goals, Nigeria and other high burden countries have to make massive improvements in the fight against malaria. The new “High burden to high impact” response plan recognises the need to provide additional support to the 11 countries (that contribute to 70 per cent of the global malaria burden) with the highest burden of malaria, including Nigeria. With urgent action being taken by the highest burden countries,
Adamsu
supporting their efforts is critical to protecting hard-earned progress and accelerating toward our goal of ending malaria. Governments, research, philanthropic, business and non-government organisation partners are stepping up their shared commitment to support the communities and countries most affected by malaria. Over the last year, several initiatives to provide increased support to high burden countries such as Nigeria have been implemented, including: 53 leaders of the Commonwealth pledged to halve malaria in the Commonwealth by 2023; $4.1B pledged by global leaders to advance the malaria fight (R&D for strong pipeline of new tools); eight countries across the Sahel launched the Sahel Malaria Elimination Initiative committing to share best practices and resources; 16 countries committed new resources and cross-border collaboration; “Zero Malaria Starts with Me”, a grassroots campaign that empowers people to take responsibility for ending malaria, launched
across Africa with support from the African Union and the RBM Partnership Many Nigerians do not like using long lasting insecticide treated nets. Are there other options? This year’s World malaria report shows that we are seeing more people at risk of malaria being protected by insecticide treated bed nets, with a rise in both household ownership and use of ITNs. Key to this has been finding ways to improve efficiency and deliver more bed nets and other life- saving commodities than ever before. Although we still have a way to go in reaching the target for universal coverage, increased access to this core tool is an encouraging step. Nigerians should embrace this life saving tool, and encourage their families, friends and neighbours to use them too, as they are simple method to protect yourself and your family from malaria.
HIV: Infants’ Survival Rate Now Above 90% ASLM Harps On Diagnostic Gap, Partners Ȋ Ĵȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱŘŖřŖȱ Africa CDC The survival and life expectancy rate of infants who have tested positive to the HIV/AIDS virus has been increased to over 90 per cent, thereby increasing Nigeria’s chances of achieving the global 2030 targets, which are expected to bring the epidemic to a considerable halt. So far, Nigeria has been able to achieve only 24 per cent of UNAIDS’ 90:90:90 goals which stands for knowing of status, treatment and ensuring that treatment works and transmission is reduced. Global Product Director for HIV and TB, Abbott, Dr. Rachel O’Shea who stated this at the just concluded African Science Laboratory Medicine conference in Abuja, said Abbott’s m-PIMA HIV-1/2 Detect technology allows
fast, accurate testing for exposed infants, providing same-day results at the point of care and enabling early ART initiation to the infants who require treatment, thereby reducing child mortality, a key goal of the SDGs and other health and development agendas. According to O’Shea, this new technology, which has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), has proven to improve patient care and has the ability to detect the presence of HIV in babies born with the virus. She added that Nigeria was one of the countries that still has a long way to go in reaching the standard, noting that only 24 per cent of babies have the opportunity to be tested to know their status.
O’Shea stated that Abbott was known for its HIV test kit, which will be available in the country based on the regulatory policies of the government. She said: “m-PIMA focuses on newborn babies. It speaks to the diagnosis of infants with HIV. If they have been found to test positive, they can start receiving antiretroviral drugs. Without a comprehensive HIV test, babies who are HIV-positive will likely die before their second birthday. “It is therefore important for every pregnant woman diagnosed with HIV to have access to this test kit to save their babies lives.” O’Shea said Nigeria is one of the countries that still has a long way to go to achieve the goals set by UNAIDS.
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) has partnered Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention towards closing the gap and advancing diagnostic initiative in the continent. This partnership was made through the launch of the Africa Collaborative Initiative to Advance Diagnostics (AFCAD) during the fourth biennial international conference of the ASLM in Abuja, with the theme ‘Next pandemic: The role of the laboratory’. Chairperson of ASLM Board of Directors, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku, stated that there was still a lot more to be done, hence the need for collaborative effort.
She said: “When we had the Ebola crisis in Africa, one major challenge laboratory experts had was the time spent in getting the samples tested. “Sometimes, it took up to four weeks just for blood samples to get tested because they had to be taken to Germany. But with this new initiative, regulations will be accelerated to facilitate timely and wider access to essential diagnostics.” She also stated that the conference was an avenue to discuss issues that have to do with getting a healthier Africa and with emphasis at ensuring that laboratories are doing the work that is standardised. The Head of Laboratory
Division, Africa Centre for Disease Control, Yenew Kebede, in his own address, said Universal Health Coverage was a priority for African countries to attain inclusive and sustainable growth, noting that many diseases remain undiagnosed due to poor diagnostic capacity. According to him, “the limited access to essential tests and slow introduction of innovative technologies result in insufficient disease case finding and hampers access to treatment. “Barriers to diagnostics prevent the African continent from becoming free of epidemicprone diseases and compromise the achievement of the health agenda of the African Union.”
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T H I S D AY Ëž THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
OPINION
Strengthening BHCPF through Public Private Partnerships The launch of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund by President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday has again provided an opportunity for the Nigeria private health sector to improve access to quality and affordable health services to poor and vulnerable Nigerians towards attaining Universal Health Coverage. Olumide Okunola of the World Bank/IFC and Clare Omatseye, President Healthcare Federation of Nigeria write The low levels of human capital in Nigeria has recently received the attention of the National Economic Council (NEC) – the council convened for a special session last month to consider how to immediately address such challenges. The special NEC chaired by Nigeria’s Vice President Prof Yemi Osibanjo was attended by almost all state governors and the meeting acknowledged the consequences of poor human capital formation on the nation’s economic growth. The very poor human capital outcomes in the country is a reflection of chronic underinvestment in health and education by successive governments in Nigeria. It must be noted that a period of strong economic growth driven mostly by rising oil prices did not lead to improved health outcomes in the country however rapid improvements in health will be a critical contributory factor for economic growth. Low revenue collections, competing demands for revenues, and relatively low spending priority contribute to this insufficient spending on health. The consequent low public spending on health has created a gap between the actual spending and the required amount with its most obvious adverse impact being the lack of a preventative health infrastructure. Simply put low levels of public spending have resulted in the low health status of Nigerians. For emphasis Nigeria is one of the countries with the lowest level of public spending on health in the world. This situation is further worsened as the little amount of money spent is directed towards mostly curative and tertiary health care services as opposed to more essential preventive, primary, and secondary care where the poor and vulnerable will mostly be the beneficiaries. As can be expected it is the poor that loses out from this skewed manner of spending as result of foregone care in the face of lack of financial protection. The provision of health care in Nigeria is predominantly the responsibility of state and local governments. However, the ability of these governments to spend on healthcare is particularly constrained by a number of factors notably low revenue base and in several instances low availability of critical Human Resources for Health. Thus, as bodies like the National Economic Council begin to ponder on reforms necessary to reinvigorate the health sector, we articulate the following three – Nigeria will need to address the issue of increasing budgetary allocations to health care backed by cash warrants; a renewed focus on preventative care whilst ensuring greater access to health care for the poor; and significantly improving the productivity of public spending. However, the implementation of these reforms will be meaningless in the lack of a deliberate attempt aimed at harnessing the enormous potential available in the Nigeria private health sector. This is why we argue that for Nigeria’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) aspirations to stay on course, the private health sector necessarily has to be part of the solution to what can be described as a “wicked problem�. For us, the private health sector in Nigeria refers to the totality of all non-state-owned institutions and individuals providing healthcare. In fact, in Nigeria, they constitute the membership of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria where they serve as a single voice to engage with the government at all levels on how the potential in the private health sector can best be leveraged to expand service coverage and provision. The dominance of private provision of health services is evident in three distinct ways. Firstly, in the high out of pocket payments for health services and the low ratio of public expenditures to GDP; Secondly, in several parts of the country the private sector delivers most of the care sometimes accounting for about 65 per cent of all services delivered at all levels and incomes and lastly in the highly deteriorated public health sector where user fees and charges create an additional barrier to care. We do recognize that the quality of care
Okunola
delivered in some of these private facilities leaves much to be desired to the extent that some will argue that the private sector seems to provide both the best and worst quality in healthcare with clear cut equity implications. Some of the best care in the best facilities with the most well-trained staff in Nigeria are privately provided. Though the vast majority of private-sector care is found at the other end of the spectrum and this is where you have the community health workers, Proprietary Patent Medicine Vendors, and unrecognized providers. For a country like Nigeria, the potential of the private health sector to support Nigeria in achieving health outcomes necessary for human capital formation and economic growth is enormous. In harnessing the private sector into delivery and expansion of service coverage the strategy to engage the private sector must be inclusive, deliberate, and innovative. Translating the transformational concept of UHC Nigeria with the required attention in the face of aforementioned human capital challenges requires sourcing quality and affordable care from where ever that care exists be it in the public or private sectors! The additional financial commitment to the health sector though the BHCPF provides a unique opportunity to significantly expand service coverage to millions of Nigerians whose lot worsens whenever they seek healthcare. In particular, the availability of additional resources through the BHCPF allows private health providers to be folded into plans to significantly scale up service delivery points in all nooks and crannies of the country. We note that the financing received from the BHCPF allows clients to receive care free of all charges from accredited providers be it public or private. Where such financial constraints are removed through the availability of financing as in BHCPF then Nigeria needs to ensure the following to reach scale quickly - we propose some necessary actions to enable this. Public Private Dialogue The creation of a level playing field for public and private health sectors needs to be facilitated through the creation of a platform for sustained dialogue. The ensuing process enables the federal and state governments and private sector actors (not-for-profit and for-profit) to exchange views
Omatseye
and share their perspectives on health sector issues of common concern and interest. In this regard, the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria has led the way in championing several policy reforms leading to a more efficient and effective way to design reform proposals that get successfully processed, accepted and implemented. We cite the recently approved National Health PPPs policy, Nigerian Healthcare Incentives policy amongst others as successful outcomes from this process in Nigeria. Innovative Public Private Partnerships for primary healthcare A recent survey showed that lack of infrastructure in terms of buildings and facilities does not seem to be a problem in Nigeria as 67 percent of the population live within 30 minutes’ walk of a health facility and better still 85 percent live within one hours walk. This compares favorably to neighboring countries, yet those other countries have better health outcomes. Public primary healthcare facilities see on the average a total of three to six patients per day. There are several constraints to such an abysmally low level of productivity including failure to allocate staff resources between facilities on the basis of their productivity or need; the allocation of a major portion of total spending to staff costs leaving facilities with a shortage of operational expenses; and lack of motivation among health workers and government officials and little consideration for results. There is an urgent need to shift the focus to results-oriented service delivery, geared towards enhancing both quantity and quality of services. Lagos Model on Public Private Partnership We urge state governments to learn from the lessons of the Lagos State government who have outsourced dysfunctional, dilapidated public primary health centers to private operators. Working in partnership with the state government in conjunction with the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Pharmaccess and the IFC partnered with the private sector to improve the readiness of the public PHCs to deliver services. Under such innovative partnerships the private operator takes over the facilities and is reimbursed through the state insurance scheme the BHCPF provides state governments the opportunity to replicate
this kind of innovative PPPs. Strategic purchasing Additional financial resources provided through the BHCPF are a necessary but not sufficient condition for the Nigerian health sector to make a turn for the better. Nigeria cannot spend its way to improved health outcomes. A “business as usual� spending pattern will result in the maintenance of the status quo. The BHCPF through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) gateway allows private providers to deliver services. The leverage embedded in the reimbursements allows for improvements in the quality of spending as providers will need to be accredited in addition a focus on a defined benefit package means paying providers for what they have actually delivered. Thus,rather than pay providers regardless of performance they will be paid based on the quantity and quality of care delivered – this will put paid to the endless strikes as reimbursement is tied to actual performance and more importantly it will give beneficiaries a choice allowing them to choose between the public and private facilities as money follows the patient. In closing we reiterate the well-known fact that the private sector plays a dominant role in health delivery in Nigeria more so for the poor and vulnerable and the launch of the BHCPF provides a unique opportunity for the private sector to deliver care for these populations as it covers their cost when they access services. A strong private health sector allows Nigeria to move faster towards its UHC goals it can create jobs and also further public healthcare goals at the same time. We have outlined some simple actions that the Federal and state governments in Nigeria can take using the unique opportunity provided by the BHCPF. Doing so puts the attainment of Universal Health Coverage at a tantalizing touching distance. t0MVNJEF 0LVOPMB JT B 4FOJPS )FBMUI 4QFDJBMJTU BU UIF *OUFSOBUJPOBM 'JOBODF $PSQPSBUJPO PG UIF 8PSME #BOL (SPVQ t $MBSF 0NBUTFZF JT 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF )FBMUIDBSF 'FEFSBUJPO PG /JHFSJB BOE 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF 8FTU "GSJDBO )FBMUIDBSF 'FEFSBUJPO
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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
HEALTH
Changing the Narrative in Restoring Sight to Impaired Nigerians At least 1.6 million Nigerians are suffering from severe eye impairment or outright blindness, but Christian Broadcasting Network Africa and MeCure Eye Center hopes to change the narrative through free eye surgeries across Nigeria. Sunday Ehigiator writes
“T
he world is beautiful only to those who can see it.” This is one famous quote that depicts the importance of the eyes. But what happens to those who cannot see? How then can they see the world and the beauty that lies within it? This is one question 36 million people globally, who cannot tell between light and darkness, will struggle to answer. While others have the luxury of enjoying the bright light, there are yet others who make do with dim lusters of life, as they will only see nothing. While this has continued to be a global concern, 253 million are at risk of joining this 36 million. They are people already developing severe or moderate visual impairment, and to make matters worse, there are another 1.1 billion people globally with near-vision impairment. Unfortunately, 89 per cent of those affected live in low and middle-income countries like Nigeria where about 55 per cent of women take a major chunk of the prevalence. According to experts, eye care is one of the greatest public health challenges in this 21st century. According to statistics, of the over 39million people worldwide suffering from unnecessary blindness; more than half are due to cataract; which can be surgically treated. Most of the people affected live in the developing world, where poor nutrition and limited access to eye care can mean a life limited by needless blindness. However, 80 per cent of global blindness is reversible or preventable. Numerous studies have shown that sight restoration with cataract surgery is among the most cost-effective interventions in healthcare. A simple, low-cost, one-time procedure can restore full sight to patients with cataracts. But, in too many places in Nigeria, due to poverty and financial incapability, most cataract patients are not able to sponsor their surgery. Prevalence in Nigeria On specifics, the prevalence in Nigeria is one of the highest globally, amounting to about 1.6 million with severe eye impairment or outright blindness, while one of the major causes of blindness in the country is cataract. Fruitful Partnership It is in tackling this scourge that Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Africa and Me Cure Eye Centre are championing interventions to reduce the burden in Nigeria. CBN Africa understanding the plight of these people, last month, embarked on free cataract surgery and treatment for less privileged patients who cannot afford the cost of surgery, with a strong believe that, the free cataract surgery will reduce the rate of blindness and contribute towards the
The Head of Partners Relations Department, CBN Africa, Mr. Enoch Oyeduntan, added that, “this humanitarian partnership is no doubt a beneficial one for both CBN Africa and Me Cure Eye Center. We have made it an annual medical mission to reach out to those who are affected by cataract and other eye related ailments in their early stages before they become complicated and more difficult to remedy. “Our 700 Club Partners have remained our backbone in supporting this highly profound collaboration with Me-Cure Eye Center that seeks to put smiles on the faces of poor people who cannot afford a surgery.” He said the medical mission was to complement its free medical services to various rural communities and to the less-privileged with high success rate recorded. “In 2016 for instance, about 50 indigent cataract patients from Makoko slum in Lagos were operated on, while over 1000 people have their eyes screened and treated and it was a success story“.
A beneficiary undergoing surgical procedure achievement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Developmental Goals. While CBN Africa provided the medical consumables, Me Cure made available the medical personnel (Ophthalmologists, Optometrist etc). The Regional Director of CBN Africa, Dr. Felix Oisamoje, speaking with THISDAY, disclosed that the milestone collaboration with Me-Cure Eye Center for free eye test, cataract surgery and treatment for less privileged patients will definitely go a long way in providing healthcare succor to the needy, and further contribute significantly to improving the quality of life and eye care of individuals in Nigeria. According to him, “eye care is one of the greatest public health challenges for the 21st century The World Health Organisation asserts that 75 per cent of blindness all over the world can actually be prevented or treated, and the main causes of avoidable blindness and serious visual loss are uncorrected refractive errors, and un-operated cataract among others. “With most of these affected people living in the developing world, where poor nutrition and limited access to eye care can mean a life limited by needless blindness, CBN Africa understanding the plight of these people, embarked on this free cataract surgery and treatment for less privileged patients who cannot afford the cost of the surgery.” Speaking to THISDAY, the Chief Operating
Officer, Me-Cure Eye Center, Dr. Adegboyega Alabi, said: “Cataract has been one of the major causes of blindness; it has cost millions of people loss of sight. For people who have cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision triggered by cataracts can make it more problematic to read, drive a car (especially at night) or see the expression on someone’s face. “Most cataracts grow slowly and don’t disturb your eyesight early on but with time, cataracts will eventually interfere with vision and may eventually lead to blindness if not attended to on time. “Initially, stronger eyeglasses can help you to deal with cataracts but if impaired vision impedes with your normal activities, you might need cataract surgery. Providentially, cataract surgery is generally a safe, effective procedure to overcome cataract ailment one and for all. We are grateful and we commended the Christian Broadcasting Network Africa for supporting this noble partnership aimed at bringing succor to many indigent Nigerians who cannot afford the cost of eye treatment and cataract surgery. “And as it meets up with our Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) standards, we have no choice but to support them with our equipment, nurses and surgeons to make this work out fine; even at zero cost on CBN of patients referred.”
Beneficiaries Unable to curtail his joy, an elderly man, Innocent O, who commended the donors for the generous gesture, said it would not have series of tests, but yet no hope in regaining my sight until I came in contact with CBN Africa, popularly known as the 700 Club, who offered to conduct the surgery free of charge. “This is hope rekindled; God will continue to help our helpers. I therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians and philanthropists to come to the aid of the less privilege in the society and support an organisation like CBN Africa in what they do; because it is capital intensive, and if more people could support them financially, I believe they would be able to reach out to more people that are in the condition I used to be before now, scattered all over the country,” About CBN Africa CBN Africa is one of the largest Christian television ministries in the world, with a presence in over 200 countries. For over 50 years, this vision that started with Dr. Pat Robertson, has produced programs that have led millions to make decisions for Christ. CBN specialises in producing family oriented programs like The 700 Club, Turning Point, One Cubed Naija, Another Life, Superbook, Living the Life, 700 Club Nigeria, and Christian World News among others. These programmes have become favourites for Christians and non-Christians alike as a result of their strong family values. They are available in over 200 countries and viewed by over 1.5 billion people across the globe annually, and recorded Over 80 million views in Nigeria annually.
FIDA: For Better Economy, Treat Women’s Health with Priority Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), has stated that women’s health must be treated with utmost seriousness, bearing in mind that no economy can move forward without the impact of its female population. It said the effect of trafficking of girls and women, which has been on the rise, has led to inevitable concerns as most victims get to their destinations
with physical, mental and psychological injuries. The Programme Officer, FIDA Nigeria, Ifeanyi Iloba, who revealed this in Abuja recently, said over 70,000 African victims of women trafficking are Nigerian women who are usually psychologically and physically imbalanced, accounting for over 70 per cent, with Italy usually the targeted destination. Speaking on the theme “Prevention and elimination of violence against women
in Nigeria”, at the training of law enforcement agencies in understanding and putting to effective use the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, Iloba said human trafficking is the third most common crime in Nigeria after drug trafficking and economic fraud, with 90 per cent of the affected being migrants. He said preventive approaches to mitigate incidence of gender based violence in Nigeria include beat patrols, anti- vice squads, stop, detain and search and
community policing, among others. He said: “Factors underlying violence against women and their entire well being include male dominance and control, power hierarchies, anti social personality disorder, harmful use of alcohol, lower levels of education, community norms that privilege or ascribe higher status to men and lower status to women. “Others are low levels of women’s access to paid employment, marital discord
and dissatisfaction, difficulties in communication between partners, gender inequality in education, access to employment, economic and property rights freedom to marry as well as divorce.” Programme Manager, FIDA Nigeria, Subomi Chukwu, said global statistics as documented by the United Nations, shows that violence against women and girls affects one in three women in their lifetime and 35 per cent of women worldwide
have experienced either physical and or sexual intimate partner violence or non partner sexual violence. She further added that “globally, seven per cent of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner and as many as 38 per cent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner, while over 200 million have experienced female genital mutilation, among other unhealthy practices against women.”
SNHS Laments Poor Funding, Attention to Medical Rehabilitation Ayodeji Ake Stakeholders in the Nigerian Health Sector (SNHS) has asked the federal government to ensure adequate funding of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board (MRTB).
As contained in its communiqué after an independent review of the MRTB activities in Nigeria, the group said the federal government needs to pay more attention to medical rehabilitation therapy in the country.
Other challenges facing the MRT in Nigeria, identified by the stakeholders, are lack of investments, quackery and shortage of personnel. Some of the resolutions contained in the communique read: “One key subsector of the
medical services that had in the past gotten limited attention is the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists due to lack of investments, quackery and shortage of personnel. “There is an urgent need for the review of the board’s enabling law and gazette, as
some difficulties, mostly legal which the board face now were not foreseen and catered for in the existing enabling laws. “There is also a need for funding for the completion and furnishing of the National Secretariat in Abuja, so that the
Board can have a befitting and work friendly place to operate from.” The communiqué noted there was an urgent need for increased support for the funding and actualisation of a National Medical Rehabilitation Centre, amongst many other challenges.
38
T H R S DAY Ëž JANUARY 10, 2019
BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE
IllicitTrade, Counterfeiting Pose Greater Risks to Economy, NiPSA Warns James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Widespread counterfeiting and illicit trade currently constitute significant threat to national economy “than what may presently be perceivedâ€?, the Nigeria Private Sector Alliance (NiPSA) has warned. It said an urgent public-private dialogue and awareness campaign was needed to educate Nigerians on how smuggling and counterfeiting hurt them on a daily basis as well as exact heavy toll on human life and societies. The Executive Director, NiPSA, Mr. Nwiabu Legborsi Nuka, told THISDAY that fake and counterfeited goods, particularly illegally mislabelled food stuff, medicines and other toxic consumer goods were “killing tens of thousands of people every year.â€? He further warned that as the country prepared to sign the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is aimed at creating a single continental market for goods and services that will ensure free movement of business persons and investments, as well as establish the African Custom Union, addressing the menace presented by the growth of the “illicit economyâ€? was critical. He said the twin issues had also contributed significantly in undermining national security. Speaking at the inauguration and launch of the National Action against Counterfeit and Illicit Trade (NACIT) programme in Abuja, he stressed that it had
become incumbent on stakeholders to critically interrogate the emerging issues and proffer workable solutions. NACIT is a private sector initiative aimed at mitigating the economic and social damage of illicit trade by strengthening government enforcement mechanisms and integrating supply chain controls across industry sectors most impacted by illicit trade. Nuka noted that global illicit markets accounted for several trillion dollars annually including corruption and money laundering. He said: “Many experts predict that the value of counterfeit and pirated products alone will double within five years with online sales booming to expand the illegal economy and generating more illicit wealth for criminals and terrorist groups across numerous illicit markets. “United Nations said it has reached a level of $2 trillion. The International Chamber of Commerce estimates the specific cost of counterfeiting and piracy to global economy is worth $1 trillion. Also according to the World Trade Organisation, the value of counterfeited and pirated goods is now equivalent to some seven per cent of world merchandise.� According to him: “Illicit trade is enabling violent trafficking gangs to expand their operations, terrorist groups to finance their attacks against our communities, and even gun running merchants to underwrite their programmes. “Today, sophisticated criminal entrepreneurs are diversifying
their portfolios in trafficking everything from narcotics, people, arms, gold, oil and natural resources, and endangered wildlife to counterfeits including fake water (bottles), medicines, and illicit cigarettes and alcohol products. “Through such criminality, we now recognise and have realised that bad actors and illicit traders are using criminally-derived proceeds to corrupt police, security, and law enforcement institutions that are responsible for keeping people safe.� He said counterfeiting remained a serious safety and national security concern which negatively impacts nearly every economic sector. The NiPSA boss said: “Over one million deaths every year have been attributed to counterfeit medicines; fake or contaminated foods, faulty and substandard fake products endanger our lives every day. “The proceeds generated from counterfeit and illicitly traded products fuel corruption and remain the major source of funding for criminal and terrorist organisations. “Counterfeiting and Illicit Trade remain closely intertwined with human rights abuses, child labour, forced labour and prostitution, money laundering, terrorist finance, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, Illicit trafficking of wildlife, human body parts, and ancient historical artifacts, Tax havens, proliferation of WMDs, oil bunkering, human smuggling and the modern day slave trade, conflict minerals and blood diamonds.
SMEDAN, NEXIM Sign Agreement to Boost Non-oil Export James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigeria Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) to enable the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) derive export potentials from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The MoU would enable SMEDAN provide entrepreneurship trainings and capacity building for exporters while NEXIM will provide the funding. Director General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, said the deal was a demonstration of the agency’s desire to promote synergy among agencies of government, stressing that it would be beneficial to MSMEs considering the present administration’s focus on non-oil export
which is expected to drive the economy going forward. The agreement was reached signing on the sidelines of the Exporter Enlightenment Forum for North West Zone held in Katsina State. Meanwhile, Radda, in a paper presentation on repositioning MSMEs for sustainable growth in non-oil exports, stressed that the economy which was quite diverse prior to the discovery of oil, now relied on earnings from crude and gas export. He said the massive innovations and general glut in international market had made crude oil less attractive, a situation which had forced other major oil exporting countries to proactively widen their export base- adding that Nigeria cannot be an exemption. The SMEDAN boss said most MSMEs are unable to access funding windows, as over 90 per cent are not covered by
insurance policy, while almost 96 per cent operate below optimum capacity- and almost 95 per cent operate without business plan. Quoting the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), he noted that MSMEs contributions to export remained at 7.27 per cent in 2013 while the World Bank put the figure at 9.2 per cent as at 2017- adding that “nothing has changed significantly�. He said SMEs needed to be involved in export for increased sales and profits and opportunities to gain market share globally as well as earn foreign exchange and acquire useful knowledge technology and information as well as job creation. He called for increased investment in infrastructure provision, provision of accessible financial incentives including as tax, development fund, licenses and subsidies.
S’Africa’s Rand, Stocks Gain on US-China Trade Deal Optimism South Africa’s rand and stocks gained on Wednesday, in line with other emerging markets as hopes the United States and China could reach a trade deal boosted risk sentiment. The rand yesterday traded at 13.8700 versus the greenback, 0.7 percent firmer than its previous close. Stocks were broadly in the black, helping the country’s benchmark index end the session more than two per cent higher. The rand’s gains were linked to growing optimism that the
world’s two largest economies will strike a deal to avoid an all-out confrontation that would severely disrupt global trade, said Halen Bothma, a market analyst at ETM in Johannesburg. “Market is still very much interested in a few big themes, one is the Fed, one is trade talks between China and the U.S. and the third, I would say, is global growth,� Reuters quoted him to have said. Officials of the United States and China continued trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled
third day, amid signs of progress on issues including purchases of U.S. farm and energy commodities as well as increased access to China’s markets. On the bourse, the JSE Top-40 index ended 2.2 percent higher at 47,140 and the broader All-share index picked up 2.03 percent to 53,222. In fixed income, government bonds also firmed, with the yield on the benchmark instrument maturing in 2026 down 1 basis point to 8.750 per cent.
L-R: Founder of FCMB Group, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun; former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel; Afenifere Chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo and Balogun of Ijebuland, Alhaji Agboola Alausa, during the New Year Prayer programme organised by Balogun at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State‌recently
MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS
(MILLION NAIRA)
MARCH 2018 Broad Money (M2)
24,303,049.86
-- Narrow Money (M1)
10,912,604.10
---- Currency Outside Banks
1,668,378.21
---- Demand Deposits
9,244,225.90
-- Quasi Money
13,390,445.76
Net Foreign Assets (NFA)
15,619,134.18
Net Domestic Assets(NDA)
8,683,915.68
-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)
26,267,136.53
---- Credit to Government (Net)
3,823,345.45
---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA
5,433,209.43
---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)
-1,609,863.98
---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)
22,443,791.08
--Other Assets Net
-17,583,220.85
Reserve Money (Base Money)
6,746,646.49
--Currency in Circulation
1,668,378.21
--Banks Reserves
4,357,551.58 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹
Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month
March 2018
Inter-Bank Call Rate
15.16
Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)
14.00
Treasury Bill Rate
11.84
Savings Deposit Rate
4.07
1 Month Deposit Rate
8.82
3 Months Deposit Rate
9.72
6 Months Deposit Rate
10.93
12 Months Deposit Rate
10.21
Prime Lending rate
17.35
Maximum Lending Rate
31.55
Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ
OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY, 8 JANUARY 2019
The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $56.11 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $56.43 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna
39
T H R S DAY ˾ JANUARY 10, 2019
MARKET NEWS
BUA Group to List More Companies on Nigerian Stock Exchange Goddy Egene The Chairman of Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN), Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, has said more companies from BAU Group will be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). CCNN, which is a member of the BUA Group, recently had a successful merger with Kalambaina Cement Company(KCC). Speaking on the floor of the
NSE in Lagos yesterday, during a closing gong ceremony, Rabiu, who is also Chairman of BUA Group said the group was in discussion with the NSE so as to list other companies from the BUA Group. “As you know BUA Group has other companies apart from CCNN that is already listed. We are discussing with the NSE so that we can list some of the companies on the exchange as well,” he said.
P R I C E S MAIN BOARD
F O R
DEALS
Rabiu thanked the management of the NSE and stockbrokers for their support during merger of CCNN with KCC, saying the new entity is now stronger to produce more products and deliver better returns to investors. The merger has increased CCNN’s total issued and fully paid shares from 1.257 billion shares to 13.144 billion shares. Speaking on the merger,
S E C U R I T I E S
MARKET PRICE
QUANTITY TRADED
VALUE TRADED ( N )
Rabiu had said the expanded CCNN would remain the market leader in its regional market of North West Nigeria, which is the third largest market for cement in Nigeria by consumption, whilst continuing to explore the huge opportunities that exist in the export markets of Niger, Burkina Faso and the west African region. “Traditionally, the huge cost of transportation to CCNN’s home region from other cement
T R A D E D MAIN BOARD
A S
plants in Nigeria – the nearest being about 900km away – has always given us a strategic advantage in that region over competing cement companies and brands. The expanded entity will leverage on the cost and energy efficiency of the newly commissioned Kalambaina Plant whilst providing additional value through its products in terms of better quality, higher yields and a stronger cement than
competing premium cement brands,” he said. With this merger, the total installed capacity of the merged entity will be two million metric tonnes per annum(mtpa), which is expected to bring the total capacity of BUA’s cement operations to eight million mtpa as the group recently announced the completion of its three million metric tonnes per annum Obu II Cement Plant in Okpella, Edo State.
O F 0 7 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS
MARKET PRICE
QUANTITY TRADED
VALUE TRADED ( N)
Ëž THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
40
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(+4.7%),
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OANDO
(+1.2%) and MOBIL (+0.2%).
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41
MARKET NEWS
ABRAAJ to Convert $10 Million Loan to Equity in C & I Leasing Goddy Egene ABRAAJ, managers of the Aureos Africa Fund, is to convert the $10 million loan stock in C & I Leasing Plc to equity. The $10 million was an unsecured, redeemable, convertible loan stock that matured at the end of 2018. However, in notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday, C & Leasing Plc said ABRAAJ has confirmed intention to convert the loan stock to equity. Commenting, the Managing
Director/CEO of C & I Leasing, Mr. Andrew Otike-Odibi said: “This development is positive for our business as it improves the capital structure of the company and helps position it favorably for additional capital raise from the market in first quarter of 2019.� Meanwhile, existing investors in C& I Leasing Plc and potential ones have very bright prospect following business opportunities the company is planning to tap into deliver regular returns in the years ahead. C & I Leasing Plc evolved from being
A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return. An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the
a simple consumer finance leasing company to a diversified, operating lease company with presence in six states in Nigeria, investments in Ghana and Dubai. The shares of the company were among the few that delivered positive capital appreciation in the stock market last year. While the market suffered a decline of 17.8 per cent in 2018, C & I Leasing shares gained 37.9 per cent. But analysts said the company stands to record improved performance as it moves to expand
floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 081-2018, unless otherwise stated.
its operations to boost its current business lines. . The company commenced its marine business with four patrol boats which have increased over the years to a fleet size of 22 vessels consisting of crew boats, patrol boats, pilot boats, platform support vessels and tug boats tied in mid to long term contracts for diverse offshore services. C& I Leasing recently signed a 10-year contract for the provision of two harbour tugs with NLNG in addition to its existing contracts will see growth in the company’s
earning over the next 3-5 years. And as the leasing industry is still expected to blossom even further analysts said an experienced company such as C & I Leasing will benefit significantly from these business opportunities. “The manufacturing sector including the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) presents significant opportunities for leasing, as the demand for assets for productive ventures is expected to continue to increase. Another emerging business opportunity lies in
the healthcare and education sectors with appreciable inroads already being made at C & I Leasing with contracts to provide school buses as well as ambulance services for clients in education and health sectors,� analysts said. Again, special focus on infrastructure will unlock business opportunities for the leasing industry as specialised and general equipment would be needed to support the massive construction expected to take place in the rail, roads, power, housing.
Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors. Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return. NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.
DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 153.93 -13.56% N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 11.00% N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund 278.45 18.19% N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.83 0.84 -0.68% ACAP Income Funds 0.61 0.61 7.79% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.11% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.21 2.23 -0.49% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 98.26 98.95 -2.90% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.48% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.93% Paramount Equity Fund 11.34 11.63 -3.16% Women's Investment Fund 100.00 102.56 -2.50% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.83% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 94.24 94.50 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 98.40 98.72 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.98% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.82 0.82 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.13 1.13 0.46% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 12.32% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.68% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,188.88 1,189.64 0.29% FBN Heritage Fund 140.05 141.22 -1.39% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.25% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $114.30 $114.72 4.57% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $114.00 $114.47 4.43% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 146.36 147.54 -2.42 FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.18 1.20 -3.39% Legacy Debt Fund 3.25 3.25 0.24% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 0.11% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,924.62 2,952.85 -2.01% Coral Income Fund 2,767.90 2,767.90 1.07% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.14%
Vantage Balanced Fund 2.13 -1.98% 1.98% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 15.31% 15.45% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 119.44 -4.53% 8.44% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.21 1.23 -0.29% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,102.21 1,102.21 0.36% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 10.84 10.93 -5.74% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.51% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.33 1.36 4.26% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.24 12.29 0.26% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 10.14% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 119.60 120.13 -0.95% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.71 1.71 0.16% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,303.78 2,317.66 1.72% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 191.04 191.04 1.79% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.93 0.94 -1.58% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 247.55 247.58 2.18% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 161.54 163.37 -0.97% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.62% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,343.69 8,444.44 0.05% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.11 1.11 2.84% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.19 1.20 -0.59% United Capital Bond Fund 1.60 1.60 0.22% United Capital Equity Fund 0.70 0.71 -2.10% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.20% United Capital Eurobond Fund 107.34 107.34 0.08% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.08 1.08 -1.45% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.87 11.02 3.68% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.26 12.38 2.75% Zenith Income Fund 20.84 20.84 8.24% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.60%
REITS NAV Per Share
Yield / T-Rtn
6.60 140.00 51.76
-32.85% 0.00% 0.03%
Bid Price
Offer Price
Yield / T-Rtn
10.28 111.06 86.56
10.38 113.23 84.97
-2.60% -5.40% -4.16%
Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund
VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva GrifďŹ n 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund
funds@vetiva.com Bid Price
Offer Price
Yield / T-Rtn
3.68 7.07 14.07 11.79 143.96
3.72 7.15 14.17 11.99 145.96
-22.27% -26.01% -19.31% -39.86% 6.95%
NAV Per Share
Yield / T-Rtn
107.13
17.03%
INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund
The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.
42
5 ) * 4 % ": t THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
5 ) * 4 % ": t THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
43
THURSDAY JANUARY 10, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY
44
INTERNA TIONAL
Parliament Demands ‘Plan B’ from May as Brexit Debate Restarts British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered an early defeat to her Brexit plans on Wednesday when members of parliament demanded the government come up with a plan B. The parliament demanded
the alternative plan should be submitted within days if she loses a vote on her deal to leave the It is less than three months before Britain is due to leave the EU. The parliament began a
170 Ethiopians Arrested over Suspected Roles in Ethnic Violence Ethiopia announced on Wednesday it arrested 171 individuals for their suspected roles in ethnic violence in the western part of the country. The Ethiopia command post, established to secure the unresthit border areas of Benishangul Gumuz and Oromia regional states, made the arrests in the past few days, reported state media outlet Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporate. The report further said 49 Kalashnikov rifles, 71 handguns, 15 traditional rifles, 215 arrows, nine cars, three motorcycles and thousands of bullets were seized along with the suspects.
In December, Ethiopia established a command post to deal with a security crisis along the Benishangul Gumuz and Oromia regional states. The establishment of the command post came days after 10 civilians were killed by a land mine explosion in western Benishangul Gumuz regional state. The border areas of the two regional states have, in recent years, witnessed deadly unrest involving various ethnic groups residing in the border areas. The dispute is reportedly over access to land and state resources.
five-day battle over May’s Brexit plan with a show of force – undermining her preferred timetable if MPs vote down her deal on Tuesday. May has refused to retreat from her unpopular deal, which envisages close trading ties with the EU after leaving in March. She also prefer to press ahead with the vote that she looks set to lose after failing to win over her nominal Northern Irish allies. Losing the vote would deepen the uncertainty over the future of Brexit, Britain’s biggest shift in foreign and trade policy for more than 40 years. The possible loss could open the way for several different
outcomes, ranging from a disorderly exit to another referendum. MPs voted 308-297 in favour of demanding the government come up with an alternative plan within three working days after Tuesday’s vote, rather than a planned 21-day limit. It was a largely symbolic vote aimed at putting pressure on the government. There were turbulent scenes in parliament when some in May’s Conservative Party accused the speaker of bias. May’s spokesman said the government’s advice was that parliament could not change its so-called business motion. The motion sets out the procedure for the Brexit vote,
but played down the impact of the vote for its overall plans. “We are doing everything we can to win the meaningful vote that happens on Tuesday,” the spokesman said. “But it is also the intention, if that were not to take place that we respond quickly to provide certainty on the way forward following that vote.” Combined with a vote late on Tuesday when the government lost on the finance bill, the defeats underline May’s precarious position in parliament and the difficult she will have in winning approval for her Brexit deal. The opposition Labour Party has said that it will immediately table a vote of no confidence
in the government if May loses the vote. With the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit rising, the EU is looking at how Brexit might be postponed. Pro-EU campaigners are testing ways Britain could hold another referendum after voters narrowly backed leaving in 2016. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, at 2300 GMT. The government needs 318 votes to get a deal through the 650-seat House of Commons, as seven members of Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein do not sit, four speakers and deputy speakers do not vote and the four tellers are not counted.
Iran to Retaliate against EU Sanctions, Says Official Iran on Wednesday said that it would reciprocate after the EU added two Iranian individuals and an Iranian intelligence unit to the bloc’s terrorist list. EU ministers agreed on Tuesday to add the names to the list and freeze their assets, effective from Wednesday. The Netherlands accused Iran of two killings on its soil and joined France and Denmark in alleging Tehran plotted other attacks in Europe. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi called the EU’s actions “illogical” and “surprising”. “Iran will adopt the necessary measures in response to this move and within the framework of reciprocation,” Qassemi said in a statement published on the ministry’s official website. Iran has denied any
involvement in the alleged plots, saying the accusations were intended to damage EU-Iran relations. “These listings have been adopted by the Council as part of its response to recent foiled attacks on the European soil,” the European Council said in a statement on Wednesday. Qassemi, in his statement, accused the EU of supporting “terrorist groups” such as the Mujahedin-e-Khalq AFP Organization (MKO), a group A former Israeli cabinet minister, Gonen Segev, after he was indicted on suspicion of spying for Iran in court in Jerusalem….yesterday that seeks to overthrow the Iranian government. The move is in part symbolic since one of the men is in prison in Belgium. Democratic Republic of Congo’s vast Central African country’s first announced later on Wednesday. Shadary was competing against The incident marked the Electoral Commission met all night democratic transfer of power in its Another diplomat, however, two main opposition candidates, said that not all the vote tallying businessman Martin Fayulu and first time the EU has enacted and into Wednesday morning 59 years of independence. However, a disputed result could had been completed and that the Felix Tshisekedi, the president of sanctions on Iran since lifting a ahead of an announcement of host of curbs on it three years results from the presidential trigger the kind of violence that announcement might have to wait Congo’s largest opposition party. erupted after the 2006 and 2011 until Thursday. Tshisekedi’s camp, which says ago following its 2015 nuclear election. Riot police were deployed elections and destabilise Congo’s People deserted the streets of the it expects to win, said on Tuesday pact with world powers. in front of the commission volatile eastern borderlands. eastern city of Goma on Tuesday that it had met with Kabila’s headquarters in the capital The electoral commission evening after a rumour spread that representatives to ensure a peaceful Kinshasa and along the city’s Main (CENI) announced on Tuesday the announcement was imminent. transfer of power. Boulevard, as Congo braced for evening that it had initiated “a The results were originally due Kabila’s camp denied any such possible violence. series of evaluation meetings and last Sunday but were postponed meetings had occurred. This was because of accusations deliberations, at the end of which due to delays tallying the vote. Supporters of Fayulu, who had of vote fraud and suspicions that it will proceed to the publication President Joseph Kabila is due a healthy pre-election poll lead, the government was negotiating of provisional results from the to leave office this month after 18 have voiced suspicions that Kabila a power-sharing deal with one presidential election’’. years in power and backed his may be looking to negotiate a He was supposed to return opposition candidate. The Dec. A CENI source and a diplomat former Interior Minister, Emmanuel power-sharing agreement with to Germany from Namibia 30 poll was meant to lead to the said they expected results to be Ramazani Shadary, in the election. Tshisekedi if Shadary loses. on Wednesday evening, however, until the replacement component arrives from Johannesburg, he will be stranded. International Criminal Court on requests for provisional release clashes during what prosecutors Ivory Coast. The government spokes (ICC) judges will rule next and no case to answer motions say was an attempt by Gbagbo At a bail hearing in December, woman said he would Tuesday on whether to release on 15 January 2019” at 1000 GMT and Ble Goude to ignore the they argued that the “elderly and probably be able to return former Cote D’Ivoire President, for Gbagbo and his co-defendant internationally recognised victory fragile” suspect would pose no on Friday. Laurent Gbagbo, as his trial for Charles Ble Goude. of Gbagbo’s bitter rival Alassane flight risk if freed on bail and that The spokeswoman said that crimes against humanity drags Gbagbo has asked the ICC — Outtara. The pair are accused he was ageing faster because of the mechanics, who would be on, the court said. set up in 2002 to try to the world’s of four counts of crimes against the length of time he had spent able to fix the government Gbagbo, 73, has spent seven worst crimes — to completely humanity including murder, behind bars. ICC judges rejected plane had already arrived years in detention in The Hague acquit him on the grounds that rape and persecution during another application for bail by in Malawi. accused of fomenting bloodshed there is not enough evidence to post-electoral violence. Gbagbo as recently as April. It is not the first time in after refusing to accept defeat proceed with the trial. Gbagbo’s lawyers said in Gbagbo was arrested after recent months that the political in elections in the West African He has lodged a separate November that his trial had a months-long standoff with representatives of Europe’s nation in 2010. application asking for bail should descended into “fake reality” and Ouattara’s troops, aided by UN biggest economy have been The court said in a statement the trial continue. that prosecutors had distorted and French forces. He was turned beset by aviation issues. that it would “deliver decisions About 3,000 people died in history about the violence in the over to the ICC in 2011.
Congo Braces for Election Results after Commission Meets Overnight
German Minister Stranded in Zambia after Plane Breaks down German Development Minister, Gerd Mueller, on Wednesday has had his travel plans disrupted during a trip to southern Africa after his plane broke down. Mueller’s plans went haywire after his Global 5000 plane broke down in Malawi on Monday. He was able to take a commercial flight to Zambia but has been forced to stay there longer than originally planned, and had to cancel a scheduled visit to Namibia. He was still in Zambia on Wednesday while a spare part for the defective plane was due to arrive in Malawi from South Africa, a spokeswoman said.
ICC to Rule on Gbagbo Release Next Week
5 ) * 4 % ": t THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
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THURSDAY JANUARY 10, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY
NEWS
Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268
UN Expresses Worries over Resurgence of Boko Haram Attacks Army kills 17 bandits, arrests 67 in Nasarawa, Benue,Taraba
Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The United Nations (UN) yesterday expressed worries over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in the North-east. This is coming as the ‘Operation Wild Stroke’ of the Nigerian Army operating in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba States has said it has killed 17 bandits and arrested 67 others in the last eight months. Also hundreds of thousands of travellers were in the early hours of yesterday stranded
as soldiers blocked all major highways in and out of Yobe and Borno States. The UN said since the resurgence of the attacks in November 2018, about 260 aid workers have been withdrawn, lamenting that this has affected their humanitarian service delivery in the troubled region. A statement signed by the spokesperson of the UN in Nigeria, Samantha Newport, said, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, has expressed
Dangote Remains Africa’s Richest Man Obinna Chima The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is Africa’s richest man for the eighth consecutive year, according to the 2019 Forbes Africa’s Billionaires released yesterday. The industrialist’s net worth was put at $10.3 billion, which was $2 billion lower than the $12.2 billion he was said to worth in last year’s ranking. Dangote, according to the magazine, was closely followed on the rich list by another Nigerian - the Chairman of Globacom, Mr. Mike Adenuga, who was ranked the second richest person in the continent, with total net worth of $9.2 billion. Adenuga also owns oil exploration firm, Conoil Producing, extensive real estate holdings in Nigeria and a network of 12,000 cellphone towers. His net worth climbed dramatically from $5.3 billion in January 2018 as a result of more detailed information provided
by him about his assets. Number three in Africa was diamond heir, Nicky Oppenheimer, of South Africa. His grandfather founded diamond mining firm DeBeers, which Nicky ran and then sold to mining giant Anglo American for $5.1 billion cash in 2012. He is currently worth an estimated $7.3 billion, down from $7.7 billion a year ago. Among the few on the list who are richer than a year ago was Strive Masiyiwa of Zimbabwe, worth an estimated $2.3 billion, up from $1.6 billion last year. He’s richer due to a rise in the share price of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe and a new investment that boosted the value of his stake in fiber-optic and satellite-services firm Liquid Telecom. Also from Nigeria, was the Chairman of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, who was ranked 16th, with total net worth of $1.6 billion. Folorunsho Alakija, who is the Vice Chair of Famfa Oil was ranked 19th with total net worth of $1.1 billion.
grave concern following an upsurge in violence in the country’s North-east, which has caused tens of thousands of innocent civilians to flee their homes. The statement read that: “Clashes on December 26, 2018 between Nigerian Government forces and non-state armed groups in Baga town, on the shores of Lake Chad about 200 kilometres north of state capital, Maiduguri, triggered the massive displacement, with most women, men and children converging on already congested camps or sites for internally displaced people in Maiduguri or Monguno town. “A subsequent attempted attack on Monguno on December 28, 2018 has exacerbated the situation, generating further displacement amid the uncertainty caused by the clashes.” Newport quoting Kallon, who was said to have visited Monguno and Teachers Village camp for internally displaced
Locks down Borno-Yobe highways
people in Maiduguri, said: “The impact of the recent fighting on innocent civilians is devastating and has created a humanitarian tragedy.” Kallon also said: “It is heartwrenching to see so many of these people living in congested camps, or sleeping outside with no shelter. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict and the United Nations is extremely concerned about the impact that violence in North-east Nigeria, especially in Borno State, is having on civilians.” The statement said: “More than 30,000 internally displaced people have arrived in Maiduguri, mainly from Baga, in recent weeks. The majority of these people have arrived since December 20, 2018, often after arduous journeys with young children. This includes an estimated 20,000 internally displaced people who have arrived in Teachers Village camp in Maiduguri, stretching the camp’s capacity beyond the
limit. “It is still unclear how many people are taking refuge in Monguno, but tens of thousands of people are in need of humanitarian assistance, notably shelter, food, water and sanitation. The statement revealed that: “Some 260 aid workers have been withdrawn from three Local Government Areas - Monguno, Kala/Balge and Kukawa, which are affected by the conflict since November, affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of people.” It noted that: “This is the largest withdrawal of aid workers since the international humanitarian response scaled up in 2016. While aid workers have started to return to some areas to respond to the urgent, life-saving needs, the lack of a secure operating environment is preventing a return to normal humanitarian activities.” Meanwhile, the ‘Operation
Wild Stroke’ of the Nigerian Army operating in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba States has said it has killed 17 bandits and arrested 67 others in the last eight months of its operation. The Commander of the security operation, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, made the disclosure while addressing journalists in Lafia, Nasarawa State, yesterday. The commander also presented 45 assorted weapons and 701 assorted ammunition recovered from Bassa militia camp in Zwere, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. He said in the interest of peace and national development, the operation would give itself no rest until criminals were flushed out of the three states. According to him, the troops killed 16 bandits, arrested 53 people and recovered 11 weapons and 50 rounds of
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World Bank Projects 2.2% GDP Growth for Nigeria in 2019 Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth will expand by 2.2 per cent in 2019, the World Bank said in its annual Global Economic Prospects published yesterday, slightly upgrading the country’s projected growth rate from 2.1 per cent in June 2018. According to the World Bank, growth in sub-Saharan Africa would accelerate to 3.4 per cent in 2019, due to improved investment in large economies together with continued robust growth in non-resource intensive countries. “Per capita growth is forecast to remain well below the long-term average in many countries, yielding little progress in poverty reduction. “Growth in Nigeria is expected to rise to 2.2 per cent in 2019, assuming that oil production will recover and a slow improvement in private demand will constrain growth in the non-oil industrial sector. “Angola is forecast to grow 2.9 per cent in 2019 as the oil sector recovers as new oil fields come on stream and as
reforms bolster the business environment. “South Africa is projected to accelerate modestly to a 1.3 per cent pace, amid constraints on domestic demand and limited government spending,” the bank said. On the risk to the region’s growth, the World Bank stated that escalated trade tensions between the United States and China could impact negatively on the region. “Faster than expected normalisation of advancedeconomy monetary policy could result in sharp reductions in capital inflows, higher financing costs and abrupt exchange-rate depreciation. “Increased reliance on foreign currency borrowing has heightened refinancing and interest rate risk in debtor countries,” the World Bank noted. It said domestic risks, in particular, remained elevated, that political uncertainty and a concurrent weakening of economic reforms could continue to weigh on the economic outlook in many countries.
COUNTERING FAKE NEWS...
L-R: Director, British Broadcasting Corporation, World Service Group, Mr. Jamie Angus; a panelist, Ms. Uche Pedro; a Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; and Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Festus Okoye, during the BBC Conference on countering fake news in Abuja...yesterday
Court Adjourns Suit Seeking Disqualification of Buhari Jan 21 Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday adjourned till January 21, 2019, a suit seeking the disqualification of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16 presidential election. The plaintiffs, Kalu Agu, Labaran Ismail and Hassy El-Kuris, in the suit, are alleging that President Buhari lied in his Form CF 001 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), regarding his educational qualification and certificates. In the suit filed November 5, 2018, they are therefore seeking an order of the court disqualifying Buhari from presenting himself and or contesting for President in the 2019 general elections.
The suit, which was filed on behalf of the plaintiff by Okpai Ukiro, has President Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) and INEC as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively. Issues raised for determination before the court in the suit marked: FHC/ CS/ABJ/1310/2018, include, “whether having regards to the information in the affidavit contained in the first defendant’s INEC form, CF 001 regarding his educational qualification/ certificate, the first defendant has submitted false information to the third defendant. “Whether from the facts and exhibits contained in the affidavit in support of the Originating Summons made having regards to Section 31(5) (6) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended the first defendant is disqualified from running
for the office of president 2019 general elections. “Whether the first defendant having submitted false information to the third defendant, the second defendant can validly present the first defendant as its candidate for the office of president for the 2019 general elections”. Upon the determination of the above questions, the plaintiffs therefore are seeking the following reliefs from the Court, “A declaration that the first defendant submitted false information regarding his educational qualification to INEC for the purpose of contesting elections into the office of President of Nigeria in the 2019 general elections. “A declaration that the president, having submitted false information regarding his educational qualification/
certificate, is disqualified from contesting elections into the office of president in the 2019 elections”. Consequent upon this, the plaintiffs are seeking an order of court disqualifying the president from presenting himself and or contesting for president in the 2019 general elections They also prayed the court for an order directing INEC to reject or remove Buhari’s name as the presidential candidate of the AP2019 general elections “An order of this court restraining the president from parading himself as the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2019 general elections “An order of the Court restraining the APC from parading Buhari as its Presidential Candidate in the 2019 general elections”.
5 ) * 4 % ": t THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019
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Loss of 10m Jobs: Sack APC, Atiku Tells Nigerians Berates Buhari for not attending burial of five NAF officers Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Laleye Dipo in Minna The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has lamented that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government has mismanaged the country’s economy, which has
led to the loss of 10 million jobs since it came on board, and urged Nigerians to sack the government in this year’s general election. Atiku has also berated President Muhammadu Buhari for not attending the burial of five Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officers who died in a helicopter crash while prosecuting the war
Soyinka Warns Nigerians against ‘a Former President’ Stop supporting Buhari, group tells Nobel Laureate Alex Enumah in Abuja Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday warned Nigerians to be wary of a former president who pretends to be the conscience of the country. Soyinka said this in Abuja yesterday at a symposium on fake news organised by BBC News. This is coming as a prodemocracy group, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, has criticised Soyinka for allegedly attacking former President Olusegun Obasanjo and subtly supporting President Muhammadu Buhari. The playwright, who was a panelist at the event tagged, ‘Nigeria 2019: Countering Fake News’, urged the traditional media not to spread unfounded allegations as the electronic media sometimes do. The Nobel Laureate said if the former leader had been referring to a certain person for eight years as ‘a devil’ and is now telling Nigerians to vote for the devil, then there is a reason for Nigerians to express some doubt. Soyinka said, “We have got to develop a very healthy skepticism. If someone in a position of power for eight years has lectured a nation for eight years and after that, continued year after year to continue to direct the minds of
a whole nation in one direction, only saying, ‘This is Lucifer from hell’ for eight years in office and several more years out of office saying, ‘This is Lucifer’ and then one day he changed and says: ‘Behold your redeemer;’ which of the two is fake news?” He did not mention the former president he was referring to, nor the alleged Lucifer. However, a pro-democracy group, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, has criticised Soyinka for allegedly attacking former President Obasanjo and subtly supporting President Buhari. The group asked Nigerians to be wary of the Nobel laureate, alleging that he (Soyinka) has “sacrificed his hard-earned reputation and honour” to sustain a despot in power. The Convener of CDNDC, Mr. Ariyo-Dare Atoye, appealed to the playwright to “stop worsening” his own history. Atoye said, “If the professor had been referring to a certain person for eight years as a ‘partner-in-crime’ and in 2015, he claimed he made the gravest mistake of supporting a dictator, then for Soyinka’s continuous support of that same despotic regime, there is a reason for Nigerians to express some doubt over what he stood for decades ago.”
Nigeria Spends $3bn on Steel Importation Annually, Says BUA Chairman Jonathan Eze The Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BUA Group, Abdul samad Rabiu, has lamented that the country spends about $3billion on importation of steel for local and industrial use. In a chat with journalists in Lagos, Rabiu sought the support of the federal government in encouraging businesses to substitute importation, noting that if financing support is provided, the $3billion import bill in the steel sector can be saved. The industrialist emphasised the need to build industries where raw materials can be easily accessed locally for production while also restating its company’s resolve to bridge the gap of about two million metric tonnes of imported raw sugar in the country. He added that Nigeria imports about two million metric tonnes of raw sugar for local refining every year, adding that such practice is not sustainable. To address the shortfall, Rabiu stated that the company remains committed to the Backward Integrated Policy of
the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan with its increased investments in the 20,000 hectares Lafiagi Sugar and 50,000 hectares Bassa Sugar plantations. While recounting his experience in Uganda, Rabiu explained that Nigeria has the land and capacity to crush tonnes of sugar cane to produce refined sugar, with potential to explore the export market. Earlier, the Group Executive Director at BUA Group, Kabiru Rabiu, stated that BUA is making a total investment of over $300 million in Lafiagi Sugar Company to cover the plantation, sugar mill, its refinery, the ethanol and power plants, as well as the complete agricultural aspects of the project. He also added that upon full completion, the Lafiagi sugar mill with refinery will have capacity to crush about 7,000 tonnes of cane per day and produce over 140,000 tonnes of pure refined white sugar, about 25 million litres of ethanol, generate 35 megawatts of electricity as well as generate employment opportunities for over 10,000 people.
on terror. The former vice president disclosed this in Minna, Niger State during PDP presidential campaign rally, where he said that the APC-led federal government having failed to deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians must be voted out of office. Atiku said, “In 2015, they came to tell us that PDP did not do anything, and they promised to fight corruption, to improve our economy and also to secure our country. Have they achieved anyone of these three? “When they came in, there was insecurity only in North-east. Today, there is insecurity in Northwest and North Central and we have lost more lives than at any other time in the history of this country in peaceful times. They have failed as far as security is concerned. “When it comes to the issue of economy, we have lost more jobs, over 10 million jobs, to the extent that Nigeria has been declared the headquarters of poverty in
the world. This is a record. Have they fulfilled that promise? Now, I want to promise you that if you vote PDP, we will restore the jobs that had been lost. You either get a job or get a business to do.” Atiku who made the promise and commitment on behalf of PDP, added that if voted into power, PDP will tackle issues of insecurity, which Buhari has not been able to control. He added, “They have been unable to control insecurity because they have been unable to provide jobs and businesses for the people. So, by the time we provide jobs and businesses for our young men and women, you will hear less crime and less insecurity. So, I want to promise you on behalf of our great party to sack the APC government and let us send them packing. Like I use to say, Buhari must go! APC must go!.” Also, the Director General of PDP campaign and Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki,said that after three and half years of
APC’s leadership, the government had failed to deliver on its campaign promises. Saraki said, “Our campaign will be based always on issues. Election is about referendum. A government that has been with us for three and half years and promised us three things and we are going to decide as Nigerians if they have performed; if they can continue; and if they have not performed, they must pack and go home. “They promised security, there was problem in the North-east and they said they can provide security solution; today isn’t the security worse? There is no security in North-central, North-west, there is security problem. “Before, they said they will provide three million jobs for the youth, today more than 10 million jobs have been lost. They came they said they would bring food to our people; today Nigeria is the capital of hunger in the entire world, and I ask: have they performed?
“They said they will fight corruption, but today there is corruption in the country. Is that not true? They have failed on these things and that is why they must leave and let us bring a man that has experience, that knows how to create jobs, that knows how to bring food to all of us.” Meanwhile, Atiku has berated President Buhari for not attending the burial of five NAF officers who died in a helicopter crash while prosecuting the war on terror and were buried in Abuja. In a statement he personally signed yesterday, Atiku said that Buhari’s refusal to attend the funeral of these heroes on Tuesday was part of a pattern of unpatriotic behaviour demonstrated by the President. According to him, “At a time when the morale of our soldiers should be lifted up as they face the difficult task of defeating the terrorists who are threatening our national security, I find it most
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AGENDA FOR LAGOS STATE…
Governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (left), presenting his THEME development agenda to the Switzerland Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. George Steiner, during a strategic meeting at the Swiss Embassy in Abuja…yesterday
FEC Approves Four New Private Universities N1.7bn for communication, flight operations Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved the establishment of four new private universities. Briefing journalists at the end of the a five-hour weekly FEC meeting in the State House, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, listed the names of the universities as Greenfield University Kaduna, Kaduna State; Dominion University, Ibadan, Oyo State; Trinity University, Ogun State; and Westland University Iwo, Osun State. According to him, the approvals were granted after the four universities met the requirements for operational licence as set by the National Universities Commission (NUC). FEC has also approved N1.7 billion for the procurement and installation of Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) to provide information during flight operations in Kano and its region. The device, it
was learnt, is meant to enhance communication between air traffic controllers and pilots and as well make departures and arrival seamless and faster. Briefing journalists at the end of the weekly FEC meeting in the State House, the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the approval was meant for the take-off of the second phase of CPDLC on Kano flight information. According to him, the project will cost $5,403,271, adding that Abuja and Lagos airports are within the Kano flight information region. According to Sirika, the project, when completed, will improve communications at the airports through digital application and make depar The federal government also approved $9 million variation for Escravos to Lagos gas pipeline, thus bringing the total cost of the contract to $186 million. Making this disclosure at the end of the FEC meeting in the Presidential Villa, Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe
$9m variation for Lagos-Escravos pipeline
Kachikwu, said the approval was the fallout of a memorandum of understanding he presented to the council. “The escravos to Lagos gas pipeline phase one contract was for additional unforeseen works in engineering. Contract had been given in 2008 and it was about 83 percent completed but additional scope has been added to that pipeline and variation of about $9m was approved today (yesterday). “With the $9 million added today (yesterday), the new contract figure comes to about N5 billion and about $186 million. That pipeline is so critical. It is what helps us move stranded gas out of the Escravos of Oghara region back into the Escravos Lagos pipeline. It is a two- month contract,” he said. Kachikwu also said the second memorandum he presented bothered on Engineering Procurement Construction and Installation (EPCI) contract for a 12-inch by six inch Opoho
Okoho flexible pipelines in OML 119 awarded to Messrs National Oil Verco completion and MELCURT Nigeria Ltd. “The total contract sum was for N3.7 billion and roughly about $37 million. The essence of this was that in 2014, the pipeline with which we were evacuating crude in that area gave way and so production became very marginal. “We were operating average of about 20,000 barrels a day as against about 37,000 to 40,000 barrels and this contract was therefore to replace that pipeline with a new technological flexible pipeline that would resist corrosion. “The last pipeline lasted for only 50 years with a lot of corrosive environment in which they operated. It is a nine-month contract. “When completed, we will be able to get back production in upper level to 40,000 barrels per day. It is very critical and will generate close to $270 million per annum. So, it is very important, “ he said.
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PDP: Tinubu Has Succumbed to Threat to Lead APC Campaign Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation has challenged the Co-Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Bola Tinubu, to respond to allegations that he succumbed to lead the President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid following
purported threats by agents of the presidency to expose and prosecute him for corruption allegations. The Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday, insisted that Tinubu has no moral rectitude upon which he could stand to make allegations against its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Don’t Eat ‘Food’ Given by Politicians, INEC Tells Corps Members Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members to steer clear of politicians’ ‘food’ in the forthcoming elections, saying it will not hesitate to sanction anyone who betrays public trust by accepting gifts from politicians. The commission also warned the corps members not to struggle with thugs during the polls in order not to endanger their lives INEC Electoral Officer for Jos South Council Area in Plateau State, Aisha Lawal, gave the warning during a sensitisation training organised for the corps members in Jos yesterday. She said: “Let me warn you. You know politicians can be desperate. On no account should any corps member eat any food provided by politicians on election day because if you eat their food and get poisoned or sleep off on duty to enable them steal
the card reader and other materials, you will be held responsible. “During the polls, when thugs come and say ‘give me’ just give them what they want because your life is more important than anything else.” She further stated that the corps members on election duties would be posted to different local government areas of the state other than where they currently serve. According to Lawal, the measure is taken because of the limited number of polling units available in some council areas where the corps members are more in number, adding that the commission was equally repositioning its personnel to ensure that the process leading to the general election is transparent. She urged the prospective election officials to ensure that the electoral body is able to deliver credible, free and fair polls to the people of the state in accordance with the commission’s mandate.
He said it was unfortunate that at the time Nigerians, across the board, are boldly jettisoning their personal interests and joining in the quest to rescue the country from President Buhari’s anti-people regime, a leader of Tinubu’s status is chasing personal interest and self-preservation. Ologbondiyan stated, “We also dare Tinubu to respond to allegations that he succumbed to leading the Buhari’s ill-fated reelection bid following purported threats by agents of the Buhari presidency to expose and prosecute him for corruption allegations and not because he believes in the propriety of President Buhari’s re-election. “While we understand the frustration being faced by Asiwaju in this unfortunate task of marketing a rejected
product, we caution him to be careful not to allow the ill-fated Buhari presidency to destroy whatever is left of the respect he has earned among Nigerians, who have already made up their minds to rally behind the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as the next President of Nigeria. “Nigerians can recall how Asiwaju in January 2018, at the 15th Annual Daily Trust Dialogue rejected the Buhari administration’s nepotism, incompetence, corrupt oil subsidy regime; blamed it for the high-level of poverty in our country and urged Nigerians to be guided by their conscience in electing leaders in the 2019 general elections. “Berating the Buhari administration, Asiwaju held that too much political and
economic power resides in the hands of too few. This result in a society described by too much unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, too little food, yet too much poverty”. Ologbondiyan noted that Tinubu had also rightly posited that under Buhari, “rather than becoming a joyous nation, Nigeria has become a cruel playground where the fears and concerns of the average person get exploited but their interests never get promoted.” He had urged Nigerians to follow their conscience in the 2019 elections by resisting unthinking passions and old prejudices which is the hallmark of President Buhari’s re-election campaign. “The question Nigerians are asking now is, what has suddenly changed in President
Buhari’s leadership style to warrant Asiwaju’s full circle turn”, PDP asked. The main opposition party stressed that Nigerians have seen that Tinubu’s involvement in Buhari 2019 campaign was not motivated by any national or even regional interests but by personal reasons far from the general good. The PDP therefore counselled Tinubu to be mindful of his status, noting that he is not with Nigerians in his new enterprise, for which he now needs to clear his name over alleged involvement in the antipeople cabal at the presidency. The PDP said the former Lagos State governor should control his emotions and ensure that he desists from making frivolous allegations against Atiku.
Air Peace Crew Foils Attempt to IN CAMPAIGN MOOD... Traffic Three-day-old Baby Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (left), and President of Senate and Director General of Chinedu Eze Nigerian major airline, Air Peace, has said its crew frustrated the plan to traffic a three-day old baby boy from Port Harcourt to Lagos last Sunday. The crew, the airline explained, suspected that the female passenger who was carrying the baby was not his biological mother, and further enquiries confirmed their suspicion, and she was barred from boarding the flight. “Eagle-eyed Air Peace allfemale crew comprising Captain Sinmisola Ajibola; Senior First Officer, Onohi Agboighale; Mojoko Ewane, Taiye Abbey, Victoria Ukpiaifo and Ngozi Ezeamaka last Sunday frustrated an attempt by a middle-aged woman and her collaborators to traffic a three-day-old baby boy through the Port Harcourt Airport to Lagos. “The suspect had booked Air Peace Port Harcourt-Lagos Flight P4 7393. During boarding, the Lead Crew of the flight, Mojoko Ewane, observed that the suspect was handling the baby in an awkward manner and decided to question her,” Air Peace explained in a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Chris Iwarah. Iwarah said when the suspect was questioned at the boarding door of the aircraft, she said the baby was three days old.
She, however, later told her interrogators that the baby was born on January 5, a day before her aborted trip. The suspect said she gave birth to the baby shortly after travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt on an Air Peace flight on January 5. “A call was later placed to the contact numbers the suspect said belonged to her husband and the doctor who handled the birth of the child. While the alleged husband claimed that his wife was actually pregnant, the alleged doctor’s number rang unanswered. “When the suspect was asked to breastfeed the baby, she could not as there was no breast milk,” the airline said. The statement said the suspect tried to create a scene, rallying other passengers on the flight to prevail on Air Peace crew to allow her fly, but the crew stood its ground. “When the crew informed the suspect that the carrier’s standard operating procedure barred them from allowing passengers fly with a week-old baby on grounds of health, she claimed to be a nurse and insisted that the baby’s health would not be jeopardised,” the statement also said. The airline, it was gathered, later invited personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Port Harcourt airport to take over the case for further investigation.
the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on arrival for the party’s rally in Minna, Niger State...yesterday
Judge Withdraws from Forgery Case against Gov Bindow Daji Sani in Yola A Judge of the Federal High Court in Yola, Justice Abdulaziz Anka, has stepped down as the presiding judge on the case of alleged forgery of West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) certificate against Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jirilla of Adamawa State. The alleged certificate forgery case was first filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja in September last year by a group, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), which claimed that,
Governor Bindow did not complete his secondary education at the Government Secondary School, Miango in Plateau State . The group had accused the governor of forging the certificate he was using and approached the court to determine the qualification or otherwise of Bindow for reelection as governor in the coming general election. However the case was first heard in a Federal High Court in Abuja in October last year by Justice B.O.Quadiri who granted the plaintiff’s plea for accelerated hearing, but the case
was subsequently transferred to Yola where the first respondent resides. But to the surprise of all in the court room in Yola yesterday, Justice Anka after having a brief meeting with both the defence and prosecution counsels in his chambers explained that for personal reasons, he could not continue with the case but would return it to the chief judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja to reassign it to another judge. “Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done,” Anka said, reiterating that after
hearing from the counsels and reviewing what had become apparent, he was uncomfortable about continuing with the case. Reacting to the withdrawal from the case, the chief counsel to Governor Bindow, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), told journalists that his client was ready to follow the case to anywhere it may be taken. “As we said in the open court, we are ready for the hearing of the case to continue, but the judge recused himself from the case and it is being sent back to Abuja. Wherever they take us, we will go,” he said.
10M JOBS LOSS: SACK APC, ATIKU TELLS NIGERIANS regrettable that President Buhari, despite being in Abuja, chose not to attend the funeral of the five Air Force officers who died in a helicopter crash while prosecuting the war on terror.” Atiku said sadly, due to reasons best known to him, Buhari chose not to attend their funeral, neither was he represented by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo nor any federal delegation. “This was despite the fact that the President had time to host Nollywood actors and actresses the previous day. Imagine celebrating
just before such a solemn event,” he stressed. The former vice president urged Buhari to learn from even younger leaders, like French President Emmanuel Macron, who on March 28, 2018, attended the funeral of a single French policeman, Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, killed by terrorists in Southern France. He said that single event boosted the morale of the French security forces, because it showed a commitment to their wellbeing and honour for their memory by the head of state.
Atiku stated, “Last month, I had cause to advise the President to find time to attend the funerals of the hero soldiers of the 157 Taskforce Battalion in Metele, Borno State, who paid the supreme price for Nigeria in large numbers. “The most recent funeral held in Abuja, the President was in Abuja on the day of the funeral. The previous day, he had inaugurated his re-election campaign council. “Very sadly, President Buhari missed another opportunity to demonstrate such commitment
to our armed forces. “My question for Mr. President is this: is securing your second term, more important to you than securing Nigeria? “Let me end this by commending our military for their sacrificial efforts to secure all of us. You have my full support and solidarity. When we make the solemn vow that the labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain, we mean your colleagues, who paid the ultimate price to secure Nigeria.”
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Tribunal Reserves Judgment on Ekiti Governorship Tussle Alex Enumah in Abuja The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday reserved judgment to a date that would be communicated to parties in the governorship election suit later. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Suleiman Belgore, however, stated that parties would be informed 48 hours to the delivery of the tribunal’s verdict. The petition which was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Prof Kolapo Olusola, is challenging the victory of Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the last year’s governorship poll
in the state. At yesterday’s proceedings, counsel in the matter presented their final written addresses. Counsel to the petitioners, represented by Yusuf Ali (SAN), urged the tribunal to nullify Fayemi’s victory on the grounds that he (Fayemi) was not qualified to have stood for the July 2018 election having been barred from seeking elective office for 10 years on the strength of his indictment by the Justice Oyewole Commission of Inquiry. Ali also urged the tribunal to uphold the sanctity of the country’s electoral process by nullifying the election based on alleged malpractices, like over voting, deliberate voiding of votes meant for the petitioners
among others. However, counsel to Fayemi, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being baseless and lacking in merit. Fagbemi contended that the purported indictment of his client by the commission of inquiry and based on Section 182 has been deleted from the constitution by the first alteration in 2010. He added that the petitioners erred in basing the petition on a section of the law that was
deleted eight years ago. Specifically, he stated that his client cannot be punished for an offence not captured in law. While he noted that all allegations against the election of Fayemi were criminal in nature, Fagbemi submitted that the petitioners however failed woefully to prove their allegations. On the allegation of voiding of votes, he stated that throughout the hearing of the petition, no single ballot paper was tendered
before the tribunal to support the claims of the petitions. Similarly, counsel to the APC, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the petition on the grounds that the APC governorship candidate was not lawfully indicted by the Oyewole Commission of Inquiry as required by law. He submitted that the purported indictment and the 10-year ban were based on the alleged disrespect of Fayemi to the commission by his refusal
to appear before it. Counsel to INEC, Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan (SAN), urged the tribunal to uphold the election on the ground that the electoral body conducted the election in substantial compliance with the laws. The tribunal, after taken the submissions of counsel in the matter, subsequently announced that judgment is adjourned to a date that would be communicated to the parties.
Suspected Thugs Attack Atiku Campaign Office, Guard in Ondo James Sowole in Akure Suspected thugs late last Tuesday attacked the Atiku Campaign Organisation office located at Ijapo area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, tying up and beating security guards attached to the office to a pulp. The hoodlums also destroyed campaign billboards and posters of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. The Atiku Campaign Organisation alleged that the attack was sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. The spokesman of the organisation, Mr. Kayode Fasua, in a statement called on security agents to investigate the perpetrators of the act and bring them to justice. In a swift reaction, the state Chairman of the APC, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, denied the involvement of the ruling party in the incident. According to Adetimehin, “We are not aware of the incident. If it truly occurred, our members cannot be involved because we
are peace-loving, law-abiding political party, and we don’t involve in thuggery or violence. “I will implore the security agents to investigate the matter and fish out the perpetrators.” The Atiku Campaign Organisation also alleged that the hoodlums had been attacking and assaulting supporters of Atiku in the state. “They arrived in the wee hours of the day, at a time the security guards in the Ijapo, Akure area of our office would have closed from duty and descended on our campaign office. “Numbering about 10 and fully armed, they descended on our private security guard, beat him to a pulp and then tied him with ropes. After that, they proceeded by dismantling the Atiku billboards, and tore all his posters. “Not done, these agents of the devil went ahead to break window panes and kept shouting ‘where are those documents, where are those documents!’ But having failed in their evil deed, they retreated, shooting sporadically,” he said.
PDP loses 450 Members in Akwa Ibom Okon Bassey in Uyo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Udung Uko Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has suffered the devastating loss of over 450 members to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defectors joined the APC yesterday during a visit to the APC Campaign Office along Four Lanes in Uyo. They were led by Mr. Obiosio Obisio, the PDP Udung Uko Local Government Chapter Youth Leader; Messrs Peter Effanga and Sam Effiong, two other members of the chapter executive and Ulap Nyong Edumoh, the proprietor of St. Dominic Comprehensive College, a popular school in Oron Local Government Area. Obiosio said with their coming, APC would win all the elections in Udung Uko, one of the five local government areas in Oron, the third largest ethnic group in Akwa Ibom
State. Ulap Edumoh said they were moved to join APC because of the impact Obong Nsima Ekere, the APC Governorship Candidate has created in Oron Nation with road construction as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Dr Amadu Attai, the APC Deputy Governorship Candidate who represented Obong Ekere, said the defection was earlier scheduled for the APC campaign visit to Udung Uko in a few weeks time but had to be brought forward because of the insistence of the defectors that they could not wait that long. Dr Attai, who said he was familiar with Udung Uko politics having spent almost all his life in Oron, described APC as the only party close to the grassroots. “We are taking over Akwa Ibom State come rain come shine,” he declared.
ENDORSEMENT RALLY…
L-R: Delta State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Kingsley Esiso; state Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa; and his wife, Dame Edith, during PDP campaign in Uvwie Local Government Area...yesterday
Abe Frustrating Peace Efforts in Rivers APC, Cole Alleges Segun James The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Mr. Tonye Cole, has said that despite all entreaties, his rival for the party’s ticket, Senator Magnus Abe, has frustrated all efforts to amicably settle the crisis rocking the party. Cole said he has sat down with Abe over the issue, but regretted that the senator has refused to listen to reasons, a situation that may cost the party the governorship ticket if not resolved in time. Speaking yesterday on The Morning Show on Arise News, Cole insisted that he is the candidate that is recognised by both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
and the party at the national level, saying that they must be ready to move forward because “we can no longer substitute candidates now. It is a position that can’t change any more. I am the candidate and I am ready to work together with Abe. We must work for the state.” He said he was not new in politics as being bandied by Abe, saying that business and politics are almost synonymous. He said contrary to impression being created by Abe, every disenfranchised member of the party were later allowed to take part in the process, stressing that there has been distractions in the move towards the election. Cole added that he is more focused at the working towards creating opportunities for the
over 2.7 million youths in the state. According to him, “without peace there will be no development, without development there will be no peace, without peace there will be no jobs and without job, the state will be in anarchy.” Cole admitted that his company, Sahara Energy has suffered the brunt of his foray into politics, adding that the consequence is mounting. “It is not about my company. It is about the people of Rivers State. About the poor people who are suffering the poverty. One of the things I had to do when I took this decision was to resign from Sahara and it was made public. I left completely. Since then, I hardly speak to them. We
have a governance process; we are an international company. So, we know exactly what to do and it was very clear that I had to remove myself completely, and I did.” He said the decision by the Rivers State Government to revoke contracts belonging to his company is unnecessary as it should have been directed at him personally instead of an organisation that is employing over 4,000 workers. “I think it was a wrong decision” for the government to have revoked the contracts. But he said the company will have to take decision on the next step to take, adding that right now he has nothing to do with Sahara but concentrating on his activities as a politician.
Teleology Holdings Failed in Its Responsibilities, 9mobile Alleges Emma Okonji Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited, trading as 9mobile, yesterday, responded to the recent withdrawal of Teleology Holdings Limited from the 9mobile acquisition deal. 9mobile blamed Teleology for allegedly failing in its responsibilities in the entire acquisition process. In a statement issued by 9mobile and signed by its Director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Oluseyi Osunsedo, the company
confirmed the resignation of the founder of Teleology Holdings, Mr. Adrian Wood, and wished him well in his future endeavours. 9mobile in the statement said Teleology Holdings failed to meet its obligation in the entire acquisition process of 9mobile, even though it owned a minority stake in Teleology Nigeria Limited. According to the statement, “Adrian Wood’s Teleology Holdings Limited, which only owned a minority stake in Teleology Nigeria Limited, failed severally and wholly to
meet their obligations. Wood was not personally present for all the critical presentations made by the consortium during the bid process and failed abjectly with his financing arrangements with Swiss-based UBS Bank. In all these failings, other partners in the consortium filled the gap and pushed ahead until the sale was completed,” the statement said. “Since taking over the company, and without any assistance from Wood or Teleology Holdings, the Board has revived and enhanced relationships with key vendors and core business accounts;
improved business relationships with suppliers; enhanced its core network capabilities to deliver network efficiency competitively with other operators. “With the assistance of leading global consultants, the company is also undertaking a complete review of its operational, regulatory, financial and technical architecture. On this basis, 9mobile has emerged from a period of uncertainty over the past two years to attain an active subscriber base of 16 million, representing a net increase of over one million subscribers in the last six weeks alone.
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Secondus Berates Buhari, APC for Creating Artificial Relevance Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has berated President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for trying to give a mistaken impression that they are popular when the hand writing on the wall is clear that the people have
outrightly rejected them. Secondus, in a statement by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, said it is laughable that even with the glaring incompetence of the APC administration in the last 42 months that has put the country in comatose state, the party still expect some body with sane mind to leave PDP and join it. The National Chairman said rather than leak the wound
of its shattered image arising from an obvious squandered goodwill, APC has instead embarked on rumour peddling and buying of PDP leaders. He stressed that the drowning party has been struggling to give artificial relevance to its image by trying
to lure people and create some photoshop to give impression of a non- existent relevance and popularity. Secondus stated, “When it happens that somebody had to leave light to join darkness, then know it that all is not well with such a person.
“Nigerians have been watching regrettably, a President and his party that cannot embark on campaign because he has nothing to showcase indulging in photoshopping with anything associated to PDP to drop wrong impression of popularity
among Nigeria. “Having failed to find a performing APC governor to flaunt, the party and the President allow themselves in name dropping and rumour peddling of having in their fold some performing PDP governors.”
George, Agbaje Reconcile to Wrest Power from Lagos APC Segun James In their bid to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, and the party’s governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, yesterday reconciled their differences. At the ceremony which was witnessed by PDP leaders in the state including former deputy governor, Senator Kofo Akerele-Bucknor, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, former minister, Abimbola Ogunkelu, Remi Akitoye and Eddy Olafeso among others, George tagged it a “family meeting” which was meant to strengthen peace and the deepen amity in the party. “We are here to discountenance the deliberate misinformation running riot out there. Contrary to the misleading opinion in some sections of the media, our party is not disrupted by any in-fighting. We are woven in a united vision, summed up in a thoughtful unanimity of purpose. “We are emboldened by a well-articulated truth and summative defining purpose and shared beliefs. Yes, we might have had our differences in the past during the strongly contested gubernatorial primary. But that is now in the past. The contest had been won and lost. We have moved forward.” George said the party in the state is now one, indivisible family, adding that “there is no rancour in our midst. There is
no bitterness or hatred. We are no longer contesting anything with ourselves. Jimmy Agbaje is our unifying gubernatorial candidate. We support him wholeheartedly and with total commitment. “The enemy is out there. The contest is now against the monstrous, dictatorial, reckless, godfather that has held our state hostage for the past 20 years. “Our common enemy is the representative symbol of a party which has virtually appropriated the Lagosian heritage as a personal estate. Our party has now come out on a mission of rescue and salvage. Lagos must be redeemed and unchained from the manacles of APC. He lamented the attack on journalists at the APC rally, saying such action can never happen in a well-disciplined party like the PDP “Surely we can’t continue with this madness. We need a real, progressive fundamental change. This is where we stand today. Lagosians deserve better than this arbitrary, undisciplined, aberrational cabal holding down our people. They must be voted out.” Also speaking, Agbaje lamented that those at the helm of the affairs of the state at present are self-serving leaders who must be replaced immediately. He recalled that Chief Lateef Jakande served only four years as governor of the state, yet his legacy remains, while the APC has been running the affairs of the state for 20 years with nothing to show.
Expect Divine Power, Glory, Emmanuel Tells People of Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has called on the people of the state to expect divine power and glory in individual and collective desires in the state in 2019. Emmanuel, accompanied by his wife, Martha and the state deputy governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, made the remarks during the thanksgiving service to mark the end of year 2018 which took place at the Latter House Chapel, Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, recently. According to a statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Udoh, the governor stated that it was delightful to witness the intervention of God in several challenges which had faced the people of the state in the previous year, stressing that God had been faithful to
the success recorded in the fulfilment of promises and attainment of goals. He appreciated the tireless efforts of various Christian groups and eminent fathers of faith in offering prayers and engaging in fasting to seek the face of God for the state, adding that God had promoted and protected the projects and programmes of his administration from conceptions, ground breakings, and constructions to inaugurations. Emmanuel told the people of Akwa Ibom to strengthen their faith in God in the coming election year 2019 to avert the negative plans against the soul of the state, praying that God would subdue the conspiracies of impostors to the surprise of the people of the state and the country.
FEC MEETING ...
L-R: Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalong; and Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire, during the Federal Executive Council at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja...yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI
N500 Fraud: Judge Strikes out Ex-Ondo PDP Chair’s Preliminary Objections Davidson Iriekpen Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court in Lagos has struck out a preliminary objection filed by the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Clement Faboyede, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear a N500 million fraud charge filed against him. The judge threw out the application after Faboyede and his co-accused, Modupe Adetokunbo, the Director General of PDP Campaign Organisation in Ondo State applied to withdraw the application. The politicians, who had claimed that none of the
ingredients or acts alleged against them in the proof of evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) took place in Lagos State but in Akure, Ondo State, did not give any reason for their action. They were both arraigned before Justice Saidu by the EFCC on a three-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering. They pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the last sitting of the court, the judge had adjourned the case till Tuesday to hear the arguments from parties in the matter on preliminary objections. But at the resumed hearing of the case, defence counsel,
Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) moved a motion to withdraw the applications. Following no objection from the counsel to the EFCC, Ekene Iheanacho, the court struck out the objections and fixed February 12 for trial. The politicians in the applications are seeking for an order of the court dismissing or striking out the charge. In an affidavit attached to the application and deposed to by Faboyede, it was averred that all the defence witnesses were scattered across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Ondo State and that it would be difficult to bring them to Lagos State to testify in the matter. He claimed that some of the
witnesses were said to be civil servants who are residents of Ondo State. Faboyede and Adetokunbo were accused by the EFCC of receiving a cash sum of N500 million from one Owolanke Michael in the build-up to the 2015 general election. The commission also claimed that Faboyede made a N500 million cash payment to the Ondo State Election Committee of the PDP. Iheanacho claimed that the accused persons committed the offence on March 27, 2015 and that the offence is contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act , 2011 and are liable to punishment under Section 16 (2 ) of the same Act.
UN EXPRESSES WORRIES OVER RESURGENCE ammunition in Benue State. “In Nasarawa State, 48 weapons and 801 ammunition were recovered, in addition to arresting nine people and killing one bandit. “In Taraba State, we recovered seven weapons, 35 ammunition and arrested five people with no bandit killed. “Statistics put the total number of weapons recovered at 66, ammunition recovered at 886; the total number of people arrested is 67 and the total number of bandits killed is 17,” he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that there were clashes between Bassa and Egbura communities in Toto LGA, Nasarawa State, in 2018
which resulted to loss of lives and property. In a related development, hundreds of thousands of travellers were in the early hours of yesterday stranded as soldiers blocked all major highways in and out of Yobe and Borno States. Security sources disclosed that troops of Operation Lafiya Dole carried out the lockdown of highways to engage Boko Haram insurgents in the bush and avoid any collateral damage. The development forced the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yobe State to suspend the signing of peace accord by political candidates. The ceremony was billed for
the commission’s premises in Damaturu, the state capital. The Resident Electoral Commissioner Yobe State, Alhaji Ahmad Makama told reporters: “We woke up this morning to find out that there are some security challenges. “The military has closed all the highways and roads leading to Damaturu and some of the delegates are coming from outside Damaturu. “So, for that reason, we have agreed that it is wiser to postpone the programme to next week Thursday, January 17,” Makama explained. The military has however, denied closure of the roads but admitted carrying out clearance operation to weed out Boko
Haram insurgents. Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, said: “Our attention has been drawn to rumours that the Nigerian Army has closed Maiduguri-Damaturu road. “This is not true. What is happening is an ongoing clearance and snap checks operations in the general area required to clear suspected Boko Haram terrorists along that road. “The clearance operation is ultimately for the safety and security of motorists and other road users. “Members of the public are please advised to cooperate and bear with the troops as they carry out these duties.”
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Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY
Bendel Insurance Returns to NPFL after 11Years in Wilderness r3FNP 4UBST (PNCF 6UE CBDL BT ,BEB 4UBST DPNQMFUF MJTU Ojeikere Aikhoje After 11 years in the wilderness of Nigerian club football, Bendel Insurance yesterday announced its return to the topflight Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) following the 1-0 defeat of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in the final Southern Conference match of the NNL Super 8 Playoff in Aba. Captain of the Benin Arsenal, Charles Omokaro wrote his name in gold when he scored the lone winner 15 minutes into the high profile game. The victory sealed Insurance passage to the NPFL with maximum nine points from three matches. Insurance entered the history books as the only team to win all three matches without conceding a goal. The return of the Benin team to the topflight was also a fulfillment of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s pledge to Edo State indigenes and followers of the club when he rebranded it late last year. Inspired by the presence of Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, who
is a registered player, Insurance quickly displayed readiness for business as Omokaro got the opener in only 15 minutes into the match. The former African Champions held on to the goal and remained resolute despite the dismissal of Michael Enaruna in the second half. Interestingly, the Edo side maintained its unbeaten record against their opponents in three matches played in Ibadan, Benin-City and Aba, respectively. Reacting to the team’s promotion, Chief Coach, Baldwin Bazuaye said: “I feel great. I won trophies as a player and I am happy to help Insurance return to the topflight�. Skipper Omokaro equally expressed satisfaction with the feat. “I feel very happy because this is what the people of Edo State have waited for. “Insurance has been in the lower division for 11 years and now we are back. “With the assistance of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his
Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, we have achieved this feat for Edo people,� Omokaro struggled with words to express his inner satisfaction. Relegated at the end of the
Stars in 2 while Gombe United and Kada City were in 3&4 respectively. The mini-draw thus pitched Wikki Tourists against Insurance, Rivers United and Remo Stars, Yobe Desert Stars and Gombe United and Go Round FC to play Kada City. The Chief Operating Officer of the League Management Company (LMC), Salihu Abubakar, who announced the decision of the League body to shift the matches, explaining that, “the games involving the promoted clubs from the NNL are being shifted to give the club’s time to return to their respective bases and make adequate plans to play in the NPFL�. “It’s only fair that the players be allowed time to recover from the rigours of the tournament they just participated in and they would join from Match Day 2 while a new date will be announced for the postponed fixtures�, added Abubakar.
Obaseki, who promised to turn around the fortunes of the team. Remo Stars claimed a 2-1 win over Delta Force to join Insurance from the Southern Group. Earlier, Kada City and Gombe
United finished as leaders and runners up, respectively, in the Northern Group. Today, Insurance will contest for the NNL title against Kada City.
Bendel Insurance FC has returned to the topight after 11 years in the lower division
‌Fixtures Involving Newly PromotedTeams on Hold as NPFL Season Kicks off Jan 13 The 2019 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) is scheduled to kick off on Sunday, January 13 in various centres with the conclusion of the Nigeria National League (NNL) Play-offs in Aba yesterday. Bendel Insurance of Benin, Remo Stars of Sagamu, Kada City of Kaduna and Gombe United of Gombe are the four teams that gained promotion to the topflight from the NNL Super 8 playoffs. However, some of the opening day matches would not hold as scheduled and are to be rescheduled for a later date. The postponed fixtures are those involving the country’s representatives in CAF Club competitions and those involving the four promoted clubs from the NNL. Following a mini-draw supervised by the LMC Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Nduka Irabor in Aba after the play-offs, Insurance took slot 1, Remo
2008 season, the famous Insurance struggled for over a decade to swim out of the lower division without success. Succour however came with the administration of Governor
The other postponed games are those between Lobi Stars and Katsina United and between Rangers International and Niger Tornadoes. While Lobi Stars are playing in the CAF Champions League, Rangers are campaigning in the CAF Confederation Cup and both clubs are in action this weekend. Below are the complete fixtures. MATCH-DAY 1 GROUP A (January 13, 2019) Wikki vs Insurance (PP) Rivers Utd vs Remo Stars (PP) Rangers vs Tornadoes (PP) Lobi vs Katsina Utd (PP) Kwara Utd vs Sunshine Enyimba vs MFM FC
Eagles NotTaking Egypt Friendly Lightly,Says Rohr Nigeria’s Franco-German Coach, Gernot Rohr, has revealed that his wards will not be taking their international friendly against Egypt lightly. The Super Eagles and the Pharaohs will meet in a friendly game at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on March 26. The fixture is expected to be played four days after the two teams are scheduled to wrap up their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign: Nigeria will be at home to the Seychelles in Group E, while Egypt is away
to Niger in Group J. The qualifying matches are both dead rubbers, as the West and North Africa heavyweights have already secured their berths at this year’s AFCON. In addition, Egypt was on Tuesday confirmed as the hosts for the tournament (following the Confederation of African Football’s decision to strip Cameroon of the rights in November last year). The country defeated South Africa in the Executive Committee voting process 16-1 on Tuesday morning.
Both Nigeria and Egypt can be considered genuine contenders for the 2019 AFCON title and the meeting on March 26 will be a key part of both camps’ preparations – something Rohr has already alluded to. “I and my assistants are not taking the friendly match against Egypt lightly,� Rohr told Nigeria’s Football Live. “In fact we are planning to win the friendly match in preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations this year.�
Peak Promises to Empower Team Nigeria’s Para-Powerlifters
MATCH-DAY 1 GROUP B (January 13, 2019) Yobe Stars vs Gombe Utd (PP) Go Round vs Kada City (PP) Nasarawa vs Abia Warriors Plateau Utd vs Ifeanyiubah Kano Pillars vs Heartland Akwa Utd vs El-Kanemi.
Z E N I T H B A N K / D E LT A P R I N C I P A L’ S C U P
Sponsors Charge Participants on Fair Play Zenith Bank, the sponsors of the ongoing Delta State Principal’s Cup, has charged all the remaining 26 teams in the competition to embrace fair play. The frontline bank in partnership with the government of Delta State under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa revived the competition in 2017 to boost grassroots development in the state. The 3rd edition of the tournament organised for secondary schools in Delta State will enter intensive stage from January 21 with the zonal elimination series. Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo, during the week advised all the
participants of the competition to be fair on and off the pitch. Amangbo said: “All the players of different school should be friendly with one another because we expect they will meet in future. It is also important for them to demonstrate discipline which is an integral aspect of the game. “Officials and all organisers should be fair to the young ones so that a true champion will emerge in the end. The issue of fair play cuts across all those involved in the tournament. We are very proud of this competition and expect the best as the tournament enters crucial stages.�
This year’s edition started from the preliminary stage in October 2018 but the organisers are now working round the clock to make the ongoing edition unique in many ways. Head of the organizing team, Tony Pemu, said the fixtures of the zonal qualifiers have been drawn as the 26 schools would compete for honours in 10 zones scattered all over the state. The zonal elimination series will take place between January 21 and 25 with three teams in each of the zones. Eight teams are expected to qualify for the last eight stage of the tournament.
L-R: Five-time Paralympian and world record holder in the 61kg category of the Para-Powerlifting, Lucy Ejike; Marketing Manager Peak, Maureen Ifada; and Paralympics world record holder, Folashade Oluwafemi Ayo; at a media event to unveil the Lagos 2019 International Para Powerlifting Competition at the Oriental Hotel‌on Wednesday
Ahead of the 2019 Lagos International Para-powerlifting Competition scheduled for between January 24th and 31st at the Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos, one of the major sponsors of the event, Friesland Campina Wamco, makers of Peak milk, has promised to empower the Nigerian team to excel and come out tops at the end of the competition. Peak’s support for the Parapowerlifting athletes was one of the key highlights of a media
session organised by the Main Organising Committee of the Lagos International Para-powerlifting Competition on Wednesday. Reiterating the sponsor’s commitment to support the competition, Marketing Manager of Peak milk, Maureen Ifada said: “Our decision to partner the team is in line with the brand’s promise to enable and empower it’s teeming consumers to reach their Peak, regardless of any limitations.� As part of its support for
the first Para-powerlifting International Competition in Nigeria, Peak has procured an IPC (International Paralympic Committee) approved mobility bus, with the capacity to seat 12 people and 15 wheelchairs. The President of the Parapowerlifting Federation of Nigeria, Queen Uboh, revealed that ten countries have confirmed their participation in the competition and there will be ten classes to compete for, with 20 gold medals at stake.
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MISSILE Kola Ologbondiyan to Bola Tinubu “He (Tinubu) ought to be found in the class of respected senior citizens who are decorous, speak statesmanly and not resorting to the gutters whenever he speaks in public. Family ties and bonds as well as relationships are greater and stronger than political interests and it is the expectation of our campaign organization that Tinubu should understand this” –PDP National Publicity Secretary reacting to the comment by APC Campaign Council Chairman on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT
olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com
Should Buhari Get Four Plus Four?
I
ncumbent presidential elections are usually framed as a referendum on stewardship. But where the opposition is either weak or running a less than coordinated campaign, power holders have been known to turn the narrative into one of choice. The electorate is then presented with this kind of proposition: ‘You may not like me, but can you trust my opponent?’ With little over a month to the presidential election, that exactly is what we are faced with in our country today. Aside Tolu Ogunlesi who has been using his Twitter handle to showcase what the current administration has done in the area of infrastructure and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who is hopping from one market to another and visiting families and communities, the campaign of the ruling APC is essentially targeted at the person of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and what they believe to be his character weaknesses. With the inability of the PDP to launch a serious counter-offensive beyond releasing a series of audio tapes, the APC strategy to present the main opposition candidate as unworthy seems to be working. It is therefore no surprise that President Muhammadu Buhari is playing the same game, except where his party operatives attack Atiku, he focuses his darts at the PDP. That much was evident during his interview with THISDAY last Sunday. Although ARISE Television was initially billed to be part of the session, the Villa had by Sunday afternoon restricted it only to THISDAY with a proviso that NTA would record proceedings and hand us the tape afterwards. I was not part of the negotiation between THISDAY Managing Director, Mr Eniola Bello and the Special Adviser on Media to the President, Mr Femi Adesina. With my own experience of that delicate terrain, I have nothing but tremendous respect for Adesina and his colleague, Mallam Garba Shehu for giving us the raw video tape which is the exact copy of our own audio recording. I leave the judgement of the content to viewers, but there are a few issues that should be considered. One, whatever the merit of the president’s position on the minimum wage controversy, the view canvassed in his engagement with us cannot be helpful to ongoing negotiations with Labour. Two, appointing as Nigerian ambassador to the United States a man who was considered unfit by the Senate—due to poor health and advanced age—just because he once gave a judgement in his favour is a clear abuse of power. Three, finding a ready excuse to every national problem in the “16 years of PDP” is not only hollow, it betrays a lack of ideas. These, aside the insecurity challenge, growing poverty in the land and whether or not the president has a grasp of issues, are what you might expect the main opposition to focus on. But all we get are audio tapes. However, the president may be carrying his luck too far by outsourcing his campaign to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a throwback to 2015 when the APC propaganda machine was running at full throttle, though not
Buhari
in this brazen manner. At that period, Buhari allowed so many of the top party members to make all manner of promises before the story changed the moment he got to power. For those who may have forgotten, on 29th August 2015, Garba Shehu issued a statement to distance the president from two popular pre-election documents containing promises as to what he would achieve in his first 100 days in office. He claimed they emanated from the party’s “many centres of public communication which, for whatever reason, were on the loose.” As a consequence of these publications, all of which bore the party logo but were declared not ‘authorised’ once the election was over, expectations were “raised unreasonably that, as president, Muhammadu Buhari will wave his hand and all the problems that the country faces — insecurity, corruption, unemployment, poor infrastructure would go away” said Garba Shehu who then added rather sensationally: “He (Buhari) didn’t put a Kobo to finance the power sector. Yet, reading his body language alone and knowing that there are things you cannot do and get away with under Buhari, electricity supply all over the country has risen to unprecedented heights.” The jury is now out on those initial ‘accomplishments’ that were based on body language but we cannot forget that Garba Shehu concluded his treatise by promising that President Buhari “will turn out to be a leader in the tradition of Lee Kuan Yew and India’s current reform-minded Prime Minister Modi with strong and clear emphasis on detail and execution. He may, however, differ with them by not micro-managing things.” While I subscribe to the view that micro-managing is bad for a president, outsourcing responsibility is far worse and that is perhaps the most egregious charge against President Buhari, even by his wife. Ceding his campaign to Tinubu falls into the same pattern. Unfortunately, Atiku is neither offering anything different
nor challenging what is going on beyond some occasional tepid statements from his campaign office. And no matter how damaging the contents of audio tapes may be, those are not things that sway Nigerian voters one way or another. The sooner PDP strategists realise that and get serious, the better. That I have never been as unexcited about a presidential election in Nigeria as I am about the coming one is both sad and ironic considering that under the current dispensation which started in 1999, we have also never had as many interesting candidates as we have today. But I understand the Nigerian political terrain enough to know that the February election is principally between Buhari and Atiku. This much was confirmed in the latest report by the Eurasia Group, regarded globally as number one in the field of political risk assessment. ‘Top Risks for 2019’ highlights how “risks created by bad actors inflicting damage” could engender an unprecedented escalatory cycle this year in many countries but of greater interest is the analysis of the coming presidential election in Nigeria which it also describes as a straight contest between Buhari and Atiku. A second term for the incumbent president, according to the report, “would mean the country at best muddles through the next four years, with little progress on critical policy priorities like tax reform or a restructuring of the energy sector”; stating further that a re-elected “Buhari would be a lame duck from day one, with powerbrokers in his own party quickly shifting their focus to the next electoral cycle in 2023.” On the other hand, while an Atiku victory could “create a brief, superficial boost to the country’s image”, according to the report, the former vice president is also not likely to undertake “the difficult and politically unpopular tasks necessary for reform” and may in fact return the nation to the path of “an even more rent-seeking governing style.” Both prospects offer no comfort at a period our nation is confronted by pressing issues that this election should be about. How do we resolve, once and for all, the problem of funding our public universities and restore a measure of sanity to our education sector? Does it make sense to continue to budget hundreds of billions of Naira every year to subsidize a consumption item with all the corruption associated with it? Is the current political structure which devotes substantial resources to servicing a largely unproductive public service sustainable? How do we revamp the security architecture in such a manner as to successfully tackle the insurgency in the North-east and restore law and order across other parts of the country? How do we get millions of our children that are out of school enrolled by providing the necessary incentives? These are some of the issues you expect would be engaged in a campaign season but the only candidates offering any sensible ideas are those who do not have credible structures to support their aspirations and may have unwittingly already been schemed out of reckoning by the unwritten ethno-religious
cum geo-political consensus that defines Nigerian elections. Meanwhile, I am disappointed in the PDP that has refused to learn from its own experience. Having spent the 2010/2011 academic session researching incumbent presidential elections across the world, my finding is that the odds are usually against the opposition, including in the United States where the rules of engagement dictate a more level-playing field. History, according to Ross Baker in a piece titled “Beware of the incumbent advantage”, published in USA Today, “demonstrates that it is a dauntingly difficult job to unseat an incumbent president who is seeking a second term. Indeed, the number of presidents who have won a second term is almost twice the number of those who have failed to gain the favour of voters a second time.” Throughout the 19th century in the United States, as I once explained on this page, only five incumbents failed to secure second term in office. John Adams was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in 1800; John Quincy Adams lost to Andrew Jackson in 1828 while Martin Van Buren was ousted by William Henry Harrison in 1840. Incidentally, Grover Cleveland who lost to Benjamin Harrison in 1888 went on to defeat his successor four years later in 1892. Being the only man elected twice with another president in-between, Cleveland was 22nd and 24th presidents and this accounts for why Mr Donald Trump is the 44th American to be president yet officially recognised as the 45th president. In the 20th century, there were only four incumbents who failed in their bids for second term: William Taft was defeated by Woodrow Wilson in 1916 while Gerald Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976. Carter himself was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980 and the second term aspiration of George H.W. Bush was derailed in 1992 by Bill Clinton. There were of course incumbent presidents who failed to secure their parties’ nomination for a second term. They included John Tyler (1844); Millard Fillmore (1852); Franklin Pierce (1856); James Buchanan (1860); Andrew Johnson (1868) and Chester Alan Arthur (1884). Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson were among the six presidents who did not seek second term. While the Nigerian and the American political circumstances are markedly different, the odds are even more daunting for the opposition in our country where the incumbent is usually more powerful, controls all the resources, has the heads of security agencies at his beck and call and is not bound by strict rules to which his opponents are subjected. Therefore, whatever may be the failings of Buhari in the past four years, both the PDP and Atiku have to do more in the coming days and weeks. Otherwise, they are setting themselves up for a big disappointment at the polls.
NOTE: Interested readers should see ‘The Siege on Daily Trust’ on page 15.
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