TUESDAY 27TH APRIL 2021

CBN Licenses 10 More International Money Transfer Operators Obinna Chima The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted operating licences to 10 additional international money transfer operators (IMTOs) as part of efforts to boost diaspora remittances.

With the new licences issued, the total number of IMTOs operating in the country now stands at 57.

In an updated post on its website yesterday, CBN listed the newly-licensed operators as Transfercorp Limited/ VFD Group; Comot Trading

Nigeria Limited; Direkt Wire UK Limited; Gabtrans UK Limited in partnership with Moneyto Limited; GDM Transfer PTY Limited; Innovate 1 Pay Limited; Paysend Plc; SANAA Capital LLC (Money4 Diaspora Services LLC); Swift Payment Limited and WI-PAY

Global LLC. The CBN has in recent times been designing policies to encourage further inflows of the foreign currencies.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had said reforms to increase diaspora remittances into the country would support

the economy and help reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He had said if the country could have inflows of about $10 billion to $15 billion, this would have a significant effect on the economy amidst the current fiscal constraints.

The central bank has said all diaspora remittances must go through the deposit money banks rather than mortgage or fintech institutions.

The CBN governor had said: “Since I became the Continued on page 8

OPEC Maintains Oil Demand Growth Forecast on COVID-19 Worries... Page 6 Tuesday 27 April, 2021 Vol 26. No 9515. Price: N250

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Govs’ Obstinacy Stalls Talks with Judicial Workers Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

FORGING PARTNERSHIP...

L-R: Executive Director Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, Mr. Olukorede Adenowo; member, House of Representatives, Hon. Muktar Betara; Managing Director/CEO, SCBN, Mr. Lamin Manjang; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; and Country Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, SCBN, Mrs. Dayo Aderugbo, during a meeting between SCBN and the speaker in Abuja...yesterday

Efforts to resolve the lingering industrial action by judicial and legislative workers over their agitations for financial autonomy for state judiciaries and legislatures were stalled yesterday following the inability of the federal government and state governors to meet to harmonise their positions.

However, a source confided Continued on page 8

Nation in Turmoil, Bandits Kill Two More Kaduna Students

In search of solutions, Buhari meets Blinken virtually Kingsley Nwezeh, Michael Olugbode in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna, George Okoh in Makurdi, Laleye Dipo in Minna, and DavidChyddy Eleke in Awka In a show of share callousness, Bandits, who abducted 23 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna in Kaduna State, yesterday killed two more of the scholars, bringing to five the total number murdered in cold blood.

The killing occurred as news of a virtual meeting of the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken, with President Muhammadu Buhari scheduled for today broke amidst rising bloodlettings in the country.

Blinken, who begins his first virtual trip to Africa, will also discuss with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, on other issues of Continued on page 8

58.3% of Eligible Nigerians Received COVID-19 Vaccine, FG Laments...Page 5

GUBERNATORIAL CONDOLENCE...

Magajin Gari Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba (right), and Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu, during a condolence visit by the governor to the magajin in Sokoto...yesterday

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

58.3% of Eligible Nigerians Received COVID-19 Vaccine, FG Laments Expects more jabs in June

Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has expressed disappointment that less than two-thirds of the projected eligible persons targeted in the current phase of the COVID-19 vaccination received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Chairman, President Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, decried the vaccine hesitancy by the public at a press briefing yesterday.

He said 1,173,869 Nigerians, representing 58.3 per cent of the targeted population received the vaccines, adding that it is low by its projection.

He urged Nigerians not to forget that the virus is still virulent and raging in some other countries.

"We must therefore keep observing the NPIs and also ensure that we get vaccinated," he added.

The SGF said that the PSC at its first meeting yesterday resolved to focus on the areas identified and underscored by President Muhammadu Buhari to sustain the tempo of the national response, especially in the multisectoral approach to issues.

According to him, going forward, the PSC has agreed to meet twice a month to deal with cross-cutting policy, leadership and technical issues, hold emergency meetings should the need arise and brief the president on the national situation regularly.

In addition, the PSC will escalate the management of the vaccine access and acquisition to the highest political level and brief the nation at least twice a month on the days of the PSC meetings while also escalating risk communication and community engagement.

The SGF also said Nigeria and the United Arab Emirate (UAE) had struck an agreement over COVID -19 testing for Nigerian passengers.

He stated that while the Port Harcourt and Enugu airports will soon reopen and will commence international flights operation like Kano, which has reopened, the key concern

of the PSC, however, is the availability of infrastructure for port health services.

He said the significance of the preceding measures was underscored by the facts that several variants of the virus were mutating from different jurisdictions and were capable of being imported into Nigeria.

“We continue to deploy science and data to address these cases. The PSC will provide steps being taken to stop the importation of these cases into Nigeria in our subsequent briefing,” he said.

Also at the briefing, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said the country was expecting more COVID19 vaccines by May or June.

Out of the over four million doses of Astrazeneca vaccine delivered, the government said it had set aside 50 per cent to be used in administering

second dose to those who had earlier received the first shot.

"We are also expecting deliveries of vaccines through the Covax facility by the end of May or early June 2021.

By this time, we would have completed the process of administering the second doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine to those who got the first dose," he said.

He added that NAFDAC is continuing discussions with manufacturers and examining their vaccines "in anticipation of emergency use listing from the World Health Organisation".

He said: "We hope that these will mitigate the negative concerns about the delayed deliveries of AstraZeneca vaccine, thereby ensuring the sustained supply of vaccines for smooth continuation of our vaccination exercise."

Shuaib stated that the federal government anticipated a delay in vaccine supply to the country which may also affect and impact

the remaining phases of the vaccination campaign.

However, he said in response to the anticipated delay, the government had rationalised the vaccination by preserving 50% of available doses of the vaccine for administration of the second doses.

He added that the remaining 50 per cent will be administered to clients who had earlier received the first dose and this would be scheduled between eight and 12 weeks from the date of their first dose.

According to him, each state of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is currently administering only 50 per cent of their allocated doses of vaccines.

Shuaib said efforts would be made to administer the second dose before the ccurrent batch of the vaccinne expires by June 28.

In addition, Shuaib said the federal goverment had

made contingency plan to supply additional doses of Astrazeneca vaccine to states that may have overshot half of the quota allocated to them to enable them to complete the second dose.

On the issue of adverse effects so far recorded in the vaccination, Shuaib said there were 8,711 cases of mild after effects (AEFIs) while there were also 52 instances of moderate to severe AEFIs. He stated that Kaduna, Cross River, Yobe, Kebbi and Lagos have continued to lead other states in terms of the numbers of cases.

Also, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the federal government had directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) to immediately commence testing and authorisation of more vaccines for use in Nigeria in order to avoid undue disruptions in the vaccine roll-out plan.

Ehanire who expresed worry over the possibility of another wave of COVID-19 infections in the country, said surveillance at all the points of entry in the country was necessary to reduce the risk of importation of coronavirus variants said to be more contagious and virulent.

He added that the government is considering other measures and testing strategies tailored to mitigate risks of importation of virulent strains.

On his part, the DirectorGeneral of the Nigreia Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, warned Nigerians against what he called pandemic fatigue.

According to him, though it is heart warming to witness a continuous drop in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the country, caution must be taken to avoid people dropping their guards by not observing the non pharmaceutical protocols.

THE TROIKA...

L-R: Group CEO, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Owen Omogiafo; Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu; and Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Foluke Abdulrasaq, at the 15th Annual General Meeting of Transcorp Plc in Abuja…yesterday

Report: Electronic Payment Transactions Hit N356.47tn in Q4 Banks' NPLs increase to N1.23tn James Emejo in Abuja A total volume of 3,464,811,083 transactions worth N356.47 trillion was recorded on electronic payment channels in the fourth quarter of 2020 (Q4 2020), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), stated yesterday.

Also, banking sector's non-performing loan portfolio increased by 15.69 per cent to N1.23 trillion with gross loans

of about N20.48 trillion in Q4 compared to N1.17 trillion and gross loans of N19.46 trillion in Q3.

According to the ‘Selected Banking Sector Data: Sectorial Breakdown of Credit, e-Payment Channels and Staff Strength (Q4 2020)’ report, posted on the NBS website, online transfers dominated the volume of transactions with over 2.23 billion deals valued at N120.27 trillion in

the review period.

Payment transactions through the use of cheques stood at N4.20 trillion, indicating 10.28 per cent increase over Q3 while transactions, while using Automated Teller Machine (ATM) amounted to N4.54 trillion.

Point of Sale (PoS) transactions amounted to N1.52 trillion or a 25.49 per cent increase over the preceding quarter.

Also, National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) transfers stood at N96.08 trillion while Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) transfer was valued at N112.99 trillion as well as the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) transfers of N1.63 trillion in the review period.

According to the NBS, mobile apps transfers (not mobile money), amounted to N9.91 trillion while direct

debits stood at N500 billion as well as transactions by Mobile Money Operators (MMOs), which stood at N4.82 trillion.

However, banking industry credit to the private sector stood at N20.37 trillion, representing a quarterly growth of 2.25 per cent.

Oil and gas and the manufacturing sectors got credit allocation of N3.93 trillion and N3.19 trillion respectively to record the highest credit

beneficiaries for the period.

Also, credit to power and energy stood at N443.37 billion while mines and quarrying received N11.87 billion.

The report stated that the total number of banks' staff decreased by -0.90 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 95,026 from 95,888 in Q3 2020.

Total staff strength in deposit money banks (DMBs) stood at 95,026 as at Q4 from 95,888 staff in the preceding quarter.

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OPEC Maintains Oil Demand Growth Forecast on COVID-19 Worries

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies on the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) are keeping the cartel's forecast for growth in global oil demand this year, amid worries of surging COVID-19 cases in India, it was learnt yesterday.

In its most recent monthly oil market report, the cartel had raised its forecast for global oil demand growth by 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 5.95 million bpd, which it is leaving unchanged for now.

The JTC meeting also expressed concern about rising COVID-19 cases in India, Japan and Brazil, as prices fell yesterday on fears that rising infections, especially in India, will dent fuel demand in the world's third biggest oil importer.

The JTC usually reviews market fundamentals and monitors compliance with the group's oil production cuts and reported compliance levels, keeping the figures for March at 113 per cent, unchanged from levels in February, sources within the meeting said.

But efforts by OPEC and its allies to calm the market by maintaining production curbs and the staggering spread of COVID-19 in India will be major factors influencing the price of oil this week and perhaps, the decision of the organisation two days from

now.

OPEC+ opted in early April to put another 350,000 barrels per day on the market through June, and economists at the cartel raised their forecast for oil demand in this month’s report.

In his opening remarks at the commencement of the 51st virtual meeting which took place via videoconference, OPEC Secretary-General, Dr. Sanusi Barkindo, reiterated that the organisation must be cautious and vigilant given the current fragile oil market situation.

He stated that OPEC had received good news regarding the inventory glut that amassed during the pandemic, with commercial oil inventories now standing just 77 million barrels above their 2015-2019 average as of March, down from a peak of 249 million in July, in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

“This is a remarkable turnaround from that fateful Monday last April, when the world was fretting about running out of storage,” he stated.

He added that what has been apparent about the group over the last year is how responsive it has been to the fast-changing environment.

But he said despite the positive developments, OPEC was aware that it was far from

putting the pandemic behind.

“In just three days, India recorded over a million new infections. For four successive days, the country saw record numbers of daily numbers of COVID-19 infections, exceeding 300,000 new cases per day,” he added.

According to him, while the world can take comfort

from the fact that over one billion vaccinations have been administered worldwide, reaching herd immunity will not be without setbacks.

The JTC meeting is in preparation for the 29th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) and the 16th OPEC and nonOPEC Ministerial Meeting

(ONOMM) scheduled for tomorrow.

Barkindo thanked members of the JTC for their ongoing efforts in examining the developments of the global oil market and providing analysis to support decision-making, noting that the committee has contributed greatly to the success of the historic

Declaration of Cooperation (DoC).

In highlighting the improving oil market outlook, Barkindo added: “There are positive signals regarding the global economy and prospects for our industry.” However, he added that there are many factors that require ongoing monitoring and vigilance.

WELCOME TO BENIN...

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left), and French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Jerome Pasquier, during the ambassador’s courtesy visit to Benin City...yesterday

Again, NERC Plans Review of Discos’ Tariffs, Capital Expenditure Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is to review tariffs paid to the 11 Distribution Companies (Discos) and revise the approved capital expenditure for the power distributors.

The capital expenditure allowance approved by NERC has always been a source of disagreement between the regulator and the distributors who insist that it is too low and has limited the capacity for network expansion.

Going by the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2015,

the approved average capital expenditure allowance to Discos remains $12 million, about N5 billion per Disco annually.

But MYTO is a framework that guides the pricing of electricity and by the rules is supposed to be adjusted twice a year.

NERC, in a release posted on its website yesterday, tagged: “Notice of Minor and Extraordinary Review of Tariffs for Electricity Transmission Distribution Companies,” stated that the latest move was pursuant to the provisions of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA), which sets out the

methodology and procedures for reviewing electricity tariffs in Nigeria.

“The MYTO provides for minor reviews every six months, major reviews every five years and extraordinary tariff reviews in instances where industry parameters have changed from those used in the operating tariffs to such an extent that a review is urgently required to maintain the viability of the industry,” it said.

The commission stated that it held a series of public hearings and consulted stakeholders in the first quarter of 2020 on the extraordinary tariff

review applications of the 11 electricity Discos to consider their respective five-year Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).

However, NERC said the evaluation of the Discos’ requests for review of the capital expenditure proposed in their improvement plans could not be concluded for the consideration of the commission during the minor reviews undertaken in 2020.

The commission added that section 21 of the MYTO, 2020 order, provides for consideration of Discos’ capital expenditure application upon further

scrutiny and evaluation of the investment proposals. It said the latest notice was issued to inform the general public and industry stakeholders of the commission’s intention to conclude the extraordinary tariff review process for the 11 Discos.

In addition, NERC stated that it was also to commence the processes for the July 2021 minor review of MYTO – 2020 to consider changes in inflation, foreign exchange, gas prices, available generation capacity, and capital expenditure.

It added that this is required to evacuate and distribute available generation capacity

in accordance with the extant laws and other existing industry rules.

“This notice is hereby issued in compliance with the provisions of EPSRA, the business rules of the commission and the regulations on procedures for electricity tariff reviews in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to solicit for comments from the general public on the proposed reviews.

“Stakeholders and the general public are invited to send their comments to the commission within 21 days from the date of this publication,” NERC added.

Akabueze: Nigeria Lags Behind African Peers in Public Expenditure-to-GDP Ratio Obinna Chima Nigeria presently lags behind its peers in Africa in terms of public expenditure-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio, the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Ben Akabueze, has said.

Compared with an African average of about 22 per cent, Nigeria’s public expenditureto-GDP ratio is at 12 per cent, he added.

Akabueze, in a presentation titled: “Key Objectives and Expected Impact of the FGN 2021 Budget,” he delivered at KPMG’s Tax Breakfast seminar, a copy of which was obtained

by THISDAY, yesterday, said the size of the federal, states and local governments’ budgets relative to the needs of the three tiers of government were too

small, compared with their levels of expenditures.

According to him, the country also lags behind its peers in the continent in terms of domestic revenue mobilisation (DRM), with its revenue-to-GDP ratio still around eight per cent.

He quoted data showing that Algeria presently has 33 per cent revenue-to-GDP ratio; South Africa – 29 per cent; Morocco – 26 per cent; Tunisia – 24 per cent; Angola – 22 per cent and Egypt – 21 per cent.

Some other countries whose revenue-to-GDP are also far above that of Nigeria include Cote d’Ivoire – 20 per cent; Zambia – 19 per cent; Kenya – 18 per cent; Cameroun and Uganda – 16 per cent; Ghana – 14 per cent and Ethiopia – 13 per cent.

Aggregate revenue available

to fund the 2021 budget was projected at N7.99 trillion.

This is 36.9 per cent higher than the 2020 revised budget of N5.84 trillion, but still low and constrains the size of the budget, Akabueze stated.

He said: “Although the 2016/2017 recession and COVID-19 induced downturn in 2020 have compounded the problem of revenue generation, there is clearly a systemic problem with government domestic resource mobilisation.

“In the five years to 2019, revenue achievement against budget averaged 61 per cent; in 2020, however, 73 per cent of budgeted revenues was achieved.

“It would therefore seem that the revenue projections are unrealistic, but we do not think so.”

But he said the federal government had launched a Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative (SRGI), whose key elements included sustainability in revenue generation; enhancing existing and creating new revenue streams; cohesion in the revenue ecosystem; and cost optimisation and liquidity enhancement.

In addition, he said the annual Finance Act, accompanying the annual budget proposal to the National Assembly, would be a major tool for driving the SRGI. “The overarching goal is to raise the revenue-to-GDP ratio from 8-9 per cent currently to 15 per cent by a new target date of 2025,” he added.

He listed efforts to boost revenue to include leveraging technology and automation, improving tax

administration framework to optimise government revenue, reducing cost of tax collection and enhancing tax-payer convenience, expanding the excise duty base to include carbonated/sugary drinks and telecom airtime.

“Recurrent costs like personnel, pensions, statutory transfers, committed social protection programmes leave limited fiscal space for growthenabling capital expenditure,” Akabueze said.

He added that the early passage of the 2021 budget for the second consecutive year returned the country to a predictable January-December budget cycle.

According to him, timely approval of the government budget is critical, not just for effective planning for

government institutions, but for the private sector.

The budget is critical to developing a well-functioning society and a competitive economy, he added.

“The Nigerian economy has been buffeted by deepening macroeconomic challenges and worsening social order, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

He stated that high incidence of poverty in the country has been worsened by rising unemployment rate, adding, however, that low skills limit employment opportunities in the formal economy.

According to him, persistent deficit financing has resulted in total national debt rising from N11.24 trillion in December 2014, to N32.9 trillion in December 2020.

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Buhari Eager to End Nigeria’s Security Challenges, Says Gbajabiamila Deji Elumoye in Abuja Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari is eager to ensure a timely solution to the myriad of security challenges facing the nation.

Gbajabiamila, who spoke yesterday with journalists in company with House Leader, Hon. Hassan Doguwa, after

meeting with Buhari at the State House, Abuja said Buhari has expressed his willingness to ensure that the problems are solved once and for all.

According to him, though some of the solutions being given to the security problems cannot be made public now, it will, however, be glaring over time.

He said: "Some of these things, you cannot be privy to them for now. We're still working on a

way out. All I will always say, I say it all the time, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

The President is dealing with a very, very difficult situation and he is as passionate as anybody else to bring it to closure and we are here to help him bring it to closure".

Gbajabiamila also stated that the report of the ad-hoc security committee set up recently by the House will soon be presented to the president to assist the

government in tackling the security challenges.

His words: "You are aware that the House of Representatives, some time ago, passed a resolution and we set up an ad-hoc committee, which involves all principal officers and 30 other members of the House and we're going to start that process looking at the different solutions and we'll be bringing the reports to Mr. President. He is fully aware of

it and he's opened to anything and everything. That will help us in coming to a resolution in this matter".

The Speaker explained that apart from security, other issues like the nation's economy and politics were discussed during his meeting with the President.

"We will always speak about security because that's number one. We spoke about the security situation, we spoke about the economy, the politics of it all

and at least he has a listening ear. We proffer ideas, you know, he tells us his own views, and we come to some consensus, one way or the other."

He described as routine his meeting with the President and emphasised that "I came to see him to exchange ideas, rub minds together as to where we are as a country, rub minds together politically, economically, socially, which is a continuous engagement for four years now."

5,000 villagers from their ancestral homes in Shiroro and Munya LGAs by bandits who raided the towns over the weekend.

He said: "I am confirming that there are Boko Haram elements here in Niger State; here in Kaure; I am confirming that they have hoisted their flags here.

"Their wives have been seized from them and forcefully attached to Boko Haram members. I just heard that they have placed their flags at Kaure, meaning they have taken over the territory.

"This is what I have been engaging the federal government on. Unfortunately, it has now got to this level. If care is not taken even Abuja is not safe.

"We have been saying this for long. All our efforts have been in vain."

Bello stated that the Boko Haram insurgents are trying to use the area as their home just as they did in Sambisa, adding that "Sambisa is several kilometres from Abuja but Kaure is just two kilometres from Abuja. So, nobody is safe anymore not even those in Abuja."

Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, however, said only nine persons were killed.

Ikenga said: "The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, CP Monday Bala Kuryas, has ordered the immediate deployment of the command's operational and intelligence assets to identify and apprehend the unknown armed men.

"They violently attacked Ukpomachi village, Awkuzu in Oyi LGA of the state, in the early hours of April 26, 2021.

"Meanwhile, a crack team of police operatives of the command, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, have visited the scene and conducted an on-the-spot-assessment of the incidence and have successfully restored normalcy in the area and adequate security emplaced to forestall further occurrence."

NATION IN TURMOIL, BANDITS KILL TWO MORE KADUNA STUDENTS bilateral relations and shared importance between the United States and Nigeria.

Preceding the visit, however, is a rash of violence instigated by bandits and other non-state actors, who unleashed killings in Kaduna, Anambra, Benue, Niger and Borno States even as the Nigerian Army confirmed the killing of scores of terrorists in a gun duel that also claimed an army officer and six soldiers. Six others were wounded in the battle in Mainok, Borno State.

In Niger State, the Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, raised the alarm that Boko Haram fighters had hoisted their flag in Kaure village in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

In Anambra State, the police confirmed the killing of nine persons in Awkuzu community of the state, following an attack by unknown persons on members of the community.

Bandits also invaded the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue State, and abducted some students.

In a statement announcing Blinken's virtual trip to Africa, the US Embassy in Nigeria said he would also visit Kenya and engage with young people from across the continent.

It said: “During his visit, Secretary Blinken will meet with President Buhari and Foreign Minister Onyeama to reiterate the value of our bilateral relationship and discuss issues of shared importance.

“Secretary Blinken will also participate in a health partnership event to underscore our collaboration to combat the pandemic as well as long-term US investments in combating infectious diseases.

“He will meet with a beneficiary of a PEPFAR programme and a Nigerian health care worker.”

It explained that Blinken will underscore the two nation’s shared goals of strengthening democratic governance, building lasting security, and promoting economic ties and diversification,

adding that people-to-people connections, underpinned by the dynamic Nigerian Diaspora in the United States would amplify and strengthen the countries’ relationship.

It added: “Secretary Blinken will begin his virtual travel to Africa meeting with Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) alumni. In a 'Ten Questions with Tony' event, YALI alumni will have an opportunity to engage with the secretary on a range of topics, including the role of youth in the future of Africa, economic development, democracy and good governance, climate change, and health.

"Through YALI, the United States works with public, private sector, and civil society partners across the continent to develop initiatives and economic opportunities to support the creativity, innovativeness and energy of Africa’s youth.”

Two More Abducted Greenfield University Students Killed Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government yesterday reported the killing of two more students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, who were among some 23 students bandits kidnapped on April 20, 2021.

The bandits had earlier on Friday released the bodies of three of the students, a male and two females.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs said in a statement yesterday in Kaduna that security agencies had briefed the state government about the incident.

Aruwan said: “On a sad note, security agencies have just reported to the Kaduna State government the recovery of two more dead bodies of Greenfield University students, killed by armed bandits today, Monday 26th April 2021.

“The retrieved corpses have been evacuated to a mortuary, and the university has been

notified of the development.

“The Government of Kaduna State under the leadership of Malam Nasir el-Rufai is saddened by this evil perpetrated against innocent students abducted while pursuing their education for a glorious future.

“The government sends its deep empathy to their families and the university management, and prays for the repose of their souls.

“The government will update the citizenry on further developments.”

Scores of Insurgents, Army Officer, Six Soldiers Killed in Borno Meanwhile, troops of the Nigerian Army have killed scores of terrorists in a gun battle that also claimed an army officer and six soldiers. Six other soldiers were wounded in Mainok, Borno State.

The fierce encounter came as the Nigerian Air Force yesterday launched an investigation into claims that a fighter jet bombed troops in Mainok, in error.

There were reports and video clips circulating on social media, depicting in Nigeria, who lost their lives during the incident.

Another video showed an unidentified soldier lamenting the bombing of troops on a reinforcement mission.

However, a statement by the Nigerian Army Headquarters said troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in Mainok, Borno State on Sunday, "came under multi-directional attacks by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists mounted on an unconfirmed number of gun trucks as well as foot soldiers with possible intent of establishing a phantom caliphate in the town."

It said the terrorists were held by the troops of 156 Task Force Battalion until the arrival of reinforcement teams from 7 Division, Special Army Super Camp Ngamdu and Army Super Camp 4, Benesheik.

The war update stated that

during the gun duel, the troops tactically lured some of the terrorists into a killing zone within their camp where the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole scrambled Alpha jets and helicopter gunboats killed the terrorists.

"In the aftermath of the encounter, scores of Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised with their body parts littering the area and a number of their gun trucks destroyed.

"Regrettably, one gallant officer and six soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice while five other soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries," it said.

It said the wounded soldiers were evacuated to the military medical facility for treatment even as troops took full control of Mainok while the search for fleeing terrorists was in progress.

However, the Nigerian Air Force yesterday launched an investigation into claims that a fighter jet mistakenly bombed troops in Mainok, Borno State.

It said it was investigating the reports and video clips of the alleged bombing being circulated on social media.

The NAF said on its Twitter handle that the public would be duly informed of the progress of the investigation.

Police Confirm Death of Nine as Hoodlums Invade Anambra Community

Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, yesterday confirmed that Boko Haram elements have hoisted their flag in Kaure village in the Shiroro LGA of the state.

The governor also alleged that the Boko Haram fighters have taken over the wives of some of the villagers and allocated them to themselves.

Bello spoke yesterday in Minna, the state capital when he visited the Internally Displaced People (IDP) Camp at the IBB Primary School, near the Emir of Minna's palace.

The primary school was hurriedly turned into IDP camp following the sacking of nearly

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the killing of nine persons in Awkuzu community of the state, following the attack by gunmen on members of the community.

THISDAY gathered that the attack occurred yesterday in the community, which also serves as the residence of the students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.

Sources told THISDAY that students whose hostels are located in the area and other residents in the area had all fled for fear of another attack.

The police in the state confirmed the attack and said normalcy has returned to the area.

The spokesperson of the state police command, Mr. Tochukwu

look at what constitutes capital projects. They will be defined. The second issue is to look at what constitutes the revenue inflow”.

The source also confirmed that there were areas that had been agreed on like the setting up of the Funds Committee and its composition.

The governors had agreed that the National Judicial Council (NJC) would handle funds for states’ judicial councils.

However, they insisted that they would deduct loans and legacy debts from their allocations.

In a bid to resolve the issues and end the ongoing industrial dispute, the federal government had scheduled to hold talks yesterday with the striking workers.

But the talks could not hold due to the inability of the government side to come up with one position.

However, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria ( PASAN) had said its members would continue the strike until full financial autonomy of the state legislatures was implemented.

The agitation by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and PASAN for the implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislative arms of government in states, as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution as altered, has led to the shutdown of courts nationwide for the third week running.

Boko Haram Hoists Flag in Niger Village

GOVS’ OBSTINACY STALLS TALKS WITH JUDICIAL WORKERS in THISDAY that the meeting of federal government officials and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will reconvene today to harmonise positions on the implementation of financial autonomy for states’ legislatures and judiciaries.

THISDAY gathered that the disagreement stalled yesterday’s bid to resolve the judicial and parliamentary workers’ strike as the government team and the striking workers could not meet as scheduled because of the differing positions of the federal government and the governors.

While the federal government’s position is that the governors should transfer the statutory allocations of the other two arms of government to them directly, the state chief executives insisted on making some deductions before remitting the money.

THISDAY gathered that the two parties will today decide on the appropriate deductions to be made from the statutory allocations of the states’ judiciaries and legislatures before remittance to them.

The development also followed the rejection of the N100 million irreducible monthly minimum offered each state’s legislature by the governors in lieu of their statutory allocations.

The governors had offered the legislative arm N100 million but the speakers of the states’ assemblies rejected the offer, insisting on N250 million.

The governors had also offered in the alternative, to pay the two tiers of government their allocations from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), but on the condition that legacy debts and money for capital projects would first be deducted before remitting the net balance to the other two arms of government.

But the states’ legislatures and judiciaries have insisted on being paid their gross allocations from FAAC. But a source close to the presidency told THISDAY yesterday that the representatives of the governors and the federal government officials would meet today to harmonise their positions

on the option of deductions before presenting their common position to the striking workers.

He said the meeting would determine what constituted capital projects that should be deducted and what constituted revenue inflow.

When asked whether the federal government and the states have agreed on how to address the demands of the judiciary and parliamentary workers, the source said: "It's work in progress. We are still meeting. For the government side, we will be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday). We all need to be on one page; that is the government side before we put anything on paper as Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). We are to

CBN LICENSES 10 MORE INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER OPERATORS CBN governor, I have been hearing about the size of diaspora remittances; some say $20 billion, in fact some say it’s about $30 billion. Honestly, I have been looking for the $30 billion or $20 billion, I have not seen it.

“But this time, I have decided

that I will focus to see those billions of dollars. You know what, I am not only expecting $20 billion, if we get even up to $10 billion to $15 billion, I can tell you it can help the Nigerian economy.

“Pakistan, Indonesia and

others generate an average of $2 billion monthly in diaspora remittances and this has helped to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on their economy.” He also emphasised the need to introduce transparency in the administration of diaspora remittances.

Gunmen Attack Agric University in Benue, Kidnap Students Also yesterday, an unconfirmed number of students of the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi (FUAM) in Benue State were reported to have been abducted by gunmen.

Director of Information, Protocol and Public Relations Unit (IPPR), Mrs. Rosemary Waku, in a statement, said: “An unconfirmed number of students of FUAM were abducted at gunpoint by unknown persons from the Campus on Sunday 25th April 2021.

“The university has reported the incident to the police and all relevant security agencies. The university has not heard anything from the students or their captors since the unfortunate incidence took place.”

However, the Benue State Police command stated that the university reported that three students were abducted.

According to the Public Relation Officer of the command, Mr. Sewuese Anene, a deputy superintendent of police, the police have opened an investigation into the incident.

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THISDAY,TUESDAY APRIL 27,2021

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TUESDAY APRIL 27, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

NGE, PDP Kick as NBC Orders Suspension of Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ Commission says station liable to N5m fine, suspension Chuks Okocha in Abuja The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) yesterday ordered the suspension of ‘Politics Today,’ a programme on Channels Television following an interview the station had with the spokesperson for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Emma Powerful.

But in a swift reaction, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has condemned the threat to the TV station by the NBC. Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described it described as the reported suspension and fine of N5million slammed against the TV station by NBC over alleged violation of broadcasting code, as draconian.

In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Channels TV titled, ‘Inciting Comments By Proscribed Group: Politics Today,’ the acting Director-General of NCC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, said the IPOB spokesman made several secessionist and inciting declarations on air without caution or reprimand

by Channels TV. “He also made derogatory, false or misleading statements about the Nigerian Army. This is reprehensible especially that IPOB remains a proscribed organisation as pronounced by the courts of the land. This much Channels TV ought to know and respect.”

According to him, the programme was clearly in violation of the provisions of Section 3.11.1(b) and 5.4.3 of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.

He cited Section 3.11.1(b), which provides that “the Broadcaster shall ensure that no programme contains anything, which amounts to subversion of constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of Nigeria as a sovereign state.”

He also cited Section 5.4.3, which provides that, “In reporting conflict situations, the Broadcaster shall perform the role of a peace agent by adhering to the principle of responsibility, accuracy and neutrality.”

“For obviously breaching the above provisions of the law, your station remains liable to

Gunmen Attack another Imo Police Station, Kill Five Officers Amby Uneze in Owerri No fewer than five policemen were said to have lost their lives when gunmen yesterday night attacked the Okigwe South Police Area Command headquarters in Orieagu, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

The gallant officers who paid the supreme price were said to have attempted to repel the assailants.

THISDAY learnt the incident occurred around 7.00pm just less than two days after hoodlums attacked the residence of Governor Hope Uzodimma in his Omuma Community, Oru East Local Government Area.

The gunmen also released suspects in custody in the police facility.

The incident, it was gathered, caused serious panic in the area with villagers running to hide inside bushes.

They were equally said to

have made away with police weapons.

A source said: “We started hearing gunshots around 7.00pm and the gunshots became heavier around the Orieagu Market.

“We thought it was the First Bank there that was being robbed until after the attack that we discovered that it was the Area Command.

“It was after about one hour later that some of us emerged from the bushes to check what happened and counted about six policemen lying in the pool of their own blood.”

Imo police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the attack when contacted.

He said: “I can confirm an attack on Okigwe South Area Command Headquarters, Ehime Mbano LGA, by yet to be identified gunmen , five officers have been killed, while one is yet to be accounted for “The building is not razed, please.”

Obiano Imposes Curfew on Anambra Communities David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Anambra State Government has imposed curfew on communities where ‘unknown gunmen’ killed 19 persons yesterday.

A statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Solo Chukwulobelu, showed that Igbariam, Aguleri, Umueri, Nteje, Awkuzu and Umunya are among the communities imposed the 7p.m.-to-6a.m. curfew.

Chukwulobelu in the statement said: “The curfew which begins April 26, 2021,

is until further notice.

“We advise Anambra residents living in these communities to obey the curfew order, as security personnel would strictly enforce the curfew.”

Unknown gunmen had yesterday morning attacked and killed some residents of Awkuzu, causing student of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University students to flee the area.

Reports alleged that some livestock were also killed, while scores of persons sustained injuries.

sanctions provided in Section 15 of the code which prescribes, among others – suspension of broadcast license and a fine of N5 million.

“Please be reminded that your station owes the country the responsibility for a truly professional and ethical guided broadcast station especially at times of crisis. Please ensure an immediate stop to the programme.”

Meanwhile, the PDP has described the reported suspension and fine of N5million fine slammed

against Channels Television by the NBC over alleged violation of broadcasting code, as draconian.

The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, stressed that without prejudice to the issues raised against Channels Television, the reported hasty clamp down, without the benefit of caution, is suggestive of intolerance and high-handedness by the regulatory body.

According to the PDP, “Our party is worried that such

disposition could be counterproductive and heighten the already tensed situation in our country at this critical time.”

The party, therefore, urged the NBC to review the punitive measure on the media house as well as scale up system-friendly measures that will ensure best practices in information dissemination in the country.

Also, the Nigerian Guild of Editors condemned the threat to the TV station by the NBC. The NGE in a statement by its president, Mustapha Isah, and Secretary, Mary Atolagbe,

said the Guild stands with Channels TV and would go to any length to defend press freedom in the country.

“The body of editors believes that the NBC is guilty of double standards because stations that carried Sheikh Gumi’s parley with terrorists in their camps were not sanctioned by the commission.

“The NBC should jettison the practice of issuing threats to broadcast stations over matters that could easily be dealt with through dialogue,” the statement partly reads.

SECURITY ON THEIR MINDS…

L-R: Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Oyo State Command, Iskilu Akinsanya; Director of Department of State Services, Clara Olika; Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; Commissioner of Police, Oyo State (CP), Ngozi Onadeko; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), during the inspection of the joint security post at Oyo/Ogun states’ border, Mamu village, Ibadan…yesterday

Ogun Monarchs Storm Senate, Back Border Institute Bill KDeji Elumoye in Abuja Some traditional rulers from border towns in Ogun State yesterday stormed the Senate to throw their weight behind the Border Institute Bill sponsored

by Senator Tolu Odebiyi (APC Ogun West).

At the public hearing held for required legislative inputs into establishment laws for the proposed Institute by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, royal fathers, among whom

were Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; the Onipokia of Ipokia Yewa, Oba Yisa Adesola Olaniyan; Alagbara of Agbara Yewa, Oba Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade; Eselu of Iselu Yewa, Oba Ebenezer Akintunde Akinyemi; the Abepa of Joga Orile Yewa, Oba (Dr.) Adeyemi Olanrewaju Adekeye; Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite Alabi, and the Aboro of Iboroland, Oba Daniel Salako, graced the occasion.

The royal fathers in separate interviews with journalists

yesterday said their presence at the public hearing was to openly demonstrate the seriousness and eagerness of the Yelwa people for the Institute, which, according to them, will have positive multiplier effects in their various communities The bill seeks to establish the National Institute for Border Studies in Imeko, Ogun West senatorial district as a degree awarding institution, with the power to admit students and award degrees upon the completion

of their statutory academic years and after satisfying the requirements of the council.

Also, the Institute is planned to develop and conduct courses for training of students as well as teachers in the teaching profession, expand the horizon for indigenous research and provide the basis for cooperation, partnership and collaboration with relevant institutions, researchers and stakeholders in Nigeria and beyond.

Gambari Leads FG’s Delegation to Receive Body of Kano Emir’s Mother Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the federal government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; and the Ministers of Defence, Justice, Aviation, and Water Resources; Sultan of Sokoto, who was represented by Wazirin Sokoto, among others yesterday received the remains of the mother of Emirs of Kano and Bichi at the Mallam

Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano from Egypt for burial.

The Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero, with other family members escorted the body of their late mother to Kano from Abuja.

Thousands of sympathisers were at the airport to also witness the arrival of the dead.

Before going to the airport, the federal government delegation was at the Kano emir’s palace with the state Governor, Ganduje, and all other emirs, to extend

the condolences of the federal government to the emirates, the government and people of Kano State.

At the palace, Gambari appreciated the lifetime of the late mother, Hajiya Maryam Ado Bayero (Mai Babban Daki), acknowledging that: “Her royal blood extended to many generations from both sides of her parents. She was the mother of the two Emirs of Kano and Bichi emirates.”

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased mother.

In his response, Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, commended the federal and state governments for the show of concern and respect to them, describing the late mother “as a mother for all.

We never saw her as only our mother; she was a mother to all, and that was what she exhibited when she was alive.

Again, Gunmen Kill Five Soldiers in Rivers Barely 24 hours after the death of nine security operatives in Rivers State, unidentified gunmen, yesterday attacked the military camp at Abua, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area, killing nine soldiers.

Nine victims were said

to have earlier been killed in different security check points in the state.

THISDAY source said the invaders attacked four security checkpoints on the Owerri-Port Harcourt road.

He noted that four policemen, three Nigeria Customs operatives and

two soldiers, believed to be Air Force personnel in the JTF were the victims of the attack.

Similarly, yesterday morning, unknown gunmen stormed a camp at Abua and killed five soldiers.

The incident was confirmed by two top security personnel

in Rivers State.

It was gathered at press time that all heads of security agencies in Rivers State were at a meeting at the headquarters of the Rivers State Police Command, ostensibly to re-strategise ahead of the new scale of insecurity in the state.

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Bandits Kill DPO, Nine Police Officers in Kebbi The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of nine of its personnel, including a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) by bandits in Sakaba Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, Nafi’u Abubakar, said the officers were killed during a gun duel with the bandits on Sunday.

Two “Yan Sa Kai” (local vigilantes) and an unknown number of residents also lost their lives in the bandits’ attack.

“DPO Sakaba, eight other policemen and two ‘yan-sakais’ lost their lives during a gun duel with the bandits on Sunday at about 14:30 hours,” Abubakar said.

The bandits were said to have attacked five villages

namely Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku, Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Salisu Adamu, a resident, as saying they also carted away some livestock.

“Bandits attacked our villages since around 8a.m.

Please we need your prayers,” Adamu said.

“They carted away thousands of cattle from Dankolo, Sakaba, Makuku,

Dokar Kambari and Kurmin Hodo villages and many food items as they came with more than 100 motorcycles, well-armed.

“They started shooting sporadically which prompted

the village people to flee for safety in different directions.”

The country has continued to witness an increase in security threats– ranging from robbery to kidnappings and killings.

How Gunmen Shot Imo Commissioner, Others Amby Uneze in Owerri Fresh facts emerged yesterday that the Imo State Commissioner for Entrepreneurship and Skill Acquisition, Mr. Iyke Ume, was among the victims shot by gunmen suspected to be armed robbers, who attacked and robbed motorists in Owerri, Imo State capital, on Sunday.

The rampaging gunmen had attacked motorists at Orji, on Owerri- Okigwe Road very close to the Divisional Police Headquarters.

THISDAY gathered that one of the motorists who was shot was driving an unmarked security vehicle, was the commissioner, who was in company of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter Party Affairs, Mr. Dominic Uzowuru.

The commissioner, it was learnt, was heading to his home

in Orji, when the armed robbers double-crossed him and shot him on his leg and hand.

The commissioner was already dropping Uzowuru at his house in Orji after a service of song with another commissioner, when he was attacked.

Uzowuru confirmed the attack yesterday, saying however that he was not shot.

“I was not shot. The Commissioner was shot.

My phone and that of the commissioners were snatched.

We were coming from a service of song of one of us, Austin Nnawuihe. He was dropping me when the robbers struck. I am fine to the glory of God.” Imo State Police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu, said the victims were recuperating at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where they were taken to by the police.

APC Urges Nigerians to Unite against Insecurity Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja As the security situation in the country deteriorated, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Nigerians to unite against insecurity, saying that it would not play politics with matters of life and the collective wellbeing of Nigerians.

The ruling party said the issue of insecurity in the country had found expression in terrorist and criminal activities of Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers, rustlers and recently the highly condemnable attacks on security formations in some states.

The National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, in a statement issued yesterday said while the party sympathised with all affected by the security incidents, it also called on all to unite against insecurity and criminality.

He stated: “These are current realities and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not play politics with matters of life and our collective wellbeing as a nation.

“As a progressive party in government, we are fully-focused on identifying and bringing to book the perpetrators and sponsors of this hydra-headed insecurity monster and consolidating on our visible development strides,” he said.

He stressed that only in safety could Nigerians enjoy the current agricultural revolution which has seen Nigeria achieve self-sufficiency in rice and other staple food items.

Akpanudoedehe added that only in safety could Nigerians enjoy the current infrastructure

revolution that has witnessed the rehabilitation, construction and reconstruction of over 13,000 kilometers of critical federal roads, construction of thousands of affordable and acceptable housing and of course the ongoing national railway projects gainfully connecting cities and towns across the country.

He added: “Again, we must not fall for the plot of sectarian opportunists and unpatriotic partisans who have swarmed the public space with divisive rhetoric in furtherance of their selfish plot to exploit the security situation for hideous gains. It is dangerous to national security and we should not let them succeed.”

Akpanudoedehe noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is criminalising crime, not ethnicity.

The ruling party said the country’s security services deserve continued support and cooperation of all as they undertake their constitutional duty to safeguard citizen’s life, property and the country’s territorial integrity.

“In our private and public spaces, we have a duty to be vigilant and volunteer information on strange and suspicious activities around us. The President Buhari government will continue and strategically deploy all state resources in achieving public safety,” the party said.

It, therefore, called on Nigerians must shun the antics and activities of unpatriotic and sectarian opportunists fanning divisive embers, promote peaceful coexistence, eschew bitterness and unite against insecurity and crime, for the development of the country.

TWENTY-SIX HEARTY CHEERS...

L-R: Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin; Chairman, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; and Company Secretary, Mr. Adeyinka Jafojo, during the company’s 26th Annual General Meeting in Lagos… yesterday

EFCC Vows to Unmask Groups Aiding Terror Financing, Money Laundering Kingsley Nwezeh in Ab uja The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) warned yesterday that NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) aiding terrorism financing and money laundering would face the full wrath of the law.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement, restated that it was mandatory to report to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, (SCUML), any transaction through any formal financial channels in excess of $10,000 and any cash donations in excess of $1,000.

Delivering a paper entitled, “The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Society Organisations in Countering

Terrorism Financing in Nigeria,” the Head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Lagos Zonal Office, Mr. Ahmed Ghali, said: “The law will not spare any NGO/CSO that allows itself to be a tool for perpetrating money laundering or terrorism financing in Nigeria.”

He said civil society organisations had critical roles to play in curbing money laundering and terrorism financing in Nigeria.

He spoke at a seminar jointly organised by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), AML/CFT Forum, Nigeria and NGOs/ CSOs

Consortium in Ikeja, Lagos.

“The varied funding sources and the ability of NGOs and CSOs to process large amounts of cash to beneficiaries and regularly transmitting funds between jurisdictions make them prone to money laundering and financing of terrorism,” he said.

According to him, “it is mandatory to report to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML, any transaction through any formal financial channels in excess of $10,000 and any cash donations in excess of $1,000. “Failure to do this is punishable by the law”.

Former Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, had issued a similar warning while in office to

banks and NGOs operating in the North-east.

“Nobody should carry cash above the threshold of above N10 million for corporate organisations and N5 million for individuals; anything above the threshold must be routed through financial institutions.”

He said: “We must profile all the NGOs in the Northeast. I don’t know why an NGO will open more than 40 bank accounts. We are going to ask your various banks to give us statements of accounts for each and every NGO. “The issue of money laundering, terrorist financing and leakage of information will be eliminated by the commission with the help of bankers across the country.”

Unknown Gunmen Attack Igboho’s Residence, Aide Alleges Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan A close aide of the Oyo State activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, Mr. Dapo Salami, has alleged that some gunmen, whose mission has not been ascertain, yesterday invaded his (Igboho) residence.

He said Igboho’s residence located at the Soka area of Ibadan, the state capital, was invaded by the gunmen in the early hours of yesterday.

The activist had been in the news for his condemnation

of kidnappings, attacks and killings of innocent citizens in the South-west region.

Salami, while speaking with THISDAY yesterday, said the gunmen invaded the house around 1.30 a.m., stating that they were resisted by the occupants of the building.

According to him, “It is true that gunmen attacked the residence of Igboho. They came at exactly 1.30 a.m. and were resisted. I cannot confirm the number of those who came.

But they came and they were resisted.

“We are not suspecting anyone, but we know that some people came to attack the house. They came and they were resisted, that is just it.”

On whether Igboho was in the building when the attack took place, Salami said Adeyemo is in a better position to disclose that.

Also, in a video recorded by Igboho’s spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, he alleged that soldiers attempted to put the house under siege, with a probable attempt to arrest the activist.

While drawing attention of

the international community to the development, Koiki, who described the situation as a huge challenge, called on all Yoruba people to rise in solidarity and fight for their ‘freedom’.

According to him, “We are more than capable to secure ourselves; we have chased them far from here, I am sure you can hear gunshots.

They are the ones shooting from afar, but we cannot be intimidated because we are fully prepared and ready for them.”

Buhari Consoles Magajin Garin Sokoto over Loss of Mother President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in Sokoto, condoled the Magajin Sokoto and Chairman, Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority ( SRRBDA), Alhaji Hassan Ahmad Danbaba, over the death of his mother , Hajiya A’ishatu ,the eldest daughter of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan Sokoto.

The President was represented by a six-man high powered delegation

led by his Chief of Staff , Professor Ibrahim Gambari; ministers of Police Affairs , Aviation , Justice and Water Resources , Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, Hadi Sirika, Abubakar Malami ( SAN) and Mr. Suleiman Adamu, respectfully, as well as Buhari’s son, Yusuf .

The delegation was led to the Binanchi Sokoto residence of the Mgaajin Garin Sokoto , the eldest son of the deceased,

by Governor Aminu Waziri

Tambuwal and his deputy , Alhaji Mannir Muhammad DanIya. Gambari said that the delegation was in Sokoto, to heartily extend the greetings and condolences of Buhari to the Magajin Garin Sokoto and family ,over the sad loss of a mother and sister .

Gambari described the deceased as a personality in her own right ,and said that , her demise was a great loss not only to her family , to

Sokoto State,but to Nigeria , in general .

He beseeched the Almighty Allah to grant her Aljannat Firdaus and give her family , people of Sokoto State and Nigerians, in general , the formidable fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss .

Responding, Ambassador Shehu Malami, Sarkin Sudan, said that he felt privileged , honoured and proud to receive the all-important delegation ,on behalf of the family.

THISDAY,TUESDAY APRIL 27,2021

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COMMENT

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

HEALTHCARE AVAILABILITY AND UTILISATION IN NIGERIA’S SLUMS Oludayo Tade urges government to invest more in primary healthcare centres

D

espite being located in urban centres, their environments are characterised by blocked drainage channels, poor sanitary conditions, poor quality of buildings and they face perennial struggle to get water for domestic use. Worse still, they face daunting challenges getting qualitative health care services despite their preference for public health providers over other sources. Welcome to urban slums in Idi-Ikan (indigenous slum) and Sasa (migrant slum) in Oyo State, and Bariga (metropolitan slum) in Lagos megacity, where residents face varying challenges in health care availability and utilisation. This piece shares insights from research undertaken by the University of Ibadan Urban Health Research Team consisting of Prof Akinyinka Omigbodun, Prof Eme Owoaje, Dr Funke Fayehun, Dr Olalekan Taiwo, Dr Doyin Odubanjo and Dr Motunrayo Ajisola. This research was commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research using Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding. The NIHR was established in 2006 to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research, and is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. In addition to its national role, the NIHR commissions applied health research to benefit the poorest people in low and middle-income countries. It engages and involves patients, carers and the public in order to improve the reach, quality and impact of research, attracts, trains and supports the best researchers to tackle the complex health and care challenges of the future, invests in world-class infrastructure and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services and partners with other public funders, charities and industry to maximise the value of research to patients and the economy.

These researchers spoke with residents on healthcare utilisation in urban slums to unveil the social contexts influencing availability and utilisation of health services. In these slum communities, most health care providers are unskilled, making the services they render of doubtful quality. Communicable diseases were prevalent in these unhygienic environments, evidenced by the lack of potable drinking water, open defaecation and poor waste disposal system. These poor sanitary conditions increase the risk of infectious disease epidemics such as cholera in the communities. Maternal and perinatal health problems were also commonly reported as conditions for which health care was sought. Hypertension, chronic pain and arthritis are other prevailing health challenges reported by the residents in these urban slums. The communities lack sufficient numbers of health centres and skilled personnel to handle these conditions.

This story of urban slum health conditions is better relayed by the shoe wearers who know best where it pinches. Alhaji Kazeem Yaro, is a chieftain in the Hausa community dwelling in the migrant slum of Sasa. He explained that the cost and stress of accessing health services at public health facilities constrain residents to patronise unregistered healthcare providers. According to him, “you may describe those providing health services to us as illegal, but they are the ones people rush to, because in those government health centers you will still be the one to buy everything you need for treatment. For instance, if your wife wants to put to bed (be delivered of a child), they will ask you to bring this item and that item; up to the detergent that will be used, you will buy it yourself. If you calculate the stress you will experience while trying to access health care in government public health facilities and the amount of money you will still pay eventually in these health centers, and you compare it with what you will pay in unregistered places, it will not

IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE HEALTH CHALLENGES OF SLUM DWELLERS, ATTEMPTS MUST BE MADE TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OCCASIONED

BY INDISCRIMINATE WASTE DISPOSAL, BLOCKED DRAINAGE CHANNELS AND THE PROBLEM OF ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER

be up to half of what you will pay in government health centers or even in private hospitals”. Yaro’s position is informed by the fact that often, government publicises free healthcare. Still, it is the opposite that patients experience because public health facilities are poorly equipped and rarely meet the basic health needs of the slum dwellers.

Urban slum communities suffer exclusion from governance in terms of supply of basic health amenities as they are often overlooked in social interventions due to their location in the urban centers. This tragedy of site and exclusion is the fate of urban slum communities in Oyo and Lagos States where gaps exist in these slum communities regarding the quality of health facilities accessed by residents.

Why would urban slum dwellers suffer from infectious diseases and malaria, among others, more than other communities? Abosede Oladipupo is a resident in Idi-ikan. She stated that some houses in the community do not have toilets, and waste disposal is difficult “because refuse collection trucks cannot access the location due to poorly planned layout. This is what makes people dump waste inside drainage channels and streams”. Sadly, the public toilet constructed by the government has been blocked and converted to trading stalls, while stench oozes out from the dilapidated toilet structure. Right beside this stench, food is cooked and sold. It is no wonder that Folorunso Elijah, the chairman of patent medicine practitioners, listed diarrhoea and malaria as common ailments in the community. The story is not entirely different in Sasa. Memunat Abdulahi, a woman leader from the Hausa community showed the connection between access to potable water and disease epidemic. She spoke on how cholera disturbed the community: “there was a time when cholera disturbed us in Sasa that hardly will a day pass that two or three children will not die. Government assisted us with a borehole then, but it is not enough, considering the size of the population. We still have a serious water problem in Sasa”. Another slum resident, Sikiratu Rashidat, lamented the headache residents face in Idi-Ikan before they could get potable water. The public borehole dug years back has been malfunctioning and rarely brings out water. “Allah can bear us witness in Idi-ikan. Both children and adults suffer to get potable water. This borehole is already malfunctioning.”

Although the study found an association between the type of slum and the health complaints presented for treatment, infectious diseases were common to all, with maternal and perinatal health issues being the least bothersome. The researchers noted that “more than three out of four residents that had complaints related to pain used formal healthcare facilities in the three slums. More than 90% of maternal and perinatal conditions were presented in the hospitals, clinics or centres, and none of the residents used a pharmacy for such a purpose.”

The type of medicine vendors patronised also differed between the settlements. For instance, Idi-ikan and Sasa residents patronised patent medicine stores more than outlets designated as pharmacies while Bariga slum dwellers patronised pharmacies more than patent medicine stores. When placed side by side, health challenges presented in the slum communities revealed the environment’s influence in the onset and management of disease conditions. From the residents’ narratives, communicable and non-communicable diseases are consequences of the social context of these urban slum communities. A lot is revealed in the residents’ social-demographic variables and their pattern of utilisation of healthcare services.

Dr Tade, media consultant on the project sent this piece via dotad2003@yahoo.com

THE SOLAR ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT

The energy- for- all scheme will impact positively on the health and education sectors, writes Ofem Uket

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he Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy Agba has said that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) will commence the provision of solar electricity to 200 primary health centres and the distribution of solar home systems to 104 Unity Schools, across the six geo-political zones under the Economic Sustainability Programme (ESP).

The programme which is expected to be completed in 12 months, is a Presidential initiative driven by the Federal Ministry of Power tagged, Energy for All- Mass Rural Electrification. It is geared towards supporting the country’s economic recovery and growth plan to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in the political economy of the nation. Agba declared that the mass solar electrification projects will create jobs and facilitate energy access to unserved and undeserved areas in line with federal government’s plan to have 30 per cent of its total electricity supply from renewable sources, especially solar power by 2030.

In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the minister of state, Mr. Ofem Uket, the minister emphasized that the federal government initiative is to strengthen and close the energy gap in the health sector through the deployment of solar-hybrid captive power solutions to 100 secondary and tertiary health facilities which have also served as isolation and treatment centres across the country in the Covid-19 scourge. According to the minister, the mass solar electrification will strengthen the functionality of health centres, unity schools and communities that were in time past faced with the absence of electricity.

The REA is currently implementing the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Energizing Education Proramme (EEP), Grid Extension (capital projects), Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) and Solar Power Naija Proramme.

Only a few days back, the minister commissioned a 1. 848 solar PV modules located on the roof of Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja, generating approximately 850 Megawatts of electricity per year. This provision will eliminate the use of diesel that produces about 13, 000 carbon emission.

Clearly, primary health centres and secondary schools in the country went through very difficult management strategies to provide electricity for a strengthened capacity in secondary education and health care system; but the intervention strategy of the present administration has changed the narrative of complete absence of power in primary health and secondary schools.

Government has formulated relevant policies to extend minimum use of electricity to secondary schools and primary health institutions; however, the power sector reforms became a reality when government opted to provide clean and renewable energy in Federal Universities and University Teaching Hospitals across the country, and the programme has been extended to secondary schools and primary health centers.

Solar energy is clean and renewable. It is best way to go in the 21st century. The REA has flagged off and commissioned solar projects across the country like never before in the last one year of the new management team headed by Engr Ahmed Salihijo. Mr Salihijo had since assumption of office as

Managing Director, showed unalloyed commitment and capacity to drive the process of growth in the power sector, as communities plunged into darkness in the past are now enjoying clean and renewable energy at home. He has unveiled the rural power provision structure of government and translated same into reality through energy efficiency projects that are completed and some are ongoing, located across the six-geo-political zones in the country.

The primary health and secondary schools electrification project is carefully designed by government to empower communities and drive the process of development in the two major sectors of our national life. Through these projects, artisans, skilled and unskilled workers would be engaged, creating more jobs for the youths.

Government policy trust is to reduce deaths and worsening conditions of the health of our people as mostly seen where primary health centers cannot make use of small and medium scale equipment because of the absence of electricity, incessant shortages of water supply and other factors that require power to function effectively.

Secondary school students are faced with the high spate of kidnap, yet only few schools have capacity to provide electricity through generating plants in their local institutions. With the advent of this programme, adequate security in secondary schools can be assured as movement of people can be monitored at night. Besides, students will have long hours to study.

Political economy globally is focused on developing critical sectors that have direct impact on the lives of the people, and in this context, the

health and education sectors are taken on through the Presidential initiative on power to ensure that primary health centres and secondary schools in the country are provided with adequate electricity.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and home to approximately 10% of the un-electrified population of sub-Saharan Africa, and 77 million Nigerians (40% of the population) have no access to affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity. In practice, diesel and petrol-fuelled back-up generators becomes major source of supply.

Under the Paris Agreement, over 60% of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions are foreseen in the power sector, and the federal government is maximally ensuring that the use of clean and renewable energy is introduced across the country to determine available pathways to meet its 2030 electricity access, renewables and decarbonization goals in the power sector.

There are three potential scenarios for electrification and growth in demand, generation and transmission capacity. The demand assumptions incorporate existing knowledge on pathways for electrification via grid extension, mini-grids and solar home systems (SHS).

The supply rates are built upon an evaluation of the investment pipeline for generation and transmission capacity, and possible scale-up rates up to 2030.

It is therefore expected that in the most ambitious green transition scenario, Nigeria meets its electricity access goals, whereby those connected to the grid achieve a Tier 3 level of access, and those served by sustainable off-grid solutions (mini-grids and SHS), achieve same.

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T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021

EDITORIAL MEASURING NIGERIA’S CRUDE PRODUCTION Crude pumped out of the wells must be metered for transparency

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or several years, the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has been harping on the need to bring integrity to bear on the operations of the oil sector. The agency had in all its oil and gas audit reports repeatedly recommended that meters be placed on oil wellheads to measure the volume of crude oil produced across the country.

But little or nothing had been done as the sector more or less still relies on estimated values. Last week, the new NEITI Executive Secretary, Orji Ogbonnaya-Orji repeated the old complaint. “As we speak, it is very difficult for any Nigerian to ascertain how much we are actually producing,” said Orji. “If you do not know how much you are producing how would you know how much you are expected to earn?”

The issue of metering and determining the actual production as well as losses are the responsibilities of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the regulatory agency for the oil and gas industry.

Even though the spokesman of the agency, Paul Osu refuted the allegation last week, arguing that “every litre of crude proTHE DPR HAS NOT SHOWN duced in Nigeria is EITHER THE COMPETENCE adequately captured OR THE WILLINGNESS TO during the process of TACKLE THE RECURRENT extraction,” the DPR has not shown either ISSUE BY APPLYING INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES the competence or the willingness to OF MEASURING AT THE WELLS, THE FLOW STATION tackle the recurrent issue by applying AND AT THE TERMINALS industry best practices of measuring at the wells, the flow station and at the terminals, as they do in other countries. According to an energy expert and chair of Nigerco Nig. Ltd, Mr. Yagbagi Sani, “No one actually knows what comes out of the well and what happens between the well and tank farms.” The report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force headed by former Economic and Financial

Letters to the Editor

Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, had also made specific recommendations that impinge on accountability and transparency in the sector. The report is still gathering dust on the shelf.

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

he Economist in its 10th October 2013 report on the mismanagement of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria put it bluntly: “…oil is also being stolen at a record rate and traders’ figures show output at well below the government’s figures. Information about Africa’s biggest oil industry is an opaque myriad of numbers. No one knows which ones are accurate; no one knows how much oil Nigeria actually produces. If there were an authoritative figure, the truly horrifying scope of corruption would be exposed.”

Indeed, a report in 2019, prepared by the Nigeria Natural Resources Charter (NNRC), was evident that the practice is deep-rooted. It revealed some of the smart ways International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in oil fields in the country usually steal and siphon large volumes of crude oil undetected by the Nigerian authorities. Exploring the political economy of oil theft in Nigeria, its causes, and dimensions, the report divulged how the practice was handed down from the military to the civilian authorities in 1999, when the country returned to democratic government. But the relevant authorities seem clueless about how to contain these acts of sabotage that have serious economic and security implications for our country.

It is absurd for Nigeria to continue to fold its arms and watch this economic haemorrhage as an average of 200,000 barrels per day of oil, according to the report, was stolen and about 100,000 lost to shut-ins as a result of pipeline damage, down time and deferred production in the first quarter of 2018 alone. The impact of such large losses in addition to direct stealing of oil products is immense as they translate to severe revenue shortages in times of excruciating hardship.

Oil pumped out of the fields must be metered to stop this long flirtation with economic crimes.

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

EDEVBIE: A MAN OF INTEGRITY

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avid Edevbie is the Chief of Staff to Delta State Government.

His integrity is nonpareil. According to Oprah Winfrey; “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody is going to know whether you did it or not”.

David Edevbie is an evident of the above, he is a unique politician who does the right thing at the right time and not for

eye service.

Edevbie takes responsibility for his actions, He is an honest person. It’s not always easy to take responsibility for things that happen, but it is the right thing to do and that is what David Edevbie does.

In a world that is so focused on individualism, it can be rare to find someone who focuses on what’s good for the collective community. But David Edevbie put the needs of others above his which shows his true integrity. Of course, he doesn’t do this simply to get praise and recognition.

Seth Meyers says that “volunteer work is a great place to find people who have integrity.” This is because people with true integrity have no qualms offering their time to help people in need. Edevbie helps those who are less fortunate and he does so happily. He is always working with others to build and help out at the local, state, and federal level. Someone with true integrity will be found helping those in need and that is Edevbie’s hallmark in the community.

Little white lies can be tempting, but someone with true integrity doesn’t give in to this particular impulse. Integrity means being honest, and someone with true integrity will lives this quality every day. It’s not an exaggeration to call Edevbie an honest politician.

Respect is often considered something that must be earned, but someone with integrity gives respect to everyone they meet. Someone with true integrity knows that everyone deserves respect and deserves to be treated like a human being. Edevbie as a man of true integrity has and will never be caught being

rude to his subordinate, and peers in office and other agents of socialisation i.e family, church, etc.

A person with integrity will be proud of their accomplishments, but they will at the same time be humble. In other words, they know the difference between confidence and arrogance. As a man of true integrity, Edevbie knows his strengths as well as his shortcomings. He recognizes his strong points, yet he always strives to better himself in some way.

Who likes to admit they have been wrong? It isn’t fun, and it can be a humbling experience. But a person with true integrity has no problem admitting when they’re wrong, or when they made a mistake. Edevbie is known to always be the first to stop, admit his mistakes, and apologize if need be.

David Edevbie’s leadership style cannot be separated from his intrinsic personality traits. A person of humility and general simplicity, Edevbie has commanded attention by being indifferent to the needs that most politicians have for self-celebration. He has been simply a silent achiever.

The irony is that wherever he stands, he exudes an integrity that earns instant recognition if not obeisance. Anyone familiar with his works and achievement as a financial expert and administrator would see it as a reflection of the general, unobtrusive civic competence that accompanies his carriage as a member of both the political class and the larger society. Self-assuredly, David Edevbie represents the household of the Urhobo nation as a true master of the character, without self -advertisement. Whatever else he has done, since Igbobi College, Federal Government College, Odogbolu and University of Lagos, and Cardiff Business Sch, University of Wales, as a banker, as a financial guru, as a Commissioner in Delta State and as Chief of Staff in Delta State, his role as a technocrat has defined him.

Allison Abanum, Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communication and Documentation to the Governor of Bayelsa State

RESPECT AND AUSTRALIA’S MEMORIAL DAY

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he consequences of COVID are everywhere and one that most people in the world have faced is lockdown in some form or other. There are a number of sensible crowd restrictions designed to minimise the potential spread of the virus but not all restrictions are sensible.

On Australia’s Memorial Day (ANZAC day) for those that fought and died during the Second World War, the ceremony normally draws a crowd of over 100,000 but this year the crowd was limited to 8,000 and enforced with steel fences around the venue. In the afternoon is a football match which often draws a crowd of over 90,000 but this year the crowd was limited to 85,000. The ANZAC crowd is usually quiet, respectable and well managed whereas the football match is quite the opposite, a rowdy football crowd.

There are many that will miss the chance to attend and pay their respects to the fallen, but everyone will be either able to go to the game or watch it on TV. There has been some discussion about the different crowd sizes but surely there should be a greater respect for those that stood up to protect their country.

We will remember the fallen.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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TUESDAY APRIL 27, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

PDP Denies N10bn Fraud Allegation, Submits Audited Account to INEC Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday reacted to the petition against the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, by a member of the party, Prince Kasim Afegbua, over allegations of misappropriation of N10 billion, stating that it has submitted its audited account to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party, therefore, directed all enquiries on the sales of the nomination form to INEC, explaining also that all disbursement from the sales of forms passed through all approved organs of the party.

Addressing journalists yesterday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement titled: ‘Afegbua’s Allegation Spurious, Irresponsible’, explained that while the PDP, leaders and members are aware that there is no truth in the allegation, however, for the benefit of the public and the teeming supporters, the PDP states as follows: ‘The PDP did not raise Afegbua’s fictitious sum of N10 billion as alleged by him. For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP generated the sum of N4.6 billion and raised a budget for its expenditure in line with all known financial regulations of our party.

“This budget passed through the organs of our party and received the approvals from the NWC, the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT) as well as other organs of the party.

“As a law-abiding political party that respects the doctrine of rule of law and transparency, the budget was presented to the National Executive Committee (NEC), where it also received a final approval.”

However, Ologbondiyan said it’s imperative to state that all the sums received and budgeted for passed through the due process of approval by the necessary organs of the party.

Moreover, he explained that the PDP has no account under the name or guise of “Afegbua’s ghostly Morufu Nigeria Limited.”

According to the spokesperson of the PDP, “Having said that, as a political party under whose administration the EFCC and the ICPC were formulated and established, our party strictly adheres to best practices of transparency, accountability and probity in all issues, including our financial administration.

“In addition, our party has since submitted the audited account of its financial expenditures to the INEC for 2019, in line with statutory

Afenifere Disowns Appointment of New General Secretary James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State chapter of the pan-Yoruba socio political group, Afenifere, yesterday dissociated itself from the appointment of the new general secretary for the group.

The position of the group was contained in a statement issued at the end of the meeting of the Ondo State chapter of the group, which was presided over by the Chairman, Chief Seinde Arogbofa.

The statement was signed by the Publicity Secretary of the chapter, Mr. Dele Thomas.

A section of the media had last week reported that the sociopolitical group had appointed Chief Olusola Ebiseni as its general secretary.

The statement read: “The attention of the leadership of the Afenifere in Ondo State has been drawn to the news circulating in some social and

conventional media platforms on the purported appointment of a general secretary for the National Afenifere Group.

“After due consultations with the National Leader, Chief R. F. Fasoranti, and the state Chairman, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, who also doubles as the secretary-general of Afenifere, it has become pertinent and imperative to prevent the society from being misled into believing that a new secretary-general has been appointed.

“For the records, and according to the Afenifere tradition, Arogbofa remains the group’s secretary-general until the Afenifere National Caucus, through its normal process of selection of its officials, announces such an appointment.

“We expect that the next national caucus and general meeting that would traditionally hold in Akure would address this and other related issues.

requirements of the law.

“The PDP will not in any way be distracted by an inconsequential blackmailer hired to mudsling our party

and its leadership in order to divert attention from the salient issues of insecurity and drooping economy trailing the failures of the All Progressives

Congress (APC) administration to provide good governance.”

He said for the benefit of unsuspecting members of the public, “the activities

of a certain Afegbua have always been suspect,” urging Nigerians to be wary of such characters and their backers.

One Feared Dead, Scores Injured as Motorcyclists Clash with Transport Unions Segun James At least one person was yesterday killed while many others were injured at Iyana-IbaOjo axis of Lagos State following clashes between commercial motorcycle operators popularly known as Okada riders, and members of transport unions, over allegations extortion.

However, the Lagos State Police Command has stated that it has restored normalcy to the “Iyana Iba/Alaba Rago and Ojo areas of the state, where there was a disagreement between the members of the transport unions and commercial motorcyclists units on the increment in tariff

today (yesterday).”

THISDAY gathered that trouble started when one of the motorcycle operators, a northerner, was allegedly beaten to death during the protest by the motorcyclists against the new tariff introduced by the unions and alleged constant harassment by the union officials.

Following the alleged killing, reports of the incident soon spread to the Alaba-Rago area, which is directly opposite the Lagos State University (LASU), and the popular Volks Bus Stop, a situation which led to a new round of clashes.

In a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer

(PPRO), ASP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the immediate deployment of police personnel to the area to maintain law and order, as he also directed the Area Commander of Area E in Festac Town to personally be on ground to monitor the situation and invite the leaders of the affected Okada riders unit for an urgent meeting.

According to Adejobi, “The police command wishes to debunk the rumour that the disagreement, not violence as being peddled in the social media, was between

two ethnic groups. Without mincing words, the incident has no ethic colouration whatsoever but a mere conflict between transport unions and their motorcyclists’ units on ticketing and increment in tariff.

“The command, therefore, enjoins members of the public, especially those around the areas, including the students of the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, to go about their lawful businesses and studies, as adequate security deployment has been made to fortify security in the axis and by extension, Lagos State in general.”

Hoodlums Set Ablaze Anambra Monarch’s Palace, Vehicles David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The palace of the traditional ruler of Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Dr. Emeka Ilouno, has been razed down by unknown persons.

THISDAY gathered that the palace of the monarch was invaded by 7p.m. last Sunday by unknown persons, who set it ablaze, including vehicles in the compound, before leaving.

The President-General of the community, Chief Uche Oragwuncha, who spoke to THISDAY on the phone, confirmed the incident, but insisted that no one knew who the arsonists are.

According to him, “It happened last Sunday at about 7p.m. Some people just invaded the palace and set it ablaze.”

Kogi Police Rescue Kidnapped Victim, Recover Rifles

Policemen attached to the Ajaokuta Division in Kogi State have rescued a kidnapped victim and recovered two AK-47 rifles with 29 rounds of live ammunition.

The state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP William Ayah, said in a statement yesterday that the Police operatives acted on a report received about 0330hrs of 25/4/2021 that four armed men stopped a vehicle at PYN junction, Ajaokuta, and abducted a man.

“Consequent upon the report, the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Shola Night, led a team of officers to the scene and trailed the hoodlums, stormed their hideouts, and engaged them in a gun duel, which led the hoodlums fleeing with bullet wounds, while the victim was rescued unhurt and two AK- 47 rifles with 29 rounds of ammunition recovered.

“The Commissioner of Police Kogi State Command, Ede Ayuba Ekpeji, calls on members of the public to sharpen their power of observation and be on the lookout for anybody seen with bullet wounds and report to the nearest police station or any other security agency.

Asked if it could be attributed to unknown gunmen ravaging the South-east zone, Oragwuncha said it was not clear, but the community hopes that security agents would fish out the perpetrators, and set out appropriate sanction on them.

He added that a combined team of security men, consisting of police and the military has visited the palace for assessment.

When THISDAY reached out to the spokesperson of Anambra State Police Command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, he said he

was not aware of the incident.

“I am not aware of that incident, but I will check and get back to you soon,” he said.

At the time of filing this report, Ikenga was yet to confirm the attack on the palace of the monarch.

THISDAY,TUESDAY APRIL 27,2021

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY APRIL 27, 2021

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POLITICS

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

Waiting for Olawepo-Hashim’s Big Move Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, presidential candidate of the Peoples Trust in the 2019 national elections is expected to announce his membership of one the 18 registered political parties soon

A

t one of the meetings in the critical days leading to the 2019 national elections, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim confidently fielded questions from journalists at a high-brow hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. The sessions had become, somewhat, regular as he adopted the select group of journalists as an important think-tank that he traded ideas with on his presidential ambition.

At the time, he was funding a new political organisation, widely advertised as the Thrid Force, besides the two major political parties. The group, the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) had become an umbrella for fresh faces, who offered a viable alternative to Nigerians.

The likes of Mr. Fela Durotoye and Dr. Elishama Ideh were jostling for the presidential ticket of the party with Olawepo-Hashim.

The ANN itself had emerged from a broad-based political movement, the National Intervention Movement (NIM), which was populated by OlawepoHashim’s erstwhile comrades in civil society. His antecedents as a students’ union leader at the University of Lagos who was resuscitated for leading the popular anti-SAP protests against the military government in 1989 and suffered a period of incarceration as a prisoner of conscience, ensured a secure base for him in the human rights community.

From his calculations and those of many political pundits, Olawepo-Hashim who was obviously the most experienced in politics of the lot, having been a member of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as its founding Deputy National Publicity Secretary and 2007 governorship candidate in his home state of Kwara, looked good to clinch the ANN presidential ticket. Everything was going well, or it seemed, until the tables changed, as they are won’t to in politics. Ideh was the first to raise an alarm of an imminent hijack of the party. As the lone female contestant fo its r presidential ticket, her cries were drowned. She pulled out of the race.

Events of the next few days were swift, while Olawepo-Hashim was still trying to garner support for his ambition, a former spokesperson of the party was chosen by a faction led by Durotoye as National Chairman of the ANN, causing a major split in the party. This faction went ahead to conduct a primary in which Durotoye, who was rumoured to be sponsored by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, emerged as its presidential candidate. Olawepo-Hashim licked his wound quietly and sought another platform to further his interest for the presidency of Nigeria.

Shutting the door against the intrigues that trailed his exit from ANN, OlawepoHashim chose to focus on his presidential dream. In the early days of October, 2018 at the Lagos Convention of the People’s Trust (PT), a scion of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo dynasty and PT presidential aspirant, Lady Olufunke Awolowo stepped down for OlawepoHashim, creating the opportunity for the National Intervention Movement (NIM), the People’s Trust (PT), and the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) to jointly settle for Olawepo-Hashim as their presidential candidate.

What followed was a season of endorsements from other political associations. The new alliance attracted one dozen more endorsements for Olawepo-Hashim. It signposted a deft move to steer away from the lingering crisis of confidence in the splinter ANN.

Olawepo-Hashim

Among 14 presidential aspirants who were screened by the Middle -belt Elders Forum, competent Olawepo-Hashim was among the four who were shortlisted for the position.

It was an encouraging moment for the former activist on noticing his widening endorsement. He enthused, “Our spirit is unstoppable and I am determined to go all the length to propel this country to a new greatness, where the average citizen will be happy, free and prosperous. We will work together and ensure Nigeria work. Our government is not going to be about ethnicity, or religion, but about jobs, progress, prosperity, freedom and

happiness for our people. I promise to be a president who will defend all. I promise to be a true Nigeria president.

I take this confidence in me as a call to duty to make our democracy prosper and I am gratified by it and will do everything possible not to disappoint the endorsing groups.”

After connecting with his ancestry in Kebbi State, he added Hashim to his previous surname and adopted the compound surname Olawepo-Hashim to describe his multiple ancestry in the North, South-west and Middle-belt of Nigeria. His supporters began to promote him as a bridge-builder, who

Olawepo-Hashim opined that the number of votes recorded for him did not reflect his extensive popularity across the country and the coalition of political parties and their presidential candidates that stepped down for him. Like the PDP Presidential candidate in the election, Atiku Abubakar in that election who chose a South-easterner, Mr. Peter Obi, Olawepo-Hashim also shopped for a running mate among the Igbos. He was convinced that the synergy between him and Dr. Nwankwo, a respected rights activist and influencer in Igboland, the support from leaders of the Middlebelt Forum and the intervention from the traditional institution in the North will combine with his perceived popularity with Nigerian youths to create an upset in his favour in the 2019 presidential election. Going by his activities after the presidential election, OlawepoHashim has maintained a commendable visibility in the media by making salient commentary on national and international issues as they occur

could foster national unity and give comfort to every Nigerian.

In the last quarter of year 2020 Olawepo-Hashim’s company Tansnational Energy Limited won a case against the Federal Government in court and was awarded USD20 million damage when a Federal High Court in Abuja restored the Hely Creek and Abigborodo fields in OML 49 farmed-out to Transnational Energy Limited by Chevron/NNPC (Joint Ventures partners) back to company, Transnational Energy Limited. Along with his reputation as an activist, he is also known as a mega businessman and partisan politician.

A quiet philanthropist and devout Christian, Olawepo-Hashim has impacted on so many lives positively. Many testify to the fact that everyone who comes within his circle of influence becomes transformed for good.

The February 23, 2019 presidential election had 68 candidates of that number of political parties on the ballot box including Olawepo-Hashim of the People’s Trust (PT). The election was won by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 56 percent of the votes, which equalled 15.2 million votes, the second place with 11.3 million votes went to Atiku Abubakar’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The election turnout was 35.6 percent, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Olawepo-Hashim and his running mate, Dr. Agwuncha Nwankwo of PT could only muster 2613 votes.

This was a far cry from his 2007 performance as first runner-up in the Kwara State governorship contest in which he carried the flag of the opposition Democratic Peoples Party (DPP).

Rejecting the result, Olawepo-Hashim opined that the number of votes recorded for him did not reflect his extensive popularity across the country and the coalition of political parties and their presidential candidates that stepped down for him. Like the PDP Presidential candidate in the election, Atiku Abubakar in that election who chose a South-easterner, Mr. Peter Obi, Olawepo-Hashim also shopped for a running mate among the Igbos. He was convinced that the synergy between him and Dr. Nwankwo, a respected rights activist and influencer in Igboland, the support from leaders of the Middle-belt Forum and the intervention from the traditional institution in the North will combine with his perceived popularity with Nigerian youths to create an upset in his favour in the 2019 presidential election.

Going by his activities after the presidential election, Olawepo-Hashim has maintained a commendable visibility in the media by making salient commentary on national and international issues as they occur. However, he has managed to keep a middle course on most discourse, preferring to build than issue destructive statements. When he criticises, it is often constructive and not without tangible options.

With the deregistration of 74 political parties, including PT, by INEC last year, many former presidential candidates have collapsed their former political structure and merged with the 18 political parties recognised by INEC. As this development gains ground, not a few have questioned where Olawepo-Hashim may pitch his political tent. Will he join his former allies in the PDP or work with the ruling APC at the centre since he has chosen the Federal Capital Territory as his political base?

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY APRIL 27, 2021

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POLITICS

Lessons PDP Must Learn in Abia There are fears in Abia State that the Peoples Democratic Party may suffer the fate of the All Progressives Congress in 2023 if it jettisons its Charter of Equity, Ugo Aliogo writes

Ikpeazu

Y

ou learn more from defeat than victory. This famous Japanese proverb treasured by Korean marketing wizkids should make lots of sense to the stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State after their thumping triumph in the recent Aba Federal Constituency by-election. There is the temptation to be swept away by the scintillating breeze of Chimaobi Ebisike’s emphatic 10,322 votes over Mascot Uzor Kalu’s 3,674.

While the All Progressives Congress (APC) is licking its wounds from the crushing Aba defeat, PDP has hard lessons to learn from the victory. Hubris, the ultimate destroyer of the Warrior who ignores the source of his strength, awaits PDP unless it avoids pushing the self-destruct button in the manner APC did.

The Aba by-election was a heartening victory, a dominant performance by the PDP, an outcome predicted by anyone familiar with the State’s politics. Abia is overwhelmingly PDP. Even during the brief interregnum between 2007 and 2011 when the defunct Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) under Theodore Orji governed the state, the National and State Assembly seats had more elected PDP members, underscoring the dominance of the party. In any case, PPA, like All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was a refugee tent for disgruntled PDP members. On the eve of the Aba by-election, the opposition parties attempted to build momentum for their respective candidates by trying to bully the PDP, but pundits knew the score long before the first vote was cast.

The Aba North/South Federal Constituency by-election result was a reassurance of PDP’s popular grassroots support in Abia State, no doubt, but the factors that contributed to the APC defeat come a hard lesson the PDP stakeholders must imbibe or suffer. It would be foolhardy in the wake of the sweet victory in Aba to forget or ignore the building blocks of PDP’s widespread acceptance in the Southeast in general and Abia State in particular. PDP’s mantra of justice and popular participation strongly appeals to the Republican-minded Igbo who flourishes under an atmosphere that promotes equity.

PDP’s strength in the state is rooted in the Abia Charter of Equity. The Charter rotates the governorship position and other elective and appointive positions among the major political blocs that make up the state. The Abia Charter of Equity is the pillar upon which PDP stands erect and rooted in the state. To the credit and maturity of political stakeholders in the state, this democratic principle built on understanding and sustained by patriotism and the larger public interest has been upheld to the letter and has formed the criteria for the peaceful transfer of power since 1999. It’s important to make the point that the Abia State power rotation is a four-legged arrangement as articulated in writing by the founding fathers of the state some of whom are still alive, namely:

Kalu Dr. Anagha Ezeikpe, HRM Eze Ezo Ukandu and Dr. James Onyike.

Unlike Imo, Anambra, Rivers and other states named after geographical landmarks, the four letters that make up Abia were derived from the four divisions that initially made up the state. These are (Old) Afikpo, (Old) Bende, Isuikwuato and (Old) Aba Divisions. When it serves the selfish interest of some people, they talk only about three senatorial districts in the state and claim that each has produced a governor, fancifully ignoring the obvious reality that after the Old Afikpo District became part of Ebonyi State in 1996 by General Sani Abacha, there remained Isuikwuato, Bende and Aba Divisions.

The matter would have been settled, from the point of equity, had the Isuikwuato Division insisted on producing the next governor after Orji Kalu in 2007. Instead, they reasoned that such a move would mean having one senatorial district producing the governor for 16 years, and denying other zones the opportunity. The only course of justice and equity is to return the governorship to Isuikwuato.

The peace and tranquility Abia State has enjoyed is attributable to the fact that we’ve religiously followed the spirit and letter of the Charter. PDP will be shooting itself in the foot if it upsets this arrangement. If PDP allows another party to do the right thing, it stands to lose Abia State.

The lesson PDP can take from the Aba Federal Constituency by-election is never to take Abia voters for granted by abandoning the Charter of Equity in an attempt to humour any political actor, irrespective of their influence or ambition. Even as it generally considered the

party of the enemies of Ndigbo, APC could benefit from protest votes in 2023 once PDP no longer upholds the tenet of justice and equity as represented in the Abia Charter Equity. It will be touch and go for PDP. Why should the party play with fire?

APC’s nose was bloodied in the Aba election because it took the people for granted. Rather than pick a candidate that reflects the local community’s sensitivities, APC allowed the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Orji Kalu, to manipulate the primaries in favour of his brother, Mascot. It was an abuse of privilege by the former Governor. The memories of his other brother, Hon Nnanna Kalu’s largely languid and imbecilic 8-year representation of Aba in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly were still fresh in voters’ mind. Pushing to have another member of that family in the bye-election was interpreted as insensitive, greedy and disrespectful of the Aba voter. Once the cover of justice and equity was blown open, Aba voters were quick to question the Orji Uzor Kalu family legacy in the state. They could look around and see the infrastructural transformations taking place under PDP’s Ikpeazu.

PDP may suffer APC’s fate in 2023 if it jettisons the Abia Charter of Equity. There is no justification for an injustice. There are speculations that Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe plans to run for Governor in 2023. I hope this is a malicious rumour promoted by his opponents and that the Distinguished Senator knows better than to allow himself to become the iceberg that would wreak PDP’s smooth-sailing ocean vessel. I would vote for Abaribe in any other circumstance but

APC’s nose was bloodied in the Aba election because it took the people for granted. Rather than pick a candidate that reflects the local community’s sensitivities, APC allowed the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Orji Kalu, to manipulate the primaries in favour of his brother, Mascot. It was an abuse of privilege by the former Governor. The memories of his other brother, Hon Nnanna Kalu’s largely languid and imbecilic 8-year representation of Aba in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly were still fresh in voters’ mind. Pushing to have another member of that family in the bye-election was interpreted as insensitive, greedy and disrespectful of the Aba voter. Once the cover of justice and equity was blown open, Aba voters were quick to question the Orji Uzor Kalu family legacy in the state

not in this. Abaribe and incumbent Governor Ikpeazu are from the same Osisioma Ngwa Local Government. Whoever first mooted this idea of Abaribe running against all principles of justice, equity and commonsense, must be out to destroy the PDP. The urge must be resisted.

It would be catastrophic. The consequences of trampling on the people would bury PDP in a state that has been safe and solid for it.

PDP stakeholders must resist every temptation to deviate from strict adherence to the continuation of the Abia Charter of Equity which has served the State’s people so well.

Under the Charter’s banner, Abia is spared the meanness and viciousness of power struggle among the political elite, a situation that has destroyed inter-group harmony. States that lack a mature power-sharing arrangement have been enmeshed in turmoil and electoral violence and turned political power struggle into hostile, inter-ethnic warfare. The result is there for all to see. Those states are perpetually racked by violence and distrust among the political class.

Violence and distrust quickly erode political values and hinder the delivery of democracy dividends.

So far, Abia State has been a model in levelheaded, harmonious and inclusive politics. This is attributable to the proper application of the Abia Charter of Equity from the beginning.

Let the political class in the State not stretch their luck too far. Justice and equity are the pillars of democracy. Since the three senatorial districts have had their share of power, the pendulum must swing back to Abia North. It would then be the turn of the Isuikwuato zone to produce the state governor. Let no senatorial district consider itself sufficiently advantaged, by numerical or other assumed strengths, to thwart the popular will and expect to reap from it. Some APC leaders also harboured similar thoughts and counted on their imaginary strength just before meeting their Waterloo in Aba. Protest votes have felled political Irokos, timbers and calibers. When you take people for granted because you enjoy illusory advantage, they can inflict a defeat on you that will wipe out all the gains you have previously made.

Abandoning the Charter of Equity would be tantamount to what Chinua Achebe wrote about the foolish man who challenged his Chi to a contest after a heavy meal. If the North and Central districts kept their word and allowed power to come to the South, let the South reciprocate this historic gesture by returning the favour. The Charter must not die under the watch of my people. Aba must teach Abia a lesson. A political arrangement that has guaranteed the state and its people a peaceful, fair and just power transfer since 1999 must not be sabotaged to please any politician. Our political leaders must put the larger interest of the State and its people first and above their ambition. History can be an unkind angel; it remembers the man who uproots a tree and never the one who planted it.

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THISDAY, TUESDAY APRIL 27,2021

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ͵, ͰͮͰͯ

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

Tony Elumelu @58: The Man, the Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist Charles Ajunwa writes that Tony Elumelu who recently attained 58 years, is impacting the world positively through his philanthropic activities

I

f you partake in entrepreneurial conversations in Nigeria or on the continent, at some point, the name Tony O. Elumelu will come up. Of course, other names will pop up as well, but you will find that none is treated with as much admiration and respect as the name Tony Elumelu is.

Perhaps, it stems from the collective remembering of his famous dogged entrepreneurial decision of turning a massively failing Nigerian bank around within a relatively short time, a move that took the country and market analysts by surprise. Or perhaps it is the fact whenever you look around you, you’re bound to encounter people and businesses that have been grazed by the lush generosity of Elumelu’s philanthropic activities. And these by no means adequately describe the extent of his influence. As he recently turned 58, taking a look at his life, works, and achievement is a worthwhile to embark on.

The Man Born on March 22, 1963, in Jos, Plateau State - a city which is interestingly the birthplace of some of Nigeria’s brightest minds across industries like sports, politics, music, literature, broadcasting, and business - Elumelu is a native of Onicha-Ukwu in Delta State. He is also an homegrown success.

He acquired two Economics degrees from Ambrose Alli University and the University of Lagos and kicked off his career in banking in 1985 as a serving Youth Corps member in Union Bank. Just over a decade later, he took that much-lauded step of leading a small group of investors into acquiring the failing Standard Trust Bank which he later grew and merged in 2005 to become United Bank for Africa with dozens of subsidiaries in Africa, Paris, London, and New York.

Married to medical doctor Awele Vivien Elumelu, and blessed with seven children together, a lot has been said of Elumelu by one too many persons about his jovial and kind demeanour towards his peers and non-peers alike. This has earned him a fond moniker drawn from his initials – T. O. E. or TOE. The Entrepreneur “Entrepreneurship is the most effective way to establish true prosperity.”

- Tony O. Elumelu, CON It was the inherent entrepreneurial drive that led him into doing the unthinkable: acquiring a failing bank and turning it around into a massive success story. The same drive led him into establishing Heirs Holdings in 2010 upon his retirement as Group Managing Director from the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. Heirs Holdings (HH) is an investment company owned and primarily run by the Elumelu family. HH aims to improve lives and transform Africa and does this through investment in companies in the financial services, power, oil & gas, real estate & hospitality and healthcare industries.

Heirs Holdings’ operations are based on an economic philosophy regarded as ‘Africapitalism’, an idea first introduced by Tony Elumelu in 2011 and was formally launched in

Elumelu

2014 in Abuja at the World Economic Forum in Africa. Africapitalism proposes private sector-led long-term investment in Africa by Africans through the promotion of entrepreneurship social enterprise and local value creation. It is on the idea of Africapitalism that the tenets of his philanthropic activities through The Tony Elumelu Foundation are primarily based.

The business model of Heirs Holdings can be traced back to Elumelu’s famous rejuvenation of Standard Trust Bank Plc and the eventual merger with UBA. The company primarily undertakes three kinds of clients/ projects: underperforming assets with the aim of restoring growth and profitability, entrepreneurial start-ups, and Joint Venture Partnerships. Some notable companies HH has worked with include; Avon HMO, a health insurance company in Nigeria; and Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, a diversified conglomerate with interests in the power, hospitality, energy, and agriculture sectors.

The Philanthropist It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to describe Elumelu as Africa’s most prominent philanthropist, a description recently made by members of his foundation on his birthday in March.

For how else would you describe a man whose efforts in grooming and funding Africa’s young and smartest entrepreneurs has directly impacted 9,000 young people across 54 African countries?

Founded in 2010 as part of his commitment to the Africapitalism idea, Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is a subsidiary of Heirs Holdings that aims to create new generations of entrepreneurs in Africa. Since its

inception, the Foundation has been active in all 54 African countries.

The goals of the organisation are often chased through various avenues like research, policy advocacy, communities, and convenings designed to foster, encourage, or fund innovation among young Africans. Examples of such programmes include the annually-organised TEF Forum, a large gathering of entrepreneurs in Africa, as well as TEFConnect, a digital hub for entrepreneurs in Africa. Tony Elumelu, through the TEF, employs his access and massive network in public and private sector circle as tools with which doors are opened and opportunities for wealth creation are made available to everyone.

By 2015, Elumelu’s Foundation had unveiled the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, on which he committed $100 million to fund and build the capacity of 10,000 African entrepreneurs over in 10 years. Perhaps one of the most common compliments the programme has received is about unique quality for and dedication to identifying, mentoring and funding entrepreneurs across Africa.

The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme now partners with and shares its robust advanced platform with international organisations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and GIZ, in creating and sustaining valuable growth and impact on the continent.

In addition to TEF Elumelu participates in other non-profit ventures such as the Bretton Woods Committee, the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), Africa Energy Leaders' Group (AELG),

the Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) with Tony Blair, also known as the Blair-Elumelu Fellowship Programme.

Ultimately, the spread and level of impact that Elumelu has had on the lives of people on the continent are unrivalled, and his efforts continue to spread with every passing year.

Though wealthy, Elumelu’s net worth does not currently rank among the top 50 on the continent, yet it can be argued that his wealth has provided the most value. As he recently turned 58, perhaps his selfless service and dogged efforts will adequately pass the lesson to everyone who cares to learn them: a rich man is only as rich as the extent to which his wealth betters his immediate society.

For his contributions, he has received several awards and honours including two national honours - Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2003, and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2012.

In 2009, he was asked to serve on the Presidential Committee on the Global Financial Crisis by the then President of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. He has received several Lifetime Achievement Awards from the organisation around the world and appeared on many notable lists on magazines and publications.

T. O. E. is deserving of every accolade, award, and honour he receives. But maybe what he is most deserving of are the kind words, gratitude, and testimonies his direct beneficiaries give him, some of which are quoted below: “Dear Tony and the Foundation team, we are humbled by your INSPIRING course towards empowering entrepreneurs. Many times, in the journey of an entrepreneur, we often doubt ourselves, but you believed in us. You re-ignited that fire in our belly to ensure that failure is not an option! We wish you good health and long life to continue touching lives for that’s the sole purpose in life!”

- Winnie Muriiithi, Kenya | Commercial/Retail “They could have just given us some money and left us to do whatever we pleased, but the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme is beyond the capital. They have taken me from where I was with my business and are, slowly but surely, moulding me and my business into a fortified powerhouse that can stand strong and be a leader in fashion in Africa.”

- Byenda Nkwanda, Zambia | Fashion “Thanks to Tony Elumelu and TEF I have achieved major milestones with the first half of $10,000. My company has been able to partner with two major chemical companies, commenced production of my packaging, bought a sealing machine, employed more staff and commenced market testing of my products JO-JO powdered detergent, JO-JO liquid laundry, Diamond shampoo and conditioner is also set in motion.

All this I have achieved with just the first half, and with the second half, the products will be mass-produced and marketed nationwide. I am so grateful to Mr Tony Elumelu for believing in my dreams and not just believing, but also giving me the training and funding to make it a reality.”

Jocelyne Agbo, Nigeria|Manufacturing/Industry

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THISDAY, TUESDAY APRIL 27,2021

LAWYER

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GEORGE FLOYD

WEEKLY PULLOUT

27.04.2021

DEREK CHAUVIN

CHAUVIN’S JUDGEMENT: CAN AFRICAN-AMERICANS BREATHE AGAIN?

2/DASHBOARD

27.04.2021

LAWYER

A

WEEKLY PULLOUT

GEORGE FLOYD

27.04.2021

Failure of the Defence of Alibi PAGE 4

DEREK CHAUVIN

CHAUVIN’S JUDGEMENT: CAN AFRICAN-AMERICANS BREATHE AGAIN?

Gbola Akinola Succeeds Busari as CIArb Nigeria Branch Chairman PAGE 5

QUOTABLES ‘We are living under a civilian dictatorship under Buhari....If Buhari and the Government are patriotic enough to do the needful by restructuring this country now, they will silence the Sunday Igbohos, the Nnamdi Kanus, and all separatist groups forever. But, the moment you refuse, you give impetus to them. You are encouraging secession.’ - Chief Ayò Adebanjò, Lawyer, Elder Statesman, Leader of Afenifere ‘......We are not sitting down twiddling our thumbs against contractors who haven’t kept their side, we are compiling a list of contractors. We will inevitably publish a Black list; but, there has to be justification for proceeding to that level, based on legal advice.’ - Babatunde Raji Fashòla, SAN, former Governor of Lagos State, Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Admiralty Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court: Real or Illusory?

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27.04.2021

Pantami: Between Honour and Responsibility Last week, those in charge of the railway in Egypt were sacked by their government, after two train derailments occurred within a period of one month - no excuses. Closer to home, Kemi Adeosun, the former Minister of Finance, resigned from her position in the face of her NYSC Certificate scandal.

Yet, here we are today, with a Chairman of the Code of Conduct (Misconduct) Tribunal publicly engaged in “two fighting” and still very much in his job, debating whether an individual who has been publicly denounced as a religious extremist who may not be averse to violence, should still be a part of our Government!

‘Pantamigate’ The fact that the Executive continued with Mr Pantami’s nomination, even after they were apparently informed about his appalling views by the DSS before his name was forwarded for confirmation, is not just shocking and condemnable, it is thought provoking. Notwithstanding, Mr Pantami was able to easily scale through the rubber stamp Senate screening process too! Worse still, was Mr Garba Shehu’s attempt to defend the indefensible, by the statement he issued last Thursday on behalf of the Presidency, concluding that Mr Pantami will not be sacked. Watching an interview of Mr Shehu on Channels TV the following day, was nauseating.

What I saw was partiality and discrimination in favour of Mr Pantami, contrary to Sections 17(2) (a) and 42(1)(b) of the Constitution. Mr Shehu trivialised Mr Pantami’s fanatical, fundamentalist and radical views, comparing them to Mrs Adeosun’s Certificate and Babachir Lawal’s grass cutting scandals, labelling those as criminal, while he identified Mr Pantami’s simply as youthful exuberance. Tah! Meanwhile, an earlier interview of investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, effectively substantiating the claims against Mr Pantami, was damning, to say the least. And, for the avoidance of doubt, for starters, inciting hatred and violence against non-Muslims, fits into the offence of Exciting hatred between classes contrary to Section 417 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provision Act, which is punishable with imprisonment of three years or a fine or both.

Let me state for the record that, Islam is a religion of peace (Quran 5:16, 4:128, 2:205). It is the unreasonable, the extremists, the violent, the bitter, those filled with hate, and possibly the mentally unstable, who have a penchant for misinterpreting the Quran for their own twisted purposes.

Mr Pantami claimed to have made those vicious, inciting statements ‘against infidels’ (imagine using such a nasty nomenclature in the 21st century) when he was ‘much’ younger; I thought maybe it could have been when he was a child, still a pupil at ‘Makaranta Allo/Ile-iwe Kewu’ (Arabic/Islamic School for children) like my grand nephew who just turned 10 years old, and has been attending one for a few years. According to Mr Hundeyin, when he made those undesirable statements, Mr Pantami was 33 - the same age as Jesus Christ when he was crucified (and Jesus Christ certainly left an indelible mark in the world - over 2000 years after his crucifixion, he is celebrated as a global household name), a year older than General Yakubu Gowon when he became Head of State of Nigeria. A good number of Muslims believe that it is acceptable for 13-15 year old girls to be married, how then, can a 33 year old man be adjudged as being impressionable or too young to know what he was saying or doing; in fact, he should most definitely be seen as a wise old man!

Mr Pantami and the Presidency conveniently maintain that he has repented? Tah! Again! Yet, initially, he tried to deny the allegations levelled against him when they came to light, but was forced to recant in the face of overwhelming evidence stacked up against him. The only thing Mr Pantami is sorry about, is being caught out!

And his repentance does not go beyond an attempt to save his job. As for repentance and forgiveness, these are between an individual and God, a Church or Mosque affair; it has no place in governance; therefore, the Federal Government/Presidency is not in a position to absolve Mr Pantami of his sins.

A statesman must have moderate views about issues like religion; clearly, Mr Pantami does not fall into this category, and it is an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians, and to the many lives which we have lost in Nigeria (and in the world) due to religious intolerance/crisis, for Mr Shehu and this administration to try to reduce such a serious matter as this to a witch-hunt against Mr Pantami, because he has descended on some data services scammers who do not like him and want

to get rid of him!

Religious extremism is one of the main causes of most of the insecurity and violence that we see worldwide today; and an administration that condones, excuses and harbours a religious bigot like Mr Pantami within its ranks, not only opens itself up for its purpose, credibility and integrity to be questioned and scrutinised, but for external observers to wonder whether indeed, Government is not partly responsible for the violence that Nigeria is presently experiencing. We don’t need that. Is Mr Pantami the only capable Computer Scientist in Nigeria? Even if he is cleverer than Einstein, in a decent society he would not be eligible to hold public office. Should an extremist occupy such a sensitive position, and have the data of all Nigerians on his fingertips? I ask again, why would Twitter want to locate its offices in Nigeria? Why would any FDI be attracted to Nigeria? Does Government not see that apart from the Chinese, most other foreign investors are divesting and leaving?

The last time I checked Sections 10 and 38(1) of the Constitution were still in place; the former provision proclaiming that neither Nigeria nor any of its States shall adopt any State religion, while the latter entitles us to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom to change and propagate our religion. These provisions are unequivocal.

The logical conclusion is that, Mr Pantami should either resign, or be relieved of his position with “immediate effect and automatic alacrity” (à la Chief Eleyinmi of Village Headmaster).

NASS’ Show of Shame As for the Clerk of the National Assembly or whoever was responsible for such a show of disrespect to our colleagues - members of the NBA who went to try to mediate regarding the ongoing JUSUN strike action, locking them out of the National Assembly (NASS) for two hours until they were finally addressed, still outside in the parking lot I might add, not even by the leadership or members of NASS - NASS must be condemned for their behaviour. I consider the incident not only to be an affront on the legal profession, but an insult to all Nigerians. By virtue of Sections 76, 77 & 78 of the Constitution (amongst other provisions), members of NASS are elected by we the people; they are our representatives, in office by virtue of our votes, but they seem to have completely forgotten this crucial fact. I watched a video clip in which Learned Senior Advocate, J-K Gadzama, said the NBA had written a letter informing NASS of NBA’s impending visit, and yet, instead of receiving our members graciously, they were treated so shabbily. It is my hope that this kind of uncharitable display by NASS to our members, will never repeat itself.

JUSUN Strike: Constitutionally Speaking As the strike action of JUSUN has stretched into its third week, I decided to look more deeply into the provisions of the Constitution to understand the dispute better - the more I looked, the less I saw! My main submission is that, however it is achieved, the Judiciary must be independent, and to achieve this goal, it must be financially independent. A situation in which Chief Judges of States or heads of court have to go cap in hand to Governors or the Presidency to solicit for funds,

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami

is unacceptable, and must stop now.

Section 6 of the Constitution provides for the Judiciary; Section 6(5)(a-i) lists the Superior Courts of Record, while Section 6(5)(j-k) mentions the other courts authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters which NASS and State Houses of Assembly respectively, can make laws. My humble submission is that, though not expressly listed, courts like the Magistrates' Court, District Court, Area Customary Court, and the Sharia Court are the other courts authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction on which the various State Houses of Assembly can make laws, and therefore, fall within the purview of Section 6(5)(j-k). Section 6(5)(a-k) of the Constitution can therefore, be translated to mean that the superior and lower courts constitute the Judiciary, and a community reading of Sections 6(5)(a-k) and 81(3)(c) means that any amount standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, shall be paid to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to be disbursed to the heads of the courts. See also Section 162(9) of the Constitution which also provides for the payment of any amount standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the Federation Account to the NJC, for disbursement to the heads of the courts.

See the case of Mudiaga-Odje v Younes Power System Nig. Ltd (2013) LPELR-20306 (CA).

The aforementioned provisions seem to mean that the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation is responsible for the funding of all the courts (Judiciary), though the type of funding is not stated therein.

The Confusion Then, the confusion really began. Somewhat contrary to or a further qualification of Section 81(3)(c), Section 84(2), (4) & (7) of the Constitution lists those entitled to remuneration, salaries, and allowances in the Judiciary charged upon the Consolidated Fund of the Federation, thereby excluding judicial officers of the lower courts, and limiting those entitled inter alia, to judicial officers of the superior courts and the recurrent expenditure of their judicial offices, that is, the cost of running the courts. The staff of the superior State courts are support staff, part of the cost of running these courts. Do their salaries form part of the recurrent expenditure referred to in Section 84(7), though they are listed as members of staff in the public service of their respective States in Section 318 of the Constitution?

Does this mean that the State Governments are the ones responsible for the capital expenditure of their State superior courts and all the expenditure of the lower courts, whether salaries, remuneration and allowances, capital or recurrent as per the provisions of Section 121(3)(b) of the Constitution, to be funded from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the various States, and paid directly to the heads of those courts? The foregoing constitutional provisions, are not clear on this; Section 121(3) (b) as if to create more confusion, only states that any amount standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State should be paid directly to the heads of the courts, with no mention of the NJC or the type of expenditure.

The Constitution however, again, shows itself to be an imperfect document riddled with inconsistencies, when in Part I Paragraph I National Judicial Council, Powers of the NJC, Section 21(e) Third Schedule to the Constitution, it also provides that the NJC should collect, control and disburse all moneys, capital and recurrent, for the Judiciary, neglecting to mention where the funds should emanate from, whether Federal or State. This provision does not distinguish between superior or lower courts. If this is so, does this mean that by virtue of this provision, all Judiciary expenditure, whether capital or recurrent, whether superior or lower courts, should be disbursed to the all heads of the courts by the NJC? Conclusion In my humble opinion, the judgement delivered in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/667/13 JUSUN v NJC, AGF & 70 Ors on 13/1/2014 per A.F.A. Ademola J. is simply a regurgitation of Sections 81(3)(c) and 121(3)(b) of the Constitution, and does not address or resolve the controversy and inconsistencies created by the foregoing constitutional provisions which I have highlighted above.

Unfortunately, apart from the aforementioned one, I have not yet had the benefit of reading the judgements obtained in the other matters relating to the financial autonomy of the Judiciary. But, it

“..... IT IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT THE CONSTITUTION MUST BE AMENDED TO ACHIEVE CLARITY AND UNIFORMITY, AS FAR AS THE FUNDING OF THE JUDICIARY IS CONCERNED”

is obvious that the provisions of the Constitution leave us with several inconsistent scenarios on the funding of the Judiciary, and it would be unfair to lay all the blame for the lack of judicial autonomy because of the lack of financial independence, solely on the Governors; the Federal Government (having not fulfilled all its obligations as well) and the inconsistent provisions of the Constitution, are also culpable.

From a community reading of all the abovementioned provisions, it may be safe to conclude for now, that it is clear that the salaries, remuneration, and allowances of the judicial officers of the superior courts and the JUSUN Staff manning these courts, and all their other recurrent expenditure, should be paid from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation through the NJC to the heads of the courts. For the lower courts, it is implied that they are the ones who fit into Section 121(3) (b), since they are excluded from Section 84(4) of the Constitution, and the State Governments should fund them completely - pay the judicial officers, their JUSUN Staff, all their capital and other recurrent expenditure.

The bottom line is that, it is a foregone conclusion that the Constitution must be amended to achieve clarity and uniformity, as far as the funding of the Judiciary is concerned. In the case of Danstarcher Turnkey Contractors Ltd v UBN Plc (2015) LPELR-24631(CA), the Court of Appeal held that the rule of interpretation of statutory provisions should always be construed as a whole, and should be given an interpretation consistent with the object of the entire statute. Sadly, the object of the provisions of the Constitution with regard to the Judiciary and its funding, are somewhat hazy. The matter of the centralisation of payments even to Superior State Courts on one hand, and the clamour for restructuring and devolution of powers on the other hand, are at variance - however, this is a story for another day!

This brief overview which I have given, is only the tip of the iceberg; the beginning of the discourse.

My dear colleagues, kindly, share your opinion on this matter which affects us all.

4/LAW REPORT

Failure of the Defence of Alibi Facts A certain Dickson Abimbola Akinola (PW1) imported some vehicles, including a 2001 Toyota 4Runner SUV and other goods into Nigeria. On 5th July, 2008, while PW1 and his agents (PW2 and PW3) were driving the vehicles from the port, the 2001 Toyota 4Runner SUV ran out of fuel along Isolo-Ilasa Expressway, Lagos and some hoodlums started harassing them. The Appellant and two other Naval Officers intervened, by shooting into the air to disperse the hoodlums. Thereafter, they demanded for compensation for their efforts. In appreciation, PW1 and his agents gave the Naval Officers the sum of N7,000.00. The Naval Officers were not content with the sum offered, and demanded for the sum of N100,000.00 for the loss of the bullet they shot to disperse the hoodlums. When PW1, PW2 and PW3 could not meet their demand, they put a gun into PW3’s mouth and threatened to shoot him. Thereafter, they seized the Toyota 4Runner SUV, laptops, computer accessories and other personal effects in the car and drove off, leaving a phone number with which they directed PW1 and others to contact them for recovery of the items. Subsequently, the Appellant and his colleagues spoke with PW1, PW2 and PW3 on the phone demanding for higher compensation, but they later broke off the communication.

PW1 reported the matter to the Police, who used the aforesaid phone number to establish contact with the Appellant, and subsequently, arrested him. The Appellant escaped from Police custody, but was re-arrested. The Nigerian Navy was contacted and an Orderly Room Trial was conducted, before the Appellant was handed over to the Police. The Toyota 4Runner SUV and other goods were not recovered, and the other two Naval Officers could not be traced.

The Appellant was consequently, charged before the High Court of Lagos State for the offence of armed robbery contrary to Section 402(2)(a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C17, Laws of Lagos State, 2003. At the conclusion of trial, the Appellant was convicted and sentenced to death. Dissatisfied, the Appellant unsuccessfully appealed to the Court of Appeal, and this led to a further appeal to the Supreme Court.

Issue for Determination The following sole issue was determined by the Apex Court Whether the Prosecution proved the offence of armed robbery beyond reasonable doubt against the Appellant.

Arguments On one hand, counsel for the Appellant argued that the circumstances thrown up in this case, show that the prosecution did not discharge the burden of proof against the Appellant beyond reasonable doubt; and so, the conviction could not stand. He argued that the Appellant’s defence of alibi was not investigated, and same was not considered by the court. Counsel contended further that, there were discrepancies in the evidence of the prosecution witnesses, and the identification of the Appellant was questionable. He submitted that, the trial court did not attach any probative value to an alleged confessional statement (Exhibit 5) of the Appellant which the Court of Appeal wrongly relied on, when there was no appeal against the finding of the trial court in respect of same. He relied on the case of BADMUS v ABEGUNDE (1999) 11 NWLR (Pt. 627) 493, in support of his position. Counsel submitted on behalf of the Appellant, that mens rea for the offence was absent. He argued that the criminal intent to steal the SUV and permanently deprive the owner of it, was not shown; consequently, with the missing necessary ingredient, the conviction relating to stealing could not be sustained; and so, armed robbery is not made out. He cited TANKO v STATE (2003) 16 NWLR (Pt. 114) 597 at 636.

On the other hand, counsel for the Respondent argued that the evidence before the trial court was sufficient to meet the ingredients of the offence charged, in proof beyond reasonable doubt. He submitted that the defence of alibi was debunked, as the Prosecution was able to show that the accused person was at the scene of the crime when the offence was committed, and could not have been elsewhere. He cited the case of EGWUMI v THE STATE (2013) 13 NWLR (Pt.1372) 525 at 531. He also stated that the statement of the Court of Appeal regarding the confessional statement, was an obiter dictum. Further, counsel submitted that the evidence before the trial court, clearly identified the Appellant as one of the robbers. He submitted that identification evidence is the best, and that it rendered an identification parade unnecessary. Counsel submitted for the Respondent that the concurrent findings of the lower courts cannot be disturbed, as they were neither

perverse nor shown to result a miscarriage of justice in the process. He relied on EBEOIWE v THE STATE (2011) 7 NWLR 402.

Honourable Ejembi Eko, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 18th day of December, 2020 Before Their Lordships

Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili Olukayode Ariwoola Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun John Inyang Okoro Ejembi Eko Justices, Supreme Court SC.748/2016 Between Haruna Timothy

…

…

…

Appellant

And The People of Lagos State… …

…

Respondent

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Ejembi Eko, JSC)

“..... THE DEFENCE OF ALIBI FAILS WHEN AN OFFENCE WAS COMMITTED, AND THE ACCUSED COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ELSEWHERE.....

THE BEST IDENTIFICATION OF AN ACCUSED PERSON, IS THE EVIDENCE GIVEN BY THE VICTIM OF THE CRIME”

Court’s Judgement and Rationale In its decision on the sole issue, the Supreme Court held that in a charge of armed robbery, for the Prosecution to succeed, it must prove (a) that there was a robbery or series of robberies; (b) that one or more of the robbers were armed; and (c) that the Appellant was one of the robbers. The court found that the evidence of PW2 of how the Appellant corked his gun, pointed it at him and thereby put him in a state of fear of imminent harm before he drove off the SUV, was not challenged at all under cross-examination. It was, therefore, open to the court to rely on same - BOSHALI v ALLIED COMMERCIAL EXPORTERS (1961) ALL NLR. On the Appellant’s defence of alibi, the Apex Court held that, the defence of alibi fails when an offence was committed, and the accused could not have been elsewhere. The court referred to decision in EGWUMI v THE STATE (supra). The court found that PW1, PW2 and PW3 placed the Appellant at the scene of the crime, and identified him during an identification parade without hesitation; whereas, the Appellant did not give evidence as to his whereabouts at that particular time, and his witnesses did not give details of the whereabouts of the Appellant. The court concluded that, the evidence of the prosecution witnesses dislodged the defence of alibi.

Regarding the submission on the Court of Appeal’s alleged reliance on the confessional statement (Exhibit 5), the Supreme Court agreed with counsel for the Respondent, that the comment made by the Court of Appeal concerning Exhibit 5 was a passing remark which did not change or enhance the course of events.

On whether the Appellant was identified, their Lordships held that the best identification of an accused person, is the evidence given by the victim of the crime. The court relied on the authority of OKOSI v STATE (1989) 1 NWLR (Pt.100) 642, in holding that the evidence of PW1, PW2, PW3 and PW4 as to the incident were clear, unambiguous and uncontroverted, as they identified the Appellant as one of the Naval Officers who threatened them with a gun and snatched the vehicle from PW1, PW2 and PW3.

Deciding the issue of discrepancies in the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, the court held that for an accused person to benefit from discrepancies in evidence led by the Prosecution, it must be shown that such discrepancy is substantial and fundamental to the main issue in controversy before the court.

Then, with respect to the contention by the Appellant that at the time of taking away the vehicle, it was a type of lien for the sum demanded and that there was no criminal intent to steal the SUV or permanently deprive the owner of it, their Lordships held that a person who violently or menacingly extorts money from his victim, cannot be the creditor of his victim. There was no evidence, to support the assertion of the Appellant. There was no pleading before the court, on lawful temporary taking of possession of the vehicle for any legitimate purpose.

The submission was merely that of counsel, and given the position of law, a counsel cannot, in the guise of final written address, give evidence from either the Bar or in the address. Bare statement from the Bar, has no force of evidence – ONU OBEKPA v COP (1980) 1 NCR 113.

Concluding its determination of the issue, the Apex Court decided that the illegality of a brazen extortion, appearing in the cloak or garb of violent demand for gratification, cannot in anyway, morph into the extortionist enforcing his legitimate right for the sum violently and illegally demanded. It follows that the submission of the Appellant that the vehicle was taken as a lien for the sum demanded, cannot stand in law. This is more so, as the vehicle in question had not been seen or returned.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation C.O.P Emeka and S.T. Oyerinde for the Appellant.

T.K. Shitta-Bey with E.R. Agu, I.M. Gbadamasi, Florence Pius-Anyalador and O.O. Osusanya for the Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR) (An Affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

27.04.2021

NEWS/5

JUSUN Strike, PALU Urges Compliance with Executive Order The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) has appealed to State Governors and all the relevant authorities to comply with the Federal High Court, Abuja order and the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 granting ÀQDQFLDO DXWRQRP\ WR WKH judiciary.

In a statement, PALU President, Mr. Emeka Obegolu said ‘PALU is aware of the strike by WKH -XGLFLDU\ 6WDͿ 8QLRQ of Nigeria (JUSUN), that shut down all courts in Nigeria since Tuesday, April 6, 2021, and thus, crippled court proceedings across the Federation. The UHDVRQ IRU WKH LQGHÀQLWH strike of JUSUN, is to press home the demand IRU ÀQDQFLDO DXWRQRP\ IRU the Nigeria’s judicial arm of Government.

Unfortunately, State Courts in Nigeria have

enacted to provide for the allocation of percentage of income of the State or Federal Government to the Judiciary, Executive and Legislature, to wit: a.

That there be inserted in the 1999 Constitution, the exact percentage of money accruing to the Judiciary and Legislature for each State of the Federation and the Federal Government. b.

That the said exact percentage of money accruing to and payable to WKH -XGLFLDU\ LQ D ÀVFDO year, be deductible as D ÀUVW OLQH FKDUJH IURP the Federation account, PALU President, Emeka Obegolu consequent upon the over the years, relied as guaranteed under the that for the judiciary in respective budgets of on the Executive for Nigerian Constitution. Nigeria to be totally each arm of Government. their funding especially PALU emphasises the ÀQDQFLDOO\ LQGHSHQGHQW What this presupposes in the area of capital QHHG IRU FRPSOHWH ÀQDQFLDO the 1999 constitution is that, even when the projects. This is clearly independence of all arms of Nigeria should be appropriation bill is amended, or an Act of prepared, the money antithetical to the principle of Government.

PALU is of the opinion the National Assembly standing credit to the of separation of powers,

Judiciary and Legislature is already constitutionally ascertainable. This will also prevent arbitrary interference with the budget of the Judiciary and Legislature, as the Executive will not have the powers to cut down on the budget of the Judiciary, and the Legislature will only approve the budget of the Judiciary as it is, this will in turn prevent the Judiciary and Legislators being at the mercy of the executive.

We at Pan African Lawyers Union, wish to appeal to the appropriate authorities in Nigeria and the key stakeholders in WKLV VWUXJJOH IRU ÀQDQFLDO autonomy, to ensure that at the end of the day, the ÀQDQFLDO DXWRQRP\ DQG independence of all the arms of Government, is actualised.

Remove President, Governors’ Gbola Akinola Succeeds Busari as Immunity for Electoral Infractions CIArb Nigeria Branch Chairman Steve Aya Hon. Justice Ejembi Eko of the Supreme Court, last Friday, called for the suspension of the immunity of a President and Governor, who goes against Electoral Act. Speaking at a workshop for the review of Elections Petition Tribunal in the 2019 General Election held in Abuja, Justice Eko said such suspension would pave the way for prosecution and subsequent punishment, if found guilty of breaching electoral laws.

Justice Eko was speaking on the theme: ‘Reform of Election Litigation Process: The Constitution, Electoral Act and the Practice Direction’; the Apex Court Justice was of the opinion that the removal of the immunity clause would not only send the right message across to Nigerians, but would PDNH SXEOLF R΀FHUV KDYH a rethink before violating electoral laws. He further added: “The immunity clause in the Constitution, in apparent contradiction of other constitutional provisions, should not be a facade to insulate such public R΀FHU IURP SURVHFXWLRQ or sanction, for acts or conduct executed to corrupt and undermine his oath of R΀FH WKH &RQVWLWXWLRQ DQG national ethos. There should be a suspension of immunity in such circumstances”,

Hon. Justice Ejembi Eko, JSC

he noted.

Justifying why immunity should be waved for public R΀FHUV -XVWLFH (NR VDLG when the Chief Executive criminally misappropriates 6WDWH IXQGV WR ÀQDQFH elections corruptly, that conduct, like treason, also undermines and erodes the Constitution.

The Supreme Court Justice also noted that, reforming the electoral process, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in uploading results from the polling XQLWV WR WKH ÀQDO FROODWLRQ centre, should also simultaneously transmit the results to the political parties and other candidates, as well as media houses. He also advocated more power for

A new Chairman for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, CIArb, has been announced.

He is Chief J. Akingbola Akinola, C.Arb, who succeeds Mr Olatunde Busari, SAN. Chief Gbola Akinola is a practicing Lawyer, and seasoned Arbitrator. He is D 3DUWQHU LQ WKH ODZ ÀUP of 'The Law Union’. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is listed as a member of the Institute's Panel of Chartered Arbitrators, and also of the Kigali International Arbitration Centre Panel of InternaINEC. tional Arbitrators, Kigali, “INEC, in view of Rwanda. He was a Past Sections 95 and 96 of President of the Maritime the Electoral Act dealing Arbitrators Association with prohibition of certain conduct, including the use of Nigeria (MAAN), and of force or violence dur- a member of the Board ing political campaigns of Directors of LACIAC. Chief Akinola's elecand elections, should be given more enforcement tion took place at the powers, subject to judicial inaugural meeting of the review, to deal summarily 2021-2022 Executive Comwith the situation”, he mittee of the Institute, stated. According to him, held on Thursday, 22nd it can include the power to of April, 2021. suspend or disqualify the 2WKHU R΀FH KROGHUV RͿHQGLQJ SROLWLFDO SDUW\ were also elected by the from further elections, in Executive Committee. the constituency.

Mrs Olusola AdegbonJustice Eko further stated mire, C.Arb emerged as that more power should be given to court or election the 1st Vice Chairman, tribunal to penalise the Prof Paul Idornigie, party and its candidate, SAN, C.Arb, 2nd Vice for such misconduct.

Chairman, Mrs. Obosa

Chief Akingbola Akinola

Akpata, C.Arb, 3rd Vice Chairman and Mrs Josephine Akinwunmi, FCIArb as Secretary. Other 2΀FHUV DUH 0U $NLQ Omisade, FCIArb, Treasurer, Dr Adeyemi Agbelusi, FCIArb, P.R.O, Mr Ibifubara Berenibara, FCIArb, Assistant Secretary, Mrs Seyilayo Ojo, C.Arb, Chairman Training Committee, Mrs. Obosa Akpata C.Arb, Chairman, Membership Committee, Mr. Olumide Sofowora, SAN, C.Arb, Regional Representative, and Mr. Tonye Krukrubor, Chapter Liaison.

In a release made available to the media, the new PRO, Dr Adeyemi Agbelusi, quoting the new Chairman in his

acceptance speech, that he promised that “the Institute under his leadership would strengthen our training programmes, so that it will focus more on imparting the knowledge and skills required, for successful careers in the ÀHOG RI DOWHUQDWLYH GLVSXWH resolution”.

Chief Akinola gave further assurances that the new Executive will address some of the concerns militating against the optimisation RI WKH EHQHÀWV RI $OWHUnative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Nigeria, and also promised to work with other stakeholders in ensuring the growth of Arbitration in Nigeria.

6/

27.04.2021

Can an AGF Amend a CBN Governor’s Regulations?

Introduction For reasons which I shall presently outline, I believe that the Central Bank of Nigeria (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism in Banks and other Financial Institutions in Nigeria) (Amended) Regulations, 2019 (or the CBN (AML-CFT) Regulations), are problematic at best, and at worst, they are outrightly invalid.

Background These Regulations were supposedly enacted pursuant to powers conferred on the Attorney-General of the Federation by the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended. But, this is not so straightforward, because they actually sought to correct an earlier set of Regulations made by a former Governor of the Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, in 2013. For that reason – to the extent that the said amendment was effected, not by the CBN Governor, but by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN – I believe it is somewhat anomalous, as the following review of their respective enabling provisions will show.

The CBN (AML-CFT) Regulations 2013 These were made pursuant to the provisions of Section 57(1) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act, 1991 (“BOFIA”), as amended; they empower the Governor of the Central Bank to “make regulations, published in the Federal Gazette, to give full effect to the objects and objectives of (the) Act”. The obvious question is: what are the objects and objectives of BOFIA? Even though it is not explicitly stated in the text of the law, however, it can hardly be argued that its purpose is to regulate and sanitise the practice of banking in Nigeria; to ensure sound overall macro-economic stability and foster public, governmental and international confidence in the industry – and, by extension, the Nigerian economy. Needless to say, any unsalutary practices – such as money laundering - which are carried on in, or are facilitated by, or through banks, are well within the scope of those objectives, given that it is common knowledge that, banks have historically (if not inevitably) played pivotal roles in laundering illicitly obtained funds – albeit, sometimes unwittingly.

The CBN (AML-CFT) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 By contrast, these Regulations (which amended the principal CBN (AML-CFT) Regulations 2013) were made pursuant to Section 23(1) & (2)(e) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended. This provision stipulates that:“(1) The Attorney-General may make orders, rules, guidelines or regulations as are necessary for the efficient implementation of the provisions of this Act”, (2) Orders, rules, guidelines or regulations made under subsection (1) of this Section may provide for – (e) any other matter which the Attorney-General may consider necessary or expedient for the purpose of the implementation of this Act”.

Analysis The obvious question is: in purporting to make Regulations to control money laundering generally, can the Attorney-General of the Federation impinge or encroach on the powers of the CBN Governor to regulate banking by enacting – not through a stand-alone subsidiary legislation - but by amending a pre-existing statute made by the latter? In other words, are the powers of the AGF and the CBN Governor to control money laundering in banks – if any – co-terminus or are they mutually-exclusive? If they are co-terminus, can the AGF validly amend a law made by the CBN Governor? Who is competent to amend a law which was originally made by another person or institution – is it the original lawmaker, or can another person/institution do so? Does the subject matter of both the principal law and its amendment, make a difference? If both sets of laws deal with the same subject-matter, does the fact that different legislators made them make any difference? We shall shortly attempt a few answers. But, first, some . . .

Judicial Review In construing the relevant statutes, i.e., BOFIA, the MLPA and the aforesaid Regulations, it is well to remember that they encroach on the rights of citizens to property and their persons. In this regard, it is settled that such statutes should be construed like penal laws, i.e., contra preferences, namely strictly in favour of the subject, and against the law-maker.

This means such statutes should be interpreted so as to respect such rights, and if there is any ambiguity,

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN the construction which favours the freedom of the individual should be adopted: EZE v GOVERNOR OF ABIA STATE (2010) 15 NWLR pt. 1216 pg.

324; OKOTIE-EBOH v MANAGER (2004) 18 NWLR pt. 905, pg. 242; AFOLABI v GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE (1985) 2 NWLR pt. 9 pg. 731 @ 753H, S.C. We have already set out the provisions of both BOFIA and the MLPA which empower the CBN Governor and the AGF, respectively, to make the two sets of Regulations. In the case of the latter, whilst the MLPA merely empowers the AGF to make Regulations pursuant to and for giving effect to it, however, in purporting to exercise that power, the

“THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO PRECEDENT FOR THIS SORT OF CROSSAMENDMENT: A SITUATION WHERE A PERSON PURPORTS TO ACT UNDER ONE LAW, TO AMEND A LAW MADE BY ANOTHER PERSON PURSUANT TO A DIFFERENT LAW......

ACCORDINGLY, THE AMENDMENT OUGHT, PROPERLY, TO HAVE BEEN MADE UNDER AND PURSUANT TO BOFIA – AND, BY THE CBN GOVERNOR, WHO MADE THE INITIAL REGULATIONS, NOT THE AGF”

AGF amended a pre-existing set of Regulations which were made – not by him or his predecessor(s) – but by a different person/office, the CBN Governor. The validity or otherwise of this action (and that of all subsidiary legislations – which is what the Regulations are) depends wholly on the legal status of subsidiary instruments and the conditions under which they may be validly made.

In this regard, it is settled that a subsidiary legislation derives life or force of law from the principal law. Accordingly, it cannot contradict or over-ride the principal legislation: KENNEDY v I.N.E.C. (2009) 1 NWLR pt. 1123 pg. 614 @ 642D. A subsidiary legislation cannot over-rule the law: AKANNI v ODEJIDE (2004) All FWLR pt.

218 pg. 827 @ 853E, C.A. A subsidiary legislation cannot expand or curtail a substantive statute. It must be within the authority derived in the main enabling statute: OLANREWAJU v OYEYEMI (2001) 2 NWLR pt. 696 pg. 229 @ 255, C.A.; ISHOLA v AJIBOYE (1994) 6 NWLR pt. 352 pg. 506 @621, GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE v FOLAYAN (1995) 8 NWLR pt. 413 pg. 292 @ 327. A statute can only be amended by another statute: KUUSU v UDOM (1990) 1 NWLR pt.

127 pg. 421; a statute cannot be amended by a subsidiary legislation: PHOENIX MOTORS v N.P.F.M.B (1993) 1 NWLR pt. 272 pg. 718 @ 728.

In mirroring the CBN (AML-CFT) Regulations 2013 and their 2019 Amendment against the foregoing principles, what is manifestly clear is the following: As previously stated, whilst the ‘principal’ law, i.e., the 2013 Regulations (indeed, that is how the 2019 Amendment refers to it) were made pursuant to BOFIA, the amendment thereto was made pursuant to the MLPA. There is virtually no precedent for this sort of cross-amendment: a situation where a person purports to act under one law, to amend a law made by another person pursuant to a different law.

The CBN (AML-CFT) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 is unique and unprecedented in this regard. I believe this makes it anomalous. Putting it bluntly, I believe that the Hon. AGF acted ultra vires when he purported to amend the CBN (AML-CFT) Regulations 2013. This is, pre-eminently, because the subject matter of both BOFIA, the ‘principal’ Regulations and his purported amendment are special – they seek to regulate banking and to control the incidence of money laundering specifically within banks.

By contrast, the provisions of the MLPA 2011, as amended - under which the AGF purported to effect the amendment - are general in scope, as they merely seek to control money laundering generally.

It is trite law, that special things derogate from general things generalia specialibus derogrant: MADUMERE v OKWARA (2013) LPELR 1 @ 15 – 17; ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF OGUN STATE v ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION (2002) 18 NWLR pt. 798 pg.

232. Accordingly, the amendment ought, properly, to have been made under and pursuant to BOFIA – and, by the CBN Governor, who made the initial Regulations, not the AGF. For the same reason, I believe that the provisions of Regulation 3 of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (Designation of Non-Financial Institutions) Regulations, 2013 are ultra vires the Minister of the said Ministry who made them.

This is because, they purport to empower him (or her) “to declare and designate any other business or profession as Designated Non-Financial Institutions”, contrary to the provisions of the parent/enabling MLPA, 2011, as amended, which specifically confers that power - in Section 25 thereof - on the Ministry itself, and not the Minister; they are not synonymous: a subsidiary legislation cannot contradict the principal statute.

Yet another anomaly in a related subsidiary legislation - the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (Designation of Non-Financial Institutions) Regulations, 2016 - is the fact that it purports to categorise lottery business and pools betting as Designated Non-Financial Institutions. This is because, the subject-matter of lotteries and pools betting are not within the legislative competence of the National Assembly, under either the Exclusive Legislative or Concurrent Legislative Lists of the 1999 Constitution. Rather, they are within the exclusive competence of State Houses of Assembly.

To the extent that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment – who made the Regulations – cannot exercise a power which the National Assembly, which empowered his ministry to make the Regulations, does not itself possess (nemo dat quod non habet), those Regulations are ultra vires, invalid, null and void.

Autonomy or Autotomy?

Wonders, it is said Shall never end Such is the rot Nay, dysfunction

In virtually every sphere Of our national life That even the judiciary Is not spared As is clearly writ large By the on-going industrial action Supposedly by the Judicial Staff Union But, who - strangely - are non-judicial staff Over financial control – or lack thereof To use the popular phrasing: ‘Judicial autonomy’ Or unfettered access to funds An end to the present practice Where the courts are tied To the apron strings Of the Executive Notwithstanding the clear provisions Of the Constitution As severally interpreted In subsisting court judgements What does this say About our belief in the rule of law?

Are the three arms of Government truly equal?

Why is the control of judges pay Not under their hand But, is, rather, subject to the whims and caprices Of the Executive Whilst the Legislature seemingly cannot be bothered?

This ‘conspiracy of silence’ Has lent credence To the suspicion, in some quarters That the situation suits the other two arms Predictably, the strike has hit Counsel and litigants most hard Prompting the latter to march in solidarity Which was, unfortunately, undermined by a 'typo' in the banner Displayed by protesting members Of the Abuja (the so-called 'Unity') Bar A cruel twist on the strike's mantra Achieved simply by switching a letter!

Promptly debunked - of course As the product of a mischievous photoshop But, seriously, when Will this cycle end?

What does it take for the Executive To observe ‘international best practices’ In the funding of our judiciary?

A new dimension? Some fresh thinking?

An elite consensus?

Another Constitution?

What is wrong with this one?

What is wrong with us?

In other words, Perhaps the problem Is our mind-set: Our pervasive obsession – At all levels – personal and otherwise With money And everything to do with it For us, yes! To others, we deny It is a sad irony, indeed That those who wield The power of life and death Are – over their own – shockingly helpless So, when next we grumble About the so-called rot in the system All we need do Is a quick reality check: Tell ourselves some home truths Even if in the language of ‘the cool’: ‘Wake up and smell the coffee!’

Perhaps, we are our own worst enemies.

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When Will “Milady” Become an Acceptable Mode of Address for Female Judges?

This interesting and thought provoking article by learned Senior Advocate, Mrs Funke Adekoya, highlights the issue of gender discrimination in the legal profession, starting from how the females are addressed, whether Judges, Senior Advocates or Lawyers. She calls on our profession to acknowledge this fact and frontally address these issues, so that we women can collectively achieve our true potential in the profession Background As we celebrated International Women's Day this year, I cast my mind back to the last glaring incident of gender inequity at the topmost echelons of the legal profession.

On the 27th February, 2018, I sat in agony throughout the valedictory court session held in honour of the Honourable Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, as she retired as a Justice of the Supreme Court. In fact, my agony started even before the court session. The invitation card was for the Honourable MR Justice Ogunbiyi, as was the program neatly laid out at the event. When her citation was read she was always referred to personally as Honourable MR Justice Ogunbiyi, even though the “she” pronoun was interspersed throughout the document. For example – “She obtained a diploma certificate in Law from Ahmadu Bello University in June 1971, before she later enrolled for a bachelor's degree in Law from the same university in June 1975, and was Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1976, the same year she graduated from the Nigerian Law School”.

Contradictions For me, these contradictory positions highlight the issues that women must confront in a legal profession which refers to the female members as “gentleman of the Bar”, based on some antiquated construct that “there are no ladies at the Bar”.

Presently in Nigeria, female Judges are all referred to as “My Lord”, while we female senior advocates are acknowledged by our male counterparts as “my brother silk”.

The surprise is that, our own female colleagues do not feel sufficiently emboldened to challenge the status quo. Female Judges are hesitant to be referred to as Milady or Your Ladyship, while female Senior Advocates unquestionably accept being referred to as ‘My Brother Silk’, as if being considered an ‘honorary male’ is itself an accolade.

The Practice in UK Even though the concept of Justice is depicted as female in gender, our Judiciary has not taken cognisance of this in providing guidance to the profession. The website for the English Judiciary, gives guidance in this regard. It directs advocates to address female Judges as ‘My Lady’.

The Inns of Court (similar to our Law School) gives similar guidance in its Practice Note, “How to address Judges and others”.

The country that we acquired the trappings and traditions of legal practice from, has acknowledged the existence of the female gender in the

legal profession; we however, are still mired in the traditions of the past. In the not too distant past, there was an indication from our Supreme Court that all Lawyers were to be identified by the word “Esq” rather than Mr Miss or Mrs. A glimpse into English history however, indicates that Esquire is itself is suffix to identify a male of a higher social level. According to Black's Law Dictionary, the title Esquire signified the status of a man who was below a knight, but above a gentleman. Over the centuries, the esquire title became common in the legal profession and is a throwback to the British practice, in which Barristers claimed the status “Esquire” and solicitors used the term “Gentleman”.

The Practice in Some Other African Countries Across the continent, in Kenya, female Judges are referred to their official Judiciary website as ‘Lady Justice’.

Female Judges who have attended the meetings of the International Association of Women Judges in the past, can confirm that the same appellation applies to female Judges in Tanzania and Uganda. So why are we different? One argument is that a Judge is a Judge, and gender is irrelevant; there is no need to acknowledge gender differences.

My response to this argument is, ‘so why is there an association of women Judges?’ What are the issues that engage women Judges, to the exclusion of male Judges? With all due respect to Miladies, you cannot eat your cake and have it. Gender is either relevant to the judiciary, or it is not. If our women Judges insisted on having their gender acknowledged, either by reference to ‘Lady Justice’ or being addressed as Milady/Your

Ladyship, it would be an encouragement to those of us lower down on the totem pole, for a push for similar acknowledgment of the presence of women in the profession.

Consequences of Lack of Recognition of Women in the Legal Profession It is my humble opinion that the refusal of the legal profession to recognise and acknowledge gender diversity in the legal profession, has in many ways become a stumbling block to the advancement of women in private legal practice.

Leadership of the legal profession, both at an organisational and a practice level, is mainly in male hands. As a result, the departure from the profession of women who are hampered by nurturing and cultural obligations from fully contributing their quota in the realm of legal services, has never been fully quantified. Not having been quantified, it has not been addressed. Even without statistics though, it is obvious that a law firm that has spent time and money in training and equipping a young female associate, suffers an economic loss when workplace requirements means the associate cannot cope with raising a young child, while simultaneously being expected to meet client required deliverables. Rather than put in place a system that allows a nursing mother to balance her childcare needs with client requirements, most law firms opt to either not employ female Lawyers, or not expose them to challenging client assignments. Because “there are no ladies at the Bar”, many of the issues which directly impact upon the efficiency of women in the legal workplace, such as childcare needs and resumption /closing times in

“FEMALE JUDGES ARE HESITANT TO BE REFERRED TO AS MILADY OR YOUR LADYSHIP, WHILE FEMALE SENIOR ADVOCATES UNQUESTIONABLY ACCEPT BEING REFERRED TO AS ‘MY BROTHER SILK’, AS IF BEING CONSIDERED AN ‘HONORARY MALE’ IS ITSELF AN ACCOLADE”

chambers, are neither acknowledged nor addressed. This is one of the reasons why there are so few female Senior Advocates of Nigeria. Child care obligations often make it extremely difficult for a woman during her child bearing years to take on the number of cases to conclusion, which the guidelines for selection require.

Then again, the sole practitioner or five years partnership requirement, is another clog in a woman’s ambition to attain the rank. How many female advocates own their own law firms, or are partners in other firms? How does the sole proprietor/law firm partner requirement, advance the standing of an otherwise qualified candidate?

How many of our male colleagues in leadership positions, have even thought of this?

Conclusion The end result of this gender “annihilation”, is that our existence and thus, the contribution of women to the legal profession is denied. There are ladies at the Bar, and until the profession acknowledges this fact and frontally addresses those issues which hinder our advancement, we will never collectively achieve our true potential in the profession.

As we reminisce over the International Women’s Day 2021 celebrations, I choose to challenge gender annihilation in the Nigerian legal profession.

Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN

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Chauvin’s Judgement: Can

The gruesome murder of African-American, George Floyd, in the hands of former Police Officer, Derek Chauvin, by means of a chokehold, while his colleagues looked on and did nothing to save him, threw the entire world into unprecedented outrage in May 2020. It was one death too many for African-Americans, in the hands of racist white Police Officers, and the attendant spontaneous rage saw the people of Minneapolis, USA go on a rampage, resulting in the global hash tags, #icantbreathe and #blacklivesmatter, to press home the consciousness. Last week, a 15-member jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges of murder and manslaughter.

Sentencing was adjourned for eight weeks, the convict facing imprisonment of up to 40 years. Jefferson Uwoghiren and Dr Kede Aihie dissect the issues in the landmark judgement, drawing a parallel with Nigeria, with emphasis on what lessons there could be for the Nigerian justice delivery system, while Epa Ogie Eboigbe examines the courageous role the teenage African-American young lady, Darnella Frazier, played in the whole saga and the ensuing trial, as a result of her capturing George Floyd’s murder on her phone-camera. If there is one thing this unfortunate incident has done, it has brought American policing into global focus, especially with regard to Police brutality against African-Americans. Will it be the catalyst for a change for the better, going forward?

“IN NIGERIA, A TRIAL

Chauvin’s Verdict: Justice for George Floyd At Last

OF THIS MAGNITUDE

Jefferson Uwoghiren

WOULD LAST TEN

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hauvin’s conviction last week, is a wake up call on the need to police the Police more effectively, and institute strong institutional policing reforms. The Police and their agencies are important and powerful fixtures of societies, because their actions impact heavily on the character and quality of people’s lives.

Over the years, lack of effective measures to tame the glaring excesses of many rogue officers, is the proximate cause of the Chauvin disaster. Chief of Police or Commissioners as we call them here, who are charged with taming and shaping departmental excesses are handicapped by corruption, cronyism, and the culture of silence and reversed wind of change.

The Chauvin trial and conviction, raised many questions about the methodology of a typical criminal investigation. There are two key lessons from the flawed Police investigation and processes, that led to the death of Floyd.

First, the investigation of a crime is a process of interrelating activities, conducted by many players. It is a series of actions, taken to produce a specific outcome or output. Each player’s input at different stages of the investigation, affect the output or success of the investigation, and prosecution of the Defendant. Officer Chauvin’s premeditated recklessness disrupted the process which started with the presentation of counterfeit dollars, and the said precipitate act has all been forgotten and forgiven, because of Chauvin’s disruption.

The second lesson is the speed, organisational openness and legal framework of the trial. Nothing like awaiting trial punishment and stripping of rights.

The Fifth and Fourteen Amendments of US Constitution respectively, provide that neither the United States or State Governments shall deprive any person

YEARS, WITH THE COURT HOUSES BURNT, WITNESSES DEAD OR INTIMIDATED OUT OF TOWN, AND EVEN THE DEFENDANT RELEASED, DURING RECURRING JAIL BREAKS”

Derek Chauvin

“ of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”. This clause has been interpreted as imposing two separate limits on government, usually so-called procedural due process and substantive due process. In Nigeria, a trial of this magnitude would last ten years, with the court houses burnt, witnesses dead or intimidated out of town, and even the Defendant released, during recurring jail breaks. Evans the alleged kidnapper, is light years away from determination of guilt.

Timely and judicious determination of guilt is not a matter of convenience and benefits, but a matter of an effective legal system which works for all in a criminal justice system of free and democratic government. Contrary to the remarks of Sir Stratford Cripps, that methods and institutions of government are not simple commodities of international commerce that can be imported or exported, which echo the simplistic observations of Alexis de Tocqueville in his seminal book “Democracy In America” that the social conditions and original circumstances of a people determine the practical and

theoretical values of State institutions; it is salutary to note that justiciable, timely, organised and non-disruptive determination of guilt, is not only embedded in our inherited Anglo-Saxon legal tradition and rules, that to presume an accused innocent until proven guilty, the sociostructural foundations of our pre-colonial legal systems, adhere that no man be condemned unheard. That our outrageous legal system today is akin to the French system of inquisitorial procedures of guilty until proven innocent, is more of a moral laziness, oversight failure and mutually exclusive incompetence.

The Nigerian Scenario Right from the point of arrest, an accused person is subjected to the most deliberate physical and emotional trauma and abuses. Depending on his social status and pocket, an accused person without any legal authority is routinely paraded half naked before unimaginative journalists, with torrid and salacious details of illegally obtained and misleading evidence of confessions. It’s a crime under EFCC and Nigeria Police “Laws”

for an accused person to wear pants, shoes, slippers or use phones. Access to food, medicine and legal assistance is sometimes only available to pliant and self-incriminating suspects. Where legal assistance is permitted, the atmosphere is invasively hostile. In many instances, the alleged voluntary statements of the accused persons are factually incorrect expressions of the accused persons, obtained, signed, sealed and delivered for denomination and damnation.

Unfortunately, there are no reformist agencies, legislators and press to ram into the Policing Authorities, the benefits of the comprehensively concise dictum of Justice Brennan in BECKS v UNITED STATES, and echoed earlier by Justice Sutherland in BERGER v UNITED STATES that “the interest of the United

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African-Americans Breathe Again?

States in a criminal investigation and prosecution is not that it shall win a case, but that justice shall be done”.

How many of our Police investigators and prosecutors understand that our justice system is an accusatorial and not inquisitorial system, in which the State must establish guilt by evidence independently and freely, and not by coercion, torture, humiliation, financial haemorrhage?

evidence during the trial, helped tell the story of the incident, with the jury finding the ex-cop guilty on all three counts of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Not even the desperate and concerted effort of the defence Lawyer, to turn the video round to his advantage, could deny the obvious murder, as seen by millions all over the world, courtesy of Darnella Frazier.

Jefferson Uwoghiren

Darnella Frazier’s Lamentation The young lady, who is now 18 years old, was among the first witnesses to be called by the Prosecution to testify, and she said in court that she regretted not physically engaging the four officers at the scene.

She said: “It’s been nights I stayed up apologising and apologising to George Floyd for not doing more, and not physically interacting, and not saving his life”.

It wasn’t right. He was suffering. He was in pain”.

Derek Chauvin’s Trial: Lessons from American Justice System Dr Kede Aihie About a year ago, George Floyd took his last breath, under the weight of Derek Chauvin, a former Minnesota Police Officer’s knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

The aftermath was a chain of protests in America, and around the globe. Naturally, the outrage put the American policing system and the disproportionate death of African Americans, in the spotlight.

The American justice system, was facing scrutiny.

Mr Chauvin was charged with thirddegree murder, second-degree murder and manslaughter. His trial lasted 15 days, with 44 witnesses called' and it took the jury less than 11 hours to reach a verdict; he was convicted of all three charges.

The Trial: Lessons that Nigeria Can Learn What lessons can countries like Nigeria, draw from the trial, a cursory look at the judicial process during the trial is worth noting.

Judge Cahill presided in the case.

Known as being fair and decisive, Cahill made the decision to allow the trial to be broadcast live. The defence strategy was reliance on what would a reasonable Police Officer would do.

What is a reasonable use of force?

What would a reasonable person do in his or her most important affairs?

What is a reasonable doubt?

The charges against Chauvin, would have been different under English common law. A two-tier system of murder and manslaughter.

On 29 November, 2006, a report, “Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide” was published. It was recommended that instead of the current two-tier structure of general homicide offences, namely murder and manslaughter, there should be a three-tier structure.

So, back to the Chauvin case - the guilty verdict has been welcomed by African Americans, and civil rights movement, globally. It has also brought the American justice system, into focus. Nigeria should borrow a leaf from the trial, and institute

George Floyd

Darnella Frazier

reforms of it justice system.

global protests against Police brutality, and pushed the #BlackLivesMatter campaign to a higher level.

A lot has been written and said about the trial, the expectations and the verdict which shot up anxiety in the United States and beyond, on what could happen should the ex-Policeman be found not guilty, in view of previous outcomes of cases of Police brutality against blacks and people of other races.

It is indisputable that the single piece of evidence which nailed Chauvin and made the verdict what it has become, is the video footage of the heinous murder scene which stormed the world stage via TV and social media. It was the recording of George Floyd’s death, that ignited widespread racial-justice protests and unrest worldwide, and it was what made the jury find the ex-cop guilty on all counts.

Dr Kede Aihie, UK Lawyer, Publisher of Nigerian Magazine

Darnella Frazier: The Heroine in the George Floyd Murder Trial Epa Ogie Eboigbe On Tuesday April 20, 2021, former Minneapolis Police Officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted on all counts against him, in the unlawful killing of George Floyd in May 2020. The jury verdict was coming almost one year after Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck, in an incident that sparked

“IT IS INDISPUTABLE THAT THE SINGLE PIECE OF EVIDENCE WHICH NAILED CHAUVIN AND MADE THE VERDICT WHAT IT HAS BECOME, IS THE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE HEINOUS MURDER SCENE.....

TEENAGER, DARNELLA FRAZIER, CAPTURED GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH ON HER CELLPHONE......”

Darnella Frazier: The Heroine!

Teenager, Darnella Frazier, captured George Floyd’s death on her cellphone, and the video shaped the Chauvin trial, no doubt.

Darnella was 17 years old when she filmed Floyd’s arrest, and uploaded it to Facebook, igniting international protests over racism and police brutality.

She was walking with her 9-year-old cousin to get some snacks at the store, when they witnessed George Floyd being arrested outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis at the corner of 38th and Chicago Avenue on May 25, 2020.

By capturing the arrest and sharing it on social media, she supplied a huge piece of evidence that eventually led to the conviction of Derek Chauvin, with the jury, like millions of people around the world, watching the footage, as admitted. The video showed Chauvin’s knee on Floyd’s neck and enabled the incident to be examined frame by frame, to fully make clear each move that led to Floyd’s death.

Darnella’s video and authoritative

Her Bitter-Sweet Joy When the verdict was announced in Minneapolis on Tuesday, she posted on her Facebook page: “George Floyd, we did it!! Justice has been served”.

There is no doubt that Darnella Frazier, a student at Augsburg Fairview Academy, a high school in Minneapolis, is a heroine, and I am sure that her bravery in that moment can never be forgotten. The dictionary says a heroine is a ‘brave woman’, ‘superwoman’, ‘champion’, ‘conqueror’, ‘an idol’. Darnella Frazier is all this now.

Even some jurors who had not seen the video before the trial, had the opportunity to review it step by step, and be convinced about what transpired.

Nigeria and Lessons Learned There are those in other countries who will say she could only capture the video because of the country she is in, and that the Police in a place like Nigeria would have seized the phone from her and even assaulted her to boot. This is true. Others also say that the Nigerian judicial system may not have been fully disposed to accepting her video as evidence, in a ‘high-tension’ murder trial like this.

However, there are many lessons to learn from this, both in legal and policing terms. The average mobile phone has a camera that can help solve crimes, and provide evidence as in the Chauvin case. In a country where the installation of public cameras has not been successfully implemented, citizens can be empowered to use their cameras to support the policing and judicial systems.

We need laws that will empower and provide protection to citizens, so that they can shoot scenes of crimes and Police brutality. Such videos should be acceptable, too, in trials.

Epa Ogie Eboigbe, Lagos

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Admiralty Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court: Real or Illusory?

This article by Chisa Uba, highlights the fact that the Admiralty Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court (FHC) conferred by the Constitution and detailed in the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act, has been somewhat dissipated by some court judgements, including those of the Apex Court; and requests that the challenges created by these decisions be addressed as a matter of urgency, to make the admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC more real than illusory, as it appears to be, presently Introduction he recent judgement of the Court of Appeal in CA/LAG/ CV/419/2020 – The Vessel MT Sam Purpose & Anor v Amarjeet Singh Bains & Ors caused a major furore in the Nigerian maritime industry. The reason being that, the Court of Appeal had in the judgement held, based on Section 254C of the Third Alteration to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), that a claim for crew wages was within the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN). The Admiralty Jurisdiction Act (AJA) which defines the admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court (FHC), lists claims for crew wages and masters’ disbursements as claims within the admiralty jurisdiction. Indeed, the claims are secured with a maritime lien on the vessel on which the master and crew served. The Third Alteration to the Constitution inadvertently transferred the jurisdiction for adjudication on these claims to the NICN, thereby depriving seafarers of the veritable weapon of a maritime lien on the vessel in which they served as security for their wages. While it is hoped that the Constitution will be amended soon to correct this anomaly, the admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC is however, still bedevilled with a major challenge.

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Admiralty Jurisdiction of the FHC The admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC is conferred on it by Section 251(1)(g) of the CFRN (as amended), and defined in detail by the AJA. The role of the judiciary under the CFRN is the interpretation of laws. On occasion however, the courts seemingly ignore express provisions of statutes in arriving at decisions based on preconceptions. This, alas, has for some time been the fate of the AJA before the Nigerian appeal courts.

Texaco v Pedmar The Supreme Court’s unfortunate decision in Texaco Overseas (Nig) Petroleum Company Unlimited v Pedmar Nigeria Limited (2002) 13 NWLR (PT.785) 526 is a case in point. The claims in that case were for hire due on the charter of vessels. Pedmar, as Plaintiff, commenced the suit before the High Court of Lagos State, where it went to trial and a judgement delivered. The Defendant, Texaco Overseas, being dissatisfied with the judgement appealed to the Court of Appeal, and subsequently, the Supreme Court. It was at the Supreme Court that the defendant now appellant raised for the first time the issue of jurisdiction of the State High Court to entertain the suit in view of the provisions of section 2(2) (f) (sic) of the AJA and section 230(1) (g) of the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Act, (sic) No. 107 of 1993 now section 251 (1)(g) of the CFRN. Ejiwunmi J.S.C in the lead judgement held that the High Court of Lagos State was competent to entertain the suit. His Lordship in delivering the

Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Hon. Justice J.T. Tsoho

judgment quoted copiously from the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Petrojessica Enterprises Ltd.

“.....THE STATEMENT THAT “FOR A CLAIM IN ADMIRALTY TO ARISE, THE CARGO OR GOODS MUST STILL BE IN THE VESSEL” MAKES THE LOCATION OF GOODS OR CARGO A TEST FOR ADMIRALTY CLAIMS, CONTRARY TO THE AJA.....THE ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION OF THE COURT IS DETERMINED BY THE TIME OF ACCRUAL OF THE CAUSE OF ACTION, AND NOT THE TIME OF COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION, OR THE LOCATION OF THE CARGO WHEN ACTION IS COMMENCED”

v Leventis Technical Company Ltd. (1992) 5 NWLR (pt.244) 675 (a cargo claim) and stated as follows at pages 543-544 paragraphs A-B: “It must be observed that from the above pronouncements by the learned Justices of this court, the Admiralty Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court cannot be invoked, once the goods carried by a ship have been discharged in the harbour or delivered to the point of destination of the cargo. In any event, for a claim in admiralty to arise, the cargo or goods must still be in the vessel. ...

The Appellant’s case is that, it indeed, chartered certain vessels, vis M. V. Brazil and M. V. Coastal Carrier at various times in 1995 and for various periods of charter.

From these facts it seems clear enough, though chartered vessels must have carried goods for the appellant, they have since been delivered without any mishap during the voyage of delivery. The Appellant cannot obviously resile from that fact, as they had even according to them, paid what they considered to be the sum for the charter of the various vessels. …

After due consideration of the facts narrated above, I am in no doubt that the contention of the appellant that this is a case whose facts are sound in admiralty cannot be right. This is simply a case of debt owed by the appellant to the respondent. The goods which the chartered vessels carried have quite clearly been delivered to the Appellant as agreed.

I must therefore, resolve this question against the Appellant”.

With all due respect to the Apex Court, the judgement reproduced above is contrary to the express provisions of the AJA. Section 1(1)(a) of the AJA specifies that the following shall be within the admiralty jurisdiction “… any question relating to a proprietary interest in a ship or aircraft or any maritime claim specified in section

2 of this Act;” Section 2(3)(f) of the same AJA makes the following a maritime claim: “a claim arising out of an agreement relating to the carriage of goods or persons by a ship or to the use or hire of a ship, whether by charter-party or otherwise” .

The above provisions are very clear, and do not require interpretation. The claims in the suit which arose out of an agreement for charter of vessels fall squarely within the purview of these provisions, and as such are within the admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC. Curiously His Lordship did not consider these provisions at all before arriving at a decision, even though counsel for the Appellant relied on Section 2(3)(f) in his argument.

The claims before the court, did not include a cargo claim. The parties did not raise the issue of the carriage of goods.

The issue of carriage of goods was raised suo motu by the Supreme Court when it stated that “..... chartered vessels must have carried goods for the appellant” .

Thus, the court was speculating that the vessels were chartered to carry goods, and thereby imported into the case the issue of carriage of goods which was not raised by either party. The judgement in the case was eventually based on this issue of carriage of goods in spite of the fact that “… a court of law is always confined to evidence before it. A court of law has no competence to arrive at conclusions on speculations or guess”.

Ezemba v. Ibeneme (2004) 14 NWLR (pt. 894) 617 at 689 paragraphs C-D. Vessels are chartered regularly for purposes which do not include carriage of goods.

Moreover, even where the claims in Texaco Overseas had arisen from carriage of goods, the decision would still not have been in consonance with the law.

Section 1 (2) of the AJA, clearly sets out the limits of the admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC in cargo claims as follows “the admiralty jurisdiction of the Court in respect of carriage and delivery of goods extends from the time the goods are placed on board a ship for the purpose of shipping to the time the goods are delivered to the consignee or whoever is to receive them whether the goods were transported on land during the process or not”.

There is no ambiguity whatsoever in the provision. Any loss or damage to the goods occurring or any other claims relating to the goods arising from the time the goods are loaded on the ship for the purpose of shipping until they are delivered to the receiver or consignee are within the admiralty jurisdiction. The admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC for cargo claims under the AJA covers the carrier’s usual period of liability under a contract for carriage of goods. Thus, even if the claims in Texaco Overseas Petroleum Unlimited v Pedmar Limited (supra) had included a cargo claim, the decision would still be contrary to the AJA. Furthermore, and very unfortunately, the statement that “for a claim in admiralty to arise, the cargo or goods must still cont'd on page 11

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Admiralty Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court: Real or Illusory?

cont'd from page 10

be in the vessel” makes the location of goods or cargo a test for admiralty claims, contrary to the AJA. Section 1(1) of the AJA lists out claims which fall within the admiralty jurisdiction, and none of the heads of claim suggest that the location of any cargo carried by a vessel would be a factor in determining whether a claim is an admiralty claim.

This test has since the Texaco Overseas decision been applied to many cases in determination of whether or not a particular claim is within the admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.

In the case of Nomsal Marketing and Supplies Ltd. & Anor v Joasy Pen Enterprises Ltd (2005) LPELR5981(CA) the Court of Appeal, relying on the judgement in Texaco Overseas, held that a claim for hire of a vessel was outside the admiralty jurisdiction. Other cases include Brawal Shipping (Nig) Ltd. v Aphrodite (Nig) Ltd (2004) 9 NWLR (Pt.879) 462; M.N.S. Ltd v J.P. Ent. Ltd. (2006) 5 NWLR (pt.972) 127; Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Ltd v FRN (2015) LPELR-24651(CA); Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2015) LPELR-24824(CA) TSKJ (Nig) Ltd V. Otochem (Nig) Ltd (2018) LPELR-44294(SC).

Ontario v FRN & Adaoha Ugo-Nagadi v FRN The cases of Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Ltd v FRN (supra) and Adaoha UgoNgadi v Federal Republic of Nigeria (supra) were criminal charges not cargo claims, yet the Court of Appeal even after reviewing Sections 1(1)(j) and 19 of the AJA, held that because cargo had been discharged from vessels, the admiralty jurisdiction can no longer be invoked. Section 1(1)(j) of the AJA puts the following firmly within the admiralty jurisdiction “any criminal cause and matter arising out of or concerned with any of the matters in respect of which jurisdiction is conferred by paragraphs (a) to (i) of this subsection”; while section 19 provides that “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other enactment or law, the Court shall, as from the commencement of this Decree, exercise exclusive Jurisdiction in admiralty causes or matters, whether civil or criminal”. Indeed, the court stated in Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi’s case that Section 19 of the AJA was contrary to the CFRN even though section 251(3) provides that “The Federal High Court shall also have and exercise jurisdiction and powers in respect of criminal causes and matters in respect of which jurisdiction is conferred by subsection (1) of this section”.

Pacers Multi-Dynamics v M.V.Dancing Sister In the case of Pacers Multi-Dynamics Ltd v The M.V. Dancing Sister & Anor (2012) LPELR-7848(SC) Ngwuta JSC in his supporting judgement stated as follows “Be that as it may, there is nothing in the record of the two lower Courts to indicate that the goods were still on board the ship at the time the action was initiated. The rule is that the admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court cannot be invoked once the goods on board a ship have been discharged on the harbour or delivered to the point of destination of the cargo. For the admiralty jurisdiction to be properly invoked, the goods or cargo must

“THERE IS THEREFORE, AN URGENT NEED FOR CORRECTION OF THIS MAJOR CHALLENGE TO THE ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION CREATED BY THE ABOVE CASES AND OTHERS LIKE THEM, BECAUSE, SADLY, THE ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT IS PRESENTLY MORE ILLUSORY THAN REAL” Federal High Court, Abuja

remain in the vessel…” Based on this, he held that even if the Plaintiff in the case had been the consignee and not a notify party, the claim would not have been within the admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC. The above statement, aside from being inconsistent with the law, proposes an almost impossible situation. The suggestion being that once goods are discharged from the vessel, an admiralty action can no longer be commenced for claims relating to same no matter when the issue complained of occurred.

This interpretation creates an almost impossible situation. The cargo or at least a substantial portion thereof must be discharged from the vessel before the extent of loss or damage to the same while on board the vessel can be ascertained.

Since the cargo receiver would need to ascertain the level of loss or damage if any before commencing an action, a proposition that once cargo is discharged from vessel the admiralty jurisdiction is extinguished is very impractical.

The admiralty jurisdiction of the court is determined by the time of accrual of the cause of action, and not the time of commencement of action or the location of the cargo when action is commenced. The cause of action for cargo claims accrues when the loss or damage complained of occurred, not when action is commenced.

The decisions described above are particularly worrisome because they essentially strip the FHC of almost all admiralty jurisdiction. The decisions make cargo a test for admiralty jurisdiction whereas claims related to carriage of goods are only a fraction of the admiralty jurisdiction of the FHC. By using the location of cargo as a test for claims falling within the admiralty jurisdiction, the FHC will be unable to exercise jurisdiction over other claims not related to cargo and indeed even cargo claims. The admiralty jurisdiction essentially revolves around the ship, its activities, facilities and bodies/agencies involved/affected in its activities, not cargo.

His Lordship in justifying the decision in Texaco Overseas stated inter alia that “This is simply a case of debt owed by the appellant to the respondent”. With respect to the Apex

Court, most monetary claims are claims for debt owed by the defendant to the plaintiff. The jurisdiction of the court depends on, among other things, how the debt arose and not on the fact that a debt is owed.

Another curious test for admiralty jurisdiction introduced by the appellate courts in disregard of section 251(1)(g) of the CFRN and the AJA is the issue of contract. In the case of Iroegbu v MV Calabar Carrier (2008) 5 NWLR (Pt. 1079) 147, Galinje, J.C.A in his supporting judgment stated that "By virtue of section 251(1)(p) of the 1999 Constitution, a claim for breach of contract simpliciter does not fall within the admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. [Onuorah v Kaduna Refining Co. Ltd. (2005) 6 NWLR (Pt.921)393. 7-Up Bottling Co. Ltd. v Abiola & Sons (2001) 13 NWLR (Pt.730)469; Trade Bank Plc v Banilux (Nig.) Ltd. (2003) 9 NWLR (Pt. 825) 416.]".

The admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court is conferred by section 251 (1) (g) not 251 (1) (p). The admiralty jurisdiction is not the only jurisdiction conferred on the FHC by Section 251 (1) of the CFRN, the other sub-sections of 251 (1) state clearly other types of jurisdiction exercisable by the FHC aside from its admiralty jurisdiction.

Section 251(1)(p) confers jurisdiction on the FHC over “the administration or the management and control of the Federal Government or any of its agencies”, this is clearly not part of the admiralty jurisdiction conferred by sub-section (g).

The AJA, which defines the admiralty jurisdiction is replete with agreements that are within the admiralty jurisdiction, these include agreements for carriage of goods or persons by ship, agreements for hire of a vessel, agreements to supply services to a vessel and so on. The determinant of jurisdiction is the subject of the contract and not the fact that there is a contract.

Upon being faced with the fact that many agreements are listed as within the admiralty jurisdiction by the AJA, some courts attempt to draw a distinction by stating that simple contracts are not within the admiralty jurisdiction. What is a simple contract? The Court of Appeal in the case of Power Products Int. Limited v Wema Bank Plc. (2012) LPELR-7952 pg. 29-30, paras. G-A adopted the definition given

to the phrase by Professor Sagay (SAN) in his Book "Nigerian Law of Contracts," spectrum law series 2nd Edition, published by sweet and Maxwell, page 4 which is "all contracts other than formal contracts or contracts required to be under seal."

Most of the agreements within the admiralty jurisdiction, are not required by any statute to be under seal or in writing.

The contracts do not have to be formal.

Thus, going by the definition reproduced above, most of the agreements specified as within the admiralty jurisdiction are indeed simple contracts. The distinction of simple contract is therefore, not defensible.

Using the existence of a contract, simple or otherwise, as a test for determining jurisdiction, instead of the subject of the contract, has the effect of stripping the FHC of the admiralty jurisdiction duly conferred on it by the CFRN, much like the cargo test earlier discussed.

Decisions like the ones described above are extremely disturbing, in view of the doctrine of stare decisis in Nigeria’s legal system. There is no gainsaying the fact that, aside from the obvious hardship to litigants who will be unfairly deprived of recourse to the admiralty jurisdiction, especially actions in rem, the situation is having an adverse effect on the development of Nigerian admiralty case law.

Conclusion The tests of cargo and simple contract, strip the FHC of all admiralty jurisdiction. Indeed, the decision in the MV Sam Purpose case mentioned above, would likely have been the same even without the Third Alteration to the CFRN, since it would undoubtedly have failed the cargo test. There is therefore, an urgent need for correction of this major challenge to the admiralty jurisdiction created by the above cases and others like them, because, sadly, the admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court is presently more illusory than real.

Chisa Uba, Partner, ACAS-Law, Lagos

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EFCC and Other Regulatory Agencies’ Powers to Enforce Declaration of Assets (Part 5) Introduction Last week, we dealt with the legal organogram and regime of Asset Declaration. We also explored the legal organogram and regime of Asset declaration, in other countries. Today, we shall conclude our discourse by posing one question: Are bankers or staff members of corporate Nigeria under any constitutional or legal obligation to disclose or declare their assets to the EFCC? This question will be answered by examining the statement made by the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa as reported

by The Cable on the 16th of March, 2021. According to the Cable, Mr. Bawa said, inter alia: “And we have discussed, but we hope that all financial institutions, particularly the bankers, will declare their assets as provided for by the law, in accordance with the Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act. And the EFCC, come the 1st of June, 2021, will be demanding for these assets declaration forms, filled by the bankers so that the line that we have drawn from the 1st of June is really complied with by the bankers in particular…”

Section 1(1) of the Bank Employees, etc. (Declaration of Assets), Act LFN, 2004, provides that: “Every employee of a Bank shall, within fourteen days of the commencement of this Act, make a full disclosure of all his assets.”

By Section 2(2) of the Act, for a new employee, this statutory requirement must be complied with within 14 days of his assuming duty with the bank. By virtue of Section 3 of the Bank Employees Act, bank employees are mandated to submit their executed Declaration of Assets Forms to the Chief Executive of the Bank who will thereafter, submit the said Forms to the appropriate authority.

Section 2 (1) of the Act makes it mandatory for the Declaration of Assets to be done as prescribed in the Declaration of Assets Form, Form A attached to the Act and it shall be executed before a Registrar of a Superior Court of Record.

By Law, failure to execute the prescribed Assets Declaration Forms and submit same, carries imprisonment of ten years upon conviction.

Section 3 (1) of the Act stipulates that Bank employees shall submit their assets declaration forms to the Chief Executive of their banks, within the said 14 Days of making the Declaration.

Section 3 (2) of the Act provides that the Chief Executive of the Bank shall within 7 Days after the expiration of the 14 Days, submit the assets declaration to the Appropriate Authority The apposite question to ask is who is the appropriate authority referred to in Section 3 (2) of the Act, is it the EFCC? To start with, the EFCC was not in existence in 1986 when the Act was enacted. The interpretation section of the Act in Section 13, defines the appropriate authority to be the Secretary to the Federal Government, or any person designated by him through an instrument published in a Federal Government Gazette.

We are not aware of any instrument published in a Federal Government Gazette issued by the Secretary to the Federal Government, designating the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as an appropriate authority to enforce/implement the provisions of the law hereinbefore analysed. They are therefore, not the appropriate Authority, but meddlesome interlopers.

The EFCC should concentrate on its core mandate, and stop chasing shadows. There are a lot of economic crimes that have not been curbed, nor prosecuted. The EFCC is looking for soft targets to convict, to increase their conviction ratio. You cannot put something on anything, and expect it to stand.

UAC v Macfoy (1962) All ELR. The EFCC should know that Nigeria is governed by laws, and not brute force. If a law does not provide for an action, no manner of advocacy, no matter how laudable, can change the position of the law.

The law under Section 7 (1) stipulates that “It shall be an offence for an employee of a bank to own assets in excess of his legitimate known and provable income”.

Section 7(2) states: “Any employee guilty of an offence under subsection (1) of this Section shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for 10 years and shall, in addition, forfeit the excess assets or its equivalent in money to the Federal Government”.

By virtue of Section 14 of the Bank Employees Act, the appropriate authority that the Chief Executive of the Bank will submit the executed Forms to, is the Secretary to the Federal Government or any person he may designate in that behalf by an instrument published in the Federal Gazette.

It is clear that the Commission is not the appropriate agency specified by the Bankers Employees Act, to receive

EFCC Headquarters, Abuja

the Declaration of Asset Forms of Bankers. However, pursuant to Section 5 (c) of the EFCC Act, the Commission has the responsibility for“The co-ordination and enforcement of all economic and financial crimes laws, and enforcement functions conferred on any person or authority”.

Thus, the Commission has the mandate to co-ordinate and enforce the functions conferred on the Secretary to the Federal Government, or this designated officer.

In the case of MUDIAGA-ODJE v YOUNES POWER SYSTEM NIG. LTD (2013) LPELR-20306(CA), the Court of Appeal, Per SIDI DAUDA BAGE, JCA (as he then was) stated at page 27 that: "... It is trite that, in constructing a statute or instrument, every word or clause in an enactment must be read and construed together, not in isolation, but with reference to the context and other clauses in the statute in order, as much as possible, not only to reach a proper legislative intention, but also to make a consistent meaning of the whole statute. See Oyeyemi v Commissioner for Local Government Kwara State (1992) 2 SCNJ 266 at 280; Artra Ind. Nig. Ltd. v NBCI (1998) 3 SCNJ 97 at 115; Bakare v NRC (2007) 17 NWLR (Pt. 1064) 606 at

“IT IS CLEAR THAT THE COMMISSION IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY SPECIFIED BY THE BANKERS EMPLOYEES ACT, TO RECEIVE THE DECLARATION OF ASSET FORMS OF BANKERS”

639; Odutola Holdings Ltd v Ladejobi (2006) 12 NWLR (Pt. 994) 321 at 358; Unipetrol v E.S.B.I.R. (2006) 8 NWLR (Pt. 983) 624 at 647; Rivers State Government v Specialist Konsult (2005) 7 NWLR (pt. 923) 145 at 179".

This position of the law was upheld in the case of DANSTARCHER TURNKEY CONTRACTORS LTD v UBN PLC (2015) LPELR-24631(CA), where the Court of Appeal, Per SIDI DAUDA BAGE, JCA held at page 21 that: "… It is settled law, that, the rule of interpretation of statutory provisions should always be construed as a whole, and should be given an interpretation consistent with the object of the entire statute. See BAKARE v NRC (2007) NWLR (Pt. 1064) 606 at 639; ODUTOLA HOLDINGS LTD v LADEJOBI (2006) 12 NWLR (Pt. 994) 321 at 358; UNIPETROL v E.S.B.I.R. (2006) 8 NWLR (Pt.624) 641; RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT v SPECIALIST KONSULT (2005) 7 NWLR (Pt. 923) 145 at 179."

The Bank Employees Act, 1981 in Sections 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, provide for certain offences pertaining to asset declaration.

The Act is therefore, a law or an Act relating to Economic and Financial Crimes. Pursuant to Section 6(2)(f) of the EFCC Act, the Commission has the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of “any other law or regulation relating to economic and financial crimes”. Consequently, it can be argued that the Commission has the mandate to direct bankers, to declare their assets under the Bank Employees Act. Further, Section 8(2) of the Bankers Employees Act provides that any asset found not to have been disclosed shall, in addition to any or other penalties stated in Section 8 of the Bank Employees Act, be forfeited to the Federal Government. This Act is not unconstitutional. Any agency or institution enforcing it will not be held or declared to have acted unconstitutionally, because the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) lends credence to this Act. Section 44(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides for the manner of acquiring property compulsorily. Under Section 44(2) (b) and (k) of the Constitution, it is stipulated that noting in subsection 1 of this Section (i.e, Section 44(1)) shall be construed as affecting any general law (b) “For the imposition of penalties or forfeitures for the breach of any law, whether under civil process or after conviction for an offence. (k) Relating to the temporary taking of possession of property for the purpose of any examination, investigation or enquiry”.

Who are ‘Contract Staff’ as Used by Most Banks?

The Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act, 1981, requires all bank employees to declare their assets. But, according to the April, 2020 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Banking Sector Report, 46,263 out of 104,364 staff (or 44.3%) of most bank staff are, ‘contract staff’, not employees of the banks wherein they work.

However, it appears from the letter of Section 1 of the Bank Employees, ETC. (Declaration of Assets) Act 1986, that contract staff have no loophole to exploit in not legally declaring their assets.

The report showed that contract staff across banks rose by 6% from 43,955 in June 2018 to 46,263 in June 2019; a very sad commentary on workers’ rights.

Conclusion Bank employees are under statutory obligation to declare their assets, under the Bank Employees Act. These employees include the Governor, the Chairman and Members of the Board, Managing Director, Director, General Manager, Manager, Examiner, Inspector, Controller, Agent, Supervisor, Officer, Clerk, Cashier, Messenger, Cleaner, Driver, and any other categories of workers of the Central Bank, any bank or other financial institution of whatever title or designation, whether general or peculiar to the Bank. For the avoidance of doubt, these include a person engaged as a part-time, casual or temporary worker, and also any worker deployed to work in any branch or office of the Bank in or outside Nigeria. The Commission has the mandate to enforce and co-ordinate this exercise, under the EFCC Act. Thus, bankers or staff members of corporate Nigeria are under constitutional and legal obligation to disclose or declare their assets to the EFCC. Bank employees who are arrested in respect of any crime under the EFCC Act, are clearly under statutory obligations to declare their asset to the EFCC. Those who are not so arrested, are also under obligation to declare their assets as provided for the Bank Employees Act. (The End).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “The best defence against mafia business, is full declaration of assets and incomes.” (Milos Zeman)

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

Lafarge Implements Green, Circular Economy with Geocycle for Sustainability Bennett Oghifo

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s the global community agrees that climate change is a threat to human existence, heads of governments have seen the imperative of factoring climate response into national development plans.

Businesses are also being encouraged to take responsibility for environmental sustainability in their production lines. Last week, the United States White House’s Special Envoy for Climate, Mr. John Kerry brought together 40 heads of state for two days of virtual climate talks on what nations need to do to curb planet-warming emissions, identifying the moment as a historic economic opportunity.

“I think the reason the banks and asset managers are pledging to net zero is because they know this is an area where the demand is going to be,” Kerry said in an interview with Bloomberg. “And they believe they’re going to be able to invest and make money.”

That message fits with one of President Joe Biden’s consistent climate themes. The green transition will generate millions of jobs and trillions in investment opportunities, all of which can be shared around the world.

The second day of the summit brought together executives, labour leaders, bankers and technology developers. There was consensus that fighting climate change can bring about an economic boon, marking a big shift from the recent past in which shifting to clean energy has been dismissed by many as simply too expensive.

In fact, Kerry stressed in the interview, the cost of ignoring the climate crisis is now higher

than the cost of fighting it. And the benefits are increasingly obvious. As he told participants at the summit on Friday: “The world’s largest market in history is opening before our eyes.”

Lafarge Africa Plc seems to have their eyes on the benefits in the new investment scenario and has lashed on to it with its sustainability processes.

The commitment of Lafarge Africa to circular/green economy was focused on by the Chairman, Mr. Adebode Adefioye while presenting the 2019 Sustainability Report to stakeholders recently.

Adefioye said, “We believe our four paths to more sustainable construction: climate and energy, circular economy, environment, and community, embody our company’s ethos and our goal towards a sustainable future. Looking back at the previous year, I feel extremely proud of many great feats Lafarge Africa Plc has achieved. We are making significant strides in developing and innovating our products to consistently exceed our consumers’ expectations.

“In addition to our circular economy actions towards cleaner production, Lafarge Africa Plc is also working to combat the negative externalities that come about during the process of our mining and environmental activities. So far, we have achieved afforestation of over 15 hectares of land; these areas of land are now completely green with trees that can be used for ornamental and environmental purposes. This rehabilitated land was backfilled with indigenous trees and is currently being maintained to prevent withering or deterioration.”

Also, he said “26,000 tree seedlings were planted across our quarry locations as we work to further enhance our

positive impacts on our planet,” stating that Lafarge Africa Plc is continuously taking strides “towards a more sustainable Nigeria!”

Emphasising the report’s theme, “Driving sustainable innovation and growth through partnerships”, the Country CEO Lafarge Africa Plc., Nigeria, Mr. Khaled El Dokani said, “We made excellent progress through our alternative energy and recycling strategy. In line with this, we successfully signed an MoU with the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), a consortium of consumer goods corporate organisations, to reuse their PET bottles while contributing to efforts in minimising the problem of waste management within our society. These plastics will be reused for energy generation in our kilns. As an environmentally conscious company, we have placed great emphasis on the importance of protecting our environment while still striving to increase our energy and resource efficiency.

“Our Geocycle facility, launched in 2018, has increased our alternative energy source from 9,797 tonnes of waste in 2013 to 90,819 in 2019; a total of 827% increase.”

Lafarge Africa’s Geocycle facility was launched as a part of their business that offers waste management services to a variety of waste generation sectors. “This was necessitated by the environmental challenges facing Nigeria - approximately 58 million tonnes of waste are generated annually, 90% of which are dumped, resulting in serious environmental impact,” said the Country CEO. “The launch of Geocycle in Nigeria illustrates our commitment to building a circular economy that reaches beyond

Adefioye

the building materials sector.

Geocycle is Nigeria’s first full-fledged professional waste management service provider, handling waste from different sectors in a safe, sustainable and environmentally - friendly manner.”

In his discussion recently at Lafarge Africa Plc Sustainability Forum, Khaled El Dokani said, “Through our Geocycle business, we collect waste directly from municipalities and industries, pre-process it in platforms and co-process (or reuse) it in our cement plants.

Through co-processing (the complete destruction of waste in our cement kilns) we recover energy and recycle materials from different types of waste, ranging from household plastics to industrial chemicals.”

He said the activities of Geocycle have strong environmental benefits for communities; “they reduce the volume of landfilled waste, save public funds and create a cleaner living environment.”

According to him, sustainability is termed the ‘triple bottom line’, because

El Dokani

it involves a commitment to economic, environmental and social objectives.

He said Global network has presence in more than 50 countries in all continents. More than 10,000 customers served worldwide, 2,000 employees worldwide dedicated to waste management.

They are available for waste management in the Nigerian Oil & Gas industry. Most waste pre-treatment and co-processing projects were planned for delivery last year in readiness for full geocycle global scope of services.

Current waste materials handled are PETs, waste tyres, laminated plastics, laminated papers, waste oils, spent bleaching earth, wood wastes, palm wastes, waste oils, agro-processing wastes, treated drilling mud ash and other special wastes.

According to Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Communication, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development (CPASD) Director, Lafarge Africa Plc., the company has a 5-Year journey that has been one of

progressive transformation.

“We have fully integrated the LafargeHolcim’s Sustainability Strategy which provides us with a measurable pathway to improve our overall Sustainability performance, and ultimately guides us through our commitment to create value for our business and engender positive impact for the society at large. At the LafargeHolcim Group and in furtherance of this commitment, the appointment of the Chief Sustainability Officer and serving on the Executive Committee affords a great opportunity to reinforce leadership and adopt a horizontal approach to Sustainability while entrenching Environment, Social and Governance across our business.”

She said, “To attest to this commitment, Lafarge Africa was ranked fourth best Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Company in Nigeria by Forbes Africa.

Our commitment to driving sustainable innovation and growth has been demonstrated through our impact in the last 5 years.”

Ogunnaike Narrates How Engineering Aids Fight against COVID-19 Bennett Oghifo The global fight to stem the harmful effect of COVID-19 has crucial inputs of engineering knowhow, Professor Babatunde Ogunnaike has said.

Ogunnaike, an American chemical engineer of Nigerian descent and the William L. Friend Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware, United States of America, discussed how engineering has

helped the world to contain the Coronavirus, so far.

Speaking, recently, as a guest lecturer at the first public lecture webinar, organised by the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, on ‘The Strategic Role of Engineering in Containing the COVID-19 Pandemic’, Ogunnaike emphasised that the engineering profession is dedicated to translating scientific knowledge into useful solution to practice problems, adding that engineering must keep the

society functioning at steady state, as well as rise to the occasion to tackle novel problems when necessary.

He said the contribution of engineering to the global response to COVID-19 include, understanding the pandemic through data acquisition, modeling, analysis and clarification.

According to him, the profession also played a prominent role in slowing the spread of the virus, testing and diagnostics and was unprecedented in

rapid vaccine development, manufacture and distribution.

Ogunnaike said good science and engineering was necessary and indispensable component in any society but hasn’t been sufficient. He called for effective engagement with public policy makers and government at all levels, effective public information campaign, clearer communication and better education about risk and uncertainty.

The professor of bio-

molecular engineering said effective engineering in the 21st century must include tripartite components of technical feasibility, financial viability and societal desirability.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was the special guest of honour, observed that the pandemic has brought to the fore, the relevance of biomedical engineers, computer and technology engineers, internet facility adding that the state

government has seen strong collaboration between the government and engineers in development of the state.

“We have been able to increase our infrastructure capacity, building three brand new hospitals and International Infectious Disease Centre, to be able to respond to outbreak of diseases. The government is developing interest in the application of block chain technology in healthcare management,” he said.

NIESV Decries High Cost of Building Materials Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has called on the federal government to pay attention to the high cost of building materials, if it truly desires to provide affordable housing for the low and medium income earners, the less privileged and vulnerable people of Nigeria.

The institution also noted that no single cause can be identi-

fied to explain Nigeria’s poor economic performance over the years than the power situation, pointing out that “it is a national shame that an economy of about 180 million has about 12,500MWT of installed capacity as at today, with about 3,000 to 5,000MWT being transmitted to the final consumers when South Africa with a population of about 58 million generates about 59,000MWT shows that we have a long way to go.”

The NIESV said the cry has

become imperative because 60 per cent of the total cost of construction goes into building materials, which has everything to do with housing development in the country.

The President of the National Council of NISEV, Chief Emmanuel Wike stated this in Benin City, capital of Edo State at a press conference to mark its 5th Council Meeting.

He noted further that housing development alone could drive the nation’s economy if

adequate attention was paid to the high cost of building materials with a view to reducing them to a reasonable level.

According to Wike, “Government must proffer solutions that will reduce the cost of building materials to ensure adequate housing development, affordability and delivery.”

To achieve this, he added that government must work on factors responsible for high cost of building materials, identifying these factors as: exchange

rate of the Naira, cost of raw materials, epileptic power supply, cost of fuel, transportation and distribution; inadequate infrastructure, political interference, government policies and legislation.

On power, he said, “The continuous tinkering with the structures of power supply and distribution with several billions of dollars spent since 1999 have only brought darkness, frustration, misery and worrisome situation among

Nigerians.”

Chief Wike stated that the importance of power supply should never be underestimated, adding that development cannot be achieved without adequate power supply.

His word: “Epileptic power supply in Nigeria has retarded industrial development, economic development, cost of productions, market price, and quality of services. It is a major determinant in job and wealth creation.”

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

Sterling Homes to Celebrate Children’s Day in 27 Lagos Primary Schools Fadekemi Ajakaiye

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real estate firm, Sterling Homes has resolved to put smiles on the faces of pupils in 27 primary schools in OdiOlowo/Ojuwoye LCDA of Lagos State, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), which prioritises education.

The company’s decision to give the pupils fun-filled Children’s Day, as it used to be in those good old days, stems from their desire to make the children know and feel that it is a day when they must be celebrated.

The Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Homes, Kunle Adeyemi, told newsmen, “We are taking off this year and we are starting with 27 primary Schools in Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA of the state. We want to revive this tradition by giving back joy and value to the children,” Adeyemi said.

“It is our plan to celebrate this year’s Children’s Day in grand style, involving all 27 primary schools in the community,” he said, recalling how the Day in his time was a day of celebration for children as they looked forward to the March Past and other fun-filled activities.

During a visit to the local council to communicate their intentions to Razaq Olusola Ajala, the LCDA chairman, Adeyemi disclosed that he wanted to recreate something like that and even better this year. “We’re definitely excited for what’s about to unfold.”

The chairman, who was also excited about the whole idea, gave it his blessing, thanking the CEO and his team for choosing his community for that unquantifiable gesture.

The company’s decision to organise the Children’s Day celebration follows the unveiling of its new brand identity which, according to the CEO, was one of the

many steps to their next level of excellence-driven service and product delivery.

As a real estate investment and development firm, Sterling Homes is committed to helping individuals, corporate organisations and Nigerians in Diaspora to become landlords with its product offerings.

The company is worried about many things that are wrong in the Nigerian housing sector. The slow pace of housing delivery in Nigeria in the face of a staggering housing deficit is a major source of worry, especially with the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) which, in its 30 years of existence, has not built up to 50,000 housing units across the country.

It is also another source of worry for the CEO particularly that over 87 percent of Nigeria’s household population still lives in rented apartments which, according to him, tells how dire the housing situation in the country is.

As a response, the CEO said, “we are rebranding because we want to get into massive housing delivery to

help reduce this deficit. We are going to do this in each of the six geo-political zones of the country. We are starting

from Lagos where we will be breaking ground for 50 housing units. We have just 90 days to deliver that project.”

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Homes Kunle Adeyemi; and Chairman, Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Authority of Lagos State, Razaq Olusola Ajala, during a courtesy visit to the chairman…recently

Nigeria’s Furniture Export Profile Rises as Cyrus Doors Enter Alaro City Fadekemi Ajakaiye Nigeria’s furniture export profile has received a boost with the move by Cyrus Doors and Joinery, a leading Nigerian manufacturer and installer of furniture and joinery products, to Alaro City, the new mixed-use city in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos.

Cyrus, which plays a pivotal

role in the manufacture of furniture and joinery subsector of the Nigerian building construction industry, plans to expand into the Sub-Saharan Africa construction scene and will use its new factory in Alaro City to manufacture furniture and enhance training of local artisans.

“The new facility will enhance our ability to produce

doors, wardrobes, and kitchens of international standards,” said Alero Imo, the Chief Executive Officer of Cyrus Doors and Joinery. “In seeking for the perfect place to host this new facility, the choice of Alaro City was an easy one. Alaro City is not only a city with international standards, but it is also a free trade zone. For us, that is important as we now

Julius Berger to Redevelop Major Roads in Lagos Bennett Oghifo Engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, has been awarded contract by the Lagos State Government for the reconstruction and upgrade of three roads in Lagos Island. As a long-standing infrastructure development partner, it would be recalled that Julius Berger has been in Lagos since 1965 when it built the historic, strong and still sturdily standing Eko Bridge.

The new roads awarded to Julius Berger for reconstruction and upgrade include the popular Adeniji Adele, Oke Popo and Tapa Streets. The roads are presently structured as two-lane single carriageways.

Official sources said, in previous years, government palliative intervention on the affected roads only had the effect of temporary relief to road users, after which the roads had deteriorated and broken apart.

Senior government ministry officials disclosed that the damage to the affected roads has been worsened due to serial misuse and abuse by several factors including increased and heavy motoring volumes by the motoring public, indiscriminate construction on drainage alignment, and poor maintenance strategy.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was represented by his Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye, during the flag-off

of the projects. Engr Adeoye said the reconstruction will improve economic activities and jumpstart the administration’s plan for infrastructural renewal and upgrade in Lagos Island. The Governor further said that arrangements have been concluded for the road rehabilitation, drainage construction, and provision of fiber optic ducts, among other basic amenities in the area for regeneration. The Governor also said, the Government was planning a world-class children’s hospital to replace the popular Massey Street Hospital, construct roads, and redevelop Pelewura Market, for the beneficial use of Lagosians.

Sanwo-Olu said the onset of the construction works for the road projects will generate employment and create legitimate means of livelihood for citizens, particularly in the project communities. According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the completion of the projects would also lead to improved safety of lives as it will help to eliminate flooding often experienced on the roads.

On the general economic, traffic and social benefits to citizens, investors and residents, the Governor said the completion of the projects “Will also enhance property values, stimulate businesses and economic development among the people of Lagos Island. The road construction will no doubt help to improve road connectivity within the

axis, unlock perennial traffic gridlock with resultant reduction in travel time along the corridor,” he added.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Infrastructure, Rotimi Thomas, who also spoke at the event, urged support for the government in its efforts to build a greater Lagos.

Donates Mosquito Nets to 4,000 Families on AbujaKano Road Meanwhile, the company continues to enable progress and impact lives in the nation’s communities, living up to its popular real time billing as a frontline believer in the welfare of citizens and residents across the country. In the company’s strong commitment to its corporate social responsibility, Julius Berger again donated long-lasting Treated Nets, aka mosquito nets, targeted at protecting and preserving the health and physical integrity of no fewer than 4000 families along the Abuja–Kano Road project corridor, recently.

The exercise elicited excitement and effusive gratitude from beneficiaries even as they had kind words for Julius Berger.

Further to its well thought out determination to key into the health needs of the people and proactively enable them against the disease, Julius Berger designed a plan to protect about 15,000 families across the country from the deadly malaria disease by making the donations.

position ourselves to export to the world proudly-produced Nigerian doors and furniture.”

Launched in January 2019, Alaro City is planned as a 2,000-hectare mixed-income, city-scale development with industrial and logistics locations, complemented by offices, homes, schools, healthcare facilities, hotels, entertainment and 150 hectares (370 acres) of parks and open spaces. Alaro City is a partnership between Rendeavour, Africa’s largest new city builder and Lagos State, the economic and financial nerve centre of Nigeria. Over 3.5km of initial road networks and a modular 50MVA power plant

are under construction. Over 40 companies are operational or in various stages of building their facilities in the city. Among the pioneering companies in Alaro City is Starium FZE, a subsidiary of BUA Group. Others include Mantrac Caterpillar, Ariel Foods FZE, the largest and most technically advanced ready-to-eat therapeutic foods producer in Africa, and HMD. Ayo Gbeleyi, Chairman of Alaro City, said the growth of Nigeria’s export profile is critical to economic development and commended the Lagos State Government for playing a pivotal role in this by building and sustaining

such vital partnerships with the private sector as that which gave birth to Alaro City. “It is heart-warming to see that Nigerian furniture will be exported as Cyrus Doors and Joinery join an elite group of businesses in Alaro City that are making history in diversifying Nigeria’s economy and boosting the nation’s manufacturing and export profile. From composite gas cylinders to doors, Nigeria is emerging as an export powerhouse and we thank the Lagos State Government and Rendeavour for making Alaro City irresistible to forward-thinking innovators and builders.”

Agroecology is Key to Restoring Our Earth, Says HOMEF Volunteers Volunteers at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) have called on countries to shift from dependence on fossil fuels and invest rather in agroecology as a key to restoring our Earth. Agroecology is known for enhancing food productivity and economic resilience while cooling the planet. This call was made at a convergence of the Foundation’s volunteers to mark EarthDay 2021.

According to a media release from HOMEF following the convergence, “The celebration of Mother Earth, is a celebration of life, of earth-restoring practices and also a denunciation of practices that destroy biodiversity and life sustaining ecosystems across the globe.”

The volunteers’ convergence focused on Biodiversity, Agriculture and Climate Change and called for actions against practices such as the mindless extraction of fossil fuels and industrial agricultural practices including the indiscriminate use of chemicals which are destroying the earth.

Dr. Daniel Ugwu, a lecturer at the Federal College of Agriculture in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, speaking during the event highlighted the links between industrial agriculture

and the environmental/climate challenges that the world is battling with. According to him, industrial agriculture does a lot of harm to the environment through intensive cultivation of dry lands and unsustainable use of resources such as water and fossil fuels. He added that industrial agriculture contributes 25-30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions; causes biodiversity loss due to the entrenchment of monocultures and heavy use of inorganic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers which pollute soil and surface water, aquifers and coastal wetlands and create ecological imbalance.

The volunteers called for the adoption of agroecology as it combines local and scientific knowledge and applies ecological and social approaches to agricultural systems. “Agroecology employs methods that minimise or exclude the use of fossil fuels, inorganic chemical inputs; is not based on large-scale mono cropping, but supports natural agricultural processes such as crop diversification, natural soil fertility and biological control of pests,” they stressed.

According to Joyce Ebebeinwe, HOMEF’s Programme Manager, agroecology is not just a science and practice but also

a movement that emphasizes the respect for and protection of the rights of farmers to save, share and reuse seeds.

After group discussions on how and why the need to restore our earth, the volunteers came up with workable solutions.

Miss Tobi Wale, representing her group, first highlighted the challenges facing the Earth including the increasing global warming, biodiversity loss, species extinction (over 500 species at the brink of extinction), plastic pollution, and prevalence of diseases and pandemics.

Miss OduduAbasi Asuquo, also speaking onbehalf of her group stressed that the listed problems necessitate earth restoration activities because we only have one Earth and action must be taken to ensure that it remains habitable for the present and unborn generations.

To close the knowledge gap on the importance of agroecology, the volunteers called for investment in research on agroecology, provision of adequate extension service to farmers, and formulation/ implementation of policies that recognise and support agroecology as a viable solution to the food and climate challenges.

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IMAGES

27.04.2021 Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Chairman, Fiscal Efficiency and Budget Committee, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Alhaji Adamu Shettima Dibal; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo and RMAFC Committee Member, Dr. Olusegun Wright, during a courtesy visit to the Governor at Lagos...recently

L-R: Acting Director General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, Mr. Victor Liman and the newly appointed Director General, Chief Trade Negotiator, Mr. Yonov Agah, during the handover ceremony in Abuja...recently

L-R: Business Head, West Africa, Godrej, Chitwan Singh; Head Marketing, West Africa, Godrej, Ayodele Otujinrin; Category Head, Godrej Africa, Kayode Oladapo; Representative, Chairman Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Salau Tajudeen and Head of Sales, Godrej, Chukwuemeka Okeke, during the Godrej Africa press conference to commemorate World Malaria Day while launching the GoodKnight brand in Nigeria held in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, (middle) commissioning the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory donated by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 assisted by Hon Minister of State of Health Senator Adeleke Mamora (left) and Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar (right) at Kubwa General Hospital in Abuja ...recently

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila; Co-Founder and Chairman, Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital, Bolaji Odunsi; Co-Founder and CEO, Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital, Modupe Elebute; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu and General Manager, GE Healthcare Sub-Saharan, Africa, Eyong Ebai at the official unveiling of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Center & Specialist Hospital in Lagos recently

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) welcome the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege to the Presidential Villa, Abuja...recently PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

L-R: Ekiti State Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice, Mr Wale Fapohunda; Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; his wife/ Author, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, RT. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye; and Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi; during the public reading of Erelu Fayemi’s latest book “Where is Your Wrapper?” in Ado-Ekiti…recently

R-L: Osun State Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola; his deputy, Mr. Benedict Alabi; Chairman, Iloko IjeshaTraditional Council High Chief Ogunsanya Babarisa and Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof.Yinusa Adebisi, during a thank you visit to the Governor on the approval of a new king for Iloko Ijesha town in the State, at the Government House Osogbo...recently

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Quick Takes Gadol Inaugurates Board of Directors

SEALED DEAL

L-R: Executive Director (Generation), Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Abdullahi Kassim; Executive Director, Legal Services, Mr. Mohammed Mahmud; Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BEDC Electricity Plc, Mrs. Funke Osibodu; Executive Director, Mr. Abu Ejoor; and Chief State Head Edo, Mr. Abel Enechaziam, at a signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the BEDC and NDPHC in Lagos…recently

W’Bank: Power Sector Credibility Depends on Visible Results Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The World Bank has said that Nigerians’ faith in the power sector can only be boosted when they see visible results from ongoing reforms in the country.

The Bank’s Practice Manager, West and Central Africa Energy, Ashish Khanna, who stated this during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, however stated that the challenge of credibility in the sector was not only a Nigerian problem.

“People are really struggling on what to believe in the power sector reforms, although Nigeria is not alone.

“What we are seeing internationally is that the trust and credibility often come when there’s a carefully drafted integrated vision for the sector and there are actual delivery of results that people really want to see,” he stated.

ENERGY Khanna said the Nigerian power sector recovery plan is now at a crucial stage, with a clearer and integrated vision of what the government needs to do, what the private sector should do and what the regulators need to do.

“This is the critical stage of implementation and we also believe that the initial building blocks of building credibility are there,” he noted.

On what is being done differently to ensure that the reforms succeed, he stated that no amount of technical work would go through without the political leadership and the government at the highest level, which he said now exists.

He added that there’s now the realisation that without enough investment or the right best practices being followed,

the reforms will not succeed.

According to him, for the first time, the industry now has better policy clarity, while the focus is on working on the weakest links in the sector.

In his remarks, Country Director, Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, noted that lack of sufficient power supply remains one of Nigeria’s top problems which must be resolved to unleash the full potential of Nigerians.

“Power is the most critical challenge for Nigeria to overcome. It is the oxygen for any economically and without it, firms, households and enterprises will struggle to survive.

“If not the most important thing, it’s definitely in the top three things that has kept Nigeria from realising its potential from diversifying its economy and creating jobs for the millions of people,” he stated.

The bank lamented that the

country’s power sector has not kept up with demand or provided reliable supply to existing customers, making businesses in Nigeria to lose billions of dollars due to unreliable electricity.

The federal government at the weekend rejected a World Bank’s report, which had indicated that over 78 per cent of electricity consumers in Nigeria received less than 12 hours of electricity supply daily.

The Special Adviser to the President on Infrastructure, Mr. Ahmad Zakari, while disputing the survey, said it was unclear what empirical evidence the bank deployed to arrive at the figures.

The Bank had stated that a total of 74 per cent of power users in Nigeria were dissatisfied with the supply of electricity across the country.

It further disclosed that while 93 per cent of metered power Continued on page 24

NEITI, EFCC Move to Halt Graft in Extractive Industries The Nigeria Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are set to renew a joint partnership to stem corrupt activities and practices in Nigeria’s extractive sector.

Under the partnership, the EFCC’s extractive investigation fraud section will henceforth conduct joint operations on the findings and recommendations outlined in the NEITI reports.

A statement by the Head, Communications and Advocacy, NEITI, Mrs. Obiageli Onuorah, noted that the decision was the major outcome of a meeting between the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji and the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed

INDUSTRY Bawa.

The modalities of the joint operation are to be clearly specified in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed by the chief executives of the two agencies next month, the statement added.

On the occasion, Orji explained that the visit was necessary to secure the support of the EFCC in the areas of investigation of infractions identified by the NEITI’s reports for enforcement and prosecution.

He stated that though there is an already existing relationship between NEITI and the EFCC, there was the need to further deepen and strengthen the col-

laboration through the expansion and widening of areas of the cooperation so as to “push the boundaries of accountability in the management of Nigeria’s extractive wealth”.

“Both NEITI and the EFCC were created about the same time with similar mandates which is to make Nigeria’s resources benefit the people. NEITI cannot carry out this mandate effectively alone. We need partnership and collaboration with agencies like the EFCC. This will make the two agencies stronger,” Orji stated.

“We have identified about $11.6 billion as potential revenues to be recovered into government coffers arising from poor computation of taxes, royalties and other process lapses,” he reiterated.

Orji noted that the solid minerals sector contributes less than one per cent to the country’s GDP with a lot of revenue leakages, wastes and illegal activities proliferated in the sector.

“We will share our audit templates with you and mainstream the EFCC special extractives investigation fraud section with NEITI’s technical department for verifiable and accurate information on remedial issues thrown up in NEITI’s audit reports that need to be further investigated,” he said.

The NEITI executive secretary commended the EFCC on its bold and courageous achievements and urged the agency Continued on page 24

Gadol Financial Services Limited has announced the inauguration of its Board of Directors and the establishment of its Board committees.

The Chairman of the Group, Jakoh Korosi, made the announcement in Abuja.

According to him, while he will now serve as Chairman, Board of Directors, Esesua Adeyemi will serve as an independent director; Queen Nwachukwu, Seember Shankyula and Womi Ebri are now non-executive directors. All appointments have been confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Also, Patrick Obi-Akatchak was confirmed as Managing Director/CEO by the board of directors.

Commenting on the development, the MD/CEO Obi-Akatchak said: “A hearty congratulations to each and every one on their appointments.

“We believe this is a step in the right direction and we look forward to greater achievements.

“We will continually uphold the highest standards of corporate governance and adhere strictly to industry guidelines to change the dynamics of financial services for the benefits of our customers and ultimately the society.”

In line with best financial practices, Gadol Financial Services Limited also launched its Board committees, with over 90 per cent of the members being women.

They are: Audit and Risk Management Committee with Adeyemi as chairman; The Credit Committee with Nwachukwu as chairman; Basic Governance and Nomination Committee with Mrs. Womi Ebri as chairman and Remuneration & Human Resource Committee with Shankyula as chairman.

Mouka Unveils Business Challenge

To celebrate this year’s Mother’s Day in May, Mouka recently rolled out the ‘Mums in Business Challenge.’ The initiative is also to reward female entrepreneurs with cash grants for their ventures. It is in line with the brand’s mission of adding comfort to life and falls under its CSR pillar of “skills for life”.

In May of 2019, Mouka ran a similar online competition, organised in partnership with AGS Tribe, a firm that provides entrepreneurs opportunities across Africa.

Maryam Adebola-Salami, the founder of Mobaby Care Nigeria, emerged the winner and was presented with a cheque of $1,000.

This year, Mouka is taking this initiative further by supporting three entrepreneurs that are mothers. The first prize winner will go home with a cash grant of N500,000, the second prize winner with N300,000 and the third with N200,000. All winners will also go home with Mouka mattresses and pillows.The 2021 ‘Mums in Business Challenge’ is also being organised in conjunction with the AGS Tribe. Consumers are encouraged to visit Mouka’s social media handles for information on how to participate as well as terms and conditions.

According to Mouka’s Head of Marketing,Tolu Olanipekun, “Mouka is a brand that genuinely cares for its consumers and is continuously looking for ways to add comfort to their lives through its products and initiatives as these.

AUPCTRE Supports Members

The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Abuja, recently reached out with various welfare items to celebrate the 2021 Easter festivity and the holy month of Ramadan.

According to a statement, the association has consistently done that in the past three years.

This was revealed by the Chairman of the AUPCTRE unit, Oladipo Agboola, during the distribution of welfare items to the members of the association.

He said, “We have always found ways of delighting our members at festive periods and we are not stopping at Easter but also at the Eid al-Fitr celebrations this year. These are periods when we need to make to bring succor to our members.”

He urged Christians to continually emulate Christ in their dealings with one another and also ensure that, “we epitomise peace at all times as entrenched in the Christian faith.”

“Transcorp has made a succession of important recent business acquisitions, consolidating our position in the power, oil and gas sectors” Chairman ofTranscorp Group, Mr. Tony Elumelu

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BUSINESSWORLD W’BANK: POWER SECTOR CREDIBILITY DEPENDS ON VISIBLE RESULTS users paid their bills regularly, while 78 per cent of electricity consumers in Nigeria received less than 12 hours of supply daily, stressing that the findings were done after a thorough survey conducted by the global financial institution.

But the federal government insisted that power distribution to consumers had been steadily improving, even though it had stated that 17 of the 25 generation power plants were down, leading to a deterioration in nationwide supply.

While responding to the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP), a fact sheet released by the Bank, the government noted that it was inaccurate to make a blanket statement on the country’s power sector.

It argued that empirical evidence from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) showed that only 55 per cent of citizens connected to the grid is in tariff bands D and E which is less than 12 hours supply.

NEITI, EFCC MOVE TO HALT GRAFT IN EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES to join NEITI to fight for the heart and soul of Nigeria in extractive revenue management.

He assured the anti-graft agency of NEITI’s support as the two agencies together to reverse the resource curse syndrome.

In his welcome remarks, Bawa stressed that the extractives investigation fraud section was established to work with and for NEITI, noting that the agency has the unit in all our zonal offices.

“We will look at the NEITI audit reports, investigate infractions and ensure that Nigerians get justice”, he stated.

Bawa also asserted that the EFCC will jointly work with NEITI and the ministry of solid minerals development to address the administrative gaps in the solid minerals sector.

“We are ready to increase the manpower capacity of the extractive investigation fraud unit and deploy EFCC operatives to ensure that minerals leaving the country are adequately accounted for”, he explained

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters

ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

NEWS

NNPC, Tanker Owners Meet to Enhance Seamless Petrol Supply Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has met with petrol tanker owners in the country on how both organisations can collaborate on ensuring unfettered supply of petroleum products to Nigerians.

The corporation recently increased the daily supply of petrol across the country from 550 trucks to 1,661 trucks, to combat the build-up of fuel queues in some parts of the country earlier in the week.

It had earlier met with Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) to avert an industrial action which had started causing long fuel queues, which the drivers attributed to matters bordering on their welfare by their employers.

During the meeting with the group of petroleum tanker owners in Nigeria under the auspices of the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP), Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari, assured the businessmen of his continued cooperation to ensure Nigerians do not suffer unnecessary product scarcity.

A statement signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, NNPC, Dr. Kennie

Obateru, noted that discussions basically centred on strengthening collaboration towards sustaining seamless supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.

While welcoming the ADITOP leadership to the NNPC Towers, Kyari pledged to work with the petroleum products distributors to sustain the prevailing sanity

in the downstream sector.

In his comments, the National President of ADITOP, Alhaji Lawal Mohammed, commended the NNPC for its unrelenting efforts to bring order into the downstream sector of the oil industry Speaking during the visit to the NNPC headquarters, Mohammed expressed delight over the

achievements recorded by the corporation under the leadership of Kyari, especially in the area of stakeholders’ engagement.

“This singular action of meeting with us defines you as a leader with limitless leadership humility and untiring capacity for encouraging the concept of stakeholder management and eagerness to carry us along in

every public policy engagements of the NNPC concerning the oil and gas value chain,” Mohammed stated.

He pledged the group’s support for NNPC, stressing that they were ready to place their trucks and retail outlets at the disposal of the corporation for any pilot programme and investment initiative.

INDUCTION CEREMONY

L-R: Deputy Vice President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Mr. Samuel Agbeluyi; President, Gladys Olajumoke Simplice; Lagos State Auditor General, Mrs. Helen Deile; Exco Member, CITN, Mrs. Justina Okoror; and Chairman, Membership Committee, Benjamin Omonayajo, at the 44th induction ceremony of the CITN held in Lagos...recently ETOP UKUTT

NDPHC to Boost Power Supply to Edo, Delta, Others Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) is set to boost power supply to Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti, with the signing of an agreement with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to deliver additional 250MW from the company’s stranded power.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lagos, the Managing Director, NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo, said the agreement took immediate effect, with the initial project areas being at Ihovbor, Edo

State; Asaba, Delta State, Ondo South and parts of Ekiti State.

A statement in Abuja by the Head, Communication and Public Relations of the organisation, Olufunke Nwankwo, noted that Ugbo disclosed that the process leading to the agreement commenced in 2020, with a strong commitment by both parties to the delivery of safe and reliable power to customers of the BEDC’s franchise area.

“Today, we are glad that we are gathered here for the purpose of signing a framework agreement for this collaborations. For NDPHC, the project will enable us

to deliver more 250mw of power to customers of BEDC’s franchise areas in Edo, Delta, Ondo, and neighbouring states.

“For BEDC, the project will help them to satisfy its customers with reliable power and achieve an enhancement of its network and infrastructure,” Ugbo noted.

He added that for BEDC’s customers, their homes and industries can now enjoy 24 hours power supply.

Ugbo said for BEDC’s investors and NDPHC shareholders, whom he described as trustees of the Nigerian people, the project would deliver significant value.

He stressed that the NDPHC has been concerned about the insufficient dispatch of its power generation capacity as well as liquidity challenges.

He explained that this meant that only a small proportion of the power dispatched got paid for, while many consumers remain unserved or underserved.

Earlier, the NDPHC boss explained that the journey to the agreement started with initiation of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) by the federal government in 2004 as a government funded initiative to stabilise the country’s power

sector.

He said as a result of this, the government incorporated NDPHC as a limited liability company to serve as a legal vehicle to hold the NIPP for its states and local governments. Since then, Ugbo said Nigeria’s electricity supply industry has evolved significantly from the construction of NDPHC’s 10 power plants with combined capacity of over 5,000mw, of which more than 4,000Mw has been completed, to the privatization transactions from which BEDC emerged as one of the 11 distribution companies in Nigeria.

Delta Community Threatens to Shut Down Agip’s Operations The people of Idheze Community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, have threatened to shut down the operations of Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) in the community.

This is due to the company’s alleged gross neglect of its responsibilities to the community in past nine years.

Rising from a two-day annual mini-conference held recently, the community said it had tolerated the neglect and ill-treatment by

NAOC for too long and was now making final arrangements for total occupation of the company’s facilities.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Idheze Community Development Union(ICDU), Mr. Emmanuel Ofiemo, in a statement noted that the NAOC had shown no sign of a good corporate and socially responsible organisation in its operations in the community, noting that the oil producing firm had not only neglected the community but

had refused to resolve many complaints over the years.

“We have never seen a company that is so deficient in corporate social responsible and deliberately fuel crisis. For instance, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Idheze and NAOC expired over nine years ago.

“The MoU is the documents that clearly spells out how the company can provide physical infrastructure among others.

But the company had refused

to renew the expired MoU under the guise of migrating to Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU). “We have held several meetings with the company that had yielded no fruits. It very obvious that NAOC is not ready to develop our community but continues to take crude oil and gas from our land, which has negatively impacted us,” Offiemo said.

He disclosed that while Idheze Community had reported the development to the Delta State

Government, NAOC also ignored efforts by the government to intervene.

“It is very obvious that NAOC is not ready to listen to us despite our peaceful disposition. Hence, we have decided to shut down their operations until they accede to all our demands.

“For instance, NAOC must compensate the Idheze Community for the nine years it had operated without MoU. It must pay for the lands it acquired years ago for its operations.

NCDMB Partners ANOH Gas on Oil Industry Training Centre Emma Addeh and Peter Uzoho The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has commenced a partnership arrangement with the ANOH Gas Processing Company Limited for the completion of the

Center for Skills Development and Training (CSDT) located at Greater Port Harcourt Area, Rivers State.

Construction work at the skill acquisition center had been stalled since 2014, due to paucity of funds after it was conceived by the Petroleum Technology Develop-

ment Fund (PTDF) to train and increase the competence and capabilities of Nigerians to meet the low-to-middle level human resources needs of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, stated in a statement that the

board commenced discussions with PTDF in late 2019 on areas of collaboration to complete and operationalise the center.

Wabote explained that ANOH Gas Processing Company was engaged to complete the project under the NCDMB’s intervention tool

known as Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) projects.

According him, “CDI projects are utilised in collaboration with operators and service providers in the oil and gas industry to address identified gaps in local capacities and seize opportunities to grow local capabilities.”

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Eni Plans New JVs in Africa to Tackle Energy Transition Debts Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report Italy’s Eni is considering spinning off oil and gas operations in West Africa and the Middle East into new joint ventures to help reduce debt and fund its shift to low-carbon energy, according to company and industry sources.

Reuters reported that the move was part of a major overhaul the company launched last year as it transitions into renewables and a gradual tapering of oil and gas output.

Eni aims to replicate the success of its 2019 oil and gas spin-off in Norway, where it formed joint venture Var Energi with private equity firm HitecVision and retains a 69.6 per cent stake.

That created Norway’s second largest oil and gas producer after acquiring Exxon Mobil’s portfolio there for $4.5 billion, giving it production of about 150,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The investment has been highly profitable, paying Eni nearly $1.3 billion euros in dividends since its creation.

“The company is working on doing more of the same with chosen partners in West Africa and the Near-Far East and Far East,” a source said without giving further detail.

Africa’s biggest foreign oil and gas producer, Eni has lucrative assets in Nigeria, Congo and Angola. It has big production centres in Egypt and Libya, has rapidly built a presence in the Gulf and is looking to grow in Asia.

Creating a separate entity will

allow Eni to shift some of its debt, which rose last year to 26.7 billion euros ($32.2 billion), off its balance sheet given it will no longer be consolidated at group level, the sources said.

With lower debt, Eni hopes to raise new capital to build its renewables and low-carbon business which will form the backbone of the future company.

Eni has recently held talks with several large oil and gas producers including BP and Total to merge parts of their operations in West Africa and the Middle East, sources told Reuters.

BP and Total face challenges similar to Eni’s in terms of managing debt and low-carbon emissions but it remains unclear if the talks will be successful, the sources said.

Europe’s top energy companies were forced to raise record amounts of debt after oil and gas demand cratered in the wake of the pandemic.

Eni Chief Financial Officer Francesco Gattei in February told analysts that there are “opportunities” in business combinations like Var Energi to remove debt from Eni’s balance sheet.

“We aim to replicate our Norwegian Var model in different countries, with potential business combinations which are currently under screening,” Gattei said at the time.

Other companies have gone down the same path in recent years. BP merged its Norwegian operations with local producer Det Norske in 2016 to create Aker BP, which trades on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

Elumelu Explains $120m Investment in Transcorp Hotels, Assures Shareholders of Better Days James Emejo in Abuja The Chairman, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu, yesterday explained the company’s decision to commit over $120 million to the rehabilitation of Transcorp Hotels, saying it was meant to lay an investment, “foundation for a better tomorrow.”

He said shareholders had invested wisely in the project, adding that, “your investment will yield huge dividends.”

Speaking at the 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Abuja, he noted that it was the first time the level of rehabilitation was being undertaken in the hotel since its existence about 30 years ago.

He said: “We did this because we are long term investors. We

believe in investing today for better tomorrow.

“This hotel is here to make money for shareholders. In terms of value of the assets, they have significantly improved.

“We are laying investment foundation for a better tomorrow.”

He further assured shareholders that for “Transcorp, the future is extremely bright.

This is time for wise investors to secure their future and that of their children.”

This is as the shareholders commended the board for significantly cutting administrative expenses and ensuring sustainability of the company amidst the adverse operating environment imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among other things, they said, they expressed their

appreciation over transcorp’s milestone on energy especially the successes at the Ugehli and Afam power plants which had enable it to commence commercial exports.

Shareholders also, expressed optimism that the company’s share price will significantly appreciate given the company’s recently positive performances.

“Congratulations Tony for the good job with your team,” one of the shareholders said.

The investors also showed their appreciation over the dividend payout to shareholders despite the difficult operating environment.

However, Elumelu, also took time to clarify on the over N97 million impairment on its balance sheet, pointing out that it was only a debt owed by the federal government to power

companies.

He assured the shareholders that there had been lots of improvement in the repayment process and commended the government particularly the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for facilitating the debt repayment obligations to power firms.

He said:”I am sure it should be more now. It’s actually a debt owed by the federal government to power companies.

“But as I said, things are now improving. Let me recognise the efforts of government especially the CBN governor who had been extremely patriotic and involved in driving the improvements in the repayments in the power sector. We hope that progressively they’ll clear all of these.”

Chevron SpendsN26bn on Egbema/ Gbaramatu Devtin 16Years Sylvester Idowu in Warri Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL) has contributed over N26 billion under its NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, to the Egbema/ Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation (EGCDF) since inception in 2005.

Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA) Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, disclosed this recently, at the grand finale of the Commissioning/Handover ceremony of 11 projects executed by the EGCDF in Effurun near Warri.

Brikinn, who was represented at the event by Chevron’s Area Manager, Field Operations, Mr. Sam Daibo, said the fund was released under its General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the Foundation to execute projects in the oil producing communities.

He disclosed that the fund over the years was invested in about 600 programmes, including the provision of scholarships, building of new schools, medical facilities, housing among others.

He said: “EGCDF, funded by the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture, partnering the Delta government and other stakeholders has executed these projects to improve the quality of life of the people in the communities.

“These 11 projects which were inaugurated recently included: portable water, housing units and renovation of a Cottage

hospitals among others cost over N564 million.

“The greatest success of the GMoU is in meeting the objectives of making communities take the driver’s seat in their own development.

“In partnership with stakeholders, we will continue to work at improving this process that has been acknowledged as an industry best practice.

“Other area we seek stronger partnership through the GMoU is in the reduction of environmental degradatuin through oil theft and vandalism.”

He added: “CNL supports global efforts to reduce gas flaring and carbon emissions. In furtherance, we will continue to invest in our operations to improve environmental performance while working with industry to develop new innovations and best practices.”

Brikinn thanked the Delta government for creating an enabling business environment for the CNL, the smooth implementation of the GMoU and other Social Investment Programs.

He assured that CNL would continue to have honest and transparent relationship with the government and the host communities.

Chairman of EGCDF, Mr. Jude Ukori said the foundation had inaugurated 10 projects between April 15 and 16, 2021 at both Gbaramatu and Egbema kingdoms in Delta.

PRODUCTLAUNCH

L-R:SalesDirector,TGIDistriLimited,Mr.ItaEkpenyong;ManagingDirector,Mr.SunilSawhney;andSalesDirector,MrChanderRathore,duringthelaunchof KleansolToiletCleanerinLagos…recently.

SylvaCommends NIPCO’sInvestmentin GasInfrastructure Peter Uzoho The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has commended NIPCO Plc for its commitment to the development of requisite infrastructure for the enhancement of effective utilisation of the nation’s gas resources.

Sylva, according to a statement issued by NIPCO’s Assistant General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Lawal Taofeek, gave the commendation recently during his visit to NIPCO’s exhibition stand at a two -day National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) Consultative Forum held in Owerri, Imo State.

The minister, who was received by Taofeek, expressed delight by the enormous resources the company has

invested in the gas sector aside the giant impact it has made in the petroleum products retail business in Nigeria.

He acknowledged NIPCO’s support for his ministry’s initiative to encourage a timely switch to gas as a viable alternative energy source in the country which is being championed by the NGEP. He stated that the federal government was vigorously pursuing its gas agenda, noting that the NGEP would impact positively on Nigerian economy.

In his reaction, Lawal said Sylva played significant role in helping the company’s emergence as a strong player in the gas marketing sector when he served as a special assistant to former Minister of Energy, HRH Edward Daukoru.

“He was very much involved in the company’s emergence as one of the three firms granted licenses to develop Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructures and gas dispensing outlets to enable motorists have alternative energy sources apart from white products in 2009 “ Lawal said.

He noted that the development resulted in the company’s inauguration of eight CNG stations in Benin, Edo State and Ibafo, Ogun State, and in further putting up of the biggest gas compression plant in West Africa in Ogun State.

According to Lawal, NIPCO’s intervention in the gas sector also birthed the construction of about 10,500MT LPG storage facility.

He said since the inauguration of NGEP by the minister

in January 2020, the company has keyed into the project and was determined to offer meaningful support to enhance massive switch to gas as energy source for vehicles and industrial concerns.

In the realm of LPG as domestic cooking fuel, he informed that the company had last year launched an LPG skid expansion scheme requesting partnership with persons and families with virgin lands for long lease or outright sales to develop and install skids in conformity with Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) regulations.

Lawal added that the scheme offers veritable opportunity for deepening LPG usage across the country through access to the product especially in residential areas at competitive rates

26

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Examining Addax Lease Revocation, Restoration

Emmanuel Addeh writes that with last Friday’s restoration ofAddax Petroleum’s operating rights on four Oil Mining Leases, few weeks after they were withdrawn by the industry regulator, mixed signals may have been sent, not only to industry operators, but the international business community

A

few weeks ago, the federal government announced the official withdrawal of four oil mining leases (OMLs) belonging to Addax Petroleum, a decision that raised some pertinent unanswered questions as to the adherence to due process.

While it is not strange for governments all over the world to withdraw licences for oil operations to companies that are confirmed to have breached their contractual agreement, the manner of revocation of the oil mining leases in the Addax saga raised quite some eyebrows.

Suspicious Deal Addax is owned by China’s Sinopec Group.

Of the four revoked assets, OML 123, OML 124, OML 126 and OML 137, three have producing fields, Addax said on its website. The company has 11 fields with 80 production wells in OML 123, two fields with 15 producing wells in OML 124 and two fields with 17 production wells in concession OML 126. It began operations in Nigeria in 1998 by signing two Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Coming a few days after the Ministry of Petroleum received a report which had indicted Addax for allegedly abandoning a fabrication yard, located in Ilase village, Lagos, after calling a force majeure on, “issues that were totally unrelated,” it was obvious that the company which says it got its name from a type of SubSaharan Africa antelope, particularly known for its ability to survive harsh environments, needed all the skills to weather the raging storm.

At the time, the bone of contention was that OMLs 123, 124, 126 and 137 – all operated by the company were taken away in a manner that was described as hasty and were speedily awarded to Kaztec Engineering Limited/Salvic Petroleum Resources Limited.

The decision to sell the OMLs was conveyed in a letter signed by the Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) the industry’s regulatory agency, to Kaztec owned by oil magnate, Emeka Offor and another firm, Salvic, which has its chairman as Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale.

Contrary to the tradition in the industry, the re-award was said to have happened so swiftly after the revocation letter, that in a matter of just three days, leading to the last Easter holiday weekend, it appeared to have been concluded, even though it was still being delayed in the public space to give a semblance of credibility.

While the authorities said the key reason for the revocation was lack of compliance with work programme targets, sources close to Addax argued that all the facilities were producing assets on which royalties were being paid.

Meanwhile, while the contentious OMLs 123 and 124 are expected to expire in 2022, OMLs 126 and 137 will expire in December 2024 and May 2027 respectively.

Addax and trouble In less than four weeks, Addax was in the news for the wrong reasons in two crucial matters. First for abandoning the EPC facility in Lagos which the Chairman of the investigation panel, Magnus Abe, said led to the loss of over 3,000 jobs and secondly, for alleged non-compliance with the contract it signed, leading to loss of revenue to government.

But it wasn’t also the first time Addax was getting into trouble with the authorities in Africa.

A few years ago, the Gabonese government hadinformed Addax that it planned to withdraw its drilling licence for its Tsiengui onshore oilfield after the then contract expired in 2015.

The reasons cited related to contract violations.

Moreover, Gabon accused Addax of failing to pay customs duties and not respecting Gabonese laws. In fact before then, Gabon had seized the Obangue oilfield from Addax due to alleged breaches of contract, environmental abuse and tax dodging on oil exports.

While Addax approached the court asking for $330 million in damages, the Gabonese government countered by a claim of $780 million, with the assets eventually handed

Auwalu

Buhari

over to be managed by the national firm, Gabon liquidation.

Those in the know also maintain that a PSC Oil Company. is essentially a contract between the Concessionaire (NNPC) and the Contractor (Addax) DPR explains reasons for revocation But the DPR in trying to defend its action, and that the regulator (DPR) was never a party explained that the revocation was due to and therefore lacked the powers to terminate non-development of the affected assets by the the contract. petroleum company.

Buhari Wades in Director/Chief Executive Officer, DPR, Mr. Last Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari Sarki Auwalu, said the agency discovered that over 50 per cent of the assets had remained approved the restoration of the permits on the underdeveloped, which he said was resulting OMLs to the NNPC and by extension, Addax to loss of revenue to the federal government. Petroleum.

The president, in a release by his Media As“Addax refused to develop the assets and Addax was, therefore, not operating the assets,” sistant, Garba Shehu, said the leases belonging to the federation, which were revoked on March he said.

He said going by the country’s Petroleum Act, 30, 2021, were being restored to NNPC in line “the first reason for a revocation is when you with the current administration’s commitment discover that the asset is not being developed, to the rule of law, fairness and enabling a stable according to the business guidelines, because business climate for investment.

“This development reaffirms the commitment it is economic sabotage.”

“One of the assets – OML 137 – holds a gas of President Buhari to the rule of law and sanctity reserve of more than 3 trillion cubic meters (tcm). of contracts,” the statement said.

While directing the DPR to retract the letter of This has the potential for us to increase our gas reserve and it can support the integration revocation of the leases, the president instructed the NNPC to take advantage of contractual of gas development of the asset.

“The entire OML 137 holds about five tcm provisions to resolve issues in line with the in two key reserves, but the company failed to extant provisions of the PSC arrangement develop this asset in line with the government’s between the national oil company and Addax.

Buhari further stressed that the restoration of gas revolution policy and it was, therefore, necessary to take a step to attract willing and the blocks to NNPC will boost the organisation’s capable investors to undergo the development portfolio, thereby making the corporation to, of the assets both for our domestic use and in the long run, boost its crude oil production and in turn increase the revenue it generates exports,” he stated.

According to him, the average reserve profile of into the federation account. the assets showed that oil reserves have remained Real reasons the president intervened essentially flat, adding that the company never But THISDAY checks indicated that the decision made efforts to grow the reserves.

He said crude oil in all three producing to return the operating permits on the four assets had been declining over the years due facilities was taken by the president to avert a major face-off with the Chinese government to inadequate investment by the company.

Indeed, a team of experts had already been which is assisting the federal government in inaugurated to evaluate the revoked four oil undertaking several infrastructural projects mining licenses from Addax to a new operator across the country.

A source knowledgeable with how the deci– Kaztech/Slavic Consortium which was given one week to do the job, before the spanners sion was arrived at, stated that the matter was fell in the works of the promoters last Friday. escalated to President Muhammadu Buhari after the diplomatic implications as well as the image problems that the revocation, which The arguments Going back memory lane, the NNPC/Ashland would have portrayed the Nigerian business Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) on OMLs environment as being operated by the whims 123/124 (formerly OPL 98) and 126/137 (formerly of certain individuals , rather than adherence OPL 118) were signed in 1973 and terminated to rules, were analysed.

While the NNPC, which Addax was directly after 25 years of operation.

It was thereafter that the NNPC signed partnering in the PSC, it was learnt, was not another PSC with Addax Petroleum in 1998, in the know of the processes leading to the on the same OMLs under the Petroleum Act, cancellation of the leases, the president, the source with oil reserves of over 450 million barrels of said, also considered the legal implications if oil and 5 trillion standard cubic feet of gas. The the matter eventually ended in the court.

“The revocation was not even done with any argument is that Clause 19 of the PSC clearly spells out the ground for the termination of the consultation with the direct party, the NNPC. PSC by the Concessionaire (NNPC), including a That was a big blunder which they should have default in the performance of material obligation; known because if those guys go to court, they assignment of the contractor’s rights and interests would win because in reality, they do not have under the contract without written notice and any contract with the DPR, but with the NNPC. “Ordinarily, it is the NNPC that should have prior written consent of NNPC, insolvency or

communicated to Addax as contractor to say we are terminating this contract and there are steps to it.

“So, it would have become an embarrassment to Nigeria even both in diplomatic terms, because China will feel slighted that we can’t even follow our own rules and considering the number of projects like the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas project they are assisting us with, they would have just messed things up,” the source said.

If due process was followed, the source added, it would have been the NNPC that should have communicated the decision to Addax on the prompting of the DPR, the regulator, a step that wasn’t taken “As far as the guidelines were not followed, there were always going to be problems,” it noted.

According to the source: “It would have been embarrassing if the Chinese withdrew from all the projects in retaliation because once they find you can’t even obey your own laws, they too can renege on some of the partnerships they have with us.”

According to data published by the NNPC, Addax pumped an average of about 30,000 barrels per day in 2019, equivalent to about 1.5 per cent of the country’s output.

Unanswered questions Up until now, Addax has not come out officially or with any evidence to tell the world what transpired. It has also not refuted the government claim that the facilities were less than 50 per cent operational despite its obvious lucrativeness, reason the licence was cancelled.

And if indeed, the DPR was correct in its assessment of the performance of the assets, Addax has not given cogent reasons it operated the facilities at half capacity for years.

On the side of the government, some pertinent questions worth responding to are still pending.

For instance, what form of communication, if any, took place between the regulator and Addax before the assets were retrieved from the company and if there was any interaction, was the firm given any chance to explain its position?

What inspired the swiftness with which action was taken on the assets? How much did Kaztec/Salvic pay for the assets or intended paying and what’s the relationship between those at the helms of affairs at the ministry of petroleum, the DPR and the so-called Aso Rock power broker? Why was the NNPC allegedly left in the lurch in relation to the processes that led to the cancellation of the four leases?

How could four operating permits be cancelled in the first place without the knowledge of the president, the substantive minister of petroleum? Or was he in the know initially, but bowed to superior argument, having been intimated with the implications of the move?

These questions have to be answered by all the parties involved in this matter.

27

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 23Apr-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 155.39 156.92 -3.95% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 4.45% Nigeria International Debt Fund 305.41 305.41 -16.62% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 110.59 110.59 -1.33% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.15% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.37 3.53 -4.98% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 0.44% Anchoria Equity Fund 128.72 130.22 -3.23% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.08 -19.10% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) N/A N/A N/A ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 103.73 103.73 1.99% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 1.98 1.98 -25.46% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.18 2.22 -7.07% mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.01 1.01 0.51% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.36% Paramount Equity Fund 15.74 15.96 -1.80% Women's Investment Fund 131.37 132.76 -1.33% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.23% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 128.92 129.77 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 110.95 110.95 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 2.55% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 2.31% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,169.43 1,175.06 -2.44% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,357.59 1,357.59 7.36% FBN Balanced Fund 185.73 186.99 -1.04% FBN Halal Fund 110.76 110.76 4.43% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.12% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 124.29 124.29 2.96% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 149.27 151.33 -1.26% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.09% Legacy Debt Fund 3.92 3.92 1.39% Legacy Equity Fund 1.56 1.59 2.22% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.15 1.15 1.52% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.47% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.73 2.79 19.06% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 148.03 148.47 -4.75% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.08 1.08 5.76% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.37 1.39 0.69% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,129.13 1,129.13 2.28% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 10.43 10.50 Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.67% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.59 1.62 7.47% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.16 12.31 0.61% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 2.22% PACAM Equity Fund 1.59 1.61 0.73% PACAM EuroBond Fund 110.87 113.75 1.41% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 130.70 132.87 6.01% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 2.20% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,117.98 3,142.66 -3.05% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 228.49 228.49 1.62% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.15 1.17 -1.69% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 299.44 299.44 1.62% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 212.37 214.97 -2.82% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.32% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,907.62 10,032.11 -5.67% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.25 1.25 1.77% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 113.25 113.25 1.95% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 100.62 100.62 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.34 1.36 -2.10% United Capital Bond Fund 1.93 1.93 1.93% United Capital Equity Fund 0.89 0.91 2.83% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.54% United Capital Eurobond Fund 119.61 119.61 2.16% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.07 1.09 -0.82% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.03 1.03 3.16% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.11 12.22 2.07% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.31 13.39 8.78% Zenith Income Fund 24.30 24.30 1.34% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.99%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

122.53 53.06

1.48% 1.26%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.49 121.38 94.89

12.59 121.38 96.65

-5.48% -0.30% -4.52%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.72 5.49 16.87 1.00 18.91 162.81

3.76 5.57 16.97 1.00 19.11 164.81

-1.63% -3.45% 3.18% 2.63% -7.83% -25.69%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.52

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

28

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ͵˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Polaris Bank Posts N28.9bn Profit in 2020 Hamid Ayodeji Polaris Bank Limited at the weekend released its full-year audited financial results for the year ended December 2020, posting profit before tax (PBT) of N28.9 billion.

According to a statement from the bank, the results showed the bank’s second year performance scorecard after two years of operation. Details of the results showed that 2020 performance reflected a four per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase in PBT. The performance according to the statement was driven by the combination of the significant reduction in interest expense due to the bank’s pursuit of low interest-bearing deposits as well as

lowering impairment charges on loans and other financial assets.

Also, the bank recorded Return on Asset (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) of 2.4 per cent and 29.4 per cent respectively.

Its total assets stood at N1.18 trillion, which was a three per cent growth over the previous year, while shareholders’ funds grew by N14 billion (17%), largely attributable to internally generated profits. The bank said it increased its customer deposits

by N56 billion, predominantly low-cost deposits in spite of difficult economic and industry conditions, and also increased its gross loan book by N38 billion.

This, it stated reflected modest and prudent risk strategy to grow its portfolio of quality

loans for optimal interest income generation.

Commenting on the bank’s performance, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Polaris Bank Limited, Mr. Innocent Ike, explained that: “Polaris Bank has achieved significant milestones since its inception in September 21, 2018 when we started this journey. We have since grown to earn the confidence of the banking publics, offering quality banking services at the cutting edge of technology.”

Continuing, the Polaris Bank CEO noted that, “2020 was arguably the most challenging year that the world has faced in decades owing to the negative impact of COVID-19 on businesses and the economy.”

TAJBank Records N845m Profit in First Year Goddy Egene TAJBank, a non-interest banking services provider has recorded earnings per share (EPS) of N11.82 for the year ended December 31, 2020.

The EPS, which represented an appreciation of 1,182 per cent on every N1 investment by shareholders, was said to be the highest in the banking industry.

In all, the lender reported N845 million profit after tax (PAT) in its first year of operations, just as its other performance indices recorded upswing. This, it explained demonstrated the management’s superior financial competencies to create sustainable value for its various stakeholders.

The bank’s scorecard was achieved during the financial year amid the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global, and particularly Nigeria’s

economic landscape.

In addition, TAJBank grew its total assets from N9.2 billion in 2019, to N50 billion in 2020, representing a 443 per cent increase and a remarkable growth.

The bank also grew its agency banking network (TAJExpress), to over 3,000 agents within its first year of operations.

Commenting on the bank’s impressive performance in its maiden year and capacity to break even within nine months of operation, the Founder and Chief Operating Officer, TAJBank, Mr. Hamid Joda, said the feat was indicative of the massive amount of support and encouragement from various bodies and individuals within a period of nine years of operations.

“Breaking even in nine months of operation is a laudable feat and we are appreciative of the enormous support and encouragement that we have

received so far.

“We assure our customers that we will continue to ts explore the business landscape with a view to consistently deliver on our mission to provide the very best of products and services to our customers,” Joda said.

Also speaking, the Cofounder and Chief Marketing Officer of the bank, Mr. Sherif Idi, said: “In our business environment, creating products and services that fully resonate with our customers while addressing their needs is a priority.

“We are delighted with the satisfaction rate and feedback we have received so far on TAJBank, a thought leader in the increasingly dynamic noninterest banking sub-segment of the banking industry, and its numerous value-adding services to customers.”

Wema Bank’s Assets Hit N1trn Wema Bank Plc has announced its audited results for year ended December 31, 2020.

The bank closed with total assets and contingents of over N1 trillion.

According to the results, the bank recorded a year-on-year double-digit growth of 39.42 per cent in customer deposit of N804.87 billion in the year under review, compared with the N577.28 billion recorded the previous year.

Also, the results show that net loans closed at N360.08 billion, which was a growth of 24.49 per cent, as against the N289.24 billion recorded the previous year, as it continues

to support its customers across multiple sectors of the economy.

Similarly, non-performing loans (NPL) reduced to 4.7 per cent year-on-year, compared with 7.38 per cent it recorded in full year 2019.

The bank has proposed a dividend of four kobo per share in full year 2020, same as the previous year.

This would be the third straight year that the bank would be paying dividends.

The Chief Finance Office of the bank, Tunde Mabawonku, who gave updates on the results, said the bank weathered the disruptions of 2020 financial year through a sharp focus on safe

lending, keeping non-performing loans low and driving transaction income.

He explained further that the bank remains resilient and has continued to grow its business in an efficient manner as we persist in adapting our strategy to yield strong financial results despite the adverse economic situation.

According to Mabawonku, “We have a clear strategy of becoming the ‘Most Dominant Digital Bank in Nigeria’ by 2023.

We have positioned ALAT as the go-to platform by both increasing customer acquisition and working with eco-system partners on payments and settlements.”

CardinalStone Lists N5bn Bond on FMDQ CardinalStone Partners Limited has announced the listing of the CardinalStone Financing SPV Plc N5 billion Series I Bond on FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited.

The company, explained in a statement that it successfully closed its Series 1 Bond, which was the lowest priced bond by any non-bank financial institution in Nigeria for a similar tenor in the last ten years.

The bond, which was the first tranche of the Company’s N10 billion Bond Issuance programme, is a 5-Year 7% Fixed Rate Senior Unsecured Bond due 2025.

By virtue of this listing, the

company’s bond has been successfully admitted to the Daily Quotations List of the FMDQ and this means that investors who already hold the Bonds can trade them while new investors have an opportunity to buy the Bonds on the secondary market.

Commenting on the Bond Issue, the Managing Director of CardinalStone Partners Limited, Michael Nzewi noted that, “the full subscription level recorded demonstrates investors’ confidence in CardinalStone and the ability of our management team to create value.

“This longer tenor debt capital injection will enable the Company

to execute the next phase of its mid-to-long-term growth strategy.”

According to him, by successfully raising this financing, the Company is better positioned to sustain its impressive growth in the coming years.

Also, the company’s Head of Investment Banking, Onyebuchim Obiyemi said: “We are excited about the successful listing of the CardinalStone Financing SPV N5 billion Series I Bond on the FMDQ Exchange and that the registration and listing process was swift and straightforward, which is a testament to the efficiency at FMDQ.

Ike

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ Ͱͱ ͰͮͰͯ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $63.63 a barrel on Friday, compared with $63.06 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

29

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱ͵˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Shareholders of Nigerian Breweries Approve N7.5bn Dividend Goddy Egene Shareholders of Nigerian Breweries Plc have approved the dividend payout of N7.52 billion for the 2020 financial year. The approval was given at the 75thannual general meeting (AGM) held in Lagos. Speaking during the AGM, the shareholders hailed the company for the consistent dividend payment.

According to them, the 100

per cent dividend payout is a strong reflection of the company’s stability as well as its resilience in the face of the global pandemic and operating challenges in the economy.

For instance, Mr. Boniface Okezie of Progressive Shareholders Association commended the board and management of Nigerian Breweries Plc for helping to maintain a strong and healthy balance sheet amidst recession

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

and inflation that had affected businesses and the Nigerian economy in general.

Okezie said the fact that the company remains competitive despite the huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses demonstrates the uniqueness of the cost-saving measures deployed.

“Despite the impact of the recession and COVID-19 pandemic, the company was

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

still able to maintain stability.

This goes to show the quality of leadership at the company. I must confess that the board and management have done well to keep to its promise of paying dividends. We can only hope that they keep up the tempo so that we can receive higher dividends in the next financial year,” he said.

In his address, the Chairman of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Chief

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

Kola Jamodu, explained that each shareholder received a final dividend of 69 kobo per ordinary share of 50 kobo, having received an interim dividend of 25 kobo per share.

On his part, the Company Secretary/Legal Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Uaboi Agbebaku, disclosed that the 2020 financial year recorded a significant boost in sales volume even though the cost of sales rose from

O F

N191.76billion to N218.36billion.

Agbebaku, who was optimistic about the growth of the company going forward noted that the company would continue to give utmost priority to the welfare of its shareholders in its decision making.

In all, Nigerian Breweries Plc posted a net revenue of N337 billion in 2020, up from N323 billion in 2019, while profit after Tax (PAT) stood at N7.52 billion.

2 6 / 0 4 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

30

TUESDAY APRIL 27, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

Bandits Invade Zaria, Abduct Housewives, Children Bandits were said to have invaded Kofar Kuyambana Low Cost in Zaria council of Kaduna State and abducted two housewives and three children.

The gunmen reportedly stormed the Kuyambana community around 10 pm on Sunday and attacked two houses in the area.

Five Almajiri children were

NAFDAC Raises the Alarm on Effects of Hair Products Containing Formaldehyde Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against the use of hair smoothing products containing formaldehyde.

The agency said the United States Food and Drug Administration has informed it of the short and long-term effects of formaldehyde exposure in hair smoothing products.

The alert, No: 006/2021 – Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products, was signed by the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

It said most hair smoothing or straightening products release formaldehyde gas, a known human carcinogen, as classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, into the air during hair straightening or smoothing.

said to have been hit by stray bullets during the attack.

Five out of the suspected gunmen, who invaded the communities, were also said to have been arrested.

Kaduna Police Command spokesman, ASP Mohammad Jalige, who confirmed the

attack, said only two criminal suspects were arrested, adding that the command will issue a statement on the incident.

A source said the gunmen first invaded a Customs officer’s house and whisked away his wife, identified as Maryam Bala Ibrahim, alongside her three

children but they abandoned the children on the way and fled with the mother.

The source added the bandits attacked another house in the neighbourhood where they kidnapped another woman, Mrs. Hulera Haruna.

However, men of the Nigeria

Police Force and Kaduna Vigilance groups repelled the bandits from further attacks on the community.

It was learnt it was in the crossfire with the criminals that five Almajiris from the neighborhood were hit by stray bullets.

According to the alert, when formaldehyde is released into the air and is present in the air at level exceeding 0.1 ppm, it can cause serious irritation of the eyes, nose and lungs.

“It can also cause skin sensitivity or allergic dermatitis,” it read.

The alert outlined some recommendations for people not to use hair products by themselves at home, except they visited a licensed hair professional in a salon.

It said hair professionals should be trained to take precautions, such as wearing L-R: Chairman, NACCIMA Agricultural Trade Group/Vice President Olam Nigeria, Mr. Ade Adefeko; Ambassador-designate to France, Amb. Kayode gloves and safety glasses as well Laro; Director General, NACCIMA, Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni; and Chairman, NACCIMA Creativity, Hospitality and Tourism Trade Group, Mr. as ensuring proper ventilation Segun Philips, during a courtesy visit of the Ambassador-designate to NACCIMA Secretariat in Lagos…yesterday when applying hair smoothing products.

According to the statement, hair professionals must read through the list of components, adding that the U.S Food and Drug Administration discourages A former Minister of Education, Omojuwa, said in an open letter Obasanjo in the early 2000s, “Finally, I got it. Such an individuals from buying hair Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, said she that Ezekwesili was expected the appointment had put a attack is by all those who see smoothing products for home was determined since 2007 to be appointed a minister by strain on her family. public office as a meal. After use. that she would never accept President Muhammadu Buhari The former Vice-President, 2007, I made a decision to never a ministerial appointment again. in 2015.

World Bank Africa Division again accept any ministerial Ezekwesili said this in a Ezekwesili, who is the Co- tweeted, “I keep asking appointment in this country. series of tweets yesterday, Convener of the Bring Back what is it about becoming a Facts are all around that every adding that she had rejected Our Girls Group, said she minister that these folks find time I was offered to be a past ministerial appointments. found nothing fascinating in so fascinating, considering the minister since 2007, I swiftly The former minister’s tweet being a minister, adding that hardship my previous service to turned down the offer. I know came barely two weeks after when she was appointed by Nigeria, including as a minister, it kills some of you to accept her former protégé, Japheth former President Olusegun cost my family and me? this but it is what it is.”

by UTME applicants on the major telecoms service providers.

Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, after a meeting with stakeholders yesterday at the headquarters of the board Segun James The MRCC was founded by sectors to significantly improve their loved ones and expressed in Bwari, said the service Dr. Modupe Elebute Odunsi. public health outcomes. optimism that the new health providers and JAMB agreed The government of the United The U.S. Consul General, She noted that the United facility would make cancer on refund to candidates who States of America funded Marcelle Ms. Claire Pierangelo, along States would continue to lead treatment available locally and could not access the service Ruth Cancer Center and Specialist with the Speaker of the House the world in medical research, significantly reduce medical by telcos.

Hospital (MRCC), Lagos, was of Representatives, Mr. Femi innovation and technology tourism for cancer care.

He lamented that parents commissioned yesterday.

Gbajabiamila, and Lagos State that would provide solutions She said: “We can only were being extorted by telecoms The new healthcare facility, Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo- to tackle the scourge of cancer hope that more centers like the service providers by sending which is reputed to be Nigeria’s Olu, formally opened the Cancer and bring happiness to many, as MRCC will emerge and that request unsuccessfully to the first comprehensive cancer Center and Specialist Hospital. demonstrated by the ingenious all stakeholders in the health telcos.

Pierangelo said that the medical devices developed by system continue to take big treatment center, is equipped The registrar said the Federal with cutting edge American establishment of the MRCC Varian and GE Healthcare. strides towards defeating cancer.

Competition and Consumer medical diagnostic equipment represented yet another example Pierangelo lamented the heavy Varian, GE and other U.S. medical Protection Commission developed and supplied by the of the strong partnership between emotional and financial burden equipment suppliers are ready to (FCCPP) and the Nigerian GE Healthcare and Varian.

American and Nigerian private cancer placed on patients and be reliable partners in such effort.

Communications Commission (NCC) have been drafted to monitor compliance with the agreement to refund the candidates their money.

Ahead of the federal DSO programme from its three- television signal. a meeting between members of government’s restart of the digital year hiatus, with the Minister of A Port Harcourt-based the DigiTeam and stakeholders switch over (DSO) programme, Information and Culture, Alhaji broadcast engineer, Charles in the DSO architecture, saying stakeholders in the Nigerian Lai Mohammed, stating that the Tiebowei, noted that the price the DSO programme will be broadcasting industry have programme would be completed for STBs would be considerably private-sector driven,” he said.

The focus of the agreement warned that Nigerians may have by 2022. steep because the federal The implication, according to will be power supply to certain to pay as high as N50,000 for But industry stakeholders government had abolished Tiebowei, is that the price will be areas as well as upgrading a Set-Top-Box (STB), the device are, however, worried that a plans to provide subsidy on between N40,000 and N50,000. of all critical distribution needed to convert analogue major hindrance to the planned STBs. “Last year, if you recall, the He noted that before the completion may be the cost Information Minister announced devaluation of the naira, the infrastructure, the statement television signal to digital.

The federal government Nigerians would pay for the that the government had taken recommended price of STB said.

Commenting on the had in February, announced acquisition of STBs required a decision to abolish subsidies ranged between N20,000 and agreement, the Managing its readiness to resuscitate the to convert analogue to digital on set-top boxes. He said this at N30,000.

Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of BEDC Electricity, Mrs. Funke Osibodu said the company is “Proud to Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti spokesman, ASP Sunday Abutu, five suspects were arrested and from the scene were one cut-to-size partner with an organisation yesterday, the five suspects were all claimed to be students of the locally made pistol, two expended of high repute like NDPHC. Barely one week after six people arrested around 1.30p.m. by the Ekiti State University, while other cartridges, one gallon containing There is an alignment in our were shot dead in a bloody cult Police Rapid Response Squad suspects escaped.” liquid drug, weeds suspected to be objectives to drive positive clash in Ikere Ekiti, the Ekiti State (PRRS), after a tip off that some Abutu gave the names of the Indian hemp and two motorcycles. change in Nigeria’s power Police Command has arrested members of a secret cult were suspects as: Adeyeye Adeyemi, Meanwhile, a legal luminary, industry; so, this partnership is five suspected cultists during performing an initiation rite in 29; Adeyemi Tobi ,25; Moyosore Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), a good fit and we look forward an initiation rite. a bush behind the Ekiti State Onajobi, 22; Dickson Godwin, 23, has condemned the killings of six to positive outcomes in the near and Olowosaye Martins, 21. persons in a cult clash in Ikere According to a statement University(EKSU) campus. future.”

“In the process, however, Abutu said items recovered Ekiti last week. issued by the police command

TRADE PROMOTION…

Ezekwesili: I Have Been Rejecting Ministerial Appointments Since 2007

UTME Candidates to Get Refund for Unsuccessful Requests, Says JAMB Kuni Tyessi in Abuja Candidates who could not generate profile codes to register for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) because of poor or network failure from telecommunication service providers will get a refund, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has said.

The board said this doesn’t apply to candidates who entered the wrong code while trying to generate their profile codes for registration.

Parents of applicants for this year’s UTME had raised the alarm that they could not create their profile codes despite being charged for the service.

Each Short Message Service (SMS) costs N50 for request made

US-funded Cancer Centre and Specialist Hospital Inaugurated in Lagos

DSO: Nigerians May Pay N50, 000 for Set-Top-BoxBroadcast, Industry Stakeholders Warn

Benin Disco Partners NDPHC to Boost Power Distribution to Customers Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc has said it was collaborating with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) on the development of an end-to-end power generation and distribution as part of an effort to boost power supply to customers within its franchise coverage.

BEDC said in a statement issued in Benin that both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement will see BEDC Electricity Plc partner NDPHC and others to identify and prioritise critical projects to increase power supply while improving on the technical and commercial environment.

Ekiti Police Arrest Five Suspected Cultists over Alleged Killing of Six

31

TUESDAY APRIL 27, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

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

Osimhen Fires Napoli to Leapfrog Juventus in Race for UCL Ticket Duro Ikhazuagbe Victor Osimhen’s dream of Champions League actions next season with Napoli was boosted with the team’s 2-0 defeat of Torino last night.

The Nigerian international scored the second goal after Tiemoue Bakayoko fired Gennaro Gattuso’s men into the lead.

The win lifted Napoli above Juventus into fourth place in the Italian Serie A. Napoli went level with the champions on 66 points, but leapfrogged them in the standings due to their superior goal difference, as the two sides’ head-to-head record is even.

Third-placed AC Milan also have 66 points but face Lazio

Pinnick’s Plaudits for Falode, NWFL after ‘Fabulous’ Super Six Tournament President of the Nigeria Football Federation and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick has heaped plaudits on the Chairman of the Nigeria Women Football League, Aisha Falode and her board for the excellent organization of the just-concluded Super 6 Tournament held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

“I must commend Aisha (Falode) and her board for the

Aisha Falode...commended for doing good job with the NWFL

efforts that went into putting up such a showpiece. It was a fabulous event in all facets and I believe the NWFL as a whole deserve our praise. I was there and saw large parts of it and I was truly impressed,” said Pinnick, who is also a highranking Member of the CAF Executive Committee.

Perennial champions Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt clinched a place in the WAFU B play-off for the incipient CAF Women Champions League by crushing Sunshine Queens of Akure 4-0 in one of Sunday’s two final games, edging Delta Queens of Asaba and FC Robo of Lagos who ended their encounter that happened simultaneously 1-1.

“Admittedly, we need to do even more for women’s football in this country because as I always insist, the women deserve more attention having won as many as nine African titles for the country. It is no mean feat.”

CONFED CUP

Enyimba Set to Host Orlando Pirates in Aba After much consultations and deliberations, it’s now confirmed that Nigeria’s last team standing in continental campaign this season, Enyimba international, will host their counterparts from South Africa Orlando Pirates in the CAF Confederation Cup clash at the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba. Just before the Match-day four clash against Al Ahli Benghazi of Libya, there were speculations on where the People’s Elephant will play the final group game.

Due to the Covid 19 restrictions, the Nigeria Presidential Task force (PTF) insisted that the match may

not take place in Nigeria, and to be be taken to a neighbouring country.

After the 1-0 defeat Enyimba suffered in Libya,the two-time African champions returned to Nigeria not sure where the final group game will take place.

However, it was confirmed on Monday morning that the match has finally being agreed to be played at the Enyimba international Stadium in Aba on Wednesday.

The hosts need an outright victory to secure passage to the knockout round while Just a draw will be enough for Pirates to pick the knockout stage ticket.

Anosike Elected IBB Golf Club Captain Olawale Ajimotokan

Senator Emmanuel Anosike has emerged the new Captain of IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

He was elected at the club’s Annual General Meeting held over the weekend to install a new committee to mastermind the running of the golf section for the next 12 months.

He took over the reins from the immediate past Captain, Mr Sola Awoyungbo.

Mike Ekoja was elected the Vice Captain while Mary-Rose Richard-Obioha emerged as the Lady Captain.The new Course

Officer is Ubong Akpan.

Julius Fadairo was elected the Competition and Caddy Secretary while Bayo Ogunwumiju was elected the House and Maintenance Officer.

Hon Mike Nwachukwu is the Social and Welfare Officer.

Anosike thanked members of the golf section for placing the affairs of one of country’s leading golf clubs in his trust.

He assured the club’s stakeholders he would lead a committee that will meet the expectations of the members and corporate bodies.

late last night, while Atalanta in second are two points further ahead in a close race for Champions League qualification.

Bakayoko fired home a swerving shot from the edge of the box after 11 minutes, and Napoli had their second two minutes later when Osimhen’s effort was deflected into the bottom corner.

The visitors came close to making the win more comfortable as Piotr Zielinski and Lorenzo Insigne efforts rattled the post either side of the break, before Torino midfielder Rolando Mandragora picked up a second yellow card late on.

Torino remain 16th with 31 points, level with Cagliari and Benevento below them, but Davide Nicola’s side have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte believes his side are 95 per cent of the way to winning their first Serie A title since 2010 following victory over Hellas Verona on Sunday.

Matteo Darmian came off the bench to seal a 1-0 win at San Siro that left the Nerazzurri 13 points clear of AC Milan and Juventus at the top of the table.

Inter have 79 points from 33 games, with Milan and Juve on 66, although their city rivals have

a game in hand.

“I see 95 per cent of the Scudetto conquered,” Conte told Sky Italia. “It has not been achieved yet.

“But winning against a team that had nothing to lose and came to play openly brings us not three, not six, but nine points,” he added, emphasising the importance of the win.

An Inter triumph would end Juve’s nine-year stranglehold on the league title, a run that 51-year-old Conte started as coach in Turin between 2011 and 2014.

The Milanese club drew backto-back games against Napoli and Spezia before the Verona

win extended their unbeaten league run to 17 matches.

“At this point the ball starts to weigh more, because for many of these players it is the first time they have been this high,” Conte said.

“After two great performances against Napoli and Spezia, we won and created different situations. It is inevitable that in situations where you are in front of the goalkeeper, the ball becomes heavier.

“Winning this year means becoming a winner, and that is very important. Let’s not forget that the others are losing points, while we are not.

Victor Osimhen (left) racing away in celebration after scoring Napoli’s second goal in the 2-0 defeat of Torino... yesterday

Record-chasing Tuchel Leads Chelsea into Real Madrid’s Den Chelsea are in Spain for the The Champions League veterans first leg of their Champions proved their credentials once League semi-final tie against more in the quarter-finals with Real Madrid this evening. a dominant 3-1 aggregate win Thomas Tuchel is looking over Liverpool. to guide Chelsea to an historic Chelsea now have a serious season in his first campaign chance to claim Champions with the club, having defeated League success for the first Manchester City to reach the time since 2012, where they FA Cup final, while breezing won their one and only title. past Porto in the quarter-finals Meanwhile, Madrid last reached to reach the Champions League the semi-finals in 2018, when final-four. they went on to lift the cup.

Madrid also have their work E There is also some added steel cut out for them domestically, to the impending counter, with currently sat second and two Madrid president Florentino points behind Atletico Madrid Perez still adamant that all 12 in the race for the La Liga title. European Super League clubs

remain tied to the proposal, while Chelsea quickly reversed their decision to join and Roman Abramovic has since issued an apology to the fans.

Chelsea are coming into their crucial fixture against Madrid with close to the entirety of their squad available to Tuchel.

The notable exception is that of Matte Kovacic, who will miss the first leg having struggled with a muscle injury as of late.

Madrid have been handed a major boost with the return of Toni Kroos, who has missed their last three matches as a precautionary measure.

Additionally, Eden Hazard could be in line to face his former club, having made a 15-minute cameo in Madrid’s draw with Real Betis on Saturday.

Zidane will be without Ferland Mendy, however, with the full-back struggling with a calf problem. Meanwhile, captain Sergio Ramos is reportedly targeting a return for the second leg.

Chelsea have enjoyed a dominant campaign in the Champions League this season, conceding just three goals and scoring 19 in their 10 matches played.

Obaseki Congratulates Kamaru Usman for Retaining UFC Title Adibe EmenyonuinBeninCity The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has congratulated UFC Welterweight Champion, Kamaru Usman, for retaining the coveted UFC 261 welterweight title.

Usman who is indigene

of Auchi in Edo State at the weekend defeated his rival, Jorge Masvidal in a rematch with a vicious second-round knockout, to retain the UFC welterweight championship, putting his name on the short list of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Obaseki, in a statement in Benin City, celebrated the undisputed champion for his agility, vigour and confidence, commending him for always showcasing the indomitable Edo spirit to the world.

He said: “I congratulate our own Kamaru Usman for retaining

his title as the undisputed welterweight champion of UFC. The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ once again shines brightly as an Edo Star, showcasing the indomitable Edo spirit to the world.

“We are proud of his achievements and wish him more victories in his career.”

Iheanacho Again Rescues Leicester with Late Winner Kelechi Iheanacho moved Leicester City closer to Champions League qualification as he scored the winning goal that gave the Foxes all three points in the 2-1 defeat of Crystal Palace last night.

Wilfried Zaha put the visitors ahead after only 12 minutes, with a firsttime finish following a fine through ball from Eberechi

Eze. But Timothy Castagne equalised for the Foxes within five minutes of the second half by firing the ball into the roof of the net after being set up by Kelechi Iheanacho.

Palace nearly retook the lead but a superb sliding challenge from Jonny Evans denied Christian Benteke what would have been a tap-in into an unguarded

goal.

That missed chance proved crucial as Iheanacho scored his 12th goal in nine games, when he cut inside on to his left foot and blasted the ball past goalkeeper Vicente Guaita for a late winner.

The result leaves the Foxes third in the Premier League, but takes them seven points clear of fifth-placed West Ham with five matches to go.

Leicester, who have also reached the FA Cup final for the first time since 1969, have only played in the European Cup or Champions League once, reaching the quarter-finals in 2016-17 after winning the Premier League the previous season.

Their run-in includes games against Manchester United in second, Chelsea in fourth and Tottenham in seventh.

Tuesday April 27, 2021

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& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Niger Gov to FG

“I have been engaging the federal government and unfortunately it has gotten to this stage and if care is not taken even Abuja is not safe. We have been saying this for long and all efforts have been in vain” – Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, raising an alarm that Boko Haram in his state.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

‘Country Hard, Scatter Scatter… Jaga Jaga’

“

Omo, wetin dey shele. What’s gwan man?”

“Helloooo. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, my bro” “Can you speak English? I don’t get your drift. All these your what’s gwan, and yeah, yeah, I hope you have not gone to take your thing again. If you want to engage me in a conversation, then speak straight English and stop saying yeah, yeah….”

“Bros, you sef, you too dey do. Who cares anymore in this country?” “Ï do” “This country don kpeme” “What is that?”

“Country no level” “Excuse me?” “Ëverything don scatter scatter, Nigeria don jaga jaga. Na where we dey be that oh” “Ï see you are a fan of Eedris Abdulkareem.

Festus Keyamo will soon come after you. Have you not seen how Keyamo came after the musician for attacking and ridiculing the Buhari government?

He exposed the young man as a hypocrite who is criticizing government because Keyamo did not give him money to pay his hotel bills and his mother’s hospital bills too. All these your social critics by day, and hustlers by night.”

“Na lie. Eedris sef don reply Keyamo. And Twitter don remove Keyamo’s tweets.”

“Please. Please. If you insist on speaking pidgin, I will end this conversation. I don’t engage in beer parlour talk.” “Änd who told you pidgin English is beer parlour English. It is a major West African lingua franca.

A major contribution by colonized peoples to the evolution of the English language. It represents the Empire speaking back whether you call it patois, creole or pidgin. But let’s leave that matter.

I think we should go beyond Keyamo vs Eedris Abdulkareem. This is not about personalities, really.

Eedris begged for money. Keyamo did not give him.

Eedris asked to be sponsored to support the Buhari campaign. Keyamo thought he was an extortionist.

Fine. I don’t want to focus on personalities. I am happy for Eedris Abdulkareem. He has been off the musical scene for a while. Now that he has dropped just one album, everywhere is shaking.

We should focus on the message of his music.

Eedris Abdulkareem has shown a capacity to use music as a weapon of protest. The rebuttal by Keyamo is just an aside.”

“Festus Keyamo also has a right to defend himself.

He was accused of being a member of the cabal.” “Änd what is the problem if Eedris says so.

He merely stated the obvious. In fact, it is a compliment to be referred to as a member of the cabal in Nigeria. Isn’t that what all of you want to become? Common Keyamo wey all of us dey chop rice and dodo together for Anthony Village don become Nigeria cabal. Him suppose dey happy.

Him suppose know say Eedris dey do him own cabal job too with his music. Instead, he begin talk about money wey no miss.. He even publish text messages sef dey sound like say heaven wan fall.

Er begi. Because of how much? A whole Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”

“Can you translate that into correct English, please?”

“Dey there dey form. I think this Ikoyi wey you dey go everyday don dey affect you. You no dey hear our slang again. Whatever Eedris Abdulkareem did right or wrong in the past should not be held against him. That is what I am saying.

Simple. He was a young man when he begged for money and asked to be mobilized to support Buhari. Like Isa Pantami, the Sheik Minister of the Federal Republic, he has now recanted. He has seen the light. And he has conveyed his position through music. Jaga Jaga Reloaded. We should listen to him. He should be allowed to have his say.

Na today? When Eedris released the original Jaga Jaga album in 2004, the Obasanjo administration

Eedris was so angry, they banned the song on radio.”

“So what is he saying this time around?”

“I will advise you to listen to the song. My kind of music. Yes, you may listen to all these artistes who do techno music. Sound without sense. But I prefer music that makes sense. Eedris is simply saying that the country is hard. This country is hard. Nothing has changed since 2004. In fact, the situation in Nigeria has worsened. President Obasanjo may have been angry with Eedris Abdulkareem in 2004, but today, Obasanjo is a Nigerian hero.

Seventeen years later, Obasanjo’s Nigeria looks in retrospect like a shade of Paradise for the average Nigerian. And so in this remake of Jaja Jaga, Eedris Abdulkareem calls Obasanjo his father because him sef know say country don change.

He collaborates with Mr. Raw, and Madarocha Chi to sing about bad governance, police brutality, the October 20, 2020 moment of crisis at the Lekki toll gate and the suffering in the land. He calls for restructuring and federalism. He speaks for us.

Jaga jaga eh, suffer, suffer eh.. everything scatter scatter eh… Yeah mon.”

“Hmm. Hmm.” “You get the point now?”

“To be honest, Ï get the point. Eedris Abdulkareem, Mr Raw and Madarocha are speaking for the Soro Soke (Speak Up) generation. But I hope Eedris will not again suffer his 2004 fate. Radio stations could be banned from playing the song. But I guess he and his collaborators are right. Nigeria is in a tough place at the moment. Can you imagine what happened over the weekend? Governors of the South East and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo had to meet to discuss how the Governors of the South East, all five of them can be protected from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the group’s militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). When state Governors, who are constitutionally described as Chief Security Officers of their states are no longer safe, then what can ordinary people do?”

“Ordinary people have become victims of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, ritualists, and scammers.

Once upon a time in this country, criminals used to steal money and personal belongings. Today, in Buhari’s Nigeria, it has become more profitable to steal human beings! Nobody is safe. I won’t be surprised if one of these days, a sitting Governor is abducted and the state is asked to pay ransom before he is released.” “Ï want to guess that the first Governor that is likely to be kidnapped will be Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State” “Why? Do you hate the man that much? No. I cover him with the blood of Jesus” “Cover him as much as you want. Have you not seen the statement by IPOB and ESN? After the killing of Ikonte Commander, the Vice President of IPOB, and six others, at Aworama Village, Emma Powerful, speaking for IPOB and ESN issued a statement accusing Governor Uzodimma of colluding with the Nigeria Police, the military and State Security Services to kill their men. Extra-judicially.

The same day, Uzodinma’s country home was set ablaze. His expensive Rolls Royce vehicle was damaged. One of his security guards was killed.

He was told he should be prepared for the IPOB sting. I wonder how the man can still govern Imo State going forward.”

“He will govern, I beg. Which Emma Powerful?

Have you not heard that Channels TV has been suspended by the National Broadcasting Commission because they interviewed this same Emma Powerful?

What power does he have? Some people should not be allowed to go about just causing problems no matter how hard the country is” “Channels TV? No, I missed that. But if it is true, that’s pure rubbish. Are we in a dictatorship regime?”

“You can ask me again. They say it is a democracy” “I don’t support any attempt to harass and intimidate the media. The job of the media is to air all shades of opinion. It is in the interest of the government that the media does so. It is the best way to collect and curate open intelligence.

No media house should ever be punished for promoting the democracy of opinions. When a government begins to repress public opinion, it is a sign of desperation and confusion. The NBC may have been misquoted.” “Ï don’t think so.”

“But as you well know, we have been through this route before. Media houses in Nigeria are used to the adversarial character of government and state actors. Since 1859 in fact. But somehow, you can treat the media whichever way you like, the truth is that journalists will always outlive every government. They will be the ones to have the last say. They can build you up, but they can also pull you down. I advise the NBC to apply its rules with caution and wisdom. Things are bad enough, adding media repression to the Nigerian crisis is unhelpful.”

“But it is your brothers and friends that are in charge”” “Ï am not discussing personalities. Let’s focus on issues.”

“I hear you. But there are also people who think the Nigerian media is part of the problem.

Journalists are always putting pepper and salt in everything. Country hard like this. Journalists go dey put petrol. Too much sensationalism.

Government’s position is that the media should help government. But no. They will go and carry enemies of the state and put microphone in their mouths. I am sure if Shekau the terrorist wants to grant interview tomorrow or announce a World Conference, Nigerian journalists will be the first to get there. They will carry microphone and say they are doing their job.”

“News is news. News is what happens.

Government has no right to determine what is news. You can’t blame journalists for doing their work. And don’t forget that the role of the media is constitutional. Sections 22 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution recognise the rights of the media as watchdog, and the citizen’s fundamental right of free speech. So, whatever Emma Powerful says, let the government deal with it. Why are they fining and suspending Channels TV? How about Igbere TV where more critical statements are made on a daily basis? Even Igbere TV should be allowed to serve the people without hindrance.”

“But all of that should be within the ambits of the law. No country will allow a lawless media institution. That is the whole point about regulation.”

“The whole point is about freedom of speech” “There are no absolute rights” “That is not what we are dealing with here.

Musicians cannot sing. Journalists cannot speak to people. Where are we? Idi Amin Dada’s Uganda?

“You want to hear the truth?”

“What truth?”

“The truth is that the Nigerian government does not respect, and does not trust the Nigerian media.

They think most Nigerian journalists are like Eedris Abdulkareem. Friend today. Enemy tomorrow.

Too many journalists looking for contracts, and money, running from one government office to the other to grab consultancies, or brown envelopes, or handouts. And yet they talk to enemies of the state.”

“That is libelous. You can get sued for group libel. People should stop blaming journalists. Fix the country.”

“Come and sue me” “I fear for Nigeria” “Ï pity my country” “My big fear is even the fact that Nigeria is now surrounded by a ring of evil. There is crisis in Chad.

Their president Idris Deby Itno is dead. There is very febrile succession politics in that country. Under Idris Deby Itno, Chad provided some kind of buffer zone for Nigeria, Libya and the Sahel region. If that country implodes, Nigeria will be in serious trouble. The Libya-nization of Chad will add to our woes. Niger is also unstable. Nigeria may have helped to install a new President in that country but we can suffer for doing so, particularly with the dubious role France is playing in Chad and Niger. Cameroon next door is also troubled. The Republic of Benin is another zone of uncertainty.

We have trouble at home. We have crisis abroad.”

“Let’s deal with the trouble at home first.”

“You don’t see the connection?” “Ï am not blind. I see it. But let our leaders begin charity at home before they begin to worry about other people’s problems. The big problem with Nigeria is that we tend to take pain-killers for other people’s problems while overlooking the cancer at home. Who does that? This is how you people send policemen to Somalia to help stabilize Somalia whereas there is no stability at home. We go everywhere giving others what we don’t have at home. We even refine petrol abroad and set up refineries in other people’s countries.

I don’t get it.”

“What you don’t get is that the world is now a village.”

“I am not into slogans. I understand the point about global solidarity. But nobody should take Nigerian money to go and stabilise Niger and Chad or create employment in other countries.”

“We are the giant of Africa” “Hey, Hey. Mr Giant. In one part of your country, the entire North West, 618 schools have been shut down in five states because of the lack of safety in schools. Many students do not want to go back to school. Over 10, 000 students are in Boko Haram captivity according to one Governor from that part of the country. Parents are anxious and depressed. For the past one month, 29 students of the College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna State have been in the custody of bandits.

Three students of Greenville University have been murdered. Two more yesterday. The whereabouts of the remaining 35 who were kidnapped along with them remains unknown. What do you say to their parents? The entire South East is in a state of war. The South West is suddenly at war with the same Hausa-Fulanis who have lived in the region for centuries. Boko Haram has just taken over a whole town. Geidam in Yobe state. Your security chiefs are busy wearing fine uniform in Abuja. Your country’s unemployment rate is 33.3 %. Headline inflation is 18.17%. Food inflation is 23%. Your country is the second most unelectrified country in Africa. My heart aches.”

“Mine too. I have nothing to say other than to quote Chinua Achebe.”

“The problem with Nigeria is leadership” “He also said there was once a country” “So Eedris Abulkareem, the rap artist is right then. Keyamo misses the point.”

“Let’s say the two of them are doing their job.

This life is a hustle. Every man according to his stomach.”

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