TUESDAY 14TH APRIL 2020

CBN: No Processing Fee for COVID-19 Loan Applications Obinna Chima The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday described as false news making the rounds that loan seekers and owners of small scale businesses that applied for its N50 billion special intervention fund

meant to cushion the impact on the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to pay a certain amount of money.

The Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, who said this in a statement, yesterday also warned members of the public,

particularly households and owners of small-scale businesses, to disregard any message requiring them to pay any amount to process their loan applications.

According to him, “The attention of the CBN has again been drawn to false reports in

the social media circles that loan seekers and owners of small-scale businesses who apply for loans provided to cushion the effects of COVID-19 are required to pay a certain amount as an application processing fee.

“For the avoidance of doubt,

there are clearly spelt out procedures for accessing the N50 billion Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) stimulus package to support households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is disbursed through

the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB).

“Members of the public, particularly households and owners of small-scale businesses, are therefore advised to disregard any Continued on page 8

Osinbajo’s Committee Meets, Ponders Post-pandemic Jobs Protection... Page 5 Tuesday 14 April, 2020 Vol 25. No 9136. Price: N250

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Let’s Endure Longer, Buhari Appeals to Nigerians, Extends Lockdown by 14 Days Says health care workers are national heroes Sympathises with daily earners, expands palliatives, increases social register to 3.6m households Despite COVID-19 cases rising to 343, FG says spread rate has slowed down Now has 11 labs, tests 6,000, traces 92 % of contacts Opens talks with Rivers on arrested Caverton pilots Northern govs seek more testing centres Omololu Ogunmade, Olawale Ajimotokan, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Martins Ifijeh in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday extended the lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun States by 14 more days and called

for perseverance and more understanding from Nigerians in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The president, in a nationwide broadcast, the second since the onset of the pandemic on February 27 heralded by an index case Continued on page 8

Edo, Ondo Gov Elections’ Dates Stand, Says INEC Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said it was not considering postponing the scheduled governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.

The position of the commission was restated by its Director of Public

Enlightenment and Voter Education, Mr. Oluwole Uzzi, in an interview with THISDAY. "For now, the commission is not considering the postponement of the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections. The elections dates stand as announced by the commission," he told Continued on page 8

Buhari: "The Buhari: “The irresponsibility of irresponsibility few, can lead to the of death few, can lead of many." to theApril,2020. death of

many.”

LEADING FROM THE FRONT...

President Muhammadu Buhari during his nationwide broadcast extending the lockdown over COVID-19 by two weeks in Abuja…yesterday

Police Deploy Intervention Squads in Lagos, Ogun over Hoodlums Attacks... Page 6

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

Osinbajo’s Committee Meets, Ponders Post-pandemic Jobs' Protection Industrialists urge FG to launch economic stimulus plan Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos In line with its mandate of developing a template to manage the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, the seven-man Economic Sustainability Committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is to devise ways to protect jobs and also create new ones after the pandemic, THISDAY has learnt.

It was also gathered that the committee, which will meet today, has also recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the expansion of the COVID-19 palliatives to accommodate more Nigerians, especially those who rely largely on daily income.

Investigation revealed that based on the recommendations made so far by the committee, the federal government will roll out more measures to support the efforts at ensuring quick economic recovery in the midst of the twin challenges of dwindling oil revenue and the stifling impact of COVID-19.

A source close to the committee told THISDAY that the economic team is suggesting to government strategies to adopt to enable the country to absorb the shock of the unfolding harsh economic conditions.

One of the immediate targets, it was learnt, is how to prevent job losses while making efforts to create new ones.

Based on the recommendations of the economic team, the federal government will this week

roll out more palliatives to help cushion the effects of the current lockdown in most parts of the country.

"The issue of the expansion of the palliatives through the review of the register used for conditional cash transfer to indigent Nigerians will form one of the key decisions to be taken at Tuesday's meeting," the source said.

THISDAY gathered that the Osinbajo- led committee now sits regularly every week to articulate policy measures to address emerging challenges due to the pandemic.

The source explained that the committee had commissioned a study to assess the level of job losses the country is likely to witness as a result of the pandemic.

"Their immediate target is to devise ways to keep existing jobs and create new ones now and post-COVID-19 era. They are also looking at what agriculture can do in the immediate future so that we can have enough food. They are considering how the agrarian drive can be further pursued to develop agro-based industries to produce processed food for export to earn foreign exchange and create jobs,” the source explained.

Speaking on what to do in the interim to cushion the impact of the lockdown on poor Nigerians, the source said the committee proposed further expansion of the various palliatives to take care of more persons not earlier catered for.

"They are recommending the expansion of the register of the poorest of the poor to

Bandits Kill 11 Hunters in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Bandits have killed 11 hunters in four villages of Kankara Local Government Area (LGA) in Katsina State and injured many others.

The victims, according to a source who confirmed the attack to THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, were hunting in Dajin Giwa forest when the bandits ambushed them.

The source said: "The victims were from Kaurawa, GidanGoge, Tashar Tsamiya, and Zan-Bago villages. They went to Dajin Giwa forest for their normal hunting activities on Sunday night when the bandits launched an attack on them.

"They (bandits) killed 10 on the spot and injured many others. We brought their corpses and those injured to Kankara General Hospital this morning (Monday). Unfortunately, one of the injured persons died today bringing the number to 11."

However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Gambo Isah, a Superintendent of Police, while confirming the incident, said only eight of the local hunters were killed.

He said the hunters and some volunteers (Yansakai), who believed in the power of charms and supernatural powers, went into the forest to fight the bandits, but the battle turned bloody "because

the bandits were armed with dangerous weapons."

According to him, the deceased who are from Gidan Goge, Kaurawa and Tashar Tsamiya villages in Pauwa ward of the council attacked the bandits at Pauwa forest also known as Dajin Giwa.

He added: "These hunters and some Yansakai thought they had supernatural powers and medicine against AK47.

They grouped themselves and form a formidable team with sophisticated weapons and went to Dajin Giwa forest to fight the bandits.

"Unfortunately, eight of them were killed, some were seriously injured. Among those killed are Abdulaziz Bawa, Muntari Kaura, Nura and Yahaya both of Tashar Tsamiya and Umar Bawa amongst others. The injured and corpses were rushed to Kankara General Hospital."

He explained that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sanusi Buba, had dispatched a combined team of security personnel under Deputy Commissioner of Police Suleiman Ketere to comb the area with a view to apprehending the killers.

Gambo, however, said normalcy had since returned to the affected villages and appealed to residents to remain calm as security personnel would continue to hunt for the bandits.

INVENTION...

L-R: Minister of State, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Mohammed Abdullahi; the Minister, Dr. Ogbonnanya Onu; Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mohammed Bello; and Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Uche Ekwunife, during the inspection of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure Ventilators and Disinfectant sprayer to combat COVID-19 in Abuja...recently accommodate more Nigerians, especially those who rely on daily earnings and this exercise is to be carried out urgently," the source said.

According to him, the economic team is recommending a three-pronged approach in dealing with the economic challenges facing the country.

He identified the approach to consist of short, medium and long term measures, adding that the targets can be achieved with strong collaboration and buy-in of private sector players.

The seven-man economic sustainability committee was set up as a response to the recent challenges in the economic front resulting from the fall in the prices of oil in the international market as well as the disruptive impact of the pandemic that has disrupted the global economy.

The committee is made up of Ministers of Finance, Budget and Planning; Industry, Trade and Investment; Labour and Employment; Minister of State Petroleum Resources; CBN Governor; NNPC Group Managing Director and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat who serves as secretary of the committee.

Industrialists Urge FG to Launch Economic Stimulus Plan Meanwhile, industrialists under the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) have called on the federal government to launch a post-COVID-19 pandemic economic stimulus process by enunciating policy measures and reforms that would facilitate economic and business recovery in Nigeria.

LCCI has also demanded the restructuring of commercial banks loan facilities to the private sector, the provision of palliatives to the aviation sector and the deregulation of

the petroleum downstream sector.

In a statement issued yesterday and entitled “COVID-19: Business and Economic Sustainability Propositions,” the DirectorGeneral of the LCCI, Dr. Muda Yusuf, called on the government to provide tax breaks and concessions for investors and fiscal policy palliatives for the real sector of the Nigerian economy.

The LCCI observed that COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious concerns about economic sustainability and business continuity in the country after the pandemic.

It also noted that it has become imperative to commence a conversation about policy measures and reforms that would facilitate the realisation of desired economic outcomes after the COVID-19 era.

“The government should be the main driver of this stimulus process. This is done through the injection of liquidity or through policy measures that offer some accommodation that facilitates economic and business recovery,” the chamber said.

It explained that the launch of the economic and business recovery process has become urgent following the near-total derailment of business projections and the crystallisation of several risks in the economy as a result of COVID-19 interruption of economic activities in the country.

“Businesses have been grounded by the lockdown; the supply chains disrupted and aggregate demand depressed.

Investment assumptions have collapsed across sectors. Businesses are faced with a force majeure and the shocks are profound and unprecedented.

“To save the economy from collapse, we need to salvage investments across all levels

– micro, small, medium and large enterprises. "Without investment, we cannot have jobs; aggregate demand would remain weak; government revenue would be in jeopardy as tax revenue plummets and economic sustainability will be at risk. This underscores the imperative of an urgent rescue package for business to enable investors to ride out the storms,” LCCI stated.

It, therefore, urged the federal government to consider the suspension of taxes for investors in the health, agriculture, aviation, and hospitality sectors for at least one year.

The industrialists also requested for the extension of the filing of annual returns, including payment of due amounts to June 30, 2020, the unconditional waiver of penalties and interests of all outstanding tax payments and the temporary suspension of the implementation of the recently introduced 50 per cent increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) till the end of the year.

It also called for 50 per cent reduction in all taxes currently being paid by companies in manufacturing sector for one year as well as the suspension of the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax for a period of six months.

This, according to the LCCI, “would put some money back in the hands of the employees during this period to strengthen the purchasing power of citizens and stimulate output within the economy.”

The chamber also advocated that the “health workers’ PAYE should be suspended for one year in recognition of their role as front liners in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The LCCI requested for a fiscal policy palliatives for the real sector that would ensure that the health sector’s raw materials and equipment should attract zero import duty in order to encourage

more private sector investment in the sector.

In addition, it called for six months import duty waiver for manufacturers’ raw materials and intermediate products as the disruptions in the global supply chain has taken a heavy toll on the manufacturing sector.

Other reliefs it sought for the real sector included the request that the enjoyment of one-year import duty waiver for agro-processing inputs, the suspension of excise duty payment for manufacturers for one year and ensuring greater commitment of government and its agencies to the patronage of made in the Nigerian products.

These, according to the LCCI will facilitate the completion of ongoing projects by industrialists and encourage job creation.

“One key lesson of the COVID-19 is the imperative of domestic production and building capacity for selfreliance.

"Therefore, the government should create a strong monitoring framework to ensure compliance with the relevant executive order,” it said.

The LCCI also warned that the private sector’s indebtedness to the banking sector, which stood at N15.2 trillion as at December 31, 2019, would be “very crucial to the realisation of the economic and business continuity outcomes in the Nigerian economy” in the post-COVID-19 era.

“Banks should grant a one-year moratorium and six months interest rate concessions, effective from March 2020. To make this possible for commercial banks, we seek a review of the CRR from the current level of 27 per cent to 20 per cent. This would give room for the banks to offer these interest rate concession and moratorium on loans to investors,” the LCCI said.

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Police Deploy Intervention Squads in Lagos, Ogun over Hoodlums' Attacks Arrest 191 suspects Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Segun James, Raheem Akingbola in Lagos Following the rise in crime rate in Lagos and Ogun States, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the immediate deployment of additional intelligence and operational assets of the Force, comprising Police Mobile Force (PMF) Units, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Special Tactical Squad (STS), to the two states to strengthen security and bolster public confidence in the affected areas.

The Intervention Team is being coordinated by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Mr. Peter Ogunyanwo, a seasoned crime fighter, who doubles as the DIG in charge of the Department of Research and Planning of the Force and the coordinating DIG for the South-west geopolitical zone.

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, a deputy commissioner of police, said in a statement yesterday that Ogunyanwo is to immediately oversee the deployments of these additional assets to enhance public safety, public confidence and general security in the two states.

Mba said the IG had also ordered Commissioners of Police across the country to immediately rejig the security architecture in their various commands to effectively tackle all emerging crimes associated with the COVID-19 lock-down.

It stated: “They are also to intensify patrols around residential areas, markets, shopping malls and all critical national infrastructures in their jurisdictions. The Assistant Inspectors General of Police in the 12 zonal commands have also been directed by the IG to bring their supervisory role to bear by ensuring that the commands under their

zones are safe and secure for the citizenry to live and thrive,” the statement said.

The statement disclosed that 191 suspects have been arrested in Lagos and Ogun States in connection with the incidents.

“The following exhibits, 15 locally-made guns, 52 live cartridges, 42 cutlasses and axes and large quantity of weeds suspected to be Marijuana have been recovered from the hoodlums by the police teams in the Agbado, Ifo, Otta, and Agege axis.

“The DIG, Peter B. Ogunyanwo, can be reached through this GSM No: 0803 389 3226. The Control Room Numbers for Lagos Command are 08127155132, 08065154338 and 07055462708 while that of Ogun Command are 08081770416 and 08081770419.”

The IG assured the citizens that the police will not sit idly by and allow activities of a few criminals to disrupt the peace and security of the country.

He commended Nigerians for their steadfastness, patience, perseverance and vigilance at this critical time.

Some suburbs in Lagos and Ogun states have continued to be rocked by a spate of armed robbery attacks as the after-effect of the lockdown by the federal government bites harder.

In Ogun State, there has been overwhelming complaints by residents of Owode, Ilepa, Ifo, Arigbajo, Itori, Dalemo, Ijoko, Ogba Ayo, Mosa, Joju, Sango, Ota, Oniyale among other communities in Ifo and Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Areas (LGAs) on how hoodlums have been dispossessing them of their valuables day and night.

In Lagos State, areas like Agege, Mangoro, Iyana Ipaja, Festac Town, Jankara and IfakoIjaiye, Surulere, Itire, Ijesha, Ikorodu, Oko Oba, Ogba, and Dopemu were rocked by the attacks simultaneously, with particular focus on food stores.

In a bid to stem criminal

activities arising from the lockdown imposed by the federal government, the Nigerian Police said it would step up measures including increased night patrols in Lagos and Ogun States.

However, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusegun Odumosu, has accused those alleging mob attacks in Lagos of attempting to create tension in the state.

But in what appeared like a coordinated operation, the hoodlums were said to have been using motorcycles and buses to attack residents with different kinds of weapons.

Residents who spoke with THISDAY said the suspects looted food stores and warehouses in the areas.

“They came in about 7 p.m. this night (on Sunday) with about 30 motorcycles and 10 buses,” a resident of Aluminum Village in Dopemu, said.

“Many houses and food

shops have been robbed. In fact, they also broke into some warehouses here and stole items,” she added.

In Mangoro, another resident said they attacked people on the streets, snatching purses and bags.

“Nowhere is safe in the area now. Those that were on the streets were attacked and they collected their purses. They also broke into houses and robbed people of their valuables,” he said.

In Iyana Ipaja, a resident said after previous attacks, some youth in the area lit bonfires on the streets.

“We know they have been operating in nearby streets, but we won’t allow them to get into our streets. We will keep a night over this fire,” one of them at Iyana Ipaja said.

It was gathered that some shops in Jankara Market in the Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State were

looted by hoodlums while some residents of Festac Town were robbed.

Agege, another suburb in Lagos was the worst hit by the gang from Oke Koto to Agunbiade, Ayanwale to Pen Cinema.

Hell was let loose in Agege when miscreants called area boys went on rampage and invaded several streets looting and vandalising homes and business premises claiming they were hungry at 2.a.m on yesterday.

However, the over 50 boys met a stiff resistance from youths in the area who engaged them in a free for all.

The action of the boys prompted youths in several areas of the state to set up bonfires on streets in the area.

Similar situation abounds across the city even as most traders have been lamenting the lockdown.

At Agege, most traders cried

that their shops were broken into and goods stolen. At Alaka end of the Apapa-Ojuelegba flyover, a journalist was attacked and the windshield of his car broken.

According to Alhaja Mimotalai Mustapha, a foodstuff trader at Capitol Road, Agege, the situation for most people has become desperate.

She begged the government to reopen movement or people may resort to desperate measures to survive.

Most places visited by THISDAY yesterday were characterised by a relaxation of movement among the people.

At Berger bus stop at Ojodu, there were several people seeking transportation to Lagos Island, but no buses to convey them.

At the Old Toll Gate near Seven-Up, stern-looking security operatives were on hand to screen all entering into the state.

FIGHTING CRIMES...

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (left), and service commanders inspecting sophisticated weapons recovered by the state’s Operation Sting in Port Harcourt...yesterday

Investors Apprehensive as More Companies Move to Delist from NSE Goddy Egene Fear of more companies delisting from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has gripped some investors following moves by companies to exit the Exchange.

A total of 77 companies have been delisted from the NSE in the past 10 years and seven of them exited last year.

THISDAY checks revealed that more are planning to delist due to the challenging operating environment, which has made coping with postlisting requirements difficult to comply with.

Consequently, some of the companies are considering exiting so as to remain ordinary private limited liabilities companies.

A shareholder, who spoke to THISDAY on this development, confirmed that already more companies were planning to buy out the minority investors preparatory to delisting.

A.G Leventis Nigeria Plc, and Continental Reinsurance Plc had used that strategy to

exit the exchange.

Before then, Nigerian Bottling Company Plc, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc among others adopted same method.

Now, Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services Plc, a company that was listed in 2007, has notified the NSE of move to buy out minority shareholders.

Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services Plc, is a leading indigenous and homegrown company in the medical diagnostics and healthcare sector owned by over 10 thousand Nigerian shareholders and has been offering full and comprehensive services in diagnostic medicine since 1994.

However, the company said it had received an offer from Cedar Advisory Partners Limited to acquire a total of 1,407,855,051ordinary shares of 50 kobo each held by all minority shareholders, representing 39.62 per cent of the company at an offer price of N0.35 per share through a Scheme of Arrangement.

Cedar currently holds 711,916,612 ordinary shares representing 20.04 per cent equity holding in the company.

At the end of the transaction, Cedar will hold a combined 59.66 per cent. Based on this development, the company advised shareholders and potential investors to exercise caution when dealing in shares until a further announcement is made.

According to a shareholder activist, Mr. Moses Igbrude, considering past experience, Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services Plc, may be on its way out of the NSE. “We have witnessed the situation many times before and I am very sure after buying out the minority shareholders, the next thing will be to delist from the NSE. In fact, my worry is that more firms may take similar route because the operating environment is not helping matters.

“Most of the companies are struggling to survive and paying

dividends to shareholders and complying with post-listing requirements are additional burden. Hence, some of the companies are delisting,” Igbrude, who is a member of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN) said.

According to him, there is nothing wrong with delisting, noting that the most important thing is for regulatory authorities to protect the interest of investors whenever companies delist.

Also, the Chairman, Ibadan Zone of Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Eric Akinduro, said companies are now using the buy-out of minority shareholders strategy to deny investors their rights. According to him, what the companies are paying shareholders is mostly based current market value of the shares without considering the reserves and goodwill accumulated over the years.

He said the regulators should do more to protect the investors who are victims of the ploy

by companies to “strip the shareholders off their rights.”

“Likewise the shareholders should come together to have a common voice to protect our rights otherwise before we know it virtually all the good companies will disappear with payment of stipend to shareholders.

“It is a process that must be vehemently opposed and if it will be allowed at all, the interest of all must be considered,” Akinduro said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, had maintained that the Exchange cannot stop any company from delisting.

According to him, the priority was to make listing on the Exchange attractive for companies and at the same time assist them to remain listed so as to meet their funding needs.

Onyema, disclosed that the NSE has worked very well concerning compliance by listed companies.

“Generally, we have revamped

compliance framework since 2011 and we have focused on a number of things consistent with international standards.

The first thing is transparency.

“If you look at the reports we put out on our website, it shows you the compliance status of companies that we have issued fines to and have not met their reporting timelines, companies that have one deficiency or another.

“Secondly, we introduced the companies’ status indicator symbols, an eleven symbols that show companies below the listing standards, even on the ticket tape it is almost like a buyers’ beware, stating that the company is below listing standard as you try to make a decision concerning buying the stocks of that particular company,” he had said.

The NSE boss added that the exchange had been engaging companies on the their challenges with a view to proffering solutions and make them remain listed.

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Chibok Girls Won’t Be Forgotten, Buhari Insists Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja said the remaining Chibok girls in the captivity of Boko Haram would never be forgotten.

The president, who made the promise on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the kidnap of the girls, expressed his good wishes to the people of Chibok, Borno State.

The people of Chibok are said to be holding prayers and thanksgiving services to mark the sixth anniversary of the kidnap of their daughters by Boko Haram terrorist group today.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said Buhari regretted that the current COVID-19 pandemic, with restrictions on

movement, made it impossible for any government delegation to join them during the event.

According to the statement, Buhari assured the people of Chibok that he was still mindful of their welfare and their concerns, especially over “our daughters who are still missing.”

The statement further said the president explained the circumstances surrounding the conditions of the remaining Chibok girls held by the terrorists, disclosing ongoing efforts to rescue them.

“The armed forces of the country who are on general operations in the entire region continue in their hope that they would encounter these girls, as they encounter thousands of other hostages, rescue and bring them back home.

“The nation’s security and intelligence community, in whom a lot of hope, is reposed in rescuing the abducted girls is making a lot of efforts using backroom channels to get them back to their families.

“These are processes, formal and informal that involve different groups with links to the terrorists, and are very

tedious and uneasy as is seen in different parts of the world.

“The issue of the Chibok girls is not a forgotten issue.

We cannot go to sleep over this matter. We are optimistic that ongoing efforts will yield something positive,” the president was quoted as saying.

The president narrated what

he described as an ongoing crisis within the leadership of Boko Haram, which he said had led to factions and breakaway groups.

According to him, the development had brought a number of unforeseen challenges to the process of negotiating with the insurgents for the young women’s release.

He also said in the past few years, the armed forces had recorded huge successes in the battle against Boko Haram, saying they had also carefully ensured that only few civilian lives were lost in the process.

Against this background, he said their goal was to ensure that the girls left in captivity were freed alive.

Chad Reaffirms Commitment to Joint Operations against Boko Haram Ejiofor Alike with agency reports The Chadian government has said its army will continue to participate in regional Multination Joint Task Force (MJTF) targeting Boko Haram and other jihadist groups, as well as the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, following President Idriss Deby’s suggestion it might withdraw its troops.

Chad is a key contributor to a multinational force in the Lake Chad basin fighting Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram, and another farther north in the Sahel zone that counters militants linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Reuters reported that Chad is also the largest troop contributor to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, with more than 1,400 soldiers there as of January.

In a speech broadcast on Friday that followed heavy fighting between the army and Boko Haram, Deby said: “From today, no Chadian soldier will take part in an external military operation.”

However, in a statement, Chad’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Deby’s remarks had been misinterpreted and only meant the army would no longer conduct unilateral operations beyond its borders in the Lake Chad basin.

“It was never a question for Chad of disengaging from the (anti-Boko Haram) Multinational Joint Task Force or from the G5 Sahel joint force, much less from (MINUSMA),” the statement said.

Chad’s armed forces are among the most respected in the region, a reputation forged during decades of war and rebellions, and honed in a 2013 campaign against al-Qaeda-linked Islamists in the deserts of northern Mali.

The members of the G5 Sahel and its main backer France are desperately trying to bolster the force, which has done little to reverse deteriorating security across the semi-arid strip of land beneath the Sahara Desert.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which erupted in north-east Nigeria in 2009, continues to grind on, with attacks frequently spilling over into Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Shell Lifts Force Majeure on Nigeria’s Forcados Crude OPEC+ plotting to cut supply of 20mbpd, says Trump Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Shell lifted a force majeure on exports of Nigeria’s Forcados crude oil after the pipeline transporting it reopened, the company said in a statement yesterday.

US President Donald Trump said yesterday that the OPEC+ group of oil producers is looking to cut output by 20 million barrels per day, double the 10 million barrels agreed to a day earlier.

The removal of force majeure followed the reopening of the Trans Forcados pipeline by operator Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, a spokeswoman for the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria said.

The pipeline was shut down on April 4, Shell said in a previous statement. It declared force majeure on April 6.

Forcados exports were set at roughly 245,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May and 283,000 bpd in April.

Meanwhile, Trump has alleged that the OPEC+ group of oil producers is looking to cut output by 20 million barrels per day, double the 10 million barrels agreed to a day earlier.

“Having been involved in the negotiations, to put it mildly, the number that OPEC+ is looking to cut is 20 Million Barrels a day, not the 10 Million that is generally being reported,” Trump said on Twitter.

The group, comprising the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other countries, said Sunday it had agreed to reduce output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) for May and June, after four days of talks and following pressure from Trump to arrest the price decline.

FIGHTING AGAINST PANDEMIC...

L R C A Z O N M A S A NIMASA M Z M A P S G S O O S G F M O A S G F SGF C P T F COVID 19 M B M NIMASA A

PDP: Buhari’s Speech Failed to Address Issue of Palliatives Cautions APC against using COVID-19 to loot treasury Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s yesterday broadcast was disappointing as it failed to address the issue of palliative measures that could reduce the hardship from the lockdown.

The main opposition party has also cautioned the officials of the All Progressives Congress

(APC)-led federal government to stop using the COVID-19 pandemic as a gateway for corrupt profiteering and looting of the national treasury.

The party said that the speech, just like the prerecorded broadcast of March 29, 2020, failed to address salient issues of urgent concerns to Nigerians in their daily struggle against the spread of the plague in

the country.

The party expressed sadness that the President has again failed to show leadership and displayed total lack of touch with reality as he failed to give any hope on palliatives to the ordinary Nigerians as they face hunger and economic pangs of the lockdown.

According to a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan,

the party said that it is more painful that President Buhari could not address the immediate needs of the people or provide a trajectory that will take care of their future.

PDP said that the President argued that the country with a rehash of global data already known to Nigerians in addition to promises that are far-flung departures from the harsh realities on the ground.

NURTW Threatens to Expel Members Caught in Lagos Robbery The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), in Lagos State, Musiliu Akinsanya, better known as MC Oluomo, has said members of the union caught engaging in crimes during the coronavirus

lockdown would be expelled from the union.

Oluomo, who disclosed this yesterday in a statement posted on his verified Instagram page, urged the NURTW members in the state to endure the lockdown.

The NURTW boss said members apprehended at crime scenes would be prosecuted and dismissed while urging them to assist to obey the stay-at-home order of the government.

The statement read in part, “The

NURTW Chairman enjoined all members to endure for the time being otherwise any member caught either attached to robbery or caught at the scene of the act will be totally dismissed and prosecuted by law.

DHQ: Military Not Serving Tribal Interest in Taraba, Benue Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday declared that the Nigerian military was not serving any tribal interest in the ethnic crisis ravaging Taraba and Benue States.

A former Minister of Defence and Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), had accused the military of taking sides

in the ethnic crisis in the state.

Danjuma made the allegation during the convocation ceremony of Taraba State University in Jalingo.

“The armed forces are not neutral. They collude with the armed bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians”, he alleged.

But a statement signed by the Coordinator, Directorate of Defence Media Operations

(DDMO), Major General John Enenche, said the allegation that troops operating at the border of Taraba and Benue States were taking sides by preventing the Tivs from returning to their homes was unfounded.

“The attention of the Nigerian Military has been drawn to news going round in some quarters and the media that the troops operating at the boundary between

Taraba and Benue States are taking side, by preventing the Tivs from returning to their homes.

“This unpatriotic comment from some individuals are coming after troops of Operation Whirl Stroke and the internal security outfits of both Taraba and Benue states, have stabilised the security situation in the general area of conflict between the two tribes”, it said.

Group Passes Vote of No Confidence on Taraba Gov over Jukun, Tiv Crisis Udora Orizu in Abuja and Wole Ayodele in Jalingo The apex socio-cultural and political organisation of the Jukun people, Jukun Development Association of Nigeria (JDAN) has passed a vote of no confidence on the Governor of Taraba State, Mr.

Darius Ishaku, for his inability to address the raging crisis between Jukun and Tiv militia groups ravaging the southern parts of the state.

But in a swift reaction, the state government has reiterated its commitment towards ensuring that peace returns to the affected Southern part

of the country.

A statement issued after a meeting of the executives of the association and signed by its National President, Chief Bako Benjamin and General Secretary, Bulus Abe, said the vote of no confidence became necessary because the governor is missing from his duty post

and has abandoned his people and state for a very long time .

The association expressed concern on the recent upsurge in attacks on Wukari town and environs by the Tiv militias, calling on the governor to pay on-the- spot assessment tour on the southern parts of the state.

10

TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

COVID-19 UPDATE...

COVID-19 UPDATE...

Fayemi Extends Lockdown By Two Weeks Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has extended the movement restriction and curfew imposed in the state by two weeks, following the expiration of the initial order last night. The restriction will now end on April 27.

The new directive which was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Biodun

Oyebanj, also made wearing of face mask compulsory in public places.

The governor also directed that the restriction of movement would be suspended for eight hours, (between 6a.m-2p.m) on Thursday, April 16 and Thursday, April 23, to allow the people re-stock essential goods.

Like the previous order,

those on essential services and vendors of food stuff, water and medicines and other essential

goods are allowed to move with valid means of identification.

The governor also said

government would scale up its palliative measures and other support to the people and

businesses in order to cushion the effect of the movement restriction.

IMF Grants Immediate Debt Relief to 25 Countries The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved immediate debt relief for 25 countries, most of them in Africa.

In a statement by the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, the international lender said it would provide $500 million in grant-based debt service relief to these countries.

“Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Georgieva said.

“This provides grants to our poorest and most vulnerable members to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and will help them channel more of their scarce financial resources towards vital emergency

medical and other relief efforts.

“The CCRT can currently provide about $500 million in grant-based debt service relief, including the recent $185 million pledge by the UK and $100 million provided

by Japan as immediately available resources. Others, including China and the Netherlands, are also stepping forward with important contributions. I urge other donors to help us replenish the Trust’s resources and boost further our ability to provide additional debt service relief for a full two years to our poorest member countries.”

The countries that will receive debt service relief today are: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, D.R., The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Togo and Yemen.

Kwara Alleges Plot to Cause Unrest over Lockdown Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Kwara State Government yesterday said it has uncovered plots by some prominent opposition figures to incite the public to protest against the lockdown order in the state.

“We have an intelligence report that some prominent members of the opposition have perfected a plan to incite the public against the government. The plot is to incite the people to disregard the directive of the government to stay at home and stay safe at this time of global pandemic,” Commissioner for Communication, Mr. Murtala Olanrewaju said in a statement.

“Whatever the intent of these people, we warn them to desist forthwith as the government will take every measure to ensure that nobody goes against the directive to protect the people from the rampaging virus. Such plot shows that the people behind it cannot distinguish between politics and public safety.”

Olanrewaju urged the people to continue to respect the lockdown directive as failure to do so could prove fatal to the entire

population.

“We must avoid anything that may expose all of us to the virus and attendant calamity. We do not want to bury any of our people on account of this pandemic.

Anyone who has followed the trend in Europe and the US will understand that this is no time for the kind of politics these people are playing. We urge those behind this dangerous plot to drop it immediately.”

Quoting the NCDC, the statement said the virus spreads easily from person to person when people gather together, and called for increased adherence to social distancing and other safety measures.

Olanrewaju said the government’s decision to allow people to go out on designated days and time was to allow for restocking of foodstuffs and other essentials since “we cannot afford to feed everybody.”

“Even so, the government is reviewing the decision to see how we can balance the need to flatten the curve of transmission, which was the reason behind the lockdown, and the need to not let our people go hungry or totally cripple the economy,” he added.

TOTAL WAR AGAINST PANDEMIC…

Decontamination/containment of Oyo State Governor’s Office Secretariat, Ibadan…yesterday

29 Quarantined in Anambra, Says Health Commissioner David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Twenty nine persons, consisting of health workers, relations and business partners of the COVID-19 index case in Anambra State, have been quarantined and awaiting testing, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala, has revealed.

Okpala, who spoke to journalists in Awka, gave details

of how the COVID-19 response team in the state searched for the index case from 8p.m. to 3a.m., after National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) contacted the government to reveal that a case has been registered in Anambra State.

The commissioner said: “I went with the team to places I ordinarily would not go at that time of the night, and I knocked on a lot of doors to wake the people up from sleep

to ask about the individual.

“He left the hospital when he should not have left, and usually, while waiting for patient’s result, we keep them in check, but this man ran away even before the result was out, and when I called the doctor managing him, and he told me the man was not in the hospital, we had to go looking for him.

“Presently, the index case is being treated at an isolation

centre, and he is receiving the best of treatment. He has every facility he needs and is also provided whatever he wants.

“Contact tracing is on vigorously, and we have 29 persons who were contacts of the index case, and they include medical personnel at the hospital where he was being previously managed; his relatives and business associates.

Those traced are being closely monitored now.”

Kano Begins Fumigation of Places Visited By Index Case Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Kano State Government yesterday commenced the fumigation and disinfection of places visited by its index case of the COVID-19 in the state.

Special Adviser to Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Media, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, who confirmed the commencement of the fumigation and disinfection, said the exercise was spearheaded

by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso.

The five locations the index case visited have been cordoned off, adding that the fumigation will be a continuous exercise to ensure the state is free from coronavirus.

Yakasai said: “The affected places are Da’awah Juma’at Mosque, Dan Adalan Kano Juma’at Mosque, Providian Diagnostic Centre, Fan

Diagnostic centre, Prime Specialist Hospital and the patient’s house.

The affected places were shut down and disinfected at intervals before they will be reopened.”

Salihu said the exercise was kick-started immediately it was discovered that the patient tested positive.

Last Saturday, the state recorded it first case of coronavirus, a 75-year-old retired civil servant and former ambassador, who was said to

have travelled to Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja before returning to Kano, where he attended a wedding ceremony, Jumaat congregational prayer and also visited a private hospital in the state.

THISDAY observed that state officials of the Ministry of Health have deployed their rapid response team across the state to trace persons who might have come in contact with the index case.

LET’S ENDURE LONGER, BUHARI APPEALS TO NIGERIANS, EXTENDS LOCKDOWN BY 14 DAYS He said the consignment of medical supplies donated by the United Nations arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja yesterday.

Ehanire restated that the PTF was working on a compensation package for health workers in recognition of their sacrifices and to further motivate them.

“It goes beyond the wellknown group life insurance for public servants, the routine workmen’s compensation and health workers hazard allowance.

Details of the new package will be made available later,” he said.

Northern govs seek more testing centres In a related development, Northern States Governor’s Forum yesterday met to discuss issues relating to COVID-19 pandemic and requested for more testing centres in the region.

The meeting, which was conducted via teleconference and chaired by the Forum’s Chairman, Governor Simon

Lalong of Plateau State, discussed various issues including experience sharing on measures adopted by individual states to deal with the disease.

After receiving reports from various states, the forum resolved to strengthen preventive measures against the pandemic through enhanced border controls and surveillance as well as greater collaboration to ensure that there is synergy among them in movement restriction.

They noted that so far, the lockdown in some states in the region has had varying levels of success, but also raised concerns that enforcing cross-border movements remains a challenge as some of the cases recorded in some States were imported from outside despite the closure of borders by States.

They agreed that at the moment, each State would adopt the measure suitable to its setting because total lockdown of the region will come at a very high cost since most of its citizens are farmers who need to go to

farms since the rains have started.

Another issue discussed by the Northern Governors was the issue of palliatives from the federal government where they regretted that so far, no state in the region has received a dime as special allocation despite the fact that some of them have recorded cases while others are making frantic efforts to prevent any outbreak as well as prepare against any eventuality.

This they observed has eaten deep into the pockets of the states as they have spent a lot of money already and may not be able to sustain this for a long time. Since “prevention is better than cure”, they canvassed that the federal government grants them some special funds just as it has done to other states.

They mandated their chairman to liaise with the federal government through the Minister of Finance, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the private sector donor basket in order to benefit from available palliatives and donations.

As for testing centres, the governors lamented that the region had no testing centres, which was very disturbing. They resolved to again liaise with the federal government to ensure that each state at least gets one testing centre while highly populated ones get two.

The governors also discussed the economic impact of COVID-19 on the region and decided that they needed to take a wholesome look at the economic prospects of the region with a view to repositioning it for less reliance on Federal Allocation and to prepare for the future by diversifying to areas of comparative advantage such as agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and human capital development.

They consequently set up a 7-man Committee chaired by Governor of Kebbi State Atiku Abubakar Bagudu to fashion out the way forward. Other members are Governors of Kaduna, Sokoto, Kwara, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Gombe and Nasarawa State.

TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020

POLITICS

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

APC, PDP Lawmakers Differ on Move

by Presidency to Invite Chinese Doctors Udora Orizu writes that the move by the Presidency to invite Chinese doctors to help fight COVID-19 received some kicks from opposition lawmakers

Gbajabiamila

Elumelu

Ehanire

Mamora

T

The Speaker inquired from the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire about the whereabouts of the Chinese medical personnel and if they were subjected to the laid down protocol of the disease.

He said, “This engagement is to see how we can make things better. The Chinese medical personnel, are they coming to upgrade our laboratories, are you accepting them? Who are the technicians that have been running the Kaduna and Kano laboratories before now? Where are the Chinese personnel as we speak? How are you sure that the Chinese company responsible for this arrangement is complying with your directives?”

Responding, the Minister of Health, Ehanire, told the House leadership that Nigeria did not officially invite the Chinese team, but that it was an offer arranged by a group of Chinese companies based in Nigeria as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to Nigeria.

He said that being a novel disease that every country is trying to understand, Nigeria will benefit more from the gesture because the existing health facilities and personnel in Nigeria to tackle the disease are inadequate.

On his part, Minister of State for Health, Mamora, emphasized that the Chinese personnel are mainly experts in molecular laboratory testing, where we have only two indigenous experts currently serving seven laboratory centres.

He said the Chinese doctors are expected to help in setting up molecular laboratories around the country as well as upgrade and reconfigure existing ones in the country.

He assured that the Chinese medical personnel would not have direct contact with Nigerian patients but would only

help to reconfigure the laboratories and train Nigerian personnel and experts on the management of the disease and operation of the equipment and upgraded laboratories.

But in a statement issued last week, the Minority Caucus in the Green Chamber, kicked against the decision of the Federal Government to bring in Chinese doctors.

The leader of the Caucus, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, warned that bringing in medical personnel from the epicentre of the dreaded disease would expose the nation to further danger.

He stated categorically that Nigerian doctors and nurses are doing well so far in managing the scourge, but expressed fears that bringing in Chinese medical personnel, whose status, intentions and scope cannot be easily ascertained and controlled is totally against the national interest.

The caucus therefore called on the Federal Government to immediately rescind its decision and jettison all plans to bring doctors from the hotbed of the plague into the country at this critical time.

Elumelu said, “The Federal Government should note the apprehensions of Nigerians and professional bodies including the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) over the decision.

Bringing in Chinese medical personnel, whose status, intentions and scope cannot be easily ascertained and controlled is totally against our national interest.”

The caucus noted that this is particularly after alleged escalation of the pandemic in certain countries after Chinese doctors were reportedly involved, in addition to widespread trepidations over the safety of medical equipment and kits from China at this point in time.

The minority leader stressed that at such critical time, the safety and wellbeing of the citizens must be paramount and anything that is capable of further jeopardizing their lives must be avoided.

Speaking to THISDAY, an APC lawmaker reacting to the decision, took sides with the government while the PDP lawmaker was against it.

A member representing Bende Federal Constituency in Abia state, Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC), opined that this aid from China was a desperate propaganda tool to redeem the image of the Federal Government, however, he said that there was nothing wrong with China helping other countries, including Nigeria.

Kalu stressed that now that China has gained the upper hand in containing the Coronavirus, the importance of shared technical and medical knowledge in a time of crisis such as this cannot be overstated.

He said, “You know that there have been several accusations against the Chinese government for an alleged suppression of information and slow response that enabled the virus to grow and spread from Wuhan, China to the rest of the world. However, over 80,000 infections and 3,000 deaths later, they were able to get a grip on the situation and have since then been offering help to other embattled countries including Italy, Spain, France, Iran and Iraq and a number of European countries.”

“While we are allowed as a sovereign nation to exercise caution with regard to this assistance, let us also not forget that the capacity to rapidly test large numbers of suspected cases is very vital in the fight against coronavirus.”

“The FG has assured us that the Chinese Medical Personnel invited and sponsored

by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) as part of their CSR are mostly molecular lab experts who will have no direct contact with Nigerian patients and are only here to share knowledge as well as assist in the setting up of molecular lab testing in various parts of the country.”

“In such a time of panic, uncertainty and easy dissemination of disinformation and conspiracy theories, I will caution Nigerians not to have a “Cold War” mindset to China’s offer to help. Instead, the responsible thing to do as a nation is to ‘cautiously accept’ this assistance of technical knowledge, especially since our health ministers have complained that there are currently only two Nigerian molecular experts in the country.”

he team of Chinese medical experts may have arrived Nigeria last week for a one-month visit to help in the country’s fight against COVID-19, but the invitation to these Chinese experts by the Federal Government was stuntly opposed by opposition lawmakers.

Before the arrival of the Chinese doctors, there were clear signs of division in the House of Representatives as the legislators across party lines held different views on the need to invite the doctors.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, at a recent meeting between the leadership of the House and the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, gave the support of the legislative arm to the decision of the Federal Government to allow Chinese doctors into the country.

The Speaker said the meeting was convened following widespread complaints that trailed the announcement of the coming of the Chinese medical personnel to assist Nigeria.

He, however, said that the Chinese medical personnel must undergo the necessary checks as provided by Nigeria.

Gbajabiamila said the measure became necessary as precaution and to allay fears expressed by many Nigerians.

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 further said that the doctors have to be quarantined for 14 days as stipulated by the protocol, adding that the ministers should educate Nigerians about this to avoid misconceptions.

Also recently Gbajabiamila during a meeting on the update on COVID-19 between the leadership of the National Assembly and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) said the House will monitor the activities of the Chinese medical personnel that came into the country.

This exercise must also be done in close partnership with the Nigerian Medical Association whose members have performed efficiently in the frontlines of the fight against this pandemic. They must be involved in every step of working with the group of medical personnel from China. You should thank the presidential joint task force for the good job they are doing and appreciate the Lagos state Governor as well as my Abia state Governor for the steps they have taken so far against this virus

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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TUESDAY, ÍšÍźËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

FOR THE RECORDS

Lets Endure Longer, Says Buhari

F

ellow Nigerians In my address on Sunday, 29th March, 2020, I asked the residents of Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory to stay at home for an initial period of fourteen days starting from the Monday, 30th March 2020.

Many state governments also introduced similar restrictions.

As your democratically elected leaders, we made this very difficult decision knowing fully well it will severely disrupt your livelihoods and bring undue hardship to you, your loved ones and your communities.

However, such sacrifices are needed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our country. They were necessary to save lives.

Our objective was, and still remains, to contain the spread of the Coronavirus and to provide space, time and resources for an aggressive and collective action.

The level of compliance to the COVID-19 guidelines issued has been generally good across the country. I wish to thank you all most sincerely for the great sacrifice you are making for each other at this critical time.

I will take this opportunity to recognise the massive support from our traditional rulers, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) during this pandemic.

I also acknowledge the support and contributions received from public spirited individuals, the business community and our international partners and friends.

I must also thank the media houses, celebrities and other public figures for the great work they are doing in sensitizing our citizens on hygienic practices, social distancing and issues associated with social gatherings.

As a result of the overwhelming support and cooperation received, we were able to achieve a lot during these 14 days of initial lockdown.

We implemented comprehensive public health measures that intensified our case identification, testing, isolation and contact tracing capabilities.

To date, we have identified 92% of all identified contacts while doubling the number of testing laboratories in the country and raising our testing capacity to 1,500 tests per day.

We also trained over 7,000 healthcare workers on infection prevention and control while deploying NCDC teams to 19 states of the federation.

Lagos and Abuja today have the capacity to admit some 1,000 patients each across several treatment centres.

Many state governments have also made provisions for isolation wards and treatment centres. We will also build similar centers near our airports and land borders.

Using our resources, and those provided through donations, we will adequately equip and man these centres in the coming weeks. Already, health care workers across all the treatment centers have been provided with the personal protective equipment that they need to safely carry out the care they provide.

Our hope and prayers are that we do not have to use all these centres. But we will be ready for all eventualities.

At this point, I must recognise the incredible work being done by our healthcare workers and volunteers across the country especially in frontline areas of Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

You are our heroes and as a nation, we will forever remain grateful for your sacrifice during this very difficult time. More measures to motivate our health care workers are being introduced which we will announce in the coming weeks.

As a nation, we are on the right track to win the fight against COVID-19.

However, I remain concerned about the increase in number of confirmed cases and deaths being reported across the world and in Nigeria specifically.

On 30th March 2020, when we started our lockdown in conforming with medical

Buhari

and scientific advice, the total number of confirmed cases across the world was over 780,000.

Yesterday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally was over one million, eight hundred and fifty thousand.

This figure is more than double in two weeks!

In the last fourteen days alone, over seventy thousand people have died due to this disease.

In the same period, we have seen the health system of even the most developed nations being overwhelmed by this virus.

Here in Nigeria, we had 131 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 12 states on 30th March 2020. We had two fatalities then.

This morning, Nigeria had 323 confirmed cases in 20 states. Unfortunately we now have ten fatalities. Lagos State remains the center and accounts for 54% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria. When combined with the FCT, the two locations represent over 71% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria.

Most of our efforts will continue to focus in these two locations.

Majority of the confirmed cases in Lagos and the FCT are individuals with recent international travel history or those that came into contact with returnees from international trips.

By closing our airports and land borders and putting strict conditions for seaport activities, we have reduced the impact of external factors on our country. However, the increase in the number of States with positive cases is alarming.

The National Centre for Disease Control has informed me that, a large proportion of new infections are now occurring in our communities, through person-to-person contacts. So we must pay attention to the danger of close contact between person to person.

At this point, I will remind all Nigerians to continue to take responsibility for the recommended measures to prevent transmission, including maintaining physical distancing, good personal hygiene and staying at home.

In addition, I have signed the Quarantine Order in this regard and additional regulations to provide clarity in respect of the control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic which will be released soon.

The public health response to COVID-19

is built on our ability to detect, test and admit cases as well as trace all their contacts.

While I note some appreciable progress, we can achieve a lot more.

Today, the cessation of movement, physical distancing measures and the prohibition of mass gatherings remain the most efficient and effective way of reducing the transmission of the virus. By sustaining these measures, combined with extensive testing and contact tracing, we can take control and limit the spread of the disease.

Our approach to the virus remains in 2 steps - First, to protect the lives of our fellow Nigerians and residents living here and second, to preserve the livelihoods of workers and business owners.

With this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and Report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered, it has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the FCT for another fourteen days effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13th of April, 2020. I am therefore once again asking you all to work with government in this fight.

This is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death. Mosques in Makkah and Madina have been closed. The Pope celebrated Mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square. The famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter Mass with less than 10 people. India, Italy and France are in complete lockdown. Other countries are in the process of following suit. We can not be lax.

The previously issued guidelines on exempted services shall remain.

This is a difficult decision to take, but I am convinced that this is the right decision.

The evidence is clear.

The repercussions of any premature end to the lockdown action is unimaginable.

We must not lose the gains achieved thus far. We must not allow a rapid increase in community transmission. We must endure a little longer.

I will therefore take this opportunity to urge you all to notify the relevant authorities if you or your loved ones develop any symptoms. I will also ask our health care professionals to redouble their efforts to identify all suspected cases, bring them into care and prevent transmission to others.

No country can afford the full impact of a sustained restriction of movement on

its economy. I am fully aware of the great difficulties experienced especially by those who earn a daily wage such as traders, dayworkers, artisans and manual workers.

For this group, their sustenance depends on their ability to go out. Their livelihoods depend on them mingling with others and about seeking work. But despite these realities we must not change the restrictions.

In the past two weeks, we announced palliative measures such as food distribution, cash transfers and loans repayment waivers to ease the pains of our restrictive policies during this difficult time. These palliatives will be sustained.

I have also directed that the current social register be expanded from 2.6 million households to 3.6 million households in the next two weeks. This means we will support an additional one million homes with our social investment programs. A technical committee is working on this and will submit a report to me by the end of this week.

The security agencies have risen to the challenges posed by this unprecedented situation with gallantry and I commend them. I urge them to continue to maintain utmost vigilance, firmness as well as restraint in enforcing the restriction orders while not neglecting statutory security responsibilities.

Fellow Nigerians, follow the instructions on social distancing. The irresponsibility of the few can lead to the death of the many.

Your freedom ends where other people’s rights begin.

The response of our state governors has been particularly impressive, especially in aligning their policies and actions to those of the federal government.

In the coming weeks, I want to assure you that the federal government, through the Presidential Task Force, will do whatever it takes to support you in this very difficult period. I have no doubt that, by working together and carefully following the rules, we shall get over this pandemic.

I must also thank the Legislative arm of government for all their support and donations in this very difficult period.

This collaboration is critical to the short and long-term success of all the measures that we have instituted in response to the pandemic.

As a result of this pandemic, the world as we know it has changed. The way we interact with each other, conduct our businesses and trade, travel, educate our children and earn our livelihoods will be different.

To ensure our economy adapts to this new reality, I am directing the Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Communication and Digital Economy, Science and Technology, Transportation, Aviation, Interior, Health, Works and Housing, Labour and Employment and Education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy for a “Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19�.

The ministers will be supported by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and Economic Sustainability Committee in executing this mandate.

I am also directing the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice Chairman, National Food Security Council and the Chairman, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized.

Finally, I want to thank the members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for all their hard work so far. Indeed, the patriotism shown in your work is exemplary and highly commendable.

Fellow Nigerians, I have no doubt that by working together and carefully following the rules, we shall get over this pandemic and emerge stronger in the end.

I thank you all for listening and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. t #FJOH BO BEESFTT CZ 1SFTJEFOU .VIBNNBEV #VIBSJ PO UIF FYUFOTJPO PG $07*% QBOEFNJD MPDLEPXO PO "QSJM

14

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯͲ˜ 2020

COMMENT

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

A GLOBAL VILLAGE OF INEQUALITY

Even though Covid-19 infects the rich and the poor, the rich can afford privileged treatment, writes Chinedu Bosah

M

ost diseases are linked to poverty. Governments and ruling elite do not see the need to eradicate these diseases, pharmaceutical companies can only produce drugs and vaccines only if people can afford these drugs; those who could not afford the drugs are either candidate for long painful illness or the grave. Age-long malaria kills 300,000 people (about 75% of global deaths) in Nigeria annually; Cholera kills about 140,000 globally and is linked to consumption of contaminated food and water because partly 789 million people lack basic drinking water globally. Dengue fever/ virus is a mosquito-borne viral disease with about 300 million infections globally and 25,000 deaths annually. These are a few of the numerous diseases that are linked to poor housing condition, consumption of bad water, poor environment, poor nutrition, etc.

The rich are immune to diseases that afflict the poor, they live in highbrow areas and better environment, drink potable water and will never suffer from malnutrition but possibly overfeeding and constipation. I disagree with people including Madonna who say that COVID-19 is a great equalizer. I agree that the rich and the poor are infected but it is affecting the poor more and we have seen some rich buying privileged treatment. Ask the Nigerian Governors with COVID-19 (Seyi Makinde, Bala Mohammed and Nasir el-Rufai) where and how they received their treatments. Boris Johnson received treatment in St Thomas Hospital, one of UK’s best and prestigious hospital and has one of the best Intensive Care Units in the country. It does not mean that these privileged treatments guarantee 100 per cent success rate since it depends on several other factors (age and other underlining health problems) but they have a higher success rate than the underprivileged.

Contrary to uninformed assertion some weeks back in Nigeria by some people that suggest that blacks are immune to COVID-19, preliminary data shows that African-Americans are dying at a higher rate of COVID-19 than the US population at large due to disparities in health, healthcare access and other factors. Blacks constitute 33 per cent of the population in Louisiana but constitute more than 70 per cent of the people killed by COVID-19. African-American in Michigan constitute 14 per cent of the population but constitute 40 per cent of the deaths as a result of COVID-19. The reason for this is that aside underlining health issues and access to healthcare, African-American are forced to work for lack of sustainable savings compared to the whites and as a result are more susceptible to infections and deaths.

According to OXFAM International: 10,000 people die every day

AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE DYING AT A HIGHER RATE OF COVID-19 THAN THE US POPULATION AT LARGE DUE TO DISPARITIES IN HEALTH, HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND OTHER FACTORS

globally for lack of affordable healthcare; 258 million children are out of school globally; and yet $240 billion net income in 2012 of the richest 100 billionaires would be enough to make extreme poverty four times over; 1% world’s richest people have more than twice as much as 6.9 billion people; Nigeria’s five richest men and women have a combined wealth that could eradicate extreme poverty in Nigeria and yet 94 million people live below poverty while 736 million people live in extreme poverty globally. There is nothing as dehumanizing as begging to survive, there is nothing as excruciating as perpetually going to sleep on an empty stomach, there is nothing as shameful as your landlord throwing your property on the street because of rent, there is nothing as pathetic as seeing your children staving and you are unable to provide. Mass poverty and growing inequality is the genetic makeup of capitalism.

Ordinary people that violated the lockdown order are being harassed, beaten, threatened, charged to court and detained, while the rich have forced workers to work in a prison camp manner in defiance of the lockdown and no state or institutions including the Lagos State, Ogun State, federal governments and the security agencies will arrest them for any violation.

There was no urgency, seriousness and preparedness towards malaria and some other diseases; it is the same reason COVID-19 met us unprepared and unserious, it is simply because COVID-19 is affecting the rich as well and could potentially undermine production, commerce and capitalist exploitation immensely, hence, this level of belated emergency response. In 2018 alone, Lassa fever killed 171 Nigerians, there has not been any emergency or serious response because it does not threaten the VIPs and their class.

If capitalism invests more in medicine (preventive medicine as well), we would have prevented, eradicated or largely minimized Denge virus, Lassa fever, Malaria, Typhoid, Cholera, Ebola, Corona Virus, etc., but with the pharmaceutical companies’ interest in maximizing profit and ruling elite lip service, such ambition is illusory. Investment in vaccine and drugs are usually predicated on the basis of profitable returns. Big companies control politics, these CEOs put their yes-men in political offices while elections become mere rituals and fundamentally determines what happen in government houses from the board rooms. Only the working class through a socialist revolution that will democratically manage the economy and politics that can plan production and exchange to meet human needs and bring about equality in all ramifications.

Comrade Bosah, a socialist activist, wrote from Lagos

COVID-19 AND THE POOR IN NIGERIA Victor C. Ariole writes that the police could do with training in human relations

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t a road block in front of The Chartered Institute’s block near Oyingbo market stood a police CSP doing his job as claimed, making sure that motorists observe the lockdown order. The hopelessness and helplessness of people there proved how sorrowful the majority poor in Nigeria could not hold on to lockdown; even from that point watching the Oyingbo market it was a behive of activities. I borrowed a car to attend to my 80-year-old mother in distress and found myself ordered by the CSP to park the car and so I did.

Even calling out my mother and showing my ID card proved offensive to the CSP. It only hit me that as a teacher and as someone who had had opportunity of instructing once some security officers, there was a great deal of dysfunctional training in the Nigerian police. Not all the officers are to be seen that way of course, because I had had encounters with great Nigerian police officers either in France as INTERPOL personnel or even on peace mission in Congo.

Hygiene in COVID-19 should be of interest to the officer so claimed, to be enforcing government order because the end game is to save lives.

So, suddenly I watched a poor rank-and-file policeman vomiting in the enclave of impounded cars(about 20) and a poor pregnant woman, whose car had been impounded also, moaning and no one seems to be interested, till I saw a mama- put girl bringing food to the vomiting policeman as if hunger had been the reason for his condition. The 2ic of the station, a lady with another unhygienic outlook was barking orders on how to arrange cars to task force office in Oshodi while looking at the suffering police man and the pregnant woman as if they are not human beings.

She was mostly interested in negotiation process that was going on with some people who wanted their vehicles released.

At the end, among the over 20 impounded vehicles six, including the borrowed vehicle to rescue my old mother, were ‘quarantined’ for on-

ward movement to Oshodi with police escort; and hilarious police men and women for that matter as if Covid-19 has been defeated. Whatever the criteria used to single out the six I do not know.

It is difficult to know what could be a worse emergency than saving a vomiting policeman, my vulnerable mother and a pregnant woman. My mother depends on me as no welfare or pension package had ever come her way and I needed to borrow a vehicle so as to keep both home front and mother’s abode on better emergency mode even when for three months I have not received salary as ASUU and government that ought to protect us are on IPPIS warfront as ASUU fights for the soul of poor Nigerian educational system about to be brought down by forces beyond the knowledge of poor Nigerians.

On our way to Oshodi, passing through Oyingbo market to the road leading to the 3rd Mainland Bridge, one was at a loss in understanding what social distancing or stay-at-home mantra meant as what seem to be homes for the poor ones are really the streets, as they hang out freely and the beggars among them kept on begging. In deed this would have been the right time to build emergency camps for them and feed them very well, such camps could not cost so much money as building state of the art isolation centers. Red cross did it for poor people running from war ravaged zones and Salvation army has such camps for life-saving purposes among the deprived in some developed countries.

Now getting to Oshodi we were told that the place cannot contain any vehicle any longer and that we should proceed to Ikorodu. At Oshodi it was a long queue of vehicles and you start wondering whether every Nigerian whether on leg or in big cars are all poor people as it is baffling to see people out even when they were expected to be at home; or are they all on emergency mission of hunger and reaching out for their death destination? It is quite necessary to understand because in developed countries only those who are canvassing for voluntary

death come out when they say the temperature is inclement; and even at that police officers are deployed to protect and save them from killing themselves. Nigerian police are never trained that way, may be? As one of their teachers I expect a change of curriculum to attend to such psychosocial aspect of training.

At Ikorodu we drove in to the police yard with already over 100 quarantined vehicles in and at the gate of the premises, another breach of social distancing. Leave your car and leave the place was the order issued out by another fierce-looking bulky man in Mufti as if one had been detected in a preserved secret zone. No explanation, nothing.

You just hand over the key to the man.

Out of the place you see a long queue of vehicle being directed to find their way to Agege as the place cannot contain vehicle any longer.

Nigerians in sorrow being made to suffer more pains as if they intended to inflict such pains on themselves deliberately. It is indeed doubtful. One of the ladies among those whose vehicles were impounded and expected to be asked to pay fine and ‘go and sin no more’ said that she was going for a check-up that was slated for that day as, in deed, her ailment was like that of a death sentence and that the vehicle is her only consolation and hope of being saved from death. So, where are government assigned ambulances to save people in such situations? On the roads and streets you notice poor people on the move as if life made no more meaning to them. When I watch the TV and see privileged people like our president and great artist like Funke demonstrate how to wash one’s hands the question that comes to mind is : these poor people making the street their shift homes, those playing football on the streets to forget their sorrows, and the daredevil okada and kabu kabu riders, whether there are running taps for them to wash their hands at corners like you see in Accra Ghana, as some complain that they don’t even have money to go looking for water to buy, whether well water or sachet water.

Like a child like a poor person in this Covid-19

tragic period. Life is meaningless without food for the former as Kwashiorkor beckons and for the latter life is brute to be faced with carelessness or suicide attempt. They could even prefer to face mild ailment with hope that it would be over as loved ones around them give hope and instill some level of self-esteem in them than outright isolation or hurtful one. Note that three 300,000 Nigerians are reported to have died of Malaria in one year and about 100million cases are reported each year, so time for Nigerian government to define its main priority instead of calling on Chinese doctors to come for Covid-19 that has for now about 300 cases.

While thanking Governor Sanwo-Olu for great quality leadership shown as his quick intervention, before ever FGN came in, reduced disaster rate knowing very well what federal airports in Lagos would have created, it is high time the LGAs or about 3000 community areas were well brought into governance radar to take up the mantle of poverty alleviation. For example, in a community of about 1000 households, and Lagos counts about 15 to 20million people, that is about 15000 households, that could be assuaged with the expected advanced payment of N20,000 each proposed by FGN; Lagos could pay that in the accounts of each recognisable head of household and it will not take more than N300 to N500million and it will be appreciated than the current wrong food sharing approach.

Africans are always subjected to bear the brunt of others since world war 1 till this current virtual and spiritual assymetric ‘ world war 3’, even when Malaria kills no fewer than 1000 Nigerians every day and no one is making it a case for the world to care. African leaders should wake up; and the police needed more fund; as well as training to have a workforce that makes for saving lives in all situations and not applying force and adopting ‘ishe odun’ attitude in this humanitytrying era.

Ariole is Professor of French and Francophone Studies, University of Lagos

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020

EDITORIAL THE GENDER EFFECTS OF COVID-19 Couples should engage in productive things at home

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OVID-19 is an unprecedented global pandemic that knows no borders and has not been witnessed in the last 100 years. As this disease takes its devastating toll on humanity, threatening the lives of millions across the world, it is important that coping and mitigating strategy be put in place to help the most vulnerable while the scientific community, advanced countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO) battle to find effective treatment as well as develop a vaccine as a long term solution.

However, of serious concern is the growing number of domestic violence as a result of pressures arising from measures taken to deal with the pandemic.

Hardly a day passes without reports of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in major towns and cities across the country. The Women Aid Collective (WACOL) recorded more than 30 cases of violence against women and girls in the last week of March when the Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown started with the stay at home order by the government at the federal and many of WACOL HAS RECEIVED IN the states, as part of A PERIOD OF SIX WEEKS preventive measures SINCE THE FIRST INDEX to curb the pandemic.

CASE WAS REPORTED NO Some12 cases were FEWER THAN 50 CASES OF also recorded within the first week of April.

SPOUSAL ABUSES These cases point to a serious problem of SGBV amid the pandemic for which urgent action is required.

It is pertinent to recognise that the most dangerous place in the world for women in abusive relationships during this pandemic is their homes. Couples who cannot stand each other are now forced to co-habit 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The necessity for women in abusive relationships to stay with their abusers has heightened their risk and vulnerability to all forms of violence. The causes include idle stay at home by estranged couples, lockdown of businesses, deplet-

ing family finances and increased fear and anxiety over the future and life after Covid-19. Some of the affected persons may be inclined to resorting to unconventional stress inhibitors like illicit drugs and alcohol at this difficult time.

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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

herefore, part of the unintended consequences of this coronavirus pandemic is a spike in domestic violence-related cases. Facts and figures are already emerging that this is becoming a hot issue globally. It is also becoming a serious challenge in our country. Founded by Prof. Joy Ezeilo, WACOL has received in a period of six weeks since the first index case was reported in Nigeria no fewer than 50 cases of spousal abuses, some very serious. In line with its mission, the charity has been offering free legal aid and safe houses for some of these abused women and girls.

We must commend WACOL which has been at the forefront of advocacy and inclusion in the fight against this pandemic and the protection of women’s rights and vulnerable groups in Nigeria. It has started online services, including operating hotlines that provide quick response to women and girls in difficult circumstances. We enjoin other stakeholders to join in their efforts. Working together we can mitigate the impact of Coronavirus in Nigeria and protect the weakest at this time of a global pandemic. We advocate the intensification of community sensitisation to prevent SGBV and mobilise support, including shelter, legal and financial assistance for vulnerable women and girls during this lockdown. It is important for couples to avoid needless altercations and instead show tolerance, endurance and love at this period.

Understanding that this lockdown is temporary and that everybody will eventually get back their space when it is over remains important. People should find productive things to engage them while at home or in self isolation. The authorities must also be alert to their responsibility of protecting women and girls who constitute the most vulnerable people in a patriarchal society like ours.

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In Defence Of Sadiya Farouq

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atching the Thursday, March 9th, 2020 edition of Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, was not a particularly delightful experience. If anything, it brought a reasonable dose of discomfort; for, it looked more like a script written by persons with vast knowledge in subterranean political mud fight designed to run a tar brush on public officer who’s struggling, with glaring patriotic zeal, to cope with the growing humanitarian needs of a nation in distress.

The Channels Television’s court-of-public-opinion session had come on the heels of the recent interaction between the Minster of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, and National Assembly leadership wherein the former reportedly admitted that she was still studying the subsisting implementation manual for the delivery of Home Grown School feeding programme and the intrigues that surround the programme.

Earlier in the said meeting, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, had called for a review of the strategy used at the National Social Investment Programme in disbursing funds to poor households across the country. In the course of the TV discussion programme, uncharitable comments insinuating that the honourable minster wasn’t on top of her game were freely made with a participant saying that it was taking her forever – literally speaking - to master the NSIP which her ministry inherited from the Office of the Vice President.

Firstly, I think it was well within the powers of the National Assembly to summon the minister for the purpose of strength-

ening federal government’s efforts at reaching the poorest of the poor during this painful, uncertain period just as the Senate President’s suggestion of a review of strategy in funds disbursement is highly commendable - ditto lawmakers’ insistence that some of the presidential initiatives being implemented by Hajia Sadiya Farouq’s ministry should, in our national interest, be given legislative teeth.

In the same vein, the minister has also come under criticism for the crowd that thronged her and her team, in breach of the social distancing policy, at Kwali, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where they had gone to physically disburse funds to the poor and the vulnerable. Straightaway, the clips we saw on television is highly regrettable and I wish to urge the minister to quickly forestall a reoccurrence. The ministry cannot be on a mission to save lives yet at the same time endangering more lives!

On a general note, I’d like to grant that we are all stakeholders in Project Nigeria and more particularly in this sizzling battle against Covid -19. As stakeholders, therefore, we are at liberty to ventilate our views and do have a right to be heard. But I dare say that such expression of opinions must be guided by an unquestionable sense of patriotism. For here is a brand-new ministry with a brand-new minister who has an onerous task of properly interpreting her mandates and ingeniously setting up structures for delivering on them.

Whilst she may not have been without blemish in the discharge of her duties, she has at least been glaringly diligent and honest as she grapples with the enormity of her multiministerial responsibilities. Her competence shines like gold fish in clean blue river. A close observer of the ministry since

inception would attest to the fact that the honourable minister has remained the strategic thinker, team builder, team leader and methodological finisher she has always been right from her days at Refugee Commission. This explains, in large parts, the growing number of her admirers – cutting across a broad spectrum of the Nigerian populace.

In order climes, her humble admittance before National Assembly leadership that she was still studying the NSIP portfolio would have drawn applause, because it does not only spotlight her as someone who has come into public office with honesty and openness, it also reveals in her a minister of the federal republic who is painstaking and desirous of doing government business with measured circumspection. And if there are ‘intrigues’ as she is reported to have said, then it is only natural that she’d choose to walk cautiously to avoid stepping on mines.

At a time like this, Nigerians are enjoined to take a break from politicking and unnecessary pull him down (PHD) voyages for whatever reason(s) and focus strictly on issues. Nigeria and indeed the rest of mankind are at war with the deadly Corona Virus. We need to join forces to defeat this lethal enemy that has crept in on us unannounced.

The least government functionaries, medical workers and care-givers who are on the frontlines of this battle deserve are our support, collaboration and prayers. Hajia Sadiya Farouq belongs to this category. The time is roundly inauspicious for distractions of any kind. Emergency situations such as this do not permit the luxury.

Chuks Akamadu, President, Centre for Ethical Rebirth Among Nigerian Youths

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TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020 •T H I S D AY

TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

14.04.2020

COVID-19: CAN NBA EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR PAYMENT OF PRACTICING FEES?

President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN

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14.04.2020

Nigeria Post Covid-19

W Impact of Covid-19

e pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died as a result of the Covid-19 scourge, and for the accelerated recovery of those who are suffering from it. Amen.

The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the world, in terms of the number of deaths and the general decline of the global economy, has been devastating, and the future looks rather bleak.

For Nigeria, that has failed to diversify its economy, depending mostly on oil (and gas) revenues, the effect of the crash in oil prices, will be disastrous. Even the funds which come into the country from the diaspora will be greatly reduced, as people have already started losing their jobs abroad. Oftentimes, it takes an event which has a devastating effect, to wake people up to the stark realities, and change their outlooks and lifestyles completely. For Nigeria, and indeed, the world, this period of the Covid-19 pandemic, indisputably qualifies as one of those times.

I do not need to reiterate the fact that, over the years, all successive Nigerian Governments, have failed to invest in our healthcare sector, and currently, we have mostly decrepit medical facilities. I am glad that the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha, admitted this in one of their daily Covid-19 press briefings.

Now that we are all stuck here, and the elite are unable to travel abroad for their medical tourism, our lack of adequate medical facilities to service Nigerians is not only obvious to all, but affects us all. The ruling class especially, who seem to need medical attention the most, but were selfishly content to travel abroad for their own treatments while millions of Nigerians were left to their fates in our local hospitals, are now affected too. Good! Boris Johnson, the British PM, was treated in an NHS Hospital (public hospital), and there was transparency about his ailment and treatment - unlike our own top Government officials, whose ailments are shrouded in secrecy.

Rebuilding Nigeria: The Tasks Ahead Where should we begin? How do we rebuild our country, and make our society more equitable?

I do agree that there have always been rich and poor, but even in my lifetime in Nigeria, I have seen the poor have a much better quality of life, and their children have a brighter future than they do today.

The preamble of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) (the Constitution) states inter alia: “AND TO PROVIDE for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom, equality and justice; Section 17(2)(a) - “every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before the law”; Section 42 - right to freedom

President Muhammadu Buhari

from discrimination. The sum total of these provisions is that, all Nigerians are equal.

So, for example, I do not deny the fact that Covid-19 is possibly more contagious than Lassa Fever, but why is it that the latter, which has already claimed 188 lives as of last Friday (many more than the Covid-19 deaths in Nigeria), has been relegated to the back burner, and we seem to be concerned only about Coronavirus? Is it because those that are prone to Lassa Fever are the poor and disadvantaged who reside in rodent infested areas, while it is the privileged that seem to be at the forefront of contracting Covid-19?

What of the fact that, the same size emergency Covid-19 package bag that was given to the whole of Olayinka Street, Alimosho, Egbe (a poorer neighbourhood), was given to individual households in parts of the Obalende area?

Does it make sense to give less to those who are in dire need, while more is given to those who may not even require such palliatives?

Lesson No.1: As we rebuild our country post-Covid-19, it is imperative that we try to build a more equitable society, as the gap between the rich and the poor (who are in the majority here), is extremely wide. The fear remains that, when the majority who are unable to survive during this lockdown (and thereafter) decide to take to the streets in violent protest, they may wreak a considerable amount of havoc. It is time to institute a better welfare programme for the less fortunate (no matter how faulty Baba (President Muhammadu Buhari)’s Social Investment Programme may be, it may still be better than nothing), and fix our educational and medical facilities to a decent and functional level, so that the majority who cannot afford to travel abroad for education and medical care, can get it here.

The Great Depression of 1929 and the Economic Consequences of Covid-19 in Nigeria The economic consequences of Covid-19, are being predicted by some to be a looming Depression, that is, “a more severe economic decline that lasts for years” (up to a decade), as opposed to a Recession which is, “widespread economic decline which lasts for about six months” (or up to 18 months).

As a Depression is being predicted in some quarters, Nigeria needs to prepare herself for the worst. The effects of the Great Depression of 1929, were disastrous. Practically everything that could go wrong, did! According to Kimberly Amadeo an international expert on American and global economies: “The Great Depression of 1929 devastated the US economy. Half of all the banks failed. Unemployment rose to 25%, and homelessness increased.

Housing prices plummeted 30%, international trade collapsed by 65%, and prices fell 10% per year. It took 25 years, for the stock market to recover”.

Today, the Nigerian situation is looking worse than this. Long before Covid-19, there had been a significant drop in the price of oil. Our 2020 budget is based on production

of 2.18 million barrels of oil per day, at the price of $57 per barrel. In just a matter of weeks, the price of oil has plummeted by more than 50%, plus there’s an oil glut - no buyers! Our currency, has also lost some value.

Nigeria is a consumer nation, and since the business of our main export has more or less collapsed, the only international trade we will probably be doing apart from a little export of agricultural produce, is importing! Where will the funds even come from, to pay for imports? The unemployment rate which was probably about 17% or thereabouts in January 2020, would have risen significantly by now.

I remember that the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, had raised an alarm sometime ago that unemployment may reach about 33% this year, and he was making this prediction pre-Covid 19! Only God knows, where that rate will end up.

What am I trying to say? This is the time to start to implement the economic objectives set out in Section 16 and indeed, the whole of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution, to try to save and rebuild our battered economy and country. We can only achieve this, by deploying the services of the brightest and the best - Experts. Because, as old opportunities dry up, new ones will surely spring up as a result of Covid-19, and we need the most knowledgeable and discerning to help us tap into such opportunities. Whether to recover, it is Keynesian Economics - Government spending money to stimulate economic growth (not for wastage on recurrent expenditure/Opex) or the CBN reducing interest rates to stimulate investment or a mixture of these fiscal and monetary policies, or the Austrian way which allows the economy to recover itself without much interference from Government or the CBN, or a combination of this and that, Nigeria has, and needs people to take up this task immediately, and not Ministers who several months into their portfolios, claim that certain policies are so complicated, they have not been able to unravel them! We need people, who, as the slang goes, are ‘on top of their game’ - who evolve and churn out the most viable policies, not those who do not understand them! The situation we are in, is critical.

Lesson No. 2: Rebuilding our economy, goes beyond Party lines, APC, PDP, or XYZ. Employing the services of mediocres because they are APC members, or because of tribe, religion, federal character and other useless indices which hitherto, have been the basis even for appointing people to the most sensitive positions in Government, is the fastest and most effective way to ensure that our country, which is already on the road to snafu and catastrophe, fails completely!

Reduction in Cost of Governance and Expenditure Apart from President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) signing the ‘New Deal’, having several laws to drive 42 initiatives evolved to create employment and get America out of the Depression, one key thing that the American Government did, was to reduce Government spending.

The pertinent question to ask at this juncture is, do we love our country and want it to survive, or not? It is patently clear that, if the answer to this question is in the affirmative, this is as good a time as any, to do away with many of our worthless structures, systems and frivolous expenditure, as the cost of governance is way too high and unsustainable. We cannot continue to spend the greatest chunk of our budget on recurrent expenditure/Opex, borrowing money to fund the purchase of luxury cars for Government officials and paying them exorbitant salaries and stipends, allocating obscene amounts to renovating the National Assembly, while Baba, the Ministers, top Government Officials, members of the National Assembly etc have a huge retinue of unnecessary staff - Special Advisers, Personal Assistants, Special Advisers to the Personal Assistants, and so on, all a drain on Nigeria’s extremely scarce resources.

Referendum and Other Matters It is the time to start to make a plan for a proper referendum, not the type where there will be a Constituent Assembly teeming

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

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

“REBUILDING OUR ECONOMY, GOES BEYOND PARTY LINES, APC, PDP, OR XYZ. EMPLOYING THE SERVICES OF MEDIOCRES BECAUSE THEY ARE APC MEMBERS, OR BECAUSE OF TRIBE, RELIGION, FEDERAL CHARACTER AND OTHER USELESS INDICES......IS THE FASTEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTRY, WHICH IS ALREADY ON THE ROAD TO SNAFU AND CATASTROPHE, FAILS COMPLETELY!”

with cronies of those in power - a general one, where the issue of the system we run presently will be broken down in our local languages to the masses, and the question of whether they want us to continue with it, or to adopt a new less expansive and much less expensive system of Government.

Whether the Constitution will have to be amended to include a clear provision for referendum, or whether provisions like Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution which provides that sovereignty belongs to all Nigerians, from whom Government through the Constitution derives all its powers and authorities, suffices to have a referendum, it is clear that, the time for this conversation has come. What method are we going to use to get a new Constitution that will clarify all the discrepancies and plentiful issues that have arisen in our 20+ year old democracy, which were not captured in the present Constitution? What manner of system will we utilise to diversify our economy and start to harness all our other untapped resources, ideas of which have already been included in Nigeria Export Promotion Council’s ‘Zero Oil Plan’? Are we going to continue to have States which are not viable, or allow them to harness their own resources to generate IGR? What kind of Restructuring are we going to undertake, in order to rebuild our country and make it better? There are so many unanswered questions, and matters which require urgent attention.

Lesson No. 3: The fallout of Covid-19 is that, we can no longer ignore the fact that we will more or less have to restart our country again, constitutionally, economically, structurally, to mention but a few ways.

The sooner that Government attends to these matters, the better for us all. One thing is certain, we cannot continue like this.

LAW REPORT/3

Determining the Existence or Otherwise of a Valid and Enforceable Contract

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card given to the Appellant upon payment and the admission Notice/Photo card printed by the Appellant, are several documents that must be read together in determining the liability of the Respondent. He argued that, these documents and the conduct of parties showed no liability for breach of contract on the part of the Respondent, and it was the Appellant who was at fault and should bear the consequences.

Facts

ometime around April 2008, the Respondent advertised for entries into the November/December West African Senior Secondary School Examination (WASSCE Private), and advised prospective candidates to pay N4,250.00 for online registration.

On 3rd April, 2008, the Appellant, who sued by her next friend Charles Dumbiri Mekwunye because she was a minor, paid the online registration fee and was issued a receipt (Exhibit C1) in her name “Ogechukwu", on the advice of the Respondent's cashier. Consequently, the Respondent was able to access the Respondent's website where she registered for the November/ December 2008 West African Senior Secondary School Examination (Private).

The Appellant registered with the name, “Mekwunye Providence Ogechukwu”. The Respondent’s website acknowledged acceptance of the registration, but omitted the last two letters of the Appellant's name, thus making it read “Ogechuk". The Appellant was not happy with this, and thus, instructed her solicitors to take up the matter. Consequently, the Appellant's solicitors wrote the Respondent to inform it of the wrong spelling of the Appellant's name. Rather than responding to the letter, the Respondent contacted the Appellant and her father and informed them that its computer was configured to accept only 25 character names, whereas the Appellant's name had 27 letters.

The Appellant's solicitors again wrote another letter to the Respondent, demanding the rectification of the Appellant's name. The Respondent responded to the Solicitor by a letter dated 10th November, 2008 (Exhibit C7), and advised that the Appellant make a formal request in writing for amendment of her name in the WASSCE (Private). In addition, she was required to pay the sum of N5000.00 and attach her original copy of the receipt of payment to the application. The Appellant duly complied with the Respondent's advice, however, her name was still not rectified. Further to this, the Appellant instituted an action against the Respondent at the High Court of Lagos State, seeking inter alia, a declaration that the Appellant is entitled to have her November/December 2008 WASSCE (Private) results released, and certificate made in her full names – “Mekwunye Providence Ogechukwu", and that the rejection of the last two letters in her first name was wrongful and strips the Appellant of her identity, thereby rendering the result and certificate issued in the wrong name useless, and the said examination useless. The Appellant also sought an order compelling the Respondent to release the Claimant’s result, and issue her certificate in her correct full names, as well as general damages.

At the end of the trial, the trial court delivered judgement in favour of the Appellant. Aggrieved, the Respondent appealed to the Court of Appeal. Among the issues submitted before the court, was an issue which challenged the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain the suit. This issue was resolved in favour of the Appellant, however, the other issues which questioned the verdict of the trial court were resolved in favour of the Respondent, and all the reliefs granted by the trial court were set aside. Dissatisfied, the Appellant filed an appeal at the Supreme Court and submitted eight issues for determination, in her brief of argument.

The Respondent, on the other hand, formulated four issues for determination. However, the Apex Court adopted the 4th issue formulated by the Appellant, as the sole issue which would effectively determine the entire appeal.

Issue for Determination Whether the Respondent is not estopped, in view of the established facts of this case, from refusing to issue the Appellant a certificate in her full names “Mekwunye Providence Ogechukwu" Arguments Counsel for the Appellant argued that, before the registration on the Respondent's online portal by the Appellant, a valid and subsisting contract had already been formed between the Appellant and the Respondent, and the terms were already complete. He argued

Hon. Paul Adamu Galinje , JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 17th day of January, 2020 Before Their Lordships Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili Musa Dattijo Muhammad John Inyang Okoro Paul Adamu Galinje Uwani Musa Abba Aji Justices, Supreme Court SC.474/2016 Between Adamu Abubakar ...

Providence Ogechukwu Mekwunye ..................Appellant And W.A.E.C................. Respondent (Lead Judgement delivered by Hon. Justice Paul Adamu Galinje, JSC)

that, it was after this valid contract had been formed that the Respondent came up with the information that its registration software could not contain more than 25-character name, which information was not part of the terms of the contract between the Respondent and the Appellant.

Conversely, counsel for the Respondent submitted that, the Respondent's publication in the national dailies sometime in 2008, the receipt of payment issued to the Appellant by the Respondent, the scratch

“......A CONTRACT IS FORMED ONCE THERE IS AN OFFER BY THE OFFEROR TO THE OFFEREE WHICH IS ACCEPTED BY THE OFFEREE, BACKED BY CONSIDERATION, AND IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT THE PARTIES TO THE CONTRACT ARE SAID TO BE AD IDEM OR IN AGREEMENT, AND THAT AGREEMENT OR CONTRACT IS BINDING ON PARTIES, AND AS SUCH, IT IS ENFORCEABLE BY ACTION”

Court’s Judgement and Rationale The court held that, a contract is formed once there is an offer by the offeror to the offeree which is accepted by the offeree, backed by consideration, and it is at this point that the parties to the contract are said to be ad idem or in agreement, and that agreement or contract is binding on parties, and as such, it is enforceable by action.

In order to establish that parties have formed a contract, there must be evidence of consensus ad idem which relates to an offer and acceptance between them. If there is a stipulated mode for acceptance of the offer, the offeree has a duty to comply with the same, and no less. The Court relied on YARO v AREWA CONSTRUCTION LTD & ORS (2007) LPELR – 3516 (SC), BILANTE INT'L LTD. v NDIC (1997) 8 NWLR (PT. 515) 37 and AFOLABI v POLYMERA INDUSTRIES (1967) 1 ALL NLR 14. The Court further held that, for the purpose of ascertaining the intention of parties, regard must be had to the terms of the contract, the conduct of the parties and the circumstances of the case. Reliance was placed on NANKA - BRUCE v COMMONWEALTH TRUST LTD (1926) A.C. 77.

The Apex Court held that, the offer made by the Respondent when it advertised for entries into the November/December WASSCE (Private) examinations in April 2008 was accepted by the Appellant when she bought, filled and submitted the form, while the consideration was the N4,250.00 paid as online registration fee. At this point, a valid contract had been formed and had crystallised, and it is not in doubt that parties had reached an agreement to have the Appellant write the Respondent’s examination in her full name “Mekwunye Providence Ogechukwu", when her payment for registration fee was accepted and a receipt was issued to that effect. In fact, as at the time the contract was entered into and matured or crystallised, there was no clause or proviso of the requirement of not more than 25-letter name. Furthermore, the Respondent vide Exhibit C7 accepted and admitted that an amendment in the spelling was possible, hence they cannot now turn around to withhold the certificate of the Appellant, as same will amount to breach remediable in reinforcement.

The Court relied on its decision in AKANNI v MAKANJU (1978) 11 SC 13 AT 26 and OKONKWO v KOAJIE (1992) LPELR – 2438 (SC) that, where a man by word or conduct wilfully made a representation of a state of facts to another, and thereby induced that other person to believe that the state of things were as represented by that person, and that other took him by his words and acted upon that representation, then that person who made the representation either by himself or his representative in interest, cannot now turn around to say or behave as if the state of things were not as he represented then. He is estopped, from asserting the contrary. The Court held that, by accepting to carry out corrections in the Appellant's name and having collected the sum of N5,000.00 as penalty fee, the Respondent is estopped from refusing to issue the Appellant a certificate in her full names.

Appeal Allowed.

Representation Dr. Charles Mekwunye with Ikechukwu Onyimba and Chukwuka Adaobi for the Appellant.

I. G. Haruna with Tola Olorunfemi, Tunde Osinubi, A. Y. Zubairu and H. I. Apah for the Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Law Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Report (NMLR)

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Covid-19: Can NBA Extend the Deadline for Payment of Practicing Fees?

One of the biggest challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has foisted on Nigerian Lawyers, is the lockdown order issued by the Federal and State Governments, which caught many Lawyers unawares. As a result of the sudden lockdown, they were unable to meet the March 31 deadline for the payment of the annual Bar Practicing Fees (BPF), which the Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association makes compulsory for all Lawyers. This has left a lot of Lawyers pondering over their fate in the next one year, as without payment of the BPF, they will not be issued with the current stamp and seal which is required to be appended to court processes and other documents, and may not be granted audience in any court. Is there any respite, for such Lawyers? Is Covid-19 a Force Majeure which can excuse Lawyers? George Etomi, Chuks Nwana, Afam Osigwe and O.N. Ewelike interrogate the issues, and proffer the way out of the quagmire

Payment of Bar Practicing Fees, NBA is Helpless

Covid-19 Lockdown, NBA Practicing Fees and Elections

George Etomi

Chuks Nwana

I

“THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC OCCASIONED BY THE COVID-19 VIRUS, HAS BEEN SO DISRUPTIVE OF HUMAN AFFAIRS GENERALLY....

IT GIVES SOLID REASONS FOR THE BAR LEADERSHIP, TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE PLEAS FOR AN EXTENSION OF THIS DEADLINE”

have followed the debate, about whether or not the period to pay the Bar Practicing Fees (BFP) should be extended beyond the statutory March 31 deadline.

Given the importance of meeting this deadline in our annals, many of which have been eloquently described in various posts, I am not surprised that this debate won’t go away.

Strict Interpretation of the Law Applying a strict interpretation of the law, it will appear that there isn’t much the leadership of the Bar can do, given the several layers of actions that are required to effect any amendment. However, this, and indeed, any law must be applied within a context.

The global pandemic occasioned by the Covid-19 virus, has been so disruptive of human affairs generally, and is forcing nations and subnations, to allow for drastic changes to age long beliefs. It is the unforeseeable, and unavoidable nature of the pandemic, that has been largely responsible for this disruption.

I

George Etomi

In my opinion, it gives solid reasons for the Bar leadership, to give consideration to the pleas for an extension of this deadline. Whatever hiccups are encountered on the way, can for the same reasons be removed to accommodate this peculiar situation. It certainly will be a one-off, and I add my voice to those asking for a reprieve.

Exercise of Discretion The issues are clear, and merely requires the exercise of discretion.

If we follow strict law, then those advocating non-extension are right, but if it is to weigh in on creating an exception for this extraordinary situation, then that’s my argument right here.

George Etomi, Legal Practitioner, Pioneer Chairman, NBA Section on Business Law

President, Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro, SAN

NBA Lacks Power to Extend Deadline for BPF Payment Afam Osigwe

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he NBA President, is very much in order. The NBA lacks power to extend the time for payment of the Annual Practice Fee, commonly called Bar Practice Fee (BPF) .

Rules of Professional Conduct The March 31 deadline for the payment of Annual Practice Fee, is fixed by a subsidiary legislation (the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2007).

Section 9(1) of the Rules (RPC 2007) stipulates that “a lawyer shall pay his Annual Practicing fees not later than 31st March in every year”.

Considering that the RPC was made by the General Council of the Bar in the exercise of the power granted to it by Section 12(4) of the Legal

“......NEITHER NBA NOR ITS LEADERSHIP, HAS THE POWER TO EXTEND A DEADLINE PROVIDED

BY LAW. THIS IS SIMPLY BECAUSE, NO SUCH POWERS HAVE BEEN RESERVED FOR THE NBA IN THE LAW”

Practitioners Act and not by NBA, neither NBA nor its leadership, has the power to extend a deadline provided by law. This is simply because, no such powers have been reserved for the NBA in the law. Since NBA lacks such power, any such exercise would be null and void.

The only time a Lawyer can safely pay BPF after March 31, is when he/she was enrolled after March 31.

I say this, notwithstanding the clear plight of those who may have had difficulty making the payment before midnight of March 31. What the current situation has highlighted, is a call for an amendment of the RPC, to give NBA the power to extend the time for the payment, if we are faced with the kind of situation induced by an unforeseen event like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mazi Afam Osigwe, former General Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association Afam Osigwe

LPA and Sanctions for Non-Payment of Practicing Fees n the Legal Practitioners Act (LPA), the amendments and the various regulations made thereunder, there is no dispute about the requirement that practicing fees must be paid at a particular time and within the financial year, as prescribed by the LPA and under the NBA Constitution.

The law goes ahead to prescribe sanctions, in the event that the practicing fees for a particular year is not paid before the 31st of March - the member will be denied right of audience as a legal practitioner in any court in Nigeria, to prepare legal documents, to hold any office whatsoever by virtue of his qualification as legal practitioner, or to vote or be voted for in NBA elections. It also includes sundry sanctions, in relation to judicial appointments and elevation to the inner Bar for non- payment of practicing fees and bar dues.

It further provides that, failure to pay practicing fees shall be construed as an act of professional misconduct, which could warrant reference to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, even though payment is redeemable at a later date.

We draw attention to the use of the word ‘notwithstanding’ in Section 4(1) of the LPA, which essentially means that the practicing fees can be paid after the prescribed date of 31st of March, but does not indicate a cut off date. It is to be assumed that, the payment ought to be made before the onset of the next financial year. It however, stands to reason that, the right to vote in an election is lost if payment is not made before 31st March of a given year. Voting at the material time is denied, even if the member pays at a later date. No member who is in default of payment of Practicing fees and Bar dues as at that date, will be entitled to vote or be voted for.

As a consequence of the sanction imposed by the section, especially in respect of the proviso of not being able to vote or be voted for, has become topical in view of the extenuating situation created by the public health crisis which warranted the imposition of lockdown under the Quarantine Act. The unambiguous wording of the section makes it clear that, failure to pay by a particular date makes the member ineligible to vote or to be

Chuks Nwana

voted for, and creates an opening for the payment thereafter, which does not vest any right to vote or to be voted for after 31st March, 2020.

Our diligent search has not disclosed any judicial authority on the subject-matter, and in the absence of any case law on the subject-matter, reliance must be placed on the literal interpretation of the provisions of the statute and the presumption of regularity of any act sovereign, until it is set aside by the courts.

Force Majeure It is common knowledge that the Federal and State Governments have imposed varying degrees of lockdowns in their respective States, which has made it impossible to make these payments before the deadline of 31st of March. These lockdowns also affected, to a considerable extent, the financial and banking system which has created a force majeure situation, wherein a lot of members are unable to make the payments on or before that date which deprives them the right to stand in the NBA election or to be voted for.

In my view the invocation of the powers under the Quarantine Act, has considerably altered patterns of everyday life and qualifies as a serious factor to be considered, in extending for some time, the period for the payment of Practicing fees and Bar dues.

The NBA Constitution provides in Section 5 that, the Supreme authority of the Association shall be exercised by the general meeting, and the Constitution further provides in Section 17(2), that every member shall pay practicing fees

“.....I AM HOWEVER OF THE STRONG OPINION AND SUPPORTED BY CONVENTION THAT, THE PERIOD FOR PAYMENT OF THE FEES SHOULD BE EXTENDED, AND THAT THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NBA CAN ACTUALLY EXTEND THE PERIOD FOR THE PAYMENT, AND SEEK RATIFICATION AT THE NEXT AGM OF THE ASSOCIATION” by the end of March each year. The NBA Constitution also mandates that, any amendment to the Constitution must be carried out at the AGM of the Association or in deserving situations by an EGM. By the rules of interpretation, a general meeting also includes EGM which must be requisitioned at least 60 days before the date of AGM. The challenge is on the protocol of calling same with requisite notices for its validity. Time is clearly of the essence here, in the light of the upcoming elections of the NBA. Extension: The Fair thing to do While there is no express provision for ratification of acts carried out by the National Executive Committee by the general meeting, I am however of the strong opinion and supported by convention that, the period for payment of the fees should be extended, and that the National Executive Committee of the NBA can actually extend the period for the payment, and seek ratification at the next AGM of the Association .

This would be the fair thing to do in the circumstance, so as not to disenfranchise anyone for a situation over which they are blameless. In practical terms, the extension should not be more than the number of days lost to the lockdown, prior to the deadline of 31st March. We must not forget that there are some legal practitioners who only earn income daily or periodically, whose incomes have suffered some adversity, because of the lockdown.

Chuks Nwana Esq (B.sc, LL.M , FCiarb UK), Legal Practitioner, Lagos

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Payment of BPF Before and After March 31st: Consequences Thereof O.N. Ewelike

“THE RIGHT OF AUDIENCE BEFORE THE COURTS CAN BE RESTORED, AND THE QUALIFICATION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF ANNUAL STAMPS MAY BE REMEDIED BY AND UPON THE IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF THE BAR PRACTICING FEES......”

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ursuant to several contradicting views and concerns from colleagues who may not have paid their Bar Practicing Fees by or before 31 March, and the consequences of their failure to make the payments as at the said date, this article is intended to clarify issues in that regard, and to guide those “defaulting” members.

The NBA Constitution 2015 Section 1(4) of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA” or “Association”) Constitution 2015 defines a full member of the Association as “any person duly enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a legal practitioner and registered with a Branch of the Association”. Notwithstanding that definition, any member who fails or neglects to pay his or her Bar Practising Fees (“BPF”) by or before the end of March of each year shall, For as long as he/she remains in default, inter alia, have no right: I. Of audience in any Court in Nigeria; II. To prepare, authenticate or frank legal documents including Memorandum and/or Articles of Association; III. To hold any office whatsoever to which he or she would have been entitled by virtue of his/her qualification as a legal practitioner.

IV. To vote or be voted for at any election of the Association Furthermore, failure or neglect to pay the Annual Practicing Fees and Branch Dues, as and when due, shall be deemed to be an act of professional misconduct. In consonance with the NBA Constitution, Rule 9 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 mandatorily stipulates as follows: 9. -(1) “A lawyer shall pay his Annual Practicing Fees not later than 31st March in every year. In the case of lawyers who are enrolled during the year, the fees shall be paid within one month of the enrolment.

(2) “A lawyer shall not claim in any court or before a judicial tribunal that he has paid his Annual Practicing Fee when he

and/or appointments as Notary Public and as Judicial Officers.

O.N Ewelike

is, in fact, in default.

(3) “A lawyer shall not sign documents, pleadings, affidavits, depositions, applications, instruments, agreements, letters, deeds, letters, memorandum, reports, legal opinions or similar documents or processes or file such documents as a legal practitioner, legal officer or adviser of any Governmental Department or Ministry or any corporation when he is in default of payment of his Annual Practicing Fees”.

As earlier stated, the non-payment of Bar Practising Fees on or before 31st March of each year, robs the legal practitioner of audience before the courts with effect from the said “cutoff” date. Non-payment of the Practising Fees as at when due, also denies the Legal Practitioner certain privileges e.g. elevation to the Inner Bar as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria

Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 10(1) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 also provides that a lawyer acting in the capacity of a legal practitioner, legal officer or adviser of any Governmental department or Ministry or any Corporation, shall not sign or file a legal document unless there is affixed on any such document a seal and stamp approved by the Nigerian Bar Association. The payment of Bar Practicing Fees, is a pre-condition for the issuance of the annual seal and stamp.

The question is: Considering the grave consequences of a failure to pay the Bar Practicing Fees on or before 31st March of each year, is there any remedy available to defaulting lawyers?

The answer is: YES! If any legal practitioner has failed or neglected to pay his/ her Bar Practicing Fees on or before 31st March of any year, all hope is not lost. The right of audience before the courts can be restored, and the qualification for the issuance of annual stamps may be remedied by and upon the immediate payment of the Bar Practicing Fees, albeit, after the cut-off date of 31st March. Please note, however, that the other privileges (e.g. elevation to the Inner Bar and appointments as Notary Public and as a Judicial Officer) will unfortunately, remain forfeited to the defaulting legal practitioner.

O.N. Ewelike Esq, Legal Practitioner, Abuja

‘Our Courts Must Set Up Comprehensive Databases of all their Judgements’ Adedapo Tunde-Olowu, FCIArb, FCTI, is Head of the Editorial team which has put together the Aviation Law Report in Nigeria (AVLRN), the first comprehensive law report of judgements of the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on aviation related disputes. In this interview with Akinwale Akintunde, he shared his motivation for embarking on this remarkable project and the value the Law Reports will bring to the table, as well as his thoughts on some front-burner issues in the legal terrain where he plies his trade

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hy have you chosen to report judgements in a particular practice area?

In the course of my over 30 years as a Lawyer, I discovered gaps in law reporting of court decisions in certain practice areas, notable among which are, Aviation and Intellectual Property. This discovery and my passion to contribute my little quota to the development of Nigeria’s legal system, motivated me to embark on this project, starting first with Aviation. We are presently working on a Report, covering decisions in Intellectual Property.

We decided to begin with Aviation, because it is one of the key sectors of the Nigerian economy. It is reported that, the Aviation sector contributes about USD10 billion to Nigeria’s GDP. Aviation provides an efficient and rapid worldwide transportation network, making it essential for global business. It generates economic growth, creates jobs, and facilitates international trade and tourism.

As My Lord, the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, rightly stated in the foreword to the first edition of the AVLRN: “…the increase in air passenger and cargo traffic, has resulted in a surge in claims arising from the carriage of passengers and cargo by air.

It therefore, becomes imperative to have the decisions of our courts in all Aviation related cases documented in a comprehensive law report, to serve as a one-stop authoritative source for Nigerian case law on carriage of persons and goods by air”.

Why do you think the AVLRN is unique, bearing in mind the fact that there are several other law reports in circulation

in Nigeria?

The AVLRN, is remarkably different from the existing law reports. The format and print quality are unique. The Report covers decisions of the superior courts of records in Nigeria (i.e. the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court).

This means we are able to provide all actors/stakeholders in the Aviation sector (including the Bar and the Bench, Academia and Government agencies) with a comprehensive and authoritative reference material. This makes the AVLRN, unique. But, beyond this, we are tech-minded and innovative. In this light, one of our plans is to roll out an e-version of the AVLRN, in order to give our readers access to these decisions anywhere in the world.

Lawyers in Nigeria, are increasingly becoming tech savvy.

Do you intend to publish electronic versions of the report?

We understand the place of innovation, in the growth of any human endeavour. In the wake of technological advancements, electronic reports have made complex and time-consuming research, much simpler and time-efficient. Certainly, we will publish an online version, so that users who prefer to use online libraries can have access to the electronic version of the reports.

What are your views on the conflicting judgements of our courts? What are your suggestions for dealing with this issue?

We operate a common law system, where the principle of stare decisis applies. Stare decisis refers to the doctrine of precedent, which obliges Judges to decide cases in accordance with previous decisions by a superior higher court, in similar cases. The rationale for stare decisis, is to ensure consistency and predictability in our jurisprudence. The task of a Lawyer is made easier, when

Adedapo Tunde-Olowu, FCIArb, FCTI

the jurisprudence of the courts on a particular issue is consistent across appellate courts with co-ordinate jurisdiction. Similarly, the certainty of the law, ensures that individuals and businesses can go about their endeavours, knowing what to expect when disputes arise. Conflicting judgements present a challenge to the

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L-R: Tosin Akingbade, Chief Innovation Officer, OALP; Dr Ekwueme, Partner, OALP; First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, Dr Ololade Kehinde, Senior Special Assistant on Health, Ogun State, Seye Opasanya, SAN, Partner, OALP and Dr Konyin Ajayi, SAN

Managing Partner of Ezeobi & Partners, Mr. Jude Ezeobi distributing food and refreshments to women and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Essential Service Duty

Advocacy Group Asks FG to Investigate Kaduna Correctional Centre Killings, Decongest Custodial Centres Nationwide Akinwale Akintunde Human Rights Advocacy Group, Access to Justice (A2J), has asked that the Federal Government initiates a prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the incident in Kaduna Maximum Custodial Centre, that led to the loss of lives of inmates of that Centre.

Access to Justice made the call in a statement signed by its Executive Director of, Mr Joseph Otteh, and Project Director, ‘Deji Ajare, and also urged the Government to urgently decongest custodial centres nationwide.

The Group recalled that, the alleged riot that took place at the Kaduna Maximum Custodial Centre On April 1, 2020 over the fear of Covid-19, resulted in the killing of inmates by prison officials while quelling the protests.

According to A2J, the Kaduna State Correctional Centre initially denied any deaths, but later admitted, claiming that the only deaths that occurred, were persons who were already condemned to death and were on death row.

“The inmates were reportedly anxious about the risks they faced given the over-crowding of their cells, aggravated by fears that another inmate had allegedly been rushed to hospital over the Coronavirus infection.

Earlier on, the Kaduna State Correctional Centre denied reports of any deaths, and

then afterwards claimed that the only deaths which occurred were persons who were already condemned to death and were on death row. Investigation by the media, showed these claims to be false and misleading”, the Group stated.

A2J noted that, killings are capricious and gross violations of rights of prisoners.

“The killings at the Kaduna State Correctional Centre, are an unfortunate violation of the fundamental rights of the inmates and of the rights of their family members. This is so, notwithstanding whether the prisoners are on death row or not. The right to life can only be taken away, by the enforcement of the judgement of a court.

“In this period of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is understandable that prisoners will be under a heightened fear of vulnerability towards contracting the disease, given the dire physical conditions of their place of detention overcrowding, the inability to practice physical or social distancing, poor hygiene and sanitary amenities, lack of access to proper medical treatment etc, as well as the potentially massive impact a single case of infection can have on the entire prison population within a very short time.

“Similar prison riots

over Coronavirus infection fears have been witnessed in Thailand and Egypt, and Coronavirus outbreaks have been reported in a number of major cities, including New York. Many countries are now releasing low risk prisoners, to reduce risks of transmission of the disease.

Because of the serious risks which prisoners face, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has called on governments to take urgent steps to reduce prison populations, protect people in places of detention, and prevent uncontrollable outbreaks. These measures, are in line with International Standards.”

A2J said that it is pleased to note that, the Minister of Interior, working with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, is already taking steps towards decongesting Nigeria’s Custodial Centres, but that these steps are not materialising with the urgency of the situation at hand, and time is running out fast.

The Group therefore, urged the Minister to expedite action, on the decongestion of Custodial Centres.

It also called for immediate suspension from office, the leadership of the Kaduna Correctional Centre, in order to ensure the integrity of any

investigation and reduce risks that vital evidence relevant for an investigation, may be tampered with The Group wants those who used force disproportionate to the situation of the riots to be brought to justice, and held accountable for their acts of violence, as well as payment of compensation to the families of those killed in the course of the riots.

While also expressing concern about the risk of Covid-19 spreading to other places of detention in Nigeria outside of the prisons, Access to Justice also called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct State Commissioners and Divisional Police Officers, to ensure urgent decongestion of police cells by immediately releasing on bail, persons still held in police custody for bailable offences.

“Access to Justice is also concerned about the risk of Covid-19 spreading to other places of detention in Nigeria, outside of the prisons. Other places of detention would include the following - police cells; detention facilities of other crime fighting agencies, such as the EFCC, ICPC, DSS, NDLEA, NAPTIP, NAFDAC, and Immigration. There are people who are reportedly in detention in some of these facilities because they cannot be charged to court yet, given that the courts are not sitting routinely at this time”, it stated.

Law Firms, Olaniwun Ajayi LP, Ezeobi & Partners, Donate to Cushion Effects of Covid-19 Lockdown Akinwale Akintunde To compliment the efforts of Government in cushioning the effect of the Covid-19 lockdown on the people, the Law Firms of Olaniwun Ajayi LP and Ezeobi & Partners, have donated to impact their communities.

While Olaniwun Ajayi LP, Nigeria’s foremost commercial law firm donated medical supplies, equipment and other consumables to the Ogun State Government in its first intervention in Medicare and a similar delivery to Lagos State, Ezeobi & Partners has resolved to provide refreshments on a daily basis throughout the lockdown period to all essential service providers .

Speaking at the handover of the medical supplies, Her Excellency Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, the First Lady of Ogun State, expressed her appreciation on behalf of the good people of Ogun State to the partners and leadership of Olaniwun Ajayi LP. She noted that, the law firm of Olaniwun Ajayi could always be counted on to support the authorities, when the occasion demands.

In his response, whilst thanking Her Excellency for accepting the donation of the materials, Dr Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN noted

Akinwale Akintunde The Chairman of Lagos State Law Reform Commission, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN on Wednesday led other senior Lawyers in providing palliatives for young Lawyers of the Ikeja branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), by contributing N1.5 million to the welfare fund set up by the Branch.

Pinheiro who is also one of the patrons of the Branch, is not alone. Other senior Lawyers, are still contributing to the fund.

Speaking on the gesture, the Chairman of the Branch, Mr. Dele Oloke, said envisaging early that the Coronavirus may cause a lockdown of the country, the Branch set up a six man committee named Ikeja Branch Palliative Committee headed by Mrs. Fausat Bakare, to fashion out a way to cushion the effects of the pandemic on young Lawyers of the Branch.

According to Oloke, having reached out to senior members of the Branch who

are responding positively, the Committee recommended that each Lawyer in need be given N10,000, to cushion the effects of the pandemic.

The Branch Chairman said the Branch has already collated the names and account details of 254 young Lawyers, who will receive N10,000 each before daybreak.

“We are still going to reach out to more people, as we get more funds. Our senior members, particularly our patrons have promised to contribute,

and we are going to reach out to more people", he stated.

Oloke said the Branch has already opened a welfare account domiciled with Wema Bank, Ikeja, from where funds will be disbursed to the young Lawyers.

He said senior members such as Dele Adesina, SAN, Alhaji Lawal Pedro, SAN, Emeka Uzoani, SAN, Kayode Enitan, SAN, Hakeem Apommade, Nkechi Nkechor, Shina Adegbite, Seyi Olawunmi, and a host of others, have contributed.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Provide Testing Kits to Prisons, Police Cells, LEDAP Urges Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 Peter Taiwo

Covid-19 Lockdown: Kemi Pinheiro SAN, Others, Reach Out to 254 Young Lawyers at NBA Ikeja

that, as a socially responsible and conscious firm, Olaniwun Ajayi LP was keen on playing its part in assisting the authorities in the States most affected by Covid-19, battle the scourge.

He expressed hope that, the medical supplies which consisted of suction machines, oxygen tanks, oxygen concentrators, scrub suits and personnel protective equipment, would go a long way in assisting front line medical personnel provide the much needed care and treatment to those who are infected with Covid-19.

Dr Ajayi also mentioned that, apart from providing medical supplies, the Firm had also assisted some State Governments, by providing pro bono legal advisory support in the preparation of instruments giving legal backing to some of the measures taken by the State Governments to deal with the Covid-19 menace.

A statement signed by Mr. Jude Ezeobi, the Managing Partner of Ezeobi & Partners, the Abuja-based law firm has identified the categories of essential service providers as Health Care Providers, Men of the Nigerian Police Force and

A Non-Governmental Organisation, engaged in the legal protection of human rights, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) has asked the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, to urgently provide safety facilities and testing kits to all Nigerian Correctional Services Centres, (Prisons), and law enforcement detention places, in order to curb the spread of the pandemic at these places.

In statement signed by the National Coordinator, Mr. Chino Obiagwu, SAN, the organisation while commending the efforts of Government to curtail Covid-19 in Nigeria, expressed worries about the extreme vulnerability and exposure of inmates in the

Correctional Service Centres and detention cells, to Coronavirus.

LEDAP said it was important that urgent attention and routine monitoring of these Facilities are put in place, to prevent a epidemic within detention centres.

The Group therefore, called on the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to, as a matter of urgency, direct that tests be carried out across all Correctional Service Centres located in States that have confirmed cases of Coronavirus, to ascertain the level of exposure within those Facilities.

It also urged the Task Force, to direct the creation of isolation centres within all Correctional Service Centres, and provide resources to the authorities for the purpose.

8/

14.04.2020

FROM THE BACK OFFICE JOY HARRISON-ABIOLA

ibejiiya@gmail.com

Surviving the Covid-19 Financial Crisis

I

Consequences of Covid-19 t is no longer news that we are amid turbulent times. As at March 31st, 770,000 cases of COVID-19 had been recorded worldwide, with nearly 40,000 deaths. As at April 10th , the number of cases risen to 1.5 million and 85,000 deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic, is a health crisis that is expected to have sweeping economic consequences. Though the rate of transmission in Africa appears to be measured compared to other parts of the globe, the number of recorded cases in Africa is still low, tallying about 5,300 cases across 47 African countries as of March 31st. However, a preliminary analysis by Mckinsey & Company of the economic impact of COVID-19, suggests that Africa’s GDP growth might drop by 3–8% in 2020. The legal profession will not be spared.

While we are pressed with the challenge of dealing with the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in our own backyards, we must also look over the fence for what is down the road.

As at 30th March, as a result of COVID-19 and the price war between Russia and the UAE, the price of Brent crude dropped to a historic low of $19.07. The Nigerian 2020 budget, adopted in December 2019, was calculated assuming crude oil production of 2.18 million barrels per day at a price of $57 per barrel, with an income estimated roughly at 34.6 billion dollars for the year. By March 2020, the Ministry of Finance announced that the 2020 budget will be revised downwards, due to the sharp drop in the price of crude oil and production cap. Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer, with an economy heavily reliant on oil proceeds.

Repositioning our Businesses: The Steps to Take How do we predict what is coming to us from the distance, and reposition our businesses? How do we ride through the tide, and put our perspective on the bigger picture? Will I still have a business, at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic? How will the shape and form of my business change post the pandemic? The worrying thing about COVID-19 and the present financial crisis, is that it is difficult to predict the overarching consequences or how long it will last. Economic downturns usually don’t abide by a timeline, can be incalculable in length, can last a minimum of a year, with the aftereffects resonating for several years as a nation recovers. All we can do, is take the steps needed to prepare, embrace frugal methods, and start thinking about our banks and purses as survival tools, rather than spending tools.

ASSESS your current cash and liquidity positions thoroughly. Do not be ignorant concerning your cash and liquidity position.

Assess conservatively, how bad cash flow may get. The adage that “cash is king” is particularly true now, because a business’s cash and other liquidity quickly diminish for a variety of reasons during a financial crisis, e.g. reduced client spending is anticipated, disruptions in supply chain,

“DURING A POTENTIALLY SEVERE AND PROLONGED ECONOMIC CRISIS SUCH AS THE CURRENT COVID-19 PANDEMIC, A BUSINESS’S PROSPECTS OF SURVIVING WILL BE IMPROVED IF IT PROACTIVELY SEEKS TO PRESERVE CASH AT THE ONSET OF THE DOWNTURN, RATHER THAN RESPONDING ONLY REACTIVELY TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS AFTER THE DOWNTURN HAS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF MOST OF ITS CASH POSITIONS” unavailability of workers and tightening of lending standards. Assess the supply and demand sides risks of your business.

REVIEW operations with an eye towards reducing costs and eliminating all fat. Where possible, lower your bills and spend less. Cut off all excesses, cut cost quickly so you can spend money on only essentials.

PRESERVE Cash. In times of crisis, it is vital to carefully consider the preparatory actions that can be taken, to preserve cash. As mentioned, it is possible that cash and liquidity may materially decrease, even if temporarily. During a potentially severe and prolonged economic crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, a business’s prospects of surviving will be improved if it proactively seeks to preserve cash at the onset of the downturn, rather than responding only reactively to address problems after the downturn has resulted in a loss ofmost of its cash positions. Cash, refers to money in the bank and investments that can be quickly liquidated within a week, should you need to secure cash.

DETERMINE how to legally implement

cost-cutting measures, including those affecting employees, without incurring unnecessary liabilities. Also, review your vendor contracts for force majeure, and see what you can cancel without penalties.

PREPARE a revised forward-looking cash flow analysis that conservatively considers factors such as - loss of clients, disruption of supply chains, extended payment periods from clients, write offs, defaults, etc. Clients who owe you may have difficulty paying you, you cannot kill your debtor, you can only pray they too survive the crisis.

IDENTIFY sources of capital and liquidity that will be available if, despite cost-cutting, the business runs out of cash. Would you, for instance, need a bridging fund? Would you need consensual relief from secured creditors – either during the crisis or immediately after? Begin the discussions now. Map out longer terms that will enable you hit the ground running, once the economy recovers.

STOCKPILE Necessary inventory – As much as possible, determine what you need to survive and stock up on them e.g. data, airtime, etc.

GET into a do-it-yourself “DIY”Mode – Learn new skills fast – IT skills, etc. Get up to speed with technology, so you are not left behind stranded.

BE Flexible, be adaptable – During a crisis, events unfold fast, so you will make mistakes; you will not have all the answers – there will be some trial and error, until you reach some stability.

DIVERSIFY your offerings and service lines. Invest in training – Use the time of crisis, to develop new service lines. Multiple streams have taken on a new meaning – increase your value by considering what is still in demand, in a crisis. It is a fact during a crisis, demand for some skills or services increases - Be sure to have those skills, otherwise develop them.

OUTSOURCE areas of your business or functions within your business, which you are struggling with.

REDUCE or get Out of Debt as quickly as possible. Having too many financial obligations can be a serious drawback, during a crisis. During a financial crisis, you will want to stretch your money as far as possible and get out of debt as fast as you can, so you are able to respond to rapid changes in the economy, as quickly as

‘OUR COURTS MUST SET UP COMPREHENSIVE DATABASES OF ALL THEIR JUDGEMENTS’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 administration of justice, because they introduce uncertainty.

First, our courts must set up comprehensive databases of all their judgements. For example, in the past, in Lagos State, we used to have the Cyclostyled Copies of the Judgement of the High Court (CCHCJ), which covered judgements of the High Court of Lagos State. We also used to have, the Federal High Court of Nigeria Law Reports. With technological advancements, it is

easier to set up these databases of judgements.

With this in place, it will be easy for Judges to leverage on the technology necessary, to keep track of new judgements.

More importantly, Lawyers are ministers in the temple of justice. Lawyers have a duty to the court, and the administration of justice is paramount. A Lawyer cannot under any circumstances, misstate or misrepresent the law. He has a duty to disclose all the decisions, relevant to his case. It does not

matter, if the decisions strengthen or weaken his case. It is irrelevant that opposing counsel is unaware of such decisions, and has not relied on them.

Judges are human, and are neither omniscient nor infallible. Judges rely on the submissions of Lawyers appearing before them.

How regular will the report be, weekly, monthly or what?

We plan to publish the AVLRN, on a quarterly basis.

LAW FIRMS, OLANIWUN AJAYI LP, EZEOBI & PARTNERS, DONATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 that of other Security Agencies, Fire Service, etc..

“By the special grace of God Almighty, and in our own little way to encourage our Essential Service Providers who are on duty during this Coronavirus pandemic.

“Ezeobi & Partners, and its Friends, have resolved to provide refreshments on a daily

basis throughout the shutdown period, to these categories of wonderful persons, some of whom are Health Care Providers, Men of the Nigerian Police Force and that of other Security Agencies, Fire Service, etc.

“We shall commence from Abuja, and hope to extend same to other parts of the country.

“We lend our voice and urge everyone to practice Social Distancing, and adhere strictly to the protective measures and directives, from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC).

“We care, and together we can defeat Coronavirus and its associated challenges”, he stated.

possible. If inflation hits, for instance, or there is a sudden change in policy, you do not want to owe your creditors the money you need to survive.

CREATE an Emergency Fund/Retained Earnings. During a crisis, it is reassuring if you have an emergency fund in place. Having 6-12 months’ expenses saved can go a long way in keeping the business out of crisis mode, while your earnings pick up. This fund helps businesses to continue operating during a crisis, when service demand reduces. An emergency fund is sometimes referred to as “retained earnings.” Retained earnings are the portion of profits retained, and saved for future use. It can be used for unexpected expenses, or if a steep drop in business occurs, it could also be used for funding an expansion, or buying out shareholder’s equity at a future date. To survive, you need to have something to save, even during a crisis.

CORPORATE Governance and Business best practices still matter, during a crisis. Do not skimp on statutory payments or insurances, during a crisis. These will help your business survive, and will pay off later when you are back to work fully.

SECURITY. A crisis is not a time to be lax with security. Miscreants may be out to take advantage. Don’t make it easy for them. Reinforce your security, so you are not caught off guard.

INSURANCE – Review your insurance contracts, and see which you can claim cash on as a result of the crisis. Do you have insurance that covers pandemic, forced closure, natural disaster, etc.?

START PLANNING, Start Prepping your next move. Use the crisis period, to map out your short to long term recovery plan. During a crisis, certain practice areas remain or become hot. Plan.

FAMILIARISE yourself with Government stimulus packages, and see if and how they can benefit your business. Generally, a stimulus package is a coordinated effort to increase government spending and lower taxes and interest rates, in order to stimulate an economy out of a total collapse. The goal is to increase aggregate demand through increased employment, consumer spending, and investment. On March 26, 2020, the U.S. Senate voted to approve a $2 trillion Stimulus Bill, to back stop their economy from the economic impact of the coronavirus; provide relief to individuals, families, small businesses and industries impacted by the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Stimulus Bill passed, the largest in their history, is known as the CARES Act. Lawyers will interpret the Bill, but suffice to say that, it includes a provision of $500 billion voted for corporate bailouts; it includes cash benefits, extended unemployment pay, and federal zero-interest loans. The relief basically won’t be extended to undocumented workers, but will unquestionably hedge some of the pain of millions of Americans, and keep a lot of Law Firms busy.

Government Packages The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced a stimulus package - the N50bn ($128.4 million) Targeted Credit Facility, to help households and small businesses hardest hit by the adverse impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Government officials have sent a WhatsApp message, which they are encouraging citizens to share, with a link to apply for Covid-19 related relief. The process involves submitting an application, which then has to be approved by the CBN, to determine if the household or company is eligible. Note that the stimulus package is in loans, not grants.

Lagos State also announced an economic stimulus package for residents, targeting 200,000 households in the first phase, which involves food packs that are to be distributed through every local government area in the State. It is to reach the most vulnerable communities and households, with priority given to those who rely on daily wages. The food packs are produced for six-person households, and are meant to last for at least 14 days. Indeed, for the most vulnerable ones in our society, this is a strategy to survive the Covid-19 financial crisis - Where you qualify, take advantage of the stimulus package.

18

TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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Quick Takes FrieslandCampina Supports Families

ECONOMIC SUMMI

L-R:ChiefExecutiveOfficerFarmCreditLtd,Mr.AfioluwaMagaji;KeynoteSpeaker,Dr.BiodunAdedipe;Pastorin-ChargeofRedeemedChristian ChurchofGod(RCCG),LagosProvince20,Lekki,TundeNetufo;Head,CorporateDevelopment,CapitalAllianceNigeria,Mrs.UwaOsa-Oboh,andChief ExecutiveOfficer,OrangePalmCompanyLtd,Dr.ChidiOkpaluba,attheRCCGChristtheLordCentralParishLagosProvinceEconomicSummitheldin Lagos‌recently ETOPUKUTT

Report: Shell’s Gas Flare in Nigeria Drops by 80% in Nine Years Stories by Chineme Okafor in Abuja International oil company, Shell has said its flaring of gas from oil fields in Nigeria dropped by 80 per cent between 2010 and 2019.

It stated this in its 2019 Sustainability Report where it also revealed that its contribution to global greenhouse gas emission increased from 5.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018 to 5.9 million tonnes in 2019.

This also followed a recent disclosure by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that oil companies in the country flared a total of 266.25 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas between December 2018 and December 2019.

In the report, Shell stated that its investment in gas gathering facility in Nigeria helped it to reduce gas flare in its operations within the country. “In Nigeria, investments

ENERGY since 2010 by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd Joint Venture aimed at capturing associated gas and commercialising it through domestic and export markets have decreased routine flaring by around 80 per cent between 2010 and 2019. “These investments include gas-gathering projects in Oloma, Adibawa and Otumara.

Two key gas-gathering projects, Southern Swamp and Forcados Yokri, identified for work in 2019, have been delayed and are currently expected to be completed in 2020,� Shell revealed further in the report.

It stated that it was, “working to reduce flaring, which wastes valuable resources and contributes to climate change,� in the world, adding, “flaring is used to safely dispose of hydrocarbons that could pose a hazard to workers, nearby residents and facility equipment during non-routine

occurrences. These occurrences include start-ups, maintenance turnarounds and power failures where production system pressure must be safely relieved.�

According to the multinational, gas produced alongside oil, known as associated gas, may also be flared when there are insufficient or no facilities to gather the gas.

It, however, stated that in 2019, around 25 per cent of flaring took place at such facilities that it has which resulted to a decrease from around 40 per cent in 2018. “As a signatory to the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative, we continue to pursue our 2015 commitment to eliminate associated gas flaring at facilities,� Shell stated.

Further on its gas flaring performance within the period under review, it stated that: “Flaring of gas in our upstream and integrated gas businesses contributed around

8 per cent to our overall direct greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Flaring increased to 5.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2019 from 5.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018.�

It attributed the increase in 2019 to an unanticipated spike in flaring during the start-up of its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas facility in Australia.

According to it: “We subsequently improved controls, and monthly flaring rates at Prelude fell by more than 60 per cent as the facility moved towards stable operations. “In Australia, Shell affiliate QGC Pty Limited’s upstream coal-seam gas facilities also reduced flaring by 80 per cent in 2019 compared with 2018.

In the USA, flare reduction continued at our Permian unconventional oil facilities, while in Qatar our Pearl gasContinued on page 24

Global Oil Storage Capacity May Be Exhausted Next Month, OPEC Warns The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic may result to the exhaustion of available global crude oil storage capacity before the end of May 2020 with a potential addition of 14.7 million barrels per day (mbd) excess volume to existing stocks.

OPEC explained that this figure could add a further 1.3 billion barrels to the global crude oil stocks.

The Secretary General, OPEC, Dr. Mohammed Barkindo,

ENERGY therefore, called for an urgent action to avert the emerging development, while speaking during a recent virtual meeting of the G20 energy ministers.

According to Barkindo, the COVID-19 pandemic has pervaded almost every aspect of the world’s daily lives as a major disruptor in terms of the tragic loss of lives, forced widespread lockdowns, economic distress and shutdown of schools.

Barkindo noted that, “every

economic sector has been impacted by this silent beast,� saying that, “this is clearly evident in global oil. Every producer, many of whom are developing nations, has been impacted; no-one is immune.�

According to him, the virus has forced OPEC and its allies to assess and reassess what the consequences are on the oil industry every day, adding that, “we need to find solutions to help all peoples of the world, the industry and related businesses, as we try and navigate these

extraordinary times.�

He further said: “This is starkly apparent when we look at the harrowing global recession now upon us, and the oil demand destruction we are facing. We see global GDP growth in 2020 at a negative 1.1 per cent, a greater contraction than that for the Great Recession of 2008-2009, and global oil demand growth is forecast to drop by 6.8mbd, with the second quarter alone around Continued on page 24

FrieslandCampinaWAMCO Nigeria Plc has announced its decision to support over 100,000 Nigerian families with a relief package of dairy products.The initiative is part of its commitment to support the government in the ďŹ ght against COVID-19.The company also donated its top brands - Peak andThree Crowns milk - to support over 100,000 families in low-end communities and vulnerable groups who are at risk of compromising their nutritional needs, thereby reducing their immunity to diseases.

In the same vein, FrieslandCampinaWAMCO also donated hygiene items to support healthcare professionals.

Explaining the corporate gesture, the Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Ben Langat, was quoted in a statement to have said: “These are challenging times; this pandemic is testing our care for each other, and we must all rise to the challenge. As a company, our mission is to nourish Nigerians with quality dairy nutrition, so we will continue to ensure our products are accessible to provide as many Nigerians as possible with essential nutrients from milk.We are committed to living this mission, more so in the face of the COVID-19 threat. I thank our teams, who are making huge sacriďŹ ces every day to ensure this.â€?

FrieslandCampina WAMCO made its donation in partnership with the Lagos State government and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Aairs Disaster Management and Social Development, to get the nutritionreliefpackagetothecommunitieswheretheyaremostneeded.

SCAN Congratulates Jamoh

The Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) has congratulated Dr. Bashir Jamoh on his recent appointment as the Director-General,NigerianMaritimeAdministrationandSafetyAgency (NIMASA). In a statement, the President of the association, Mr. Yusuf Babalola, urged Jamoh to move the nation’s maritime sector forward. “Given your track record, including as President of the Chartered Institute ofTransport Administration (CIoTA) and NIMASA Executive Director,FinanceandAdministration,besideyouracademiccredentials, we are not in doubt about your competence and capability to take the agency to greater heights,â€? the statement said. “In that light, we urge that, alongside the development of the blue economy,theachievementoftheDeepBlueProjectshouldbevigorously pursuedtoensurethatNigeria’smaritimedomainisconsiderablyfreed from piracy and other criminalities. “It will also make the Eastern Ports available for unencumbered international shipping and trade, with its multiplier eect on the nation’s economy,â€? it said. SCAN further stressed the need for a diligent attention to capacity building, including growing an invaluable crop of future seafarers. “Considering that the bulk of Nigeria’s experienced seafarers have served out their time at seaduetoage,itisimperativethatgenuineeortsbemadeatgivingthe young and upcoming cadets adequate and relevant sea-time training.

Lagos Hails Slum2School Initiative

The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folashade AdeďŹ sayo, has hailed the Slum2School Africa innovation hub, aimed at providing sustainable creative solutions to support communities where they serve. Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, AdeďŹ sayo said it was wonderful considering how the organisation started small and have grown to become an epicenter for philanthropy in Nigeria.

Commenting further, she said: “It is something I always like us to tell our children; that it is a mere coincidence that you were born into the family and that they should thank God for that “This does not make then superior to others, but are duty bound to help others who are less privileged in the society. With this hub many children will learn many things and become relevant to themselves and thesocietyatlarge,â€?shestated.Slum2SchoolAfricaisavolunteer-driven social developmental organisation whose vision is to transform the societybyempoweringunderservedchildren.Thehubisadevelopment hub featuring unique co-working and innovative learning space, where communityofvolunteers,supporters,partnersandbeneďŹ ciariescome together with the aim of creating sustainable creative solutions that would help impact communities where they work in.

“We need to find ways to increase productivity in the country to make sure that our growth is not centered on one or two revenue streams�

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning

Zainab Ahmed

20

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͲ˜ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD REPORT: SHELL’S GAS FLARE IN NIGERIA DROPS BY 80% IN NINE YEARS to-liquids plant reduced its greenhouse gas emissions from flaring by more than 25 per cent in 2019 compared with 2018.”

Meanwhile, the NNPC in its December 2019 monthly operations and financial report, noted that the total volume of gas produced in the country between December 2018 and December 2019 was 3,105.48bcf out of which 466bcf and 1,369.90bcf were commercialised for the domestic and export market respectively while reinjected, fuel and flared gas was 1,269.59 bcf. 266.25bcf of the non-commercialised gas volume was however flared.

WORLD’S OIL STORAGE CAPACITY MAY BE EXHAUSTED NEXT MONTH, OPEC WARNS 12mbd and expanding.

“These are jaw-dropping numbers! The jaw drops even further when we look at the supply and demand imbalance in the 2Q20, if no action is taken.

There could be a colossal excess volume of 14.7mbd, which would add a further 1.3 billion barrels to global crude oil stocks.

“This figures suggests that the available global crude oil storage capacity would be exhausted before the end of May. There is a ghostly spectre encircling the oil industry; it needs to be addressed urgently. We need to act now, so we can come out of other side of this pandemic with the strength of our industry intact. An industry that has fueled the current civilization.”

He stated that the decision of OPEC and its allies to adjust crude oil production by 10mbd beginning on May 1, 2020, for an initial period of two months, then by 8mbd from July to December 2020 and by 6mbd for the period of January 2021 to April 2022, in the interests of producers, consumers, and the global economy was a responsible action.

He however maintained the need to broaden the cooperation on the basis that such complex challenges need comprehensive and ‘global’ solutions.

NEWS

PEF May Lose Relevance With Liberalised Petrol Prices Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Following the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has offered survival tips to its ‘Project 100’ companies and other oil and gas service companies, especially on risk assessment and reduction.

A release by the Executive Secretary of the board, Simbi Wabote, said the move became necessary because businesses in Nigeria and across the globe had continued to grapple with disruptions and setbacks caused by the pandemic.

The advisory was contained in a document titled: “Maintaining Business Resilience Amidst COVID-19,” prepared by the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Project 100 Initiative-a capacity development programme of the NCDMB in partnership

Correspondents

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

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

with KPMG, an international consulting firm.

NCDMB noted that it was part of its institutional support to ensure business continuity and resilience by the start-ups and identified supply chain and operations disruptions as one of the major challenges experienced by companies at this time.

It enjoined Project 100 companies and other local businesses to identify where their key suppliers and contractors are located and develop contingency plans to ensure the sustainability of supply.

The local businesses were also advised to engage their logistics provider and develop mitigation and contingency plans in view of the restrictions and lockdown in many parts of the country.

“The advisory also identified the need for Project 100 companies and local businesses to develop a

communication plan and engage with key customers, employees and suppliers and ensure that their staff can work remotely and safely while trying to maintain key operations.

“Other key nuggets included the need to pay attention to technology, Service Level Agreements (SLA) and to brace to take the shock of contract renegotiation with clients” the organisation said.

It urged project 100 and local businesses to revise their cash flow, working capital management and inventory forecasts alongside supply and demand forecasts. Meanwhile, the NCDMB has handed over ambulances, ventilators and other special medical supplies to the governments of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States in support of efforts to combat the spread of Coronavirus.

The donations, the company said, were made in partnership with the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and were received on Friday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State as well as on Saturday in Warri, Delta State.

Items donated included four ambulances, 10 synovent E3 ventilators, 300 infra-red thermometers and 1,000 medical face shields, hand sanitisers, hospital beds, disposable coveralls, personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other relief items.

Presenting the materials to the Bayelsa and Delta state governments, Wabote stated that the human race was going through trying times, adding that the board as a responsible and responsive corporate citizen decided to support the fight to

stop the spread of the deadly virus. Represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Patrick Obah, he explained that NCDMB had also sponsored several sensitisation campaigns in the media, with a view to informing the citizenry on how to avoid contracting the virus.

Receiving the items in Bayelsa State, the Secretary to the State Government, Konbowei Benson thanked the board for discharging its corporate social responsibility creditably and supporting the state during the difficult period.

In Warri, Delta State, the Board donated an ambulance and other medical supplies which were received by the Special Assistant on Local Government Affairs to the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Kelly Pinaowei.

Promasidor Launches New Product Raheem Akingbolu

Emma Okonji

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising)

that he was of the impression that it is the DPR that has the mandate to track petroleum products from source to destination while the PEF was to concern itself with paying Equalisation.

A statement by the spokesman of the ministry, Olujimi Oyetomi, said the minister stopped the presentation until he was apprised of the true situation of things between both agencies of government.

Covid-19: NCDMB Guides Project Beneficiaries on Risk Reduction

Capital Market Editor

Senior Correspondent

Also, compounding the problem of the Equalisation Fund, was the fact that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, was said to be viewing the PEF as duplicating the role of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), especially with the job of tracking products movement.

Recently, during a briefing at his office in Abuja by the agencies, Sylva was quoted to have said

SUPPORTING FIGHTAGAINSTCOVID-19

Group Business Editor

Comms/e-Business Editor

and information bank for accurate data on the level of lifting and distribution of petroleum products throughout the federation.

It was gathered that this was despite years of budgetary provision for the project as Kyari admitted during the interview that tracking of Nigeria’s petrol consumption figures was still almost impossible, with the numbers ranging from 38 million to 54,000 in different times.

The Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) Management Board could become obsolete and irrelevant in the Nigerian oil and gas industry with the deregulation of pump prices of petroleum prices, THISDAY checks revealed.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) last week 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.

Announcing the move during an interview, the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mele Kyari, had said the issue of a uniform price now that there’s no subsidy, meant that the NNPC will just be another marketer in the space to ensure security of supply.

By law the function of PEF, a parastatal under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, established

by Decree No.9 of 1975 (as amended by Decree No. 32 of 1989 is mainly to administer uniform prices of petroleum products throughout the country.

This, it does by reimbursing a marketer’s transportation differentials for petroleum products movement from depots to their sales outlets or filling stations, in order to ensure that products are sold at a uniform pump price GeneralManagerCorporateCommunicationandZonalCoordination,NCDMB,Dr.GinahGinah(left),presentingthekeytoanambulanceandmedical throughout the country. suppliestotheCommissionerforHealth,RiversState,Prof.ChikePrincewill,inRiversState…recently

Obinna Chima Goddy Egene

With prices now fully deregulated, according to the NNPC, the functions of the Equalisation Fund, may have been overtaken by the recent development, although it might require appropriate legislation to scrap the agency.

It was learnt that the organisation had yet to also implement another key secondary duty which was the implementation a new computerisation structure

To continuously offer more options to the Nigerian consumers, Promasidor Nigeria Limited has launched SunVita Choco Crunch into the cereal market.

The new offering comes in 40g sachet and 500g block bottom pouch with re-sealable Zip-lock which allows the product to be kept fresh even after opening.

The grand product launch was also used to mark the World

Cereal Day by the company.

Speaking during the product launch, the Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anders Einarsson, emphasised some of the unique selling proposition of the new offering, describing it as a “proudly Nigeria healthy family cereal”.

“SunVita Choco Crunch is a proudly Nigeria healthy family cereal made from locally sourced maize, soya and premium quality Cocoa powder. It contains a branded ingredient known as

NUTRI-V, a blend of 7 power packed micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals-vitamin A, B6, B9, C, Zinc, Calcium, Iron) necessary for healthy body and brain development.

“At Promasidor we support the government initiative for local content. Our Onga brand has Soya and Cassava flour which are sourced from Nigeria.

Likewise, this new product has Maize and Soya which are sourced from Nigeria.

We believe in growing the

economy of Nigeria, as such we will continue to support every initiative of the Nigeria government regarding local content.”

On other major landmark products offering to expect from the company in the year 2020, he hinted: “We have a lot coming and we shall continue to create and innovate for the teeming Nigeria consumers. We are in this business for a long haul and we surely know our onions.

“Consumers should watch out

for a big launch coming this year in the beverage segment.

We believe this new beverage brand has all it takes to compete with the current competitions in the market and succeed.”

Also speaking, the Head of Marketing, Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji, restated the company’s commitment to offering the best to its teeming consumers at affordable prices, adding that the company would continue to support Nigerian government initiative for local content.

22

TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2020 •T H I S D AY

21

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͲ˜ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Evaluating Fresh Plan to Revive NNPC’s Refineries Chineme Okafor writes on recent plan by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to repair its four decrepit refineries ment failure because of political interference, patronage and sentiments? I am just sick and tired of undermining the brilliance of Nigerian professionals. Nigerians went to school with these people, perhaps, dusted them in class.

They came back, you prefer the other.

“Even ordinary PIB, you prefer foreign opinions to what your competent experts say and 20 years later, there is no progress.

Please don’t dispose NNPC of its priceless assets. Let the government hands off and not NNPC unless you are telling me NNPC is government. Government is just a mere investor,” Iledare added.

He noted that the refineries’ efficiency began to decline from 1995, but that the country needs to realise the need for prioritising competency in its national development plans.

“We have competent hands to turn things around. Give your competent people free hands to run things. Give the GMD the power to make commercial decisions with his team and staff. Get people with acumen, men and women of timber and calibre on NNPC board not based on unconstitutional geopolitical zones, ridden with godfatherism.

The future is at stake,” Iledare stated.

T

he Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, last week revealed that the corporation will spend money to repair its four broken-down refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, after which it would hand them over to select Operation and Maintenance (O&M) experts to operate for it.

“We are going to get an O&M contract, NNPC won’t run it. We are going to get a firm that will guarantee that this plant would run for some time. We want to try a different model of getting this refinery to run. And we are going to apply this process for the running of the other two refineries,” Kyari said in a television interview. According to him, the ultimate plan would be to enlist private partners who would invest in the refineries and get them to run on the business model currently used by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.

The NLNG is an incorporated limited liability company operated as a joint venture between four shareholders comprising the federal government which has 49 per cent of its shares, Shell - 25.6 per cent, Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France – 15 per cent and Eni - 10.4 per cent.

With the proposed model, Kyari inferred that the prospective shareholders of the refineries would thus be free to decide how the refineries operate. He also noted that the model being different from those previously adopted by the corporation will guarantee recovery of the refineries’ efficiencies.

But revamping and handing over the refineries to select O&M experts as disclosed by Kyari isn’t the first time the corporation would be making such plan. In fact, in most of the first term of President Muhammadu Buhari, the corporation and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, also made such pronouncements and failed with various options except privatisation or liberalisation to revamp the refineries.

The inefficiency of the refineries has resulted in Nigeria importing most of the petroleum products it uses to run her domestic economy, an unpleasant development that pushed Kachikwu to offer to resign his ministerial portfolio by May 2019 if Nigeria continued to import petrol.

NNPC also made effort to get private investors to fund the repair of the refineries on terms that would have been beneficial to both parties, but the arrangement collapsed eventually when they could not agree on terms.

A familiar pledge In his early days in office, Kyari as it was with his two predecessors - Kachikwu and Maikanti Baru – had promised to repair the refineries. He stated that repair works on the refineries would begin in January of 2020 and completed in 2022, with their optimum production capacities restored. Then, he had said the full rehabilitation of the plants was a priority to the NNPC which was reportedly committed to the 2022 capacity recovery plan.

“We will stick to time; we will deliver this project by 2022. We will commence actual rehabilitation work in January. We will do everything possible between October and December to close out all necessary conditions for us to deliver on that project.

“I believe that with the support that we have from the shareholders – government of this country, the entire staff of this company and the contractors, I believe it is doable and we will deliver the project,” Kyari had promised. He had explained that contractors for the revamp programme which included the original builders of the refineries would be tasked with their commitment to the plan.

He said: “For the original builders of the refinery, Tecnimont, Eni/NAOC and NNPC, let us be conscious of the fact that our reputation is at stake as far as this project is concerned… the NNPC leadership has promised this country that our refineries will work, therefore, we must work not to disappoint over 200 million Nigerian stakeholders.”

Mele Kyari Huge costs incurred on failed repairs Beyond disappointing Nigeria which relies on imported petrol, the NNPC has also misused scarce financial resources in its failed repair of the refineries, reportedly spending a whopping $396.33 million between 2013 and 2017 to carryout repair works under the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) scheme.

As was disclosed in a report of the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC) which reviewed the operations of NNPC’s refineries from a cost perspective, efficiency and value for money, the corporation also spent N276.872 billion on the operating expenses of the refineries between 2015 and 2018, as well as $36 billion on petroleum products importation between 2013 and 2017 The NNRC implements the Natural Resource Charter (NRC) in Nigeria, which is a set of principles intended for use by governments, societies, and the international community to determine how best to manage natural resource wealth for the benefit of current and future generations of citizens. Its activities are equally funded by the United Kingdom.

It noted that the refineries of the NNPC contribute less than 10 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually, in addition to being amongst the league of refineries with the highest operating costs worldwide.

While highlighting the socio-economic losses Nigeria endures from the dysfunctional refineries, the NNRC explained that the strategic goal of establishing local refining facilities and its associated supply chain as a socio-economic game-changer which results in national development has however continued to elude Nigeria.

It further explained the $36 billion the country spent on importing petroleum products in four years could have built for her four brand new refineries of similar capacity with the 650,000 barrels per day processing Dangote refinery in Lagos.

Nigeria, it added would have also been able to produce up to 200 million litres per day of fuel from these refineries if they had been built with the $36 billion spent for importation of petroleum products.

Additionally, the corporation’s monthly

financial reports disclosed that between January and October 2019, the refineries recorded a cumulative loss of N123.25 billion while their capacity utilisation plunged.

The NNRC in its report on the refineries thus recommended that the federal government divest up to 75 per cent of its shareholding in NNPC’s refineries which have the capacity to refine 445,000 barrels of oil, to competent investors under a transparent and fair bidding process.

Funding planned repairs Considering the existing oil market fundamentals and Kyari’s disclosure that the NNPC would fund the repairs and subsequently hand over the refineries to O&M experts, THISDAY spoke to industry experts such as the immediate past president of the Nigerian Association of Energy Economics (NAEE), Prof. Wumi Iledare for insights on how this could work.

“At the moment, I think NNPC is spending its money more or less to rehabilitate the refineries. Certainly, this is necessary, if the refineries are not to become a scrappage. As to where to find money under the current dispensation of Covid-19, the falling oil prices has negative implications.

“However, low oil prices imply elimination of under-recovery cost of PMS import, and perhaps over-recovery of PMS landing cost.

The over-recovery could then be a legitimate money to rehabilitate the refineries,” Iledare explained.

He also warned against potential thoughts of getting foreigners to run the refineries after the repairs, saying: “Are you saying Nigerian engineers are incapable of running refineries?

Who ran them before when they were newly built? Why are Nigerians running things effectively all over the world? Honestly, I ache when we disparage and ridicule our professionals.”

“Let me disagree with the premise that Nigeria cannot run refineries well. Who are the engineers running the petrochemical plants in Eleme? Who supervised the construction of this refineries and ran it at inception?”

“Perhaps, and I said it severally, could the failure of NNPC refineries be management capability and not technical? Could it be govern-

Privatisation, liberalisation likely options Based on the failures of the NNPC to successfully repair its refineries and the seeming lack of altruism in its running of them, others expert who spoke to THISDAY suggested that the adoption of privatision or liberalisation to revive the refineries.

According to them, a template used previously by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) for the refineries’ privatisation which late President Umar Yar’Adua annulled could be culled up and refitted for this purpose.

Yar’Adua in 2007 reportedly reversed the sale of Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to Mr. Aliko Dangote who was said to have assembled investors to completely turn around the plants and their operations.

Accordingly, the reversal was based on claims that the process did not follow due processes and Yar’Adua who promised to follow through rule of law had to refund the preferred investors the money paid for the acquisition.

In his comment on the possibility of privatisation as a solution, Mr. Dan Kunle, an expert in global energy business stated that the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) and BPE could still be called back to revive the rested privatisation exercise on the refineries.

Kunle explained that the NCP and BPE have established template for the refineries’ privatisaton which could be reviewed and adapted to fit their current situation.

He maintained that the capacity of the BPE to undertake a transparent privatisation excerise in this regards was doubtless, adding that the bureau in the canceled privatisation was consistent and followed standard procedures which included the engagement of a globally recognised transaction adviser, Credit Suisse.

Kunle equally explained that it could be difficult for the NNPC to come up with the funds needed for the repairs, in addition to the possibilities of challenges concluding the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract on time and in line with its 2022 delivery timeline.

“If at all the corporation decides to go ahead with its plan, it is already running against time especially with the Covid-19 situation where the world is currently locked down. It will take at least six months for it to conclude and hire EPC contractors for this even if it has the money which I think will be hard to come by,” he said while urging the corporation to team up with the BPE to revive the efficiency of the refineries through privatisation.

“Government is a continuum, and the NCP and BPE are part of the government; they are responsible for privatisation and liberalisation which are aimed at engendering optimum efficiency. Let the minister and NCP sit down on a table to draw up a solution; privatization is an option,” Kunle noted.

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˜ ͹ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS 2020 Okpekpe 10km Road Race Cancelled Due to the escalating COVID-19 crisis and the travel restrictions across the globe, organisers of the Okpekpe international 10km road race, the first label road running event in West Africa have cancelled the eighth edition of the competition.

The cancellation comes six weeks before the event scheduled for Saturday May 23, 2020 in Okpekpe,a hilly town in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Promoter of the race, Mike Itemuagbor, said yesterday that the decision to cancel the first road race in Nigeria and West Africa to be granted a World Athletics label was a difficult one.

“We know this will disappoint many runners who have trained towards the event and tourists who have always chosen the time of the race to escape the hustle and bustle of many Nigerian cities to unwind in a serene, hilly countryside that the Okpekpe community and adjoining towns represent.

Regrettably, with ongoing developments in Nigeria and around the world where COVID-19 has ravaged so many countries, we no longer consider it safe nor responsible to go ahead with the historic event,” says Itemuagbor.

This is the first cancellation in the history of the event, coming a year after it became the first silver label road race in West Africa and second in Africa.

“We sincerely hope that our runners will want to support us once this is all over and return to run in Okpekpe next year.

“We also hope our sponsors and partners will understand we are left with no choice but to cancel the race this year. We believe the well being of athletes, officials and spectators, especially the good people of Okpekpe community is more important than the race itself,” Itemuagbor added.

He revealed that the organisers of the race are working with relevant authorities in Nigeria, especially the government of Edo State to ensure a safe environment for all Nigerians and visitors who come into Okpekpe and the state for various reasons including sports.

He specially thanked Edo State government for providing the enabling environment for the race to thrive and put Nigeria on top of the map as an international destination for sports.

Aina

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Moses

Ekong

Ekong, Victor Moses, Ola Aina to Test for COVID-19 in Italy The Italian Serie A plans to test all players including Nigeria stars William Troost Ekong (Udinese), Victor Moses (Inter Milan) and Ola Aina (Torino) for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) before the competition could restart.

The Coronavirus Pandemic has killed more than 20,000 people in Italy alone.

Serie A has been suspended since 9 Marchbecause of the global pandemic.

There is no set date for when the campaign can resume in Italy, with 12 full rounds and four outstanding fixtures still to play.

“As soon as the conditions are right, we’ll finish the championship,” said federation president Gabriele Gravina yesterday.

Speaking to Sky Sports Italia, he added: “Soon, there will be a meeting. We will establish the procedure which we will then

communicate.

“We will start, I hope, at the beginning of May with tests to ensure that players are negative and training can follow.

“Will we play through the summer? We don’t have a deadline but the idea is to finish the championships.”

Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, and players at a number of clubs have been infected.

Juventus lead the Italian top flight, one point ahead of Lazio and nine clear of third-placed Inter Milan.

Brescia President, Massimo Cellino, whose side are bottom of the table, has said he is ready to forfeit the club’s remaining gamesif the season resumes.

Last week, German teams became the first from Europe’s top leagues to return to training,with precautions in place.

Pinnick: Global Football Will Not Remain the Same after COVID-19 Duro Ikhazuagbe

As the entire world continues to reel with effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick has restated that global football will not be the same again at the end of the scourge.

Speaking yesterday morning on Channel Television sports programme, the NFF president admitted that global football has received a major hit whose effects will be with the game for a long time.

“Football has taken a major hit with this Covid-19. Let’s start with the English Premier League: On television broadcast right alone, the Premier League has lost 800 million pounds. The Italian Serie A has lost 750million euro while the Spanish La Liga has also lost about 780 million euro.

“If you go to the German Bundesliga for example, their television rights holders are now discussing on how to negotiate the situation they now found themselves.

“In France, Canal Tv and BeIN tv who are the rights holder of Ligue 1, are saying that they cannot pay because their is no content to deliver. They are withholding 135million euro

that should have gone to Ligue 1 “You are also aware of the across the board pay cuts ongoing due to the lockdown: Barcelona 70 per cent, Juventus a certain per cent-age of their wages. In England it is 30 per cent across board which may translate to about 500 million pounds with government alone losing around 200million pounds in taxes. It is really having a telling effects on sports globally,” stressed the NFF Chief.

He said that the situation is not different from what is happening in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games that has now been postponed by one year with huge addition costs to the host country Japan.

Coming home to Nigeria, Pinnick said that the COVID-19

has Laos thrown spanners into most of its plans including the celebration of the Super Falcons class of 1999 that got to the quarter finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in USA. “We are supposed to be celebrating our girls at the NFF Awards. We were planning to celebrate the Super Falcons of the class of 1999 because they have been able to give Nigeria what no other sector has done.

We are planning to celebrate them for reaching the quarter finals of the Women’s World Cup n USA. “We have already spoken with FIFA President, Gianni Infantino and he had accepted to be part of it. We don’t know if that will hold anymore. Even if that will hold, we have to do it in a low

key manner now because of what this Covid-19 has done to the global economy. The same thing for our AITEO Cup competition.

Given the lull in the oil sector which is the business of the major sponsor of the NFF, Pinnick revealed that a lot of its activities at the Sunday Dankaro House will need to be scaled down.

“If you look at the situation with our Main Sponsors, AITEO, we are all aware of what has happened in the oil sector with the crash in oil price. To produce a barrel of oil is about $17 and with this covid-19 and the issue between Saudi Arabia and Russia that has forced down price of the product globally, it is going to be very tough for us at the NFF. “We are going to liaise with

critical stakeholders in taking some very difficult decisions. Right now, we have like 11 national teams and will meet with stakeholders and the supervisory Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports before reaching those decisions. I cannot tell you now which teams to drop for us to stay afloat after Covid-19,” observed Pinnick.

He admitted that every competition “is important but we just need to prioritize given the situation that we found ourselves now.”

“What we have with this Covid-19 is a global force majeure.

Nobody saw it coming and therefore planned for it. Everyone was caught unaware,” concludes Pinnick who is also a member of CAF executive committee.

Spurs Will Not Sell Harry Kane to Domestic Rival Tottenham Hotspur have no intention of letting striker Harry Kane leave the club this summer and would not sell to a domestic rival.

Kane, 26, signed a six-year contract with Spurs in June 2018.

Last month, he said he would not stay at the north London club “just for the sake of it”,and there are reports chairman

Daniel Levy would be open to selling him for about £200m.

Manchester United are longtime admirers of the England captain.

Tottenham were one of the first Premier League clubs to furlough staffin response to the coronavirus pandemic, with Levy warning that “people need to wake up to

the enormity” of the crisis.

However, the club subsequently reversed that decisionfollowing criticism from supporters, with only board members now taking salary reductions.

There are suggestions that because of financial worries, Levy would sanction Kane’s sale if the fee was in the

region of the world record £200m Paris St-Germain paid Barcelona to sign Brazil forward Neymar in 2017.

However, there is uncertainty over the summer transfer market given the present shutdown of football across Europe, with all the major clubs facing a financial headache.

Tuesday April 14, 2020

TR

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& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Rivers Govt to FG “But when it comes to Rivers State, the operators of exclusive list are willing to risk the lives of over six million Rivers people and Nigerians just to drill barrels of oil” – Rivers State Government accusing the federal government of double standard in dealing with Rivers and Lagos States on the fight to tackle coronavirus.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Between Religion and Corona Virus

W

henever man is confronted with a terrifying aspect of the world in which he lives, his natural instinct is to seek to understand the new phenomenon and bend it to his will. Pre-historic man opted for ritual as a means of mollifying and dominating his environment, but man soon moved from the age of rituals to the age of science, the advancement of which conferred on mankind enormous powers of manipulation and exploration, and the illusion of omnipotence. The paradox, however, is that the more man conquers his space, the more he is confronted with the realization that there is still a lot about the world that he is yet to know. Science has helped man, but it has also failed him, and each time man is confronted with yet another unknowable, he falls back on his primordial code of religious ritual.

Man also tries to tame nature, still, Nature continues to show him that there is something else that is beyond man. The limits of science that man has experienced is a reminder of the fact that man with all his intelligence cannot alter the Order of Things and of Nature. It is therefore instructive that the current Corona Virus pestilence has been traced to man’s tampering with animals: eating all kinds of animals, from snakes to bats, selling them in the markets, both clean and unclean animals, against the order of nature. When man engineers and suffers for his own vulnerability, he simply attributes the occurrence to a mysterious force, and at that moment, he remembers the superiority of the Cosmos and of an Original force that he refers to as God, and worships through the vehicle of religion.

This has been an aspect of COVID-19. Religion has played a prominent role in the spread and containment of the disease, as cause and effect, as explanation, as obstacle and as balm and risk, with clear indications of the conflict between religious freedom and public good. It is noteworthy that shortly after the formal announcement of the incidence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China on December 31, 2019, the next major item on the Chinese calendar was a religious, cultural and traditional event, the Lunar New Year, the Festival of the Spring, preparations for which actually begins as early as December 23 or 24. Contemporary attitudes to religion in China are mixed and ambivalent, but even those who insist that the Chinese Lunar New Year is strictly cultural – a holiday period, a time to re-unite with family - do not overlook its religious overtones: the spirituality of it as evidenced by the “send off of the Kitchen God”, praying to the Jade Emperor God (the Bai Tian Gong), ancestral worship, visits to temples, the firing of loud firecrackers, and the staging of the Dragon Dance to scare off evil spirits.

China may proclaim state atheism as an ideology, but the people are deeply religious at heart.

At the commencement of the COVID-19 pestilence, religion was the first victim. China promptly shut down many parts of the country. The Lunar New Year 2020 could not be celebrated. No temple was opened. No dance or festival could take place.

Persons who had travelled from one part of the country to the other to observe the two-week Lunar New Year festivity were stranded either in transit or behind closed doors. For me, this was the first indication of the meeting point between COVID-19 and religion. Lunar Year 2020 – the Year of the Dog - is the dullest ever in more than 100 years. The people of China complied. They did not insist that the world will end if they did not send off “the Kitchen God.” Nobody protested that they must have “the Dragon Dance.” People moving beyond superstitions and obeying the call of science is important in the war against pandemics.

CAN President, Samson Ayokunle As the virus embarked on a trans-national journey, we encountered other scenarios elsewhere.

South Korea was the next major stop for the virus after China. As COVID-19 sero-prevalence in that country jumped drastically, it was observed by the authorities that religion was a major obstacle.

South Korea which had successfully combatted the SARS-Cov epidemic, with its highly sophisticated medical facilities, suddenly found itself unable to check COVID-19. The figures climbed daily and the highest numbers were reported from the Daegu region. Eventually, the explosion in numbers was traced to a Christian group known as the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive religious group that is regarded as a cult. Even the Catholic Church called for a dissolution of this occultic church where members refuse to obey rules of social distancing, and hence endanger themselves and others. The 88-year old leader of the group, Lee Man-Hee and 11 others are likely to be charged for homicide and violation of the Infectious Disease and Control Act. Angry South Koreans want the church disbanded. But it was not only in South Korea that religion presented itself as a risk.

In various parts of the world, believers have become slaves of the faiths that they profess, and ignored the warnings of health authorities and political leaders. On the Muslim side, believers, in search of COVID-19 protection, trooped to holy sites in Saudi Arabia to kiss the Kaaba and receive cure, protection and salvation. The Saudi government has since suspended pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, and is considering cancelling this year’s Hajj. Even the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem has been shut down. In Iran, an epicenter of outbreaks, home to major Shiite shrines, the authorities, after weeks of resistance and denial, have finally shut down shrines in Mashdad and Qum. Across the Middle East, Friday prayers have been cancelled.

All major holy sites of the Islamic religion are on lockdown. In India, where the people love religious rites like Lollipop, the government cancelled the annual festival in honour of Lord Rama in Ayodha.

In Iran and India, the people protested. They were not pleased at all. On the Christian side, churches across the Western world and elsewhere have been shut down. In Italy, another epicentre of the outbreak, and home of the Vatican, Catholic Mass has also since been cancelled. Even the Pope now conducts virtual Mass. In one church in Italy, members of the congregation were asked to send family pictures. Family portraits replaced human beings in church. Corona Virus has changed the mode of worship and everything else.

In Africa, the response of religious leaders to COVID-19 has been for the most part, ridiculous, if not absurd, with only a few voices of reason in-between. It is difficult to overlook the opportunism of these African religious leaders. The first pattern

that emerged was that of many religious leaders, mostly Christian Pastors claiming that they had predicted the Corona Virus affliction or that they have an idea of what the cure would be.

Nigerian clergymen – Prophet G.F. Adetuberu and Prophet T.B. Joshua were said to have predicted Corona Virus long before it happened, and their followers provided video evidence to that effect.

The latter Prophet would later speak up when he predicted that COVID-19 will disappear after a heavy rainfall on March 27. Many Nigerians looked forward to that rainfall on March 27. People tend to believe pastors and astrologers in Africa.

On March 27, there was no heavy rainfall, and the number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria has increased geometrically since then!

Other Pastors have also offered solutions. By February 5, a Ghanaian Pastor, Daniel Obinim, CEO of the International God’s Way Church launched a Corona Virus Anointing Oil which he claimed would cure the disease. A bottle of the oil costs 200 Ghanaian Cedis (about 37 US dollars) and according to him, it has been approved by the “heavenly department of the FDA”. Obinim would later deny the claim. But there has been no denial yet from a Kenyan colleague of his, Climate Irungu Wiseman, founder of the Bishop Climate Ministries in Camberwell, London who is also selling a protection oil called Plagues Divine Protection Oil, at the rate of 91 pounds per bottle.

Bishop Climate claims that his oil works and he has since sold over 1, 000 bottles. In Nigeria, Pastor Elijah Ayodele also says he has found a Corona cure: holy water and anointing oil- the only difference is that he is willing to give out his solution free of charge. It is not only African pastors that are guilty. Pastor Kenneth Copeland says he can blow Corona Virus away. Pastor Jim Bakker, another US televangelist claims he can cure corona virus too.

The effect is that across the world, the religious right has been defying stay-at-home restrictions to hold vigils and prayer sessions in the belief that Corona Virus can be cured through supernatural means. They have in many countries received the support of political leaders. In the last month, the Presidents of the United States, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa have declared National Days of Prayer. The Vatican is not left out. On March 27, Pope Francis declared a Special Day of Prayer. He was joined by Catholics worldwide.

Religious groups have also declared special days of fasting and prayers. This may be an expression of faith and social solidarity, but it has also prioritized superstition over science. It has also prompted many church-goers to reject the health guidelines on Corona virus and insist that they are covered by “the blood of Jesus”. But of all the claims by Pastors that I have read about, the most ridiculous would be that of a certain Nigerian Prophet, Dr. Goodheart Val Aloysius, the Metropolitan Senior Pastor of Father’s House International Church in Calabar. “My Father, My Father” as he is otherwise known, has called on the Nigerian government to gather all COVID-19 patients in the country together in one place and on Monday, April 13, he will pray for them and they will all be healed. He says if he fails, the government of Nigeria should ‘hang” him. It will be nice to see a rope around the neck of many of these Pastors who have been misleading people.

The Federal Government should take him up on his offer, and get the hangman ready.

So far, security agents have had cause to disperse worshippers who fail to obey the rules of social distancing, but perhaps the time has come for religious leaders to be arrested and punished.

In Lagos, Nigeria, two Pastors have generated even more disturbing controversies by claiming to know the source and nature of the Virus. On

March 27, Pastor Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministries was reported as having said that the virus is a “chemical weapon” invented by the Chinese to embarrass US President Donald Trump.

He added that the disease is spread through testing and hence, Christians should not go for testing or use any Corona vaccine, lest they are turned into slaves under a New World Order. The dust had hardly settled on Apostle Suleman’s conspiracy theory when another famous Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome stretched the New World Order Theory further by announcing that there is a connection between 5G technology and Corona Virus and that the Nigerian Government is laying 5G fibre cables in Abuja and Lagos to promote an anti-Christ agenda. Whatever may be the purpose of these Pastors making all kinds of claims, they have not been helpful at all. Corona Virus has turned pastors into scientists, herbalists and historians.

They should be called to order!

The bigger problem may well be that political leaders are also buying into the spiritual narrative and after days of lock-down in Nigeria, many state Governors are beginning to lower their guards. Last week, the Katsina state government announced that it had lifted the ban on Friday Jumaat prayers. In Bauchi state, the state Governor Bala Mohammed who tested positive for COVID-19, and later tested negative, went straight to the mosque for Friday prayers. The pictures did not show him observing social distancing! Some other states in fact more or less suspended the stay-at-home order. In Abia, Ebonyi, Ondo, Ekiti, and Niger states, Christians were told they could go to church for Easter. Ondo state has since done a volte-face after recording a second Corona case. In Abia, the excuse is that the state has no reported case of COVID-19. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in fact boasted that there will be no COVID-19 in the state because it is the only state in Nigeria that is mentioned in the Bible! Ikpeazu has a Ph. D in Biochemical Pharmacology. Corona Virus is beginning to make ordinarily intelligent people sound strange. On Friday, mosques in the Middle East were empty. On Sunday, the Pope conducted Easter Mass in an empty Cathedral.

Africans are busy carrying received religion on their heads! If they were making original and informed statements, we would understand, but most of them are merely imitating the ultra-religious right in Europe and North America without making an effort to think.

The duty of the religious community and its leaders is to support the people and lead them aright, not to use Holy Books to promote disease, murder and suicide. But let us reserve words of commendation for those religious leaders who have demonstrated leadership and commonsense.

Some churches and mosques, in the face of it all, have contributed in cash and kind to the war against COVID-19, in addition to the direct distribution of relief materials to aid the poor. I also salute those Nigerian Pastors who have refused to join the 5G conspiracy theory and any such other theories. In Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, April 9, held a state-wide broadcast in which he relaxed restrictions on religious gatherings for Muslims and Christians in the state. The Catholic Church in the State opposed the Governor’s directive and asked its congregation to stay home and stay safe. That is leadership. No political leader should politicize COVID-19. Wike eventually reversed himself. At the appropriate time, there will be need to look at the heroes and villains of the Corona Virus season, surely most of the villains will be political and religious leaders who opted for myth, conspiracy, superstition and witchcraft. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the lockdown order in Ogun, Lagos and the FCT. Ekiti state has also done so. Religious bodies must comply.

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