TUESDAY 4TH AUGUST 2020

In Divestment Move, Shoprite Shops for Nigerian Investors It’s reflection of business environment, say NECA, LCCI Dike Onwuamaeze and Chris Uba Shoprite Holdings has begun shopping for Nigerian investors to take over operations of its outlets in the

country as the South African parent company yesterday unfolded plans to divest its stake in the local branch.

The parent company had earlier yesterday signified its intention to pull out of

Nigeria, but walked back its decision a few hours later following a rash of reactions, the announcement generated in the business community.

In a follow-up statement yesterday, the group explained

that its divestment plan from its Nigerian subsidiary will not lead to the closure of its business in the country.

However, the group, in a memo to its Nigerian employees dated July 31,

2020, that was signed by the General Manager, Shoprite Group of Companies, Carl Erickson, a copy of which was obtained yesterday, said: “We have identified interested Nigerian investors that share

in this vision and we will now explore various possibilities of making it a reality.”

It stated that the divestment move was to open the business Continued on page 8

Power Gencos Reject Discos’ Demand for Sector-wide Forensic Audit... Page 6 Tuesday 4 August, 2020 Vol 25. No 9248. Price: N250

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Buhari Writes Funtua's Family, Says He was Pillar of Support... Page 5

Malami: Nigeria Won’t Sign off Its Sovereignty for Any Loan Says contentious clause would be resolved Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has allayed concerns over the signing of loan agreements with a clause that waives the sovereign immunity of the country if it defaults in its repayment plan, saying

President Muhammadu Buhari will at all times act in the national interest.

The House of Representatives last week summoned the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and Minister of Communications Continued on page 8

Govs to Meet President over Worsening Insecurity Commiserate with Zulum over convoy attack Chuks Okocha in Abuja The 36 state governors of the federation, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), yesterday expressed concern over the fragile security situation in Nigeria and resolved to meet President Muhammadu Buhari after a meeting of its sub-committee on security, scheduled for today.

The governors, while reacting to last week’s

attack on the convoy of their Borno State counterpart, Prof. Babagana Zulum, by suspected Boko Haram members said they were appalled by the degeneration of security despite the federal government’s efforts.

The governors, who were delighted that Zulum was unhurt in the attack, regretted the injuries sustained by two members of the Civilian Continued on page 8

COMMENDATION SERVICE FOR A PATRIOT...

L-R: Son of the deceased, Justice Obafemi Fasanmi; Secretary to Osun State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji; the Deputy Governor, Mr. Benedict Alabi; and Governor Adegboyega Oyetola during the commendation service for late Senator Ayo Fasanmi in Osogbo…yesterday

Oshiomhole: Stepping on Powerful Toes Cost Me APC Chairmanship... Page 5

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

Oshiomhole: Stepping on Powerful Toes Cost Me APC Chairmanship Lists grouse against Obaseki He is victim of his indiscretion, unholy machinations, gov fires back

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday gave an insight into why he lost his seat as the party's chief superintendent.

Fielding questions when he featured on the Morning Show, the flagship breakfast programme of ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, Oshiomhole said he stepped on toes of powerful forces in the party, who, in a reprisal, engineered his ouster.

He, however, expressed no regrets over actions he took as APC national chairman, adding that if given a second chance, he would fight the same forces that removed him from office.

Oshiomhole was removed on June 16 after a Court of Appeal judgment ratified the verdict of an Abuja High Court that affirmed his suspension by his ward in Edo State.

His suspension had spawned a bitter leadership contest in APC that saw the emergence of three interim national chairmen within 48 hours.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari, in conjunction with other party leaders, moved in to arrest the party's descent into the precipice by summoning a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party where the decision to dissolve the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, headed by Oshiomhole before his suspension, was reached.

Oshiomhole also listed the alleged sins of his successor as Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to include his alleged failure to stick with the Edo Development Master Plan, the arrest of and jailing of youth leaders and awarding of contracts to non-Edo indigenes for the smallest jobs, among others.

But Obaseki's Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the allegations against his principal and accused the former APC chairman of being a victim of his indiscretion and unholy machinations.

In addition, Oshiomhole said it was President Muhammadu Buhari who invited him to lead the party and seize it from the cabal, which tended to take major decisions, and return it to party members.

On his relationship with top APC chiefs, the former party chairman said he rescued the party from some them and he had no regrets dismantling the political structures of those who felt they were bigger than the APC. He added that he couldn’t condone the actions of an unnamed APC chieftain (then governor) because the chieftain conducted party primaries against the rules of the party even when it was clear that only the national body could do that.

He also mentioned the case of a former Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, who he accused of disrespecting Nigerians by insisting that the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) scheme

was optional and, therefore, he could choose whether to serve or not.

The media had exposed Shittu for dodging the NYSC, a compulsory national service for university and polytechnic graduates not above 30 years as at the time of graduation.

The exposé, coming shortly after that of a former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had triggered a national clamour for Shittu's sacking.

Oshiomhole said he was invited to cleanse the APC by the president, who he said supported him until his decision to sack the NWC of the party, which he said led to his (Oshiomhole’s) removal.

He said: “I have no regrets whatsoever on the decision to sack the NWC, which of course put an end to my chairmanship.

No regrets. The average Nigerian wants strong leadership; they want things to be done differently.

“You don't want a situation where a few people control our political destiny. In trying to democratise and return the party to the party members, you have powerful forces, few in number, but have access to resources. Who will resist that?

“Whether anybody appreciates it or not, between President Muhammadu Buhari and myself, we agreed that we must return APC to APC members and that's why we introduced direct primaries; we produced a membership register.”

Oshiomhole stated that the president backed the decision to change the pattern of conducting party primaries to direct primaries, noting that the decision, which set him against many state governors, was not unilateral.

According to him, “And of course, there were those opposed to direct primaries, but as a compromise, this is something I couldn't really speak to, because at the end of the day, some governors said they wanted indirect and some of us, the president inclusive, said we wanted direct.

“That's why we approved direct primaries for the presidency because indirect primaries, you can't bribe everybody; but with the use of delegates, you can.

“So, if we were going to return, assuming I was going to return to APC tomorrow as chairman, I will sustain some of the radical measures which some people were not happy about.

“I do not want a tenure that is not eventful. I want to drive changes and the slogan of my party is change. If we thought things were perfect, why did we talk about change?

“We must continue to change the way we do things and continue to improve. Just try and do things better. I do not regret the fact, along with my colleagues in the NWC, to disqualify a serving minister who publicly said arrogantly that he didn't do NYSC and that being a minister is a greater service than NYSC. “You know that NYSC is obligatory and to default on it, you cannot hold public office. I am also happy that a governor said to me he is not going to

do primaries somewhere in the South-west.

“That he's going to do his own primaries even when the constitution of APC is so clear that only the NWC can conduct primaries. He went and did his own primaries, we did our own and I insisted that it’s only the one we did in line with the constitution of the APC that will be upheld regardless of the powers behind the other guy.”

The former party chair noted that he stepped on powerful toes, which led to his sack, adding that he will fight the same forces if he had the chance to return.

Oshiomhole said: “Of course, I am aware that when you step on powerful toes, they will fight back, but I had no intention that I was going to be a life chairman.

No. “The person who invited me to bid for that office is the president and I thank him for the support he gave me and his standing fast. I am now in history as the only chairman whom eight ward members out of 24 allegedly suspended and that was the basis for removing someone who was elected in a convention of 7,000 people.

“I decided I wasn't contesting it because of my understanding of loyalty, particularly when you hold the office of trust, whatever has happened belongs to the past and I can't do things differently.

“I have seen some analysts say, comrade ought to know that so so people are powerful, or some governors are powerful, how can I do that? Are the laws made for the powerless?

“In any case, from the age of 18, I had been fighting power. If power is abused, I have asked God to give me the power to confront and defeat power.

Why do I want to survive for survival's sake?

“I put my job on the line even as a daily paid worker, to fight what I considered to be unjust.

But let me assure you that I do not regret anything that we have done because you cannot change Nigeria without offending some powers.”

On the problem between him and Obaseki, Oshiomhole listed the governor’s failure to stick with the Edo development master plan, arrest of and jailing of youth leaders and awarding of contracts to non-Edo indigenes for the smallest jobs as part of the reasons for the fallout.

He also said Obaseki's alleged propensity for violence and his non-possession of requisite academic qualifications made him move against the governor’s re-election bid.

He is Victim of His Indiscretion, Unholy Machinations, Gov

Fires Back But Obaseki dismissed Oshiomhole's allegations, saying “no amount of lies can controvert the fact that Oshiomhole’s political misfortune is self-inflicted.”

A statement issued yesterday by his media aide urged Oshiomhole to be courageous enough to tell Nigerians the truth about the circumstances that led to his removal, adding that bandying lies on national television will not save his drowning political image.

Osagie, who was responding to claims made by Oshiomhole on ARISE News Channel, noted that “contrary to the narrative being advanced by the sacked national chairman that he was a victim of power play, Nigerians who have followed the events that led to Oshiomhole’s ouster closely can attest to the fact that he was a victim of his own indiscretion and unholy machinations.

“In fact, in Edo State, Oshiomhole was the powerful force that millions of Edo people fought against so that the governor could breathe and deliver good governance to them.

“Nigerians know that Oshiomhole was sacked for his gross abuse of power and not the narrative he has been bandying on television. His obsession with power and absolute control of the same drove the APC to a

near catastrophic situation.

“He was elected to build on the achievements of his predecessor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, but he frittered away the enormous goodwill he inherited and embarked on personal battles that cost the APC such states as Zamfara, Sokoto, Oyo and created factions within the National Working Committee of the APC. So it was only natural that the consequences of the strife, crisis and divisions that he caused would come calling someday.

“In Edo State, Oshiomhole turned against Governor Obaseki when the governor failed to yield to his subservience and his grand plot to rule by proxy. He literally invaded the Edo APC and set up parallel structures to hijack it.

His predecessor, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, allowed the state’s structure of the APC to carry out its activities without any interference. To Oshiomhole’s immoderation, Edo State is today a PDP state and we are free from his inanities.

“The former national chairman of the APC mortgaged the internal cohesion of the party, which ought to have been his primary task, for personal interest and set the APC on a roller coaster to disaster, until the president intervened.”

The statement accused Oshiomhole of revisionism by "playing the victim in an event he was the sole protagonist.”

NEW SPENDING PLAN...

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (left), and Majority Leader, House of Assembly, Mr. Martin Amaewhule, during the signing of the revised 2020 Appropriation Bill in Port Harcourt...Monday

Buhari Writes Funtua’s Family, Says He was Pillar of Support Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday wrote a personal letter to the family of the late publisher of Democrats newspaper and businessman, Malam Isma’ila Funtua, describing his demise as a major national loss.

Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said in the letter that his principal wrote in Hausa, he told the bereaved wife, Hajiya Hauwa Funtua, the children and

the entire family members that the loss was not theirs alone, but also that of the entire country.

He said the president disclosed that “Malam Isma’ila was of great assistance to me and my administration. He helped in many ways to strengthen the government and the country before his ultimate demise.”

He also said the president recalled that “in his active politics, Malam Isma’ila served as a minister,” adding that “he was

also a businessman and contractor who built several government buildings in Abuja.”

He quoted the president as saying: “Funtua was a director of Funtua Textile Mills for 30 years and chaired the Zamfara Textile Company.”

On his roles in the media, he noted that “Malam Isma’ila was a life executive member of the Board of the International Press Institute, IPI.” According to the president,

“Nigerians of all shades and backgrounds have nothing but kind words for him,” noting that “late Isma’ila was reputed throughout his life for his kindness, generosity and support for public causes, big and the not so big.”

He urged all those he left behind not to allow division in their ranks and prayed "to Allah to forgive the departed and grant him Aljannatul-Firdaus (Paradise)."

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Power Gencos Reject Discos’ Demand for Sector-wide Forensic Audit Want electricity distributors to stop cash collections

Chineme Okafor in Abuja Power generation companies (Gencos) yesterday faulted the demand by electricity distribution companies (Discos) for an all-inclusive forensic audit of the power sector.

The Gencos explained that the Discos were the only revenue-receiving arm of the sector and as such could not request that other players be audited.

They spoke through their trade association – the Association of Power Generating Companies (APGC).

The Executive Secretary of APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji, stated in a note exchanged with

THISDAY that a system stress test, not forensic audit, should be requested by the Discos.

The Discos had called for an all-inclusive forensic audit as a condition to guarantee their participation in a planned audit of their operations by the federal government and the World Bank.

This also came at a time that the Gencos may have recommended to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to disband the practice of cash collection and multiple payment accounts by the Discos.

The Gencos in a document THISDAY obtained, asked the NERC to institute a uniform

Ogun Cancels COVID-19 Test Requirement for Returning Students Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday dismissed a festering rumour that it had imposed a COVID-19 test levy on graduating students resuming in the state.

The governor, in a statement in Abeokuta, said the test, aimed at safeguarding lives in the schools, would instead, be provided free of charge by his administration.

While admitting that the cost of undergoing the COVID-19 test is capital-intensive, especially for the less-privileged, he said his administration had resolved, from the outset, to bear the cost of the test, in the overall interest of the masses.

He noted that the virulence of the disease particularly underscored the shutting of schools, worship centres and social gatherings, for months.

Abiodun said: "The state has been very apprehensive about the issue of school opening, even for exit students.

"Data from other countries, where schools have resumed, show that community transmission in school environments is a major concern.

"Even countries with stronger healthcare facilities than ours are being very cautious.

"In line with the Federal Ministry of Education recommendation and WASSCE timetable, we decided to open our schools on the 4th August 2020 for SS3 students only.

"We also put in place guidelines that would ensure that our students resume in a safe environment.

"In our pre-opening engagements with stakeholders, opening of boarding houses was discussed.

"Our state has one of the largest population of boarding students in the country, coming from all over the country. After consultations with health professionals, we concluded that testing the children for COVID-19 before admittance will reduce the risk of community transmission.

"This is to reassure parents and even teachers of the safety of everybody concerned."

He added that there was no mercantilism intended in making the COVID-19 test compulsory in schools in the state as the ravaging effects of the virus had shaken the world community to its foundations.

He noted that it was on this premise that his administration insisted that the COVID-19 test must be carried out for all resuming students, amidst high consideration also, for the disruption to their academic progression.

"The state planned and provided testing, free of charge, for boarding students in our public schools and allowed for the management and parents of private schools to make their arrangements to get COVID tests.

"The two Ogun State-run laboratories have a capacity for about 500 tests a day and conduct free tests for traced contacts or symptomatic patients.

"To meet the additional demand for the expected number of boarding students, the statement from the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology listed some private test centres which set up sampling points in some of our health facilities.

"These private laboratories have been accredited by the NCDC and the Lagos State Government for walk-in tests and charge N50,400 per test; but I understand that the Ministries of Health and Education negotiated this to N25,000 for boarding students in private schools that may wish to use them.

"There is no financial benefit to the state government," the governor added.

He said after reviewing these developments, he had directed that the government laboratories carry out test for all returning SS3 boarding students at no cost.

"I have also directed that all those who had paid for tests be refunded.

payment platform to track the industry’s revenue inflow.

However, Ogaji in response to the Discos, said: “Discos' call for a sector-wide forensic audit is laughable; they collect and keep the market’s monies. The Gencos don’t do that, so why do they ask for everyone to be involved in the planned forensic audit?”

“Forensic audit is about financial propriety, not operational activities. What are they afraid of? Why are they in court to stop the process?

“If they call for a system stress test, to show the capacities of each participants in the market, then it is understandable. In fact, that is what the sector needs now. Let the Gencos, Discos and TCN show the capacities they all claim to have. How can you forensically audit me when I don’t collect market money?”

But to engender a transparent business environment that facilitates and supports NERC’s regulatory oversight functions, the Gencos recommended the development of a platform

for financial performance benchmarking.

They explained that a proposed platform - Revenue Stream Audit Paradigm (TRAP), would be a methodology that would ensure, in the first instance, that multiple revenue accounting by the Discos is eliminated.

TRAP, according to the Gencos, will equally seek to benchmark energy delivered against revenue collected as a measurement of revenue collection efficiency of the Discos.

“This ostensibly will enable a locked-step approach, from a tariff perspective, towards the determination of revenue requirements for the Discos.

TRAP, therefore, seeks to institutionalise transparency as a core paradigm in Disco revenue accounting and reporting. TRAP also presents an opportunity for the development of a national e-payment portal through which customers can pay for services online.

“Currently, the Discos utilise

multiple payment platforms for services, including payment for energy consumed. This has resulted in the creation of multiple accounting streams for the different payment channels.

This presents a loophole for unscrupulous operators to divert and hence under-report revenue inflows,” the Gencos stated.

They said some of the identified payment channels operated by most of the Discos included analogue meter bill cash payments through the Disco cash offices, analogue meter bill cash payments through designated banks, estimated bill cash payment through the Disco cash offices, estimated bill cash payments through designated banks, online payments and prepayment meter token cash payments through the Disco vending stations.

“It is estimated that about 60 per cent of all revenues by the Discos is through direct cash payments by customers. These payments are thereafter lodged into dedicated accounts as may

be determined by the Discos. It is, therefore, the prerogative of the Discos to declare the extent of account holding in any of the banks.

“To eliminate this seeming loophole, TRAP will ensure that all payments for electricity usage shall be through the banks only - a specialised teller payment system to be institutionalised for all categories of customers, all existing bank accounts held by the Discos to be closed.

“All Discos to open TRAPdedicated accounts in all the banks, no Disco shall be permitted to receive cash payments or lodge same by itself into any of the banks “All commercial banks to be status-barred from receiving payments into or operating any other form of account holding for the Discos other than the approved TRAP accounts.

Bank tellers to be situated in all hitherto Disco cash collection points. Accounting at these points will henceforth be through a teller system,” the document noted.

READY FOR BATTLE...

Olososo of Ososo, Oba Anslem Adeloro Obaitan (left), Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, during a courtesy visit to the Olososo, after the inauguration of his re-election campaign in Ososo, Edo State…yesterday

Elumelu Demands Apology over Alleged N41bn Fraud Gives seven-day ultimatum to Senate committee chairman Deji Elumoye in Abuja Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, has given a seven-day ultimatum to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public petition, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, to retract a statement credited to him linking the banker and the UBA to a N41billion fraud allegation.

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Mr. Lawal Rabana and Ms. Oluwakemi Balogun, who are lawyers to Elumelu, in a letter to the senator threatened to sue the lawmaker if he fails to retract the statement and publicly apologise to Elumelu within seven days over his fraud allegation.

“We have our client’s further instruction to take all appropriate legal actions against Senator Akinyelure and his media agents if our above-stated demand is not met within seven days of their receipt of our demand letter,” Elumelu's lawyers said.

The lawyers added that they were appalled by the deliberate peddling of falsehood and misinformation against an unblemished personal and business reputation, painstakingly built over several decades with great personal sacrifice and unquestionable integrity.

According to the lawyers, “It is important to emphasise that when UBA appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, attention was drawn

to the fact that the facts and circumstances leading to the disputes on the alleged financial indebtedness was pending before the Supreme Court in SC/CV/112/2020.

It was resolved that given the pendency of the matter at the Supreme Court, it was subjudice and all actions on the matter be suspended.

“It is shocking and sacrilegious that a matter pending at the apex court could be subjected to debate contrary to the Rules of the Senate and by extension, the principle of law that when a matter is subjudice, it should not be subjected to debate before a decision is reached by the court.

"The publication ascribed to Senator Ayo Akinyelure is in total disregard of the Rules of Senate and the rule of law.”

The lawyers, therefore, demanded an immediate open, public and unreserved retraction of the statements credited to Akinyelure as well as an apology from him for "this false allegation and defamation" of their client.

Akinyelure was reported to have claimed that Elumelu, who is also the Chairman of Tony Elumelu Foundation and the Heirs Holding Group, was indicted in a N41 billion naira fraud when he was the managing director of the bank.

Acting on a petition by counsel to NITEL, J.U Ayogu and Co, the Senate Committee had summoned the Group Managing Director ( GMD) and Chief Executive Officer, CEO of UBA, Kennedy Uzoka, to appear before the committee tomorrow.

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PAGE EIGHT MALAMI: NIGERIA WON’T SIGN OFF ITS SOVEREIGNTY FOR ANY LOAN and Digital Economy, Alhaji

Isa Pantami, over a loan agreement with China, which contained the waiver clause.

Article 8(1) of the commercial loan agreement signed between Nigeria and Export-Import Bank of China, according to the House of Representatives, concedes Nigeria’s sovereignty to China.

The lawmakers had picked holes in the $400 million loan agreement for Nigeria National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure Backbone Phase II Project, signed in 2018.

The provocative clause in the agreement, reportedly signed by Federal Ministry of Finance (borrower) on behalf of Nigeria and the Export-Import Bank of China (lender) on September 5, 2018, provides that “the borrower hereby irrevocably waives any immunity on the grounds of a sovereign or otherwise for itself or its property in connection with any arbitration proceeding pursuant to Article 8(5), thereof with the enforcement of any arbitral award pursuant thereto, except for the military assets and diplomatic assets.”

However, responding to THISDAY inquiry yesterday, Malami, said there was

nothing to worry about on the matter, saying the federal government will always act in the best interest of the country. ‘’The point of note, as per waiver of immunity is concerned, is the fact that it could either be an immunity of sovereignty of a nation or in the alternative waiver of sovereignty as it relates to a contractual obligation, which in effect entitled a party to the contract to have their contractual right enforced on the assets of a sovereign state simpliciter, without affecting the sovereignty of a nation in its own right,’’ the minister stated.

The minister added that in addition to ‘’being peopleoriented administration,” the federal government is committed to the rule of law, including respect to the international conventions and extant laws in its dogged determination to guard Nigeria's sovereignty and its territorial independence and integrity in improving the welfare of Nigerians. ‘’As you might be aware, relevant ministries and agencies will make presentations and receive inputs at National Assembly sessions in order to deliberate on the matter. ‘’Contentious issues will not only be addressed,

but other implications will be analysed with a view to making informed decisions in the best interest of the country and for the betterment of Nigerians,’’ he stated.

Anxieties mounted at the weekend when the National Assembly summoned the ministers to appear before it on August 17 to explain their action.

Some critics, including Atiku, had agreed with the legislators at the weekend that the clause was capable of mortgaging the sovereignty of Nigeria, saying it exposes Nigeria to the fate of Zambia, which signed a similar loan agreement with China and has now lost some of its national assets to the Asian country on default of repayment.

THISDAY had reported that China in 2018 had taken over Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) over loan default and had commenced talks with the Zambian government to take control of Zambia’s national electricity company, ZESCO, and the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Lusaka, owing to the inability of Zambia to meet its loan repayment promises to the Asian country.

According to data from the China Africa Research

Initiative (CARI) at Johns Hopkins University, Zambia had accumulated loans from China totalling almost $6.4 billion as of December 2017.

To avoid that experience, some senior lawyers have called on the National Assembly to compel the president to submit to both chambers all agreements signed with China to enable experts to vet them, saying the contract might not have been signed with the input of experts.

However, Amaechi had warned that the Chinese authorities might not sign the $5.3 billion Ibadan-Kano rail line loan if the lawmakers continued to investigate the agreement.

He had also explained that the clause ‘waiving sovereignty’ in the loan agreement between Nigeria and China was only a contract term, a sovereign guarantee that assures payback according to the terms and conditions of any loan.

Meanwhile, the APC and PDP yesterday traded words over an allegation by Atiku

that the loan agreement amounted to mortgaging of Nigeria’s sovereignty.

In its reaction to Atiku’s claim, the APC described the statement by the former vice president as unintelligent and pedestrian.

The ruling party said as Amaechi had explained, the guarantee clause in the loan deals was standard irrespective of the country granting the loan.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, in a statement, therefore, called on the PDP to explain to Nigerians the status of the failed $460 million Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) awarded in August 2010 by the PDP administration.

He recalled that the failed CCTV installation project was initiated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and awarded in August 2010 by his successor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s, administration to help security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory check the growing insecurity.

Nabena said since the agreement was signed, Nigeria had been servicing the loan to China without being able to attest to the visibility of the CCTV project and unable to

explain the status of the video surveillance project.

He noted that PDP should also explain the over $2 billion China loan the PDP administration took between 2010 and 2013 alone; $16 billion spent on power with no electricity; fuel subsidy rackets; counter-insurgency funds that were diverted and shared to political cronies among other shocking heists.

But in a swift response, the main opposition party said the attempt by the ruling party to trivialise the mortgaging of the nation by raising frivolous allegations against the PDP validated APC's complicity in the pawning of the country to foreign interests.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, stated that APC’s reaction to the people was anti-people and showed a lack of remorse for the wrongdoing of its leaders and government.

"Our party takes exception to the purported challenge by the APC and we counsel the APC to first give account of the N800 billion it claimed to have recovered, as Nigerians have regrettably come to discover that the APC thrives on fraud and corruption," PDP said.

to their colleague’s convoy and prayed for their quick recovery.

“We are appalled by the worsening security situation in the country generally, in spite of all the efforts of the government to end it,” he said.

Zulum was attacked last week by suspected members of a faction of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) in Baga and the incident had fuelled

suspicion of sabotage.

The governor had expressed surprise at the attack on him, saying he was told the area was secured by the military authorities before he embarked on the trip to Baga.

Speaking on Sunday to two of his colleagues, Governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), who represented the Progressives Governors Forum on a

solidarity visit to him, Zulum warned the president of sabotage by those involved in fighting terrorism in the North-east.

He added that this was the reason there is no end in sight yet to the war on in insurgency in the North-east.

He accused some people of trying to frustrate the efforts of the federal government in ending the insurgency, adding that Buhari needs to know the truth.

spoken to the managing director of Shoprite in Nigeria and was told that the multinational retail outfit was not pulling out its investment in the country completely.

The move, he said, was to encourage local investment and partnership in Nigeria.

However, he added that for the company to make this move “is an indication of the state of the operating business environment in the country.”

According to Olawale, if the operating environment were right, the company would not think of divestment.

The Director-General of the LCCI, Dr. Muda Yusuf, said: “This should be of concern because of the signaling effect on investors.

“We need to interrogate this development in more details in order to gain deeper insights into the factors that led to the decision to exit the Nigerian market.”

An official of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), who did not want his name in the print said: “It could not really be because of harsh business environment, but because of the influx of

shopping malls with cheaper and better products.

“Shoprite has been in the country since 2005 and you recall there was a time that its malls were experiencing long queues. It is no longer so today,” he stated.

APC, PDP Trade Words over Alleged Mortgaging of Nigeria’s Sovereignty

GOVS TO MEET PRESIDENT OVER WORSENING INSECURITY Joint Task Force (CJTF) and

a police officer attached to the governor’s convoy and prayed for their quick recovery.

Their position was contained in a letter of solidarity written to Zulum by the NGF’s Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

Fayemi said the NGF’s National Executive (NEC) Sub-committee on Security had scheduled a meeting for today following which

it plans to meet with Buhari and the service chiefs to “discuss this worrisome and rapidly degenerating situation.”

Part of the letter reads: “On behalf of the 36 state governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the NGF, I write to express our solidarity with you and the people of Borno State, following the attack last Wednesday, by gunmen suspected to be members of

the Boko Haram sect,” he said, adding: “This is one unwarranted attack too many. It epitomises our collective vulnerability and the fragility of the country’s security architecture.”

He said although the governor emerged from the incident unscathed, they noted with regret the injuries sustained by two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and a police officer attached

IN DIVESTMENT MOVE, SHOPRITE SHOPS FOR NIGERIAN INVESTORS

to Nigerian investors.

“The expansion of the food retail business in Nigeria to a greater consumer market should remain everybody’s shared vision. It has, however, become apparent that the best manner in which to do this is by engaging Nigerian investors who share in this vision.

“In so doing, we will be creating a truly Nigerian business run and owned by Nigerians for the Nigerian market,” it explained.

However, as the news of the divestment plan broke yesterday, the share price of Shoprite Holdings rose by over 11 per cent.

The company had unveiled plans to divest its majority stake from its Nigerian subsidiary, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, 15 years after it entered the country, in a statement titled: “Operational and Voluntary Trading Update (52 Weeks Ended June 28, 2020), obtained yesterday.

The company owns more than 2,800 outlets across Africa.

“Following approaches from various potential investors and in line with our re-evaluation of the

group’s operating model in Nigeria, the board has decided to initiate a formal process to consider the potential sale of all, or a majority stake, in Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Shoprite International Limited.

“As such, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited may be classified as discontinued operation when Shoprite reports its results for the year. Any further updates will be provided to the market at the appropriate time,” the company said.

It added that its international supermarkets (excluding Nigeria) contributed 11.6 per cent to the group’s sales and reported 1.4 per cent decline in sales from 2018. But the South African operations contributed 78 per cent of overall sales and saw 8.7 per cent rise for the year.

It stated that despite difficult circumstances occasioned by the COVID-19 lockdown and accompanying regulations governing trade, transport and operations, the group increased total sale of merchandise for the 52-week to June 28, 2020 (including

the impact of hyperinflation in the prior year), by 6.4 per cent to approximately R156.9 billion.

“The Shoprite group remained committed to meeting the demands of our customers, whilst focusing on value and remaining solution-oriented.

This was evidenced, inter alia, by our digital voucher innovation, ongoing private label development and the conversation of our Checkers Food Services (CFS) business to include a consumer-facing offering.

“In addition, the rapid scaling of our innovative Checkers Sisty60 digital shopping application, which after a test phase introduction in November 2019, was operational from 87 stores nationwide by June 2020,” it added.

According to the company, as a group, its initiatives pertaining to inventory and capital management began early in its financial year and carried on unabated despite the nationwide lockdown, adding that from a liquidity management standpoint, the group has “managed to meaningfully improve the financial position since reporting in February 2020

on our first-half results.”

Shoprite launched its business in Nigeria in December 2005 and has expanded its stores across the country, employing more than 2,000 people, many of whom are Nigerian.

It operates about 20 outlets in no fewer than 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nigeria.

It’s Reflection of Business Environment, Say NECA, LCCI The Organised Private Sector (OPS) has, however, described the plan by South Africa’s supermarket retailer to divest from the country as a reflection of the Nigerian business environment.

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said the decision by the multinational retail outfit was a reflection of the state of the business environment in the country.

Reacting to the announcement, the DirectorGeneral of NECA, Mr. Timothy Olawale, told THISDAY that he had

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COMMENT

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

NDDC AND THE NIGER DELTA YOUTH

Selky Kile Torughedi writes that the youths should ensure that the money allocated to the region is judiciously used

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ecent events and developments of the past two weeks as regards the financial inquest of the NDDC and the subsequent revelations during the live probe by the National Assembly must have come as a rude shock to many Niger Deltans and Nigerians, thus leaving a distasteful reality of the current situation we’ve found ourselves.

The monumental sleaze and rape of the commission as revealed by the probe panel, was a pain too heavy to fathom; leaving me aghast for most of the proceedings. It is instructive to note that the NDDC was birthed and bequeathed to the Niger Delta region after several years of fierce agitations with the Nigerian state, in a bid to usher in fairness and equity aimed toward a massive developmental blueprint for its overall development.

Notwithstanding the loss of lives and the many casualties in the struggle for a better society, their efforts have been torn into shreds by those originally saddled with the responsibility of overseeing to its development in connivance with non-Niger Deltans to the detriment of the region. Suffice it to say that those who are currently at the helm of managing affairs of the commission never participated nor paid any price in the struggle, but are yet the most beneficial from the sweat and blood of others martyred in the cause of the struggle.

It must be made unequivocally clear, that none of those in the current management board of the commission and their counterparts in the National Assembly providing oversight functions as committee heads of the NDDC, made any known intervention on behalf of the struggle, but are yet the greatest beneficiaries as revealed.

This anomaly has further jeopardised our collective efforts in the quest for future deliberations on uneven wealth distribution albeit made a laughing stock to other regions of the country. It is quite worrisome and rather unfortunate that despite the huge allocations to the commission, only a handful of persons would decide and dictate our developmental pace as though we’re under a spell or curse as a people.

This brazen plundering of our collective commonwealth by an inconsequential minority in partnership with certain elders from the region and corrupt associates in government, has finally brainwashed our youths and people into believing that our problems are politically orchestrated by enemies from other regions bent on enslaving us further, but rather by our own greedy and evil politicians taking advantage of our docility.

IT IS RATHER UNFORTUNATE THAT DESPITE THE HUGE ALLOCATIONS TO THE COMMISSION, ONLY A HANDFUL OF PERSONS WOULD DECIDE AND DICTATE OUR DEVELOPMENTAL PACE AS THOUGH WE’RE UNDER A SPELL OR CURSE AS A PEOPLE

The hue and cry for an end to our obvious marginalisation by the Nigerian state over the years, and the subsequent agitations for equality in development, gave birth to the setting up of the NDDC, PAP, and the Ministry of Niger Delta with humongous allocations budgeted toward our wellbeing, but yet we remain more impoverished by our lack of consciousness bought for a morsel of bread from our own brothers.

The Niger Delta youth must wake up to the obvious reality that no one else will develop the region save for us collectively. Casting aspersions and blaming other regions for our pitiable fate must be thrown aside whilst dealing with the root causes of our unending underdevelopment. We must begin a conscious audit of our struggles vis -a- vis our developmental indices and begin the process of holding every one accountable no matter how highly placed, as no individual can hold a people determined for their liberation.

Consequently, the idea of pitching us against youths and elders from other tribes and regions must be jettisoned forthwith, as we must be seen to have judiciously managed our own share of the resources and thereafter seeking for interventions as the proverbial Goose that lays the golden egg.

Furthermore, the shocking revelations and bizarre events of the NDDC probe should serve as a wake-up call and an eye opener for all Niger Delta youths, that the government may intervene in our quest for development and wealth distribution promptly, but the onus falls on our shoulders to ensure that these developments are carried out swiftly in line with budgeted allocations.

We must begin to see ourselves as custodians to the collective patrimony of the region, rather than agents for squandering allocations for pecuniary gains at the detriment of our children and the generations yet unborn.

This wake-up call must serve as a reminder that the souls of those who perished since the beginning of the struggle in the 60’s led by Major Isaac Adaka Boro and others up until this moment couldn’t have been in vain.

I’m therefore urging all the youths of the region to remain resolute in their individual and group quest for a better life to our people, and be determined to confront those who have decided to mortgage their future for their personal interest.

High Chief Torughedi, is Chairman, Ex-Agitators Forum, Niger Delta

SERVICE CHIEFS, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND PUBLIC DECORUM ÒÏ ÝÏÜàÓÍÏ ÍÒÓÏÐÝ ËÜÏ ÎÙÓØÑ ÞÒÏÓÜ ÌÏÝÞ ßØÎÏÜ ÞÒÏ ÚÜÏÝÏØÞ ÍÓÜÍß×ÝÞËØÍÏݘ áÜÓÞÏÝ Emma Agu

U

neasy, so goes a popular saying, lies the head that wears the crown.

Never has this saying been more apt than in the case of the current Service Chiefs of the various Services of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. More than ever before, there have been calls for the removal of the Service Chiefs on account of the perceived failure of the Armed Forces to decisively put down the Boko Haram insurgency and other emerging threats in the country. The other often stated reason is that they have exceeded their constitutional tenures. If previous calls for their removal were ignored, the latest call, from the Senate, is seen by some as the height of legislative activism.

Frustration over the activities of the insurgents in the North East as well as the emerging threats posed by armed bandits and other criminal elements in the North West, North Central and other parts of the country is understandable, for several reasons; the most prominent being the loss of innocent lives caused by these criminal elements.

The displacement of thousands of people, the dislocation of economic and social life as well as the spill-over effect on other sections and segments of the society, further fuel the agitation for a change of strategy and, as has been the case, in the leadership of the Armed Forces.

However, in order to put the situation of the country in proper perspective, we must first critically appraise where we are coming from and juxtapose it with the situation today. Prior to the coming on board of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2015, the security situation in the country was quite dire. Attacks by the Boko Haram sect spread beyond the North East even up to Abuja, where the United Nations Building was attacked by suicide bombers. There was also a bomb attack at a Catholic Church in Madalla on the fringes of the Federal Capital Territory. In addition, the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in the Central Area and Banex Plaza in Wuse 2 Abuja were also bombed, while the Nyanya Motor Park was attacked with improvised explosive devices on two separate occasions.

Outside Abuja, the former Emir of Kano was attacked in Kano while Kaduna equally experienced its fair share of bomb attacks. Indeed, the President (then Presidential Candidate) Muhammadu Buhari

himself narrowly escaped death as his vehicle was targeted by Boko Haram suicide bombers while on a trip to Zaria. Similarly, the Bauchi Prison was attacked, with several prisoners freed and others killed by the insurgents.

At a time, the three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa were under a state of emergency.

Furthermore, as at early 2015, the Boko Haram sect was in control of over 14 Local Government Areas in the North East of the country. They had established a Caliphate with Headquarters in Gwoza, where they had killed the Emir and abducted his wife. Furthermore, Bama and other prominent towns were under their total control.

This was after they carried out devastating attacks in Baga, where 185 people were killed and over 2,000 homes destroyed; Banki; Benisheik as well as in Maiduguri where Giwa Barracks and the Nigerian Air Force Base/Maiduguri Airport were attacked with many killed and equipment, including aircraft, destroyed. Yobe and Adamawa States also suffered similarly; recall the horrible attacks on the Government Secondary School in Mamudo and the Federal Government College Buni Yadi, Yobe State that resulted in the death of 25 and 29 children and staff, respectively, subsequently leading to the closure of all schools in the affected states.

Maiduguri was like a ghost town at that time; hardly were prayers held in Mosques, while routine celebrations, like weddings and naming ceremonies, that could have occasioned large gatherings, were suspended for fear of suicide bomb attacks.

Since the current set of Service Chiefs took over the helms of affairs, the Armed Forces, supported by other security agencies, quickly took action to dismantle the Caliphate and ensure the liberation of virtually all territories hitherto occupied by the sect.

Bombings have now become a thing of the past and the activities of the sect mainly curtailed to the fringes of Lake Chad and parts of Sambisa Forest.

As a result, many formerly displaced persons have been able to return to their ancestral homes, as peace returned to the hitherto war-torn areas.

Consequently, one can safely say that while we are not yet where we want to be, we certainly are not where used to be and the credit must go the current crop of Service Chiefs. They have been able to do this in spite of the fact that the insurgents have been buoyed in manpower and technology by new entrants into the fray following the crisis in

Libya and the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria and Iraq, which led to an influx of experienced, battle hardened terrorists who injected new tactic and vigour into the ranks of the Boko Haram insurgents.

One must of course understand the feeling of exasperation, especially given the emerging internal security threats in other parts of the country such as the activities of the new set of gun-wielding herdsmen whose modus operandi is seen by many, as the greatest, post-civil war, threat to the unity and stability of the country. However, it would be necessary to look at these threats holistically within the context of how the threats have emerged and consider, in a comprehensive manner, what must be done to deal with them. Hence, it is necessary to dispense with the belief that once the Service Chiefs are dropped, the insurgency and other criminal activities will suddenly end. Sadly, such a position is not supported by either our history or by logic.

Granted, nobody is indispensable. However, nothing will be gained by falling victim of the fallacy of monocausal explanation. We need not look too far into history. The changes in Service Chiefs in the past did not bring about the muchanticipated decisive defeat of Boko Haram; nor did it check the mushrooming of militants in the northern axis of the country. What this means is that, to find the answers to the problem, we must look beyond the Service Chiefs and indeed, the several variables that play up, in the web that has buoyed the insurgents, undermined our military and placed our society in peril.

First, there is the challenge of consensus building in our society. The Bible tells us that a house that is divided against itself cannot stand.

Any keen watcher of Nigerian events will agree that never since the end of the Civil War, has the country found itself so divided. Sadly, the political elite, the group looked upon by the society to rally consensus, is guilty of aggravating the divisions that plague the country. How do we expect our military to perform wonders when those they are fighting to protect, divulge their every move and plan to the adversary, resulting in the carnage that often happens after every ambush of our soldiers?

Are the informants who betray every move of our military not from the constituencies of our legislators? What have the legislators done to rein in on the saboteurs in their constituencies? Who is

fooling who?

Second, the military is a microcosm of the society. It depends on the quantum of budgetary allocation and the speed of delivery, to effectively drive its processes. This is particularly so in combat readiness which includes acquisition of military hardware: tanks, aircraft, weapons and spare parts; motivation of servicemen and women; intelligence gathering and collaboration with sister services of neighbouring countries.

Unfortunately, while military operations require speed and adequate supplies, the Services are also subjected to the negative fallouts of budgetary and bureaucratic delays.

From my inquiries, since 2015, there has been a gradual reduction in funds appropriated to the Armed Forces. This is especially worrisome when compared to the amounts allocated in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2012, N921.91 billion (18.90 per cent) of the N4.877 trillion budget went to the Defence Sector, and in 2013, N1.055 trillion (21.16 per cent) of the N4.987 trillion expenditure went to Defence.

In 2014, Defence was allocated N968.127 billion or 19.51 per cent of the N4.962 trillion appropriated for the year. Curiously, the figure came down to N388.459 billion (7.67 per cent) of the N5.068 trillion budget in 2015. For 2016, it was N429.128 billion for the sector, that is, 7.08 per cent of N6.061 trillion budgeted; and for 2017, Defence received N465.87 billion or 6.26 per cent of the final N7.444 trillion budget. In 2018 the budget was N9.12 trillion, of which the Armed Forces got N580.145 billion or 6.26 per cent of the budget.

For 2019, the Nigerian Army got a total allocation of N228.415 billion, out of which N208.792 billion (91.41 per cent) was assigned as total recurrent, while just N19.623 billion (8.59 per cent) was allocated as total capital expenditure. In like manner, the Nigerian Navy in the 2019 budget got a total of N101.391 billion, with N74.240 billion as total recurrent, leaving a paltry N27.151 billion as total capital allocation. Also, in the 2019 defence budget, the Nigerian Air Force was allocated a total of N114.835 billion; of this sum, N69.784 billion was provided for total recurrent expenditure, leaving N45.051 billion as total capital allocation.

Agu, Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) was Chief Press Secretary to Head of the Interim National Government in Nigeria, in 1993

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EDITORIAL THE CARNAGE IN SOUTHERN KADUNA The authorities could do more to contain the crisis

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pparently in a bid to restore law and order and stop the current wave of bloodletting, the Kaduna Police Commissioner, Umar Muri, last week deployed more policemen to the southern part of the state. Police personnel were specifically deployed to Kajuru, Zango-Kataf, Kaura, Kauru and Jema’a—the five local government areas where several communities have been under persistent attacks. But many Nigerians were outraged that despite the curfew, gunmen still launched fresh attacks on three communities in Jemaá and Kaura local councils in broad daylight, killing at least nine people and injuring several others.

Whatever may be the efforts by the authorities, that the situation in Southern Kaduna is getting out of hand is an understatement. The attack on Jemaá came barely 24 hours after some gunmen invaded and torched some communities in Kajuru council, killing seven people, including an 85-year-old man. Also recently, these gunmen had invaded Kukun-Daji village in Kauru local council and killed several people, mostly youths, IN SPITE OF THE RISING at a wedding. The body BODY COUNT, NOT A counts keep mounting.

SINGLE PERSON HAS BEEN According to Southern ARRESTED, PROSECUTED Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), no fewer AND CONVICTED FOR THE SEVERAL MURDERS than 180 people have THAT HAVE TRACES OF A been killed in the past seven months across POGROM IN SOUTHERN southern Kaduna KADUNA communities.

We are quite aware that this is an old problem. For decades, relations between the Hausa/Fulani and the indigenous communities in southern Kaduna have been tense, stemming largely from competition over resources, including land, and political control. These tensions have often degenerated to deadly ethnic and sectarian violence.

What compounds the problem is that those who ordinarily should help in finding peace on both sides are fuelling the fire. Last week, the Presidency said the attacks were as a result of revenge killings and mutual violence by

Letters to the Editor

criminal gangs on ethno-religious grounds, while the state government claimed the attacks were carried out by bandits terrorising the northwest states. That sort of mixed messages under the current atmosphere only help to fuel suspicions.

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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

eanwhile, the bloodbath in southern Kaduna exemplifies the absurdity in the indigenesettler divide in northern Nigeria. While many of the local indigenes have blamed the attacks on Fulani militia targeting southern Kaduna Christian communities on ethnic grounds, the Hausa-Fulani communities have also accused their neighbours of deliberately waylaying them “on international routes.” And the violence, which has the imprimatur of savagery, shows no promise of abating as the combatants on both sides cannot find common ground for peace.

Sadly, many tribunals of inquiries and peace committees instituted to trace the causes of the crisis and propose sustainable solutions have been unsuccessful in that task largely because government, past and present, lacked the political will to implement their recommendations. After 28 years, for instance, the Kaduna State government only recently set up a committee to draft a White Paper on the reports of the Justice Rahila Cudjoe Commission of inquiry into the Zangon-Kataf riots of February and May 1992.

Besides, the reports and recommendations of other ones, including the 2014 General Martins Agwai-led inquiry and the one instituted by Governor Nasir el-Rufai—following the outbreak of the violence on the eve of his inauguration last year—are still gathering dust.

It is even more scandalous that in spite of the rising body count, not a single person has been arrested, prosecuted and convicted for the several murders that have traces of a pogrom in Southern Kaduna. The failure of government to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of the heinous crimes in Southern Kaduna and elsewhere seems to encourage the propensity for violence as a way of redressing perceived grievances. Government must bring to justice all those who use unlawful means to settle scores even as it strives to remove the fundamental basis of the strife that has plagued Southern Kaduna for decades.

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.

WANTED: A President Of Igbo Extraction

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ne of the features of the British colonial system of administration in Africa was the lumping together of disparate ethnic entities under one administrative unit for the reason of political expedience and convenience.

So, the onetime governor general of the colonial Nigeria, Lord Frederick Lugard, amalgamated the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria.

But, was the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria, which are disimilar in many areas, not a recipe for the eruption of ethnic rivalry and conflicts in Nigeria? To make matters worse, Nigerians, who are by nature very conscious of their ethnic origins, owe their loyalties to their ethnic nations rather than their country. And they do place their ethnic groups’ interests above the interests of Nigeria. So, our disposition and attitudes sowed the seed of the existence of ethnic disharmony in Nigeria.

Little wonder, during the colonial era, the political parties were formed along ethnic lines. Action Group (AG) was to the Yoruba people what the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) was to the Hausa/Fulani people. And not a few Nigerians believed and thought the NCNC to be a solely Igbo Political Party.

And, upon our attainment of political freedom in 1960, the departing British imperialists helped a northern Muslim, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, to become our prime minister when either Nnamdi Azikiwe or Chief Obafemi Awowolo could have been a better choice. But, sadly, and unexpectedly, the first republic collapsed owing to the January 15, 1966 coup and the July 1966 counter – coup. Consequently, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, our Prime Minister, was murdered.

Since the collapse of the first republic, and until 1999, Nigeria alternated between despotic military regimes and inept corrupt civilian governments with the northern people calling the shots. And since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, other Nigerians have been treating the Igbo people with utter disdain and suspicion. And the people of Igbo origins are being given raw deal in the areas of education (admission of pupils into Unity schools), and appointment of military personnel into top security positions in the country. More so, now, when compared to other parts of Nigeria, the Southeast geopolitical zone has less federal presence than other geopolitical zones in the country. Worse still, no person of Igbo descent has ruled Nigeria in the true sense of the word since we became a politically independent country. But, is it fair and just for us to account and equate the murdered Aguiyi Ironsi’s brief stay in office as the Igbo people’s leadership of Nigeria? However, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), Muhammadu Buhari, Sani Abachi, Murtala Mohammed, Abdusalami Abubakar are northern soldiers, who ruled Nigeria as military men in the past. And at the dawn of the second republic, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a northern Muslim, became our first executive president, having been helped to power by Northern political interests and other king makers. And, he led Nigeria between 1979 and 1983.

In the fourth republic, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a Yoruba man, was helped by the northern people and other interest groups to become our President in 1999 in order to placate the indignant Yoruba people over the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election. And, following the death of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in office, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan completed their joint tenure and was re-elected for another

term in office. While Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua was a Northern Muslim, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan hails from the Niger Delta region, the golden goose that lays the golden egg. Crude oil, the mainstay of our monoeconomy, is got from that region.

Now, it is evident to us that the South-East, the homeland of the Igbo people, has not produced the president of Nigeria. Other geo-political zones, save the South-East, have taken turns to produce Nigeria’s national leaders at different times. Thankfully, now, the unwritten principle of zoning political offices to different geopolitical zones has been effective in Nigeria since the inception of the fourth republic. The practice of zoning political offices to different geopolitical zones in the country is intended to engender national cohesion, deepen our unity, and allay the fears of people from the minority ethnic groups, who feel that they are being marginalized and dominated.

Were Nigeria a truly united country, the factor of competence will override the issue of ethnic origins and religion when it comes to electing the President of Nigeria. Sadly, our country has been sundered by ethnic rivalry and religious differences. Now, Nigeria has not become a true nation-state where competence will take precedence over the factors of religion and ethnic origins when electing our President and appointing people into key positions in the government at the Federal level.

So, in the interest of peace and unity in Nigeria, and for the sake of our country’s continued existence as one indivisible country, common sense dictates that all the major political parties in Nigeria should cede their Presidential tickets to politicians of Igbo descent.

Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State

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POLITICS

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

Disquiet in Kwara over Missing N300m LG Funds Hammed Shittu writes that Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State may have been embarrassed by allegations of fraudulent conduct involving huge sums of money from the accounts of the local government areas in the state

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his is indeed an integrity test time for the present administration in Kwara state led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The issue bothers on the recent altercation between two members of his cabinet over the alleged monthly diversion of a total sum of N300m from the account of the local government councils in the state.

The cat was let out of the bag at the recent meeting of the Joint Account Allocations Committee held at the state Ministry of Finance where the two cabinet members, the former state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hajia Aisat AhmanPategi now moved to state Ministry of Special Duties and state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Florence Opeyemi had a disagreement over the alleged monthly utilisation of N300m without due process.

The meeting which was attended by the Directors of Personnel Management(DPM) of the 16 local government councils in the state was nearly turned into brawl before it was quickly averted by the people at the meeting.

It would be noted that, the present administration upon assumption of office in 2019 dissolved the elected local government officials that were duely elected at the grassroots level during the immediate past administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and asked them to handover the administration and finances of the local government to their DPMs. Since then, the Director of Personnel Management have been controlling the day-to-day activities of the local government councils in the state and which pundits in the state described as illegal and unconstitutional.

Even, upon assumption of office the Governor AbdulRazaq led administration pledged to make local government councils administration workable and that his administration would not interfere in their activities so as to make them bring good governance to the people at the grassroots.

But, the unfolding event in the state where the administration had been allegedly involved in the administration of the local government councils made nonsense of the pledge, as there is nothing the local government councils in the state can be embark on without the approval from the state government.

In fact ,the local government councils in the state have become an appendage of the state government as no project can be undertaken in the grassroots level in the state without the approval of the state government. The existence of the JAAC in the management of the finances of the local government councils have continued to be an aberration in the local government council system.

The ugly development has also negated the directive of the Nigerian Financial Intellgience Unit (NFIU) that empowered local government councils administration to take their destiny into their hands without control from any quarters.

However, on the issue under review, the alleged monthly diversion of N300m from the local government councils account through the state Ministry of Local Government councils and without the consent of the state Ministry of Finance caused a confusion in government circle and among the entire people of the state.

Sources close to the meeting told journalists that, the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had presented another move for the month of June from the local government councils allocations and this was said to have been rejected by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Oyeyemi.

Sources added that, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hajia Ahman-Pategi said that the money was meant to organise a training and other vital projects in the local government councils in the state.

Abdulrazaq

It was gathered that, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs.Oyeyemi was said to have kicked against the move and on the premise that, the programme should be put on hold pending the time the state would be buoyant but the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hajia Ahman-Pategi was said to have rejected the move .

It was at this point according to sources close to the meeting prompted Hajia Ahman-Pategi to inquire on the bank details of the local government councils and this however caused disagreement between the duo.

The ugly situation according to THISDAY checks was brought to the notice of the governor and the matter was said to have been resolved but later led to the recent cabinet reshuffle in the state that put the Hajia Aisat Ahman-Pategi to the Special Duties .

The governor’s cabinet reshuffle according to THISDAY further investigations was to allow the Hajia Aisat Ahman-Pategi not to have anything to do with the state Ministry of Finance as far as day-to-day administration of local government councils is concerned in the state.

Although, the movement of Hajia Pategi was said to have caused some disaffection as she threatened to resign from the cabinet of the governor but with the quick interventions of

some of her political associates and royal fathers from her area the resignation was said to have been withdrawn.

Sensing the inherent danger and that the issue may have on the administration, the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRazaq in a statement issued in Ilorin recently called for the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and an independent panel of inquiry to probe the issue of the monthly diversion of N300m from the local government councils account in the state.

AbdulRazaq in a statement issued and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye called on the anti graft agency to conduct an independent probe into funds so far received and disbursed to the 16 local government areas from May 2019.

He also said that,. a panel of inquiry comprising members from various backgrounds will also be set up to look into the local government funds.

The statement reads, “For the sake of accountability and transparency, the Governor is hereby calling in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct urgent probe into funds so far received as allocations and spent by the 16 local government between May 29 and now,” the statement said.

“Separately, the Governor will also be setting

Sensing the inherent danger and that the issue may have on the administration, the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRazaq in a statement issued in Ilorin recently called for the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and an independent panel of inquiry to probe the issue of the monthly diversion of N300m from the local government councils account in the state. AbdulRazaq in a statement issued and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye called on the anti graft agency to conduct an independent probe into funds so far received and disbursed to the 16 local government areas from May 2019

up a Panel of inquiry in the immediate to look into the same issues. Members of the panel and its terms of reference would be announced soon.

“This probe is borne out of the fact that this administration has not touched a kobo of money belonging to the local governments.

It has nothing to hide. But for abundance of caution, the Governor will be tasking not just the EFCC but also a panel of inquiry with members drawn from various backgrounds to investigate the LG funds, how they have been spent, and expose any mismanagement or diversion of the funds (if any).

“The call becomes necessary in view of the outrageous claims by some persons that money to the tune of N300m was diverted monthly from LG accounts.

The administration feels this deserves to be probed and laid to rest because governance is about public trust.

“Similarly, His Excellency appeals to the House of Assembly — which comprises the elected representatives of the people with oversight powers -- to hold a public hearing on the said matter.

“The Governor restates that he would not be found mismanaging or siphoning public funds. He maintains his stand, which dated back to his days in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), that the local governments should be allowed to manage their own funds with minimal or no supervision by the State as the law may allow. He insists that any official found to have diverted or mismanaged public funds under him would be made to account for same as prescribed under the law.”.

Also, the state House of Assembly has set up an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate finances of local governments in the state.

This followed a Matter of General Public Importance raised by the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Abdulgafar Ayinla on the floor of the House.

Hon Ayinla called for the investigation of local government finances from May last year to date to guarantee transparency in the local government administration in the state.

He said the state Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq invited Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and an independent panel to look into the matter as the governor has not touched Local Governments funds since he assumed office.

Reading the resolution of the House, the Speaker, Rt.Hon Yakubu Danladi Salihu announced Hon.Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel(Ekiti) as the Chairman of the ad-hoc committee with Hon. Ambali O.Ibrahim(Owode/Onire),Hon. Mohammed Baba Salihu(Okuta/Yashikira),Hon. John O.Bello(Lanwa/Ejidongari) and Hon. Jimoh Ali Yusuf (Ilorin East) as members.

The Speaker charged the Ad-hoc committee members to conduct thorough investigation into the matter and report back to House in the next two weeks.

However, reacting to the ongoing issue in the state,, a non governmental organisation known as Kwara Advancement Initiative (KAI) expressed displeasure over the alleged diversion of N300m from the local government councils account in the state.

In a statement issued by the group and signed by its chairman, Mr.Ibarhim Sulaiman said that, the state government should ensure that all the people involved in the act are brought to book The statement read in part, “this is the government that pledged accountability and transparency upon assumption of office, it must put all machines on ground to unravel the circumstances and those allegedly involved in the act of the N300m diversion of local government funds in the state”.

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

19

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY AUGUST 4, 2020

POLITICS

How Wike, PDP Governors Energised Edo Guber Campaign Flag Off Chuks Okocha who monitored the Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Campaign Flag Off in Edo State writes that the presence of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and other PDP governors energised the campaign

Obaseki

Wike

Tambuwal

Ologbodiyan

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by one Kabaka in the attack against the entourage.

The Rivers state governor said that the candidate of the APC, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, also needs to understand clearly that there is a limit to intimidation and thuggery, particularly in the September 19 election.

According to the spokesperson of the PDP, who issued the statement on behalf of Wike. “It is highly irresponsible for anybody to attempt to harass, intimidate or cause harm to an assemblage of governors and leaders of the PDP, let alone at the palace of the highly revered Oba of Benin.

“We are already investigating this attempt and if we confirm the involvement of the said businessman, the APC gubernatorial candidate or the said Kabaka, we will not hesitate to take a strong and very decisive action. Enough is Enough!”, the party said.

PDP said that the ancient seat of the Oba of Benin is respected and revered across the globe adding, “As a mark of honour for the Oba of Benin, the governors and leaders of our party considered it imperative to pay a visit and honor the monarch.”

Accordingly, the PDP said that it is therefore reprehensible that any true Bini son or daughter will choose such an occasion like the courtesy visit to the Benin monarch to demean the monarch and his chiefs.

“While we leave this to the decision of the Oba and his council, we want to

place on record that no motley group of political vagabonds will be allowed to embarrass us in this campaign.

“We counsel the said businessman, the APC gubernatorial candidate and the said Kabaka to desist from further plans to cause mayhem as those who sow a wind should be ready to reap the whirlwind”, PDP stated. .

Also speaking at the flag off of the governorship campaigns, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF). Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that he bequeath a legacy of free and fair elections on the country at any time such opportunity arises before he hands over power in 2023.

He advised President Buhari that despite the insecurity challenges his administration faces, he should ensure that free and fair elections are held in the country as he disengages.

He also called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, whose credentials he described as unassailable to take a cue from his predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

“You shouldn’t allow anybody to use you,” he admonished Prof. Yakubu, stressing that the lessons of Prof. Jega must be upheld and replicated in 2023.

Gov. Tambuwal who indicated that the PDP was in Edo state on a mission

of “total and complete liberation of the state from godfatherism, stated that the erstwhile Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole who rode to popularity on the crest of anti-godfatherism now wants to force himself on the people.

“You cannot eat your cake and have it. You have been all over the place condemning godfatherism; and now you want to come to Edo and have it,” the PDP-GF Chairman said.

He called on Gov. Obaseki to continue to be firm in his faith in God. “That was what we did in Sokoto to survive all of the forces from across Nigeria that wanted to oust us,” he recalled with nostalgia.

In his response after he was given the flag of the party to contest for the September 19 governorship election, an elated Obaseki, said that lawlessness on the part of some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) informed their decision to dump the party.

Obaseki and his deputy Philip Shaibu had in June, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he secured the party’s ticket to pursue his reelection.

The flag-off of the PDP governorship campaign in Edo State was monitored by our correspondent on the African Independent Television (AIT). The Edo State governor promised that he would not return to the lawless ways of the APC, no matter the provocation.

Addressing a crowd of supporters at the campaign venue, the governor said, “We left them because of their lawlessness.

We will not, no matter how provoked, resort to the same lawlessness. I want to thank you and assure you that God has given us the victory.”

He said, “ Now that we have been given the official mandate, you will see what we will do. Four years ago, I made a promise to you that we are going to transform Edo state, that Edo is the heartbeat of Nigeria, the transformation of Edo will lead to the transformation of Nigeria and by the grace of God, that is beginning to happen and it must happen in this election.

Obaseki added that, “this mandate that has been given to us is simple, what you are saying as a party is we like what you have done in the last four years, please go back and continue and improve on what you have done.

Governors at the flag off, were Aminu Tambuwal along with his colleagues from Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Oyo, Rivers and the Deputy Governor of Ondo; as well as the entire national leadership of the PDP.

he flag off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Edo state gubernatorial campaigns was given an overdose of energy with the presence of the chairman of the PDP National campaign committee, Governor Nyesom Wike and other governors elected on the platform of the party.

Before their arrival, party members and supporters were crestfallen following an attack on them at the gate of the Oba of Benin Palace, when the PDP governors and members of the National leadership went to pay courtesy to the Benin monarch.

Some members were already down cast, but their hopes were raised when the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike and the PDP governors stepped into the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the gubernatorial campaign flag off. It was like the Biblical story of when the ark of convenant of God of the Israelites was brought into the camp in one of their epic battles against the Philistines.

Mounting the soap box amidst thunderous cheers, the Rivers state governor, in an apparent reference to the former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole said that the September 19 governorship election will be the end of godfathers in the state He was immediately given another round of electric charged cheer.

Wike who is the chairman of the National Campaign Council described the state as a PDP state and boasted that no one would stop the victory of the party in the September 19 governorship election Speaking further, the Rivers state governor said, “PDP is the party that Nigeria believes in. Nobody should be afraid. Nobody can rig this election.

“No one man can decide what happens in Edo state. Today marks the end of godfatherism in Edo state.

“The only thing that gives APC hope is rigging. This time it is not possible.

To me APC has no candidate to match Obaseki,” Wike stated. His speech was always greeted with cheers by party supporters.

Wike, described the attack against the PDP members at the Oba’s palace gate as despicable. He also said that the Campaign has commenced investigation into the roles played by certain individuals, including a popular businessman in the desecrating act.

Wike was quoted in a statement by the Secretary of the Publicity Sub- Committee, Kola Ologbondiya saying that it is also looking into the roles played

Obaseki added that, “this mandate that has been given to us is simple, what you are saying as a party is we like what you have done in the last four years, please go back and continue and improve on what you have done. Now that we have been given the official mandate, you will see what we will do. Four years ago, I made a promise to you that we are going to transform Edo state, that Edo is the heartbeat of Nigeria, the transformation of Edo will lead to the transformation of Nigeria and by the grace of God, that is beginning to happen and it must happen in this election

20

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͳ, 2020

FEATURES

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

Garlands for NAPTIP 2020 Hero Rebecca Ejifoma writes that Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo was recently honoured as the 2020 NAPTIP Man of the Year because of his unanimous support and drive to nip in the bud the danger of illegal migration and human trafficking which is fast becoming the contemporary slave trade

L-R: Prof. Benson Oserheimen Osadolor; DG of NAPTIP, Donli; Capt Okunbo and others at an event

C

aptain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, fondly called “Captain Hosa” means many things to many people in Edo State and Nigeria generally. Anyone who had come in contact with him will have an interesting recount of the encounter.

In 2018, when Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo celebrated his 60th birthday in the ancient city of Benin, the event attracted all strata of the society including the ordinary people whose lives he had directly or indirectly touched positively as an individual. The event which was ordinarily to celebrate and appreciate God for sparing his life to that symbolic age of 60, turned out to be like the unveiling of a humanist and God’s special gift to man.

The birthday was an eye opening event, lending credence to the old saying, that a golden fish has no hiding place. The glowing tribute which rented the air at the occasion clearly indicated the fact that he was truly what Chinua Achebe described as “Man of the people” loved by all and sundry.

The event attracted the revered patriarch of Igbinedion dynasty and a traditional title holder in ancient Bini kingdom, the Esama of Bini, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion. In spite of his busy schedule, Chief Igbinedion made it to the occasion to honour their illustrious son.

Pouring encomiums on Captain Hosa, Chief Igbinedion said, “At 60, you have excelled, conquered, achieved, mature; so I am saying thank you to God almighty. I know how your parents cared for you. You never, never at any moment let me down, keep on son, have a longer life, God will protect you and guide”.

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki in his remark described Captain Hosa as “A real patriot, a genuine Bini man, a great Edo citizen, who has accomplished through hard work. His accomplishments are self-made. What is great about him that most people don’t know is that he is very empathetic, he can barely see people in need, languishing or suffering and he’s not pricked to assist”.

Governor Obaseki further described him as “Very kind-hearted, a very pragmatic businessman; a cultural icon and someone who believes in progress, development of other people and the state.”

Captain Hosa availed himself of the opportunity in marking his 60th birthday on February 16, 2018 to organise a public lecture on “Youth migration, consequences and current realities.” The public lecture which attracted men and women from the ivory tower made resounding presentations on the burning twin issues of migration and

DG of NAPTIP, Donli (left) and Capt Okunbo human trafficking, with the presence of the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dame Julie Okah Donli. The lecture did not only go a long way in bringing the ravaging issue of human trafficking and migration to the front burner of public sensitization but also proved his love for a better society, particularly Edo State.

Also, Captain Hosa has remained a formidable individual in partnering with NAPTIP by committing personal resources into the fight against the illicit business of human trafficking and illegal migration by empowering victims of Human Trafficking and support NAPTIP to mark the 2019 World Day Against Human Trafficking.

This is an uncommon display of Captain Hosa’s burning love for humanity, when viewed against the background of many wealthy Nigerians who prefer to live in their comfort zone and cannot voluntarily spare their resources to support the fight to stem the tide of human trafficking, which is a threat to human dignity.

There is no doubt, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo has become a reference point as it concerns an individual contribution and impact in NAPTIP’s drive to nip in the bud the danger of illegal migration and human trafficking which is fast becoming the contemporary slave trade.

This is where the decision by NAPTIP to honour Captain Hosa as NAPTIP’s man of the year 2020 was a well-placed and laudable decision, especially as it came on the heels of the occasion of the 2020 World Day against Human Trafficking held on Thursday, July 30, 2020.

The occasion provided an opportunity for stock taking and review of strategies in stepping up the fight against human trafficking, deserves the support of all particularly the wealthy individuals and organised private sector. They can borrow a leaf from the kind gesture of Captain Hosa in the fight against the menace.

The NAPTIP award on Captain Hosa was another shining testimony of his contributions to humanity and for the overall wellbeing of a better society. Captain Hosa’s distinguished award did not come as a surprise to many who know his enviable record of selfless philanthropic activities in Edo and across the country.

Born and raised under the strict influence of a very religious family of Reverend Robert Amos Okunbo, a clergy, teacher and community leader in the ancient town of Benin, Captain Okunbo imbibed the virtues of selfless service, humility and discipline in his relationship with his immediate Edo community and in the service to humanity in general.

Having obtained his professional commercial pilot training at age 21 at the prestigious Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre, Zaria, Kaduna State; Captain Hosa further proceeded to the ACMB school of Aeronautics, at Forth Texas and became a commercial pilot at age 25.

Moreover, having worked for about 10 years at International Airlines and later Okada Airlines, he successfully logged over 7,000 hours of flight, Captain Hosa voluntarily retired from active service as a pilot at the youthful age of 30. He later launched himself into the murky waters of private business, by incorporating Hoslyn

Ventures Ltd. Captain Hosa realised the need to explore the petroleum sector, given the Edo status as an oil producing state, with high stakes of comparative advantage. The company was involved in the procurement of major engineering components for the Warri Refinery Turn Around Maintenance. Hoslyn Nigeria Limited became one of the indigenous companies which participated in carrying out Engineering procurement and construction of contracts in Nigeria. According to Ayo Onikoyi “The company completed and commissioned the early production facility for Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) at Ajaoki in Edo State in 2001.”

With the subsequent incorporation of other companies with one interest in marine security, Captain Hosa veered into other ventures covering, agro-allied industry, Telecommunications, banking and power sector.

It is interesting to note that Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo located these companies in Edo State which provided employment and empowerment opportunities. The reason is simple: as it was a deliberate effort at complementing Edo State government efforts in creating windows of employment.

For instance, with the incorporation of Farm Well Ltd, he ventured into agriculture.

He invested millions of dollars with focus on taking off an army of unemployed youths on the streets with a projection of generating 25,000 jobs for the people of Edo State with a capacity to export the produce, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the nation’s foreign reserve and exchange rate.

Captain Hosa’s philanthropic activities did not go unnoticed as the American Congress honoured him in 2012 for his outstanding contribution to peace and advocacy for a fair deal in the Niger Delta.

The American Congress award known as the African Titan Award served as an elixir, spurring him to greater service to humanity.

In same 2012, the University of Benin known for its due diligence in giving an award honoured Captain Hosa with an honorary Doctorate degree in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the exclusive club of entrepreneurs and his uncommon fine spirit of community service.

Captain Hosa’s is a peace loving person who believes that no meaningful development can come by without peace and unity of purpose.

There is no doubt, Captain Hosa is a special gift to the people of Edo State and humanity in general, and has contributed in no small measure to the socio-economic lives of Edo people and Nigeria as a whole.

21

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͳ, 2020

ADEOLAAKINREMI Ë

adeolaakinremi@yahoo.com, sms: 08023602525

Sanwo-Olu, the Governor Who Empathises Side Eects...

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f you're looking for a good telling of humans of Lagos stories, you should check out the social media handles of the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He connects in ways his colleagues around the country hardly do and he has surpassed his predecessors’ record in meeting people where they are.

To use common, everyday words, SanwoOlu is a man of the people.

It’s obvious, time and chances are at play but rarely, do we see a governor walk into a room and instantly put everyone at ease.

Last week, after the video of a boy (Oreoluwa) who stalled his mom from spanking him for his offence went viral with his ‘calm down’ catchphrase, the smiley governor reached out with a request to meet the boy. He even adopted the boy’s catchphrase to pass a message of sobriety and safety to Lagosians as they grapple with coronavirus during Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

I think that offers lots of insights into the real man of the governor.

First, Governor Sanwo-Olu convinced the people of Lagos State that he cares about families and children and that his eyes will catch even the small things that people think may not have much appeal to leaders like him.

And by asking to meet the boy, the governor elevated his real message of reassuring vulnerable people that someone is on their side.

In March, when fire disaster took the lives of several Lagosians with multiple properties destroyed at Abule Ado, Sanwo-Olu carried the images of destruction to Abuja to show President Muhammadu Buhari, a sign of deep sense of loss combined with desperate search for help for his people.

You see, the ability of a leader to be empathetic and compassionate or otherwise will let you know his capability to put policies behind any social-economic crisis that could alter the lives of the citizens he leads.

I can tell two related stories. In March 2001, I was sitting in an office at the International Press Center in Ogba, when an explosion rocked Ikeja Cantonment.

The vibration reached nearly every part of Lagos, including where I was in Ogba and everyone was terrified. After much delay before visiting the disaster scene, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo showed up with arrogance. Obasanjo arrived at the scene with no empathy for the people. He uttered words that pushed people deeply into dejection. “I am not supposed to be here,� he said, as he crafted his words to respond to victims of the blast on why he delayed.

In a most recent history, when the late governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, was faced with a situation that required empathy, he didn’t surprised anyone that he had none after he threatened frightened Ladoke Akintola University of Technology students whose university have been shut for several months due to disagreement between Oyo and Osun States governments on funding of the institution. For his action, he earned the stripe of “constituted authority,� till he died.

Beyond the personal, empathy is the ability to recognize, understand, and feel the emotions of other people. It provides those who have it to respond appropriately to some other person's thoughts and feelings.

In a time of isolation, despair, deprivation, confusion, and shock, connecting with citizens matters most but when a leader shows he cares and understands their situations, it is impressive.

Apparently, Oreoluwa’s story by its very nature and channel caught the attention of everyone but the other story of a man that the governor rescued from plunging into the lagoon in a suicide attempt on the Third Mainland Bridge revealed more about the blow-back effect of the social economic crisis that COVID-19 and past situations have forced on Nigerians.

Across Nigeria, deaths of despairs com-

Sanwo-Olu

monly called suicides are rising and we’re pretending it is not there.

Before now, it is common to hear people say ‘Nigerians don’t commit suicide’ but that no longer reflect our current situation.

Think about this for a moment. What happens to Nigeria’s future if its young people are taking the hard choices of committing suicides?

That’s exactly what Daily Trust emphasised with its screaming headline of June 2019, that says “students top list as 42 Nigerians commit suicide in 6 months,�

With its headline, Daily Trust showed the impact of stress on a demographic that we should not have to worry about.

Unfortunately, right now the spate of deaths of despair among that population should get us worried.

On July 31, Governor Sanwo-Olu wrote on twitter that “earlier in the morning, we rescued somebody who was planning to jump into the Lagoon at the Third Mainland Bridge because he had a debt of N500,000. We rescued him and paid the debt. These details are what makes the difference. “We need to always show the humane side of us while not losing sight of the big picture. Yes, we want to build roads, bridges and schools but we certainly need to create time for the little things as well.�

Make no mistake, this COVID-19 crisis that has stretched and tested everyone beyond the normal and unforeseen ways, is revealing resilience and grit of some people just as it is showing us how some people are driven to the edge by global anxiety.

So, the governor’s gesture is simply right.

However, to simply cast himself as a handout governor without addressing the issues that are at the heart of suicide will be damaging to the reputation of Governor Sanwo-Olu who caught the sight of a leader who takes policy decisions based on foolproof research and data analysis of a trending subject.

At present, we’re seen uptick in the number of suicides across Nigeria. Indeed, hardly will you open a newspaper daily or hook up unto social media without a suicide story. It is depressive to see depressed people die by taking their own lives.

So what can we do as a country? We need to begin to act to prevent suicide and I think governor Sanwo-Olu can be a champion. He can define suicide as a national problem with mental illness as an underlying cause and then put it on the agenda during policy meetings at the federal level, in Lagos State and within the governors’ forum where his status as a cosmopolitan governor commands attention.

Based on facts, “rates of suicide, for instance, are higher during economic recessions and periods of high unemployment.

They are also higher during periods of social disintegration, political instability and social collapse,� according to World Health Organization Now, what is this telling us? Elevated suicide rates as being experienced in Nigeria may indicate a high burden of mental illness triggered by socioeconomic variables and other factors.

To reduce suicide, there are important policies that government needs to act upon.

One of the poor narratives about Nigeria is that as a country we know how to create laws but not how to implement the laws.

Does it surprise you that since Nigeria created a national policy on mental health in 1991, the implementation across states has stalled. At best it remains a paper that continues to gather dust with no serious implementation.

While strengthening economic policies that can improve household income is critical to changing the situation, addressing the gap in treatment and access to mental health care is important too.

In Nigeria, few people with mental health disorders go for treatment because of the stigma that goes along with having those conditions and being transparent about it. This barrier can be removed where the government is serious about offering solutions.

The danger of ignoring to act on mental health can have a spiral effect on lives and economy, so acting timely to make people comfortable in using the services will save the day.

The federal neuropsychiatric hospitals in Nigeria are not many. They are eight, poorly staffed with shoestring budget and out of reach as people must travel miles from their homes to access care.

It is not a good story for Nigeria on the global map. Nigeria leads in depression data for Africa and sits almost at the top as the 15th country in the world with suicides rate, according to WHO. Sadly, psychiatric care is least on Nigeria’s priority. We can look at the math together. In 2018, according to a report, Yaba psychiatric hospital submitted a budget of 133 million naira ($372,000) - but only 13 million naira ($36,000) of that amount was released by the federal government.

I don’t know where Lagos stands currently on mental health, except that its health ministry posted a “proposed mental health policy for Lagos State� on its website, but I know that Mr. Sanwo-Olu can bring necessary changes to mental health in Lagos State, just as he’s strategically positioned to be a champion of this change at the federal level.

Class of 2020

It must have been a big relief for young people who are facing this year ’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination to hear the news that they would commence the examination on August 17. Now it is time to turn your despair to hope and get the best out of this. I know everything has been in limbo for months but that surely should an advantage to get safely to the end of your curriculum.

I’ll leave you with the words of Robert Kiyosaki. “Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.�

Goodluck!

Isaias Not Isaiah

The names of hurricanes in the U.S can be funny.

We’ve heard of Hurricanes with fancy names. We’ve heard of hurricanes with human names. Hurricane Andrew, Sandy, Katrina, Maria, Harvey and now it is Isaias. But don’t twist it, this is not Isaiah the prophet coming as a flood. This hurricane is pronounced ees-ah-EEahs. The important issue here is that Florida is facing double crisis with COVID-19 surging in the state and storm settling on its coast. Let’s pray for Florida to have peace in storm. Troubling

Merit Vs Mediocrity

The issue of power rotation is a touchy issue in Nigeria. For all you care, it is not in our constitution.

It is just some political capitalists trading and distributing political power like family biscuit among themselves in a non-binding agreement.

But it has helped for inclusion, otherwise I don’t know how someone from the Niger Delta will ever become Nigeria’s president. If you ask where I stand, I will go for merit, regardless of how we interpret Mallam Mamman Daura’s message. The turn by turn, power shift or rotational presidency has not improved Nigeria in any way, but it helps for inclusion and avoidance of crisis. Sensitive!

So what can we do as a country? We need to begin to act to prevent suicide and I think governor Sanwo-Olu can be a champion. He can define suicide as a national problem with mental illness as an underlying cause and then put it on the agenda during policy meetings at the federal level, in Lagos State and within the governors’ forum where his status as a cosmopolitan governor commands attention

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T H I S D AY ˾ Ͳ˜ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

ͱ ͯ ˜ Ͱ ͮ Ͱ ͮ MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

REPO 2.10 1.40

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

3 4 6

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

610.85% 0.78% 8.53%

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

8.35% 26.95%

EXCHANGE RATE N381/1US DOLLAR* ̩

Quick Takes FirstBank Organises Fintech Summit

THIS IS OUR SCORECARD

L-R:CompanySecretary,C&ILeasingPlc,Mr.MbanugoUdenze;Chairman,Mr. ChukwumaOkolo, and ManagingDirector/CEO,Mr. AndrewOtike-Odibi, atthe29thAnnualGeneralMeeting ofthecompany heldinLagos…recently SUNDAYADIGUN

Aganga Calls for Integrated Plan for Sustainable Economic Growth Obinna Chima Nigeria’s former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, has called for an integrated national long and medium-term plan to stimulate economic activities.

According to him, what the country requires is a plan that would be implemented overtime.

Aganga, said this in a speech titled: “The Sovereign Wealth Fund and the Urgency for Economic Diversification,” he delivered at the EY Alumni event organised recently.

He said the norm was to have a 20-25- year plan that is reviewed every five years.

He pointed out that Singapore’s economy was transformed over a 30-year period, adding that the auto policy in South Africa was first developed in 1960 and the same plan has been developed and reviewed every five years.

“What is more important is to have in place an effective

ECONOMY monitoring and evaluation process to periodically review this framework. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is a good start.

“We need to build a strong industrial and services sector based on areas of competitive and comparative advantage.

“The plan to do this is already there. It is called the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), and was launched in 2014,” he explained.

According to Aganga, Nigeria has all that is required to become the China of Africa, ‘Africa’s factory,’ and even more.

He said in 1980, China was the seventh largest economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of only $305.45 billion, less than Nigeria’s GDP today, while the US then was $2.86 trillion.

China averaged 10 per cent annual growth for many years

and now has the largest economy in the world with a GDP, in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, of $ 25.27 trillion.

“In today’s world, you can only be a great nation, if you have a great economy. And you can only have a great economy, if you have a great industrial sector to diversify the economy and sources of revenue… and if you also have a vibrant MSME sector to create jobs and provide linkages.

“MSMEs are the bedrock for Nigeria’s industrialisation and inclusive economic development.

All over the world, MSMEs are the primary drivers of employment.

“In China and Brazil, MSMEs employ 75 per cent and 70 per cent of the workforce respectfully,” he added.

He listed some of the factors that have affected the growth of the Nigerian economy over the years to include lack of continuity in policies, plans and commitment to economic diversification

and quality of governance; poor implementation; breakdown of our national values system, and lack of adequate investment and development of the country’s greatest asset, which is its people.

Aganga, pointed out that the size of the Nigerian economy in 2019 was N146 trillion (about $448 billion). Oil and gas accounted for only 10 per cent and non-oil contributed 90 per cent.

Disaggregating the non-oil output, agriculture had a share of 20 per cent, industry – 21 per cent; and services - 49 per cent.

On the face of it, this looks like a well-diversified economy.

But the picture is very different when we actually look at other metrics, he said.

“For other resource rich countries like Indonesia, oil and gas only accounts for less than 35 per cent of their export earnings while the remaining 65 percent is from a wide range of products and commodities,” Aganga said.

Analysts Highlight Path for Durable Road Construction for Nigeria Dike Onwuamaeze A new report by the Proshare Nigeria Limited titled, ‘RoadsConcrete Vision, Asphalt Competition, Looking Ahead,’ has urged the federal and sub-national governments in Nigeria to utilize materials that are durable for road construction.

The report noted that the challenge of road construction in Nigeria over the years has been poor durability rather than inflated costs.

The reported suggested that concrete roads have an edge over asphalt-bitumen based road construction, noting that, “the problem with asphalt is that it poorly withstands heavy traffic

TRANSPORT and intense tropical weather. The implications are that roads built with asphalt have proved to be fragile. The consequence of this lack of durability has been that the governments at both national and sub-national levels have had to intermittently ‘patch’ roads annually.”

In contrast, according to the report, “concrete roads are more durable than their asphalt cousins. Concrete roads can last between 25 and 30 years without the need for major reconstruction work or repair.

“Based on socio-economic cost-benefit analysis, concrete

roads provide superior returns on social capital outlays in the medium to long-term even though competing asphalt roads may also show positive net social present values, the longer the road is expected to last, the higher the net present value of concrete (rigid pavements) over asphalt (flexible pavements).”

The report observed that the battle between concrete and asphalt is phantom, saying both are needed, but in different parts of the country and for different reasons.

It, therefore, advised governments in the country to construct roads that experience heavy traffic and deadweight

tension with concrete, while roads with lighter traffic and lesser vehicular carriage should be constructed with asphalt technology subject to proper substructure preparation.

It further advised that roads in the southern part of the country that are exposed to heavy rainfall and are constructed on marshy and waterlogged terrains should be built with concrete material.

The implication, according to the report, “is that both asphalt and concrete roads will have their places in the scheme of things as concrete roads would be the default option for national and state highways and within states that experience heavy annual rainfall.

First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced that the 2020 edition of its annual FinTech Summit is scheduled to hold this Thursday. The event will be virtually held via Zoom Meetings. The 2020 edition of the summit, which is the fourth in its series has the theme: “How Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence will Disrupt FinTech in Nigeria,” and will be discussed by experts, key and leading players, policy influencers and regulatory officials in the Nigerian financial, banking and technological climate.

Chinedu Echeruo, the Founder of HopStop, which was sold to Apple for $1 billion, would be leading the discussion as the keynote speaker alongside other panelists: Director, Payments System Management Department, Musa Itopa Jimoh and Executive Director, Technology & Operations, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), Aminu Maida.

Representing FirstBank in the panel of discussants are the Group Executive,Technology&Services,CallistusObettaandGroupExecutive, e-Business & Retail Products, Chuma Ezirim.

Speakingontheevent,DeputyManagingDirector,FirstBankofNigeria Limited, Mr. Gbenga Shobo said: “At FirstBank, we have been at the forefront of employing technology in the delivery of financial services in the country exemplified by our various products and services such as FirstMobile, USSD Banking services, FirstMonieWallet, FirstMonie Agent Banking, FirstAdvance loans provisions.

“The 2020 edition of our fintech summit will build on the successes achievedinthelastthreeeditions.Wewelcomethepanelistsaswelook forward to the shared knowledge which will be integral to deepening the continued growth of banking technology, especially its impact on the Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria and the continent at large,” he added.

First Ally Inaugurates Head Office Building

First Ally Capital Limited has inaugurated its new head office building. The building dedication which took place recently was led by the Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Mr. Kayode Pitan.

The programme started with an introduction of the brand by the Chairman, First Ally Capital, Mr. Olufemi A. Akinsanya, and ended with a tour of the premises led by the Group Managing Director/CEO of the company, Mr Ebenezer Olufowose.

The new head office which is located at Plot 287 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos is home to the parent company and its subsidiaries: The company was founded in 2014 and commenced operations in 2015 after obtaining its license as an Advisory, Issuing House and Underwriting firm from the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A statement explained that since its inception, the firm has been positioned to serve the high-end, middle-income and under-served sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Todothiseffectively,thecompanyacquiredandestablishedanumber of subsidiaries.They included First Ally Asset Management, First Ally BureauDeChange,FirstAllyInvestments&SecuritiesLimited,Personal Trust Microfinance Bank and FACL Properties, an affiliate.

Ecobank Offers Zero Fees on Rapidtransfer

In commemoration of the National Diaspora Day, Ecobank Nigeria has stated that it is offering zero fees for money transfers on the Rapidtransfer App. The offer would last till 31st October, 2020. The federal government had set aside July 25 of every year as the National Diaspora Day in recognition of the contributions of Nigerians living outside the country towards the development of their homeland.

RapidtransferisEcobank’sproprietarymoneytransferservicewhich enables users send funds across borders, affordably and instantly.The Rapidtransfer app is available for use by Ecobank and non-Ecobank customers. Cash can be received directly into the recipient’s account or as cash at any Ecobank branch or Agent location.

AnnouncingthisinLagos,Head,ConsumerBanking,EcobankNigeria, KoredeDemola-Adeniyi,saidthedecisiontowaivechargesunderscores thebank’scommitmenttohelpingNigeriansabroadremitmoneyhome to their loved ones without placing an additional burden of charges on them, especially at this period of economic downturn across the world.

“Succession planning is very important. Who takes over from who is very important. So far we have done it three times now and remarkably so well.

Many assume I am still there”

Founder/Chairman, Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Oil Industry Stakeholders’Search for Survival Strategies In a recent gathering of business leaders and industry experts, participants deliberated on how companies, especially oil-related ones, can survive the current challenges in the global oil market, writes Emmanuel Addeh

I

t was a gathering of different persons from different industries, diverse races and a litany of opinions on how to weather the present storm in the oil market, given the much talked about fading relevance of the commodity globally.

During the conference, participants agreed that the industry has to adapt to new and creative ways to tackle the emerging issues.

For instance, the federal government’s representatives stated that it was impossible for revenues from crude oil to fund the current budget because of the impact the crisis in the international market has had on the supply and demand for the product.

The government noted that the crisis had led to uncertainties in terms of expected accruals meant to run its activities and develop the country, noting that for that reason it was “doing things differently” to limit the full effect of the challenges in the global oil market on the country’s economy.

Speaking during the Seplat Energy Summit 2020, tagged “Business Sustainability and Strategic Leadership in Africa” organised by the oil company, the Minister of State, Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, lamented that the earnings from taxes had been drastically affected by the economic setback.

However, the government expressed optimism that prices had begun to rise because of efforts to rebalance supply and pledged to adhere to cutting 1.412 million barrels at the end of the current output curbs as directed by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

“Oil and gas revenue can’t fund government budget, but its not a death sentence but a time to do things differently.

“Oil prices went down to 10 dollars due to a global supply glut. It created uncertainties, leading to contract cancellation and deferments resulting in huge losses, cutting employment and taxes to government.

“This has significantly impacted the Nigerian economy. Nigeria also joined OPEC to rebalance oil prices. Now prices have risen to about 43 dollars. Nigeria is expected to comply by 1.412 million barrels per day for May , June and July,” Sylva said.

He reiterated the ministry’s objective to cut down production cost to $10 per barrel and an overall cost reduction of at least 30 per cent.

“We are working on $10 per barrel without jeopardising growth. Through the NNPC, we have rolled out strategies to get to that $10, plus 30 per cent cost reduction.

“We have declared the year, a year of gas to ensure domestic penetration of LPG. The nation has enormous gas reserves. When explored it will increase power generation and help associated companies like those producing fertilisers” he noted during the Webinar.

The minister also lauded Seplat for its steadfastness in a very challenging industry, stressing that the company operates seven drilling rigs concurrently, highest in Africa at the time and increased production from 10,000 barrels to 60,000 in addition to currently managing three flow stations.

In his remarks, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, reiterated that the federal government would hit its three million barrels per day target effortlessly, apparently after the current oil production output cuts imposed

by OPEC.

Kyari

Sylva

He lamented that Nigeria remains a net importer of petroleum products upon all the resources at its disposal, but said that the industry remains one with vast opportunities.

“Ours is a global industry, but we need local skills which will contribute to economic growth.

We are bringing down cost, but not at all cost.

We are doing it in such a way that where we can’t produce we don’t need to operate it. That’s the principle.

“Companies shut down when they can’t produce sustainably. We will deal with issues of expectation of our shareholders. The three million barrels is achievable although we are committed to the OPEC cut. It is in the best interest of the market” he said.

Kyari added: “What we can do is to make our environment competitive. We have gas that can be harnessed. What we can do is to leverage and have connectivity.

“We are working on the Trans Africa gas pipeline to Morocco and expand the West Africa gas pipeline.

“The world is transiting. But even that is not a challenge because by 2040, we will still have oil and gas constituting up to 70 per cent of the energy mix. All we need to do is to be more competitive.

“Africa is the next destination for businesses, but we can’t sustain the current structure. We need to incorporate the Nigerian content but it comes at a cost. That cost has to be managed so it doesn’t impact negatively on our shareholders.”

He maintained that with a deregulated downstream sector, companies and investors can now predict the price of petroleum and work around their margin.

Kyari, noted that the NNPC was working to support the Dangote refinery which he described as a, “game changer,” which can produce up to 82 million litres of gasoline, not just for Nigeria but the entire West Africa.

According to a report, Nigeria will contribute 25 per cent to the total population in Africa by 2040 and what we can do is to make our operating market competitive by bringing down the cost and production and focus on the business of

gas,’ he said.

The NNPC boss restated the determination of the government to get the refineries working again, although he said in a different forum that they will henceforth be privately managed.

“All four national refineries are down at the moment but we are working round the clock to see how we can fix them. We will also continue to support the completion of the Dangote refinery and create space for local skills to come into play so as to reduce cost and contribute to economic growth.

“We remain committed to achieving our target of increasing crude oil production to the national target of three million barrels per day and reserves of 40 million barrels,” he reiterated.

In his intervention, the President, African Export-Import Bank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, said the future of the African continent as regards the oil and gas business lies in ensuring more integration.

“Some of the changes we would like to see happening is in regards to policies and regulatory changes, investments in gas and renewable energy space because they are key to changing the narrative of oil and gas business in the African continent.

“We have to be smart as to how we address climate change to create a fair world and solve degradation as sustainability goes beyond social issues because development is done by carrying everyone along but petroleum, gas, renewable energy needs to be done in a cleaner way,” he noted. The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, who appeared on the panel which discussed, “The impact of Global Energy Transition on African Economies,” congratulated Seplat on surviving the industry in the last 10 years.

“Seplat is a poster child of local content development in Nigeria. I want to congratulate its chairman, Dr. ABC Orjiako for having been steadfast to steer the ship to what we have today” he said.

In his opening remarks, the company’s Chairman, Dr. Bryant Orjiako had declared that the event would be an annual platform for the company

to continue to shape the narrative on relevant issues in the energy sector.

According to him, the company has been a trail blazer for indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria and had since recorded historic accomplishments in various aspects of its business.

He said: “We have grown our operations, our reserves and became the first company to be listed on both the Nigeria and London Stock Exchange.”

Also, erstwhile Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Austin Avuru, attributed the company’s success to its passionate commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance standards as well as an unwavering focus on sustainable value creation for stakeholders.

“We are very strong on corporate governance, structure and zero tolerance for unethical practices”.

In his comments, the new CEO of Seplat, Mr. Roger Brown, said the summit remains a crucial platform to debate challenges and solutions for the transition to a future sustainable energy system in Africa.

Some other speakers during the event were: President, Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, Managing Director, Financial Derivatives, Mr Bismarck Rewane, MD, TOTAL E&P Nigeria, Mr. Mike Sangster, former Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh and CEO of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema.

Joe-Ezigbo said: “We need to leverage on Africa’s over 527 TCF proven natural gas reserves and use that side by side complementary to building up our renewables profile as well which Nigeria should be championing”.

Chairman, Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, Seplat board, Lord Mark MallochBrown, in his comments, said the African energy market remains a growing one which should focus on renewable resources.

“Africa is right up there as one of the most dynamic growing markets, also the continent has some of the most important potential renewable assets in the world,” he said

Uncertainty over OPEC’s Plan to Raise Supply in August Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency reports There is uncertainty over the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies’ plan to return supply to the market after the group’s output cuts, while the covid-19 pandemic continues to spread across many major economies of the world.

Deep production curbs by the cartel and its allies had helped oil rebound from its plunge below zero in April, but it’s a precarious time to be adding more supply to the market, industry watchers say.

While West Texas Intermediate for September delivery added 0.3 per cent to $40.05 a barrel, WTI fell to trade beneath

its 50-day moving average and Brent rose about 0.5 per cent to $43.15.

But OPEC+ plans to return about 1.5 million barrels a day to the market this month after cutting global supply by roughly 10 per cent when demand plunged as U.S. shale companies are also returning production, with ConocoPhillips the latest to announce plans to bring back oil.

“If oil-producing countries do not continue the co-ordinated cuts, oil prices could again fall below $40,” said Jun Inoue, an economist at Mizuho Research Institute in Tokyo. “Although demand is expected to continue to recover and inventories are expected to decline, the pace of recovery in oil prices is expected to be moderate” he added.

OPEC oil production increased by one million barrels per day in July, as the cartel reduced its production cuts and major gulf members also ended their added voluntary cuts, as the body plans to ease production cuts by 7.7 million barrels a day.

The body pumped an average of 23.32 million bpd for the month of July, which is over 900,000 more than June when OPEC production hit its lowest level in 20 years.

In April, the oil cartel agreed to reduce production by almost 10 million barrels as the pandemic affected demand, leading to record price lows.

However, with the rising recovery in demand after April’s lows, OPEC agreed to increase production from a

cut of 9.6 million barrels to 7.7 million barrels a day from August.

The reduction in cuts was backed by both Saudi Arabia and Russia, including other participating oil ministers in the virtual conference.

Saudi Arabia saw the biggest increase in production, pumping close to 8.4 million bpd, which is up 850,000 from their June quota.

But Nigeria and Iraq did not add any further cuts to their production in July after both nations achieved most of their quota compliance for the month.

Nigeria has also promised to comply with it production quota for the coming months.

Reuters reported that total compliance for the month of June for production

was revised up to 111 per cent, while an International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director, Fatih Birol, says that even if market demand recovered, uncertainties still lie ahead due to the scale of global economic recovery and given a likely second wave of the coronavirus.

Analysts warned that OPEC’s increasing production could be ill-timed as demand may decline anytime soon which may lead to another supply glut hitting the market.

Storage may still be a concern as the largest independent oil storage company, Royal Vopak warns it is running out of available space and also warns supply may surpass demand by 700,000 in August and by 2 million by September.

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COVID-19: Insurance Sector and Digitalisation Buchi Ubani The insurance landscape in Nigeria has tremendously evolved and this growth can be attributed to certain policies introduced to the industry. Contributions from the government and governing bodies, which were positively welcomed by the masses, have turned out to be impressive over the years.

Commendably, the rising rate of response of Nigerians to insurance and insurance policies is responsible for the increased level of awareness of insurance, especially in the corporate world.

Many institutions now realise the need for insurance cover on their assets and personnel, as well as motor insurance and group life policies.

In a recent interview, the Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers Limited, Anselem Igbo, noted that the implementation of compulsory insurance by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is a crucial driver for increased insurance acceptance in the country.

He said: “First, the regulator is part of the federal government. Looking back at the last two decades, insurance has gained more acceptance, as the efforts of NAICOM and other industry players have yielded some results. “The industry is now able to attract professionals from all fields of life. Individuals of different professions like medical doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, among others, have become a part of the industry and they all contribute their different ideas on how to move the industry forward.�

Igbo, noted that the industry had achieved much, with the prompt payment of genuine claims by insurance companies, which has led to increased trust in insurance products.

He said: “Even in this pandemic, and despite the lockdown, most insurance companies have performed creditably well by paying the genuine claims, once they are fully documented. However, there is a continuous need to grow the market to attract the younger generation. With current digitalisation, the purchase of personal lines insurance will become seamless and more attractive to the younger, active and working population.�

When asked about digitalisation, Igbo stated that it had positively impacted the insurance landscape.

Anselem-Igbo, CE-Stanbic-IBTC-Insurance-Brokers He added: “Insurance companies now have their motor insurance automated for third party motor insurance cover. For comprehensive protection, there are still some processes before full confirmation of cover can be granted. It is certain that in the no-distant future, some class of motor insurance claims will be fully automated and claims paid seamlessly. “Also, frontline insurance companies are putting in efforts towards digitalisation. They have launched one form of App or the other, to deepen digitalisation in the industry. Technology is expensive, no doubt, but if the sector can pool resources together and have shared services where necessary, the cost of digitalisation will reduce significantly.�

According to Igbo, the industry players can take charge to propel the industry by delivering efficient services and investing in technology to drive the business, without aimlessly waiting for the government to change the narrative. “All that is needed from the government and the regulator will only be an enabling environment to amend the laws and give necessary approval

for digitalisation. The COVID-19 experience has proven that innovation is greatly needed in the insurance industry,� Igbo affirmed.

At these uncertain times, the insurance industry, as well as many others, have faced a bit of downtime for operations that excluded digitalisation. The COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented and minimal preparation was made for it. Sadly, it has in one way or the other affected several businesses and industries, insurance inclusive.

One limitation was that the level of insurance transactions slowed down for most insurance companies while working remotely. Although little impact was felt on the generation of policy documents, the significant fall in service was in the delivery of hard copy documents. This is because the insurance service is mostly reliant on courier services, which were partially grounded during the lockdown, except for essential deliveries.

For significant risks that involve coinsurance from multiple companies, all of the coinsurers’ signatures on policy documents and endorsements are needed. However, this has been very difficult to effect during this period, as the social distancing guidelines did not encourage bringing multiple insurers together. During the total lockdown, a few insurers announced a possible ‘give-back’ for Personal Motor Insurance, although this was limited to the Comprehensive Insurance only. The give back could be as much as a one-month premium rebate to the policyholders who were constrained to ground their vehicles in strict compliance with the lockdown order.

The insurance industry has immensely contributed positively to the Nigerian economy, even in these difficult times. Unfortunately, there is currently no known ‘pandemic insurance’ sold in Nigeria.

It is certainly not common, although there have been sufficient events in the past that should have warned businesses that the day of COVID-19, and its likes, could come.

The foremost insurance brokers Chief Executive suggested that the pandemic insurance, along with a business interruption insurance, may help cushion the effects of a pandemic. In his words: “An insurer interested in transacting this product only needs to show evidence of an adequate reinsurance arrangement and the satisfaction of

other conditions as may be required from time to time. Considering the increase in fraudulent activities and event cancellations as a result of the pandemic, insurance brokers should encourage their clients to take up cybercrime and event cancellation policies.�

Every challenge presents its opportunities. The Covid-19 pandemic is no different. Recently, the industry regulator – NAICOM – examined the impact of the pandemic on insurance companies and came up with new guidelines on the recapitalisation for the industry.

This includes a more reduced recapitalisation limit to be met by 31 December 2020, which was the initially advised date. However, the companies will still be required to achieve full recapitalisation, but at a later date in Q3, 2021.

The Commissioner, NAICOM, Mr Sunday Thomas, also said that there would be a change in regulation post-COVID-19.

According to him, the Commission will also make the consolidation initiative focus on designing products that are more suitable for such unexpected events. In NAICOM’s views, the pandemic has thrown up challenges which, if embraced by the operators, would reposition the industry for better growth and development. There is also a waiver on the deadlines for some regulatory reports, with NAICOM giving some months of extension.

In the area of distribution, direct marketing staff and some insurance brokerage firms who rely heavily on physical contact for selling of insurance were deeply impacted by the pandemic.

This mode of marketing is not allowed by some insurance brokers and clients who do not encourage visits. There is every possibility of repurposing some business development staff who rely on physical contact marketing. Another impact of COVID-19 is that there is an increased uptake in life insurance policies for both corporate and personal lines.

Igbo, noted that the speedy growth of the insurance landscape in Nigeria is largely dependent on the expansion of technology. Digitalisation must be embraced to build better and faster solutions that will attract and cater to the insurance needs of the masses.

Access Bank: Propelled By Transformational Agenda Oluchi Chibuzor Access Bank Plc’s evolution from an obscure Nigerian lender into a world-class African financial institution in a relatively short period of time can be traced back to its first transformational agenda created by a brilliant management team that came on board in 2002, writes Although the lender commenced operations on May 11, 1989, the Access Bank brand story could be said to have really begun in March 2002, when its board of directors, at the time, appointed Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer and Herbert Wigwe as Deputy Managing Director.

The two men, then in their 30s, were given the mandate to ensure that the bank became one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions within a five-year period (March 2002 to March 2007).

At about the same time, another high flying professional, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, who had gained vital board experience from some of Nigeria’s leading companies, including MTN Nigeria, Okomu Oil Palm Plc, was also appointed to the board.

The new management team wasted no time in creating a transformational agenda for Access Bank, which became the road map for the conversion of the lender into a world class financial institution.

In fact, the impact of the transformation agenda was reflected in the bank’s performance in the first year. The lender grew its balance sheet by 100 per cent and posted an impressive N1 billion profit before tax.

To put in context, the profit before tax figure was more than the cumulative profit made by the bank in the previous 12 years.

Capital Raising Recognising the role of an enhanced capital structure, the bank embarked on a capital raising exercise in July 2007.

The exercise was a huge success recording an over subscription of over 300 per cent.

The public offer comprised of an Over-The-

Wigwe Counter GDR placement of $250 million which was similarly oversubscribed by 700 per cent.

Acquisition of Intercontinental Bank In 2012, Access Bank became a top five lender in Nigeria following its acquisition of Intercontinental Bank and began to build a pre-eminent position in retail as well as corporate banking.

By 2013, Access Bank had become AA- rated

by S&P and was able to raise capital in the global bond markets, with its first successful $350million Eurobond issuance taking place in July 2012.

Wigwe takes over from Aig-Imoukhuede Following Mr Aig-Imoukhuede’s exit, in line with Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) rule limiting bank chief executive officers to a maximum tenure of 10 years, Wigwe took over as the new GMD/ CEO in 2014. He continued the task of sustaining the lender’s growth, by setting specific time frame for the attainment of clearly identified objectives.

2018-2022 transformational strategy For instance, during a presentation at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on December 4, 2017, Access

Bank set a target of 30million customers that it would attract between 2018 and 2022 as part of its transformational strategy, which, it said, was focused on attaining the position of the market leader in Nigerian banking sector.

As the bank’s CEO, Wigwe explained at the time the bank was aiming to become the leader in trade/ intra-Africa trade, through the universal payment gateway.

The Access Bank boss listed the six key factors, he said, would drive the transformation strategy which include global collaboration, customer-focus, digital-led banking, retail and wholesale banking, analytics-driven insight/ robust risk management and universal payment gateway.

He stressed that the bank would give priority to the retail segment growth, which will be driven through digital innovation and tech-driven platforms.

On measures that would make the lender attain its objective of becoming the top bank in the country, Wigwe outlined strategies including enhancing retail offering across key market segments and increase focus on digital to support the retail and payment business.

Acquisition of Diamond Bank In April 2019, Access Bank seized the opportunity to accelerate its five-year plan by combining with Diamond Bank, which at the time was Nigerian’s leading retail bank with 19 million customers, including 10 million mobile customers, and a strong reputation for data analytics and technological innovation. The merger made Access Bank the largest bank in Nigeria and Africa by customer base (over 36 million customers). Explaining why Access Bank merged with Diamond Bank, Wigwe said: “First of all, the idea was for us to show the world that coming out of Africa we can create truly global institutions that are digitally led, that are basically reaching out to the bottom of the pyramid. “In terms of the strengths that the different institutions brought, Access Bank on its own had built a strong

wholesale business. It had also built a very strong treasury business and was known for strong risk management.�

Now, Diamond Bank catered for a different end of the market. The micro-SMEs, individuals; it was a very strong digital institution that had about 17 million customers.

So, the business combination created an institution where Access Bank could serve the large corporates and, using technology, basically ensure transfer of goods and services all the way to the last mile. “But I think the most important for me is the fact that this merger, it would help ensure greater financial inclusion, greater financial deepening, and ensure that in the 200 million -strong people in Nigeria we can basically start to have about 100 million that are financially included,� Wigwe said in an interview with Bloomberg recently.

Wigwe reiterated that Access Bank planned to expand into 22 countries over the next five years.

He said: “We want to have subsidiaries across 22 countries over the next five years, with strategic plans to be present in the major trade corridors in the African continent. “Building on our successful expansion into Kenya, we will also be making entries into Angola and Mozambique. “At the moment, Access Bank does not have a presence in the Francophone region of Africa, and we will be working to see that this is changed in the coming years. “By 2023, Access Bank will have consolidated its position as Africa’s gateway to the world with about 100 million customers in Nigeria and an additional 20 million customers across our African subsidiaries.�

Noting that Access Bank’s innovative payments solution was key to the growth projection, Wigwe said: “Access Bank is set to revolutionize the payment and banking landscape in Africa. “We would soon be introducing a new payment system that would allow users enjoy a secure, seamless and convenient service when making payments at Merchant locations without cash or card.�

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Delivering Electricity via the NDPHC Kolade Badmus Many Nigerians, both experts and lay persons, have come to the conclusion that inadequate electricity generation and supply in the country is one of the factors inhibiting rapid national growth. Moreso, is the fact that electricity is vital to most, if not all, modern development sectors and routes. Successive governments have made some efforts to find solutions to bridging this power gap, especially given the resources available in the country.

One of such interventions was in 2005 when the Federal Government set up the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) to fast-track power sector infrastructure development.

The new company was handed a mandate to manage the power projects under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) scheme of the three-tiers of Nigerian government (Federal, States and Local). It was meant as an emergency intervention scheme to tackle the deficit and expand power sector infrastructure in the country.

The NDPHC was given marching orders to develop 10 power plants with a designed installed and operating capacity of 5,067MW, 102 transmission lines and substations projects and over 291 distribution-injection sub stations and gas infrastructure with over 22,000 completely Self Protected transformers among other critical projects. So far the company has completed about 4,015MW of this designed capacity, representing about 80 per cdnt of this mandate and has also made remarkable input in Transmission, Distribution and Gas infrastructure.

Generation In power generation, eight of the 10 power plants in the NIPP portfolio, along with associated gas transmission metering/receiving infrastructure projects to support commercial operation, have been commissioned and connected to the national grid contributing over 22,000,000kWhr of energy daily subject to availability of gas.

The NDPHC has continued to operate these power plants in the interest of the Nigerian economy, despite undesirable security challenges and an accumulated debt owed it by the electricity market. The NDPHC contribution represents about 30 per cent of power requirement in the national grid, despite the huge debt of over N121billion owed NDPHC by the electricity market.

The NPDHC has over 3,000 MW of generation capacity available for deployment if the grid permits and this represents the best opportunity for the rapid improvement of power supply to Nigerian consumers.

So far, completed power plants include 750MW Olorunsogo II; 450MW (Ogorode) Sapele; 434MW Geregu II; 450MW Omotosho II; 450MW Ihovbor; 450MW Alaoji; 563MW Calabar and 225MW Gbarain. Imminently completed ones include 225MW Omoku; 338MW Egbema and 530MW Alaoji steam machines that would wrap up the total available capacity of the plants to 1, 774MW on full completion.

Many of the NIPP power plants on the national grid also provide ancillary services like spinning reserve to support the system operations, a contribution critical for stabilizing the national grid.

Transmission The NDPHC has completed 2,194km of 330kV transmission lines and 809km of 132kV transmission lines. This represents an increase of 46% and 13% respectively over the pre-NIPP status of grid infrastructure. A total of 10 new 330/132kV substations and seven new 132/33kV substations have also been completed with several other existing substations significantly expanded thereby adding 5,590MVA and 3,313MVA capacity to the national grid. NIPP contributions to the Transmission grid system have transformed the hitherto radial 330kV/132kV grid into a more robust grid system with significant provision of alternative power flow routes which now serve as redundancies and which has resulted in a more reliable and stable Nigerian grid. Of note in these respects are the commissioning of the over 220km long 330kV Double Circuit (DC) lines providing alternative thermal power into Abuja and the FCT from Geregu, through a new Lokoja substation, a new Gwagwalada substation into the existing TCN Katampe and Apo substations with several significant expansion works on existing substation developments along this route.

Another is the remarkable 330kV Transmission backbone that provides several 330kV DC transmission line spurs from Power plant zones in Calabar, Alaoji, Afam and Ikot Abasi into a switching hub at Ikot Ekpene. From this hub long DC lines emanate to flow power from these southern based power generation centers to Jos

and the far North East through Ugwuaji and Makurdi in Enugu and Benue states.

With the commissioning of about 95% of this grid backbone in November 2016, the Nigerian Transmission Grid bid a firm and final goodbye to the radial grid era and entered into a new hitherto unattainable level of grid security, reliability and stability that has seemed elusive since the commencement of Nigerian grid operations in 1969. The completion of majority of the balance of works on this grid backbone is fast going on and scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017. The statistics of NIPP contribution to overall transmission system growth and reliability with improvements in transformation capacity, is progressively increasing each day as the balance of NIPP Transmission projects are being delivered.

The company invested in critical transmission and distribution infrastructure needed to evacuate the electricity generated into the national grid and distribute the same to end users.

The projects NDPHC has executed in that regard include the expansion of 36 Transmission Company of Nigeria’s 330kV and 132kV substations across the country; and the construction of: 1,635Km of 330kv Double Circuit lines; 720km of 132kV Double Circuit lines; 10 new 330kV substations; Seven new 132Kv substations; 6,150MVA of 330/132kv transformation capacity; 2,800MVA of 132/33kV transformation capacity; and the provision of over 25,000 complete self-protection (CSP) transformers.

In November, last year, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, commissioned the 12-circuit Ikot-Ekpene 330KVA Switching Station and the associated transmissions lines with a total of about 285KM completed by the NDPHC management.

These projects are now assisting in evacuating into the national grid, electricity hitherto stranded in the Eastern Delta.

There was also the commissioning of 330KV Switching Station at Ikot-Ekpene, on Monday, November 21, 2016.

Distribution The final lap of the electricity chain is the distribution of power to the eventual consumers. So, in the electricity distribution segment, NDPHC has constructed and commissioned over 350 injection substations with a combined capacity of 3,540MW across the length and breadth of Nigeria. NDPHC has further constructed a total of 2,600km of 11kV and 1,700km of 33kV distribution lines for improving access to electricity and quality of power supply to consumers.

The nation’s distribution capacity has also been enhanced by the installation of 25,900 completely self-protected (CSP) transformers all over the country thereby significantly reducing technical losses. Under the NIPP program, the capacity of 33/0.415kV and 11/0.415kV has been increased by 26%. The NIPP is designed to increase the number of 33/0.415kV & 11/0.415kV substations by 163% all the projects are nearing completion.

These achievements and contributions to the nation’s power sector undoubtedly put the NDPHC in good stead to continue to power Nigeria’s quest for overall national development. These have proved that the idea behind the establishment of the Company 15 years ago has been worth it. It is only hoped that the current and future management will not rest on its oars but continue to fulfil the mandate of NDPHC as Nigerians look up to it for more successes.

NAQS Destroy N42m Worth of Illegally Processed Monkey Skin James Emejo in Abuja The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) said it has safely incinerated and disposed a cache of illegally processed export-bound donkey skin worth N42 million in Sheda, Abuja.

The quarantine agency stated that it seized the donkey skin during a string of precision raids on underground donkey skin

warehouses and slaughter camps across the country.

The raids, which were carried out with a detachment of men of the Nigerian Police from the Force Animal Branch (FAB), followed several unheeded warnings to the operators to shut down those warehouses and stop the decimation of Nigerian donkeys.

In a statement by Head of Media, Communications and Strategies, NAQS, Dr. Gozie

Nwodo, the agency noted that the exploitation of the Nigerian donkeys has to be in line with and subservient to the paramount imperative of restocking the national herd population. The Coordinator of the Operations, Deputy Comptroller-General of Quarantine, Dr. Sunday Audu said:�The volume of donkey skin we are destroying today bears witness to the fact that

there is an insidious scorched earth war on Nigerian donkeys.

This public destruction of the illegally processed export-bound donkey skin is meant to send a clear signal to all and sundry that the government will not countenance the overexploitation of Nigerian donkeys.�

According to him, Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species as well as

bound by its commitment to protect endangered species.

He said:�one of the few standing bastions of donkeys on the planet. As such, the onus is on the country to ensure that its local donkey breeds don’t disappear from the face of the earth. Donkeys have a unique place in the human story and their existence ought to enjoy continuity in civilisation. So we cannot be indifferent to the

escalating threat of their overexploitation. Overexploitation will drive them to the brink of extinction. And we don’t want Nigerian donkeys to fade into oblivion like dinosaurs.�

The NAQS recently unveiled a blueprint to structure the donkey value chain. The framework laid out a model of donkey exploitation that is interwoven with the irreducible minimum of proportional restocking.

Water Heater Company Unveils Campaign in Nigeria Raheem Akingbolu Ariston, an international brand from the stable of Ariston Thermo Group, has premiered its global campaign ‘The Ariston Comfort Challenge’ in Nigeria, which highlight its global mission of bring-

ing sustainable comfort, even where it seems impossible to find.

The Ariston Comfort Challenge focused on ensuring thermal comfort could reach anywhere in the world. Through this mission, Ariston has donated a warm shelter to a group of

scientists from the University of Copenhagen involved in climate change studies in the remote and icy Island of Disko, in Greenland (Arctic).

The Ariston Comfort Zone, an innovative modular home, was shipped to and assembled—for the first time— in Disko Island,

Greenland.Disko Island is one of the coldest regions in the world and before this time, it proved near impossible for the scientists to stay on the island for more than a few days due to the harsh weather conditions.

This unfriendly weather, which becomes even more hostile during

the winter months and interrupts research work.

Thanks to this mission, Ariston brand has also had the chance to give evidence to its product quality, which are able to work even in Extreme Conditions.

Speaking during a virtual media parley held in Lagos

recently, the Director, Central Africa, Ariston Thermo Group, Gaurav Bisaria, explained that a safe and sheltered house, heated and provided with hot water for the maximum comfort even during Polar winters would have not been possible without our commitment to quality.

31

T H I S D AY Ëž Í˛Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Ports Economic Regulator and Automation Project Francis Ugwoke For every maritime stakeholder, the mention of world big ports like Shanghai, China and Singapore rings a bell about their level of perfection in cargo delivery operations. To many it is still a surprise as to how they are able to cope with the container volumes or vessels being handled on daily basis. Shanghai is the largest container port worldwide based on 2019 throughput. The port handled 4.3million teus in 2019, according to latest statistics published by Statista Research Department.

It is followed by the Port of Singapore which attracts 140,000 vessels annually with 537.6 million tonnes. The maritime industry contributes 7percent of Singapore’s GDP and 170,000 jobs, according to statistics. The country also projects that by 2025, the sector is expected to create additional 13,000 jobs. This remains an eye opener to many as to what a modern port is all about.

In these ports, for a first time visitor particularly those from the developing countries, one is marveled at the serene atmosphere in the port environment. Nigerian officials who had visited on account of learning how to fashion our own ports to advanced ports give account that these ports are not typical of an environment where millions of containers are handled. It is away from what happens in Nigerian ports.

There is no human heads loitering around the gates and terminals as the case in Nigerian ports.

And that is a typical example of what technology can offer in modern port operation. In the ports of Shanghai and Singapore, automation is the key word covering decision making (yard management), gates, tracking and tracing, yard cranes, quay cranes, freight forwarding and indeed trucking system. Everything works perfect with no congestion and breakdown on the port environment. It is all trade facilitation at best.

This is indeed what the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as the ports economic regulator wants to be enthroned in Nigerian ports system, a high level of efficiency in trade facilitation. The Council has been preaching for effective automation covering all services in the ports in such a way that a freight forwarder representing his shipper can stay in his office and get a cargo released without having to physically be at the ports.

Automation in Nigerian ports Nigeria has no doubt introduced automation in most of her port services. Every agency has embraced automation. This ranges from Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), among others. But a lot still needs to be done to reach global standard in shipping services by way of complete integration.

This is what the NSC is working on to achieve

by March 2021, according to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Hassan Bello. To some extent, Bello agrees that there is definitely some level of improvement on automation, but would wish that the standard as obtains in advanced ports comes to play in our own maritime environment.

At a recent webinar, Bello called for integration of all stakeholders in the sector, including the Customs Service, NPA, NSC, importers, terminal operators, freight forwarders to achieve a 24 hour ports service. With 24 hour service, automation of ports services, deployment of multi modal means of evacuation of goods, ease of doing business at the ports will definitely be enhanced.

How corruption affects automation In Nigerian ports environment, areas where automation has become very effective is in payments of NPA charges, customs duties, terminal handling and shipping companies charges. But having done this, the customs agent will still have leg-walk to do by visiting physically the service providers to confirm that payments have been received. The agent must also visit the Customs where he is likely to receive queries on his payments.

He has to interface physically with the officer who would probably demand settlement if the shipper wishes to get lower debit note (DN) or suffer higher surcharges. During examination of cargoes at the ports, the shipper or his agent must be around to settle the officers or this process would be delayed. To industry operators, Nigeria needs to move towards smart ports with high level of automation where cranes deliver containers from ships to the port through unmanned yard cranes.

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Bello These containers are then stacked according to type of cargo and inventory. Automation should also go further to impact on other processes, including bill of lading, all other invoicing and what happens at the gates where a lot of security checks are required. Automating entry and exit gates will go a long way in eliminating rounds of manual checks as is the case in Nigerian ports where most times settlement is what determines how fast the truck or vehicle is allowed to go.

To the President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Increase Uche, automation has become very necessary in all facets of ports operation with the current ravaging of coronavirus pandemic.

He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to depart from this manual processing of any stage of port operation. This should involve everyone, the banks, the freight forwarders, customs facilitation, shipping companies, cargo delivery from the terminal. There should be comprehensive integration of all the players.

All port operations need digital transformation and the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic experience should be a major reason why the single window implementation must be put into motion to promote automationâ&#x20AC;?.

Uche recalled that in 2006 when the ports were concessioned, automation worked for some months with the introduction of ASYCUDA 2.7 by the Customs Service before being scuttled by some unscrupulous customs officials who felt that they were not making personal money as a result of automation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As at that time, with scanner once your cargo is on green lane what you require is to go to the terminal and carry your goods to leave. By that nothing is causing you any encumbrance. But at a stage, when the Customs Processing Centre (CPC) discovered that nobody was coming there anymore, and those at the terminals found out nobody recognised their presence any more, they started posting alerts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was what reversed the whole thing. The CPC that was almost deserted became lively again towards 2008 and early 2009.

That is how the whole thing was reversed again.

So that was how automation under ASYCUDA 2.7 was reversed againâ&#x20AC;?, he said.

Similarly, another freight forwarder and maritime expert, Dr. Eugene Nweke said if Nigerian wants what obtains in other advanced ports, there should be serious commitment on the part of the government to achieve it. Nweke said an automated port system is expected to, â&#x20AC;&#x153;posses the capacity for unhindered communication via Single Portal which provides for single lodgment process, validation of data, inbuilt security device, prompt business intelligence monitoring and responses, accommodate users templates, minimise efforts for all parties via seamless net-workings.â&#x20AC;?

He said what Nigerian shippers or port users want is an automated port system with wholesome paperless documentation regime in, â&#x20AC;&#x153;port-shipping operations in which submission of documents and processing are done almost instantaneous, reducing man hours and associated delays.â&#x20AC;?

Nweke was also of the view that what obtains in Nigeria currently was far from the needed national centrally driven automation process, referring to the multiplicity of automation efforts as represented by different agencies of the government.

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

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32

T H I S D AY Ëž ͲË&#x153; 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

NNRA Seeks Upgrade of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nuclear Safety Laws Emmanuel Addeh Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039; The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) has continued its consultations with the National Assembly to re-enact the Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards Act (NSSS) bill.

Already, the agency has met with the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and that of Science and Technology on the hearing on the bill.

The bill seeks to re-establish an already existing legal and regulatory framework for the safe application of nuclear technology and reposition the NNRA by strengthening its regulatory functions. According to the agency, reviewing the act will enable Nigeria meet its national and international obligations on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. The process of reenactment of the bill commenced in the 8th assembly but did not sail through before the expiration

of that assembly.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Albert Akpan, in his opening remarks said the committee was committed to seeing to the quick passage of the bill, hence the call for a public hearing to accommodate all stakeholders in the industry.

He assured stakeholders that their inputs and submissions will be considered appropriately and expressed the hope that the bill will be passed into law soonest.

Also, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Bitrus Nabasu, stated the importance of nuclear technology and enjoined its peaceful application in a number of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s socio economic activities.

He highlighted the notable deficiencies the bill seeks to address especially on all modern areas of nuclear safety and security as prescribed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

and applauded the 9th assembly for the early start in consideration of the bill.

The Director General of the NNRA, Dr. Yau Idris, who led the authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management staff together with the NUPENG and PENGASSAN leadership of NNRA to the hearing also agreed with the ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s submissions.

Once passed, the bill is expected to take care of the issues of prime responsibility for security as well as nuclear security coordination among others.

It would accommodate the operation of Nuclear Power Programme (NPP) in the country and form the basis for science and nuclear energy operations in the country.

The bill seeks to review regulations on radiation protection, transport and radioactive waste management, physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilities, nuclear safeguards as well as uranium mining, milling and processing.

Wema Bank Introduces Collateral-free Loan for SMEs Wema Bank said it has made available SME loan products that are collateral free to support businesses.

A statement from the bank explained that businesses in need of working capital finance could get up to N10 million without collateral to meet their short-term business needs.

This facility is available for business owners who are in segments such as trade /general commerce, schools, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Also, in the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quest to enhance reach and accessibility of these facilities, it has made it available to both new and existing customers of the Bank (including those doing business with their

personal names),â&#x20AC;? it added.

According to the bank, the initiative was to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on businesses affected by the virus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The bank is offering up to N5 million without collateral and up to 12 months repayment period to businesses that are doing trading or general commerce while school owners can get up to N10 million without collateral with also 12 months repayment period. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Health sector businesses like pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres can also get up to N5million without collateral with up to 12 months repayment period to meet working capital needs. In an earlier communication, the bank had stressed how critical it is to support players in

the health sector, especially with the realities of the time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For us, we will continue to put the health of Nigerians and the safety of our communities first,â&#x20AC;? said the MD/CEO Wema Bank, Mr Ademola Adebise.

He added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is our joy to see players in the health sector grow during this difficult time and we encourage them to take advantage of all our support programmes to keep their businesses afloat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have been very thoughtful in how we have approached this, and we will continue to be. Our goal is to provide all the support we can at this time coming from the knowledge that the fight against the pandemic is a collective one, and we all must play our roles,â&#x20AC;? Adebise added.

Unubiko Foundation Empowers Abia Youths A non-governmental organisation, Unubiko Foundation, is to select 20 youths across Abia state for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s #CodeCamp Youth Empowerment Programme, which starts on Monday, August 10, 2020.

In a statement by Unubiko Foundation in Umuahia, the Project Director, Dr. Benjamin Isani, said the #CodeCamp initiative is an online digital sand leadership skills masterclass that is much more than teaching specific coding languages. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 20 successfully selected applicants will receive laptops, which theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll use to commence the training, and afterwards use same to start their own businesses,â&#x20AC;?

Isani said. According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;it is imperative that our young people in Abia get the opportunity to immerse themselves with relevant leadership and digital skills that is critical for them to effectively compete and survive in the todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hi-tech economy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We aim to re-channel the negative vibes that some of our youths invest in unproductive ventures to something useful by starting to build enduring products and solutions that will power Africa with techinnovation.â&#x20AC;?

The CodeCamp by Unubiko foundation includes logical thinking and meta-skills such as mind-mapping and goal-setting developed during digital education, to help prepare young people to take their place in society as knowledgeable individuals instead of passive consumers.

The Foundation noted that due to rising insecurity, youth unemployment and the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic, it has become necessary to accelerate the shift towards digitally-focused empowerment of youths in Abia State.

The Managing Partner of Derasoft Consulting, Abuja, organisers of the programme, Mr. Young Ozogwu, while commending the gesture of Unubiko foundation, observed that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Time and time again, Unubiko has always come through for the poor, especially for the people of Abia State, lifting them up at every time of need.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;To build young peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital skills is not just a nice-tohave, but also itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a need-to-have.

Digital skills are critical to helping, inspiring and training the next generation of leaders. It is equally necessary to equip young people of today with necessary tools to

become productive for themselves and the society.â&#x20AC;? Ozogwu added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unubiko is an equal opportunity Foundation, we are encouraging our young women to seize this opportunity as well.â&#x20AC;?

The philanthropic activities of Unubiko Foundation have also been noticed across the state and beyond. Following the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Foundation distributed palliatives to various communities and households across the state.

However, to qualify for the empowerment scheme, applicants must be from Abia State and between the ages of 19 and 40 years and such persons must possess basic computer knowledge.

At the end of the 6-week training, the participant should be able to know how to host and setup web servers; know how to host and create websites (e.g Nairaland, Jumia); know how to develop web applications (e.g. Registration forms, Dashboards); know how to create and manage databases; know how to collaborate and work with others in a team; as well as know how to set goals for oneself and achieve it.

According to the organisers, deadline for application closes on Friday August 7, 2020.

L-R: Chairman, First Ally Capital, Mr Olufemi Akinsanya; Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Mr. Kayode Pitan; Director, First Ally Capital, Dr. Abiodun Arokodare and Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr Ebenezer Olufowose, during the opening ceremony for the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new head office building in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śrecently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)

35,029,779.72

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

7,374,356.91

Money Supply (M2)

27,655,422.82

-- Quasi Money

116,533,891.21

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,121,531.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,625,047.69

---- Demand Deposits

9,496,483.91

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

13,911,335.83

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

21,118,443.89

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

35,918,179.45

---- Credit to Government (Net)

10,452,199.38

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

11,007,422.79

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

25,465,980.07

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-14,799,735.56

--Other Assets Net

7,000,253.07

Reserve Money (Base Money

2,005,600.83

--Currency in Circulation

4,677,530.81

--Banks Reserves

317,121.43

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2039;

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

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;ĂŁ Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ě&#x2039; ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ë&#x153; ͹ͯ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $43.02 a barrel on Friday, compared with $42.99 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela) SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

33

T H I S D AY Ëž ͲË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Custodian Investment to Acquire 51% Equity Interest in UACN Property Goddy Egene Custodian Investment Plc has signed a binding agreement with UAC of Nigeria Plc to purchase a 51 per cent equity interest in UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc. In a notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, the Group Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin, said the agreement marked the beginning of a part-

nership between Custodian and UAC that would achieve both companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; respective objectives in the real estate industry.

The deal would involve the sale of sale of 9,465,584,668 UPDC ordinary shares held by UAC, representing 51 per cent of UPDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issued share capital, to Custodian.

The shares would be sold in two tranches, that 946,558,467 shares and 8,519,026,201 shares. Commenting on the partnership, Oshin said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We at Custodian

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

are excited about the possibilities arising from this partnership with UAC which provides multiple levers for value creation. The rationale for the transaction is that Custodian and UAC share the view that their ambitions for capturing opportunity in the real estate industry will be better achieved working in partnership.â&#x20AC;?

UPDC is one of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading real estate development companies, having completed several landmark residential

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

and commercial developments over the past twenty years.

This transaction will provide Custodian with a platform to capture arising real estate opportunities. It also immediately provides recurring cash flow visibility and attractive yields as a result ofits direct exposure to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading real estate investment trust (UPDC REIT) with a track record of profitability and annual dividend distribution which offers a good

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

compliment for our product portfolio. We are confident that the recent recapitalisation of UPDC, significant reduction in finance costs, and recently reconstituted leadership have repositioned the company to operate sustainably and capture growth opportunitiesaimed at increasing stakeholder value going forward.â&#x20AC;?

Also commenting, Group Managing Director of UACN,

O F

Folasope Aiyesimoju, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The transaction is a significant step in achieving our objectives for UPDC .In 2018, the board and management of UAC embarked on a strategic review to evaluate the performance of the company and its subsidiaries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The objective was to achieve sustainable positive financial performance from our existing operations and enable management focus on businesses that align with our strategy.

0 3 / 0 8 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

34

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

FBN Holdings Injects N25bn into FirstBank Goddy Egene FBN Holdings Plc has injection of N25 billionequity capital into its commercial banking subsidiary,

FirstBankof Nigeria Limited, being the net proceeds of the company’s divestment from FBN Insurance Limited. With this fresh capital, the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of

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

Firstbank has increased to 16.53 per cent (before capitalising year to date profit) as at June 2020.

Comenting on this development, the Chief Financial Officer of FBN

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 29Jul-2020, unless otherwise stated.

Holdings Plc, Oyewale Ariyibi said: “The divestment is in line with the Group’s medium to long term strategic objectives.

The divestment has unlocked

significant value embedded in the former subsidiary which is being leveraged to strengthen the core banking business for which the Group is renowned”.

The overriding objective is to optimize capital across the Group to drive business growth, enhance efficiency and improve overall Shareholders’ value.

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 120.85 121.97 -8.00% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 2.28% Nigeria International Debt Fund 354.16 354.16 22.74% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.93 0.93 2.60% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 9.86% 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 N/A N/A N/A AIICO Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 6.16% Anchoria Equity Fund 96.62 96.95 -5.50% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.30 1.30 12.31% 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 Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 93.39 94.05 -2.80% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.85% 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 2.18 2.18 22.77% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 1.84 1.87 4.44% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.06 0.04 5.71% Paramount Equity Fund 10.95 11.15 -12.51% Women's Investment Fund 109.03 109.97 -1.26% 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 5.02% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 98.11 98.35 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 99.97 100.21 Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 101.37 101.37 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.78% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.95 0.96 1.95% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.61 1.61 21.10% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,419.91 1,421.53 16.25% FBN Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Halal Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.68% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 117.94 118.41 2.11% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 118.25 118.72 1.87% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 111.47 113.21 -14.34% 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 N/A N/A N/A Legacy Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy USD Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,094.28 3,127.60 1.75% Coral Income Fund 3,206.33 3,206.33 4.24% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 4.40% 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 4.07% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.31 2.35 5.21% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 7.93% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 148.83 149.45 3.79% 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 1.25 1.27 7.08% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,123.62 1,123.62 6.18% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 1.36 1.38 11.56% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.87 11.93 5.39% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.38% PACAM Equity Fund 1.03 1.04 PACAM EuroBond Fund 106.42 108.85 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 114.43 116.55 -6.29% 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 1.01 1.01 5.73% 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 N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.21 10.31 -0.74% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.64 11.70 -0.01% Zenith Income Fund 24.47 24.47 9.89% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.79%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

116.57

4.01%

53.25

2.31%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.14 84.19 67.12

9.24 82.44 65.94

4.94% -3.00% -0.11%

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

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.03

15.02%

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.

35

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY AUGUST 4, 2020

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Real Estate Firm, Porch Advocates Efficient Housing Solutions The Managing Director of Porch Integrated Services, Mr. Seun Olorunshola tells Fadekemi Ajakaiye that Nigeria needs efficient housing solution to speed up home delivery

H

ow important is housing to socio-economic development?

Housing is one of the most essentials of life and the provision of homes is an important ingredient in preserving the basic needs of human life. The necessity for housing is far too important to be handled with levity and that is why housing is on the concurrent list of the federal government. Provision of affordable and decent housing for Nigerians has been a top priority for successive governments since the nation’s independence in 1960. Regrettably, for more than five decades, Nigeria is yet to develop an effective and a workable housing delivery programme that would enable the country achieve its housing for all policy. Since independence, some administrations initiated massive housing programmes, but most of the housing schemes remained largely uncompleted, inhabitable and eventually became a total waste of tax payer’s money. However, one of the most ambitious housing policies in the country was introduced by the then Shehu Shagari administration in 1979. Nonetheless, it failed to meet the nation’s housing requirement.

What can ease housing delivery in the country?

A number of factors need to be given careful consideration to ease housing problems in Nigeria. There should be ease of cumbersome registration process. The process of getting plan approval, issuance of certificate of occupancy and proper documentation should be made less

What do you think about public housing programmes?

Government should embark on public housing programmes as a form of social responsibility, considering that the financial arrangement with mortgage institutions is definitely beyond reach of low income earners in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, the low income earners that can access mortgage facilities are the civil servants.

Now, the question becomes what percentage of the civil servants in the whole of the over 200 million citizenry? In order to bridge this gap, the government’s property development agencies should go into partnership with private investors and stakeholders.

Olorunshola cumbersome and faster. The cumbersome processes of property registration are major barriers to housing development and home-ownership, thereby leading to the country’s huge housing deficit. The revision of the cumbersome nature of property registration, acquiring land title documents and transfer, will bring about the needed improvement and growth to both the housing and mortgage industry in the country. This is exactly what the Oyo State government and a few others have adopted, by giving discount for getting certificate of occupancy for both lands and buildings.

Tell us about private sector participation The private sector should be encouraged in housing developments with incentives, loans, subsidies and land should be readily available and accessible to potential builders. Unfortunately this is not the case. Entrepreneurs and developers had to go through the rigour of meeting with the traditional land owners for direct sale or partnership, and in most cases one ends up spending huge amounts to acquire land and it still ends up being expensive when listed on the market. But, our organisation, Porch Integrated Services Ltd (PIS Ltd, has carved a niche in providing for our existing and prospective clients by offering affordability and class in our housing schemes.

Provision of infrastructural in housing

projects Government should make provision for more infrastructures like road network; bore holes for water, electricity and drainage system, amongst other things. This is the life of development anywhere in the world when it comes to housing schemes. These facilities would allow for rapid growth and we will have more urbanisation in the rural areas.

Local manufacturing of building materials Local building materials should begin to come up more in the country as more needs to be done by the government and individuals, who are able, should be encouraged to mass produce building materials. This will make the materials affordable to low and middle income earners.

Provision of residential housing Residential housing is one of the most important in housing schemes. With the new world order introduced by the COVID- 19 pandemic, people might decide to work from home thereby reducing the need for office spaces, residential housing will always be on high demand as people need to be sheltered and will play a major role in reducing the housing deficit in the nation.

Job creation as multiplier effect Housing provision creates huge access to jobs to artisans and craftsmen, such as electricians, welders, masons, painters, plumbers and to other degrees of professional builders like civil engineers, architects, structural designers, consultants, sales and marketing personnel and a host of others.

Ardent Energy, Harbour Point Build new Facilities in Alaro City Bennett Oghifo Ardent Energy and Harbour Point Marine, both Nigerian oil and gas infrastructure service companies, are expanding their operations in Nigeria by building new facilities in Alaro City, Lagos State’s new city in the Lekki Free Zone.

Following January’s launch of the largest ready-to-eat therapeutic foods factory in Africa, built by Ariel Foods FZE, in Alaro City, more than 20 businesses have signed up to establish their presence in the new satellite city.

Lekan Akinrinmade, CEO of Ardent Energy and Harbour Point, said the companies will build their new facilities in Alaro City as part of plans to strengthen capacity to provide repairs and maintenance of subsea oil and gas equipment, fabrication, machine and threading services, manufacturing, inspection and maintenance of marine hoses and line pipes. The first phase of the development is to provide a multi-service repairs and threading facility to cater for our numerous clients.

“We are constantly looking for ways to redefine standards in the oil and gas industry and expanding our capacity by building our

Richfield Lagos Introduces The Portfolio to Provide Affordable Housing Fadekemi Ajakaiye A real estate company, Richfield Lagos Limited has said it introduced a housing development strategy known as The Portfolio to provide affordable housing.

Officials of Richfield Lagos, a subsidiary of The Landwey Group, said they have taken upon themselves the mandate to meet the need of the average person in terms of shelter.

The goal of the company, according to a statement, “is to help individuals own properties at very afford-

able prices. To make this achievable Richfield Lagos is introducing to the public The Portfolio.”

The company plays within the commercial and retail, as well as the residential property segment of the real estate industry. Some of the services of Richfield Lagos include, real estate advisory services, sales, marketing and development.

According to the company, “The Portfolio is a scheme made available to individuals who wish to own a piece of property in Lagos, Nigeria through flexible, attractive

and secured real estate investments.

“The Portfolio process is overseen by Richfield Lagos as the sole administrator and there is no administrative fee involved,” adding that the scheme offers land for sale to buyers who could resell after completing their payment for either a 300sqm or 600sqm.

“To start out on The Portfolio, one is expected to make an initial deposit of N150,000 which secures a 50sqm plot. A subsequent installment is to be determined by the subscriber (buyer) over a period of five years.”

Turris Fortissima Introduces Luxury Hallmark Estate Fadekemi Ajakaiye Turris Fortissima Limited, a real estate firm known for constructing state-of-the-art facilities, has introduced The Hallmark Estate on Admiralty Way in Lekki, Lagos State.

According to the company, The Hallmark is part of Turris Fortissima’s commitment to providing affordable, yet luxurious housing to discerning investors and home seekers within and outside Nigeria.

Commenting on the development, Principal Partner, Turris Fortissima Limited, Tunji Aiku, said The Hallmark Estate ticks all the marks of quality and caters to the need of luxury home seekers in Lagos.

“What we aim to achieve with The Hallmark Estate like all our projects is to provide elegant and distinct real estate with convenient payment plans. The Hallmark Estate is second to none in all ramifications of affordable

luxury,” he said.

Aiku revealed that apart from its good serenity, adequate security and space, the estate is “a perfect place for that city home with a touch of nature as the design seeks to preserve most of nature’s gifts within its beautiful landscape and breath-taking scenery.”

He further stated that the estate has been carefully planned and comes with lush gardens, trees amidst green areas, extensive walkways and timeless architecture.

new facilities in the well-designed Alaro City located in the Lekki Free Zone is part of our strategic positioning as leaders in services that align with local regulations and protect the environment,” said Mr. Akinrinmade.

Odunayo Ojo, CEO of Alaro City, said Ardent Energy and Harbour Point’s move to Alaro City is a testament of the contribution of a well-planned city to economic growth. “We are pleased to welcome Ardent Energy and Harbour Point to Alaro City as they look to expand their operations in Nigeria and take advantage of the numerous advantages of being located in a well-planned city in a dynamic growth region,” he said. “We continue with our work of delivering the quality infrastructure and enabling environment that has already attracted more than 20 businesses to Alaro City.”

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. A partnership between Rendeavour, Africa’s largest new city builder, and Lagos State Government, Alaro City has been widely hailed as the next evolution of Lagos. More than 20 companies are currently designing or building their facilities in the city; and 3.5km of initial road networks and a modular 50MVA power plant are under construction.

In related news, Alaro City’s sister project in Kenya, Tatu City, which has attracted over 50 businesses and homes, last week announced that the largest and most-advanced temperaturecontrolled cold storage warehouses in the region will be constructed in the city. Cold Solutions, a warehouse and logistics service provider, said the facility, when completed on 15,000 square metres, will cater for numerous temperature ranges from +26 to -40 C and multiple product ranges, from fresh fruit and vegetables, to pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

Why FG Should Involve Public in Revision of Nigeria’s NDC, Climate Action Plan Chukwumerije Okereke Nigeria started the process of revising her Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in March 2020 year and is due to conclude the exercise in November. The result of the process will be a revised national pledge on climate action that will be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by the end of the year. The NDCs are voluntary documents that governments agreed that Parties to the UNFCCC will submit to show what each government has committed to do in order to tackle climate change. Although the submission and commitment are voluntary; once a country submits their NDC, they are expected to keep the commitment or pledge made.

I am very delighted that the Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD) at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AEFUNAI), under my leadership, is implementing a World Resources

Institute (WRI) funded project geared towards providing independent critical analysis and input into the revision process of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The project is also intended to provide a platform for the general public to engage with, question, and make contribution to the country’s new NDC so that the document can truly help to drive sustainable green economic development for the country. This is a timely project which has the potential to make substantial impact in Nigeria’s and possibly Africa’s climate change policy and economic development more broadly.

Nigeria was among the 190 countries that submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the UNFCCC in the run up to the COP meeting in Paris in 2015.

Nigeria’s INDC has since been subsequently converted into the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) following the country’s ratification of the Paris Agreement in May, 2017.

A major challenge of the global climate governance is that the combined pledges made by the countries of the world fall far below what United Nations’ scientists say is needed to combat climate change. To address this emission reduction gap, countries agreed that they would review and enhance their NDCs every five years.

In its own original NDC, Nigeria committed itself to make 20% “unconditional emission reduction” of its Green House Gas emission by 2030 compared to the 2010 levels.

Unconditional means that Nigeria pledged to reduce this amount of emission without any international support.

Furthermore, Nigeria committed that it would increase her emission reduction to 45% by 2030 if help is received from the international development partners (see figure below).

-Prof. Okereke is Director, Centre for Climate Change, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State

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Ibori, Uduaghan, Kalu Deny Taking NDDC Contracts Sylvester Idowu in Warri Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, his successor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday took issue with Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who named them among beneficiaries of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contract awards.

The trio, in separate statements, said at no point did they take any contract from the commission, which is being probed by the National Assembly for malfeasance.

Akpabio, according to a report by a national newspaper (not THISDAY), in a July 23 letter to House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, had linked Ibori, Uduaghan, and Kalu, among others, to the alleged contract scandal rocking the NDDC. The minister's letter addressed to the Clerk to the House, Mr. Patrick Giwa, with Reference Number MNDA/ HM/04/IV/158, was also copied to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The letter was in response to an earlier one from the House, challenging the minister to name lawmakers that had benefited from NDDC contracts as he had alleged when he appeared before the House Committee on NDDC. However, Ibori, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, said he had never solicited for any contract from the commission or been awarded one.

He said the clarification was prompted by enquiries from friends and associates who had inundated him with phone calls on the matter.

The statement said: "Chief Ibori hereby states categorically that he never solicited for, or was awarded, or indeed executed any contract with NDDC or any government agency, at any time, for that matter.

"And in all, he has been through in and out of public office, he has never been accused of being a government contractor, let alone a failed one hence he did not want to dignify the allegation with a response because it is ridiculous."

Ibori urged Akpabio to verify his facts and focus on the task at hand.

He also described the NDDC as "a product of his personal sacrifice as well as those of his Niger Delta colleagues (1999 -2007) who rose to the occasion to veto override the veto of President Olusegun Obasanjo who refused to assent to the NDDC bill at the time.

“If not for the exemplary courage some of us exhibited, there would have not been an NDDC to bicker about today.”

Ibori also described as tragic, the NDDC's degeneracy, adding that "we owe it a duty to the people of the Niger Delta to make NDDC work to ameliorate the sufferings of the people of the region and to realise the dream for which we fought for it to be set up. So, let everybody involved in the NDDC do their duties to the good people of the region."

Uduaghan also denied being an NDDC contractor, saying he could not have collected N429 million road contract from the commission as alleged by the minister.

The former governor said he “had never approached the NDDC for any contract whatsoever.”

Uduaghan, in a statement issued yesterday by his

Media Assistant, Monoyo Edon, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, said he had already reached out to Akpabio “to immediately correct the report” as he had never been awarded contracts by the interventionist agency.

Uduaghan, therefore, advised the public to disregard the “mischievous publication.”

The statement read in part: “We want to state very clearly that the said accusation is false. Dr. Uduaghan has never approached the NDDC for any contract whatsoever. It is even more ridiculous that the said contract is a road inside Port Harcourt town.

“Dr. Uduaghan has drawn the attention of the Hon. Minister of the Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to the publication and hopes he makes a correction.”

Kalu, in a statement by Mr. Emeka Nwala of office of the Senate Chief Whip, said he believed that the issues at stake in the NDDC had to do with missing funds and not work done.

He added that he was becoming worried over his name being used indiscriminately to sell newspapers without

verifications.

He said the road projects mentioned by the minister as being awarded to him were the interventions he facilitated for the communities as a private citizen before he became a senator.

Kalu added that his name was mentioned because he used his letterhead paper to write a sympathetic letter to the NDDC in 2016 pleading with it to repair roads in Abia.

He noted that his relationship with Akpabio dated years back and long before he (Kalu) became a governor.

He added that he would still request for more road interventions from Akpabio.

He said: “I was governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007 and never held any public office until June 11, 2019, when I was sworn in as a senator.

“Between 2016- 2018 during my tour to several communities; leaders and welfare unions of most communities pleaded for urgent intervention on some dilapidated roads.

“I wrote to the NDDC informing the body of the conditions of these roads and the need for their attention since Abia is an NDDC state.

“The NDDC in their consideration, which I am very grateful to, award the roads to companies that duly tendered for the projects and not myself.

“Whatever link I have with the projects is because it was considered due to my intervention.”

Kalu also noted that the NDDC members that awarded the projects were not part of the interim management in controversy but the fully constituted body of NDDC with its board.

“The roads I requested for intervention as mentioned by the Honourable Minister were repairs of Ezere-AchaNdiokoukwu Road; AmaubiriEluama-Uru Ring Road, Lokpaukwu, Umuchieze; Ndi Oji Abam-Atan Road; the Okafia-Ozuitem-Bende road and Ozu-Amuru-Abam Road.

“The contractors have completed and delivered these roads a long time ago except Abam-Atani road, which I learnt from the contractors was slowed down due to rain but still ongoing.

“Meanwhile, it would interest Nigerians to know that the contractors who built these roads have not been paid any dime,” he added.

NCAA Upbeat about Passenger Traffic Amid Concerns over Sharp Drop Travellers stranded as union grounds Bristow Helicopters Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has expressed optimism about an improvement in the current poor passenger traffic being experienced by airlines by the time businesses reopen fully and more people travel by air.

Meanwhile, passengers scheduled to fly with Bristow Helicopters yesterday were stranded as a result of the indefinite strike embarked by the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).

The hope that Nigerian airlines would be able to generate revenue that would help them rebound to sustainability is being hampered by low passenger traffic since they resumed operations on July 8.

THISDAY gathered that passenger traffic hovers around 30-35 per cent, which cannot sustain the cost of flight operations.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told THISDAY that if the low traffic continues, some of the airlines would be hurt, unless the investors recapitalise or the airlines receive the expected palliatives from the federal government.

Sanusi said Aero had expected that there would be poor load factor at the beginning and had deployed few aircraft for scheduled service.

To save their operations, Sanusi said: “Airlines are discussing on how to adopt interlining and code-share so that one flight can carry passengers of different airlines from one destination

to another and in that way airlines would save cost of operation and later share the revenue, as it is done in many parts of the world.

“We anticipated that there would be a low load factor. That was why we launched only three aircraft during restart. We have five aircraft. We also started with less frequency.

We are now looking at how we can adjust our business strategy. This is the time the federal government should assist us with its stimulus package so that airlines will not die or downsize their workforce.

“We are also looking at interlining to assist us to boost revenue. We are already talking with Dana Air. Airlines will have no choice but to interline to save their operations. I believe it is the way forward. It is not only Arik and Aero that will run out of cash.

Many airlines will run out of cash unless investors put in money. The load factor we have now cannot even buy fuel for the airlines.”

However, the DirectorGeneral of NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, told THISDAY that there is hope that when businesses reopen and go into a full stream, more people will travel by air.

He noted that most travel in Nigeria is business and not leisure, adding that businesses are yet to reopen fully after the COVID-19 lockdown.

Nuhu added that the load factor is not generally low, explaining that Lagos-Abuja could be low because many airlines put their flights on the route.

According to him, the

airlines record-high traffic on Sundays and Fridays and also other destinations are recording above-average passenger traffic.

He said NCAA would support the plan of airlines to interline because it would help them to save money and generate more revenue in their operations, as long as the interlining or code-share does not infringe on any of the regulations.

Nuhu added that it is the prerogative of the airlines to take the decision to interline because it is a business decision that has nothing to do with economic or safety regulations.

He said: “Codeshare is not bad, but it is not something we can regulate. The airlines can agree to work with each other. There is hope that passenger traffic will rebound.

“People are just coming out of the lockdown and there is still fear in some people that they might get infected by COVID-19. Also, businesses have not started doing so well; so there will be more people willing to travel by air when business picks up.

“This is a global problem so it is not peculiar to Nigeria. We hope that with time, as the economy improves, the load factor will go up. Globally, the aviation industry is in dire straits. We are working to encourage airlines and give them whatever support we can give them. If they do well it would also boost the revenue of NCAA. So we want the airlines to do well.”

Also, the Group Managing Director of Finchglow Group and former President of

the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr. Bankole Bernard, told THISDAY that passenger traffic is low because the federal government has not opened the airspace for He noted that international flights feed passengers to local flights He explained: “Many of the domestic airlines may go under because the passenger traffic is low, about 30 to 35 per cent. This is because they have not opened international flights, which feed local operations. Nigeria is an import-dependent country.

“We cannot go out to bring out goods; so the service of local operations depends on international flights. So the sooner they reopen international flights the better for domestic flight operations.

Passengers Stranded as Union Grounds Bristow Helicopters Passengers scheduled to fly with Bristow Helicopters yesterday were stranded as a result of the indefinite strike embarked by the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).

The union was protesting alleged discriminatory policies against Nigerian employees by the company.

A visit to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos yesterday showed that some passengers and expatriates were barred from entering the company’s facility.

But a statement signed

by Bristow explained that contrary to NAAPE’s assertion that all negotiations

have broken down, it remained willing and prepared to continue dialogue with the union.

The airline, however, alleged that NAAPE has elected to abandon negotiations to embark on a strike, which it described as illegal and unwarranted.

Members of NAAPE said the strike would continue until Bristow agreed to review some of its discriminatory policies against Nigerian workers.

Public Relations Officer of NAAPE, Mr. Francis Igwe, explained some of the grievances of the union to include Bristow's proposal to suspend the conditions of service, negotiations and their deliberate subversions of established terms of the agreement with NAAPE, insistence on benchmarking salaries of national pilots and engineers to an obsolete rate of N345/$1 coupled with the recent insistence on their proposal to implement N355/$1, a rate which is not obtainable on any foreign exchange windows in the world while still paying to expatriate foreigners their full remuneration in dollars.

Others, Igwe said, included failure to train qualified persons in Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) and failure to fully reimburse individuals who had successfully completed their ATPL through selfsponsorship, disproportionate matching and capped reimbursement cash figures for self-sponsored pilots on ATPL with an employment bond of N30 million.

Vice President of NAAPE, Mr. Dukas Yakubu, said after several attempts to

reach an agreement with Bristow, the company had failed to review some of its obnoxious policies against its indigenous workers.

However, the company said in a statement: “Bristow proposed to put a ‘pause’ on the pilots and engineers' Conditions of Service (COS) negotiations, recognising the recent global outbreak of COVID-19, the plummeting of global oil prices and the mandatory 22 per cent OPEC cuts to Nigeria’s crude oil production – all which have had a significant impact on our business and capacity utilisation in Nigeria.

"It is important to state that notwithstanding the economic challenges in the aviation industry since the spread of COVID-19, Bristow pilots and engineers have remained the best paid in their industry and have not suffered any reduction or change in their salaries, at a time when operations have reduced by 50 per cent.

"In the 2019 agreement, the parties agreed on the relevant exchange rate at which the salaries of Bristow pilots and engineers would be calculated. In the agreement, both parties agreed on NGN345/$1 (at a time when the CBN exchange rate was NGN306/$1) with a provision for adjustment if the NAFEX rate moves in either direction by 20 per cent or more. Currently, the NAFEX rate has not reached the agreed threshold.

Bristow has fully complied with the provisions of the agreement with NAAPE. By its demand, NAAPE is seeking to act contrary to the legally binding agreement it signed voluntarily."

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Air Peace Sacks 69 Pilots, Cuts Salaries By 40% Chinedu Eze Nigeria’s leading commercial airline, Air Peace, has sacked 69 pilots across its fleet types as the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a huge toll on its operations.

The airline said it had to take the “painful but rightful” decision in the face of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its operations and financial health.

Spokesman of the airline, Mr. Stanley Olisa said in a statement issued yesterday that the company took the decision “as a result of the devastating effects of the

COVID-19 pandemic on its operations and financial health.”

“This decision was taken for the greater good of the company and its almost 3000 workforce, the affected pilots inclusive. The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfill its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organisations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors hence the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times,” the statement said.

Air Peace also explained that the pandemic has hit every airline worldwide so badly that it has become very impossible for airlines to remain afloat without carrying out internal

restructuring of their costs.

“Anything short of what we have done may lead to the collapse of an airline as could be seen in some places worldwide during this period.

Therefore, we decided to review the salaries being paid to all staff. The new salaries reflect a 0 per cent -40 per cent cut of the former salary depending on the salary

grades of every staff. Even after the cuts, it was obvious that for us to be able to sustain our operations and survive the times, some jobs must inevitably have to go.

Ihekweazu: NCDC Tracking 11,000 COVID-19 Contacts Nationwide Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said it was tracking 11,000 COVID-19 contacts nationwide.

The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the agency would continue to pay attention to contact tracing, which he described as a vital aspect of the campaign to curb the pandemic.

Speaking during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja yesterday, Ihekweazu also said the NCDC was liaising with the African Centre for Disease Control to obtain the COVID-19 vaccines for the continent whenever it is available.

According to him, about 226 vaccines are in different stages of development, adding that clinical trials carried out so far were encouraging.

He said, “On contact tracing, right now, we are following about 11,00 contacts nationwide. When we talk about community transmission, the intensity of transmission in somewhere like Lagos and FCT is different than in order states where you have a handful of cases every day.

“So, when you have fewer cases, you can really pay a lot more attention to contact-tracing because your cases are fewer. When you are in somewhere like Lagos where you have over the last few months, 100 to 150 new cases every single day, it becomes a little more difficult to do in-depth contact-tracing for each of them.

“Our guidance is never to stop contract-tracing but as cases increased in any state, they cannot follow every single case in the level of detail just because the number of people to do it become stretched.”

He cautioned Nigerians not to get carried away by the low number of cases recorded over the last few days, saying it was due to the low samples collected.

According to him, many states had slow down due to fatigue, but Ihekweazu warned that the virus was not slowing down.

He said, “Many states have also slowed down; yesterday (Sunday), we had the lowest numbers of samples collected but we understand because we have been at this for six months; there is a bit of fatigue, but the virus is not tired.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 288 to 44,129 Martins Ifijeh Nigeria has recorded 288 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 44,129 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Lagos recorded 88 new cases; Kwara, 33; Osun, 27; Federal Capital

Territory (FCT) and Enugu, 25 each; Abia, 20; Kaduna, 17; Plateau and Rivers, 13 each; Delta, 10; Gombe, eight; Ogun, four; Oyo, three; while Katsina and Bauchi recorded one each.

It said: “Nigeria has so far recorded 44,129 cases of COVID-19. 20,663 patients have been discharged, while 896 persons have died.”

Abandoned NDDC Scholars Protest in London Beneficiaries of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) scholarship in the UK hit the streets yesterday to protest the non-payment of their tuition fees.

The Cable reported that the students converged on the Nigerian High Commission in London to express displeasure over “negligence of their welfare”.

The scholars, who sat on the floor during the protest, lamented that they have been stranded since the NDDC stopped paying their tuition and

allowances one year after they were awarded the scholarship.

They also lamented that they have been begging for food while they risk being deported.

The inscriptions on the placards read: “Abandoned in The Heat of COVID-19 Pandemic,” “NDDC Failed Us,” “‘We Have Been Thrown Out of School,” “We Risk Deportation,” “Must We have a protest to get paid?” and “We Are Scholars, Not Militants”.

SECURING THE MEGACITY...

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship, Beecroft, Apapa, Commodore Ibrahim Aliyu Shettima; Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ikeja Army Cantonment, Brigadier General Etsu Ndagi; and Commander, 651 Base Services Group, Nigerian Air Force Base, Ikeja, Air Commodore Rasaq Olanrewaju, shortly after the State Security Council meeting at Lagos House, Marina... yesterday

PTF, INEC in Talks on Guidelines for Elections 104 unity colleges reopen today

Olawale Ajimotokan and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha has said that the task force is currently concluding discussions with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on appropriate guidelines to be adopted for elections scheduled in Nasarawa State on August 8, as well as the

governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states in September and October, respectively.

The federal government also yesterday announced the reopening of the 104 unity colleges for SS3 students to undertake revision ahead of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination slated for August 17.

Mustapha noted that the national response would continue to guide the adoption of sector specific guidelines and COVID-19 protocols.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the media briefing by the task force, Mustapha implored party leaders, political offices aspirants, members and supporters to be mindful of virulent nature of COVID-19 during electioneering campaigns and other election processes in other to remain alive to reap the benefit of democracy.

He also thanked all the state governors for putting in place the necessary protocols to ensure social distancing and the correct wearing of masks during the Eid

festivities, noting that the ban placed on traditional Eid activities like Durbar and other activities of mass gathering by sub-national entities also helped in limiting opportunities for community spread of COVID-19.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has declared that it is not realistic for the federal government to provide COVID-19 palliatives for all Nigerians.

NNPC Mourns as Former GMD, Dawha Passes On Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Joseph Dawha, is dead.

A statement issued yesterday

by the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said Dawha, died after a brief illness.

The statement said the NNPC GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari, expressed shock over the sudden

death of Dawha who was the 16th head of the corporation.

Kyari said that NNPC family gravely mourned the death of the former GMD, who he noted, provided astute leadership and made immense contributions to the progress

of corporation.

He described Dawha’s death as a great loss to not only the NNPC but also Nigeria as a whole.

The late Dawha was GMD of NNPC between August, 2014 and August, 2015.

Presidency Criticises TUC’s Planned Strike over Buhari’s Indifference to Corruption Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The presidency yesterday criticised the planned strike action by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over perceived tolerance of corruption

by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the TUC’s proposal as ill-advised and unnecessary.

Specifically, the TUC had issued a threat to embark on a nationwide industrial action to protest Buhari’s “inaction over the

high-level of corruption uncovered at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”

The three agencies of the federal government had been enmeshed in crisis of confidence in recent times over large-scale corruption scandals rocking the organisations without any decisive action taken

against alleged perpetrators of such monumental fraud involving billions of naira.

But the presidency in a swift reaction to the plan, said since investigations into the alleged cases of corruption are still ongoing, adding that proposed industrial action is ill-conceived and uncalled for.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam

Garba Shehu, said the ongoing investigative processes must be allowed to proceed to its logical conclusion.

According to him, it is wrong of the union to expect the president to expedite action against people who are still being investigated, more so that the president had also stated that such cases of corruption underscore a breach of trust by individuals given responsibilities.

Kwara Gov Sets up Panel to Probe N300m LG Funds Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has set up an eight-person panel of inquiry to investigate the federal allocations accruing to the 16 local government areas of the state as well as their share of the internally generated revenue (IGR) from May

29, 2019 to date.

“In pursuance of the powers conferred on the Governor of Kwara State under the Commission of Inquiry Law CAP, C17 Laws of Kwara State, 2006 and other enabling law in that regard, I, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Governor of Kwara State, hereby constitute a panel of inquiry

into local government federal allocations and IGR accruing to local government councils from May 29 to date,” the governor said in a statement announcing the panel.

The statement listed retired Justice Mathew Olabamiji Adewara as the chairman of the panel, with Mrs. Sabitiyu

Grillo, a permanent Secretary, as the secretary of the panel.

The panel comprises a representative of the Department of State Services (DSS); Nigeria Police Force; Mrs. Titilayo Adedeji; Alhaji Baba Ibrahim; Mr. Aisha Bello Mohammed; and Alhaja Asmau Apalando, the statement added.

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Okonjo-Iweala to Prioritise Fixing WTO’s Dispute Settlement System if Selected Peter Uzoho withagencyreport Nigeria’s candidate for the post of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said fixing the Geneva-based body’s dispute settlement system will be one of her priorities, if selected.

Okonjo-Iweala, who is competing with seven other nominees for the position of director-general of the WTO, told China-based Xinhuanet.com in a recent interview that her top priorities, if selected, would be preparing for the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Kazakhstan in 2021, restoring the dispute settlement system, and updating the WTO’s rule book.

The WTO’s dispute settlement body is currently paralysed.

The appellate body, considered as the Supreme Court for global trade disputes is supposed to have seven judges and needs a minimum of three judges to function.

“I would be focusing, if I get the job, on the dispute settlement system because this is the fundamental pillar of the WTO,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

“If you have a rule-based organisation, you must have a place where rules are arbitrated and that’s what happens with the dispute settlement system.

“So, restoring that will be a top priority as well.”

Nigeria nominated Okonjo-

Iweala, an economist who twice served as Nigeria’s finance minister and briefly acted as foreign minister and had a 25-year career at the World Bank, including as a managing director, for the post of WTO director-general in June.

The candidate, who also sits on the board of Twitter and the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, said she was confident to win the selection process and that she would be a listener-in-chief as well as a tough negotiator.

“I have strong political skills and negotiation skills. I think that’s very much needed. I am a consensus-builder, and I’m a good listener too.”

The candidate showed her confidence to “find a way to

unlock the seeming division” on the trade side, between China and the United States, underlining that finding areas of mutual interest and to build trust within the WTO trading system would be important.

One Person Confirmed Dead, Five Injured in Lagos Gas Explosion Rebecca Ejifoma One person was confirmed dead and five others injured in another gas explosion that occurred yesterday at Orile-Iganmu, area of Lagos State.

One of the deceased, Ajibola Olaoye who was an artisan, was said to have died while working with his welding machine on heavy-duty equipment.

The explosion was as a result of a gas leak from the cylinder which the artisan was using.

The incident was said to have occurred at 4:45p.m at Wema Bank Bus Stop, off Coker Bus Stop, in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

According to an eyewitness account, the incident occurred when the welder at truck park in front of Atlas Company who was welding on one of the heavy duty equipment.

“The welder was affected and he died instantly, five other persons also sustained serious injuries; they were quickly rushed to nearby hospital

but at the hospital another person who was among the six was also confirmed dead”, he said .

Reacting to the explosion, the Head, Public Affairs, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nosa Okunbor, noted that the agency’s response team recovered a dead artisan in the explosion which, he said occurred as a result of a gas explosion that occurred at Alafia bus stop beside Atlas, in Orile Iganmu axis of Lagos.

According to Okunbor, Ajibola Olaoye, a 35-year-old male, lost his life at the scene of the incident, while four other adult males sustained various degrees of injuries and were quickly taken to a nearby hospital.

Preliminary Report on the Orile Iganmu Gas Explosion at Alafia Street, has it that, “Upon arrival at the scene of incident, it was discovered that there was an explosion from a gas cylinder used in welding a truck flatbed with unknown registration number as a result of gas leakage from the cylinder.

EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of N827.6m from NDDC Contractors Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of N827, 679,098.32 from Flank Power Resources Limited and GMFD Ventures Limited, both of whom were linked to contractors with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Matthew Edevbie is the Chief Executive Officer of Flank Power Resources Limited.

The forfeiture followed the order of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, sequel to an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC investigator, in which the commission prayed the court for the forfeiture of the sum to the federal government of Nigeria, being proceeds of unlawful activity, traced to some contractors’ accounts with one of the banks A breakdown of the recovery shows that N616, 679, 098.32 was recovered from Flank Power Resources Limited, while N211million was recovered from

GMFD Ventures Limited.

It was discovered that between 2018 and 2019, Flank Power Resources Limited received the funds from the NDDC, through its account number:1015642852 , while GMFD received through account number: 1014657819 both of which are domiciled in the same bank for desilting contracts which aside being inflated, were not executed, but diverted and laundered.

The sum of N616, 679, 098.32 recovered from Flank Power Resources Limited was facilitated through 62 bank drafts in favour of the EFCC Recovered Funds Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while the N211million from GMFD came through 22 bank drafts in favour of the same account.

The EFCC secured the interim forfeiture of the money on June 8, 2020 and its final forfeiture was granted by the court on June 29, 2020, according to a statement issued yesterday by the commission’s Spokesman, Mr. Dele Oyewale.

PROJECT INSPECTION...

L-R: Delta State Commissioner for Housing, Chief Festus Ochonogor; Project Consultant, Mr. Kester Ifeadi; Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Lawrence Ejiofor, during the governor’s inspection of the Leisure Park and Film Village under construction in Asaba… yesterday

Azura Deal Only Power Agreement that Works, Says MD Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Mary Nnah in Lagos Following the criticisms that have trailed the Azura-Edo Independent Power Project, (IPP), the Managing Director of Azura Azura Power West Africa Limited, Edo, Mr. Edu Okeke has described criticisms of the only power agreement that works as ironic and funny.

Speaking yesterday on ARISE News Channel, the sister broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers,

Okeke expressed disappointment over the way people have reacted toward his company.

“In Nigeria today, we have close to 30 agreements signed in the electricity sector. We have some of them that are clearly not working at all. We have some that are partially working and then we have one that is working. Now rather than critics probing the ones that are not working, asking why they are not working and why are the parties defaulting, it is

now the only one that is working that critics are saying why are we not defaulting on it; why are we not getting it to be delinquent like others?

“It is a funny situation. When you ask the question about who signed the transaction documents and who did not sign, there is this connotation that it is a bad deal.

Okeke who said more than 2,000 Nigerians presently take credit for Azura, noted: “The question that I expect you to be

asking is that who takes credit for Azura. And I would tell you that there are more than 2,000 Nigerians and non-Nigerians that take credit for Azura.”

“If you go to the Azura IPP in Benin, you would see the giant plaque that we mounted there because we know the importance of this project in the country and on that plaque we have the list of everybody that worked on the Azura Edo IPP, more than 2,000 people.

Adesina Seeks Cancellation of NBA Election A candidate in the 2020 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election, Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), has asked the Body of Trustees of the association to cancel the just-concluded poll.

He made the demand in a petition addressed to the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association.

Mr. Olumide Akpata had defeated Adesina and another SAN, Mr. Babatunde Ajibade

to emerge the 30th President of the NBA. In the petition, Adesina alleged that the election was marred by over-voting, disenfranchisement of some eligible voters, and noncompliance with the provisions of the NBA constitution.

He said, “I urge the members of the Board of Trustees of the NBA to intervene and right these wrongs and save the NBA from condemnation and destruction.

I believe that leaders must do things right and/or ensure that things are done right. It is needless to say, Mr. Chairman and other members of the Board of Trustees of the NBA, that if the process is wrong, the product cannot be right. If the election process is wrongful and unconstitutional, the outcome must suffer the same fate and be cancelled.

“Since 2016 when this electronic voting system started, there have

been consistent allegations of system manipulation and rigging, which has resulted in litigation over NBA elections.

As at today, a criminal action arising from the NBA Election of 2018 is still pending at the Federal High Court. This is a shame to all of us without exception. Patriotism must guide our aspirations and our conscience must always be our companion.

INEC: We Did Not Substitute Nominated AAC Candidate Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday denied that it substituted the nominated candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) as claimed by the party.

The party, therefore, threatened

to drag INEC to court for illegally substituting its deputy gubernatorial candidate.

INEC said it duly published the names of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates as submitted by the national chairman and secretary of the AAC.

In a statement issued by the National Commissioner of INEC and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission explained its role in the process, explaining that there were no human contact as everything was internet based.

According to Okoye, on July 31, the commission published the provisional list of candidates for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for October 10, 2020, in its state office in Akure and also uploaded same to its website and social media platforms.

Kaduna Directs Schools to Reopen on August 10 John Shiklam in Kaduna The Kaduna State Government has directed secondary schools to reopen from August 10 to enable SSS 3 students write their Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Shehu Makarfi, said in a statement in Kaduna yesterday, that the directive was

in compliance with the Federal Ministry of Education’s resolution for schools to reopen on August 4.

This, according to Makarfi, is to enable final year students to write their West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and other certificate examinations.

“Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i has approved Monday, August 10 as the resumption date for the SSS

3 students that are expected to begin their WAEC examination slated for August 17.

“Therefore, the Ministry of Education is directing all school principals to arrange to receive SSS 3 boarding students on August 9 and day students on August 10.

“All administrators of public and private schools are to note that the one-week period commencing from today is to

allow for necessary preparations and arrangements to meet COVID-19 guidelines for the opening of schools.

“Principals are to ensure compliance to agreed guidelines, which include reduced hours of work/ revision to four hours per shift, social distancing in classes, laboratories, libraries and hostels,’’ he said.

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Falana-led Coalition Asks FG to Make Full Disclosure of all Loans Ejiofor Alike

A coalition of over 70 labour and civil society organisations (CSOs), Alliance for Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), has asked the federal government to make full disclosure of all loans it had obtained.

The coalition also asked the National Assembly to reveal the terms and conditions of all external loans.

In a statement issued yesterday, the coalition said it would challenge the authorities in court if the disclosures are not made.

The statement was signed by the Chairman of the coalition and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana; President of the Nigeria

Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Quadri Olaleye.

ASCAB said the huge debt being incurred by the country has the potential of stifling the prospect of economic liberation and political freedom of the people.

It lamented that Nigeria’s debt profile “which was N12.118 trillion as at May 2015 has leapt to N27.401 trillion in 2019, representing more than 100 per cent debt increase.”

“The country’s level of poverty continues to increase with the skyrocketing loans obtained by the federal government. Poverty, extreme hunger, frivolous lifestyle

of public office holders continue to fuel violence and public disorder across the country,” it said.

“Why the government has responded effectively to the needs of public officials including members of the National

Assembly, the economic and social needs of the people remain a mirage.”

ASCAB said the recent revelations at the National Assembly has confirmed that the loans were taken without

proper public scrutiny.

The group alleged that within a year, the National Assembly had approved a total of $28 billion for President Muhammadu Buhari with no commensurate improvement in the quality of

lives of many Nigerians.

“Millions of Nigerians continue to face harsh economic difficulties, lacking access to basic needs, yet the debt profile of the country continues to increase,” it said.

Court Berates EFCC for Late Filing of Amended Charge against Adoke Alex Enumah in Abuja The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court hearing charges of money laundering against former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN), yesterday frowned at the manner the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was going about with the trial.

Adoke is standing trial over alleged money laundering-related charges to the tune of N400 million.

He was re-arraigned along with an Abuja-based businessman, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, before Justice Inyang Ekwo on June 17, 2020, on a seven count criminal charge bordering on money laundering and corruption.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Justice Ekwo, after granting the bail application of the defendants, adjourned to August 3, 2020, for commencement of trial.

However, the trial could not commence yesterday as scheduled following an amendment of the

charge by the prosecution.

When the matter was called, prosecution lawyer, Bala Sanga, informed the court of an amended charge he filed on the July 29, which was served on all the defendants.

The commission increased the earlier charge from seven to 14 in the new charge.

While reacting, the judge expressed sadness that the antigraft agency went ahead to file an amended charge few days to the commencement of the trial.

“From June 17 to July 17, you did nothing. That means you had one month, and you didn’t file the amended charge. Just few days to the trial, you filed an amended charge-a few days to when the commencement of the trial.

“Although you have freedom to amend your charge up to the time of judgment, I do not appreciate a situation where things are not done on time. This is a 2017 matter, and I was thinking I could fast-track it but now the prosecution has come up with an amendment,” he added.

Pondei: Naming of Emergency Contractors Has Broken Siege to NDDC Denies collecting 30% kickback

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof.

Kemebradikumo Pondei, yesterday said the recent naming of some emergency contractors involved in the alleged sleaze in the agency has finally broken the siege on the commission.

The NDDC boss, who was reacting to a newspaper report credited to the Senate ad-hoc committee that he and members of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) were collecting 30 per cent of total contract amount from contractors before paying them, also flayed the lawmakers for relying on hearsay to arrive at decisions.

Pondei, however, noted that he would not be distracted by “spurious allegations perpetrated by those bent on scuttling the ongoing forensic audit of the commission.”

He dismissed the allegations as an unfounded and orchestrated plot by those mentioned in the contract sleaze to get back at him for

daring to name and shame them for holding the commission and the region hostage for years.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Edgar Ebigoni, the NDDC boss also denied that any member of the IMC or himself ever sought or received a bribe or any other form of inducement for performing their duties.

Members of the Senate committee, who grilled the Pondeiled IMC in July 2020, during which he denied the allegations, were Senators Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Jika Haliru, Mohammed Tanko Almakura, Abdulfatai Buhari, Chukwuka Utazi, Ibrahim Hadeija and Degi-Eremienyo Biobarakuma.

The statement read: “The acting managing director stated on oath during the probe that he has never requested or received kickbacks of any sort from contractors.

It is therefore surprising and disappointing that the Senate committee can be attributed with unproven allegations as their final report.

PROTEST AGAINST UNJUSTIFIABLE TAXATION...

L-R: Representative of Association of Tricycle Operators (ATO) in Enugu, Mr. Moses Okpaga; Programme Coordinator, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), South-East, Mr. Kindness Jonah; and CLO Publicity Secretary, South-east, Mr. Paul Duru, during a protest against the imposition of ‘unjustifiable taxation’ on ATO members by Enugu State Ministry of Transport in Enugu... yesterday

Threats ofViolence: Call Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu to Order, PDP Charges Buhari Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo State Governorship Election has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in on the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and the APC governorship candidate,

Pastor Ize-Iyamu, over their constant threat of mayhem in Edo State during the September 19 elections.

PDP also urged Oshiomhole to conduct his campaigns for the APC governorship candidate, Ize Iyamu, based on issues and not resort to threats of violence, reminding him of his campaign slogan of ‘one man, one vote’

when he was the governor of the state.

In the same vein, the PDP said what happened during the Kano and Kogi States governorship elections which was marred by violence would not be allowed to repeat itself in the September 19 election in Edo State.

Addressing a press

conference in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who is also the Secretary of the Edo State National Campaign Council, said it is time President Buhari intervened and halted the violence threats from Oshiomhole in the overall interest of peace in the state governorship election.

Deputy Speaker, Four Others Pledge Support for Ize-Iyamu Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city The Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and member representative of Akoko-Edo constituency I, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, and four other members of the state Assembly have pledged their support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, bringing the numbers

of elected members who have declared their support for the APC candidate from the state Assembly to 17.

Those who joined Idiaye are Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje, Akoko-Edo constituency II; Hon. Nosayaba Okunbor, Orhiomwon East constituency; Hon. Dumez Ugiagbe, member-elect, Ovia North East constituency I, and Mr. Hon. Vincent Uwadiae, member-elect, Ovia North East

constituency II. They all pledge their support yesterday during a solidarity visit to the residence of Ize-Iyamu in Benin-city.

Speaking during the visit, the state Assembly members maintained that they will not leave the APC for another party, assuring Ize-Iyamu of their complete loyalty and commencement of mobilisation of voters at the grassroots to

secure his victory at the polls.

Particularly, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yekini Idiaye, said he had no reason to join the incumbent governor in his defection or to back his re-election bid, because Governor Godwin Obaseki seemed not to fulfilled any developmental project in his constituency despite his consistent intervention efforts.

Defecting Aides Inconsequential in Obaseki’s Re-election Bid, Says Osagie The Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, has dismissed as inconsequential, the recent defection of few political appointees and other members of the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki-led government to the

All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement, Osagie said the defection is easily traced to the monetised campaign of the opposition, who, having realised that they are on the back foot, are buying the souls of persons within the government to boost the morale of their ebbing supporters.

According to him, “It is important to state that the recent defection of political appointees is not uncommon during elections, especially when the opposition wants to play mind game. They are inconsequential. But I assure you that the Edo people are seeing through the façade.

“In a government with over 800 aides spanning different structures in all the local government areas to the state level, the resignation of few persons after we have moved to a new political party is quite insignificant. So, they are inconsequential in the scheme of things.

Wike Condemns Involvement of Judicial Officers in Politics Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has decried the involvement of some judicial officers in partisan politics.

He stated that this has manifested through comments, special affiliations, body language and palpable commitments.

Wike stated this in Port Harcourt yesterday at the handing

over of 41 Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to judges in the state judiciary as well as seven judges of the state origin serving in the Federal Judicial Service.

The governor said: “Adjudication and politics are incompatible extremes, hence, no judge can be both and legitimately claim to be an independent and impartial adjudicator.

“Heads of the country’s judicial

system should positively address the identifiable weaknesses and processes that have continued to create room for judicial corruption.

“The transformation agenda in the state judiciary under my administration is based on the fact that we believe that judges and magistrates, who toil on a daily basis to dispense justice and advance societal peace, need to be taken care of.

“Therefore, the rule of law, independence of the judiciary and effective delivery of justice are on the top priority of my administration.

“Even though my administration inherited a judiciary that was completely neglected and judicial officers treated with disdain, we made a commitment to change the unfortunate narrative.”

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TUESDAY JUNE 30, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Police Nab Serving Soldier, Six Others for Bullion Van Robbery Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigeria Police detectives have arrested seven armed robbers, including one serving soldier and a dismissed soldier for alleged robbery of a bullion van in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The incident caused the death of four police officers, with many others injured.

The bullion van was coming from Enugu State when it was attacked on July 29, 2020.

The police detectives nabbed the suspects in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

On Monday, the Police Situation Report (SITREP) seen by PRNigeria, said, “IRT Detectives with technical Intelligence Support from TIU arrested one Alfred Robinson, 45, a native of Gelegele town in Ovia North LGA of Edo State on 1/8/2020 in Asaba, Delta State.”

It added that: “During intensive follow up, six more gang members were arrested by IRT detectives

within 24 hours.”

The SITREP listed them as Sgt. Ayeni Samuel, a Nigerian soldier serving in Ikeja, Lagos; Cpl Emeka Harrison, a dismissed soldier who had served in 7th

Division Garrison in Maiduguri, Borno State; Emeka Illo, sponsor of the operation; Abuchi Elijah, aka ‘Chime D Mosquito’, the informant for the robbers; and Ibanifiroi Ekiene, a native of

Tombia community in Degema LGA of Rivers State.

Ayeni is from Illesha town in Illesha South Local Government Area (LGA) in Osun State; Harrison is from Nsukka in

Enugu State and was dismissed in 2015; Illo is from Igwachi in Orji River LGA in Enugu State; while Elijah is from Isialangwa in Isialangwa LGA of Abia State.

Oyetola, Akande,Tinubu, Akinrinade, Others Pay Last Respect to Fasanmi Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Governor of Osun State, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, yesterday led some eminent Nigerians and government functionaries to pay last respect to the late elder statesman and leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Fasanmi.

The governor was joined by his wife, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola; a former Governor of the State, Chief Bisi Akande; former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented

by Prince Abiodun Ogunleye; Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mr. Benedict Alabi, his Chief of Staff, Dr. Charles ‘Diji Akinola, and the Senator representing

Osun Central senatorial district, Dr. Ajibola Basiru.

Others are: Senator Biyi Durojaiye, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd.), Prof. Olu Aina and the state Chairman of APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun, among others.

Oyetola, in a glowing tribute delivered at the commendation service held at the Cathedral of All Saints, Osogbo, described the late Yoruba leader as an undiluted progressive whose “life, times and legacy typify the Omoluabi ethos that Osun holds dear”.

He said the deceased lived his entire life to love and serve Nigeria with passion without expecting any benefits in return for doing so, adding that late Pa Fasanmi was one of God’s generous donations to humanity.

Ekiti Workers Call off Strike as Govt Succumbs to Pressure

Victor Ogunje inAdoEkiti

Barely 12 hours after the commencement of the three-day warning strike declared by the workers in the Ekiti State civil service to press for the payment of outstanding benefits, the workers have called off the industrial action.

This was sequel to the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi’s readiness to meet some of the demands outlined by organised labour at a meeting held in the midnight of last Sunday to Monday morning.

Shortly after the organised labour in a joint statement signed by the Chairmen of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Kolapo Kolade; Trade Union Congress (TUC), Sola Adigun, and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Kayode Fatomiluyi, last Friday issued the strike notice,

the governor had summoned a meeting to deliberate on how to avert the crisis.

Despite the action taken to pacify the aggrieved labour leaders, the strike was successful yesterday before the dramatic turn of events, as workers complied with the labour’s directive, by shunning their duty posts.

When journalists visited the new Secretariat on Iyin road and the old governor’s office at Oke Ori Omi, the offices were deserted while few staff were seen performing skeletal works in their respective offices.

In the communique issued at the end of the trouble-shooting parley held by the state government and labour delegations, the government agreed to immediately effect the financial benefits of 2015 promotion

by September 2020, while that of the 2016 to 2019 will follow suit.

Kano to Reopen Schools on August 10 Ibrahim Shuaibu inKano

The Kano State Government yesterday approved the reopening of schools in the state from August 10, 2020.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Muhammad Sanusi Kiru, announced this at a news conference yesterday.

The school is reopening after three months of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commissioner also directed all schools principals to make arrangements to receive SS3 boarding students on August 9,

while day students are to resume on August 10, 2020.

He said the resumption is only for students in graduating classes who are preparing for examinations.

According to the state government, “All educational establishments are to follow the guidelines for the reopening of schools.’’

Recall that the federal government had on June 29, 2020, announced that pupils and students in graduating classes were free to resume school, while also maintaining the safety measures that had been outlined by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

SET FOR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS...

Kwara State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Technical Committee on COVID-19, Mr. Kayode Alabi, and the state Commissioner for Education, Hajia Fatimah Bisola Ahmed, during the presentation of face masks to the commissioner for distribution to schools in the state as part of preparations for their resumption, in Ilorin...yesterday

Group Calls for Unbundling of Humanitarian Affairs Ministry A civil society organisation, Forum for Good Governance (FGG), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately set in motion the process of unbundling the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The group, in a statement issued yesterday by its convener, Ugochukwu Ezekiel Hanks, said the recent controversies surrounding the so-called ‘super

ministry’ have shown that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiyya Sadiya Farouq lacked the capacity to manage the octopus entity she has been saddled with.

The group noted that the latest of such controversies was the ongoing probe of the NorthEast Development Commission (NEDC), one of the agencies under the ministry, by the House of Representatives over allegation of mismanagement of

N100 billion through a series of frivolous spending.

“While it is too early to declare the minister and the managing director guilty of the allegations against them, the FGG noted that there have been similar controversies about the management of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programme, especially the N-Power and the Home Grown School Feeding Programme. The group recalled the controversies that

characterised the implementation of the home-grown programme, even when pupils were not in school recently.

“While the first and second batch volunteers of the N-Power Programme have been complaining that their allowances have not been paid even as they are being disengaged, the process of enrolment of new intakes have also been marred by controversies and alleged corruption.

LIuvia Health Donates PPEs, Others to Lagos Health Workers SundayOkobi A non-profit organisation, Lluvia Health, has provided interventions to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of Nigerians against COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on healthcare workers, women, and children.

These interventions are in the form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and

food items for families with the aim of building resilient communities in Nigeria.

While highlighting the significance of the gesture yesterday, the Director/Founder of Lluvia Health, Dr. Amenze Eguavoen, said: ‘In Nigeria where the pandemic is escalating, major gaps exist in the response capacity especially in the shortage of PPEs for healthcare workers as well as

the socio-economic crisis draining resources of families.

Not only do these shortages of PPEs impact the quality of treatment and care available, but it makes healthcare workers prone to the coronavirus infection which puts their friends and families at risk and further increases the spread of the virus.

“As the pandemic persists, it is vital that the lives of healthcare

workers are protected. To help, we are providing PPE sets consisting of N95s, surgical gowns, face shields, gloves, and sanitizers to healthcare workers in government-owned facilities across the different tiers of health services. So far, we have donated to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos state University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across Lagos State.

Stay at Home, FG Tells Students With Cough, Other Symptoms Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has asked students with symptoms of COVID-19 to stay at home as resumption of the Senior Secondary School 3 begins this week nationwide.

The PTF faulted state governments asking students to produce results of their COVID-19

tests before resumption.

It said instead of compulsory test, which would only be valid for the period the test was conducted, students already showing symptoms of the virus should be asked to stay away.

The task force’s National Coordinator, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said these at the PTF press briefing in Abuja.

Before it made a U-turn on Monday, the Ogun State Government had last week asked all boarding students to go for a compulsory COVID-19 test.

Parents, whose children are in private schools, on Sunday protested against the N25,000, which their children were asked to pay for the test.

But Aliyu while responding to

a question on the issue pointed out that the status of somebody could only be confirmed as of the time the test was conducted.

He said, “It is only valid for that period of time; for that point in time when you had the swab taken. The next day, you could have a positive result, especially if you are in an incubation period.

Navy Deploys Eight Ships,Two Helicopters to Tackle Insecurity in Nigerian Waters Rebecca Ejifoma The Nigerian Navy yesterday disclosed that it has deployed eight of its warships and two fighter jets to tackle cases of insecurity in the country’s territorial waters.

It said the deployment is part of a 30-day sea operations tagged: ‘Okun Alaafia II’, a Yoruba word

for ‘calm water’ II, which it said is aimed at checking illegalities around the country’s waters.

The Fleet Commander Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Tanjuma Moses, who is also the exercise Operations Tactical Commander (OTC), divulged this while addressing journalists in Lagos.

He said since the operation started

about 11 days ago, two ships were captured, and four suspects have been arrested for allegedly being involved in petroleum products theft along Lagos water ways.

Moses said the ships arrested are MV Mother Comfort and MV Sea Supply, adding: “At the time the two ships were nabbed, they were found to be laden with 240

metric tons and 80 metric tons of diesel respectively.”

The Fleet Commander noted: “The operation was flagged off by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval on July 24, 2020, to carry out statutory responsibility of protecting the country’s maritime domain in Western Naval Command Area of responsibility.”

LAWYER

A

Outgoing NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN

weekly pullout

04.08.2020

Incoming NBA President, Olumide Akpata

An Outer Barman Becomes NBA President

2/

04.08.2020

NBA Election and Unresolved Issues Now that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2020 National Election is over, I can safely denounce it for what it was - spurious! I observed many of the events which led up to the election closely, discussed with all the main campaign groups, even the leadership of the NBA, because I was troubled about what I saw throughout the election cycle, let alone the actual election itself. It is a thing of shame, that we Lawyers, who are supposedly upholders of the rule of law, could not follow laid down rules and procedure in conducting our own election.

Do we really have any right to call out Government or Politicians for disobeying court orders or for their contempt for the rule of law, when we have shown ourselves to be exactly the same as them?

Non-Senior Advocates and the NBA Presidency Again, let me reiterate the fact that, I do not agree that the Presidency of the NBA is the exclusive preserve of Senior Advocates of Nigeria; and the allusion to the fact that the leadership of the NBA must indeed, continue to be the exclusive right of Senior Advocates, certainly furthered the cause of Mr Olumide Akpata (who was the non-Senior Advocate in the NBA Presidential race) in the minds of many Lawyers who do not share this Senior Advocate sentiment, especially the younger ones. The 2015 NBA Constitution which is our grundnorm, certainly does not make being a Senior Advocate a condition precedent for qualification for the Presidency of our Association, so, how can anybody or any group seek to do so? However, a situation in which a non-Senior Advocate won the Presidential election by means of a completely credible process, would have been ideal and more acceptable. This certainly does not seem to be the case in this situation, as the victory of Mr Akpata is marred by allegations of electoral impropriety, malpractice and outright breaching of our NBA Constitution and 2020 ECNBA Guidelines. The joy that came with the proof that a non-Senior Advocate has the ability to win the NBA Presidential election has been somewhat dampened, because of the allegations of wrongdoing which have surrounded this election.

Matters Arising: The IT Company and the Voters Register My dear colleagues, how free, fair and credible can an election be said to be, when it has been tainted with impropriety from the beginning to the end of the election cycle? The obvious response to this question is, not very. I must admit that, the actual voting process was seamless in my own experience - it took me all of two minutes to make my choices and submit them. However, many others were not as fortunate as me. They received their voting links, but were unable to vote. There were also complaints by some of the candidates, that the identity of the IT Company that conducted the electronic voting process was shrouded in so much secrecy, that neither the NBA’s NEC nor the candidates were able to investigate the integrity of the IT Company and certify its capacity beforehand, as should be the case.

Paragraph 8.1 of the ECNBA Guidelines provides that the condition precedent for voting in the general election is that a) members belong to a Branch; b) members must have paid their Practicing Fees and Branch Dues as at when due for the election year (that is, by March 31); and c) members are duly registered to vote in the election. Alas, many who fit this bill were somehow excluded

from the final Voters Register, including my Mother, former President of the NBA (1992), Dame Priscilla Olabori Kuye. In the chambers, we all paid our Practicing Fees and Branch Dues together, and when we were asked to register to vote, we did so together too and were all verified as eligible to vote. So, why was Dame Kuye excluded from the final Voters Register, or why was she unable to vote?

After the initial registration/verification exercise, what would be the reason for subsequent exercises of the same nature?

Surely, only to correct anomalies and include those who have been wrongly excluded from the Voters list, and not to remove the names of those who have every right to be on the the list and have already been verified as such! Most people like Dame Kuye, would therefore, have gone home feeling satisfied once they had verified that their names were on the Voters list, confident that on election day, they would be able to cast their vote. Tah! Unfortunately, members like Dame Kuye were disappointed, and they had to pay dearly for the inefficiency of the Branches or whoever had the responsibility of collating the final Voters Register, or the mischief of Branch leaders who sought to enthrone their own choice of candidates by preventing those who were perceived not to be in support of their own candidates, from voting. A Senior Advocate reported to me how their firm had to raise a petition, because the Branch which they belong to had somehow excluded the names of about 100 Lawyers in their firm from the Voters list, having paid their Practicing Fees and Branch Dues in January 2020. The Secretary of the Lagos Branch which we also belong to, had actually raised a petition against the Chairman of the Branch, for the opaque manner in which the Voters list was drawn up. Some Branches were also accused of padding their Voters list, while members of X Branch found their names under the list of Y Branch which they did not belong to, usually in a completely different State.

Paragraph 2.3(d) of the Second Schedule to the NBA Constitution and Paragraph 8.5 of the ECNBA Guidelines make it mandatory for the final Voters Register to

ECNBA Chairman, Tawo Tawo, SAN

be published at least 28 days before the election - it is alleged that the final Voters Register was published on July 29 - the day of the election, a few hours before the voting portal opened. Therefore, members whose names were wrongly omitted from the final Voters Register could do little or nothing to rectify the NBA’s mistake, especially because voting had more or less begun by the time they may have even realised that they had been excluded. Some called the designated helplines or sent emails, to have the omissions rectified - all to no avail.

They never received any response/no action was taken by the ECNBA to make any such rectification.

Questions have also been raised about so-called Lawyers in the diaspora, who voted in this election - about whether they were indeed, members of any of the NBA Branches/whether they had fulfilled the conditions for eligibility to vote in the election. Though they were said to be less than 100 in number, allegations that these Lawyers in the diaspora voted without meeting the mandatory conditions are noteworthy, because if they are found to be true, their votes are null and void and of no effect.

The bottom line is that, one of the most important aspects of an election is the Voters Register. If the Voters Register is flawed, then the election cannot be adjudged to be reliable.

Conclusion The election that brought the outgoing Executive of the NBA into office also faced allegations of malpractice, to the extent that certain NBA staff are presently facing criminal charges in that regard. It is obvious that, the NBA’s electoral process has been fraught with imperfections even before now.

However, candidates not putting their feet down and ensuring that the ECNBA took steps to right the wrongs complained of before the election held, was in my humble opinion, a missed and wasted opportunity. If disgruntled parties now proceed to court to ventilate their grievances (which obviously is their prerogative), it is likely that the matter will linger on till Armageddon or well

“However, candidates not putting their feet down and ensuring that the ECNBA took steps to right the wrongs complained of before the election held, was in my humble opinion, a missed and wasted opportunity”

after Mr Akpata has completed his tenure.

Litigation in this type of circumstance, is akin to crying over spilt milk and nothing more than an academic exercise!

Therefore, we can only hope that Mr Akpata will take the Association to greater heights as he has undertaken to do, and show that like the late Alao Aka Bashorun who has gone down in NBA history as one of the best Presidents that the NBA has ever had, another non-SAN can perform just as excellently. Indeed, Mr Akpata has very big shoes to fill. We also hope that one of the first actions that his administration will take, will be to address all the fallibilities pertaining to NBA election matters and the electronic voting process itself, so that by 2022, the election process will be seamless and unimpeachable. Going forward, we wish Mr Akpata the best of luck and a successful tenure!

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What Amounts to Material Contradictions in Cases of Armed Robbery Facts The Appellant, in company of two others, at about 8:30pm on 8th February, 2010, robbed PW1 and PW 2, a husband and wife, at their residence in Idanre Gurage, Idanre Road, Akure. The three men who were armed with guns, forced open the gate of the compound. While two of them went into the house, the third man went back outside the gate. The sum of N134,000.00, a handset and MTN rechargeable cards were stolen by one of the armed robbers who went into the room with PW 2 (the wife), while the other one beat up PW 1 (the husband) and members of the family, before locking them up in a room. After the robbery and when the armed robbers were leaving the house, one of the children escaped and alerted the neighbours about the incident. Two of the armed robbers escaped, but the Appellant was arrested in the neighbourhood and handed over to the Police.

The Appellant was consequently, arraigned before the High Court of Ondo State, Akure, on a two count Charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery. He pleaded not guilty to the counts, and trial commenced. The couple and two Police officers gave evidence for the State, while the Appellant testified in his own defence. Exhibits, including the confessional statements of the Appellant were tendered and admitted in evidence, after a trial-within-trial. In its judgement, the trial court found that the Prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, and therefore, convicted the Appellant as charged. He was sentenced to death in accordance with Section 1(3) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act. Aggrieved with the judgement, the Appellant filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal, which court affirmed the decision of the trial court. Still not satisfied, he further appealed to the Supreme Court.

Issue for Determination The sole issue considered by the Supreme Court was: Whether the Prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, to justify the conviction of the Appellant for the offences charged.

Arguments Counsel for the Appellant started his submission by observing that there were major contradictions in the extra-judicial statements and oral testimonies of PW 1 and PW 2. Counsel argued that, it would be doing great injustice to accept any version of the facts of the incident. Counsel argued that the lower court ought to have applied the inconsistency rule to the testimony of the witnesses, and hold that their testimony is unreliable.

He argued further that from the evidence before the court, there was doubt about the identity of the Appellant as one who robbed PW1 and PW2. With respect to the confessional statements, counsel submitted that there was no evidence outside the confession to establish them as true. He urged the court to resolve the contradictions and inconsistencies, in favour of the Appellant.

Debunking the submissions above, counsel for the Respondent referred to the facts of the case and the evidence of PW 1 and PW 2, whereby they gave graphic and detailed narrations about the robbery. Responding to the submission about convicting the Appellant based on his uncorroborated confession, it was argued contrariwise that the conviction was not based solely on the confession of the Appellant, but also on the evidence of eye witnesses. Regarding the issue of identification parade, counsel submitted that same was unnecessary, as the Appellant was arrested immediately after the incident and promptly recognised by PW 1 and PW 2. He posited that there was no contradiction in the evidence, to cast doubt in the mind of the Judge. Finally, counsel urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale Deciding the sole issue, the Supreme Court held that, for an offence of conspiracy, it is not necessary for the conspirators to know each other. Once the court can infer an agreement between parties or knowledge of the existence and intention of the conspiracy, a strong presumption of conspiracy is established. The court went further to hold that an accused person cannot be convicted of conspiracy to commit an offence on the strength of the accused person’s own confession, unless there is an independent evidence that at least one other person had conspired with him. The court went on to hold that though a confessional statement which is shown to be voluntarily made, positive, direct

and unequivocal, is enough to ground a conviction, it is however, desirable that some evidence outside the confession is available . The confession should be consistent with other ascertained facts. In this case, the confession of the Appellant was free, voluntary and in itself fully consistent and probable. The inculpating statements were corroborated by several facts, including the recovered stolen handset and bullet. It is also clear from the evidence led, that there was armed robbery on 8th February, 2010 at the residence of PW 1 and PW 2. The Appellant was one of the armed robbers who took part in the robbery, and all these facts were established beyond reasonable doubt by the Respondent.

Regarding the issue of contradictions and inconsistencies in the evidence of the Prosecution, the court restated the trite principle of law that where there are conflicting evidence which in effect creates a serious doubt in a criminal trial, the accused person should be given benefit of the doubt and acquitted. Evidence are said to be conflicting when one affirms the opposite of what the other evidence stated, and not where there is a minor discrepancy between them – EKE v STATE (2011) 1-2 SC (Pt. II) 219.

In R v GOLDER (1960) 1 WLR 1169, Lord Parker, Chief Justice of England held that: “ When a witness is shown to have made previous statements inconsistent with the evidence given by that witness at the trial, the Honourable Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC jury should not merely be directed that the evidence given be regarded as unreliable, they should also be directed that the previous statements, whether sworn or unsworn do not constitute evidence upon which In the Supreme Court of Nigeria they can act.”

Holden at Abuja The rule above is applicable in Nigeria with slight On Friday, the 24th day of April, 2020 modification, in that if the case is before a trial Judge, the witness should be given the opportunity while Before Their Lordships under oath to explain the inconsistency, and it is only Olabode Rhodes-Vivour when he is unable to explain the inconsistency that Musa Dattijo Muhammad the rule is applied – WILLIAMS v STATE (1975) Chima Centus Nweze 9-11 SC 139.

Amina Adamu Augie Their Lordships went further to postulate a guide for Paul Adamu Galinje determining inconsistency or material contradictions SC.677/2015 in a case of armed robbery thus: “There must not be contradiction on material facts. Contradictions Between on material facts in a case of armed robbery such as this, may arise when there are contrasting OLUMIDE OPEKE APPELLANT views on issues such as – (a) how many robbers

And came into the house; (b) how was the robbery carried out; (c) what was stolen and were the THE STATE RESPONDENT stolen goods recovered; (d) how was the robber apprehended; (e) was there light and about what time did the robbery occur; (f) were the robbers (Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Olabode masked, and how were they dressed. Where there Rhodes-Vivour, JSC) are contradictions on any of the above, the witness ought to have been called to explain, and where no satisfactory explanation is made, the entire evidence and testimony of the witness should no longer be relied on by the court.”

Minor discrepancies other than those mentioned above, are allowed in law. In this case, PW 1 made an extra-judicial statement a day after the armed robbery “Contradictions on at his house. He detailed the facts of the robbery, and when he gave evidence in court about two years after, material facts in a case his testimony was without major departure from his statement. PW 2 also made an extra-judicial statement of armed robbery such as like PW 1, a day after the armed robbery and gave oral this, may arise when there testimony in court about two years after. Comparing the statement with the evidence given in court, there are contrasting views on is no contradiction safe for minor discrepancies which are allowed in law, as they did not touch on the salient issues such as – (a) how issues. It follows that, the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. many robbers came into Regarding the issue of identification parade, the court found that there must be real doubt as to who the house; (b) how was the the witness claims he saw committing the offence before an identification parade is conducted, and robbery carried out; (c) this is done during investigation of the case by the Investigating Police Officer. In this instance, such parade what was stolen and were was absolutely unnecessary, since PW 1 and PW 2 were reliable eye witnesses who saw the Appellant clearly, the stolen goods recovered; gave flawless evidence as to what he was wearing, and the fact that he was arrested immediately after (d) how was the robber the robbery.

apprehended; (e) was there light and about what time did the robbery occur; (f) were the robbers masked, and how were they dressed”

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation R.A. Aladesanmi with G.A. Okewole for the Appellant.

A. Oladeji for the Respondent.

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

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d i s c o An Outer Barman Be

The much awaited outcome of the 2020 election into national offices of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), was made known just before midnight, last Thursday, July 30. Deputy Editor, THIS DAY LAWYER, JUDE IGBANOI who monitored the entire process, gives an account of how the election was lost and won, while Stephen Kola Balogun who was disenfranchised and unable to vote in the election much to his chagrin, also makes comments and suggestions on how the incoming President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata, can redeem the dented image of the Association going forward find it difficult to have their voice against the dominant group. Again like the 2018 election when Usoro being from the minority Akwa Ibom – Cross River section couldn’t hope to secure the ticket of Eastern Bar Forum, but chose to run independently, this year Olumide Akpata didn’t dream of or even bother to secure the Egbe Amofin ticket, but ran with the backing of his minority Mid West Lawyers Forum and won.

For many Nigerian Lawyers, this spells the death knell for ethnic Lawyers forums and adoption, for the purposes of national elections.

Their continued relevance therefore, is shaky and uncertain for now.

Ushering in a New Era in the NBA Jude Igbanoi Nigerian Lawyers through a highly controversial and much criticised process, yielded the mantle of leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to a new set of national officers last Thursday night. The election of NBA’s national officers through electronic voting and by universal suffrage, saw three prominent Lawyers lock horns in a highly contentious election, which is still being trailed by criticisms.

The Electioneering Campaigns The race started with four Lawyers who had expressed interest to contest for Presidency. One of the Lawyers and former Chairman of Ikeja Branch of the Association, Adesina Ogunlana, was disqualified from the race, having been adjudged by the Tawo Tawo led Electoral Committee, as not meeting the requirements for the office. This left trio of Mr Dele Adesina, SAN, Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN and Mr Olumide Akpata to complete the race.

The campaigns were as tough, engaging and rancorous, as can be imagined. There were accusations and counter- accusations of mudslinging, unethical practices and breaches of electoral rules. The Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) chaired by Mr. Tawo Tawo, SAN, had the unenviable task of delivering a free and fair election. Tawo Tawo talked tough and laid down stringent guidelines, but most of the rules and guidelines were observed in breach by some of the candidates.

Some candidates for instance, were on record to have gone to different parts of the country campaigning from Branch to Branch, in defiance of the NBA Constitution and ECNBA rules.

In the face of these humungous challenges however, the election held as scheduled, and winners emerged, howbeit with a great deal of criticism and outcry.

Shortcomings in the Electoral Process For many, the ECNBA was saddled with challenges it just couldn’t handle and lacked the capacity to deal with, but despite these hurdles, it managed to deliver on its mandate to midwife the election, even with its imperfections.

Several debates were held on electronic, social and print media, with each candidate espousing their manifestos. The message echoed by all three candidates weren’t really different from each other, all promising to focus on the welfare of young Lawyers and to reposition the NBA. The social media was inundated with all sorts of campaign messages in various formats, video clips, slides, posters and write-ups.

This space would not be enough, to adequately analyse some of the unwholesome practices that some resorted to.

The challenges faced by the ECNBA, are just too numerous to itemise here. Amongst them were the inability of many Lawyers to accredit for the election, unavailability of a list on accredited voters up to an hour before the election, alleged padding of the list of some Branches, names missing from the list in some Branches, appearance of what some refer to as a strange and unknown Branch (International Diaspora Branch), etc.

The Politics and Intrigues of Zoning and Regional Adoptions There is no gainsaying the fact that, one major

Incoming NBA President, Olumide Akpata

factor that came into and indeed made or marred this election, was the complex issue of zoning of certain offices in the NBA. The NBA 2015 Constitution further entrenched the principle of zoning the office of President and General Secretary of the NBA, on rotational basis. For those who are not versed in Bar politics, a little background may be necessary. Simply put, the office of President is zoned to rotate between the three major geographical areas of the country, North, West and East, with each taking its turn to produce a President every two years.

Outside of this simple constitutional provision, comes the complex arrangement of adoptions by ethnic and regional micro-organisations. The North operates under the umbrella of Arewa

“Tawo Tawo talked tough and laid down stringent guidelines, but most of the rules and guidelines were observed in breach by some of the candidates”

Lawyers Forum, the West groups under Egbe Amofin, while the East congregates under the auspices of Eastern Bar Forum.

What these ethnic bodies have done over the past two decades, is to pick candidates for the office of President to fly its flag for the election. In some instances, it had worked to produce good and desirable outcomes, but in the past few elections, many have deliberately elected to refuse to subject themselves to the jurisdiction of these ethnic bodies and run as independent candidates. Also because each zone has a number of minority groups, it has become increasingly difficult for these regional bodies to achieve maximum cohesion. A case in point was when the Eastern Bar Forum adopted Arthur Obi-Okafor, SAN as its candidate for the 2018 election, Paul Usoro who refused to subject himself to the jurisdiction of the forum chose to run, and he eventually won against the anointed Obi-Okafor.

This year also, the West whose turn it was to produce the President diligently picked Dele Adesina, SAN as its candidate, but Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, Olumide Akpata and Adesina Ogunlana chose to run on their own, in spite of Egbe’s choice. Ogunlana was later to be disqualified from the election, but Ajibade ran till the end and came out in second position, behind the winner Olumide Akpata.

The desirability of these ethnic bodies have always been a topic of debate amongst Lawyers, and like the 2018 election, this year’s outcome lends further credence to proponents of the dismantling of these regional bodies.

One of the drawbacks is that while zoning appears to be a workable constitutional issue, adoption has become highly unattractive as the sub-group who are in minority in each region

2020 Presidency: Gain of Outer Bar, Loss of Inner Bar? One intriguing aspect of this year’s election is the fact that, for the first time in over three decades, a non-Senior Advocate of Nigeria is emerging as NBA President. In the 80s, before the historic Port Harcourt Debacle of 1992, the office of NBA President was never the exclusive preserve of SANs, as it later became the convention.

Its on record that the most distinguished NBA President didn’t get into office as SANs, they took silk after serving in that office. One of the most respected NBA Presidents, the late Alao Aka-Bashorun was not SAN, and never became one till his passed on. Dame Priscilla Kuye, 1992 NBA President, is also not a SAN. It was only from 1998 that the rank of SAN was considered a prerequisite for running for the office of President. Thus, we had Chief T.J. Okpoko, SAN (1998-2000), OCJ Okocha, SAN (2000-2002), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN (2002-2004), Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN (2004-2005), (with Prince Lanke Odogiyon finishing his tenure), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN (2006-2008), Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN (2008-2010), J.B Daudu, SAN (2010-2012), Okey Wali, SAN (2012-2014), Augustine Alegeh, SAN (2014-2016), A.B. Mahmoud, SAN (2016-2018), Paul Usoro, SAN (2018-2020).

Now that the over two decade jinx has been broken with the emergence of Olumide Akpata, a non-silk as President, what will be the implication for the Bar and the various statutory bodies, including the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Body of Senior Advocates (BOSAN) in which the President is supposed to represent the Bar? Will Akpata’s success at the polls pave the way for other members of the Outer Bar to aspire for the Presidency? These and many other questions, would be determined by the way the Akpata Presidency handles the seething discontentment being felt by some members of the Inner Bar. Chief Awomolo’s Letter to Chief Okpoko In the heat of the campaigns, one of the prominent leaders of Egbe Amofin, Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN wrote an open letter to the leader of Mid West Lawyers Forum and a past President of the NBA, Chief T.J. Okpoko, SAN, cautioning him about the implication of letting a non-SAN become NBA President. For the teeming young Lawyers, most of whom were still basking in the euphoria universal suffrage, it was a trigger to identify with one of their own, a member of the Outer Bar. Many saw this as a major boost for Olumide Akpata.

Unwittingly, a boost for Akpata came from cont'd on page 5

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u r s e comes NBA President “A technical disenfranchisement is still a disenfranchisement, and the situation is further worsened with a perception that it was perhaps, a deliberate ploy to manipulate the election results in favour of particular candidates”

NBA Heal Thyself!

Stephen Kola Balogun Introduction The legal profession is a noble profession. It has existed in various forms through the ages.

It is arguably, the most prominent professional body in almost every country of the World, and in Nigeria, it is no different. The Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA) is the professional body of many prominent Nigerians. It’s past Presidents include Chief Rotimi Williams, SAN, Chief Richard Akinjide, SAN, the rather popular and much loved Chief Alao Aka Bashorun (all of blessed memory), Dame Priscilla Kuye, the only female President in the history of the NBA so far, but to mention a few.

The NBA has long been regarded as the custodian of the democratic process, and bastion of the rule of law. It is therefore, an indictment and a sad day for the Nigerian Bar if those expected to be the guardians of our civil rights, liberties and freedoms cannot be seen to conduct free and fair elections amongst themselves, or like the equally respected physician, heal the several electoral malpractices that have plagued the NBA in recent years.

Non-SAN and the NBA Presidency This particular NBA election, was billed to be different. The vast majority of members of the outer Bar had expressed through different media outlets and forums, their displeasure and discontent with their more eminent colleagues who make up the inner Bar and have been elevated to the prestigious rank and title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. (SAN) It was generally thought that the Senior Advocate had not been pulling his weight in initiating much needed reforms within the profession, and that the lesser revered Lawyer who either practices law as a Solicitor or as General Practitioner within the reaches of the Outer Bar, should be given a chance.

Many Lawyers who wouldn’t otherwise bother to vote, at least going by past experience of NBA elections, went through a tedious process of verifying their credentials and registering for the elections which duly held on 29th through 30th July, 2020, only to be let down by the Electoral Committee of the NBA ( ECNBA) who failed in its duty to provide many Lawyers with a voting link. It is therefore, not only disappointing but a paradox, that the much sought after reforms have not only failed to materialise, but instead appear to have got worse even before the beginning of a new dawn.

Particular Flaws in the July 2020 NBA Election Bearing in mind these allegations, can the NBA in all conscience, continue to project itself as a credible voice for the rule of law and a respected observer of National/ State legislative and gubernatorial elections?

The ECNBA struggled to conclude the cont' from page 4

Outgoing NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN

verification exercise of the nearly 30,000 eligible voters captured on its final list, and left several unresolved issues before voting commenced.

Some Lawyers wrote the NBA asking for a postponement of the election, arguing that certain fundamental aspects that ought to be addressed in advance of polling day, such as missing names on the voters lists; voter list verification; voters eligibility and transparency of the process, left a lot to be desired. They argued that these glitches could effect the credibility of the elections, and they have been proven right.

The disenfranchisement of any voter due to technical glitches, cannot be excused. A technical disenfranchisement is still a disenfranchisement, and the situation is further worsened with a perception that it was perhaps, a deliberate ploy to manipulate the election results in favour of particular candidates.

My position is perhaps, symbolic of many other disgruntled voters. I am a senior member of the Bar, and although I am not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria , like many other Lawyers of my ilk and standing, I was disenfranchised and so was my wife (a specialist Aviation Lawyer ) - we both had different candidates. She wanted to vote for Dr Ajibade, SAN, while I intended to vote for Mr Olumide Akpata who eventually won.

Notwithstanding this fact, I am disturbed by the entire election process. Even those in a minority and in the losing camp, must be allowed to participate in the election process and cast their votes. As Lawyers, our primary duty and role is to defend the rule of law.

Unfortunately, the election process was visibly

Ushering

the most unexpected quarters.

A Critique by Chidi Odinkalu Describing the election as ‘a deeply flawed exercise’, the convener of the Open Bar Initiative and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr Chidi Odinkalu described the election a sham, citing many irregularities on the part of the ECNBA and the NBA itself.

Odinkalu commended the candidates who contested for various positions in the election for their “spirited” campaigns, but called the election a scandal.

He said: “The ECNBA was, in my view, unfit for purpose. At all turns, it was tone-deaf at best, or transparently on the wrong tarmac.

The best that can be said about its capabilities, communication and outreach, is that they were abysmally sub-par. That is kind too.

“The process was deeply, deeply flawed.

in a

flawed, leaving many to question our integrity as a profession.

Other particular issues of concern, centred on how the election technology worked. There were also concerns, about whether the server could easily have been hacked. Concerns about the identity of the service providers, and how secure the NBA website and membership portals were. Many others found their names on the voting registers in obscure places of the country, where they had neither visited or practiced.

The failure of the ECNBA to address these fundamental concerns before the elections, has resulted in a failed and botched election process which has severely undermined and eroded confidence in a profession already on trial in many other respects.

The Way Forward What then is the solution? Can we redeem ourselves as a professional body, along with our dented image and pride ?

The declared winner of the NBA Presidential election, Olumide Akpata, now needs to show that he indeed, has the requisite leadership qualities. Justice as we often say, must not only be done, but must be perceived to be done, irrespective of whether or not there were wilful acts or omissions. You cannot conduct an election, by streaming live updates of votes being cast! It puts off the undecided voter. It could also lead to a band wagon effect in favour of the leading candidate at the time, with undecided voters possibly casting their votes in favour of the leading candidate. It’s not the same as exit polling, collated after an election has been declared closed.

New Era

Discovering that, did not require any huge skills in rocket science.

“The electoral roll was a scandal. The hideand-seek was befitting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

“It’s unfortunate that, rather than speak up about the flaws in the process at the time they arose, some folks chose to accommodate them, in the hope that their camp will benefit from the flaws. Now, the same people complain about what they deliberately chose to overlook. Principles should matter. “The sense of entitled arrogance communicated in Asiwaju Gboyega Awomolo, SAN’s communication galvanised clarity and resistance to the tendency he represented in his unfortunate epistle.

“So, in the end, the most popular candidate was announced as winner of the contest to lead the Association. That does not, and should not make anyone blind to the flaws in the process.

in the

Neither the candidates nor the NBA, deserves what this ECNBA served up as an electoral process. There is no way to minimise that point.

“It would be worthwhile for the new leadership of the NBA to consider instituting a root and branch internal inquiry into leadership elections in the NBA and begin from its first day in office to prepare something seminally different and better in 2022.”

On the jubilations that trailed the announcement of the winners, Odinkalu said, “Amidst the euphoria of elections, many colleagues appear to have forgotten that we are in a virulent pandemic.

They chose to abandon the discipline of the easy non-pharmaceutical mitigations that the season requires of us. It’s difficult to see how infections could not have been passed or contracted, in the ensuing contact sport of merriment. Hopefully, we can remember to do better.

“I wish us all luck. The new leadership will

Akpata needs to demonstrate why the NBA electorate seek change through him.

He should rise to the occasion, and call for a rerun. Caesar’s wife, must appear to be above reproach. We must not allow others, to question our democratic process. We must encourage and breed confidence in our own democratic process, as a professional body. Akpata led throughout the day on polling day so he is unlikely to lose a rerun, but members of a professional body must not be disenfranchised.

We must set the right example, for the rest of the country to copy and follow.

Conclusion When a victor does a noble gesture, it carries weight and meaning. It shows that as a leader, he is more concerned about the integrity of the electoral process than just winning. It shows true leadership qualities. It shows a desire to unite various factions. Above all, it shows that the process was not all about him. Having said that, the other contestants should know what to do as well, if confronted with such a noble gesture. It is about the greater good of the profession. It’s about the NBA leading by example, and projecting themselves as such to the rest of the country. All things considering, I sincerely hope that we can revive the tenets of the profession which we love, cherish and honour. As for Olumide Akpata, I will stop short of congratulating him just yet, but when he is eventually sworn in as President of the NBA, I hope he will be able to leave a legacy and a system that works for all our members.

Stephen Kola Balogun, Lagos

NBA be in my prayers.”

Conclusion The 2020 NBA national elections have come and gone, with winners and winners, no losers!

The battle ahead for the incoming ‘Exco’, is how to justify the trust reposed in them by Nigerian Lawyers for the next two years. How to rebrand the NBA, as enunciated and promised in their manifestos. How to reform and refine the electoral mechanism of the Association to smoothen out the rough edges, and evolve a truly reliable and credible election. How to defend their mandate, especially to assure the Inner Bar that the Bar will not lose its traction, relevance and cohesion, on account of being led by a member of the Outer Bar. How to retain the leadership position of the Nigerian Bar in Africa, and prominence on the global scene.

Jude Igbanoi

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The Impact of a Compulsory Winding up Order on Employment Contracts Background Employees are often regarded as a company’s most valuable “asset”. Strikingly, they are also usually among the most vulnerable stakeholders in insolvencies. In Gbedu v Itie [2020] 3 NWLR (Pt 1710) 104, the Supreme Court of Nigeria (for the first time ever) considered the effect of a compulsory winding up order on employees. This discourse examines the impact of a compulsory winding up order on employment contracts, against the background of this decision and other related matters.

The Case of Gbedu v Itie In this case, a compulsory winding up for NSG Ltd, was made on 18/3/05. The Appellants (NSG Ltd’s employees) were disengaged on 6/4/06, and paid their entitlements on 5/5/06. One of the two issues for determination by the Supreme Court, was whether the employment contracts ended upon the making of the winding up order. The Supreme Court acknowledged that, Nigeria’s Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990 (CAMA) does not state the effect of a winding up order on employment contracts in one provision.

The Supreme Court thus, relied on English authorities such as Re General Rolling Stock Co [1866] LR 1 Eq 346 (Chapman’s Case) and Fowler v Commercial Timber Co. Ltd (1930) All ER 224. In these cases, English Courts held that, a compulsory winding up order terminates employment contracts. The Supreme Court also relied on Halsbury’s Laws of England, Volume 7, paragraph 543, where the authors expressed a similar view.

Against this background, the Supreme Court concluded that, once an order of compulsory winding up is made, “all employees of the company are dismissed, and the dismissal takes effect from the date of the winding up order was made by the court”.

Further Analysis of the Supreme Court’s decision in Gbedu v Itie The Supreme Court rightly noted that, CAMA is silent on the impact of a compulsory winding up order on employment contracts. CAMA is a re-enactment of Nigeria’s Companies Act 1968, which was modelled after English Companies Act 1948. As is the case with CAMA, the English Companies Acts of 1948, 1929 and 1862 were silent on the effect of compulsory winding up orders on employment contracts.

However, few English and Australian case law, have provided guidance in this regard.

The Supreme Court relied on English law authorities, which provide that a compulsory winding up order operates as notice of dismissal to all the company’s employees. In Re Oriental Bank Corporation [1886] 32 Ch.D 366 at 368 (which was not cited in the Supreme Court), Chitty J endorsed the decision in Chapman’s case, stating that the decision “has never been overruled or questioned”, and that it seems to be ‘founded upon good sense”.

Significantly, the Supreme Court (at page 126E-F) stated that a dismissal pursuant to a winding up order, “takes effect from the date the winding up order was made by the court”. This is consistent with the position in Chapman’s Case. Notably, Section 415(2) of CAMA provides that, compulsory winding up is deemed to commence on the date of the presentation of the winding up petition (not on the date when the winding up order is made). This provision is a replica of Section 229(2) of the 1948 English Companies Act. English case law does not provide any explanation as to why dismissal of employees takes effect on the date of compulsory winding up orders, as opposed to relating back to the day winding up commences (i.e. the day the petition is presented).

Nevertheless, making dismissals “relate back” to the date of presentation of petitions, may produce undesirable results.

First, it would result in retrospective dismissals. Second, it would create uncertainty regarding the status of employees recruited during the period between the presentation of winding up petitions, and the making of winding up orders (the “vulnerable period”). Third, it would invalidate promotion of employees effected during the vulnerable period. Fourth, employees could be required to disgorge certain official benefits received during the vulnerable period. Fifth, it would re-characterise unpaid employee entitlements during the vulnerable period, from mere unsecured debts to liquidation expenses. This would spike the cost of the liquidation process. Sixth, it could result in perverse incentives where opportunistic liquidators would seek to evade liability for

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige

failure to give notice of termination, by aggregating the vulnerable period as notice period.

Continuation of Employment after Winding up Order A liquidator who desires to continue the company’s business after a compulsory winding up order, may retain some employees for this purpose. The liquidator may re-employ the employees under new terms. Alternatively, the liquidator may waive the dismissal which accompanies a notice of compulsory winding up order. In this case, employments will continue under existing contracts with the company.

In Re Oriental Bank Corporation [supra], Chitty J emphasised that to sustain a case of waiver of notice, the facts ought to be clear and “there must be something done in clear and unmistakable way”. In that case, a compulsory winding up order was made on 15/5/1884. A provisional liquidator was appointed on 19/6/1884. Macdowall received notice from the liquidator on 19/8/1884, that his services

“......the Supreme Court concluded that, once an order of compulsory winding up is made, “all employees of the company are dismissed, and the dismissal takes effect from the date of the winding up order was made by the court”

would no longer be required at the end of August. The notice period for termination was 3 months. Macdowall argued that the three additional days after three-month period (i.e. May 15 to August 15), was evidence that there was a contract of hiring upon the old terms. Chitty J held that, this contention could not be factually sustained. The company had closed down and ceased carrying on business, before the date of the winding up order. Chitty J explained that, Macdowall had merely been retained for the purpose of winding up the company.

A liquidator’s waiver must be clear and express. A waiver may not be inferred solely because an employee has remained in the company’s employment, after the winding up order has been made. However, compelling evidence may lead to a conclusion that employment had been “unbroken”. In the Australian case of Re Associated Dominions Assurance Society Ltd (1962) 109 CLR 516, the winding up order was made on 10/12/53. Some employees were sacked, but the services of few employees, including Hayes, were retained till September 1959. The issue in controversy, was whether the arrangement between Hayes and the liquidator resulted in the continuance of Hayes’ pre-petition employment contract, or a new contract with different rights and duties. Taylor J held that, based on evidence adduced, Hayes’ contract remained “unbroken”, notwithstanding the winding up order.

It is instructive to highlight that a renewal of an employment contract or waiver of notice of dismissal, is no guarantee of full payment of an employee’s pre-petition entitlements.

Such pre-petition entitlements constitute unsecured debts, and will rank as such in the winding up process. In contrast, entitlements which accrue after the making of the winding up order, will rank as liquidation expenses.

Breach of Employment Contracts and Damages An employment contract may be for a fixed term, or may be indefinite with a requirement of notice of termination by either the employer or employee. Where an employment is for a fixed term, a compulsory winding up order resulting in a dismissal will amount to a breach of the contract. The same consequence will apply to contracts with indefinite terms, with a requirement for termination notice. In Re RS Newman Ltd [1916] 2 Ch 309, the employee was to receive £5 a week for a minimum period of 12 months. The court held that, a compulsory winding up of the company breached the contract, and that the employee was entitled to damages for the breach.

In Re Oriental Bank Corporation [supra], the compulsory winding up order was made on May 15. A provisional liquidator was appointed on June 19. On August 19, Macdowall received notice from the liquidator that his services would no longer be required at the end of August. Macdowall claimed an amount as salary in lieu of three months’ notice, giving credit for the proportion of salary he received between August 19 and the end of that month. Chitty J held that, what transpired was that Macdowall had remained and served and was paid his salary in full for a period exceeding 3 months after notice of the winding up order. In other words, the contract was properly terminated with notice.

Two leading insolvency academics, Professor Peter Walton and Professor Andrew Keay have stated in their treatise that, a company’s liability in damages remains unchanged even though the company may have been forced into liquidation due to inability to pay its debts. However, the learned academics offered no explanation or justification as to why damages are imposed on a hapless company, which has been forced into compulsory winding up by a third party. A consequent dismissal of employees, is clearly by operation of law. This point was noted in Commercial Finance Co Ltd v Ramsingh-Mahabar [1994] 1 WLR 1297 at 1301D, where Lord Slynn stated that “termination by operation of law, following a compulsory winding up order made at the suit of a third party, is not a termination at the initiative of the employer”.

An employee who seeks to claim damages against an insolvent company, would have two hurdles to climb.

First, winding up proceedings effectuate a moratorium on commencement of action against the company. Actions may only be instituted with leave of court - Section 417 of CAMA. Second, even where leave is granted, and an action for damages is successful, the employee may only submit a proof of debt in the winding up proceedings as an unsecured creditor.

04.08.2020 NEWS/7

VP Osinbajo and CJN to Deliver Keynote Addresses at Virtual LegalTech Conference

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage economies all around the world, there has been an increased pivot in the use and adoption of technology across several industries, where hitherto technology was a mere tool and not a driver of day-to-day operations. The world as we knew it, has changed forever and it is imperative that this paradigm shift is accentuated by current realities of how individuals, organisations, institutions and governments work and interact.

The realisation that the operation of businesses and delivery of services cannot go back to the pre-Covid-19 ways of providing goods and services, has motivated putting together the first Legal Technologies Virtual Conference, by Nigeria’s foremost LegalTech company, LawPavilion Business Solutions Limited, in conjunction with Telnet Group, Nigeria’s leading digital transformation company, to be held on August 13-14, 2020.

The conference which will be available to participants from all around the world through the Zoom video conferencing app, features a line-up of erudite Judges and legal practitioners, in both the public and private sectors.

The Keynote Address will be delivered by His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Other dignitaries expected at the virtual conference include

CJN, Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad

His Lordship, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council; the Senate President, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, and other captains of industry and legal luminaries.

Briefing the press in Lagos, the Managing Director of LawPavilion Business Solutions, Mr. Ope Olugasa, remarked that for almost two decades, LawPavilion has been at the forefront of providing and improving access to digital tools for the legal services industry. It has become imperative to leverage technology, to accelerate access to justice for Nigerians and organisations interested in doing business in Nigeria.

Speaking further, Olugasa stated that while the general public tends to think of the Judiciary as the least visible or important arm of government, the role of the Judiciary comprising of Judges, Lawyers, Arbitrators, Mediators and legal institutions in economic growth and development is so critical, that where the justice system is fraught with inefficiencies and inadequacies, economic growth is stunted.

He pointed out that, for example, in today’s global market, true wealth is no longer in only expansive real estate or tangible cash, but in holding intangible intellectual property. Thus, economies that

do not accord enough recognition and protection of law to intellectual property, stand a genuine risk of not being at par with other economies.

The conference, which will span over two days comprises of a keynote lecture and panel discussions on the role of an efficient justice system in driving the wheel of innovation and economic growth, with panelists such as Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (JSC), Hon Justice Amina Augie (JSC), Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, AG Ekiti State, Mr. Folorunsho Aliu, Group MD of Telnet Nigeria Ltd and Mr. Gbenga Sesan, CEO Paradigm Initiatives.

There will also be breakout sessions focusing on seamless court integration, as well as tools and resources to run an efficient law firm post Covid-19, using technology.

Accordingly, the legal services industry is also ripe and well primed for such technological transformation, and the virtual Legal Technologies Conference being hosted by LawPavilion in conjunction with Telnet Group, will showcase the unveiling of an enterprise solution for the Judiciary, LawRights App (for the general citizenry), Lagos State Laws in e-book version integrated into LawPavilion’s award-winning legal research software, all of which constitute parts of a new ecosystem, seeking to institutionalise legal-technology in Nigeria’s justice sector.

Court of Appeal Upholds Conviction of Former Supervisor of Chrisland School Peter Taiwo

A three-man panel led

by Justice Mohammad Garba, JCA, unanimously affirmed the judgement of the lower court and held that the appeal of Adegboyega Adenekan, a former Supervisor of the Chrisland School convicted of defiling a two-year and 11-month old pupil of the school, lacked merit.

Delivering the lead judge-

ment, Justice Mohammad Garba affirmed the judgment of the lower court and upheld the 60-year imprisonment sentence delivered

by Justice Sybil Nwaka of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court Ikeja, Lagos.

Mr. Olatunde Adejuyigbe, SAN, the defence counsel, had filed the appeal on the basis that the entire judgement delivered by the lower court was false, and that the

prosecuting counsel Mr Jide Boye didn't prove his case.

Justice Nwaka on October 24, 2019 stated that Adenekan abused the trust of the children in his care, as well as the trust of their parents.

"This Defendant is conscienceless, wicked, an animal and is not fit to walk the streets. I hereby sentence Adegboyega Adenekan to 60 years in prison; this is the sentence of the court", she held

Group Tasks NBA over its Docility on National Issues Some members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who are unhappy with the present state of affairs in the country and within the Bar, have called on the leadership of the NBA to fight for social justice by challenging misrule in all levels of Government.

The group, under the aegis of the Radical Agenda Movement in the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA), said only a radical NBA can join hands with other civil society organisations, to ensure that Government provides responsible leadership in the country, adding that the body has been too docile and comatose.

Expressing displeasure over the conduct of the aspirants during the electioneering campaigns, the group declared that the three presidential candidates do not have the capacity to retool the NBA to become a vehicle for the socio-political transformation of the country.

RAMINBA Chairman who was an aspirant to the NBA Presidency, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, said he was unjustly disqualified by “the Electoral Committee of the NBA that is toothless and hypocritical”, because they feared that he would bring the desired change, and vowed to challenge the court decision that validated his disqualification.

“We call on the NBA to keep alive the words of the first Nigerian Lawyer, Sapara Williams, who stated that the Nigerian Lawyer must live for the direction of its people. The NBA must move beyond elitist and mercantil-

RAMINBA Chairman, Adesina Ogunlana

ist lawyering, into patriotic and radical lawyering with interventions on the drifting ship of the Nigerian State.

“We call on the NBA to utterly reject the debarment of Lawyers by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), from its premises. This is another grand attack on a means of survival of Lawyers, during this current period of lockdown of the courts. We also call on the NBA to join the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in rejecting the six per cent Stamp Duty on Tenancy Agreements, which amounts to over-taxation by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) during the current Covid-19 crisis, with most people forced into further impoverishment”, the group said yesterday in a media interaction in Lagos.

They charged the NBA to

make known its positions on the revelations during the probe of the financial activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), wherein humongous amounts of money were allegedly spent on “scholarships” and “palliatives” during the Covid-19 lockdown period. According to them, indicted persons should be prosecuted.

“We also call on the NBA to make its voice heard, on the ongoing killings in Southern Kaduna. We are quick to say that if the killings in Southern Kaduna go unabated, it poses a great danger to the peace and co-existence of our dear nation.” They demanded and urged the national leadership of the NBA to call for a day of mass demonstrations by all Branches, for the release of a detained Lawyer, Emperor Ogbonna.

Purveyors of Substandard, Counterfeit Products to be Prosecuted Aggressively The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has vowed to intensify the battle against substandard products, through enforcement.

It said it will not relent on its mandate, to rid the country of counterfeit and dangerous products.

To this end, SON has charged several suspects for various acts of counterfeiting and production/ importation of substandard products and has secured several convictions.

The agency recently also secured the conviction of Mr. Shodipo Olujimi and another, who were charged with the offence of forgery. The court also ordered that Olujimi’s company, be wound up.

It recently charged an Indian and two others, for forging SON receipts. Chucks Okeke, Omkar Shinde, Shittu Adedeji and a company, Everchem Paints Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court in Lagos, on a three-count charge of forgery.

Senior State Counsel Olofindare Adeleke, alleged that Okeke and Shinde, an Indian, and Everchem Paints, forged 15 SON receipts on February 12, 2020, at Close 6, House 4 Satellite Town, Lagos, and at 110/114 Oshodi Apapa

DG, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Osita Aboloma

Expressway, Isolo. He said the Defendants committed the alleged offence “with intent to use the false documents as genuine”. The Prosecution said it was with the “intention of causing the forged documents to be believed to have been issued by SON, and use same as genuine”. The Defendants pleaded not guilty.

SON also charged a businessman, Ifeanyi Okoli, who allegedly imported 120,000 brands of substandard electric cables in 13 containers.

In yet another case by SON, the Federal High Court in Lagos remanded two businessmen, Emmanuel Anthony Nnan and

John Paul Ejike in prison custody, over alleged importation and sale of substandard gas cylinders.

The duo were remanded after their arraignment alongside their company - Star Master Electrical Co. Ltd, by the SON. As at last year, SON seized fake and substandard products worth over N300 billion.

SON Director-General, Osita Aboloma, a Lawyer, said top on the list of seizures were adulterated lubricants, electric cables and cylinders. Aboloma said the SON Act was a revolutionary document, which the agency was deploying towards ridding the country of unwholesome products.

47

˜ ͼ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

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

Inter Extend Victor Moses’ Loan, List Him for Europa Action Duro Ikhazuagbe Former Super Eagles winger, Victor Moses, has been listed in Inter Milan’s squad for the restart of the Europa League to confirm his loan extension at the Serie A club.

The Chelsea-owned player who has been on normadic round in different clubs on loan was due to return to Stamford Bridge after the Serie A season.

However, Inter Manager, Antonio Conte who turned Moses into a hit as a wing-back at Chelsea has been craving to have the loan extended to allow the former Nigerian international to finish the European Season with them.

There has been feet-dragging

on the matter from Chelsea end.

But Inter Milan included Victor Moses’ name in the official list for the Europa the Italian club released on Monday.

Apart from Moses, four other players who are on also on loan to Inter Milan have been included on the List.

Manchester United’s Alexis Sanchez, Sassuolo’s Stefano Sensi, Cagliari’s Nicolò Barella and Fiorentina’s Cristiano Biraghi Are in the squad.

As part of the rule changes, clubs are now allowed to register three new players for the Europa League mini knockout tournament taking place in Germany, provided that players must have been

already registered and eligible to play for the club at domestic level since 3 February or in any case by no later than before the first leg of the round of

16 as initially scheduled for the relevant team.

The Nerazzurri are to battle Getafe at the VELTINS-Arena (Gelsenkirchen) on Wednesday,

with the winner going on to face either Glasgow Rangers or Bayer Leverkusen in the last eight.

Moses has racked up 12

appearances in the Europa League since his debut and won the competition in his debut season with Chelsea in the 2012-13 campaign.

New Club Set Target for Aruna Quadri in German League German Bundesliga table tennis team, TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell, have raised the stake for their new Nigerian acquisition, Aruna Quadri, ahead of the new season starting in September.

Quadri joined the German side from Sporting in Portugal and he is expected to lead the team in the prestigious European League for the 2020/2021 season scheduled to serve off next month.

According to the President of the club, Stefan Frauenholz, the arrival of Quadri has come with a lot of expectation from the Nigerian star.

Already, TTC RhönSprudel and their fans are targeting a play-off stage in the forthcoming season with the hope that Quadri will spearhead the team’s campaign.

“TTC is confident about the new season. Quadri Aruna is a world Top 20 player. The Nigerian has not lost a game in Portugal in six years. He plays very attractive table tennis. I think fans will enjoy him a lot,” Frauenholz observed of the Rio

2016 quarter finalist.

He added: “The TTC board does not want to commit to a clear season goal. The playoffs would be nice, but you also know that everything has to fit. Quadri Aruna must strike as desired and Ruwen Filus also needs a super shape. It’s a real surprise bag.”

The decision by the league organisers to cancel the doubles match, the President of TTC believes, would surely help his team. “That would certainly be an advantage for us, as it would give us significantly more options when it comes to setting up,” said Frauenholz.

Already, the rule has been applied to the playoffs for the German Championship.

Apart from Quadri, the German team will be relying on the 23-year-old Hong Kong Siu Hang Lam as he has been considered as the ideal addition to the existing squad while teenage sensation Fan Bo Meng is also crucial to the team. The youngster won a total of five games in his first season in the Bundesliga.

NFF Sets up Caretaker Committee for Anambra State FA The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has set up a Caretaker Committee for the running of the affairs of the Anambra State Football Association, following the expiration of the tenure of the Dr Ifeanyi Ubah-led executive team, and pending the conduct of fresh elections.

The tenure of the Caretarker Committee, which will be inaugurated in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Wednesday, 5th August 2020 will be for a period of three months.

In a letter sent to the Anambra State Football Association on Monday, the NFF referred to earlier correspondences from the Anambra State FA on 28th April, 2020, 27th May 2020 and 3rd August 2020, in which the expiration of the tenure of the Dr. Ubah-board, the extension of the life of the board by three months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the expiration of the grace of three months, as well as the inability of the Electoral Committee to conduct

fresh elections as scheduled were comprehensively articulated.

“Recall that the tenure of the Board of Anambra State Football Association and the Anambra State Local Football Councils elapsed by effuxion of time on 30th April 2020 and 2nd May 2020 respectively. Arising from the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the general lockdown, including football activities, the Anambra State Football Association Congress was convened on 28th April 20202 leading to the extension of tenure of the Board and the Local Football Councils, for another three (3) months, which again expired on 2nd August 2020.

“The Electoral Committee was unable to conduct elections into the Board of the State Football Association and the State Local Football Councils on 27th July 2020 in view of the Anambra State Government’s letter to the Electoral Committee complaining of the violation of the COVID-19 protocols of the State.

Aruna Quadri...so much expected from him in Germany

TRANSFER NEWS....

Aubameyang Ties His Stay at Arsenal to Signing of Star Players P i e r re - E m e r i c k Aubameyang’s Arsenal future may depend on the moves the Gunners make in the transfer window this summer.

The Gabonese striker scored twice to fire his side to FA Cup glory on Saturday, but it is still not clear whether or not he will stay at the club, with his contract set to expire at the end of next season.

And according to French medium, Le10Sport, Aubameyang is waiting to see what calibre of player the Gunners are able to bring in before making a final decision on his future.

The newspaper reported that the 31-year-old is dreaming of being reunited with his former Dortmund strike partner Ousmane Dembele, who could be available from Barcelona.

The 23-year-old has not featured for the Catalan giants since November after damaging his hamstring, and the La Liga club are thought to be desperate to move him on.

It is believed that Aubameyang is not hugely motivated by money, and that he would be more inclined to stay were he to see Arsenalgoing in the

right direction rather than were he to receive a huge pay rise.

The Gunners have been linked with a host of elite players over the last few months, such as Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey and Wolvesforward Raul Jimenez, and it will be an intriguing few months in north London.

Aubameyang refused to give a definitive answer when asked about his future following the FA Cup win at the weekend, and simply said: “I am really not thinking about this now. I really just

want to enjoy with the guys and take the trophy now.”

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Osimhen’s Record Deal with Napoli Good for African Football, Says Uyi The transfer of Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, to Series A giants, Napoli FC, has been described as a good development for African football by FA licensed football agent, Drew Uyi. He noted that the deal is not only good because of the highest transfer fee for an African player in history, Uyi said the contract is super because the Nigerian hitman have the opportunity to harness the value of his Image rights; which he retained.

“Because he didn’t cede his image rights to Napoli, Osimhen is now able to exploit his image rights and make the most out of his personal brand, securing intellectual

property rights for his name, images and logos.

“He can also get hitchfree endorsements and sponsorship with the help of a seasoned Brand Manager. Such persons can help derive huge financial benefits that can measure up to his salary,” Uyi added.

Speaking further, he urged African footballers, “to learn from the fact that Osimhen demanded a share of the rights to his image.

Napoli always demand 100 percent control of image rights no matter how big the player is.

“It shows that he knows his worth. For a long time, African players have not been getting their true market values like their

European and South American colleagues.

“I am personally more than happy for this deal as I have been a strong advocate for African athletes’ branding in the last five years through all possible medium especially my Instagram and twitter handles.

“I have been doing this for over two decades, managing celebrity artists, actors, comedians, corporate brands etc. I have the wherewithal to make deals happen for players also,” enthused Uyi. The FA license agent stressed further that his goal is to empower and educate athletes as well as turn them into marketable

brands.

According to Uyi, “LeBron James is arguably the greatest basketballer of all time, but what many don’t know is that he’s arguably the best branded athlete in history. All that was possible because he has a team with a unique vision to take care of his business while he focuses on scoring points a n d w i n n i n g Championships.

“Osimhen’s transfer to Napoli is a good benchmark.

African athletes should look beyond what the figure of their pay packet is. They should look at building a powerful brand,” he concluded.

Tuesday August 4, 2020

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Osagie to Oshiomhole “Nigerians know that Oshiomhole was sacked for his gross abuse of power and not the narrative he has been bandying on television. His obsession with power and absolute control of same, drove the APC to a near catastrophic situation” – Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, challenging the former National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to tell Nigerians why he was sacked.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Nigeria and Chinese Loans T

he relationship between Nigeria and China with regard to loans obtained from the latter to fund Nigeria’s infrastructural projects suddenly became a matter of legislative intervention and public scrutiny last week when the House of Representatives summoned the Minister of Transportation, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to appear before it on August 17. The ministers are expected to explain certain clauses in the agreement signed between Nigeria and the Export-Import Bank of China with regard to a loan of $400 million for the country’s National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure Backbone Phase II Project. The agreement was signed in September 2018 by the Federal Ministry of Finance on behalf of Nigeria (the borrower). Nigeria’s lawmakers have raised eyebrows about a clause therein which waives Nigeria’s sovereign immunity if it defaults in its repayment plan.

The contentious clause is Article 8(1) which provides inter alia that “the borrower hereby irrevocably waives any immunity on the grounds of sovereign or otherwise for itself or its property in connection with any arbitration proceedings pursuant to Article 8(5) thereof with the enforcement of any arbitral award pursuant thereto, except for the military assets and diplomatic assets.” This has been interpreted to mean that Nigeria is in danger of losing its sovereignty to China. The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has seized upon it to proclaim that it has been vindicated because it has always argued that the mission of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has always been to mortgage the future of Nigeria.

PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, quickly added that Nigeria faces the risk of embracing the fate of Zambia with regard to Chinese loans. Groups and stakeholders in civil society, including lawyers and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Group (SERAP) have asked that all agreements ever signed between Nigeria and China should be brought forward and subjected to close scrutiny, just in case any government official either out of ignorance or incompetence has committed Nigeria to a debt-trap, to the disadvantage of future generations.

From the government’s side, the only man who has spoken up is Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, but his explanations do not seem to address the issue. He says for example, that the waiver of immunity in the agreement is merely “a contract term”, a sovereign guarantee. Nobody is convinced. Amaechi and his colleagues who have been summoned by the House of Representatives would have to do much better than that. Nigerians no longer trust their government when it comes to international agreements. The quoted Article 5(1) in the said agreement with the Export and Import Bank of China rings too familiar and too topical in the light of recent revelations about the handling of Nigeria’s agreement with a certain Process & Industrial Development (P&ID). In that case, still on-going, a sum of $9.6 billion is still pending against Nigeria, just because some Nigerian officials signed an agreement that put the country into trouble.

Now, again, in the case of China, the aforementioned Article 8(1) refers to such words as “arbitration”, “property”, “enforcement of arbitral award”. These are the same key words in the P&ID case. Hence, additional questions need to be raised about the Chinese agreement: who signed the agreement? Was due diligence carried out? Was Nigeria thrown under the bus by the negotiators as has been alleged in the P&ID case?

Ordinarily, a waiver of sovereign immunity does

Amaechi not mean that China will take over the running of Nigeria. Sovereign immunity is a principle in customary international law which simply means that a state cannot be pushed around by another state without its own consent to be so treated, in a foreign court. Hence, in every agreement that may go to arbitration, there is usually an agreement as to the place of arbitration and other details. What exactly did Nigeria sign up to on September 5, 2018 with the China EXIM bank? To the extent that the Nigerian people have a right to know, I am convinced that the House of Representatives is in order to raise the questions before us.

To go further, the various stakeholders who have asked for a proper audit of all agreements with China are definitely aware of how the $6.6 billion judgment against Nigeria which became $9.6 billion (because of accrued interest) in the P&ID case poses a serious risk to the country’s economic survival. They are also probably aware that there are similar cases relating to lack of due diligence in the signing of agreements that Nigeria is also grappling with. This includes the international arbitration in Paris with Sunrise Power and Transmission Company over the Mambilla Hydro Power Plant.

Sunrise went to arbitration accusing the Nigerian government of breaching a 2003 agreement when it granted a separate contract to Chinese companies.

The same Export-Import Bank of China was on the sidelines of that agreement. I understand the matter has been resolved but 17 years after the initial agreement, the country is yet to make any significant progress with the Mambilla Hydro which if things had progressed as scheduled would have emerged as the second largest hydro power plant in the whole of Africa. In this case, as in others, Nigeria remains behind because some characters failed to do the right thing. Similarly, the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited which was meant to be a game-changer for Nigeria’s industrial growth process, was also held down for years by disagreements over agreements and a prolonged legal tussle between the federal government and a company called Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (GINL). Ajaokuta Steel is a living archetype of how all good intentions in Nigeria fail. In one word, legal tussles and arbitral disputes over contracts, obligations and commercial agreements have over the years, exposed the failure of public policy and the incompetence of state officials in Nigeria. Minister Amaechi is concerned that if the same controversy is brought to the door-step of the Chinese, they may simply refuse to provide necessary loans for the Ibadan-Kano rail line. Amaechi appeals to the patriotic instincts of Nigerian lawmakers: he wants them to suspend all further enquiries until Nigeria

gets an additional $5.3 billion from the Chinese.

He means well no doubt, he wants Nigeria to get that Chinese money that Nigeria needs, but in his appeal lies the bigger question about Sino-Africa relations, and the place and conduct of African leaders within that matrix.

Amaechi is certainly an admirer of China’s romance with Africa. He begs his own country’s parliament to “mechionu” as Igbos would say, so Nigeria can get more Chinese money and sign more agreements. Someone needs to tell Rotimi Amaechi that Nigeria’s engagement with China cannot and should not be reduced to an Abiriba, Aba, or Alaba market transaction business model: “my brother, bring money make we do business, chop together.” But he is not alone. Many African leaders are like that and as they engage China, they fail to look at the sub-text.

In the 70s, China was far behind many African countries. I grew up in a country where any product that was made in China or Taiwan was derisively dismissed. China and Taiwan were the standard euphemisms for fakery, inferiority and cheapness. In those days, Nigerians talked about the British Standard (BS). Nigeria’s economy was doing well. The Naira was at par with the pounds sterling. Nigerians travelling to London on Fridays aboard Nigeria Airways, stopped by at Liverpool market and the Main street and spent money as if it was going out of business as a legal tender.

This was the age of the oil boom. No Nigerian would touch anything Chinese. I grew up being told that anything Chinese or Taiwan does not last. Even when this COVID-19 break-out began, I heard some older Nigerians insisting that if indeed the virus originated from China, it would not last, because nothing that comes from China can be relied upon. Unfortunately, China pulled itself up by the boot-straps. China re-invented itself while other countries either went to sleep or became complacent. It is ironic that today, Nigeria adores China. In our class at the University of Maryland, College Park, 1996 -97, in an American Foreign Policy Process class taught by Hodding Carter III, in the Department of Government and Politics, we read a book titled “The Coming Conflict with China”. That conflict then was at best hypothetical.

Today, it is a reality. China is one country that has leap-frogged into the future in an unimaginable manner. The emergent conflict between China and the Western world will be the most definitive factor of this century and the next to come. Africa and the developing world are both at the centre of that conflict.

With China thus on the ascendancy, its leaders defined for that country, broad geo-political ambitions.

With the West in retreat and increasingly navel-gazing, protectionist and isolationist, China launched a muscular approach to foreign policy with its Belt and Road Way Initiative through which it sought to engage developing economies by way of financial support through loans and grants. The focus has been so far, infrastructural development but there is a lot more in there. Strategically, therefore, long before COVID-19, China tried to fill a vacuum that Western nations created. As Western creditors prescribed more and more stringent conditions for bilateral and multilateral loans, China offered cheap, easy and accessible alternative financing arrangements: interest-free government to government credits, and preferential loans from China EXIM and the China Development Bank. The latter, that is preferential loans, represents the bulk of China’s overseas lending. Developing countries were over-excited. They swooped on China’s offers like bees after nectar. Today, China is the world’s largest creditor to the developing world.

Since 2008, China has been Africa’s main trading partner. There is even now in place, a Forum on

China-Africa Co-operation.

Nobody saw the catch, and countries were caught flat-footed. China has been accused of debt-trap diplomacy. Many countries embraced that diplomacy with their hands tied behind their backs and today, their countries are in the throes of debt servitude. China gives but it takes! China helped Sri Lanka to build the port of Hambantota.

Both countries signed an agreement, similar to the one Nigeria signed with the Export-Import Bank of China. Today, China runs that port with Chinese personnel. In Djibouti, the Chinese are in charge of the ports too, just because Djibouti borrowed money it could not pay back. In Zambia, for similar reasons, China is now controlling the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (in other words, China is in charge of mind control in Zambia). China is also planning to take over the Zambia National Electricity Company. Djibouti took loans from China to build a new port and two new airports, Unable to repay its loans, China has also taken over a part of Djibouti’s sovereign rights and possession of its new port, and has since set up in that country, its first military overseas base. There have been issues as well, with China’s relations with Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries.

But should we blame China? Whatever travails developing countries may have gone through in the hands of China, in the form of damages to their sovereignty, we must all agree on certain basic points. One, “there is no free lunch”. China is not offering anyone a free lunch. Its cheap loans are tied to its own strategic interests in the world.

African nations are the ones submitting themselves as pawns to China’s global strategic agenda. African leaders are most certainly complicit. Two, “when you borrow, you pay”. Chinese negotiators are often focused. If you don’t pay in cash, you will pay in kind. The Chinese only give out their loans even under the Belt and Road Initiative to countries that have something to offer in return.

Many developing countries are so economically narrow and badly managed, they end up giving up national resources for borrowed funds that translate into debt servitude. Three, and this is the worst part, is that Chinese loans are often opaque.

This is one of the reasons China is not a member of the Paris Club. It may have committed to the G-20 process on the moratorium for debt service re-payments for example, but China has stubbornly refused to participate in data calls. It is the biggest player in Africa’s infrastructure boom but it may never disclose the full details. China’s influence in Africa even runs far deeper. In Nigeria, that influence has gone beyond loan agreements that touch on sovereign rights to an increasing ubiquity of Chinese presence in Nigerian lives. It is so real that the Chinese have now taken over a rather complicated business chain in the country from manufacturing to retail, including internet services, hospitality, car sales and ride hailing services. One of these days, we may wake up to see a Chinese roasting corn by the road-side in Nigeria, properly licensed to do so!

Nigerian lawmakers have a responsibility to shout out about Nigeria’s sovereignty, and the integrity of agreements with China or others. We certainly don’t want to hear that a certain Amaechi has signed off Nigeria’s Presidential Villa to the Chinese to get cheap loans to build a rail line to Port Harcourt!.

If that were to be the case, the Chinese will take over that Villa and like P&ID, look at us all in the face, talk about the sanctity of agreements, and dare Nigeria to go to the court of international arbitration. The onus is on Amaechi and co to tell us what we need to know. The Chinese knee is on our necks today, simply because our leaders have failed to lead us aright.

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