TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST 2020

Airlines Demand COVID-19 Test Certificates from International Travellers Nigeria, 10 other countries affected Chinedu Eze Some airlines have made the presentation of COVID-19 test certificates, certifying travellers negative for the virus, as a precondition for

boarding when operations on international routes resume soon.

THISDAY checks showed that the airlines demanded that the test certificates must be obtained 72 hours before the

flight or else an errant traveller will not be allowed to board the flight.

It was gathered that one of the mega carriers from the Middle East, Qatar Airways, has also included Nigeria

among the countries whose travellers must present such certificate.

According to the notification from the airline’s website, effective from August 13, 2020, Qatar Airways will be

requiring passengers travelling from specific airports in the countries enlisted to present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR medical test result when checking in.

The countries include

Bangladesh, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Nigeria and Russia.

Qatar Airways also stated, Continued on page 8

FG Pledges More Transparency as Gas Network Code Takes off... Page 6 Tuesday 11 August, 2020 Vol 25. No 9255. Price: N250

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Equip Police to Combat Insurgency, North-east Governors Urge Buhari Warn insurgents are stepping up recruitment of members President: Intelligence shows army ought to do better Says APC could have overrun opposition parties in 2019 Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Governors from the North-east of the country yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to equip the police to bridge the manpower gap in the military as a way of routing insurgents who are waging acute war against the region.

The insurgency, the governors pointed out, has decimated the region’s

economy.

The governors, during a meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja, also raised the alarm at the rate at which the insurgents are recruiting more members into the sect.

At the meeting, Buhari, again, thumbed down the army on its performance in Continued on page 8

INEC Heads to S’Court as A’Court Gives Conflicting Judgments on Party Deregistration Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday signified its intention to challenge before the Supreme Court the judgment of the Court of Appeal ordering it to re-list 22 political parties it had earlier deregistered for falling short

of registration regulations.

INEC, which in February deregistered 74 political parties, leaving the nation with 18 recognised ones said with yesterday's judgment of the Court of Appeal it was faced with two conflicting judgments.

It added that the same Continued on page 8

SAVE OUR SOUL...

L-R: Governors Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babagana Zulum (Borno) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) during the North-east governors’ meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on the insurgency in the region in Abuja… yesterday godwin omoigui

Sulaiman Dismisses Concerns over FRC, Cadbury Chairmanship... Page 5

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

Sulaiman Dismisses Concerns over FRC, Cadbury Chairmanship Says no conflict of interest

Dike Onwuamaeze The Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman, has responded to the controversy trailing his dual roles as the Chairman of the Cadbury of Nigeria Plc and FRC, which some analysts believed could result in a conflict of interest.

He told THISDAY yesterday there was no cause for worry as he made a full disclosure of his directorships in many companies, Cadbury Plc inclusive, when he was approached to chair FRC. He said: “My role on the board of the Cadbury Nigeria and my role on the board of several other companies were fully disclosed, discussed and agreed on (with the appointing authorities) before I accepted to do the FRC job.”

He added that if any circumstance that would lead to a conflict of interest arises, “I will do the proper thing and what is right. I will never do anything that will be to the detriment of any interest that I represent - whether it is the FRC as Chairman or as the chairman of the Cadbury Nigeria.”

Also responding to a question about whether he would recuse himself as the chairman of the FRC or that of Cadbury Nigeria or both if any governance issue that would lead to a conflict of interest should arise, he said: “Let us cross that bridge when we get there.”

Sulaiman, who would not want to be dragged into the

ethical arguments about the two appointments he is holding simultaneously at the FRC and the Cadbury Nigeria, which is being raised by concerned stakeholders in the Nigerian financial circle, told THISDAY that there are two facts he would want Nigerians to take note of.

He said: “I do not have an opinion but there are two facts that you need to know. Number one is that I have been on the board of the Cadbury Nigeria for 11 years since 2009 before I became its chairman this year.

“But I became the chairman of the FRC in 2017. The difference between being a board member and being a chairman does not change the subject of what you are talking about.

"If there has been an issue that issue must have existed prior to my taking over as chairman of Cadbury Nigeria. But don’t forget that the chairman is just the first among the equals on the board of a company. That is the fact.

"So, nothing has changed only that I have been made chairman of Cadbury. Other than that, I have been a substantive director in the Cadbury Nigeria since 2009.

"The second fact is that when I was approached, and that is the thing people do not know because not every person that holds government appointment lobbied for it, in the discussion with the appointing authority I made it very, very clear by disclosing all my directorships.

Cadbury is just one of the many directorships I am holding. And I (insisted that I) will not take it unless they accepted that I will be doing what I have been doing in addition to the FRC job.”

Sulaiman, who is a management consultant and expert in organisational

development and enterprise transformation, told THISDAY to direct its enquiries to the appointing authority if it needed more information.

“The starting point, therefore, if you want to do investigative journalism is to go back to the appointing authority and ask if there has been anything that has

changed from being a director to becoming chairman of the same company in respect of them (the appointing authority) entrusting me with the role they asked me to do (at the FRC)?”

THISDAY had exclusively reported yesterday the concerns of stakeholders in the financial sector over Sulaiman's dual roles

in the FRC and the Cadbury Nigeria Plc. The stakeholders had expressed concerns that the FRC might not be able to impartially determine cases involving Cadbury Nigeria on account of Sulaiman's dual relationships with the two organisations.

WORKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA...

Osun State Governor, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola (left), and Chief of Policy and Planning, Nigerian Army, Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, during the 10th Edition of Social Media Influencers Seminar in Osogbo...yesterday

We'll Scuttle APC Plans to Rig Edo Election, Says Wike Rivers gov talks more than he campaigns, says opposition party Court fixes date for suit seeking Ize-Iyamu’s disqualification Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt and Alex Enumah in Abuja AThe Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship Election and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said the council will scuttle alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use security agencies to rig the September 19 governorship poll in Edo State.

But in a swift reaction, the Chairman of Edo State Media Campaign Council of APC governorship election, Mr. John Mayaki, said Wike was talking more than he was campaigning.

He described as "inane, puerile and negligible" the claims by Rivers State governor that APC plans to postpone and rig the election.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday adjourned till August 24, hearing in a suit seeking the disqualification of the APC governorship candidate in Edo State, Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and his running mate, Mr. Audu Ganiyu, from the forthcoming election.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said the APC was confident about winning because it wanted to rig.

He stated that the PDP has gathered enough intelligence

report about the alleged plan and would scuttle it at the appropriate time.

Wike added that Obaseki cannot be described as an ingrate because he has proven to be a man of character.

He said: "Governor Godwin Obaseki is not an ingrate like Adams Oshiomhole and Osagie Ize-Iyamu who can do anything, including betraying people to grab power.

"Obaseki is morally qualified and stands out as the best candidate for the September 19, 2020 election.

"Edo people cannot support and desire the handover of power to the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is a nomadic politician and ingrate who lacks character.

"It is Oshiomhole who is an ingrate because he told us that Obaseki served as the brain box of his administration that lasted eight years. How can such a person become an ingrate?

"Look at Ize-Iyamu, he is an ingrate too. He served as Secretary to the State Government in Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. When he didn't get what he wanted, he dumped the party and moved to another party.

"In 2015, people supported him for the governorship, when he failed, he did not consult them but abandoned them for another

party.

"That is the life of a nomadic politician. Like his master, they are dangerously desperate, insatiable and can do anything for power."

Wike stated that Obaseki is not a violent man like Ize-Iyamu who allegedly instructed thugs he called "lions and tigers" to cause crisis.

He challenged the police and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the Edo election to correct previous mistakes by conducting free and fair polls.

"We consider the comment

by INEC to cancel or suspend the election because of violence as succumbing to the antics of the APC. "All they want is violence because they cannot win the election. If the election is suspended, the implication is that Obaseki will serve out his tenure without an election in November," he said.

Mayaki, however, faulted Wike, describing his allegations as "inane, puerile and negligible."

Mayaki said Wike, like Obaseki, should focus on the claims against him of an alleged violation of human rights.

In a statement, Mayaki said: "I do not know if Wike manufactures these tales himself or if he has a team of lazy children's books’ writers who

manufacture these claims. I am torn between answering him seriously and stepping down to match his humour.

"To start with, let him provide proof for anything he said. He cannot. How does the party that is not in power plan to oust the police in Edo State? He meant to accuse us but ended up insulting the Nigeria Police Force.

I think they need to address the disrespectful and sickening way he spoke about them. This is not the first time that the governor has demonstrated a pedestrian restrain in his words.

"The inane speculation cannot hold water, as we stand to gain no further advantage should Mr. Obaseki leave office."

Court Fixes Date for Suit Seeking Ize-Iyamu’s Disqualification The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday adjourned till August 24, hearing in a suit seeking the disqualification of Ize-Iyamu and Ganiyu from the September 19 poll.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo adjourned the case after granting an application for substituted service of the court processes on the third and fourth defendants, Ganiyu and Ize-Iyamu, respectively.

Two APC chieftains, Hon. Momoh Abdul-Razak and

Hon. Zibiri Muhizu, had sued the APC's candidate and his running mate for alleged perjury.

Defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/758/2020 are APC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Audu Ganiyu and Osagie IzeIyamu as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to disqualify Ganiyu from participating in the forthcoming election on account of giving false information to INEC in aid of his qualification for the governorship poll.

Ganiyu, in the suit filed on July 10, by the plaintiffs' lawyer, Mr. Friday Nwosu, was also accused of certificate forgery.

They further prayed the court to annul the nomination of IzeIyamu as APC's governorship candidate on account of running with an allegedly unqualified deputy.

In addition, they prayed the court for another order restraining the APC from contesting the September 19 governorship poll upon the disqualification of the third and fourth defendants.

In a 41-paragraph affidavit deposed to in support of the suit, the plaintiffs averred that Ganiyu contravened provisions of the electoral laws by providing false information and lying on oath in his form CF 001 he submitted to INEC in support of

his qualification for the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.

According to the deponent, Abdul-Razak, "There are several irrevocable different and false information given by the third defendant about himself, which cannot be true in his 2020 INEC form EC-9.

"That I know as a fact that both the alleged name Audu Abudu Ganiyu in his 2020 form EC-9, Audu Abudu Ganiyu in the WAEC (GCE) of December 1983, Audu Gani on the APC card No: 0054243, are not the name of the third defendant as fully and definitely confirmed by the statutory declaration of age (exhibit 6A) that accompanied the third defendant's 2019 form CF 001 personally deposed to by the third defendant at the Registry of the Chief Magistrate's Court, Yaba Lagos State on 24/5/1996."

Abdul-Razak averred that the deputy governorship candidate, who is a serving member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Etsako West Constituency, submitted a different name to INEC in 2020 from what he submitted in his 2015 and 2019 CF 001 forms.

He said the third defendant had no time in the various certificates paraded by him, attached any change of name to prove the names belong to him.

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FG Pledges More Transparency as Gas Network Code Takes off

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The federal government has asked Nigerians to expect more transparency and investments in the country’s gas sector, following the full take-off yesterday of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code

(NGTNC).

The code, which is being implemented through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) will ensure open access and enhance availability and

FG Pays N409.9bn Benefits to Ex-PHCN Workers

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The federal government has so far paid a total of N409, 915,331,675.45 as severance and death benefits to ex-workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has said.

The BPE, however, regretted that lack of cohesion among the agencies with the responsibility to organise a planned postretirement training for former PHCN staff had stalled the exercise, adding that as a result of this, funding for the assignment is now in jeopardy.

In a statement released yesterday, the BPE said the payment streams for the former PHCN workers were categorised into two, including severance payments to former active staff of the defunct power utility company as well as payment to retirees/death benefits, which PHCN could not pay before it handed over to the successor companies.

In the statement issued by its Head of Public Communications, Mrs. Amina Othman Tukur, the BPE said the list submitted to it by the PHCN had a total number of 47, 913, adding that out of the number, 47,275 representing 99 per cent had been fully paid.

It added that these were forwarded to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) for payment in 36 batches.

The BPE said out of 638 outstanding active staff, there were 167 duplicate and blank spaces on the list, while 414 never turned up for verification.

Similarly, 25 have been audited and are awaiting cash-backing, nine with initial documentation problems will soon be audited, while 23 have documentation problems.

The statement noted that in the course of the verification, 81 cases were found to be shortpaid which have been corrected and cash-backed while 180 cases recently treated and recomputed for short–payment are awaiting cash-backing.

The BPE added that 4,438 PHCN retirees/NOKs were submitted to it in eight batches while to date, 3,131 representing, 71 per cent of the beneficiaries have been fully paid their entitlements with 1,307 yet to be paid.

It said: "This is as a result of 15 of them having an error in serial numbering, 66 possible duplicates in submissions which 14 of them have been recently audited; and 196 have been cleared and are awaiting cash-backing; 392 cleared and sent to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for pension related benefits and 694 to the Presidential Initiative for Continuous Auditing (PICA) for Gratuities and Deceased

Benefits."

On the two per cent union deductions, the bureau said a total of N7,485, 291,722.89 had already been paid to the defunct PHCN unions' account from batches 1-36.

It has also written to the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to credit the unions’ account for the remaining deductions.

On the 10 per cent equity shareholding for the staff of the defunct utility company, the BPE explained that in accordance with the privatisation policy, workers of enterprises that are slated for privatisation are entitled to be allotted some percentage of the outstanding shares of the company, adding that in the case of the PHCN, it reserved 10 per cent of the balance of 40 per cent for workers of the successor companies.

"The 10 per cent shares due to workers of the power companies would be allotted to them after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) completes it assignment on the valuation of the investments done by state in the distribution companies. The valuation would form the basis on which shares will be allotted to each state government," it added.

On the non-computation of 16 months’ entitlements of staff of the defunct PHCN, the bureau said during one of the engagements with the unions on January 13, 2014 at the Federal Ministry of Power, it was agreed that “7.5 per cent employer pension contribution of July, 2012 to 31st October, 2013 will be paid by the federal government (Market Operator).

"Though the decision had been communicated to the Market Operator, the unions suggested that BPE should escalate the matter to the Vice President and the Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) for consideration and resolution.

Papers to the NCP on the matter are being completed."

BPE said some of the exworkers and pensioners/NOKs were having difficulties to access their entitlements since 2013 when their payments were cashbacked due to invalid account details such as non-NUBAN account numbers, wrong account names/numbers, and wrong bank names.

The challenges also encountered in the case of pensioners/NOKs include invalid retirement savings account (RSA) details such as wrong RSA Account names, wrong RSA Pins, wrong account RSA, multiple RSA accounts, failed payments attempted once by officials of the various paying banks, and bank account detail dormancy.

The bureau said it was collaborating with the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) to resolve the problems.

affordability of domestic gas for Nigerians.

Speaking during the launch of the “Go Live” ceremony, Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, described the code as a set of rules and contractual framework established by the government to be observed by gas producers and transporters.

At the programme hosted by the DPR and attended by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, and other industry stakeholders, Sylva said the launch was part of the current administration's push for reforms in the oil and gas industry.

Sylva said: “The go-live ceremony of the Nigerian transportation network code is an epoch-making event.

We have continued to push forward sustainable reforms in the Nigerian oil and gas sector targeted at driving optimal value for over 200m Nigerians.

“From our national reserve base of 37 billion barrels of oil and 203 cubic feet of gas, following the declaration of 2020 as the year of gas, this

action will drive key policy and regulatory initiatives.

“This will enhance support for domestic and export gas supply, tackle the perennial problem of gas flaring with its attendant waste and environmental impact.

“The Nigerian gas transportation network code, the national gas expansion programme and the Nigerian gas flare commercialisation programmes will help us achieve the presidential mandate of gas penetration, gas based industrialisation and economic diversification.

“It's my firm belief that the implementation of the network code, which is a set of rules and principles guiding the use and operations of the gas transportation system, will develop the domestic gas market and unleash the potential for accelerated growth and economic development of our nation.”

He noted that the official take-off of the programme had wider implications for the energy sector beyond those operating within the gas sector.

“In the coming months, this code, together with related

interventions, will enable improved gas supply to power, growth of gas based industries, domestic energy, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) penetration as well as enhance revenue to the government.

“In the same way, the Network Code Electronic Licensing and Administrative System (NCELAS) will be used to receive, process and issue all applicable licences to all players. With this, the unveiling of a world class network has commenced,” he added.

During the event, which also witnessed the signing of a framework of agreement between the NGC, Dangote Fertilisers Limited and GasHub, the minister lauded the management of DPR for making the programme operational before the six-month directive given by the ministry.

In his remarks, the Director of DPR, Mr. Auwalu Sarki, said all the boxes before the implementation of the programme had been ticked and key directives achieved, including the commencement of migration and activation of monitoring procedures.

He stated that the new programme would ensure optimal gas availability, adding that it will guarantee investments, enable participation, act as a one-stop shop for network administration and ensure transparency and professionalism in the gas business in the country.

The DPR boss noted the code will ensure nondiscriminatory access to the pipelines system, guarantee secure, available, reliable and safe gas transmission system as well as aid cost-reflective tariffs for pipelines services.

Also, Kyari pledged the full support of the NNPC to the new code, describing it as an opportunity to widen gas usage and revenues in the country.

Some key objectives of the network code are to: ensure fair and non-discriminatory access to the gas network; promote gas trading; and deepen domestic gas penetration in-country.

The new network code will also ensure a single entry and exit point to cut short the sharp practices prevalent in the current supply and distribution system, whether for domestic or industrial uses.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY...

L-R: A representative of BUA Foundation, Mr. Tega Ogre (left), and Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, during the presentation of the three ambulances, donated by the foundation in Asaba...yesterday

Buhari Signs Instrument Activating African Trade Insurance Agency Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday signed the instrument of accession of agreement for the establishment of the African Trade Insurance Agency.

Both the agreement and the agency, according to presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, were registered with the secretariat of the United Nations (UN) in accordance with the Charter of the UN. He said it was in cognizant of that fact that lack of adequate political, non-commercial and commercial risk insurance had been a significant impediment

to the availability of finance for investments in Africa and the expansion of African foreign trade and intra-Africa trade.

The statement said: "Agency, when executed, will acknowledge previous multilateral efforts made

by African States towards regional economic integration through co-operation in trade liberalization and development so as to attain sustainable growth, promote economic activity and create an enabling environment for foreign trade, as well as cross-border and domestic investments.

"Recalling the economic

objectives and aims of the African Union, there are several African Treaties on regional economic integration, including the Treaty Establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Treaty Establishing the Southern African Development Community and the Treaty Establishing the Economic Community of West African States.

"A memorandum from the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, stated that the request for the President’s signature on the agreement was sequel

to the directive of the Federal Executive Council, that the instrument be prepared and forwarded for execution.

"The ratification was adopted at Grand Bay in the Republic of Mauritius on the Eighteenth Day of May 2000. The object and purpose of the Agency is to provide, facilitate, encourage and otherwise develop the provision of, or the support for, insurance, including coinsurance and reinsurance, guarantees, and other financial instruments and services, for purposes of trade, investment and other productive activities in African States.”

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PAGE EIGHT EQUIP POLICE TO COMBAT INSURGENCY, NORTH-EAST GOVERNORS URGE BUHARI combating terrorism, saying intelligence reports at his disposal has indicated that the army ought to do better in fighting the insurgency.

Buhari also said his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), magnanimously lost some states to the opposition during the last general election because it chose to be humane and refrained from using the security forces at its disposal to overrun the opposition.

At the meeting attended

by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, service chiefs and heads of other security agencies, the governors made ‘save our souls' call on the president over the effects of terrorism plaguing the region.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Borno State Governor and Chairman of North-east Governors' Forum, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said the meeting was a follow-up to the meeting of North-east governors on Saturday where they discussed challenges confronting the region.

He listed the challenges to include insecurity, economic crisis exemplified by hunger, infrastructure decay and what he described as rock projects.

"But most importantly, there is a war against the economy in the region and I think that is why we are here," he stated.

Zulum said they told the president that he needed to get to the root of the insurgency ravaging the region, which has worsened the living conditions of the people.

According to him, people of the zone can no longer

access their farmlands because of insecurity.

He said residents needed to be resettled in their original places of abode so that they could start a new phase of life.

He said, insurgents exploit such challenges confronting residents to recruit victims into their terrorist group, adding that creating an enabling environment for people to operate has consequently become compelling.

He said they advocated at the meeting, the need to empower the police in the region and provide them with sophisticated equipment, including armoured personnel carriers, to bridge the loopholes in the military.

He said: "We told Mr. President that there is the need for the federal government to address the causes of the insurgency, which are not limited to the endemic poverty, hunger, among others.

"One of the root causes is that of access to farmlands.

People need to go back to their farmlands. People need to be resettled in their original homes so that they can restart their means of livelihood.

"This is one of the reasons, the insurgents are recruiting more into the sect. Therefore, creating an enabling environment that will enable the people to go about their normal duties will no doubt reduce the cases of insurgency.

"We also recommended that police should be empowered, to be provided with certain state of the art equipment, armoured

personnel carriers and so on with a view to bridging the manpower gap that we are having in the Nigerian military."

On the criticism that trailed his accusations against the military after his convoy was attacked on his way to Baga in his state recently, Zulum said meetings had been held after the attack.

He said collaboration among all tiers of government was necessary to tame insecurity.

He said: "We have had a series of consultations after the attack and I think security is not only about the federal government.

"There is the need for the federal, state and local governments to come together with a view to proffering solutions that will end this crisis in the region.

"So, I think the government is taking a bold step with a view to ensuring a speedy resolution of some of the gray areas that we have in the region."

President: Intelligence Shows Army Ought to Do Better In his speech at the meeting, Buhari told the governors that intelligence reports before him showed that the army ought to do better in fighting the insurgents.

The president, who affirmed that the intelligence is true added that the frequency of the coming of the intelligence convinced him that it is true that the army is not doing enough.

But despite the president's affirmation that the military

is not doing well, he has ignored persistent calls to sack the service chiefs.

However, Buhari, who said the country had the problem of resources, added that the people of the region would appreciate what his government had done.

According to him, while Zulum is currently on the spot because his state is the hotbed for insurgency, other North-east states, including Adamawa and Bauchi, on the other hand, are enjoying relative peace.

Buhari said: "We have problems of resources and security. You know what we inherited. The people of the North-east will appreciate what this administration has done.

"The general report I am getting, others from the conventional ones [and] from the intelligence sources are that the army should do better and this is the truth.

"It is so often coming to me that I have to believe it. I listened to your representation - the governor who is on the hotspot now in the North-east (Borno governor). Adamawa, Bauchi, and the rest of them are enjoying peace. I hope they are respecting the sacrifice made by the military.

"I assure you that the government is doing its best. Lack of resources has hit us very hard. COVID-19 is a phenomenon. It has no respect for colour. You can’t smell it.

"You can’t see it. You can’t hear it. America and us are the same. It is a fantastic phenomenon. I think we should all go back to God," he stated.

He added that his

administration is spending substantial time thinking of the plight of the people, noting that security is a responsibility of the government and formed one of the cardinal points of his campaign.

He added that when he was campaigning for re-election, he apologised to Nigerians that his administration did not do enough in four years.

He said: "I assure you, North-east governors, especially the governor of Borno, that we go to bed and wake up thinking about you and how to secure our country.

"That is the fundamental responsibility of a government - security. In our party, we recognise this. We campaigned on three fundamental issues - security, economy , and fighting corruption.

"Nigerians, we thank God, understood us and they voted for us. In 2019, we went around the whole country, saying the same thing and apologising for not doing better, but we are doing our best. I think Nigerians believe us and we did our best."

The president also said his party, the APC, magnanimously lost some states to the opposition during the last general election.

According to him, with the army, police and all the security apparatus at the disposal of his party, it could have overrun the opposition, but it chose not to do so because it is being humane.

He said: "It is true that we lost some states as a

ruling party in a developing country, which is normal. I am proud of that because we are impartial. That means we have our own mistakes.

"Some of those that defeated us are sitting here. We know we are a developing country but we respect our country.

"Otherwise, with the use of the army, the police, and the rest of them, we could have overrun you.

We just want to show that we are humane and we are Nigerians. We will continue to do our best."

Beside Osinbajo, others at the meeting included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha; National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.) and the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

The six North-east governors at the meeting were Zulum (Borno), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe).

Others were the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd.); the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral IbokEte Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu; Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi; and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ahmed Rufa’i.

INEC HEADS TO S'COURT AS A’COURT GIVES CONFLICTING JUDGMENTS ON PARTY DEREGISTRATION Court of Appeal in another judgment had upheld its power to deregister parties.

Earlier yesterday, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, had ordered the commission to re-list 22 of the political parties deregistered last year for failing to win any elective office in the 2019 general election.

The court made the order shortly after setting aside a judgment of the Federal High Court, which upheld the power of INEC to deregister political parties.

Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, in a judgment delivered on June 11, had dismissed the suit of the 22 appellants challenging the power of INEC to deregister them.

The political parties, individually and in groups, however, approached the Federal High Court to challenge the action of INEC. However, in various decisions, the Federal High

Court upheld INEC's powers to deregister them.

The lower court held that INEC validly exercised its powers in Section 225A of 1999 Constitution (as amended), adding that the parties provided no evidence that they met the criteria for them not to be de-registered.

However, miffed by the decision of Justice Chikere, the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD), Progressive People Alliance (PPA), United Patriots (UP) and 17 others on June 30, had in their appeal prayed the court to set aside the judgment of the lower court and order their relisting.

They said INEC could not exercise its power as provided by Section 225 A until it had conducted elections into all elective offices listed in the section.

According to Section 225A, INEC can deregister a political party if the party was found to have breached any of the requirements for registration or failed to win at least 25 per cent of votes cast in an election.

They, therefore, urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of the lower court, which had upheld INEC's power to deregister political parties which did not win elective position when elections have not been conducted into all political offices nationwide.

Delivering judgment in the appeal, a five-man panel of justices led by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, held that the deregistration was illegal because due process was not followed.

The appellate court held that INEC failed to comply with Section 225(A) of 1999 Constitution (as amended) because it did not provide

reasons for the deregistration of the political parties.

Justice Dongban-Mensem, who observed that the constitution provides that citizens be entitled to freedom of association, said that the right conferred on a political party could not be taken away except by due process.

According to the appellate court, the appellants are challenging the process of deregistration and not the act.

Justice Dongban-Mensem accordingly ordered that the appellants be relisted as registered political parties.

INEC Heads S’Court

to

However, INEC, in a reaction yesterday by its National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Information, Mr. Festus Okoye, told THISDAY that the commission has decided to appeal against

the judgment.

"It is in the interest of the electoral process for both matters to be consolidated.

The electoral process will be better served through a final resolution of the issues in the deregistration of political parties. It will also enable the commission to stand on firm grounds rather than pick and choose which between two conflicting decisions it should obey," he stated.

Okoye added: "On the 29th day of July 2020, the Court Appeal, Abuja Judicial Division, delivered judgment in the appeal filed by the National Unity Party (NUP) challenging the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister it and other political parties.

"In the originating summons, the National Unity Party sought a declaration that the commission does not have the power under Section

225A of the constitution to deregister the National Unity Party or any other political party for failure to win any of the offices mentioned in section 225A of the constitution or score a certain percent of the votes mentioned therein."

He explained that the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, dismissed the case of NUP and affirmed the commission's power to deregister NUP and other political parties.

"On appeal to the Court of Appeal, the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of the trial judge dismissed the claim of the party and affirmed the right of the commission to deregister NUP and other political parties. The National Unity Party has appealed against the said judgment to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and the case is presently pending in the Supreme Court," he added.

before October.

Sirika was reacting to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on July 21 by NCAA to international airlines, in which the agency fixed October 15 for the resumption of international flights.

But in his reaction to the NOTAM, the minister, in his verifiable twitter handle, @ hadisirika, said the federal government was yet to fix the date for resumption.

“International flight

resumption date is not October. NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) just issued a routine 90-day notice to airmen (NOTAM). In liaison with Health, Foreign Affairs and PTF COVID-19, we will announce the agreed date, regardless of the ban by Europe, UAE etc. May be earlier than October.”

However, travel expert and the organiser of Akwaaba

AIRLINES DEMAND COVID-19 TEST CERTIFICATES FROM INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS “Tests must be issued within 72 hours before departure from laboratories that are approved by Qatar Airways, and paid for by the passenger. Children below the age of 12 years are exempt from the test, if accompanied by family members that have presented a negative test result.”

Dubai-based Emirates Airlines also told THISDAY that passengers are expected to present test certificates “to show that you have

proven negative before you board our flights and the test must be done in well known laboratory or hospital within 72 hours.”

The airlines said they want to ensure that their customers are protected from COVID-19 infection while onboard their flights.

Other airlines that have also listed the presentation of negative-status certificates on COVID-19 by passengers included British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France/

KLM. Reacting to this development, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, Mr. James Odaudu, told THISDAY that in line with the principle of reciprocity, Nigeria may follow a similar policy.

He, however, added that the federal government was yet to take such decision since the ban on international flights was still in place.

“Since the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the

Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Aviation are still working out the guidelines for international flights, it is difficult to say right now.

But we can’t rule it out. It's all about safety precautions,” Odaudu said.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had last month rejected the October 15 date fixed for the resumption of international flights by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), saying flights may resume

Continued on page 9

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NEWS

ASUU Restates Plans to Expose IPPIS' Weakness Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The opposition by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) put in place by the federal government may not end soon as the union has reiterated its determination to expose alleged fraud in IPPIS, using its alternative platform, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

The President of the union,

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, in a letter addressed to zonal coordinators, chairpersons and members of the union, a copy of which was made available to THISDAY in Ibadan yesterday by the Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, said UTAS, if accepted by the federal government, would expose the weakness of IPPIS. Ogunyemi described the IPPIS as “a business venture of some interest groups” in Nigeria, adding that “their

profit margin increases by the increasing number of university staff they are able to capture.”

He urged members of the union not to waiver in their resolve to reject IPPIS. He described the withholding and the alleged distortion of salaries by the Office of the AccountantGeneral of the Federation as a ploy to hoodwink and arm-twist ASUU members to back down on their opposition to IPPIS. ASUU had been on strike for some months

over alleged unfulfilled agreements signed with the federal government.

Ogunyemi assured members that once the issue of payment platform is sorted out, the union will then pursue to a logical conclusion the main demands behind the ongoing strike.

He added that as a collective, the union will be able to “negotiate and secure what is good for Nigerian academics and our university system."

“As expected, the vested interests are uncomfortable

with the emergence of the university transparency (UTAS) because of its potential for exposing the IPPIS fraud. The impression earlier created was that no further payment of salaries could be made without “data capture”.

However, the IPPIS office has forcefully migrated all academic staff in federal universities to the platform and what is being done now is to “formalise” the process.

"Deliberate withholding and distortion of salary payment by the office of the

Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) are ploys to hoodwink and arm-twist ASUU members to swallow their vomit on IPPIS. At this stage, it is unedifying to see ASUU members filing to the bursar’s office of OAGF for IPPIS data capture.

Apart from betraying the union, many of those who attempted to “go solo” have also been ridiculed beyond description. Even non-members respect the ASUU for its informed and principled position on IPPIS,” he added.

Senators Mourn Kashamu, Say He Was A Grassroots Politician, Philanthropist Deji Elumoye in Abuja Two Senators have described the late former member of the National Assembly, Senator Buruji Kashamu, as a grassroots politician and a philanthropist of note.

Senators Olamilekan Adeola and Ifeanyi Ubah, in separate condolence messages, stated that the former senator, who represented Ogun East senatorial district in the Eighth Senate will be missed by his people whose life he

impacted positively.

Adeola, who is chairman of Senate Committee on Finance expressed shock and sadness over the demise of Kashamu.

He described the former senator as a consummate grassroots politician who touched the lives of many people with his poverty alleviation programmes.

"As my former colleague in the 8th Senate, Senator Kashamu was singularly fixated on what he could do to better the lives of his

people and I am aware of his spending his personal resources in his numerous attempts to touch the lives of many," Adeola stated.

He said the death of Kashamu at the age of 62 is not only a great irreparable loss to his family and close political associates but also a loss to the business community, Ogun State and Nigeria at large.

In his tribute, Senator Ubah went biblical and quoted from the Holy Book of Ecclesiastes

3:1-5: “To everything, there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance, a time to keep, and a time to cast away.”

The first time senator further stated: "For all the time he was alive, “Kash” as I fondly called him was the perfect example to emulate;

a loving, intelligent and an inimitable personality, who was much more philanthropic than most and demonstrated that in a variety of ways.

"Until his demise, he was a bundle of inspiration to all around him. A kind soul and wise counsel, whose generosity and good deeds are inexpressible in few words.

Kash, what an incredible road we have travelled together in this journey of life, and how fortunate am I to have had you as

a friend.

"Undoubtedly, your demise has left a void in my heart as you have been a brother, strong pillar of support, a partner in my struggle and philanthropist par-excellence who was always there for all.

"However, while l mourn you today, I also take comfort in the fact that you lived an accomplished, productive and an impact filled life marked by uncommon achievements."

Siemens: Distribution Remains Weakest Link in Nigeria’s Power Supply Chain Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Germany-based Siemens AG, a company with which the federal government is expecting to achieve 25,000 megawatts by 2025, said yesterday that it had identified electricity distribution as the biggest challenge in the Nigerian power sector.

Speaking on Arise Television, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, the Chief Executive Officer of the company in Nigeria, Mrs. Onyeche Tifase, noted that Siemens was working closely with the entire stakeholders in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) to ensure that the set targets are met.

She added that the first step was to ensure that Nigeria is able to evacuate its current 14,000 megawatts installed capacity of generated electricity before making arrangements for

the phased addition to the national grid.

Tifase said the company had no fears over whether the project will fail, insisting that Siemens had done its due diligence and incorporated buffers in its discussions with the federal government, including obtaining a commitment for a sovereign guarantee.

She said: “We have done extensive due diligence across the value chain from transmission to distribution because that's our initial focus. Today, Nigeria has about 13 to 14 gigawatts of installed capacity.

“However, only about 7 gigawatts of that are operational. The aim is to ensure we achieve a peak in excess of what was achieved a couple of months ago, about 5.3 gigawatts to ensure we can evacuate 7 to 8 gigawatts available today.

We know where the hot spots are. We know what has to

be done in each Disco.

“Even the Discos and TCN have their performance improvement plans. They have their extensive long term plans. So, we are aligning with those plans.

Just the end of last year, the Discos issued the final version of their performance improvement plans. So, it's up to us to take up those plans to draw up a longer term strategy to evacuate the 25,000mw.

“The federal government has taken over the role of chief stakeholder for resolving the power deficit.

Generation and distribution are already privatised.

However, distribution remains the biggest challenge in that value chain.”

On the financial risks involved in the agreement, Tifase stressed that the government has said it will come in and provide a sovereign guarantee to back further investments

in upgrading the grid.

She explained that the 25,000mw target might not be enough for the entire country, but noted that it was a good place to start the growth of the power sector in Nigeria.

“The decision on 25,000mw remains fixed. Nigeria may need more than that. So, for some people, even that is not an ambitious enough target.

However, by targeting 25gw, it will enable the market to resolve the initial challenges in the grid,” she said.

On the cost of the project, she explained: “Where we are now is a project that costs N20 billion, €20 million in total and we at this moment are at €15.2 million and N1.7 billion naira in total and that's what constitutes the initial sum for the preengineering project.

“The project eventually will transition into a first phase that costs about €2.2 billion, but at this point in

time, entering into the initial stages cost N1.7 billion and €15.2 million.”

The Siemens Nigeria boss posited that the company was not worried about maintenance of the infrastructure after completion, “because we recognise that this is one of the challenges Nigeria has faced in the past.”

She said: “If we didn't enter into this agreement without the knowledge that that (maintenance) was a risk, it would have been foolhardy of us. So, we sat with the government and other stakeholders and we understood the challenges pertaining to operational maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

“We have come up with a concept that we believe is very comprehensive. It will utilise local resources and SMEs and leverage local third party EPCs that we will be working with, and

the idea is to have trained and certified engineers incountry that can service these equipment. Even university students will be trained for this.

“We will ensure the right technology. We are doing an extensive study of the grid, training will be done here in Nigeria, whether they are within the TCN or Discos because Siemens will not be shipping loads of its hands to do the work Nigerians are capable of doing.”

On the prospects of achieving its target, the company chief executive said: “It is achievable because we have delivered such projects in Egypt, which was about 14.4gw of electricity in 27.5 months.

This was a record. We can do the same in Nigeria. All stakeholders are committed and driven by the top level of government. It has the backing of the president himself.”

the UAE, which has the policy to hold a COVID-19 negative certificate from all inbound and transit passengers.

Also visitors to Greece arriving by air from Bulgaria and Romania will need to provide a negative test result for coronavirus in order to gain entry.

China-bound flights will now have to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test result before being allowed to board the plane. Foreign travellers to China will be required to apply for a health certificate from the Chinese embassy in their country of origin and Chinese passengers

must present a QR code proving their eligibility to board the flight, according to CNN report.

Also, all passengers coming to Seychelles from August 1, 2020, when the airport opened for scheduled passenger flights must have proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test not more than 72 hours old before boarding their flight to the island nation.

All passengers, including those in transit through Rwanda, will be required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test from a certified laboratory, taken within 72 hours of arriving in Rwanda.

AIRLINES DEMAND COVID-19 TEST CERTIFICATES FROM INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS African Travel Market, Mr. Ikechi Uko, told THISDAY that Nigeria has not opened its airports.

According to him, when it does many of the airlines would change their policy on the country because many of the airlines record high load factor from Nigeria.

“We have not opened our airports. The day we open the airports the rules will change. When they see the load factor recorded by the airlines without that restriction, they will be forced to change the rule.

“By closing its airports for international flights, Nigeria

has technically banned every country from flying to Nigeria.

So they are not allowing us to fly to their destinations and we are not allowing them to come to ours,” Ikechi said.

One of the major carriers that operate into three destinations in Nigeria, Turkish Airlines did not put a similar restriction but it notified its travellers that anyone with high temperature up to 38 degrees centigrade would not be allowed to travel with the airline.

“In our stations where temperature measurement is allowed, measurement is made with non-contact

temperature meters during boarding. If our passengers show symptoms such as fever, runny nose, cough and respiratory distress above 38°C, they will not be admitted to our flights and will be directed to the relevant health institution.

“Please note that in accordance with the guide published by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, certain flight restrictions apply for arrivals to Turkey.

Passengers are required to obey the conditions below for a healthy and safe flight.

All passengers are required to wear masks at the airport

and during the flights.

“All passengers must complete the passenger information form when arriving in Turkey. All passengers will undergo a medical examination and those showing symptoms will have tests performed. Passengers with a positive test result will take medical treatment,” the airline stated in a statement posted on its website.

However, many countries have made it compulsory that travellers must have COVID-19 negative test result certificate before allowing citizens of other countries to travel to theirs. These include

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POLITICS

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

Permutations and Discordant Tunes on 2023 Chuks Okocha reviews the discordant tunes on zoning and some of the gladiators from the two main political parties

Buhari

Tinubu

El-Rufai

Tambuwal

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presidential liasion to President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakassai in agreeing to the concept of zoning said that the opposition party is not tied to a zoning principle that will tie it to the government in power.

He maintained that any opposition party must adopt a zoning system that would earn votes for it.

Tanko Yakassai explained that the other political parties which are also operating on a zoning principle must not tailor their zoning arrangement to suit the zoning arrangement of the other party. According to the former presidential adviser, “It does not mean that opposition party must align with the zoning arrangement of the other party. In other words, if one party produces a candidate from the north, the next should produce a candidate from the north. It should produce from the south. But zoning arrangement can not prevent another party from producing candidate from the zone where the other party had produced a candidate that occupies that office at one time.”

Already, the governor of Kaduna state, el-rufai has been vociferous on the need for the APC to ensure that the successor to President Mohammadu Buhari must come from the South.

He said last week that he will not support any president that does not

come from the South The Kaduna state governor explained that the idea of rotating the presidency may not be constitutional, but it is based on the country’s political arrangement.

He said, “In Nigerian politics, there is a system of rotation, in which everyone agrees that if the north rules for eight years, the south will rule for eight years,” el-Rufai said.

“That is why I came out and said that after President Buhari h as been in office for eight years, no northerner should run for office. Let the Southerners also have eight years.

“If you look at how I am, I don’t take anyone to work with me for the zone he came from. The eligibility I look at is if who is entrusted to the public will hold it properly.

“It has been said that I have loved the presidency since I was a minister in the FCT. This is nonsense. I do not want the Nigerian presidency. God gives power, whether you like it or not, if He wants it, He will give it to you, but I have never sought the presidency of Nigeria, no one can say I have ever sought it.”

However, many are quick to dismiss his view, as they claim that he was positioning himself as a running mate to the Ekiti state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who also is the chairman of the

Nigerian Governors Forum. It is not a secret that the APC is positioning its presidential ticket to either Southwest or Northeast. This could be either way, a presidential candidate from the Southwest and the running mate from the Northeast or vice versa.

For the Northeast, the ticket is either for the team of the Boss Mustapha running with the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Faahola tagged the continuation team. It could be either way. In the same manner, there is the Bola Ahmed Tinubu ticket with the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who recently defected to the APC from the PDP. Either way, it contains both Christians and Muslims combinations.

In the PDP, the matter is not clear, but the governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri Tambawul stands out clearly. He is the youngest in the race with loaded credentials both in the executive arm and legislature.

Moreover, he is a lawyer. The Sokoto state governor looks most clear to fly the PDP presidential ticket. As a former speaker of the House of Representatives for four years, coupled with eight years as governor of Sokoto state. He remains the aspirant to be beaten. He is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and also the chairman of the PDP governors. He is expected to take a running mate from the Southeast.

As stated earlier, age is on his side.

The reality is that he is carrying along with him on this project all the PDP governors. Take it or leave it, political pundits say that he is the aspirant to beat. In all these, the Southeast are merely jostling for the vice presidential position.

The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar who flew the ticket of the PDP in 2019 is said to be interested in contesting the 2023 presidential election, at least his body language posits so. But age is not on his side.

Not with the abysmal performance of the current presidency occasioned by old age and health challenges. Voters may be weary of going the way of an octogenarian.

One thing is very clear, the Buhari presidency may have demarketed the APC on account of rising cases of incompetency clothed by corruption, insecurity and other administrative malfeasance.

This is not to say that the pendulum may not swing in another direction as the permutations continue.

he year 2023 is still three years away, but politicians and political parties have been making various political permutations amidst the zoning conundrum. But the governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir el-rufai and the South eastern politicians have been most vociferous and outspoken on where the next president will come from.

A third term agenda may have been put to rest when the political buccaneers and jobbers muted the idea.

The speed with which the presidency reacted gave hope that constitutionally, that May 28 2023 is the last day that President Muhammadu Buhari will sleep at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. In the morning of May 29, he would be getting ready to hand over to the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria But what is in doubt is where the next president will come from.

For the All Progressivess Congress (APC), the party is still tongue in check whether it will keep to it’s zoning arrangement of movement of the presidency rotating between the north and south. Chieftains of APC are now claiming that rotational presidency was a gentleman agreement.

For instance, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has said that rotational presidency was a gentleman agreement reached by the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders during its formation.

He spoke against the background of resurgent debate on the necessity or otherwise of the concept in the nation’s polity, Ngige said it will help the stability of the country.

Speaking at the occasion to mark his birthday, the minister said that even though it was not contained in the party’s constitution, the framers of the constitution of the APC agreed that it was possible.

“It is not written in our constitution, but for me, it will make for stability and fairness if it rotates back to the South. I was in PDP, we practiced it. It makes for stability. We don’t have it in our party constitution but we, the framers of the constitution of the APC agreed that it is something possible. I was one of the wise men that drafted the APC constitution with Chief Segun Osoba as head. That’s what we agreed on; that we don’t have to insert it but these are things that could be done by gentleman agreement,” he said.

In the same manner, the former

They claim that he was positioning himself as a running mate to the Ekiti state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who also is the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum. It is not a secret that the APC is positioning its presidential ticket to either Southwest or Northeast. This could be either way, a presidential candidate from the Southwest and the running mate from the Northeast or vice versa.

For the Northeast, the ticket is either for the team of the Boss Mustapha running with the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Faahola tagged the continuation team. It could be either way. In the same manner, there is the Bola Ahmed Tinubu ticket with the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who recently defected to the APC from the PDP. Either way, it contains both Christians and Muslims combinations

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020

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POLITICS

In Akwa bom, Eastern Obolo Demands Separate State Constituency, APC Angry with Buhari Okon Bassey writes that one of the oil producing areas in Akwa Ibom, Eastern Obolo, has started agitating for a distinct State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly

Buhari

Emmanuel

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he people of Akwa Ibom State’s oil rich local government area, Eastern Obolo, have called for the creation of a separate state constituency in the State House of Assembly.

The people argued that they deserve to be given a single constituency seat as the joint ticket it’s sharing with Ikot Abasi local government area, has not helped in promoting the development of Eastern Obolo as an oil producing area.

Besides the demand for the creation of state constituency they equally called for the creation of Akwa Ibom State Oil Producing Committee Commission.

The President of a socio-cultural organisation in the council “Obolo me Obolo”, Mr. Emmanuel Paul presented the position of the people in Uyo. He disclosed that the LGA had enjoyed single constituency ticket in the then Cross River State and in Akwa Ibom State shortly after the creation of the state in 1987, wondering why it is now sharing a state constituency seat with Ikot Abasi LGA. “Another thing we want to mention is that as a child, our royal father here has represented us in the then Cross River State House of Assemby (Eastern Obolo) not (Eastern Obolo with Ikot Abasi).

“Hon Dan James represented only Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom State after the creation of the state. The question is how come now we are sharing a state constituency ticket with Ikot Abasi LGA. Eastern Obolo deserves a single seat in the state House of Assemby” Paul said He also appealed to Governor Udom Emmanuel to create Akwa Ibom oil producing committee commission adding that other states in the Niger Delta region have started ripping the benefits of such a commission.

“Our appeal is that governor Udom Emmanuel should create an oil producing community committee commission for Akwa Ibom State. Delta State has it, other states in the Niger Delta region have theirs and they are ripping the results of it already.

“If we have an oil producing Commission that is funded by government most of the demands will now be channeled through the commission. We need a director and a state representative in NDDC” he said.

He decried the level of marginalisation of the local government in the area of appointments by the federal government agencies and multi-national companies operating in the area, saying people from other local governments come in to claim Eastern Obolo

Yakubu

“If you go to Total Nigeria Limited, ExxonMobil, Shell Petroleum Development Company and others, you will see indegines from other local governments claiming they are from Eastern Obolo while our land is being destroyed every day by gas flaring” he said In another development, the All Progressives Congress(APC), Akwa Ibom State chapter has frowned at appointments

made by President Muhammadu Buhari especially as it affects the State.

The Party, particularly criticised President Buhari for his choice of Mr. Iboro Akpabio as an ambassador designate from the state.

The party argued that Mr Iboro is not known to the state chapter of the APC and may not even be an indigene of Akwa Ibom state.

Our royal father here has represented us in the then Cross River State House of Assemby (Eastern Obolo) not (Eastern Obolo with Ikot Abasi). Hon Dan James represented only Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom State after the creation of the state. The question is how come now we are sharing a state constituency ticket with Ikot Abasi LGA. Eastern Obolo deserves a single seat in the state House of Assemby” Paul said. He also appealed to Governor Udom Emmanuel to create Akwa Ibom oil producing committee commission adding that other states in the Niger Delta region have started ripping the benefits of such a commission

The Party in a statement signed by the state publicity secretary of the APC, Nkereuwem Enyongekere, frowned seriously at Buhari’s style of appointments from the state without recourse to the leadership of the party in the state.

Enyongekere described as ‘extraneous’ appointments by the federal government which does not favour members of the party.

He said the attitude of Presidency as regards federal appointments could stall the party’s chances of making any impact in the state in the 2023 elections.

The statement urged Buhari to reward genuine members of the party in Akwa Ibom who sacrificed their time and resources for the party.

The party’s spokesman also said tthe party had petitioned the presidency on the issue, where he lamented that the Presidedent Mohammadu Buhari was yet to learn from the mistakes of his first term.

“The State Chapter in the said letter lamented that even in the second term of the administration President Muhammadu Buhari which the party in the State had expected to benefit from the robust relationship of 2019 elections and for obvious reasons that he will learn from the mistakes of his first term, but unfortunately, the news of every new appointment from Akwa Ibom state has been so nerve wracking and disquieting to the members of APC in the State, thus weakening the threshold of our party in the state as genuine members who have sacrificed their useful resources are completely cheated out.

“The letter underscored among such political appointments, is that of Mr. Iboro Effiong Akpabio, Ambassador designate, as one of the persons the party is not very sure if he is from the state as he is unknown to the party and its members. “if such trend is not discontinued, will surely discourage members from giving their best to make APC work in Akwa Ibom State and thereby hampering the build up towards 2023”the statement reads “For the purpose of roburst relationship, the State Chapter should be readily consulted by federal government while making appointments to strengthen the base of loyalty by members.” The statement stated.

This, according to the party, would help to reposition the Party towards growth and and development as the next elections will still be on the basis of party, hence the need to empower members.

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COMMENT

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

MARCHING TO THE WRONG TUNE Hosa Okunbor deserves better treatment in Edo, writes Idemudia Oviosun

W

hile the Edo State government has done much less than it promised, it is interesting to note that the administration has taken on itself the bashful and unnecessary task of vilifying Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbor. Of all the governor’s eyebrow-raising acts, this is perhaps the most painful. Attacking the man who put in everything to ensure that the governor was elected into office as governor was bad enough. Publishing gazettes to prevent party primaries and then violating the contents himself was not good enough.

But fighting a man who is humble, who will not hurt a fly, is something else.

Among other pedestrian things, he said the cancellation of a contract with Captain Okunbor’s company, Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL), was not a result of his machinations. His reference was to an interview granted by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

It was of no interest to the state government to recognise the accomplishments and philanthropy of a man who has done everything in his power to serve the best interest of Edo State. It did not occur to the governor or any of his aides to recall that on assuming office as governor, Captain Okunbor paid Mr Obaseki a visit and advised him on the importance of Public-Private Partnerships. Indeed, he singlehandedly sponsored the governor and a team of officials’ trip to China to seek for investors. The trip has birthed many MoUs. But in four years, there is little to show for it.

The governor’s camp has found it better to take up arms against a humble man, who, supported the government’s housing project in Benin City with five houses worth N50 million. Would it have hurt to appreciate the man, who, when almost everyone in the fowled political weather, drew swords while he was steadfast? The same man spent hours to advise the governor to tread wisely and reconcile with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, but the governor reportedly said he was not interested.

If it irked the government to mention the donations of the captain to the governor’s COVID-19 relief fund alongside his many stellar

IDAHOSA IS A HUMBLE AND PEACE-LOVING MAN WHO HAS TRIED TO INVEST IN THE LIVES AND SECURITY OF EDO PEOPLE

peace-inclined policies, those outside the country took note. Last year, he received the Global Peace Award in Geneva, Switzerland, for his commitment to peace and nation-building. More, he received the Africa Titans Award in 2012, from the Congress of the United States in collaboration with the African Society Summit.

These strides on behalf of Africa have also been recognised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). As a son of Edo and a patriotic one at that, he had observed, with growing chagrin, how sons and daughters of Edo were trafficked through Edo’s territories, for slavery, prostitution and many other unspeakable things. His desire to help Edo had been birthed even much earlier than that. Under Governor Oshiomhole’s government, he successfully started a $750 million farm in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. This has continued to provide jobs for the people of the state and has proved a better planned agro-centred initiative than the stillborn agripreneur scheme his chief persecutor conceived and implemented in part before giving up.

The government’s reluctance to provide good working conditions is legendary. Many reportedly complained loudly. Indeed, some staff of College of Education, Ekiadolor on August 4 blocked the state’s government house in protest over 12 months’ unpaid salaries. Yet the governor’s aides said that the government was not owing salaries.

Captain Idahosa is a humble and peace-loving man, who has tried to invest in the lives and security of Edo indigenes. The fear now is that if his efforts are repeatedly frustrated by those in government, he may altogether decide to take his hands off the state’s development.

Where he has publicly spoken against the Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Ports Authority for their ill treatment, it would be a sad and painful that even his own state government has joined in persecuting him.

Why has Nigeria lost the capacity to appreciate her worthy sons? And have the people of Edo forgotten, too quickly, their son whose love for the state precedes his own personal interests? But if no one will cheer him now, posterity certainly will appreciate Idahosa Wells Okunbor.

DOWN MEMORY LANE

Eric Teniola Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂ?Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĚ‹ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ–ĂŁ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ ĂšĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœË› Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ăœ

W

ith the passage of Senator Ayomide Fasanmi (September 27, 1925 to July 29, 2020) the number of the 95 senators, who served between October 1979 to October 1983, still alive has been reduced. I covered that Senate until Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), terminated democracy in Nigeria on December 31st, 1983. Senator Fasanmi contested the Ondo State gubernatorial primaries in the UPN in 1979 along with Chief Adekunle Michael Ajasin (28 November 1908 – 3 October 1997). He lost in the primaries held at Omolere Primary School, along Ado-Ekiti road in Akure. That was when Ekiti was part of Ondo State. His campaign manager at that time was Chief Adebayo Adefarati. After the gubernatorial election which Chief Ajasin won in 1979, Chief Ajasin invited Chief Adefarati to be a Commissioner in his cabinet. He was said to have been impressed with the loyalty Chief Adefarati showed to Chief Fasanmi during the primaries. Eventually Fasanmi was elected Senator for Ondo North in 1979. Chief Adefarati was later elected governor of Ondo State in 1999. Between 1979 and 1983, Senator Fasanmi was a member of the Senate committee on health and social services. He was also a member of Senate committee on public works. Senator Fasanmi was a front bencher in the Senate, sitting along with Senators Jonathan Akinremi Olawole Odebiyi (Egbado North South), Abraham Aderibigbe Adesanya (Ijebu North East), Cornelius Olatunji Adebajo (Kwara Central) and Emmanuel Idahosa Akpata (Bendel Central).

During his tenure in the Senate, Senator Ayomide Fasanmi sponsored eight bills, all related to health management. He was a Pharmacist. He never missed any sitting in the Senate. Among the senators who served between 1979 and 1983 and still alive are the former Senate President, Dr Joseph Wayas (Ogoja), Senator Isa Obaro (Kwara South), Senator Ahmed Zakari (Kano North East), Senator Jubrin Salihu (Agaie/Lapai), Senator Suemo Chia (Benue East), Senator Hamisu Musa (Kano South West), Senator Onyeabo Obi (Anambra West), Senator Kunle Oyero (Abeokuta/Ifo/Ota), Senator Ameh Ebute (Benue South Central), Senator Bello Bakori (Malumfasi/ Funtua), Senator Iliya Galiya Audu (Wukari), Senator Ahmadu Ada Alli (Benue West), former Chairman of the PDP and Senator Olatunji Cornelius Adebayo (Kwara), who later became the Governor of Kwara State in 1983 and also served as Minister under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Also alive are Senator Mohammed Girgiri Lawan (Borno North West), a successful business man, who transverses Abuja, Kano and Maiduguri these days, a highly polished and detribalized Nigerian; Senator Stephen Adebanji

Akintoye (Ondo Central), a new voice now in the Yoruba cause, Senator David Olatubosun Oke (Ondo West) from Igbara-Odo in the present Ekiti state, who I understand is in Ireland, Senator Michael Atijosan Emmanuel Onunkun (Ondo West), an elder stateman, now in Ondo south Senatorial district and Senator Abba Ali (Katsina/Dutsinma), a classmate and childhood friend of President Buhari, a member of the present Federal Judicial Commission and a member of APC Caretaker Committee.

Among those who have departed include Senators Muhtari Abdularim (Sokoto East), Mubashir Akanbi O. Abiru (Ikorodu), Andrew Abogede (Benue NorthCentral), Ademola Adegoke (Oyo), Ayoola Adeleke (Osun II), Christopher ‘Laogun Adeoye (Osun I), Abraham Adesanya (Ijebu North East), Olalere Adesina (Ibadan), Muhammed Musa Agwai (Lafia/Akwanga/Awe), Mohammed Uba Ahmed (Bauchi South East), Adeyiga Omopenu Ajayi (Ikeja), Victor Akan (Eket), Nathaniel N. Anah (Anambra South), Isaiah Nnamani Ani (Anambra North), Joseph Ogua Ansa (Calabar), Tony Anyanwu (Owerri), F.O.M. Atake (Bendel Delta), Obafemi Ayantuga(Epe), Umara Bama (Borno East), Ibrahim Barau (Ikara/Zaria/BirniGwari), Garba Musa Dada(Minna/Kagara), David Omueya Dafinone (Bendel South), Usman Alto Dambatta (Kano North-Central), George Asuquo Daniel (Uyo), Yusuf Aliyu Daura (Daura/Mani/Kankiya), Ibrahim Dimis (Bauchi South), Abayomi Adeyosola Durosinmi (Badagry), Oyibosiya Eberewariye (Rivers V(Degema), Emeka Patrick Echeruo(Okigwe), Francis John Ellah (Rivers II (Ahoada/Ikwerr/Etche), Elijah Ebonine Emezie (Orlu), Donald Dick Etiebet(Ikot Ekpene), Ayo Fasanmi (Ondo North), Garba Gada (Sokoto North), Aliyu Mohammed Gani (Kwara North), Adamu Gaya(Kano South), Gayus Gilama (Numan), Nosike Ikpo (Bendel East), Christopher Oladosu Ilori (Ife/Ilesha), Idrisa Kadi(Borno North-Central), Bitrus Bzigu Kajal(Mubi), Ibrahim Kolo (Bida), Garba Kware (Sokoto Central), Daniel Adetola Ladega (Ijebu-Ode/Ijebu Remo), Jacob Kure Madaki (Kachia/ Jemaa/Saminaka), Ja’Afar Mangga (Borno South), Garba Matta (Pankshin/Mangu/Kanam), Abubakar Mogaji (Suleja/formerly Abuja), Abdullah Muazu (Kontagora), Hamisu Musa(Kano South-West, Haruna Muza (Sokoto West), Cyrus Nwidonane Nunieh (Rivers IV (Bonny/Bori), Offia Nwali (Anambra East, Isa Obaro (Kwara South), Jonathan Akinremi Olawole Odebiyi(Egbado North-South), Emmanuel Kayode Ogunleye (Ondo East), Simeon Mba Ojukwu (Umuahia), Basil Charles Okwu (Anambra), Justus Olabode Olu (Kwara South-East), John Wash Pam (Jos), Ahmadu Damyama Rufai (Bauchi Central), Abdulkadir Yalwaji Saleh (Bauchi North), Bukar Sanda (Borno West), Abubakar Sola Saraki (Ilorin/ Asa), Sikiru Ayodeji Shitta-Bey (Lagos), Samuel Olu

Sogbein (Odeda/Obafemi/Owode), Joseph Sarwuan Tarka (Benue East-Central), John Osiomole Umolu (Bendel North), Jaja Anucha Wachukwu (Aba), Obi Wali (Rivers I (Port Harcourt), Ibrahim Jalo Waziri (Bauchi East), Mahmud Waziri (Adamawa), Thomas Yepwi (Keffi/Nasarawa), Luka Zanya Zing(Muri), Amatai Zuofa (Rivers III(Brass/Sagbama/Yenogoa), Hassan Zuru(Sokoto North) and Sabo Bakin Zuwo(Kano Central).

The Clerk of the National Assembly then, Alhaji Gidado Idris, the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. A.A. Coker as well as the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mr. B.I. Olinmah have also passed on.

In 1979, the Senate adopted 37 resolutions while in 1980 it adopted 58 resolutions and in 1981 it adopted 97 resolutions. In 1982, it adopted 42 and in 1983, 29 resolutions were adopted. Each senator was paid N3, 000 per month and entitled to only five legislative aides, namely one legislative aide on level 12, one confidential secretary on level 8, a typist on level 4 and a clerical officer on level 4 and a messenger on level 2. Each member of the National Assembly at that time were given accommodation at 1004 Estates on Victoria Island, Lagos. They were all given medical facilities at the 1004 Estate. The medical centre at that time at 1004 was headed by Dr Chris Ngige, who is at present, the Minister of Labour and Productivity. Top Federal civil servants were equally given accommodation at the 1004 Estate. It was the then Senate that approved the following as members of the Federal Electoral Commission with Mr Justice Victor Erereko Ovie-Wiskey appointed as the Chairman. Other members are Chief J.B.C. Anyeagbuna (Anambra), Mrs Ethel Onwu (Anambra), Alhaji Ahmed Kari (Bauchi), Mr O.I. Afe (Bendel), Brigadier L.N. Obeya (Bendel), Alhaji Mustapha Umara (Borno), Mr. R.F. Uko (Cross River), Mr. A.N. Adumanu (Imo), Alhaji Liman Umaru (Kwara), Mrs Husa Iro Luko (Kaduna), Alhaji Aminu Salihu (Kaduna), Alhaji Mohammadu Mashabaru (Kano), Alhaji Zubairu Dandatta(Kano), Dr Mabadeje (Lagos), Alhaji Umaru Audu (Niger), Dr. Lateef O. Aremu, Alhaji M.B.Ibrahim (Plateau), Mrs E.A. Pam (Plateau) and Alhaji Garba Jabo (Sokoto).

The Senate also approved the following as members of the Code of Conduct Bureau. They are Alhaji Isa Kaita (Chairman), Alhaji Nadu Maibe (member), Alhaji Hassan Lemu (member), Alhaji Zubairu Mahammud (member) and Mr. Boniface Chibunna Nwakanma (member). Other members are Mrs F.M. Sowole, Mr. Moses Olarenwaju Egundeyi Alhaji Usman Bichi, Reverend Akpan Ukpong, Alhaji Isa Iko, Mr. Agan Dankoro and Chief A.B. Batubo.

They also approved the following as Ambassadors.

They are Mr. Baba Gana Kingibe (Borno), Mr. I.J. Sagay (Bendel), Mr. Y. Abdullahi (Plateau), Mr. J.E.U. Ekong (Cross River), Mr. G.O. Okany (Anambra),

Mr. E.O. Sanu (Oyo), Mr. A.K. Mohammed (Borno), Mr. M.A. Carpenter (Sokoto), Mr. M..L. Rafinddi (Kaduna), Mr. A.M.S. Imam (Kwara), Mr. O. Akadiri (Ondo), Mr. I.D.O. Sokoya(Ogun), Mr. O. Oshodi (Lagos), Mr. O.O. Adesola(Lagos), Mr. H.B. Musa (Plateau), Mr. P.L. Udoh (Cross River), Mr. P.B. Loroye (Rivers), Mr. O. Ani (Ondo), Dr. L.A. Fabunmi (Ondo), Mr. P.O. Nnochiri (Imo), Mr. M.S. Umar(Bauchi), Mr. E. Fowora(Ogun), Mr. Musa M. Bello(Kwara), Mr. A.D.I. Blankson(Rivers), Mr. L. Metteeden(Kano), Dr. G. Ijewere(Bendel), Mr. I.Chinade(Bauchi), Mr. L.S.M. Osobase(Bendel), Mr. J.K. Umar(Kaduna), Mr. E.O. Kolade(Ogun), Mr. H.I. Emenyi(Cross River), Mr. A.A. Mohammed(Kano), Mr. O.O. Fafowora(Oyo), Mr. G.A. Falase(Oyo) and Mr A. D. Gadau(Bauchi).

Also approved and confirmed by the Senate were the members of the Federal Civil Commission with Alhaji Bagudu Shettima(Niger) as the Chairman. Other members are Mr. Muritalabi Ashorobi(Lagos), Alhaji M. Bayero(Gongola), Mr. Ben M. Chukwudebe(Anambra), Mr. Eyoma Ita Eyoma (Cross River), Mr. Baguda Hirse(Plateau), Dr. Othaman Ladan-Baki(Kaduna), Alhaji A.A. Jimoh(Kwara) and Alhaji Aliyu Maru(Sokoto).

On December 31, 1983, Brigadier Sani Abacha, who announced the overthrow of President Shehu Shagari, declared that “the clerk of the National Assembly (Alhaji Gidado Idris), the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, within two weeks, render account of all the properties of the National Assembly.� After hearing the announcement I said to myself Brigadier Sani Abacha must have been misinformed about the activities of the National Assembly. No member of the National Assembly was earning more than N3, 000 per month and there was no financial autonomy, no constituency projects to be executed by them.

Unlike now they did not blackmail or force the ministers to give them contracts and neither did they attempt to run the Federal Ministries and Agencies.

Except the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and their deputies, none of them had official cars. I remember when the three conference halls were to be built in the National Assembly, Alhaji Gidado Idris wrote an official letter to the then Minister of Finance, Professor Matthew Esang, from Oron, now in Akwa Ibom for release of funds. The project was executed then by the Minister of Works at that time, Mr Victor Igwe Masi from Omoku in Ahoada Local Government of Rivers state. When the project was delayed, Dr. Wayas had to personally invite Professor Esang to his office over the issue. While the present members of the present National Assembly are now living like kings in palaces in comparison their predecessors never enjoyed such opulence.

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020

EDITORIAL THE FLOODS ARE HERE AGAIN! The states must brace up to avert another major disaster

A

heavy flood which recently claimed the life of a pregnant woman along with four of her children and five other persons in Suleja, Niger State, is a sign of what to expect in the course of the current raining season. In May, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) released the 2020 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO).

Based on the forecast, 102 local government areas in 28 states fall within the highly probable flood risk areas while 275 councils in the 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), fall within the moderately probable flood risk areas. The remaining 397 councils fall within the low probable flood risk areas.

We hope the authorities in the states would put preventive measures in place. These states include Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Kogi, Niger, Kaduna, Gombe, Adamawa, Benue, Nasarawa, BESIDES THE LOSS OF Delta, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, LIVES, THE ECONOMIC Edo, Abia, Anambra, CONSEQUENCE OF Imo, Borno, Kano, FLOODING FOR THE Kebbi and the FCT. COUNTRY CAN BE DIRE In Kwara State where flooding was not expected, a bridge embankment recently collapsed, killing three when a vehicle conveying five passengers was washed away by flood. In Akwa Ibom, also not listed, hundreds of houses were destroyed in Eket following a heavy downpour that rendered thousands homeless.

As we have repeatedly highlighted, some of the causes of flooding are self-inflicted by residents of these communities who are fond of dumping refuse on waterways. We have also seen many instances where people arbitrarily put up structures on flood plains and water channels. This act of lawlessness obstructs the waterways and makes the areas prone

Letters to the Editor

to flooding. Besides the loss of lives, the economic consequence of flooding for the country can be dire.

F

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

looding does enormous damage to the ecosystem and destroys public utilities. It also elevates the risk of hunger and malnutrition because of disruption of farm lands and commercial losses for farmers engaged in subsistence farming. With its urbanisation rate put at 5.5 per cent yearly and considered one of the highest rate in the world, the number of Nigerians at risk or vulnerable to flood hazards is likely to increase.

One needs to quickly recall the devastating effect of flooding in various parts of the country in times past. Specifically, in 2012, similar warnings were given by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which were not heeded by the state governments and local communities at the end of which scores of lives were lost.

The then President Goodluck Jonathan who visited some of the hundreds of thousands of people rendered homeless as major rivers like the Niger, burst their banks between July and October, 2012 had called it a “national disaster”. But it seems no lesson had so far been learnt going by the latest warning of NEMA regarding possible flooding incidents in 28 states. Since the warning by the agency, has there been any precautionary measures put in place by the state governments to avert a repeat of the 2012 incident?

For that not to happen, the federal and state governments must take immediate steps to ensure that we do not witness another flooding disaster.

Perhaps, it is pertinent to ask: What has become of the ecological fund that billions of naira are usually voted for annually? How are the funds utilised in the affected states and what are the moves being made by the state governments to take care of the river banks?

The authorities must find answers for these questions as we witness another deluge of rains.

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Lagos And The Battle Against Crime

S

ecurity of life and property is the primary responsibility of any responsible and responsive government. Virtually all organisations, either private or public, seek for an efficient and effective security system that guarantees maximum security of lives and property. This is in view of the fact that there cannot be any meaningful development in an atmosphere of chaos. Over the years, Lagos State has remained one of the most peaceful and secured states in Nigeria as well as the preferred destination for international business. One wonders how the Africa’s fourth largest economy has consistently preserved public security.

With a population of over 21 million, Lagos, the third largest mega-city in the world, has lots of challenges to grapple with. Issues of security, traffic, environment, health, education and many others readily come to mind. A government that must confront these challenges must possess the wits and guts to nip them in the bud.

That is why the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, came up with the T.H.E.M.E.S. (an acronym for Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism as well as Security and Governance) Developmental Agenda to confront the numerous challenges in the state with a view to attaining a ‘Greater Lagos’.

Understandably, and rightly so, security and governance is an integral part of the state’s T.H.E.M.E.S. On assumption of office, SanwoOlu read the riot act to criminals, hoodlums, kidnappers and other unscrupulous elements, urging them to either renounce their nefarious acts and be good citizens or face the wrath of the law.

Consequently, the governor beefed up security network by empowering the police and other security outfits with the required tools to wage war against the ‘bad boys.’ Several patrol vans, bikes, arms and ammunition and other essential security equipment were purchased and deployed to security operatives to enhance public security.

In line with his commitment to improving the state’s security architecture, Mr. Governor had said at different fora that his government would stop at nothing to provide adequate protection for the residents.

He has, thus, prioritized the funding and management of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), while also paying close attention to the welfare of security personnel for maximum performance.

From all indications, the investments and commitments are beginning to pay off, as a steady decline has been recorded in the rate of crime across the state, going by recent reports from the State Police Command. This lends credence to the resolve of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s effort in tackling insecurity, despite the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent statistics released by the State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, showed that the Lagos State Police Command arrested 6,756 suspects and impounded 3,706 motorcycles for plying prohibited routes from March to July, 2020. According to the police data, 6,756 suspects were arrested for various crimes, ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, vandalism, cultism, murder and several others.

A breakdown of the figures showed that between March 1 and May 10, a total of 3,810 suspects were arrested by the police, 1,167 suspects arrested between May 10 and May 17, while 1,779 suspects were nabbed between June 6 and July 20 to 26. Also, of the 6,756 suspects

arrested by the police in the five months, 1,121 were charged to mobile court.

The data also revealed that 781 suspects were charged to mobile court between March 1 and June 8 and July 5, while 154 suspects were charged to mobile court from July 6 to 12 and another 186 suspects charged to mobile court between July 20 and 26.

Of the 3,706 motorcycles seized within the five months, 1,518 bikes were impounded between 13 April and 10 May, 591 bikes impounded between May 10 and June 7, another 1,084 between June 8 and July 5.

Some 365 were impounded between July 6 and 12, while 148 others were seized between July 20 and 26.

Also, within the same period, the Lagos Police Command impounded 2,520 vehicles for various offences. A breakdown revealed that 1,977 vehicles were impounded between March 1 and May 31, 410 between June 8 and July 5, 34 others between July 6 and 12 and 99 vehicles from July 20 to 26.

During the period under review, the police recovered 42 arms from suspected robbers and criminals. Some 21 arms were also recovered between March 1 to May 31, while 13 arms were recovered between June 8 and July 5, three arms from July 6 to 12 and another five between July 20 and 26.

While commending the officers and men of the Lagos State Police Command and other law enforcement personnel in the state for working hard to stem the tide of crime, it is, however, important to stress that they should not rest on their oars.

Folashade Kadiri, Deputy Director, Strategy Center, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

16

TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020 •T H I S D AY

17

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ˜ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

͵ ˜ Ͱ ͮ Ͱ ͮ MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

REPO 7.17 6.33

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

7.50 6.75 8

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

586.61% 0.21% -4.48%

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

4.23% 21.92%

EXCHANGE RATE N381/1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes EcobankEnablesCardlessATMWithdrawals

CHANGE OF BATON

L-R: National Association of Microfinance Banks’ (NAMB) Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Sidi Bamali, Outgoing President of the association, Mr. Rogers Nwoke, handing over the instrument of office to the newly elected President, Alhaji Yusuf Gyallesu, during NAMB’s 10th Annual General Meeting heldinAbuja…recently

FG Eyes Improved Gas Investment Chineme Okafor in Abuja The federal government has stated its desire to boost investment in Nigeria’s natural gas market with its formal activation of the National Gas Transportation Network Code yesterday.

According to the Technical Adviser (TA) on Gas Business and Policy Implementation to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, Justice Derefaka, the launch of the National Gas Transportation Network Code would open a vista of opportunities for investors interested in the country’s gas market.

Sylva in February had launched work on the National Gas Transportation Network Code and review of the code’s licensing framework and development of all its ancillary agreements have however been firmed.

Derefaka told THISDAY in a telephone chat that the new code was encapsulated in the National Gas Policy of 2017. He explained that it was critical to the federal government’s objective in firming

ECONOMY up the country’s domestic gas obligation as well as promoting gas export.

“The network code will ensure that the wrong quality gas does not go into the pipeline in addition to guaranteeing gas pipeline integrity, open access to pipeline and common understanding on metering,” said Derefaka.

He noted that the code would also provide a uniform platform in terms of guidelines for agreements between buyers and sellers of gas to ensure transparency and eliminate existing bottlenecks.

“It is a major policy thrust of government to unlocking the potentials of gas as a resource and revenue earner for Nigeria,” he further explained.

According to him, the government believes that the implementation of the code would provide for investors in Nigeria’s gas market, the confidence to invest heavily in the sector and subsequently enable Nigeria to consolidate on the multiplier effect of gas on its economy.

“Again, to make 2020 as the year of gas count, my takeaway on the code is, like I said during the launch, I’d like to reiterate again that this is the best gift of the year to the gas sector and indeed the international investor community.

“The key strategies of the national gas policy are to stimulate the multiplier effect of gas in the domestic economy; position Nigeria competitively in high value export markets and guarantee long-term energy security in the country.

“Additionally, the Nigerian Gas Master Plan, the National Gas Supply and Pricing Regulation 2008 which is currently undergoing intensive review by all the critical stakeholders in the gas sub sector and the National Gas Policy 2017 all recommend the introduction of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code,” Derefaka stated.

He noted that, “once we go live on Monday, 10th August,” the network code will act as an enabler for market liberalisation in the gas sector.

Derefaka also stated that the

code was designed to ensure that gas pipeline integrity, open access to pipeline and common understanding on metering with a set of rules and protocols designed to govern the operations of gas network players are followed.

“The network code ‘GoLive’ aims to operationalise and harmonise gas balancing arrangements to support the completion and functioning of Nigerian gas market, the security of supply and appropriate access to the relevant information, in order to facilitate trade and to move forward towards greater market integration.

“The code will also enable new ways of doing business in the Nigerian domestic gas market. And every gas meant for domestic use either for power, petrochemical or industrial, will have a single entry and exit point to cut short the sharp practices prevalent in the current supply and distribution system,” he further said.

He said the code was long overdue, and that the gas market Continued on page 18

Stakeholders Reiterate Need to Constitute APCON Board Raheem Akingbolu Members of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) and other key stakeholders in the Nigerian marketing communications industry have reiterated the need for the federal government to constitute a board for the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

This was part of the highlights at the OAAN’s 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) with the theme: “OOH Business and Emerging Realities,” held virtuall recently.

The meeting, which had heads of key sectoral bodies in attendance, addressed both

ADVERTISING the protracted and Covid-19 pandemic-induced challenges bedeviling the industry, and proffered solutions capable of lifting the advertising sub-sector out of its present doldrums.

OAAN President, Emma Ajufo, decried the rudderless state of the advertising industry, citing the prolonged absence of APCON Council as the bane of the sub-sector. He, however, wondered what a comparatively operational APCON without a Council would do if a Council were constituted.

“Our industry is like a flock of sheep without a shepherd.

This is because APCON has no Council, and this had been going on even before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Meanwhile, APCON without a Council is doing fairly well.

One can only imagine what will happen if there were a Council,” Ajufo said.

The APCON Acting Registrar, Mrs. Ijedi Iyoha, during her presentation, thanked the OAAN leadership and captains of other sectoral bodies who were present at the meeting for living up to the billing despite the daunting challenges presented by the pandemic.

The Guest Speaker at the event and the Managing Director of Starcom Media Perspectives Jude

Odia, emphasised on audience measurement, stating that for Nigeria’s out-of-home to take pride of place in the advertising sub-sector, accurate measurement technology must be put in place.

He noted that the days of competition among marketing communications practitioners were dead and urged OAAN to go beyond creating awareness to nurturing an environment that would encourage industry collaboration.

‘We must understand that the reason why we are in business is because of the consumer. So, collaboration is the new normal because at the end of the day, Continued on page 18

Ecobank has stated that cash withdrawals can be made at all its ATMs, without a card. The bank explained that the Ecobank cardless withdrawal concept, Xpress Cash, enables users to withdraw cash from ATMs using only a mobile phone, no ATM card is required.

The solution is seamless, secure and is driven by the generation of a code (e-token) by an account holder via the bank’s USSD code *326# or mobile app, Ecobank Mobile. The e-token can be sent to customers, non-customers and even people without bank accounts for cash withdrawal at all Ecobank ATMs nationwide.

A statement from the bank quoted its Head, Consumer Banking, Olukorede Demola-Adeniyi, to have explained: “Digital payments are fast evolving. Customers want seamless experience across channels.

We are committed to providing suitable options for our customers.

Forgetting your card at home should not be a showstopper when you need cash.”

She went on to explain that the concept recognises the needs of the unbanked.

She added: “With Xpress Cash, our customers can send money to their loved ones who are not even banked. You can send money to your domestic servants or unbanked staff just by generating a code and sharing the code.

“As a bank, we are not only keen to make our services accessible, but also affordable. Xpress Cash attracts only a flat charge of N50.

Our USSD code, *326# offers zero session charges; and transfers of N5000 or less using our digital channels are absolutely free of charge,” she said.

Coca-Cola Launches New Campaign

Coca-Cola Nigeria has launched a new campaign with the theme, ‘Open Like Never Before,’ its first since COVID-19 changed the world in so many ways. It disclosed this in a recent statement.

The company in Nigeria had temporarily suspended all planned marketingactivityinApril,redirectingresourcestowardscommunities and supporting its most affected retail partners.

According to the statement, alongside its bottling partners andThe Coca-Cola Foundation, the company pledged to donate more than $100 million globally to organisations leading local relief efforts and in Nigeria, it disclosed that it has provided a grant to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help curb the spread of COVID-19.This partnership with the IFRC impacts 1.3 million people in Nigeria and other countries in the region.

Speaking on the thought process behind the campaign, Public Affairs & Communications Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, said: “Open Like Never Before is founded in the belief that we do not have to go ‘back’ to normal. Instead we can all move forward and make the world not just different, but better. It supports and celebrates our retail partners too, including local hotels, cafes and restaurants, many of whom will be reopening their doors to communities after a very challenging time for the industry, but who have always been at the heart of our social fabric.”

The manifesto launch will be followed by a sustained programme of in-market activities throughout the year into 2021. Many of these activities will focus on supporting local hotels, cafes and restaurants who are the lifeblood of local communities and are now reopening their doors.

EIB,AfreximbankSupportAfricanCountries

TheEuropeanInvestmentBank(EIB),thelendingarmoftheEuropean Union, and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Africa’s foremost multilateral trade finance institution, are directing EUR 300 million of financing to support the resilience and recovery of African nations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds would ensure businesses across the continent have the working capital to sustain jobs and maintain vital imports. It also earmarks at least a quarter of the capital for climate change mitigation and adaptation, helping Africa maximize the opportunities of a green recovery.The support package is the first accelerated COVID-19 responsefortheentiresub-SaharanregionundertheEIB’sTeamEurope initiative—a EUR 6.7 billion package to help the most vulnerable and

“The bane of bank failures traditionally has always been as a result of non-performing loans.

We found out that a large chunk of this was attributable to insider Chairman, NDIC, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun

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BUSINESSWORLD FG EYES IMPROVED GAS INVESTMENT has anticipated its launch and operationalisation.

Further, he explained that from an investor perspective, “it assures that when they invest, their gas will be operated in best practices and help in boosting the confidence of international financiers because they are always concerned about things being done properly.� “Once the code goes live and as part of regulatory and operational mechanism, it has other ancillary agreements and licenses to be issued to its users; these include amongst others, supplier, operator or transporter, shipper and agents licenses framework/accession agreement; network entry/exit (interconnection) agreements and Operational Balancing Agreement (OBA). “There are also business process documents including capacity registration form, capacity transfer notice, nomination forms (rolling annual estimates, weekly estimates, daily notice, trade nomination, re-nomination), curtailment notice, invoice, invoice remittance advice, maintenance notification form, imbalance form in place for effective operations and functioning of the code,� he added.

NEWS

CommunitiesDecryContinuousMining-inducedPollution Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Several communities spread across four local government areas namely Okpokwu, Ohimini, Otukpo and Ado in Southern Benue State have frowned upon the continuous pollution of their only source of water supply by a coal exploration firm.

The community noted that as a result of the mining activities, the area now face acute water crisis, the danger of water poisoning and environmental degradation.

Spokesperson and an inhabitant of the community, Mr. Emmanuel Okopi, told THISDAY on Sunday that a strip coal exploration and exploitation that commenced in the area earlier in the year by a local mining firm was responsible for the mining activities.

He explained that the result of the pollution caused to Okollo stream, and rivers Umabe, and Okpokwu, the people’s main source of water, at the upper region of Okollo stream in Effeche-Akpali in Ugbokolo Ward of the local government was bringing an untold hardship STAKEHOLDERS to his people.

REITERATE NEED TO Okopi, said the water is so CONSTITUTE APCON contaminated that drinking it BOARD portends a great health risk.

He said, “At the height of the we have only one industry to build,� he said.

Corroborating Odia’s position on audience measurement, the President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Bunmi Adeniba Peter Uzoho called on the industry practitioners to embrace data-driven marketing, The federal government has adding that accurate measurement, commenced feasibility study for especially in the out-of-home, will the construction of a shipyard in help to drive growth in Nigeria’s Brass Island, Bayelsa State, which SMEs sector. would cater for the maintenance Speaking in the same vein, and repair services of cargo vesDirector, Department of Outdoor sels, oil tankers, and Liquefied Advertisement and Signage Natural Gas (LNG) carriers.

(DOAS), Dr. Babagana Adams, The Minister of State for urged practitioners to be profes- Petrolem Resources, Chief Timipre sional in their practice, while Sylva, who chaired a meeting on incorporating world best practices. the project recently, stated that He warned that the proliferation it would be executed by China of boards and the presence of non- Harbour Engineering Company, registered practitioners would no which had carried out similar longer be tolerated, especially in projects across the globe as well the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. as in Nigeria.

The President of the AssociaAccording to a statement by the tion of Advertising Agencies of Nigerian Content Development Nigeria (AAAN),Steve Babaeko, and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in his presentation, denounced the the feasibility study would be non-constitution of an APCON Council, cataloguing the challenges the prolonged absence of authority poses to the entire ad industry.

pollution at times, it becomes so bad and coloured to the extent that the water turns earthy and muddy so that no one can bathe in it, let alone using it to cook.�

Adding that aquatic lives, especially the fish which is also a major source of food to the villagers, are being destroyed.

Lamenting further, he said what is helping the people now is the rainy season as most people use containers to collect and store the rain water when

it rains and use it for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

He said: “Following enlightenment campaigns done through town criers in the affected communities, residents now have basic knowledge of the health risks associated with the pollution.

According to Okopi, “The people have cried out at the top of their voices for help but it appears there is no relief in sight as the mining activities continue unabated without

the provision of an alternative source of water to the affected communities, not even bore holes, and all efforts made to get the authorities at the local, state, and federal levels to intervene have yielded no result yet.�

He, however, noted that investigations into the matter revealed that the company compensated and resettled some affected locals within the immediate site of the mining while some prominent indigenes of the communities

being affected downstream, including a paramount traditional ruler, had gone behind and collected some undisclosed amount of money.

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had while speaking at the second international conference on lead poisoning associated with artisanal mining in Nigeria, had called on miners in the country to comply with the regulations on safer mining to ensure safety of lives and environment.

MEDIA PARLEY

L-R: Lagos StateTeam Lead, Alive &Thrive, Dr. Uche Ralph-Opara; Breastfeeding Mother, Sunmola Oluwaseun; Matron, Nimbus Medical Center Ogudu, Nwosu Eucharia; Community Mobiliser, Kosofe Local Government, Awofeso Rasheed; Breastfeeding Guardian, Lagos Mainland Local Government, PrincessUche,andHealthEducatorOfficer,SomoluLocalGovernment,RashidatSanni-Afolabi,duringtheAliveandThrivemediaparleywithstakeholders incommemorationofthe2020WorldBreastFeedingWeekheldinLagos...recently

FG Begins Feasibility Study for Brass Shipyard Project funded by the NCDMB as part of its overarching mandate to domicile key oil and gas industry infrastructure and increase retention of industry spend.

The scope of the feasibility study includes geotechnical and bathymetric surveys, conducting a market study, ascertaining an optimal construction scale, developing technical proposal and construction plan and estimation of the required investment to bring the project into reality.

According to the minister, the high traffic of vessels in and out of Nigeria provides a huge opportunity to retain substantial value in-country through the provision of dry-dock services.

He said the shipyard project would further develop and harness the nation’s position

in the oil and gas value chain and linkage to other sectors of the economy.

Dwelling on the prospects of the shipyard project, Sylva hinted that the Nigeria LNG’s Train 7 project was expected to increase the company’s LNG capacity from 22 metric tons per annum to 30 metric tons per annum, and induce the acquisition of additional LNG carriers to the existing ones, all of which would need maintainance and servicing.

He added that the project would also benefit from the upcoming implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as Nigeria could serve as hub for ship-building and repairs.

He expressed confidence that the outcomes of the feasibility

study and subsequent construction and operation of the shipyard will create employment opportunities and contribute to poverty reduction in line with the aspirations of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

In his presentation, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, assured that the Brass shipyard project and other ongoing efforts to catalyze manufacturing would help the board achieve the target of 70 percent Nigerian Content by 2027.

He confirmed that the project was being driven by the NCDMB in conjunction with NLNG as a Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) on the back of the Train 7 Project. He said Nigeria has a long coastline of 853 kilometers and navigable inland waterways

of 3,000 kilometers, which offer immense potential for maritime sector development, stressing that Brass coastline, was very close to the Atlantic Ocean.

Wabote further explained that there, “are over 20,000 ships working for the oil and gas sector in Nigerian waters and the annual spend was over $600 million in the upstream sector.�

Providing more statistics, the executive secretary stated that the oil sector spent $3.047 billion on marine vessels between 2014 and 2018, adding that 73 per cent of the total amount spent went to crew boats, security vessels, diving support vessels and fast supply intervention vessels. He said other vessels in that category included mooring launch and shallow draft vessels.

Rainoil Deepens Cooking Gas Penetration with New 8000mt Tank

Peter Uzoho

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

ÙÎÎã Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?

Comms/e-Business Editor

Ă—Ă—Ă‹ Ă•Ă™Ă˜Ă”Ă“ Senior Correspondent

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (Finance) ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ? åÙÔÓ (Insurance) Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ě™(Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (ICT)

Rainoil Limited has launched its newly built 8000metric tons capacity Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tank, with fleet capacity of 40 trucks, aimed at deepening penetration of the commodity in-country.

The inauguration of the facility sited at Ijegun, Satellite Town, Lagos, recently, attracted top industry players led by the duo of the Minister of State

for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari.

They both commended Rainoil for ensuring in-country utilisation of LPG, commonly known as cooking gas.

While inaugurating the LPG business, which will trade as ‘Rainoil Gas’, the minister described Rainoil as a leading integrated company operating

in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and a strong partner with government in the utilisation and development of the gas sector in the country.

He added that the company was working in tandem with the vision of the federal government in making gas a preferred fuel in the country. “I am excited at what I am seeing here today. Everything can speak for itself. As you can see, energy is very important in the

global economy and I am glad that Nigerian’s are playing key roles in the oil and gas industry,�

Sylva stated.

He noted that Rainoil’s investment in gas development aligns with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda in the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), adding that the government has declared 2020 as “the year of gas�.

The minister stated that the country has sufficient gas reserves

to meet its energy needs and that he was happy to see Rainoil align with the governments drive to deepen LPG penetration and attain 5millionmt of LPG consumption by 2022.

In his remarks, Kyari, who lamented Nigeria’s current status as a net importer of petroleum products, noted that NNPC was ever ready and willing to support every company making effort in accomplishing the federal government’s developmental agenda.

Contec Global, UniAbuja to Seal Deal on Organic Farming, Research Fred Ojeh Contec Global Agro Limited (CGAL) and the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) are working on the process of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on organic farming.

The move is geared towards assisting the federal and state governments’ efforts to boost food security in the country.

Speaking on behalf of Dr. Benoy Berry, the Chairman and Founder of CGAL, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Thomas Chackunkal, was quoted in a statement, to have expressed optimism while conducting the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’ Allah, round the company’s tissue culture facilities and bio-organic fertilizer plant in Abuja, recently.

Na’ Allah, who was impressed at the facilities lauded Berry for his food security drive through organic farming production. “I never knew that this this kind of world class agro facilities exist in Nigeria,� he said.

While underscoring the urgency for the collaboration through the MoU, he said the University was willing to offer its vast expanse of land and manpower for the

mutual benefits of both organisations and Nigeria, adding that the collaboration was long overdue.

The Vice Chancellor said: “The template on this MoU between us is collaboration and ensuring to the letter that we will not only combine to do intensive research and training, we will also put in place the mechanism to get the organic farm produce to Nigerians, Africans and the world.

“As a University, we must carry every stakeholder along and together like CONTEC, the government, the academia and the youths who are Nigeria’s future,� he added.

According to him, CGAL was taking the right step by investing in organic as it is the way to go considering the implications of chemicals and metals that can be cancerous to the body.

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Has Respite Finally Come for Oloibiri?

Emmanuel Addeh asks whether Oloibiri, a small Niger Delta town where oil was first found, is finally getting the required attention, decades after its seeming neglect

S

ixty four years ago in the little town of Oloibiri, a community in today’s Bayelsa State, south of Nigeria, oil was ďŹ rst discovered in commercial quantity. But today, the town lies almost in ruins despite promises made by the authorities to revamp the small area which was once the goose that laid the proverbial golden eggs for the country.

The year was 1956, the month was January, the day was Sunday 15 and the company that eventually struck the black gold in the now neglected district after several years of futile search was Shell Darcy, as it was then called.

The onshore oilfield named Oloibiri 1 by the company, according to records, had an initial production of 5,000 barrels of oil per day, thereby becoming the ‘firstborn’ of all wells in the country which today produces an average of two million barrels per day.

However, it was not until February 1958 that Nigeria’s first crude oil export came from Oloibiri field and has since then changed the trajectory of Nigeria for better, while it has continued to suffer abandonment.

Rather than ensure development for the hosts, like it is done in other parts of the world where oil has been discovered, the people today, are almost living decades behind the rest of the country, with just occasional flashes of cosmetic palliatives.

Although Oloibiri, the oil well, has since dried up and the land left uncultivable by residents due to the massive pollution, ordinarily the place should be a tourist attraction.

It remains one of the country’s most underdeveloped places, while the only sign of its historic status is the physical structure of the oil well located at the town’s entrance. Not even a visitor’s centre or a museum, despite government promises, preserves the legacy of this site.

In the past, many feeble attempts had been made by succeeding administrations to make a hub of the town, but all ended as failed promises.

For instance, in March 2001, then President Olusegun Obasanjo during his state visit to Bayelsa, laid a foundation stone for the construction of the Oloibiri Millennium Landmark Projects, which was supposed to house an Oil and Gas Research Institute. Till now, it remains an idea.

Though Oloibiri’s oil lasted for only 20 years before it dried up, producing approximately 20 million barrels of oil that generated millions of dollars for the Nigerian, it remains a symbolic monument.

But 64 years after the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities at Oloibiri, the federal government says it is working closely with the Bayelsa State government and Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC) for the establishment of an oil and gas Museum and Research Centre in the town.

The project was launched last week with the inauguration of key project committees and setting of delivery timelines by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.

The project is being promoted by four key institutions, namely the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), SPDC and the Bayelsa State government.

Speaking during a virtual event which had

the leadership of the participating entities in attendance, the minister stated that the oil and gas museum and research centre presented a unique opportunity to correct a historical oversight, noting that the museum would preserve the heritage and developments in the oil sector, similar to what is obtainable in other oil producing nations.

He outlined the project execution plan, noting that it would be fast-tracked, with pre-construction activities lasting for eight months while actual construction should be completed within 36 months from the date of commencement.

Recalling that the project had been on the drawing board for over three decades, the minister commended President Muhammadu Buhari for granting his approval in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic impact.

He said the president approved the establishment of the Oloibiri Museum and Research Center (OMRC) as part of his signature programs that would leave behind enduring legacies and impact the oil and gas community, the people of the Niger Delta, and indeed the entire country.

Providing details of the project, the minister stated that it consists of the construction of a museum where historic developments, data, equipment, and tools used in the Nigerian oil and gas industry will be stored for posterity and the construction of a functional research centre where prototypes can be tested and validated in fulfillment of the requirement for approval of new technologies.

He expressed the hope that the research facility will close a major gap in the nation’s quest for home grown technology inputs required to service exploration and production activities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

To ensure sustainability, he said the project adopted a development model that will leverage the benefits of public-private partnership, inter-agency collaboration, and inter-governmental alignment, so as to optimise resource utilisation and ensure that the Oloibiri monument meets international

standards.

A critical success factor to timely project execution is the establishment of an optimal governance structure with clear reporting lines, key performance indicators and quality resource team he said.

He added that two committees and five project teams had been created to provide necessary support and supervision essential to deliver the OMRC project.

According to him, they include the steering committee, which would be responsible for providing leadership and steer and the coordinating committee, responsible for providing oversight on activities of all the project teams.

The project teams included construction, funds mobilisation and management, community relations, health, safety and environment and secretariat, which shall be set up and operated in NCDMB head office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Providing further insight into the project, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, explained that PTDF would contribute 40 per cent of the project cost while NCDMB and SPDC would provide 30 percent and 20 percent respectively, with Bayelsa State government providing the balance of 10 percent.

He listed some of the socio –economic benefits of the project to include creating Nigeria’s hub for oil and gas artefacts, attracting petro- tourism, retention of history and dissemination of knowledge, opportunity to bring change and socio-economic development to Oloibiri.

Other benefits include human capital development and facilitation of prototype development and testing, facilitating commercialisation of research and acceleration of home grown technology development.

Speaking on the immediate next steps, Wabote said the partners would contribute the take-off funds, conduct design competition, conduct feasibility studies, establish project cost and take final investment decision and commence construction.

In his comments, the Managing Director and

Chairman SPDC, Mr. Osagie Okunbor noted that the history of the company in Nigeria was intertwined with Oloibiri.

He recalled that two attempts had been made in the past to launch a similar project but they failed for various reasons. “Listening to the very well thought out details and framework, it gives us quite some confidence that this time all the ingredients are there to get it right and I pledge the support of the SPDC JV to this effort� he said.

Also speaking, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri assured that the state government would support the project by providing the enabling environment for its success and sustenance.

He called on the federal government and operating oil multinationals to invest more in the building of critical infrastructure in the oil-rich State.

He said the call became imperative in order to give back to the Otuabagi/Otuogidi communities where crude oil was first discovered in commercial quantities in 1956.

Diri, who welcomed the project said the oil bearing communities deserve better infrastructure to compensate for the long years of neglect amidst huge resources being tapped from there. “We receive this day with a tinge of mixed emotions. This is because, naturally, the people of Bayelsa State as guardians and holders of the primary source of wealth of our entire nation are deserving not only of recognition but also of all the dividends that ought to flow from this special status. “I therefore, appeal that the federal government throw its full weight behind all processes required to bring much needed development to Bayelsa State including the initiation and completion of other necessary developmental projects across the State. “For instance, the road from Nembe to Brass, the Local Government of the Minister of State Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, is critical to us and should be given urgent consideration by the federal government and the oil multinationals operating there, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company.

Agip has been operating on that Island for many years now� Diri stated.

The governor, who thanked Buhari, Sylva and other partners in the oil and gas museum and research centre, for kick-starting the project, gave the assurance that the state government would support the project by providing an enabling environment for its success and sustenance. “In addition, Oloibiri deserves to be a national heritage site. We will therefore implore your Excellency, Mr. President to give effect to this consideration and expedite it by all lawful means possible. “This initiative, is indeed the fulfilment of a longstanding quest to preserve the history of petroleum exploration and its impact in the Niger Delta, and by extension in Nigeria and the world in general. It is heart-warming that this vision is now coming to fruition. “The choice of Oloibiri as the location of the museum and research centre is quite apt and commendable. It couldn’t have been anywhere else� he said.

With the latest move, will Oloibiri get the recognition it desperately needs this time?

FG Saves N91bn from Payment of Defunct PHCN Debts Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government said it saved at least N91 billion from the payment of liabilities owed the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), after thorough negotiation with the creditors.

Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO), which manages the debts, on behalf of the government, noted that with the adoption of strict management models, the amount was retained in the total N914

billion liability inherited by the company.

NELMCO is one of the successor companies created by the federal government to assume responsibility for all of the PHCN liabilities as well as the management of the non-core assets of the companies, prior to their disposition.

Among other functions, it administers the stranded debts and non-core assets of PHCN and sees to the settlement of the defunct company’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA),

debts obligations, legacy debts and any other liabilities.bThe company’s Managing Director, Mr. Adebayo Fagbemi, gave the update at the presentation of a Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) report and a plaque to the management of NELMCO by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in Abuja for ‘meeting most critical organisational goals’ set for the agency.bGiving the breakdown, Fagbemi said since NELMCO had no seed fund for its operation, it developed different models that would enhance due diligence for

managing government’s liabilities, noting that the company invented the Triangular Verification Model (TVM) and saved N89 billion through ‘Distance Soliciting Window’ and another N1.8 billion which took the entire savings to N91 billion.

While disclosing that the outstanding liability now stands at about N400 billion, NELMCO noted that it was able to secure a discount of 30 per cent from every payment of N5 million debt to the government creditors.

Fagbemi said: “What I did say

is that we developed a model, the Triangular Verification Model.

As you are aware, we inherited the stranded debt of the entire defunct PHCN which amounted to almost 914 billion and that we put in place that model to enable us conduct due diligence on the inherited debt arising from that. “This is because we don’t have sufficient funding. NELMCO started without any seed fund from the federal government. We had to develop that model as the best way of managing this liability on behalf of government.

“The agency is a special purpose vehicle, so we had to go to wear our thinking caps on how to manage these debts without requiring funding. “From that model, we were able to save N89 billion naira for the federal government and through the distance soliciting window we saved another N1.8 billion and when you add that up we are talking of about almost N91 billion.�

Fagbemi revealed that the company has a forecast to wind down its operation by 2022.

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TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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What Scientists Must Do to Access CBN’s Research Grant Rasheed Hassana The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), pledged to fund a scientific research programme geared towards developing a curative medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy response, Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme (HSRDIS) is to help strengthen the public healthcare system with innovative financing of research and development (R&D) in the area of new and improved drugs, vaccines and diagnostics of infectious diseases in Nigeria.

The HSRDIS is designed to trigger intense national R&D activities to develop a Nigerian vaccine, drugs and herbal medicines against the spread of COVID-19 and any other communicable or non-communicable diseases through the provision of grants to biotechnological and pharmaceutical companies, institutions, researchers, and research institutes for the research and development of drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. In other words, though the scheme was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, its application is not limited to the disease alone.

The idea is to use the scheme to boost domestic manufacturing of critical drugs and vaccines to ensure their sustainable domestic supply and reduce the bulk manufacturing costs of the drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines in Nigeria. To enable those to be involved in the scheme, the CBN has put together guidelines on how to access the funds and other things involved so as to achieve the intended set objectives.

On a broad basis, the objectives of the Scheme include the provision of grants for research and development (R&D) in new or revalidation of drug molecule, phytomedicines and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in Nigeria. It is intended to give boost to domestic manufacturing of validated drugs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients or APIs), herbal medicines and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in Nigeria and reduce the nation’s dependence

EmeďŹ ele on other countries for these drugs and vaccines.

It is expected to go a long way in improving the capacity of the biotechnological and pharmaceutical companies, institutions, researchers, and research institutes in the development of approved Nigerian drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines for infectious diseases. Furthermore, it will Support the capacity of relevant health agencies towards attaining WHO Maturity Level 3, a prerequisite for manufacturing of vaccines in Nigeria;facilitate partnership between academia (researchers, research institutes and universities) and industry into the research and development of drugs, phytomedicines and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in Nigeria. In the same vein, it will help reduce dependence on imported drug products (synthetic and herbal) and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in the country.

As is to be expected, there is eligibility protocol that must be fulfilled by those to be engaged in the scheme. The guideline demands that research and

development of candidate drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines must be validated by relevant health authorities for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Also, beneficiaries must be involved in the manufacturing of drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines validated by relevant health authorities for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

There will at the same be an R&D process into new health technology for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. This will entail research partnership between academia and industry into the development of drugs and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases; research and development into validated phytomedicines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. It is too be noted that candidate vaccines undergoing pre-clinical testing or trials shall not be eligible for consideration under this scheme. However, candidate vaccines 4 classified as confidential undergoing clinical testing or trials shall be eligible for consideration under

the scheme if considered to have high potential to cross the clinical trial stage and prospects of scale by the Body of Experts (BoE).

In applying for the grant, the applicant shall be required to have conducted pre-clinical testing of the candidate drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines, and obtained certification from relevant health authorities for further research and development.

However, special consideration shall be given to candidate drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines with high scientific merit against emerging infections and contribute to the development of the Nigerian vaccine. For this purpose, a BoE shall be constituted from the academia and industry to review validated research proposals submitted and recommend for financing, as appropriate. The BoE shall meet regularly to appraise the research and development project and submit progress reports to the CBN. The Central Bank of Nigeria, in its wisdom, decided to fund the scheme from the developmental component of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund (MSMEDF). For the avoidance of doubt, the grant limit with respect to research activities is a maximum of N50.0 million and N500 million maximum for development/manufacturing activities.

The central bank insists that disbursement under the scheme shall be made to beneficiaries in tranches subject to approved milestones achieved. Similarly, there is a set time frame for research and development activities of not more than two years from the date of release of fund. For the. Development and manufacturing activities, the time frame must not exceed one year from the date of release of fund.

Explaining further the involvement of the Body of Experts in the scheme, CBN said that it is responsible for the review and evaluation of submitted research proposals, as well as recommend for financing R&D projects with high potential to contribute to the development of the Nigerian vaccines for infectious diseases.

Hassan is a public affairs commentator

Okoronkwo: Why FG Must Encourage Modular Refineries The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Okoronkwo, in this interview speaks about developments in the oil and gas sector. Amby Uneze brings the excerpts: Since the Supreme Court declared you National President of IPMAN after a prolonged legal battle, have you been able to reconcile with those that opposed your election?

The first thing I did was to set up a committee to reconcile all the aggrieved members. At least over 90 percent came back and we are working together, but there is no doubt that some of them may still not believe that they have been defeated.

The major thing is that IPMAN is moving forward and we are making progress and helping government in a lot of activities and programmes to achieve stability in the oil sector. We are making sure that Marketers come back to their normal business because war is a bad thing that blows nobody any good. One thing is clear and that is, somebody cannot wake up without any litigation and want to take over the association by force.

That is the whole essence of that war and it is a lesson everybody must also learn.

Now that there is peace, what is the way forward?

There is peace now because the Supreme Court which the highest court in the land has spoken, those who don’t want to agree would be facing contempt. You don’t rule out the possibility but there is also remedy for challenge.

Some Nigerians are not happy with federal government’s new fuel price regime, what is your association doing to protect the masses?

It is not the government that tosses with the pump price; rather the market forces act as a determinant of prices. You will recall that government has withdrawn subsidy element and if we are hinging on the market forces, the issue of initiating prices will not be possible. Something could be done in this regard. Our advice is for government to encourage local production, local refining. This idea of modular refinery, no matter how small can be encouraged. It is just to have the will to

Okoronkwo

remedy rather than blaming government because government is all of us. So our own projection is to encourage this modular refinery, scatter it, and prevent the environment from degradation.

One can see that the cost of doing this clean up in Ogoni, is not easy to come-by because the moment such measures are not put in place, the adverse effect would be so much and we would lose our environment to vagaries of vandals. We would also lose our fishing activities, agricultural inputs, etc which I think would be the main focus for us now as we look inwards. But if the environment is destroyed to an extent we cannot manage it again, the resultant effect would be so huge. So there should be a serious campaign by everybody and for government to see how to promote and encourage local refinery instead of depending on imported products.

put up a framework in place where people can access funds and even come in groups to promote the idea. Good enough, there was a meeting we had with officials of Ministry of Environment recently, it was in their plan to discourage oil vandalism and pipeline ruptures, and encourage organised groups in form of cooperatives, especially in the Niger Delta area where the crude oil is domiciled to put up refinery rather than doing it in a crude way. IPMAN can act as the uptaker for these products. And I believe that by the time government encourages modular refineries in the country, the whole pressure on the naira will reduce because we have these minerals in our backyard.

What we need to do is to put up this modular refinery, maybe in Imo State, we can have about six, in Rivers we can have about 15, in Cross River, even up North where you have all these delivery pipelines to Kaduna and government would meter them and give them crude. The advantages are huge and it includes opening the industry, creating jobs, reducing foreign exchange pressure on Naira, and the activities in oil and gas would thrive for easy of life. I think that is the

In terms of pipeline vandalism, what is the role of IPMAN in assisting government to stop it?

IPMAN is doing a lot in this regard. If you have been following our activities, you would noticed our visit to President Muhammadu Buhari, where he gave us a matching order to collaborate with government to see that these crises and some activities in the downstream sector are nipped in the bud.

We gave our word and support and now we are working out something with some security operatives especially on information sharing and surveillance. That is why we are also telling government to provide some succor to the vandals by helping them go into clusters and maybe provide some funds to them to buy shares in the modular refineries.

By so doing they would see it as their business and not ‘government thing’ because they will have shares in them. By the time they see that they are meaningfully engaged, they will not be tempted to vandalize the pipelines. If they so do, their own economy will also be ruined.

Some of your members engage in adulteration of products, what are you doing as a body to address this?

We continue to tell our members the dangers of engaging in unwholesome activities like adulteration, the thinking of government in that regard and its attendant consequences. Not only that you will lose the filling station, the economy of the country will be badly affected, vehicles and generators will be affected, your integrity will be lowered, and you will forever regret it if you are caught in it. We are collaborating with the Nigerian Customs to track every truck, vessel carrying products; so that we will be able to know where they are loading from and where delivering is taking place. Even every filling station is captured in the platform for monitoring.

On Covid-19, what efforts are you making to ensure that your members observe the protocols put up by the NCDC to stay safe?

You know our job is very critical to members of the public. Initially when the lockdown was declared, government saw the need to exclude our sector because our services are among the essential ones to serve the country. This discretion emboldened us to call our members to rise up to the challenge as ‘to whom much is given much is also expected’ because it involves life. We had to obey government directives by washing hands regularly, covering of nose and mouth, and maintaining the distance. Moreover, our business has no direct contact with the people, once you sell your product, collect your money and that’s all. However, we still have to observe the protocols religiously. Within that period, people were getting their products regularly, and I want to use this opportunity to commend our members and the tanker drivers, as well as to thank the government for seeing us as fruitful partners in progress. In fact all those at the value chain that contributed to the success of the exercise, I congratulate them.

It is a work in progress. We are moving forward.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ, 2020

IMAGES

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Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ ÔËÖË Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

L-R: IPMC Accountant, Miss Morenike Olorunosebi General Manager Medical Services, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mrs. Christy Akpa; IT Manager, IPMC, Adefila Gbenga; and Data Executive, Samuel Okoko during IPMC Health and Safety Equipment Exhibition held at Three Arms Building Osborne Foreshore Estate Phase II Ikoyi, in Lagos...recently

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun (middle); Mrs Susan Kashamu, widow of the late Senator Buruji Kashamu (left) and Rasheed, the deceased’s son, when the the Governor paid a condolence visit to the family at Ijebu Igbo...recently

L-R: Board Member / Coordinator Boys Home, Little Saints Orphanage House, Egbeda, Mrs. Marylen Famous; Founder, Rev (Mrs). Dele George; and Nollywood Actress / celebrant, Linda Oshifo, during her donation of Computers sets with WiFi facilities to the orphanage home to celebrate her birthday with orphans children in Egbeda, Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Christians keeping to social distancing at Holy Cross Cathedral Church during the Sunday service after five months of closure over coronavirus pandemic in Lagos PHOTO: MUBO PETER

L-R: Nollywood Actor, Ufuoma McDermott; and Assistant Brand Manager, Mamador powerOil, at the official signing of Ufuoma as a Mamador Brand Ambassador in Lagos...recently PHOTO:SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Mother of the Bride, Mrs. Marian Zakariyan; Bride’s Father, Mr. Sulayman Deji-Etiwe; Mrs. Ronke Osho newly wedded couple. Tosin and Femi Okonlawon and Chairman of the Occasion, Alhaji Hakeem Olaniran, at the wedding reception in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

R-L: Children of the decease, Mrs.Opeyemi Oyerinde,Mrs.Adebimpe Abodunrin,Mrs.Tolulope Akinlua,Miss.Adeyinka Adelusi and Miss.Ifeoluwa Adelusi during the funeral service of Prince [Sir] Rufus Alaba Adelusi, a former University Administrator /Secretary College of Medicine Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti now Ekiti State University at the Methodist Church Oke-Ayedun...recently

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ˜ 2020

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FEATURES

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

Partnership to Boost Local Content Development Emmanuel Ugwu writes that the duo of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing and Oilserv Limited recently entered into a partnership to boost local content development and industrialisation

CEO of IVM, Chief Innocent Chukwuma explaining the workings of vehicle engine to the Chairman of Oilserv Ltd, Engr Emeka Okwuosa during the facility tour of IVM plant

CEO of IVM, Chief Innocent Chukwuma (5th from left) and Chairman of Oilserv Ltd, Engr Emeka Okwuosa (6th from left) flanked by some executives of both firms after the facility tour of IVM

N

ot a few Nigerians regard the quest to get the nation into the big league of technologically advanced nationsas a tall order or even a pipe dream. But some Nigerians in the nation’s industrial sector have taken it upon themselves to make this dream a reality. They have been deeply involved in development of homegrown or local technology and industrialisation.

Encouragement of these firms engaged in home grown technology by using their products is not always forthcoming as the appetite for foreign goods has remained high. Most times, it is government that is expected to lead the way in patronising local producers while firms in the private sector look the other way and continue to patronise foreign manufacturers to the detriment of indigenous companies that produce similar goods.

This corporate attitude retards economic growth and worsens unemployment situation.

However an indigenous engineering and construction firm in the oil and gas sector has broken ranks and initiated a drive to promote local content development.

Oilserv Limited has taken it upon itself to use locally manufactured vehicles in its operations.

To this end, the management has entered into a partnership with Nigeria’s first indigenous vehicle manufacturing firm, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, located at Nnewi in Anambra State.

Chairman of Oilserv, Engineer Emeka Okwuosa said his firm has absolute confidence in the ability of Innoson to drive local content development hence the need to support the firm. He said Oilserv, which builds pipelines in Nigeria and other parts of Africa has already placed order worth N600 million for the supply of various types of vehicles produced by Innoson.

“We see IVM as a company that not only talks the talk but also does the work,” he said, adding that by engaging in actual manufacturing of vehicles and not assembling, Innoson vehicles have the advantage of being adapted to the needs of Nigeria.

To see things for himself, the Oilserv boss led some executives of his firm on a visit to IVM at Nnewi, the rapidly growing industrial hub in the South-east. The august visitors, who incidentally came to IVM plant on August 3, 2020, were received by the Founder/CEO of IVM, Chief Innocent Chukwuma. He happily conducted the Oilserv delegation round the production line of the vehicle manufacturing firm.

Inside the factory, the engineers and technicians were busy likebees building different models of IVM vehicles. In fact, Okwuosa was pleased seeing that some of the customised vehicles ordered by his firm were among the ones at the production line. He said that having observed how vehicles were being built from the scratch at the production line of IVM there was no reason to doubt Nigeria’s capability of being self sufficient in the production of vehicles easily adapted to the local needs and environment.

This vehicle is proudly made in Nigeria, Innocent Chukwuma tells his guests According to him, having seen the production processes of IVM he was proud to “let the world know that IVM is very effective in fulfilling Nigeria’s local content development of which Oilserv is at the heart of it”.

He explained that his firm was basically partnering IVM in the conceptualisation, manufacturing and use of locally made vehicles for oil and gas purposes.

The facility tour also encouraged the Oilserv team to have strong faith in the quality of vehicles being produced by Innoson. The driving force behind the patronage is the fact that the local vehicles from Innoson stable mets the quality standard required by Oilserv, hence there was no need spending scarce foreign exchange on imported vehicles to the detriment of the local vehicle manufacturer, who is doing the nation proud.

Okwuosa noted that his firm would never compromise standard being an operator in the oil sector where international standard is the yardstick. “You have to have standards and oil industry standards are international standards and what we see here (at IVM) gives us satisfaction that Innoson is up to the task,” he said.

This feeling of excitement and satisfaction was also expressed by the Group Finance Officer of Oilserv, Mr. Solomon Okodugha, who was part of the delegation. “I feel proud of what is happening here,” he enthused, adding that Nigerians are the direct beneficiaries because Innoson is an indigenous motor manufacturing firm and its workers are Nigerians.

Engineer Okwuosa encouraged other indigenous firms to toe the line of his firm by patronising made in Nigeria products. His faith in local products is so strong to make him declare that if he had the power he “will make sure a law is passed that would make it mandatory that all vehicles used in Nigeria for mostly oil and gas industry should be made in Nigeria”.

By fully embracing Innoson and its products Oilserv is blazing a trail in the private sector, which is largely noncommittal in patronising locally made goods, especially vehicles. As yet, no other firms both indigenous and non indigenous has taken this bold step to promote local content development the way Oilserv has done.

Presently it’s mainly federal and very few state governments that have recognised the need to patronise Innoson and add the locally manufactured vehicles into their official fleets. If indigenous firms are skeptical about patronising IVM it is misplaced doubt as Oilserv has not only tested the IVM vehicles and confirmed the high quality of the products but also demonstrated enough patriotism by believing in Nigeria made vehicles.

Chief Innocent Chukwuma disclosed that 90 per cent of vehicles in Oilserv fleet are IVM vehicles of various models. He lauded the boldness of Oilserv chairman in patronising Nigerian made vehicles, saying that “it shows that he has Nigeria in mind and helping to develop the country”.

Both Oilserv and IVM recognise that their partnership goes beyond economic benefits as the overall goal is to enhance local content development in Nigeria’s industrialisation efforts. Chief Chukwuma further stated that the partnership with the engineering firm was helping his own firm to keep making improvements on its vehicles.

“They (Oilserv) have a lot of experience, so partnering with them is good enough for us because when they give us what they want, we’re learning from them since they are engineering company,” the indigenous vehicle maker said.

On his part, Okwuosa stated that by partnering with IVM, it makes it easier for Oilserv to adapt its choice of vehicles to meet specific needs in its oil sector operations. He said that part of the advantage is that spare parts of IVM vehicles are easily available and the production process of Innoson is flexible enough to accommodate

its specifications at any given time.

He further noted that the partnership would make it possible for Oilserv to be in a position to grow the local industry and build local capacity.

“It will be an example to others, to any other industries to understand that bringing up Nigerian brands, developing of local capacity is the best way forward,” he asserted.

According to Okwuosa, not only vehicle manufacturing firms need encouragement; various other industries equally need encouragement in order to build up local capacity in production of goods beingpresently imported into the country.

The Oilserv General Manager, Operations and Technology, Mr. Chigozie Obi was optimistic that the partnership was a mutually beneficial one. He assured that Innoson “would be able to customise the vehicles to our specific need which foreign companies cannot do”.

After taking his high profile visitors through the production process of IVM, Chukwuma also proudly showcased the finished products, an array of various vehicle models including jeeps, SUVs, patrol vans, saloons, and ambulances, among others.

He said his vehicles are truly locally manufactured given that 60 per cent of components are sourced locally with only some engines and electrical parts constituting the imported components, which is not unusual as with auto makers in other countries. The IVM boss said that with this achievement he has started to proudly affix “made in Nigeria” engravings on IVM vehicles.

Indeed it was this conviction that IVM vehicles are truly indigenous that contributed to ignite the interest of the Oilserv boss, who is very passionate about developing of Nigeria’s local content capacity. He said that his firm was already engaged in it across its areas of operations and it would soon be extended to the northern part of the country.

The seasoned engineer, administrator and entrepreneur, who controls the entire conglomerate of the Oilserv Group, did not lose sight of the fact that a lot still needed to be done before Nigeria could hit the expected target of building indigenous technology and industrial base that can compete at the international stage.

To Okwuosa, “local content development is still a work in progress”. He said that the partnership with IVM represents a good example of what should be done to speed up the process of developing Nigeria’s local content. “We have to continue to develop this and make sure that Nigerians know that it is workable,” he said, insisting that “we should patronise Nigerian products”.

The Oilserv boss advocates for a holistic development of local capacity, not just in terms of industrial productions but also infrastructure and human capacity development “which starts from education all the way to various trainings”.

“If we do this religiously over a period of time in a well structured manner, I believe Nigeria will develop. We have people in Nigeria that are capable and working,”he said.

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Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi: Quintessential Genius of Many Parts Ehi Braimah

I

f we were to search for a person who is endowed with a remarkable talent or exceptional intelligence; someone who is a perfect embodiment of quality or class with amazing mental and creative ability, that person is Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, a proudly Nigerian Ekiti Prince. There are very few of his kind in the world. I have gone to great lengths to understand this enigma by doing an internet search on “quintessence” and “genius” – two nouns – as they relate to Adelusi-Adeluyi, a distinguished Nigerian in the mould of some of the world’s best known philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Confucius, Rene Descartes, Ralph Waldo Emerson, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Thomas Aquinas, Karl Max and John Locke.

Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi was born on August 2, 1940. It could be argued that Adelusi-Adeluyi is not an ordinary person if we reflect on his history, antecedents and record of many firsts. As he marks his 80th birthday, there have been several moving tributes by those who know him and virtual birthday events to commemorate the life of an extra-ordinary patriot, philanthropist, mentor, teacher, philosopher, polyglot, humanist, business leader, award winner, pharmacist, lawyer, poet, doyen, goodwill ambassador, student activist, peace maker, husband and father.

As a Rotarian, Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi has lived by the principles of the Four-Way Test and the Objects of Rotary – these are strong pillars of Rotary. In business and the professions, Rotarians are guided by high ethical standards and our birthday celebrant has continued to exemplify the core values of Rotary: service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership.

Everyone I spoke to before penning this tribute eulogised Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi as a mentor, leader and gift to the world. “His life is driven by service,” Samuel Akinyemi Akeju, my former boss at Ideas Communications, accomplished entrepreneur and one of our celebrant’s mentees, told me. “Prince is a professional to the core and he does not know how to cut corners. If you invite Juli to join the Board of a company, then you must be ready to live above board in terms of conduct and high ethical standards,” Akeju added.

I met Juli for the first time about 28 years when I was general manager of Ideas Communications at one of our events and Akeju introduced me to him. Since then, my relationship with him evolved as father and son, and at every opportunity, he would, as he often does to his large community of mentees around the world, counsel me and point the way to the future. “You are a bright young man with great potentials, but don’t get carried away,” Prince constantly reminded me.

The good thing about an encounter with Prince is that he extends his good graces to make you feel special, wanted and loved; he is honest and authentic about his conversations because, deep down in his heart, he knows many young lads see him as a role model and they want to emulate him. He is always advocating for youth development and entrepreneurship because he believes the youths are the leaders of tomorrow while SMEs are critical to the growth and development of any economy. Juli has a great command and mastery of English Language, and each time he speaks, he picks his words carefully with excellent diction.

He is blessed with elocution -- the skills of expressive speech, distinct pronunciation and articulation A few times, I teased him that our radio and television stations would be happy to “borrow” his voice for a few minutes. The “radio voice” was previously used by the Ado-Ekiti Prince when he was a WNBS/ WNTV broadcaster. Juli has the rare gift of speaking on any topic; it is a reflection of his cosmopolitan background and deep reservoir of knowledge which explains why his mentees are always eager to drink from

Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi his fountain of wisdom. At such moments, his penetrating gaze expands your attention span and holds you spellbound until his lecture or conversation is over. It does not matter whether you are young or old; Juli views everyone with the same lens.

Early last year, Prince Juli surprised me by showing me a wedding notice written in 1996 in my own handwriting on a personalised official memo pad -- I was head consultant of PR Dimensions at the time. He was scheduled to attend a meeting at the Rotary Centre in GRA, Ikeja and because he knew I would be at that meeting, he turned up with the 23 years old note. There was no internet or email communication, but what Prince Juli did helped me to create my archives and I became a timeless record keeper. At the end of the meeting, Juli politely asked for the note so that he could return it for “safe keeping”. Juli has the gift of introspection and recollection -- he remembers places, circumstances and events with a sharp memory that is similar to the memory of computers.

How our birthday celebrant manages to keep memories and records that do not fade amazes me. He is thoughtful, thorough, diligent and painstaking in his personal and business life. Prince Juli aims for perfection all the time and he has mentored a lot of people who are successful in different political and private sector appointments. Right from when he was born, Juli’s stars glowed brightly and his future was more or less assured. At the early age of five, he started living with a Reverend Father in a Catholic Church in Ado-Ekiti. The experience of that upbringing shaped his worldview and it gave him the opportunity to learn the values of humility, sacrifice, tolerance, moderation and service. Waking up early for morning mass at that young age was a daily grind but it taught Juli how to be focused, disciplined and determined – they are useful lessons for anyone who wants to succeed in life.

“Prince Juli is my role model and mentor,” eulogised Otunba Oluwatoyin Akomolafe, President of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Index Brook, an oil and gas services company. “During Open Days, I visited Juli often with my childhood friend and classmate, Dr Funso Anishilowo. He mentored me greatly and I have also adopted his son in Houston as my own son, mentoring him the way Juli mentored me,” Otunba Akomolafe added.

As a smart and intelligent student, Prince spent only four years at Aquinas College, Akure, distinguishing himself as usual before he gained admission as a pioneer student of the College of Arts and Science in Ibadan.

The school was relocated to Ile-Ife and upgraded to become the University of Ife in 1961 but it was later re-named Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). “My father and Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi were classmates and the first set of students at the university,” recalls Dr Ikenna Nwosu, an energy law expert and my colleague on the Board of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce.

Whereas Ikenna’s dad enrolled to study History and International Relations, Juli was admitted to read Pharmacy.

By 1965, Juli had graduated from Ife and became a student’s union activist at the young age of 25. Before he graduated, he was Vice President, International Affairs of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) and shortly after, he mounted the international stage as secretary general of the International Students Conference (ISC) with headquarters in Leiden, in the Netherlands.

His tour of duty took him to over 140 countries where he set up student union organisations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. He became a polyglot, speaking Spanish, Portuguese, French and other languages. Besides Yoruba language, Juli also speaks Ibo and Hausa fluently.

After a three year sojourn, it was time to return home. Prince and late Chief M.K.O Abiola worked together in Pfizer back in the day – Prince Juli worked as a Pharmacist while Chief Abiola served the company in the Finance department. “I always looked up Prince Juli as a role model and mentor,” recalled Chief Olabintan Famutimi, Chairman/CEO of Tricontinental Group and Past President of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce; he also worked at Pfizer. “It was Juli that took me to Metropolitan Club for the first time. On our way, we stopped at Professor Bolaji Akinyemi’s office when he was Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos; it was just next door to Met Club,” Chief Famutimi reminisced further about his early relationship with the birthday celebrant.

Juli set up Juli Pharmacy when he was 30 years old and the company became the first indigenous company to be floated on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. While similar medicine stores were only able to set up two or three branches, Juli scored another first by setting up 22 branches nationwide before he went public with the company.

As Azu Ishiekwene noted in his tribute, the shares were oversubscribed to the tune of N400 million whereas Juli was shopping for N100m back then. The balance was returned at a cost of N20 million.

Prince Juli’s friendship is open and sincere; he does not patronise anyone. His standard of success is measured by how we are able to make other people’s lives better. In Rotary where he also recorded another string of firsts, he knows the value of selfless service in order to make the world a better place.

He joined the Rotary Club of Ikeja in 1969 and became President of the Club during the 1977-78 Rotary year. Two years later, he became District Governor-elect for all the countries in West Africa (District 210) but by time he was ready to assume office, District 911 was created exclusively for Nigeria. Thus Juli became the first District Governor for the whole of Nigeria in the 1982-83 Rotary year but Nigeria as at today now has four Districts with four District Governors.

As a man of many parts, Juli is one

of the world’s exemplary leaders and he has displayed excellent leadership and management skills everywhere he had the opportunity to serve. Prince Juli says commitment, determination, ability to focus and the grace of God have helped him to serve well in different roles. He is adviser to Presidents, Ministers and professionals in the public and private sectors. He is a Past President of the Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce; he is the Honorary Life Vice President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI); he is a Fellow and pioneer President of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy and Patron of the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC).

Prince Juli is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management; Fellow and Past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN); Fellow of the West Africa Pharmaceutical Post-Graduate College; Chairman, Board of MTN Foundation and President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos. In his quest for more knowledge to serve humanity, Juli enrolled for law at the University of Lagos and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was one of his lecturers. He finished in 1986 and topped his class at the Nigerian Law School the following year as the best graduating student. Since then, his pro-bono legal service has helped to fight the cause of inmates in Nigerian prisons.

Juli’s life of service extended to the national level where he had a brief spell as former Secretary (equivalent to the rank of Minister) of Health and Social Services when Chief Ernest Shonekan headed the Interim National Government. Although the tenure was shortlived, Juli made his mark while it lasted in spite of the road block that was mounted by an opposition group to frustrate his goals and agenda for healthcare development.

Prince Juli is a happy and contented family man. His wife, Julia, is the family’s backbone and they are blessed with four adorable children (two male, two female) who are also doing well in their own right: Funke, Adewale, Demilade and Adeolu. Why does Prince Juli wear white agbada all the time? Juli is a man of peace and wonderful mediator of conflicts. White signifies purity and it allows him to project his inner peace and good deeds straight from his heart. He bears no grudges, bitterness or animosity of any kind towards anyone. In addition, wearing white allows Juli to focus and maintain “environmental discipline” for neatness and cleanliness.

When he was District Governor of Rotary District 911, he used the opportunity to sell Nigeria through his dress code (Nigerian attire now represented by white apparel) to the world during his frequent trips. It is evident that Juli is a man of style but he is a proudly Nigerian dresser. Most of the time, he represented Rotary International President which meant he was also a goodwill ambassador for the country. By the way, Prince Juli has all the credentials to have been elected Rotary International President; so in another sense, he is the Rotary International President we never had.

With great minds and outstanding leaders like Prince Juli, why is Nigeria where it is today? Here is a man who has distinguished himself in various leadership positions and he is not active in Abuja. The Juli that I know does not solicit for appointments but Nigeria stands to benefit from his wide network, knowledge, resources and experience.

However, Prince Juli is a national award recipient – he was honoured with MFR in 1986 and OFR in 2002. At 80 years old, Julie is now in retirement but he is certainly not tired; he still keeps an active schedule. Our man of the moment still plays golf but I will find the time to tease him again to explain the secret of “looking so good and young” at his age. Congratulations and happy birthday sir! May the blessings be. ...Braimah is a PR and marketing strategist based in Lagos

26

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŻËœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

FG: Siemens to Upgrade 105 Power Substations, Build 70 in New Power Deal Emmanuel Addeh Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The new electricity deal between the Nigerian government, its German counterpart and Siemens AG, will see the upgrading of 105 power substations and the construction of 70 new ones, the Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman has said.

Providing what he described as ‘key details’ of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) deal which has already into effect, the minister noted that the deal represents one of the largest and most transparent power sector investments in modern day Nigeria. Listing the details under major infrastructural points, project timeline and expansion outcomes, Mamman explained that the deal for which the federal government made an initial N8.6 billion commitment penultimate week, would totally transform the sector.

The government added that aside the 105 sub-stations, to be upgraded and 70 new sub-stations to be built under the new arrangement, 35 power transformers

will also be manufactured and installed. It disclosed that 3,765 distribution transformers would be installed and 5,109 km distribution lines will be built with a potential generation capacity of over 13,000 mw as opposed to the current transmission of 4,500mw.

The minister explained that in the Phase one, 7gw is expected to be achieved between now and 2021, with the upgrading of transmission and distribution of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Distribution Companies (Discos) expected to contribute an additional 2gw.

For phase two, 11gw will be achieved between 2021-2023, with full use of existing generation and last mile distribution capacity.

According to Mamman, the phase three would see the achievement of 25gw between 2023-2025 with appropriate upgrades and expansion in generation, transmission and distribution.Last week, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the payment of â‚Ź15.21 million (N6,940,081,465.20) offshore and N1.708 billion

onshore as part of Nigeria’s counterpart funding for the power deal signed in 2019.

The deal also involves Siemens’ support for the regulator, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), towards improving metering in the electricity industry in the country.

It would see the financiers get up to a three-year moratorium with a 12-year repayment at concessionary interest rates.

While Siemens will singlehandedly pick the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) partners for the sake of transparency, according to the federal government, all items to be purchased would be provided by the Discos and TCN and would be vetted by a professional Project Management Office.

It will be backed through a German Euler Hermes cover, while the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will be engaged to assist in developing the commercial structure of the intervention, as well as in undertaking an independent company valuation of the Discos.

Nova Boss Urges Banks to Restructure their Business Model Obinna Chima The Chief Executive Officer/ Managing Director, Nova Merchant Bank Limited, Mr. Anya Duroha, yesterday stressed the need for banks in the country to look beyond their traditional means of operation and embrace innovation.

Responding to questions from journalists during a virtual interactive session with Duroha said with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, financial institutions must embrace creativity and innovation in terms of their product offerings as well as services.

The Nova Merchant Bank boss explained: “The traditional ways of doing business cannot suffice. Therefore, every bank or financial institution needs to get very creative about the products they sell and how they offer these services in the market.�

He pointed out, however, that with the pandemic, there are sectors that are winners in the market. These he listed to include information technology, fintechs and healthcare sectors. “Therefore banks would need to refocus and support those industries clearly, even while fulfilling their role of

working with the sectors that are not performing very well, to bring them back on stream. It is something we take very seriously.

One of the things we do at the advisory side of our business is also to work with industries we had identified that are struggling, to see how we can work with them,� he said.

According to him, since inception, Nova Merchant Bank has been an information technology-driven bank. This, he said has placed the bank above its peers in the industry.

Speaking about the bank’s recent bond offering that was 300 per cent oversubscribed, Duroha said: “As part of Nova’s strategy, we knew that at this point we needed to get long-term funds to be able to finance long-term assets. Being a merchant bank, we would like to do a lot more developmental financing and you need long term funds to do that. “So, that was why we went to the market to raise that bond.

Our plan was to raise N10 billion for seven years tenor, callable after five years and again subordinated bond, such that it would count as tier-2 capital.

So, it was oversubscribed by about 300 per cent.

“That means we got about N31 billion, whereas we set out to get N10 billion. But the instructive is that the investors were diversified.

From individuals to corporate entities, to asset management companies, insurance companies as well foreign investors. The bond was issued at 12 per cent and it was good outing for us,�

He said the proceeds of the bond would be used to finance corporate loans for customers, he said.

According to him, the bank would be looking at supporting customers in the agriculture, fintechs, telecoms as well as healthcare, saying, “these are the areas where we see opportunities now and a substantial amount of the money would go into building capacity for export for the country.�

Duroha added: “For Nova Merchant Bank, we are looking at where we have core competence which hovers around advisory services, asset management, and security business. We understand that what differentiates a bank from the other is the way they offer their services, and that’s why we are deliberate about the things we want to do, and we actively think through them.�

RIMAN Seeks Enhanced Capacity for Risk Management Nume Ekeghe The President, Risk Management Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) Mr. Magnus Nnoka, has advised risk managers to continue enhance their capacity in order to be abreast with the changing risk landscape.

Nnoka, urged old and newly inducted members of its association at the induction ceremony held in Lagos over the weekend.

He said: “We must begin to envision the changing risk landscape that lie ahead of us as well as how we can come to terms with the many ways of managing the inevitable consequences on

the society. “Today we are in a new age of catastrophe and increasing uncertainty, faced with major challenges in dealing with natural and technological hazards in an increasingly interdependent and inter connected world.� “In all these, I can only see one thing, which is the future of risk management will continue to have no boundaries and rapidly dynamic,� he said.

Speaking further, he said: “There will be no doubt that skill set, and capacity required to effectively manage emerging risks will continue to change. The risk management approaches of

yesterday and today will not suffice for the risk of tomorrow. “It is therefore expected that you will all take advantage of the various training and capacity building programs including the professional Certified Risk Manager of the Association to remain abreast of skill requirements in your profession. “As I welcome you today on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Executive council and entire members of RIMAN, second of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, take a moment and reflect on what kinds of risks we would all be facing at the end of this decade.�

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)

35,029,779.72

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

7,374,356.91

Money Supply (M2)

27,655,422.82

-- Quasi Money

116,533,891.21

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,121,531.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,625,047.69

---- Demand Deposits

9,496,483.91

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

13,911,335.83

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

21,118,443.89

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

35,918,179.45

---- Credit to Government (Net)

10,452,199.38

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

11,007,422.79

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

25,465,980.07

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-14,799,735.56

--Other Assets Net

7,000,253.07

Reserve Money (Base Money

2,005,600.83

--Currency in Circulation

4,677,530.81

--Banks Reserves

317,121.43

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ Íľ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $44.87 a barrel on Friday, compared with $45.17 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

27

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŻËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Vetiva Exchange Traded Funds Make Distributions to Investors Goddy Egene Vetiva Fund Managers Limited has announced the final distributions for the full year ended December 2019 for three of its exchange traded funds (ETFs), the Vetiva Griffin 30 ETF; Vetiva S&P Bond ETF and Vetiva Banking ETF. Unitholders of the Vetiva Griffin 30 ETF are to get N0.50 per unit, while those of Vetiva S&P Bond ETF and Vetiva Bank-

ing ETF would receive N16.50 and N0.14 per unit respectively.

The distribution would be pay to unit holders whose names appear in the relevant register of unit holders as at 5.00pm on July 22, 2020.

Speaking on the distribution, Executive Director, Vetiva Fund Managers Limited, Mrs. Oyelade Eigbe , said: “The distribution is in line with the structure of the Fund to remit distributions to unit holders. Also, the ETFs

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

continue to represent convenient investment vehicles for broad exposure to the Nigerian equities market, Nigerian bond market and relevant sectors of interest via a single security.�

According to her, the VG 30 ET is designed to track the performance of the constituent companies of the NSE 30 Index.

The index is constituted of the top 30 companies listed on the NSE in terms of market capitalisation and liquidity.

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

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

“On the other hand, the VS&P Bond ETF is the first Bond ETF to be listed on the NSE and the FMDQ and is designed to track the performance of the S&P/FMDQ Nigeria Sovereign Bond Index, which tracks the performance of local currency denominated sovereign debt publicly issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria,� she added. On its own, the Vetiva Banking ETF is designed to track the performance of the

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

NSE Banking Index. “Other ETFs and mutual funds managed by Vetiva are the Vetiva Consumer Goods ETF, Vetiva Industrial Goods ETF and the Vetiva Money Market Fund. The ETFs track the performance of the NSE Consumer Goods Index and NSE Industrial Goods Index respectively, whilst the Vetiva Money Market Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of money market instruments to meet its objective of capital preservation,

O F

liquidity and current income,� she explained. Meanwhile, trading at the stock market resumed for the week on a bearish note as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index fell by 0.06 per cent to close at 25,027.61, while market capitalisation shed N7.5 billion to be at N13.1 trillion.

Activity level was mixed as volume traded advanced 4.8 per cent to 175.2 million shares while value traded dipped 28.9 pe rcent to N1.4 billion.

0 5 / 0 8 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

28

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Flour Mills Records N11.4bn Profit, Recommends N1.40 Dividend Goddy Egene

share for the year ended March 30, 2020, showing increase of 17 per cent compared with N1.40 paid the previous year.

Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Plc has announced a dividend of N1.40 per share 50 kobo 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

FMN recorded a revenue of N573.774 billion, indicating a growth of 8.8 per cent from N527.405 billion in 2019. However, FMN Plc’s

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 07Aug-2020, unless otherwise stated.

bottom-line got a boost due to decline of 20.5 per cent in net finance cost, which fell from N22.123 billion to N19.975 billion. Profit before

tax (PBT) grew by 72 per cent from N10.174 billion to N17.497 billion, while profit after tax (PAT) grew faster by 184 per cent from N4.0

billion to N11.4 billion. Based on the performance, the board recommended a dividend of N1.40, up from N1.20 paid the previous year.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.92 0.93 2.11% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 9.98% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.04% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.95 3.02 20.05% 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 6.36% Anchoria Equity Fund 98.33 98.67 -3.66% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.27 1.27 10.24% 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 14.33 14.76 -6.46% ARM Discovery Fund 338.88 349.10 -1.90% ARM Ethical Fund 30.46 31.38 4.74% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.14 1.14 14.10% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.08 8.16% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.51% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 95.69 96.37 -0.40% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.85% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.05 0.04 5.46% Paramount Equity Fund 11.20 11.40 -10.53% Women's Investment Fund 110.03 110.98 -0.36% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.37% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 104.40 104.74 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 108.34 108.64 Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 101.51 101.51 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 4.29% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 4.46% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,177.50 1,187.09 6.04% 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 1,398.11 1,399.57 14.56% FBN Balanced Fund 151.47 152.64 3.17% FBN Halal Fund 107.51 107.53 7.51% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.61% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 118.65 119.24 2.71% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 118.95 119.54 2.45% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 113.79 115.58 -12.56% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.89% Legacy Debt Fund 3.80 3.80 4.01% Legacy Equity Fund 1.12 1.14 -0.98% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.11 1.11 3.08% 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 3,111.86 3,145.71 2.33% Coral Income Fund 3,209.55 3,209.55 4.35% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 4.51% 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 4.10% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.33 2.37 6.43% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 8.33% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 149.25 149.87 4.09% 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 1,126.00 1,126.00 6.39% 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 1.39 1.41 13.73% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.89 11.95 5.58% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.29% PACAM Equity Fund 1.06 1.07 PACAM EuroBond Fund 106.58 109.05 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 115.45 117.61 -5.44% 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 6.08% 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 1.14 1.16 -4.67% United Capital Bond Fund 1.84 1.84 6.26% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 -8.35% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.83% United Capital Eurobond Fund 113.75 113.75 4.12% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.02 1.03 -2.72% 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 10.30 10.41 0.14% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.65 11.71 0.05% Zenith Income Fund 24.49 24.49 9.97% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.02%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

117.23

4.56%

53.32

2.44%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.14 86.49 66.88

9.24 84.70 67.88

4.94% -0.34% 1.17%

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.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020

29

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Professionals: Structured Property Market will Bridge Housing Gap, not Regressive Taxation Bennett Oghifo

N

igeria’s housing sector, which growth ought to be a major driver of the nation’s socio-economic development, is losing its potency as a result of unfavourable tax policies, among others.

Understandably, this has become a source of grave concern to the nation’s real estate professionals, who believe the policies of government in this segment, particularly on taxation, are not in lockstep with official pronouncements about reducing the nation’s huge housing deficit through deliberate policy and financial interventions.

In 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came to a conclusion that Nigeria’s housing deficit was unacceptably high, stating that the government alone would be unable to provide all the housing needs of its citizens.

Specifically, the vice president stated that “As at 1991 when the National Housing Policy was promulgated, Nigeria was said to have a housing deficit of seven million units. For close to a decade now, the figure has been put at 17 million, thus putting to question the reliability of these statistics.

“However, what is obvious is that the deficit in housing requirement is unacceptably high.

Despite the various policies and strategies adopted by the Federal Government aimed at combating the housing problems of the citizenry, not much has been accomplished.

“Sadly too, this also applies to the states and local governments. This phenomenon has given rise to unprecedented urbanisation resulting from high rural-urban migration which has created large demand for affordable housing accommodation and has given rise to slum population in the urban areas and inadequate infrastructural facilities in the rural areas.”

Osinbajo said, “The National Housing Programme of the present administration demonstrates a clear commitment and decisive intervention by the Federal Government to make significant and lasting changes to the sector, through the construction of houses in all the states of the federation, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (now Ministry of Works and Housing) on a continuous basis.”

Fashola This promise is yet to be fulfilled and just as real estate professionals were beginning to bemoan the debilitating housing gap, the government, a few weeks ago, slammed the housing sector with the contentious stamp duty requirement that was ordered by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), obviously blindsiding the Ministry of Works and Housing in the process. Since the new tax was announced, efforts have been made, unsuccessful though, to get the minister to reassure the real estate community that the stamp duty regime of the FIRS would improve the nation’s housing stock.

How taxation should work Real estate professionals have reached a conclusion that the FIRS’ stamp duty would be counterproductive and would add to the pile of such multiple taxes the government imposes on property transactions.

According to a real estate professional, Oladotun Olatunji, “The story today is that Nigeria has 17 million housing deficit, some say 20 million, and everybody is saying one minute I want people to invest more in property, we want more houses to be built and stuff like that. What is supposed to happen is for the government to create the enabling environment that would help bridge the housing gap.

“Taxation is something that is regressive and progressive. For example, if someone is smoking or drinking too much alcohol and you want to prevent excess smoking and drinking of alcohol you will introduce excise duty or increase tax to make it regressive. When you want to encourage something and you want more of it, you will introduce progressive taxes that give discount and make it less likely to discourage people to invest.

“So now in one breath, the government is telling people to invest in property and are now turning round to say that anyone that is a landlord that has invested in property and is now renting out to the common man should be charged stamp duty. That is a regressive tax; it doesn’t meet with government policy or alleged government political policy. When they were campaigning, they promised to build houses, till today you have not built houses, and you go ahead to tax the few houses that somebody has built, which you didn’t put one kobo into -the man put his own borehole, his own generator, and his own security.

“He built everything himself and you now turn round and say you want to collect tax on it. Remember that in the money he used to build it, he has already paid tax, VAT, and everything else and now you are turning round to say that you want to charge stamp duty on it, regardless of it being 0.5% or 1% or 2%, it’s wrong.

“I can understand if you say you want to charge anything above N1 million but to say that whether it’s N2,000 or N7,000 or N400,000 per annum is unacceptable.”

He said, as things stand, real estate investors may just decide to seek other investment portfolios. “Now, if I take my money and put in fix deposit in the bank and I don’t do anything, nobody’s going to charge me stamp duty. So, you are indirectly telling people that when you have excess money, don’t invest in real estate. That’s what you are saying. You have already chased us from the stock market, and the best bet now is that I take my money, buy dollar and put under my mattress and I’m better off. “And the third option is that I forget about property development and do nothing. So, forget about asking whether it is 2% or 3%.”

He said the federal government’s action

would stop the rental of properties in Nigeria and would kill the market, saying “We already have VAT, we have income tax, we have cooperate tax, even lorries that drive on the road are taxed, every transporter is part of a union, and suppliers’ association.

There is no tax that will be introduced in Nigeria that people will not complain. “When we introduce taxes in Nigeria, these taxes must be equitable which means that when you introduce a federal tax it must apply all over the country. When you come out with a stamp duty tax on rentals, indirectly what you are saying in effect is that three states are going to provide over 95% of all the tax, so it’s not an equitable tax to introduce because Yobe State and Zamfara State will not pay and how much is rent in these states? Even a poor man in Lagos State pays N400,000 in rent, so stamp duty is not an equitable tax, it is a tax that, from day one, we know the government wants to use to collect money that it would share to the 36 states and the FCT. It is not a good tax.”

What can work Real estate investors believe that the stamp duty proposed by the FIRS would have challenges with compliance since the nation has largely informal property market.

A property investor and broker in Abuja, Malam Mukthar Mohammed said, “In the informal sector, the cost of collection of tax is high, the rate of compliance is low. When you have a generally low compliance rate in the economy, your question would be, do I go for an industry with high level of compliance higher than the general level of compliance or do I go for lower than general compliance?

“So, this is an industry that is going to have low compliance and this kind of situation always existed where people refused to comply with tax payment and “now, what makes you think that they’d pay stamp duty?”

He explained that stamp duty would be collected by a state government on a property transaction if it is between individuals but that the federal government would come in if the transaction is between corporate entities, adding that the federal duty had limitations on account of the lease, which is subject to registration in the state.

LafargeHolcim, IBM Partner to Reduce Road Project Costs, Carbon Emissions Bennett Oghifo LafargeHolcim has said it would work with IBM Services to further develop the first digital platform for road design optimisation, ORIS, a solution that could reduce road project costs by up to one-third and carbon emissions by up to half while tripling road durability and usage lifespans.

This is contained in a statement by LafargeHolcim, which said ORIS allows decision-makers, road infrastructure authorities and project investors to improve road construction and sustainability and reduce inefficiencies through smart project design. This is especially timely as governments design stimulus packages to revive economic activity post COVID-19 while also responding to the impact of climate change.

Records show that an average of 700,000 kilometres (435,000 miles) of new roads are being built globally every year. Improving road quality and resilience will help reduce the massive amount of carbon emissions attributed to transportation. Because roads vary depending on location, climate, vehicle types and traffic volumes, it is a complex challenge to define the most sustainable and cost-effective mix of building materials and technologies early in the design phase.

ORIS assesses road pavement designs from different perspectives and recommends efficient construction and maintenance patterns with local materials availability and capabilities. ORIS is supporting public policies that conserve natural resources, enabling a more local and circular economy

in road construction.

“We are accelerating the digitalisation of our solutions for sustainable and highperformance construction,” said Marcel Cobuz, Region Head of Europe, Member of the Executive Committee with responsibility for innovation at LafargeHolcim on a global level. “With global solutions like ORIS, we are committed to leading the way in low-carbon and circular construction as well as responsible natural resource consumption for roads and beyond. We have already entered into pilots with different partners such as road authorities, international financing institutions and engineering firms to use ORIS in both developed and emerging markets.”

LafargeHolcim will leverage IBM’s portfolio of digital platforms, hybrid clouds, digital design services, as well as IBM’s expertise in machine learning, artificial intelligence, industrial Internet-of-Things and data analytics to enhance even further its materials knowledge in cement and ready-mix concrete products, as well as its solutions and products, including precast concrete, asphalt, mortar and building solutions.

“Data-driven solutions and digital technologies have the potential to transform road construction towards more sustainable, circular, low-carbon, low-resource and costefficient techniques. ORIS is instrumental in recommending appropriate and tailored approaches to road-building, thus minimising costs, environmental impacts and project delays,” says Hervé Rolland, Vice President, Industrial solutions, IBM Europe.

“IBM Services help businesses establish the right industry-relevant platforms that support rapid digitisation, standardisation

and simplification, as well as vertically integrating both industrial and business operations.”

Creative Industry Stakeholders Laud Haven Homes for Support Fadekemi Ajakaiye Creative industry stakeholders have applauded Haven Homes, a leading luxury real estate company, for supporting the industry with adoption and street naming for some notable celebrities whose success in the industry has provided them the means to join the company’s exclusive list of home buyers.

The most recent is Kizz Daniel, an excited 26 Year-old hip-hop artist who took to his Instagram Page to celebrate this achievement. Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe, better known as Kizz Daniel, is a renowned singer and songwriter, best known for his singles “Woju”, “Yeba” and many others. He went by the stage name Kiss Daniel prior to changing it in 2018.

Elated Daniel, lauded the real estate company for not just providing luxury houses,

but support the growth and development of individual practitioners and the industry entirely. He added, the owing a street in the estate is not as ordinary as it could be but a true reflection of Haven Homes values.

In a statement issued by company, the General Manager, Mrs Ufuoma Ilesanmi, disclosed that “We know that our homes presently share many similar values with the creative industry considering the fact that our architecture is an epitome of uniqueness and creativity, we have therefore chosen to recognize our artistes who have excelled beyond the country’s borders and are having great influence across the globe,” In the last few months Haven Homes anchored her support in the area of celebrating Nigerian creative legends including artistes such

as including Innocent Idibia, better known as 2Baba, Banky W and Falz the Bahd guy have received street naming honors after them in Richmond Gate Estate, Lekki, one of Haven Homes’ high profile Estates, Haven Homes has equally honored other creative stars in this manner including popular comedian Ayo Makun (AY), and global music diva Tiwa Savage. These are among the many stars that have streets named after them in the highbrow estate that has since earned the name ‘Nigerian Beverley Hills’ due to the concentration of A-List celebrities living there.

The residential seaside haven offers fine contemporary architecture and interiors with the best community of living, 24-hour electricity, top notch security, impressive recreational facilities, and other enviable lifestyle offerings.

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Kano Court Sentences Singer to Death by Hanging for Blasphemy Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano A Kano Upper Shari’a Court yesterday sentenced a 22-yearold man to death by hanging for blaspheming Prophet Muhammad.

The Presiding Judge, Khadi Aliyu Muhammad Kani, gave the judgment after finding Yahaya Sharif-Aminu guilty as charged.

Sharif-Aminu, a resident of Sharifai in Kano metropolis, was accused of committing blasphemy

against the Prophet in a song he circulated via WhatsApp in March 2020.

The singer, said to be a follower of Tijjaniya sect, is a member of Faidha group, who are known for their preference of Ibrahim Nyass (a famous Senegalese

Islamic scholar), over Prophet Muhammad.

Yahaya was found guilty of Blasphemy on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on a social media handle through his posts.

The upper sharia court also convicted one Umar Faruk

Bashir of Sharada quarters for derogatory comments on Allah (SWT) during an argument.

The court had sentenced Umar to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Both have pleaded guilty of the offences as argued by the

prosecutor, Inspector Aminu Sani yar Goje during the court proceedings.

After their conviction, the court handed over the convicts to the officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service officials led

by Yakubu Bala Jibrin.

Gunmen Kill 13 People in Benue Community George Okoh in Makurdi No fewer than 13 persons were reportedly killed when gunmen attacked the Edikwu community in the Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident, according to locals, happened between 4am and 5a.m. yesterday.

A local said the attack might not be unconnected to a chieftaincy title.

“There has been a lingering crisis in the community for sometimes now. One of the royal families had disagreed with the choice of the kingmakers of the community who elected the late Chief Imoni Otokpa as Alegwu of Edikwu before his demise in 2018.”

It was further gathered that one of the children of the late king is on the throne in an acting capacity, a development not pleasing to the other royal families.

As at the time of filing this report, troops of Operation Whirl

Stroke were said to have been drafted to the area to forestall further attack.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, in a statement, said, “Edikwu district, Ukpogbo in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State was experiencing incessant crises over chieftaincy affairs until 25/05/2020 when the Benue State Government convened a peace meeting that was headed by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Benson Abounu to put an end to the rancor “On 10/8/2020 at about 0400hrs when the information was received that about twenty armed men invaded the community and shot sporadically at members of the community.

“A team of police officers were deployed to the scene where 13 corpses were recovered.”

Anene said investigation was still ongoing to ascertain the actual cause of the attack and to bring the perpetrators to book.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 290 to 46,867 Martins Ifijeh Nigeria has recorded 290 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 46,867 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

It has also recorded five COVID19-related deaths in the last 24 hours, raising the tally from 945 to 950 in a single day.

Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control

(NCDC) said Lagos and Plateau recorded 82 new cases each; Oyo, 19; Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 18; Edo, 16; Kaduna, 15; Enugu and Ogun, nine each; Kano and Kwara, eight each; CrossRiver,OndoandRivers, five each; Ekiti, four; Imo, three; and Borno, two.

It said: “Nigeria has so far recorded 46,867 cases of COVID-19. 33,346 patients have been discharged, while 950 persons have died.”

Lagos Records 200 COVID-19 Deaths Ejiofor Alike The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has disclosed that the state has recorded 200 deaths arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in a series of tweets yesterday, Abayomi said as of August 8, 71 new infections were confirmed out of a total of 844 tests conducted.

Abayomi said the total number of tests conducted so far stands at 68,929 while the number of infections is now 15,797.

The commissioner added that 68 of the cases are currently under isolation in public and private care centres while 1,400 active cases in communities are yet to turn up for admission.

“Seventy-one new #COVID19 infections were confirmed in Lagos out of a total 844 #COVID19 tests conducted.

The new cases bring the total number of confirmed #COVID19 infections in Lagos to 15,797.

“Total number of #COVID19 tests conducted so far in Lagos now stands at 68,929… 2,269 of the confirmed cases have since been discharged from #COVID19 Care Centres following full recovery.

11,860 of the confirmed cases monitored in communities by #COVID19 Lagos Response Team have either fully recovered or positively responding to treatments.

68 of the cases are currently under isolation in public and private care centres. 1,400 active cases in communities are yet to turn up for admission in #COVID19Lagos care centres.

“Two #COVID19 related deaths were recorded.

Total number of #COVID19 related deaths now stands at 200.”

PARTY AFFAIR...

L-R: National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sunday Udeh-Okoye; former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, acknowledging cheers from PDP delegates during the party’s state congress, in Enugu...yesterday

Bandits Attack Katsina Community, Abduct 13-year-old Girl Francis Sardauna in Katsina Bandits on Sunday night abducted a 13-year-old girl, Khadijat Mutaka, in the Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits also shot and injured one Ibrahim Yar-Garshe, 30, during the attack.

THISDAY gathered that the hoodlums invaded the town at about 9:30 p.m and headed for

the resident of one Dr. Muttaqa Mamman and abducted his daughter (Khadija).

It was learnt that while the bandits were breaking the door to the Mamman’s house, a neigbour raised the alarm but no one could dare the bandits who operated freely.

The marauding bandits were also said to have shot one Ibrahim Yar-gashi, who was trying to

rescue the victim from her abductors.

An APC stalwart in the town who pleaded anonymity, told THISDAY in a telephone interview that the bandits were many in number and were armed with guns.

The Spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident.

He said efforts were on to

rescue Mutaka while the wounded man had already been taken to a hospital.

Isah said, “The hoodlums kidnapped a 13-year-old girl and shot one Ibrahim Yar-Garshe on his leg. The security team including Operation Puff Adder and that of Operation Sharan-Daji are already making efforts to rescue the girl.

Ibrahim is also receiving treatment in a hospital.”

Military Arrests Eight Suspects over Southern Kaduna Killings John Shiklam in Kaduna and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Troops of military Special Task Force, code-named Operation Safe Haven, in charge of maintaining peace in Plateau State and Southern Kaduna area, yesterday said it has arrested eight suspects in connection with the killings in Southern Kaduna.

The Commander of Sector 7 of the Task Force, Colonel David Nwankonobi disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Kafanchan headquarters of the sector .

He said the suspects were arrested with various weapons, adding that during their rescue operation, the troops also discovered the corpse of one of the members of the militia said to have carried out the last attack in the communities.

No fewer than 30 persons were reportedly killed between Wednesday and Thursday last week after gunmen attacked some communities in Kataf Local Government Area of the state The sector commander said, troops of the special task force acting on credible intelligence

arrested six of the suspects at Lere LGA of Kaduna State while two others were picked from Chawai, a small community between the boundaries of Kauru and Zang in Kataf council.

He gave the names of those arrested to include: Abubakar Ali, Ali Amadu, Bawa Idi, Umar Dikko, Garba Damina, and Muhammed Ibrahim.

Nwankonobi said, “the suspects had in their possession, one locally fabricated pump action gun, two locally made pistols, machetes and motorcycles.

“In Chawai, community which

lies between the fringes of Kauru and Zang on Kataf LGA, one Adamu Joseph alongside William Barnabas were arrested with a locally made action gun, cartridges, mobile phones, and dagger.”

He added that his men were on the trail of those who carried out the last attack, assuring that the perpetrators will be picked up in no distant time.

He also solicited the support and cooperation from members of the public, whom he urged to provide useful tips that could help in pinning down the assailants.

JAMB Releases New Dates for 2020 Post-UTME Screening Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The 2020/2021 post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening will commence in Nigeria’s higher institutions on September 7.

The agreement was reached yesterday at a meeting between the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of tertiary institutions.

Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who made the announcement, after the

consultative virtual meeting, said the screening would now hold between September 7 and November 18.

Earlier, the board had issued a guideline for all tertiary institutions to begin their admission with effect from August 20.

Oloyede said the adjustment in the date would allow students taking the 2020 O’ level examinations to be able to participate in the screening.

He said, “Presently as you are aware, WAEC starts the Senior

School Certificate Examination on August 17, it will go on till September 7.

“Similarly, on September 21 or thereabout, NABTEB will commence its examination that will go on till on the 15 of October, and immediately after that, NECO starts on the 5th and will hold till 18 of November.

“Rather than making candidates run, particularly, when they will have to write their school certificate exam in different towns and rush to university elsewhere for

post-UTME, like somebody rushing from Sokoto to Ibadan for post-UTME, we believe as a custodian of the highest sector of the education system, we should avoid that.

“For those (institutions) who want to take post-UTME, that cannot be earlier than the 7th of September and it will be held twice – September 7 to October 4, and then it will be held for the second time on the 18 November to mop up those who are taking their school certificate examination.”

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FG: Lagos, FCT, Three Others Account for 60% COVID-19 Cases Blames govs for crowds at Kashamu burial, Edo rallies

Olawale Ajimotokanand Onyebuchi EzigboinAbuja The federal government has said that its analysis of COVID-19 cases has indicated that five states accounted for 60 per cent of the country’s cases.

The states are: Lagos, the FCT, Oyo, Edo and Rivers.

The federal government has also blamed the state governors and other leaders for the violation of the safety protocols during campaigns by the political parties in Edo State and the recent burial of Senator Buruji Kashamu in Ogun State.

The government has also disclosed that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) will ensure the enforcement of COVID-19 protocols in the transport services sector.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja when the task force addressed the media.

He also said that 689 local government areas out of the

774 LGAs in the country have reported the spread of the virus, adding that no cases of the virus had been reported in 85 LGs in 20 states, where no testing had also been done.

Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), noted further that 50 per cent of all national COVID-19 cases were now concentrated in 20 per cent of LGAs. “As we emphasised at the last briefing, Nigeria is yet to reach the peak of the pandemic. Therefore, the low test/ case confirmation numbers coming out daily should not be misinterpreted to mean that we have overcome. We have over time ramped up testing but more needs to be done to raise the quantum of test per million,’’ Mustapha said.

He added that in the new phase of the National Response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which ends on September 5, the federal government will be particularly focusing on to ensure general level of compliance are the education

Obasanjo: People Can Mourn Me the Way They Like When I Die Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has responded to the criticisms trailing his controversial condolence message on the passing of Buruji Kashamu, a former senator and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State.

A former Governor of Lagos State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, IN his condolence message, said people should be kind to the dead since everyman would die someday.

But Obasanjo in his response to the criticisms told Premuim Times, that it was okay for people to mourn every death but that the living, including himself, must draw the right lessons from the lives of those who have died.

He said it is only in doing this that societies can make progress.

“When I was growing up, in our community, when anyone known with bad character died, we usually only mourn him and bury him. No eulogy. No praise-singing.

“There is an English saying that urges us never to talk ill of the dead. But in this case, we are not talking ill of the dead. We are only drawing lessons from the life and history of the dead.

I am not gloating over his death.

It is sad for anyone to die and we must mourn him.

“But we must learn from such a passage. There will be bad lessons. There will be good lessons. But we should not just be praise-singing or eulogising the dead, especially when there is no need to do so.

“We should not cover up bad histories and conducts so that the right lessons can be learnt,” he said.

Onyibe Releases Book on How to Cope With Death, Grief Three years after losing his precious daughter, Kikaose Ebiye-Onyibe, a former Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Magnus Onyibe has released a book that dwells on the subject of dealing with grief arising from the loss of a child.

In the poignant, heart-breaking, yet hopeful and life-affirming memoir titled: ‘‘Beyond Loss and Grief: The Passage of Kikaose Ebiye-Onyibe, A Survivor’s Guide to Handling the Loss of a Child,” Onyibe sought to leverage his family’s journey through grief, pain, acceptance, and the eventual celebration of a life to offer valuable counsel to families that have lost a child or those that will go through the experience in the future on how to deal with such a heart-rending loss.

The book opens with Onyibe introducing the reader to a trip he, his wife and their youngest child made to the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, where Kikaose was a second year law student, to retrieve her belonging after she passed away in a hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Chapter 2 titled: ‘‘Eclipse’’ takes the reader back to the circumstances that led up to Kikaose’s death.

Reading through this chapter, one is tempted to scream ‘‘how could all these have been allowed to happen?’’ as Onyibe recounts the litany of professional misconduct and negligence that ultimately led to the demise of his precious daughter at the tender age of 18 years.

and transportation sectors. ‘’ The PTF and the Federal Ministry of Aviation are working rapidly towards reopening of the international flights,’’ he said.

Also speaking at the briefing, the COVID -19 National Coordinator, Dr. Sani Aliyu said that the PTF will be liaising with the FRSC to ensure the enforcement of all transport services non-pharmaceutical interventions.

Reacting to the issue of the large crowds at the Edo governorship campaigns and at Kashamu’s burial,

where the COVID-19 protocols were breached, Aliyu said the leaders in the two states failed to ensure compliance with protocols.

Aliyu also stated, “When it comes to wearing of (face) mask for instance; when you wear a mask, it is actually an act of kindness and caring. What you are saying is that you care about the people that you will meet; you don’t want to infect them with COVID-19.

“The same thing applies when it comes to social distancing. It is

much easier to be proactive. It is much easier for civil authorities, leaders and governors to make sure that those situations that pose a risk of mass gathering are avoided.”

Aliyu also assured that PTF was working with the aviation authorities to ensure the reopening of the airports for international flights as soon as possible.

He also stressed that the bulk of the World Bank $104 million credit facility to Nigeria will be used by the states in support of

their COVID- 19 programmes, operation costs as well as ensure they have rapid response teams and the necessary facility for sample collections.

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, also assured that all the educational centres for exiting students in the 36 states of the federation have been decontaminated while 40,000 officials are to provide assistance and look out for the symptoms of the disease when students return to schools.

EMPOWERING THE YOUTHS...

L-R: Lagos State Director of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mrs. Serena Olayebi Edward; Aro of Lekki, Chief Adewale Salawu, representing Onilekki of Lekki; Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin; Chief Operations Officer, Dangote Oil Refinery Company, Mr. Giuseppe Surace; and Director Human Asset Management and Project Support, Dangote Oil Refinery Company Limited (DORC), Mr. Mohan Kumar, at the opening ceremony of orientation programme for training of the second batch of 200 youths of Ibeju Lekki in nine technical trades, organised by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and NDE, in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos...yesterday

FG: No Nigerian Died in Lebanon Explosion Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government has said reports from the Embassy of Nigeria in Beirut, Lebanon, indicated that, there was no reported case of Nigerian nationals among the dead so far.

It assured that the host authorities were still assessing the impact of the damage caused by the massive explosion.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ferdinand Nwonye, disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday while commiserating with the government and people of Lebanon over the August 4, 2020 deadly explosion that occurred in the main Seaport in Beirut.

He said Nigeria was in solidarity with the nation of

Lebanon in this period of grief and calls for international support to facilitate the rebuilding process.

He said, “The incident which is reported to have been caused by a blast inside a warehouse, released a strong shockwave, causing catastrophic damage to infrastructure and buildings, in different parts of the city. The unfortunate incident resulted in the death of over one hundred

and sixty persons and thousands wounded.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the general public that reports from the Embassy of Nigeria in Beirut indicate that, so far, there is no reported case of Nigerian nationals among the dead but the host authorities are still assessing the impact of the damage caused by the massive explosion.”

NIS Arrests Cameroonian With Five Nigerian Passports The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) border patrol officers at Yala border patrol base in Cross River State have arrested a Cameroonian, Mr. Kouaha Dieudonne, attempting to cross into the country.

The Comptroller of Cross

River State Command, Mr. Okey Ezugwu, who briefed the Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, stated that the 42-yearold was apprehended with Cameroonian and Guinea-Bissau passports bearing his name and

five Nigerian passports belonging to other persons.

According to a statement on Monday by the NIS spokesman, DCI Sunday James, the CG has ordered a thorough investigation and report on the arrest, while commending the Comptroller of

the Cross River Command and the officers at Yala border for “a job well done and display of professionalism.”

It said, “The arrested migrant will be prosecuted after necessary charges are established for his prosecution in line with immigration laws.”

Suspended NSITF MD Alleges Denial of Fair-hearing Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The suspended management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has raised an objection over the neutrality of the investigative panel set up to probe alleged financial infractions against them.

The suspended Managing Director, Mr. Adebayo Somefun, and others facing an audit investigating panel said they approached the National Industrial Court to enforce the spirit of fair hearing on the allegation of infractions levelled against some

staff of the Fund.

Somefun, who was reacting to the statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, that the affected staff dragged him and President Muhammadu Buhari to court to challenge their suspension, said they are not satisfied with the composition of the panel.

The eight-member audit panel headed by the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel, with the Director of Human Resources in the National Productivity

Centre, Mrs. E. Ogriki, serving as secretary/member is currently investigating the financial infractions.

Somefun, who is yet to appear before the panel, explained that under the principle of fair hearing, the panel saddled with investigating the minister’s allegations ought not to have been empaneled by him, who is an interested party.

He added that all that were done in the award of contracts, training and budget of the Fund were approved by the minister and the Parastatals Tenders Board

as the case may be.

The embattled NSITF boss also queried the omission of the representative of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Taiwo Adeniyi, who heads the finance committee of the NSITF board.

He alleged that the strange and suspicious barring of Adeniyi from the board, who is also the President of NECA, from the joint audit and investigative panel, indicates the possibility of an already pre-planned indictment of perceived non-loyalists within the Fund.

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TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Presidency Must Be Zoned to South-east, Uwazuruike Insists Mary Nnah and Funmi Ogundare Following the debate by certain people, including political analysts, on whether Nigeria should continue with the zoning system for the presidency among the six geo-political zones of the country or not, a lawyer and former President of Aka Ikenga, an association of Igbo professionals, Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, has insisted that power must go round all the regions in Nigeria, “and especially this time, it must come to the South-east region.”

Speaking during the Morning

Show on Arise News yesterday, Uwazuruike, who revealed that there seems to be a recurring question of when the South-east region, which remains the only integral component of Nigeria yet to produce a president, will produce one.

He, therefore, insisted that it was high time the power came to the region, which he maintained has not produced any president since 1999.

According to him, “Let me tell you what I have always known as a child, even though now I am fully grown. What goes around comes around! Then if you hold

on to something that belongs to everyone and claim it, at a point, your hands would begin to ache you and then you would be forced to bring it down and then the owners of such thing would take

it over from you. In another way, power must go round in Nigeria.

There are six zones that make up this country, and so far, one particular zone, since 1999, has taken turns repeatedly while others have

not had any.

“I know we started in 1999 with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (South-west), we now moved to the North-west with lat President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. After that,

power moved to South-south, even though it paused for only one term.

Instead of it to move either to the North Central or South-east, another person from the North-west region (Buhari) got to power.”

Two Killed in Ekiti over Stoppage of Ogun Festival Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Two persons have been reportedly shot dead in Ire Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State in crisis that enveloped the stoppage of Ogun Onire festival by the state government due to COVID-19.

A vehicle belonging to the town’s monarch, Oba Victor Bobade, was said to have also been set ablaze last Sunday by some irate youths, who were desirous to have the festival celebrated.

The state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, had in an attempt to stop the spread of coronavirus in the state given an order to stop celebration of traditional festivals across the state.

In an attempt to enforce the

COVID-19 precautionary directive by the state government, the Onire of Ire Ekiti , Oba Bobade, was said to have told the Ogun adherents to shelve this year’s celebration, which allegedly pitted him against the worshippers.

The crisis, which had polarised the town into two factions, started last Sunday and snowballed into a full scale war yesterday, causing various attacks between the rival factions, which prompted the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Tunde Mobayo, to swiftly drafted policemen to the town.

It was gathered that the victims were allegedly hit by stray bullets fired while making attempts to quell the raging crisis that paralysed business activities for that day.

Makinde Removes Works Commissioner, Redeploys Two Others Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday relieved the state Commissioner for Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Professor Raphael Afonja, of his appointment.

The governor, in a letter dated August 10, 2020, and signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, said the termination took immediate effect.

The sack of the commissioner came few hours after he resumed duty from isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.

Afonja resumed office yesterday when he tested negative for coronavirus last Sunday after 55 days.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the letter titled: ‘Termination of appointment’, as saying: “I wish to convey the approval of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, on the termination of your appointment as the commissioner with immediate effect.

“Consequent upon the above development, you are hereby directed to hand over all the government items in your possession to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Infrastructure and Transport.

“I am to add that your contribution within the time of your service is appreciated and commendable, and therefore, wish you success in your future endeavours. I thank you.”

Fayemi Suspends Principal for Insubordination Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has suspended the Principal of the Methodist Girls’ High School, Ifaki Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state for alleged insubordination.

The principal was allegedly absent when Fayemi paid a visit to the school to assess its the level of preparedness ahead of the resumption of SSS3 students on Monday for their West African Examinations Council’s school

certificate examination.

The disciplinary action was contained in a statement signed yesterday by the Assistant Director, Information, Ekiti State Ministry of Education, Mr. Kunle Adeniyi.

The statement said: “Sequel to the reopening of the schools for SSS3 students in the State, His Excellency, Dr. Kayode Fayemi made an on -the- spot assessment visit to some public secondary schools across the state in compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

ROYAL BLESSING...

Enogie of Igueben, Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State, His Royal Highness, Ehizogie Eluojienor I (left), and the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, during a courtesy call by the APC’s campaign team on the royal father in his palace in Igueben...yesterday ADIBE EMENYONU

Religious Council Urges FG to HonourVictims of Terrorism Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has asked the federal government to set aside a day to remember all the victims who have been killed by terrorists, bandits and all forms of criminality in Nigeria.

The body urged the federal government to remember victims of terrorism, banditry, other

criminalities as well as provide compensation for the internally displayed persons (IDPs).

The group under the leadership of the co-Chairmen, Rev. Dr. Samson Supo Ayokunle, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), also hailed Nigeria

for being among the countries that have ratified the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

“Given that charity begins at home, the leadership of the country must set aside a day to remember all the victims terrorism, banditry and all forms of crime in Nigeria.

NIREC calls for compensation for the displaced victims of violence as well as provide security for them to

return to their native land,” it said.

In a statement issued by the Executive Secretary (NIREC) and Secretary General West Africa Inter-Religious Council, Rev Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, the group said the government must provide adequate security for all Nigerian citizens to enjoy peaceful coexistence irrespective of tribe, political affiliation and religion.

Ondo Guber: Ajayi’s Defection Won’t Affect PDP’s Fortune, Says Party James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said the exit of the state Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, would not have any effect on the prospects of the party in the October 10, 2020 governorship election.

The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kennedy Peretei, stated this in a statement, saying the PDP remains solid, strong and more determined than ever to win the forthcoming governorship elections with Eyitayo Jegede, who he said is a credible and competent candidate.

He said: “The PDP in Ondo

State has received the exit of the state Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, from the party.

“As a party, we have not received his letter of resignation, but we wish him well in his political journey.

“The action of the deputy governor showed that he is a desperate politician.

Ajayi has abused the welcome and privilege accorded him by our party supporters during his brief stay in the party.

“In the days to come, it will dawn on him that he has squandered whatever was remaining in his goodwill with this decision.”

Group Tasks Politicians on Peace, Unity Sunday Okobi A Nigerian socio-cultural group, Brothers Across Nigeria (BAN), has called on politicians and political leaders in the country to practice what they preach at all times, as well as always involve in adventure that would usher in peace and unity

in the country.

Speaking at the 13 edition of the Prof. Bolaji Carew Memorial Lecture via zoom, the group’s President , Dr. Lewis Atuife, specifically called on the people and electorate of Edo State to shun thuggery and observe the standard COVID-19 protocols in the political campaigns towards

the September 19 governorship election in the state.

He called on the Edo State chapter of the group to commence serious sensitisation of all forms in the state to guide the masses against falling prey to the machinations of fake politicians who don’t have the interest of the people and country

at heart.

Speaking on structural racism at the global level, the guest speaker at the memorial lecture, Mr. Femi Osibanjo, pointed out that BAN has always been against structural racism , tribalism and nepotism, adding that it’s all about unity, humanity, peace and dignity.

Hakarat Group Signs Young Influencer, Kicks off Internship Programme Sunday Okobi Hakarat Studio, a top notch photography studio in Port Harcourt, River State, a division of Hakarat Group, has signed on a Cool FM popular On Air Personality, Miss Honey Ojukwu, as its brand ambassador.

Also, as part of its corporate

social responsibility (CSR), the Chief Executive Officer of Hakarat Group Mr. Ken Agala, revealed in a statement that the Studio’s team of experts would soon commence free online digital marketing, graphics, photography and videography training for Nigerian youths.

He noted that the CSR seeks to equip youths with needed skills to

make a living for themselves, while driving growth in the local economy.

“With skills like e-marketing, young people can be prepared to work from home and provide value to different corporations while observing social distancing,” he added.

Agala, in a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday,

said Miss Ojukwu comes with a rich media background, which she will leverage to appropriately position Hakarat Studio’s as well as and the Hakarat Group’s brand.

The CEO disclosed that Hakarat Studio offers one of the best quality photography and videography services in Rivers State and environs.

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BACK PAGE CONTINUATION BURUJI KASHAMU (1958 -2020) the time, the PDP would perhaps have won the Gubernatorial election of 2019 in Ogun State. But Ogun PDP remains divided. On election day, ęfth columnists further worked against the party.

I was talking about the Mapo Hall Ěag-oě.

Senator Kashamu ensured that his grassroots network in the entire South West was fully mobilized. By 2 am on the day of the event, his political machinery was already eěectively on the ground at the venue. We left Lagos at night.

When we arrived at Mapo Hall around 3 am, the only people who had secured all the strategic positions were KashamuȂs supporters. They were fully dressed in party garments, ready to receive the buja crowd. He had ensured that his own supporters outnumbered every other group. When the programme began, nobody was unruly. Everything went smoothly. But nobody gave out any Ěag. That particular item on the programme was conveniently omiĴed.

I saw an aspect of Nigerian politics at work that day. The loyalty of KashamuȂs supporters was obvious for the discerning to see.

I saw that loyalty on display again, last Sunday. The masses trooped out en masse to honour their hero; members of the Kashamu grassroots network deęed COVID-19 and ignored the circumstances of his death to pay their last respects. Earlier in the day, access to his residence was controlled. Barrelchested security men stood at the gates to enforce guidelines. But the people soon found a way around that. They wanted to catch a glimpse of their hero. They climbed the walls of adjoining buildings and occupied every possible rooftop. Others jumped the fence into the compound. Outside, on the streets of Ijebu Igbo, the people mourned.

If the people had been allowed, they would have taken charge of the very burial itself.

The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo biodun was there to commiserate with the widow, the children and other members of the family. Islamic clerics recited Quranic verses.

It was as if those verses, oozing out of the loudspeakers in the compound touched a vein in the peopleȂs hearts. People wailed and wept.

I was later told one of our female foot-soldiers became hysterical with grief and kept saying “Kashamu was killed. Wicked people have done their worst. What is Corona? Corona cannot kill Baba. Is it money? Baba can buy Corona many times over.Ȅ Buruji Kashamu was many things to many people: Baba, Chairman, Senator, Olori, Leader, Esho Jinadu, Ibu Owo Baba Sherifatu, Ekun Oko Susan… He loved the peopleȂs adoration, and he captured their imagination for sundry reasons. He had the common touch. He had no airs. He could stop by the roadside, go into the bush and urinate and then come out.

He could enter a store on the highway to buy snacks and drinks for his entourage. He once told me that he started from a humble background. He said he once worked as a ticketing oĜcer at a motor park in Makoko, Lagos, and later at a Local Government Council.

He spoke the language of the streets even beĴer than the boys. During the campaigns,

Kashamu he held meetings with all manners of people.

One day, a group of street boys stormed the Omo Ilu Foundation. They said they wanted to see him. The security people told him to ignore them. He disagreed. He went immediately downstairs and asked that the gates should be thrown open for them. He was a courageous man who loved challenges. He told the boys to calm down and without any introductions, he personally called out their leaders. He then proceeded to speak about his own life. He said he would like them to be like him and make something out of their lives. He gave them a lecture on drug abuse and warned them never to take drugs or they would end up badly. That encounter ended with the boys prostrating and lifting their hands in the air (Tuale Baba, Buruji, Buruii, Kashamu Kashamu, ori e wa n be!.)He gave them money and gifts and told them he was ready to support any one of them who was ready to change and be a responsible member of society.

I am not sure Senator Kashamu had exactly that same kind of connection with the Nigerian elite. He had friends who loved him passionately, but there were also many who had reservations about him. When I accepted to be his running mate, there were many members of the public and the PDP who used to call me aside to say: “You have to be careful. That man may be your friend today, but there is nobody he cannot quarrel with, and if he disagrees with you, he will ęght you to ęnish. He doesnȂt have permanent friends.Ȅ KashamuȂs public persona and politics were constructed around this and other narratives.

SIX MONTHS IN THE EYE OF THE COVID-19 STORM by the NCDC National Reference Laboratory (NRL), a facility which was operationalised only in 2017. The NRL is now the single largest public health laboratory in Nigeria, with our team working 24-7 and providing services to all states in Nigeria.

Our human resources at NCDC and across the country has proven to be one of our greatest assets. In the last decade, Nigeria has faced several public health challenges.

In 2014, Nigeria responded with relative success to an bola outbreak that aěected four other West frican countries. In 2017, we recorded the ęrst cases of monkeypox, forty years after the last case was reported in the country and we have continued to learn from this. In the same year, the ęrst yellow fever cases were reported, 21 years after the last case was found in the country.

Over the last three years, there has been an increase in Lassa fever cases in the country. lmost every year, we record outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, meningitis, measles and yellow fever. ll this has happened because our surveillance systems and diagnostic capacity for infectious diseases has improved. While responding to these outbreaks, colleagues involved in the response at the NCDC and the state epidemiology teams have learned many lessons and invested heavily in eěorts to strengthen our health security. This has come to play in the last six months as we have responded to the COVID-19 outbreak.

While this is an unprecedented outbreak, the experience from responding to previous outbreaks contributed to preparing us for this pandemic. I am incredibly proud of the

work being done by colleagues at the NCDC. s a government parastatal, we are aware that we are accountable to our citizens and that we have to build and maintain the trust, that we have been imparted with. This is similar to many other countries around the world, where trust in government institutions has been a critical factor driving the response, and where politics may have inĚuenced the public health response. In response to the outbreak in Nigeria, various containment measures were put in place, including the closure of international borders, restrictions on gatherings, school and workplace closures, stay-at-home orders, compulsory use of face masks and other public health measures. nfortunately, the eěectiveness of these containment measures has been aěected by the need to sustain livelihoods in our largely informal economy and a persistent distrust in government institutions and as a result, the public health advisories.

It is diĜcult to gain public trust in a context of economic, social and security diĜculties.

Yet, at NCDC, we have remained focused on our mandate which is to protect the health of Nigerians. The reaction to COVID-19 in Nigeria has gone from fear to stigmatisation of infected people and to sometimes, denial. Together, with our partners, we have developed proactive and reactive communication strategies. The weekly press conferences with the Presidential Task Force provides an opportunity for me to engage directly with the media. In addition to this, we work very hard to respond to several daily media requests, developing key communication messages every week,

But beneath that, you could sense that he was feared. His combination of ęnancial power, street wisdom and his growing inĚuence as a political force was a bit rather intimidating for his rivals. He probably didnȂt help maĴers with the manner in which he pursued every maĴer as if a war was afoot. He was a tall, well-built man, robust and inescapable with his physical presence. He devoted both his physical weight and mental energy to every task. He was also brutally blunt. He didnȂt know how to pull his punches. On many occasions he showed me vitriolic text messages he sent to those who oěended him. If they replied, he would ęre back. He feared no one. He once explained to me that he was driven by a commitment to justice. “Too many people are treacherousȄ, he said. “they would use you and dump you and then work against you.Ȅ He told me he would always stand for the truth. “I hate hypocrisyȄ, he would add.

This brought a wedge between him and many people, particularly within the political sphere. But while he would mend fences with others, there were persons he took on with all the weight at his disposal. This probably explains why he loved litigation. I was with him once and someone brought a woman to him whose son had been detained by the police and was charged to court for what looked like a minor misdemeanor. He didnȂt allow the woman to ęnish before he called one of his lawyers, and told the woman, a complete stranger, that he would take up the maĴer. lawyer was dispatched. Some assistants were told to go to the police station. ny maĴer utilising various media channels to reach all sections of our society.

It is easy to think of Nigeria as a country with uniform access to resources, forgeĴing the varying capacities and responsibilities across our states. The 36 states in Nigeria are at varying phases of this outbreak. There is established community transmission in some states, while other states are only at the beginning of this COVID-19 outbreak.

This means that the intensity of the response will diěer by state. We have deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRT) to all states in Nigeria.

In Lagos, our RRTs have remained there since the ęrst case was conęrmed, with over 40 personnel still in the state. Through the World Bank, we have provided every state with a grant of 100 million naira each to implement their COVID-19 Incident ction Plans. While NCDC plays its normative role, every state should rise even higher to this challenge. We are only as strong as our weakest link and cannot aěord to leave any state behind, as we respond to this outbreak.

There have been several changes since the ęrst case of COVID-19 was conęrmed in Nigeria. Cases of other infectious diseases are being missed. Every week, we publish a weekly epidemiological report with data showing increases in measles cases, sporadic cases of Lassa fever, monkeypox and cholera.

We know that the COVID-19 outbreak will be with us for a while and we have learned to adapt our systems accordingly. Most health workers are fatigued, but we cannot stop pushing. We owe it to every Nigerian to build a system that ensures their health security.

related to police station or the courts brought out a special side of him. If he had not been an entrepreneur and politician, he probably would have been a lawyer or a policeman. I saw him in action explaining legal concepts and quoting precedents. No lawyer could hoodwink him.

He would probably be the ęrst to ęgure out the technicalities of the case. He once asked me and someone to go to a police station to report a maĴer. He gave a summary of the statement that should be wriĴen and I simply marveled. He had a retinue of lawyers and he knew just who to consult on a variety of maĴers from real property to fundamental human rights. One PDP leader once told me: “That your man. He doesnȂt ever get tired of going to court. That is our real problem with him. Court. Court, every time. If you greet him and he takes oěence, he will go to court.Ȅ I found all that intriguing considering the fact that after the 2019 Gubernatorial elections, he and I had a meeting and he told me his plans for the future. He would not run for elective oĜce again, he said. He would rather concentrate on his businesses which were beginning to suěer at home and across the West frican region. He wanted to do three things: (a) build his LoĴery business into a more proętable venture across West frica, (2) re-organize and strengthen the Omo Ilu Foundation to support the grassroots, and (3) stockpile resources for the 2023 election, not for himself but to provide support for his political associates. On the third point though, he added a caveat. He said he would not support me to challenge Governor biodun because he cannot sponsor someone from Central to challenge an Ijebu man. “But donȂt worry, all of that depends on if Dapo biodun does well or not, and then we can sit down and re-strategize. In politics, everything is about strategy.Ȅ I told him my plan was to keep doing journalism, see if I can publish one or two books, and that before 2023, I intend to go back to school and get one more degree. He pretended as if he didnȂt hear what I said. He sent for drinks and asked if I wanted food. Then he started laughing: “ bati, you mean with all that you have read, you still want to go to school? What for? What do you want to prove? You donȂt want to set up business! You want to read more books?Ȅ He then told me the story of how a former wife of his once pushed him to do an Executive Programme at the University of Lagos. He said it was a harrowing experience. Every day in class was like a punishment. Every examination was like a death sentence! He said he used to sweat in class but he kept at it because that his wife would not allow him to drop out. He said he was relieved when the ordeal was over. “But do you know, my enemies even tried to use that against me, politically?Ȅ He was above all, a family man to the core. His young children who are below ten, will one day read about him. May lmighty llah grant him ljannah Firdaus.

For him, the journey is ended. Let the living worry about their future... t the Federal level, we have had strong political commitment and support as we respond to COVID-19. The Presidential Task Force has enabled collaboration and leadership at the highest level. Many states have begun to replicate this approach which has been even more critical as we move towards implementing a sustainable structure. The Nigeria overnorsȂ Forum has also played a key role in coordinating activities at the sub-national level and collaboration with the federal level. We have also had excellent support from national and global partners.

Many partners have been embedded within the national and state Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) to support the governmentȂs response. Our President has let science guide decision making and has been open in accepting the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force.

We have learned various lessons from this pandemic. Critically, this pandemic has shown how critical health investment is to national security - a message we have championed for years. Our health system has been stretched and we have worked very hard to adapt. But we must prepare beĴer for the next pandemic.

We must have the laboratory, emergency preparedness and response structures that can adapt very quickly in the event of another pandemic. In the meantime, we will continue puĴing in our best Ȯ within and outside oĜcial working hours.

We keep pushing… Ȋ ȱ £ ǰȱ Ȭ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱǻ Ǽ

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TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020 •T H I S D AY

TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2020 •T H I S D AY

LAWYER

A

WEEKLY PULLOUT

11.08.2020

AbdulGaniyu Folorunso AbdulRazaq OFR, SAN

AbdulRazaq, SAN: An Iconic Lawyer, a Man of Impressive Firsts

2/

11.08.2020

GUEST COLUMNIST

Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, FCIA kp@pinheirolp.com

$400 Million Chinese Railway Loan: Has Nigeria Truly Mortgaged its Sovereignty?

“IT IS MY VIEW THAT, THE WAIVER OF SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY CLAUSE HAS BEEN MISCONSTRUED. IT IS NOT NIGERIA’S DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY OR NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY THAT HAS BEEN WAIVED, IT IS ONLY THE COUNTRY’S IMMUNITY FROM ARBITRAL PROCEEDINGS THAT HAS BEEN WAIVED”

“Relinquishing apparent national sovereignty does not have to entail a loss of national sovereignty,o but can actually be a benefit…”

Ulrich Beck Introduction

Recently, the Nigerian political and economic space was unsettled by the concerns raised by a Committee of the House of Representatives, over the clause waiving the sovereign immunity of the country from arbitral proceedings and the enforcement of possible arbitral award in Article 8(1) of the $500 million Loan Agreement (“Loan Agreement”) executed by the Ministry of Finance on behalf of Nigeria and the Export –Import Bank of China for the Nigeria National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Infrastructure Backbone Phase II Project.

To many, including opposition political parties, the waiver of the sovereign immunity clause, is tantamount to ceding Nigeria’s sovereignty to China. In response to these concerns, the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi is reported in Thisday publication of 1st August, 2020 to have said that: “The waiving of immunity simply means in trade parlance, that I’m not giving you this loan free of charge…The Chinese can never come and take over Aso rock, and become President or Minister” The Minister’s opinion of the sovereign immunity clause, is in all fairness and by established principles of international law, correct.

The purpose of this article is therefore, to give a proper legal context to the statement of the Honourable Minister of Transportation.

The Concept of Sovereign Immunity Generally, as a principle of public international law, a sovereign State is deemed to be immune from legal proceedings (including arbitration) and/or any process of execution of judgement against its property, in the court of a foreign State.

This principle is premised basically on broad considerations of public policy, International law and comity, as well as on the dignity, equality and independence of States, rather than on any technical rules of law.

The immunity enjoyed by the sovereign State from legal proceedings or process of enforcement in a foreign State has been extended over the years to diplomatic missions of sovereign States, agencies of the State and its principal officers, such as the Head of State. The principle was first articulated by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Schooner Exchange v MacFaddon (1812) 7 Cranch 116 where Chief Justice Marshall opined as follows: “one Sovereign being is in no respect amenable to another; and being bound by obligations of the highest character not to degrade the dignity of his nation, by placing himself or its Sovereign rights within the Jurisdiction of another…”.

Sovereign immunity has since then, been applied in several cases such as the case of Compania Mercantil Argentina v United States Shipping Board (1924) 131 L.T 388, which was an action brought in the United Kingdom to recover freight overpaid to the United States Shipping Board. The action failed because the Board was held to be a department of State, and therefore, immune from such proceedings in a foreign State. See also: Swiss Israel Trade Bank v Government of Salta (1972) 1 Lloyd’s Rep.497.

The concept of sovereign immunity was initially enforced in its absolute nature referred to as, the theory of absolute sovereign immunity. By this approach, no sovereign State can be impleaded on any ground howsoever in the court of another State, without its express consent or unless the State agrees to waive its sovereign immunity.

However, with the increasing involvement of sovereign States in commercial activities and contracts with private entities in foreign countries, there has been a shift from the theory of absolute

Hon Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi

sovereign immunity to a more restrictive theory.

This restrictive theory seeks to draw a distinction between acts of a State which are done as public acts of government of the State (jure imperii), or acts of the State carried out for commercial purposes (jure gestionis). This application of the restrictive theory, unlike the absolute theory, does not accord sovereign immunity to a State party to a commercial agreement.

The first indication of this change of view to the restrictive theory was depicted in the case of Republic of Mexico v Hoffman (1945) 324 U.S 30 decided by the United States Supreme Court. In that case, the owner of an American fishing vessel instituted an action against a vessel owned by the Republic of Mexico, in the District Court for Southern California. In rejecting the claim of sovereign immunity, it was held that, there should be no immunity for ships owned and operated by a foreign State for ordinary trading purposes.

The United States official support for the restrictive theory was subsequently communicated

by Jack B Tate, of the department of Justice by a letter on the 19th of May, 1952 (“The Tate Letter”), to the effect that the restrictive approach will be the practice in the United States.

The case of Trendex Trading v Central Bank of Nigeria (1977) 1 Q.B 529 provides to us the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) attempt to rely on the principle of sovereign immunity to avoid the exercise of jurisdiction by the English court, in a claim against the bank for payments due in respect of letters of credit issued. In dismissing the claim of sovereign immunity raised by the CBN, it was held inter alia that, international law no longer recognises immunity from legal proceedings for a government department in respect of ordinary commercial transactions.

It must however, be understood that, the restrictive theory is not an affront on the immunity of a sovereign State, rather it is an avenue to ensure that commercial activities between private and State parties are carried out on level terms without the opportunity for any of the parties, particularly the sovereign, to avoid its obligations.

See the Nigerian case of Kramer Italo Ltd v Government of the Kingdom of Belgium & Anor (2004) 12 CLRN 93 at 103.

Only few countries such as China and Hong Kong, still adopt the theory of absolute sovereign immunity. Now to this Chinese loan agreement.

connection with any arbitration proceedings pursuant to Article 8(5) thereof, with the enforcement of any arbitral award pursuant thereto, except for military assets and diplomatic assets” A calm and careful consideration of Article 8(1) reveals that, the entitlement to a claim of sovereign immunity in respect of arbitral proceedings and enforcement of an arbitral award, has been expressly waived. Can this waiver be construed on the face of it as an act of ceding our national sovereignty to China?

I certainly do not think so, for reasons which I will explain briefly.

Firstly, by the clause, sovereign immunity is only waived in connection with arbitral proceedings that may arise in respect of the particular Loan Agreement. This does not mean that the Republic of China can on account of the waiver of immunity, proceed to denigrate the status of Nigeria as a sovereign State or treat Nigeria as its subordinate; rather, it precludes Nigeria from claiming immunity on grounds of its sovereignty in defeat of any arbitral proceedings commenced in connection with the Agreement. That is the implication. No more no less!

Furthermore, in relation to the assets and properties of Nigeria, the immunity waived by the clause does not grant China the right to, at any time of its own choosing, take any of the assets of Nigeria. Arbitral proceedings resulting in an award against Nigeria will still have to be conducted, before any of its assets can be attached or taken over by China.

More so, any asset of Nigeria upon which execution is levied by China pursuant to an arbitral Award arising from the Loan Agreement, can only be attached in relation to the recovery of the sum awarded and not for any other purpose.

It must be borne in mind as earlier stated, that China still observes the theory of absolute sovereign immunity and this must have, in my view, warranted the insertion of the waiver of sovereign immunity clause.

It is therefore, not unusual for the waiver of sovereign immunity clause to be inserted into the Loan Agreement with China. As demonstrated, it is in fact the usual practice in International law in transactions involving countries where the theory of absolute sovereign immunity is applicable.

Overview of the Article 8(1) of the Loan Agreement Although, the other details and terms of the Loan Agreement are as expected, not in the public domain, Article 8(1) of the Loan Agreement as reported by various news agencies and confirmed by members of government provides that: “the borrower hereby irrevocably waives any immunity on the grounds of sovereign or otherwise for itself or its property in

Recommendations However, I am of the firm view that Article 8(1) of the Loan Agreement under consideration is too wide. Granted that the provision of Article 8(1) is in itself in form of an exclusion clause, it is my opinion that the drafters ought to have extended the ambit of the exclusion further by limiting the scope of its application, particularly as it relates to properties or assets available for execution. Possible further exclusions that could

be made in this regard include: (1) Limiting the assets available to only mineral resources such as coal or other resources which are yet to be fully converted into commercial purposes in the country, to such extent as will satisfy the liability under the Award. This will in effect warrant the investment of more money

by China and development of infrastructure, as well as creation of more employment in the process of taking benefit of those resources.

(2) Excluding cash or funds held by a third party on behalf of Nigeria from such assets on which execution can be levied.

(3) Limiting the attachable assets to the particular infrastructure for which purpose the loan was obtained, as in the instant scenario - the railway to be constructed e.g the operation or collection of fares for the use of the railway for a number of years.

(4) Make enforcement subject to ratification by an Act of Parliament in Nigeria or by way of appropriation in the Nigeria’s budget for a succeeding year.

Conclusion It is my view that, the waiver of sovereign immunity clause has been misconstrued. It is not Nigeria’s diplomatic immunity or national sovereignty that has been waived, it is only the country’s immunity from arbitral proceedings that has been waived. See the case of Kramer Italo Ltd v Government of the Kingdom of Belgium & Anor (Supra). The Committee of the House of Representatives that raised those concerns, are in my opinion, either politically mischievous or acted without an understanding of the contractual implications of the clause. Nigeria has neither ceded nor mortgaged its sovereignty to China

by Article 8(1) of the Loan Agreement with China. Rather, in consonance with current trend in International Law, Nigeria may be impleaded in arbitral proceedings in China, in respect of the commercial Loan Agreement.

I must also at this juncture align myself with pundits that have advocated for a more thorough and clinical review of international agreements to be executed on behalf of Nigeria, as this will avoid unfavourable consequences in future as we have in the past experienced.

LAW REPORT/3

Effect of Failure to Itemise Legal Practitioner’s Bill of Costs with Particularity Facts The Respondent, a legal practitioner, instituted an action against his client, a certain Chief Mrs. J.A. Thompson (“Chief Thompson”), claiming the sum of N450,000.00, being his professional fees for the legal documentation in respect of the purchase of a property. He also sought pre and post-judgement interest, as well as general damages.

Upon service of the process on Chief Thompson, she filed a Statement of Defence, but did not attend the court proceedings and trial in the suit. Judgement was given in favour of the Respondent.

Subsequently, Chief Thompson applied that the judgement be set aside, for failure to serve Summons for Directions and hearing notices on her. The application was granted, and the suit was set down for hearing on the merit.

At the conclusion of the second trial written addresses were filed by the parties, and it was contended by Chief Thompson that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit because Bill of Charges was not served on her as provided in Section 16(1) and (2) of the Legal Practitioners Act (LPA).

The trial court dismissed the suit, for lack of jurisdiction.

The Respondent, who was dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court, successfully challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal. Hence, Chief Thompson appealed to the Supreme Court, but died before the appeal could be heard and was substituted by the Appellants listed above. Honourable Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, JSC Issues for Determination The issues considered by the Apex Court in its determination of the appeal were: (i) Whether the Court of Appeal was right to have held that the letters of demand (Exhibits GA 4 and GA 5) issued by the Respondent satisfied the statutory requirement for the issuance of a Bill of Charges by a legal practitioner, before instituting an action in court for recovery of professional fees. (ii) Whether the Court of Appeal was right to have awarded pre-judgement interest, contrary to the principle laid down in the case of EKWUNIFE v WAYNE (W.A.) LTD. (1989) 5 NWLR (Pt. 122) 422. (iii) Whether the Court of Appeal was right to have awarded general damages against the Appellants, when there was no evidence in support of this head claim. (iv) Whether the Court of Appeal was right in awarding the sum of N450,000.00 as the first head of claim, when there was evidence that a part payment of N20,000.00 had been made by the Appellants to the Respondent.

Arguments On the first issue, it was submitted on behalf of the Appellants that the letters of demand issued by the Respondent, do not constitute Bills of Charges as required

by Section 16(2) of the LPA. He submitted that the Court of Appeal wrongly relied on the case of OYEKANMI v NEPA (2000) 15 NWLR (Pt. 690) 414, and erred in holding that there was substantial compliance with the LPA. Further, he contended that there was no compliance with Section 16(2)(b) of the LPA, as regards the length of notice given before instituting the action. He argued that the computation of the one month notice period should commence from the date of the last letter of demand, as the earlier letter is deemed discountenanced. Counsel stated that the date of the last letter of demand (Exhibit GA 5) was 23rd April, 2001 and the action was commenced on 16th May, 2001. He concluded that with the Respondent’s failure to serve a Bill of Charges and to give one month notice before instituting the action, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

In response, Counsel for the Respondent relied on the decision of OYEKANMI v NEPA (supra), where the Supreme Court held that, failure to itemise a Bill of Charges with particularity will not amount to non-compliance with the law, provided sufficient information is provided as to services rendered and the amount of money earned.

He stated that the letters gave sufficient particulars of the work done, and the entitlement to the agreed fee.

He also submitted that the essence of the provisions of Section 16(2)(a) of the LPA, is to ensure that the client has sufficient information about the bill and is afforded an opportunity to contest it. The Counsel posited that Exhibit GA 4 was the primary letter of demand, which was served on the Appellant over a period of one month before commencing the action, while Exhibit GA 5 was a reminder. He urged the court to hold that, the Respondent gave sufficient notice thereby.

Arguing the second issue, the Appellants contended that the Respondent was not entitled to an award of pre-judgement interest, in the absence pleadings and evidence of parties’ agreement in that regard. Responding,

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 8th day of May, 2020 Before Their Lordships

Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili Olukayode Ariwoola Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun John Inyang Okoro Amina Adamu Augie Justices, Supreme Court SC.359/2007 Between 1.

2.

Abubakar Omolaja Thompson Mrs. Basiratu Simisola Danjuma

Appellants

And Gbenga Akingbehin (Operating under the name and style of Gbenga Akingbehin & Co.) …

Respondent

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, JSC)

counsel argued on behalf of the Respondent, that the case of EKWUNIFE v WAYNE (W.A.) LTD. (supra) supports his contention that he is entitled to claim pre-judgement interest as of right having regard to the fiduciary relationship

between the parties, and that the claim is justified under contemporary business best practices and mercantile custom.

On the third issue, Counsel argued that in addition to interest, the Court of Appeal awarded general damages.

“........WHILE AN ITEMISED BILL OF COSTS AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 16(2)(A) OF THE ACT IS DESIRABLE, FAILURE TO ITEMISE THE BILL OF COSTS WITH PARTICULARITY WOULD NOT RENDER IT A NULLITY......

THE COURT LOOKS TO THE SUBSTANCE, RATHER THAN THE FORM”

He conceded that general damages are awarded at the court’s discretion, but that the discretion in this case was not exercised judicially or judiciously. He relied on the case of USHAE v C.O.P. (2005) 2 NWLR (Pt. 937) 508 in support of his position that the award of general damages in this case, amounts to double compensation, and urged the Supreme Court to set aside the award or reduce it substantially. Counsel for the Respondent argued contrariwise, stating that an award of damages is within the discretion of the court, and an appellate court would only interfere where the lower court’s exercise of discretion was manifestly wrong, arbitrary, reckless and injudicious. He argued that, these conditions do not apply in this case.

Regarding the fourth issue, counsel referred to Exhibit GA 4 where the Respondent admitted that the Appellants had made a part-payment out of the sum claimed, and contended that the Court of Appeal erred in awarding the total sum claimed. Responding to the submission above, counsel for the Respondent stated that the issue does not arise from the ground which the issue is said to have been distilled from, and urged the court to disregard it.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale Deciding the first issue, the Supreme Court held that the following three conditions must be met before a legal practitioner can commence an action for his fee: (i) he must prepare a Bill of Charges or a bill for the charges which must particularise the principal items of his claim; (ii) he must serve his client with the bill; and (iii) he must allow a period of one month to elapse from the date the bill was served - OYEKANMI v NEPA (supra). Nonetheless, while an itemised Bill of Costs as required by Section 16(2)(a) of the Act is desirable, failure to itemise the Bill of Costs with particularity would not render it a nullity, for non-conformity with the said provisions. In other words, the court looks to the substance, rather than the form. The court held that although Exhibits GA 4 and GA 5 were headed demand letters, it is evident from their contents that the assignments undertaken by the Respondent and the fees charged were particularised therein. Their Lordships concluded that there was sufficient compliance with Section 16(2)(a) of the LPA, as regards the preparation and service of a Bill of Charges. Further, the court found that the Respondent issued Exhibit GA 4 on 1st March, 2001, which period was over a month before the action was instituted on 16th May 2001, and that same was not cancelled by Exhibit GA 5 which was issued subsequently. Consequently, the filing of the suit was in compliance with Section 16(2)(b) of the LPA and therefore, competent.

On the second issue, the Supreme Court re-stated the two circumstances in which interest may be awarded on a debt as stipulated in the case of EKWUNIFE v WAYNE (W.A.) LTD. (supra) are (i) as of right; and (ii) where there is a power conferred by statute to do so in exercise of the court’s discretion. Where interest is claimed as of right, entitlement to it must be claimed on the writ, pleaded in the statement of claim, and its determination depends on the evidence before the court. In this case, there is no pleading in support of the claim for pre-judgement interest.

With respect to the third issue, the Supreme Court held that general damages are damages that the law will presume to be the natural consequence of a Defendant’s act. It need not be specifically pleaded or proven by evidence, but the law frowns at double compensation.

Where a party has been sufficiently compensated for a wrong under one head of claim, it would amount to double compensation to grant an award for the same injury under a different head. The court concluded that with the award of post judgement interest, the award of general damages amounts to double compensation.

Deciding the fourth issue, the court held that an issue for determination in an appeal must be distilled from a ground or grounds of appeal, and any issue that does not arise from a ground of appeal is incompetent and liable to be struck out. Agreeing with the submission of the Respondent, the court found that the fourth issue was not formulated from any Ground of Appeal, and same was thereby, struck out.

Appeal Allowed in Part.

Representation George Ibekwe Esq. with S.A. Hundu, Esq. and Christiana John, Esq. for the Appellants O.O. Olowolafe, Esq. with I.T. Momoh, Esq. for the Respondent.

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

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AbdulRazaq, SAN: An Iconic Law AbdulGaniyu Folorunso AbdulRazaq OFR, SAN meant many things to many people. His streak of ‘firsts’, is impressive. From being the first Lawyer from the Northern Region to the first Senior Advocate from Northern Nigeria and the first Kwara State Commissioner for Finance. His passage on July 25, 2020 at the age of 93, elicited tears and encomia. In this Special Edition to honour this quintessential gentleman and iconic Lawyer, the Emir of Ilorin, His Highness, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR, Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu CON, SAN, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Seyi Sowemimo, SAN, Chief P.A.O. Olorunnisola, SAN, Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, Kayode Sofola, SAN, Asue Ighodalo and his first son, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq, pay tribute to ‘AGF’ as he was fondly called by his peers. May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus Tribute from the Royal Throne

orthodox ‘Baba’, to reflect affection.

Babaa had a special place in his heart, for everyone. He religiously called or sent birthday cards and presents us on our birthdays, he never missed a birthday. He was a loving , caring, compassionate, but firm father. He was a stickler for time; we all had to be at the dining table for lunch or dinner with the best table manners.

Babaa’s signature sartorial elegance was fetching, whether in a suit and tie, enrobed, or indeed, in his babanriga (agbada) with his trademark Zanna cap tilted 40°. Whenever he took an international flight, he was always immaculately dressed in a suit and tie.

Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, Emir of Ilorin

AGF Abdul-Razaq: An Inspiration and Mentor lhaji AGF Abdul-Razaq was a father to me. I have known him from my childhood, as far back as 1956/57. I recollect vividly that when I was a secondary school student at Offa Grammar School, he used to visit our school, and he caught our admiration. As a matter of fact, the first time I saw him wearing his wig and gown as a young Lawyer, I was so fascinated that, there and then, I became inspired and made up my mind that I was also going to become a Lawyer like him. He was, therefore, an inspiration to me, as well as a mentor.

I have not met many of his type, who consistently love their people and the glorious heritage they represent, so passionately; he was acutely aware and proud of his rich socio-cultural background, and always ready to project it. We are so proud of him as a Lawyer who set the pace in this noble profession, not only in Ilorin, but in the entire Northern Nigeria.

Alhaji AGF Abdul-Razaq belonged to the youths in the 1960s when the nationalist movement was at its feverish peak, and got indoctrinated into nationalism through the platform of the Northern People’s Congress. He played very active roles in some of the constitutional conferences, preceding Nigeria’s independence and he served on the Constitution Drafting Committee set up by the military government to prepare a draft Constitution for Nigeria’s Second Republic. I can recollect vividly that he defended his friend, late Dr. Olusola Saraki, in a litigation involving Societe Generale Bank at a time. I was then on the Bench. I found him to be a sound advocate.

More significantly, in his capacity as Chairman of the Body of Benchers and a Senior Advocate, he mentored and inspired many in the legal profession.

A

A Public Administrator AGF Abdul-Razaq was also well versed in public administration. He proved his political mettle when he contested and became a member of the Northern House of Assembly, and thereafter rose to be appointed to represent his country as an Ambassador to Ivory Coast. He also contested and won election into the Federal House of Representatives, and from there became a Cabinet Minister of State for Transport during Nigeria’s First Republic, before the 1966 coup.

Alhaji Abdul-Razaq did a lot for the Ilorin Emirate. First, he greatly contributed to provoking the political awareness of the people of Ilorin, in particular, and Kwara State in general, before and after the country’s political independence. At the Willink Commission’s sitting in 1957, to address issues concerning the fears of minority groups in Nigeria, he led the Emirate’s representatives; and argued vehemently against the agitation for the merger of the then Ilorin Province with Western Nigeria.

An Educationist In the realm of educational development, he, of his own accord, established a school, Ilorin College, Ilorin, in 1967. That school was later taken over by the government. The most significant thing, however, is that with his investment in the

How I became a Lawyer I became a Lawyer in 1978 not by accident, but by deliberate design. In applying to University in 1974, I had to state three choices of undergraduate courses, and I picked Law, Architecture and Economics, in that order. Upon showing him my application form, Babaa sternly told me to fill a fresh form with Law only as my three preferences, thus, just giving the University no option but Law. He went on to “warn” his friend the late Professor Albert Ogunsola of the Ahmadu Bello University, that if I was offered any course other than Law, he would send me off to England to study Law at his alma mater Trinity College, University of Dublin.

I believe it was one of his happiest days when I was called to the Bar, as he presided over the Call Dinner as a Bencher. At the last count, three of his children and eight of his nephews and nieces are Lawyers , one of whom is a Professor of Tax Law.

AbdulGaniyu Folorunso AbdulRazaq OFR, SAN

education sector, he has succeeded in impacting the future. Today, many of the products of the school he established over five decades ago, are great men and women who have made significant contributions in many areas of human endeavour. We cannot quantify his contributions to the educational development of this Emirate, as he has also made significant input in several other areas of the educational development of this Emirate at the secondary and tertiary levels.

His Family There is no way we can discuss about AbdulRazaq without talking about his family. His spouse, Hajia Raliat Abdul-Razaq is my mother.

In the area of contributing to the educational development of Kwara State, she teamed up

“ALHAJI ABDUL-RAZAQ COULD BE DESCRIBED AS AN ACCOMPLISHED MAN IN SEVERAL RAMIFICATIONS - A GREAT MENTOR AND A GENUINE ELDER STATESMAN. HE WAS A HUMBLE AND GOD-FEARING GENTLEMAN.....”

with her husband to co-establish the Ilorin College, Ilorin (which is now Government High School).

It is also gratifying to note particularly that, among his illustrious children, the current Governor of Kwara State is the son of this great man.

Because he contributed so significantly to the development of Ilorin, the ninth Emir conferred on him the title of Mutawali of Ilorin in 1962. In that capacity, he became adviser to the whole of Ilorin Emirate. That honour, was in recognition of his commitment to community service.

In all, Alhaji Abdul-Razaq could be described as an accomplished man in several ramifications - a great mentor and a genuine elder statesman.

He was a humble and God-fearing gentleman, who was never known to be associated with noise-making nor trouble-making at any time.

His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Kwara State Traditional Council

A Tribute to my Father, Alhaji A.G.F. AbdulRazaq, SAN Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq The death of any individual, is a loss to humanity.

The passing away of my father on the 25th of July, 2020, was a personal and family loss. It is the kind of experience, that lasts a lifetime. My father died at the age of 93 years. We thank Allah for his long life, but the grief felt is that of a love everlasting from a child to his father, and with his death our existence will never be the same as we come to grasps with the reality of the situation; but press on I must, to do the needful, say a few words about our father Alhaji AGF AbdulRazaq or ‘Babaa‘ as we all affectionately called him, is pronounced with a prolonged emphasis on the latter vowel, a variation to the

Babaa’s Friends Babaa was very hard-working, frugal, versatile and generous. He paid attention to every detail, and had an encyclopaedic knowledge. He loved the law, the courts, and he loved reading. He made friends, both in the inner and outer Bar. He enjoyed the company of good friends such as the late Chief FRA Williams, SAN and Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN ; he enjoyed engaging young minds at law, l recall his earnest interest in the career of the young aspiring Asue Ighodalo who was his neighbour at Okupe Estate, Maryland, Lagos .

In the capital/ financial markets, his friends ranged from Chief Chris Ogunbanjo and Prof Green Nwankwo to the young Yemi Cardoso and Mohammed Hayatudeen. He took to Aliko Dangote like father to a son, and counselled him to join the Stock Exchange along with his companies.

In education, his friends were the late Profs Babs Fafunwa and late Prof Akinkungbe whom he urged to take up the challenge to help establish the University College, Ilorin as the first Principal, (the precursor to University of Ilorin).

In politics, he was legal counsel to the late Sardauna, Sir Ahmadu Bello and NPC Legal Adviser. Babaa’s confidantes included the late President Shehu Shagari, late Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim and late Alhaji Buhari Edun. He was a mentor to many. I recall Ms Amina Mohammed (now UN Deputy Secretary General ) telling me how Babaa kept her on her toes whilst she was a Special Adviser in the Presidency several years ago.

In early 1960s Babaas chambers and home in Zaria were not far from to the Nigerian Army Depot, he regularly had young officers stop by cont'd on page 5

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yer, a Man of Impressive Firsts “IT IS HEARTWARMING THAT ALHAJI ABDULRAZAQ LIVED UP TO ALL EXPECTATIONS, AS HE IS LEAVING BEHIND AN UNBLEMISHED REPUTATION FOR UPRIGHTNESS, AND A LEGACY OF LEGAL PRACTICE MARKED

BY INDUSTRY AND SELFLESS SERVICE. HE WAS AN ACCOMPLISHED ADVOCATE.....”

for a chat including a certain Lt Odumegwu Ojukwu whose mother owned the Jubilee Hotel opposite our Zaria home. Babaa as one of the only three Lawyers then, who had law chambers in the entire Northern Nigeria, so he had to traverse the whole region by road handling many cases.

Babaa: A Man of Destiny He was man of destiny as he survived three potentially fatal accidents. First, as he was going to resume school at Buguma in the 1942, his canoe capsized leaving everyone but him dead; he survived luckily by clinging on to a floating piece of wood as he couldn’t swim. Second, in 1959 driving his Volkswagen Beetle on his way back to his Zaria base after a case in Ilorin, he crashed into the steel barrier of the Jebba railroad bridge to avoid an oncoming train, and almost plunged into the River Niger. Third, in 1971, he was run over by a speeding trailer, whilst crossing Apapa Oshodi Expressway to pick up his car being serviced at RT Briscoe. He was pulled from under the trailer with only a scratch on his cheek and fingers. Needless to mention his narrow escape from the violent 1965 ‘wet i e’ Western region riots and his fortuitous avoidance of being assassinated as a Federal Minister during the January 16, 1966 coup d’tat.

Babaa went on to fulfil his destiny, not only in law and business, but also in politics. He was a man of many firsts and several outstanding achievements. He was a participant in every constitutional conference from 1957, became a Parliamentarian, Minister, Ambassador and Commissioner. He served on the Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange for over two decades, and became its President. He has indeed, left us big shoes to fill.

The secret of longevity it is said, lies in one’s genes, the environment and one’s lifestyle. Genes - Babaa lived slightly longer than his parents; environment - he eventually voted with his feet to leave his beloved Lagos after two robbery attacks at home in 2006, for the relatively safer climes of Asokoro Abuja, Lifestyle - Babaa read, worked and prayed daily, he was a teetotaller, ate healthily. The real secret was his exercise regimen - the Canadian Airforce exercise which he did religiously every morning, for over 50 years. I hope that in these short snippets, there are lessons therein .

We will miss Babaa sorely, but none more than our mother ‘Mamaa’, Alhaja Raliat AbdulRazaq, his wife for 64 years who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. We pray her the strength to bear this loss.

There are many parts to Babaa, many stories many anecdotes ,many historical milestones witnessed by him but as Thomas Carlyle said “the history of the world is but the biography of great men”; In Sha Allah his biography, titled “AGF ABDULRAZAQ :The Adventures of Northern Nigeria’s Pioneer Lawyer” authored

by Prof S A Ajayi of the University of Ibadan, will be published by the end of the year.

The entire Family is indeed, overwhelmed, honoured and deeply appreciates the tributes and messages of condolence received since his passage, a true testimony to a life well lived.

May Allah SWT grant Babaa Aljannah Firdaus.

Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq

Tribute to Alhaji AGF Abdulrazaq Lateef Olufemi Okunnu CON, SAN I first met Alhaji A. G. F Abdul Razaq soon after his admission to the Nigerian Bar on 1 April, 1955. The occasion was on a courtesy visit to my father at our family house, along with his wife, Hajia Raliat. I was at that time preparing to travel to London to study law, either at Mr. Abdul Razaq’s old College, Trinity College, Dublin or my final choice, University College, London. The courtesy visit was in appreciation of the role of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria played in the young Lawyer’s education. I was very happy to meet with the newly enrolled Lawyer - the

AbdulGaniyu Folorunso AbdulRazaq OFR, SAN

first Barrister - at - Law of the Inner Temple and Legal Practitioner of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from the Northern Region of Nigeria.

Hadj Abdul Razaq’s early education, prepared him as a model Nigerian. Born in Ilorin in 1927, he attended schools at Onitsha, Buguma and Lagos.

His political carrier began as a Legal Adviser to the Northern Peoples’ Congress at preIndependence Constitutional Conferences in London and Lagos.

He was Nigerian's Ambassador to Ivory Coast (1962 - 1964), a junior Minister in Malam Tafawa Balewa’s Government (1964 - 196)6), and held various ministerial posts as a Commissioner in Kwara State during the Gowon era when we renewed our friendship.

We served on the Constitution Drafting Committee, 1975/1976, which recommended the presidential system of government for the country.

He was admitted to Inner Bar as SAN in 1985.

Besides his successful legal practice, he was at a time, the Chairman of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

What a remarkable man!

A Nigerian Patriot to the core, speaking fluent Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo!

In an Age when you are either Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Tiv, Ibibio or Edo, A. G. F. Abdul Razaq stood out as part of a few nationalists.

- A dying race – whose dream of a Nigeria in Unity and Strength is yet to gain power in Nigeria.

May Allah admit “AGF” into Aljanna.

Lateef Olufemi Okunnu CON, SAN

Obituary Tribute for Alhaji AbdulRazaq, SAN

University College, Ibadan, the progenitor of the University of Ibadan. From the Higher College, Yaba, Abdul went to Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) to study law, returning home to Nigeria later as the first qualified Nigerian Lawyer of northern origin. He had a stint in legal practice, in politics and governance. He was a minister in the Tafawa Balewa government, at the time of the January 1966 coup.

Abdul and I kept our relationship alive, from our secondary school days. I was in Ilorin in 1997 to deliver the first A.G.F. AbdulRazaq Annual Lecture in Law and Public Policy under the title Decolonising and Democratising the Constitution in Africa. By his death, Nigeria has lost a truly learned gentleman, a polished politician, completely detribalised Nigerian, and an elder statesman.

May his noble soul rest in perfect peace.

Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN

Tribute to Alhaji AGF AbdulRazaq OFR, SAN Seyi Sowemimo, SAN Alhaji Abdul Ganiiyu Folorunsho Abdul Razaq SAN, OFR, who died recently at the age of 93 years, had the laudable reputation of being the first Lawyer from the Northern part of Nigeria.

That unique achievement carried with it the huge burden of being a pioneer and role model for aspiring Lawyers from that Region, as well as other junior Lawyers in general. The glory of that achievement however, came with the burden of having to satisfy numerous demands to render public service, by having to represent the Region in several capacities and also take up several political appointments, soon after his call to the Bar.

Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN I have been confined in bed for a long time by multiple illnesses of a crippling nature - that is the condition of health in which I was, when in the morning of yesterday 3rd August, 2020 I received from Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq the devastating news about the death of his father, Alhaji AbdulRazaq, SAN, a dear old friend of mine.

Abdul and I had been together as students in secondary school in Onitsha in the 1940s; he was our senior prefect in 1948. He was a very brilliant student as demonstrated by his passing the highly competitive entrance examination for the Higher College, Yaba, the only Tertiary Institution of higher learning in Nigeria at the time, which later metamorphosed into the

His Achievements and Legacy It is heartwarming that Alhaji AbdulRazaq lived up to all expectations, as he is leaving behind an unblemished reputation for uprightness, and a legacy of legal practice marked by industry and selfless service. He was an accomplished advocate, who combined a love of the law with that passion for public service. His achievements, over a period of 65 years dating from his call to the English Bar in 1955 are quite remarkable.

They include: (i) Member, National Executive Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, (1956) - an appointment which came just a year after his call to the English Bar in 1955. (ii) Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Ivory Coast 1962-1964.

(iii) Member of all Constitutional Conferences for Nigeria (1957 – 1978). (iv) Member, House of Representatives/ Federal Executive Council (1965 – 1966). (v) Member Kwara State Executive Council (1967 – 1972). (vi) Foundation life member and former Chairman, Body of Benchers. (vii) Member of the International Commission of Jurists. (viii) President, Nigerian Stock Exchange (2000 – 2003). (ix) Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

To crown these laudable achievements, he was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1985. The above accomplishments attest to a versatile professional life, which is further enriched by his exertions through legal publications which include DAN ADAM DA SHARI (A treatise on law in Hausa Language 1957) and DEMOKRATIYA – How to govern a modern state (A treatise on Constitutional Law in English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo Languages 2002).

I recall I was jointly briefed with him about 1996 by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, to defend the company at an Arbitration initiated by Sea Trucks Nigeria Limited. The dispute involved several contract documents. In the course of the work, I was struck by his penchant for thoroughness and aptitude for hard work.

His death is another sad depletion from the ranks of those class of Lawyers who were called to the Bar in the fifties, and who helped to lay a solid foundation for the growth of the legal profession in Nigeria. Alhaji AGF AbdulRazaq will for long be remembered for his invaluable services to the legal profession, and to the country.

Seyi Sowemimo, SAN

Tribute to AGF Chief P.A.O. Olorunnisola, SAN I was in the Nigeria Law School in 1969 when I heard that Lawyer Abdulganiyu Folorunso Abdulrazaq (AGF) was offered an appointment to the Bench in Northern Nigeria. He never took up the appointment. I did not know him at that time, but only heard that he was the first Lawyer in Northern Nigeria.

Our Meeting I finished at the Nigeria Law School and started my legal practice in Ilorin, Kwara State. In November 1972, I was appointed Commissioner by the Kwara State Governor, late Brigadier-General cont' on page 6

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6/COVER

ABDULRAZAQ, SAN: AN ICONIC LAWYER, A MAN OF IMPRESSIVE FIRSTS

cont'd from page 5

D.L. Bamigboye. This was my first opportunity of seeing and meeting late Abdulganiyu Folorunso Abdulrazaq, AGF as he was fondly called. He was the Commissioner for Health. He was a handsome fair completion well built man, whose physique and appearance must have been tempting to women.

A Gentleman to the Core He was a gentleman to the core. When we were in the cabinet together he had an amiable disposition, quiet, jovial and with the presence of mind. His contribution to discussions in council meetings, was a demonstration of high intellectual capacity. He would analyse the subject critically, to the admiration of members.

He was a focused man, who had no time for frivolities. As a young Lawyer of about 3 years post call then, I admired him and was proud of him as a Lawyer worthy of emulation. He left quite an enviable legacy in the Ministry where he served.

My subsequent opportunity to meet him after that, was in my legal practice in Ilorin after my service at the Kwara State Government ended with the military coup of 1975. AGF was back at his base in Lagos, where he had established his legal practice and business. He used to come to Ilorin, to prosecute his clients’ cases in the court. That afforded me to see him in legal practice. I got close to him, and learnt the rudiments of legal practice. I learnt more about how to draft defence and grounds of appeal, in such a way that one could cover all imaginable details. More importantly, was his approach to issues, his seriousness at the work, his concentration, his comportment, his cool and calmness at the practice. He was never ruffled. He was always the master of all situations. It is quite amazing that a man who had travelled far and wide and had held various political offices, still managed to hold himself when others were losing their heads.

The private secondary school which he established in Ilorin, is a testimony to his flair for education. He never spent his earnings on buying popularity. The school was taken over by the Kwara State Government, as was the education policy of the State Government with all private schools. I know the school very well, because my wife and my junior brother taught at the school at various times.

Abdulganiyu Folorunso Abdulrazaq was a man endowed with wisdom, integrity and intellect. I believe that, God has enabled him to leave behind offspring like him.

Chief P.A.O. Olorunnisola, SAN

A Legal Titan who lives Forever: AGF AbdulaRazaq, SAN Alhaji Abdul Ganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRasaq, SAN lived a most resourceful, impactful and fulfilled life, and died at the ripe age of 93 years old. He was a former Chairman of the Body of Benchers.

I first met him in 1980, shortly after my NYSC year in Ilorin, Kwara. Before then, I had read so much about him as a State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice. My immediate bosses, Honourable Justice Isa Ayo Salami and Mallam Ayinla Laaro, had, at different times, educated me about his pioneering status in legal practice in Northern Nigeria, and how his achievements had produced scores of Lawyers.

When I met him, he asked casually that I should appear with him in a case before Honourable Justice Saidu Kawu. He gave me the case file, and I gave him my research on precedents and legal opinion as juniors were expected to do then. He later asked me to conclude the matter, and he won. He was a role model to many young persons all over the Northern Nigeria.

His advocacy, with Queens English diction captured so many juniors, and persuaded Judges before whom he appeared.

The Advocate He imbibed every known culture of English Barristers, and very thorough in cross-examination. He had complete control of the facts and the law of his cases. He had the memory of an elephant. He was an epitome of the very best tradition of the Bar. In 1991, he led me, as the Chairman of the NBA Ilorin Branch, to present a catalogue of requests concerning the Kwara Judiciary to the then Military Administration of Kwara State. His presence was a magic wand. The Military Governor immediately granted all his requests.

He detested executive lawlessness, recklessness and abuse of government powers. He was bold to say it anywhere. When the then Chief Judge of Kwara State, Hon Justice Raliat Elelu Habeeb, was removed unconstitutionally by Governor Bukola Saraki and his collaborative House of Assembly, he personally instructed me to file an action to challenge the unlawful and reckless abuse of the Constitutional powers of the Executive.

The Supreme Court gave judgement in favour of Hon Justice Elelu Habeeb, and finally sealed off such illegal actions. The case today, remains the Locus Classicus on the security of the tenure of the Chief Judge of the State Judiciary.

He will forever live in our mind as the pioneer legal Icon, who reproduced himself in several thousands in Nigeria.

Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, Life Bencher

Tribute to Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdulrazaq, SAN The passing of Alhaji AbdulRazaq signifies the end of an era, a golden era of the legal profession in Nigeria, characterised by

L-R: Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Galadima, Hon. Inuwa Wada and Hon. AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq, Ministers of State for Army, Defence and Railways respectively, 1963

quintessential professionals - exemplified by Papa. The leaders of the profession from that period were cut from a rare cloth, nationalists who evaluated important issues without reference to ethnicity and religious affiliation. Papa was one of these great men and a dear friend of my late father, Kehinde Sofola, SAN, CON. His Journey Papa’s life journey carried him across the breadth of Nigeria. He was born in Onitsha (South-East), but hailed from Ilorin (North-Central), he had his secondary education in Buguma (South-South), and then attended University of Ibadan (South-West). He launched his legal career in Kaduna and Zaria (North-West), was made the National Legal Adviser of the then Northern People’s Congress (NPC) in Maiduguri (North-East), and lived and worked in Lagos! He was fluent in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. A politician, business man, a legal luminary, he was indeed, many things in one and in all those things, he was an exemplary Nigerian.

It is not far reaching to say that the legal profession and indeed, Nigeria itself, owes gratitude to Papa for the life of service his patriotism led him to live. In the pre-independence era, he was one of the young and educated Nigerians who confederated with the elderly Nationalists, to secure independence for Nigeria in 1960. A legal luminary, a Jurist, an Ambassador, a law maker, a political representative, a Minister of the Federal Republic, a President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and a Chairman of the Nigerian Council on Human Rights. The list of avenues of service is as accomplished as it is varied, a simply inspirational catalogue of dedication to the greater good, to the rule of law, and the promise of the country he held dear.

His Sartorial Elegance On a lighter note, I remember Papa fondly for his sartorial elegance. The particular manner in which he donned his cap when wearing national attire, perched at a precise angle denoting the confidence of accomplishments and a clear joi de vivre, relayed with panache and charming youthful zest.

Kwara State and the nation at large, could hardly have produced a more accomplished and inspirational man. He was without any iota of doubt, unique among his peers, with a simply unbeatable catalogue of feathers in his cap. His versatility, exposure, vast knowledge of law and resources, were instrumental in advancing regional and national progress.

Today, the family’s name is a household name in Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole, due to the exemplary life and accomplishments of Papa.

“A POLITICIAN, BUSINESS MAN, A LEGAL LUMINARY, HE WAS INDEED, MANY THINGS IN ONE AND IN ALL THOSE THINGS, HE WAS AN EXEMPLARY NIGERIAN”

He is survived by his wife and children, who can correctly be described as a fitting testament to his legacy, resoundingly successful in their various fields of endeavour.

Papa will be greatly missed.

May His soul rest in Al-Jannah Firdaus!

Kayode Sofola, SAN

My Baba Asue Ighodalo Baba had a very kind heart. He was gentle, fatherly and humble. Sitting and talking with him, you would never know that this is “the” Alhaji Abdul Ganiyu Abdul-Razaq, SAN, OFR, of the many “Firsts Fame”. A man who was an important part of Nigeria’s history, an accomplished statesman, distinguished Lawyer, cerebral Philosopher, a lover of Nigeria, who worked to achieve a first world Nigeria, where no man is oppressed and all its constituent parts lived together in harmony as one.

Our Conversations Baba was my neighbour for a decade, from the early 90s in the pristine, idyllic well-manicured Abdul Razaq Close. He had a lot of time for me especially on Saturday mornings, when we would talk about any and everything. Our recent political history; the individual thinking of our founding fathers in the push towards independence; how and why things turned out the way they did; the mistakes of their generation; what we need to do to reverse the trend; deep philosophy; classical music; the evolution of the Nigerian Bar; the softer issues of life- marriage and parenting.

Baba’s Personality Baba was deep. Understated, but deep. A wonderful counsellor and a good listener. On those Saturday mornings, I shared with him my fears and dreams as a young husband and a growing Lawyer. He would nod, smile and then talk, sharing, without reservation, from his deep reservoir. Talking to me, the adopted son.

Baba was strong and brave. I remember the evening armed robbers defiled the serenity of our Close and Baba’s reaction to their threat, his bravery saved Abdul Rahaman’s life.

I remember the day in July 2002, when I told Baba I was leaving the quietude of our Close for the hurly burly and noise of the Island and my reasons which I thought were well articulated; Baba said to me, “ my son, as a man you must always properly consider and think through whatever you want to do, and after proper reflection, proceed to act firmly without doubt. Go with God and I will miss you”. I had a tear in my eye.

Baba was spartan, but generous and kind. He had the kind of reach very few Nigerians could ever have.

Baba, I apologise that I wasn’t as dutiful communicating in recent times, I am sorry Sir, the loss is mine. I thank you for your kindness, I thank you for your time, and I thank you for your kind words.

May Almighty forgive you all your sins, and accept you into His bosom in the life after.

Alimi, thank you so much for taking and introducing me to Baba in May 1985, when I needed a Bencher to propose me to the Bar. God bless you always, my Baba. Goodnight Sir. Asue Ighodalo

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Legality of Waiver of Sovereign Immunity Clauses in International Contracts So much frenzy and hysteria has gripped the intellectual and political space of Nigeria, and possibly beyond, over the clause waiving Nigeria’s sovereign immunity in the 2018 rail construction contract executed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Export-Import Bank of China. In this piece, Learned Senior Advocate, Sebastine Hon, seeks to clarify the issues surrounding the controversy.

T

he Concept of Sovereign Immunity and its History The concept or doctrine of sovereign immunity, according to the US Supreme Court in Nevada v Hall, 440 U.S. 410, 414 (1979), is an amalgam of two quite distinct concepts. The Court reasoned thus: The doctrine of sovereign immunity is an amalgam of two quite different concepts, one applicable to suits in the sovereign’s own courts, and the other, suits in the courts of another sovereign.

One of the earliest judicial pronouncements on the subject matter is the US decision of Cohens v Virginia 19 U.S. (6 Wheat.) 264, 411-2 (1821), where it was pronounced thus: “The universally received opinion is that, no suit can be commenced or prosecuted against the United States; the Judiciary Act does not authorise such suits”.

In 1846, the US Supreme Court, in the case of United States v McLemore, 45 U.S. (4 How.) 286, 288 (1846), held affirmatively that the United States was only subject to a suit, if it gave consent to it via legislation.

From the definition in Nevada v Hall, supra and the dictum in United States v McLemore, supra, therefore, sovereign immunity implies a sovereign State either invoking its sovereignty in order to escape from its legal obligations; or deciding to waive such immunity as an indication of its willingness to permit breach of such legal obligations to be tested in the law courts for judicial determination.

Even though the US Supreme Court overruled Nevada v Hall, supra, in Franchise Tax Board of California v Hyatt, 587 U.S. (2019), the definition in Nevada, supra, still stands. Indeed, that court, in Hyatt’s case, did a deep historical incursion into the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Justice Thomas, who delivered the lead opinion of that Court, opined as follows: “After independence, the States considered themselves fully sovereign nations. As the Colonies proclaimed in 1776, they were “Free and Independent States” with “full Power to levy war, conclude peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do”…. “An integral component” of the States’ sovereignty was “their immunity from private suits. Federal Maritime Comm’n v South Carolina Ports Authority, 535 U.S. 743, 751-752 (2002)”.

After discussing other judicial decisions and legal and historical texts, Justice Thomas then held as follows: “The Founders believed that both “common law sovereign immunity” and “law-of-nations sovereign immunity” prevented States from being amenable to process in any court, without their consent….

The common law rule was that, “no suit or action can be brought against the King, even in civil matters, because no court can have jurisdiction over him.” 1 W. Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 235 (1765) (Black-stone). The law-of-nations rule followed from “the perfect equality and absolute independence of sovereigns” under that body of international law…. According to the founding era’s foremost experts on the law of nations, “[i]t does not… belong to any foreign power to take cognisance of the administration of [another] sovereign, to set himself up for a judge of his conduct, and to oblige him to alter it”…. The founding generation thus, took as given, that States could not be hauled involuntarily before each other’s courts”.

Waiver of Immunity Deriving strength from the historical evolvement of sovereign immunity, therefore, some countries, like the UK, have enacted legislation guaranteeing sovereign immunity and exceptions thereto. For instance, section 13(2) of the Sovereign (or State) Immunity Act, 1978 of the UK, forbids any relief “by way of injunction or order or for specific performance or for the recovery of land or other property.” It further provides that, “the property of a State shall not be subject to any process for the enforcement of a judgement or arbitration award or, in an action in rem, for its arrest, detention or sale.” And to agree with the historical cum judicial development of the concept, subsection (3) of that section provides the following exception: “(3) Subsection (2) above does not prevent the giving of any relief or the issue of any process with the written consent of the State concerned; and any such consent (which may be contained in a prior agreement) may be expressed so as to apply to a limited extent or generally; but a provision merely submitting to the jurisdiction of the courts is not to be regarded as a consent for the purpose of this subsection”.

The US version of this Act, is the Foreign Immunities Act of 1976; and Section 1605 is similar to the above section. Nigeria, unfortunately, has no such law.

The above provisions of the UK Act came up for interpretation in the case of Pearl Petroleum Co. Ltd. v The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (2015) EWHC 3361 (Comm), where a similar waiver clause as the one under contention presently in Nigeria, was included in the contract agreement. Issues submitted before Mr. Justice Burton of the Commercial Court of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court, bordered on whether The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq was a sovereign authority; and if so, whether “it was in the exercise of sovereign authority of the State (the Republic of Iraq) or of the Respondent as a separate entity” that it entered into the contract, so as to be affected by Section 13 of the Sovereign Immunity Act, 1978. So much was said by Justice Burton on sovereign immunity; but I will just quote the portion relevant to the waiver in that agreement, which was thus: “The KRG waives on its own behalf and that of the KRG, any claim of immunity for itself and assets”.

His lordship concluded in paragraph 44 of his judgement, that it is

Chief Sebastine Hon, SAN

not necessary for a waiver clause to “spell out consent” as provided in Section 13(2)(a) of the Act. He then reasoned thus: “I conclude that if the Respondent had been otherwise entitled to State immunity (which I have, as set out above, concluded it is not), the clause here in question would have been sufficient to amount to a waiver of immunity from suit, including an injunction, if I had not reached the conclusion I did reach in paragraph 41 above”.

In A Company Ltd. v Republic of X (1990) 2 Lloyds Law Rep 520, the waiver clause was that “The Ministry of Finance hereby waives whatever defence it may have of sovereign immunity for itself or its property (present or subsequently acquired).” When a mareva injunction was sought against the said Ministry, it pleaded sovereign immunity. Saville, J., held that in view of the waiver clause above, there was “the agreement and consent of the State” that such an injunction could be sought and granted against it.

Similarly, the waiver of immunity clause in Sabah Shipyard (Pakistan) v Pakistan (2002) EWCA Civ. 1642 was to the effect that the defendant waived: “[A]ny right of immunity which it or any of its assets… now has or may in the future have in any jurisdiction… and… consents generally in respect of the enforcement of any judgement against it….”.

The English Court of Appeal, per Waller, LJ, held that the transaction in question was “an ordinary commercial transaction;” and that, there was waiver of immunity against the injunction sought.

The Nigerian Misunderstanding The cases cited above are intended to show, contrary to the grain of largely misunderstood public arguments in Nigeria and press hysteria that the Federal Government has ceded Nigeria’s sovereignty to China with respect to the loan agreements in question. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The ‘waiver of immunity’ clause in question was inserted, most likely by the lenders, to safeguard their commercial and financial interests – against the oft-flashed ‘sovereign immunity,’ which has an antiquated origin in the common law. The question remains whether the Nigerian authorities exercised proper judgement, in allowing this present waiver clause.

As shown in countless number of decisions, treacherous sovereigns, in a bid to escape from or avoid liability in international transactions, paraded the so-called sovereign immunity doctrine and compelled the foreign commercial entities or other sovereigns to be subject

“.....THE WAIVER CLAUSE DOES NOT AMOUNT TO CEDING NIGERIA’S SOVEREIGNTY AS PUBLICLY MISUNDERSTOOD; RATHER, IT AMOUNTS TO WAIVER OF IMMUNITY AGAINST THE JURISDICTION OF COURTS, WHEN AND IF NIGERIA DEFAULTS IN REPAYING THE LOAN”

to the discretion of the municipal courts of those host countries – resulting in grave international and diplomatic conundrums. That was why sovereign States started enacting legislation to regulate the existence of, and exceptions to, the doctrine sovereign immunity. I will, brevi muna, undertake a historical and legal perspective into this international frustration, occasioned by the ungentlemanly conduct of some sovereign States.

The 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in a bid to stem the rising embarrassment foisted on the international community by willy-nilly breaches of international obligations and the blocking of legal or judicial remedies in the name of sovereign or State immunity, adopted the UN Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and their Property, 2004. Article 10 of the Convention provides expressly that, State immunity cannot be invoked for commercial contracts – like the one under contention in Nigeria. This Convention was the product of about 27 years of hard research and work undertaken by the International Law Convention (ILC) – to underscore the seriousness of the issues involved. Unfortunately, only 28 countries signed the Convention as at 2007, the deadline for at least 30 countries to sign it – to make it binding. Only four African countries – Morocco, Madagascar, Senegal and Sierra Leone – signed it.

Even though Lord Sumption (lead opinion), of the UK Supreme Court, in Benkharbouche v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (2017) UKSC 62, held in paragraph 39 that this Convention “has for the time being no binding effect qua treaty;” he further held that “so far as it seeks to codify existing customary international law, it is evidence of what [the] law is.”

The conclusion reached by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Denning, in another decision affecting the Nigerian Government and a foreign private company ought, with respect, to have provided a guide to the Nigerian officials in this contentious and controversial waiver of immunity clause. This was in the case of Trendtex Trading v Central Bank of Nigeria (1977) 1 QB 529, where he adopted his previous reasoning in Rahimtoola v Nizam of Hyderabad (1958) AC 379 at 442, thus: “If the dispute brings into question, for instance, the legislative or international transactions of a foreign government, or the policy of its executive, the court should grant immunity if asked to do so, because it does not offend the dignity of a foreign sovereign to have the merits of such a dispute canvassed in the domestic courts of another country: but, if the dispute concerns, for instance, the commercial transactions of a foreign government (whether carried on by its own departments or agencies or by setting up separate legal entities), and it arises properly within the territorial jurisdiction of our courts, there is no ground for granting immunity”.

His lordship further held at page 558 that “If a government department goes into the market places of the world and buys boots or cement – as a commercial transaction – that government department should be subject to all the rules of the market place. The seller is not concerned with the purpose to which the purchaser intends to put the goods.” He concluded that, what was in issue here was a “straightforward commercial transaction,” and that the letter of credit in question was issued in London through a London Bank, hence: “It is completely within the territorial jurisdiction of our courts.

I do not think it is open to the Government of Nigeria, to claim sovereign immunity in respect to it”.

Since Nigerian officials were not to travel to China to ‘buy commodities’, but the Chinese were/are to move to Nigeria to undertake the railway line, they ought to have insisted that no such waiver clause be included. But, in that beggarly position of seeking for a foreign loan, the said officials qua the Nigerian Government can hardly be blamed for the waiver clause inserted in the agreement.

In AIC Ltd. v Federal Government of Nigeria (2003) EWHC 1357 (Queens Bench Division), the question was whether a judgement obtained by AIC in the Federal High Court of Nigeria against the Nigerian Government was registrable in the UK, and enforceable as a judgement of the High Court thereof. The Federal Government of Nigeria argued that the Nigerian Government was immune from jurisdiction, by virtue of Section 1 of the State Immunity Act, 1978 and that there was no waiver of that immunity. The High Court of the UK, in upholding the plea of immunity, reasoned that the “conclusion that the Defendants are immune from the proceedings for the registration of the judgement in this country is unsurprising”; because the judgement sought to be registered related to “a purely domestic matter”.

The same decision was reached in LR Avionics Technologies Ltd. v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2016) EWHC 176 (Comm), Continental Transfer Technical Ltd. v FRN (2009) EWHC 2898 – where the English High Court set aside a charging order enforcing an arbitral award against the Government of Nigeria, on the ground of State immunity.

Conclusion In conclusion, given the sorry state of the Nigerian economy, no thanks to long and unbroken years of large-scale mismanagement, corruption and shameless theft, Nigeria had no chance or choice than to agree with the Chinese that the controversial waiver of immunity clause, be included in the contract. This should teach the current and any future leadership of the country, a lesson on the need for prudence and proper management of the country’s resources. However, the waiver clause does not amount to ceding Nigeria’s sovereignty as publicly misunderstood; rather, it amounts to waiver of immunity against the jurisdiction of courts, when and if Nigeria defaults in repaying the loan.

Chief Sebastine Hon, SAN, Constitutional Lawyer and Author, Abuja

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11.08.2020

The Resurgence of Insurgency and Our Self-Denial Introduction

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he recent resurgence of the mass massacre of villagers in Zango-Kataf, Kajuru, Kauru, Jema’a and Kaura LGAs in Kaduna State, has thrown up the glaring state of insecurity in the country. It used to be Boko Haram alone. It has worsened with deadly herdsman, armed banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and rape cases.

22 people were killed in Atyap (Zango-Kataf LGA) alone. The quarrel is over a piece of land, that has rocked the peace of the LGA for many decades. The intractable Nigerian fault-lives have since been replicated in most of the 774 LGAs in Nigeria. But, Nigeria leaders live in self-denial.

On December 14, 2017, the Nigerian Governors Forum had approved a $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account, to tackle security challenges in the country, which included the supply of military hardware, helicopters, ships and armament, training of military and other security officers.

Aside the Government telling bemused Nigerians two years earlier, December, 2015, that Boko Haram had been “technically defeated”, even though it was already sufficiently downgraded to allow for peaceful presidential elections in March, 2015, it was reported in Premium Times of 24th December, 2016, that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared “Boko Haram’s final crushing.” He stated that the last Sambisa stronghold had ‘fallen’. It was reported that Nigerian soldiers had raided Boko Haram’s “last enclave” in Sambisa forest, and the insurgents had finally been crushed. Mr. President enthused imperiously in a statement that he was “most proud” to receive the “long-awaited and most gratifying news of the final crushing of the Boko Haram terrorists.”

On 27th November, 2017, Daily Post quoted the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while representing President Buhari at the commissioning of the Pulaaku Radio Station in Yola, Adamawa State, as saying: “Let me be clear, Boko Haram has been massively degraded and its surviving members put on the run. Instead of being hunters, they are now the hunted.”

“What we are witnessing now, are the last kicks of a dying horse. A dying horse manages to engage in some kicks.

These kicks may be dangerous, but they don’t last long.”

“Progressively, they become weaker and weaker, until the horse finally gives up.”

Buhari had surprisingly a month later, requested $1 billion (a whooping N365 billion at that time; now about N472 billion), to fight a supposedly “defeated” Boko Haram.

In my Sun newspaper column (Hard Facts) of December, 20, 2017, I asked the following questions: “1. What has happened within the last 12 months or one month to a massively degraded and defeated Boko Haram?

2. Has Boko Haram regained so much vigour and strength, that it now requires a whopping $1,000,000,000 to bring an already fallen Boko Haram to its knees?

3. What happened to the Sambisa forest that was allegedly already under the firm control of the Nigerian Army? Are there two Sambisa forests?

4. What happened to the weapons that have been previously acquired by the Nigerian Government for the Army, including fighter jets donated by the American government?

5. What happened to the funds, equipment, human resources, etc, that had serially been donated by foreign donors/agencies to the Nigerian government?

6. Was this not the same Boko Haram that was so degraded that elections held peacefully throughout the six States of the North East Zone in 2015, with some of the States turning in moon-slide and hardly believable figures?

7. Why has the bombing on civilians and military men, incessant attacks on defenceless villagers and settlements been on a spirally rise, after government has repeatedly assured Nigerians of the conquest of Boko Haram?

8. Is it that the resurrection of the recent bombings in the North East was a deliberate ploy to agitate for the $1 billion from the Excess crude account?

9. Why has the Federal Government deliberately blinded its eyes towards the continuous and deadly attacks on helpless sleeping communities by herdsmen?

10.

Why has the Federal Government totally ignored issues of horrific environmental degradation and insecurity in the Niger Delta, which have been a long sore challenge, even before the advent of Boko Haram?

11.

Why has the Federal Government failed to tackle the issue of mass unemployment, hunger and grinding poverty in the land?

12.

Why is the President brazenly showing preferential treatment for his kith and kin, by sending the Vice President to go and pacify herdsmen who wantonly murdered people in Demsa and Numan in Adamawa state, whereas, when harmless IPOB members were protesting on the streets with berets, whistles, cudgels and flags, they were immediately mauled down by fully armed Army?

13. Is the $1 billion sought for actually meant for the 2019 elections

Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Rtd)

as some political pundits have alleged?”

What is 'Excess Crude Account'?

“The Excess crude account is a Nigerian Government account, which is used to save oil revenues above a base amount derived from a defined benchmark price. The Excess Crude Account was established in 2004, and its objective is primarily to protect planned budgets against shortfalls, due to volatile crude oil prices.

By delinking government expenditures from oil revenues, the Excess Crude Account aims to insulate the Nigerian economy from external shocks.

Is the Excess Crude Account Constitutional?

“Though a salutary creative “save-for-the-rainy-day” outsidethe-box policy, there is no provision in our Constitution for this coined amorphous contraption of the executive called “Excess Crude Oil Account.” There is no name or nomenclature of that nature, throughout the 320 Sections of the 1999 Constitution.

Thus, the creation of so-called “Excess Crude Oil Account” is an illegal attempt to enlarge the provisions of the Constitution, which is therefore, null and void. PMB and his Government are bound to obey the Constitution. In Attorney-General of Abia State v Attorney-General of the Federation (2002) 6 NWLR (pt.

764) 264 at 479 paras D-F, the sagacious Kalgo, JSC made the opposite remarks that:

“THE RECENT RESURGENCE OF THE MASS MASSACRE OF VILLAGERS IN ZANGO-KATAF, KAJURU, KAURU, JEMA’A AND KAURA LGAS IN KADUNA STATE, HAS THROWN UP THE GLARING STATE OF INSECURITY IN THE COUNTRY”

“...the Supremacy of the Constitution has made it abundantly clear and in no uncertain terms, that the provisions of the Constitution are superior ... and are binding and must be observed and respected by all persons and authorities in Nigeria”.

There is, however, no doubt, that the Excess Crude Oil Account is overtly unconstitutional. All proceeds in that illegal Account outside (the Federation Account) is provided for under Section 162(1) of the Constitution, for sharing in contrary to the provisions of Section 162(2) of the Constitution. The constitutional implications of the creating a special account for the Federation under Section 162(1), is to mandatorily empower National Assembly members who are the true representatives of the people to supervise and authorise the sharing of the Federation Account in accordance with Section 162(2) of the Constitution.

The foundation of every modern democratic society is premised on the Rule of Law, which accentuates constitutional order and legal certainty. In such a society, the activities of government and its agencies are duly regulated by the supreme law of the land, popularly referred to in a federal system as the Constitution. The mode of sharing and disbursement of funds in Nigeria is not arbitrary, whimsical or capricious. It is constitutional”.

In my said intervention, I also wrote as follows: “Where must Revenue be kept before disbursement?

The answer is found in Sections 80 and 120 of the Constitution which provide that: 80. (1) All revenues or other moneys raised or received by the Federation (not being revenues or other moneys payable under this Constitution or any Act of the National Assembly into any other public fund of the Federation established for a specific purpose) shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

(2) No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by this Constitution or where the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Appropriation Act, Supplementary Appropriation Act or an Act passed in pursuance of section 81 of this Constitution.

(3) No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the Federation, other than the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Act of the National Assembly.

(4) No moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly.

“The Constitution was not yet done. It applied the above provisions mutatis mutandis, to States in Sections 120(1),(2) and (3) of the same 1999 Constitution, as regards revenue warehousing sharing and disbursement of same, amongst the three tiers of government.

“Following from these provisions, it is crystal clear that no portion of the Constitution empowers either the President, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), or the Governors Forum to either appropriate or disburse any funds meant for the Federation account and/or State Joint Local Government Account. The only bodies saddled with such responsibilities are the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly. Any appropriation outside the contemplation of the Constitution amounts to misappropriation.”

Legal Issues Arising from Insurgency As noted by the United Nations General Assembly, through a report by its High Commissioner, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria have ratified several international and regional human rights instruments. All are party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In addition, Nigeria is a party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in its annual report for 2013, and the International Criminal Court, confirmed the existence of an armed conflict between the Nigerian armed forces and armed groups since May 2013. Boko Haram has conducted operations and several attacks in parts of Cameroon, Chad and Niger bordering northern Nigeria. Boko Haram and other bandits have since unleashed on the Nigerian space, killing of civilians, abductions, torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, violence against children and use of children in hostilities, attacks against civilian and protected objects, destruction and appropriation of property, etc. These are derogatory of the above international instruments.

Quite a sad spectre!.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “Insecurity, for me, feels like the sensation of suffocating.” (Tyler Joseph).

39

˜ ͹͹˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

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

Mikel May Return to Premier League with West Brom Next Season Duro Ikhazuagbewith agency report Former Super Eagles Captain, John Obi Mikel, 33, may return to play in the English topflight next season if West Bromwich Albion succeed in getting the former Chelsea midfielder to join them.

West Brom gained promotion from the Championship to play in the Premier League next season and have been linked with an interest to woo the midfielder to play holding role.

Although it is not yet certain to what extent talks have gone, sources close to West Brom revealed yesterday that the vastly experienced Mikel with

more than 350 appearances for Chelsea is top amongst players Manager Slaven Bilic hopes to fortify the team with.

Bilic is believed to be counting on the experience of free agent Mikel to help his midfield as the club return to topflight.

Interestingly, it is not only West Brom that have shown interest in Mikel who dumped Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor last March as a result of irreconcilable differences on the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a report in UK’s Stoke City Sentinel, Sky Bet Championship club Stoke City are weighing up a move for Mikel also.

Stoke Manager Michael

O’Neil is reported to be in search of a holding midfielder and Mikel appears fit into the kind of player on his radar.

After a spell in China’s Super

League, Mikel returned to sign for Middlesbrough in a short-term deal in 2019.

He later linked up with Trabzonspor in Turkey before

leaving on mutual agreement after insisting life was more precious than returning to football without proper protocol in place to save

players from the pandemic.

There were also reports linking Mikel with a move to Braziian clubs Botafogo and Internacional.

Transfer: Sancho’s Man Utd Switch Put on Hold Manchester United’s pursuit of Jadon Sanchothis summer appears all-but over after Borussia Dortmundinsisted the England international will play for the Bundesligagiants next season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been in hot pursuit of the England star and were still hopeful of getting a megamoney deal over the line despite missing Dortmund’s deadline to sign him earlier yesterday.

But on Monday, Dortmund chief Michael Zorc insisted United have no chance of signing Sancho now after he jetted off with his team-mates to Switzerland for a pre-season training camp.

Zorc said: “We plan with Jadon Sancho. He’ll play for us next season. The decision is final. I think that answers all of the questions.”

Zorc also went on to reveal that the club secretly renewed Sancho’s contract until 2023 a year ago.

German newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten- based in Dortmund - have reported that Sancho’s contract does not include a buy-out clause.

United and Dortmund were understood to have been far apart in terms of valuation, with the latter’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke resolute in holding out for a huge £108m for their prized asset.

Abba Bichi Becomes Youngest Ambassador of 5 Stars Football Academy Brazil 2019 FIFA U-17 campaigner with the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria, Abba Bichi, has become the youngest Ambassador of the 5 Stars Football and Consultancy.

At a colourful and glamorous event held in Abuja, Bichi, who this year, founded the Abba Bichi Football Academy, where amateur players are groomed, was bestowed the ambassadorial honour because of his contributions to grassroots sports development.

Speaking before conferment of the ambassador title on Bichi, management team of 5 Stars Football and Consultancy, we’re effusive in their praise of the youngster.

“Due to your globally recognised achievements and contributions to grassroots football, as well as your status representing our country’s team at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in -Brazil last year, setting up of a grassroots football team, Bichi FC in Abuja, currently Nigeria’s youngest most influential footballer, we are extremely delighted to name you as an Ambassador of 5 Stars Football.

“Your induction as an Ambassador will help the organisation achieve its goals.

We strongly believe your experience, expertise, network and popularity, will enable 5 Stars Football have a positive

impact on lives through other competitions and more events you may help our company with”, 5 Stars Football added.

In his response, Bichi said he was honoured to be named the youngest football ambassador in Nigeria and vowed to do his best to help further the growth of sports in all its ramifications in the country.

“I am truly honoured and blessed to be named the youngest ambassador of 5 Stars Football and promise to give my all for the growth of Nigerian sports”, said Bichi remarked.

Reacting to the development, UK-based FA licensed football agent and international athletes brand expert, Drew Uyi, who also manages Bichi, said he was not surprised by the accolades, awards and recognitions that Bichi has been receiving given the charitable works behind the scene.

Drew Uyi added that “I expect Bichi to get more sponsorship, Ambassadorship and endorsement because he understands the principles I am educating him on, part of which is to give to get back big time.

“I will always urge athletes not to just compete in their sports, rather compete to have your brand known, which helps to multiply your profitability through branding and endorsements”, Drew Uyi concluded.

John Obi Mikel (centre)on West Brom’s radar for next Premier League season

Osimhen’s Coach, Gattuso, Signs New Three-year Deal with Napoli Victor Osimhen’s new Manager at Napoli, Gennaro Gattuso, has reportedly agreed a new contract with the Naplesbased Serie A club until June 2023.

It is also believed that promise of hefty spending on big on four summer signings played a big part in the new deal for Gattuso.

Italian media, Sportitalia, reported yesterday evening that the former Italyand AC Milanmidfielder met with

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis on Monday afternoon and a basic agreement was quickly reached.

His new deal will see him earn £1.44m a season plus bonuses. The transfer strategy was also discussed with the club’s chiefs committing to recruiting four new players.

Gattuso took charge of Napoli in December after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked.

The veteran manager was removed from his post hours after his side

beat Genk 4-0 to advance to the Champions League knockout stage.

Gattuso has had a mixed start to life at the San Paolo Stadium, the highlight coming when his side defeated Juventus to win the Italian Cup this season.

However, they have failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League after finishing seventh and were knocked out of this season’s competition by Barcelona on Saturday.

Gennaro Gattuso...seals new deal at Napoli until 2023

Europa: Fernandes Fires Man Utd into S’final Inter Milan also through to Last Four Former Super Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo, was an unused sub on Monday night as Manchester United needed an extra-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes to finally see off a spirited FC Copenhagen 1-0 and set up a potential Europa League semi-final against Wolves.

United were poor for much of the first half in the heat of Cologne but still had a penalty overturned and a goal ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side improved and dominated the second half but could find no way past inspired goalkeeper Karl-Johan Johnsson, with Fernandes and Mason Greenwood also each hitting the post and Marcus Rashford having another effort disallowed.

Fernandes finally broke through in familiar style, keeping cool to drive in United’s 21st spot-kick of the season at the start of the extra period to

extend their marathon season by another week.

Elsewhere, Romelu Lukaku scored for a record ninth consecutive Europa League game as Inter Milan beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 in Dusseldorf to reach the semi-finals.

Nicolo Barella fired home an excellent 20-yard strike to give Inter the lead.

Lukaku controlled Ashley Young’s pass, turned a defender and slotted home for his 31st

goal of the season.

Kai Havertz smashed home from six yards out to give Leverkusen hope but they could not find a leveller to force extra time in the one-off tie.

Antonio Conte’s side will face the winner of Shakhtar Donetsk v Basel in the semi-final on 17 August, also in Dusseldorf.

TODAY@8pm Shakhtar v Basel Wolves v Sevilla

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

PSG Get Mbappe Boost, Jet into Lisbon for Atalanta Clash Paris Saint-Germainhave been handed a major boost after both Kylian Mbappeand Marco Verratti made their travelling squad for Wednesday’s Champions Leaguequarter-final with Atalanta.

The French club were worried striker Mbappe wouldn’t be fit enough for the match in Lisbon after suffering a horror ankle sprain in the French Cup final against Saint-Etienne on July 24.

But despite initially being

ruled out for three weeks, the Franceinternational has been included in Thomas Tuchel’s 28-man travelling squad for the game.

However, Tuchel struck a note of caution about expecting Mbappe, who has scored 30 goals this season, to start against the Italian club.

“The deadline is short, super short,” Tuchel said this week.

“We spoke with the doctor and we decided to meet again on

Saturday to see what phase he is in and if it is possible that he is on the bench against Atalanta. But I do not expect too much.”

Tuchel was also worried that Italian midfielder Verratti may not be fit enough after missing a friendly against Sochaux last Wednesday with a calf injury.

But he too made the squad for the Champions League quarter-final.

Neymar, Marquinhos, Angel Di Maria, Thiago Silva, Mauro Icardi, Thilo Kehrer and Presnel Kimpembe also made the squad having not featured against Sochaux.

However, Layvin Kurzawa will not be fit to face Atalanta because of a thigh problem.

The PSG squad were given a send-off by dozen of fans at Paris-Le Bourget Airport as they flew to Portugal on Saturday morning.

Tuesday August 11, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE Wike to APC

“The police are supposed to use Edo election to clear their name and regain the confidence of the people. We have enough intelligence on what they want to do with the security in the election, but we will scuttle it. APC wants to ensure enough violence in the election. Like the Chairman of INEC said that the election will be stopped if there is violence” – Governor Nyesom Wike alleging that the APC is not ready for the Edo poll but underhand tactics to compel INEC to halt the poll midway.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Buruji Kashamu (1958 -2020) Then let them laugh and rejoice in our man’s ill-luck. Alive perhaps they felt no need of him, but now that he is dead, they will grieve their lack in the demands of war. For foolish men do not appreciate the noble prize they have, until it is discarded from their hands.

His death pains me and falsely pleasures them, for him it is a pure delight. For he has gained all that he wanted for himself and that was simply death. Why then should they exult in overbearing mockery? He died at the hands of god. They had no part in it. And let Odysseus gloat at this along with them. For Ajax is no more for them- for me his loss Bequeaths a legacy of pain and lament.

B

- Teucer in Ajax by Sophocles (442 BC)

uruji Kashamu, Nigerian politician, entrepreneur, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and a controversial public ęgure, has gone the way of all mortals- one of the high-proęle victims of the global scourge called COVID-19 - which has eěectively turned the year 2020 into “annus horribilis”. No man is completely good, nor is any man completely bad, all mortals are archetypes of the very

Kashamu incompleteness of Creation itself. But if anything must be said of Buruji Kashamu whose last remains were buried in his home town of Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, on Sunday, August 9, it is that he was deeply loved by the common people whose aspirations he

championed and who beneęted greatly from his benevolence. It was not for nothing that Kashamu was known as “Alanu Mekunnu”.

He was more comfortable identifying with the poor, despite his stupendous wealth. He was in his lifetime one of the most prominent Ijebus of the ęrst quarter of the 21st Century.

I recall that each time he entered Ijebu Ode from Lagos, motorcyclists (that is Okada riders) would form a convoy – that convoy could be as long as a durbar/calvacade of 100 motorcycles, hailing him, and they would lead him all the way from Ijebu Ode to his home town, Ijebu Igbo, about 20 minutes away.

The ęrst time I witnessed that spontaneous reaction to his presence by ordinary people trying to earn their own living, I was shocked.

In the course of his public career, Kashamu had gained a reputation as a friend of the ordinary people, not just in Ijebuland, but across Yorubaland and by extension, other parts of Nigeria. He had established a group known as the Omo Ilu Foundation through which he provided support for the poor. These include(d) indigent students whose school fees he paid, the sick whose hospital bills he picked up, struggling peĴy traders for whom he rented shops and paid house rent.

He donated vehicles to many and provided shelter. He sponsored community development projects. With the Omo Ilu Foundation, he also managed to build a vast, grassroots political network, across the South West.

The headquarters of the Foundation in Ijebu Igbo sits on acres of land, and if Buruji called a meeting of members of his grassroots network, every local government in the South West sent delegates. I saw the power of such a political network on display when in 2019, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its South West Ěag oě campaign at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, Oyo state. There was and there is still conĚict in the Ogun State branch of the People’s Democratic Party, with Buruji Kashamu at the centre of it all.

In 2019, the party at the national level had refused to work with him and chose instead to collaborate with other forces within the state. The plan was to hand over the party Ěag to the Ladi Adebutu group whereas the Kashamu-led Engr. Bayo Dayo faction of the party was legally recognized by the Courts and was eěectively in charge of the party secretariat. If the party was not so divided at Continued on page 35

CHIKWEIHEKWEAZU GUEST COLUMNIST

Six Months in the Eye of the COVID-19 Storm First in a series

W

hen I walked out of the oĜce and headed home at 10.30pm earlier this week, I left behind a few members of the NCDC team, still working on their computers. Some had only just resumed for the night shift. The test results for the day were still being compiled and conęrmed with states. Since the onset of this pandemic, a typical day for me begins with phone calls as early as 6am and ends with meetings as late as 9pm. Our young agency has transformed to having staě working 24-7.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world as we know it and like several other Nigerian institutions, medical professionals and frontline workers who are intimately involved in responding to the pandemic, are puĴing in their best, despite all odds. As an agency, we have quickly adapted, working with partners and government at various levels to quickly control this outbreak. Our lives have changed, and we have all had to make the necessary adjustments to adapt to this “new normal”.

It seems like the distant past now, but the ęrst conęrmed case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria was announced by the Honourable Minister of Health nearly six months ago, on the 27th of February. Less than

a year later, Nigeria and indeed the world is in a very diěerent place. What ęrst began as a cluster of cases of an unknown illness aěecting people thousands of kilometres away in Wuhan, China has morphed into a raging global pandemic that has infected just under 20 million people to date across all continents, leading to over 700,000 deaths, paralysing economies, changing our social life and transforming our world as we know it. In Nigeria, we have had to shut down schools, businesses, travel and introduced public health measures such as the wearing of masks, hand washing and physical distancing. Six months after the ęrst case, I reĚect on our response to the pandemic, changes happening in our health security architecture and what we must do to be beĴer prepared for the next pandemic.

At the beginning of the pandemic, various models predicted a doomsday scenario for Nigeria and other African countries. This was linked to our weak health systems, high population density and informal economy. It is not clear that this will not be the case. But for now, Nigeria and other African countries have reported far fewer cases and deaths compared to other regions in the world. While this is not to be taken for granted and we continue to work hard

to sustain and improve our response, we have to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

While it is often said that Nigerians are more reactive than proactive, yet, Nigeria was one of the ęrst countries to recognise the risk posed by COVID-19. We started planning the response for COVID-19, very early, albeit with limited resources. A multisectoral National Coronavirus Preparedness Group was established by NCDC on the 7th of January 2020. This group included representatives from the Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health, OĜce of the National Security Adviser, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and partners including World Health Organization (WHO), US Centers for Disease Control and Public Health England. In addition, the Honourable Minister of Health convened inter-Ministerial meetings with the Ministry of Information as well as the Ministry of Foreign Aěairs to ensure collaboration across government.

By the time the ęrst case was conęrmed, our preparedness group transitioned to an Emergency Operations Centre, while Mr. President instituted a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF), for which the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha has provided extraordinary

leadership.

One of the areas where we have received the most criticism is with our laboratory infrastructure. To put this into perspective, we can compare a laboratory to a group of kitchens. The pots as equipment, ingredients as reagents, and the lab scientists as the cooks. If you have a great distribution of kitchens, pots, ingredients and cooks – it is easy to switch from cooking rice to cooking egusi soup. This is what South Africa and many other countries in the West could do.

This is what we could not do in Nigeria– we simply did not have the appropriate or even enough kitchens, pots, ingredients and cooks to switch quickly.

Notwithstanding, we have worked very hard to make progress in our laboratory capacities in the last six months. We have gone from three testing laboratories to 61.

We have strengthened our supply chain which was one of our biggest challenges at the beginning of the pandemic. One clear diěerence between the 2014 Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 is that our country now has the capacity to test and conęrm the virus locally, without being dependent on other countries. This is coordinated at the centre Continued on page 35

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