THURSDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2019

NAICOM Okays 26 Insurance Firms’ Recapitalisation Plans Directs 17 others to rework documents for fresh submission Ebere Nwoji The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has approved the recapitalisation work plans of 26 insurance companies trying to raise

more funds in their bids to meet its June 2020 deadline for players in the sector to shore up their capital.

Announcing the result of its review of the work plans, the commission said out of

a total of 57 insurance firms and two reinsurance firms in the country, 47 insurance firms and two reinsurance firms submitted their plans.

NAICOM in a circular titled 'Update on recapitalisation of

insurers and reinsurers, firms,' released yesterday, said out of the 57 insurance firms, 26 insurance firms got it right and could go ahead with their recapitalisation plans.

However, 17 insurance

firms with defective work plans were corrected and advised to resubmit new plans using paid-up capital and not shareholders’ funds in recapitalising.

Four insurance firms did

not have the requisite 2018 financial statements and were advised to review their plans of using initial public offer (IPO) to raise funds.

Continued on page 6

Oil Price Slumps to $61 after Unexpected Rise in Inventories... Page 6 Thursday 26 September, 2019 Vol 24. No 8935. Price: N250

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Hope Rises for New Budget Cycle as 2020-2022 MTEF/FSP Lands in N’Assembly Deji Elumoye, James Emejo, Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos

DJ CUPPY IN NEW YORK...

Florence Otedola, a.k.a DJ Cuppy, (fifth left), the New York Stock Exchange Vice President, NYSE Listings, Mr. Chris Taylor and others as the daughter of Geregu Power Plc Chairman, Mr. Femi Otedola, rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, New York... yesterday

Hope for the return to the January-December budget cycle rose yesterday as President Muhammadu Buhari submitted the 2020-2022 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/ FSP) to the two chambers of the National Assembly for approval.

Legislative approval for the MTEF/FSP documents is a preContinued on page 6

Nigeria Seeks Extradition of P&ID Founder’s Son, Co-founder for Trial

Reaches out to Irish, UK security agencies for assistance Beams searchlight on Irish bank over $20,000 transfer to former Petroleum Ministry director Legal battle to quash firm’s $9.6bn claim begins today in London Yemi Ajayi with agency report Nigeria has launched a bid for the extradition of the co-founder of an Irish firm, Process & Industrial Developments, Mr. Brendan

Cahill and son of the founder, Mr. Adam Quinn, over their roles in the $9.6 billion arbitral award arising from a failed gas project that has pitted the company against the federal government.

Nigeria is seeking the help

of Irish law enforcement and the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, for the extradition of Cahill and Quinn to face trial in the country, according to a report yesterday by the online edition of THE IRISH TIMES.

Besides, Nigeria is also seeking a probe of Allied Irish Banks, with a claim that it has evidence of two bank transfers by P&ID, amounting to $20,000, to a former Director, Legal Services of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.

Grace Taiga.

Taiga is currently on trial for allegedly conniving with the company in a bid to defraud the country.

Both parties to the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA), under

which Nigeria is to supply wet gas to a plant to be built in Cross River State by P&ID for processing to generate electricity, are locked in a legal battle over Nigeria’s Continued on page 6

APC Files Cross-appeal at S’Court, Seeks Deletion of Evidence of Atiku’s Witnesses... Page 8

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Oil Price Slumps to $61 after Unexpected Rise in Inventories IOCs see Saudi outages boosting Nigeria’s light crude Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Crude oil prices yesterday fell for third day on worries that fuel demand could fall after United States President, Donald Trump, doused recent optimism over China-US trade talks, at a time of rising US crude oil stockpiles.

The price of the global benchmark crude was down $1.72 to $61.38 a barrel, erasing all gains made after an attack on Saudi oil facilities sent the benchmark up around 20 per cent to $71 per barrel last week.

The price of the United States West Texas Intermediate crude dropped to $55.71 a barrel, down $1.58.

However, despite the slump in oil prices, oil majors holding

cargoes of Nigerian light crude have yet to bring down prices, anticipating that outages to the output of comparable Saudi grades following the September 14 attacks on two of its main plants could still boost demand.

Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported yesterday that the US commercial crude oil inventories, excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 2.4 million barrels from the previous week.

Trump criticised China’s trade practices at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday and said he would not accept a “bad deal� in US-China trade negotiations.

Trump accused China of unfair trade practices, including “massive� market barriers,

currency manipulation and intellectual property theft, a few days after officials from the world’s two largest oilconsuming economies held inconclusive trade talks in Washington. “Hopefully we can reach an agreement that will be beneficial for both countries,� Trump said. “As I have made very clear, I will not accept a bad deal.�

China is the world’s largest oil importer and second-largest crude user.

The United States is the largest consumer of oil.

Trump also said he saw a path to peace with Iran even as he denounced Iran for “bloodlust�, cooling other risk premiums built into oil prices.

Oil rallied last week following a crippling attack on Saudi

Arabia’s oil installations that has disrupted supplies from the world’s top exporter.

Analysts have predicted that the crude exports will increase over coming weeks after the attack on Saudi Arabia’s largest oil-processing facility that halved output in the world’s top oil exporter.

State oil company Saudi Aramco is buying oil originating in neighbouring countries to meet its supply obligations to foreign refineries, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Its trading arm is arranging for crude from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to cover its commitments to certain buyers, the sources said.

European powers - Britain, Germany and France - backed

the United States in blaming Iran for the Saudi attack, urging Tehran to agree to new talks with world powers on its nuclear and missile programmes and regional security.

Prices were also weighed down by an unexpected build in US crude inventories last week.

Meanwhile, oil majors holding cargoes of Nigerian light crude have yet to bring down prices, anticipating that outages to the output of comparable Saudi grades following the September 14 attacks on two of its main plants could still boost demand.

Reuters reported that buyer interest has continued to be high on Nigerian oil, but potential customers said current indications were too

high to justify sale.

US crude inventories rose 1.4 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute said on Tuesday, compared with analysts’ forecasts of a 200,000-barrel drawdown.

US crude stockpiles rose last week as refineries cut output, while petrol stocks increased and distillate inventories fell, the EIA said yesterday.

Crude inventories rose by 2.4 million barrels in the week to September 20, compared with analysts’ expectations for a 249,000-barrel decline.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 2.3 million barrels, EIA said.

Refinery crude runs fell by 194,000 barrels per day, EIA data showed while refinery utilisation rates 1.4 percentage points.

based on a foundation that is rooted in fraud, corruption, tax evasion and procedural circumvention,� Malami had said.

Prosecutors said they had evidence of the bank transfers

by Dublin-based Industrial Consultants (International) Ltd. -- part of the P&ID group of companies -- to Taiga who supervised the GSPA. The payments, in 2017 and 2018, were made from an Industrial Consultants account at Allied Irish Banks and were purportedly for “medical costs,�

Bala Sanga, the lead prosecutor, said in the interview.

Paddy McDonnell, a spokesman for the Irish bank, declined comment, saying

official policy forbids speaking on individual accounts.

A spokesperson for P&ID also did not respond to a request for comment on the latest allegations.

However, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Taiga’s lawyer, denied the bribery allegation against his client, saying: "How could there have been a bribe to facilitate the contract that was done in 2010 and now get paid in 2018 or 2017? It just doesn’t add up."

The payments, along with Taiga’s email records, showed a “longstanding relationship� between the government official and P&ID founder, Michael Quinn, who died in 2015, and Cahill, Sanga said.

developmental objectives as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)."

House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase, who presided in the absence of Gbajabiamila who is presently in Uganda for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), read a similar letter from the president at yesterday’s plenary.

The MTEF/FSP contains the benchmark upon which the 2020 budget would be predicated.

Highlights of the 35-page 2020-2022 MTEF/FSP documents include pegging of the projected budget profile for 2020 at N9.12trillion as against N8.92 trillion for 2019, and $55 oil price bench mark as against $60 used for the N8.9 trillion 2019 budget.

Oil production is fixed at 2.1m barrel per day as against 2.30m barrels per day approved for the 2019 budget; the official exchange rate of N305 per

dollar used for 2019 budget was retained while inflation rate is projected at 10.81 per cent as against 9.98 per cent for 2019.

A further breakdown of the 2020 budget proposal of N9.12 trillion, including N36.38 billion from grants and donor funding, shows that interest payment on debts is estimated at N2.45 trillion; provision for Sinking Fund to retire maturing bonds to local contractors is N296 billion; personnel and pension costs to gulp N2.67 trillion and N536.72 billion respectively; N40.71 billion earmarked for Basic Health Care Provision Fund; N22.73 billion for GAVI/ Routine immunisation in the service-wide votes (SWV) and N89.44 billion for the power sector reform programme.

Others include N1.01 billion (exclusive of capital in statutory transfers) for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) capital expenditure with the total

capital expenditure standing at N2.17 trillion.

The federal government had earlier this month unveiled the draft 2020-2022 MTEF and FSP with a projected total budget of N9,789,243.466 for 2020.

It had also expressed concern that the country faced significant medium term fiscal challenges, especially with respect to revenue generation and rapid growth in personnel costs.

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

The commission had raised the minimum paid-up capital of the insurance companies by 400 per cent and gave June 30, 2020 as new recapitalisation deadline for all insurance companies in Nigeria as part of the commission’s renewed efforts at strengthening the financial muscle of the insurance sector and enhancing its competitiveness.

Effective from the aforementioned date, the minimum paid-up share capital for each insurance company operating under the following classification increased as follows: Life

Insurance companies N2 billion to N8 billion; general business insurance companies, N3 billion to N10 billion; composite business insurance companies, N5 billion to N18 billion; and reinsurance companies, N10 billion to N20 billion.

However, the commission had stated that the effective date for new applicants took effect from the commencement date of the circular, which was May 20, 2019 while it excluded Takaful operators and microinsurance companies from the new recapitalisation requirements.

NIGERIA SEEKS EXTRADITION OF P&ID FOUNDER’S SON, CO-FOUNDER FOR TRIAL alleged default for which the company got a $6.5 billion arbitral award, which has now ballooned to $9.6 billion due to interest, for loss of future earnings from the project.

President Muhammed Buhari, in his speech at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday in New York, described the $9.6 billion arbitral claim as fraudulent.

A British commercial court had on August 16 affirmed P&ID’s right to seize $9.6 billion in Nigerian assets to recoup the arbitral award.

The legal battle resumes today in London where Nigeria is set for a spirited combat to stop the British court from finally granting P&ID’s

request to seize its assets, which amount to about 20 per cent of its foreign reserves.

Ahead of today’s court session, a federal government delegation, comprising the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, arrived in London on Saturday in preparations for the case.

THE IRISH TIMES quoted

Magu as telling Bloomberg in an interview on Tuesday as saying that the anti-corruption agency was extending its investigation into the failed gas project by formally requesting the assistance of Irish law enforcement and the UK’s National Crime Agency.

So far, the EFCC, which at the behest of President Muhammadu Buhari is probing the botched deal along with other security agencies in Nigeria, has interrogated a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore and two senior lawyers for their alleged connection with the arbitral award.

In addition to Taiga, who was granted bail yesterday, Justice

Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, had last week convicted P&ID affiliate, P&ID Nigeria Limited, on charges of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and other sundry offences.

The court also ordered the company to forfeit all its assets to the federal government and to wind up operations in the country.

Malami, in an earlier interview with Bloomberg, had said Nigeria would use the conviction of P&ID local affiliate as a defence to support government’s allegation that the GSPA was a scam targeted at Nigeria. “The enforcement of the $9 billion cannot stand having been

HOPE RISES FOR NEW BUDGET CYCLE AS 2020-2022 MTEF/FSP LANDS IN N’ASSEMBLY condition for the presentation of the 2020 budget estimates to the National Assembly, which could happen in a matter of weeks.

The leadership of the National Assembly has promised severally to ensure the passage of the budget by December, in order to stabilise the fiscal year, if lawmakers could get the MTEF/FSP by September.

In a swift reaction, analysts described the early submission as a positive development for the economy as it will enhance the country’s return to the January-December cycle, which will also coincide with the business cycles of banks and other large corporates and facilitate robust planning in the economy at large.

Buhari, in a one-page letter entitled: “Submission of 2020-2022 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework And Fiscal Strategy Paper,� addressed to Senate President,

Dr. Ahmad Lawan, and House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, canvassed for the early passage of the documents.

The president in the letter dated September 24, the day he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, and read at yesterday's plenary of the Senate by Lawan, commended the efforts of the lawmakers towards ensuring a cordial working relationship between the legislature and the executive arms of government.

He said: “Given our shared objective of returning the budget to a predictable January – December fiscal year, with effect from 2020, I hereby forward the 2020/2022 FSP to the distinguished Senate and trust that it would be extensively considered in order to facilitate the 2020 MTEF budget preparation.� “Let me use this medium to express my gratitude for the

much improved partnership between the legislative and the executive arms of the federal government in our goal of making the budget process deliver better outcomes for the Nigerian people. In particular I note with further appreciation, the commitment and support that distinguished senators have continued to demonstrate.

"Pursuant to provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007,the preparation towards the submission of the 2020 budget to the National Assembly is progressing well. The MTEF/FSP was prepared taking into account, key development of the global and domestic environments. We have endeavoured to ensure that forecasted revenues are realistic, but also reasonably challenging in the face of our significantly constrained fiscal space. Planned spending has been set at prudent and sustainable levels consistent with government's overall

NAICOM OKAYS 26 INSURANCE FIRMS’ RECAPITALISATION PLANS One insurance firm, however, has litigation issues and has been advised to resolve them as soon as possible to enable it to progress in the exercise; while one company's submission was noted to have met the necessary requirements.

NAICOM added that two companies' submissions are currently undergoing review, while three firms are yet to submit their recapitalisation plans.

Another three companies are under receivership, while the two reinsurance companies have submitted their reports

which are also under review.

Speaking on behalf of the Acting Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Sunday Thomas, NAICOM's Head Commissioner for Insurance Directorate, Rasaaq Salami, said in keeping with the recapitalisation roadmap, the commission had concluded the review of the submissions and had communicated individual companies on their positions.

He stressed that NAICOM's resolve to adhere to the recapitalisation roadmap towards achieving its desired objectives in the best interest of all stakeholders

“Further to the circular issued by NAICOM on May 20, 2019 increasing the paid-up share capital of insurers and reinsurers in Nigeria and, the subsequent directives to companies to submit their recapitalisation plans by August 20, 2019, the commission hereby notifies all insurance stakeholders that it received plans of 47 insurers and two reinsurers,� he added.

NAICOM had in May announced a new capital regime in form of increase in paid-up share capital of insurance firms.

Continued on page 8

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APC Files Cross-appeal at S’Court, Seeks Deletion of Evidence of Atiku’s Witnesses

Alex Enumah in Abuja

In a counter move against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a cross-appeal against the evidence of three data analysts who testified for the petitioners at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The party in the cross-appeal filed by its lead counsel, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), wants the Supreme Court to expunge the evidence of the three Information Communication and Technology (ICT) experts who testified on the existence of server allegedly used by the

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to store results of the February 23 presidential election.

A copy of the cross-appeal, filed at the Supreme Court registry in Abuja, on Tuesday, was obtained yesterday.

The three key witnesses are Segun Sowunmi, a media aide to Atiku, David Njoga, a Kenyan and Joseph Gbenga.

They had in their testimony informed the tribunal that they analysed presidential election results state by state and found discrepancies in the results credited to Atiku and APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari.

They alleged that in the results sheets they analysed, the

APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole votes of Atiku were deliberately depleted while that of Buhari and APC were inflated.

The Kenyan expert in his evidence said INEC used the server, saying that he penetrated it to obtain the alleged authentic results of the February 23

presidential election, which ran counter to the one declared by the electoral body.

But Fagbemi in the crossappeal pleaded with the Supreme Court for an order setting aside the evidence of the three witnesses and the documents, including video clips tendered through them from the bar.

Fagbemi also wants the apex court to expunge their testimonies and documents from the records of the court for being inadmissible in law.

The APC argued that the tribunal erred in law when it held that the evidence and the documents of the three witnesses were considered in the interest of natural justice.

Fagbemi said the decision of the tribunal on the point was untenable on the grounds that the issue of admissibility or otherwise of a document is a point of law and not natural justice as erroneously held by the tribunal.

Besides, he also sought an order of the apex court to strike out Atiku's allegations of electoral malpractices in 10 states of the federation on the grounds that the allegations of the electoral fraud were vague and not specific as required by law.

According to him, the petitioners did not state the specific polling units where the alleged fraud were committed, hence they must be expunged

for lacking in merit that can warrant the tribunal to look into them.

Atiku on Monday had filed a 66-ground of appeal upon which he predicated his prayers for setting aside the tribunal’s judgment that upheld the declaration of Buhari as winner of the February 23 presidential election.

The PDP candidate faulted the decision of the Justice Mohammed Garba-led panel which held that Buhari did not need to attach his academic certificates to the INEC's Form CF 001 before he can stand for the presidential election.

Meanwhile no date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeals.

FG, Shipping Firms Target N258.38bn Reduction in Port Charges Yearly Eromosele Abiodun Apparently worried by the huge amount of money used in clearing goods at the ports, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), on behalf of the federal government, will in the next two weeks sign a landmark agreement with shipping companies to reduce charges by 35 per cent or N258.38 billion yearly, THISDAY has learnt.

This development, it was learnt, followed almost two years of negotiations between the shipping companies and the NSC. Statistics obtained by THISDAY from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) showed that averagely, container traffic at the seaports across the country - Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island Port, Delta Port, Onne Port, Rivers Port and Calabar Port - stands at 822,868 annually THISDAY findings from customs agents revealed that it takes about N6.5 million to clear and transport within the country a 20-foot container laden with cargo worth N36.42 million ($100,000) imported into

Nigeria from China.

Of this amount, THISDAY gathered that about N5.3 million (representing 82.1 per cent) is paid to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as Import Duty, Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS), ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS), Port Development Surcharge and Value Added Tax (VAT).

Shipping companies are responsible for 13.8 per cent of the port cost (N897,000 per container); terminal operators 1.8 per cent (N117,000); Customs 82.1 per cent (N5.3million); transporters 1.1 per cent (N71,500) and clearing agents (N78,000).

This means that N5.34 trillion is required to clear the 822,868 containers annually while the shipping companies charges stand at N738.112 billion annually.

The cost of doing business in Nigeria ports ranks amongst the highest in the world with the ports notorious for high demurrage charges as a result of delay in cargo clearing process; high insurance premium of vessels coming to

Nigeria and trucks conveying containers to and from the ports and higher shipping and terminal charges.

This is aside the total annual freight cost estimated at between $5 billion and $6 billion annually, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

According to the World Bank in its 2017 Annual Ease of Doing Business Report, Nigeria ranks 145 among 185 countries with Mauritius ranking 32 as the best in Africa.

From the report, Trading Across Borders, an indicator for measuring a country’s ports effectiveness ranked Nigeria low at 183 out of 185 countries.

However, when the 35 per cent (N258.38 billion) reduction comes into effect after the MoU is signed, the shipping companies’ charges will be reduced to about N479.77 billion annually,.

The Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of the NSC, Hassan Bello, who confirmed the planned reduction of charges in an interview with THISDAY, said he was hopeful that the agreement would be signed.

Bello said: “You know in negotiation you can only be hopeful. We have been negotiating for one-and-a-half years. We have a small knotty problem which we hope to resolve by next week. So I am hopeful we will conclude with the shipping companies. “However, we will run the agreed MoU by the Ministry of Transportation, major stakeholders such as shippers freight forwarders, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

This will take four days; then we will sign the MoU. “Further, the total reduction would be 35 per cent reduction but the most important thing is we have come up with sustainable mechanism of settling dispute, which means no arbitrary or unilateral fixing of cost at the ports.�

Besides the reduction of port charges, he said the council has also abolished the container cleaning fee hitherto being collected by shipping companies, just as 15 other

port charges were removed from the list of charges.

According to him, the moment the MoU comes into effect, the implementation also becomes inevitable.

In his reaction, National President, of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr Lucky Amiwero, praised the federal government for the effort, adding, however, that 35 per cent reduction is not enough.

He said: “The most important charge by the shipping companies is the demurrage and their charges are higher than the terminal operators, which is not supposed to be so.

The shipping companies don’t have the right to be collecting the charges. In other countries of the world most of those charges are not applicable because they don’t provide services for the charges. “What they have is just the container and that has been charged to the freight cost already. These charges are contestable and it is a very serious issue. The shipping companies are doing what they

are doing because Nigerians don’t go to court, if Nigerians can go to court they will find out that the charges by the shipping companies are illegal.�

On his part, the Chairman of the Lagos State Shippers Association, Mr. Jonathan Nicol, said his group would resist the new charges if they fall below their expectations.

He said shipping companies must withdraw the court case they instituted against NSC resisting the council’s demand that they refund certain monies to some shippers.

The association also described the resort to the court by the shipping companies as an insult on the Nigerian government.

"The Nigerian Shippers Council has been involved in the negotiations of charges with these foreign shipping companies before they went to court. They must withdraw the case before the negotiations can take place. They went to court when the negotiations were going on, we are an interested party in the case because we are the ones paying the monies, “he added.

over the three-year span of the plan. The FGN intends to maintain its current strategy of borrowing internationally and locally on a 50-50 basis in a bid to mitigate the crowding-out effects of local borrowings. However, an area of concern will be the Proceeds of Oil Assets Ownership Restructuring. Contrary to the initial guidance that the federal government may seek to finance the deficit by restructuring its oil assets, the MTEF makes no provision for proceeds of this line,� he added.

Similarly, economist and former Director General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, also pointed out that after a disappointing budget cycle over the past years, an early passage could position the country as a serious entity both locally and internationally.

"Nigerians have been expecting a January to December budget cycle for many years. And Nigerians have been so disappointed

for the years gone by because having a cycle that cannot be determined and projected on had been distorting economic activity.

"In fact, it portrays the country as an unserious country because you cannot say you are budgeting and nobody knows when your budget time starts and when it ends."

"If we are going to have that going forward, the first thing it does is to show us as a serious minded country. But whether the budget will be implemented or not or half implemented or not will not actually be determined by whether the cycle will start in January and end in December.

But what the cycle does is to show us as a serious country.

"And then, we have to take the implementation very seriously. And what it also does is that it can make all kinds of financial planning possible so that everybody will key into the budget cycle of the country and in order for them to finish at a specific,� he added.

HOPE RISES FOR NEW BUDGET CYCLE AS 2020-2022 MTEF/FSP LANDS IN N’ASSEMBLY unveiled the documents in Abuja, had stated that the 2020 budget would be predicated on a lower oil production of 2.18 million barrels per day (mbpd) and lower benchmark oil price of $55 per barrel.

Early MTEF Submission Positive for Economy, Say Analysts Meanwhile, economic analysts have welcomed the early submission of the MTEF/ FSP and also commended the recent assurances from the legislature on its willingness to pass the budget on record time and revert to the JanuaryDecember cycle.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY, Chief Executive, Global Analytics Company, Mr. Tope Fasua, stated that the development would be positive for the economy.

He said: "Early submission of the MTEF is good for the economy and may see the country returning to the January-December cycle,

which will also coincide with the business cycles of banks and other large corporates and enable robust planning in the economy at large. Already there is a mismatch and some ministers have been heard saying at least six months’ worth of this year's budget will be rolled over into next year as a result of late passage.

"This means that most of the catalytic effect of the budget is lost on the rest of the economy and the people suffer because after taking care of top politicians and paying salaries and allowances of civil servants, nothing else gets done.

"A return to the normal cycle and a new seriousness around the budget will result in a reduction in poverty rates and a boost in national productivity."

On his part, an economist and Senior Lecturer at the Lagos Business School, Dr. Bongo Adi, commended the president, saying the move showed the willingness and determination by the federal government to meet its obligations on projects and as

well as ensuring a sustainable growth in the economy. “It shows the intent on planning and on seeing that the projects they have started are duly completed; but then, one would be interested in knowing how it connects with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)," Adi added.

On the benefits of an early passage of the budget, he said: “Perhaps this Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Fiscal Strategy Paper would be an opportunity for government to improve on the ERGP and perhaps put in place some lasting and more sustainable impetus towards growing the economy.�

In his contribution, the Head of Research, United Capital, Mr. Wale Olusi, said the development would help in directing the capital markets on how to position products to attract investments needed to fund the budget. “What we are planning is to spend over N10 trillion in 2020 and then fund it with about 70 revenue and that is

why you will be seeing the VAT increase going forward as well as other initiatives the government would be putting together to ramp up government revenue because oil revenue alone wouldn’t be able to balance the budget and we need to diversify our revenues,� he stated.

On the benefits of its early submission, he said: “For the economy, you know where the government is going and you know the plan of the government for the next three years and you know which sector they would be spending money.

"For us, who are in the capital market, what it simply means is that there is still going to be a lot of borrowing and then we can position our products along that line.�

To the Head of Research, Agusto & Co, Mr. Jimi Ogbobine, the MTEF was an indication that the assumption for the average exchange rate would be N305 to a dollar. “The MTEF 2020 – 2022 also reflects the borrowing plans of the Federal Government (FG)

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

Osinbajo: I’ll Waive My Constitutional Immunity to Clear My Name We’re not probing vice president, says EFCC Kingsley Nwezeh and James Emejo in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has declared his readiness

to waive his constitutional immunity to “enable the most robust adjudication” of several baseless allegations, insinuation and falsehoods against his person and office.

Lawyers, Family Members Keep Vigil at DSS over Sowore’s Release Alex Enumah in Abuja Lawyers to the detained Convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore and family members were last night keeping vigil at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) waiting for the release of Sowore.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja had on September 24 ordered the immediate release of Sowore who has been in custody of the DSS since August 3, 2019.

The order for Sowore’s release was based on the grounds that the order for his detention by the DSS made on August 8, has elapsed.

The judge as part of conditions for Sowore’s release ordered that he deposit his international passport with the court.

However, one of the lawyers to Sowore, Marshal Abubakar, who spoke to THISDAY last night, said that they were still waiting for his release by the DSS. He revealed that Sowore had fully complied with the order of the court by depositing his international passport with number A50255207 with the

Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

A copy of the letter, accompanied with a 6 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by Marshal Abubakar in the Chambers of Femi Falana (SAN) was sighted

by THISDAY.The letter was said to have been served on the DSS and was received by one Ayuba Adam.

When asked if Sowore has been released to Falana in line with the order of Justice Taiwo, the lawyer said: “We are still there, he has not been released”.

Abubakar said after his conversation with the Director of Legal Services at the DSS they were asked to wait for the decision of the Director General of the DSS. “I spoke with the Director of Legal some minutes ago, I am here with the SA to Falana; we spoke with the director who said that he spoke with the DG and that the DG asked him to wait over sowore matter.

“So, we are all waiting; the prison warder is waiting; he is not sleeping; the prison inmates are waiting; families of prison inmates are waiting; we are all waiting,” he said.

Osinbajo’s position is coming as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified that it is not probing the vice president and the National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP).

Osinbajo made the declaration in a tweet he personally authored yesterday afternoon.

He said “In the past few days, a spate of reckless and malicious falsehoods have been peddled in the media against me by a group of malicious individuals.

“The defamatory and misleading assertions invented by this clique had mostly been making the social media rounds anonymously.

“I have today instructed the commencement of legal action against two individuals, one Timi Frank and another Katch Ononuju, who have put their names to these odious falsehoods.

“I will waive my constitutional immunity to enable the most robust adjudication of these claims of libel and malicious falsehood.” he said Meanwhile, the EFCC has clarified that it is not probing Osinbajo and N-SIP. The commission said at no time did its spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, make

any reference to N-SIP as a programme or accused those who superintend it of corruption.

It cautioned against reports which could project a false indictment and incite the vice president against Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Magu appreciated how N-SIP had lifted many Nigerians out of poverty.

The statement debunked media reports attributed to Magu, which claimed that there was corruption in N-SIP. The reports had claimed that Magu spoke through Uwujaren at the 15th AntiCorruption Situation Room organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda in Kaduna on Tuesday.

The commission described the reports as false and a mischievous twist of the goodwill message presented

by Uwujaren, on corruption and peace building in conflict communities.

According to the EFCC statement, “in the presentation, the EFCC spokesperson observed that the agency had received complaints in some zones regarding the social investment programmes, citing an example in Gombe where

the commission investigated a case in the Anchor Borrower’s Scheme in which sand was bagged and passed off as fertilizer.

“He, therefore, warned that for the crises in these conflict zones not to degenerate, civil society organisations should play more active roles in monitoring the programmes to ensure that their benefits get to the people for which they are intended.

“At no time in the presentation did Mr Uwujaren mention the N-SIP as a programme nor did he accuse those who superintend it of corruption. The specific case mentioned, the Anchor Borrower’s scheme, is not part of the N-SIP being supervised by the office of the vice president,” EFCC added.

In a related development, the Communications Manager, National Social Investment Office (NSIO), Justice Tienabeso Bibiye has also clarified that the Office of the Vice President is not involved in financial transactions or the disbursement of funds under the N-SIPs of the present administration.

Rather, Bibiye said the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, is in charge of all matters regarding financing, budgeting,

procurement and disbursement of funds allocated and released for the programme.

In a statement issued yesterday, Bibiye noted however, that the Steering Committee for the NSIO is chaired by the vice president, who supervises the implementation of the programme.

He further stressed that the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) beneficiaries are identified by members of the communities themselves, through a tripartite method, adding that the World Bank community-based targeting process was adopted at the beginning to assure of community ownership of the process.

“The vice president only goes round markets in the states where the trader-moni scheme is launched to engage with beneficiaries, but he is not involved in the disbursement of loans, whether in cash or through cash transfers,” the statement further explained.

The coalition of Northern Nigerian Youth has also thrown their weight behind the vice president, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to halt any attempt that can lead to maltreatment or embarrassment of any kind against his deputy.

Military to Resume Operations Nationwide Kingley Nwezeh in Abuja Barely 24 hours after two lawmakers from Borno State initiated a motion of urgent national importance and raised the alarm that eight local government areas of the state were under the control of insurgents, the Nigerian Army said yesterday that it would resume multiple military operations across the country.

The military has come under criticism in recent times for engaging in operations that would stretch its capacity to the limits and the attendant loss of focus.

Army Headquarters said yesterday it was extending Operation Positive Identification first launched in the North-east to track fleeing insurgents across the nation to checkmate bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and ethnic militia.

“In her spirited efforts to combat insecurity across the nation, the Nigerian Army (NA) is set to commence simultaneous routine training exercises in the various Geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

“The exercises are Exercise Ayem Akpatuma 11 in the North Central and parts of

North Western states of Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi and Taraba as well as Kaduna and Niger States in 1 and 3 Divisions Area of Responsibilities (AOR),” it said.

The exercise includes “Headquarters Command Army Records, Guards Brigade and 707 Special Forces Brigade.”

An Army statement said “Exercise Egwu Eke IV which will be carried out in the South Eastern part of Nigeria comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states in 82 Division Area of Responsibility (AoR)”.

It said Exercise Crocodile Smile IV would take place in the Sout-south and parts of South Western states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun and Rivers in 2, 6, 81 and 82 Divisions’ AOR. The statement signed by Army Spokesman, Col Sagir Musa, said Operation Positive Identification would also be extended across the country to checkmate bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, ethnic militia, cattle rustlers as well as other sundry crimes across the various regions of Nigeria.

ALL EYES ON ACHIEVING SDGs…

L-R: Governor, Edo State, Godwin Obaseki; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; President Muhammadu Buhari; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq; Minister of Women Affairs and Special Development, Pauline Tallen; President of the Africa Development Bank (AFDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouk, during the official launch of the Nigeria Integrated SGDs Model Report titled: Achieving the SDGs in Nigeria: Pathways and Policy Options, held at the United Nations building, New York...Tuesday

Buhari Condemns Coup Attempt in Ghana Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday condemned the coup attempt in Ghana, saying democracy is the only acceptable form of governance in Africa.

A statement by a presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said Nigeria stood by Ghana this moment because both countries had made some progress in the fight against

corruption.

He linked the coup to the fight against corruption, alleging that when powerful interests are taken on, corruption will always fight back.

“Nigeria and Ghana are leading partners in ECOWAS, and Transparency International, and Afrobarometer’s Africa Index 2019 attested that both countries have recorded exceptional advances in fighting corruption.

“When you take on powerful and corrupt vested interests successfully, sometimes they seek to push back. As the saying goes, ‘if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back’.

“The only acceptable form of governance in our region in this 21st century is through democratic elections. It is the only way to install – and the only way to change – an administration. The days of

coups and government without votes are over.

“All Africans hold the nation of Ghana in the highest esteem as the first post-colonial country to gain independence, and the first African country to hold multi-party elections by universal suffrage. Ghana is the first, true African democracy.

“We in Nigeria hold out – as always - our hands in support and friendship to our brothers and sisters in Ghana”.

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NEWS

UN Kicks as Boko Haram Kills Another Aid Worker Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The United Nations has condemned the killing of one of the six workers held in captivity by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The insurgents had yesterday uploaded a video online showing how the humanitarian worker was beheaded, two months after six workers of Action Against Hunger (AAH), an international humanitarian organisation, were abducted.

Ahmad Salkida, a journalist well known for his link with the group, had equally through his verified Twitter handle, said the aid worker, a male was executed at a close range.

Salkida said that he saw the video of the execution.

Salkida added that the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), said it took the action because “the

government deceived them,” following months of secret negotiations between a team of intermediaries and unnamed officials. “#ISWAP has executed one of the six aid workers, working with the Action Against Hunger that was abducted two months ago in Borno,” Salkida tweeted “One of the male aid workers was executed at close range in a short video clip seen by this reporter.

“The group said it took the action because ‘the government deceived them,’ following months of what is now known as secret negotiations between a team of intermediaries and unnamed officials”.

The execution of the worker, is coming against the backdrop of allegation by the military that AAH was conducting illicit affairs supporting the terrorist group.

The UN condemnation of the killing was made by the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, who said: “I am appalled and deeply saddened by the news of the horrific execution of an aid worker this morning. My most heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues.

“The United Nations calls

on authorities to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. The United Nations also calls for the immediate release of all aid workers who are still in captivity.

“I am also extremely concerned about the increasingly dangerous and restrictive operating environment for implementing humanitarian assistance in

crisis-affected areas, where humanitarian aid workers continue to face challenges as they strive to deliver urgent, life-saving assistance.

“I renew the call for all parties to the conflict to ensure the protection of aid workers and to respect international humanitarian law according to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality,

independence and impartiality.

He noted that the humanitarian community in Nigeria is working in line with the 2019-2021 Humanitarian Response Strategy, jointly agreed with the Government of Nigeria, to provide life-saving assistance to 6.2 million of the most vulnerable people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

Independence: FG Declares Tuesday Public Holiday The federal government has declared Tuesday, October1, as public holiday to mark Nigeria’s 59th Independence anniversary.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Georgina Ehuriah, announced this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.

She said the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola made the declaration on behalf of the federal government.

The minister congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad on the commemoration of this year’s anniversary.

He assured citizens of government’s commitment to end the current spate of insecurity in the country.

According to him, peace and stability are necessary conditions for the development of any nation.

Aregbesola, therefore, called on Nigerians to emulate the nation’s founding fathers in their love for their fatherland.

Aregbesola reminded Nigerians of the immense potential the country was

endowed with, and assured that with commitment, “we can move the country to the next level of socio-economic development.”

“As Nigerians, we should always remember that there is hope for our country and that we are blessed with both human and natural resources, tourism, cultural diversity, selfless spirit of unity and love for one another.

“As well as bonded brotherhood, all of which are potential we must exploit in the years ahead to make Nigeria the nation of our dreams,” he said.

Aregbesola enjoined all Nigerians to support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in its avowed determination to build a secure, economically viable and corruption free nation, in line with the dream of the country’s founding fathers.

The minister wished all Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.

Again, Investors Oversubscribe N150bn FGN Bond Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja As in previous months, subscribers showed a strong appetite for FGN bonds as the The Debt Management Office (DMO) conducted the monthly Auction of FGN Bonds yesterday.

Three instruments (five-year, ten-year and 30-year bonds) with a total face value of N150 billion, were offered to investors at the auction.

The total subscriptions received from competitive bids for the instruments were N160.90 billion, the DMO disclosed last night.

In addition, there were non-competitive bids of N46.60 billion, taking the total subscription received (competitive and noncompetitive) to the sum of N207.50 billion.

As in previous auctions, investor sentiments remained strong for the longer-tenored bonds.

Subscriptions received from competitive bids for the 10year and 30-year bonds were N82.91 and N63.66 billion, compared with the amount offered for the N50 billion and N55 billion, for the two instruments, respectively.

Allotments were made to successful bidders at 14.3900 per cent for the five-year, 14.4300 per cent for the 10-year and 14.6400 per cent for the 30-year bonds. The amount allotted to competitive bidders for the three instruments was N100 billion, while the sum of N46.60 billion was allotted to non-competitive bidders.

Overall, the total amount allotted at the Auction was N146.60 billion.

FEC MEETING…

L-R: The New Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi Esan; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Abibat Lawal; and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja...yesterday

House Committee Summons Former NDDC CEOs over Abandoned Projects Shola Oyeyipo and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee investigating abandoned projects in the Niger Delta region yesterday summoned all the former managing directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), including Timi Alaibe, Nsima Ekere, Nelson Brambaifa, and Emmanuel Agwariavwodo, among others, to appear before it on Friday over abandoned projects valued at N61. 4 billion The committee chairman, Hon. Nicholas Ossai, representing Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency, Delta State, issued the summon after grilling the NDDC management, which appeared before his committee.

According to Ossai, who read from a 2013-2018 report of the Auditor-General on NDDC, “Considering the enormous amount of money paid to the contractors as mobilisation fees without any value derived thereby, it can be affirmed that the commission lacked effective

control in the process of contract award and payment.”

He said the key issue was that the commission should recover the sum of N61.4 billion that the contractors allegedly collected, which he noted, was the summary of what they were given in terms of people who didn’t go to site He stressed that in terms of excess payment, N5.8billion must be refunded.

Querying the Director of Finance and Supply, Dr. Ogbalubi Linus, Ossai demanded to know if at any particular point in time, the commission awarded a contract to a company for Ogborodo shore protection .

“The figure here is that the contact sum of N1.042 billion was awarded to this engineering company and examination of NDDC contract payment status from the Finance and Accounts Department revealed that the contractor has been paid 50 per cent, N521.3million for job that was done less than 11 per cent,” Ossai stated.

Asked what percentage of

the job was done, Linus, said: “They didn’t do much. I don’t think it was up to 20 per cent. I don’t have the figure here but I am not sure it was up to 20-25 percent.”

Members of the committee expressed shock over the number of abandoned projects awarded

by NDDC and abandoned by the contractors since 2000.

The lawmakers were equally stunned with the revelation that about 250 projects were executed under the emergency project platform without approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

“This committee invites all past MDs including the immediate one, Executive Director of Finance and Projects to appear before the committee on Friday and the acting Managing Director should communicate to them either in writing on by phone to appear before this committee,” Ossai said.

Also, the Auditor General’s audit report of 2013 on NDDC stressed that 626 contractors collected money without visiting the sites of the projects.

According to Ossai, some contractors that collected the money may probably not be afraid of NDDC, but assured Nigerians that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be invited to investigate the matter.

“The ones they collected money and never visited sites is 626 contractors. In Abia State, 32 projects were abandoned and they collected N2 billion. In Akwa Ibom, 64 projects abandoned, contractors never went to site and collected a sum of N4.2 billion; in Bayelsa--80 contractors collected N4.9 billion; Cross River, 29 contractors collected N2.06 billion; Delta, 99 contractors collected N7.8 billion; Edo, 51 contractors-- N2.06 billion; Imo, 33 contractors collected N1.8 billion; Ondo, 50 contractors collected N6. 17 billion; Rivers, 106 contractors collected N13.14 billion, all amounting to N61.4 billion,” he explained.

He also alluded to the report of the Auditor General, which disclosed that 1,723 contractors never went to sites.

Consider Interest of Rivers First, Wike Urges Labour Leaders Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on the leadership of labour unions to place the public interest of the state above other considerations in their engagements with the state government.

Wike made this call yesterday while inaugurating the secretariat of the Rivers State’s chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Port Harcourt. The secretariat is a three-storey building with conference halls, offices, stores

and multiple staircases.

He said: “For me, Rivers first before any other thing. Before you go on strike or declare any dispute with the Rivers State Government, look through and check what the implications would be for Rivers State.

“We need teachers. But the employment of teachers will be based on examination. It will be based on merit. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and the Chairman of Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board have been directed to determine

how many teachers are needed before a consultant is engaged to conduct the examination.”

The governor warned that principals involved in collecting monies from students would be sanctioned because state government would not tolerate any contravention of its directive on the abolition of all forms of fees in state-owned schools.

Wike also assured the NLC of his administration’s continued partnership for the good of Rivers State.

He explained that the

secretariat was a demonstration of state government’s resolve to create enabling environment for labour leaders to work towards improving labour/government relations.

Chairman of NLC Rivers State, Comrade Beatrice Itubo, commended the governor for building the secretariat despite recent economic challenges.

She said labour is committed to improving the synergy with the state government for the development of the state.

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°Í´Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

COMMENT

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

MUGABE AND AMERICA’S DEMOCRACRY WITHOUT EQUALITY Okello Oculi writes that the war of visions between Mugabe and Obama had a long legacy

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hen President Barack Obama at the African Union in Addis Ababa criticised President Robert Mugabe for staying too long in power and called for democratic governance based on limited terms of staying in power, the old Warrior hit back by asking Obama ‘’whose voice was speaking through him?’’. How could Obama dare to talk of democracy when under his presidency millions of African-Americans were rotting in poverty in Harlem section of New York City?

He might have added that under Obama’s watch the election commission in the State of Texas struck out names of over 160,000 African-Americans from the voters’ list. Alabama prohibited natives living in northern states from voting by postal service. This was a strategy for eliminating potential Black votes for the Democratic Party in the 2016 election that Donald Trump won.

The first punch in this fist fight between Obama and Mugabe was thrown by Obama during his first visit to Ghana. He pronounced the doctrine that ‘’strong institutions’’ are more important for democratic governance than ‘’strong individuals’’.

Mugabe had been influenced by Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah; won a liberation war against racist European immigrants in Southern Rhodesia (renamed Zimbabwe), and had been in power through election victories since 1980.

His use of violence to evict recalcitrant white owners of vast land and handing it over to veterans of liberation warfare became very popular at home and arousing similar agitation in South Africa and Namibia. Jewish business leaders who had supported Obama’s election were alarmed that Mugabeism would ruin their profitable properties in mines and agricultural plantations. Obama was reassuring them that he would contain Mugabe.

Barely two weeks after Mugabe’s death, a female contestant for nomination as presidential candidate of the Democratic Party said on CNN that the person who can defeat Donald Triumph must focus on condemning the inequalities and economic violence at the core of American society. As an example she quoted a study which showed that 25 per cent of children in South Carolina go to school on empty stomachs. Over 13 million children drop out of school annually. In the 1970s, Senator Edward Kennedy had fought for legislation in the Senate to combat rampant malnutrition in many states.

The war of visions between Mugabe and Obama had a long legacy. Professor Cheik Anta Diop demonstrated that at the height of Europe’s economic prosperity through her slave trade, European writers turned the notion of ‘’barbarism’’ from themselves to their African victims in order to justify their

HOW COULD OBAMA DARE TO TALK OF DEMOCRACY WHEN UNDER HIS PRESIDENCY MILLIONS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE ROTTING IN POVERTY IN HARLEM SECTION OF NEW YORK CITY?

inhumanity against African peoples whose genius under Ancient Egypt had produced the Mathematics, Architectural science, medical knowledge, religion and nutritional sciences from which Europe had borrowed openly.

In the 20th Century, Africa contributed to democratizing world culture by fighting wars of liberation against racial dictatorships, exploitation and exclusion of majority African populations from participation from politics and fruits of their brutally exploited labour. At Congo’s independence from Belgian rule, for example, people in eastern regions of the vast country brutalised Europeans living in the area. Catholic Nuns were raped. These were vindictive responses to decades of horrendous brutalities by Belgians including the hacking of hands of over 10 million Congolese for failing to tap adequate quantities of rubber latex. Mugabe shattered carpets of silences in Euro-American evaluation of performances of African post-colonial rule.

Leaders of armed struggle for democracy in Algeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde, are not celebrated as redeemers; while beneficiaries from ‘’crimes against humanity’’, became ‘’born again’’ angels of democracy. Mugabe prepared us to mock current revelations of racism by Roland Reagan, Richard Nixon, Donald Trump and young Trudeau.

Before Mugabe travelled to ‘’After-Africa’’, Barack Obama had become Trump’s drum for firing up racist hatred among ‘’the wretched of the earth’’ in Southern United States. Trump was the spy who came in from within flames of television drama. In the 1960s, clever northern chaps led by Robert McNamara (as Secretary of State for Defence), successfully killed President Lyndon Johnson’s dream of building the ‘’Great Society’’ by ending poverty and economic, social and political underdevelopment of the Southern States. His energy and budgets were diverted into ships, aircraft bombers, and chemical weapons for destroying Vietnam. Johnson died a broken man. Robert Mugabe was not available to deride an unequal democracy anchored on neo-slavery economic, intellectual and political poverty.

Mugabe’s rebuke to Obama to speak as the voice of AfricanAmericans remains valid. In a rage, he cursed Obama by saying that he might travel to Washington to offer marriage to him since, with a rare ’American democracy blindness’, he was screaming at Africa to sanctify ‘’same-sex marriage’’ while over 800 Euro-American multinational corporations were slaughtering village communities in Democratic Republic of Congo while looting their diamonds, gold, titanium and timber. The same companies were resolutely starving Zimbabwe through ‘’economic sanctions’’

BUHARI’S NEXT LEVEL AGENDA President Buhari is out to refocus his administration for optimal performance, writes Nkiru Jasper

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ith the federal cabinet firmly on ground and strategically reinforced to execute far-reaching innovative policy initiatives and projects, the next level of the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s agenda is taking shape. The stage was set for a radical redefinition of ministerial responsibility for giving direction and ensuring efficient attainment of set goals by the convening of a presidential retreat for ministers-designate. The retreat sensitized the appointees to the status of the implementation of policies, programmes and projects of government from 2015 to date, formalized a functional platform for synergy and teamwork and acquainted the appointees with the road map for delivery of government’s priorities and next level agenda (2019-2023).

It was a reassuring indication that the Buhari administration was convinced that readiness of ministerial appointees for their national assignments requires much more than the theatricals and horse-trading rigmarole of legislative screening and necessitates an intensive session of equipping them with the relevant information, insight and orientation to enable them discharge their responsibilities as expected. The retreat featured presentations on cabinet processes and procedures, aligning government policies with the ideology, manifesto and campaign promises of the ruling party, budgeting, civil service reforms, public procurement, the relationships among ministers and permanent secretaries, and effective partnerships between executive,

legislature and state governments, among others.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, whose office organized the retreat, used the occasion to introduce a new cabinet memorandum review and approval process aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of government decision-making and policy implementation and increasing coordination and coherence within the government. The ministers-designate also received clear targets with their portfolios as the Buhari administration has resolved to ensure that targets are complied with and performance of ministers will be closely monitored by the office of the SGF. Participants were reminded that the challenges ahead of the administration remained significant and urged to work in collaboration to give their best to the task of delivering a more prosperous country for all Nigerians. But, each minister will get a mandate, based on the assigned ministry, which will spell out priorities, deliverables and timelines.

The first-time ever agenda-setting retreat for ministers-designate was applauded as a clear evidence of the outcome of the Buhari administration’s diagnostic endeavour to identify the inherent problems bedevilling the machinery of government. It was part of remedial measures to enhance the capacity and efficiency of government thereby raising performance levels for timely attainment of good governance. As an incoming administration taking over from an entrenched government characterized by almost two decades of economic mismanagement, corruption and maladministration in 2015 and

sworn to implementing a change agenda of sweeping reforms and corrective refocusing of government for meaningful development of the country, the Buhari administration inevitably devoted most of its first term to stopping the rot.

Remarkably, President Buhari demonstrated courageous commitment by simultaneously tackling the hydra-headed threats to national security, territorial integrity and safety of lives and property. Thus, he saw to the substantial subjugation of the rampaging Boko Haram terrorist insurgency even as security forces grappled with widespread incidents of kidnappings, farmer-herder violence and daring gangs of murderous gunmen wreaking havoc in rural areas. Refusing to be distracted by the opposition of culprits and detractors, the president waged a relentless and revealing war against corruption, especially in government affairs, exposing humongous diversion of public funds to private pockets and recovering hundreds of billions of naira in stolen assets whilst vigilantly pursuing measures to tackle leakages in public resources. He focused attention of relevant government agencies and institutions towards steadily turning the economy around through value-added investment in agriculture and manufacturing, boosting our foreign reserves, curtailing inflation, rehabilitating and expanding the country’s infrastructure.

Taking comprehensive stock of these praise-worthy accomplishments against the background of entrenched decadence of government, deliberate campaigns of calumny targeting remedial measures, emerging impact

of past mismanagement of the economy and escalating fallouts of raging terrorist insurgency inherited from the Jonathan administration, the magnitude and significance of President Buhari’s first term takes on a spectacular shine.

He was also spearheading a full-blown research and analysis of the failure factors in governance and prescribing potent antidotes and innovations that confounded cliques of noisy and nonsensical urban PDP critics who alone saw nothing good in such an impressive record of performance against all odds. Significantly, the president created a completely new Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, which for the first time brought critical aspects of governance challenges and human distress together in one ministry for long overdue upgraded government intervention and re-established the police affairs ministry to accord due priority to management of the police force.

From the quality of the deliberations at the presidential retreat, it is an appropriate launch pad for the realization of a more impactful “next level� of the progressive redefinition of governance and responsible leadership pledged by President Buhari. We also have the assurance of Defence Minister Bashir Magashi that the next level cabinet is fully conscious of its responsibilities as he declared recently that “Nigerians should blame us for failure or otherwise of the regime. President Buhari should rest and allow us to take full responsibility of what happens in his government.� Except that under the Buhari administration, failure is not an option!

Jasper wrote from Owerri

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

EDITORIAL CHALLENGE OF HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS The new ministry of humanitarian affairs may do well to direct its efforts toward prevention of disasters

A

highlight of the recent announcement of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet is the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. It was an idea suggested by the House of Representatives, early this year, to take care of the huge humanitarian needs of those displaced by insurgency in the Northeast. A few other countries such as Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Niger and China have a similar ministry to handle their humanitarian emergencies.

We therefore commend the president for this move.

But there are obvious challenges. Even before Nigeria established the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and similar agencies, several international non-governmental organisations, including the Red Cross have been carrying out humanitarian works, albeit with limitations. Now that the federal government NIGERIA WAS RATED has decided to dedicate FIFTH IN THE GLOBAL a full ministry to HUMANITARIAN CRISES. humanitarian affairs, STORIES OF HOW IDPS it will be necessary to state its duties clearly ARE RAPED, ROBBED to avoid the squabbles OR MALTREATED ARE that often assail agenRIFE. PICTURES OF cies with overlapping BABIES WITH OVERresponsibilities.

BLOATED STOMACHS We recall that past HAVE ARRESTED GLOBAL efforts at disaster manATTENTION agement and poverty alleviation were without synergy. For any programme to be effective, proper institution-based coordination mechanism is necessary. For the new ministry to smoothly take off, the executive may need to present bills for amendments of the acts establishing the agencies to be superintended by the ministry, so as to clearly place them under its purview.

With the downturn in the nation’s economy, can the government fund the new ministry adequately? We fear that the pioneer minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, might become overwhelmed by the challenges of an

Letters to the Editor

enterprise that requires enormous funding as well as manpower resources. But with her pedigree as a former federal commissioner of NCFRMI, there is no doubt that she is cut out for the job. She only needs to rev up NEMA, NCFRMI and others that will now, naturally, be superintended by the new ministry. Her doors must remain open to international charities, and she should coordinate the activities of home-based NGOs interested in humanitarian and social development activities.

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

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

AS EL-RUFAI’S SON GOES TO SCHOOL

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he trending news that went viral on the social and conventional media recently is the enrolment of governor Nasir El-Rufai’s six- year- old child in a public school. Abubakar was enrolled in Kaduna State Capital School on Monday in fulfilment of the governor’s campaign promises to take his son to public school. Governor El-Rufai, since the time he assumed office, has been carrying out reforms aimed at repositioning the education sector. The reforms have led to the sacking of over 20,000 primary school teachers whom he described as incompetent, having failed to pass an aptitude test organised by the state government. However, the state government moved fast to fill the vacuum. It hired graduates and NCE holders to teach in our public schools.

There are divergent views being expressed by people with regard to the enrolment of Abubakar El-Rufai into the public school. Some people view the El-Rufai’s bold action as timely, particularly when many Nigerians have started losing confidence in public schools. It is no longer news that our public schools have become a shadow of their former selves. Most of our primary schools lacked basic infrastructure, learning materials and above

he new ministry would do well to direct its efforts toward prevention of disasters rather than to provision of aid. It should work with intelligence.

In no distant time, for instance, several coastal towns in the country may be sacked by severe flooding, especially after the opening of some dams in neighbouring Cameroon. The havoc wrought in 2012 in at least five states has not been remedied. The relief offered to flood victims is a tiny drop in the ocean of what they need after a disaster.

Today, internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camps dot the country, especially the northeast. And millions of people displaced by Boko Haram or so-called Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) constitute perhaps 95% of its occupants. Other refugee camps have sprung up in the northwest due to attacks on towns and villages by bandits. During a visit to President Buhari recently, the president of the International Committee on Red Cross, Mr Peter Maurer, disclosed that Nigeria was rated fifth in the global humanitarian crises. Stories of how IDPs are raped, robbed or maltreated are rife. Pictures of babies with over-bloated stomachs have arrested global attention.

Corrupt activities involved in contracts for the supply of food, medicines and for grass-cutting have been reported.

Where will Hajiya Farouq and her ministry begin?

The refugee crisis certainly comes first. Only recently, she visited her counterpart in Niger Republic to discuss how the two neighbouring countries could collaborate to tackle the refugee crisis on their common borders. More than 100, 000 Nigerians are currently refugees in Niger, thanks to Boko Haram in the northeast and banditry in the northwest.

The task ahead is enormous. We wish the minister success.

all competent teachers. These sorry conditions of our education sector have forced the ruling elite and other affluent members in our societies to take or enrol their children or wards in the private schools. To these categories of people, the governor’s decision to enrol his son is a moral booster and will encourage school enrolment drive. However, other people view the governor’s move as political.

To them, there is quite a difference between the Kaduna State capital school the governor took his son and the LGE primary schools where children of the common man attend.

It was reliably gathered that the state government last year spent the sum of N195 million to renovate the capital school. This indicates, even by standard, the school where governor El-Rufai enrols his son is far better than most of our LGE schools. In most of the public schools, children of poor men receive lessons in dilapidated classrooms, sometimes, under the shade of trees with majority of pupils sitting on bare floor. This poor condition of learning still exists in spite of the much-talked about investment in the sector. With this glaring evidence, the critics believe, El-Rufai does not deserve commendation. They have stated he just wants to make political gains out of the much publicised public school enrolment.

Ibrahim Mustapha, Pambegua, Kaduna State

OAU, EFCC AND CRIME STRATEGY

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t is imperative to give an informative response to the accolade attributed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof.

Eyitope Ogunbodede. A delegation of the EFCC led by Friday Ebelo from the Ibadan Zonal Office of the commission had visited OAU community and had a meeting with the university vice chancellor on September 18, 2019. The delegates and the VC unequivocally shared the meeting’s outcome with the public.

The meeting was instrumental at harmonizing both institutions (EFCC and OAU) to effectively combat misappropriation, corruption and cyber related crimes in the university administration.

Taking a trip down memory lane, the staff unions and students of OAU organized marathon protests and demanded the probe of Professor Bamitale Omole led - administration while leaving office.

The tenure of Prof. Omole, the 10th substantive OAU Vice Chancellor, was allegedly rocked with administrative and financial scandals. The unions stern resistance against Omole also stalled the book launch organised in his honour. The protest got intense and the federal government eventually intervened. Subsequently, a caretaker committee was constituted to sanitize the institution.

The EFCC has turned a deaf ear to the staff and students union petitions demanding for the probe of Prof. Omole led - administration. The incumbent VC as well has shown nonchalant disposition to the clarion calls. Recently, the students’ union action committee of OAU forwarded petitions to the EFCC, Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to probe the institution’s financial mismanagement and tax evasion. The alleged embezzlement of N17.5 million funds meant for students’ identity cards for the 2016/2017 academic session, tax debt of N1.8 billion and other fraudulent misconducts attached with some documents were unattended to till date.

The EFCC fight against corruption and cybercrimes in Nigerian tertiary institutions would be more strategic, effective and productive if the anti - graft agencies could synergise with the staff unions and students’ leaders across higher institutions.

These unions are the administrators’ watchdogs. It is highly impracticable and unrealistic for administrators in tertiary institutions to expose their corrupt practices or mismanagement gripping the system.

Moreover, the internet fraudsters on campuses are susceptible to prompt exposition through the students’ body.

Binzak Azeez, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

POLITICS

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

‘El-Rufai Didn’t Wait Till After Elections to Know Who He Wants on His Team’

Nseobong Okon-Ekong holds a conversation with Naymarie Francesca Musa, Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Political Matters on how the governor’s disposition to gender equity and inclusion of women in political processes has improved fiscal transparency, access to information and all areas of governance in the state

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Kaduna is witnessing unprecedented transformation. 2023 is almost four years away. The task at hand now is building and leaving a lasting legacy that will benefit generations to come. Political talks about 2023 is an unnecessary distraction for now. When we get there, we shall cross the bridge.

s an aide on Political affairs to the Governor of Kaduna State, what would you say about the governor’s inclusion of women in governance of the state?

His Excellency Governor Nasir El-Rufai has raised the bar in Gender Equity and women inclusion in governance compared to his predecessors and other states of the federation. The percentage of women in key executive positions has risen to 33% - a major policy departure from most Nigerian politicians. As we all know that the state government has adopted Open Government Partnership (OGP)- women inclusion is one of the key ingredients that is helping this OGP achieve numerous successes in the areas of promoting fiscal transparency, access to information, citizen engagement and empowerment. The government should be commended for the bold vision and implementation of this policy.

One of the strident criticisms of Governor El-Rufai is that he has exploited the religious and ethnic diversity in the state to his advantage, do you agree?

In politics, there are people that will support you and there will be notable oppositions and regardless of your achievements, your opponents will never acknowledge your success. It is public knowledge that this insinuation is not true.

Moreover, in Nigeria politics, most opposition have dedicated resources to always conduct negative research and mill out propaganda to discredit the government in power. There is no doubt that every government has its challenges, religious crisis and ethnic diversity is not peculiar to Kaduna state, it is a national phenomenon. At that, the Kaduna state government shortly before the inauguration of its second term, restructured the state governance platform to address religious & security concerns by creation of a new ministry and feedback mechanism to report security concern and suspicious activities in various neighborhoods and communities of Kaduna State. In terms of ethnic diversity, all major residents and indigenes of Kaduna states are represented in the governance structure. There is no doubt that governance in Kaduna is more open, accountable, and responsive to citizens based on the numerous efforts of the governor.

The Kaduna governor has been accused of playing to the gallery by taking one of his sons to a public school, where are his other children?

It is easier said than done. I saw a similar comment credited to a notable opposition in Kaduna, knowing-fullywell that all three children of this opposition figure are currently studying in a UK university and two are in a British secondary school - where they pay millions of Naira in tuition per term in Abuja. His Excellency is the only Nigerian high-ranking politician that has fulfilled his promise in this regard. The most fascinating part was when the press interviewed the little boy, the response was so organic, he said, “Yes, I will miss my former school, my friends and my teacher, but I like this school as well and

The Kaduna governor’s sister is the Finance Minister, is this of any political advantage to Kaduna State?

It is an irrelevant issue whether they are related. Is she qualified to be Finance Minister? Undoubtedly yes. The Minister of Finance I believe is representing the northwest geographical zone. She is a minister of the federal government and not Kaduna state. The President of the federal republic has an established vetting system and standard for selecting his ministers. The qualified candidates went through a rigorous screening process and security clearance for them to be considered. Nepotism cannot work in this scenario. I believe the minister is well qualified and she can deliver on mandate given to her; and so far, so good.

Musa

I want to support my parents to fulfill their promises.” Call it whatever you like, the little boy is a hero, he has the options to decline and insist that he wants the former school. We have read about similar

In terms of ethnic diversity, all major residents and indigenes of Kaduna states are represented in the governance structure.

There is no doubt that governance in Kaduna is more open, accountable, and responsive to citizens based on the numerous efforts of the governor

examples in the holy books. Therefore, to have justification against this, let the critics too enroll their children in public schools. If the school system is not good enough, I know that the governor has many alternatives. But I see this as a bold statement of confidence in the state educational sub-sector.

Managing the Moslem-Moslem ticket in Kaduna must have been very challenging to you, how were you able to ride the tide?

One of the major problems facing our country is religious and identity bias.

Instead of putting a round peg in a round hole, most of the time we have prioritize religious sentiments above competencies.

I think the arguments should have been focused on whether the running mate has requisite qualification, experience and track records to deliver in such capacity.

As we can see, even going by the fist 100days in office, the Deputy Governor has exceeded expectations in all areas.

Does El-Rufai have presidential ambition?

I cannot speak for the governor, but I believe with his level of his political maturity and experience in both public and private sectors he is not only well- qualified but also popular in all geopolitical zones. Nevertheless, Mallam’s focus at the moment is realizing his transformation vision for Kaduna state.

Governor El-Rufai is one of the few governors who constituted his cabinet early, what does this say about the capacity of the governor to embark on wide consultation of and get the buy-in of different stakeholders in the polity?

The Governor has passion for policy reform, we have seen the result from various development activities in the FCT when he was a minister. The policies he established has kept FCT focused on development agenda till date. I don’t think you have to wait till after the elections to know who you want on your team. This should be part of pre-election political process. As I mentioned earlier, with the embrace of OGP – which requires consultative process between government and civil society, the government is now running on a platform that ensures more effective citizens participation across all sectors and dialogue mechanism through technology-based citizen feedback on all initiatives and programmes.

As the recognized political capital of northern Nigeria, does your job as SA Political to the Kaduna State governor include reaching out to other governors and opinion leaders in the region?

Every office has its own charter and mandate, we also have expectations and performance review process. So far, I have been able to live up to and exceeded those expectations What has been your most difficult assignment so far and how do you cope with politics and family?

Political challenges are not peculiar to me, especially. Women in politics are constantly faced with carbon-dated problems of political complexes. Some school of thought believe women are not supposed to be part of the political process and governance -with this fact in mind and based on my personal experiences- I always underscore assignments and daily task with success above and beyond. My family is very supportive of my career and I cannot thank them enough.

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POLITICS

‘We’re Determined to Change Plateau from a Civil Service State’ Seriki Adinoyi holds a conversation with Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State who also doubles as Chairman, Northern Governors Forum on measures being taken to restore the much needed peace to the region

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hy is it taking so long to constitute your cabinet?

We had an arrangement to properly prepare for the next four years. In the preparation for the next four years, we had to come up with a development plan. When people ask why we are delaying, my response is that it’s not about rushing and putting a cabinet, it is about the focus for what we want to do in the next four years. When I came in for my second tenure, I had to engage Boston Consulting Group (BCG) for a development plan for the people of Plateau State and they have done that.

They just concluded and submitted the report; we are now studying their recommendations on what will be the focus and direction of government this time around, especially in terms of economic empowerment. It’s on the basis of this direction that I am selecting my commissioners.

I will now decide what kind of ministry, what kind of arrangement and combination will best deliver for our people. I have already started because immediately I got the preliminary report, I set the ball rolling and I quickly appointed the Secretary to the Government and the Chief of Staff who are the engine room. Technically, like I said during the swearing in of the Secretary to the Government and Chief of Staff, I have finished my cabinet. I am only waiting for Mr. Speaker who travelled out the country. As soon as he is back, I will submit it to him, you know the house of assembly is a powerful place, you don’t submit to any one, you submit it to Mr. Speaker.

Very soon, you will hear the announcement and screening of commissioners.

Once they are screened and confirmed, we would now set the ball rolling and continue the implementation of the economic plan of the state.

These are some of the things that delayed the appointment of commissioners. You know for politicians, some will say, I want to be there, I want to be here, this is not the issue of where you want to be. It is the issue of what we can do for the people of Plateau State in the next four years. We have finished the first phase of our Rescue Agenda. In the next four years, we are moving to the last part of consolidating and leaving lasting legacies as we take the state to the next level.

During your first tenure, you strategized on Five-Point Agenda. Now, you’ve pruned it down to three. Why? You should understand that the first tenure was also part of taking over from another administration, and so we created partly to look at what we inherited and then examine some of the challenges that were on ground. Therefore, the Five-Point Policy Thrust was to help us carry a holistic approach of what we promised the people.

You know when you are doing campaign, you will promise the people many things and by the time you get into the office, you see a different picture which you were not privy to. In that scenario, we had to come up with the Five Pillar Thrust to help us settle down for governance.

Now after staying in office for four years and we are coming back for another tenure, we realized that we have taken care of some of the challenges we inherited. Having taken care of such things, you now have to remain focused for the remaining four years as you cannot do everything, but at least you must do about 60% to 70%. I always don’t want to say I am perfect but I must strive to do my best within the level of a ‘B’, or an ‘A’. If I get a ‘B’, fine but if I get an ‘A’, that is excellent, and so that is what I am trying to do. Now, we have reduced the Five Pillar Thrust to Three namely: Peace, Security and Good Governance; Physical Infrastructural Development; and Sustainable Economic Rebirth.

What is that strategy that has brought about economic growth and increased revenue generation in the state?

We have put in a lot of strategies. First, I told you that we engaged the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to prepare a development plan which they have finished now. After the development

and fish out criminals within us whether they are indigenes or not.

We are doing very well with the security apparatus and we are also empowering and expanding our Operation Rainbow in case we wake up one day and the Federal Government says we are withdrawing Operation Safe Haven.

That’s why I am preparing. Already, I have an advantage, when people talk about State Police, I say I have Operation Rainbow which functions in a similar fashion. All I need is to enhance the capacity of the Operation Rainbow which we are doing right now. I am very happy the Federal Government is already talking about community policing, which has been an idea I support all along. We are engaging and employing people from each local government or each community to serve as informant and that way we will help in sustaining the peace we have in the state.

We are also addressing volatile areas. You can see that we have already established a Mobile Police Squadron in Shendam, we have established Air Force Search and Rescue Unit at Kerang, Mangu local government area, and I am already preparing to finish the establishment of another Mobile Police Squadron in Gashish, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

Lalong plan, we are also planning an Economic Summit which I think is going to be the first of its kind in Plateau State. Secondly, in terms of revenue, I have also engaged a consultant, the woman who did the magic for Kaduna State, Mrs. Ofueko Omoigui Okauru who was one time Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service. She is already in Plateau State to prepare and put in facilities for the improvement of our revenue and that will take another four years so we are not joking when we say, we are determined to take away Plateau from being a civil service state and that is why when we mention economic rebirth, we are talking about infrastructure and enabling environment. When you create this kind of environment for people, the private sector will invest. If you continue to say we are a civil service state and you go and sit down in your office and wait for 4 O’clock and then you leave after eating lunch that does not make the state productive. We are thinking out of the box. As a civil servant you must be able to get something doing outside that office that is why we are emphasizing on skill acquisition and a lot of other empowerment programmes.

The Plateau State Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (PLASMEDA) is doing very well, engaging people and we have done a lot of sensitization saying to our people, don’t just be a civil servant. Be a civil servant with something extra that you are doing, we are emphasizing on agriculture. We are saying, even as a civil servant, it doesn’t stop you from farming, it doesn’t stop you from getting a loan

All I need is to enhance the capacity of the Operation Rainbow which we are doing right now. I am very happy the Federal Government is already talking about community policing, which has been an idea I support all along.

We are engaging and employing people from each local government or each community to serve as informant and that way we will help in sustaining the peace we have in the state

to do something outside the civil service and so a lot of it is coming through empowerment which we doing.

I have not been a civil servant in the past, I will say like my friend El-Rufai that I am also an accidental public servant because I have been in the private sector all the time. When I came in, I realised that even if you are doing something, you must prepare for the rainy day or a bad day so that you know that either way, if there is no salary or something unusual happens, you have something to fall back on rather than always sitting down saying that we are not going to do this because we are civil servants. I have done my best in terms of salaries, compared to what is happening in most of the states.

Do you think the mindset of people is changing in this regard?

I must say I am very happy because without the cooperation of the people, we would not achieve what we are doing. I thank them for the level of cooperation particularly in ensuring that there is peace in the state, but I am emphasizing that we should do more just as I am also doing my best.

Peace has substantially returned to Plateau after about one decade of crisis. How do you intend to maintain the image of the original Plateau as the Home of Peace and Tourism?

We have done a lot in terms of addressing the causes of the problem and sustaining the peace. Sustaining peace goes along with dealing with poverty. I have noticed that there is abject poverty. You see, stomach insecurity leads to physical insecurity and we have a lot of youths out there who are not working. So we have a special package, you can see that we are the only state that created a Peace Building Agency. We are developing that to sustain the peace and conflict management in the state. I have mentioned that you must always find ways of empowering people.

When you empower people, you get them off the street, but the moment you leave them roaming about, they become very vulnerable. They can be used for a peanut. That is why you see youths engaging in several vices that are detrimental to the society.

As part of the scheme, we are also talking about industrialization. We must make Plateau an industrial state by creating the enabling environment and then people will come and invest in the state.

I have always said that each time you sit down and you claim to be driving people away from your state, you lose. If Lagos was like that, Lagos will not be the way it is today. We should not drive people away from our state. We are Plateau people but we need investors to come to the state, why are we calling investors to come, if we then turn around to create an unviable environment?

It is the responsibility of government to sit down

You are also the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and quite a lot is happening in the North. How are you tackling insecurity in the region?

That is another big challenge. When I was elected as the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, I said, I have a headache here in Plateau State and another headache added. However, I said by the grace of God, I would do my best by applying the wisdom that he gave us to deal with the security challenge here in Plateau state.

Through dialogue, consultation, reconciliation and application of effective early warning system to deploy preventive security measures, peace has substantially returned to plateau state. We are determined to sustain this and ensure that it becomes a model for other states in the country particularly in the north to copy. Many of them are already coming to us to understudy how we have restored peace and engendered confidence for investors to return to the state. If you recall, from the very day I was appointed the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, I set up a committee on security chaired by Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari. Since then, he has also had to contend with insecurity in his state. However, that committee is working very well. We will soon have a meeting of the Northern Governors Forum which will be my first formal meeting to receive the report of the committee and decide the way forward.

Right now, we have the challenges of banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping which are very prevalent in the North. So we shall be receiving the report of the committee and also preparing for a Northern Security Summit. Aside from that I have always been in touch with the Inspector General of Police. He is doing well because part of the recommendations we made so far, they are implementing it. I attended the meeting of the North West Security Council and it was very wonderful. In some cases you need dialogue to succeed, because it is not about always responding with confrontation. I will ensure that the success of such engagement is extended to the North Central.

The IG has gone to the South West where he did the same thing. We are preparing to have our own in the North Central just like the North East is already established even as it is taken care of by the Federal Government. One of the areas too that we saw that is a problem and needs to be tackled is the Almajiri system. We have set up a committee that will bring out how to address the Almajiri system because in a society where you leave a large population that is doing nothing but roaming the streets, that is another cause of insecurity not only in the North but in the nation at large. We have also set up a committee to look at it, and once we conclude on the issue of the Almajiri which also goes with the issue of unemployment, we shall have some respite.

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325

Combating Sex Trafficking through Girl-child Mentorship The United States Consulate recently partnered Fortem Aspire, a girl-child mentorship oriented non-governmental organisation, to combat sex trafficking in Nigeria through mentorship, Sunday Ehigiator reports

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he United State of America Consulate in Nigeria recently partnered Fortem Aspire; a girl-child mentorship oriented non-governmental organisation, in a bid to educate vulnerable young girls across Nigeria of the dangers of sex trafficking and how to they can develop abilities to protect themselves against it through sports.

The event tagged, ‘Goal! Strong girls, Bright Future’, held in Lagos State, was graced by the United State Consul General, Claire Pierangelo, two American Sports Envoys and ex-American female footballers, Staci Wilson and Joanna Lohman respectively, alongside ex-Super Falcon Goalkeeper, Precious Dede.

It was also aimed at developing the girl-child leadership skills, promoting healthy living, wellness, and encouraging academic success.

Addressing journalists, Pierangelo said, “I am really excited about this event today, as you can see, ‘Goal! Strong girls, Bright Future’.

Working with our partners in Fortem, and the US Department of State, we are bringing US professional soccer players, Nigerian professional players, and various mentors all together. “When you train a girl in how to play a sport and how sport can affect their future by building strong minds and bodies, but most importantly, it helps us pass a message of how to prevent trafficking in girls and women. “This is really a critical issue, not only in Nigeria but around the world. And through these programs, we are helping to spread information and training which we hope would help to prevent future trafficking by teaching girls the skills they need to recognise and to avoid. “I believe very strongly that when each of these girls goes out, they would become our ambassadors. The more they know, the more they talk to their friends, sisters, cousins, schoolmates etc. “Hence, for every girl that we have enrolled in this programme, I fully expect that when they go out they are going to touch another 10 lives. Because, it has to be talked about, it has to be taught, and brought to the open. “Girls have to be educated so they can go and educate other girls. And most importantly, they can also go and educate the adults who may not understand these things either. “I would also be having a similar discussion with the local authorities, and other representatives in either state to talk about what we can do, working on official level with the state, to help them address this problem and hopefully, others unforeseen.�

Also speaking with journalists on behalf of Fortem Aspire, Chisom Ezeoke said, “We know that Nigeria, especially Edo state is recognised as the headquarters of trafficking and this is something that has bothered us over the years. “Sports is such a powerful tool, and if you look at everyone here, sports has in one way or the other impacted their lives positively, including myself. We have done this for two years and the impact has been great. This is the third year, and for the US consulate to come on board for us, it is massive. “From here, we would be moving to Benin.

It is the main place where we see as the centre of trafficking here in Nigeria. And the consul general would likewise be accompanying us there to. “For the girls, we plan for 50 in Lagos State and 120 from eight different schools in Benin.

The ripple effect is massive already. Everybody is showing a lot of interest. The girls are so excited to meet all the female football icons

Cross section of mentors, their mentees and US Consul General, Claire Pierangelo

L-R: Staci Wilson, Precious Dede, Pierangelo and Joanna Lohman

we had brought. “That alone has its own impact, as you know, we have limited female football role models for girls, and they seeing Dede, Stacy, and Lohman, is a strong message to them being able to aspire to become great and as successful as them. “It would also help their self confidence

This is really a critical issue, not only in Nigeria but around the world. And through these programs, we are helping to spread information and training which we hope would help to prevent future trafďŹ cking by teaching girls the skills they need to recognise and to avoid

and belief in their dreams for a better life and successful career. We know that they would speak about it, and also go further to share with other girls what they have learnt. And hopefully, we can change over a 120 lives that would have a massive ripple effect on other girls in the future. “Another angle we taking this is the parental side of sex trafficking. We found out that most children are pushed into it not just because they wanted to, but either they don’t know about how they want to be recruited and they get stuck, or their parents pushed them out. “So we expect them to go back home and tell their parents what the negative effects are, and the ripple effect would be enormous.�

According to the group, Dede is a retired Nigerian female football goalkeeper, who formerly played for several clubs including Delta Queens FC, Ibom Queens and Arna-Bjørnar, as well as appearing 99 times for the Nigeria women's national football team.

She had initially considered retiring from international football following the 2014 African Women's Championship, but was convinced to continue playing through the 2015 World Cup. Following the tournament, she announced her retirement in March 2016, having played 99 games for the senior national team. At the

time of her retirement, she had been the longest serving player the squad.

Wilson on the other hand is an American soccer player and Olympic champion. She is an alumna of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and the University of North Carolina. She received a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Wilson was an All-American soccer player during high school in Virginia.

She was a dominant defensive player as a member of the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team. There, among other honors, she was the 1994 National Freshman Player of the Year. In March 2001, the team retired Wilson's jersey number 27. In March 2012 Wilson became an assistant coach for women's soccer at Florida Atlantic University.

The third mentor, Lohman is a retired American professional soccer midfielder/defender who last played for the Washington Spirit of the American National Women's Soccer League.

She played for the Washington Freedom and Philadelphia Independence. In addition, she served as the general manager of the Washington Freedom Futures, the Washington Freedom Soccer Club's W-League team. Lohman is a former member of the United States women's national soccer team.

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#THISISNIGERIA -

Rotimi Fawole

The Chronicles of Chill: The Second Quadrannium of Gambrach – Leguminae Sufficiento

T

hus it was that the list of Gambrach’s would-be councillors arrived at senatii for approval in rubberstampia. The citizens of Jirriah had waited with bated breath and acute apprehension for the list that Gambrach had held to his chest for so long. Or perhaps it was Caballee and Caballum, the legendary Deux Cabales, thorns in Lady Yeeshah’s flesh, that had withheld it. It was hard to tell.

But when the names were revealed, from the plains of Social Mediana to Whatsappia to the bars and taverns across the kingdom, the people saw that Gambrach’s council would once again be fuelled by the spirit of St. Mediocrates, patron saint of Jirrian politickers.

Captain Monoraillius Incompletus of Rivissinia was returned, as were former King Flasholas of Ekonnos, Ser Bongo Naya the erstwhile councillor for writing materials, Hadi Potter the councillor for winged chariots and conceptualiser of Hot Air – the official name of Jirriah’s royal fleet and Gigex of Keejah, the councillor for slavery, amongst others.

There were new councillors put forward as well. People like Kree Amour, who had served as Gambrach’s silken vuvuzela in electoralis and former King Ogbenyssius the Oponimous, of the kingdom of Oshunlonica.

The laws of the land required the senateens to push each nominee through the mystical Screen of Ratty Fye, the great architect. Ratty Fye had designed the Screen so that if the capacity in which the councillor would serve was known, the screen would glow green if the councillor was suited or red if they were not.

However, the Kings of Jirriah liked to keep things as secret as possible, so that

detractors would not know their intentions.

Thus, the senateens never had any idea of the role for which they were screening the nominees and very few were pushed through the Screen of Ratty Fye. More often than not, the senateens told them to simply bow to the Screen and go, so that all would still be done seemingly in the name of Ratty Fye. The senateens were given to much vainglorious ceremony however and rather than line up all the councillors to bow to Ratty Fye in one go, they were summoned one after the other to either bow perfunctorily or to answer questions of absolutely no consequence.

Sometimes, a senateen would even stand up to say something of even less consequence.

One senateen from Damawakanda, named Bomi Nayshun (also known to a smaller, more intimate circle as La Pugilista Erotica) declared his conviction that Ogbenyssius would be a wonderful councillor. La Pugilista Erotica was assured of this because Ogbenyssius had given him money in the past.

Eventually, senatii saw the final nominee and Ser Naw Wal the Warden announced, “This is a great assemblage of councillors King Gambrach has put together. If you agree with me, I shall send a raven to let his majesty know that we have come to the end of the masquerade. Rubberstampia in excelsis?� “RUBBERSTAMPIA IN EXCELSIS!!!� the other senateens cried.

Meanwhile, word came unto the Social Medianites and the Digital Perusites that a super elite squad of the Royal Constabulary suffered casualties during a thwarting of their top secret mission by the Royal Legionnaires. Wherefore in unprecedented scenes, the Constabulary came into Twilistia demanding a tagging of hashes for its slain

officers.

Before the Twillistians could respond, word reached them that the Detaketorial Securitisation Squadron had arrested Worh Reh, leader of the Kalahari Newsbearers and mushroom contender against Gambrach and Arty Cool in Electoralis. “Why has the Detaketorial Squadron taken Worh Reh away?� the people asked.

Gar Bar, Chief Scribe of Gambrach responded, “Worh Reh has been calling for a revolution of the people against Gambrach, even though they love their King so tremendously. We all know that revolution means a violent overthrow of the King and we cannot allow that.� “But he is not with any co-arrested,� the people protested, “was he going to revolt on his own?� “He was calling for mutiny, saying he was sick of the glorious reign of Gambrach,� replied Gar Bar, side-stepping the question. “Okay, but what about the weapons you need for a revolution? Did you find any on him?� “No, but, surely you do not expect a King of Gambrach’s haute sophistication to actually wait until he has co-conspirators and weapons before stopping him, do you?

How smart would that be?� “So he hasn’t really done anything wrong, then?� “Not yet! BUT HE WAS GOING TO! This is next level preservation of law and order!� “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TAG THE HASHES AGAINST THE LEGIONNAIRES FOR KILLING OUR GALANT CONSTABLES???� the Constabulary demanded, growing impatient with the exchange on Worh Reh. The noise was heard in Bedrock Palace in Boo Jar and FemCallamitus asked the King

what he was going to do about it. “I am going to board my winged chariot‌â€? began Gambrach. â€œâ€Śyes, my sweet, fragrant King‌ Your Highness will fly to Wohbay to visit the site of the clash?â€? “Of course not, Callamitus. I am headed to Dah Ourah for the feast of ram, so that Nah Wal, Jaja-Beer Miller and the Apicurean horde can come and pay homage to me there.

Peace out!� And yea, did Gambrach head to his country home in the idyllic hamlet of Dah Ourah.

Lo, upon his arrival, he was greeted by all the Apicurean kings of Jirriah, bearing all manner of fruit and livestock as a farming sacrifice unto Gambrach. Yea, the soul of Gambrach was well delighted by the obeisance of the Apicureans and he spake unto them. “King and nobles of Apicuria, thanks for honouring me with this food that the soils of Jirriah have provided. See as we have achieved sufficiency of food, notwithstanding the poverty of multiple dimensions in which our people are reported to wallow. Wherefore I have commanded Mefilius, the Warden of the Iron Bank of Boo Jar, to retreat once more into his room of independent thinking and independently conclude to deny the supply of our precious Trumpetistani shekels to they that would spend it on bringing food from other shores into this land, which is vastly inferior at any rate. Welcome to the new age of glorious leguminae sufficiento!�

And the people saw it and could not believe what they beheld. Just then, news reached the people that the Ipobusinians had ambushed Ser Equerry Mah-Doo in Umlautistan. They saw it and were incensed and there was no gaddem chill in all the land. t3PUJNJ 'BXPMF JT B MBXZFS BOE TBUJSJTU

22

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 • T H I S D AY

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Quick Takes ATCON to Evaluate Telecoms Industry

Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă&#x;Ă‹Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ě™ ̚˪Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ? ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă™Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù× Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă– Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ě™ Ěš Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ‹ĂœĂ• Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù× Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁË› Ă’Ă? ĂŒĂ™Ă™Ă• Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ùà Ă?Ăœ ĂŒĂ?ÞåĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍł ÞÙ Ͱ͎ͯ͡˛ Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă‘Ă™Ă˜Ă? ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă‹ ÖÙÞ Ă™Ă? Ă?ĂžĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă–Ă“ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ ĂŁĂ?Ă‹ĂœĂ? ËÑÙ˛ ËŤ Ă? Ă‹ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă–Ă™Ă™Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‹Ă?ÞÓà Ă? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă?ÚËĂ?Ă?Ëœ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂšĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă? åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂžĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Þ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă–ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂŽĂŁ Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?Ă– Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Þ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ĂžĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœËŹ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă?Ă“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?ÞËÞĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžË› Ù×Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă?ÓÚËÖ ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ ĂĄĂ?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ Ă?ÒÙåĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ÚÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? ËÞÞĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹Ă˜Ăž ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ?Ëž ÞÙ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂŽĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ à Óä̋Ë̋à Óä Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂžĂ’ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄËœ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂšĂ™Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂŒĂŁ Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ? Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă?Ë? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ĂŒĂœĂ™Ă‹ĂŽĂŒĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÚÙÖÓĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ÒÙÖÓĂ?ÞÓĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžËž ÙÚĂ?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?ËŞ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ëž Ă?ĂžĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Þ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ–Ă™ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă–ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?Ë›

Forum to Focus on Digital Services

ADHERING TO SUSTAINABLE BANKING PRINCIPLES

L-R: Executive Director, Keytsone Bank Limited, Mr. Yemi Odusanya; Managing Director/CEO, Wema Bank Plc, Mr. Ademola Adebise; Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, and Group Managing Director/CEO, Polaris Bank Limited, Mr. Adetokunbo Abiru, at the signing of the Principles for Responsible Banking held at the on-going 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 74) in New York

‘Digitisation Will Drive Socio-economic Benefits, Create Jobs’ Stories by Emma Okonji The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof.

Umar Garba Danbatta, has stressed the need for private and public sectors to embrace digitisation.

This, he said would drive and enable socio-economic benefits in the country, while creating more Jobs.

Danbatta, who gave the assertion during his keynote address at the Business Journal Second Annual Lecture And Awards, which held recently in Lagos, said: “The role of innovation for growth is strengthened by advances in new technologies, and a greater

TELECOM focus on knowledge creation.

Indeed, the more advanced a country becomes in terms of digitisation, the greater the benefits.�

The NCC boss who was represented by the Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, listed the concepts that would transit the country into digital Nigeria to include Digitisation, Digitilisation and Digital Transformation.

The three concepts often intertwined or used interchangeably, but with distinct definitions, he said.

He explained digitalisation as the use of digital technologies

to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities, and the process of moving to a digital business.

He further described digitisation as the process of converting information into a digital format, where information is organised into discrete units of data that can be separately addressed. Digitalisation is therefore transforming relevant digital information into business and economic activities that drives national growth and development, Danbatta said.

He defined digital transformation as the profound and accelerating transformation of business activities, processes, competencies and models to

fully leverage the changes and opportunities of digital technologies and their impact across society in a strategic and prioritised way. “Digital transformation requires a much broader adoption of digital technology and cultural change. Digital transformation is more about people and about digital technology. “It requires organisational changes that are customercentric, backed by leadership, driven by radical challenges to corporate culture, and the leveraging of technologies that empower and enable employees,� Danbatta said.

Continued on page 24

Report Foresees More Revenue Growth for African SMEs A recent report conducted by McKinsey and Company, a global management consulting firm, has projected the rise in revenue generation for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, thus supporting African creditors to excel beyond banking.

According to the report, SMEs form the backbone of many economies around the world, particularly Africa. Representing one-fifth of global banking revenues, SMEs generate around $850 billion of annual revenue for banks, a pool expected to grow by approximately seven per cent annually over the next seven years.

TELECOM As a customer segment, SMEs offer vast potential, they noted. However, the profits of SME-focused financial institutions have traditionally lagged behind those that specialise in other customer segments, often because of highly varied credit quality in the portfolio, according to expert views.

Corroborating the report findings, the experts said in a statement that finding the optimal balance between providing a great customer experience and managing the cost to serve has also proven to be difficult. As a result, many

financial institutions have not prioritised SMEs, forsaking the vast potential value and leaving many SMEs feeling that their needs are ignored. “But now, new customer propositions and better service models, enabled by technology, are creating opportunities for much more lucrative returns.

Financial technology firms (FinTechs) are entering the business. Big technology firms are also coming into the arena with innovative service models that reduce costs and increase revenue.

The FinTechs offerings include traditional banking products and many other business services

such as invoice management, payroll support, tax preparation and inventory management.

Such beyond-banking ecosystem offerings target customers’ fundamental needs in a single, easy-to-use service,� the statement said.

Even better, the fintech and big tech firm answer the primary challenge of SMEs, giving entrepreneurs more time to focus on their core business activities. Meantime, while seeking creative strategies to profitably serve the SME market, a number of African creditors are leveraging SystemSpecsContinued on page 24

Ă“Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;ÚÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄĂ–Ă?ĂŽĂ‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ëœ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă? ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă? Ě™ Ă™ ĚšËœ Ă?Ă–Ă™Ă&#x;ĂŽ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁËœ Ă‹ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂœĂ™ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă?Ă‹ĂœĚ‹Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ™Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?Ëœ Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă—ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã Ă™Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂšĂ?ÙÚÖĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ?ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? ×ÙÎĂ?Ă–Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;ÚÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ Ă™ĂœĂ&#x;Ă— Ͱ͎ͯ͡ Ě™ ÙÎÓ ËŞÍŻÍˇĚšËœ ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă—ĂŁË›Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă–Ă–Ă‹ĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ åÓÞÒ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă•Ëœ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĚ‹Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă– ĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă? Ó×ÚËĂ?ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă?Ëž Ă‘Ă“Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹Ăœ ËÞÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ“Ă?ĂœĂ&#x;ÚÞÓà Ă? ÚÙÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă– Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă™ Ă“ ˪͡ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ÒÙÖÎĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂŒĂ?Ăœ Í°Í˛Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡ Ă’Ă‹Ă? Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? ÞÒĂ?Ă—Ă?Ë? ËŤ Ă’Ă? ÙåĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÓÑÓÞËÖ Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ËŹË› Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂœË› Ă?Ă‹ ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă—Ă“Ëœ Ă“Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă’Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœË› ÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ&#x;Ă— Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÞÒĂ? âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ù××ÓĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ Ě™ ĚšËœ ĂœĂ™Ă?Ë› Ă—Ă‹Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŒĂ‹ĂžĂžĂ‹Ëž ÞÒĂ? Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ Ă?Ă Ă?ÖÙÚ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ Ě™ ĚšËœ Ă‹Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă&#x; Ă˜Ă&#x;ĂĄĂ‹ ĂŒĂŽĂ&#x;Ă–Ă–Ă‹Ă’Ă“Ëž ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ě™ Ă? ĚšËœ Ăœ Ă™Ă˜ĂŁ Ă”Ă™ĂŒĂ™Ëž ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ëœ Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘Ă“Ă?Ă? Ęś Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹ Ă’Ă‹Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ëœ Ă’ĂœĂ“Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă”Ă? Ě™ ĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă–Ă?ĚšËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœËœ Ă–Ă?Ëž Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă™ Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?Ă—ĂŁËœ Ă&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜ Ă•Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă•Ă?ĂŁĂ˜Ă™ĂžĂ? Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ&#x;Ă— Ă“Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš åÓÞÒ Ă–Ă™ĂŒĂ‹Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂœĂ?â˛

Airtel Makes Donation to Returnees

Ă“ĂœĂžĂ?Ă– Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂ’Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ–Ă?ĂŽ åÓÞÒ Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂžĂ“Ă—Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă’ Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă Ă?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁË› Ă“ĂœĂžĂ?Ă– Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ÞÙ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?ÞÞÖĂ? ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă? Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš ÞÒĂ?Ă— Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ăž åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ ÖÙà Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă—Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁË› Ă’Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂœĂžĂ?Ă– Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ëœ Ă?Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă˜ Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁĂ‹Ëœ ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă? ËŤĂ‹ ÞÙÕĂ?Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ ÖÙà Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă?ÖÖÙå Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁĂ—Ă?Ă˜ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă‹ ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ăž Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ë›ËŹ Ă? Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ?ĂŽË? ËŤ Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÒÙÚĂ? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă‘Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš ÞÒĂ?Ă— ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ăž åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ÞÞÖĂ? ĂŽĂ™ĂĄĂ˜ ÞÙ Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÒÙ×Ă?˛ˏ Ă“ĂœĂžĂ?Ă– Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă?Ù××ÓÞÞĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂšĂ“ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă&#x;ÚÖÓĂ?Ăž Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ë› ËŤ Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÚÖĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă?ĂŁ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă— Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă– Ă‹Ăž ÒÙ×Ă? Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ÚËĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;ÑÒ˛ˏ Ă’Ă? Ă“ĂœĂžĂ?Ă– ĂžĂ?Ă‹Ă— ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂž ÞÙ ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă?Ù×Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă’ Ă™Ă? ĂœĂ?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă– Ă‹Ă? ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ™Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă?Ă“Ă–Ě‹ Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ù××ÓĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜ËŞĂ? Ě™ Ěš Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă˜ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ ĂšĂ’Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ë›

“The perceived high cost satellite-based internet service is not just a Nigerian or African reality, but a global reality, because the cost prices on connectivity are driven by fundamental economic principles.

So for cost issues, we don’t compete in urban areas against fibre and densely populated GSM terrestrial networks�

Vice President, Sales, Africa at YahClick,

Mr. Michael Brown

24

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°Í´Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

‘DIGITISATION WILL DRIVE SOCIOECONOMIC BENEFITS, CREATE JOBS’ The Chairman of the 2019 annual lecture, Mr. Tope Smart, who is also the Chairman of Nigeria Insurers Association, spoke on the need for a robust Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure as part of network strategy to develop the economy and drive digitisation.

In his welcome remarks, the Publisher/CEO, Business Journal, convener of the lecture and award forum, Prince Cookey, said the forum was designed to address the opportunities and challenges of digital disruption on various sections of the Nigerian economy under theme: “Digital Nigeria: The Path to Sustainable Economic Growth.�

According to Danbatta, Digital Nigeria has become a reality and not a myth, having contributed 13.86 per cent to the GDP, as at second quarter of 2019. “The ICT Sector in Nigeria has attained remarkable milestones in ensuring that the sector continues to play a great role in Nigeria’s economic diversification and sustainability.

REPORT FORESEES MORE REVENUE GROWTH FOR AFRICAN SMES owned payroll solutions, particularly Remita, as they adopt an ecosystem approach in tapping this vast market, the statement added.

For instance, Access Bank offers Remita Payroll solutions to serve its SME customers as an integral part of its beyondbanking strategy. Remita Payroll & HR is an innovative online digital solution that empowers SMEs and large organisations to easily process and pay salaries and manage other related human resource needs.

Remita Payroll also gives SMEs effective control of their payroll processing and deductions including all statutory contributions and tax payments, as well as other electronic payments to vendors.

The difficult and unending hours spent by SMEs to process payroll, payments, reporting and reconciliations are addressed by Remita Payroll & HR, according to the statement.

Directors Urged to Adopt Digital Migration Strategies Stories by Emma Okonji In order to play more active role and carry out proper oversight functions in a digitilised economy, board members of financial institutions have been advised to adopt new technology strategies that would enable them migrate from their current legacy approach to digital approach strategies.

They were particularly advised to raise more awareness on digital transformation, while sitting on the board of financial institutions in the country.

Financial Technology (FinTech) experts who gave the advice at an annual technology event organised for board members of financial institutions in Lagos recently, highlighted the opportunities and challenges in a digital economy.

They stressed the need for board members of financial institutions to take advantage of the opportunities and guard against the identified challenges.

Executive Director, SystemSpecs, Mr. Deremi Atanda, who represented the FinTech ecosystem at the gathering, said the essence was to keep board members of financial institutions abreast of new trends the technology space that would enable them align with chief executives and managing directors of financial institutions that report to them.

According fo Atanda, “This is one of the annual events that is aimed at equipping board members of financial institutions in Nigeria on capacity development, to enable them better play their oversight functions. “So it’s more like a continuous capacity development programme for members of the board of financial institutions, to enable them become more aware of trending issues, so that they can engage with

their management at the same level, and also be brought abreast of developments to make them more relevant to things around them.�

According to him, the focus for this year has been helping financial institutions’ board members to reposition their different organisations in the face of digital disruption, and in the face of digital revolution. “So the main issue is how can board members of

financial institutions help the companies they sit on to be repositioned in the face of digital revolution. And so this year’s programme has five components, but the one I spoke on, was about navigating digital revolution, exploring the opportunities and addressing the challenges. “So the summary of it is that in digital revolution, there are opportunities, and there are also challenges which financial institutions can face.

“So the whole issue is about identifying those opportunities, and working with participants to craft strategies to address them, and also identifying the challenges and also crafting strategies on how to deal with them,� Atanda said.

Financial institutions present at the conference, included the Central and of Nigerian( CBN), Access Bank, Sterling Bank, GTBank, among others, while the FinTech industry was represented by SystemSpecs.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

L-R: Executive Director, Business Development, Broadbased Communications Ltd (BBC), Mr. Chidi Ibisi; Group Executive Director, Mr. Chris Erewele; MD/CEOC, Henry Iseghohi; Group Commercial Director of Dolphin Telecom, Mr. Jonnie Coleman; Group Sales Manager, BBC, Mrs. Chineme Oladapo Areola, and Head of Sales, Dolphin Telecom, Mr. George Opara, during the signing of MoU between BBC and Dolphin Telecom in Lagos...recently

Report: Digital Procurement Key to Corporate Survival A report released by the Research and Strategic Business Development Unit of e-commerce giant, Konga, has revealed how cost savings in e-commerce business can be linked to full knowledge of digital procurement.

The report therefore called on organisations to embrace digital procurement strategies in order to save cost and improve their margins. This, the report said, would go a long way in helping companies navigate the current harsh business climate and position them for survival and subsequent viability.

It revealed that companies operating in the ‘Third World’ must embrace modern procurement dynamics to save time and money.

Furthermore, Konga affirmed that the slow pace associated

with the procurement process in Nigeria require creative strategies to ensure that spiralling costs/ losses are minimised. “It takes an average of two weeks for an SME to buy a simple Toner cartridge for a laser or Ink jet printer. Likewise, it takes multinationals over four weeks from the time of request for quotes from vendors through the process of selection, issuance of Local Purchase Order (LPO) until time of final supply by the vendor. “This is even in cases where the SME or multinational is lucky to select a quality vendor,� the report added.

Additionally, the Konga research report affirmed that procuring companies end up with fake products at exorbitant prices as a result of the failure

to embrace cutting-edge, digital procurement practices. “Even with these transparent and competing procurement processes, best prices and genuine products are not guaranteed.

Therefore, why go through these processes and end up losing money,� it queried.

Subsequently, it challenged small business owners, SMEs, corporate organisations, multinationals and agencies in the public sector to upgrade to the global best practices in their procurement processes. “In this era of thinning profits, companies should embrace digital procurement strategy. In other words, procurement has left the analogue stage and gone online.

Online procurement is the way to survive as competition in the Third World gets more intense.

“Aligned to this is the cost of fund which continues to go higher and vendors have no choice but to incorporate these in final cost to the consumer,� it added.

The report further advised firms to shop smartly and save money by shopping through reliable e-commerce platforms such as Konga.com which hosts a number of merchants.

In addition, the presence of competing merchants ensures the availability of price-sensitive genuine products who deliver reliably within hours, irrespective of the locations in the country. “Today, with an improved digital payment system in Nigeria, SMEs and big firms can open e-wallets through which they can take advantage of stocked multiple warehouses

nationwide and take delivery of their products same day or on the next, at the most. “Konga has an example of such through Konga Pay, a secure Central bank of Nigeria-licensed payment platform. On Konga. com, prices are open, delivery costs are known as merchants compete to sell, thereby saving corporates a lot of money and time to focus on their core businesses. This also enhances transparency in the procurement process. “Most successful companies and even families abroad have embraced this digital procurement process to buy smart, save money and time and increase profit. It is as simple as ABC. Before you buy, you can check prices on Konga.com and you will appreciate the savings.�

NiMet, IBB University Seal Deal on Meteorology Group Business Editor

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Capital Market Editor

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NiMet) has formalised its relationship with the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger State, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The MoU between the organisations, was primarily for the promotion of activities relating to meteorology/ climatology and climate change in Nigeria.

The agency also stated that the MoU would also involve

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Comms/e-Business Editor

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

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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™ (Energy) Reporters

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joint researches into the field of meteorology/climatology, as well as climate change studies

by NiMet and the IBBU. The Director-General/CEO of NiMet, Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi, disclosed this during the signing ceremony, which took place in Abuja.

Mashi, was quoted to have disclosed this in a statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications Unit, NiMet, Mr. Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim.

According to him, other components of the agreement was the training of relevant

staff of IBBU on weather data collection, handling and processing, and other related training exercises at NiMet’s Regional Meteorological Training Centre (RTC) at a cost to be determined and borne by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency.

He further explained that the MoU was part of NiMet’s plan to expand the weather stations in the country in order to meet up with the specifications of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and help to improve upon the

accuracy level of the agency’s weather forecasts in line with international standards.

Mashi, stressed the agency’s commitment to engage in mutually beneficial collaboration in and outside the country, adding that NiMet intends to render further assistance to the university to support the development of their infrastructure.

He, however, acknowledged the high potential of the university and pledged his support to the institution, especially in the area of research in applied meteorology to address the

weather challenges faced in Niger State.

Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Mohammed Nasir Maturare, applauded the services as well as intervention made by NiMet to other tertiary institutions and gave assurance of his university’s commitment to the terms of the agreement.

The VC assured the DG/CEO of NiMet and members of his management of its readiness to implement fully, the terms of the agreement as enshrined in the MoU.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Boost for Nigeria’s National Identity System Having received federal government’s nod to join the Coalition of International Identity Day, the National Identity Management Commission, last week led Nigeria to become the first country in the world to formally adopt September 16, as her National Identity Day, writes Emma Okonji

President Buhari

N

igeria made history last week, when she celebrated her first National Identity Day(ID-Day) with glamour in Abuja, which was attended by stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including international bodies. The essence was to create awareness among Nigerians on the importance of identification as a modern tool for national development and social cohesion.

The ID-Day campaign was initiated at the 4th annual meeting of the ID4Africa Movement on 24 April 2018, in Abuja, as a global coalition calling for the recognition by the United Nations of September 16, otherwise known as 16.9, as International Identity Day(IID), since identity plays an increasingly important role worldwide in developed and developing economies.

Before the campaign, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) had commenced national identity enrollment and issuance of national identity cards to Nigerians and non-Nigerians with legal residents.

Explaining the importance of national identity system, the Director General of NIMC, Aliyu Aziz said: “The purpose of IID is to raise awareness about the important role identity plays in empowering individuals to exercise their rights and responsibilities fairly and equitably in a modern society.�

According to him, “We delighted that Nigeria has become the first country in the world to declare September 16 as ID Day, thereby leading the rest of the world in this important direction.�

Nigeria’s choice of 16.9 Giving details on the choice of September 16 (16.9) for the yearly celebration of Nigeria’s Identity Day, Aziz explained it was in commemoration of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9 which calls for legal identity for all including birth registration by 2030. “Many important issues on the international development and human rights agenda have an observance day. For example, 10 December is Human Rights Day, while 20th of June is Refugee Day. Now is the time for identity to have a day of observance,� he stated.

The United Nations states that “observances contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action on important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues.

They provide a useful means for the promotion of international and national action and stimulate interest in United Nations activities and programmes.�

Based on the importance of national identity system, the federal government approved the recognition and observance of September 16 of every year as National Identity Day. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha conveyed the government’s approval in a letter dated

Aziz

August 29, 2019 and addressed to the DG of NIMC. The letter read in part: “I am to inform you that the SGF has considered and approved that Nigeria should join the Coalition for International Identity Day, which will recognise the role of identity management for proper planning, governance and efficient service delivery; that the NIMC should proceed with educational and awareness campaigns on the proposed identity day to other public and private sector stakeholders including institutions in the movement. “By that approval and the subsequent launch of the country’s ID Day, Nigeria became the first country in the world to formally adopt September 16, otherwise called 16.9, as Identity Day.�

FG’s assurance on national identity The federal government assured Nigerians of a robust identity management system that would quicken the pace of e-governance in the country, and provide legal identity for all, including the facilitation of birth registration by 2030.

Musatapha, said the country’s identity programmme was in furtherance of the SDGs of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, provision of access to justice for all and building an effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

The SGF, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, from the office of the SGF, Mr. Aduda Gabriel Tanimu, said national identity remained a requisite for the country’s economic, social and political progress. “The digital identity ecosystem project is an undertaking, which the federal government of Nigeria is fully committed to its actualisation and utilisation for governance and delivery of important government services.�

Chairman, Governing Board of NIMC, Bello Ibrahim Gwandu, in his opening speech, said the celebration was a culmination of an enormous collective effort, which began in April 2018 when Nigeria successfully hosted the 4th annual meeting of the ID4Africa Movement in Abuja.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his support and visionary leadership in advancing and improving the identity development project of Nigeria.

The Executive Chairman, ID4African Movement, Dr. Joseph Atick, commended the NIMC in ensuring that Nigeria became the first country globally to adopt a National Identity Day. “We are very pleased to see Nigeria taking the lead among the nations, not just in formally recognising 16 September as Identity Day, but in their continued drive to sensitise the public and the government alike about the importance of Identity in driving inclusion and socio-economic development,� Atick said.

According to him, “Nigeria’s formal action is an important milestone on the road

towards international recognition at the level of the United Nations and will provide a new boost to a campaign that started with a call to action that we launched together with NIMC, during the 4th annual meeting of the ID4Africa Movement in Abuja, in June 2018, which subsequently led to the formation of a coalition that now counts over 110 organisations supporting the call for national identity day.� “Nigeria’s formal adoption is an inspiration and a model for other nations to follow as we continue to engage with the worldwide community to bring this issue to the UN General Assembly so that 16 September will be recognised as IID,� Atick further said.

ID4Africa is an identity-for-all movement that accompanies African nations on their journey to develop robust and responsible identity ecosystems in the service of development and humanitarian action. It is a tripartite with representation from African governments, development agencies and industry.

ID4Africa believes that robust, serviceoriented identity ecosystems built on respect of privacy and human rights are essential for growth of digital economy, and will become even more critical as African nations move to implement the provisions of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA).

The NIMC, established by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, mandates NIMC to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Database in Nigeria, register persons covered by the Act, assign a Unique National Identification Number (NIN) and issue General Multi-Purpose Cards (GMPC) to those who are citizens of Nigeria as well as others legally residing within the country.

The NIMC Act 2007 provides for the establishment of the NIMC, its functions, powers, establishment of the National Identity Database, assignment and use of General Multi-purpose cards, and the NIN. The Act also provides the commission with powers to make regulations connected with its functions. The NIMC Act 2007 provides the repeal of the law that created the former Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR) and the transfer of its assets and liabilities to the NIMC. Aziz has since intensified the enrollment of Nigerians into the NIMC database, and stressed the importance of NIN as a mandatory number for all Nigerians. From the seven million enrollment figure in 2015, Aziz was able to raise the enrollment figure to over 35 million as at April this year. He attributed the success to the NIMC gazette regulations of 2017, which makes NIN mandatory for accessing services like international passport, insurance, pension among others.

Based on the mandate, government agencies are beginning to key into NIMC’s enrollment and they are making it compulsory for members.

The federal government made it mandatory that every Nigerian must have an NlN. To

achieve this, all data generating organisations have been directed to harmonise their databases with NlMC, whose mandate it is to implement the National ldentity System in Nigeria .

In compliance with NIMC’s mandate, the National Pension Commission, directed all Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to update the records of their clients. Subsequently, all Retirement Savings Account holders. both active and retired, were advised to approach their PFAs to provide their NINs and Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) as well as other mandatory biodata information, and the exercise is ongoing.

According to Aziz, “NIMC is committed to creating, managing, operating and maintaining a secured national identity database by issuing an NIN to all Nigerians and legal residents. The commission is on the right track to ensure that Nigerians and legal residents have digital identities in fulfillment of its mandate.

Single database for national identity Worried about the proliferation of national identities sitting in silos with different government agencies, which has made it extremely difficult to access data of Nigerians from a single database, the federal government mandated NIMC to link up all data in silos at different agencies and government parastatals. The essence is to achieve a single database for Nigeria from where information about citizens could be easily accessed and processed.

Before now, Nigerians’ data and information were duplicated and the same data could be housed by different agencies and parastatals such as BVN information with banks; drivers’ license with the Federal Road Safety Corps; tax payers’ information with federal inland revenue service; telecoms subscribers information with Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), among others. In spite of the different agencies and parastatals keeping the same data of Nigerians, it was discovered that these data were in silos and not harmonized for easy access. In the course of registering a new SIM card for instance, Nigerians would still be subjected to provide their personal data, including that of their family members, whereas the same data had since been collected by agencies and parastatals of government.

To avoid such situation, which pose national security risks for the country, the federal government mandated NIMC to harmonise all exiting database sitting in silos, into a single database for Nigeria, where information and data of individuals and companies operating in Nigeria, could be accessed.

Now that NIMC is at the forefront of putting Nigeria on the global map of international identity through the adoption of September 16 date as national identity day, Nigeria, no doubt would soon become a country to reckon with on national Identity system.

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Aguele: Technology Addresses Security, Trust Issues The Chief Executive Officer, VerifyMe Nigeria, Mr. Esigie Aguele, in this interview with Emma Okonji, speaks on the security and trust issues around data verification for all employers of labour. Excerpts:

V

erifyMe did a lot of restructuring on its veriďŹ cation platform in recent times. Could you share some of the restructured features on your new veriďŹ cation platform?

Based on market reality and demand, we took a step back with our product to redesign the product in order to come up with a product that will address customers’ needs. The difference between what we had before and what we have now is that our new product is actually a total verification platform, because we have been able to bring together the major verification repositories in Nigeria, like National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), including Bank Verification Number (BVN), which we have linked to ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) data in order to address verification data, guarantor verification data, work history verification data among others.

Now, a lot of times, people can go and check individuals out on these different verification platforms but if you are not linking it to a specific identity (ID), then it will be difficult to get the true identity of the person whose information is being checked. So what we did was to close the loopholes and the weakest link and ensured that a verification platform starts with ID verification, and it is linked with other KYC data, so that when we are giving that data to our customer, we know that it is trusted and secured.

What really changed between the old veriďŹ cation platform and the redesigned veriďŹ cation platform?

Before the process of redesigning our platform, it was not a verification platform, but more of an employment platform because it was more manual, but after the redesigning, it became a truly verification platform because it is now automated. Not all the data someone gets is real time but our ID verification is now real time, and what we have done is to make it easy for customers to request the additional data and receive it on the same dashboard, to enable them make a decision on whether to hire or whether to offer a service to someone on request.

Our website now have new features that make verification easier and real time.

The truth is that Nigerian population is about 200 million and everyday businesses are transacted online but the biggest question is, how do we know all these people so that we can offer them the right service, irrespective of the kind of service.

So VerifyMe is here to solve that problem for customers. We have partnered some financial institutions in the country that use our product.

So how does the feature on the redesigned VerifyMe platform works?

From our website, we have made the first page quite easy for customers. So when an employer logs in, he can easily see the type of verification he wants, which could be full time employee, skilled labour, among others. We also built a system that helps the consumer selects his options for the type of KYC that he wants.

The second page on our website, basically shows a summary of what people do, but the most important page for us is our request page that displays all forms of verifications.

What VerifyMe does is that within few hours, it will actually give you all the data points of the person including pictures, street address, image of the house, among others. So our solution has allowed us to basically reduce the cost of address verifications by up to three fold in Nigeria, just because of the technology we deployed.

Average cost of verification used to be about N10,000, but since we came on board with our technology, we have been able to drop the cost to between N2,500 and N2,000, which is very good for the market. Even our high volume customers that do up to 1,000 verifications per month, our solution has equally reduced the cost for them. Address verification can be done in less than three minutes and ID verification can be done on our platform in less than four minutes.

How will interested organisations access

get into the verification ecosystem in Nigeria, and immediately begin making money and start making an income for himself and his or her family. So, we have agents today who actually make just as much as an Uber driver would make by doing verifications.

An average agent can do up 200 to 300 verifications in a month and that amounts to lots of money as commission for the agent.

How do you address issues of failed network with your agents, especially in rural communities?

There are issues with failed network no doubt, but we have a verification service department that actually manages the agents, but to deal with the challenge, our app actually works without operators’ network because we use GPS, which can still capture the longitude and latitude, because GPS do not use cellular networks, but satellite.

So with satellite connectivity, and using GPS, agents can still do things like address verifications, among others.

Aguele

your veriďŹ cation service?

Organisations can access our service real time with their bank cards. Its a full e-commerce verification platform. Customers are allowed to log into our website with their bank cards and money is not deducted from the card until the customer makes a request. Like I said earlier, our services come very cheap and we are the cheapest in the market because our technology is the best and innovative. It allows us to offer quality solutions at affordable prices. For organisations with 10 employees, what they need do is to log into the system, and we’ve made it easy for businesses. For organisations that have up to 800 staff and above, what they need do is to type all their names in excel format and upload it on our system. So let us say an organisation uploads the names of 800 staff, within two minutes all the ID verifications for all the 800 staff will be done and then the address and guarantor verification results will be ready in less than 48 hours, no matter their locations.

We currently have about 1,300 agents across the country today, which are scaled significantly from where we were before.

How do you work with the 1,300 agents across the country to ensure they maintain customer trust and conďŹ dence?

We have provided an app for all our agents and because they are our partners, they register

with us and transact on our platform on our behalf. So they are called our agent partners, and they do verification for us. Once we get an order for verification, we assign the work to the nearest agent to that location and we use technology to monitor the agent. So we use Global Positioning System (GPS) to monitor their phone, we use GPS to monitor their location, and when the agent goes to an address, we actually check the GPS on his phone to the GPS number to the latitude on the location and compare them to make sure that he is on site.

The agent is required to take three pictures: a picture of the streets, get a reference from a neighbour or a picture of the house as well.

All these are requirements that must be met according to the directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). So the way we collect our data at VerifyMe is aligned with CBN’s tier 111 and international anti-money laundering laws.

What value is VerifyMe adding to its over 1,300 agents across the country?

By partnering over 1,300 agents, we are providing almost instant income for over 1,300 Nigerians across the country, who otherwise wouldn’t have jobs. Nigerians that have personal integrity, can choose to become our verification agent. We have verification agents in this business that actually do about N10,000 to N15,000 a day.

With just a smartphone, people can essentially

Since you link veriďŹ cation to BVN and NIMC data, what kind of partnership do you have with banks and NIMC who are the repository of public data?

So we don’t have a relationship with CBN, but what happens is that NIMC has been mandated to house and harmonise all data in Nigeria that were hitherto sitting in silos, and so we are licensed by NIMC. Since we got our NIMC validation and licence, we were approved for NIMC’s Application Programming Interface (API), which gives us direct access to NIMC for any verification, and that allowed us to actually approach other agencies such as FRSC. So we also have an agreement on the table with FRSC, and we also have an agreement with Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).

NIMC has been mandated to harmonise all existing data sitting in silos at different government agencies and parastatals, but the process is ongoing and not yet completed. How is this affecting the process of veriďŹ cation on the VerifyMe platform?

It is true that NIMC is still in the process of harmonising data, but the lowest common denominator between all these repositories is biometrics. So for us at VerifyMe, we have the multi-factor option and it is very important for us to understand that the problem we’re trying to solve is the problem of work history reporting an identity verification. So as long as we are able to link work history and KYC to one major ID like BVN, FRSC data or we link it to your name, that’s actually gives some satisfactory service because on our backend, we are actually working to harmonize the data we get from verification. So this is so much powerful technology that is upcoming that is actually going to help us take care of the harmonisation problem. We’re not so worried about it, and we know that we have between 50 million and 60 million people to attend to

Stakeholders Brainstorm on Gas Commercialisation Amby Uneze in Owerri Governors of the oil and gas producing states and key private sector operators in the sector at the weekend gathered in Owerri, capital of Imo State to brainstorm on challenges confronting entrepreneurs in various oil and gas sector.

The event with the theme, “Nigeria entrepreneurs and the gas flare commercialisation program� was the 3rd edition of NESH Oil and Gas roundtable. It served as a forum for robust discourse for industry stakeholders.

Speaking at the occasion, the Founder of Nigeria and Entrepreneurship: Summit & Honors (NESH), Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju,

said the main conference objective was the exchange of views on how Nigerian entrepreneurs could be positive enablers of the gas flare commercialisation program.

He said the event also presented participants ample opportunity to discuss matters arising from the communiquĂŠ issued at the end of the 2nd NESH Oil and Gas roundtable held in Asaba, capital of Delta State.

Ugwu –Oju, who was also the host of the program said the main agenda of the event was the harnessing of implementable ideas and buy-in on how the oil and gas sector would assist in catalysing a private-sector led development model over the next 10 years.

He expressed belief that 80 per cent of gas currently produced for the domestic market goes to the power market which at the most seems dysfunctional, saying the roundtable was in a position to examine such assertion.

Also speaking ,General Manager, Commercial and Business Development, NNPC, Mrs Akpomudje Victoria Adepeju said, “we are really discussing flaring, flare down and how its going to affect entrepreneurs in the gas business because their is need for lots of collaboration.�

Adepeju who represented NNPC Operating Officer, Engr.

Yusuf Usman, said gas investment was capital intensive, saying the

upfront investment was always much, not only that you have to sign contract for a long time to recover the money spent, you need to know that you have the gas that can supply the number of years, so that you can make your recovery on investment, so flare gas alone will not be able to do that. “Flare gas can be used for community where they are found because gathering tool of flare gas may be a challenge sometimes if they are in stranded or remote areas. “So, it has to be strategically planned, so that price goes down to end users. Otherwise, if is too expensive, who will you sell the gas to.�

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Firm Adopts Solution for Accounts Reconciliation Stories by Emma Okonji Financial technology company, Fast Credit has adopted Clirec, an integrated account reconciliation solution developed locally by Nigerian Software Company, Precise Financial Systems, to ease its financial reconciliation issues.

The CEO of FastCredit, Emeka IIoelunachi, said the adoption of Clirec would put an end to the company’s reconciliation nightmare.

He explained that “Clirec is a financial reconciliation solution that has assisted the company to ensure the integrity and completeness of data used in reconciliation exercises and the confidentiality of results of reconciliation.�

He added, “We are growing our portfolio significantly but we have always had reconciliation challenges because finance is about keeping the proper record. Imagine

serving the entire Nigeria Police Force and the army of Nigeria’s civil service. “There is a need for good reconciliation system to ensure that loan disbursed each month and the loan repayment has been collected with the appropriate record.�

According to him, “We needed an automated solution to deal with the bottleneck we were experiencing in our reconciliation processes. We had different proposals and we reviewed them. At the end of the exercise, we chose Cleric from PFS because Clirec meets our needs. “We are working with PFS and the relationship has been wonderful. Our reconciliation system has been significantly improved. Now, we spend less time and less human resources. These are costs saving for us�.

Also, the Deputy Managing Director of Precise Financial Systems (PFS), Mr. Philip Ayeni said:

“Fast Credit, as a leading microfinance institution is already actualising its vision of creating value that deeply impacts the Nigeria financial ecosystem. “And it will continue to achieve this by relying on CLIREC, a newly imple-

mented auto-reconciliation solution that validates the integrity of reports of its influence in the society. “PFS will continue to support the financial sector with world-class products like Clirec to ensure the industry attains

the global standard. As an indigenous firm, our solutions are running thousands of computers and serving numerous clients in Nigeria and 30 countries in Africa. “Working with Fast Credit has been a good

experience. Fast Credit is a trailblazer in the deployment of technology that suits its target market. I am not surprised considering the company’s market positioning to be one of the leading Fintech company in the economy,�

CSR-IN-ACTION Broadbased, Dolphin L-R: General Manager, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), Lolade Johnson-Agiri; Human Resources Director, BAT West Africa, Temitope Akinsanya; BATNF Wealth is Here Grant third prize winner, Aniagolu Lucy Chioma; Area Director, West Partner on Internet Africa, BAT, Yarub Al-Bahrani; Chairman, BATNF, Chief Kola Jamodu, ďŹ rst prize winner, Iyiola Taiwo; Executive Director, BATNF, Okoya, and second prize winner, Chiamaka Ndukwu, during the launch of BATNF Wealth is Here campaign in Lagos‌ Distribution to Telcos, ISPs Abimbola recently Broadbased Communications Limited, an open access metropolitan fibre optic network operator has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dolphin Telecom Limited, a member of the African coast to Europe (ACE) Submarine Cable System Consortium and the operator of the ACE submarine cable landing station in Nigeria.

Broadbased Communications would provide last mile metropolitan fibre optic network connectivity on a wholesale basis to clients of Dolphin Telecom Limited, including telecom operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria.

The ACE Submarine Cable System is managed by a consortium of 19 telecom operators from Africa and Europe.

The ACE submarine Cable system is being upgraded to100G technology, which would increase its design capacity from 5.12 Tbps to 12.8 Tbps. The ACE Submarine Cable system is supported by wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology to accommodate tomorrow’s ultra-broadband networks.

Broadbased Communications operates a non- compete, non-discriminatory, open access metropolitan fibre Optic Network that spans over 3,500km of transmission, distribution and in-premise in all the major business districts in Lagos.

The company also operates metro fiber networks in Kano and Akwa-Ibom States with additional points of presence in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

The MD/CEO of Broadbased, Prince Henry Iseghohi, stated that the MoU was a testament to the company’s dedication to the open access, noncompete model, robust Network architecture and the dedication of the staff of Broadbased Communications.

On his part, the Chief Commercial Officer of Dolphin Telecom, Mr. Jonnie Coleman, said they were delighted to partner Broadbased Communications to distribute their wholesale internet capacity to telcos and ISPs in all the major districts of Lagos. He said the ACE submarine system has positioned itself as a key driver of Nigeria’s social and economic growth.

Also speaking, the Group Executive Director of Broadbased Communications, Mr. Chris Erewele restated the company’s commitment to the provision of quality services to Dolphin Telecom with a dedicated technical support team to meet the needs of their wholesale customers, including the use of horizontal directional drilling equipment to install Fiber Optic Cables without manual digging.

The Executive Director, Business Development, Mr. Chidi Ibisi, said: “The Broadbased Network which spans over 3,500km is designed as a self-healing network in a ring architecture with redundant routes to over Points of Presence (PoP), including all the submarine cable landing stations, all data centres, major Telco /ISP hubs and major corporate clients in Lagos.�

INFINIX Unveils New Smartphone Nosa Alekhuogie Infinix Mobility has unveiled a new smartphone, the HOT 8.

The product which is the latest in the HOT series was recently launched in the University of Lagos in partnership with Google, Vskit and Boomplay.

According to the company, HOT is a mid-budget series phone designed for young people who are passionate about entertainment in the interconnected world.

Inheriting Infinix’s brand spirit of providing the most cutting-edge technologies at affordable prices, HOT series has been committed to breaking the boundaries of combining the most relevant features in one device, letting customers amplify their entertainment

experience in the digital space.

The Marketing Manager, Amanda Zhang, Infinix Mobility, said; “The Infinix HOT series aims to empower young people with boundless entertainment experience fuelled by transformative mobile technology. “We observe the trends of online and offline entertainment in global emerging markets where technologies apply. “We found that young people desire to connect and share their life with their communities in various ways, such as social networking, gaming, streaming, and partying which was one of the reasons why campus launch concerts like the one that happened at Unilag for the Hot 8 will be consumer focused in partnership with Google, Vskit and Boomplay.�

“The launch of HOT 8 is a great example of how Infinix spares no efforts in delivering on its promise. By integrating a bigger battery, a bigger display and other key features, we not only aim to satisfy consumers’ entertainment desires, but also inspire them to explore a world of creativity with one device at smaller cost. “The HOT 8 comes with a price tag of N36,500 while the HOT 8 lite is 32,500. “Coming in with a 5,000mAh battery which enables four days of battery life with just three hours of charging through the 2A fast charge technology, a 6.6-inch HD+ waterdrop display, a triple rear camera, and a DIRAC Sound & Party Mode as the key features, HOT 8 will allow consumers to enjoy a world of entertainment at

their fingertips. “The HOT 8 released four color schemes, in addition to the classic colors: Midnight black, Champagne gold, Aqua blue, also released the first gradient of the HOT series;Cosmic purple.� Zhang added.

Speaking further, Amanda also noted that: “Infinix Mobile was launched in 2013 and the target was the young generations. It is a premium online-driven smartphone brand with “The Future is Now,� as the brand essence.

Infinix is committed to providing the most cutting-edge technologies, bold and stylish designs, keeping consumers on trend and up-to-date. Infinix’s portfolio spans five product lines – Zero, Note, Hot, Hot S, and Smart.�

Ghanaian Bank Goes Live on Inlaks,Temenos Solution Inlaks, an ICT infrastructure and systems integrator in sub-Saharan Africa and Temenos, a banking software company, have announced that Consolidated Bank of Ghana has gone live on TemenosT24 Transact release 17.

Consolidated Bank of Ghana Data Migration Project in Accra drove the implementation of Temenos T24 Transact for CBG (a financial institution formed from a merger of seven independent banks).

Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited (CBG) is an indigenous Ghanaian Universal Bank operational in all 10 regions of Ghana with 120 branches.

After months of intensive development and testing, effective project planning and leadership, stakeholder support, strong governance and

effective training, the project has been deemed successful.

Temenos T24 Transact is a cloud-native, cloud-agnostic and real-time core banking solution with exceptional functionality; offering services on Retail and Corporate Banking as well as Wealth Management sectors. With T24, the Consolidated Bank of Ghana is guaranteed to experience a dynamic shift in operational excellence.

Speaking on the project, Executive Director, Inlaks, Olufemi Muraino, said: “We are very pleased to have been a part of one of the greatest digital transformation strides in the history of Consolidated Bank Ghana Limited. CBG will benefit immensely from Temenos’ best-selling solutions which will strengthen and

render more effective the performance of their core banking system. “Being whole-heartedly committed to achieving our vision to be the foremost ICT provider in sub-Saharan Africa, Inlaks, in collaboration with world-class OEMs like Temenos, will continually support the growth and digital advancement of institutions in that region.�

Managing Director Middle East and Africa at Temenos, Jean-Paul Mergeai, said: “We are delighted to support Consolidated Bank of Ghana during this exciting time of integration and great progress. Bringing together the operations of multiple banks is a journey that Temenos is excited to be a part of and has extensive experience in

around the globe and within the Middle East and African region specifically. “By choosing Temenos T24 Transact, Consolidated Bank of Ghana have positioned themselves perfectly to futureproof their business as well as drive growth and accelerate product innovation. “Ghana is a key growth market for Temenos and we are fully committed to working as a trusted partner with Consolidated Bank of Ghana now and well into the future.�

The Managing Director, CBG, Daniel Addo, also said: “The joint effort of Inlaks and Temenos teams has indeed been commendable. We value all the benefits that the successful go-live of T24 has accrued to the banking operations since implementation.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Hope Rises for Nigeria’s ReďŹ neries Ever since his appointment as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari has maintained his resolve to see to the full repair of the nation’s moribund refineries and this has been gathering momentum by the day, writes Peter Uzoho

S

ince his appointment as the 19th Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

by President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Mele Kyari has not hidden his desire to transform the country’s oil and gas industry.

Mele Kyari has in many occasions declared his resolved to ensure that the country’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna are refurbished in record time.

For instance, while taking over the mantle of leadership of the NNPC in Abuja in July, at a valedictory session for his predecessor, Mele Kyari had outlined his vision for the corporation.

Top of his agenda was the ailing refineries and his plan for the them to come alive fully.

He had vowed to reverse the trend of petroleum products importation in the country by rehabilitating the existing refineries and encouraging private sector investment in the refineries sub-sector. “We must end the trend of fuel importation as an oil producing country. We will deliver on the rehabilitation of the four refineries within the life of this administration and support the private sector to build refineries. “We will support the Dangote refinery to come on stream on schedule. We will transform Nigeria into a net exporter of petroleum products by 2023,� Mele Kyari stated in his address at the occasion.

Also, while speaking at the 2019 Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria annual conference and exhibition recently, Mele Kyari expressed worry over the poor state of the refineries, describing it as a shame on Nigeria.

He also at the occasion, bemoaned the position of the country as a net importer of petroleum products rather than net exporter. “Today, NNPC is challenged by the reality of our environment. Because our refineries are not operating optimally and today, not at all, we become net importer of petroleum products; it is a very big shame on us as a nation, and as professionals. “We can give you any excuse whether you are a chemical engineer or petroleum engineer, or scientists, whatever we are, today, it is a shame that this nation is a net importer of petroleum products and we are going to change that,� he had said.

According to him, the corporation was going to achieve that using two methods. “One is that, NNPC will get its acts together; we will fix refineries, and there are other initiatives.

Of course, there are other small interventions to support modular refineries that people are trying to build; that we will work with the permanent secretary to make sure we fix it. “We know why they are not doing it; the reason is very simple...so we will fix that so that there is clarity....�

Notably, many former GMDs and past ministers of petroleum had, while in office, promised to get the refineries working again but were unable to achieve it.

This has resulted in Nigeria importing most of the petroleum products it uses to run her domestic economy, an unpleasant development that pushed former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to threaten to resign his ministerial portfolio by May 2019 if Nigeria continued to import petrol.

Considering these past failures, many Nigerians, particular industry watchers, commentators, and even some operators are a bit sceptical as to whether Mele Kyari will weather the storm and live up to his promises.

Renewed Hope However, in all these, the GMD has continued to rekindle hope of seeing the refineries come alive again, specifically saying that their full refining capacities will to be restored in 2022.

During his maiden official visit to the Port Harcourt Petrochemical and Refining Company recently, the NNPC boss stated that repair works on the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, which have remained decrepit for years would begin in January of 2020.

He said that the refineries would again be able to refine crude oil at optimum capacity by 2022.

Mele Kyari, explained that that full rehabilita-

Port Harcourt ReďŹ nery

Mele Kyari tion of the plants would commence in January of 2020, and that he was committed to ensuring that the refineries deliver real time value and address the petroleum needs of Nigerians.

He said making the refineries to operate at optimal capacities was a mandate that NNPC as a corporation would leave no stone unturned to actualise, and added that a timely delivery of the asset was a priority.

He added: “We will stick to time; we will deliver this project by 2022. We will commence actual rehabilitation work in January. We will do everything possible between October and December to close out all necessary conditions for us to deliver on that project. “I believe that with the support that we have from the shareholders – government of this country - the entire staff of this company and the contractors, I believe it is doable and we will deliver the project.�

He also tasked the contractors on the need to consider their reputation as the most critical element in business processes and engagements. “For the original builders of the refinery, Tecnimont, Eni/NAOC and NNPC, let us be conscious of the fact that our reputation is at stake as far as this project is concerned�, he added.

He noted that the NNPC leadership, “has promised this country that our refineries will work, therefore, we must work not to disappoint over 200 million Nigerian stakeholders.�

Furthermore, Mele Kyari, also charged

the management of the PHRC to ensure that indigenous engineers and other professionals working in the refinery would be fully engaged to participate actively during the rehabilitation exercise.

He said the involvement of indigenous workers would help build their capacities, save cost and introduce an era of steady and uninterrupted production curve that would grow the oil and gas industry of Nigeria.

Earlier, in his interaction with the officials of the facility, Mele Kyari again lamented the shame the poor state of the refineries were causing the nation.

According to him, the management was tired of telling stories and giving excuses about the refineries.

He, however, assured that the corporation would do everything required to ensure that the four refineries were fixed so that they start functioning at full capacity.

He also told the company’s workers’ union that the national oil firm remains committed to total rehabilitation of the facility, saying, the present state of the refineries has brought shame to the NNPC and the country. “First and foremost, I am coming here for a single reason so that we have to get this refinery to work. It must work. So all of us, it is either we fix it or quench. “If we don’t fix it, we will all quench. And we have moved rightly from point of hope to hopelessness. Then will stop this, and the way

to stop it is for all of us to work together to make sure that these refineries work. “Without these family there will be no conversation with anybody. Government is not going to talk to anybody, they are tired of us. The owners of this family are tired of us. “They are tired of our stories. We keep telling them we will repair it, we will fix it, we will do turn around maintenance. Since I came here since 1991, I know that this is the same story -Turn around maintenance that will never work. “The refineries have never worked at 90 per cent capacity since I joined the group. That is the truth. So we have to change this narrative.

We need all of us to make it work. And my reasons of coming here is to see how far we are going with the work we are doing so that the real work must start in January. “Whatever it takes we will get it to start in January. And I am here to confirm all the schedules that the COO has promised that has not been delivered of it. “And I am not in doubt. I am just coming here to give you more confidence that we are behind you. We are aligning with you...to deliver on that single task of fixing these refineries,� he added.

He again painted a reputation damaged done to the country on account of the state of the refineries, saying that the corporation cannot have a conversation anywhere without the issue of the refinery being raised. “It is a shame on our country, on all of us.

We cannot converse with anybody anywhere without raising the issue of our refineries. And I am not ashamed of saying it, in many places, even yesterday, I said all of them are down to lower capacity. That is the situation. “And all of us will make it work, we will fix it. And my reason for coming here is to support the team. Continue what you are doing, deliver on our task, meet our schedules, and we are all lining behind you,� Mele Kyari said.

But briefing the NNPC boss on the state of work being done on the first phase of the repair work, Tecnimont Project Manager, Mr. La Mattina Carmelo, said the inspection aspect of the project had progressed to 91 per cent while final report and Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) proposal was at 75 per cent.

Carmelo added that his company would deliver the first phase of the rehabilitation within three weeks from now, noting that there were no challenges as the project was progressing efficiently and pledged to offer the best services to ensure a timely delivery.

Therefore, it is expected the efforts would help return the country’s refineries to a state that would make them functional once more so as to transform Nigeria into a net exporter of petroleum products and help preserve foreign exchange reserves.

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Rethinking Advertising Business As the paradigm continues to shift from raw traditional method to mixture of digital and traditional, Nigerian advertising practitioners have designed strategies to remain profitable, writes Raheem Akingbolu

L

ike brothers who have withdrawn into their chambers to tell one another the home truth, advertising practitioners, under the aegis of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), minced no words when they met at the association’s 46th Annual General Meeting in Lagos recently.

It was the moment of truth and the speakers didn’t mind whose ox is gored.

Beyond comradery and pumping of Champaign, this year ’s AGM was primarily aimed at providing new directions and solutions needed to overcome the challenges and problems confronting the creative industry in Nigeria.

The guest speaker at the occasion, Vice Chairman, Troyka Holdings, Mr. Jimi Awosika, admitted that the world is now in the post-digital age and that all the things that determines and makes an agency very relevant in the pre-digital age have all changed drastically.

He said the fact that the age has changed meant that rules and strategies too must be changed as one cannot keep pouring new wine into an old skin.

He stressed that survival involves gaining relevance consistently and in order to do this effectively in the present post-digital age of the world, the agencies should first redefine and identify what they represent and the exact services they render to clients. “In this post-digital age, we now have a new audience completely different from those of the dark age. And it’s because this audience all now have free access to many things they couldn’t accessed in the past. So, for an agency to prove to be the one for me, it has to understand my audience and the medium that drives them. “Being aware of them alone is not enough, an agency has to know how to build affinity. It has to have something the client can tap into. That is also a key factor to becoming relevant in this age.�

Awosika further urged the advertising agencies to effectively understand how the internet works since their job is to connect people to brands.

The President of AAAN, Mr. Ikechi Odigbo, who gave the welcome speech at the meeting however, noted that the industry and agencies have continually experienced growth despite the challenges they are faced with. “Growth can be measured in terms of creative performance, financial

performance of the agencies as well as the creative and financial performances of the members of the agencies. “You can also measure growth in terms of the number of agencies that are becoming members of the AAAN. He said the association had the agencies in mind and decided to bring to light, the myriads of challenges the industry is facing when it was coining the theme for this year ’s AGM/ Congress. “What informed the theme is the fact that just like other sectors in the economy, 70 to 80 percent of the advertising agencies are having really difficult times in terms of being able to sustain their businesses, meet obligations and at the same time, record some form of growth or the other,� he said.

When asked if he thinks the industry has experienced growth, he said, “Growth can be measured in terms of creative performance, financial performance and in terms of creative and financial performances of the member agencies. “You can also measure growth in terms of the number of agencies that are becoming members of the association.

So, in that regard, we could actually say that there has been a significant upsurge in the past couple of years. “We have close to 90 agencies made up of full member and associate member agencies. In that sense, the association and industry are growing because people are beginning to see a significant need to have themselves properly registered with the professional association. “With regards to creative performance, we also have quite a lot of tractions in the sense that most of our agencies are becoming dominant in terms of award wins, at the regional level.

That shows that the quality of creative work in the industry is on an upward trajectory and that is being recognized internationally.

He also reiterated that relevance is key in the business and assured it is the primary focus of AAAN to equip the members and their staff in the area of capacity building so as to be competent in the modern marketing age.

The panel discussion speakers at the event included Dr Lekan Fadolapo, Mrs Bunmi Oke, Mr Steve Babaeko and Mr Lanre Adisa, who are experts in the advertising industry as well as members of the association.

However, Adisa observed that thriving is an important topic for discussion and suggested it should be considered when coming up with the next AGM discussion.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Ajufo: Govt Has Made Outdoor Advertising Costly The Managing Director, Opportunity-to-see Limited and President Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria Emmanuel Ajufo, in this interview with Adedayo Adejobi, speaks on what he’s doing differently at the helms of affairs and challenges bedeviling the industry. Excerpts:

W

hat will you be doing differently as President of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria?

The first major task is to complete the ingoing-projects that my immediate past president started and that is because I’ve had a wonderful working relationship with him. I’m also aware of most of the things we tried to accomplish. What we need to do in no particular order is to get our research done. Everywhere you go today, you are told that people don’t know what they are paying for in terms of value they get from outdoor.

We want to put an end to that and give the industry more robust reasons to patronise us.

Our business is outdoor and so we gave to relate with the government. Our relationship with government at the various tiers needs to be improved upon. We would be engaging government more such that they begin to see and appreciate or value beyond pecuniary gains, political campaigns. We pay multiple taxes, employ staff and contribute our quota to the economy. And so we are going to be engaging government.

We need to also engage the industry as we have various specialisations in the industry like the ADVAN and MIPAN. The debt crisis is so much in the industry. We need to talk about it more. There was a time it was prepaid. But even if we are not going the route of prepaid, we need to have a working contract. It came to 45 days and over to 90 days. It has gone beyond 90 days. The truth is when people begin to take contracts that have these crazy timelines, what you see it people cutting corners.

We would also engage them on our sectorial group meetings. You will recall that in the past, we had Head of sectorial groups. When Charles Chijide was President, then I was General Secretary, which was when we had the issue of the APCON council not being there. As you know for four years now, we’ve not had APCON Council. And if you don’t have the council, then practice is without regulation.

We intend to push that the HASG comes back and see the platform to talk to government to see how it can bring council back to us.

We also need to have internal cohesion, because practitioners ask why we are in OAAN when a lot of people who are not are practicing. I think the questions keeps being raised because of the disunity within our fold.

If we are united, we can then talk about those who are outside. Today the APCON doesn’t allow for people to practice without being in either tier one or two membership. As you are aware the sectorial body is the tier one membership and then those who standalone and get registered by APCON are tier two.

But we have a lot of them who are outside.

We’ll be asking ourselves the question on why we are in OAAN. And the moment we find the answer, we can together fight those who are outside. In summary, we’ll be using the carrot and stick approach to engage. And when we need to use the law in addressing the issues regulators have brought into place, we may need to ask them to follow the laws they have made, because they make laws and they don’t follow them. For instance in Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA), there is supposed to be a board where people can appeal in a case where the management of LASAA has not treat any of us fairly, we do not have any place to appeal to. It’s not good. It is their law; they should obey it by constituting a board.

The issue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Debt has been there for some time. This last regime tried to get it out; we’ve not been able to. We’ll talk about and address it because a labourer deserves his wages. We worked and we deserve to be paid.

In most corporate organisations, the Integrated Marketing Communications spend is usually the ďŹ rst affected in the overall budget. And with the emergence of technology, digital seems to be taking a large chunk of the budget, even though it hasn’t proven to convert to sales. The

the industry to this level, they will not be attracted to come in the first place. The last meeting we had, the regional Director from South Africa was there and they assured us that their intention is to practice fairly. I think it’s victory for OAAN. Although we have rumours that government was backing them and the reason its believable was the impunity with which they went about their affairs, and clinching sites that were disallowed for our members before. All those added to the suspicion. But we are at the table discussing now whilst the case is still in court. We hope the issue would be sorted out and subsequently any foreign company coming in would respect our laws.

Do incoming big players pose any threat to the industry?

If they play according to the rules, I really do not think that they pose a threat. We are not afraid of competition. You know that Global Outdoor and Primedia also came and they are also agitated with JC Decaux’s presence. I do not see them as threats if the government does not treat them better than us. Our economy has a way of levelling everybody in check.

Ajulo industry has no doubt suffered a huge blow from regulators, client budget cutsin the seeming recessive economy. How have stakeholders been coping?

It has been very difficult for us and that’s why we have a lot of vacant billboards. No one would take delight in building a house and not having a tenant, so it’s very painful.

We are not unmindful of the fact the out-of home budget seems to have been eaten up.

And like I alluded earlier, some of the clients claim that they cannot immediately relate our service to value they get, and that is what we are addressing.

But that is not true, or is it?

It’s not true, but when you don’t have anything to justify what you are talking about it, becomes difficult. During our annual general meeting, we got a gentleman who spoke to us about

Once there is a recession, marketing communication budget drops. But our own situation is a bit peculiar in the sense that in the past these regulatory agencies were not slamming us with a lot of money.

Now, they have turned regulation to internally generated revenue and made our services very costly

outdoor opportunities and he also alluded to digital and we disagree with him. We told him that it’s not about carrying phones, but about what it translates to. We would however carry out research because in other climes, what we get is that outdoor advertising is growing, and so we don’t understand why ours should be dwindling.

Whatever digital billboards you have outsides Nigeria, we also have here. We are looking inwards to begin to do a lot more by applying the platforms to delivering more in terms of data-driven advertising. OAAN believes in training. Once there is a recession, marketing communication budget drops. But our own situation is a bit peculiar in the sense that in the past these regulatory agencies were not slamming us with a lot of money. Now, they have turned regulation to internally generated revenue and made our services very costly. We have planned to engage government to sees that what it charges our members in multiple taxation is ridiculous. Beyond the value, the cost of having those boards out is enormous and that is what translates into having their ads of some other digital platforms. Seventy per cent of our costs go into power. It’s a lot of money and that has to be addressed. Although digital is dotting the landscape, but there are still some cities in Nigeria you wouldn’t dare put up a digital board because you wouldn’t have a client. As much as digital is growing, it has to be done with caution because of our peculiar challenges.

A major issue raised by some stakeholders in the industry is that your association has allowed big international unregistered players with huge ďŹ nancial power and government backing play in your industry without adhering to ethics of the profession as the case should be globally. What are you doing in that regard?

When we noticed JC Decaux came, we took it up with the industry and APCON has been very supportive. We needed to make a statement and so we took them to court. As we speak, the case is in court. They have come to negotiate, whilst we have also given them our conditions and they seem to be willing to come to terms with the terms. We are not against foreign companies coming into Nigeria to practice, but they should not be given undue advantage over Nigerians. If we did not get

How did you get involved in the out of home business?

I started outdoor advertising in 1990 and had the opportunity of working in the bank then. My first Director asked me about who I’m, of course I was at the stage of discovery.

He then advised me to stay in this profession and so I stayed. I’m happy I listened to him.

I started with the best- Optimum Exposures.

From there I went to Invent Media and moved to Marketing and Media before I set up my own company-Opportunity-to-See. What have been the challenges so far?

As a trainee we were using starch to work.

And because I wanted to be well-trained, I learnt the ropes from the scratch. So when I see today’s operations staff that have everything to do very well and they are slacking, I laugh.

Then as the Area manager in charge of the north, there were no mobile phones, but my boss’ were never in bad shape. We didn’t have large formats. The highest was 40 –sheets. We were called all-sorts of name like carpenters.

There was an initial shame attached to it, but we brought some fun, innovation and prestige to the business. We have had positive changes; the environment is better. When we started, it wasn’t so much about money. The industry has grown into a multi-million-naira business.

It also comes with a lot of hard work and challenges. I’ve had fun. It’s a job for those who like to be on the road and socialise.

From your perspective, what creative elements/characteristics make for an effective OOH campaign?

Whilst being trained, we spent months in the creative agency then. An outdoor campaign should not be more than five words. The idea being that as you drive, the message should be simple and catchy for those who drive past.

The good and creative use of colour also make for an effective campaign. I still look out for the qualities of brevity, simplicity and good use of colours amongst others.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry today?

The first is infrastructure. Regulation is not at par with global best practice, and turning regulation into internally generated revenue poses the biggest challenge for the industry.

One of the meetings we had outside the country with the former LASAA helmsman outside the country, he went to some cities and found out that the highest they charged for regulation abroad for was 17 per cent of earnings. But here they charge us without any recourse. Permits are not supposed to be that crazy, even when it’s not yearly. With the advent of digital, training is also essential. Multiple taxation also poses a big challenge when regulators and other appendages of government collect all forms of levies- states and local governments.

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Youth Development through Rural Farming Oluchi Chibuzor writes on the need to create conducive environment to encourage rural farming

A

bout 500 million young people about half of the youth population of developing countries - living in rural areas are prone to poverty, inequality and are faced with a range of challenges.

These challenges include lack of training and skills, limited access to land and credit, scarce inputs and restricted links to social networks.

These challenges, however, can be turnaround with Agroecological potential in their environment.

Speaking ahead of the G7 meeting held recently in Paris, France, the President of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), President, Gilbert Houngbo, had said, “No stability in the Sahel without rural development and job creation for young people, economic transformation of rural areas and the creation of jobs for millions of young rural people are pre-conditions to stability in the Sahel.�

The president, who took the message to the ministerial meeting on development, stated that if given the opportunity, young rural people could drive development in their communities. “We need the right policies and investments in place before they can have any hope of doing so,� he said.

According to IFAD, in the Sahel, the number of young people is unprecedented, with over 60 per cent of the population below 25 years of age, two thirds of youth live in rural areas and are poorer and more often lack access to employment, skills, financial services and technology than adults.

According to Houngbo, failing to act has given rise to a lost generation of young people without hope or direction, which contributes to an increased risk of forced economic migration and fragility.

The IFAD 2019 Rural Report added that among rural, semi-rural and peri-urban young people, 67 per cent live in areas with strong agricultural potential, but many have limited access to markets.

According to the report, “With greater access to skills training, markets, financial services and technologies, these young people could become more productive, connected and in charge of their own future. It however warns that policy-makers need to act quickly, pointing to the impacts of climate change on agriculture, the need to seize the opportunities presented by the digital revolution, and the growing aspirations and demands of young people themselves.�

Nigerian Agriculture Promotion Policy This policy which was to build on the Successes of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the previous government by closing key gaps identified, was also to provide a disciplined approach to building an agribusiness ecosystem.

Many people say Nigerian economy is blessed with series of natural resources, yet they suffer in the midst of plenty. Currently, Nigeria has over 80 per cent of its land arable but of which less than 40 per cent of the land is cultivated despite the country’s teeming population and level of unemployment.

In a paper presentation titled, “Agriculture Promotion Policy 2016-2020 and Rural Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects,�

by Felix Ojong and Bassey Anam, Department of Sociology, Institute of Public Policy and Administration, University of Calabar; agreed that the challenge facing the Nigerian agricultural sector is historical.

According to them, judging from previous experiences of inadequate implementation of development policies in Nigeria and further assessing the policy framework of the Nigeria Promotion Policy, there are a lot of concerns. “These issues are central and must be addressed to ensure the prospects of implementing the policy for the general wellbeing of the Nigerian rural economy. “The Nigerian rural economy is still faced with the challenge of subsistent farming. “This affects the inability to meet domestic food requirements in rural Nigeria. Although there is a provision for private partnership in this regard, the policy has not stated in clear terms how the vulnerable rural poor will be able to access farming support programmes without collaterals.

“Due to the strenuous nature of farming with crude implement and local techniques, farming has become very tedious for today’s youths,� he explained.

On what could be done to help rural youths that are ready to improve their livelihood through farming, Agoola noted that was not all about money, stressing the importance of education and training on modern farming techniques like Good Agricultural Practice (GAP).

Buhari

“Food processing issues also affect the prospects of Agriculture Promotion Policy in Nigeria. It is estimated that about 20-40 per cent of the yearly harvest is lost during processing. The primary cause is the lack of efficient harvesting techniques,� they stated.

They further noted that most rural farmers harvest crops by hand, instead of using machines. Also, storage methods are not generally up to standards. They noted that most of the crops are lost to physical damage caused by insects, bacteria, or fungus. They writers insisted that Nigeria must adopt modern technology in food storage and rural farmers must be trained accordingly Generally, there is less incentive for local farmers to grow local foods when cheaper, more palatable foods are imported. This forces local farmers to reduce prices, which reduces the income generated by the farm.

The consequence is decreased farm production.

To combat the effects of imported food on development, several initiatives are suggested, including providing farmers with micro-credit that is subsidised and increasing tariffs on imported food.

Agricultural Comparative Advantage Adding his voice recently, the U.S. Consul General in Lagos, Mr. John Bray, urged Nigeria to leverage on its vast agricultural potential to create wealth and boost its economy.

Bray added: “The task before Nigeria is to show the world its enormous potential in

agriculture. Nigeria needs to use agriculture to create wealth, employment and grow its economy, U.S. is doing that and Nigeria can do that too. “In the next 50 years, what produce will be known around the world as a signature product from Nigeria? Would it be shea butter, tiger nut, cashew or palm oil; Nigeria has the comparative advantage in these produce and more and should explore it the same way the US explored cranberry potential to create wealth,� he said Unhealthy Trends But, Mr. Taiwo Agboola, who resides in Ilorin, said, most of the youths in the rural areas are not willing and ready to go to farm any more, all they are interested in is how to make quick money.

He said also that within Ganmo community, in Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA), Kwara State, they prepare to engage in selling of land handed over to the them by their forefathers.

According to him, “However those ones who are willing and ready to farm, they do not have enough resources to buy farm tools, as most of them engage in traditional mode of farming; so they do not have capital to buy cutlass, holes, fertilizer. “The few once that are into this farming get to a stage where they become tired and this is discouraging because they are using traditional ways of farming.

Stakeholders Engagement Recently, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, called on stakeholders in the agriculture sector to see agriculture as a combination of business and development platform by concentrating on value chains where the state has comparative advantage.

This, according to him, would enable them develop strategic partnership that would stimulate investment in the state.

Lawal, who stated this at an ‘Agricultural Stakeholders Engagement,’ meeting in Lagos, said the state government was committed to ensuring the attainment of food sufficiency.

He said that the stakeholders’ engagement was convened in order to, “provide syndrome in policy decision making in governance,� adding that the contributions and inputs of major stakeholders were important towards the attainment of the state’s THEME agenda for the agricultural sector.

The commissioner noted that the goal was to train 15,000 people with the expected outcome of creating capacity to serve consumer demands and with an expected output of large scale dissemination of productivity-increasing capacity program and increase investment into enabling infrastructure and capacity building.

He listed some of the current initiatives of the state government in the sector to include the establishment of 32 tonnes per hour rice mill at Imota; the Lagos –Kebbi states collaboration on rice value chain development; Agricultural Based Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-YES ); Agric-YES Songhai Model ; Farm Estates Initiative – Fishery, Poultry, Piggery and Vegetables; Quality Input Supply with Robust Business Model and the collaboration with Development Partners such as World Bank assisted Project (APPEALS), DAWN Commission and CBN among others. “A state with food security and improved nutrition will no doubt achieve sufficiency in comparative advantage of food staples and sufficient market infrastructure that will also ensure competitiveness thereby being the catalyse flows of agricultural finance through increased partnerships with multilateral and donor agencies.� he noted. “I have no doubt in my mind that this will lead to increased IGR for the state government on one hand as well as leverage potential of other states and access to the Lagos markets.

A well-funded private sector capable of scaling emergent agri-business successes will lead to increased inclusivity and sustainable practices,� the Commissioner noted.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, also commended the stakeholders at the engagement session for willing to collaborate with the state government in developing the roadmap that would guide and reshape the role of agriculture in Lagos.

Similarly, the Yobe state government also organised its first agricultural retreat so as to formulate implementation strategies for the state government.

The committee would be chaired by Professor Abba Gambo, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture of the Yobe State University, Damaturu.

He said, as in many states across the country, majority of the people in Yobe State engage in farming as a primary source of livelihood, describing agriculture as the linchpin of the nation’s economy.

He also said, “at a time when our country continues to look for ways to diversify the economy, create more jobs and lift people out of poverty, it does not seem as if we are making the best of agriculture as the best alternative for wealth creation. “Despite abundance of land and the energy of our people, agriculture here in Yobe State still remains largely subsistent.�

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IMAGES

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Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

R-L; Fiji Prime Minister, H.E. Frank Bainimarama; President Muhammadu Buhari; Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte; Bank of England Governor, Mr Mark Joseph Carney and Chief Executive OďŹƒcer of Wills Towers Waston, Mr. John Haley during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York...recently STATE HOUSE.

L-R; Director, Lemon & Feathers, Dr. (Mrs) ldowu Osibodu; Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun; Directors, Lemon & Feathers, Mrs Julie Okoigun and Arc (Mrs) Yinka Williams at the conference on Ageing in the developing World 2019, with a focus on the Dementias in Lagos..recently abiodun ajala

L-R: Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Corps Marshal Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, during the Inauguration of New Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Complex, Delta State Sector Command, o Ibusa Road Asabain Delta State...recently

L-R: Director, Grace High School, Mr. Ademola Edun; Executive Director, Mrs. Iyiola Olatokunbo Edun; and Principal, Dr. Stella Olagunju, at the media interactive session on Grace High School 25th anniversary in Gbagada, Lagos...recently ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Co-Founder Fortem Inspire, Chisom Mbonu-Ezeoke; United State Conusl General in Nigeria,Claire Pierangelo and CoFounder Fortem Inspire,Toyo Idris during Sport Envoy Program on Goal strong girls bright futures organized by Fortem Inspire and US Consulate held at Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos...recently MUBO PETER

L-R: Representative of Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner For Justice Mr. Wahab Daudu; Administrative Judge, Ikeja, Justice TaoďŹ kat Oyekan-Abdullahi; Deputy Governor and representative of Lagos State Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Sulaiman Abou-Nolla; Chief Judge of the State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, and other Judges during the opening of 2019/2020 Legal Year Special Service at the Central Mosque, Lagos Island...recently

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L-R: Global Chairman, Aon Reinsurance, Dominic Christian; Executive Director, Navigate Consulting Africa Limited, Egbe Oyegun-Adeoye; Managing Director, CMC Connect, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; and Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, CSR-In-Action, Bekeme Masade-Olowola, during the Dive In Festival, held in Lagos‌recently

SUNDAY ADIGUN

R-L;Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo;Governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola and Pro Chancellor/Chairman of Council, Osun State University, Mallam Yusuf Ali, during the 8th Convocation Ceremonies of UNIOSUN, at the main campus, Osogbo...recently

L-R: Chairman Service Projects, Partnership For ; Rtn. Julius Nwokoro, Chairman, Old English Superstores, Mr. Lanre Alfred; President, Rotary Club of Ikeja South, Rtn. Michael James and Governor, District 9110, Rtn. Jide Akeredodu; during the launch of End Polio donation boxes at old English Superstores, Ikeja, Lagos ...recently

L-R: Minister of Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN; presenting copies of publications on the Ministry’s activities to the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Mele Kolo Kyari (right) during a courtesy visit to the minister in Abuja...recently

L-R; Director of Sales, Eko Hotel & Suites, Mrs. Iyadunni Gwadebo; OďŹƒcial of AFRA, Aaron Munesti and, President of Nigeria Tour Operators ( NATOP), Hajia Bilkisu Abdul at Eko Hotel’ stand during the Akwaaba Travel Exhibition in Lagos...recently

L-R: Ag. Chief Commercial OďŹƒcer, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company,Ugochukwu Obi-Chukwu; CEO, Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund, Anshul Rai; Head, Energy / Natural Resources, FBNQuest Merchant Bank, Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani and Head, Research / Communications, Clean Technology Hub, Mark Amaza; during a session at the 2019 Power Nigeria exhibition and conference held at the Landmark Centre..Lagos...recently

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Untapped Opportunities in Nigeria’s Steel Industry Ugo Aliogo writes on the opportunities in Nigeria’s steel and solid mineral industry and what government needs to enhance revenue from the sector

Ogah

N

igeria is currently a net importer of steel with negative trade balance of $1.27 billion in 2018 a report by the International Trade Center (ITC) has revealed.

The report came in the wake of the shortage of billet and this has affected the capacity of steel companies in Nigeria to produce.

It was also gathered from industry players that the inability of the iron making sections of the Premium Steel plant (formerly Delta Steel Company) to function and the noncompletion of Ajaokuta Steel Company have left the National Iron Ore Mining company (NIOMCO), the only beneficiation facility in the country inactive since 2008.

Experts’ Opinion Experts stated that shortage of raw materials (billets) had led many steel processing companies resort to the use of steel scrap for steel production, therefore depending heavily on import to fill the supply deficit.

Speaking during an interview with THISDAY on the matter, the Head, Advisory and Consulting, Mining Leader, PwC, Cyril Azobu, said in 2018 the federal government presented a roadmap for the development of Nigeria’s industrial minerals’ which was developed by the World Bank and assisted

by Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) project.

He stated that part of the MinDiver project was a baseline study for the metals in the steel industry, adding that the study was expected to give insights about the situation of the market and feed into institutions around.

According to him, “So when you go to Kogi State where you have a lot of Iron ore deposits. There is a potential of creating an ecosystem. If you setup and stimulate activities in that area, you are going to have steel production that feeds into the massive steel rolling plants in Ajaokuta, Delta steel, linked to River Niger. “You can actually have transportation in batches. Firstly, a study has to be carried out on how to address these challenges. “There is need for the involvement of the private investors who have long term stake and with desire to invests in the sector; when we integrate all of these together, we can then create industrial parks around all of these hubs and get trigger of activities, what is going to happen is that you are going to mobilise employment in the mining hub, where there is deposit.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development,Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite

“Also, you will be stimulating the integration of the value chain, and bridging the gap in terms of scarcity of billets or raw materials for the rolling plants. “Again, you will be creating a big uptake that encourages investors in Iron Ore to develop their products because that is the only way that the investors can be assured that their investment will be received into the sector.�

He noted that there was no need for another roadmap and appealed for continuity in the sector, adding that there was a Mining Implementation and Strategy Team (MIST) set up to ensure implementation of the 2016 roadmap.

He added: “I think what needs to happen is to take one resource and see it through. So the roadmap identifies a number of resources of which bitumen is one of them and other industrial minerals. “But if you take the steel sector and give it a push I think there are a lot of fairly

We will block some of the leakages so that whatever mines and solid minerals that are going out from Nigeria, can be easily trapped through the airport and seaport.

We will make sure that people pay the right royalty for whatever they are taking out of the country. From the roadmap, there are seven key mineral resources that have been identiďŹ ed such as limestone, diamond, bitumen, and others

immediate gains that you can achieve with that. There are companies waiting for the right actions to be taken by government so that they can step in. “Foreign investors will be looking into exportation. If the foreign investors see that there is an opportunity to make money locally because when you value add, that is, when you process and go further down the value chain, you create more value and wealth for yourself and the ecosystem. “I also think that there are financial institutions we can bring together to say how we can fund the sector and make it work. A sector like the steel sector is a massive sector in any society and there has to be a collaborative effort to unlock the values.�

Government’s Position The Minister of State, for Mines, Steel and Development, Dr. Uche Ogah, has expressed the desire of the federal government to develop new sectorial framework for the mining of solid minerals and improvement in steel production in the country.

He explained that the ministry would begin its work by examining the roadmap on solid minerals drawn by his predecessors, adding that the desire was to enlarge the scope of the roadmap and unlock the opportunities and potentials that are bound in the sector.

According to him, much needed to be done especially in identifying some of the leakages, and putting in place the necessary legal frameworks to make it easy for people to have licenses.

According to him, “Government has spent so much to get the fiscal surveyor for the nation to ensure the deposit of minerals, which will help investors to come in because more investments would be brought into the country through solid minerals. “Like I stated earlier, we will block some of the leakages so that whatever mines and solid minerals that are going out from Nigeria, can be easily trapped through the airport and seaport. We will make sure that people pay the right royalty for whatever they are taking out of the country. From the roadmap, there are seven key mineral resources that have been identified such as limestone, diamond, bitumen, and others. “We will look at bitumen, a lot has been talked about it, but not much has been done, so we will expand the scope. We will bring foreign direct investors and private sector players into the sector to develop it.�

Continuing, he said: “The steel industry is still at the infancy stage. It is the only industry that can help increase industrialisation and the country’s infrastructural needs. “If the steel industry is properly positioned, we will gain a lot especially in rail transport and building of bridges. There is a lot to be done, but we need to develop a framework and policy statement in the steel industry. “One of the things we are looking at is the Ajaokuta Steel Company and some of the legal issues surrounding the company.

We are also looking at iron ore, because we need to tie all of them together and unbundle the legal issues surrounding the Ajaokuta steel and once that is done, we can bring investors who can help unlock the potentials in the sector.�

An expert who pleaded anonymity told THISDAY, that from the outset, federal government got certain things about the sector wrong. “We should not shy away from the fact that the western world was not ready to help Nigeria; therefore, this was a western conspiracy,� he alleged.

He explained that with the setting up of the Ajaokuta steel company, the expectation was that Nigeria would be a net steel importer, but unfortunately the country has not met that expectation.

According to him, “During the time we went to Russia to seek their assistance, the Russians were not part of the global economy.

There are challenges in the steel and mining that have not been properly addressed, such as the activities of artisanal miners, the production stage, exportation and sales to the local market, poor development of the downstream and upstream sectors. “The potential of the solid mineral deposits identified in Nigeria has not been fully harnessed as expected, the steel value chain has been fully tapped into and if the potential of the sector is fully harnessed it will contribute immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

There was a time the company was concessioned to an Indian company, but rather developing it, they started cannibalizing the complex. “The Russian company who built Ajaokuta steel company also built other steel companies that are functional, but the ones in Nigeria is not functional. The hope of revival for the steel industry is PPP arrangement and government needs to identify the key players in the sector. The private sector is the driver of the economy,� he added.

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BUSINESSWORLD

Lagos-Ibadan Railway to Commence Operations by December, Says Amaechi Sunday Okobi The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed that the Lagos-Ibadan railway would commence commercial operations by December 2019.

Amaechi made this known during a tour of the rail project being handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

While also expressing dissatisfaction about the delay, Amaechi said: “CCECC has not done too well. They claimed that at the end of the last government in May 29, 2019, we owed them some money, and that we had not given approval for additional works. “For me, that’s not enough excuse. They have slowed down so badly. We need to get them to go back to that same speed that they were before the last government was dissolved. We have just paid them the money we owed last Friday. “The cabinet has also approved additional works. So, they have no excuse to delay because If we do get the loan for Ibadan-Kano project they will start quickly from Kano to Kaduna, and at the same time commence from Ibadan

to Illorin Amaechi also explained that the delay on Iju to Apapa parts of the Lagos-Ibadan project was also due to urbanisation.

According to him, “We have problems of urbanisation. So you have to deal with the issues of water pipes, gas, etc. In fact, there is one pipe that is very dangerous. That pipe comes from Excravos , and the moment you shut down that pipe there will be fuel scarcity,� he said. “It is important that we construct the Coastal Rail.

We have already applied for the loan and If we get the loan, we’ll start from Port Harcourt to Warri, and from Benin to Onitsha.�

The Minister, who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Transport, Gbemi Saraki, and the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, said laying of tracks had been completed.

Amaechi said redirecting petroleum pipelines along the construction zone was the most difficult part of the job, adding that the contractor had found a way to manage the situation so as not to shut down the country’s supply of fuel.

CSOs Caution Govt Against Increase in VAT Ugo Aliogo The Tax Justice and Governance Platform, (TJGP) Nigeria, a group of civil society organizations has called on the federal government to apply caution in its desire to increase Value Added Tax (VAT).

TJGP in a statement signed

by Civil Society legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Oxfam Nigeria and others and made available to THISDAY, called on the federal government pay serious attention to widening the tax net rather than increasing the rate which would only place more burden on the few that complies already and still exempt the majority that do not pay taxes.

TJGP in the statement further lauded the VAIDS as opportunity to increase the tax net, though it has not yielded the optimum result expected, adding that there are still myriads of companies and other taxable entities in Nigeria who are not in the tax net and still not convicted or punished in any way.

TJGP urged government to consider who bears the burden of the tax increment, the main drivers could inform and/or justify the decision for a VAT increment, the real issues around VAT; remittance (collection) or rate and others.

The platform therefore appealed to the federal government to provide additional information and details on the proposed measures for the purposes of public debate and multi-stakeholder input.

According to the statement, “We expect empirical projections and evidence based expected outputs that indicate

that the tax yield from some of the measures would outweigh any disadvantage and potential negative impact and that the majority of Nigerians will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the proposed measures. These includes reducing the tax incentives granted to multinationals which is not even much of a contributor to their existence in the Nigerian business environment. Consider full digitalization of the processes of tax administration to curb leakages in the system. Support the establishment of the beneficial ownership register in Nigeria as a measure to know people’s real worth and what they are liable to pay as tax. Fully implement the BVN policy as a measure of tracking peoples’ tax liabilities especially the high net worth individuals in the country who has been alleged of not paying taxes at all. “We use the forum to call on the federal government to again beam its searchlight on illicit financial flows from Nigeria as it represents a source of substantial revenue leakage and loss to government, with a bid to devising practical strategies for preventing the outflows as a way of also capturing revenue due to government and made available to provide services the citizens. “We call on the federal Ministry of Finance to ensure that its increase in the revenue targets to the Federal Inland Revenue Services is based on empirical computations and is not emotional or arbitrary projections, neither should it hinge on speculation and should ensure that the FIRS is not compelled to impose

DEVELOPMENT

LG Boss Offers Free Medical Services to Over 5,000 Residents of Plateau Community Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Chairman of Langtang South Local Government Area of Plateau state, Hon. Rims Nimchak in collaboration with Eden-Compassion and Health Mission International (ECHM) has offered free medical outreach to over 5,000 residents of the local government.

The Medical outreach which started on the 21st of September and is expected to end on the 27th of September 2019.

Speaking to journalist in

Mabudi, the LGA headquarters, Rims said: “The APC led government is determined to provide quality healthcare services to the people of the area. During our campaigns we vowed to provide free Medical services to our people and we are now fulfilling these promises with the little resources we have. We are determined to touch the lives of the downtrodden in the society. “We decided to go into medical outreach to the healthcare

to the suburbs; to reach out to the unreached. Thousands of villagers have now benefitted from the services.�

He urged residents to take advantage of the free services, “here, we have many medical doctors, and specialist like optometrists, dentists, and Laboratory technologists participating in the outreach.�

He also promised to improve on the standard of education in his Local Government and to also boost Agriculture as well as provide other dividends of

democracy to the people.

Some beneficiaries of the Free Medical Outreach, Mrs Rifkatu Dombin and Pricilla Nangwang from Faya community commended the Council chairman for reaching out to the needy. “This is more than the medical outreaches people have been doing here; they checked our blood pressure, took our blood fir screening, gave us drugs, and even food. If we had gone to hospital, we would have spent so much money to get all these done�, they remarked.

Big Dutchman, AFOS Foundation Begins Training Partnership Ugo Aliogo Big Dutchman Agriculture Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Big Dutchman International, has recently started a training partnership with AFOS Foundation, a German Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

According to statement made available to THISDAY by the company, the partnership focuses on a dual vocational training for livestock technicians.

The statement also stated that the aim is to improve the

efficiency of local agricultural value chains and create a skilled workforce within the Nigerian agricultural industry.

The statement further noted that the training which is known as the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) would be carried out in close cooperation with companies in the field of livestock and crop business in Nigeria within Lagos and Ibadan.

The Managing Director, Big Dutchman, Thomas Ogundiran in the statment said, MD/CEO

Big Dutchman, explained that the partnership would create future pacesetting technicians within the industry.

He said, “The Nigerian agriculture industry currently has a shortage of skilled technicians. For us to truly leverage the financial and technological interventions that are expected to guide Nigeria towards agricultural self-sufficiency, we need innovative technicians who are pace setters in the agricultural industry. �

The Human Resources Manager, Big Dutchman, Ms.

Linda Itabor, charged other stakeholders to place priority on youth empowerment in Nigeria.

She said, “Big Dutchman would provide training on poultry equipment for all trainees and improve the technical skills of all cooperating companies.�

She further stated that the training would run for over a year and would equip the participants with the relevant skills needed to ensure optimization of their job roles.

According to the statement:

Asiegbu: Good Strategy, Execution, Key to Brand Growth A University of Nigeria, Nsukka graduate of Biochemistry who participated in the Guinness’ ‘More Than a Job,’ which was unveiled by the brewery giant last year, Chibuikem Asiegbu, shares his experience from the initiative during a media chat in Lagos. Raheem Akingbolu brings the excerpts Yes! I have worked on some fantastic Pan-Nigeria projects such as, Guinness Gold launch, 1759 -Guinness time and Guinness extraordinary campaign amongst others.

How did you hear about the More Than A job campaign by Guinness?

After my youth service, I started looking out for a ground-breaking opportunity in a dynamic organisation and I saw the More Than A Job ad on a career website.

I was excited about the role because it was the perfect opportunity for me to grow and explore.

Did you ever believe you would be given an opportunity to work with this extraordinary brand?

I have always believed in myself. A personal mantra for me has always been, ‘if only one person was going to be chosen, it would be me’. However, after reading the job description and criteria for selection, I was thrilled to recognise Guinness as an equal opportunity employer, despite the popular misconception of global brands.

How has your experience been working for a global brand such as Guinness?

In a nutshell, it has been an astounding experience! The challenging tasks, opportunities, exposure, training and the extraordinary feeling that comes with working for one of the most iconic alcohol beverage brand in the world. Everything is fast-paced, I have learnt to work under intense pressure. Sometimes, I clock-in extra hours to be thorough with deliverables.

Furthermore, everyone in my team and beyond is always ready to help. It’s been truly More than a job.

How has this opportunity impacted your life?

I have learnt to multitask and still deliver 100 per cent. My management skill has improved, from managing resources

Asiegbu

to managing people and projects. My creativity has increased exponentially, and my understanding consumer behaviour and digital marketing has significantly advanced. This opportunity has also helped me discover a lot more about myself. I am now truly made of more.

What is your work routine with the brand Guinness team at Diageo?

I begin my day by going through a checklist of pending tasks and prioritise them based on timelines. I partake in creative sessions, handle internal projects and assist the team in delivering projects for Brand Guinness. Also, I manage events, work with third party agencies and internal stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of tasks. Few months into my internship, I got an additional role, to assist the digital media manager in planning digital campaigns and the managing our digital agencies.

Have you worked on any major projects since you became part of team?

Share some of the challenges you encountered putting this project together?

Different projects posed different challenges, but that of Guinness Gold launch was thought-provoking as we were launching the first Guinness Gold Lager in the world.

We had to get it right in our strategy and execution; a major challenge was ensuring all key deliverables were achieved within the specified timelines for the consumer launch event. At first glance, it looked overwhelming considering the magnitude of our project.

How did you overcome them?

Prioritizing tasks was key. In addition, I consistently remained in sync with my line manager and other team members for clarity ahead of the launch date.

Consequentially, the Guinness Gold launch turned out fantastic; crowd control was excellent, guests turned out massively and we had zero safety and security worries. I got to understand the importance of team work and how it contributes to the success of a project.

Can you share with us what makes you and the process extraordinary?

Optimism, confidence and determination are my driving principles. I welcome challenges as I see them as avenues for growth. Furthermore, More Than A Job has increased my developing drive and given my potentials an avenue for bold and distinct expressions wherever I find myself.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

36

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325

Guarding against Hypertension While hypertension is one of the deadliest non-communicable diseases because it does not manifest physically, nonetheless, stakeholders advise that with lifestyle changes, the condition can be addressed, writes Martins Ifijeh

Hypertension is preventable

H

ave you ever had a phone conversation with someone so full of life, and in the next hour you hear he is gone? Ever been in a scenario where the person you shared happy moments with a night before did not see a new dawn because death came calling?

How about someone you just played a football match with, who went into the game in good health, but as you bid yourselves farewell from the pitch, he goes home and blanks out on mother earth? One minute the person is strong enough for a football match and the next minute he is dead.

These are the traits synonymous with high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension. It is one silent killer that does not ring a bell to announce its arrival as it does not present signs and symptoms. All it does is stay in the body of its victim quietly until the day it strikes. And when it does, it leaves sorrows, tears and blood.

Fortunately for developed countries, the rate of prevalence of this silent killer has reduced drastically due to increased awareness on lifestyle modification and general well-being.

But it has ironically doubled globally within the last 40 years, affecting over a billion people.

This means it has a high prevalence rate in middle- and low-income countries like Nigeria, leaving people to dramatically die from the asymptomatic health condition.

Mr. Olawale Gbenga is one Nigerian whose family learnt the stings of hypertension the hard way. His mother, a 63-year-old retired teacher in Ibadan was full of life during the preparation for one of her daughter’s wedding, and had talked about how she will dress gorgeously and dance on that day. But she was wrong. Her blood pressure was not in sync with her decision.

“She had involved herself fully in the preparations for the traditional ceremony for Friday and the church wedding Saturday. By Wednesday of that week, mummy woke up full of life, but by afternoon, I was called that she had slumped and was gasping for breathe. That was how I left my place of work and rushed home, only to see her breathing was very faint.

“We immediately rushed her to the hospital

where it was confirmed her blood pressure was far beyond normal. She had 182/125mmhg.

While doctors were doing their best to stabilise her, and possibly bring the blood pressure to a reduced level, mummy was fast losing it, until she was eventually confirmed gone,” Olawale said.

Late Mrs. Gbenga had never had blood pressure check, because, according to the son, she never presented any situation that would warrant blood pressure check. “Mummy hardly fell sick, save for the usual headache when she is over stressed. For almost three to four years now, we did not have cause to take her to the hospital for any treatment, not even for typhoid”, he added.

But the doctor who attended to her says it is most likely Mrs. Gbenga has been living with hypertension for a long while, but because there was no culture of regular blood pressure checkup, she or her loved ones were ignorant that she had high blood pressure, which would have been managed through drugs and lifestyle medications before the unfortunate incident happened.

Olawale, who learnt the hard way says now he not only checks his aged father’s blood pressure regularly, but every member of their family are now aware of the need to check theirs on a regular basis.

Mrs. Gbenga is not the only one that has unfortunately lost her life to the silent killer, hundreds of thousands of Nigerians succumb yearly to the whip of the masked disease due to lack of awareness or underestimation of its effect.

A recent study has shown that over 100 million Nigerians are at risk of high blood pressure. It is in addressing this concern and preventing millions of Nigerians like Mrs. Gbenga from dying that experts are raising alarm over the continuous high prevalence rate of the disease in the country. They are especially calling on Nigerians to be wary of lifestyle that predisposes one to hypertension, while also calling on them to cultivate the habit of continuously checking their blood pressure.

This perhaps explain why sudden deaths have been a common occurrence in the country since the last decade when non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure have been gaining grounds due to fast changing lifestyle of the citizens.

According to a public health physician and the

Medical Director, Livingstone Medical Centre, Benin, Dr. Kenneth Efosa, the prevalence of hypertension in the country might be higher than the figures currently being used.

He said the current figure was unreliable because most Nigerians who were hypertensive do not bother to go for check up to know their blood pressure status, and hence there was no room for documenting a lot of people who may be suffering from it.

“Every Nigerian above 18 years old should be encouraged to check their blood pressure at least once every six months because the disease may not give any sign. So, if you know beforehand that your blood pressure is unstable, it would be easier to tackle it,” the MD stressed.

He however noted that high blood pressure was no longer a problem of adults alone, adding that, children have now been discovered to suffer from it. “So, my advice on routine check is that every family should own a sphygmomanometer or a computerised blood pressure machine. At their convenience they can check the blood pressure of every member of their family,” he added.

He explained that hypertension is the most powerful risk factor for cardiovascular disease, hence the need to tackle it head on.

“17 years ago, a quarter of the world adult had hypertension, but by year 2025, it would increase to 60 per cent. As we speak, one out of three adults may be hypertensive.”

According to him, lifestyle modification was key to tackling the disease, adding that what people eat and how they live their daily lives matter to the level of their blood pressure.

“We need to watch what we are eating. We should all make conscious efforts to reduce those risk factors like high intake of salts, can foods, among others. Our forefathers lived healthy because of the natural foods they were eating. Then, there was no high prevalence of hypertension, so I will say there is wisdom in being a bush man. We should patronise vegetables and fruits, as they are very helpful for the heart,” he added.

He said although high blood pressure has a genetic predisposition, it is principally a lifestyle disorder, adding that, with changes in lifestyle, the prevalence will reduce. He said the statistics are frightening and the incidence cuts across racial and socio-economic barriers, hence lifestyle modification is therefore key

to both prevention and treatment.

“Sedentary lifestyle, mimicking eating lifestyle of westerners, and smoking are some of the major factors fueling hypertension prevalence in the country,” he added.

Efosa said while hypertension is a disease of choice, he was wondering why it is affecting one in three persons, adding that if Nigerians decide to improve their lifestyle health wise, there would be no need having high prevalence of the disease.

“In the past one month, I have lost three colleagues to complications of hypertension.

It is not our custom to be taking drugs every day, so it is very important to have a healthy lifestyle, which has been proven to prevent the problem in the first case,” he added.

He said a disease that is both preventable and treatable should not be killing Nigerians, adding that, one of the problems was that many people living with hypertension do not know they have it. “Over 50 per cent of those with hypertension in this country do not know they have it,” he said.

According to him, habits to be stopped includes, lack of exercise, not getting enough sleep, reduction of caffeine intake, reduction in salt intake, reduction in alcohol consumption, among others.

“Exercise for 30 to 60 minutes five days a week will usually lower a person’s blood pressure by four to nine mmHg. It is important you check with your doctor before embarking on any physical activity. Exercise needs to be tailored to the needs and health of patients.”

He said reduction in alcohol intake was a double-edged sword against the disease.

“Alcohol in very small amounts may lower blood pressure, but if it is taken too much, or even in regular moderate amount, it may increase blood pressure.”

He believes if Nigerians cut short on fast foods, processed, as well as canned foods, and patronise vegetables and fruits, it would help a long way in reducing the prevalence rate of the scourge in the country. He also advocated for weight loss as a way out.

“If you are overweight, the nearer you get to your ideal weight, the more likely your blood pressure is going to fall,” adding, she said, “ even for those already on hypertension drugs, the treatment is more likely to be effective if the body weight is on a physiologic state,” he explained.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

37

NEWS

‘Despite Benefits of Family Planning, Lagos Reproductive Health Budget Still Low’ Martins Ifijeh Despite the obvious benefits of family planning to healthcare and the economy, the Lagos State government has continued to release too little to tackle issues around child spacing.

The 2018 Family Planning Budget Performance Scorecard seen by THISDAY recently, shows that the family planning need for Lagos last year was N1.3 billion, but the state allocated only N117,500,000, and released only N9,900,000 for the healthcare intervention.

The scorecard shows that general government alloca-

tion for family planning as a percent of total funding need amounted to 1.35 per cent, while the percentage of general government budget allocation to family planning release as scheduled amounted to 5.57 per cent. These and other factors cumulatively put the general performance of the government expenditure on family planning at 0.75 per cent.

The scorecard was developed by the Public Health Sustenance Advocacy Initiative (PHSAI) using analysis of budget and policy documents.

Speaking during a media dialogue on family planning

to mark the World Contraception Day 2019 in Lagos recently, organised by PHSAI in collaboration with Pathfinder International Nigeria, the Chairman, PHSAI, Ayo Adebusoye said while Lagos has made a relative progress on the amount allocated to family planning, the concern however remains the actual money released for its implementation.

According to him, Lagos is one of the first to have specific budget line for family planning, as against development partners who usually champion the drive.

He said: “Now that the state has that budget line, we are

hoping it actually starts releasing budgeted funding for it.

“Considering the huge population of Lagos State, family planning is very important to both the health and the economy of the people.

“Local governments in the state have no excuse not to increase family planning budget and release, because they now get monies directly from the federal government.

“We need to work innovatively, using strategies and alliances so that we can improve the family planning space in Lagos State.”

The World Health Organ-

isation says family planning allows individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births, and that this should be achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility. The Senior Reproductive Health Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Idowu Okanlawon said majority of Lagos residents were aware of family planning, but that uptake still remains low, adding that men should be involved in the intervention to drive it faster.

The Communication and

Media Officer, Pathfinder International Nigeria, Somto Atuanya said she was glad that some states were getting involved in family planning, but that more push was still needed to be done to meet global target.

“We are presently working in 12 states to push the agenda.

Family planning commodities are given free, but a lot of women are still not able to access them. “Access here also includes inability to pay for it in places where providers sell them. We need to do more in tackling the hurdles to family planning uptake,” she stressed.

Naval Chief Charges Heads of Health Units, Others on Quality Healthcare Delivery Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Worried by the state of healthcare services in the Nigeria Navy (NN), the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok- Ete Ibas has urged heads of units and departments, as well as medical personnel to ensure that they make patients’ safety a priority.

He said the development would seriously improve healthcare going by the calibre of experienced personnel at the navy medical facilities.

Speaking at the opening of the 2019 Nigeria Navy Medical Services Retreat held in Offa, Kwara State recently, Ibas said, “It is high time stakeholders in the health management of navy take to the new innovative strategy and exposures in order to boost the quality of health services being rendered to families and personnel of the force.”

The retreat was well attended by former navy brass and present heads of medical units of Nigeria Navy nationwide.

According to him, “it is pertinent to state that a lot is expected of the medical services in the delivery of safe and quality healthcare in the Nigerian Navy.”

Represented by the Director of Policy and Planning, Nigeria Navy Headquarters, Abuja, Rear Admiral Ibe-Enwo Begroy, the CNS said that, “improving the quality of care has to be a priority for each

medical personnel, especially the heads of the medical units.

“It has been noted that where there are no consequences when heads of units and departments are found wanting, there is usually no impetus to make added effort.

“Consequently, it will no longer be business as usual.

Going forward, heads of units and departments, many of whom are represented at this retreat, are going to be held responsible when it is evident that their units or departments are not performing despite resources provided.

“Therefore, you are all enjoined to pull up your sleeves, utilise resources efficiently and improve services in your various units and departments”.

He added that, “in cognisance of the huge resources invested in the medical sector in the face of inadequate budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Navy as a whole, it is important we ask ourselves whether we are indeed getting the best results out of the investments.

“Are our personnel and families getting safe and quality healthcare in all our medical facilities? Are we obeying the oldest approach in medicine, “first do no harm”? Patient safety is the fundamental cornerstone of healthcare service. It is the responsibility of everyone working in the Nigerian Navy Medical Services.”

L-R:ExecutiveSecretary,NationalHealthInsurancescheme,Prof.MohammedSambo;andRepresentativeofMinisterofHealth,OmaleAmedu,during thereformsforumwithHealthManagementOrganisationsinAbujarecently

Expert Warns against Exposure of Children to Second Hand Smoking Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City An Associate Professor, Institute of Child Health, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Dr. Damian Nwaneri has warned against the exposure of children to second hand smoking, stressing that by 2030, an estimated 500 million persons will die from the use of tobacco products.

Speaking during a monthly seminar of the Institute of Child Health (ICH), tagged; ‘Tobacco smoke in the Air, Its Effect on Child Health,’ he said most of the negative effects of

tobacco on children were due to exposure from second and third hand smoke. Second and third hand smoking is described as tobacco smoke inhaled from smoking by other persons, and inhalation picked from contamination in a room, car, and clothing respectively.

According to him, a research carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2013 on global tobacco epidemic, also showed that by the year 2030, an estimated eight million deaths per year would be due to tobacco usage. Nwaneri while tracing tobacco smoke to cancer and other chronic diseases like stroke,

aortic rupture, heart diseases and reduction in fertility, leukemia, hardening of the arteries, among others, noted that tobacco smoke was more harmful to children than adults because their airways are narrower in children which can result in proportionally greater airways obstruction than in adults.

He added that children have unique vulnerability because they spend more time outside than adults; and that children whose mothers smoke were more exposed to second-hand smoke which is responsible for an estimated 166,000 child deaths each year as well as

other respiratory track illness like asthma. Such children, he stressed would suffer pneumonia and hospitalisation up to 38 per cent in a year as well as 80 per cent infant mortality.

He noted that aside death and illnesses, there was also the economic effect such as the likelihood of living in poverty, decrease in lifetime earnings, decline in healthcare cost on the part of the adult which also affects the child, among others.

He said though people use tobacco because of the physical addiction of the nicotine inherent, the use was reinforced by social habits.

USAID, Nigeria Flag-off Social Behavioural Change Initiative Campaign Kasim Sumaina in Abuja In a bid to improve maternal health, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Breakthrough Action Nigeria Project, has flagged-off a social behavioral change initiative to address norms influencing reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health in Nigeria.

The programme tagged; “Albishirin Ku,’ an Hausa word meaning ‘announcement

of good news’, is focused on increasing the practice of 17 prioritised health behaviours relating to reproduction, malaria, maternal, newborn and child health plus nutrition as well as provision of family planning services that will be implemented in partnership with the federal and state governments in three focal states - Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto.

Speaking during the national presentation of the project

recently in Abuja, the wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, said that Nigeria is committed to ensuring the success of the project.

Buhari, represented by the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, commended USAID for coming up with the initiative.

While also imploring mothers to embrace the project, she said, “This time if there is lot of funding and advocacy using community influencers

like traditional and religious leaders it will be able to see some impact.”

Similarly, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the Breakthrough Action Nigeria Project was borne out of the need to support the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to produce quick and visible impact that will affect the lives and promote the health of every Nigerian especially, the most vulnerable and the

poor in the society.

“Whatever modest accomplishment that has been recorded in our national maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition programming, has been with the strong support and collaboration of numerous stakeholders who have been committed to material, human and financial resources to the implementation processes.”

Ehanire, represented by the Director, Family Health Department, Dr Adebimpe

Adebiyi said Albishirin Ku will stimulate demand and contribute to the improvement of service delivery which will ultimately lead to positive maternal and child health outcomes in the focal states.

“I therefore urge all stakeholders not to relent in supporting government to scale up initiatives designed to engage and mobilise individuals at all levels of society on effective implementation of high impact interventions.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

INTERVIEW

Ukiri: Nigeria Lacks Legislation to Make Health Insurance Mandatory Adesimbo Ukiri is the Managing Director of Avon HMO. In this interview with Martins Ifijeh, she said for health insurance to work efficiently, it should be made compulsory for Nigerians. She also spoke on the roles the new leadership of the NHIS must play if Nigeria must achieve Universal Health Coverage What are the key issues the new executive secretary of the NHIS should focus on with immediate effect?

On the consumer side, a lot has changed.

People’s perception has improved but the pillars and the structures that would make the healthcare industry deliver on that transformation still hasn’t been put in place. We don’t have a legislature that makes it compulsory for Nigerians to have Health insurance. There is no transparency and the industry is highly fragmented with very weak financial strength for most of the players in the sector.

A number of Health Management Organisations (HMOs) are not very solvent, and fail to pay hospital bills when due. There is a lack of trust between all the key players - the HMOs and the hospitals and regulatory authority. In fact, the regulatory authority appears to see itself as a competitor and operator which creates a conflict.

A regulator should regulate, holder of funds should hold and disburse funds. Operators should operate. Also, on the delivery side, hospitals are still fragmented and owner-managed. Primary care remains a problem.

As a company, Avon has data stretching back to the very day we opened our doors for businesses which we query and analyse all the time. But, industry wise, there is no clean, robust and granular data to work with. By the time we have data it can predict health costs, patterns of diseases. And if we can predict, we can mitigate. Who is doing all of that right now? We need the regulator to look at the one per cent of earnings we’ve been contributing as HMOs for between 15 and17 years, towards an IT fund. The money has come up to billions and is sitting with the regulator. When is it going to be utilised to invest in an IT Infrastructure that supports the entire system?

Summarily, there is a lot of talk that comes out of each successive leadership, from corruption to mismanagement amongst others. Maybe its high we had some good stories from the industry this time around. Let’s have an agenda with milestones and deadline. What are we going to celebrate and when are we going to celebrate infrastructure and the standardisation of industry data?

I think the new executive secretary has a lot to be excited about. He’s in the right place at the right time. The industry is ripe, people are yearning for it and thankfully he’s a product of the industry, so he knows the laudable vision for which the NHIS was set up.

What is your view on the N400m minimum share capital HMOs are required to have; do you think that would allow for a strong industry?

I think it is time for the executive secretary to take a hard look at similar sectors and decide what kind of players he wants to work with because previous executive secretaries have seen HMOs as partners with which they can transform the healthcare landscape and together create value for Nigerians. In other climes, regulators nurture nascent industries in order to achieve specific

one leg on earth. They are at stage four cancer; they have renal failure and needing transplants.

Their state is so alarming and dire and that is what moves people to contribute to the crowd funding. It could have been avoided because if the person was under a health cover; whatever the disease or ailment was, it would have been caught earlier through annual health checks or even through normal visits to the doctor and treatments would have commenced a lot earlier.

Most of these things are mostly complications from other conditions that were not treated. I believe more than 70 per cent of those that are crowd funded for end up dying because the crowd funding intervention happens so late in the day that they can’t be saved. So why not have the interventions in the early stages of the diseases or conditions that would not allow it to get to the stage where crowd funding is needed?

We do better by assisting people to get under a health insurance cover than contributing to these crowd funding initiatives in a last-minute desperate attempt to snatch people from the jaws of death.

Ukiri

and measurable objectives. The NHIS cannot do it alone. We have the private health insurance plan and the NHIS and state government run theirs too. This means Nigerians will always have a choice. But whether they are public or private, they should all be regulated and the public arm should not seek to kill its private peers. We are all good for the economy because we give jobs and the system allows for more reach all over the country. The new ES needs to look at how best to look at the kind of capital requirement, solvency ratio, minimum financial parameters he wants for the players how he wants to work them to grow the sector from a penetration level of three per cent to a 10 per cent. It is not just about talk. It’s about a five, six-point agenda that’s going to make it a reality. And that every half year and every year, updates should be provided to Nigerians.

How can Nigerian health insurance companies address the lack of consumer trust?

It boils down to the regulator. In other climes, regulators tend to publish either quarterly, mid-year or definitely every year, statistics on the industry. If Nigerians could see highlights

of the key performance indicators (KPIs) and every HMO’s audited financial statement that would bring some trust. If Nigerians could see a simple table that shows how much claims relative to premiums HMOs have been paying out towards utilisation of the services by the population, they would have a bit more trust and they would see that they are not sitting and eating the money like many of them believe right now. We would also see statistics on health outcomes of people who have used their health plans to seek healthcare services and the outcome of the healthcare services they got, Nigerian would have more trust. If they could also see a mutually reinforcing relationship between the regulator and the HMO, they would have more trust.

Crowd sourcing funds for medical emergencies has been on the rise recently. From your experience working in the health insurance space, why would you say people seem to prefer crowd funding to health insurance?

What it leads to is that people are not acting early enough on disease or illnesses. Most times when you see people that are being crowd-funded for, honestly you can tell it’s one leg in heaven and

Technology has been acknowledged as one key factor that can accelerate growth across multi-functional sectors of the economy?

Is Avon HMO taking advantage of this factor and how?

Technology is integral to the vision we have for this company and it’s always been from the beginning. We started with our dream of making health insurance plans accessible to all Nigerians, and it rests very much on our ability to utilise technology to achieve that. We capitalise on this in many ways.

One is trying to prioritise relationships with hospitals who themselves have used technology to enable what they do, such that we can have access to data, we can submit claims. In trying to reach the Nigerian market, we’ve utilised technology incredibly. We are the first and the only HMO from which you can subscribe and pay for a plan with your mobile device on your phone. You’ll get your ID card and all else in two weeks. That’s something really transformational.

Our processes in-house rely on technology to make it seamless.

Our call centre is open 24 hours, seven days a week. The data from the call centre are being analysed and utilised daily. The ability to also let our various enrolled members and the general public have access to our multiple channels helps us gather insights into how we deliver our plan, service delivery and products are done with technology. We foresee a future in which other healthcare facilities we work with, would integrate more technology in how they deliver services and their statistics from their devices can be transmitted to their primary healthcare physician remotely. We have a disease management programme where people with chronic illness and noncommunicable disease go on that portal. We are able to remotely monitor them through the information they give.

Medic West Africa to Hold Conference on Key Growth Enablers Rebecca Ejifoma Informa Markets, one of the largest international organisers of exhibitions, will be hosting the eighth edition of the Medic West Africa Conference and Exhibition at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre in Lagos from October 9 to 11, 2019.

The upcoming edition of the three-day event will host more than 280 regional and international exhibitors from 25

countries. From state-of-the-art imaging equipment; the most cost-effective disposables; developments in surgery to advances in prosthetics, Medic West Africa will spotlight the latest healthcare and laboratory products and services. According to organisers, the event will welcome over 4,500 attendees, including dealers, distributors, buyers, laboratory specialists and healthcare professionals, from both the public and private sector.

According to the Medic West Africa’s Exhibition Director, Ryan Sanderson, Informa Markets is thrilled to usher in this year’s conference and exhibition in the host city, Lagos.

“As a leader in Africa’s healthcare sector, we are charged with the responsibility of discovering promising innovations and solutions that cater to the many facets of the healthcare value chain in Nigeria and beyond,” he added.

Citing a report Fitch Solutions

gave, the director said healthcare expenditure in Nigeria was predicted to reach N5,762.061 billion by 2021 growing at a CAGR of 8.35 per cent Y.O.Y. His words: “This is up from an estimated NGN 5,318.061 billion in 2020. By 2021, healthcare spending is estimated to make up 2.94 per cent of the country’s GDP.” Sanderson further highlighted that thanks to these numerous growth opportunities, Nigeria’s medical device market

has a promising future ahead.

“This year, Medic West Africa ensures that all stakeholders are encouraged to take advantage of the strong business leads the event provides,” he added.

Education and knowledgesharing are some of the core principles of Medic West Africa.

Registered participants of the free-to-attend event will benefit immensely from its masterclasses and leadership, business and educational conferences.

The event will also offer attendees an opportunity to network, discuss and deliberate with leadership from West African Ministries, authorities, healthcare providers, distributors and solution providers.

Medic West Africa is supported by numerous trade associations as well as government agencies such as the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Medical Association.

39

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

INTERVIEW

Ebai: Primary Healthcare is Critical to Achieving Universal Health Coverage Mr. Eyong Ebai is the General Manager, West, Central and sub-Saharan Africa, GE Healthcare. In this interview with Martins Ifijeh, he posited that primary healthcare is critical to achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. He also spoke on the role of GE in addressing healthcare issues in the country. Excepts; How can we improve primary healthcare in Nigeria?

As the General Manager for GE Healthcare, it is not really my mandate to offer ratings on primary healthcare centre facilities, but what I can talk about from the GE perspective is that primary healthcare is very key and important.

It is the bottom of the healthcare pyramid which impacts most numbers of people. So, if you can fix primary healthcare, then a large number of Nigerians will be healthier. Primary healthcare for us is fundamental, critical and important for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Because it is the first point of contact a patient will have in the healthcare system. What is currently happening in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan countries is that the primary healthcare system is not working the way it should. Ideally, patients can be treated earlier and quicker in PHCs, but what we see is that people go straight to the secondary and tertiary hospitals, thereby causing a lot of congestion in those levels of healthcare. By fixing primary healthcare, you can deal with issues earlier before it escalates to something that requires a higher level of clinical intervention.

GE has a program called Primary & Referral Care which combines appropriate and affordable medical technologies, training and capacity building of healthcare workers, including task shifting; monitoring and evaluation; multi-lateral partnerships; and localised deployment methods, in programs that are designed to improve access to quality and affordable essential health services to patients and support better health outcomes and the attainment of health for all on the continent.

If patients in a rural area have something wrong with them, they go to the primary healthcare centre where they will have basic diagnostics and typically can be treated at that level or if they see need for a referral, then appropriately can be referred to the secondary care hospital. GE’s goal is to ensure that the appropriate technology is deployed and has an impact on clinical outcomes.

to improve diagnosis. What GE realised early in its 120 years in Africa is that providing technology is not enough. We also try to be involved in the process to ensure healthcare is deployed and not just equipment. The OHP is a good example of how GE can take project management and expertise to another level.

We are able to utilise a number of different skills, knowledge and understanding with a small technology component to improve the entire healthcare system. Yes, we are a 100 per cent technology provider, but we also have a more holistic view in how the technology is deployed and maintained, the infrastructure that surrounds our equipment and the human capacity to utilise the technology to improve clinical outcomes is part of our broader way of approaching Africa.

What other areas is GE supporting Nigeria to achieving UHC? We are doing a number of interventions towards achieving UHC for Nigeria . For instance, we recently partnered Access Bank to offer a solution that provides private healthcare providers with loans to support and buy technology. This is a way we are trying to stimulate the market as regards to financing targeting private but also Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). The program is set up so that private healthcare providers can borrow up to 800,000 dollars (N288 million) but this is specific to small and medium sized healthcare businesses. So we expect to see small ticket medical technologies benefit from this program.

Ebai

What are those solutions that can be deployed to make primary healthcare work?

Primary healthcare involves the state and local governments, and there is no one approach to making primary healthcare work. That is why the primary healthcare strategies are devolved to states and local government levels so that they can deploy the right strategy to the community that they are serving. From a GE perspective, we have appropriate technology for all levels of healthcare. Secondary or tertiary healthcare technologies are not deployed to primary healthcare, that way we call it adaptive technology.

Oloibiri Health Programme (OHP)?

GE Healthcare is the implementation partner for OHP. We are responsible for the execution of the programme up to this day. The execution phase took about two and a half years. Back in 2015, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Shell organisation. There are other key institutions under the programme, such as Bayelsa State, local governments, federal universities and the World Bank IFC. Our job was to ensure that by the end of the programme completion, the goals and objectives were met. There were several elements in the project, including civil work, implementation of the health insurance scheme, delivery of the revolving drug fund, among others. We provided a small level of equipment, but the vast majority was provided by many different organisations across the healthcare system. So, our relationship is more on project management.

What is GE’s relationship with the

How would your role in the OHP help

Nigeria’s healthcare system?

It is less ab the relationship and more about what we are trying to do. This programme for the first time is a fully holistic approach where you can offer UHC to an entire community.

Historically, what was done, is that they would fix the healthcare centre, then if light is not working, they would try to fix the light, same with water or other infrastructure gaps. This was done independently from each other and a lot of the time would not be fixed despite the investment in renovation of the health facility . But this programme took a holistic approach. We took all the determinants of health and addressed all in one programme.

This programme is not just about equipment; it’s about how to improve health that will be sustainable.

We have a lot of healthcare equipment companies in Nigeria. How is GE different?

GE Healthcare is a solutions provider with a wide spectrum of technology that can be deployed to improve healthcare outcomes and

Is Nigeria’s healthcare issue and poor budgeting affecting your work in the country?

Over the last three years that I have been doing this job, we have seen more focus from the federal and state government on healthcare. We are having more conversations with governments on how we can improve and impact on the healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria. In my assessment, there is more focus and interest in having a healthy population.

Stakeholders need to support the federal, state and local governments to ensure we achieve UHC by 2030.

What is your take on the low healthcare budgeting by the federal and state governments?

We will continue to work with the country to ensure prioritisation of health for all. What we can also do is show outcomes. When investors be it government or private investment sees the benefits their investments, it would then stimulate more inflow into the health economy. A good example of this is when we deploy our Primary & Referral Care solutions, we continue to monitor and evaluate health outcomes to see how effective the investment was and did it achieve the original goals of the program

Prostrate Cancer: Go for Regular Medical Checkup, FoundationTells Community Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The International Care Community for All Race and Rural Environment Foundation (ICCARRE) has advised men to as a matter of priority, go for regular medical checkup twice a year to avoid prostrate cancer.

The foundation, established for the purpose of caring for indigent people in the society, especially street children in rural communities, aged

and very poor families, said prostate cancer is usually the most common type of cancer in men.

President and Founder, ICCARRE, Eugenia Ndukwe, while speaking at a sensitisation campaign to mark the 2019 Men Week of Prostrate Cancer, theme: ‘Fight and Advocate for Rural Men’, in Karimo, FCT, Abuja, recently, noted that they have decided to beam attention on prostrate cancer in the 2019 event.

Ndukwe said the foundation touches every critical area of the rural people, noting that one of the major causes of death these days among men was prostrate cancer.

ICCARRE founder, who insisted that she cannot give the exact percentage of men currently being diagnosed with the disease, said the percentage should be above 50 per cent “because in Africa, poverty is our major problem and people will have to eat before they

begin to talk about going to the hospital for examination.

“We chose this month of September, like it is being done all over the world, to come to these communities and educate men on the need to take care of their health; understand what prostrate cancer is all about.”

She observed that prostrate enlargement does not necessarily mean the prostrate is cancerous, but that the one with cancer can only be

detected in the hospital.

“However, continued awareness like this becomes necessary to reduce stigma in the society. Prostrate cancer does not affect sexual performance.

“Once you have cancerous cells in your prostrate, it can reduce erection because erection becomes dysfunctional as some of the semen contains prostrate glands.”

Also speaking, the Sarki Degaa of Karimo Sabo, Umar Gani, commended ICCARRE

Foundation for the opportunity given to the community, saying “it is something that will live long in our system, this is something we have not gotten knowledge of in the community”.

“Your coming is a divine mandate as you voluntarily decided to come and educate our men about prostrate cancer. It is a tremendous contribution, we call on other NGOs to emulate you,” the monarch stated.

40

T H I S D AY ˞ ˜ Ͱʹ˜ 2019

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Expert Calls for SimplifiedTax System Peter Uzoho The federal and state governments have been advised to address grey arears in the nation’s tax policies in order to increase the country’s non-oil revenue.

The Director, Fin Insurance Company Limited/Union Insurance Brokers Limited, Mr. Afolabi Elebiju, said there was need to simplify Nigeria’s tax system in a way that makes compliance burden very light.

According to him, the lighter the process, the less people are distracted with complying with their tax obligations.

Speaking on the theme, “Taxation: Building A Nation on Taxes�, at the fifth edition of the National Tax Debate, an initiative of the University of Lagos law students, held at the school’s

campus recently, Elebiju who was the guest speaker, added that simplifying the tax system would drive competitiveness in terms of attracting global capital.

While calling for public education and mass awareness to help solve some of the problems associated with tax compliance, he, however, noted that “our tax system should continue to challenge itself on how to be more business-friendly.�

According to him, “we will continue to challenge ourselves with more and more ideas, leverage technology, artificial intelligence; engage data analytics to see how these things could help even in tax administration.�

Elebiju added: “Stewardship and accountability are part of the reasons why people are so keen on tax. What we noticed

from the anti-corruption initiative of the federal government is lack of trust among the leaders and managers of the tax revenue. This should stop. “We should make sure that we respect the rule of law in tax administration. The law is supposed to be an impartial arbiter that sets the standards of conducts for practice. “And therefore, while the taxpayer is supposed to comply with the law, the taxman must basically comply with the law in carrying out his duties. “Here, the role of the judiciary is very critical. First, in making sure we have a well-thought-out, reasoned decisions that represent what the law really says. “Those kind of decisions instil confidence in the taxpayers and the business community.�

L-R Deputy Managing Director, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ahmadu Kida-Musa, Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Richardson Oil and Gas Lld, Mr Akin Osuntoki; Director, Deepwater Services and PSC, Chevron Nigeria Lld, Mr Rick Kennedy; General Manager, Health Environment and Safety, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Mr Fred Omayuku; and Representative Of Managing Director, NLNG, Mr. Chidi Ikocha, during the 2019 PSRGRichardson health, safety, security and environment Forum, in Lagos‌recently

First BankTargets 500,000 Agents to Boost Financial Inclusion Chineme Okafor Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Plc has said it plans to get on board its agent money platform up to 500,000 operators to improve access to finance and enhance financial inclusion in the country.

FBN’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, said this at the opening ceremony of the 12th Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Nigerian Bankers (CIBN) in Abuja.

He said the bank would engage 500,000 agents across the country to ensure that its financial services become accessible to a lot of Nigerians.

The CIBN conference had as its theme: “the future of the Nigerian banking industry – 360�. It had

Adeduntan at the chairman of the organising committee.

In his remarks, he said First Bank would support all effort to ensure effective financial inclusion in Nigeria.

He added: “We have a very ambitious plan to appoint about 500,000 agents across the nook and cranny of our country and to ensure that banking facilities and services are made available to our people.�

He noted that the banking sector in Nigeria remained the primary partner to the government with regards to economic growth and development in the country. “If we do not interrogate those opportunities and mainstream them properly, the country and the entire economy

will be left behind,� Adeduntan stated. In 2017, the FBN launched its agent money banking which it called ‘the Firstmonie Agent’ and described it as the ‘Human ATM’ empowered to reduce the reliance on over-the-counter transactions while providing convenient personalised services.

It explained that the Firstmonie agents were equipped to carry out services which included account opening; cash deposit; airtime purchase; bills payment; withdrawals and money transfer.

According to the bank, FirstMonie Agents are usually owners of small businesses within communities with limited or no banking penetration, who have been enlisted on its network across the country.

Toromade Harps on Capacity Building in Agribusiness The Director General, Premier Agribusiness Academy, Mr. Toromade Francis, has stressed the need for farmers to acquire cognitive skills and knowledge to become profitable in agribusiness.

The agribusiness consultant, who said this while addressing newsmen recently, applauded the federal government in its drive to ensure self-sufficiency in food production as well as diversify the economy from crude oil to agriculture. He, however, noted that, for Nigeria to realise this vision, there must be significant increase in local food production cutting across livestock, crop and aquaculture.

According to him, agriculture has the ability to contribute

significantly to the overall development of the nation’s economy if effectively and efficiently managed.

He explained that, there was a huge difference between agriculture and agribusiness while stressing that, what makes agriculture a business is its ability to generate profit.

He further added that, until farmers begin to see agriculture as a business venture and invest in acquiring the managerial knowledge needed to boost production and ensure profitability, food self-sufficiency for Nigeria may remain a mirage.

He added, “The key is agribusiness. It is not enough to know the technical aspect of

agriculture or study agriculture in school. To become successful and profitable in agriculture, there is need for farmers to acquire knowledge of the business side of agriculture which is what Premier Agribusiness Academy offers. “All over the world, people are no longer talking about agriculture, the stress is on agribusiness because that is where profit lies. “For farmers to be profitable, they need to acquire knowledge of strategies to market their products effectively manage their human, capital and material resources. All these competences are what the academy offers in its courses.

Dale Carnegie Nigeria Holds Conference Chief executive officers, senior leaders, human resources directors, managers and other key organisational leaders will converge in Lagos, Nigeria on October 3rd, 2019, to gain insights on how to improve engagement, happiness and productivity in the workplace, at a one-day conference being organised by Dale Carnegie Training.

The conference with the theme ‘Building the Workplace of Our Dreams’ is scheduled in Lagos and would offer organisations innovative ideas on how to build the workplace where people feel happy, engaged and empowered to give their very best.

The Country Director, Dale Carnegie Training, Mr. Patrick Nwakogo, said the company would bring its over 100 years’ experience in over 90 countries to the conference and urged companies interested in building the ideal workplace not to miss the event.

Nwakogo, said the speakers and discussants, who were carefully selected for their expertise and experience in the area under discuss, “will share ideas on how to create work environments that enable people to unleash their full potential, stimulate growth and success for their organisations

in particular and the economy in general.�

He added that, “currently, only 20 percent of the workforce is unleashing its full potential while the rest are intentionally withholding their best efforts, doing just enough to retain their jobs�. This he said is a loss for everyone.

The country director noted that Dale Carnegie works with organisations to build courage, confidence and compassion among their workforce by drawing out people’s natural strength, so they can take command of their roles and inspire teamwork across the organisation.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

NOVEMBER 2018 Money Supply (M3)

31,794,803.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

6,333,064.28

Money Supply (M2)

25,461,739.17

-- Quasi Money

14,773,076.98

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,688,662.18

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,711,763.59

---- Demand Deposits

8,976,898.59

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

18,990,400.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,804,402.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,062,986.22

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,980,229.66

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

7,093,619.43

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

-4,144,571.43

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

23,082,756.56

--Other Assets Net

13,258,583.57

Reserve Money (Base Money

6,811,192.37

--Currency in Circulation

2,100,129.91

--Banks Reserves

4,366,259.05

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month Inter-Bank Call Rate

March 2018 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 ͰͲ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $63.93 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $64.51 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), Oriente (Ecuador), 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

41

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°Í´Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

MARKET NEWS

TradingVolume Rises 140% as Investors Stake N6.8bn on 427m Shares Goddy Egene Investors staked N6.777 billion on 427.228 million shares in 2,178 deals yesterday, showing an increase of 140 per cent, compared with the N2.825 billion invested in 154.034 million shares in 2,922 deals the previous day.

Despite the high value of investment, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index fell by 0.25 per cent to close at 27,321.57, as the market extended losses for the third day running.

The decline stemmed from losses suffered by bellwethers such as Dangote Cement Plc, MTN Nigerian Communications Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Nestle Nigeria Plc among others.

A total of 15 stocks declined compared with 13 others that appreciated. NPF Microfinance Bank Plc led the price losers with 9.8 per cent, trailed by UACN Property Development Company Plc with 9.3 per cent.

Livestock Feeds Plc shed 8,5 per cent, while Courtville Business

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

Solutions Plc went down by 4.7 per cent. Cutix Plc lost 3.0 per cent just as Guinness Nigeria Plc, Glaxosmithkline Consumer Nigeria Plc and United Capital Plc shed 2.9 per cent, 2.7 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively.

On the positive side, Continental Reinsurance Plc led the price gainers with 9.5 per cent followed

by Cornerstone Insurance Plc. Custodian Investment Plc chalked up 7.6 per cent, while Access Bank Plc appreciated by 5.1 per cent.

International Breweries Plc and

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

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

NEM Insurance Plc garnered 5.0 per cent each. AIICO Insurance Plc and Chams Plc went up by 4.6 per cent and 4.3 per cent in that order. The management of Chams Plc recently assured the NSE that it would regular provision of its corporate information for enhanced investment decision in line with post listing requirements.

The newly appointed Group Managing Director of Chams Plc, Mr. Gavin Young, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the exchange. He explained

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

that the company would place premium on investment in innovative solutions and software across the commercial, consumer and government sectors of the economy to sustain its competitive edge. Young, assured the NSE that Chams Plc would always take the issue of compliance with all the post listing requirements seriously, saying he was looking forward to a strong relationship with exchange and would be happy to make input on the best ways of achieving a strong relationship. Speaking

O F

on the strategic move to upscale the company’s operations, Young said: “Our focus is to perfect and package these solutions so that we can realise value from our investments. As Chams is one of the foremost identity companies in Nigeria, we are also focusing on innovation in the identity space, and particularly verification, as there are now over 40 million National Identity Numbers (NIN) and BVN records to which we can link to provide such verification solutions,� he said.

2 4 / 0 9 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

42

˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019

Thursday, September 26, 2019 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index down by 9bps

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Yesterday, the Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index shed 0.1% to close at 1,193.80 following losses in ZENITH (-1.3%), DANGCEM (1.3%) and GUINESS (-ϯ͘ϬйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐͲ

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

count for 21.9% of the index.

ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ WĞƌƐŝƐƚƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ƋƵŝƟĞƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ͘​͘​͘ ASI Down 25bps dŽĚĂLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Price Price Previous Current Change Change Price Weightin YTD Index to Change g Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

1,193.80

0.09%

-18.7%

19.4%

18.6%

5.7%

4.8x

0.7x

7.1%

1 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

28.25

0.0%

19.5%

-18.0%

-18.1%

34.8%

5.2%

4.2x

1.4x

9.7%

23.6%

2 Zenith Bank PLC

18.30

-1.3%

12.2%

-20.6%

-20.6%

24.8%

3.4%

3.0x

0.7x

15.3%

33.2%

3 Dangote Cement PLC 4 Nestle Nigeria PLC

17.7%

152.00

-1.3%

8.9%

-19.9%

-18.3%

51.6%

23.4%

6.5x

3.2x

10.5%

15.3%

1,215.00

0.0%

8.2%

-18.2%

-17.6%

105.8%

29.7%

20.2x

21.0x

4.8%

5.0%

52.50

1.0%

4.6%

-38.6%

-33.0%

8.5%

3.8%

29.0x

2.5x

4.6%

3.5%

5.40

0.0%

4.4%

-32.1%

-32.5%

9.4%

1.0%

3.9x

0.4x

4.8%

25.4%

ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ; ^/Ϳ ƐŚĞĚ ϮϱďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ Ϯϳ͕Ϯϴϯ͘Ϭϱ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ

5 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƐĞůů ŽīƐ ŝŶ DANGCEM (-1.3%), MTNN (-Ϭ͘ϳйͿ

6 FBN Holdings Plc

and ZENITH (-ϭ͘ϰйͿ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ůŽƐƚ Eϰϰ͘ϬďŶ ŝŶ

16.60

0.0%

4.8%

-14.4%

-14.4%

5.8%

5.4%

6.6x

0.6x

2.5%

15.2%

8 United Bank for Africa PLC

6.05

0.8%

4.2%

-21.4%

-22.4%

15.5%

1.7%

2.6x

0.4x

14.0%

38.9%

ǀĂůƵĞ ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ Eϭϯ͘ϯƚŶ ǁŚŝůĞ zd

9 International Brew eries PLC

12.60

5.0%

1.8%

-58.7%

-60.0%

-23.2%

-2.3%

460.00

0.0%

3.1%

-28.1%

-28.1%

13.7%

8.7%

0.4x

3.8%

30.4%

6.9%

7 Cement Co Northern Nigeria PLC

10 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

3.8x 3.3x

-7.2%

loss worsened to -ϭϯ͘Ϯй͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ĂƐ

11 Access Bank PLC

7.20

5.1%

4.4%

5.9%

10.8%

22.8%

2.2%

1.8x

0.4x

volume and value traded surged 200.1% 180.5% to 409.6m

12 Ecobank Transnational Inc

8.90

0.0%

2.3%

-36.4%

-37.8%

15.9%

1.1%

2.5x

0.4x

ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϳ͘ϵďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĂĐƟǀĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůͲ

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

39.30

0.0%

2.7%

-18.0%

-18.0%

28.0%

4.4%

6.2x

1.5x

5.1%

14 Unilever Nigeria PLC

29.00

0.0%

2.4%

-21.6%

-21.6%

12.2%

7.5%

17.6x

2.1x

5.6%

ume were ACCESS (133.5m units), CUSTODIAN (88.6m units)

15 Lafarge Africa PLC

15.00

0.0%

2.5%

20.5%

25.0%

2.1%

0.7%

16 Guinness Nigeria PLC

34.45

-3.0%

0.8%

-52.2%

-52.2%

6.2%

3.5%

13.8x

0.8x

4.4%

7.3%

17 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

54.95

0.0%

1.2%

-27.9%

-27.9%

18.2%

13.5%

10.3x

1.9x

5.6%

9.7%

and NIGERIAN BREWERIES ;ϳϭ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ NIGERIAN BREWERIES

;Eϯ͘ϳďŶͿ͕

NESTLE

;Eϵϯϲ͘ϰŵͿ

and ACCESS ;EϵϮϲ͘ϰŵͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ͘

DŝdžĞĚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ Performance across sectors was mixed as 3 of 6 indices under our coverage closed in the green. The Insurance index led ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕

ƵƉ

ϯ͘Ϭй

ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ

ƉƌŝĐĞ

ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ

in CONTINSURE (+9.6%), NEM (+5.0%) and AIICO (+4.6%). The Consumer Goods and Banking indices trailed, rising 0.5% and Ϭ͘Ϯй

ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ

ŽŶ

ƚŚĞ

ďĂĐŬ

ŽĨ

ŐĂŝŶƐ

in INTBREW (+5.0%), DANGSUGAR (+3.4%), NIGERIAN BREWERIES (+1.0%), ACCESS (+5.1%) and UBA ;нϬ͘ϴйͿ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŇŝƉ side, the Industrial Goods index lost the most, shedding 0.6% due to price weakness in DANGCEM (-1.3%) and CUTIX (-3.0%) while the AFR-ICT fell 0.4% on the back of a loss in MTNN (-

100.00

0.0%

0.8%

-50.7%

-50.7%

9.2%

1.8%

13.3x

1.3x

16.2%

7.5%

153.50

0.0%

1.3%

-17.3%

-17.3%

24.8%

10.9%

6.9x

1.6x

5.6%

14.6%

8.6%

14.00

0.0%

0.9%

-39.4%

-36.9%

3.1%

1.1%

12.3x

0.4x

21 Oando PLC

20 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

3.80

0.0%

1.1%

-24.0%

-20.8%

14.3%

2.5%

1.7x

0.2x

22 Fidelity Bank PLC

1.68

-1.2%

1.1%

-17.2%

-17.2%

12.4%

1.4%

2.0x

0.2x

6.5%

23 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.02

1.0%

0.9%

-22.7%

-20.9%

14.2%

3.2%

4.4x

0.6x

2.9%

22.9%

24 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

10.70

3.4%

0.8%

-29.8%

-27.7%

20.7%

11.4%

6.3x

1.3x

10.3%

16.0%

26 FCMB Group Plc

1.60

0.0%

0.7%

-15.3%

-11.1%

9.2%

1.2%

1.9x

27 UAC of Nigeria PLC

7.65

0.0%

0.5%

-21.5%

-19.9%

-6.9%

-3.3%

ǀŝŽƵƐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ϭϯ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ϭϰ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞͲ clined.

CONTINSURE

(+9.6%),

CUSTODIAN

;нϳ͘ϳйͿ

and CORNERSTONE ;нϳ͘ϳйͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ while

EW&D Z& <

(-9.8%),

UAC-WZKW

(-9.4%)

0.2x

8.7%

52.7%

0.4x

8.4%

-24.1%

2.00

-0.5%

0.7%

5.3%

5.3%

8.1%

0.8%

6.6x

0.5x

40.35

0.0%

0.3%

-37.0%

-37.0%

7.3%

4.6%

12.0x

1.5x

5.0%

8.3%

30 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

13.40

0.0%

0.3%

-25.6%

-25.6%

35.9%

12.1%

9.7x

3.3x

7.5%

10.3%

31 Forte Oil PLC

16.95

0.0%

0.2%

-38.3%

-39.5%

48.9%

7.4%

2.6x

1.3x

32 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

7.00

0.0%

0.5%

25.0%

25.0%

7.0%

1.1%

11.3x

0.9x

33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

18.55

0.0%

0.3%

-7.7%

-16.1%

21.8%

2.5%

3.4x

0.7x

117.5%

38.3%

34 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

15.2%

38.0% 8.9% 11.1%

29.5%

7.00

0.0%

0.2%

-42.1%

-43.1%

23.25

0.0%

0.2%

-33.3%

-33.3%

36 Wema Bank PLC

0.60

0.0%

0.2%

-4.8%

-4.8%

7.8%

0.7%

5.8x

0.4x

5.0%

17.3%

37 Beta Glass PLC

59.75

0.0%

0.2%

-12.5%

-12.5%

16.8%

11.3%

6.0x

0.9x

2.4%

16.7%

35 Chemical and Allied Products P

27.5x

0.7x

2.1%

3.6%

8.2x

9.9x

12.5%

12.2%

38 Dangote Flour Mills Plc

22.30

0.5%

0.6%

225.5%

237.9%

-30.8%

-9.1%

39 Transcorp Hotels Plc

5.40

0.0%

0.1%

-11.5%

-11.5%

5.1%

2.6%

14.3x

0.7x

40 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

1.70

0.0%

0.1%

-7.1%

-7.1%

9.4%

2.6%

8.6x

0.8x

3.9x

-9.5% 3.0%

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

C ON T IN SUR E

1.72

9.6%

A C C ESS

133.5

5.1%

C UST OD IA N

6.30

7.7%

C UST OD IA N

88.6

7.7%

C OR N ER ST

0.42

7.7%

NB

71.1

1.0%

A C C ESS

7.20

5.1%

FB NH

31.3

0.0% 0.0%

N EM

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

2.10

5.0%

UB N

19.2

IN T B R EW

12.60

5.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

16.6

-1.3%

A IIC O

0.68

4.6%

GUA R A N T Y

15.2

0.0%

CHA M S

0.24

4.3%

T R A N SC OR P

14.6

1.0%

D A N GSUGA R

10.70

3.4%

C OR N ER ST

10.3

7.7%

T R A N SC OR P

1.02

1.0%

UB A

6.3

0.8%

T o p 10 L o s e r s

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

ƋƵĞŶƚ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ Ă ƌŝƐŬ-Žī ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ

NP FM CRFB K

1.10

-9.8%

NB

UA C -P R OP

1.16

-9.4%

N EST LE

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

3732.5

1.0%

936.4

0.0%

LIVEST OC K

0.43

-8.5%

A C C ESS

926.4

5.1%

C OUR T VILLE

0.20

-4.8%

C UST OD IA N

558.4

7.7%

C UT IX GUIN N ESS

1.60

-3.0%

GUA R A N T Y

428.0

0.0%

34.45

-3.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

304.5

-1.3%

GLA XOSM IT H

7.15

-2.7%

M TNN

257.9

-0.7%

UC A P

2.15

-2.3%

D A N GC EM

207.8

-1.3%

18.30

-1.3%

FB NH

168.9

0.0%

152.00

-1.3%

UB N

126.7

0.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K D A N GC EM

Asset Management

Investment Research

Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Oluwarotimi Ashimi | oashimi@afrinvest.com

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

Brokerage

7.0% 11.6%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ŵŽŵĞŶƚƵŵ ǁŽƵůĚ ďĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŝŶ ƐƵďƐĞͲ

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

50.9%

29 Presco PLC

28 Sterling Bank PLC

and >/s ^dK < (-8.5%) were the least performing stocks. We

towards ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ͘

8.1% 58.0%

25 Diamond Bank PLC

T ic k er

ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϵdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϭ͘Ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞͲ

5.7% -0.1%

18 Total Nigeria PLC

T o p 10 G a i n e r s

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ

1.1x

16.2%

19 11 PLC

Ϭ͘ϳйͿ͘ &ŝŶĂůůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ

54.6% 39.7%

43

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Uduk: New Products Will Attract Investors, Deepen Capital Market Goddy Egene Operators and regulators in the Nigerian capital market are introducing new and innovative processes and products that will attract more investors and deepen the market, the Acting Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk has said.

She stated this during an excursion visit by students of Aduvie Pre University College, Modibbo Adama University, Yola and University of Abuja to the commission in Abuja.

Uduk said capital markets across the world have products and mechanisms to

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

stimulate economic growth and development. Although many of such products are available in Nigeria, there are aspects that are still untapped, thereby limiting the realization of our potential.

The acting DG said it was for this reason that some of the processes of the SEC that were previously manual

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 24Sep-2019, unless otherwise stated.

and inefficient are now being automated to make the market more attractive to investors.

She said: “For instance, with the dematerialisation process completed, investors no longer need to not worry about the loss or damage to their physical share certificates as they are now electronically

stored. Further, the current e-Dividend system enables shareholders’ dividend to be paid directly into their bank account without the stress of dealing with physical dividend warrants. Also, the Direct Cash Settlement protects investors from funds mismanagement by ensuring that the proceeds of

their shares sales are credited directly into their own account as against that of the stockbroker.

“We are equally working on ensuring that companies’ annual reports are distributed electronically thereby ensuring timeliness of information to shareholders and cost reduction to public companies.”

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 139.97 141.88 -11.03% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 12.70% Nigeria International Debt Fund 272.62 272.62 -0.22% 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 0.88 0.88 4.26% ACAP Income Funds 0.77 0.77 35.10% 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 12.32% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.37 2.40 6.72% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 92.89 93.55 -8.20% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.60% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 1.86 1.86 10.89% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.62% Paramount Equity Fund 12.07 12.17 2.19% Women's Investment Fund 107.83 108.55 4.15% 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 11.95% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 95.66 96.34 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 96.62 97.42 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 12.18% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.07% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,110.84 1,117.24 11.78% 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 1,243.43 1,244.21 11.10% FBN BALANCED FUND 139.57 140.49 -2.25% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.39% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 119.87 120.25 8.43% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 120.17 120.55 8.96% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.70% Legacy Debt Fund 3.54 3.54 9.10% Legacy Equity Fund 1.05 1.06 -14.30% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.07 1.07 3.77% 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 3,009.30 3,040.66 0.86% Coral Income Fund 3,007.69 3,007.69 9.75% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 12.58% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.17% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 110.05 111.08 3.06% 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 10.00 10.00 12.34%

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 11.67% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.16 2.19 0.18% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.83% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 130.06 129.90 3.97% 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 1.16 1.19 5.84% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,121.72 1,121.72 9.91% 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 9.68 9.76 -9.35% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.13% 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 1.29 1.31 4.91% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.99 12.10 7.49% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.23% 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 123.06 123.12 1.72% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.03 10.45% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,355.11 2,366.29 1.72% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 205.17 205.17 7.90% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.83 0.84 -12.11% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 266.80 266.91 9.98% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 144.16 145.68 -11.66% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.11% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,490.45 7,571.24 -11.82% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.14 1.14 5.58% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 100.62 100.62 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.87 10.03 -5.23% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.08 11.25 -5.77% Zenith Income Fund 22.30 22.30 10.32% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.71%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.40 117.09 53.10

-44.85% 5.40% 2.63%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.24 86.28 69.53

8.34 88.15 70.86

-17.12% -26.43% -21.56%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.35 5.26 11.80 10.79 148.72

3.39 5.34 11.90 10.99 150.72

-16.26% -30.82% -19.21% -12.59% 12.58%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.34

17.40%

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.

44

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

45

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

47

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

Impeachment: Transcript Confirms Trump Urged Ukraine Leader to Investigate Biden The White House released a call transcript on Wednesday confirming President Donald Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart to probe his political rival Joe Biden — a day after Democrats seized on the explosive allegation to launch an impeachment process.

“There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about

that so whatever you can do with the attorney general would be great,” Trump told Volodymyr Zelensky in the July 25 call.

As Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden and other Western leaders pressured Ukraine to get rid of the country’s top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, because he was seen as not tough enough on corruption.

“Biden went around bragging

that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it,” Trump said.

The five-page document — a summary of the call rather than a word-for-word record — was released as Trump was preparing to meet Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Democrats, who opened formal impeachment proceedings against the president

Johnson to Face Lawmakers’ Wrath as British Parliament Resumes Compares Brexit to Prometheus’ plight with liver-eating eagle Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to face a hostile reception and more calls to resign as parliament resumes following a ruling by Britain’s top court that he had suspended it unlawfully.

Johnson ignored immediate calls to resign following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Tuesday, saying he “strongly disagrees with this judgment.”

Johnson had said he wanted to suspend parliament until October 14 to clear the way for a new government work programme in a new session of parliament.

Opponents accused him of seeking to limit scrutiny of his plans for Britain to leave the European Union (EU), with or without a deal, on October 31.

The court ruled that Johnson’s advice to Queen Elizabeth II to prorogue, or suspend, parliament “was unlawful, void and has no effect.”“This was not a normal prorogation. It prevented parliament from carrying out its normal role,” it said.

In a speech in New York on Monday, Johnson said the court ruling would not deter him “from getting on and delivering on the

will of the people to come out of the EU on Oct. 31.”

Some analysts have speculated that Johnson could make a third call for a snap election on Wednesday, after parliament twice voted down his motions amid fears that he could choose an election date that minimizes parliamentary time before October 31.

Meanwhile, Johnson entertained delegates to the UN General Assembly in New York by comparing the mythical figure Prometheus to Brexit.

on Tuesday, are investigating whether he pressured a foreign government to look into a political opponent and if he used a $400 million aid package as leverage. There was no mention of the money in the summary.

The July 25 phone call

was among the subjects in a whistleblower complaint that has so far not been made available to lawmakers.

The White House had previously blocked the legally required release of the complaint to Congress’ intelligence

committees.

Lawyers representing the whistleblower said in a statement on Tuesday that there had been a “decision to release the whistleblower complaint,” but did not provide further details.

Warren Overtakes Biden in New 2020 US Election Poll Massachusetts Senator, Elizabeth Warren, has surged past former Vice President Joe Biden in the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, according to a poll published on Wednesday.

Warren was the choice of 27 per cent of the Democratic and Democratic-leaning independent voters surveyed nationwide in the Quinnipiac University poll

while 25 per cent opted for Biden.

Quinnipiac said that, although the findings were within the margin of error it was the first time since March that Warren had topped Biden in a poll by the university.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was in third place with 16 per cent followed by Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana,

with seven per cent and California Senator Kamala Harris with three per cent. In an August national poll, Biden was at 32 per cent, Warren at 19 per cent and Sanders at 15 per cent, Quinnipiac said.

Another recent poll also had Warren overtaking Biden in Iowa for the first time. Iowa is the first state to vote in the Democratic primary race.

Gantz Leads, But Netanyahu Gains Seat in Final Result of Israeli Vote Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday received the official final results of last week’s general election, which produced no decisive winner.

The centrist Blue and White party led by Benny Gantz finished with a one-seat lead,

taking 33 of the parliament’s 120 seats.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party gained one more seat than the preliminary results showed, finishing with 32 seats, after six ballot boxes were disqualified

over voter fraud.

In the wider picture of who is more likely to be tapped to form a government, the numbers of seats in the party alliances backing each candidate remained the same, with Netanyahu holding a one-seat edge.

48

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

NNPC Cedes Stakes in Three Oil Blocks to NPDC Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has signed an agreement with the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and Oando, for the transfer of its stake in three oil blocks - Oil Mining

Lease (OML) 61, 62 and 63 to its upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

The corporation in a statement obtained from its official twitter handle - @ NNPCgroup, disclosed that

Dangote: Bill Gates Opened My Eyes to Challenges in Nigeria’s Health System Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said that he had no idea the level of neglect in Nigeria’s health sector until he had a conversation with Bill Gates.

Dangote stated this yesterday in New York at the 2019 Goalkeepers’ meeting of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

He said that since his conversion with Bill Gates, he became more interested in doing something to improve children access to nutritional food and healthcare system in the country.

Dangote went further to say that his work through his foundation had helped to shape policy around nutrition in Nigeria.

“For example, the federal government now has a policy on food fortification, making it compulsory for producers of certain products such as rice, sugar, wheat, spaghetti, noodles to include vitamin supplements in their products”.

“When I started my foundation in 1994, I never realised we had this massive challenge in the health sector.

“Really, it was mind-boggling when we had this agreement to collaborate with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and that really opened my eyes to realise that there are a lot of challenges in health. “At that time I didn’t have the opportunity of meeting Bill but meeting Bill changed me into a different person.

“This is somebody that has nothing to do with us in Africa

or Nigeria but he is putting his money and his soul into everything.

“He is very committed to helping humanity and that really surprises me a lot and I realised that he is a simple person and I never knew Bill would be this simple. He is a very soft-spoken guy and kind hearted.

“It is very difficult to find people like Bill in this world.

My only prayer is that in the next few years, I will try and give my chunk of wealth to charity to,” he said.

Meanwhile the Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates said that he wouldn’t have had the kind of relationship he has in Africa without Dangote.

He commended Dangote for his work in helping children overcome malnutrition in Nigeria through food fortification.

He said that balance diet is important because a child’s ultimate survival past the age of five, depends on the nutrition he or she gets.

Gates also thanked Dangote for being a true friend and teaching him how to communicate with people instead of sending them an email full charts and expecting them to understand and see the problems and solutions he sees.

He noted that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was able to do more work in Northern Nigeria, with the help of Dangote who personally called six state governors and asked them to listen to him.

the transfer was a significant milestone, and geared towards meeting its target of growing Nigeria’s crude oil reserve to 40 billion barrels (bbl) as well as improving crude oil production to three million barrels per day (mbpd) by 2023.

The agreement was signed by the NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari; Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive of NAOC, Mr. Fiorillo Lorenzo and Deputy Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, Mr. Omamofe Boyo.

Explaining the details of the agreement, Mele Kyari stated that the NNPC sought and got the approval of the Minister of Petroleum Resources who is President Muhammadu Buhari for the divestment and transfer of its interests to the NPDC, while all parties signed a novation agreement which transferred all the rights and obligations that was formally held by NNPC to the NPDC. “The federation divested its interests in the NAOC, NNPC joint venture and that means we transfer those interests to

NPDC. The meaning of that is to grow NPDC to become a medium-sized upstream company that the federation and the NNPC will be proud of,” said Mele Kyari.

He noted that prior to reaching the agreement, there was a disagreement among the parties, which had been addressed and the challenges surmounted.

“We had issues that we could not resolve, that prevented the transfer of those novations; principally, the lack of assurance that NNPC could

not deliver to our partners to convince them NPDC will deliver to its responsibilities.

“Today, we have given them all the comfort and condition precedent for them to be convinced that NPDC would deliver. That is why our partners, NAOC and Oando have agreed to sign the novation agreement which will open a new chapter of business for NPDC and our partnership and it will expand the frontier of reserves and production for our country and the companies.”

PROMOTING FREE PRESS …

L-R: Members of the Governing Board of International Press Centre, Mr.Wale Adeoye, Mrs. Funke-Treasure Durodola, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, Ms. Victoria Ibanga; and Mr. Edeatan Ojo, during their inauguration in Lagos...recently

NAF to Establish Air Force University in Bauchi Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has described as a welcome development the plans of the Nigeria Air Force to establish Air Force University in the state.

This is as the Chief of Air Staff, (CAS), Air Marshal

Saddique Baba Abubakar, promised to ensure that Bauchi State as well as the entire North-east region is adequately protected and secured from any act of insurgency and criminality.

Mohammed also commended the CAS, Abubakar, for the earlier

establishment of the Air Force Special Operation Command in Bauchi.

The governor stated this when he paid a visit to Abubakar at the Air Force headquarters in Abuja yesterday.

Mohammed observed that the Air Force boss, being a

worthy son of the state, has contributed immensely towards the development of the state.

He applauded the Nigeria Air Force for its commitment in containing insecurity and other forms of criminality in the country in addition to outstanding performance in protecting of the country.

House to Investigate N5.4tn INEC Seeks Support of UNDP on Democratic Empowerment in Nigeria AMCON Debt

Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Banking and Currency to investigate the debt portfolio of N5.4 trillion to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the reported unwillingness of some of the debtors to pay.

The mandate was sequel to the adoption of a motion by the member representing Enugu East/Isi-uzo Federal Constituency, Hon. Cornelius Nnaedozie Nnaji, where he raised concerns on the accumulation of debts amounting to about N5.4 trillion, far in excess of the N800 billion debt ceiling by AMCON. The committee was also mandated to evaluate the status of the debts and the practical, legal and other strategies for the recovery of the debts, including recommending a timeframe, and other options such as the amendment of the AMCON Act, and report back

within three weeks for further legislative action.

The House Committee on Insurance was also directed to broaden the investigation into the insurance aspect of the debt.

Nnaji had noted that AMCON, which was established in 2015 to, among other things, acquire eligible bank assets from eligible financial institutions and to hold, manage, realise and dispose of eligible bank assets (including the collection of interest, principal and capital due and taking over of collateral securing such assets), is currently challenged by difficulties in recovery of debts owed to the tune of N5.4 trillion.

“AMCON claims that 20 individuals/entities are responsible for about 67 percent of the N5.4 trillion debt portfolio of the corporation, an amount which is over 50 percent of the 2018 Budget of Nigeria,” and that “Some of the debtors who owe large portions of the debts are alleged to be unwilling to pay,” Nnaji said.

Chuks Okocha in Abuja In a post-election analysis, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to resuscitate the implementation of its first phase of Support to Democratic Empowerment (SDE) in Nigeria.

INEC Chairman, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, revealed this yesterday when he received the UNDP new Resident Representative to Nigeria, Mohammed Yahaya, who paid a courtesy visit to the Commission in Abuja.

SDE is aimed at enlightening and mobilising stakeholders, including the women groups, youths, traditional and religious leaders, to participate massively in general election.

The programme is also to conduct civic and voter education as part of the media campaign in order to sensitise

and create awareness among the citizens for effective participation in general election.

The INEC chairman explained that the programme should have commenced in 2018 but was suspended due to the challenges of time and funding.

According to Yakubu , “There is one pending issue that we need to resuscitate immediately, which is the implementation of the Support to Democratic Empowerment (SDE) Phase one.

“The implementation should have commenced in May 2018 through to December 2019. The plan was not fully implemented for a number of reasons, but essentially the pressure on time on the Commission because of general election as well as the issue of funding.

“I am glad to note that the plan is being revised by our technical teams. I look forward to the work of the two teams. I wish to once again reassure you that we will jointly implement

the recommendations in the current electoral circle and beyond.”

Yakubu described the UN and UNDP in particular as long term partners in support of elections, good governance and democracy in Nigeria.

He said INEC valued their partnership, and it would continue to work with UNDP in promoting democracy and good governance.

Yakubu recalled that in 2017, the UN Secretary-General sent a Need Assessment Mission to Nigeria as well as the Special Representative for West African and the Shahel, Mohammed Chambas, who also visited before and after the last general election.

He said: “We profoundly appreciate the support of the union and its agencies in promoting peaceful elections and good governance in Nigeria.

We have worked closely with the UNDP in many areas since

2011.

“These include technically and advisory support for voter registration in 2011; the formulation and validation of the commission gender policy; the formulation, validation and revalidation of the commission’s communication policy, and support to voter education and publicity.

“Induction and retraining for new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Uyo in 2017; the printing of two volumes election project plan in 2018, and many other activities to build capacity of the commission both technical and human are parts of the areas we have worked with our partners “I want to reassure you of our continue willingness to collaborate, cooperate and work in partnership with you. We will extend the support to you that we have extended to all your predecessors.’’

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Modi Gets BMGF Award for India’s Improved Sanitation Foundation calls for elimination of geographic and gender inequalities Bolaji Adebiyi in New York Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India was on Tuesday night presented with the Global Goalkeeper Award by the Belinda & Bill Gates Foundation for the progress India is making in improving sanitation through the Swachh Bharat mission.

Modi was one of the four awardees at the annual Goalkeepers Global Goals Awards held in New York to celebrate outstanding work around the world that is directly linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals).

The event that had Bill and Melinda Gates as co-chairs and co-hosts was the fourth since 193 leaders of member-countries of the United Nations agreed to a 17-point Sustainable Development Goals (SDGGlobal Goals) in 2015, which they believed would assure world peace and development.

Another Indian, Payal Jangid, a youth activist, got the Changemaker Award for her fight against child labour and child marriage in India.

The Progress Award was presented to Gregory Rockson, co-founder and CEO of

mPharma, for his work to increase access to high-quality drugs across community pharmacies in five African countries. The Campaign Award was presented to Aya Chebbi, the first African Union Youth Envoy, for her work in promoting youth empowerment, peacebuilding, and non-violent mobilisation in Africa.

“Before the Swachh Bharat mission, over 500 million people in India did not have access to safe sanitation, and now, the majority do,” the foundation said of Modi’s magnificent efforts at cleaning up the dirt in the populous Asian and the biggest democratic country in the world.

The UN leaders had on September 25, 2015, at the United Nations headquarters in New York committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals), a series of ambitious objectives and targets to achieve three extraordinary things by 2030: end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and fix climate change.

To track accelerate progress towards the attainment of the goals, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had set up a campaign tagged “Goalkeepers.”

“By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through events and an annual report, we hope to inspire a new generation of leaders—Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals,” the foundation said.

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.

In the United States, for instance, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Sue DesmondHellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

The foundation publishes its report annually to highlight progress being made towards the SDGs. This year’s Goalkeepers

focused on the challenge of fighting global inequality to ensure no one is left behind.

In previous years, speakers at Goalkeepers have included US President Barack Obama, President Emmanuel Macron, and Deputy UN SecretaryGeneral Amina Mohammed; Nobel Peace Prize winners and inspiring young leaders such as Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad, and Trevor Noah; and musical performers Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen, and Fatoumata Diawara.

The foundation had on September 17, 2019 launched its third annual Goalkeepers Data Report, which features new data showing that while progress on health and development continues unabated, global inequality remains a major barrier to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals).

The report said even in the worst-off parts of low- and lowmiddle-income countries, more than 99 percent of communities have seen an improvement in child mortality and schooling, adding that despite this progress, persistent gaps in opportunity mean that nearly half a billion people—about one in 15—still do not have access

to basic health and education.

“Gaps between countries, districts, and boys and girls prove that the world’s investments in development aren’t reaching everyone. Using new sub-national data,” it said, adding that it uncovered the vast inequalities within countries that were masked by averages.

The report found that where you’re born is still the biggest predictor of your future, and no matter where you’re born, life is harder if you’re a girl.

It said despite gains in female educational attainment, opportunities for girls are limited by social norms, discriminatory laws and policies, and gender-based violence.

“As we write, billions of people are projected to miss the targets that we all agreed represent a decent life,” Bill and Melinda Gates wrote in the Goalkeepers Data Report, “Examining Inequality 2019,” which they co-authored. “We believe that seeing where the world is succeeding will inspire leaders to do more, and seeing where the world is falling short will focus their attention.”

To address persistent

inequality, Bill and Melinda Gates, according to the report call for a new approach to development, targeting the poorest people in the countries and districts that need to make up the most ground.

Governments, they said, should prioritize primary health care to deliver a health system that works for the poorest, digital governance to ensure that governments are responsive to their leastempowered citizens, and more support for farmers to help them adapt to climate change’s worst effects.

The plan of Bill and Melinda Gates, it explains, is to produce a Goalkeepers Data Report every year through 2030, timing it to the annual gathering of world leaders in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly.

The report that is designed to track progress in achieving the Global Goals, it says, would continue to highlight examples of success, and inspire leaders around the world to accelerate their efforts.

According to it, both expect this would identify both what’s working and what is falling short.

Adeyemi: PDP will Not Get 25% of Votes in Kogi Governorship Poll The Director-General of the Governorship Campaign Committee of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi State, Senator Smart Adeyemi yesterday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not get up to 25 per cent votes in the November governorship election in the state.

He added that even if the party would secure 25 per cent votes it would seriously struggle for it.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Kogi governorship poll for November 16.

Adeyemi said PDP has no candidate yet since its governorship primaries is still being disputed in court.

He also said more than 15,000 defectors from PDP and other parties would be received by the APC in Kogi State in the next few days.

Adeyemi, who gave insights into the preparation for the poll, said even if PDP’s candidate, Engr. Musa Wada survives the court hurdles against him, he cannot defeat the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC. He said: “PDP cannot defeat APC in the forthcoming governorship poll in Kogi State.

The main opposition party in the state will strive to secure 25 per cent of the votes.

“In any case, PDP has no candidate because about 35 leaders of PDP are in court to seek the nullification of the results of their party’s governorship primaries. Even ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris who should be the backbone of the

party’s campaign has rejected any offer from the party.

“PDP is in disarray in Kogi State, it is too weak to win the governorship poll. But we are interested in PDP resolving its dispute to enable Governor Yahaya Bello to win in a free and fair poll.

“APC wants a candidate to compete with at the poll. We are fully on ground, it will be difficult for PDP to defeat APC candidate, Governor Yahaya Bello.

Adeyemi noted that although more than 15,000 defectors from PDP and other parties will defect to APC in the next few days, the party would not make any commitment to anybody.

“As the election is fast approaching, APC is receiving more defectors on daily basis. We are not going to make personal commitment to any defector. We will not promise anyone slots of being a commissioner or Special Adviser or other personal gains.

“We will accept people to join our party on the basis of vision, needs and aspirations of the masses. We want those who are committed to the ideals of the APC.” Meanwhile, the APC has appointed three Deputy Directors-General for its campaign committee.

They are Hon. Haruna Isa (Kogi West senatorial district); Hon. Abubakar S. Adagu Danguruma(Kogi Central senatorial district); and Hon. Idoko Musa Haruna(Kogi East senatorial district).

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUMMIT …

L-R: Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba; Justice of the Court of Appeal and Chairman of Summit, Justice Habeeb Abiru; Adminstrative Judge, Ikeja High Court, Justice Taofiquat Oyekan-Abdullahi; and Guest Speaker, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) at the Summit on Criminal Justice Sector in Lagos…Tuesday

Ughamadu Bows out as NNPC’s Spokesman Mele Kyari decries attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facility Chineme Okafor in Abuja Accomplished journalist and economist, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu has left the services of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as its official spokesperson after completing a three-year contract he signed with the corporation, THISDAY has learnt.

Although the corporation has not officially announced Ughamadu’s departure, THISDAY however gathered that he left on Tuesday as the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, an office he occupied twice at various periods.

Sources within the NNPC

told THISDAY that the corporation was very pleased with Ughamadu’s tenure as its spokesman, and that a replacement in the person of Mr. Samson Makoji, has been made in acting capacity.

Makoji has been the corporation’s General Manager in charge of External Relations specifically with regards to its relationships with other government agencies and embassies, among others.

Ughamadu, who returned to the NNPC in 2016 when the immediate former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, left the corporation as the Group

Managing Director , was once its spokesperson when Dr. Jackson-Gaius Obaseki was in charge as Group Managing Director of NNPC. Meanwhile, the corporation’s Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, has said that the recent attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facility could impact global economy.

Mele Kyari, in a statement from Makoji stated that energy security was as important as national security and equally critical in guaranteeing Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

He said this when members of a higher command course of the Indian Army War College

who were on a geo-strategic tour of Nigeria paid him a visit in his office.

He also noted that fossil fuel would remain relevant in the global energy mix, contrary to assumptions in some quarters.

According to him crude oil demand would be very high even beyond 2040, and Nigeria would grow its oil production to 3 million barrels per day (mbd) by 2023 to enable her take advantage of the gap that exists in the demand and supply balance. He also talked about the uniqueness of Nigeria’s crude oil grades, saying they were rich crude with high global demand.

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$9.6bn Judgment Debt: Court Admits Former Director to N10m Bail Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of N10 million, a former Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Grace Taiga, charged with complicity in the controversial Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) contract.

Taiga is standing trial on an eight-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and gratification, among others.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had last week told the court how the former director allegedly received gratification to the

tune of $21, 000 for signing the controversial gas supply project between P&ID and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Although she pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Adeniyi had however ordered her remand at the Suleja prison, pending the hearing and determination of her bail application and adjourned the matter to September 25.

Ruling in the bail application moved by her lawyer Ola Olanipekun (SAN), the judge who noted that bail is at the discretion of the court and that the defendant was entitled to bail, subsequently admitted her to bail in the sum of N10 million As part of the conditions attached to the bail, Taiga was

ordered to provide two sureties in like sum.

The judge, in his ruling, held that the prosecution, failed to convince him why the defendant should not be granted bail. The sureties who must include public servants not below directorate level, must be resident in Abuja and should deposit affidavit of means before

the court.

Justice Adeniyi, while refusing to order that the defendant deposit her international passport with the court because of her health condition, nonetheless held that she should not leave the country without first informing the court.

Taiga is also expected to inform her sureties if she has

any need to travel for her medication.

In the amended charge with number CR/504/19 and filed on September 20, 2019, the commission disclosed that the defendant received a total sum of $21, 000 at various times as part of favour showed to P&ID in the signing of the said gas supply contract in 2010.

In count 4 of the charge, Taiga was accused of having corruptly received the sum of $1,000 on September 14, 2015 from Eastwise Trading Limited on account of alleged favour she showed to P&ID, which led to the definitive agreement entered into between the Irish firm and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Sanwo-Olu: Lagos Requires 9,000mw of Power to Transform Economy Segun James Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said Lagos State requires over 9,000 megawatts of power to transform its economic base.

If realised, the state, which is the most populous city-state and the fifth largest economy in Africa, would in no distance future be transformed into a 21st Century global economy.

Sanwo-Olu, who is part of the federal government delegation to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), said with this, the state would be selfsufficient in electricity supply that would adequately power its industrial sector, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and residential buildings.

The governor stated this when he addressed a Forum at the Corporate Council on Africa, a side event at the ongoing 74th Session of the UNGA in New York, United States.

Sanwo-Olu wooed investors at the forum, assuring them that his administration would be open to tapping private investment in clean energy to enable Lagos to attain its aspiration of transforming to a 21st Century economy driven by technology and innovation.

Adequate electricity supply, the governor asserted, would also help the state to fully unlock the potential of its tourism sector and waterway transportation, saying his government had been reviewing

the state’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) policy, with the objectives to boost investors’ confidence on returns on their investment and to drive more investments in critical areas to the state’s economy.

He said: “Lagos is a peculiar city among megacities in the world. It is the smallest state in Nigeria in terms of land size, yet it is the most populous in terms of demography. One-third of Lagos land is covered by water, while the large population of humans is left to occupy about 4,000 square metres of dry land size.

“Lagos, as the fifth largest economy in Africa, it accounts for the 60 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, in which the manufacturing sector accounts for about 30 per cent. Despite this potential, we have energy deficiency of about 9,000 megawatts, which is required to give the economy the needed support for more growth. We are open to investment in independent power generation to address energy deficit, which would help to fully unlock opportunities in the tourism sector, infrastructure and technology business.”

The governor used the occasion to present his administration’s six pillars of development, known as Project T.H.E.M.E.S, before the international audience to maximise investment drive and opportunities in each area of the manifesto.

Lawan Inaugurates 69 Senate Committees Deji Elumoye in Abuja Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan yesterday inaugurated all the 69 standing committees of the Ninth Senate.

The full list of members of the committees was read out at plenary on Tuesday

by Lawan.

Lawan had on July 30 shortly before the Senate proceeded on a two-month long annual vacation appointed Chairmen and Vice Chairmen for the committees.

Lawan, in a speech

before the inauguration of the standing committees, sought the cooperation of the Executive for the committees to perform optimally especially with the 2020 budget proposals due for presentation to the legislature very shortly.

The Senate President who said the joint inauguration of the committees was to save the precious time of the upper legislative chamber, enjoined the committee members to ensure strict implementation of the agenda of the Ninth Assembly.

49 HEARTY CHEERS…

L-R: ICAN Council member and Head, Audit and Assurance, Ernst & Young, Mr. Jamiu Olakisan; ICAN Council member and Controller, Internal Audit, THISDAY Newspapers Group, Mr. Nduka Moseri; and ICAN Council member and Chief Executive Officer, ADRAC Professional Services, Mr. Deji Awobotu, during the 49th Institute of Chartered Accountants’ Conference in Abuja …recently

FEC Approves N309bn for Roads, N1.8bn for Abuja University Repair of roads hampered by rainfalls, says Fashola Omololu Ogunmade and Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved a total of N309.659 billion for the construction of three roads in three geo-political zones of the country.

The roads are Ibadan -Ilesha dual carriage way in the Southwest, second Niger bridge link roads in the South-east and Kano-Katsina highway in the North-west.

The council also approved N1.833 billion for the construction of Faculty of Education and Faculty of Environment, respectively, in the University of Abuja.

This is coming as the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said

that the repair of major roads in the country, which had broken down, would commence with the stoppage of the annual rainfalls.

Briefing State House reporters at the end of the weekly FEC meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Fashola said Ibadan - Ilesha dual carriage way was awarded at the cost of N79.829 billion.

He also said Asaba-Onitsha link roads connecting the Second Niger Bridge to Asaba and Onitsha were awarded at the cost of N200.176 billion and Kano-Katsina highway at the cost of N29.654 billion.

He explained that the approval was sequel to the presentation of three memoranda of understanding to the council.

“The Ministry of Works

and Housing presented three memoranda and they were approved by the council. The first is for the construction of Ibadan -Ile-Ife-Ilesha dual carriage way. They are connected to Oyo and Osun states at the cost of N79.829 billion.

“The second is for the linkroads that connect the second Niger Bridge to Asaba and Onitsha. The Asaba link-road was awarded to Julius Berger and the Onitsha link-road was awarded to Iweno Construction Company at the total cost of N200.176 billion. So, this completes essentially the access road that will link the bridge in the short time. “You might recall that these roads were under-designed when the bridge was awarded. So, it is this administration that

completed the designs and we now awarded them so that you can have a bridge that has link-roads. This was awarded initially under a public private partnership (PPP) and the bridge in 2010 administration.

“The third approval was for phase two of the Kano-Katsina highway from the point known as Gidan-Mutum Daya all the way to where Katsina Steel Rolling Mill is. This is a 78 kilometre-stretch approved at the sum of N29.654 billion. That road is a 172-kilometre road linking Kano and Katsina from Kano.

“It was awarded for the first 70 kilometres plus for the phase one. What we have now done is to complete the award to the same contractor so that there is a uniformity of construction,” he said.

Ugwuanyi Swears in 19 Commissioners, Other Aides Gideon Arinze in Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday swore in 19 commissioners and other aides.

Other EXCO members that took oath of office and oath of allegiance included the Chief of Staff, Dr. Festus Uzor and eight Special Advisers (SAs).

The governor also announced the appointment of Mr. Chuks Ugwuoke, a former commissioner for information under former Governor Sullivan Chime, as his Chief Press Secretary.

The governor, however, did not assign portfolios to the commissioners and SAs, except for Mr. Militus Eze, who was appointed Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General.

Ugwuanyi said that the portfolios would be assigned to them at the end of a three-day strategic retreat for the executive members that would start on September 26.

The governor said that his administration was making efforts to achieve its electoral promises within the remaining period of his tenure.

He urged the commissioners

to take a cue from the performance of those that worked in his first term, adding that his victory at the 2019 governorship election was because of his first term leadership strides.

Ugwuanyi urged them to pursue honesty and transparency as his administration would not tolerate corruption in any form.

The newly sworn in Commissioners were Chief Miletus Ezugworie Eze; Mr. Greg Nnaji; Chijioke Edeoga; Chidi Aroh; Emeka Mamah; Mr. Vitus Okechi; Mr. Solomon Izuchukwu Onah; Princess Peace Nnaji; Dr.

Charles O. C. Egumgbe; Mathias Ekweremadu; Uchechukwu Ogbonna; Mrs. Mabel Chinwe Agbo; Mrs. Adaonah KeneUyanwune; Prof. Uchenna Eze; Peter Okonkwo; Mr. Obi Carl kama; Mr. Ugonna Ibe; Dr. Victor Chukwuemeka Nnam and Prof. Anthony Ugochukwu.

The Special Advisers include, Mrs. Olangwa N. Ezekwu; Mr. Uwakwe Ukuta Azikiwe; Mr. Uchenna Emmanuel Ogbodo; Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh; Mrs. Maryrose Obiageli Abba; Stephen Oluchukwu Oruruo; and Paschal Okechukwu Ukwuani.

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Navy Nabs Indian, Ghanaians, 24 Others for Fishing in Restricted Areas Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa Nigerian Navy yesterday apprehended 26 persons, including an Indian national and three Ghanaian citizens for allegedly breaching Nigerian laws and carrying out industrial fishing activities within restricted areas.

The Central Naval

Command in Yenagoa said its men impounded two fishing trawlers, ORC 5 and CYNTHIA, belonging to a Nigerian company, ORC Fishing and Food Processing Limited, along with all its crew members because they breached the legal distance of five nautical miles off the Nigerian coastline.

Handing over the vessels,

Ndukuba to Succeed Okoh as Anglican Primate in Nigeria Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Archbishop Nicholas Okoh is to be succeeded in March next year by Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba.

Ndukuba, who emerged as the Primate-elect of the Church at the ongoing Anglican Synod in Asaba, Delta State, would take over the mantle of leadership of the Church of Nigeria when the tenure of Primate Okoh expires in March 2020.

Born on September 1959 and ordained priest in September 1989, the primate-elect was, before his elevation, the Bishop of Gombe Pankshin Diocese and Archbishop of Ecclesiastical Province of Jos. He is also the Chairman of the Liturgy and Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria.

He was consecrated bishop in September 1999, elevated as archbishop in September 2017.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, while speaking yesterday at the Standing Committee Meeting of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) at St. Peter’s Cathedral Church of the Diocese

of Asaba, urged Nigerians to exhibit more positive attitude to the country both in words and action.

The governor, who described Delta as a state dedicated to God, said, “It is impossible for us to pray right and then speak wrong; because what happens after prayer is as important, if not more important, than the actual prayer.

“Our words as Christians are powerful; negative words carry the power to invalidate our prayers and derail our expectations. ‘’So, let us all take heed and begin today to speak healing, peace, prosperity, progress and accelerated development to Nigeria.

“My faith is that in no distant time, Nigeria will become one of the most sought-after countries in the world; it shall be well with us as we continue to stand in faith for Nigeria.’’

“We need to also teach the flock to release their faith for the purpose of national development and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians. ‘’We are not often as determined and steadfast in exercising faith for a transformed Nigeria as we are when it comes to our personal needs.”

and their contents with all crew members to the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Commanding Base Officer, FORMOSO, Capt.

Suleiman Ibrahim, said the suspects’ activities were detected with the use of maritime domain awareness equipment.

The commander added that the 26 suspects were trawling within the five nautical miles restricted zones and had undocumented persons on board, explaining that he thereafter deployed his men to intercept them.

Ibrahim said the area was meant for local fishermen and not bigger vessels and was being monitored to avoid conflicts

between local and industrial fishermen, noting that the action by the suspects was carried out intentionally since they were conversant with the laws.

“The five nautical miles restriction zone is supposed to be used by artisan fishermen locally, and the monitoring is done to prevent conflicts between the both of them. The regulation is known to all the fishing companies, and it is clear that by this act, the two trawlers deliberately carried out their actions,” he alleged.

He, however, said further investigations would be done by the relevant authorities and advised those operating along the Nigerian waterways to do

so within laid down rules and regulations which they had already been intimated with.

In his remarks, the Assistant Director, Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Unit of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr. Paul Opoama, said he has come to officially receive the two vessels and crew members arrested by the navy for further investigation.

Opoama noted that with the agency’s collaboration with the navy, such illegalities within the Nigerian territorial waters would be nipped in the bud before causing serious crisis.

“We have been collaborating with the Nigerian Navy and we have our memorandum of

understating. That is why the two trawlers were apprehended for violating the sea fishery acts of which vessels are not supposed to trawl within the first five nautical miles,” he said.

Captain of ORC 5 vessel, Mr. Olayeye Ejagbomo, and his counterpart in charge of CYNTHIA, Mr. Ayemobuma Omosuyi, in an interview with journalists, did not deny the allegation.

But Ejagbomo, who could not respond to the allegation of having undocumented persons on board, claimed that he lost communication signals with his company before deciding to move into the restricted area.

ANOTHER DESERVED HONOUR...

L-R: Businessman, Captain Hosa Wells Okunbo; President and Founder, Cercle Diplomatique Geneve, Robert Blum, and a guest when Okunbo was bestowed with the prestigious Order of Lafayette Award at the United Nations Day for Global Peace by Blum, in Geneva ....recently

Ogun Remains Preferred Investment Destination, Gunmen Kidnap Wife of Says Abiodun business. Besides our natural “We are very investor friendly. Investment Promotion Law. Idowu Sowunmi “Ogun State Investment location as We are putting reforms in place NRC Managing Director Ogun State Governor, Prince geographical Gateway State to Nigeria, we to ensure that we are even Promotion Agency will be a

Sunday Okobi in Lagos and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Suspected gunmen have reportedly kidnapped the wife of the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Mrs. Francisca Okhiria, on Ulegun road near Benin-city, Edo State capital.Mrs. Okhiria was said to have been trailed from Airport Road in the city by the hoodlums and accosted at the entrance of her house in a “deadly and violent manner.”

The armed men, who the report added were on police uniform, shot in the area before abducting her to unknown destination.

However, when THISDAY contacted the NRC Director of Public Relation, Yakubu Mahmood, he said he wasn’t aware of such occurrence, adding also that he is not in the position to speak on such matter as it was the duty of the police to confirm such incident.

All efforts to speak with the MD of the NRC, Fridet

Okiria, proved abortive as his personal assistant refused to discuss the matter.

However, when contacted, the state Police spokesperson, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the incident, said an Army Sergeant attached to the woman was also shot and had been taken to the military hospital for medical attention.

Nwabuzor said the woman was kidnapped at Irhirhi along NNPC filling station in Oredo Local Government Area.

According to him, “It is confirmed that she was kidnapped and the police recovered the vehicle; a Land Cruiser Prado SUV when the incident took place.

“The Army sergeant shot by the hoodlums was with her as security personnel, and was eventually taken to the military hospital by the police. The gunmen came in a Toyota Camry.”

He noted that investigation into the incident has already commenced.

Dapo Abiodun, has said the state would sustain its enviable position as the nation’s number one investors’ choice for a long time to come because his administration is consciously working to retain that status.

According to him, the state with its rich human and natural endowments cannot be compared with any other states in the country, in terms of access to land and seaport and availability of arable land.

“Our state remains the best place for investors to open

share borders with four other states and we share international borders with Benin Republic, which is a window to the West African sub-region,” the governor said.

He added that his “administration is providing a focused and qualitative governance and create the enabling environment for a public private sector partnership, which we consider fundamental to the creation of an enduring economic development and individual prosperity of the people of Ogun.”

more investor friendly. We are trying to ensure that we become number one in the ease of doing business in this country and it is incontrovertible that we house the largest number of industries in the country,” he said.

Abiodun stated this at the 34thAnnual General Meeting (AGM)of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Abeokuta, where he encouraged foreign investors to come and take advantage of the one-stop arrangement created by the recently passed Ogun State

one-stop-shop which will help investors to settle down easily without having to go through multiple windows,” he said.

The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Engr.

Noimot Salako, said the AGM theme: “the Manufacturing Sector: An Integral Part of Making Ogun State the Industrial Hub of Nigeria,” was apt as his administration is working with the private sector in all areas of development, especially in the areas of employment generation, wealth creation, food security and poverty alleviation.

Police Foil Pro-Cuban Protest at US Embassy Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The planned protest at the US Embassy in Abuja by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)-led coalition against the continued United States of America trade embargo on Cuba could not hold at the embassy.

Representatives of labour unions from African countries and civil society groups had planned to hold protest march on Tuesday at the embassy in Abuja to demand the lifting of

trade embargo against Cuba.

But the leaders of the protest revealed that they were advised not to march to the embassy by security authorities.

At the embassy, security was beefed up with the deployment of more policeman on guard.

Following the directive, the protesters made up of Nigerian workers and delegates at the ongoing 6th African Solidarity meeting on Cuba gathered at the Unity Fountain in Maitama, Abuja where they read out

messages of solidarity with the government and people of Cuba.

The protesters also displayed banners urging world leaders to prevail on the US to jettison the long-standing economic blockade against Cuba.

Addressing the protesters, the Head of Publicity for the Nigeria Movement for Solidarity with Cuba, Comrade Owei Lakemfa said that the inability to protest at the US embassy had not diminished the impact of the

solidarity action.

He said the police apparently acted on the complaint by the goverment of the United States to prevent protesters from going to march at their embassy.

He said: “The imperialists are jittery and may have contacted our government which asked the police to stop our protest at the embassy. So we have decided to come to the Unity Fountain which is the symbol of unity to protest instead of the US embassy, “ he said.

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THURSDAYSPORTS

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

More Worries for Siasia as CAS Appeal Runs into Hitch over N36m Fee May take his mother’s kidnap case to President Buhari Duro Ikhazuagbe Embattled former Super Eagles Chief Coach, Samson Siasia, revealed yesterday that he needs

almost US$100,000 (about N36 million) to pay before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland can start to process his appeal against the life ban

slammed on him by FIFA last month.

On August 16, FIFA said in a statement that the Adjudicatory Chamber of its Independent Ethics Committee found the 51-year-old Siasia guilty of accepting to receive bribes in relation to manipulation of matches in violation of the code of ethics of the soccer governing body.

Siasia who pleaded not guilty, claiming that he was not given the opportunity to defend himself against the allegations opted to appeal the case before CAS in the bid to clear his name from the scandal.

But now, the fee of 100, 000 Swiss franc (about N36

million) required by CAS to hear the appeal has created another headache for the ex international whose mother is still with kidnappers demanding for N50million ransome.

Speaking on telephone yesterday, Siasia revealed that he needs to raise this money now before the deadline of October 10 otherwise it will all be over for him as a coach and football business.

“CAS said we have to pay 100,000 Swiss francs. That’s almost a 100,000 to start the Appeal. It’s crazy! But if I don’t pay before the 10th of October, my appeal will be off their schedule,” stressed an obvious embattled coach.

Sadly too, there appears to be no headway in the kidnapping case of his mother.

Almost three months after his mother, Mrs Ogere Siasia, 76, was kidnapped from her home in Bayelsa State, there appears to be no trace of her.

Siasia who has been out of paid employment for more than three years now is at a loss on how to raise the N50million demanded by the kidnappers to free his mother.

“My mum is with kidnappers for almost three months now, friends and my government in Bayelsa have abandoned me.

At this stage, I have decided to take my case to President Muhammadu Buhari since I have

exhausted all other avenues and they are yielding anything,” cried Siasia who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Super Eagles and played in Nigeria’s maiden World Cup appearance later that same year at USA. Siasia is perhaps Africa’s most decorated indigenous gaffer at the Olympic having won both silver and bronze at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 respectively. He also led Nigeria to silver medal finish at the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Holland in 2005.

Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives Alhaja Ayo Omidiran has added her voice to calls for the kidnappers to free Siasia’s mother.

Samson Siasia (right) and his kidnapped mother, Mrs Ogere Siasia

Kida, Ahmedu Appointed into FIBA Commissions The duo of Amadu Musa Kida and Sam Ahmedu have bagged FIBA appointments after being appointed into the Finance and Legal Commission respectively.

The NBBF President Kida and Ahmedu (NBBF board member) who have continued to steer the affairs of basketball in Nigeria since 2017 will serve on the commission for a period of four years.

While breaking the news to the board, Kida said the latest appointment is a call to service towards development of basketball on the global stage.

“I wish to thank all my board members for their support since we assumed office in 2017.

Without their support, all the successes achieved would not have been possible. The latest appointment is a recognition of what we have achieved as a board.

“FIBA has continued to evolve and introduce more international competitions which means more money will be needed. I hope I can use my contacts to financially help FIBA which will directly and indirectly benefit Nigeria as one of the affiliated National

Federations.”

Ahmedu, a retired army colonel now a legal practitioner stated that being in the Legal Commission would afford him the opportunity to contribute to the legal aspect of the game in an era where there is conflict between FIBA laws and that of the national federations.

“Apart from conflict resolutions, the issue of eligibility of players would be one of his focal points to enable African teams to secure the services of their players born outside the continent,” remarked Ahmedu in his reaction to the appointment.

Ahmedu who is a Central Board member of FIBA Africa is also the President of FIBA Africa Zone 3 comprising Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Niger Republic.

Echoing the same sentiment, NBBF Vice President, Babs Ogunade said the appointments are a validation of the good works being put into basketball development in Nigeria and the continued rise of Nigerian basketball on the global stage.

IBB Club to Host Achimota in Independence Day Matches Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja IBB International Golf and Country Club will host Ghana’s oldest golf club, Achimota Club 1928 in Abuja, over two days, as part of activities to commemorate Nigeria’s 59th Independence Day celebration.

The Vice Captain IBB Club, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, announced on Wednesday at a press conference that the first day of the tournament, will feature the double matches on September 28.

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to perform the ceremonial tee off. The president will be supported by members of his cabinet and some golf playing governors.

The singles matches are billed for Sunday, September 29.

The Ghanaians’ visit is in tune

with the tradition of sending golfers to Abuja to celebrate the national day of Nigeria.

Anosike, who is the chairman of the tournament planning committee, said 45 Ghanaians, who are regular golfers below 60 years, have confirmed they will making the trip to Abuja.

The independence amateur tournament holds on October 1 and will feature between 400500 amateur players, invited from other golf clubs across the country.

“After the tournament on October 1, we will have a big presentation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will be here as part of the outing. The type of prizes we will present at the grand finale are heritage trophies, that golfers will want to keep for posterity,” Anosike said.

Sebastian Coe (left) and Ximena Restrepo shortly after their elections at the 52nd IAAF Congress in Doha, Qatar...yesterday

Gusau Fails Bid to Become IAAF Vice-president, Coe Elected for a Second Term President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Ibrahim Shehu Gusau’s ambition of getting elected as vice president of the IAAF crashed yesterday at the 52nd Congress of the world track & field body in Doha.

With the unresolved case of the $135,000 mistakenly paid into the AFN account unresolved, delegates at the Congress effectively shunned Gusau, preferring instead to vote a former world-classed quarter miler, Ximena Restrepo of Colombia as the first woman to become the first vice president of IAAF.

Restrepo is Nigeria’s Falilat Ogunkoya’s contemporary in the 400m circuit. She won a 400m bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

Incumbent Sebastian Coe was elected president of IAAF for a second term. All 203 voting members of Congress voted for Coe; there were no abstained votes.

The other three vice presidents elected yesterday include former pole vault world record holder and Olympic champion Sergey Bubka of Ukraine, Geoffrey Gardner and Nawaf Bin Mohammed Al Saud.

Coe welcomed Restrepo, who

now lives in Chile, as one of the new Vice Presidents and offered his congratulations.

“Ximena is a former athlete which is tremendously helpful when you’re driving the sport forward,” said Coe. “I am delighted that we have for the very first time elected a female Vice President and that she will be joined by seven other women on council. This is a historic moment.”

“I’m really honoured to take this position,” said Restrepo. “It’s a great moment for me and for my country. I would like to thank you, Seb, because this was only

made possible because of you and the changes made to the constitution.

Congress also elected new members of the IAAF Council.

The newly elected members are: Hiroshi Yokokawa (JPN), Antti Pihlakoski (FIN), Anna Riccardi (ITA), Nan Wang (CHN), Adille Sumariwalla (IND), Nawal El Moutawakel (MAR), Abby Hoffman (CAN), Sylvia Barlag (NED), Alberto Juantorena (CUB), Willie Banks (USA), Raul Chapado (ESP), Dobromir Karamarinov (BUL) and Beatrice Ayikoru (UGA).

240 Players Set for 2019 Lagos Open Tennis Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, the city of Lagos is set to play host to no fewer than 240 players across 57 countries of the world in this year’s Lagos Open Tennis Championship.

This is the number of players who have signified interests in featuring in the 2019 Lagos Open Tennis which holds at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos between October 7 and 20, 2019.

The Lagos Open, which

before 2018 edition, was known as the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis, is being organised annually to celebrate the sitting Executive Governor of Lagos State since the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This year, the 19thedition, will be the first in the government of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The 240 players, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) consist of 133 who will compete in the

men’s singles and doubles events, while 107 players will play in the women’s singles and doubles during the ITF World Tour in Lagos, one of the emerging mega cities of the world.

Twenty-eight year old Japanese Shuichi Sekiguchi is the highest ranked player in the men’s category.

He is ranked 286 on the ATP world ranking, followed by Tunisian Skander Mansouri who

is on number 341 and French Tom Jomby (404). Jomby is a regular face in the Lagos Open as well as compatriot Calvin Hemery (561). Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Lock (471) and Takanyi Garanganga (623) are making a return to Lagos.

The highest ranked Nigeria male player in this year’s competition is Joseph Imeh Ubon, who is ranked 1537 and followed by Sylvester Emmanuel (1897).

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Ë&#x153; ͺ͞Ë&#x153; ͺ͸͚Π˞ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Chuba Akpom Dumps England for Nigeria Former England youth international Chuba Akpom confirmed yesterday that he has now pledged his international allegiance to the country of his parents Nigeria.

The 23-year-old striker who plays in Greece for PAOK is eligible to for the Super Eagles as he holds dual-nationality and has not represented England at senior level.

In March 2017, ex-Arsenal youth player Akpom trained with the Nigeria senior side at Barnet alongside then Chelsea defender Ola Aina and now hopes to line up with his life-long friend Alex Iwobi for the West African country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve only just recently switched my allegiance, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve signed the documents and hopefully in the next few weeks it will be approved to enable me play for Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? Akpom told BBC Sport yesterday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been wanting to do that for many years now but not many people know this. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just been a matter of sorting it out, which is now in a process. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward to it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a personal decision.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Nigerian and my whole family feel very Nigerian and it

will be nice to represent Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will also be nice to link up with Alex (Iwobi) again and play for the national team. We started playing when we was younger together and to make that step to play for the national team together will be amazing.â&#x20AC;?

London-born Akpom scored 18 goals in 41 youth caps for England from under-16 to under-21 level.

He joined Arsenal at the age of six and spent time on loan with Brentford, Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Hull and Brighton, but failed to break into the Gunnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first team.

A final loan spell at Belgian side Sint-Truiden resulted in six goals in 16 games and after six different clubs over five seasons.

The academy graduate managed just 12 appearances for his boyhood club before heading out to Greece on a permanent deal in August 2018.

He provided six goals and four assists as PAOK went unbeaten to seal the 2018/19 Greek title as well as the only goal in the FA Cup win against AEK Athens to complete a dream double.

Now established in Greece and with three goals in eight

matches this season, Akpom would love to follow in the footsteps of Iwobi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surprised because at the time he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t playing for England, he came out of nowhere and he started playing for Arsenal and from there he just progressed, so I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surprised when he picked to play for Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? said Akpom.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was the better decision to make, now heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s played in the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always said that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to play with him again for Nigeria, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always spoke about that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve played together since we was five and six years old, we grew up together. It took me a while to settle down and

to get used to the environment in Greece. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Going to play abroad and in another league has helped me, but I hope to take my career to the next level with Nigeria.â&#x20AC;?

Nigeria have previously succeeded in convincing former England-born players like Sone Aluko and Ola Aina to represent the West African nation.

They have also persuaded London-born duo of Josh Maja and Joe Aribo, who plays for Scottish giants Rangers. The latter scored on his debut against Ukraine this month.

His teammate and Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loanee Sheyi Ojo also told the BBC that he would love to represent Nigeria if they approach him.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk celebrating one of Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s victories this season

Liverpool CEO Says The Reds Back at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Our Perchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Chuba Akpom has switched his alliance to Nigeria

Comedians Apologise to Osaka over â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bleachingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Comments A Japanese comedy duo have apologised after they reportedly said Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka â&#x20AC;&#x153;needed some bleachâ&#x20AC;? during a live event.

Japanese Osaka, 21, won her first Pan Pacific Open title in her hometown Osaka on Sunday her first trophy since Januaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Melbourne win.

The duo, known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A Massoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, also reportedly said â&#x20AC;&#x153;she is too sunburnedâ&#x20AC;?.

Their management company, Watanabe Entertainment, said they have been severely warned following the remarks.

Both women apologised for making â&#x20AC;&#x153;inappropriate, hurtful remarksâ&#x20AC;?, though they did not name two-time Grand

Slam winner Osaka, who is Haitian-Japanese. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We sincerely apologise for making the specific person feel uncomfortable, as well as for everyone else connected to the event,â&#x20AC;? comedian Ai Murakami said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also sincerely apologise for causing trouble. Though we should have thought about it, we made remarks that hurt many people, something we will never do again.â&#x20AC;?

In January, Japanese noodle company Nissin was accused of â&#x20AC;&#x153;whitewashingâ&#x20AC;? the mixed-race Osaka in a manga drawing.

Former world number one Osaka was born in Japan before moving to the United States when she was young.

Naomi Osaka with the Pan PaciďŹ c Open bowl shortly after defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 63 to emerge champion last Sunday

Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore has said that the Reds are â&#x20AC;&#x153;back on our perchâ&#x20AC;? - a phrase famously used by former Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson about the Anfield club.

After arriving at Old Trafford in 1986, Ferguson said his first job was to â&#x20AC;&#x153;knock Liverpool right off their perchâ&#x20AC;?.

The Scot proceeded to win 13 Premier Leagues before retiring in 2013, taking their tally of English top-flight titles to 20, compared with Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18.

But Moore, a lifelong Liverpool fan who was appointed by the club in 2017, thinks the Champions League winners have regained their old status.

The Reds were crowned European champions for the sixth time in June and are five points clear of Manchester City - and 10 ahead of United - at the top of the Premier League after winning all six of their games this season.

They have only lost once in their past 45 top-flight matches, finishing a point behind champions City last term. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are back on our perch, as we famously say,â&#x20AC;? Moore told former Liverpool striker Michael Robinson, who is now one of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading sports broadcasters, during an interview at the World Football Summit in Madrid.

The 64-year-old was appointed in February 2017

by Fenway Sports Group - the American company which bought Liverpool for ÂŁ300m in 2010.

Since then, the Reds have reached two Champions League finals under manager Jurgen Klopp and started work on a state-of-the-art training ground at Kirkby which is expected to be completed in 2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What the Fenway Sports Group have done at Liverpool over the past nine years is

nothing short of miraculous,â&#x20AC;? added Moore. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have gone through ups and downs but have stayed the course and never taken a penny out of the club.â&#x20AC;?

The new Main Stand at Anfield opened in 2016 - taking the stadiumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity above 54,000 - while the Reds signed Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk for ÂŁ75m and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson for ÂŁ67m in 2018.

Moore confirmed Liverpool are spending about ÂŁ16m on a digital strategy aimed at increasing engagement with a supporter base they estimate at 771 million followers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Football is a virtuous cycle,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You drive revenues so you can afford to buy a goalkeeper or a centre-half that will win you games. When you win games, sponsors want to be part of your story, so they write you a cheque. You take that money and buy better players. They win you more

games.â&#x20AC;?

Liverpool boss Klopp will have been in charge for four years in October.

The former Borussia Dortmund manager has taken the Reds from eighth in the Premier League to three straight top-four finishes for the first time in a decade and reached four cup finals.

The 52-year-old German was named menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coach of the year at the Best Fifa Football Awards on Monday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jurgen is one of the more holisitic human beings you will ever meet,â&#x20AC;? said Moore. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is able to keep the ship going straight, motivate not just the players but his staff, the coaching staff, the sports science staff - he keeps everyone on an even keel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His personality is infectious.

His charisma is without question â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even when you have lost he makes you think there is a brighter sunshine ahead.â&#x20AC;?

MultiChoice Launches IAAF World Championship Pop-Up Channel on GOtv GOtv Max subscribers will join in on the 17th edition of the athletics action when the 2019 IAAF World Championships is held at Khalifa International Stadium aka National stadium in Doha, Qatar.

The IAAF World Championship Pop Up Channel will be made available to GOtv Max customers from today, 26th September till Tuesday, 8th October 2019 on channel 37.

A statement from GOtv yesterday said its Max subscribers can get the privilege of watching one of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading athletics nation, Ethiopia, who will be dispatching a squad of 37 to Doha, Qatar. Muktar Edris will be present to defend

and secure his 5000m title, whilst Almaz Ayana will aim to attain her 10,000m title.

The winner of the 3000m steeplechase at the IAAF Diamond League final in Brussels, Getnet Wale, will also feature on the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The pop-up channel will also provide subscribers with access to view world leaders such as Samuel Tefera, Selemon Barega, Telahun Haile, Hagos Gebrhiwet and Letesenbet Gidey. Yomif Kejelcha and Genzebe Dibaba who are world record-holders will also be attending. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The IAAF World Championship Pop Up channel will be available from Thursday, 26th September till Tuesday, 8th October 2019 on GOtv

channel 37. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Subscribers can take advantage of the #GOtvStepUp offer to upgrade or renew on GOtv

Max package by paying a reduced fee of N2,600.

The offer runs till 31st October, 2019,â&#x20AC;? concludes the statement.

IAAF Honours Wophil with Veteran Pin The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Tuesday at the Qatar National Convention Centre conferred on one of the longest serving secretary generals of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Mrs Maria Worphil, the Veteran Pin Award for her outstanding contribution to athletics.

Mrs Wophil was honoured with the prestigious award during the opening ceremony of the 52nd IAAF Congress which precedes the World Championships which starts

on Friday in Doha, Qatar.

Mrs Wophil was honoured for her long and meritorious service to the cause of World Athletics.

Mrs Wophil has now joined the list of very few Nigerian recipients of the award. The list includes two former Nigerian internationals,the late Alhaji Abdulkareem Okhai Amun and veteran coach, Armelia Edet, while former President of AFN, Solomon Ogba was a recipient of the award in 2013.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

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Price: N250

MISSILE Buhari to P&ID Promoters “Organised criminal networks, often acting with impunity across international borders present new challenges where only collective actions can deliver genuine results. The present Nigerian government is facing the challenges of corruption head-on. We are giving notice to international criminal groups by the vigorous prosecution of the P&ID scam attempting to cheat Nigeria of billions of dollars” – President Muhammadu Buhari, addressing the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

The 196,400 Bottles of Beer

T

here is this interesting WhatsApp story of a drunkard who woke up one morning deeply repentant after a bitter fight with his wife the previous night. Intent on ameliorating the situation and turning a new leaf, the man took out the crate of beer he believed was responsible for his character flaw and started smashing the empty bottles. He smashed the first bottle saying, “You are the reason I fight with my wife every day!” He smashed the second bottle, “You are the reason I don’t love my children!” He smashed the third bottle, “You are the reason I don’t have a decent job to take care of my family!”

Apparently determined to exorcise the ghosts of all the demons that had conspired to wreck his home, the man directed his anger against the empty bottles of beer which were smashed one after the other. By the time he got to the tenth bottle, the man was confronted with a new situation that required rational thinking.

The bottle was sealed, full and cold. After a moment of hesitation, the man took his decision: “You will have to stand aside”, he said to the bottle of beer that still had its liquid content intact, “I know you were not involved!”

There are several lessons we can take away from the action of a man who would rather wallow in self-deceit than take responsibility.

We see that in the way our country is being managed at practically all levels by leaders who play to the gallery. But the citizens are also complicit because they are easily manipulated and those who hold the levers of powers understand that point so well. That can be glimpsed from the conversations going on in our country today. Despite the challenges that confront us, the future most Nigerians envisage does not go beyond the next election with all the discussions now about 2023 and which region (and religion) should produce what office. And when 2023 finally arrives, the topic will change to 2027 in an endless cycle of squabbles over inanities. But let me not get ahead of myself.

I was reminded of the drunkard story on Tuesday after reading a news report of how the Kano State Hisbah Board destroyed over 196,400 bottles of beer in its effort to ensure a “sane, peaceful and sharia-compliant society.”

Represented by his deputy at the big ceremony, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said, “In Islam, drinking of alcohol is strongly forbidden, being one of the backbones of committing sins, either big or small, and that has been highlighted at several places in the Holy Qur’an. Our Islamic scholars, religious and community leaders should join hands in the crusade against such social vices because the issue of taking alcohol is forbidden by both Islam and Christianity.”

Before I go to the essence of my intervention, it must be stated that this is the sort of hypocritical decisions that makes many to question the viability of our federal structure.

The issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) proceeds is one of the strongest points being canvassed by proponents of restructuring the country and it is difficult to fault. It is also one of the arguments made by former Vice President and presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar before the last general election. “If

Ganduje a state is opposed to cattle tax or bicycle tax or alcohol tax, or pollution tax, for instance, it should not expect to share in the tax proceeds from those items,” Atiku said in 2017. But this intervention is not about the structure of the country or VAT but rather about the manner religion is being exploited by some political leaders.

In his lecture, ‘Morality and the State: The Nigerian Experience’ at the 21st convocation and investiture ceremony of the Nigeria Academy of Letters early last month, Emeritus Professor, Godwin Sogolo, FNAL, addressed some of these contradictions. He lamented that in Nigeria, the notion of the individual as a citizen, with rights and privileges, in

On the whole, the vice grip of religion on our collective consciousness as promoted by those in political authority is clearly an intentional diversion. Once the majority are fixated on the divine as the ultimate source of blessing or damnation, it relieves earthly leaders of the burden of responsibility and accountability

relation to the state is not one that flows freely in people’s consciousness. “Nor is the state perceived as an agent with obligations to the individual. In most cases, the state is seen as the acquired property of powerful rulers, despite the pretentious romance with democratic institutions. The truth is that there is hardly any sense of obligation to the citizen, unless it becomes necessary as a means of holding on to power,” said Sogolo.

This is where religion comes in as a tool for political mobilization. In Nigeria, 95.5 percent of the respondents to a Gallop Poll conducted a few years ago said that religion was the principal essence of their being. Political leaders in our country know this very well and they exploit it for their selfish ends. When, for instance, in March 2017 there was a renewed outbreak of meningitis in the country with several victims in his state, the then Zamfara Governor Abdulazees Yari blamed it on the sin of fornication. “People have turned away from God and he has promised that ‘if you do anyhow, you see anyhow.’ That is just the cause of this outbreak, as far as I am concerned. There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured. The most important thing is for our people to know that their relationship with God is not smooth. All they need to do is repent and everything will be alright,” he explained.

Yari of course knew that by placing the problem at the doorsteps of God, he could easily shirk his responsibility to the people. But deploying religion for politics is not restricted to the North. In 2017, the then Governor Rochas Okorocha built in the Imo State Government House a multi-billion Naira ‘Basilica’ where he used to preach and ‘anoint’ worshippers.

At about the same time, Governor Nyesom Wike, who proclaimed Rivers as a “Christian State where God lives among his children”, also completed a Christian Ecumenical Centre.

And in January last year, the foundation stone of an 8500-capacity worship centre in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Speaking at the event, Governor Udom Emmanuel asked individuals and corporate bodies to join his government in building the centre that would serve as “an avenue for God to bless the people of the state.”

By imposing a theocratic order that pushes the responsibility for ‘blessing the people of the state’ to God as in Akwa Ibom or criminalises the sale of alcohol in Kano ‘to please God’, these governors are assured of support in a society where majority of the people are ever ready to die for the faith they proclaim, even if it does not reflect in their character and lifestyles. The interesting thing is that the same people who order the destruction of vehicles carrying alcohol in Kano may be sharing such drinks with friends in the privacy of their homes. It is the same with Christian governors who build expensive cathedrals in their government houses, to reinforce the unholy wedlock between the pulpit and the political podium.

As I wrote in my book, ‘Power, Politics and Death’, before every federal executive council session, prayers are always said by both Islamic and Christian adherents to commit deliberations into the hands of God, even when the outcome might have already been

predetermined by the hands of men! This is a practice that is now common to both the public and private sectors in Nigeria. In some of the banks that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have had to take over as a result of the greed of their CEOs in the past, there were daily corporate supplications to God before commencement of business. It didn’t matter that these corporate men and women were also playing ‘kalokalo’ with depositors’ funds.

We should all be worried about the growing importance of religion as a marker of identity and a tool for political exploitation in our country. While religion can indeed help to restore moral order, the experience of Nigeria has shown that it is actually being deployed in promotion of private interest. By invoking religious sentiments, the people are easily triggered to action in support of whatever cause the political leader seems to be pursuing.

In a predominantly illiterate society, nothing can be more appealing than to be seen as ‘one of us’ by the masses.

The story of the drunkard and his bottles of beer with which I opened the page is very instructive. The man could pick and choose which bottle to destroy and which one to keep because it was all part of an elaborate scam to keep on deceiving himself that he was making the right choice. It is in the same way that Ganduje and fellow travellers across the country use religion to create the impression that they are moral and trustworthy, in a bid to hoodwink the people, regardless of their actual public conduct.

Meanwhile, being a moral police created by the instrumentality of the law, I have nothing against Hisbah and its mandate. My issue is with leaders who use religion not to advance public good but rather to attain political ends. To create the “sane, peaceful and sharia-compliant society” that Ganduje envisages for Kano, the one million children who, according to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), go without education or prospect of one, would have to be taken off the streets. The thousands of young people that are hooked on codeine would also have to be weaned of drug and rehabilitated. The challenge of course is that it is difficult to invoke the name of God to mobilise for such causes. The key contradiction of the Nigerian state therefore is that while we operate a secular constitution, the state is run mostly by sectarian pretenders.

On the whole, the vice grip of religion on our collective consciousness as promoted by those in political authority is clearly an intentional diversion. Once majority of the people are fixated on the divine as the ultimate source of blessing or damnation, it relieves earthly leaders of the burden of responsibility and accountability. When pleasing God by punishing sins (for which only the poor are always caught) becomes the raison d’être, wealth and success become blessings from above, not a function of government policies that enable people to attain economic success. When stupendous wealth accrues to leaders and their families, it is also part of the ‘blessings from above’ while those who are rigged out of electoral victory will need to wait for their ‘turn’.

A system built on such fraud cannot for long endure.

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