MONDAY 17TH JUNE 2019

OML 42: Seven Banks Refinance Neconde’s $640m Facility Alike Ejiofor A consortium of seven local and international lenders has signed an agreement to refinance Neconde Energy Limited’s Senior Secured Medium-Term Loan Facility Agreement, worth $640 million

(N2.3trillion).

The refinancing of the facility followed the renewal of Neconde Energy Limited’s Oil Mining Licence (OML) 42 for the next 20 years, effective June 2019, by the federal government.

This development, according

to the indigenous oil and gas exploration and production company, was a demonstration of support for the company’s commercial and financial operations by both local and international financial institutions.

The consortium of seven

lenders comprises four Nigerian banks and three international lenders.

The banks are Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Zenith Bank and First Bank (UK) Limited.

The international lenders are the Africa Import Export Bank (Afrexim), Africa Finance

Corporation (AFC) and Glencore Energy (UK) Limited.

Apart from being a member of the lending consortium, Glencore is also the off-taker of Neconde’s equity crude oil production.

With the refinancing, Neconde is now positioned to

achieve its field development plans for the plum asset.

Neconde acquired Shell, Total and Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s 45 per cent joint equity interest in OML 42 in an open and competitive bid Continued on page 8

At $1.5bn, Nigeria Lags Behind Peers in SWF Savings…

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PDP Considers Dogara as House Minority Leader Asks lawmakers to submit leadership list by tomorrow APC meets this week to appoint N’ Assembly principal officers Chuks Okocha in Abuja The National Working Committee (NWC) of the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has mandated its members in the House of Representatives to select

their principal officers and inform the party of their decision today.

The party, according to a

reliable THISDAY source, met the House members last Friday and mandated them to select their principal officers

like the Senate had done in a cordial atmosphere.

However, THISDAY gathered that former speaker

of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, is being tipped as Continued on page 8

INEC Seeks Mandate to Deregister Dormant Parties To propose constitution alteration to reduce parties on ballot paper Wants more control over registration, primaries Atiku disclaims planned protest over server Chucks Okocha in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans a proposal for the alteration of the 1999 Constitution as amended to enable it reduce the plethora of

political parties in the country, which it said created for it a logistics nightmare during the 2019 general election.

According to the commission, the large number Continued on page 9

FG Mulls Fresh N600bn Palliatives for Gencos… Page 8

HONOUR WELL DESERVED… Pro-Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari (left), and Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation and Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, during the conferment of honorary Doctor of Business on Elumelu by BUK in recognition of his foremost contribution to Africa’s economic development through the promotion of entrepreneurship and philanthropy in Kano… weekend

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FG Mulls Fresh N600bn Palliatives for Gencos Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) has recommended additional N600 billion under the ‘Payment Assurance Guarantee (PAG)’ for the power generation companies (Gencos), THISDAY has learnt.

PAG was first set up in 2017 by the NBET to, among other objectives, mitigate the financial constraints of the Gencos, who as a result of the poor remittances from power distribution companies (Discos), do not get enough money for power they generate.

The initial fund worth N701 billion, covered the Gencos’ revenue shortfalls between 2017 and end of 2018.

However, reliable sources within the power ministry, NBET, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and industry operators told THISDAY that a N600 billion extension package may have been worked out and approved by the government, to continue the scheme and keep Gencos and gas suppliers running.

These sources, however, explained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which provided

the first N701 billion package to the NBET on terms that included the bulk trader repaying the loan in 10 years, would also disclose the terms for the new package.

THISDAY gathered that NBET recommended an extension of the package to the federal government in its appraisal of the first PAG late in 2018.

Speaking with THISDAY, the Gencos through their umbrella body – Association of Power Generating Companies (APGC), said they were yet to be informed of the new funding window.

They also noted that such funding would be another

palliative to the financiallydistressed Nigeria’s power sector. “As far as we are concerned, it’s a rumour until we receive a formal notification,� said the Executive Secretary of APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji.

Ogaji, further stated: “Relative to how we feel as Gencos, these are palliatives to the symptomatic decadence of the sector. Until the government decides to move from palliatives to cure, we will continue in this unending and incomprehensive dance.�

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity has continued to wobble with

the average volume of power generated into the grid in seven days – between June 5 and 11, almost at per with the volume that was not generated due to multiple constraints.

Records from the Advisory Power Team in the Office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, indicated that between these periods, the country’s average daily power supply was 3,483 megawatts (MW), while constrained volume was 3,031MW, resulting to a financial loss of N10.184 billion.

It explained the highest generation volume for the period

was 3778.84MW generated on June 5, while the lowest was 3166.65MW on June 6. Similarly, the country had the highest volume of constrained electricity for this period on June 6 when 4161.7MW could not be generated and the lowest of 2794.5MW unavailable on June 10. Gas supply, water management, transmission and distribution constraints were reportedly responsible for this.

So far in 2019, Osinbajo’s office quantified that about N245.998 billion worth of revenue has been lost by the power sector on account of these constraints.

Nigerian people need political parties that can bid for political power and not mere commercial platforms for hire."

He also decried the acrimonies that usually trail the conduct of parties’ primaries, which he attributed to the high number of pre-election cases in the court.

"The commission believes that the conduct of opaque and flawed party primaries is at the root of the plethora of pre-election matters pending in the various courts,� he said, adding: "The commission will propose constitutional alteration that aligns the resolution of pre-election issues and the activation of the issuance of certificates of return to the 21-day rule in the Electoral Act, 2010(as amended). “In other words, lodging an appeal within 21 days of obtaining an unfavorable judgment at the court of first instance automatically stays the execution of the judgment and the issuance of a certificate of return pending the determination by the court of Appeal and possibly, the Supreme Court.�

He said the commission will engage the leadership of the judiciary relating to

the territorial jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to the handling of pre-election matters, contending that a situation where primaries are conducted in one state and all the suits relating to same are trucked to another state for determination is not healthy for the electoral process.

He said the commission would also engage the leadership of the judiciary on multiplicity of court orders on the same issues and by the same parties from courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, Atiku, at the weekend, denied reports about his alleged plans to lead a violent nationwide protest if his petition at the presidential election petition does not succeed.

This came as the issue of whether the electoral commission has official server, where the results of the last general election were electronically transmitted to or not continued during the week, with a report querying the N2.27 billion budgeted for server-related procurement

items.

Atiku described a statement being circulated against him as handiwork of mischief-makers to mar his pro-democratic record and lay the groundwork for false charges against him.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP presidential candidate said such a statement did not emanate from him.

"I wish to emphatically state that such a statement did not emanate from Atiku Abubakar or his privies. It is the work of mischief makers who want to mar his spotless pro-democratic record and lay the ground work for their threatened actions against him on false charges of being a threat to national security,� Ibe said.

He added: ‘’For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar believes in the rule of law and in the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In his almost four decades in politics, he has never taken action or spoken words against democracy and will not start now.’’ Atiku added that he has confidence in God and called on those bent on mischief to have the fear of God and retrace their steps.

Trans-Forcados Pipeline, which is prone to repeated outages.

The new evacuation system (“Barging�) has become the primary evacuation system for the JV and has since proven to be a more reliable and consistent channel of evacuating its crude oil for export.

The JV, it was learnt, intends to consolidate on this major achievement and improve its cash flows from the asset.

In January 2011, Neconde participated in and emerged successful in the competitive bid for the acquisition of 45 per cent stake in OML 42 previously held by Shell, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited and Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited.

Only recently, it secured the renewal of its lease for OML 42 for a further tenor of 20 years by the federal government through

the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). “Neconde’s status as an indigenous company with an excellent management team offers a viable option through which the rich reserves of the Niger Delta could be brought into production with attendant economic benefits for the local communities and the country,� the company said in the statement.

inauguration on June 11, elected presiding officers for the Ninth National Assembly.

While Senator Ahmad Lawan and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege were elected as president of the Senate and deputy president of the Senate respectively, the House of Representatives chose Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon. Ahmed Wase as speaker and deputy speaker.

THISDAY learnt at the weekend that all the six geopolitical zones of the country would be accommodated in the sharing of the principal offices of the two chambers.

Already, with the election of Lawan and Omo-Agege as Senate presiding officers, North-east and South-south had already been taken care of, leaving the remaining four zones: South-west, South-east, North-west and North-central to fill the remaining four principal officers namely Senate leader, deputy Senate leader, chief whip and deputy chief whip.

It was further gathered that the APC leadership would first zone the remaining principal

offices before meeting with its 63 senators later this week.

A senator told THISDAY that many ranking senators had begun moves to woo their colleagues ahead of the caucus meeting despite the fact that the APC had not come up with the zoning arrangement for the four principal offices.

Findings, however, revealed that the Senate leader may come from the North-central, deputy leader from the South-west, chief whip from the North-west while the South-east may get the deputy chief whip.

Those seeking to be Senate leader include former Governor of Nasarawa State and chairman of the Eighth Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and former Governor of Kano State, Senator Kabiru Gaya.

Also, Senators Ajayi Boroffice, Remi Tinubu and Teslim Folarin are being touted for deputy Senate leader, while a former Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero, and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, have

been penciled in as chief whip and deputy whip respectively.

INEC SEEKS MANDATE TO DEREGISTER DORMANT PARTIES of parties, which made it to design very long ballot papers, confused many voters, particularly the less educated, during the election.

If the situation persists, said the commission, not only will the logistics nightmare persist, it would continue to put illiterate voters in a dilemma.

The position of INEC was made known at the weekend by its National Commissioner on Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, in an address in Makurdi, Benue State capital.

He said the commission was planning a review of the process of registering and deregistering political parties as well as how the parties choose candidates for the general election.

According to him, INEC is pushing for amendments to the Constitution and review of guidelines on party registration and deregistration to empower it to tighten up the registration process and delist parties that were “mere platforms� for political jobbers.

The commission expressed dissatisfaction with the extant registration regime, which it said has led to the nation’s electoral process being saddled with an unwieldy number of parties.

Presently, Nigeria has 91 registered political parties of which 73 fielded candidates for the 2019 presidential election.

INEC unfolded its plans just as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election denied planning a protest over the commission’s denial that it has a server where it stored election data.

In his address, Okoye identified the conduct of opaque and flawed party primaries as the root of the plethora of pre-election matters pending in the various courts.

As part of the overhauling of the party registration process, the commission, he said, would present a new alteration to the constitution that will enable it deregister political parties.

He said: "Nigerians must engage in root and branch review of the number of registered parties in Nigeria.

The present framework for the registration of political parties is inadequate to guarantee the registration of qualitative, membership driven and ideologically propelled political parties. Some of the political parties are mere platforms and

have no concrete and visible presence in most states of the federation.

"The presence of too many political parties on our ballot papers has in some instances confused some of our compatriots that are not well endowed in literacy. It has bloated the ballot papers and result sheets and trucking them to the polling units has become a logistics nightmare.

"The commission will present alternatives to the Nigerian people, including alteration of the constitutional regime that ties registration of political parties to visible, verifiable and concrete presence and structures in at least half of the states of the federation. “The commission will also propose a rational and democratic threshold for getting on the ballot and save the Nigerian people the phenomena of ‘also ran.’ "The commission will also propose further alteration of the conditions for the deregistration of political parties as the 4th Alteration to the Constitution is inadequate to weed out dormant and commercial platforms with little or no visible structures and presence in any of the states of the federation. The

Atiku Disclaims Planned Protest over Server

OML 42: SEVEN BANKS REFINANCE NECONDE’S $640M FACILITY in 2011.

The acquisition was financed by the consortium of reputable local and international financiers.

The Chairman of Neconde Energy Limited, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, said in a statement at the weekend that the loan refinancing affirmed the strong financial fundamentals of the company as a leading player in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry.

“This restructuring frees up capital for Neconde to invest in more development activities that will result in production increase,� he added.

Neconde is in a Joint Venture (JV) with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) in OML 42. The JV’s production presently stands at an average of 50,000 barrels of oil per day and upon completion of the development activities

planned in the 2019 work programme, the JV expects to hit a production output of about 100,000bpd.

In the third quarter of 2018, Neconde alongside its JV partner, NPDC, secured a robust and independent alternative crude evacuation system.

This initiative was borne out of the need to find a more reliable alternative to the

PDP CONSIDERS DOGARA AS HOUSE MINORITY LEADER the natural choice to fill the slot of minority leader. “In any case, as former speaker, he has assumed leadership naturally and has been the one co-ordinating our members in the House,� a reliable party source said, adding: “He is good to get it except he declines the offer.�

According to a source that spoke with THISDAY, the meeting was presided over by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, saying the party chose the option to avoid allegation of imposition of the PDP principal officers on members.

"At the meeting, the party's members of the House were in attendance and the party directed that they should meet on their own and inform the NWC of those chosen before Tuesday.

The party does not want to be accused of any preferential treatment,� the source stated.

The source said the Tuesday deadline was given because of pressure from the National Assembly leadership that is waiting for the minority inputs

into its committees it has set up to treat some assignments, including allocation of offices and committees chairmanship and membership.

Although the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to appoint its leadership of both chambers, the source said this is not an issue since the party already has the Senate presidency and House speaker that could represent its interests during the assignments.

The offices for grab include that of the Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.

It was gathered that two members of the House of Representatives from Delta State, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and Dr. Ossai Ossai, are also angling for minority leader.

The minority leader in the eigth House of Representatives was Dr. Leo Ogor, who did not return to the ninth Assembly.

Last week, after a three-hour meeting of the party's National Working Committee (NWC) with its senators, the party

announced Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia State) as the Senate minority leader; Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba State) as deputy minority leader; while Senator Philip Aduda (Federal Capital Territory) was picked as minority whip and Senator Clifford Ordia (Edo State) got deputy minority whip.

APC Meets This Week to Appoint N’Assembly Principal OfďŹ cers Meanwhile, the APC national leadership is also targeting filling the post of principal officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly on or before the July 2 resumption of plenary.

The party leaders, it was learnt at the weekend, might meet this week with its members in the National Assembly to decide on lawmakers to occupy the posts of principal officers.

The meeting is to be presided over by the party's National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives had upon

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019

NEWS

At $1.5bn, Nigeria Lags Behind Peers in SWF Savings Obinna Chima Almost six years after the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) commenced operations, total savings into the country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), presently at $1.5 billion, remain abysmally low, compared with some other African countries.

A report by the NSIA at the weekend showed that while the Libyan Investment Authority has about $66 billion, the Revenue Regulation Fund of Algeria has $7.60 billion as total Assets Under Management and the Pula Fund of Botswana currently holds $5.50 billion.

In addition, the report showed that Fundo Soberano de Angolano, Angola, which is the country’s investment authority, holds total Assets Under Management of $4.60 billion.

Owing to this, NSIA Managing Director, NSIA,

Mr. Uche Orji, while speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, stressed the need for consistency in contribution into the fund.

According to Orji, Norway now has about $1.07 trillion as total assets under management.

“The Norway story is one that I like to tell all the time.

The reason is because in one of my earliest jobs in 1998, the team I worked for was one of those that managed the Norwegian SWF’s assets.

“They started in 1993 with $10 billion and to see them now at over $1 trillion speaks to the power of consistent contributions. In 2013, it was reported that the Norwegians were putting in $1 billion a week into that fund.

“So, it doesn’t really matter how much you start with, what matters is how consistent you are. So, I think if there is one thing we need to do as a people and if we

need to be serious about this, there must consistent contribution,” he said.

He pointed out that the country was still very far behind the rest of the world in terms of savings into its funds.

Orji, however, expressed optimism that the National Assembly would pass a legislation to promote consistency in contribution to the fund.

“We need to get more money into the fund. It is extremely important to us because if we end up investing all our infrastructure fund, we might run out of capital and you have your margin squeezed,” he added.

Earlier, in a presentation, the NSIA boss said from 2012 to 2018, the agency reported six straight years of profitability in all its funds with core profits (excluding FX translation gains) of N28.45 billion ($87.5million) for 2018.

He said as the authority

was shifting focus towards infrastructure and direct investments in Nigeria, returns would incubate longer and consequently, cash available for market driven investments would decline.

Despite this development, the NSIA’s total profits increased from N22.55 billion in 2017 to N46.50 billion (including FX translation gains) in 2018. By the end of 2018, NSIA had assets under management of $1.9 billion (N617.69 billion), Orji said.

Commenting on his outlook for 2019, Orji said the NSIA started on a challenging manner with weak performances across its actively managed portfolios.

However, he identified ongoing trade disputes and political instability in key markets such as the United States and China, as risk factors that may escalate within the year.

He said it was expected that the markets would remain

volatile.

“Nonetheless, we are optimistic that our asset allocation strategy will withstand downside risks and optimise market gains.

“Within the last 12 months, we committed and deployed over N100 billion across the priority three road projects under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).

“We have also commenced due diligence on the Mambilla Power Project. We are within the target project milestone on all these projects,” he added.

He said the authority had introduced gas industrialisation as a new focus sector.

“Within our pipeline are: Basic Chemicals Investment with OCP: An off-shoot of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative is a development of a basic chemicals platform in conjunction with OCP of Morocco to produce ammonia for off-take by OCP.

“Gas flare reduction project: We are currently undertaking due diligence on this project.

Throughout 2019, we shall continue to focus on executing our infrastructure investment strategy in our core focus areas of power, toll roads, agriculture, healthcare and most recently gas industrialisation.

“NSIA has invested significant efforts in developing a robust and transparent corporate governance framework. This is because strong corporate governance structures do not only foster successful relationships amongst the various organs of the Authority, but also sets the right precedents to encourage long-term, sustainable growth and partnerships with other institutional and private investors,” he said.

He reiterated that the ongoing construction of the second Niger Bridge would be completed in February 2022.

PDP: EU Report Confirms Presidential Election Was Rigged Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described the European Union (EU) report on the 2019 general election as a vindication of the perception that the February 23 presidential election was rigged to favour President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the revelations of manipulations as detailed in the EU report further validated queries by Nigerians that Buhari was not validly returned for a second term in office.

“The world can now see that the PDP has not been crying wolf in insisting that the election was rigged with the cancellation of millions of PDP votes, alteration of results and allocation of fictitious votes to the APC. “Nigerians are still in shock over the revelations by EU of how about 2.8 million votes were deliberately “cancelled without sufficient accountability” and how several returning officers gave no reason for the cancellations.

“More shocking is the iniquity committed at the national collation centre, headed by the INEC chairman, where the EU report exposed inconsistent

numbers, distortions and a large discrepancy of 1.66 million more registered voters, as announced by INEC on 14 January, compared to those announced by state returning officers during the collation of presidential results,” the main opposition party stated.

PDP added that Nigerians witnessed on national television how professors and returning officers were unable to reconcile result figures due to heavy manipulations upon which INEC declared the APC winner.

It said the EU report had further exposed the iniquity committed by the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC by listing how ballot boxes were compromised, how essential materials were missing, how voter register was not always ticked as required and how manual authentication procedures were not correctly followed.

“The report also bared how figures on result forms did not reconcile, how result forms were not publicly posted, how result forms and smart card readers were not packed in tamper-evident envelopes as required, in addition to how the APC administration used security forces to intimidate voters, aid violence against our members and muscled votes for the APC,” the opposition party added.

The PDP commended the EU for the courage in exposing the evils committed

ROYAL THANKSGIVING… Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II (left), Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at the special thanksgiving service to mark the successful completion of Ugie Ododua and Ugie Ivie ceremonies, at the Holy Aruosa Cathedral, in Benin City… yesterday by the APC and INEC in the 2019 general election, saying the report has further reinforced the confidence of millions of Nigerians in their collective expectation of

justice in the quest to retrieve our stolen presidential mandate at the tribunal.

The PDP said those in INEC who perpetrated such crime against the nation,

in sabotaging the sanctity of our electoral processes to frustrate the choice of Nigerians in a presidential election, must be brought to book and made to face the

wrath of the law.

It urged Nigerians to remain calm as the truth about the election continues to unfold while justice takes its course on the matter.

Osun Governorship Election: Supreme Court to Hear Adeleke’s Appeal Today Davidson Iriekpen The Supreme Court has fixed today to hear the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 2018 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

Adeleke by the appeal, is seeking the reversal of the May 9, 2019 majority judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which upheld the election of Adegboyega

Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of the state.

The notice for the hearing date was contained in the notices sent to parties last week by the Registry of the Supreme Court, sighted in Abuja.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Oyetola winner at the conclusion of the September 27, 2018, supplementary election, held after the inconclusive

September 22, 2018 main election.

Adeleke and the PDP challenged the outcome of the election at the election tribunal, which sat in Abuja owing to fear of insecurity in Osun State.

On March 22, 2019, the three-man election tribunal gave a split decision of two-to-one in favour of the petitioners – Adeleke and the PDP. Justices Peter Obiorah and Adegboye Gbolagunte, in the

majority decision, upheld the petition, voided Oyetola’s victory and declared Adeleke of the PDP winner of the governorship election.

Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, who chaired the tribunal, gave a minority judgment, in which he dissented and struck out the petition because the petitioners did not prove their case.

Oyetola, APC and INEC appealed the majority judgment at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, while Adeleke

and the PDP appealed the minority decision.

On May 9, 2019, the Court of Appeal gave its decisions on the appeals, with four members of the five-man panel, upholding the appeals by Oyetola, APC and INEC, and dismissing the cross-appeal by Adeleke and the PDP. The Court of Appeal’s majority judgment set aside the majority judgment of the election tribunal, upheld the result as declared by INEC

and affirmed Oyetola of the APC as winner of the election.

Justices Jummai Sankey, Abubakar Yahaya, Isaiah Akeju and Bitrus Sanga gave the majority decision, while Justice George Mbaba gave the minority judgment, in which he dismissed the appeals and upheld the cross-appeal.

The appeal to be heard by the Supreme Court today is the one filed by Adeleke against the majority decisions of the Court of Appeal.

MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Riskof Importation of EbolaVirus to NigeriaLow, Says NCDC Ejiofor Alike The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has stated that following a preliminary risk assessment it conducted, the overall risk of importation of Ebola Virus Disease to Nigeria from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is low.

In a statement issued yesterday

by NCDC’s Director, Prevention and Programmes’ Coordination, Dr. Joshua Obasanya, the agency said it was monitoring the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and recent cases in Uganda.

According to the statement, the Nigeria Ebola Preparedness

team, coordinated by the NCDC, has conducted a preliminary risk assessment following the recent confirmation of EVD in Kasese District of Uganda.

“On June 11, 2019, the Ugandan Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of EVD in Kasese District, at the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The index case was a five-year old boy who fell ill after a visit to Mabalako Health Zone in Democratic Republic of the Congo to attend the burial of his grand-father, a confirmed EVD case, who died in the community on June 1, 2019.

As at June 12, 2019, the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) had confirmed three cases of

EVD and one death recorded.

A total of eight contacts have been identified and are being closely monitored. As at June 14, 2019, ring vaccination for high risk contacts and frontline healthcare workers is currently ongoing.

The district taskforce on EVD, a national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), WHO Uganda Country Office and Partners are supporting the response in the country,” NCDC explained.

“Outbreaks of EVD are known to bear risk of international spread hence the rationale for continual evaluation of Nigeria’s potential risk amidst regional trade and flight route within the region,” the report added.

NCDC added that “based on available data, the overall risk of importation of EVD to Nigeria remains low”.

“This is also in line with WHO’s risk assessment for Nigeria. There are no direct commercial flights and no known direct trade routes to Nigeria from Uganda. The current transmission pathway of the disease in Uganda is through unmanned land borders and further away from the capitals of both Uganda and Nigeria,” the statement said.

“However, the Nigeria Ebola Preparedness Team has put in place several measures to ensure adequate preparedness. Our national Emergency Operations

Centre (EOC), situated at the Incident Coordination Centre (ICC) in NCDC Abuja, is functional and currently in Alert Mode for EVD. Our team of national first responders is on standby and ready for deployment within 24 hours when the need arises. Public Health EOCs (PHEOCs) in States where major points of entry are located (Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt) are also on standby.

We have improved point-of-entry screenings in major airports; the Port Health Services unit of the Federal Ministry of Health is on alert and has heightened screening measures at entry points at our ports,” the agency explained.

“In addition to the above, designated treatment centres

and isolation facilities have been identified. Nigeria currently has in-country capacity for the diagnosis of EVD within NCDC’s National Reference Laboratories.

Our risk communications technical working group has developed an All Infectious Diseases Risk Communication Plan, and coordinates with a network of media houses and Health Educators in all States for prompt information dissemination. There are currently ongoing Infection Prevention Control (IPC) programs nationwide, including the development of new guidelines, as well as training packages for health care workers to mitigate transmission,” NCDC explained.

Police Confirm 34 Killed by Bandits in Zamfara The Police Command in Zamfara State has confirmed the killing of 34 persons following an attack in Tungar Kafau and Gidan Wawa communities in Shinkafi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, SP Muhammad Shehu in a statement issued yesterday in Gusau, the state capital, said the bandits launched the attack on Friday.

Shehu said the State Commissioner of Police, CP Usman Nagogo was among the state government delegation led by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Mahadi Aliyu-Gusau, to the affected villages for burial of the deceased.

“The CP has already directed the combined security personnel deployed to the area to improve and sustain the ongoing bush combing of the affected areas and

its environs for possible arrest of perpetrators of the dastardly act.

“He further directed the Command Criminal Investigation Department to conduct discreet investigations with a view to unravelling the circumstance behind the crime.

“Whoever is involved in this dastardly act will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Normalcy has been restored in the affected communities,” he said.

According to him, the command in collaboration with other security agencies has made adequate security arrangements for all villages and communities in the state.

He appealed to members of the public to always give the police credible and timely information as well as report strange and suspicious characters for prompt action.

Ibn Chambas: UN Encouraging Autocracy in Africa, IPAC Alleges Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A coalition of 91 registered political parties yesterday described as treacherous the position of the United Nations on the number of political parties, saying it was encouraging autocracy in Africa.

The Special Representative of Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, had expressed concern over the number of political parties in Nigeria and the sub-region, describing it as a serious challenge which “distracts from the quality of the process.”

The UN Special Representative had expressed the feelings during a courtesy call on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu in Abuja.

According to him, the number of political parties in certain elections in West Africa and the Sahel sub-region has posed a challenge.

But reacting to the

position of the UN, the coalition of parties under the aegis of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) called on the world body to work closely with the federal government and all registered political parties “to further deepen the country’s democracy with a view to enhancing its inclusivity.”

The National Chairman of IPAC, Peter Ameh who is also National Chairman of Progressive Peoples Alliance, made the condemnation of UN’s position in a statement in Abuja.

He said that the current number of registered political parties in Nigeria had “afforded over 200 million Nigerian citizens, the opportunity to be part of the electoral processes in Nigeria.”

“IPAC calls on the UN to concentrate more efforts on the security challenges ravaging and decimating the Nigerian Nation and the unprecedented level of unemployment across the Federation which are the real threats and which ought to be of great concern to the UN”, Ameh added.

CHANGE OF BATON…

New Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (left), taking over the mantle of the leadership of the forum from his predecessor, former Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State, in a quiet ceremony in Abuja ...recently Kingsley Adeboye

Father’s Day: Honour Women, Osinbajo Tells Men Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged men to honour women and to stop treating them as their subordinates.

He noted that men and women were born equal.

Osinbajo said to father a child was not the only factor that made one a man.

However, Osinbajo acknowledged the important roles played by men in the family setting and the society at large.

He spoke in Abuja at a service to mark Father’s Day at the Aso Villa Chapel.

His mother, Mrs Olubisi Osinbajo, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha,

were among dignitaries who joined him at the service.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, the Osinbajo stated, “I think the responsibility of the father is incredible indeed and I think what is most important is to teach our men, young men growing up, that they must honour women, not just their wives.

“Of course, you must honour and love your wives, but I think that it is very important that we honour women.

“We don’t treat them as subordinates to us; they are created equal to men.

“But, most importantly, we must honour them and recognise their role as partners, not just in families, but in the society as well.”

He noted that to be a father implied taking up the responsibilities of a father, whether one was a biological father or not.

Osinbajo explained, “It is not the ability to father a child, the ability to have a child that makes you a father; it is the courage to bring up one, ability to raise one.

“That’s what really makes you a father and I think the responsibilities of fatherhood are so many, whether one is a biological father or whether you are one who wants to take care of other children.

“I think that all of us, as men, have a role to play in the lives of so many, not just our biological children but so many of them who have no fathers; even to some who have fathers to whom we have

responsibility to set example to lead exemplary life, to bring them up as scripture says in the way of the Lord.”

The 1st Reading of the service was taken from Malachi 1: 3-6 by Omo-Agege.

The deputy Senate president said children learnt a lot from their parents by seeing the life the latter led.

“It is not what we tell our children, but the lives we lead and they see us lead,” Omo-Agege added.

Mustapha too gave his own perspective, saying that men were both the spiritual and physical head of their families.

He spoke further, “It is not about the celebration; I think it is a constant reminder about our responsibilities as fathers.

Appeal Court Strikes out Suit against Ihedioha The court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday, struck out the suit challenging the emergence of the Imo State Governor, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state.

The suit, which had earlier been stuck out by the Owerri Federal

High Court was filled by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who contested the primary election with Ihedioha.

Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo, who delivered the judgment, said that the petitioner did not bring enough evidence to convince the court.

In dismissing the suit, the jurist

said that Anyanwu was unable to establish his allegations.

Anyanwu had approached the Court seeking to nullify the victory of Ihedioha.

He urged the courts to declare him the authentic winner of the primary election.

He accused Ihedioha of engaging

in over-voting, thuggery, which he alleged, swayed the polls in favour of Ihedioha who is now the governor of the state.

Ihedioha had in the primary election on October 1, 2018, got 1,723 votes to defeat Anayanwu who got 1,282 to come second.

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NEWS

We Won’t Issue Certificate Twice, Says WAEC The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) yesterday advised people in possession of its certificates to guard them well, saying it will not re-issue on account of misplacement, fire, flood or theft.

The council’s Head of National Office, Mr Olu Adenipekun, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos State.

Adenipekun said the advice was necessary as many people have been approaching the council at various times for a reissuance of their lost certificates.

“Let me make it clear that in the real sense of it, our certificates are issued only once, irrespective of who is involved or the circumstance that led to the misplacement, and that remains the truth of the matter.

EKSU Students Embark on Protest, Demand Extension of Exam Date Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Students of the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti (EKSU) yesterday embarked on within the school premises against some decisions of the school authority.

The students who trooped out in their large numbers, gathered at the satellite gate of the institution, where they chanted solidarity songs.

The protest was going on at a time the school management was holding a meeting with the Student Union Government of the university at an undisclosed location.

It was gathered that the protest by the students was to demand an extension of time-table for the proposed examinations scheduled for today (Monday).

The students had earlier held a congress where they resolved to call for an extension of the time table.

The students claimed that they just resumed in April and were not given enough time to prepare for the examinations.

According to them, “some students who were supposed to sit for the examinations today still sat for test yesterday evening, describing it as absurd in an academic environment.

They claimed that the action of the institution “was to deliberately lure students to failure so as to justify their action that almost made a student to commit suicide recently”.

Other agitations by the

students include; poor network system of the portal which they claimed had failed to clear students who had already paid school fees for the examination and inadequate learning facilities.

The students vowed to continue the protest today if the management failed to postpone the examination.

During the action, some students who were studying in some facilities within the school were forced out by the irate students.

Sequel to the protest, the university immediately postponed the first semester examination which was originally scheduled to begin today.

In a press statement signed by the registrar of the institution, Mr. Akin Arogundade, the new date for the examination is Monday, July 1, 2019.

The postponement according to the statement is to ensure security of lives and properties on campus and its environs.

All academic activities on campus have also been postponed till Monday, July 1, 2019, while students are expected back on campus on Sunday, June 30, 2019.

The statement directed all students preparing for exams to ensure payment of all necessary fees, as evidence of payment would be used for clearance and examination permit.

“We do not issue our West African Senior School Certificates Examination (WASSCE) twice.

“But, if we have such cases of theft, fire, flood and others, as it concerns these certificates, yes, in reaction to our operational environment, we can consider the issuance of an ‘attestation certificate.

“About five years ago, the council, that is, the highest governing body met and took a decision on this, stressing that there is no test body that issues two of its certificates to a single candidate in one examination.

“But, if a candidate should experience such losses through fire, flood or theft and can

A member of the House of Representatives representing Okigwe South federal constituency, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has urged the South-east leaders to stop attacking President Muhammadu Buhari for losing out in the leadership positions in the National Assembly, particularly the office of the Speaker.

Nwajiuba, who was a speakership aspirant in the recent contest for the office, faulted a particular governor from the zone for spurning entreaties by Buhari to facilitate the zoning of the speakership position to the South-east.

In a statement issued yesterday thanking his supporters for backing him in the contest for the office of the Speaker, Nwajiuba said: “I wish to urge restraint by some persons and groups in the South-east who are quick to attack unjustifiably

Mr. President over the current state of events. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Mr. President does not hate Ndigbo and has no reason to. As a matter of fact, it was Mr. President’s sincere wish to have the Speaker emerge from the South-east and his attempts for that to happen were thwarted.

“As a matter of fact, the presidency pressed the then APC governor of Imo State to allow a level-playing field for the House of Representatives primaries to facilitate the zoning of the Speakership office to the zone. The governor refused.

“His attempt at imposition and the resistance that ensued destroyed the cohesion of the party in the state, undermined the primaries, leading to its nullification by the court. I was thus compelled to seek agreement with other aggrieved members of APC to contest the Okigwe South federal seat on the platform of Accord Party.”

now.

“We have many Nigerians who have benefitted from this because it is like a replacement of the real certificate.

“These people who have benefitted from this come from all the stratum of the society,” Adenipekun said.

According to him, in an effort to reduce the incidence of certificates loss and protection, the council in Nigeria, four years ago introduced what it called certificate cover.

He explained that one of the ways candidates or persons get their certificates destroyed was majorly in an attempt to

laminate them.

“It has been discovered that quite a large number of people rush off to business centres immediately after collecting their WASSCE certificates, and in an attempt to get them laminated, they are destroyed in the process,” he said.

Adenipekun said that the council’s non-sticky certificate covers were unique and protective, even if when submerged in water.

He added that these were parts of the innovations the council introduced over the years in an attempt to serve the public well.

Masari’s Wife Calls for State of Emergency on Drug Abuse Francis Sardauna in Katsina The First Lady of Katsina State, Dr. Hadiza Bello Masari, yesterday raised the alarm over the rising cases of drug abuse among youths and married women in Nigeria, calling for the declaration of state of emergency on the menace.

Mrs. Masari, therefore, called on the federal government to build drug abuse detoxification centres as part of strategies to check the trend and provide services for those affected already.

She said the implication of drug abuse on individual, family and the society is quite enormous, describing the trend as a threat to nation building.

Addressing youths under the aegis of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) drawn from 14 states who visited her in Katsina, the governor’s wife said the gory state of substance abuse has called for the declaration of a state of emergency.

According to her, findings show that many Nigerian youths, including married women, are being exposed

House Member Blames South-east Govs over Loss of Speakership Position Davidson Iriekpen

provide all the necessary proofs required to that effect, that will show such things actually happened to his or her certificate, there are certain steps such candidates are expected to take before approaching the council for further action,” he said.

The WAEC chief explained that after all such processes had been satisfactorily concluded then, the council would consider the issuance of “Attestation Certificate”.

“It is this certificate that we give out and not re-issuance of another certificate.

“This is what we have been doing for the past five years

“While attacking Mr. President seems expedient and easy, the truth is that there are facts that may not be available to some of those who do this.

We in the South-east must realise that if today we feel left out, it is simply because of the political actions by our leaders and we must not shy away from being introspective and taking responsibility.

“So, the way forward for the South-east is to, as I said earlier, engage with Mr. President and his administration, offer support and make constructive demands.

“To engage in name calling, abuse, outright lies and propaganda is an unhelpful route. We are a major stakeholder of this country and deserve to be recognised and treated as such but we must also be very astute in our political maneuvering. To neglect that and busy ourselves in destructive politics will take the South-east nowhere,” he said.

to drugs and other illicit substances.

Masari said the society had also made it almost impossible for those already into drugs to come out due to the stigma and discrimination, therefore, “we must change our attitudes to rid the society of this problem.

“My non-governmental organisation (NGO), Centre for the Advancement of Mothers and Children in Katsina in synergy with state government and other stakeholders will

work hard to bring an end to this problem among youths, considering the fact that the youth population is the fulcrum of national development.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the state Chairperson of High-level Women Advocacy (HILWA), Maria Abdullahi, called on married women to desist from drug abuse, as according to her, it has negative impacts on their matrimonial homes.

Earlier, the leader of the

delegation, Abubakar Gambo Ahmed, said the advocacy visit was aimed at increasing access to safe and quality education for all children, particularly girls in Nigeria.

He said UNICEF, in collaboration with Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has trained 120 youths in the state on different skills as part of efforts to commemorate the 2019 Day of the African Children.

MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍľËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

WAITING FOR BUHARI’S CABINET Fredrick Nwabufo writes that the president should go for the best

“

It will take the next two months before ministers can come on board. Bringing them in now may disrupt the clean-up going on. So, Nigerians just have to be patient.�

This was Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, speaking to Reuters on July 1, 2015 on the hold-up in appointing ministers. He said the president was taking his time to assemble a team of “credible and competent� Nigerians.

But after six months of suspense and wearisome wait, some persons of blemished character and of inchoate competence still got hoisted into the cabinet. What a pathos-inducing denouement that was?

As a matter of fact, reinforcing failure is solving a problem with the same washed-out tools, methods and live ware. A president is as good as his cabinet; this is the reason competence must supersede every other value item in the check-list.

It has been 14 days since the inauguration of the second Buhari administration, and it is shaping up to be the sophomore of a prosaic interlude charged with a numbing suspense.

Really, I think this uneasy wait could be the result of intense lobbying in “high places� or a consequence of ambivalence in making that important decision of appointing persons to the cabinet by President Buhari.

And there is the speculation that most of the “arid hands� may return because they are angling and sparing no quarter in scheming to have another round at retailed power.

In an essay entitled, ‘Mr President, may we discuss your cabinet?’ Simon Kolawole delivered an incisive piece of protest when he said: “Mr President, I will now be straightforward: if you retain certain ministers, I will finally give up on your government. I have seen enough reasons to lose faith but there is this never-say-die spirit that keeps me hoping even when it does not make sense.

That is in my DNA. I have, however, been gravely worried that most of the ministers have been saying quietly that they are returning. In fact, I am told more than half of your cabinet will be re-appointed. I hope this is a joke, Mr President. Tell me it’s a joke, Mr President. Assure me, Mr President, that this is a joke. This is a cabinet you should have dissolved years ago! How on earth would they be retained? Say it ain’t so, Mr President.�

With due attribution, I so declare: “I will finally give up on Buhari, if certain former political ‘appointees’ return.� The truth is, loyalty is not a strong point for outsourcing critical ministries or offices to loudly incompetent persons. This was the intended experiment with Adebayo Shittu, minister of communications. He is, perhaps, the most tragic misfit to have headed that

A PRESIDENT IS AS GOOD AS HIS CABINET; THIS IS THE REASON COMPETENCE MUST SUPERSEDE EVERY OTHER VALUE ITEM IN THE CHECK-LIST

ministry.

And it is not that the president lacks a pool of human resources to make his pick from within or outside his party. But the Nigerian brand of politics of cronyism, loyalty and patronage blights credible choices.

To say the least, I am not oblivious of the achievements of some officials in the administration. I know that there have been genuine reforms at some agencies. At PTAD, I know, Sharon Ikeazor, executive secretary of the agency introduced the Anti-corruption Transparency Unit to purge the agency of institutional corruption; I know she created a database for pensioners, jettisoning the antiquated and cumbersome filing process; yanked off more than 24,000 ghost pensioners from the system, saving about N495 million monthly for the government. But would it not be fantastic if we had a female Secretary to the Government of the Federation? What is to be said for gender inclusion?

At NEITI, I know there have been reforms. I know there is a push to establish public registers of beneficial owners (real owners) of oil, gas and mining companies which operate in the country by 2020. Already, there is a published road map on beneficial ownership disclosure which provides clear definition of who beneficial owners are. The essence of this is to bring transparency and accountability into the extractive industry. What better way to fight corruption in the opaque sector?

Also, the man leading this charge at NEITI, Mr Waziri Adio, is a public officer who is known to have shrunk the appurtenances of office off his own bat.

At the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the integrity of data has remained untainted. I remember a few months to the 2019 election; the NBS published some unemployment figures which were unfavourable to the government. Really, it takes special courage to hold up the end of non-compromise in this circumstance. Dr Yemi Kale, statistician-general, braved death threats to do his job.

And there are many other Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in public service like Dr Joe Abah who initiated a series of pristine reforms while he was the director-general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms. The talent pool in Nigeria is inexhaustible.

But the committee of “political scouts� are comfortable with the optional familiar.

President Buhari should imagine himself as the CEO of a blue-chip company. He must understand that competence is ultimate; it comes first, and that appointing career politicians to sensitive offices as he experimented in the time of “change� will not take us to the “Next Level� now. fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com

THE CHALLENGE OF NATION-BUILDING The political elites have failed to rise to the challenge of nation-building, writes Iliyasu Gadu

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n a fit of righteous indignation, the late venerated Dele Giwa in his regular column� Parallax Snaps� which used to run in the defunct Concord newspaper once described Nigeria as God’s experiment with the impossible.

He was moved to say this by looking at the fractious contradictions and dysfunctional state of Nigeria in his time and concluded that the country would find it difficult to rise to its potential.

Decades after Giwa made that distressing assessment of Nigeria, the situation not only holds true, but has proven to be prophetic as Nigerians themselves in overwhelming numbers have in many ways come to question whether the country should stand as it is or not.

Scholars of the Nigerian situation overwhelmingly agree that the root cause of this has to do with Nigeria’s history. The British colonialists who clobbered the country together did not meet a nation but an agglomeration of different states at different levels of political, social and economic development. And because the British were wary not to create a nation out of these disparate peoples lest they unite against them, they devised a system of administration of divide and rule over the natives. Thus Nigeria unlike Ghana never experienced nationhood under colonial rule as the British took special care to create conditions of continuous mutual antagonism between the various states making up Nigeria and at the independence in 1960, Nigeria evolved more

as a geographical expression of disparate peoples than as a nation.

Having granted independence to Nigeria under these conditions, the British retired to Westminster to watch keenly the chaos they deliberately created unfold among the people making up the country they created.

The Igbos of the southeast region with their republican nature based on pioneering individualism and sense of personal endeavour and achievement felt the new Nigerian state should be constructed in their image. The Yoruba of the southwest with their tradition of federalism underpinned by strict checks and balance under the Oyo Empire, sought to impress it upon the others that Nigeria should be governed not by a unitary arrangement, but by a loose federal structure with more power divested to the federating units. The Hausa-Fulani to the north, self-conscious of their entrenched political and social positions in the north and desiring to protect it, were not only enamoured of the Yoruba advocacy for a federal structure in the country, but also a strict policy of north for northerners only. The minorities in the country squeezed by the dominant ethnic groups have dithered between supporting a strong centre which frees them a little from this situation, to a preference for autonomy over their ethnic and cultural identities and control over resources of land and minerals found in their domain.

Till date much of Nigeria’s political struggle centres around these issues and the political elites of Nigeria preoccupied with this template of politick-

ing have seen nothing beneficial in rising above it. Indeed they seem to have found comfort and convenience in perpetuating the politics of ethnicity and religion which much like the British template of old makes the critical mass of Nigerians amenable for political manipulation and control. This largely accounts for why goals for national development and advancement more often end up being subsumed under divisive and counterproductive actions by Nigeria’s political elite.

This is what instigated the late Dele Giwas lamentation about Nigeria.

At this stage in our historical experience as a country, we have reached a point where we cannot continue as we have been going all this while.

Whereas in Dele Giwas time in the eighties, not many were inclined to agree with his assessment of Nigeria, today the signs of the effect of Nigeria’s dangerous flirtation with self-neglect and denial over the years are clearly manifested in the deepening fault lines of ethnicity, religious differences, banditry, sectarian crises, and widening gap between social classes, among others.

That the political elite in Nigeria have failed and betrayed the promise of the country which was entrusted on them is no more in any doubt.

Now that the contradictions they have created and perpetuated over the years have led to a dangerous point in our politics, our political elite have found themselves out of odds and depth in proffering solutions for the way out. Some among them are openly calling for the outright disintegration of the

country while others are inviting foreign powers to invade and occupy the country and install a new colonialism. Yet others occupying positions of national prominence and trust are using these offices to promote sectional and primordial interests.

These are people who have been privileged by the Nigerian state to rise to the status and positions that they presently occupy in our national life.

There have been strident calls for a restructuring of the country as a panacea. But again judging from the nature and intent of the calls, the restructuring will be more a continuation of the known pattern of struggle by the elite that will further reinforce the dangerous fault lines in the country than provide a clear path to nationhood.

My take is that the proof that our political elite has failed to rise to the challenges of nation-building in Nigeria has been borne out by the fact long after the British have left, they have not been able to provide the country with a concrete template for the meaningful national integration of the disparate people of Nigeria into a nation. This failure is glaring enough considering that other less endowed countries in Africa and the developing world faced with similar situations about the same time as we got our independence have since made remarkable strides in their quest for national integration and development.

What this means is that our elite who we hold up as national icons are in reality not worthy of such adulation as they have proven incapable of resolving the national question.

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T H I S D AY MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019

EDITORIAL A Caution On UBE Funds The authorities should ensure that money is not given to those who want it for nothing

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gainst the background of recent outcry by Lagos lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, that the N142 billion Universal Basic Education (UBE) fund could soon be disbursed to the states by the federal government, there is an urgent need for all stakeholders to ensure that the governors deploy the money for the purpose for which it was intended. “I have confirmed that the fund will be disbursed in June 2019. If the fund is judiciously spent, child illiteracy will be substantially reduced in the country. But unless the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the media, community leaders, civil society, etc., monitor the disbursement, the fund will be diverted once again by state governments”, said Falana. We agree.

Despite the growing number of out-of-school children in the country, currently put at over 10 million, much of UBE SHOULD NOT BE USED the UBE funds have AS AN AVENUE TO MAKE been lying unutiFREE MONEY AVAILABLE lised. The governors TO STATE GOVERNORS had for years been canvassing a situation where they would be availed this special federal government intervention fund without providing the necessary counterpart funding, which is a needed demonstration of seriousness for entitlement. Yet the handling of the funds by most state governments has only reinforced the need for strict monitoring of its disbursement and utilisation.

Primary education does not fall within the purview of the federal government while the two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) set aside by the federal government for equal distribution to all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to support basic education was a response to a felt national need. Curiously, many state governments speak about UBE funds with a

Letters to the Editor

sense of entitlement.

That the funds are not being accessed is because the affected states simply refused to pay a matching grant of the same amount due to them or develop action plans to be presented to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), on how the total sum would be spent. From reports of states’ performance, the diversion of funds to things other than basic education and the practice of some states which pay the counterpart fund, receive the grant and promptly withdraw half of it, show that the federal government is right in maintaining the existing strictures. Interestingly, the states complaining of inadequate funds to rebuild classroom, train teachers and provide instructional materials are the ones putting forward all sorts of arguments against rules for access to the special intervention funds.

I T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, 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 TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

t is even more disheartening that only very few states in the North today are enforcing the UBE law which requires every child to be in school from primary to junior secondary school at the expense of the state. Most northern states have also failed to access the UBEC fund because they are required to contribute counterpart funding. Allocation per state has hardly ever gone beyond half a billion naira per annum, yet some states argue that they cannot afford it. A state once requested that it be paid only what it is able to pay.

That is, if the state can only afford to pay N200 million in a given year, for example, UBEC should give it the same amount and keep the rest!

The experience with the Education Trust Fund (ETF) is instructive. Just because states are required to account for previous allocations to access the next, the allocations have piled up. And it is against the background of this experience that we doubt the wisdom of releasing any money to the states without following the law. Rather than relax the conditions, they should be further tightened to ensure quality control. UBE should not be used as an avenue to make free money available to state governors.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

OSUN: ECONOMIC SUMMIT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS

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n a few days’ time, Osun will be organising an Economic and Investment Summit to “redirect and recommend strategies which will drive meaningful youth employment, enhance food security, agricultural development, activate mining prospects and boost tourism potentials” of the state.

Well, while a summit of this nature and relevance is auspicious, especially, at a time revenue accruing to the state is said to be having excruciating strains on the finance profile and obligations of the state, the fact of the matter is that governance globally is a serious business and not a glamorous show of the circus! As should be expected, Economic Summits are for the egg-heads: focused, serious-minded, go-getter people with proven track records in the society. They are not done for crass reasons or merely to facilitate ‘jeunjeun’ rendezvous for the boys! Besides, economic realities in the global market and how they have affected Nigeria have taken governance and economic issues beyond how to create wealth alone. They also include, if not more importantly, how to judiciously appropriate scarce resources!

Osun, like most states in Nigeria, is cruising through trying times financially, and all eyes can see it! There is palpable inefficiency in every sector of the domestic economy and it cuts across board.

With a population that is aggressively climbing towards five million, to say that Osun is yet to attain the majesty of its economic potential, despite the abundance of resources available to it, is certainly a misnomer. The truth is: it has not even taken-off! So, what exactly is this seeming endless ritual about and what does it hope to achieve to ensure that Osun does not sink?

For this writer, there are big issues on ground to be addressed for any summit of the shape and size being contemplated by the state to be meaningful. So, it will do the organisers a great deal of good if they focus their attention more on the ball, not to embellish it with a diet of tricks that will only end up portraying the participants as being busy for the sake of being busy, signifying, and achieving nothing! The summit should generate ideas and bring up recommendations which will help government reduce deficit and put smiles on the faces of the private sector operating in the state. Its beauty should be something that speaks eloquently to the economic self-sufficiency of the state, interrogate poverty reduction issues, catalyse sustainable development and proactively address topical issues like entrepreneurship, economic growth and foreign direct investment.

To be honest with posterity, Osun has its peculiarities. It is agro-based! Though the state has in recent history moved from a public service economy back to its rightful place as an agricultural state, that does not mean it should practically go to sleep. No! The gospel of development doesn’t work that way! Essentially therefore, the proposed summit must come up with lasting strategies that can support partnerships in agriculture and guarantee investments in food security. In a state where 70% of its population are farmers, it is desirable that Osun contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s exit from the comity of ‘high rate of unemployment’ nations of the world.

Mining is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors. Unfortunately, its development in Osun has become an object of platitudes

and abandonment. Now that the government is talking about encouraging, attracting and establishing light manufacturing industries in the major sectors of the economy, mining is one sure way to go, particularly, taking into consideration its labour-engaging capacity. Mpumalanga (South Africa), Dingi-Dongi (Indonesia) and Toronto (Canada) have shown that the economic impact of mining transcends the realm of mineral extraction and processing. But then, this mining stuff has to be real, especially, now, that Nigeria’s unemployment rate stands at 26%.

Next on the list is the Land Use Charge. Of course, the SurveyorGeneral has a lot of work to do in this area. The unseen hand driving land use charge is principally tied to the dynamics of the domestic economy and the demand and supply profile of land use in the society. An unreasonable charge and tax assessment will only portray the government as unreasonable, and the concocted charge as ‘taxation without representation.’ Fundamentally, urban renewal programmes have to be hinged on a development plan that will partition or re-partition the land parcels available to the state. It doesn’t matter that this may cost the state a huge amount of money. The reality on ground is: if there is no money in Abeere, there certainly can’t be money in Osun!

Good that Osun has vowed to improve on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) “in ways that do not bring additional burden to the people.” But the truth no government wants to deal with is that people don’t naturally wish to pay taxes; and for good reasons too!

Abiodun Komolafe, Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State

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Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG

POLITICS

Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

M O N D AY D I S C O U R S E

The Making of the Speaker

Shola Oyeyipo writes that the emergence of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives may have resulted from strategic deals sealed with the main opposition party

Gbajabiamila

U

Idris-Wase

Abdulmumin-Jibrin

ntil, the curtains were drawn on the leadership election of the 9th House of Representatives, not many who witnessed the turn of events and 2015 and believed in the possibility of history repeating itself, could say with certainty which way the pendulum will swing.

The election might have come and gone, but the intrigues and politicking that characterised the build-up to the June 11 date of the election and the eventual emergence of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the preferred candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as the Speaker and the Hon. Idris Wase as the Deputy Speaker, will not be forgotten in a hurry.

As soon as the 2019 elections were concluded, the party didn’t mince words; it came out clear on its preference for Gbajabiamila. He was the party’s choice just as Senator Ahmed Lawan was favoured by the party for the office of the Senate President. At the onset, quite a number of other ambitious APC members were undeterred by the party’s decision, they declared their intention to run for speakership, in a demonstration of their right to aspire to any office in the land that they are qualified for.

Though he entered the race for Speaker as a fifth timer, the former Minority Leader and immediate past Majority Leader, Gbajabiamila initially had the likes of another fifth-timer and chairman of the North-east caucus of the APC, Hon. Mohammed Monguno representing Jere Federal Constituency, Borno State; member representing Takai/Sumaila Federal Constituency, Kano State, who was the immediate past Senior Special Assistant to the President on National

Assembly Matters, Abdulrahman Sumaila and the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Ahmed Wase representing Wase Federal Constituency, Plateau State were some of the earliest to join the race. It was not limited to them. As the plot thickened, more contestants began to show interest.

Names of the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas representing Jada/Ganye/ MayoBelwa/Toungo Federal Constituency; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Khajidat Bukar-Ibrahim representing Damaturu, Gujba, Gulani and Tarmuwa Federal Constituency, Yobe State; member representing Ogo Oluwa/Surulere Federal Constituency, Oyo State, Hon. Olusegun Odebunmi and Hon. Yakub Buba representing Gombi/ Hong Federal Constituency, Adamawa State, also came up at various points in the race.

Others were; the Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa representing Tudun-Wada/ Doguwa Federal Constituency, Kano State; Chairman, Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Hon. Umar Bago representing Chanchaga Federal Constituency, Niger State; Chairman, Committee on Aviation, Nkiruka Onyejeocha representing Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State, Hon. John Dyegh representing Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency and Hon. Olajide Olatunbosun representing Saki West/Saki East/Atisbo Federal Constituency, Oyo State.

The playing field was wide open and it looked it could be anyone’s trophy for the taking. There were so many issues on the table. Perhaps, strongest of it all was the fact that the party, still licking the wounds from its catastrophic handling

of the 2015 National Assembly leadership election, was not willing to leave anything to chance, this time around, when it came to the issue of party supremacy. Whatever it failed to do to secure the emergence of its favoured candidates in the 2015, it had apparently learnt from its mistakes. To assert that it was on top of its game, in this seeming replay, the APC re-presented the duo of Lawan and Gbajabiamila and followed through with a methodic approach to ensure their emergence.

QUICK FACTS:

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Talking Points There were party members within and outside the House of Representatives who felt the choices of Lawan and Gbajabiamila was the prerogative of former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu. Not a few considered it an extension of ‘Lagos culture of imposition,’ that will hand over the legislature to the executive.

Some South-west contenders also lamented that there was no consultation or meeting at the regional level where it was agreed upon that after the speakership was zoned to the South-west it should go to Lagos and that it should be Gbajabiamila.

When the campaigns started Northcentral contenders like Dyegh (Benue), Wase (Plateau) and Bago (Niger) were more vehement in their individual and collective agitation that their zone deserved the speakership in the sense that it contributed more votes to President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 electoral victory and also because the South-west already has the Vice President. Their campaigns were based on a push for justice, fairness and equity argument.

They maintained that the party had to be fair to other zones.

There was also the aspect that Gbajabiamila-Wase speakership and deputy speakership is a Muslim-Muslim ticket and that Gbajabiamila was not qualified to be speaker because he was purportedly found guilty of a criminal act by the US Supreme Court of Georgia in February 2007. He reportedly fully admitted to stealing $25,000 from his client.

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Mr. Ikenga-Imo Ugochinyere and the Action People’s Party (APP) in a suit No. M/6810/2019 filed on May 30 before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), wanted the court to bar Gbajabiamila, but Justice Charles Agbaza refused to grant the order in an ex-parte motion seeking an interim injunction restraining Gbajabiamila from contesting the speaker of the 9th National Assembly and other principal offices.

The claimant alleged that Gbajabiamila had been convicted for the offence of involving dishonesty and fraud by the Supreme Court of State of Georgia, United States of America in suit No. S06Y0829.

Before then the ruling party had broken the ranks of its erring members from the North-central by cajoling Wase to drop his ambition and instead pair with Gbajabiamila as his Deputy Speaker.

The Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai also clarified the contentious issue of imposition by Tinubu when he received 121 members-elect, who were on consultation tour of North-west that Gbajabiamila was not Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s project but President Buhari’s.

He also reiterated that the President Buhari convinced Wase to drop his speakership ambition for Gbajabiamila.

Niger State r(CBKBCJBNJMB XPO XJUI WPUFT to defeat his main rival, Bago, who polled 76 votes. r(CBKBCJBNJMB XBT OPNJOBUFE

by Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin who managed the Gbajabiamila/Wase campaign. Jibrin also had the distinction of nominating Hon Yakubu Dograra, Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives

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MONDAY DISCOURSE

Oshiomhole

“It’s a misconception that Gbajabiamila is Asiwaju’s project, because it was President Buhari himself that has always observed Femi in the House.

Even before he became President, he read newspapers and watched television and he followed Gbajabiamila; his dedication and contributions on the floor, and he said this time around I want Femi. I am sure Asiwaju is happy, but this is not his project, he is not the one that zeroed in on him,� el-Rufai said.

The Gambits Judging from what played out in the gallery on June 11 when the House was inaugurated by Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Mohammed Sani-Omolori, it was obvious that the ruling party had done its homework properly and was resolute on ensuring victory for its candidates in both chambers.

Just about 48 hours to the election, Hon. Onyejeocha reportedly stepped down for Gbajabiamila. She was the only female and most formidable South-easterner in the race. Another vocal opposition to the Gbajabiamila candidacy in the South-west, Hon. Odebunmi, also caved in. He protested that the South-west did not decide on Gbajabiamila collectively.

Though the duo of Hon. Dyegh and Hon. Olatunbosun did not officially declare that they were stepping down, both men were not nominated for speakership. It simply left the floor to the previously known two main contestants; Gbajabiamila and Bago.

The rest is history, as the Majority Leader in the 8th assembly, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila APC emerged Speaker of the 9th assembly. He polled 281 votes from 358 members to defeat his main rival, Bago, who polled 76 votes.

The Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori who pronounced Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker-elect of the 9th House of Representatives, said: “It is my pleasure to say that counting of votes is complete, 358 members voted. Hon. Umar Bago 76 votes, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila 281 votes. We have one invalid vote. “Therefore, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, having secured the highest number of votes over and above the required number of votes, has been returned as the Speaker of the House.�

There was no election in Wase’s case.

No other person was nominated to contest against him. He was returned unopposed as the Deputy Speaker.

Breaking Bago The Bago team had been working closely with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He enjoyed the support from the immediate past Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and some members of the APC. That back bone was broken when the PDP Minority Leader announced that members of his party were at liberty to support any speakership candidate of their choice. The party did not take a clear cut position on the matter.

Bago

Few hours to the election to determine the leadership of the 9th assembly, the Director-General, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila/Hon. Ahmed Wase Campaign Organisation, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin, hinted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates have offered a faction of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members committee leadership slots.

That was contrary to the position of the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that PDP will not get any committee chairmanship seat in the 9th National Assembly except the constitutionally stipulated public accounts committee.

Jibrin’s statement about 48 hours to the election became instructive at the end. He said, “In 2015, there was a bit of complacency because APC was only guarding its votes. We believed then that we had the numbers to win the election, so we weren’t bothered about the PDP, but PDP were concentrating on how to poach the APC and that was how the election was won. But this time around, APC is much more comfortable because we have more number. We have 223, but even at that our campaign is more aggressive to get more PDP than the aggression of PDP members trying to poach our members.�

He reiterated that, “These members of PDP working with us, there is nothing you can do to change their mind, because their support for Gbajabiamila and Wase is based on conviction that they are competent to occupy the position.�

He told select journalists at that meeting that 60 PDP members already working with the Gbajabianila team have been promised 60 committee slots and that nobody could convince them to vote otherwise.

That was almost exactly what played out, Gbajabiamila eventually polled 281 votes, which means the combination of the entire 223 APC members with the 60 PDP members, minus two.

It is therefore obvious that Gbajabiamila actually brokered deals with PDP Reps. However, apart from the information given by Jibrin that committee slot that should have gone to the entire PDP has been shared out to those with whom they had understanding, other details of these deals are not public and whether or not the Gbajabiamila leadership is in a position to fulfill these deals will only be known as events unfold.

Already, Gbajabiamila has promised an all-inclusive leadership that will work with all the political parties that in the 9thassembly. He has behind his seat, a portrait with the logo of all the parties, so people will watch his disposition to making good his promises.

Why PDP Melted Though many commentators may be amused at why the main opposition party did not put up a strong show and ended up giving its members the leeway to vote their conscience, close watchers would have seen that the opposition

Onyejeocha

lacked the capacity to break the rank of the APC this time around. Members of the ruling party were united to defeat the 121 members of the PDP. Apart from that, some PDP members like Hon. Wole Oke were already openly hobnobbing with the Gbajabiamila camp and since it was going to be secret ballot election, it was in the best interest of the party to give its members free hand.

If the PDP had been recalcitrant and Gbajabiamila eventually won, it would have amounted to double jeopardy for the opposition.

Allowing some of its members to back Gbajabiamila was therefore a clever survival tactic on the part of the PDP, but it cost Bago his ambition.

A Tale of Betrayal In a commendable spirit of sportsmanship, Bago said he accepted the decision of lawmakers to elect Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives. In fact, he walked up to him on the floor and hugged him.

Bago officially pledge loyalty to the Gbajabiamila and Hon. Wase leadership in the House in a statement signed by the spokesman, Hon. Bago Campaign Organisation, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene.

A day before that, he had told members of his campaign team to close down the campaign at every level and submit themselves to the Gbajabimila leadership, saying: “He is my Speaker.�

He added, “We therefore formally congratulate the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Idris Wase on their election.

While wishing them well, he added that, “We hereby pledge the support of our principal, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago to work with them and give all the support they would need from him to evolve and pursue populist and people-oriented policies and programmes for the good of the House and Nigerians at “Bago shall be glad to lend his vision to the entire House leadership to also enable our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari realise its Next Level agenda for the country.�

As things turned out, it became obvious that Bago was betrayed by many of those who had assured him of their support.

The lawmaker said he was taken aback on June 11 at the plenary when he saw that a number of people of his so-called supporters were working for his opponent.

The lawmaker from Niger State is however undaunted. He maintained that his decision to pursue his ambition was not an affront to the party leadership, but a conviction that his North-central zone and Niger State in particular, which produced more votes than the entire South-west for the APC during the last election deserved to enjoy from the principles of equity, fairness and justice.

At 45 years, Bago’s political future is bright, but before then, history would

record him as apolitician with a lion heart who dared the APC hierarchy and struggled long and hard enough to gather as much as 76 votes against a candidate who enjoyed the full backing of the party.

Likely Henchmen in the 9th Assembly The Director-General, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila/Hon. Ahmed Wase campaign organisation, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin is perhaps the main man in the campaign.

A good friend of the erstwhile Speaker Dogara, Jibrin put in his best to ensure a robust campaign for the team. He would be expected to get a noticeable spot in the scheme of things.

The longest serving member, immediate past Chief Whip, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa representing TudunWada/Doguwa federal constituency, Kano State is not one to be sidelined.

Names of the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas representing Jada/Ganye/ Mayo Belwa/Toungo federal constituency; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Khajidat Bukar-Ibrahim representing Damaturu, Gujba, Gulani and Tarmuwa federal constituency, Yobe State; member representing Ogo Oluwa/ Surulere federal constituency, Oyo State, Hon. Olusegun Odebunmi and Hon. Yakub Buba representing Gombi/Hong federal constituency, Adamawa State, who made a strong bid for the leadership of the House of Representatives will naturally stand a good chance of peddling considerable influence.

Others include the Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa representing Tudun-Wada/Doguwa federal constituency, Kano State; chairman; the chairman of the North-east caucus of the APC, Hon. Mohammed Monguno representing Jere federal constituency, Borno State; the immediate past Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Abdulrahman Sumaila; Chairman, Committee on Aviation, Nkiruka Onyejeocha representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency, Abia State; Hon Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu, representing Onitsha North and South federal constituency; former chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas representing Jada/Ganye/ MayoBelwa/Toungo federal constituency; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Khajidat Bukar-Ibrahim representing Damaturu, Gujba, Gulani and Tarmuwa federal constituency, Yobe State; member representing Ogo Oluwa/ Surulere federal constituency, Oyo State, Hon. Olusegun Odebunmi and Hon. Yakub Buba representing Gombi/Hong federal constituency, Adamawa State, are some of the members expected to play prominent roles in the 9th assembly.

It is becoming a sure bet plan to show interest in leadership elections, even when the contestant stands little or no chance of winning only to end up negotiating for a juicy portfolio.

T H I S D AY t MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325

Imbalance in Criminal Justice System The conviction and sentencing of former NIMASA boss, Calistus Obi, to seven years imprisonment for N225million fraud with an option of 42million fine may have again exposed the imbalance in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, Davidson Iriekpen writes

T

he imbalance in Nigeria’s administration of criminal justice system again came to the fore recently when a Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced a former acting Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Calistus Obi, to seven years imprisonment for N225million fraud and given an option of a meagre fine of 42million. The court found Obi guilty of conspiring with one Dismal Alu Adoon using two firms, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment, to convert N225 million belonging to NIMASA to personal use.

The case started when Obi, a former Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service at NIMASA, took over in acting capacity after the former Director General, Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, was sacked and charged with five separate charges of fraud and theft. The former acting director general who was appointed ostensibly to sanitise and cleanse, got into a position of authority and began to line his pockets in cahoots with others.

This led the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign him and one Dismal Alu alongside two firms, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment on an eight-count charge bordering on converting the sum of N225million belonging to agency to their own.

In the course of the proceedings, the EFCC called eight witnesses and tendered 32 exhibits. At the close of its case on November 11, 2016, the defendants filed a no-case submission, insisting there was no prima facie case against them. But in a ruling on February 21, 2017, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun dismissed the no-case submission and ordered them to enter their defence.

The judge, delivering her judgment at the end of the proceedings, held that the prosecution proved the charges against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt and consequently convicted the defendants.

During the sentencing, the EFCC urged the court to impose the maximum punishment prescribed by the law on the convicts. Its lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, told the judge that Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, which Obi and Alu were convicted of violating, prescribed a maximum prison term of 14 years for an offender. Oyedepo said Obi and Alu’s case had presented the

judiciary with “an opportunity to send a clear signal to public servants and those entrusted with public offices not to breach the trust reposed in them.”

He said in addition to the 14-year imprisonment, the convicts should be made to refund to the federal government the public funds they converted to their own. As for the two firms, the prosecutor said the court should, in line with Section 15(4)(a)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, order the withdrawal of their licences, while they should also be fined 100 per cent of the money they aided the other convicts in converting.

He specifically asked the court to order the forfeiture of Ladiva Hotels and Event Limited which it said was acquired with proceeds of crime.

Instead of imposing a heavier sanction on the convicts which could have served the purposed deterrence, many were surprised to see that what Justice Olatoregun handed down was not only tantamount to a slap on the wrist but a shame and an outright disservice to Nigeria’s administration of criminal justice system.

She not only sentenced Obi and Alu to seven years imprisonment each but gave them an option to pay a meager sum of N42million. She also declined to order the forfeiture of assets seized from the convicts as prayed by the EFCC. Observers have said the Obi’s case shows how imbalanced Nigeria’s administration of criminal justice system is. They believe that when it comes to sentencing the poor or downtrodden who steal phones, food items, clothes, internet fraud, and others, the courts are always more decisive, but when it comes sentencing the rich politicians, businessmen and top public officers, it is always a slap on the wrist.

They further wondered why in the Obi’s case, the judgment was an opportunity for the judiciary to send a strong message to public thieves that the country has had enough of their malfeasance.

To them, more ridiculous perhaps, was the reason given for the fine - prison congestion.

They therefore wondered when congestion in prisons has become a sufficient reason to let the high and mighty off the hook whereas cognisance is hardly ever given to this obvious incapacity when the poor and downtrodden are involved.

“It seems that Nigerians on the lower rungs do not qualify for such consideration on the basis of prison congestion. As it turned out, the unpatriotic public officials whose insidious activities contributed

A typical courtroom

in one way or the other to the general incapacity and degeneration of facilities within the system are the ones benefiting from such sordid state of affairs,” said one analyst who spoke THISDAY account of anonymity.

For instance, on April 19, 2019, a 20-yearold Emmanuel Obinna, who was a guest at Villas Hotel Akowonjo Street, Egbeda, Lagos, sentenced to one-year imprisonment for stealing a cell phone, and a wristwatch and N13,000 cash from other guests at the hotel.

They believe that when it comes to sentencing the poor or downtrodden who steal phones, food items, clothes, internet fraud, and others, the courts are always more decisive, but when it comes sentencing the rich politicians, businessmen and top public officers, it is always a slap on the wrist

The prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, had told the court that the defendant, had at about 7p.m. on February 19, stolen some items from other guests at Villas Hotel on Akowonjo St., Egbeda, Lagos. He said that the defendant, who claimed to be celebrating his birthday at the hotel, stole the items from guests that had lodged there. He said that the defendant stole an Itel phone valued at 58,000, a Bluetooth wristwatch valued at N43,000 and cash of N13,000 from Miss Halima Kabiru and Mr. Adebayo Olawale. The offences contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

Also, in Benin City recently, a 33-year-old man, Ibrahim Samuel, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stealing six electrical fuse and five lengths of Copper wires belonging to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).

Furthermore, Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court in Osogbo sentenced a 31-year-old man, Kelvin Igha Igbodalo to 45 years imprisonment for stealing a Sony Ericson mobile phone that is not worth N7,000. Igbodalo, who was arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing, impersonation and advance free fraud, pleaded guilty to the charges.

Consequently, Justice Falola sentenced him to 10 years in prison for each of the first three charges and five years each for the last three counts, amounting to 45 years. But those who fleeced the country of multimillions and multibillions of naira was given the options to pay paltry sums as fine!

It has become a known fact that Nigeria’s criminal justice system favours only the rich and mighty, leaving the indigent to wallow. For instance, a report released by the EFCC recently said it secured 312 convictions but what it did not inform Nigerians are who this 312 convicts are.

Investigation has revealed that almost all the convicts are indigent who embark on

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FEATURES

Justice symbol

petty fraud. The rich politicians, businessmen and top civil servants always know how to compromise the system to stall their arrest, trial and conviction.

By virtue of section 17 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law. This is not the case in practice, as the rich and poor defendants are not treated equally by the criminal justice administrators.

For instance, penultimate week, the EFCC after prosecuting the former Governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje for corruption for eight whopping years, withdrew from the case. Goje who governed his state from 2003 to 2011, and currently serving his fourth term in the senate, was prosecuted for allegedly misappropriating N25 billion while in office as governor.

The decision to withdraw from the case came after the former governor stepped down from the race for Senate President in the ninth National Assembly.

He stepped down after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari who reportedly urged him to support his colleague, Ahmed Lawan.

Goje later said he stepped down for Lawan out of respect for the party and Buhari. According to reports, when Goje’s corruption trial came up for an emergency hearing before Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court II in Jos, the EFCC counsel, Wahab Shittu, told the court the agency was withdrawing from the case and handing it over to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) for continuation.

“My Lord, this case was earlier adjourned for June 20 for the continuation of hearing, but then we are here today on the latest development on the matter. We as EFCC counsel are withdrawing from the matter and handing it over to the office of the attorney-general for continuation with the prosecution. As you can see in court today is a state counsel from the AGF’s office

) It has become a known fact that Nigeria’s criminal justice system favours only the rich and mighty, leaving the indigent to wallow to formally take over this case from us,” EFCC counsel was quoted to have said.

While many Nigerians are still trying to come to terms with the insincerity of a government which is constantly claiming to be fighting corruption, last week investigation revealed that more than one year after the Court of Appeal in Abuja sentenced a former Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service, John Yakubu Yusuf, to a two-year jail term upon his conviction for the theft of about N24 billion from the Police Pension Funds, he was still walking about as a free man. Over a year after the March 22, 2018 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which reversed an earlier judgment of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and sentenced Yusuf to a cumulative term of six years (two-year per count on a three-count charge), he has not been made to serve the jail term.

Checks added that the agency that prosecuted the case and appealed up to the Court of Appeal, the EFCC, failed to ensure the enforcement of the judgment given in its favour, as the convict is currently living as a free man and has not made any further refunds in contravention of the express orders of the Court of Appeal.

Acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad

Chief Judge, FHC, Justice Abdul Kafarati

The only excuse his lawyer could give for this is that his client had since appealed the Court of Appeal judgment at the Supreme Court, even when there is stay of the execution of the judgment.

Recall that following a plea-bargain arraignment with EFCC, Yusuf had pleaded guilty to a three-count charge in which he was accused by the EFCC of stealing about N24 billion from the Police Pension Funds.

Based on his plea, Justice Abubakar Talba of the High Court of the FCT in Gudu, in a judgment on January 28, 2013, convicted and sentenced him to a two-year imprisonment per count with an option of N250,000 fine per count. Yusuf instantly chose the fine option and paid N750,000 in 2013.

Embarrassed by the manner the judge handled the Yusuf case and the outrage it generated across the country, the National Judicial Council (NJC) castigated Justice Talba for what it called “unreasonable exercise of judicial discretion” and suspended him for 12 months without pay.

Consequently, the EFCC appealed Talba’s decision and, in its judgment on March 22, 2018, the Appeal Court, Abuja, upheld the prosecution’s appeal, upturned Talba’s judgment and imposed two years’ imprisonment per count (without an option of fine) and ordered Yusuf to refund N22.9 billion to the federal government.

When asked why Yusuf was not serving his jail term, EFCC’s spokesman, Tony Orilade, argued that it is not part of the agency’s responsibilities to ensure that a defendant against whom it secured conviction and sentence serves the jail term.

He said: “After a successful appeal by the EFCC, the appellate court, on March 22, 2018, upturned Justice Talba’s judgment and handed Yusuf a six-year jail term. He was further asked to pay a more adequate fine of N20 billion, N1.4 billion and N1.5 billion on counts 17, 18 and 19, totalling N22.9 billion. If there is

any question(s) on the whereabouts of the convict, it should not be directed at the EFCC but the relevant agency that should take custody of Yusuf.”

Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) Spokesman, Francis Enobore, said he was not familiar with the Yusuf case.

He argued that it was impossible for the prison service to, on its own, scout for individuals to be imprisoned. He noted that it was the duty of the prosecuting agency, with arresting powers, to ensure that a person against whom it secured conviction and sentence is delivered to the prison authorities, accompanied with the decision of the court, for the purpose of serving the sentence.

He added that in the case of the EFCC, there ought to be no excuses because the commission carries out arrests and has the power to ensure that a convict is delivered to the prison authorities to serve his/her jail term.

It is against this background that a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, recently accused those he described as “corrupt politicians and rich businessmen and their lawyers of hijacking the criminal justice system and working together to frustrate the effective prosecution of corruption cases pending in several courts. Falana said this in a paper presented at the 2019 Law Week of the Epe Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Epe, Lagos.

In the paper titled: ‘The Danger of Unequal Criminal Justice System in Nigeria,’ the senior lawyer urged progressive lawyers to team up with other patriotic forces to ensure that all defendants are treated equally under the criminal justice system. He said apart from two former governors, namely: Messrs Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, the list of convicted persons is made of lowly placed individuals in the society. He contended that owing to abuse of court process, rich defendants have continued to frustrate their prosecution with the connivance of some senior lawyers.

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MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY Ëž JUNE 17, 2019

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S

A S

MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A T

REPO 5.29 % 5.71 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

5.50 % 7.50 % 8.25 %

J U N E

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

1 4 , 2 0 1 9

S & P INDEX INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

S&P 392.19 % -0.15 % -0.69%

1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

EXCHANGE RATE 1.45 % 9.87 %

N307/1US DOLLAR* ĚŠ

Quick Takes Africans Tasked on Cloud Marketing

COURTESY VISIT

L-R: Directorate Head, Lagos Business, Polaris Bank Limited, Segun Opeke; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Chairman, Polaris Bank, Muhammed Ahmad, and MD/CEO, Tokunbo Abiru, when the bank’s leadership paid a visit to the Governor at Lagos House in Marina, Lagos State‌recently

Ethiopian Airlines Offers to Partner Nigeria on National Carrier Chinedu Eze Ethiopian Airlines has expressed its preparedness to partner Nigeria on the federal government’s planned national carrier.

The airline said a country with such huge passenger traffic needs government-backed airline, saying that it has all it takes, including technical know-how, equipment and personnel to partner with the planned carrier.

Ethiopian Airlines Managing Director, International Services, Mr. Esayas Haliu, who spoke to a team of Nigerian journalists in Addis Ababa, said the airline has succeeded in all it had established with many countries in Africa.

Hailu, said as the largest economy in Africa, with such huge population, which he described as most precious,

AVIATION Nigeria truly deserves a national carrier. “There have been attempts to off-load some bids for foreign airlines by Nigerian government, Ethiopian has always been participating in that but so far, we have not been picked but we are able, capable and ready and whenever the vacancy is created, we are ready to come for any partnership. “Secondly, Nigeria has been a very good host and by their volume of the population which is demography dividends, the most precious resource is the human resource, the largest economy, the mobility is very high both domestically and foreign, for that; Nigeria really requires a national carrier, we

wish them success, if we are required to support, we are ready and willing to do that, any partnership that arises from that is most welcome and we are in expectation of that�, he said.

The East African carrier also hinted that it plans to introduce a second frequency into Lagos, through the Murtala Muhammed International airport, adding that it plans to connect the United States of America from Nigeria, subject to approval by the Nigerian government.

On the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), Haliu said the success of the treaty was the key to reducing the dominance of international mega carriers, which have 80 per cent of the African travel market and enhancing connectivity in

Africa.

He noted that Africa has only three per cent of the global air travel market and 80 per cent of that market was dominated by international carriers, leaving African carriers with only 20 per cent.

According to him, the full implementation of SSATM would free the market from mega carriers, as the treaty guarantees access to African airlines to all signatory nations. “When Single African Transport management which is advocated by African Union commission, when that one comes people think that only a few airlines will benefit from that, No! “As we are speaking, 80 per Continued on page 24

Operators Harp on Increased Adoption of Insurance Ebere Nwoji The Vice Chairman, SubCommittee on Publicity and Communications, Insurers Committee, Mrs Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, has stressed the need for Nigerians to imbibe insurance as a lifestyle and not as a regulatory necessity.

Nwachukwu, who spoke with journalists in Lagos, said this necessitated the rebranding of the insurance industry which the operators have embarked on.

She stated that the committee, comprising CEOs of all insurance companies in the country engaged Alder Consulting, a creative intelligence firm to carry out a has given the reason for the N300 billion rebranding project for the industry in 2018.

INSURANCE Nwachukwu, who is also the Managing Director Nsia Insurance Company Limited, said the project would in the long-run position insurance as desirable and not just a regulatory necessity. “The campaign was also designed to change the perception of the sector and increase the market penetration on insurance in Nigeria. “Considering that less than one per cent of the Nigerian adult population was insured. About 80 per cent of those insured are 35 and above. Millennials below 35 years who form over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, or about 138.6 million, form a

large part of the uninsured,� she explained.

She disclosed that the initiative was born out of the need to redefine the narrative about insurance and to educate Nigerians on its importance. “In line with the foregoing, the project was designed to showcase the advancements made in the insurance sector and to encourage more Nigerians to take up insurance. “It would also highlight real customer testimonials of insurance. At the end of the day, insurance would be positioned as desirable and not just a regulatory necessity,� he added.

Also speaking, the Managing Partner, Alder Consulting, Mr. Leke Alder, explained that the campaign would span an initial

period of three years.

He added that instead of pushing a message of fear and tragedy, the campaign focuses on the fulfilment of hopes and dreams, while insurance serves as a safety net in life. Hence, the phrase “Live with Freedom� was adopted as the theme for the campaign.

He said the project would buttress the fact that insurance users can live life to the fullest because they are confident that no matter what happens, they are insured.

She said to ensure that the campaign was continuous and sustainable, a dedicated website had been developed as well as other social media handles.

Continued on page 24

Terragon Group, a technology company, has urged African companies to leverage on data analytics in revolutionising modern-day businesses to boost sales performance through data-driven insights.

The CEO ofTerragon Group, Mr. Elo Umeh, who gave the advice in Lagos recently,saidworkingwithleadingAfricantelcos,financialinstitutionsand consumer brands to unlock personalised digital experiences for mobile users in Africa, Terragon group would continue to improve bottom-line forbusinessesbyleveragingitscloudmarketingtechnology,algorithms, artificial intelligence and difficult-to-source African consumer data to enhance business performance. “It is extremely important for companies to be data-centric, as the understanding and utilisation of consumer insights in business will help drive sales performance.� Umeh said, adding that companies are also faced with the problem of collecting valuable data and being unable to fully apply or gain insights from it. He however explained that Terragon Groupdevelopedaproprietarymobileadvertisingtechnologyknownas Adrenalinethatutilisesconsumerdataanddeliverstargetedmessaging via web and non-web channels. “At Terragon, data has proven its worth and earned its place, as we have been able to gain real business value from all the records collected. “Executivesneedtoadoptanewsystemofdecisionmakingbasedonbig data, and the company has successfully completed certification to the ISO 27001:2013 standard, serving global enterprises across all sectors who have benefitted from unparalleled security and protection of their data,� Umeh added.

Digital Communication Agency Launched

Devon Troy Copper (DTC), a full service digital communications agency hasbeenlaunchedbyaconsortiumofsocialandcreativeentrepreneurs.

DTCoffersauniquemixofstrategicservicessuchassocialmediacommunity management,influencermarketingandtalentmanagement,digitalmarketing andstrategy,copywritinganddesign,reputationandcrisismanagement.

Thebrand’smanagementandworkforcecomprisesseasonedprofessionals withtechnicalknowhowfromnumeroussectorsandareprimedtoprovide potentialclientswithbespokesolutionsthatwillreinvigoratetheirbusinesses and disrupt the industry at large.

HeadofBusinessatDTC,ChidiOkereke,said:“DTCispositionedtoprovide cutting-edge service to clients across several sectors including finance, fastmovingconsumergoods,federalandstategovernments,information andcommunicationstechnologyandentertainment.Ouractivitiespivot around optimum value extraction and overall client satisfaction. “Wehavepainstakinglyidentifiedtoptalentsacrossthecountrytocollaborate withusinachievingthisgoalandcancategoricallyaffirmthatourteamis capableofdeliveringonthemandate.Also,wehaveauniquemanagement teamledbyfamedentrepreneurandBoardChairman,AdetoroFowoshere; award winning brand influencer and Marketing Director, Anda Damisa; renownedInfluencerMarketingexecutiveandChiefOperationsOfficer, Olayinka Ahmed and Executive Creative Director, Samson Adebayo.’’ AlthoughDTCcommencesoperationsinLagosasadigitalcommunications agency,theprincipalobjectiveofthebrandistomatureintoanintegrated reputation management firm incorporating the mainstream media into its operations.

CIBN Holds Forum on Infrastructure

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) is set to assemble scholars and core professionals from banks and other institutions at a publicforuminLagos,toexamineissuesthatwillfurtherimprovethestate of infrastructure in the country.

Theforumiscomingundertheauspicesofthe2019CIBNAnnualLecture, scheduled to hold at in Lagos thisThursday.

Thethemeofthisyear’seditionis“InfrastructureDevelopmentandGrowth inNigeria:ProspectsandChallenges�andwouldbeaddressedbyProfessor MelvinAyogu,ACIB,Fellow,MapungubweInstituteofStrategicReflection, SouthAfricawhileMr.AndrewAlli,HCIB,GroupCEO/Partner,SouthBridge Group, will Chair the occasion. “In a bid to ensure that Nigerians from all walks of life are carried along on critical policies of government as well as benefit from the knowledge basedissues’forum,theInstitutehasconsistentlymadetheprogramme free of charge for all of participants. “TheAnnualLectureseries,therefore,isapublicenlightenmentprogramme aimed at keeping members of the public constantly abreast of topical economic issues and policies.

“By promoting entrepreneurship, creating favourable policies and building infrastructure to help these entrepreneurs, we enable them to create jobs, and become employers of labour. Government must abolish multiple taxation for small businesses, make business registration easier, prioritise our SMEs training and capacity development, entrench rule of law, etc�

Chairman, UBA Group, Tony Elumelu

T H I S D AY Ëž JUNE 17, 2019

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BUSINESSWORLD ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES OFFERS TO PARTNER NIGERIA ON NATIONAL CARRIER

cent of African traffic is taken by non-Africans, so all of us put together we have only 20 per cent so we need to attack that 80 per cent. “We need to eclipse, 80 per cent should be African airlines and 20 per cent should be non-African airlines. This is our continent, that is our traffic and so for more African countries to come, the traffic, which is not in the hands of the African airlines is much more. “So we have a lot more to play with, it’s not as if we have to scramble that same 20 per cent.

No! We don’t settle for that and we want to contribute more than three per cent of the global air traffic which we are doing now, it’s only three per cent.�

He said it was in the bid to make such major contribution that Ethiopia Airlines is going to every African country and helping to establish regional national carriers.

According to him, if SAATM was fully implemented one of its benefits would be to redistribute wealth by reducing capital flight from Africa to non-African countries. “All this effort is for African airlines to grow, thrive and dominate the 80 per cent of the market so that employment, taxes, revenue, opportunity the capital sinks in the African continent and does not fly away.

He, however, expressed dissatisfaction about the uncooperative stance of some African countries preferring to sell traffic rights to non-African countries at the detriment of African carriers.�

OPERATORS HARP ON INCREASED ADOPTION OF INSURANCE

“According to a poll of 1,500 individuals in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Asaba and Ibadan conducted by Brand Sampling International, since the beginning of the project, 66 per cent of those who have heard the campaign are changing their perception of insurance.�

He further said during the first phase, key milestones included using a new narrative to begin repositioning insurance; educating Nigerians on the importance of insurance; communicating innovative advancements in the insurance industry; showcasing testimonials from satisfied customers; and highlighting compulsory insurance categories required by the federal government.

NEWS

Dakuku: Our Ocean Rich Enough to Sustain Our Economy Eromosele Abiodun The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said the nation’s ocean resources are rich enough to sustain the economy of Nigeria just like most countries with maritimebased economy.

Dakuku, who stated this during the commemoration of the Word Ocean day in Lagos recently, also charged stakeholders on the need to celebrate the ocean, its importance in the lives of the nation, and on how economic diversification could be achieved for sustainable growth and development.

He noted that, like the cyber world which has reduced the real world to a global village, the ocean is global and connects people worldwide, thus inspiring continuing action year-round to protect and restore this amazing resource that we all depend on.

Like most great maritime nations, he pointed out that the, “time has come for all hands to be on deck and support the federal government’s efforts in taping into the blue economy and develop it to such a level that it can contribute far more greatly as projected.�

Dakuku, further observed that nations like Singapore, Philippines and Malta along with the world great economies like the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Russia and China, amongst others strive greatly on their oceans as the bedrock of their economy, and

with about 90 per cent of world trade being done by sea and shipping, it is time Nigeria begins to join the league of such great countries by engaging its waters more profitably. “The World Oceans Day celebration inspires the thinking that recognises that there is one global ocean that connects the entire world.

Within this one ocean, there are five distinct oceans: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Southern Ocean.

“And it is already happening that the boundaries of these oceans are invincible and so it is important that we take steps to ensure that we tap the abundant resources inherent within our maritime endowment because our lives as a nation depends hugely on it,� he said.

While stating that the issue of climate change and marine environment degradation was of concern to the nation and international community, he assured that NIMASA on its part would continue to lend

its voice in support of the advocacy and drive, which will further guarantee and compliment government’s ease of doing business initiative.

Dakuku, reiterated that the agency was open to all forms of partnership that could help the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector, in line with the economic diversification agenda of government.

World Oceans Day takes place on June 8 every year.

The concept was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada’s

International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

At the first World Oceans Day in 1992, the objectives were to move the oceans from the side-lines to the centre of the inter-governmental and NGO discussions and policy and to strengthen the voice of ocean and coastal constituencies worldwide.

IT’S NICE TO MEET YOU

L-R: Deputy Economic Counsellor, US Embassy, Michael Carney, receiving a souvenir from the Managing Director-Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Capt. Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, during a courtesy visit at the General Aviation Terminal, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja‌ recently

Shell Seeks Support to Curb Pipeline Vandalism Peter Uzoho Shell Nigeria has called for stakeholders’ efforts to curb the incessant vandalism of crude oil-bearing pipelines, highlighting the danger of continuous sabotage to people and environment.

The General Manager, External Relations of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Igo Weli, said such efforts to curb pipeline sabotage would save lives, secure communities and protect the environment.

Speaking in Lagos at a media workshop on ‘Pipelines

Right of Way Encroachment and Vandalism’, Weli said: “Shell is concerned the repeated sabotage of recently repaired pipelines exposes the environment and people to renewed and worsening pollution. Oil theft is focused on short term fiscal benefits, ignoring the long-term effects of environmental degradation.�

He added: “Since 2017, sabotage spill rate has risen steeply and crude oil theft from SPDC JV’s pipeline network averaged 11, 000 barrels per day in 2018, an increase of about 20 per cent over previous year.

“The number of sabotagerelated spills increased in 2018 to 111 compared to 62 in 2017 and, since 2012, SPDC has removed more than 1,160 illegal theft points.�

However, on the UNEP Report-guided Ogoni Clean Up, Weli noted that, “SPDC actively supports the clean-up process along with other stakeholders. SPDC remains fully committed to providing its share of $900 million (N283.73 billion) over five years to the Ogoni Trust Fund as stipulated in the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) gazette and the agreed gov-

ernance framework. “The SPDC JV has completed its first-year contribution of $180 million (N54.54 billion).

Early 2017, the SPDC JV made available $10 million to help set up HYPREP office and in July 2018, joint venture deposited additional $170 million (N51.52 billion) into an escrow account to fund HYPREP’s activities.�

Also speaking at the workshop, Shell’s General Manager, Safety and Environment, Chidube Nnene-Anochie, said irrespective of the cause, SPDC cleans and remediates areas impacted by spills from its

facilities.�

According to NneneAnochie, “SPDC implements work programmes to appraise condition of, maintain and replace key sections of pipelines and flow lines. “In 2018, for example, we installed 70 kilometres of pipelines and 188 kilometres of flowlines. Over the last seven years, SPDC has replaced approximately 1,300 kilometres distance of flow lines and pipelines.�

She said, “In line with industry regulations, SPDC only pays compensation if the spill is operational.�

NCC Assures Nigerians of Improved Broadband Penetration Nosa Alekhuogie Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

In line with the National Broadband Plan, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has assured Nigerians access to pervasive broadband through an Open Access Model.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, made the disclosure at the 10th edition of the eWorld Forum in Lagos, themed: “Roadmap to Broadband Everywhere.�

In his keynote address at the forum, he explained that the initiative was one of the initial strategic actions of the federal government, through

the commission, in Nigeria’s journey towards facilitating the availability, affordability and accessibility to Broadband infrastructure and services.

According to him, “The deployment of Optic Fibre transmission network has been adopted in the “Open Access Model� to bridge the current digital gap and deliver fast and reliable broadband services to households and businesses and the success of this model is evident in the tremendous growth witnessed in the provision of broadband services by all major players in the industry through one technology or the other.

“As at first quarter of this year, Nigeria achieved 33.08 per cent Broadband penetration, thus 63 million Nigerians are presently connected to broadband internet services. This is an encouraging leap from the 8.5 per cent penetration in 2015.�

Danbatta, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Spectrum Administration at the NCC, Mr. Oluwatoyin Asaju, further stated that: “The commission has also continued to make available wireless spectrum resources to the operators, as well as creating enabling environment and level playing field through various regulatory instruments, for

the growth and development of the industry, and the overall impact on the socio-economic well-being of our nation.

The President, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operations of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, urged the NCC to look into the state of health of InfraCo licence holders, explaining that there are a lot of registered licensees that exits out there but don’t have the physical infrastructure “When we bring in the infracos, you can’t expect them to deliver certain results if you don’t remove the obstacles they are confronted with; right of way, access to infrastructure

among others, have been huge challenge to operators and if they are not eliminated, we are not going to make progress,�

Adebayo said.

Organisers of the eWorld Forum, used the occasion to reward six private companies and two government agencies that have contributed to the development of broadband and digital connectivity in the country.

The two government agencies, which have stood out in the management of Nigerian public entities, the NCC and the Galaxy Backbone were among the few that received the eWorld plaudit.

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NSE All-Share Index Sheds 1.3% as Market Extends Losses to Second Week Goddy Egene The Nigerian equities market extended its losing streak to the second consecutive week as the Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index (NSE ASI) declined by 1.27 per cent to close at 30,046.70. Similarly, the market capitalisation shed N167.7 billion to close at N13.2 trillion. Consequently, year-todate decline worsened to 4.4 per cent.

Also, all other indices depreciated with the exception of the NSE Banking Index, NSE Insurance Index, NSE-AFR Bank Value Index and NSE Oil/Gas Index, which appreciated by 0.01 per cent, 0.86 per cent, 0.23 per cent and 0.28 per cent respectively while NSE ASeM Index closed flat. Sector performance was mixed as three out of the five tracked closed positive. The NSE Insurance Index led with a gain of 0.9 per cent while the NSE Oil & Gas Index went up by 0.3 per cent. Also, the NSE Banking Index rose by 0.01 per cent.

On the contrary, the NSE Industrial Goods Index shed 2.6 per cent followed by the NSE Consumer Goods Index that gained 1.8 per cent.

Commenting on the market performance, analysts at Cordros Capital Limited, said: We reiterate our view that the blend of a compelling valuation story, together with positive macroeconomic picture leaves scope for market recovery in the medium term. However, we guide investors to tread the cautious trading path in the short term.�

Other African markets were bearish as only two of six indices tracked closed in the green. The two positive performers were Egypt’s EGX 30 that gained 2.8 per cent, while Kenya’s NSE 20 Index closed the week with a growth of 0.2 per cent.

Conversely, Ghana’s GSE composite Index led the laggards with a decline of 4.1 per cent, trailed by Mauritius’ SEMDEX Index which shed 0.7 per cent.

Morocco’s Casablanca MASI index closed in the red at 0.6 per cent.

In Asia and the Middle East, performance was also bearish as only two of the five indices appreciated. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul ASI lost 4.8 per cent to lead the laggards due to the sharp fall in the price of oil during the week. Thailand’s SET index went down by1.1 per cent.

Similarly, Qatar’s DSM 220 Index closed in the red at 1.9 per cent.

On the other hand, UAE’s ADX General and Turkey’s BIST 100 indices closed in the green with a gain of 0.8 per cent and 4.0 per cent respectively.

In the BRICS markets, performance was bullish with three of the five indices trended upwards. Despite the ongoing trade conflict, China’s Shanghai Composite index sustained its bullish momentum with a gain of 1.9 per cent. Similarly, Russia’s RTS index gained 1.2 per cent following investors’ positive reaction to the reduction of the benchmark interest rate by 0.25 per cent to 7.5 percent. Also, Brazil’s Ibovespa index gained 0.7 per cent.

total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The ICT Industry followed with 69.205 million shares worth N3.352 billion in 769 deals. The third place was Consumer Goods Industry with a turnover of 51.550 million shares worth N2.342 million in 1,915 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank Plc, and Wapic Insurance Plc accounted for 359.451 million shares worth N7.774 billion in 2,252 deals, contributing 41.3 per cent and 49.2 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

Also, total of 2,163 units valued at N354,065.06 were traded last week in six deals, while there was no trade recorded two weeks ago.

A total of 235 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N229,216.74 were traded last week in 14 deals compared with a total of 23,941units valued at N24,584 million transacted two weeks in 26 deals.

On the negative side, India’s BSE Sens index and South Africa’s FTSE/JSE All share went down by 0.4 per cent and 0.03 per cent in that order. However, performance in the developed markets was bullish as five of seven indices appreciated. In the United States, the S&P 500 and NASDAQ gained 0.4 per cent and 0.7 per cent respectively. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index gained 0.6 per cent, despite the disruption in economic activities due to demonstrations against the ‘extradition bill’. In same

vein, Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Germany’s XETRA DAX appreciated 1.1 per cent and 0.2 per cent in that order. UK’s FTSE All Share Index gained by 0.01 per cent in spite of uncertainty around the upcoming election and deadline for a Brexit deal.

On the negative side, France’s CAC 40 index declined 0.2 per cent.

Market turnover Meanwhile, it was a four-day trading week as the Federal Government of Nigeria declared

Wednesday 12th June 2019 as Public Holiday to mark the democracy day celebrations.

Investors traded 868.739 million shares worth N15.792 billion in 12,201 deals contrast to a total of 768.983 million shares valued at N12.546 billion that exchanged hands the previous week in 11,291 deals.

The Financial Services Industry led the activity chart with 674.654 million shares valued at N9.295 billion traded in 6,651 deals, thus contributing 77.6 per cent and 58.8 per cent to the

Price gainers and losers An analysis of the price movement chart showed that 19 equities appreciated in price higher than 15 in the previous week, while 31 equities depreciated lower than 44 equities of the previous week.

Forte Oil Plc led the price gainers with 14.1 per cent, trailed by Glaxosmithkline Consumer Nigeria Plc with 11.1 per cent. Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc chalked up 10 per cent. The insurance company, which recently paid a dividend of N162.6 million assured shareholders that it would maintain policy of regular dividend payment. “We shall remain committed to our promise of regular dividend payment, God willing, having paid dividends seven financial years out of 11 of our operations in the past.

This year, we are proposing a total dividend payment of two kobo per share subject to your approval at this meeting.

This will translate to a total dividend pay-out of N162.6 million from our 2018 operations,� the Chairman of CHI Plc, Mr. Obinna Okezie told the shareholders.

Royal Exchange Plc garnered 9.1 per cent, while United Capital Plc appreciated by 5.9 per cent. May & Baker Nigeria Plc and WAPIC Insurance Plc rose 5.3 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively.

Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc and NEM Insurance Plc gained 5.0 per cent and 2.4 per cent in that order.

Conversely, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc led the price losers with 11.8 per cent, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc shed 10 per cent.

C & I Leasing Plc went down by 9.8 per cent, while NPF Microfinance Plc and Thomas Wyatt Plc lost 9.7 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively.

Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc and International Breweries Plc depreciated by 7.8 per cent and 7.2 per cent in that order.

LASACO Assurance Plc went down by 6.2 per cent and Presco Plc shed 5.1 per cent.

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BUSINESSWORLD

MONDAY INTERVIEW

Usman: We Aim to Sustain Zero Accident in Nigeria’s Airspace The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Captain Muhtar Usman, in this interview says the agency’s major objective is to ensure that Nigeria maintains zero accident record, which it has sustained in over four years. Chinedu Eze brings the excerpts:

H

we had to structure and pay, in addition to a lot of third party debts that we had to pay, including the travel agencies, the institutions of learning that we have been attending for our training. So it is all about prudence, prudence, prudence; that is the way we have been going. We wish we could be let off the hook on the surplus revenue payment, but unfortunately, there is another Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which erroneously included NCAA as a revenue generating agency. And as I said, our prayer is, if we can get release from that then we will be able to apply whatever proceeds we are able to get and put it in training.

Training is very critical and there is also the need to equip our system. There are eight critical elements for the operation of safety oversight of the organisation. One is the primary legislation, which is the Act. We have the regulations, we have the organization and we have the manpower, the required personnel. It is worthy to note that aviation personnel are not cheap, they are very, very expensive, so the more you have the number the more money you have to spend on the overhead. You have to provide those personnel with the working tools such as vehicles, laptop computers, communication gadgets and other needs.

These are necessary because we are talking about safety. Out of the 20 annexes in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), NCAA has oversight over 19 of those annexes. In fact, the only annex that we don’t have oversight over is the accident investigation. But otherwise we regulate aviation security, aviation safety and of course the economic aspect of the aviation.

as the labour issues in NCAA that prompted strike action resolved?

Well, the situation as you can see is calm, it is more of miscommunication or lack of understanding but the three issues that were highlighted by the union as the cause of disruption of service were way outside the limits of approval of the civil aviation authority.

However, we sat down and have seen reason and even some few issues, which are quite normal. We sat down and trash them out and there is harmony now and we are working together to move the industry forward.

How did the NCAA management go about it?

As you are aware, a committee was setup by the then Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and the committee did its work and the unions were adequately represented; that is why they are up to date, they know what is going on and everybody is happy so far.

But there seemed a conict between what should be implemented by the Ministry and what NCAA should do in the conditions they gave. Have you resolved those issues too?

Well, the issues that were brought up for reasons for the disruption of service, namely, the organogram of the organisation, approval for new organogram were looked at. The management of NCAA along with the unions made recommendation to the Ministry, because it is beyond the approval limit of the Civil Aviation Authority. The Ministry looked at it, setup a committee, worked on it and initially gave an approval for new organogram. It was that new organogram that the unions were not happy with so the then Minister promised to review it and set up another committee to look into it.

The unions were adequately represented.

The second one is the condition of service, which the Civil Aviation Authority does not have the power to implement so the management along with the unions was sent to the Ministry and it had to be escalated because it had to go beyond the Ministry. Some components of it will go to the Head of Service. That one has been sent and another component that requires the attention of the Income Salaries and Wages Commission was sent to it. And from there we are expecting an outcome. A visit was arranged and the Minister led the delegation along with the Director General of NCAA, with the members of the unions.

A meeting was held with the Commission, which promised to expedite action on it.

The last but not the least complain of the unions has to do with the inauguration of the boards which they were told that is way beyond the capability of the Civil Aviation Authority. The board is normally appointed by government in the highest level and then the inauguration is normally carried out by the Minister responsible for that Ministry or parastatal. However, in the case of the Civil Aviation Authority, the Act provided for certain qualifications for an individual to be appointed a board member. And from what was announced earlier, it appears that those members, as explained by the then Minister did not meet that requirement provided for in the Act. That is why that board was not inaugurated at that time. So, those are the three issues clearly outside the purview of the Civil Aviation Authority management.

Some years ago you had only about 500 workers, and I heard that you have up to 2,000 now, how are you able to cope with increase and how are you

Usman

managing in terms of salary, allowances and training?

Let me say that we are not really up to 2,000, we are approximately about 1400; but even then, it is a very big increase because the NCAA as it is, is not a revenuegenerating agency. It is operating based on cost recovery. There is no civil aviation authority in the world that I know of that

Training is very critical and there is also the need to equip our system. There are eight critical elements for the operation of safety oversight of the organisation.

One is the primary legislation, which is the Act. We have the regulations, we have the organisation and we have the manpower, the required personnel

is supposed to be making money. They all operate on the principles of cost recovery.

Now, because it will be difficult for aviation to be competing with agriculture, security, health, education, when it comes to allocation of national budget, the passengers are called upon to pay five per cent to the authority in line with the provision of the Civil Aviation Act. That money is collected through the airlines and remitted to the NCAA, which is shared with other agencies in a formula as prescribed in the Civil Aviation Act 2016. It is shared among five agencies. For NCAA, it does not collect any money from government, the five per cent charge collected and shared is used to pay salaries, pay allowances, training, surveillance and on top of that; we are also now being called upon to pay operating surplus. For an organisation that is not profit making, it is very difficult to have that surplus. And also with the increase in the number of staff in the organisation, it has been very, very difficult managing the situation. We had to be prudent as required by the Civil Aviation Act 2006, and we still have difficulties paying extra money to the federal government since we are not supposed to be profit oriented and we hope that will be taking care of in the Civil Aviation Acts that will come in future. Also, in the past, the authority has enjoyed facilities from the World Bank; through the World Bank assisted programmes here in Nigeria. The authority in over some period of about three years or so benefited to the tune of about $13 million, which was used mainly for training.

We don’t have such facility again and the number of staff has gone up; so it is all about prudence. When we came in at the inception we found that there was big staff claim well over a billion naira, which

What impact have you made in the agency since you took over more than four years ago?

Well, when we came in, there was a lot of decay in terms of infrastructure, especially the security surveillance equipment such as the CCTVs, which we had to put in place. Also the obsolete computers that we had to replace, in fact, it is a continuous process. We have been doing it because it is not possible with the limited resources we have to do everything overnight, so we have been modernising. In addition, when we came in the Internet facility was very, very epileptic, if at all it was available.

However, we have now provided fibre optics link in all our offices here in Lagos, the regional offices, even though it is still work in progress. We are hoping that the office in Abuja will even be made a fully smart office. Part of the ICT infrastructure that we have put in place already has automated the human resources part. There is seamless link now between the finance and the human resources. Files have been digitised and synchronised for efficiency. In addition, we are revitalising the licensing and medical portal. Also, along that line a contract have already been awarded and we are working towards migrating from issuance of paper and license to plastic license to the personnel which is a big move. In addition, in the area of the safety oversight and security oversight, we are also in the process of acquiring software to enable us automate most of the processes in the approval, issuance of certificate permits, licenses, also surveillance inspections and also in line with the ease of doing business to reduce the human to human contact and increase the efficiency of the system. We are renovating our offices and erecting new ones. Our corporate headquarters’ building is coming up and we hope very soon it will be completed and it is going to be fully smart building.

Continued on page 27

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USMAN: WE AIM TO SUSTAIN ZERO ACCIDENT IN NIGERIA’S AIRSPACE In terms of technical staff, would you say since you came in their number has increased and have you met those recommended levels from international regulators?

I will say since we came in we first of all try to sustain and then after sustaining we started building and improving what we met on ground. Currently in the area of airworthiness we are able to train two ICAO certified instructors from the time we came to date and those are the only ones. Two, we have one certified ICAO auditor and this happened within the last four years. In the area of operations also, we have certified instructor from ICAO. In the area of licensing, we have one inspector, however, about 10 are being projected for the auditor certification. And once they have that auditor’s certification, they will also be utilised by ICAO to be auditing other countries. So, we are working very hard to ensure that nobody is left behind; especially Nigeria is not left behind. Towards that end we have memorandum of understanding (MoU) with countries, which include Rwanda, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

We provide them with technical manpower for the purpose of inspection, especially in the area of flight operation inspection. We also have MoU with Ghana, Sierra Leone in the area of security, licensing. The same thing with Liberia and we have qualified people that we trained here that are on secondment. One of them is at the ICAO headquarters and there is another one at the ICAO regional headquarters in Dakar whose specialty is in the area of security.

Another one has just moved in, in the area of facilitation and environment in Dakar.

We also have one serving in Namibia under the ICAO arrangement and Nigeria is also a member of the Banjul Accord Group Safety Oversight Organisation with headquarters in Abuja. I as DG was chairman until November last year for two years. We also have memorandum of understanding in the area of safety with the body, which comprises seven West African, mainly English speaking countries. So, really in the area of human resources development, we give that as a big priority.

NCAA has been able to sustain the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category One Safety status alongside ICAO certiďŹ cation under you. What have been the challenges so far?

Well, let me say that we have been doing very well as far as safety and security is concerned. In the area of security, which was the first thing that we attacked as soon as we came in, between June 1 to 9, 2015, we had an ICAO audit in the area of security. Earlier on around 2010, in that audit Nigeria scored 70.85 per cent, but the one we did in 2015 Nigeria scored over 96 per cent and it is quite a feat. Then closely followed by the safety audit, which Nigeria passed. The minimum set by ICAO is 60 per cent, the global average is 63 per cent and Nigeria scored over 67 per cent. In the area of the connection link between Nigeria and the United States under the Federal Aviation Administration audit programme, foreign assessment for civil aviation authorities, Nigeria sustained the Category One status that is enabling Nigeria to connect flights directly to the United States. The first time that was achieved was in 2010, it was renewed in 2014 and Nigeria sustained it again in 2017 ending to early 2018. So we are doing very well in that area but we will still not rest, we still want to conquer and still go towards achieving the 100 per cent score. So we have been quite successful in that area but we intend to build on that. Towards that end, we are at the verge of acquiring safety and security laboratory to help us proactively take care of potential hazards that can result into accidents or serious incidents. Government has already awarded the contract. As I noted earlier, NCAA is not part of the federal government main budget, it is a cost recovery agency. Whatever we get is what is approved for us, so it is from that small budget that we are able to do that. I think that will go a long way in enhancing the already high standard of

Recently the federal government gave directive that the NCAA should relocate to Abuja, how are you working on that?

Let me correct this impression, the directive to relocate the corporate headquarters of NCAA was given in 2008. The process started and then stagnated; partly I will say maybe because of non-availability of offices. But the directive has been there, the process had commenced, people were posted, some even reported. So what we are doing is actually just to complete what was started in 2008. Now, the first phase of the building that will house most of the corporate headquarter staff is almost completed. It will be furnished and provisions have been made for both the completion of the building and furnishing. And as soon as that first phase is completed, movement will resume. So adequate provisions have been made in that area.

Usman

safety. I am sure you can testify that for the last four years or more we have not lost a single soul in commercial schedule accident. And this is largely because of the hard work and training, retraining of the safety regulations to ensure safe skies. And that is why in addition to regulating the operators, the airport, the air navigation service providers, we also regulate such areas like the height clearances, because anything above Nigeria is part of Nigerian airspace.

So we have to know all the height, charge them accurately for pilots to know so that they will be able to avoid any hazards or potential hazards or collision.

When do you expect the next FAA Category One safety audit?

Well, we did very well and we were commended the last time this exercise took place. We exchanged ideas and along the way they also learnt a number of things because any time they go through audit, it

Let me ďŹ rst of all say certiďŹ cation of the airports for scheduled international operation is a requirement for the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

It is part of the audit assessment, and Nigeria has been able to certify two out of the ďŹ ve current international airports.

In fact, it is the ďŹ rst time Nigeria was able to certify any airport

is just like between students and instructors.

Sometimes the instructors also learn from the students, it is always an opportunity to rob minds and also share ideas. Yes, they were quite happy and they mentioned that it was one of the best audits they had had because all the open items were closed in a record time. I don’t know when next they will be coming because they don’t have scheduled time table, but apparently it looks like approximately once in every four years. So far they have not indicated when they will be coming next. And we are communicating; you know aviation is a global village. Like I said, all the civil aviation authorities in the world under ICAO use eight critical elements and the assessment are based on those eight critical elements. And Nigeria has been doing very well and we will continue to do even better.

What are the beneďŹ ts of this certiďŹ cation and when are you going to certify the other international airports?

Let me first of all say certification of the airports for scheduled international operation is a requirement for the International Civil Aviation Organisation. It is part of the audit assessment, and Nigeria has been able to certify two out of the five current international airports. In fact, it is the first time Nigeria was able to certify any airport.

And I am happy to be associated with that. The others have been slated, the first and second are Lagos and Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu will follow suit.

We are working very hard to ensure that others are certified. The immediate benefit is that the assessment of Nigeria will go higher in terms of effective implementation, which is the way ICAO assesses its countries, whether it is in the area of safety or security. There is also a good chance that aircraft insurance premium will drop because you are now dealing with the standard safe and secured environment.

It is something very positive and we will pursue that goal to ensure that not only the international airports but other airports met that standard. We are going to need that same international standard. That is not to say that the airports that we operate are not safe and secure but we can make them better and we are working to make them better.

In terms of regulation, what have you done for Nigerian airlines in terms of enhancing their operation?

They say we are over regulating the industry, but good enough we are seeing the effects of over regulating. It is translating into safety, into a little bit sanity. This is because even though we give you a license, permit or certificate because you have met the requirements, the responsibility for keeping it all the time up to that standard rest with the person who has been licensed. But we also mount surveillance to ensure that you continue to be in compliance. When you are given a permit, license or certificate or any form of approval, it comes with privileges. However, there are also limitation and responsibilities and that is why when there is failure along that line, we go as far as imposing sanctions ranging from requiring somebody to go back and train, if it is training that is required. So it is not just about punishing the individual or organisation, it is about correction.

Sometimes it can go on certificate action, that is suspension or withdrawal of operational certificate. Sometimes it can even lead to revocation, like it happened recently, a pilot who had an air transport license (name withheld) was flying when he was not within the medical validity.

And he did it several times, indicating that it is a deliberate act and we had to use a stick in line with the regulation to revoke the license of that individual. We are still investigating. If there are ones we find necessary to impose any sanction, we will certainly do. So, because we want to sustain whatever level of safety we have now and even improve on that. So we must have sanity, we cannot afford to allow personnel working for the same organisation to have different standards; that will definitely compromise safety and we will not take it kindly.

What are your major achievements so far in the agency?

Well, I started with the airworthiness, aerodrome certification and I am also happy to be associated with the reconstruction of the Abuja runway, which was a big achievement. We hope we will be able to do the others like that of Enugu, which we are hoping will come on stream very soon. We have done the automation of our payment system. Operators owe us too much. The reason why they owe so much in the first place is because we have been using manual system for payment.

So the automation of the payment system is the solution for the late payment by the airlines and we have almost achieved 100 per cent completion.

The next level is getting direct debt payment. That is, getting payment as at when due. There are two folds as I mentioned, one, knowing what is supposed to come to us, because we spend so much time arguing what should be coming to us and so on. But now once we achieve that integration which we have almost completely achieved, we will have an idea of what is coming to us. And the next thing is how do we collect it? In the area of drones, we have issued advisory circulars on the use of drones, the regulation is at advance stage of being released.

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Northern Nigeria’s Prosperity: Imperative of Social, Economic Transformation Kingsley Moghalu Nigeria as a whole faces many fundamental challenges, and different parts of the country also face different problems largely peculiar to those regions. So our discussion today should by no means be interpreted as suggesting that other parts of Nigeria are necessarily in great shape, but you have asked me to address Northern Nigeria specifically. It’s a great honour that you have done me considering that, despite my not hailing from this part of our country, and despite all the talent available in Northern Nigerian society, you have asked me of all people to address the challenges confronting Northern Nigeria and suggest possible solutions. As a committed Nigerian I have always believed that we all, citizens of our country, are intrinsically interdependent. What happens in the North, therefore, doesn’t stay in the North but affects us all. We are all stakeholders in Northern Nigeria’s progress. I speak, therefore, as a concerned citizen of the Nigerian commonwealth, and in a spirit of brotherhood.

To that end, I have framed the title of this lecture very carefully, and that title has two parts. The first is: “Northern Nigeria’s Prosperity in the 21st Century�. This means that my focus is on how the northern regions of our country can create and grow wealth, achieving human development as a core foundation. By human development, of course, we mean life expectancy, education and knowledge, and per capita income.

You will also note a reference to the 21st century. This refers to modernity, the implications of globalization in the march of human progress as opposed to insularity, the quantum leaps in science and technology in this century, and the imperative that Northern Nigeria – and indeed all of Nigeria – must not be left behind.

The second part of the title is: “The Imperative of Social and Economic Transformation� Here I am saying that given the reality on the ground today, if Northern Nigeria is to achieve prosperity, a fundamental shift in how Nigerian citizens in the North perceive, create and respond to the world around us (the worldview) is not an option. It is an imperative. Taken together then, I am saying that Northern Nigeria must now frame a strategic choice. That choice must be that of prosperity for our people of Northern extraction as opposed to poverty – and that, to achieve prosperity, certain aspects of northern society and economic organization must necessarily change.

In doing so, I hope we all can agree on the following premises for our discussion today: (a) Northern Nigeria matters, but not just because of the reasons many Northern Nigerians think it matters. The region matters beyond arguments about land mass and controversial population statistics, but mainly because it is a foundational partner in the establishment of Nigeria as one country through the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914; (b) There is a big problem in the north today, and that problem also affects the overall pace of economic, social and political progress of Nigeria as a whole; (c) We need to agree on what exactly that problem is, because we can’t overcome an obstacle if we don’t understand clearly what that obstacle is, or if we know what it is but pretend not to know, or if we mischaracterize the problem and thus confuse ourselves and the whole picture; (d) We want to solve the problem or overcome the obstacle and make progress; (e) We can reach agreement on the solution; and (f) We take resolute action based on all the foregoing.

NORTHERN NIGERIA: THE ISSUES Underdevelopment and Poverty

constitutional conundrum of a supposed federation that is in reality a largely unitary government in which the central government retains vast constitutional powers of ownership of natural resources and revenues. Vast rural communities in Northern Nigeria are in a deplorable state because state governments have largely cornered the constitutional fiscal allocation to local government areas.

Buhari Northern Nigeria is afflicted by the central challenge of underdevelopment, not just poverty. Yes, poverty is a core aspect of this problem, but the word “underdevelopment� is more accurate because it includes other dimensions such as political and social organization and outlook, and how these factors create and sustain poverty in the region.

Nigeria as a whole is now infamously the poverty capital of the world, with 92 million of its 200 million people living in extreme poverty and overtaking India (which has a population of 1.3 billion) in this dubious distinction. Northern Nigeria, however, is the poverty capital of Nigeria, which makes the region the poverty capital of the world’s poverty capital. Comparative regional poverty rates in Nigeria are: North-West: 80.9%, North-East: 76.8%, North-Central: 45.7%, giving a northern poverty average of 67.8%. Compare this with the southern regions: South-West: 19.3%, South-South: 25.2%, South-East: 27.4%, with a southern average of 24%.

Northern Nigeria is nearly three times poorer than Southern Nigeria.

The State of Education: Northern Nigeria lags far behind Southern Nigeria in western educational development. The seeds of this imbalance were sown during the colonial period.

There is a view that the emirs who up to the establishment of the northern regional house of assembly were in the vanguard of the northern political leadership, lacked any real interest in the development of western education, presumably out of fear that a new educated class might challenge their political and religious authority. In the effort to ensure a catch-up between the north and the south in educated manpower, the post-independence northern political elite (including the successive military regimes that were dominated by military officers from the north) markedly lowered the standards for access to tertiary education for candidates from northern states. This politically motivated approach to education policy – which is quite different from a well thought-out and justifiable affirmative action program that was possible—renders many young people from Northern Nigeria uncompetitive in the wider world of work, and has robbed the region of the skilled human capital so essential for its development.

There is a dearth of qualified teachers at all levels of education in Nigeria as a whole, but the problem is most acute in Northern Nigeria. With the exception of first and second generation universities

such as Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Maiduguri, a majority of teaching staff at tertiary institutions in the region do not possess doctorate degrees. In addition, Northern Nigeria is swamped by millions of out-of-school children roaming the streets, products of the almajiri system of religious education. The system must be fundamentally reformed and integrated into the modern educational system.

Currently, the literacy level in the north is 34% compared to 67% in the south. States in the North-East and the North-West have female primary school attendance rates of 47.7% and 47.3% respectively, with the implication that more than half of the girls of primary school age are out of school.

The education deficit in Northern Nigeria is driven by factors such as economic barriers and socio-cultural norms and practices that discourage attendance in formal education, especially for girls.

Political Economy In post-colonial Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello and other great leaders of the region worked selflessly to promote the region’s economy, incentivized by a spirit of competitive federalism with other regions. They prioritized sectors such as agriculture, trade, industry and general infrastructure. Sir Ahmadu Bello initiated industrialization in the north in the areas of textile mills, groundnut oil mills, and spearheaded the construction many feeder roads and intercity connections within Northern Nigeria. Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Northern Nigeria Development Corporation, Bank of the North, and Kainji Hydroelectric Dam were among the fruits of these efforts.

The story has changed dramatically today, and the north lacks sustainable economic models to take itself out of poverty. The entire 19 states in the three northern geopolitical zones account for only 23% of Nigeria’s GDP. Kano State, which predictably leads other northern states, produces only 3.3% of national GDP. Taraba State leads the rear with 0.25%. In contrast, three states in Southern Nigeria (Delta, Rivers and Lagos) produce 36% of Nigeria’s GDP. The economic crisis in Northern Nigeria has its roots in the promotion of rent-seeking that progressively focused exclusively on spending and sharing oil “wealth�, factor-endowment thinking in the Nigerian (including Northern) political elite which believes –erroneously – that real national wealth can be built on the proceeds of crude natural resource exports.

Superimposed on these factors is Nigeria’s

Prebendal Politics Political leadership in Northern Nigeria today is marked – as in several other parts of Nigeria but with more harmful effects in the north – by selfishness and corruption.

Northern Nigeria has produced heads of government for 42 years out of the 58 years of the country’s independence. But this fact has had no redemptive impact on the fortunes of the average citizen in Kano, Potiskum or Zamfara. There is a fallacy that if a Northerner holds national political power, the fortunes of the average person in the region will improve. Neither history nor contemporary facts support this nonetheless widespread notion. This truth applies not just to Northern Nigeria but to other parts of Nigeria as well. If access to political power automatically leads to economic success, Northern Nigeria would be the richest part of Nigeria.

The northern political elite influence the poor citizens in the region with an imperative of retaining political power at the national level, but these citizens do not understand that this is simply an elite game by and for the benefit of the elite, and that they should be more interested in performance-based leadership regardless of the ethnic or religious background of individual national leaders. Psychologically satisfied that “power is with the North�, poverty seems a small price to pay and they fail to hold their self-serving ethnic irredentists to account. The seeming preoccupation of the region’s elite with acquiring and retaining political power for the wrong reasons is, paradoxically, one of the most important drivers of underdevelopment of Northern Nigeria. It will take a powerful mindset shift to confront, accept and act on this truth.

Social Factors Northern Nigeria is riddled today with severe social tensions that include high levels of youth unemployment, drug abuse, and the weak status of women in the society. While youth unemployment is a major problem across the country, it is especially acute in Northern Nigeria. Drug abuse indicates a rising tide of hopelessness that can only be reversed by a combination of measures addressing not just the problem of drug abuse in isolation, but also the underlying causes such as youth unemployment.

The status of women in Northern Nigeria remains relatively weak. I am not a Muslim, and so cannot claim to be an authority in Islamic law, but I am aware that several Islamic scholars have challenged the conventional wisdom of locating the low status of women in Northern Nigeria in religion.

There are also several countries where their populations are far more dominantly Islamic than Nigeria, but women play far more muscular roles in political and economic leadership. Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan are examples. And there is clear evidence around the world that educating the girl child and women in general helps break inter-cycles of poverty.

-Prof. Moghalu, former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria and Convener, To Build a Nation (TBAN), delivered the Ra’ayi Initiative for Human Development 2019 Lecture in Kano recently NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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Firm Partners UK Institute to Train Fire Service OfďŹ cers Peter Uzoho Falck Prime Atlantic (FPA), a subsidiary of Prime Atlantic Limited, has commenced a collaboration with a renowned Fire Service College, United Kingdom, to deliver specialised firefighting training to the public and private sectors in Nigeria.

The partnership commenced with the training of Federal Fire Service personnel this month, on four different specialised courses including High Rise Fire Fighting Tactics, Casualty Care and Extrication, Fire Team Leader (JOIFF) and Fire Safety Management and Fire Risk Assessment.

Speaking at a press conference in Ogun State, to kick off the two-week training, the Acting Deputy ControllerGeneral, Federal Fire Service, Quintus G. Azogu, explained that the aim of the training was to ensure that the agency was equipped with knowledge and technical skills required to deliver on their jobs.

Azogu, added that the, “collaboration between Falck Prime Atlantic and the Fire Service College, UK, is a tremendous feat because it means that training that would otherwise cost organisations much more to acquire in the UK would now be delivered in a fully residential training center in Nigeria with the same international standards necessary to ensure effective knowledge transfer.

According to him, enhancing the knowledge and skills of firefighters was imperative, hence the emphasis on personnel training and re-training.

He said further that Falck Prime Atlantic was one of the best private firefighting training facilities in Nigeria with a reputation comparable to what obtains overseas.

However, commenting on the partnership, the Director, Falck Prime Atlantic, Mrs. Folake Soyannwo, said: “This is yet another milestone we are very pleased with.

Fire-related emergencies have become very rampant all over Nigeria, with very devastating consequences resulting in significant loss of lives and property. “Supporting the response capabilities of our emergency responders through training and consultancy in-country, in collaboration with the Fire Service College, UK, which brings with it many years of experience in the area of fire fighter development, confirms our commitment to our promise of training locally to global standards.�

On his part, the Head of International Training Development, Fire Service College, UK, Mr. Kevin Keeler, said: “We are delighted to be working with Falck Prime Atlantic to deliver a range of firefighting training (High Rise, Fire Team Leader, Fire Risk Assessment and first responder emergency care) to the Federal Fire Service.�

NERC Grants Green Energy 40MW Power Generation Licence Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has granted Green Energy International Ltd (GEIL), the operator of the Otakikpo Marginal field an embedded Licence for 40 Megawatts of electricity (40 MW) power plant.

The approval was sequel to the company’s application for power generation licence, to utilise its gas resources for power generation, as part of its commitment to the federal government’s use of gas from the field for power and domestic gas projects.

Director Corporate Affairs, Green Energy International

Limited, Olusegun Ilori, in statement, quoted the Chairman of the company, Prof Anthony Adegbulugbe, to have disclosed that the company had earlier secured a generation licence for 12 MW to increase its projected power generation capacity to 40 MW following the increase in associated gas that would be produced from enhanced oil production during the second phase of the Otakikpo field.

Adegbulugbe, added that in addition to providing electricity for company’s field power requirements and access to electricity for the host communities (Ikuru town, Asuama Ayama Ekede,Ugama

Ekede and Asu Oyet), the 40MW power plant would provide power to the Otakikpo Industrial Park which would be sited in Ikuru town in Andoni local government, Rivers State. “Some of the committed projects to be located at Industrial Park include an Onshore Oil Terminal, 5000bpd modular refinery and a mini LNG plant to serve the domestic market.�

He said the company has already on site six MW electric power plant undergoing installation under the first phase of the small-scale gas utilisation program (SSGUP).

The 6MW would be commis-

sioned in third quarter 2019, while the 40 MW would come on-stream

by Q2 2020.

He also disclosed that the 12mmscfd gas processing plant for which the approval to construct (APC) was received from the federal government in Q4 of 2018 was currently undergoing FAT (Factory Acceptance Test), at the manufacturing facilities of the Chinese company -Peiyang Chemical Equipment Co. Ltd (PCC), the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). “The LPG extraction plant will be operative in Q4 2019 thereby increasing the source of LPG to the local market.�

MEDIA BRIEFING

L-R: Head of Operations and Client Relations, WePrototype Technologies, Maureen Omage; Chief Executive Officer, Mayowa Okegbenle; Marketing Communications Manager, Folake Solaja, and Co-founder, VendorCredit, Seye Seton, at a media briefing held in Lagos...recently

Biosec Solutions Now EU GDPR Complaint

Wapic Insurance Gets Shareholders’ Approval to Beef Up Capital Base

Oluchi Chibuzor

Ebere Nwoji

BIOSEC Solutions, one of Nigeria’s foremost identity management consultancy firms, has become certified as being EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant.

The company is one of the leading Nigerian companies to be issued the certificate.

According to a statement, the EU GDPR is a set of guidelines and rules that are to be implemented by organisations to enable them manage personal identity data (including biometrics) in a highly secure manner. “Biosec Solutions has been part of many identity management-based projects over the years, and has implemented these GDPR guidelines to ensure that it can continue to deliver world class services to Nigerians. “This significant achievement has catapulted Biosec to a world class company which implements international standards and best practices,� the statement added.

It revealed that Biosec Solutions engaged DIPSec, a company registered in Belgium to serve as EU representative and Data Protection Officer (DPO) as required by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). “We at Biosec Solutions

care about your data and privacy. This is why we have put in the effort to upgrade our systems and process to meet international standards and best practices. “These organisational and technical upgrades will enable us provide the best services to Nigerians in diaspora as we look to bring the National Identification Number (NIN) registration to their doorstep,� the Managing Director, Biosec Solutions, Dr. Agu Osoka said.

Agu, explained that the company has a partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to enrol Nigerians in Diaspora and with new data privacy guidelines and safeguards in check.

Biosec Solutions is further equipped to take the registration of Nigerians in diaspora to their doorsteps.

According to him, the GDPR compliance enables Biosec Solutions obtain personal data (personal identifiable information including biometric data) worldwide under the EU/ US privacy shield, and can determine the purpose and means of processing the data.

He added that Biosec Solutions was set to launch diaspora enrolment in 15 countries worldwide, including the UK, US, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Ivory Coast, and Congo.

Ahead of National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) June 30th, 2020 deadline for firms to comply with its new capital regime, shareholders of Wapic Insurance Plc, have given the company approval to increase its capital base to N15 billion from the current N8.5 billion level.

The company, at its 60th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos recently where the approval was given, said having secured the shareholders’ nod to this effect, it has proposed to shore up its capital through creation of 13 billion additional ordinary shares

of 50kobo each, to rank pari passu with the existing ordinary shares in the capital of the company. “That the directors of the company be and are hereby authorised to do all acts and things as may be necessary to give effect to the above resolution, including without limitation, complying with the directives of any regulatory authority,� it stated.

The shareholders, at the meeting, also commended the outgoing Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, for manning the affairs of the company positively since 2011.

Speaking on the financial performance of the company,

Aig-Imoukhuede, recalled that Wapic grew from just over N4 billion gross premium in 2012 to close at N13.9 billion in 2018. “During the reporting period, underwriting profit grew by 40 per cent to N2.1 billion as a result of premium growth and improved reinsurance technique.

For instance, the negative impact of claims payment in 2018 was dampened by increased reinsurance recoveries. “We continued to sweat our investments in technology and other assets enabling us to keep expense growth at 11 per cent, which when adjusted for inflation remained flat,� he said.

He, however, pointed out that despite the improved underwriting performance, sharp reversals in the company’s public equities portfolio mirroring the NSE Index’s 2018 negative correction led to significant drop in bottom line performance. “Our associate company, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited continued to return good earnings, thereby enhancing the value of our private equity portfolio,� adding that the company closed the period with “consolidated net profits of N351 million and that Nigerian business comprising its Life and non-Life franchise accounted for 88 per cent of group revenue.�

Ekekezie: Zone ‘A’ Customs Command Rakes in N5.5bn Daily Eromosele Abiodun The Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG) in charge of Zone A, Mrs K. C. Ekekezie has disclosed that her command now generates N5.5 billion on daily basis from duties and taxes.

She made this known during a courtesy call on the headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos.

The Customs boss attributed the huge collection to increased compliance by freight forwarders as well as efforts of officers and men of the Service.

Specifically, she stated, “The role that freight forwarders play in release

of goods are them part of every government trade policy formulation. Ease of doing business policy started at Apapa Port March this year is working. The customs have deployed Internet Technology (IT) to meet the policy target. Today, there is higher compliance with customs regulations in declarations; we make N5.5 billion every day because people are beginning to comply. “Customs earnings are part of what is used in paying the security agencies too. The compliance level we have seen recently. Customs made under the new regime N1 trillion. Before now, it was not up to that. Proper documentation and correct declarations we will achieve higher goals together with you.

“To consolidate on the good work to achieve this, we must adhere to all extent regulations as provided by the government.

And this will not be a problem when we put mechanism on place. This will lead improved national economic system. We must avoid cutting corners and encourage integrity in all levels of the business. “ Speaking further, Ekekezie maintained that there was a new regime of discipline in the Service which has led to torrent of officers being sacked in recent time.

She added, “In Nigeria Customs today, several officers are finding their ways out each time we go for management meetings. Officers

are being de-ranked or dismissed.�

Reacting to complaints from freight forwarders, she stated that artificial delay in cargo clearance from the port would no longer be condoned by the service.

She, therefore, called on freight forwarders whose cargoes are unnecessarily delayed to report such to the zone for immediate action.

Ekekezie, however, expressed displeasure about the number of transaction alerts at Tin Can Command particularly, which the agents complained was delaying clearance of goods.

She therefore directed that the number of alerts be reduced from nine to facilitate trade and ensure smooth clearance of cargo.

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

‘National Fleet Will End Capital Flight’ Eromosele Abiodun The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has said that Nigerians will be able to lift crude oil for export immediately the national fleet comes into operation.

Dakuku, who was speaking at the Nor Shipping Conference and Exhibition in Oslo, Norway, recently, said it would also end the capital flight associated with the present arrangement where Nigeria sells its oil on free on board basis to customers.

The development, he further said, would also lead to job creation. He said the new national fleet would be owned 49 per cent by a technical partner and the balance of 51 per cent by Nigerian investors.

According to the plan, the Nigerian investors would hold

equity in lots, so there will be no domineering shareholder. He said the planned national fleet would be private sector-led for sustainability and profitability. “The national fleet is part of the country’s new strategic direction on the blue economy, which is designed to tap its maritime potentials. “We are inviting local and foreign investors who are interested in the project to partner with the country. The opportunity in crude freight and right of first refusal to lift cargo generated by all tiers of government are just some of the potential in the sector, “he said.

He said the country was also taking its maritime security seriously and has invested in the acquisition of security assets to boost the policing of its waters.

These assets, he stated, included patrol boats, special mission aircrafts, helicopters, unmanned air vessels and

special mission ships.

He noted that the assets, acquired under the ‘Deep Blue Project’, which he calls a homeland security solution, would be operational by September this year with a standing specially trained intervention strike force.

He called on investors to tap into the rich potential of the maritime sector in Nigeria, saying the government has incentivised the sector with offers of tax holidays and institutional support.

He added that Nigeria remains an investment friendly environment with comprehensive maritime security, a robust financial sector and six port complexes and numerous terminals. “The country accounts for 70 per cent of seaborne trade into west and central Africa and is endowed with a skilled workforce and the world’s ninth largest hydrocarbon deposits, “he said.

L-R: President, Risk Managers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN ), Mr. Magnus Nnoka; Board Chairman, Ms. Folakemi Fatogbe; Chief Risk Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Rasaq Ozemede; Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins and Chief Operating Officer, FMDQ, Mr. Emmanuel Alao, at RIMAN’s 19th International conference held in Lagos‌recently

MARKET INDICATORS

FCMB Empowers Entrepreneurs First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has explained the rationale behind its capacity building programme, tagged, ‘Business Enterprises and Sustainability Training (BEST),’ for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

According to the bank, the initiative is to lay a solid foundation for their long-term success of SMEs in the country.

The bank added that the programme would also enable entrepreneurs to have access to business management skills and advisory services, learn and acquire competencies which they can apply for effective management of their respective businesses in a sustainable manner.

A statement disclosed that FCMB held the sixth edition of the BEST programme for existing and start-up SMEs held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently.

Hundreds of existing and start-up entrepreneurs from the six states in the South-south zone took part and benefitted from the intensive training and empowerment exercise.

This followed the success recorded at previous editions of the training across Nigeria since it commenced last year.

The initiative, led by FCMB Training Academy, the bank’s Business Banking Group and seasoned facilitators, focused on business and skills development, marketing, finance and accounting for SMEs. It covered various topical areas such as identifying business opportunities, surviving in a harsh business environment, improving productivity, raising capital, optimising sales, cost and revenue management, among others.

It is one of the value-added offerings of FCMB to complement its efforts in the areas of lending and advisory services to SMEs with the objective of stimulating their growth and contributions to overall national development.

According to the Executive Director, Business Development of FCMB, Mrs. Bukola Smith, the bank recognises the increasing role and impact of SMEs. “The BEST initiative is one of the innovative ways we empower, promote and support the growth of our SME customers because without effective training and exposure, it could be quite difficult for their businesses to succeed. “We believe this training will go a long way to impact positively

on the SME operators who have participated in this programme.

It will propel them to further develop themselves in order to compete favourably within and outside the Nigerian market. “We therefore, urge the beneficiaries to take advantage of the unique opportunities provided by this exercise, because it is a veritable platform for them to take the lead in driving the diversification and growth of the Nigerian economy,� she said.

Also speaking, the Head, Training Academy of FCMB, Mr. Sola Oyegbade, stated that: “Just like the roots of a tree are responsible for the overall health and strength of the tree, FCMB BEST initiative has become a forum for feeding the SMEs with relevant resources to nurture and nourish their businesses profitably through tested and proven principles for capacity building, skills development and sustainability. “FCMB Training Academy is playing its part as a skillful gardener alongside other stakeholders to ensure the sustained health and continuous growth of all the SMEs that have subscribed and partnered with us in the BEST initiative.�

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS Money Supply (M3)

31,794,803.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

6,333,064.28

Money Supply (M2)

25,461,739.17

-- Quasi Money

14,773,076.98

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,688,662.18

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,711,763.59

---- Demand Deposits

8,976,898.59

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce in partnership with EduFirst.Ng is hosting the first EduTech Conference in Nigeria themed “Education, Technology & Jobs: A Synergy that Works.�

The event is expected to hold in Lagos on Thursday.

EduFirst.Ng is an Ed-tech company with visibility in 24 unity schools in the Edu-Tech subsector in Nigeria committed to improving teaching-learning experiences in schools leveraging technology, developing the capacity for the emerging knowledge economy and providing cutting edge technology solutions for the global competitiveness of Nigerian children, youths and adults.

Speaking on the partnership, the Director General, NigerianBritish Chambers of Commerce, Bunmi Afolabi, was quoted in a statement to have said, “it is part of the Chambers mandate to support the socio-economic development of Nigeria through developmental educational

initiative such as the Edu-tech conference which is providing a platform for the government, relevant regulatory agencies and educational professionals to interact and share experiences on the best ways to forge ahead in revitalising the Nigeria’s educational system.�

She further stated that, “Beyond the concerted efforts by the chambers in engaging critical platforms and relevant stakeholders in infusing the application of technology and innovation for educational transformation, the Chambers also appreciates the efforts by the Nigerian government in creating an enabling environment that has ensured that these engagements have played a critical role to the success of these endeavors.� “The 2019 African Edu-Tech Conference which has been endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Education would address the challenges faced by Generation Y & Z within the Nigerian

18,990,400.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,804,402.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,062,986.22

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,980,229.66

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,093,619.43

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-4,144,571.43

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

23,082,756.56

--Other Assets Net

13,258,583.57

Reserve Money (Base Money

6,811,192.37

--Currency in Circulation

2,100,129.91

--Banks Reserves

4,366,259.05

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

NBCC Partners Edufirst.ng

(MILLION NAIRA)

NOVEMBER 2018

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR)

educational system and ensure that they are prepared to be fully integrated into the world of work, compete with global standards on Nigerian soil and are relevant in future endeavors.

This would cumulatively increase the economic value of the average Nigerian and the nation’s per capita income,� Afolabi added.

Some key players represented from diverse sectors who would speak at the conference are Sunny Echono, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education; Abimbola Olashore, Chairman, Board of Governors, Olashore International School; ‘Niran Adetoro, Director, Academic Planning and Quality Assurance and Research, Tai-Solarin University of Education, Ijebu, Ogun State; Lande Atere, Head, First Academy, First Bank; Dr Stephen Oluwatobi, Curator, Hebron Lab, Covenant University and Prof Chantal Epie, Dean, School of Management and Social Sciences, Pan African University.

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 THURSDAY, 13 MAY 2019

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $61.51 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $61.01 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

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MARKET NEWS

DMO Lists Eurobonds on FMDQ, Nigerian Stock Exchange Goddy Egene The Debt Management Office (DMO) last Friday, listed the first Eurobonds on the FMDQ Securities Exchange and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) platforms.

The DMO, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), listed dual-tranche $2.50 billion and triple-tranche $2.86 billion Eurobonds on the FMDQ platform and NSE.

Speaking at the listing on the FMDQ in Lagos, DirectorGeneral, DMO, Ms Patience Oniha, said that the bonds were raised for refinancing of the country’s domestic debt.

Oniha said that the Eurobonds proceeds would be used to fund the fiscal deficit as well as other financing needs of the country. According to her, the $2.50 billion Eurobonds issued in February 2018 was meant for refinancing of domestic debt,

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

while $2.86 billion dollars Eurobonds floated in November, 2018 was purposely for financing of the capital project of the budget.

The DMO DG noted that listing of foreign currencydenominated debt securities showed the government’s unrelenting commitment to supporting the growth of the debt capital market (DCM) for economic development.

On plans for Eurobond upgrade to finance the 2019

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

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budget, she a large part of it would be funded by new borrowing of N1.649 trillion. “But this time around, we are trying to explore all the options starting with those that are cheaper, conventional, semi conventional before we now determine in a very short form the balance that we should take to the international market,�

Oniha said.

Commenting on the listing of the Eurobonds Manag-

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

ing Director, FMDQ, Mr. Bola Onadele.Koko commended the federal government for the landmark achievement.

Onadele said: “This was yet another highly exemplary and indeed, positive step towards supporting the growth and development of the Nigeria’s DCM. FMDQ will continue to further deepen and effectively position the Nigerian DCM for growth through consistent collaboration with its stakeholders.�

O F

Also speaking, Executive Director & Head, Debt Capital Markets, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, Mr. Kobby BentsiEnchill, lauded the DMO for strengthening the market with array of products. “We used to have TBS in the market before but now DMO has brought a lot of products,� he said.

Bentsi-Enchill said that the market had been more functional with the activities of DMO.

1 1 / 0 6 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

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QUANTITY TRADED

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MARKET NEWS

CIS Renews MoU with CISI, Introduces New Tests for Brokers Goddy Egene

Stockbrokers in Nigeria will soon begin to undergo mandatory integrity test for enhanced highest ethical standard of professional behavior as part of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS)’s globalisation drive in the area of human capital development.

The computer based renewable

integrity test, is one of the components of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed CIS and Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), United Kingdom.

Speaking after the signing of the MoU in Lagos, first Vice President, CIS, Mr Tunde Amolegbe said, currently, stockbrokers that aspire to join CISI are expected to write

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

Integrity test and our Institute would likely embrace the test.

“The Council of CIS is looking into the direction of introducing integrity test and making it mandatory and renewable for our members. Integrity matters would always remain fundamental to the success of any profession,” Amolegbe said.

By the renewed MoU, stockbrokers are eligible to

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 13Jun-2019, unless otherwise stated.

become members of CISI, subject to compliance with some requirements, including participation in the global body’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and membership. This is in addition to CIS’s membership and CPD requirements.

Commenting on the renewed MoU, Chief Executive, CISI, Simon Culhane said: “We

are delighted to confirm our cooperation with the CIS in these important areas of global membership reciprocity, professional qualifications, continuing professional development and ethics and integrity. In this era of emphasis on consumer protection, we look forward to working with the CIS to further enhance Nigeria as a global capital market centre.”

Corroborating him, Amolegbe said: “The relationship between the CIS an CISI is anchored on the need to expose our members to professional global standard through continuous training. We are happy to be identified with CISI,UK in this initiative that has prospects to offer a lot of mutual benefits to members of the two reputable Professional bodies.”

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: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 145.16 147.23 -7.70% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 8.11% Nigeria International Debt Fund 276.94 276.94 1.36% 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 0.87 0.88 4.06% ACAP Income Funds 0.76 0.76 34.08% 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 13.17% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.31 2.33 3.85% 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 15.36 15.82 -7.44% ARM Discovery Fund 342.74 353.07 -3.90% ARM Ethical Fund 28.88 29.75 2.28% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.23% 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 96.20 96.87 -4.93% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.50% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 13.62% Paramount Equity Fund 11.87 11.97 0.51% Women's Investment Fund 105.39 106.12 1.80% 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 N/A N/A N/A Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 N/A N/A Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A 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 12.58% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.82 0.82 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.20 1.20 6.90% 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 N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A 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 1,193.80 1,194.65 6.92% FBN Heritage Fund 143.62 144.58 0.59% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.90% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 136.84 138.75 -8.77% 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 Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.28% Legacy Debt Fund 3.42 3.42 5.52% Legacy Equity Fund 1.12 1.14 -8.31% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.05 1.05 2.15% 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 N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 100.00 100.00 12.19% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 108.31 108.80 0.75% GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market 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 12.42% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.14 2.17 -0.17% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.91% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 131.37 131.46 5.11% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@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 5.37% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,108.93 1,108.93 6.18% 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 10.69 10.78 -7.05% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.95% 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 N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 119.64 120.43 -0.81% 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 1.03 1.03 6.59% 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 2,356.52 2,369.98 1.83% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 201.65 201.65 6.05% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.90 0.91 -4.74% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 256.66 256.76 5.88% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 152.81 154.65 -6.29% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.69% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,986.24 8,087.26 -5.89% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.11 1.11 2.75% 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 1.20 1.21 0.80% United Capital Bond Fund 1.70 1.70 6.93% United Capital Equity Fund 0.69 0.70 -2.95% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.20% United Capital Eurobond Fund 111.08 111.08 3.56% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.13 1.14 3.66% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.52 10.69 0.38% Zenith Ethical Fund Zenith Income Fund Zenith Money Market Fund

11.20 22.04 1.00

11.34 22.04 1.00

-9.18% 14.20% 11.64%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.40 121.33 52.39

-44.85% 3.06% 1.26%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.85 97.05 80.01

9.95 99.11 81.49

-6.57% -17.27% -9.77%

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 Griffin 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

3.54 6.15 13.04 10.47 155.80

3.58 6.23 13.14 10.67 157.80

-11.40% -19.14% -10.93% -15.16% 17.48%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

106.90

17.40%

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.

T H I S D AY t MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019

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CITYSTRINGS Concern over Influx of Commercial Motorcycle Riders in Abuja

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08152252325

Olawale Ajimotokan, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Kingsley Iweze report how the recent military ban on the use of motorcycle in seven northern states has led to the influx of commercial motorcycle operators in Abuja

T

he influx of commercial motorcyclists commonly known as Okada in many parts of the Abuja metropolis is posing a threat to security in the nation’s capital.

This threat followed the recently imposed ban by the Nigerian Army on the use of motorcycles in Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kastina, Sokoto, Zamfara states in the North west zone. The ban under exercise Harbin Kunama, which sought to wipe out banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities also affected Niger State in the central zone.

The army said in a statement that it would no longer allow the use of motorcycles within the hinterland, especially around the forests that provide sanctuary for armed bandits and kidnappers.

Army acting spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, who issued the statement said: “The Nigerian Army over time has observed the use of motorcycles by armed bandits, kidnappers, criminal elements and their collaborators as enablers to perpetrate their heinous crimes especially in the states within the North-west geopolitical zone of the country.

“This informed the decision and directive to ban the use of motorcycles within the hinterland particularly around the forests where the armed bandits, criminals and kidnappers hibernate and all around where troops are conducting operations alongside other security agencies.

“While this may cause some inconveniences to some law-abiding citizens in the area, the need to use all means possible to stop the dastardly activities of these bandits across the North west part of Nigeria needs no emphasis.

“The general public, particularly in the North west and some parts of North Central in Nigeria where Exercise Harbin Kunama is ongoing are enjoined to bear with the NA as concerted efforts are being made to combat the insecurity menace ongoing within the area.”

Since the order came into force, many residents have noticed an unusual but disturbing increase in the number of commercial riders roaming in several parts Abuja.

The sight of commercial motorcycle riders is now a common feature along the International Airport Road, Kubwa, Nyanya, Jabi, Asokoro and other satellite towns of the metropolis.

The menace of these commercial cyclists has also alarmed some residents, who fear that some of the operators could be some of the criminal elements perpetrating banditry, kidnapping and other crimes in the restive North-west before the army order came into being and forced them to disperse to the nation’s capital.

Following the latest order by the army, more Okada riders have shifted base to Kubwa, the FCT satellite town that is closest to Niger and Kaduna States.

Even though commercial motorcycles are banned by the FCT Administration from the Abuja city centre, many of the operators have evolved the means to slip away from the authority by using the satellite towns as cover up to evade arrest.

The lack of public infrastructure, particularly transportation in many of the satellite towns have made many residents to rely on commercial motorcycles as the basic form of commuting within those communities.

In addition to this, the strategic location of

Okada riders take over the road from the motorist in Kuje

Kubwa as a satellite town on the border of Niger State, where commercial motorcycle operation was permitted also partly accounted for the influx of the operators.

Immediately the FCT authorities imposed a ban on the operators from the city centre, they shifted to Kubwa and other nearby satellite towns.

And in the light of the latest military order, the cycle operators are capitalising on the location of Kubwa, being a few minutes’ drive from Madalla and Suleja in Niger State, In Kubwa, which is to the north of the capital, the hum and buzz of the commercial motorcycles can be felt from many quarters. The operators are known in the local parlance as "Okada" or "Going" and they have conveniently infiltrated every access road in the area.

Until now, these motorcycle operators were offering alternative means of transportation for residents of the sprawling town mainly composed of workers and petty traders.

But gradually their number has grown such that they now routinely constitute a traffic menace.

The cyclists are like an invading locust, causing traffic jam at every road junction.

Motorists and pedestrians alike are bearing the brunt of the excesses of these commercial cyclists who are mostly untrained and uneducated. They neither have the basic driving skills nor do they understand traffic regulations.

Similarly, accidents, which in some cases are fatal, occasionally result from the reckless driving by the commercial motorcycle riders.

A visit to the Kubwa General Hospital in Okitipupa Crescent, which offers accident and emergency services as well as other private hospitals in the area, will present a disturbing sight of several victims of motorcycle accidents.

Doctors and other health workers at the accident and emergency section of the General hospital which has 103 beds, constantly attend to patients who are referred to the hospitals for fatal injuries sustained

from Okada accidents.

In reaction to the security implication of the influx of Okada riders in Kubwa, both Police Headquarters and FCT Police Command sources confided in our reporters that they have no intention to restrict the commercial riders on the grounds that people have a constitutional right to move from one place to another.

“We are monitoring the place and will proactive if there is any breakdown of law and order. But we don’t want to heat up the polity by infringing on individuals’ fundamental human rights. The commercial motorcycle owners have a right to freedom of movement. If there is a breakdown of law and order, we will act,” the police source, who did not to be named, said.

However, the FCTA has expressed distraught concerning how the military order on motorcycle has been forcing the affected cyclists to relocate to the FCT with the attendant security implications.

The Director FCTA Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Wadata Bodinga, said the authority viewed the development as a challenge and has been trying to ensure they take over the city’s transportation system particularly the menace of Okada riders.

“We have noticed that and that is why we are intensifying now our areas of operation towards the outskirts of the city. While I was talking about the issue of what we intended to do, I mentioned taking over such places like Kubwa because we realised that it is the gateway to the city, so it is important we intensify our operation there,” Bodinga declared.

He pleaded with the people of the FCT to cooperate with the authorities, accept the pronouncement of the army and stop the patronage of Okada.

Bodinga also noted that the call on the general public to stop the usage of this mode of transportation is for their own security and safety, adding that inhabitants of Abuja have an important role to play regarding road safety and security.

“For the government to be able to achieve

Photo: google.com

success. Once you refuse to mount a commercial cycle the person will not have any customer to carry and you have already started the campaign.

I can tell you that we are up and doing, the number of arrests we are making is increasing. We are there and will continue emphasising, the government here is looking at the situation through one face. If the government has banned the Okada outright it would have been different.

“What we have now in FCT is kind of a ban within the city. However, because of the need that has evolved overtime, this kind of transportation is usually on the outskirts. The FCT administration has been looking at that as a kind of understanding.

Before the infrastructure and development reaches those areas then the total ban will come there. The FCT generally in terms of transportation master plan doesn't recognise the use of this transportation,” Bodinga said.

The Director of FCT VIO stressed that the appeal to the public to join hands and cooperate with FCT is because it is not possible for law enforcement agencies to be everywhere at the same time. He assured that if the public understands how the authority feels on the matter, the current situation would be a thing of the past.

On the operation of Keke Napep in the territory, Bodinga clarified that Kekes have always been allowed to operate in big estates like Gwarinpa and outskirts of the city.

“We are having series of meetings with their leadership. There are violations of crimes and traffic and it is our duty to make sure that this rules are enforced and we are seeking the cooperation of stakeholders, including the journalists to join hands with us. You can't compromise security and safety, these are the two things you can't compromise, all of us are victims of accidents and one criminal activity and the other because of the activities of these notorious keke, Okada, and unpainted taxis. We need to join hands so that we ensure that we have a safer and secured transportation system within the city”.

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CRIME&SECURITY

SITUATION REPORT TIPS ON HOW TO PREVENT KIDNAPPING (II) Kidnapping, which is the act of taking somebody away illegally and keeping them as prisoners or hostages, especially in order to get ransom or other benefits before they are released, is evidently giving us cause for concern now. Kidnapping is a serious offence.

In fact, in some states of the federation, kidnapping is now considered a capital offence, that is, an offence that is punishable by death. As the Police and other critical stakeholders are doing everything humanly possible to combat it, frankmba.ng is on its own proffering a few tips on some of the ways not only to avoid being kidnapped but also on how to survive when you are unfortunately kidnapped. To avoid being kidnapped, you may consider adopting some of the following security tips continued from last week:

The front view of CAC Agbala Itura, Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo, Lagos

ETOP EKUTT

Unraveling Allegations of Herdsmen Attack on CAC Members Following a viral message on social media that some suspected herdsmen had attacked the convoy of members of the Abule Egba branch of Christ Apostolic Church, Sunday Ehigator went on a fact-finding mission

"D

ateline Saturday June 1, 2019. Fifteen members of CAC Agbala Itura, Ile-EPO, Oke-Odo, Lagos were returning from a funeral outing in Ekiti. They were in their church bus, a Toyota Hiace and were hoping for a safe trip to Lagos.

On reaching Ife-Ijesha Expressway in Osun State, they saw terrorists on the expressway armed to the teeth.

The driver of the bus made a dash for it right through the men on the highway. The bandits were taken by surprise by the audacity of the driver.

They opened fire but the bus escaped.

It was however riddled with bullets.

No one died. “The people in the bus gave tearful testimonies at their church at CAC, Agbala Itura, Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo yesterday Sunday, June 2, 2019. The bus is right there parked on their premises, full of bullet holes.

Is anyone that matters reading this?

Osun is now an ungoverned part of Nigeria. (Sic) bandits pick people on the roads in Osun like snails, take them deep into the forests, rape, maim and dehumanise them before the lucky ones are released after their relatives had paid hefty ransom. The unlucky ones? They are under the ground, butchered by the Sahelian savages.�

The above quote was the content of the viral message that purportedly emanated from the church members.

To unravel the allegation that herdsmen had unleashed mayhem on the highway, this reporter alongside THISDAY Photographer, Etop Ekutt, went to the church.

THISDAY Findings Before the THISDAY team finally located the church, the team was mislead by Google map to another CAC Agbala Itura, Ile Epo area, along Agbara-Badagry Expressway, were they met with one Pastor Olawunni whom upon enquiry confirmed to THISDAY that it happened at the CAC Agbara Itura, located along Abule Egba Road, Ile-Epo. With the correct location at hand, the team found its way back to the right church.

Although debunked by the church, further findings however revealed that there might be an element of truth but not on the scale it was being touted.

Upon receiving this information, THISDAY team defied the rain and made a visit to the church premises to confirm the story. On arrival at the church premises, the team was received by the Head of Sound/ Engineering Department CAC Agbara Itura, Mr. Olawale Shittu, whom after debunking the news, denied them access to any other top official or pastor of the church.

In fact, he practically walked them out of the church premises, took pictures of them and instructed the church's gatemen not to allow the team entrance into the church premises

again.

However, proactively the team was able to interact with few members of the church anonymously, who affirmed the authenticity of the testimony.

According to them, it was a miraculous escape. They said they were all full of tears and praise to God when the testimonies of their escape was shared in the church on Sunday. They thanked God for not putting the church to riddicle otherwise, they queried how would it have been heard of that those who went for burial met their death on their way back.

Church’s Reaction The church however on same day after THISDAY visited it, made public information debunking the news through the CAC worldnews website www.cacworldnews.com.

According to the report as published on the website, "The Zonal Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, Agbala Itura Zone, Ile-Epo Oke-Odo Lagos, Pastor Diran Adeleke has denied the rumour making rounds that the church bus escaped herdsmen attack last weekend on its way back from a ceremony along Ife-Ijesha Expressway. “In a telephone chat with CAC NEWS, Pastor Adeleke who denied that the church bus escaped herdsmen attack however said that it was partially true because the incident involved the choir master of the church who was in a commercial bus that escaped herdsmen attack along Ife-Ijesha Expressway."

* It is important that you do a thorough background check on your domestic staff such as your drivers, nannies, cooks, gardeners, and cleaners etc before you employ them. – Study their change in lifestyle, the company they keep and their whereabouts at all times. – Persons employed as drivers for schoolruns must constantly be monitored as experience has shown that some drivers connive with criminals to facilitate the kidnap of innocent children. – Treat your staff fairly with utmost decency and care. This is important to win their trust and loyalty and reduce the chance of criminals infiltrating them and leveraging them to harm you. * Always exercise caution especially while on the social media platforms. It is important that you minimize posting of sensitive information and pictures such as: – Your financial transactions – Your whereabouts or location. – Pictures of your family etc that could readily give you out to would-be felons. *When you notice a threat in any form, quickly attract the attention of people around, either by shouting, screaming or running away etc, when it is safe to do so. * Always be vigilant. Ensure you have airtime on your phone and that the phone is nearby in case you may have to make an urgent call. * Drive defensively, especially at night or when you are on a lonely and dangerous road or you suspect that you are being followed by suspected kidnappers. Even when you have a punctured tyre, manage it to a safer place. It is better to lose the wheel of your car than to be taken hostage. * There is security in numbers! Always ensure that when you engage in work outs, jogging, walking, biking, running etc, you do so in concert with others. You are less likely to be attacked when you are amongst people than when alone. t $SFEJU GSBOLNCB OH

DCP Frank Mba

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MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

Court Convicts Netanyahu’s Wife for Misusing Public Funds A magistrate court in Jerusalem has convicted Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a corruption case.

The court, a plea bargain, fined her more than $15,000 for misusing state funds.

Mrs. Netanyahu was indicted on charges of fraud and breach of trust last year after the State Attorney’s office accused her of misusing about $100,000 at

luxury restaurants while the official residence employed a full-time chef between the years 2010 and 2013.

The settlement saw her admit to a more minor charge of “intentionally exploiting the mistake of someone else,” specifically by misleading officials who didn’t realize she already benefited from chefs on the government payroll.

Under the terms of the

bargain, Sara Netanyahu agreed to pay $2,800 in fines and hand the remaining $12,500 back to the state. The settlement also reduced the overspending charge to $50,000.

However, Sara Netanyahu’s lawyer, Yossi Cohen, portrayed his client as a victim, saying she had “been put through hell” the

past four years with a public shaming campaign that was due only to her public standing.

“Sara Netanyahu is today paying a heavy and painful personal cost to put an end to this witch hunt, and I hope that indeed this is the end of the story,” he said after the hearing.

Her husband is facing an indictment on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, pending a hearing scheduled for early October. He has pushed for a postponement and can still request an extension from the Supreme Court.

He is accused of accepting lavish gifts from billionaire

friends and promising to promote advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in exchange for favorable coverage. He vehemently denies wrongdoing, portraying himself as a victim of media-orchestrated persecution against him and his family in an attempt to oust him from power.

Ousted Sudan Leader Bashir Makes First Appearance Coup Head of Libya’s UN-backed Govt Since take those who did this to Sudan’s former-President Omar bringing to an end nearly 30 deadly crackdown.

Presents Plan to End Crisis The head of Libya’s UN-backed government, Fayez Serraj, Sunday proposed a political initiative to end the North African country’s long-running crisis amid fighting over the capital Tripoli.

Serraj, who said this at a news conference, called for holding a Libyan forum in coordination with the United Nations.

According to him, this will bring together all national powers and components of Libyan society to work toward reaching a peaceful

and democratic solution and building a civil state.

Last month, Khalifa Haftar, the chief of the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), ordered his forces to capture Tripoli from the Serraj government.

The fighting there has since descended into a stalemate and displaced thousands of civilians.

The violence has raised global fears that UN efforts to find a political solution to Libya’s eigh t years of unrest may be derailed.

al-Bashir has appeared in public for the first time since he was overthrown in a coup in April.

Bashir was driven from a jail in the capital, Khartoum to the prosecutor’s office where he was read the corruption charges against him.

Surrounded by security guards, the 75-year-old former leader was wearing traditional white robes and a turban.

Bashir was overthrown in a coup after months of mass protests.

Prosecutors say a large hoard of foreign currency was found in grain sacks at Mr Bashir’s home after he was ousted,

years in power.

The former president walked briskly on Sunday from a vehicle into the prosecutor’s office, smiling and chatting with guards, but returned minutes later scowling, Reuters news agency reported.

Bashir is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), accused of organising war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur region - charges he denies.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagolo, who is the vice-president of the military junta, has promised to prosecute those behind a recent

According to opposition activists,more than 100 people were killed on 3 June when Sudanese security forces ended a peaceful sit-in outside Khartoum’s military headquarters. The demonstrators were demanding a return to civilian rule.

Hemeti commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), more popularly known in Sudan as the Janjaweed. The group has been accused carrying out the killings this month, as is linked to atrocities dating back to the Darfur conflict.

“We are working hard to

the gallows,” Hemeti said in a televised speech, according to the AFP news agency.

“Whoever committed any fault” will be held accountable, he said.

Sudan’s military authorities have faced intense international criticism following the crackdown earlier this month, and the country has been suspended from the African Union.

On Friday after a visit to Khartoum, the US assistant secretary of state for Africa, Tibor Nagy, called for a credible and independent investigation into the killings.

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MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Accident Investigation Critical to Air Safety, Says Ex-AIB Chief Chinedu Eze A former Head of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Angus Ozoka, has said that accident investigation is critical to the overall safety in flight operations because the industry depends on the recommendations made by the agency to prevent future accidents.

He said that the objective of AIB is not to witch-hunt airlines but to help them fly safely.

Ozoka who hosted the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) team that audited the Nigerian aviation industry as pioneer Commissioner/CEO of the AIB in 2007, said that accident investigation is a painstaking work, which procedure and processes are not exposed to media propaganda.

Ozoka was reacting to the press statement by the AIB, notifying the public that Air Peace did not report an incident to the agency but only reported to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA, describing such publication as

unprecedented. “ The damage assessment by AIB did not reveal that an accident or serious incident occurred as hard landing does not equate to an accident or serious incident.

“According to AIB, the nature of the damage suggests a high probability of an accident but it is difficult to see how such a conclusion can be reached when a thorough investigation was not carried out. Accident investigation is a pain-staking research work, which follows a whole process involving the gathering and analysis of information, the drawing of conclusions after determination of cause(s), and making safety recommendations,” he said.

Ozoka who was a former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, also noted that after the incident, the operating aircraft, B737-300 with registration 5N-BUK, was kept on ground awaiting hard landing inspection.

“The aircraft was not put back into operation and it is

not operating at the moment and so; it is difficult to see what wrong Air Peace has committed. If, according to the airline, a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) was filed with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in writing on May 17, 2019 after a notification was made on May 16, 2019, that is, within two days of the incidents; the NCAA should confirm whether this assertion is true, and if so confirmed, Air Peace has done no wrong,” he explained.

The former rector also observed

that so far, no accidents or serious incidents were shown to have occurred in the publication by AIB. “If, by chance, Air Peace, which is unarguably the leading airline in Nigeria lacks full understanding of AIB’s mandates, then it will be very safe to conclude that other airlines in the country equally lack this ‘full understanding’. The AIB should therefore take appropriate action to brief and educate all airlines in the country on such requirements for the wellbeing of the sector as AIB plays a critical role in aviation safety. Nothing

stops the bureau from charging a fee for their services as it is within their purview to do so,” he said.

Speaking on ICAO Annex 13, which deals with accident investigation, Ozoka said, “Aircraft accident and incident investigation” does not provide for the type of press statement made by AIB and published by the media in which an airline is blamed and castigated even when no accident occurred and no investigation carried out to reveal cause(s) and recommend measures to prevent re-occurrence.

“It is possible that the AIB has other reasons for the allegation of wrong doing against Air Peace but this has not been demonstrated and unfortunately, the whole world has read the publication.

In my very candid opinion, and deriving from the information by AIB in the publication, neither ICAO nor NCAA rules and regulations were breached by Air Peace and it is not clear which aspects of AIB’s mandate and procedures, which should be in alignment with ICAO Annex 13 were breached,” he said.

APC, Okafor Ask Appeal Court to Unseat Imo House Member Alex Enumah in Abuja A candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chike Okafor, in the 2019 National Assembly election in Imo State and his party the APC, have asked the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal to unseat Emeka Nwajuba of the Accord Party, as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ehimembano/ Ihiteuboma/Obowo Federal constituency of Imo State.

Okafor and the APC in an appeal specifically want the appellate court to upturn the judgment of an Abuja High Court that produced Nwajuba of the Accord Party, as a member of the House of Representatives.

Justice Bello Kawau of the Bwari Division of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court had on February 12, 2019, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) from accepting or listing the candidate of the APC in the rescheduled National Assembly election.

The legal action, which gave rise to the eventual emergence of Nwajuba, was ignited by a House of Representatives aspirant, Mrs. Uzoma Ann, who had filed a suit before the High Court against the APC, Nwajuba and the INEC. Among other reliefs, she sought for the nullification of the nomination of Nwajiuba, as its candidate for the Okigwe South Federal Constituency for the 2019 elections.

According to her, Nwajiuba’s emergence violated the party’s rules and guidelines.

Justice Kawu in his ruling, cited various authorities and concluded that Nwajiuba’s nomination was “inappropriate, unlawful, null and void for failure to comply with the first defendant’s guideline for nomination of candidate.”

He also barred INEC “from further recognising, accepting or listing the second defendant’s

name as the candidate of the first defendant in the 2019 ballot paper for Okigwe South House of Representatives election because the first defendant (APC) did not conduct primary election for the office.

Ironically, Chika Okafor, who was the nominated candidate of the APC for the Federal seat was not made a party in the suit and allegedly denied the opportunity of being heard.

While the suit was pending before the court, Nwajuba joined the Accord Party where he contested the elections against Chika Okafor of the APC, who won the election and was issued with a certificate of return by INEC. It was after the issuance of the certificate of return on Okafor that his attention was drawn to the suit pending at the Kubwa Division of the FCT High Court.

Having become aware of the suit, Okafor approached the court seeking to set aside the entire proceedings as well as any order emanating there from and for injunctive orders against INEC in respect of Ehimembano/ Iiteuboma/Obowo Constituency of Imo state.

While the said application was pending for hearing, Nwajuba who contested and lost the election to Okafor, approached the FCT High Court on April 29, 2019 to compel INEC to enforce its ruling delivered of February 12 2019.

Consequently, the electoral body in compliance with the said ruling of the FCT High Court issued a certificate of return to Nwajuba of the Accord Party as the elected member of the federal constituency.

Meanwhile, Justice Bello Kawu while ruling on the applications

by Okafor dated May 13, 2019 for the setting aside of its injunctive orders and the entire proceedings, had on June 10, 2019 refused to grant it on the grounds that he has become functus officio.

WINNING THROUGH INCLUSION…

L-R: Executive Director, Institutional Banking, Sterling Bank Plc Emmanuel Emefienim; guest speaker and former Information and Communications Technology Minister, Omobola Johnson; Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman; Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Tairat Tijani; and Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Yemi Odubiyi, at the June edition of Sterling Leadership Series in Lagos …recently

Enugu Police Rescue Three Female KidnapVictims Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu The Enugu State Police Command yesterday rescued three female passengers reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen around Ugbawka area of Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.

Some gunmen had attacked a commuter bus in the area on Saturday and dispossessed them of their valuables before abducting some of the female occupants of

the bus.

The spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, SP Ebere Amaraizu said the victims were freed without the payment of ransom.

He, however, insisted that only the three victims were abducted.

“The Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police has commenced a full scale investigation into the attack of a commercial bus and abduction of some victims by hoodlums along Agbani

Ugbawka road of Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“Yet-to-be identified hoodlums had on 14/6/19 along Agbani Ugwawka road struck at a commercial bus with some passengers plying towards the road and abducted three female persons after robbing the said bus and zoomed into the bush.”

According to him “operatives of the ‘Operation Puff Adder,’

acting on the directives of the state Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe, promptly raced to the scene and embarked on aggressive combing of the bush, which forced the hoodlums to abandon their victims without payment of any money; no ransom was demanded.

“No injury was sustained by the victims who already have been re-united with their various families,” the statement added.

Panic over Gunshots in Maiduguri Michael OlugbodeinMaiduguri Residents in the outskirts of Maiduguri yesterday witnessed some skirmishes following indiscriminate shooting by some soldiers.

The situation forced many women, children and elderly people in Damboa road and Polo general area to scamper for safety.

Residents said that they started hearing gunshots at about 3 p.m., though unsure if soldiers were test-firing equipment.

Haruna Kachala, a Civilian Joint Task Force said that the gunshots came from the soldiers stationed at the state hotel along Damboa road bye pass while on their way

to relieve their colleagues at Molai general area.

Kachala said “Initially, we thought the military were test firing their equipment, but when the other troops at Molai general responded to the fire, residents ran helter-skelter.

Bukar Mala, a resident in Damboa road said they fled for safety when they heard continuous shootings from the two different locations.

Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara yesterday promised to put in a place a robust emergency response team to monitor and ensure quick response to emergency cases, especially to Boko Haram’s attacks The governor made the promise

while responding to the rumoured Boko Haram attack on parts of Maiduguri, the state capital.

A statement by Director of Press at the Government House, Maiduguri, Ndahi Pindar said the governor on hearing of the news of the purported attack went to the rumoured scene of the attack in company of his security network but found that it was a hoax.

He said when the governor visited the area to know what exactly was happening, he discovered that it was a rumour as the residents of the area were seen going about their normal activities.

He said following this, the governor promised to set up a

robust emergency response team to monitor and ensure quick response to emergency cases, especially threats of attacks.

Pindar said the governor appealed to residents of Maiduguri, most especially those at the outskirts not to accept or engage in rumours.

In another development, the vice presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the annulled June 12, 1993 elections, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, has paid a visit on the Borno State governor to pay homage and express appreciation at the successful hosting of the Democracy Day celebration.

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We Refused to Confirm Karatu as CJ for Age Falsification, Says Kebbi Speaker Martins Ifijeh The Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmumini Ismaila Kamba, has explained that

lawmakers rejected the confirmation of Justice Asabe Karatu as Chief Justice of Kebbi State due to age discrepancies in the documents she submitted.

Ondo Accesses $37m World Bank Loan for Healthcare Project James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Government had in the last four years accessed $37million out of the $50million World Bank loan for the funding of health projects under the Nigeria State Heath Investment Project (NSHIP) The Special Adviser to the state governor on Health, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital, to deliberate on how to sustain benefits of NSHIP facilities which began in 2014 to end in 2020.

Adeyeye said the money, which was disbursed on Performance Based Funding (PBF) policy, had benefitted 532 health facilities in the state.

The Special Adviser, who expressed optimism that the state would be able to access the balance of the loan, said they cannot pull out of the arrangement.

He said since the project had impacted positively on health care facilities and delivery in the state, there was need to do all that are necessary to sustain the project beyond 2020 when the World Bank pulls out.

Adeyeye said: “The loan has been spent judiciously renovating the health centres and doing many other things.

But the reality is that there must be a way to ensure that we continually have the resources to do what that loan was doing for us.”

He said Contributory Health Insurance (CHI) is a major way

by which the state can sustain the benefits of NSHIP project and other health programmes.

To actualise the takeoff of the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme, Adeyeye said the state had established Health Insurance Commission through an Act of the state House of Assembly which had been signed by the governor.

“The analogy is that as at today, the state health budget is around N4billion in one year and it translates to about N1.00 per capital. But if we institute health insurance scheme where half of the citizens pay N1000.00 a month, that will give us about N2 billion in one month; that is N24billion in one year which would translate to about N100 billion in the health sector in four years.

“We borrowed N14billion from World Bank. If half of the population key into the scheme, we will pay back the loan in one year and our health system will be sustainable,” he said.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mr. Francis Akanbiemu, said there was need for stakeholders in the health sector to do all that are necessary to ensure that the benefits achieved through the World Bank NSHIP programmes are sustained and improved upon.

Akanbiemu said mandatory Contributory Health Scheme remains the only way through which Universal Health Coverage can be achieved.

YCE Urges IG to Curb Police Brutality Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has advised the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to combat the rampancy of brutality common among policemen in the country.

The socio cultural group said the convention globally has been that policemen must respect the dignity of every citizen by refraining from actions capable of dehumanising or demeaning humanity by their actions.

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti at the weekend by its Secretary General, Dr. Kunle Olajide, the body lampooned the police over the injuries its men allegedly inflicted on some pro-democracy champions in Lagos, Oyo

and Ogun States on June 12.

Olajide said it was antithetical to democratic norms for peaceful rallies organised by those perceived to be opposition to mark June 12 celebration to have allegedly been disrupted by the police under any guise.

Some policemen, according to YCE, allegedly disrupted rallies tagged: ‘ O to Ge’ (It Must Stop) held in the concerned states on democracy day.

Olajide averred that “the policemen did not only disrupt the rallies in those states, they also inflicted injuries on some of the participants.

“One of the leaders of the rallies in Ogun State, Dr. Tunde Amusat, was picked up and delayed for several hours.

He said stories circulating in the social media with the title: “Kebbi Female Acting Chief Judge Petitions National Judicial Council over Governor Abubakar Bagudu’s refusal to confirm her for being Christian,” were untrue as the assembly never wrote to the state government to communicate her confirmation.

In a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday, Kamba said the governor wrote to the state assembly on June 2, 2018 appointing Justice Karatu as

Chief Judge and seeking the confirmation of the state assembly as required by the constitution, adding that she was invited on August 1, 2018.

He said: “During the confirmation hearing which Justice Karatu attended in the company of some higher court judges, it was observed that the Primary School Leaving Certificate presented by Justice Karatu was altered severally, including alteration to the date of birth from May 1952 to May 1954. Justice Karatu accepted that she was

aware of the alterations but that they were done by the headmaster.

“On account of the alterations and other inconsistencies in her credentials, the house rejected the request by the governor and declined to confirm her as Chief Judge of Kebbi State.”

He explained that subsequently, and on three other occasions, Bagudu wrote and sought her confirmation, adding that on all occasions the house maintained its refusal to confirm her on account of the

alterations and inconsistencies with the last such rejection made May 15, 2019.

He said: “For the record under our constitution, it is the House of Assembly and not the governor that has the power to confirm a chief judge. At no time did we at plenary or an executive session confirm the appointment of Justice Karatu as claimed in the social media story.

The purported letter mentioned in the story was never written by us,” he emphasised.

TO WHOM HONOUR IS DUE…

L-R: Country Exams Manager, British Council Nigeria, Marniee Nottingham; Territory Manager, Nigeria Cambridge International, Kanto Adesina; Deputy Head of Mission, British Deputy High Commission, Lagos, Peter Thomas; and Country Director, British Council Nigeria, Lucy Pearson, at the British Council Recognition and Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards 2019 in Lagos…recently ABIODUN AJALA

Ogun Governor Dissolves MAUTECH, Reverts to MAPOLY Kicks off campaign to end polio

Sunday Okobi in Lagos and Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta In what looked like a turnaround, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the weekend dissolved the establishment of the new state-owned University, Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Ojere, Abeokuta, and reverted the institution to its former status, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY).

In its stead, the governor also constituted a committee to look into the operational modalities of the establishment of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta and Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.

This is coming as the governor also pledged his administration’s commitment to revamp the state health care system at all levels.

He assured the people of his commitment towards ensuring a minimum of one flagship Primary Health Centre in each ward across the state in the first 100 days of his administration.

Abiodun, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Kunle Somorin, said the committee has become imperative to look

into the operational modalities of the state-owned Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) which has been enmeshed in crises following the establishment of the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta and the subsequent creation of the Ogun State Polytechnic at the end of the immediate past administration of Senator Ibikunle. Amosun.

The governor noted that as a result of the unresolved issues, the fate of candidates and students of MAPOLY and their lecturers have been uncertain, a development of which has even worsened the academic activities of the institution.

However, he has directed the immediate reversion of the MAPOLY to its former status quo ante, with full academic activities restored, while the committee has been saddled with the responsibility to determine the way forward for the new institutions.

According to the governor, “As a responsible government, we cannot fold our arms and allow the situation to continue unabated.

“We cherish human capital development. This committee

is therefore set up to holistically review the status, viability and sustainability of these newly established institutions.

“The review committee is expected to recommend operational modalities for these institutions after interfacing with stakeholders in the education sector.

“The committee headed by the former Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Prof. Segun Awonusi, has the following terms of reference: ‘Ascertain the current operational status of Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology, Abeokuta and Ogun State Polytechnic; identify issues and challenges related to the establishment and operations of the two institutions; determine the viability and sustainability of the institutions on a long term basis; identify any other issue(s) related to the objectives of the assignment; and make recommendations for the consideration of the state government.”

Other members of the committee are former Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri; season academic and National President of

Workplace Educators and Managers Association of Nigeria (WEMAN), Prof Joseph Odemuyiwa; Chief Lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Dr. Biodun Oluseye; Abeeb Wale Ajayi, the National President of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Alumni Association, Mr. H.O. Ayoade, among others.

Meanwhile, the governor has pledged his administration’s commitment to revamp the state health care system at all levels.

The state governor, who was represented by his wife, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, at the flag off ceremony of the second round of Polio Outbreak Response Campaign held at the Ijebu Ode Local Government Area Secretariat, Itooro, at the weekend, acknowledged the critical role child’s health plays in the growth and economic development of any given society.

Abiodun explained that immunisation has greatly reduced to the barest minimum the infant mortality rate among children between the age of zero to five which he attributed to the improved level of education and awareness in the society.

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Abebe vs Statoil: CAC’s Inability to Produce Documents Stalls Trial Davidson Iriekpen The inability of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to produce the required documents for the defence to proceed its case last Friday stalled the trial of the Chairman of Inducon, Dr. John Abebe, at the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.

Abebe was last July arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the court on a fourcount charge of alleged forgery, fabricating evidence and attempt to pervert the course of justice.

He was accused to have on June 22, 2010 knowingly forged a letter dated November 30,1995 and belonging to BP Exploration Nigeria Limited to that of his company, Inducon Nigeria Limited.

The defendant had however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The allegation was a fall-out of the legal battle between Abebe and Statoil Nigeria Limited over a breach of agreement for which judgments had been delivered in his favour by a Federal High Court and also by the Court of Appeal, and currently pending before the Supreme Court.

When the trial resumed last

Friday before Justice Mojisola Dada, a staff of the CAC, Mr. Christopher Ikem, informed the court that the CAC was still in the process of collating the documents necessary for Abebe’s defence.

He noted that some of the documents, which are dated as far back as 1992 need time to be put together.

Ikem who was subpoenaed to appear before the court, said he was directed from his head office to appear out of respect for the court.

He noted that though he might not be the one to appear on the next adjourned date, he just came to beg the court for time to put the documents requested together.

At this point, counsel to Abebe, Uche Nwokedi (SAN), requested for an adjournment of the trial to enable the subpoenaed CAC official bring the necessary documents to court.

But reacting, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, the lead prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, however, expressed displeasure over the defence counsel’s request for an adjournment.

Obliging Nwokedi’s request, Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned

the case until July 10 and 11 for continuation of trial.

Recall that the trial took a dramatic twist on last Thursday when a defence witness and Deputy Director of the National Archives, Mrs. Roseline Ovesuor, informed the court that based on the provisions

of sections 37 and 38 of the National Archives Act, it was an offence for companies registered in Nigeria to take their records outside the country.

The documents, which were prepared by BP Exploration Nigeria Limited and Inducon Nigeria Limited (both Nigerian

companies), were said by PW2 to have been produced from a privately managed archive in London known as Iron Mountain.

Nwokedi had argued that the act of exporting or sending the documents to the United Kingdom for archiving is an offence prohibited by Nigerian law.

Flowing from the argument, Mrs. Ovesuor who represented the National Archives following a subpoena by the court, stated that by the provisions of sections 37 and 38 of the Act, it was an offence for a Nigerian company to take its records outside Nigeria.

COURTESY VISIT...

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Ambassador Babagana Kingibe (right), and Yobe State Governor, Hon. Mai CBN Wants C’River Mala Buni, when the former SGF paid a courtesy visit on the governor in Damaturu....yesterday.

Anchor Borrowers’ Beneficiaries to Pay Back JABU Expels 100 Students for Indiscipline, Hard Drug Consumption Bassey Inyang in Calabar

The Central of Nigeria (CBN) has asked rice farmers in Cross River State who benefited from the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme to pay back the loans they collected in order not to stall the programme in the state.

The CBN said it was making the call for the loan repayment so that other rice farmers in the state who have not benefited from the programme can also benefit.

However, the call from the CBN came amid claims by some rice farmers in the state that the loans allegedly given to them under the scheme was a farce, and can best be described as fraud.

Making the appeal for the payment of the anchor borrowers’ loan, the branch Controller of the CBN in the state, Mr. Chuks Sokari, while speaking at the commencement of the state 2019 Wet Season Rice Farming, said: “My colleagues from banks, NEXIM (Nigeria Export Import Bank), and former president of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RFAN) have emphasised the need for those who have benefited from the intervention by way of loans to repay. This is very important.

“It is not an endless thing, so the CBN needs you to reciprocate by paying back at least a maximum of percent single digit interest on every loan that you took; so, we expect that if you do that, we will reach out to the others who have not benefited, and they are so many, and we want to bring them on board.

“You also remember that CBN is very much involved in financial inclusion. So the small farmer out there who benefits from this kind of activity has been included with

his or her dependents.’’

Sokari commented on the CBN’s policy stopping direct access of foreign exchange for 41 items formerly on the country’s import list, saying it was yielding tremendous results, especially in local rice production and processing.

According to him, “Today is a celebration of excellence when it comes to discussing our import reduction related to such commodities as rice.

“If you want to reduce import and sustain for a reasonable length of time the stable foreign exchange, it is through this, and if you want to increase output also, it is through the same process.”

Sokari said the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, takes the development and growth of the country’s agriculture sector seriously.

He applauded the efforts of the Cross River State Government in projecting agriculture as the mainstay of its economy, saying the policy was commendable.

However, some farmers who enrolled for the rice production in the state under the programme had denied getting any loan relating to the anchor borrowers’ scheme for rice production.

One of the rice farmers, Mr. Godshield Kanjal, who volunteered to comment on the implementation of the scheme in the state, said aside from a few inputs for the cultivation of rice that he received, the loan promised in line with the programme was never given to him and some rice farmers that he is aware of.

Kanjal alleged that the loan meant for farmers were hijacked by politicians, thus denying real farmers the opportunity of benefiting from the loan.

James Sowole in Akure For engaging in acts contravening rules and regulations of the institution, the authorities of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Osun State, has expelled no fewer than 100 students from the school.

The affected students were said to have engaged in offences ranging from drug, including Indian Hemp, non-payment of school fees among others.

The university, which is owned by the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), was shut last month for two weeks sequel to a protest embarked upon by the students over an alleged insecurity on the campus where some hoodlums were allegedly invading the female hotels, molesting and stealing their personal belongings.

However, the institution directed some students not to come back to school again.

In addition, some others,

whose cases were still before the disciplinary panel of the institution, were also asked to stay away from the campus until the committee decides their matter.

Reacting on the matter, the spokesman of the institution, Mr. Ayodele Olasanmi, said the number of the affected students were not up to 100.

He, however, confirmed that the affected students were punished for committing offences bothering on indiscipline.

“The affected students were not up to 100; I don’t know the specific number until I get to school on Monday, but I am sure they are not up to 100.

“The students, who had cases of indiscipline and had faced the disciplinary panel of the university, were served with letters containing the appropriate sanctions for the offences they had committed as contained in the university students’ handbook,” he said.

NIPOST Partners Fidelity Bank on Financial Inclusion Ndubuisi Francis and Udora Orizu in Abuja As part of efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to achieve 80 per cent financial inclusion by 2020, the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has launched an agency banking partnership in collaboration with Fidelity Bank Plc. The collaboration is designed to increase access to financial services in the rural areas, bridge the gap between the poor and the rich, create jobs and empower the poor to bring them into the formal economy.

Speaking at the project launch in Abuja, with the theme, “Unifying Agency Banking and TSA Collection on a Single Platform,” the General Manager, Financial Services Unit, NIPOST, Muktar Baba lamented that most of the adult population of developing countries such as Nigeria lack access to banking services, adding that it is only when they have access to such services that the government and banks will know

they are there and advance credit to them.

“NIPOST and CBN have been working assiduously on financial inclusion. NIPOST has the right infrastructure in those rural areas.

So, NIPOST has a role in national financial inclusion strategy and that is to position the post office at the centre to make it possible for the customer of every bank to have access to your service and to do that we had to partner with one of the financial institutions like fidelity bank,” he said Baba added that when the project picks up, customers of every bank could go to wherever this collaboration is and have access to financial service and gradually, expressing the hope to cover the whole country.

On his part, the Deputy Managing Director, Fidelity Bank, Mohammed Balarabe revealed that the project will commence in 266 NIPOST branches.

“This project is in line with our strategy for financial inclusion.

What NIPOST is doing is deploying its over 1,400 locations

across the country in collaboration with Fidelity Bank to deploy banking services to all and sundry so that those individuals who currently do not have access to financial services will now be able to do so.

“From the pilot that we are going to embark on will involve about 266 branches, and immediately get people to enjoy services of banks and ultimately we will see more and more development across the country,” he said.

While listing the benefits of the partnership, the Postmaster General of the Federation, Bisi Adegbuyi said the project has the potential to increase the revenue base of both organisations and enhance the savings culture of the rural dwellers as well as help in mopping excess cash from rural communities.

He revealed that CBN recently granted NIPOST Super Agency licence which its principle is to operate agency banking.

“Following the development,

NIPOST’s Financial Services Unit was mandated to establish a Financial Services supermarket where customers of various service providers can have access to the products and services and also develop an Agency Banking framework to serve as guideline for all banks in the country to be part of the system.”

“With effect from today Fidelity Bank will have its Point of Sales (POS) used for TSA collections on NIPOST counters and which have also been upgraded to perform the dual function of Agency Banking. This arrangement therefore, enables customers irrespective of the bank where their accounts are domiciled to access this facility in the Post office for cash withdrawals and deposits.”

“The collaboration an added impetus to NIPOST revenue drive as it would no doubt boost our revenue profile in addition to tradition postal services,” Adegbuyi added

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Ganduje Orders Probe into Claims that Gorilla Swallowed N6.8m Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has ordered the state’s Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the claims by the Kano Zoological Gardens that a Gorilla in the state-owned Zoo swallowed N6.8 million.

“The order was given on Friday and the commission has already swung into action,” a

statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar, said yesterday in Kano.

The statement quoted the governor as directing the commission to look into the immediate and remote circumstances surrounding the allegation and “unearth everything surrounding the

incident”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reported that the animal was said to have swallowed N6.8million generated by the Zoo as gate fees collected from visitors of the garden, particularly during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

Father’s Day: Obaseki Assures Govt Policies will Expand Economic Opportunities Reiterates commitment to attract more investments The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has celebrated the role and sacrifices of fathers in ensuring the stability of the family unit, noting that policies being implemented by the state government will open up more economic opportunities so they can satisfactorily meet up to their responsibilities.

Obaseki has also reiterated his administration’s drive to make the state the preferred investment destination in Nigeria, by opening the space for investors to tap the state’s business, tourism and industrial potentials.

The governor who said this in commemoration of Father’s Day, noted that it was important to acknowledge the role of fathers in stabilising the family front through their doggedness and determination to eke out a decent living.

According to the governor, “As the world commemorates Father’s Day today, I join in celebrating fathers for their role in homes and at work, ensuring a stable family and economy. Much as we know that fathers play important roles,

it is necessary to stress that there is need to expand the economy so that they can have a plethora of options in contributing to national development and meeting up to their responsibilities in the home front.”

The governor said the Edo State government is working assiduously to expand the economic space to accommodate more fathers, so they can eke out a decent living and contribute to economic growth.

He stressed that some of these opportunities would support the families providing for jobs in industries, production centers, agriculture clusters, ports, service sector, among others.

He said, “We are very concerned about sustaining the reforms we have enacted in the state and these are aimed at providing a decent livelihood for our people. As fathers play major roles in sustaining families, we are certain that more economic opportunities will open up for them to meet their responsibilities to their families.

These opportunities are tailored

towards ensuring that life is made easy and that fathers, be they at home or at work, are assured of a state that works for them and their dependants.”

Meanwhile, Obaseki, has reiterated his administration’s drive to make Edo State the preferred investment destination in Nigeria, by opening the space for investors to tap the state’s business, tourism and industrial potentials.

The governor said this while participating in an 18-hole Golf Tournament organised by JAMZ Golf Group Benin City Tour, at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Golf course in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Obaseki noted, “The idea is to make Edo State attractive and a magnet for people to come and invest. For a place to grow, you need an infusion of resources, capital and manpower. That is what we are doing at the moment.”

He said Edo has a strategic location for investment, noting that his administration will continue to work so that people will be motivated to pull their businesses to the state.

EU’s Final Report on INEC’s Server Has Vindicated Us, SaysVON DG Gideon Arinze in Enugu The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has stated that the final report for the 2019 general election presented by the European Union has vindicated the position held by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not generate results for the general election from server.

Speaking to journalists in Enugu yesterday, Okechukwu said it

was satisfying to hear the EU Mission in Nigeria state that it was unaware of an INEC server by which results were transmitted during the election.

He said that what was most amazing was how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) canvassed that in one breath , INEC conducted elections transparently in Adamawa, Bauchi, Imo, Oyo, Zamfara states, where they won and in another breadth manipulated the results in the axis where it lost.

According to him, “We had

maintained that its trite in law that one cannot build something out of nothing; Accordingly, we agree with EU Election Observer Mission denial of knowledge of the existence of the so-called server used by INEC to conduct 2019 general election.”

He maintained that it was completely wrong to gloss over the truism that President Muhammadu Buhari has a 12 million vote-bank, which had been on display in 2003, 2007, 20011, 2015 and 2019 presidential elections”.

HURIWA Backs EU Report, Seeks Sack of INEC Chairman A day after the European Union released an extensively damaging reports criticising the recently held general election, a civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has thrown its weight behind what it described as the factually correct reports, insisting that for any meaningful and constructive electoral reforms to be actualised, the Chairman of the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Yakubu Mahmood, should be sacked.

The Rights group said “allowing Mahmood who midwifed the rogue 2019 polls to stay on is like promoting a ‘school principal’ who supervised widespread leakage of a critical externally marked examination in which 50 per cent of his students were caught in the criminal act of cheating with the active connivance of the principal and other

principal staff”.

HURIWA said it was shocking and disappointing that Mahmood who presided over the most brazenly manipulated and criminally rigged election in the political history of the Africa has refused to voluntarily bow out and resign from office for his spectacular and historical failure to conduct a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election even when he had over four years to prepare for the just ended polls.

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019

MONDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 08111813083

F I FA W O M E N ’S W O R L D C U P

Nnadozie: No Repeat of History against France Today Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report As Nigeria’s Super Falcons take on host France today at the ongoing Women’s World Cup in Rennes, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has promised Les Bleues will not be as lucky as they were during their friendly clash last year.

The 18-year old goal tender was between the sticks when France hammered Falcons 8-0 in that friendly.

But Nnadozie is adamant that history won’t repeat itself.

“I know they will feel relaxed, thinking that they may score more than eight goals this time again,” observed the Falcons keeper who kept a clean slate in her first World Cup action against South Korea last week.

She however admitted that today’s clash was going to be tough, given the fact that the hosts have maintained 100 per cent start to their campaign with two victories.

“It’s going to be a tough game. They (Les Bleues) are one of the best teams in the competition, but we are letting them know that it’s not going to be like that again.

“That (defeat) was last year.

I know we are not going to lose. We are going to make our country proud,” Nnadozie reassured Nigerian fans ahead of the game.

Coach Thomas Dennerby handed Nnadozie her first

World Cup starting shirt against Korea last Wednesday with the confidence that the Imo-born goalkeeper was not going to disappoint.

Nigeria entered the second match against Korea under the pressure of knowing that only victory would preserve realistic hope of a top-two finish in Group A after conceding 0-3 to Norway in her opening game.

And Nnadozie responded with a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory for the African champions.

“My coach called me and said, ‘This is your time’,” Nnadozie told FIFA.com yesterday. “It was a dream that came true.”

Nnazodie’s rise in Nigerian women’s football has been rapid.

She started playing football as a 12-year-old and was quickly elevated into the U-17 and U-20 national teams.

Last year she pulled on the gloves at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and displayed her potential in a Player of the Match performance against Haiti in Brittany.

It was in that tournament that Nnadozie set her sights on returning to France for the senior global finals.

“I knew it was going to come true, because when I was coming up my coach used to tell me, ‘Work hard, you will get there’,” she said. “I really worked for it. Every time at training, I gave it my best.

Even if I was tired, I would keep pushing.”

Nnadozie carried only one target into France 2019.

“I told myself that before the end of the tournament,

by God’s grace, I must keep goal in one match,” she said.

“When I was called upon to keep goal, though I was a little bit scared, I encouraged myself, I told myself, ‘Come on, you’ve been doing it during

the friendly matches, so you have to do it now’.”

Nnadozie achieved her pre-tournament goal in a performance against Korea Republic that demonstrated poise and maturity beyond her years. She became, at 18 years and 186 days, the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at the Women’s

World Cup. “After the match, when I saw the post, I was so happy,” said Nnadozie. “A young girl like me getting a good record, I was so proud of myself.

“I am so proud of the defence. They did great. I know I can’t do it without them – they made it possible

for me,” she observed further.

Nigeria’s power-playing trio – Desire Oparanozie, Rita Chikwelu and Francisca Ordega – all must play with caution as they are each on a yellow card and would be ruled out of the Round of 16 if they are cautioned against the Les Bleues this evening.

Super Eagles lost their last Pre-AFCON 2019 friendly with Senegal 1-0 yesterday evening in Ismailia, Egypg

Pinnick Inspired Super Falcons’ Resurgence, Says Oshoala Super Falcons’ Assistant Captain and goal-poacher, Asisat Oshoala has declared that the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick played a huge role in the team’s confidence-restoring victory over Korea Republic in their second group match of the 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals.

Nigeria started off with a loss in their opening match against Norway.

Pinnick, who watched from the stands, came into the team’s dressing room after the match to commend and

encourage them despite the loss.

Speaking to thenff.com, Oshoala said Pinnick’s words urging them to do better in the second game fired up the playing body.

“Yeah, that was a really good one for us because when he came in after the first game, he told us we could do better in the second game against Korea Republic. It really helped us mentally because he made us understand we played a good game and we were just unlucky to have lost the match by three goals

to Norway,” said Oshoala, who scored the second goal to seal the victory against the Koreans. “The message of the NFF President left enough mental energy that will carry the team into the game against France on Monday and beyond.”

She added: “What he told us that day is really helping the team mentally and now we are going into the next game against France knowing that he has confidence in us and we are not going to let him, and the whole of Nigeria, down”.

AFCON 2019

Senegal’s Teranga Lions Beat Eagles in Last Tune up Clash Three-time African champions, Super Eagles of Nigeria lost their last Total Africa Cup of Nations build up match to the Teranga Lions of Senegal in Ismailia yesterday evening.

A defensive mix up in the 20th minute exposed the Eagles’ defence and Idrissa Gueye capitalised on it to score the only goal of the match.

Nigeria came close to drawing level on a number of occasions with Odion

Ighalo and Wilfred Ndidi almost leveling proceedings before the interval.

Both coaches, who agreed to the game being played behind closed doors, made good use of the opportunity to make their maximum changes. The better chances in the second half fell to the Nigerians with Samuel Chukwueze’s close range shot blocked with a last ditch tackle and substitute Oghenekaro Etebo’s free kick on the edge of the

box rattling the cross bar.

Nigeria’s starting 11 Daniel Akpeyi, Samuel Kalu, Jamilu Collins, Kenneth Omeruo, William Ekong, John Ogu, Wilfred Ndidi, Mikel Obi, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Odion Ighalo Substitutions: Collins (Ola Aina), Ogu (Oghenekaro Etebo), Chukwueze (Henry Onyekuru), Iwobi (Moses Simon), Ighalo (Victor Osimhen) and Kalu (Chidozie Awaziem).

NFF Sets Record Straight over AFCON 2019 Budget The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed as misleading, statements at the weekend by former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung that the federation omitted the budget for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations from its 2019 programmes sent to the Ministry.

“There is no truth to the claim that the NFF omitted the AFCON from its budget,” NFF Executive Committee member and Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande clarified

yesterday.

“The truth is that major competitions are never part of the regular budgets since, in most cases, qualification campaigns are still on course while budgets are being prepared for the following year.

Thus, they are always sourced from intervention funds.

“We qualified for the 2019 AFCON in November 2018, after the 1-1 draw with South Africa in Johannesburg. That was too late to include in the budget for 2019, which we had

submitted around September/ October 2018. So, we knew the grace would be for the AFCON fund to be sourced from special intervention, and not from the proposal that had been submitted earlier as regular programme.

“For instance, the 2018 FIFA World Cup budget was also sourced from intervention fund.

We qualified for that competition in October 2017 and we could not have included it in the regular programme for the year 2018.”

Kwande, who actually defended the NFF budget for the year 2019 at the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, said that the NFF at this time is only interested in ensuring that the national teams (male and female) excel at their respective tournaments in which they are representing Nigeria, and would ordinarily not respond to Mr. Dalung’s statements, but noted that it is important to put records straight to avoid misleading the public.

“For the regular annual

budgets, we put together our budget for every competition and send to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, which then puts a covering note and recommends to the Presidency, from where the document heads to the Finance Ministry and then onwards to the Budget Office.

“Since this NFF administration came into office, as was the case for some time before it, the federation usually received what is called an ‘envelope’.

So, the only way to prosecute major competitions is to depend

on the grace of intervention funds.

“Few weeks after we qualified for the AFCON 2019, we sent a budget to the Ministry. We sent this same budget about three times as we were always being told to re-submit.

“Mr. Dalung was Minister of Sports for three-and-half years and not once did the NFF bypass the Ministry to submit a budget to the Presidency or the Finance Ministry. Facts are sacred,” Kwande reiterated.

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MON Ëœ ÍŻÍľËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡ Ëž T H I S D AY

MONDAYSPORTS

Copa America: Colombia Beats Messi’s Argentina Argentina’s bid to reach a third straight Copa America final began with a 2-0 loss against Colombia - a first defeat to their South American rivals in 12 years.

Roger Martinez and Duvan Zapata scored in the final 20 minutes after an Argentina side featuring Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero had dominated.

Messi, 31, said the Group B defeat left his side “feeling bitter�. “We didn’t want to start this way,� the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said. “But now we have to lift our heads and keep going.�

Argentina has won the tournament 14 times - second only to Uruguay - but have not triumphed since 1993 and lost the last two finals on penalties against Chile.

Barcelona’s Messi missed his side’s best chance to score in Salvador, heading a rebound wide after David Ospina had saved from Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Colombia, managed by former Portugal and Real Madrid head coach Carlos Quieroz, scored both of their goals against the run of play.

Substitute Martinez cut in from the left and drove his effort into the top corner in the 71st minute after being set up

by James Rodriguez.

Zapata, who scored 23 goals to help his Italian side Atalanta qualify for the Champions League for the first time last season, sealed the win with a late close-range effort, having replaced captain Radamel Falcao.

Argentina next face Paraguay, who began their campaign against invitees Qatar last night.

In Saturday’s earlier game, Venezuela and Peru played out a 0-0 draw in Group A. Peru had two goals ruled out by VAR while Luis Mago was sent off for Venezuela for a second yellow card late on.

Hosts Brazil top Group A following their 3-0 win over Bolivia.

Veteran Carli Lloyd of the USA celebrates after scoring her team’s ďŹ rst goal during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Group F match between USA and Chile at Parc

Transfer: Pogba Hints at W O M E N ’ S W O R L D C U P Lloyd Scores Brace as USA Beats Chile to Reach Last 16 Leaving Old Trafford Manchester United’s Paul Pogba has said that this summer “could be a good time to move elsewhere�.

The France World Cup winner has been linked with a big-money move to Spanish giants Real Madrid or former club Juventus, the Serie A champions.

However, the 26-year-old midfielder, who was named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2018-19, is contracted to the Premier League club until July 2021. “I am thinking of this: To have a new challenge somewhere else,� Pogba told BBC Sports yesterday. “For me, I have been for three years in Manchester and have been doing great; some good moments and some bad moments, like everybody.

Like everywhere else.

“After this season and everything that happened this season, with my season being my best season as well... I think for me it could be a good time to have a new challenge.�

Despite the views of their record signing, it is understood Manchester United believe Pogba will still be at Old Trafford next season.

Pogba moved back to Manchester United after four years at Juventus for a then-world record ÂŁ89.3m fee in August 2016, after originally progressing through the youth ranks at Old Trafford.

Pogba has made 89 league appearances in his second spell at United, scoring 24 goals.

In April, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he expected Pogba to stay at the club next season.

The United States easily reached the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup yesterday as they produced another commanding display to beat Chile in Paris.

Having opened their campaign with a ruthless, record-breaking 13-0 win over Thailand on Tuesday, the USA quickly got on top of Chile and led early

on through veteran Carli Lloyd’s crisp finish.

Julie Ertz and Lloyd then both headed in from first-half corners, before Chile keeper Christiane Endler pulled off several stunning second-half saves to prevent the holders adding to their lead.

The world’s number-one side, who rested seven players, also

hit the woodwork three times before Lloyd dragged wide from the penalty spot, missing the chance to become the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick.

A draw with rivals Sweden in Le Havre on Thursday would be enough for this confident USA outfit to top the group on

goal difference, following the Swedes’ 5-1 win over Thailand earlier on Sunday.

Chile, who are playing in their first World Cup and remain winless in 2019, must now beat Thailand to have any hope of progressing to the knockout stages as one of the four best third-placed sides.

Sarri Dumps Chelsea for Juventus Maurizio Sarri has left his role as Chelsea manager and joined Serie A champions Juventus.

Sarri, who joined the Blues from Napoli in July 2018, led them to third in the Premier League and won the Europa League in his one season in charge.

It is understood a

compensation fee in excess of ÂŁ5m has been agreed between the two clubs for the 60-year-old.

Sarri will replace fellow Italian Massimiliano Allegri, who left Juventus at the end of last season.

Sarri signed a three-year deal last July but now becomes the ninth full-time manager to

leave Chelsea under Roman Abramovich, who bought the club in 2003. The Stamford Bridge club is unable to sign any players after being given a two-window transfer ban by world governing body FIFA - a decision they are appealing against at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Sarri

UNICEF Charity Shield Polo: El-Rufai Lauds Access Bank Partnership

Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe (3rd left); Former Minister of Aviation and Captain of Team Rubicon, Senator Hadi Sirika; Former Governor of Gombe State, Alh. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo; Chief, UNICEF ďŹ eld oďŹƒce, Kaduna, Zakari Adams and Director, Coronation Merchant Bank, Idaere Gogo Ogan during the presentation of the Charity Shield Cup to the winners, Team Rubicon and the presentation of cheque by Access Bank to UNICEF at the 2019 Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament in Kaduna‌ recently

Kaduna State Government has lauded Access Bank Plc and its partner, Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Polo Club for its leading campaign to alleviate the plights of vulnerable and orphaned children in the state.

Wife of Kaduna State Governor, Hajia Aisha Ummi El-Rufai who was the Special Guest of Honour at the Children’s Day event in the ongoing Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament in Kaduna thumb up the partners for using the Charity Shield polo platform to enhance the educational and health well being of children in a most special way. “There is an important need for both private and public sectors to do a lot more in support of the Nigerian child, particularly the orphans and vulnerable children to enable them look forward to a better tomorrow,� the Kaduna State First Lady added.

The Children Day event which remains one of the biggest highlights yet at the

ongoing international polo fiesta, has received high profile accolades as an occasion that enables children to cherish their buoyant freedom and rekindle their childhood and the potentials within them.

Hundreds of school pupils and their teachers spent the whole day at the foremost Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Club in Kaduna, engaging in various sporting activities and dance with the Mother of the Day, who called on other good spirited organizations and individuals to emulate the Access Bank partnership example.

Revered as one of the biggest charity polo tournaments in the world, the charity shield which has been under the exclusive sponsorship of Access Bank for more than a decade now offers four major prizes, the Usman Dantata, the UNICEF cup, Access Bank Cup and the High Goal Charity Shield.

Fifth Chukker team had earlier in the first stage of the ongoing Access Bank UNICEF

Charity Shield International Polo Tournament upstaged favourites and former winners, Tila Farms 8-41/2, to win the prestigious Usman Dantata Cup. The ten-day annual event is a robust corporate social responsibility partnership platform set up in 2003 by Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Club in conjunction with Access Bank Plc. For almost two decades now, this annual event has been raising funds to support UNICEF projects for vulnerable children and the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Kaduna State and its environs.

The 2019 grand finale of the premium charity polo extravaganza that was inaugurated in 2003 is billed to climax Saturday at the foremost Kangimi Resort with first class Emirs, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa i a n d s e v e r a l notable personalities in attendance.

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Monday June 17, 2019

UT H

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Price: N250

MISSILE YCE to Service Chiefs

“My opinion is that they have run out of ideas and they should be sacked.

They are fatigued already and have nothing more to offer. The best for President Muhammadu Buhari is to bring in fresh hands to manage our security architecture to prevent these killings and other crimes.”

– The Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide, calling for the overhaul of the Nigerian security architecture.

FEMIFALANA GUEST COLUMNIST

Unequal Criminal Justice System

T

he Economic and Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured 312 convictions and recovered assets worth N11.5 billion. In the first quarter of this year the EFCC recorded 192 convictions and recovered assets of N117 billion. It is indisputable that the rate of convictions has increased due to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which has provided for the acceleration of criminal cases in all federal courts. But apart from two former governors, namely Messrs Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame the list of convicted persons is made of lowly placed individuals in the society. Owing to abuse of court process, rich defendants have continued to frustrate their prosecution with the connivance of some senior lawyers. In this presentation we shall examine the danger posed to the society by unequal criminal justice system. We shall conclude the presentation by calling on progressive lawyers to team up with other patriotic forces to ensure that all defendants are treated equally under the criminal justice system.

By virtue of section 17 (2) (a) of the Constitution of Nigeria, every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law. But in practice, the rich and poor defendants are not treated equally by Nigerian courts. Apart from the fact that rich litigants have the means to hire the services of the best lawyers in any area of the law the courts are manned by judges who are not neutral in the class struggle being waged daily by the Nigerian people. Realising that the majority of economically marginalized citizens have no access to legal representation the State has set up the Legal Aid Council to provide legal services to indigent citizens. Owing to the fact that it is poorly funded, each state government has established the Office of Public Defender to ensure that underprivileged citizens are provided with legal services.

Notwithstanding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been accused by the bourgeois media of engaging in Gestapo tactics with respect to the treatment of suspects it cannot be denied that the rights of influential criminal suspects are well respected by the commission. The big men and women implicated in allegations of serious economic crimes being investigated by the commission usually receive polite letters of invitation, telephone calls or text messages advising them to contact named investigators whose telephone numbers are supplied. Through such arrangement, the suspects are allowed to report themselves at their own convenience.

Other suspects may decide to vamoose or brief lawyers to embark on legal measures to shield them from investigation.

If and whenever influential criminal suspects report themselves they are treated with courtesy by the investigators. Since they are presumed innocent until they are proved guilty by the State they are never paraded before the media, regardless of the gravity of the offence committed by them. Unlike what obtains in western countries it is infra dignitate to subject big men and women to the restraint of handcuff. Hence, hell was let loose when a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party on trial for money laundering was recently handcuffed by the Kuje prison authorities.

A few years ago, the Olusegun Obasanjo

President Muhammadu Buhari

administration apologized in writing to a former police chief who was handcuffed by the EFCC while he was on trial for money laundering and corrupt practices to the tune of N17 billion.

If a VIP suspect cannot be located by the commission his relatives are never arrested.

He is declared wanted and may be reported to the Interpol. In Benedict Peters v EFCC , a high court in the federal capital territory has ruled that the commission lacks the power to declare any suspect wanted without a court order. If the commission is going to detain a big man or woman for more than 48 hours it has to obtain a remand order from a Magistrate Court in line with the provisions of section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Suspects always apply to be kept in the commission’s cells since they are much more comfortable than police and prison cells!

Owing to unequal justice that has become the hallmark of the nation’s criminal justice system the prisons and police cells are filled with the victims of our unjust socioeconomic system. On account of prison congestion due to inadequate funding, majority of the inmates who are awaiting trial are locked up with convicted prisoners. Upon their release from dehumanising prison conditions the awaiting trial inmates and convicts team up to join criminal gangs constituted by frustrated young men and women in the larger society. The criminal gangs drawn from the ghettoes in the cities are fighting back on the streets in broad daylight and in the homes of the rich and not so rich people in the dead of the night. Instead of teaming up with the victims of frustration to terminate institutionalized injustice in the land, Nigerian lawyers are using the law to defend the status quo under the rule of law. The Nigerian Bar Association which does not hesitate to mobilise hundreds of lawyers to defend indicted senior lawyers and judges has not deemed it fit to extend free legal services to indigent defendants facing trial for poverty related offences in the courts.

Double criminal justice system It is common knowledge that Nigeria operates a double criminal justice system, one for the rich and one for the poor.

Majority of indigent defendants are tried in the magistrate and area courts have no

access to lawyers. Because of the gravity of certain offences indigent defendants are represented by young and inexperienced lawyers assigned to them by the State. As a judicial policy under the bourgeois legal system, applications for bail on behalf of poor defendants are not always granted by trial courts on the grounds that the defendants may not be able to produce reliable persons to stand sureties for them. Even if bail is granted the conditions attached to them are hardly met as they are tied to ownership of properties by sureties. Since preliminary objections are not filed by such defendants the trial courts are able to conduct criminal cases involving them expeditiously.

But the defence lawyers engaged by rich defendants manipulate the criminal justice system by filing preliminary objections and interlocutory appeals aimed at delaying or suspending trials. Applications for bail are automatically granted while bail conditions including ownership of properties located in urban centres are easily met. To ensure that they stand their trial rich defendants are asked to deposit their passports with the courts.

But since the local hospitals are ill-equipped due to the criminal diversion of the funds earmarked to fix them the applications for the release of the passports of VIPs on trial are granted to enable them to travel abroad for medical check up or treatment. All manners of preliminary objections and interlocutory appeals are filed to frustrate the prosecution of politically exposed persons. These dilatory applications are invariably granted by trial or appellate courts because the defence lawyers are leaders of the legal profession. In fact, some of them are members of the National Judicial Council and Body of Benchers.

Since Nigeria operates a special criminal justice system for big men and women the publication of a so called list of looters by the Minister of Information, Mr. Lai Mohammed recently generated a needless controversy.

Not unexpectedly, bourgeois lawyers and media practitioners insisted that the influential criminal suspects are entitled to presumption of innocence guaranteed by section 36 of the Constitution. It is the height of hypocrisy to accuse the federal government of violating the fundamental right of the alleged looters to fair hearing by publishing their names in a country where the names of petty criminal suspects are published while they are paraded and tried in the media by the Police.

On a daily basis, the homes of thousands of Nigerian citizens who are accused of petty stealing and poverty related offences are invaded by the police. Without search warrants the homes of the suspects are searched for incriminating evidence. At the end of the search the suspects are arrested without a warrant of arrest. They are taken to police stations in handcuffs. At the police stations they are tortured and hauled into custody.

As no police station in Nigeria has beds and bedding, suspects are made to sleep on bare floor in crowded cells. Even though bail is said to be free the price fixed by the police for every bail application depends on the nature of the offence. For instance, the price for bail in offence of stealing is a percentage of the amount involved! In the prisons, rich suspects stay in “white house” cells.

Indigent suspects whose whereabouts are unknown are not usually declared wanted by the police. In lieu of such suspects their family members including children are arrested and held hostage. The hostages are not granted bail until the suspects are found and arrested by the police. Lawyers who visit their clients in police custody for the purpose of giving legal advice are subjected to harassment for interfering in police investigation. The lawyers are rudely told to go and wait in court for their clients. Applications for bail submitted by lawyers are ignored by the police as the suspects are asked to apply for bail through their relatives in order to facilitate extortion.

Suspects involved in armed robbery, kidnapping and other serious offences are subjected to horrendous torture during investigation. Once “confessional statements” have been extracted from them they are paraded at well attended press conferences addressed by state commissioners of police.

To corroborate the allegations contained in the text of the press conference of the police chief the suspects are asked incriminating questions by media representatives where they make incriminating statements. At the end of the press conference some of the suspects are extra judicially killed in police custody under the pretext that they are trying to escape while others are charged with armed robbery or kidnapping. Notwithstanding that the suspects are presumed innocent until proved guilty by the prosecution prejudicial stories concerning the suspects based on information obtained from the police are published by the media during the trial.

In order to ridicule the criminal justice system senior lawyers allow rented crowds in colourful uniforms otherwise called “aso ebi” to dance and sing in praise of politically exposed persons charged with looting the treasury. Even the Nigerian Bar Association recently carried the dangerous joke to the ridiculous extent of directing all lawyers in the country to boycott courts in solidarity with some influential members of the legal profession charged with money laundering, corruption, failure to declare assets and allied offences. By making a mockery of the criminal justice system Nigerian lawyers hardly realize that they are collaborating with criminal elements to subvert the rule of law and pave way for anarchy.

However, a branch of the Nigerian Bar Association has just passed a resolution banning lawyers in a particular state from appearing in any court to defend persons charged with armed robbery and kidnapping.

The resolution was informed by the fact that a number of lawyers have been victims of armed robbery and kidnapping in that particular state. With respect, the resolution is illegal and immoral in every material particular.

It is illegal in the sense that every person charged with a criminal offence is entitled to legal representation by virtue of section 36 of the Constitution. The resolution is immoral in the sense that lawyers have not stopped defending the highly placed criminal elements who bear responsibility for violent crimes by engaging in the criminal diversion of public funds earmarked for the provision of opportunities for young people to secure adequate means of livelihood.

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