FG, Bankers’ Committee Begin Talks on Infrastructure Funding Nume Ekeghe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and banks, under the aegis of the Bankers’ Committee, have begun talks with the federal government to finance four major roads across Nigeria.
The move, according to the Bankers’ Committee, would reduce Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit. The committee, which however, declined to disclose the projects they plan to finance, said yesterday in Lagos that the initiative would
be beneficial to Nigerians. Addressing journalists at the end of the committee’s meeting in Lagos, the Director, Banking Supervision at the apex bank, Mr. Hassan Bello, said: “The government has invited the committee of bankers to also consider the
possibility of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) in bridging the infrastructural gap and it is to that extent that the committee considered coming in to see how we can finance about four roads. “On the structure of the financing, the offer was just
made by government and the committee just discussed it and it is too early in the day to discuss how this structure is going to be. “The committee has already set up a small sub-committee to look at the modalities and also engage the government so
as to know the way forward.” Also speaking on the development, the Managing Director, FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, Mrs. Hamda Ambah, said: “We all agreed that government alone cannot Continued on page 9
Coronavirus: FG Orders Port Officers to Track Visibly Sick Travellers...
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Wednesday 19 February, 2020 Vol 25. No 9081. Price: N250
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President Reiterates Commitment to Leah Sharibu’s Freedom Says terrorists won't be allowed to divide Nigerians
Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commemorated the second anniversary of the abduction of Leah Sharibu, the remaining Dapchi schoolgirl
in captivity, with a vow to ensure her release. The president said the federal government had redoubled its effort towards securing her freedom and the release of all those in Boko
Haram captivity. Sharibu was one of the 110 schoolgirls, aged between 11 and 19 years, kidnapped by Boko Haram from the Government Girls' Science and Technical College.
Dapchi, Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State, on February 19, 2018. Weeks after the kidnap, the other girls were released while Sharibu was kept in captivity by the terrorists for refusing
to renounce her faith. Six months later, an audio clip emerged in which the abducted schoolgirl pleaded with Buhari to help Sharibu regain freedom. In the clip, Sharibu also
sought help for her family and asked the government to treat her case with passion. Last year, Sharibu’s family and the Bring Back Our Girls Continued on page 9
Revealed: Buhari Empowered to Extend Service Chiefs’ Tenure HTACOS authorises president to delay retirements, irrespective of age Buhari can’t sack military top brass now, says SGF
Kingsley Nwezeh and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Contrary to claims by critics that President Muhammadu Buhari lacks power under the law to extend the tenure of service chiefs, the president is at liberty to delay the retirement of any military chief whose services are still needed. The Revised Armed Forces of Nigeria's Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service 2017 (HTACOS), a copy of which THISDAY obtained yesterday,
empowers the president to extend the tenure of the security chiefs, irrespective of age or length of service. In the wake of the rising wave of insecurity in the country, the president has come under pressure from many quarters, including the National Assembly, to replace the service chiefs. The service-chiefs-mustgo groups canvassed the arguments that replacing them would facilitate the formulation Continued on page 9
US Visa Ban on Nigerians Not Permanent, Says Ambassador... Page 8
IMPROVING EFCC'S EFFICIENCY... President Muhammadu Buhari (left), and Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, during the passing out of Detective Inspectors Course 5 in Kaduna...yesterday
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Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268
Coronavirus: FG Orders Port Officers to Track Visibly Sick Travellers
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has directed port health officers to be vigilant and look out for travellers with visible signs of sickness at all the country’s international airports and other entry points in order to prevent the spread of Novel Coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, to the country. It has also directed that any traveller who does not provide his yellow fever vaccine card will be vaccinated for free at the airport and subsequently referred to the Ministry of Health to pay N2,000 and collect his card. The Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, rolled out the guidelines yesterday when an inter-ministerial committee visited the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja to inspect the arrangement and facilities in place for the early
detection of the virus among incoming passengers. Other ministers on the team included the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mrs. Sadiya Umar Farouq and Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika. Mamora said apart from using camera to check the temperature of passengers, port officers should observe travellers on their own because a sick person could also be detected through visual observation. He said sick persons must be identified and pulled aside for further verification. "When a passenger arrives, his temperature will be taken to be sure he does not have fever. We will also be conducting visuals on passengers to be sure that when somebody is sick, we can easily pick him out. We will also follow up on all
the basic information on a traveller as indicated on the disembarkment form and the place of origin of the flight," Mamora said. On his part, Sirika said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would work closely with the Port Health Services (PHS), the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), airlines and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service. According to him, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has activated the Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan (PHECP),
which is designed to prevent and detect any infectious disease with air travel. He added that as part of the responsibility to provide safe and secure services for customers, FAAN has been collaborating with Port Health Services, which is the lead agency for public health in the airport since the Coronavirus outbreak began in China in December 2019 to ensure that the virus did not spread to Nigeria. According to him, the PHS has been using temperature scanners, travel history information as well as carrying out physical observations on
all arriving passengers. "Even though we do not have direct flight from Nigeria to China, there are quite a number of passengers who go to China and transit through other airports. We don’t rely on effort put in place by those airports of transit and that is why we have secondary facility here. Advocacy visits to traditional rulers and community leaders in the host community. Provision of hand sanitisers within the terminal building to facilitate hand hygiene enhanced disinfection of facilities in the airport toilets and other public areas. Provision of basic and
advanced personal protective clothing/equipment, PPC/PPE to frontline staff " Sirika said. He added that designated holding areas have been set up for PHS in the event of suspicious case is found on any aircraft. He said FAAN was also monitoring the international situation on the evolving global outbreak of Coronavirus in addition to implementing other supportive preventive activities to improve symptom awareness for the virus among travellers and airport workers as well improve environmental and personal hygiene within the airport.
Gunmen Murder State House Director in Abuja Amaechi loses CSO Omololu Ogunmade and Kasim Sumaina in Abuja An Assistant Director of Administration in the State House, Abuja, Ms. Dagan Laetitia Naankang, was on Monday night in her Abuja apartment murdered by gunmen. The deceased, who hailed from Plateau State, according to a statement by Deputy Director, Information, Mr. Attah Esa, worked in her State House office on Monday till 8p.m., only to be gruesomely murdered in her apartment at 11p.m. by unknown persons. This is coming as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Mr. Tony Iwelu has died of electric shock from a shower rose in Stone Edge Hotel, Kaduna, where he had lodged after an official assignment. The statement said the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr. Jalal Arabi, described Ms Naankang's murder as “a painful loss, not only to her immediate family, but also the entire State House.” During a condolence visit to her family members, Arabi described her as "a dedicated, hard-working officer, and we all feel pained by her dastardly and untimely death." He also told the bereaved family members to be comforted by the good life she lived while she was alive, saying the State House shared in their grief. “We all share in your grief and pains, but be consoled by the fact that she lived a good life and contributed her best to the services of her nation,” he said. Arabi, however, expressed confidence that “the police would fish out the killers of
Laetitia and the law will take its course.” In a related development, the CSO to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Tony Iwelu has died of electric shock from a shower rose in Stone Edge Hotel, Kaduna, where he had lodged after an official assignment. According to a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Eric Ojiekwe, the deceased was in charge of all issues relating to the minister’s security. The statement noted that Iwelu, who died on Monday, did his job with utmost professionalism. Ojiekwe noted: "There is no gainsaying that the professionalism he brought to bear in the discharge of his job, sustained him for over two decades in the service of the minister." He added that there is no doubt that the late Iwelu who hailed from Delta State, will be greatly missed as friends and colleagues have been expressing shock and utter disbelief since the incident took place. "They describe him as a vibrant, honest, kind-hearted, loyal and easygoing young man who was conscientious in the discharge of his duties. "He left behind a young wife and three children; the eldest being about 14 years. "We painfully accept this divine reality and pray God to grant his gentle soul eternal rest." Confirming the death of the officer, the spokesperson for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, said the officer was electrocuted at his hotel room. “He died at his hotel during an electric accident,” Afunanya said.
FORGING ALLIANCE... L-R: Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Muhammad Mamman Nami with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Lagos… yesterday
With Inflation at 12.3%, Analysts Link Uptick to Border Closure CPI hits 21-month high James Emejo in Abuja Analysts yesterday linked the sustained rise in inflation, which at 12.13% hit a 21-month high in the latest data, to border closure and called on the federal government to consider a timeline for reopening the country's land borders. The federal government shut the nation's land borders last August to check the activities of economic saboteurs, particularly smugglers. According to data released yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, increased to 12.13 per cent (year-on-year) in January compared to 11.98 per cent in the preceding month. The composite food index rose to 14.85 per cent in January compared to 14.67 per cent in December 2019 while core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, also increased to 9.35 per cent during the review period; up by 0.02 per cent
when compared with 9.33 per cent recorded in December. According to the CPI report for December, the rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, meat, oils and fats, potatoes, yam and other tubers and fish. In the core sub index, the highest increases were recorded in prices of hospital services, vehicle spare parts, cleaning, repair and hire of clothing, shoes and other footwear, glassware, tableware and household utensils, hairdressing salons and personal grooming establishments, repair and hire of footwear, garments and passenger transport by air. The urban inflation rate increased to 12.78 per cent (year-on-year) in January from 12.62 per cent in December 2019, while the rural index also rose to 11.54 per cent in January from 11.41 per cent in the preceding month. But reacting to the data, the analysts said the continued closure of the borders without a predetermined date of possible
reopening had been responsible for the recent rise in inflation in consecutive months. They expressed concerns that the monetary authority may be left with no other option than to raise the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) otherwise known as interest rate to respond to inflation rate, which is gradually catching up with the former. They said allowing the headline index to match MPR, which is currently at 13.5 per cent, could be negative for the economy. The analysts who spoke in separate interviews with THISDAY linked the rising inflation to the recent increase in value added Tax (VAT) and minimum wage increase. A renowned economist, Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, raised concern that the monetary authorities may have reached their limits with regards to the available tools to curtail inflation. "It is not surprising that inflation rate rose to 12.13 per cent as of December 2019. This is as a result of a number of factors. Firstly, the anticipated
VAT increase to 7.5 per cent, the land border closure, insecurity in the farmlands and in the country that affected agricultural output, increase in electricity tariff. "The implications for our economy is that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cannot reduce MPR any further to support their efforts of reducing deposit and lending rates, which they have recently achieved. If the inflation rate meets the MPR, CBN may be compelled to increase MPR against their wish." Also, another economist, Prof. Ken Ife, said an imminent food scarcity occasioned by the poor harvests from the planting season and the need to bridge the supply gap from neighbouring countries could worsen inflation going forward. "We are heading into planting season of food scarcity and imported food from neighbouring countries, which will increase food basket sub-index and hence push up the Composite Price Index. Continued on page 46
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S’Court Adjourns Hearing on Review of Imo Judgment APC’s application on Zamfara verdict shifted too Alex Enumah in Abuja The Supreme Court yesterday adjourned till March 2, hearing in the review filed by the sacked Governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, against the declaration of Senator Hope Uzodinma as winner of the March 9 governorship election. The apex court also adjourned hearing in another appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State praying the apex court to review its judgment on the gubernatorial election in the state. Hearing in the Ihedioha’s appeal could not go on as scheduled by the court following a request by Ihedioha's lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), for a short adjournment to enable him to respond to a process served on him the previous day by the respondents. Ihedioha in the appeal filed on February 6, is asking the apex court to set aside its judgment, which removed him from office on the grounds that the judgment was a nullity and as such liable for a review and subsequently reversal. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ihedioha winner of the March 9 governorship election, having won majority of the lawful votes cast at the governorship poll. But the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in their concurrent decisions in an appeal filed by Uzodinma, upheld Ihedioha's election and dismissed the petition on the grounds that Uzodinma did not prove his allegations against the election of Ihedioha. However, the Supreme Court in its January 14 judgment disagreed with the decisions of the lower courts on the grounds that they erred in law when they excluded votes from 388 polling units from the total scores at the poll. But Ihedioha went back to the apex court in the appeal he filed on February 6, asking the court to set aside the judgment sacking him as governor on the grounds that the judgment was procured by fraud. In the application, Ihedioha and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the court was
misled because the petition against his election was speculative. However, when the matter was called yesterday, Ihedioha's lawyer informed the court that "processes are still coming in" and as such he would be asking for a short adjournment, adding that he was only served yesterday with the respondents’ processes. Counsel to Uzodinma and APC, Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN) and INEC, Mr. Inuwa Tanimu (SAN) did not oppose the request for adjournment. Consequently the seven-man panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, adjourned till March 2 for hearing. Other justices sitting in the panel included Justices Sylvester Ngwuta, Kayode Ariwoola, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Amina Augie, Adamu Galinje and Uwani Aba-Aji. That means the Supreme Court failed to accede to the request by the PDP to reconstitute the panel to hear the review of the judgment. The PDP in a letter dated February 14, 2020, and addressed to the CJN, had requested that Justice Muhammad and his six other colleagues who heard Uzodinma's appeal and entered judgment in his favour, recuse themselves from hearing the review application to prevent a possible miscarriage of justice occasion by likelihood of bias. In its judgment sacking Ihedioha, which was delivered by Justice Kekere-Ekun, the apex court ruled that when the excluded votes totalling over 200,000 were added to Uzodinma, the APC candidate and not Ihedioha actually won majority of the lawful votes cast in the March 9 governorship election in Imo State. The apex court consequently declared Uzodinma governor of Imo State and ordered the INEC to withdraw the earlier certificate of return issued to Ihedioha and issued a fresh one to Uzodinma. However, Ihedioha in the appeal he filed on February 6, is asking the apex court to set aside the judgment sacking him as governor on the grounds that the judgment was procured by fraud. In the application, Ihedioha and his party, the PDP, said the
court was misled because the petition against his election was speculative. "The 1st appellant/respondent alleged that votes from 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded or cancelled and urged the court to include in the computation of the election results the votes from those polling units. At the same time the 1st appellant/respondent prayed that fresh elections be conducted in the said polling units thus rendering the petition speculative. Another ground he said, is that Uzodinma and his party, APC, failed to plead the votes scored by all the parties in the 388 affected polling units as only votes allegedly scored by APC and PDP were pleaded, "an omission which rendered the petition incompetent". The applicants further argued that by Exhibit A1 (Form EC8D) the total number of voters accredited for the governorship election held on March 9, 2019 in Imo State was 823,743,while the total valid votes cast was 731,485. He submitted that with the inclusion of 213,695 votes for the 1st appellant/ respondent and 1,903 to the votes of the 1st
applicant, as ordered by the apex court, the total number of votes cast at the election now stands at 953,083 (i.e. 731,485 + 213,695 + 1,903) making the total number of votes cast at the election to be far in excess of the total number of voters accredited for the election, 129,340. "It is unlawful for the total number of votes cast in an election to exceed the number of accredited voters and that illegality rendered the judgment sought to be set aside null and void." Another reason Ihedioha and PDP gave in their application was that the judgment was obtained by fraud and deceit. The applicants accordingly asked the court for "an order setting aside as a nullity the judgment delivered by this Honourable Court on the 14th of January 2020 in Appeal No. SC.1462/2019 and Cross Appeal No. SC.1470/2019. "And for such other order(s) as this honourable court may deem fit or proper to make in the circumstance." However, Uzodinma has also asked the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit and a
waste of the court's time having been caught up with section 285 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides a 60 days life span for the hearing and determination of the appeal. Uzodinma and the APC who are 1st and 2nd respondents respectively, in their reply to Ihedioha's motion claimed that the request is nothing but a mere academic exercise and an affront to the 1999 Constitution. In a 19-paragraph affidavit filed in opposition to Ihedioha's application, the governor and his party said the 60 days allowed for the Supreme Court by the constitution had elapsed. "The undisputed facts relating to the respondents/applicants’ motion hereinafter referred to as “the motion” are to the effect that the judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered on 21st September, 2019 while the one sought to be set aside was delivered on 14th January, 2020. Clearly, the 60 days allowed by Section 285(7) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for this honourable court to hear and determine appeal from the Court of Appeal in an election matter, lapsed on 17th January,
2020. The motion to set aside was filed on 5th February, 2020, 19 days after the time allowed by the constitution. "It is now a settled law that the 60 days time limit to determine and conclude litigation on election matters is sacrosanct and cannot be extended by any guise", they stated in the counter affidavit filed on their behalf by the lawyer.
APC’s Appeal for Review of Zamfara Case also Adjourned Also, hearing in another appeal by the APC in Zamfara State also praying the apex court to review its judgment was also adjourned till March 2. The APC is asking the court to review the consequential order, which barred it from participating in the 2019 general election due to inability of the party to conduct primary election. Hearing in the matter brought by their lawyer, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), was shifted to March 2 upon the discovery that two respondents in the matter were not in court and not served hearing notice.
A VISIT TO THE IG... L-R: Executive Director of AFRIPOL, Dr. Tarek Sharif; President of the AFRIPOL General Assembly, Khelife Ounissi; and Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, during a visit to the IG in Abuja...yesterday kingsley adeboye
US Visa Ban on Nigerians Not Permanent, Says Ambassador Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Mary Beth Leonard, has said the recent ban on the granting of fresh residency visa to Nigerians is not permanent but subject to review if certain conditions are met. She said the ban was based on the United States’ concerns for information sharing between Washington and Abuja and not about character definition of Nigeria as being erroneously peddled. Speaking yesterday during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, in Abuja, Leonard said the US would like to see Nigeria work
harder towards diversifying its economy and exploiting the huge entrepreneurial manpower abound in the country. On the visa restriction, the ambassador said: "I need to clarify something for you here. The immigrant visa ban does not affect people who are currently resident in the United States. It does not cancel the status of anyone who is currently in the United States. What the Secretary of State, Mike Pompey, said was something that was meant to be temporary. And it is about problems with information sharing, which are investigable, achievable and resolvable and we look forward to Nigeria in a very short time being able to meet those information sharing
goal so that the decision can be reviewed". Leonard said students visas were not affected by the current visa ban. According to her. Nigeria should look inwards to exploit the huge entrepreneurial manpower and diversify its economy. "I think for Nigeria, you have an interesting story about diversification of your economy and prosperity of your economy. And it is people. You know Nigerians are so well known at home and abroad for their industriousness. "You know you hear about how much of the activity in the informal sector. So, I wonder how you think about
capturing that entrepreneurial spirit and bringing it into the formal sector in service and to enhance employment,” she said. Earlier, Ngige had raised concerns over the inclusion of Nigeria on the list of countries affected by the recent US visa ban, saying the action came as a rude shock to the ministry. He described the ban as unwarranted considering the contribution of Nigerian professionals to the US economy. "Some of these Nigerians are medical doctors, engineers and people with high level of proficiency in oil and gas fields. They were all part of the Nigerian residents in the US and it came to us as a rude shock when the United States
Government banned Nigerians and put us on the list of those countries whose residency status have been cancelled," he said. Ngige added that it is on the record that more than 70 per cent of Nigerians resident in the US are highly skilled professionals who contribute billions of dollars yearly into that country's economy while repatriating equally impressive amount home to Nigeria. He urged the envoy to help bring up the issue with Washington with a view to reversing the order, which he described as unjustifiable. Ngige also urged the ambassador to help secure more assistance for Nigeria to eradicate poverty and child
labour. "We have called on the US Department of Labour to assist and we have given them a list of what we need. We are not asking for monetary assistance and we are not asking for American cash But we need technical assistance and logistics like vehicles for those in the inspectorate division to be able to carry out their functions," he stated. Ngige regretted that Nigeria has not been treated fairly by the US in its offer of assistance under the AGOA resolution. He said the US ought to take into consideration the size and population of Nigeria in deciding on level assistance to the country.
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NNPC: Nigeria Loses $750m to Oil Theft Peter Uzoho The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclosed that the country lost about $750 million to oil theft in 2019. The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, disclosed this in a presentation yesterday when members of the Executive Intelligence Management
Course 13 of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) visited the corporation’s towers in Abuja. Kyari decried the growing activities of oil thieves and pirates, describing it as a threat to the operations of the corporation. The GMD who spoke on the topic: “Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Issues, Challenges for International Trade, National Security and Sustainable Development of Member
States,” however, stated that any threat to the corporation’s operations was a direct threat to the very survival of Nigeria as a country because of the strategic role of the corporation as an enabler of the economy. He listed other security challenges facing the corporation to include vandalism of oil and gas infrastructure and kidnapping of personnel, adding that there was a deep connection between the various shades of insecurity
challenges as they are all linked to what was happening in the Gulf of Guinea and the entire maritime environment. He called for a concerted effort and synergy to secure oil and gas operations for the economic survival of the country. Also, while responding to questions on the threat posed by the clamour for energy transition to renewables, the GMD said that fossil fuels would still be relevant and
that the demand for crude oil would not reduce in the nearest future. “Even by 2050, fossil fuel would account for 80 per cent of the energy mix, and there would still be consumption of at least 100 million barrels of oil per day. We are determined to remain relevant in the long term”, he said. In his presentation, NNPC’s Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, Mr. Yemi Adetunji, said that in 2016,
the Gulf of Guinea accounted for more than half of the global kidnappings for ransom, with 34 seafarers kidnapped out of 62 cases worldwide. Adetunji added that the corporation was working closely with security agencies to tackle the security challenges, citing the “Operation Kurombe” that was recently conducted by the Nigerian Navy at the Atlas Cove as an example of such collaborative efforts.
irrespective of his age or length of service. Paragraph 11.10 states that “a career in the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a primary one since the Services require only able-bodied persons. It follows then that quite a number of officers are bound to retire when they can still be usefully engaged in other professions outside the military." The military service chiefs, namely: Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar were appointed in 2015. Their tenure was renewed in 2018. There were also speculations that the tenure of the service chiefs was extended in 2019. Buhari had during an interview last year, expressed reservations about the removal of the service chiefs in the middle of an insurgency war.
entitled: “CAN, Religion, politics and power in Nigeria,” by former General Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Mr. Samuel Salifu, the SGF said there were processes that must be followed before the service chiefs could be fired. “We are in a very difficult time now. We need everybody to be on board. We need synergy within the intelligent community; within the military formations that will help fight this war. “We are in a very difficult situation and when we begin to create cracks and divisions, who will be the beneficiaries? “The adversaries are the ones that are going to exploit those deficiencies and further the cause of destabilising the nation. “At this moment, what we need is for everybody to be on the same page; fight the battle of securing the nation for protecting lives and property and ensuring that every Nigerian has the opportunity to live a prosperous life. I think that should be our main focus,” he stated. According to him, people cannot be sacked so perfunctorily because there are processes to be followed. He explained that at the right time, the processes will be followed, adding: "You don’t just wake up and say sack people, it doesn’t happen like that.”
REVEALED: BUHARI EMPOWERED TO EXTEND SERVICE CHIEFS’ TENURE of fresh strategies to tackle insecurity and unleash domino effects that could see the promotion of senior military officers as well as boost troops' morale in the fight against insurgents. However, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, has condemned the calls for the sack of the service chiefs, saying that the president is not amenable to the idea for now. The service chiefs who were first appointed in 2015, are due for retirement, either on account of age or having clocked the mandatory 35 years in service. While the House of Representatives, and the socio-cultural organisations, notably Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) have called for the removal of the service chiefs for their alleged poor performance in the war against insurgency, human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, had argued that Buhari broke the law by retaining the security chiefs. Falana said he would file court process this week to seek the removal of the service chiefs based on the expiration of their tenure. He said it was illegal for Buhari to extend the tenure of the service chiefs, adding that under the Public Service Rules and the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service of Military
Officers and under Section 26 of the Armed Forces Act, there is no provision for the extension of tenure beyond the period stipulated by law. He added that it was wrong even though it had been done in the past, stressing that “You cannot extend the tenure of certain officers while you ask others to go upon putting in 35 years in office." But the "Revised Harmonised Armed Forces of Nigeria's Terms and Conditions of Service 2017 (HTACOS) officers” sighted by THISDAY, states that service chiefs may hold appointments for two years while the president may extend the tenure to another two years from the date of the expiration of the initial two years. The HTACOS states that the service chiefs should not be pressurised to leave their position and where such is the case, they may seek redress to "the highest possible level." Part 1, Section 11.08 of HTACOS states: "An officer appointed the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff shall be a four-star general and may hold the appointment for a continuous period of two years. “The C-in-C may extend such an appointment for another period of two years from the date of expiration of the initial two-year period." Section 11.09 of the
Part 1, Section 11.08 of HTACOS states: "An officer appointed the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff shall be a four-star general and may hold the appointment for a continuous period of two years. The C-in-C may extend such an appointment for another period of two years from the date of expiration of the initial two-year period... The foregoing notwithstanding, the President/C-in-C reserves the prerogative to extend the tenure of a CDS/Service Chief irrespective of his age or length of service." document states that "the foregoing notwithstanding, the President/C-in-C reserves the prerogative to extend the tenure of a CDS/Service Chief irrespective of his age or length of service." The HTACOS states on page 38 that "notwithstanding, the provisions of paragraphs 11.01 and 11.02 above, no commissioned officer shall be called upon to retire, relinquish or resign his commission or transfer to the reserve, nor
shall pressure be exerted on him to do so except by the authority of the appropriate Service Council/Board." Section 11.07 of HTACOS states: "Where an officer has objection on being called upon to retire or resign, he may seek redress up to the highest possible level." Paragraph 11.09 affirms that "the foregoing notwithstanding, the President, C-in-C reserves the prerogative to extend the tenure of a CDS/Service Chief
Buhari Can’t Sack Service Chiefs Now, Says SGF However, amid the clamour for the sacking of the service chiefs, the SGF yesterday ruled out the possibility of the president bowing to public pressure to retire them. Addressing journalists in Abuja after a book presentation
PRESIDENT REITERATES COMMITMENT TO LEAH SHARIBU’S FREEDOM (BBOG) campaign group commemorated her first year in the insurgents' custody and called on the government to secure her release. In a statement he personally signed, Buhari regretted that Sharibu has remained in the custody of the terrorists because she refused to renounce her Christian faith.
According to him, Nigerians have the right to practice any religion of their choice and nobody has the power to force another to change their faith against their will. The president, however, gave an assurance that his administration would continue to work to ensure that Sharibu, as well as other children and
captives of terrorists, regain their freedom. He added that the government would ensure this was done without discriminating against any religion or ethnic group. Buhari’s letter, titled: “We’ll continue to seek and secure release of all children and captives of terrorists,” read:
“Two years ago, 110 innocent children from the town of Dapchi were taken, against their will, by the terrorists of Boko Haram. 107 survived the ordeal. Today all but one – Leah Sharibu – are returned to their families. “Now aged 16, Leah remains in the hands of the terrorists – they say because she refuses to
renounce her Christian faith. “We say, as the government for and of all Nigerians, that no person has the right to force another to change their faith against their will and that all life is sacred. “This government continues and seeks to secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists – and we do so regardless of their creed
or the name of their creator. “As we redouble our efforts for Leah’s return, we can never allow the terrorists to divide us – Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian. We are all Sons of Abraham. And all Nigerians have the same worth and rights before the law, and before God.”
FG, BANKERS’ COMMITTEE BEGIN TALKS ON INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING provide all the infrastructure in the country that we in the private sector have to work hand in hand with government to ensure that the infrastructure that this country needs to move ahead is provided. “With that in mind, what was agreed was that we create a small committee among the CEOs to work with the CBN to identify those roads where we would like to participate and come up with a framework, which we would share with government and once we have an agreement, we would be able to forge ahead.” Also, Managing Director Jaiz Bank, Mr. Hassan Usman, said the Bankers’ Committee was committed to further enhancing financial inclusion through additional support to the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk
Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) microfinance bank (MFB) of N2.5 billion. He said: “The Bankers’ Committee is looking in many ways to support government and the society whether it is increasing the level of credit to the private sector and real sector of the economy or working with NIRSAL and other banks to increase financial Inclusion or specifically intervening in infrastructure. “These are steps being taken to ensure that government is supported to grow this economy, reduce unemployment and also improve the security of the nation.” While commenting on the additional funding for NIRSAL MFB, its CEO, Mr. Abubakar Kure, said the committee would aid its expansion.
He said: “In order to accelerate the success of the NISRAL MFB, the Bankers’ Committee support has also increased the paid up capital of the bank from N5 billion to N7.5 billion, with an additional N2.5 billion. What that means is that the paid up capital will enable us to promote expansion of branches across the country. “The branches will be used as a tool for financial inclusion and economic development." The Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, also explained that the banks were on the verge of meeting the 65 per cent minimum Loan to Deposit Ratio (LDR) target set by the CBN at the end of the first quarter. Agbaje said the policy led to a massive boost in retail customers for banks and
enhanced credit to individuals and companies. “What is needed to stimulate any economy is lending and credit and so when the LDR was first fixed at 60 per cent we thought it was monumental; but as you can see, it is 65 per cent. I think this is very critical not only to the banking industry, but to Nigerians as a whole. “From our perspective, this has been one of the most successful things that was done in 2019 when you look at how much credit that was availed in six-month period. “Consumer credit has grown very well. The corporates who have always have credit have also been availed more credit and for any economy to grow the SMEs and retail segment must be availed with credit and I think the LDR is doing
that very well. “I think most banks are closed to 60 per cent which as the director said, we will push to try to get ourselves the remainder of the five per cent between now and the end of first quarter and maybe latest, by half year. “We are all just finishing our results for the year end so I don’t have the December 31 figures. But from what I have seen so far today, consumer credit or what we would call retail is about 10 per cent of bank books. “If you were to take GTBank, our consumer lending is around N150 billion today. I am expecting that you see the year-end figures, you should see retail and consumer credit is about 10 per cent of the loan portfolio of banks since the LDR was introduced.”
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY
NEWS
Buhari Pledges to Open FG’s Financial Transactions for Public Scrutiny Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
Presidentt Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Kaduna said following various reform agenda being implemented by his administration, all government financial transactions would be open for the public to scrutinise soon. Speaking in Kaduna at the Passing-out Parade of Detective Inspector Course Five, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the president said he had resolved to intensify the reforms until corrupt individuals no longer have a hidden place. He also said the plan of the federal government was to ensure that a level of transparency is entrenched in the system through
some technological devices. “My resolve is to ensure that the reforms are deepened such that there will be no hiding place for corrupt persons and proceeds of corruption. My aim is to ensure that no government financial transaction is done in secret and all are subjected to public scrutiny. “The objective of this administration is to institute a level of transparency in governance through mainly information technology platforms. Just as advanced democracies and some developing countries, I am determined that within a short period, citizens would be able to follow core government operations online,” he said. A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu,
said Buhari disclosed that the federal government’s pursuit of transparency in fiscal transactions is now at an advanced stage. In pursuit of the reforms, Buhari said annual budgets can now be assessed online shortly after its presentation adding that the Budget Office works in consultation with relevant stakeholders. “Our government has reached advanced stage in Fiscal Transparency. The Appropriation Bill is placed online within hours
of its presentation in the National Assembly. “The Budget Office of the Federation has been engaging interest groups in the budget cycle. A pilot scheme of 10 MDAs has been test running online display of their budgets and expenditure movements,” he added. Buhari also said the federal government’s “commitment to online disclosure of beneficial owners of companies generally within the framework of the
Corporate Affairs Commission and in the extractive industries through Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) is on course.” Submitting that “owners of companies are unwilling to comply with all disclosure requirements,” he appealed to “all well-meaning Nigerians to fully comply.” He also said various national reforms and collaborative efforts with international organisations were designed to institutionally
strengthen the anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria. “We have been working within the frameworks of National Action Plan for Open Government Partnership (OGP), National Anti-Corruption Strategy which is an adaptation of United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the Global Forum for Asset Recovery (GFAR). “Several of the reforms have been effective for several years with great impact on revenue and expenditure management.
Senate President Wants Security at N’Assembly Beefed up The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan yesterday tasked top security officials to beef up the security measures at the National Assembly to avert any threat. Lawan disclosed that he had received report of security threat to the Assembly. He made this disclosure in his opening remarks at an emergency meeting the leadership of the Senate had with top security officials. “Personally I had a report from the DSS that we had a security threat. Many unknown and uninvited people came or are coming into the National Assembly complex and we felt we shouldn’t take this lightly. “From today we have to find temporary solution to support the security arrangement here. We will find a more permanent solution by the time the entire environment is remodeled,” Lawan said. In attendance were the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and representatives of the defence, Police, Civil Defence, Fire Service and other security agencies.
Lawan said the responsibility for ensuring security for all Nigerians is a collective responsibility for both the legislative and executive arms of government. “We are working hard; we are working round the clock. We have a very active ad hoc committee that is already engaging with the security agencies. “As principal officers of the National Assembly, or let me say in the Senate in this respect, our responsibility and obligation is to ensure that our senators, members of the House of Representatives, workers of the National Assembly, our visitors and indeed anyone who has a lawful business to do in this National Assembly are safe. “For a very long time, this National Assembly will always have people who have no business coming here. “With the heightening insecurity in the country, the time has come for this National Assembly to be properly secured for members of the National Assembly to carry out their legislative and other functions, under a very safe atmosphere.
Bandits Kidnap 12 Persons in Kogi, Demand N30m Ransom Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Few hours after the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) staff were abducted in Kogi State on Sunday, the kidnappers have again abducted another 12 passengers along Ayingba road in Kogi East Senatorial district. It was learnt that the abductors have demanded a sum of N30 million ransom to free their victims. A source told THISDAY that the abductees boarded a Toyota hiace bus belonging to Eleojo Transport Service with registration number KSF 19 XZ from Warri, Delta State on Sunday morning with 16 passengers heading to Anyigba in Dekina Local Government Area of the state. The source revealed that the Toyota bus left Warri with 16 passengers, but four alighted
at Okene, leaving behind 12 persons including the driver. The vehicle was said to have ran into the kidnappers between Itobe and Ajegu in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. It was gathered that the driver, who was able to escape, reported the incident to the officers at Itobe Police Division. The source also disclosed that abductors have demanded N30 million ransom, but as at Tuesday morning the ransom has been reduced to N1.5 million per victim. Public Relations Officer, Kogi State Police Command, DSP William Aya, who confirmed the incident, said the incident occurred at Itobe, but the police could not ascertain the number of people kidnapped. He, however, disclosed that anti-robbery squad has been dispatched to rescue the victims.
YOU’RE WELCOME ON BOARD...
L-R: Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Tunji Egbetokun, after the ex-speaker took oath of office as Senior Special Adviser on Political Matter in Abeokuta...yesterday
Nigerian Freed of Drug Trafficking Charges in Saudi Arabia A criminal Court in Makka, Saudi Arabia has discharged and acquitted a Zamfara Stateborn death-row accused, Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahim. Ibrahim, a renowned Islamic cleric, was allegedly accused of drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia and was on the death row. The Zamfara State
Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Mohammed Saddiq, told yesterday yesterday from Makka that the accused Ibrahim Ibrahim is a free man. Governor Bello Mohammed earlier met with President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the matter who in turn, instructed the Minister
of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami. The commissioner explained: “It is evident that Ibrahim required the services of advocates which Governor Bello Mohammed swiftly handled by employing a team of lawyers for Ibrahim and constituted a
delegation, including a lawyer representing the National Commission on Diaspora from the Federal Ministry of Justice, to Saudi Arabia to monitor the proceeding.” The commissioner said Ibrahim would be flown back to Nigeria to be reunited with his family.
Boko Haram Attacks Chibok, Sets Houses Ablaze Suspected Boko Haram terrorists yesterday attacked Korongilum community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State. A resident told TheCable that the insurgents came into the community around 6p.m., shooting sporadically and setting many houses on fire. “People were just returning to their houses from the farm
when the insurgents came in,” the resident said. “They came in through Forfor, and our people are running for safety as we speak.” A military source said troops from the Nigerian Army’s 28 Task Force Brigade and 117 Battalion, both headquartered in Chibok, are already on their way to Korongilum. “In fact, the brigade and the
battalion commanders are the ones leading soldiers to the attack,” the source said. TheCable could not reach Army’s spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, for comment on the attack as his telephone line was out of reach. Two students of the same parents were killed in January when the insurgents attacked Payasatan Bilaburdar village
Gatamarwa ward in Chibok. About 30 people were killed early February when the insurgents attacked passengers in Auno, a town 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, Borno State capital. President Muhammadu Buhari who visited the state following the attacks had said Boko Haram cannot survive without local support.
Again, Protesters Seek Oshiomhole’s Removal as APC Chairman Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja For the second successive day, a group of protesters besieged the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to demand the resignation of the party National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. The protesters under the auspices of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Resident All Progressives Congress (APC) Youths Group said the party lost elections in some states due to alleged interference
from Oshiomhole. The protesters were armed with various placards with inscriptions like ‘Oshiomhole must go’; ‘President Buhari should either ask Oshiomhole to resign or sack him’, among others. The Convener of the group, Mr. Yinusa Yusuf, who led the protest, alleged that Oshiomhole leadership style has disunited and disorganised the ruling party. He alleged that the national chairman was responsible for
many irregularities that had been going on in the APC, stressing that these irregularities led the party to lose many aggrieved members and its structure. Yusuf stated: “Before the general election, Oshiomhole had gone to all states and interfered with state party’s affairs, including the FCT. He interfered with FCT party’s affairs, and that was the reason President Muhammadu Buhari lost the election in FCT.” He said before the 2019
general election, some party faithful in FCT were forced to leave the party and worked for another party due to Oshiomhole’s impunity. Yusuf added: “We took that decision because we were politically rendered irrelevant. Therefore, Nigerians, particularly the stakeholders, are now saying that Oshiomhole, who was bestowed with the leadership of this party, has now presented himself as an agent of destruction, and therefore, we will no longer tolerate it.
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We Bought Landing Equipment for Lagos Airport, FG Insists Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has described the insinuation that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) neither acquired, nor installed the CAT III Instrument Landing System (ILS), as akin to calling a dog a bad name just to hang it. The Nigerian aviation has been mired in crisis since the
diversion of several Lagos-bound international flights to Accra, in Ghana because of the inability of the airlines to land in Lagos because of poor visibility. The development has also left many Nigerians stranded in Accra because of lack of adequate flights to airlift them to Nigeria. But Sirika said in an explanatory note following a meeting with the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday that the CAT III ILS was not only bought, but was installed. According to him, the CAT III ILS had been installed in both Lagos and Abuja and had also been calibrated. The minister explained that after caliberation, some inaccurate readings were noticed in the CAT III ILS at the runway 18R (for international flights) at
the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, while insisting that Abuja did not suffer flights disruptions. “Unfortunately, it was in the process of re- caliberating that the weather situation in Lagos changed for the worse, hence the disruption of international flights into Lagos. Some airlines opted to divert their flights to Kotoka airport (CAT II ILS) in Ghana, leaving innocent travellers stranded, when they
could have easily diverted to Abuja (CAT III ILS), where flights to Lagos are regular,” he said. He said the federal government due to its commitment to passenger security and safety, decided to upgrade key airports in the country to CAT III ILS, which allows flights even in zero visbility, unlike CAT II ILS where pilots can only land with
minimum of 800metres visibility. He added in the note that the installation of CAT III ILS for Kano, Port Harcourt, Asaba were also pending. “The weather phenomenon that reduced visibility at the International wing of the MMA is not unique to Nigeria. As this was happening in Nigeria, over 100 flights were being cancelled within the span of one week at Heathrow in London.”
House Queries NIS over Non-remittance of N11.2bn Adedayo Akinwale and Udora Orizu in Abuja
The House of Representatives has queried he Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) over the non-remittance of over N11.2 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. The House Committee on Finance, which is investigating remittances of revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund by agencies of government as part of the efforts to ensure that the government gets the required money to fund the 2020 budget made this known when the Comptroller General of Immigration, Alhaji Mohammed Babandede appeared before it. The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. James Faleke, said that NIS was indebted to the government to the tune of N11.2 billion. He therefore directed NIS to go and reconcile its records with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF)
before appearing before the committee on March 3, 2020. He stated: “If we work with the records from the office of the Accountant General of the federation, you have N11.2 billion to pay to the CRF. But we want you to go and reconcile your records with the Accountant General’s office. This figure is just for 2018 and 2019 only. “We also want to know how many Nigerians were issued passport even though you put the figure at 1.22 million on the average annually. We will have to ask you to come back and bring the relevant document to us. “We are not witch-hunting anybody here. Your agency and others are responsible for the generating the revenue that is used to fund the budget and what we are interested in here is how to fund the budget.” Babandede, however, did not agree that his agency was indebted to the government.
Two medical doctors, Dr. Ikeji Charles and Dr. Terhemba Lan, have been suspended for six months for allegedly causing the death of patients in their care. A tribunal set up by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in Abuja yesterday suspended Charles of Kefland Family Hospital, Apo Mechanic Extension, Abuja, for causing the death of Fred Akobundu, who was operated for hernia. Charles, who was arraigned in September 2019, faced a four-count charge bordering on incompetence and negligence. He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts. However, while delivering judgment yesterday, the Chairman of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, Prof Abba Hassan, said the panel considered the plea of defence counsel for both accused doctors before coming to a decision not to strike out their names from medical register. Hassan said: “In considering the plea in the case of Dr. Charles, who has been practitioner for over 30 years, the defence counsel requested
L-R: Professor of African Studies, University of Lagos, Prof. Caleb Orimogunje; Oloja of Epe Kingdom/Celebrant, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; and Aladesanyi of Odonaforija Kingdom, Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja, during the 20th anniversary of Oloja of Epe, held in Epe, Lagos...yesterday KOLA OLASUPO
No Multiple Taxation in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu Insists
The Lagos State Government has reiterated that there is currently no multiple taxation in the state’s revenue system. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated this during a courtesy visit to Lagos House, Ikeja by the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS) Mr. Muhammad Nami. The governor stated that his administration will always improve on the ease of doing business in the State rather than stifle the economy with loaded taxes. Sanwo-Olu promised to for leniency and to temper justice with mercy. The tribunal embrace and support the activities considered this and, therefore, of start-ups who are scared of we are not giving him the the tax burden associated with maximum sentence (of striking businesses. He also urged Nigerians his name off the register). He is going to be on six month to pay their taxes regularly in suspension from the day of this order for the government to attain a balanced development judgment.” Also, the tribunal found Dr. at all levels, which according to Lan of Mpape in Bwari area him, include social infrastructure, of Abuja guilty of actions that security among others. The led to the death of Echefule governor promised that Lagos Obiayi, and was suspended State Government would continue with the existing relationship and for six months. He was accused of operating further collaborate with the FIRS in sharing information to aid a hospital at Mpape, Bwari area revenue collection and ensure of Abuja without a registered deliverables were met. doctor or nurse, while relying on Sanwo-Olu lauded the federal community extension workers government for considering to carry out health services. the start-up businesses in the Prosecutors said his action exemption threshold on taxation. endangered the life of Obiayi, “We will make sure that there is who approached the hospital ease of doing businesses, especially for treatment, adding that the start-ups, that are always scared victim later died. that they have multiple taxation. While delivering judgment There is nothing like multiple on the case, Prof Hassan said: taxations in Lagos. “It is clear that “The tribunal considered the plea they are exempted but that doesn’t by the defence counsel that the stop them from doing proper doctor is a first offender who filing and ensure transparent has been practicing for over 20 reporting at whichever level of years without any query and their business. “We will also use this has been in suspension since opportunity to encourage our July 2019.
Medical Tribunal Suspends Two Doctors over Death of Patients Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
TWENTY HEARTY CHEERS...
citizens that it is only when they play their own part as responsible citizens both at the corporate and individual level that the government can come up
and discharge its responsibilities. “Development is by tax and it is only when we collect reasonably amount of tax that we can introduce development
both at infrastructure level and more importantly on security so we cannot but ensure that we collaborate and corporate with you,” he said.
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COMMENT
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
THE WAR AGAINST BOKO HARAM Sonnie Ekwowusi argues that the war is far from being won
T
he Chief Army staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai said last week that the army had defeated Boko Haram insurgents and now “facing the challenge of terrorism�. If Buratai was correctly quoted, I am yet to fathom why he decided to embark on such semantic somersault. Who does not know that the barbarians murdering and mowing down Nigerians in the North-East and other places are known as either Boko Haram insurgents or Boko Haram terrorists? There is a certain correlation between terrorism and insurgency. Terrorism is one strategy that those who engage in insurgency employ to press home their demands. In fact the murderous activities of Boko Haram are not different from terrorist activities. So if Buratai says that the army is now “facing the challenge of terrorism� he is also indirectly affirming that the army is currently facing the challenge of Boko Haram insurgency. In any case, while Buratai was at THISDAY and ARISE news Channel claiming that the Buhari government had defeated Boko Haram insurgents, President Buhari was in far-away Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian Capital last week,(just a day after Boko Haram terrorists had attacked a village in Auno, near Maiduguri in Borno State, killing 30 people and destroying property and vehicles) admitting that his government had not defeated the Boko Haram insurgency and reaffirming his government’s resolve to crush them. So, between Buhari and Buratai who is saying the truth? It is sheer self-deceit to be playing with words over the difference between the Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism when it is public knowledge that Boko Haram is continuously decapitating the rest of the North-East and other places. What should be uppermost in the mind of Buratai is the protection of lives and property of the citizenry not whether or not his army has defeated Boko Haram insurgency. No day passes in Nigeria without hearing that certain gunmen or bandits, kidnappers or Boko Haram terrorists had maimed, kidnapped or murdered or raped some Nigerian men and women especially Christians in Borno State and Southern Kaduna. Can you imagine that on Valentine Day last week certain gunmen abducted Rev. Father Nicholas Oboh, yet another Catholic priest serving at the Uromi Catholic Diocese, Edo State? Given the upsurge in Boko Haram atrocities in the North-East and other places in the last three years, it is obvious that contrary to his pre-election promise in 2015, President Buhari lacks the avowed determination to dislodge Boko Haram. All the government’s braggadocio and grandstanding are but a ruse to win undeserved public sympathy. More importantly, there is no difference between Boko Haram and the Nigerian army. Boko Haram has infiltrated the army and the army has infiltrated Boko Haram. An army divided against itself cannot stand. Buhari cannot defeat Boko Haram because the insurgency in Nigeria is aimed at islamization of Nigeria. Islam spreads through violent killings of the so-called infidels such as we are witnessing in North-Eastern Nigeria and other places. Contending that the objective of Boko Haram is to enthrone an Islamic dominance in Northern Nigeria, Bishop
WHAT SHOULD BE UPPERMOST IN THE MIND OF BURATAI IS THE PROTECTION OF LIVES AND PROPERTY OF THE CITIZENRY, NOT WHETHER OR NOT HIS ARMY HAS DEFEATED THE BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY
Mathew Hassan Kukah persuasively argues, and I agree with him, that there is no difference anymore between the Buhari government and Boko Haram except that the latter uses bombs to achieve its objective. To corroborate the assertion of Bishop Kukah, last week some soldiers at the war front in the North-East expressed their anger against President Buhari over his release of over 1, 400 “repentant Boko Haramâ€? terrorists. The Borno State Commissioner for Information is also angry. He is angry that the so-called “repentant Boko Haramâ€? members have gone back to Boko Haram terrorism. He also said that “a lot of soldiers are not happy about this ugly development. According to one Nigerian soldier, “We were at the Maimalari barracks when some of these Boko Haram people were released. The authorities are releasing them, but Boko Haram are killing soldiers that they capture. This does not make sense to us at all. We continue to sweep across the bushes to flush these people out, and then the government will release them. Does that not amount to wasted efforts?â€? Another soldier said, “You wonder why Boko Haram members are on the increase? When we arrest them and bring them here, some top people would come and start negotiating their release. But, I will tell you some of these so-called suspects are returning to the bush and they were never repentant.â€? I am not surprised that the Buhari government is offering amnesty to the so-called “repentant Boko Haramâ€? people. Neither am I surprised that the government is releasing many of them. Mind you, in June 2013 the then Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari faulted the Jonathan government for clamping down on Boko Haram Islamic insurgents. It is doubtful if President Buhari of today has ceased from being the Major General Muhammadu Buhari of 2013. Last Sunday we found ourselves surrounding a top-ranking officer in the Nigerian army, and he wasted no time in telling us about his experiences in the army - in the ECOMOG Forces, in Sudan and other countries. At a time one of us asked him about Boko Harm and the bloodletting in North-Eastern Nigeria. Spontaneously he said, “Boko Haram can end today if the authorities want‌the Nigerian military is respected across Africa for their prowess. I was in Sudan, and you can see what the Nigerian soldiers did there. So the Nigerian army is competent except that the authorities don’t want Boko Haram to be flushed out. You see the Abati Barracks in Ojuelegba, Surulere. As small as that Barracks is if the soldiers there are supplied with the right ammunition they will defeat Boko Haram in one day. There was a time in Maiduguri that my unit saw Boko Haram massacring some Nigerians in a place not far from where we were, and we couldn’t do anything because we did not have the right weapons‌If they want Boko Haram to end tomorrow it will end. The problem is that there are many people benefiting from Boko Haram killings. Even in the army some soldiers are collecting huge monthly Boko Haram allowances. So they know what they are doing. They don’t want to stop the Boko Haram killings.â€? We all left in mournful silence.
BETWEEN OSHIOMHOLE AND OBASEKI The end game of the long drawn battle will be interesting, writes Oluwole Osagie – Jacobs
W
ith the current political atmosphere in Edo State, there is no doubt that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is in dire straits. He is into a tough battle to rein in his political son; Gov. Obaseki, who is doing everything to undermine him. It is easy to conjecture what is going on in his mind now. It is like a sailor encountering a shipwreck on a lonely island. He will be at the mercy of the elements. It is an odyssey in melancholy or a hideous dream. I can imagine the deep pains in his heart inflicted by ingratitude and contumacy. He is now faced with a moment of critical decision making. Like in Hamlet’s soliloquy in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, his options are “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrow of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing, end them.â€? Disloyalty and ingratitude had been with man from the beginning of time. It is recoded in both ancient and modern history. They are there in gripping narratives in the Bible. The Jewish monarchy had panoply of rebellion from the reign of King Saul down to the prophetic revolution of Jehu. Copious examples of rebellion and ingratitude exist in English Literature as depicted in characters in the works of great writers from Christopher Marlow to T.S. Elliot. They are there in bold relief in Shakespeare’s matured tragedies. Such negative instincts are not limited to someone and his protĂŠgĂŠ; they can be filial, like a son rebelling against his father. Negative tendencies have remained part of our ethos. Their antithesis is nemesis which never spares the culprits. When Senator Emeka Ihedioha was removed as governor of Imo State by a knock-kneed Supreme Court judgment, my emotion was not stirred. I understood his predicament as nemesis at work.
He became the Deputy Speaker through betrayal. At the time, his party, the PDP, had nominated Mrs Mulikat Akande as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It would have afforded a Yoruba to be one of the first four citizens of Nigeria. He and some PDP members broke ranks with their party and connived with the opposition party led by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to scuttle the decision of the party. It didn’t matter to Hon, Gbajabiamila, then, that Mrs Akande was Yoruba. Sen. Ihedioha’s co - conspirator in the PDP, Alh. Aminu Tambuwal, clinched the position of the Speaker while he was compensated as the Deputy Speaker. During the inauguration of the National Assembly in the year 2015 nemesis now went to work. The APC party had earmarked Hon. Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the House. In the morning of the inauguration Satan inspired over 50 house members belonging to the APC to embark on a fruitless journey to Aso Rock to parley with the president. Before they returned to the House, Senator Bukola Saraki of the APC had concluded his coup against his party. With the support of PDP members and his loyalists in the APC he became the Senate President. Hon. Gbajabiamila lost his bid to become the Speaker. He didn’t know what came over him. He looked confused as his eyes were blinking like the star. Nemesis had taken its toll. Before Comrade Oshiomhole invited Mr, Godwin Obaseki to join his government he was a political nobody in Edo State. He described him as a technocrat with profound knowledge in financial management. With his dedication to duty and quiet disposition he considered him the most suitable for the position of governor. That was how he was preferred to some of the governor’s older associates in the party. The archetype Yoruba politician would have done a background check on Mr. Obaseki right from his primary school days. In addition, he would
consult the oracle to know if his choice of candidate would betray him. The archetype Igbo politician would have taken Mr. Obaseki to Okija shrine to swear to an oath of loyalty. Had Comrade consulted me I would have taken him to my Celestial Church of Christ where a manual on Mr. Obaseki would be downloaded. Many Binis warned the Comrade against making an Obaseki governor. They drew his attention to the role of his great grandfather, Agho Obaseki, who was the traditional administrator of Benin kingdom when Oba Ovonramwen N’ogbaisi was in exile in Calabar, from 1897 – 1914. The Binis accused him of betraying them to please the colonial masters. I won’t blame the Comrade for rejecting this advice because the Obaseki family has turned out outstanding personalities like late Justice Andrew Obaseki of the Supreme Court, late Chief Oyuiki Obaseki, a seasoned sports administrator, Mr. Gaius – Obaseki, former MD of NNPC and Prof. Obaseki, a medical consultant. I doubt if Comrade has come across the word “Atavism�. It is the reappearance of genetic feature which could be after a long period. If he had, he would have been circumspect. It appears Agho Obaseki is reborn. Gov. Obaseki has told the State Security Service to arrest Oshiomhole for interfering with the peace and good governance of Edo State. One would ask what the Comrade did to deserve these indignities. The truth is that he has eaten sour fruits and his teeth are now on edge. He sowed the wind and he is now reaping the whirlwind. He is so disorientated now that he is pushing the candidacy of Mr. Ize – Iyamu, the PDP governorship candidate in the last election in Edo State. Mr. Iyamu switched camp to the APC just less than three months ago. It was this same man he told Edo people to reject at the pools because he was corrupt and evil. I don’t think a Nigerian politician would recognize honor if it
passes before him in a red suit. While Oshiomhole was governor, he surpassed all the undemocratic tendencies of Gov. Obaseki. He was so brazen, unrestrained and crude. He once ordered the removal of the roof of the state Assembly to prevent members from sitting. He overruled the electoral victory of Mr. John Yakubu of the PDP as the Chairman of Esan North East Local Government of Edo State. Mr Yakubu won in all the eleven wards of the Local government. Comrade Oshiomhole handed the victory over to his party’s candidate who was roundly defeated in the election. During the last election, Oshiomhole humiliated the Enogie of Uromi and suspended him on the flimsy reason that he was in support of the PDP. He ignored all entreaties to reverse his action. He demonized his benefactors like Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and Chief Tony Anenih. He called them thieves. He rebuked political godfathers and vowed to retire them from Edo politics. I think it is the same thing Gov. Obaseki is about doing to him. One unique thing is that Comrade Oshiomhole has never accused Gov. Obaseki of bad governance. In terms of good governance Obaseki has done well. His sin is his refusal to govern in the image of his godfather. His mission to scuttle Gov. Obaseki’s re – election will therefore be difficult. Secondly, Gov. Obaseki is a Bini, the majority tribe with about 60% of the population of the state. There are not happy with the undue interference of Oshiomhole. Furthermore, they are irked that Oshiomhole’s first activity after his tenure as governor was the supplanting of Chief Odigie Oyegun, a Bini man, as the National Chairman of the ruling APC party. They believe he has overreached himself. The end game of this long drawn battle will be very interesting. What is certain is that you will reap what you sow. Jacobsosagie@yahoo.com
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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020
EDITORIAL CURTAILING FIRE INCIDENTS The community police being put in place excites a few and worries many
T
he nation witnessed yet another carnage on 30th January 2020 when the popular Balogun Market in Lagos State went up in flames. The inferno occurred barely four days after the Amu Plank Market in Mushin, also in Lagos State, was razed and two months after a similar fire incident had killed a policeman in the same market. The latest fire outbreak reportedly began when a trader was putting fuel into an already powered generator, resulting in an explosion which killed the trader on the spot. The inferno lasted for more than seven hours and left in its wake wanton destruction of goods and property. From Lagos to Onitsha, Kano and Port Harcourt, hardly any day comes without a report of fire disaster at a market, in some offices or homes. These frequent fire outbreaks and the attendant losses without any decisive move to halt the trend are worrying. More disheartening is that no lesson seems to be learnt from these incidents since no mechanism has WE HAVE HAD MORE been put in place to THAN ENOUGH FIRE forestall reoccurTRAGEDIES THAT OUGHT rence. Without a TO HAVE WARRANTED sense of collective responsibility, many THE ENTRENCHMENT are left to bear their OF VARIOUS FORMS OF tragedies in silence. MECHANISM BY THE Some of the OPERATORS OF PUBLIC recent incidents AND PRIVATE PLACES TO include the fire REDUCE OCCURRENCES outbreak at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogidi, Anambra State on 2nd February. The fire was reportedly caused by bush burning. Late last year, a six-storey building loaded with goods at Oluwole Market and another three-storey building on Dosunmu Street on Lagos Island were razed
on the same day. On 20th November last year, a shopping mall in the Surulere area of the state was gutted by fire, while a nylon factory on Clem Road, Ijaye, also in Lagos was on fire barely two days after the latest Balogun Market incident. In the same vein, memory of the two shocking Kano market fire incidents on 7th February and 14th April 2019 which razed over 70 and 35 shops respectively is still fresh in mind. Besides, the Onitsha fire incident of 15th October last year which claimed the lives of scores of citizens after a fuel tanker lost control and crashed into some buildings won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
W
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
e have had more than enough fire tragedies that ought to have warranted the entrenchment of various forms of mechanism by the operators of public and private places to reduce occurrences. But instead, things are getting worse by the day, to the extent that avoidable loss of lives and property to fire outbreaks had more or less become a routine. Most irksome is that some of the incidents culminating in this colossal damage were caused by the careless attitudes of individuals who fail to learn any lesson from similar developments in the past. The Balogun fire tragedy, like some other fire incidents in the past and their attendant losses, was avoidable if only a little sense of caution had been applied. We therefore call on the federal, state and local governments to come up with sound and effective mechanisms to protect important places, buildings, markets and institutions from fire incidents. We also challenge these various governments to as a matter of urgency, deliberately revamp and mobilise the fire service to perform optimally. Stringent measures should also be put in place to punish any individual or group which carries out any activity resulting in inferno. Until this is done, fire incidents will continue to bring irreparable losses to the society.
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WHY THE HURRY TO FREE BOKO HARAM SUSPECTS?
M
y theory. Boko Haram is an enterprise. The wheel of the war must be kept spinning for the profiteers and racketeers of blood. The insurgency has raged on for more than a decade. And when it appears the vestiges of the insurgents are finally being erased, they rise again like the phoenix from the ashes – to become stronger, more coordinated and more ubiquitous. It is grand delusion to assume that the machinations of these deviants do not have insider abutment. About 1,400 Boko Haram suspects have been released since the launch of Operation Safe Corridor in 2016. This is a programme for “the deradicalisation and rehabilitation’’ of ex-Boko Haram fighters. Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesman of the defence headquarters, confirmed the release of the suspects, adding: “About 800 ex-Boko Haram fighters who would have unleashed unimaginable terror on citizens have been admitted and out of which 287 of them have been successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, with many still undergoing the DRR programme.” But this does not add up. The insurgency is still at an eruptive and volcanic stage. Why release adversarial actors in the heat of a war? From my knowledge of rules of war, enemy combatants are often released at the end of hostilities or for the purpose of negotiation. Even soldiers have expressed mortification over the release of their deadly adversaries and alleged complicity by higher authorities. A soldier, agonising over this sour development, said:
“You wonder why Boko Haram members are on the increase? When we arrest them and bring them here, some top people would come and start negotiating their release. But, I will tell you some of these so-called suspects are returning to the bush and they were never repentant.” How do you release the suspects and ensure they do not go back to their pastime of bloodletting? How do you really know they have been deradicalised? How do you measure the PH level of deradicalisation? Shuaibu Moni, a Boko Haram commander, was released -- though by a prisoner-swap deal -- in 2017. He rejoined his brothers-at-carnage, bragging he would wreak more devastation on the peaceful population. And true to the pledge, his group went on a bolstered rampage afterwards. Again, how do you deradicalise indoctrinated terrorists within months? In an interview with Daily Trust published on February 9, Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, said 10 years was not even enough to deradicalise an indoctrinated person, so why the hurry to release Boko Haram suspects? Hear him: “It is an indoctrination that has taken roots between 10 and 40 years back. And for you to de-radicalise an individual to bring him back to sanity, you think it would just take you three years, four or 10 years? These are people that were brain-washed to believe that when they die they would go straight to heaven. And you think they would believe in you to bring them back to mix with people they refer to as unbelievers? You have to look at this context.” I believe, the vilest iniquity this administration has executed on
those killed by the unclean hands of Boko Haram is “rehabilitating and re-integrating” their killers into society. How would the orphans, widows, widowers, the maimed and the deranged effectuated by the crusade of Boko Haram feel? How would soldiers risking their lives to confront this enemy feel? Why would they have the motivation to fight on when they know that their adversaries will be “rehabilitated ‘’and released back into society? Again, how do you ascertain whether these “repentant” Boko Haram fighters do not go back to their orgy of killing, maiming, raping and pillaging people and communities? I am strongly of the opinion that this is where the fatal failure of the Buhari administration in the war against insurgency lies. Boko Haram is an enterprise. If it is not, how do you explain these absurdities? Capture the terrorists, “rehabilitate” them, and then, release them back into the wild to continue from where they left off. Repeat the cycle, and the war goes on and on. This is while Boko Haram captures soldiers and makes a spectacle of their killing. How do you release “repentant” terrorists in the heat of a bloody war? It is shocking! No thinking government will pander to terrorists. We are on the security watch-list of the US as the immigrant visa ban on Nigeria obviously portends because we are a terrorism-enabling country. Already, the chief of army staff has said Boko Haram cannot be wiped out, so the war enterprise must keep wheeling. Fredrick Nwabufo, fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY
NEWS
Falana: S’Court Can’t Hear Ihedioha’s Case If Six Judges Withdraw Ejiofor Alike Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has stated that the Supreme Court cannot sit to hear the application by the sacked former Governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha for the review of its judgment on Imo governorship election if six justices recuse themselves from the case. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, demanding that he and five other justices withdraw from the matter. In a letter signed by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, and the National Treasurer, Alhaji Umar
Ibrahim Tsauri, dated February 14, 2020, the party demanded that a new panel be set up to hear Ihedioha’s application. But Falana told TheCable that there are currently 11 justices of the apex court and that if six of them recuse themselves from the case, the court would not be able to form a quorum to hear the matter. ”The PDP has asked CJN Mohammad Tanko as well as Justices Nwah Sylvester Ngwuta, Olukayode Ariwola, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Amina Adamu Augie, and Uwani Musa Abba Aji to recuse themselves from the application for the review of the judgment of the court in the Imo governorship case,” Falana said. ”If the application is granted the court may not be able to
hear the application again. In other words, if six out of the remaining 11 justices of the court recuse themselves the court will not be able to form another quorum of seven justices to hear the
constitutional matter. By the time the court is reconstituted by the federal government the time for the review of the judgment would have long expired.” The lawyer cited a similar
application filed by the late Chief MKO Abiola against nine justices out of the 16 members of the court in 1995. He said as the nine justices recused themselves from hearing the case, the appeal
for the bail of Abiola was never heard because the Abacha junta refused to reconstitute the court. “See Chief MKO Abiola v Federal Republic of Nigeria (1995) LPELR-SC.274/1994,” he added.
APC Govs Hail Aisha Buhari, el-Rufai Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has congratulated the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El’Rufai, as they celebrate their birthdays, saying they remain the shining light of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration. The Chairman of the Forum, Atiku Bagudu, in a statement issued yesterday, commended Aisha Buhari for her insightful and resolute inputs to the processes of managing
challenges of governance in the country. He said: “We wish to acknowledge and commend your motherly care to the nation and in particular acknowledge your contributions to our successes through your insightful and resolute inputs to the processes of managing challenges of governance in the country. As the First Lady, you have inspired us to develop initiatives to ensure that the change we promise Nigerians remained a shining light our administration.”
Indian Firms, Second Highest Employers after FG, Says ACCI Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Indian-owned companies in Nigeria are the second highest employers of labour in the country after the federal government, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has revealed. The ACCI Director-General, Ms.Victoria Akai made the disclosure at the India-Nigeria Business Forum, organised in Abuja by the Indian High Commission. In her presentation at the forum, which attracted scores of top players from private and public sectors of India and Nigeria, Akai said Indianowned/operated companies are estimated to be the second largest employers of labour in Nigeria after the federal government. She stated that the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in Nigeria through the Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) signed a friendly cooperation agreement which had been endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI). In the agreement, she stated that the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(ACCI) has continued to play a significant role in the development of business relations between Nigeria and India. She added that as one of the largest trading partners with Nigeria, India has demonstrated that there are many lessons to be learnt from them. She disclosed that for a third world country to lift millions out of poverty within a record time and move further to be an attractive power to reckon with, Nigeria stands to benefit immensely from working closely with India. India, the ACCI Director General observed, has given critical support to Nigeria in areas like defence, agriculture, power, automobile, pharmaceuticals, and air travel, among others. “Consequently, I am aware that, over 135 Indian companies are currently operating in Nigeria that are owned and or operated by Indians or Persons-of-Indian origin (PIOs). Prominent among them being Bharti Airtel, Tata, Bajaj Auto, Birla Group, Kirloskar, Mahindra, Ashok Leyland, NIIT, Aptech, New India Assurance, Bhushan Steel, KEC, Skipper Nigeria, Dabur, Godrej, Ranbaxy and Primus Super-speciality Hospital, besides 15 prominent companies in the Nigerian power sector.
PROVIDING SUCCOUR TO THE NEEDY…
L-R: Wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi; Founder/CEO, Faith Care Foundation, United States of America (USA), Dr. Peter Schnatz; Executive Director, Francis and Felicia Umenyi Foundation, Dr. Chito Nwana; and Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi, during the flag-off of free medical mission in the state by foreign medical personnel in collaboration with Mrs. Ugwuanyi’s pet project, Ugo’s Touch of Life Foundation (U-TOLF), at the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu…yesterday
House Probes Diversion of International Flights to Ghana, Niger Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the diversion of international flights to Accra, Ghana and Niger Republic. The House ordered the investigation following the adoption of a motion on the need to complete the installation and upgrade of landing equipment at the nation’s airports to enhance safety in the country’s airspace, moved by Hon. Wale Raji. In his lead debate, Raji said
that over the years, there has been several clamours from stakeholders in the aviation sector and other well- meaning Nigerians on the need for the federal government to adequately equip and upgrade the airports with modern landing equipment from the current Category 1 and 2 in use in Nigeria to Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS). He stressed that these agitations were predicated on the high number of delayed and cancelled flights during the
harmattan season and inclement weather conditions, which make landing and take-off of aircrafts very difficult or near impossible The lawmaker noted that on account of poor visibility, some foreign airlines are presently diverting their international flights into Accra, Ghana and Ndjamena, Chad and some other neighboring countries with its attendant negative consequences. Raji stated: “The federal government has made budgetary provision for the procurement and installation of modern
landing equipment in seven airports in Nigeria amounting to about 7.8 billion in Phase one comprising Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Katsina, Maiduguri and Sokoto airports. “In fact Category 3 Instrument Landing System (ILS) has recently been installed by Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos to enable pilots carry out approach to landing in zero visibility and see the runway no matter the weather conditions.”
Osun Monarch Denies Assaulting Colleague Physically Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has denied the allegations that he punched Agbowu of Ogbaagba, Oba Dhirulahi Akinropo, during a peace meeting in the state. According to Oba Abdulrosheed, “I did not punch Agbowu of Ogbaagba, Oba Akinropom at any peace meeting.” He, therefore, asked those
peddling lies against him over the matter to apologise to him, adding that there has never been a time he punched Agbowu, as they only had altercation which they were able to handle. It was reported that the Oluwo, who was invited by the Assistant Inspector General of Police(AIG) in charge of Zone 11 police headquarters in Osogbo, Bashir Makama, allegedly beat up Oba Akinropo during a peace
meeting. Addressing journalists at the Correspondents’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Osogbo yesterday, Oluwo said his intent in defending the helpless poor will judge him. He told his critics to leave him to God, warning them against hasty judgement without knowledge of the matter involved. The traditional ruler stated that most critics are ignorant of the hardship some monarchs
in his domain are inflicting on their subjects. Oba Akanbi revealed further that the affected monarchs had lorded themselves over their subjects, taking family lands and selling them with impunity and imprisoning anyone who attempted to challenge them. The Oluwo further disclosed that he received complaints of how innocent family members are sent to prison because the monarchs influenced their case through their accomplice.
Three Doctors Arraigned for Toddler’s Death The Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal yesterday in Abuja arraigned three medical doctors for their roles in the death of a three-month-old baby – Peace Oluwole. The accused medical practitioners, Dr. Iyoha Joseph; Dr. Obafemi Kuye; and Dr. Mukaila Oyewunmi Oladipo, were accused of conducting
themselves unprofessionally by administering unnecessary drugs, delaying necessary actions and exposing the toddler’s system to unnecessary drugs, which resulted in his death. The respondent doctors were presented before a panel headed by the Chairman of the Tribunal, Prof. Abba Hassan. The baby was admitted to the R. Jolad Hospital in Gbagada,
Lagos State, in March 2013, where the three doctors work. He was returned after he was discharged in distress before his death. The charge sheet read out by the Registrar of the Council, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, said the three doctors acted infamously contrary to the rules of the code of medical ethics of Nigeria, 2008 edition, and punishable
under the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act Cap M8 Laws of the Federation on Nigeria 2004 as amended. Dr. Iyoha Joseph was accused of discharging the baby prematurely on March 11, 2013 when he did not observe and document clear indications that the baby had recovered from ailment and causing the death.
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY
NEWS
Taraba APC, PDP Bicker over Ishaku’s Prolonged Absence Wole Ayodele in Jalingo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State and the state chapter of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) have continued to trade words over the prolonged stay of Governor Darius Ishaku outside the state.
Ishaku had travelled out of the state since December 22, 2019 and is yet to return to the state since then. This has attracted condemnations from
NSCDC Uncovers Indian Hemp Farm in Anambra School David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Anambra State has discovered a large farm where Indian hemp was being cultivated inside a school compound. Men of the NSCDC Command in the state have also arrested a 45-year-old man, Amobi Okafor, suspected to be the owner of the farm, located within the compound of Lake
City Secondary School in Nri, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state. NSCDC Anambra State Commandant, Mr. David Bille, disclosed this in a press statement yesterday and made available to THISDAY. He said the suspect was arrested last week Thursday for attacking a security guard in the school during an altercation, but it was later discovered that he’s also responsible for the cultivation
Govs are Parasites, Says Babachir Lawal Wants two tiers of govt A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal, has disclosed that if he has his way, the country will have only federal and local governments. Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Lawal described governors as “parasites” who take a major share of the country’s resources and “abuse” it. Speaking on the proposed constitutional amendment, the former SGF said there is a need to have a federal government because some institutions of state need to have a national outlook. “I’m not a constitutional expert but I know that if I had my way in the setup of this country, the governors in the middle are just parasites that
are taking the major share of the resources that are supposed to the go to states, they abuse it,” Lawal said. “If I had my way, there would be federal government and local governments, such that the resources that are due to the state would be shared equally with the local government at that level and a lot of things will be done. “In the case of the federal government, we understand why it has to be federal government. There are some institutions that have to be national in itself. The army for example, the federal police must be there, foreign affairs must be there but the states; we can devolve the powers back of the states to the local governments.
SEC Tasks States on IGR Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The acting Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk, has advised state governments to establish companies for specific projects to boost their internally generated revenue (IGR). Uduk gave the advice in Lagos yesterday at the ongoing Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) 2020 Retreat with the theme: ‘Efficient Federation Revenue Allocation as a Nexus for National Economic Diversification’. A statement issued by the SEC Head of Public Communication, Efe Ebelo, said Uduk noted that there was an urgent need for state governments to increase their IGR to enable them to meet their financial obligations to the people and carry out developmental projects. According to her, “States could further explore the establishment of project companies for specific target projects such as sugar cane factory, a cocoa processing factory or other projects with income and export potential which have the ability to generate revenue.
“These companies, if set up as public companies with private sector participation, albeit with a majority of the shares owned by the state, can issue its securities to the public. This is to raise capital on ongoing basis to meet the working capital needs of the companies. Being set up as a public company confers the transparency and corporate governance standards which foreign investors require.” The capital market, she stated, had been associated with the development of critical legacy projects across the country, adding that these include the development of the Kaduna Ginger Factory, Ogba Riverside Housing Estate in Edo State as well as the Lekki Peninsula in Lagos. Uduk stated that borrowing from the capital market is cheaper for states than conventional banks which have higher interest rates and lesser repayment periods. The acting DG said some state governments, however, shun the capital market in financing their projects due to the rigorous conditions put in place by SEC for obtaining and utilising the loans.
of the weed in a large expanse of land in the school compound. “It would be recalled that on the 13/02/2020 following credible intelligence report, operatives of NSCDC arrested one Amobi Okafor ‘m’ aged 45 from Uruofo village, Nri, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
the APC, the main opposition party in the state. APC had among other sundry allegations accused the state government of not paying salaries of civil servants as at when due thereby calling on Taraba State House of Assembly to proclaim the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Haruna Manu, as acting governor. APC Chairman in the state, Alhaji Tukur Ibrahim El-Sudi, who made the allegations while presenting relief materials donated by APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to internally displaced persons in the state, maintained that Ishaku’s prolonged absence from the state has crippled
government activities as well as brought untold hardship to the people of the state. But, PDP, in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Inuwa Bakari, accused APC of peddling false claims against the governor and the state government, particularly over allegations that ministries in the state have been deserted by civil servants due to the governor’s absence. PDP berated the leading opposition party in the state of peddling deliberate falsehood aimed at igniting tension and pitching the governor against the good people of the state. “The claims by Taraba State Chairman of the APC that ministries in the state have been
deserted by workers and salaries are not paid as and when due by the PDP-led administration in the state was a figment of his imagination, because no right thinking Taraban or a leader of thought will condescend so low to making such baseless and unfounded claims before the world, knowing fully well that he is lying,” the statement alleged. Insisting that the governor’s absence has not in any way affected the smooth running of government business, Bakari stated that records indicated that the government business has never seized to function optimally including the holding of weekly Executive Council Meeting.
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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020
MIDWEEKPOLITICS
Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY
A N A LY S I S
Can Matawalle Pursue the Yari Probe to Logical Conclusion? Adedayo Akinwale writes that with the submission of the report by the Zamfara State Project Verification Committee, which investigated the eight-year tenure of the immediate past governor, Abdulaziz Yari to Governor Bello Matawalle, a chain of reactions have started
Yari
Matawalle
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ntil recently when bandits took over Zamfara state, little was known about the high deposit of gold in the state and the activities of miners-foreign and domestic. However, despite the rich mineral resources in the state, especially gold, the North-west state has clinched on firmly to a bad reputation as one of the poorest and poverty stricken states in the country. Most of the poor states in Nigeria became poor due to bad governance, mismanagement of state resources or security issues as the case may be and Zamfara state is not an exception. The 10 poorest states in Nigeria according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its 2019 report are; Sokoto, Kastina, Adamawa, Gombe Jigawa Plateau, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kebbi and Zamfara States. With 70.8 percent poverty rate, Zamfara was ranked by the NBS as the 10th poorest state in the country. Zamfara finds it difficult to swim out of the pool of poverty for reasons not quite different from the ones enumerated above. With a new government in place and a new party in power, Bello Matawalle, who was elected governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thought it wise to probe the two terms of his predecessor, Abdulaziz Yari. With the jaw dropping discovery of alleged financial mismanagement, this may not be the best of times for the former governor following the submission of interim report by the Zamfara State Project Verification Committee set up six months ago by the governor. The Committee indicted Yari for alleged flagrant abuse of office, corruption and direct diversion of state resources to the tune of over N90 billion during his eight-year his administration. The committee report unraveled various allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds during the tenure of Yari. The Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Ahmad Zabarma in the report submitted to the governor said that during the past eight years, most organs of government degenerated into lawless organisations where impunity prevailed. He said that corruption was prevalent in all sectors of the economy in the state because many officers refused to obey the laws put in place to ensure good governance. The Discoveries of the Committee The committee said the sum of N2 billion was provided as loan from the Federal Gov-
ernment in 2014 for the purpose of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It said it was regrettable that after a lot of paper work was done between the Chamber of Commerce and the then Managing Director, Investment House and imaginary beneficiaries, only the Chairman Chamber of Commerce allegedly benefitted from the N2 billion loan. He received only N5 million, saying that this was clearly attested to the Committee by the Chairman himself. The committee noted that till date, no one can say where the remaining N1.9 billion went except Yari, Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, some members of the House of Assembly, Commissioners and top government officials who shared the money among themselves to the detriment of the wellbeing of the people of Zamfara State through Small and Medium Enterprises. Moreso, the committee uncovered that the sum of N17 billion bailout funds was received from federal government, but alleged that the money practically vanished between Yari, Ministry of Finance and the State House of Assembly who initially assented to N6 billion for the construction of Gusau International Airport. The committee further alleged that Yari expended the sum of N10 billion which cannot be traced to meaningful and verifiable projects. It said in many cases involving huge
amounts of money, the Ministry of Finance has refused to cooperate with the Committee. Aside that, the committee alleged that the sum of N5 billion was equally paid into the account of the Commodity Marketing and Distribution Board from the CBN after the Board received directives from the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance to reactivate its dormant account. “This money was paid on the 7th February, 2019 into the account of Dambazau Global Investment Company but nothing was supplied, the money just vanished and should be recovered.” The committee equally found out that the sum of N1.7 billion was expended on School Feeding programmes for feeding students per year. It said that only N875, 455,995.52 or 50% of this amount was spent in providing extremely poor and inadequate meals to children per month. It said, “The balance of N875,455,995.52 was siphoned by the contractors, the officials and commissioners of the Commission, the powers that be, some or all of the principals. This has been going on since the creation of this commission and nobody, not even our Islamic clerics, our parents, our traditional rulers; our politicians have frowned against this. In the past eight years N7,003,647,960.00 was illegally siphoned by the Feeding Commission alone.”
With the jaw dropping discovery of alleged financial mismanagement, this may not be the best of times for the former governor following the submission of interim report by the Zamfara State Project Verification Committee set up six months ago by the governor. The Committee indicted Yari for alleged flagrant abuse of office, corruption and direct diversion of state resources to the tune of over N90 billion during his eight-year his administration. The committee report unraveled various allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds during the tenure of Yari. The Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Ahmad Zabarma in the report submitted to the governor said that during the past eight years,
The committee added, “As in the case of the missing N5 billion for purchase of essential agricultural commodities with the Commodity Marketing and Distribution Board, the state government received a loan through the CBN amounting to N5 billion for purchase of agricultural inputs. The sum was credited to the account of ZASCO on 6th February, 2019 as directed by then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance. The money was transferred into the account of a Bureau de Change organisation in five N1 billion tranches. Nothing was heard of the money or the agricultural inputs since then.” “The State government under the previous administration purchased vehicles to the tune of N8.4 billion (N8,400,542,879.00) only. Of these, 1,550 vehicles were said to have been purchased but only 531 have been documented. The remaining 1,119 vehicles or 65% of the number purchased amounting to over N5 billion were not properly documented. This calls for serious investigation.” “In the eight years of Abdul’aziz Yari’s tenure, over 110 exotic vehicles were purchased and allocated to Yari, his deputy, his wives, friends, and political, economic, social, associates. Most of these vehicles could not be traced as at May 29th, 2019 except for the 20 exotic vehicles found when EFCC raided Yari’s residence. These vehicles constitute almost 20% of the total number of 531 vehicles that have been documented out of 1,550 that are said to be purchased. The beneficiaries of these exotic (110+) vehicles are highlighted in appendix 1 in the main report.” The report pointed out that during the period under review 2011—2019, the amount of internally generated revenue stood at N32.6 billion. Out of this amount, the sum of N377,447,887.71 was paid as consultancy services for virtually doing nothing. The report revealed that out of the amount, the sum of N253,886,027.11 or 67.26% for 1½years was paid to Al-Shaib, allegedly owned by one Sha’aya who is a close associate of the former governor. The report said that the total money paid to Al-Sha’ib, which is N253,886,027.11 should be refunded and the law that allows Al-Sha’ib to collect 7% of gross internally generated revenue should be repealed immediately. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com
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T H I S D AY ˾WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020
POLITICS
Politicians Regroup in Uyo at Funeral of Emmanuel’s Father
GOVERNANCE IN PHOTOS
Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the recent obsequies of the father of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State may have set the stage for a new season of friendly relations between political groups L-R: Mr. Benedict Alabi, Deputy Governor State of Osun, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Executive Secretary/ CEO, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Yewande Sadiku and Council Member of NIPC, Mr. Lowo Obisesan during a courtesy visit of the Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission to the Governor in his office, Abere, Osogbo on Tuesday
Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan (left) with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Uyo
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ll roads led to Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State last Saturday as the remains of the Late Elder Gabriel Emmanuel Nkanang, father of Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel were committed to mother earth. Expectedlly, it provided the much needed opportunity to build bridges during that rare moment when Nigerians of diverse political, cultural, traditional, corporate and religious divides came together and created a great optics of what Nigeria is capable of becoming: togetherness, unity in diversity, love beyond ancient animosities and parochial attachments, brotherhood that is pure and untainted, religious tolerance that can be exhilarating. Imagine the Emir of Kano, His Highness Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, walking into the venue while the presiding pastor was preaching the gospel, and he sat down and listened to the preaching. There was the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki with his successor, Dr. Ahmad Lawan exchanging pleasantries and laughing and cracking jokes, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan with his wife, Mama Patience, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, captains of commerce and industry-Jim Ovia, Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Managing Director of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor , Kayoide Fayemi, Governor Godwin Obaseki; of Edo State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of
Delta State, Governir Sani Bello of Niger State, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State. The funeral of Pa Nkanang was recorded as the first public outing of Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State who was sworn-in as governor the previous day. A long list of former governors were also at the event to commiserate with Emmanuel. They include former governors, Peter Obi, Boni Haruna, Gabriel Suswan, Ayo Fayose, Rabiu Kwankwanso, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Sule Lamido, James Ibori, Attahiru Bafarawa, Donald Duke and Obong Victor Attah among others. The gathering in Uyo may have pointed at the coming alignment and realignment in politics, especially with the recent de deregistration of ‘non-performing political parties. There is a possibility of the major actors in the 18 political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), taking the initiative to forge new working relationship that may further reduce the number of vibrant political parties in the country. The prevailing rumours of the disintegration of the APC and a possible change of name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were thick in the air in Uyo, with the strong contention that a good number of the existing political parties that may want to work with the PDP have made a compelling case for a name change. In Uyo, Pa Nkanang’s funeral allowed like-minds to deliberate the progress of Nigeria. This was made possible by the charitable disposition of Governor Emmanuel and his ability to see things through the prism of national unity, as opposed to blind partisanship.
Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila (right) presenting a condolence letter to the Chinese President Xi Jinping over the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country through the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Zhou Pingjian during a courtesy visit to the Speaker by a delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria at National Assembly yesterday
L-R: Mr. Benedict Umping, National Population Commission (NPC) Commissioner representing Akwa Ibom State, Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Moses Ekpo, receiving a hand- shake from the Ag. Chairman, National Population Commission, Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundayin, after his opening speech at NPC’s 2020 Retreat in Uyo
President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo (left) with President of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) , Aare Prince Osibote posing for pictures after a closed door meeting in Enugu
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T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
FEATURES
Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925
A Bitter-sweet Victory in Niger State After six days of industrial action, the Niger State government finally succumbed to the demands of its workers, part of which is to pay the N30,000 minimum wage across board, but Laleye Dipo reports that some of them may lose at the end of the day with the planned rationalisation in the civil service
T
heir clamour was simple- for Niger State government should pay the N30,000 minimum wage across board. For six days, they demanded the same thing, which finally forced the state government to succumb to their demands. Now, payment is to commence at the end of this month for workers on salary grade level seven to 17 since those below this cadre started enjoying the new wage structure in January. Though the outcome of the strike is indicative that workers have gained, however some of them may lose at the end of the day with the planned rationalisation of the civil service. It was not easy getting government to accept the payment of the new minimum wage across board because government which is the chief custodian of the state funds has said that 80 per cent of its income currently goes into the payment of workers salaries therefore paying everyone will make only workers to enjoy at the expense of the over 90 per cent of people left. Series of negotiating meetings were therefore held between officials of government on one hand and those of the organised labour on the other. Most of these meetings ran late into the night and when the ministry officials and commissioners could not broker peace, the deputy governor Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso came in as leader of government team. But even Ketso at a point could not get the truce required to stop the strike declared after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum. Only very few people have insight into how a truce was finally brokered but a statement by the NLC on Sunday, February 10, 2020, which was made available to newsmen said government had agreed to pay the new wage to all workers effective form this month (February). The statement said government also agreed to the payment of the arrears of two months salary to state workers while local government workers will be paid three months’ arrears from this month. The statement signed by the Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Comrade Yahaya Garba and his counterpart in Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Tanimu Yunusa, also stated that the government agreed to immediately commence refund of 7.5 per cent money deducted from workers’ salaries over the years" in addition to “ government agreeing to increase its contribution from 10.5 per cent to 13 per cent to address the 7.5 per cent pension arreas". The labour leaders also said in the statement that government has agreed to set aside 20 per cent of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the payment of pension liabilities to retirees, a step that will ensure more pensioners get their entitlements if implemented. There has been no reaction from government apart from the fact that normal governmental activities commenced unhindered since Monday, February 11,2020 without any report of intimidation, victimisation or harassment of any worker so far. However unknown to labour, while the 21 day ultimatum lasted government had put together a committee to rationalise the civil service. The appointment letters addressed personally to members of the committee
Governor Sani Bello
Hajia Salamatu Abubakar, Niger State Head of Service
a copy of which is in possession of THISDAY reads: Please refer to the above subject matter, I write to inform you that you have been appointed as member of the committee on rationalisation of the Civil Service of Niger state, "The date of inauguration will be communicated to you in due course. While congratulating you on the appointment, it is hoped that you will bring your wealth of experience to bear and to see to the success of the assignment, " the letter signed by Salamatu Abubakar, the state Head of Service reads. Setting up the " rationalisation committee" now has become suspicious because, for one, it is going to be
the third time in a spate of one year that civil servants in the state will be made to undergo staff verification and two, coming after the agreement on the payment of the new minimum wage which government had said it does not have the resources to accommodate. The outcome of similar staff verification one of which involved the organised labour in the state has not been made public. It will be recalled also that late last year, an exercise which was said to be targeted at "discovering ghost workers" but which observers believe was preparatory for the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage took place
with the report yet to be implemented. Commenting on the non implementation of this report, the Head of Service, Hajia Salamatu Abubakar, hinted that the entire process was circumvented by unnamed people which has put to question the integrity of the report. With a total staff strength of 26,000 for state workers and a wage bill of about N2billion and workers population of 30,000 for the local governments (their wage bill is not known) all these before the new minimum wage policy, there is no doubt government will be looking for how to save cost in order not to face another industrial action, hence the planned rationalisation. However, the HoS, who confirmed the plan to rationalise the civil service, said emphatically that the policy is not aimed at retrenching workers stressing that the exercise is aimed at making the service to serve the people of the state better. "It is not the intention of the exercise to downsize, trainable ones will be trained others will be sent to MDAs because some MDAs have need for workers We have a lot of redundancy, we will try to plug all these, we will as much as possible reduce the movement of " hard copy files" through the computerisation of the service," Salamatu said in a recent interview with the press. "We want to introduce into the service modern technology by reducing paper work after checking the advantages and disadvantages, we have made provisions for the acquisition of computers we will also have a Website.� Further defending the planned rationalisation of the civil service Salamatu said, " There is need to improve the service, there is need to bring it at per with its contemporaries elsewhere so that it perform more effectively,� but she assured that workers will be " sensitised" about the action, and "they will be told to wake up from their slumber". She continued that the requirements for the rationalisation of the service include presentation of letters of first appointment, that of last promotion, original academic certificates birthday certificates etc The computerisation aspect of the rationalisation of the civil service is one area Organised Labour is suspecting that government will be hiding under " to do injustice to workers that have served this state diligently and dedicatedly over the years without anything to show for it. "When you computerise a system surely you will reduce the number of people physically doing the job before computerisation " a senior official said to this newspaper in confidence. He submitted that " organised labour will defend all our members from the cleaner to the highest person there will be no excuse to sack any worker.� However the NLC has said it has "only heard" about the planned rationalisation, but "no one has informed us officially, we are not a member of the committee as at now". It was learnt that those already put on the committee are retired permanent secretaries, some members of the state house of assembly and " one or two people from the private sector". Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is to inaugurate the committee soon.
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T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
FEATURES
Tackling Smuggling in Katsina Francis Sardauna writes that the Nigeria Customs Service, Katsina Area Command is taking proactive measures in tackling the spate of smuggling and other nefarious activities orchestrated by smugglers in the state
N
igeria’s land borders were partially closed on August 20, last year, following the federal government’s determination to end rice importation, boost local production and reduce smuggling of arms and ammunition, as well as hard drugs and other prohibited items. Although it is telling on their pockets, many Nigerians, importers, exporters and clearing agents believe that the closure of the borders by the federal government, has no doubt, reduced the amount of expired foreign rice and other prohibited goods that are brought into the country through the unapproved routes. But findings revealed that the smugglers are still using illegal vehicles and routes to carry out their nefarious activities undisturbed and they end up endangering the health of Nigerians in Katsina State with officials admitting that there are over 1000 illegal routes in the state. THISDAY checks further revealed that goods worth million of naira are smuggled into and outside the state annually without the requisite revenues getting into government coffers. This stems from outright violation of laid down laws by smugglers exploiting our porous borders to corruption in the system. Investigation has shown that there are four recognised border posts with Niger Republic – Magama in Jibia, Kongolom in Maiadua, Babban Mutum in Baure and Dankama in Kaita Local Government Areas of the state. It was observed that commuters and smugglers use several sandy paths, passing through rocks and farmlands to ferry people and contraband items across the border despite the closure of the country's land borders by the federal government. THISDAY learnt that although these official border posts are shutdown, nothing seems to have stopped as movement of goods and services is still ongoing but through illegal routes created by smugglers in collaboration with some security operatives. A visit to Kongolom and Magama Jibia borders by our correspondent have shown that the borders have been barricaded, with officials turning back vehicles and motorcycles. However, few meters to the border at Magama Jibia, people and vehicles were seen passing unhindered to get access to the neighbouring Faru and Dan Isa towns in Niger Republic. Further investigations showed that settlements like Bayan Bariki, Government Day Secondary School, Magama, Dan Arau, Rainin Wayo, Alele, Korama, Gadirge, Sabon Garin Magama, Makada and Mai Dabarau, all in Jibia Local Government Area, have become routes for people to pass through. At Kongolom, Maiadua Local Government Area, most smugglers of rice are using local routes from Maimaje, Botsotsuwa, Tsatsumburum and Yekuwa settlement, all in Niger Republic, to ferry their commodities into the country, using motorcyclists. In Kaita, rice is smuggled through farmlands from MaiKani village. It was observed that youths in the area are being paid N6,000 for a five kilometer trip to ferry rice from the said village, using Peugeot J5 buses and Golf cars to Niger Republic. In Daura, most of the shops are not displaying foreign rice but sells on request to customers. The goods are usually delivered at customers’ houses for fear of harassment by security officers, particularly officers of the Nigeria Customs Service. This is unlike Katsina, where foreign rice is seen by roadsides and shops in markets. It is sold at N17, 000, which is above the price of average local rice, which sells between N15, 500 to N16, 500. Some villagers at various border communities told THISDAY that their local routes and footpaths had become “border posts’’ as hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles pass through with people and smuggled items on a daily basis. Investigation showed that big-time smugglers and businessmen engage youths to
Some bags of smuggled rice seized by the command
Some jerrycans of vegetable oil intercepted by the command operate. The youths, locally known as Rai Banza, are paid N1, 000 to ferry a bag of rice across the border. Others get the same amount to move it from Jibia town to Katsina metropolis. They operate on motorcycles and are sometimes seen in large numbers or individually, passing through longer routes to evade Customs officers. Instead of going through the Jibia-Katsina road, they move to Batsari Local Government before linking Katsina to deliver the rice. Some of the youths, who go directly to Katsina from Dan Faru or Dan Issa in Niger Republic, using Peugeot cars popularly called Gwarama by locals, charge between N1,500 to N2, 000 to deliver a bag of rice to shops and depots. Most times they drive through farmlands to get to Katsina town. Women are not left out in this illegal trade. They employ several tactics to smuggle rice. For instance, they divide a bag into three or four places and back them, using their Hijabs to conceal it and pass the 13 security checkpoints along the 30km Jibia-Katsina road in commercial vehicles. Despite the high risk involved, Fito, as the illegal business is called, is one of the most lucrative and thriving among residents of the area. They see it as a means of earning a living despite confrontations with law enforcement agents.
A bag of rice presently sells between N10, 500 and N11, 800 at both Dan Isa and Hirji in Niger Republic, although the price fluctuates, depending on exchange rate as business is done in French francs (CFA). When it get to Magama, a border town at Jibia in Nigeria, rice sells at N14, 000, but by the time it gets to Katsina, the state capital, the price jerks up to N15, 400. However, since the new acting Customs Area Comptroller for the State, Dahiru Kirawa Abdullahi, assumed office, coupled with the efforts of the men and officers of the national border drill operation, a lot of progress has been made in anti- smuggling operations on rice, second-hand clothes, vegetable oil and other contraband items in the state. The number of seizures recorded under his leadership has been unprecedented in the last four months and this is due to the proactive measures undertaken by the acting comptroller who has zero tolerance for smuggling activities. The anti-smuggling move of the comptroller has yielded tremendous success as seizures of contraband are being recorded on a daily basis while the smugglers and other economic saboteurs crippling the federal government quest for a viable economy development are now on the run. Within the period under review, rice, second-hand clothes, vehicles, among others
have been intercepted. The items seizures included 3,195 bags of rice, 1,296 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 339 bales of second hand clothing, 134 bags of sugar worth billion of naira. Displaying the seizures before newsmen, Abdullahi explained that the contrabands were intercepted at different locations within the command’s area of coverage, lamenting that Nigerians still remain unrepentant in the illegal business of smuggling. Other items seized, according to the comptroller, include 28 cartons of macaroni, 3 bags of tiger nuts, 5 bags of beans, 283 cartons of spaghetti, 56 cartons of washing soap, 26 cartons of Tiger Head Dry Cell. Abdullahi affirmed that one tanker loaded with 50,000 litres of AGO and a trailer load of potash, saying two other trailers loaded with unprocessed animals' skin and used motor batteries. He said the command had also apprehended over 11 suspects in connection to the seizures, intercepted over 73 means of conveyance and seized numerous used vehicles popularly known as tokunbo topped the achievements of the command in the period under review. He however, attributed the challenge in the anti-smuggling operations to porous borders, especially many bush paths and farmlands during the dry season, that made it easy access for smugglers to illegally transport offending items across the border without proper control. The comptroller therefore appealed to business community in the state to see the anti-smuggling exercise as an opportunity to further create a conducive environment for local businesses to thrive in the overall interest of national security and development. He said: “I am appealing to those who are in the habit of smuggling to desist forthwith, as this constitutes economic, social and health consequences. Our officers are committed to protecting the Nigerian economy by enforcing government policies on imports and exports". He emphasised that the command was not relenting in its revenue generation and anti smuggling drive and called on the smugglers to desist forthwith and embrace the policies of the federal government by engaging actively in farming. The comptroller applauded the Comptroller General of the Service, Col. Hameed Ali for revamping the NSC and repositioning its officers across the country for ultimate protection of the country's land borders to end smuggling.
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 •T H I S D AY
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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB
A S
A T
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Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875
F E B R U A R Y S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE
501.80% 0.27% 0.73
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EXCHANGE RATE N306.95/1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY
Quick Takes Allianz Nigeria Partners BRABUS
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva (left), presenting Oil Service Company of the Year 2020 Award to the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Global Process and Pipeline Services Limited, (GPPSL), Obi Uzu, at the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) held in Abuja‌recently
Emefiele Moves to Facilitate Land Allocation to Dairy to Boost Local Production James Emejo in Abuja Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has sought the intervention of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Muhammed Bello, to expedite the allocation of land to three dairy companies which had applied to establish dairy processing plants in the FCT. He listed the companies to include WAMCO Friesland Campino, Nestle and L and Z, adding that several others will also be making similar requests going forward. Emefiele said enabling the companies to set up their plants
ECONOMY for local milk processing is part of the key initiatives of the apex bank that will help create jobs and reduce the restiveness of youths in the country. Speaking when he led chief executives of the dairy firms to the minister on a courtesy visit, the governor said the various collaborative efforts by the CBN and the private sector have started yielding significant results with resultant deliberate measures by private firms to embrace the backward integration measures and boost job creation and industrialisation
locally. Specifically, he identified one of such measures as the partnership with milk importing companies to develop the local dairy sector and harness its potential in the interest of the country. He said the strategic partnership commenced with Niger State government allocating 31,000 hectares of land to milk companies within the Bobi Grazin Reserve to develop the local dairy breeds for enhanced milk collection and also integrate the local pastoralist and ultimately curb the farmers-herders crisis. He noted that the additional resolve by some milk producing
companies to establish milk processing factories in the FCT as it offers a unique environment for industrialisation and easy access to raw materials from the entire North-Central zone, was in furtherance previous initiatives by the bank. The CBN governor told the FCT minister that, “Nestle Plc and Friesland Campina Plc have signified interest to establish milk processing factories in the FCT and the CBN is ready to work with them to actualise the deliverable of these projects. We therefore request you to please assist in the allocation of land Continued on page 24
Embark on Aggressive Expenditure Rationalisation, Shonubi Tells FG Obinna Chima The Deputy Governor, Operations Directorate, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Folashodun Shonubi, has advised the federal government to urgently embark on an aggressive expenditure rationalisation to significantly reduce recurrent expenditure, free resources to fund expansion, ramp up fiscal stimulus and enhance fiscal buffers. The CBN deputy governor, who said this in his personal statement at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting, stressed that that deficit financing by the monetary
ECONOMY authority must be addressed. According to him, the government must explore opportunities for financing by the banking sector. “In the external sector, we must sustain our actions, including transparency, to further strengthen investor confidence. There has been a gradual return of investors after the sudden reversal in the last quarter of 2019. “We continue to see significant progress with the measures taken in the banking sector,� he added.
According to him, a combination of the Loan-to-Deposit Ratio (LDR) based and de-risking measures by the Bank had led to the ramping up of credit into employment generation sectors, thereby enhancing prospect for improved growth. He, however, advocated for a review of capital requirement of banks to further strengthen their resilience and boost their capacity to adequately play their role as engine of growth. “As I have mentioned in my earlier statements, the fiscal authority need to rise up to the occasion and effectively support the effort of monetary policy to promote growth.
“Persistent shortfall in revenue and increasing recurrent expenditure, has made the fiscal space even tighter, while recent trends in the level of deficit and debt accumulation have reached a worrisome state,� he explained. According to Shonubi, the dragging global growth and tepid domestic economic recovery, amidst recent uptick in inflation constitutes a conundrum for monetary policy this year. He noted that slow global economic growth has the tendency to weaken demand Continued on page 24
AllianzNigeriahasannouncedthatitrecentlyconcludedapartnership to provide car insurance for the owners of luxury vehicle, BRABUS. Speakingonthepartnership,theExecutiveDirector,AllianzNigeria,Mr Owolabi Salami, said the partnership, made with Blackpace Limited, the exclusive distribution partner of BRABUS in Nigeria, was one of theprojectsaimedatprovidinginsurancesolutionstopremiumclass of vehicle.“Aside this we are geared to also provide unique insurance solutions to every spectrum of the community. “This is one among other initiatives we have put together to target a larger spectrum of the community beyond our customer baseâ€?, he stated.Explaining the rationale behind the partnership, team leader for Motor Unit, Opeyemi Jokanola, noted that the aim was to make car insurance readily available to all motorists. He said having a car insurance easily helps to oset the loss of huge sumsthatmaybeincurredineventofanaccidentespeciallytopremium vehicles. He said by providing bespoke insurance for any class of vehicle, the company contributes its own quota to a more stable and protected community.The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers with more than 92 million retail and corporate customers. Allianz customers beneďŹ t from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from Property, Life and Health insurance to Assistance services to Credit insurance and Global Business insurance.
African Alliance Hosts Foundation
Lifeinsurer,AfricanAllianceInsurance,recentlyhostedateamoflegal practitionersfromHeadfortFoundation,aLagos-basednot-for-proďŹ t Legal Aid and Advocacy initiative at its head oďŹƒce. AddressingtheHeadfortteam,duringthevisit,theMD/CEO,African Alliance,FunmiOmo,expresseddelightatthestridesyoungNigerians especially women are taking in today’s world. “We believe the society would be better if we have sincere private sector initiatives like these to support government eorts. “As a business, we believe every man can only fulďŹ l potentials when givenafairchance.“SeeingateamofyoungNigerianslikethesethink up and execute such a noble initiative is heart-warming and in our little way, we would see how we can support Headfort Foundation in its quest to ensure indigent inmates get access to quality legal representation and a new chance at making the most of their lives,â€? she said. Responding, the convener, Headfort Foundation, Yemi Oriya, while thanking the African Alliance boss, traced her decision to set up the Foundation to her ďŹ rst-hand encounters with various indigent people who end up in custody because they could not aord legal representation.
S’Africa’s Agency Faces Funding Crisis
South Africa’s statistics agency is facing a funding crisis that might aect the quality of oďŹƒcial data if not addressed, the organisation which oversees the agency said on Tuesday. David Everatt, chairman of the Statistics Council, said the agency needed 200 million rand ($13.3 million) in funding to work eďŹƒciently. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) is the source of oďŹƒcial data in Africa’smostindustrialisedeconomy,includinggrossdomesticproduct (GDP), consumer price ination, mining and manufacturing output. According to Reuters, Everatt said the agency was being forced to consider cost cuts because of the hole in its budget and faced sta shortages due to a hiring freeze imposed by the government in 2015. “Sample sizes are being cut, which over time will lead to wider error ranges.Activitiesarehavingtoberanked,andsomesimplydropped,â€? EverattsaidinastatementissuedonbehalfoftheStatisticsCouncil. “StatsSArightnowisatatippingpoint.Thewarninglightsareashing red, and government needs to act swiftly if South Africa were to retain a robust and innovative Stats SA,â€? Everatt said. South Africa’s public ďŹ nances are strained amid sluggish economic growth and bailouts for ailing state companies such as power utility Eskom and South African Airways. “If Stats SA is not able to ďŹ ll posts with skilled people, keep sample sizes up, and innovate, the Council willbeforcedtowithdrawsupportforoďŹƒcialstatistics,â€?Everattsaid. “Council either endorses the release of data everyone can trust, or Council stops because we cannot endorse data we mistrust.â€?
“If recommendations made after accident investigations are not implemented airlines suffer, the public suffers but it helps the win-win situation and give people the confidence to fly��
Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB
Akin Olateru
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EMEFIELE MOVES TO FACILITATE LAND ALLOCATION TO DAIRY TO BOOST LOCAL PRODUCTION in FCT expeditiously.� He said the establishment of these companies in the FCT would drive industrialisation, stimulate local production of milk and hence development of the local dairy sector, boost employment generation, facilitate linkages along the dairy sector in Nigeria and ultimately conserve enormous foreign exchange that would be required for importation. He further assured that if granted the land, “I can tell you, 12 months and maximum 18 months,we will all be there to see Wampco has started processing its milk in Abuja�. According to Emefiele:� There’s a need for us as a country to really step forward and aggressively see to it that we are able to reduce the level of unemployment and create jobs for our people. EMBARK ON AGGRESSIVE EXPENDITURE RATIONALISATION, SHONUBI TELLS FG for Nigeria’s crude oil and cause fiscal fragility, saying crawling recovery was certain to worsen unemployment and poverty. “Though current inflationary pressure is an expected outcome of current strategies to alter the structure of domestic production, rising prices must be tamed. “The Bank must continue to take necessary actions to deliver on its primary mandate of maintaining monetary and price stability that is conducive for economic growth, even as benefits of recent measures manifest gradually. “Developments in the global economy continued to be influenced by the dynamics of China-US trade dispute, changing vulnerabilities in global financial markets, and geo-political tensions, amidst global debt build up and generally sub-optimal inflation in developed economies. “Low-inflation, especially among the major developed economies, further heightened the prospect for continued adoption of accommodative policy by central banks in 2020 to tackle slowing growth,� he said.
Group Business Editor
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FG Inaugurates National Cooperative Housing Scheme Obinna Chima
bracket.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has formally marked the official kick-off of the National Cooperative Housing Development Scheme (NCHDS) with the inauguration of a Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) funded 154-housing unit Cooperative estate in Kuje, Abuja. The affordable housing project, named WoodHill estate, is a product of FMBN’s N997 million Cooperative Housing Development Loan to Akacare Multipurpose Cooperative Society for the construction of 154 quality, decent and affordable housing units for its members that are registered contributors to the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme. A statement signed by the Group Head, Corporate Communications, FMBN, Ahmed Abubakar, explained that under the first phase of the project, 77 housing units were completely built and packaged for the provision of NHF loans to members of the AkaCare Cooperative Society. This comprised 40 units of 2-bedroom semidetached bungalows at the selling price of N7.5M and 37 units of 3-bedroom detached bungalows at the selling price of N9.5 million. In his remarks at the event, the FMBN MD/CE, Mr. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, stated that the inauguration of the housing project was an affirmation that the NHF scheme was meeting its mandate of delivering houses that were well-built, decent and affordable to Nigeria workers, especially those within the medium and low-income
Dangiwa, added that the estate was fully serviced with basic infrastructure including an internal road network, electricity and water works to create a conducive and livable environment for residents. He assured Fashola, that the second phase of the project was on course to deliver the additional 77 housing units and that FMBN would provide additional finance to complete the 2.1-kilometer access road. “This is our socio-economic contribution to opening up this area of Kuje for other real estate developments. Already at about 17 jobs per unit, this project has created 1,309 direct jobs to the local
environment,� he said. The FMBN boss thanked the minister for his leadership and aggressive drive to deepen cooperatives as a veritable tool for the provision of affordable housing to Nigerian workers. In his address at the event, Fashola, said: “FMBN as an agent of the Buhari administration is addressing the problem of housing affordability frontally. I commend the Board and Management of FMBN for this first in a series of many events that define our new partnership with Cooperative Societies. “Yes, we have come to commission a housing estate and I commend the architect, the property development company, the cooperative
members and the subscribers. “This string of partnerships, including subscribers who want a house, who are ready to pay for it, who can afford it; the developer who is committed to delivering it, an architect who can meet the needs of the subscribers and most importantly a bank that can translate their dreams and vision into an actual homestead, where people can say I have shelter, is important and we want to do more of it.� The minister decried the prevalence of empty houses in Nigerian cities, saying they speak to the problem that FMBN in collaboration with the Developer have solved for members of Akacare
Cooperative Society. “You will hear that 150 houses are already fully subscribed. That means they are affordable. You will hear that 77 units have been delivered, that means there is a waiting list for a house that has been paid as distinct from an empty house that nobody can afford. Also, the Chairman, Board of Directors, FMBN, Dr. Adewale Adeeyo, pleaded for the increase of FMBN’s capitalisation to N500 billion. He noted that the injection of the funds would boost FMBN’s capacity to scale up its activities and make a greater impact on tackling the housing deficit.
COURTESYVISIT
L-R: Members of Rising Tide, Chinwe Ajene-Sagna; Yemi Keri; Lagos State First Lady, Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Head of Legal, Rendeavour West Africa, Adejoke Odocha, and Real Estate Advisor, Funke Beke, during a courtesy visit to the First Lady, in Lagos‌recently
Groups Collaborate to Assist Adamawa Farmers Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The OCP Group, a global leader in phosphate production and plant nutrition, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), have established a collaboration to assist rural dwellers displaced by conflict to return to the farms. The two-year pilot project which commenced in 2019, was being implemented in Muchalla, a community in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa state. In the recently-released one-year report, the project demonstrated promising results supporting the vulnerable and key segments in Nigeria. According to the organisations, the scheme specifically targets young people between 18 and 40 years, with a focus on women. They added that a total of 450 women and 50 men had benefitted from the farmer-oriented training and empowerment programme. To boost their revenue
profiles, the 500 farmers were given training through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), in seed germination testing, land preparation, ridging seed dressing and agro ecosystem analysis. Each beneficiary was also given other items including improved maize seeds, rice seeds and farming implements. The beneficiaries were also grouped into village savings and loans associations (VSLAs) to help them increase their savings and have access to affordable loans. In addition to credit access, the VSLAs equipped the participants with skills in financial management and record keeping. Another 119 agro dealers were trained in business strategy, living/operating costs, making/spending money and product marketing after which they were supported with working tools. Also, 83 of the agro dealers
were linked with the 500 of the farmers, “to provide advisory services and share how farmers can access their products.� The project titled, ‘Improving Livelihoods and Agricultural Development for Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria,’ is focused on three thematic areas – market and value chain analysis, strengthening the capacity of agro dealers, and improving farming – with the report detailing a breakdown of the achievements in each segment. According to the report, land selection practice among rice farmers in the community improved from a baseline value of 23.96 per cent to 97 per cent, following the intervention. Land preparation and rice weeding also witnessed significant improvement. In addition, maize farmers equally embraced improved farming practices such as land selection, land prepara-
tion, seed germination testing, ridging, seed dressing, seed spacing and weeding. As part of the project, OCP also commenced a soil testing service aimed at ascertaining the kind of fertilizer nutrient composition that would maximise rice and maize yields for farmers. The OCP School Lab, the larger initiative implemented by OCP Africa, provides free soil testing to farmers in remote areas across Africa, and makes recommendations for fertilizer application that meets their specific soil and crop needs Esther Adams, a 36 yearold mother of four from the Muchalla community who participated in the FFS and VSLAs, said, “I learned many practices in the FFS‌ my farm neighbors were asking for the magic I used for my maize farm and I told them that I learned these practices from FFS. In the previous year I harvested eight bags of rice. This year I harvested
23 bags.� The Country Manager of OCP Africa in Nigeria, Mr. Caleb Usoh, lauded the achievements of the pilot phase as a significant success and stated that lessons learnt from the pilot would help to improve subsequent initiatives to support smallholder farmers. He also called on more corporate organisations to assist in supporting the survivors of violent attacks and conflict. According to Sukuss Koroma, the IRC’s ERD Technical Coordinator in Nigeria, “OCP is willing to fund a truly innovative and integrated approach to rural livelihoods in Nigeria.� He said for the first time through OCP School Labs, farmers in rural and conflictaffected communities were able to test their own soil fertility, identify the right type of action, and maximise financial benefits from each harvest.
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Fund Managers Launch Multi-million Dollar Fund Peter Uzoho African leaders are putting women front and center of efforts to drive the continent’s economic growth through a game-changing fund that invests in women fund managers and also provides technical assistance. The launch of the African Women Leadership Fund (AWLF) is expected to provide capital to both first time and experienced fund managers in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and African Union Agenda 2063. The ground-breaking partnership, formally signed recently in Addis Ababa, between the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (ECA) and Standard Bank Group, was expected to be transformational in breaking down structural barriers to inclusive investing in Africa. According to a statement, over $20 million was raised for the fund that has a current goal of $100 million. “President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was instrumental in leading the way, pledging $500,000. Senegal’s President Macky Sall committed $500,000. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also pledged to contribute to the fund. The private sector participants pledged the rest. “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
of Canada pledged $10 million to the African Union to boost gender parity. Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg pledged $8 million to AU initiatives,� it stated. According to the statement, a portion of the resources would be earmarked for the women’s initiative. Among the world leaders who witnessed the official launch of this innovative impact investment fund were UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres, African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde. In addition, Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was also in attendance, as were a number of former African heads of state. “We are turning the tables and making women the decisionmakers of investable money in Africa. We want women to be on the supply side of money, not only on the demand side,�UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ECA, Dr. Vera Songwe said. A key goal of the fund is to empower women financial leaders who will drive economic growth, job creation, and create prosperity. In Africa womenowned funds and businesses struggle due largely to lack of successful fundraising, insufficient exposure to systems and procedures, and lack of track records, among others.
They also contend with gender-based social expectation, resistance to women in leadership roles and lack of a support network. The fund will empower Africa’s women by giving them access to financial resources and investment management expertise. The statement quoted the Chief Executive of Africa Regions, at Standard Bank Group, Sola David-Borha, to have said the fund aligns with the bank’s purpose to drive Africa’s growth and, “presents an opportunity for Standard Bank to leverage our footprint and expertise on the continent, and the relevant experience of our asset management arms, Melville Douglas and STANLIB Multi-Managers, to build Africa’s economies. Africa is our home, we drive her growth�. Women fund managers will receive a deployment of capital, and subsequently invest in majority femaleowned businesses. “Even though the fund is sector agnostic, priority sectors will be education, manufacturing, healthcare, clean energy and agriculture. Additionally, technical assistance for fund managers and entrepreneurs will be offered through the initiative. “This ranges from building capacity, direct mentoring to leveraging technology in health and education,� it added.
Linkage Assurance Grows Profit Ebere Nwoji Linkage Assurance Plc has recorded improvement in both its results for the fourth quarter ended December 31st, 2019. The company, said it achieved this despite the harsh operating environment. In its unaudited fourth quarter report submitted to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the Managing Director, Daniel Braie, said Linkage Assurance Plc, posted a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of N6.52 billion, as against N5.59 billion during the same period in 2018, indicating a 21 per cent increase. He said from the business generated in the 2019 review period, the company also recorded a profit before tax (PBT) growth of 902 per cent, moving from N134.7 million in 2018, to N1.35 billion during
the review period. In the same vein, profit after tax (PAT) also grew to N930.24 million, representing a 421 per cent increase from a loss position of N290.12 million during the same period in 2018. Braie, said the performance was as a result of improved underwriting performance, as well as investment returns, which saw the company coming out stronger during the review period. According to him, underwriting profit rose by 149 per cent to close at N375.622 million during the review period, as against loss position of N772.48 million the previous year, while investment also grew by 10 per cent, moving from N2.46 billion in 2018 to N2.71 billion in 2019. The company’s total assets also appreciated by seven per cent to close at N24.72 billion, as
against N23.15 billion in 2018. In the statement to the NSE, Braie, said the company would continue to refine its strategy in line with the political, economic, sociological and technological changes within our operating environment. Braie, also said the company would continue to develop innovative products, alternative channels of distributions and strategic initiatives that would enable it achieve its corporate goals and objectives. “With a medium-to-long term perspective, the company believes that it will benefit from growth from these initiatives. “We will consolidate on the ongoing initiatives to improve our operational efficiency so as to reduce the cost of doing business, improve business processes, eliminate wastages and achieve higher margins in our core business, Braie said.
Zimbabwe Central Bank Leaves Rates Unchanged Zimbabwe’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate at 35 per cent on Monday, citing moderating inflation, as it looked to print more local currency and limit the use of foreign currencies. Zimbabwe is struggling through its worst economic crisis in a decade, with prices of basic goods soaring and shortages of medicine, fuel and electricity worsening. Hopes of a quick recovery under President Emmerson Mnangagwa are fading. According to Reuters, the
worsening poverty was upsetting the fragile calm that’s prevailed since the 2017 coup that toppled long-time ruler Robert Mugabe. After suspending publication of annual inflation data, which economic analysts put at 525 per cent in December, authorities would resume printing the figures next month. Governor John Mangudya was bullish on inflation, projecting that annual price growth would dip below 50 per cent by the end of the
year. Monthly inflation fell in January to 2.23 per cent. “Our task is as we stabilise inflation and stabilise the exchange rate. We expect month-on-month inflation will continue to come down until the end of the year,� Mangudya said. “Most of the inflation is caused by non-monetary factors. That is expectations - that ‘I lost money in 2008’,� Mangudya said. “This is a once-beaten, twice-shy scenario. These are things that shape inflation in Zimbabwe.�
ELEVATING TO THE NEXT LEVEL Marie-Therese Phido
Your Personal Brand, Social Media and Your Career – Can It Be Negative? If you have been following my Column for a while now, you will know that I am a strong advocate of building your personal brand because the strategic use of using social media to project your brand can have a tremendous impact in positioning you as a subject matter expert in your specialization and boost your credibility and reinforce your message. Jonathan Maltby said, “In a highly competitive job market, your personal brand is the secret weapon to standing out. Building and communicating your professional identity and brand should be a key strategy for a successful career.� I also strongly agree with Jonathan. But what if your employer does not totally agree with how you use social media or the activities you engage in to position your brand? What should you do? I have a few examples of this and will share Jonathan’s. I remember the advent of GSM in Nigeria. One of the CEOs courted the press so strongly, that even though he did so well in positioning the brand, some people felt, the public knew more about him than they knew about the brand. I personally admired him, because in everything he did in my view, he personified the brand, and was a walking bill board for the brand. But some felt otherwise. In this same company an Executive was always in the papers for a particular part of their area of coverage. Many people outside and within the organization started to question why this particular person was always in the papers for something they had oversight of and not something directly being done by them. Eventually, all of this appearance in the papers stopped and what we heard was that, higher ups within the organization did not like this visibility because they felt it was more about the person than the organization and the Executive was told to take a back seat and allow the person directly in charge, do the work. As you know, I have been a strong advocate of pushing Executives and everybody in general to develop a personal brand because I realized how important it was when I stopped representing a global brand and had to represent myself and my brand. However, I am beginning to think that those in paid employment, should study their organisation’s policies well and the body language as they engage in positioning themselves on social media especially. My observation is, some have completely forgotten that they work for another brand and in my view appear to be pushing their brand and never seem to push their employer’s brand. In everything we do, we must apply wisdom. Recently, I started to notice that a particular Executive was spending a lot of time on social media and posting a lot to position their personal brand as well as attending many speaking events. I asked myself, “Why are they not also posting materials about their organization? Why are they not posting things about other people within their organization? Why was their activity on social media and elsewhere only about themselves? You see, when you work within an organization, you must also push and position the brand as you push yours. This is because, you spend the company’s time most times to go on
your speaking engagements and you may spend their time to push your social media activities. In my view, it should be a 50% company and what you do within the company, 30% your personal brand and 20% other interests. If it is 90% you alone, know you are headed in the wrong direction. Jonathan’s “I was recently working with a client, helping him build his brand and get known as a key figure in his industry. His goal was to position himself as a subject matter expert on a topic he is really passionate about and skilled in — IT cloud-based technologies. So, together we developed a content strategy as he wanted to create informative articles on technologies, which he believes will be highly valuable to others in his industry. For his first LinkedIn post, he simply shared the link to an existing article on the new features of a major cloud product. Nothing earth shattering, nothing controversial. Just a whole lotta tech speak. So, what happened? Senior management got pretty upset that he even engaged on social media. They told him not to post anything online until further notice, even though this is his own personal LinkedIn account and he is an expert in his field. I mean, I can understand if they got angry if he was creating content that could damage the reputation of the organisation or if he was breaching confidentiality. However, this was not the case. In addition to this, the organisation has a very vague and ambiguous social media policy, which seems to exist in a very grey area. So, this got me thinking‌ How much say should a company have when it comes to employees creating and posting content? Do they have the right to forbid someone to use and contribute on a professional platform like LinkedIn? How much control should an employer have over the private use of social media on professional issues that have no bearing on the business? The jury is out on this questions in my view. However, if building your personal brand is part of your long-term strategy to enjoying a fulfilling career (and it really should be), and your employer takes issue with your social media interactions, then you have a couple of options to consider. You could explain to them that genuine, professional social media interactions, especially LinkedIn engagements, can have massive benefits for the company and lead to better employer branding, greater visibility, and business development opportunities for the organisation. So, whilst, they don’t own your personal brand, they do benefit from itâ€?. That is if you follow the 50%, 30%, 20% rule that I recommend. Nonetheless, if they do not support your right to build and communicate your personal brand as a vehicle to attaining a successful career, then you may want to consider leaving this organization, in order not to be let go. Marie-Therese Phido is a Sales & Mareting Strategist and Business Coach Email:mphido@elevato.com.ng Tweeter handle@osat2012
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Strengthening Capital Market Regulation Goddy Egene writes on the recent initiatives to boost the nation’s capital market that were unveiled by the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms. Mary Uduk After declining for two consecutive years, most capital market stakeholders and experts were very positive that the market will record positive performance this year. Before the decline of 2018 and 2019, the market had in 2017, recovered from similar depreciation in 2015 and 2016. Hence, there was high optimism among market stakeholders that the Nigerian stock market would recover this year and close higher. While many factors that would influence the positive performance have been cited, some operators believe one major ingredient necessary for the recovery was a robust and strong regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other selfregulatory organisations (SROs). According to them, when the market is well regulated, more investors would be motivated to invest. It was therefore, not surprising when the Acting Director General of SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk, last week, unveiled the areas the commission will focus on in terms of regulation this year. According to her, SEC has a mandate to protect investors in the market and thus, must stick to a robust regulatory framework that would ensure increased patronage. Although the SEC boss has lined up many initiatives in 2020 that are capable of boosting the market performance, she said 2019 was still remarkable year for SEC in spite of the challenges in the economy “Despite revenue challenges and competing demands, SEC successfully implemented key programmes and projects, achieving significant milestones. The commission is poised to build on the gains of 2019 with a renewed focus on resource optimization and execution of prioritized initiatives in the coming year,� she said. Uduk 2019 achievements Reviewing some of the achievements recorded in 2019, Uduk said SEC and the Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) further streamlined the processes for issuance of new securities making the issuance process shorter and more efficient. She explained that the streamlining was aimed at eliminating duplication of processes between the SEC and the NSE. “The commission also introduced a checklist review process for the issuance of debt securities which will reduce the time to market of debt securities and encourage more issuances. Time within which approvals given by the commission for debt issues has now reduced from six to two weeks,� she said. Another area was the conclusion of the comprehensive review of the Rules on Collective Investment Schemes(CIS) to improve the global competitiveness of the CIS industry in Nigeria. “The review included a reduction of costs, a requirement to benchmark performance and classification of funds to aid comparison and performance evaluation, amongst others. The new CIS Rules, which became operational on December 23, 2019, will enable the immediate marketing and operation of open-ended funds after SEC approval of the CIS, thereby reducing time to market,� she explained. The SEC boss noted that the reduction of costs was two-fold – offer costs and operational costs (that is total expense ratio) for CIS funds. According to her, offer costs were reviewed downwards from a 3.0 per cent cap to a 1.0 per cent cap and 1.65 per cent cap for open-ended funds and closed-ended funds respectively. “Operational costs were reviewed downwards from 5.0 per cent to 3.5 per cent (effective immediately) and subsequently three per cent (effective January 1, 2021) to make Nigerian funds globally competitive and attractive. Definitions and other eligibility criteria have been provided in the new CIS Rules to classify funds in terms of their underlying investment/ asset class. This will aid comparability of funds and their performance,� she said. Uduk, disclosed that SEC facilitated
collaboration between brokers and fund managers on distribution of mutual funds to retail investors to make CIS funds more accessible to investors. The commission engaged National Pension Commission (PenCom) to eliminate the practice of commission-sharing between capital market operators (CMOs) and pension fund administrators (PFAs). The SEC DG noted that efforts were made to contribute to policy formulation through several engagements with the Honorable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, as well as with His Excellency, the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. “The commission contributed to the decision to introduce the Finance Bill through consultations and meetings with the Honorable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning to present benefits. The commission facilitated several capital market master plan initiatives and the National Savings Strategy is receiving federal government’s attention through the constitution of a government working group. One of the major fears of investors is losing their investments. They are also discouraged when they realise that there is no protection for their investments. Realising this, she said SEC intensified its enforcement efforts last year with numerous positive results. “The commission’s enforcement efforts during the year yielded some positive results. The commission received 167 complaints and 102 were resolved. SEC recovered about N100 billion for investors, and four illegal market operator/ Ponzi schemes. Also, four illegal operators’ bank accounts were cautioned/blocked by the SEC Police Unit. Total amount in the blocked accounts was about N1.119 billion. Besides, there are about eight capital market fraud cases being prosecuted. The commission also approved a total of 45 new rules,� she said. Looking ahead Uduk, said going into 2020, the commission will take into account initiatives towards boosting the market performance.
“The commission will continue to implement Risk Based Supervision, to ensure our monitoring effort is more efficient. Upgrade of identity management on investor accounts to include Bank Verification Numbers and verifications against the Nigerian Interbank Settlement Systems Limited (NIBSS) BVN validation portal. SEC will also be moving from transition to Deemed Approval Regime for debt securities. “Following the introduction of the checklist regime and upon confirmation of satisfactory compliance, a deemed approval regime will be adopted for issuances of debt securities by which proposed issuances will be deemed approved upon filing of the transaction documents with a duly completed and executed checklist. This is expected to reduce the time within which approval is given to not more than five working days,� she said. Also as part of its implementation in 2020, the commission will be driving a harmonised regulatory agenda by working with other regulatory agencies to create clear and specific licensing regimes for different FinTech businesses in Nigeria. The commission will also seek to operationalise the framework for the regulation of Crypto-currencies, Virtual Financial Assets, ICOs and Crowdfunding. According to Uduk, the commission will complete the Capital Market Master Plan Review started last year. “We will continue the implementation of the introduction of Capital Market studies into secondary school curriculum. We are presently at the stage of development of Teachers’ guides. Work has also begun on developing a capital market curriculum for Nigerian Universities, developing content for infusion into general studies (GS) courses across the Universities. “SEC will continue to coordinate the Federal Government Work Group assignment on the National Savings Strategy. The commission will drive CIS as the main entry point for retail investors. We will Integrate CIS distribution framework with the capital market Financial Inclusion strategy. The commission will partner FMAN to
implement the CIS roadmap which was designed by the CIS Roadmap Committee set up to conclude the implementation of the five-year Strategic Master Plan and Roadmap to elevate the level of professionalism and operations in the Nigerian fund management industry,� she added. Uduk noted that SEC will facilitate the implementation of the Commodities Ecosystem Technical Committee’s recommendations. She harped on renewed focus on non-interest capital market. Also, market operators should prepare for recapitalisation. According to the SEC DG, recapitalisation should happen for the market to be better. “If we have say 20 or 50 big firms playing as opposed to what we have now which is 255 the market would be better. We want strong firms, so it’s something that should happen. Well capitalised firms as opposed to the situation we have now. A number of other sectors are recapitalizing. We are asking our CMOs to think about it because sooner than later it would have to happen,� she said. As with previous years, the commission said it would focus on enforcement programme in 2020 for the protection of investors with particular attention to retail and unsophisticated investors in the Nigerian capital market. The SEC DG explained that in 2019, the commission witnessed an upsurge in the activities of Ponzi schemes in Nigeria, noting that the commission went after many of the promoters and directors of such schemes, securing a conviction last year and many others are presently being prosecuted. “We will continue to combat Ponzi schemes this year. We intend to continue leveraging on the Memoranda of Understanding(MoU) that were signed between the commission and key stakeholders like the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to strengthen our ability to do this. “The commission will continue to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on unethical practices by in the capital market with a view to promoting a culture of compliance and enhanced reporting. We will adopt a more proactive inspection and market surveillance regime to nip unethical practices and misconduct in the bud. We shall be referring more cases of infractions for hearing before the SEC Administrative Proceedings Committee,� she said. Uduk said in a bid to foster economic development and deepen the market, a proposed rule is being considered to provide a regulatory framework permitting private companies with the required structure and mechanism in place to raise capital from the public through crowdfunding. “There is a proposed Rule to enable the commission bring all Nominee Companies under proper regulation and make provision for registration requirements, ownership structure, code of conduct and other matters incidental thereto. “There will be an amendment in the margin lending rules geared towards mitigating/ tackling market abuse practices by dealers or member companies by restricting the excessive use of credit for purchasing or transacting in securities by dealers or member companies,� she added. Uduk, enthused that going forward into the year, they expect the equities segment to benefit from various government initiatives targeted at improving the country’s business environment as well as efforts to lower interest rate and increase liquidity through increase in loan to deposit ratio. “The debt segment of the capital market is equally expected to benefit from increased sovereign bond issuances coming from the need to finance the high deficit of 2020 budget. Aided by the various commission’s and market’s initiatives to further deepen the market, our outlook on the Nigeria’s capital market for 2020 is therefore generally positive,� she said.
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Resurging Public Debt and Best Practices in Foreign Borrowing Mike Obadan From the 1980s to the mid-2000s, many SubSaharan African (SSA) countries suffered the consequences of very heavy external debt burdens. SSA could be described then as a debt-distressed region with only six countries having been described as less indebted in the year 2000. The debt crisis had a severe impact on their economies. Not only did the debt overhang depress incomes, investment and living standards, it also seriously constrained the scope of macroeconomic policy making. It was the Heavily Indebted Countries Debt Relief Initiative (HIPC) of the World Bank and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) of the G8 countries in the 2000s that provided significant relief to the countries through debt write-offs. Consequently, SSA countries’ average public debt level trended downwards until 2012. Specifically, median public debt levels in SSA decreased from a peak of more than 90 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the early 2000s to a median of 24 percent of GDP in 2012. But since 2013, debt has been accumulating at a worrisome pace in a number of Sub-Saharan DG, DMO, Patience Oniha. African countries, Nigeria included, pushing up debt close to unsustainable levels in some debt crisis. countries. According to the World Bank (2018), No doubt, foreign borrowing allows a country the number of Sub-Saharan African countries to invest and consume beyond the limits of at high risk of debt distress more than doubled current domestic production. Where a country between 2013 and 2018. borrows externally, it is able to invest more now Under the circumstance, there have been fears with less of a sacrifice of current consumption. that SSA sub-region could slip into another debt This is so because foreign borrowing increases a crisis similar to the pre-HIPCs era unless the country’s resources available for investment by countries, Nigeria included, implement fiscal supplementing domestic savings. It also augments reforms and adopt better debt management foreign exchange resources to supplement export principles and practices. This article seeks to earnings. draw attention to established debt management Viable investments that could not otherwise principles/best practices that can help African be financed domestically are made possible by countries borrow wisely and avoid debilitating
foreign resources. If properly used, borrowed external resources can greatly benefit a developing country and contribute to its growth. This is where the challenge is: how to ensure that countries use borrowed funds efficiently and generate funds to service the loans as and when due. In practice, most African countries have used borrowed funds inefficiently; some countries borrowed for consumption rather than investment and then became engulfed in debt crises. SAA countries must bear two things in mind in the course of foreign borrowing: net borrowing creates debt that can be repaid if exports exceed imports; and foreign loans (principal and interest) must be repaid in foreign currency and not local currency. Therefore, external borrowing must lead to increase in productivity and export earnings must grow rapidly to provide foreign exchange for debt servicing. Thus, a country that relies on foreign borrowing should be able to generate sufficient increase in output and, in particular, export earnings, to be able to meet its debt service obligations. Also, to avoid debt problems, the investments financed must have a real economic rate of return that is at least equal to the real rate of interest. However, foreign funds could go into investments in the non-traded sectors to the extent that they too have important indirect earnings, savings, etc. In as much as foreign loans are desirable, a country must be guided by the following principles/best practices to avoid debt problems including distress and crisis. r"WPJE JOEJTDSJNJOBUF BOE VODPOUSPMMFE borrowing from abroad; r "WPJE NJTNBOBHFNFOU PG FYUFSOBM MPBOT because the cost of adjustment for the debtor
country can be enormous; r 3BQJE HSPXUI PG FYQPSU FBSOJOHT JT JNQFSBUJWF so as to have the foreign exchange to service the loan; r 'JOBODJOH PG EPNFTUJD JOWFTUNFOU XJUI foreign loans will not create much problems if: the investment financed has a real economic rate of return that equals the rate of interest; external loans are used to finance export-increasing projects or import-decreasing investments; and debt repayments are scheduled so as not to run ahead of the benefits; r 5IF PQUJNBM MFWFM PG CPSSPXJOH XPVME be up to the point where the marginal product of capital equals the cost of borrowing (interest rate); and r 3FMZJOH NPSF PO DPODFTTJPOBM à OBODF DIFBQFTU forms of financing such as Official Development Assistance and bilateral and multilateral loans. What is clear then is that if foreign loans are found desirable and necessary to accelerate economic development, they must be channelled in such a way as to increase the productive and debt servicing capacity of the economy in order to enhance easy repayment and promote economic growth. Debt problems can sap a debtor country’s international credit worthiness, lead to a reduction of access to international capital markets, and result in lower investment and growth. Obadan is Professor of Economics and Chairman, Goldmark Education Academy, Benin City. He was formerly Director-General, National Centre for Economic Management and Administration, Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: mikobadan@gmail.com
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Expert: Local Content Act Prone to Abuse by Oil Firm, Contractors Chineme Okafor A legal practitioner and Managing Partner at Sefton Fross, Mrs. Olayemi Anyanechi, has warned that gaps in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, otherwise called the local content law, could be exploited by some contractors and oil firms. Anyanechi, stated this during a panel session on, “InCountry Value,� at the recent 2020 edition of the Nigerian International Petroleum Summit (NIPS), which held in Abuja. She stated that when this happens, it could be at variance with the objectives of the Act. She cited some limitations in
the Act like the definition of a Nigerian company which the Act defined as a company with 51 per cent of its shares held by Nigerians whereas what this requires is that legal ownership should be vested in Nigerians. According to her: “This gives room for local fronting as the definition is not wide enough to capture trust or contractual structures behind the legal ownership, such as beneficial or ultimate beneficial ownership.� Anyanechi added that the definition thus prevents Nigerians from having a foreign holding company structure with ultimate beneficial ownership in Nigerians, and
that this may be desirable for several reasons, including tax or estate planning. “Also, there are serious infrastructure gaps in the country, with power being a critical one. This affects the ability of Nigerians to optimise opportunities in areas like manufacturing and engineering. “Due to these infrastructure gaps, as well as duties and taxes, the cost of importation may be lower than for in-country goods. This affects the costs of projects. Local content development must be holistic in nature such that investors do not become discouraged,� she said. She also called for increased awareness, programmes, train-
ings, workshops and seminars to educate the public and investment community about local content. Similarly, the Chairman of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Committee in. the House of Representatives, Hon. Legor Idagbo, revealed that the Act was undergoing a review in the House to plug existing gaps in its content. Idagbo, also agreed that the NOGICD Act as it is presently constituted has lots of gaps that need to be addressed. He said: “For example, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) currently do not have the powers to enforce.
We need to work at strengthening the board with powers of enforcement. “Secondly, the board presently does not cover the midstream and downstream. It should be able to cover those parts of the industry as well.� The lawmaker assured that the National Assembly would work to ensure the growth of indigenous capacity in the country’s oil industry. “While the oil and gas industry provide about 70 per cent of government earnings, it contributes less than 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Meanwhile, in Angola, the oil and gas industry contribute about 50
per cent of the GDP. So, we need to make sure we make improvements,� Idagbo explained. In his contribution, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Association of Energy Economist, Prof. Wumi Iledare, said it was important that professional bodies contribute to the development of local content by training younger professionals in the industry. He stated that: “Universities must also be utilised in building capacity in the industry. In addition, there must be continuous evaluation of the gap in the curriculum in a bid to upgrade it in line with current industry needs.�
Lagos, CNI Seek Stakeholders’ Collaboration on Security Hamid Ayodeji The Concerned Nation Builders Initiative (CNI), in collaboration with the Lagos State Government Ministry of Education District Three have urged security agencies and law enforcement personnel to effectively partner in order to tackle insecurity and terrorism in the nation. This, they explained, has been a hindrance towards achieving a sustainable developed economy, thereby spreading prosperity across the country’s regions. Speaking during a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, with the theme: ‘Security Awareness and Safety Measures,’ the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Education District Three, Dr. `Ayandele Olufolayimika, said, “Adequate security is paramount to any society that wants to experience a sustainable developed economic and prosperity. So, we all need all hands on deck to tackle and reduce insecurity issues. “One of the factors that fuel crime and insecurity in any society is when there is high rate of youth unemployment and rapid increase of the country’s population. “Also, high rate of individuals without access to quality education and ethical values can increase the criminal and terrorist activities of the country.
“It is necessary that we have the sort of educational structure whereby security awareness initiatives are infused into their academic curricula in order to enlighten our youths on how to identify crime; report criminal activities to the right authorities; and stay away from it. “Entrepreneurs cannot setup enterprises without engaging security issues that could face the business activities of the organization; neither can their business strive in an insecure environment.� In his remarks, the Provost, Michael Otedola College of Education, Eredo-Epe, Associate Prof Nosiru Onibon said, “Achieving adequate security is not solely in the hands of the security and law enforcement personnel’s. But rather it is a community effort. “The high rate of the country’s population makes it impossible for only them to curb crime and insecurity effectively. Hence, we all have to play our part towards this fight for a safer and more secure nation. “There is also the need to provide necessary and adequate infrastructure for citizens such as, quality education; employment opportunities; empowerment and developmental schemes for our youths in order to boost economic activities.�
CSR IN ACTION
L-R: Public Relations Officer, Passport Office, Ikoyi, Grace Udu; Group Head, Enterprise Business Resources, Access Bank Plc, Mac Atom; Deputy Comptroller of Immigration and Passport Control Officer, Passport Office, Ikoyi, Manir Yari; Head, Travels and Protocol, Access Bank, Adaeze Okonkwo, and Assistant Comptroller, Passport Office, Ikoyi, Yahaya Momodu, at the presentation of equipment donated by Access Bank to the Nigerian Immigration Service, Ikoyi Office, Lagos...recently
FG Parleys Stakeholders on Railway Sector Funding Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), and other stakeholders in the infrastructural sector, will hold a summit in Abuja on Thurday, to address the funding gap and the economic potential of the railway sector. The Managing Partner of TTL Group, Dr Onuoha Nnachi, said the economy would be buoyed when provision of railway infrastructure was made a priority by private investors as government alone is not in position to fund the
sector. He added that 11 countries with advanced railway technology, including China and India would be part of the dialogue. Nnachi, said the summit was necessary, saying government alone cannot provide the funding for railway infrastructure in the country. The National Infrastructure Master Plan drawn in 2015, to accelerate the country’s economic transformation, estimated that over $3 trillion would be needed over the next 30 years to build and maintain infrastructure for Nigeria. In addition, the dialogue would reflect on the level of tech-
nology in the industry plus the regulatory and policy framework, particularly the Railway Act that was established in 1955. The national master plan also proposed an annual increase of $33 billion in investments in infrastructure for the rest of the 30- year plan until 2043. The projected investment in railway and transport is $775 billion, representing 25 per cent of the total. “The regulatory act that was enacted in the 1950s is still being used to do business in 2020. All our railway infrastructure are being sustained from borrowed funds provided by China, which
is not sustainable. Nigeria was also ahead of India in rail operation in 1960, but as at today, India is leading us in light rail. “What are they doing right? These are some of the issues to be discussed during the conversation,� Nnachi contended. Also, a Director at the ICRC, Emmanuel Onwodi, who noted that the summit was welcome intervention, said at the end of the conversation, two critical committees that will drive the agenda of seeing more local content in railway operation will be set up.
‘Nigeria’s Beverage Market Highly Competitive’ Chinedu Eze Lagos Sales Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), Mr. Goran Sladic, has described the beverage market in Nigeria as highly competitive, saying the company carved a niche with quality product and efficient distribution system. Slavic made this known at the weekend, during the company’s annual sales convention held in Lagos. He described the Nigerian market as challenging with great potential, saying that the objective of the convention was to review the success of the previous year and plot how to record greater success in the present year.
He said the NBC, the makers of popular brands like Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite has been in Nigeria since 1951 and has secured a large segment of the beverage market, adding that 2019 was a successful year, which the company plans to surpass in 2020. “We are very happy as NBC to compete in the market. It is a rapidly growing market. There is plenty of opportunity. Specifically talking about the NBC, 2019 was the year of record performance and record growth, especially in the area of greater Lagos. “We are discussing this at the moment. We are taking advantage of the great momentum in 2019 to push and we are aware of the great opportunity ahead of us,
so the market is very competitive and we have a changing environment. “The environment is very difficult to operate in but I believe we have learnt a lot from our experience and we are looking forward to a positive 2020,� he said. Slavic, said the NBC was built around people, the company’s personnel, saying, it takes human resources development seriously. According to him, whatever success the company has attained was made possible by its personnel, the company’s distributors and other partners. The Sales director also noted that NBC has a good pedigree in Nigeria, considering when it
started operation in the country and that it has very good partners that have supported it and remarked that that NBC products and that of its partners are the leaders in local market. “Our success at NBC starts with our people. The company has a good heritage, starting from 1951 here. From then till today it has been a sustainable business and it is all about people. So, my strategy number one is to up the value from the people and when I said that; I mean in the development of the people to attain their highest capabilities and they start to work more and more as one team. “So for us at NBC it is about people as one team and entrench-
ing strong cultural values and that is absolute strategy number one. “Second, we are very lucky to have very good partners like the Coca Cola company, Monster and some other new partners and these represent the same values as NBC and they all have the top brands and when I say the top brands I means that they not only have the global brands but also the highest quality brands available in the market so the brand is our second strategy,� he said. “Nigerian Bottling Company products are performing excellently well in the market. It is a top brand. People go for the products. “There are a lot of
varieties in the market. The competition was stiff a little while back but with some changes that took place recently along with the review of the prices, the products bounced back. “We are located in an area where there is competition. I believe that because of the recent changes there have been a lot of push and penetration. “NBC products have an edge over others because of the unique taste. Coke is unique; Fanta is also unique. NBC cannot meet up with Fanta supply. There are many other orange drinks in the market but Fanta has a unique taste. When you talk about NBC, you expect quality products,� Shittu said.
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Assessing Contributions of Indigenous Hospitality Brands to Africa’s Economy Fidelis Nwoka African-owned hospitality brands have successfully established their relevance to the economic growth of the continent. Nothing best attests to this than the fact that at the moment, they account for 40 per cent of the hospitality market in the continent’s tourism industry. What this translates to is the fact that they contribute significantly to the estimated $194.2 billion contribution of the hospitality sub-sector to Africa’s economy, which represents about 8.5 per cent of the continent’s GDP. They have also provided a good number of the 24.3 million African jobs the sub-sector has created – about 6.7 per cent of total employment on the continent. They have been able to do this through a combination of factors that include provision of services that match those offered by international hotel groups – the same standards that obtain anywhere in the world – and ability to incorporate African cultures into their services, which is what appeals to local hotel patrons, and is what international brands have not been very successful in doing. African hospitality groups are also embarking on rapid expansion at the same rate international brands are doing. We are seeing more indigenous hotel groups, especially from South Africa and East Africa, expanding outside their territories to other parts of Africa in a bid to fully exploit the gold mine that tourism has become on the continent. For instance, Tsogo Sun, a South African hotel which has taken over from Protea as Africa’s biggest indigenous hotel group after the latter was acquired by the Marriot Group, has established strong presence in Nigeria managing Southern Sun Hotel at Ikoyi, Lagos. Another South African hotel group that is currently operating in Nigeria is Legacy. The group has also established presence in Ghana. Some of the African hotel groups are going beyond building of hotels to include, in their baskets of offerings, consultancy services and management of hotels for local brands in different parts of Africa, with wonderful results to show. An example is Icon Hotels Group Africa (IHGA),
a leading Kenyan hospitality group that has made a name establishing and successfully running a chain of hotels within and outside its home country, especially in East Africa. The hotel group is making inroads into West Africa, and has already berthed in Nigeria. The group handled the successful turnaround of Best Western Hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos, which was rebranded as BWC Hotel. The hotel is today one of the best hospitality outfits in Lagos. The IHGA is planning to expand its operations in the country. The hotel group is currently involved in the development of the $30 million, five-star Best Western Premier Breeze Hotel in Cotonou, Benin Republic. Its involvement in the project is by way of financing up to completion and commissioning. It will also manage the hotel when completed. A major contribution African hospitality groups are
making to the growth of the continent’s economy which cannot be ignored is their interest in training local manpower in the sub-sector. The benefit of this initiative is that more and more Africans are getting involved in an industry that is very critical to the continent’s economic growth. They see the growth as their own personal growth, as well as that of their children and generations unborn. This is something international brands are not interested in doing, because of the mainly profit motive of their involvement in the sub-sector and, indeed, the tourism industry. You find in most cases situations in which the top management positions in international hotels are occupied by expatriates. This has nothing to do with shortage of Africans to fill such positions, but the notion that the latter do not possess the requisite knowledge and skill to run international hotels. The success of Africans in running wholly indigenous hospitality
outfits has given the lie to this notion. The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) establishing the continent as the world’s largest free trade area is expected to become operational in June, this year. The arrangement is going to boost intra-African trade which will increase travels within the continent. This is an opportunity for African hotel brands to assert their relevance in the continent’s economic growth, as there would be need for hospitality services in virtually every nook and cranny of the continent. At the moment, at least four out of 10 travelers within the continent is an African. This number is expected to increase when AfCTA comes into existence. After the current bickering involving Anglophone and Francophone countries in West Africa over the sub-region’s choice of single currency, there will be an agreement, and it is taken as a given that the area will have a single currency. This is expected to increase movements within the sub-region. For hotel owners, this means increased business opportunities, as there would certainly be need for more hospitality services. It is an opportunity international hotels are also hoping to exploit, if it is considered that they are either currently expanding their operations in the sub-region or have announced plans to do so. As more opportunities open in Africa’s hospitality industry, one area indigenous brands may need to consider is safari management, an area in which they have demonstrated superior knowledge and skill over their international competitors. It is an area that is said to generate over 70 per cent revenue in the hospitality sub-sector. With the growing involvement of African entrepreneurs in hospitality, it won’t be long before indigenous brands take full control of an area in which their ability to blend intercontinental and local tastes would give them an edge over international brands, with positive outcomes for the economy – in the areas of revenue generation and job creation. Nwoka, a businessman, lives in Port Harcourt
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Nwosu: With Time We’ll Get into Renewable Energy Despite being endowed with abundant oil and gas resources, Africa remains plagued by energy crisis, with over 50 per cent of the continent’s population living without access to sustainable electricity. Although, the continent’s two largest oil producers -Nigeria and Angola respectively, play big in the crude export market, they have not been able to effectively utilise the proceeds from the natural product. In this interview with select journalists on the sidelines of the just ended third edition of the Nigerian International Petroleum Summit, the Chief Executive Officer of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, an indigenous oil company, Mr. Chikezie Nwosu, shares his views on the issues, and also gave an update about his company’s ongoing projects. Peter Uzoho brings the excerpts: Your company is building a modular reďŹ nery, and some people have asked if this is the way to go. What is your take on this? Absolutely, it is the way to go; we wouldn’t have committed to doing this if we hadn’t done a proper study of the environment where we operate, the needs of the people, and the ability to build an economic model that works, and that economic model is that of modular refineries. It allows you the redundancy that if you build several models, if there is a problem with one of them you can still deliver petroleum products. The problem with building one huge refinery is that if something goes wrong and enough redundancy have not been built in, then you cannot send out any refined products. So your volumes are significantly impacted. But going through a modular approach means that you do build in those redundancies. How far have you gone in building the reďŹ neries? It is 97-98 per cent complete. We will start pre-commissioning next week (this week). And in terms of investment? Very competitive, in tens of millions of Dollars. You mentioned some ďŹ gure earlier, was it $350 million? No, not for that refinery, you cannot spend $350 million for a 5,000 barrels per day refinery. I’m talking about the investment that Waltersmith has made over time. We have seen your interest interwoven other sectors of the economy, like the industrial park and clusters, what prompted that, what is your bigger vision towards that? It’s a paradigm shift; so a lot of people will tell you that we will not deliver gas because of the ability to pay. Well, what if you create the ability to pay if you create yourself? So, by creating an industrial park you create the ability to pay, because when industry comes in there, manufacturers, agro-business and all that, you are delivering power as cheaply as possible to them; you are delivering other infrastructure - road networks. So, they know that when they come in there they will be getting cheap power. So, part of their contract is that they will be able to pay. So, instead of continuously arguing about the poorer consumers who don’t have the ability to pay, why not shift a paradigm? Deliver to the industrial giants who will come into the place, that have the ability to pay. Because the cost of increasing from 300MW to 350MW is not a quantum leap; it is not the same as going from zero to 300. So, by the time you have put in 300MW of power and you have customers that are paying, it is possible to do an expansion and deliver to customers that can pay less with the hope that those customers paying less still get power and once they get power, what happens to them? The economic indices for them will change; their lives will improve, they basically become more comfortable with things, and they expose more to the world. As that happens, they become consumers that can pay. During your presentation you said Africa’s problem with respect to its abundant hydrocarbon deposits is consumption, can you throw more light on that? Africa is blessed with natural resources, but especially energy resources and I will concentrate on oil and gas. I have no problems with LNG plants. But what do you think happens with the LNG that we export? It is taken to deliver
Nwosu energy to other countries, so they consume. Now the other countries will not be coming after this LNG if it did not have an economic benefit for them and the economic benefit is that every dollar they spend on LNG improves the economy and create jobs that deliver multiples of Dollars above that. What we should start doing is that why we continue with exporting some of it, the next few plants we build have to come to domestic market for consumption. I know that the challenge is that the export market can pay, the domestic market cannot yet pay, but I will answer the question about paradigm shift. Create yourselves the domestic market that can pay, leverage on that to expand to the domestic market that can’t pay with the benefit that when you increase the economy of those people that cannot pay, they will pay.
been a partner of choice in this venture, and we hope that there are many more ventures they will come in with us as well as the NNPC.
We have seen interventions by local content impact on this project, could you speak on that a little bit? Wonderful intervention. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is a partner; they are not only a partner, they have helped us with respect to navigating the regulations, helped us with respect to understanding the local content requirements. So, when somebody asks how is Waltersmith transferring skills? You cannot be in a partnership with NCDMB if that is not one of the most important things that you have to satisfy. So, that partnership guides us along the part of what are the best local content initiatives for us to follow. So, the NCDMB has
If you actually plan to process petrol, is lack of full deregulation in the downstream, a concern for you? No. What regulation?
You mentioned something about funding chasing you. How cheap was the fund you sourced for this project? Let me tell you without being specifical with Waltersmith. When banks are chasing you that means you are able to negotiate better terms, but when you are chasing them it is a different ballgame. So, at the beginning of the history of Waltersmith, there were banks that we approached but they did help. The ones that helped now have the pride to say we were part of this job. Other banks now want to be part of this story and part of this job, and therefore that gives us the power to negotiate properly with them.
How do you get the feedstocks for your reďŹ neries? From the first phase, it is coming from us. From the other phases it is coming from those assets around us: marginal fields, SPDC JV operated assets, that need to secure their production. I know that the Bank of Industry (BOI) recently launched a $500 million funding for reďŹ neries, is Waltersmith going to be
part of that? We will be if we want to be, because we already have a partnership. That of Bank of Industry is the one they are in partnership with the NCDMB. NCDMB is a great partner of us. So, if we intend to leverage on that, it is a source of funding for us as well. But there are many other sources of funding. Are you an advocate of the shift to cleaner energy? Absolutely. But that transition has to change, the conversation has to change. If you see what I presented in the morning. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) are talking about the transition to cleaner energy but if you look at their spend, they are still spending a lot on gas. Why gas? Gas is de-carbonising fossil fuels, replace coals and oil gas, mainly coal, and therefore you clean up the environment gradually. So, gas is a cleaner fossil fuel. So, if you can replace all the dirty fossil fuels with gas we are cleaning up the environment. With time, we will get into these renewable sources of energy because gas doesn’t have an infinite lifetime. We will get to the point where these renewables become more important. The technology will bring down the cost significantly and then we will go into that area. That doesn’t mean renewables will not happen in modular fashion - step by step, but it will go in step with the development of gas.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 • T H I S D AY
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IMAGES
T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
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L-R; Regional Programmes Coordinator, The Leadership Project, Piboere Okukulabe; Regional Coordinator, West and Central Africa, Global Leadership Network; Francis Olubambi; Convener, The Leadership Project, Godman Akinlabi; Client Service Manager, Zenera Consulting, Idongesit Edet and General Manager, Sales, The Leadership Project,Olusola Oyawale at a press conference announcing the maiden edition of The West African Business Leaders’ Summit themed ‘’Leadership. Innovation. ProďŹ tability’’ organised by The Leadership Project in partnership with Zenera Consulting in Lagos...recently
L - R; National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and President of the Senate at the 60th birthday celebration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai and presentation of his book “These times: Selected writings and speeches by Nasir El-Rufai� in Kaduna...recently
L-R: Chairman, Creativexone Limited, Dapo Oluwaseyi Adelegan; Assistant Director, Public Aairs, Lagos State Ministry of Information, Aruya Temilade; Managing Director, Creativexone Limited, Doyin Adewumi; Executive Director, iFEST, Owolabi Mustapha and Managing Director, Mind Innovations, Jahswill Osondu at the launch of iFEST in Lagos...recently
L-R: Managing Director, Perfect Estate Developers Limited, Arc. Dayo Babatunde; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Representative of the Minister of FCT. Mr.Tony Odigie; Chairman, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Dr Adewale Adeeyo and Managing Director / Chief Executive OďŹƒcer FMBN, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa , during the commissioning of Woodhill Estate under the FMBN Cooperative Housing Development, in Kuje Area Council Abuja...recently PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN
L-R: MOMTAN Chairman, Alhaji Maruf Arowolo; Chief Finance OďŹƒcer, OVH Energy, Mr. David Rayner; Chief Marketing OďŹƒcer, OVH Energy, Mrs. Lilian Ikokwu,; Oleum Academy Season VI Best Graduating Student, Mr. Oyebade Eji-Taiwo; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, OVH Energy, Mr. Huub Stokman and NATA Chairman, Mr. Jacob Omonide Fayehun, at the Season VI Oleum Academy Graduation ceremony held at OVH Energy Head OďŹƒce, Apapa, Lagos...recently
L-R: Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Executive Director and Head, North-East Division of Guaranty Trust Bank, Haruna Musa and Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, at the ďŹ nals of the Lagos International Polo Tournament held at the Polo Club ground in Lagos...recently
L-R; Founder/CEO, Centre for Value in Leadership, Professor Pat Utomi; Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Sokoto State, Abdussamad Dasuki and Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Sokoto State, Dahiru Abbass, at the Sokoto State Ministry of Finance Management Retreat themed “Building the Future Together� in Lagos...recently
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L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Chairman, Bariga LCDA, Hon. Alabi Kolade, during the commissioning of network of roads in Bariga...recently
L-R: Snr. Medical OďŹƒcer, General Hospital Ikorodu, Dr. Ademola Abiola; Business Manager, Ikeja Electric Ikorodu Business Unit, Oyewole Oyeleye; Deputy Medical Director, General Hospital Ikorodu; Dr. Okudero Abimbola; Chief Commercial OďŹƒcer (CCO), Ikeja Electric, Enobong Ezekiel and Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue during Ikeja Electric’s donation of phototherapy machine and clinical items to children’s ward of General Hospital Ikorodu, as part of its CSR initiatives in Lagos...recently
L-R: Director, Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr.Yemi Oguntominiyi; Minister of Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN); other Directors and senior Journalists during the Hon. Minister’s inspection of Federal Government Highway Projects in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States...recently
Hon. Minister of Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola,SAN (middle), and others during the Hon. Minister’s inspection of ongoing Dualization of Odukpani – Itu (Spur to Ididep Itam) – Ikot Ekpene Road in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States...recently
L-R:Group Finance Director, Enpee Group, KLM Rao; Head, Financial Institutions, RMB Nigeria, Seyi Soetan; CEO, Agro Allied Resource Processing, Madhuka Khetan; Senior Trade Finance Transactor, Tosin Olatunji; Finance Executive, Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Limited, Afeez Rabiu at the GTR West African Trade Conference sponsored by Rand Merchant Bank in Lagos... recently
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Supporters Celebrating as the Supreme Court declares the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the November 16 Governorship election in Yenagoa-Bayelsa State... recently
R-L: Managing Director, Gucon International, Engr. Abiola Salau; Head of National oďŹƒce, West African Examination Council (WAEC), Olu Olanipekun; Osun State Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola and others, during the turning of sod of the WAEC permanent oďŹƒce in Osogbo...recently
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T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
EDUCATION Tsangaya: Changing Educational Pace in Alkaleri, Bauchi State Mother tongue is said to be the brain behind the successes of advanced nations and in their ability to teach with it in schools. Panti Community in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State has understood the powers inherent, and in collaboration with DFID/UNICEF, through the Tsangaya mode of teaching and learning, it is positively retelling a story in its reduction of out-of-school children. Kuni Tyessi reports
I
t was a class of approximately 30 square meters in a rural community known as Panti in Alkaleri Local Government Area, which is a distance of about 200 km from the heart of Bauchi State, North-east Nigeria. It could accommodate a little above one hundred pupils of both boys and girls who sat separately on mats based on gender. There was no specification of classes as they were aged between eight and 12. They wore no uniforms and majority, mostly the boys, had exercise books in which they copied all that had been written on the blackboard by the teacher, who also doubled as the school facilitator. He defiled English, the acceptable formal language and Nigeria’s lingua franca and spoke in Hausa, the indigenous language of the LGA. The children paid rapt attention as the teacher whose mannerisms of instilling knowledge proved that he has a passion for the job held sway. He made use of illustrations, jokes, familiar objects, everyday occurrences and even the pupils as live examples in buttressing the points, as well as solving the sums through the eyes of indigenous flavours. Mallam Idris Sali Barchi as he later introduced himself, said he, alongside others, had been trained on how to teach the pupils in a type of education which is a blend of Quranic and western style of teaching also known as the Tsangaya. This was supported by the Depart for International Development (DFID) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), through the provision of a classroom and two toilets, a gesture which has in turn boosted enrolment from thirty plus to over a hundred with girls being in the majority. With the provision of toilets which supports, encourages and provides dignity and privacy, a quest in the lives of girls, parents and the girls alike have seen the need to become open minded in the face of acquiring education, even if not for advanced purposes, but for daily interactions which are a necessity in, and for human existence. In the recent document released by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) titled ‘2018 National Personnel Audit (NPA) Report on Public and Private Basic Education Schools in Nigeria’, public almajiri/Tsangaya schools in Bauchi State are 10 and the estimated enrolment has been pegged at 1,686, which has reduced the population of out-of-school children in the state which is estimated to be 354,373. Also, in terms of zonal distribution of teaching staff in Tsangaya schools, the north-east has a total of 778 male teachers as against 273 female teachers, which gives a total of 1,051 academic staff, out of which Bauchi State has a total of 147 males and 26 females, a total of 173. With the daily enrolment of girls into basic education, it is expected that the number of female teachers will be increased for role model purposes and gender parity, among others. The teacher went down memory lane and narrated how the school started over a hundred years ago and like folklore, had been passed down to generations with the sole aim of teaching only Quranic education to almajiris and with lessons under trees and temporarily built altar-like spaces and without the inclusion of western
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed education. With this, girls were deprived from attending due to lack of exposure and cultural ethics as they would not accept to sit with their male counterparts and be taught. However, they got informal education at home. The use of Hausa Language to teach in
When we were going to schools which had English Language as the mode of communication, we found it very difďŹ cult and tasking to understand a lot of things. But now with Tsangaya system of education, we understand everything we are taught. This is because English is not the language we are used to. But here, with Hausa, learning is fun
the Tsangaya mode of learning was used to break all barriers and ‘formalities’ that might have been created by the English Language which is borrowed as a result of colonialism, even though one of the most spoken globally. The teacher said with the use of Hausa Language, the children who had already mastered the tongue, are able to first think in their indigenous language before translating it to any other, thereby giving them a firm grasp of what has been taught and the confidence to translate, by way of thinking, into another. He added that the use of mother tongue was in no small measure responsible for the large turnout in terms of enrolment and for the girls accepting to be taught with the boys with no form of coercion. “Before DFID/UNICEF intervention, we were using semi-raised platforms. When UNICEF came and observed this, they advised that they would like to see us go modern in terms of acquiring knowledge. So we pleaded with the teacher of this place to give us the opportunity to also use the venue, and so we met twice a week, Wednesdays and Thursdays. “So we were teaching and learning under a tree. From there we got this building and we are very happy that a school has been built for us and toilets have been provided. This has encouraged enrolment especially from the out-of-school pupils, as well as the almajiris. Some even come from other LGAs as far as from Ganjuwa. “Tsangaya system of education which accommodates those that are into begging of alms and almajiris is the mode of teaching here. It is a blend of Arabic and western system of education and that is why after the mallams teach them Quranic education, they allow us to come and teach them western education. With this blend, they
are able to understand faster. “This is a language used at home and which they are familiar with. With this, they are able to learn and understand better. Hausa is central even though there are other minor languages. The school had mainly almajiris who were not more than 30 and there were no girls at all as it was not open to them. But today, there are 59 girls as against 46 boys. Today, girls are involved which is a plus. “Initially, the girls will not accept to stay in the same place with the boys. But now with civilisation and proper understanding, they are accepting to be taught alongside their male counterparts.� The Head Girl of the school, Aisha Yunusa, explained what she is benefiting from the DFID/UNICEF intervention which she said has attracted her to several women who have excelled and so, she hopes to further her education and end up as a medical doctor. “We understand what we are taught. Initially, when we started sitting in the same class with the boys, we felt very uncomfortable because we were not used to it. With time, we realised that there is actually nothing to fear. “Now, the benefit of going to school has exposed us to knowing a lot of things which we didn’t know before. I want to continue because I am attracted to several women whom I have seen have excelled. I want to be a medical doctor and help humanity.� The Head Boy, Dauda Shuaibu Panti, a witty child of about 11, highlighted the benefits of blending mother tongue into western education, saying that with the mix in the style of teaching, assimilation has become easy and a smooth sail. He added that with the DFID/UNICEF intervention and in the donors’ understanding of the power that mother tongue wields, parents have continued to release their children and he has been able to encourage others within his neighborhood about the benefits of education, bearing in mind that western education has upheld their indigenous language as the best mode of learning within the community. It is also a way of saying that no language to superior to the other as long as the ends justify the means. “When we were going to schools which had English Language as the mode of communication, we found it very difficult and tasking to understand a lot of things. But now with Tsangaya system of education, we understand everything we are taught. This is because English is not the language we are used to. But here, with Hausa, learning is fun. “With this building donated to us, many parents are releasing their children for school and I have been able to encourage many of friends to enrol and indeed, many are here learning along with me.� With the aforementioned statistics, there is proof that the number of out-of-school children is gradually declining and there is hope that it will in no distant future be a thing of the past. Furthermore, it resonates with the belief that it is better to move, even though at snail speed than not moving at all. With the unwavering support of international donors, in collaboration with state governments, it is hoped that the 10.5 million out-of-school children will someday be kept on the shelves of Nigeria’s history.
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EDUCATION
Edo Varsity: Propagating Quality Education for Devt February 14 marked the fifth matriculation ceremony of Edo University, Iyamho. Adibe Emenyonu who was at the event, captured the uniqueness of the young ivory tower that makes it an envy of all
“I
learnt about this university and its uniqueness through friends and associates who told me that Edo University, Iyamho is the Harvard, Cambridge and IMT of our time. I was not in doubt of this claim because I know that great things are usually found in the heart, as Heart Beat of the Nation. “I see Edo State redefining education in Nigeria. It is with this sense that I accept the offer from Governor Godwin Obaseki to be the first Chancellor of this great institution of higher learning. “Nigeria has been yearning for this kind of education since independence, but no one was ready to face the challenge and come up with a world- class university of this status. I must commend the founding fathers of the university for their foresight in establishing a university that competes favourably with Ivy League universities like Cambridge and Harvard. I must say that EUI’s facilities are among the best in the world.� These were the words of the Chairman of Caverton Offshore Support Group, Dr. Aderemi Makanjuola when on November 2, 2019, he was installed as the first Chancellor of the institution and conferred with a doctorate degree in Business Administration. Corroborating the newly appointed chancellor, his ally, Mr. Kehinde Smith said: “I am impressed with the university. The infrastructure is excellent for an out-of-town university. I would recommend Nigerians to send their children there.� Without doubt, Edo University, Iyamho has become a game changer in university education in Nigeria with the sole aim of preparing students for leadership in a dynamic world. The desire of the state governemnt to provide quality education is demonstrated in the world class facilities in the university. The institution was established on March 23, 2016 having been approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as Nigeria’s 41st state university. Since its establishment, it has excelled in leaps and bounds as a world class institution which has remained the dream of the founders of the university by making it a place of envy in terms of character and learning. To achieve this, the management, under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Emmanuel Aluyor, a Professor of Engineering, began to put in place innovations to make it different from others. Those innovations include the use of CANVAS LMS/ AIS and smart/electronic boards for effective teaching and learning. By doing so, the university became the first in West Africa to acquire the CANVAS Learning Management System (LMS) and now the Academic Information
System (AIS) to deliver the highest possible quality education available anywhere in the world to the students. The management did not stop at just the acquisition of these latest learning gadgets, it also provides regular training for both teaching and non-teaching staff to enable them make effective use of the modern facilities available to them in the university. “Essentially, the training, which is a continuous exercise, is to ensure that we can get the maximum benefits from these facilities that we have acquired for use in the university. “We already have a requirement that all our academic staff should be computer literate, but being computer literate is not enough to be able to use a smart board and other modern teaching and learning tools, hence, the training. “We do these trainings from time to time to maximize the use of these facilities and get the benefits for the students.� Aluyor noted that the quest for members of staff to go beyond their comfort zone and to enable them contribute meaningfully to the development of the university was the driving force behind the training and acquisition of the latest teaching and learning aids. He expressed the institution’s commitment to providing the necessary and best legacies for staff, students and the university at large as a world class university in modern day teaching and learning environment. Apart from providing a good learning and teaching atmosphere, the university declared zero tolerance for gangsterism, cultism and other social vices as doing so will attract expulsion. These virtues perhaps remained the reasons why parents have made the institution the first choice for their children/wards. Mustapher Oloku, whose nephew is among the 503 matriculating students said: “Unlike other institutions of higher learning where cultism discouraged parents, in the school, there is nothing like that as anyone caught will be expelled.� Besides, he said strike which had always prolonged the graduation period of students in other universities, has no place in Iyamho as four years is four years. To Uwaji Okperi, who matriculated to study engineering, the learning environment made him choose the university as his first choice. He said before then he made a trip to the place to ascertain for himself what he saw in the internet before making it his choice while filling his JAMB form. Okperi also attested that the university has standard facilities for practical and theoretical learning for each department, saying that he
will recommend the school to his friends that are seeking admission into tertiary institutions. “There are no illegal activities here like cultism, drug abuse because the school authorities will not condone any of such,� he stated. For emphasis, the management during the ceremony warned the matriculating students for 2019/2020 academic session not to engage in any form of gangsterism or immoral behaviours as such would attract expulsion. The vice-chancellor while addressing the new students, added that smoking, possession of hard drugs, cultism and other acts of indiscipline would not be condoned, advising them to make the best use of the facilities provided to enhance their learning in
the university, which remains the primary purpose of their coming to the school. He said the university prides itself to be the model for the 21st century university in Nigeria with its world class technologically enhanced teaching and learning facilities. “One of such technologically enhanced teaching and learning tools in the university is the CANVAS: Learning Management System (LMS) and our robust Academic Information System (AIS). “In addition to the advanced technologically enhanced teaching, the university has adopted the competence based curriculum in medicine, student-centred learning model in teaching all our courses in the university and recently, the Outcome Based
Education (OBE) learning system for the Faculty of Engineering. “Some other of our enhanced teaching and learning tools include: power laboratories for Physiology students; fully equipped Engineering workshop for teaching multi-scale manufacturing; skills laboratories with high and low fidelity manikins for Nursing and Medical students; a world class Mass Communication studio; legal clinic for Law students; smart boards, temperature controlled classrooms with multimedia projectors, among others.� Wishing the matriculating students a memorable sojourn throughout the period of their studies, the university boss thanked parents for honour-
ing the invitation extended to them, adding that the university has also put in place a CANVAS Learning Management System to enable them partner the management of the insitution in training their children to be leaders of tomorrow. He explained that the aim of putting in place such system is to enable parents/ guardians anywhere they are to monitor the activities and performance of their children/wards in terms of classroom attendance, test, assignment and examination results. Highlights of the ceremony was the oath taking by the students and the symbolic signing of the matriculation oath which admits them as full students of the university.
L-R: The Librarian, Edo University, Iyamho, Mr. Abdulrahman Garuba; the Registrar, Dr. Isoken Ogboro; the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor; the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Omodia; and Bursar, Mr. Christopher Okhani, during the 5th matriculation ceremony of the university, held in Iyamho, Edo State... recently
ACEs Meet to Strengthen Impact on African Varsities The 53 Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACEs) from universities in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, will from February 25-28, converge on Abuja, Nigeria for the ACE biannual workshop. The opening ceremony and workshop sessions will hold at the Sheraton Hotel, while the closing ceremony will be at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC). Also expected at the workshop are representatives of the World Bank, the French Development Agency (AFD), Association of African Universities (AAU), and the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria. According to a statement jointly signed by the Communications Officers in charge of the ACE project for the World Bank, Mansir Nasir and Aby Toure; for the Association of African
Universities, Millicent Afriyie Kyei; and for National Universities Commission, Adebukola Olatunji, the event will provide the platform for the ACEs to exchange information on their respective programmes; build networks and forge partnerships to ensure the successful implementation of the project. Opportunities will also be offered to the media to interact with the ACEs, discover their programmes and results achieved, as well as their perspectives to make higher education more relevant to Africa’s development. The workshop will also mark the closing of the first phase of the ACE Project (ACE I) and to strengthen the implementation of ACE Impact. The ACE Project is a World Bank initiative, in collaboration with governments of participating countries to support higher education institutions in specialising in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), agriculture, and health. It is the first World Bank project aimed at the capacity building of higher education institutions in Africa. The first phase (ACE I) was launched in 2014 with 22 centres of excellence in nine West and Central African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. The project aims to promote regional specialisation among participating universities in areas that address specific common regional development challenges. It also aims to strengthen the capacities of these universities to deliver high quality training and applied research, as well as meet the demand for skills required for Africa’s development. The second phase (ACE II) was launched in East and Southern Africa with 24 centres across Ethiopia,
Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Based on the initial successes, the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD), in collaboration with the African governments, launched the ACE Impact Project in 2018 to strengthen postgraduate training and applied research in existing fields and support new fields that are essential for Africa’s economic growth. There are 43 ACEs (25 new ones and 18 from ACE I); five emerging centres; one “top up� centre in Social Risk Management; and five colleges and schools of engineering. The new areas include Sustainable Cities; Sustainable Power and Energy; Social Sciences and Education; Transport; Population Health and Policy; Herbal Medicine Development and Regulatory Sciences; Public Health; Applied Informatics and Communication; and Pastoral Production.
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T H I S D AY Ëž FEBRUARY 19, 2020
EDUCATION
AdeďŹ sayo, Utomi, Others Charge Youths on Critical Thinking Oluchi Chibuzor Youths in the country have been charged to learn from past experiences of the nation’s collapse of culture and educational systems so as to galvanize a future that will be based purely on critical thinking. This was the view of speakers at the Univ Nigeria Western Conference 2020, with the theme, ‘Next Generation Leaders’, held recently in Lagos. They agreed that it was necessary as experiences have shown that the nation got it wrong in so many areas. In his remarks, the Coordinator, Univ Nigeria, Mr. Ikechukwu Onuma said it was imperative to have the private and public sectors speak to the participants. “Organising this conference for the past 10 years gives room for answers to questions from previous participants on leadership either from public or private sector. “The idea behind the conference is to bring together young people to discuss issues that are known to them, we feel when you bring people in the same
gender together, they are free to express themselves. “The idea is to make young people to start thinking, we believe when there is no thought, there is no action. When you look at our graduates there is no critical thinking,� he stressed. The conference brought over 150 undergraduates across 15 universities to make presentations on key topical issues in the country. In her remarks, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo said the current education system has failed so many Nigerian youths. This she said prompted the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to draw up a new curriculum in partnership with some organised private sector to change the narrative in the state. “I have been there for six months now, so most of what we have done is not what you will see now, but the product will show ultimately. In actual fact, the skills are not there, funding maybe to some extent, human capacity and technical savvy is not just there, so we
need partners. “We are working with organised private sector; for example, in drawing up the present curriculum. We worked with Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and a group of oil magnete who wanted to come together and help girls in engineering. We will make it more attractive, remembering that we are part of this nation and cannot alter the essentials of the curriculum but we can enrich it. “We are developing a volunteer corp for anybody who wants to come and volunteer to make teaching look more exciting,� she revealed. The Founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, Professor Pat Utomi said there is plenty to suggest what the nation has done wrong, adding that young people are smarter to learn from this. “I am hoping they are doing that because any culture that is not a learning one, is doomed. Learning is really getting a return on experience and taking what your experience suggests
is very good and doubling up on it. “The collapse of the Nigerian dream, the possibilies of a Nigeria working best for its people is because we allowed the collapse of culture, which took morality out of the public space. People are now trying to be in power as we like to say in Nigeria with no idea of what they are supposed to do with authority beyond serving self. “Why would a person govern a country and most people cannot eat two to three meals a day and in the name of protocol, they spend billions to keep a presidential jet parked in some foreign countries because they are president. “They keep the National Assembly (NASS) consuming more money, a couple of hundreds of people than what is needed to transform the lives of so many. This is a failure of leadership and that is why Nigeria is like this. The fact that the leaders put themselves ahead of the people they serve is part of our tragedy and if the young people learn from that, it will bring progress to the country,� Utomi said.
Teachers and pupils of The Foreshore School, Ikoyi, during their visit to the Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice in Lagos... recently
The Foreshore School Visits Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice Funmi Ogundare The hope of children with varying disabilities was rekindled recently during the visit of teachers and pupils of the Foreshore School, Ikoyi to the Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, Surulere. The visit was aimed at ensuring that the children of the home feel loved and accepted. The school donated food items such as bags of rice, cartons of noodles, milk and cereals, packets of toilet rolls, bottled water, electric fan as well as mattresses to the children of the home. A care giver at the home, who does not want her name in print, welcomed the pupils, saying that they need to give thanks to God for who they are and their parents for taking good care of them. She thanked the school for the gifts saying, “the physical dis-
abilities of some of the children who have been abandoned by the parents was caused by drugs taken during pregnancy. “Disability is nothing as these children are created by God. They are unique and should be treated as such by society at large. Your being like this today is by the grace of God and you should give thanks to God and your parents.� The Head Teacher, Mrs. Helen Oyewole said the visit was aimed at commemorating St. Valentine’s Day in a unique way by spending time and sharing love with children of the home. “The essence of the visit is to make the children at the hospice feel loved and accepted. Valentine’s Day is a time to share and show love.� She said she believes that the government and corporate bodies can play active roles for a higher standard of care for physically challenged children in the home
by providing easy access to health benefits and incentives such as allocation and placement of qualified health workers as support. She added that there should be provision of assistive devices such as elbow crutches, walking frames, wheelchairs to families with physically challenged children to reduce their dependence. “There should be accessible, affordable and accurate assessment of these children and appropriate interventions to meet their needs.� The pupils who had been taught the slogan ‘difference is difference, difference is okay’, were of the believe that children who have one physical disability or another should not be pushed aside, but shown love and care. Miss Rolake Adenipekun in year six, said: “If some people have disabilities, they should be treated as humans and nicely. The children are okay and should
not be left out.� Master Demilade AshiruBalogun in year five said, “the fact that the children look weird doesn’t mean that they are bad.� Master Timayode Balogun in year six said, “when I first saw the children, I was scared because I have never actually seen these before, but I realised that there is nothing to be afraid of, the children are people like us.� To the caregivers of the home he said, “I like them because they give their time to people who need special care. I thank God for who I am and my parents.� The Head Boy of the school, Master Chijindu Eze said: “Coming in I saw a bunch of strange children, but I held in my thought about them because deep down, I know that they are still human beings. Everyone is the same. They may not look great on the outside, but I am sure they look great on the inside.�
KEHINDE OMORU www.kayomoru.com
HONOURED TO BE ‘BANKSY-ED’?
Kelly Woodru, her father and many fans of Banksy, appeared to have been honoured to be ‘Banksy-ed on Friday 14th of February when their house at the corner of Marsh Lane in the Barron Hill area of Bristol beheld the stenciled and 3D graďŹƒti of street artist Banksy. The artwork, now vandalised, is a stenciled image of a girl ďŹ ring a slingshot of red 3D owers and leaves. Early on Val’s Day Banksy conďŹ rmed this piece of his by posting its images in his oďŹƒcial Instagram account which today already has over 1.5m Instagram likes, as well as on his website. Banksy is indeed an enigma who has attracted for himself a curious obsession to be identiďŹ ed around the world.Banksy is described in the media with such descriptive words like: elusive, anonymous, England-based, vandal, political activist and ďŹ lm director, known for satirical street art and subversive epigrams, mysterious, a converter of dark humour in the graďŹƒti medium, as well as an artist executing his messages in distinctive stencilling technique.At Marsh Lane last Friday, people in a complete buzz of excitement, hung down there (in the cold with storm Dennis looming), all day. The news reported that there were so many people coming and enjoying the art and taking pictures. Kelly Woodru is reported as describing the mood to be fantastic, incredible and beautiful.Just about two weeks ago, Fashola decried the lingering pervading: violence, juju-projecting and ‘get-rich-quick’ themes of many Nollywood movies today. These his views, I take on board. About last week Yul Edochie ‘Banksy-ed’ (replied) by suggesting that Nollywood is essentially entertainment (which is key to anything Arty) and redirected our politicians to please enable Nigerians to ‘see food to eat’ and ‘see work to do’ again.If you’ve come out from the late Nigeria’s 1960s into the 70s that I counted the ďŹ rst blissful single ďŹ gures of my life in, you will appreciate the likes of Banksy’s Art and see the intrinsic values in the messages they throw out around the world. I am of course not happy that they appear on walls thereby vandalising walls. Back here, we need the Arts like never before to bear the situation for the world to see. Is it not a fact that left with little hope of starting o somewhere, many Nigerian Youths from poor homes with no name and connections are turning to juju to aid their taxiing and take o in life. But, is this juju even working sef? What a waste of national human energy!Art is about the only place where the soul can ďŹ nd its greatest freedom of expression. Derelict, juju-promoting Nollywood, for those who choose to see it that way, is preaching that ‘headship’ needs to rethink. It is telling ‘headship’ that her youths have lost hope, lost their dignity, lost belief in all endeavours -temporal. Our youths are now communing with the dead! Does the Yoruba saying that, ‘it is taboo for the dead to banter with the living’ no longer hold?Miles away from home, Banksy’s altered ‘Vote to Love’ placard described as a sadonic Brexit themed work, in which a heart-shaped ballon was spray painted to turn the word “leaveâ€? to “loveâ€? was recently bought for ÂŁ1.2m ($1.6m) by Bartow Morgan CEO of Broad Bank a Georgia-based banking company. According to Bartow one of his reasons for buying outlaw Banksy work is because “We’ve got Trumpâ€?. To date no one has judged Bartow for buying “Vote to Loveâ€?. Essentially, the Art is that one ‘place’ where we shall never all agree. It is the place where we can all ďŹ nd the individual crimes we’ve brought to the table. When you point one ďŹ nger at someone, know that your three other ďŹ ngers are pointing at you. Thank God for this because the Art like death is a leveller.
Mrs Kehinde Omoru writes from the UK
Four Visually Impaired UNIZIK Students Get Scholarship David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The Chairman of the Dome Entertainment Centre, Abuja, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo has awarded scholarship to four visually impaired female students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka. Okonkwo awarded the scholarship to the four who visited him in his Ogidi country home in Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State recently. The benefiting students are: Chinelo Ozoude, Somadina Chude, Chidimma Egbuonu and G. Udeh. He said he would spare no effort to ensure that the students graduate without hiccups to their studies. Okonkwo, a politician and founder of a non-profit body, Pro-Value Humanity Foundation, has through his foundation, awarded scholarships to hundreds of people in Anambra at
various times. He said he was impressed with the zeal of the students to acquire tertiary education in spite of their challenges. “The scholarship will cover tuition, feeding and accommodation for the beneficiaries in the next academic year. “These female students are ‘barrier-breakers’, I was moved by their determination to overcome their physical limitations and use their brain-power to create their future,� he said. Okonkwo said it was encouraging to see such female students working to overcome their challenges and add value to their lives. The Russia-trained political scientist called on other well-meaning people in the state to open their hearts to such students, adding that doing so would help reduce the challenges faced by physically challenged persons.
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T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
Research Grants Must be Tailored towards Solving Nigeria’s Problems, Says TETFund Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has said the new focus of providing grants for research and development activities in universities and other tertiary institutions is to encourage academic researchers to come up with solutions to the contemporary challenges confronting the country. It expressed worries about too much concentration on publication of research outcomes rather than focusing on addressing myriad challenges staring the country in the face. Accordingly, the agency held a week-long capacity building workshop in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE) for researchers drawn from selected universities in Nigeria, especially against the backdrop of a story in one of the online platform, which alleged that lecturers were misappropriating research funds to buy cars, build houses and other frivolities. The TETFund’s Director of Research and Development, Dr. Salihu Bakari, while making clarifications, said the story was blown out of proportion and it had no
basis on the issues at stake. He admitted that there were little infractions, saying the idea was to advise academics on the appropriate use of the funds and to create a paradigm shift from the old way of thinking. “I won’t call it diversion, there is nothing like diversion anywhere because TETFund by law is supposed to disburse and administer funds, so there are always guidelines. “So if there are guidelines for the application of monies, anytime we find misapplication or infractions, TETFund will pulse further disbursement and ask the recipient to account for the monies given before, TETFund has done much by producing thousands of PhD holders, including sponsoring so many industrial based researches.� While buttressing the importance of the workshop, Bakari said academics are meant to use their knowledge in bridging gaps hindering developmental initiatives as it concerns all strata of the Nigerian society. He said there are many misconceptions regarding
Dufil Reaches Out to Elderly, Orphanage Homes for Valentine’s Day In a bid to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged and give them a sense of belonging in commemoration of this year’s Valentine’s Dat, Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie instant noodles recently visited a home for the elderly, as well as a number of orphanages The company donated food items, educational materials and several cartons of its products to the homes, just as the exercise was carried out in key cities across the country. In Lagos, the Indomie team visited the Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, Surulere; Holy Family Home for the Elderly, Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin: Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment School, Akoka among others. Speaking during the Lagos visits, the Group Public Relations and Events Manager for Dufil, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju said February is the month of love and one of the best times to show love and admiration. “The donation is an avenue for the company to show love to the less privileged in the society, including the orphans by putting smiles on their faces. In the spirit of the season, the management and staff of Dufil Prima Foods Plc want everyone to have something to cheer about. “The visit is a continuous endeavour for us and it was
just wonderful to see the smiles on the faces of the children and the senior citizens at the old people’s home when we arrived,� he said. Ashiwaju added that the company believes in giving a reasonable proportion of profit earned back to the society, which it does through various corporate social responsibility initiatives and which he noted have far reaching effect in the lives of Nigerians. “In the past, we have donated medical equipment to hospitals to take care of children and mothers, refurbished town halls, donated laboratory equipment to schools and awarded scholarships at different levels of education.� He said the organisation will continue to seek ways to make life better for people in various areas of human endeavor. Receiving the Indomie team at the Holy Family Home for the Elderly, the home Coordinator, Reverend Mother Anthonia Adebowale commended Dufil for the regular support and encouragement towards the home, adding that the gesture will give them a sense of belonging and make the elderly feel loved during the season. “We are grateful to Dufil Prima Foods for the kind gesture and we hope other corporate bodies and individuals will tow the path of Dufil in reaching out to the needy.�
the functions of TETFund as an intervention agency. “This workshop is meant to set the tone for a paradigm shift, TETFund is now moving towards content-based intervention
in the area of research and development; for too long we have been emphasising teaching at the expense of research. “For long, universities have been carrying out
research for publication and not for development and now government is investing monies in applied research because research should be problem-solving, in other words, lecturers should
be seen at the forefront in diversifying the economy, making sure that the economy is knowledgebased, solving our problems through research, not with oil alone,� he stated.
L-R: The Group Public Relations and Event Manager, DuďŹ l Prima Foods PLC; Tope Ashiwaju; Headmistress, Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment Home/School; Alhaja Rabiu Sherifat; pupils of the home/school; Ibrahim Mumuni and Jumoke Odukale; and surviving son of the founder of the home/school, Rev Adeyemi Cole, during DuďŹ l’s visit and donation to show love to the children as part of the Valentine season
PUMS Honours Wike with Academic Building for his Contributions Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Pamo University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) has named its academic building after Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in recognition of his contributions to the rapid development of the institution. The inauguration of the Nyesom Wike Academic Building, which was performed on Monday by the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, was witnessed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri; Bauchi State Governor,
Bala Mohammed; Founder of PUMS and former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili; wife of the Niger State Governor, Hajia Amina Bello; Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige; and officials of the National Universities Commission (NUC). Inaugurating the building, Tambuwal commended the Wike for his commitment to the infrastructural development of the state, as well as his investment and support to the university, which will help in the grooming of quality medical professionals. “We thank the Rivers State governor for his support to this very important univer-
sity founded by Dr. Peter Odili. This support is clear and we are happy with it. The Sokoto State governor prayed God to grant Wike the wisdom to continue to administer a complex state like Rivers. In his remarks, Odili described the occasion as historic as it marks the opening of PUMS Administrative Block. He urged all stakeholders to thank Wike for his determined and consistent contributions to the growth of the institution. “Due to the support of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, the school has
been able to surmount the challenges of development, leading to the Nyesom Wike Academic Building.� Odili stated that the academic building has four lecture halls, 36 offices for relevant staff and four ultra-modern laboratories for courses for third year and clinical students. He said with his interaction with other key stakeholders of university education, the contributions of Wike remains unprecedented.� Odili thereafter led other stakeholders on a tour of the Nyesom Wike Academic Building.
Greenwood House School Celebrates Silver Jubilee Greenwood House School, Ikoyi recently commemorated its 25 years of delivering quality education in Nigeria with an event held at the school premises. The programme with the theme, ‘The Past, the Present and the Future’, which had in attendance, staff, dignitaries, alumni, friends and well-wishers of the establishment, highlighted prominent achievements and how the school’s objectives have remained consistent, thus contributing to the development of its students. In 25 years, Greenwood House School has demonstrated its commitment to shaping world leaders. It has been accredited by the Cambridge International Examinations, British Council, Association of Private Educators in
Nigeria (APEN), and the Association of International School Educators of Nigeria (AISEN). It was also awarded membership status by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS), an organisation in service of British international schools around the globe. This membership indicates total quality assurance in education for students and its dedication to teacher training. In her remarks, the cofounder and Administrator, Mrs. Ekua Abudu said: “We are pleased to have reached this pivotal milestone. For us, it is a testament to hard work, tenacity and dedication especially in this tough environment. Our students have gone far and wide into different walks of life, doing extraordinary things
and remaining exemplary. I am thinking much more about the future and how we intend to keep grooming the next generation of leaders at Greenwood House School with our team of qualified, dedicated and professional staff members and caregivers.� According to the Principal, Mr. Ronald Cilliers, “Greenwood House School operates on the premise of creativity, consistently pushing the creative boundaries of its students in a safe and secure environment. “The pupils grow into well-rounded, cultured individuals who are fully equipped for life’s journey. The children are the reason we exist and as such we see each and every one of them as our own children. We consider Greenwood
House a family and as a family, we love and support each other, no matter what. Having passed numerous milestones, the past 25 years has shown us that with hard work, dedication and love, we can look forward to the next 25 years with eager anticipation. “As part of activities to mark this 25-year milestone, Greenwood House School will continue its celebration throughout the year with a line-up of interesting activities. The school regularly gives back to society through various projects in Makoko and in childen’s hospitals; donates books and toys to public schools, and as part of our anniversary, we will undertake extensive renovations at the Eko Akete School in the campus area of Lagos,� he said.
T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
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CITYSTRINGS
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Championing the Drive for Cleaner Lagos Markets Ayodeji Ake writes that the Lagos alumni of the International Visitor Leadership Program recently partnered the Lagos Waste Management Authority and a non-governmental organisation to champion the drive for cleaner markets in the state through recycling and up-scaling
O
rdinarily, market places where consumables are sold are expected to be clean if not hygienic, but what exists in Lagos markets are filth of the worst order. It was in a bid to ameliorate the situation that the alumni of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), a program of the United State Consulate, recently facilitated a cleaner Lagos initiative through its market cleanup exercise. Held at Idi-Oro foodstuff market, the initiative went above and beyond to not just clean, but also educate the traders on the need to sell in a clean and hygienic market devoid of epidemic. They were also trained on recycling and up-scaling. On one of the usual Thursday mornings scheduled for environmental sanitation in the state, the alumni stormed the market with its environmental sanitation organisation partners, all kitted for the clean-up, as well as carried out recycling and up-scaling education and mentorship for traders, including young students in the neighbourhood. While the cleaning was ongoing, the President, IVLP, Lagos Chapter, Adetoun Tade, noted that the organisation has in the previous year engaged in mentoring young boys and girl in public schools and in 2020 has scheduled programs to visit market places by engaging in cleaning exercises and training them on how to transform their waste to income. In her words: “For the past year we have been working with public schools mentoring young boys and girls and it’s been a huge success. We feel that in 2020, we need to expand and do more for our community because it‘s all about the grassroots. Cleaning our market is one of the things we have added to our line of events. Mushin is a big place and every market here is like a major market. “Coming to Idi-oro market for instance, we see that it’s a market that people come a lot but we see a lot of dirt around just like in different streets and in different markets. Before coming in to talk to them, we realised that it’s so easy to blame the market people but talking to them, we realised they are having some challenges as well.� Speaking further, Tade said the group has realised the market places also face challenges which could be lateness of waste management in disposing refuse in the market, thus, the group also educated them on waste-sorting. “We are here to make them realise that their challenges are not permanent but there are ways around it. If LAWMA is not coming around to park their dirt in the next two to three months, throwing their dirt away indiscriminately is not the solution but there is a way it can be packaged, put together to keep the environment clean. LAWMA is not the one running the market, they come and make their money here everyday. “We have also partnered other nongovernmental organisations who will teach them about recycling and up-scaling because so many things they throw away, they can actually make money from it. We will also teach them how to use some of these things to make useful things like chairs, dustbin, tables, and other important things,� she said. She also noted that the program, which will be ongoing, has partnered orgainsations and will be visiting the market places after the exercise. Tade also admitted that regular clean-up exercise of the market places will sack rodents and prevent disease outbreak like lassa fever mortality the country today is experiencing. “With these exercise, and if they obey according to instruction, the population of rodents will be reduce. Normally the refuse we dump around invites rodents. We are planning to extend this exercise to other markets,� she said. For one of the partner nongovernmental organisations, Foundation for A Better Environment. (F.A.B.E), its Chief Executive Officer, Temitope Okunnu, emphasised on the need to sanitise the market places and ensure the
The IVLP alumni at work
During the sensitisation of traders on the need for a clean market
Leader of the Council, Odi-olowo, Hon. Ajenifuja, IVLP alumni and the President, Lagos Chapter, Adetoun Tade
With Susty vibes, one of the partner NGOs
market dominators are hygienically- inclined. F.A.B.E demonstrated how wastes like plastic bottles, sachet packs and others can be transformed to useful items like; chairs, mirrors and other valuables. “We partnered IVLP program because this is our area of impact. We chose the market place because this particular market place is where you have variety of food stuff. We hear a lot of diseases out there both locally and globally. There is a never increasing concern about the rate at which these diseases can flow from the market into our individual homes. In other to prevent that, we need to sanitise the market people. They need to be hygienically- inclined, keep their environment clean and understand how their waste can be sorted and recycled. “We see alot of potentials in the market. We see they sell majorly foodstuff and some of their food stuff an be converted into compost (rich fertilizers used by farmers). It’s a potential for the market to start looking at composting and biogas which is also produced from food waste. It can be used to power electricity and do a lot of stuff for them here. When we did our waste audit earlier today, we found out that there are a lot of plastic bottles and satchet bags which can be recycled which can also serve as income for somebody here in this market. So any kind of waste in this market can be sold. “We are an environmental health advocacy group. We are have shown the people what we call experiential advocacy which is our model sustainability plan or strategy where we clean up, sanitise and how to put waste into use. It’s one thing to teach people how to clean up, another thing to clean up and then leave them dry. We go extra mile in giving people experiential advocacy which simply means to demonstrate what they have been learnt,� she said. The representative, Susty Vibes, Tunde Anifowoshe, expressed enthusiasm in partnering IVLP to professionally train the market dominators on waste sorting and how to maximise profit through waste sorting. “It’s a national organisation of young people that are passionate about community development especially promoting the sustainable development goal. We are more focused on young people as young professionals. “Our major focus is advocacy. Educating the people on why they need to keep their environment clean and why they need to sort their waste. We need to keep our environment clean and its everybody’s responsibility. Not just cleaning the environment but how we can turn the waste to wealth. We teach them how to sort their waste and get the recyclables and make money. We then connect people to recycling agencies where they get point and then qualify to a gift for their waste. This is like incentive to promote cleaner and healthy environment. “I will say for young people especially, we need to emulate the act of cleaning the environment as a personal decision. So we need to be intentional about it. We shouldn’t wait for the government, we are just a group of young people and we have been doing this advocacy without waiting for the government,� he said. While expressing her appreciation afterwards, Tade said the support and participation of all made it happen despite the enormous challenges that came up suddenly. She said: “Thank you Mr. Taiwo Adewole, this wouldn't have been possible without you. You are always amazing and we appreciate and celebrate you. Our appreciation also goes to Mr. Emmanuel Adomeh, our welfare executive whose relentless efforts got us through. “We are also very grateful for the financial support from Mr. Champ Salami, Dr. Maymunnar Kadiri and our BOT chairman, Mr. Lambert Nor. Your support made it all easy. Many thanks to Esteemed Leaders Joseph Onoja, Tosin Taiwo, Abishalom Joseph, Joseph Lorwuese, Richard Edoki, Rita Okafor, Fsd, Amaka Anioji, Soni Irakpo and Hon. Remy Shittu. Thank you all for giving your time to make this impact.�
39
T H I S D AY ˞ ͯ͡, 2020
CRIME&SECURITY
NOPRIN Makes Case against Extra-judicial Killings in Nigeria Sunday Ehigiator
T
he Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) Foundation has condemned the growing spate of extra-judicial killings in Nigeria, just as it called on the government to bring all erring officers to book. The National Coordinator, NOPRIN, Emmanuel Ikule, recently made this call during a press conference held in Ikeja, Lagos State, and had in attendance several Civil society Organisations (CSOs) and journalists. According to him, “as a network committed to promoting police accountability and respect for human rights, we saw it pertinent to call together everyone to direct our cries to the government about the state of affairs in the Nigeria, before we lose our voices and there is no one to moan. “Section 33(1) of the 1999 constitution states that, ‘every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, except in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria’. “In light of an increase in extra-judicial killings, the call for reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria police force can no longer be easily disregarded. “The police do not necessarily have to disarm as some have suggested, to perform their function under the police act. Securing the lives and properties of Nigerians at this time requires that law enforcement officers be appropriately armed but also by those who are trained on the use of force.� Making recommendations, Ikule said, the federal government must demonstrate to every Nigerian its total opposition to extra-judicial executions. “They must make clear to all members of the police, military and other security forces, that extra-judicial executions would not be tolerated under any circumstances. “They should ensure that law enforcement agencies are trained and strictly monitored, to used force only when strictly necessary, and only to the minimum extent required under the circumstances. Lethal force should not be used except when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life. “Death squad, private armies, criminal gangs, and paramilitary forces operating outside the chain of command but with official support or acquiescence should be prohibited and disband, while members of
L-R: Investigative OďŹƒcer, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Esther Onyekwelu; Coordinator, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) Foundation, Emmanuel Ikule; and Chairperson, Federation for International Women Lawyers (FIDA), Phil Nneji such group who have perpetrated extrajudicial executions should be brought to justice. “Government should ensure that anyone in danger of extra-judicial execution, including those who receive death threat, is effectively protected. Ensure prisoners are held only in publicly recognised places of detention, and accurate information
about the arrest and detention is promptly made available to relatives. “Families members who have lost their loved ones as a result of these killings should be compensated, and their families taken care of, by the government. “The print media should write editorials on the subject of extra-judicial killings with a view to encourage the government
to check-it in the police force, and also encourage the judiciary to ensure quick dispensation of justice on such cases.� He concluded by recommending increased funding for the police as well as increased remuneration for the officers, while also nothing that every policemen should be retrained on handling arms and relating with civilians.
Call for Removal of Service Chiefs Unjust – Steve Eboh King Akan Veteran Nollywood actor and producer, Steve Eboh (popularly known as Ajebo), has described the call for the removal of service chiefs as unjust. This is against the backdrop of the Nigerian House of Representatives calling on all the Military Service Chiefs to resign or be fired by President Muhammadu Buhari if they fail to do so. Eboh, who has first hand experience working with the Nigerian Army at the field of the theater command in Maiduguri, during the shooting of his latest movie titled ‘Operation Last Dance' stated this recently in Abuja during an interactive session with journalists. According to Eboh, a former National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), “the Nigerian Army, led by Lt.
General Tukur Buratai is doing its best to stamp out the insurgents, and anybody that is calling for their removal is only an unpatriotic Nigerian and armchair critic. “In my opinion, Nigerians should appreciate the efforts of the Nigerian military in their quest to stamp out insurgency in the country. "During the shooting of my movie, I was opportune to spend time with the commander and several other members of the command, I can tell you that the level of patriotism, commitment and professionalism I observed in them is out of this world." Eboh went further to describe the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Buratai as the "most effective" Chief of Army Staff in Nigerian history. ‘Operation Last Dance’ which is an advocacy movie, was shot in several
Veteran Nollywood actor and producer, Steve Eboh locations in the North; Jaji, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Abuja and is billed to be launched later in the year.
RULAAC Advocates Rejuvenation of Nigeria Open Justice System Sunday Ehigiator Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) in collaboration with Nigerian Police have presented a report on the inauguration and launch of Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF) Anambra State tagged 'Building Stakeholding in Security Provision'. Speaking with the newsmen on the report which was recently presented in Lagos, the Group Executive Director, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the PSPF was inaugurated and officially lunched by the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP, John Abang in Akwa on November 27, 2019, to fill the gap in citizens awareness of the Anambra State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2010 and to address the deficit in monitoring capacity within communities. He said the collaboration would foster the PSPF in Anambra State in being a platform for monitoring compliance by the Nigerian Police and the ACJL with the roll-out of community policing by the NPF. “The platform serves to promote stake-
holders understanding and participation in its implementation. "It also serve as a mechanism for holding NPF Personnel to account for right violations while growing skill and awareness to ensure prevention and education of such violations.� According to him, the launch of the PSPF was attended by over 50 persons and participants were drawn from diverse group and stakeholders including the media, community based, academics, women and youth organisation and many more. He added that the robust discussion, interaction and engagement by participants of the issue raised followed with participants unanimously welcoming the initiative. "Many emphasised the need for the stakeholders in the state to own and make the PSPF work and noting that what RULAAC has done was only to open up opportunities for stakeholders and all residents of the state who are the ones directly affected by police abused and other failures within the Criminal Justice System (CJS)."
L-R: RULAAC Finance and Admin OďŹƒcer, Nkechi Ochulor; RULAAC Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma; and Crime Editor, New Telegraph Newspaper, Juliana Francis, at the formal presentation of 'Building Stakeholding in Security Provisioning: A Report on the Inauguration and Launch of Police Stakehokders Partnership Forum (PSPF), Anambra State' recently held in Lagos
40
T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍˇËœ 2020
BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE
Minister Promises Infrastructural Renewal for CMD Peter Uzoho The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clem Agba, has expressed his resolve to address the infrastructural deficit at the Center for Management Development (CMD), Lagos State. The minister also said the ministry was going to make the CMD a center of excellence in manpower development for the economic development of the country. Agba, who stated this during his familiarisation tour of the CMD office recently, decried the level of infrastructural decay at the center despite huge amount of money allocated and released to it in the past. “I have seen the infrastructure and I am not too happy about
it. We have to do all that we can to change the narrative, because lamentation will not help. We have to start taking those steps gradually,� Agba said. He also assured the staff of the center, who had complained of lack of regular capacity building workshop and overseas training for them for a long time, that he would do his best to ensure a change in the narrative. He, however, charged the management of the center to look for ways of generating revenue to address some the challenges of the center. Agba, equally assured the Acting Director General of the CMD, Mr. Bitrus Chinoko, based on the request of the CMD staff, that he would put in a good case to ensure his confirmation as the
substantive DG of the center. Earlier in his welcome address, Chinoko, explained to the minister that lack of capacity building for staff was hindering the center from delivering its mandate. He added: “It is our greatest desire to have a world class centre of excellence and this can only be achieved when we have good infrastructure and highly skilled staff.� The CMD is a government agency saddled with the responsibilities of regulation of standards, development of managerial manpower for the country and a broad range of skills to enhance the quality of management and leadership for the attainment of national economic goals.
REGICSeeks FG’s Collaboration on Agri-business Ebere Nwoji The Royal Exchange General Insurance (REGIC), said it wishes to collaborate with government and other stakeholders in agriculture and food production to unlock the opportunities that abound in promoting the agribusiness value-chain. This, according to the company, would aid the nation’s quest in achieving food sustainability, security and improved output. REGIC, said this at a recent media briefing in Lagos, adding that it recently launched two variants of its agricultural index insurance products in 2019 under the ‘SMART AGRIC’ stable. They are the Hybrid Index Insurance (HII) for small-holder
farmers and Multi-Peril Crop Insurance cover (MPCI) embedded with Weather Index Insurance (WII)) for medium scale producers and crowdfunding agribusinesses. REGIC Managing Director, Benjamin Agili, while speaking on the company’s adventure into agric insurance said, “Crucial to achieving these milestones were our strategic business partnerships with NIRSAL, AFEX commodity exchange, Bijan Farms, Green Eagles Agribusiness Solutions to mention a few. “Having worked over a span of two years with NIRSAL developing and perfecting the initial designs and features of our first index product variant - the Hybrid Index insurance (HII) - we were able to launch
same product in the 2019 wet-planting season; making Royal Exchange the first-ever insurer to launch this climate change protection package for the Nigerian market, Agili said. According to him, REGIC HII product, stands out as an agricultural insurance protection product offered to small holder farmers and aggregators alike to protect their rain-fed agriculture from perils of climate change such as dry spells, drought, excess rainfall and flood etc, leading to crop shortfall or losses. He said this was an advanced variant of Weather Index Insurance bundled with a vegetative index cover, better known as Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI).
Allianz Nigeria Launches New Claim Settlement Initiative Ebere Nwoji Allianz Nigeria Insurance Plc has launched a new initiative tagged: “The 60minutes Revolution,� which ensures that customers experience faster claims resolution within 60 minutes. The company said with the initiative, claims payment would no longer be business as usual as customers would now have their motor claims settled within 60 minutes given that they send all the required documents. Commenting on the initiative, Executive Director, Allianz
Nigeria, Owolabi Salami, said: “We understand that complete customer satisfaction is not solely about giving competitive rates or swift delivery of policy documents but also how quickly we can have claims resolved; how quickly we can help our customers get back on track.� According to him, with the Allianz claims payment initiative, customers no longer have to worry about how long a claim would take or when they would get paid. “It will only take us 60 minutes to have your claim resolved, what we require to enable us achieve
this is a filled claim form, picture showing full view of vehicle and estimate of repair,� he said. Explaining further the rationale behind this initiative, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer for Allianz Nigeria, Walter Bossman, noted that in a society such as Nigeria, a delayed motor claim should not be on the list. This according to him, informed Allianz Nigeria’s resolve, “to revolutionise the industry by making sure that customers are not inconvenienced any further by paying their claims within 60 minutes.�
Fine and Country Partners PwC, Udo Udoma Fine and Country West Africa has said it is collaborating with PwC and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie to organise The Refined Investor Series. According to a statement, with PwC and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie as partners, Fine and Country would execute what has been described as one of the most anticipated and insightful real estate events for the upper quartile market in Nigeria. The statement noted that ‘The Refined Investor Series,’ is a real estate thought leadership gathering of astute high net worth investors, economic influencers, real estate developers, industry leaders and real estate enthusiasts. The series, reputed for high level conversations was well
attended by high profile business leaders and investors, it pointed out. “The Refined Investor Series has hosted over 2000 private investors with the participation of major financial institutions, and related industries featuring companies. “This year’s edition is themed: “FOCUS 2020: The State of the Nigerian Real Estate Market,� would point smart investors to strategic collaborations as well as guide them through efficient visioning, planning and management of their real estate investments. Fine and Country West Africa is expected to lead conversations addressing the current state of the real estate market, regulatory updates, challenges, opportunities,
new growth areas and the focus for year 2020 with a vast contribution from our multi-sector speakers from the marketing, legal, taxation, and financial perspectives; including Mrs. Udo Okonjo, CEO of Fine and Country West Africa; Dr. Andrew S. Nevin (Partner - West Africa Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist, PwC), Ms. Esiri Agbeyi (Partner, PwC), Mrs Lolade Ososami (Partner at Udo Udoma & BeloOsagie), Mr Obi Nwogugu (Principal, African Capital Alliance); Mr. Peter Aleogena, Managing Partner, Prestige Capital Limited and Mrs Linda Isiekwena (Partner, Moland Solicitors along with David Mbah of Fine and Country Nigeria . ‘
Group Managing Director, SO&U, Udeme Ufot (left), and Former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Edem Duke, during the funeral ceremony of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s father, late Gabriel Emmanuel Nkanang in Akwa Ibom State‌recently
MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS
(MILLION NAIRA)
SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)
35,029,779.72
-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors
7,374,356.91
Money Supply (M2)
27,655,422.82
-- Quasi Money
116,533,891.21
-- Narrow Money (M1)
11,121,531.60
---- Currency Outside Banks
1,625,047.69
---- Demand Deposits
9,496,483.91
Net Foreign Assets (NFA)
13,911,335.83
Net Domestic Assets(NDA)
21,118,443.89
-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)
35,918,179.45
---- Credit to Government (Net)
10,452,199.38
---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA
11,007,422.79
---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)
25,465,980.07
---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)
-14,799,735.56
--Other Assets Net
7,000,253.07
Reserve Money (Base Money
2,005,600.83
--Currency in Circulation
4,677,530.81
--Banks Reserves
317,121.43
Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹
Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month
March 2018
Inter-Bank Call Rate
15.16
Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)
14.00
Treasury Bill Rate
11.84
Savings Deposit Rate
4.07
1 Month Deposit Rate
8.82
3 Months Deposit Rate
9.72
6 Months Deposit Rate
10.93
12 Months Deposit Rate
10.21
Prime Lending rate
17.35
Maximum Lending Rate
31.55
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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT MONDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2020
The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $57.24 a barrel on Monday, compared with $56.73 the previous Friday, 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
41
T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍˇËœ 2020
MARKET NEWS
‘More Incentives Needed to Attract Investments to Capital Market’ Goddy Egene The federal government has been advised to give more tax incentives to investments in the Nigerian capital market in order to attract capital that can be used to fund infrastructure. The acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk, who made the call said although the Finance Act of 2019 has provided some initiatives that are in support of the capital
market, there should be more tax incentives to encourage the flow of capital into the market. “I want to say that we appreciate government for the Finance Act of 2019 and a number of initiatives that are in support of the capital market. We had expected more because we have been working on those initiatives for many years with Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) and other relevant stakeholders. “The government has through the Finance Act answered some
P R I C E S MAIN BOARD
F O R DEALS
of our prayers. There are others that we thought they would have done like the issue of taxes but they gave us what they thought we should have. We will continue to push for more tax reductions in different areas,� she said. According to her, the focus is driving investments to the capital market and the economy at large and for that happen, the issue of tax incentives is very critical. “For instance, infrastructure
S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE
QUANTITY TRADED
VALUE TRADED ( N )
funds can only be provided with the support of the private sector through the capital markets that are known for long term investments. So, we should be able to have infrastructure funds and such investments, of course, should enjoy tax incentives. Private equity funds that also drive investments in SMEs, venture capital among others are critical. “Government can look at private equity funds operators who can invest in core areas
T R A D E D MAIN BOARD
A S
of the economy like mining, agriculture and grant certain incentives to them. Such incentives will drive inflows of capital into those areas and the capital market,� Uduk added. Meanwhile, the SEC boss noted that efforts were being made to ensure more companies list in the stock market. According to her, there is committee going round engaging some of the companies to come to the market. She said: “We also have a
O F
standing market committee that is driving this issue encouraging and engaging other companies to come and list in the market. Don’t forget that these companies are private companies that are family companies, so it takes a lot to get them to come to the market. We are also looking at what the requirements are that the companies find hard or difficult to comply with. We will work with them to ensure how we can bring them to the market,� she said.
1 5 / 0 2 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS
MARKET PRICE
QUANTITY TRADED
VALUE TRADED ( N)
42
˾ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Down 19bps
THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX
zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ƚŚĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĨĞůů Ϭ͘Ϯй ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ 1,180.45 points following declines in GUARANTY (-0.5%), ZEN-
Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index
ITH (-0.5%), and UBA (-ϭ͘ϵйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ for 20.5% of the index.
Local Bourse Posts Bearish Performance... ASI sheds 0.7% WƌŝĐĞ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ - FBNH (-2.5%), UBA (-1.9%) and GUARANTY (-0.5%) - pulled the All-Share Index down 8bps to 27,547.56 points. Consequently, YTD return fell to 2.6% ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƐŚĞĚ േϭϮ͘ϮďŶ ƚŽ േϭϰ͘ϯƚŶ͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ level advanced as volume and value traded rose 24.9% and ϯϲ͘Ϯй ƚŽ ϭϲϴ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ േϮ͘ϮďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĂĐƟǀĞ stocks by volume were ZENITH (49.0m units), GUARANTY (17.1m units) and UCAP (15.6m units) while ZENITH ;േϵϱϯ͘ϮŵͿ͕ GUARANTY ;േϰϵϰ͘ϴŵͿ ĂŶĚ ACCESS ;േϭϮϰ͘ϰŵͿ led by value.
Ticker
Current Price
THISDAY AFRINVEST 40
Price Change Index to Date
ROE
ROA
P/E
P/BV
Divindend Earnings Yield Yield
1,180.45
-0.19%
-19.6%
18.0%
17.7%
5.5%
4.7x
0.7x
6.6%
18.1%
1 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC
116.00
0.0%
29.8%
10.5%
6.4%
137.7%
13.8%
13.8x
23.3x
2.6%
7.3%
2 Airtel Africa PLC
298.90
0.0%
14.2%
0.0%
0.0%
3.6%
3 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC
28.85
-0.5%
10.7%
-2.9%
-1.2%
32.9%
5.4%
4.4x
1.4x
9.5%
23.0%
4 Zenith Bank PLC
19.50
-0.5%
6.8%
4.8%
4.3%
24.3%
3.4%
3.1x
0.7x
14.4%
32.7%
5 Nestle Nigeria PLC 6 Dangote Cement PLC
1,242.00
0.0%
4.2%
-15.5%
-15.5%
82.9%
26.3%
21.1x
17.4x
5.5%
4.7%
170.00
0.0%
5.4%
19.7%
19.7%
47.8%
23.1%
7.5x
3.4x
10.0%
13.3%
7 Access Bank PLC
9.70
0.0%
4.2%
-3.0%
-4.0%
22.7%
2.2%
2.4x
0.6x
5.2%
41.0%
8 United Bank for Africa PLC
7.55
-1.9%
3.0%
5.6%
4.9%
18.7%
2.0%
2.7x
0.5x
11.3%
37.1%
9 FBN Holdings Plc
5.80
-2.5%
2.6%
-5.7%
-10.8%
10.3%
1.0%
4.0x
0.3x
4.5%
24.8%
10 Nigerian Brew eries PLC
51.50
0.0%
2.4%
-12.7%
-12.7%
9.6%
4.2%
25.6x
2.5x
4.7%
3.9%
11 Lafarge Africa PLC
15.10
0.0%
2.8%
-1.3%
9.4%
50.3%
23.4%
15.2x
0.7x
605.00
0.0%
2.3%
-8.0%
2.2%
14.4%
9.5%
3.9x
0.5x
6.6%
25.7% 18.2%
12 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C
6.6%
13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC
38.50
1.3%
1.9%
-6.1%
-3.8%
27.3%
4.1%
5.5x
1.4x
5.2%
14 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC
23.00
0.0%
1.2%
16.8%
16.8%
3.6%
1.3%
17.9x
0.7x
5.2%
7.05
0.0%
0.7%
-25.8%
-25.8%
-114.4%
-7.5%
15 International Brew eries PLC
6.3x
5.6% -39.9%
16 Ecobank Transnational Inc
6.40
0.0%
0.9%
-1.5%
-2.3%
13.8%
1.0%
2.1x
0.3x
17 Fidelity Bank PLC
2.13
0.0%
0.8%
3.9%
5.4%
13.4%
1.5%
2.1x
0.3x
5.2%
46.6% 18.4%
18 11 PLC
Bearish Sector Performance
Price Previous Current Change Price Weightin YTD Change g
48.7%
133.20
0.0%
0.6%
-9.9%
-9.9%
24.1%
10.9%
5.4x
1.2x
6.2%
19 Okomu Oil Palm PLC
68.00
0.0%
0.8%
22.3%
22.3%
19.1%
13.5%
11.8x
2.2x
4.6%
8.5%
20 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC
12.35
0.0%
0.5%
-9.2%
-11.8%
19.6%
11.6%
7.3x
1.5x
8.9%
13.6%
1.2x
10.0%
0.95
0.0%
Across sectors, performance was mixed as 2 indices lost, 1
21 Transnational Corp of Nigeria
0.5%
-4.0%
-11.2%
22 Unilever Nigeria PLC
15.00
0.0%
0.3%
-31.8%
-27.5%
-5.6%
-3.5%
ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŶĚ ϯ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝͲ
23 Guinness Nigeria PLC
25.20
0.0%
0.3%
-16.1%
-16.1%
4.9%
2.6%
13.1x
0.6x
6.0%
7.6%
1.80
-1.1%
0.4%
-2.7%
-1.1%
9.2%
1.1%
2.0x
0.2x
7.7%
49.4%
24 FCMB Group Plc
3.2% -4.9%
ces lost, down 49bps and 1bp following price declines in FBNH (-
25 Sterling Bank PLC
1.56
0.0%
0.3%
-21.6%
-17.9%
10.0%
0.9%
4.1x
0.4x
2.5%), UBA (-1.9%), GUARANTY (-0.5%) and VITAFOAM (-
26 UAC of Nigeria PLC
9.00
0.0%
0.3%
4.7%
1.1%
-9.6%
-4.1%
2.5x
0.6x
7.1%
39.6%
ϯ͘ϮйͿ͘ On the other hand, the Insurance index was the lone gainer, up 22bps ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ in WAPIC (+10.0%) and AIICO ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ͘ &ŝŶĂůůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ͕ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ &Z-ICT indices ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘
27 Custodian and Allied Insurance
6.05
0.0%
0.3%
0.8%
0.8%
17.5%
7.0%
5.0x
0.8x
7.4%
20.1%
49.85
0.0%
0.3%
4.9%
4.9%
15.9%
6.4%
12.5x
1.9x
4.3%
8.0%
7.00
-0.7%
0.2%
16.7%
15.7%
7.0%
1.1%
11.2x
0.9x
107.00
0.0%
0.2%
-3.5%
-3.5%
8.8%
2.0%
13.9x
1.3x
13.1%
7.2%
28 Presco PLC 29 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC 30 Total Nigeria PLC 31 Oando PLC
/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ to 0.9x from the 0.6x recorded in the previous trading session as 12 stocks advanced ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ϭϯ
3.60
0.0%
0.2%
-9.8%
-9.8%
14.5%
2.6%
1.6x
0.2x
13.00
0.0%
0.2%
0.4%
0.4%
16.5%
5.8%
18.1x
3.1x
7.7%
5.5%
33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC
22.50
0.0%
0.2%
13.1%
13.1%
26.7%
3.4%
2.8x
0.7x
8.9%
35.8%
0.68
3.0%
0.1%
-8.1%
0.0%
9.0%
0.9%
5.5x
0.5x
4.4%
18.2%
18.55
0.0%
0.1%
2.5%
3.1%
7.6%
1.3%
17.1%
11.2%
35 Forte Oil PLC 36 Continental Reinsurance PLC 37 Beta Glass PLC
70.00
0.0%
0.1%
30.1%
30.1%
62.50
0.0%
0.1%
0.0%
0.0%
39 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC
2.00
0.0%
0.1%
1.0%
1.0%
40 Transcorp Hotels Plc
4.05
0.0%
0.0%
-17.3%
-17.3%
T ic k er
JAPAULOIL (-4.8%) and COURTVILLE (-4.5%) led the laggards.
ŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ͘
zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJΖƐ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ ĐƟŽŶƐ
-1.4%
6.4x
1.2x
2.0%
10.3%
2.8%
8.7x
0.8x
11.5%
38.2x
3.8%
P ric e C hg %
UA C -P R OP
0.99
10.0%
Z EN IT H B A N K
WA P IC
0.33
10.0%
GUA R A N T Y
C ILEA SIN G
5.80
7.4%
UC A P
15.6
1.7%
0.48
6.7%
A C C ESS
12.8
0.0%
T ic k er
P ric e C hg %
49.0
-0.5%
17.1
-0.5%
10.3
-2.5%
0.71
4.4%
FB NH
NP FM CRFB K
1.20
4.3%
T R A N SC OR P
9.0
0.0%
UN IT YB N K
0.54
3.8%
VIT A F OA M
6.2
-3.2%
WEM A B A N K
0.68
3.0%
F ID ELIT YB K
5.9
0.0%
A IIC O
0.82
2.5%
UB A
5.1
-1.9%
ET ER N A
2.15
2.4%
UA C N
4.3
0.0%
T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e
T o p 10 L o s e r s
ƚŽ േϴ͘ϱϵďŶ͖ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJΖƐ ƉƌŽĮƚ ĂŌĞƌ ƚĂdž grew 14.6%
T ic k er
P ric e
P ric e C hg %
T ic k er
Value
ƚŽ േϰ͘ϵϳďŶ ĨƌŽŵ േϰ͘ϯϯďŶ ŝŶ FY:2018.
LA WUN ION
0.99
-4.8%
Z EN IT H B A N K
953.2
-0.5%
J A P A ULOIL
0.20
-4.8%
GUA R A N T Y
494.8
-0.5%
Afrinvest West Africa Limited
2.6%
Vo lum e
J A IZ B A N K
United Capital WůĐ ;hŶĂƵĚŝƚĞĚ &z͗ϮϬϭϵͿ͗ ZĞǀĞŶƵĞ ĨĞůů ϳ͘Ϯй z-o-Y
15.7%
1.5x
P ric e
ŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞ ŽĨ ƟĞƌ-ϭ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ N EIM ET H stocks. ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ǁĞ ŶŽƚĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĨŽƌ ďĂƌͲ
1.4x
T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e
T o p 10 G a i n e r s
IC (+10.0%) and CILEASING (+7.4%) while LAWUNION (-4.8%),
64.5%
0.0%
38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd
decliners. The best performers were UAC-PROP (+10.0%), WAP-
tĞ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶ ŽƵƌ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ŽƵƚůŽŽŬ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƉĞŶĚͲ
8.9%
32 NASCON Allied Industries PLC
34 Wema Bank PLC
/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ
24.3%
P ric e C hg %
C OUR T VILLE
0.21
-4.5%
A C C ESS
124.4
0.0%
LIN KA SSUR E
0.44
-4.3%
D A N GC EM
82.3
0.0%
VIT A F OA M
4.55
-3.2%
ST A N B IC
64.9
1.3%
FB NH
5.80
-2.5%
FB NH
60.4
-2.5%
UB A
7.55
-1.9%
N EST LE
56.8
0.0%
A F R IP R UD
4.66
-1.9%
M TNN
50.8
0.0%
LIVEST OC K
0.69
-1.4%
UC A P
45.7
1.7%
FCM B
1.80
-1.1%
UB A
38.7
-1.9%
Brokerage
Asset Management
Investment Research
Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com
Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com
Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com
Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com
Oluwarotimi Ashimi | oashimi@afrinvest.com
Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com
43
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY
MARKET NEWS
C & I Leasing Records Improved Earnings, N1.7bn Profit after Tax Goddy Egene C & I Leasing Plc has reported improved results for the year ended December 31, 2019, raising investors’ hope of receiving higher dividend for the year. According to the unaudited results, C & I
Leasing posted gross earnings of N35.987 billion in 2019, showing an increase of 29 per cent from N27.815 billion recorded in 2018. Net leasing income grew by 34 per cent from N8.782 billion to N11.809 billion in 2019, while net outsourcing income rose from N832
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
million to N1.041 billion. Financing cost remained high, rising by 19 per cent from N4.728 billion to N5.650 billion in 2019. The company ended the year with profit before tax of N1.863 billion up from N1.413 billion N1.169 billion in 2018, while profit
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 17Feb-2020, unless otherwise stated.
after tax printed at N1.747 billion, indicating an increase of 32 per cent from N1.169 billion in 2018. A corporate action is expected when the company would come up with the audited accounts. Some market operators said the cost of financing would likely reduce
in the current year considering the fact that C & I Leasing made a rights issue to raise fresh capital from existing shareholders late last year. The outcome of the issue is being expected. C & I Leasing made a rights issue of 539,003,333 ordinary shares of
N0.50 each at N6.00 per share to raise about N3.234 billion. According to the company, the funds would be used to finance business expansion(29.17 per cent); refinancing of loans (58.34 per cent); and investment in working capital (9.73 per cent).
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 N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.92 0.93 9.44% ACAP Income Funds 0.76 0.76 33.95% 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 7.11% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.47 2.52 0.31% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 6.23% Anchoria Equity Fund 103.27 103.64 1.30% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.18 1.18 3.39% 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 15.61 16.08 1.93% ARM Discovery Fund 351.84 362.45 1.85% ARM Ethical Fund 30.13 31.04 3.60% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.94% 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 99.53 100.22 3.59% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.95% 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 0.08 0.06 7.86% Paramount Equity Fund 12.68 12.51 -0.28% Women's Investment Fund 112.54 113.42 1.88% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.10% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 104.15 104.70 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 113.65 114.30 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 5.25% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.94 0.95 1.25% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.39 1.39 4.32% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 5.51% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 4.90% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,190.70 1,191.57 2.41% 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 1,324.20 1,325.34 2.57% FBN Balanced Fund 149.91 151.07 2.10% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.73% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 120.25 120.58 0.85% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 120.92 121.24 0.91% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 126.79 128.40 -2.57% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.09% Legacy Debt Fund 3.69 3.69 0.98% Legacy Equity Fund 1.14 1.16 0.81% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.09 1.09 0.56% 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 3,101.22 3,136.20 3.97% Coral Income Fund 3,181.40 3,181.40 16.04% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 7.26% 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 5.26% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 118.82 119.36 10.41%
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 6.37% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.26 2.29 4.78% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 10.20% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 140.70 141.23 12.75% 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 1.19 1.22 2.36% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,115.51 1,115.51 1.57% 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 9.70 9.79 -1.05% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.11% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.40 1.43 14.66% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.54 12.64 10.99% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.06% PACAM Equity Fund 1.14 1.15 PACAM EuroBond Fund 105.67 107.59 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 135.07 137.87 8.26% 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 1.02 1.02 1.52% 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 2,521.35 2,532.80 3.43% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 0.88% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 3.93% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 1.31% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 3.02% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.18% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 2.91% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 0.82% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.18 118.18 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.21 1.23 0.43% United Capital Bond Fund 1.76 1.76 1.33% United Capital Equity Fund 0.70 0.72 -0.29% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.97% United Capital Eurobond Fund 112.83 112.83 0.86% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.09 1.10 0.67% 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 10.41 10.56 1.43% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.66 11.81 0.54% Zenith Income Fund 23.03 23.03 3.64% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.18%
REITS NAV Per Share
Yield / T-Rtn
3.45 120.09 52.41
-64.35% 0.83% 0.69%
Bid Price
Offer Price
Yield / T-Rtn
9.23 95.39 74.33
9.33 97.43 75.73
5.94% 3.16% 0.83%
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
3.60 5.00 12.84 11.61 176.99
3.64 5.08 12.94 11.81 178.99
1.40% -15.22% 5.69% 11.63% -5.69%
NAV Per Share
Yield / T-Rtn
108.69
17.60%
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.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY
44
INTERNATIONAL
Coronavirus: Death Toll Surpasses I,900 as WHO Calls for Calm The death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak rose again on Tuesday but Chinese and international health officials sought to calm global nerves, citing a study showing most cases are mild and warning against excessive measures to contain the epidemic. Nearly 1,900 people have now died and more than 72,000 others infected by the virus in China, with hundreds of more cases in some 25 countries. The situation remains dire at the epicentre, with the director of a hospital in the central city of Wuhan becoming the seventh medical worker to succumb to the COVID-19 illness. But Chinese officials released a study showing most patients have mild cases of the illness, and World Health Organization officials said the mortality rate was relatively low. The epidemic has triggered panic-buying in Singapore and Hong Kong, concerns about cruise-ship travel and the postponement of trade fairs, sports competitions and cultural
events in China and abroad. The outbreak is threatening to put a dent in the global economy, with China paralysed by vast quarantine measures and major firms such as iPhone maker Apple and mining giant BHP warning it could damage bottom lines. Several countries have banned travellers from China and major airlines have suspended flights. Authorities have placed about 56 million people in hard-hit central Hubei and its capital Wuhan under an unprecedented lockdown. Other cities far from the epicentre have restricted the movements of residents, with a 14-day self-quarantine for people returning to Beijing. President Xi Jinping, in a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said China’s measures were achieving “visible progress”, according to state media. The official death toll in China hit 1,868 Tuesday after another 98 people died — most in Hubei and Wuhan, where
the virus emerged in December. Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, became its latest victim, sparking an outpouring of grief online. Earlier this month, the death of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang — who had been punished by authorities for sounding the alarm about the virus in late December — triggered anger and calls for political reforms on social media. Officials figures, meanwhile, showed there were nearly 1,900 new COVID-19 cases. New infections have been falling in the rest of the country for the past two weeks. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that it was too early to tell if the decline would continue. A study among 72,000 confirmed, suspected and clinically diagnosed cases
showed that 81 per cent of patients had only mild infections. Those most at risk were the elderly, and people with underlying medical conditions. The study released by China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also showed the death rate stood at 2.3 per cent, falling below one per cent for people in their 30s and 40s. Zhong Nanshan, a prominent expert with China’s National Health Commission, told reporters that 85 per cent of patients can improve “if they have good life support, treatment conditions, and nutrients”. The research was cited by WHO officials, who said the COVID-19 illness was “less deadly” than its cousins, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome (MERS). But it is higher than the mortality rate for the seasonal flu, at around 0.1 per cent in the United States. Michael Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies programme, said the outbreak was “very serious” and could grow, but stressed that outside Hubei the epidemic was “affecting a very, very tiny, tiny proportion of people”. There have been some 900 cases around the world, with five deaths in France, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Another 88 people tested positive for the virus on the quarantined Diamond Prince cruise ship off Yokohama in Japan, raising the number of infections to 542, The US repatriated more than 300 American passengers on Monday and Britain became the
latest country to offer its citizens a way off the boat after similar plans by Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and South Korea. Attention was also turning to the Westerdam, a cruise ship in Cambodia, where many of the 2,200 people aboard passengers were allowed to disembark after all initially received a clean bill of health. An 83-year-old American woman was later diagnosed with the virus in Malaysia, raising concerns that other passengers might have been infected before flying to other countries. The WHO rejected the suggestion that all cruises should be halted after hundreds of passengers were infected on one vessel off Japan. “Measures should be taken proportional to the situation. Blanket measures may not help,” the WHO’s Tedros said.
...China Arrests President Xi’s Critic Police in China have arrested a prominent activist who had been a fugitive for weeks and criticised President Xi Jinping’s handling of the coronavirus epidemic while in hiding, a rights group said Tuesday. Anti-corruption activist Xu Zhiyong was arrested on Saturday after being on the run since December, according to Amnesty International. China’s ruling Communist Party has severely curtailed civil liberties since Xi took power in 2012, rounding up rights lawyers, labour activists and even Marxist students. The death this month of a whistleblowing doctor who was reprimanded by police for raising the alarm about the deadly new virus before dying of it himself triggered rare calls for political reform and freedom of speech. The “Chinese government’s battle against the coronavirus has in no way diverted it from its ongoing general campaign to crush all dissenting voices,” said Patrick Poon, China researcher at Amnesty International, in an emailed statement. Another source, who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity, said Xu had been arrested in the southern city of Guangzhou. Guangzhou police did not respond to requests for comment. Xu went into hiding after authorities broke up a December gathering of intellectuals discussing political reform in the eastern coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian province, prior to the coronavirus crisis. Over a dozen lawyers and activists were detained or disappeared after the Xiamen
gathering, according to rights groups — and Xu’s detention appears linked to his presence at the meeting, explained Poon. But while on the run, Xu continued to post information on Twitter about rights issues. On February 4 Xu released an article calling on Xi to step down and criticised his leadership across a range of issues including the US-China trade war, Hong Kong’s prodemocracy protests and the coronavirus epidemic, which has now killed nearly 1,900 people. “Medical supplies are tight, hospitals are filled with patients, and a large number of infected people have no way to be diagnosed,” he wrote. “It’s a mess.” “The coronavirus outbreak shows just how important values like freedom of expression and transparency are — the exact values that Xu has long advocated,” Yaqiu Wang, China researcher at Human Rights Watch, told AFP. But the disappearance of Xu illustrates how the Chinese state “persists in its old ways” by “silencing its critics”, she said. Xu — who founded a movement calling for greater transparency among highranking officials — previously served a four-year prison sentence from 2013 to 2017 for organising an “illegal gathering”. “That he was a fugitive for so many days while continuing to speak out, that in itself was… a kind of challenge to (Chinese authorities),” said Hua Ze, a long-time friend of Xu who told AFP she lost contact with the Chinese activist on Saturday morning.
L-R: Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Pingjian, in a handshake with the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, during the envoy’s courtesy visit to the speaker at National Assembly...yesterday
Netanyahu’s Trial to Begin in March The trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges will open on March 17, the justice ministry said Tuesday. It said the indictment would be read by judge Rivka Friedman-Feldman in the presence of Netanyahu in Jerusalem. The announcement comes as the 70-year-old prime minister campaigns ahead of March 2 elections, Israel’s third in less
than a year, after two previous polls resulted in a deadlock between Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz. Gantz had refused after September elections to join a unity government led by Netanyahu, saying he must first settle his differences with the judiciary before taking power. Netanyahu was charged in the autumn last year with bribery, fraud and breach of
trust. Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit formally presented the charge sheet to the Jerusalem district court on January 28 after Netanyahu had withdrawn a request seeking parliamentary immunity lodged earlier that month. His opponents had already mustered a majority in the legislature to deny him immunity.
Netanyahu is Israel’s only head of government to have been indicted during his term in office. Under Israeli law, a sitting prime minister is only required to step down once convicted of an offence and after all avenues of appeal have been exhausted. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt.
Ex-president Defends Son over Embezzlement Charge Angola’s ex-president has defended his son and a former central bank governor who are accused of embezzling $500 million from the country’s sovereign wealth fund, court documents showed on Tuesday. Jose Eduardo dos Santos’ family are in the spotlight after his billionaire daughter was indicted in Angola last month for a host of high-level financial crimes in the oil-rich nation. The ex-leader’s son, Jose
Filomeno dos Santos, is accused of embezzling $500 million (460 million euros) from state coffers during his tenure as head of Angola’s sovereign fund. He is charged alongside the former governor of the national bank of Angola, Valter Filipe da Silva, and two others. The four defendants are accused of transferring the funds to a Swiss bank during the dos Santos presidency, in a case that has rocked the powerful former
first family. But the former leader, who currently lives in Spain, said the transfer was meant to guarantee a $30 billion investment into Angola to “improve the life of the population”. “I authorised the transfer of the $500 million,” Santos said in a written response to questions sent to him by judges and read in court on Tuesday. “The actions were carried out for the country’s economic
situation… not in the personal interest of the people who executed it,” he added in the statement dated February 6. The judge accepted the expresident’s response despite complaints by the prosecution that the document was not original and was only signed on the final page. Jose Filomeno dos Santos, nicknamed “Zenu”, is the first member of the ex-president’s family to be prosecuted.
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Katsina Lawmakers Weep over Killings The members of the Katsina State House of Assembly yesterday wept over the recent killings of over 35 people in Batsari Local Government Area of the state. The member representing
Batsari constituency, Alhaji Jabiru Yau-yau, raised the issue at plenary under matters of urgent public interest. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the member representing Jibia
Court Strikes out Suit against CBN’s Requirements for BDC Registration The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has struck out a suit filed against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) challenging the circular it issued on June 23, 2014, for the operations and registration of Bureau-de-Change (BDC) operators in Nigeria. The plaintiff, E E-Flow Bureau-de-Change Limited, had commenced the suit against the CBN on October 17, 2014, praying the court for an order mandating the apex bank to pay it (plaintiff) over N150,000,000 in damages, for the alleged unlawful reversal of the requirements for the operation of Bureau de Change. The CBN, represented by its counsel, Mr. D.D. Dodo (SAN) and Professor Fabian
constituency, Alhaji Mustapha Yusuf, opened the floodgate of tears while contributing to the motion and other members joined in, shedding tears over the killings. “This situation is frightening because we don’t know what can still happen in that place. “Many people were locked up and burnt to ashes. The
villagers fled to various destinations because of fear of the unknown. “What kind of terrible thing is this! This is very unfortunate, humans were killed like animals,” Yusuf said amidst tears. NAN reported that members of the public, who were also at the assembly to observe
the sitting, including some journalists covering the event, became emotional and joined in weeping over the situation. Yau-yau, who moved the motion, had appealed to the state and Federal Governments to improve on security and provide relief materials to the people of Dankar and Tsanwa villages.
He lamented that the people had fled their homes and those who returned had no food and no place to sleep because their houses were destroyed by the bandits. “While we appreciate the efforts of Governor Aminu Masari, we want the federal government to also come to our aid,” he said.
Ajogwu (SAN), filed a defence and an objection challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the matter on the grounds that the suit was instituted outside the three months period prescribed by the Public Officers Protection Act Cap P41, LFN 2004. The defendant’s counsel argued in its objection that the CBN acted in good faith in issuing the new requirements for the operation of Bureau-deChange and as such is protected against any adverse claim as provided in the CBN Act of 2007. Justice Evelyn Maha, after hearing arguments from counsel, struck out the suit against the CBN.
Gbajabiamila Seeks China’s CONGRATULATIONS… L-R: Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; and Managing Director, Global Process and Pipeline Services Limited Support to End Insecurity (GPPSL), Mr. Obi Uzu, during the presentation of ‘Oil Service Company of the Year 2020’ award to GPPSL at the Nigeria International Udora Orizu in Abuja The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has sought the support of the Peoples Republic of China to end insecurity in Nigeria. The Speaker noted that both Nigeria and China have been having good economic and political relationships, saying there was a need to establish strong military ties between the two countries with a view to ending insecurity. Speaking when he received the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China, Mr. Zhou Pingjian, on a courtesy call in his office in Abuja yesterday, Gbajabiamila said Nigeria needs help at this time from wherever it could get it. “What will implore you is on the military relationships. Our biggest problem right now is the issue of insecurity, and we’ll be happy to get help now from wherever we can. “So, in terms of military ties, we’ll be happy to get help from
you at this time,” Gbajabiamila said. On the epidemic of coronavirus, Gbajabiamila commended the Chinese Government for all the measures it has taken so far to contain the virus and avoid its spread to other parts of the world. He said Nigeria would continue to support China in any way it could to end the virus, adding that there was a need for proper enlightenment to avoid panic among the people. The Speaker noted that China is a very important trade partner with Nigeria, calling for stronger ties both economically and politically. “Yours is a very important trade partner. As you said, 19bn dollars is quite a big chunk of money. We look forward to robust economic and even political relationships. Our country will continue to ensure that the relationship is good. “You have the issue of coronavirus, and we commend you for what you’ve done so far. You’ve been proactive so far.
Petroleum Summit (NIPS) in Abuja… recently
Nigeria to Begin Online Ship Registration In a bid to have a world-class ship registry and enhance the Ease of Doing Business in the maritime sector, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has concluded plans to set up an automated ship registration process through online and electronic procedure. The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, stated this recently in
Lagos at an interactive session with shipowners. The forum discussed how to improve the quality of the Nigerian Ship Register, with stakeholders promising to support the initiative. They specifically pledged to fund the ship registration automation process. Dakuku told the stakeholders that the agency had acquired software licence for the
automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry, which is rated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as the second largest in Africa, by tonnage, after Liberia, and 46th in the world. He said automation was the only way to boost the worth of the registry and quicken business processes. According to the DG, “Our principal aim is to achieve
online electronic registration, accept electronic copies of documents and issue electronic certificates. Our goal as a Maritime Safety Administration is to create a world class Ship Registry, which will be attractive to shipowners with the aim of maintaining the influence of Nigeria in evolving international commercial and regulatory environment for shipping.”
Ekiti Denies Pulling out of Operation Amotekun Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti Ekiti State House of Assembly yesterday denied the insinuation that the state has severed tie with other south-west states in the running of the Western Nigeria Security Network otherwise called Operation Amotekun. The Speaker of the Assembly,
Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, clarified that the fact that Ekiti State was the first to pass the bill into law, even when other states were still at the public hearing stage did not suggest there was a friction among the member states. The bill now waiting Governor Kayode Fayemi’s assent was passed into law last
week by Ekiti State House of Assembly. Meanwhile, an advertorial signed by the Chairman, South-west Forum of Speakers, Hon. Bamidele Oleyeloogun, on Monday said public hearing would be conducted simultaneously on February 24 in all the six states.
“Thereafter, the Conference of Speakers will reconvene to meet with the South-west state Attorneys-General to address all conflicting areas and to review the contents of the reports generated at the public hearings for harmonisation into the proposed law,” the advert stated.
Fayemi to Partner IFC on Ekiti Devt Agenda
Senate Moves to Resolve Bigi, Pepsi Manufacturers’ Feud
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Senate yesterday waded into the face-off between Rites Foods Limited and Seven-Up Bottling Company over brand dominance in the soft drink market. The lawyers of Rites Foods Limited had petitioned the Senate over the alleged threat to the security and existence of
The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday revealed plans to establish and strengthen private sector relationship with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) with a view to driving sustainable developments in the state. The IFC is an international financial institution of the World Bank that offers investment, advisory and asset management services to encourage private sector development in developing countries. Fayemi made the plan known while playing host to the Country Manager of IFC, Eme Essien Lore, in his office in Ado Ekiti.
The governor identified the private sector as key in driving the sustainability of government projects and initiatives, and assured stakeholders that the state government would stand as guarantors to promising private sector entities that intend going into partnership with IFC. He said the idea of fostering private sector partnership with IFC was to provide opportunities and supports for more investors to establish and drive sustainable businesses in the state. The governor also disclosed to the IFC boss the achievement of his administration in providing key infrastructural developments that would encourage private sector businesses to thrive in the state.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Rites Foods Limited located at Ososa, Ogun state by Seven-Up and its Managing Director, Mr. Ziad Maalouf. The Senate at plenary thereafter referred the petition to its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions headed by Senator Ayo Akinyelure. The committee yesterday met behind closed-door with the two
parties led by Alhaji Adebola Adegunwa (Managing Director) for Rites Foods Limited and Maalouf for Seven-Up. The committee Chairman, Senator Akinyelure, who spoke yesterday evening to reporters on the outcome of the meeting, stated that the two companies were given two weeks to resolve all issues surrounding the petition and
revert to the committee. “We have been able to sit the two managements together, because we believe that the issue is a matter that can be resolved amicably through the instrument of alternative conflict resolution that will bring more result to the country other than to damage the wholly-owned indigenous company that is competing favourably.
NIS Rolls out Enhanced e-Passport in Port Harcourt Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) yesterday formally commenced the roll-out of the enhanced electronic passport (e-Passport) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, for the
South-south and South-east zones of the country. But while the NIS listed the requirements for the e-passport, the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, raised objection to the demand for Bank Verification Number (BVN) before the e-passport would be issued.
Unveiling the features of the e-passport, the ComptrollerGeneral of NIS, Muhammed Babandede, said the essence of the passport is to reposition and improve the passport issuance regime and tailor it towards the best global practice. Babandede, who was
represented by the Comptroller of Immigration, Rivers State Command, Mr. Segun Adegoke, said the new regime now offers the options of five years and 10 years validity period to save bonafide Nigerians from frequent replacement their passports.
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Farmers Hail Border Closure as Manufacturers Count Losses Dike Onwuamaeze It was a mixed reaction yesterday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Stakeholders’ Forum on the ‘Impact of Border Closure on the Nigeria’s Economy’ as operators in the agriculture sector hailed the border closure by the government as the best action taken by the government to boost the Nigerian economy. Meanwhile, manufacturers have urged the federal government to lift the closure in order to promote export trade
and prevent manufacturing firms from extinction. Vice Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State chapter, Agbeshakin Agbeyewa, stated that within the short period the border closure lasted, their members had experienced boom in the sale of their products. According to him, “We the farmers are enjoying it, mostly rice farmers. That is why I want to appeal to our policymakers to continue to shut the borders as long as they can.” He said the impact of the
Army University Bill, Four Others Pass Senate First Reading Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja Five bills, including one for the establishment of Nigerian Army University in Biu, Borno State, yesterday passed the first reading at the Senate. The bill, cited as Nigerian Army University Biu (Est, etc) Bill, 2020 (SB 332), was sponsored by the Chairman of Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume; 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill 2020 (SB 318) sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; Investment Assurances Bill 2020 (SB 110) sponsored by Senator Stella Oduah; Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act CAP B2 LFN 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2020 (SB 330) sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujimi and Nigerian Arabic Language Village Ngala ( Est, etc) Bill 2020 (SB 331) were read at plenary by Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh. A copy of the establishment of the Nigerian Army University bill sponsored by former Senate
Leader, representing Borno South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Ali Ndume, obtained by THISDAY, showed that the university would be a training institution for the development of middle and high-level manpower in the areas of technological empowerment for civilians, appreciation for military policy, logistics and strategy. The university, upon establishment, shall be supervised by the Federal Ministry of Education through the National Universities Commission (NUC), which would be responsible for approving and regulating all academic programmes run in the university. According to the provisions of the bill, the supervision by NUC would ensure quality compliance and provide funds for academic and research programmes, infrastructures and remunerations of employees. The bill abolished catchment area syndrome being adopted by conventional universities for the proposed institution.
Court to Hear $3.5bn Concession Suit over National Theatre Complex March 3 Davidson Iriekpen A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned until March 3, to hear a suit by a company, Topwideapeas Limited, against the Minister of Interior, challenging the nullification of its concession over the National Arts Theatre Complex. Topwideapeas Limitedd, in the processes it submitted in court, described itself as a special purpose entity for the acquisition of the management right over the National Arts Theatre and its undeveloped lands in Lagos for which $3.5 billion had been earmarked for its development. In the new suit filed by plaintiff”s counsel, Mr. Chijoke Okoli (SAN), and marked /2392/19, the company prayed the court to declare as unlawful, the termination of its concession over the theatre. Joined as defendants are:
National Arts Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria Board, Infrastructure Concesession Regulatory Commission, Minister of Interior, and the Attorney General of the Federation. Also joined are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CNB), and the Access Bank and its Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe. Plaintiff is seeking a declaration that it is unlawful for the fifth to seventh defendants, to purport to truncate and nullify its rights as the concessionaire of the fallow land at the National Arts Theatre, by inducing a breach of its contract. It wants the court to declare that the plaintiff has a valid and binding contract on the concession of the fallow land surrounding the National Theatre Complex in terms of the updated draft Concession Agreement between it and the federal government.
border closure on the agriculture sector has encouraged the growth of packaging and logistics companies as well as creating jobs in the transport sector, sack making and printing industries. “So the border closure is effective and we pray it stays that way,” he added. However, the Director-General of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, who was represented by the Director of Corporate Communication, Ambrose Oruche, argued that border closure is not sustainable even though it has helped in addressing the issue of smuggling, which he said is
the bane of the economy. Kadir said while it takes eight days to transport manufactured goods to Mali through the land border, it now takes eight weeks to move goods through Nigeria’s seaports to Mali. “You will agree with me that this has a cost implication for that product. You will also agree with me that we are in a globalised economy, and Mali is also importing these products for the benefits of its citizens from other countries. The cost implication will make us noncompetitive when it comes to other West African countries. “So let us find a way of curtailing smuggling without
shutting down the borders. Food and beverage sector has also experienced the negative impact they encounter while exporting their products to neighbouring ECOWAS countries. It is a huge challenge to them, and many of them are scaling down their production because of the difficulties in exporting their product. Exporting the goods through the sea ports to West African countries is not cost effective, and it renders their products noncompetitive against Asian products. That affects export, and we want the policy to be reviewed,” he said. Also, according to the Comptroller-General of Nigeria
Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), who was represented by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Mrs. Kaycee Ekekezie, Nigeria was constrained to close its land borders because of the unwillingness of its neighbouring countries to abide by the ECOWAS protocol on the transit of persons and goods, “which provided that when a transit container berths at a seaport, the receiving country should escort same (without tampering with the seal) to the border of the destination country and hand same over to the customs officials of the destination country.
PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY…
L-R: Board Member, Society for Forensic Accounting and Fraud Prevention, Mr. Anthony Nzom; Executive Secretary, Dr. Abuchi Ed Ogbuju; Board Member, Prof. Suleiman A.S. Aruwa, during the unveiling of the society’s 2020 training timetable and induction plan, in Abuja… recently
WITH INFLATION AT 12.3%, ANALYSTS LINK UPTICK TO BORDER CLOSURE “As you would see headline inflation which excludes food sub-index is still in single digit. However the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting allowed a steep rise on CRR from 22.5 per cent to 27.5 per cent to curb bank liquidity. Obviously lower inflation helps the case for lowering MPR and interest rates and attracts investors,” he added. A foremost economist, Dr. Muhammad Rislanudeen, also told THISDAY that raising the MPR is a most likely option available to monetary authority in order to protect Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs) and indirectly support the foreign exchange market and by extension boost the reserves. But he added that “it is going to be a very strong option for the MPC raising rates” and urged the CBN to address the root cause of inflation rather than dwelling on the symptoms. Rislanudeen said the solution to current inflationary pressures was to “address the key areas that are pushing the inflation rate northwards.” He said there should be a timeline for reopening the borders and urged the government to further promote the ease of doing business by supporting local production. He said: “As soon as inflation rate equals to the MPR, it means there’s disincentive to investment
and savings because you are going to be having a negative interest rate. “And even as it is now, it is already manifesting in the sense that the MPR is just a base rate, it’s MPR plus- banks accept deposits and lend at MPR plus. “If MPR is 13.5 per cent and MPR is inching close to 13.5 per cent, it means interest rate is getting into a negative situation and if it gets into a negative situation, there would be a disincentive to investment, especially foreign direct investment and portfolio investment, but particularly FDI, which has always been supportive of our foreign reserves.” “What is going to happen is that there may be a capital flight. Already, there is a lot of pressure in the foreign exchange market. The CBN has been struggling to keep the naira at the present exchange rate even at the risk of erosion of reserves. “So, the MPC will be vested with dual challenges: on the one hand, if they decide to keep the base rate as it is now at 13.5 per cent, there will be disincentive to FDI and disincentive to investment generally and so there may be liquidity problem. “If they decide to reduce it and support growth, that is not even an option because reducing it is already compounding the negative situation.”
On his part, however, the West African Regional Representative of the African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE), Dr. Anthony Onoja, said the impact of the Coronavirus in China, which has affected imports of essential goods and commodities from the country, might have contributed to inflationary pressures on Nigeria. He urged the CBN to grant new export licences to importers from other countries beside China to temporarily reduce the inflation, adding that on the long run, investments in production of those imported items from China should be pursued by attracting FDI into the country while the federal government must also reconsider reopening the closed borders temporarily. Onoja said: “The January inflation increase to 12.13 per cent is a two-year high record breaking figure and it is worrisome. This perturbing trend may be associated with border closure since last year especially against food stuff. “A second possible reason for this can be attributed to the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus pandemic outbreak, which started in China, killing thousands of people and have since led to closure of firms exporting various commodities to different parts of the world including Nigeria from China. “Nigeria exports from China
was $1.04 billion during 2018, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade cited by Trading Economics. Nigeria exports from China - data, historical chart and statistics updated on February of 2020 on their database indicated that Nigeria has a highly diversified import portfolio from China ranging from food commodities, fruits, seeds, oil seeds, animal vegetable fats and oils, communications systems, rubber, raw hides, skin and leather to mining products. With the temporary stoppage of exports or drastic reductions in these commodities exports to Nigeria, it is most likely that a cost push inflation will happen in Nigeria as she depends on these commodities for her industries.” The headline index has continued to defy monetary policy measures to limit it to single digit. The uptick is a setback for monetary policy, which has only managed to curtail its rise for a few consecutive months before a rebound that has seen inflation again on an upward trajectory in recent times. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which has the mandate to stabilise prices, has set an inflation target of about six per cent to nine per cent in its current five-year roadmap.
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24 HOURS...
24 HOURS...
Boko Haram: House Calls for Security Overhaul at N’Assembly Udora Orizu in Abuja Following a recent report that Boko Haram may attack the National Assembly complex, the House of Representatives has called for the urgent need to overhaul and intensify the security system at National Assembly. The House had consequently called on the management of the National Assembly to evolve the installation of CCTV cameras and modern scanning systems at the gates and strategic points of the National Assembly complex. The lawmakers also mandated the National Assembly management to introduce screening, registration and issuance of identity cards to vendors who conduct businesses within the National Assembly complex. The House reached these resolutions after unanimously adopting a motion by Hon. Shehu Barwa Beji titled: ‘Calling for the Need to Urgently Overhaul and Intensify the
National Assembly Security System’, at the plenary yesterday. Presenting the motion, Beji said the House was aware of a recent report in Daily Trust newspaper of 13 February, 2020, which indicated that Boko Haram terrorists may attack the National Assembly according to intelligence report gathered by the management. He recalled that barely few months ago, precisely at the end of 2019, the National Assembly complex was attacked by certain resented religious group culminating in the loss of lives and property. The lawmaker noted that given the previous attack under reference, the security apparatus of the National Assembly is obviously below the threshold required for its protection. He expressed worries that any terrorist attack on an institution like the National Assembly would be an international eyesore on Nigerian democracy, adding that persons from different areas, including
FRSC Partners ICPC, DSS against Bribery The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) yesterday said that it has strengthened collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to eliminate bribery and corruption amongst its officers. The commission’s Corps Marshal, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, said this in a statement marking the 32nd anniversary of the commission. He decried the bribery and corruption amongst officers of the commission, regretting that they were eroding the trust and confidence of the public in its activities. He said, “Bribery and corruption erode the trust that
the public has in us to act in their best interest because it diminishes the quality of our services, thus preventing the natural laws of the economy from functioning freely as it should and the entire society suffers. A road safety management approach infested with bribery and corruption would, therefore, retard the nation’s growth.” “Although the Corps has launched a boisterous internal fight against the twin evil, she has also entered into purposeful synergy with the ICPC and the DSS on surveillance activities.” The FRSC boss said the commission was harnessing technological innovations to making its operations more effective.
Katsina Enrols 1.3m Girls in Primary, Secondary Schools Francis Sardauna in Katsina As part of effort to enhance girl-child education in Katsina State, the state government said it has enrolled 1,274,185 girls in primary and secondary schools across the state. Katsina State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Badamasi Charanchi, who disclosed this yesterday while presenting a paper titled: “The Situation of Teaching and Learning in Katsina State” at a workshop in Katsina, said government has achieved a lots in ensuring the enrolment and completion of girls in schools. The one-day workshop, organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), centred on dissemination of research findings on impact of violence in schools on girls’ education in Nigeria Charanchi, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Halima Othman,
added that 1,387,709 boys have been enrolled in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools in the state. He said: “In our effort to promote girl-child education in Katsina State, we have enrolled 1,274,185 girls and 1,387,709 boys in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools. “In pre-primary schools, we have enrolled 106,452 girls and 103,171 boys. In primary schools alone, we have 958,878 girls and 1,004,743 boys. So, we have a total of 2,661,894 girls and boys in pre-primary, primary, junior and senior secondary schools.” He explained that the state remained committed to achieving 100 per cent enrolment, retention, completion and transition of learners at all levels of education, particularly on girls. In his remarks, Kano UNICEF Field Education Specialist, Mr. Muntaka Mukhtar, said the workshop was aimed at proffering recommendations on how to end violence against girls and boys in schools in order to sustain their education.
innocent school children, who officially visit the National Assembly could be affected by any ugly event as such. Beji said: “According to the intelligence report, strange
persons have been around the National Assembly complex, and when confronted at the gate of the complex, they were quick to claim being constituents of lawmakers either at the Senate
or House of Representatives. “We concerned that in the face of the facelessness of terrorists, the security apparatus of the National Assembly and its environs require total overhaul.
The cooperation of honorable colleagues and distinguished senators is imperative in this circumstance given the fact on influx of strangers to the complex.”
A NEW OFFERING…
LL-R: Managing Director, Zenith General Insurance Limited, Mr. Kehinde Borisade; Chief Executive Officer, Spectranet, Mr. Ajay Awasthi; and Executive Chairman, Pure Bond Insurance Brokers, Mr. Simeon Ozo Okeke, at the launch of SpectraSure device protection plans by Spectranet 4G LTE in Lagos …yesterday AKINYELE ABAYOMI
N20bn Police Pension Fraud: EFCC Amends Charges against Defendants Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira, Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang and Christian Madubuke. They were arraigned before Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on an amended 18-count charge
of criminal breach of trust and fraud in the Police Pension Scheme to the tune of N20billion. At the resume trial, prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, asked the court to withdraw the initial charges as he has a substitution. The development followed the death of Esai Dangabar, who was a principal defendant in the trial. Count one of the amended charges read: “That you Atiku
Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira, Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang, Christian Madubuke and Esai Dangabar (now deceased) between January 2008 and June 2011 in Abuja in the Abuja Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) agreed to an illegal act to with; criminal breach of trust by public officers in respect of the sum of N20, 154, 728, 660.18
(Twenty billion, one hundred and fifty four million, seven hundred and twenty eight thousand, six hundred and sixty naira and eighteen kobo), an act done in pursuance of the agreement among you, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act Cap, 532, Laws of the FCT, Abuja, Nigeria 2007.” The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them.
EFCC Foils Man’s Attempt to Smuggle in Hard Drug for Detained Son Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a 60-year-old fish-farmer, Muyiwa Otuyalo, for attempting to smuggle in a substance believed to be hard drug for his son, Damilola, who is currently in the custody of the commission. The older Otuyalo was at the premises of the EFCC in Ibadan, Oyo State, on February 17, 2020, supposedly to visit his son.
THISDAY learnt that while discussing with his son, an officer noticed that he brought out a sachet of tablets and handed same to him. The officer, therefore, raised the alarm which led to the confiscation of the drug. It was gathered that when the in-house nurse was called upon for assessment of the content, it was revealed that the said item was Rohypnol, a tranquilizer used under strict prescription for treatment of severe insomnia and assist in anesthesia.
The drug is said to possess high sedative effect and is rarely used except when prescribed by licenced medical officers. The younger Otuyalo was recently arrested after a criminal case of money laundering detected in the United Kingdom was reported against him. The case which involved £45,000 was a fragment of a wider one involving about £500,000 for which he has been declared wanted by the London Metropolitan Police. He has been on the wanted list of the Interpol before the
petition was filed at the EFCC, Ibadan zonal office. It was further learnt that officers of Interpol in Nigeria were already in contact with the commission in respect of the said case before the suspect’s father attempted to smuggle in the hard drug for him. However, further investigations are ongoing, even as the commission intends to hand him over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for possible prosecution of the suspected narcotic case.
Benue to Demote 38 Principals over Alleged Examination Malpractices George Okoh in Makurdi Benue State Government has indicated its decision to sanction 38 principals of secondary schools in the state over examination malpractices. This was disclosed by Benue State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, yesterday while speaking to
newsmen in Makurdi. He explained that the state would sanction 38 principals in connection with incidences of examination malpractices in the state. The commissioner explained that the ministry has concluded plans to demote 37 principals of the affected schools as part of measures to ensure sanity
in the system. This followed similar move by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to derecognised 37 secondary schools in Benue State for alleged examination malpractices. This implied that the affected schools have been removed from the list of centres for the Senior School Certificate of Education
(SSCE) as well as the National Examination Council (NECO) examination. The state government also observed that even though 164 schools in the state were involved in one form of malpractice or the other, the 37 that were de-recognised were the schools that were neck-deep in malpractices.
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Senate Queries AGF over IPPS Chuks Okocha and Deji Elumoye in Abuja Senate Committee on Public Account yesterday expressed its displeasure at the failure of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Idris Ahmed, to present 2015 Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) details for scrutiny. Ahmed, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Account, was asked by the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Matthew Urohidge,
to present the statement of account and mandate of IPPS to the committee. But the representative of AGF pleaded for more time to submit the document. Urohidge, who was worried by the submission of the AGF, berated the office of the AGF for its inability to provide the records on IPPIS. He asked: “So, there is no document for IPPS even though you were queried three years ago on the same document and up till now you are yet to present the document.”
But the representatives of the AGF appealed to the senators to give them more time to get the document from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The committee, however, insisted that the document must be made available within two weeks. The lawmakers were also not satisfied with the response of the AGF to the query on why the N596 billion ecological funds were not invested to yield more money for Nigeria. The AGF had told the panel that it was against the CBN policy
Minister Calls for Synergy against Insecurity in Gulf of Guinea Kasim Sumaina in Abuja Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, yesterday in Abuja called on security agencies and other stakeholders to continue to collaborate with the ministry to provide the needed impetus and synergy to tackle the rate of violent crimes in the Gulf of Guinea. The minister made the call when participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 13 at the National Institute for Security Studies, Lower Usman Dam, paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja. While highlighting a threepronged approach already adopted by the ministry to
arrest and persecute offenders, she noted that the ministry has resolved the root cause of the problem, assuring ship owners that the Gulf of Guinea is safe for trade. Saraki, in a statement by the ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Eric Ojiekwe, and made available to journalists in Abuja, pointed out that Nigeria is the only country in the region to have a legal framework to deal with piracy, and called on countries in the region and participants at the Global Maritime Security Conference organised by the ministry and its agencies in 2019 to implement decisions reached at the summit. The minister, who observed
that hitherto there has been no collaboration with the institute, directed that relevant officers from Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and non-pool staff in Maritime Departments in the ministry be drafted to be trained in the institute to provide the manpower needed to combat violent crimes at sea. She, however, advocated the support of relevant agencies to make the approaches work. Earlier, the Commandant of the Institute, Mr. Adeboye Adeleke, said the institute which started in 2008 has the mandate to train management staff of security agencies on security issues.
to do so. Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Mrs. Habiba Lawal, explained that the fund in question does not belong to the Federal Government alone. The senate committee had no
other option than to adjourn the meeting and allowed the AGF a leave of two weeks to tidy his documents and appear before the panel.
Businessman Urges CJ to Reassign Suit against Eko Hotels An international businessman, Chief Solomon Nwadiogbu, has asked the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to reassign his case against Eko Hotel and Suites currently before Justice S. Saidu, of the Lagos Division of the court for alleged bias. Nwadiogbu while speaking with journalists in Lagos, said
the suit he filed against the Eko Hotel and Suites over the illegal seizure of his personal belongings valued at N400million, is about to be frustrated by Justice Saidu, who has allegedly refused to hear the case after almost a year of being assigned to him. Nwadiogbu, who is the claimant in Suit No. FHC/L/ CS/630/2019 between him and
Eko Hotels and Suites, alleged that the court has been giving different versions of excuses for not hearing the case. “But it is surprising that nearly one year of filing the suit at the Federal High Court and the reassignment of the case to Justice Saidu, the judge has been giving different reasons to frustrate the case”.
DPR Seals 42 Illegal Gas Stations in Akwa Ibom Okon Bassey in Uyo Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in the last six weeks has sealed 42 illegal gas stations in Akwa Ibom State. Briefing reporters yesterday in his office in Eket Local Government Area, DPR Operations Controller, Mr. Tamunoiminabo KingsleySundaye, explained that the gas stations were closed between January and February 2020 over unsafe and illegal practices. He lamented that the department had in recent times observed unsafe practices by the gas operators involved
‘resellers’ business’ in the state, counselling that such business was not known all over the world and it’s unacceptable. Kingsley-Sundaye advised landlords to stop giving shops to people who operate illegal gas stations in order to guard against safety of lives and property. He noted that 80 per cent of illegal gas stations have vacated the streets of the Akwa Ibom, adding that most of the illegal gas operators are out of the streets because they could not meet with the required operation standards. “Those that are doing illegal refilling points, over-decorating
their shops with nozzle are virtually off the streets of Akwa Ibom. “There are positive responses from resellers. If you go to Uyo, you will see good numbers of gas plant operators doing cylinder exchange instead of discounting which is illegal and not required by any standard,” he said. He added that a good number of those doing illegal gas stations had left the business to do other businesses, saying the department has made them to understand that refilling of gas cylinders stops at the depot and not shops on the streets.
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WEDNESDAYSPORTS Dikko: Our NPFL Season Has Been Most Competitive, Successful
Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY
Duro Ikhazuagbe The Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, has described the on-going season 2019/20 NPFL season as the most competitive and successful given the results, performance of match officials and the overall conduct of fans so far. Speaking at the meeting convened at the instance of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinick and had in attendance, other stakeholders as Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the NFF General Secretary and Alhaji Rabiu Sharu Inuwa, the Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee and others, Dikko said having played 193 matches with over 1,544,000 fans in attendance, the season has been fair in terms of security breaches. “We have so far played 193 games this season with over 1,544,000 fans attending games so far. On fans behavior, there has been just one incident of breach of security on the pitch and that was the incident in Umuahia last Sunday. The other incidents in Lafia and Katsina were outside the pitch and after the successful conclusions of the game. “Though no security breaches and threat to public order should be tolerated and assoaciated with the beautiful game, it’s noted that all three incidents had to do with local
rivalries between clubs that share geographical proximity and have had running supremacy claims by their fans. “In Lafia, it was a North Central derby between Nasarawa United and Plateau United, Katsina was a Northwest derby between Katsina United and Kano Pillars while in Umuahia, we had the Abia derby between Abia Warriors and Enyimba International�, Dikko stressed. He said as part of strategies to eliminate unsavory incidents during and after matches, the LMC has directed all clubs to notify Police Divisions within the match venue jurisdictions of their weekly home games and request a minimum of 100 Police officers for match security duties in addition to other security personal. “This plan was adopted as one of the resolutions of the meeting and would have the clubs give timely notice to the Police Division and making a copy of such request available to the LMC.� The meeting also resolved that some of the Police officers will be specially assigned to watch over home and away fans to prevent skirmishes that may lead to clashes. It was also resolved that the NFF and LMC will open communication channels with the Police High Command with a view to having continuous interface with the office of the Inspector General of Police with
Okon Thrilled with Athletes Performance at AFN All-Comers Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Performance Director, Gabriel Okon, is thrilled with the performances of athletes at the AFN All-Comers competition held in Akure at the weekend and says the future is bright for track and field in Nigeria. A sizeable number of athletes ran new personal bests on the track in their first competitive race of the year and Okon believes it is a positive sign of what to come if the athletes are given the motivation and training that they need. “The performances at the AFN All-Comers event blew my mind. Imagine having athletes running that fast in only the first competition of the year. This is great encouragement for us at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to provide more competitions for them so that they can perform to their optimal best,� said Okon who has coached Team Nigeria track and field athletes to several Olympics and World Athletics Championships. Ifeanyi Ojeli of Making of Champions track club ran a first ever sub 21 seconds of his young career,racing
past the finish line in 20.94 seconds. The performance shot him to the top of the list of Nigerian performances released on Tuesday by the AFN and the fifth fastest in the world so far this year. Ojeli continued from where he stopped last year when he ran 45.91 seconds in the 400m,his first quarter mile race inside 46 seconds when just about a year earlier,he was struggling with a 46.9 seconds. Another athlete who ran a new personal best is Favour Ofili,the University of Port Harcourt undergraduate student who improved her time in the 200m from 23.24 seconds achieved in 2019 to 23.07 seconds in only her first race in 2020. Ofili is now the fastest Nigerian 200m athlete so far this year and the second fastest in the world. She looks on course to becoming the eighth Nigerian woman to run a sub-51 seconds over the 400m in the Nigerian all-time list. Currently ranked 16th in the 400m,Ofili ran a new 51.51 seconds personal best at the World Athletics Championships in Doha,Qatar to top the Nigerian list last year.
the long term objective to set up specialized police squad for football matches security management. The meeting also endorsed a proposal by the LMC to create a volunteer stewards corps that will be made up of National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who will function to deepened orderliness in the stands. “To this end, the LMC was mandated by the meeting to interface with the Director of NYSC and that of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to enlist the support and services of the agencies in ensuring orderliness match venues through effective stewardship.� The meeting also tasked the LMC to ensure full enforcement
of relevant rules of the NPFL at all times and to apply prescribed sanctions on any club and or supporters club found to breach the rules. It was also charged to ensure that continuous fans education and sensitization is sustained.
L-R: SA,Sports to the Minister of Sports, Mrs Mary Onyali-Omagbemi; Youth and Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare; Triple Jumper, Ineh Oritsemeyiwa and Nigeria’s Football Ambassador, Daniel Amokachi, during Oritsemeyiwa’s thank you visit to the Minister in Abuja...recently
Dare Lifts Junior Olympic Triple Jumper Fortune has smiled on young Nigerian Junior Olympic Triple Jump athlete, Ineh Oritsemeyiwa, with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, providing him ticket to pursue further study side by side with sports through scholarship in the United States of America. The Minister facilitated his trip after two failed efforts at securing visa and ticket due to financial constraints. Speaking when the athlete paid the Minister a thank you and farewell visit in his office in Abuja, Dare urged Oritsemeyiwa to be a good ambassador of Nigeria by
staying focused as he prepares for the Olympics in Tokyo. Oritsemeyiwa, born on 17th March 2001, represented Nigeria in triple and long jump at the Youths Olympics in Argentina in 2018 where he won silver. He competed at the Africa Region ll games in Ghana where he won a gold medal in triple jump event for boys and a silver medal in the long jump. He also competed at the 2018 National trials in Abuja where he won both long jump and triple jump . He also represented Nigeria in the long jump and triple jump
at the 2018 Africa Youth Games in Algiers, Algeria where he clinched a gold medal in the triple jump with a distance of 16:22m, an Africa youth record though not yet rectified . He also won a silver medal in the long jump with a distance of 7:36m . Also in 2018, he competed at the Africa Senior Championship in Athletics Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria where he finished 7th overall with a distance of 16:09m This was due to the fact that he took just one jump because he had pains on his ankles. Latter in the same year, he qualified for the Youth
Olympics Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he clinched a silver medal in the triple jump with a distance of 16:34m to further extend the Africa Youth record . Oritsemeyiwa jets out to the United States of America to continue his sports and academics at the William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi . He is one of the athletes Nigeria will be relying on for medal in Tokyo. The trip would grant him further exposure to state of the art facilities that would enhance his chances of winning a medal.
Osho Begins to Stamp his Philosophy at Enyimba Fisayo Dairo After losing his first two NPFL games as the Head Coach of Enyimba, Fatai Osho has masterminded an impressive change in fortune for the People’s Elephant and his side have now embarked on a good run of four games winning streak. Osho, known as the ‘Sugar Ball’ exponent has not only instilled the free flowing attacking style in his team, he has also ensured that the reigning champions now have renewed hopes of landing a silverware this season. Osho’s troops outclassed Abia Warriors in the Abia Derby on Monday morning 4-1; their fifth win in a row in all competitions but they have lying ahead of them, a rescheduled league game just over 48 hours later, at home. The visiting team are Kwara United who could only get one point out of a possible six against
Rivers United in their last two outings. Osho is not oblivious of the threat the Harmony Boys pose to his side. “Going to the Kwara game, we are quite aware it is going to be a bit difficult because they dropped points at home on Sunday,� began Osho to www. npfl.ng after his side dispatched Abia Warriors in Okigwe. “In this league, once you drop points at home, you have to go on the road to recoup such points. Kwara United will be coming with that mindset to Aba. “On our part, we don’t have to get carried away. We enjoyed the victory over Abia Warriors on Monday alone and by Tuesday morningwe have completely forgotten about Warriors and focused on Kwara United because they are coming all out and they will want to change their story by trying to get a point in Aba,� said Osho.
More often than not in the league this season, teams that secured good results on the road have followed it up by dropping points at home. The former Remo Stars boss is quite aware of this phenomenon and reiterates his note of warning to his players. “On our part, there is no way we will work this hard and throw it away at home,� he assures. “That is one thing I make abundantly clear to the players; that anytime you go on the road and you get points, you must never go back home and lose it. It would amount to us doing nothing. So, that is the mentality in them and we want to see how much effort we can put in on Wednesday to secure maximum points.� The good results secured recently by Enyimba have not only come with eye-catching displays but also breathtaking goals. Fans; both partisan and non-partisan have been seen
to applaud the quality of goals scored by the side which always stem from sleek movement of players and intricate plays. That is the part that gives Osho the greatest joy as the trainer of the team. “There is what I call ‘group consistency’ now in the team with the fact that there are certain things we are doing in our training sessions and as a coach, it is your pride if you come to match situations and you see the players putting it to use. That shows that a lot of learning is taking place at the training sessions. “This has translated to us winning games and we must ensure the winning mentality remains. We must see every match as a possible win for us and that’s what the boys are taking to these matches and I want it to continue that way,� summed Osho.
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WEDNESDAYSPORTS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Mourinho Says Son’s Season over as Spurs Host RB Leipzig Korean star Son Heung-min’s season could well be over said Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday after the club said the player had fractured his right arm. The 27-year-old South Korean international forward suffered the injury in the 3-2 Premier League victory over Aston Villa – in which he scored twice including the late winner – on Sunday. Son suffered the injury in a robust first-minute challenge from Villa’s Ezri Konsa. The club did not specify how long Son would be out but Mourinho was pessimistic. “I’m not going to count on him again this season,� Mourinho said at a press conference on the eve of their Champions League Last 16 first leg match with German outfit RB Leipzig this evening. The other game of the night is the clash between Atalanta and Valencia. Mourinho is already without star striker Harry Kane – sidelined since January with a torn hamstring – and as the club enters a crucial period. Midfielder Moussa Sissoko is another long-term casualty. They host Leipzig on Wednesday and play Chelsea in a match that could prove pivotal to the fourth and final
Derailing Our World Cup Dream
Tottenham Hotspur forward, Son, appears ruled out of the rest of the season due to the injury he sustained in the Premier League clash with Aston Villa last Sunday
Champions League spot. “Heung-Min Son is to undergo surgery this week after sustaining a fracture to his right arm,� read Spurs statement. “The South Korea international suffered the injury during our win against Aston Villa on Sunday. “Following surgery, our
medical staff shall be reviewing management options for Son’s rehabilitation with the player expected to be sidelined for a number of weeks.� Mourinho said he would have phrased the statement differently. “The club wrote a nice statement,� he said. “If I was the one to write
the statement I would write different. We miss him,� added the 57-year-old Portuguese. Son was in a rich run of form having scored in each of the last five matches. With both Kane and Son missing, Lucas Moura or untested Irish youngster Troy Parrott may be required to play as central striker.
UEFA Champions League Returns with Heineken Launching “Better Together� Campaign Europe’s most prestigious club competition, the UEFA Champions League returns to our screens for the knock-out stages of the 2019/2020 season. The return of European football brings excitement for lovers of the Beautiful Game with fixtures like Atletico Madrid Vs Liverpool, Chelsea Vs Bayern, Real Madrid Vs Manchester City, Dortmund Vs PSG amongst a host of other scintillating encounters all across Europe. Heineken, proud sponsors of the European sporting spectacle will be, once again, returning to delight football fans across the world with its “Better Together� Campaign. Following up from last year’s hugely successful Unmissable campaign, this year’s theme, “Better Together� is aimed at fostering conviviality and togetherness amongst football lovers, as Heineken continues to connect with fans through the UEFA Champions League. Speaking on the campaign, the Portfolio Manager, International Premium Lager, Nigerian Breweries, Sarah Agha, noted that, “Heineken
L-R: Senior Brand Manager Heineken, Olaoluwa Babalola; Portfolio Manager International Premium Lager, Sarah Agha and National Key Account Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Okwudili Nwakobi, during the activation of the ‘Better Together’ campaign by Heineken at the Heineken House, Ikoyi Lagos...last night
is once again excited to deliver the better together experience to lovers of the game. The Champions League is the most coveted trophy by top European teams and their fans. Heineken has provided a platform to create and share experiences as these teams and their supporters pave their way to European glory. We have exciting plans for our fans this year, and we can’t wait to get
started.� The Champions League is followed by more than a billion people worldwide and is currently the most-watched annual sporting event on the planet. The League houses the best from top division European leagues like the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga amongst others and produces the best of the best. Every year, it’s always a
special journey for players and coaches as they attempt to lay claims to the Champions League trophy. The league has over the years produced a remarkable turn of events that will forever be written in the history books, from the 93rd minute Iniesta volley in the 2009 semifinals to the 2019 Anfield comeback which sparked Liverpool on their way to glory. This year, fans can expect the same level of excitement as Heineken intends to not only sponsor the games but also creatively execute a slate of events to reward consumers’ passion for the beautiful game. All Champions League matches will be aired live at the prestigious Heineken House as well as other match viewing centres across the country. The brand also promises to reward some lucky fans with the chance to travel to see the final match live in Istanbul on May 30.Following the announcement of Heineken’s Champions League campaign, the excitement kicked off with Europe’s heavyweights squaring off against each other.
Wolves Record ÂŁ21.64m Profit First Year Back in Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers have recorded a ÂŁ21.64m profit for their first year back in the Premier League. The figures for the year ending 2018-19 contrast sharply with the ÂŁ55.15m loss from 2018as the club were promoted back to the top flight. Portugal internationals Joao Moutinho, Diogo Jota and Rui Patricio were among the players signed after promotion.
That helped the club secure a seventh-place finish in 2018-19 to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1980. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are currently eighth in the Premier League and face Espanyol in the Europa League round of 32 first leg on Thursday. Figures for the year up to 31 May 2019 show turnover increased from £26.4m to
ÂŁ172.46m, though wages increased from ÂŁ50.71m to ÂŁ92.13m. Central payments rose from ÂŁ6.91m to ÂŁ114.67m, underlining the enormous gap in finances between the Championship and the Premier League. The accounts reveal Wolves owed their Chinese parent company, Fosun International, ÂŁ131m at the end of the period in question, although they
have been assured there is no immediate intention to seek repayment of this sum. On 13 September 2018, Wolves took out a ÂŁ25m loan, to be repaid by August 2022, plus an additional ÂŁ25m ‘rolling credit facility’, which expires in August 2021, although both would have to be repaid earlier if the club were to find itself back in the Championship during the period in question.
I have grown to be conservative. What this means for me is that I no longer embark on a race without knowing where it will take me. Or how l will get to my destination easily. Now in my later years, I have learnt to see a holistic picture of things and events. How A invariably is followed by a B in listing the alphabets. I have now learnt to see the entwined relationship between cause and effect. I now pay more attention to efficiency in achieving effectiveness. It is from the point of view of being a later day conservative that I regard the appointment of Joseph Yobo as Assistant Coach to the Super Eagles as the most stupid thing to do at this moment. I see this singular appointment as being capable of derailing our qualification for the next World Cup. Let me start from the beginning. We are just a couple of months to our first World Cup qualifier. We are in a group that we could win easily. So far our team the Super Eagles continue to do well and is steadily climbing the FIFA ranking table. Our coaching crew continue to improve and Gernot Rohr as head coach has a 64 per cent win log. He has a near perfect understanding of his team and is in sync with our players. His market value has improved substantially as a result of his being the coach to the Super Eagles. The way forward should be not to do anything to distract the team. Appointing Joseph Yobo would Yobo do just that. Before he was foisted on the team, there was a strident campaign about his ability to coach our national football team. We were told about his leadership qualities and sterling performance as a player and captain of the Super Eagles. But his promoters never told us that prior to the Cup of Nations in South Africa, Stephen Keshi, our former coach, wasn’t going to have anything to do with him because he regarded him as being disloyal and a drawback. Those promoting him told us he performed excellently as a TV pundit but they never told us what coaching experience he had. I am certain they know that being an analyst is not what would make you a great coach. Since leaving as captain of the Super Eagles, Yobo has been more active in our political space first with GEJ in 2015 and now a new romance with Gen Muhammadu Buhari’s crowd. I am certain we could improve on the coaching crew of the Eagles. Yobo is not an upgrade. Not because he doesn’t have coaching experience or certification but because there are better qualified coaches who could serve the needs of the team better. If we are looking for a replacement for Rohr, I do not believe Yobo would do. His promoters probably do not see how football has grown all over the world. Or perhaps they have become so inordinate they don’t care what repercussions are birthed by their action. True we have generally become a nation of anything goes but let’s keep this tendency away from our football. If you must rehabilitate Yobo, find a role that would suit his experience and pedigree. Don’t push him beyond his level of competence. The Super Eagles is a brand that has been serving us well. For most of us it is the symbol of our nation. We therefore must do all we can to grow it. Next month, we would play against Sierra Leone in an AFCON qualifier. In October, we will start our group qualifiers for Qatar2022. We have a busy year that should keep us focused not distracted. Our World Cup group is difficult even when it looks deceptively easy. Cape Verde a few years ago was ranked the best in Africa. Liberia will not be easy. CAR is coming up strong. We must gird our loins as we prepare for matches that would determine our qualification for the World Cup. I don’t think we can afford to rock the boat now. Those who want Rohr out of the way should marry their desire with what is in the overall interest of our country. An Assistant Coach should be good enough to take over from the substantive one immediately the need arises. Yobo, despite everything is not ready. May the LORD bless our country.
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 •T H I S D AY
MRS JENNIFER
RAMATU
ETUH
Forever in Our Hearts On behalf of The Board of Directors, Management
Sir, our prayer is for the peaceful repose of her
and Staff of Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc, we
soul and for God to grant you and your family the
commiserate with our Chairman Mr. Thomas Etuh
fortitude and grace you need
and his family on the transition to Heavenly Glory
during this trying period.
of his beloved wife MRS JENNIFER RAMATU ETUH, who slept in Heavenly peace on the 26th of
Signed:
January, 2020.
Management
www.veritaskapital.com
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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 • T H I S D AY
Transition to Glory
MRS. JENNIFER
RAMATU
ETUH
On behalf of The Board of Directors, Management and staff of TAK Logistics Limited, we commiserate with our Chairman Mr.Thomas Etuh and the entire Etuh family on the transition to Heavenly Glory of his beloved wife MRS JENNIFER RAMATU ETUH, who slept in the Lord on the 26th of January, 2020. We pray the good Lord to grant her soul eternal rest and to grant you and your family the fortitude and grace to bear this irreparable loss. Funeral arrangements as announced by the family. Signed: Management
TR
Wednesday February 19, 2020
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Price: N250
MISSILE
Sanusi to Northern Leaders “The truth is, nobody who is a leader in Northern Nigeria today can afford to be happy. You cannot be happy with about 87 per cent of poverty in Nigeria being in the North. You can’t be happy with millions of northern children out of school. You can’t be happy with the drug problem, you can’t be happy with the Boko Haram problem” – The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, raising the alarm that the North is on the verge of destruction if their leaders fail to act.
KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON
kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com
0805 500 1974
The Path to Social Protection I
n the eyes of some neo-liberal experts, the abysmal lack of social protection for the poor is hardly an issue. Poor social protection is not often made the topic of discussions because those adversely affected lack power. It is, of course, in the nature of the unjust system to distribute power grossly to the disadvantage of the majority. The interests of the dominant class are substituted for the interests of the whole society. That is why you search in vain for the genuine interests of the people in most of the crises in which the same poor people end up as victims. However, there is a noticeable tendency that should be encouraged. Discussions are being deepened on physical insecurity, the issue of the moment, by linking it to the vulnerability of those the system has denied social protection. Security has been largely conceived in physical terms. Not enough investments have been made in social security and other aspects of the larger social protection. This neglect of the social basis of security has proved costly in human and material terms. The chickens have come home to roost , as they say. The import of the foregoing is that an effective social protection policy is usually a product of socio-economic planning. Nigeria should take deliberate steps towards the social protection of the poor people. That is why this theme has been emphasised even at the risk of repetition in this column in the last few years. Regrettably, it’s part of the poverty of the contemporary politics in Nigeria that elections take place without defining the issues on the basis of which the electorate is asked to vote. For instance in the last year elections there was no robust debate on social protection in a country that some think tanks rated as the home of the largest number of poor people on earth. Even if you dismiss the soul-depressing ratings of the foreign experts, the official and non-official figures produced at home indicate that poverty is a scourge in the land. Yet the government in power could not even articulate in conceptual and practical terms how to expand social protection. For instance, the “restructuring” in the implementation of the social investments and the merger with disaster management efforts by way of creating another ministry was not even mentioned during the campaigns. The other political parties had nothing better on display except to allege that the implementation of aspects of the programme amounted to “vote buying.” That was really no policy debate. There are also legions of politicians and experts who out of ideological prejudice insult the poor people by saying that social protection programmes would make them lazy. Meanwhile, they have no
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq
veritable conceptual alternatives of how to improve the condition of the poor. Ironically, these same middle and upper class elements who pooh-pooh social protection programmes are forced by the system to operate virtually as one-man social security outfits. Demands on them by their less endowed relatives, friends, neighbours and acquaintances for financial helps are a daily affair. In a more structured way, non-governmental organisations of various sizes (including notable foundations) are carrying out a lot of poverty-alleviation activities in urban and rural areas. Despite all these official and non-official efforts, social protection is still considered low in Nigeria as a recent World bank report indicated. Therefore, specific programmes of social protection (especially social security schemes ) that would traverse the formal and informal sectors should be central to the socio-economic agenda of all political parties at this time. Politicians should not discuss issues of social protection glibly. Even parties out of power can popularise alternative policy strategies to achieve the same purpose. Take a sample. Cash transfer is just a minute aspect of social protection. Yet, it is, an ideological matter because those who perceive Nigeria as a Darwinian jungle where only the materially fittest should survive cannot possibly imagine the great difference N5, 000 could ever make to the monthly real incomes of
Nigeria should take deliberate steps towards the social protection of its poor people
some very poor families. Here we are talking of the most vulnerable segment of the society. How can a government design a programme of cash transfer that could be targeted at the poorest segment of the society without corruption and other leakages? That is a pertinent question for the political parties in power at all levels as well as those not yet in power. It can be done. When members of the public insist that issues of social protection should be given attention by those seeking or wishing to retain power the trend to reduce democracy to perpetual permutations for elections would be halted. This trend of power-mongering is highly insensitive to the public mood; politicians give the impression that elections are the only things that happen in a democracy. This is a grossly cynical view of politics. Beyond fielding candidates in elections, political parties have the important duty of also mobilising the people around their policies and programmes among other institutional tasks beyond the electoral season. It is the business of government in power to articulate its policies while those in opposition should educate the public on alternative strategies and policies. To be sure, there are examples of successful poverty reduction strategies globally. The most populous country, China, won the 2016 Best Social Security Nation Award for putting 100 million people yearly into the social security system. In the last decade, a billion people have become part of the social security system. The organising principle to this trend should be obvious to any keen observer of the Chinese development process. The last congress of the Chinese Communist Party focused on social security as a weapon in its unyielding anti-poverty war by China. There was a scientific discussion and planning at the party level. Similarly, poverty reduction was made a strategic goal of government in Brazil with remarkable results. Millions were lifted out of mass poverty. As a matter of projection, is it, therefore, unrealistic to expect that 100 million Nigerians would be captured in the social safety net in the next 10 years as President Muhammadu Buhari said? You may say this seems over-ambitious in a country where political parties only meet mainly to discuss candidates for elections. They don’t engage in policy debates. They are bereft of ideologies. Politics is all about seeking power. The crises plaguing the parties are not derived from disagreements on policy conception and implementation. Listening to our economic experts you could get the impression that the economic problems facing the majority of the people would suddenly disappear when the negative numbers the experts crunch turn into positive ones. In other words, the problem would be over automatically
with increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP), higher price of crude oil, better Fitch Rating and more complimentary remarks from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). The sad lesson, however, is that historically this has not been the case. There were poor people who could not afford basic needs when the economy was assessed to be growing impressively. The hunger, illiteracy and disease of this class of people did not begin with the period of the poor statistics. For example before the last recession, the poor people faced misery. Recession might have worsened their condition. Now that the statisticians say that recession is over, the misery of the poor continues. That is why the worsening inequality in the system should be decisively addressed as part of the efforts towards economic development. To be sure, social security and other poverty reduction steps are veritable means of empowering the people to be real economic players. The man given N5, 000 a month would at least embark on some effective demand. This would be impossible without any income at all. Social safety net should, therefore, be a yardstick for measuring the success of economic recovery beyond the abstract statistics of growth rates. Economic growth should not be viewed in isolation of the burgeoning inequality in the land. It is suggestible that our economic thinkers should make this part of their preoccupation. Since the days of Napoleon Bonaparte in France when the welfare state emerged, the extremely rough edges of capitalism have since been smoothened by social safety net. The National Health Service (NHS) has become such a formidable national institution in the United Kingdom that is identifiable with the country just like the Union Jack, the national flag. Even outside the electoral season, the clamour should be intensified for increased funding of social security, public education, primary healthcare, mass transit (not Okada!), social housing, access to potable water, rural electrification, sanitation etc. in the budgetary process. The performance of any administration should be measured by the percentage of poverty reduction it could achieve above any other index. In order to achieve social protection especially for the most vulnerable segment of the society, government must make efforts to bring about social protection at levels of policy conception and implementation. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq has her job well cut out for her in this respect. So are the respective officers in the states coordinating social protection programmes. Social protection should be put at the centre of a national development strategy that Nigeria direly needs at this time.
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