New Electricity Tariffs Take Effect in July, Minister Insists Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman, has said the federal government will go ahead with the planned increment in electricity tariffs from July. Mamman spoke yesterday
in Abuja at the Investigative Public Hearing on Power Sector Recovery Plan and the Impact on COVID-19 Pandemic, organised by the Senate Committee on Power. He expressed concern that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the
plan for the repositioning of the electricity market towards financial sustainability under the Power Sector Recovery Programme. According to him, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), following the completion of
public consultation on tariff review, initially planned a tariff review in April. Mamman, however, said due to the COVID-19 outbreak and customers' apathy, the proposed tariff review was delayed by three months. "The impact of this means
the subsidy being incurred in maintaining the current tariff level had to be maintained till July 2020 when the proposed tariff review will be implemented. "The challenge we are currently facing in the development and expansion
of our transmission line is budget and release of federal government's commitment in the estimated sum of N32 billion, primarily for Right of Way acquisition and environmental impact Continued on page 34
NEITI: NNPC’s Publication of Audited Accounts Signals More Transparency... Page 5 Wednesday 17 June, 2020 Vol 25. No 9200. Price: N250
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FG Rolls out Guidelines for Reopening of Schools Research shows UK drug reduces COVID-19 deaths Segun James and Martins IďŹ jeh The federal government has rolled out guidelines for the reopening of educational
institutions. All primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the country were shut in March when the federal government unveiled
measures to battle the spread of COVID-19. This is coming as there seems to be a major breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic
Lagos suspends plans to reopen worship centres
as dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available low-dose United Kingdom steroid drug, has shown efficacy for preventing critically-ill COVID-19 patients from dying.
However, barely three days to the planned reopening of worship centres, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended the plans, citing the rising cases
of COVID-19 in the state. The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, rolled out the Continued on page 35
APC IN CRISIS:
Obaseki Resigns, Oshiomhole Suspended, Ajimobi Hospitalised, NWC Divided 14 back suspended chairman, three oppose, three neutral, Giadom claims chairmanship Govs set to move in 18 Edo LG chairmen reaffirm support for gov's re-election bid Omololu Ogunmade, Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) took a new twist yesterday with the Court of Appeal upholding the suspension of Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, as the national chairman of
the ruling party, and the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, renouncing his membership of the party. To stave off a leadership vacuum in the party, its National Working Committee (NWC) convoked an emergency meeting to find a replacement for Oshiomhole. Continued on page 34
Industry Leaders Seek Stimulus Package for Media... Page 9
SEEKING PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT... L-R: Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, and President Muhammadu Buhari, during the presentation of the governor's nomination form for a second term bid to the president, in Abuja... yesterday state house
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NEWS NEITI: NNPC’s Publication of Audited Accounts Signals More Transparency
Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike
Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has described as laudable the decision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to make public its audited accounts for the first time in its history. Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the move was in fulfillment of a pledge by the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, to promote transparency by making public the corporation's audited accounts. "We welcome the eventual fulfillment of this important pledge and obligation. Given NNPC's antecedents and its prominent role in the sector and in the country, the publication of its audited accounts is positive, signalling more openness for the oil and gas sector and for Nigeria. "When combined with the monthly reports that NNPC started publishing in 2016, this development marks a sea change for a national oil company that used to be renowned for opacity.
"We urge NNPC to make this a routine practice and to mainstream transparency into all facets of its operations," it said. NEITI, however, called on the NNPC to go further by publishing its previous audited accounts and in open data formats so that the reports can be more accessible to citizens who are the shareholders of the corporation. “NEITI also urges NNPC to strengthen and sustain its commitment to data mainstreaming and systemic disclosure,� he added. The organisation said it was working closely with the NNPC in that direction through a joint committee on remediation and mainstreaming. “The committee set up by the two organisations was tasked with the responsibilities of examining the status of legacy and other lingering issues about NNPC in NEITI's reports over the years and to recommend workable strategies for resolving the issues. “The committee was also charged to devise action plans on systematic disclosure of information on NNPC’s operations in an open and
accessible format, as well as data mainstreaming, among others. “The work of the NEITI-NNPC joint committee on addressing the remedial issues is already at an advanced stage and the report will be made public very soon,� the organisation stated. It noted that as part of its strategic plan and in line with the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative(EITI), NEITI has embraced proactive and constructive engagements with entities covered under its reports with a view to reducing audit issues, deepening commitment to transparency and encouraging proactive disclosures. "We do not want to be the only entity talking about and practising transparency. There is little use being an island of transparency. Our goal is for all our stakeholders to believe in and model transparency. “And to demonstrate our commitment to this new way of working, we are engaging with all covered entities bilaterally and collectively on outstanding issues and how we can further push the boundaries of openness," NEITI stated. The 43-year-old organisation,
in its 2018 audited statement posted on its website, did not present a consolidated report of its activities as a unit. But it made public the accounts of its listed subsidiaries - 20 in all, including companies floated offshore for the corporation’s international business. While some of the subsidiaries made losses during the period under review, many of them, however, bounced back after years of negative figures, to the path of profitability. For one of the companies, the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), which provides
hydrocarbon exploration services, revenue increased significantly by about N1.3 billion or 7.76 per cent in 2018 from 2017, with total comprehensive income of about N3.2 billion in the same period as a result of actuarial gain. However, actual profit was N154 million compared to 2017 with just over N4 million, for the company that offers upstream sector geophysical and petroleum engineering services in the oil and gas industry. For the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), which executes joint operations and other exploration
and production activities for the NNPC and oversees the federation's interest in the joint operating agreements, in 2017, total revenue stood at N3.2 trillion and increased to N5 trillion in 2018. But it wiped off its loss, which stood at the N1.6 trillion in 2017, and turned in N1 trillion gain in 2018. The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC), in 2018, had an operating loss of N64.5 billion compared to N112 billion in 2017, with total comprehensive loss put at N111.8 billion in 2017 which decreased to N64.3 in 2018.
Buhari Calls for Patience in Tackling Insecurity as Katsina Youths Protest Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Francis Sardauna in Katsina President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday assured Nigerians that the nation’s armed forces have the capacity to deal with the challenges of banditry and terrorism and called for more patience. He spoke just as youths in his home state of Katsina marched on the streets over the wave of banditry in the state that has sacked many from their homes and resulted in hundreds of deaths and destruction of assets. The president who said the military was taking appropriate steps to block loopholes being exploited by criminals to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens, reiterated the approval of a joint military and police operations to comb Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States to rid the areas of bandits. A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said the surveillance would be
improved upon with more night vision aircraft already deployed under “Operation Accord’’ which he said was launched three weeks ago. “Nigeria’s military has displayed its capabilities in the past and will show it again by dealing with the current challenges,� the president said. According to the statement, the president appealed to the people of Katsina State to be patient and support the ongoing military operations in their state, sympathising with those who are bereaved, injured and lost property. Buhari urged the people of Katsina to avoid taking to the streets to protest, saying it could distract the military operations. It also added that the president urged "Katsina indigenes not to give up on the military who over the years have a strong track record of quelling crises once given enough time. “The major forests in North Western Nigeria have been identified as home to the bandits
in the region. The operation will clear all these forests,’’ he added. Earlier yesterday, hundreds of youths in Katsina State had embarked on another peaceful protest, calling for the immediate resignation of the president over deteriorating security challenges bedeviling the North-west region and Katsina State in particular. They said the resignation became imperative in view of his administration's inability to curtail banditry, kidnapping and other heinous activities in the area. The youths, under the aegies of Coalition of Northern Groups, added that the federal government and North-west states governors have failed to tackle bloodletting in the region. The protesters carried placards with various inscription that included: ‘Buhari/Masari resign if you cannot protect us;’ ‘End killings in Katsina and Northwest now;’ ‘Buhari and Masari have betrayed us;’ ‘Bandits will finish our people;’ ‘North-west is bloody,’ among others.
PARTING WAYS WITH APC... Edo State Deputy Governor, Hon. Philip Shaibu, removing the ag of the All Progressives Congress (APC), signalling his resignation from the party, at the Government House, in Benin City... yesterday
Army Court-martial Dismisses General over N260m Theft Seeks disgraceful exit, demotion for ex-GOC Otiki Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The General Court-martial constituted to try a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Major General Hakeem Oladapo Otiki, has found him guilty and recommended his dismissal, with disgrace, from service for stealing N260 million from the military. The court-martial, headed by the Army’s Chief of Policy and Plans, Lt. Gen Lamidi Adeosun, found Otiki guilty of disobedience to service orders, theft of public property, among others. The court-martial pronounced his dismissal from service with disgrace and dishonour, demotion
from the rank of Major General to Brigadier-General and severe reprimand. The sentences are subject to the confirmation of the Army Council. The court-martial ordered that all monies totalling N135.8million, $6,600 recovered by the Special Investigation Bureau be returned to the coffers of the Nigerian Army. Also, another N150 million stolen money, which could not be accounted for should also be returned to the coffers of the Nigerian Army. The former GOC was charged for stealing N100 million and N160 million, respectively belonging to the Nigerian
Army in count one and two and disobedience to standing order under Section 66 of the Armed Forces Act (AFA), on count three, four and five, respectively. The court-martial, which sat in Abuja and began delivering its judgment at 7:55p.m. on Monday night, pronounced the judgment at 23:13 hours. The GCM sentenced the former GOC to dismissal with disgrace and dishonour on count one, dismissal with disgrace on count two, reduction to the rank of brigadier-general with two years seniority, severe reprimand on count four and two years loss of seniority on the rank of major general. In his final submission, the
lead counsel for Otiki, Mr. Israel Olorundare (SAN), pleaded for clemency and urged the General Court-martial to temper justice with mercy. He said Otiki, in all his years in the army, was a loyal and disciplined officer, well-mannered and a good manager of resources, which was attested to by Col. Nuhu Mohammed, Deputy Director, Records in the Office of the Military Secretary, Army, who read his resume. The lawyer also told the court-martial that Otiki was the officer who facilitated and obtained the NNPC licence for the Nigerian Army and assisted in helping to tackle criminality in Lagos area during his time
in charge of Operation Mesa. On the various counts, the SAN said, in count one, the accused senior officer returned N100 million to the authorities, which was stolen by the soldiers detailed to escort the money to Kaduna. On count two, he said it was proved that some of the projects for which N150 million was released to the accused senior officer were either completed or are ongoing and workers are still on site. He urged the court-martial to consider that the accused was sick and also due for retirement this year. Besides, he said, his wife had cancer and his mother died on the
same July 2019 that soldiers taking the money to Kaduna stole it. The counsel also described Otiki as the breadwinner of his family. “A career built for 45 years is coming to an end on a very sad note," he added. After the court pronouncements and sentences, the SAN said the defence would make a representation to the appropriate convening authority to note that Otiki was not the one that stole the money and he was the one who reported the incident. “Aside this, he still sourced for the money and returned it to the authorities. So, there is really need to take another look at the judgment," he added.
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NEWS
Industry Leaders Seek Stimulus Package for Media Obaigbena advocates policy for online media to pay for original content FG hails association's support in battling COVID-19
STRENGTHENING TIES WITH STAKEHOLDERS... Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at a virtual meeting with the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN), in Abuja... yesterday Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) yesterday made a case for a stimulus package for the media to ease the operational difficulties they have been subjected to since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. President of NPAN, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, at a virtual meeting the group had yesterday with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, listed the stimulus the media needed to include a soft loan, tax relief and other fiscal
incentives as well as an increased patronage of the media by the government. Obaigbena, who is also Chairman of THISDAY Newspaper/ARISE NEWS Channel, called on the minister to enact a policy that will ensure that some online platforms pay for the original content they generate from the various media outlets in Nigeria. “In Australia, the government has intervened in ensuring that Facebook, Google and Twitter pay for original content by journalists and media practitioners as a matter of policy,'' he said. He urged the federal
government to do the same for the Nigerian media. Obaigbena assured the minister that the media would continued to sensitise Nigerians on COVID-19 in all platforms, even in the face of drastic reduction in revenue. In his remarks, Mohammed applauded the media for supporting the ongoing fight against the spread of COVID-19 in the country. He also appealed for more support for the federal government's efforts in tackling the pandemic. ''The government is very grateful to the media. You have done a lot to bring our
message (on the pandemic) to Nigerians,'' he said. He cited the result of a recent poll, which showed that 99 per cent of Nigerians are aware of the pandemic, while 95 per cent said they have received information on how to protect themselves, as a testament to the effectiveness of the media in collaborating with the federal government to enlighten the public on the pandemic. The minister, according to a statement from his office, noted that in the absence of any drug or vaccine against the virus, the only way it can be controlled is through non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI), which
includes social distancing, wearing of face mask, avoiding mass gathering and ensuring personal hygiene. According to him, NPI is hinged on getting the necessary information to the public and this could only be done with the support of the media. “You see - the truth of the matter is that as long as there is no vaccine or drug for COVID-19, the only way we can all survive is through the nonpharmaceutical intervention, which is actually anchored on advocacy and public sensitisation and there is no way you can do this without the media in
whatever form, whether it is the print, electronic or the new media. “Yes, we are going to spend more on research and ventilators but we will spend less money on ventilators, less on isolation centres if we invest just a fraction of what we are spending on ventilators in the media,� he stated. The minister added that even though the federal government is confronted with huge economic challenges arising from dwindling revenue, he would consider the requests by the association to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on its members.
IG Begins Interrogation of Suspects over State House Shooting Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The office of the Inspector General of Police yesterday began the formal interrogation of police personnel involved in the sporadic shooting that breached security at the State House, Abuja. The personnel involved in the shooting incident include Aide-de-Camp to the first lady, CSP Usman Shugaba; Escort Commander, DSP Sheriff Kazeem and four riot policemen who were detained last Friday but later released and told to return yesterday. Sources told THISDAY that police detectives assigned by the IG began interrogation of the suspects yesterday. The interrogation would
seek to determine the actual cause of the shooting going by individual accounts and the role played by each personnel during the incident. The sources said an inventory of the firearms available to the personnel would be taken in order to determine possible misuse and misapplication. "We are looking at who ordered the shooting. Was your principal in such danger to warrant such use of firearms? "Did you take into cognisance the implication of such shooting at the Villa? We are starting with these posers and will get to a point where people would be held accountable," a source said. When contacted, the
Force Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Frank Mba, declined comment. THISDAY had reported that a shooting occurred Thursday night when the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; three of her children-- Zahra, Halima, Yusuf-- and some of her security aides, led by Shugaba, stormed the residence of President Muhammadu Buhari's nephew and Personal Assistant, Sabiu Yusuf, within the precinct of the State House. They had insisted that Yusuf, who had just returned from Lagos, the epicentre of COVID-19 in Nigeria, should proceed on self-quarantine for 14 days
to save the president and his family from possible exposure to COVID-19, but the presidential aide rebuffed them. Meanwhile, the police are working with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Human Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to collate and supply data on rape and other sexual offences for input into the National Sexual Offenders Register. Presenting resolutions of a tripartite meeting held by the three agencies in Abuja, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, in the company with NAPTIP Director General, Mrs. Juli Okah-Donli; Executive Secretary of NHRC, Mr. Tony
Ojukwu, and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said between January and May, 717 cases of rape were reported; 799 suspects arrested while 631 of such cases were conclusively investigated. He said 57 persons were prosecuted while 52 of such cases were still under investigation. NAPTIP recorded 400 cases of rape with 50 cases prosecuted, seven convictions secured, including one life imprisonment. "The police, NAPTIP and the NHRC are strengthening the capacity of their investigators to undertake comprehensive investigation, arrest and successful prosecution of the perpetrators as well
as extension of support to victims of SGBV in order to stabilise them psychologically and otherwise," he said. The resolution said the leadership of the three organisations resolved to work with other partners to organise on continuous basis, training and retraining of first responders on cases of SGBV. "The NPF will continue to draw from existing relationship and international collaboration with Interpol with respect to the arrest and persecution of sexual offenders even as the media departments of the three organisations are to develop a broad national approach on public sensitisation and awareness on the dangers of SGBV," Adamu said.
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WEDNESDAY JUNE 17, 2020 •T H I S D AY
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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY JUNE 17, 2020
MIDWEEKPOLITICS
Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY
A N A LY S I S
INEC’s Mixed Bag of Progress, 27 Years After June 12 Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that Nigeria’s frequently vilified electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission has made more positive contributions to the advancement of the electoral process, over the years, than its critics are willing to admit
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ith preparations for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September 19 and October 20, 2020 respectively already in full gear, and going by his current body language, Mahmood Yakubu, Professor of History and first Oxbridge graduate to head the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appears determined to square up to any political party that may attempt to disorganise any of the impending elections. Yakubu left no one in doubt about INEC’s resolve when he spoke on “Democracy and Elections in West Africa,” at a recent virtual meeting organized by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD). He declared matter-of-factly that the Commission would not declare the results if politicians disrupted both elections. The INEC Chairman’s stern warning will not surprise Nigerians who have not yet forgotten what happened in broad daylight during the last Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections. Despite the presence of over 23,000 security personnel, political thugs still managed to invade some polling units in Kogi state, disrupted activities and carted election materials away. Some 345 kilometres away in Bayelsa State where another governorship election was in progress, heavily armed militants also disrupted the process in some areas in spite of the robust security arrangement in place. Some civil society organisations argued then that INEC should not have declared the results despite what they claimed were electoral infractions. But the Commission, in response, said there was no sufficient reason to withhold the results. Its headquarters did not receive strong field reports indicating severe distress from both states to warrant the use of its sledgehammer. The credibility of elections and the electoral system in Nigeria have consistently been a topical matter. From time immemorial, the electoral umpire has always been in the eye of the storm, due to the highly charged, do-or-die nature of politics in Nigeria. Although, Prof Humphrey Nwosu is being praised today for conducting what has been variously described as a free and fair Presidential election on June 12 1993 in which Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola emerged the winner, he was vilified at the time and forced to go underground by the military junta that eventually annulled the election. Fast forward to 1999. From that period to 2019, all the Presidential Elections but one conducted by INEC have been challenged in court. Characteristically, Nigerian politicians do not believe that they can lose an election. When they don’t win, it means the election was rigged. Whereas, Prof Attahiru Jega, like Nwosu, is being commended today for conducting a credible General Election in 2015, the same Jega was pilloried after the 2011 General Election and it was so bad that he could not even visit his hometown for a long time after that election. Some analysts have attributed Jega’s “luck” to the fact that the opposition won in 2015. In that sense, Yakubu was not so “lucky” in 2019. Two opposing sides have since emerged over the results of 2019 General Election. On the one side are those who insist that the elections were free, fair and credible, while the other group consists of those who are also convinced that the Presidential Election was rigged. Interestingly, majority of those in the latter group are supporters and sympathisers of the parties that lost out. In any case, the matter ended up at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) and went up to the Supreme Court where the election was finally validated. However, some questions have continued to
Mahmood
generate interest among Nigerians: Should INEC really be blamed for the failures of the electoral system? Is the law - the 1999 Constitution and the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) to blame? What about the political class and the voters? When INEC, for instance, prepares for an election and security challenges undermine the process on election day, who should be held responsible? An analysis of some actions taken by the Yakubu-led Commission since 2015 offer some insight into its real intentions. A glimpse at the background shows that he was screened on the floor of the Senate in October 2015 just before he assumed office, Senators asked Yakubu several questions, bordering on what his priorities would be, the integrity of the electoral process, diaspora voting, independence of INEC, logistic challenges on election day, voter registration, distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the legality of supplementary elections and many others. Of all the answers and affirmations Yakubu gave on that, one of them stands out. When asked if he would ensure the integrity of the electoral process and protect INEC’s independence, Yakubu responded: “I want to assure distinguished Senators and Nigerians that no election conducted under my watch will be won and lost at INEC headquarters. If you want to win elections, go and canvass for votes of the Nigerian people. Our responsibility is to protect the interest, integrity and sanctity of the decision taken by Nigerians. Never again will elections be won and lost at the INEC
headquarters, at headquarters of the State Electoral Commissions and by the Electoral Officers at the local government areas. This will be a thing of the past.” Has Yakubu kept his promise? From off-season, end-of-tenure to 2019 General Elections Upon his inauguration with five National Commissioners – Solomon Soyebi, Baba Shettima Arfo, Amina Zakari, Mustafa Lecky and Anthonia Okoosi-Simbine – on November 9, 2015, Yakubu soon realized that he had 15,558 constituencies, spread across 119,970 polling units, 8,809 wards, 774 Local Government Areas, 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in which to conduct the 2019 General Election and the FCT Area Council Elections. He also had to conduct several off- season elections along the way, the first set of which were the Kogi and Bayelsa Governorship elections held on 21st November and 5th December 2015 respectively. But Kogi presented a unique challenge, in that the leading contender suddenly died during the process, leading to some confusion because the extant laws never envisaged that type of scenario. But INEC solved it eventually. Between August 15, 2016 when the Katsina Central Constituency bye-election was conducted to November 17, 2018 when the Ekiti/Irepodun/ Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency bye- election was held just before the 2019 General Election, INEC had conducted elections into 195 constituencies at the Federal, State and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council
Should INEC really be blamed for the failures of the electoral system? Is the law - the 1999 Constitution and the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) to blame? What about the political class and the voters? When INEC, for instance, prepares for an election and security challenges undermine the process on election day, who should be held responsible? An analysis of some actions taken by the Yakubu-led Commission since 2015 offer some insight into its real intentions
levels to fill executive and legislative seats. The categories include end-of-tenure elections, those resulting from nullification by judgments of election petition and appeal tribunals, and those occasioned by the deaths of incumbents. Significantly, only two results of the 195 elections were over-turned by the courts. As at today, the Commission is preparing for elections into 11 constituencies comprising Edo and Ondo governorship, National and State Assembly elections involving 62 Local Governments Areas, 687 Registration Areas, 9,149 Polling Units and 6,454,950 registered voters. A total of 62, 697 election staff will be needed for the various exercises. A source at the Commission observed that while this onerous task of conducting multiple elections which had kept the Commission constantly busy all year round in each of the last four years is often overlooked, it is capable of derailing democratic rule if not properly handled. “For a Commission having less than 16,000 staff overall, this can indeed be burdensome,” the source said, adding, “we have lost some our staff in the line of duty arising from these elections.” The seven off season governorship elections held in Kogi, Bayelsa, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states have been also described as a mixed bag. However, Bayelsa and Anambra governorship elections were special. It was in Bayelsa that the Commission introduced the concept of Simultaneous Accreditation and Voting which significantly improved voters’ experience at the polling unit on election day. The concept was introduced following the discovery that the previous method whereby the voters were first accredited, sent home and required to come back and cast their ballots hours later, resulted in the loss of over two million votes during the 2015 General Elections. This figure represented the number of persons that were accredited but never returned to the polling units to vote for various reasons. The Anambra governorship election was also significant because the Form EC60E or People’s Result Sheet, in which results of the election were recorded and pasted at the individual polling unit level was introduced for the first time. This enabled political party agents, election observers and other interested persons to tabulate and calculate the number of votes cast at each polling unit, collate the results and compare with the official results released by the Commission. The Zamfara Quagmire In the last four years, INEC has taken some courageous decisions. When the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to hold its primaries in Zamfara State within the period of August 18 to October 7, 2018 slated for the conduct of party primaries as contained in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 General Election released by INEC on January 9, 2018, the Commission told the APC that it would not be in the position to present candidates for the election. But several interest groups, including the APC went to court to challenge INEC’s decision. Just before the election, the subsisting court judgment at the time ordered INEC to include APC on the ballot for the Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections which the Commission complied with. However, after the elections, a Court of Appeal judgement and later a Supreme Court judgement agreed with INEC that the APC did not conduct valid primaries and declared that the votes cast for the party in all the elections were “wasted”. INEC was then ordered to recognize the runners-up as winners. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com
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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľ, 2020
FEATURES
Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925
COVID-19: Rosula Foundation Donates N50m, Food, to Residents of Edo Community Sunday Ehigiator
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n an effort to alleviate the impact of the social-economic realities of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people of Edo State, Rosula Foundation has donated about N50 million to the state's COVID-19 medical outreach, in addition to various foodstuffs it shared to residents of the state. According to a statement from the nonprofit organisation, the Founder, Princess Rosemary Osula-Atu a k.a Rosula, through the foundation "contributed the money to the Edo state COVID-19 medical outreach. "This is outside the over N500 million she has single-handedly spent through her pet project the Rosula Foundation, on the purchase and distribution of food items such as, Rice, Beans, Semo, Garri, Palm Oil, Vegetable Oil, Noodles, Pasta, Ready Stew, Pap, Dry starch, Grounded Rice, Ground wheat, Powder Beans, Powder Yam, Powder Starch, Powder Plantain, etc. "In the last three weeks, the foundation has been distributing cooked rice and water to over 5000 people on a daily basis. So far aside Edo, we has distributed food items to the less privileged in Delta, Ondo, Lagos, Ogun, Abuja and Benue. "We would continue to emulate this gesture in providing all necessary support for the downtrodden and most vulnerable in our society to the best of our ability. "Only with such good deeds can we constantly build everlasting monuments in the hearts of men when in our ripe age, God willing, we return home in response to the call of nature and mortality�. Prior to the foundation’s activities in the state, the foundation, had stormed the Obele Oniwala and the Shitta communities in Lagos State, were they also distributed cooked food to the residents. The distribution which was coordinated by the General Coordinator, Rosula Foundation, Dupe Godswill, was carried out with
Daily feeding programme by Rosula Foundation strict compliance to the social distance rule as prescribed by the authorities to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. As the activity was flagged off by the Chairman, Obele Odan Community Development Association, Hon. Dapo Sotuminu, who also doubles as the Publicity Secretary of the Surulere Local Government Community Development Committee (CDC), residents orderly
stepped in line to collect their packages. While appreciating the foundation, the beneficiaries unanimous prayed for the foundation and expressed optimism in more of such gestures by other well meaning Nigerians. In his address, Sotuminu said equally appreciated the foundation for their kind gesture. "Only God can replenish you all for this kind gesture. On behalf of the residents
of Obele Odan Community, I say a very big thank you to Rosula Foundation." Also present at the occasion were the Executive committee members of the CDA, namely, Secretary General, Ms. Theresa Anyanwu, Assistant Secretary, Samuel Etumudo, the Auditor, Mr. Kenny Okunbo, Welfare Officer, Mr. Ebere Opara, Financial Secretary, Ms Fausat Teslimi, and two Ex-Officials, Josiah Anyanwu and Mr. Abdul Ajose
COVID-19: Cititrust Supports NGO to Procure PPE for Health Workers
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ititrust Holdings Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting both public and private initiatives in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with the donation of one million naira for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health care workers. The cheque was handed over to a
non-governmental organisation, Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) at the company's corporate headquarters in Lagos, on Tuesday, June 2. HEI, a recipient of Best Supporting NGO Award by Lagos State Health Service Commission, partners the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Ambulance Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and
other relevant agencies to ensure that critically injured accident victims receive prompt life-saving care in public health institutions. Speaking during the occasion, Group Chief Executive of the company, Mr Yemi Adefisan, said Cititrust Group had earlier donated food items to Lagos and Osun state governments, and cash to the CBN COVID-19 account.
Group Chief Executive, Cititrust Group, Mr. Yemi AdeďŹ san (left) and Founder, Health Emergency Initiative, Mr. Paschal Achunine, during the cheque presentation ceremony in Lagos, recently
Adefisan said the current gesture was Cititrust's contribution to an emergency trust fund set up by HEI to provide much needed PPE for frontline health workers in Lagos State. Also speaking at the event, chairman of Cititrust COVID-19 Response Committee, Mr. Kunle Adewole, said the company was proud to work with credible organisations like HEI in ensuring that critical needs of frontline health workers are promptly met. According to him, records show that the organisation has donated PPE to LUTH, LASUTH, FMC Ebute Metta, FRSC and IDH, Yaba, "hence, Cititrust has no doubt that donated funds will be judiciously utilised". He said the company would continue to "explore other areas of critical needs in the COVID-19 response and healthcare sector in general with a view to rendering its corporate support". In his own comments, the Founder/ Executive Director of HEI, Mr Paschal Achunine, thanked the management of Cititrust for its "unrelenting support for the social well-being of Nigerians". He disclosed that other services offered by HEI include assisting indigent patients in public hospitals, particularly children, who could have died of infections like malaria, sepsis, typhoid fever, pneumonia, tetanus, diarrhea, cholera, among others. According to Achunine, over 485 patients have benefited from HEI’s intervention, including 210 children across 27 hospitals in Lagos State. He used the occasion to solicit support of other corporate entities and individuals for the organisation.
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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍľËœ 2020
COMMENT
Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com
ASSESSING LAGOS’FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVES The state government has enhanced investment in food security, writes Justice Erezu
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ith a population in excess of 25 million, Lagos understandably has a peculiar food security challenge. It is in order to tactically address this that the present administration in the state makes food security an integral part of its T.H.E.M.E.S. (acronyms for Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21ST Economy, Entertainment and Tourism and Governance and Security) Developmental Agenda of ‘Making Lagos State a 21st Century Economy’. With most of its people engaged in activities outside the agricultural sector, if nothing radical is done, Lagos might be in danger of being engulfed in food crisis. Consequently, in the last one year, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu Administration has put in place cogent strategies to stimulate food security. Part of the plan is to treat agriculture as a business venture by concentrating on value chains where the state has comparative advantage, and thus develop strategic partnerships that would stimulate investment in the state. This is to deliberately develop an agro-economy that would serve the twin purposes of producing sufficient food for the growing population as well as developing a smooth-running agric sector that would truly transform the state into 21st financial hub. In view of its high demand in most homes, the state government has decided to give a boost to rice production. Equitable and sustainable economic development cannot ignore basic food commodities. There is a high demand for rice. This has culmulated in a huge gap between the supply and demand for rice. In order to redress this, the SanwoOlu administration is on the verge of completing the state-owned Integrated Rice Mill at Imota, in the Ikorodu division of the state. The mill, a 22-hectare facility with a complete set of new mills, consists of two warehouses, 16 silos with a storage capacity of 40 metric tons each, water treatment plant, effluent processing plant, staff quarters, administrative block, car park and firefighting facility, amongst others. The current administration’s plan to accord the Imota Rice Mill a priority attention is, indeed, laudable. Upon completion, it would provide a boost for food security not only in the state, but in the country. The Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS) is another strategy designed to build capacities of actors in the rice, aquaculture and poultry value chains towards large scale production and processing of rice, eggs, poultry and fish. Some 35% of its beneficiaries are women while 10% are People With Disabilities (PWD) and youths. Under the scheme, a total of 1,700 women and youths, with interest in farming and agro processing, have been empowered through the Women and Youth Empowerment Programme of the project. They were trained and empowered with agricultural inputs in rice, poultry and aquaculture value chains. It was flagged-off by Governor Sanwo-Olu in 2019. The whole essence of the initiative is to address healthiness of food items, reduction in post-harvest losses, improving linkages with industry in respect to backward integration as well as access to financial services and markets. All these efforts are targeted towards increasing
THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION’S PLAN TO ACCORD THE IMOTA RICE MILL A PRIORITY ATTENTION IS LAUDABLE. UPON COMPLETION, IT WOULD PROVIDE A BOOST FOR FOOD SECURITY NOT ONLY IN THE STATE, BUT IN THE COUNTRY
the state’s self-sufficiency from less than 20% to over 40% of food needs by 2023. Already the state government had begun the implementation of various projects in the agricultural space that were targeted at revolutionizing food production, meet food production targets and consequently reduce dependence on other states for food supply. The APPEAL programme is not only targeted at farmers who are the direct beneficiaries, but also at service providers, transporters, input manufacturers and suppliers within the system whose services are required for the successful implementation of the project. This project provides the opportunity of channelling needed support to smallholder farmers who are actively engaged in the various value chains and are thus able to create further wealth and job opportunities. The implementation of this project has significantly improved the standard of living of fish farmers, fishermen, marketers and agro-processors in the state, expand food production by 3%, increase revenue to the state government in form of taxes and other levies. This project will also create direct employment opportunities for over 1,000 youths as farmers, processors and marketers across the value chains through farm expansion The Eko-City Farmers’ Market (ECFM) is another initiative being used to boost food security in the state. It is aimed at showcasing what a standard produce market should look like in a 21st century economy. It is to also serve as a hub within the metropolis where farmers could meet with consumers/traders to sell their products under a well-organized structure and a beautiful outlay. The maiden edition of the market was held on Sunday, 23rd February, 2020 at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos. Other food security initiatives of the current administration in the last one year include Lagos Agripreneurship Programme (L.A.P.) which has empowered 15,000 youths and women in the various agricultural value chains, Lagos Seafood Day which projects the aquaculture and seafood potential of the state, Fish Farmers Cage Culture System, Home Grown School Feeding Programme, reform of red meat value chain, maiden international Coconut Summit, production of the state’s five-year agricultural road map (2020-2025), disinfection and decontamination of 26 major live bird markets and construction of a water project at Ikorodu Fish Farm Estate, Odogunyan. Others include appraisal of farm estate and settlements in the state, commissioning of the FADAMA food market at Agbalata, Badagry, quality input supply with development of robust business model for our farmers, development of vegetables value chain in terms of production, transportation, storage, conditioning and handling, deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for agricultural development and food security The Sanwo-Olu led government has, indeed, enhanced investment in food security in the last one year. However, for the dividends of the investment to be enduring, spirited participation of all stakeholders in the sector towards mitigating the challenges of food security in the state is still desirable. Erezu, a farmer, wrote from Badagry, Lagos
FRIENDLY MINNEAPOLIS, BUT WHY?
Victor C. Ariole writes that Minneapolis -where Floyd was killed - is largely a friendly city
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oing by observation of some endemic brutal cities, Minneapolis does not seem to be one. Hence, the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis is quite abnormal. I have been to Minneapolis three times; in between 2005 to 2015. It was a lovely transit visit by air as well as road – respectively by St. Paul International Airport and Greyhound Bus movements. The friendliness of Minneapolis, then, was vivid by the people I plied the Greyhound Bus heading to Minneapolis from Atlanta, through Chicago, Milwaukee, etc., to Minneapolis. However, at St. Paul International Airport, provenance, I was a bit taken aback but it turned out a pleasant surprise. Looking for a taxi to convey me to my destination for a brief visit and then to New York, I found everywhere around the cab station of the airport Africanlooking people. (The world should relearn classifying people as black, brown, white or people of colour like you just don’t call a woman fat or thin in USA). I saw a Somalia-looking guy directing the cab drivers on who to pick and how to go about it. I approached one of them and asked him if the airport is dedicated to Africans alone as I was hesitant in boarding any of the cab. The person I approached calmed me and said that there was nothing to be afraid of; that it was part of America’s wonder ways; that he came to USA with other Somalians in a loaded aeroplane from Somalia, no protocol and landed in Minneapolis, and they have to organise themselves to be cab drivers. Indeed the journey was arranged by Americans.
So, today as I hear Ilhan Omar as the first lady Somalian-American representing Minneapolis, it is no surprise. The surprise only shows up when you see her aligned with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex and The Speaker as great Democrats fighting for the rights of workers in a greatly bourgeois Republican dominated USA. Minneapolis seems to represent the current USA dichotomy of the battle of far left and far right. Unfortunately it has culminated in the show of police brutality as both Omar and Ocasio-Cortex call for the defunding or dismantling of the police in USA. Coincidentally, Minneapolis as the 45th largest City in USA, had become the testing ground for the sustenance of the 45th President of the USA. African-Americans are in it again to make or mar the stake, as the death of George Floyd had heightened electoral uncertainties. Like the current pandemic, Covid – 19 proves the death of African-Americans in USA is endemic. Medical reports from Minneapolis on George Floyd’s death claim it is linked to failing health due to substance use. It turned funny but data have it that 114 people die every day as a result of drug overdose and that 6,500 people are hospitalised every day as a result of substance use in USA. Just like Floyd was said to have relocated to Minneapolis for a fresh beginning, a Caucasian lady I met in the course of my visit also told me that the friendliness of Minneapolis made her to relocate from her Atlanta base to Minneapolis. Around midnight she took me to a place understood to be make-shift sleep corners for both
male and female. And the people I saw there seem mostly people on drug; male or female. The dichotomy, however, was that on the first floor women are seen as the occupants and they are all Caucasians, though very few. But at the ground floor where no fewer than 500 people could be sighted scattered with foams, and I could not even stand the nauseating scene. I managed to stay at the bar stand, near the entrance, the barking and shouting of African – American ladies surprised me. African-American ladies policing their own “stow-away� male counterparts? I tried to interview those who paid attention to me at the bar corner and surprisingly, a Nigerian and a Liberian were among them. To them Minneapolis remained friendly as they could roam the street or undertake undocumented work without fear of law enforcement people, either on fiscal or security grounds, as they were, all running away from their domestic bases to find relative peace in Minneapolis like Floyd did, also, from Houston. Here, again African-American men running away from their homes while Caucasian ladies are the ones running away from their homes. My take is that George Floyd could have been saved if female cops were the ones who handled him just like the female workers barking at the men in the makeshift sleeping arena. Though they wore security dress but I observed that the dress was not like that of Minneapolis cops’ dress. And, what about George Floyd death, to say just $20 offence? Furthermore, Minneapolis still sounds friendly as it is endowed with great schools for the
teens, great hospitals as well as great firing or gun-shooting range, for teens’ training. Still, it is rare to hear sounds of police crime vans’ alarms as you hear it almost in minutes in New York, or out of the 2000 children that go missing every day in USA with Minneapolis’ neighbour, Chicago, picking the highest number. Chicago in Illinois and Minneapolis in Minnesota could be seen as the sampling cities that could decide the fate of Trump; rough and calm respectively. Chicago is where Obama came from to be president, and it is very rough; and it is a neighbour to Minneapolis. Minnesota is the ‘new normal’ Trump expects of USA with more of the Nordic and German migrants there, with about 1/5 of African-Americans like the Somalian workers who depend on the fight the joint AOC-Omar-far left Democrats are waging on their behalf as if barking at Trump like the women were barking at the men to behave well in the sleeping arena. The wonders of USA are like that, as again, suddenly, Trump elevates African-America to the top most position of the Air-Force and it says more of the wonders of USA as if the new normal is “let them bark as long as no one pushes Trump to return to the old domestic home – that is, Obama era. Indeed, it matters to the rest of the world where the push and pull could lead to. Like the British people would want the French to know in their dichotomous relationship; honni soit qui mal y pense. (If you think evil of it, you are to be ashamed at the end). Minneapolis still remains friendly. Ariole is Professor of French and francophone Studies, University of Lagos
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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2020
EDITORIAL NIGERIA AND THE CHILDREN OF WAR Efforts should be renewed to end the abuse of children
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n an assault that has become commonplace, some members of ISWAP, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, last weekend raided Monguno in Borno State and killed many civilians - including an innocent four-year-old girl. It is a grim reminder of the fate of children in conflict zones, coming a few days after the world marked the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression. It is also a reminder that the insurgents that have been declared ‘technically defeated’ are still very much in business. Apparently moved by the horror and aggression against thousands of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children by Israel, the United Nations in 1982 set aside June 4 every year to draw attention to the pain and suffering of children who are victims of emotional, mental and physical abuse. The day also affirms the United Nations’ commitment to protect the rights of children the world over. According to the London-based International Charity, ‘Save the Children’, about 420 million children are living in conflict situations. Of the lot, children in Africa are the worst affected, with 170 million living in war zones. The HUNDREDS OF affected countries THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN often listed are Central ARE DYING EVERY African Republic, the DAY AS A RESULT OF Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, INDIRECT EFFECTS OF Somalia, South Sudan CONFLICT – INCLUDING and Nigeria, which is MALNUTRITION, INADEQUATE HEALTHCARE the head of the pack. That can hardly AND POOR SANITATION be disputed as the country is suffused in armed conflict. From the Northeast which has been home to a protracted insurgency since 2009, to the Northwest which is becoming increasingly laid waste by banditry, to the North central weighed down by farmerherder crisis, children are the greatest victims. This is particularly so because of their vulnerability. Conflict situations have created children who are separated from their families, unprotected, starved, forced out of school,
conscripted and exposed to violence and systematically abused. Hundreds of thousands of children are dying every day as a result of indirect effects of conflict – including malnutrition, disease, inadequate healthcare, and poor sanitation. Indeed, for Boko Haram, sexual violence is openly used as a weapon of war. The 2014 kidnap of the Chibok schoolgirls and many others are poignant examples. Besides the mental and physical torture, exposing children to armed conflict increases their risk of morbidity and mortality.
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T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE
T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA
recent report by Amnesty International acknowledged widespread and unlawful detention and torture by Nigerian security forces of a generation of children and tens of thousands of people in north-east Nigeria. At least 10,000 victims – many of them children – have died in military detention, among the many thousands more arrested during a decade-long conflict. Joanne Mariner, acting director of crisis response at Amnesty International, called on the authorities to investigate the “appalling” treatment of victims. “From mass, unlawful detention in inhumane conditions, to meting out beatings and torture and allowing sexual abuse by adult inmates – it defies belief that children anywhere would be so grievously harmed by the very authorities charged with their protection,” she said. Last week, the minister of women’s affairs Pauline Tallen said the federal government has put in place strategies, including advocacy campaigns, to mitigate the hardship faced by children who are victims of aggression, especially in conflict zones. In addition, she said the Child Rights Act, yet to be domesticated in some states, and other international and regional treaties would be enforced in order to protect the Nigerian child. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in its blueprint intended to be achieved in 2030, provides a universal plan to secure a better future for children. The 16th goal is dedicated to peace, justice and strong institutions. Target two aims to “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.” It is goal which all should strive to attain.
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ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: A Threat To Health
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orld Environment Day (WED) is observed on June 5 every year, and is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment. In Nigeria, a recent environmental problem that has been a cause for concern is that of so many dead fishes littering the Atlantic coastline of Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States. According to investigation, the deaths were caused by the discharge of toxic waste into the ocean. However, news from Bonny Island in Rivers State reveal that mysterious deaths have occurred in that area of recent. Whether these deaths are as a result of consumption of the dead fish or not is yet to be ascertained. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has ruled out Covid-19 as the source of deaths. The Bonny Development Forum (BDF) said the symptoms were gas-related. Environmental Pollution is one of the most significant challenges that the world is facing today. It is the act of contaminating or polluting (either intentionally or accidentally) the natural environment with harmful substances, as a consequence of human activities. There are various types of pollution which affect our lives on a daily basis. The major types include: air pollution, water pollution, and land (soil) pollution. Others include: noise pollution, light pollution, plastic pollution, radioactive/nuclear pollution, thermal pollution, and marine/ ocean pollution. Apart from this issue of dead fishes littering the coastline, other contributors to the issue of water pollution in Nigeria
include the increased use of non-degradable material and especially the use and improper disposal of plastic. Plastic materials such as carry bags, plastic straw, bottles, etc., are choking our drains and harming marine and aquatic life. Human activities are the main source of water pollution. The most polluting type include discharging of industrial waste into water bodies such as lakes and rivers. The harmful chemicals and toxic waste, without being treated, are directly discharged into water bodies. Another source of water pollution is the mixing of untreated sewage with rivers. Polluted and contaminated water from houses is not treated and rather made to enter the water bodies. Yet another example of water pollution is the mixing up of high temperature (hot) water discharge into water bodies at normal temperature. The sudden change and rise in temperature also has a negative impact on aquatic life. Acid rain is also regarded as one of the causes of water pollution. Air pollution is another major type of environmental pollution. It is the pollution of air by smoke and dangerous gases, chiefly oxides of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen. Out of the various types of pollution, air pollution is the major contributor to global warming. Soil pollution - industrial activity, agricultural activities, waste disposal, accidental oil spills, acid rain, etc., are the main reasons for soil pollution. Noise pollution is disturbing or extreme noise that can harm the activity or balance of human as well as animal life. In view of all the foregoing, what can we do about environmental pollution? Daniel Ighakpe, FESTAC Town, Lagos
You Can’t Rule The World
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or about 40 years now the West allowed China to dominate a world market niche as the centre of supply-chain for goods destined especially for developing countries where the population is bludgeoning and the people strive for improved consumer-taste in an increasingly modern world. This arrangement was needed to enable China get its teeming mass of humanity out of poverty with the hope that a knock-on domino effect could help other obstinate pro-exSoviet, “revolutionistas” countries get their act right and begin to embrace market economy. That hope did not quite pan out as expected even though China got hundreds of millions of folks out of poverty. But the Chinks are a prickly, irritating people who still think their fabled dynastic past entitles them at the present to world domination. Whilst the Chinese can sway and con most wretched and lazy countries into thinking that China is the pre-eminent developed country of the world, reality check by enlightened people shows
that this is not so. But the Chinks still want to dominate and they’d sorely love to do so. Thus, they copy-cat the West (America, especially), doing this and doing that, but what they got real wrong was “playing” with a highly virulent medium in a third-rate, minimal-security, low-containment lab at Wuhan. To what end, who knows? Methinks they just want to build an “institute of virology,” anything of the sort that gives class and “scientific sophistication.” Now, see what the Chinks’ foolish enterprise got us into: a totally changing world where established norms and order are being turned upside down. By not being truthful as from where the COVID-19 originated and not then initiating multinational co-operation in containing the spread of this novel corona virus, the Chinks have demonstrated that they are incapable of leading mankind and the world into a greater plane of prosperity. Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State
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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľËœ 2020
BUSINESSWORLD
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Quick Takes Institute of Infrastructure, PPPs Debuts
SUPPORTING THE NEEDY
L-R: Secretary, Nigerian Red Cross Society (Lagos Branch), Mr. Olakunle Lasisi; Chairman, Mrs. Adebola Kolawole; Assistant Manager, Legal, Chi Limited, Oyinkansola Olude; and Matron, Nigerian Red Cross Society (Lagos Branch), Mrs. Caroline Olalu, during CHI Limited’s donation of cartons of Hollandia Evap MilktotheRedCrossSociety(LagosBranch)aspartofthecompany’ssupporttowardsCOVID-19reliefeffortsinLagos‌recently
Despite Fiscal Strain, FG Insists on Establishing National Carrier Obinna Chima The federal government has disclosed plan to go ahead with the setting of proposed national carrier for the aviation industry despite the macroeconomic challenges facing the country. In fact, the government, through its Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), said it would fast-track the establishment of the national carrier. The government disclosed this in its Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan that was submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari recently, by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led ESC. In the 76-page report obtained by THISDAY, the committee noted that the aviation industry has been hard hit by the pandemic as over 90 per cent of its activities and operations have been adversely affected. This, it stated had resulted in losses that are valued at N21 billion on a monthly basis. The ESC therefore emphasised the need to ensure the recovery of the sector by providing financial support where necessary to ensure that the sector not just survives, but also sustains air
ECONOMY connectivity to keep passenger traffic as well as supply lines for essential and cargo flights open. “It is also proposed to fast track the establishment of a private sector driven national carrier to generate revenue and contribute to GDP, while creating activity in the wider economy for suppliers, importers, exporters and manufacturers,� the committee added. It stressed that its objective for intervening in the sector would be to save existing aviation industry organisations and jobs, through a targeted stimulus package; extend grant support including payroll support to the aviation industry including airlines, handlers, caterers and related services, the provision of single digit soft loans, with long term repayment plan; defer payment of taxes and filing dates and ensure the removal of Value Added Tax from airline tickets as approved by the Federal Executive Council, among others. Others are the provision of airport rent fees to airport operators for the duration of the lockdown plus one month.
The estimated cost for its intervention in the sector was put at N27 billion and a timeline of 12 months stated Also, the government disclosed that its immediate focus in the education sector would be to address the disruptions caused by the pandemic and ensuing social distancing measures at all levels of education. It explained that practical steps would be taken to minimise disruption to learning, utilising technology as appropriate. Specifically, virtual learning would be implemented (either online or through broadcast), virtual convocation ceremonies or issuance of certificates (with postponed ceremonies) should be implemented to continue educational progression, it added. “Going forward, steps will also be taken to address three key issues in the educational sector - The incidence of Out of School Children(OOSC), the national shortage of basic education teachers and the urgent need to develop proficiency in STEM/ TVET and digital literacy on a national level. “The project will be delivered over 36 months to accommodate
the longer lead times in the education sector while addressing the incidence of OOSC. “It is expected that with the structures that are established by this project, a major post-project benefit will be the eradication of the incidence of OOSC within five years. The project will generate accurate and verifiable education data necessary for planning and decision-making and will involve extensive stakeholder engagement at state and local government levels as well as private sector engagement to understand needs as well as sensitise local populations on skills development and entrepreneurship. “The project will create employment opportunities for qualified graduates and will develop the required proficiency of the teaching professionals in those critical subjects that underpin productivity, efficiency and innovation in a modern economy,� it explained. In essence, the policy makers stressed the need for the country to prevent or limit recession, and avert the accompanying prospects of business failures, job losses, and increased poverty.
SMEDAN Extends Moratorium on Intervention Funds James Emejo in Abuja Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has granted a oneyear moratorium to beneficiaries of the One Local Government One Product (OLOP) intervention fund. Director General of the agency, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda said the extension takes effect from April 2020. In a statement, he said SMEDAN was conscious of the
ECONOMY fact that the MSMEs remained critical to the sustenance of the economy. He said after studying the current trends regarding the global COVID-19 pandemic as it affected the country, the management resolved to further extend the moratorium on the loans. He therefore, urged the participating Micro Finance
Banks MFBS to take note for compliance. Radda however, appealed to MSMEs in the country to avail themselves of the CBNN50 billion COVID-19 fund for households and SMEs, stressing that the apex bank had waived some requirements for obtaining the loan. He added that this is the right time for MSMEs to capitalise on the waiver and access the loan. SMEDAN had in June 2019 commenced the disbursement
of about N500 million to beneficiaries of the OLOP project involving Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in 109 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the country. The initiative seeks to empower SMEs to harness the full potential of any product which they have competitive and comparative advantages over others in any particular LGA. Beneficiaries who came under cooperative societies were able to access between N3 million
TheNigeriaInstituteofInfrastructureandPublicPrivatePartnership (NII3P) has announced the commencement of operations. Theinstitution,whichisthebrainchildoftheInfrastructureConcession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) is in line with the commission’s mandate which includes the development of PPP as a preferred public procurement route in the face of dwindling revenue available to government. DirectorGeneral, ICRC,Mr.ChidiIzuwahsaidthecommission intends to leverage the NII3P as a vehicle to advance eorts at closing Nigeria’s infrastructure deďŹ cit. He said that the commission had been involved in several PPP capacity building programmes with the aim of developing the required competence, knowledge and skills for public and private practitioners to structure and implement viable and sustainable PPPs among other activities to develop manpower. However, he noted that as a result of several internal and external recommendations with respect to PPP capacity gaps, it became necessary for the commission to establish a dedicated arm with a focus on PPP capacity building manned by ICRC sta and requiring little additional spending in the face of dwindling resources and mounting needs. He added that all required statutory approvals for NII3P were completed in 2019. Headdedthattheinstitutewillcommenceasavirtualonlinelearning campusandintimebecomephysicalasresourcesbecomeavailable. In a statement issued by acting Head, Media and Publicity
Techvibes Unveils Brand Ambassadors
Techvibes International Limited has unveiled David Wilson and Presh Talker (PreshDavid) as its brand ambassadors. The pair were ‘Love Guests’ in the recently concluded reality TV show, ultimate Love organised by Multichoice. ManagingDirector/ChiefExecutive,Techvibes,Mr.MichaelOglegba, during the unveiling of the brand promoters, expressed conďŹ dence that they will add great value in consolidating the milestones that the company has recorded over the years. Essentially, the deal would see them promote brands including the recently launched www.comfundme.com, which is a digital platform thatallowsindividuals,communitiesandorganisationscometogether to raise money for causes and events. The innovative product also has modules for group contribution popularly called Adashe or Esusu or Ajo as well and as another to administergroupslikechurches,Alumniandcommunityassociations. However, Oglegba, stated that the company had developed the product to bring transparency to online fund raising activities, group contributions and thrift amongst associates. He said: “Remember someone collecting his ‘contribution’ early and disappearing? Or how hard it was to raise money for a sick friend or for a wedding or ‘asoebi’? Do you and your old classmates donate funds but are unsure how much and how it’s managed?â€?
AXA Mansard Supports e-Learning
AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has supported the ongoing online education programmed in dierent parts of the country through donation of laptops. The programme was part of support towards the celebration of this year’s Children Day. AXA Mansard Chief Marketing oďŹƒcer, Mrs Jumoke,Odunlami, said many children participated in the programme by posting pictures of themselves with a caption that best described them on their Instagram and Facebook pages using the hashtags: AXAKidsRock AXAMansard. Odunlami,said“Webelievechildrenarethekeystothe better Nigeria that we all dream about and thus we are committed to helping prepare them to achieve their hopes and aspirations.â€? Theeventwasconcludedwitha6-year-oldgirl,KhairaBashirwinning thegrandprize.Therewerealsoconsolationprizesfortherunners-up and the ďŹ rst 30 entries. Odunlami, said the company was aware that many parents have turned to the comfort of online learning to engage their kids during theseunprecedentedtimes,ensuringtheirlearningjourneyscontinue.
“The Nigerian oil and gas sector was better prepared than most industries across the globe We saw the challenges coming�
GMD, NNPC,
Mr. Mele Kyari
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Heading Off Recession Fears Obinna Chima writes on measures by the Central Bank of Nigeria to help the country avert a looming economic recession “If we ease the lockdown as quickly as possible, get the businesses back as quickly as possible, those, who may have suffered total disruptions in their business, we would make funds available to them, in the health sector, the SMEs, in the manufacturing sector, if we are able to make funds available to them as quickly as possible and at concessionary rates and also give those who have existing loans in the banking sector an opportunity to restructure their loans, push forward their repayments, then it would be easy for us to get businesses back alive so as to increase production and save the country from recession.� The above were the words of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, while responding to questions from journalists at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting. Clearly, the global economy is faced with the unfortunate drop in the price of crude oil and the COVID-19 pandemic. The unfortunate situation has also led to a health crisis of unprecedented proportion as well as economic crisis as never seen before, even worse than the Great Depression of 1929. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, as well as other notable institutions have predicted that the global economy would slip into recession. The United States, Europe, developed economies, developing economies and frontier markets, are all affected by the pandemic, to the extent that in some economies, such as the United States, first quarter growth was negative by almost 4.9 per cent even as China suffered massive drop from double-digit growth to very low single-digit growth. Nigeria is not exempted even though its first quarter growth surprising came down from 2.5 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2019, to 1.87 per cent in the first quarter of 2020. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) had modelled macro scenarios which showed that economic growth could contract as much 4.40 per cent to 8.91 per cent depending on the severity of the outbreak of the pandemic and the quantum of stimulus deployed by government. In an optimistic scenario, with an average price of $30 per barrel of crude oil in 2020 and a stimulus of up to N3.6 trillion, growth would still contract by 0.42 per cent in 2020, possibly rising to 3.03 per cent in 2021 and 5.17 per cent by 2025, the statistics body was quoted to have estimated in the Economic Sustainability Plan released recently. However, a lower stimulus of N2.3 trillion or 1.5 per cent of GDP at the same oil price of $30 per barrel would result in a fall in output of -0.59 per cent in 2020 and a resumption of growth to 2.54 per cent in 2021, it added. A more cautious scenario of $20 per barrel with N3.6 trillion stimulus would result in negative growth of 2.42 per cent in 2020 recovering to 1.19 per cent in 2021 and 3.32 per cent in 2025. At the same price level, a N2.3 trillion stimulus would result in an annual negative growth rate of 2.82 per cent in 2020 and 0.95 per cent in 2021. But the government projected that in the pessimistic scenario, if oil prices level out at $15 per barrel in 2020 due to a prolonged global recession or continued oil glut, then even with the stimulus of N3.6 trillion, the economy would decline by 3.01 per cent in 2020 and only rise by 0.45 per cent in 2021. “For the country to prevent or limit recession, and avert the accompanying prospects of business failures, job losses, and increased poverty. “The generally accepted approach today is to deploy a stimulus package, an increase in government spending, tax discounts, loan repayment deferments or re-structuring, all with a view to increasing aggregate demand by beefing up investments and consumer spending,� the Committee estimated in the plan. Also, Emefiele believes that as policymakers country take actions and move fast out of the situation, get businesses back again, get the health sector back again, get our farmers to get back to the farm to conduct their planting and farming activities, it would be able to avert a recession. According to Emefiele, the central bank had as at May this year, disbursed a total of N107.45 billion out of its numerous intervention funds that were put in place to cushion the impact
EmeďŹ ele of the Covid-19 on households and businesses. He emphasised the need for the federal government to gradually work towards reopening of the economy in line with the recommendation of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and advice received from medical experts. He added that efforts must be directed at saving not only lives but also livelihoods. To the CBN governor, the financial wellbeing of the citizens is vital in stimulating economic activities. According to him, reopening the economy would enable the resumption of economic activities necessary to stimulate growth, hasten the pace of recovery and restore livelihoods, particularly to the vulnerable. He based his optimism in the measures so far implemented to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the economy as well as recent improvement in crude oil prices and reduced pressure on the government’s reserves. Emefiele’s view was supported by experts at McKinsey & Company, a global management consultancy services company, which advised Nigeria and other African countries to find, “smart approaches to reopen economies in a calibrated way that brings key industries back into operation, while ensuring safe ways of working.â€? The firm stressed that the COVID-19 crisis would likely persist for some time. Therefore, it advised that policy makers in Nigeria and other countries in the region must adopt measures to reopen their economies in order to save livelihoods while saving lives. “A prolonged global slowdown, combined with continued lockdowns in Africa could plunge the continent into its first economic recession in 25
The generally accepted approach today is to deploy a stimulus package, an increase in government spending, tax discounts, loan repayment deferments or re-structuring, all with a view to increasing aggregate demand by beeďŹ ng up investments and consumer spending
years while threatening the jobs or incomes of 150 million Africans, one-third of the entire workforce is at serious risk of resurgence in infections. Monetary Policy Intervention Since the outbreak of the virus in the country, the CBN has adopted an expansionary monetary policy stance in order to save jobs and livelihoods. The first step was for the bank to unveil palliative measures to cushion impact of the virus on economy. These measures included the extension of moratorium on all CBN intervention facilities; interest rate reduction; creation of a of N50 Billion Targeted Credit Facility through the NIRSAL Microfinance Bank for households and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); Credit Support for Healthcare Industry; regulatory forbearance; as well as the strengthening of its loan-to-deposit ratio policy. The scheme, which is financed from the CBN’s N220 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF), earmarked a maximum facility of up to N25 million for MSMEs while households can access up to N3 million based on the activity, cashflow and industry/ segment size of a beneficiary. In addition, the CBN also announced that the N100 billion credit support facility would be funded from the Real Sector Support Facility – Differentiated Cash Reserves Requirement (RSSF-DCCR). It listed eligible participants under the scheme to include healthcare product manufacturers, including pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment; healthcare service providers/medical facilities – hospitals/clinics, diagnostic centres, laboratories, fitness and wellness centres, rehabilitation centres, dialysis centres, blood banks, etc. Some of the eligible activities to be covered under the scheme include manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment; establishment, expansion and upgrade of basic and specialised healthcare facilities; for medical and pharmaceutical suppliers. Also, the CBN released guidelines for its Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme (HSRDIS) and fixed the maximum limit eligible for development/ manufacturing activities at N500 million. Under the initiative, maximum grant limit for research was pegged at N50 million. It is to finance research and development (R&D) in new and improved drugs, vaccines and diagnostics of infectious diseases in the country. The scheme is to be funded from the CBN’s developmental component of its N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund (MSMEDF) and disbursement shall be made to beneficiaries in tranches subject to
approved milestones achieved. The Bank stated that the HSRDIS was designed to trigger intense national R&D activities to develop a Nigerian vaccine as well as drugs and herbal medicines against the spread of COVID-19 and any other communicable or non-communicable diseases through the provision of grants to biotechnological and pharmaceutical companies, institutions, researchers, and research institutes for the research and development of drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The central bank listed activities eligible for consideration under the scheme to include: Research and development of candidate drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines validated by relevant health authorities for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases; manufacturing of drugs, herbal medicines and vaccines validated by relevant health authorities for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases; red biotechnological R&D in new health technology for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases; research partnership between academia and industry into the development drugs and vaccines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases; and research and development into validated phytomedicines for the control, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Furthermore, the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 100 basis points, from 13.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent. The cut, which came 14 months after the MPR was last adjusted, signalled the committee’s resolve to pursue an accommodative monetary policy stance that will inject liquidity into the Nigerian economy despite the persisting currency and inflationary pressures. It was also expected to translate to a reduction in the cost of credit and positively impact productivity. Reimaging Nigeria, Others’ Economy McKinsey & Company presented nine big ideas to reimaging African society, business and government. It listed the suggestions to include the acceleration of Africa’s digital transformation, placing a renewed focus on serving the needs of vulnerable urban populations, and transforming African healthcare systems with a focus on resilience and equity. “African business can be reimagined by driving sector competitiveness through innovation and consolidation, reshaping Africa’s manufacturing sector with a bold focus on supply chain self-reliance and catalysing the formalisation of African economies,� it added. The report also laid out a three-step plan for the safe reopening of economies, based on an analysis of reopening strategies globally and in Africa, starting with defining a tiered set of local response measures, followed by steps to triage certain regions or sub-regions and then to continuously monitor progress. It stated that the first step should be to define a tiered set of local response measures, from the least restrictive to the most restrictive, to be applied to regions across the country. Each tier would include measures to protect both the general population and high-risk populations (the elderly and people who are immuno-compromised) and would also specify which sectors can open and operate, it added. Depending on a country’s geographic diversity, a number of tiers can be established. “The second step is to “triage� regions or subregions across the country to determine which tier each of these geographic areas would fall into. The triage process would be dynamic and would incorporate new data as they emerge. “The third and ongoing step is to monitor progress continuously. Once regions are triaged and measures are implemented, continuous assessments will be required to ensure that these measures are being adhered to.� According to Mckinsey, even as governments and businesses respond to the immediate crisis and execute reopening strategies, leadership and foresight would also be required to shape the path to the ‘next normal,’ adding that the COVID-19 crisis provides impetus to reimagine fundamental aspects of African societies, businesses, and government.
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BUA Cement Consolidates Pandemic Has Stalled Real Profit Growth Estate Transactions, Says Ibaru The prospects are bright for shareholders of BUA Cement Plc as the company recorded a growth of 26 per cent in profit after tax for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, writes Goddy Egene
Abdulsamad-Rabiu
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hareholders of BUA Cement Plc are savouring their investment in the company right now. Having recommended a dividend of N1.75 per share for the 2019 ďŹ nancial year, the company is heading towards delivering higher returns at the end of the current ďŹ nancial year, going by the ďŹ rst quarter performance ended March 31, 2020. Despite the challenging operating environment, BUA Cement Plc posted increased revenue, which rose by 25.1 per cent to N53.969 billion in Q1 of 2020, compared with N43.134 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2019. Profit before tax (PBT) rose by 15.7 per cent from N17.394 billion to N20.129 billion, while profit after tax (PAT) increased 26.2 per cent from N15.682 billion to N19.789 billion in 2020. According to the Managing Director/CEO of BUA Cement Plc, Yusuf Binji said the performance in the Q1 financial results amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was yet another landmark of the company since its listing on the Nigeria Stock Exchange. He said the performance was buoyed by an increase in production capacity from five million metric tonnes at the end of Q1’2019 to eight million metric tonnes currently, its strong product differentiation strategy which translates to an increasing appreciation of BUA Cement product offering and a growing distribution network across existing and new markets. “The turn of the year witnessed the achievement of yet another milestone, with the completion of listing requirements of the NSE, emerging the third-most capitalised company on the exchange; with a market capitalisation of N1.2 trillion and the de-listing of the shares of Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc. Subsequently, BUA Cement was included as a constituent of the MSCI frontier market index in February.â€? He said in response to the global pandemic, BUA Cement implemented its, “COVID business continuity programme and built into its corporate governance framework. “This minimises disruptions along the value chain, prioritises the safety of workers and customers and assesses probable scenarios a prolonged lockdown would have on the business,â€? he said. “Clearly, our strong-showing epitomises the effect of further growth in output but most importantly, a growing appreciation of the value and service offering we continue to afford customers in the market place: with sales revenue increasing by 25.1 per cent to N54 billion. “We continue to anticipate changes to customer and market behaviour, aimed at further strengthening our value model, even as we continue our push into ‘new markets. As the COVID-19 virus makes landfall, we believe the current measures in place, should help minimise plausible downside risks; nevertheless, poised to take advantage of an upturn
in market activities,� Binji added. The impressive performance the BUA Cement is recording post-merger was expected going by the words of the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu. Rabiu had said the decision to merge was primarily motivated by the to ensure that the company is well positioned to grow and expand in the Nigerian cement industry. “The merger with Obu Cement will create an entity with increased production capacity. We are of the opinion that the proposed merger will create a platform where significant synergies can be obtained for the benefit of our shareholders, employees, customers, distributors, suppliers and the broader economy,� he said. Rabiu explained that the merger will increase the production capacity of the enlarged company to 8.0 million mtpa. “It is anticipated that in addition to meeting the demand from customers in our core regions in the country, the enlarged company would be positioned to distribute its products in new geographical markets, creating the potential for additional shareholder value creation,� he said. Rabiu noted that the merger would provide opportunities for significant cost savings and improved operational efficiencies by streamlining operations and optimising the use of combined resources. On economies of scale, Rabiu said: “The merger will provide a platform where the enlarged company benefits from economies of scale in procurement, distribution and manufacturing of the products offered to our customers. We expect the benefits accruing from greater economies of scale to accrue to many stakeholders.� According to him, CCNN shareholders will become shareholders of a larger and highly profitable entity, stressing that synergies created as a result of the merger would create additional value for shareholders. “Besides, the enlarged company will create a platform for further investment that will have a positive impact on the communities where the operations of the companies are present as well as for the economy as a whole,� the foremost industrialist declared. He said this consolidation would mark the culmination of the first phase of the BUA midterm strategic plan for its cement businesses, which currently include four cement plants spread across Obu Cement Company and the CCNN. “We intend to continue creating value for the benefit of shareholders of the consolidated company by maintaining their focus on outperforming the Nigerian cement industry across key indices through a laser-like commitment to excellent products and service delivery, operational efficiency as well as maintaining leadership position in their home markets,� Rabiu said.
Peter Uzoho The Chief Operating Officer of Northcourt, a real estate investment solution company, Mr. Ayo Ibaru, has disclosed that the outbreak of the coronavirus is delaying a lot of real estate transactions. Ibaru, said this during an online interview with Businessday. According to him, residential real estate remains the core of real estate transacting in Nigeria even though several transactions are presently stalled. He said land transactions remains the most resilient. Speaking furthermore, he noted that healthcare investment has been brought to the forefront of investment in Nigeria’s real estate market with pharmaceutical and redevelopments leading the way. Hospitality is the hardest hit as business travel and meetings have been cancelled, he said, adding that hotel chains are having to remodel their businesses. In addition, he disclosed
that retail real estate operators are having to reduce their overheads to manage outflows as significantly reduced footfall has led to reduced income per store. “Covid-19 has stressed the need for technologies, specialisation and partnerships within the real estate market. Logistics and mid-sized warehousing is in higher demand due to increased demand for delivery service. “The office market is yet to get back on its feet from the 2018 recession and coworking will have to readjust its operations to succeed. Many homes will continue to double as offices. “The market for the forseeable future will emphasise strong advisory capabilities,� Ibaru added. According to him, initially, when the pandemic started, everyone went into panic and different people were saying different things about the real estate market. “But as we have spent weeks under the Covid-19 circumstances, we are beginning to see market corrections, which
we had seen even coming in from the last recession. And again, we now see that some opportunities are opening up. “But investors are now a bit more cautious. Business travel is down to zero and 98 per cent of events have been cancelled and zoom and other tools have shown themselves as the viable alternative. “So, I think the hospitality industry have been badly hit even though a few of them are beginning to evolve new business models. And I suspect that without a strong bailout for the aviation sector, down to hospitality, the sectors would struggle to find it feet. “So, without some form of strong government involvement, it would be difficult for business travels to get back on its feet. Again, there is retail. The problem with retail is that because the economy has been badly hit, people now do essential spending. Everyone is very careful around what they spend money on,� he added.
AXA Mansard Posts N43.62bn Premium in 2019 Ebere Nwoji AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has announced a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of N43.62 billion for its financial year ended December 31, 2019. This showed a 29 per cent growth from N33. 92 billion recorded in 2018. The company’s Net Premium Income also grew by 33per cent to N26.29 billion from N19.70billion within the period under review. While Profit before Tax recorded a 16 per cent increase to N3.93 billion in 2019, compared with N3.38 billion in 2018, the company’s profit after tax moved up by 17 per cent to N2.91billion in 2019, as against N2.48 billion recorded as at December 2018. The statement, in addition, showed a 25 per cent growth in total assets from N73.77 billion
to N92.28 billion within the same period, while the group’s shareholders’ funds increased to N25.26 billion from N20. 93 billion. This represented a 21 per cent growth. However, the insurer’s shareholders’ funds hit N23.08 billion, which was a 38 per cent from N16.77 billion as at December 2018 AXA Mansard paid total claims of N17.884 billion in 2019 from N12. 130billion paid out in 2018. Commenting on the performance, Chief Executive officer AXA Mansard Insurance, Mr. Kunle Ahmed, said “Our focus on identifying new growth areas in our markets, strengthening our partnerships and refining our distribution strategy continues to pay off as we grew revenues by 29per cent despite the challenging operating environment. He said the 44 per cent
growth in net claims is also a testament of the company’s capability to pay all valid claims promptly. “AXA Mansard Insurance remains an outstanding Insurer with strong financial strength and excellent underwriting capabilities. The organisation has demonstrated this over the years through its superior financial and technical competencies,� Ahmed said. Also commenting on the results, the Chief Financial Officer of the company, Mrs. Ngozi Ola-Israel, said “We achieved strong double-digit growth in GWP (29%) with growth experienced across key lines of business. In addition, our focus on cost optimisation and efficiency ensured a six per cent dip in OPEX. Overall, Profit after tax grew 17pr cent while net assets also grew by 21per cent.
FBNInsurance Records N37.63bn Premium in 2019 FBNInsurance Limited recently presented its 2019 audited annual report to its shareholders during a virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos. At the e meeting, Managing Director of the company, Mr. Val Ojumah, announced that the company recorded a gross written premium of N37.63 billion. He also informed the board and shareholders of the company that during the year under review, the company, recorded sustained growth and sterling performance in all business segments. Ojumah, noted that the company closed the year with positive results and also made prompt claims payment to customers. “Our Gross Premium
Written (GPW) rose to N37.63 billion, an increment of 45 per cent compared to the N25.98 billion achieved in 2018; while profit before tax (PBT) appreciated by 28 percent from N6.13 billion in 2018 to N7.82 billion in 2019,� he said. He attributed the performance to the company’s sustained growth and continuous penetration into the retail segment of the industry. “In the same vein, as a responsive and reliable insurer that keeps its promises, we promptly paid claims to our clients to the tune of N9.90 billion which is a 130 increase from N4.31 billion paid in 2018. “One of our primary objectives is to help people, businesses and communities get back on their feet when the
unexpected happens. Therefore, it has been – and continues to be our commitment to transact business in a sustainable manner that ensures that we are there for our customers today and long into the future. It is this disposition that is once again responsible for our accomplishments in 2019 which represents our best year so far in the history of FBNInsurance,� he added. The Chairperson of the company’s board, Mrs. Adenrele Kehinde, said in demonstration of its commitment to its shareholders, the company, the company had announced a dividend of 97 kobo per share, representing 49 per cent increase from 65 kobo that was declared in 2018.
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Undying Legacy of Odua Company Limited Eric Teniola The South-west governors have reconstituted the board of directors of Odua Company Limited. The new board is headed by Dr. Lawrence Olusegun Aina (65), past President of West Africa Bankers Association and former President of OtanAyegbaju Development Association in Osun state. Other members of the new board are Chief Segun Ojo, a former Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning in Ondo State; Dr. Tola Kasali who served as Commissioner for Rural Development in Lagos State between 2003 and 2007; Seni Adio, the Managing Partner of Copley Partners (Solicitors & Barristers; Mr. Olusegun Olujobi who is ex-Accenture and Energy Industry player and Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, a renowned banker and immediate past Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun state. The Group Managing Director of the Company is Mr. Adewale Abiodun Raji, a former Managing Director of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc., who was recently reappointed for another term. The inauguration of the new board is a welcome development, for Odua Investment Company is one of the three regional groupings in the country. The other two bodies are the Interim Common Services Agency for Northern Region and Eastern States Interim Assets and Liabilities Agency (ESIALA), which we don’t hear of, these days. Profitability was achieved by Odua Company between 2014 and 2018, an unprecedented dividend of N1.2 billion was paid. The fulcrum of credible strategic partnership is gradually taking shape with the recent strides in the Imeko Tomato to Paste Project and the Westlink Iconic Estate JV at Alakia, Ibadan. These and many more like the Power Generation Project at Ikeja, The Farming Company Limited JV at Oke-Ako Ekiti, the Vitalo Brand Project are initiatives that are unfolding to grow the revenue base of the Company. The Odua Investment Company is an offshoot of an Economic body of the Action Group, which came to power in 1952 in Western Region. The Action group (Egbe Afenifere) led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo was formed on March 21, 1951 at the Oke-Bola residence of Chief Awolowo in Ibadan. The house still stands today. I remember with nostalgia when I was a reporter in the Nigerian Tribune in 1972, I used to collect stories on phone in that house on the Oniru land case dispatched by the Nigerian Tribune correspondent in Lagos, Mr Bayo Osiyemi. It was that time I met Chief Awolowo for the first time in my life. I almost fainted seeing the man bearing in mind the myth I grew up with about Chief Awolowo in my home town in Idanre in Ondo state. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, its leader later stated that the party had been formed by himself and seven others at a meeting in his house in Ibadan on March 26, 1950. The seven others who formed Action Group with Chief Awolowo were Chief Samuel Olatunbosun Shonibare (1920-1964), then manager, UAC (Technical) Ltd, Lagos, later Managing Director of the Amalgamated Press of Nigeria Limited and Federal Publicity Secretary of the Action Group; Chief Abiodun Akerele, a lawyer; S.T. Oredein,
Chairman, South West Governors Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu Secretary of the British-American Tobacco Company (BATC) Workers’ Union, later Principal organizing Secretary of the Action Group in the Western Region; Olatunji Dosunmu, a journalist, later Administrative Secretary of the Action Group in the Western Region; J. Ola Adigun, a journalist; Adeniga Akinsanya, Manager of the African Press Ltd, Ibadan and Ayo Akinsanya, a chemist and a druggist. At the convention of the party later, the following were elected—Chief Obafemi Awolowo (President), Dr. J.A. Doherty (Vice-President, West), Dr. E.O. Awduche (Vice-President, East), Alhaji Sule Maito (Vice-President, North), Mr. Ayotunde Rosiji (Federal Secretary), Alhaji S. O. Gbadamosi (Federal Treasurer), Mr. S.O. Shonibare (Federal Publicity Secretary), Mr. A.M.O. Akinloye (Legal Adviser, West), Mr. A. Adeoba (Legal Adviser, East), Rev. E.O. Alayande (Party Chaplain), Malam M.S. Yabagi (Party Imam), Dr. Akinola Maja (Father of the Party), Chief S.L. Akintola (Deputy Leader), Mr. S.T. Oredein (Principal Organising Secretary), Mr. O. Agunbiade- Bamishe (Party Manager) and Mr. Olatunji Dosunmu (Administrative Secretary). The other members of the party at the convention were Chief F.R.A. Williams, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief T. A. Odutola, Chief G. Akin Deko, Mr. M.A. Ajasin, Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, Chief S.A. Tinubu, Mr. S.O. Ighodaro, Mr. Nduka Eze, Mr.O.N. Rewane, Mr. E.O. Eyo, Mr. S.G. Ikoku, Prince R.N. Takon, Mr. A.J.U. Ekong, Mr. S.J. Una, Mr. Okoi Arikpo, Mr. J.A. Agba, Chief Okim Okwa Ahang, Mr. George Lawson, Miss R.T. Brown, Mr. B.E. Mbalu, Mr. J.S. Olawoyin, Chief D.O. Sanyaolu, Mr. D. Adesina, Mr. M.O. Ikongbe, Mr. O.Olu Pinnock, Mr.J.S. Tejuoso, Mr. G.B. Olowu, Alfa K.S. Oba, Mr. D.O. Ogunmade, Mr. Omoniyi Olanipekun, Mr. Peter Onu and Mr. Alex Peters. The party held its first inauguration in Owo in the present Ondo state on 28 April, 1952 and they were hosted by the legendary Olowo of Owo,
Sir James Titus Olateru Olagbegi II (1910-1998). In setting up the Action Group, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, had two broad objectives in mind, one was political, and the other was economical. Awolowo believed at that time that political party funding are the methods that a political party uses to raise money for campaign and routine activities. As for the political, he enlisted Chief Akintola, Chief Enahoro and others. That political arrangement broke down later. As for the economic, he enlisted Chief Samuel Olatunbosun Shonibare (19201-1964), Chief Sule Oyesola Gbadamosi from Ikorodu and Chief Alfred Ogbeyiwa Erewarone Rewane (1916-1995) alias Osabokolo from Warri, who later became Chairman Western Nigeria Development Company. In terms of managing business, Shonibare, Rewane and Gbadamosi were gifted. They were capable of turning anything to an asset. It was the same scenario that played out in South Africa in 1994 when President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918-2013) encouraged the then Vice President Thambo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (77) to be in charge of government while the present President of South Africa, Mr. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (67), then secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers to be in charge of the businesses for the African National Congress. The arrangement worked then in that it reduced rivalry. It paid off for Ramaphosa who has an estimated net worth of $450million as of 2018, with 31poperties and previously-held notable ownership in companies such as McDonald’s South Africa, chair of the board for MTN and member of the board for Lomnin Shonibare and his group established the National Investment Company along with Chief Rewane and Chief Gbadamosi. It was this company that built the Western House in Lagos, Cocoa house in Ibadan and Bristol hotel in Lagos.
It was the same company that built most of the companies that are under Odua Investment Company today. It was this group that was behind the Western Region partnership in the establishment of worldwide redifusion in Ibadan, Nigerian Plastic Company (1954), Ibadan, Nidogas, Lagos, Nigersol Construction Company (1959), Nigerian Water Resources Development Company (1959), Ibadan, Nigerian Pre-Pressed and Concrete Company, Abeokuta, Crittal Hope Nigerian Ltd., Mushin, Vono (West Africa) Mushin, Tower Aluminium Ltd Ikeja, Asbestos Cement, Ikeja, Nigerian Sugar Company, Apapa, Nigerian Mosaic and Glass Manufacturing Company, Ikeja, Pioneer Biscuit Company, Apapa, West African Portland Company, Ewekoro, Nigerian Textile Mills Ltd., Ikeja. Odua Investment Company was formally established in 1976 when Ondo and Ogun states were created out of Western state. The company was to take charge of the assets and liabilities of the whole Western Region. As a reporter with The Nigerian Herald at that time, I covered the inauguration of the new company at Cocoa house in Ibadan. The pioneer Group Managing Director of the Company then was Mr. Christopher Sunday Olatunji Akande. Mr. Akande (1927-2005) from Arigidi, Akoko in Ondo state. Chief Olufemi Adewumi also from Ekiti State who served as MD of Wemabod Estates Ltd before becoming Group Managing Director from 1989 to 1993, Alhaji Aruna, a Lawyer from Oyo State was Group Managing Director from 1994 to 1997 while Sir Remi Omotoso, from Ekiti state, ex-Unilever served from 1998 to 2004, Dr. Adebayo Jimoh Ex John Holt was Group Managing Director from 2005 to 2014. The functioning Companies of Odua Group are Wemabod Estates Ltd (Real Estate), Glanvill Enthoven (Insurance Brokers), Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Premier Hotel and Lafia Hotel at Ibadan (Hospitality), E & O Power & Equipment Leasing and Odua Printing & Publishing Co Ltd. Prominent companies where Odua Group have Minority interests courtesy of being seed investor are Nigerite Ltd, Lafarge Wapco, Wema Bank Plc, Tower Aluminum Plc, Great Nigeria Insurance Plc, Crittall Hope, Ire Clay Products Ltd, SKG-Pharma etc The people who flew the flag of Odua Investment Company especially the past and present governors who served in the south west, are appreciated. The flag must not fly half-mast. I understand that the Odua Investment Company wants to diversify into agriculture which was the main goal of Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he established the farm settlements in the old Western Region. Efforts must be made to save Odua Investment Company and the South West governors must ensure that this regional legacy must not only be sustained but improved upon. As long as Odua Investment Company exists those clamouring for restructuring and regionalism are on solid ground. If other zones of this country are encouraged to develop on their own, there will be less dependence on the centre. And the way we are going now, there may be nothing left to share again in the centre. In short we are heading towards a situation where ‘you are on your own.’
Coronavirus: Need to Look Inward Amor Onyeka In one of the social media videos, an uniformed little girl of about five years was asked why she was sent back home and in her own understanding of the current pandemic said it was because of “corona drive us.� I initially frowned upon the proprietary or otherwise of such question which I assumed was mischievous considering her tender age. I even wondered if the interviewer could have measured up the little child’s record at that impressionable age. However, on a second thought, it occurred to me that Corona is actually ‘’driving us halter-shelter.� What with the havoc already inflicted on the USA, the European, Asia, Arab and the African continents? What with the lockdown or is it lock up of nations world-wide? The aviation, hospitality industries, government establishments, schools, motor parks, stores, stadia, sport clubs, worships centers that are ordinarily a beehive of activities have now turned into a ghost or simply mere shadows of themselves. Even in war-torn countries, we have never seen cities and streets so deserted as we have now.
In confusion, the virus drove the US President, “Dr. Donald Trump,� who in his characteristic nature initially prescribed chloroquine, and later hydroxychloroquine an anti-malaria drug discarded long ago because of their resistance to malaria illness, for the cure of the epidemic. Even after the Federal Drug Agency (FDA) of that country disassociated themselves from what they term “irresponsible statement by� the “most powerful man� on earth, some victims of the global pandemic are still driven by fear to administer the drug meant for clinical management of the ailment for actual treatment, leaving them in worst condition. Surely Corona virus is driving the world in a very uncoordinated manner which is why it is presently a herculean task to curtail. In a CNN news report of May 29, 2020, the total number of global pandemic was over six million; 2.6 million recoveries and 366,000+ deaths, with most causalities in USA, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Brazil in that order, while South Africa currently leads the pack in Africa. As at this period, the US was leading the world in confirmed global corona virus epidemics with 1,7million+ cases and over 104,000 deaths. In
Nigeria, the total number of confirmed cases for this period was over 9,000, with 2,697+ recoveries and 261 deaths. In the prevailing catastrophic environment, even doctors are also victims arising from their contact with COVID-19 patients. As at Friday, March 27, 2020, CNN reported that 51 doctors have died from the virus in Italy alone while 159 workers in Boston, US, have also tested positive to the deadly virus. In Nigeria, we also have many frontline medical workers afflicted with the disease. The current pandemic has exposed human vulnerabilities despite advancement in technological innovations. Advanced economies have accessed space, moon, built massive infrastructure, reduced the world to a global village. “Human� have even been cloned by technological dexterity. Some have been able to change their sexes while others are still are into bisexual relationships. But suddenly, a virus as infinitesimal as it may look is chasing everybody all over the place with some ending in the grave and others still in danger list. It has dawned on all particularly the learned,
the rich, those connected, the powerful and those in authority (whether elected or selected) that they need another kind of help. We can no longer exchange pleasantries such as shaking of hands, hugging or even sitting close to each other, but must maintain social distance, a new word in our social lexicon. Prisoners in our homes Among the rights of any individual is the freedom of movement, expression and association, but corona virus will not hear that. In most cases, it is only those who have committed and offence, tried and convicted that are penalised with prison terms with the aim of reform when discharged. But Corona has driven and is still driving us to prison in our homes. We can no longer go where we want to go or engage in what were previously our pastimes. We are all holed up as prisoners in our homes in compulsory self-isolations until corona probably says otherwise. Our rich cultural heritage of social relationship has been suspended till who knows when. t0OZFLB XSPUF JO GSPN "CVKB
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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×
APC National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu; National Welfare Secretary, Ibrahim Masari; National Treasure, Adamu Fanda; National Vice Chairman, (North West) Inuwa Abdulkadir and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State after the APC National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with the Chief of Sta, Prof Ibrahim Gambari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja ..recently
Sector Commander, Federal Roads Safety Corps, (FRSC) Ekiti Command, Mrs. Elizabeth Akinlade (R), taking salute during her oďŹƒcial resumption of oďŹƒce at the RS8.2 command in Ado-Ekiti ...recently
L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Housing, Mr. Wasiu Akewusola; Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai; Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mr. Sina Thorpe, during a Press Conference and Unveiling of Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) Website, in Alausa Lagos...recently
L-R: Chairman, Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote; Group Managing Director/CEO, Dangote Cement Plc, Michel Puchercos; and Non-Executive Director, Olakunle Alake, at the 11th Annual General Meeting of Dangote Cement Plc, held in Lagos...recently
Representative of the Governor of Borno State, Mr Bukar Talba, distributing COVID-19 pandemic palliatives to residents of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno ...recently
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Federation Students of Oke-Ogun protesting against gruesome murder of a female student, Miss Grace Osiagwu, after she was allegedly raped, in Ibadan...recently
L-R; Division Business Manager, Mouka Limited, Mr. Ladi Alabi; Oyo State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinola Ojo; Chief Commercial OďŹƒcer, Mouka Limited, Dimeji Osingunwa and Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bashiru Bello; during the donation of 100 Klinic hospital mattresses and 30 cartons of insect repellents, Mouka Mozzi, to Oyo State Government for coronavirus (COVID-19) relief in lbadan...recently
Project Coordinator, Julius Berger AKR Site, Mr Yusuf Ibrahim (left) presenting food items to the Marafan Dullu-Tafa, Alhaji M. Yahaya at Tafa, recently
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EDUCATION Lecturers Must Take Training Courses to Attract Grants’ Oduwa Agboneni is the Executive Director at Nenis Foundation, a non-profit organisation and corporate social responsibility of Nenis Auto Care. In this interview with Funmi Ogundare, she explained how lecturers in higher institutions can win grants by taking training courses on how to write a winning proposal that will attract funding for their institutions, among other issues. Excerpts: ou founded Nenis Foundation with a vision to transform the lives of girls, women, and youths through entrepreneurship technical and vocational education training, what impact has this made in their lives? At Nenis Foundation, we are not only focused on honing the skills of our students but we are also keen on developing the right mind set in them as we believe that the way an individual think about his skill and her work etiquette belief counts. This training method has through our programs empowered girls, women, and children to turn their skills into decent economics which has given them the opportunity to live their best lives and has also made them confident.
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doing so, they should also learn and develop the right skills that would help them in achieving this dream. They should be aware there is great strength in collaboration.
Managing an auto care seems to be the preserve of boys, do you share in this view and what efforts is your foundation making to bring more girls on board? It is just a societal belief. We were meant to believe at an early age, that toys and machines are meant for boys and doll babies are for girls. That sharpened our mind set. I do not share in the view, I try as much as possible to start with a mind-set change when speaking with girls, that they can be whatever they want to be. We have also organised lots of STEM programmes and trainings to help increase the interest of girls in fields that the society has created a perception belongs to guys.
One of the challenges lecturers in higher institutions face is writing a good research proposal to attract grants that would benefit students and their institutions, how do you think they could surmount this challenge? They can benefit by taking training courses on how to write a winning proposal that will attract funding. For instance, I recently monetized my grant writing skills. I am a grant recipient of over 10 programmes. I am a self-taught grant writer and I am committed to making the learning process easier for members of my Electronic learning hub. I have professors and doctors in my learning hub. So far, we have made progress. They can also learn from research as I would always advise everyone to make the internet your close buddy.
You have been a recipient of Royal Academy of Engineering UK grant winner for Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Africa catalyst scheme including the French government entrepreneurial programme on STEM, how do you intend to utilise it to benefit the Nigerian economy? I have through collaboration with organization and institutions like Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), Engineers Against Poverty United Kingdom, and others organised capacity building programmes like workshops, boot camps, innovation challenges tagged NIC 1.0, NIC 2.0, and Forging Africa Future Mechanical Engineers (FAFME) which is currently ongoing, has inculcated the entrepreneurship mindset in our engineering youths. Through training, funding, and mentorship they received for their ideas and innovations, I intend to organise more of these programs as we have got loads of empowerment project in the pipeline. In what ways do you think the country can ensure an equal representation of skilled men and women in the engineering sector? We will have to do a lot of advocacy and sensitisation, on the ‘engineering for only boys’ mindset’, encourage more engineering for girls initiative right from the dream gap age (three years and above). Mainstreaming gender into professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) policies and programs will take it further and next step will be
Post-COVID-19, what efforts will your organisation make to ensure an effective leadership and innovation in TVET training delivery for youth development? Our organisation has always been in the fore front of creating awareness, training and development of girls, women, and youth in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). We have put more training and boot camps in place that would be rolled out few months for now. We also noticed the poor awareness on the importance of TVET, that we would tackle aggressively.
Agboneni
implementation. What lessons can youths who intend to go into entrepreneurship learn with your experience in Entrepreneurship Technical and
Vocational Education (TVE) training? Every big project, company and organisation out there started as an idea in the minds of the founder. They should not be afraid to dream and pursue their dream but while
Bauchi Spends N3bn on Construction, Renovation of 270 Classrooms in One Year Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi State government has disclosed that about N3 billion was spent on the construction of a total of 270 classrooms for primary and secondary schools across the state in the first one year of Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed’s administration. This was disclosed by the project site engineer with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBED), Bello Zubairu while briefing journalists during an inspection tour of projects executed by the current administration after one year in office. Zubairu also said at the project site in one of the schools at 1000 Housing Estate, that the projects were executed in partnership with SUBEB and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEB), with N1.5 billion each as counterpart funding. He said work on the projects is in line with standard specifications. The projects inspection media
team was also told that 16 other special schools projects were executed by the state government across the state at a total cost of N500 million, aimed at promoting the development of basic education. On its own the state Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its projects engineer, Mukhtar Mohammed Musa told journalists at the Yelwa Practicing School of the former Bauchi Teachers College, that the school established in 1931 was fully renovated and a solar-powered borehole sunk in its premises, which was also fenced. Musa also explained that 16 other projects across the state were either newly constructed or renovated under collaborative efforts between the state office of SDGs and the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) of the federal government with 50 per cent each as counterpart funding. He added that the projects which were executed in hardto-reach (HTR) areas of the
state included the provision of equipment, furniture, as well as teaching and learning materials. The media team also inspected the 6.2km Jos Road – Dass Road bye pass where the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Works, Stephen Abubakar said the project being executed at a cost of N2.2 billion has reached 85 per cent completion. At the State Water Treatment Plant at the Gubi Dam site, where rehabilitation and expansion programmes are being undertaken, journalists were told by the project engineer, Abdulmumini Mailafia that works on the projects are going according to specification. Mailafia said both the rehabilitation works on the existing system that provides 45 million litres, and the expansion programme that will provide 75 million litres of clean water to Bauchi metropolis and environs have reached appreciable stages of completion Also speaking, acting Project Manager of LUTECH
PRATIBHA JV Construction Company, an Indian company, Mr. Nanda Kumar, said the company undertakes both the rehabilitation and expansion of the project. Kumar said: “In the rehabilitation of the treatment plant, we are increasing the capacity from 37,000 cubic meters per day to 45,000 cubic meters per day. And we are expanding the project from 45,000 cubic meters per day to 75,000 cubic meters per day.� He explained that both the rehabilitation and expansion works are going smoothly, as the projects are expected to be completed this month, but expressed hope that there will be some extension on the scheduled period. Kumar revealed that the rehabilitation is almost 60 per cent completed while the expansion has reached 50 per cent completion, disclosing further that the company will rehabilitate the old sub-station, as well as build a new one at the site.
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Delta Afrik Boss Canvasses Capacity Building, Mentorship for Young Engineers Funmi Ogundare The Managing Director, Delta Afrik, Mr. Akinwunmi Odumakinde has stressed the need for young engineers to take advantage of emerging future trends and ensure that they build their capacity and have people that will mentor them to greatness. Ogunmakinde made this known during the maiden edition of the south-west town and gown Zoom mentoring/career fair for young engineers, with the theme, ‘Industry-focused Capacity Building’, organised by the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN) and sponsored by Worley Foundation, Australia. It was aimed at bridging the employability gap between young female engineering graduates and the industry, as well as create a pool of ready-now female engineers for the industry, among other objectives. He advised them to pursue their dreams and ensure that they are equipped with the right skills that will make them compete favourably in an emerging society. In his keynote address, he stressed the importance of capacity building, saying that the labour market is saturated with unemployed graduates because they lack the basic skill sets such as communication, confidence and ability to compete, among others.
“As an engineer, you need to build your capacity through self-improvement and benchmark your skill set, you need to put in place a proper implementation plan and learn new things that further enhance capacity building. “The future is now, you must be prepared, push forward and embrace mentoring for a lasting impact. Remember if you cannot see it, you cannot have it. You must have a mission and a vision, and identify a new market.� He expressed concern about the percentage of women engineers, saying that they are in the minority and occupy about 22 per cent in the country due to the instability of government policy and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected how work is being done. While commending APWEN for bridging the employability gap through the town and gown initiative, he appealed to the members to identify problems in the industry and profer solutions to them, as well as mentor young engineers by giving them the platform to make impact. The Governor of Osun State, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, who declared the programme open, described the online edition as noble, adding that mentoring and capacity building are the basis of a sustainable future and way to go in bridging the transformation gap between the classroom and the industry.
Varsity Don Vows to Boost Scholarship, Research at UNICAL A professor at the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Calabar, Joseph Asor has expressed his readiness to improve the wellbeing of students and put in place facilities and an enabling environment to support scholarship and research in the institution. Asor, a vice-chancellorship aspirant, was born on June 19, 1963 at Ekureku, Abi Local Government Area. The Cross Rivers State-born, studied Zoology for his first degree, masters and at PhD with interest in Parasitology between 1984 to 1996, at University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He started his teaching career as a tutor in a secondary school after his service year at the Department of Biological Sciences, College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State. He then moved to the Polytechnic, Calabar, Nigeria, (Now Cross River University of Technology, Calabar), where he taught at the Department of Biological Sciences and later to University of Calabar. He was also Rector, Ibrahim Babangida College of Agriculture, Ovonum-Obubra, Cross River State (Now Cross River University of Technology, Obubra Campus) between 1999 and 2002. His working experience spanned 10 years at the University of Calabar, where worked at various capacity as
a lecturer and researcher. He was at various times Time-Table Officer, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, between 1996 to 1998, Academic Adviser, Department of Zoology and Enviromental Biology 1997-1998, Examination Officer, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, 19971999, member, Departmental and Faculty of Science Examination Misconduct Committee; 19961998, member, Accreditation Team of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for the accreditation of National Diploma and higher National Diploma programmes offered in polytechnics and colleges of agriculture in Nigeria, 1999-2003. He was also Chairman, Departmental Graduate Studies Committee 2003-2006 and member, Faculty Graduate Committee 2003-2006, among other positions. His activities with the National Universities Commission (NUC) spanned within a period of two years where he was member, NUC Accreditation Panel to Sokoto State University; member, NUC Accreditation Panel to Federal University, Dutse-Ma, Katsina State; member, NUC Accreditation Panel to Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State; member, NUC Accreditation Panel to McPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State; member, NUC Accreditation Panel to Mountain Top University, Makoji Oba, Ogun State, among others.
Rape: NGO Trains Bauchi Female Students on Gender-based Violence Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Worried by the endemic cases of rape and other gender-based violence against women in the country, a nongovernmental organisation, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), has organised a training workshop for young women from various tertiary institutions in Bauchi State on how to curb violence against women. The workshop which held at Chartwell Hotel, Bauchi, attracted girls from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State University, Gadau, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi and School of Agriculture, Bauchi.
The workshop engaged the young women on incidences of gender-based violence and how they could be addressed. The Executive Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Afolabi said the workshop “is aimed at building their capacity to be able to fight against sexual and gender-based violence in their schools and also ensure that they can be able to take leadership positions.� She said the centre as part of its strategies to fight incidences of gender- based violence in tertiary institutions deemed it necessary to establish the young women campus hub, which would be responding to issues of violence to ensure that their campuses are free
of any form of violence. “So today we are training them about the context of the problem to enable them know how they can participate and address the gender based violence in their campuses and how they can make their voices heard and stop violence around them,� she said. She added that the project which is being supported by the African Women Development Fund, based in Ghana, also supports issues related to women and girls across Africa, including internally displaced persons. One of the facilitators, Hajiya Binta Adamu said the objective of the project is to promote leadership among young
people and is supposed to strengthen their resilience against violence, as well as support changes in policies. She emphasised the need for resilience to enable them speak out on incidences of abuse on their campuses. “Sexual harassment or any form of violence against women should not be tolerated; so what we are doing today is to strengthen the voices of these young women to be able to have the courage to report abuse whenever it occurs,� she said. Some of the students who spoke at the workshop, expressed satisfaction with its content, saying that they were embolden to take action.
Some members of Daniel Ogechi Akujobi Memorial Foundation (DOAM) during the presentation of food and drugs to a less privileged home in Lagos... recently
First Bank Donates 20,000 Mobile Devices to Lagos Students Funmi Ogundare First Bank PLC recently presented a total of 20,000 mobile devices to Lagos State government as part of efforts to enhance continuous learning among public school students. The initiative was in line with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu education transformation plan of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) collaborative approach. The governor, who received the items during an official presentation and handover ceremony at Lagos House, Marina, thanked the management and board of the bank, saying that the gesture is in line with the education and technology vision of his administration. He said in achieving quality education and learning outcomes
in schools, technology is essential and plays a crucial role for the 21st century education. “I commend First Bank for supporting the Lagos State government in actualising a vision the state had even before the herald of the COVID-19 pandemic. Everybody has a role to play in actualising the vision and mission of the government,� he said. Sanwo-Olu said the bank is contributing to the lives of many students who will eventually become future leaders and hope for a greater future, adding that the move will go a long way in assisting most of the underprivileged students who cannot afford a device to enhance their learning process. He appealed to the Tutor Generals/ Permanent Secretaries of the six educational
districts and Education Quality Assurance team to ensure that students use the mobile devices judiciously to improve learning, adding that he expects more distinctions and improvement in their academics. He promised that the state government will get additional ones and solicited the support of other stakeholders to partner the state in providing more gadgets to aid education reforms. He said his administration is committed to ensuring that no child is left behind. The Managing Director, First Bank Plc, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan stated that the e-learning devices were the focus of the bank to ensure that academics continue irrespective of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the future of the children must not be affected.
He commended the governor for his resilience and passion towards fighting the pandemic, adding that banking is not all about making profits, but supporting economic growth, which is why the bank is partnering the state government in actualising its vision through the THEMES agenda. In her remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo disclosed that other private organisations have shown interest to join in the revitalization process of the education sector through the BOS Education Tranformation Plan to support the actualisation of the one million devices targeted by the state government. “This is a major milestone in our journey to provide quality online education for students in Lagos State,� she said.
Gombe Restates Commitment to Children’s Welfare, Sound Education Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya has reiterated that his administration will continue to prioritise children’s wellbeing and sound education for a brighter future. In a statement to mark this year’s Children’s Day, signed by the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the governor described children as the hope and essence of the state and the nation, urging them to look forward to a better tomorrow and remarkable
future. “To build a better tomorrow, we must build our children, therefore, I wish to reiterate our total commitment to your welfare and also to acknowledge your importance as the future and essence of our dear state and nation.� Yahaya said as future leaders, children require absolute care, security and right upbringing from both parents and government, adding that it is imperative for parents, community leaders, teachers and all involved in children’s upbringing to take mentoring
seriously and provide good leadership to them. While felicitating with the children, the governor described as apt and timely, the theme of the year, ‘Promoting Girl-child Education for Sustainable Future’, considering the importance and place of the girl-child in the attainment of the SDGs. He emphasised that his administration will continue to strengthen measures that will revamp the education sector in the state by ensuring that out-of-school children and those of school age, especially girls enjoy basic and sound education.
He described education as the best weapon of preparing children for leadership and resultant peaceful and prosperous society. Yahaya, who noted that as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, children’s education might have suffered some setbacks nationally and internationally due to the lockdown and restriction orders, expressed hope that with adequate measures and strategies in place, the children will regain lost grounds and emerge stronger with renewed vigour in academic pursuit�.
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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE
CBN Spearheads Initiative to Enhance Food Security, Job Creation Olawale Ajimotokan Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders yesterday launched the Agric for Food and Jobs Plan (AFJP) initiative aimed at mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 on food production in the country. The joint venture for the private sector via out- grower and farmers’ scheme was aimed at increasing the supply of locally grown food while simultaneously creating employment opportunities in the agricultural sector. Other key stakeholders in the initiative are the state governments and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Senior Special Assistant
to the President on Agriculture, Andrew Kwasari, said the pandemic has affected the food sector and led to job losses. He said the joint venture would be achieved through investment in the sector by providing zerointerest input financing options such as fertilisers and seeds to farmers across the 36 states and FCT to produce foods and sell locally and internationally. The programme would run for a duration of 12 months, targeting an aggregate of two million hectres of land for farming and livestock production. Kwasari, stressed that in collaboration with the N-Power scheme, trained enumerators have been deployed to identify farmers and their farms to properly reach
the beneficiaries. The AFJP targets two million smallholder farmers across the states and aims to produce 10 million tonnes of food in the next 12 months. ‘’The priority crops and livestock targeted by AFJP for local market are rice, maize, sorghum, groundnuts, cowpea, cassava, millet, livestock, palm kernel and cotton; while sesame seeds, hibiscus, cocoa, hides and skin; horns and hoofs are targeted for export market,’’Kwasari said. He stressed that AFJP is different from the Anchor Borrowers Programme, a long-term scheme launched by CBN in 2015 to create a linkage between anchor companies involved in food processing and small holder farmers.
UBA Foundation Commemorates International Day of African Child The UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc yesterday joined the rest of the world to celebrate African children in this year’s edition of the International Day of the African Child. June 16 every year, has been set aside by the United Nations as the International Day of the African Child to celebrate children in Africa as well as recognise the courage of students who marched for their rights to better education in Soweto South Africa. The bank explained in a statement that as an institution that cares about the education and welfare of the African child, through its Foundation it marks the all-important event annually. It revealed that due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown on educational institutions, UBA Foundation was not able to visit schools and community centres as is its usual practice.
However, the Foundation held activities online, where students of secondary schools were afforded the opportunity to watch and listen to virtual mentoring and reading sessions. During the virtual session, the Managing Director, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, spoke to the students on various issues, ranging from financial literacy and the importance of imbibing good reading culture to nation building. She also explained why UBA Foundation centres on three key pillars of Education, Empowerment and Environment, adding that the bank through its foundation, recognises the huge role that education and indeed a good reading culture has to play in the lives of the youth. She said, “These days school children barely make out time to read and are easily distracted by the presence of electronic social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others; and to curb
this declining culture of reading across the continent, UBA Foundation came up with the ‘Read Africa’ project, designed to resuscitate the reading culture amongst our youths across the African continent. “As a pan-African institution, we believe that the future of Africa lies in her youth and for this reason, UBA Foundation is actively involved in facilitating educational projects and bridging the literacy-wide gap on a panAfrican scale, and is helping to rekindle the dwindling reading and literacy culture amongst African youths as they pursue their education,� Atta said. While emphasising the belief that a highly educated and well-informed youth is critical to the future of Africa, Atta seized the opportunity to read a few passages of the recommended novel to students and encouraged them to visit the UBA Foundation website to gain access to read some more at their leisure.
‘Nigeria’s Livestock Industry Growing 12.7% Annually’ The Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, Prof. Eustace Iyayi, has said the livestock industry in Nigeria could be valued at least N50 trillion over the next decade if all the right structures are put in place. Making this revelation in a recent interview he granted in Abuja, Iyayi also said the industry is currently growing at an annual rate of 12.7 per cent. Currently, according to him, the industry is worth at least N30 trillion. He cited the right structures to include proper infrastructure for value chain development, expansion and sustenance, financing, research and development for
new breeds, and capacity development of operators. The current worth of the industry would therefore constitute approximately 20 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, and more than 30 per cent at the rate of the 10 year projected figure against today’s GDP. In spite of the growth rate, Iyayi argued that the industry was grossly under-producing. “We are grossly under producing because we still import 70 per cent of our beef and 25 per cent of poultry. We consume about 1.3 million metric tons of milk annually and 60 percent of it is imported,� Iyayi said. He added the feeds industry
alone, is a multi-billion naira industry. He also cited that the poultry subsector is N1.6 trillion. “We see the industry growing to a net worth of about N50 Trillion in the next decade if all the right structures are put in place,� Iyayi stressed. In charting the way forward to actualise the growth potential of the livestock industry, he said, “the first step to increased production is to improve on the breeds of our animals so as to maximise their genetic potential. Second, is to adopt ranching for our beef and dairy cows. Rearing them in confinement will lead to their improved productivity,� he stressed.
Propertymart Faults Lagos Governor’s Aide Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited has faulted a recent statement credited to the Special Adviser on Housing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka. In a release signed by Head, Legal & Counsel, Oyelami Sogo, Propertymart said, “Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited is a reputable organisation, and defamation of our brand is
something we don’t take lightly. “Despite the challenges of the industry or the fluctuations of the Nigerian economy, it took us over 12 years to attain this height, a height only a few real estate companies in the country can boast of.�. Sogo pointed out that Propertymart Real Estate Investment Limited was established with a Board and Management
comprising highly accomplished Nigerians from different walks of life. “We are willing to support LASRERA in achieving its objective as we believe this will be to our advantage. This move will help improve the reputation and general outlook of the industry while unfounded cowboys will be exposed if the right steps are taken.
MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS
(MILLION NAIRA)
SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)
35,029,779.72
-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors
7,374,356.91
Money Supply (M2)
27,655,422.82
-- Quasi Money
116,533,891.21
-- Narrow Money (M1)
11,121,531.60
---- Currency Outside Banks
1,625,047.69
---- Demand Deposits
9,496,483.91
Net Foreign Assets (NFA)
13,911,335.83
Net Domestic Assets(NDA)
21,118,443.89
-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)
35,918,179.45
---- Credit to Government (Net)
10,452,199.38
---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA
11,007,422.79
---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)
25,465,980.07
---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)
-14,799,735.56
--Other Assets Net
7,000,253.07
Reserve Money (Base Money
2,005,600.83
--Currency in Circulation
4,677,530.81
--Banks Reserves
317,121.43
Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹
Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month
March 2018
Inter-Bank Call Rate
15.16
Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)
14.00
Treasury Bill Rate
11.84
Savings Deposit Rate
4.07
1 Month Deposit Rate
8.82
3 Months Deposit Rate
9.72
6 Months Deposit Rate
10.93
12 Months Deposit Rate
10.21
Prime Lending rate
17.35
Maximum Lending Rate
31.55
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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ÍŻÍł Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ
The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $35.09 a barrel on Monday, compared with $35.06 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna
29
T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍľËœ 2020
MARKET NEWS
Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers to Sanction Defaulting Members Goddy Egene The Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has approved that members who are indebted to the institute in terms of dues and other fees for over five years be removed from the Register of Stockbrokers, while those whose indebtedness is below five years should be suspended. According to the institute, this is coming after earlier deploying
moral suasion and debt relief without positive result. CIS, in a statement signed by its Registrar and Chief Executive, Mr. Adedeji Ajadi, explained that the council had taken decision on defaulting stockbrokers since late last year but implementation was put on hold with the the lockdown following COVID-19 pandemic. CIS said the defaulters had been given a grace of three months, ending in June this year
P R I C E S MAIN BOARD
F O R DEALS
to regularise their accounts or face penalty. “The Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, at their meeting of Wednesday 11th December, 2019 approved the delisting of members, who have been indebted to the Institute regarding payment of annual dues and other applicable fees for over five years, from the Register of Members, effective 31st of March, 2020. However, due to the disruption occasioned
S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE
QUANTITY TRADED
VALUE TRADED ( N )
by the COVD-19!pandemic, council has given a grace period of three additional months from the date announced earlier for affected members to pay up their outstanding balances and bring themselves up to date on or before July 1, 2020. “This action is pursuant to section 5 (6) (c) of CIS Act 105 of 1992, which provides for the Registrar to record the names of members of the Institute who are in default for more than
T R A D E D MAIN BOARD
A S
six months in the payment of annual subscriptions, and to take such action in relation thereto (including removal of the names of defaulters from the register) as the Council may direct or require,� the statement said. Before now, the CIS has unfolded two key tactics as part of the interim measures to boost income stream and grow membership base in order to strengthen its operation. The institute approved
O F
recovery strategy for the huge outstanding membership annual dues and other applicable fees which runs into millions of Naira with graduated sanctions for defaulters. Also, early this month, under the new leadership of Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe, the institute slashed the registration fee for the professional examination for September 2020 Diet by 20 per cent to apparently to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on purchasing power of candidates.
1 6 / 0 6 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS
MARKET PRICE
QUANTITY TRADED
VALUE TRADED ( N)
˾ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2020
30
ଂ ଂ
ଂ ଂ ଂ
ଂ
7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 R O X P H
7 R S * D L Q H U V P ric e
P ric e C hg %
T ic k er
Vo lum e
F ID SON
3.63
10.0%
FB NH
26.9
-1.9%
C A VER T ON
2.19
7.4%
Z EN IT H B A N K
22.6
-0.6%
H ON YF LOUR
1.08
6.9%
FCM B
21.3
0.6%
4.7%
WA P C O
11.9
0.0%
11.5
0.0%
T ic k er
R ED ST A R EX
3.80
UP L
1.25
4.2%
GUA R A N T Y
WA P IC
0.33
3.1%
J A P A ULOIL
9.4
0.0%
UA C -P R OP
0.99
2.1%
H ON YF LOUR
8.9
6.9%
B UA C EM EN T
41.40
1.6%
M B EN EF IT
8.8
-8.7%
IN T B R EW
4.70
1.1%
UC A P
6.2
0.0%
UB A
6.45
0.8%
UB A
6.1
0.8%
7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 D O X H
7 R S / R V H U V T ic k er
Afrinvest West Africa Limited
P ric e C hg %
Value
P ric e C hg %
Z EN IT H B A N K
368.5
-0.6%
GUA R A N T Y
272.0
0.0%
-9.4%
M TNN
170.9
-0.9%
0.97
-9.3%
FB NH
139.9
-1.9%
0.21
-8.7%
WA P C O
129.9
0.0%
99.1
0.0%
39.5
0.8%
P ric e
P ric e C hg %
N EIM ET H
2.09
-9.9%
P R EST IGE
0.57
-9.5%
C ILEA SIN G
4.35
A IIC O M B EN EF IT
T ic k er
UN IT YB N K
0.57
-8.1%
D A N GC EM
LA SA C O
0.25
-7.4%
UB A
F LOUR M ILL
19.55
-6.7%
FCM B
36.6
0.6%
M A YB A KER
2.95
-6.6%
A C C ESS
34.6
0.0%
A R D OVA
13.75
-4.5%
N EST LE
29.7
0.0%
Brokerage
Asset Management
Investment Research
Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com
Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com
Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com
Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Oluwarotimi Ashimi | oashimi@afrinvest.com
Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com
31
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY
MARKET NEWS
McQuillan: BUA Group’s Stake in PW Nigeria to Boost Nigeria’s Mining Sector Goddy Egene The Managing Director of PW Nigeria Limited, Mr. Chris McQuillan, has said that the with acquisition of a majority stake by BUA Group, the mining, engineering, procurement, construction and Infrastructure firm, was ready to
capture the untapped potential of Nigeria’s mining sector. BUA Group, a leading food, mining and infrastructure conglomerate had recently announced the acquisition of majority stakes in PW Nigeria Limited in March 2020 to further deepen its investments in the mining and infrastructure business
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
in Sub-Saharan Africa. Speaking on the upcoming Nigeria Mining Week scheduled to hold in Abuja, McQuillan, said that PWN has over the years, provided full spectrum services to investors and has successfully secured and executed private and public projects for well-known local and foreign
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 15Jun-2020, unless otherwise stated.
companies over the years across Nigeria and sub-region. McQuillan added that BUA’s acquisition was strategic to promote mining opportunities for the Nigerian economy through turn-key mining solutions, executed to world class standards. He said: “It is difficult not to get
excited by the opportunities that exist in Nigeria’s mining sector which remains largely untapped. We recently spent some time in the British geological survey going through mining records for the region that date back to the early 1900s. A lot of enthusiasm existed during this period, we want to reignite this enthusiasm and bring
the sector back to life. We are currently the mining contractor of choice with Imperial JV and Lafarge Holcim in Nigeria as well as other major players in the mining sector. PWN has secured an initial investment from a consortium of Irish-Canadian mining investors on three gold targets in Niger state.”
Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors. Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return. NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.
DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.94 0.94 3.66% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 10.23% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.50% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.62 2.68 6.35% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 14.49 14.93 -5.39% ARM Discovery Fund 338.85 349.06 -1.91% ARM Ethical Fund 30.23 31.14 3.96% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.33% 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 94.84 95.50 -1.29% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.11% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.04 2.04 13.58% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.07 0.05 6.74% Paramount Equity Fund 11.25 11.54 -9.78% Women's Investment Fund 109.24 109.98 -1.16% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.16% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 97.47 97.68 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 105.01 105.13 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.96% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.91 0.92 -1.81% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.42 1.42 7.20% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 4.14% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 4.35% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,228.70 1,238.77 6.08% 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 1,290.22 1,291.50 6.21% FBN Balanced Fund 146.39 147.45 -0.29% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.01% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 115.77 116.49 0.29% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 116.13 116.85 0.10% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 118.01 119.47 -9.31% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.66% Legacy Debt Fund 3.77 3.77 3.12% Legacy Equity Fund 1.09 1.11 -3.87% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.11 1.11 2.34% 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 3,037.04 3,071.29 1.82% Coral Income Fund 3,173.89 3,173.89 15.77% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 5.28% 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 4.94% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 120.00 120.68 11.90%
GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.43% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.25 2.29 2.87% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 10.06% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 143.58 144.13 0.12% 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 1.22 1.24 4.53% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,131.43 1,131.43 4.93% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.39 1.41 13.67% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.91 11.96 5.69% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.08% PACAM Equity Fund 1.06 1.07 PACAM EuroBond Fund 106.50 108.76 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 116.50 119.43 -3.45% 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 1.02 1.02 4.69% 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 2,521.35 2,532.80 0.19% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 0.10% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 0.00% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 0.11% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 0.55% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.54% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -0.05% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 0.07% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.18 118.18 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 1.15 1.17 -4.55% United Capital Bond Fund 1.81 1.81 4.55% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.67 -8.01% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.97% United Capital Eurobond Fund 115.35 115.35 3.14% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 -2.29% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.33 10.47 0.60% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.07 12.20 3.93% Zenith Income Fund 23.46 23.46 5.48% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.64%
REITS NAV Per Share
Yield / T-Rtn
3.50 115.50 52.96
-63.85% 3.11% 1.75%
Bid Price
Offer Price
Yield / T-Rtn
8.85 90.13 68.93
8.95 91.97 70.15
1.63% -0.34% -0.14%
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
2.92 4.21 11.53 11.66 182.38
2.96 4.29 11.63 11.86 184.38
-17.59% -28.56% -4.85% 12.14% -3.03%
NAV Per Share
Yield / T-Rtn
108.29
16.90%
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.
32
WEDNESDAY JUNE 17, 2020 •T H I S D AY
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WEDNESDAY JUNE 17, 2020 • T H I S D AY
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PAGE THIRTY-FOUR OBASEKI RESIGNS, OSHIOMHOLE SUSPENDED, AJIMOBI HOSPITALISED, NWC DIVIDED The NWC members, in line with Section 14.2. (iii) of the APC Constitution, named Deputy National Chairman (South) and former Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, as the interim national chairman. However, Ajimobi may not be able to discharge the functions of that office for now as he is said to be battling for his life at an undisclosed hospital where he is on admission for treatment for a disease suspected to be COVID-19. In his absence and in line with the APC Constitution, the party would have to mandate its National ViceChairman (South-south), Chief Hillary Ettah, to act instead. THISDAY gathered that the NWC meeting was a stormy one as members were sharply divided. While 14 NWC members are pro-Oshiomhole, three are neutral and three others are opposed the suspended national chairman. Those neutral are National Financial Secretary, Tajudeen Bello; National Youth Leader, Sadiq Shuaibu-Abubakar, and National Disabled Leader, Misbau Lawal Didi. Those in the antiOshiomhole camp are Deputy National Chairman (North), Lawali Shuaibu; Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom and National Vice Chairman (North-east), Mustapha Salihu. It was also learnt that APC governors were planning to intervene prevent the crisis from worsening further. Earlier yesterday, a threemember panel of the Court of Appeal had affirmed the judgment of Justice Danlami Senchi of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, which on March 4, ordered Oshiomhole to step aside as the national chairman of the ruling party. Oshiomhole's travail began from the Edo State chapter of APC, where he has been locked in a war of attrition with Obaseki, culminating in the factionalisation of the state chapter of the party. Obaseki, who was disqualified by the APC from actualising his second term ambition on its platform, allegedly at the behest of Oshiomhole, quit the party yesterday. In a statement yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the decision to name Ajimobi as the acting national chairman became imperative following the appeal court judgement. He said: "Guided by advice from the party’s legal department in line with the provisions of Section 14.2. (iii) of the party’s constitution, the Deputy National
Chairman (South), Senator Abiola Ajimobi, will serve as the party’s acting national chairman. "According to Section 14.2. (iii),of the APC Constitution, the Deputy National Chairman, North/South “Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his zone.� However, Giadom kicked against the decision of the NWC, saying going by an earlier court pronouncement, he should be the interim national chairman of the party. In a statement by his counsel, Chief Wole Afolabi, obtained yesterday, he demanded compliance with the order of the FCT High Court of March 16, 2020 by Hon. Justice S.U Bature that he, Giadom, is to act as the national chairman of the party due to the suspension of Oshiomhole. According to him, Justice Bature's order remains valid, thereby rendering Ajimobi’s appointment null and void and of no effect. Afolabi said: "Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly issued by the publicity secretary of the APC to the effect that Senator Abiola Ajimobi is to act as the national chairman of APC following the suspension from office of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by the Court of Appeal. �We wish to state that the statement must have been issued in complete ignorance of the order of the FCT High Court issued on 16th of March, 2020 by Hon. Justice S.U Bature in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/6447/2020 to the effect that Chief Victor Giadom is to act as the national chairman of the party due to the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman. �The order was given the same day that the Court of Appeal earlier gave Oshiomhole a temporary respite by staying the execution of the said order suspending Oshiomhole. Now that the Court of Appeal has affirmed the order of suspension, it is only proper that the order recognising Chief Victor Giadom is implemented. �Consequently, we have written to all law enforcement agencies to implement the said order and any one who attempts to parade himself/herself other than Chief Victor Giadom as the Acting Chairman of the APC would be facing contempt of court proceedings.� Earlier, the Court of Appeal panel, led by Justice Eunice Onyemenam, in a unanimous judgment, had dismissed Oshiomhole's appeal challenging his suspension, for lacking in merit.
Oshiomhole had lodged the appeal to challenge the verdict of Justice Senchi that he was validly suspended and he should step aside as the national chairman of the ruling party. Justice Senchi also ordered Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the APC until the issues challenging his leadership of the party were resolved. The suspension order was sequel to an interlocurtory injunction motion filed by one Mustapha Salihu and five others, who had argued that Oshiomhole could not continue to occupy the office of the national chairman of the APC having been suspended from his Etsako ward in Edo State. The order was made pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit seeking his removal from office as the national chairman of APC. However, dissatisfied with the decision of the lower court, Oshiomhole had approached the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the lower court. He hinged his appeal on the grounds that plaintiffs/ respondents lacked locus standi (legal rights) to initiate the court process. He also challenged the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain the suit, adding that the trial court did not accord him fair hearing before arriving at its decision. But in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Lamido, the three-member panel resolved all four issues raised by Oshiomhole in favour of the respondents. The court accordingly upheld the decision of the FCT High Court. On the issue of jurisdiction, the Court of Appeal held that the trial court was right to hear the suit because Oshiomhole as the first appellant is based in Abuja while the APC also has its national headquarters in Abuja. On the issue of locus standi, the appellate court disagreed with the appellants, stating that the plaintiffs/respondents are key officials of the party in the state. The court also disagreed with Oshiomhole that his right to fair hearing was breached, noting that the ruling of the trial court only ordered his suspension and not removal from office. The court also disagreed with Oshiomhole that the plaintiffs/respondents did not place sufficient material before the trial court to warrant the issuing of the interlocutory injunction. According to the appellate court judgment, there was
enough evidence to show that Oshiomhole’s suspension from Ward 10 of Etsako Local Government of Edo State was ratified at the ward, local government and state levels as required by law. Justice Lamido also noted that Oshiomhole did nothing to challenge his suspension at the ward level, which was ratified until about 72 days after. "In these circumstances, the position taken by the lower court that the plaintiffs have made a case for the issuance of the interlocutory order is proper and that part of the decision is hereby upheld. "The appeal is unmeritorious, appeal dismissed and the ruling of the lower court upheld," Justice Lamido said.
Obaseki, Deputy Dump APC Obaseki yesterday visited the State House to inform President Muhammadu Buhari about his decision to quit the APC, but he was unable to see the president. Rather, he met with the Chief of Staff to the president, Professor Ibrahim Gambari. He later told State House reporters that he came to formally inform the president of his resignation from the APC to enable him to realise his re-election bid on the platform of another party. He said having finally decided to leave APC, the platform that brought him to power, he had deemed it necessary to inform the president of his decision. However, he did not disclose that he was unable to see the president. Asked what was the president's reaction to the information that he was leaving APC, Obaseki responded with a sense of diplomacy, that "you will hear from the president." He explained that the decision to quit the party was a fulfilment of his earlier tweet after his disqualification that he would make his next line of action known after making the right consultations. Obaseki, who had spent the better part of the weekend, consulting stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he would announce in the next few days the platform on which he would contest the September governorship election in Edo State. "You remember in my last tweet, I said that I'll make a decision, after my disqualification was announced by APC that I'll make a decision after I've consulted with the leadership and my supporters in Edo State and also having informed the president. "Just here today to
inform you that I have now decided, formally, to resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress. Having done that, I will now announce in the next few days my specific line of action and what platform I will be contesting the gubernatorial election on. "I'm sure the whole country knows and is aware of what has gone on between me and the party chairman in party leadership, which culminated in my disqualification as a gubernatorial aspirant; and upon that unfortunate decision by the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, I've decided to go and seek my gubernatorial aspiration on another platform," he added. Asked if there were inconsistencies in his certificates, as claimed by the screening committee which disqualified him, Obaseki denied the insinuation. However, he attacked Oshiomhole, saying he lacked understanding of the meaning of "inconsistency," because he did not go to school. He narrated the challenge he had earlier about his certificates prior to the 2016 governorship election in Edo State and how he overcame the challenge, saying he didn't know what they meant by inconsistencies. He said the APC national chairman was only out to create what did not exist just to get rid of him, lamenting that the party was handed to a person whom he said had unilateral power to get rid of perceived enemies. According to him, any institution handed over to the like of Oshiomhole, whom he said lacked the finesse, a sense of justice and character to run it, without the mechanism to check his excesses, is already imperilled. He said: "Someone who hasn't gone to school, who doesn't have a certificate himself will not know and understand what inconsistencies in certificates are. That's the starting point. "What is the inconsistency? There's no inconsistency in my certificates. The issue was in 2016, when I contested for gubernatorial election, I could not find the originals of my certificates because I hadn't required them for more than two decades. "So, I deposed to an affidavit that I couldn't find the originals. Subsequently, I found all the original copies of all my certificates and they are with me. So, I don't understand what's inconsistent about that. Maybe the inconsistency in the youth corps certificate, where he said my surname was missing an 'i' at the end, but if you look at that, it was like a cursive. It was written
NEW ELECTRICITY TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT IN JULY, MINISTER INSISTS mitigation. The fund should be provided for in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Appropriations of the Ministry of Power," he stated. The minister added that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an economic impact not just on the health sector, but the overall economy of the country. "Indeed, the prevalence of the pandemic has already reduced productivity due to the strategy adopted globally to contain it. This by default affects the purchasing power
of consumers and the demand for electricity in general. "The current situation in the Nigerian power sector is that a lot of capital investment is being made, most of which is dependent on donor funding, loans and budgetary allocation. For projects that we have already secured their funding, we do not expect any adverse effect," he said. He, however, explained that the ministry was canvassing strategies to identify projects that would require counterpart funding in the face of
dwindling national revenue with a view to delivering within the projected time. He said: "This explains our prayer for the senators to consider and approve additional funding for the execution of the various projects we are undertaking." Mamman added that the power sector is facing the challenge of infrastructural misalignment, market inefficiency/transparency, sector governance/policy coordination, increase energy access and completion of
legacy projects. “Note that the teething issues as well as the legacy issues affecting the power sector is primarily an issue of infrastructural deficit and lack of coordination in the sector. “We believe solving two challenges alone would not only redress these challenges, but will also unlock the sector for investment, efficiency and service delivery, bringing affordable and stable power to the nation. “It is thus fortuitous that
President Muhammadu Buhari has championed the Siemens Electrification Plan under the Presidential Power Initiative, as the central theme of the government’s strategy in the sector. “I believe that all efforts rendered by the many relevant stakeholders within the stakeholders should be aligned with the PPI for maximum effectiveness in implementation. It is really our only choice to once and for all resolve the longstanding issue of the power sector.�
in a cursive manner. "So, if that's inconsistency for him, then it's really sad that people of that quality are leading the Nigeria's ruling party. For him, it was just to look for an excuse to take whatever decision he wants to take and it's really sad that the party structure today gives him that sort of authority without checks. "That is dangerous for any system or any institution when you give authority and responsibility to people who don't have character - people who do not have finesse, a sense of justice, then that institution is imperilled." Asked about the outcome of his meetings with PDP governors at the weekend, he said some of them had gone through events similar to his current ordeal and hence, it was only necessary to share his current travails with them for advice. When told that Oshiomhole had expressed optimism that he would be fair to APC on June 22 when it will conduct its governorship primaries, he queried if Oshiomhole himself had been fair. He further lampooned Oshiomhole, alleging that the former labour leader is only afraid of educated people because he's not properly educated and he lacks the capacity to stand before people of substance. He explained that it was high time Nigeria moved beyond handing responsibilities to people who lack the character and capacity to drive such responsibilities. "He, Adams Oshiomhole, has he? As Governor Wike said, he should practice what he preaches; he has never done so. He has not provided a level-playing ground even in the selection process, the disqualification process: what is the basis for disqualifying someone like Chris Ogiemwonyi? "You are afraid of people who are educated because you didn't go to school. You are afraid of people who have something to offer because all he knows how to offer is brigandage, crisis. "So, for us, Nigeria has to move forward beyond some of the characters who Continued on page 35
TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % FIDSON 0.33 3.63 10 CAVERTON 0.15 2.19 7.3 HONEYWELL 0.07 1.08 6.9 REDSTAR 0.17 3.80 4.6 UPL 0.05 1.25 4.1 TOP LOSERS NGN % NEIMETH 0.23 2.09 9.9 PRESTIGE 0.06 0.57 9.5 C & I LEASING 0.45 4.35 9.3 AIICO 0.10 0.97 9.3 MBENEFIT 0.02 0.21 8.7 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś1,000.00 Volume: 200.392 million shares Value: N1.585 billion Deals: 4,194 As at yesterday 16/6/2020 See details on Page 29
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WEDNESDAY, ÍšÍżËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY
NEWS OBASEKI RESIGNS, OSHIOMHOLE SUSPENDED, AJIMOBI HOSPITALISED, NWC DIVIDED are currently overseeing our political polity and they are scared. They are scared that when people of substance, when people who are proven, when people who have succeeded in other aspects of life come into politics, they will be history. "For me, this fight is not about grabbing political power. It's not about me. It's not about trying to prove a sense of importance, no. It's for us, 21 years into this republic, democracy must mature; but as democracy is maturing, we need to begin to show that politics cannot and should not be the preserve of a certain character of people. People of accomplishment, people of knowledge, people of character must also be accommodated in the political space. You don't have to be a ruffian to be a politician. You don't have to be a brigand to be a politician. You don't have to be a thief to be a politician," he stated. Also asked if he thought he had chances of winning the election on the platform of another party, the governor said the volume of goodwill of the people of Edo State towards him had been massive, adding: "they've said to me, 'wherever you go, we will go'." However, unlike Obaseki who was unable to see the president, his counterpart in Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, who was also in the State House to inform the president of his intention to seek re-election, met with the president.
Akeredolu who described the president as a father, added that the president had visited Ondo State and was proud of what he saw. "Mr. President is a father to all of us. Let us be fair to him but he knows what we have tried to do. Remember, I saw in a photo display (in the State House), the president's visit to our Ondo industrial hub. That is a monumental achievement and the president was proud of it and he even said that we were able to come up with this idea with the Chinese companies and other companies there in Ondo is worthy of emulation by everybody. "That can go for giving you a pass mark. It can go for president supporting you. But all I know is that the president is a father to all. You don't expect him to say this is my candidate. But I know that he has seen our work and he has said to me pointedly, you have done very well in Ondo State," he said.
Obaseki's Deputy Resigns from APC Shortly after Obaseki announced his resignation from the APC, his deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu, also quit the party. In his resignation letter addressed to the Ward Chairman, APC Ward 11, Etsako West Local Government Area, he said: "I write pursuant to Article
9.5 (i) of the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to formally resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress and to inform you of my formal withdrawal from all or any of its proceedings and processes whatsoever. "Please note that this resignation takes immediate effect." Indications that Obaseki and Shaibu may have joined the PDP emerged when their aides were seen on a viral video shouting “PDP Power,� after removing the APC flag in their offices. In the video that went viral from the office of the deputy governor, his aides removed the APC flag from the deputy governor's office and were shouting PDP’s slogan. But the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said Obaseki and his deputy were expected to pick the party membership forms from their various wards in Edo State He explained that it is after they have officially become card-carrying members of the PDP that the party will commence further discussions on their ambitions. Also, the Edo state chairman of PDP, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, told THISDAY that at press time that the governor has not registered at his Ward 4 in Oredo LGA, adding that Obaseki would do so soonest. He said: "The first bridge has been crossed. He is no longer in the APC. We are
waiting for him to formally pick the PDP membership form and other discussions will follow."
18 LGA Chairmen ReafďŹ rm support for Obaseki's Re-election The chairmen of the 18 LGAs in Edo State have reaffirmed their support for the re-election bid of Obaseki, saying that they are fully committed to the progressive ideals of the governor and his battle against godfatherism, thuggery and impunity. In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Edo State, Hon. Jenkins Osunde, and the 17 other council chairmen in the state, the association described the disqualification of Obaseki from the APC primary election as a theatre of political fraud staged with predetermined outcomes and decisions sponsored by the surrogates of Oshiomhole. "We the undersigned local government chairmen of all the 18 area councils in Edo State have held an emergency meeting to review what we consider an outrageous and undemocratic process of both the screening exercise as well as the prejudiced decision consequently reached," the statement said. The LGA chairmen said rather than weaken the support for the governor, the disqualification by the committee has garnered more support for the governor
across all the senatorial zones of the state. The chairmen reiterated their support for Obaseki's re-election bid, noting, "that as the chairmen of the third tier, people-oriented paradigm of Nigeria's federalism, we carry with us the hopes and aspirations of our constituencies as we reaffirm our commitment to the progressive agenda of continuity till 2024 for the governor- all the way with Obaseki and Shaibu!"
We've No Record of Obaseki's Resignation, Says APC However, in a statement issued yesterday by IssaOnilu, the APC said the party had no record of the governor's resignation. He said: "The party has no record of the reported defection of Governor Godwin Obaseki from the progressive party. We cannot comment at this moment on media reports suggesting the Edo governor or anyone else has left our great party." However, the Chairman of the pro-Obaseki faction of APC in Edo State, Mr. Anselm Ojezua, has said he will not move with the governor to another party. Ojezua, in a telephone interview, said he was elected as chairman of APC with a four-year mandate, which expires by 2022. "I still have my mandate as the elected party chairman
of APC in Edo State which expires by 2022 and I intend to complete that mandate," he added.
Appeal Court Adjourns Suit on Mode of Primary The Court of Appeal, Benin, yesterday, adjourned hearing in the suit filed by the APC challenging the jurisdiction of the lower court to hear the case filed by two allies of Obaseki challenging the mode of primary election adopted by the party’s NWC. The Deputy Chairman of the Edo APC faction, Mr. Kenneth Asekomhe, and one of the governorship aspirants on the party's platform, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, had filed a suit at the Federal High Court challenging the direct primary adopted by the NWC. When the case came up Thursday last week, counsel to APC wanted an order on jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Benin to hear the case, while Oshiomhole is seeking an order for stay of further proceedings in the suit at the lower court. When the matter came up yesterday, Justice Morenike Ogunwomiju adjourned hearing till tomorrow. She mandated respondents in the suit to file their brief in response to the appellants’ brief already filed. The judge also ordered the appellants to within 12 hours if need be to file their reply to the brief.
FG ROLLS OUT GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS guidelines for the reopening of schools in Abuja yesterday. He spoke at the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Nwajiuba said: “All institutions must have hand-washing facilities; body temperature checks; body disinfectants at all entering points to their major facilities, including the gates, hostels, classes, offices, etc; the whole premises of each institution must be decontaminated; all efforts must be geared toward maintenance of the highest level of hygiene and institutions must ensure social and physical distancing in class sizes and meeting spaces.� The minister hailed the higher institutions for responding promptly to the pandemic challenges by coming up with different innovations, including the manufacturing of some of the facilities that were required to attend to COVID-19 patients. He warned them against reopening schools without the federal government’s approval. “While we look forward to easing the lockdown, which will ultimately lead to re-opening of our campuses, I urge all the heads of institutions not to wait till the announcement on reopening before putting in place all necessary measures in compliance with the protocols and advisories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,� he stated.
Relief as UK Drug Reduces COVID-19 Deaths There appears to be a major breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic
as dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available lowdose UK steroid drug has shown efficacy for preventing critically ill COVID-19 patients from dying. The drug is part of the world's biggest existing medicine under clinical trial for the treatment and possible cure for the deadly viral disease. The research, led by a team from Oxford University scientists, has shown that dexamethasone cuts the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators, and by a fifth, for those on oxygen. The Chief Investigator of the Research, Prof. Peter Horby, said: "Had the drug been used to treat patients in the UK from the start of the pandemic, up to 5,000 lives could have been saved. This could be of huge benefit in poorer countries with high numbers of COVID-19 patients." The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said about 19 out of 20 patients with COVID-19 recover without being admitted to hospital. Of those who are admitted, most also recover, but some may need oxygen or mechanical ventilation. These are the high-risk patients whom dexamethasone appears to help. Horby said the drug has already been used to reduce inflammation in a range of other conditions, adding that it appears that it helps stop some of the damages that can happen when the body's immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight off COVID-19. "The body's over-reaction is called cytokine storm and it can be deadly. "Two thousand hospital patients were given dexamethasone and were
compared with more than 4,000 who did not receive the drug. "For patients on ventilators, it cut the risk of death from 40 per cent to 28 per cent. For patients needing oxygen, it cut the risk of death from 25 per cent to 20 per cent. "This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality - and it reduces it significantly. It's a major breakthrough," he added. Lead Researcher, Prof. Martin Landray, said the findings suggested that one life could be saved for every eight patients treated on ventilators. "For those patients treated with oxygen, you save one life for approximately every 20-25 treated with the drug. "There is a clear, clear benefit. The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it costs about ÂŁ5 per patient. So essentially it costs ÂŁ35 to save a life. This is a drug that is globally available," he added.
Drug Available in Nigeria, Says PSN Reacting to the research finding, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr. Sam Ohuabunwa, said it meant good news in the battle against COVID-19 in the country as dexamethasone is available in Nigeria. He also said the indefinite suspension of date for reopening worship centres by the Lagos State Government would make little or no difference in halting the spread of COVID-19 in the state. Speaking exclusively to THISDAY yesterday, he said dexamethasone is a steroid, which can be used on a shortterm basis in the treatment of inflammation, adding that it must be used on prescription.
He added that if used on a long-term basis, it could become injurious. “If this drug has now been found to be useful in the treatment of serious cases of COVID-19, it will be nice because right now, there has not been a major breakthrough. It is available in Nigeria and it is a very old drug. But what the researchers in the UK are doing is trying to re-propose it. “From my review, the report is not as spectacular as they are saying because a drug that can save one out of eight persons on ventilators and one out of 20 persons on oxygen is not so spectacular. I know one life is important, but I think the point they are making is that the body goes through inflammatory responses when one has COVID-19. So, it works more like a supportive therapy, not like a magical cure,� he said. On the indefinite suspension of the decision to reopen worship centres by the Lagos State Government, he said it would be unfair to worship centres, especially because the government has opened markets and offices but singled out churches and mosques for closure. “This is not a big step. If you are opening the doors for markets to operate for commercial activities and there is close contact, opening religious houses one day of the week and giving them mandate to follow strict health protocols won’t fuel more cases than what the markets and offices would. “Singling out religious centres is too little to make a major impact. Religious houses are closed yet the infection is increasing. This means that it may not add any real value. I wished the government had closed down
everywhere,� added.
Lagos Suspends Reopening of Worship Centres IndeďŹ nitely Following rising cases of COVID-19, the Lagos State Government has suspended the plans to reopen churches and mosques until further notice. The state, on June 4, had said mosques would be opened Friday, June 19 and churches, on Sunday, June 21. But a statement issued yesterday by Sanwo-Olu, said the evaluation of evolving scenarios regarding the course of COVID-19 in the state and the corresponding public health advisory guidelines issued by experts necessitated the need for the state to reconsider the reopening of religious centres. He said: "So, let me say this again: we are now hereby suspending, with immediate effect, the plan to re-open religious houses and places of worship in Lagos State until further notice. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and continue to base our decision-making on data modelling as well as on the responsibility we have to act in a manner that ensures the protection of all residents. "Therefore, until further notice, all places of worship in Lagos State will remain closed. Social and events centres, and social clubs, will also remain closed, for now." He warned that the state is now fully in the phase of personal responsibility regarding the pandemic, adding that this means that while the government maintains its responsibility to take protective decisions for the common good, what will ultimately save residents
and defeat the virus is the sensible personal decisions taken on a daily basis. He said: "Decisions to use masks anytime you are out of your house, to avoid non-essential travel, to stay at home when we don’t have any business being outside, to wash or sanitise our hands regularly – these are the simple but necessary steps that will save and protect us all. "As a government, we will continue to do everything in our power to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the people, but that can only be effective when the people themselves act responsibly, and do not behave in a manner that undermines public health guidelines and puts the society at risk," he said.
Nigeria Records 31 COVID-19 Deaths in One Day, 490 New Cases For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, the country has recorded an all high 31 deaths in a single day, raising the number from 424 to 455 deaths in the last 24 hours. It has also recorded 490 new cases of the virus, bringing to 17,148 the number of confirmed cases in the country. Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Lagos recorded 142 new cases, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 60, Bayelsa 54, Rivers 39, Delta 37, Oyo 30, Kaduna 26, Imo 23, Enugu 19, Kwara 17, Gombe 11, Ondo 10, Bauchi eight, Ogun seven, Borno six, while Benue recorded one case. It said: "Nigeria has recorded 17,148 cases of COVID-19. 5,623 persons have been discharged, while 455 persons have died."
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FG May Sack Striking Doctors as Talks End in Deadlock N4bn paid to doctors as hazard allowance, says Ngige Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The meeting held yesterday in Abuja between the federal government and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) ended in deadlock, fueling a veiled threat by the federal government to sack the striking doctors. The meeting which started by 1pm, ended at about 7.40 pm, without achieving any results. At the end of the meeting,
the Minister of Health Ehanire Osagie disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health would issue a directive to all medical directors in the country to open a register by 7a.m today (Wednesday) and record those who come to work and those who fail to come to work. The move by government is coming as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said that federal government has commenced
the payment of new hazard allowances to health workers. Ehanire who spoke shortly after the talks with the leadership of NARD failed to yield positive outcome, noted that health is very important at this crucial time. He said: “We are ready to protect the lives of Nigerians;
we are not going to allow our hospitals to fallow.” Ehanire said that Nigeria is the first country in the world where doctors went on strike during a global pandemic. Speaking via phone with journalists, the President of NARD, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba said, ”we would call off the strike only
when the government comes up with tangible outcome; we would call of the strike within 24 hours”. Ngige who along the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire held a meeting with the leadership of the striking medical doctors at his office, said that government is going to implement the rest of the
agreement with the doctors in stages. When THISDAY asked the minister about the outcome of the meeting with the doctors, Ngige said that no conclusions and that the leadership of NARD disclosed that they needed to go back for its executive committee meeting.
Buhari Calls for End to Violence against Children Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Nigeria yesterday joined the international community to celebrate the Day of the African Child with President Muhammadu Buhari pledging the commitment of the federal government to protecting children from sexual violence, domestic abuse and exploitation. A statement by the president’s Media Adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari reiterated his administration’s commitment to the provision of access to quality and affordable education for the Nigerian child by promoting free and compulsory basic education in his first nine years of schooling. According to Adesina, Buhari expressed concern over the recent spate of sexual and physical violence against the girl-child and directed
relevant government agencies to scale up support for victims of violence and also ensure that those who have infringed on their rights face the full weight of our laws. He added: “The President affirms that it is the right of every Nigerian child to be protected from sexual or physical violence and abuse, and to enjoy an environment conducive for learning and development. “President Buhari further affirms that the safety of every Nigerian child remains paramount and government will continue to do all within its means to protect children from violence and abuse. “The President recognises that this year’s commemorative activities with the theme, ‘Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa,’ have moved online due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.”
ICPC Seizes Landed Property from Bauchi Gov Kingsley NwezehinAbuja Pursuant to its powers contained in Section 45 (4) (a-c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has disclosed that it has seized a multi-million naira property belonging to the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, formerly the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The property, which houses Zinaria International School is located at Plot 298 Wuye District, Cadastral Zone B3, FCT, Abuja. ICPC’s intelligence-led investigation revealed that Mohammed in his official capacity as the FCT minister, had allocated the said property to a school that had himself and family members as directors and shareholders, despite an existing right of the Federal
Ministry of Agriculture over the land. To this end, the commission will issue notices of seizure and shall cause them to be served on the appropriate land registry, ministry and department where the property is situated as required by law. According to a statement issued yesterday by ICPC, Mohammed had earlier been charged for using his office to confer corrupt advantage upon himself and relations under Section 19 of ICPC law but could not be arraigned before he was sworn in as Governor of Bauchi State. “In view of the provisions of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the charge which was pending before Hon. Justice Senchi of FCT High Court 13, Jabi, was withdrawn by the Commission to forestall its being struck out by the court suo moto.
Fashola Dissociates Self from Naira Marley’s Flight The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said he has not travelled out of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, since March 22. The minister who was reacting to a letter written by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Jets Services Limited, Mr. Sam Iwuajoku, over circumstances surrounding a Lagos-Abuja-flight operated on Saturday, said linking him with the flight was ridiculous. Reacting in a statement yesterday, Fashola’s Special Adviser on Communications, Mr. Hakeem
Bello, said the minister “has not travelled out of Abuja since March 22, 2020, when he returned there after an inspection tour of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway construction work and a visit to Lagos, before the lockdown. “The decision of the Hon. Minister not to travel was taken in strict compliance with the federal government’s ban on inter-state travels as part of efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is therefore ridiculous for Dr. Iwuajoku to attempt to link the Hon. Minister with any non-compliant flight.”
A VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT...
Chief of Staff to the president, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari (left), and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, after the governor’s meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja... yesterday
Osinbajo’s Committee Advocates Closure of NYSC Camps Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Committee has recommended that all camps where the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation exercises are usually undertaken should be closed for two years because of the COVID-19 protocol, which demands social distancing. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said this in a series of tweets
yesterday while reacting to the controversy generated by the committee’s report. The tweets read in part, “Contrary to reports circulating in the mainstream media, VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo did not call for the suspension of the NYSC. “It’s the paramilitary orientation camping that is being considered to be suspended for at least 24 months, not deployment to
primary assignment i.e. the longer part of NYSC programme would not be affected in case this idea is okayed. “The Economic Sustainability Committee in its report submitted by Osinbajo last week, recommended the direct mobilisation of prospective corps members to their places of primary assignment.” He said the suspension of the camping exercise was
recommended to maintain social distancing as part of measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease. The plan partly read, “The immediate focus in the education sector is to address the disruptions caused by the pandemic and ensuing (sic) social distancing measures at all levels of education. Practical steps will be taken to minimise disruption to learning, utilising technology as appropriate.
Imo Assembly Shut as Lawmaker Tests Positive for COVID-19 The Imo State Taskforce Committee on COVID-19 yesterday announced the shutdown of the state House of Assembly complex following a COVID-19 scare. The committee also announced the death of a woman who died of COVID-19 after she was delivered of twins whose sample
results came back negative. Addressing journalists during the committee’s weekly media briefing in Owerri, the Chairman of the task force, Prof. Maurice Iwu, said the assembly complex would be shut for two weeks for fumigation and to enable other lawmakers and their aides to self-isolate.
Iwu added that the lawmaker and his wife had already been isolated. He also disclosed samples of the entire members of the House of Assembly, their aides and the members of staff have been taken and results being awaited. According to him, the
state conducted an enhanced screening on 760 samples and 135 returned positive with 92 active cases, adding that 43 patients have been discharged. He stated that the pandemic had not only become a health emergency but a social emergency and disharmony in the state.
JAMB Announces Cut-off Marks forVarsities, Others The 20th Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria has approved 160 and above as the national minimum benchmark for admission for the year 2020 into public universities. The meeting held virtually, yesterday, also approved 140 as minimum Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examination (UTME) score for admission into private universities. For public polytechnic, 120 UTME score was approved, while 100 was approved for Colleges of Education, innovative enterprises and institutes. During the meeting, JAMB
Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, urged tertiary institution heads not to increase admission screening charges above N2000. Oloyede in his speech stated that only 1,157,977 candidates had the required five credits with English Language and Mathematics that sat for the
UTME held in 2019. He said, “Out of 1,157,977 candidates who sat for UTME in 2019, about 612,557 were admitted.” According to him, candidates waiting for their results would only be considered when they are uploaded on the website of JAMB.
Buhari Approves Appointment of 12 New Permanent Secretaries Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of 12 new permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service. The Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, disclosed this in a statement she issued yesterday
in Abuja. The statement, which was signed on behalf of the Head of Service by the Director, Communications Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Mrs. Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, said the swearing-in and deployment of the new
permanent secretaries will be announced in due course. The newly appointed permanent officers and their states are: Belgore Shuaib Mohammad Lomido, Kwara; Akinlade Oluwatoyin, Kogi; Ekpa Anthonia Akpabio, Cross River; Alkali Bashir Nura, Kano; Ardo Babayo Kumo, Gombe; and
Anyanwutaku Adaora lfeoma, Anambra. The rest are: Udoh Moniloja Omokunmi, Oyo; Hussaini Babangida, Jigawa; Mohammed Aliyu Ganda, Sokoto; Mahmuda Mamman, Yobe; Meribole Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, Abia and Tarfa Yerima Peter Adamawa.
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NEWS XTRA
FCTA to Prosecute Organisers of Naira Marley Concert Musician knocks airline over disparaging remarks in apology letter Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Mohammed Musa Bello has vowed that the FCT Administration will prosecute with the full extent of the law all the people involved in the controversial musical concert held at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja on Saturday. This is coming as the musician, Azeez Fashola a.k.a Naira Marley, has lambasted the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Jets Services Limited, Mr. Sam Iwuajoku, for calling his team “a bunch of useless people” in an apology letter to the federal government. The FCT minister made the threat yesterday in a statement issued by the FCTA media office.
The minister lamented that the infractions at the concert violated with reckless abandon all the guidelines on the prevention of the pandemic issued by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) COVID-19 . He listed some of the infractions committed by those who attended the concert to include non-use of face marks in the public, disregard for social distancing and violation of the guidelines restricting more than 20 people from gathering outside a workplace or places of worship. He also inferred that Naira Marley and his crew violated the ban on interstate movement by travelling from Lagos to the FCT for the concert. Meanwhile, Marley, has lambasted the Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Executive Jets Services Limited, Iwuajoku, for calling his team “a bunch of useless people”. Following the suspension of the airline by the federal government, the Chairman of the airline wrote a letter of apology to the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika explaining the circumstances surrounding the flight. In the letter dated June 15, 2020, Iwuajoku said he gave the approval for the flight thinking the passenger was the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola. “So, we decided to do the flight since he is a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I didn’t know that it was a bunch of useless people.”
Rivers, Zamfara Experience Awaits APC in Edo, Ondo, DG PGF Laments Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Director-General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears more determined to reproduce the painful past experiences in Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa States, following the recent disqualification of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, from the state governorship primary. Lukman in a statement issued on yesterday said it was very difficult and challenging to come to terms with the unfolding development in APC. He noted that the disconcerting
reality of becoming clobbered into another undemocratic political platform, which is intolerant to basic tenets of free and fair contest, was hard to admit. The DG stressed that anyone with small residue of conscience and integrity must have been jolted by what is going on in the ruling party. He said while it might be easy to pass judgement on the leaders of the party, party members must however recognise that the failings or limitations of the leaders are equally that of the members. According to Lukman, “Without any attempt to qualify electoral experiences since 2019,
every member and leader of APC should be troubled. Being troubled should have spurred us into some sober reflections with the objective of remedying the situation. Unfortunately, it would appear that we are more determined to reproduce all the painful experiences, every time we are faced with electoral contests. It was Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa States. Now Edo and Ondo States are basically on a roller costar with perhaps emerging with the same predictable outcome that consumed our electoral victories in Zamfara and Bayelsa States. Why should this be allowed to happen?”
Oshiomhole’s Suspension a Relief to APC, Party Chieftain Insists I will teach Oshiomhole lesson in Edo, says Wike Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu described yesterday’s suspension of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole by an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja, as a big relief to the party. This is coming as the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike has said that he has agreed to help his counterpart in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to teach Oshiomhole a lesson in the state. “I have agreed to help Obaseki
teach Oshiomhole a lesson in Edo State. Oshiomhole should go and ask Amaechi how far,” Wike tweeted yesterday. In a statement issued in Abuja, Okechukwu said: “its good riddance to bad rubbish. One is vindicated, as I had maintained that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was no more a valid chairman of our great party. That out of narcissism he glossed over his valid suspension by his ward executive and with culture of impunity failed to adhere to the provisions of APC Constitution”. Okechukwu argued that a man who lost his ward, LGA
and State Exco has no reason to remain chairman. “The good thing is that his suspension will afford a golden opportunity for the leadership of our party to overhaul and reposition our great party along the core progressive tenets, as we enshrined during merger in our constitution. “Let us be frank, and do a careful review of Adams’ stewardship and take our party as a company in stock market. As MD of APC Plc and taking states controlled in 2019 as stocks; did Adams pass or fail? He failed woefully,” Okechukwu added.
Former Lagos Assembly Speaker, Ikuforiji Mourns Osinowo A former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji has expressed sadness over the death of his political associate, Senator Bayo Osinowo, saying that he was yet to come to terms with his sudden passage. Ikuforiji, in a statement he personally signed, described the death of the Lagos East Senator, popularly called ‘Pepper’ as a personal loss to him.
Recounting some of the memorable encounters they shared together, he said the deceased was one political associate “you could bank on and go to bed rest assured that he would watch your back and protect your interest. “Even as I mourn the loss of my great friend, I’m comforted by the words of William Shakespeare who said “all the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players; they have their
exits and entrances ...death, a necessary end, will come when it will come”. “I look back on the good times we shared. I remember our several trips to Ijebu-Ode while the house, which has now become his resting place was being built. It was in the course of these trips that Senator Osinowo introduced me to the best gusi joint: a testament to his unparalleled hospitality,” the former Speaker said.
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US Sanctions Six Nigerians over $6m Cyber Fraud Ejiofor Alike The US Government has sanctioned six Nigerians over $6million cyber fraud against its citizens. The US Secretary of State, Mr. Micheal Pompeo, disclosed this in a statement published yesterday on the department of state’s website The Cable reported that the six persons were identified as:
Benson Orson, Kayode Abiola, Ogunshakin Alex, Okpoh Felix, Olorunyomi Micheal, and Uzuh Richard Information from the US department of treasury website showed that the perpetrators of the fraud are between the ages of 32 and 37. The US government also included the names of the Nigerians in its Office of Foreign
Assets Control (OFAC) specially designated nationals list, under the section of “cyber-related designation”. Pompeo said the victims were defrauded through the use of sensitive information and financial resources derived by manipulative means. He said the US government will not tolerate any fraud act
against its citizens, adding that the country would also prevent an abuse of technology. “Technological advancements that provide greater interconnectivity also offer greater opportunity for exploitation by malicious actors who target at-risk Americans,” the statement read. “Today, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice,
the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control took action against six Nigerian nationals, pursuant to Executive Order 13694 as amended, for conducting an elaborate online scheme to steal more than $6 million from victims across the United States. “The six individuals designated today manipulated their victims to gain access to their sensitive
information and financial resources. The U.S. will not tolerate such gross misuse of technology. “The United States will use all of the tools at our disposal to defend the American people and businesses from malign actors that seek to target them, including cyber-enabled actors who prey on vulnerable Americans and businesses.”
Health Workers Allege Bias in Payment of Hazard Allowance
Abike Dabiri Seeks Probe into Killing of Nigerian in US
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Chairman of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on the government of the United States to ensure a thorough investigation into the alleged killing of a Nigerian, Toyin Salau. Abike described the alleged murder of the 19-year-old Nigerian-American activist in the US as “highly depressing and cruel”. This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Head of Media and Public Relations Unit of NIDCOM, Mr. Abdur-Rahman Balogun. Toyin Salau, a 19-year-old lady of Nigerian origin, was found dead days after she was declared missing in the
The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has alleged unfair treatment in the implementation of the newly approved inducement and hazard allowances for medical workers. They urged the federal government to implement the COVDI-19 hazard allowances agreement for all medical workers without giving preferential treatment to medical doctors while leaving out other workers. The protest by health workers union came just as the federal government summoned the leadership of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to a meeting to seek ways of resolving issues that led to the latest strike action by the doctors.
The meeting with the doctors which is continuing late night yesterday was being chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige with the Minister of Heath, Dr. Osagie Ehanire in attendance. Both parties met in a technical sessions for three hours before adjourning for further talks later at night. JOHESU in a protest letter addressed to Ngige and dated June 15, 2020, described the recent release of N4billion for the NARD as unfair. In the letter jointly signed by the Chairman and acting Secretary of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah and Matthew Ajorutu, the health workers said that the usual plea by the government for understanding due to paucity of funds can no longer
be accepted by the members. JOHESU also alleged that some of the affiliate unions, like the National Abovirus Vector and Research Centres (NACRC), Enugu; National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau State; National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centres in Saye, Zaria; NOFIC, Katsina, and health clinics in universities were not captured for payment of the special COVID-19 Hazard and Inducement Allowance. In the protest letter, the union urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha and Minister of Health to immediately implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated April 21, 2020 and the Memorandum of Action reached with government last week.
Military Kills Scores of Bandits in Katsina Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja In continuation of the renewed offensive to rid the North-west and North-central states of criminal elements, the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji yesterday destroyed some armed bandits’ camps in a forest in Katsina State
FG Inaugurates Task Force Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, has inaugurated an inter-ministerial task force charged with full implementation of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). The GIFMIS is an information technology-based system that was introduced by the previous administration for budget management and accounting, which was designed to improve public expenditure management processes, enhance greater accountability and transparency across ministries and agencies. Ahmed explained during the inauguration of the task force in Abuja yesterday, that the programme was developed by different government agencies to enhance effectiveness of government financial activities. According to her, the programme was jointly developed by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), Debt Management Office (DMO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
- south of Birnin Kogo along the Katsina-Zamfara boundary area. The air strikes were executed as part of the missions under the subsidiary Operation Accord after Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports as well as series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions indicated that some clusters of huts in the area were being used as mini-camps by members of notorious armed bandits’ gang
led by one “Adamu Aleiro”. Consequently, the air component dispatched a force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attack aircraft and helicopter gunships to engage the area, leading to the destruction of three of the targeted camps, some of which were seen engulfed in flames. Several of the criminals were also neutralised in the process, a military update said.
LOSS OF DOCUMENT Notice is hereby given to the general public of the loss of original Certificate of Occupancy in respect of the Land situated at Guzape District, Abuja, Cadastral Zone: A09. The said Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Federal Capital Territory Administration to Mohammed Bello Adoke, in respect Plot No. 4255 with File No. KG 64931. All efforts to recover the said Certificate of Occupancy is respect of the land situate at Guzape District, Abuja, Cadastral Zone: A09 have proved abortive. Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and the General Public to take note, please.
SIGNED: Odinichionye Egwuenu, Esq
city of Tallahassee, Florida, the United States. According to the Tallahassee Police Department, Toyin, who spoke at Black Lives Matters protests in the city, was last seen June 6 near Wahnish Way and Orange Avenue, Tallahassee. Salau was declared missing hours after she tweeted that she was sexually assaulted. Toyin tweeted that a man molested her that morning around Park Avenue and Richview Road, Tallahassee, Florida. She said the man offered to give her a ride back to a church where she had sought “refuge” because of “unjust living conditions.” “He came disguised as a man
of God and ended up picking me up from nearby Saxon Street,” she tweeted. “I trusted the holy spirit to keep me safe.” According to reports, the Tallahassee Community Action Agency conducted a search party on Wednesday night, starting at Bethel AME Church. The demonstrators searched for hours. They carried flashlights and asked for medics to join them in case she was hurt. Salau on June 15, after a week of her abduction, was found dead. Before her confirmed death, she was very passionate about government policies, fighting racism and other issues affecting the society.
39
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WEDNESDAYSPORTS Transfer: Chelsea Set to Offload Victor Moses, Five Others
Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY
Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report
Chelsea are planning to offload six players including Nigerian international, Victor Moses who is on loan at Inter Milan. The six players include; Moses, Tiemoue Bakayoko, , Emerson Palmieri, Davide Zappacosta, Danny Drinkwater and Michy Batshuayi. According to Chelsea sources, manager Frank Lampard is believed to be shopping for cash to fund a double raid for Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell. Lampard is unlikely to block Victor Moses’ exit. The 29-year-old Nigerian who joined Antonio Conte his former coach at Stamford Bridge in Inter is likely to get a permanent deal at the Serie A club. Conte used Moses to maximum effect at Chelsea, playing him as a wing back. Currently a Chelsea player, Moses was loaned out to Turkish side Fernebahce 2019 January transfer window and after a season in Turkey left
to join Inter Milan. Because of the desperation of Lampard to clear out, it is believed that the initial asking fee of ₏10m (£8.5m) on Moses is likely to be waived to encourage Inter to pick him up on a permanent basis. Already, Lampard is believed to have informed Moses along with Bakayoko, Palmieri, Zappacosta, Drinkwater and Batshuayi that they no longer have a future at the club. This perhaps explains why Chelsea officials are now ready to accept bids for all six players just to get them off their huge wage bill. Several reports earlier this month said Chelsea have agreed a deal worth around £50million to sign RB Leipzig’s striker, Timo Werner. However, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich reportedly wants two high profile signings in at Stamford Bridge. Leicester left-back Chilwell and Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz have been linked with Chelsea having interests in them. Both are really worth
over £70million and UK’s The Sunclaims that Lampard will order a clear-out to fund the moves for them. Top of the list of players to offload include midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, whose loan with Monaco is his second successive spell away. Monaco are unlikely to take
up the £35million purchase option in his current deal, meaning AC Milan – who signed him last season – could move in. Emerson Palmieri could also go; Inter Milan and Juventus are both keen on the full-back, who wants to return to the Italian top flight.
The Sun says Chelsea hope both clubs will enter a bidding war for the former Roma left-back. Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta will also leave, but Chelsea will struggle to generate a sufficient return on the pair. Drinkwater has rarely
featured in spells with Burnley and Aston Villa, having signed from Leicester for ÂŁ35million in 2017. Zappacosta, who signed for ÂŁ25million in the same transfer window, has not yet recovered from a serious injury suffered on a loan spell at Roma.
New NBC Code Detrimental to Boxing, Other Sports, Says NBB of C Secretary of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Remi Aboderin, has stated that the new broadcast regulations released by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is unbeneficial to boxing and other sports in the country. Aboderin, who is also the President, West African Boxing Union (WABU) made his view known in a chat in Lagos yesterday. According to the boxing administrator, certain sections of the amendments in the code weigh disproportionately on the side of football, the country’s favourite sports, to the detriment of boxing and minor sports. Referring to the amendments as they affect broadcast and sponsorship of sports, Aboderin said the code makes football its primary focus in a way that mandates the neglect of other sports. He contended that the drafters of the new broadcast regulation are only interested in football. For instance, said Aboderin, the code stipulates that if a broadcaster has the right to air football on its platform, it can only be involved
in the sponsorship of football and no other sport in Nigeria and must commit 30 per cent of the sum spent on acquiring rights to international football to the sponsorship of the local equivalent. “This ispreposterous. A broadcaster should be allowed to get involved in the sponsorship of sports of their choice and not be forced to sponsor only football. If this provision is implemented, boxing and other sports will not benefit from sponsorship by broadcasters. The implication is that other sports will wither why football will continue to grow,� he said. He wondered why the NBC will state in the code that the promotion of Nigerian sports is paramount when its regulation actually seeks to stifle other sports aside from football. “The NBC does not seem to understand that the little exposure and popularity as well as the financial support the other sports have been enjoying will evaporate if this code is implemented. There is a need to revisit this section and do what it right for sports other than football,� he said.
Victor Moses (left) is one of the six players to be ooaded by Chelsea this summer
CAF, NFF, Man Utd, Watford Celebrate Ighalo at 31 The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), joined Manchester United in wishing Odion Ighalo happy 31st birthday yesterday. The former Super Eagles forward whose loan spell at United has been extended till January 31, 2021 by his parent Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua, was born on June 16, 1989 in Lagos but raised
Odion Ighalo...birthday boy
in Edo State. The NFF yesterday sent goodwill messages through its Twitter handle to the Manchester United forward. “Happy birthday to AFCON 2019 top scorer, @ighalojude. Keep soaring, keep shining, and have a good one,� the NFF wrote on its social media handle. CAF also sent congratulatory messages through its official website. Manchester United celebrated their prized on-loan player on its official website, posting clips of all the matches has played for the Red Devils there. Ighalo’s former club in the English topflight before relocating to Far East, Watford celebrated their former striker with goodwill messages also. They also posted video clips of some of the matches he played for the Hornets. The birthday boy started his professional football career with Prime FC of Osogbo. He also played for Julius
Berger before leaving Nigeria to continue his development in Europe, joining Norwegian side Lyn Oslo in 2007. From Norway, Ighalo crossed over to Italyto team up with Udinesewhere he spent six years, including loan spells with Granada and Cesena. The striker signed for Watford, initially on loan before the deal was made permanent in 2014, and made a significant contribution during his time with the club. Ighalo scored 36 league goals in 90 appearances for the Vicarage Road Stadium outfit and in December 2015, he was named Premier League Player of the Month following his impressive performances in front of goal. He left the Hornets in 2017 for Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai and delivered fine displays during his one-year stay, scoring 10 goals in 17 league matches. Ighalo however switched to
rivals Shanghai Shenhua after turning down a chance to join Spanish giants Barcelonaand on January transfer deadline day sealed a shock loan move to Manchester United. Since his arrival at the Old Trafford, the former Nigeria international has become the toast of the fans following his eye-catching showings in both the Premier League and the UEFA Europa competition where he scored a goal in the last game played by United before the lockdown due to coved-19. The forward has scored four goals and provided one assist in only eight games across all competitions for United. Before pulling curtains on his international career with Nigeria, Ighalo scored 16 goals in 35 appearances for the Super Eagles. He retired shortly after helping Nigeria to win the bronze of AFCON 2019 in Egypt where he emerged as the tournament’s top scorer.
PREMIER LEAGUE BACK
Man City to Wear New Jersey against Arsenal Today Manchester City will wear special shirts to promote the launch of a Covid-19 relief fund set up by parent company City Football Group (CFG) when they resume their Premier League season against Arsenal on Wednesday. City’s shirt will have a ‘Cityzens Giving for Recovery’ campaign logo instead of their usual partners Etihad Airways, who have donated the branding space to kickstart
the initiative set up to help communities get back on their feet. CFG, which also owns eight other football clubs around the world, has donated almost 1 million pounds ($1.3 million) to the global Covid-19 emergency response. The group hopes to match that figure through its new initiative, in which it will raise funds through its clubs, staff, players, coaches and fans
along with its commercial partners, and then match those contributions pound for pound, it said. The campaign will focus on providing support to nine recovery-linked projects near to each of its clubs. “Front line workers around the world have heroically responded to the immediate threat of Covid-19,� Ferran Soriano, chief executive of CFG, said in a statement.
Pep Guardiola displaying the jersey Manchester City will use to restart the season suspended since March due to Covid-19
Wednesday June 17, 2020
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Price: N250
MISSILE
Wike to Oshiomhole
“Adams Oshiomhole campaigned for Obaseki four years ago. The same man has turned around to say that Obaseki has a defective certificate. Has Oshiomhole apologised to Nigerians that he supported someone with a defective certificate? Who is saying that a sitting governor has a defective certificate? Is it a man that does not have a certificate?” – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, knocking the sacked National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole.
KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON
kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com
0805 500 1974
Walter Rodney and 2020 Africa “We are like the man in the Igbo proverb who does not know where the rain began to beat him and so cannot say where he dried his body.” Chinua Achebe.
I
t was exactly 40 years last Saturday that the radical historian and practitioner of revolutionary politics, Walter Rodney, was assassinated on a street in Georgetown, Guyana. He was 38. A bomb was planted in walkie-talkie given to him by an agent on that tragic evening. In terms of impact, Rodney represented the remarkable ideological influence felt in Africa in the 1970s from South America and the Caribbean Islands. Rodney was to radical scholarship and revolutionary politics what Bob Marley, a Jamaican, who died a year after him at 36, was to music and indeed culture in general. Rodney taught in the University of Dar es Salaam and the University of Jamaica. He later returned home to Guyana where he was politically immersed in organising a people’s party, the Working People’s Alliance. By his praxis, Rodney became such an ideological and political force that the establishment could not tolerate him until he was killed. The political personality of Rodney, a Guyanese scholar of African origin, was encapsulated in a tribute paid him on June 27, 1980 at a memorial rally in his honour at the Obafemi Awolowo University (known then as the University of Ife, Ile-Ife). In the tribute, Wole Soyinka said: “Walter Rodney was no armchair-revolutionary, he was no captive intellectual playing to the gallery of local or international radicalism. He was clearly one of the most solidly ideologically situated intellectuals ever to look colonialism and its contemporary heir—black exploitation—in the eye, and where necessary, spit in it.’’ With his magnus opus, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, published in 1972, Rodney told the development story of Africa in a way that bears resonance to the African condition today. That’s why forces of human progress must continue pay attention to the ideological legacy of Rodney. Rodney and other radical scholars had begun to approach the problems of development in Africa with a scientific method before the African intellectual landscape became suffused with neo-liberal ideas. For Rodney, the central questions of the “many-sided process” of development should be approached in a systemic way. He pointedly drew attention to the roots of the underdevelopment of Africa. He demonstrated with copious and meticulous research that these roots could be found in the history of Africa’s relationship with capitalist west. Here, we are talking of the history of slavery and colonialism. In the book, Rodney puts the matter like this: “To know the present we must look into the past and to know the future we must look into the past and the present.” To be sure, Rodney never indulged in wringing hands and blaming only the past for Africa’s underdevelopment because as he emphasises in the classic: “None of these remarks are intended to remove the ultimate responsibility for development from the shoulders of Africans.” He also apportioned blame to the African collaborators with external powers to exploit the continent. Those issues of development explored by Rodney remain relevant in today’s Africa. The crucial
questions posed by Rodney remain unanswered. The problems have only assumed new dimensions. A few elements of the relevance of Rodney’s ideas to the contemporary Africa would suffice for this remembrance. For instance, Rodney traced the roots of racism to the western capitalist system. The white racist needed to employ racial superiority to make people of colour serve the socio-economic interests of the white. Incidentally, 40 years after Rodney, the slogan of the current protests against injustice triggered by the murder of George Flody in America is this: put an end to systemic racism. From the perspective of Rodney, it would be illusionary to expect that an end would be put to racism without tackling its systemic basis. Yes, advances were made by the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. and others in the 1960s. Barrack Obama, a black man, emerged as president of the United States. Yet, racism still manifests in murderous dimensions in America. It’s a proof of Rodney’s proposition that the problem is not just attitudinal. You need the ideology of racism to exclude the blacks in the access to education and healthcare. Racism is needed to rationalise the injustice of the victims of social inequality, which is a feature of the system. Rodney exposed the crippling role of external factors in Africa’s development. The 21st Century Africa still has an exogenous view of development. For instance, the Nigerian government does not harvest ideas for economic management and planning from the economics departments in Nigerian universities. Policies are not influenced by indigenous think tanks including the officially established bodies for economic research. The government and its experts are more concerned about the approval of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Fitch Rating is important to government than that the opinion of any erudite economist or economic institute in Nigeria. In the economic catechism of African governments, “foreign investment” is the solution to economic underdevelopment. What is the result after decades of “foreign investments”? Africa is even becoming de-industrialised. Africa is steadily walking into another debt trap. Nigeria, which exited the debtors’ club over a decade ago, is today faced with a new
asphyxiating debt burden. Nigeria is taking the lead in this perilous path of development. As reported by Rodney, Africa was “drained” of its socio-economic blood centuries ago by slavery. Millions of productive Africans were shipped to the West. The labour of the slaves was invested in building western capitalism. The “vicious cycle poverty” persists. In a supreme irony, hapless young Africans are desperate to go to the West in the 21st to sell their labour. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang about the second slavery decades ago. Just like the slaves of the old died in the Atlantic, young Africans now die in the Mediterranean sea in a desperate bid to escape to the West in search of a good life. The migrant crisis is a poignant throw-back to slavery which Rodney and other scholars have richly documented to intellectually arm the struggle for human freedom. Rodney established clearly the link between Africa’s underdevelopment and the exploitative nature of capitalism in the metropolis. The fruits of globalisation are there on display as worsening global inequality and poverty. As every nation will have to plot its ways out of mass poverty, African nations have to consciously choose a progressive path to development. China was a victim of years of national humiliation and external aggression. It has asserted itself in the market place of development ideas. It is developing on its own terms and not on the basis of imposed prescriptions. China has proved that each nation has to work methodically to reduce inequality and not expect that the more developed countries would do the job for them out of mercy. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah was poised to set Ghana on the path of endogenous development with a rich social content. Nkrumah saw an Africa that could make giant strides in the global arena. But that African dream was aborted by an imperialist- inspired coup in 1966. Since then, Ghana has been experimenting with various imported socio-economic prescriptions. Another element of the relevance of Rodney is coming to terms with the lack of self-definition of development. Africa must come up with its own concept of development. African countries abandoned the Lagos Plan of Action which they put together themselves as a continental formula. They embraced instead the packages of structural adjustment programmes
actually designed by the creditors. Incidentally, the Lagos Plan of Action was signed in 1980, the year Rodney was assassinated. Since then hardly has any African country taken a developmental leap based on the imported paradigms. How can they take a leap with an adjustment programme that emphasises reduction in the budget for the social sectors - education healthcare, social security etc.? How can a strategy that wipes out the middle class be a guide on the path to a progressive development? Eminent political economist, Claude Ake summed up the conundrum in his Democracy and Development in Africa this way: “… the problem in Africa is not so much that development failed as that it never really began.” Celebrated novelist Chinua Achebe makes this point eloquently about the African condition in the above epigram. Take the example of Nigeria. This is a country that many optimists had proposed to be the fulcrum of African development in a triangular alliance with South Africa and Egypt. That dream is yet to be fulfilled. Meanwhile, Nigeria abandoned development planning that was the governance culture in the immediate post-colonial years. Nigeria has instead crafted many adjustment programmes, visions , development strategies, recovery packages (small, medium and big sizes!). Every administration dumps the package of its predecessor and assembles its own experts and technocrats to script new ones fundamentally based on the same paradigm. No critical question is asked about why the previous vision was not realised. The cumulative result of these sundry socioeconomic experiments is that human development has worsened in the last 40 years. The social sector has collapsed. Infrastructure is in decay. Social life is increasingly becoming miserable with menacing insecurity. Underdevelopment remains a feature of Africa in 2020 because African governments and their experts fail to learn one thing from Rodney: there should be a political economy approach to development as a process deeply rooted in history. To borrow from another eminent historian, Professor Jacob Ade-Ajayi, embarking on a development journey without a sense of history is like driving a car without a rear-view mirror. In such a situation the path of development becomes hazardous.
MKO Abiola in Times Like This
Issa Aremu
Democracy Day (DD) celebrates liberty to choose and elect those who volunteer to serve. Conversely, DD damms and condemns military dictatorships which suffocated Nigeria and Nigerians for half of its 60 years of independence. From 1881, when Lagos was forcefully annexed through successive century brutal British colonial/ military campaigns with its trade marks of sorrow, tears and blood, to the lowering of Union Jack in 1960, Nigeria passes for a military outpost! Never again should any group through conquests and coup detat govern Nigeria without the democratic mandate of the people. As a labour delegate, I recall that the echoes of June 12, 1993 presidential election reverberated during the annulment anniversary on the floor of the National confab in 2014. An observation on a matter of national importance was raised by a conference delegate Mr Orok Duke. He wanted the presumed winner of the historic election accorded national honour in addition to a minute silence for all fallen heroes of the great
Abiola struggles for democracy in the 1990s. After much heated emotion which often trials June 12 discourse, the plenary under the Chairmanship Justice Idris Kutigi eventually obliged the delegates to pay tributes to all those
who died for Nigeria’s democracy including late Abiola with a minute silence. I bear witness that the star delegate of 2014 National Conference was Elder statesman Edwin Clark. He argued audaciously that for the “small mindedness of some one,” (his words!), June 12 should have been democracy day and not May 29! “May 29 is because somebody came into office and decided to make it as democracy day in this country. June 12 is democracy day in Nigeria”, Chief Clark unapologetically declared. The 2020 Democracy Day assumed special historic importance. For one, June 12th officially replaces May 29th as the new national Democracy day. Undoubtedly the focus was on the historic role of Chief Moshood Abiola, (the leading star actor of the annulled 1993 presidential elections) in the struggle for democracy. My recollection of Chief Abiola is an admixture of ideological contestation and political admiration.
NOTE: This piece continues in the online edition on www.thisdayliive.com
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