TUESDAY 7TH APRIL 2020

Pandemic: AU Report Predicts $65bn Revenue Loss for Nigeria, Angola Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest oil producers, Nigeria and Angola, alone could lose $65 billion in income this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,

according an African Union (AU) study.

The study noted that African oil exporters are expected to see their budget deficits double this year while their economies shrink three per cent on average.

About 20 million jobs

are also at risk in Africa as the continent’s economies are projected to shrink this year due to the impact of the pandemic, according to the study.

Reuters reported that African economies are already facing an impending global economic

downturn, plummeting oil and commodity prices and an imploding tourism sector.

Before the outbreak of the pandemic, continent-wide gross domestic product (GDP) growth had been projected by the African Development Bank to reach 3.4 per cent this year.

However, in both scenarios modelled by the AU study and entitled “Impact of the Coronavirus on the Africa Economy” - GDP will now shrink.

Under what the AU researchers deemed their realistic scenario, Africa’s

economy will shrink 0.8 per cent, while the pessimistic scenario said there would be a 1.1 per cent dip.

Up to 15 per cent for foreign direct investment could disappear.

Continued on page 10

Adesina: AfDB Whistleblowers’ Allegation of Misconduct Spurious... Page 6 Tuesday 7 April, 2020 Vol 25. No 9129. Price: N250

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Nigeria Seeks $7bn from IMF, Others to Reflate Economy To augment June FAAC with $150m from NSIA Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Nigeria is seeking about $7.050 billion, an equivalent of N2.679 trillion, from multilateral

financial institutions and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.

A breakdown indicates that $3.4 billion is being sourced from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), $2.5 billion from the World Bank

and $1 billion from the African Development Bank (AfDB) as well as $150 million to be drawn from NSIA, bringing the total to $7.050 billion or

N2.679 trillion at an exchange rate of N380/$.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who

briefed journalists in Abuja yesterday on measures being taken in response to the Continued on page 11

COVID-19: Private Sector Relief Fund Hits N21.588bn as FG Lists Chinese Doctors’ Role Says foreign physicians not to practise but install equipment, train Nigerian personnel Unfolds guidelines on use of face masks Cases move to 238 Lagos discharges two more patients Survivor narrates experience British Prime Minister Boris Jonson moves to intensive care unit Olawale Ajimotokan, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Udora Orizu in Abuja, Obinna Chima, Martins Ifijeh, Funmi Ogundare in Lagos and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The private sector relief fund, championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to raise funds to combat COVID-19 has rallied to N21.58 billion.

According to a CBN update yesterday on the private sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) Relief Fund, domiciled with the apex bank, the cash, which totalled N19.488 billion as at last Friday, rose to N21.588 billion following fresh donations from some individuals and organisations.

The federal government also yesterday shed more light on

the mission of Chinese doctors to Nigeria, which has been buffeted by criticisms from some organisations and individuals.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who doubles as the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, told reporters in Abuja that contrary to misconception, the Chinese doctors are not coming to Nigeria to treat COVID-19 patients.

Rather, they would superintend over the installation of medical equipment to facilitate the treatment of COVID-19 patients and the training of personnel to handle the Continued on page 10

UK Joins US to Block Bagudu's Claim on Abacha Loot... Page 8

REFLATING THE ECONOMY...

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, addressing the press on the federal government's plan to cushion the impact of COVID-19 on nation's economy in Abuja...yesterday

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Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike

Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Adesina: AfDB Whistleblowers’ Allegation of Misconduct Spurious Obinna Chima and Dike Onwuamaze President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has described as spurious and unfounded an allegation by a group that described itself as concerned staff members of the bank that he violated the code of conduct of the institution.

In a statement he issued yesterday, Adesina said following the publication of the allegation in a foreign magazine, Le Monde, he was overwhelmed by the tremendous show of support and solidarity he had been receiving.

He stated that the bank had a very high reputation for good governance and rated as the fourth most transparent institution in the world by Publish What You Fund.

He noted that he had strong confidence in the governance systems of the bank put in place by its Board of Governors.

According to him, the Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors is following its internal review systems and should be allowed to complete its review and work without interference from anyone or the media.

The bank’s president said: “I am 100 per cent confident that due process and transparency, based on facts and evidence, will indicate that these are all nothing more than spurious and unfounded allegations. I would like all our highly dedicated bank staff, shareholders and partners

not to be moved or shaken by any of these blatantly false allegations. I will stay calm and resolute. I will not be distracted.

No amount of lies can ever cover up the truth. Soon the truth will come out.”

Adesina promised to continue to discharge his duties and responsibilities “with the highest level of professionalism, dedication and unshaken resolve, to lead and support the bank’s bold mission for Africa’s accelerated development, and to help protect the continent at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Adesina was elected for his first term as President by the bank’s Board of Governors at its Annual Meetings in Abidjan on May 28, 2015.

He has been endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the African Union for the second term and the election is expected to be held this year.

But in an 18-page petition, largely seen as a political conspiracy to block his second term, obtained by THISDAY yesterday, the concerned staff members listed the alleged cases of breach of code of conduct by Nigeria’s former Agriculture minister to include unethical conduct, private gain, an impediment to efficiency, preferential treatment, involvement in political activity, among other activities they alleged to have adversely affected confidence and integrity of the bank.

They enumerated 20 areas

Court Sentences Funke Akindele, Husband to 14-day Community Service To pay N100,000 fine each Naira Marley to be arraigned Chiemelie Ezeobi A Magistrate's Court sitting in Lagos yesterday sentenced Nollywood actress, Mrs. Funke Akindele-Bello, and her husband, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bello, a.k.a JJC Skills, to 14 days of community service each for violating regulations on social distancing meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The couple would spend three hours per day, excluding Saturday and Sunday, in carrying out the sentence.

They must each visit 10 public places to educate people on the consequences of not complying with the directives on COVID-19.

The court also directed them to pay a fine of N100,000 each.

They were charged to court yesterday for violating the restriction regulations in Lagos State.

They were arraigned before Chief Magistrate's Court 1 Ogba on one-count charge.

The prosecuting team was led by Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN).

The charge was read to the accused persons by the court and they pleaded guilty.

The court found them guilty as charged and sentenced them to a 14-day community service.

The court held that they must submit the names and phone numbers of every person who attended the party who shall be placed on isolation by the state government to determine their COVID-19 status.

The court added that failure to abide by the above directives shall attract more severe punishments.

The offenders had held a party at their residence with over 20 persons in attendance contrary to the social distancing directives made pursuant to Regulation 8(1)(a) and (b) & 17(1)(i) of Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.

The video of the party showing a large number of persons mainly in the entertainment industry in an estate along Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki axis, Lagos had gone viral.

The actress and her husband were arrested for committing an offence under Section 58 of the Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol. 9, Laws of Lagos State 2015.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Police Command said yesterday that Mr. Azeez Fashola a.k.a Naira Marley, was in its custody and would also be charged to court for violating the restriction orders.

The police have launched a manhunt for other guests at the party.

whereby Adesina allegedly violated the code of conduct of AfDB and the efforts made to draw the attention of the Ethics Committee to the issues in line with the bank’s whistle-blowing policy.

For instance, they accused Adesina of non-respect of internal rules and regulations in recruitment (unethical conduct, an impediment to efficiency, political activity, and private gain).

The group said: “Since 2015, the President has taken his responsibility of Chief of the Staff to heart, playing a very active role in the recruitment of all managerial positions, acting as the de facto human resources manager.

“According to our information, for all PL2 positions (manager) and above, the President validates the shortlist of candidates to

be interviewed and the list of candidates selected after the interviews.

“He is known to have excluded top-rated candidates from shortlists and to have canceled shortlists drawn up by independent recruitment panels.”

The group cited the appointment of Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, a former DirectorGeneral of the National Pension Commission, last year as Senior Director in charge of the African Investment Forum (AIF) as one of the wrongdoings of Adesina.

According to the petitions, she was awarded the grade of senior director, which placed her at the same salary level as a vice president “without having the same responsibility level.”

The group also cited the appointment and promotions of

Mr. Martin Fregene, describing it also as unethical because it involved preferential treatment.

“A Nigerian-born, Mr. Fregene is alleged to be the President’s brother-in-law (through their wives). He joined the bank in September 2015 as Adviser in the Office of the President, after having already served in his office when he was Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria.

“In 2017, it is reported that at the President’s request, he was appointed lead expert to Mrs. Blanke, VP Agriculture, and then promoted Adviser, both regular positions, both times without competition.

“Mr. Fregene was later promoted again in 2018 to the position of Director of the Agriculture and Agro-industry Department with effect from the 1st of January 2018 when Mr.

Ojukwu, the incumbent, was still in place (he retired on the 31st of January)."

In addition, the group also alleged the mismanagement of the Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT), a $120 million programme that was designed to speed up the adoption of agricultural technologies.

It accused Adesina of unethical conduct in the appointments and promotions of Mrs. Maria Mulindi, a Kenyan, who has professional ties with him as she was already working for him when he was Minister of Agriculture.

Adesina was also accused of directly contracting and appointing Mr. Victor Oladokun, whom they described as Adesina's childhood friend, in violation of the bank's code of conduct.

STILL ON THE PANDEMIC...

L-R: Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Whip, Hon. Muhammad Monguno; and Deputy Leader, Hon. Peter Akpatason, during a meeting between the leadership of the House and the ministers in Abuja…yesterday

Govs Seek to Distribute FG's Palliatives Call for single unified market-determined exchange rate Chuks Okocha in Abuja Governors of the 36 states of the federation have called on the federal government to allow them to oversee the distribution of palliatives to cushion the effects of COVID-19.

The palliatives being distributed to the vulnerable are currently being handled by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) set up by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The governors spoke yesterday in Abuja after a meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha.

They also supported the unification of exchange rates into a single, market-determined window and the use of the market-determined exchange rate to calculate all revenues due to the federation.

The governors outlined their position in a communique signed by the NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor, Dr.

Kayode Fayemi.

Fayemi also briefed his colleagues on ongoing coordination with the World Bank to mobilise support for states to mitigate the economic and social cost of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said ongoing plans included accelerated disbursement of existing and new financing for states under the State Fiscal, Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme-for-Results, and mitigation and recovery support for expenditures to protect livelihoods, support local economic activity and recovery over the next 18 months to two years.

"The forum expressed appreciation to the private sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) set up by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for their pledge to support states to increase their capacity to mitigate the spread of the virus and care for confirmed cases through the construction of isolation centres and the distribution of personal

protective equipment to states.

"Members underscored the need for CACOVID to work directly with the states in the distribution of palliatives," Fayemi said.

He added that following a briefing from SGF on the activities of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, NGF commended Mustapha and his team for the commitment to leading a national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the governors also “emphasised the necessity for stronger collaboration with states because they are best positioned to administer palliatives to mitigate the impact of the crisis, including the distribution of food and essential materials to households to help them cope with the expected loss of income and livelihoods.”

Fayemi also said the NGF received a presentation from the Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Mazen Mroue, and the Chief Transformation Officer, Mr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, on an ongoing collaboration with the NGF Secretariat to

profile states' vulnerability to the spread of the COVID-19 based on parameters such as population, age, and density, travel history, location, income level, among others.

"Governors approved the vulnerability model and resolved to use the model to drive a data-driven approach to stopping the spread of the virus in the country," he added.

He explained that the governors also expressed support for the federal government’s implementation of petrol price modulation mechanism to eliminate the petrol subsidy permanently.

Fayemi said: "Governors unanimously supported the unification of exchange rates into a single, market-determined window and the use of the market-determined exchange rate to calculate all revenues due to the federation.

"Finally, governors reiterated the importance of cancelling all deductions and deferring or restructuring all commercial debt service payments on federal government and CBNowned debts."

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UK Joins US to Block Bagudu's Claim on Abacha Loot

Ejiofor Alike with agency reports

The United Kingdom has joined the United States in resisting an alleged plan by the federal government to hand over nearly $110 million out of money the American authorities claimed was stolen by the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, to Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu.

The three governments are involved in a dispute over investment portfolios worth 141 million euros ($155 million) traced to Abacha and held in trust for Bagudu and his family.

Bloomberg reported that the federal government is seeking the approval of a UK court for the country to take ownership of the assets before returning 70 per cent of the proceeds to Bagudu under the terms of a 2018 deal.

The UK government’s National Crime Agency (NCA) “is opposing the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s application,” according to a motion filed by Bagudu’s brother, Ibrahim, to the District Court for the District of Columbia in the US capital on March 30.

The US Department of Justice said in February that its Nigerian counterpart was hindering its efforts to recover the allegedly laundered money from the UK. Bagudu was alleged to be part of a network controlled

by Abacha that “embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria,” according to the DoJ. While successive Nigerian

governments have repatriated billions of dollars looted by Abacha, who died in office in 1998, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari said it’s prevented from assisting the United States’ ongoing forfeiture efforts by an agreement between Bagudu and a previous government in 2003.

Abacha is estimated to have stolen as much as $5 billion during his five-year rule.

That 2003 settlement, which was approved by a UK court, allowed Bagudu to return $163 million to Nigeria “without admitting to wrongdoing,” according to US court filings.

In return, the government dropped all outstanding civil and criminal claims against him.

Bagudu was elected a senator in 2009 and the governor of Kebbi State six years later.

Five years after the United States launched fresh forfeiture proceedings against him, Bagudu and Buhari’s administration struck a new accord in October 2018 to transfer ownership of the investment portfolios to the Nigerian state, which would immediately pay 98.5 million euros to Bagudu and his affiliates.

The terms of the updated settlement could not be implemented, while Nigeria’s application in a UK court is pending and a freezing order is still in place, according to a motion by Ibrahim Bagudu, who is entitled to a $100,000 annuity from the funds and is contesting the US confiscation efforts.

Neither the Bagudus nor representatives of the DoJ,

NCA, Nigeria’s Attorney General or Ibrahim Bagudu responded to requests by Bloomberg for comment.

Although the DoJ and NCA opposed the 2018 settlement, Ibrahim Bagudu and the US government “recently commenced preliminary discussions regarding a potential negotiated resolution

to this matter,” according to a motion filed by the US government to the district court on March 13.

The federal government had said it was mischievous to claim that it asked the United States to give $100 million from loots recovered from former military dictator Sani Abacha to Kebbi State

governor.

“The Bagudu family assets in contention, which constitute a distinct and separate cause of action, do not have anything to do with the assets already recovered and being recovered under the Abacha 2014 nonprosecution agreement,” a spokesman to the Attorney

General and Justice Minister, Mr. Abubakar Malami, had said in a statement.

“It is therefore mischievous and pedestrian for anyone to seek to turn the law and the facts on its head on the matter of repatriation whose terms are clearly spelt out and agreed among the parties,” the statement had added.

EDO STEPS UP THE FIGHT...

L-R: Commissioner for Youths, Mr. Damian Lawan; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Okundia; and Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shaibu, during an inspection of Edo State Infectious Disease Isolation Centre at Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City…recently

FG in Talks with Car Manufacturers US, Canada Evacuate for Locally Made Ventilators

Chinedu Eze

585 Citizens

Ethiopian Airlines yesterday evacuated 585 citizens of the United States and Canada from Abuja and Lagos.

THISDAY gathered that Ethiopian Airlines with flight number, ET 8299, airlifted 200 Canadian from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA), Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Addis Ababa en-route Toronto with its Boeing B767-300 aircraft.

The flight, which landed in Lagos first, went to Abuja and departed from Abuja to Addis Ababa at 11.06 a.m.

Ethiopia Airlines also evacuated 385 US citizens with its B777-300 aircraft with flight number, ET 8201, from MMIA, Lagos to Washington DC. THISDAY gathered that the flight, which was planned to take place last Friday was aborted due to procedural hitches.

Many countries have evacuated their citizens from Nigeria due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is ravaging the world.

Air France had earlier evacuated Europeans citizens from Nigeria in the same

week the federal government closed scheduled passenger flights on international routes on March 23.

Air France and Lufthansa German Airline had also evacuated more Europeans from the country.

Israel and Lebanon have also evacuated their citizens from Nigeria as evacuation has become trendy among countries in response to the pandemic.

After the ban on scheduled international flights, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said the government would allow essential flights, which include aircraft in a state of emergency, overflights, operations related to humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights, alternate aerodrome identified in the flight plan, technical stop where passengers do not disembark, cargo flights and other safety-related operations with authorisation from the Minister of Aviation.

A batch of 140 Lebanese nationals was evacuated through MMIA on Sunday, while the second batch of Europeans, numbering 637, was evacuated last Thursday from Nigeria.

James Emejo in Abuja

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo yesterday said the federal government is currently engaging indigenous car manufacturers to tweak their operations and commence the manufacturing of Made-in-Nigeria ventilators to boost the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also said the government is working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to facilitate the acceleration of the issuance of certificates of standards of essential items including hand sanitisers, coveralls for medical workers, face masks, needles, goggles, gloves, Sodium Hypo Chloride and digital thermometers, without sacrificing the quality of these products.

But even as the country continues to grapple with the spread of the pandemic, resulting in lockdown in some states of the federation, Adebayo said the federal government would in the coming week, inaugurate a post-COVID-19 committee, which would chart the way

forward for the country in terms of building a resilient economy going forward, drawing from current lessons.

Giving an update at a media briefing on the pandemic to curtail its negative impact on the manufacturing, trade and related sectors of the economy, the minister said: "The knowledge that we have gained in this period will continue to serve us down the line. Moving forward, the lesson for Nigeria from this pandemic and its associated global challenges is that we must continue to work to build an economy that is resilient and innovative; one that can withstand the impact of the risks and vulnerabilities that are accruable from an increasingly globalised economy."

However, he noted that following the total restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by President Muhammadu Buhari recently as well as additional measures to enforce social distancing and other preventive measures aimed at curbing the pandemic, it's imperative that Nigerians have access to essential

products nonetheless.

Adebayo said Buhari had consequently directed his ministry to work with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigerian Traders Association (NANTS) and other affiliated stakeholders to guarantee that the production of essential items particularly food, medical and pharmaceutical products continues unhindered.

He further explained that several proactive steps had been taken in line with the president's specific directive in the service of Nigerians.

Already, the minister pointed out that a Committee on the Sustainable Production and Delivery of Essential Commodities during the COVID-19 pandemic had already been set up, noting that all measures necessary to protect and promote the health and safety of industrial and related workers, their families, communities and the country at large must be put in place to curtail the public health crisis currently at hand.

Adebayo also stated that an emergency operation centre to monitor the supply of

essential commodities has been established.

Housed in the trade ministry, he said the centre would help to monitor the real-time status of the transportation and delivery of essential goods to cut down on the difficulties being faced by manufacturers, transporters, and distributors of essential commodities across the country.

He said though distributors and manufacturers still had restricted movement due to the enforcement of the lockdown by the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, the situation has nevertheless been addressed through an existing synergy between law enforcement agencies, essential manufacturers and producers and the ministry, which has "allowed us to be able to meet critical demands at this time."

Meanwhile, President of MAN, Mr. Mansur Ahmed, said there had been two other proposals from manufacturers apart from the initial one from Innoson Motors for the production of ventilators.

He added that there's still much to be achieved from investors especially when they are further assured of the government's support.

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PAGE TEN COVID-19: PRIVATE SECTOR RELIEF FUND HITS N21.588BN AS FG LISTS CHINESE DOCTORS’ ROLE equipment.

House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, however, said the Chinese medical team must be made to undergo the necessary checks as provided

by Nigerian law.

The duo spoke just as Kwara State confirmed two cases of COVID-19 in the state, while Lagos State Government discharged yet another two patients yesterday after they tested negative for the virus following their treatment at its Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba.

A statement yesterday on behalf of the coalition by the Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, said the amount excluded the N2.4 billion pledges by three individuals and organisations yet to be redeemed.

They are Lafarge Plc and MTN Nigeria, that pledged N1 billion each and John Coumantatous (Flour Mills Nigeria Plc), who pledged N400 million.

The initial list of 37 donors, which grew to 47 as at last Friday, was 50 as of yesterday (excluding those yet to redeem their pledges).

Some of the donors on the latest list included Chief Mike Adenuga, Raj Gupta of African Steel Mills Nigeria Ltd., Modupe and Folorunsho Alakija of Famfa Oil Limited and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), all donating N1 billion each to the relief fund.

The statement reiterated the coalition’s appreciation to the donors for their contributions to the relief fund.

Okoroafor, while urging more Nigerians and corporate bodies to contribute to the fund, charged Nigerians to do their part in checking any further spread of the virus in Nigeria.

The objective of CACOVID is to mobilise private sector leadership and private sector resources; increase general public awareness, education, and buy-in and provide direct support to private and public healthcare ability to respond to the crisis as well as support the federal government’s efforts.

CACOVID had last Monday said work had started to provide and equip medical facilities in the six geopolitical zones.

The medical facilities included the creation of testing, isolation and treatment centres as well as the provision of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and molecular testing labs.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had said CACOVID was targeting N120 billion for the acquisition of healthcare facilities and advocacy about the virus across the country, among others.

FG Lists Chinese Doctors’ Roles The federal government yesterday, following the spate of criticisms over the invitation to the Chinese medical team to assist in combating COVID-19 in Nigeria, gave more details on what their roles would be during the mission.

SGF, at a press briefing to keep the media abreast of the presidential committee's activities, urged the Nigeria Medical Association of Nigeria (NMA), one of the critics of the Chinese doctors' planned trip, to see reason with the offer by China

to assist Nigeria with medical doctors and health workers in the fight against COVID-19.

He said the Chinese team's visit was being planned by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to support Nigeria’s fight against the pandemic.

His clarification followed the explanation by the National Coordinator of PTF COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, that the United Nations (UN) and international donor agencies had agreed to support Nigeria with 50 ventilators worth about $1.4 million. The equipment is expected to be supplied this week.

Mustapha decried the opposition to the Chinese offer

by NMA and labour unions, clarifying that the Chinese doctors would not practise in Nigeria because they were not accredited by NMA. One of the grounds of NMA to the Chinese doctors' presence in Nigeria is that they are not licensed by local authorities to practise medicine in the country as required by law.

Giving more details on the invitation of the Chinese doctors, Mustapha said CCECC, which has been in Nigeria for over 40 years, offered to import about 256 equipment and items in different quantities, notable among which are: 1,300,000 medical masks, over 150,000 pieces of assorted personal protective equipment as well as another 50 ventilators.

He, however, added that qualified medical professionals would be needed to install, test the equipment and train the personnel that would handle the donated items.

Besides, the Chinese company also proposed to sponsor public health experts to help strengthen the Nigerian public health capacity and advise on processes and procedures.

“However, I wish to clarify that all countries of the world seek for and receive help in the fight against COVID-19. The support coming from China is a corporate social responsibility initiative by CCECC, a company with a total value of infrastructure contracts worth $10 billion in Nigeria,” Mustapha said.

SGF added that the Chinese doctors won’t practise in Nigeria as the company has indicated that the doctors would share their experiences with Nigerians on how they contained the virus, which first began in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China, last year before its escalation to other parts of the world.

He said: “The Chinese doctors are not accredited by NMA, so they cannot practise in Nigeria. I don’t see where the fear is. They cannot see our patients and cannot manage our patients. We are learning from experiences.

Some of the things we have put together that took us to where we are today and received the commendation of the UN are as a result of sharing experiences.

“The world is a global village if you are not willing to share experiences and you want to operate in isolation, you will not make progress.

“We have read of how the Chinese and South Koreans dealt with their situation, so I don’t see anything wrong in listening to them. As a matter of fact, they have become experts in that field.

It started with them. Nobody can

give you better information on how to manage the COVID-19 than the Chinese. I don’t think we should drag ourselves into unnecessary controversies.

"They are not accredited by the Nigeria Medical and Dental Council, so they can’t practise here.

"They will offer their experiences; they will train our people and equip the hospital they have adopted."

He said they would convert the THISDAY Dome to a hospital, adding that they would also bring their people to install their equipment for the use of Nigerians.

“Let us not generate unnecessary controversies on who is coming or who is not coming,” Mustapha said, adding: “All we are concerned as PTF is the welfare of the people and we are responsible enough to make decisions that will protect the people of this country at the direction of the president.”

According to him, Nigeria is in a state of war against the virus and the time should not be devoted to unhelpful controversy.

He also urged Nigerian medical professionals to see the positive aspects of the gesture as an extension of development in the field of medicine, saying PTF recognises and respects the competence and capability of Nigerian doctors and other medical personnel.

On the lockdown imposed on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states, SGF said only President Muhammadu Buhari could extend the 14-day lockdown, if necessary.

He said the objectives of the lockdown, which was primarily for containment to be able to trace or track those that had contacts with the first index case and by extension those established to be infected had been achieved.

“From the statistics I have just confirmed, what it shows is that 34 per cent of infection is by returning travellers, 25 per cent is among contacts of those cases.

But there is a development that we are keeping eyes on, which is 41 per cent whose sources are unknown. That is an indication that we are succeeding," he added.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who also took turns to brief reporters, expatiated on the mission of the Chinese medical team.

He said the team would be coming to help augment government's efforts at building capacity to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team would also share their knowledge, skills and real-life experience of fighting COVID-19 with Nigerian personnel to strengthen the management of COVID-19 cases, especially with regard to critical care.

To further allay the fears of Nigerians over the health status of the Chinese team, Ehanire said all those included in the team would be fully screened and be made to undergo health regulations governing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chinese Doctors Must Undergo Laid-down Protocol, Says Gbajabiamila

Gbajabiamila said the Chinese medical team must undergo the necessary checks as provided by Nigeria.

The speaker, after a meeting of the leadership of the House with Ehanire and his deputy, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, said the measure became necessary to take precautions and allay fears expressed by many Nigerians.

He said the meeting was conveyed following widespread complaints that trailed the announcement of the coming of the Chinese medical team.

He said: "There are a lot of complaints about why we are bringing in Chinese doctors. It is incumbent on us, as lawmakers, to intervene, following the concerns of our constituents to understand the issues and get the right information to them. Our duty is to protect the Nigerian people, and every opportunity to increase our knowledge will not be thrown away.

"Having listened to you, what we are taking away from this meeting is that Nigeria needs this intervention from the Chinese, but you have to make it mandatory that they observe all the protocols laid down for the disease.

"As you explained that they won’t have direct contact with Nigerian patients, you have to make sure that they go through our official immigration laws, they have to get work permit waivers because they are coming here to work."

Gbajabiamila added that the doctors have to be quarantined for 14 days as stipulated by the protocol and the ministers should educate Nigerians about this to avoid misconceptions.

FG to Unfold Guidelines on Use of Face Masks Also at the media briefing in Abuja, the federal government said it would in the next 48 hours approve a national protocol for the use of face masks as a means of containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the centre would today unveil protocol for the use of face masks by Nigerians.

While giving an update on the activities of the centre, Ihekweazu said the draft protocol for the face mask was ready but remained to be synchronised.

"I did say we will release a policy on face mask this week; that policy is almost completed.

In fact, the draft is being looked at by various colleagues to ensure that they were all aligned. By tomorrow or next, we shall be releasing that policy for all of us to align with," he said.

He also gave an update on the number of laboratories to be added to its network, saying four more testing laboratories each in Kano, Kaduna, Jos, and Maiduguri, would be activated between today and Thursday.

Kwara Confirms Two COVID-19 Cases Kwara State Technical Committee on COVID-19 yesterday confirmed two separate cases of COVID-19 in the state.

One is the wife of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH)

patient, a UK returnee, who died last Thursday and the other is another UK returnee.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, who is also the spokesman of the Technical Committee on COVID-19, in a statement, said: “This statement is issued at 18:33pm, a few minutes after the government received official confirmation of test results from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Test Centre in Ibadan. The government will address a news briefing tomorrow morning at 11.00 a.m to give details and further measures now being taken to tackle the development.”

Lagos Discharges Two More Patients In Lagos State, the government announced the discharge of two more COVID-19 patients after their viral load returned to negative.

This brings to 31 the total number of discharged patients from the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba and 35 the total number of discharged cases in Nigeria.

The Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said in a statement that the persons had reunited with their families.

He said: "I have more great news for you from our Infectious Disease Hospital. Two more female patients have recovered fully, tested negative twice consecutively and have been discharged from the facility today.

"With the newly discharged patients, we now have a total of 31 people that have fully recovered from COVID-19 in Lagos and discharged to join the community."

Survivor Narrates Experience A COVID-19 survivor, Miss Ayodeji Osowobi, who was recently discharged from an isolation centre in Lagos, yesterday shared her experience with Arise TV, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, saying it feels great to be back to her comfort zone.

She said she heard so many misconceptions about the pandemic, including claims that it did not exist in Nigeria or that young people could not contract the disease.

She said: “I am here to say that it is a lie. I am 29 years old and I still got infected. For every young person out there, a strong immune system is great but does not shield you.

“I am healthy and strong but COVID-19 does not care if you are young or old. As far as you are not practising social distancing and if you are exposed to an infected surface, you will contract it.

“In my ward, there was a young baby who was infected as well. My heart was broken to see that a young child was infected. It only means that nobody is actually safe from this.”

Asked how long it took for the symptoms to manifest after she returned from a trip to the United Kingdom, she said: "I returned and I started feeling feverish on the plane, but I felt it may be due to the stressful week and tiredness.

PANDEMIC: AU REPORT PREDICTS $65BN REVENUE LOSS FOR NIGERIA, ANGOLA The impact on employment will be dramatic.

“Nearly 20 million jobs, both in the formal and informal sectors, are threatened with destruction on the continent if the situation continues,” the analysis said.

African governments could lose up to 20 to 30 per cent of their fiscal revenue, estimated at $500 billion in 2019, it found.

Exports and imports are meanwhile projected to drop at least 35 per cent from 2019

levels, incurring a loss in the value of trade of around $270 billion.

The report said the fight against the virus’ spread will lead to an increase in public spending of at least $130 billion.

Africa’s oil producers, which have seen the value of their crude exports plunge in past weeks, will be among the worst hit.

“Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest oil producers, Nigeria and Angola, alone could lose $65

billion in income. African oil exporters are expected to see their budget deficits double this year while their economies shrink three per cent on average,” it added.

African tourist destinations will also suffer.

Africa has in recent years been among the fastest growing regions in the world for tourism.

But with borders now closed to prevent the disease’s spread and entire airlines grounded, the

sector has been almost entirely shut down.

Countries where tourism constitutes a large part of GDP will see their economies contract by an average of 3.3 per cent this year. However, Africa’s major tourism spots Seychelles, Cape Verde, Mauritius and Gambia will shrink at least seven per cent.

“Under the average scenario, the tourism and travel sector in Africa could lose at least $50 billion due to the COVID-19

pandemic and at least 2 million direct and indirect jobs,” the AU study said.

Remittances from Africans living abroad, the continent’s largest financial inflow over the past decade, are unlikely to cushion the blow.

“With economic activity in the doldrums in many advanced and emerging market countries, remittances to Africa could experience significant declines,” the analysis added.

“When I arrived in Lagos, I still felt weird and something wasn't right. I practised social distancing as much as I could and I didn't rule out the chances that it could be COVID-19.

"When I got to the counter and checked my temperature and saw that it was really high, I told my family members not to touch me or come close. I had the symptoms. Then, I had to isolate myself and reached out to NCDC.” Osowobi added that she was the first female case that was confirmed after she was picked up by the ambulance around midnight to the isolation centre.

"It was midnight when the ambulance came to pick me at my house to the isolation centre.

There was nobody to receive me and I had to stay in the ambulance for two hours and later nobody cared to ask me how I was feeling.

“I think the female nurses had not handled such a situation before and I know that everyone is scared to come in contact with me.

“I was unpleased with how the situation was handled at first, but the process was seamless, considering the information I gave to the Ministry of Health to see how they could help. When I got into my ward, the nurses were caring and they were coming to say a word of prayer and ask after my wellbeing. I was the class captain of the ward.

"They supported and encouraged me. In one of the episodes, I actually threw up and it was difficult for me to control my body at that time.

“The nurse didn't lash out at me but tried to help me clean up, which I will never forget.

The pros overweighed the cons because they were very kind.

I saw them three times every day - morning, afternoon and evening. They were always coming to check our vitals and gave us medications and food.

“The cleaners too, I must commend them and the doctors.

They really made the COVID-19 process a bit easy. It was very hard to even drink water. It wasn't perfect at the beginning but I am grateful for every care that I got from there," she added.

Speaking on how the system at the isolation centre could be improved, she said: "Every system has its own lapses- even the most advanced countries with the best health care; they are struggling through the process. Yes, there were moments that were not perfect, but at the end of the day, it is a learning curve and I did my best to give feedback to them on a daily basis on what could be improved on and changed and also the diet that should be introduced.

Continued on page 38

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11

TUESDAY, Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Sylva: Nigeria Will Make Sacrifices for Oil Market Stability Petrol subsidy gone forever, says NNPC Chineme Okafor and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria would make the necessary sacrifices needed to stabilise the global crude oil market which has been impacted greatly by COVID-19, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resource, Mr. Timipre Sylva, said yesterday.

This was coming as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday revealed that the payment of fuel subsidy or under-recovery by the federal government was now a thing of the past, explaining that henceforth, market forces would determine the pump price of petrol.

Crude oil prices fell yesterday after Saudi Arabia and Russia delayed a meeting to discuss output cuts that could help alleviate global oversupply as the coronavirus pandemic pummels demand.

Brent crude slipped close to $30 per barrel earlier but pared losses to trade down 24 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $33.87 per barrel.

West Texas Intermediate crude fell 41 cents, or 1.5 per cent, to $27.93 a barrel, off a session low of $25.28.

Sylva, in statement issued by his Adviser on Media, Mallam Garubadeen Mohammed, explained that the country

would join other membercountries of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) at a meeting on April 9 to discuss the state of the oil market.

He noted that at the meeting, the country intends to maintain its devotion to ‘team spirit’ in helping the market to overcome the challenges of COVID-19.

Additionally, Sylva said the country would consider the stability of its national economy in its interactions with OPEC member-countries.

As at Friday last week, OPEC’s reference basket price for oil was $23.01 per barrel; Nigeria’s 2020 budget which was passed in December 2019 had crude oil production benchmarked at 2.18 million barrels a day (mbd) and price at $57 per barrel.

In the statement, Sylva said the government was watching developments in the oil and gas industry with keen interest.

“Specifically, Nigeria is very mindful and appreciative of the role of Saudi Arabia and other members of the OPEC family. As Minister of State for Petroleum, I will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on our economy and global market,” he said.

According to him, “In our consultations with global industry stakeholders in the

lead up to the OPEC+ meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 9, the Nigerian government will take a position that is in the best interest of our short term and long-term economic forecast.

“It is well known that Nigeria has always collaborated with key OPEC members such as Saudi Arabia in maintaining a balanced position that has helped to make OPEC one of the most successful global institutions in recent history.

Nigeria intends to maintain this team spirit even as it takes into account the position of OPEC strategic allies such as Russia.”

“As always the driving force of our OPEC policy is first the stability of our national economy as well as the stability of the global economy which is heavily dependent on OPEC and its strategic partners, popularly referred to as OPEC+.

“Nigeria, like the rest of the world has been hit by the global pandemic and is prepared to join the rest of the world in making the necessary sacrifices needed to stabilise the crude oil market; and to prevent what is likely to be a major global economic meltdown.”

Petrol Subsidy Gone Forever, Says NNPC

Meanwhile, NNPC yesterday said the payment of fuel subsidy or under-recovery by the federal government was now a thing of the past, explaining that henceforth, market forces would determine the pump price of petrol.

The corporation also maintained that the country could not accurately ascertain the quantity of the product it consumes daily because while the agencies of government saddled with the job know how many trucks leave the depots everyday, it's impossible to track where they are taken to.

NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr. Mele Kyari, who spoke in Abuja on a live television programme on AIT, also noted that no cash donation would be given towards the effort against COVID-19 by the petroleum industry, explaining that all contributions would be in kind after participating companies must have gone through their corporate procurement processes.

Kyari, who also dispelled insinuations that the country’s crude oil currently has no international buyer, added that given the quality of the resource Nigeria produces and the relatively short distance to its international buyers compared to its competitors,

Nigeria has an advantage.

He said the current fall in the international prices of crude has given the country an opportunity to ‘liberalise' the downstream oil industry, which implied that the price Nigerians would get from crude oil products would now be determined by market forces.

He added that with full liberalisation, the pump price of fuel would fall further in the next few weeks.

“As at today, there’s no subsidy, no under-recovery.

It’s zero forever. What I mean is that going forward, there will be no resort to subsidy or under-recovery of any nature.

NNPC will play in the market place . We will just be another marketer in the space. But we will be there to ensure security of supply,” he said.

NNPC boss, who also faulted the allegations that the organisation remains one with no commitment to transparency, noted that the corporation was not an opaque organisation, disclosing that every month it publishes its financial transactions or standing for public consumption.

According to him, “ With price liberalisation, this (actual consumption) will be sorted out and we will know our real consumption. So, now what we call consumption is how

much of these products get into the fuel stations and is actually bought by cars and generators. But the market will take care of that.

“As soon as this situation (COVID-19 pandemic) abates and we are able to go into real market conditions, it will be a consideration of commerce and we will have no challenge.

“But I know we are transitioning to a full market situation and the forces of demand and supply will regulate the prices, while avoiding the possibility of abuses that can come out.

Ultimately, the market forces will take shape in a way that everybody will benefit from it.

“In terms of expecting lower prices associated with crude oil price decline, the product price tallies behind the crude oil prices. If crude oil prices collapse today, the reality of those prices will come in two or three weeks. From production to delivery takes three to four weeks and therefore, it is only at that time that you see the impact of changes in price.

“But as we go forward, the impact will come because the product we see today were produced three to four weeks today. In that three weeks you will see further commensurate decline in prices of products.

Not what we expect today.”

Nigeria, she noted, had requested to fully draw down on the outstanding balance of $82 million, adding that the federal government has also requested for additional financing of $100 million from the REDISSE project to meet COVID-19 emergency needs in all the 36 states and the FCT, through the NCDC and Federal Ministry of Health.

"This will enable us to expand the capacity of intensive Care Units (ICUs), enhance laboratory capacity, accelerate the procurement of test kits, strengthen surveillance mechanisms as well as improve information management," the minister explained.

According to her, the federal government has provided N102.5 billion as direct intervention in the healthcare sector, from which N6.5 billion has already been made available to NCDC for critical expenditure.

She also expressed the federal government's commitment to supporting the states in these difficult times, particularly those that are currently battling with the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that Lagos State has already been provided N10 billion in emergency funding.

Ahmed said: "As the situation in the FCT and other states at the forefront of our efforts unfolds, explicit criteria are to be agreed with the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC to determine when funds would be released to the affected states and the FCT. More funds are to be provided from the proposed COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund to address emerging and priority funding needs as these arise."

She thanked public-spirited individuals and corporate

bodies for their donations to the government towards combating the COVID-19 pandemic and assured them that the federal government would set up a framework for the collection, management and reporting of these donations.

She explained that the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning was developing a comprehensive framework for the transparent management of the contributions.

In the interim, the minister said Buhari has approved the restructuring of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in order to better mobilise cash donations from the people and corporate bodies, create flexibility and build a coalition with financial institutions while maintaining the sanctity of the account.

Ahmed said going forward, the COVID-19 Donor Accounts, which would form part of the TSA arrangement, shall be opened with five banks, comprising Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, UBA and First Bank.

The accounts would be linked to the main TSA for ease of monitoring and reporting, the minister added.

"I will be issuing circulars and ministerial orders to ensure that charitable donations by benevolent companies to support our COVID-19 pandemic efforts are taxdeductible, pursuant to Section 25 of the Companies Income Tax Act," she stated.

She added that based on the fiscal assumptions underpinning the 2020 Appropriation Act, monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to the federal and state governments were

projected at N888.5 billion, noting, however, that due to the significant drop in international oil prices, FAAC monthly disbursements have declined in recent months to N716.3 billion in January and N647.4 billion in February 2020.

"Our experience shows that monthly average FAAC receipts must average at least N650 billion for the federal and state governments to meet their current obligations.

"Unfortunately, we project that monthly receipts may decline to below N400 billion, over the next three to six months," the minister said.

To address the emerging fiscal risks, she said the president has approved the withdrawal of $150 million from NSIA Stabilisation Fund to support the June 2020 FAAC disbursement.

She said the Stabilisation Fund was created for such emergencies and would be utilised for the purpose.

According to her, other options are being explored to augment FAAC disbursements over the course of the 2020 fiscal year.

The president, she added, has also approved that the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning should engage with CBN to agree on a debt and interest moratorium for states on federal government and CBN-funded loans in order to create fiscal space for the states, given the projected shortfalls in FAAC allocations.

The minister noted that once-monthly average FAAC receipts fall below a specific threshold, interest and capital payments by states shall be suspended till monthly average FAAC receipts exceed the threshold.

NIGERIA SEEKS $7BN FROM IMF, OTHERS TO REFLATE ECONOMY COVID-19 pandemic, noted that the federal government had already applied for the release of its contributions to IMF totalling $3.4 billion under the Fund's Rapid Credit Facility.

The country, she added, is also seeking a $2.5 billion loan from the World Bank, $1 billion from the AfDB as well as an undisclosed amount from the Islamic Development Bank.

The minister explained that $150 million would be drawn from the Stabilisation Fund of NSIA to augment the June allocation to be shared by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) due to dwindling accruals into the Federation Account.

Explaining the moves towards seeking external interventions from multilateral institutions, the minister said: "Nigeria has a contribution of $3.4 billion with IMF and we are entitled to draw up to the whole of that $3.4 billion or less. We have in the first instance applied for that maximum amount; then in the process when we negotiate, we might get the maximum amount or less but that is the amount of our contribution with IMF and this is the provision that IMF has made for every member-country that you can apply for between 50 to 100 per cent of your contribution to IMF. "Again, this is a programme that has no conditions attached to IMF programmes and this is not an IMF programme."

She stated that up to about 80 countries had applied to draw from their contributions to IMF, in a bid to assuage the impact of COVID-19.

Ahmed said Nigeria has also requested from the World Bank $2.5 billion and another $1 billion from the AfDB.

The minister added that when secured, $1.5 billion of the $2.5 billion World Bank facility would go to the federal government, while the states get $1 billion.

"During the process of reviews and negotiations, the proportion could change but the request we are making is on behalf of the federation, in all of these multilateral institutions," she added.

Ahmed, who chairs the fiscal stimulus committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that Nigeria is exposed to the risks of both a pronounced decline in oil prices and spikes in risk aversion in the global capital markets.

According to her, although similar challenges were experienced in 2008/2009 as well as in 2015/2016, Nigeria has considerably lower fiscal buffers now than in previous economic downturns.

"The decline in international oil prices and domestic production may be magnified if a severe outbreak of COVID-19 occurs, despite ongoing efforts to curtail the spread of the pandemic through compulsory lockdown of Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)," she said.

To directly address these health and economic challenges, she stated that the president has approved the establishment of a fiscal stimulus package, as part of an integrated policy framework to provide support for Nigeria’s healthcare system, fiscal position and economy to weather the shocks.

She explained that the stimulus package comprised various measures, including the N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

The fund, she stated, would

involve drawing cash resources from various Special Funds and Accounts in consultation with and with the approval of the National Assembly.

The N500 billion is proposed to be utilised to upgrade healthcare facilities as earlier identified by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and approved by the president as well as finance the federal government’s interventions to support states in improving healthcare facilities.

Others are to finance the creation of a Special Public Works Programme; and fund any additional interventions that might be approved by the president.

She said: "With regards to the Special Public Works Programme, Mr. President had previously approved a Pilot Special Public Works Programme in eight states to be implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) from February 2020 to April 2020. Mr. President has now approved that this programme be extended to all 36 states and the FCT from October 2020 to December 2020.

"The selected timeframe is to ensure that the programme is implemented after the planting season and it will result in the employment of about 774,000 Nigerians (that is, 1,000 people per each local government).

“Also, N60 billion in allowance and operational costs has been earmarked from the COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund for this initiative."

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the minister added, has access to a Regional Disease Surveillance Systems (REDISSE) facility from the World Bank in the sum of $90 million, out of which $8 million has been drawn.

12

TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

NAFDAC Alerts Nigerians on Circulation of Fake Chloroquine Tablets The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday alerted Nigerians on the circulation of fake Chloroquine phosphate 250mg tablets.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Director-General of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye, said the NAFDAC was notified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the circulation of the tablets in Cameroon.

“The falsified chloroquine phosphate 250mg tablets were manufactured by Jiangsu pharmaceutical Inc, Astral pharmaceutical New Bhupalpura, China.

“The tablets manufactured by these companies have no Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and are in packs of 1,000 tablets.

“The use of the falsified chloroquine phosphate 250mg tablets may result in treatment

failure and could even cause death,” she warned.

She also said that the labelling information on the falsified chloroquine phosphate 250mg tablets manufactured by Jiangsu pharmaceutical Inc, China is labelled with a fake NAFDAC No: 028060.

“The Astral pharmaceuticals, New Bhupalpura, China is labelled with fake NAFDAC registration No. 0587612 and advised the general public to be aware of this drug.

“All importers, wholesalers and retailers are hereby cautioned to desist from illegal importation, distribution and sale of falsified chloroquine phosphate 250mg tablets.

“NAFDAC has strengthened its surveillance in all ports of entry to prevent illegal importation of the falsified chloroquine phosphate 250mg tablets.

“The agency has also heightened surveillance in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to prevent distribution and sale of this falsified drug.

“Healthcare providers and other members of the public are advised to be vigilant and contact the nearest NAFDAC office with any information on the falsified

chloroquine,” she said.

She called on anybody in possession of the falsified Chloroquine to submit it to the nearest NAFDAC office, and

advised the consumer to report adverse events related with the use of the medicine, or call the agency toll free lines: 0800-1-NAFDAC and 0800-1-623322.

No Online Test for COVID-19, Magu Warns The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu has asked Nigerians to beware of fraudsters using fake online test for COVID-19 to dupe unsuspecting people.

The Cable reported that since the outbreak of the disease, there has been a ‘Do-It-Yourself Test’ message being circulated on the social media.

But Magu yesterday said such messages are from internet fraudsters seeking to exploit the situation.

The EFCC chief said the warning became necessary in view of the increasing number of complaints received from Nigerians who became victims of the antics of internet fraudsters.

“There is no online testing for COVID-19; such online link requesting for personal information to test for the corona virus, or provide a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) method, is part of these fraudulent new methods aimed at defrauding Nigerians of their hard-earned money, please beware,” Magu said.

“Home-bond internet users have complained of receiving several e-mails, sms, Whatsapp messages offering free services

such as ‘Do-It-Yourself’ Covid-19 tests; subscription to either Netflix, hulu, DSTV, Government Intervention/Grant of N30, 000) and other tricky offers. ”Some of the fraudulent schemes are coming in the form of links that offer free data or request for the Bank Verification Number, BVN, and account details of their victims, assuring that such victims will be credited with money, as part of the federal government’s palliatives to cushion the effects of the running Stay-at-home order.”

He said many of the fraudulent online messages require recipients to click and fill out an online survey and forward same to 10 WhatsApp users.

The messages, he said, are ”embedded with malwares and other malicious codes which when clicked, trigger a program that steals and compromises mails, banking logins passwords, credit related information and other critical data contained on the recipient’s devices”.

He warned that victims stand the risk of losing both confidential information and money since unauthorised access may have been granted to cybercriminals.

CJN Extends Suspension of Court Sittings The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, has extended the suspension of court sittings till further notice.

This was contained in a statement by the CJN yesterday evening.

According to the CJN, the extension is necessary because of the measures in place to fight COVID-19.

“In view of the fact that the initial two weeks suspension of courts sittings will expire on 7th April 2020, I hereby extend the suspension of court sittings till further notice, given the lockdown measure put in place by Federal and some state governments to curb the

spread of COVID-19,” the CJN’s statement read in part.

Despite the extension, the CJN said courts would sit for urgent and time-bound matters.

“Your lordships are, however, to note that courts are expected to sit particularly to dispense matters that are urgent, essential or timebound in line with our extant laws,” the CJN, who is also the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), added.

The extension comes two weeks after Justice Muhammad ordered all heads of courts in the country to suspend court sittings.

The initial suspension took effect on March 24.

BACK FROM SELF-ISOLATION…

Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde (right), and Acting Chairman, Oyo State COVID-19 Taskforce, Prof. Temitope Alonge, during the governor’s inspection of Infectious Disease Centre Olodo, Ibadan…yesterday

Ondo CP Denies Arrest of Suspected Killers of Fasoranti’s Daughter

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and James Sowole in Akure

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Undie Adie yesterday denied claim that the men of the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police have arrested four suspects allegedly involved in the killing of Mrs. Funke Olakunri, a daughter of the Leader of Pan- Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere,

Chief Reuben Fasoranti.

The late Olakunri was killed in July 2019 near Toll Gate on Ore-Ijebu Ode road.

The alleged arrest of the suspects was disclosed to journalists in a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin.

Odumakin said three out of the four suspects arrested so far were from the Northern part of the country.

According to Odumakin, the suspects were arrested in Ondo State.

The suspects were said to have made useful confessions to the police.

He said: “We commend the dedicated officers who made the arrest just as we wait for a thorough investigation to follow. We have resolved to encourage the police to do their job properly. We appreciate all Nigerians who have encouraged

our 94-year-old leader in this troubling season.

It is our prayer that criminals will not go unpunished again in our country.”

Reacting to claim, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Tee Leo Ikoro, said he has not received signal to that effect.

However, when asked to confirm the arrest, the state Commissioner of Police, Adie told THISDAY that “it is not true, please.”

FG Declares Friday, Monday as Public Holidays to Mark Easter Celebration The federal government has declared Friday, April 10 and Monday, April 13, as public holidays to mark the 2020 Easter celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government, through a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Georgina Ehuriah, yesterday in Abuja.

Aregbesola urged Christians in the country to emulate the outstanding characteristics of Jesus Christ amongst which were tolerance, love, peace and compassion.

He called on Christians to use the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration to pray for Nigeria and the entire world at this time of the global emergency of COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister appealed to all Nigerians to continue to support the efforts of government towards fighting the coronavirus pandemic He reminded Nigerians of the need to adhere strictly to the measures put in place by relevant authorities towards preventing the spread of the virus in the country particularly, through the observance of social

distancing, in addition to regular personal hygiene and sanitary practices.

Aregbesola wished Christians a peaceful Easter celebration.

He assured that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the lives of Nigerians, “especially with the palliative measures already put in place.”

Ogun Confirms Two New COVID-19 Cases The Ogun State Government yesterday announced two new positive cases of COVID-19.

The state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun told journalists that the two new cases in the state have no history of recent travels or contacts with any of the initially confirmed patients.

Abiodun said the new cases, which were identified

at Obafemi Owode and Yewa South Local Government Areas of the state, have become a subject of concern in the battle against the disease.

“I have an unpleasant news story to share with you today about COVID-19. The state has recorded two new case - one from Obafemi Owode and one from Yewa South,” Abiodun said.

“These new cases have no contact with the index case and three other cases that the state had recorded earlier. They have no recent travel history. This new cases have brought the number of cases in the state to six.

“It is important for us to protect ourselves from the disease. COVID-19 is real. ”Our health workers have

demonstrated uncommon commitment, that is why we are providing a special front line special package for the health workers. It is a robust package. We must put them in our prayers.”

Abiodun said the new cases have been isolated at one of the centres in the state, while those who had contacts with them are being traced.

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TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Surrender or Die, Chad’s President Dares Shekau Chad’s President, Mr. Idriss Deby, has asked Boko Haram’s factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, to surrender or risk being killed inside his Dikoa hideout.

Deby issued the warning in a state address to his countrymen shortly after leading his army in an offensive against the terrorists that left about 100 killed.

According to the president who spoke in French, Shekau has the chance to surrender now or risk being smoked out of his hideout in Dikoa, adding that he would be killed the same say some of his commanders were killed.

Following a seven-hour ambush on Chadian troops by the terrorists that left 92 soldiers dead recently, Deby who said he would not accept defeat launched ‘Operation Wrath of Bomo,’ to avenge the death of his men.

Named after the town where the Chadian soldiers were killed, the operation, which commenced last Thursday, saw the president leading his armed forces to battle at Kelkoua bank and Magumeri where they fired rockets and 12.5mm rounds ammunition on the criminals.

The troops were said to have also destroyed several Boko Haram terrorists bunkers, recovered cache of arms and arrested a top Boko Haram commander.

At Magumeri, a local government in the northern Borno State, the Chadian troops were alleged to have set free some Nigerian soldiers held captive by the terrorists.

According to reports, the Chadian troops have dealt the terrorists massive blow and have advanced into neighbouring countries with a vow to destroy them completely in few days.

Video footages and pictures of the operation which were shared on social media showed corpses of suspected terrorists littering the floor with hundreds of assorted gun lumped together.

It also showed a suspect partly covered in blood alleged to be a top commander who was arrested while fleeing through one of the bunkers.

Hours after the victories of the Chadian armed forces went viral, Shekau released an audio message where he appealed to his fighters to stand firm.

Taraba Loses Commissioner Oluwole Ayodele in Jalingo Taraba State Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr. Alexander Markus Senlo has died.

Senlo, who died at a Yola hospital in the early hours of yesterday after a brief illness, was a two-term commissioner in the administration of Governor Darius Ishaku.

A family source told THISDAY that the late commissioner was diabetic and equally hypertensive and was treated of malaria and typhoid fever last Thursday.

He further revealed that his sugar level and blood pressure rose astronomically on Friday, adding that he had to be rushed to a hospital in Yola where he eventually gave up the ghost.

Commiserating with the family of the deceased, Ishaku said he received the news of his death

with shock, which he described as sudden and untimely.

Ishaku, in a press statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan Abu stated that the late Senlo, who was a former Chairman of Zing LGA was a grassroot politician and a loyal party man adding that he was an asset to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) The governor noted that as a member of the State Executive Council, the late Senlo made very useful contributions to debates especially in areas that had to do with the extension of amenities to the rural populace.

Ishaku, who maintained that Senlo’s death has left a big gap that will be difficult to fill, prayed God to grant him eternal rest and give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Report: Nigeria’s Oil Export Revenue May Fall to $50bn in Two Years Peter Uzoho Nigeria’s oil and gas export receipts in 2019 and 2020 may fall to $50 billion cumulatively with a $25 billion fall on yearon-on-year basis if the oil price settles for $35 per barrel for the rest part of this year.

Augusto & Co Consulting stated this in its April 2020 Macroeconomic report, which dwelt on “COVID-19 in Nigeria: Economic Perspectives and Mitigating the Risks”.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has a benchmark crude price of $57 per barrel for the 2020 Fiscal Budget. Our preliminary forecasts have been built around an average price of $35 per barrel for the rest of 2020.

“Under this scenario, Nigeria’s

oil and gas export proceeds may fall by half in 2020 to $25 billion on a year-on-year basis ($50 billion; 2019). This has led to genuine concerns not only for the naira but also the fiscal position of the federal government,” the report said.

According to the report, the consumption of energy has shrunk materially and has led to a supply glut in the crude oil market due to the lockdown enforced by major economies and the slump in international travels and local commute.

It noted that the ego battles between Saudi Arabia and Russian had led to the deterioration of the oil market, making a bad situation even worse especially for Nigeria who depends so much on oil revenue.

Shekau who spoke in Hausa was translated to have said: “People of Chad, leave us

alone; this operation is not approved by the Qur’an. It is not the will of the Prophet

Muhammed but if you want to continue, God will help us too because he is bigger

than you. To my fighters, take heart. It is I, Abubakar Shekau, your leader.”

DISTRIBUTION OF PALLIATIVES…

L-R: Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chairman Ekiti South West LGA, Mr. Kolade Amire; and Chairman, Ekiti Traditional Rulers Council/Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi; during the flag-off of food distribution to vulnerable people in Ekiti State...yesterday

Fitch Downgrades Nigeria to ‘B’ Rating, Negative Outlook Obinna Chima Fitch Ratings has downgraded Nigeria’s long-term foreigncurrency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) lower to ‘B,’ from ‘B+.

It also assigned the West African country a negative outlook.

In a statement issued yesterday, one of the global rating agencies explained that the downgrade and negative outlook reflected the aggravation of ongoing pressures on Nigeria’s external finances following the recent slump in oil prices and the pandemic shock.

Fitch pointed out that the

collapse in oil prices would put pressure on already overstretched state and local governments’ resources, adding that they possibly would require financial assistance from the federal government.

It also stated that delays to electricity tariff hikes as well as other restructuring plans following the pandemic outbreak would raise needs for further support to the ailing electricity sector.

In addition, it noted that intensifying external pressures raise risks of disruptive macroeconomic adjustment, “given Nigeria’s precarious

monetary and exchange rate policy setting and lack of fiscal buffers.”

According to Fitch, the shock would also raise government’s debt and interest payment-to-revenue ratios from already particularly high levels and lead to a renewed economic recession.

“The plunge in international oil prices, which we assume will average of $35/barrel in 2020 after $64.1/barrel in 2019, highlights Nigeria’s high dependence on the oil sector, with hydrocarbon revenues representing 57 per cent of current-account receipts and nearly half of fiscal revenue

over the last three years,” the rating agency added.

The shock, Fitch stated further, exacerbates the overvaluation of the naira and policy actions taken by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would not suffice to address deteriorating external imbalances.

The CBN recently allowed the exchange rate on the Investor and Exporter Window, on which the bulk of foreign-currency (FC) transactions is held, to depreciate by 6.7 per cent since mid-January and devalued the official exchange rate by 15 per cent in March.

Abia Police Arrest Inspector for Alleged Murder Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia Abia Police Command yesterday confirmed the arrest of Inspector Stanley Azuh attached to Ohuru-Ishimiri Police Division at Ogbor-Hill, Aba, for allegedly killing Mr. Chibuisi Godwin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the incident happened in OgborHill, along New Umuahia road in Aba on Sunday evening.

A police source, who did not want his name in print, said that Godwin was shot while Azuh was enforcing Abia Government’s ‘Stay-at-home’ directive, meant to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

He said that Azuh, who was attempting to stop a vehicle that violated the lockdown order, had mistakenly touched his riffle’s trigger, releasing the

bullet that hit Godwin, who later died in the hospital.

Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ene Okon, while confirming the arrest of the officer said that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has taken over the matter.

Okon said that the police as an institution do not take such careless attitude to human life lightly.

“That police Inspector was arrested immediately and detained, as I am talking to you, SCID has taken over the matter and they are investigating the police inspector for murder.

“We have our rules of engagement, we have our standards of operation and procedures and we have our own Force Order 237 as reviewed.

“That order has to do with when a police officer has to

use his firearm and it will be justified. It’s not an excuse for you to say accidental discharge.

“A trained officer on such assignment should put his riffle on safety mode; the riffle has a safety mode and once you put it there, it will not just release anyhow.

“So, it is not an excuse that he mistakenly touched the trigger.

That’s why we detained him and are seriously investigating the whole matter”, Okon said.

NAN gathered that the late Godwin was a staff of Greenmac Energy Limited, a petroleum company that deals on fuel and Kerosene in Ogbor-Hill, Aba. The deceased was believed to have come out for work as usual, as his line of business was among those classified as essential services, and not restricted by the lockdown order, when he met his death

An eye witness, Dr. Cyril Irobi, told THISDAY that the customer had driven into the filling station on Sunday afternoon and bought fuel but was stopped on his way out by a police patrol team.

He said that the fuel attendant apparently sensing that their customer could be in trouble went to plead with the police not to arrest the customer because he is diabetic and had come out to get his drugs.

“The fuel attendant was pleading with the police to leave the man alone and a gun shot rang out,” the eye witness said.

The trigger-happy police officer was identified as Inspector Stanley Asu and the leader of the patrol team from Ohuru Isimiri Police Station.

The eye witness alleged that soldiers stopped the police team from fleeing the scene of the incident.

SEC DG, Uduk, Elected into IOSCO Board Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk has been elected into the board of the International Organisation of Securities

Commissions (IOSCO).

Uduk is to represent the Africa/Middle-East Regional Committee (AMERC) on the IOSCO board for a period of two years.

The AMERC comprises securities regulators that are IOSCO members within

the Middle East and North Africa as well as sub-Saharan African region Announcing the result of the keenly contested election, Secretary General of IOSCO, Mr. Paul Andrews said: “The voting period for the AMERC representative

position ended on 20 March 2020. The committee elected the SEC Nigeria as AMERC Representative to the IOSCO Board for the term 2020-2022.

“I would like to congratulate the SEC Nigeria and Mary Uduk and wish her every success in this role”.

TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

17

NEWS

Senate to Treat FG’s N500bn Fund Request as Emergency Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Solomon Olamilekan, has said the Federal government N 500 billion intervention fund set up to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic would be treated as an emergency.

He further stated that once the leadership of the National Assembly send the request to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance Committee, it would be treated as an emergency and approval would be given because the National Assembly is currently on break and may reconvene next week.

According to the spokesman of the Chairman of Senate Committee on Finance, Chief Kayode Odunaro, Senator Olamilekan said: “The matter will be treated as an emergency because the fund is already there.

“Once the leadership of the National Assembly send the request of the N500 billion intervention fund, we the members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance will meet and give the necessary appropriation approval because this is a matter of emergency.”

It was gathered that members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriation and

Finance have sent out signals to members that are not within Abuja to make haste and be around as the request by the executive arm would soon be sent to them for their approval.

A source from the National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriation and Finance stated that there is the possibility that the approval would be given before this week is over.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, had last Saturday met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it with an executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

Opposition Parties Reject FG’s Plan to Invite Chinese Doctors Udora Orizu in Abuja The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has rejected the move by the presidency to bring in Chinese doctors to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

CUPP in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, described it as unnecessary, done in bad faith and a direct expression of loss of confidence on Nigerian

medical health workers who have risked their lives despite the huge constraints they face to do a marvelous job of treating patients of the deadly virus with a high success rate.

The opposition parties said the timing of the coming of the Chinese doctors is very suspicious, and in violation of the laws as well as a distraction of the good work being done so far.

CUPP advised that rather than import the doctors, the

government should show support to the Nigerian doctors by providing adequate and sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) for them to ensure they are safe while doing their job.

According to the statement, “We ask the presidency why it is not working with our Nigeria Medical and Dental Council in line with the provisions of the law before coming to the ill-timed decision to invite Chinese doctors.

TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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14

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͵˜ 2020

COMMENT

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

BEAUTY OF AN INDISCRETION

The birthday bash in Haven Amen in Lagos is insensitive, writes Abdulwarees Solanke

Y

ou never know the power of the state and the strength of the law until the rich and the powerful run foul of them.

If the rich offends the state or the classy commits an infraction against the government but escapes the law or the state looks at the other way, we call it impunity.

When impunity is the culture of a people, the society becomes a lawless one.

Everyone lives in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The state is Hobbesian. Might is Right. Life is short and brutish. Only the rich rules. The open streets become a jungle and hounds prey on the weak or justice is instant, without recourse to the law.

In this state of lawlessness, the mighty makes mess of the state by open disregard for the law, by side-stepping the rules and regulations, by buying their ways, by greasing palms of street level bureaucrats and by bridging processes.

So doing, the resolve of the lesser endowed to rise to wealth and fame at all cost is strengthened. In such state competition is heightened, just as corruption is endorsed.

But in reality, such state is weak and the government and justice are in the pockets of only the tiny rich and powerful.

Such is the state where citizens run over one another and cheat the system.

Such is the state where all sorts of cults are created, with maddening followership or membership in the belief that it guarantees their security, protection or immunity when they are in need of anything, including escaping the long arm of the law.

With a call to the top where they are connected, they can kill and not be caught. They can rape and not be reported, not suffering and repercussion of their action.

They can loot or steal blindly and the state and its agents turn their blind eyes.

There is always disdain for any measure to rein in abuses. So in this culture of disdain and disrespect for the law is the fault line of most underdeveloped countries of Africa and Asia.

It is at the root of violence and bloodshed that signpost many of our major cities. It is at the heart of disorderliness of our towns and municipalities.

It even explains horrible traffic congestion on our roads, pervasive pollution of our water, land and soil and noxious emission into our air.

It is behind accepting noise of the highest decibels as fun or spiritual fervour in our neighbourood without attracting sanctions.

It also explains the thriving business of fake or substandard products, the ascendancy of touts as kingmakers in our polity when they take over the motor parks as lords milking commuters through inflated fares.

It explains why abhorrent behaviours are celebrated as popular

IF THE RICH OFFENDS THE STATE OR THE CLASSY COMMITS AN INFRACTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT BUT ESCAPES THE LAW OR THE STATE LOOKS AT THE OTHER WAY, WE CALL IT IMPUNITY

culture, and so derelicts and drug addicts become models for the young, justifying deviance as a virtue but morality and orderliness as stupidity.

So it came to be that in this season of coronization and quarantization when there is a call for social distancing, even a total ban on public gathering jncluding coming together to serve our GOD, some people felt it was an opportunity to celebrate profanity in organizing a birthday bash.

At the centre of this indiscretion is Sister Jenifer, the popular thespian who thrills us with her hilarious show on the tube and cable channels.

The place was the haven of the rich nestling Eleko Beach where the breeze from of the Atlantic sweeps every exquisite home in the exclusive.

It is a place of answered prayers, proudly declared as Amen Estate.

All Who is Who in music and theatre were on ground to repulsively shame the law as they loudly sang, danced giddily, ate voraciously, drank to stupor.

In their carelessness, they posted their libertarian engrossment in the social media. What an affront! What and insult on the state, not just Lagos but the very federal government that declared total lockdown on Eco Aromisalebelebe.

Will Mr. Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Hamzat as drivers of Lagos look the other way to this infraction?

Even if they do, will Baba Buhari, just pat Jenifa? This party, even if in ignorance of the law, is a test on the government.

As they were rounded up, and are now offering public apologies, should the state excuse them? I think no.

For whatever it is, ignorance is no excuse before the law. They are sufficiently informed especially as they are all icons.

Thy should be setting examples and so examples should be made of them on the repercussion of lawlessness.

This is the beauty in some excesses, indiscretions or mistakes we can capriciously or ignorantly commit.

How will we know that a law is in place or is effective if it is not tried or tested?

The sanction against the offenders must be sufficiently strong and uncompromisingly deterring so that others who may be secretly working against the law can be shown that the law is an ass with respect for no one.

This birthday bash in Haven Amen is not one to be forgiven for it is an insensitivity to the mood of the world when thousands are dying of a pandemic that is threatening our humanity.

How can some favoured people be dancing at a time hordes of coroinfected people are dying everywhere? It’s callousness. It’s insensitivity.

Abdulwarees is an assistant director of strategic planning & corporate development at Voice of Nigeria, Lagos

BETWEEN GOJE AND KUMO Dahiru H. Kera writes that APC should put its house in order in Gombe

E

very right-thinking mind must at this time be occupied with possible ways out of the prevailing challenges bedeviling us as humanity.

We all should engage in fervent prayers against the widespread and devastating effects of the COVID-19 while supremely complying with the precautionary measures put in place by the relevant authorities.

But the current political crisis rocking the Gombe State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is a cause for concern as it will tamper with the progress of the state most certainly. This is so for people who have been keenly following the political history of the state, especially the decades’ long relationship between Sen. Muhammadu Danjuma Goje and his political son, Usman Bello Kumo.

Many were stupefied when Goje declared recently that he would be retiring from active and elective politics at the end of his third tenure in the red chamber of the National Assembly by 2023.

Regrettably for the APC in Gombe State, this crisis is coming at a time many of their followers are grieving over Goje’s declaration to quit active politics and its obvious and grave consequences on the party’s success going forward.

Truly, for the party, it calls for worry when their courageous general who has fought several wars and won in the battlefield decides to bow out; it, necessarily, demoralizes other soldiers at the frontline and consequently affects the next dimension of the war.

Senator Goje, a former state assembly member, former minister, two-term governor

of Gombe State, and third term senator, is a political general and a brand that has, apart from having successful political outings over the decades, trained many politicians not only in Gombe State or the North-east geo-political region but in entire Nigeria.

To those who do not know, he has been instrumental to the successes of the APC in the 2015 and 2019 elections and political realignment in the country that brought the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to power.

Goje, as APC leader in Gombe State, has led an opposition that wrestled power from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and saw to the emergence of the incumbent Governor Inuwa Yahaya of the APC in the state.

In fact, Goje’s bowing out of active politics has more to it than ordinarily meets the eye; and its ripple effects on the political permutation in the state will surely be overwhelming especially for the APC in 2023.

To be fair to him, if you are talking about his feats in politics, you need to write a voluminous book.

Today, if you look at all the political office holders in Gombe State under the APC, right from the person of the governor himself, his cabinet, National Assembly members, you will discover that they cut their teeth under Goje’s political tutelage, including Kumo who has spent most of his life learning politics and clutching on every opportunity made available to him by Sen. Goje.

Consequently, in all sense of judgement, all APC members in the state owed Goje some respect and they should as much as possible

protect his hard-earned reputation in the court of public opinion rather than doing the contrary as is currently being exhibited now.

Of course, many political commentators believe that, Kumo is shooting himself in the foot by fighting his political godfather.

Of course, if their observations and views hold water, the reason for this would be best known to him.

Notwithstanding his reasons, the views of a vast section of the public that the former two- term governor is being betrayed is not the least flattering.

It is believed that Goje has done his best in nurturing Kumo to his present status. This is with much evidence.

To set the record straight, it was Goje who picked him and appointed him as a secretary in the state electoral commission as a fresh graduate. Goje also appointed him as the caretaker chairman of Akko local government area of Gombe State before he gave him the nod to contest election to become the substantive executive chairman of the same local government area.

Is this Goje’s offence? Besides, when Goje was about leaving the Government House as governor, he, against all odds, gave Kumo a ticket to contest election for the Akko Federal Constituency in 2011. He gave him all the support he needed to be elected as the member representing his people in the National Assembly.

Surprisingly, it was in spite of all these lifelines Goje accorded him that he contested the Gombe Central Senatorial seat against Goje in 2015 general election. However, he was defeated by his political benefactor, Goje.

It was gathered that Kumo, who seemed to have realized his mistakes of fighting his political godfather in the past, organized his family, friends, governors, religious and traditional leaders to on his behalf beg Goje for forgiveness. And what do you expect from someone who laboured to bring Kumo up?

Goje forgave him and supported him to stage a comeback to the House of Representatives in 2019.

As before, there is a renewed war between Kumo and Goje and their political allies in Akko local government area.

The questions on the lips of many of us begging for answers are: what has Goje done wrong to deserve all these and how many times does Kumo want to call his family, friends, governors, religious and traditional leaders to beg for Goje’s forgiveness as his boss?

Although I am not an APC member, as a concerned citizen, I am compelled to crave the indulgence of Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya to use his privilege to weigh in on the foregoing crisis. This is because whether he likes it or not, his silence will be construed as approval and as far as politics is concerned, Goje is certainly not someone that should be treated in such a manner because what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

My utmost concern, however, is that the whole crisis is going to affect not just the APC but the state in general.

It is instructive for us all to remember that a stitch in time, saves nine!

Kera wrote from Abuja

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

EDITORIAL AVERTING DRUG SCARCITY IN NIGERIA For now, government should remove bottlenecks on drug importation

I

n January last year, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), Dr. Okey Akpa made a case for drug security in Nigeria.

He asked the federal government to increase local production of essential drugs from the present 40 per cent to 75 per cent, and that at least N300 billion be injected into the sector to enable players in the pharmaceutical industry look inward for the production of medicines rather than rely solely on importation. In aligning with this interest and that of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) which suggested policies that would promote local manufacturing of medicines, the federal government jacked up tax for importation of essential drugs up to 20 per cent as part of measures to encourage pharmaceutical firms to manufacture their medicines locally.

Although local drug manufacturers are making concerted efforts to increase production despite obvious environmental challenges like power and high foreign exchange rates, drug availability still remains low. But should the country experience a surge in COVID-19 cases, as seen in Italy, ALTHOUGH LOCAL DRUG Spain or the United MANUFACTURERS ARE States, it will lay bare MAKING CONCERTED Nigeria’s lack of drug EFFORTS TO INCREASE security, and at which point it may be too late PRODUCTION, DRUG to encourage importaAVAILABILITY STILL tion of essential REMAINS LOW medicines. This is why the federal government must act quickly.

Countries like US, Spain and United Kingdom, despite having an appreciable level of drug security, are already grappling with low availability. Fears are therefore being raised that the country risks running out of current stock of pharmaceutical supply within the next three to five months, especially in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. If prediction by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi is anything to go by, Lagos

alone may record 39,000 cases of COVID-19 if residents refuse to obey social distancing and the ‘stay-at-home’ order. This, no doubt, will result in a major national crisis, especially with the myriads of bottlenecks associated with importation of essential medicines, and the inability of local manufacturers to produce to capacity even in times of peace. Now that we have a global crisis that would affect the importation of some essentials, it would become even more difficult.

I T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA

t is a notorious fact that 80 per cent of the medicament consumed in Nigeria is imported. But with policy somersaults, requisite infrastructural deficit, including government’s decision to impose a 20 per cent tax on imported medicament, the country continues to swim against the tide to provide drug security for its population. A market survey conducted by some pharmaceutical organisations revealed scarcity and astronomical increase in prices of commonly used drugs such as Amlodipine, Vitamin B complex injection and others. Face masks and hand-sanitisers are also in short supply.

Nigeria cannot afford to relent in preparing for drug availability at this crucial time. In January, the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the International Health Regulations placed Nigeria’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats at 46 per cent in 2019.

To tackle that challenge, the federal government should encourage importation of essential medicines at this time by removing the 20 per cent tax on antibiotics, antifungal, anti-malaria and antihypertensive drugs such as penicillin, azole, and diuretic agents. Since the country lacks the requisite infrastructur and active ingredients to manufacture the aforesaid drugs, banning them as being rumoured will be counter-productive at this time.

In all, it is time the federal government removed bottlenecks on importation of drugs. The federal government should also devise other effective ways of making sure that Nigeria is not at any time cut off from the supply of important drugs, especially as the threat from COVID-19 pandemic stares us in the face.

TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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THE EGO TRIP OF TUC AND NMA

B

ishopric drives the Nigerian, so also is battle of supremacy. The Nigerian loves to hold on to territories. The Nigerian Medical Association and Trade Union Congress frown at the planned invitation of 18 Chinese doctors to Nigeria with medical equipment to help the country in the current fight against Coronavirus. This attitude beggars belief. What is wrong with a team of medical experts coming to Nigeria in an advisory capacity, to boost the capacity of Nigerians to fight the disease killing people worldwide?

The New York Governor recently complained about a deficiency of doctors in the fight against Coronavirus and called for help from overseas. Same with the Italian government – and in Nigeria, people who should know better are out in the public space making disdainful statements about doctors who volunteered to come to Nigeria to share knowledge.

You would be tempted to think that Nigeria has an advanced health system and further that the doctor to patient ratio in Nigeria meets international standard. Do these protesters assume that their stance forecloses the bilateral agreement between the Nigerian government and China?

The Chinese doctors know the history of this virus better than some Nigerian doctors since it first broke in their shores.

And the TUC and NMA need no second-telling that China has managed the pandemic with reduced deaths in comparison with Spain, Italy and the United States.

China unlike the United States of America rarely shares knowledge and if they are willing to do so now, Nigeria needs

to embrace it.

Humanity and love for all citizens of the world should come before ego, but ego appears to come swiftly for some people and it is really off-putting. The global army to fight pandemics is beyond borders. Nigerians hauled the coal-over-the heads of South Africans for racial intolerance against Nigerians in South Africa and yet we are guilty of doing same. I see this as racial discrimination. Ironically, TUC and NMA members use Chinese products because they are members of the global community, and yet, find it fitting to worry about Chinese doctors coming to Nigeria to help fight a disease that, Nigeria, as yet, does not have a total control over.

The NMA has not been known to support even its own members. Jeremiah Abalaka, the doctor who said he could cure HIV/AIDS many years ago was abandoned by the Medical Association (when it mattered most) when the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo decided to join issue with Dr Abalaka as a result of his invention(supposed).

Doesn’t the TUC have a lot on its hands to do for Nigerian workers other than shock tactics for ego sake?

Nigerians need to appreciate diversity, find common ground with professionals and relate with them on common interests; the chance to interface with the Chinese doctors will give the opportunity to ask better questions, value people other than Nigerians and respect them, submit selves to reverse mentoring especially in the areas of technology, and show genuine ties to global community and social responsibility.

Simon Abah, Abuja

BIBLICAL HISTORIES REPEATING TODAY

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he Bible is truly alive. It does not do anymore to view the Bible as a source of collections of quaint histories of peoples of the distant past.

No. Amazingly, the ways these peoples related with one another, especially the way certain wild nomadic tribes menaced the Israelites, are being played out today if one considers the “West” of today to be representative of a much expanded “Tribe of Judah.”

The peoples of one such “wild nomadic tribes” in our time, who are of Central Asia descent, are a curiosity to me.

The Hebrew Bible mentions a certain Togarmah who is today regarded in most circles as the patriarch of the present-day Turkic tribes. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Togarmah is said to have fathered 10 or 11 sons each of whom engendered a tribe.

Amazingly, amongst the millions of descendants of Togarmah today, one can hardly find a soul professing Christianity (they are overwhelmingly contra-Christians, principally Sunnites).

Presently, the Turkic peoples, spear-

headed by Turkey is menacing the West (especially Europe and they are also rapidly influencing local politics in US cities) by encouraging high birth-rates amongst their kith and kin in order to out-birth the native Christian Europeans and by the process of weaponised migration. They still have the present state of Israel in their cross-hairs despite the fact that Christianity and modern Christian states are supposed to shield Judaism and Israel from persecution.

What Togarmah was as a veritable contra-Israelite so his descendants are today. Amazing. One interesting aspect of Biblical history that is playing out so vividly today is the one involving the relationships between the descendants of Isaac (present-day Jews) and the descendants of the bastard Ishmael (present-day Arabs); should anyone still be in surprise as to the reason the Arabs hate the Jews so much to this present day?

Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020

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POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com (08114495324 SMS ONLY)

On The Need for a Closer Watch on COVID-19 Donations Vanessa Obioha and Udora Orizu write that there is a compelling need to ensure judicious spending of monies donated to fight the COVID-19 pandemic

Buhari

Lawan

Gbajabiamila

Ahmed

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across the country and creating more channels to disseminate information on safe lifestyles during this period.

donate their two months salary.

The Speaker, noted that the two-month salary donation will be independent of the contribu tions by individual lawmakers to alleviate the hardship that their constituents face at this time of national emergency.

He said the salary donation from the lawmakers will be transferred directly to the National Relief Fund account.

Gbajabiamila said, “We have in the House of Representatives jointly committed to contributing one hundred per cent (100%) of our salaries for the next two months to the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria. Our contribution will support provisions for the welfare of frontline medical professionals and health workers, and other interventions to provide for the wellbeing of all Nigerians through these trying times.”

“Accordingly, I have directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to see to it that all members’ salaries are transferred to the National Relief Fund for this month and the next. This is independent of ongoing individual efforts by members to alleviate the suffering brought on by this virus and to improve the living conditions of citizens in their various constituencies.

He assured that the House would

exercise its oversight power to ensure faithful administration of all emergency funds and contributions made so far to ensure they serve the purpose for which they were intended.

“The House has already mandated the Committees on Health and Disaster Preparedness to diligently oversee the distribution of items donated by local and foreign donors to ensure proper management.”

Gbajabiamila also said the House has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make cash grants to the 774 local government areas in the country to alleviate the suffering of the masses.

Despite the donations from both chambers, some Nigerians are of the opinion that the salary donations from the federal lawmakers was too small compared to their allowances (running cost).

According to THISDAY findings, depending on the flow of funds, each member of the Senate earns between N10 and N13.5 million per month as allowance, while their monthly salary is N750,000.

Each member of the House of Representatives, takes home N8 and N12 million as running cost per month, For salary, each member of the House earns N600,000t per month.

From calculations, the March and April salaries of the 360 members of the House of Representatives combined is N432 million. While donation from their 109 counterparts in the Upper Legislative chamber will amount to N78 million. This is excludes the monetary entitlement of three senators who have passed on and two vacant seats in the Senate.

here’s been an impressive show of kindness by the private sector towards the Federal Government fight against COVID-19. Since the novel Coronavirus made its unwanted presence in the country last February, hardly a day passes without a report of benevolence from businesses, as well as, highheeled individuals in the country.

From the Dangotes to the Otedolas, from banks to media companies, everyday records a good number of donations, making it feel like a battle of riches.

Private Sector to the Rescue United Bank for Africa (UBA) gave the country N2.5 billion which is spread across the 36 states with Lagos getting the lion share. The bank’s chairman Tony Elumelu also gave a magnanimous sum of N1 billion.

Guaranty Trust Bank generously built a 110-bed isolation centre in Onikan and like Elumelu, the chairman of the bank made a personal donation of N1 billion.

Aliko Dangote, the richest man in Africa apart from partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to lead the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 along with Access Bank to provide training, treatment, testing and isolation centres across the country, gave N2 billion to support the fight against COVID-19.

MultiChoice Nigeria, the leading entertainment and media company announced recently its support fund to the government which not only targets the health centres but also professionals in the creative industry whose works have been halted by the pandemic. The company’s support relief plan totalled N1.2 billion.

One of the richest women in Africa, Folorunsho Alakija also pledged N1 billion.

So far, the total contribution from the private sector is N15.325 billion.

These fat sums are to be channelled to increasing the capacity and services in the health sector

Show of Charity by Federal Lawmakers Following suit in this act of patriotism are both chambers of the National Assembly. Last week, the Senate and House of Representatives announced that they will be contributing part of their salaries to the National Relief Fund Account for tackling Coronavirus.

The Senators resolved to donate half of their March salary to the Federal Government. The move by the Red Chamber was a follow up to the resolution by the 43 ministers in the Federal Executive Council that 50 percent of their March salary will be donated to the Federal Government to support its drive towards curbing the global virus.

On its part, members of the House of Representatives rescinded its earlier statement that they won’t be donating their salaries, and resolved to donate its March and April salaries to fight covid-19.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila in a video message said the 360 members of the House will

From calculations, the March and April salaries of the 360 members of the House of Representatives combined is N432 million. While donation from their 109 counterparts in the Upper Legislative chamber will amount to N78 million. This is excludes the monetary entitlement of three senators who have passed on and two vacant seats in the Senate

It’s the Good and the Ugly in Lagos Of all the states, Lagos State which is the epicenter of the pandemic in the country is the biggest beneficiary, partly because of the swift response by the state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in tackling the virus. Though, there have been some potholes in the

T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020

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Sanwo-Olu

Wike

Dangote

Alakija

palliative measures taken by the state in recent times. For example, the government has been greatly pilloried for the stimulus package which it initiated for the poor and vulnerable during the lockdown order. Accusations have been rife that the packages contain food items that families can consume in one day. Politicians too who have provided little support to families in their constituency have not been spared of the vitriols.

Their effort is laughed at and sometimes kicked in their faces for underestimating the rights of their constituents. A good example is Hon. Desmond Elliot who represents Surulere Constituency in the Lagos House of Assembly .

His provision of makeshift hands washing facilities on the streets was seriously condemned.

Yesterday, the Federal Government announced the approval of $150million stabilisation fund to meet shortfalls in monthly allocations to the states.

Revealing this in Abuja, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said it was part of the measures to tackle the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the economy.

She explained that owing to the decline in the monthly allocations from N716 billion in January to N645 billion in February and N581 billion in March, the Federal Government has approved a stabilisation fund of $150million to meet the short fall in monthly allocation.

The Minister also announced the establishment of a N500 billion COVID-19 crisis intervention fund.

According to her the intervention fund will target states and local governments and is expected to create 1000 jobs in each.of the 774 local government areas in the country.

Ahmed, as well, listed other measures by the Federal Government to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.

These include include accessing loans from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Development Bank.

The breakdown of expected loans from international organisations are as follows $3.4 billion

from the International Monetary Fund (IMF); $2.5 billion from the World Bank; and $1billion from the African Development Bank (ADB).

As part of measures to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government also plans to restructure the Treasury Single Account (TSA), in order to accommodate flexibility of donations.

sometimes linked improvement of working conditions and monetary compensation, many of the face-off between the various state governments /federal government and healthcare professionals is often owing to poor work environment and paucity or complete lack of equipment. There is no gain saying, the healthcare system is in dire need of a necessary facelift.

Therefore, many are hoping that the global emergency ocassioned by the COVID-19 pandemic may provide the window a window of opportunity for a critical appraisal of the Nigerian healthcare system.

Politicians Covet COVID-19 Funds However, these monetary con tributions to the state have in a way shown the ugly side of politicians. Other states that are yet to record a high number of confirmed cases of the virus like Lagos are beginning to lament that they are left behind.

A notable case is governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who reportedly made a broadcast accusing the Federal Government of politicising the fight against COVID-19. The governor alleged that the N10 billion grant given to Lagos state was unfair if states like Rivers are not given a dime to fight against the pandemic.

He said that the state which is home to the nation’s oil and gas exports deserves to be considered in the distribution of grants.

While questioning the criteria by which the FG gave the Southwest.state the generous sum.

He also disclosed that the state was inundated with letters from FG, to allow oil companies to fly expatriates to drill oil in the state.

Wike was therefore concerned that the expatriates may be carriers of the virus and will pose a threat to the state. In a nutshell, the governor was asking the FG to consider Rivers in its relief plans for states if they want him to continue scratching their back. It was a subtle threat, not surprising from governor who is frequently on a warpath with the government at the centre, apparently due to opposing political loyalty.

Federal Government’s Stabilisation Fund However, Wike and other governors who have expressed reservations that Lagos may have been favoured by the Federal Government need not worry.

Collapse of Nigeria’s Healthcare System The healthcare system in Nigeria is one that has largely been neglected by governments.

According to a 2015 BMI report, there were an estimated 3,534 hospitals in Nigeria in 2014, of which 950 were in the public sector. These include 54 federal tertiary hospitals comprising 20 teaching hospitals, 22 Federal Medical Centres, three National Orthopedic Hospitals, the National Eye Centre, the National ENT Centre and seven Psychiatric Hospitals, which are overseen by the Hospital Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH). The private sector is the dominant provider of care in many areas, accounting for the greater part of secondary care facilities.

The challenges in the health sector are further compounded by frequent disagreement between the different strata of government and healthcare professionals, leading to avoidable work stoppages.

While the bone of contention is

However, these monetary contributions to the state have in a way shown the ugly side of politicians. Other states that are yet to record a high number of confirmed cases of the virus like Lagos are beginning to lament that they are left behind. A notable case is governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who reportedly made a broadcast accusing the Federal Government of politicising the fight against COVID-19.

The governor alleged that the N10 billion grant given to Lagos state was unfair if states like Rivers are not given a dime to fight against the pandemice

Need for Transparency While these pecuniary efforts are laudable, Nigerians doubt that the monies will be used accordingly.

With a history of corruption by leaders, they question the motives behind the donations. Recently, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk came under fire for the perceived fraudulent activities surrounding the cash disbursement of the palliative sum of N20,000 to some Nigerians.

Not a few have voiced their skepticism, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which advised members of the House of Representatives to scrutinize the FG’s plan. The party argued that the Federal Government must provide accurate details on how the fund will be spent. From the amount spent on interventions on individuals and families as well as a template that guarantees that the fund gets to the targeted vulnerable Nigerians, to the parameters for allocations, the monitoring system as well as foolproof measures to plug all loopholes and check fraud.

Also, attention should be drawn to medical equipment donations given to states and how they are distributed. Nigeria so far has over 200 confirmed cases, but more than 1000 testing kits and other palliative materials have been donated to the country. What would happen to the leftover after the pandemic? Will it be stored for future use or pilfered by fraudulent people to sell to companies or individuals?

Sounding a clear note of warning, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had earlier counseled President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly monitor federal and states’ spendings on Coronavirus.

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925

COVID-19: GlobalVillage Where Money-making for a Few is Synonymous to the Agony and Death for Many Comrade Chinedu Bosah

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apitalism is simply moneymaking for a few at the expense of the vast majority on a global scale.

The productive and service capacity of humanity is enough to resolve all problems in societies- be it education, healthcare, housing, food, etc., but we are confronted with a system that prioritizes profit and privileges for a few over human needs.

The crude reality of the capitalist market economy manifested as usual before our very eyes when COVID-19 became a global phenomenon and prices of medical facilities and drugs skyrocketed in the face of sorrow, agony and death. The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo informed us recently that the price of ventilators soared from about $20,000 to $45,000. In Nigeria, just to mention a few medical items, the price of a cartoon of face mask moved up shockingly from N11,000 to about N400,000; the price of a cartoon of hand glove moved from N14,000 to N45,000; no thanks to Donald Trump, the price of a pack of 100 tablets of Chloroquine moved from N800 to about N8,000.

This is not the problem of the shylock retailers OR ambitious wholesalers alone, it is the greedy profit motive of the manufacturers whose preoccupation is to lower cost as much as possible even if it entails paying workers peanuts and increasing revenue/profit. They say competition inevitably brings down the price but we only saw competition amongst the companies to increase prices. Public owned pharmaceutical companies under the democratic control of the working class and consumers in line with the nationalization of key sectors of the economy, production of medical items and services will be planned to meet peoples’ needs- price hikes and hoarding will not rear its ugly head.

As a result of COVID-19, over 60,000 deaths and over 1.1 million people are infected has been recorded, there are companies that are smiling to the Banks just like arms/weapon companies smiled to the banks as the US invaded Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran proxy war in Yemen, Russia war intervention in Syria, and daily repression of working people across the world. It was a boom in January and February 2020 as American companies sold face mask, surgical garments and ventilators worth $17.5

The pursuit for profit makes it impossible for the workers to buy back what they produced driving the bourgeois to seek more markets, raw materials and exploitation beyond the nationstate leading to imperialist globalisation of boom and bust

The price of Personal Protection Equipment such as these have skyrocketed

million, $13.6 million and $27 million respectively to China.

The pursuit for profit makes it impossible for the workers to buy back what they produced driving the bourgeois to seek more markets, raw materials and

exploitation beyond the nation-state leading to imperialist globalisation of boom and bust.

Unfortunately, the trade union movement globally has become second-eleven of the capitalist class, acting as bellboys

and defending the system, rather than building a powerful movement of the working class to defend their economic, social and political interests. Karl Marx made the clarion call on workers and the poor of the world to unite, it is this class unity that will confront the capitalist class in a class struggle, defeat it and transform the world into one big country where racial, nationality, religious and tribal division will become inconsequential; global rat race becomes a true human race; production is built around what everyone needs and not for the profit of a few; wars become things of the past; VIPs (Vagabond in Power)kings, queens, capitalist, landlord, bankers will vanish.

Capitalism breeds poverty, wars, crises and we need socialism as the only genuine alternative; if we have not learnt enough lessons, COVID-19 teaches us how Virus disease can lock down the whole world more than first and second world wars put together without firing a single missile because the capitalist system leaves humanity vulnerable!

-Bosah wrote in from Lagos.

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Letters From my Daughter’s Teachers

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ith widening statistics of deaths and unending story of new cases of COVID-19, there is a cloud of uncertainty on when teachers will be back to the classroom.

But there’s something that teachers can do. They can adapt their strategy.

Let me make a connection to my first class at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) for an illustration. My first class at JHU was not a regular class. A top U.S military General taught us adaptation in war along the line of emotional intelligence—first in a series of intensive classes scheduled for the school year for the International Public Policy cohort.

The real sense this top military officer made the whole of the time was about ability to assess and adapt. In war, military adapt to their enemy’s strategy, operations, and tactical approach. But military adaptation requires the ability to rapidly change equipment, organization and methods. For teachers, this moment calls for adaptation.

This week, as COVID-19 continues its global onslaught as an invisible enemy, and with everyone in its path, including our teachers and the students that they teach, I have received not quite a few letters from my daughters’ teachers that show adaptation. “I hope you and your family are well, wrote Mr. Kenneth, a science teacher at my daughter’s middle school. “The past few weeks have been an adjustment and the next several weeks will also be different.

In the next week, I will be engaging in a number of professional learning sessions to enhance my understanding of distance teaching and learning. I want you to know that I have been thinking about you. I look forward to the day that we can connect as a class, even if it is remotely.�

In another letter, a teacher shared her own family story of engagement in this crisis with encouraging word for the students. “Over the next few weeks, we are going to be putting your Algebra class in an online format. In the meantime, please keep using your brains! I am happy to answer any questions that I can, and forward the others on to the appropriate people,� she wrote.

There are other amazing stories of teachers who are adapting. A math teacher in South Dakota, United States, went beyond and above to help a student with her math homework after schools switched to virtual learning because of the pandemic. After emailing back and forth with a student who could not figure out a problem from a lesson, he taught

by Zoom earlier that day, Mr. Chris Waba, a sixth-grade teacher grabbed a whiteboard and walked down a few blocks to meet the student. This teacher spent 15 minutes teaching the student from her front door with the student standing behind a transparent door that separated them.

There are thousands and thousands of teachers going the extra mile for the kids they teach. This is one time when creativity meets curiosity. In mid-March, a math teacher in Milwaukee, United States, used the Coronavirus pandemic in most creative way to teach Algebra by asking his 8th-grade students to calculate the growth rate of the virus with a scattered plot. This teacher did not only improve the students’ knowledge of Algebra, he equally raised COVID-19 awareness in a creative way.

For teachers in Nigeria’s public schools, it is an opportune moment to re-think their roles from merely teaching for reward to teaching for love and being around the students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in flexibility around the world with technology at the center of classroom learning. The tools of learning such as

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu

video apps are seeing traffic in downloads.

Apps providing video conferencing like Zoom, Houseparty, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Skype, and others have been around for some time, but how many schoolteachers in Nigeria can use it?

Interestingly, the young people they are teaching know how to operate these apps in minutes. It is already on the palm of their hands for as long as they carry an android mobile phone with internet.

Of course, we all know that even before COVID-19, things have gone really bad at our public schools. We know that many teachers do not show up in school regularly, and even when they do, they are either out for petty trading or looking at the time for when it will be the time to leave the staffroom.

They just didn’t have the commitment for the job.

I am a realist. I know the government is not motivating the teachers. I know the government owes the teachers more than any other of its employees. I know the government is tardy or in most cases not committed to providing resources to advance education and make learning a serious business in Nigeria’s public schools, but teachers can do their own bit by first learning how to teach beyond the classrooms.

These new possibilities to do things differently will increase access to learning. Of course, for students to be able to gain access to knowledge through a few clicks on their phones, tablets and computers, teachers across Nigeria’s public school needs to hone their own skills in remote teaching.

I would submit that in general, teachers all over the world are also struggling with moving online because it is not something they have done before but their willingness to do it for the students they teach is extra-ordinary.

Oh, yes! I have my skepticism about moving everything online and placing everything in our handheld phone or laptops. But if anything, the chance to learn a great deal about this hybrid model of combining classroom learning with something much more flexible such as prerecorded lectures or message boardstyle discussions for students could move Nigerian education from backwater to beacon.

For its part, the government will be changing a negative narrative about its lack of commitment to education and nonchalant about the quality of teachers that are recruited to teach at the public schools, if it takes the advantage of this moment.

There are three important considerations why Nigeria cannot allow the children to be home without a connection to their teachers.

Already, millions of Nigerian children are out of school. The out-of-school children are those not attending formal schooling. The statistics for that is disappointing. In July 2019, the current minister of education told the Senate that Nigeria has 16 million children that are out of school. The number was 13 million in 2018. The message is clear that Nigeria is doing little to reverse the trend. This is a sad story!

We cannot dismiss science, the most important environmental factor in children’s early lives, neuroscientists have shown is their interaction with places that offer learning such as school. For example, it is during early years that children develop linguistic, cognitive, social, emotional, and regulatory skills that predict their later functioning in many domains.

And this, it has been confirmed that Nigerian children do not learn much even when they are in school. In 2018, the World Bank Human Capital Index (HCI), measured the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18. The Index says a child born in Nigeria today will acquire, on average, 8.2 years of school by the age of 18. However, when the years of school are adjusted by the quality of learning, we find that Nigerians are learning the equivalent of only 4.3 years of school.

A research analyst with the U.S Urban Institute, James Ladi Williams explained it in simple terms. According to him, the index “implies that the average child who completes JSS 2 (second grade of Junior Secondary School) would have learned only what a primary 4 student is supposed to learn.

In practice, I have seen the Math, English and Science homework of my daughter, and when I compared the coursework to what is given to her contemporaries in Nigeria’s public school, my verdict is that Nigeria’s public school is down in the dumps.

Is it not a paradox that Nigeria set a policy goal of ensuring “the acquisition of appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative, communicative, and life skills needed for laying a solid foundation for life-long learning, � in its Universal Basic Education Road Map for the 2015 – 2020 Strategy and that goal has gone into extinction without accomplishment.

Finally, Nigeria needs to put resources in school, because we know the students’ relationships with others – both other students and their teachers – and the experiences they obtain in both spontaneous and organized teaching situations make the school a ‘practice ground’ for participating as citizens. So Nigeria’s future depends on how its children develops as citizens to become involved in society.

In war, military adapt to their enemy’s strategy, operations, and tactical approach.

But military adaptation requires the ability to rapidly change equipment, organization and methods. For teachers, this moment calls for adaptation

Side Eects...

SANWO-OLU’S TIPPING POINT The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has made some serious and impressive moves in recent weeks, coming after the initial perplexity faced by his government—a normal for new executives as they try to figure out what to do with their influence.

His swift and coordinated response to two emergencies has made him a tipping point leader. I just like the way he’s turning things around, even when all odds are against him. Sanwo-Olu has so far confronted two emergencies with great leadership. With the way he responded to the Abule Ado explosion, you’ll think he lives there. Of course, the Coronanvirus that put Lagos under watch all over the world has tested him as an emergency leader too.

Sterling!

HAILING THE HEALERS This is not a good time in our world. It is more depressing for health workers. Some of them are on the frontline where they are most at risk. The fact that they see dead bodies like in war situation is bad for their psyche. To doctors, nurses, scientists and many health workers, who are spending the night at the hospitals to take care of COVID-19 patients, you’re not just healers, your act is heroic. Kudos!

ROBBERS ON RAMPAGE It is an interesting time.

Some miscreants also known as robbers are going into people’s home to dispossess them of their food, phones and wallets. Last week, two people that I know personally were attacked in their own homes, despite the lockdown. I have read stories of robbers on rampage in different states too.

But I have seen a report that suggests the police are aware of this. It will be a double jeopardy for people to be in lockdown situation and there’s no help when robbers come knocking. Arise!

STUPID SOLDIERS I am glad that the Nigerian army swiftly arrested two of its men, who threatened to rape women in Warri, Delta State, following the death of another soldier in the town. The viral video has put Nigerian army in bad shape all over the world and punishment is in order. In war, rape of women is often used as a weapon and as a form of attack on the enemy. So, we cannot take the words of these soldiers for a joke.

It is simply a stupid thing to say and do by the same men who vowed to protect us. Reckless!

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

07.04.2020

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN NIGERIA

President Muhammadu Buhari

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN

2/DASHBOARD

07.04.2020

Failure to bring Action within the Time Stipulated by Statute PAGE 4

Body of Senior Advocates Mourns Passing of Former DG, Nigerian Law School, Dr. Kole Abayomi PAGE 5

Covid -19 Lockdown: Lagos CJ Suspends All Court Activities PAGE 5

President Buhari’s Covid-19 Regulations Align with International Best Practices on Infectious Disease Control, says Professor Olawuyi

QUOTABLES ‘We have, in the House of Representatives, jointly committed to contribute 100% of our salaries for the next two months, to the fight against Covid 19.

Our contributions will provide welfare for frontline medical professionals and health workers, and other interventions to provide for the well being of Nigerians through these trying times.’

– Rt Hon. Hakeem Olufemi Gbajabiamila, Lawyer, Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria

PAGE 5

'A Lawyer should think and function as a Social Engineer'

‘It is a force majeure, an intervention from God which nobody has control over. Therefore, whatever be the impact on the litigants, on the court, when you put it on a scale vis-a-vis the likely negative impact, I think the closure of the court is in the interest of everybody, including litigants..... .’

– Ahmed Raji, SAN

PAGE 6

COLUMNIST DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, OFR, FCIARB, PH.D, LL.D Constitutional Democracy, means a system of government, in which political and governmental power, is defined, limited and shared by a grundnorm called the Constitution, which provides inbuilt checks and balances.

This column seeks to fiercely discuss constitutional, legal and political issues, with a view to strengthening, deepening and widening the plenitude and amplitude of democracy and good governance, without fear or favour.

The writer of this column, Dr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is a Constitutional Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Pro-Democracy Campaigner, Notary Public and Motivational Speaker. He co-founded the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Nigeria's pioneer human rights league, on October 15,1987, the Universal Defenders of Democracy (UDD), in 1992, and with Chief Gani Fawehinmi and others in 1998, the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), to push out the military. In his early days, he lectured at the University of Ife. Dr. Ozekhome is an author of many books. He is also a Special Counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE EDITOR JUDE IGBANOI DEPUTY EDITOR AKINWALE AKINTUNDE REPORTER TUNDE BUSARI GROUP HEAD OCHI OGBUAKU II ART DIRECTOR

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Covid-19 Miscellaneous

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Adieu, Dr Kole Abayomi, SAN e received the sad news from London last week, of the death of Dr Kole Abayomi, SAN, OON, a former Director-General of Nigerian Law School (2004-2005).

He joined the saints triumphant on April 2, after contracting the Coronavirus. He taught us Legal Drafting and Conveyancing (Wills), at the Law School. He was extremely amiable and thorough, as a Teacher. For many of us, the story of our journey to becoming legal practitioners is incomplete, without the mention of Dr Abayomi.

Thank you, Sir. May his soul rest in peace with the Lord. Amen.

Olayinka Street Palliative Last week, I watched a video in which two of the residents of Olayinka Street, Alimosho, Egbe, Lagos, displayed a plastic bag containing beans/rice and a loaf of bread, which is the palliative meant to feed the whole street for two weeks! It is obvious that, that bag cannot feed a family of six for more than two days at the most, if they eat once a day, talk less of a whole street of at least 300 people or more (assuming that each household has six people, and as they said, the street runs from No. 1-25, probably on both sides). This is not enough.

Copy and Paste Solutions I know that certainly, Government is trying to curb this deadly virus. The gravest mistake that was probably made, was not stopping international flights from entering the country, possibly from late February or the first week in March. However, while there’s no use crying over spilt milk, adopting copy and paste solutions to curb the spread of the virus here, may not be of much use either. In countries like the UK, they have a good social welfare system, for the poor, unemployed, children, the old, sick and the disabled. In Nigeria, we have none. If they say people should stay home in the UK, there will be adequate palliatives, maybe not enough to buy caviar and champagne, but enough to sustain people decently, for however long.

While a lockdown is probably the most effective way of curbing the spread of this virus, in Nigeria, it seems as if it is almost an elitist copy and paste solution, from the more advanced countries. It is inhumane, and therefore, unconstitutional, to expect people to stay home and starve to death, in order to curtail the spread of Covid 19. Going beyond those who must earn a daily bread to be able to survive, even if others could afford to stock up for a few days, where is the constant electricity supply required to preserve their perishables?

Section 17(2)(c) and (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) (the Constitution) provides that, “Governmental actions shall be humane”, and that Government makes provision for public assistance in deserving cases and other conditions of need. We do not need Nostradamus or Einstein, to tell us that this Covid 19 situation qualifies as deserving of adequate, urgent public assistance. The lockdown can only have any semblance of effectiveness, if people are adequately fed and watered while they are homebound. Otherwise, the majority may take to the streets, either to commit crimes

Resident of Olayinka Street with the Covid 19 Emergency Food Response Package for the whole street, to last for 14 days

in order to raise money to survive, or simply take to the streets in angry and violent protest/ riot (and God help any victim they get a hold of, while they are on a rampage).

I saw somewhere on social media, that Nigeria is registering its citizens abroad, and may be planning to repatriate those who want to come home. Just because Israel, for instance, repatriated its own citizens, does not mean we are in a position to do the same, and we can emulate Israel, without taking precautions.

In Lagos, where we have the highest number of isolation centres and facilities, I believe that the Lagos State Commissioner for Health mentioned in a broadcast last week, that they have capacity for 300 people! A drop in the ocean, for our huge population. Therefore, to be able to bring our citizens home, they must first be isolated for 14 days wherever they are, then tested for the virus, and if they are virus-free, immediately board the flight home.

If not, they should be treated over there, where they contracted the virus, as we do not have the capacity to treat infinite or large numbers of patients, here. It is not enough just to take people’s temperatures, and let them board a flight home, as they may be carrying the virus and be asymptotic - that was how Covid 19 was imported into Nigeria, in the first place.

It is unfair on majority of Nigerians who live on about $1 a day, to expose them to a virus which comes at such a high cost, and will only make life more miserable and unbearable for them. I also have some of my closest family members, in the UK and USA, so I am also experiencing what it feels like, to be constantly worried about their safety, as people seem to be dying at an alarming rate abroad.

A top Government official was alleged to have taken to social media, to beg internationally for a donation of 100-500 ventilators. Plateau State was shamelessly celebrating the fact that, it now has four functioning ventilators, which were restored to working condition by two clever Technicians! We simply do not have the facilities to treat such a high number of infected patients, and while Government is scoring good successes now with a small number of patients (and we give kudos to them for these achievements), the success story may not be the same, if our medical facilities become inundated with returnees.

For our citizens who have contracted the virus and are in foreign countries, our Government with the aid of the host Governments, should be more proactive about the care of our people over there. I have heard of a few Nigerians who died in the UK, because they were left at home to die. By the time one case that I am aware of was taken to hospital, he was already having breathing difficulties and it was too late - he passed on in less than 48 hours. By now, our foreign missions should have telephone numbers that Nigerians can call, if they fall sick, and an efficient system in place to get our citizens the treatment they require, especially in the developed countries.

If Government were to charter one Boeing 747 aircraft from the UK, which can carry about 450 passengers, and half of those returnees may be infected with the Coronavirus, in addition to the patients who are already hospitalised here now (224 as of Sunday), our system may not be able to cope. Talk less of doing repatriations, from several countries. It would be extremely

Resident of Olayinka Street with the loaf of bread for the whole street, to last for 14 days

unwise to repatriate people, without being certain that they are virus-free, because given the situation in Nigeria - lack of adequate medical facilities and funds etc, prevention is undoubtedly better than cure. This is not the time to display any braggadocio, and bite off more than we can chew.

Covid 19: A Natural Calamity Undoubtedly, the Covid 19 pandemic is a natural calamity which has already claimed so many lives across the globe, including five people here, as was reported by the NCDC as of Sunday. However, in Nigeria, I’m not sure that the pandemic has reached the proportions stated in Section 305(3)(e) of the Constitution, requiring the declaration of a state of emergency by Baba (President Muhammadu Buhari), unless Government is downplaying the level of the spread of Covid 19 in the country, or it simply does not have reliable statistics. Someone corrected me after reading my piece last week, and said the population of Lagos State is more like 20 million, and not the 10 million I had mentioned. Therefore, if Lagos with about 115 cases of Covid 19 is the worst hit in the country, the virus cannot yet be said to qualify as a natural calamity affecting a community or even a section of it, within the definition of Section 305 of the Constitution.

For those who argue that the State Governors should invoke Section 305(4) of the Constitution, should Governor Fayemi of Ekiti for instance, request that Baba should issue a proclamation of a state of emergency in Ekiti, because of two cases - one individual has subsequently recovered, were recorded to have been infected with the virus? My dear colleagues, what do you think? Would it be proactive for there to be a declaration of a state of emergency, or have we not quite reached that point yet?

If the Government claimed that it relied on Section 45(1) of the Constitution, the Quarantine Act 1926 (QA) or even the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Establishment) Act 2018 to take some of the actions it has taken, principally the restriction of movement of people contrary to Section 41 of the Constitution, clearly the Government still did not follow due process to the letter, as for example, even though there may be some leeway in Section 4 of the QA which provides inter alia that “The President may make Regulations for all or any of the following purposes - Preventing the spread of any dangerous infectious disease from any place within Nigeria, whether an infected local area or not, to any other place within Nigeria;”, the law sets out some steps in Section 2 and 3 of the QA which are condition precedents, which have not been followed. However, the bottom line is that, this Government does not have a track record of following due process or having regard for the rule of law, so, what is new? Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Assembly - over to you to make the necessary modifications and adjustments, which may be required for regularisation.

Army: Breach of Citizens’ Rights and Criminality There have been a few grey areas following Baba’s long awaited broadcast, which directed

Man forced by soldiers to swim in the gutter

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

THE ADVOCATE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com onikepob@yahoo.com Twitter: @TheAdvocateTD

“...... I WATCHED A VIDEO IN WHICH TWO OF THE RESIDENTS OF OLAYINKA STREET, ALIMOSHO, EGBE, LAGOS, DISPLAYED A PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING BEANS/RICE AND A LOAF OF BREAD, WHICH IS THE PALLIATIVE MEANT TO FEED THE WHOLE STREET FOR TWO WEEKS!” that there be a lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. Later, we received clarification about being able to go out daily between 10am and 2pm, to purchase essentials. Is this the correct position? And if it is, has it been properly communicated to the Police and the Army?

Because, individuals are being harassed and their vehicles impounded by the Police, as they are out to purchase necessities at the designated markets.

I recently watched two videos, which showed the viciousness and brutality of some soldiers.

The soldiers made an individual swim in a filthy gutter, for allegedly flouting the lockdown order.

They also threatened the women of Warri, old and young, with rape and infection with HIV, because a soldier was alleged to be have been killed by some youths, in retaliation for the murder of a resident by the soldiers. Is the life of the soldier, more important than that of the civilian who was murdered? What is the Chief of Army Staff doing, about his out-of-control soldiers? In any event, constitutionally, it is not the duty of soldiers to enforce the lockdown.

They should be in the Northeast fighting Boko Haram, and leave this task to the Police.

The last time I checked, Section 34(1)(a) of the Constitution guaranteed the right of every individual to dignity of his/her person, and prohibits the torture or inhuman or degrading treatment (Anti Torture Act 2017), while rape (threatened by the soldiers) is a grave offence, contrary to both the Criminal and Penal Code Acts. The Army and other law enforcement, cannot use brutality on people, if they break the law. In Italy, people are only permitted to go out to purchase necessities, and must carry with them a form justifying the reason for their outing. Violators in Italy and France face fines of up to £179 (or three months imprisonment) and £123, respectively. In Western Australia, the fine is up to £25,000. We have not heard that people are being killed or raped, for flouting the lockdown order.

Yaba Isolation Centre I was opportune to speak to someone who is a patient in Yaba, and also watch a video made by a patient there too. I am glad to see and also hear first-hand, that the place is clean and decent. Well done, Lagos State Government.

4/LAW REPORT

07.04.2020

Failure to bring Action within the Time Stipulated by Statute

I

Facts n 1989, the Appellant entered into two dealership contracts with the Respondent. By these contracts, the Appellant was to pay, and he indeed, paid refundable deposits to the Respondent. In order to pay the refundable deposits, the Appellant approached and successfully obtained a loan from UBA Plc. To secure the loan, the Appellant dropped his title document with the bank. In the course of the contracts with the Respondent, a dispute arose as to whether the Appellant was indebted to the Respondent, and whether the Respondent was right to withhold the refundable deposits as well as bonuses, to offset part of the indebtedness.

In 1999, the Appellant demanded for the refundable deposit and bonuses, but the Respondent refused, and communicated this refusal in its letter dated 26th July, 1999 to the Appellant. Aggrieved by this refusal, the Appellant filed two law suits in respect of the two dealership contracts, at the High Court of Plateau State. The suits were consolidated and in a considered judgement, the trial court granted some of the Appellant’s reliefs.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court, the Respondent appealed to the Court of Appeal, but the Court of Appeal found that the suits were statute barred.

Unhappy with the judgement of the Court of Appeal, the Appellant filed two appeals in respect of the two suits, to the Supreme Court.

Issue for Determination In the two appeals, the Supreme Court considered the following issue: Whether the Appellant’s action, was statute barred.

Arguments The Appellant’s counsel contended in both appeals that, to determine whether the suits were statute barred, the Court should consider Section 14 of the Plateau State Limitation Law (Edict No.16 of 1988).

He argued that, by Section 14 of the law, the Appellant had ten years to file his claim, from when the cause of action arose against the Respondent. He submitted that, the Court of Appeal was wrong to rely on Section 18 of the Plateau State Limitation Law, and relied on UBA Plc v Abdullahi (2003) 2 NWLR (Pt. 807) P. 359, and other cases.

The Respondent’s counsel on the other hand, argued that in the two appeals that the Appellant’s claims before the trial court was purely founded on the breach of contract by the Respondent who refused to return the refundable deposit, and to pay bonuses under the dealership contracts.

He further submitted that, the applicable provision of the Plateau State Limitation Law is Section 18, and not Section 14.

Hon. Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 24th day of January, 2020 Before Their Lordships Olabode Rhodes-Vivour Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun Chima Centus Nweze Amiru Sanusi Ejembi Eko Justices, Supreme Court SC.141/2014 SC.142/2014 Between Adamu Abubakar ...

(For himself and on behalf of the Family of Alhaji Kawuju Umaru) ..................Appellant And Michelin Motor Tyre Services Ltd................. Respondent (Lead Judgement delivered by Hon. Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC)

“WHEN IT IS SAID THAT AN ACTION IS STATUTE BARRED, IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THE ACTION/CLAIM IS BARRED FROM BEING HEARD AND DETERMINED BY ANY COURT,

BY PROVISION OF A STATUTE... FAILURE TO BRING THE ACTION WITHIN THE TIME STIPULATED BY STATUTE, RENDERS THE ACTION INVALID, AND THE COURT WITHOUT JURISDICTION TO HEAR THE CLAIM”

Court’s Judgement and Rationale The Supreme Court opined in both appeals that, when an action is statute barred, it simply means that the action is barred from being heard and determined by any court, by a provision of a statute. The Court stated that, the bar gives a time limit during which certain actions can be brought to court, and failure to bring the action within the time stipulated by the statute renders the action invalid, and the court without jurisdiction to hear the claim.

Therefore, once an action is found to be caught by the limitation law, the hearing of the suit abates. The Apex Court further stated that, to find out whether a Claimant’s claim is caught by the limitation law, the claim must first be identified by examining the Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim, to find out when the wrong which gave the Claimant his cause of action, was committed. The date of the wrong, is compared with the date the Writ of Summons was filed, and if the Writ of Summons was filed outside the period provided in the limitation law for the Claimant’s claim, the claim is no longer actionable, as it is statute barred.

The Supreme Court held that, after a review of the statement of claim, it is clear that the Appellant entered into a dealership contract with the Respondent, for the sales of its tyres. A term in both contracts was that, the Appellant was to pay refundable deposits to the Respondent, and was entitled to bonuses as the years rolled by. The Court stated that, the Appellant demanded for his refundable deposit and bonuses, but the Respondent refused to return the sums claimed by the Appellant, and, if the facts are correct, this is clearly a breach of contract. The Court therefore, found that Section 14 which provides for the limitation period for actions pertaining to recovery of money secured by mortgage or other charge on a property is inapplicable, as the facts in the Appellant’s pleadings did not support same, and the issue in controversy between the parties did not arise from mortgage or charge, but the breach of the contracts.

Consequently, the Court held that, Section 18 of the Plateau State Limitation Law which prohibits the institution of action founded on contract after six years, was applicable to the Appellant’s suits. The Court found that, the Appellant’s cause of action arose in 1999 but he filed the suits on 30th April 2007, eight years instead of five year after the causes of action arose.

Thus, the Appellant’s actions are statute barred.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation: K. Aina with C. Obiadi for the Appellant E. O. Okoro with S. M. Danlani and E. I. Nbigwe for the Respondent

07.04.2020

NEWS/5

Body of Senior Advocates Mourns Passing of Former DG, Nigerian Law School, Dr. Kole Abayomi Akinwale Akintunde

2020 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN NIGERIA AWARD L-R: President, African Women Lawyers Association, Mandy Asagba (middle) receiving her award as one of the 10 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria 2020 at the National Women’s Conference, flanked by Executive Director, JTAH FOUNDATION, Favour Benson (left) and Educationist, Life Coach and Guest Speaker, Abiola Lawson

Covid-19 Lockdown: Lawyers Without Borders Makes Case for Human Rights, Provides Hotline for Report of Violations Akinwale Akintunde In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown of major commercial activities in Abuja and other Nigerian cities by the Government, Avocats Sans Frontières France also known as Lawyers Without Borders France (ASF France), has called on security agencies to exercise decorum and respect human rights in the discharge of their duty in maintaining law and order, while enforcing the lockdown.

ASF France reiterates that the current spate of serious human rights violations against Nigerians by security agents, should not be allowed to prevail in these trying times, even as the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement signed by

ASF France Head of Office Nigeria, Angela Uwandu, the group called on security agencies, especially the Police, to desist from arbitrary arrests and detention of citizens, in a bid to enforce the lockdown.

"The threat of use of excessive force or torture against citizens at this time, must be quickly addressed by the Government. The Nigerian Government should recall that, it is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which absolutely prohibits the use of torture by security agencies under any circumstance.

“Even though there are restrictions on movement and conduct of some commercial activities across many cities

in the country, security agencies should adequately educate their personnel to desist from committing human rights violations in the process”, Uwandu, said.

According to her, “serious human rights violations such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, ill treatment and extra judicial killings, by security agencies should be avoided, especially as the country works towards dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"ASF France remains committed to providing access to justice for victims of these violations even in these trying times, on the platform of its SAFE and ProCAT projects.

The safety of persons already in detention, should also be a priority for the Government.

The release of minor offenders

and pre-trial detainees from detention, should be considered as a measure to reduce overcrowding in detention centres at this critical time", she stated.

The human rights group also urged the general public to call its hotline: +234 701 061 9353, to report cases of human rights violations by security agencies during this lockdown. We can also be reached by email on: communication.nigeria@ avocatssansfrontieres-france. org. ASF France is active in Edo, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna and Lagos States.

The SAFE and ProCAT projects are funded by the European Union and the UNVFVT respectively, to address core human rights violations by security agencies in Nigeria.

Covid-19: Adegboruwa Appeals to President Buhari to Unlock Lagos, Abuja Akinwale Akintunde Lagos-based Human Rights Activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to lift the lockdown imposed on Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States and Minister of the affected areas, to determine the scope of measures to be taken in preventing further spread.

President Buhari had on March 29, 2020 directed the lockdown of Lagos, Ogun States and Abuja, as a measure to contain the further spread of the COVID 19 pandemic in the country.

Adegboruwa said no doubt the President meant and acted well, even though a bit late, adding that, the action of the President was the best in the circumstances of the present realities, even though it had

no legal backing.

He however, lamented that everything became paralysed from March 30, 2020, as movements of persons were restricted, save those on essential services, adding that, the concomitant effect of this has been very catastrophic indeed, especially for daily wage earners.

The Senior Advocate noted that, since the President announced the lockdown, there have been different interpretations and implementations, leading to abuses by security agents.

He said Abuja being the capital of Nigeria and Lagos being the commercial nerve centre, both cities cannot remain under lockdown beyond one week.

"The economic hardship being faced by the people is

horrendous, and the so-called cash distribution has no real value to the people", he stated.

While commending Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, and in particular, Prof. Akin Abayomi, the Commissioner for Health, for their gallant efforts towards arresting the spread of the pandemic, and having now reviewed the situation of the COVID 19 pandemic as it affects Nigeria, it is clear that Lagos State has saved the nation of this calamity through its proactive measures, which have now been adopted by most other States.

"As Lagos State has now declared 100% recovery rate, and it is the most affected State, there is need to review the lockdown, to ease the burden of the people. The measures already put in place

by Governor Sanwoolu before

the lockdown were effective enough to combat the spread, and they should be retained, but without restriction of movement. The banks and markets should open, and people should be allowed to move around, to eke out a living for themselves.

"I therefore appeal to the President to lift the lockdown, and allow the Governors and Minister of the affected areas to determine the scope of measures to be taken, in preventing further spread.

"Abuja being the capital of Nigeria and Lagos being the commercial nerve centre, both cities cannot remain under lockdown beyond one week.

"I commend the President for the love demonstrated for the well-being of the people, and urge him to end the lockdown from Friday, April 3, 2020", he added.

The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), has announced the death of its member and a former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Kole Abayomi, SAN who died in the United Kingdom (UK) after contracting the coronavirus.

According to a statement by the Secretary of BOSAN, Seyi Sowemimo, SAN, issued last Thursday, April 3, 2020, Abayomi died in the early hours of April 2, 2020 in London, at the age of 79.

“The BOSAN Secretariat wishes to announce the death of Dr Koleade A. Abayomi SAN, OON, who died in the early hours of today, 2nd of April, 2020 in London.

“We deeply mourn the sad loss of our departed colleague, and pray that the Almighty God grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss”, Sowemimo

Dr. Kole Abayomi, SAN

stated.

Born on the 20th of August, 1940, Abayomi was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1966, and admitted to the Inner Bar in 2005.

He taught at the Nigerian Law School, and rose to the position of Director-General in November 2004.

“He retired in 2005, and went into private practice and consultancy in Lagos, until his death. He’s survived by his wife, children grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren”, Sowemimo said.

Covid-19 Lockdown: Lagos CJ Suspends All Court Activities Peter Taiwo Following the lockdown announced by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 29, 2020, theLagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba, last Tuesday, announced the suspension of all court activities in the five judicial divisions of the Lagos State Judiciary.

Justice Alogba gave the order, as contained in a circular titled: “Entry Into Court Premises Guidelines No. 2” dated March 30, 2020 and signed on his behalf by the Chief Registrar, Mrs. Taiwo Olatokun.

According to the Chief Judge, this will help in combatting the Coronavirus pandemic, and aid the efforts of the Lagos State Government led by the Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

According to the circular, members of the public were informed of the suspension of all court activities effective Tuesday, March 31, until further notice.

The Chief Judge directed Administrative Magistrates in the seven Magistrative Districts to sit only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and only to take between hours of 10.00 a.m. and 1. 00 p.m. remand and bail applications on offences such as terrorism, armed robbery, homicide and other non-bailable offences. It listed the seven Magisterial Districts to include Ikeja, Lagos, Yaba, Ikorodu, Apapa, Badagry and Epe. It directed the Assistant Chief Registrars (Administrative) in each of the districts, to serve as Registrars for such sittings of the Magistrates courts.

President Buhari’s Covid-19 Regulations Align with International Best Practices on Infectious Disease Control, says Professor Olawuyi Peter Taiwo The Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships (ARISP), of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for issuing Covid-19 Regulations 2020, which declares Covid-19 as a “dangerous infectious disease”.

Professor Olawuyi, a prolific and well-regarded scholar of environmental law in Nigeria, noted that, the control of

infectious diseases such as COVID-19 requires a holistic legal response that addresses the potential impact of an infectious disease on all aspects of the human environment, including water, air, land, economy, and social development.

According to him “Curbing the spread of infectious diseases, is not a role for health practitioners or institutions alone. The linkages between environmental protection and the attainment of good heath, have consequently, gained strong

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

6/

07.04.2020

Court Removes COSON’s Name from Register of Companies Akinwale Akintunde The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has struck out the name Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (COSON) from the Register of Companies of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Justice Saliu Saidu gave this verdict, while delivering judgement in a suit filed by the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) in 2009.

MCSN had filed the suit marked as No. FHC/L/CS/274/2010 against Copyright Society of Nigeria (Ltd/Gte), Corporate Affairs Commission, and the Attorney- General of the Federation.

Delivering judgement last week, Justice Saidu held that, “It is a misnomer to give the name which the Plaintiff has applied to register, or similar to what the Plaintiff seeks to register, to the 1st Defendant (COSON) on 23rd November, 2009, when the time allowed for the Plaintiff to complete their registration has not expired”.

The court held further that, the 1st Defendant’s name was illegally approved, and hence, the 1st Defendant cannot lay claim to the name Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte. Justice Saidu however, held that, the 2nd Defendant (CAC), acted improperly and illegally in approving an application by the Performing and Mechanical Rights Society (PMRS) to process the change of its name from PMRS to COSON, at a time when the same CAC had reserved the very same Copyright Society of Nigeria Lte/Gte (COSON) for use by some members of the Plaintiff (MCSN) for themselves and on behalf of the Plaintiff.

According to the court, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and CAC acted improperly and illegally, granting approval

to the PMRS to process the change of its name to COSON, having regard to the pendency of the Plaintiff’s petitions to them dated November 13, 2009.

The court held that, an organisation whose genre of copyright is restricted to musical rights, could not legally be permitted to use the name “Copyright Society of Nigeria” being a term encompassing rights arising from literature, arts, music, drama, cinematography, broadcasts, architecture, computer programmes, and so on.

The court therefore, restrained CAC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, their servants, privies, agents, and howsoever, from approving or continuing to approve or otherwise recognising the 1st Defendant as Copyright Society of Nigeria (Ltd/Gte).

The trial Judge also restrained COSON, its members, servants, privies, agents or howsoever, from using or continuing to use Copyright Society of Nigeria (Lte/Gte).

“That the 2nd and 3rd Defendants (CAC and HAGF) are directed to take necessary steps to cancel, change, alter or rescind any steps it may have taken towards effecting the change and or registration of the 1st Defendant’s name, as Copyright Society of Nigeria (Ltd/Gte)”, the court held.

MSCN stated that from the findings of Court, it was clear, just as it (MSCN) warned when the news broke out, that “a brand new” organisation has been formed way back in 2009, that the promoter of COSON set out to deceive, cheat and defraud innocent music practitioners and users of music, by presenting to them a rogue company to supplant MCSN, when they knew that there are issues surrounding the incorporation or registration of the so-called company and a suit among several others, was pending before the Court.

“It has always been the claim of MCSN right from the beginning, that the motive behind the launch of COSON was not altruistic, but only to fraudulently and deceitfully supplant MCSN, and take over the business which MCSN has been nurturing and developing painstakingly for many years. This they did for more than ten years, but the moment of truth has finally come.

“MCSN working with relevant authorities will leave no stone unturned, to make this judgement and orders of the court effectual, as we would not be unmindful of any antics that may be employed by the promoters of the extinct company (COSON), to continue to deceive and defraud innocent and gullible creators of music and the general public.

“Music creators (authors, composers, publishers, performers and producers of music), music users, particularly broadcasters, hoteliers, restaurateurs, disc jockeys, night clubs, owners of online and digital platforms, etc, and the general public are hereby, alerted that, COSON has been illegal ab-initio, and any business conducted with the phoney organisation was illegal and had no basis in law.

“It should also be stressed that, this organisation has equally been operating illegally in the last two years without approval or licence, as a collective management organisation/collecting society and in defiance of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), the government agency regulating copyright matters in Nigeria. It is now up to the NCC, to make the promoters and managers of COSON to account for these two years among others, with appropriate legal force.

“MCSN hereby, warns that anyone who still continues to recognise or do business with a rogue company as COSON, will be at the risk of such a person or company, as they may be liable as accomplices under relevant laws,

particularly the Copyright Act 2004.

“MCSN also assures music creators in Nigeria and affiliates worldwide, that whatever that may have been collected within the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on their works and creativities in terms of royalties, would be fully retrieved and duly accounted for”, the group stated.

Meanwhile, COSON has immediately filed a Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution at the Federal High Court, Lagos against the judgement.

Reacting to the judgement, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, assured all its members, affiliates, licensees, reciprocal representation partners and the general public, that there was no judgement anywhere saying that COSON was dead or had ceased to exist, pointing out that anyone who thought that that the events of today would stop COSON, was daydreaming, as indeed, the society is working. ”We wish to assure all members, affiliates, licensees, reciprocal representation partners and the general public, that there is no judgement anywhere saying that COSON is dead or has ceased to exist.

“The general public is aware of the gang-up to destroy COSON, for no other reason than that COSON has been phenomenally successful. Nothing the adversaries have done, has stopped COSON from standing tall. Anyone who thinks that events today will stop COSON is daydreaming. Indeed, COSON is working.

“With all due respect to the learned Judge, we vehemently disagree with his decision, for very good reasons. We have asked our Lawyers to forcefully appeal the Judge’s decision up to the Supreme Court, if necessary. By filing the processes in court today without any delay, the Lawyers have shown that they are equal to the task”, Okoroji said.

Legal Personality of the Week Emmanuel Agherario

‘A Lawyer should think and function as a Social Engineer’ Please, give a brief introduction of yourself My name is Emmanuel Agherario, a Counsel in the Law Firm of Alufe & Alufe (Elohim Chambers), with its head office based in Warri and other branches across the country.

I am a law graduate of Igbinedion University, Okada and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in November 2014, after successfully completing the Bar Final Exams at the Kano Campus of the Nigerian Law School. In 2019 I concluded my LLM Program from University of Ibadan, specialising in Copyright, Cultural Property law, Humanitarian law and International Human Rights law.

I am a fellow of Settlement House (Dispute Resolution Specialist), an Associate member of Project Management Professionals, the NBA Section on Business Law, and the Legal Adviser to Transformation Home. I am also the Convener of Putting Service First, a platform where legal solutions and tips are provided.

I was the former Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association, Young Lawyers Forum Warri Branch from 2017-2018, and the Current Chairman of the Summit Sub- Committee 2020.

I am a devout Christian, and a member of the Urhobo Youth Council and Urhobo Progressive Union. I have in the course of my practice, dealt with a good number of complex and international legal transactions.

Have you had any challenges in your career as a Lawyer, and if so, what were the main challenges?

Challenges are what brings about the beauty of every career, and I have and still will have my share of challenges. Like most Young Lawyers, the issue of remuneration was quite a challenge, this prompted me to write an essay titled the ‘Frustration of a New Wig’. At my early stage of practice, my take home was really not enough to take me home, with mounting bills and expectations from friends and family,

foreclosed us from cross- examination and defence.

The court proceeded to enter judgement against us, in default of defence. All this happened on a single day. On getting to court the next adjourned date, garnishee proceedings had been initiated. Though we filed a motion to set aside the judgement and an application for a stay, the damage had been done.

Emmanuel Agherario

every young Lawyer in order to overcome most, must learn to think innovatively and approach the practice of law as a business, putting forth competence and character. I was able to create relief in this area, by not depending on salary.

I was paid for writing articles, opinions and giving legal solutions. The other challenges I have encountered are: frustration with the court system, challenges with growing the practice, i.e getting new and personal briefs while not interfering with office work, managing other colleagues and very difficult clients.

What do you consider to be your worst day as a Lawyer?

My worst day as a Lawyer, was when I sent an adjournment letter for a matter, only to get to the court to know the next adjourned date, and I was informed that the Claimant opened her case without considering the letter of adjournment,

What has been your most memorable experience as a Lawyer, so far?

The day that, as a very young Lawyer, I crossed-examined a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in a High Court holden at Port- Harcourt, and subsequently, argued an address on contingency fees. The matter was about recovery for corporate institutions, based on a contingency fee agreement.

That is a percentage of whatever is recovered, was to be earned by the Learned Silk. However, the Learned Silk having not recovered any sum debriefed himself, and sued for payment of professional fees. This led to a heated argument as to whether he was entitled to professional fees, having not recovered any money, and based on the principles of contingency fees.

Who has been the most influential in your life?

My Dad, Chief Hitler Agherario (JP), has been the most influential in my life. His level of humility and simplicity, is next to none.

As a Shell staff, he was very hardworking and dedicated to his job. I remember how he always ensured my assignments were done on time, and never hesitated to punish me when I was wrong or going astray. He instilled the virtues of honesty and service to humanity, in my siblings and I. In my professional career, Dr. Dele Alufe, Professor Simisola O. Akintola, Dr. Charles Ochem and Professor Eghosa E. Osaghae, have all had a huge influence on me, especially in my very early years in practice. I had the privilege of

learning the ropes, from them.

Why did you become a Lawyer?

I became a Lawyer to fulfil my passion, and to be of service to humanity, by providing solutions. In recent times, I have seen some funny inscriptions like ‘wahala na my work’, and people jokingly saying that Lawyers are trouble makers. My response has always been, that I am in practice to provide solutions.

What would be your advice to anyone wanting a career in law?

I will definitely encourage the person, because Lawyers are social engineers. Nigeria as a nation and the world at large, await the manifestations of more social engineers and change agents. I will advice the person to stay focused and not be discouraged, as success in law practice comes over time, that is, it is built on a solid foundation that comes with experience and persistence, and not on corny device fables. I will also advice the person that ethics, competence, integrity and character are very important, and should not be compromised, as that is what the Bar stands for.

If you had not become a Lawyer, what other career would you have chosen?

I would have become a Psychologist or be working for an International Humanitarian Organisation. I recall that, my first application for admission to the University of Benin, was to study Psychology. The way and manner they study the human mind and behaviour, are in line with my passion.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In the next ten years, I see myself as part of a team that has successfully built a top notch law firm, and I hope to have been conferred with the most revered rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

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TALKING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN

SMS only to 08098898888

A World Quarantined by Plagues, Epidemics and Pandemics (Part 1)

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sure what disease caused the epidemic; "The bowels, relaxed into a constant flux, discharge the bodily strength [and] a fire originated in the marrow ferments into wounds of the fauces (an area of the mouth)," Cyprian wrote in Latin in a work called "De mortalitate" (translation by Philip Schaff from the book "Fathers of the Third Century: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian, Appendix", Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1885).

Introduction like history. Nay, I love it. It makes us look back into the past, use it to determine the present, and peer into the future. Throughout human existence, man has been continually assailed by plagues and epidemics, most often changing the natural order of events. Entire civilisations have been wiped out by plagues and epidemics, starting from pre-historic times. We shall, in this write- up, deal with some of the plagues that have ravaged mankind, throughout history. We however, do not learn from history. Like the Bourbons of European history who learnt nothing and forgot nothing (leading to the Second World War (1939-1945), even after the January 28, 1919 Treaty of Versailles, Paris, France, mankind appears to have learnt nothing.

Epidemic, Pandemic, Plague: The Difference An epidemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographical area, and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population. In an epidemic situation, a disease spreads rapidly.

On the other hand, a pandemic (a term just attached to COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation [WHO]) relates to geographic spread, and describes a disease that affects a whole country or the entire world.

A plague is a contagious bacterial disease characterised by fever and delirium, usually with the formation of infection of the lungs (pneumonic plague). It also has, a high mortality rate. In Exodus, the Passover story of the Bible tells us about plagues unleashed after Pharaoh refused Moses’ entreaties, to let his enslaved Israeli people go free. God showed anger by sending 10 deadly plagues to warn Pharaoh, who on each occasion, promised to let the Israelites go; only to renege, until the last one. The ten plagues were water turning into blood; frogs; lice; flies; livestock pestilence; boils; hail; locusts; darkness; and, the killing of the first born children.

Some of the most devastating plagues in history have been yellow fever, tuberculosis, cholera, bubonic plague, smallpox and influenza, all of which were appropriately described as pandemics. The latest is, COVID-19.

Prehistoric Epidemic: Circa 3000 B.C. An epidemic had wiped out a prehistoric village in China, about 5000 years ago. An archaeological site now called “Hamin Mangha” in North Eastern China, showed the skeletons of young adults, juveniles and middle-aged people, who were burnt and stuffed inside a house. Studies showed that the epidemic happened so quickly, that there was not enough time for proper burials. The site was never inhabited, after that. But, before Hamin Mangha, was “Miaozigou” (same North Eastern China), which was discovered to be another prehistoric mass burial site, about the same period as that of Hamin Mangha.

Plague of Athens (430-426 B.C.) During the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta, typhoid fever exterminated one- quarter of the Athenian troops and another quarter of the entire population, over a period of four years. The exact cause of this disease was unknown, whose wider spread was curtailed, ironically, by the faster rate it killed its infested hosts; thus, preventing further spread. It ravaged the people (as written by Greek historian, Thucydides (460-400 B.C.) through sudden heat in the head, redness and inflammation of the eyes, the throat and tongue, “becoming bloody and emitting an unnatural and fetid breath”. It was only in January, 2006, that researchers of the University of Athens confirmed the presence of bacteria, as the cause. ThIs, they got from teeth of dead people excavated from mass graves which were subsequently, analysed.

President Muhammadu Buhari

“THE PLAGUE WAS TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF EUROPE'S HISTORY, AS LABOUR BECAME HARDER TO FIND, BRINGING ABOUT BETTER PAY FOR WORKERS, AND THE END OF EUROPE'S SYSTEM OF SERFDOM”

Antonine Plague (A.D. 165-180) The Antonine plague was believed to be, either smallpox or measles. It recorded a death toll of over 5 million people, in the Roman Empire. When soldiers returned to the Roman Empire from campaigning, they brought back more than the spoils of victory. Many historians believe that the epidemic was first brought into the Roman Empire by soldiers returning home from Mesopotamia about 165 A.D., after a war against Parthia. The epidemic contributed to the end of the Pax Romana (the Roman Peace), a period from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180, when Rome was at the zenith of its power. Instability later grew after A.D. 180, throughout the Roman Empire. More civil wars and invasions by “barbarian” groups, were experienced. Christianity became increasingly popular in the time after the plague occurred, perhaps, for fear of the unknown.

Plague of Cyprian (A.D. 250-271) The Plague of Cyprian was named after St. Cyprian, a Bishop of Carthage (a city in Tunisia), who described the epidemic as signalling the end of the world. The Plague of Cyprian is estimated to have killed 5,000 people a day, in Rome alone.

In 2014, Archaeologists in Luxor discovered what appeared to be a mass burial site of plague victims. Their bodies were covered with a thick layer of lime , which was historically used as a disinfectant. They also discovered three kilns used to manufacture lime, and the remains of plague victims who were burned in a giant bonfire. Experts are, however, not quite

PRESIDENT BUHARI’S COVID-19 REGULATIONS ALIGN WITH INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 recognition in international law. Environmental infection control is the integrated management of infection prevention and control programmes, to reflect curative and preventive activities (such as good environmental practices, proper sanitation, water quality control and economic interventions), as means of safeguarding public health”.

He commended President Buhari for putting in place, a coherent legal order that anticipates and responds to the potential impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of the Nigerian society.

The don noted that, since the Ebola Crisis in 2014, he has consistently advocated that the key provisions of the Quarantine Act 1926, The Quarantine (Ships) Regulations 1968, The Agriculture (Control of Importation) Act of 1964, The Factories Act of 1987, and the NESREA Act amongst others, provide adequate legal foundations and bases for policy and regulatory intervention,

in preventing the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in Nigeria. What has been lacking, is a timely and holistic implementation.

He noted that, “Coming at a time of real need, it is a big relief to see the President activating the legal powers conferred on him by Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act. The COVID-19 Regulations provide timely, incisive and a well needed legal framework for all agencies in Nigeria to work together, to pursue a coherent and coordinated agenda to rid Nigeria of COVID-19. It is a welcome development”.

He concluded that, COVID-19 should not be viewed and discussed only as a threat. Rather, it equally provides an opportunity for public and private entities to come together and play proactive roles, in promoting best practices on environmental infection control and prevention, in Nigeria.

Plague of Justinian (A.D. 541-542) The death toll from this plague, was a frightening 25 million people. It was caused by bubonic plague. It was believed to have killed, half of the European population. The plague afflicted the Byzantine Empire, and the Mediterranean Port cities. The city of Constantinople, was devastated. 5000 people died per day, resulting in the death of 40% of Constantinople.

The Byzantine Empire was ravaged by the bubonic plague, which marked the start of its decline. The plague reoccurred periodically, afterward. Some estimates suggest that, up to 10% of the world's population died. The plague is named after the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian (reigned A.D. 527-565).

Under his reign, the Byzantine Empire reached its peak of power, controlling territories that stretched from the Middle East to Western Europe. Justinian constructed a great cathedral known as Hagia Sophia ("Holy Wisdom") in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the empire's capital. Justinian also got sick with the plague, and survived. However, his empire gradually lost territory in the time after the plague struck, and lost its past glory.

Now this, the Black Death (1346-1353) The Black death killed an astonishing over 200 million people, in just four years. The Black death travelled from Asia to Europe, leaving devastation in its wake. Some estimates suggest that, it wiped out over half of Europe's population. It was caused by a strain of the bacterium Yersinia pestis that is likely extinct today, and was spread by fleas on infected rodents. The bodies of victims, were buried in mass graves.

The plague was to change the course of Europe's history, as labour became harder to find, bringing about better pay for workers, and the end of Europe's system of serfdom. Studies suggest that, surviving workers had better access to meat and higher-quality bread. The lack of cheap labour, may also have contributed to quick technological innovations and advancement.

It was believed it had to do with close proximity of people, which was why the infected were first isolated in ships for 30 days, and later extended to 40 days (quarantino). This is the origin of the practice of quarantine in the Western world, which has today become worldwide.

Cocoliztli Epidemic (1545-1548) This infection that caused the Cocoliztli epidemic, came by way of viral hemorrhagic fever. It killed a whopping 15 million inhabitants of Mexico, and Central America. These were people, already weakened by extreme drought. The disease therefore, proved to be utterly catastrophic. "Cocoliztli" is the Aztec word, for "pest".

A recent study that examined DNA from the skeletons of victims, discovered that the people were infected with a subspecies of Salmonella known as S. paratyphi C, which causes enteric fever. This is a category of fever, that includes typhoid. Enteric fever can cause high fever, dehydration and gastrointestinal problems. It is still a major health threat, to date.

And this American Plagues (16th Century) European Explorers exported to the Americas, the American Plagues. This was a cluster, of Eurasian diseases. These illnesses, including smallpox, contributed to the collapse of the great Inca and Aztec civilisations. Some estimates suggest that, 90% of the indigenous population in the Western Hemisphere, was killed by this deadly plague.

The outbreak of the diseases helped a Spanish force led by Hernán Cortés, to conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán in 1519. It also aided another Spanish force led by Francisco Pizarro, to conquer the Incas in 1532. The Spanish seized the territories, of both Empires. In both cases, the Aztec and Incan armies had been so ravaged by disease, that they were unable to withstand the Spanish forces. When citizens of Britain, France, Portugal and the Netherlands began exploring, conquering and settling the Western Hemisphere, they were also helped by the fact that, the American plague had vastly reduced the size of any indigenous groups that opposed them. (To be continued).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “I have no idea what’s awaiting me, or what will happen when this all ends. For the moment, I know this: there are sick people and they need curing.” (Albert Camus)

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COVID-19: Lockdown Nigeria Today is Day 8 of the total lockdown of the nation, and many Nigerians are groaning in agony. President Buhari declared and issued COVID-19 Regulations in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday March 29, announcing a total lockdown in Lagos and Ogun States, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to curtail the spread of the global pandemic of the Corona Virus. But, in response, other States including Osun, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Anambra, Kwara, Kaduna and most other States, ordered their own lockdown too. In the days following this historic moment in the nation, there have been massive human rights violations by security forces, detailed to enforce the lockdown in some parts of the country. Many Nigerians have complained about their inability to access the basic necessities of life, including food items, the prices of which have skyrocketed overnight, while majority are mithering and grumbling that the palliatives provided by Government, are grossly and ridiculously inadequate. In the midst of these tails of woes, Femi Falana, SAN, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, Abubakar Sani, Stephen Kola-Balogun and Richard Abdulahi, question the President’s powers to issue a lockdown order, while Dr Kayode Ajulo and Sylvester Udemezue argue that the President is empowered so to do. This is the Crossfire!

Enforcement of Covid-19 Regulations

by Nigerian Armed Forces, is Illegal

Yes! Covid-19: Buhari’s Lockdown, is Legal and Constitutional

Femi Falana, SAN

Kayode Ajulo, PhD

leadership to put a stop to the involvement of police personnel, in the crude infringement of the fundamental right of the Nigerian people to dignity.

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n the March 29, 2020 national broadcast of President Muhammadu Buhari and the COVID-19 Quarantine Regulations issued thereafter to curtail the spread of coronavirus pandemic, the members of the armed forces were not authorised to enforce any of the Regulations. But, out of sheer impunity, the Defence Headquarters announced the plans of the armed forces to implement the presidential order, on the restriction of the locomotion of the Nigerian people. In my reaction to the illegal plan of the Defence Headquarters to involve armed troops in the enforcement of the Regulations, I issued a public statement wherein I said that: " .. while the nation's armed forces should be commended for making their medical facilities available to members of the public in the fight against the highly dangerous virus, the plan to dispatch armed soldiers to the streets to enforce the COVID-19 guidelines should be shelved, because it is illegal.

For the umpteenth time, I am compelled to draw the attention of the military authorities to the case of Yussuf v Obasanjo (2005), where Salami JCA (as he then was) held that: “It is up to the Police to protect our nascent democracy, and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarised. This is not what the citizenry bargained for, in wrestling power from the military in 1999. Conscious steps should be taken to civilianise the polity, and thereby, ensure the survival of and sustenance of democracy".

In the same vein, in the celebrated case of All Progressive Congress v Peoples Democratic Party (2015) LPELR- 24349 Aboki JCA held that, the President lacks the power to call on the Armed Forces to restore law and order in any part of the Federation without the approval of them National Assembly, as provided in Sections 217(2) and 218(4) of the Constitution as amended. His Lordship reminded the Federal Government of its legal obligation "to confine the Military to their demanding assignments, especially in these trying times of insurgencies and encroachment into the country's territories...".

However, in utter violation of the aforesaid injunctions of the Court of Appeal, the platoons of armed troops illegally deployed by the military authorities to enforce the COVID-19 Regulations, have recklessly unleashed mayhem on innocent members of the public. To the embarrassment of the nation, several video clips which captured the unwarranted brutalisation of the people, have been trending on social media at home and abroad. As usual, the

Femi Falana, SAN

military authorities have publicly defended the disgraceful conduct of the rampaging troops, by dismissing the video clips.

Thus, in a desperate bid to cover up the atrocious behaviour of the uniformed torturers, the military authorities have deliberately refused to conduct any investigation into the complaints of the victims of egregious human rights abuse. Although, while not denying the authenticity of the video clips of horror, the Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche said that "the videos were old clips of past incidents that took place in 2012 and 2013". Assuming without conceding, that the incidents recorded in the video clips actually took place in the past, were the torturers identified and sanctioned by the military authorities?

Whereas, based on a similar video clip which recently exposed a group of policemen who had engaged in the brutalisation of some traders in Lagos under the pretext of enforcing the COVID-19 Regulations, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, ensured that the culprits were promptly identified and arrested for the purpose of prosecuting them.

The civilised conduct of the Police Chief, has demonstrated the readiness of the current police

Penalty for Breaching COVID -19 Regulations In view of the ongoing unwarranted attacks on members of the public by armed troops, it is pertinent to point out that, the contravention of the Regulations made by President Buhari under the Quarantine Act, does not attract the death penalty. By virtue of Section 5 of the Act, the penalty for contravening the Regulations is a fine of N200 or six months imprisonment, or to both fine and imprisonment. Therefore, the flogging or shooting of people arrested on the streets for allegedly breaching the presidential stay-at-home order, is illegal, unconstitutional and criminal. Hardly had the Defence Headquarters denied the involvement of armed troops in the dehumanisation of the people, that a young man, Joseph Pessu, was shot dead by a soldier in Warri, Delta State on Aprl 3, 2020.

Another soldier has been caught on tape, threatening to rape women and transmit HIV to them, in retaliation for the alleged killing of a soldier by the youths in Warri. Based on public condemnation of the barbaric murder of Joseph Pessu and the threat of the deranged soldier to rape women and inject them with HIV, the Defence Headquarters was forced to assure Nigerians that the suspects would be arrested, and made to face the wrath of the law. But, having regard to the cover up of such outrageous conduct of military personnel in the past, and the denial of the involvement of armed troops in the ongoing brutalisation of the Nigerian people, the National Human Rights Commission, should take over the investigation and prosecution of the culprits.

Since the Armed Forces Act has not empowered members of the armed forces to enforce any law or regulation in the country, President Buhari should not hesitate to restrain members of the armed forces from further enforcing the COVID 19 Regulations. Furthermore, the President should order an investigation into the video clips of the brutalisation of members

“HOWEVER......THE PLATOONS OF ARMED TROOPS ILLEGALLY DEPLOYED BY THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES TO ENFORCE THE COVID-19 REGULATIONS, HAVE RECKLESSLY UNLEASHED MAYHEM ON INNOCENT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC”

“ IT THEREFORE, PRESUPPOSES THAT FLOWING FROM THE FUNCTIONS OF THE NCDC, THE PRESIDENT AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CAN MAKE A DIRECTIVE IN ORDER TO CURTAIL THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE, WITHOUT THE NEED OF DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY”

A Introduction

s the spate of the invasion of the deadly Coronavirus COVID-19 increases in geometric proportions, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on 29th March, 2020, gave a Presidential Address, and reeled out measures to curtail the spread of the infectious pandemic, which among others include, the restriction of movement of persons and vehicles in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos State and Ogun State for an initial period of 14 days from 11pm, 30th March, 2020.

No doubt, the imminent measures taken

by Mr. President have generated reactions from different quarters. Legal Practitioners, Political Pundits and other stakeholders, have lent their voices on the legality or otherwise of the address of Mr. President.

Some persons have argued that, the restriction of movement of persons as contained in Mr President’s Address is a violation of the fundamental rights to personal liberty and movement of persons, as enshrined in Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

The argument was stretched further that, Mr President ought to have followed the procedure as contained in Section 305 of the Constitution,

Kayode Ajulo, PhD

by declaring a “State of Emergency”, before making such a proclamation which ought to have been published in a Federal Gazette, and addressed to the Senate President and Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.

In the bid to justify and cloak the address of Mr. President with the garb of legality, the Attorney-General has reacted by stating that, the President need not declare a ‘State of Emergency’, and that the President derived his authority under the Quarantine Act. This argument is further fortified by the Regulation which was passed on the March 30th, 2020, by the President.

In the circumstance, as a Legal Practitioner and passionate Rights Advocate, it therefore, behooves on me to beam a searchlight on relevant provisions of the Constitution and other relevant statutes, in order to pensively determine the legality or otherwise of Mr. President’s declaration of 29th March, 2020.

Derogation of Fundamental Rights under the Constitution While it is trite that the fundamental rights as contained in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) are inalienable, it is also clear that none of these rights are

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President Muhammadu Buhari

of the public by some overzealous soldiers, and direct the appropriate authorities to bring them to justice for contravening the provisions of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017. Alternatively, Governors should direct the Chief of Defence Staff to stop military personnel from enforcing the COVID-19 Regulations, in their States.

Finally, a fortnight ago, the satanic Boko Haram sect was reported to have massacred 47 Nigerian troops and 92 Chadian soldiers, in two separate attacks. In view of the increasing wave of such deadly attacks, our patriotic armed forces should concentrate efforts on the counter- insurgency operations being carried out in the Northeast region. It is high time the terrorists were not only "technically degraded", but physically defeated by the armed forces.

Therefore, while our troops are busy defending the nation's territorial integrity, the Police should be allowed to enforce the COVID-19 regulations and guidelines, in line with the provisions of the Police Act. Femi Falana, SAN, Human Rights and Constitutional Lawyer

Why the Quarantine Act Cannot Legalise Restriction of Movement by the President (Being a response to the Statement of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Mr. Femi Adesina) Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN

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he Quarantine Act has no provision for the restriction of the movement, of any citizen.

A fundamental right expressly granted by the Constitution cannot be taken away by assumption, inference or deductions.

Section 41 (1) of the 1999 Constitution expressly donates freedom of movement to all citizens, and it cannot be taken away by way of executive proclamations or regulations, as an executive regulation cannot in law, take away a

fundamental right granted by the Constitution.

The Quarantine Act of 1926 or 1990 or 2004, as its name and provisions connote, is meant for the isolation, care and treatment of victims of infectious diseases simpliciter, for the purpose of isolating them away from interacting with other members of the public, generally. A law enacted for the benefit of those not infected by any disease, cannot, and should not be twisted to restrain them.

Origin and Scope of Quarantine The practice of Quarantine evolved in or about 1423 in Venice, which had a quarantine station on an island to check the growth of diseases brought by ships, by isolating and detaining ships

containing persons or animals, suspected of having or carrying a dangerous communicable disease.

To this end, ships arriving in Venice from infected ports were required to sit at anchor for 40 days, before landing. Quarantine is thus, derived from the Italian words quaranta gioni, which means 40 days.

A regulation made under and pursuant to quarantine, is Never to be extended to abridge extant fundamental rights declared under the Constitution. Indeed, such regulation must not be in conflict with any subsisting legislation, such as Section 41 of the Constitution, granting freedom of movement. Without any doubt, the President CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN

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YES! COVID-19: BUHARI’S LOCKDOWN, IS LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 absolute. Conversely, the Constitution provides for instances in which the rights could be derogated from. In the circumstance, Section 45 of the Constitution is quite pungent and sacrosanct. It provides thus: (1) Nothing in sections 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 of this Constitution shall invalidate any law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society (a) in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or (b) for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedom or other persons (2) An act of the National Assembly shall not be invalidated by reason only that it provides for the taking, during periods of emergency, of measures that derogate from the provisions of section 33 or 35 of this Constitution; but no such measures shall be taken in pursuance of any such act during any period of emergency save to the extent that those measures are reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists during that period of emergency: Provided that nothing in this section shall authorise any derogation from the provisions of section 33 of this Constitution, except in respect of death resulting from acts of war or authorise any derogation from the provisions of section 36(8) of this Constitution.

(3) In this section, a " period of emergency" means any period during which there is in force a Proclamation of a state of emergency declared by the President in exercise of the powers conferred on him under section 305 of this Constitution.

A surgical dissection of the above provisions shows three instances whereby the rights as contained in Section 37 to 41 of the Constitution could be derogated from, which are: i. Where a law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society provides for such derogation in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or ii. for the purpose of protecting the rights

declaring a state of emergency.

On the Applicability of Quarantine Act While it has been argued that the applicable law in the circumstance, is the Quarantine Act, CAP 384 LFN 2004, however, a cursory perusal of the Act would reveal otherwise.

It suffices to note that, the intendment of the draftsman of this legislation wasn’t to impede or restrict the movement of healthy persons, but infected persons in a community.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN

and freedom or other persons iii. Where there is a proclamation of a state of emergency by the President, in exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 305 of the Constitution.

By the application of elimination method, the most relevant circumstance from the above in relation to the regulation of Mr. President, would be the first instance which is: where a law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society which in this instance is the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Establishment) Act (2018).

Section 1 of the Act provides for the objectives of the Centre which among others include: Development and coordination of capabilities, measures and activities to control outbreaks and

mitigate the health impact of public health disasters; Section 3(1) (a) of the Act also provides that the Centre shallPrevent, detect, monitor and control diseases of national and international public health importance, including emerging and re- emerging diseases.

See also Section 4 of the Act. It suffices to recall that, the President in his Address of 29th March, 2020 had stated that his actions were based on the recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(NCDC). It therefore, presupposes that flowing from the functions of the NCDC, the President as the Chief Executive officer, can make a directive in order to curtail the spread of the disease, without the need of

WHY THE QUARANTINE ACT CANNOT LEGALISE RESTRICTION OF MOVEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT cannot rely on the Quarantine Act as the basis for seeking to restrict the movement of citizens, being a fundamental right guaranteed under section 41 of the Constitution.

The Manifest Illegality of the Regulations made by the President For the President to be entitled to make any regulation under Sections 4 and 8 of the Quarantine Act, he must have complied with the conditions precedent laid down in Sections 2 and 3 of the said Act, namely that: (i) the President must first make a Declaration of an infectious disease, by a notice duly published in the Official Gazette, stating such to be an infectious disease within the meaning of the Quarantine Act. That has not been done, making the regulation made by the President to be inchoate and premature. For instance, in the first subsidiary legislation contained in the Schedule to the Quarantine Act, a declaration was made concerning Sleeping Sickness, to be a dangerous disease within the meaning of the Act. in addition to the above, the President must also make another declaration, by notice in the Official (ii) Gazette, stating the particular place affected as an Infected Local Area and such must be a well- defined area, such as a local government, a town or a community, and not just a blanket tag. This has not been done. How then do we lockdown citizens and detain them forcefully for two weeks, in one single spot, without any charge or offence alleged against them? In the present case, the purported regulation made by the President bears no direction, it is lacking in details, subject to abuse and conflicting interpretation and execution, as has happened in Lagos and Abuja, where citizens have been trampled upon by security agents, on account of the said regulations.

The only regulation so far made under the Quarantine Act is the Quarantine (Ships) Regulations of December 4, 1968, containing 28 Sections and 8 Schedules. There is no single provision therein, restricting the movement of persons. This is because the practice of quarantine has nothing to do with restricting movement of persons, but rather to isolate those carrying infectious diseases. So, even under the Quarantine Act, the President has acted illegally.

The conditions for interfering with the

fundamental right of movement are as stated in Section 41 of the Constitution itself or in Section 45 (1) thereof, the latter prescribing a “.... a LAW (not regulation or presidential broadcast) that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.” The President cannot by mere executive regulation, take away the freedom of movement, expressly granted under the Constitution. In any event, the regulations anticipated under Sections 4 and 8 of the Quarantine Act, are limited to those infected with infectious diseases for the purpose of their quarantine. It cannot be the contemplation of the Constitution that the fate, liberty and freedom of citizens should rest in a single individual, no matter his status or office.

There is nowhere in Sections 4 or 8 of the Quarantine Act, that it is stated or anticipated that the President or Governor could make regulations for the restriction of movement of persons on account of infectious diseases, against persons not so infected. Regulations in relation to quarantine are always Limited to the infected persons.

Laws purporting to infringe upon or derogate from the fundamental rights of citizens must be express, explicit, unambiguous, and not subject to personal considerations and permutations, to prevent abuse – Okafor v Lagos State Govt & Anor and Adegboruwa v IGP & Ors. The Quarantine Act does not contain any provision expressly authorising the restriction of movement of citizens, and

“THE QUARANTINE ACT OF 1926 OR 1990 OR 2004, AS ITS NAME AND PROVISIONS CONNOTE, IS MEANT FOR THE ISOLATION, CARE AND TREATMENT OF VICTIMS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES SIMPLICITER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ISOLATING THEM.......”

On Applicable Punishment for Violation There have been arguments from different quarters on the applicable law under which violators of the regulation and directives of Mr. President may be charged, as some have argued that where there is no law, there cannot be a sin.

It is pertinent to make reference to Section 247(b) of the Criminal Code Act which provides as follows: Any Person who does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, whether human or animal; is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for six months.

It is therefore, clear from the foregoing that, anyone who violates the directives, could be said to have done any act which is intended to spread the infection of the prevalent COVID-19.

Conclusion From whatever angle of the compass the instant cause is considered, the most paramount thing to consider, vis-a-vis the provisions of the Constitution, is the security, welfare, health and safety of the Nigerian citizens at a time like this.

Dr Kayode Ajulo, Legal Practitioner, Abuja

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

such power must not and cannot be assumed by the President. The liberty and freedom of movement of a citizen are next to his right to life, and any law that can justify a limitation on such must be express and direct, in its content and implementation, including appropriate sanctions for its breach. This is not the case with the regulations made by the President, which was simply a hurried conversion of the Presidential broadcast, following widespread criticisms thereof.

For the President to seek to restrict the movement of citizens, he must act under a law that Expressly permits him to so do, not by Implication, as he has purported to do under the Quarantine Act. In a proper Federation, it is inappropriate for a President to take over the affairs of any State within the Federation, without the input of the Governor and the House of Assembly of that State. In Lagos State, the Governor had already introduced measures to curtail the spread of COVID 19, without violating the right to freedom of movement. In Ogun State, the Governor eventually postponed the President’s proclamation to April 3, 2020, on the ground that the people of the State were not prepared for the lockdown, whereas Mr. Femi Adesina claimed that it took effect from March 30, 2020. In another breath, the Honourable Minister of Finance later claimed to have secured approval to exclude certain financial transactions from the lockdown. There should have been meaningful consultations, before the President’s proclamation.

Section 305 (3)(d) of the Constitution permits the President to declare a state of emergency in any part of Nigeria, through an instrument published in the official gazette when “there is an occurrence or imminent danger, or the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity, affecting the community or a section of the community.” The COVID 19 pandemic qualifies an imminent danger, a disaster and a natural calamity.

The President should have explored this window for his declaration, and in that wise involve the National Assembly, being the lawful representatives of the people.

Where the President declares a state of emergency under Section 305, he must transmit a copy of the official gazette to the National Assembly, to pass a resolution for its approval or rejection. Such declaration will cease to have effect, if after two days of the National Assembly being in session or

after ten days of it being out of session, it is not approved by the National Assembly through a resolution. The sanction of the National Assembly, would have robed the President’s action with some legitimacy.

We cannot take away the fundamental rights of citizens through executive proclamations made on the altar of some exigency or self-induced necessity, as the President had enough time since COVID 19 broke out, to have taken all reasonable steps within the law, to address it. The Quarantine Act cannot be utilised to authorise a single individual to have power of life and death over the citizens of his country, no matter the exigency relied upon for such absolute power.

Conclusion I must state that, I am not opposed to the steps taken by the President and some Governors, to address the COVID 19 pandemic.

I align myself totally with these measures, for the safeguard of citizens; however, my primary concern is not to resort to a violation of the Constitution under the guise of exigency, as that could well be a dangerous signal for perpetrating illegality, even in the time of peace.

It gladdens my heart greatly, that the Honourable Attorney- General of the Federation and my Learned Brother Silk, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, is making very copious references to international protocols to support the breach of the fundamental rights of citizens, hoping well that, when we seek to rely on these same protocols to enforce fundamental rights in future, they will not become foreign laws of western nations!

I therefore, humbly urge the President to do the needful by approaching the National Assembly and the States concerned, to harmonise his actions with the laws of our land, failing which all lovers of the rule of law should brace up to challenge this constitutional breach in court, when we have been fully delivered from the compulsory lockdown. This is not necessarily because I do not support the wonderful initiatives of the President to combat the COVID 19 pandemic, but rather, that we should allow the law to speak a uniform language, both in the time of war, and that of peace.

God bless Nigeria.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN

07.04.2020

COVER/11

Fighting Covid-19: Much Ado about a Quarantine . . .

Abubakar Sani

E

fforts of Government at containing the on-going Covid-19 pandemic have elicited, and are continuing to elicit varying reactions – from the sublime to the ridiculous. For the overwhelming majority of the public, who have seen yet another layer of uncertainty added to their already buffeted lives, the disease – and the restrictions which the Government has imposed on them to contain it - is nothing short of a disaster.

Having initially observed a not-so-golden silence, the President finally reeled out the so-called Covid-19 Regulations, 2020 on the 30th of March, 2020. With them, the Federal Government sought to give legal backing to the previously unco- ordinated, somewhat haphazard, measures adopted by State Governments, all of which had one thing in common – restrictions on movement, (border closures, including – incredibly – sea and air) and gatherings/assemblies.

The Regulations were issued pursuant to the Quarantine Act, Cap Q.2, LFN, 2010, a hitherto obscure, pre-independence law (it was enacted in 1926). Not a few commentators have since pooh- poohed them on this ground, with some (notably human rights advocates, Femi Falana and Ebun Adegoruwa, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria), insisting that the Act is inappropriate for dealing with the pandemic, and that it does not validate the restrictions – particularly those on movement. Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has also chipped in, wondering whether the restrictions did not violate civil liberties; this prompted the President’s Spokesman, Garba Shehu, to remark – unkindly - that the pandemic was not fiction (the Nobel Laureate’s forte), but science!

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN and the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, have (understandably) risen in defence of the Regulations, and justified them on the basis of the Quarantine Act. Notwithstanding their rebuttals, at least one human rights Lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, Esq., has vowed to challenge the Regulations in court - as soon as the restrictions are lifted, of course. This naturally leads to the question, of what the Regulations prescribe. . .

The Covid-19 Regulations Subject to specified exemptions, the Regulations: (i) Prohibit all movements in Lagos and Ogun States, as well as the FCT, for an initial period of 14 days; (ii) Prohibit travel between the affected States (and the FCT) and other States; (iii) Direct the closure of all offices and businesses within the said affected States; (iv) Prescribe the suspension of movement of all kinds of aircraft – passenger, commercial or private jets.

Rationale for the Regulations The President justified the Regulations on the basis of Sections 2, 3and 4 of the Quarantine Act, which provide as follows, inter alia, respectively: - Section 2 defines “dangerous infectious disease” and “local area”, respectively, as, inter alia: - “any disease of an infectious or contagious nature which the President may, by notice, declare to be a dangerous infectious disease within the meaning of the Act”; - “a well-defined area, such as a local government area, a department, a canton, an island, a commune, a town, a quarter of a town, a village, a port, an agglomeration, whatever may be the extent and population of such areas”; - Section 3: “The President may, by notice, declare any place whether within or without Nigeria to be an infected local area within the meaning of this Act”; - Section 4: “The President may make Regulations for all or any of the following purposes – - Prescribing the steps to be taken within Nigeria upon any place, whether within or without Nigeria being declared to be an infected area; - Prescribing the introduction of any dangerous infectious disease into Nigeria or any part from any place without Nigeria, whether such place is an infected local area or not; - Preventing the spread of any dangerous infectious disease from any place within Nigeria, whether an infected local area or not, to any other place within Nigeria; - Prescribing the powers and duties of such officers as may be charged with carrying out such Regulations; - Generally for carrying out the purposes and provisions of the Act”.

It is pertinent to mention that, to the extent that the Regulations are subsidiary instruments (vide Section 37(1) of the Interpretation Act), they may legitimately contain different provisions for different circumstances – Section 12(1)(a) of the Interpretation Act. What is a Quarantine?

An apparent drawback in the Act, is that it does not define what a quarantine means. The word is both a noun and a verb. The Cambridge Online Dictionary defines its noun variant as: “A period of time during which an animal or person that might have a disease is kept away from other people or animals, so that the disease cannot spread”.

As for its meaning when used as a verb, the same medium defines it as: “To keep an animal or person away from other animals or people, to prevent them from spreading a disease”.

According to another data source (Wikipedia): “The quarantining of people has historically raised questions of civil rights, especially in cases of long confinement or segregation from society, such as that of Mary Mallon (aka Typhoid Mary) in the U.S., a typhoid fever carrier who was arrested and quarantined and later spent the last 23 years of her life in medical isolation”.

Principles for Imposing Quarantines The Quarantine Act is arguably not nuanced enough (if at all), on the parameters for ascertaining the link between a quarantine and the scope of its concomitant restrictions vis-à-vis civil liberties. However, once again, Wikipedia posits that “guidance on when and how human rights can be restricted to prevent the spread of infectious disease is found in the Siracusa Principles, a non-binding document developed by the Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations Economic & Social Council in 1984. The Siracusa Principles state that, restrictions on human rights under the international covenant on civil and political rights must meet standards of legality, evidence-based necessity, proportionality and gradualism, noting that, public can be used to justify limiting certain rights, if the State needs to take measures ‘aimed at preventing disease or injury or providing care for the sick and injured’”.

The medium adds that “limitations on rights (such as quarantine) must be strictly necessary, meaning that they must: (i) Respond to a pressing or social need (health); (ii) Proportionality pursue a legitimate aim (prevent the spread of infectious diseases); (iii) Be the (iv) Least restrictive means required for achieving the purpose of the limitation; (v) Be provided for and carried out in accordance with the law; (vi) Be neither arbitrary nor discriminatory; (vii) Only limit rights that are within the jurisdiction of the State seeking to impose the limitations”.

Continuing, it posits that, public health ethics (also) demand that, when a quarantine is imposed: - “all restrictive actions must be well-supported by data and scientific evidence; - All information must be made available to the public; - All actions must be explained clearly to those whose rights are restricted and to the public; and - All actions must be subject to regular review and reconsideration”.

Finally, the State is ethically-obligated to offer the following guarantees: “(a) That infected people will not be threatened or abused; (b) That basic needs such as food, water, medical care and preventive care will be provided; (c) That communication with loved ones and caretakers will be permitted; (d) Constraints on freedom will be applied equally, regardless of social considerations; (e) Patients will be compensated fairly for economic and material losses, including salary”.

Psychological Impact An often-neglected aspect of the decision to impose a quarantine (certainly in our own experience with Covid-19), is its psychological impact on those directly affected. According to Wikipedia, such effects “include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – PTSD, confusion and anger”. With particular reference to the on-going pandemic,

Abubakar Sani

“HAVING INITIALLY OBSERVED A NOT-SOGOLDEN SILENCE, THE PRESIDENT FINALLY REELED OUT THE SO- CALLED COVID-19 REGULATIONS, 2020 ON THE 30TH OF MARCH, 2020” the medium quotes a medical journal (The Lancet) as follows: “Stressors included longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma”. The magazine then suggested that: “In situations where quarantine is deemed necessary, officials should quarantine individuals for no longer than required, provide clear rationale for quarantine and information about protocols, and ensure sufficient supplies are provided. Appeals to altruism by reminding the public about the benefits of quarantine to wider society, can be favourable”.

Conclusion Beyond the legalism which seems to permeate the arguments of the anti-quarantine elite, the real challenge faced by the President and his handlers, in my view, is addressing enshrined cynicism of the voiceless majority in the areas presently under quarantine - and beyond. In the face of rampant poverty, the palliative measures included in the Covid-19 Regulations (it seemed more like a speech), are perceived as not going far enough.

Add to this, our culture of corruption (even in such circumstances), and it is clear that the ethical dimensions of the quarantine (any quarantine) referred to earlier, cannot be over-emphasised.

Suffice it to say that, the Government needs to re- focus and fine-tune its anti-Covid 19 strategy/ messaging, as the challenge posed by the pandemic is as much about its containment and reversal, as public perception that the Government is on top of the situation – not merely reacting to it.

Abubakar D. Sani, Esq., Kano

The Corona Virus Pandemic Stephen Kola-Balogun

T

Legal issues arising he recent measures taken by the Presidency on behalf of the Federal Government, in trying to curb the spread of the rampaging Corona Virus pandemic in the country may appear reassuring, but is by no means legally comforting. Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari issued a lock down directive covering the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, and the South Western States of Lagos and Ogun. The Covid-19 Regulations, which came into effect for an initial period of 14 days, as from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March, 2020, are

designed to formalise the emergency measures that need to be taken by the Federal Government, in protecting Nigerian citizens against the spread of the Corona Virus. Although, the Presidency has cited the Quarantine Act of 1926 as the law that provides the legal backing for the restrictions put in place, and is of course an existing law under Section 315 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended,) the Presidency unfortunately does not appear to have sufficiently modified the Quarantine Act CAP Q2 LFN 2004, in order to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and as such have laid themselves open to public criticism.

Unfortunately, the Quarantine Act does not appear to have any provisions for the restriction of movement of Nigerian citizens, as guaranteed under Section 41 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended.) Any regulation made pursuant to

this Act, does not have sufficient legal backing to curtail freedom of movement as guaranteed by our Constitution, unless the Quarantine Act is sufficiently modified in order to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. Regulations are usually made pursuant to the contents of a law, enactment, instrument or statute, and not vice versa.

Regulations cannot substitute for what has not been properly captured, in enabling legislation.

They can only aid, or complement such law.

Section 315 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides: 1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, an existing law shall have effect with such modifications as may be necessary to bring it into conformity with the provisions of this Constitution and shall be deemed to bea) an Act of the National Assembly to the extent

that it is a law with respect to any matter on which the National Assembly is empowered by this Constitution to make laws; and b) a Law made by a House of Assembly to the extent that it is a law with respect to any matter on which a House of Assembly is empowered by this Constitution to make laws.

2) The appropriate authority may at any time by order make such modifications in the text of any existing law as the appropriate authority considers necessary or expedient to bring that law into conformity with the provisions of this Constitution.

3) Nothing in this Constitution shall be constructed as affecting the power of a court of law or any tribunal established by law to declare invalid any provision of an existing law on the ground of inconsistency with the provisions of any other law, that is to say- a)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12/COVER

07.04.2020

Yes, Presidential Directives on Containing Covid-19 Pandemic are Legal Sylvester Udemezue

Law Breakers Meanwhile, anyone found violating Government directives in this respect, should be arrested and prosecuted as a saboteur and enemy of a sane and safe society, as well as for deliberately endangering the health and safety of Nigerians. However, I appeal to all task forces, security and enforcement agencies to employ a high degree of professionalism, civility and decency in the manner they carry out Government directives at this time. And, any security or enforcement personnel found engaging in any form of barbarism or oppressive conduct against ordinary Nigerians, should be punished accordingly.

Finally, I salute the courage, competence, dexterity and resilience being exhibited by Nigerian public and private health personnel, towards containing this pandemic and keeping Nigeria and Nigerians safe.Together, we shall conquer.

God bless Nigeria and protect Nigerians Sylvester Udemezue, Legal Practitioner, Lagos

W

ith due respect to those who hold a contrary view, I am of the humble opinion that, all notices, orders and directives so far issued by Government (Federal and States) in Nigeria towards fighting/ containing COVID-19, are lawful; no law has yet been violated. Facing a global pandemic, it is not what happens that is important, it is how we respond to it. Government actions or directives may appear “extreme,” “draconian” or “aggressive!”

No doubt, lockdown is extreme and extremely restrictive; it is not easy to ask people to lock their shops and offices, and to stay at home all day and all night for days and weeks. But, we must understand that the balance between individual rights and public safety is an ever- changing equation.

Sometimes, we must be prepared to trade a little of our individual freedom, for the greater good and safety of the public.

Sylvester Udemezue

Public’s Cooperation Accordingly, while praying God to grant us the courage, tenacity and resilience to stay housebound throughout this period, I humbly encourage us to view our cooperation with the lockdown, and all government directives in this respect, as a civic duty. Desperate times ask for desperate

measures; the desperate times are here with us, and we must not be misled into putting politics or civil rights activism, ahead of public health. There is no decision, without trade-offs. I once again plead with all Nigerians to give their full cooperation to Government and Government agencies, in their efforts to fight off this ravaging pandemic.

THE CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC

“......ALL NOTICES, ORDERS AND DIRECTIVES SO FAR ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT (FEDERAL AND STATES) IN NIGERIA TOWARDS FIGHTING/ CONTAINING COVID-19, ARE LAWFUL; NO LAW HAS YET BEEN VIOLATED”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

any other existing law; b) a Law of a House Assembly; c) an Act of the National Assembly; or d) any provision of this Constitution.

4) In this section, the following expressions have the meanings assigned to them respectivelya) “appropriate authority” meansi. the President, in relation to the provisions of any law of the Federation, ii. the Governor of a State, in relation to the provisions of any existing law deemed to be a Law made by the House of Assembly of that State, or iii. any person appointed by any law to revise or rewrite the laws of the Federation of State; b) “existing law” means any law and includes any rule of law or any enactment or instrument whatsoever which is in force immediately before the date when this section comes into force or which having been passed or made before that date comes into force after that date ; and c) “modification” includes addition, alteration, omission or repeal.

As highlighted above, Section 315 of the 1999 Constitution makes it significantly easy for the Government to amend existing legislation, to suit a particular purpose. The sheer frequency of error, incompetence and lethargy in the Government’s reasoning when it comes to making proper use of Section 315 of the 1999 Constitution on the modification of existing laws, is simply, astonishing! We have been operating the 1999 Constitution, for over 20 year now. The Government has an Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, coupled with a Solicitor-General of the Federation, all within the Federal Ministry of Justice. It is inexcusable that such basic errors continue to be made in our polity, with regard to the modification of existing laws. In this particular instance, if the Government had got it right in modifying the Quarantine Act as an existing law within the confines of Section 315 of the Constitution, Section 45 of the Constitution which deals with restrictions on and derogation from fundamental rights, would have become relevant and applicable.

Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides: 45. – 1) Nothing in sections 37,38,39,40 and 41 of this Constitution shall invalidate any law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic societya) in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health ; or b) for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons.

Broadly speaking, a sufficiently modified Quarantine Act would have easily come within the ambit of Section 45 (1) of the 1999 Constitution. It is absolutely clear that, the law is there for us to make use of, but the way and manner in which we choose to apply it continues to be a major cause of concern.

Although the Quarantine Act itself is meant for the isolation, care and treatment of victims with infectious diseases, it can, as already highlighted, be sufficiently modified to cover the present pandemic and the need for restrictions on movement.

But, even in its present form, there are still doubts as to whether the government has got it right.

For the President to be entitled to make any regulations under Section 4 and 8 of the Quarantine Act, he must have complied with the conditions precedent laid down in Section 2 and 3 of the “said” Act, namely that: i. A declaration of an infectious disease, by a notice duly published in the Official Gazette, stating such to be an infectious disease within the meaning of the Quarantine Act. This as far as I know, has not been done. ii. In addition to the above, the relevant authority must also make another declaration, by notice in the Official Gazette, stating the particular place affected as an Infected Local Area and such must be a well-defined area, such as a local government, a town or a community. To the best of my knowledge, yet again, this was not done by the Government.

In other words, in applying the Quarantine Act simpliciter, even without modifying it, the government has not fully complied with the provisions of the statute.

Other Lawyers and commentators have made reference to the procedure for the declaration of a state of emergency under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution. Personally, I consider these provisions to be too cumbersome for a pandemic of this nature, at least at this prevention stage. The only relevant word that fits in with the current pandemic, is the word “public safety”, that has been outlined under Section 305 (1) (c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution. Furthermore, Section 305 (1) of the Constitution on publication in the Official Gazette and Section 305 (2) on the need to transmit copies of the official Gazette to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, makes this particular procedure tedious in a health and safety period of emergency.

Another limitation is Section 305 (3) (g) and 305 (4), which combined, enables the President to declare a state of emergency in a State of the Federation once a Governor of a State with the sanction of a resolution, supported by 2/3 majority of the House of Assembly, requests for the President to declare a state of emergency within the State. The limitation of these particular sections is that, the situation must not extend beyond the boundaries of the State requesting for the emergency, and as we already know, this has already happened. The Corona virus, knows no boundaries. Broadly speaking, considering the limitations

“THE QUARANTINE ACT IS PERHAPS, THE APPROPRIATE PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO USE IN THE WAKE OF THIS WORLDWIDE CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC, BUT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY MODIFIED BEFORE ITS IMPLEMENTATION”

Stephen Kola-Balogun

which would inhibit the Government from declaring a state of emergency across the Federation, modifying the Quarantine Act seems far more appropriate in the circumstances.

Conclusion The Quarantine Act is perhaps, the appropriate piece of legislation to use in the wake of this worldwide Corona virus pandemic, but it should have been sufficiently modified before its implementation. Section 315 (2) clearly states that, the appropriate authority may at any time by order, make such modifications to the text of an existing law as considered necessary or expedient.

This is perhaps, all the more fundamental, when you consider the fact that our civil rights and freedoms under the Constitution have had to be temporarily suspended. Many eminent Nigerians, such as Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, have questioned the legality of the lockdown ordered by the Presidency, and warned against “constitutional piracy” and the encroachment of our constitutionally demarcated powers. He warned that, “ ....the universal imperative and urgency of this affliction, should not become an opportunistic launch pad for a sneak re- centralisation and the creation of a new political virus for the future”. Hmmm, quite apt! The Federal Government might just have unwittingly unearthed the title of Wole Soyinka’s new play and activist crusade, ‘How Science created a new Political Virus!’ .

Stephen Kola-Balogun, Legal Practitioner, Lagos

07.04.2020

COVER/13

Disruptive Argument on the Legality of Government’s Regulations Restricting Fundamental Rights Richard Abdullahi

T Introduction

he outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, has exposed variegated legal problems and the dreadful deficiencies plaguing the existing legal regime governing public health crisis in Nigeria. Two things are clear from the legal problems arising from such legislative deficiencies - it is either a public health crisis and its implication on our economy and security has never come within the legislative prognosis of our Legislators, or our Legislators have been more concerned with other legislative pursuits of political and pecuniary interest, rather than public health and safety.

It is my considered view that, the latter is the case. This view is reinforced by the fact that, the Public Health Bill 2013 which was meant to amend the Quarantine Act of 1926 was introduced in the National Assembly, but the Bill never saw the light of legislative day. A proactive legislative arm that is more concerned about the interests of the people than political and pecuniary interests, would have swung into action in the aftermath of the Ebola outbreak, and enact into law a comprehensive legislation to deal with future incidences of public health crises. Perhaps, the loudest denunciation in this entire crisis, should be against our lawmakers.

The Raging Legal Debate on the Legality of the Restrictions Imposed by Government The legal problems arising from the obvious lacuna inherent in the laws governing public health in Nigeria, has generated serious debate as to the constitutionality of some of the extraordinary measures adopted by Government, to contain the further spread of the Corona virus. On both ends of the spectrum of this debate are two senior Lawyers, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN who has argued that the President rightly exercised the powers conferred on him under the Quarantine Act, and Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN who has argued, on the other hand, that the President lacks the power to abridge constitutional rights by Regulations made under the Quarantine Act. This comment is meant to advance a disruptive alternative argument, which will drive a nail of finality into the planks of the raging legal debate, then touch on the inadequacy of the existing legal regime governing public health crises, and the urgent need for reforms.

A Disruptive Alternative Argument There are two principal laws that vest Government with powers to adopt extraordinary measures, in times of public health crisis. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (the Constitution) and the 1926 Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2, LFN 2004. There are other strands of legislation that contain threads of provisions governing Government powers, during health crises.

Section 305 of the Constitution Section 305 of the Constitution provides for the general extraordinary powers of the President to unilaterally or at the request of a Governor, declare a state of emergency in certain instances, such as when there is an imminent or actual breakdown of public order, public health and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof, to such extent as to require extraordinary measures to avert or arrest such crisis. Details of the provision will not be delved into, since the President has not declared a state of emergency.

However, the focal provisions under the Constitution fuelling the extant debate, are the fundamental rights provisions under Chapter 4 of the Constitution, and the provisions under Section 45 of the Constitution which provides for certain instances under which there can be a curtailment of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Chapter 4 of the Constitution.

Section 45 of the Constitution Section 45 provides: 45 (1) Nothing in Sections 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 of this Constitution shall invalidate any law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society (a) In the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or (b) For the purpose of protecting the rights and freedom or other persons.

(2) An act of the National Assembly shall not be invalidated by reason only that it provides for the taking, during periods of emergency, of measures that derogate from the provisions of section 33 or 35 of this Constitution; but no such measures shall be taken in pursuance of any such act during any period of emergency save to the extent that those measures are reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists during that period of emergency: Provided that nothing in this section shall authorise any derogation from the provisions of section 33 of this Constitution, except in respect of death resulting from acts of war or authorise any derogation from the provisions of section 36(8) of this Constitution.

(3) In this section, a 'period of emergency' means any period during which there is in force a Proclamation of a state of emergency

Richard Abdulahi

“....ON THE STRENGTH OF THE ABOVE DECISION OF MBANEFO V MOLOKWU.....THE REGULATIONS MADE BY GOVERNMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONTAINING THE DEADLY VIRUS, POSING BOTH A PRESENT AND IMMINENT DANGER TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, ARE VALIDATED UNDER SECTION 45(1) OF THE CONSTITUTION”

declared by the President in exercise of the powers conferred on him under section 305 of this Constitution.

The above provisions, clearly provide for two situations under which fundamental rights can be curtailed under the section: Firstly, Section 45(1) validates any law which limits or restricts the fundamental rights covered under Section 37 (right to privacy), Section 38 (right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion), Section 39 (right to freedom of expression and the press), Section 40 (right to peaceful assembly and association) and Section 41 (right to freedom of movement), if the law is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society and such restriction is in the interest of public order, public safety or public health.

Secondly, Section 45(2) and (3) validates an act of the National Assembly which provides for “reasonably justifiable” curtailment or derogation from the Constitutional rights under Section 33 (right to life) or Section 35 (right to personal liberty), during a period wherein there is in force a proclamation of a state of emergency under Section 305 of the Constitution.

Thus, it is clear from the above provisions that, there are two situations under which the said rights under Chapter 4 of the Constitution can be derogated from: when an existing law empowers such derogation for the purpose, in this case, of public safety and public health without a declaration of a state of emergency, and when an act of the National Assembly empowers such derogation during a ‘period of emergency’, for the purpose of dealing with an imminent or actual threat to public order, safety or health.

Some have argued that the powers of the President to impose restrictions which derogate from the referenced rights under Chapter 4 of the Constitution, can only be validated by a declaration of a state of emergency under Section 305 of the Constitution. I respectfully disagree, as it is clear from Section 42(1) of the Constitution that, an existing law can impose such restrictions if done in the interest of public health and safety.

The Quarantine Act of 1926, falls under that category.

The Quarantine Act remains the principal statutory enactment, regulating public health emergencies in Nigeria. The outmodedness of the Act, is immediately evidenced by the nature of the diseases classified as dangerous infectious diseases under the Act, and the provisions that impose a fine of N200 on Defaulters.

The Preamble of the Act provides as its intendment, “the imposition of quarantine and to make other provisions for preventing the introduction into and spread in Nigeria... of

dangerous infectious diseases”. Section 2 of the Act designates certain diseases as dangerous infectious diseases, and defines a local area.

In addition, the Act authorises the President or the Governor of a State to declare any infectious or contagious disease, as a dangerous infectious disease; declare any place in or outside of Nigeria to be an infected local area, and make regulations prescribing the steps to be taken for the purpose of preventing the introduction of a dangerous infectious disease into Nigeria or any part thereof, or the spread or transmission of a dangerous infectious disease to any place within or outside Nigeria, whether a local infected area or not.

Some have also argued that, the Act which was meant for the isolation of infected persons, cannot be transformed into a law restricting the rights of uninfected persons. I also beg to disagree, having regard to the provision of Section 4 of the Act which confers wide regulatory powers on the President as stated above. In exercise of the said regulatory powers conferred under the Act, the Federal Government issued a Regulation to contain the spread of the dangerous infectious COVID-19 virus.

The Regulation was issued in the aftermath of the uproar that visited the President’s announcement restricting movement in Lagos and Ogun States, and Abuja. I had argued elsewhere that, without the requisite Regulations under the Quarantine Act, the President lacks the power to impose such sweeping restrictions on guaranteed freedoms. Also, in exercise of the powers vested under Section 8 of the Act, the Lagos State Government issued the Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.

Very potent arguments on the validity of the Regulations have been canvassed, to the effect that the President cannot

by Regulation restrict the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under Chapter 4 of the Constitution. The proponents of this argument have contended that, a Regulation cannot be construed as “law” within the meaning of Section 45(1) of the Constitution. Of all of the arguments so far on the constitutionality of the restrictions imposed by the President, this is perhaps, the most potent.

The Defining Decision of the Supreme Court in Mbanefo v Molokwu However, the argument that the Government cannot by Regulation restrict fundamental rights is most fallible, as the provision of Section 45(1) of the Constitution and the word “any law” under the section, has been subjected to judicial interpretation by the Supreme Court. If the proponents of the argument that Government cannot by regulation restrict fundamental rights had averted their minds to the decision of the Supreme Court in MBANEFO v MOLOKWU (2014) 6 NWLR (Pt. 1403) 377, they would have immediately seen the sudden fallibility of their argument.

In the case, the Appellant contended that certain disciplinary actions taken against him by the Onitsha Indigenous Community and adopted by Agbalanze Onitsha, whereby he was ostracised from partaking in activities in the community, constituted a breach of his fundamental rights. The trial court and the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, and upon a further appeal to the Supreme Court, it was held that: “This may be an appropriate stage to state loud and clear that, the interpretation of “law” as prescribed under Section 45 of the Constitution, cannot be restricted only to statutes of parliament. It would include the rules and regulations guiding communities, which assist them in the maintenance of peace and tranquility”.

Of course, this decision clearly construed the word “law”, to include regulations made by an indigenous community. If the regulation of an indigenous community was countenanced under Section 45(1) of the Constitution by the Supreme Court as constituting a valid derogation from fundamental rights, how much more the Regulations made by the Government pursuant to the powers conferred under an existing law, in this unprecedented period of public health crisis?

It is submitted that, on the strength of the above decision of Mbanefo v Molokwu (Supra), the Regulations made by Government for the purpose of containing the deadly virus, posing both a present and imminent danger to public health and safety, are validated under Section 45(1) of the Constitution.

Some very senior Lawyers have surprisingly surmised that, the debate as to the legality of the Government’s action is unnecessary, having regard to the imminent public health disaster posed by the COVID-19 virus. I also, respectfully disagree, as such blatant dismissal is tantamount to stating that, Government can resort to impunity during a period of national crisis such as this.

Urgent Need for Reforms The threat of devastating, dangerous infectious disease outbreak is on the rise, with several outbreaks recorded across the globe in the past six years. The present outbreak of the intractable COVID-19 Virus coming just after the Ebola outbreak, is a reawakening call of the fierce urgency for a reform. There is a pungent need, for the review and reform of the legal framework governing disease surveillance and public health crisis, in Nigeria.

Richard Abdulahi Esq., Legal Practitioner, Lagos

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07.04.2020

Service of Hearing Notices through SMS An Analysis of the Supreme Court’s Decision in C.E.&M.S. LTD v Pazan Services Nigeria Ltd

This article by Learned Senior Advocate, Adeniji Kazeem, analyses how technology has impacted on the processes of Nigerian Courts, using the decision in C.E. & M.S. v Pazan, as a case study. It also examines how efficiently and fairly justice can be dispensed, through the use of technology in the service of court processes

T

by the Bailiff. Through the affidavit, the court will be able to satisfy itself that the court process has come to the attention of the Respondent, or will be brought to his attention. There lies its importance.

Introduction

echnology has transformed the means, by which we carry out our everyday activities.

Every sector of the society has experienced technological advancement, and the legal profession is not any different.

Although, some believe that being a noble profession, the prestige of the legal profession can only be preserved, by maintaining the traditional values and carrying out traditional processes. However, this school of thought, is being overtaken by the global wave of technological innovation.

The Decision in C.E.&M.S. Ltd v Pazan Services Nigeria Ltd In the case of Compact Energy & Manifold Services (C.E.&M.S.) Ltd v Pazan Services Nigeria Ltd, the Supreme Court stated its decision on the validity of service of hearing notices through text messages. The case at the High Court involved the recovery of outstanding fees due to the Respondent, for the supply of scaffolding material and other services rendered to the Appellant. The matter suffered several adjournments at the instance of the Appellant, and was eventually scheduled for continuation of Case Management Conference (CMC) on 15th of March, 2016, and hearing notices were ordered to be served on the two parties. Respective Counsel for the parties had, beforehand, made their phone numbers available to the court, and the court’s registry chose to send the hearing notices via text message to those numbers.

On the date scheduled for the continuation of CMC, the Appellant was absent, and the Respondent applied for judgement under Order 25 Rule 6 (2) (b) of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2012, on the ground of the Appellant’s non-participation in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings. The Court granted the application, and entered judgement in favour of the Respondent. The Appellant then applied to the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement, and was refused. The Appellant later appealed up to the Supreme Court, on the ground that its right to fair hearing had been breached, because the service of the Hearing Notice did not comply with the Rules of Court.

The Appellant contended, inter alia, that it was wrong for the trial Court to enter judgement against it in default of appearance, especially since the court did not sit on the previous adjourned date, and there was no proof of service of the hearing notice on the Appellant who had consistently appeared before the Court. He further contended that, the proof of service purported to have been made via a text message by the Court’s Registrar, was not in line with Order 7 Rule 13 of the Lagos Civil Procedure Rules. The Appellant’s argument was as follows: “...although electronic service is permitted by the Rules of the trial court, none was effected on the Appellant, and there was no affidavit of service to that effect. There was no evidence before the trial court upon which the lower court could come to the conclusion or assume that the text message which the court room registrar of the trial court allegedly sent to the Appellant’s learned counsel’s phone, was received.”

The Supreme Court, in dismissing the appeal, held that: “In the instant case, there is evidence that parties left their phone numbers with the registry of the Court. The phone numbers were supplied for the purpose of communication between the parties in this matter, and the registry. There is evidence that a text

“......THE C.E.&M.S CASE, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, NOW APPEARS TO STAND AS THE AUTHORITY THAT, THE SERVICE OF HEARING NOTICES THROUGH TEXT MESSAGING TECHNOLOGY, WILL BE CONSIDERED AS PROPER SERVICE ON PARTIES, EVEN WHERE THE SERVICE PROCEDURE DID NOT SATISFY THE RULES OF COURT”

Adeniji Kazeem, SAN

message containing 15th March, 2016 as the hearing date of this matter was sent to learned counsel for respective parties, through their phone numbers. Clearly, parties were properly served with hearing notice. I agree with the lower court that at this age of information technology superhighway, it would be foolhardy for any litigant to insist on being served with hard copy hearing notice. Once a notice is sent to the GSM numbers supplied by the litigants, that is sufficient.”

In analysing the above decision, it is important to examine the underlying principles that require the service of Hearing Notices, the Rules of Court which implement them, procedurally, and the efficacy of service through technological means in the modern age.

The Principle of Fair Hearing The legal maxim - audi alterem partem (i.e. let the other side be heard) is an inextricable component of natural justice, as it embodies the principle of fair hearing. In order for a party to a suit to be seen to have been fairly heard, a reasonable opportunity must be given to him to be present in court for the purpose of offering evidence, cross-examining anyone giving evidence against him, and to give his defence. The primary aim, is is to ensure that justice is done.

It is for this reason, that the courts always seek to ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken, to ensure that a party in a matter has been given the opportunity to participate in proceedings, through the service of hearing notices. Indeed, the failure to serve hearing notices when required, has been held to render any proceeding that is conducted thereafter a nullity, even if such failure is based on a procedural fault.

Traditionally the service of the Hearing Notice has been done through the conventional delivery of physical notices personally on the recipient, or by substituted means through service on other persons or by publication. With the advent of technology, however, the courts have begun to permit service of its processes digitally, using technology such as e-mail, sms messages and, in some cases, media enabled instant messaging services such as WhatsApp. Upon service of a hearing notice, the court will satisfy itself that service has been properly effected, through the affidavit of service containing the depositions on oath made by the person who served it. The affidavit will contain details of the fact, place, date and mode of service of the notice. It will be considered as prima facie proof that service was properly effected, until rebutted. See Estate of Humphrey Idisi v Ecodril Nigeria Ltd where it was held that: "It is settled that an affidavit of service deposed to by the person effecting the service, setting out the fact, place, mode and date of service and describing the process or document served, shall be prima facie proof of the matters stated in the endorsement or affidavit.”

The purpose of the affidavit of service, is to promote accuracy and honesty in the Bailiffs who serve court processes. If a server makes a false statement in an affidavit regarding a service carried out by him, he may be prosecuted for perjury. Thus, where an affidavit of service is not filed, it is the duty of the court to demand to see proof in the form of an affidavit sworn

The Rules of Court The service of court processes is governed by the rules of court, and several courts in Nigeria have in recent amendments of their procedural rules, introduced the use of technology as a standard in the service of processes and notices.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria Rules (2014 Amendment), for example, provides under Order 2 Rule 1 (3) (c) that: “Where any person has given an address for service of any notice or other process not required to be served personally under these Rules, it shall be sufficiently served upon him, if transmitted by electronic means to the electronic mail address, facsimile number, GSM telephone number or other electronic mode of communication”.

The Industrial Court Rules 2017 makes substantial provisions for service using technology, and has been quite progressive in making the Rules. Apart from providing the service of all court processes through all electronic communication and messaging platforms under Order 7 Rule 1 (4) of its Rules, it goes further to state the manner in which such service shall be proved in court, which is important as we shall see later.

Specific to the service of hearing notices through SMS, which is relevant to this analysis, Order 7 Rule 1 (4) of the Industrial Court Rules 2017 provides that, delivery of notices through electronic contact information provided by a party in a matter, it shall be considered good service as follows: “Where a hearing notice or any other Court process has been sent and delivered by means of any electronic device stated in sub-rule 4 of this Rule to the contact addresses or information provided by a party or counsel, it shall be deemed sufficient, good, and proper service on the party or counsel that provided the e–mail address(es) or electronic mailing device.”

The High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules 2019, makes provisions for the substituted service of originating processes through e-mail under Order 9 Rule 5. Apart from service through substituted means, the 2019 Rules do not make provision for the service of processes or notices in the usual way using technology. The Rules also require a claimant and defendant or the legal practitioners representing them, to include their phone numbers and email addresses in their originating process and memorandum of appearance under Order 5 Rule 6 and Order 11 Rule 2, respectively, suggesting that, apart from e- mails, communication with the parties regarding court proceedings through phone calls and text messages are permitted, under the Court’s Rules.

In addition to making provisions for the procedure through which processes may be served, the Rules of Court also provide for the manner in which such service shall be established. In particular, Order 7 Rule 13 of the Lagos Civil Procedure Rules (2012 Amendment) provides that: “After serving any process, the process server shall promptly depose to and file an affidavit setting out the fact, date, time, place and mode of service, describing the process served, and shall exhibit the acknowledgment of service. Such affidavit shall be prima facie proof of service.”

The Courts have in several decisions, held that the Rules of Court are meant to be followed strictly, except when the Court is granted discretion under those Rules. It is apposite, then, that where the Rules of Court require that things be done in a particular way, anything done contrary to those Rules would be invalid.

However, the Supreme Court in the C.E.&M.S. case, considered the Appellant’s arguments that service had not been effected in accordance with Order 7 Rule 13 of the High Court of Lagos 2012 Civil Procedure Rules (i.e. that no proof of service had been filed), and rejected them.

The Court held that: “Learned Senior Counsel for the Respondent was served the same way Appellant’s Counsel was served. At the lower Court, learned Counsel for the Appellant did not deny at the earliest opportunity that he did not receive any hearing notice. He only argued that, the hearing notice was not served in accordance with the Rules of Lagos State High Court. His sudden summersault before this Court, is an attempt to frustrate the speedy disposal of this case. From the history of the case, learned Counsel for the Appellant has not been forthright in pursuit of this case.

Having therefore been properly served with hearing notice, the Appellant’s right of fair hearing has not been breached at all.”

The Court also held that:

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

07.04.2020

15

SERVICE OF HEARING NOTICES THROUGH SMS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 “the essence of a hearing notice, is to bring to the notice of the party that his matter will come on the date named in the notice of hearing. Can the notice be effected by other means of notification?

The answer is in the affirmative when the rules use the words hearing notice, it did not specify that it must be hard copy. Was the Judge wrong, to use the electronic method of informing parties about the date of hearing? I pause here to say this is the 21st century, and technology is ruling every aspect of human endeavour and therefore, even courts must be abreast of these technological advancements and be ready to absorb the aspects that will enhance the quality of justice, and aid speedy determination of cases. The courts have also moved on, in that regard. Indeed, electronic service has taken root in the Nigerian legal system and it would be strange for anybody to frown at being served electronically”.

From the reporting of the cases, and the Appellant’s arguments at both the Court of Appeal and at the Supreme Court, it would appear that the Registrar of the trial court merely showed his phone to the trial Judge, as proof that he had delivered hearing notices to the parties. The Supreme Court’s rejection of the Appellant’s arguments is, therefore, strange, considering the numerous authorities which state the importance of an affidavit of service, in establishing the proper service of processes. A possible reason for this position of the court, in this author’s respectful opinion, is that it was the impression of the court that the delivery of an SMS message to a recipient, once it has been sent from the phone of the sender, is an unassailable fact. This opinion is because, the Court accepted that “there (was) evidence that a text message containing 15th March, 2016 as the hearing date of (the) matter was sent to learned Counsel for respective parties through their phone numbers”, even though no proof of service had been filed by the Registrar, asserting that fact. The Court also seemed to consider at length, the issue of whether the service of a hearing notice by electronic means instead of a hard copy was proper, rather than whether there was prima facie evidence that the hearing date had been properly communicated to the Appellant.

It is also worth noting that, the High Court of Lagos State 2012 Civil Procedure Rules, did not make provision for service through technology except by substituted means through e-mail. Even the requirement under the said Rules that the Claimant’s counsel should make available its phone number, was not similarly stipulated for the Defence Counsel and may have been imposed by fiat of the Registry.

In any event, the C.E.&M.S case, for all intents and purposes, now appears to stand as the authority that, the service of hearing notices through text messaging technology will be considered as proper service on parties, even where the service procedure did not satisfy the Rules of Court .

The Limitations of Service through Electronic Messaging Services While the preparedness of the various courts to embrace innovation in the dispensation of justice is laudable, the Supreme Court’s willingness in the C.E.&M.S case to accept service by SMS, even though the manner in which the service was carried out did not satisfy the procedure laid down in the trial court’s Rules, suggests an over eagerness on the part of the Judiciary to utilise new technology in the dispensation of justice, without fully appreciating the limitations involved.

In the traditional mode of service of hearing notices using hard copy notices, the process server takes the hearing notice to the address for service supplied by the party to the suit or his counsel and effects personal service, and then requests that the recipient endorses his acknowledgement of receipt on a copy of the notice. In the case where an order for substituted service is made, the process server pastes the notice in a conspicuous place, where it will very likely come to the attention of the intended recipient. The acknowledged copy of the served notice or a copy of the pasted notice is then attached to an affidavit of service, and placed in the case file for the trial Judge’s attention. Through this process, the court is satisfied that the notice has been delivered to the Respondent, or that it has been put in a place where it is reasonable to expect that it will come to his attention eventually.

When a text message (SMS) is sent, it, typically, shows a "message sent" notification, which many often assume to be an indication that the message has been delivered to the recipient.

What happens, in fact, is that the SMS is first delivered to an SMS message centre, which is a sort of electronic post office, then the message is forwarded from the message centre to the intended recipient’s phone, if it can be located within the network. If it happens that the recipient is not within the network’s coverage area, or there is some network downtime in his area, or his mobile phone is turned off, then the message is stored for a limited time to be delivered later. In the event that the message is not able to be delivered before the expiration of the storage period, then that message fails to deliver without any notice to the sender of that occurrence. Thus, a “message sent” indicator on a dispatched SMS message, is not an absolute confirmation of delivery as many would imagine.

One reliable way of ascertaining whether an SMS has been delivered is by enabling the SMS delivery report feature on a phone, which is supported by most carrier networks in Nigeria.

When the feature is on, the network-defined message centre number will send a status report on a sent message, to the sender's mobile phone.

The sender will be alerted as to whether the message they sent was successfully delivered, or not. However, there are occasions where the message centre may fail to issue a report on a sent message, as a result of a technical failure.

Also, the recipient could prevent his phone from issuing such delivery receipts under his phone’s privacy settings, or it could be disabled by default by the phone manufacturer.

Read receipts are also available for various media enabled messaging applications like iMessage, WhatsApp and WeChat, but are only available to users within those applications’ ecosystem and can also be switched off under the application’s privacy settings by default.

From the foregoing, it is clear that, due to the nature of the technology, there is no certainty on when a notice that is sent

by SMS message has been delivered to a recipient, as would a physical hearing notice. There is the risk, therefore, that an over-reliance on the efficacy of SMS messaging technology, may give rise to the injustice of lack of fair hearing, that is sought to be avoided through the requirement for service of hearing notices.

It is worth noting that, the procedural rules of the trial court in the C.E.&M.S case, only provides for the service of court processes through the use of technology as an alternative (i.e. through substituted means), rather than as the primary means of service. This trend can be observed in decisions in various jurisdictions where service of processes through text messages, social media or messaging application, has been permitted. In those jurisdictions, service through technology was allowed, after the traditional means of service had been exhausted without success. Indeed, the Rules of the Supreme Court only permit the service of processes through electronic means, where the personal service is not required under its Rules. It would appear, then, that the draftsmen of those Rules had considered the limitations of electronic service, and were careful in making provisions for its use, in order to avoid injustice.

Possible Solutions through the Law It is the considered view of this author that, any questions as to the validity of service through technological means will be put to rest once a process has been effectively developed, to establish that both parties consented to accept that means of service. This idea of consent formed the rationale for the development of the postal rule in the British case of Adams v Lindsell, where it was decided that acceptance communicated by post will be deemed complete upon posting, provided that post has been designated by the offeror as the accepted means of transacting. The rationale for the postal rule being that, the risk of a communication delay or failure, should be placed on the party that chose the communication method. Although, it has been said that the postal rule does not apply to electronic communications such as telex due to their instantaneous nature, it has been posited that, electronic messaging shares a common aspect with dispatch by post in that it can get lost, delayed or fail to reach its destination and that the postal rule should, therefore, apply to electronic transactions for the purpose of achieving functional equivalence of transactions in the offline and online word.

The argument for consent as to mode of service where done through electronic means, was lent credence in the case of Bermith Lines Ltd v High Seas Shipping Ltd where it

Courtroom

was held as follows: “where a party is to be served by ‘electronic means’, the party whom is to be served or his legal representative must previously have expressly indicated in writing to the party serving, that he is willing to accept service by electronic means.

Where a party seeks to serve a document by electronic means, he should first seek to clarify with the party who is to be served, whether there are any limitations to the recipient’s agreement to accept service by such means, including the format in which documents are to be sent and the maximum size of attachments that may be received”.

Another option would be, to make broad legislation which covers the issue of uncertainty of the service through technological means generally. The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) 1999 is a United States of America legislation, which harmonises United States laws regarding the retention of paper records and the validity of electronic signatures. While the provisions of UETA are applicable only to commercial transactions under U.S. laws, they provide some guidance to how Nigeria can legislate for the uncertainty surrounding the delivery of messages through electronic means. In particular Section 15 of the Act provides default rules regarding when and from where an electronic record is sent, and when and where an electronic record is received.

Some key provisions of the UETA which would be useful in expanding the Nigerian law of electronic evidence are as follows: Section 8 of UETA: “If parties have agreed to conduct a transaction by electronic means and a law requires a person to provide, send, or deliver information in writing to another person, the requirement is satisfied if the information is provided, sent, or delivered, as the case may be, in an electronic record capable of retention by the recipient at the time of receipt. An electronic record is not capable of retention by the recipient, if the sender or its information processing system inhibits the ability of the recipient to print or store the electronic record.”

Section 15 of UETA: (a) Unless otherwise agreed between the sender and the recipient, an electronic record is sent when it: (1) is addressed properly or otherwise directed properly to an information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purpose of receiving electronic records or information of the type sent and from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic record; (2) is in a form capable of being processed by that system; and (3) enters an information processing system outside the control of the sender or of a person that sent the electronic record on behalf of the sender or enters a region of the information processing system designated or used by the recipient which is under the control of the recipient. (b) Unless otherwise agreed between a sender and the recipient, an electronic record is received when: (1) it enters an information processing system that the recipient has designated or uses for the purpose of receiving electronic records or information of the type sent and from which the recipient is able to retrieve the electronic record; and (2) it is in a form capable of being processed by that system. (c) Subsection (b) applies even if the place the information processing system is located is different from the place the electronic record is deemed to be

“..... IT IS CLEAR THAT, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE TECHNOLOGY, THERE IS NO CERTAINTY ON WHEN A NOTICE THAT IS SENT BY SMS MESSAGE HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO A RECIPIENT, AS WOULD A PHYSICAL HEARING NOTICE. THERE IS THE RISK, THEREFORE, THAT AN OVER-RELIANCE ON THE EFFICACY OF SMS MESSAGING TECHNOLOGY, MAY GIVE RISE TO THE INJUSTICE OF LACK OF FAIR HEARING.....” received under subsection (d). (d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the electronic record or agreed between the sender and the recipient, an electronic record is deemed to be sent from the sender’s place of business and to be received at the recipient’s place of business. For purposes of this subsection, the following rules apply: (1) If the sender or recipient has more than one place of business, the place of business of that person is the place having the closest relationship to the underlying transaction.

(2) If the sender or the recipient does not have a place of business, the place of business is the sender’s or recipient’s residence, as the case may be. (e) An electronic record is received under subsection (b) even if no individual is aware of its receipt. (f) Receipt of an electronic acknowledgment from an information processing system described in subsection (b) establishes that a record was received but, by itself, does not establish that the content sent corresponds to the content received. (g) If a person is aware that an electronic record purportedly sent under subsection (a), or purportedly received under subsection (b), was not actually sent or received, the legal effect of the sending or receipt is determined by other applicable law. Except to the extent permitted by the other law, the requirements of this subsection may not be varied by agreement.

Conclusion Cases like C.E.&M.S. Ltd v. Pazan are proof that, Nigerian laws and Rules of Court must be drastically expanded to accommodate legal issues rooted in technology, in order to continue to ensure fairness in the delivery of justice.

The laws relating to electronic transactions and electronic evidence in Nigeria, need to be further developed to accommodate the realities of technology and how their use in legal proceedings may be limited compared to offline methods, as this will convey the Judiciary’s readiness to enhance the delivery of justice through innovation. It is hoped that, the Supreme Court will have an opportunity to revisit this issue when the circumstances arise.

Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, FCIArb, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State

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07.04.2020

WORDS OF WISDOM

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President, USA (January 20, 1961 - November 22, 1963) (Culled from the Internet)

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Quick Takes LCCI Supports COVID-19 Fight

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EITI Foresees Extractive Projects’ Delays, Cancellations Post COVID-19 Stories by Chineme Okafor in Abuja The global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (EITI) has warned that projects initiated in the extractive sectors of natural resource-rich and dependent countries before the outbreak of the COVID-19 may experience delays and outright cancellations when the pandemic ends.

In a message of solidarity to its member-countries which included Nigeria, the EITI also called on governments and stakeholders in its member-countries to imbibe greater transparency measures in their management of the COVID-19, adding that their reliance on natural resource earnings to fight off the virus required more transparency in their use of extractive revenues. “In light of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, I would like to express my support for all EITI implementing countries affected by the current circumstances on behalf of the EITI Board.

ENERGY “We recognise that countries around the world are facing a deeply challenging and unpredictable situation caused by the spread of the virus. “At the same time, the upheaval in the markets for oil and other commodities will have far reaching consequences for governments which depend on revenues from the extractives sector. “In some countries, even small changes in commodity prices can have a material impact on both industry profitability and government revenues. “Under current price scenarios, we can expect exploration and the development of new projects to be delayed or cancelled,� said the EITI Board Chair, Helen Clark.

Clark stated that the EITI would also expect, “closures and restructuring of some existing projects.�

She explained that companies, their employees and suppliers would be affected by the

pandemic while vulnerable communities who depend on extractives operations would be among those most severely impacted.

According to Clark, the EITI equally imagined that, “in some countries there will be short-term delays in EITI implementation as governments and stakeholders reassign their time to more pressing priorities.� “Over the longer term, there may be delays to technical assistance, capacity development, communication, and dissemination activities. The International Secretariat is working closely with national stakeholders to respond and adapt to these challenges,� she assured.

She also stated that restrictions on travel, trade and everyday life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic would mean that the 47th EITI board meeting scheduled for June will be done virtually.

While calling for more creativity amongst its member-countries in the light of the pandemic, she

said: “The events are unprecedented, and we will need to be creative and innovative in how we work. “One lesson which has been learnt from the current public health situation is the need for transparency. “In this time of profound uncertainty, the EITI’s work to promote greater transparency and good governance is as important as ever.�

She assured that the EITI would continue to support countries to move towards greater transparency and good governance in the extractives sector, adding that despite commodity price falls, the extractives sector remained an engine for growth in many countries and a source of funding for countries to handle COVID-19.

On how the extractive industry could reinvent itself after the pandemic, she said: “There will be a need to bring stability to the industry after this period of crisis.

Continued on page 24

Power: Russian Firm Wants Nigeria, Others to Adopt Modular Nuclear Reactors Russia’s state-run nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, has proposed that Nigeria and other African countries adopt the use of Small Modular nuclear Reactors (SMR) to address the perennial power shortage that they face.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rosatom, Central and Southern Africa, Mr. Ryan Collyer, made the call at the Africa Energy Indaba forum which held in Cape Town, South Africa.

A statement from Rosatom contained Collyer’s submissions

ENERGY at the energy meeting.

In his address to energy stakeholders from across the continent, Collyer, highlighted the global shift towards nuclear, not only in the energy sector, but also to address a myriad of other issues facing the human society.

He emphasised the possible use of nuclear technologies for desalination purposes apart from heat and electricity supply.

According to him, adopting SMRs could be a good alternative

to diesel generators used across countries in Africa, and especially Nigeria.

He noted that SMRs could provide reliable power supply and prevent harmful emissions at a competitive price.

Nigeria has an existing pact with Rosatom to build up to four nuclear power plants in the country. The country also recently asked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for support to develop plans for up to 4000 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power capacity by 2025.

And in response, the IAEA organised two missions to Nigeria in 2015, which found its emergency preparedness and response framework to be consistent with its safety standards.

Similarly, a 10-day IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service mission was done in 2017 and it was concluded that the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) was a committed regulatory body, but had Continued on page 24

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has donated foodandmedicalsuppliestotheLagosStategovernment.Thedonation, according to the LCCI, was part of its support to the state government in mitigating the challenges of the COVID- 19 pandemic and alleviating the economic hardship of the less-privilege in the state.

The supplies, which included bags of rice, cartons of noodles and cartons of alcohol-based hand sanitisers, were received on behalf of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, by the Deputy Chief of Sta , Mr. Gboyega Soyanwo and the State’s Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde.

The President of the LCCI, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje said: “In view of the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the present challenging social, economic and public health realities, it has become imperative for us at LCCI as a socially responsible organisation to support the eorts of the government in helping to cushion the eects of the pandemic on Lagos residents.â€?

Mabogunje, stressed that it was no longer news that the pandemic has disrupted, and is still disrupting, business and economic activities across all sectors of the economy. “We commend the combined eorts of the federal and the state governments as well as their ministries and agencies, notably, the Lagos State Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health for being the front liners in the war against the pandemic.â€?

She also emphasised that, “the business community will continue to supportthegovernmentsatalllevelstosubduetheravagingpandemic.’�

AfDB to Empower Women

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a new Gender EqualityTrust Fund (GETF) aimed at pushing forward gender equality and women empowerment across the continent.

Funded by donors, the GETF will support the delivery and scale-up of the Bank’s AďŹƒrmative Finance Action forWomen in Africa (AFAWA) programmeandpromotegendertransformativelendingandnon-lending operations. It is the ďŹ rst thematic fund on gender in the Bank Group’s history.The Fund would be established for an initial period of 10 years.

AFAWA is the Bank’s agship pan-African initiative which aims to bridge the $42 billion ďŹ nancing gap facing women in Africa. “It’s a great day for us as a Bank. It is a great day for the continent and the women of Africa as this facility provides innovative ways to tackle the access to ďŹ nance challenges for African women business owners,â€?saidAfricanDevelopmentBankPresident,AkinwumiAdesina.

NGOs Laud NCDC, Others

In the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Nigeria, the Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGOs) has lauded eorts of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Federal Ministry of Health (MoH), Lagos State Government, Private Sector, Philanthropists and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in curbing the spread of the virus.

According to a statement by the NGO, the members of the network welcomedencouragingdevelopmentscomingfromthehandlingofthe outbreak including the measures being taken by governments at the sub-nationallevel,“andrecognisesthatthisrepresentsasigniďŹ cantstep towards ending the pandemic.â€? It stated that members also welcomed measuresbeingconsideredbythefederalgovernment.Itnotedfurther thatwiththecurrentstatusoftheworldandtheunprecedentedspread of COVID-19, it was a time for Nigeria to enforce a total lockdown.

According to the statement: “We are increasingly concerned about the impact a further delay in locking down the country could have on the spread of the disease considering our weak health system. “Understanding that measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic must be properly weighed and taken seriously, following stakeholderwide consultations with its members, experts, thought leaders, trends analysis and results of an opinion poll, the Nigeria Network of NGOs encourages the federal government of Nigeria to consider a total lockdown of the country for 14 days. “We understand the impact a lockdown would have on the vulnerable and underserved communities. However, this is a decision that prioritises citizens’ welfare, safety and social responsibility.

“For Nigeria, attracting large inflows of FDI is as simple as the government accepting to reduce its ownership�

CEO, Economic Associatest,

Dr. Ayo Teriba

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

EITI FORESEES EXTRACTIVE PROJECTS’DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS POST COVID-19 We see a role for dialogue and collective approaches in this task.

“We stand ready to work with donors, civil society, supporting companies and countries to consider how EITI multi-stakeholder structures may best serve in the current crisis and its immediate aftermath. The Chairperson of the Global Alliance for Vaccinations & Immunisations (GAVI), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, recently advised Nigeria and other African countries to mount pressure on the G7 and G20 countries for debt relief, due to the ravaging impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has plunged the world into an economic crisis. The two-term Minister of Finance in Nigeria and a former Managing Director (Operations) of the World Bank, gave this advice in a BBC programme, ‘Focus on Africa,’ which she posted on her Twitter handle. “And I think that (debt relief) is what they should be going for and we need to move quickly. So, there needs to be a great bit of pressure on the G20, G7, to come forward with these measures.

POWER: RUSSIAN FIRM WANTS NIGERIA, OTHERS TO ADOPT MODULAR NUCLEAR REACTORS challenges with its independence to implement regulatory decisions and activities.

However, shedding light on Rosatom’s advancements in SMR technology, Collyer said in the statement that it was Russia’s RITM-200, an advanced pressurised-water reactor that incorporates all the best features from its predecessors.

He highlighted the main advantages of the RITM-200 reactor to include cost-efficiency, small size and safety.

Russia’s RITM-200 reactor, he noted, was designed for nuclear icebreakers, land-based small nuclear power plants and floating nuclear power plants.

According to him, Rosatom has already constructed six RITM-200 nuclear powered reactors with two onboard Russia’s nuclear powered Arktika icebreaker.

He further disclosed that Russia was working on the next generation of the offshore nuclear power plants as an optimised floating power unit (OFPU).

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

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

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

NEITI: Oil Sector Employed 0.03% of Nigeria’s Workers in 2018 Chineme Okafor in Abuja

cent of total federal government generated revenues (US$ 31.266 billion) derived as oil and non-oil revenues,” NEITI noted.

The agency also said in 2018, companies in the oil sector made social contributions worth $902.665 million to support provision of education and other social infrastructure.

“Companies in Nigeria carry out social expenditures in their

locations of operations as part of corporate social responsibility.

These expenditures are either mandatory or non-mandatory expenditure.

“Mandatory social expenditure is payment made to NDDC or the NCDMB in line with their respective Acts. Nonmandatory social expenditure is the voluntary social payment made by companies in the host

communities and across the federation,” said the NEITI. It added that non-mandatory social expenditures of companies in the sector covered the provision of social amenities such as road, borehole water and health centres, as well as scholarships, skills acquisition and agriculture support.

It further explained that: “In 2018, total social expenditure

(mandatory and non-mandatory) was $902.665 million. This consisted of non-mandatory contribution of $59.272 million (6.57 per cent) and mandatory contribution of $843.393 million (93.40 per cent). Mandatory contribution was made up of NDDC’s 3 per cent levy of $683.383 million and NCDMB’s 1 per cent levy of $160.010 million.”

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has disclosed that the percentage of Nigeria’s 69.54 million labour force working in the country’s oil industry as at 2018 was 0.03 per cent.

NEITI stated this in its 2018 audit report of activities in the sector released recently.

It explained that only 19,820 employees were engaged by the industry in the year under review, while its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 7.8 per cent.

“Employment in the industry accounted for 19,820 employees in absolute terms. This represents 0.03 per cent of the total employment (69.54 million) in Nigeria.

“In aggregate, employment distribution in the industry was 18 per cent (3,595) female and 82 per cent (16,225) male,” it said. With regards to the size of the industry in terms of Nigeria’s GDP, the report noted that: “The flows in the industry accounted for $32.703 billion in absolute terms. This represents 7.8 per cent of the total GDP (US$ 418.123 billion).

According to the report, total government revenue generated in the industry comprising taxes, royalties, bonuses, fees and other payments amounted to $29.245 billion in absolute L-R:UnitHead,ManagementInformationSystemWemaBank,OlubunmiOgunbo;ChiefComplianceOfficer,Oluwatoyin,Karierin;HeadCorporate terms.

SustainabilityandResponsibility,AbimbolaAgbejule,andUnitHead,BusinessProcessRe-engineering,ChikaAdun,duringtheInternationalWomen’sDay “This represents 93.5 per eventheldinLagos...recently

CELEBRATING WOMEN

COVID-19: EKEDC Supports Lagos with N150m Peter Uzoho The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has supported the Lagos State government in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic with a N150 million relief fund.

The Managing Director of EKEDC, Mr. Adeoye Fadeyibi, disclosed this in Lagos at the weekend, while presenting food and other relief items to the state government. He explained that the money which was approved by the company’s board would be used to provide relief items for the low income earners and the less-privileged in the state.

He added that part of the money would be invested in infrastructure in order to deliver consistent electricity to isolation

centers within their area of coverage. According to him, majority of individuals who earn a living from their daily activities have been having a hard time now as the economy is slowing down due to the state-wide lockdown.

Fadeyibi said: “EKEDC will not stand aside and watch, as this virus ravages our city and threatens our fellow citizens and our way of life.

“That is why our board and management has approved a budget of N150 million towards assisting the government during this crisis. “The approved budget will be used to provide relief items for the low income earners and less privileged. It will also be used to invest in infrastructure to deliver consistent electricity to isolation centers within our

coverage area.”

He, however, thanked the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his team for their rapid response in handling the COVID-19 pandemic He urged the private sector in the state to support the government by lending a helping hand to communities in Lagos during this critical period.

Fadeyibi added: “We will continue to pray and hope that all the factors in play in Lagos State and across Nigeria result in our country being less vulnerable and more fortunate than others have been, as we battle this pandemic.

“We all are required to be conscious of and practice social distancing as we continue maintaining high standards

of hygiene, sanitary conditions and safety in order to beat and survive this COVID-19 pandemic.”

Responding, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, commended EKEDC for the gesture and called on other corporate entities to emulate the Disco by supporting the government’s relief efforts. Lawal assured the donors that the items would be utilised judiciously to ensure that they bring succour to the people of the state, especially those worst hit by the lockdown.

He also debunked the claim that only members of the ruling party were benefiting from the relief support, stressing that they were being distributed through Community Development As-

sociations, councilors, religious bodies and traditional rulers.

Lawal said: “So Lagosians should just be calm. They should stay at home and maintain social distancing guidelines to help us contain this pandemic.

“We are targeting 200, 000 at the first instance and we will be able to complete 100, 000 households by Saturday.

“We are also re-strategising on the model of distribution and we are calling for more support because we want to be distributing house by house.

“We don’t know how long this lockdown will be for but we want to assure Lagosians that a lot of people are supporting us and they should bear with the government because it is for the good of everybody.”

LSETF Announces Moratorium on Loans to Beneficiaries Peter Uzoho The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has announced a moratorium on loan repayment for the beneficiaries of all its Loan and Hub Financing Programmes designed for micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) and technology start-ups in the state.

The agency explained that the move was aimed at cushioning the social-economic impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, The Acting Executive Secretary of

LSETF, Teju Abisoye, said the relief and palliative measure, which targets over 11,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the programme took into cognisance the impact of the shutdown of businesses.

According to her, the shutdown was in compliance with the social distancing directives by the state and federal governments in the effort to tackle the pandemic and prevent the chain of transmission from person-toperson contacts in public places.

She added that in compliance with the social distancing

directives and the consequential cessation of all movement in the state, LSETF would be suspending its ‘Lagos Innovates Workspace Vouchers Programme’ for a month.

The programme was aimed at supporting and facilitating access to well-equipped workspaces and learnings for potential innovators and founders of start-ups in the Lagos tech ecosystem.

Abisoye said: “We are passionate and committed to enabling every productive resident in Lagos to dream, grow and succeed in their endeavours.

“We are keen to help them

get access to affordable financial and other institutional support they need to create wealth and employment for our youth, while significantly contributing to building a 21st Century Economy for Lagos in alignment with the state government’s THEMES agenda. “We understand that to do this, we must engender an enabling environment for small businesses to operate and thrive.

In recognition of the difficulty that businesses may encounter this period, we understand that many of them will not be able to meet their loan repayment

obligations. “Therefore, we hope this announcement will serve as a spark of optimism in anticipation of a quick return to normalcy and business continuity. We also urge them to adhere strictly to the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the relevant health authorities in Nigeria as we all work together to end this pandemic”.

The executive secretary also noted, “that this palliative measure is open to performing loan beneficiaries and those with past-due obligations of not more than 60 days.

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Improving Power Supply As Nigerians remain indoors to prevent the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the country, it is equally imperative for government and its partners in the power sector to make electricity available to them, writes Peter Uzoho

M

ore than any time in the life of the citizens of a country, the period of lockdown, compulsory stay-at-home, and social-distancing occasioned by whatever phenomenon demands that their lives while indoors is made easy and comfortable.

Since they are confined to their homes, it is expected that aside providing them with some economic stimulus, one other essential thing they will need during such period is electricity. Nigerians need electricity now like never before.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 has shattered socio-economic, religious and cultural life of people across countries of the world.

Already, globally, over a million people have been infected and more than 64,000 persons have been confirmed dead due to the disease.

So far, Nigeria has recorded over 232 cases including five deaths and 33 cured and discharged as of yesterday.

The enormity of the impact of the pandemic (both now and after) has resulted to urgent actions across nations. However, Nigeria has launched a number of measures to contain the spread and also save the citizens from its attendant scotching pains and sufferings.

The federal government and the Lagos State governments in particular have been at the forefront in the fight against the virus and its effects.

In Lagos and in many parts of the country, money and food items are being shared to the poor and needy as a way of encouraging them to remain indoors and avoid being infected by the disease. Also, the federal government has reduced the pump price of petrol from N145 to about N123 currently.

However, the failure to also factor in provision of electricity to them while they are locked indoors is generating discomfort among the people.

Many Nigerians are saying that while they are forced or asked to remain at home, they expected that government and its partners in power sector would ensure constant electricity during this time.

Some of them who spoke to THISDAY complained that staying indoors and not being allowed to go out without electricity makes their lives even more horrible than staying hungry.

According to them, they need electricity to power their electronics like television set and sound systems, which will help to keep them busy and reduce boredom. They said with that they can be daily informed of latest developments about the disease as well as keep tab on government efforts and policies.

A Lagos-based businessman, Mr. Chuks Ndukwu, flayed the government and the power operators for not being serious with the issue of electricity in the country at this time.

“Coronavirus is something that is happening

in the whole world, we understand. It is not bad for government to say we should stay at home, other countries are doing, so we are not against it.

“But go to other countries, nobody will complain of not having light this period. It is only in Nigeria that people will be staying indoors without electricity,” Ndukwu said.

“That is to tell you how unserious they are about electricity in this country, whether it is the government, or the players in the power sector. They believe that everybody has his or her generator, so there is no need for them to look at the area of light for people.

“How can you stay at home without light for days, let alone weeks? How will you cope? You can’t power your television, you can’t power your sound system to keep you busy. How can we charge our phones to keep in touch with the society? It is a pity”, he added.

However, in a period of lockdown, energy demand rises astronomically as most of the citizens have to remain indoors and will naturally need power to do certain things.

This plays up the essential services status of power.

Apart from individual homes where electricity is highly needed at this time, medical facilities where most of the COVID-19 tests are done require constant power to function.

Although, such facilities may have alternate power sources like heavy diesel generators, the running cost may hinder steady functioning

of the facilities.

As many COVID-19 test centres are being set up across the country, there is need to also factor in regular power supply as a veritable complement.

Unfortunately, Nigeria with a population of over 200 million people still struggles with power distribution of between 2000 and 3000 megawatts with constant outages and energy sags.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had ordered the operators in the power industry to ensure seamless supply of electricity to consumers during this trying time.

“We have been monitoring the rampaging effects of the COVID -19 pandemic in Nigeria and the world at large. Considering the cardinal role of electric power in sustaining the wellbeing of any nation and particularly in powering critical infrastructure, the commission is directing all operators in the electricity industry to ensure continuity of service during this difficult period,” NERC Chairman, Prof.

James Momoh, said in a statement. “.The Nigerian Electric Supply Industry has been directed to immediately activate its Business Continuity Plan,” Momoh added.

However, despite the NERC’s order, not much is being seen by consumers as they call on the commission to rise and enforce its directive.

Some of the distribution companies had even announced suspension of disconnection

of customers who are owing them as part of their empathy to them at this challenging time. But will they go ahead and provide the same customers with electricity without minding their payment status?

The National Coordinator, Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, Mr. Adeola Samuel-Ilori, said despite the Discos’ promise to ensure improved power supply during the lockdown period, improvement was yet to be seen in supply.

He, said he was not expecting them to perform magic this period, as they had shown their inability to deliver.

“From the report we are getting from our members in Lagos, some staff of the Discos are going round to fix some faults in some locations. But that doesn’t mean there is improvement in supply,” he said.

Samuel-Ilori added: “They can’t perform magic now. Whether there is lockdown or not. The problem of power sector cannot be solved during this pandemic period. What we have noticed for long is that the operators are incapacitated, they cannot invest in their infrastructure to guarantee efficient supply of electricity.

“So, we have always suggested that the federal government should revisit the privatisation of the power sector, so that those who are competent and have the wherewithal can come in and invest in the sector. That is the only way we can see real improvement in the sector.”

‘NMI Metrology is Expanding Calibration Services across Nigeria’ Chris Uba The services of the National Metrology Institute (NMI), Enugu, in ensuring accuracy of measurements in industry, trade and commerce is being expanded to all parts of Nigeria to promote rapid industrialisation through standardisation.

The Director of NMI, Bede Obayi, made this disclosure in Abuja recently, during an interview with newsmen.

According to him, the organisation has expanded its

calibration capacities to Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to bring its services nearer to stakeholders across the country and ensure great reduction in turnaround time.

Obayi said the NMI has over the years, developed capacity in primary standards of measurement in volume, flow, pressure, length and dimension, mass, force, temperature, electricals and metrology in chemistry amongst others for traceability of all secondary standards of measurement in Nigeria and

the West African Region.

He disclosed that metrology, the science of accurate measurement provides critical support to all other arms of the National Quality Infrastructure project, namely standards development, conformity assessment, testing, accreditation etc.

The NMI Director acknowledged the patronage of many large-scale industries across Nigeria in the periodic calibration of their weighbridges, testing and measuring equipment to their benefit in ensuring

accuracy, thus meeting requirements of applicable Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) According to him, the primary measurement standards held in the NMI was a major achievement in saving scarce foreign exchange for the Nation, because private calibration laboratories in Nigeria can derive the traceability of their secondary standards from there, without going outside the country. “Equipment and measuring instruments calibration in Nigeria can

also be obtained faster than when all secondary standards of measurement were only traceable to foreign metrology bodies”, he said.

Obayi, stated that the management of SON has provided substantial discounts for micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSME) to enjoy the services of the NMI in support of the federal government’s economic diversification programme.

He enjoined the organised private sector bodies like the

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and others to encourage their members to patronise the NMI for efficient calibration services and quicker turnaround time.

Such patronage according to him, would promote the local content policy of government and save scarce foreign exchange hitherto expended on patronage of metrology services outside the country.

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5G and COVID-19: Technology, Conspiracy and Ignorance Emeka Oparah One would ordinarily have dismissed the “controversy� around 5G technology and the strange connection with COVID-19 being stridently pursued by some people as ignorant rants occasioned by the morbid fear of the rampaging coronavirus, but with the prevailing circumstances of fear and tension, I have elected, as one familiar with the workings of the telecommunications industry, to say something.

Several years ago, I was part of a global campaign by mobile telecommunications operators to debunk a widely held belief that telecommunications base stations emitted radiations that led to cancer. As an organisation, my employers then spent a lot of money on an awareness campaign to explain that the radiations from telecommunications base stations were within the safe limits and definitely not injurious to health. It worked then and saved the operators a lot of trouble. I hope I succeed this time in helping to clarify this particular issue and stop these manipulative charlatans in their tracks.

It has to be stated, though, that times like these are fertile moments for mischief-makers and conspiracy theorists to peddle their virulent wares taking undue advantage of the fears and vulnerability of the people, especially the ignorant and the illiterate.

So, while we are keeping safe, we must remain vigilant and ever ready to challenge fake news and outright lies wherever and whenever.

First, let’s discuss 5G. What is it? To understand 5G, we must first understand G. G stands for generation. So, 5G means 5th Generation Mobile Technology.

Most mobile telecommunications operations are currently running on 4G (4th Generation LTE and high-speed mobile internet). Before now, we have had 3G (voice and mobile data) and 2G (digital voice) and 1G (analog voice), of course. It must be admitted that the mobile telecommunications industry is probably one of the most innovative and fastest developing of all. Perhaps, the other will be television and aviation.

Lest I digress, 5G is the next level, after 4G, and will, “elevate the mobile network to not only interconnect people, but also interconnect and control machines, objects, and devices�, according to Qualcomm. Continuing, the technology research and development company says, “5G will deliver new levels of performance and efficiency that will empower new user experiences and connect new industries. 5G will deliver multi-Gbps peak rates, ultra-low latency, massive capacity, and more uniform user experience.�

5G is similar to 4G but it has much better speed, low latency and has capacity to take more users.

It has the capability to enhance the broadband we know today to do more, connect more people and devices and generate more revenue.it is indeed super-fast and has a much smaller cell site than what we already know. And that is no surprise as the world seems to be going smaller, especially in the world of technology. Comparably, 5G is a unified platform that is more capable than 4G. Here’s how Qualcomm classified the advantages of 5G: A. Enhanced Mobile Broadband: 5G will not only make our smartphones better, but it will also usher in new immersive experiences, such as VR and AR, with faster, more uniform data rates, lower latency, and cost-per-bit.

B. Mission-Critical communications: 5G will enable new services that can transform industries with ultra-reliable/available, low latency links—such as remote control of critical infrastructure, vehicles, and medical procedures.

C. Massive Internet of Things: 5G will seamlessly connect a massive number of embedded sensors in virtually everything through the ability to scale down in data rates, power and mobility to provide extremely lean/low-cost solutions.

D. A defining capability of 5G is also the design for forward compatibility—the ability to flexibly support future services that are unknown today.

In essence, this is technology that will redefine the way we communicate, entertain, shop, and generally live our lives. If you think 3G and 4G changed the aforementioned, 5G will transform them. By the way, there isn’t much more you really need as a user to know about how 5G is delivered to your device, your device or your home, except that you should get ready for new realities-devices, content, apps, lifestyle. Medical scans and other results will also be delivered much

faster than ever before. I still treasure the video of the Esophagoscopy test I did 5 years ago! I know Tito and Muna, my twins will forever cherish the video of their first steps and first words! I’m keeping them safely in iCloud! Now to the conspiracies around 5G and the untenable and fallacious connections to the Coronavirus pandemic.

It is customary in times of strife and great difficulties for bad guys with a proclivity for mischief to take undue advantage of the emotions, the fears and the vulnerabilities of others to peddle all sorts of nonsense including Conspiracy Theories. I must say here that people in that business are usually clever, but they are more often than not clever by half.

On the issue of the relationship between 5G and coronavirus, nothing can be more ludicrously deceptive. The choice of this moment to change the narrative against 5G makes it all too obvious.

There has been a strategic campaign against the 5G technology driven by business and diplomacy and propagated by an orchestrated campaign to discredit the innovation. How it got twisted to establish a link to coronavirus is perhaps the most important argument to debunk the fables.

I would rather not rehash the claims and allegations by those who are behind the fallacious pretensions to intellectualism, so we do not lend further currency and even credence to them, but suffice it to say that the conspirators refer to two theories to support the claim that 5G accelerates the new coronavirus. Firstly, that 5G might suppress the immune system and, secondly, that viruses can communicate through radio waves. Of course, neither of these theories is backed up by evidence and indeed the new coronavirus is also affecting countries and regions where no 5G is currently present.

So what are we even talking about?

The most important point here is that those who should know have come out strongly to debunk them. The UK government yesterday came out with perhaps the strongest rebuttal of these figments of the fertile imagination of some self-styled scientists. “There is absolutely no credible evidence of a link between 5G and coronavirus,� the UK’s department of Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) tweeted, noting that “inaccurate information� was being spread online about 5G. The DCMS pointed to research debunking the supposed link between 5G and the coronavirus, as well as links discussing the actual cause of the infection — direct exposure to COVID-19 particles spread through physical contact, not radio waves.

Trade association Mobile UK, a group which represents all of the major UK carriers, issued a statement, calling the conspiracy theory “baseless� and “not grounded in accepted scientific theory’, and noting that “some people are also abusing our key workers and making threats to damage

infrastructure.�

The statement read in part: “During this challenging situation, it is concerning that certain groups are using the COVID-19 pandemic to spread false rumours and theories about the safety of 5G technologies. The mobile industry is putting 100 per cent of its effort into ensuring that the UK remains connected and the Government has rightly recognised our workers and the mobile operators as critical to the national effort.�

Continuing, it said: “The theories that are being spread about 5G on social media are baseless and are not grounded in accepted scientific theory.

Research into the safety of radio signals including 5G, which has been conducted for more than 50 years, has led to the establishment of human exposure standards including safety factors that protect against all established health risks.�

Categorically speaking, there is no evidence that 5G networks are harmful to health.

Like the previous generations of wireless network technology (4G, 3G and 2G), 5G mobile data is transmitted over radio waves. Other types of technology that use radio waves include smart meters, TV and radio transmitters, and radar and satellite communications.

Most modern medical laboratory equipment use radio waves, some use nuclear radiation, but they are used within the guidelines. By the way, every medication has recommended dosage. Even too much food and drinks can become injurious to health. This is basically the same principle on which radio waves operate.

There are acceptable safe limits, which are determined, specified, regulated and supervised

by International Technology Regulatory bodies.

That is a universal truth in international best practice. practice.

According to Kate Lewis of Full Facts, “Radio waves are a small part of a wider electromagnetic spectrum of waves, which all emit energy called electromagnetic radiation. Radio waves are found at the low-frequency end of the spectrum and— alongside microwaves, visible light and heat—only produce non-ionising radiation. This means that these waves cannot damage the DNA inside cells, which is how waves with higher frequencies (such as x-rays, gamma rays and ultraviolet light) are thought to cause cancer.

To improve the speed and capacity of our wireless technology, 5G uses a higher frequency of radio waves compared to its older generations. The frequency of this new wireless technology remains very low: the maximum levels of electromagnetic radiation measured by Ofcom were about 66 times smaller than the safety limits set by international guidelines. Public Health England states that “the overall exposure is expected to remain low relative to guidelines and, as such, there should be no consequences for public health.�

Continuing, Lewis wrote: “The Daily Star quotes an “activist and philosophy lecturer at the Isle of Wight College� saying that electromagnetic

radiation from 5G suppresses the immune system, helping the virus to thrive. As mentioned above, the level of radiation from 5G is far below levels of electromagnetic radiation thought to cause damage to cells in the human body. The second theory appears to be that “viruses “talk to each other� when making decisions about infecting a host.�

This is not true. The Daily Star article links to a 2011 research paper which suggested that bacteria may produce electromagnetic signals to communicate with other bacteria. This hypothesis is disputed, and refers to bacteria and not viruses like the new coronavirus. “The new coronavirus is also spreading in places without 5G networks. There are many parts of the UK that do not have 5G coverage yet, but are still affected by the virus (for example, Milton Keynes and Portsmouth). There are no 5G networks at all in Iran, yet this country has been severely affected by Covid-19 (at the time of writing, Iran had the sixth-highest number of reported Covid-19 cases and fourth-highest number of deaths of 177 countries and regions in the world).�

It is regrettable and highly unfortunate that people should prey on the vulnerability and fears of others in a critical time like this. One would even begin to wonder which generation of mobile technology facilitated the spread of the Spanish Flu aka Influenza, which ravaged the world between 1918 and 1920 and killed over 50 million people worldwide including 500,000 Nigerians! What is even more regrettable is the tendency of otherwise educated, enlightened and widely travelled even influential people to lend credence to these fallacies and flights of academic fantasies by either sharing them without commentary or propagating them as truths and facts. In the long run we are all dead, so said the fatalistic Social Economist Thomas Keynes. We are already surrounded by televisions, refrigerators, microwaves cookers and ovens, wireless electronics, computers and all sorts of mobile devices in addition to the radiations we experience during visits to medical laboratories for one health-related investigation or the other. Why cause panic with 5G? The law of unity and conflict of opposites presupposes that everything we eat to stay alive ultimately contributes to killing us, one way or the other.

It is preposterous to single out 5G technology particularly at this time.

I will not forget that the United States is not particularly pleased that China beat her to the race for 5G, the reason Huawei Technologies has suffered tremendous (apologies to President Donald Trump) persecution in the hands of the US government.

In the end, facts are facts, fiction is fiction. Science is fact not fiction. Stay woke! Be safe! Thank you! t0QBSBI B MFBEJOH DPSQPSBUF BOE DSJTJT DPNNVOJDBUJPO FYQFSU XSJUFT GSPN -BHPT

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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍľËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Pandemic is No Time for Fiscal Distancing Akinwumi Adesina

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hese are very difďŹ cult days, as the world faces one of its worst challenges ever: the novel coronavirus pandemic. And it seems almost no nation is spared. As infection rates rise, so does panic across ďŹ nancial markets, as economies drastically slow down and supply chains are severely disrupted. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. As such, it can no longer be business as usual.

Each day, the situation evolves and requires constant reviews of precautionary measures and strategies. In the midst of all this, we must all worry about the ability of every nation to respond to this crisis. And we must ensure that developing nations are prepared to navigate these uncharted waters fully.

That’s why I support the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ urgent call for special resources for the world’s developing countries.

In the face of this pandemic, we must put lives above resources and health above debt.

Why? Because developing economies are the most vulnerable at this time. Our remedies must go beyond simply lending more. We must go the extra mile and provide countries with much-needed and urgent financial relief -- and that includes developing countries under sanctions.

According to the independent, global think tank ODI in its report on the impact of economic sanctions, for decades, sanctions have decimated investments in public health care systems in quite a number of countries.

Today, the already stretched systems as noted in the 2019 Global Health Security Index will find it difficult to face up to a clear and present danger that now threatens our collective existence.

Only those that are alive can pay back debts.

Sanctions work against economies but not against the virus. If countries that are under sanctions are unable to respond and provide critical care for their citizens or protect them, then the virus will soon “sanction� the world.

In my Yoruba language, there is a saying. “Be careful when you throw stones in the open market. It may hit a member of your family.�

That’s why I also strongly support the call by the UN Secretary-General that debts of low-income countries be suspended in these fast-moving and uncertain times.

But I call for even bolder actions, and there are several reasons for doing so.

First, the economies of developing countries, despite years of great progress, remain extremely fragile and ill-equipped to deal with this pandemic. They are more likely to be buried with the heavy fiscal pressure they now face with the coronavirus.

Second, many of the countries in Africa depend on commodities for export earnings.

The collapse of oil prices has thrown African economies into distress. According the AFDB’s 2020 Africa Economic Outlook, they simply are not able to meet budgets as planned under pre-coronavirus oil price benchmarks.

The impact has been immediate in the oil and gas sector, as noted in a recent CNN news analysis.In the current environment, we can anticipate an acute shortage of buyers who, for understandable reasons, will reallocate resources to addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. African countries that depend on tourism receipts as a key source of revenue are also in a straightjacket.

Adesina Third, while rich countries have resources to spare, evidenced by trillions of dollars in fiscal stimulus, developing countries are hampered with bare-bones resources.

The fact is, if we do not collectively defeat the coronavirus in Africa, we will not defeat it anywhere else in the world. This is an existential challenge that requires all hands to be on deck.

Today, more than ever, we must be our brothers and sisters’ keepers.

Around the world, countries at more advanced stages in the outbreak are announcing liquidity relief, debt restructuring, forbearance on loan repayments, relaxation of standard regulations and initiatives.

In the United States, packages of more than $2 trillion have already been announced, in addition to a reduction in Federal Reserve lending rates and liquidity support to keep markets operating. In Europe, the larger economies have announced stimulus measures in excess of 1 trillion Euros. Additionally, even larger packages are expected.

As developed countries put in place programs to compensate workers for lost wages for staying at home for social distancing, another problem has emerged -- fiscal distancing.

Think for a moment what this means for Africa.

The African Development Bank estimates that Covid-19 could cost Africa a GDP loss between $22.1 billion, in the base case scenario,

and $88.3 billion in the worst case scenario.

This is equivalent to a projected GDP growth contraction of between 0.7 and 2.8 percentage points in 2020. It is even likely that Africa might fall into recession this year if the current situation persists.

The Covid-19 shock will further squeeze fiscal space in the continent as deficits are estimated to widen by 3.5 to 4.9 percentage points, increasing Africa’s financing gap by an additional $110 to $154 billion in 2020.

Our estimates indicate that Africa’s total public debt could increase, under the base case scenario, from $1.86 trillion at the end of 2019 to over $2 trillion in 2020, compared to $1.9 trillion projected in a ‘no pandemic’ scenario.

According to a March 2020 Bank report, these figures could reach $2.1 trillion in 2020 under the worst case scenario.

This, therefore, is a time for bold actions.

We should temporarily defer the debt owed to multilateral development banks and international financial institutions. This can be done by re-profiling loans to create fiscal space for countries to deal with this crisis.

That means that loan principals due to international financial institutions in 2020 could be deferred. I am calling for temporary forbearance, not forgiveness. What’s good for bilateral and commercial debt must be good for multilateral debt.

That way, we will avoid moral hazards, and

rating agencies will be less inclined to penalize any institution on the potential risk to their Preferred Creditor Status. The focus of the world should now be on helping everyone, as a risk to one is a risk to all.

There is no coronavirus for developed countries and a coronavirus for developing and debt-stressed countries. We are all in this together.

Multilateral and bilateral financial institutions must work together with commercial creditors in Africa, especially to defer loan payments and give Africa the fiscal space it needs.

We stand ready to support Africa in the short term and for the long haul. We are ready to deploy up to $50 billion over five years in projects to help with adjustment costs that Africa will face as it deals with the knock-on effects of Covid-19, long after the current storm subsides.

But more support will be needed. Let’s lift all sanctions, for now. Even in wartime, ceasefires are called for humanitarian reasons. In such situations, there is a time to pause for relief materials to reach affected populations. The novel coronavirus is a war against all of us.

All lives matter.

For this reason, we must avoid fiscal distancing at this time. A stitch in time will save nine.

Social distancing is imperative now. Fiscal distancing is not. t"EFTJOB JT 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF "GSJDBO %FWFMPQNFOU #BOL (SPVQ

Firm Sensitises Nigerians on COVID-19 Ugo Aliogo Hypo Hygiene Products Limited has partnered with religious institutions across Lagos to sensitise their members on the need to maintain proper hygiene in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

According to a statement, the company’s Area Marketing Manager, Emmanuel Inyang, said the initiative was a reaffirmation of the company’s commitment to

promoting environmental hygiene, especially with the outbreak of the coronavirus disease through its brands of bleach and toilet cleaners.

He further stated that sensitising the public and institutions at large was imperative in helping Nigerians understand the need the good hygiene plays in curtailing the spread of the deadly virus, which has now been reported in at least 170 countries around the world. “As a responsible company, our sole aim right now is to

enlighten the public on the importance of maintaining proper environmental and personal hygiene through sensitisation and providing support. “Public safety is our priority and we strongly believe promoting the culture of hygiene among Nigerians will play a part in effectively preventing the spread of the coronavirus,� he said.

Iyang in the statement commended the efforts of the authorities in strengthening

awareness creation among Nigerians through the media.

He revealed that government cannot do it alone, hence Hypo Hygiene Products Limited was offering its support through donations and sensitisation. “The government needs all the support it can get and that is why we have embarked on this journey to strengthen its efforts. We have also visited mosques across the State and enlightened members on tips to prevent the spread of the deadly virus,� he added.

In his remarks, Paul Emoedume, who represented Danjuma Balewa, Senior Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Cornerstone Parish, lauded Hypo Hygiene Products Limited for its efforts in creating awareness on the importance of hygiene to curtail COVID-19.

He expressed appreciation for the company’s donation of its leading brand of bleach, Hypo.

According to Balewa, “At a time like this, enlightenment

plays a key role in saving lives. This deadly disease is ravaging the world right now and while we pray to God for intervention, it is also important as individuals to play our role by maintaining good hygiene to prevent an outbreak. I would like to thank Hypo for this commendable effort – it will go a long way in saving the lives of many. May God bless the company and others doing their bid to create the much needed awareness at a time like this.�

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IMAGES

Rev sisters maintaining social distance during a Private Palm Sunday Mass by Catholic Bishop of Abuja Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Garki, Abuja...recently

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵, 2020

Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ ÔËÖË Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

Governor David Umahi decongesting Enugu/Abakaliki Boundry to ensure that only essential goods are allowed entry into Ebonyi State...recently

Customers waiting at the entrance of one of the commercial banks to collect money to use for their up keep during the stay at home directives given by the government in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Ibadan... recently

L-R: MD, Foods Division, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Mr. Devlin Hainsworth; Honourable Commissioner Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal; and Group Chief Operating Officer, FMN, Mr. Boye Olusanya; at the official handover of food products donated by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) on the 1st of April 2020 in Lagos , as part of FMN’s commitment to support impact of lockdown instituted to reduce the spread of Coronavirus across Nigeria...recently

Catholic Bishop of Abuja, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, carrying palm fronds during a procession at a Private Palm Sunday Mass he celebrated at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Garki, Abuja...recently

One of the Road block checks mounted by security operatives to curtail the movement of people during the lockdown on Covid 19 pandemic at lle-Epo along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos...recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Plateau State, Maj.-Gen Augustine Agundu (left) sanitizing his hands during the inauguration of Local Government Primary Schools constructed by Operation Safe Haven Plateau in Langai village, Magun LGA Plateau State...recently

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Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Plateau State, Maj.-Gen Augustine Agundu (left) distributing books and other writing materials to children during the inauguration of Local Government Primary Schools constructed by Operation Safe Haven Plateau in Langai village, Magun LGA Plateau State...recently

Main Entrance Door of Holy Ghost Cathedral Enugu decorated with Palm fronds on Palm Sunday as Catholic faithful complies with government directives to stay at home in order to contain the spread of Coronavirus in Enugu...recently

View of the ever busy Bodija Secretariat Road,as people complied with the government directive to stay at home in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Ibadan...recently

Isolo Local Government Council Covid-19 response team fumigating stores near Cele bus stop Okota, during day four of the Federal government stay at home directive to curb the spread of the virus in the country... recently PHOTO: KUNLE OGUNFUYI

Catholic faithful maintaining social distance during a procession to mark Palm Sunday Mass at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Oke Paadi, in Ibadan...recently

Some Lagosians ďŹ nd it diďŹƒcult to comply with the order of stay at home given by State and federal governments as they are seen going about their businesses at lle-Epo market along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway...recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

Cele Motor park also desrted as NURTW members complies with Federal Government directives to stay at home in order to contain the spread of corona virus

PHOTO:ETOP UKUTT

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT COVID-19: NCF Urges Action against Illegal Wildlife Trade in Africa Bennett Oghifo

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he Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has said it was saddened by the loss of lives caused by the advent of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and advised against illegal trade in wildlife in Africa.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives through the COVID-19 pandemic and our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, or who are sick and we wish them a speedy recovery,” the NCF said in a statement.

The NCF said that globally and particularly in Africa, illegal wildlife trade continues to be a growing multibillion-dollar business. Statistics indicate that illegal wildlife trade globally generates between $7- $23 billion annually.

Additionally, it is estimated that one out of every four bird or mammal species globally is caught up in wildlife trade.

In Africa, it involves trade and trafficking of elephant tusks and rhino horn, pangolin scales, bush meat, tropical timber and endangered birds, including vultures. Wildlife trade is

increasingly driving species to extinction, and destroying biodiversity. Moreover, wildlife trade threatens rural community livelihoods, hampers development efforts, and puts ecosystems at risk. Perhaps one of the frightening realities of this trade is the threat that it poses to the health of human beings, through spread of zoonotic diseases - diseases that jump from animals to human beings.

In recent past, the world has seen the emergence of animal- borne infectious diseases such as SARS, Nipah, Ebola and Lassa Fever.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has wreaked havoc globally is suspected to have originated from a wildlife market in Wuhan, China.

Already, China has taken commendable steps and banned the trade and consumption of wild animals, pending formalization of this ban into law later this year. Vietnam also followed suit, banning the trade.

“Wildlife trade is reaching unprecedented levels, and while efforts are being made to combat this trade, national governments, should enact effective laws that clamp down on this trade. This will go a long way in ensuring protection and conservation

of species and perhaps help reduce occurrences of zoonotic diseases in the future”, notes Stoyan Nikolov, EV New LIFE project manager/BSPB. Internationally, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) provides a legal framework to regulate trade in wild animals and plants. African countries party to the convention should consider mainstreaming various aspects of combating wildlife crimes, in line with CITES, into their national laws and drive strong enforcement of this legislations.

“Banning wildlife trade in addition to more public awareness on the impact of this trade on biodiversity and the risks that this trade poses to human health is important. As a result, decisive action to stop the trade should be taken”, notes Cloé Pourchier, Project manager of SCF. “The role of national government, local communities, traditional institutions, conservation organizations, civil society organisations and businesses is critical in halting wildlife trade across the continent. Most importantly, is for authorities to implement policies, enforce

enacted laws and put in place effective monitoring systems to check illegal wildlife trade across the continent. Wildlife trade transcends national boundaries; hence co-operation among countries is critical for success”, says Rebecca Garbett, Vulture Conservation Manager at BirdLife Further, is the need to raise awareness among the public about the negative impact of this

trade in terms of the potential hidden risks on human health.

Initially, illegal wildlife trade was criticised almost purely in terms of conservation of the species, but other considerations have arisen in the recent past including biosecurity and public health.

“Particularly, the main challenge is to change attitudes and beliefs, which are major drivers of wildlife trade in

Africa. This will be critical in tackling this trade especially at this period. Africa need to be proactive, as we tackle current health challenge of the COVID 19 – pandemic, we need to forestall possible outburst of any other animal infected disease by keeping our wildlife in the wild through strong enforcement of wildlife laws and legislation”, adds Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, Director General of NCF.

Coronavirus and Africa’s bush meat market

UN SDG Action Campaign Joins Global Hack Team to Beat COVID-19 The UN SDG Action Campaign has invited solutions creators from every corner of the world to participate in the upcoming biggest hackathon that has ever been held.

Together with the organisers - the Hack the Crisis movement community, EU commission and Ideo and many more the Campaign is calling for a million problem solvers to join #TheGlobalHack from today, 7–12 April 2020 and harness the positive power of solidarity and coordinated action to tackle this global challenge together.

COVID-19 is the greatest challenge that the world has faced since the formation of the United Nations. It is also a very unique situation as the whole world is tackling the same problem at once, together.

Creative and transformative solutions are needed to respond to the speed, scale and severity of the pandemic, as well as its societal and economic

disruptions.

The series of national hackathons, which are currently being organized around the world, provide the collaborative environment to create, test and validate solutions through rapid prototyping. The Global Hack will amplify this potential by featuring different tracks that will focus on finding solutions to a variety of the most pressing global issues, aligned to key SDG areas of focus.

Among them is the Solidarity in Action track, launched by the UN SDG Action Campaign to provide a platform for the co-creation of solutions that harness this collective strength of humanity to first beat the virus and then change the world for the better. “Now is the time to mobilize the global community and invite people from every corner of the world to work together and find solutions that can have a massive impact to tackle

this global crisis, and build a better future for people and for the planet“, says Marina Ponti, Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign.

Participants will come from all sectors including representatives from business, academia, government, civil society, the creatives, media and tech industries. In just 48 hours, they will work on solutions for predefined challenges in teams of 6-12 people with diverse skill-sets, insights and expertise.

“We hack for the people we don’t know and will never meet. We hack for the first responders, the grandmothers, the newborns, boomers, and the millennials. We hack because we are all living in one small village in this new world. We are not European, American, African, or Asian. We are human. And we will hack, because we, humans, love”, says Marko Russiver Founder of Guaana and initiator.

IUCN Convention, COP Postponed to 2021 The 26th annual Conference of Parties to the United Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) billed to hold in Glasgow this November has been postponed to 2021, without setting a new date.

However, the IUCN convention that ought to hold in June this year has been postponed to January next year. A statement by IUCN said, “In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the safety of participants and visitors, the

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the French government have decided to postpone the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020. Previously scheduled for 11 to 19 June 2020, it will now take place from 7 to 15 January 2021 in Marseille.”

The French government and IUCN remain fully committed to making the World Conservation Congress a major event for nature conservation and the development of a new global

framework for biodiversity, the statement said.

As a reminder, this event brings together the global nature conservation community, including top international experts in conservation science, policy and practice.

Held every four years, the Congress allows IUCN’s 1400 member organisations, including States, civil society and indigenous peoples, to democratically determine the most pressing issues in nature conservation and actions to address them.

The deadline to register, propose a challenge or join a team for The Global Hack is 7 April. Participation is voluntary and driven by the mission to build solutions that can be developed and scaled to meet the challenge at stake.

The Global Hack is a global initiative which unites the Hack the Crisis movement and the 40+ hackathons put up in the frames of this movement. The core initiative comes from the team who organised the very

first hackathon just in 6 hours on 13-15 of March in Estonia and are passionate about solving the huge ongoing crisis that concerns everyone at the moment (the people are from Garage48, Accelerate Estonia, Guaana). But this is truly a global effort and movement involving communities and organizers from all over the world.

The UN Secretary-General established the UN SDG Action Campaign to convene people

from every part of the world to push for the SDGs—and hold decision-makers to account for progress. It mobilizes individuals and organizations to join the global movement for the SDGs. It inspires them to dream up new ideas and take bold actions. And it connects people to the corridors of decision-making where they can influence the plans, policies, investments and political commitments that will keep the promises made.

COVID- 19: Environment of Correctional Institutions not Helpful, Says UNODC The raging deadly impact of the Coronavirus (COVID – 19 has drawn attention to the welfare of the inhabitants of correctional facilities across the country, considering the squalid environment of these institutions.

According to a statement by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Attorney General’s Office and the Nigerian Presidential Committee for the decongestion of the Correctional Centers are presently evaluating multiple options to decongest prisons. Options include to accelerate the release of those convicted (or accused) of minor offences, as well as those whose sentence would be completed in the nearer future anyhow.

Moreover, this appears the right moment to test the newly established framework for providing alternatives to detention. At the same time, when if not now is the right time to take a look at the health services accessible to prisoners, the statement said. According to the Nelson Mandela Rules,

“The provision of health care for prisoners is a State responsibility. Prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community, and should have access to necessary health-care services free of charge without discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.” Thus, the deployment of personal protective equipment, basic medical equipment and medicines as well as training for prison health workers as part of the overall effort to respond to the pandemic are of paramount importance.

In order to support countries in their efforts, UNODC has collected a range of tools aimed at preventing and mitigating the spread of COVID19 in prisons which have been developed by various actors in the course of the past weeks and days.

The UNODC statement titled, ‘Leaving No One Behind: Protecting People in Prisons from COVID-19’, says “The world is amidst an unprecedented pandemic. With 203 countries and territories

affected, the coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is taking a toll on the world’s population with close to 700,000 cases and over 33,000 associated deaths as of 31 March 2020.”

According to figures from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control, Nigeria has now recorded 131 confirmed cases, including two deaths.

Under the leadership of the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19 Response a National COVID19 MultiSectoral Pandemic Response Plan has been elaborated and is being continuously adjusted as the pandemic evolves. As Government at Federal and State levels is ramping up its capacities to prevent the further spread of the virus, provide for testing and contact tracing, and expand isolation and treatment facilities, as well as to mitigate the impact of its measures on the indigenous population as well as the economy, there are a number of segments of the society who are particularly vulnerable but have not yet found themselves at the center of attention.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

NCF Leads Winter Birds Census at Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands

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s a RAMSAR Site, first of its kind in Nigeria, HadejiaNguru Wetlands (HNW) located in Jigawa and Yobe States, and as a wetlands complex of immense interest to bird-watchers, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) led many to conduct Winter Bird Census between 10th and 16th February, 2020.

HNW complex is of international significance to Palaearctic and Afro tropical migratory water birds, with counts of about 423,166 individual birds from 68 species recorded. Bird populations in the wetlands usually fluctuates at each seasonal counts.

The Wetlands have long been known as a centre of fish production. Upstream hydrological developments driven by irrigation projects threaten to degrade this important resource. Studies of flood plain fisheries have shown that fish production is closely related to flood extent.

The existing and planned dams upstream of the HNW are likely to have a serious

impact on fisheries.

The ornithological importance of the HNW at both national and international levels is well known. Current efforts at conserving the avifauna of the wetlands started with the establishment of the HNW Conservation Project in 1987, as a joint international initiative to promote sustainable use of this hydric ecosystem in the otherwise semi-arid zone of north-eastern Nigeria.

Since its inception, the project which comes in phases has its major goal of maintaining the natural resources and function of the wetlands.

Bird monitoring and the annual dry season (northern winter) waterbirds surveys remain one of the most publicized bird conservation efforts of the conservation project. However, recognition of the vital and central role of water in maintaining the ecological health of the wetlands has prompted the project to evolve a new strategy of establishing Site Support Groups (SSGs) in

all the project target Sites.

These local Communities are engaged in communal Typha clearance activities as well as regular meetings of NCF Promoter’s Committee and the wetlands’ water stakeholders to resolve periodic water use conflicts, channel blockage, water-shortage/distribution and other environmental problems. The Federal Ministry of Environment through attempted to use a weed harvester machine to address the Typha invasion of the wetlands, which needs to be sustained for better results.

While addressing the participants, a lecturer from the Federal University of Dutse, Dr Sulaiman Inuwa said “Uncontrolled hunting of birds and habitat loss remain pressing problems throughout the wetlands, to address this therefore, the conservation project has made efforts to curb these problems through the ongoing Birds Species conservation and Tree planting/habitat regeneration programme as well as sensitizing students and the local communities through awareness campaigns and

harnessing the efforts of concerned relevant local CSOs and government Institutions”.

Meanwhile, Mr. Harry Hanson, NCF Project Officer who led the team said “The conservation project is still consulting relevant stakeholders regarding sustainable

control of crop damage by avian pests in the wetlands.”

Other participants are Mr. Paul A. Tersoo and Mr Abubakar Ringim from the Federal University of Dutse; Mr Ibrahim Mohammed Hadejia, Alh. Hassan Hassan from Jigawa State Ministry

of Environment, Mr Abacha; Mr Sani from the Chad Basin National Park (Wetlands sector); Mr. Bala Bala from Nguru Local Government, and Mr. Samaila Mohammed Alkali from Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Kano among others.

The launch of an edition of Down to Earth magazine by the Centre for Science and Environment of India in Rwanda… recently

Lagos Restates Commitment to 28-Day Building Plan Approval Target As part of efforts to enhance the efficiency of Government Agencies in the built environment sector, the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit and Building Control Regulations 2019, recently passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly, has come into effect as the framework for the operations of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).

While making this known during a meeting with District Officers of LASPPA and Divi-

sional Heads and Zonal Heads of LASBCA in Ikeja on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako said that the 2019 Regulations repealed the Town & County Planning and Building Plan Regulations LSLN No 15 of 1986 and the Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Regulations 2005 LSLN No 7 of 2007.

According to him, the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit and Building Control Regulations 2019 harmonised the functions of the Lagos

State Physical Planning Permit Authority and the Lagos State Building Control Agency and addressed conflicts in the area of operation with respect to physical development, particularly on land use monitoring and building construction process.

Commissioner Salako stated that the Regulations would strengthen the two Agencies to enhance their efficiency, move Lagos forward in terms of physical development and ultimately lead to improvement in the State’s ease of doing business rating.

UN SDG Action Campaign looks for Creative, Transformative Initiatives The UN SDG Action Campaign is launching the third edition of the UN SDG Action Awards program, featuring a special Solidarity Award in response to the global health crisis. The program identifies and celebrates outstanding initiatives from around the world that are accelerating action towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, whilst inspiring others by showing that transformative change for people and the planet is possible. Initiatives can be submitted or nominated until 25 May. The current global health crisis is a sober reminder of the need for coordinated responses that leave no one behind. Taking climate action, providing access to healthcare and quality food, ensuring that all children have access to education, and protecting the most vulnerable is more important than ever for our joint global progress.

“We need hope, solidarity and we need creative and transformative solutions for the people and the planet.

Now more than ever we must come together to keep up the momentum for coordinated action on the Goals. It is possibly the only way forward,” says Marina

Ponti, Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign.

The 2020 UN SDG Action Awards is seeking creative, scalable and transformative initiatives worldwide that mobilize large numbers of individuals and organizations to take action for the achievement of the Goals, inspire people to shift behaviors and policies and connect partners to increase progress on the Goals. People and organisations everywhere are encouraged to submit their SDG Actions to become one of the UN SDG Action Award winners.

This year’s winners will be honoured at the UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, and widely amplified throughout the year.

Special Call: Solidarity Award Inspired by the acts of kindness burgeoning everywhere in the midst of the COVID-19 global crisis, the program will this year feature a Special Solidarity Award. The Award will honour the most heartwarming and impactful acts of humanity that improve the lives of others, inspire resilience, and lift hopes in the ongoing health crisis.

About the Sustainable Development Goals The SDGs were adopted globally in 2015 to be achieved by 2030. Five years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations is calling for accelerated action and the widest possible involvement of people and organizations in what is, after all, everyone’s agenda. With a decade left to act, progress on the Goals depends on everyone’s contribution.

The UN SDG Action Awards are organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign, a special inter-agency initiative of the UN Secretary General mandated to scale up, broaden and sustain the global movement of action for the SDGs. Since 2018, the UN SDG Action Awards have attracted more than 2750 applications from 142 countries. 64 initiatives, from transmedia series illustrating the impact of climate change, to youth theatre and poetry programmes addressing taboos on sexual and reproductive health or blockchain platforms connecting entrepreneurs from among the world’s poorest to clean up ocean plastic, have been honored for their contribution to accelerating action towards the Goals.

“The new Regulations are indicative of another milestone that is in tandem with the realisation of the THEMES Agenda of the Administration of His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu in Lagos State”, he said.

He emphasised that the two Agencies had no excuse not to excel, given the attention of Government on them and the determination to ease approval process as indicated by the recent Approval of His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State for the constitution of the Physical Planning Permit and Building Control

Appeals Committee and the passage of the LASPPPA and LASBCA Regulations 2019 for the efficiency of the two critical Agencies.

He said that staff of the Agencies would be given the necessary training, required for the smooth operations of the 2019 Regulations and the Appeals Committee.

He explained that increasing the number of Supervising Directors of LASPPPA from five to ten was one of the measures being taken to re-energise the system and fast-track the process of Building Plan Approval.

In the same vein, the Commissioner restated the commitment of the Lagos State Government to the 28-day Building Plan Approval target, stressing that all efforts were geared towards eliminating delays and ensuring smooth operation of the process for applications to be concluded within the stipulated time.

He urged staff of the Agencies to take ownership of their job, behave responsibly and professionally to ensure that the aims of Government for the sector were met, adding that much was expected from them as professionals.

Stockholm Water Prize: Stopping Spread of Disease When applying for her masters, Dr. Rita Colwell was told: “We don’t waste fellowships on women”. Thankfully, she didn’t give up. She went on to gain funding, study her doctorate and in the 1960’s: make a groundbreaking discovery which has since saved millions of lives.

For 30 years, the world’s most prestigious water award, the Stockholm Water Prize, has honoured women, men and organizations for extraordinary water-related achievements.

Dr. Colwell was awarded the Stockholm Water Prize in 2010.

Dr. Rita Colwell observed that the causative agent for cholera, Vibrio cholera, could survive by attaching to zooplankton which led her to discover that certain bacteria, including the Vibrio species, can enter a dormant stage that could revert to an infectious state under the proper conditions. What does this mean for the spread of disease?

That even when there are no disease outbreaks, rivers, lakes and oceans can serve as

reservoirs for these bacteria.

These findings counteracted the conventional wisdom held at the time that cholera was only spread from person to person, food or drinking water and that its presence in the environment could only be due to the release of sewage.

Her life’s work has been dedicated to saving lives with low-cost and high-tech innovations. The practical impact of Dr Colwell’s findings in the field of water and health has been felt around the world: she has worked extensively to spread community-based water safety education and viable, low-cost technological innovations in communities throughout South Asia and in Africa. During the cholera pandemic in Latin and South America in the 1990s, Dr. Colwell’s worked as national advisor to multiple governments. In Ecuador, her discovery of the presence of Vibrio cholerae in the hospitals and in the shrimp industry saved countless lives. In Peru, she was honoured by

the national government for her work to develop drinking water criteria that helped guide policies to curb the spread of the disease.

A passionate educator, some of her major interests include primary and high school science and mathematics education, graduate science and engineering education, and the increased participation of women and minorities in science and engineering.

Throughout her career, Dr Colwell has bridged the forefront of science and technology with a lifelong dedication to craft practical solutions to provide access to clean drinking water and protect human and ecosystem health.

Dr Colwell has also shown how changes in climate, adverse weather events, shifts in ocean circulation and other ecological processes can create conditions that allow infectious diseases to spread, and through that link, she has led the ability to craft preemptive policies to minimise outbreaks.

32

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍľËœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Dakwambo Seeks Legal Backing for Financial Reforms James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË A former Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Dakwambo has urged the federal government to document as well as back all financial reform initiatives by law so that politicians would not take them for granted.

According to him, except reforms are catalogued and supported by legal framework, politicians could take advantage of the inherent loopholes for political gains.Speaking at the public presentation/launch of the book, “Treasury Single Account Policy in Nigeria�, authored by the Director, Finance and Administration, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Salawu Zubairu, Dakwambo, who prior to his incursion into politics, was a former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), also highlighted the volume of

resistance which often met the implementation of financial reform programmes while at the Treasury House.

He also recounted instances where his life had been under threat from elements opposed to change. He said: “For people like me, we had to be given extra security, like they had to change our houses, we had to be accompanied by police because of the threats over the implementation of financial reforms. �He also stressed that politicians could take advantage of loose reforms to win election except such initiative are properly ring-fenced against abuse.

He said: “I must tell you if I want to win elections today and go out there and say if I win elections today there’s no more TSA, won’t I get their

votes? But am I doing the right thing? But for me as a politician I want to win and anyhow I win I have no problem.�The former governor therefore, challenges the incumbent AGF, Mr. Ahmed Idris to ensure that existing finance Acts are reviewed so they politicians who “come and go� do not influence them.

He also praised both the author and Idris for the documentation of one of the most important financial reforms- TSA- so far undertaken by the treasury.

He expressed hope that other similar reports will be documented in the same way, particularly going by his experience as a politician.

Idris, however, said the book will among other things, be of immense benefits to state governments planning to implement the TSA.

L-R: Sales Manager, Multipro Consumer Product Limited (MCPL), Central Region Abuja, Miss. Acquaye Matilda; Marketing Manager, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar; Sales Manager, Mr. Enu Jubril; Incident Manager COVID-19,Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. John Oladejo; Assistant Director of Logistics, Mr. Gbenga Joseph; and Head of Store, Mrs. Ali Hawal, during HYPO donation of 200 cartons of bleach to the NCDC in Abuja‌.recently

MARKET INDICATORS

COVID-19: Stanbic IBTC Partners FATE Foundation Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc said it has gone into partnership with FATE Foundation in a bid to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bank recently donated N25 million to the FATE Foundation Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Support Fund. The Fund, an initiative of FATE Foundation, was established to support the government’s efforts at properly equipping public health facilities in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

According to a statement, part of the Fund would be channeled towards setting up a special COVID-19 Ward at the National Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi by the Lagos State government. “The Lagos State government plans to set up a special COVID-19 Ward that will support the treatment of patients. Another beneficiary of the Fund is the Ogun State Ministry of Health, which has been offered the use of FATE Foundation’s Institute for Venture Design (IVD) facility in Abeokuta, Ogun State. “The IVD facility, which has a 30-room residential space, also has additional spaces which can be converted into wards for COVID-19 patients. In line with

the Foundation’s policy advocacy work, the Fund will additionally support research on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerian entrepreneurs. “This survey is to provide data insights on how the current situation is affecting Nigeria’s micro, small and medium enterprises. The exercise will be done in partnership with BudgIT, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), MSME Community of Practice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network on key stakeholder engagement at the national and sub-national levels,� the statement added.

It also explained that the support Fund would also help the Foundation in executing its Entrepreneurship Programming initiative, aimed at providing resources to support Nigerian businesses.

This initiative uses digital platforms for virtual learning, advisory and community engagement programmes, the bank added.

Commenting on the initiative, the Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Yinka Sanni, said: “As a socially responsible corpo-

rate organisation, we are seizing every opportunity to support the government, agencies and our partners in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic; hence the support for FATE Foundation. It is only by deliberate collaborative efforts that we can curtail the spread and possible danger caused by this global enemy.�

He further commended FATE Foundation for its research on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerian entrepreneurs and the Nigerian economic climate.

FATE Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation, provides the required support to emerging Nigerian entrepreneurs that aspire to start, grow and scale their businesses.

Founded in the year 2000, the Foundation has created a strong entrepreneurial culture and facilitated the development of an enabling business environment for Nigerians.

He added that the organisation would hold nothing back in offering maximum support to complement the efforts of the government and all its stakeholders.

‌AfDB Approves $2m Emergency Assistance The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $2 million in emergency assistance for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to reinforce its capacity to help African countries contain the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impacts.

The grant, which is in response to an international appeal by the WHO, would be used by the world body to equip Regional Member Countries to prevent, rapidly detect, investigate, contain and manage detected cases of COVID-19.

It is one part of several of the Bank’s interventions to help member-countries address the pandemic which, while slow to arrive in Africa, is spreading quickly and is straining already fragile health systems.

Specifically, the WHO Africa region would use the funds to bolster the capacity of 41 African countries on infection prevention,

testing and case management. “WHO Africa will also boost surveillance systems, procure and distribute laboratory test kits and reagents, and support coordination mechanisms at national and regional levels,� a statement from the AfBD explained.

This grant, “will enable Regional Member Countries to put in place robust containment measures within 48 hours of COVID-19 case confirmation and also support the WHO Africa Region to disseminate information and increase public awareness in communities,� said the Bank’s Human Capital Youth and Skills Development Department.

The grant would contribute toward a $50 million WHO Preparedness and Response Plan, which other partners including the United Nations system, are also supporting. “It is estimated that Africa will require billions of dollars

to cushion the impact of the disease as many countries scramble together contingency measures, including commercial lockdowns, in desperate efforts to contain it. “Globally, factories have been closed and workers sent home, disrupting supply chains, trade, travel, and driving many economies toward recession,� it added.

The Bank Group was expected to unveil a financial assistance package that would enable governments and businesses to undertake flexible responses to lessen the economic and social impact of this pandemic.

Last Thursday, the Bank raised $3 billion in a three-year social bond, the proceeds from which would go to help alleviate the economic and social effects of the pandemic. It was the largest dollar-denominated social bond launched in international capital markets to date.

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 Ëœ Íą Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $23.01 a barrel on Friday, compared with $18.91 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), 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

33

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2020

MARKET NEWS

FBN Holdings Records 27% Rise in Profit After Tax to N74bn Goddy Egene FBN Holdings Plc has grown its profit after tax (PAT) by 26.5 per cent to N73.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2019, up from N58.2 billion in 2018.

According to the audited results released yesterday, FBH Holdings Plc posted gross earnings of N627 billion in 2019, showing an increase of 6.7 per cent compared with N587.4 billion in 2018.Net interest income

moved from N285.3 billion to N290.2 billion, while non-interest income rose from N132 billion to N159.2 billion.

Impairment charges fell 41.5 per cent to N51.1 billion from N87.5 billion. Consequently, profit before tax (PBT) printed at N83.6 billion in 2019, up by 30.9 per cent from N63.9 billion in 2018. PAT stood at N73.7 billion, compared with 58.2 billion in 2018. The board has recommended a dividend

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

of 38 kobo per share for the shareholders.

Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings Plc, UK Eke, said: “We are happy to close the 2019 financial year on positive notes across a number of key metrics giving the group a clean-slate to accelerate its growth plan as we conclude the three-year Strategic Planning Cycle which ran from 2017-2019 and commence a new cycle which coincide with the

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

start of a new decade. In line with our promise to the market, FBN Holdings closed the year with a 30.9 per cent y-o-y increase in PBT and delivered its target of a single digit non-performing loan (NPL) which closed at less than 10 per cent. Similarly, we successfully overhauled our risk management architecture, strengthened our processes by leveraging technology and institutionalising a strong credit culture across the lending entities.

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

These deliberate steps have seen the NPL ratio of our vintage book remained below one per cent.

In the same vein, we have made significant improvement in our revenue generation capacity with non-interest income benefiting from our market leadership in electronic banking channels. It is also noteworthy to highlight that our investments aimed at improving operational efficiencies and enhancing revenue accretion have resulted in

O F

higher cost-to-income ratio. The benefits of these investments will be realised in subsequent periods.”

Also commenting on the results Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank said: “The Commercial Banking group delivered a solid performance in 2019 with PBT increasing by 83.1 per cent despite varying degrees of challenges and volatility in the operating environment.

0 6 / 0 4 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

34

TUEESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

WAPIC Insurance Extends N5.9bn Rights Issue to January 10 Goddy Egene Wapic Insurance Plc has extended the offer period for its rights issue of 15,613,194,623 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N0.38 per share on the basis of seven new share ordinary shares for every

six ordinary shares held.

The offer ought to have closed on December 31, 2019. However, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said in a notification yesterday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had approved a further extension of the rights

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

issue to Friday January 10, 2020.

Wapic Insurance Plc hopes to raise the sum of N5.9 billion from the right issue so as to achieve its plan of increasing its capital base to meet the new capital requirements stipulated by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

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 03Apr-2020, unless otherwise stated.

According to Wapic Insurance, the N5.9 billion will serve as investment funds which will be channeled to Wapic Life Assurance Limited and Wapic Insurance (Ghana) Limited.

The shareholders of WAPIC Insurance Plc had last June approved that the

authorised capital base be increased to N15 billion in the light of ongoing recapitalisation exercise in insurance industry.

According to the shareholders, the new capital base would ensure that the company continues to exist and waxing

stronger after the recapitalisation exercise Over the last half century, Wapic has developed strong expertise in risk management and underwriting, assisting corporate entities and individuals with various classes of cover across a wide segment of the Nigerian demographics.

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 103.28 106.82 29.43% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 6.47% Nigeria International Debt Fund 299.68 299.68 -4.12% 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 N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A 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 7.07% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.46 2.51 -0.12% 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 N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 12.24 12.61 -20.07% ARM Discovery Fund 302.41 311.53 -12.45% ARM Ethical Fund 25.10 25.86 -13.69% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.42% 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 N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 0.07 0.05 6.93% Paramount Equity Fund 9.47 9.84 -23.56% Women's Investment Fund 104.02 104.76 -5.87% 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 6.53% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 91.68 92.05 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 98.33 98.79 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 N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,304.86 1,306.50 1.07% FBN Balanced Fund 128.78 129.62 -12.29% FBN Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 110.96 111.67 -6.94% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 111.52 112.24 -6.93% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 99.70 100.85 -23.38% 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 6.87% Legacy Debt Fund 3.72 3.72 1.90% Legacy Equity Fund 0.93 0.94 -17.95% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.09 1.09 1.16% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,783.92 2,810.00 -6.72% Coral Income Fund 3,143.48 3,143.48 14.67% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 6.25% 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 4.85% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 114.66 115.45 6.32%

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 5.20% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.02 2.05 -7.81% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 11.06% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 136.69 137.06 -4.74% 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 1.12 1.14 -3.97% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,131.34 1,131.34 2.97% 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 7.31 7.34 -25.63% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.51% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.24 1.26 2.58% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.32 11.35 0.83% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.00% PACAM Equity Fund 0.89 0.89 PACAM EuroBond Fund 85.50 87.52 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 109.09 110.90 -9.16% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.03 2.68% 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 -5.40% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 1.81% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -14.61% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 2.02% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 -14.61% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.68% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -14.95% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 1.48% 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 N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 8.96 9.06 -12.84% Zenith Ethical Fund 10.88 10.99 -6.32% Zenith Income Fund 23.28 23.28 4.72% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.86%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

3.15 120.83 52.49

-67.35% 1.45% 0.85%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

6.95 72.96 54.30

7.05 74.48 55.30

-20.09% -21.12% -26.35%

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

2.32 3.10 9.62 10.18 166.73

2.36 3.18 9.72 10.38 168.73

-34.32% -47.20% -20.13% -1.97% -10.75%

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.

TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

35

INTERNATIONAL

25 Indonesian Doctors Die of COVID-19, Says Medical Association The Indonesian Medical Association on Monday said at least 25 Indonesian doctors had died after contracting

the new coronavirus, raising alarm about the toll the disease was taking on health workers.

US COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 10,000 Mark The death toll from the new and hospitalisations in the US, coronavirus in the United States passed the 10,000 marker on Monday, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

The country has the highest confirmed positives in the world, with more than 347,003 cases of the virus and 10,335 deaths related to COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by it.

Public health officials and the White House are warning the upcoming weeks will likely see peak coronavirus outbreaks

with the death rate also set to sharply climb.

There are growing signs of impending shortages of medical gear and staff.

The US had just 1,000 confirmed cases and about 30 deaths on March 10, with the outbreak spreading rapidly and across the country.

New York is the current epicentre, while Louisiana, Michigan, Illinois and California are also hotspots, with more due to emerge.

According to the association’s spokesman, Halik Malik, at least 19 doctors and six dentists have succumbed to COVID-19.

Malik, however, said that no figures were available for casualties among other health workers, including nurses.

He urged the government to be transparent about the number of health workers

affected by the virus.

“We need data that everyone can refer to and can be the basis for preventive strategies for health workers so we can focus on tackling COVID-19.

“If the number of positive cases among health workers continues to increase, health services will be disrupted, not to mention that they

could transmit the disease to patients and their families,” he said.

According to the Health Ministry, Indonesia had confirmed 218 new COVID-19 cases, its biggest daily rise, taking the national tally to 2,491. The death toll rose by 11 to 209.

However, the Indonesian Government had been

criticised so far for low rates of testing.

President Joko Widodo said on Monday that Indonesia was not among the ten countries hit hardest by the virus.

“This should be conveyed to the public that Indonesia is not alone in facing this epidemic, to put things in perspective,” he said.

...France Posts Record Death Toll of 833 France on Monday reported that 833 more people had died of COVID-19 in hospitals and nursing homes over the previous 24 hours, its highest daily toll since the epidemic began.

“We have not reached the end of the ascent of this epidemic,” Health Minster Olivier Veran told reporters, as he announced the new toll which brought the total number killed in the coronavirus epidemic in France to 8,911.

The figures were a reminder to France — which has been in lockdown since March 17 in a bid to slow the spread of the virus — of the long road ahead after several days where key data had improved somewhat.

France is now giving a daily combined toll of deaths in hospitals and nursing homes.

Previously it had only given the hospital toll on a daily basis.

Of the new deaths, 605 were registered in hospitals, Veran said.

“It is not over. Far from that.

The path is long. The figures that I have announced show this,” he said. “Stay at home and continue this confinement effort,” he added.

Veran said that 478 more people had gone into intensive care over the last 24 hours, a

higher figure than in previous days.

But in more positive news, he said that counting patients who had left intensive care, there were just a net total of 94 more patients in intensive care, the lowest such figure since the confinement began.

“We see that the confinement has a palpable impact. In France we are beginning to feel it.”

Veran said that the latest figures from statistical modelling showed that the reproduction rate (R0) — the number of people an average infected person infects — was falling in France.

If the number is under 1.0 it means the average victim infects less than one person, giving hope that the epidemic will end.

“Thanks to the confinement, this R0 is around 1.0 and probably a little under and in some regions clearly under.

“In other regions it is above 1.0 so this is why we must stay at home.”

Veran said that in nursing homes — where a total of 2,417 people have died since the start of the epidemic — a “vast operation” of testing would begin to better protect residents.

Ghanaian Govt Announces 50% Pay Raise for Health Workers The Ghanaian government has announced some social intervention measures to ease the burden of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on its citizens and frontline health workers.

In a televised address on Sunday, President Nana AkufoAddo said his government will cover the water bills of its citizens for the months of April, May and June.

The government’s intervention comes amid complaints that some communities do not have running water which undermines the safety measure of hand-washing.

The president said the government was in talks with private water-tanker operators

to make water available to vulnerable communities.

He also assured the citizens of stable electricity supply.

“Furthermore, government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months that is April, May and June,” he said.

“All water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are also going to be mobilised to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities.

“The Ghana Water Company Ltd and the Electricity Company of Ghana have been directed to ensure the stable supply of water and electricity during this period. In addition, there will be no disconnection of supply.”

COVID-19 PALLIATIVES…

L-R: Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Bariere Thomas; Head of Operations, Indomie Factories, Port Harcourt, Mr. Virand Pathania; Production Manager, Indomie Factories, Port Harcourt, Mr. Maxwell Egele; and HR/Admin Manager, Indomie Factories, Port Harcourt, Mr. Chinedum Wali, during the donation of relief products by Indomie to the Rivers State Government for its indigenes to minimise the impact of the lockdown in the state...yesterday

WHO Slams Calls for Africa to Be COVID-19 Vaccine Testing Ground The World Health Organisation (WHO) chief angrily slammed recent comments made by scientists suggesting a vaccine for the

new coronavirus should be tested in Africa as “racist” and a hangover from the “colonial mentality”.

“Africa cannot and will

not be a testing ground for any vaccine,” WHO DirectorGeneral, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual news conference, insisting “we

will follow all the rules to test any vaccine or therapeutics all over the world… whether it is in Europe, Africa or wherever.”

Cameroon President Under Fire for Silence as Pandemic Looms

Cameroon’s aged president is coming under fire for his absence from the national stage as the central African country faces a burgeoning coronavirus crisis.

A month after the first case of COVID-19 was recorded, 87-year-old Paul Biya has yet to address the nation — a silence that for supporters is a sign of gravitas but for critics one of failure.

According to official figures posted early Monday, Cameroon has 658 cases of the virus, with nine deaths, making it the second most-affected country after South Africa in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cameroon is already waging two violent conflicts, one against Boko Haram jihadists in the north, the other against English-speaking separatists in the west.

The fighters in the new front are doctors and nurses who are woefully lacking in masks and breathing equipment.

In his 37 years in power, Cameroonians have become

accustomed to Biya’s long absences, mainly because of poor health, but his silence over the pandemic is raising sharp questions.

He posed for the cameras after talks with the US ambassador on March 11, but did not speak to the press.

Six days later Biya urged Cameroonians on Facebook to “respect” measures taken to combat the virus, but since then there has not been so much as a whisper from a leader who has overseen many crises since he took power in 1982.

Biya’s track record suggests he is not a major communicator in the best of times, making just three or four appearances a year. But for researcher Stephane Akoa, “In a context like this, the presidential message is important.”

Last week, speculation mounted on social media that Biya could be dead, prompting a formal public denial by Communications Minister Rene-Emmanuel Sadi, who insisted that Biya was “going

about his official business as normal”.

But there was no word from the president himself, provoking a sharp attack from main opposition leader Maurice Kamto, the runner-up to Biya in 2018 elections.

On Friday, Kamto demanded that the president address the nation within seven days, otherwise “the people… will inevitably see his failure”.

Biya’s silence “is becoming criminal,” he added.

Labour Minister Gregoire Owona snapped back, saying Kamto wished to politicise the crisis, calling it “shameful”.

Oswald Baboke, the president’s deputy chief of staff, commended Biya’s “wisdom… (and) restraint,” writing in the press that “the President’s Time cannot be improvised and cannot be pinned down.”

Thus far the youthful health minister, Malachie Manaouda, has been the point man for the coronavirus crisis, tweeting out frequent updates and detailing the government’s response.

But criticism has grown louder with the rise in known cases from 142 to 658 in a week.

“Government communication is weak, its response was late and in some respects poorly prepared,” said Stephane M’Bafou, a consultant in public management and governance.

“There is an obvious lack of coordination,” said economist Albert Ze. Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute on March 13 announced measures such as closing borders and a ban on rallies, which have been extended.

The one new step since then, attributed to Biya but announced by Ngute, has been the creation of a solidarity fund worth one billion CFA francs (1.5 million euros / $1.65 million).

Others say the response does not go nearly far enough.

“We must quickly declare a curfew, isolate the cities where cases are confirmed and move towards a general containment regardless of the socio-economic cost,” said M’Bafou.

36

TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS XTRA

CBN Warns against Activities of Cyber-criminals James Emejo in Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has expressed concern that cyber-criminals are taking undue advantage of the current COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Nigerians, steal sensitive information, or gain unauthorised access to computers or mobile devices using various techniques.

The apex bank noted that though the trend was not peculiar to the country, following an increase in COVID-19-related cyber-criminal activities globally.

It, therefore, stated that it becomes a priority for the bank to ensure that their customers are aware of the ongoing trend to prevent them from falling victim to such internet fraud.

In a statement issued yesterday, CBN Director, Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, said the Bank would continue to monitor and investigate developments and provide updates as they occur.

According to him, cybercriminals have among other things,

deployed phishing techniques by sending out emails claiming to be from health organisations, including the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) or the World Health Organisation (WHO).

He said: “The email may contain a link which, if clicked, steals login credentials or other confidential information from the victim’s computer or mobile device.”

Okoroafor, added that the cyber-miscreants had also used relief packages as bait to lure unsuspecting members of the public into their traps by sending messages via social media or emails asking people to click on links to register in order to get their COVID-19 relief packages from the government or other organisations.

He said:”They simply use this to get confidential information from unwary victims. Relief package scams also come in the form of phone calls asking people to provide their banking details to receive relief packages.”

DPO’s Death Not Caused

by Masquerade’s Charm, Say Ogun Police Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta The Ogun State Police Command yesterday dismissed rumours making the rounds that the death of the Ibara Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Segun Dada, in Abeokuta occurred as a result of a dangerous charm used against him by a masquerade he arrested and publicly disgraced.

The police in Abeokuta had last Sunday arrested a community masquerade in the Ibara area for disobeying the stay-at-home order occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

Initial reports indicated that the late DPO, a superintendent of police, had led other police officers to arrest the masquerade and its followers, and that the masquerade was also unveiled publicly, an action considered a taboo in Yoruba land.

But denying the allegation, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),

Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, a deputy superintendent of police, said the information was mischievous and untrue.

He said: “The command wouldn’t have joined issue with those circulating the fake news, but the wrong and mischievous impression needs to be clarified.

“The late DPO had been on sick bed for the past one month battling an ailment which later resulted in his untimely death.

“Contrary to what the mischief maker wanted the public to believe, the late Dada was not on duty when the said masquerade was arrested because he was in the hospital.

“The masquerade was arrested on March 29, 2020, for violating the government directives while the DPO was on a sick bed at Federal Medical Centre in Idi Aba, Abeokuta, and until he died, he was not even aware of the said masquerade arrest.

JAMB to Release Cut-off Marks in June Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that the 2020 cut-off marks would be decided on June 15 and 16 at a stakeholders’ policy meeting and expected to be presided by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

Also, it has disclaimed admission cut-off marks circulating on social media, asking higher institution admission seekers to disregard them.

The board said it was yet to release the cut-off marks for 2020 admissions, saying the ones in circulation were from fraudsters who in their usual ways were out to dupe unsuspecting admission seekers.

The board in a statement

released by its Head of Media and Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, yesterday insisted that the cut-off marks were fake, asking candidates to be wary of the antics of fraudsters.

JAMB also said it had reinforced its Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) mobile app to enable candidates’ access to information regarding admission-related issues in the comfort of their homes without visiting any Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres or cyber cafes.

He said: “Kindly disregard any cut-off marks paraded by fraudsters. It is fake news.

Cut-off marks are decided at a policy meeting chaired by the Minister of Education with all heads of tertiary institutions, CEOs of regulatory agencies in education and all other critical stakeholders in attendance.

The CBN however, outlined some precautions which it believes ensure that bank customers and citizens do not fall victim to identified cyber-crimes.

Among other things, it urged Nigerians to beware of and verify emails or phone calls claiming to be from NCDC, WHO or the

government, especially when such emails request banking information or to click on a link adding that persons should always visit official websites of relevant organisations for desired information.

The CBN further advised Nigerians to avoid clicking on links or attachments in emails that

claim to have more information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as avoid downloading mobile apps from untrusted sources and urged prospective beneficiaries to obtain relief packages or other information from trusted news media.

The apex bank added:”While

we work to keep safe physically and prevent further spread of the virus, members of the public should endeavor to apply caution in order to beat not just the COVID-19 virus but also the cyber-criminals seeking to take advantage of its spread for nefarious acts.”

OBEYING THE LAW…

Iwo market in Osun State deserted as traders stayed at home in obedience to the restriction orders by the state government…yesterday

Again, N’Assembly, Executive Meet over N500bn Intervention Fund Deji Elumoye in Abuja The leadership of the National Assembly will on today begin another round of meetings with the Executive arm over the latter’s request for the approval of N500 billion as COVID-19 Intervention Fund.

THISDAY gathered that the meeting initially scheduled for yesterday had to be shifted at the instance of the Executive due to urgent national assignments carried out by top government functionaries including the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

The Executive as represented

by Ahmed, had last weekend met with the leadership of the National Assembly to intimate it with an Executive proposal to establish a N500 billion COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund.

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, confirmed the rescheduled meeting between the Executive and legislature.

He told THISDAY yesterday evening that the adjourned meeting will now hold today and tomorrow.

Abaribe had in response to THISDAY enquiry about

the outcome of the meeting yesterday declared “no, the meeting did not hold on Monday, it will now be tomorrow and Wednesday”.

THISDAY had gathered weekend that the leadership of both the Senate and House of Representatives were unsatisfied with the presentation of the Finance Minister hence the adjournment of the meeting to this week Apart from seeking more information on the proposed Fund, the lawmakers were also said to have expressed concern about the disbursement of

the COVID-19 fund so far while stressing the need for accountability and transparency.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, who attended the Saturday meeting told THISDAY after the meeting that “National Assembly leadership at the meeting made some observations and suggested areas that need to be looked up again”.

According to him, another meeting has been scheduled for next week “while the National Assembly will reconvene at the appropriate time afterwards”.

House to Probe Attempted Jail Break in Kaduna Correctional Centre Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The House of Representatives has said it would probe the attempted jail break at the Kaduna Correctional Centre, which resulted in the death of some inmates at the centre.

The Green Chamber said the investigation became necessary following conflicting reports on the incident.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Hon. Anayo Edwin, stated this in a statement issued yesterday, where he noted that the House would conduct investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of some inmates at the Centre, immediately it resumes plenary.

He stressed that there were also conflicting figures over the

number of casualties recorded during the incident, adding that the Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Services was yet to make any official statement on the incident.

Edwin said: “Another report suggested that the deaths recorded at the Correctional Centre was as a result of the displeasure by the armed squad of the Service over the way and manner the inmates

expressed their fear of possible spread of coronavirus into the facility following the admission of persons showing symptoms of the disease.

“Even though it was possible that when the CG speaks, more facts will emerge, there is still the need to conduct an investigation to enable the committee take an informed position,” the lawmaker said.

Delta Sets up Food Bank Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba To cushion the effects of the lockdown in Delta State, which became effective last Wednesday, the state government yesterday announced that it had established a food bank in the state.

This was made known yesterday by the state Commissioner for Information,

Mr. Charles Aniagwu, while briefing journalists after an enlarged meeting of the Central Committee on Managing and Containing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Delta, presided over by the Chairman and Governor of the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, in Asaba.

Aniagwu said that aside the food bank, all political appointees in the state would forfeit their one month subvention to their offices as

contribution to the funds to provide palliatives to the people.

According to him, committees are also to be set up at the State, local government, ward and unit levels to ensure that the food items get to all, especially the vulnerable in the society.

Aniagwu said, “about six days ago, effective lockdown was initiated in our State to check the spread of Covid-19

and at an enlarged meeting of the committee presided by the Chairman, who is our Governor, Deltans were praised for the level of compliance and understanding that the lockdown was the best option to check the spread of the virus.

“Deltans were urged to continue with the cooperation as there is no single case of the disease in the state, and we thank God and pray that there is no incident.

TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

37

COVID-19 UPDATE...

COVID-19 UPDATE...

NCC Insists 5G Not Responsible for COVID-19 Emma Okonji The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has described as false the claims that the switching on of 5G network in China triggered the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and called on Nigerians to remain calm to avoid aggravating the fears already created by the impact of the impact of the pandemic on human lives.

The NCC released an official statement for the first time yesterday, which clarified all the grey areas and restated that the 5G network had no link with COVID-19.

The statement, which was signed by the Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, reads in part: “In view of the recent development in which misleading materials with no proven evidence being circulated to link COVID-19

Makinde: Local Solutions Boost Immune System against Pandemic The Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that there are local solutions to boost immune systems against COVID-19.

In an interview with Fresh FM, in Ibadan, Makinde, who just recovered from the disease, narrated how he used a mixture of blackseed oil with honey to boost his system.

The Cable reported that Makinde said the official in charge of the primary healthcare system in the state recommended the local solution he used.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had discredited various claims on treating the novel coronavirus.

“Well, I am okay. Just as I posted on my social media handles yesterday night, I can confirm that I have taken two COVID-19 tests. On Thursday, April the 2nd they took a test… they took a sample which was sent to the first lab at Ede where the first sample was taken to, the one that tested positive,” he said.

“So, that came back negative and then, from our own diagnostic centre here, at the virology laboratory in the University of Ibadan, they took another sample yesterday, morning, April 5th and by late yesterday night, the result returned negative. I am completely free of the virus so I should be jumping around shortly.

“My body temperature is 36.4

degrees. My very good friend and brother, Dr. Muyideen Olatunji - he is the one in charge of the Primary Healthcare for Oyo State.

He came to me and said, look, I am going to send to you this blackseed oil, it boosts immunity so I mixed it with honey and take one teaspoon in the morning and one in the evening. So, there are local solutions to boost immunity.

So, our people should not fret.

They shouldn’t fret. Just as I have been able to get the virus out of my system, so will it be for majority of our people.”

The governor acknowledged the variant cases of the novel coronavirus, saying it happens to its patients in different ways.

He urged residents to remain hopeful, adding that the pandemic will be well tackled.

“I don’t think I am in a position to advise COVID-19 patients, as such. That is for the health practitioners to do and you know every case is different.

COVID-19 affects each person in a different way. But my prayer is that whoever has the virus, I pray that they get through this period with minimal damage to their health,” he said.

“I mean, I was asymptomatic throughout. So, without the test, I would not even have known that I had COVID-19. So, this is the more reason why we are advising social distancing at this time, as there may be people with the virus who are also not showing any symptoms.

Only Few Nigerians abroad Have Asked to Be Evacuated, Says FG The federal government yesterday stated that only few Nigerians staying abroad have so far indicated interest to be evacuated because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, however, said the government is still awaiting final responses from the various embassies on those willing to be brought back to Nigeria.

The government had through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) asked citizens overseas who are willing to be evacuated to inform the foreign missions.

But the cost of such trips back to the country will be borne by each individual, according to NIDCOM Chairman, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

At the presidential task force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja

yesterday, Onyeama said the embassies have been asked to forward the number of those who have indicated interest.

“We sent the letters (to the embassies) last week but we have not gotten many persons that want to return now,” he said.

“They are just few, not many; but we are still waiting to confirm their actual number.”

The minister, however, said experts had recommended against much travels to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.

“But if there are those that want to come back, we will do everything within our means to bring them back,” he said.

“So we are still waiting to confirm the entire number in the end. We will then work out the logistics on how to bring them back.”

with 5G technology, it has become imperative for the NCC to provide the following clarifications; Firstly, there is no correlation between the 5G technology and COVID-19.

The 5G is an advancement on today’s 4G technology designed to transform the world positively.

“Secondly, there is no deployment of 5G in Nigeria at the moment. The NCC back in November 2019 approved the trial test for 5G for a period of three

months and the trial has been concluded and installation decommissioned. The trial among others was to study and observe any health or security challenges the 5G network might present.

Relevant stakeholders including members of the security agencies were invited to participate during the trial.

“The NCC will continue to maintain its policy of technology neutrality and will continue to encourage service providers to deploy the best

technology that will meet the needs of the society in a secured and friendly manner.”

Similarly, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), also released a statement yesterday, where it explained that there was no correlation between 5G and COVID-19 pandemic that is plaguing the world.

The statement, which was signed by ALTON’s Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, said: “ALTON’S attention has been drawn to

the recent issue in the media space regarding the strange connection of 5G technology to the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe.

“We would ordinarily have dismissed this ‘controversy,’ which is being vociferously pursued by some people as ignorant tirades occasioned by the morbid fear of the rampaging virus, but with the prevailing circumstances of fear and tension, we have decided to categorically make the following statements.

EFFECTS OF LOCKDOWN…

Police officers shoot into the air to disperse touts from Agege that came to Ile-Epo market in Lagos to attack traders… yesterday

Fayemi Out of Self-isolation, Relaxes Lockdown Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti After two weeks in self-isolation, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday emerged from 14 days solitary confinement, and flagged off the distribution of palliatives to 20, 000 indigent citizens in the state.

Fayemi also relaxed the lockdown imposed on the state since March 29 by giving directive that citizens are allowed to do their trades between 6a.m. and 2p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday this week to restock and undertake economic pursuits that would keep their households till the curfew is lifted.

Fayemi, who stated this while flagging off COVID-19 Response/Food Bank, said: “I just got out of self-isolation this morning and this is the first state function I will perform.

“I decided to keep away from you, and in order not to return to self-isolation, I had to observe it as part of the ways to checkmate the spread of this virus.”

Fayemi added that the curfew has to be relaxed to allow the people restock, clarifying that harsh measure was taken to protect the lives of the populace in view of the daunting nature of the virus spread.

He said: “We want to appreciate the tolerance and

support of our people since the lockdown began. We know that the spread of COVID-19 was daunting, but with unity of purpose, we will overcome.

“As part of the measures to protect our people, we shut down the state on March 29 for the initial 14 days with people restricted to their homes. But on April 7 and 9, our people are allowed to move about between the hours of 6a.m. and 2p.m. to restock, and the details of this will be made available later by the Ministry of Justice.

“We are particularly sorry for the hardship this lockdown and restriction has brought to our people, especially the poor.”

Fayemi said the state government would work out modalities to give financial supports to those whose businesses had been adversely affected by the restriction slammed on the state to rout out COVID-19.

He said in fulfillment of the promises made to the populace, food items would be distributed to those who are genuinely in need and who had registered with the Ministry of Budget and Planning as poverty-stricken individuals.

“Under no circumstances should this palliative be tampered with until it gets to the right people. The programme is purely apolitical.

Lagos Traces 2,293 Contacts, Focuses on Alimosho The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, yesterday said the state was tracing 2,293 people who might have had contact with persons tested for COVID-19.

“We have 2,645 passengers of interest that we are tracing, 352 of them have completed their 14-days isolation and we

are still following up 2,293. In the next few days, most of these will exit their 14 days isolation.”

Abayomi added that about 80 per cent of those calling the dedicated hotline for COVID-19 were not serious callers.

The commissioner said that the majority of the cases being treated in Lagos were local transmission, adding

that more attention would be focused on the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state “The number of cases without a travel history has increased from 45 per cent to 80 per cent; that demonstrate that there is more local transmission going on as importation of cases is

decreasing.

“The reason we are paying attention to the Alimosho Local Government Area is because there has been a sudden rise from one case to four cases.

That is not a big number but it is a trend, we are following our data, we can’t divert our precious resources to where we are not seeing trends.”

NAF Trains 31 in Helicopter Attacks The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has trained and graduated a batch of 31 personnel in helicopter attacks, otherwise known as Helicopter Backdoor Gunners.

The personnel comprised 12 Nigerian Army men and 19 NAF officers, whose training would enhance the anti-Boko Haram insurgency war.

According to a statement

issued by NAF, the graduation of the HBDG Course 6/2020 took place at the Commando Village of the Regiment Training Centre, NAF Base, Kaduna State.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said the security challenges facing the country required the use of rotary-wing platforms for Close Air Support, as they

are best suited to the battle space against insurgents, terrorists and other nonconventional forces.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said the personnel would facilitate “effective air-ground integration that would improve the freedom of action of surface forces at

all echelons during combat operations.”

“The Nigerian Air Force has graduated another batch of Helicopter Backdoor Gunners to enhance synergy between the services and other security agencies in the fight against insurgency. It would be recalled that 10 Nigeria Police Force personnel were trained in the last HBDG Course 5/2019.”

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TUESDAY APRIL 7, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

COVID-19 UPDATE...

COVID-19 UPDATE...

Traffic Resumes in Lagos as Residents Flout Stay-at-home Order RRS impounds vehicles of defaulters Chiemelie Ezeobi Barely seven days into the 14 days stay-at-home order issued by the federal government and enforced by Lagos State government, traffic snarls have resurfaced in parts of the state as residents begun to flout the directive.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had hinted that the ongoing lockdown in the state might be extended beyond 14 days “if there is a need,” or depending on the situation of things and consultation with the federal government.

In different parts of the state, the residents could be seen on

the roads, either driving, walking or even having group fitness classes together.

On Monday (yesterday) morning, the highway at Gbagada was blocked by residents who turned the road into a fitness class, thus throwing the social distance policy and restriction order out of the window.

On the Lagos Island, pockets of traffic were the order of the day as motorists also flouted the stay-at-home order.

In Lekki, the traffic stretched and lasted for a long time because some motorists who tried to cut corners, drove against traffic.

At Ago, Okota, operators of

lottery schemes also flouted the order as they had their customers throng their kiosks without observing social distancing.

Also, although practically all supermarkets in the axis complied with compulsory thermometer and sanitizers, 20 customers per entrance, they were however lax about social

distancing.

At the Isolo axis, local pubs and hangouts were open and they had customers throng in to hang out with their friends.

At Mile 12 Market, which is the hub of perishable foodstuffs, the traders and customers also did not comply with the policy of social distancing.

In trying to enforce the law in that axis, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives, led by its Commander, DCP Tunji Disu, tried to restore sanity.

During their routine monitoring at Maryland, Ojota, Ogudu, Agboyi – Ketu, Alapere, Ketu and Mile 12, they made some arrests.

Two danfo buses and a camry loading passengers between Ketu and Mile 12 were impounded and handed over to Ketu Divisional Police Station.

Another vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder without valid reason for being on the road, was also handed over to Alausa Police Station.

PDP: COVID-19 Has Exposed FG’s Social Intervention as Hoax Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the social intervention programmes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its government as a ‘total hoax’.

PDP alleged that the APC leaders have been fleecing the country through the social incentives programme rather than deploying it to benefit the people.

The party said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, that the manifest failure of the COVID-19 social palliatives for Nigerians contrary to claims by the APC-led administration also validates allegations that the APC has been using ghost beneficiaries to siphon government resources.

It described as alarming and revealing that not even a handful of Nigerians has acknowledged receiving any social panacea from the government despite claims by officials of having paid out billions of naira as palliatives

to individuals and households.

The PDP urge Nigerians to note how officials of the APC-led administration fraudulently sidestepped extant financial regulations and illegally resorted to cash disbursements directly by a cabinet minister instead of using Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cash disbursement facility.

According to the PDP, “Such was part of the design to use few unsuspecting Nigerians to circumvent the system, muddle up financial documentation and accountability processes and facilitate the siphoning of huge chunk of the palliative fund.

“Such practice directly points to fraudulent diversion of funds by APC leaders, who have been using the same template of the discredited social investment programmes, which had been exposed by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, as a fraud, when she revealed last year that the N500billion Social Investment Programme of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was not getting to the targeted beneficiaries.”

Rivers Earmarks N2bn for Food Purchase to Feed Residents

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Government declared that it has set aside N2 billion for the purchase of food items from farmers and fishermen in the state for distribution to residents.

The State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, made the declaration yesterday when he briefed journalists at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Wike also disclosed that the state’s COVID-19 index case, a 19-year old model, would be discharged before this weekend.

He stated that the state had to embark on the purchase of food to empower both the farmers and cushion the effects of the restrictions on the residents of the state.

Wike said: “The state government has set aside the sum of N2 billion to buy-off farm products from farmers and

fishermen in the state. We will distribute same to residents of the state as part of the palliatives.

“We want to ensure that all yams, plantain, fish and other farm produce do not leave Rivers State. It is time for our farmers and fishermen to go back to their vocation.”

He announced the setting up of a 33-man committee that would be chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo while the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Fred Kpakol, would serve as its secretary. The committee would handle the food palliative.

He assured that the food items would get to the grassroots since the chairmen of the Local Government Areas in the state are members of the committee.

Another sub-committee, according to the governor, would be set up to ensure the items got to the wards and communities.

COVID-19 SCARE…

Canadian evacuees on board Ethiopian Airline at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos …yesterday

Lalong Directs Total Lockdown of Plateau Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Plateau State Governor, Hon. Simon Lalong has directed a total lockdown in the state starting from Thursday this week, saying this has become necessary to fumigate the entire

state against the virus.

Addressing the press in Jos, yesterday, the governor also said that testing for the virus will begin in the state this week as a testing centre will soon begin operation.

He said, “government has concluded plans to carry out a

state-wide fumigation exercise, which will cover Jos-Bukuru metropolis and all the 17 Local Governments Areas of the state.

“To this effect, I am directing a total lockdown, effective 12 midnight of Thursday 9th April 2020 to 11p.m of Wednesday, April

15, 2020. During this period, there will be no movement of any kind except for staff on essential duty. These include: security agencies; medical and health workers; power and energy staff; Fire Service; media; telecom operators; fuel tankers.”

Ganduje Extends Stay-at-home Period by Two Weeks Ibrahim Shuaibui in Kano The Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, yesterday extended the compulsory public holiday for civil servants in the state by another two weeks to avoid the outbreak or spread of the deadly COVID-19 in the state.

Ganduje announced the

extension of the compulsory holiday when he received a progress report from the 40-member Kano COVID-19 Fund Raising Committee.

The governor received the members of the committee, which is headed by the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello and

co-chaired by Mr. Aminu Dantata, at the Africa House, Government House, Kano.

He commended the committee for the good job they have been doing and expressed strong confidence in their activities so far.

Kano has not recorded any single case of COVID-19 so far.

Ganduje also appealed to Kano residents to continue to

adhere strictly to directives from the Federal Ministry of Health and the state government, which include the observance of social distancing, regular washing of hands and stay-at-home order to avoid being infected with the disease.

He also maintained that the border closure order remained valid.

COVID-19: PRIVATE SECTOR RELIEF FUND HITS N21.588BN AS FG LISTS CHINESE DOCTORS’ ROLE “They did make effort to make amends and as days went by, they were able to infuse some of the feedback into the services they were providing.

“They fed us and we could always make things better in terms of balancing the nutrient.

They worked on the feedback.

In terms of facilities, the sanitary part of it can also be improved.

“But again, there was nobody to talk to and nothing to watch; so, I was bored and lonely. Days after, there was something to watch.

Boris Johnson Moves to Intensive Care Unit Meanwhile, the Prime Minister

of UK, Mr. Boris Johnson, was moved to an intensive care unit yesterday after his condition with COVID-19 worsened.

CNN reported that Johnson, 55, was first admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday evening for what he said were “routine tests,” adding that he was in “good spirits.”

But the apparent change in the leader’s health has shocked the nation, with politicians from his party and the opposition voicing their support for him as the UK battles a widespread pandemic outbreak.

“Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened

and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

According to Downing Street officials, Johnson remains conscious and has been moved to the intensive care unit as a precaution, in case he requires ventilation.

The move strikes a sharp contrast to earlier reports on Johnson’s condition: During his period of self-isolation, Downing Street had said that Johnson’s symptoms were “mild,” and on Sunday said his hospitalisation was just a “precautionary step.”

The Prime Minister’s

spokesperson had said earlier on Monday that Johnson spent a “comfortable” night in hospital, but would not comment on reports Johnson was given oxygen. Officials are no longer describing his symptoms as mild.

Downing Street on Monday said that Johnson has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State and the most senior cabinet minister, to deputise for him where necessary.

Raab chaired Monday’s regular morning COVID-19 briefing and made a televised statement, saying the government would continue Johnson’s direction in responding to the outbreak.

39

TUESDAY APRIL 7, ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

COVID-19: Dare Urges Nigerian Sportsmen and Women to Remain Strong

Rohr Gets Tough Conditions to Stay on Eagles’ Job Duro Ikhazuagbe President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has confirmed that Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Mr. Gernot Rohr, has been given some conditions for the renewal of his contract.

Speaking on Arise TV’s ‘Morning Show’ programme yesterday, Pinnick stressed that part of the new conditions to renew the contract of the French coach is that he must be willing to stay in the country, paid his wages in Naira as well as be ready to monitor the domestic league for fresh talents for the national teams.

“We have told him (Rohr) he must live in Nigeria, and that his salary will be paid in Naira (the Nigerian currency).

He must go round League venues and see how he can nurture the players. If he is able to accept, we have a deal,” observed the NFF Chief on Arise, the television arm of the THISDAY Media Group.

The current two-year contract of the Super Eagles gaffer is due to end June 30 but speculations are rife that Rohr may take a walk from the Nigerian job as the current conditions were too difficult for him to meet.

Pinnick clarified further that Rohr will get the revised contract next week for him to review it and get back to the Sunday Dankaro House.

“He should get the contract (with the new conditions) in about a week’s time so that he can revert after studying it.”

Unlike previous dealings with coaches, the NFF President promised to involve the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in this contract renewal.

“We will seek legal opinions on international coaches’ contracts. We shall also seek the opinion of the Sports Ministry,” he stressed.

On the Covid-19 pandemic, Pinnick said the football federation was in contact with overseas-based players of the National Teams and can assure Nigerians that they are all doing well at this delicate time, He however admitted the impact of the pandemic on the Nigeria football sector shut

down since 19th March 2020..

“We will sit down with our (official premium) partners AITEO with regards to the AITEO Cup competition, to see how we can still put this year’s edition together.

“There is also the AITEO/ NFF Awards (in its third edition). This year’s edition is meant to celebrate the Super Falcons. We have plans to celebrate them but we don’t know how to go about it. So, we will sit down with our sponsors to figure things out.”

On the ad-hoc committee set up by the football-ruling body to investigate the death of Nasarawa United FC player Chineme Martins and recommend appropriate safety, security and medical measures in the interest of the domestic game, Pinnick disclosed that the panel has finished its field work. “The committee has worked to an appreciable level; done with its report. The members have done a great job in a short time and I must commend them.

“I am however, worried that the family of the late player has so far refused to give the go-ahead for autopsy to be done on the corpse.”

Pinnick commended the efforts of the Federal Government in containing the coronavirus pandemic, describing measures taken so far as effective and re-assuring.

“I want to commend the Federal Government for the efforts so far in tackling this pandemic. The Government’s strategy across all the States of the Federation has paid off and it is incumbent on all of us citizens to join the global army to fight this virus off the planet Earth.

“On our part at the NFF. We are working with stakeholders, taking a cue from (world football –governing body) FIFA to intervene in certain areas.

“As an individual, I have a foundation by the name Brownhill Foundation, which has taken measures to support what the Government is doing, but we don’t want to talk about this. We are doing what we can in Delta and Lagos states and some other places.”

Rohr

Youths and Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare, has urged Nigerian athletes to keep hope alive on the occasion of the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Dare, “On this historic day of the celebration of the United Nations International Day of Sports Development and Peace which is celebrated soberly due to the Covid-19 scourge, i urge all our sports men and women to remain steadfast, strong and to keep hope alive.

“As athletes, you remain the beacon of hope to unite Nigerians to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Sports and Peace . “You must use sports to foster peace, unity and lend support to those that are down. As sportsmen and women, you have an obligation to take up the symbolic role of lifting the spirit of our fellow country men and women.”

He said that despite the experience the world is going through, “we must not allow our spirit of unity, love , care for each other to wane.

“In our little corners, let us celebrate by getting active

Pep Guardiola’s Mother Dies after Contracting Covid-19 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s mother, Dolors Sala Carrio, has died aged 82 years in Barcelona after contracting coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Everyone associated with the club sends their most heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his family and all their friends,” said Manchester City on social media.

Monday’s increase of 637 coronavirus deathsmeans 13,055 have died in Spain.

Last month, Guardiola donated1m euros (£920,000) to help fight the outbreak.

The money will be used to purchase medical equipment and protective material for staff involved in treating those admitted to hospital.

Barcelona is in Catalonia, which is one of the areas in Spain with the most concentrated number of cases.

Manchester United posted on social media to say the club was “saddened to hear this terrible news”, adding: “We send our heartfelt condolences to Pep and his family.”

Spaniard Guardiola, 49, has been in charge of Manchester City since July 2016 after spells as manager of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

La Liga side Barcelona posted on Twitter: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dolors Sala during this difficult time, and we would like to express our most heartfelt condolences,

especially to Pep Guardiola, his family and his friends.”

Guardiola

through exercises in our homes, a walk in the park and encouraging each other to stay safe. When we stay together, we win together. In the spirit of sportsmanship, we must never give up the fight against the spread of COVID-19. This fleeting, sober moment for sports , business, social , and economic meltdown will pass and we shall emerge victorious “ Dare affirmed that “ Sports remains the most powerful tool that unites the world during peace and war, and this experience would only strengthen our resolve to win always.

“Sports fosters peace and unity, it breaks all human barriers and promotes healthy living. As we seek to overcome this pandemic, let us encourage those that have caught the virus to be strong and resolute. Together we shall overcome. I encourage every Nigerian not to allow their spirit to be dampened, but use the occasion of the International Day of Sports and Peace to spread the message of peace through sports” Dare further said “Despite the sobering moment, the world will always celebrate the advent of the modern Olympics which concides with the world Sports Day. “Sports can be used to drive change, unite the world and keep hope alive even in challenging times like this. We must not be discouraged or disillusioned, but sustain the fight against the spread of the virus .

When we have conquered, we shall celebrate through the vehicle of sports . My message is that we must not give up” The United Nations had on August 23rd proclaimed April 6th of every year as the International Day of Sports and Peace in commemoration of the opening date of the modern Olympics which started in Athens in 1896.

This year is being celebrated without the usual fanfare due to the Covid-19 scourge.

The United Nations has urged everyone to mark the occasion with increased awareness about the Covid-19 pandemic and how to stay safe.

Golf: The Open Cancelled, Three Others Rescheduled Solanke, Ayanwale Thrill at Stay it is not going to be possible.”

The 149th Open Championship has been cancelled but 2020’s three other men’s majors have been rescheduled because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Masters has been put back from April to November, while the US PGA Championship is slated for August.

The US Open, at Winged Foot, New York, is being moved from June to September, a week before the Ryder Cup. The Open, due to take place in July at Royal St George’s in Kent, will now be hosted by the venue in 2021.

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “We have explored every option for playing The Open this year but

However, all three of the majors hosted on American soil each year are still hoping to go ahead. And the Ryder Cup - the biennial event that pitches Europe’s finest golfers against their American counterparts - is being kept in its late September slot.

A joint statement, issued by Augusta National Golf Club, European Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA Tour, the R&A and USGA said: “We remain very mindful of the obstacles ahead, and each organisation will continue to follow the guidance of the leading public health authorities, conducting competitions only if it is safe and responsible to do so.”

Home, Stay Safe T/Tennis

Tiger Wood

Reigning African Junior table tennis champion, Azeez Sholanke alongside national team colleague, Jamiu Ayanwale were at their top form over the weekend as they featured in Stay Home, Stay Safe Table Tennis, an enlightenement/ exhibition game to aid in the campaign of people staying at home in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

But for the worldwide lockdown caused by the COVID-19, the duo were scheduled to represent Nigeria at the African Junior table tennis

championship in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

And they put on top displays at the programme held at Bakare Jafojo street in Abule Oki area of Iyana-Ipaja where a meagre 15 spectators were on hand to cheer them up in keeping with the social distancing rule in curtailing the spread of the disease that has caused thousands of deaths around the world.

The event which was jointly facilitated by Bakare Jafojo residents chairman, Mr Olatubosun Banjo and Chief Olatunde Durosinmi,

the Akinrogun of Abule-Oki, had health experts who took time to brief people in the neighbourhood on how the lockdown would work if adhered to in overcoming the spread and eventually getting rid of the coronavirus.

In the Elite Class, Sholanke defeated Ayanwale 4-3 while ageless Segun Tela also had the better of Patience Ojo in Class A. Others who took part in the three-hour long programme include; Operator Adeyinka, Timothy John, Lateef Adeniji, Abdullahi Ologunro, Seun Olaniyan and Ademola Olatunji.

Tuesday April 7, 2020

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MISSILE Wike to FG

“One wonders why federal government should single out a state out of 36 states to give support. Does it mean that support will come when a state has a record of over 50 infected persons? No state should be seen as more important than any other state. This is a Federal Republic. No state is superior to others” – Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, accusing the federal government of politicising the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Corona Blues

“Social distancing is a privilege. It means you live in a house large enough to practise it.

Hand washing is a privilege too. It means you have access to running water. Hand sanitisers are a privilege. It means you have money to buy them. Lockdowns are a privilege. It means you can afford to be at home. Most of the ways to ward the Corona off are accessible only to the affluent. In essence, a disease that was spread by the rich as they flew around the globe will kill millions of the poor. All of us who are practising social distancing and have imposed a lock down on ourselves must appreciate how privileged we are. Many… won’t ve able to do any of this” – Jayshree Shukla, India, March 22, 2020.

T

o the relief of many Nigerians who had been inundated with conspiracy theories about the status and whereabouts of President Muhammadu Buhari, and his level of involvement in the war against COVID-19, the President, obviously in response to pervasive public opinion addressed the nation in a televised broadcast on Sunday, March 29, more than a month after the first index case in Nigeria was reported. As at the time of that broadcast, the country already recorded 97 confirmed cases and 2 deaths. This was a jump of more than 400% in one week. The numbers kept increasing. Fear gripped the land. Whereas Africa had significantly low numbers compared to the numbers of confirmed cases and deaths in Europe and the United States, African countries faced a similar exponential rise in COVID-19 figures. With the fragile health systems in Africa and shortage of medical personnel, many African countries were compelled to ramp up their COVID-19 containment measures. President Buhari’s broadcast could not have been more auspicious: a better late than never effort nonetheless. He provided an outline of all the measures that had been introduced so far by the Nigerian Government to stem the tide of COVID-19. He also announced additional measures to protect livelihoods, businesses and the Nigerian economy.

There were many grey areas in the President’s speech, but it was obvious that the government was going through a learning curve. How for example would Nigerians access the cash transfers that was promised? Schools across the nation are all on holiday, yet the President announced a school-feeding programme? Attempts have since been made to either modify or clarify some of the grey areas.

The biggest of all the measures, and the most far-reaching is the announcement of a cessation of all movements in Lagos, and Ogun states and the Federal Capital Territory for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020. “All citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes.” Food processing, distribution and retail companies, petroleum distribution and retail entities, power generation transmission and distribution companies, media workers, seaports and private security companies were exempted. The lock-down became effective as directed, except in Ogun State which asked to be allowed to commence its own lock-down on Friday, April 3 to allow the people to stock up on food and other items.

President Buhari singled out Lagos, and the FCT because these are the two areas with the highest number of COVID-19 cases, and Ogun - because of its proximity to Lagos. As it turned out, state Governors also took the initiative to either declare a curfew in their states or shut down their borders.

There has been a race to set up isolation centres across the various states.

The lockdown in Nigeria is meant to enforce social distancing, and to check the spread of COVID-19, a measure that has been adopted

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire globally to prevent persons from transmitting the disease. But here in Nigeria, the lock down has done more in terms of exposing and highlighting the character of our people, their circumstances, the attitude of state agents and the socio-political implications of the initiative. This has prompted calls for an African solution to COVID-19, and the description of social or physical distancing as an imported Western response. Africans by nature are communal; they are brought up to imbibe the philosophy of “ubuntu”: that is “I am, because we are”, and this is expressed in various forms: they eat together, indeed in many cultures, out of the same plate or bowl. They are happier when they are in a gathering either in the villages or in the cities. To ask an average African to lock himself up at home could be an inversion of his social reality.

Even if it is possible for the mentally colonized middle and upper middle classes in Africa to observe social distancing at home and outside, it is near-impossible for the poor. The rich live in comfortable neighbourhoods, in flats, mansions or duplexes with small household units of not more than 4 or 5 persons, the poor live in slums and rural areas where they are huddled together in one room, or a room-and-parlour, in a six or eight-room building occupied by probably eight families, with each family having a minimum of six children, and all the tenants have at best access to just one communal bathroom, one toilet, and a well in the yard as source of water supply. In the rural areas, most families live inside a small hut. It is probably better to disperse such persons than to ask them to stay at home in the face of a communicable and deadly disease like COVID-19.

Besides, many Africans earn their living on a daily basis. They are farmers or fishermen or traders who must go to work in the morning to survive. Sub-Saharan African countries do not have social safety nets, the types that exist in developed countries. In Nigeria, more than half of the population lives below the poverty line. Over 40 million persons are unemployed or underemployed. They have no access to food stamps or unemployment benefits. For these persons, life is a daily struggle. Even the employed are either under-paid and over-worked and their salaries and pensions are not paid as and when due. The other problem is that not many Africans believe in science: they are committed to traditional, superstitious beliefs: the animistic belief that there is no problem that cannot be solved spiritually through witchcraft, sorcery or the use of herbs and rituals, or the religious conviction that pastors and imams have the powers to solve any human problem. Getting such persons to respect science is a problem. In Osun State, for example, one Corona patient ran away from the isolation centre. He had to be hunted down and brought back by security agents. Poverty and ignorance complicate the people’s situation. The worst part is that the people do not trust their governments.

This alienation between the people and their leaders

makes the management of COVID-19 in Africa far more challenging.

By the third day of the lock-down in Lagos State, the chickens had come home to roost. On the first day, there was relative calm as people generally tried to obey the stay-at-home order. On the second day, Lagosians had begun to complain, and rebel. I saw young men on the streets, playing football. Or simply walking up and down. On Wednesday, April 1, the Federal Government modified the directive by declaring that shops and supermarkets could be open from 10 am to 4 pm, and food markets from 10 am to 2 pm. It was a rather strange announcement because there was nothing said about how people are supposed to access the shops and supermarkets, since the ban on transportation was not lifted. What was meant to be a form of relief for the people ended up fuelling their anger. In parts of the country some state governments set up emergency food relief centres and embarked on the distribution of food items. Private individuals and non-governmental organisations also provided food and water in various places which in principle is a demonstration of public-spiritedness, but the relief efforts, public and private, were poorly co-ordinated.

The poor fell over each other to collect packs of food or COVID food items, without observing social distancing. Government officials in Lagos State ended up receiving condemnation rather than praise. The people protested that they would rather be out on the streets to seek their own food and survival. One woman, a mother of four, disclosed on television that all she had left was N700, which is less than two dollars. The President announced cash transfers but we have only seen some government officials distributing raw cash. The Private Sector Coalition against COVID-19 and some individuals have raised as much as N19. 9 billion, but the poor people of Nigeria are more concerned about the risk of part of the funds ending up in the pockets of government officials.

Many Nigerians remain in denial, both rich and poor. They don’t understand why they should be told to stay at home or maintain social distance.

In Cross River State, the Governor has made the wearing of facial masks compulsory for every one in the state, with penalties for disobedience.

It is a way of forcing the people to realise that in these unusual times, health safety guidelines must be obeyed. The people’s reluctance to do so, has brought them in conflict with the security agencies.

On Friday, April 3, a strong-headed Muslim cleric decided to hold evening prayers in Agege, Lagos in violation of the lockdown order. The worshippers were dispersed by security agents. Market women who did not obey the rules have also been forced to comply. On Sunday, April 5, the police arrested a celebrity actress and her husband for staging a crowded house party in Lagos. They have been charged to court and convicted.

The only problem here is the high-handedness of the security agents. Rather than help the people through persuasion and advice, they have for the most part resorted to force. In Warri, Delta State, a soldier shot and killed a man who allegedly refused to stop at a checkpoint when he was flagged down. In Lagos, two soldiers in a recorded video that went viral, threatened to rape women and infect them with HIV for daring to challenge the military. In Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, a Police Sergeant assaulted and broke the arm of a medical doctor who insisted he was out and about on essential duty. The situation is the same in Uganda where security forces have been accused of excessive use of force. The best way to save the people from themselves is not by killing or maiming them. African governments must resist the temptation to use the excuse of

COVID-19 to further dehumanize the people. In Botswana, however, where a 28-day lockdown has been declared, the people are complying without the security forces having to enforce the order.

Different scenarios in Africa depending on the level of trust between the state and the people and the level of engagement. What is important is that the enforcement of lockdowns must be strictly within the ambit of the enabling laws.

State authorities must be careful not to ignite a social crisis that may result in riots and mass revolt. Rather than take advantage of the people, because of the lockdown, security agencies should pay more attention to a likely rise in crime and social unease. One woman was on television the other day to lament that someone stole her pot of soup in the communal building where she lives.

She had left the kitchen briefly. By the time she returned, her pot of soup had vanished! That is how it starts. For as long as the lockdown persists, without sustainable support from government, people will steal food and other things in order to survive. African leaders may end up paying a bigger price for neglecting their people over the years and for failing to build strong institutions.

Steps should also be taken to stem the tide of infodemic, that is the alarming spread of misinformation. On Saturday, while taking notes for this commentary, I was bombarded with stories about how Corona Virus is linked to the 5G communication technology. I learnt that 5G masts were already being destroyed in the UK by angry citizens. Before I could investigate this any further, I received an international call from a very jovial friend: “My brother,” he said. “I greet you Coronally, Coronally”.

“Ore, compliments of the Corona season oh,” I responded.

“A ku lockdown oh” “I hope you are good at your end. Please keep safe.”

Then all of a sudden I thought I heard something that sounded like a cough at the other end. I didn’t know when I threw my phone away on the bed. I had just read about 5G and the internet of things (IOT) and the likelihood of a radiation tsunami. What if it is true as alleged that viruses can travel electronically?

“E ma wa ko ba mi jare? If you know you have a cough, or you are sneezing, don’t call me on phone! It is not good to take chances with this heartless COVID-19,” I muttered.

The truth has since been told about 5G by those who should know. It is not the anti-Christ. It is not the Corona Virus. People are just so hysterical, one of the ways they try to cope is to just make up stories perhaps to manage the terror of time and uncertainty. Some Nigerians insist for example, that Nigeria should not seek the assistance of Chinese medical experts or accept any donations of test kits or ventilators from any foreign source.

They think there may be a covert attempt to turn Nigerians into guinea pigs. After all, two French doctors – Jean-Paul Mira and Camille Locht - openly identified Africa as the best testing ground for possible COVID-19 drugs. Race is a worrisome dimension of the Corona Virus debate.

So is the spike in cases of domestic violence and gender-based abuse. Lockdowns ordinarily should strengthen filial relationships especially between husbands and wives, but the opposite has been reported in France, the UK, Spain, the United States… and even here in Nigeria. Selfisolation and social distancing seem to be putting all relationships on trial. Even commercial sex workers have registered their displeasure! On April 1, we forgot to play pranks. On Palm Sunday, the churches opted for elegies, instead of odes. Our world is unravelling.

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