TUESDAY 16TH FEBRUARY 2021

At $63, Crude Oil Price Hits 13-month High Nigeria to eliminate gas flaring by 2025

Emmanuel Addeh and Udora Orizu in Abuja Oil prices yesterday maintained their upswing, hitting their highest in about 13 months on the back of vaccine rollouts

expected to increase demand even as producers kept supply reined in.

Global benchmark, Brent Crude, was up 88 cents, or 1.4 per cent, at $63.31 a barrel after climbing to a significant

high of $63.76, the highest since January 22, 2020.

Also, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained $1.14, or two per cent, to $60.61 a barrel, touching $60.95, its highest

since January 8 last year.

The upswing in oil prices came as the federal government yesterday unfolded plans to stop gas flaring in the next four years.

Oil prices have rallied over

recent weeks as supplies tighten, due largely to production cuts from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied producers in the group OPEC+.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the global oil market was on a recovery path and the oil price this year could Continued on page 8

FG Targets Vaccinating 109 Million Nigerians in Two Years... Page 6 Tuesday 16 February, 2021 Vol 26. No 9445. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

North-west Govs Seek More Time for Ranching Kingsley Nweze, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna

INSECURITY ON THE AGENDA...

L-R: Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai; Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong; National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno; Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor; and Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, during the meeting of security chiefs and North-west governors in Kaduna…yesterday

Apparently apprehending open grazing as the root cause of the prevailing tension between herders and Continued on page 8

Victorious Okonjo-Iweala Pledges to Rebrand, Reform WTO as DG

See story on page 8

2

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 •T H I S D AY

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 • T H I S D AY

3

4

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 •T H I S D AY

5

TUESDAY, ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS Na’Abba Blames Govs for Lack of Internal Democracy in Parties

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike

Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Accuses state helmsmen of hijacking elective offices

Oluchi Chibuzor A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Ghali Na’Abba, yesterday blamed state governors for the absence of internal democracy in political parties.

Speaking yesterday on ARISE NEWS Channels, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, Na’Abba accused the governors of hijacking all elective offices by deciding those to run for all elective posts, adding that most of them have denied their people the dividend of democracy.

He said: “So, through this process, the governors have hijacked the politics from the people. In the last few years, you find out that people troop to government houses for them to be anointed by the governors.”

He stated that this development has obliterated internal democracy as people cannot run and win elections in the political parties if they are not in the good books of the governors.

According to him, that is why the polity has become less vibrant, and this has affected many institutions of governance.

“For example, today if you go to state assemblies, you will find out that most of them do not even know how to manage not to talk or even legislate.

We, therefore, have a situation whereby state governors take control of the political parties they hold election in; they decide, therefore, most of the times what we have during

primary elections are delegates' elections and they decide what delegates participate in the election and they decide who is even elected so that anybody who is not in the good books of the governor cannot contest and win elections in the parties successfully,” he said.

Na’Abba warned that obliteration of internal democracy has far-reaching effects, adding that that is why the country’s economy has refused to grow, “the polity has refused to grow, our political parties have not been allowed to grow; so, nothing is growing

in this country; we are in a vicious cycle and that is why we have this situation where all the indices of a failed state are with us.”

Na’Abba said merchants had hijacked the polity thereby leading to the erosion of internal democracy in the political parties.

According to him, the nation is in a situation where its democracy is not run in a way it ought to be, and this has become an aberration to the rule of law.

He said: "We need to get Nigeria's political party back

to a situation whereby internal democracy must be strictly observed in our political party and sanction must be imposed on any person who sabotages internal democracy because we are losing a lot of things. If you look at the quality of leadership in this country from 1990 to date, it has been falling. Look at the quality of leadership, look at what we have today and it is going to continue and it is not going to improve. We have to take this issue very seriously," he stated.

On why political parties

are lacking in ideological orientation, he said most political parties have been hijacked by a few people.

"My experience and understanding in the last 20 years is that mercantilism has crept into our polity and that merchants have arrested our political system. They have captured our political system to the effect that whenever anybody seeks office, they need to have capital; either his own capital or must be sponsored by certain people.

“But what is worse is that you find out that this

situation has been leading us to a situation where there is more corruption on a daily basis in politics because a lot of people participate just to come and steal as much as they want and go away with it," he stated.

He said it is difficult in the current circumstances to eliminate these kinds of things, adding that what is sad is that these things are now the default.

Na’Abba said many politicians in the country are frustrated because they cannot participate in elections.

WORKING TOGETHER...

L-R: Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Abubakar Bello (Niger), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), after a closed-door meeting with Makinde on the recent conflict at Shasha market in Ibadan…yesterday

Buhari Not Shielding Criminal Herders from Prosecution, Says Presidency Says some are undergoing trials Ejiofor Alike in Lagos and Michael Olugbode in Abuja The presidency yesterday rebutted allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is shielding criminal Fulani herders from arrest, describing as uncharitable, such comments made against the president.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, while featuring on a live television programme, said many criminal Fulani herders were being prosecuted.

The activities of renegade Fulani herdsmen have stoked a national security crisis, leading to the quit order given them in Ondo and Oyo States.

Also yesterday, the InspectorGeneral of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, ordered the immediate deployment of four units of riot policemen in Ibadan to address the violence in parts of Oyo State arising from clashes between Hausa and Yoruba traders.

Shehu, however, urged the police to publish the names of herders undergoing trials in various states.

According to him, Buhari is not complicit in the herdsmen

crisis rocking the nation.

He said: “The president is more than concerned about the ongoing situation. He is fully conscious of the fact that it is the responsibility of his government to work with Nigerians to secure lives and stop the ongoing crisis whether they are kidnappings or the new line of ethnic violence.

He condemns it and he does not support it.

“Having spoken against it, it follows that all security agencies must take their line of action from the president’s remarks and do that which is necessary which is to stop the escalation of the violent attacks being witnessed in some parts of the country and ensure that it does not go beyond where it has been recorded.”

Shehu also described as uncharitable, comments made against Buhari, adding that many criminal Fulani herders are being prosecuted.

“I hope the headquarters of the police will take responsibility and publish the full list of Fulani herders who are undergoing trials in various states, particularly in Benue State," he added.

According to him, trials are

IG dispatches four riot police squadrons, chopper to Oyo going on, while convictions have been made.

Buhari, on Sunday, had vowed that his administration would not allow any ethnic or religious group to stoke up hatred and violence against other groups.

The South-west region has been in the eye of the storm lately over the activities of herdsmen who invaded farmlands with their cattle, harassed farmers and in some cases killed them. Some herdsmen have also been accused of kidnapping, rape and other vicious crimes.

Reacting to calls on Buhari to address the nation and condemn the attacks by the herdsmen, Shehu stated that his principal is not a showman, and the security agencies are working to tackle the situation.

According to him, Buhari believes that actions speak louder than voice.

He said: “When Femi Adesina or I speak for the president, people should accept that it is the president that is speaking. For this president, it is the actions that should speak for him. He (Buhari) is not a showman; he doesn’t have to be there.”

He urged Nigerians not to personalise the issue, saying that the problem of the country requires the involvement of everyone.

Shehu rallied Nigerians to unite in solving the challenges facing the nation.

He said security agencies were working to deal with the situation and they did not lack the political will to quench the crisis.

He said: “We need to be appreciative of the enormous risks that our security people are facing; they are making it possible for you and I to sleep well because they are exposing themselves on the frontline.

“So, for everybody to say there is no political will, is anybody complaining? Is the IG of police saying he is unable to do his job because he doesn’t have political support?

This president allows you to do your job.”

IG Dispatches Four Riot Police Squadrons, Chopper to Oyo To curtail further violence in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the Inspector-General of Police,

Adamu, has ordered the immediate deployment of four units of riot policemen in the state.

The intervention and stabilisation forces also include the Force Intelligence Bureau operatives and one surveillance helicopter from the police air wing department.

Oyo State has been lately wracked by violence, including the killings of farmers by suspected herdsmen, abductions and the clashes between some Hausa and Yoruba traders at Shasa market.

But the police spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba, a commissioner of police, said in a statement yesterday that the operatives would reclaim the public space, reinforce security and bolster public confidence in the areas affected by the crisis.

“The deployments, consisting largely of intelligence and operational assets of the force, include four units of the Police Mobile Force, seasoned operatives from the Force Intelligence Bureau and one operational/surveillance police helicopter from the Police Air-wing Department.

“The intervention force is being coordinated by a

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. David Folawiyo, who is expected to mobilise all relevant stakeholders towards achieving the mandate of the squad,” it said.

The IG assured the people that the police were committed to the safety of lives and property of citizens .

He called on the residents of Oyo State and other Nigerians to embrace peace and cooperate with the police and the security community “as they redouble their efforts in ensuring that sustainable peace and security are restored to the affected areas.”

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and his Ondo State counterpart, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, had on Sunday visited the troubled Shasa community in Ibadan, where they appealed for calm and peaceful coexistence between the Hausa community and their Yoruba hosts.

The two governors who spoke at the Shasa market and the residence of the Baale Shasa had also urged the residents of the community and the state, particularly the Yoruba and Hausa, to stop taking the law into their hands.

6

TUESDAY, ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

FG Targets Vaccinating 109 Million Nigerians in Two Years Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government said it expects to vaccinate about 109 million Nigerians over the next two years against COVID-19.

The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, made this disclosure yesterday in Abuja at the Presidential

South, Middle Belt Leaders Reject List of Appeal Court Justices Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to reject the list compiled by Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) for the appointment of Appeal Court justices, which was said to have been allegedly compromised by politicians at the commission.

The leaders in a statement jointly signed yesterday evening

by Mr. Yinka Odumakin (South-west), Chief Guy Ikoku (South-east), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-south), and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), expressed shock by the latest list of nominated candidates, saying that all the candidates picked from the North excluded Christians.

The statement alleged that the merit list submitted to the Commission by the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica DongbanMensem was rejected.

“It is part of the constitutional responsibilities of the PCA to scrutinise candidates and present a list of competent and qualified candidates to FJSC for consideration and onward transmission to the National Judicial Council for appointment,” the statement said.

The statement noted that of the 20 candidates on the preferred list, all the candidates picked from the North excluded Christians, alleging that three khadis were on board for a

court that needs experts in various areas of law, including customary law.

According to the statement, the list of the PCA was said to have reflected all such needs but was whimsically overturned at the FJSC under the guise of Federal Character.

"But for the nepotism that is celebrated in Nigeria today, what is the basis of not having a Christian on such list from entire northern Nigeria? We cannot accept that a multi-ethnic and religious country is being treated this way. We want them to call for the original list prepared by the President of the Court of Appeal to avoid lawsuit on the matter,'' it said.

The shortlisted judges for interview by NJC priority candidates as listed by SMBLF include Hon. Kadi Mohammed Danjuma (Niger State Sharia Court of Appeal); Hon. Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Sirajo (Plateau State High Court); Hon. Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri (Federal High Court, from Adamawa State); Hon. Justice Yisuf Alhaji Bashir, Hon. Justice Usman A. Musale (FCT High Court, from Yobe State); Hon. Justice Ibrahim Wakili Jauro (Yobe State High Court); Hon. Justice Abba Bello Mohammed (FCT High Court, from Kano State); Hon. Kadi Mohammed Lawal Omar (Katsina State Sharia Court of Appeal); Hon. Justice Bature Isah Gafai (Katsina State); Hon. Justice Danlami Zama Senchi ( FCT High Court, from Kebbi State).

Task Force (PTF) briefing on COVID-19.

He noted that after excluding those that are under 18 years old, the government intends to give doses of vaccines to approximately 109 million Nigerians that will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination over the course of two years.

Shuaib stressed that Nigeria is hoping to receive about 57million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility and the African Union (AU) while in addition, the Federal Government has received a commitment of 1.5 million and 100,000 doses of OxfordAstraZeneca from MTN and India respectively.

He said that the eligible populations have been identified using the WHO vaccine allocation framework and prioritization roadmap, as well as the disease burden data from the NCDC.

He listed them as the frontline healthcare workers, support staff; including those that work in high-risk areas such as point of entry workers, rapid response teams, contact tracing teams, COVID-19 vaccination teams and strategic leadership.

Priority will also be accorded to people aged 50 years and above; people aged 18-49 years with significant co-morbidities and additional at-risk groups.

“In order to facilitate the implementation process, the TWG has come up with a strategy of pre-registration and scheduling of the target population to avoid overcrowding at vaccination posts. We have come up with a strategy called the TEACH approach, which will harness all the benefits of traditional, electronic, assisted and concomitant house-to-house registration to optimize the use of innovative technology.

“The TEACH approach entails, Traditional method of vaccinating target populations using desk review of available data sources, identifying the vaccination sites and rolling out; Electronic self-registration for health workers and the public; a link which provides an online form will be provided; Assisted electronic registration; concomitant e-registration during a walk into fixed sites/ health facilities, and Houseto-House registration using volunteers for an additional push to rapidly increase the e-registration,” he said.

Faisal added that the Federal Government working with state government plans to vaccinate all eligible population from 18 years and above, including pregnant women. He said the decision to vaccinate any pregnant woman will be made in consultation with her healthcare provider.

“There will be considerations of whether she is at high risk of contracting COVID-19 or not. She is likely to be at high risk for example if she is a frontline health worker, a support staff or a first responder in the different spheres of the security architecture of our country. This guidance is based on the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).”

He added that with the over 60,000 health workers providing routine immunization services nationwide, government recognize that the COVID-19 vaccine introduction certainly requires capacity building for this health workforce, but in addition to these, the government would be engaging additional personnel, to achieve the coverage level we desire and also ensure best practices in vaccine handling and management.

OUR CASE...

L-R: Head, Commercial and Corporate Media, Lekki Concession Company, Ms. Veronica Jacob; Managing Director, LCC, Mr. Yomi Omomuwasan; and Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, during a press conference by LCC in Lagos…yesterday

Mohammed Seeks Cancellation of Kwara APC Membership Registration, Revalidation Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday called for the immediate cancellation of the ongoing membership registration exercise of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Kwara State, alleging that the exercise was marred by fraud and irregularities in the 16 local government areas of the state.

He called on the national leadership of the party to put in place a process that will ensure the conduct of a credible and fair exercise that will enjoy the support and confidence of all.

Speaking at a press conference in his home town, Oro, in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state shortly after revalidating his membership of the party, Mohammed also called for the immediate disbandment of the Senator John Danboyi-led membership registration committee for the state as a vast majority of the

APC stakeholders in the state have lost confidence in the committee.

He called for the constitution of a fresh membership registration committee that is truly independent, noncompromised and sensitive to the delicate diverse interests in the party.

The minister also demanded a thorough investigation into the botched membership registration exercise by the Danboyi-led committee.

According to him, these demands are the irreducible minimum requirements for peace and progress in the Kwara APC. He alleged that reports from the monitoring teams had shown that the whole exercise did not comply with the stipulated guidelines.

Mohammed said: "The guidelines stipulate consultation with all stakeholders by the registration officials from Abuja.

“After the botched attempt to

have a meeting of stakeholders, due to orchestrated violence, the registration officials failed to consult with all stakeholders before the commencement of the membership registration exercise, opting instead to work with only one of the four tendencies here in Kwara - the Fagbemi group to which Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq belongs, thus excluding the three other tendencies - the Akogun group, the Gbemi Saraki group and the Lai Mohammed group, without which the 'O To Ge' movement would not have succeeded.

"Ironically, the Fagbemi group is the weakest of the four tendencies. Out of the 193 wards in the state, the group has only nine ward chairmen and does not have even one local government chairman. Even at the state exco, the Fagbemi group has only four members.

"Also, the recruitment of

officials for the registration has been a one-sided affair and indications are that the handpicked officials are under strict orders from above as to how to carry out the exercise. We have evidence to corroborate this.”

The minister alleged that when the registration officials from Abuja landed in Ilorin, they handed over the registration materials to an individual, not recognised by the provisions of the guidelines, who has decided to hoard them instead of distributing them to the wards.

He said he was in possession of evidence to support his claim.

"The implication is that the registration is being carried out without a party membership register, while temporary membership slips, to be signed and detached from the forms after registration, are not being given to those who have purportedly registered," he said.

He alleged that there is a clear

indication yet that the police and other security agencies may be complicit in what he described as the mess being made of the membership registration in Kwara State.

According to him, instead of using the membership registers, the registration officials were using exercise books or foolscap sheets to register members.

Mohammed also claimed that members who have purportedly registered are being asked to come back for their registration slips, stressing that to date, no such member has been given the registration slip.

The minister further alleged that due to the shoddy and non-compliant mode of registration, using exercise books and foolscap sheets instead of the membership register, many members are unwilling to submit their personal details via such unsecured and illegal process.

He noted: "There seems a deliberate policy of exclusion by

the registration team from Abuja and their collaborators. It seems there is a plan to de-register even high-ranking members and stakeholders who have not only paid their dues in the party, but also contributed to install the present government.”

Mohammed cited the registration unit of Senator Gbemi Saraki, Minister of State for Transportation, which is PU 005 at Ode-Opobiyi in Ajikobi Ward of Ilorin West LGA, where he alleged that not a single registration official has been sighted at the designated point since the commencement of the exercise, not to talk of registration materials.

"This is the situation in all other places considered to be the stronghold of high-ranking party members.

"Also in Ifelodun, my local government, registration officials only showed up once and disappeared, making it impossible for many members to register,” he added.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 • T H I S D AY

7

8

TUESDAY, ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

PAGE EIGHT AT $63, CRUDE OIL PRICE HITS 13-MONTH HIGH average $45-$60 per barrel.

"We've seen low volatility in the past few months. This means the market is balanced and the prices we are seeing today are in line with the market situation," Novak was quoted as saying.

Also, the fears of heightened tensions in the Middle East prompted fresh buying, while hopes that a United States stimulus and an easing of lockdowns will buoy fuel demand.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said late on Sunday it intercepted and destroyed an explosive-laden drone fired by the Iran-aligned Houthi group toward the kingdom, state TV reported, raising fears of fresh Middle East tensions.

For the first time in about a year, Brent futures hit $60.04 a barrel on February 8, a development that was last experienced by the global oil market on February 20, 2020.

However, rising international oil prices have heightened tension in Nigeria amidst warnings from labour and other groups that the federal government, which has deregulated the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, should not hike the pump price of petrol.

On March 19, 2020, the federal government said it had

adopted a price modulation system whereby pump price would be adjusted to reflect price movement in the international crude oil market.

Last week the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had asked Nigerians to prepare for the economic pains that could come with an increase in petrol price.

He had stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) could not continue to bear the cost of under-recovery or subsidy, adding that while government revenue had improved, prompted by the rise in crude oil price, it could not be frittered on subsidy payment.

FG Sets Four-year Target to Eliminate Gas Flaring The federal government yesterday unfolded plans to stop gas flaring in the next four years.

Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, at a public hearing on "Need to End Gas Flaring in Nigeria and Harness Associated Gas in Nigeria organised by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Gas Resources, Environment and Climate

Change, said in Abuja that Nigeria would join the global community in achieving the complete elimination of gas flaring by 2025.

He told the gathering that his ministry took the issue of gas flaring seriously and was working hard to stop it.

He, however, stated that Nigeria has so far reduced gas flaring to eight per cent.

"We believe, with all the programmes lined up, that we are on course to achieve complete elimination of gas flaring by 2025. We take the issue of gas flaring in the ministry very seriously,'' Sylva said.

Corroborating Sylva's statement, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Mr. Mele Kyari, said in his presentation that the corporation was executing some projects to eliminate gas flaring.

Kyari cautioned against increasing the flaring penalty, saying that it is better to create commercial terms that will enable companies to invest in the flare which can be converted into money. ''Two things must happen: one is to put the enabling infrastructure, which we are doing immensely. We are building major trunklines that will receive the flared gas that

you are seeing today. We are connecting most parts of this country to the gas network so that people can convert this gas to power industries and they are all within sight. Just to put it in perspective, by the end of March, we have what we will call the quarry cluster for flared gas. It makes about 200 million cups of gas. By the end of March, this will vanish because once we end connecting all the lines, automatically, it goes away. ''No matter how many penalties you put, if the cost of the penalty is cheaper than developing, people will continue to flare and pay the penalty. You can raise the penalty to any number and what it does is that it will completely make the people not to invest in anything,'' he stated.

In his keynote address, the Chairman, Joint Committee of the House on Gas Resources, Environment and Climate Change Committees, Hon. Mutu Nicholas, stated that Nigeria loses over $750 million in annual revenue from flared gas.

Nicholas explained that the gas that is being flared is the feedstock for other industries, which if properly harnessed would stimulate economic growth, create jobs, provide income for midstream

companies and earn revenue for government through taxes.

He lamented that efforts by the federal government to stop gas flaring have been inadequate and ineffective since 1979 when Nigeria made the first legislative attempt to address the problem.

He said: ''Gas flare is a malady that we must work together to eliminate at the shortest time possible because of its adverse effects on the environment and socioeconomic well-being of the people of Niger Delta region as well as on the fiscal measures of the federal government. At current estimates by Price Water House Coopers (PwC), Nigeria loses over $750 million in annual revenue from flared gas. ''Zero-flare gas deadlines have routinely shifted to future dates. We thus commend the government for the 2018 gas flare regulation, which imposes the penalty of $2 per million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas flared. Still, we would like to stress the need for compliance with the provisions of the penalty regime. Since the gas flare regulation was released in 2018, this committee has received reports on flare volume discrepancies.''

Earlier, while declaring the event open, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi

Gbajabiamila, had said though there had been many unfruitful conversations about achieving the objective, the House was committed to changing the narrative.

According to him, this will be done through legislative action such as bills and oversight function.

He said: ''The conversation about gas flaring in Nigeria has been going on for a long time. "Unfortunately, those conversations have not yielded the desired results. We have not managed to end the environmental damage that results from gas flaring and we are still deprived of the economic benefits of full utilisation of gas resources in our country. In this 9th House of Representatives, we intend to do everything we can to change this narrative.''

The President of Host Communities, Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi, in his presentation, apologised for the fight that broke out last month at the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) public hearing.

Tamaranebi while describing the fight as a calculated attempt to stop the voice of the ordinary host communities, lamented that they are suffering from the emission of poisonous substances into their environment, by the oil and gas industry.

to take the bull by the horns with my colleague, the chief of defence staff.”

He, however, urged political, traditional and religious leaders to complement efforts by government at all levels to end insecurity.

He said: “I don’t want to believe that we are unable to put an end to what is going on in this country. We want to reassure you that with the appointment of new service chiefs, the government is determined to secure its citizens.”

He charged all the stakeholders to work not just within their local communities, but with the wider society and security agencies to deal with insecurity.

Monguno said: “I know there are some people trying to undermine efforts of the government and also security agencies. This will also be brought to an end. It is difficult but not impossible.

“One thing President Buhari has always said is that as diverse as we are, our greatest strength resides in that diversity.

“Other countries have been able to achieve unity in diversity and there is actually no reason why a country like Nigeria cannot do the same."

He reassured Nigerians that with the new service chiefs, there is a new direction in confronting this problem.

“All that we require is your understanding and patience.

A lot of lives have been lost; unfortunately, we cannot bring back the dead from where they are. We can only pray for the repose of their souls,” he said.

Earlier in his opening

remarks, Irabor had said some re-organisations in the security architecture were being undertaken to combat insecurity.

He said they intended to let everyone know, especially the governors in the North-west, as well Nigerians, that the situation in the North-west, security-wise, is of concern to the Commander-in-Chief and to everyone who is in the security and defence sector.

Irabor said security agencies were trying their best to combat insecurity.

“We have come to give you assurances that some reorganisations are being undertaken currently to change the tide of insecurity in the country and across the land.

“We are in no doubt as to whether there are issues. We are in no doubt as to whether you have concerns,” he said.

He said the essence of the meeting was to feel the pulse of the people and to reassure them that the federal government is not asleep in terms of security.

“The National Security Adviser, I as well as the service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of SSS and every other arm of the security agencies are hoping to ensure that there is a difference,” he stated.

In his speech, el-Rufai commended the security agencies for working closely with governors to tackle insecurity.

He said: “Daily, the armed forces and security agencies are losing lives. The bandits are becoming bolder, they even have the audacity now to attack military camps and

ambushed those on patrols, yet those that are not informed said that nothing is being done.”

However, a source privy to discussions between the security chiefs and the governors told THISDAY that the states' helmsmen expressed concern about the profiling of Fulani as criminals, adding that they are under pressure from their people for reprisal against other tribes living in the North.

He said the governors urged their colleagues in the South to speak against the threat to Northerners in their domain.

The governors also reaffirmed that ranching is the best for cattle grazing but want more time for it to be implemented.

“All Fulani or Hausa people should not be profiled as criminals. The criminals among them should be arrested and prosecuted by constitutionally recognised law enforcement agencies. Even in the North, there are Southerners arrested for criminal offences but that does not mean that all Southerners are criminal,” the source explained.

NORTH-WEST GOVS SEEK MORE TIME FOR RANCHING farmers nationwide, Northwest governors at yesterday’s meeting with security chiefs in Kaduna, reportedly sought more time to develop ranches seen to be the panacea for the raging conflict in the country.

A reliable source close to the meeting told THISDAY last night that although the governors expressed reservations over the profiling of herders from the Northern part of the country, more recently in the South-west, they, however, agreed that the lasting solution to the incessant conflict is ranching but asked for more time to develop the modern way of animal husbandry.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), service chiefs, and heads of other security and intelligence agencies had met with the governors as part of a planned tour of the six zones of the country to discuss with stakeholders the way out of the worsening security.

The security chiefs assured the governors that efforts are being intensified to arrest the worsening insecurity in the country and proposed another meeting to draw up a roadmap to better security in the region.

"In a bid to develop a road map for peace and security in the region, it was resolved that a date for a follow-up meeting of the North-west stakeholders would be announced to fully deliberate and agree on the new road map," a statement issued by the ONSA said last night.

Monguno, in company with the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim

Attahiru; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, at a town hall meeting on the security crisis in the country, in Kaduna, said President Muhammadu Buhari was determined to end insecurity in the country.

While Gambo was represented by an official, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Muri, stood in for Adamu.

The meeting with governors of the seven states in the Northwest and other stakeholders was conveyed to discuss the security challenges bedevilling the region.

As parts of efforts to reinvigorate the fight against insecurity, Irabor told the gathering that the country’s security architecture is being reviewed.

The northern governors, however, asked for more time to implement the ranching option to end the crisis occasioned by transhumance, which has led to frequent clashes between herders and farmers.

The seven states in the North-west, especially Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara, have been under constant attacks by bandits, who invade villages, kill, rape and abduct people for ransom.

The meeting, which was supposed to be a town hall meeting with the governors and key stakeholders in the region to discuss the security challenges, however, did not hold as many of the stakeholders, especially traditional, religious and community leaders did not attend due to the short

notice given them.

However, all the seven governors - Kaduna (Malam, Nasir el-Rufai); Kano (Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje); Katsina (Hon. Bello Masari); Kebbi (Senator Atiku Bagudu); Sokoto (Hon. Aminu Tambuwal), and Zamfara (Hon. Bello Matawalle) as well as the chairman of the Northern Governors' Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong, attended.

Addressing the gathering, the NSA said the purpose of the meeting was to address the security challenges facing the country.

According to him, with the new service chiefs, there is a new direction in confronting the security challenges.

He said Buhari was worried about the insecurity.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is very worried about what is going on. He is concerned about loss of innocent lives all over the country.

“What is going on in the North-east and North-west is very troubling to all of us and the president is committed to stopping this terrible situation in which we keep killing each other without regards to the other person's right to undertake his legitimate undertaking of what choice of work he has decided to undertake,” he stated.

The NSA added that security is the primary responsibility of government, saying: “Nobody is shying away from that. It is the fundamental responsibility of government to secure the lives of its citizens and their property.

“That is why we decided

VICTORIOUS OKONJO-IWEALA PLEDGES TO REBRAND, REFORM WTO AS DG Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, James Emejo, Udora Orizu in Abuja, Obinna Chima and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos With her emergence yesterday as the first African and first female to be the Director-

General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, unveiled her agenda, which include working with other members of the organisation in reforming and rebranding the global trade body.

Okonjo-Iweala, in her

acceptance speech after the WTO’s General Council agreed by consensus to select her as the organisation’s seventh director-general, also highlighted the need for procedural reforms so that the WTO would better serve its members.

Her coronation as the WTO DG, after a nervewracking delay caused by former President Donald Trump’s objection to her candidacy threw Nigeria and other countries into a rapture with President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar,

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; President of the European Central Bank, Ms. Christine Lagarde; and the Peoples Democratic Party Continued on page 9

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % SEPLAT 49.50 544.50 9.5 JAPAUL 0.07 0.78 9.8 MBENEFITS 0.04 0.46 9.5 AIICO 0.10 1.18 9.2 MULTIVERSE 0.02 0.24 9.0 TOP LOSERS NGN % CONOIL 2.10 18.90 10 ROYALEXCHANGE 0.03 0.27 10 RTBRISCOE 0.02 0.20 9.0 CHI PLC 0.04 0.42 8.7 SOVRENINS 0.02 0.24 7.6 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,450.00 Volume: 206.243 million shares Value: N2.164 billion Deals: 4,264 As at yesterday 15/2/2021 See details on Page 33

TUESDAY, ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

9

NEWS

Northern Elders Urge FG, States to Douse Ethnic Tension

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on government at all levels and all stakeholders to de-escalate the prevailing ethnic tension in the country.

The forum said continuing narratives, threats and comments from Nigerians, including elected officials, were raising fears and passions that could lead to a further breach of law and order.

NEF, in a statement yesterday by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, drew attention to the dangers of sustained attempts to raise tensions and create fears among

Nigerians until, presumably, they lead to a major crisis involving groups and regions.

NEF stated that in the last two weeks, along with others, it had appealed for restraint and respect for the law.

NEF said the nation was facing imminent threats from persons allegedly bent on pushing all Nigerians nearer to disaster, to help them achieve their nefarious goals.

It alleged efforts to create multiple sources of falsehood in videos and other inflammatory materials in the media clearly targeted at inciting people to act violently against each other.

According to NEF, allegations of planned or actual genocide

are being made with reckless abandon and even the international community is being lobbied in futile efforts to sell the fiction that some groups are intent on mass extermination of other groups.

The forum condemned the latest communication by the Yoruba Council of Elders to the United Nations, describing it as an example of lamentable desperation of some groups to erode the security and integrity of the country.

The forum reiterated its commitment to continue to work to retrieve the country from the dangerous cliff where it has been placed by irresponsible people,

many of them in positions of responsibility.

“We have plans to meet with governors in the North and South to improve responsible collaboration and synergy and we intend to visit communities where we have influence to lower tensions and provide assurances and comfort," it added.

NEF reiterated its demands that Fulani who have broken no laws must be protected from abuse wherever they are.

“We ask all governments to identify criminals among the Fulani and subject them to the laws of the land. Similarly, we demand the cessation of threats and attacks by local

ethnic defenders on Fulani communities," it said.

NEF also called for the prosecution of those who have attacked and harassed Fulani on account of their identity.

It said: “We encourage all law-abiding herders to stay put and seek protection, and if they cannot be protected, to relocate to safer areas in the country.

“We urge northern governors to prepare to receive lawabiding Fulani herders who may be compelled to relocate.

“We urge all Northerners to assure Nigerians from other parts of the country that they are safe and welcome to continue to stay in the

North.”

The forum said it was not a crime to be a member of any ethnic group, adding that no one has the right to attempt to expel any Nigerian from places where they live lawfully.

NEF advised President Muhammadu Buhari and governors to consult and explore measures that will lower tensions and “assure all Nigerians that we live in a country where laws have meanings and all citizens have equal rights to live under secure environments.”

It added that the fight against criminals must be pursued on all fronts and with more seriousness.

FG to Activate Emergency Response against Ebola Disease Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government is set to take measures against a possible resurgence of Ebola disease in the country, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, has said.

Following reports of confirmed cases of Ebola in the West African nation of Guinea, Ihekweazu said that a team of NCDC experts on Ebola disease has swung into action and would be issuing a public health advisory to Nigerians soon.

NCDC gave hope of a safer response to the Ebola disease outbreak this time with the development of anti-Ebola vaccines.

Speaking yesterday at the media briefing by the Presidential Task Force on Control of COVID-19 in Abuja, the Ihekweazu said that the agency had received reports of the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola disease in Guinea at the weekend.

He said that the government of Guinea had on February 14 reported an outbreak of Ebola in the country with seven cases.

According to him, one of

the incidents was said to have involved a nurse who attended the burial ceremony of a relation and was later diagnosed of the disease a few days later.

Ihekweazu said that Nigeria will take advantage of the news of the outbreak to increase surveillance at its borders with neighbouring countries.

He added that unlike the situation during Ebola outbreak in 2014, there is now a vaccine against the disease.

He said: "Our Ebola disease working group is already looking into the matter and we will soon issue a public health

advisory in this regard. Just last month, the international coordinating group, including the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Red Cross announced for the first time the establishment of a global vaccine stockpile for Ebola. We now have a vaccine against Ebola that can be used in the context of an outbreak".

While reassuring Nigerians of government's readiness to protect the country from the second outbreak of Ebola, Ihekweazu said NCDC is taking the task very seriously.

He said the agency is

monitoring very closely the reported incidence of Ebola in the two countries - Guinea and Democrats Republic of Congo where there were reported cases.

Ihekweazu further gave update on the spread and detection of the new COVID-19 variant in the country.

He said NCDC working with the African Centre for Excellence in Gernormics in Ede, Osun state has been able to confirm a total of 29 cases of the B117 variant of COVID-19 in Edo, Kwara, Lagos, Osun, Oyo states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Also speaking on the measures being taken by the federal government to check the outbreak of the Ebola, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said: "Nigeria's Port Health Services have been put on alert on land, sea and air borders and all major hospitals have also been put on notice to alert health workers to have a keen index of suspicion and to check patient travel history, especially at outpatient departments, and report concerns to infectious disease focal persons and the State epidemiologists without hesitation".

emergence of Okonjo-Iweala as WTO DG. “It is not hyperbole when I say that no one could be more qualified for the job of Director-General of the World Trade Organisation than her, and I congratulate her for her success at being the first female and African DG of the WTO. "She is an apostle of free trade and an astute manager of people and resources and the world will be a much more prosperous place by her elevation to this enviable height," the former vice-president said.

The European Union (EU) also welcomed the new WTO’s appointment.

Expressing delight at the news of Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment, the President of the EU, Ursula von der Leyen, pledged Europe's support for her.

“This is a historic moment for the entire world. I’m so glad to see a woman from Africa at the head of the @WTO. Europe is fully behind you. We support the reform of the WTO and will help you protect the rules-based multilateral trading system,” she wrote on Twitter.

The Vice President of the EU, Valdis Dombrovskis, said the union looked forward to working closely with OkonjoIweala.

“Congrats @NOIweala on your ratification to become next @wto Director-General!

The EU salutes your historic achievement as 1st female & 1st African to hold this position.

We look forward to working closely with you to reform the WTO, making it fit for purpose for today’s world,” he tweeted.

The EU Commissioner for International Partnership, Jutta Urpilainen, assured the former minister of the Union’s support as she leads the WTO.

“I’m convinced that you are the right person to lead the modernisation of the WTO, and I look forward to working with you. As you know, you can count on @EU_Commission support,” she tweeted.

Also, the President of the European Central Bank and former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, in a tweet yesterday wrote: “Congratulations to my friend Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on becoming the first female Director-General of the @wto.

“I’ve known Ngozi for many years. Her strong will and determination will drive her to tirelessly promote free trade to the benefit of people worldwide.”

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, while congratulating Okonjo-Iweala on her election, applauded Nigeria on the latest feat of its great daughter on the international stage.

Lawan, in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Ola Awoniyi, hailed the quiet but dogged diplomacy of Nigeria and the unwavering commitment of Buhari that contributed to Okonjo-Iweala’s ultimate triumph in the prolonged contest for the position.

Lawan urged her to deploy her famed intellect, experience, energy and integrity in leading the WTO to promote global prosperity through fair trade.

Gbajabiamila also congratulated Okonjo-Iweala, saying her appointment is a testament to her years of experience in the financial sector both at home and abroad.

According to him, her confirmation has once again proved that Nigeria has experts that can compete favourably both at home and abroad.

VICTORIOUS OKONJO-IWEALA PLEDGES TO REBRAND, REFORM WTO AS DG (PDP) showering encomiums on her.

She is to assume office on March 1, 2021, and her term, renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025.

According to her, the rulebook of the Geneva-based organisation is outdated and its rules lag behind those of some regional and bilateral trade agreements, which are incorporating many innovations.

Okonjo-Iweala stated that the WTO’s rulebook must be updated to take into account 21st century realities such as e-commerce and the digital economy.

She said: “It has been a long and tough road, full of uncertainty, but now it is the dawn of a new day and the real work can begin.

“Some WTO rules and procedures also need to be revisited, including the procedure for appointing director-general.”

According to her, the WTO secretariat should be strengthened, to enable it to provide cutting-edge services to members.

She explained: “An important change would be to move away from the current silo way of working, to a more team-based and task-based approach.

“The secretariat has to be fit-for-purpose to take account of the changing dynamics of the global economy and priorities of members.

“The challenges facing the WTO are numerous and tricky, but they are not insurmountable.

There is hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel if we work together in a transparent manner that builds trust, build bridges and diffuses political tension and encourages convergence.”

She said the pandemic and

its economic fallouts have highlighted the interdependence of countries, the importance of multilateralism and the need to strengthen collaboration in order to achieve fair and balanced agreements that provides opportunities for all WTO members, particularly the least developed countries.

“I am passionate about these goals and I look forward to working closely with all of you in the coming months and years, to help build the WTO that we all want,” she added.

Okonjo-Iweala said a key priority for her would be to work with members to quickly address the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am honoured to have been selected by WTO members as WTO director-general.

"A strong WTO is vital if we are to recover fully and rapidly from the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I look forward to working with members to shape and implement the policy responses we need to get the global economy going again.

“Our organisation faces a great many challenges but working together we can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today," former Nigeria’s finance minister said.

She said the pandemic had heightened the burdens and accelerated the role of e-commerce, expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO would work to address the nexus between trade and climate change, adding that it will be important for members to broaden negotiations on environment, goods and

services.

“This would help promote trust and encourage members to explore further ways in which trade can contribute positively to an improved climate,” she added.

Okonjo-Iweala also noted that improving access to markets for least-developed countries was also paramount, stressing the need to level the playing field so as to provide opportunities for small-scale farmers.

“We must also strengthen disciplines on industrial subsidies. In that regard, it would be important to ensure that subsidies granted by members to their state-owned enterprises in certain situations do not distort competition,” she stated.

Commenting on OkonjoIweala's appointment, the WTO General Council Chair, David Walker of New Zealand, who, together with co-facilitators Ambassador Dacio Castillo (Honduras) and Ambassador Harald Aspelund (Iceland) that led the nine-month DG selection process, was quoted to have said: "This is a very significant moment for the WTO. On behalf of the General Council, I extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment as the WTO's next director-general and formally welcome her to this General Council meeting.

“Dr Ngozi, on behalf of all members, I wish to sincerely thank you for your graciousness in these exceptional months, and for your patience.

“We look forward to collaborating closely with you, Dr Ngozi, and I am certain that all members will work with you constructively during your tenure as director-general to shape the future of this organisation."

Buhari, Atiku, Lawan, Okowa, Others Hail OkonjoIweala's over New Job The emergence of OkonjoIweala as the first female director-general of the WTO has elicited reactions from the executive, the legislative arms, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo, as they described the development as a good thing to happen to Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari said Okonjo-Iweala's emergence has brought more honour and joy to Nigeria.

Buhari, in a statement by his media assistant, Malam Garba Shehu, felicitated with the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance.

"As the Harvard-educated and renowned economist takes up another onerous task of service to the world and humanity, the president believe her track record of integrity, diligence and passion for development will continue to yield positive results and rewards to mankind," the statement added.

Buhari stated that OkonjoIweala, who over the years set major records of economic reforms in Nigeria as minister of finance, and later as minister of foreign affairs, will excel in her new position and validate the global mandate of repositioning and strengthening WTO. Atiku welcomed the historic

10

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 • T H I S D AY

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 • T H I S D AY

11

12

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 •T H I S D AY

13

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 •T H I S D AY

14

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

COMMENT

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

BAN OF CRYPTOCURRENCY: MATTERS ARISING

The Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Abdullahi, votes for innovativeness, writes Gimba Kakanda

T

he first thing he did was to remind that cryptocurrency is enabled by a technology with applications far beyond the disputed virtual currency. “The world is fast evolving,” he said, “But there’s no plan to stifle any technology or innovation in Nigeria.”

If Nigeria were a startup, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, as the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), would function as a leading technical officer and this made me yield to the temptation to engage him when we caught up last Tuesday.

The week before, I wrote about the outright ban of cryptocurrency in Nigeria, and this encounter was a chance to have a government insider’s perspective. The NITDA boss, whom I simply call Malam Kashifu, emphasized the autonomy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and that the bank had a committee tasked with monitoring crypto economy and had visited various countries to learn from their experiences in the frenetic attempts to integrate virtual and conventional currencies. “But I don’t know how they arrived at their decision,” he said. His position on the bank’s policy brought to mind the disconnect between the apex bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The latter had acknowledged bitcoins and expressed willingness to regulate cryptocurrency transactions before this latest report of the ban.

For Malam Kashifu, the word “regulation,” as attributed to the government, is vague. He was quick to clarify, specifically his agency’s approach to emerging technologies. He called it “developmental regulation,” and that they allowed startups to develop and explore the possibilities of any evolving innovation before considering regulation. “When we were working on blockchain adoption strategies, we worked with people in the ecosystem and the beneficiaries included fintech startups and land registries,” he said. Regulation, for him, is only when the agency seeks to protect consumers and service providers on matters within their jurisdiction.

When I reminded him that Nigeria’s position as the secondlargest bitcoin market, after the United States, was under threat because of the ban and that the gig economy—which had provided various Nigerian freelancers with opportunities to earn in the digital market—utilized bitcoin, he challenged the position. First, he acknowledged that the motto of the fourth industrial revolution is “innovate or perish.” He explained that the reason for this fear is the narrow understanding of the broader blockchain technology. China, he said, had also banned cryptocurrency trading, and that won’t hamper the Asian giant’s economic projection. He then referred to the PwC report that predicted that blockchain technology has the potential to boost global gross domestic product by US$1.76 trillion over the next 10 years, and that blockchain could have the highest potential net benefit in China (US$440bn) and then the USA (US$407bn).

But, then, why is he confident of Nigeria’s place and pace in the digital market? China has built the infrastructure to absorb

THE REGULATION NIGERIA SEEKS IS ONE THAT MALAM KASHIFU ADVOCATES, AND THAT’S ALLOWING LOCAL STARTUPS AND CORPORATE ORGANIZATIONS TO ABSORB NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND RECREATE THEIR ACQUISITIONS TO BOOST THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

the shock of banning any Western-led innovation, I said.

Malam Kashifu thought differently. Necessity, he said, is the mother of invention, and pointed to how COVID-19 disrupted established governance functions and protocols. “Just a year ago, you wouldn’t have thought of FEC (Federal Executive Council) meetings holding online, but necessity has made it the new normal.” He likened this adjustment to Nigeria’s sensitivity to the happenings around the world, and then explained what he meant.

It’s the same necessity, he said, that inspired the establishment of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and National Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre to curate and incubate new ideas and startups to compete in the digital world. “What we are doing,” he insisted, “is working to create a safe ecosystem. We are not isolating ourself. We are not stifling any technology. In fact, we are collaborating with the best institutions in the world to drive this agenda. One of such partnerships is the MITRegional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program.”

A friend, whose startup is a part of this partnership with the prime Ivy League institution, had already introduced me to the workings of this programme, which was on the premise that a viable ecosystem is built on five key stakeholders’ support: the universities producing human capitals, the corporate organizations absorbing them, the entrepreneurs implementing the new ideas and whetting the appetite of the gluttonous consumers, the risk capitals required to run the startups, and finally the government.

This fifth stakeholder, the government, is one of which Malam Kashifu himself is a part. It’s the backbone of every innovation in an ecosystem with weak institutions. The infiltration of the ecosystem Kashifu-led NITDA aspires to sanitize, by scammers, is responsible for the attraction to bitcoin payment mode by freelancing Nigerians. PayPal and several payment platforms have blacklisted Nigerians, and to this information, Malam Kashifu said the agency has Data Breach Investigation Team that collaborates with the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to track and report data infraction cases.

What’s amusing is also that the DG seems more enthusiastic about having a Nigerian PayPal – an online payment platform built and owned by Nigerians. He cited Nigerian-owned platforms like Remita to emphasize his agency’s interest in, and support for, indigenous inventions and innovations as a part of the Nigerian Content Development in ICT initiative.

I love this optimism of his, that it’s a contradiction to aspire for global influence in the digital market while building contents entirely dependent on foreign platforms. But the ease with which locally-designed platforms are being targeted justifies the mass hysteria and hesitation to patronize those indigenous platforms. rKakanda is an Abuja-based public affairs analyst

NATIONAL GALLERY OF GRAFT? Oji onoko writes that there is no missing fund in National Gallery of Art

T

he International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) prides itself as “promoting good governance, and entrench (sic) democratic values by reporting, exposing and combating corruption.” These are high standards and perhaps the reason, it attracts funding from the highly regarded MacArthur Foundation. The Centre further “seeks to promote transparency and accountability through ROBUST and OBJECTIVE INVESTIGATIVE reporting” (Emphasis mine).

Much was therefore expected from Ajibola Amzat, listed on the Centre’s website as the editor in his eleven-page write-up which broke a fortnight ago on https/www. icirnigeria.org and republished in two pages in the Daily Trust Sunday edition of February 7, 2021. It was a story so sensational, so salacious. Sadly, the trophy, National Gallery of Art which we rechristen, National Gallery of Accountability was a wrong target. He got everything wrong, very wrong. First, the disingenuous headline, “National Gallery of Graft,” designed to grab attention of readers but laced with distorted facts which will shame even the most thrilling scum writer!

Basic fact: National Gallery of Art did not move to Abuja in 1993. It operated in Lagos for seven years and moved to Abuja in year 2000. Again, we are at present in 25 states of the federation not the six geo-political zones. Basic research would have corrected this. From this distortion, everything went haywire for the “investigative reporter.”

He was in so much hurry to crucify the National Gallery of Art and rub its hardworking past Director-General, the immediate past Acting Director-General and directors in the mud that he failed the simple test of investigative reporting- snooping for facts and figures, asking questions from authorities in financial auditing and forensic examiners for clarifications to make informed judgment and going to places mentioned for the onspot assessment. Quoting copiously from the unsigned petition, he bandied figures which

had no roots in facts. On the galleries in Nupe, Niger State, Kulili-lau in Taraba, Akpu and Ufesiodo in Anambra and Mbutu, in Imo State, for instance, all he needed do was a trip to these places to see things for himself, interview the contractors and consultants on ground for factual reporting. He could have applied to McArthur Foundation for funding to undertake the trips. That is investigative journalism at work. But no, he did nothing like that. His report coming more than six months after visiting the National Gallery of Art’s head office in Abuja showed photographs he was given at that time. How would he have known the current state of the galleries? Fact: The Niger State project, Ancient Nupe Gallery of Art was completed and commissioned in 2014. Anambra State had two projects: Ufesoido Community Art Centre and Cultural Gallery, Akpu and the Ancient Gallery of Art, Ukpor, Nnewi South.

The Ufesoido Cultural Gallery, Akpu has been completed, commissioned and opened for business while the Ancient Gallery of Art, Ukpor in Nnewi South is almost completed.

The Oriental Heritage Gallery, Mbutu, Imo State has been completed and will be commissioned on Thursday, February 11, next week. It would have been commissioned last year but postponed due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Work at the Kulili Gallery of Art, Kulili-lau, Taraba State has reached advanced stage.

In-spite of these verifiable facts, the “investigative journalist” from ICIR claims in his story that none of the galleries is near completion let alone open for business.

For the records, none of the amount mentioned in the “Investigative reporter’s” story is close to what was appropriated not to talk of actual release of funds for the galleries. We must commend rather than vilify the lawmakers for choosing to take visual arts to the grassroots and their constituents which will empower the youth in an enduring manner rather than distributing tricycles and wheelbarrows to them! The adverts for the construction of the galleries in the four

states were in the September 2012 edition of the Federal Tenders’ Journal and Daily Trust newspaper of the same month. All the procedures for awarding contracts were adhered to by the National Gallery of Art which as a government institution executes its projects and programmes through third parties (Contractors and Consultants) according to the quantum of fund release for each year.

Like many other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the National Gallery of Art never had its capital appropriation released as appropriated between the years 2010 and 2019. It has always been some percentage release. In 2015, no kobo was released from the capital appropriation for any project. We only got N35millon released through AIE (Authority to incur Expenditure) in that year as capital for only one programme.

In 2012, we had in our appropriation some constituency projects for construction/ development of galleries in Taraba, Niger, Anambra and Imo States. The contracts were awarded following due process but only mobilization was paid to the contractors for the year because further releases were not made to pay for the contracts.

It is preposterous to claim that inside sources allege that directors in the gallery have misappropriated over N200m released for the construction of galleries in the four states, all within a period of 10 years. Where is the paper trail? Does the writer believe that monies can just be withdrawn and “shared” without a trail? Government does not work that way. There must be designated programme, approval and disbursement all properly documented. Did the reporter try to investigate what has been released and paid to these contractors and what their contract sums are? Or whether the contracts were advertised, bidded and awarded following due process? Do they understand the meaning of misappropriation? Or maybe all these are some gaging up to attack and tarnish the image of some personalities?

It is very unfortunate that when you do not understand a thing, you refuse to ask

questions or seek further explanation to enable you understand it. If NGA records are not correct what would give our Director of Finance and Accounts, the boldness to confront the office of the Accountant General of the Federation with our figures for clarification? The response from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) never accused NGA of giving incorrect account so why would the reporter be the judge in NGA’s accounting for releases and expenditure?

What he refers to as three years of balanced record only shows the years we did not receive Service Wide Vote for the years 2015, 2016 and 2019.. For the benefit of doubt, Appropriations and Service Wide Votes are accounted for separately because Service Wide Votes are not part of an agency’s budgetary allocations.

There is nothing like missing fund in the National Gallery of Art. If there is, our financial statement would have revealed it. Our External Auditors or the Federal Auditors would equally have indicted us.

Sadly, the “investigative reporter” could not go the whole hog before passing judgement. The so-called discrepancy between the figures from the office of the Accountant General and National Gallery of Art is a matter of accounting reconciliation not fraud.

This is the job of our External Auditors and Federal Auditors which the office of the Accountant General of the Federation referred to. These are the offices to indict or clear any agency of perceived malfeasance. Luckily, the National Gallery of Art has a clean bill of health from both.

The rookie journalist has come full circle.

He needs to clean up his act and tackle journalism the way it should- “Facts are sacred; when not sure, ask. If still not sure, leave out.” As a journalist, you write or edit keeping these in mind. Any medium that ignores this does it at its own peril. rOnoko the Head, Public Relations, National Gallery of Art, wrote from Abuja

15

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

EDITORIAL

PIB IN AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE It’s time to pass the PIB bill

T

wo weeks ago, the United States technology firm, Apple announced an all-time record quarterly revenue of $111.4 billion for the fiscal year which ended on 26th December, 2020. Over $65 billion was earned from sales of iPhone, $8.6 billion from MacBook, $8.4 billion from iPad, $12.9 billion from wearables and accessories while $15.7 billion came from services it renders. In contrast, the latest credible data on the country’s oil earnings from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) showed a $32.6 TODAY, COUNTRIES AND billion revenue in COMPANIES LOOK MORE 2018. Put side by TOWARDS A CLEAN side with Apple’s earning, it beAND EFFICIENT ENERGY comes clearer that ECONOMY, AND THIS tech-services, not CONSISTENTLY PUTS OIL oil, hold the ace.

UNDER PRESSURE Against the background that Morgan Stanley predicted last week that the gasoline industry ‘is about to become totally worthless’ based on their recent survey which revealed that just 23% think gasoline and diesel tech still carries a significant positive value, there are hard days ahead for the country. That it has taken over 20 years for the country to make progress on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) means that clear-cut opportunities which a forward-looking law would have secured are almost lost. The resumed public hearing on the PIB recently ended at the National Assembly in fracas. The federal government proposed 2.5 per cent while the host communities insisted on 10 per cent. In a familiar scenario which has come to define legislative deliberations on the PIB, both failed to agree on how to move forward on the situation.

We therefore urge both parties to quickly reach a compromise to ensure the bill is passed before the end of March as pledged by the Senate President. This is clearly no time to be squabbling over oil resources. Today, countries and com-

Letters to the Editor

I

T H I S DAY EDITOR

DEPUTY EDITOR

˜

˜ MANAGING DIRECTOR

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL

MANAGING EDITOR

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

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ˜

˜

˜ ˜

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS

˜ ˜

DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR

SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS

˜ CONTROLLERS

˜

˜

DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION

HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT

̓

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

panies look more towards a clean and efficient energy economy, and this consistently puts oil under pressure. Save for the heavy transport and manufacturing industries, oil as an energy source practically has substitutes to compete with.

The Morgan Stanley survey for instance revealed that traditional internal combustion engines which is the mainstay of automobiles for more than a century are perhaps destined to become irrelevant as early as 2030. Additionally, in late January, US automaker General Motors (GM) announced that it plans to stop selling vehicles with tailpipe emissions by 2035. Tailpipe emissions vehicles are considered serious threat to human and environmental health because they involve the combustion of petrol which emits noxious chemicals into the air.

Hence, GM’s announcement connotes that it would stop the sale of petrol or diesel-powered vehicles by 2035. These types of vehicles are said to make up nearly all of GM’s annual sales and profit, yet it is considering shelving their production and sales for electric vehicles and making it the first big automaker to commit to full transition even though other automakers like Ford also have plans to aggressively rollout electric vehicles to complement or replace their current fuel-based models.

Nigeria should be attentive to the direction the global economy is travelling. It is on a clean energy path. Imperial College, London, has suspended its MSc programme in Petroleum Geoscience and will also be suspending its MSc in Petroleum Engineering by the end of the current academic season. This is an indication of where the world is headed. Fortunately, the country is blessed with huge natural gas deposits which is largely considered cleaner than oil and surely has a sustained role to play going forward. Putting all venal interests aside to pass the PIB now would therefore guarantee Nigeria the opportunity to make the most of her gas resources in a new world less considerate of oil.

We hope all the relevant stakeholders will work together to ensure its passage this first quarter of 2021 as promised.

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.

RESTRUCTURING: MAKING NIGERIA WORK

t goes without saying that mutual suspicion runs deep amongst the ethnic groups, with significant exchanges of hate-poisoned arrows flying routinely across the divide. In effect, instigating enormous tear on the fabric of our unity. Thus, making attempts at stitching a mammoth task.

Undoubtedly, spats between members of a family cannot be foreclosed but flag of caution needs to be waved when lines are about to be crossed. Our situation has grown so volatile so much so that parallels are drawn with the harbingers of the civil war.

We have never had a nation. We simply go through the motions of allegiance and patriotism. We dwell so much on pettiness and clannishness while on the table and failed to lock our hands together in our walk. Religion and ethnicity are the lens we view ourselves and happenings in the country.

The country is on life support with extreme prescription like – let us put the giant out of its miseries. After all, something must go, for something new to emerge! The question is, do we have to pull everything down with fusillade of bullets and mortar fire so that we rebuild with innocent blood and skulls? Clearly, setting alight the country with the fire of

our primordial sentiments will only leave us with no country to call home.

Too diverse to be one constantly fills our ears and that has subliminally influenced us.

The truth is, good leadership and statesmanship have always been at a premium in the country. That’s the misfortune we have suffered over the years. The good leader weaves us together; on his back bridges are built and in his palms development and prosperity grows. Over the years the instruments of unity have practically been decimated and social justice torn into ribbons. Expectedly, engendering the pervasive undercurrent of alienation.

The production line of leaders is faulty.

And, you need a formidable ‘war chest’ and an army of conscienceless persons with hands smeared by blood and mind befuddled with drugs to elbow your way into elective positions.

When power is secured, the ‘winners’ retreat into the echo chamber built by obsequious courtiers where dissenting voices hardly pierce through. Altars are erected in glory of mediocrity. Neutrality in administering the country in the face of our plurality are glossed over. The delivery of the goods is made subservient to personal aggrandizement and ordinary citizens on whose back victory is recorded are left in the lurch.

It beggars belief that in the 21st century, the weight of the provision of basic social services are borne by the citizens which really means that a social contract hardly exists. How do you trust a system that operates with no sense of responsibility? The answer you get from the steady stream of citizens making their way out of the country on why they are emigrating is basically to secure a better future under a system that works.

The harvest of deaths on account of insecurity are showing no sign of receding.

Citizens are unmitigatedly inured of the avalanche of insensate killings as they routinely come in quick succession providing no chance to properly grieve. Seemingly, populists or outlaws whatever label you may put on them are gradually emerging from the cracks to feed on the frustrations and disillusionment of hapless citizens.

For a fact, the country has been driven into a cul de sac thus the necessity to engage the reverse gear onto the freeway way of restructuring - a change in the socioeconomic and political structure.

I couldn’t agree more with the erudite columnist Idowu Akinlotan that “the stability of a country and progress it makes depend on its structure and grundnorm.”

The conventional wisdom is that our stymied development and the toxic political

squabbles are upshot of the present system which advertently was designed to have a federal body with a unitary heart and soul for a rigid control by the military.

Since, the “Unification Decree” No.34 of 1966 by Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi which put paid to the federal system of government our constitutions have continued to reinforce the central government with exclusive powers which has effectively fostered the fierce political rivalry amongst the elite and disparate groups for affluence and influence.

Suffice to say, the fixation with the current political arrangement has power and the perks as incentive.

Nigeria was already at the fast lane of development with regional governments exercising power and control over the abundant resources within their domain.

Legacies of the halcyon periods of true federalism are still visible. Nigeria would have been in the same plane of development with many developed countries of the world were the steam of the huge stride of development maintained.

At any rate, consensus is reachable in moulding a structure that will confer powers to the constituent units in engendering “self reliance, self development for sustainable prosperity”. rAbachi Ungbo, abachi007@yahoo.com

16

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 •T H I S D AY

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 • T H I S D AY

17

18

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAYFEBRUARY 16, 2021

POLITICS

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

From the Supreme Court, a Self-serving Request Davidson Iriekpen writes that the Supreme Court’s memorandum to the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution seeking to increase the retirement age of justices from 70 to 75 years, has come under attacks by many critics including a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami

Muhammad

A

former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, last week, came down hard on the memorandum sent to the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution, seeking to increase the retirement age of justices of the Supreme Court Justices from 70 to 75 years.

Penultimate week, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, had revealed that the Supreme Court justices were pushing for their retirement age to be increased from 70 to 75 years.

According to him, there was also another memo calling for increase in the retirement age of judges of the states, including the FCT and the Federal High Courts from 65 to 70 years.

At present, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices retire at 70 years while state High Court and Federal High Court judges, including judges of the FCT High Courts, retire at age 65.

Omo-Agege said the apex court’s proposal and that of the High Court judges would be treated by the committee and brought before the Senate for consideration as two bills by March 2021.

Among others, he said: “To put you under further pressure, we have also decided to extricate one or two issues dealing with the judiciary, most importantly, the one dealing with the retirement age for judges of the states, including the FCT and the federal high courts to bring in parity with the 70 years retirement age of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

“There is also the issue of the clamour by the Supreme Court to also move from 70 to 75 years.

I am sure you are all aware that it is up to our colleagues in both chambers and of course, the State Houses of Assembly to decide whether or not we should move ahead with both.”

But the proposal has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians, who feel that instead of the judges to harp on absolute independence of the judiciary, they were making mundane requests that would not do the country any good.

For instance, while justices of the Supreme Court of the United States serve for life, in other jurisdictions such as Germany, United Kingdom and Canada, where life expectancy is high, they retire at 68, 70 and 75 respectively. Many have argued that in these countries, even at these ages, they are still of sound minds unlike in Nigeria.

This is why many analysts and observers feel that it would be wrong for the National Assembly to increase their retirement age. They argued that when the judiciary is independent, not only would the emoluments of judges be significantly improved, many other conditions of service would be well taken care of.

Those who spoke to THISDAY wondered why the judges were afraid of retirement?

They also wondered if the soundness of their minds would remain intact at 75, questioning the depreciation of productivity value, level of their physical fitness and their mental fitness for the delicate national assignment?

For these reasons, they enjoined members

Omo-Agege

of the National Assembly to concentrate their energies on issues like independence of the judiciary, devolution of powers, restructuring, state police and others that are urgently needed to move the country forward.

Justice Salami, while reacting, advised the Senate to ignore it, saying some of the judges were not healthy and strong enough as many of them regularly travel abroad for treatment.

He also claimed that some of them forget easily in addition to memory challenges.

The former PCA added that some of the judges do not know their actual age and have been using declaration of age affidavit, noting that the nation could fill the vacancies from a pool of qualified, experienced and healthier professionals.

He said: “It’s understood that it’s being contemplated to raise the tenure of the Supreme Court justices and possibly those of the Court of Appeal to 75 years within the next couple of weeks, to be precise, before the end of March.

The profession is ominously silent over it.

“I could remember that the same issue was brought up by the Senate during my screening for the President of the Court of Appeal, which was persuaded by my reasoning. I contended that very few of us had birth certificates. Invariably we rely on declaration of age, which is generally inflated, because they are inferred from incidences or occurrences the happening of which we were not sure of.”

According to him, it is dangerous and unproductive for the nation to increase the age of judges it is unsure of, adding that to be increasing age, which is predicated on unsure parameters could be dangerous merely, because their counterparts elsewhere retire at about that age without taking into account the faulty starting point.

Salami

“Many of them are not healthy. They regularly travel abroad for treatment, and some of them forget easily in addition to memory challenges.

In the circumstances, some of the justices would only be there as passengers to fulfill statutory conditions without ability to make meaningful contribution. This is a condition that could easily be exploited by dishonest members of the court.

“It’s my humble opinion that the present retirement age is adequate for any sincere hardworking member of the court. It’s not only consuming but also tasking emotionally, physically and mentally.

There is a pool of qualified, experienced and healthier professionals from which vacancies created by their respective retirements can be filled,” he said.

Salami said even at 70 years, some of the judges in the apex court were no longer strong as they used to be, adding that what should be paramount to the nation now was the output of the judges at old age.

He said: “We should have in mind their output at old age. The interest of the nation and not preference of the justices should be paramount on the minds of the senators. The employer and not the labourer, determines the duration of the contract. It’s the people who make a constitution for themselves and not an institution thereof.”

Supporting Salami’s views, a lawyer, Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, did not see the need for the new retirement age.

“On my part, I do not see the need for such increase in the retirement age. If our judges and justices are unanimous on this demand, it means they are all comfortable with what is happening in the system, including deprivation of the independence of judiciary, poor facilities and remuneration and the unnecessary workload they are being shouldered with.

Many analysts and observers feel that it would be wrong for the National Assembly to increase their retirement age. They argued that when the judiciary is independent, not only would the emoluments of judges be significantly improved, many other conditions of service would be well taken care of.

Those who spoke to THISDAY wondered why the judges were afraid of retirement? They also wondered if the soundness of their minds would remain intact at 75, questioning the depreciation of productivity value, level of their physical fitness and their mental fitness for the delicate national assignment? For these reasons, they enjoined members of the National Assembly to concentrate their energies on issues like independence of the judiciary, devolution of powers, restructuring, state police and others that are urgently needed to move the country forward

“It was the politicians that insisted the other time that they must be allowed to argue their appeal on governorship election cases up to the Supreme Court, which further increased the workload of the Supreme Court jurists.

“The appeal on such cases used to terminate at the Court of Appeal. I am of the view that the Supreme Court Justices in particular must be seriously concerned, and be pushing for the constitutional review that will checkmate the nature of the appeal cases that go to the Supreme Court as observed by some justices of the court.

“There are appeal cases that should not have business going to the apex court but should terminate at the Court of Appeal. Another thing again is that we operate a system that encourages people to falsify their ages unnecessarily.

“It is not surprising that some judges have been sanctioned in recent time for falsifying their ages, when going into the system. It is not the number of years that a judge puts into the judicial service that matters but the positive impact and contributions made. It is for this reasons that I concur with Hon. Justice Ayo Salami and I have nothing more to add,” he stated.

Also faulting the proposal, a public affairs analyst, Alex Enemanna said, “Why is the muscled and emasculated judiciary not harping on independence rather they concentrate on elongation of retirement age? Are they comfortable with the current system, where they beg cap-in-hand, wholly at the mercy of the executive for allocation in a way that stifles the principle of independence of the arms of government? These are questions begging for answers.

“Left to fly, new retirement age for judges will serve as disincentive for younger benchers, who aspire to reach the top of their professional career. With one representation from each state, it implies that there will not be any replacement until a sitting judge clocks 75 or 70 as the case may be. Lest I forget, why are we so sure that the soundness of the minds of the judges will remain intact while we over-labour them at an old age? Are they immune from depreciation of productivity value, as they grow higher in age?

“What is the level of their physical fitness that we must bank on their mental fitness for such a delicate national assignment at the age of 75 and 70, respectively? Aside this, this self-serving mission has the tendency to further generate constitutional crisis than we may envisage.

What happens if civil servants, police officers, the military and para-military agencies and the rest begin to ask for a new retirement age? Can we shoulder the pressure?

“The national and state legislatures must discard such bill to the bin, where it rightly belongs. They should commit their energy to pushing agenda that will have a wide spread and minister to the critical needs of our people particularly, security, employment and national unity. These should occupy the front burner in the upcoming Constitution Review exercise.

Anything short of this will amount to effort in futility,” he concluded.

19

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAYFEBRUARY 16, 2021

POLITICS

Obi’s Growing Influence A Titan in Life and in Death Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, who in Anambra Politics represents Lagos East senatorial district in the David-Chyddy Eleke writes that Mr Peter Obi, Senate honours the memory of the First Executive the immediate past governor of Anambra State is Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, fast becoming a reference point for politicians in who passed on recently with a fitting tribute the state, across party lines, as aspirants seeking the governorship seat of the state have made him their role model

Obi

A

nambra State will not forget Mr Peter Obi in a very long while.

Though his tenure as governor had long gone, his works in the state remain indelible in the memory of the people of the state. Obi has gone ahead to be a reference point for good governance in the entire country, leaving many with the quest to get him to contest for the seat of the president of Nigeria, with a strong believe that he has the capacity to turn the fortunes of the country around.

Though a soft spoken person, between 2006 and 2014, Mr Peter Obi showed that even with an outward meekness, which many translated as weakness, within lies a very resilient and tough character, especially considering the circumstances under which he came to office.

Obi took over as governor of Anambra State at a time when the state was seen throigh different lenses by people from other parts of the country.

Replacing Dr Chris Ngige as governor after an appeal court verdict, many felt that Obi didn’t have the kind of toughness it takes to hold the state together, especially that during the the close to three years of Ngige in office, he battled what latter came to be known as a small clique of renegades, who constituted themselves into godfathers and insisted that only their wishes must be done in the state. Despite his acclaimed stubbornness, Ngige became the first state governor, and perhaps the only till date, who even with the full paraphernalia of office was kidnapped. So, when Obi came in, many thought he would not last.

To instill discipline in the state, Obi started by cutting politicians to size, insisting that politics was not a day time job. Again, Obi ensured that the backing NATO (National Association Transport Owners) and NURTW (National Union of Road Transport Workers) got from influential persons be stopped. NATO and NURTW were the pool from where mayhem-causing individuals in the state were drawn, in those days. Though Obi became very well known for his stinginess, he was able to cut down the number of vehicles in his convoy, and always insisted on travelling light, on the notion that each time he travelled, it was only the governor that was needed, and as such, taking more people to the venue of a meeting was like causing confusion, while such people also draw estacode from government coffers for joining a trip they had no value to add.

Before leaving office in 2017, Obi had totally changed the psyche of the people of the state, from a people already at home with violence and destruction of properties, to a peace-loving people. Besides his achievement in infrastructure, Obi declared a huge savings for the state, and to date, he is still being referenced to as the best governor to have governed the state, while others believe he is the best in the South-east zone, if not in the entire country.

As Anambra begins preparation for another

governorship election, Obi has again become a rallying point for aspirants in the state, with many of them openly professing their love for his style of governance. Though he is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), members and aspirants of other political parties have never failed to reference him as one worthy of emulation.

Today, many of the governorship aspirants in the PDP model their manifesto after his, with particular reference to cutting wastage in government. One of the governorship aspirants, Hon Chris Azubogu who is the member representing Nnewi North, South and Ekwusigo federal constituency in the House of Representatives in a recent chat with THISDAY stated that government was carrying the burden of waste and expenditure occasioned by lack of meticulousness by the leaders. “During the tenure of Mr Peter Obi, we were able to cut down wastage from payment of salaries through biometric verification. Obi used my company to conduct biometrics on all the workers, and at the end, we were able to save government hundreds of millions on a monthly basis, which should have been paid out in the name of salaries.

These are the kind of things I will be doing for the state, when I become the governor,” Azubogu said.

Also, a former Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Plc, and governorship aspirant of the PDP, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, in a chat with journalists urged Anambra State voters to elect someone in the class of ex-governor, Peter Obi, in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for November. Ozigbo said, “Peter Obi left Anambra on a positive trajectory with various sums left in many banks which have been validated by many sources. But today, Anambra is in such a debt that one starts to wonder how the state government is where it is now. With the way things are moving, Anambra will soon be left out in the comity of economically-viable states in the near future.

That is why my mission is very apt.”

Ozigbo continued, “We cannot afford another mistake of enthroning incompetence after such underperformance. Anambra today is a shadow of what it used to be. Obiano has done his best but whether his best is good enough, it is for the people to judge. I have moved around the state and observed serious infrastructural decay, poor waste management, lack of access to basic amenities and so on. More worrisome is the rising debt profile of Anambra State, despite the poor performance of the government.”

Governorship aspirants are not the only ones in love with Obi’s mode of governance. The member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Hon Chukwuka Onyema, recently said any serious and sincere politician should seek to emulate exemplary politicians like Mr. Peter Obi. Onyema who was speaking at the town hall meeting organized for interactions with his constituents, praised Obi, who he described as a man that left behind so many legacy projects in Anambra State as the Governor.

As more politicians continue to show admiration for the businessman turned politician, he too continues to show class, noiselessly. During a recent stakeholders meeting of the PDP to strategize on how to win the forthcoming governorship election, Obi surprised the aspirants of the party. The chairman of the party in the state, Mr Ndubuisi Nwobu in his welcome address lamented the poor funding of the party, insisting that it is resisting the temptation of going cap in hand to beg for funds. He charged the aspirants to help make donations that can be used in the running of the party, also stating that the party in the state was in need of buses and other logistics that could help it function efficiently.

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

Jakande

N

igeria’s cadre of selfless and patriotic leaders was again depleted on Thursday with the passage of Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, (19292021). He was a titan in his lifetime and he blazed into eternal glory as a hero.

Pa LKJ was a rare being. He lived an undisguised spartan lifestyle over obscene opulence.

Pa LKJ modelled himself as a trustworthy leader who was sold out to the cause of the masses. He was a Classical Utilitarian in the mold of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill who espoused the mantra of “greatest good to the greatest number of people”.

When he held the reins of power in Lagos between 1979-1983, he revolutionized the art of governance and deployed uncanny dexterity in the management of resources to the benefits of the people especially the multitude at the bottom of the pyramid.

Pa LKJ ignored short-sighted naysayers who mocked some of the initiatives of his government particularly the makeshift schools to drive massive enrolment. They scorned the schools as ‘poultry sheds’, but as a visionary leader, he fired on.

The government increased the numbers of primary schools in Lagos State from 605 to 812 with 533,001 pupils and secondary schools were increased from 105 to 223 with 167,629 students.

In the same vein, Pa LKJ Government constructed 11, 729 classrooms with the maximum of 40 children per class between March and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000 classrooms.

Years later, posterity judged him fairly as many kids of the poor who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get education got a lifeline. The former governor also enrolled his children in the public schools he built.

He built the first only Lagos state-owned university, Lagos State University, LASU among other great interventions in the education sector.

Pa LKJ’s achievements were legion. He built the massive Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, where ministries and agencies of government are located including the Government House (Round House).

Taking a cue from his leader and mentor, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who built the first television station in Africa, Pa LKJ

built Lagos Television, LTV and Radio Lagos FM. Pa LKJ fought the housing deficit by dotting the entire landscape of Lagos with low and affordable housing estates. The buildings are still standing today sheltering hundreds of Lagosians. Within the same period, the water board came on stream to provide portable pipe-borne water to many households and businesses.

Waste board that later became LAWMA was also created by the former governor.

Others include, establishment of LASACO insurance, Lagos State Printing Corporation, electricity board, general hospitals, asphalt plant, provision of commercial boats for ferry services, construction of markets. The achievements are just too many to list.

Pa LKJ raised the bar of excellence and set high standards in governance and proved that a leader does not require eternity to make a lasting mark. He changed the cause of history in Lagos in four years.

He later served as a Minister for Works in the General Sani Abacha Government.

He was incorruptible all the way. Despite overseeing the construction of the biggest residential estate in West Africa, Gwarimpa Estate in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Pa LKJ never allocated a plot of land to himself.

Pa LKJ lived for the people. He never amassed wealth while in office but he was preoccupied with bequeathing enduring legacies. No long motorcade blaring siren.

Pa LKJ was satisfied with his famous and personal Toyota Crown.

He rejected the allures of office and lived in the house he built in Ilupeju before he assumed office all through his tenure.

The modest one-storey building located at 7 Bishop Street, Ilupeju was the same house he returned to after a successful stint as First Executive Governor of Lagos.

He died in the same House on Thursday, February 11, 2021.

Pa LKJ was a bosom friend of my late father, Hon Justice MAO Abiru. My father was the Senator representing Ikorodu Division in 1979, the same period Pa LKJ was blazing the trail as Governor of Lagos State. They both upheld the highest level of democratic ethos and served the people with forthrightness.

Pa LKJ stands tall in life and in death.

Generation to come will always be grateful to him.

20

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 07010510430

Tackling Child Marriage, Rape in Katsina Francis Sardauna chronicles the efforts made by Save the Children International that led to the signing of Child Protection bill into law in Katsina State after 17 years of struggles and its sustained clamour for implementation

I

n 1989, world leaders made a historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is an international agreement on childhood across the globe.

The Convention says childhood is separate from adulthood, and lasts until 18. It is a special, protected time, in which children must be allowed to grow, learn, develop and flourish with dignity in line with relevant laws that protects them.

In Nigeria, the Act was passed into law in 2003 by former President Olusegun Obansanjo as the Children’s Rights Act (CRC) 2003, in large part because of the media pressure that national stakeholders and international organisations put on the National Assembly.

Article 3 of CRC states that “In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration”.

Following the adoption of the Act in Nigeria, child marriage became illegal and the minimum age of marriage increased to 18 in the country. Though the legislation was put in place by the federal government, states are meant to adopt and pass the Act. Despite the domestication of the Act at the national level, investigation revealed that Bauchi, Yobe, Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Zamfara, Gombe, Kebbi, Jigawa and Kano States are still battling with relevant stakeholders to ensure the passage of the act into law.

But in Katsina State, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Save the Children International (SCI), has facilitated the passage of the Act in order to tackle deteriorating cases of child marriage, rape, labour and other impediments bedevilling the state, particularly in rural areas.

The non-profitable organisation believes that one of the remedies to end child marriage and other heinous crimes afflicting children in the state, is to domesticate the Act and increase the enrollment of girls for primary education, ensure retention and their transition to secondary school.

Accordingly, the organisation is working in Rimi and Sandamu Local Government Areas of the state with an average of 11 wards each, targeting no fewer than 33,000 married and unmarried adolescent boys and girls to address gender inequalities and improve their sexual and reproductive health services.

SCI, through its projects, REACH Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make informed Choices for their Health and Better Life for Girls, has impacted positively on the lives of young girls and boys in the state by empowering and educating them on their civic rights.

The organisation ensured the passage of the Child Right Act through frequent advocacy meetings with the state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari and members of the State House of Assembly. It equally engaged traditional and religious leaders across the state on the need for its passage.

THISDAY reliably gathered that the Act was presented by the executive to the State House of Assembly in 2003 during late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led administration in the state as Child Right Act but the then lawmakers after series of deliberations, changed the name to Child Protection Bill.

The bill, which scaled the first and second reading was not passed into law due to criticism on its content by prominent Islamic scholars, parents and other critical stakeholders, including some top government officials and it was later declared missing by the lawmakers.

Principal officers of State Children Parliament after the celebration of 2020 Day of African Child organised by SCI

However, after pressure from Save the Children International through its Community Engagement and Advocacy Coordinator, Mrs Murjanatu Kabir, the bill was resubmitted to the current sixth Assembly by Governor Masari on March 3, 2020.

After the resubmission of the Child Protection Bill by the state government to the Assembly and subsequent agitation for its immediate passage by SCI, the lawmakers unanimously passed it into law on November 26, 2020.

Musa Nuhu, who chaired a nine-man committee inaugurated by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Tasi'u Musa Maigari for the passage of the hitherto bill, while presenting the recommendations of the committee during plenary, canvassed for the immediate passage of the bill into law to end the prevailing cases of rape, child marriage and child labour in the state.

Nuhu, who is the member representing Kaita, during the plenary, told his colleagues that all misconceptions attached to the bill have been tackled, adding that the bill provides the opportunity for the protection of children’s rights and better welfare packages for them.

He explained that the bill also seeks to address the menace of drug abuse, underaged marriage, same-sex marriage and other social vices bedevilling children, particularly teenage girls in the state, adding that government at all levels has the task of ensuring that the rights of children are placed on top priority of their agenda for proper development.

Meanwhile, after hours of deliberations and counterarguments on the committee’s report, the lawmakers unanimously passed the controversial Child Protection bill into law and a clean copy was forwarded to Governor Masari where he signed it

into law on December 24, 2020.

Although, the law did not specify age limit for marriage in the case of a Muslim child, but it emphasised that any person who marries, betroths or promote child marriage in the state without the consent of the child's parents commits an offence that is liable on conviction to a fine of N200,000 or imprisonment for a term of two years as enshrined in part IV, section 1 and 2 of the law.

Also, Part III, section 13 subsection (1) of the law States, "Every child has the right to free, compulsory and universal basic education and it shall be the duty of the State to provide such education".

While in section 3 of the same part III, the law made it mandatory for parents to ensure that their children attend and complete primary and secondary schools before marriage.

The law further stated that a child who becomes pregnant under special circumstances before completing her education shall be given the opportunity after delivery to continue on the basis of individual or parents' ability. Therefore, there is need for parents not to discriminate a child who got pregnant while in school, but work towards the completion of her education after given birth.

Consequently, any parent or person who has the care and custody of a child and fails to educate or provide the basic humanitarian needs for the child, commit an offence punishable under Part IV subsection (3) of the law. And such offenders will be convicted to pay N5,000 or serve a jail term of one month, while subsequent convictions attracts a fine of N10,000 or two months imprisonment.

Part IV, section 24 subsection (2) of the law, equally spelt out punishment for rapists. It stated that: "Whoever sexually

In Katsina, the governor has signed the Child Protection Bill into Law after several years of struggle. What is left now is the implementation.

So, we are calling on relevant stakeholders, including the media to work towards its implementation in order to end issues of rape, out-of-school children and child marriage

harass a child is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years and a fine of not less than N200,000".

To avert contempt of court, the law banned members of the public from publishing name, address, school, photograph or anything likely to lead to the identification of a child whose matter is before the court, "except in so far as required or permitted" by the provisions of the law.

With the passage of the bill into law, what is left for state government, parents, traditional and religious leaders and security agencies is to adopt workable and revolving mechanism for the implementation or enforcement of the law in the state, particularly in villages where cases of rape and child marriage are rampant.

It is, however, worrisome to note that the Katsina State Police Command during its press conference said it has recorded 287 cases of rape and 22 sodomy cases in 2020, while 236 cases are undergoing investigation and most of the victims are between the age of three and 14.

Apparently miffed by the statistics of rape cases released by the command, Save the Children International at a five-day capacity building training for journalists in Kano, said it has become imperative for the state government and relevant security agencies to support the police in order to implement the law.

Mrs Murjanatu Kabir, who disclosed this during the training, which drew journalists from Katsina, Gombe and Abuja, said the implementation of the law would tackle the pervading cases of rape and child marriage bedevilling children in the state.

In her presentation christened, “Katsina Updates”, Kabir said although the state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, had assented to the Child Protection Bill into Law, but more needs to be done in curtailing the upsurge in violence, sexual abuse and other challenges militating against children’s education in the state.

She said: “In Katsina, the governor has signed the Child Protection Bill into Law after several years of struggle. What is left now is the implementation. So, we are calling on relevant stakeholders, including the media to work towards its implementation in order to end issues of rape, out-of-school children and child marriage.”

21

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

FEATURES

We Can’t All Be Xenophobes Olalekan Adigun

T

he famous Mayflower School, Ikenne was founded on strong principles of problem-solving, self-sufficiency, and humanism.

Its founder, Dr. Tai Solarin, is a renowned humanist and educationist established in 1956. The ex-Mays (as the Mayflower alumni are called) who were around either when late Solarin was actively teaching (at a time when William F. Kumuyi attended in the 1970s) or in his lifetime when he just patrolled the expansive school compound in his signature brown shirt, short pants, and hat to match (in the 1990s) will readily testify to the quality of education the school had to offer.

What many do not know is the fact that at the time, Mayflower boasts of one of the largest community of Ghanaians (and other Africans mostly refugees from wartorn Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Africa etc) which made it unique for its rigorous teaching, discipline, and moral aptitude.

The Ghanaians teachers (and other non-teaching staff) found refuge and home in Solarin’s Mayflower after the popular “Ghana-Must-Go” actions by Nigerians against their West African neighbours in the early 19080s. Truly, we all can’t be xenophobes.

Like most Nigerians, I watched with dismay how some misguided South Africans destroy properties belonging to Nigerians and other African brothers under the pretense that they are criminals, drug peddlers, or “taking our jobs”. This was the belief of Nigerians in the 1980s too. They hoped the “jobs” these foreigners have taken will be enough to sustain them after they’ve left.

What were Ghanaians doing in Nigeria at the time in terms of occupation?

Teaching, barbing, hawking “puff puff”, shoemaking and in some cases, prostitution and minor crimes. With the nation’s economy experiencing recession due to slump in international oil prices, the Shehu Shagari administration undertook some desperate economic measures including the National Economic Emergency Act (Austerity Measures) in 1982.

When the situation did not immediately improve and facing possible election defeat in the face of formidable opposition in 1983, Shagari hurriedly signed the Expulsion Order for Ghanaians and other African nationals to leave the country in ninety days. Even the desperate appeals from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and other international organisations should not persuade Lagos to change its mind.

Nigerians need Ghanaians jobs. Like President Trump who thinks Mexicans and nationals of other countries are “bringing drugs, crimes” or that “they do not send their best”, Xenophobes are adepts at baseless generalizations. After all, foreigners are “sh*thole” countries.

In 2019 or thereabouts, I watched a video depicting a young South African in an ANC-inscribed shirt ordering other African nations to “leave my country and go back to wherever you came from.” This man, by my estimation, should be in his 30s. If my estimation is correct, it meanshe was either a kid in the heat of apartheid (in the ‘80s or early ‘90s) or wasn’t born at all. He may never have reallyknown that apartheid regime was actually xenophobic.

With Apartheid History barely taught in High Schools, nobody informed him about how his parents were forbidden from visiting certain places in South Africa by their privileged Afrikaans or Boers.

Also, nobody probablytold the poor dude that the Africans he was fighting were not the reason he has no job or means of livelihood.

But, who will tell him when he’s been made to believe the menial jobs or small businesses fellow Africans were doing were the best he could do in a country his forefathers proudly called theirs? Logic, details. and rational reasoning are too expensive for xenophobes. They are dictators who will tolerate no opposition. If anyone

A herdsman and his cattle dares caution them about the needlessness of xenophobia, s/he is immediately seen as a betrayer who must be destroyed too.

Xenophobes derive joy from collective, unchallenged, unregulated display of madness towards others by appealing to people’s worst fears or emotions, creating enmity where there’s none, seeing the strange in the familiar, and encouraging people to see how different they are from others as their basis for power. Since xenophobesprey on bandwagon and human vulnerabilities for violence, xenophobes demand that everyone must either agree with them, be silent, or be destroyed alongside foreigners.

I normally see Nigerians expressing outrage whenever xenophobes in other countries attack our citizens. Sure, it’s politically correct to condemn xenophobia in other countries. Nobody wants to be classified as a “Nigerian fraudster” or “terrorist” just because some Nigerians have made crimes their means of livelihoods abroad.

Nobody likes xenophobes in South Africa classifying all Nigerians as “drug dealers” even though many Nigerians are into this illicit trade. But for xenophobes all over the principle is simple: if one (or a few of you) is bad, everyone else is bad and must be made to “go back to wherever you came from.” It sounds familiar, right?

Only recently did some Nigerians show how much of xenophobes they are. This time, the victims of the xenophobia aren’t citizens of others countries but Nigerians like themselves. The Governor of Ondo State, Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu, set the tone by ordering all unregistered herders (who are ethnic Fulanis) to vacate forest reserves within the state. He also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the herdsmen.

As if that was not enough, a political thug, Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho), who holds no office or authority under the Nigerian Constitution, issued an order for all “Fulanis to leave my father’s state” and other states in the South Western part of Nigeria. I watched with dismay how those who should know better supported and rallied support for this motor park miscreant. Soon after, the so-called Eastern Security Network – a creation of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) – soon issued a similar notice to leave the South East.

Like typical xenophobes, they carried out these threats unchecked(perhaps with tactic political support from some quarters) raiding settlements (some of which date back over four/five decades ago), burning,

PHOTO: GOOGLE looting, killing, and maiming people in the process just for the crime of looking like Fulani or herdsman. If this isn’t xenophobic enough, nothing will!

Admittedly, the age long farmer-herder conflicts need to stop but the problem has been how to stop it. Virtually all solutions put forward have been rejected by either party mainly for political reasons. That said, the xenophobicarguments of driving away people “from our lands” for just being Fulani or herdsmen remains ridiculous to me – and will always be. That sounds to me more like deporting all Nigerians from South Africa as the solution to drug abuse or other crimes. I am equally not persuaded by the arguments of herders on the continuous practice of open grazing which is one of the contentious matters in the farmer-herder conflicts. This sounds archaic. It’s like the telling countries like Denmark or Norway to go back to the “golden age of Vikings”.

While it’s true that these countries founded by the Norsemen tribes, technology has fast eroded the culture of the Vikings. The statements of some leaders of the Mayetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) sounds misplaced and dubious. I agree at this point with the Governor of Kano state, UmarGanduje, on the need to restrict movements of inter-state or trans-border herders since it appears they account for most of the cases of disputes and criminalities.

If Apartheid was terrible and xenophobia is condemnable, we have no moral justifications to profile whole ethnic groups or occupations as criminals even to the extent to choosing for them where to live and work. As a Nigerian citizen, nobody can choose for me where I should live or work just because of my tribe or occupation. Under the international migration laws, there are no “settlers” especially if you’ve lived or worked in a place for over a decade. Burning down settlements, properties, or even outright killings under any guise is condemnable.

If we condemn South African xenophobes and their actions against fellow Africans, will our own inherent xenophobic spirits allow us to condemn our own xenophobia? What would have been our reactions if white racists in US or South Africa did this to blacks and telling them to “go back to wherever you came from”. Yet, black neibourhoods have unenviable and annoying records of gun violence, drug abuse, sexual violence and other crimes, but will that be enough to profile all blacks and people of colour as

“criminals”? except you’re a hypocrite, you can’t tell me there are no criminals in your community.

While I’m open to finding workable and acceptable solutions to the perennial farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria, the short-sighted arguments of local xenophobes and ethnic bigots do not appeal to me in any way. Aspects of agriculture like livestock and food production are pivotal for the nation’s economy. This is why I’m passionate about a workable solution to the problem, not the local xenophobes’ knee jerk “go back to where you come from” arguments.

The livestock business alone is a multi-million-naira industry which, if well managed, Nigeria would have effectively diversified its economy from oil. What the resident Fulani and herding communities should do in the immediate term is cooperate with security agencies to help fish out criminal elements within them. All human communities – either indigenous or settlers - have their criminal elements too. It is not out of place for an age long problem like the farmer-herder disputes not to have criminal dimensions like cattle rustling, land grabbing, property theft, etc.

So, we shouldn’t reduce ourselves to xenophobic tendencies of ethnic or racial profiling for crimes. I also urge the governors of the states to commit to protecting the lives of all – irrespective of tribes, religion, or socio-economicstatus – who live in their states as stated in the 1999 Constitution.

I was back in Mayflower having left a long time ago to fetch some documents some years ago and ran into one of my old Ghanaian teachers, Mr. Kobeina. He somehow still recognized me with the way he said “Adigun, you have really grown.”

I smiled watching this man who flogged the devil out of my younger body several years earlier. I was still mildly scared of him especially his firm grip of my right hand though he’s retired now. He still lives in Ikennewith his family. As he told me, he chose to stay back in Nigeria– a country that he has known all his life. He came to Lagos as a boy immediately after Nigeria’s Independence but had to deal with the shock of “Ghana-Must-Go”. He remains eternally grateful for what Mayflower – where he calls home –has done for him and his family. His priceless, brown teeth smile is a constant reminder to me that we can’t all be xenophobes! ... Adigun, a public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos. He tweets from @ MrLekanAdigun

22

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 •T H I S D AY

LAWYER

A

WEEKLY PULLOUT

DETERMINING THE PATERNITY OF A CHILD

16.02.2021

2/DASHBOARD

16.02.2021

LAWYER WEEKLY PULLOUT

16.02.2021

DETERMINING THE PATERNITY OF A CHILD

No Case Submission: When It Can be Sustained PAGE 4

IGP Tenure Extension: NBA Sues FG PAGE 5

QUOTABLES ‘No Nigerian is being sent away from anywhere. Criminals are being sent away from the forests. And so, when we now come here and say, “some people after doing this thing and they are sending people away”, you send the wrong message out.’ - Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP Senator representing Abia-South Senatorial District, Abia State, Minority Senate Leader, 9th National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria ‘We would have declared insecurity a national emergency, the same way we declared Covid a national emergency. The figures that are coming out of insecurity, are higher than the figures that are coming out of Covid.’ - Senator Abiodun Olujimi, PDP Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Ekiti State, 9th National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Professor Olawoyin, SAN Passes On PAGE 5

The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry-Post Privatisation Realities, Trends and Challenges PAGE 6

/3

16.02.2021

Stereotyping, Gay Rights and Fulani Herders Last week, two issues caught my attention vis-a-vis Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)(the Constitution), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion - President Biden’s LGBTQI foreign policy, and stereotyping Fulanis/Fulani Herdsmen as criminals.

President Biden’s LGBTQI Foreign Policy Last week, I watched the Anchors of our Arise ‘Morning Show’, briefly discuss the issue of Gay Rights vis-a-vis President Biden's new foreign policy to, inter alia, protect the rights of LGBTQI (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex) abroad, and consider financial sanctions and visa restrictions on foreign governments (like ours) who not only oppose this practice, but have legislation in place criminalising same sex relationships. This is obviously a way to pressurise those of us who have criminalised same sex relationships and the like, to rescind our decision. In Nigeria for example, not only are such relationships believed to be alien to our culture, sodomy, unnatural offences and indecent practices between males have always been offences under the Criminal Code Act, Penal Code Act; and now, the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2014 (SSMPA) which is more specific and extensive.

This makes for an interesting argument. The members of the National Assembly (NASS) are the representatives of the Nigerian people. Therefore, when they enact a law, it is inferred that the law represents the desire of majority of their constituents.

If this is so, this translates to the fact that majority of Nigerians are opposed to same sex relationships.

As the saying goes, majority, and not everybody, carries the vote. Ergo, the first question to ask, is whether the preferences of the minority and that of a foreign State, America, takes precedence over that of the majority of Nigerians?

And while Section 17(2)(a) of the Constitution mandates equality of rights, obligations and opportunities for all Nigerian citizens which obviously includes those with same sex or unusual preferences, Section 42 of the same Constitution does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or preferences, that is, LGBTQI is not one of the categories listed in Section 42 for non-discrimination.

A community reading of Sections 17(2)(a), 37, 40 & 42(1)(a) of the Constitution seems to make laws like the SSMPA which seek to restrict an individual's right to equality, freedom of privacy and association, null and void ab initio, but can we ignore the fact that in accordance with Section 45 of the Constitution, the SSMPA may be the law enacted to derogate from any fundamental rights provisions that may seem to permit same sex relationships, on the ground of public morality?

Whatever the case, the constitutionality or otherwise of the SSMPA and similar laws are seen by many as our Nigerian internal affairs, and nobody else’s; and that since same sex practices and the like are repugnant to our culture (which is obviously vastly different from the culture of America and other western civilisation countries), it is our prerogative to make laws which are suitable for our own purposes.

A query which also arises is that, as a sovereign nation, is America in the position to dictate to Nigeria which laws are acceptable or not? There exists the accepted principle of International Law of Sovereignty, which gives a country total authority over all its laws and activities within its geographical territory.

Could it be that President Biden’s administration is observing this principle in the breach, by seeking to force African countries to go against their cultural norms and accept theirs? Or do you believe that President Biden is right, and that it is a fundamental human right for a person to choose whom they love, no matter their sex, and therefore it is discriminatory by virtue of Section 42 to deprive the LGBTQI the same rights as others? Some believe that this particular freedom is not at large, and must end somewhere, just as Section 45 of the Constitution derogates from the freedoms guaranteed us based on certain parameters. In Hungary, Finland and Romania, Bestiality or Zoophilia (having sexual relations with an animal) is legal. Will they impose sanctions on countries who do not accept this unholy and disgusting practice, or have sanctions been imposed on them by other countries for legalising same? Has America been sanctioned by African nations, for its unfair and sometimes brutal treatment of African Americans? No. My dear colleagues, please, share your opinion on this matter. Is it discriminatory and contrary to Section 42 of the Constitution, not to accord those with same sex or other preferences the same rights as heterosexuals?

The Fulanis and Stereotyping The second issue is that of the kidnapping, rape and other forms of violence which formerly encompassed

Benue State, but have gradually spread widely to other parts of the country including the South West, so much so that, last year, the South West Governors were constrained to take the initiative and form their Àmòtèkun to fight insecurity and protect their people; and this year, Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State was further constrained to issue an ultimatum that all occupants of Ondo State forest reserves who are predominantly Herdsmen grazing their cattle, register with the State Government or vacate the forests, which have been identified as the hotbed of criminal activities in the State, and indeed, in forests in most other States. I interviewed someone who narrated his ordeal of when he was kidnapped by Fulanis in broad day light in the Southern part of Nigeria, and taken deep inside the forest by his Abductors.

He said that he met other captives there, one even killed in his presence. What struck him he said, was that the point of his abduction was only a few metres away from an Army checkpoint! He was beaten while he was in captivity for four days, and released after a N15 million ransom was paid. He told me that to date, he is still traumatised by the memories of his ordeal.

Instead of facing the issue of the Herdsmen crisis with the farmers, the destruction of their crops by Herders in order to nourish their cattle, destruction of homes and property, kidnapping, rape, and murder of innocent Nigerians, and how to eradicate these heinous criminal activities - people, including the Government (that should be taking affirmative action against these criminals), seem to have taken their eyes off the ball, and are more concerned about not stereotyping Fulanis/all Fulani Herdsmen as violent criminals. Hitherto, the lackadaisical attitude of Government in handling the Herders, further gave them the impetus to carry on with their dastardly activities with criminals seizing the opportunity to get a piece of the action, and this is now fast spiralling out of control into full-blown ethnic violence, with local communities reacting against the Herders and resorting to self-help to protect themselves.

The definition of the word stereotype which best suits this discourse, is that of Wikipedia which states thus: "In social psychology, a stereotype is an over-generalised belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people have about every person of a particular group”. Going from the foregoing definition, it is obvious that only an ignoramus would believe that all Fulanis or all Herdsmen are violent criminals. However, good or bad, stereotyping is not a new concept which started recently with the Fulanis because of the Herdsmen crisis; it has been in the world from time immemorial. African American men, for example, have always been stereotyped as being criminals, especially by the American Police, because of the bad eggs amongst them.

When the lists of Nigerian drug pushers arrested in Saudi Arabia are published periodically, majority of those on those lists are Yoruba. Fact. Does that make all Yorubas who go to Saudi Arabia on religious tourism drug pushers? Of course not. Does it make the Saudis more suspicious of Yorubas and Nigerians in general? Possibly! Similarly, Igbos and Bendelites are famous for fraudulent activities better known as ‘419’ and ‘Yahoo Yahoo’. Fact. Does it make the Americans more suspicious of them and Nigerians in general? Yes. Similarly, if Herdsmen are being identified in the various parts of country outside their habitat, as the culprits responsible for destroying farms in order to graze their cattle, and then lately, kidnapping people for ransom and raping our sisters, it is not unusual for those people to identify them by their tribe, trade, religion or whatever singles them out easily, because they are non-indigenes of these areas of attack. What is the big deal? If Igbos and Yorubas can be stereotyped as Fraudsters and drug pushers, when we know that majority of us are law abiding people, what’s so special about stereotyping Fulani Herders as criminals, if a good number of them have resorted to engaging in crime

these days? If the attack by the Fulanis/Herders has not happened multiple or enough times, and it was just a one-off incident, surely they would not have developed this reputation.

Governor of Bauchi State To compound it all, the Governor of Bauchi State confirmed that many of the Herdsmen carry AK 47 weapons, ostensibly to protect themselves from cattle rustlers, since Government is not protecting them. In that same spirit of self-defence, should we all then bear arms, because of the insecurity that has pervaded our nation, as the Governor of Taraba State suggested? I think not. If that were to happen, Nigeria would become worse than the ‘wild,wild West’. I’m sure that the state of insecurity would not be this bad, if the Herdsmen had no access to weapons. The Governor of Bauchi then went on to conclude that the forests of Nigeria belong to all, and we can move about therein freely, citing citizenship provisions like Sections 23-25 of the Constitution as the basis of his assertion. Assuming that the Governor of Bauchi’s assertion that the Nigerian forests belongs to all Nigerians to do as they please therein is true (Section 1 of the Land Use Act 1978 says otherwise), Section 24(c) & (d) of the Constitution mandates every citizen to respect the dignity and legitimate interests of other citizens, and make positive contributions to the (host) communities where they reside, while Section 25 defines who a Nigerian citizen is. If it is true as many have been claiming, that the Fulani Herdsmen perpetrating these crimes are non-Nigerian Fulanis, they certainly do not possess the rights donated by the said Sections 23-25 of the Constitution to Nigerians; and on the other hand, if these Herdsmen are Nigerians, such rights donated by the Constitution do not give anyone the right to commit crimes, and in so doing, traumatise and brutalise others in the name of grazing cattle.

The Governor is reminded that Section 41 of the Constitution grants every Nigerian, and not just the Herdsmen, the right to freedom of movement. This right has been greatly curtailed, for fear of attacks by criminals.

Discouragement of Stereotyping The panacea to discouraging the wrongful stereotyping of the Fulanis as a people, is not by shoving the origins and history of the Fulanis as a peaceful, nomadic people down the throats of Nigerians on social media, or shouting the qualities of the Fulanis from the rooftops - we all have favourable histories and folktales! It rubs those who are victims of their criminality the wrong way, giving an impression that contrary to Section 42(1) of the Constitution, Government is according the Herdsmen special privileges, while ignoring their own plight, especially if the Government Spokespersons who should be denouncing violence and criminality, are the loudest voices in the objection to stereotyping. The fact that President Buhari has finally mandated the law enforcement agencies to clamp down on those found perpetrating these criminal activities, whoever they may be, is a step in the right direction. Most of us, including the Fulanis are peaceful and law abiding people, but we all have bad eggs amongst us. It is for Government to take decisive action against the erring Herdsmen or whoever the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are, and show concern for all equally, as Section 42 of the Constitution mandates.

The primary purpose of Government is not the protection of people’s reputation, but the security and welfare of all the people (Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution).

Government has made it clear that we should diversify our economy; that instead of concentrating only on oil, particularly as the revenue therefrom has been dwindling, agriculture which used to be the bedrock of our economy before the discovery of oil, must be promoted. Section 16 of the Constitution provides for the economic objectives of Government

“..... IT IS OBVIOUS THAT ONLY AN IGNORAMUS WOULD BELIEVE THAT ALL FULANIS OR ALL HERDSMEN ARE VIOLENT CRIMINALS. HOWEVER, GOOD OR BAD, STEREOTYPING IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT WHICH STARTED RECENTLY WITH THE FULANIS...... MOST OF US, INCLUDING THE FULANIS ARE PEACEFUL AND LAW ABIDING PEOPLE, BUT WE ALL HAVE BAD EGGS AMONGST US” which includes harnessing Nigeria’s resources, promoting a self-reliant economy and national prosperity.

How can our agricultural potential be achieved and maximised for our collective benefit, when farms in most parts of the country have become no-go areas for fear of kidnapping, rape and killing? At the rate we are going, if steps are not taken to fight this criminality, we run the risk of experiencing food shortages as a nation if farmers cannot access their farms anymore, let alone being in a position to harvest produce for export to other countries. The bottom line is that, just as meat is important, food is also equally as important! One cannot be the opportunity cost of the other, as that would be against the interest of all. In any event, everybody has the right to carry on their lawful business.

Conclusion It is time for all to join hands and fight these criminals to a stand still, whoever they may be. Ethnic sentiments and sensibilities should be the least of our worries right now, as the inability of farmers to access their farms, or people to move freely from one place to another, or even live in their homes because of the fear of being attacked, is already resulting in dire consequences against us as a nation. Today, Edo women say they no longer go to their farms anymore for fear of being raped; Ondo farmers say they are jobless and hungry because their crops have been eaten by grazing cattle; Benue farmers too are suffering the same fate. Whoever the perpetrators of these dastardly crimes are - whether Yoruba, Efik, Urhobo, foreign or Nigerian Fulanis, Government/law enforcement need to deal with them decisively, to avoid Nigeria descending into a state of total insecurity and chaos.

We want to attract FDI? How can? In a place where security cannot be guaranteed, foreigners are more likely to disinvest and leave. A word they say, is enough for the wise.

4/LAW REPORT

No Case Submission: When It Can be Sustained Facts The First and Second Defendant couple, are medical professionals based in the United Kingdom. They are shareholders and Directors of the third Defendant company, which was formed to enable them establish a world class health facility in Nigeria, for the treatment of stroke patients. In furtherance of this, they applied for, and received a seed grant of N450 million from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria (“SURE-P”).

Following a Petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices (and Other Related Offences) Commission (ICPC), on allegations of suspicious activities by persons entrusted with Federal Government funds and properties under SURE-P, ICPC obtained information from the Budget Office on the beneficiaries of the SURE-P funds and the list included the Third Defendant; thus, ICPC invited the First and Second Defendant for interrogation.

The couple made statements on how the grant was utilised.

The Second Defendant itemised how the fund was disbursed for supply of medical equipment, campaign awareness, temporary accommodation, purchase of land for the permanent site for the Stroke Centre, payment for flight tickets, among others. Payment for a Toyota Prado Jeep was also reflected in the Third Defendant’s account, but the Second Defendant denied that the payment was from the SURE-P fund. ICPC also requested that the Third Defendant furnish the Commission/Investigators with the proposal sent to SURE-P for the award of the seed grant, but the 2nd Defendant informed the investigators that their system crashed and referred them to where the proposal could be obtained. The Defendants were subsequently charged with offences under Sections 15, 16 and 25(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 (the ICPC Act) and under Section 311 of the Penal Code.

The Defendants pleaded not guilty, and the case went to trial.

The Prosecution called five witnesses who gave evidence in support of the Charge, and tendered several exhibits. The witnesses were thoroughly cross-examined by counsel for the Defendants.

Thereafter, the Prosecution closed its case, and the Defence made a No Case Submission, and urged the court to discharge and acquit the Defendants. The Prosecution opposed this application.

Issue for Determination Whether from the evidence before the court, the Prosecution has established a prima facie case for the Defendants to be called upon to enter their defence.

Arguments Counsel for the Defendants argued that the evidence before the court cannot sustain the counts in the Charge. and urged the court to discharge and acquit the Defendants as there was no prima facie case established against them. Counsel for the Prosecution maintained otherwise, arguing that the Defendants have a case to answer.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale In its decision, the trial court held that a No Case Submission will be sustained in any of the following instances: (i) where the Prosecution fails to prove the ingredients or some or one of the ingredients of the offence charged; (ii) where the evidence adduced by the Prosecution has been thoroughly discredited by cross-examination; (iii) where the evidence adduced by the Prosecution is so manifestly unreliable, that no reasonable tribunal could convict on it; or (iv) any other ground upon which the court may find that a prima facie case has not been made out against the Defendant, for him to be called upon to answer – SARAKI v F.R.N. (2018) 16 NWLR (Pt. 1646) 405; Section 303(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. The Prosecution must establish a prima facie case, before the Defendants can be called upon to enter their defence. The Prosecution must put forth evidence, which support all the essential elements of the offence(s) with which the Defendants are charged; failure of which the Defendants must be discharged. Where the evidence of the Prosecution does not meet the standard whereby it is able to secure a conviction, even if such evidence is believed by the court or uncontradicted, the Defendants must be discharged – IKUFORIJI v F.R.N. (2018) LPELR-43884(SC) 20F-21B. Analysing the counts in the Charge and the evidence led, the court started with count one levelled against the First Defendant only. The count is to the effect that the First Defendant knowingly made a false/misleading statement during investigation, when he informed the Investigators that he paid the sum of N57 million to a company for the supply of medical equipment, without disclosing that he had retrieved the sum of N37 million. The court highlighted the key ingredients of the offence under Section 25(1) (1) of the ICPC Act and concluded that, in all the evidence before the court, there is nowhere that the First Defendant informed the Investigators of the payment as alleged. His response during the interview was that, he did not have the required information.

Hence, the allegation in the count failed, as same was not supported by evidence on record.

Count two was levelled against the Second Defendant. She was charged with furnishing false returns about purchase of a Toyota Prado Jeep in the sum of N11 million from the seed grant of N450 million given to the Third Defendant company, which payment was strictly for the construction and equipping of the Centre. The court itemised the ingredients of the offence under Section 16 of the Act, and noted that the main question under the issue, is whether the Second Defendant is a public officer charged with the receipt, custody, use or management of public revenue or property, as provided for in Section 16 of the ICPC Act? The Defendants in this case, are neither members of the

Honourable Justice A. O. Ebong

In the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory In the Gwagwalada Judicial Division Holden at Zuba On Wednesday, the 21st day of October, 2020 Before Honourable Justice

A.O. Ebong Judge, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Case No. CR/92/2018 Between Federal Republic of Nigeria…

Complainant

And 1. Dr. Obaro Reuben Oluwakinmilehin 2. Mrs. Obaro Ayodele Olubunmi 3. Stephen James Strokes Centre of Excellence … Defendants

(Judgement delivered by Honourable Justice A. O. Ebong)

public service of the Federation or any State, nor agents of the said Government as described in Section 318 of the Constitution.

The Second Defendant is a professional nurse and businesswoman resident in the United Kingdom, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Third Defendant, a private limited liability company without Government interest or shareholding. Contrary to the allegation

“THE PROSECUTION MUST ESTABLISH A PRIMA FACIE CASE, BEFORE THE DEFENDANTS CAN BE CALLED UPON TO ENTER THEIR DEFENCE. THE PROSECUTION MUST PUT FORTH EVIDENCE, WHICH SUPPORT ALL THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE OFFENCE(S) WITH WHICH THE DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED; FAILURE OF WHICH THE DEFENDANTS MUST BE DISCHARGED”

that the 2nd Defendant bought the Prado Jeep with the SURE-P grant, during the cross-examination of PW 4, it came to light that the First and Second Defendant had over N200 million of their personal funds in Third Defendant’s account, beside the SURE-P grant. Further, PW 4, the Account Officer, testified that eighteen out of thirty-three pages were missing from the Statement of Account of the Third Defendant, which he supplied to the Prosecution. The Prosecution failed to explain why the said pages were withheld. Given the evidence that the Defendants had over N200 million of their personal funds in the account, it cannot be said with certainty that the Prado Jeep was bought from the SURE-P grant. Further, PW 1, who alleged that the grant was given to the Defendants strictly for construction and purchase of equipment for the Stroke Centre, failed to tender the letter from the Federal Ministry of Health wherein the purpose of the seed grant was expressly detailed. The presumption of law under Section 167(d) of the Evidence Act, is that the Prosecution withheld the evidence because it is not favourable to its case.

The third count relates to the 2nd Defendant giving false/ misleading statement to officers of the ICPC about payment of N57 million to a company for the supply of medical equipment, without disclosing that the sum of N37 million had been retrieved, contrary to Section 25(1)(1) of the ICPC Act. On this count, the court found that the Prosecution witness(es) did not show how the said non-disclosure was aimed at misleading the officers. Thus, on the authority of SARAKI v FRN (supra) the evidence led in support of the count is neither sufficient, nor of such quality that a reasonable tribunal can convict on.

Count four borders on the Second Defendant making false/ misleading statement to the Commission, about purchase of the Prado Jeep from the account of the 3rd Defendant and from the SURE-P seed grant. Relying on the evidence and findings on count two, the court held that there is no tenable evidence to support the fact that the vehicle was purchased from the seed grant, in view of the evidence of the Defendants’ personal funds in the said account. Regarding count five, the Prosecution alleged that the 2nd Defendant, with intent to conceal and frustrate the Commission in its investigation, deliberately refused to submit to the Investigators, copies of the proposal made to SURE-P Committee for the seed grant, contrary to Section 15 of the ICPC Act. The court noted that the key elements of this offence under Section 15 are that the Defendant destroyed, altered, mutilated or falsified any of the items listed in the section. From the evidence on record, there is nothing suggesting that the 2nd Defendant did any of the acts criminalised under Section 15 of the ICPC Act. Also, the evidence led did not disclose an intent to frustrate the investigation, as the Second Defendant informed the Investigators that their system had crashed and directed the officers to where they could obtain copies of the document at SURE-P office, Ministry of Health and the Senate.

Counts six and seven relate to conspiracy between the 2nd and 3rd Defendant to furnish the Commission with false returns in respect of purchase of the Prado Jeep from the SURE-P seed grant, and conspiracy to frustrate the investigation by refusing to furnish the Investigators with copies of the proposal submitted to SURE-P Committee. Relying on the findings on counts two and five, the court held that the Prosecution did not establish a prima facie case against the Defendants. Further, the Prosecution did not show how the Second Defendant was able to conspire with the Third Defendant, who is an artificial person, knowing that the offence of conspiracy requires meeting of the minds of the parties – OSIKI v INT’L PORTS LTD (2015 LPELR-24435(CA).

Count eight is to the effect that the Defendants committed criminal breach of trust by dishonestly misappropriating the sum of N186 million from the SURE-P seed grant, contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code.

Referring to its earlier finding that there is no admissible evidence that the seed grant was to be used strictly for construction and equipping the Stroke Centre, the court found that the account given by the Defendants show that the spending was connected to the project, and not spent on the Defendants personally; they did not even draw salaries from the account. Thus, there is no evidence to support the count.

The trial court noted that the Petition upon which the Commission launched the investigation in this case was not against the Defendants, but against a staff of SURE-P Secretariat. There was no report from any Government agency indicting the Defendants; no mandate authorising the Commission to recover SURE-P funds as alleged; the supposed investigation conducted was shoddy, the Investigating Officers did not contact the Auditor appointed

by SURE-P or get the audit report for their investigation. The court condemned this unwarranted Charge and trial of the First and Second Defendant, and the damage done to their reputation since their arraignment in court, given the effort of the Federal Government in rebuilding the negative image of the nation in the international arena.

Charge Dismissed.

Representation O.E. Akponimisingha, Esq. (Principal Legal Officer, ICPC) for the Prosecution.

J.N. Egwonwu, SAN with A.I. Elekwa, Esq.; M.C. Buba, Esq.; N.C. Ulasi, Esq.; and N.R. Ukaegbu, Esq. for the Defendants.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)(An Affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

16.02.2021

NEWS/5

IGP Tenure Extension: NBA Sues FG The Nigerian Bar Association has instituted a court action against the Federal Government, over its decision to extend the tenure Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector General of Police.

Adamu’s tenure had expired on February 1, 2021 but was further extended by three months.

In press statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Dr. Rapulu Nduka, he stated: ‘The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association has looked at the said tenure extension, and is of the considered opinion that the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria does not have the powers to extend the tenure of the Inspector General of Police and that such extension is

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu

unconstitutional.

‘Consequently, the Nigerian Bar Association through the NBA Public Interest Litigation Com-

mittee (NBA-PILC), has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court challenging the said tenure elongation.’

11 February, 2021, the NBA - Public Interest Litigation Committee (NBA-PILC), on behalf of the NBA, commenced legal action at the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/214/2021 (the “Suit”) against the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Service Commission, and Mohammed Abubakar Adamu.

The NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata further enunciated the reason the NBA is taking the Federal Government to court.

He said, ‘In the Suit, the NBA seeks judicial determination of the constitutionality of the President’s extension of Mr. Adamu’s tenure as ,Q ÀGHOLW\ WR WKH PRWWR the Inspector-General of of the Nigerian Bar As- Police for three months sociation (NBA) which after Mr Adamu had, is Promoting the Rule on 1 Feburary, 2021, of Law, on Thursday, DWWDLQHG WKLUW\ ÀYH years of service as a member of the Nigeria Police Force.

‘The NBA’s decision Further information on to take this extraordithe funeral arrangements nary line of action is of our departed colleague underpinned by an will be communicated, as urgent need, and a soon as we receive the sacred duty, to reassert details from the family the supremacy of the THISDAY Lawyer had rule of law in the face of the privilege of featuring growing impunity and Professor Olawoyin in the seeming reluctance our Cover Personality RI /DZ 2΀FHUV LQ interview on a number Government to give of occasions, the last being proper counsel.

‘The NBA's position 2019.

Professor Olawoyin, SAN Passes On The Nigerian legal community has again lost an erudite member with the passage of Professor Gabriel Olawoyin, SAN. His demise was announced by the Secretariat of the Body of Senior Advocates (BOSAN) on Saturday morning, February 13, 2021.

In a statement signed

by BOSAN Secretary, Mr. Seyi Sowemimo, SAN he stated: ‘Olawoyin SAN was born on the 31st of July, 1939 (82 years old) and was called into the Nigerian Bar in 1975. At Professor Gabriel Olawoyin, SAN the Nigerian Law School, Marine Insurance Law institutions in Nigeria. he emerged as the candi- and Law of Corporate ‘He was a member of date with the best overall Management and Fi- the Council of Equipment performance, winning nance at the University Leasing Association three of the four prizes of Ife (now Obafemi of Nigeria (ELAN). In awarded by the School. Awolowo University – 1992, he was appointed ‘He attended the London OAU, Ile-Ife) from 1966 a member of the study School of Economics & to 1981. In May 1978, he group on legal issues rePolitical Science (Univer- was appointed Profes- lating to the privatisation sity of London), where sor of Business Law and commercialisation of he obtained his Bachelor in the then University Government enterprises. of Laws and Master of of Ife and he had the In September, 1998 he Laws degrees respectively distinction of being the was conferred with the in 1965 and 1966. He later ÀUVW 1LJHULDQ 3URIHVVRU rank of Senior Advocate obtained his PhD degree of Business Law. of Nigeria (SAN) and in Company Law from ‘In 1981, he retired from has been a member of the University of Bristol teaching in the University the ICC, International in 1970. to go into full-time legal Court of Arbitration in ‘Professor Gabriel Ola- practice as the Principal Paris, France since May, woyin taught Business 3DUWQHU LQ WKH ODZ ÀUP RI 2000.

Law, Company Law, Law Olawoyin & Olawoyin.

Professor Gabriel Olaof Insurance, Commercial He played a leading role woyin, SAN is survived Law, Nigerian Legal Sys- in the introduction and by his wife, children, tem, Law of Banking and development of equip- including Dr. Adewale Negotiable Instruments, ment leasing by Banks Olawoyin, SAN and Constitutional Law, Non- DQG RWKHU ÀQDQFLDO grandchildren.’

in the Suit is that Mr Adamu ceased to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force, when he attained the milestone RI WKLUW\ ÀYH \HDUV RI service. Therefore, the President's extension of Mr Adamu's tenure by three months, in the NBA's respectful view, is unconstitutional.

‘In the grand scheme of things, the NBA is wary that the more JRYHUQPHQW R΀FLDOV casually violate the law, the harder it would become to expect citizens to be compliant.

Citizens take their cues from their leaders, and SXEOLF R΀FH KROGHUV ZKR ÁRXW WKH ODZV RI the country that they are meant to uphold will discover sooner or later that their examples will be followed by those that they purport to govern.

‘The ubiquity of acts of impunity, especially by those in high public R΀FHV SRUWHQGV DQ existential threat to the survival of this country and her hard-won democracy. The NBA, now PRUH WKDQ HYHU LV ÀUPO\ committed to changing this narrative.

‘As the outcome of the Suit is awaited, the NBA will continue to condemn and confront lawlessness in any form and from all quarters’, Akpata said.

PHOTO NEWS

Chief Judge of Cross River State, Hon. Justice Akon Ikpeme (left) and NBA President, Olumide Akpata at her swearing-in on February 8, 2021

6/

16.02.2021

Book Review Title:

The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry-Post Privatisation Realities, Trends and Challenges

Author:

Kofoworola Olokun-Olawoyin

Publisher:

Doculand Business Solutions Limited

Hardcover:

(ISBN:978-978-977-367-1)

Number of Pages: 640 Name of Reviewer: Dr Bayo Adaralegbe International Electricity Market before Reform The Electricity market and industry has undergone significant structural changes, in the last three decades. Before this period the electricity market was monopolistic, with the exception of the United States and Japan that allowed privately owned vertically integrated monopolies.

The electricity market was monopolistic for a reason - the nature of electricity and the available technology at that time. Electricity cannot be stored, and it is consumed within a tenth of a second of its production. Also, electricity produced by one generator cannot be distinguished from another generator, once switched onto the power pool grid. Electricity dynamics are therefore said to respond, not to contractual terms as such, but to physics. At that time there were large power plants that were built up over long construction periods, because of coal and hydropower that were the main sources of energy at that time. This resulted in substantial economies of scale and ultimately, a vertically integrated monopoly, mostly organised around publicly owned utilities.

International Electricity Market Post Reform With technological advances, other sources of energy, smaller power plants, shorter construction time and lower economies of scale, a market shift began to emerge by the 90s, first in England and Wales, later sweeping through Scandinavian countries, and finally engulfing the rest of continental Europe and other parts of the world. Following the rapid liberalisation of the electricity market around the world, an appetite, which hitherto did not exist, was created for knowledge and learning and skills for Lawyers in the electricity market. Legal skills were in extremely short supply in the electricity market, because of the monopolistic nature of the market at that time. International scholars have documented that the first set of Lawyers in a post reform and liberalised electricity market, were “borrowed” from the international oil and gas industry.

Nigeria’s Electricity Market Nigeria’s own electricity market reform was not different. Up till 2005, the Nigerian electricity market was a monopoly. Nigeria Electricity Power Authority, NEPA, as Nigerians came to romantically refer to it, was in charge. At that time, NEPA manifested all the evil that proponents of a competitive free market advocated. Despite receiving subventions from government, it failed miserably to provide adequate and constant electricity from the 80s. Thus, in 2005, Nigeria shoved aside this monopoly, replacing it with a liberalised electricity market through the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act of 2005.

Today, the market is undergoing birth pains, and understandably literature is required to provide adequate guidance. When NEPA reigned, while a lot of newspaper articles existing, largely exposing its inefficiency, there was not a lot by way of a well-researched works in scholarly journals, let alone monograph or textbook. This is now changing and there is a growing healthy number of such works inspired by Nigeria’s electricity reform market. For instance, my contribution in 2009 “Foreign Private Participation in the Electricity Sector of Developing Countries: What Works? An Examination of Nigeria’s Reformed Electricity Sector” in Journal of World Investment & Trade. In 2013, the first book on Nigerian Electricity Law emerged, authored by Ayodele Oni, a Legal

Practitioner titled The Nigerian Electric Power Sector: Policy, Law, Negotiation, Strategy and Business and published by CI-Plus. This was followed in very quick order by Dr Yemi Oke, an associate professor at the University of Lagos, and a regular commentator on Nigeria’s Electricity Sector titled Nigerian Electricity Law and Regulation published by Law Lords Publications, also in 2013.

The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry: Post Privatisation Realities, Trends and Challenges A new book was added to this corpus of knowledge, authored by Kofoworola Olokun-Olawoyin a graduate of the University of Lagos Faculty of Law who was in private legal practice, and currently Assistant General Manager and Head of Legal Advisory and Contract Unit in the Legal Department of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc. The book is titled The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry: Post Privatisation Realities, Trends and Challenges published by Doculand Business Solutions Limited with a Forward by eminent Professor Akin Oyebode.

This book scores a first in a number of ways.

It is the very first time a book on Nigeria’s electricity sector is being authored directly by an industry person. In that sense, it is written from a practical industry, not just a theoretical standpoint. For instance, Oni’s book is helpful for focusing on the history, legal and regulatory framework, financing, environmental and Intellectual property aspects of the market, as well as drafting and negotiation, privatisation, general dispute settlement. Oke similarly adds value by discussing themes such as the unbundling of assets, the regulator and its business and market rules and grid code; licences and tariff, consumer protection and competition, rural electrification, captive power, and Renewable Electricity.

Contents of the Book Kofo Olawoyin’s book however, has a different focus. This book of ten chapters and 640 pages (40 Preliminary and 600 Main pages), is very ambitious in its sheer breath. Complete with very helpful colourful industry maps, diagram and statistics that clearly explain concepts, it touches on very topical issues, some already covered by the two other referenced authors, but many not previously treated, such as pre-privatisation considerations, cross-border electricity trade and power pool in West Africa; State participation in the Power Sector; detailed explanation on very complex industry matters (e.g. the MYTO/Tariff, Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection Losses (ATC&C) Loss; post- privatisation trends and challenges including Embedded Generation, Mini-Grids, Eligible Customers, Rural electrification initiatives, Electricity Offences; the Nigerian electricity industry financing and bankability of project documents; taxation; dispute resolution and key and policy considerations.

The author explains in detail, regulatory policies, various challenges, and various contracts executed under each scheme with negotiation strategy to be adopted by various Parties. In many cases, she offers practical solutions informed by industry experience.

The author dedicates a full chapter on an emerging area - Renewable Energy, carefully explaining the Renewable Energy Technologies existing in Africa and in Nigeria particularly, Renewable policies, incentives, investment opportunities and lessons to draw from other

jurisdictions. Kofoworola Olokun-Olawoyin provides expansive information to intending investors of this industry, by detailing information on various investment opportunities existing in the market , investment challenges and risks, and the various statutory issues to consider before, during and after investment including licences and approvals, environmental, health and safety matters, capital information, incentives, national content, immigration et cetera.

Usefulness This book is very well structured, well organised, well researched and excellently analysed with the copious use of footnotes. It is also written in accessible and lively English, and labours to simplify a lot of arcane electricity industry jargons. In my opinion, Nigeria’s electricity sector is richer with this latest addition. University teachers - not just law teachers - have additional material to use, as they impart knowledge to students that will constitute the future workforce of this industry. Researchers will certainly find it useful. Practitioners and industry consultants, will also find in this book a valuable companion.

Our Judges and the Arbitration community, will also find this book useful. Policy moulders and industry regulators keen to understand the challenges in the market, have a solid reference book. It is also a useful tool in the hands of international agencies, who are tracking Nigeria’s electricity reform progress. As Professor Oyebode stated in his Foreword of the book: “we have the author of this work to thank for her incise appraisal of the country’s electricity sector, especially after the much-touted privatisation reforms of electricity distribution to consumers. …This offering is yet another worthy contribution to the growing literature on Nigeria’s electricity architecture and, therefore, merits commendation.”

Criticism But, it will be a disservice if I don’t mention the one criticism I have against this otherwise masterfully written book. The author followed a very disturbing Nigerian tradition and culture of self-publishing such an important material. I think this is a serious mistake. I have never understood why Nigerian legal practitioners, and I suppose even university lecturers who should know better, would self-publish their manuscript. I drew attention to this years ago as Guest Columnist of This Day Lawyer. The same manuscript might just have passed through the rigorous peer review of an international publisher. As a Nigerian university undergraduate student in the 80s, the law books that we used were mostly by

Nigerian authors alright, but published by Sweet and Maxwell, a major international publisher.

I get told now that international publishers are no longer interested in our manuscripts, because of foreign exchange. This is not correct.

The international community is still very keen to learn about developments out of Nigeria, provided the manuscript is top quality as we have found out through Dr Joseph Tolorunse (DPR Legal Adviser) or Dr Tade Oyewunmi (US based Energy Law Lecturer) whose works were published by Kluwer Law International, Property Rights in Discovered Petroleum Reservoirs (2014) and Regulating Gas Supply to Power Markets: Transnational Approaches to Competitiveness and Security of Supply (2018) respectively. These efforts were preceded by Dr Dayo Ayoade’s Disused Offshore Installations and Pipelines: Towards “Sustainable Decommissioning” (2002) also published by Kluwer. There are just so many examples.

Postscript After writing this review, Dr Yemi Oke was very kind enough to send me a copy of his new book, Nigerian Electricity Law and Practice, while Dr Oni also sent me information of his new book in Electricity Law. I congratulate both of them heartily. While I am yet to read these materials, I am sure, like their earlier works, their latest efforts will benefit the market.

Dedication This Book Review is dedicated to the memory of my younger brother, Adeniji Akinboyejo Adaralegbe Junior who handed in his lamp on 6th January, 2021.

Dr Bayo Adaralegbe, Partner and Head of Energy and Extractives in Babalakin & Co.; Pioneer Book Review Editor of Journal of World Energy Law and Business (JWELB), publication of Oxford University Press. He has also other editorial responsibilities, including being part of the editorial team of Oil, Gas & Energy Law(OGEL Journal).

He has written several scholarly articles in international peer reviewed journals, and his works have been cited with approval in major foreign books published by leading international publishers. His areas of expertise are oil, gas, power, arbitration and international investment law, and serves as a peer reviewer for international journals of repute in these areas. Dr Adaralegbe has a specialised LLM in Petroleum Law and Policy, a PhD in International Investment Arbitration

16.02.2021

/7

How American Strong Institutions Trumped Trump, a Strongman (Part 2) Introduction Last week, we discussed democracy in the US and Nigeria on a comparative basis. We then periscoped how America’s strong institutions defeated strong man, former President Trump. We dilate more on this today.

The Concept of Strongmen The “Strongmen” concept is anchored on the approximation of a particular institution to the name of a person in authority. It emphasises more on the person in authority rather than the institution itself, a trend which is prevalent in Africa. A clear example of this can be seen in the former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu. He became an epitome and alter ego of the institution of EFCC. At a time, Magu had so much epitomised the EFCC, that his name and image became synonymous with the entire EFCC institution. Further examples of “Strongmen” who gave way to strong institutions include Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe; Adolf Hitler (Germany); Joseph Stalin (Russia); Mao Zedong (China); Benito Mussolini (Italy); Pol Pot (Cambodia); Saddam Hussein (Iraq) and Fidel Castro (Cuba).

The Strong Institutions of America versus Donald Trump, the Strongman American democracy has existed since July 4, 1776, and its continued and unadulterated significance is indebted to the presence of democracy-inclined “Strong Institutions”. In the absence of these Strong Institutions, America’s democracy would have been as frail and fragile as other weak democracies across the world.

President Barack Obama of the United States, in his speech when addressing the Ghanaian Parliament, emphasised the importance of a Strong Institution over a Strong man thus; “No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or Police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 per cent off the top, or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end. Africa doesn't need strong men; it needs strong institutions.”

America is a nation that prioritises its Strong Institutions over Strongmen. However, never did America foresee or comprehend that their Strong Institutions would be put to the exerting test Presidency Trump’s tenure threw up.

Like other countries in the world, America has had its developmental challenges, including governance issues. However, its ability to skilfully navigate through such daunting challenges, using Strong Institutions, Rule of Law and the practice of true democracy, makes her a unique model worth analysing.

Specifically, the recently resolved post-election issue involving President Donald John Trump was made possible by the abiding faith in the resilience of the country’s democratic institutions and respect for the Rule of Law. This further enlivens the argument that only Strong Institutions, not strongmen, sustain nation-building. In the course of her political evolution, Nigeria has encountered several difficult moments, but has continued to stumble and wobble very badly, largely due to weak democratic institutions, and failure to check abuse of power by the so-called Strongmen, who continue to dominate and control her socio-political and economic space.

Many are quick to refer to two events that ought to have positively defined Nigeria’s future as a nation, but which were filtered away through the whims and caprices of Strongmen at separate times.

The first relates to the unconstitutional retention of EFCC’s Acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, even after he was twice roundly rejected by the Senate. The second event concerns the questionable and contemptuous removal from office, of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen. These two major events happened with utter disregard to due process, rule of law and all known democratic precepts.

However, unlike Nigeria which serially fails several democratic stress tests, America continues to prove her resilience against allowing Strongmen, no matter how powerful, to negatively affect the country and undermine her democracy. America, through a good example of democracy, good governance and a source of inspiration, had her democracy seriously threatened by President Donald Trump, who stoked one round of conflict after another, all in a bid to reclaim a lost election. The crescendo of the month-long display of madness was the mob invasion of the Capitol Hill, the meeting place of the United States Congress (Senate and House of Representatives), and the home of the legislative branch of government.

Unlike Nigeria, America once again proved to the world that the antics of one man, no matter how well orchestrated, cannot and should never make the country flounder. With America being a perfect example of democracy and good governance and a source of inspiration, despite its flaws, millions of democrats across the world were in pains watching how President Trump was messing up democracy and the democratic process, reducing America to the

Former US President, Donald Trump unenviable Naira of a fledgling Banana Republic.

Were it not for strong institutions, America, which has become the butt of political jokes, would probably have lost her global place as one of the world’s finest democracies due to the shenanigans of a man. According to an international ‘political analyst’, Dr. Rosemary Oyinlola Popoola, all that has happened, and may still happen in the United States “reminds us of human frailties and the fragility of any human institution. Regardless of all the unsavoury things that this election has revealed about America, I think the United States still gives us an example of what strong institutions, a sound Constitution, and conscious citizenry can do. These three major things are not rooted in our governance architecture yet, but I think we can build it”.

President Trump was always quick to take to his Twitter handle (since suspended), to attack political figures and institutions that failed to lend him a helping hand in his mission to mess up the political process, and thwart the will of American voters. He contested nearly every stage of voting, recording, certification, as well as the formalisation of his round defeat.

On January 6, 2021, the American Congress had met to count the Electoral College votes of its citizens sent in from 50 States and the District of Columbia (DC). Trump, attempted a coup d'état, by encouraging his supporters to descend on Washington D.C and

“NO PERSON WANTS TO LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE THE RULE OF LAW GIVES WAY TO THE RULE OF BRUTALITY AND BRIBERY. THAT IS NOT DEMOCRACY, THAT IS TYRANNY, AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR IT TO END. AFRICA DOESN'T NEED STRONG MEN; IT NEEDS STRONG INSTITUTIONS”

storm the Capitol building. This was to harass and intimidate lawmakers, wreak havoc, and set up dramatic clashes both inside and outside the Capital. Notwithstanding that the unprecedented violence forced legislators to hurriedly scamper out of the Capitol building during the votes count, the US Congress eventually voted to certify the results, which pronounced that President-elect, Joe Biden, did indeed defeat President Donald Trump, in the presidential poll.

Upon this certification, both Mike Pence and Donald Trump submitted to the power of the Strong Institution of Congress.

Vice President, Pence, first released a statement, saying, “The announcement of the state of the vote by the President of the Senate, shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States each for the term beginning on the 20th day of January, 2021.” Shortly after Pence declared Biden the winner of the election, Trump released a statement pledging an “orderly transition” of power: “Even though I disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th”.

No such alleged facts existed. It was the figment of his imagination. Aside from the Strong Institution of Congress, the Police also proved a Strong Institution all through Trump’s mad-ridden rampage. The Police did not act as Trump’s weapon; neither was there deployment of brute force by the Police. There was also no arrest of opposition figures; nor were there trumped-up charges.

Even the Vice President showed immense respect for the rule of law and the doctrine of democracy, as against pliantly following his boss. He did not act as a puppet Trump, even though the election constituted a major loss for him. He presided over a ceremony in which his electoral loss was certified, according to normal constitutional guidelines. He did so despite immense pressure from the President, misinformed citizens, and conspiracy theorists, to deny the truth. He announced his own defeat.

The Judiciary also played its role as a Strong Institution. It did not adhere to the pressure of Trump, even though Trump filed several actions before Republican Judges, some of whom he swore into office. Similarly, the media (as an institution), were not swayed by immense pressure from Trump. Unlike in Nigeria, where the Federal Government imposes fines on media houses for reporting the State’s violent crackdown on #EndSARS protesters in October 2020, the US government generally respected the Journalists’ right to cover the riots objectively. At no time did the US disrupt the Internet. Rather, citizens’ access to social media was preserved as some legislators even leveraged platforms to confirm their safety. This is in contrast to what obtains in African nations, including Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia, where at various times, the governments brazenly shut down or restricted Internet access to further their selfish political aims. They did not pass laws to limit the freedom of speech and information.

When Trump’s supporters stormed the US Congress on January 6, 2021, Amnesty International called the outgoing Presiden an instigator of violence, warning that his refusal to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power, along with his embrace of white supremacist and extremist groups, had put human rights, public safety and the rule of law in the US at grave risk. Similarly, Human Rights Watch demanded that Trump and his mob immediately ceased their attacks on US democratic institutions and processes. These and other organisations have also called on the incoming Attorney General to quickly investigate Trump’s vain efforts to overturn transparent election results, vigorously prosecute all those for whom there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, and apply punitive sanctions against anyone found guilty. Beyond these strong condemnations and demands for justice and sanctions under the provisions of US laws, it is doubtful what further meaningful action the international community, including global human rights groups, can take at this point. In what analysts call the most dangerous frontal assault on US democracy since the civil war era, the three States upon which Trump’s plot most hinged, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan, certified their results in Joe Biden’s favour and not his. But, while the election exposed key areas where American democracy is failing, it also highlighted structural features that make national elections in the United States hard to steal, no matter how determined the would-be despot is, or how complicit his party colleagues are.

Although, there is no such thing as a perfect democratic government, one may be tempted to ask if Nigeria as a country should not borrow a leaf from the operation of the American democracy. Nigeria should emulate the last U.S. presidential election as a thermometer to measure its aftermath, and how the ruckus generated thereby, was carefully handled. (To be continued).

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “One of the things I believe strongly in, is developing institutions - legal, press, bureaucracies, academies - that are rooted in the pursuit of impartial truth. That aren't simply just bent to partisan ends or are corrupted for the powerful or for other ulterior motives”. (David Grann).

8/COVER

16.02.2021

D

I

S

C

O

Determining the

The mode of determining the paternity of a child, especially when controversy arises, varies from country to country. The applicable laws are as varied, as there are jurisdictions. The controversies that trailed two recent incidents in Nigeria, brought to the fore the need to examine the state of the law in determining the paternity of a child born in or out of wedlock. A Bank Managing Director and a sitting High Court Judge in Delta State, are presently enmeshed in controversies over the paternity of the offspring of their marriage and alleged dalliance. To what extent can the technology, Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), precisely ascertain the father of a child? What backing does this new science have under Nigerian laws? Should the laws on the paternity of a child/children of a marriage be amended to include the use of DNA, or are they satisfactory as they are now?

Do the children have a right to know who their biological fathers are, or will revealing the truth scar them emotionally? Professor Nnamdi Obiaraeri, Mohammed Ibrahim Abdul, Frank Tietie and Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, delve into the controversial issue to examine the various positions of the applicable laws in Nigeria, including that of the Sharia law, and how paternity issues can be resolved

DNA Test: Not the Only Acceptable Method of Determining Paternity

“THE RECENT TREND OF

Nnamdi Obiaraeri

OF CHILDREN BORN

I have had the privilege of reading an earlier intervention by Durotimi David Owoeye titled “DNA TEST AS PROOF OF PATERNITY: THE CURRENT POSITION OF NIGERIAN LAW”, wherein he ably captured the position of only one out of the two systems of laws applicable in Nigeria on use of DNA as proof of paternity.

Amidst rising rates of infidelity including paternity fraud in Nigeria, and in view of heightened public interest generated by the controversial issue of recourse to DNA as proof of paternity, it has become expedient to balance the narrative by exposing how paternity can be proved under yet another branch of Nigerian law, being customary law.

It bears repeating that the said article by Owoeye Esq did not address proof of paternity under customary law, and has as such left many members of the reading public to think that DNA test is the only acceptable method of proof of paternity under Nigerian law.

The following may therefore, be noted as a more comprehensive treatment of the subject-matter of proof of paternity covering the dual systems of laws (statutory and customary) applicable in Nigeria.

Customary Law: Proof of Paternity 1. The preliminary point must be made that customary law (including Islamic or Sharia law) is not inferior to received English law, except where

USING DNA TESTINGS TO CONFIRM THE PATERNITY WITHIN A MARRIAGE WITH THE AIM OF PUBLICLY DENOUNCING PATERNITY, IS NOT ONLY IRRESPONSIBLE BUT HIGHLY SELFISH AND SERIOUSLY HARMFUL TO THE DIGNITY AND GENERAL PSYCHE OF THE CHILDREN” Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri

such customary law is shown to be barbaric being that it is proved to be repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience, incompatible with public policy or at variance with any provisions of a statute.

2. DNA test as proof of paternity is foreign, alien or unknown to indigenous customary law usages.

3. To prove paternity under customary law, what is needed is evidence of a subsisting marriage. Thus, DNA test is not required to prove paternity, if there is a clear evidence of valid and subsisting marriage under customary law. This is also true of English law although the customary

law position on proof of paternity is more accommodating and can even be said to be in sync with the right to freedom from discrimination guaranteed under Section 42(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, to the effect that “No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth” 4. Customary law protects family bond and privacy rights, and jealously guards the marriage institution to the extent that no offspring of a valid marriage is to be discriminated against on account of the circumstance of his or her birth. For instance, this is the general principle espoused in the Igbo customary proverb on

paternity- “ebe nwa shiri lo uwa ya hiri”.

5. Under customary law, paternity dispute is never between a husband and a male adulterer, because the fact of valid and subsisting marriage creates the strong presumption of paternity in favour of parties to the marriage. Any child born during wedlock, is presumed to be the product of that marriage.

6. Under customary law, where there is no marriage between the parties (being between a woman and a man entangled with her in amorous or illicit love affair) paternity dispute may never arise, and if it does, it is easily dismissed by the strong

COVER/9

16.02.2021

U

R

S

E

Paternity of a Child saying- “enyi anaghi enwe nwa”.

This is true, at least in Igbo land.

When literally interpreted into English, this means that a person who is not married to a woman but otherwise laying claim to paternity of a child via an illicit or amorous relationship may not succeed in a claim for paternity, if the woman or her family resist it.

7. Paternity can also be acknowledged under customary law usages, thus, ruling out DNA test completely.

This customary law principle of “acknowledgement of paternity” posits that one does not need to be the biological father of a child or to be married to the child’s mother, to be the father of the child.

8. It needs to be restated that both under the received English law and Customary laws applicable in Nigeria, the fact of valid and subsisting marriage raises a presumption of paternity of children born within wedlock.

9. Based on the presumption raised in paragraph 8 above, an outsider (being a male adulterer), cannot successfully claim paternity of a child during the pendency of a lawful marriage, without exposing himself to legal action for damages for adultery.

10. Even with DNA test applicable to marriages celebrated under the Act, the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of TONY ANOZIA v MRS PATRICIA OKWUNWA NNANI & IGNATIUS “NNANI” (2015) 8 N.W.L.R. (Pt. 1461) 241 as correctly stated by Owoeye Esq is that, the court can only order a DNA test with respect to minors and not adults. “Where a person is a minor (not mature adult) and his paternity is in issue, the court can order the conduct of DNA test in the overall interest of the child, to ascertain where he belongs”.

11. The courts will not order DNA test to determine the paternity of a full blown adult who does not complain about his parenthood, as that will be a clear violation of the right to privacy. An adult may simply be equated to anyone above 18 years of age, being the age of eligibility to vote in Nigeria. The adult can, however, waive his right to undergo DNA test, but a volunteer cannot complain later - violenti non fit injuria.

12. Whether under English law or customary law, where a child is born within wedlock, the PRESUMPTION is conclusive that the “child is the

Paternity and the Illegality of DNA Test Under Islamic Law Mohammed Ibrahim Abdul

Mohammed Ibrahim Abdul

seed or product of the marriage”.

This submission is duly supported by the combined reading of the provisions of Sections 165 and 166 of the Evidence Act. 13. Nigerians are increasingly becoming agitated by the disturbing

“THE PATERNITY OF A CHILD IN ISLAM, CAN BE PRESUMED ONLY WHERE THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT EXISTS BETWEEN THE SPOUSES, A FATHER CANNOT DENY THE PATERNITY OF A CHILD BORN IN A LEGAL WEDLOCK EXCEPT BY WAY OF LIAN......”

development where some foreign embassies resort to the requirement of DNA test from couples as a precondition for issuance of their family visas and other forms of immigration requests, in circumstances that do not accommodate the customary law position on paternity in Nigeria.

It is submitted that this practice, although within the threshold of sovereignty, is a clear violation of the rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination generously guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution as amended, articles of the African Charter and International Bill on Human Rights.

Conclusion The DNA test is not the only way to prove paternity under Nigerian law. DNA test suffices for proof of paternity in marriages celebrated under the Marriage Act, but does not extinguish or trump other forms of proof of paternity under customary law. A new normal is possible!

Professor Obiaraeri, Imo State University, Member, Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch

Confirmation of a Child’s

Introduction Paternity is the state or fact of being the father of a particular child. DNA is a blood test that shows the relationship between the father and a child. According to scientists, if DNA report of a father is not the same as the one of his child, the child is not his blood.

It presupposes that the child has parents from the valid marriage, the paternity of a child is quite important under Islamic law, a child without traceable father does not command respect in the society, and he may suffer psychological debasement in the society for no just fault of his; that is why legitimacy is viewed with all seriousness in sharia legal system.

In Al-Jamiu LIl Usuli Fi Ahadith Al-Rasul (pg 18-19), it was reported that the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) once admonished thus: “A woman who ascribes a child’s legitimacy to someone who is not responsible for its conception has committed a grave offence thereby alienating herself from Allah and will be denied the bliss of eternity, likewise a father who obscures his child’s legitimacy by denying his responsibility for its conception has offended Allah and inflicted upon himself universal disgrace.”

It follows from the above Hadith that, if a child is born outside wedlock it is not considered legitimate, but if the illicit relationship is established appropriate sanctions on the parties involved are given.

Presumption of legitimacy of a child born in wedlock In Rabiu v Amadu (2013)1 SQLR Part 1 Page 28, presided over by Justice Suleiman Galadima, JSC, it was held that: “Where a child was born within the minimum period prescribed and accepted for a normal birth, going by the Islamic jurisprudence a child born within six (6) months or five (5) months and twenty five (25) days is a legitimate child, since the maximum period is cont'd on page 10

10/COVER

16.02.2021

Determining the Paternity of a Child cont'd from page 9

Mohammed Ibrahim Abdul, Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano

two (2) years while the minimum period is six (6) months”.

The general view of majority of Islamic jurists is that, a period of six months less five days after consummation of marriage is regarded to be the minimum period of gestation, Imam Malik, Shafi’i and Ibn Hambal agree to this view, on the other hand; Imam Abu Hanifa considers the child legitimate six months after the conclusion of the marriage contract not necessarily consummation of the marriage.

There is no consensus regarding to the maximum period of gestation among the generality of jurists, other jurists such as Muhammad Ibn Al-Hakam opined that a child does not remain in its mother’s womb for more than one year, the Hannafi school holds the view that a child may remain in its mother’s womb for the period of two years, while the Zahri School holds a liberal view that a child may remain in its mother’s womb for only nine months.

DNA Test Results Can’t Deny Paternity to Children Born Within Wedlock Frank Tietie

Presumption of Legitimacy of a Child in Islamic law Paternity under Islamic law is Frank Tietie presumed where: (1) Marriage contract exist between the spouses, either de disowned except by Lian, the jure or defacto. child of a slave can however, be disowned without taking the Lian, (2) There is actual consummation oath of mutual imprecation. or possibility of consummation It has been stated in Qur’an between the spouses without any Chapter 24 verse 6: hindrance this include seclusion between the spouses.

(3) The child is born between the minimum or maximum period of gestation.

(4) There is no legal denial [lian] by the spouses.

According to the general view of the majority of the jurists, where a child is born in a legal wedlock but under a period of six lunar months less five days from the date of marriage, then, the child “SUCH ADULT CHILDREN cannot be attached to the husband.

THAT ARE AFFECTED BY AN

The authority of the above statement is to be found in the JAWAHIR ALIKLIL at page 381: “Under no circumstance shall pregnancy or child be denied where the wife delivers complete baby within a period of lesser than six (6) months five (5) or six (6) days less from the date of the marriage contract, in that situation, paternity can be denied without the necessity of resource to Lian (mutual imprecation) as there exists a legal barrier between the child and its suspected father.”

UNWARRANTED PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF DNA TESTING RESULTS, MUST BE QUICK TO INSTITUTE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST SUCH A FATHER.......SUBJECT THE MAN....TO SOME FORM OF PSYCHIATRIC TESTING IN ORDER TO DETERMINE

Lian Lian is an another way of disown- HIS WELL-BEING, AS TO HIS ing the paternity of a child. The STATE OF HIS MIND” child of a free woman cannot be

“And those who accuse their wives of adultery and have no witness except themselves, then the witness of one of them shall be four testimonies swearing by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful.”

Reliance on Medical Report in Determining the Paternity of a Child Imam Malik School of Islamic Jurisprudence recognises and relies on the evidence of an expert on some matters whenever necessary, but medical report in determining paternity of a child is considered unreliable.

Tabsiratu Al-Hukkam Vol. 2 Page 100 provides thus: “The popular view is that the opinion of an expert cannot be relied upon to ascertain paternity in relation to children of free woman, but same can be relied to establish paternity in case of children of a slave.”

It is obvious from the above view of Maliki school that DNA test cannot be relied in confirming the paternity of a child in Islam, except for the child of a slave.

Conclusion The paternity of a child in Islam, can be presumed only where the marriage contract exists between the spouses, a father cannot deny the paternity of a child born in a legal wedlock except by way of Lian, or where the child was born outside the minimum period of gestation.

The recent trend of using DNA testings to confirm the paternity of children born within a marriage with the aim of publicly denouncing paternity, is not only irresponsible but highly selfish and seriously harmful to the dignity and general psyche of the children.

The public disclosure of the contents of such DNA test results to the public, is most reprehensible. Why would any man subject a child or children born within wedlock to such psychologically debilitating encounter, foisting such traumatic experience that will permanently scar the self-esteem of such children, especially older ones, for life? It is utterly cruel and selfish!

It is plain wickedness that is vindictive and propelled by crude vengeance.

It must be condemned.

Let it be known that by our law, in Nigeria, particularly, Section 165 of the Evidence Act, provides that all children that are born during the continuance of a valid marriage between their mother and any man, or within 280 days after the dissolution of the marriage, so long as the mother remains unmarried, the law and the court shall presume that such children in question are the legitimate children of that man.

Whereas, the above provision of the law is rebuttable by DNA testings, such tests in many cases as reported, can possibly go wrong. There are indeed, reported cases where DNA tests have been obtained by fraud, subject to manipulation and have been easily tampered with. The reputation of the lab which conducts such DNA tests and the processes adopted by the labs in collecting and dealing with the samples for testing, must also be fully disclosed in the event where the DNA testing results are made public. This can afford all those affected by the results, to subject such DNA testings to further scrutiny. And until that is done, claims based on such results are not conclusive.

There is a currently and widely reported case of a judicial officer who issued a public statement regarding the paternity of his (erstwhile) children, based on the results of DNA testings he conducted. That is the judgement of a man who presides in judgement over the affairs of the State and men.

It is also further reported that this said judicial officer's children, who have been affected by his public declaration of the DNA testing results, are grownups (young adults). They must indeed, be terribly embarrassed and devastated by the public declarations made by the said judicial officer, their cont'd on page 11

COVER /11

16.02.2021

Determining the Paternity of a Child cont'd from page 10

own father.

But, it should not end there. Such adult children that are affected by an unwarranted public disclosure of DNA testing results, must be quick to institute legal proceedings against such a father. The legal action must first, be to subject the man who made such public disclosure of DNA test results, to some form of psychiatric testing in order to determine his well-being, as to his state of his mind. This should be done before further inquiries are made of him in court, for the purpose of subjecting him to fully disclosing the material particulars preceding and succeeding the DNA testings which he initiated. This is to determine the validity and conclusiveness of such DNA testing results. Thus, If such a father didn't spare his children of the trauma of publicly disclosing the DNA testing results that affect them, such children must NOT spare such a father, a proper public trial, in order to determine both his sanity and the validity of the DNA testing results.

For children that are minors, a man should not think that by obtaining DNA testing results proving that a child or children born within wedlock are not his, would indeed, shield him from providing care and maintenance for such a child or children affected by the results. That cannot excuse him from discharging his parental responsibilities to the children. To that particular extent, a man cannot profit from his covert or overt marital negligence, in allowing his wife to be involved in extramarital affairs and to effect make it an excuse to negatively affect children (human beings) that are born within a marriage. After all, the children could have been his as a marriage is expected to produce children, by the way. Therefore, such a man must take care of all the children (minors) that are born within the duration of the marriage as specified by Section 165 of the Evidence Act. In addition, the child's or children's right to parental care, protection and maintenance is guaranteed by Section 14 of the Child's Right Act. This right is enforceable against the parents and guardians of all children below the age of 18 years that are born within or without marriage and, cannot be derogated from, even by the results of any DNA testing.

his own share of paternity crisis. As if Justice Anthony Ezonfade Okorodas wanted to avoid the Nuhu Adam’s social media episode, he said: “…This Press Statement is important in order to prevent damaging speculations, half-truths and outright lies from persons who may want to cash in on the tragedy that has befallen my home. Sometime during the coronavirus lockdowns early last year, I received information from an anonymous source that indicated that the last of three children from my previous marriage was in fact not my biological child. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions at the time, I had to wait until August 2020 to carry out a DNA test. The DNA test result which came out in September 2020 confirmed that I was not the biological father of the child… This repulsive act of my ex-wife prompted me to conduct DNA test in respect of the other two children. A few days ago, the results came out. Sadly, none of them is my biological child… ”

Abdulrasheed Ibrahim

Controversies The rate at which paternity crisis is rocking the land this time around, is becoming overwhelmingly disturbing. Recently, Adam Nuhu, a former Managing Director of FCMB was in the news. He was accused of being the father of children bore by one Moyo, who was a former employee of the Bank. Moyo was married to a

Frank Tietie, Human Rights Lawyer; Executive Director, Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER), Abuja

“THE WOMAN OWES THOSE

Paternity Crisis: When Arguing Law Becomes INNOCENT CHILDREN THE DUTY TO LET THEM KNOW Relevant Abdulrasheed Ibrahim

WHO REALLY IS THEIR FATHER”

Opposing Views The can of worms opened by the Judge, has brought about a great argument among Lawyers. While some Lawyers have saluted the courage of the Judge for opening the can of worms, some have condemned him for making the declaration openly. Mr. Frank Tietie, a human rights Lawyer man by name Thomas who had the lambasted the Judge for going public impression that those children were with the declaration saying: his, but when the truth eventually “…Such adult children that are came out according to the report that affected by an unwarranted public the children were not his, Thomas disclosure of DNA test results must suffered a stroke and later died of be quick to institute legal proceedheart depression. This incident shook ings against such a father. The legal the nation to its root, as different action must first be to subject the versions of stories were spreading man who made such public disclosure on the social media like a wild fire. of DNA test results, to some form The Central Bank of Nigeria and the of psychiatric testing in order to management of the FCMB, were put determine his well-being, as to his under serious pressure to sanction state of mind…”. the man in the news. The group But, another Lawyer, Chidi Peter clamouring for that sanction seemed Agbaneje, in a post thought otherwise to carry the day, as Adam Nuhu was by putting the blame at the doorstep asked to proceed on leave pending of the Judge’s ex-wife, who is also the outcome of the investigation. A a Lawyer by saying : woman was brought on board, to replace him in that position.

“By foisting children she knew As if that was not enough, series belonged to another man on her of conflicting stories continued to ex-husband, Barr Juliet Ototo aremerge from the social media. While guably committed paternity fraud, a story had it that the wife of the conduct incompatible with her status man in the news, Mrs Hauwa Nuhu as legal practitioner, and should be was about engaging a Lawyer to appropriately be disbarred”. institute divorce proceedings against Agbaneje’s view generated mixed her husband, another one came up reaction as some Lawyers were asking that there was nothing of the sort. him whether the issue has anything Another story was put on social to do with the Legal Practitioner media by those called Moyo’s friends Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to debunking the allegation against her warrant the debarment of the ex-wife. as unfounded, and that her children To another Lawyer: “The Judge did really belonged to her late husband, very wrong in his actions. Imagine Mr. Thomas and not to Mr. Adam the case of the little boy whom he Nuhu. claims the mum left him when he When the controversy seemed to be was only six. Too callous of the dying down and going into oblivion, Judge”. My own question to this a High Court Judge in Delta State was: “If the Judge had not spoken, was reported to have summoned the what would have happened on social gentlemen of the press, addressing media? Have people forgotten the them in a press conference disclosing cont'd on page 12

12/COVER

16.02.2021

Determining the Paternity of a Child cont'd from page 11

recent incident of the FCMB’s MD now on leave?”

With the debate still raging, I submitted further: “Please re-read the Judge’s press release. He has not given up the responsibility. If he didn’t speak, the self-appointed spokespersons on social media will blow the issue out of proportion”.

The Judge having opened the can of worms, I am of the view that the burden is now on the Judge’s ex-wife to tell the world her own side of the story. Happily the woman in question is a Lawyer. The arguments being canvassed by the human rights Lawyer, Mr. Frank Tietie are those to be very useful and relevant in the court of law, and not in the court of public opinion. They may even find the case of ANOZIA v NNANI (2015) 8 NWLR (Pt. 1465) 241 on issue of paternity very instructive. The woman owes those innocent children the duty to let them know who really is their father. She needs to act urgently in her own interest, and that of the children. In Yoruba land, they have a saying that “it is a woman or a wife that really knows the father of her child or children”. According to the Judge’s press release, the woman having admitted that the last child was not Judge’s, if she is very sure that the other two children are that of the Judge, she should immediately as a Lawyer take proper steps to challenge the DNA results being relied upon by the Judge. Those children should not be allowed to live in total depression for the rest of their lives. It is their mother who can save the situation, if she really has conscience. The Judge had already said it, that he has left his ex-wife and her boyfriend to their conscience. Truly “conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it” as propounded

by Shiekh Usman Dan Fodiyo.

I was moved to tears the other day when reading an article written by Chief Dare Babarinsa, a great historian and columnist few years back titled “Gowon is Human, Fate is not”, where he narrated the story of how General Yabuku Gowon after about 48 years came out to accept the paternity of his son. According to Babarinsa : “Last week, General Gowon issued a brief statement stating that after 48 years, he has come to accept the paternity of Musa. He wanted the public to respect the privacy of his family in this period, now Musa needs rehabilitation after serving more than two decades in an American prison…” .The story is a very pathetic one, that justifies a novelist’s title “The Rich also cry”.

Part of the contention of Mr. Frank Tietie was that: “the public disclosure of the contents of such DNA test results to the the public, is most reprehensible. Why would any man subject a child or children born within the wedlock to such psychologically debilitating encounter, foisting such traumatic experience that will permanently scar the self-esteem of such children, especially older ones, for life? It is utterly cruel and selfish ”. A response to this was not far fetched in the following words by another Lawyer : “It’s very unfortunate that most of us are very hypocritical in our analysis of issues. The woman who committed fraud and left a man to ridicule for several years to the amusement of the public should walk around with her secret intact, while the innocent Judge who has been made to train another man’s child and still willing to continue with such responsibility is labelled callous because he brought out the truth to the public. Whoever feels that of the Judge should pray that him or her male sibling (s) experience that evil that the Judge was subjected to, and let him or her handle it in his own way”.

There is this saying that, think twice and deeply before you act. Did the woman also ever think of

what could be the effect or consequence of her act on the children, when engaging in extra-marital affairs outside the matrimonial home while still in marriage relationship with the Judge? To borrow from the words of Mr Tietie, did the woman also ever think of “such psychologically debilitating encounter, foisting such traumatic experience that will permanently scar the self-esteem of such children, especially older ones, for life?” Does it not seem to be very clear from this incident, why some religious scriptures prescribe serious punishment for those engaging in adultery and fornication?

“DID THE WOMAN ALSO EVER THINK OF WHAT COULD BE THE EFFECT OR CONSEQUENCE OF HER ACT ON THE CHILDREN, WHEN ENGAGING IN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS OUTSIDE THE MATRIMONIAL HOME WHILE STILL IN MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JUDGE?”

Lessons Learned This incident is not without lessons for those who want to learn one. Why should a man and a woman decide to go into marriage and refuse to be faithful to each other, to the extent of having extra-marital relationship outside the matrimonial home? Just like the way every segment of human endeavour is being faced with the challenge of morality, so also marriage is being faced with serious challenge of morality. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was right when he once said that: “Unless our morals are set aright, we can never do anything right in this country” .The late sage was a competent authority to give advice on various aspects of human endeavour including the issue of marriage, as it was not for nothing that he propounded the theory of “Jewel of Inestimable Value” to describe his own beloved wife, late Chief Madam Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo. According to Chief Awolowo in his autobiography published in 1960: “…My wife Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (nee Adelana) has been a jewel of inestimable value. She is an ideal wife; and I am sure she too regards me as an ideal husband .The outpouring of her love and devotion to me and to our family, is exceedingly and beyond words…With my wife on my side, it has been possible for us to weather all financial storms…I owe my success in life to three factors: the Grace of God, a Spartan of self-discipline, and a good wife…It is a matter for joy and profound gratitude to Almighty God that our mutual love and devotion has been richly blessed…”.

What this goes to show is that, for a man or a woman to succeed in life and have peace of mind, he or she needs a good and ideal partner in marriage with self-discipline, mutual love and devotion. An individual cannot plant maize, and expect to harvest yam during the harvest period.

Abdulrasheed Ibrahim, LL.M, Notary Public, Lagos

16.2.2021

/ 13

14

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Neimeth to Raise N5bn for Construction of New Plant Goddy Egene Shareholders

of

Neimeth

International Pharmaceuticals Plc will on March 9, 2021 approve the raising of N5

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

billion from the capital market through the issuance of shares.

The approval would be given at

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 12Feb-2021, unless otherwise stated.

the 62th annual general meeting (AGM) to hold in Lagos. The fund, according to the company,

would be used to establish a new plant at Amawbia, Anambra State that meets

World Health Organisation current standards of good manufacturing practices.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 158.06 159.64 6.71% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 3.06% Nigeria International Debt Fund 362.58 362.58 -9.14% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 115.26 115.26 1.01% 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 1.05 1.06 16.53% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 -13.41% 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 0.29% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.45 3.60 -2.99% 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 0.52% Anchoria Equity Fund 133.38 134.17 -0.27% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.19 1.19 -11.85% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) N/A N/A N/A ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.05 2.05 -45.13% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.17 2.21 -43.65% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.92% Paramount Equity Fund 16.07 16.37 0.50% Women's Investment Fund 133.18 134.70 0.07% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.18% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 130.35 131.24 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.91 108.91 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 1.27% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.17 1.18 -2.56% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.51 1.51 -4.79% 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 1.18% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 1.08% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,166.16 1,168.16 -2.86% 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 1,343.42 1,343.43 5.64% FBN Balanced Fund 185.13 186.50 -1.36% FBN Halal Fund 109.86 109.86 4.22% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.26% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 123.44 123.44 2.35% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 123.58 123.58 2.35% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy USD Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,830.64 3,876.26 1.93% Coral Income Fund 3,325.61 3,325.61 1.82% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 1.71% 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 0.72% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 127.91 128.44 18.55%

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 0.32% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.69 2.76 17.51% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 156.10 156.60 0.46% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.08 1.08 5.42% 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 N/A N/A N/A Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 1.62 1.65 7.33% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.22 12.33 -0.17% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 1.50% PACAM Equity Fund 1.57 1.59 -0.27% PACAM EuroBond Fund 109.07 111.67 -0.34% 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 128.87 131.64 10.37% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 0.78% 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 -2.13% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 0.61% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -0.85% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 0.55% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 -1.01% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.17% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -4.19% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.24 1.24 0.77% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 111.58 111.58 0.45% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.38 1.40 0.89% United Capital Bond Fund 1.90 1.90 0.70% United Capital Equity Fund 0.87 0.89 0.60% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.87% United Capital Eurobond Fund 117.87 117.87 0.67% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.07 1.09 -1.50% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.02 1.02 1.92% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +2349031100041 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.28 12.41 3.61% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.58 13.69 11.13% Zenith Income Fund 24.15 24.15 0.74% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.71%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

121.42 52.63

0.56% 0.44%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.36 121.82 97.11

13.46 121.82 98.94

1.05% 0.07% -2.27%

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.90 5.84 17.47 1.00 19.12 179.79

3.94 5.92 17.57 1.00 19.32 181.79

3.07% 2.69% 6.77% 0.91% -6.79% -18.69%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.05

13.11%

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.

TUESDAY, ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

15

PERSPECTIVE

Jakande: Farewell to the Architect of Modern Lagos Wale Adebanwi Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first executive Governor of Lagos State (1979-1983) who died on Thursday, 11 February 2021 at 91, was a rare combination of administrative genius in public governance and humility, even self-effacement, in personal life. He was a remarkable giant in public life who never made anyone feel small in his presence. Without doubt, Jakande was one of the ablest public administrators that the country has ever produced.

An encounter with the man popularly called LKJ by one of the top aides of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu illustrates the profound modesty of the spartan politician. Jakande, as the aide told me a few years ago, was in the governor’s office to see Tinubu. He had obviously announced his presence to one of the assistants in the governor’s outer office. Incidentally, he conceived and started the construction of that building. But he never occupied the office before the military seized power in December 1983. Perhaps the governor’s assistants were either too ignorant about who Jakande was or, because of his humble mien, they didn’t think he was important or relevant enough for his presence to be immediately brought to the attention of Tinubu. He was made to wait. The top aide to Tinubu came into the outer office and found Jakande waiting among many others. He was embarrassed. It was apparent to him that the former governor had been waiting for a while. Fortunately, Jakande didn’t notice the top aide, who he knew well.

The latter quickly dashed in to ask Tinubu if he knew his predecessor was in the waiting room. Tinubu expressed surprise. No one had informed him that Jakande was there. He asked the top aide to usher the former governor in immediately. What other Nigerian politician of Jakande’s stature and special connection to that office and the building would suffer such blatant disregard with comparable equanimity? Jakande LKJ whose other popular appellation was Baba Kekere, a salute to his rank within the just six months in 1980, the administration built Chief Obafemi Awolowo political family, was 11,729 classrooms, adding almost 10, 000 more by such a man: an accomplished and conscientious the time he left office. The urgent and massive administrator and manager of (wo)men and need for the construction of new classrooms resources whose deep inner peace and ascetic forced Jakande to take a pragmatic approach. simplicity were never disturbed by either the His administration built a particular kind of new exuberance of office and public ranking or the schools or added new classrooms to existing difficulties and scorns that the vagaries of public ones. Critics, particularly opposition elements life attracted. He was an incorruptible man who and members of the upper middle class in was never incorrigible. For several decades in Lagos, derided the ‘Jakande schools’ as some and out of corporate and public offices, he lived glorified concrete chicken pens or coops because in his Bishop Street, Ilupeju private residence in they were built to lintel level with added metal Lagos. In this, he had learned a crucial lesson poles that held the roof in place. But, as these from his leader, Awolowo, who resisted the classrooms sprang up all over Lagos, those who temptations that the transition from home to recognised the transformation that was afoot official residence and vice versa constituted – acknowledged the egalitarian pragmatism that among many other challenges of the passage necessitated the choice that was made by the of power in Africa. Though the need to remain government. Jakande was more concerned with in one’s private residence while in office as the effectiveness of the free education policy governor may no longer have the purchase it than the aesthetic value of the buildings. He had at a particular point in the political history recognised that, in the first iteration of the policy of Nigeria, the decision reveals the careful and by the predecessor political party in the 1950s, consistent attention that Jakande paid to one the Action Group (AG), some beneficiaries were of the ostensibly minor but grave questions of even happy to gather under trees before buildings political power in Africa. But even this counted were ready to accommodate the explosion in for little regarding what Jakande represented in enrolment for primary education.

As every child in Lagos headed for school Nigeria’s political history.

As Governor Tinubu said in his tribute, with no concern about the cost to their parents “Whatever we have been able to accomplish and with even school uniforms supplied free in Lagos State is because of the groundwork along with free meals, it became apparent that … Jakande set out before us. In so many ways, the old ethos of leapfrogging the Lugardian he is the inspirational father of modern Lagos contraption to modernity, which was started State. In housing, education, health care, and in 1955 in the Western Region and aborted by road construction, he left an indelible imprint.” military intervention in 1966, had returned with Tinubu should know. He inherited this tradition a new vigour. While many spoke to national of efficient and effective governance championed unity and pretended that they cared more about by the likes of Jakande which was based on a this, Jakande operationalised it. No other state progressive ideology that was identified with the in Nigeria had a greater representation of the Western Region of Nigeria and its succeeding multiple ethnic and religious identities in Nigeria states. However, this is threatening to become than Lagos. Jakande cared for every child of school age no matter where they came from. the exclusive heritage of Lagos State.

Undoubtedly, there were several problems Three of the most notable manifestations of LKJ’s administrative genius are worth remembering, with the implementation of this policy. To give a especially for the younger generation of Nigerians few examples, the nature of the new classrooms who are unfamiliar with what constitutes a proper meant that we were exposed to the elements some political party and what it means to methodically of the time, especially when it rained. Also, the and consistently execute the programmes and massive recruitment of teachers meant that some policies upon which a political party canvassed less than qualified people got in. Likewise, the for votes. First was in the area of education. The plan to ensure that every kid went to a school Jakande administration was quick in executing the nearest to his or her home (so they could walk free primary and secondary education programme to school) was a nightmare for the bureaucracy of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Putting to handle despite the civil servants’ best efforts. all the children of schoo; age in Lagos into Yet, these were understandable challenges of school while ending fee-based schooling in all massive social transformation.) Though the process schools within a short period was a massive of our instruction was affected in part by the endeavour. It involved the government take- some of these challenges, those of us described over of all existing schools, including mission then as omo Jakande (Jakande’s children) later schools, and also the establishment of many appreciated the massive transformation in the more schools to accommodate the explosion lives of several thousands of kids and their in school enrolment. By the end of his time in families wrought by the policies and actions office, Jakande’s administration increased the of this most able of public administrators.

The second was in the area of housing. Low-cost number of primary schools from 605 in 1979 to 812 and public secondary school from 105 to housing was one of the central programmes of 223. Enrolment in both primary and secondary Jakande’s administration. Affordable housing schools rose from around 435,000 to 533,000 was – and remains – a major challenge in Lagos. and from 108,000 to 168,000, respectively. Within In response to this, LKJ started massive low-cost

housing projects all over the state. In this too, there were many administrative impediments to the successful implementation of a laudable project. Yet, his administration completed many housing projects from Oke-Afa and AmuwoOdofin to Surulere and Ikorodu. Again, what this scheme reflected was Jakande’s recognition of the critical role of the state in intervening in the social process which, at this moment in Nigeria’s evolution, constituted an important reflection of the kind of social democracy that he and his political party espoused.

The third was the metroline project. Apart from the free education programme, this potential high-impact project was one of the greatest demonstrations of the modernist and transformative agenda of the Jakande administration. It was designed not only to address the perennial problem of traffic congestion in Lagos, but also as part of the instruments for economic renaissance in the city-state. It was therefore the most critical, most imaginative response to the problem of urban transportation. It was designed to ensure that Lagos joined other global cities in providing true mass transit. If it had been implemented, the metroline would have transformed Lagos forever. Thus, we cannot overemphasise the importance of this project.

Though it was not implemented, the project revealed three things about Jakande and the political camp that produced him. One, it revealed the massive transformative vision, principles, policies that were the signal assets of the Unity Party of Nigeria which made the party, among all others in the Second Republic, a superior instrument for gaining and deploying state power in the service of the common good. While some parties on the right such as the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) were only invested in power and domination and others on the left cared more about ideological purity and discourses than the challenging and messy work of genuine social transformation, the UPN under Awolowo’s leadership was an ideologically pragmatic instrument of rule that had an unparalleled clarity as to the means, modes and capacities for social transformation in the Nigeria of that age – as reflected in its Four Cardinal Programmes. Two, it showed that Jakande, perhaps more than any of his contemporaries, not only understood how the social transformation so conceived was to be achieved in a conurbation such as Lagos, but that he also had the vision to organise the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish the set goals in the context of the specific realities of that era. Three, starting the project confirmed Jakande’s place as, administratively speaking, one of the most remarkable strategic thinkers that Nigeria has ever produced. However, the abortion of this project (which eventually cost the state and the country as much money in arbitration as would perhaps have been needed to finish the project) was not only a sign of the myopia and heedlessness of the Major

General Mohammadu Buhari regime, it was also a stark reflection of the nature of Nigeria’s ‘federalism’ and military rule. That a class of retrograde soldiers who had neither a rudimentary understanding of the progressive principles nor of the developmental values behind this vision could hijack the instruments of federal power and, with fiat, terminate one of the most important means of urban transformation again reminds of the problems of the Nigerian state and Nigerian federalism. We are still living with the consequences of this terrible decision.

Almost four decades after the Buhari regime aborted this project, Lagos is still trying to build a similar project – with incalculably higher ratio in cost. Yet, the state has not succeeded. Two quick lessons here. One is the real and multiplier effects of efficient governance that is the tradition of progressive politics in western Nigeria, and two is the devastating and long lasting impact of the atavism called military rule, particularly the most invidious type that was experienced in Nigeria, and its concomitant subversion of federal principles.

There were other accomplishments of Jakande as governor that are too numerous to mention here, including the conceptualisation and actualisation of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway “that opened that whole sector of the state for development,” as Tinubu reminded us in his tribute to the late statesman.

Beyond infrastructures, LKJ’s style of leadership remains part of his legacy. His sartorial simplicity, including the signature horsetail fly whisk, amiable bearing and easy smile will be missed. I still recall vividly the first time I saw him as a student in one of the new schools he created. We lined the street of our school as his convoy drove by. He smiled and waved his fly whisk from inside his personal car (which was also his official car) as we waved back to him.

At the Nigerian Tribune, where I later worked, we heard stories about the era of John West, (his pen name), as editor-in-chief and managing director. Apart from his monumental contribution to the profession of journalism and the institution of the Fourth Estate, his old line-editors and reporters at Tribune often recalled his extraordinary work ethic, unflappability as well as his editorial and personal integrity. Although he later had a particularly unpleasant conflict with his leader, former employer, and co-shareholder in the African Newspapers of Nigeria, publishers of the Tribune, which, it can be argued, exposed a part of the shrewdness of the otherwise unassuming man, this could not erase his monumental contributions to the longest surviving newspaper in Nigeria.

Though Jakande was a social democrat and a man of great conviction, he was no rash ideologue.

As the governor of the capital city-state, it was said that he met with President Shehu Shagari weekly and also met his leader, Awolowo, weekly as well. While some members of the party were somewhat dubious about the value of regular meetings with the leader of the ruling party which they believed stole their leader’s mandate, Awolowo understood Jakande’s outreach.

Like most politicians, Jakande was a man of ambition. He really wanted to be president of Nigeria. He knew he had the capacity, despite his limitations regarding formal education, as his adversaries were often eager to point out.

LKJ recognised, correctly, that, apart from his leader, there were few in the country who could claim to have the administrative competences which he possessed in abundance. What LKJ lacked in intellectual finesse, he more than made up for in practical and effective planning and administrative genius; what he lacked in political oratory, he made up for in personal decency. Until he gambled away his pre-eminence in Lagos politics in the course of the June 12 crisis, the politics of Lagos was largely dictated by Jakande. Long before Tinubu, Jakande was the paterfamilias of Lagos progressive political camp. Babagana Kingibe will not quickly forget the lesson that Jakande taught him in the Third Republic about Lagos politics. Kingibe, in his initially subtle but increasingly brazen attempt as National Chairman to hijack the entire machinery of the Social Democratic Party from his patron, Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and the other established figures in progressive politics through the imposition of his favoured candidates in the party’s governorship races, forced the old political warhorse to show him – as they say in LKJ’s culture – that, if an adolescent has as much clothes as the elderly, s/he cannot have as much threadbare clothes. Jakande instructed his supporters to vote for the SDP candidates down the ballot all over Lagos but to reject Kingibe’s imposed governorship candidate by voting for the candidate of the rival party, Michael Otedola. It was the one and only time that a non-progressive politician would win election as governor of Lagos State. r"EFCBOXJ JT 3IPEFT 1SPGFTTPS PG 3BDF 3FMBUJPOT 6OJWFSTJUZ PG 0YGPSE 6OJUFE ,JOHEPN

16/

16.2.2021

23

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

ͯ Ͱ ˜ Ͱ ͮ Ͱ ͯ MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

REPO 4.75 4.50

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

ʹ 7.50 9.50

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

574.05% - 0.51% - 3.72%

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

̋ ͯͲ˛ͱʹϱ ̋ ͯͲ˛ͱʹϱ

EXCHANGE RATE N379/1US DOLLAR* ̩

Quick Takes AfDB to Support Women Entrepreneurs

PROMOTING MARITIME SECURITY

L-R: Managing Director of APEC-Antwerp/Flanders PortTraining Centre and Port of Antwerp International, Mr. Kristof Waterschoot; DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, and and Director at Port of Antwerp International, Mr. Mario Lievens, after a meeting at the Nigerian Belgian Chamber of Commerce, when the Port of Antwerp executives visited Nigeria…recently

Petrol Retailers Seek Collaboration with FG on Refineries’Repair Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the federal government in revamping the four non-functional refineries in the country if called upon by the federal government.

The National President of the organisation, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, told journalists in Abuja that the $1.2 billion needed to fix the facilities would not constitute a huge problem for the retailers, saying that as businessmen, if engaged PETROAN will deliver without excuses.

He added that with the contacts and reach of the members of the association who have about 100,000 retail outlets throughout the country, they can get the best engineers and experts to resuscitate the refineries.

ENERGY He said: “These outlets can easily come together and be a very successful offtake company or group for every refined product in Nigeria and that’s a very guaranteed way of ensuring that petroleum products are available at all times.

“The cost of fixing the refineries as we are told, runs into about $1.8 billion or thereabouts. We are businessmen.

“So, if the federal government were to engage PETROAN, we will certainly make sure that refineries are built, we will make sure we get the best value for less amount of money.

“We will get the best engineers to work, but again, we have to look at the possibility of ensuring that the in-country refining capacity of Nigeria is enhanced,” he said.

He maintained that if revamp-

ing the four refineries would cost Nigeria too much, then PETROAN can come together and partner the federal government to ensure that they establish modular refineries that are able to guarantee Nigeria’s domestic consumption per day.

“There are so many ways that PETROAN can ensure that the project is done successfully. As for where the money is coming from, right now we buy products from PPMC. “If we should spend that amount of money to bring in capacity, foreign partners, financial partners, technical partners, we should be able to invest that money in terms of debt financing with the federal government supporting us,” he added.

He assured that the group would get the refineries up and running, insisting that it’s not rocket science if allowed.

On the current debate over the pricing of petroleum products, Gillis-Harry argued that because of some exigencies happening in the market, prices of petroleum products was bound to increase soon.

“No doubt about that because we as an association support the government to ensure that subsidy is no longer the order of the day, but a full implementation deregulation of all prices of petroleum products should be enhanced and that’s what we support,” he noted.

He urged the government to free the market from the current interference, explaining that full liberalisation of petrol prices was the right thing to do.

He stressed: “Let the government start the process to ensure that the deregulation conversation that started in 2020 is now put Continued on page 24

Major Marketers Call for Initiative to Mitigate Effect of Petrol Price Hike Peter Uzoho Marketers of petroleum products under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) have called for a joint action of stakeholders in the Nigeria economy to find ways to mitigate adverse effects of the imminent increase in the price of petrol price.

The marketers’ cartel also canvassed for the replication of the current measure to cut cost of operation in the nation’s oil and gas industry to the entire spectrum of the economy especially governance.

The Chairman of MOMAN

ENERGY and Managing Director of 11Plc, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji, advanced the positions of the association in a statement he presented at a virtual press briefing hosted in Lagos, with the title, “After Deregulation, What Next”.

He said the removal of petrol subsidy and price control would no doubt lead to challenges for Nigerians, adding that debate among stakeholders should now move from the deregulation of downstream sector to fashioning out solutions to the hardship that would be faced by Nigerians.

He said with a fully deregulated downstream industry, the natural fear and anticipation of Nigerians was the increase in the price of transportation, food items and the attendant economic hardships.

According to Oyebanji, solutions to these challenges can only emanate from a collective resolve by all stakeholders to face up to these challenges together.

“We must as a nation debate and share pragmatic and realistic initiatives to mitigate the impact of a pump price increase which could follow a fully deregulated downstream,” he added.

He explained: “MOMAN is

calling for a national discourse among all stakeholders including government, labour, civil society organisations, the organised private sector and operators, not on the merits or demerits of petrol subsidy removal, but on the initiatives that can be taken to ease the impact of the subsidy removal on the most vulnerable in our society.

“MOMAN remains committed to the sustainability and institutionalisation of a viable downstream petroleum industry for the social and economic growth of our Country, Nigeria”.

Continued on page 24

The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) program has agreed a partnership with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) to unlock $1.3 to $2 billion in loans to women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, by working with financial institutions to enhance their ability to lend to women.

The move signaled the launch of AFAWA’s Guarantee for Growth (G4G)program,whichaimstomakeavailableupto$3billioninfinancing for women entrepreneurs through de-risking and technical assistance measures. Already, financial institutions in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda are signing on to the program.

“As the implementing partner of AFAWA’s Guarantee for Growth program, we are already observing an increased appetite from banks for this innovative product that seeks to support women entrepreneurs. We have recently signed agreements with leading banks on the continent who are keen to increase their women SMEs portfolio,” African Guarantee Fund’s Group CEO, Jules Ngankam said.

“AGF has always been cognisant of the importance of supporting womenSMEstoenablethemfullyplaytheirroleasdriversofeconomic growth.Wearegladthemomentumisincreasingandthatbanksarenow willing to take on this particular business segment,” Ngankam added.

Guarantee for Growth, which receives support from the Group of Seven (G7) countries as well as the Netherlands and Sweden, has three pillars: boosting access to finance, providing technical assistance to financial institutions and women business owners; and improving the enabling environment for women’s SMEs.

EKEDC Warns against Illegal Connection

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has warned its customers to refrain from engaging in illegal connections to avoid facing the full wrath of the law.

TheGeneralManager,CorporateCommunicationsofEKEDC,Godwin Idemudia, in a statement at the weekend, admonished customers to desist from the act of illegal connection and appealed to them to also report any case of extortion or bribery from staff or third-party agents viatheCompany’swhistleblower platform whistleblower@ekedp. com or any of its social media platforms.

“We plead with our customers to pay their bills on time to avoid the embarrassment of disconnection which may lead to being tempted to engage in illegal connection”, Idemudia said.

The warning by the distribution company followed the recent arraignment of one Olanrewaju Adeleke before the Court 2, Sikiru Adagun Magistrate Court House, Ajegunle.

According to the statement, Adeleke was apprehended for unlawful reconnection of Power & Life Christian Mission, a Church in the Amukoko area of Lagos. The accused had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony to wit and malicious damage/stealing of property belonging to Eko Electricity Distribution Company and applied for bail.

Access Bank Incentivises Customers

Access Bank Plc has unveiled series of offers for its customers.

The campaign which is tagged “It’s a LoveThing,” was the fifth edition and runs run from February 10 to February 28, 2021.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign, the Executive Director, Retail Banking, Access Bank Plc Victor Etuokwu, said, the Valentine season gave the bank an opportunity to show love to its customers and reward their loyalty for banking with us.

“We are using this opportunity to thank our customers for their commitment to Access Bank. We appreciate our customers as well as non-customers who depend on our services and products to achieve seamless banking transactions and wish everyone a happy valentine’s celebration,” he said. Commenting further on the campaign, Group Head, Consumer Banking, Access Bank, Adaeze Umeh, said, the bank created unique and amazing offers to meet the needs of its customers this season.

“We have commenced the review of the NAIDP to address the existing shortcomings and include the right levers required to attain our expectations for the automotive industry in a country like Nigeria” Minister of Industry,Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo

24

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD PETROL RETAILERS SEEK COLLABORATION WITH FG ON REFINERIES’ REPAIR into practice and certainly government should make sure we bring in petroleum products into Nigeria.”

He insisted that if the market is deregulated, then the government can put in place measures to cushion the harsh impact on Nigerians in the form of inflationary pressures.

“N200 today is about forty something cents and of course without doing much economy of scale, we should already know that petroleum products will increase.

“But what we as an association is asking is let the government work together to ensure economic dynamics to cushion the shocks so inflation does not come in and we as an association also want to wear a human face,” he stated.

MAJOR MARKETERS CALL FOR INITIATIVE TO MITIGATE EFFECT OF PETROL PRICE HIKE Oyebanji said the association stands with Nigeria and Nigerians through this difficult time and supports the federal government’s promise to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) this year and fully deregulate the petroleum downstream sector.

He pointed out that the benefit of a liberalised downstream was the most visible means of growing the economy in the medium to long term.

He said Nigeria could become the refining hub of West and Central Africa and eventually the whole of Africa if it sticks to the path of investing in new refineries, adopting a cost optimisation initiative, building an environment that promotes competition and creates a sustainable petroleum sector.

“These actions would lead to increased employment, reduced poverty and reduced social inequity. We must take advantage of the opportunities brought by the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA) and fully benefit from our barrels of crude, getting the maximum value it can bring Nigeria,” he noted.

Oyebanji, however, harped on the need for participants in the fuel supply chain, both operators and regulators demonstrate cost optimisation in every practical and public way possible.

NEWS

Minister: Buhari Working to Bridge Infrastructure Gap Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

roads.

He said: “As you can see, a lot of activities are going on along the corridor of the road project.

Because of the construction work people are now building houses along the road corridor and cost of land and rent have gone up.

That is to tell you that prosperity is coming your way.”

The minister while inspecting the ongoing work on the Kano Western Bypass road, noted that

Buhari would lift more Nigerians out of poverty to prosperity.

The 26.6 km dual carriageway is an extension of Kano -Maiduguri dual carriageway and forms part of the Trans Saharan route and was awarded on the 25th of April, 2007 with an initial contract period of 36 months with completion date being 2010.

Also inspected was the dualization of Kano -Katsina

Road Phase I which stretched from Kano town at Dawanau roundabout to Katsina State boarder.

The 74.10km dual carriage way was awarded in 2013 with an initial completion date of June, 2016 but later extended to June 2021.

In his comments, the Controller of Works, Kano State, Mr Yahaya Ali, noted that the contractor remains on site and had made

considerable progress in the project.

“Notably, the 72.88km and 68.50 km pavement structure of the new road had been completed up to binder and wearing stages respectively,” he said.

He attributed the progress made to the SUKUK intervention and the competence of the contractor and appealed that the SUKUK funding should be sustained.

The Minister of State, Works and Housing, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, has said that investment in infrastructure such as roads and housing would bring prosperity to Nigerians.

According to the minister, when summed up, all the ongoing works on Nigerian roads started by previous administrations, showed that President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on bridging the infrastructure gap of the nation, especially by completing abandoned projects instead of starting new ones.

He said: “This government is investing massively in infrastructure development of our roads and housing sector either by direct budgetary funding or through other means, be it SUKUK, Tax Credit Initiative or the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.”

The minister, who spoke during a roads inspection tour, commended the contractors handling the projects for the quality of job and urged them to increase the pace of work so that the project could be delivered on time for the benefit of communities along the corridor of the project and other road users.

The minister reiterated the president’s commitment to lifting L-R: Regional Manager, Unity Bank Plc, Mr Michael Akerele; Star Prize winner, Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge, Evelyn Esumai; State Nigerians from poverty through Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) FCT, Hajiya Wahil Isa; and Garki Area 3, Unity Bank Plc Branch Manager, Mr Idris Usman, during investment in infrastructure like the CORPRENEUSHIP challenge for 2021 Batch B corp members at the Kubwa Orientation Camp in Abuja...recently

PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

FG: $10bn Required to Bridge Power Distribution Gap Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government has said about $10 billion would be required to bridge the electricity distribution infrastructure deficit gap in the country.

Speaking at the weekend during a television interview, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Infrastructure, Mr. Rufai Zakari, stressed however that the government was looking at several sources for funding the power sector.

He said although the federal government was not against the current players in the industry making money, but it needed to make sure that investors make their money while their services are felt by Nigerians.

Zakari added that having assessed the metering gap through the support of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in partnership

with the ministry of power and NERC, the government was working with the Discos to provide them financing so that they can roll out metres to citizens free.

He said thus far, about N18 billion has been disbursed which has been used to purchase about 350,000 meters, in the phase zero, while about one million meters would be distributed over the next few months.

The president’s aide stated that the government will then move to phase one which will be another 4 million through a similar financing scheme while the balance will be covered through a World Bank facility.

“We need rapid accelerated funding in the distribution sector. The distribution sector is the closest to the consumer and we like to say that if the power sector doesn’t work for

the citizens, then it doesn’t have any purpose.

“If you look at what we’re doing, I think the assessed gap is about $10 billion and we’ve come up with multiple schemes to rapidly infuse funding into that segment of the value chain.

“Through the leadership of CBN, there’s an emergency fund that’s being used to upgrade critical feeders in line with the service-based tariff rollout to make sure the Discos can meet their band ABC and the loan commitments,” he maintained.

He added that part of the world bank funding will also be used for infrastructure like transformers in different neighborhoods that are challenged, just so the citizens can feel the impact of improved electricity.

In addition, he said the Siemens presidential power initiative will also bring about funding

to ensure improvements as well as to make sure that Nigeria’s distribution capability matches its generation capability as well as transmission.

“But for anybody that says we should only focus on one funding scheme, that is a very wrong way to think because we have a large gap and were are using all of these funds in an accelerated manner to make sure that the citizens feel the impact as quickly as possible,” he added.

He listed the issue of better coordination as one of the problems in the sector, saying that what was available before now was a distributed leadership and many players in the sector, insisting that part of the challenges was ensuring that all the players are moving in the same direction.

Zakari stated that with

improved coordination, Nigeria was beginning to see the results, adding that the country needs to make sure the investors can make returns but that the impact on the citizens must be felt.

“So the Discos that have also been working with us, we are taking a carrot-and-stick approach. It was reported that we have broken the record in terms of collections in the sector, partly because we have sequestered the funds for the sector into a lock box, so to say, with the CBN and we are ensuring that generation and gas are getting their money and Discos can earn a return, but there’s much more transparency in the sector.

“On aggregate even with the subsidies and raise in tariff by about 36 per cent on average, but the collection number for Discos over the past few months has jumped by 64 per cent.

Ikeja Electric Introduces Incentives for Whistle-blowers Group Business Editor

Peter Uzoho

Capital Market Editor

The Ikeja Electric (IE) Plc said it has introduced incentives for those willing to expose energy thieves within its network.

The initiative is part of the Disco’s effort to curtail incidence of energy theft.

IE said for established cases of energy theft, the whistle-blower would be rewarded from the reconnection penalty paid by the culprit in accordance with the fees stipulated in the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) Order on Unauthorised Access to Electricity Supply, Meter Tampering and

Obinna Chima Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters

ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

Bypass for non-maximum demand and maximum demand customers.

It explained that where the culprit is a non-maximum demand customer, the whistle-blower receives up to 10 per cent of the reconnection penalty paid by the culprit while in a case that involves a maximum demand offender, the whistle-blower receives up to five percent of the reconnection /penalty paid by the culprit.

IE added that whistle-blowers would only be rewarded after the culprit has made full payment of the fees, noting however, that, where the

report is made in the name of multiple individuals. Only one whistle blower per case will be rewarded.

The Head of Corporate Communications, IE, Mr. Felix Ofulue, explained in a statement that, “whistle-blowers of energy theft cases who wish to be rewarded must provide their full name, contact telephone number, e-mail address and customer account number (where the whistle-blower resides within the IE network); without which it may be difficult to reach out and reward such whistle-blowers.”

Ofulue further stated: “All

reports submitted through any medium will be considered confidential.

“The company views whistleblowing as a positive practice that enables it detect incidents of unethical conduct, fraud and other illegal activities early; thus, providing the opportunity to take corrective measures.

“This is done in a confidential manner that enables IE investigate the alleged misconduct and take necessary steps to deal with the misconduct.”

In addition, he stated that where the report was established to have been made in bad faith or for the purposes of personal

gain or malicious intent, it will not be eligible for compensation.

It also not applicable where the report was not made using the aforementioned whistleblowing channels.

Ofulue further reiterated the company’s commitment to global best practices in business ethics, stating its strict adherence to its policy of zero tolerance to bribery and corruption, with focus on upholding ethics and integrity.

“Ikeja Electric is committed to a culture of zero-tolerance against fraud, bribery, corruption, misappropriation, illegal activities and unethical conduct throughout its operations”, he said.

25

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Catalysing Productive Electricity Use Despite the seeming pessimism by Nigerians as to whether the country will ever get it right in its effort to provide reliable power supply, the newly revamped Rural ElectrificationAgency appears to have become the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Emmanuel Addeh reports that the strategic selection of rural communities and public universities by the agency for location of renewable power is not only restoring modernity, but is helping to ramp up productive use of electricity in the benefitting areas and institutions

E

ssentially, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), is the implementing agency of the federal government, saddled with the responsibility of powering unserved and underserved communities and of recent, the electrification of carefully selected institutions of government, like schools and hospitals.

Its mission is to provide access to reliable electric power supply to the chosen beneficiaries and in some way, allow for reasonable return on investment through appropriate tariff that is economically responsive and supportive.

Aside promoting rural electrification, the agency through the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) encourages public and private sector participation, sometimes using decentralised solutions to provide demand-driven initiatives.

For the reinvigorated agency, now mostly manned by young Nigerians, including its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ahmad Salihijo, its Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Dr. Sanusi Ohiare and Head of Project Management Unit (PMU), Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Anita Otubu, it’s not just about giving light as an end in itself, it should in some way lead to productivity.

In the areas already visited by the agency, artisans and small businesses can now work without worrying about Nigeria’s largely epileptic power supply while tertiary institutions can now power their research and learning facilities 24 hours of the day.

In the same vein, security has been enhanced by the provision of street lighting in the institutions and hitherto darkness-ridden communities by the REA, while students now essentially have access to uninterrupted supply of electricity to carry out their scholarly duties.

Even in the heat of the Covid-19 pandemic, the REA was unrelenting, deploying several solar hybrid mini-grids to power isolation centres in hard-hit states, especially the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states.

To ensure sustainability, the agency formed the Rural Electricity Users Cooperative Society (REUCS), which is specifically designed to encourage beneficiary communities to take ownership of mini-grid systems, while ensuring safety, productive use as well as sustainability of the mini-grids.

So, as part of its important journey to electrifying Nigeria’s unreached communities and power higher institutions of learning, the REA’s ship berthed in Gombe and Bauchi, Nigeria’s north east, last week in furtherance of carrying out its mandate.

The excitement on the faces of the beneficiaries could only be imagined, given that throughout their lifetime, for instance, the Gombe community had never experienced what it meant to have electricity.

At the inauguration of a 1.12MW Solar Hybrid Project at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who attended virtually, reiterated that the government was making a lot of progress in its plan to power all the 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals in the country.

Aside the renewable energy training centre, the ATBU facility also boasts of 5.25 kilometres streetlight, 5.42MWh backup batteries, four transformers and a 300KVA backup diesel generator.

In the process of construction, 310 jobs were created, internal and external roads were built, while during the testing phase, it achieved 303kw maximum generation on February 7, 2021.

The vice president noted that the ongoing projects being executed by the REA were critical to the achievement of that objective and reduction of Nigeria’s carbon footprints, explaining that the strategy was to have at least 30 per cent of the country’s total electricity supply from renewable sources, majorly solar power in the next nine years.

Osinbajo who noted that at least 22,000 students in the country and several faculties in several universities were already hooked on to the programme, explained that the country was working hard to curb emissions by 20 per cent immediately and 45 per cent in collaboration with its international partners.

The vice president stated that the programme would expand the country’s commitment to global best practice and to cleaner energy in line with

Salihijo the Paris agreement on climate change.

As the fastest growing means of energy today, he noted that renewables will be the key economic driver of growth in the nearest future.

“This is yet another milestone in the Energizing Education Programme (NEP). The objective of the programme is that all 37 federal universities and seven teaching hospitals will be provided with captive energy solution to ensure sustainable and reliable power for students and faculties.

“Already 22,000 students and faculties across the country are connected to completed projects in Kano, Ebonyi, Benue and now in Bauchi.

Apart from providing reliable power for these institutions, we will have a renewable energy workshop and training centre to provide training for students on renewable energy.

“Renewables are the highest growing source of energy today. In the future , Nigeria intends to have over 30 per cent of its electricity supply from renewables by the year 2030. Our future workforce needs to be ready for this transition.”

The vice president stressed that the current development aligns with Nigeria’s plan to reduce emissions by 20 per cent unconditionally and 45 with international support, saying that the new university project, comes with a renewable energy workshop and a training centre to provide training for the students on renewable energy.

He commended the REA for its hard work and openness in the implementation of the programme, urging the agency to redouble its efforts. He added that the project at the university comes with massive street lighting and retrofitting of existing ones for better security in the university environment.

“There’s provision for on-the-job training for 20 female students undergoing STEM courses in the benefitting institutions. The training focuses on the design and installation of various components of the project,” Osinbajo explained.

In his remarks, Minister of Power, Mr Saleh Mamman, maintained that gone are the days where students read at night with candles, lanterns and torches, saying that aside the captive hybrid solar power plant, renewable energy workshop and training centre, the federal government also installed street lights in the benefitting institutions.

He said the plant was funded by the federal government of Nigeria’s green bond, noting that it underscores Nigeria’s adherence to global best practices, as the world transitions to cleaner sources of energy. Managing Director of the REA, Ahmad Salihijo, while speaking at the ceremony, noted that the project was in line with the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

He stressed that the essence of the programme was to provide clean, reliable, safe and sustainable electricity to selected federal universities and teaching hospitals.

“In implementing this, the programme rehabilitates existing electricity distribution infrastructure, illuminate university campuses for improved security and construct renewable energy training centres to nurture female STEM

students under this programme.

“The STEM Internship Programme is an important component of this project, where 20 female students received training in the design and construction of the solar hybrid power plant.

“Under the tutelage of the solar developer, these women received hands-on field and classroom training through the course of this project’s implementation. In total, 60 female stem students have been trained so far,” he disclosed.

Governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Bala Mohammed, who also spoke at the event, highlighted the importance of renewable energy and expressed his desire to continue to collaborate with the federal government. Represented by the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Usman Abubakar, Mohammed advised the university to make the best use of the facility for the betterment of society.

The Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Suleiman, who lauded the REA for the magnificent job it was doing throughout the country, noted that it was humbling that the project was located at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, university in Bauchi.

“While Bauchi is known as the pearl of tourism, we are also a people open to positive change.

Therefore, we gladly embrace new development initiatives, such as renewable energy that aim to improve the lives of our citizens.

“With renewable energy, our indigenes can enjoy the benefits of clean, safe and reliable electricity.

The ripple effect of providing access to stable and clean sources of electricity, impacts not just the power sector, but the entire nation.

“As security continues to be a key concern across Nigeria, it is impressive to know that the Energizing Education Programme incorporated security improvements into project design and implementation with the installation of solar powered street lights over 13.23 km.

“As a result, the illumination of the campus at night has now created a safe and secure environment for students and faculty. This is quite notable.

“Ensure that no harm occurs to any of the equipment and installations that have been placed in your care, not just for ATBU, Bauchi State or Nigeria but for Africa. We must rise to exceed expectations,” the traditional ruler advised.

The inauguration of the project was not over yet, as the head, PMU, Otubu, specially underscored the importance of the female STEM component of the project.

“The technical experience you have gained through the female STEM Internship Programme should be used towards providing solutions that will improve energy access,” she noted.

She added that it is no secret that the federal government through the REA is relentless in seeing that educational institutions and the entire country have increased access to clean and reliable electricity for improved quality of education and productivity.

“The efforts of the Ministry of Power, the National Assembly and their Committees on Power, in creating an enabling environment for the successful implementation of the Energising Education Programme as well as all electrification projects across Nigeria must be commended,” she

noted.

The contractor, handling the project, Sterling and Wilson Nigeria Limited, said that represented

by Cabinda Singh, stressed that the company commenced and delivered the project to the university in conformity to international best practice and standards.

“The installed solar mini grid power plant has a total capacity of 1.12MW completed with a world-class training centre, efficient solar panels and batteries, installation of streetlights for illumination, distribution networks as well as backup power source. The solar hybrid mini grid now serves the entire institution irrespective of faculty, dormitory and buildings in the institution with constant electricity,” he stated.

In Dakiti community, Akko local government, Gombe state, where the inauguration of an 85KWP Solar Hybrid Mini-grid took place, the federal government stated that it was continuing its ongoing deployment of 19,000 Solar Homes Systems (SHS), throughout the country.

The power plant in the state also consists of 100 solar panels, 96 batteries and over 4.5KM distribution network cables and is expected to serve over 1500 people in the area with constant electricity. At the ceremony, the REA boss noted that the project was successfully deployed under the First REF Call of the federal government’s Rural Electrification Fund (REF), an initiative designed to promote off-grid electrification and ensure that electricity is equitably distributed across Nigeria.

He stated that having been saddled with the responsibility of powering unserved and underserved communities across Nigeria using off-grid solutions, the federal government had taken the initiative to several states, including Kogi, Kebbi, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom.

“It might interest you to know that through this first Rural Electrification Fund (REF) Call, we are ensuring electricity access across 12 communities and deploying over 19,000 Solar Home Systems (SHS) across the nation.

“We have commissioned this kind of project in Kogi, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and much more across the country. I can confidently tell you it is working and we will continue to do more.

“These interventions are testaments of the federal government’s resolve to improve energy infrastructure across Nigeria, especially in unserved and underserved communities,” he said.

He added that with the deliberate plan to power Nigeria, more communities will be energised across the country under the 2nd Call of the REF as well as other REA programmes.

He noted that the intervention in off-grid communities was key to accelerating true national development as great opportunities abound in communities such as Dakiti, with the availability of sustainable and reliable energy.

Also speaking, the Governor of Gombe State, Mr Muhammad Yahaya, explained that the project confirms the federal government’s agenda to improve electricity access to Nigerians.

He underscored the importance of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the implementation of the project, which he said will ensure clean, safe and reliable electricity in the benefitting communities.

“It is important to stress that the benefits of clean and safe and constant electricity will increase the income of the people in this community through improved business activities as well as improve productivity of the people while ensuring good education for school children.

“I want to assure you that the people of Gombe State, will do our best to support not just this project but all electrification projects to ensure greater success and sustainability because the impact is already changing lives,” the governor noted.

The governor commended the efforts of the REA in providing reliable electricity to underserved and unserved communities across several states in the country. He urged the benefitting areas to treat the project as their own by guarding it against vandalism and in ensuring prompt payments of electricity consumed.

“You should also bear in mind that other communities will be watching to see how you make use of the power plant and the constant electricity it will provide,” he stressed.

26

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Weighing the Ban on Cryptocurrency Transactions Oluchi Chibuzor writes on the ban of cryptocurrency transactions in Nigeria’s banking and payment systems

T

and Counter Financing Terrorism guidelines, Know Your Customer (KYC) Requirements for a safe and secured Nigeria and stable financial system,” he said.

He said ABCON will continue to support CBN’s moves to tighten and strictly enforce regulations in the foreign exchange market for sustained exchange rate stability and improved economic growth.

Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Movement, Oduduwa Youths, and Middle Belt Youths also supported CBN’s ban on cryptocurrency trading through Nigeria’s financial system.

They also hailed the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, for providing the leadership that made the apex bank to take such a proactive move.

The groups, in a joint statement by Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Mr. Nwada Chiamaka, described the ban as patriotic and courageous.

They urged Emefiele not to relent in his efforts to sanitise not only the banking sector but the entire economic landscape.

“We know of a fact that this policy is a hard hit against financial criminals of the underworld who in turn will stop at nothing in their desperate bid to ensure that the policy is changed so that they can continue to have their way. We urge the CBN team not to succumb to any pressure.

The policy should be strictly implemented and those who flout the rule should be sanctioned appropriately,” the statement added.

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently directed banks and other financial institutions to close any accounts dealing in cryptocurrency or facilitating payment for cryptocurrency exchange, with immediate effect.

It also directed banks to expose any individual and entity running such accounts, warning that failure to adhere to the directives would attract strict sanctions.

The apex bank in the circular, cautioned deposit money banks (DMBs), non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) and other financial institutions (OFIs) and members of the public on the risk associated with transactions in cryptocurrency.

The circular was signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Mr. Bello Hassan, and the Director of Payments System Management Department, Mr. Musa Jimoh.

The new central bank policy has continued to attract mixed reactions. While some analysts have criticised the central bank’s action, others have expressed support for the policy.

CBN’s Defence In defending its policy, the CBN insisted in a statement by its Director of Communications, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, that the restriction regime was to protect Nigerians and the financial system.

It was reported that the federal government and CBN were hinted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on the activities of fraudsters using cryptocurrencies to bring into the country hundreds of millions of US Dollars illegally obtained from the USA and other western economies, giving rise to the policy.

The CBN attributed the ban on cryptocurrency transactions to the need to protect the interest of Nigerians and the financial system from the risks inherent in crypto assets transactions.

It said dealing in cryptocurrency has dire consequences for the integrity of the financial system and financial stability.

The bank raised concerns that due to the fact that cryptocurrency is largely speculative, anonymous, and untraceable, they are increasingly being used for money laundering, terrorism financing, and other criminal activities.

The apex bank added that small retail and unsophisticated investors also face a high probability of loss due to the high volatility of the investments in recent times.

The CBN added that in the light of these realities and analyses, the bank had no comfort in cryptocurrency at this time and will continue to do all within its regulatory powers to educate Nigerians to desist from its use and protect the financial system from the activities of fraudsters and speculators.

The CBN said following the various comments and reactions that had trailed its recent reminder to banks to desist from transacting in/and with entities dealing in cryptocurrency, it had become necessary to provide further justifications about the bank’s position, especially to the public.

The bank added that considering the fact that cryptocurrency is issued by unregulated and unlicensed entities, the use in Nigeria goes against the key mandates of the CBN, as enshrined in the CBN Act (2007), as the issuer of legal tender in Nigeria, stressing that the “use of cryptocurrencies in Nigeria is a direct contravention of existing law.”

The CBN said: “The very name and nature of ‘cryptocurrencies’ suggest that its patrons and users have value anonymity, obscurity, and concealment. The question that one may need to ask, therefore, is, why any entity would disguise its transactions if they were legal.

“It is on the basis of this opacity that cryptocurrencies have become well-suited for conducting many illegal activities, including money laundering, terrorism financing, purchase of small arms and light weapons, and tax evasion.

“Indeed, many banks and investors who place a high value on reputation have been turned off from cryptocurrencies because of the damaging effects of the widespread use of cryptocurrencies for illegal activities.”

The apex bank added that the role of cryptocurrency in the purchase of hard and illegal drugs on the darknet website called “Silk Road” is well known, adding that there had also been recent reports that cryptocurrency has been used to finance terror plots, further damaging its image

Emefiele as a legitimate means of exchange.

The CBN explained further: “More also, repeated and recent evidence now suggests that some cryptocurrencies have become more widely used as speculative assets rather than as means of payment, thus explaining the significant volatility and variability in their prices.

“For those who are not conversant with the universe of cryptocurrencies, it is important to state that cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual currencies issued by largely anonymous entities and secured by cryptography.

“Cryptography is a method of encrypting and hiding codes that prevent oversight, accountability, and regulation. While there are a number of cryptocurrencies now in circulation, bitcoin was the first to be introduced in 2009, and now accounts for about 68 per cent of all cryptocurrencies.

“As regards our recent policy pronouncement, it is important to clarify that the CBN circular of February 5, 2021, did not place any new restrictions on cryptocurrencies, given that all banks in the country had earlier been forbidden, through CBN’s circular dated January 12, 2017, not to use, hold, trade, and/or transact in cryptocurrencies.

“Indeed, this position was reiterated in another CBN Press Release dated February 27, 2018.”

According to the CBN, its policy “is not an outlier as many countries, central banks, international financial institutions, and distinguished investors and economists have also warned against its use.

“They have all made similar pronouncements based on the significant risks that transacting in cryptocurrencies portend, the risk of loss of investments, money laundering, terrorism financing, illicit fund flows, and criminal activities.

“China, Canada, Taiwan, Indonesia, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Bolivia, Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Cambodia have all placed a certain level of restrictions on financial institutions facilitating cryptocurrency transactions” The CBN also cited investor, Warren Buffett, who has called cryptocurrency “rat poison squared,” a “mirage,” and a “gambling device” as one of those who have condemned trading in cryptocurrency.

“Mr. Buffett believes it is a “gambling device” given that they are mostly valuable because the person buying it does so, not as a means of payment; but in the hope they can sell it for even more than what they paid at some point.

“During an online forum hosted by the Davos-based World Economic Forum a few weeks ago, Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, highlighted the extreme price volatility of cryptocurrencies as one of the biggest flaws and explained that this flaw makes it impossible for them to be used as a lasting means of payment.

Support for Ban on Cryptocurrency However, amid the criticism of the policy, the

Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Movement, Oduduwa Youths, and Middle Belt Youths expressed support for it.

ABCON lauded the CBN for being proactive in banning cryptocurrency trading.

ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, said the banking sector regulator acted fast to curtail an emerging dangerous trend capable of eroding Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) gains.

Gwadabe added that before banning financial dealings that do not conform with the norm, the CBN must have got financial intelligence on such operations, as seen in kidnappers now collecting Bitcoin for ransom.

Gwadabe said the new changing global behaviour towards cryptocurrency trading in Nigeria was not in tandem with Nigeria’s AML/CFT compliance structure as the country battled to move out of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sanctions list.

He said cryptocurrency trading has become pervasive and widespread that every segment and all operators in the financial industry are becoming vulnerable to their operations that are not guided by regulation.

“That is why many financial sector regulators, prominent financial institutions, including global banks and investment firms are moving swiftly against the cryptocurrency operators.

“All over the world, no regulatory institution has given a fiat approval of the new digital money due to its vulnerability to money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.

“It is therefore the belief of our association that the measures of the CBN will ensure the confidence of our foreign partners to boost economic growth,” Gwadabe said.

According to him, rather than criticising the CBN, the critics should have advised 5he federal government to introduce digital agri-business to Nigeria’s teeming youth for capacity and self-employment.

“We, therefore, support the CBN measures and urge the apex bank to support a paradigm shift in Bureaux de Change (BDCs) business where we are moving from traditional bricks and mortar operations to a digitised model that boosts transparency, foreign capital inflows, and ease of monitoring and supervision of our operations,” he said.

He added the BDCs have so far introduced four factors authentication digital applications in their operations to improve efficiency and transparency in operations.

Gwadabe said there was nothing wrong with regulating players in the financial sector, and where such regulations are not available, caution should be applied.

“There is a need for every segment of the financial system to be regulated and guided by the CBN Act, BOFIA, Anti-Money Laundering,

Criticisms The Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane expressed reservations about the prohibition of cryptocurrency by the apex bank.

He said rather than outright prohibition, the CBN should have concentrated on regulation of the means of exchange which it started in 2017.

According to him, “In 2017, the CBN raised the alarm and warned that anybody that engaged in cryptocurrency and got his hands burnt would be on his own.

“The best thing is to regulate it, put it under a rule that will stipulate the number of people that can participate. A lot of people do not understand it, they will just lose money.

“So, there are two elements, one is to regulate the market, to protect the investors through capital requirement and the other is to prohibit it’.

“Cryptocurrency is being used as a store of value and also to use it as a medium of exchange and for trade, so it’s parts of the characteristics of money.

It needs to be studied carefully and controlled not prohibited.

Equally, a former Deputy Governor of the CBN, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, advised the CBN to reconsider its recent decision to ban cryptocurrency transactions in the country banking and payment systems.

He also suggested that the central bank could come up with effective regulation of the evolving digital currency revolution and possibly launch its own virtual currency as being done in some countries.

He argued that it would be preferable to regulate the cryptocurrency by either restricting its usage or subjecting it to some form of surveillance that would alert the CBN when abuses that could affect the financial system stability arise.

He said: “I think that there is need for a very serious study about this thing because many Nigerians are involved in cryptocurrencies. If your country is number 10 in the world usage of cryptocurrencies, I do not think that it is a wise approach to either ignore or banish it.

“My recommendation to the CBN is to really take a deep look of this whole thing and perhaps look at the possibility of the issuance of its own digital currency as China, Sweden and Uruguay and other countries are doing. What you do not know can be scary for you.”

Moghalu also emphasised the need for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch an investment education campaign to educate Nigerians about the risks associated in trading in cryptocurrency.

“I think the CBN should be imaginative and deploy risk management approach to cryptocurrency.

Investments are risks that are personal to the investors as long as they do not affect systemic stability,” he added.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

27

Cardoso: Good Policy Environment Required to Attract Investors The Co-Chair of the Ehingbeti 2021, the Lagos Economic Summit, which commences today, Mr. Yemi Cardoso, in this interview speaks about the benefits of the initiative to the state. Oluchi Chibuzor brings the excerpts: Over the period of its conception and the exhibition of some of the ideas that originated from Ehingbeti, will you say the forum has achieved some of its goals in Lagos State?

I would definitely say yes. Let me just refer you very simply: The participating forum in Lagos state was never a talk shop, it was never a place where people just went to say nice things and chat and go away, it was not. It was two things: That are very important: For policy and investments.

The goal of Ehingbeti rarely was placed on the fact that you cannot encourage investors if you don’t have a good policy environment it will not work. So, Ehingbeti was put together for both sides or for multi- stakeholders to dialogue and listen to each other. I think that it is very important to dialogue and listen to each other; at the end of the dialogue communiqués are given and I recall, I think it was the first or second Ehingbeti, there were 17 communiqués jointly agreed by both the public and private sectors.

After that, it was published, I mean this was 20 years ago, yes electronic Media were around, but not as it is now, but for government then to put in newspapers and publish it in number of papers and say this is what we are going to set ourselves out to accomplish in the next one year. After the one-year, you come back for another session of Ehingbeti and before you go into that, you account for what you meant to have done and what you promised you would deliver. Now, I recall in the first summit or the second, they spoke about 17 items and out of that, they achieved 15 and took the other two to the next year and explained why that was. You see, when you do that you are encouraging a system of accountability. I recall that one of the things they spoke well then was how they are going to publish audited statements of the state and that was one the things they did at that time. Then, the whole issue of Lagos economic summit group was set up largely to implement the outcome. So, it was not even a question of where we going to do this; a body was actively set up to ensure that it happened and to be responsible to those who had given them that responsibility.

So, to answer your question if you go back in time you will see that the whole issue of partnerships which is what Ehingbeti is about - partnership between the public, private, civil society - coming together as one to ensure that they are able to have a shared vision. This is not one talking down on each other, the vision is shared and the vision is implemented in way that gives confidence to all that have a stake in this.

That is to ensure that stakeholders feel confidence enough that they can continue to invest in an environment where they can see continuity in policy. Stakeholders have to know that the policy environment is enabling and they have to know that the policy environment is consistent. If they get a sense that there is inconsistency, you have a problem, if they get a sense that you talk and you don’t implement, you have a problem. I am very pleased that Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has decided to bring it back and that is why we are here today celebrating 20 years of the start of Ehingbeti.

I don’t think there are many state that can boost of having a planning tool like this that has been consistently doing this for a number of years.

You have talked about accountability and the so many achievements I would like you to itemise some of these achievements that were recorded in the past Ehingbeti summits?

Now, I think one of the things that we want to say is that the Land Use Charge which basically forms a large amount of the revenue of the state today. The idea was finally established at Ehingbeti. Nobody likes paying tax and when the issue of Land Use came up for discussion, there were a lot of push back from the private sector and many of my private sector colleagues at that time were very disappointed in people like us. They said we were bringing the policy to kill businesses and honestly, at that time, there was nothing you could explain to people other than to say that if this state is growing at such a phenomenal pace, I think then it was between six or eight percent per annum in terms of population and it was a megacity or becoming

Cardoso a megacity and the resources were not growing in tandem. You could see at that time, in 1999, in Lagos in particular, the infrastructure were in pieces and the only way that we could expect to see the outcomes and we expect to see positives development would be to have a quantum leap in revenue generation or spending which means we are spending; without that it was not going to be. You go to Johannesburg, you see nice infrastructure everything works and you come to Lagos and expect it to happen it won’t. So, we had to explain that to a very skeptical audience.

The beauty, I must tell you was that when we have Ehingbeti, we called in what we called experts to this discussion, we also brought in some of the independent internationals bodies, including the World Bank and the UN Habitat and we had frank and open discussion. We did everything possible to convince the skeptics that the state requires a lot of physical infrastructure.

That honesty was one of the things that helped to redefine that whole understanding of the need for Lagos to generate revenue due to the massive and growth in population.

So, I think Ehingbeti was very instrumental in creating the awareness of what the challenges of the status of Lagos as a megacity was and I must give kudos to the press because they bought into this idea very quickly and they began to understand it.

I used to read things that amazed me about how they were able to properly articulate the concept of megacity and the challenges that Lagos had.

Of course, you will want to go on to things like the whole transportation systems and how we were able to get different private sector entities to take an interest in investing, not only in transport in following Lagos round, but also in things like social responsibility. At one point in time in 1999, we did not have a situation where private sector would take a liken to their environment; they did not, government did it own, private did own. But with Ehingbeti, many of the companies started doing land scapping, roundabout and they we proud of been able to have been their banners out there and to say yes XYZ company did this,

this did that and did the other.

These are most the things that came out, even the whole issue of emergency response system too came out from Ehingbeti. Do not forget that emergency response system and some of you may not know this, but a lot of donations came in from private sector much as government ran it, but a lot of the donations towards building the infrastructure and ensure it works came in from private sector.

It was one-day residential programme when both parties sat down. When I say residential you come in a day before, you check-in and you stay there the whole day till the morning after and then you have time to talk off line to discuss matters, things you did not agree necessarily in the course of the plenary and you thrash them out. I think those were all the things that helped to make the exercise beneficial and successful in the sense that once you are all on the same page, then you will go out and try as a much as possible to work as one group. Something that stick very much to my mind I must tell you and this was something that came out of Ehingbeti again - the water system, the mini water works.

This came up for discussion in Ehingbeti and it was at a great debate and obviously most time, it is a function of the resources and all that. But when you have donor agencies also present and willing to be carried along and work with you, it became easier. What we did, I recall the concept of putting a mini-water works in many of these locations in particular in lighted areas was something that clearly came out of Ehingbeti. Much of the things that you see for example - the plans with respect to the old Lekki corridor which was growing at a phenomenal pace, were conceived within Ehingbeti. The concept of which I have mentioned before - accountability - whereby you go back and accounts to those who asked you to come in and do certain things every year, was also something that was pioneered in Ehingbeti.

What it does is that it put government on its toes.

I see serious participation by players in the

private sector in the Ehingbeti project; what could be responsible for this development?

A number of things. Firstly, Lagos is an economic nerve center of not just Nigeria, but the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the economic nerve centre to the extent that Nigeria is so important to the whole continent. So, Lagos by intuition is also very important to the whole sub-region.

So, this rarely is where a lot of activities are born and a lot of activities take place. So, I think there is that recognition from the private sector that you cannot engage in and when I say private sector not just locally, but even internationally that you cannot engaged in Nigeria without thinking about Lagos in one form or the other.

So I think that is number one.

Number two, I think there is also the realisation that there has been consistency with respect to issues of policy development and policy implementation. By no means perfect, but there has been consistency by and large and now with Ehingbeti for those that should remember this, it is now a forum, it brings back the idea of a forum where you can actually challenge and ask the question.

So, where for example certain things don’t work you can go to Ehingbeti and tell people why they don’t work and look for answers from those who are implementing or those who are considering to ensure you have a voice; I think that is also very important. I think that Ehingbeti has a reputation of not being a top shop. They also understand of course that these are very difficult times for the country, and very difficult times for Lagos. I think that the expectation is that Ehingbeti will be able to create the forum whereby both public, private and all stakeholders would be able to come together and share their ideas; because so much has happened, especially with the COVID-19.

We have had a situation where much has been at a standstill and some could argue that maybe it will continue like that till next year, but I think the real thing is to take the bull by the horns now and see how we can surmount those difficulties.

28

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Addressing Vulnerabilities in Port System

Francis Ugwoke

A

t such a time of dwindling oil fortunes and resultant effect on the economy, the nation’s maritime industry is considered as key in filling some gaps.

This is even more so with the sector being adjudged as next to oil in contribution to the economy.

In the past few years, the sector has been generating at least about N3 trillion each year. And this is formally. Informally, the sector could be raking over N4 trillion every year or more. This is if all the fraudulent practices in terms of under-declarations or under-invoicing and outright concealment being perpetrated by importers, customs agents and shipping agents are addressed.

Capacity of the law enforcement agents to address issues of smuggling will also lead to increase in revenue generation from the sector.

The current scenario is that what is lost by the government goes to private pockets of individual personnel working with agencies of the state.

Last year, the Customs posted a revenue generation of N1.5 trillion. This was despite all the economic difficulties suffered worldwide as a result of the ravages of coronavirus pandemic.

Observers argue that the Customs could rake more revenue than it has done over the years if all the loopholes to fraudulent practices in the system are plugged.

On the other hand, there is the strong belief that if the potentials in the industry are developed, the sector could be raising as much as more than half of the nation’s annual budget.

Dirty deals at ports The nation’s ports are haven to trade malpractices. What has been at stake is the national economy that is being shortchanged on daily basis for the past decades. Everyone appears out to work out his/her own way of benefitting from what is seen as national cake.

At some point in the past, some importers were even evading payment of duties and were allegedly ‘flying containers’. Now that era appears to be gone, but other forms of trade malpractices have remained in the system. The ugly scenario benefits the importers, their customs agents/freight forwarders and most importantly the key elements among the agencies of government, particularly some unscrupulous Customs personnel. The importer underpays, conceals or under-declares and settles it out with those who are supposed to check him. Incidentally, settling with the customs and others at the ports has never been enough to save such importers as they are again confronted some meters away from the ports gate and along the highways where their goods are intercepted over what the resident officers at the ports

had ignored for obvious reasons. Like the resident customs officers, this set of operatives engage in another round of extortion which is capped with a demand notice (DN) to fulfill all righteousness as the reason for the interception.

Other issues at ports Beyond the above scenario, the nation’s ports industry is suffering a lot of other issues. The multinational shipping agents and indeed the terminal operators are not left alone. The shipping lines and their agents are engaged in under-declaration of gross registered tonnage (GRT) of vessels in a bid to pay less duties. The nation loses so much revenue as a result. Clearing in the nation’s ports is usually a herculean task because most times some processes are done physically instead of online. Even as the importer pays his duties online and carries out other processes online, he is still confronted with queries that will force him to appear physically before the government personnel.

He has to respond to several alerts, some of which are designed purposefully to extort him. There are some of the alerts he expects knowing fully he may have been involved in some trade malpractices listed above. Yet there are many that are simply frivolous and deliberately to extort him. The importers and their agents also suffer congestion and other bureaucratic bottleneck s in the system which affect easy clearance of goods. Some could be infrastructure related, including the Lagos ports gridlock that has slowed down movement of goods.

Achieving port efficiency Apparently worried about the situation in the ports and its negative impact on trade facilitation, the federal government in the middle of December 2020 appointed the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as lead agency for the implementation of the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM). The appointment

The nation’s ports are haven to trade malpractices. What has been at stake is the national economy that is being shortchanged on daily basis for the past decades

places on the shoulders of the Council the responsibility of overseeing ports operations on daily basis.

Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo while launching the NPPM said its implementation will improve the anti-corruption ranking of the country before the international community.

Osinbajo said apart from achieving efficiency in ports operations, there was the need for an effective implementation of ideas that will change the perception and ranking of Nigeria in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of Transparency International. The process manual is aimed at addressing vulnerabilities in the port system with emphasis on creating an enabling environment for port users. To observers, the choice of the ports economic regulator for the job is therefore for obvious reasons. The Council has been dear to all in terms of the efforts to improve on trade facilitation at the ports. The Council had confronted shipping service providers as well as consumers of shipping services over issues affecting trade.

The target has been to enthrone efficient service delivery in the nation’s seaports. This will give Nigeria a pride of place as the hub of shipping in the West African sub-region. As a government agency, the Council has been using its offices to champion the interest of shippers and other stakeholders for an enviable infrastructural development that will enhance trade. It has also been in the forefront of ensuring that service providers are well equipped with modern technology for efficient cargo handling operations. Government and indeed other stakeholders are aware of this. It was therefore in recognition that the Council was given this national assignment.

Observers believe that the statement credited to the VP clearly shows how much the Council is held in high esteem . In the maritime circle, the appointment is indeed interpreted as one of trust on the Council having shown dedication to achieving an efficient service delivery over the years.

Resolve of NSC In the past few years, the Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Hassan Bello has been in the forefront of speaking out the expectations of all stakeholders for an enduring efficient port system. He had been pointing out the responsibilities of the government in infrastructure provisions. Bello had at different times pointed out the consequences of poor ports infrastructure to the national economy.

He does not want Nigeria’s neighbouring countries to take advantage of this by cornering cargoes meant for Nigerian ports.

Often times this had been the case as some shipping lines and importers had at critical times diverted cargoes to neighbouring ports.

Some of these goods are smuggled into the country, particularly automobiles and other goods. The NSC in a bid to check this had championed for a lasting solution to the poor

access roads. The Council had also called for the need to link the ports with rails, a project that the Transport Minister, Hon Rotimi Amaechi sees as imperative to smooth trade. It is for the sake of improving on trade facilitation that the Council embarked on the dry ports projects that will bring shipping services nearer to the people far away from the seaports.

When these projects are fully executed by the concessionaires, it will be a major boost to all forms of international trade, including export trade. Industry stakeholders believe that what qualifies the Council for the current role of overseeing the ports is the confidence which the government and the stakeholders have on the agency. This was earned over the years in terms of determination shown in developing a roadmap to addressing all issues affecting trade. Just as the Council has been singing about improving on public infrastructure that will aid efficient ports operation, it has also engaged terminal operators on the provision of modern cargo handling equipment. It had been involved in equipment audit in the ports among the terminal operators to ensure that there is efficiency in the system. Bello at a recent stakeholders meeting explained that the idea of the ports access manual was part of the efforts of the federal government to improve on efficiency in the nation’s ports.

Assuring the readiness of his Council to offer its best for national economic development, he added that the idea remains key to achieving transparency in the operations in the ports. According to him, NSC was not only interested in the ease of doing business but equally in the cost of doing business.

Similarly, Amaechi had also assured that his Ministry was ready to support the Council to ensure compliance, enforcement and implementation of NPPM, adding that this will reduce corruption at all levels in the maritime industry. The minister described the NPPM as one of the key indicators for the effective implementation of Executive Order issued in 2017 for the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business environment. He added that the successful implementation of the ports access manual would complement the modernisation of critical transport infrastructure introduced by the present administration in the ports.

Stakeholders believe that the NPPM may be an opportunity for the ports economic regulator to reintroduce CTN which it believes will address issues of fraudulent practices in the areas involving shipping companies which under-declare GRT and shippers who under-declare, conceal, undervalue to evade payment of correct import duties. Observers hold the views that CTN could be the weapon with which the Council needs to end all the issues of fraud in the ports system. t6HXPLF +PVSOBMJTU XSJUFT GSPN "QBQB

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

29

IMAGES

Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ ÔËÖË Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

L-R; chairman, Ikosi/Isheri LCDA, Princess Saminat Abolanle Bada.; Member of APC registration/validation committee, Hon. Abiodun Mafe; Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunimbe Mamora his wife, Olanlesi during the registration/validation of Mamoras membership of APC at ward ‘D’ unit 083, Kosofe Local Government Area in Lagos...recently

L-R: National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Audu Amba; Second Vice President, Comrade Abiso Bulama and Deputy National President, Sir Kelvin Nwakwo, all of Nigerian Union of Teachers, during press conference on the supreme court judgment between NUT and ASUSS held in Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLAWOLE ALLI

L-R: Secretary, Public Complain Commission (PCC), Modupe Kolawole; Hon Chief Commissioner’s, (PCC), Chille Igbawua and Hon commissioner, (PCC), Abia, Chukwuemeka Nwaogu during a press briefing by Chief Commissioner on his score card since assumption of office in Abuja....recently PHOTO: AYO AJAYI

L-R: Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndme; Vice-chairman, Public Accounts, Senator Ibraham Hadejia and Chairman of the Committee, Senator Matthew Orogide at the screening of the nominee for Auditor General of the Federation held in Abuja...recently PHOTO: JULIUS ATOI

L-R: Immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas his Wife Barr. Theresa Ibas, the new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwai Gambo, his wife, Mrs. Aisha Gambo, during the Pulling out parade of the immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas in Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLA ALLI

Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Yusuf Lawal (R), inspecting seized items by NCS in Owerri...recently

L-R: Susan Dauda of the Press Section of the Embassy; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; new Spokesperson of the Embassy of the United States of America, Jeanne Clark; and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, when Clark paid a courtesy call on the Presidential spokespersons in Abuja...recently

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN (right) and British Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Energy and also the COP 26 President Designate Mr. Alok Kumar Sharma during his visit to the State House, Abuja...recently

30

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Conflict between Estate Developers, Homeowners Avoidable Bennett Oghifo

C

onflict is inevitable in human coexistence but incidences of conflict between developers and homeowners can be avoided if the terms and conditions of engagement are understood by all parties and adhered to strictly.

The various disagreements that have occurred and continue to rock some property developments are caused because the rules of engagement get jettisoned at some point in the implementation of the contract for all sorts of reasons.

At play right now is the disagreement between Lekki Gardens, and homeowners/ residents of Premier-1 Estate, one of the estates it developed in Lekki, Lagos.

Investigations revealed that the residents want control of the estate’s utility generators, sewage treatment plant, estate

flood control pumps and water holding tank, which are located in a particular area.

However, the developer had insisted it would manage these infrastructures, which the residents allegedly used blocks to condone off to allow them easy access. The developer went to the area to pull down the wall.

Multiple sources at the estate said the issue which was already being addressed with the leadership of the Residents Association was quickly escalated to slander the brand name and set wrong narratives.

Anchored on a misleading headline “Lekki Gardens Launches Dawn Attack On Estate Residents”, the author accused the real estate developer of employing the services of “suspected thugs to break into their Premier–1 Estate in the early hours of Monday”, a statement that is completely false and a mere distraction

from the issue at hand.

It was gathered that on December 31, 2020, residents of the estate wrote the developer requesting to take over control of shared services and facilities in the area which the developer promptly wrote back to turn down their request, giving reasons for the decision. They stated that the facility being sought to control was a shared infrastructure between two estates, Premier-2, and one of the developer’s offices in the area hence, it was not possible to cede control to the Residents Association. Unfortunately, while they were still dialoging and exploring avenues to resolve the matter, the residents resorted to self-help by breaking into the service area and shutting other users out from the service.

As it stands, the developer has reported the issue to the Police for investigation and peaceful resolution.

Lekki Gardens is a responsible

company that takes pride in developing quality real estate properties with a knack for customers satisfaction at all

times and will not directly or indirectly seek to jeopardise the very essence for which they are in business – to provide luxury

apartments that are affordable and consequently help reduce the 17million housing deficit in Nigeria.

Lekki Gardens estate

Firm Presents D’luxe Bespoke Estate Prototype Bennett Oghifo Chateau Royal, a leading real estate firm in the nation has unveiled a prototype of its latest D’luxe Bespoke estate that would comprise about 100 housing units.

According to the firm, the estate is part of the its commitment to enable Nigerians have access to affordable and quality houses that meet their financial status.

Speaking in Ogun State recently at the unveiling of the estate to realtors, the

Managing Director, Chateau Royale Real Estate Limited, Mr. Tobi Osonuga said the company through the event is offering the masses affordable luxury.

“We actually know what is obtainable in the country as what people need because it is very sorry that you are doing what people do not need. Also, affordability is important but we went a little further by building affordable luxury. This prototype standing currently is class, affordable and something that

is beyond what is currently obtainable in the market.

“Fundamentally to know that this is our first project and we are just three years old, you can imagine what we can do as we grow in the industry for the next five years,” he said.

The estate located at Royal Wales Estate, Mowe, Lagos Ibadan express way, opposite Christopher University, has a title of Cof O and ranges from N8.5 million to N20 million and comes with a flexible payment plan up

to 30 months with a low as one million initial deposit.

The estate when finished will contain a total of 100 housing units that comprise 40 two and three bedroom apartments and 10 blocks of two and three semi-detached bungalows respectively.

On the inflationary trends in the industry, the Managing Director highlighted the need to maintain quality in the industry by players.

“We understand the basic essentials of human need is housing and it is neces-

sary; we find a way around it in giving values despite the inflationary increases in the sector even though prices of building materials went up beyond what we do buy before occasioned by so many factor like exchange rate, COVID-19. ”Despite all these, we have been able to maintain quality as we did not downplay our component because of price and we are very intentional about it. From the architectural design, finishing, structural works

and rooms layout we have paid much details to all this regardless of the hash terrain we operate in,” he stated, On driving down the cost of housing in the country in view of unemployment rate in the country and the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, he, therefore, called on the government to make approvals of necessary documents affordable and come up with policies that are targeted at crashing every component of the industry.”

the general contribution to the welfare of the people, which he described as progressive politics.

He applauded the private investor Alhaji Olayiwola Niniola, who took the inherited business of his father from a local butchery to a mechanised abattoir.

“This abattoir will soon procure a value-chain meat processing facility to produce sausages, hams, and other cold cuts, this is the next stage of development,” he said.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, stated that illegal

butchering activities would no longer be allowed in the state.

“Lagos being the largest market for cattle in Sub-Sahara Africa, receiving over 1.8 million herds of cattle in a year, as well as over 1.2 million herds of sheep and goat annually needs to ensure hygienically processed meat for its populace,” she said.

She stated that the state is working with private investors towards actualising fully mechanised abattoirs, and that there is need to have more abattoirs to cater to the increasing population.

Lagos Abattoir to Recycle Waste for Biogas Fadekemi Ajakaiye A mechanised abattoir the Lagos State Government commissioned in Bariga recently has a recycling process to convert waste products into biogas for use at the facility.

This waste to energy initiative keys into the state government’s commitment to increase its use of clean energy generated particularly from waste.

According to a Veterinary Doctors at the abattoir, Dr. Morufat Adedeji, faecal particles and ruminal waste from the slaughtered animals will be

collected through the provided channels and converted to biogas for the operation of the abattoir, which is better than some methods adopted by butchers.

“Our aim is to provide clean, healthy and wholesome meat for the people and also curtail waste which could affect the environment.”

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated that the commissioning of the Lagos Mechanised Abattoir in Bariga, is a testament to the Lagos spirit of resilience, hard work and commitment.

He said Lagos consumes over 50% of red meat produced in Nigeria, and so there is a need to ensure that good quality produce gets to the people.

He stated that Lagos has about 16 abattoirs, and that 11 is being managed by the State government, saying “We do need to double these numbers.

“This abattoir is to provide good quality meat to the people and provide employment opportunities to about 800 people.

“Also, about 25 Veterinary doctors from the Ministry of Agriculture will be employed

in this sector of the economy.

We are using this avenue to encourage more investors as well,” he said.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola stated that the commissioning of the abattoir in Bariga area of Lagos State was part of efforts put in place by the governor to curtail illegal and unhygienic meat butchering.

Fashola commended the Lagos State Government for providing the enabling environment to ensure the actualisation of the mechanised abattoir and

We Need to Encourage Girls to Embrace STEM Subjects Wanjira Kamwere It is evident by the significant investments into skills development and educational programmes that Microsoft believes in upskilling our youth to have the right skills to succeed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

But even as we strive to include as many young learners in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects as possible, our girl learners are lagging behind.

According to the UNESCO

report, ‘Cracking the Code: Girls’ and Women’s education in STEM’, only 35 percent of STEM students in higher education globally are women. This gaping gender gap is especially concerning when we consider that STEM careers are referred to as the jobs of the future. UNESCO notes that a strong gender imbalance exists globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, in regard to women’s representation in STEM fields. According to the United Nations Institute of Statistics (UIS) less than 30

percent of the world’s researchers are women. Numerous studies have found that women in STEM fields publish less, are paid less for their research and do not progress as far as men in their careers.

There are many complex reasons why girls and women are so underrepresented in STEM subjects and fields. Conscious and unconscious biases, social norms and cultural expectations frequently influence the type and quality of education girl learners receive and the choices

offered to them.

Women need to be represented – for many reasons It’s important to have diversity represented in STEM, and not just for the sake of numbers.

When women are pushed out of careers in STEM by systems of bias, this influences the products and services that STEM organisations create. Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning bias is a recognised concern for organisations developing products and services using

this technology.

Only 26 per cent of AI professionals globally are female, according to the 2020 World Economic Forum report on the Global Gender Gap, which also found that current trajectories mean sub-Saharan Africa will only close its gender gap in 95 years – another reason why Microsoft is investing in women’s STEM development.

-Kamwere is Business Development Manager, MySkills4Afrika Programme

Kamwere

31

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

Universal One Launches 576 Apartments in Alaro City Bennett Oghifo

P

rospective homeowners in Lagos have received a boost in their options for modern, familyfriendly homes with the start of sales of Universal One, a 576-unit apartment complex at Alaro City, in the heart of the Lekki Free Zone.

Universal One’s developer is Universal Homes, an awardwinning residential community developer with British, American and New Zealand investors. The company has developed 1,500 homes in Kenya at Tatu City. Universal One’s homes in Alaro City include: open-plan living rooms with expansive balconies, contemporary kitchens with polished granite worktops, wooden teak textured ceramic tiles, 100L solar water heating, smoke detectors and white UV wardrobes.

John Latham, Executive

Director of Universal Homes, said the firm chose Alaro City because of its experience with Rendeavour, the developers of Alaro City in partnership with Lagos State Government.

Rendeavour is also the owner and developer of Tatu City in Kenya.

“Universal Homes is bringing its high-quality, accessibly priced apartments to Nigeria, in partnership with Alaro City.

We are pleased to play a role in advancing the housing agenda of Lagos State and to be a pioneer residential development in the Lekki Free Zone, surrounded by amenities like shops, schools and healthcare.”

Launched in 2019, Alaro City was conceived as a 2,000-hectare mixed-income, city-scale development with industrial and logistics locations, complemented by offices, homes, schools, healthcare facilities, hotels, entertainment and 150 hectares (370 acres) of parks and open spaces. Alaro City

is a partnership between Rendeavour, Africa’s largest new city builder and Lagos State, the economic and financial nerve centre of Nigeria.

More than 35 companies are operational, designing or building their facilities in Alaro City, and 3.5km of initial road networks and a modular 50MVA power plant are under construction. Among the pioneering companies in Alaro City is Starium FZE, a subsidiary of BUA Group. Others include Mantrac Caterpillar, Ariel Foods FZE, the largest and most technically advanced ready-to-eat therapeutic foods producer in Africa, and HMD. CEO of Alaro City, Odunayo Ojo, said Universal One serves as a model for inclusive urban development in Nigeria, a representation of the kind of forward-thinking initiatives usually associated with Alaro City, which in itself is a demonstration of the Lagos

State Government’s successful partnerships with private sector investors to address critical public infrastructural needs.

“Going by the success of Universal Homes at Alaro City’s sister development, Tatu City, Universal One

will serve as a model for international quality and accessibly priced homes in Lagos,” Ojo said. “We are thankful for the support of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who continues to show the

government’s commitment to the Lekki Free Zone project, particularly for the on-going expansion and rehabilitation works being done on the Lekki-Epe expressway, which will be transformational for the entire axis.”

Universal One apartment complex, Alaro City, Lagos

FG Commits to Completing Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road Bennett Oghifo The Federal Government has again reiterated its desire to complete the reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road project, stating that it is satisfied with the good quality works and excellent engineering standards being consistently and rapidly implemented by the contractor, Julius Berger.

The position of the federal government was made known by the Minister of State for Works, Engr. Aliyu Abubakar at Dan Kazali Section III of the ongoing works in Kano.

Abubakar said the federal government will not rest on

its oars until the ongoing reconstruction of AbujaKaduna-Kano road project is completed as planned.

Speaking during his inspection tour of the project from Abuja to Kano, the Minister of State expressed the federal government’s full commitment to the realisation of the strategically important road project.

Abubakar reiterated that the Abuja-Kano Road project was one of the priorities of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and that this has necessitated and occasioned proper, close and consistent monitoring visits to the project in the past

few months by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji-Fashola, with powerful delegations which included Professor Gambari, the Chief of Staff to the President.

Abubakar said as a sequel to the minister’s visit, a technical delegation of engineering experts also visited the project for further empirical assessment of the ongoing works.

He said the Permanent Secretary of the ministry also led a team of other engineers on a tour of the project. “This is how committed we are toward the completion of this project before the end of this administration. This is done

because we have prioritised the project. From President Buhari, the minister, myself, our staff, engineers and the contractors (Julius Berger), we are all committed to ensuring that we deliver this work as envisioned by the present administration. That is why we do not leave any stone unturned.

Responding to questions on the project’s timelines, the Minister of State restated what the Minister of Works said during the Town Hall Meeting chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President on the project in Kaduna late last year.

According to Abubakar, “In

the beginning, the scope was rehabilitation of the existing road. But having started the work, we realised that we need to reconstruct the road completely. This is now the stage that we are. So, if we are moving from rehabilitation to reconstruction, it takes time. It is entirely reconstructing the road. The road has stayed for so long without being given any much attention, especially if you talk about maintenance which makes a life span of a road longer. When this present government came, we set up a plan to ensure that all our roads are being maintained, and those that require reconstruction

are being reconstructed.”

The Minister described President Buhari as a listening leader who very reasonably considers professional advice. “When the President was told that the road needed to be reconstructed, he agreed with us. As you are aware, we started from Abuja-Kaduna-Kano, which is about 378 kilometres. When you multiply this by two, since we have dual carriage, we have about 800 kilometre road. You can imagine the distance; to build a road like this takes time; therefore we are fully committed to see that we complete it within the shortest time possible,” Abubakar said.

LAWMA Seeks Collaboration to Recycle Plastics Bennett Oghifo The Managing Director/CEO of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni has appealed to residents and corporate bodies to collaborate with the authority to recycle plastics for the good of the state’s environment.

Odumboni made this

appeal recently during a virtual “Morning Chats on Lagos Recycle”, saying “Let’s reduce the impact of plastics on the environment” He enlightened participants on the recycling initiative introduced by the Authority, which is aimed at combating the challenge of plastics.

Citing recent statistics, he said Lagos State, with

a population of 25 million residents, generates about 14,000 metric tonnes of wastes daily, out of which 3,500 metric tonnes are recyclables like plastics, bottles and papers and that this would pose serious dangers to the environment if not properly checked.

Odumboni noted that as part of the Lagos Recycle

initiative, the Authority has set up recycling centers at strategic locations, with the vision to have a recycling center per local government, which would serve as collation centers for recyclables, thus ensuring the minimisation of wastes that end up at the dumpsites.

He said 400 aggregators were recently commissioned

at Olusosun as part of measures to drive effective implementation of the Lagos Recycle programme.

The LAWMA CEO further stated that apart from making the state cleaner, healthier and livable, the Lagos Recycle initiative would help create jobs for the teeming youth population, who are interested in becoming

entrepreneurs, with over 6,000 jobs to be created.

He said the Authority has also launched the PAKAM app, which will seamlessly connect all stakeholders; including residents, recyclers, waste aggregators, etc, and urged the populace to take advantage of the immense opportunities provided by the initiative.

Nigeria Has Achieved 20% Reduction in Emission, Says FG Michael Olugbode in Abuja Nigeria has achieved 20 per cent reduction in emission, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar has said.

The Minister however said the nation is seeking the support of international agencies and developed countries to achieve the 45 per cent reduction in emission targeted for Year 2030.

Addressing the press after leading the COP26 President Designate, Alok Sharma and UK High Commissioner, Catriona Laing to a separate meetings with Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Minister said “Nigeria com-

mited to 20 per cent reduction in emission by the Year 2020, which we believe we have achieve.

“But the one we are concern about and most importantly is the second reduction of 45 percent and with the help of international agencies and developed countries by the year 2030 that is something we are working on, we will soon meet and see where we are.”

On preparation for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 1 to 12 November 2021 under the presidency of the United Kingdom, Abubakar said the meetings of the COP26

President Designate and the UK High Commissioner with the Vice President and Chief of Staff were in that regard.

He said they met with the Vice President and Chief of Staff and in attendance was the Minister of Foreign Affairs “to find out where Nigeria is, where we are headed and our preparation for COP26.

“They also came to find out our expectations, and the issue of energy transition which has a lot to do with business and our nationally determined contribution.”

He said they were told “what Nigeria is doing as regards our preparation. We told them where we are that is the last COP25 in Madrid, Spain, issues left behind , some of the issues

Nigeria is interested in getting ratified, some of the issues that are being carried forward to COP26.”

Abubakar said Nigeria also made a position of how they would want the British Government to support in the review of our nationally based contribution.

He said: “They are happy with where we are and they are willing to support Nigeria and they believe Nigeria is doing very well taking into consideration where we find ourselves with the pandemic for we cannot do anything today without the hiccup of the pandemic.

In another development, Nigeria has been advised to take advantage of flood water

for improved farming and ranching of livestock.

Speaking in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the Online Regional Training on Flood Monitoring and Forecasting Modelling, Executive Director, Centre for Space Science and Technology Education (CSSTE), Dr. Ganiyu Agbaje, said the use of new technology would make it easier to predict flood and locate the people who are really affected.

He said with satellite technology flood water can be harnessed for farming, ranching and others.

Agbaje said: “It can be used for farming and even fishing, if you study the way the fish move, there is always migration.

“River Niger for instance is coming from Fouta Djallon and it moves through many countries down to Nigeria.

When you know that the flood will take three months or five months for instance, you can use the water to plant rice, or you can gather it into a reservoir that can be use during the dry season.

“If you study the migration of fish, some fishes can be coming from Burkina Faso, maybe their fingerlings. You can gather them, put them in a fish pond here.

“There are so many things that can be done with this, and if you know that certain places are lacking water, you can channel it to those farms that need water.”

32

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Bayelsa Oil, Gas Park Ready Q4 2022, Says Wabote Emmanuel Addeh ÓØ ÌßÔË The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, has disclosed that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park in Emeyal 1, Bayelsa State, would be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Speaking after inspecting the construction work at the project site alongside senior management of the board, Wabote said his assessment visit was a prelude to the planned tour by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, to the board’s major projects.

A statement from the NCDMB stressed that the oil and gas park projects at Emeyal 1 and Odukpani in Cross River State and the Composite Gas Cylinder

Manufacturing facility at Polaku are some of the projects to be visited.

Wabote expressed delight over the quality and speed of work by the wholly Nigerian contractors, noting that their work compared favourably with similar jobs across Nigeria and was evidence that NCDMB was always acting in accordance with its guidelines on patronage of local service companies.

The park is expected to create a low-cost manufacturing hub that will produce equipment components and spare parts to be utilised in the nation’s oil and gas industry when completed.

The board stated that the project started with a groundbreaking ceremony on April 27, 2018, and has now reached about 68 percent completion, with four major structures nearly

completed, while foundation work was starting on some buildings and parts of the project.

“We did the groundbreaking ceremony in 2018 and we were practically inside water; but today, we are seeing structures coming up. We still have a long way to go because most of the buildings are getting to the finishing stages while some are just starting. We believe that we will complete this project by Q4, 2022,” the NCDMB boss said.

Explaining the benefit of the park scheme to the nation’s economy, Wabote hinted that the facility would stimulate the manufacturing of oil and gas components in-country and reverse the current trend whereby the sector depended on importation for most of its finished products.

AFC Appoints Shenouda CIO The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), one of the biggest investors in infrastructure solutions in Africa has announced the appointment of Sameh Shenouda as its new Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer.

“Sameh brings deep knowledge and innovative thinking to the core sectors within which we operate as a highly successful financier in Africa’s infrastructure space,” a statement from the AFC explained. Shenouda brings over 27 years of experience in investments and fundraising in international capital markets, with a focus on infrastructure development, setting up new

platforms and supporting management teams. He has deep knowledge of African markets and has worked across AFC’s priority sectors including Power, Transport & Logistics, Heavy Industries and Natural Resources.

Egyptian-born Shenouda was most recently the CEO of Zarou, a developer, owner and operator of infrastructure projects in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia that is 100 per cent owned by The Blackstone Group.

Previously, he was the Head of Infrastructure at CDC Group Plc, the UK development finance institution. Mr. Shenouda built CDC’s direct infrastructure equity

business, which, under his leadership, invested in excess of US$1 billion in Africa and South Asia.

“I have always admired the AFC for its innovation, unique mandate, ambitious growth plans and vision to drive infrastructure solutions for the African continent,” Shenouda said.

“I look forward to working with the talented team and all stakeholders to deliver sustainable development for the continent and competitive returns for shareholders, and continue the legacy of my predecessor, Oliver Andrews, in building AFC’s next chapter and driving new frontiers for growth,” he added.

FCMB Introduces Interest-free Facility for SMEs First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has intensified its support to small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) by providing interest-free loans of up to N5 million to entrepreneurs.

The support, under the bank’s SheVentures initiative, was designed for female-owned businesses for a period of three months.

Last year, several female entrepreneurs across Nigeria and operating in various sectors, received loans ranging from N500,000.00 to N5million from the lender, at zero interest rate, to grow their businesses. Thousands of others also benefitted from free training, mentoring and other empowerment programmes organised as part of the broad objectives of the Bank’s SheVentures proposition despite the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement by the Head of the SheVentures Team, Ms. Yetunde Moito, the bank explained that the extension of the zero interest rate loan facility was another demonstration of its unequalled commitment to consistently empower and propel SMEs to greater heights in a manner that would boost their productivity and profitability for the overall benefit of the nation.

She added that under the latest support, which is starting from Abuja & North region, qualified customers of the Bank have the opportunity to access between N500,000.00 and N5million within the three months tenor.

Those in the south-south, south-west and Lagos regions will also benefit from the support later in the year. The free interest loan is available for female-owned SMEs operating in manufacturing, trading in locally

produced items, solar energy financing, food processing, oil and gas, hospitality, education, healthcare, agribusiness, and fashion/garment making sectors.

Commenting on the development, the Group Head, SME Banking, FCMB, Mr. George Ogbonnaya said: “We recognise the role of women as entrepreneurs, nation builders and catalysts for sustainable development. These noble efforts and roles of women have continued to inspire others and impact positively on job and wealth creation, poverty reduction, empowerment and the overall development of Nigeria.

“SMEs in the country have what it takes to compete at the highest level in the international market, but without the requisite exposure and other forms of empowerment, including funding, it can be very difficult to succeed.

United Nigeria Airline Excites Anambra State Govt David-Chyddy Eleke ÓØ áÕË The Anambra State Government has expressed excitement towards the recent launch of United Nigeria Airlines by one of its indigenes, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo.

The state government while commending the founder on the feat, described him as a worthy son of the state.

He added that only a courageous and audacious entrepreneur can launch an airline anywhere in the world today, in view of the state of the industry worldwide as occasioned by the

coronavirus pandemic.

A statement by the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Don Adinuba stated that Okonkwo deserves commendation for the bold move, while calling on him to consider making Anambra its headquarters, as the state prepares to launch the Anambra International Cargo Airport.

Adinuba in the release said, “He (Okonkwo) is following in the footsteps of another great ambassador of Anambra State, Chief Allen Onyema, chairman Air Peace Airlines, who is increasing his fleet from 27 to

40 aircraft, despite the current turbulent state of the global airline business.

“We are supremely confident that United Nigeria Airlines will take the aviation industry by storm, as Air Peace has done since 2013, especially with regard to the safety record, schedule integrity and quality ground and inflight services.”

The release further disclosed that, “The government and people of Anambra State are happy that both United Nigeria and Air Peace are committed to the right values.

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

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ ͯͰ ͰͮͰͯ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $60.77 a barrel on Friday, compared with $60.54 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

33

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

All-Share Index Rises 0.33% as Market Opens on Positive Note Goddy Egene The stock market opened the week on positive note yesterday, raising hopes of recovery after two weeks of decline. The market had depreciated last week by 3.04 per cent following profit-taking and return of investors to fixed income market.

However, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) appreciated by 0.33 per

cent to close at 40,573.31 yesterday, when trading resumed at the stock market as 31 stocks rallied, while 13 stocks depreciated. Also, market capitalisation added N69 billion to be at N21.2 trillion.

It is believed that the positive performance stemmed from bargaining hunting by investors in some stocks that had reduced in value significantly in the past two weeks.

Market analysts had said

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

given the yield elevation in the fixed income market in the near term, investors would continue to trade cautiously while taking positions in stocks with attractive dividend yields.

“As a result, we expect the local bourse to exhibit a zigzag pattern in the near term as the opposing forces of uptick in yields and full year 2020 corporate earnings releases dictate market performance.

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Notwithstanding, we advise investors to take positions in only fundamentally justified stocks as the unimpressive macro story remains a significant headwind for corporate earnings,” they had said.

Seplat Petroleum Development Company Development Plc led the price gainers with 10 per cent, trailed by Japaul Gold and Ventures Plc with 9.8 per cent. Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc gained 9.5 per

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

cent as investors reacted to the improved 2020 full year results.

The underwriting firm last week reported a profit before tax of N5.114 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, up from N3.772 billion recorded in 2019. Details of the unaudited results showed that Mutual Benefits Assurance posted gross premium written of N20.194 billion in 2020, compared with N18.698 billion in 2019. Net underwritten income stood at

O F

N16.7 billion, while profit after tax printed at N4.548 billion as against N3.612 billion.

Another underwriting firm, AIICO Insurance Plc chalked up 9.2 per cent, just as Multiverse Mining and Explorations Plc garnered 9.0 per cent. Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc went up by 9.0 per cent, while Chams Plc and Regency Alliances Insurance Plc 8.7 per cent and 7.4 per cent respectively.

1 5 / 0 2 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

34

NEWSXTRA

Lalong Directs Security Operatives to Halt Bloodbath as Herdsmen Kill Four in Fresh Attacks Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong has raised the alarm over recurring killings in Bassa community of the state, describing it as worrisome; and urging security operatives to do everything to bring the situation to a halt.

The directive followed renewed attacks on villages of Kwall district by suspected Fulani herders. The herders allegedly laid ambush on four persons returning home from an outing on Sunday evening, killing three on the spot, before killing another in the village.

The governor, who also described the situation as intolerable, directed the state Peace Building Agency to visit

the area and get to the root of the killings, warning that the situation must be brought under control immediately to prevent further degeneration.

He said, “I want all those involved in these crimes to be arrested and made to face the full weight of the law. While this is going on, the machinery for dialogue, reconciliation and confidence building should be vigorously pursued by the Peace Building Agency with the support of the newly constituted Inter-faith Council. We will not tolerate any act that takes us back to the dark days of violence and destruction.”

No fewer than 20 have been violently killed in herders’ attacks in the area in the past two weeks.

National President of the Irigwe

Youths Movement, Mr. Ezekiel Bini who confirmed the killings yesterday, said that the victims were shot dead by gunmen who laid ambush at Nkedorong village road on Sunday evening.

Bini said that after killing three victims, the gunmen moved to another location in Zirshe village where they killed one and also set their houses on fire .

According to him, “It was yesterday evening (Sunday), four of our people who were returning from Ri-bakwa to their homes at Nkedorong village were attacked by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen at about 7:30pm.

“Those that were killed were Ezekiel Maja, 29; Emmanuel Agaba, 30; and Moses Daburu, 26, while Mr. Bitrus Ezeh, 42,

sustained an injury in his right leg and is presently on admission at Enos hospital Maiyango.

“From our investigations, after killing the victims, the gunmen moved to Zirshe village and burnt some houses before making their escape. Our people are worried because this wasn’t the first time this kind of thing was happening in recent times.”

Meanwhile, the Police have summoned stakeholders’ meeting in a frantic effort to avoid the frightening escalation of killings in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ubah Ogaba said that the state Commissioner of Police had summoned a meeting with stakeholders on ways to stop further violence in the area.

Kidnappers in Ondo Forest Speak Fulfulde, Says Akeredolu Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday revealed that the kidnappers in Ondo forest reserves speak Fulfulde.

Speaking on a live TV programme, Akeredolu insisted that the herders must obey the constituted authority in the state or leave his domain.

“What we had to address in Ondo State is essentially our discovery that some criminal elements were using our forest reserves to perpetrate crimes and we said, look, we are not going to stay by and just watch this happen.

“People are kidnapped, they are not kidnapped and taken into a house; most of those who were kidnapped have come back and we have debriefed them, we have been briefed by all of them and we know essentially the group of people involved and that they were taken into our forest reserves.

“Our farmers who operate there are licensed to be there; so, anybody who wants to go there must be licensed to be there. If you are not licensed to be there to do a legitimate economic venture, then you are a criminal element, we are going to ask you to leave the place.

“It is the order of the day that every person that is kidnapped is taken to this forest. Then, we must clear that forest of all criminals, we must clear all the criminals no matter who they are.”

Continuing, the governor said, “How am I to know where they have come from? How did you allow them in, in the first instance.

My duty is not to profile those who come into the country but all I know very clearly is that those who are perpetrating this crime speak the same language, they have a common language like some people here in this country. That is where our problem lies.

“Whether they are foreigners or from here, it is a matter for the police, it is a matter for our security (agencies) to go into fully and be able to identify them. But what we have when we debrief those who have been kidnapped is that the language they hear is what matters to them.”

When asked specifically to name the language of the kidnappers, Akeredolu said, “Most of them were speaking Fulfulde and there is no need for us to run away from it. This is a common language that is spoken across the length and breadth particularly in West Africa and North Africa. So, if they come in, how did they come in?”

“Miyetti Allah does not have to defend these people if they are not their members. There is no need to defend them; let us treat them as what they are –criminals and they (Miyetti Allah) themselves should support us in getting them out,” the governor added.

Former two-time gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, yesterday defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

The former deputy governor of the state, who joined APC at Ife federal constituency, was officially registered and admitted into APC fold yesterday.

The official registration took place at 10.00 a.m. at Omisore’s voting unit at St Gabriel Primary School in Ile-Ife. During the official registration which took place in his voting unit, Omisore, who did not speak with journalists, was visibly happy.

L-R: Olu of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and the Commander of 35 Artillery Brigade, Abeokuta, Brig. Gen. EJ Amadasun, during a consultative meeting with the affected victims of herders’ attacks at Oja Odan in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state... yesterday

Court Quashes Imo Ex-deputy Gov’s Removal An Imo State High Court presided over by Justice S. I. Opara yesterday nullified the removal of the former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Jude Agbaso, and ordered the restoration of all his rights and benefits from the time of his removal to the period that his tenure elapsed.

The court, in a brief consent judgment, yesterday quashed Agbaso’s removal that generated public outrage in 2013.

Agbaso was sacked on March 28, 2013 by the Imo State House of Assembly following the recommendation of the seven-

Omisore served as deputy governor of the state from 1999 to 2003 to Governor Adebisi Akande.

In 2014, he contested for the governorship seat on the platform of the PDP but lost to Rauf Aregbesola, who was the incumbent governor then.

Also, in 2018, he contested on the platform of the SDP, where he came third behind Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, and Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the APC. Omisore was known to have fully supported the APC in the last general election.

He said: “I don’t have to tell anybody that I am with the party.

Any wise person should know where I belong.”

He decamped to APC along with many of his supporters in the state.

man panel set up by then state Chief Judge, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, which investigated the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the then Governor Rochas Okorocha.

The former deputy governor was accused of acts of grave corruption, including the demand of a bribe of N458 million from a contractor, J-Pross Construction Company and a bottle of Red Label Wine.

Agbaso had filed a suit asking a high court judge to bar the legislators from acting to sack him, arguing that he was a victim of political intrigue

and blackmail.

The court refused to intervene, leaving the room open for the lawmakers to remove the deputy governor.

After his sack, Agbaso also approached the court to quash his removal and reinstate him back to his seat.

He continued seeking redress in the courts until on February 1, 2021 when parties in the matter finally reached terms of settlement, which document was filed on February 2, 2021 before the Imo State High Court.

According to the counsel to Agbaso, Chijioke Emeka, his client

and the defendants which included the state governor, the State House of Assembly and the chief Judge of the State also requested that the terms of settlement be used as judgment in court.

Delivering the judgment yesterday, Justice Opara said that he was giving the consent judgment based on the terms of settlement reached by parties in the matter.

Briefing journalists after the court session, Agbaso’s counsel disclosed that the consent judgment had nullified the removal of his client on March 28, 2013, as the deputy governor of the State.

Jonathan Seeks End to Election Litigations Onungwe Obe in Yenagoa

Omisore Defects to APC Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

PEACE MISSION...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, has said post-election litigation in Nigeria was hampering smooth governance in the country.

Jonathan said this on Sunday at a dinner in Yenagoa to mark the first anniversary of the administration of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, where he urged political leaders in the state

to resolve differences that arise from elections instead of allowing aggrieved parties to go to court.

The former president noted that the litany of litigations that followed the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State really hampered governance in the state.

He however stated that it was better to go to court than resort to undemocratic means of seeking redress.

“The number of cases that got to the Supreme Court shows that democracy is still very okay.

“In Nigeria, as you are preparing for election, you are also preparing for court cases.

And it is not the right thing to do.

“Leaders of Bayelsa must come up and take some responsibilities.

I believe that politicians are becoming a little rascally. Leaders should step in and take charge whenever things are getting out

of hand.

“When certain things are getting out of hand, we should settle it. As the election approaches I encourage the leaders to play their role. Subsequently we should know when election starts and when it ends.

“Somebody will serve for four to eight years and another person will take over. We should not kill ourselves,” Jonathan added.

Glo Rolls out Youtube Time-Based Plans Telecommunications giant and popularly acclaimed ‘Grandmasters of data’, Globacom, has announced the rollout of YouTube-specific data plans for its subscribers. The new time-based plans will allow customers to stream their favourite YouTube videos for as low as N50 per hour.

Globacom stated in the

announcement released on Friday in Lagos, “We are excited to launch these new plans to enable all our esteemed customers to enjoy exciting Youtube content at a much cheaper rate than they are typically used to. The launched plans will add to our bouquet of innovative and affordable price offerings and allow more

subscribers to access our products and services.”

The Glo Youtube time-based plans come in four price packsN50 for 1 hour, N130 for 3 hours, N50 for 5 hours (Night) and N200 for 7 hours (Night).

A fair usage policy on each of the plans with fixed volume will be applied, the company

stated.

“These new plans have been uniquely developed so that each price pack has a streaming time allocated to it. For example, on the N50 plan the customer can use the 1-hour streaming in sections of 10 minutes or 20 minutes, all within 1-day”, Globacom added.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021˾ T H I S D AY

35

NEWSXTRA

Ohakim’s Absence Stalls Arraignment on Alleged Harassment Charges Alex Enumah in Abuja The arraignment of former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim was yesterday stalled at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

The court had slated February 15 for the arraignment of the former governor and one Chinedu Okpareke who are being accused by the police of threatening and harassing one Ms. Chinyere Amuchienwa.

However, when the matter was called, both Ohakim and Okpareke were not in court for their arraignment.

Reacting, lawyer to the prosecution, Mr. Stanley Nwodo who expressed surprise at the absence of the defendants informed the court that Ohakim has been on administrative bail since November 11, 2020.

But counsel to Okpareke, Mr. Emeka Etiaba, (SAN) however explained that his client was not in court because he was not served with any hearing notice to appear in court.

Etiaba, however, undertook to ensure that his client would be present in court on the next adjourned date and asked the prosecutor to also inform Ohakim.

In a short ruling, trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo after confirming that hearing notices were yet to be served on the defendants, enjoined the prosecution to ensure that the

defendants were in court on the next adjourned date.

“The matter is brought before me for the first time for arraignment.

“The court will overlook the absence of the defendants in court today because it is the responsibility of the prosecution to produce them in court or to ensure that they attend court.

“They must be produced in court at the next adjourned date for arraignment and possible commencement of trial,” the judge held.

He subsequently adjourned till March 3 for arraignment and possible commencement of trial.

According to the charge number FHC/ABJ/CS/287/2020, the two defendants were said to have threatened to release a nude photograph of Amuchienwa, if she fails to drop charges of attempted kidnap against them.

In the five-count charge dated November 25, 2020, the police alleged that the defendants knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system to harass and bully Amuchienwa.

According to the charge, the offence is punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

Some of the charges read, ‘’That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘male’ 49, and Ikedi Ohakim ‘male’ and others now at large on August 13, 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among

UNICEF Renovates 104 Health Centres in Bauchi Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field office, has said it has handed over 104 renovated Primary Health Centres (PHCs) it renovated to the state government to enhance health care delivery in the state.

Handing over the Yalwan Duguri Primary Health Care Centre in Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state yesterday, UNICEF Chief, Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Bahnu Pathak,

said UNICEF has also supplied basic medical equipment to all the 323 PHCs across the state.

He said UNICEF was working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency to provide quality health services to the citizens of the state, adding that the Yalwan Duguri PHC is one of the centres of excellence where it has also provided supplies and supported the renovation work.

Police Launch Operation Puff Adder II for North-west, North-central Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu has launched Operation Puff Adder II designed to dislodge armed bandits in the North-west and North-central parts of the country.

Adamu said the focus of Operation Puff Adder II was to dislodge the bandits and deny them space to regroup either in the zones or any other part of the country.

“It also involved bringing to justice any arrested bandit and their collaborators”, he said.

Adamu, who spoke yesterday at the flag-off of Operation Puff Adder at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, said the phase one of the deployment plan would cover Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states.

The IG said the Police would collaborate with the armed forces, the intelligence community, religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth association among others.

He charged the officers and men deployed for the special operation to see the task as a call to national duty.

“The force leadership and indeed the entire nation are looking out for three major outcomes as you discharge your duties.

“First is to protect them from bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and other heinous criminals”, he said.

He said the personnel was deployed for the purpose of apprehending the criminals and bringing them to justice and urged them to remain professional in their conduct.

yourselves by knowingly and intentionally sending messages by means of computer system or network in a grossly offensive, pornographic, nude of an indecent obscene and menacing character

of one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘female’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015. ‘’That you Chinendu Okpareke

‘male’ 49, and Ikedi Ohakim ‘male’ and others now at large on August 13, 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves to cause annoyance and

criminal intimidation to one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘female’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

CLAMOUR FOR CHRISTIAN PRESIDENT…

L-R: Member, Nigeria Equity Group (NEG), Mr. Christian Amushie; National Convener, NEG, Dr. Emeka Nwosu; General Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Joseph Daramola; and the National Secretary, NEG, Alhaji Muhammed Mubarak, during NEG’s visit to CAN to intimate it of their campaign for Christian president in 2023, at CAN Headquarters, Ecumenical Centre, Abuja…yesterday

PDP Blames Perceived Internal Crisis on APC’s Bid to Destroy Opposition Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday alleged that the desire of some forces in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to destroy opposition political parties and democracy in Nigeria was a plot specifically to destabilise the PDP. A top source explained that the APC, having seen the crisis generated by the revalidation of its membership, wants to pull down the house due to its raging internal crisis.

Also, the National Chairman of

the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has told journalists who met him in his office that “as you can see, there is no crisis in the PDP. It is just a plot of external forces to cause crisis or shout wolf when indeed there is no crisis.

“Our antagonists, who want the party to disintegrate since we lost the two presidential elections in 2015 and 2019, are worried how we manage to pull resource together and keep the party afloat. But by the grace of God, we shall surmount all these and save Nigeria from the inglorious administration of the

APC.” Also some PDP leaders who spoke to someone selected journalists further admitted that there were issues within the party, but had been resolved.

Citing example of the plot to cause crisis in the PDP, a top member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) disclosed that it was what the APC did in 2018 after the presidential campaign in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, that misled one of its former NWC member to work against the leadership of the opposition party.

According to the source, “The APC was jittery on the successful conduct of the PDP at Port Harcourt convention, which led them to plot and snatched our Vice National Chairman for the Northeast, Alhaji Babayo Gamawa.

The APC did what it did because they thought he could cause crisis in the PDP. “ “The former Northeast NWC member, however, failed in its assignment as some NWC members of the PDP who he met to cause trouble in the party rejected his plan to cause crisis in the party.”

Adamawa Police Arrest 40 Suspected Kidnappers, Cattle Rustlers Daji Sani in Yola The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested 40 suspects in connection with kidnapping, cattle rustling and culpable homicide.

While parrading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Yola, Adamawa State capital, the new state Commissioner Police, Aliyu Adamu, said it

is a tremendous achievements from when he was transferred to the state about two months ago till date.

He further explained that the command anti-kidnapping unit and other units, in compliance with his directives in his maiden address, collaborated with professional hunters being the command critical stakeholders in policing strategy, and were

deployed to the villages of Fufore , Mayobelwa , Song, and Mubi Local Government Areas.

According to him, “On the strength of that, 40 suspects in connection with kidnapping activities, cattle rustling and culpable homicide across the state were apprehended “Eight AK-47 rifles, one locally made pistol, one Sharon vehicle, and N1,130, 000 cash were

recovered.”

He called on the public to divulge useful information that would help the police in combating crimes in the state.

The state police boss also urged the public to be security conscious and vigilant, and report any suspicions movement to the security agencies across the state.

Kano PDP Seeks Prosecution of APC Chairman over Incitement Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, seeking the prosecution of the state All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, over allegation of hate speech.

The Chairman of the state PDP, Shehu Wada Sagagi, said yesterday

that they have drafted a letter to the IG and other relevant government agencies.

According to him, “To us it is an empty threat that will not deter the good people of Kano State from voting for their choice. However, for the interest of pure democracy, such unguarded utterances need to be addressed.”

Abbas had previously made similar statements considered by

the opposition party in the state as provocative.

“We are not surprised because it has been his nature to make such inciting utterances. This is hate speech,” the state PDP chairman said.

Last Friday, during the swearing-in ceremony of the 44 local government areas chairmen in the state, Abbas alleged: “Attack and punish anybody you see trying

to steal votes during the election in 2023. Take stiffer action into your hands and nothing will be done. I have ordered you to punish anybody seen before ballots boxes trying to rig the election, this is my punishment, and nothing will happen.

“I call on our party youths to keep their weapons for now as there will be a better time to use them.”

36

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

LCC Decries Bank Debts, Fate of over 500 Workers Segun James The Lekki Concession Company (LCC) has again appealed for the understanding of aggrieved youths who are bent on preventing the company from commencing the evaluation of the extent of the damage done to its assets on the night of Tuesday, October 20, 2020, citing the subsisting bank debts and the fate of its over 500 workers as compelling reasons the process ought to begin now.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, Managing Director of the LCC, Mr. Yomi Omomuwasan expressed regret that some people were using fake news to misinform Nigerians about the company’s ownership and whip up public sentiment against

its return to business.

Omomuwasan said while LCC empathises with Nigerians who suffered one loss or the other during the #EndSARS protest, continuing to punish LCC whose facility was forcefully taken over by the protesters for whatever happened on October 20, 2020, would be a regrettable double whammy for the company.

He explained that the non-return of the company to operation is negatively affecting LCC’s subsisting loan obligations to local and international lenders, maintenance of the road, its ancillary services and most importantly, the welfare of its staff some of whom have been home since the incident in October.

He disclosed that LCC owed

N23.9 billion and $49.6 million to local and foreign lenders as of December 31, 2011. He, however, lamented that the forceful takeover of the Tollgate by #ENDSARS protesters and its subsequent destruction had affected its ability to service its debts.

He said, “As of January 31,

2021, the outstanding debt liability from the local lenders is in the region of N11.6 billion and from the foreign lenders $31.1 million (USD), with the difference being the amount LCC has so far paid the lenders. It is important to say that, before the #ENDSARS protest, LCC had continued to meet up

with servicing its loan obligations without default to the lenders.

“However, since the commencement of the #ENDSARS protest, the forceful takeover of the Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza and the unfortunate incident of Tuesday, October 20, 2020, we have had to plead for

moratorium repeatedly with our local and international lenders. It has been impossible to meet our loan repayment obligations- and obligations to our workers- given our inability to collect tolls, the main revenue source from which the repayment was contractually expected to come.

Lekki Estate Residents List Conditions for Toll Gate Reopening Residents of estates around Lekki, under the aegis of Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), have given the Lagos State Government and Lekki Concession Company (LCC), managers of the Lekki/ Epe Expressway, conditions for the re-opening of the Lekki Toll Gate.

These were contained in a press statement issued on Sunday by the association, comprising over 80 estates and communities. In the statement signed by Olorogun James Emadoye and Mr. Gbemi Adelekan, LERSA President and Secretary-General respectively, the residents asked the state government and managers of the road to provide viable alternative roads to the tolled roads, implement round-figure fees at the toll and immediately improve the tolling system

technology to guarantee free flow at the toll gates before commencement of tolling.

LERSA noted that its members have been victims of insecurity and disruption of movement since the ENDSARS protests of October, which led to the destruction and eventual closure of the toll gate and Saturday’s protest against the order for its reopening.

While appealing for restraint among angry youth, LERSA called on the government to allow free expression of discontent in a way that guarantees protection of lives and property.

The association also called on LCC to create an enabling environment for people and businesses along this axis, adding that the experience of road users at the toll plazas on the road before the shutdown was very unpleasant.

Herdsmen Attacks: Abiodun Begins Peace Mission Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta Worried by the recent destruction of lives and property as a result of the herders’ crisis in the Yewa axis of the state, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has commenced the process of finding lasting solutions to the menace.

To this end, a government delegation comprising top government officials and representatives of security agencies was sent by the governor to the affected areas on what government themed, “confidence building mission”.

Speaking at the palace of the Olu of Ilaro, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Afolabi Afuape, noted that though the farmers and herders’ clashes was a national problem, the state government was looking at ways of finding a lasting solution

ALUTA CONTINUA...

L-R: National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), Comrade Audu Amba; Second Vice President, Comrade Abiso Bulama; and Deputy National President, Sir Kelvin Nwakwo, during press conference on the Supreme Court judgment between NUT and ASUSS in Lagos...recently.

KOLAWOLE ALLI.

39.8% of Candidates Pass as WAEC Releases 2020 Results Funmi Ogundare The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) yesterday announced that 39.82 per cent made credits in five subjects, including Mathematics and English, in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates 2020 (second series).

The Head of National Office, Mr. Patrick Areghan

and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

“Out of this number, 12,040, that is, 49.16 per cent were male candidates, while 12,451, that is, 50.84 per cent were female candidates.

“The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for private candidates in 2018 and 2019; that is, those who obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects,

including English Language and Mathematics, were 35.99 per cent and 35.10 per cent respectively. Thus, there is a marginal increase of 4.72 per cent in performance in this regard,” he said.

Areghan however warned that the performance should not be the basis of judging how well candidates did in the examination as it is considered a remedial one for candidates seeking to make certain subjects.

Mohammed’s Outburst Confirms APC’s Membership Registration a Sham, Says PDP Chuks Okocha in Abuja

to it as government was not happy with recent happenings in some parts of the state.

“Government is not happy with what is going on in this part of the State. We have come on the instruction of the state governor to see what can be done to address this crisis because the state government is not happy with what is happening.

“I must stress the need for peaceful co-existence among all our people irrespective of where you come from. Though this crisis is a national issue, government is putting security plans in place to secure the lives of our people in this area”, he assured.

Afuape stressed the need for the people to be vigilant by reporting strange faces and movements to the security officials, as government could not afford crisis in any part of the State.

also announced the opening of registration for the 2021 WASSCE for school candidates three months behind schedule.

Announcing the release of the WASSCE for private candidates 2020, Areghan said the result was an improvement in performance in the examination in the last two years.

“Twenty Four Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety One (24,491) candidates representing 39.82 per cent obtained credit

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday stated that the outburst of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissing the much hyped All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration exercise and calling for its cancellation have further confirmed that the exercise is a huge scam.

The PDP further stated that Mohammed’s revelation that over 80 percent of the registration

units in his state, Kwara, do not have membership register or membership registration slips further confirmed revelations that the registration and revalidation are nothing but a fictitious name and figure writing exercise.

The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that the lamentation of Mohammed in revealing that the fraudulent exercise is being carried out without the party membership register or temporary slips given to those who purportedly registered,

“has also confirmed to the world that the figures being compiled and bandied by the APC are mere fabrications.”

Moreover, he said the revelation in the minister’s outburst that the APC has been torn into shreds with warring factions going for one another’s throat showed that the party has collapsed and would totally fizzle before the 2023 elections.

Ologbondiyan said: “It is puzzling that Lai Mohammed is now crying about the manipulations, intimidations

and use of security forces by APC leaders to rig an ordinary membership registration exercise, whereas that has been the stock in trade of the party since its emergence.

“It is on record that all the elections in which APC had participated, there had always been illegal deployment of security forces, manhandling of voters, vote buying as well as manipulation of figures, and Mohammed had always praised APC for being ‘victorious’ in such electoral parodies.”

New Political Movement to Present Visionary, Committed Leadership in 2023 Alex Enumah in Abuja A new political movement, the New Nigeria Group (NNG) has commenced efforts to ensure that only people with integrity, vision and commitment towards the Nigerian project are elected into office come 2023.

Convener of the group, Mazi Sam Ohuabubwa made the disclosure while unveiling his plan to run for the number

one political office in the country during the next general elections.

Ohuabunwa who stated that he has a divine calling regarding the emancipation of Nigeria, added that he is ready to work with like minded citizens to realize his ambition.

“As you may have heard, I have received very strong motivation to offer myself for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at

the 2023 elections. After careful consideration and prayers since July 2019, I am persuaded that I truly have a mandate to play an active role in helping to bring Nigeria to its manifest destiny.

“My mission is to lead a team of like-minded citizens to provide an enlightened, visionary and committed leadership that will drive Nigeria to attain a first world status and create a new Nigeria where all the citizens live in harmony, are

treated equally and equitably to achieve peace and prosperity in a nation that works for all”, he said.

Ohuabunwa added that the group is currently building a political movement - The NEW NIGERIA GROUP (NNG) to rally Nigerians around its vision and mission and to persuade them that a New Nigeria, “the Nigeria of our dreams is possible and feasible in our lifetime, as many (young and old) have lost hope”.

37

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

CONGRATULATIONS TO OKONJO-IWEALA...

Omo-Agege Hails First African WTO DG The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has hailed the emergence of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first female Director General of the WTO. Omo-Agege, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Yomi Odunuga, while expressing excitement at Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment further stressed that her emergence attests to the excellence of the womenfolk in Nigeria across every walk of life.

He also applauded President Muhammadu Buhari and other global leaders who rendered their unalloyed support for the renowned economist and international development expert despite the initial hiccups that trailed her nomination.

We Wish Her Successful Tenure, Say Govs

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has also hailed the emergence of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

In a statement signed by the Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello Barkindo, the governors wished her a successful tenure.

“Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala’s pedigree as a well-known global development economist, who has served at some of the most prestigious global financial institutions, apart from her illustrious years as Nigeria’s Finance Minister raises hopes around the world that her tenure at the WTO will herald remarkable changes in the face of the economic challenges currently afflicting the world.

“The woman of firsts as she is fondly known, because of her accomplishments, brings along exciting news that being a Nigerian would give visibility and credibility to the nation,” they added.

Her Victory, Well-deserved, Says Abiodun

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said it is victory at last while congratulating two- time Finance Minister of Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo - Iweala on her victory as the Director General, World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Abiodun said Okonjo Iweala’s victory as the first African woman to win the global international organisation position came as a result of her hard work, resilience and dedication to duty.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin, the Ogun State governor charged the new WTO boss to see her emergence and success as not only personal or Nigerian’s but that of the African region as a whole while appreciating her for making the nation proud.

“We are very proud and confident that you will bring your wealth of experience and spheres of influence to bear towards repositioning the organisation for greater results”, Abiodun stated.

Describing the victory as a well-deserved one, Governor Abiodun prayed for God’s wisdom for the newly elected Director General and wished her outstanding success in her new endeavors.

Atiku: Her Emergence, Historic

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar welcomed the historic emergence of Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as WTO DG. Atiku said Okonjo-Iweala is a woman he knows very well, because they worked at close quarters between 2003 and 2007, when she served in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in various capacities, most notably as Finance Minister.

Atiku further said it was not, “hyperbole when I say that no one could be more qualified for the job of Director General of the World Trade Organisation than her, and I congratulate her for her success at being the first female and African DG of the WTO.” “She is an apostle of free trade and an astute manager of people and resources, and the world will be a much more prosperous place by her elevation to this enviable height.”, Atiku said.

He said that as the world prepares to emerge from the global pandemic of COVID19, the planet needs a steady hand at the wheel, to drive global trade, and rebuild from the devastation wrought by the virus.

“We would not need someone who thinks they can pull this off. We would need someone who has actually and serially pulled it off before. And that person has emerged.

Ngozi, Africa and Nigeria are proud of you and my family and I are full of joy at your victory. Go to Geneva and make us proud, as we know you will.”, Atiku stated.

Okowa Congratulates WTO DG

Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, an illustrious daughter of the state from Ogwashi-Uku, for clinching the top WTO job.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, Okowa said he was elated to hear of the successful emergence of Okonjo-Iweala as WTO boss after a very highly competitive and protracted process.

He described Okonjo-Iweala as a brilliant, competent, world-class economist and international development expert whose works over the years had distinguished her globally.

The governor stated that the appointment of Okonjo-Iweala had broken the 24-year-old jinx of a female becoming head of the WTO, adding that she was the first African to lead the global trade body in its 25-year history.

“I am excited to hear of the emergence of our illustrious daughter, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.

“Your appointment is indeed, a testament to your competence and experience as a renowned economist and international development expert,” he said.

“On behalf of my family, the Government and people of Delta, I congratulate a worthy ambassador of Delta and Nigeria, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the recognition and appointment.

“As you take on this distinguishing assignment at the big global stage again, I pray and urge you to re-enact that which you have always done - bringing pride and honour to Delta and Nigeria.

“It is without doubt that your pedigree and impeccable footprints in monetary and economic administration in Nigeria and at the World Bank stood you out for this global assignment.

STRATEGISING TO TAKE CHARGE…

L-R: National Chairman, National Youth Democratic Party (NYDP), Mr. Barry Avotu Johnson; Vice President, Zuga Foundation, Mr. Jethro Zuga; and Chairman Board of Trustees, NYDP, Mr. Zam Zuga, during the press conference and official launch of NYDP party in Abuja… recently ENOCK REUBEN “As you continue in this remarkable trajectory, we wish you success as you mount this new saddle,” he stated.

She Possesses Bundle of Skills, Says Obaseki

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has also hailed the emergence of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her emergence as WTO boss.

In a statement issued yesterday, Obaseki described Okonjo-Iweala as “a fine economist and international development expert has in time past spearheaded several World Bank initiatives as a former Managing Director (Operations) and possesses a bundle of skills and experience required for this elevated role.

“As a two-time finance minister in Nigeria, Okonjo-Iweala left indelible marks as an astute manager of the nation’s economy and resources.”

Secondus: Her Emergence, Good News for Troubled Nation

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, welcomed the emergence of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, describing it as the most suiting news for a trouble nation in search of its soul due to poor leadership.

Secondus in a congratulatory message from his media office in Abuja said that the victory of Okonjo-Iweala in the highly contested global position mirrors the greatness of tomorrow’s Nigeria notwithstanding the failure of today’s political leaders He said Okonjo-Iweala’s victory was a reward for hard work and commitment to excellence as she demonstrated in all positions she held nationally and internationally.

“This savoring news coming at this time that the nation is witnessing her worse due to leadership failure is relieving and hope rising that a greater tomorrow awaits this land,” he added.

We Wish Her Success, Says OPEC

The Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Dr. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo, in a statement, wished Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala success in her new role to lead the WTO. “We commend the wisdom of the General Council of the WTO for the historic nature of your appointment, as you are the first woman and first person hailing from the continent of Africa to take up the reigns of the organisation.

“Your candidacy received support from every geographical region and all categories of members recognised in WTO provisions, namely, least-developed countries, developing countries and developed countries.

“I know from your lengthy and successful career as a highlyrespected economist, an international development expert who worked for 25 years at the World Bank, a diplomat and your two terms as Finance Minister in Nigeria that you are more than up to the task,” he added.

Uzodimma Lauds Her Emergence

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has also felicitated with the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

In a statement from his Media Adviser, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, governor Uzodimma said her appointment as the boss of the global body not only brings honour to Nigeria, but shows how Nigerians have continued to impact the world positively.

Uzodimma said Okonjo-Iwuala’s track record of achievements as a renowned development economist places her in a position to take the WTO to a level that the whole world would be proud of because of her intelligence, meticulousness and education.

APC Congratulates WTO DG

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also congratulated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe, in a statement issued, said the appointment of Okonjo-Iweala was a pointer that the world was fast changing and anybody can achieve any positive feat with hard work, diligence and pursuit of excellence. We hope this serves as an inspiration to all.

He said, “We are proud to note that Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala’s mandate to head the WTO followed broad support from members of the global trade body.”

Adebayo: Her Selection, Transparent

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, has disclosed that the process leading to the selection of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new WTO DG had been transparent, adding that the credit for the resulting success must go to the entire WTO membership and to the TROIKA. Adebayo also thanked the regional groupings in the organisation for granting audience and support during and after the exercise.

He assured that the new DG would not disappoint the organisation and all those who worked to make the appointment a reality.

Adebayo, further appealed to members to give the new DG all the cooperation, support and solidarity that would be required for her to work with a view to making the apex trade organisation a truly outstanding multilateral institution.

MAN Hails New WTO DG

The Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, has described the emergence of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as a moment of great excitement, and a plus for Nigeria in the international community, as a welcome development for Africa.

Ajayi-Kadir noted that the AfCFTA would need the support of her expertise for a smooth take-off and steady success as a huge component of the world economy.

He said having an African at the helm of affairs in the WTO should give some comfort and assuage the noticeable anxieties of African countries in the world trade parlance.

LCCI Congratulates Okonjo-Iweala

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has also felicitated with Nigeria on the selection of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Director General, LCCI, Dr. Muda Yusuf, said in a statement that her emergence came at a time when the global trading system was faced with numerous challenges including supply chain disruptions precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic, rising protectionism and unilateralism, growing economic nationalism, imposition of trade restrictions covering substantial amount of international trade, as well as trust and credibility concerns among members.

“While the emergence of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala as the new WTO Director-General is very gratifying and calls for celebration, there is a need to manage expectations around the outcomes for the Nigerian economy given the numerous productivity and competitiveness issues the country is grappling with.

“Ultimately, these are the factors that would determine the benefits that would accrue to the economy from global trade”.

House Minority Caucus Congratulates New WTO Boss

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has congratulated Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on her new job.

The caucus in a statement by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, observed that the emergence of Okonjo-Iweala as DG of the world trade body has reinforced global confidence in international consensus and recognition of competence and proficiency over provincial considerations.

The lawmakers charged Okonjo Iweala to hit the ground running and bring to bear her skills, connections and wealth of experience in the task of leading the WTO at this trying period in the history of global economy.

The caucus also urged her to have a special focus on Africa and the developing world, particularly at this time of economic recession, which has been worsened by the adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her Emergence, Historic, Says Ekweremadu

A former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has described Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s emergence as WTO DG as historic and momentous.

Ekweremadu, in a statement issued on his behalf by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu, submitted that Okonjo-Iweala has the poise, experience, flair, pedigree, reach, and global acceptance to excel in her new office adding that “with her emergence, the much needed transformation and democratisation of the WTO to play its expected roles in the 21st Century global economy are imminent.”

38

˜ ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

NFF Moves to Strengthen Quality of Nigeria’s Leagues Duro Ikhazuagbe The leadership of the country’s football have moved to sustain the gains so far made in the various leagues and improve on them.

Following complaints from stakeholders on some welfare issues capable of disrupting the topflight league in particular, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick yesterday presided over a meeting to chart a more robust course for the various leagues including; the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and the Nigeria Nationwide League One (League One).

Although full details of the moves made by the NFF leadership to end the lingering non- settlement of officials’ indemnities were not disclosed, the meeting “deliberated on niggling issues around the League particularly welfare of officials and resolved to tackle matters head-on in the interest of the domestic game.”

Pinnick, who said he was delighted with the broadcast and quality of production of Nigeria Professional Football League matches on the Nigeria Television Authority and the NPFL.TVsince the commencement of the new

season, said the Federation was determined that no factor would be allowed to derail the present gains as the NPFL season enters Week 10, and the NNL and NWFL matches also trudge on.

“We are all impressed with the matches being on television and the special app (NPFL.TV) and have enjoyed the quality of production which compares to the very best anywhere.

“However, it is time to look critically at certain niggling factors and ensure we tackle them decisively in order not to erode the gains we have been able to make.

“We must keep at what we are doing, maintain the standard and even strive for improvement where possible, and we can be sure that we will reap the gains in the coming seasons,” Pinnick stressed.

The NFF supremo who is gunning for a seat in the 37-member FIFA Council also assured that the Federation will do everything within its capacity to ensure that standard of officiating continues to improve, while safety, security and medical issues are given the utmost attention and seriousness.

There was a consensus at the meeting that the sustainability of good officiating and broadcast of the matches will solve most of the problems associated with the

domestic game in previous years.

Pinnick also issued a stern warning to officials of the various leagues to shun acts capable of putting the domestic game in

bad light.

Also present at the meeting were Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme (Deputy General Secretary); Mallam Salihu Abubakar (Chief

Operating Officer, LMC); Mr Ademola Olajire (Director of Communications); Ms Ruth David (Ag. Director of Competitions); Dr Ayo Abdulrahaman (Head

of National Competitions); Mr Emmanuel Adesanya (COO, NNL); Ms Modupe Shabi (COO, NWFL) and Mr Shola Ogunnowo (COO, NLO).

The Nigeria Football Federation began moves yesterday to strengthen all the domestic leagues in the country

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Pochettino Confident Mbappe Can Get Job NPFL: Abia Warriors Shoot Done against Barca Down Flying Antelopes Abia Warriors yesterday secured a lone goal victory over Rangers International in an Oriental Derby played in Okigwe.

Paul Samuel scored the lone goal in the 58th minute to ease pressure on Coach Imama Amapakabo. The Abia team played the last 30 minutes of the game with 10 men following

the dismissal of one other players Warriors now have nine points from 10 games and are 17th on the NPFL log.

Elsewhere yesterday, Heartland secured a 2-0 defeat of Lobi Stars in another Match day 10 game played earlier at the Okigwe Stadium.

Heartland are now 12th on the log on 13 points.

South East Sports Foundation Drags Top Athletes to Enugu The coal city of Enugu will come alive on March 13 when athletes from different parts of the country gather for the maiden South East Sports Foundation Athletics Competition at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

The South East Sports Foundation is a pet project of United States-based Nigerian former athlete, Victor Okorie, who was one of the most gifted hurdlers to rise from the nation’s school sports system.

Okorie, who won a silver medal for Team Nigeria at COJA 2003 All Africa Games in Abuja, has been bankrolling a scholarship programme for athletes and training of some Nigerian coaches at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) in Lagos.

Okorie stated yesterday that “the event is open for all Nigerian athletes, but the prize money will only go to athletes

from the South East, which is the base of our Foundation.”

He continued: “Arrival date for the competition is March 12, and events to be competed for include; 100m (male and female), 200m (male and female), 400m (male and female) and the jumps.

“There will be no hurdles event in Enugu because there are only few hurdle sticks available at the stadium. But there will be invitational relay events for some selected secondary schools,” stressed the former Nigerian athlete.

With the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival now moved to April, the South East Sports Foundation athletics competition is expected to open a platform for many Nigerian track and field stars to test their fitness level and commence preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.

Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe will be under the spotlight when they face Barcelona in their UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg tie tonight without Neymar and Angel Di Maria but coach Mauricio Pochettino feels he will live up to expectations.

Although Mbappe is the Ligue 1 top scorer with 16 goals this season, he has largely failed to ignite in the Champions League with just two goals and he has not scored in the knockout stage since a 2-0 win at Manchester United in the last 16 in 2019.

But Pochettino, who is expected to field Mauro Icardi and Pablo Sarabia or Moise Kean alongside the 22-year-old Mbappe, said he was pleased with the France striker’s form.

“Clearly we’re missing important players but we have a team and players who are responsible,” Pochettino, who took over from the sacked Thomas Tuchel at the beginning of the year, told a

news conference on Monday.

“As for Mbappe, I expect from him what I always expect from great players. I’m very happy with his performances since I arrived.”

Neymar suffered a thigh problem in last week’s French Cup win at Caen while Di Maria has a similar injury which he picked up in the Ligue 1 victory away to Olympique Marseille on 7 February.

While Pochettino welcomes back first-choice keeper Keylor Navas, the Argentine said he had still not decided whether he would field Italy midfielder Marco Verratti, who missed last weekend’s 2-1 Ligue 1 win against Nice with a hip injury.

“We have to go step by step. We have to analyse Marco today in training. We have a strategy, a game plan.

According to his form, we’ll make the right decision,” he said.

PSG and Barcelona have not met since the French champions

were thrashed 6-1 at the Camp Nou in the last 16 in 2017 after winning the first leg 4-0.

Barcelona remain a club in crisis off the field, mired in debt and with a presidential election due next month, but playing results have turned around since they ended their Champions League group-stage campaign with a 3-0 home loss to Juventus

in December.

Saturday’s 5-1 win over Alaves made it 10 wins and two draws in their last 12 Liga outings.

Lionel Messi has scored 11 goals in 10 appearances in that time, while Manager Ronald Koeman continues to incorporate young players into his line-up.

Kylian Mbappe...shoulders PSG’s hope of victory against Barcelona tonight

Australian Open: Nadal, Medvedev, Barty Reach Q’finals Former champion Rafael Nadal and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev both cruised into the Australian Open quarterfinals.

Spaniard Nadal, the 2009 winner and number two seed, gained a routine 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over Italy’s 16th seed Fabio Fognini at Melbourne Park.

Nadal will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last eight on Wednesday.

The Greek fifth seed was handed a walkover win in round four after Matteo Berrettini of Italy had to

withdraw because of an abdominal injury.

Tsitsipas had been due to play ninth seed Berrettini in the final game on Rod Laver Arena on Monday.

“I have had a problem with my abs and I spoke to the doctors and they told me it could just get worse,” said Berrettini, 24.

“I’m not 100% and me and my team decided it was not worth the risk to play.”

Nadal’s victory means he has reached a Grand Slam quarter-final for the 43rd time, going on to win 20 titles,

although his only success in Melbourne was 12 years ago over Roger Federer.

He came into this tournament with a back injury, having withdrawn from the ATP Cup earlier this month, but has not dropped a set in his four matches.

In the women’s singles, World number one Ashleigh Barty only needed 71 minutes to defeat American Shelby Rogers and move into the quarter-finals.

Barty, who is aiming to become the first Australian to win the women’s singles

since 1978, triumphed 6-3 6-4.

American Jessica Pegula produced a shock 6-3 3-6 6-3 win to knock out fifth seed Elina Svitolina.

The world number 61’s win on Rod Laver Arena took her into the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time.

The 26-year-old will face fellow American Jennifer Brady, who beat Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-1 7-5.

“I feel good, everything feels pretty solid, so I’m just going take that to the next match,” said Pegula.

˜ ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

39

TUESDAYSPORTS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Keita out of Liverpool, RB Leipzig Round of 16 Clash in Budapest Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita will not be involved against his former club RB Leipzig in the Champions League last-16 first leg in Budapest this evening.

Keita is not ready to play after only recently returning to training after a hamstring injury which has kept him out since 19 December.

RB Leipzig’s Netherlands winger Justin Kluivert is doubtful with an ankle injury but Angelino could feature.

The Spanish full-back has joined on a permanent deal from Manchester City.

The first leg is being played in Hungary for Covid-19 reasons.

As it stands, the second leg will be played on 10 March at Anfield.

When Liverpool played their final Champions League group game against Midtjyllandon 9 December, they were level on points with then leaders Tottenham in the Premier League.

They resume their European

campaign days after manager Jurgen Klopp conceded the title race following his side’s third defeat in a row.

Liverpool trail leaders Manchester City by 13 points but captain Jordan Henderson said the tie with RB Leipzig offered the team a “new opportunity” for the six-time champions of Europe.

“It’s difficult. When we’ve set standards that we’ve set over a long period of time, it’s not normal for us (our current form),” said the midfielder.

“I do believe the lads give everything whenever we train and play, so we need to keep doing that to get out of this run.

“Leipzig are a very good side with very good players and manager. I think everybody knows that.

“We’ve got to go out there and give 100%, we’re ready to give 100% to get a positive result.”

RB Leipzig are second in the Bundesliga table and qualified

Koeman: Barcelona Can Still Compete with Europe’s Best Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman insists his resurgent team can still compete with the strongest in Europe as they prepare to take on a Paris Saint-Germain side missing Neymar in their Champions League last 16, first leg on Tuesday.

“I don’t see other teams who are much better than Barcelona, but I think it’s not good if you are changing a lot of things in the team, if you are playing with young players, to expect that we will win the Champions League,” Koeman told media ahead of Tuesday’s game at the Camp Nou. Barcelona remain a club in crisis off the field, mired in debt and with a presidential election due next month, but playing results have turned around since they ended their Champions League group-stage campaign with a 3-0 home loss to Juventus in December.

Saturday’s 5-1 win over Alaves made it 10 wins and two draws in their last 12 Liga outings.

Lionel Messi has scored 11 goals in 10 appearances in that time, while Koeman continues to incorporate young players into

Ronald Koeman...Barcelona capable of competing with Europe’s best

his line-up.

“We still have a good team. The team is doing better, the team is playing good, on a high level, physically the team is on a high level and we still have fantastic players,” Koeman said.

“That means we can beat everyone. That’s what we like to show, that we can compete with the best teams in Europe.”

Clear underdogs when the draw was made in December and paired them with PSG, Barcelona may now even have the edge as their opponents arrive in Catalonia without the injured Neymar and Angel di Maria.

But Koeman warned: “You never know how a team will react to being without such an important player like Neymar. I hope that in a couple of weeks (the return leg is on 10 March) everyone will be there and we can see who is the best team.”

The Dutchman also said he was “very hopeful” Messi would stay at the club amid speculation over the Argentine’s future beyond this season, when his contract expires. He continues to be linked to PSG as well as Manchester City.

“I am a much better player when Leo is on the field than when he is not. With Leo we are much better and much stronger,” said fullback Jordi Alba.

“We want him to stay at Barca for many more years, but it is Leo’s decision and we will have to respect whatever decision he takes.”

Meanwhile, Gerard Pique is in contention to return after close to three months on the sidelines with a knee injury. He could be needed in central defence with Ronald Araujo ruled out.

“Pique has been training with the squad for four or five days now. I have one more day to decide, and given how long he has been out we will talk about it and decide Tuesday,” Koeman said.

for the last-16 of the Champions League after finishing second in Group H behind Paris StGermain.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side beat Manchester United 3-2in their

final group game to progress.

Last season, RB Leipzig knocked Tottenham out at this stage, 4-0 on aggregate.

In 2017-18, Nagelsmann was in charge of the Hoffenheim

team beaten 6-3 on aggregateby Klopp’s Liverpool in a Champions League play-off.

“That was my first game on the international stage,” said 33-year-old Nagelsmann.

“I’ve got more experience now.

Jurgen as well, he’s developed every year. It’s normal. I have a new team so it will be a new game,” he concluded ahead of the clash tonight.

Liverpool players at training ahead of the RB Leipzig clash tonight

Sergio Ramos Moves Closer to Santiago Bernabeu Exit Sergio Ramos will leave Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of June and there is ‘no way back for him’ at the LaLiga club , according to reports in Spain.

The Spanish defender has played more than 650 times and scored 100 goals for the LaLiga giants since moving to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005.

But Ramos is struggling to agree a new contract at Real amid rumours of a move to Manchester United and PSG, with Spanish journalist Josep Pedrerol claiming it is difficult to see a positive resolution amid the ongoing row.

Pedrerol told El Chiringuito on Sunday: “Sergio Ramos is leaving Real Madrid. I don’t

Sergio Ramos...exit from Madrid certain in summer

think there’s any possibility of him staying. There’s no way back.

“Real Madrid believe it’s a fact and believe that Ramos deserves to sign for whatever team he wants to earn one last big contract before finishing his career.

“In these circumstances, Real Madrid won’t offer him more money.”

According to Mundo Deportivo last week, Ramos rejected the two-year contract extension Real tabled with a 10 per cent salary reduction as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ramos also reportedly rejected a separate proposal for a one-year contract extension on his existing salary of £10.5million.

Manchester United and PSG are believed to be two of the clubs interested in bringing in Ramos for next season. The 34-year-old is currently out with a knee injury which could rule him out until April.

Pedrerol, meanwhile, claims the Spaniard is making a mistake by not agreeing to

Real’s demands as he could be in line for a bigger contract later on in his career.

The journalist added: “It’s a shame and I think Ramos is making a mistake.

“Make an effort. Take 10 per cent less and sign for two years and then, if the financial situation improves, this can improve too.”

During his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, Ramos has won five LaLiga titles, four Champions League trophies and four FIFA Club World Cups.

The defender has also lifted three UEFA Super Cups, two Copa del Rey trophies and four Spanish Super Cups.

Ramos could be replaced in central defence by Bayern Munich defender David Alaba, who is also set to run down his contract at the German giants and leave for free.

Bayern completed a deal for RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano this week, with the Frenchman’s £38.5m summer arrival likely to push Alaba further towards the exit door.

Formula 1: Fernando Alonso Discharged from Hospital Fernando Alonso has been discharged from hospital after suffering a fracture of his upper jaw in a cycling accident last week.

The two-time Formula 1 world champion, 39, collided with a car while on a training ride near his home in Lugano, Switzerland, on Thursday.

His Alpine team said Alonso

will now have “a short period of complete rest”.

He will then “progressively resume training in preparation for the start of the season”.

Pre-season testing takes place in Bahrain from 12-14 March, before the first race at the same track on 26-28 March.

Alpine, the former Renault team, said last week that

they “expect him to be fully operational to undertake preparation for the season”.

Alonso said on social media last week: “I’m OK and looking forward to getting 2021 under way. Let’s go.”

Alonso is returning to F1 this season after a two-year absence in which he explored other motorsport ambitions.

He added a second Le Mans win, the World Endurance Championship title, competed twice in the Indianapolis 500 and once in in the Dakar Rally.

He has said he is returning to F1 because he loves competing and driving, and he hopes Alpine will be competitive with the advent of new technical rules being introduced in 2022.

Tuesday February 16, 2021

Book Your COVID-19 Tests & Vaccinations TEXT

‘COVID’

TO

58123

This service is provided in association with accredited service providers

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE Akeredolu to Mohammed

“How will a governor in this country today come out and say people should be allowed to carry arms when it is illegal? And not just arms he says they should carry double barrel and co” – Governor Akeredolu condemning the Governor Bala Mohammed’s statement that herdsmen have no option but to carry AK-47 for self-defence.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Drummers of Hate and the Drunken Dancers

O

n Sunday, February 14, the Nigerian Presidency in a statement signed by spokesman Garba Shehu reportedly affirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to ensure the protection of all religious and ethnic groups in the country, whether majority or minority, “in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.” The statement added that the government “will not allow any ethnic or religious group to stoke up hatred and violence against other groups.” As if to give effect to this, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) announced that the NSA, Major General Mohammed Monguno, was scheduled to meet with seven Governors of the North Western part of the country on Monday, February 15 as part of a “whole-of -government and whole-of-society” approach to address the recent spike in cases of insecurity across the country. The NSA and other security chiefs agreed on a series of Town Hall Meetings, to assess the national security situation, generate feedback, and build a synchronization framework with various stakeholders in order to find a pathway to sustainable peace and stability.

It all sounds so good, except that it is also so eerily familiar and formulaic. The Presidency needs not issue a statement to remind us that the Buhari administration will protect all of us, whether we are from the majority or minority stock, or adherents of whatever faith. This is the primary responsibility of government in the first place. It is the job that President Buhari signed up to as spelled out in Section 14 (2)(b) of the same 1999 Constitution. The President swore to uphold this Constitution, and in Section 5 thereof and elsewhere, he is given enormous powers to so act and to recruit persons and deploy resources in pursuit of the directive principles in Chapter Two. The fact that the Presidency needs to restate its commitment to its own primary assignment, five years after the fact, is an indication how there has been a gross omission in this regard.

In 2015, ahead of the first Presidential election that brought this government to power, the Buhari campaigners argued that he was the best man for the job, if not for any other reason, he, being a former military chief will know what to do, to address the crisis of terrorism, especially in the North East, and ensure stability across the country. At the time, Boko Haram and the al Qaeda forces seeking to destabilize Nigeria were at the peak of their offensive. Many Nigerians embraced the Buhari option as the most attractive proposition: the war-tested General and military tactician whose very presence in power was expected to instill fear in the enemies of the state. But things have not turned out that way, as expected. If the dominant security challenge in 2015 was Boko Haram, the security situation in Nigeria since then has worsened.

Despite the government’s assurance that Boko Haram had been “decimated” or “technically defeated”, we all saw the terrorists gaining more in audacity and ferocity, with soldiers fleeing from the battle-front out of frustration, mocking their commanders, and protesting about their poor conditions of deployment. Nigerians thought the President should change his Service Chiefs, to inject fresh blood, but public opinion in that regard was ignored until the President finally decided to let them go on January 26, 2021. While the team of Service Chiefs led by General Abayomi Olonisakin remained in charge, the country had to face other challenges on other fronts in the shape of banditry, kidnapping, wanton criminality, ethnic conflicts, farmers-herders conflicts, and attacks on places of religious worship. Ordinarily,

Buhari it was the duty of the Nigeria Police Force to protect lives and properties within the country, but the police were so disorganized, so poorly equipped, they couldn’t handle the situation.

Nigeria ended up deploying soldiers to do police work. They didn’t do much better. The Nigerian military was over-stretched, from fighting terrorists and insurgents in the North East to police check point assignments in the South South and South East. Somehow, everything got muddled up. The same security problems that the Buhari administration set out to resolve merely increased. In a cancerous manner, they metastasized. Pro-government campaigners would argue that insecurity in Nigeria is being fueled by “fifth columnists” and the “political opposition” even when they have no concrete evidence to support their claims. Anti-government analysts would rather argue that Nigeria has become insecure because the government failed to do what is right, which is to simply deliver on its constitutional mandate – the same mandate that the Presidential Villa has now suddenly re-discovered! When the people cried out that the Boko Haram was getting stronger and bolder, they were told the terrorists had been “technically defeated.” The Federal Government even brandished a seized Boko Haram flag. The terrorists have since made another one! When Governors in the North West later pointed out that the madness had spread from the East to the West, they were told that they were the Chief Security Officers of their states and should stop whining, even when they were not so empowered. The poor Governors of the North West decided to negotiate with the terrorists and gave them money but it turned out the criminals were not willing to sell their struggle. The curse of violence, crime and banditry soon spread from the North to the Middle Belt. One or two Governors wept openly.

They were told to wipe their tears and expect a miracle. No miracle came. By the time the crisis settled down in the Middle and Central parts of Nigeria, it had now taken on a primordial dimension: Muslim vs Christian; farmers vs herders. Religion and ethnicity are the two most divisive factors in Nigeria. Both have helped to expand the country’s fault lines in the last five years - negatively and dangerously. In the Middle Belt and Southern Kaduna, there were complaints about churches that were set ablaze.

Communities were attacked and the security agencies were accused of looking the other way, in a striking demonstration of complicity, criminal negligence and indifference. Religious leaders including priests were abducted and killed. The

major blame for the mayhem was heaped on the head of one major ethnic group: the Fulani.

It is the seeming failure of the state to check banditry and other acts of impunity that has promoted the politics of ethnic profiling, and the consequential demonization of the Fulani.

The crisis soon crossed the River Niger and found another location in the South East. With a group known as the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader Nnamdi Kanu, young Igbos found a rallying point for their grievances against the Nigerian state and the place of the Igbo in its geo-politics. Young Igbos asked Northerners to stay in their North. They did not want any cattle to be grazed on Igbo soil. But rather than treat the delicate situation with the caution that was required, the Federal Government deployed soldiers to the South East.

Operation Egwu Eke (Python Dance) I and II. Operation Atilowgu Udo. The confrontation that followed between state agents and IPOB was like setting the roof of the house on fire. On the question of cattle grazing, government added further petrol to the raging fire when it decided to set up a National Livestock Transformation Plan which a livestock settlement programme called RUGA as its main offer. This merely ignited further division in the country, and widened the gap between North and South.

It did not take long before the crisis crossed the Niger again, this time to the Western part of Nigeria. The drummers of hate had taken over the beat and the main tune that they offered was the rhythm of hate. The drummers have been in frenzy, the dancers are drunk and yet no one can talk to the other because the music is in people’s heads throwing them into different patterns of spatial paroxysm. In the South East, the governors and the people have objected loudly to cattle grazing in their region. They have a group called the Eastern Security Network (ESN), to enforce this, very much like the Amotekun in the South West. In the North, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) accuses President Buhari of setting the country on fire. They are asking him to ensure that all Nigerians, wherever they may be, are protected. The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria has called on the Northern Governors to evacuate Northerners from the South. They want Sunday Igboho, one of the by-products of the latest crisis, declared a terrorist. But will his people agree? Among the Yoruba, Sunday Igboho, the de facto Generalissimo of the Yoruba, is considered a very courageous man, Nobody knows exactly what he does for a living, but he is a respected able-bodied man, who stepped forward when it mattered most for his people.

This is the way Nigeria is at the moment. Every group nurtures and grows its own Igboho: Men who can lead them to battle. The problem is that this does not advance the cause of unity.

Last Saturday at Shasha market in Ibadan, there was wanton destruction just because a Fulani trader and a pregnant Yoruba woman had a minor disagreement. In Ogun state, In the Yewa Division, Yourba villages have been attacked. In some other Yoruba towns, traditional rulers have been abducted and killed. Can you imagine a Southerner killing a Northern Emir?

Nigerians have lived together for centuries.

Virtually every major town has a Sabongari where other ethnic groups live. The Fulani have interacted with the people of the South for more than a century. There are Southerners whose ancestors have also lived in the North almost forever. The people of Nigeria have thus shared history and culture across generations, but when government fails to promote the values that bind us together, language, ethnicity, and geography become tools of conflict. It must

be noted that no ethnic group targeted the Hausa-Fulani when Southerners were Presidents of Nigeria between 1999- 2015. Nobody did so either during the Yar’Adua administration.

Certainly not in the kind of manner we now see. So what happened? Why is it that all of a sudden the friendly Northerner who has always been a partner of the Southerner has suddenly become a person to be suspected?

Why should any group feel superior to the other or become a problem to the other just because his “kinsman” is in power? I have seen some videos in circulation showing the scope of the division among the people. What we are facing is frightening. It is shocking. It is disturbing. Yorubaland is divided. The traditional rulers are even fighting among themselves. The country’s only Nobel Laureate is threatening to become a mai suya should any herd of cattle trespass across his compound again. In Ogun, Ondo, Oyo and elsewhere, a thousand Igbohos are springing up, determined to defend their region. Igbos have served notice that they are no cowards on the battlefield. The North is not afraid either. How did we get here? It wasn’t nearly as bad in 1966? Can we have a nation if every group is mouthing the rhetoric of violence and threatening the worst possible?

No, and that is why it is not enough for the President to issue a statement telling us what we already know: that it is his job to make Nigeria safe. Is the appropriate response the Town Hall meetings being organized by the National Security Adviser. I have nothing against dialogue. The office of the NSA can gather a lot of useful intelligence through its “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society approach” but this may not go far enough. The Federal Government needs to take pro-active steps to compel the drummers of hate to drop their sticks. The way they are beating those drums, they may soon tear them apart, and the drunken dancers may graduate from their bibulousness to psychosis.

What balm can government apply? Government needs to change the narrative. This is the right time to give the people something to occupy them, an assignment that will offer them hope, an opportunity to draw them back into the fold.

Nothing keeps Nigerians more engaged than the opportunity to talk about Nigeria and its future.

This will require a more structured platform than Town Hall meetings.

I therefore recommend that whereas the Buhari government may not like the idea of a National Conference, whereas it set aside the findings of the 2014 National Political Conference, and whereas this same government has shown much disregard for public opinion, the way forward lies in precisely that same direction. The attempt to suppress the people’s opinion or disregard it is in part the catalyst for the state of anomie in which the country has found itself. The Buhari administration needs to convene forthwith, a Conference of the Nigerian People. It can be given any other label: Conference of National Reconciliation, Conference of National Unity and Reconciliation, Conference of National Peace and Unity… Such a Conference will take the debate off the streets. It will rescue the Nigerian debate from the hands of Sunday Igboho, Nnamdi Kanu and their followers. Is it not disturbing enough that even senior lawyers and Professors now quote Kanu and Igboho as national philosophers? The people should be tired of living a lie. If President Buhari really wants to make a difference, he must provide an opportunity for a re-tabling and re-negotiation of the key issues at the heart of the Nigeria question: restructuring, federalism, constitutional review, state police, derivation, governance…

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com