FRIDAY 1ST January 2021

FG Selects 161 Firms for Marginal Oilfields’ Final Bid Round Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government, through the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), yesterday announced that 161 successful companies had been shortlisted to advance to the next and final stage of the

bid round for 57 marginal oilfields.

According to the DPR, a marginal field is any field that has reserves booked and reported annually to the DPR and has remained unproduced for a period of over 10 years.

In this case, the 57 marginal

fields available for bidding include 11 fields revoked by the federal government for various reasons, including non-performance.

Earlier, the regulatory agency had said over 600 companies applied to be pre-qualified for the bid rounds for the marginal

oilfields, an exercise which was last conducted in 2003.

The ongoing programme attracted widespread interest, prompting an extension of the deadline to June 21, with an almost 30 per cent increase in participation during the shift in date.

A statement yesterday by the Head, Public Affairs of the DPR, Mr. Paul Osu, said the shortlisted firms were selected from the over 600 entities that applied for pre-qualification.

“The 2020 marginal oilfield bid round process is still ongoing in line with our

published timelines on DPR website and bid portal.

“The current status is that 161 successful companies have been shortlisted to advance to the next and final stage of the process,” Osu said.

Continued on page 10

Investors Gain N8tn as Nigerian Stock Market Closes Bullish... Page 8 Friday 1 January, 2021 Vol 26. No 9399. Price: N250

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Analysts Upbeat on Economic Recovery as President Signs 2021 Budget Considers sending amendment bill to N'Assembly Omololu Ogunmade, James Emejo in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos Analysts and members of the

organised private sector (OPS) yesterday praised President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly for making it possible for the

2021 Appropriation Bill to become a law in record time.

Speaking in separate interviews with THISDAY, they expressed optimism that

Sanwo-Olu signs N1.16tn budget into law

the early passage of the bill and the consequent timely assent by the president will put the economy on the path of recovery from the current

recession.

Earlier, the president, at a brief ceremony at the State House, Abuja, had assented to the N13, 588, 027,886, 175

trillion 2021 Appropriation Bill, passed on December 21.

He promised to study Continued on page 10

Buhari: We Won’t Shirk Responsibility to Protect Lives, Property of Nigerians Vows to overhaul security apparatus Says 2020 tested national resilience, ability to survive tough times Jonathan, Lawan, govs, Anyaoku, others preach hope, unity Omololu Ogunmade, Chuks Okocha, Udora Orizu in Abuja, and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to re-energise and reorganise Nigeria's security apparatus as well as the personnel of both the armed forces and the police in the new year, as part of his administration's commitment to battling the security crisis facing the country.

Buhari, in his New Year broadcast to Nigerians today, said his administration would not abdicate its responsibility to make the country safe for its people.

He added that the reenergising and reorganisation of the security system would be done with the overall intention to enhance their capacity and consequently dismantle the operations of terrorists and other criminal elements terrorising the

country.

Other political leaders such as Buhari’s predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; his predecessor, Dr. Bukola Saraki; House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, also urged the people to be hopeful of a better future for the country just as they canvassed unity among Nigerians.

The president said the rapid collaboration of security forces, which led to the rescue of the 344 pupils of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, last month, showed that the country has the internal capacity to effectively battle terrorism.

Continued on page 42

A NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGINS...

President Muhammadu Buhari at the signing of the 2021 Appropriation Bill into law, in Abuja…yesterday

godwin omoigui

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

Military Kills 4,000 Suspects, Seizes 80,000 Rounds of Ammunition ACF raises the alarm over weapon smuggling via Northern borders

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna The military yesterday tendered its report card in the last one year, in the efforts to keep Nigeria safe, saying it killed 4,000 suspects, including terror commanders of ISWAP and Boko Haram, as well as seizing 80,000 rounds of ammunition, 234 assorted rifles and 45 grenades in 2020.

It also expressed the determination to adopt new operational tactics against Boko Haram terrorists and bandits in 2021.

According to it, the ammunition mopped up was part of the over one million arms and ammunition circulating in Nigeria while the bandits were killed between March and December.

Also yesterday, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) raised the alarm over alleged smuggling of sophisticated weapons into the country through northern borders.

Reviewing the success recorded in the war against insurgency and armed banditry in 2020, the Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, during the weekly media briefing in Abuja, said a total of 1,385 rounds of ammunition, 45 grenades as well as 95 assorted rifles were recovered from Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in the North-east.

"In addition, several gun trucks were captured, while some others were destroyed during air strikes," he said.

In the North-west, troops recovered a total of 6,951 rounds of ammunition and 120 assorted rifles from bandits.

In the North-central, a total of 105 assorted rifles as well as 513 rounds of ammunition were recovered.

Troops also arrested a total of 53 pirates and 25 trucks as well as recovered 23 rifles, 65,330 rounds of ammunition in the South-south.

In the South-west, troops of Operation Awatse, recovered a total of 3,594 rounds of ammunition and 14 assorted rifles.

"Within the period under

review, a cumulative total of 8,890,300 litres of stolen Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 33,516,00 litres of DPK were impounded by troops of Operation Delta Safe.

"In the same vein, the gallant troops immobilised a total of 185 illegal refining sites, 85 dugout pits and 163 metal storage tanks within the period. "Troops impounded a cumulative total of 31,236.8 barrels of stolen crude oil as well as 12,272,652 litres of stolen PMS from oil thieves in the zone," he added.

Giving further details on the killing of suspected insurgents and bandits, Eneche stated that the 4,000 criminal elements were killed in combined ground and aerial assaults.

"In summary, the Armed Forces of Nigeria from 18 March to 30 December 2020, neutralised 2,403 criminal elements across the country.

"This is in addition to scores of other terrorists and armed bandits killed during air strikes.

"Equally, 1,805 insurgents and terrorists, including commanders, were killed by the troops aside scores killed by air raids and attacks", he said.

The military also listed the rescuing of 344 pupils of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, as one of its major achievements within the year.

Troops also rescued a total of 864 kidnapped victims nationwide while a total of 1,250 other suspects, including family members of the Darul Salam sect, were arrested within the year.

According to him, within the period under review, troops engaged in series of land, maritime and air operations, involving both kinetic and nonkinetic activities nationwide.

"Others were maritime operations involving antipiracy, anti-illegal bunkering, anti-crude oil theft and antipipeline vandalism operations as well as other duties such as anti-smuggling operations," he said.

He explained that a comprehensive air operations, including air patrols, intelligence surveillance

reconnaissance missions, offensive air strikes, air interdictions, search and rescue operations as well as close air support and air cover for ground troops were part of the strategies adopted to in protecting the country and its people.

"The high command of the Nigerian military wishes to thank the general public for their support and further solicit their cooperation towards providing credible and timely information that will facilitate proactive engagements in our operations.

"The military high command also commends all the gallant troops of the armed forces and personnel of other security agencies involved in various operations across the country for their resilience, doggedness and commitment," he said.

Eneche, also spoke on plans by the military to change strategy in fighting Boko Haram and bandits in 2021.

However, hinted that the military will not continue with the current operational tactics against the Boko Haram terrorists and bandits in 2021.

Eneche said this number is outside those killed during various airstrikes, that were not documented.

ACF Warns of Weapon Smuggling Via Northern Borders The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has raised the alarm over alleged smuggling of sophisticated weapons into the country through northern borders.

In a statement yesterday in Kaduna, the forum alleged that camels were being used to bring into the country “Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and “anti-aircraft guns."

The statement, signed by the National Chairman of

the forum and former and Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, expressed fear that a time is coming when the criminals terrorising Nigeria will become better armed than the nation’s security agencies, unless the situation is addressed.

According to him, kidnappers are building their armoury with ransom collected from victims.

He called on the authorities to act fast to deal with the situation.

He said: “At the last meeting of our National Executive Council, NEC, in October 2020, our members, particularly from Sokoto and Zamfara States, reported that large consignments of camels were crossing our borders into Nigeria with a lot of baggage on their backs on a daily basis. And they observed that nobody checks their baggage and nobody knows what is being brought

into Nigeria.

“The question Arewa Consultative Forum would like to ask the security agencies is what are the camels carrying and where they are heading?

"The ACF is alarmed that this kind of situation should persist at a time when weapons of all kinds are coming into our country and worsening the climate of terror and national uncertainty.

“It is clear now from what we know that, as victims pay ransoms to the kidnappers the money is instantly converted to more sophisticated weapons and instruments of death by the kidnappers.

“The capacity of these terrorists is rising by the day and we are not far from the moment when the terrorist will become better armed than our accredited security agencies."

The ACF urged the federal government to ensure the security agencies deal with the situation urgently.

LAGOS GETS NEW BUDGET...

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Hon. Rotimi Olowo and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, at the signing of the 2021 Appropriation Bill into law, in Lagos...yesterday

Nigeria’s Debt Profile Climbs to N32.2tn Lagos tops table of debtor-states, Jigawa at bottom Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Nigeria's total public debt stock, which comprises the debt stock of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has climbed from N31.009 trillion as of June 30, 2020 to N32.223 trillion ($84.574 billion) by September 30.

Going by the latest statistics released by the Debt Management Office (DMO), this translates to a growth of N1.214 trillion or

3.91 per cent increase.

In dollar terms, total domestic debt stood at $52,589.01 billion, with the federal government accounting for $41,591.16 billion while states and the FCT accounted for $10,997.86 billion.

However, the FGN alone accounts for a total of $31,985.17 billion external debt.

The new figure, released yesterday by the DMO, is made up of the domestic and external debt stocks of the FGN, the 36 state governments

and the FCT. A breakdown showed that 37.82 per cent of the N32.223 trillion debt stock is external while the balance of 62.18 is domestic.

Compared to the total public debt stock of N31.009 trillion in the second quarter, which was released on June 30, 2020, the debt stock in the third quarter 2020 increased by N1.214 trillion or 3.91 per cent.

The DMO noted that the FGN, state governments and the FCT all recorded increases in their debt stocks due to borrowings to enable

them to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to meet revenue shortfalls.

According to the debt management agency, the issuance of promissory notes by the FGN to settle inherited liabilities also contributed to the growth in the public debt stock since the year 2018 when they were first issued.

While N20.136 billion of promissory notes were issued as at September 30, 2020, the promissory notes outstanding, which are all included in the domestic debt stock, stood at N971.878

billion.

Nigeria’s total public debt stock increased from N28.628 trillion ($79.303 billion) as of March 31, 2020 to N31.009, a N32.223 trillion rise.

The DMO had attributed the rise to the budget support loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), new domestic borrowing to finance the Revised 2020 Appropriation Act (including the issuance of the N162.557 billion Sukuk), as well as promissory notes issued to settle exporters’ claims.

An analysis of the

latest public debt stock shows that with the total outstanding domestic debt stock of N4.190 trillion (N4,190,183,315,247.99), Lagos again led the 36 states of the federation and the FCT with a total debt of N493.3 billion, followed by Rivers with N266.93 billion, Akwa Ibom with N739.2 billion and Delta, N235.8 billion.

States with the least domestic debt stock are Jigawa- N31. 03 billion; Ebonyi-- N41.27 billion; Katsina--N44.41 billion and Sokoto--N45. 09 billion.

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Investors Gain N8tn as Nigerian Stock Market Closes Bullish

Goddy Egene

Equities investors in the Nigerian capital market have every reason to cheer as the value of their investments, measured by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) capitalisation, went up by N8 trillion in 2020.

This translated to a 60 per cent gain.

The market capitalisation rose from N12.969 trillion in 2019 to N21.057 trillion as at the close of market yesterday.

At the close of trading yesterday, the NSE All-Share Index (ASI) delivered 50 per cent return, rising from 26,842.07 to close at 40,270.72, compared with a decline of 14.6 per cent in 2019 and 17.81 per cent in 2018.

The gain recorded by the Nigerian bourse in 2020 is the best among 93 equity indexes tracked by Bloomberg.

The gain came amid the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession, which were expected to affect the performance of the market.

Despite the lockdowns and disruptions occasioned

by COVID-19 pandemic, the unrests due to #EndSARS protests against police brutality in October, the stock market survived hyperinflation and economic recession to end the year higher.

The Nigerian equities market rode on low yields in the fixed income market and renewed interest by domestic investors to outperform other global markets.

Although the stock market was oversold with many prices trading record lows at the beginning of the year, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s restriction of domestic investors from participating in its open market operations (OMO) as well as the interest rate cut boosted the patronage of

the market in 2020.

While many foreign investors exited the market following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulty in accessing forex for the repatriation of their returns, domestic investors flocked to the market in search of high yields.

This trend was maintained as domestic investor accounted for 65.2 per cent or N1.239 trillion out of the total N1.899 trillion invested in equities as at the end of November 2020. Foreign investors staked N659 billion or 34.7 per cent.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, has attested to the role the CBN played in the rally witnessed in the stock market, saying that its policies made the stock market attractive to investors.

“I must say that some of the policy changes include the CBN policy that domestic institutional investors should stop participating in the OMO market. That has driven significant funds into the Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTB) market and some of those funds have found their way into the equities market.

"We have also seen a cut in interest rate. That was a significant move in support of equities as an asset class.

What investors tend to do is to look for yield," he said.

With inflation rate at 14.89 per cent, yield or coupon or interest rate at the fixedincome market hover between less than one per cent and a little above one per cent for one-year instrument to some seven per cent annual coupon for two-decades-and-a half instrument, Nigerian equities’ return is the most attractive and the only positive-yielding return in 2020.

Onyema explained that since the Nigerian economy has shifted into a negative real interest rate environment,

investors are now in search of investments that would give them higher yields and returns, noting that the stock market provided those investments.

“Given the record dividend yield available in the Nigerian market and given the strong fundamentals of a number of companies that are listed on the Exchange, it makes sense that as investors try to rebalance their portfolio, they would look at equities,” Onyema added.

Commenting on the market performance in 2020, an excited President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe, described it as good news for investors and Nigeria. “ It is heartwarming after

suffering the hangover of the global financial crisis longer than most other countries.

The most gratifying fact about this performance is that it is actually backed by fundamental performances of our quoted companies. The performance also underpins the need for improvement in liquidity flow to the market through various sources that we at the CIS have been advocating in the last few years,” he stated.

Amolegbe explained that the reduction in interest rate and fixed income yield has been a net positive for quoted companies that are now able to borrow cheaper to finance their operations as well as for market operators that can see renewed interest in the financial markets.

“The NSE’s performance is also an affirmation of our market’s increasing correlation with other global market markets. I expect the trend to continue into the New Year.

Investors should, however, ensure that they speak to their certified stockbrokers before taking any decisions,” he added.

Analysts at Cordros Securities called for an extension of the equity bull market.

According to them, the performance in the fixed income market will be a tale of two halves, saying they expect yields to remain in the low single-digit territory through first half (H1) of 2021 with a moderate uptrend to account for reduced market participation as investors seek

yields in other asset classes.

They stated: “However, in the latter part of the year, we believe that a combination of weak market participation, revision of monetary policy to a tightening cycle, widening fiscal deficit, and fragile macroeconomic environment will lead to an increase in yields over 2021.

Similar to the fixed income market, we also expect it to be a tale of two halves for Nigerian equities in 2021, with the market delivering further upside in the first half of 2021 before retracing slightly in the second half on an expected reversal in fixed income yields. The sources of risks remain plenty, the macro story remains uninspiring, and valuations are elevated.”

READY TO SERVE...

L-R: Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu; the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and a new judge in the state judiciary, Justice Opeyemi Sobowale, after she took her oath of office, in Abeokuta...Tuesday

FG Bows to Pressure, Lifts Suspension Order on SIM Cards’ Replacement Silent on sales, activation of new SIMs Emma Okonji The federal government has finally bowed to pressure from Nigerians as it announced the lifting of the suspension order on the replacement of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards.

It was, however, silent on the suspension order on the sales and activation of new SIM cards.

Nigerians had kicked against the suspension order on the sales of new SIM cards and the activation of old SIM cards that have been retrieved by their owners, calling on the government to rescind its decision.

The government had banned the sales and reactivation of SIM cards with a directive that subscribers should link their National Identification Number (NIN) with their SIM cards.

The decision to lift the suspension order, was reached late Wednesday night at an emergency stakeholders

meeting convened by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami.

But the minister was silent on the suspension order on the sales and activation of new SIM cards bought by subscribers who lost their SIMs under different circumstances.

Based on the new directive to lift the suspension order, only those with valid NINs would be allowed to retrieve and activate old SIM cards, while those who want to buy and activate new SIM cards, may still have to wait for another directive from government.

THISDAY, however, gathered that the suspension order on the sales and activation of new SIM cards may be discussed at another meeting to be held soonest, where the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) would be launching an app to facilitate speedy enrolment of Nigerians for NINs.

The Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy on December 9, had directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator, to implement the suspension order of the sales of new SIMs as well as the suspension order on activation of old SIMs. The suspension order had elicited reactions from Nigerians who kicked against it, insisting that it will make Nigerians incommunicado, especially for those who lost their SIMs during robbery attacks as they will not be able to retrieve and reactivate their SIM cards.

The suspension order was expected to last till the completion of the audit of the Subscriber Registration Database, which seeks to achieve global standards and quality in the issuance of SIM cards.

The Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu

Adinde, who announced the suspension order in a statement issued by the commission in December, had said the action became necessary in line with the federal government’s desire to consolidate the achievement of the SIM card registration in September 2019.

The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), in a statement on Wednesday night to convey the federal government’s decision to lift the suspension order, said: “Further to engagements with government on the matter, we are pleased to report that our members have been granted permission to carry out SIM replacement upon verification of the customer’s NIN. In this regard, our members are working with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure seamless system connectivity for verification of NINs.” The statement, signed by

ALTON Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, and its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Damian Udeh, said: “We note the challenges experienced by customers seeking to replace or upgrade their SIM cards following the suspension of sale and activation of SIM cards by the government, which also affected SIM replacement.

“We empathise with people who have been unable to reactivate their phone lines as a result of the suspension. We, therefore, seek the continued patience and understanding of our esteemed subscribers as we work with all stakeholders towards speedily resolution of issues affecting SIM registration/swap and activation.

“We assure you of restoring normal services in a seamless and effective manner as soon as possible.”

Reacting to the lifting of the suspension order, industry stakeholders commended the decision, saying it will

help Nigerians reconnect to their loved ones and business partners.

National Chairman of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, said his members who were victims of the Agege mayhem in Lagos some weeks ago, had remained incommunicado because hoodlums stole their mobile phones.

He called on the federal government to always consider the masses before taking any decision that affects them.

Other telecoms subscribers who spoke with THISDAY were ecstatic over the lifting of the suspension order, which they said, would enable them to retrieve their old SIM cards that were lost under different circumstances. However, they said the lifting of the suspension order was a relief to them as it would enable them to retrieve their lines.

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PAGE TEN ANALYSTS UPBEAT ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY AS PRESIDENT SIGNS 2021 BUDGET over N505 billion increase in the budget, added by the National Assembly and send amendments or virement back to the parliament if necessary.

The president who described the Act as a deficit budget, said details of borrowing plan to finance it would soon be sent to the National Assembly, imploring lawmakers to treat it with despatch.

He tasked revenue generating agencies and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to achieve their revenue targets and ensure full remittances.

He threatened to sanction defaulters just as he implored the private sector and individuals to fulfil their tax obligations.

The budget comprises a capital expenditure of N4,125,149,354,222 trillion, recurrent expenditure of N5,641,970,060,680 trillion, statutory transfer of N496,528,471,273 billion, N3.324 trillion for debt servicing, supplementary capital allocation of N1,060,751,051,650 trillion, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 3.00 per cent.

The budget was N505. 607 billion higher than N13, 082, 420, 568,233 presented to the National Assembly by Buhari on October 8, last year.

The president said the 2021 budget was conceived to deliberately drive what he described as an expansionary fiscal policy, adding that in view of the economy's recent slide into second recession in four years, the 2021 Appropriation Act is designed "to accelerate economic recovery process, promote social inclusion and strengthen the resilience of the economy."

Buhari explained that adjustments to the budget would be made and sent back to the National Assembly with a view to ensuring that the objectives of the budget are not derailed.

According to him, despite the adverse effect of COVID-19 pandemic, notable progress has been made in the implementation of 2020 budget with 89. 1 per cent performance in capital project implementation and overall performance of 97.7 per cent.

He commended the eventual return of the country to the January - December budget cycle.

"I am aware of the changes that the National Assembly has made to the 2021 executive budget proposal. We will examine these amendments and, where necessary, will revert to the National Assembly with a request for amendment, virement or other appropriate adjustments to ensure that the core objectives of the budget are accomplished.

"In spite of the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's economy and the government's revenues, we have made appreciable progress in the implementation of the 2020 Budget. As at December 2020, we had released about N1.748 trillion out of a total

budget of N1.962 trillion voted for the implementation of critical capital projects; representing a performance of about 89.1 per cent.

"The overall performance of the 2020 Budget currently stands at an impressive rate of 97.7 per cent. This commendable outcome underscores the importance of our efforts, together with the legislature, to return to the discipline of a January-to December fiscal year. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning will provide further details on the 2020 budget's performance, in due course," he said.

The president described the 2021 budget as critical to the delivery of the legacy projects of the federal government.

He said he had directed the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the budget, including the targeted release of capital votes.

He expressed hope that the impact of COVID-19 on prices of food items and other essential commodities would be reduced during the year and consequently stimulate the economy and create jobs through the implementation of the budget.

Buhari also pledged the judicious use of the borrowings and tasked the MDAs to intensify budget monitoring and evaluation as he sought the support of civil society organisations.

He thanked the National Assembly for its cooperation and commended the sacrifice of Nigerians, expressing optimism that the future will be better.

"During the year, I expect that we would be able to significantly reduce the adverse impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the cost and availability of basic food items, as well as other key commodities, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.

"I also expect that the 2021 budget will stimulate domestic economic activities and create employment opportunities, especially for our youth. We are intensifying our domestic revenue mobilisation efforts so that we can have adequate resources to fund the 2021 Budget.

"Revenue generating agencies, and indeed all ministries, departments and government-owned enterprises, must work very hard to achieve their revenue targets, control their cost-to-revenue ratios, as well as ensure prompt and full remittance of revenue collections.

"Being a deficit budget, the specific borrowing plan will be forwarded to the National Assembly shortly. I count on the co-operation of the National Assembly for a quick consideration and approval of the plan when submitted.

I assure you that all borrowings will be judiciously applied towards growth-enhancing critical expenditures.

"As a nation, we are currently confronted with diverse challenges at this time.

I commend the understanding, sacrifice and resilience of our people, both young and old. I assure everyone that our hope and confidence of a greater future shall not be in vain," Buhari said.

Answering questions from reporters after the assent, Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, expressed excitement that the National Assembly sustained its goal to return the country to the January - December budget cycle.

He explained how the president asked the National Assembly to extend the duration for the implementation of the 2020 budget to the first quarter of 2021, noting that with both the 2020 and 2021 budgets available for implementation this quarter, the economy will be adequately funded.

With the budget out of the way, Lawan listed four critical legislations before the National Assembly from January. These are: the Petroleum Industry Bill, Electoral Act amendment, constitution amendment and security challenges, which he said would require the cooperation of both the executive and the legislature.

Also, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, listed the benefits of getting the budget passed and signed early enough.

"At the risk of sounding repetitive, it's just to identify with everything the Senate president has said regarding the signing of the 2021 budget and Finance Bill.

"It's important to emphasise, reiterate, and explain to people asking question: Why is it important that you sign the budget or you maintain January-December budget cycle?

It's absolutely important and it is evident in this 2020 Act. "First of all, apart from investors' confidence, both local and foreign, the cumulative effect is what we can see.

The 2020 budget has been implemented 97 per cent. That's almost 100 percent. It's never heard of.

It's not done anywhere in advanced democracies. So, when you have a budget that has been implemented fully and wholly at 97 per cent, it is because of the return to the January - December cycle.

We are talking of confidence.

Money is being pumped in.

There is fiscal discipline as well as capacity and ability to plan in your implementation. That is very important and we try to continue," he said.

Aside Lawan and Gbajabiamila, others at the ceremony included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.

However, in their reactions to the signing of the budget into law, analysts and members of the OPS said returning the budget to the January December cycle will, among other things, enhance clarity in the fiscal space, reduce uncertainty which is good for planning by firms as well as

give confidence to local and foreign investors.

President, Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said the passage was highly commendable, adding that it is further "indication that this administration has succeeded in fixing the hitherto broken budget cycle aligning the fiscal year with the calendar year".

Also, a former DirectorGeneral, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, described the presidential assent to the budget as positive for the country.

He said: "We expect that any money spent from January 1st, 2021 is an appropriated amount in the budget or capital budget carried over from 2020.

"We need to have some fiscal responsibility and discipline to ensure implementation of the various projects the budget was meant for."

An economist, Dr. Muhammad Rislanudeen, told THISDAY that the early capital expenditure budget, particularly in the COVID-19 pandemic period, will in part help in reviving the economy.

"First, it is important that we maintain the 12 month budget cycle beginning January each year to allow for effective planning of budget releases in tandem with revenue/ borrowing projections as encapsulated in the approved budget.

"This will also restore confidence in the economy and bolster more foreign investment with multiplier benefits of reducing unemployment and taming cost push inflation," he added.

On his part, an Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at University of Port Harcourt, Anthony Onoja, however, expressed concern that the budget largely relies on debts as a source of finance.

"With the rate of dependency on debts or loans for financing our budgets what is the hope for the future generations?

When will we get out of debt?

"For instance, it provides N3,324,380,000 trillion for debt servicing while N5,641,970,060,680 is for recurrent expenditure; and N4,125,149,354,222 for capital expenditure.

"A study by Emejulu (2019) indicated that recurrent expenditure has no significant effect on economic growth in Nigeria, while transfers have significant effect on economic growth in Nigeria.

"The implication of the findings is that accumulation of foreign debts by government should be discouraged," he stated.

Also, representatives of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) hailed the government for the timely passage and signing into law of the 2021 Appropriation Act. They urged the federal government to ensure that funds are provided for the

execution of infrastructure projects.

The Director-General of NACCIMA, Ambassador Ayo Olukanni, described yesterday’s signing of the N13.5 trillion 2021 budget into law as a reflection and signal from the presidency that things would be done as and when due.

He said: “This is a welcome development, which we hope will be applicable in all other areas as we contend with challenges in 2021. The real challenge, however, is timely implementation of the various provisions in the budget.

“The NACCIMA hopes that the respective MDAs will also rise to the occasion both in the release of funds and in the implementation of the programmes and projects under the budget. In this regard projects that relates to development of infrastructure, energy, roads, rails etc., are of major importance. They should be given priority."

Olukanni's counterpart in LCCI, Dr. Muda Yusuf, commended the president for sustaining the JanuaryDecember budget cycle, which will enhance implementation and planning by other economic actors in the economy, especially the private sector.

Yusuf said: “But it is important that the government should prioritise infrastructure in the area of releasing funds to execute projects because most of the time the releases often fall short of what had been budgeted. It is one thing to appropriate. It is another thing to release the funding.”

Sanwo-Olu Signs N1.16tn Budget into Law Also yesterday, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ushered in the state's new fiscal year as he assented to the N1.163 trillion 2021 Appropriation Bill approved last Monday by the House of Assembly.

Sanwo-Olu said the speedy consideration and passage of the budget reflected the dedication to the progress and prosperity of the state by both the executive and legislature.

Describing the past year as a peculiar era in the annals of the state, the governor said the economic paralysis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and destruction wreaked in the wake of the hijacked EndSARS protests delayed Lagos’ development.

According to him, the state will, however, walk into 2021 with strong will and high determination to rebuild lost assets, advance its economic growth and expand opportunities for residents to flourish despite the economic challenges caused by the double whammy of the pandemic and the protests.

He said: “With the passage of the 2021 Appropriation Bill, and the signing of the document into law today, our will to rebuild Lagos, advance the state’s economic growth, and expand opportunities for

FG SELECTS 161 FIRMS FOR MARGINAL OILFIELDS' FINAL BID ROUND He stated that the bid round began on June 1, 2020, adding that the DPR had put measures in place to ensure that the awardees would be credible investors with technical and financial capability.

According to him, the objective of the 2020 marginal field bid round is to deepen the participation of indigenous companies in the upstream segment of the industry

and provide opportunities for technical and financial partnerships for investors.

Osu said Nigeria last conducted marginal field bid rounds 17 years ago, with 16 of the fields now contributing two per cent to the national oil and gas reserves, while bringing development to their host communities in the Niger Delta.

Due to the COVID-19

pandemic, the bid round is being conducted electronically, including expression of interest/registration, prequalification, technical and commercial bid submission as well as bid evaluation.

The first bid round that was formally organised by the government began in 2001 and was concluded in 2003, with 24 licences awarded to 31 indigenous companies at

the end of the exercise.

However, another bid round proposed for 2013 did not hold.

According to the current DPR guidelines, interested bidders were required to pay a total of $115,000 and N5m in non-refundable statutory fees comprising an application fee of N2 million per field.

It also involves a bid processing fee of N3 million per field, data prying fee of $15,000

per field, data leasing fee of $25,000, competent persons report of $50,000 and $25,000 for fields specific report.

The federal government is expected to raise monies from the bid process and sale of the marginal oilfields to augment a huge shortfall in its revenue projections, by up to 60 per cent, occasioned by the instability in the global oil market.

Lagosians to flourish despite the economic challenges caused by the coronavirus, has now been reinforced.

“As we already know, 2020 will go down in history as a peculiar year largely defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ENDSARS protests, which were recklessly hijacked by those who destroyed some of our public assets and private businesses. We are fortunate to be going into the New Year with an already passed budget, which will help to expedite our recovery process.”

Sanwo-Olu said significant parts of the state’s 2021 spending are committed to human capital development, youth engagement, social intervention initiatives,.

Also, a portion is for the completion of ongoing projects critical to achieving the objectives of his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.

The governor reassured residents that the budget will rekindle their hopes and deliver substantial economic growth.

He said tough choices would be made where necessary and leverage opportunities required to engender sustainable and inclusive growth.

Sanwo-Olu promised that the budget would be prudently implemented, with the focus on provision of the right economic environment for people to thrive.

He said: “With the enormous challenges of the outgoing year, we are conscious of the fact that in order to efficiently and successfully implement the 2021 Budget, we must be selfless and dedicated. We are up to the task; with our collective resilience, we will achieve our key goals in all sectors, and nothing will stop us from justifying the trust of the people in this Government.

“I assure you that the 2021 budget will be prudently implemented with the people as our focus, as we are determined to provide the right economic environment for Lagosians to thrive. As the world combats COVID-19, we will make the necessary sacrifices to further place our State on the path of abundance and economic recovery. We are going into 2021 with the unwavering determination to engender sustainable and inclusive growth.”

About N703 billion, representing 60 per cent of the budget, is earmarked for capital expenditure, while N460.5 billion is for recurrent expenditure.

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % BOC GASES 0.87 9.57 10 NNFM 0.59 6.49 9.9 C & I LEASING 0.47 5.20 9.9 FCMB 0.30 3.33 9.9 BUACEM 6.95 77.35 9.8 TOP LOSERS NGN % FTN 0.07 0.66 9.5 ETERNA 0.51 5.10 9.0 AIICO 0.11 1.13 8.8 INTERBREW 0.54 5.95 8.3 ETI 0.50 6.00 7.6 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,505.00 Volume: 710.705 million shares Value: N10.082 billion Deals: 4,396 As at yesterday 31/12/2020 See details on Page 39

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COMMENT

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

FAREWELL BENJAMIN OLORUNTIMEHIN Jacob K. Olupona pays tribute to Oloruntimehin, a scholar of repute

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join hundreds of mourners at home and abroad to pay homage to our departed senior scholar, a great and experienced administrator, and a fun-loving person, Professor Oloruntimehin. I owe my first academic job as a Faculty Junior Fellow at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) partly to him when he was the Dean of the Faculty of Arts (1975 to 1977). His wisdom and sagacity were on full display in the story of how I came to join the university’s Religious Studies Department in 1976 and his subsequent role in my career. Let me limit this tribute to him to just one of several episodes.

In the mid-1970s, Religious Studies at Ife faced a leadership crisis, and Professor Oloruntimehin as dean came in to fix the problem. When Dr. Doi, the Head of the Department, went on leave in India in 1976, Rev Dr. Kayode was appointed Acting Head by the Vice-Chancellor, and the faculty was instructed to recruit two junior Fellows on the training line. I was among the four young scholars shortlisted for an interview.

The plan, as was the practice then in many Nigerian universities, was to recruit two of the Ife graduates invited to the interview. The interview had all but ended before they called me in. As I entered the room to face a panel of six intimidating professors, including several deans from other faculties, Professor Oloruntimehin (who chaired the session) grilled me on my CV requiring me to confirm the authenticity of the two articles I had published as an undergraduate in ‘Uche: University of Nigeria Nsukka Journal of Philosophy’ and ‘Gangan, the Western Region Cultural Magazine’. While Dr. Uzodima Nwala had edited the former publication, the latter essay had been published by the Ministry of Information, Ibadan. The same magazine contained three different articles by Professor Afolabi Ojo, Professor E. Bolaji Idowu, and the late Timi of Ede, Oba Adetoyese Laoye, among others. Professor Oloruntimehin’s interview still resonates with me to this day because it turned out to be an unusual academic exchange between a prominent senior scholar and an academic neophyte.

‘What is the difference between Religious Studies at Ife and at Nsukka University?’ Prof. Oloruntimehin asked. ‘You mean University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Sir,’ I responded? There was raucous laughter, and his was the most boisterous.

After answering that Religion at the UNN is rooted in social sciences and Ife’s religious studies approach is rooted in the Arts, he sent a second salvo; what did that mean for the two institutions? I realized I was in trouble with the Ife dons, and I quickly replied with some rich vocabulary to explain what we had learned at UNN. I named Religionswissenschaft (scientific religious studies) and phenomenology of religion (philosophical religious studies) as my primary methodological foundations, thanks to two of my UNN teachers who taught us well. Both Professor Edmund Ilogu and the late Professor Ogbu Kalu had insisted in class that students use

OUR UNIVERSITIES MUST OVERCOME THE CULTURE OF INBREEDING, THE ‘SON OF THE SOIL’ CULTURE THAT HARDENS INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE LEADERSHIP IN OUR INSTITUTIONS

the proper language and discourse in talking about religion in academic circles.

At the end of the interview, Ife decided to hire me, thus joining my Ife colleague Andrew Igenoza, who later became a Bishop of the Anglican Church. They probably thought it would be unfair not to invite me to join the Religious Studies staff after what they must have considered an excellent performance at the interview, even though I was considered an Nsukka boy and an outsider. From all indications, Professor Oloruntimehin took a special interest in recruiting and promoting young scholars who can make a difference in the university. I guess this was what Professor Oloruntimehin and his colleagues saw in me by encouraging an ‘outsider’ with a different type of intellectual perspective and training in religious studies from UNN to the Department of Religious Studies at Ife. The humanistic social science perspective of UNN was a perspective he welcomed and encouraged. For me, the abiding lesson is the difference an extraordinarily independent and focused intellectual and administrator such as Professor Oloruntimehin can make in institutions and the fortune of their scholars. Second, our universities must overcome the culture of inbreeding, the “son of the soil” culture that hardens innovative and creative leadership in our institutions. But for Professor Oloruntimehin’s visionary thinking and the providence of a dynamic department head, Rev. Dr Kayode, I would have been denied a place at Ife. As announced by the President, Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Professor Francis Egbokhare, FNAL, Oloruntimehin, FHSN, FNAL served meritoriously as the President of the Academy between 2014 and 2016. “He travelled far and wide undertaking educational visits and Visiting Fellowships in the United Kingdom, France and the United States of America. He was widely published both nationally and internationally with eight books and monographs, ten edited books, contributions in 15 books, 30 journal articles, and reviews of over 14 books to his credit. He also served as Editor/Editor-in-Chief or Member of Editorial Board to a number of journals,” Egbokhare wrote.

We younger scholars who knew Professor Oloruntimehin and loved him would continue to cherish his many talents and attributes, including his perspicacious mind, cosmopolitan outlook, interdisciplinary training and outreach, and his penchant for uplifting scholarly careers under his care. He was undoubtedly a brilliant scholar and a caring teacher, full of compassion, witty and humorous. While he enjoyed working hard, as many have testified, he also enjoyed having fun, particularly sitting under the Ife Staff Club’s almond tree.

May his place of rest be of glory. r0MVQPOB '/"- //0. JT 1SPGFTTPS PG "GSJDBO 3FMJHJPVT 5SBEJUJPOT %JWJOJUZ 4DIPPM BOE 1SPGFTTPS PG "GSJDBO BOE "GSJDBO "NFSJDBO 4UVEJFT JO UIF 'BDVMUZ PG "SUT BOE 4DJFODFT )BSWBSE 6OJWFSTJUZ

THAT FESTAC MARKET DEMOLITION The demolition is wrong, argues Ayodele Okunfolami

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hristmas wasn’t merry for owners of shops and traders at 23 road Market. Before the dawn of Saturday, December 12, 2020, bulldozers were already bringing down structures in that market to the ground. Unaware of the development, traders scurried to secure their wares only to be scared off the scene by policemen shooting into the air affirming the suspicions that it was a state-backed move.

Enquiries from some Amuwo Odofin Local Government officials on reasons why the market was felled saw them stammering from the market being a store of weapons to a den of hoodlums and prostitution. When further probes exposed the dim-witted explanations their combined IQs could produce, they resorted to the usual get-outof-jail “it was orders from above” detaching themselves as usual from an invisible government they are supposed to be part of. They now iced their sour cake with “an ultramodern market” would be built in its place.

Now there are two main markets in Festac. The status of the first, Agboju (2nd Gate) Market has been in contention since Festac’s existence. However, because the market is not in the original plan for Festac, 23 road Market was constructed by the government. Unfortunately, being a major bus stop that connects Agboju suburb, the market forces that brought Agboju Market into existence, still prevails. When one now adds the competition for market spaces because of an exploding population, Agboju Market has survived all attempts by the authorities to have it relocated.

So while traders at Agboju Market trade with uncertainty of where next to pitch their tents, 23 road Market, which has now been flattened, was supposed to be the legally government approved market. In order words, the government chose to leave the ‘illegitimate’ Agboju Market and bulldozed the legal market. The government now wonders why nobody takes their COVID-19,

environmental and traffic laws serious because they have in more ways than one proven it is better to be wrong.

First, it is a failure of government that illegal structures stand for long from foundation to decking to habitation with authorities turning a blind eye only lamely and occasionally “X” it with red paint. Secondly, they immorally continued collecting taxes and levies in the name of revenue from those traders without hinting them formally that their stalls would be brought down soon.

By the way, what is this culture of demolishing structures, that more often than not are reasons, that are not in tandem with the personal temperament of the executives? The other day, I watched as one of the SouthSouth governors dressed in military fatigue was taunting that any house found to be granting sanctuary to kidnappers and other criminals in his state would be demolished.

That is how his colleagues who have no history of making decent profit from real estate bring down what they term shrines, baby factories or other criminal abodes.

Even if those buildings are crime quarters, is bringing them down justified? Are there no better economic and legitimate ways to fight the vice and bring the criminals to book?

That is why the archaic Land Use Act that puts undue ownership of land in the hands of governors should be repealed. Today, practically every recreational park, green zone, tourist attractions and other ecosystems have all been sold to private hands turning our cities to concrete jungles. And if any part of Nigeria has suffered this reckless sale and conversion of hallowed spaces, it is Festac.

Besides suffocating the livelihoods of hundreds that do business there and throwing the thousands more that depend on them into poverty, Festac now has been turned into an urban mess. Left with no choice, traders now erect their tents on pedestrian walkways. From sale of cars to fabrics to household items to children wares to barbeques to hair dressing, everything is on the pavements. This has killed the beauty

of Festac and makes motoring view difficult and strolling unpleasurable. And this is not just a Festac phenomenon, go to Oyingbo and see the clutter the “’ultramodern terminal” has turned that place into.

Another thing that those responsible for bringing down the market need to explain is how they didn’t see the potholes along the stretch of that same 23 road and practically every other road in Festac. Whichever way they brought in their excavators, the roads are bad and almost in disuse. If they entered through 3rd gate, 7th avenue is no more motorable. When exiting, traffic builds up because of the deep potholes at the junction that connects 2nd avenue and 1st avenue.

Somehow, it is only the demolition of lockup shops at 23 road Market without any ounce of compassion that requires swift attention whereas 11 road and other petty repairs they claim they are working on is in race with Lagos-Badagry Expressway on which will finish last.

Lagosians have seen enough ultramodern structures and are in no way impressed.

“Ultramodern” is just another way of rewarding some oligarchs by seizing what is supposed to be a collective patrimony. The ultramodern Tejuosho market is yet to be optimized because it has been prized beyond the reach of traders and that is very likely to repeat itself in Festac.

Another question to ask is why it is only ultramodern markets, ultramodern stadiums, ultramodern terminals, ultramodern airports, ultramodern this-or-thats that our leaders keep ticking as dividends of democracy?

When will they start building ultramodern schools with matching ultramodern libraries and science laboratories? When will governance be benchmarked by ultramodern hospitals with proportionate ultramodern equipment and surgical theatres? It is ultramodern citizens that would build ultramodern cities.

How will Nigeria attract foreign investments when the businesses of locals are insecure because of rash government actions

like the demolition of that market?

Many things bedevil Lagos markets.

From siting to structure to security to safety to sanitation to space as the frequent fire outbreaks in markets have shown but flattening them only compounds the problem. What the government should be looking at is proper town planning that situates our markets appropriately, ensuring there are security and firefighting posts; fixing the infrastructural deficits that sees almost all our markets without toilets and running water; and regular environmental inspections to guarantee hygiene and quality of products.

Also, the price of owning shops, like every other property in Lagos, is stratospherically high. Moving forward, cheap but durable materials should be used to build modest markets instead of turning all our markets into Western-styled malls. Then if Trader Moni, Market Moni and other cash transfer schemes could reach traders, there should be a mortgage plan for traders to be able to own ordinary and cheap stalls.

So what happens to those that have suddenly lost their shops soullessly? We are most likely to hear that they would be compensated. However, such monetary recompenses not only come with several unassailable hurdles for the supposed beneficiaries but they just veiled corruption subheadings.

What I advise is that Lagos State Government should look more institutionally about markets and the merchants. Just as drivers are licensed, traders too should not only have permits to sell but licensed to sell their proposed products at approved locations.

More importantly, traders and markets in general should all be insured so that when unforeseen circumstances like the market destruction or market inferno occurs, it would be the insurance companies and lawyers that will settle it and not government taking out unbudgeted funds to compensate. r0LVOGPMBNJ XSPUF GSPN 'FTUBD -BHPT

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EDITORIAL

WELCOME TO 2021!

The challenges are great, but they are surmountable

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n the final hours of year 2020 that nobody in this generation will ever forget, seven local hunters were killed when their vehicle stepped on a landmine planted

by Boko Haram terrorists on the outskirts of Borno State. At the funeral, hundreds of mourners wept as the blood-drenched corpses of the hunters were lowered into the grave. A House of Representatives member, Ahmed Satomi who represents the area, said tearfully: “Last week it was the Zabarmari farmers that were buried in mass, today it is the Kayamla hunters. We can’t continue like this.”

Unfortunately, Nigeria has become one huge graveyard. The extreme Islamic insurgents seem bent on poking the eye of the NOTWITHSTANDING OUR military as they CHALLENGES, NIGERIANS still stage murderARE RESILIENT PEOPLE. ous raids on BUT IT WOULD TAKE UNITY rural communities OF PURPOSE TO ADDRESS with increasing regularity. In other WHAT AILS OUR COUNTRY theatres, Nigerians are being ushered into a year 2021 with tales of woes. The flood of misery is worsened by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Even though the impact in terms of numbers are low compared with other parts of the world, it has brought the country’s economy, already overheating, almost to boiling point.

Within five years of the present administration, the country has slid into recession twice, thus bringing untold hardship to a country already certified as housing more than 100 million poorest people in the world. The national currency has continued to tumble. The official unemployment rate, put at more than 27 per cent by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is not only frightening but breeds the risk of social, economic and security turbulence. Sadly, respite is still not in sight as the government is yet to roll out concrete measures to bring in the vaccines to soothe frayed nerves. Nor

Letters to the Editor

W

hat a year that just passed!

A year that caused us anxiety and fear.

Yet, we made it to 2021!

Thank you God! Thanks for our family, friends and colleagues who made it into the new year with us.

Not forgetting the departed, especially those who died from COVID-19.

Thanks also for healthcare workers who died from the disease while trying to save lives.

Thank you still for others that left us in 2020.

Kayode Odumosu, aka Pa Kasumu, Nigerian actor.

Jimmy Johnson, aka Okoro in NTA’s the Village Headmaster.

Chico Ejiro, Nollywood filmmaker.

Majek Fashek, the rainmaker.

Sam Nda-Isaiah, publisher, Leadership newspaper.

Prof Adetokunbo Lucas, renowned public health physician, author and teacher.

Kobe Bryant, NBA star.

Sean Connery, the first James Bond.

Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther.

John Lewis, the civil rights activist.

Rocky Johnson, former wrestler.

Kenny Rogers, songwriter, and musician.

May God keep them all in his bosom.

Thank you for hope still in this pandemic.

We can smile, even if behind a facemask.

For handwashing and hand sanitizer.

Social distancing and self-isolation.

Perpetual and ineffectual curfews.

Fake COVID-19 certificates.

T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

are there plans to deal with other diseases that are killing Nigerians in droves.

The pervading misery has company in the absence of many basic services such as education, health and infrastructure. The entire patchy education sector has been more or less in limbo since the advent of Covid-19 while the pandemic has indeed exposed the inadequacies of the country’s decrepit health facilities, even as a demographic crisis is looming large on the horizon. The electricity system is still plagued by blackouts. Many of the rural communities are not connected to the national grid. Even worse, in several parts of the country where farming is the main occupation, insecurity has made millions to flee the land, and turned into refugees in their country.

It is clear that Nigerians are being ushered into a new and difficult year with some diffidence.

The prevalent public disillusionment occasioned by severe economic hardship is being capped by losing the dominance of the machinery of violence to non-state actors. But the situation could be worsened if politicians and other stakeholders abandon governance and related duties to the people in their bid to get re-elected into offices in 2023!

Notwithstanding our challenges, Nigerians are resilient people. But it would take unity of purpose to address what ails our country. We therefore urge all political groups and their associates to steer the country from emerging political rifts and sectional conflicts. And President Muhammadu Buhari must show good leadership. He has squandered much of the goodwill through an unpardonable sectional administration. Mounting instances of tardiness in taking prompt decisions on matters of transparency and accountability have begun to taint the personal integrity which initially qualified him for the job. It’s time to beat a retreat.

But even more, the call for the restructuring of the federation has become too loud to ignore. The unity of the diverse nation may just be dependent on it.

We wish all our readers a prosperous year 2021!

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

ON NEW YEAR DAY: THANK YOU Conspiracy theorists and hydroxychloroquine.

Thank you for COVID-19 vaccine and its access to all.

For NCDC, CDC and WHO. For people like Chikwe Ihekweazu, Onyema Ogbuagu and Anthony Fauci.

For names like Corona Chiazor, Quarantine Folorunsho, and Lockdown Mailafia.

Palliatives and handouts.

Virtual meetings and virtual worship.

Zoom and Google Hangouts.

Thanks for the US presidential election.

For when the popular vote and the electoral college are in sync.

For outgoing Donald Trump and incoming Joe Biden.

For the sanctity of democracy.

Thank you for Nigeria and its golden jubilee celebration.

For retaining the prize for the poverty capital of the world.

For taking the third position for the most terrorized country in the world.

For being “customer dada” on corruption with Transparency International.

Nepotism, cronyism, and tribalism.

Federal character and lopsided appointments.

Thank you for, from APC to PDP. From PDP to APC, and back to PDP. For transmutation, transmogrification, and metamorphosis.

For those who have given up on this country.

Thank you for our eyes that are now open.

For the will of the people.

For our votes that will one day count.

An end to Supreme Court governors.

Thank you for security for Nigerians.

Amotekun, Eastern Security Network and Shege Ka Fasa.

For kidnappers that nap while their victims escape to safety.

The abducted who disarm their abductors.

Thank you for the Kankara boys.

The Chibok girls, the Dapchi girls, and Leah Sharibu.

For books, without the haram.

Educationally advantaged states and educationally disadvantaged states.

ASUU that suspended strike after nine months, and still threatening to resume again in February.

Thank you for food security.

The borders were closed, and the borders are now reopened (without rice).

Onions that had bragging rights with a bag of rice on which costs more.

The rise and rise in the cost of cement.

The rise and rise in air fares.

The fall and fall of the naira.

Skyrocketing inflation.

The disappearing middle class.

For wicked hunger.

For epileptic power supply and epileptic fuel price.

Total blackout because the national grid has collapsed, again.

Total darkness because water has dried in the Kainji, again.

Never-ending Ajaokuta Steel Company project.

Local refineries that don’t refine oil.

Thanks for Driver’s License, Voter’s Card, and International passport.

NIN and SIM link.

BVN and bank account link.

And confusion break bones.

“Mummy calm down.”

Thank you for love of foreigners more than Nigerians.

“E shock you!”

Rail and oil pipeline from Nigeria to Niger Republic.

“Funke!”

Thank you for Act 1, Scene one: “fainting” on live TV, while being interrogated for embezzling money.

Many thanks for the not so lazy Nigerian youth.

End SARS and end to police brutality.

Issokay and Soro soke.

Thanks for questions like, “Who is bankrolling you?”

“Afi suru.”

Tales told the Nigerian electorate by moonlight.

Ripples that never stop.

Year 2023, when we shall have a new masquerade.

For those who have not given up on this country.

The cock crows at dawn.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is here.

Happy New Year. r%S $PTNBT 0EPFNFOB NFEJDBM QSBDUJUJPOFS -BHPT ! DV[EFUSJVNQI

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POLITICS

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

From First to Third World: The USA that Trump Would Bequeath To Biden The unbecoming antics of President Donald Trump gave umbrage to Magnus Onyibe, former member of the Delta State Executive Council to pass a damning judgement on his presidency

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hen Donald J. Trump’s tumultuous presidency ends on January 20, 2021, he would be handing over to president elect, Joseph R Biden, a United States of America, USA, that has degenerated from first to third world.

That is remarkable because, the trend has always been for a country to move from third to first world as reflected by the case of Singapore , the island country, which leaped from first to third world as documented in a book titled “ From Third To First World: The Story of Singapore, written by Lee Kuan Yew, that country’s most famous leader under whose watch the country experienced the phenomenal leap forward.

There is a legion of reasons that the USA which Trump will be handing over to Biden would be a third world. And one of it is simply because after about four years of Trump’s presidency , the USA that was the acclaimed leader of the democratic world; and the foremost defender of political and social liberalism ; the most advanced society economically, which is a prime position that it has proudly held for at least 60 years as the leader of the pack in the first world, would be a shadow of itself due to the ferocious attacks and systematic destruction of its critical institutions that bolster democracy. In the course of Trump’s presidency in the past four years , the erstwhile structures that serve as the bulwark and anchor of the famous American liberties have also experienced denigration of monumental proportions. Consequently, the fundamental principles and ethos of the USA as the melting pot for people from all over the world seeking freedom or where to blossom as long as they meet the immigration criteria of bringing something worthwhile to the table became a pie dream with Trump constructing physical and virtual barriers against them . Strikingly , under Trump’s watch , the American dream which served as the magnetic force that pulled even his parents from Europe to the USA , and which is the basis, as well as the very essence of the USA also known as God’s own country, has almost vanished . As a result of the onslaught on the institutions of democracy , politicians from both the democratic and republican parties are now mostly in harmony about the fact that the hitherto acclaimed and critical democratic foundations of the USA which are core to its existence have been gravely bastardized in the past fours years and there is need to return to status-quo . It became even more alarming when it was discovered that president Trump was ready to go to the extent of engaging in an act as bizarre and incredible as a coup detat that he was reportedly contemplating in the hallowed chambers of the White House to remain the occupant of the Oval Office.

Thinking of resorting to a declaration of marshal laws as part of his self perpetuating strategies following his loss in the November 3 , 2020 presidential elections which the candidate of the opposition party,former vice President, Joseph Biden won, mimics situations in Africa and particularly in Nigeria where the removal of leaders from office through coup detat was the norm until the last two decades. As part of the wind of democracy sweeping across the continent of Africa, change of government through military force is now an anathema on the continent as the idea has been consigned to the dustbin of history in the better part of the last two decades.

That’s basically because in the so called third world countries , dominated by African and South American countries , military

coup detat is not fashionable anymore. It is evidenced by the fact that since the past decade or so, virtually no country in Africa

has been under military rule. The assertion above is underscored by the reality that the few countries where military coups resur-

Nigeria’s National Assembly and Political Corruption Mon-Charles Egbo, Print Media Aide to the Senate President, warns against the trend of using official position to achieve illegitimate end against public good

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olitical corruption has become a potent national threat that must be massively contained, especially now that it matters most December 9th 2020 could have passed like a normal day but for three historic events. It was International Day Against Corruption. Also Prof Mahmood Yakubu was sworn-in as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for a second term, being the first to enjoy such in our history. And then, the national assembly hosted the public hearing as a major step towards the much-clamoured reforms on Nigeria’s electoral system.

The common ground that these events shared was on the menace of political corruption under-which Nigeria has been groping, sequel to weak electoral system; which also is main reason the country is poorly perceived externally, amid other elements of corruption. Ultimately, the processes that produce political leadership should stand on a robust foundation, given the centrality of politics to national development. But lamentably, Nigeria’s story is different.

Political corruption entails the use of government powers for illegitimate ends as against public good. It hinders, social, political and economic development as it weakens the institutional capacity of governments relative to equitable distribution of resources across the population, and progressively-widens the gap between the poor and the rich.

Largely, it manifests as political leaderships lacking in commitment to national interest, characters, competences and capacities to provide solutions or create opportunities. Other consequences are

absence of ideologies and discipline among the political parties, highly expensive and compromised processes, mediocrity and nepotism, rising wave of insecurity thuggery and hooliganism are routinely patronized by the political class, growing rate of electoral litigations and then, relative illegitimacy of governments, sequel to public trust deficit and disenchantments. Empirically therefore, political corruption is antithetical to good governance.

Political corruption has become a potent national threat that must be massively contained, especially now that it matters most. And also because politics drive economy and development, Nigeria must urgently fix her politics for all other aspects of national life to fall in place. That of course, was the central message from those events. And certainly, it is only by diligent reforms in the electoral system that the tide can be stemmed, for the lasting good of the people. Put differently, there must be a comprehensive turnaround of the electoral system, aimed at eliminating political corruption that Nigeria may work again.

And quite responsively, the 9th national assembly is committed to electoral laws reform. They are convinced that only free, fair and transparent elections guarantee popular governments defined by strong legitimacy. The legislators are unanimous that flawed elections undermine development as it creates distractions for governance and emotional trauma for the people.

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rected in the past half a decade or so, the coup plotters had their dreams as soldiers of fortune with inordinate ambitions of taking over the reins of political power in their countries quashed. Which is in tandem or in conformity with African leaders policy , under the aegis of African Union, AU towards ensuring that coup plotters were either forced or eased out shortly after they stage coups. To demonstrate that coups are no longer in vogue in Africa , President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria -himself and ex coup plotter/ beneficiary of a coup, is reputed to have told the officers who staged a putsch in Gabon in June 2019, that the “Era of coup is long gone.”

As a proof of the AU’s ability to bark and bite , literarily speaking , in Zimbabwe the coup plot that toppled Robert Mugabe in 2017 was not allowed to be sustained as a new president Emerson Mnangangwa was quickly elected. Ditto in Mali in 2020 where Bah Ndaw was named interim president shortly after the coup.

Effectively , there are zero countries in Africa whose leaders are not elected via general elections and open ballot. But whether the elections are being conducted with fidelity or how illiberal the democracies, and their leaders are, is another kettle of fish. So Trump’s determination to remain in the White House through hook or crook echoes the attitude of African or third world countries leaders who fix their countries elections to sit tight in office.

Another odd thing about Donald Trump’s USA that controverts the situation in the third world is that it is usually the incumbents that rig elections by deploying the apparatuses of government such as the electoral agency, police force , and lately the armed forces as well as the judges in the law courts who aid and abet in the perfidy in favor of the persons holding the reins of power. The wise crack ‘It is he who pays the piper that dictates the tune’ rings true here.

But strangely, it is Trump, the incumbent president that is crying foul about an election that all the security and intelligence agencies under his control including his chief judicial officer have endorsed as being free and fair.

Nonetheless, if democracy has become so entrenched in Africa ,it never could have been imagined that the USA famously referred to as God’s own country,a clime that the entire free world practically looked up to as a bastion of liberal democracy, would descend so low to the extent that its president would attempt to sit tight in office in the manner that third world leaders like Theodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya in Cameroon have been doing . The warped idea is not only most absurd, but fantastically odd.

And the relegation of USA from 1st world to 3rd world is not being made up by me.

Actually, it is a comparison made by Trump himself in some of his recent tweets where he stated that: “Courts are bad, the FBI and “Justice” didn’t do their job, and the United States Election System looks like that of a third world country.”

Before Trump’s last attempted gambit of contemplating the sinister plan to invoke the marshal law in order to self perpetuate, some of Trump’s supporters had also reportedly planned to kidnap the governor of the state of Michigan , Gretchen Witmer who has been at the receiving end of Trump’s verbal and tweeter tirade . Fortunately, the FBI nipped the weird plot in the bud before the sinister act could be hashed.

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021

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PERSPECTIVE

2021: Nigeria’s Season of Political Bigotry Trump’s Corrupt, Dubious and Misguided Pardo Chido Nwangwu, Publisher, USAfricaonline condemns the presidential pardon granted by President Donald Trump to some of his associates

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onald Trump promised before and at the time of his assumption of office that he will “drain the swamp”, coded reference for Washington DC. But he came into America’s capitol with a trailer load of swamp snakes, alligators, crocodiles, moccasins, octopus and sting rays!

Anyway, the truth is that the American Wonder popularly known us Donald J Trump never ceases to amaze. Just when you thought he had reached the outer limits of the most egregious and discordant level of corruption, crudity and excesses, he moves the ball to the stratosphere of the surreal. As we all countdown to the final weeks of the impulsive and quixotic presidency of Trump, the man has done it yet again! His decision on December 22 and 23, 2020 — to grant pardons and commutations to many of his convicted friends, an in-law, several of his associates and campaign operatives has left the ethically-conscious people here in a tizzy.

Which reminds me of the timeless value of what the philosopher Aristotle wrote, specifically: “Character is that which reveals moral purpose, exposing the class of things a man chooses and avoids.”

Again, President Trump revealed his priorities and “class of things” with his pardons. Before I cite the high-profile pardon he granted his political strategist/adviser Roger Stone, let me take us back to Wednesday March 6, 2019, near Houston where I reside.

On that day, according to the USAfrica News Index, the federal attorneys of United States after thorough investigation and prosecution made the announcement that a 36-year-old Houston woman, Daniela Gozes-Wagner, was ordered “to pay more than $15 million in restitution following her conviction of conspiring to commit $50 million health care fraud as well laundering money.” Yes, $50 million! U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick revealed that a jury convicted Daniela in September 2017, and very important, U.S. District Judge David Hittner ordered Daniela to serve a total of 240 months imprisonment to be im-

mediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution of $15,283,985. At the hearing, the court noted that Daniela GozesWagner had “wreaked havoc” on the health care system of the United States.

In simple and precise assessment, her actions deprived our community and city of Houston the most needed resources for the health care of its citizens. Many would have died from her criminal greed and schemes.

Regardless, since Daniela is wellconnected to the Trump network, she is one of the beneficiaries of Mr. Trump’s corrupt, dubious and misguided pardons of December 2020.

Back to Roger. The socially promiscuous man who describes himself as a political “dirty trickster” was charged and convicted on a seven-count indictment, ranging from his obstructing justice, witness tampering and multiple counts of lying to the U.S Congress during special counsel Robert Mueller ’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The same election which brought Trump to power. By this latest fact of Trump’s pardon, Roger Stone’s conviction has become nullified! By the way, he never said a word that would have exposed or endangered Mr. Trump during his trial. Go figure.

There are several others but quite interesting and very colorful is the case of Mr. Charles Kushner, the father of President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner (married to President Trump’s first daughter Ivanka). A man unusually skilled in hard-ball techniques actually pleaded guilty in 2005 to tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions. For those crimes, he was prosecuted and got sentenced to two years in prison. Kushner served only 14 months. Also, Charles and his brother Murray were entangled in violations of campaign-finance rules, whereby Charles unsuccessfully attempted to influence his sister from cooperating with the prosecutors. What did he do? He set up his sister ’s husband with a prostitute, and recorded the encounter…. Charles threatened her with the tape…..

Kushner got his pardon from Trump.

What will Trump and his fellow travelers tell the FBI agents and field workers and attorneys and the jurors who worked hard on these and 46 other cases he simply discarded?

To what purpose? For whose interests??

Is this what it really means to be the candidate of law and order in the Trump Republican party?

So, this is Trump’s America?

What a “beauty”!

Segun Dipe looks ahead into 2021 and conjectures likely happenings on the political turf

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f you ever come across the phrase, “nasty, brutish and short,” then you would remember the book titled “Leviathan,” in which Thomas Hobbes expressed his views about the nature of human being and the necessity of governance and societies. Leviathan itself is a sea monster. Hobbes used it as a metaphor for absolutism, which is the political doctrine and practice of unlimited centralized authority and absolute sovereignty as vested in a monarch or dictator.

Hobbes lived around the 16th-17th Century and couldn’t have lived up to the 21st Century. While he might have had a low view of humans in those years, his description would still not have had more effect then than it had in 2020. Yet, his description of life as “nasty, brutish and short,” is apt enough to describe the outgoing year.

2020 is one year no one can exhaustively talk about. It was a year of upheavals –social, economic and political; a year like no other, when people were oscillating psychologically between sanity and insanity. To be sane was insane and to be insane, sane. Life was truly solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. Death came down to a penny per piece. History would remember 2020 as a year when human beings were made to stay indoor and isolate from one another for the better part, while animals freely move about and interact.

The pundits have a name for 2020. They call it the year of “new normal.” Well, it is unlikely this would change in Year 2021.

No one is anticipating the new year to deviate much in terms of social disintegration. After all, the second wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic is here already and it does not appear as if it will decimate any less, neither will it abate too soon.

But with the ravaging nature of the pandemic comes a new realization. While it appears to be disruptive in ways no one could have imagined, there is the positive side to it, which is in redefining leadership among the human race. It is calling for a more human-centric and radically driven leadership style, as opposed to the usual egocentric one.

In Nigeria, even as we join the large world to stay away from one another as prescribed by the COVID-19 protocols, the year would foist on the citizenry some form of chaos –information chaos. Signs are there already that Nigerians would be more misinformed than informed politically in 2021. So while COVID-19 is busy ravaging the people, bigotry will also take its toll and the people should be looking forward to the true meaning of what Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon had hitherto described as “Political Higi-Haga.”

Generally, it is fashionable to describe the Nigerian political landscape as a swamp. Everyone claims to know what is good for Nigeria and would always explain it from the perspective of selfish interest. Over the years, democracy has turned to a vulgar spectacle of deceit, ambition and opportunism. Trust in the political institutions has sunk to its lowest, with the politicians held in greater contempt.

As if this is not bad enough, some people have continued to compound the squabbling with an unnecessary narrowmindedness. In 2021, such cranks would capitalize on the fact that while the socialeconomic life keeps depreciating, politics would be the only solace for the people to surrender their hope. To paraphrase Leon Trotsky, you may not care about politics, politics would care about you in 2021.

Predictably, the political space in Year 2021 will not be occupied by the players themselves. They will take the back seat, allowing the bigots who have mastered the art of lying in the name

of packaging and de-marketing to take the centre stage. Those ones are good at turning information upside down for the citizens who want to be informed and make the latter to gullibly believe any and every information. Of course, the people, would be information hungry, and would care less as to whether or not they are being informed or misinformed.

They would accept every opinion as fact, notwithstanding its veracity. They may not bother to check whether or not most of such opinions are falling short of true knowledge, let alone wisdom.

The sad reality is that these bigots will not like to be addressed as bigots, either because they don’t realize that they are true bigots or because they would want to convince themselves that their bigotry is perfect for people’s consumption.

While the country’s presidential election is still two years from 2021, the real war for the throne has actually started and will hot up in this new year. As an election-obsessed country, people love to be seen as carrying a champion on their shoulder, and they would decide who the champion is by applying three qualities of (1) deep pocket, (2) political trajectory and (3) imprimatur, a la -Baba so pe.

Well, every other quality has always been relegated to the back burner, while those “acceptable” parameters would only keep pushing the country further into years of misrule, massive corruption and squandering of development opportunities.

It is in human nature to route for someone of preference in any contest. Good or bad, man is a cliquish species. If humans were prone to agreeing spontaneously about their common life, there would be no need to exercise power and no need for politics. But if the above parameters were permissible in the past, the bigots who are already showcasing their talents should realize that they are no longer fashionable in today’s Nigerian democracy.

According to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, what makes human politics unique is that we struggle not only for power, but also for justice. Other animals can communicate pleasure or pain, but only human language can express the differences between good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice.

Thus while the bigots continue to circulate their misinformation in 2021, the citizenry must not be gullible. They must be willing to throw those old parameters into backwaters and start asking for new parameters. In their attempt at selling their rotten apples, they, the bigots, now on the prowl, should know that they would be heightening negative emotions from the people, and should be prepared to meet their match. Nigeria requires in the coming election those who have already unlearned the norms that had been stifling its success and have learned what can shape the country, not only for the new normal of today, but even for the next normal of tomorrow. So, bigots beware!

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FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 •T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

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Quick Takes

Boeing 737 Max Resumes Flying in US

BUDGET SIGNING CEREMONY

Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo (left) and Governor Dapo Abiodun at the signing ceremony of the State 2021 Appropriation Act at the Governor’s office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta...recently

FG Urged to Review Pre-Arrival Assessment Report Eromosele Abiodun Customs agents in the country have called on the federal government to urgently put mechanism in place to review the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) currently being used by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), so as to accommodate realities in present destination inspection operation regime.

In a petition addressed to President Muhammau Buhari, the agents said PAAR in its current form does not conform to international best practice and law of the land, especially as signatory Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AFCFTA) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO)

MARITIME convention.

President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), the umbrella body of customs agents in Nigeria, Lucky Amiwero, in the petition stressed that the PAAR is not procedurally backed by law and its treatment.

“PAAR has no legal relevance with regards to pre-assessment procedures and treatment of import, as such goods are not pre-assessed before arrival and not inspected, which requires the select the principle of examination to be conducted with frequent lifting of value in contravention of the Customs and Excise Management (Amendment) Act 20 of 2003.

“As member of the Presidential Task force on the Reform of Nigeria Custom Service, member of additional 167 committees of the federal government, we find it expedient to draw the attention of government on our responsibility to conform with international best practice and law of the land, especially as signatory Trade Facilitation agreement The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement and other trade conventions.

“After eight years as member of presidential task force to reform the Nigeria Customs Service we noticed that the objective of setting the PAAR has not been met, as most of the propose feature are not realisable.”

The process, he added, was

being duplicated in contravention of the Customs and Excise Management Act 20 of 2003 and the WTO convention on inspection of goods, “which duplicates process in the application and causes delays in the port.

All the objective of introducing the PAAR, has not been met as at today, which gives worry to the trading public.”

Amiwero, added that the PAAR process only contain documents submitted that was not physically inspected to generate report to give the backing of assessment based on the report, “which is actually documentary checks and information supplied by the importer without physical inspection, in clear contravention Continued on page 22

COVID-19: Expert Advises FG against Flight Restrictions, Lockdown Chinedu Eze The Group Managing Director of Finchglow Group and Chairman, Airlines and Passengers Joint Committee, Mr. Bankole Bernard has said that despite the ravaging effects of the second phase of the coronavirus as well as efforts by the federal government to curtail its spread, Nigerians should not be stopped from traveling overseas because the country is heavily dependent on imports.

He also said Nigeria cannot afford another lockdown because it would hurt the economy, saying that globally countries have been unwilling to impose another lockdown because it would further damage the already devastated economy.

Bernard, who is the immediate past President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), said the only

AVIATION way to stop the spread of the more dangerous strain of the COVID-19 was to ensure that those who contract it are stopped at the airports.

But he lamented that this is difficult for government because of the country’s faulty system, whereby government officials at the airports allegedly collect bribe and allow passengers come into the country without verifying their COVID-19 status.

This, Bernard said, explained why some travellers arrive Nigeria without conducting genuine test and they find their way out of the airports without being stopped by Port Health that man the COVID-19 protocol at the airports.

He also said Nigeria could use this time to encourage and grow inbound tourism, but it cannot stop outbound travel because the

country cannot afford to do that because of the economy.

“There is nothing wrong with growing inbound tourism, but we cannot stop people from coming and going from our country. We import everything we need so people must travel. We don’t have manufacturing concerns that produce what we need locally so people must travel to go and get them.

“But the problem is that the system is corrupt. Government officials are not paid well, so they collect bribes. If the personnel are well motivated and highly graded with skills, they won’t be collecting bribes and they will be more efficient. It is difficult to have another lockdown because if you lockdown your country, people will move to another country that is not locking down; so you damage your economy further,” he said.

The former NANTA President

also said the aviation industry would face more challenges in 2021 because of forex scarcity.

He also urged the federal government to make the regulatory body, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), autonomous, saying that it ought to be fully stripped of any political colouration for it to function more efficiently.

“We cannot talk about aviation in Nigeria without talking about the world. Aviation is global and every nation has a common body, the regulator, known as civil aviation authority, responsible for safety and security of the industry.

“In the developed countries they make their CAA autonomous with little or no political interference. As a professional in the industry, we urge the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika Continued on page 22

American Airlines has started flying Boeing 737 MAX, the plane, which was grounded in March 2019, after two fatal crashes.

The flight was from Miami to New York.

New York Times reported that Boeing’s troubled 737 Max plane returned to American skies on Tuesday, carrying paying passengers in the United States for the first time in almost two years.

Those passengers were aboard American Airlines Flight 718, which left Miami around 10:30 a.m. and landed after 1 p.m. in New York, December 29, well ahead of schedule. The plane made the return trip, ending a long and difficult chapter for Boeing.

The Max was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after 346 people were killed in a pair of crashes, separated by months, in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The accidents and revelations about the plane’s shortcomings sullied the company’s reputation and cost it tens of billions of dollars in damages, government fines and lost orders.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has been criticised by lawmakers and safety experts for doing a poor job in certifying the Max in the first place, last month became the first major regulator to lift its grounding order. Boeing and the airlines that use the Max are required to install software updates, modify wiring and make other changes to the planes before they can fly again.

The FAA has since been joined by regulators in Brazil. Canadian and European aviation officials are expected to follow with approvals within weeks.

New York Times reported that the families of those killed aboard the two fatal flights argue that the Max is still unfit to fly.

Airlines to Screen JFK-bound Passengers

British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic said they would allow only passengers who test negative for the coronavirus to fly to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Reuters reported that the decisions followed a request from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that the airlines voluntarily agree to screen passengers on flights to Kennedy airport after the emergence of a highly infectious new coronavirus strain in Britain.

Dozens of countries, though not the United States, closed their borders to Britain on Monday, causing travel chaos.

Cuomo, who shares oversight of the airport through state agency the PortAuthorityofNewYorkandNewJersey,hassaidtheUSgovernment should also stop flights from Britain, though he acknowledged that might come too late to prevent the spread of the new strain.

“I believe intuitively it’s already here,” he said, “because if it’s been flying around the world, it’s been here.”

The White House coronavirus task force met on Monday to discuss the possibility of temporarily halting inbound passenger flights from the United Kingdom, but has not announced any decision.

British Airways, Delta andVirgin are expected to begin the screenings this week.

US airlines have already drastically scaled back flying to the United Kingdom, as well as the rest of Europe: American Airlines, for example, currently operates just one U.S. daily flight to London out of Dallas.

United Airlines, which has issued a travel waiver for US flights to Heathrow between December 21, 2020, and January 17, is operating four daily flights to London in December but said earlier this month it would cut those in half beginning in January. Last winter it operated 20 daily flights to the UK.

Amazon to Acquire Wondery

Amazon.com Incorporated said on Wednesday it would acquire podcast start-up Wondery, aiming to beef up non-musical content on its Amazon Music app.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal had reported that the firms were in deal talks, pegging Wondery at a valuation of more than $300 million.

According to Reuters, Amazon is relatively a late entrant to the booming podcast space, a key area of focus for Spotify Technology, which has been investing in big names in an effort to become the Netflix of audio content.

Wondery, which houses popular podcasts like “Dirty John”, “Dr. Death”, and “Business Wars”, has about 20 million monthly unique listeners, according to a Variety report.

Last month, Bloomberg News reported that both Apple Inc and Sony Music Entertainment have held talks about acquiring Wondery.

“There has been extremely low inflow of foreign direct investment this year, almost zero in aviation” Managing Director, Flight and Logistics Solutions Limited,

Amos Akpan

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BUSINESSWORLD FG URGED TO REVIEW PRE-ARRIVAL ASSESSMENT REPORT of WTO convention of import inspection and the Customs and Excise Management Act 20 of 2003, where value is lifted at will by the Service reference to the law on valuation.”

He added that the only law that is binding on the inspection and contains process and procedure for the conduct of inspection is covered under Section of the Pre-Shipment Act, which includes the issuance of Clean Report of Finding (CRF) that ascertains the inspection of goods conducted before shipment, which requires minimal inspection The Pre-assessment arrival report, he said, “indicates that all formalities as to inspection of quality, quantity and value has been conducted and the Report is the final process of payment and collection of good by the importer/ Licensed Customs Agents, which is still subject to multiple interventions by the service in contravention of WCO Kyoto convention of customs core principle of Harmonisation and Simplification of Customs procedures Nigeria being a contracting party.”

COVID-19: EXPERT ADVISES FG AGAINST FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS, LOCKDOWN to also do that in Nigeria and make NCAA fully autonomous,” Bernard said.

He also called for the central data system for the industry without a portal that could be accessed by the aviation agencies in order to ensure that the agencies have uniform data, noting that this would put an end to speculation that is prevalent in the sector.

“Central Data System is what the industry needs. This will make figures from the industry more reliable and authentic and this will also bring about transparency. The data will enable us know how many people that are coming into our country and how many people are going out.

“It will also enable the agencies generate the data themselves instead of relying on airlines and other organisations in the sector to provide figures, which could be inaccurate. In some countries which run efficient airports, figures could be made available in hourly basis because figures are captures automatically as facilitation is going on,” the former NANTA President said.

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NEWS

NCS Blames Construction Company for Tin Can Port Blockade Eromosele Abiodun The Controller, Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Musa Baba Abdulahi, has alleged that the failure of Hitech Construction Company, the contractor handling the repair of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, to open up alternative roads for use of port haulage trucks and other motorists is responsible for the current blockade of the Tin Can Island Port.

Movement of trucks in and out of the Tin Can Island Port, which is Nigeria’s second busiest seaport, has become almost impossible as a result of unending gridlock occasioned by deplorable access roads and extortion by security operatives managing traffic in the area.

Hitech Construction Company has also been blamed for its refusal to comply with the directive of the Federal Government to open up the major highway leading to the Tin Can Island Port.

The directive was issued by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, during a meeting with stakeholders on how to resolve the perennial gridlock on the port access road.

While speaking in Lagos, Abdulahi decried the lingering traffic congestion along the Tin Can Island Port access road, calling on Hitech Construction Company to,

“define alternative access into and out of the port” to ease movement of trucks and evacuation of cargo.

He said: “Anytime there is road construction or rehabilitation like this, there must be provision for alternative routes.

That is the standard. What is typically happening here is that there are no alternative routes.

“The man going out and the one coming in use the same route. So they have not really defined which route to take to

the port and the one to take out of the port. That has to be defined.

“You will see someone coming to Tin Can Port and another going out and you see both of them head on. The worst is finding these trucks loaded with 30 to 60 tonnes on the bridge. Bridges are not supposed to take static weight.

The Liverpool Bridge used to be for exit but now it is for both exit and entry into the port.

“The contractors should

define the access route which means somebody going out is not supposed to be found on the lane into the port but nobody seems to be responsible to make sure that is done.

We have tried to engage the stakeholders by bringing in the Police, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) but by the time you start, implementation becomes another issue.”

The Customs boss said the poor road infrastructure along the Tin Can Island port was the

major challenge faced by the command in the course of the year as it impacted negatively on trade facilitation, revenue generation as well as officers’ level of productivity with most of them having to trek to the office on many occasions.

He noted that while Customs clearance is achieved within 12 to 24 hours, evacuating the cargo from the port becomes a challenge because of the poor access road and intractable gridlock.

BRAND BUILDING

L-R: Babaloja of Computer Village, Chief Adeniyi Olasoji; Marketing Director, Xiaomi Nigeria, Mr. Habeeb Somoye; and Iyaloja of Computer Village, Mrs. Abisola Azeez-Isokpehi, at the endorsement of Xiaomi Mi 10T series 5G product activation at the Computer Village Fair 2020, held in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

NIMASA DG Pledges to Promote Maritime Education The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has promised to prioritise maritime education and ensure professionalism in the transport sector.

He stated this during his inaugurated as Chairman, Governing Board of the Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies (CELTRAS), University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

The inauguration, which took place at the university’s Institute of Petroleum Studies Auditorium, was supervised by the acting Vice Chancellor of Uniport, Prof. Stephen Okodudu. Jamoh’s investiture followed his appointment in October as Chairman of the 10-member Governing Board of CELTRAS. Okodudu had said

Jamoh was chosen by virtue of his position as Director-General of NIMASA, emphasising that his appointment “is an eloquent testimony to your outstanding contributions to national development.”

In his remarks after the inauguration, Jamoh, who holds a doctorate in Logistics and Transport Management from the University of Port Harcourt, said he felt honoured, “to lead this great team towards accomplishment of the noble mission and objectives of the Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies.”

He vowed to ensure professionalism in the transport sector, while working hand-in-hand with the Governing Board to achieve the set goals of CELTRAS. “Transportation is life and life

is transportation,” Jamoh stated, adding that he and the Board would strive to surpass the university’s target and intention for creating the Centre.

“NIMASA, on its part, has a mandate enshrined in its enabling Act, which includes maritime education. It would be all hands on deck and, hopefully, we shall achieve the mandate of maritime education and professionalism in the country,” he said.

With the inauguration of the CELTRAS Board coming at a time when the federal government was trying to improve and expand the transportation infrastructure across the country, Jamoh said the Centre had its work cut out.

“Without professional transporters in our sector, this

infrastructure will continue to dilapidate,” the Director-General said.

“Therefore, it is not by accident that we are gathered here to inaugurate this board to ensure that we produce professionals, and encourage research towards development of the transportation sector,” he added.

Earlier, Okodudu appreciated NIMASA for its contributions to CELTRAS, particularly the construction of an office complex for the Centre. He said he was impressed with the pace of the Centre’s growth from a humble beginning in 2012.

“When I behold the edifice being built to house CELTRAS, I am very impressed that we are benefitting from the dividends of creativity,” the Vice Chancellor

said.

Acting Director of CELTRAS, Dr. Gladys Emenike, disclosed that the Centre had graduated three PhD students, including Jamoh.

CELTRAS, a foremost centre for logistics, transport and supply chain management in Nigeria, was established in 2012.

Its mission includes production of qualified professionals with adequate knowledge and practical skills to understand and solve logistics and transport problems in the country.

The Governing Board of CELTRAS is charged with the responsibility of identifying and developing strategies for the Centre’s growth, and effective and mutually beneficial relationship with government and industry.

9mobile to Leverage Technology, Innovation for Improved Enterprise Support 9mobile has reassured its enterprise customers of improved Quality of Service (QoS) on its network in 2021.

This reassurance was given during the telco’s Enterprise Customer forum 2020, held in Port Harcourt recently.

The forum was designed to appreciate customers for their loyalty while receiving their feedback for better service response.

Speaking at the event, a statement quoted the Chief Commercial Officer of 9mobile,

Stjepan Udovicic, to have commended the partners for their commitment, support and patronage while also assuring them of more robust plans and projections 9mobile has put in place to offer more quality products and services. According to him, “we are committed to take our network engineering and product capabilities to greater levels in 2021 and beyond so that we are able to support you more effectively.

Your feedback is very crucial

to us in order to service you better in the incoming year.”

Udovicic, maintained that 9mobile’s projection was to have better collaboration with enterprise customers, noting that, “the telecommunications industry is an innovative one; therefore, there is need to be more specific and deliberate in service delivery. “We are going to have lots of customisation, where enterprises can customise solutions that meet their needs and satisfy their unique industries based on

feedback.

“We will prioritise Internet of Things (IOT), machine learning, artificial intelligence, new technologies around 5G exploration in different parts of the country.”

Also, 9mobile’s Head of Enterprise Sales, Mr. Olalekan Fatusa, said customers should look forward to more collaborative engagements from 9mobile, as the industry was becoming more innovative, deliberate and need specific.

Responding to a wide range

of comments from customers, Fatusa assured that all feedback will be prioritized responding to the issues highlighted both in the region and in other parts of the country.”

Martins Ojugbeli, 9mobile Regional Head, South-South, said the event was also organised to recognise and appreciate their corporate customers for their support and patronage, for which the brand was promising to reciprocate through improved customer experience on our network.

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Emirates Announces New Appointments Stories by Chinedu Eze Emirates has announced several key movements and rotations to its commercial team, both in its Dubai hub and across key markets in the Far East, West Asia and Africa with effect from January 1, 2021.

The airline said the changes place five seasoned commercial managers in key positions across the Emirates network to support its commercial strategies as it responds to shifting market dynamics and navigates the complex challenges posed by the global pandemic.

It stated that the rotations also demonstrated the depth of UAE National talent within the global commercial team, due in large part to the exposure they are given across the airline’s network.

According to a statement, its current Regional Manager West Africa, Afzal Parambil will take

on the role of Regional Manager South Africa; Paulos Legesse, currently Manager Ivory Coast, will become Manager Nigeria; Christophe Leloup, currently Manager Senegal, will become Manager Kenya; while Cathrine Wesley, Country Manager Ghana, will support Ivory Coast in addition to her current role; Arpit Behl, Country Manager Guinea, will support Senegal in addition to his current role.

Similarly, Satish Sethi, currently Country Manager Philippines, will become Manager Japan; Salem Ghanem Al Marri, currently Manager Japan, will return to Dubai to the airline’s Strategic Planning department; Jaber Mohamed, currently Area Manager Taiwan, will become Country Manager Philippines; Saeed Abdulla Miran, currently Manager Bangladesh, take on the role of Area Manager Hong Kong; Sultan Alriyami, currently an Outsta-

tion Manager, will become Area Manager Taiwan; Mohamed Alhammadi, currently a Commercial Manager, will become Manager Bangladesh.

Commenting on the appointments, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim said: “As Emirates works through the complexities of this challenging period, we are sharpening our focus further and placing extremely capable leaders with diverse experiences to help drive commercial initiatives that stimulate demand and maximise revenue opportunities and margin performance.

“I am also proud of our UAE Nationals, who are well-placed to support the commercial organisation at this critical time, as we continue to build sustained momentum, restore our network foothold, and ramp up our operations to position the airline for a strong recovery.”

Qatar Reflects on 2020 Challenges, Opportunities Middle East carrier, Qatar Airways recently held a management meeting to reflect on the events of 2020, the most challenging in the history of aviation, its achievements in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said, “This year has been unlike any other, with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting people and businesses all around the world.

“Aviation has been one of the most affected industries, with a unique set of challenges resulting from a more restrictive travel environment and subdued demand.

“However, at Qatar Airways we have never shied away from a challenge and I am immensely proud of our response. Firstly, we never stopped flying throughout

the pandemic, fulfilling our mission of taking stranded passengers home on scheduled and charter flights.”

He added: “We were able to do this thanks to our varied fleet of modern, fuel-efficient aircraft that allows us to respond quickly to market changes, as well as the incredible efforts of our staff.

“Our fleet has also allowed us to rebuild our network from our lowest point in May, when we served 33 destinations, to over 110 destinations today and 129 by the end of March 2021.

We have even launched seven new destinations during the pandemic to meet demand so that passengers can travel with an airline they can rely on.

“We have led the industry in the implementation of new and robust safety measures to ensure that passengers are safe

when travelling with us on board and on the ground. But unlike some of our competitors, we have continued to invest in the passenger experience both on board and at Hamad International Airport.

“Looking ahead, we expect the global travel and tourism industry to continue to gradually recover. Developments to roll out a vaccine worldwide look promising, giving us greater confidence particularly as we look to the second half of 2021. Much work has been done by the hospitality industry in Qatar to ensure that visitors can enjoy a safe visit when its borders open and I believe that travellers will be eager to see what we have to offer, especially as interest in Qatar will grow in the run up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.”

…Qatar, Oman Air Agree on Code-share Qatar Airways has announced that it has signed an expanded code-share agreement with Oman Air that would boost connectivity and provide more flexible travel options for both airlines’ customers.

The code-share agreement was the first step in further strengthening strategic cooperation between the two airlines that first began in 2000, adding that sales of the additional destinations would commence in 2021.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, was quoted in a statement to have said, “Now more than ever, it is important to strengthen strategic partnerships across the industry to optimise our operations and provide seamless connectivity to hundreds of destinations across the globe for our passengers.

“Since 2000, both airlines have seen the benefits that commercial cooperation has brought, providing our passengers with unrivalled service and more flexibility to travel when they

want. I look forward to further strengthening our commercial cooperation with Oman Air to provide even more benefits to our customers.”

On his part, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, said, “We are delighted to expand our commercial cooperation with Qatar Airways, which will streamline flying for leisure travellers from around the world to enjoy Oman’s culture, scenic beauty and hospitality, and facilitate travel for those who visit the Sultanate of Oman for abundant, fast-growing business opportunities across a diverse range of sectors.

“The expansion of our codeshare agreement is just the first step, and we look forward to working with Qatar Airways to further strengthen our strategic partnership to enhance the business and leisure travel experience for our customers in Oman and throughout the world.”

The code-share deal will significantly increase the number

of destinations available to Oman Air passengers from three to 65 on the Qatar Airways’ network across Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, India, and the Middle East.

Qatar Airways passengers will also benefit from additional connectivity, with the ability to book travel on an additional six destinations across Africa and Asia in Oman Air’s network.

Both airlines will also explore a number of joint commercial and operational initiatives to further optimise their partnership.

Qatar Airways’ strategic investment in a variety of fuel-efficient, twin-engine aircraft, including the largest fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft, has enabled it to continue flying throughout this crisis and perfectly positions it to lead the sustainable recovery of international travel. The airline recently took delivery of three new state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its total A350 fleet to 52 with an average age of just 2.6 years.

2020: Tough Year for Aviation Handling Companies

SAHCO Stairways Chinedu Eze Aviation handling companies in the country had a very tough year in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But succour came the way of the operators during the lockdown when cargo flights were allowed to operate to deliver essentials, especially medical items and food.

Then, it was followed by evacuation, which irregularity wouldn’t have been a sure source of income for the handling concerns, which deliver more services to scheduled passenger throughput than cargo services, especially on domestic flight operations.

The Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Plc (SAHCO), Basil Agboarumi, told THISDAY that handling companies faced same challenges airlines are facing, insisting that the situation was even worse for handling companies because they have not been allowed to increase the cost of their services, which follows processes and approvals, unlike the airlines that have increased ticket prices in response to economic realities.

He said the major challenge, however, was the fact that equipment used by handling companies are imported. Therefore, he stated that it is very difficult to acquire them presently because of the forex scarcity.

Agboarumi noted that while handling companies earn revenue in naira; they have to generate dollars to buy the essential equipment for their business.

“All our equipment is produced abroad. Forex is hard to get because our revenue is in Naira.

Airlines recently increased ticket fares in tandem with the economic realities on ground but we cannot do so, unless we receive approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“We hope that in 2021 when coronavirus issues are dealt with, business will bounce back, but COVID-19 frustrated our efforts in 2020. We had to spend money, which we did not budget for to meet the new needs of Coronavirus protocol.

“We had to buy Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for our staff. We did not sack any of our workers. We sent them home and kept them on salary and when we brought them back we paid for them to be trained to become COVID-19 compliant in the bid to halt the spread of the pandemic. So there was new standard of operation (SOP) and we have to abide by it,” Agboarumi said.

Also the Chief Executive Officer of Mainstream Cargo Limited, Seyi Adewale said that Nigeria’s aviation ground handling companies who earn income through aircraft turnaround and passenger services may end the fourth quarter of 2020 financial results in the negative, adding that they have already posted Q3

financial losses.

THISDAY learnt that the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance) posted N165.9 million loss for the second quarter of 2020 and estimates indicated that third quarter loss was above N100 million.

Also, Skypower Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) posted N98.3 million loss for half year and it was estimated that the company would still be in the negative zone by the end of third quarter and subsequently the end of the year.

However, the Association of Aviation Ground Handlers (AGHAN), made up of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) and Aviation Handling Services (AHS) had forecasted N20 billion loss in revenue generations in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated global economy since the beginning of the year.

Chairman, AGHAN, Adigun Olaniyi recently decried the advent of COVID-19 virus, saying it had grounded handling business in the sector, remarking that the unlocking of the economy by the federal government did not indicate the end to the crisis in the country.

Olaniyi regretted that due to the pandemic, the entire first quarter of 2020 was wasted, while a major part of the second quarter was also lost to the crisis, stressing that only the third and fourth quarter could be salvaged from 2020, but with the #endSARS and the recession that is currently plaguing the country, the handling companies are still in the financial quagmire.

“We buy our equipment in dollars and when we ordered for these equipment, the Naira was still N360 to a dollar. We have import duties to pay to respective bodies.

The government did not give us import waiver as it did to the airlines and others, yet, an ordinary forklift is not produced here in Nigeria; we only assemble them in the country. Furthermore, the ground handlers charge for their services in naira.

“One can say cargo is coming in, but remember what we call the multiplier effect. If America can lose up to 30 million jobs so far because of the crisis, can you quantify the number of jobs we are going to lose in Nigeria?

“If the importers bring in goods for instance, and we decided to clear it free of charge and Nigerians don’t have enough capital to purchase the goods because they have lost their jobs, recession will be reinforced and the importers will not be encouraged to bring in additional goods. So, there is going to be reduction in the cargo inflow because there is no economic power to buy these goods and services,” he said.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

2020: Year of Aviation Meltdown The coronavirus killed over a million people globally, devastated many sectors in economies and literally castrated the aviation sector, writes Chinedu Eze

S

hortly before the lockdown around March 2020, South Africa Airways stopped its daily operations to Nigeria and thus ended direct commercial flight between two Africa’s largest economies.

Globally the world economy has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, which spread to the world from Wuhan, China, in February 2020, forcing most part of the world to go on lockdown to control the spread of the disease.

Every sector of the economy has had its huge losses, but the most tragic were the deaths of over a million people worldwide.

Today the living have to content with crippled economy, the threat of more deaths from the virus and a world made lame by a disease that would haunt mankind for a long time, after it has disappeared. Its devastating effect will be etched in history.

Global Impact Coronavirus pandemic is an international disease that affected every part of globe so the impact was everywhere, but every country has its own peculiar experience. Also in the aviation industry, which is also global, every country is affected, but every country also has its own peculiar experience.

In November the International Air Travel Association (IATA) reported that the aviation industry would lose about $118 billion by the end of 2020. But there are indications that by the end of the first quarter of 2021, the industry might lose over $150 billion as the second phase of COVID-19 has forced governments to make further adjustments to control the spread, which may include further restrictions in air travel.

IATA had explained that on November 24, 2020, it issued an economic performance report of the airline industry, indicating that losses were set to worsen. It said the industry body predicted that airlines were set to finish 2020 with $118 billion of losses.

“In July 2020, IATA indicated that the industry was forecast to lose $84.3 billion in 2020. However, all is not doom-and-gloom, as the association predicted that losses could be cut to $38 billion in 2021.

“With passenger traffic dropping significantly, revenues are estimated to fall by 66 per cent in 2020, which is the largest decline since the Second World War. Throughout the year an estimated $347 billion will be spent by tourists traveling by air, which is 59 per cent less than in 2019. In 2021, the tourist spending should increase to $559 billion and come back to the levels last seen since 2012,” the global body said.

IATA also reported that aircraft manufacturers are predicted to complete the delivery of 800 new aircraft before the end of the year, which is approximately half of all, planned deliveries at the beginning of 2020.

“IATA predicts that in 2021, airlines will take delivery of 1302 new aircraft, which is close to the numbers of 2019. Nevertheless, more delivery delays and order cancellations are to be expected, as the demand will continue to recover slowly.

Job Losses In terms of job losses, IATA stated that Africa lost about 4.5 million jobs to the pandemic and explained that a total of 5 million African jobs would be lost in aviation and industries supported by aviation in 2020, which is well over half of the region’s 7.7 million aviation-related employment. Also the GDP supported by aviation in the region would fall by up to $37 billion, which is 58 per cent below pre COVID-19 levels.

“The breakdown in air connectivity in Africa has severe social and economic consequences for millions. No income means the lack of a social safety net for many. Governments need to do all they can to reconnect the continent safely. Keeping borders closed, or imposing measures such as quarantines, that deter air travel, will result in many more livelihoods being lost and further economic shrinkage along with hardship and poverty,” said IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Muhammad Albakri.

New terminal at Abuja airport Nigeria’s Peculiar Challenge In Nigeria COVID-19 literally devoured the finances of domestic airlines and aviation agencies to the extent that the agencies at a time, especially during the lockdown, found it difficult to pay their personnel and airlines had to lay off some of their staff, put some in redundancy and cut their salaries by substantial percentage.

The airlines were losing money while they were not generating revenue because the aircraft they put on storage had to be maintained, they had to also sustain their overheads and spent money in training their staff on how to abide by the Coronavirus protocols, acquisition of COVID-19 preventive materials and adjustment of their operations and interior of their airplanes to become COVID-19 compliant.

The agencies, especially the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) spent huge resources to deploy materials and equipment to make the airports compliant with new International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) conditions to ensure that travellers do not contract the virus through air travel.

The Regional Terminal Manager, South West in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Mrs. Victoria Shin-aba, told THISDAY that the federal government spent huge resources to make the airports compliant to COVID-19 protocols despite the fact that there was lockdown so the facilities were not generating money.

“The expenses bore a big hole in the finances of the authority because as much as the airport was operationally closed, we were working, the facilities were being manned, because it was better to man and maintain than leave them.

“This is because if they were abandoned without maintaining them by the time you come back, they will be worse off. So, it was like needing more money when money was not coming in and it became like inversely proportional. And we had to go the extra length to put so many things in place so that the airport can be COVID-19 complaint.

“That is; people will feel safe using the airport. So extra facilities have to be done, like the toilets, we had to change most of the toilets, the taps to COVID-19 complaint, that is, touch-less, we had to get sanitising stations, automatic hand wash, we had to do the markings. So many things went into it, by and large, I want to say we have pulled through not financially but at least the airport is doing well,” Shin-aba said.

airlines and the aviation agencies was that while the airlines were trying to recover from the devastating effect of the pandemic, the economy slumped into another recession and youths in Nigeria launched protest that strangled the economy further.

This disrupted domestic flights and was followed by hoodlums’ organised violence that ripped of the country and let to death of many. This had another adverse effect of airline operation, as huge revenue was lost by the operators.

CEO of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi told THISDAY that airlines were facing worse problems with the economic recession because they have not recovered from the COVID-19 lockdown and #endSARS protest, which negatively affected flight operations.

He noted with the current recession, airlines would find it difficult to survive and some may even go under.

“The recession will affect every part of the economy. Prices of local commodities and services are already high so you can imagine the cost of imported goods. Aviation has multiplier effect. Everything we do in aviation has forex component.

“That is why airlines are struggling. The Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Smart Adeyemi stated that the airlines are facing dismal situation and this could be solved if government intervenes with bailout.

“It is not that planes will drop from the sky. That cannot happen because the industry is effectively regulated, but airlines may be forced to shut down if they do not have the funds to continue operation. I am sure the economic recovery team will pay critical attention to the aviation sector,” Sanusi said.

He said Nigerian airlines would have to pay higher insurance premium and this would dig deeper into their funds and this would be a big challenge to the operators, noting that insurance premium is higher in Nigeria because revenues are earned in the naira, which is very cheap now, so airlines would sell their naira to get dollars, which is currently very scarce.

“Airlines are still recovering from the impact of COVID-19 lockdown, #endSARS and now economic recession. This will leave a huge toll on the airlines. More airlines may go under.

We are paying more for insurance. We will pay more for aircraft leasing. Anything you want to do that has dollar component will be a challenge, even if it is national carrier you wish to establish. So we must have to address the foreign exchange problem,” Sanusi said.

COVID-19, #ENDSARS, Recession What exacerbated the challenge of Nigerian

Forex Scarcity As Sanusi noted, as the value of the naira

depreciated against the dollar, it became more difficult for airlines to efficiently fund their operations, acquire parts, maintain their aircraft, train their technical personnel and insure their aircraft.

He also noted that forex was also responsible for the failure of some airlines to bring back their aircraft ferried overseas for maintenance because as they generate revenue in naira and pay for maintenance in dollars, it has becomes difficult to raise huge amounts in dollars to pay for aircraft maintenance overseas.

The consequence for this, he stated, was that there would continue to be inadequate operating aircraft in 2021, which means that airfares would continue to rise, as fewer aircraft would be operating; therefore, demand would always exceed supply.

Bailout It has been reiterated that Nigerian airlines would need a bailout, which other countries have used to save their airlines after the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. But the federal government announced that it had approved only N4 billion for the airlines and other companies in the sector.

This is way lower than what government planned to disburse to the sector earlier, which was N27 billion. In relation to the dollar, this is a very negligible amount of money compared to the huge investment and cost in running airlines.

This was the argument made by the Managing Director for Flight and Logistics Solutions Limited, Mr. Amos Akpan, who insisted in a recent article that airlines must be supported by government for them to survive.

“Government may not be expected to give cash to the airlines. These are the ways government can support the airlines: give guarantees on aircraft insurance premiums; use bonds to secure payments through Nigerian brokers; extend repayment period on existing loan facilities; restructure new loans to maximum 5 per cent interest; repayment period of 7 to 10 years.

“Other ways government can support the airlines include: exempt them from payment of VAT; unify and gazette the implementation of duty exemption on aircraft and aircraft spares; stop granting multiple entry points to foreign airlines and give diplomatic support to Nigerian airlines designated on international routes,” he said.

The year 2020 has been identified as the worst since after World War 2 in the aviation industry. 2020 left the sector battered and it desperately needs government support in order to survive.

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BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

As Truckers Reject Taskforce EromoseleAbiodun writes that truckers’ rejection of the plan by the federal government to create a new taskforce for Apapa shows lack of trust

F

ollowing allegations of corruption and ineptitude by truckers, the federal government announced that a new team would be reconstituted to manage traffic on the port access

road.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, disclosed this in Lagos during a meeting she held with stakeholders including officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), truck owners and representatives of shipping companies.

The meeting was held to find solution to the perennial gridlock on the port access road leading to the Tin Can Island Port Complex, Lagos in a renewed effort to check congestion at the nation’s second busiest seaport.

Ajani said the blockade of Tin Can Island Port by trucks due to the activities of different government officials, truck owners and drivers was no longer tolerable and must be dealt with decisively.

Before the deployment of an electronic call-up system by NPA in January 2021 to manage the movement of trucks on the port access road, she said urgent actions must be taken to address the gridlock, which has almost brought cargo evacuation at the Tin Can Island Port Complex to a halt.

According to her, “We must have some form of orderliness. Trucks must only get on the road when they are called to come in, and if that happens we shouldn’t have trucks on the road.

“We also want to plead with the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Police; enforcement is very key. Enforcing means don’t let people who should not be on the road come on the road, because if there are no trucks on the road, we won’t have the miscreants. There will not be anyone to coerce on the road. Who gives the miscreants access into the port when they are not supposed to be there?”

She added: “Before the electronic call-up system starts, you’ve been operating for decades. How have you been calling up your trucks? Manual, I presume. So, why can’t you get back to that and make sure that it is a functional call-up? Functional call-up is the word.

“We all have our roles to play, but the typical thing is that we want to show that we have authority somewhere, and everybody trying to show that they have authority somewhere is what has ended us where we are now.”

She said though instructions have been issued by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to “open up the roads” leading to Tin Can Island Port, this might not solve the gridlock until trucks that have no immediate business at the port are taken off the road.

“The issue of Presidential Task Force or no Presidential Task Force, I threw up that question on Tuesday to the Vice President and he said ‘Madam Perm Sec, that has been disbanded’. I have been trying to get a written document because I clearly stated that I don’t have a written document. If I have the communication as a Ministry, then we should be able to do the needful.

So I have requested that we get the communication both to the Ministry and to all the institutions – Lagos State, the Police, all the parastatals; NPA, NSC, are all part of the transportation.

“So once we have that, then we can sit down to chart what needs to be charted. We have invited the relevant agencies for 8 a.m. meeting tomorrow because we must chart the course of who takes responsibility for what to at least decongest the road. That is the immediate thing we have right now to do, and then allow people to come out of the port and open up the roads if need be.

“I am using the word if need. We may just open temporarily to move all those ones that are blocking the roads but going

Apapa Gridlock

forward, we need to do the right thing, and that is discipline ourselves and having an effective manual call-up till we’re able to implement the electronic (call-up), ”he said Ajani said FRSC to deploy more truck towing vehicles on the port access roads to remove broken down and unwanted trucks to free up the road.

She said: “We will engage Lagos State and maybe Ministry of Works if they have land around those areas, so that at least there is a clear place where you drop the impounded trucks. I guess when we begin to do that; people will take us a bit more seriously.

“So if you have not been called up and you get on the road, then your vehicle will just be towed. By the time you are there for three months, the goods you want to export is there, you begin to talk with the owner of the goods. People will probably be a bit more serious in dealing with what needs to be dealt with.”

A week after the meeting, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi , told maritime workers in Lagos that the government would deploy a new taskforce comprising 200 security operatives to Apapa.

Truckers reject taskforce As soon as the plan was revealed, truckers rejected it stressing that taskforce has never been the solution as they will eventually extortionists.

Speaking to THISDAY, Chairman of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), RemiOgungbemi, said truckers will reject any task force because they are only coming to extort truckers.

Also, the truckers insisted the plan to deploy 200 security personnel was a misplacement of priority, saying, “It is uncalled for and very unfortunate. We are shocked that the only solution that government has to proffer is to set up another task force. We have had over five different task force on Apapa, they come do what they can do and impose all manner of levies on truck owners and go. That government is trying to set up another task force baffles me and I want to say, it is not the best, it’s never the way forward.

“I was thinking by now the government should realise that the port can no longer contain the volume of activity that it is been burdened with. The NPA has promised to deploy electronic call-up system, this is what we are all waiting for. The NPA has partnered with a company called TTP Limited and they plan to deploy the system, which is what the government should focus on. I am not sure the Minister of Transportation was properly briefed on the matter.

“Task force is never the solution, what we need is an automation system that will have no human interference. Even if the government like let them bring one million security men, it will not solve the problem. I am sure if the minister was properly briefed that we have been having task forces without solution he would not have even contemplate the idea.”

Ogungbemi added: “However, any attempt to bring another security operative that will be unleashing terror and extorting truck owners we will not accept it. It is those people that are benefiting from the corruption and rot in the system that have advised the minister to set up another task force. They have misled the minister, they are mischievous and want the status quo to remain.

“It is uncalled for, with the modern technology that is been deployed around the world, why must we be lagging behind?

Apart from the NPA electronic call up system, we have come up with our solution that will have no human interference but because we were seen as nobodies they rejected our solution. I want to stress that setting up of any task force can never work because it hasn’t worked in the past. We will not allow it, we don’t want it because they see truck owners as source of revenue and an opportunity to enrich their pocket.”

Opeifa blames entrenched interests However, the former Executive Vice Chairman of the now rested Presidential Task Team on Restoration of law and order in Apapa, Kayode Opeifa, rejected allegations of corruption and blamed interested parties who were used to disorderliness in Apapa for the many corruption allegations against the task team.

Opeifa, who praised the work of the PTT said the Lagos State Government would now take the task forward while the NPA would fix its call-up system to effectively manage the movement of trucks in and out of the Ports.

He said coordinated negative media reports on the axis as the handiwork of those benefitting from the hitherto corrupt system in the nation’s busiest port.

Speaking on the allegations of rising transportation bottleneck and cost of haulage on the axis, Opeifa said genuine stakeholders on the axis were impressed by the level of restoration of law and order that has taken place on Apapa axis as far as transportation are concerned.

Opeifa said a lot of successes have been recorded on the Apapa axis with the removal of heavy-duty trucks, petrol tankers and containerised trucks on the roads and bridges

leading to Apapa, adding that the roads that were initially in bad shaped are undergoing construction and near completion.

He added that the Presidential task team has delivered on its mandate to restore order in the Apapa axis, even as he urged the Lagos State government and stakeholders to take ownership and ensure orderliness in maintained.

Opeifa said instead of the unwarranted criticisms of the presidential task team, the federal government should be commended for taking a bold step to address the myriads of problems in Apapa that had been neglected for years before President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration began to address the problems, which include bad roads, corruption and absence of law and order in the axis.

“Presidential Team recorded significant successes in easing the traffic situation in Apapa. Among these is the exit of tankers, containerized trucks and other heavy-duty trucks on the bridges along Ikorodu road, particularly around Stadium, Iponri, Fadeyi, Onipan and some parts of Ijora-Iganmu road.

“The team, which further ensured that only vehicles with genuine documents were allowed into Apapa; also introduced a manual call-ups system that guarantees a systematic, programmed movement of articulated vehicles into the port, which eliminated the many-weeks duration heavyduty vehicles usually spent on the same spot while trying to access Apapa, “he said.

He added that most of the transportation challenges on Apapa are caused by the failure of some of the stakeholders to follow laid down rules, “especially since the introduction of the manual-call-up system, adding that traffic situation on the axis would continually improve if everyone complies with the laid down rules.

Opeifa blamed the negative reports on Apapa on some ‘faceless’ individuals whose interest is in the continuation of the hitherto corrupt system rather than restoration of law and order in the Apapa axis.”

However, he appealed to stakeholders on the axis to stop cutting corners and adhere to the established rules and regulations in order to sustain the successes recorded in traffic management in the area.

“What we are seeing in Apapa is the case of the corruption fighting back. When they see that the system is not possible for them to escape because they are not supposed to be on the road, they will go to the media to allege corruption, which is not true. I have said that there is a calculated attempt to using the media to fight back by the people we displaced from the corrupt practices,” he said.

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BUSINESSWORLD

PERSPECTIVE

Air Peace’s Joburg Route: Strategic, Impactful Stanley Olisa

S

ince inception on October 24, 2014, Air Peace’s determination to ease Nigerians’ burden of travel by interconnecting various cities in the country and transnationally, has continued to intensify.

This has seen the Nigerian foremost airline blaze the trail in all fronts both locally and in international skies, looming large as a formidable force in Africa’s aviation space.

The original vision of Air Peace is ‘to be ever dependable through the creation of seamless connections and network options for domestic, regional and international markets’, and it can be cogently advanced, without any fear of contradiction, that the airline has been tremendously delivering on this.

In just six years of commencing regular commercial flights, Air Peace has accomplished and even surpassed its initial set goals, raising the bar, shutting up cynics and critics who expressed misgivings about the longevity and survival of the brand at its incipient stage. The airline has recorded a lot of milestones in less than a decade and has now proudly earned the appellation of the ‘biggest airline in Nigeria and West and Central Africa’.

With a varied fleet (Embraer, Boeing and Dornier) of 26 aircraft (with a firm order for 13 brand new Embraer 195-E2 Jets, 3 to be delivered in January), courtesy of its strategic fleet expansion programme, Air Peace keeps showing strength and reliability by operating special charter/evacuation flights to international destinations, most of which no other indigenous airline has ever flown to.

These destinations include China, India, Turkey, London, Israel, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Air Peace has also announced a forthcoming special charter flight to Jamaica in December 2020. It can also be recalled that the airline in 2019 had embarked on an evacuation flight from South Africa, airlifting 503 Nigerians at no cost. This is a quintessential social investment and demonstrates the airline’s sensitivity as well as responsiveness to societal issues.

Air Peace’s industry-leading status is also reflected in the periodic launch

Onyema

of different routes which aim to unify Nigeria, provide affordable air travel and foster fruitful economic relations between Nigeria and other countries.

On December 17, 2020, the airline launched scheduled direct, nonstop flights into Johannesburg, South Africa, with an amazing fare of N250,000 for a return Economy ticket. Currently, no other airline flies directly from Lagos to Johannesburg without stops and at the fare Air Peace is offering. It is simply unbeatable, and Johannesburg is the second international destination the airline is launching. In July 2019, the airline launched flight operations into the United Arab Emirates.

Air Peace hinted that South Africa is one of the destinations which it had been designated to operate into. The launch of this Joburg route is more than just the commencement of scheduled flights into South Africa. It is more. It is a solidification of the economic and commercial ties between the two giant African countries. It is the exemplification and a reflection of a mutually

beneficial relationship. It is an implementation of both countries’ Bilateral Air Service Agreement in furtherance of their progress and the promotion of unity between their citizens.

The airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, asserted during the inaugural ceremony: “We saw an opportunity to connect both countries directly and we seized it. We understand the current stress South Africans and Nigerians go through on this route, and we are glad our airline is providing the needed respite and we believe both countries will benefit hugely from this route in the areas of employment creation, promotion of tourism, and facilitation of a seamless movement of people, which is a prerequisite for economic development, and other forms of value to be created along the chain”.

According to the airline, South Africa has always been on the radar of Air Peace as the airline is constantly reviewing its route network and considering strategic ways of expanding the route network to offer great value to Nigeri-

ans first, and other Africans. It is worthy of note that Air Peace’s disciplined planning and expansion is driven by its ‘no-city-left-behind’ initiative, which is an ambition to interconnect various cities through the provision of safe and affordable flights, with top-notch hospitality given by its affable flight crew.

Olajide stressed: “Air Peace is reputed for its no-city-left-behind mantra and this is something we have vigorously pursued, and it is driving our route expansion. The decision to extend our wings to Johannesburg is consequent upon our vision to create affordable and safe air travel for Africans, with our signature hospitality, connecting various cities across Africa, thereby fostering unity and enhancing impactful economic relations”.

The Air Peace COO also stated that the airline’s commitment to excellence and determination to reduce the air travel burden of Africans by employing dynamics that are peculiar to the African people, has made it a strong force to reckon with in West and Central Africa, adding that it is this same characteristic excellence and determination that Air Peace has brought to the ‘Rainbow Nation’.

Poised to continue to lift Nigerian skies to new heights, the airline keeps extending its wings, waxing stronger even with the myriad of challenges typical of Nigeria’s aviation. A privatelyowned airline standing tall above its coevals and gratiating lofty feats, even with the worsening financial straits hoisted on aviation by the COVID-19 pandemic and its concomitant uncertainties. Such airline deserves everyone’s support to continue thriving and contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.

As Air Peace has launched its Johannesburg operations, it is only patriotic that we support the Nigerian brand through patronage. An airline that has created employment for thousands of Nigerians and is committed to providing safe, affordable and best-in-class air travel for Nigerians, is deserving of our collective support as Nigerians.

-Olisa, who is head of communication, Air Peace Limited, wrote in from Lagos

Reclaiming Our World Post-2020 Atish Rex Ghosh

As 2020 draws to a close, many of us cannot wait for this annus horribilis to end. And for good reason: this year has seen more than a million and a half COVID-19 deaths; an economic collapse far greater than that of the 2008 financial crisis; a boiling-over of resentment against decades of racial and social injustice; record numbers of wildfires decimating millions of acres of pristine forests; and locust plagues of Biblical proportions.

Yet, 2020 also gives us reason for hope. The development, within a few short months, of at least three COVID-19 vaccines that promise a high degree of efficacy is nothing short of miraculous: a great triumph of medical science, technology, and yes, globalisation.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the IMF went into overdrive.

Consider how impossible the discovery and distribution of these vaccines would have been without the crossborder exchange of ideas, goods, and services. Between the research labs and the researchers as well as the testing and manufacturing (including the various ancillary materials such as glass vials and syringes and special refrigerants), at least a dozen or more countries have already been involved in the development and production of these vaccines.

Toward a Better World One hundred years ago, the famed

Georgieva

Spanish artist José Marià Sert laid out a vision for a better world on the walls of the Council Chamber in the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland—seat of the first great experiment in international cooperation, the League of Nations, and the current European offices of the United Nations. His murals depict all that separates fellow human beings—war, hatred, cruelty, vengeance, exploitation, injustice—and all that brings them together—peace, liberty, and freedom from drudgery and enslavement.

There is Hope, a mother and child standing astride defunct cannons, reveling in peace while crowds joyously hurl away their guns now that wars have ended; Scientific Progress, doctors

liberating humanity from the scourge of disease; Social Progress, slaves shattering their chains; and Technical Progress, technology relieving humans from physical toil and bringing the promise of economic prosperity.

On the ceiling, towering above the chamber, are five great, sinewy giants, allegories of the continents, reaching across the room with clasped hands, drawing the peoples of the world together—as the only means of achieving a brighter future for all.

Of course, it was the end of a war that gave birth to the IMF—an institution dedicated to international monetary cooperation, thus helping to avoid trade and currency wars, and providing the basis for jobs for people across the world amid sound economic growth.

The form of that cooperation—and the nature of the shocks impinging on the world economy—has evolved considerably in the 75 years since the IMF was established.

The great insight of the founders was that, regardless of the specific disturbances—the oil price hikes of the 1970s, the developing country debt crisis of the 1980s, the capital account crises and the transformation of the centrally planned to market economies in the 1990s, the current account imbalances, global financial crisis, and the Great Recession in the 2000s, or the pandemic and Great Lockdown this year—both the shocks themselves and the national

policy responses to them inevitably create cross-border spillovers that often result in tensions between countries.

Resolving them requires cooperation, not confrontation: when each country tries to be first, all end up as last.

Onward and upward As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the IMF went into overdrive—even as it scrambled to re-organize operations for its staff to work from home—helping its members secure urgent financing and facilitating debt relief so countries could prioritise health expenditures. But the IMF’s work—and that of its membership—is just beginning.

Once there is widespread distribution of the vaccine and the recovery gets underway, there are bound to be economic and financial dislocations as governments and societies grapple with the legacies of the global financial crisis, the pandemic, and the Great Lockdown, and strive to rebuild a better, more equitable, and more environmentally sustainable world.

Helping to manage the international economic repercussions of these dislocations—manifested through exchange rate dynamics, net and gross capital flows, and asset price movements—is very much the bread and butter of the IMF’s work, and will be a vital part of its contribution to crafting a better world for tomorrow.

Culled from blogs.imf.org

THIS WEEKEND

NEWS METRO THISLIFE

WEEKLY MAGAZINE

Ada Ehi

Austin Nonso Areh

Emdee David

Idris Aregbe

Christiana Ogbeide

Yusuf Adeoye

ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 08038901925

Adebayo Sowemimo

Abiodun Obisesan

Expectations for 2021

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COVER

Expectations for 2021 The New Year is always ushered in with fresh hopes, aspirations and resolutions. For most Nigerians, 2020 was a potpourri of blessings, sorrow and loss, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Mary Nnah, Rebecca Ejifoma, Chiamaka Ozulumba and Oluwabunmi Fache, sampled the opinion of some media and entertainment personalities on their expectations for year 2021 Ada Ehi: Gospel Artiste My expectations for 2021 are that the lives of people everywhere will genuinely matter and people will be wealthy with accurate information and sound knowledge. Above all that people will have an absolute Godin-charge year.

Christiana Ogbeide: MC and Entertainer

I expect that the nation would beef up its security, and if not for anything, provide better means of survival and help increase the value of Naira for international business purposes. Nigeria is blessed with the most talented and innovative youths in the world.

Encourage us by investing in the entertainment industry and also channel enough resources to our educational system. We all know the youth is the bedrock of any country. Also job employment is a major cry and we expect the government to do better.

Austin Nonso Areh: Managing Editor InlandTown New Media

Emdee David: Writer and Media Strategist and President, Africa Entertainment Network 2020 was a tremendous year. It came with events below and above our expectations.

We didn’t expect COVID-19, which took more than half of the year from us. In fact, we didn’t use the year 2020, from March, I mean. That said, I am grateful to have survived. And that alone gives me reason to hope for a better 2021. My expectations are based on what 2020 has taught me based on the lessons of COVID-19.

I expect to adjust more to the New Normal, as it concerns lifestyle and business.

My business is media and entertainment.

Our audience and methodology have been impactfully affected. With the switch, I expect massive production of movies, comedy skits and music for digital platforms. The conventional outlets may not be sidelined but digital platforms would excel more.

The #EndSARS movement has also shown us a new dimension to activism through entertainment. In fact, the slogan “Sorosoke” was inspired by a yoruba actor in a movie. And we could see many celebrities lending their voices to the protest both on social media and their physical presence at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos. Some songs actually came out afterwards, so did some comedy skits. I expect a movie

by Nollywood to follow suit in 2021. I trust my people.

So this sorosoke generation is an audience that every brand would love to target.

I expect wild and weird things in 2021.

You would see adverts, music, movies, comedy to this effect. It would be a kind of revolution in media and entertainment.

Banks and telecoms would definitely plug in to this, which would eventually boost Nigeria’s digital economy.

Personally, I expect to make more money.

I would be producing movies and some documentaries. 2021 would surely be a bettet year. It would be a year of recovery from the losses and set back of 2020. Happy New year to all Nigerians and my people in South Africa.

Idris Aregbe: APC Youth Organizing secretary and CEO, No 1 Heritage Solutions An improved economy as governments across the world gradually win the battle against COVID-19. A more optimistic political climate as projected the next dispensation and youth are becoming more informed and responsive to their strategic role in society as leaders of tomorrow

Yusuf Adeoye: PR Consultant Hoping for a virus free country, better economy; invest in other areas apart from my media work and above all good health and more religious.

Adebayo Sowemimo: ED, Media Communications

2020 was a year that a lot of words and phrases gained momentum starting from pandemic, social distancing, lockdown, shutdown, ventilator, quarantine, isolation centers, frontline, palliatives, and all sort of chilling nerve expressions thanks to COVID-19 that dealt with humanity, every sphere of human existence globally felt the impact.

We are still battling with which vaccines will be effective. Hopefully, the effect will bring positive energy to Nigeria in governance, security and our primary health care which have all decayed over time. I see hope for Nigeria.

2020 has been an unforgettable year, which many could not wait to come to an end.

This was mainly because of the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people, the world economy in general, and Nigeria in particular. The pandemic cancelled everything called normalcy, and gave the world a “new normal.”

For us at Chenist PR, we have fully embraced the new normal and we are realistic in our expectations for 2021. We are aware that things will not change automatically in the New Year, so we are consciously stepping into 2021 with renewed hope for a better state of Nigeria’s economy, improvement in our polity, and security architecture as well as a renewed energy and vision to accomplish greater success within the ambit of the laws of the land.

My expectations are that we shoot for the sky with high but measured optimism and hope for the best in all spheres of our lives.

Abiodun Obisesan: Media Manager Chenist Consulting Limited We can no longer allow spineless political elites to ruin and blunder our national wealth. Nigeria must work and all hands must be on deck to fix the country. Most importantly, I look forward to living in a country that takes its leaders to account and are more deliberate in making progressive political decisions

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Firm Bags ‘Most Customer Focused Experiential Marketing’ Award Stories by Mary Nnah Lilvera Group, a consultancy firm that is major in integrated marketing communication, has won the 2020 Africa Finance Award for the ‘Most Customer Focused Experiential Marketing‘ category.

The firm, while celebrating the win, also expressed optimism about 2021, saying it will be a better year considering the fact that more businesses lost ground in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of businesses will hit the ground running in 2021 to make up for the lost time in 2020 and most importantly, businesses will be conducted differently as a result of the pandemic,” said Lilvera Nigeria Chief Ideas Officer, Buchi Johnson.

Lilvera Nigeria was presented with the most customer focused experiential marketing award at the 9th edition of the award at Sheraton Hotel Lagos recently.

While expressing gratitude to the organiser, Lilvera Nigeria Chief Ideas Officer, Buchi Johnson said, “this is the testament to the fact that the company has done well in 2020 that is known to be the most difficult year.

“We are honoured by this award considering that there are so many fantastic experiential marketing with good

Lilvera Nigeria Chief Ideas Officer, Buchi Johnson

customer tractions in Africa.

We have been favoured by winning the 2020 the most customer focused experiential company award. Don’t forget this has been the craziest year for business.”

Johnson, who believes that the honour has placed a burden on the company’s shoulder to continuously deliver on its core mandates, however dedicated the

award to his clients that have shown unflinching support to his craft and firm’s ability to deliver at all times.

He noted that without the team at Lilvera Nigeria, the honour would have been elusive. “I think apart from our clients, the team at Lilvera Nigeria has consistently put in the shift to get us to where we are today. Their efforts are the reason we win

this award and without them this wouldn’t have become possible,” he said.

On the importance of the award to the company, Johnson, expressed the belief that the Africa Finance Award would spur the company to continue to integrate, listen more to the clients, become more aware of its environment and consistently see customers as the king.

IMC Expert Pledges Exceptional Service Delivery A leading Nigerian integrated marketing communications expert, Abayomi Ayoola, has promised both local and international brand owners in the country of assured delivery of exceptional brand experiences by his young but highly creative and innovative agency in the coming year and beyond.

While playing host to select brand journalists in his office in Lagos recently to review the activities of his newly established agency, Exposé Marketing Solutions Limited, in the outgoing year, Ayoola disclosed that the coming on board of the agency in this uniquely historic year (2020) was one of the best things that happened to him in his entire professional life, till date.

According to him, it had also turned out to be one of the best things that happened in the integrated marketing communications ecosystem in Nigeria in the year.

He said the agency which focuses on three core areas like Experiential, Digital, and PR, had already begun to cause quite a stir among brands and competing agencies because of its world class ideation and precise execution credentials.

“We have been in operation for barely a year and we have already started making a buzz on the marketing scene”, he noted.

By this development, the agency boss said matter-offactly that the company is

Abayomi Ayoola

already fulfilling his longtime dream of transforming the face of Marketing in Nigeria by helping brands craft and tell their stories to the world, while also creating memorable experiences for their customers.

“Exposé will put Nigerian brands on the map by working with them to attract

the type of recognition and traction that they deserve”, adding, “The agency aims at becoming an industry leader in providing sales and marketing solutions through informative technology and human interaction by creating consumer experience platforms for clients,” he added.

He was very confident to declare that “ next year will surely be bigger and better as our plans go in full gear”.

It is on record that Ayoola has garnered over 12 years of cumulative experience in several industries including; Media & Entertainment, Banking, Logistics and Experiential Marketing.

Before floating Exposé, he had successfully developed plans and executed consumer projects for Pernod Ricard Nigeria (the markers of Martell, Absolut Vodka, Chivas and more), Diageo, Huawei Technologies Ltd, Airtel Nigeria, AB InBev, Reckitt Benkiser, World Bank, Procter & Gamble, British American Tobacco, and more.

Abayomi was the founding managing director at Grey Cottage Nigeria where he spearheaded experiencedriven executions for Amstel Malta, Heineken, Goldberg, Clorets, TomTom, Johnson and Johnson’s Savlon and Johnson baby products, DSTv and a host of others.

His agency, Exposé is an Integrated Marketing, Communications and Events management entity, with the mission to change the activation landscape through innovation, creativity and consistency.

The agency focuses on creating quality brand experiences through cutting-edge innovations by leveraging committed vendors and a vastly experienced and exposed team.

Nigeria’s Ayo Sotinrin Gets MIPAD’s Most Influential Person of African Descent Under 40 Recognition The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) 2020 has recognised Ayo Sotinrin in its recently unveiled Class of 2020. Sotinrin received double recognition from the prestigious network in the Business & Entrepreneurship category and in the Climate Action category.

He was one of the few personalities that was recognised twice on the global list of 100 Ayo Sotinrin Most Influential People of African Descent as part of the United Nations 75 General Assembly. Sotinrin is currently working on powering over 1500 schools and 584 health centres in Nigeria with solar, a project that will redefine access to energy in Africa.

MIPAD identifies high achievers of African descent in public and private sectors from all around the world as a progressive network of relevant actors to join together in the spirit of recognition, justice and development of Africa, its people on the continent and across its Diaspora.

This is in support of the International Decade for People of African Descent, proclaimed by United Nation’s General Assembly resolution 68/237 and to be observed from 2015 to 2024.

Over the years, notable names have made the global list including Meghan – Duchess of Sussex (2018), Tyler Perry (2019), Béyonce Knowles-Carter (2018), Simone Biles (2019), Kendrick Lamar (2019), Yemi Alade (2018) and Davido (2018) and others.

In the 2020 edition themed Representation Matters, another 100 names were unveiled. Sotinrin was recognised alongside VP Kamala Harris (U.S), Burna Boy (Nigeria), Lewis Hamilton (UK), Tiffany Callender (Canada), Alan Soares (Brazil), Ebuka Obi-Uchendu (Nigeria), Monali Shah (KENYA) and Bukky George-Taylor (Nigeria) and others.

2021: AfICTF on the Rescue Mission It’s no longer news that the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has dealt a blow on the year 2020. Many dreams and aspirations were stalled, programs and activities were suspended due to COVID-19 precaution measures.

African countries have the potential to benefit from digitisation in various development domains. For such to survive, the African states and AfICTF Executive Secretary, Emactors have to take the stand to manuel Bassey. facilitate the future, enabling environment, enhance learn- ing, and discussions creating opportunities.

The African ICT Foundation (AfICTF), an independent nonprofit and non-partisan research, educational, and consultancy organisation with a vision to formulating, evaluating, and promoting ICT and telecom policies aimed primarily at creating job opportunities, accelerating innovations, and boosting productivity to spur growth in the African economy is on a rescue mission in 2021.

Emmanuel Bassey, Executive Secretary of AfICTF said his organisation’s aspiration for 2021 among others includes Digital Youths Inclusion.

To this he said, “African should think big on digital development. The current incremental pace of social and economic advancement will deny theAfrican youths expanding population the opportunities to live up to their expectation.

“The African ICT Foundation will offer a chance to disrupt this trajectory -unlocking new pathways for the rapid growth of our economy, skill enhancement and innovations, job creation, and unimaginable access to services in the coming year.”

“These activities include: DigitalMusic4Development (DM4D) and Global Medical Research, Bassey said, adding, “DM4D was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

DM4D initiative is about exposing youths and others to digital music productions as a sustainable source of livelihood.

“The initiative will help them learn the sounds and meanings of words while allowing them to practice self-expression. For youths and women, DM4D will help strengthen memory skills.”

“It’s often said that “health is wealth” the African ICT Foundation will pay close attention to healthy living ensuring the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak is reduced at all cost while commencing a Novel approach to the treatment of Sickle Cell Diseases and related hemoglobin disorder”, he noted further.

The African ICT Foundation is an African-centric organisation governed by a diverse Board of Trustees of African Origins dedicated to ensuring that the Foundation actualized its mandate of affordable and reachable ICT and broadband internet for Africans everywhere.

The foundation runs through a secretariat based in Nigeria with other offices in Africa with a team of policy analysts, researchers, and fellows including authors and recognized experts in the fields of telecommunications, public policy advocacy, economics, tax policy, trade, privacy, cyber-security, entertainment, and life sciences, among many others as board

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

The Show Must Go On Vanessa Obioha captures the different ways the entertainment industry was affected by the capricious COVID-19

Olakira

Timini Egbuson wins AMVCA Best Actor in a Drama

I

n a pre-pandemic era, the festive season would be bubbling with activities — music concerts and shows. The streets would have been flooded with billboards and posters promoting Christmas offers, movies and concerts. But this is 2020, a year that totally changed everything. From consumption habits to business strategies, entertainers found themselves grappling with the uncertainties the pandemic presented.

Any form of hope that was offered in the past few months has been quashed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) new shattering records of coronavirus infections. It is almost impossible to ignite a Christmas spirit with the spectre of a lockdown looming ahead. Livespot360 which planned a two-day Christmas concert headlined

by Wizkid and Burna Boy had to postpone due to the spike in coronavirus infections. Wizkid also postponed a planned concert in Abuja.

Indeed, what a year it's been for the entertainment industry. An industry that was poised to record more advancement found itself struggling for survival in a pandemic-driven year. Almost every aspect of the industry was affected. Cinemas shut down, venues for concerts and shots closed, leaving many confused on how to navigate the challenging period.

We look back at the core aspects of the industry and how they survived the pandemic.

Music: With most countries banning travels, artistes found themselves cancelling tours during the lockdown period. Music stars like Davido had to cancel A Good Time Tour in North America.

Burna Boy, too called off the Twice As Tall tour planned ahead of the release of the album.

While artistes were locked down in their homes, some of them utilized the time to work on their albums. The year saw quite a host of artistes releasing albums. Notably are Wizkid (Made in Lagos), Burna Boy (Twice As Tall), Davido (A Better Time), Flavour (Flavour of Africa), Yemi Alade (Empress), Tekno (Old Romance), DJ Cuppy (Original Copy) and Tiwa Savage (Celia).

The pandemic also brought fame to some rare gems in the music industry. For instance, Omah Lay, the young recording producer and singer gained prominence with his songs such as 'Bad Influence' that was ranked number one on Apple Music top 100 songs in Nigeria. Although the artiste had an ugly experience in Uganda recently when he was arrested by the Ugandan Police for performing in an unauthorized concert.

Rapper Ladipoe who's been on the music scene for a while had the spotlight on him with his duet with female songstress Simi 'Know You'.

Bisola Aiyeola in Introducing the Kujus

Burna Boy

The song became a sort of lovers anthem during the lockdown period.

For Olakira, a young Afro-pop artiste, 'In my Maserati' was the winning formula for him. The song received raves and was ranked number four on Shazam's Nigeria Top Ten Songs of the Year.

Recently, the singer clinched a publishing deal with Sony ATV through his label, U&I Music.

Quite a few artistes maintained relevance by organising digital concerts that were streamed on social media platforms. Naira Marley, who was scheduled to perform at Gidi Fest before the pandemic struck, organised the first online concert in Lagos, attracting 200,000 viewers globally. The show took place at the National Theatre and was streamed live on his YouTube channel.

Yemi Alade entertained fans with a live session of 'Poverty' during the lockdown period. Her performance fetched her a nomination in the Alone Together: Best Lockdown Performance category of the 2021 MTV Africa Music Awards Movies: No other aspect of the entertainment industry suffered the impact of the pandemic like the movies. With cinemas shut down and productions halted, stakeholders in the industry were trapped in limbo during the peak period of the pandemic.

By September, the estimated total cinema revenue loss during the shutdown period of cinemas was N8 billion, according to the co-founder of FilmOne Entertainment, Moses Babatope.

The estimated loss accrued from box-office, concession, advertising revenues, and miscellaneous sources of revenue. Before the nationwide lockdown, Babatope estimated box-office loss to grow approximately to N1.5 billion if cinemas remained shut in April. A breakdown of the revenue loss showed that box-office recorded a total of N4 billion revenue loss from April to August, followed by concession (Cinemas food and drink) which accounted for N2.5 billion.

Advertising, which is a source of revenue to cinema operators equally diminished during the shutdown, resulting in N500 million revenue loss.

Brand activations and other partnerships dipped revenues to the tune of N500 million.

On the other hand, Netflix, the streaming giant became a home for Nollywood movies with a few even occupying the number one spot on the platform's Top Ten in Nigeria (encompassing films and TV Series) such as Toyin Abraham's 'Alakada Reloaded' and Ramsey Nouah's 'Living in Bondage: Breaking Free'. The streamer announced last February that it would be producing Nigerian originals. The news was greeted with so much fanfare such that a Netflix Naija Twitter account

Toyin Abraham and Davido in Fate of Alakada

Wizkid

was created and subscription payment was changed from USD to Naira.

As cinemas remained shut, some filmmakers released their films directly on the platform such as 'Citation' by Kunle Afolayan and ‘Òlòtré’, an EbonyLife Film production. Both films were acquired

by Netflix.

However, with cinemas opened, a new slate of Nollywood films are recording box office successes such as 'Fate of Alakada' which grossed over N28 million in four days. TMPL Motion Pictures debut film 'Introducing the Kujus' equally had a good run at the cinemas, grossing over N10 million in its opening week. Charles Okpaleke and his nostalgia remakes 'Nneka the Pretty Serpent' and 'Rattlesnake: The Ahanna Story' were among the latest cinematic releases.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic in the film industry, Nigeria was able to successfully submit its first Nollywood film for the Oscars this year.

Desmond Ovbiagele's film 'The Milkmaid' was the official selection to represent Nigeria in the International Feature Film category of the international film awards platform, The Academy Awards.

The year also saw a boom in animation. For the first time, a Nigerian feature-length animated film 'LadyBuckit and the Motley Mopsters' had a cinematic release. The film was entirely created in Nigeria and produced by Blessing Amidu. During the lockdown season, Kanso Ogbolu, an artist and animator kept audiences entertained with his FreaktheFxxkout' animation, a horrifying mix of stories that ranged from myths to everyday events but with a dose of gruesomeness.

Studios became a thing for a few stakeholders in Nollywood. Filmmaker Ike Nnaebue opened the doors to his serene and lush creative facility named The Love Portion this year. The facility is tucked in the tranquil part of the Sangotedo area of Lagos state. Although he is yet to formally launch his production, Idris Olorunnimbe, Founder of Temple Management has a beautiful production outfit, Ogidi Studios in Lekki area which offers services ranging from music to film production to dance that celebrate African excellence.

Television: Perhaps, the biggest hit on television was the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) sixth amendment of the Broadcast Code which made exclusivity illegal, compelled sublicensing of content and regulated price. The reversed version however was greeted with criticisms as stakeholders in the broadcast space criticised the new codes, calling it ambiguous and unrealistic.

However, TV watching boomed during the lockdown period as people sought ways to kill

Yemi Alade

the ennui. Tapping on the generated interest, MultiChoice Nigeria ensured that viewers stayed entertained by producing two lifestyle and music shows, 'Turn Up Friday' and 'Owambe Saturday'.

The two shows were tailored to meet the needs of club-going individuals and party lovers. They enjoyed massive viewing such that the shows which aired for only 10 weeks during lockdown are now airing on DStv and GOtv. Despite fears of postponement, the company still held the fifth season of its popular reality TV show Big Brother Naija. Titled 'Lockdown' season, the show saw 20 contestants compete for the grand prize of N85 million with Laycon emerging the eventual winner of the season.

Earlier in the year, MTN Nigeria announced its new singing competition Y'ello Star which didn't kick off because of the pandemic. However, the event would finally hold in November with Dotti, emerging the first winner of the show.

The year saw the announcements of two popular singing competitions, The Voice Nigeria and Nigerian Idol. Both shows are expected to commence next year.

Awards and Film Festivals: Of all the big annual awards and festivals, only Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA)had the luck to hold its event shortly before the federal government imposed a lockdown on Lagos state. The award took place March 14 despite the scare of COVID-19 which was already present in the country.

Africa Movie Awards Academy (AMAA) however held its 2020 event virtually on December 20, while Best of Nollywood (BON)awards took place in Ekiti state on December 5.

Organisers of iRepresent International Documentary Film Festival (iREP) were already planning the 10th anniversary of the festival before the coronavirus pandemic but were forced to put plans on hold.

After so much speculation on whether the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) will hold this year, the organisers finally announced the cancellation of the festival on its official Instagram account on November 9. In a statement that was signed by the Founder Chioma Ude, the festival said it was cancelling this year's event due to the End SARS protest that erupted into violence and left many injured and properties destroyed.

On the music scene, MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) announced a comeback which will see the award hold in Uganda next year. The awards which recently released its nomination list will be a virtual event. Headies on the other hand unveiled the nominees of its 14th edition which include Wizkid, Teni, Fireboy DML among others.

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ETRENDS

MTF Steered Me into Directing, Says Ananze and the Zipman Director Vanessa Obioha

MultiChoiceTalent Factory (MTF) alumni, Gilbert Bassey who recently released his short superhero film titled,‘Ananze and the Zipman’, has revealed how the academy helped him to hone his directing skills.

At the flick premiere, Bassey disclosed that his inspiration for directing was fired up after a class with renowned South African film director Bobby Heaney.

“Directing has always seemed mystical, almost impossible to me, but then he (Heaney) explained it and by the time he was done, I knew I was going to direct a film,”he said.

“MTF takes you through the whole process of filmmaking. You are not just learning one aspect.There is production, costume designing. If I hadn’t come to MTF, I would probably just know how to direct without having an inkling of what production design is all about. As a director, you are expected to know about the other processes because it helps you to speak to each professional in your language.”

The success of his debut film ‘Wole’s Revenge’inspired him to take another step. In ‘Ananze andThe Zipman’, Bassey explored the different potholes in the economy

through the eyes of a young woman in a 23-minute clip. It featured MTV Shuga stars Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Chimezie Imoh.

Uzoamaka played The Zipman, a journalist on a mission to seek justice and revenge for the death of her loved ones. Chimezie, on the other hand, plays Ananze, an unusual herbalist who offers frightful gifts to his god.

The duo is connected through their wish for the future.

The Zipman wishes to be a superhero that will eliminate the bad leaders in the society after losing members of her family to road accidents and robbery caused by bad roads.The potholes serve as a metaphor for infrastructure negligence and political corruption.

According to the producers, ALC Media, this paranormal thriller was a result of an idea about spinning the walls of a room which the Executive Producers, Minwon Metong, Tochukwu Nwaiwu and Bassey came upon during a meeting.This resulted in the writer and director, Bassey adapting one of his old short scripts to meet the challenge.

Bassey was one of the 20 filmmakers chosen to partake in the Multichoice Talent Factory, a 1-year filmmaking scholarship where he got the NewYork Film Academy for the best graduating student.

Gilbert Bassey

When Celebrities Stormed The Classroom Singer Holmes Aims for the Top, Announces New EP Iyke Bede

L-R: The Marketing & Communications Manager, Ultimus Holdings, Colette Amaeshi, Kene Mkparu, Rita Dominic, Stephanie Okereke and Ifeanyi Odii

Iyke Bede

Recently, Pan-African investment company Ultimus Holding launched The Classroom,a subsidiary lifestyle unit positioned to provide premium interior installation in homes and offices.

The opening was a grand affair on Victoria Island. It attracted the crème of the entertainment and sports world. Some of the notable figures who graced the occasion include Nollywood

actresses, Rita Dominic and Stephanie Okereke-Linus,exNigerian football star, Austin Okocha aka Jay Jay, Senator Ita Giwa, and Kene Mkparu among others who extolled the peculiarities that marked the showroom.

According to the CEO, Dr Ifeanyi Odii, The Class was conceptualised to put ‘class’ in every room. Furthermore, he stated that the birth of The Classroom was informed by a passion to transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary ones

defined by comfort.

“Few years ago, I ventured into real estate with Ultimus Construction. Having travelled far and wide, I noticed a huge gap which needed to be filled, which explains why The Classroom was set up,” Odii said.

Asides the elaborate tours aided by staff, the ambience was one of merriment. The Vestra Orchestra serenaded the audience ahead of the fiery performance from Nigerian dancehall star, Patoranking.

MTN brings the Year to Climax with Oluronbi To add a sparkle to an unusual Christmas celebration caused by the ravaging coronavirus, MTN Nigeria sponsored ‘Oluronbi’, a musical theatre performance by Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions (BAP). An ancient Yoruba folktale, the musical follows the life of Oluronbi, a woman who promised to dedicate her first child as offering to the spirits who cured her barren-

ness. It featured eight performances in four days at Terra Kulture in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Speaking at the premiere, producer of the play AustenPeters spoke on the future of BAP: “We are going to bring you stories that are authentically Nigerian.”She also expressed gratitude to MTN for its contribution at a critical time like this.

Executive Secretary MTN Foundation Nonny

Ugboma added that: “At MTN, we value arts and culture. This is why we are always willing to support its celebration.We are also keen on ensuring that talented Nigerians have platforms to tell important stories that resonate around who we are.

We are honoured to be part of this beautiful retelling of the story of Oluronbi.We are also glad that we were able to make lives a little brighter by collaborating with BAP.”

Following a slew of singles released earlier this year, D’Luxe Management artiste, Umughare Aghogho Prosper, aka Holmes has revealed that he is working on his debut extended play (EP).

According to him, he has recorded 17 tracks from which a handful will be picked for his upcoming project.Within the lockdown period, he collaborated with the likes of Davido on ‘Love’, and DJ Neptune on his recent single ‘Finally’ amongst others.

With his career kicking off professionally in 2019 under Addictive Music Worldwide music record label,his signing with D’Luxe aims to increase his music reach and amplify his impact on the local and international music scene.

With the renowned talent manager, Franklin Amudo at

Holmes

the helm of affairs at D’Luxe, it is almost certain that this goal will be attained soon.

“Holmes is one of the projects we started with this year, about four months ago. We saw the talent, and we saw the opportunity to work with someone that is hungry enough to get to the next level. I believe that his personality and the way he has been able to dig in deep to give us different vibes is key.”

Although veering from working with established acts like he has done in the past, Amudo expressed confidence

in working with Holmes. He also notes challenges, and the role information technology plays towards attaining set goals.

Optimistic, Holmes is looking to work at a breakneck pace to churn out materials.

Coupled with his unique process of making music, he sees himself as one of the top stars to emerge from the continent in the next 10 years.

“We started together, and hopefully, we are going to get there together. I believe that people that have been working with the management years ago started like me. It is based on the relationship between them and the label.

We will keep doing this like a family. If we are going to get there, it is going to be through longevity and lots of positive outcomes.”

The untitled EP is expected in the first quarter of 2021

Dance Boss Challenge Charges Dancers onto Entrepreneurial Path in Maiden Edition Iyke Bede

After weeks of fierce competition from hundreds of contestants vying for the coveted first place position, the Dance Boss Challenge, which kicked off on November 16 at the Madestic Entertainment Studios in Lagos, Esther Sunday (QueenExtel) emerged the show’s debut winner.

Clinching the top prize of N300,000, alongside health and life insurance packs, QueenExtel faced stiff competition from Osas Jaywise (first runner-up) and Jeremy J. (second

runner-up) during a series of project presentations and themed dance performances that stretched their limits.

“I feel I have achieved that dream I have always imagined,” an ecstatic QueenExtel said, holding a mock cheque. “At the stage in my life, winning the contest means a lot because every week came with a different task. At a point, I wasn’t feeling so well. It was tasking but I had to deliver at the same time. So, it was an amazing journey for me all through. An educational one. A starting

point for me.”

The Dance Boss Challenge conceived by renown Nigerian dancer Kafayat Shafau-Ameh aka Kaffy, is an unusual reality show that goes beyond awarding just dance talents. It is aimed at making dancers entrepreneurs through webinar sessions that explore subjects such as mental and physical health, entrepreneurship and money management. The webinars were manned by life coaches who applied a holistic approach to assist them to attain greatness, just like Kaffy has achieved with her 20-year-old career.

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Community Applauds Chevron Staff on Road Project Stories by Chiamaka Ozulumba The Enugu Akwu-Achi community in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, has applauded the kind gesture of their illustrious son and a staff of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Victor Chimaobi Anyaegbudike, who recently embarked on the rehabilitation of Obodo Ukwu – Umuike – Inyi link road in the community.

The road project which commenced on Saturday December 26, was highly appreciated by the community who had hitherto suffered untold hardship in commuting on the road.

The community applauded the kind gesture which they described as “unprecedented,” and pointed out that Anyaegbudike has continued to contribute to the development of the community through his generous contribution to the resuscitation of electricity supply in the community, donations to the indigent members of the community, and provision of water for the people .

Hon. Nonso Chijioke, the Councilor, Enugu Akwu Ward, Oji River Local Government Council noted that the rehabilitation of the road is a significant contribution to the social and economic development of the Enugu Akwu community and other surrounding

Rehabilitation of Obodo Ukwu – Umuike – Inyi link road

communities in the area.

According to him, the state of the road has been deplorable over the years causing the people to go through immense stress to commute on the road. “With this grading at least, the road has become motorable once again and the people are excited about the gesture by one of their sons, Mr. Anyaegbudike,” he stated.

He acknowledged and appreciated the state government’s efforts in constructing about a kilometer of the road previously, and expressed the hope that the community will witness the completion of the road project for the benefit of the people. In his reaction, Anyaegbudike stated that he embarked on the road project in order to help ameliorate the sufferings of his people. He noted that

gesture was a demonstration of the“Tradition of Care” for the community, a major learning from the place where he works.

He expressed delight at the excitement the road project has brought among the people and the lives it will touch in the community, and called for more support to the people in terms of provision of social amenities and infrastructure development.

Emeka Oparah Named ‘Best Corporate Communications Director 2020’ The Vice President, Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah, has been named the ‘Best Corporate Communications Director of the Year’ by the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations at the 2020 Lagos Public Relations Gala Awards(LaPRIGA).

Oparah was announced winner during the 5th Edition of LaPRIGA, a colourful ceremony convened to celebrate outstanding communications professionals, which held at the weekend in Lagos and attended by prominent PR and Marketing Communications practitioners.

According to a citation by organizers

of the award platform, “Oparah of Airtel scored the highest number of votes to win the “Corporate Communications Director of the Year” category and is also celebrated for leading a dynamic team that deepens communications practice as well as for inspiring and nurturing talents over the years.”

The team Oparah currently leads at Airtel also emerged winners in the ‘Best Brand Storytelling’ and ‘PR Innovation’ categories at the LaPRIGA awards.

Reacting to the award, Oparah, commended the award organisers and communications practitioners in Lagos for bestowing such a huge

honour on him, saying that he is humbled by the gesture but inspired to continue to contribute his quota to the development of the communications practice in Nigeria.

“I thank LaPRIGA for the award and for creating such a powerful platform to celebrate outstanding PR professionals. I also thank my boss, my colleagues and industry professionals who have inspired me as well as those who voted for me. With this honour, I am even more inspired to commit to excellence in the practice of PR in Nigeria,” he said.

Oparah’s enviable track record of excellent performance has earned him several awards previously chief

amongst them are the prestigious “Bob Ogbuagu Leadership Award” by the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in 2019); Outstanding Corporate Communications Personality of the decade” 2020 by Marketing Age Magazine and “Communications Practitioner of The Decade” by Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) in 2019.

Oparah, in his current role at Airtel Nigeria leads activities covering public relations, internal communications, corporate social responsibility, corporate events and sponsorship.

His career spans the full scope of the communications industry, with over 29 years spent in journalism, advertising

Oguta Princess Releases Three Books for the New Year Princess Kodili Ogbonna, in a determined bid to literally feed Nigerian younger folks, has released three books in a row.

The booklets: Sofunwa (an African drama series), Torquise Blue and a Collection of Poems, are the products of the budding writer, who hails from Oguta, in Imo State.

Perhaps drawing from her local setting, lots of her works are cast typically in traditional African society with marine and hilly topography.

One of the booklets, Sofunwa which means Tell Us in Yoruba and Only Child in Igbo is a story of a kingdom that was afflicted with a plague of leprosy.Almost like a pandemic, the affliction had claimed many lives until the oracles revealed that the only cure is for the princess of the kingdom to go on a long journey into the hilly forest.

Guarded by soldiers and palace guards, the princess eventually arrives at the mystery destination, but not without mystic tragedies that led to the sudden insanity of the guards and their eventual deaths. But the princess eventually got some mystic waters

Sofunwa, one of her three literary works

which she brought back to the community after what looked like a journey of no return.

The king had feared that the princess will not return.

But she did and the mystery water she brought became the anointing spray that saved the community from the deadly effects of leprosy.

All is well that ends well, as the princess ends up finding a husband and the play ends with the marriage of the princess; all

to prove that African societies have their problems just as they have their solutions.

The love tangle in Torquoise Blue is a tale that is bound to hold the younger folks captive.

The fate and fortunes of two sisters: Jodie and Vie Nwachukwu are clearly indicative of the experiences of young folks as they try to find love and life’s bearing.

In A Collection of Poems, there are a litanyshort poems

that discuss a variety of issues including African values, culture and mores.

One of the poems, Black Woman is a eulogy of a typical African woman. Ogbonna notes that an African woman is a complex mix of “beauty and sophistication” .

The poet further celebrates the African values in the work, Festac where she also criticises the abuse and degeneration which the Festac residential estate has been reduced to.

The poem SARS mirrors the great crisis that befell the Nigerian nation as a result of the protests against the operations of the now defunct special police formation-Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), stressing that it “knee-knocked” the country.

Princess Ogbonna’s poetry collection accommodated the global pandemic called COVID-19 which has continued to ravage the world. Lamenting the pangs of death, false information and the issues of effective Vaccine, that came in the trail of the pandemic, Ogbonna believes that the scourge, like a phase, will pass, to the reprieve of humanity.

and public relations.

After graduating from the University of Nsukka in 1990, where he edited the famous campus newspaper, “The Record”, he spent a few years working at the Imo state Newspaper and three other communications agencies.

He moved to Cadbury Nigeria PLC in 1994 where he spent eight years as Media Relations Manager before transitioning to Econet Wireless Nigeria in 2002. Oparah holds an advanced diploma in international public relations management from The Management School, London and has attended many Communications, Leadership and Management training in Nigeria and overseas.

Expert Calls for Adherence to Safety Rules Rebecca Ejifoma The Head of Safety and Security for 7up Bottling Company, Ikeja, Dr. Idris Adetola has cautioned Nigerians on the need to adhere to the safety rules laid down this festive season.

Adetola said this while receiving an Honorary Doctorate award on Safety Management recently by Triune Biblical University, Global Extension Brooklyn, USA for his unwavering contributions and impact in his profession.

With the festivity already in place, Adetola says there is high chances of excitement and exuberance in the work place; hence, the need for more caution.

“It is festive period. This is a time for us to focus our effort on sensitising the people to not just focus on the job, but ensure necessary controls are in place and implemented.

“They need to do everything safely so they can return home to their loved ones.”

As a security expert, Ad-

etola highlighted the various communication means for their employees at his Ikeja branch and others.

He added: “We communicate with them through different medium such as safety silages, trainings, induction programmes, and sensitisation campaigns.”

Part of their strategies during the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, 7Up bottling company went all out with massive sensitisation programmes, did induction videos, sensitisation videos, and were featured in the media.

“So for us at every point in time, we will always be at the forefront ensuring that we do everything we need to do to ensure that people are safe at every point in time.”

With about 10 years experience in the safety industry, Adetola holds a Masters Degree in Occupational Health and Safety from the Institute of Petroleum Studies, PortHarcourt in 2012, and BSc in Environmental Management, Environmental Science.

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

Leading Artists, Literati Storm Chief Nike Okundaye’s Christmastide Book Offering Frombeingthefounderofoneofthemostsought-aftergalleriesinNigeriatobeingacultural ambassador to the world, Chief Nike Okundaye is an embodiment of native sophistication occasioned by a life of resilience and self-refinement. Yinka Olatunbosun reports on the Christmastide launch of her memoir titled“Bata mi Adun Koko Ka”

I

n her characteristic headgear and charming smiles, Nigeria’s textile art legend and founder, Nike Art Gallery, Chief Nike Davies Okundaye unveiled her book last weekend in CIG Motors Headquarters, Victoria Island Lagos to a small gathering of literati and leading artists. Traditional drums The memoir’s title drawn from Yoruba language is a reflection of Okundaye’s totality- steeped in Yoruba cultural heritage. As a young child from a very humble background who lost her mother at the age of six, tertiary education was far from her reach. Instead, she sought after the non-formal education systems in her family and developed an enviable career that has earned global recognition.

In the 233 paged book published by Bookcraft Publishers Nigeria, the reader learns how art has shaped Okundaye’s life. From joining a travelling theatre group to becoming a hands-on textile art artisan, Okundaye also known as Nike Twins Seven Seven has been a centrifugal force in the art community, evident in the high-calibre guest list. The absence of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu and the presence of masked guests were reminders of the pandemic situation which didn’t stop the Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, foremost painter and sculptor, Bruce Onobrakpeya and CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema and others from attending.

Written by Kofo Adeleke, the memoir offers business and crafts industry insights with a foreword written by former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Robin Renee Sanders. It chronicles her life from Ogidi-Ijumu, a small village in western Nigeria with no formal education to conquering the globe.

The Chief Launcher, Chief Diana Chen, the Chairman of CIG Motors, who described herself as a ‘Nigerian’ recounted how she met ‘Mama Nike’ when she relocated to Nigeria and needed to settle in. Nike Art Gallery was one of the first places that was recommended for her. The gallery has attracted members of the diplomatic community. “Your book represents the best of the spirits from this country,’’ she said.

“We recognize her for her unending talents, her alluring gallery and her impeccable style. We know about her, but hardly do we know her story. She has groomed thousands of talents throughout her life, but I believe that through her story, she’ll inspire millions more.”

The event was punctuated by some video clips from Okundaye’s interview with Forbes Africa, her drum training programme for international visitors and tour of the gallery.

Peterside

StrategicTurnaround: Recipe for Agency Reform

Okundaye

Soyinka, who is also a collector of art, described Okundaye as an “embodiment of Gbogbo nishe” meaning a multifaceted individual and added that she should be a subject of academic research.

“Nike is one of the most exceptional and unique artists I’ve ever met, not because she uses herself as her own model of expression, but because she’s a walking piece of art that spreads joy all around. It’s an honour to celebrate with you today.”

For Prof. Onobrakpeya, Okundaye is a ‘Nigerian ambassador.’ “The best setting to discover a genius is in the informal educational setting rather than the academy,’’ he added.

In his opening remarks, the Vice Chairman, CIG Group, Dr Linus Idahosa spoke about the historic support the company has for the creative industry.

“I would like to thank KofoAdeleke for writing this book which reconstitutes a great document for Nigerian art.”

The book reviewer, Jahman Anikulapo acknowledged the contribution of Okundaye to arts and culture, remarking that she is “an only tree that makes a forest.’’ He tasked writers on the story of the 300 women that she mentored.

Okundaye’s pieces had been exported to world collections including The Smithsonian Gallery of Art, The Gallery of African Art, The British

Library and the homes of high-profile personalities including former US Vice President, Walter Mondale. She has lectured at several universities in the US, UK and Canada- even without a University degree.

Famed collector and architect, Jess Castellote also observed her consistency in the world of arts for the past decades. “She has been very successful in that and I think we need to acknowledge that and support her. It’s not only that she has trained people, she works in the gallery and has helped many others,’’ he remarked.

Chief Chen emphasized the importance of chronicling the stories of Nigerian legends for its impact on the younger generations of Nigerians who need inspiration and guidance for their lives and careers. She urged every Nigerian to place a copy of the book on their coffee tables; starting with herself. She launched the book with 1000copies, 500 of which would be donated to top five Nigerian Universities.

The Consular General of Switzerland, Thomas Schneider spoke on the sense of camaraderie at Nike Art Gallery.

“I already call her Mama, because this is the feeling I get when I visit her gallery. I have visited many galleries around the world, but her gallery is a temple. When you leave Nike Art gallery it is like you are coming out of a dream,’’ he said

Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA) Dazzles with Group Show Yinka Olatunbosun Three days. 19 artists. One incredible year. That’s what the Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA) offered art enthusiasts in a show that featured a salon of recent works by top-notch artists and members. A mixed grill of painting, sculpture, drawings and mixed media, the salon ran from Friday December 11 to Sunday December 13.

Titled “Impact”, the show not only underlies the plural identity of the GFA but also serves as a thematic preoccupation for such a remarkable year in history.

“This exhibition is a manifestation of those fine things of life that have been missing in the preceding months of the year,” says Yinka Fisher, a trustee of the GFA, “Impact, coming at the end of the

year, brings us back to those things that are pleasant and beautiful.”

Ultimately a reflection of gratitude, this salon revealed how each artist expresses his individual experience in a year where lives and livelihoods have been lost.

“After such a challenging period, it is an honour to be able to close out the year with such a beautiful and personal show,” says the curator and Director of the GFA, Ugonna Ibe-Ejiogu, “we are grateful that Hourglass Gallery and our lead sponsor Art.NG have joined us in celebrating some of the finest artists in Nigeria.”

The Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria was positioned to protect and promote the interests of full-time professional artists as well as contribute to the growth and development of the Art industry at large.

‘Life Desires’ charcoal piece by Duke Asidere

Reform is fundamentally a leadership and governance issue. Although to reform government may seemingly take forever, but it is a worthwhile venture. And, if all government institutions are delivering on their respective mandates, then the entire institution of government will be considered effective and its impact on businesses and quality of living will be evident.

This is the crux of an exciting new book, ‘Strategic Turnaround: Story of a Government Agency’, authored by Dr. Dakuku Peterside, a former Director-General /CEO of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The 300-page book takes the reader through how one of the most important government institutions was transformed and made to be effective and efficient. It details events and turn around initiatives embarked upon in the agency in the four years of Dakuku’s management that transformed NIMASA from a laggard institution to a respected and admired government agency.

Aside from the story of bold changes, the 13-chapter book highlights challenges to anticipate when embarking on the reform of any government institution. It navigates through changes in culture, priorities, human resources, reputational positioning, commitment by leadership and stakeholder engagement.

Set for release in January 2021, Peterside shares the author’s lessons from experience on how to turn around government agencies to deliver optimal outcome for the benefit of the people. Using narratives, he explains how any leader can use different management and leadership tools to chart new path for public sector agencies and achieve excellence in delivery of services that meet public expectations.

The book shares a lot of stories that inspired Peterside to apply unusual management principles derived from indigenous knowledge to transform what was once a disparaged, mediocre and failed institution to a thriving one that commands local and international respect. Strategic Turnaround combines two writing styles to get the reader to grasp deep management principles without pushing them to master technical jargons. The book employs the narrative style to get the readers to see themselves in NIMASA and take them to the inner workings of the author’s mind as he makes critical decisions. It also uses the expository writing style to explain difficult technical issues so the layman can have a good grasp of the issues.

It was quite exciting reading the section that captures areas where the author believed his team could not accomplish set targets and so proffers solutions to barriers militating against reform of government or public sector institutions drawing from his experience.

All considered, Strategic Turnaround is an amazing read. It is a fresh perspective to the debate on whether to pursue the reform of government agencies or simply advocate constant renewal. What is not in contest, however, is that government institutions are failing and can hardly deliver on their respective mandates. Professionals and non-professionals alike – indeed, anyone interested in seeing well-functioning public sector institutions – will definitely be interested in reading the book.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

POLSCOPE

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RE: Judiciary and the Future of Our Democracy Paulinus Nsirim

O

ur attention has been drawn to an article titled: “Judiciary and the Future of Our Democracy,

By Eddy Odivwri, published in Thisday Newspaper of

December 25, 2020.

This write-up by Mr. Eddy Odivwri was excellent, almost to the point of being seminal in its critical appraisal of our judiciary and the future of our democracy, until the interloping and completely out of kilter imposition of the section sub-headed “Wike and Judicial Conjugation”, in which Odivwri attempted what can best be described as a totally jaundiced interpretation of the healthy relationship between Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers State Judiciary.

For starters, the title, “Wike and Judicial Conjunction” tends to suggest a kind of dubious marital connivance between the Rivers State Governor and the State’s Judiciary, but what Odivwri cleverly and deliberately omits is the fact that Governor Nyesom Wike himself is a lawyer and a member of the Nigerian Body of Benchers. His relationship with the Judiciary is professional and clearly defined.

In other words, Governor Wike’sinclination to the promotion of equity and the existential welfare and well being for officials on the bench and indeed across the entire judicial/ legal community flows from his proud professional calling as a lawyer and a Life Bencher.

Again, one is taken aback by Odivwri’sdescription of the relationship as “the brazen romance between the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and his State’s Judicial officers.”

It is indeed quite amazing that a journalist with some years of experience should exhibit such reckless flippancy, when an elementary research would have offered a more discretionary and less sacarstictranslation.

Be that as it may, it behoves any trite response to Mr. Odivwri’s obviously warped observations concerning Governor Wike’s relationship with the Rivers Judiciary, to set the records straight by presenting the honest picture of the situation between the Rivers State Government and the Judiciary in the State before Governor Wike assumed office on May 29, 2015.

In summary, the crisis in the Rivers Judiciary was occasioned by the insistence of former Rivers Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi that he had the prerogative to reject the recommendation of the National Judicial Council ( NJC)who wanted to appoint Hon. Justice Daisy W. Okocha of the High Court of Rivers State, as the Chief Judge of Rivers State, instead of his preferred choice, Justice Peter Agumagu.

A judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Lambo Akanbi, J., of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt in favour of the Rivers State Government, set aside the recommendation of the NJC to appoint Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha and acting on that ruling the Amaechi administration appointed and swore in Hon. Justice P. N. C. Agumagu, on 18th March, 2014 without the recommendation of the NJC. Expectedly, the NJC not only refused to recognize the appointment of Hon. Justice P.N.C. Agumagu as Chief Judge of Rivers State but also suspended him from performing the functions of his office as a judicial officer for accepting his purported appointment as Chief Judge of Rivers State without the prior recommendation of the NJC. On 3rd June, 2014 the NJC appointed Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha, as the “Administrative

Governor Wike

Judge” of the High Court of Rivers State with a mandate to assign cases to all the Judges of the High Court of Rivers State and to perform other related administrative functions necessary to prevent the complete collapse of the operation of the judiciary in the State.

However, the Rivers State Government quickly reacted to the said appointment by issuing a circular directing all staff of the Rivers State Judiciary to refrain from taking any instructions from or dealing with Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha, in her capacity as the Administrative Judge of the High Court of Rivers State. The directive was coupled with a clear threat that any staff found guilty of its violation would be dismissed from the service of the Rivers State Judiciary.

In the confusion that followed these conflicting actions by the NJC and the Rivers Government, members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Rivers State Branch declared an indefinite strike action on 9th June, 2014 thus completely grinding the administration of justice throughout Rivers State to a halt and depriving litigants of access to the court of justice.

The needless crisis and the complete disruption of the administration of justice in Rivers State which was unprecedented in history continued until the Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha was appointed and sworn in as the Acting Chief Judge of Rivers State on 1st day of June, 2015 by Governor Wike.

On May 29, 2015, Governor Nyesom Wikewhile delivering his first term inaugural speech, appointed Justice Daisy Okochaas acting Chief Judge of the State. The Rivers said it was unfortunate that the crisis in the judiciary could linger on for close to a year.

It is germane at this juncture to state clearly that while many social commentators and columnists have mischievously and dubiously coloured the relationship between Governor Wike and the Rivers judiciary in selective

instances, the fact remains that no Rivers Governor has arguably done more to position the legal profession in its pride of place and protect the judiciary by entrenching an enabling environment for judicial officers in the State to operate independently without fear of any intimidation or compromise.

Beyond the much overblown narrative of the purchase of vehicles for judges whichhas provided topical cannon fodder for both seasoned and pedestrian commentators, Governor Wike’sadministration has since inception embarked on a holistic welfare and development initiative for the judicial sector within the legitimate purview of a State Government’s contributions to the third estate of the realm.

Over the last five years, Governor Wike constructed the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, reconstructed the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, and built the National Industrial Court in Port Harcourt. He had released funding promptly and regularly to address and offset recurring and outstanding emoluments, established the Rivers State Multi-door Court House and the Family Court.

His administration built a new secretariat complex for the Port Harcourt branch of the NBA and pledged to build two new hostels that will accommodate not less than 1,800 Law Students and a 500 capacity Auditorium for the Nigerian Law School, Yenagoa, amongst others. Governor Wike himself has never hidden his intention to ensure the independence of the judiciary and implement initiatives that would make the judiciary to assert itself independently.

His commitment to the welfare of judges and judicial officers of Rivers extraction as well as those working in the state, has been unwavering and this was once again captured in September 2020, during the commissioning of 20 owner-occupier duplexes built by Rivers Government for Judges of Rivers origin

serving in the State and Federal Judiciaries.

Governor Wike declared at that ceremony that Rivers State would end the era Judges retire without their own home.

He said, “One arm of government that is key in the fight against corruption is the judiciary.

Judges cannot fight corruption when they are not provided with the basic facilities. Given the constitutional restriction on legal practice, post legal service years could be miserable for judges who were unable to buy or build their own homes before leaving the service.

“With our policy, the State now bears the full responsibility to providing befitting accommodation for all judicial officers of Rivers State origin beyond their service years for life.

The policy covers all former Chief Judges, Presidents of Customary Courts of Appeal including Justice Peter Agumagu. All retired Judges in service when the policy was made.

Current Chief Judge of the State will have her accommodation built before retirement in May, 2021.”

The Chief Justice of the Federation(CJN) Justice Mahmud Muhammad was to capture Governor Wike’s intention clearly. Represented

by Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court, he noted that Judges would be more confident to dispense justice if they have good shelter and welfare.

“Whenever we deliberately or inadvertently toy with the welfare of judicial officers, we are unconsciously inflicting a debilitating wound on the conscience of the nation,” he noted.

President, Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, in her comments said provision of the accommodation for the judicial officers would reduce the challenges that affect effective administration and dispensation of justice. She urged the justices to reciprocate Wike’s gesture by dispensing justice without favour.

It is worthy of note that while some justices have been victims of a peculiar gender marginalization, the case of the incumbent Chief Judge of the High Court of Justice in Rivers State, Justice AdamaLamikanra, has been hailed as one the finest decisions in Nigeria’s judiciary.

For the records, Justice Lamikanra is from Edo State just as her husband. However, she started her service in Rivers State and was in due season appointed a judge. However, when a vacancy arose in the office of the Chief Judge and her name was mentioned sometime around 2015, the primordial biases of ethnicity and gender arose.

There were some in Rivers State who felt that an Edo State indigene married to an Edo man should not be made Chief Judge of the State, but Governor Wike would have none of that and as he settled in the office of Governor in his first term, he promptly dismissed the prejudices levelledagainst Justice Lamikanra who had worked in the Rivers State judiciary for most of her career.

She was appointed Acting Rivers State Chief Judge on January 15, 2016, following the retirement of Justice Daisy Okocha and sworn-in as substantive Chief Judge on March 8, 2016, on the recommendation of the NJC and the approval of the Rivers State House of Assembly, for her to occupy the State’s judiciary top position.

The citing of these instances have become necessary to correct the erroneous impression which the likes of Mr. Odivwri peddle, that the impressive effort to build a mutual and professionally symbiotic relationship between the executive and judiciary, towards achieving the prompt and proper dispensation of justice as well as delivering good governance to Rivers people, could be misinterpreted with snide and obviously ill-advised innuendos that diminish the craft and intelligence of writers like Eddy Odivwri. t/TJSJN JT UIF $PNNJTTJPOFS GPS *OGPSNBUJPO BOE $PNNVOJDBUJPOT 3JWFST 4UBUF

... A Sickly “Healthy Relationship” Mr Nsirim in his Right of Reply struggled to be insultive in his choice of words and cleverly dodged addressing germane issues raised in the column but rather embarked on needless slalom rigmarole on the judicial history in Rivers State, describing what exists between his boss and the Rivers State judiciary as “Healthy Relationship”. A perfect case of Red Herring arguments! Nobody will quarrel with a healthy relationship, but not when such so-called healthy relationship is

actually sickly.

As the Commissioner for Information ,he must be seen to be doing his work;but could he please inform us on: *why the removed Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen was always coming to River State Government House when he was in office, knowing all that transpired in the judiciary at the time? Now that he is out of office, is he still coming?

Was it in pursuit of that ‘healthy relation-

ship’? r UIF DPOOFDUJPO CFUXFFO UIF SVMJOH CZ Justice George Omereji against the APC (in the case of appointment of Rivers State Caretaker Chairman)—which has been overturned by the Appeal Court, and the afterward appointment of Justice Omereji’swife as Permanent Secretary, in the Rivers State Civil Service, and the eventual appointment, at retirement, of the same Justice Omereji as the Chairman, River State

IndependentElectoral Commission (RSEIC).

Pray, what is the cost-benefit analysis of these appointments? r *G UIF *$1$ SFQPSU PG UIJT XFFL DPOGJSNFE that N9.4 billion was offered as bribe to Judges between 2018 and 2020 (three years only), principally in political cases, why is Nsirim fuming over what I wrote? Did the ICPC report not vindicate my views and my worries?

Nigerians sure know more than Nsirimhas deceitfully presented.

FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Naira Falls to N410.25/$1 on I & E Forex Window Obinna Chima The naira depreciated to N410.25 to a dollar on the Investors & Exporters’ (I&E) forex window on the last trading day of 2020, as against the N392.88 to a dollar it closed the previous day.

The FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange revealed this on its website.

Also, the spot market rate closed at N400.33 to a dollar yesterday. While some market participants attributed the development on the I & E window to the interplay of market forces, some attributed it to the recommendation by members of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC), which

met with the president few days ago, that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should allow for a flexible exchange rate regime.

Both the International Monetary Fund and World Bank recently advised Nigeria to speed up currency reforms in order to achieve economic growth.

As part of efforts to strengthen dollar liquidity in the country, the CBN recently unveiled a new policy that grants unfettered access to forex from Diaspora remittances.

The policy allows beneficiaries of Diaspora remittances through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) to receive such inflows in the original

foreign currency through the designated bank of their choice.

The new regulation is part of efforts to liberalise, simplify and improve the receipt and administration of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria.

With the new policy, recipients of remittances may have the option of receiving such funds in foreign currency cash (US Dollars) or into their ordinary domiciliary account.

“These changes are necessary to deepen the foreign exchange market, provide more liquidity and create more transparency in the administration of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria,” the apex bank had stated.

Airtel Nigeria Recognised by SERAs, LaPRIGA for PR Innovation Emma Okonji Airtel Nigeria has been recognised for its efforts in storytelling and PR innovation at the 5th edition of the Lagos Public Relations and Industry Gala (LaPRIGA), a communications industry event at the instance of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

The Corporate Communications Department of Airtel Nigeria has also been awarded the ‘Best Corporate Communications Team’ in Africa by the Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Responsibility Awards (SERAs), an award platform designed to celebrate excellence in the practice of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Africa.

According to the citation read in honour of Airtel Nigeria at the LaPRIGA event, the telco was bestowed with ‘Best Brand in Storytelling’ and ‘Best Innovation in PR Practice’ awards for scoring high on a wide range of parameters ranging from creativity, storytelling and proactively engaging its various stakeholders.

The Panel of Judges of the SERAs said the Airtel Nigeria Corporate Communications department has consistently and flawlessly designed and implemented programmes to not just uplift the vulnerable, underprivileged and hard-toreach in the society but has been unwavering in its commitment of championing corporate philanthropy and exemplary CSR practice in Nigeria.

Commenting on the awards, the Director, Corporate Communications and CSR at Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah, thanked the organisers of LaPRIGA and SERAs for creating platforms to recognise and reward excellence in the practice of Public Relations and CSR/ Sustainability in Nigeria.

He expressed appreciation to his team members and to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, who, according to him, is extremely passionate about CSR and giving and always goes the extra mile to ensure that the Corporate Communications team gets all the support it requires.

Spectranet 4G LTE Wins Awards Nosa Alekhuogie Spectranet 4G LTE has been adjudged the best 4G LTE Internet Service Provider of the year by Communications Week, Organisers of the Beacon of ICT (BoICT) 2020 awards ceremony.

The award is coming three weeks after Spectranet was voted the best 4G LTE Internet Service Provider of the year and Consumer-Friendly Internet service provider of the year respectively by Nigeria Technology Awards.

The event, which was held in Lagos under strict observation of the COVID 19 rules and regulations, had key players of the Information and Communications Telecommunications (ICT) industry in attendance.

Managing Director of Mobile

Software Solution, Mr. Chris Uwaje, was the chairman of the event, while Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Digital Encode Limited, Obadare Peter Adewale, delivered the keynote address on Cybersecurity and its role in Nigeria Economy.

Presenting the best 4G LTE award to Spectranet, Rudman said: “A close observation of Spectranet 4G LTE brand in the industry showed clearly the growth of the brand in the deployment of its technology.

Spectranet 4G LTE is truly deserving of such an award based on its spread and growth over the years.”

The convener of the award and founder of Nigeria Communications Week, Mr. Ken Nwogbo in his welcome remarks said it was a celebra-

tion of brands based on the theme of the event “Honours to Deserving Achievers”.

He commended Spectranet 4G LTE for consistency and doggedness in ensuring that consumers continue to enjoy quality 4G Internet Services.

Commenting on the awards, the Chief Executive Officer of Spectranet, Mr. Ajay Awasthi, thanked the organisers for consistently recognising the contributions of Spectranet 4G LTE in the country’s technology space.

He said: “We appreciate the recognition today, we have made the promise to our subscribers that they will remain first on our list of priorities. We will continue to up the bar of Internet Service delivery as a pioneer and reputable leader in 4G LTE.”

Medbury Eases COVID-19 Testing for Individuals, Corporates Ugo Aliogo One of the accredited COVID-19 testing centres, Medbury Medical Services has announced the opening of an ultra-modern drive-through COVID testing centre in Lekki Phase I, Lagos.

A statement from the company disclosed that the centre which is known as Medbury COVID-19 Testing Centre, is already serving Nigerians in Lagos through its testing centres in Ikeja and Lekki Phase I.

It stated that the company is offering home and office testing services within Lagos, adding that, “Medbury has continued to support government efforts in ensuring the COVID-19 pandemic is contained.”

It further explained that the testing centre is uniquely comfortable, clean, well-organised with well-trained employees and sample collectors; “all optimised to ensure an extremely fast service with minimal waiting time.”

Speaking on the new facil-

ity, the Managing Director of Medbury Medicals, Dr. Itunu Akinware said: “The need for a world class, efficient, quick yet reliable service was crucial to our clients and we had to rise up to this challenge. We had to build a facility that was comparable to those found in other parts of the world.”

She said results of tests are delivered the next day through emails and clients are advised to plan for results within 24 to 48 hours.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JULY 2020 Money Supply (M3)

36,822,751.47

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

3,476,121.25

Money Supply (M2)

33,346,630.22

-- Quasi Money

120,764,479.02

-- Narrow Money (M1)

12,582,151.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,002,026.89

---- Demand Deposits

10,580,124.31

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,637,137.23

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

29,185,614.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,711,115.95

---- Credit to Government (Net)

19,521,851.08

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-130,189,264.87

--Other Assets Net

3,472,017.70

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,421,827.07

--Currency in Circulation

2,395,917.03

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,025,910.04 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month Inter-Bank Call Rate

March 2018 15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT THURSDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2020

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $50.78 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $50.12 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Investors Stake N124bn on Shares, Gain N2.7tn in December Goddy Egene Investors staked N124.724 billion on 9.979 billion shares in 94,857 deals on the last month of 2020 as the market rode to a positive close, compared to a negative close of the previous year. The market was highly bullish in December with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index(ASI) gaining 14.8 per cent, while market capitalisation added N2.741 trillion.

The index gain in December accounted for 29.6 per cent of the total growth recorded of 50 per cent recorded for the whole year. Also, the N2.741 trillion gain in the capitalisation is about 34 per cent of total N8.1 trillion recorded in the year.

However, the high performance posted in the month did not come as a surprise as analysts at InvestData Consulting had linked it to Santa Clause rally and the end-of-year window

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dressing by investors.

According to them, there have been positive sentiments for value, growth and highly capitalised stocks with attractive valuation, as investors reposition for year-end seasonal trends and the much expected economic recovery in 2021. “The bull run shows that smart money is still in the market. The ongoing Santa Claus rally is attributed to window dressing for year-end among institutional investors, even

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as bonuses are entering the market ahead of the New Year, as some investors are taking advantage of the tax code by selling positions they have taken losses at the end of December to buy-back in January,” InvestData said.

They noted that the news of the federal government ordering the reopening of the nation’s borders is expected to add more momentum to factors driving the equity prices, going forward.

“Such factors, including the

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high liquidity in the system, low yields environment in the fixed income market, uptrend in oil price, the discovery of a vaccine for Covid-19, and the expected early passage of the 2021 budget have supported the positive sentiment in the market so far,” InvestDat said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Sofunix Investment and Communications Limited, Mr. Sola Oni, had said investors would naturally opt for where they

O F

can generate optimal profit as low yields in the fixed income securities persisted.

“At the moment, equities are about the major option that can meet investment objectives of many discerning investors.

Our stock market is forward looking. Investors have realised that third quarter (Q3) results of many companies have signaled better performance for the year end results which will begin to roll in as from early 2021,” he said.

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FRIDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Q1: Chellerams Plc Records N543m Revenue, Loss of N429m Goddy Egene

loss after tax of N429 million operating environment. The corresponding period of 2019. revenue of N542.9 million in for the first quarter ended June loss is higher than the N398 Details of the results, showed 2020, down from N2.312 billion Chellarams Plc has reported a 2020 following the difficulty million loss posted in the Chellarams Plc recorded a in 2019. The company reduced A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an ETF are bought by investors.

Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. investment vehicle that allows both small and Bid Price: The price at which Investors Investors with similar objectives buy units of the large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total that willl generate their desired return. investments. The assets are divided into shares that return an investor would have earned on An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. his investment. Money Market Funds report of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, Yield while others report Year- to-date Total bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, GUIDE TO DATA: Return. etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 23- NAV: Is value per share of the real estate shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the Dec-2020, unless otherwise stated. assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

administrative expenses to N106 million in 2020, from N427 million in 2010.

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 Afrinvest Dollar 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 N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.81% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.55 3.69 45.50% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 0.89% Anchoria Equity Fund 132.86 133.34 23.28% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.31 1.31 12.98% 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 18.49 19.05 20.72% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 405.93 418.17 17.51% ARM Ethical Fund 34.42 35.46 18.36% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.22 1.22 21.92% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.10 1.10 9.96% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.03% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.18 2.18 14.51% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.22 2.27 40.99% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.03 0.01 2.52% Paramount Equity Fund 15.90 16.25 27.28% Women's Investment Fund 132.66 134.10 20.27% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.97% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 129.90 130.70 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.95 108.95 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 0.87% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.15 1.16 24.47% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.59 1.59 19.80% 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 0.92% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 0.85% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,210.43 1,226.00 9.13% 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 1,394.28 1,396.00 17.97% FBN Balanced Fund 186.14 187.56 26.78% FBN Halal Fund 110.89 110.92 10.89% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.21% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail N/A N/A N/A FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 150.58 152.86 15.72% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy USD Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.93% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 127.37 127.91 18.58%

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 1.08% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.90 2.96 32.49% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 7.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 157.02 157.98 9.61% 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 1.43 1.45 26.63% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,153.25 1,153.25 10.80% 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 1.64 1.67 32.55% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.18 12.29 8.12% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 1.82% PACAM Equity Fund 1.58 1.59 PACAM EuroBond Fund 108.28 110.71 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 131.51 134.36 6.52% 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 9.29% 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 24.52% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 6.58% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 28.33% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 7.56% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 34.23% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.29% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 29.08% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.23 1.23 5.65% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 111.07 111.07 6.58% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.29 12.42 19.51% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.59 13.71 16.91% Zenith Income Fund 25.01 25.01 10.10% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.89%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

120.47

7.28%

52.27

0.42%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.81 120.87 95.96

12.91 120.87 97.77

51.40% 26.59% 27.76%

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.09

4.13

18.92%

Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund

5.74

5.82

-2.86%

Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund

17.24 1.00 19.65

17.34 1.00 19.85

42.87% 1.06% 88.30%

204.09

206.09

9.42%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.71

13.11%

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund

Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

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.

FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 • T H I S D AY

41

42

͹˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS BUHARI: WE WON’T SHIRK RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT LIVES, PROPERTY OF NIGERIANS Buhari

expressed

the

necessity to be more proactive in handling security issues by being pre-emptive and consequently avert repeats of such situations which he said could be traumatic to victims.

He added that the government is aware of its responsibility to protect lives and property and will not shirk it.

He said: "Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include: re-energising and reorganising the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country.

"In line with the current security challenges, we are facing as a nation, I would like to reiterate the promise I made recently when over 300 of our boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, were successfully rescued by our security operatives.

"The professionalism shown by our security forces and the collaboration from all stakeholders across both state and federal governments that led to the successful rescue of the boys is proof that Nigeria has the internal capacity to decisively deal with terror attacks on our citizens.

"However, we recognise that we rapidly have to move to a more proactive and preemptive posture to ensure that these sorts of traumatic incidents do not become a norm. Our administration is fully aware of the responsibility we have to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and we will not relent in learning and adapting to changing threats to our national security and civic wellbeing."

Buhari, who thanked God for seeing the country through the various challenges of the year caused by COVID-19 pandemic, said what befell Nigeria did not happen in isolation but also affected other countries of the world.

He described the outgone year as a tough one that tested national resilience and the ability to survive tough times.

Buhari recalled that Nigeria marked 60 years of independence last year, a situation he said called for gratitude.

He stated that whereas some countries expected Nigeria to break up within a few years, it has survived for over 60 years.

Buhari also recalled the #EndSARS protests last October, saying the youths meant well and their five demands would be fully met.

He explained that as the country's commander-in-chief, he was aware of different challenges which confronted different parts of the country during the year and would remain committed to addressing them.

"While acknowledging that 2020 was a very tough year, we saw this year put to test our national resilience and ability to survive these tough times and also gave renewed hope that we will again brave any storms that lay ahead in 2021 and beyond.

"As we celebrate the opportunity before us in this New Year 2021, we must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year. May their souls rest in perfect peace.

"We must remember that we also celebrated the historic occasion of our 60 years as an independent and sovereign

country on October 1st, 2020. In the spirit of hope and gratitude, I would like to remind us again that as a country on the difficult journey to nationhood and greatness, we have confounded the many pundits at home and around the world who never gave the newly-born country that emerged unto the world stage on 1st October 1960 a chance of surviving much longer than a few years.

"Yet, here we are, 61 years by the next anniversary in October, and not only are we here, we are standing tall in the comity of nations as one country united under the will of God and also actively growing that indivisible Nigerian spirit that has enabled us, year after year, decade after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where others have fallen and disintegrated. This nation, this Nigeria, will survive and thrive.

"In this journey to nationhood, we have experienced the highs and lows. 2020 indeed came with a lot of challenges ranging from security and economic issues across the regions to understandable protests that were mainly led by our youths and served notice to the demand for police reforms and accountability. This government heard, this government listened and this government is committed to fulfilling the five demands of our youths; fully understanding that we all wish well for Nigeria.

"In the midst of all these challenges, I had initially pledged that as your elected president and Commanderin-Chief, I would ensure that these ongoing challenges will be faced head-on with renewed determination and with all the appropriateness and urgency required. Your voices have been heard and we would continue to listen to you, and all the key stakeholders who are committed to the unity of Nigeria to ensure that every region of this nation is safe for us all, while guaranteeing that the future is also secure for the coming generation," he added He also committed his administration to the affairs of Nigerians, especially the youth, whom he said needed collective encouragement and support of all.

He noted that if the country will be secured, then the future of the youth must be secured.

He described the youth as the country's "most valuable natural resource, at home and abroad," adding that "their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit is evident to all," and many of them "are excelling in various spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication technology, commerce and are globally recognised as achievers."

The president said in the government's efforts to explore the creative energies of the youth, the government would "partner with the legislature to develop an enabling environment to turn their passions into ideas that can be supported, groomed and scaled across regions."

According to him, in 2021, the federal government will work towards reinforcing the hopes of Nigerians in the pursuit of a united and progressive Nigeria and continue to focus on delivering what he described as key strategic priorities of security, economy and anti-corruption agenda of the federal government.

Buhari also spoke on the economy, saying the federal government will concentrate on revamping the economy through its national economic diversification agenda that will support national food

self-sufficiency.

He said the initiative had helped to reduce the escalating food inflation "and have in considerable measure positively impacted our food security status during the long months of the pandemic lockdown."

He also highlighted what he described as his administration's infrastructure building efforts to include construction of roads and rail.

"With the recent opening of our borders, we expect that the pent-up demand of legitimate cross-border and international trade will boost the fortunes of the many small businesses and agricultural enterprises that depend on Nigeria’s trade and commerce," he stated.

On anti-corruption war, he said some successes had been recorded and the government would sustain the fight in 2021 by collaborating with other arms of government to get combat graft.

While pledging the government's resolve to work with the National Assembly to review some laws that would aid anti-corruption fight, Buhari said efforts would be made for diligent prosecution of suspects.

He, however, pleaded with the judiciary to ensure speedy prosecution of corruption cases.

He said perpetual violence in various parts of the country

by Boko Haram insurgents and other criminal groups had hampered government's effort to embrace social policy and quality investment in citizens.

Buhari, however, was civil this time in addressing critics of his government, in contrast to his approach during his last Independence Day speech when he made scathing remarks about his predecessors for criticising his government.

His comments had drawn attacks from different parts of the country, with his critics describing him as the most divisive leader in Nigeria's history.

However, this time, he merely admonished them, saying he wasn't offended by their views since they also wish the country well.

But he pleaded with them to show understanding, considering the poor resources he met in 2015.

He said: "In parts of the country where chronic poverty, social exclusion and disillusionment among sections of the youth were already a problem, the cycles of violence that have been unleashed by mindless groups like Boko Haram and others have thwarted the efforts of government to undertake the social policy and associated investments that could make a huge difference in the quality of life of our citizens.

"I am aware that for some of our compatriots, the progress we have registered since the inception of this administration is not nearly as fast or as sufficient as they would wish.

I do not begrudge them their views in so far as they signify a wish, in which we all share, for only the very best for our country.

"Nevertheless, I call upon all Nigerians to carefully recall the circumstances of our coming to office, the facts on the ground and the resources at our disposal since 2015 with the accomplishments of this administration."

Buhari stated that the country had shown resilience in the face of challenges posed by COVID-19, adding that the country is finalising plans to purchase COVID-19 vaccines and effectively distribute them.

He urged Nigerians to strictly abide by COVID-19 advisories to prevent further spread.

He said as the president, he

would play his part well, and implored others to do same, saying both himself and citizens owe the founding fathers of Nigeria and the next generation the responsibility to do so.

"As your elected president, my pledge to you is the same as it has always been; I will play my part fully and without fear or favour. I invite all of us to do the same. It is what we owe to the founding generation of our beloved country and also to the coming generation. It is what we desire for national prosperity for all demands," he said.

Jonathan Urges Commitment to Peace, Progress Former President Goodluck Jonathan has commended Nigerians for their patriotism and courage, despite the daunting challenges encountered in 2020.

Jonathan, in his New Year message, recognised 2020 as a difficult year and commiserated with families who lost loved ones to COVID- 19, other illnesses and circumstances, during the year.

He also commended the efforts of frontline workers who have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety of citizens and “those who have remained committed to protecting our lives and defending our unity.”

He, however, urged Nigerians to continue to strive for greater honour and glory for themselves and the nation.

He said: “This is the beginning of a new journey, a new chapter, a fresh opportunity to start and recover from the losses of 2020.

Last year was a challenging year, characterised by tales of misfortunes, deaths and illnesses.

It was a tough moment for many homes and families owing to the unfortunate COVID-19.

“The recent happenings in our world, specifically in our country, Nigeria, should teach us new lessons. Lessons on faith, solidarity, justice, hope and peace. We must aggregate these lessons, challenges, gains as well as losses of this period and harness them towards national rebirth and reconciliation. As a nation, we cannot afford to fail this New Year; ignoring the existing gaps and contradictions that have continued to threaten our peace, unity and progress."

Atiku: Let's be Hopeful Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to embrace the New Year with hope.

Atiku, in his New Year message, said: "As we embrace this New Year with brighter hopes of restoration, let us do so with even a stronger commitment to unity, cooperation and mutual love. Let us work as one people, under one God with one country to call home."

According to him, the outgone year was quite dramatic and it is only by the grace of God that Nigerians survived to witness a new year.

"It is cheering that we are entering the New Year with refreshing news of a handful of certified vaccines against the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

And better still is news of commencement of vaccination in some parts of the world. I am expectant that the vaccine(s) would soon be available for vaccination in Nigeria. It is also hoped that very soon life would return to normal.

"As a country, we have taken our share of the blow that COVID-19 dealt to the globe.

And worst still, we suffered a multi-facet downcast on

account of lazy and uninspiring leadership from the government at the centre - most especially.

"But just as I often do, I pray that God should heal the hearts of families who have lost loved ones to the disease, as well as those who died on account of insecurity and ringing poverty occasioned by a poor management of our national economy."

Saraki: Let’s Make 2021 Year for Finding Solutions A former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has urged Nigerians to devote 2021 to sourcing for and administering solutions to the multifarious problems confronting the country.

In his New Year message released in Abuja, Saraki congratulated Nigerians, at home and abroad, who survived the various difficulties experienced in the just-ended year and are witnessing the beginning of a new year.

He also prayed to God to give fortitude and strength to those who lost their loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, kidnapping and other criminals as well as to families of security agents who died in active service.

Saraki, in a statement from the Abubakar Saraki Media Office, in Abuja, and signed by Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, urged both leaders and the citizens to focus on how to generate ideas towards solving the problems of insecurity, economic recession, dearth of infrastructure, collapse of national values, threat to national unity, lack of social welfare and youth restiveness.

He added that the period of lamenting about the problems or trading blame between leaders and followers, between people of different faiths, ethnicity and age groups had gone with 2020.

“We should all focus on finding solutions. We should build conversations on what needs to be done to ensure that our security agencies can work together and have the necessary facilities to eliminate insurgency, kidnapping, robbery and harassment of innocent citizens and foreigners engaged in genuine businesses.

“Both leaders and followers should focus on how we can get the economy working, produce youths who can take advantage of new technology and become key players in the communication technology world, attract foreign direct investments, diversify the economy and make the country more relevant and important in the comity of nations," he stated.

He alo called on political leaders to suppress the talk about 2023 politics, post-Buhari politics and the ambition to occupy political offices while concentrating efforts on making 2021 the year to genuinely attend to the problems of the country.

Gbajabiamila Urges Nigerians to be Hopeful The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has congratulated Nigerians for witnessing the New Year despite the challenges of the previous one.

Gbajabiamila, in a New Year message by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, Nigerians should use the experiences of 2020, which he described as very challenging, to work towards a better 2021.

He expressed optimism that 2021 holds a lot of positives for Nigeria and Nigerians.

Gbajabiamila also called for continuous unity and peaceful

coexistence among Nigerians, saying that the citizens have no other country than Nigeria.

He said, ''It is my hope and prayer that the year 2021 will be better than all the preceding years of our nation's history.

In this New Year, let's remain resolute and determined in our nationhood. Yes, we may be going through challenges as a nation, but with our collective determination, we shall overcome. I wish Nigerians a year full of prosperity.''

Nigerians Have Cause to Thank God, Says Lawan Senate President, Ahmad Lawan yesterday felicitated with Nigerians on the New Year and described 2020 as a challenging one.

He, however, said despite the challenges, Nigerians have a reason to thank God. Lawan, in his New Year message he personally signed, said: "The year 2020 was full of challenges on the economic, security, health and other fronts for most nations of the world. Thankfully, however, the challenges could not dampen our hope for a better future for us as individuals and as a nation.

"Despite this situation, we can thank God that the impact of the global health emergency and economic recession on Nigeria is not as catastrophic as was predicted by experts. I believe that this was not out of luck but because we did not delay in appropriately fine-tuning and adjusting our plans in the light of the developments."

He thanked Nigerians for their understanding and support for the ninth National Assembly, saying, "We promise in the new year to continue to put in our best for good governance and for the betterment of the lives of our people."

Sanwo-Olu Preaches Hope Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged Nigerians, especially Lagosians, to enter the New Year with hope that things will get better in 2021.

Sanwo-Olu, in his New Year message, advised people not to enter 2021 with any grievance, pain or regrets, saying that all negative things should be left with 2020.

He said: “I wish every Lagosian a happy New Year.

We pray that 2021 will be a year of rekindled hope for all of us in our homes, offices, schools, health facilities and every facet of life that we find ourselves.

“We want to say to all our people that indeed as difficult as 2020 might have appeared to each one of us, we should not be lost in the learning and lessons of 2020. We should not enter 2021 with any grievance, pain and regrets because that should just be left with 2020.

“In 2021, we must have that belief and rekindled hope that things would get better. We should not forget the learning and the lessons because it is only when you have learnt from what has happened that you can become a better person going forward. And there should not be any form of bitterness and anger.

“Let us enter the New Year afresh, refreshed and with a renewed hope in ourselves and in our nation because indeed, this is the only place we have and we all can build it together. And this government is committed to ensure that it is always the greatest good for the greatest number and we will ensure that in all facets we would impact the lives of our citizens positively.

FRIDAY JANUARY 1, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

43

NEWS

We Must Save Nigeria in 2021, Say CAN, Secondus Chuks Okocha in Abuja The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has urged Nigerians to put all hands on deck in the New Year to save our democracy and the nation from destruction.

This is as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)

urged governments across all levels to rise “gallantly” to address Nigeria’s security and socio-economic challenges.

Secondus said the call has become necessary as it’s now very obvious that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari is grossly incapacitated to lift the country

FG Protests over Killing of Nigerian in Ireland Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has expressed dissatisfaction over the fatal killing of a 27-year-old Nigerian, Mr. George Nkencho, in Ireland.

Chairman of NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the killing as “callous” in a statement on Thursday.

It was gathered that Nkencho was shot dead by gardaí ((Irish police) during an incident in west Dublin on Wednesday afternoon.

The Irish Examiner reported that a protest took place yesterdat morning outside a garda station in Dublin following yesterday’s fatal shooting by gardaí of a 27-year-old man.

In a video that surfaced online, some protesters knelt outside Blanchardstown Garda Station in memory of Nkencho.

They also displayed placards with various inscriptions.

Tweets on social media compared the Nigerian’s killing to high profile events in the United States, involving the death of black people at the hands of the police. It was learnt that about five shots were discharged at the Nigerian after apparent attempts to subdue him by two tasers and pepper spray proved unsuccessful.

In a statement on Twitter, Nkencho’s sister Gloria said her brother was “suffering from serious mental illness and those who knew him know the type of person he was, he was not a thug nor a criminal.

“My siblings and I have

witnessed the most traumatic experience of our lives as our brother was shot in front of us. I kindly ask (you) to refrain from sharing the video of the shooting.

It is not something I wish to be reminded of.”

Dabiri-Erewa said she is “apparently disturbed” by the killing and called for “a full, thorough, and fair investigation into the matter”.

She also condemned, in strong terms, the killing of Nkencho.

The statement by NIDCOM Head of Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said Dabiri-Erewa also described the death of the young Nigerian by a Police officer as “wicked”. She appealed to “the obviously enraged Nigerian community in Ireland to exercise patience and await the outcome of an investigation into the unfortunate incident”.

“Already, the African Advocacy Network Ireland has expressed shock to learn about the callous shooting dead of George Nkencho on Wednesday, December 30.

“Circumstances surrounding the killing of a mentally challenged young man has enraged the African community and demanded a full independent public inquiry,” the statement added.

In their statement, gardaí claimed that “Uniform, unarmed Gardaí responded to the scene and observed a male in possession of a knife. The male continued to threaten members of the public and unarmed Gardaí with the knife.

out of the woods.

According to him, in a new year message from his media office, only concerted efforts from all lovers of democracy irrespective of their political, religious and tribal inclinations rising in a rare patriotic stance can rescue this country.

“The destruction done to this country in the 67 months of the reign of President Buhari and his APC, can only be restored if all patriots irrespective of leanings rise to the challenge by putting their differences aside for the nation.

The PDP boss noted that the state of the nation could be better than what it is in the out-going

year and it is the responsibility of leaders to strive to put things in a satisfactory manner.

Also, CAN in a ‘New Year 2021 Message’ signed by its president, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, yesterday urged the government to consult on the best ways to end insecurity in the country.

He said, “I urge all those in political power in our nation to lead with humility by listening to Godly admonition because their wisdom alone may not be enough to reposition our nation, especially, to restore our security and bring about peace and prosperity presently eluding our nation.

Banditry, herdsmen attack, armed robbery, and other antisocial activities in our nation are dents on the leadership of our nation. Though, we understand that leadership is tough and sympathise with those in power, Nigerians at the same time expect that leadership would rise more gallantly to address our near horrible socio-economic situation in this nation which is almost crippling us.

He urged Nigerians to obey COVID-19 protocols.

Ayokunle added, “I congratulate everyone of us whom God has spared to see this New Year in the midst of

the dreadful and devastating coronavirus that ravaged our world and sent many people to early graves more than any war in the recent past. The high and the low really fell in 2020.

“I plead with all of us to please observe all the COVID-19 protocols this year. Maintain social distancing, do handwashing or use sanitiser. Make sure you always wear your face mask whenever you are out from your house until we all together, under God, wipe away this wicked virus from the face of the earth. Avoid frivolous traveling meanwhile and use virtual meetings where possible for your safety.”

DISCUSSING BORNO…

L-R: Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum (left), and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, when the governor visited the minister to discuss the repatriation of Borno refugees from Cameroon in Abuja...yesterday

Elumelu Foundation Opens Application for 2021 Entrepreneurship Programme Peter Uzoho The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has opened for applications, its 2021 entrepreneurship programme effective from today.

TEF, in a statement yesterday, said prospective applicants should apply on the digital networking hub for African entrepreneurs-www.tefconnect. com.

It explained that this year’s

intervention prioritises the economic recovery of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and young African entrepreneurs, following the COVID-19 disruption to economic activities.

According to the statement, to address the unique challenges arising from the pandemic, lift millions out of poverty and create sustainable employment across the continent, the foundation’s

entrepreneurship programme will empower 1,000 young Africans selected from the 2020 cohort.

The foundation will also open applications to an additional 2,400 young entrepreneurs in 2021, in collaboration with global partners.

TEF, which celebrated its 10 years of impact in 2020, also plans to empower a new generation of African entrepreneurs through the

entrepreneurship programme.

As part of the rewards for participation, successful applicants will receive a world-class business training, mentorship, non-refundable seed capital up to $5,000 and global networking opportunities.

The programme is open to entrepreneurs across Africa, both new start-ups and existing young businesses, operating in any sector.

Survival in God’s Hands, CAN Replies Gates Biden Appoints Nigerian-American, Africa not explain why COVID-19 world and sent many people Year in Jesus’ name.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja was low in Africa, to early graves more than any “I may not know the Okolo as COVID-19 Policy Adviser The Christian Association of mortality despite poor healthcare facilities, war in the recent past. challenges that you may be US President-elect, Joe Biden, has appointed Osaremen Okolo, a Nigerian-American, as a member of his COVID-19 response team.

Okolo, born to a Nigerian parents, was among the 100 names announced as additional members of the White House staff by the Biden transition team.

Biden is expected to be sworn-in on January 20 as the 46th US president.

Announcing her appointment, the transition team said, Okolo served as a senior health policy advisor to US representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, before joining the team.

She also served as legislative aide for health policy on the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour and Pensions (HELP).

“Osaremen Okolo serves on the Biden-Harris Transition domestic policy team. Prior to joining the transition, Okolo

served as Senior Health Policy Advisor to U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois,” the transition team said.

“Okolo drafted, negotiated, and managed the Congresswoman’s legislation, oversight, and policy across a comprehensive health care and public health agenda, most recently focusing almost exclusively on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Previously, Okolo served as Legislative Aide for Health Policy on the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour, and Pensions (HELP) for Ranking Member Patty Murray of Washington. A daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Okolo was born and raised in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College.”

Adewale Adeyemo, another Nigerian-American, had earlier been appointed as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Department.

Nigeria (CAN) has attributed Africa’s spectacular escape from the predicted doom of COVID-19 to Key to God’s Devine Intervention which saw countries like Nigeria overcoming challenges posed by the virus throughout the year.

Against the background of the statement credited to Bill Gates that he could

the President of CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said nothing but mercy and divine grace of God saved people from this part of the world from the deadly virus.

“I congratulate everyone of us whom God has spared to see this New Year in the midst of the dreadful and devastating coronavirus that ravaged our

“The high and the low really fell in 2020. While we again commiserate with those who lost their loved ones and pray for fortitude for them to bear the loss, it is right for the rest of us to say, ‘to God alone be the glory.’ My prayer is that, the God of mercy who showed us mercy in 2020 shall continue to show us mercy in this New

in this year but I know that the best way to overcome the challenges of this year without loosing anything is to dwell in the ‘Secret Place of the Most High.’

“The mercy of God made the difference in Africa, especially Nigeria where health experts predicted that 30 million people would die,”’ he said.

COVID-19: FAAN Steps up Measures at Airports Chinedu Eze As the global aviation industry grapples with the second wave of the dreaded Corona virus pandemic, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has stepped up measures to ensure the safety of travelling passengers and other airport users across the nation.

From the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Port Harcourt International

Airport, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport and others within its network, the authority said it is not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring the safe and secured facilitation of travellers.

In a statement signed by its General Manager , Public Affairs, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, FAAN said a new operational arrangement is in place across airports, including car parks, which have been rearranged for seamless pick-up and drop off to avoid congestion.

The authority, she said, has also

created new drop off zones for passengers with reduced mobility.

Yakubu said: “Operational and directional signages have also been conspicuously remarked at both the airsides and landsides to make movements easier for airport users and to promote social distancing protocols.”

“Additionally, we have intensified the process of disinfecting all baggage before entering the terminals, as well as enhanced temperature screening of all passengers and staff using infrared scanners. We have also

separated access entry points for passengers and staff to reduce congestion and improve on facilitation.”

She further said: “The authority will like to use this opportunity to advise all travellers and airport users to strictly abide by all laid down travel protocols and also reiterate that only passengers will be allowed into the terminals.

“A compliance monitoring team has been constituted for each of our airports to drive total compliance.”

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NEWS XTRA

NLC to Take Action against States Owing Minimum Wage Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked states yet to implement the new minimum wage or have unilaterally cut wages and owing workers salary arrears to prepare for

mass industrial action and protests this New Year.

In its new year message issued last night by NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, the congress said it was unfortunate that till now, some states have refused to pay the new national

Nigeria Will Have over 21,000 Newborns Today, Says UNICEF Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that over 21,000 children will be born today in Nigeria, making it third in global rating after India with 59,99 and China with 35,615.

It also said life expectancy of Nigerian children born this New Year’s Day is one of the lowest globally, as the babies will account for nearly six per cent of the estimated 371,504 babies born globally today, and with their average life expectancy which is expected to be 62.8 years, compared to a global average of 84 years.

Acting UNICEF Nigeria representative, Renu Wadhwa, in a statement, said the figures, while difficult to contemplate, are estimates and not predetermined, as there are many things that can be done to improve the fate of those children born today.

She said more than 14 million Nigerian children are chronically malnourished and 2.7 million acutely malnourished while cross-sectoral solutions to strengthen the health, food, water, sanitation and social

minimum wage.

It regretted that some states which had signed collective bargaining agreements with state councils of the labour movement on the payment of consequential salary adjustment and pension benefits owing to the new national minimum wage have started reneging on their commitment.

“Accordingly, we call on all our state councils still struggling with their state governments on the payment of the national minimum wage and

consequential salary increase and those whose state governments have unilaterally cut wages and are owing workers salary arrears to prepare for mass industrial action and protests this New Year.

“Furthermore, we insist that government must make possible the enabling environment that would foster job creation and full employment in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the state to ensure the welfare and security of citizens,” NLC said.

The congress said unemployment and poverty are perfect recipes for the breakdown of law and order and are also harbingers of widespread anarchy.

In order to withstand further shocks from the resurgence of fresh outbreaks of Covid-19 and or other health and socioeconomic dislocations, NLC said it will design a recovery plan that rebuilds the social contract between government and societies and hoisted on the foundations of resilience.

“In order to achieve this, we must ensure that Decent Work is at the centre of government actions to bring back economic growth and build a new national and global economy that puts people and the planet first,” it added.

On insecurity in 2021, the NLC said that it would fully unfold plans for a national advocacy campaign on the issue.

According to the congress, part of the plans is to convene a multi-stakeholders conference on insecurity in Nigeria.

protection systems can reverse these high numbers and keep children alive.

She added that birth registration of Nigerian children under one year is still only 4.0 per cent and 54 per cent for children under 5 years, stressing that achieving universal birth registration is an important platform for allowing children to access health care and other critical services throughout their lives According to her, “This has been a difficult year, and there is perhaps no better way to turn the page than to welcome new young lives into the world. There are many opportunities before us in 2021, and now is the time to begin to build a better society for our children. Children born today will inherit the Nigeria we begin to build for them.

“More than 14 million Nigerian children are chronically Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (middle), surrounded by Principal Officers of the state House of Assembly during the signing malnourished children and 2.7 of the 2021 Budget into law at the Government House, Enugu...Wednesday million acutely malnourished.

Cross-sectoral solutions to strengthen the health, food, water, sanitation and social protection systems can reverse these high numbers and keep children alive. be a continuous exercise.

Our congresses and National in every part of the world because Adedayo Akinwale inAbuja It assured that nobody would Convention will democratic and of Covid-19 pandemic.

It added that nations and The Caretaker Extraordinary/ be disenfranchised and therefore transparent. Our goal, in line with Convention Planning Committee appealed to all members and our founding vision is to return governments had to shut down -- a new normal, with all its adverse of the All Progressives Congress leaders at all levels to cooperate our party to the membership.

“As a party, we want to consequences on human life (APC) has revealed that it will with the members of the and a surety, who must be a soon release a detailed timetable for registration/revalidation teams assure all our members that our became the world reality, stressing responsible citizen and owner reconstitution of party leadership that will work all over the country commitment to lead the process that the struggle to save human life of political change in Nigeria from the Covid-19 virus became of a landed property within at all levels after the completion of to conduct the exercise.

The party stated: “Our party’s is unwavering. Our ability to the order of the day.

Abuja, with value not less party’s membership registration/ membership registration/ constantly strengthen the structures The APC said unfortunately, revalidation exercise. than the bail sum.

The Chairman of the committee revalidation will be followed by of our party is part of our change many lives were lost, and millions Justice Maha also ordered of people suffered as a result of Metuh to return his and Governor of Yobe State, Mai activities for the party’s leadership credentials.

“Other important requirements, being infected by the virus, but international passport to the Mala Buni and the Secretary, reconstitution at all levels, from court within three days from Senator James AkpanUdoedehe, ward, local government, states which will include the review of in the end, vaccine has been disclosed this in a statement jointly to national. Ahead of all that, our rules and other operational successfully developed. the date of his return. the Caretaker Committee will requirements, which are needed It said that with the vaccine, all Commenting at the airport, signed yesterday.

The party said already, release a detailed timetable for to make our party and our elected nations of the world can begin one of his associates noted representatives more accountable to to plan for return to normal life, that the PDP spokesperson the process of membership all activities very soon.

“And ahead of the Congresses Nigerians will be considered and while expressing confidence that has “had gone through the most registration/revalidation horrendous ordeal in the last commenced, adding that and National Convention, all the necessary steps required President Muhammadu Buhari-led government would take all the everything was being done to competent party leaders will be will be taken.” five years”.

The ruling party in its new year necessary measures to return According to the associate, ensure that party membership invited to serve in committees to “Chief Metuh has passed would be updated regularly, and ensure that the mandate of NEC message noted that surviving year Nigeria back to pre-Covid-19 through a lot. Only his faith membership registration would is achieved before June 30, 2021. 2020 was very difficult for humanity normal conditions. in the Almighty God kept him so strong. We thank God for this opportunity for him to get his medical treatment Enrolment Is Free’, read, “The free but people have been Number. and move on with his life. Emma Okoji punishment for extortion if complaining of extortion Large crowd thronging We are deeply encouraged by National Identity convicted is seven years and we have provided the the NIMC web portal for the prayers and well wishes of The imprisonment as stipulated lines for them to file in their the process of obtaining their most Nigerians in this travail.” Management Commission in sections 14, 20, & 21, of the evidence. The commission has National Identity Number led In nullifying Metuh’s (NIMC) yesterday said the Independent Corrupt Practices zero-tolerance for extortion and to the crash of the portal last enrolment for the National conviction, the Court of Commission Act and Sections according to the ICPC Act, week.

Identification Number is free.

Appeal, in a unanimous verdict Large crowds also resurfaced The NIMC also warned those 10 & 12 of the Code of Conduct anyone caught risks a jail term read by Justice Stephen Adah, Bureau and Tribunal Act.” of seven years,” Adegoke said at NIMC centres nationwide cashing in amid the ongoing held that Justice Abang showed When contacted, NIMC in a telephone interview with this week after the Christmas NIN registration nationwide to manifest bias in the trial. spokesman, Kayode Adegoke, our correspondent yesterday. break.

According to Justice Adah, desist as they risk seven years said the warning became The federal government As of October, the total “the learned trial judge in jail if caught. pertinent amid complaints by through the Nigerian number of mobile network The commission, in a showed in his comments, the applicants who accuse some staff Communication Commission connections was 207.58 million, influence of an abnormal desire notice posted on its social of the commission and some ordered telecommunications but currently, only 43 million media platforms yesterday, and inclination to pursue a third-party agents of extortion. companies to deactivate Nigerians have NIN, thus 164 encouraged Nigerians to report predetermined line of action “The warning is strictly for telephone lines of subscribers million telephone users are at against the appellant. This no cases of extortion for onward members of staff not to extort who failed to link their phones the risk of being deactivated prosecution. doubt is an influence of bias The notice titled, ‘NIN applicants. NIN enrolment is to their National Identity on January 19, 2021. against the appellant”.

CONSOLIDATION…

APC: We’ll Release Timetable for Reconstitution of Party Leadership Soon

Metuh Travels to UK for Medical Treatment Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has departed the country for a medical treatment on a protracted spinal cord ailment.

Metuh was sighted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday evening on crutches, accompanied by some family members and close associates.

Reprieve came for Metuh following December 16 Appeal Court’s judgment nullifying his conviction by Justice Okon Abang on the grounds of bias, consequent upon which Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, on December 24, granted him bail, ordered the release of his international passport for a period of 45 days to travel within and outside the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Abang had rejected several applications by Metuh to travel for medical treatment.

At a point, the trial judge ruled against receiving any medical report from any hospital or doctor in Nigeria and Metuh was brought from his sick bed on a stretcher to court.

However, in his ruling, Justice Maha granted Metuh bail in the sum of N250 million

Those Extorting NIN Applicants Risk Seven Years in Jail, Says NIMC

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NEWS XTRA

Sanwo-Olu, Diri Sign 2021 Appropriation Bills into Law Segun James Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Bayelsa State counterparty, Senator Douye Diri, yesterday signed their 2021 Appropriation Bills into law While the Lagos budget is N1.16trilion, that of Bayelsa is N329.29 billion.

In Lagos, before signing the budget into law at the State House at Marina, Governor Sanwo-Olu promised that it would be fully implement the law.

The governor stressed that

the budget would help the state government to recover from the ugly incidents that bedevilled the state in 2020.

“As we already know, 2020 will go down in history as a peculiar year largely defined by the COVID-19 pandemic and the #EndSARS protests, which were recklessly hijacked by those who destroyed some of our public assets and private businesses.

“We are, however, fortunate to be going into the new year with an already passed budget, which will help us to expedite our recovery process. A

significant portion of the budget has been committed to human capital development, youth engagement, social intervention initiatives, and the completion of ongoing projects that are critical to achieving the objectives of our T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.

“The state Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget will present to the public the full details and breakdown of the budget in due course.

“I assure you that the 2021 budget will be prudently implemented with the people as our focus, because we are

determined to provide the right economic environment for Lagosians to thrive,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu further said: “As the world combats the coronavirus, we will make the necessary sacrifices to further place our state on the path of abundance and economic recovery. We are going into 2021 with the unwavering determination to engender sustainable and inclusive growth.” In Bayelsa, Governor Diri while assenting to the bill in Government House, Yenagoa,

said the increase in the figure would address areas of deficit identified in the appropriation bill as well as assist in the infrastructure development of the state.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as noting that the increase in the 2021 budget was intended to tackle the completion of the three senatorial roads, the AIT/ Igbogene ring road project and construction of the Gloryland Drive in addition to rehabilitation of the internal roads within the

Yenagoa metropolis.

His words: “We had a challenging year 2020. All what we anticipated did not go as planned because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lock down across the country.

“The three senatorial roads would receive expedited attention. The Gloryland Drive, AIT/Igbogene ring road project and the internal roads in Yenagoa that are in a state of disrepair would receive immediate attention as we go into year 2021.”

Dispense Justice in Line with Your Oath of Office, Abiodun Tells Judges Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has called on judges to dispense justice without fear or favour and tread the path of honour while discharging their duties in line with their oath of office.

The governor who made the call at the swearing-in of Justice Olatunde Opeyemi Sobowale, as a Judge of the State High Court, at the Governor’s Office Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said as dispensers of justice, they must judge accordingly without considering ethnic, religious status or political affiliations of parties involved.

“We, therefore, expect that at every point in time, you are

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NNENNA ADAKU DIKE now wants to be known and addressed as MRS. NNENNA ADAKU UBANIUKOMA. All former documents remain valid, public institutions please take note.

faithful to the oath of your office. You must dispense justice without fear or favour, and then tread on the part of honour and pride that has been established by the forebears of Ogun State.

“It is my belief that, with today’s swearing-in, the tradition of integrity, diligence, industry and excellence that had been the feat of our state’s judiciary will not only be continued but also improved,” he said.

He noted that as a responsive and responsible administration that appreciate the place of the judiciary in entrenching best ideals and practice of democracy.

He said good governance was characterised with the availability of men and women of proven integrity to coordinate affairs of the state, assuring that it would continue to ensure equitable dispensation and efficient administration of justice in Ogun State.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formally known and addressed as UTHETHE SARAH OGHALE, now wish to be known and addressed as OMASHEYE BLESSING OGHALE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

I, formally known and addressed as ABAI BUKOLA ABOSEDE, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNJOBI BUKOLA ABOSEDE . All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formally known and addressed as GABRIEL SUNDAY EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and addressed as DENIS OKON ESSIEN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formally known and addressed as HOPE SAMUEL LMEH, now wish to be known and addressed as HOPE DENIS ESSIEN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formally known and addressed as CHUKWUNEKE CHIDALU CHIBUNDO, now wish to be known and addressed as EPHRAIM PRINCE SHELTER. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formally known and addressed as OBASOLA MOJISOLA ELIZABETH, now wish to be known and addressed as ODUSI MOJISOLA ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

This is to notify the general public that I, OKON, ALICE EDET Henceforth, wishes to be known and addressed as EDET ALICE. All documents bearing all names remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as RAYMOND OBARO MONDAY. now wish to be known and addressed as RAYMOND OBARO ESEMUEDE. All documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as TOGBE OLAJIDE JOSEPH, now wish to be known and addressed as TOGBE OLAJIDE. All former documents remain valid. ECOBANK and the general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OBUSE BLESSING IFEANYI, now wish to be known and addressed as OBUSE ELUWA IFEANYI. All documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

BUDGET OF HOPE…

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri (left), with Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Abraham Ingobere, after the signing of the 2021 Appropriation Bill into law at the Governor’s Office, Yenagoa...yesterday

Nnamani: Nepotism, Poor Governance, Bane of Insecurity in Nigeria Davidson Iriekpen A former Enugu State Governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, has said that the agitations and restiveness in parts of the country could be curtailed and eradicated if infrastructure development and appointments into key offices in government are based on fairness, equity and justice.

Nnamani, who is representing Enugu East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, stated

this in a goodwill message to Nigerians marking the New Year Day He noted that any action or policy of government that tends to offend the sensibilities of citizens would always produce negative results. Nnamani, therefore, canvassed an egalitarian society where every citizen is free to carry out his or her legitimate business in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation.

He urged governments at all

levels to ensure justice, fairness and equity in the affairs of the country in order to give every section of the country a sense of belonging.

This, he said, was a necessary antidote to disharmony in the country and an elixir to command national loyalty for all citizens.

He said, “The governments at all levels would earn the trust, respect and confidence of the citizens if fairness and equity becomes the grund norm for

policies and programmes.”

The two-time governor of Enugu State was hopeful that the federal government would in 2021 provide the needed roadmap to address the inherent imbalances in the affairs of Nigeria.

He expressed the hope that governments would provide the needed leadership to address the multifaceted problems including insecurity, unemployment and other economic challenges facing the nation in the New Year.

COVID-19: Covenant Police Kill 29 Bandits, Nab University Postpones 304 Kidnappers in Katsina Resumption Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Funmi Ogundare Authorities of Covenant University have postponed the institution’s resumption till January 18, 2021.

In a circular obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, the university said this was in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.

It, however, said virtual classes would commence for students of the university on January 11, 2021.

Part of the circular read, “Please note that as a result of the Federal Government’s directive in order to control the

spread of the second wave of Covid-19, all schools including tertiary institutions are to remain closed until 18 January 2021.

“The Board of Regents has therefore approved the postponement of resumption for all returning students. However, Virtual Lectures through our LMS will commence as initially scheduled on January 11, 2021.

“Please ensure your child completes the registration procedures. Also, endeavour to pay all necessary fees as this will be a condition for access to lecture modules. Please check your child/ward portal for details.”

The Katsina State Police Command yesterday said it had massacred 29 bandits and nabbed 304 notorious kidnappers terrorising farming communities in the state between January and December 2020.

The command also apprehended 1,053 criminals in connection with 1,024 reported cases in the period under review.

The state Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, who disclosed this at a press conference in Katsina, said 276 suspected armed robbers were also arrested by officers of the command at different flashpoints in the state.

He explained that 47 victims

in six reported cases of human trafficking were rescued and handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) office in Kano State.

The police chief reiterated that 24 AK-47 rifles, one LAR rifle, assault rifle and 10 locally made pistols, 20 locally made guns, and 600 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from the hoodlums.

Buba said: “1,503 suspected criminals were arrested in connection with 1,024 reported cases, while a total number of 1,115 arrested suspects are undergoing prosecution in various competent courts of law in the state.

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24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

Group Berates Ex-minister over Comments on LASU Headship Ugo Aliogo A group, the Concerned Indigenes of Lagos State (CILS) yesterday rebuked a former Minister of Communications, Maj. Gen. Tajudeen Olarenwaju (rtd) over what its members described as “clannish remarks” on the current contest for the headship of the Lagos State University (LASU).

In a statement made available to journalists, the group led by Mr. Oluwole Fatai, argued that it was unbecoming of a supposed elder statesman to oppose an eminently qualified Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, for reasons other than on the grounds of incompetence.

The group wondered why politics should be introduced into an institution of higher learning like LASU, urging that the best candidate should be given the job.

The group maintained that Olatunji-Bello, having been born in Lagos and lived her entire

professional life in the service of the state, thereafter becoming the first professor of physiology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) should be weighed on the basis of her contributions to the development of the state.

While stressing that it was contradictory for the ex-minister to in one breath vow to “continue to encourage merit, fairness in the appointments to public office” and yet in another raise unhealthy ethnic and unhelpful sentiments, the group urged him to re-examine his statement in the interest of Lagos State.

According to CILS, the allegation that Olatunji-Bello was being imposed as a candidate on the ongoing search for a new vice chancellor for the university was not only unfounded, but totally baseless as the revered institution has its processes for the appointment of a vice chancellor which is being strictly adhered to.

The group advised that if

UK Pledges £47m for Global Food Support, £7m for Nigeria Emma Okonji with agency report The UK is releasing an extra £47 million of aid to immediately provide food, nutrition, water and shelter for vulnerable families in nine countries and regions.

UK said £7 million of this funding will be made available in Nigeria through the World Food Programme and is estimated to reach 430,000 Nigerians with unconditional food assistance and nutrition support for 108 days.

The UK is also lobbying international donors to provide more funding and calling for all conflict parties to allow safe, sustained, and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need of assistance; including 1.24 million people the UN estimate are living in areas currently inaccessible to humanitarian actors due to insecurity in the North-east.

Compounded by the coronavirus pandemic, humanitarian crises are getting

Olarenwaju has a favourite candidate, he should canvass for their selection, rather than attempt to run down the achievements of Prof. OlatunjiBello who had shown capacity even as acting vice chancellor of the school at some point.

It faulted the claim of the former minister that OlatunjiBello is not from Lagos, adding that her mother was a well-known from the Abraham family Olowogbowo of Lagos Island, while her husband, Tunji Bello’s father, Pa Akintola Bello,

was a Lagosian and a councilor in Lagos City Council in the 1950s.

“As a group of Lagosians who love our dear state and want the best for it, devoid of the mediocrity that the general is used to, we want to state

very clearly that Olarenwaju’s statement that Prof. Olatunji-Bello is not an indigene of Lagos and therefore should be disqualified from contesting the seat of VC should be disregarded by all well-meaning people from Lagos State.

DONE DEAL…

worse according to UN data published earlier this month with 235 million people expected to be in need of urgent assistance in 2021 compared to 175 million people at the start of 2020. Lifesaving food, nutrition, water, childhood vaccinations and shelter are all urgently needed to help families in some of the largest humanitarian crises around the world.

The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in North-east Nigeria is also increasing, having risen to 8.9 million people as we enter 2021.

Over 3.4 million are living in acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels in North-east Nigeria, including 1.2 million living in areas that are inaccessible areas due to insecurity.

This is set to increase to five million people in the next lean season (June–August 2021) if immediate mitigating actions are not taken, according to a recent report from UK.

Chief Executive Officer, LEDCO Limited, Mr. AbdulRahman Abiola-Odunowo (left), and Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote, during the signing of the Streetlight Infrastructure Agreement between the state government and LEDCO in Alausa, Ikeja...yesterday

Runsewe Calls for Faster COVID-19 Testing to Boost Tourism Sector Charles Ajunwa The Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Segun Runsewe, has called for deep measures of support for tourism sector in 2021, through faster COVID-19 testing and certification process.

The reality of a new strain of the pandemic, coupled with very stringent measures for inbound travels across board with partial lockdown affecting out door recreation, hospitality business and impacting on jobs, have advanced additional burden on industry players, not knowing how to survive next year.

But Runsewe, who also doubles as President, Africa Region of the World Craft Council (WCC), stated that there’s need to create a deliberate climate

of assurance and faith for the cultural tourism economy to avoid depression and continued loss of jobs which the industry is known to champion to break unemployment and empower rural development.

“We certainly welcome the news of vaccination to help curb the spread of the pandemic but we must give the Nigerian tourism and culture sector some form of protection and confidence to get hold of a strategic survival plan through faster COVID-19 testing response and certification.

The industry must breathe in 2021 and show grit, he noted.

Taking a look at the bleak and worrisome situation facing the industry, the NCAC boss believes an enthronement of an effective monitoring and compliance with COVID-19 protocols,

supported faster COVID-19 testing ecosystem and certification can boost the confidence in the troubled tourism economy, strengthen capacity for service providers, create more tourism jobs as against predicted losses inspired by COVID-19 and expand existing pillars of national integration, love for our history and heritage.

“The fear of another strain of the pandemic is very alarming but we must respond with a chain of confidence building processes, carefully driven through one-to-one engagement with cultural tourism practitioners and geared towards creating additional domestic travels, empowering the hospitality and creative sector to sustain jobs, provide services compliant with COVID-19 protocols with

a decentralised faster COVID-19 testing and certification process that can generate double digits growth for the industry in 2021,” he added.

Runsewe explained further that NCAC took to strategic engagement with relevant and critical stakeholders during the year to frustrate the fear and anxiety of COVID-19 pandemic, praising the efforts of NCDC and Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for creating the enabling environment for cultural tourism sector to thrive, adding that Nigerians should discourage the stigmatisation of COVID-19 victims and also remember that NCDC and the PTF consciously and deliberately took to the awareness campaign on COVID-19 to reduce community spread.

HAS PANTAMI GONE NUTS? Simon Kolawole put it very succinctly in his article on the back page of THISDAY on Sunday recently when he wrote: “So my 75-year-old mother will have to go and queue up with the crowd to get a national identification number (NIN) in this season of COVID-19 — which targets her age group? And if she doesn’t take the risk of catching COVID within two weeks, you will cut off her mobile line? And, then, my mum and I would not be able to communicate? You will disconnect her line, deny telecom companies income, block vital tax revenues for the government in these hard times, stifle the growth of the life-saving telecoms sector and further shrink an economy that is already in recession? This is yet another concrete evidence

of the wretched quality of thinking in government. Daft.”

Aside this, the vast majority of networking devices, tablets and point of sale machines (or card terminals) carry SIM cards, imagine if our power drunk minister’s directive was implemented – millions would not only have had their phone lines blocked, several millions more would have been cut off from the web and had their transactions truncated by now. This would have made the almighty Sheikh Pantami, happy hun?

He ordered the suspension of sale of new SIMs? Really?

So no one can buy a new SIM in Nigeria today on the orders of Sheikh Pantami?

So tourists and business people who come into the country on short visits can’t even buy a SIM card to

connect to people? By that directive, Emperor Pantami has frozen the digital space in an economy in recession.

There is such a big deal made of owning a phone by this government. Yet, it is the most basic device to get in other parts of the world.

With this reckless ultimatum, what happens to Nigerians in diaspora with local mobile lines? Many countries around the world are in one form of lockdown or another. Is Sheikh Pantami going to block their lines for failure to link their SIM to NIN? This man has made us a laughing stock to the global community of progressive people.

I can bet my last kobo that if President Muhammadu Buhari were president in1999 at the outset of the current

democracy in the country, there would have been no mobile telephony in the country, Nigeria’s economy would have been very small in size. All the liberalisation and privatisation policies pursued by past governments would never have taken place. Buhari would have been content with just holding on to power, appointing people of his ethnic stock to head those companies.

NITEL would have remained the only telecommunications company in Nigeria – reason?

National security! And we would have been queuing at telephone booths to make calls.

But while Sheikh Pantami is trying desperately to block the use of phone lines over non SIM cards linkage to NINs, and constrict telephone penetration in the country,

Google is setting out an ambitious programme with its Project Loon to bring the next-billion users online by delivering the internet to the rest of the world. Google is working assiduously and developing technologies to achieve that goal - an effort to bring the internet to remote areas in Africa and around the world using massive balloons floating miles above the earth’s surface.

According to reports by the International Telecommunication Union, the UN agency that tracks global internet usage, two out of every three people in developing countries—and close to 4 billion people worldwide—lack basic internet access. As such, the search giant wants to bridge this gap and has been developing

technologies to get its fleet of inflatable internet beacons off the ground since 2013.

Experts believe Loon might be the company’s most mind-boggling endeavour yet. Picture this: Thousands of balloons, the size of school buses circling the globe, beaming internet connectivity to areas well outside the reach of traditional cellular or broadband networks. Imagine if Google were a Nigerian company, this incompetent government would have done everything, as it is doing to the telecommunications companies, to frustrate that ambitious and laudable goal of expanding internet penetration to rural communities on the grounds of national security.

Clearly, this government has lost its marbles! Happy New Year to my esteemed readers.

FRIDAY JANUARY 01-01, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Welcome 2021, Year of Great Expectations for Nigeria’s Sports With very little to cheer in the just ended 2020 due to the devastating effects of Covid-19 on global sports, Nigerians with bias for the sector are anticipating a turn around. DURO IKHAZUAGBE writes...

Nigerians have eagerly waited for this brand New Year to creep in to wipe the memories of the Coronavirus ravaged 2020. Barely hours into 2021, the sporting community here is full of expectations for Team Nigerian athletes to do the country proud at Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The quadrennial Games was moved by one year from last summer to June/ July in the wake of the global pandemic that lockdown all sporting matters for nearly seven months from March to around September. It was the worst period for sports globally. Going by history, what the Covid-19 pandemic has done to sports globally is what the Spanish Flu did over 100 years ago.

But before the Tokyo Games, the National Sports Festival that suffered similar postponements just like the Olympics is the first to captivate the attention of Nigerians as over 11,000 athletes are going to converge on the Edo State capital. Although there are feelers from Benin that a fifth shifting of the festival to February is imminent due to the second wave of the pandemic creating tension with the figures released daily by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, It however remains on the calendar as the first major sporting events to hold in the country after the lifting of the ban on sports.

While several other qualifiers for the various sports Nigeria is planning to participate in will be having their qualifiers this year, it will not be out of place to refresh memories of what Covid-19 did to the country’s sports in the just ended Year.

Most states in the country were on the verge of hitting the road to Benin City to feature in the 20th NSF scheduled to kick off at the newly refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium when Nigeria had the first case of the Covid-19.

Given the frenzy that enveloped the world at the time, it would have been foolhardy for organizers of the Festival to proceed. That effectively caused the shifting of the Festival till a convenient time.

Football generally regarded as the ‘King of Sports’ in the country suffered similar fate as other sports. The country’s topflight NPFL that had only witnessed Match-day 25 as at March had to wait till when the PTF gave the green light. Even at that, LMC, the organizers of the league, had to adopt a formula to end the season.

After consultations with all stakeholders, majority of premier league clubs voted to end the season prematurely and decided final placings based on a Points Per Game (PPG) system. That strategy favored Plateau United to emerge tops, followed by Enyimba and Rivers United. Despite lifting ban on contact sports to return, the NPFL was bedeviled by other things. It failed to restart even as all leagues in Europe and elsewhere were in full throttle.

Several other leagues in Africa returned with no crowd in their games.

It was not until few days after Christmas that the NPFL played first matches of the 2020/21 season. Match-day 2 games are scheduled for this weekend. All three Nigerian teams in continent campaign gave below par performances in both the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup. Plateau United were the first to exit the Champions League at the preliminary stage while Enyimba are also on the verge of suffering similar fate to drop to the second tier Confederation Cup. After beaten 3-0 by Al Merreikh in Omdurman, Sudan, if the People’s Elephant are unable to overturn the defeat in Aba, they will be bound to join Rivers United in the second tier Confederation Cup. Rivers United however have more prospect to get to the group stage of the Confederation Cup. The sorry state of the country’s football was

Super Eagles...very little to cheer in Covid-19 ravaged 2020

repeated at the senior level as Super Eagles capitulated after racing to 4-0 lead against Sierra Leone in the AFCON 2022 qualifier in Benin City. They were pegged back to give the Leone Stars a share of the points at stake. The reverse fixture didn’t bring Nigerians cheering news as Eagles without such regulars as Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Osimhen were held to a draw in Freetown. For the first time in several decades, the three-time African champions failed to win any match in a year! The friendlies against Algeria and Tunisia in Austria leading to the AFCON 2021 qualifiers signpost what to expect as Gernot Rohr’s wards were beaten by the odd margin

by Algeria and drew with Tunisia. Although Super Eagles are still in control of the group, the wide advantage has been reduced to just one point at the top.

Nigeria will however play some of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in this new year, hoping to have exorcised the spirit of failure that produced the poor results in the Covid -19 year.

With the promise of getting the two national stadiums in Abuja and Lagos ready through the Private/ Partnership arrangement put in place by Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, who knows, if that is the magic that may turn around the fortunes of Eagles for good?

In age grade football competitions, seven times African champions Flying Eagles were kicked out of the U20 AFCON qualifiers.

One sport that however gave Nigeria something to cheer was basketball. NBBF under Musa Kida reinvented the game and its administration. First they brought in NBA Golden State Warriors’ Assistant Coach, Mike Brown, the new head coach of the Nigeria men’s basketball team through the Olympic Games.

Although the financial details of Brown’s emoluments were not made public, NBBF accepted the arrangement that allows Brown to retain his NBA position with Golden State while managing the Nigeria team on a part time basis.

When the pandemic forced the postponement of the Olympic Games, that arrangement changed and Brown took charge of the team for the first round of the Afrobasket qualifiers, leading them to a post-pandemic break clean sweep of three wins from three. Nigeria is the only team in Africa whose male and female teams qualified for the Games in Tokyo.

Nigeria’s profile has continued to soar in global basketball with the resurgence engineered by Kida. For the first time ever, a historic number of players of Nigerian descent were selected in two of the major sporting leagues in the USA. In the NBA, a total of nine players with at least one parent from Nigeria were selected in the 2020 Draft. That includes two that were born in Nigeria, Precious Achiuwa and Udoka Azubuike.

With both players selected in the first round, it marked the first time two players from Nigeria were selected in the first round of the same NBA Draft.

Earlier in the year, the NFL Draft featured a similarly historic number of players of Nigerian origin, with 10 drafted, including Jeff Okudah selected number 3 overall by the Detroit Lions.

Detroit ended up selecting two players of Nigerian origin after picking up Julian Okwara, and find themselves in the unique position of not just having multiple players of Nigerian origin, but also two brothers, as Julian joins his big brother Romeo at the Lions In other sports, Israel Adesanya further endeared himself into the hearts of Nigerians through his wins in UFC’s Middleweight fights.

He destroyed Paulo Costa on the way to defending his UFC Middleweight title.

Adesanya’s confidence, style, poise and sheer destructive power had the MMA world in absolute awe, and left Costa’s career in tatters at UFC 253 in September.

Despite being the middleweight champion of the world, and having swept through the likes of Robert Whittaker and Kevin Gastellum, there were many who still did not give Adesanya his due, disrespectfully referring to him as all hype though.

BRIEFS

Cavani Gets Three-match Ban, £100,000 Fine Manchester United’s Edinson Cavani has been given a three-match ban and a £100,000 fine for a social media post containing a Spanish phrase that is offensive in some contexts.

The Uruguayan, 33, pleaded guilty to a Football Association charge of using insulting and/or improper words.

Cavani sent the message after scoring a winner at Southamptonon 29 November.

The striker subsequently deleted the post and apologised when the meaning that could be attached was pointed out.

Along with the ban and fine, Cavani must also complete a “face-to-face” education programme.

Cavani’s ban will begin immediately, ruling him out of United’s Premier League game with Aston Villa on New Year’s Day. He is also set to miss the EFL Cup semi-final against Manchester City on 6 January and FA Cup third-round tie with Watford on 9 January.

Cavani issued an apology shortly after posting the message on Instagram following United’s 3-2 comeback win against the Saints.

“It was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game,” said the former Napoli and Paris St-Germain striker.

“The last thing I wanted to do was cause offence to anyone.

“I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it can be interpreted differently.”

The FA charged Cavani for the post on 17 December.

With reference to new guidelines agreed in the summer, it said the post was alleged to be “insulting and/or abusive and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute”.

AS Roma Academy Begins in Abuja Italian football giants, AS Roma, have kicked off their youth football academy operations in Abuja, Nigeria.

UEFA licensed Coaches, Portuguese Andre Joao Castro from Lisbon (Level 1 in Talent identification) and Italian Giovanni Musumeci are expected to take charge of proceedings during the trials, with the sole aim of discovering and nurturing talents in the football-crazy country.

The Italian giants partnered Abuja-based academy Garden City Panthers with the aim of producing a steady stream of elite players with strong links to the Serie A club.

AS Roma operates one of the premier academy development programs in the world. Through this relationship, coaches will gain insights into best practices gained through decades of top-level development experience, and that’s information and expertise that will be passed directly on to discovered players.

The initiative will see the academy focus on giving opportunities to boys and girls with great football talents from ages 5-17.

Registration is ongoing.

Trials with the Academy will begin from the 7-9 January 2021, in three centres across Abuja.

The centres are Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja; New Capital School, Asokoro and Guards Brigade Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment.

Plans are also underway to set up the AS Roma Academy in other cities outside Abuja like Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Benin, and Lagos.

The academy, an all-year-round football outfit offers the opportunity to learn the training methodologies and techniques of the club.

Scholarships for 60 people have been allocated for exceptional players in U-13, U-15, and U-17 cadres from indigent families.

And with the advice of AS Roma’s technical staff and specialized local coaches, every player will be supported to reach their full potential while learning the training & educational approach used by AS Roma’s Youth Sector.

Friday, January 1, 2021

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MISSILE

PDP to Presidency

“Our great nation now tends towards a leaderless society where terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, marauders and vandals have taken the lead, running riotous across our land while those who promised to protect lives and property have gone into hiding in Aso Presidential Villa” – Peoples Democratic Party berating the presidency for dismissing Financial Times’ alarm on Nigeria.

SHAKAMOMODU THIS REPUBLIC

shaka.momodu@thisdaylive.com

0811 266 1654

Has Pantami Gone Nuts?

I

can visualise the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim, also known as Sheikh Pantami, watching videos and photos of desperate clusters of people at various National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) centres across the country attempting to obtain the National Identity Number (NIN) and gleefully feeling good about himself. You know that satisfaction some derive when they inflict pain and misery on others? Yes. Let me stretch it just a bit further, Germans call it schadenfreude. Researchers said it gives sadists an adrenaline rush.

That sudden realisation that you can just wake up one morning and order tens of millions of people around, just like that, and sit back and watch them stampede themselves in obedience will be hard not to relish by nihilists and people with a debased humanity. We have many of them in government positions with a sense of conquest and entitlement who see public office not as an opportunity to serve with diligence and thoughtfulness, in pursuit of the general good, rather they see it as an opportunity to inflict pain on the people.

Frankly speaking, government officials never cease to amaze me with stupid pronouncements, incoherent and bizarre policies. They leave you mouth agape in perplexing reverie of wonderment as to whether our policy formulators are sane people or are in a perpetual drunken state or even under the influence of some controlled substance when formulating policies for the country.

The latest policy from the ministry and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), giving tens of millions of Nigerians two weeks, in the first instance, to link their SIM cards to NINs issued by the NIMC or have their lines blocked is nothing but the product of unsound minds or a by-product of an impulsive brainwave from drunken sailors. The timeline was later extended to February 9th. But clearly, this is insufficient time to achieve the exercise in an orderly fashion, without causing a stampede. Even MTN Nigeria Communications PLC, the country’s largest mobile network operator, in a conference call before the Christmas holidays, informed concerned investors that at least six months will be required to link all registered SIMs in the country with NINs. The question many are asking is: why have the telcos not aggressively voiced the unrealistic nature of the directive and asked for a 6-month to one year timeline. The answer is simple: no one wants to be hit with another draconian fine of $5 billion. The telecoms companies have been cowed into obedience to any directive from NCC or its supervisory minister, no matter how senseless, to avoid a similar fate that befell MTN a few years back. He is even threatening to revoke any telecom’s operating licence that fails to comply. Threats, threats, threats. Meanwhile, this is a man who can’t even run a successful convenience kiosk but finds himself at the head of policy formulation for multi-billion dollars corporations.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this government and its officials lack the temperament to lead and should never have been entrusted with the mandate to govern this country. Yet Nigerians are smart people with a history of foolish choices. Unfortunately, we

Pantami have found ourselves in a cul-de-sac since 2015 when the wilfully-blinded majority decided they wanted a taste of danger and a trip back to medieval times because progress had become too predictable and boring. Five and a half years down the road, Nigeria has become a failed state where terrorists, herdsmen, kidnappers and bandits reign supreme. The country has become highly dangerous to live or work in, and fear is now the people’s constant companion.

As lawless terrorists, herdsmen and bandits seize control, killing and maiming innocent people in broad daylight, the government looks on in complete surrender - incapable or unwilling to perform the most basic duty of government which is the protection of lives and properties. And the agony goes on and on. Nigeria is now labelled annually the third most dangerous place to live in the world, courtesy of this government’s abdication of responsibility to God. We have practically lost count of this government’s nebulous policies that have not only stifled individual progress but have ruined the economy. Such is the level of incompetence and anti-business attitude of this government that it has succeeded in making a somewhat progressing Nigeria, the poverty capital of the world.

The emperor Minister of Communications and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic had given over 50 million Nigerians two weeks to provide valid NINs to update their SIM registration records or risk having their phone lines blocked. Why is this such an urgent priority at a time like this? Who made this man minister? Where did this guy come from?

By fiat of his irresponsible directive, the people of this country once again trooped down to registration centres in this era of covid-19 to save their phone lines from being blocked by the various networks acting on the senseless directive of a thoughtless minister who simply wanted to show Nigerians the power of his office. The country is doomed in the hands of these highly insensitive, power drunk officials presiding over our destinies.

It is time we rise in protest against this senseless directive (the duration of the extension doesn’t still make sense), it is time we tell these unqualified people who reason and think in

reverse order that enough is indeed enough.

How many times do we have to register our SIM cards? How many times do we have to update them? Whatever happened to the previous registration exercise? Has the data been lost, compromised or deleted by the foreign vendors that probably host the data for us? What on earth happened to the numerous databases for BVNs, driver’s licences and international passports that various institutions of government and the private sector gather on a daily basis?

Or is the communications minister, who is supposed to be an authority on information and communication technology, ignorant of the role artificial intelligence can play in linking and updating all the country’s data points, without having to penalise Nigerians?

At a time when other countries are coming up with measures to ameliorate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on their people, we are being ordered to register and link SIMs to NINs or be blocked. Nigeria is the only country in the world that does this to its people – deliberately creating ways to punish them.

I have never heard the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Russia, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Cameroon, Benin Republic etc ordering their citizens to perform such multiple registration under any guise like we have here.

Look at the senseless and highly provocative press statement from the NCC and judge for yourself whether these people in government positions are at all reasonable: “In line with the Federal Government’s desire to consolidate the achievement of the SIM Card registration exercise of September, 2019, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to embark on another audit of the Subscriber Registration Database again.

“The objective of the audit exercise is to verify and ensure compliance by Mobile Network Operators with the set quality standards and requirements of SIM Card Registration as issued by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Commission.

Accordingly, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are hereby directed to immediately suspend the sale, registration and activation of new SIM Cards until the audit exercise is concluded, and Government has conveyed the new direction.

“However, where it is absolutely necessary, exemption may be granted in writing by the Commission following approval from the Federal Government. MNOs are to please note that non-compliance with this directive will be met with strict sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating licence.

“As the Minister has earlier directed in January, 2020, all citizens are urged to immediately secure Digital Identification from the National Identity Management Commission and submit it to the Network Operators.”

As you can see, not only is the statement threatening, it is condescending, an indication of the disrespect policymakers have for Nigerians.

Effectively, someone just woke with a brainwave and in complete disregard for the prevailing perilous health situation in the country and around the world, and ordered millions of people to different NIMC centres around the country to go and struggle to get NINs within two weeks. Failure to do so, would lead to

blockage of their lines so that they won’t be able to interact or work remotely by phone at a time of physical distancing when phone lines offer the only measure of hope for an increasingly lonely subsistence.

Expectedly, the crowds at the centres after that announcement have simply been crazy.

What is worse is that the head of the so-called Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha who is daily lamenting the surge in new cases of Covid-19 infection in the country, has not considered it necessary to call the sadistic minister and the executive chairman of the NCC to order. He is blaming poor Nigerians for not abiding by the Covid-19 protocols but sadly closes his eyes to Sheikh Pantami’s directive on NIN that requires large-scale gatherings at various registration centres with all the inherent danger of becoming superspreader flashpoints. I am just flabbergasted by the thinking in government circles. Is Pantami so big and powerful that no one can call him to order? Having seen clearly the unrealistic nature of his directive, and the health danger it poses to Nigerians at a time like this, can’t common sense just prevail for him to rescind the directive and wait for an opportune time if the need to link SIM to NIN is important?

I think there should be some limit to official madness or experimentation with irrationality.

Sheikh Pantami’s crazy directive at a time like this must be fought with every fibre of our being because he is wilfully endangering the health of Nigerians. We cannot allow him to get away with such insensitive directive.

The federal government is in one breath ramping up containment measures, viz. directing universities to suspend academic activities, ordering a certain cadre of workers to stay at home, states are restricting social activities, closing pubs, and even threatening another round of total lockdowns. Yet, Nigerians must troop out to NIMC centres or accredited contractors to get NINs on the orders of a reckless minister!

Again, read this particular paragraph in that condescending press statement from NCC and note the bizarre reason that was given for the directive: “The objective of the audit exercise is to verify and ensure compliance

by Mobile Network Operators with the set quality standards and requirements of SIM Card Registration as issued by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Commission.”

Have the minister and NCC weighed the implications on the economy? Do these people know the level and amount of economic transactions carried out on phones, from Gombe to Kano, to Babamutum in Jigawa State, and from Lagos to Onitsha and Aba? A lot of people don’t even go to banks anymore, they use their phones to pay for groceries and transfer money in an instant for whatever purposes.

The communications minister simply doesn’t know the importance of the digital economy he superintends. So instead of growing it, he wants to kill it.

Since his appointment, he has done nothing to grow the digital economy, no fresh ideas, no innovation from him to broaden the untapped potential of the digital world which has grown in spite of his best effort to frustrate it.

Continued on page 46

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