FRIDAY 11TH MARCH 2022

Buni Fights Back, Pleads with Buhari for Him to Stay On Worried about state of APC, Bello, Malami, others meet president in London this weekend Akeredolu: No black market court order can stop party convention Dismisses Buni's action as disdainful, embarrassing Memo reveals Yobe gov handed over to Bello before traveling Emmanuel Addeh, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure

Former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee

(CECPC) and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow

him continue as the chairman of the committee until after the national convention of the party which holds in the next two

weeks, THISDAY gathered yesterday.

Essentially, it was learnt that Buni has reached out to

Buhari to forgive him of any perceived wrongdoing and allow Continued on page 5

Saudi Arabia, UAE Leaders ‘Decline Calls with Biden’ Amid Fears of Oil Price Spike... Page 5 Friday 11 March, 2022 Vol 27. No 9831. Price: N250

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Fayemi: We Use SecurityVotes to Fund Police, Military, Civil Defence, Buy Ammunitions,Vehicles Explains why governors are against local government autonomy Chuks Okocha in Abuja Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF),

Dr. Kayode Fayemi yesterday defended governors’ spending of security votes, saying the fund was being utilised to fund the police, military, civil defence

and other security outfits in the country.

Fayemi also gave reasons why state governors were against local government

autonomy.

He said these during a panel discussion on the overview of security situation across the states at a two-day

multi-stakeholders meeting on Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative organised by the NGF in partnership with the Center for Democracy & Development

(CDD).

Speaking on what state governors do with security Continued on page 5

With Oil Price Surge, Nigeria Importing 100% Fuel Need, Subsidy Threatens to Cripple Economy Low crude production volume, oil theft also major factors Minister of Finance laments widening budget deficit, says subsidy a huge problem Experts: Petrol subsidy unsustainable, road to bankruptcy, identify local refining as ultimate solution NLC: Over 74% of petrol subsidy comprises insurance, freight charges, levies Jet fuel hits N670 per litre as NNPC promises to intervene We may shutdown aviation sector soon, NCAA warns

Emmanuel Addeh, Udora Orizu in Abuja; Chinedu Eze, Nume Ekeghe and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos

As oil prices soar to record levels, many Nigerians, ordinarily, would expect that their country would be raking in billions of dollars and realising accretion in external reserves, as was the case in the past, especially during the Gulf War and some other international emergencies. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Crude oil price hit $139 per barrel on Monday, but Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said recently

EDO HONOURS AYU WITH A GRAND RALLY...

L-R: Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shaibu; wife of National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mrs. Herberta Okonofua-Ayu; National Chairman,

Continued on page 6 PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, during a grand rally in honour of the national chairman of the PDP, in Benin City... yesterday

We've Received Substantial Funds to Prepare for 2023 Elections, Says INEC... Page 38

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Saudi Arabia, UAE Leaders ‘Decline Calls with Biden’ Amid Fears of Oil Price Spike The de-facto leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have declined to arrange calls with US president Joe Biden in recent weeks as the US and its allies have sought to contain a surge in energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing Middle East and US officials, both Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan have been unavailable to Biden after US requests were made for discussions.

“There was some expectation of a phone call, but it didn’t happen,“ London-based Guardian Newspaper quoted a US official to have said.

“It was part of turning on the spigot [of Saudi oil].”

Last week, OPEC+, which includes Russia, declined to increase oil production despite western entreaties.

But reports of frigid communications with Saudi Arabia come as the Biden administration seeks to increase oil supply after formally banning Russian oil imports on Tuesday, pushing oil prices to $130 a barrel, the highest level in 14 years.

However, the US has for the first time in years opened up diplomatic channels with Venezuela, a Russian ally and which has the world’s largest oil reserves. Venezuela has now released at least two Americans from jail in an apparent goodwill gesture toward the Biden administration in a possible prelude to increasing production to ease the price surge.

Relations between the US and Saudi Arabia have chilled during the Biden administration over American policy in the Gulf region.

Issues include the revival of the Iran nuclear deal; lack of US support for Saudi intervention in

Yemen’s civil war and its refusal to add Houthis to its list of terrorist groups; US help with a Saudi civilian nuclear program; and legal immunity for Prince Mohammed, who is facing lawsuits over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi hit-team

in its Istanbul consulate four years ago.

During Biden’s election campaign he had vowed to treat the kingdom as a “pariah” state, saying there is “very little social redeeming value in the present government in Saudi Arabia.”

Earlier this week, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said there were no plans for the Biden and Prince Mohammed to talk soon, and no plans for the president to travel to Riyadh.

Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE ambassador to the US, confirmed

strained relations between the two countries. “Today, we’re going through a stress test, but I am confident that we will get out of it and get to a better place,” Al Otaiba predicted.

The two Gulf nations are regarded as the only global

suppliers with capacity to pump more oil to ease the price surge.

Senior US officials with the national security council and state department had reported travelled to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in recent weeks to make direct US representations.

FAYEMI: WE USE SECURITY VOTES TO FUND POLICE, MILITARY, CIVIL DEFENCE, BUY AMMUNITIONS, VEHICLES votes, the chairman of the NGF said: "There is hardly any of these institutions we speak that you are talking about that we don't fund. We fund the police and we fund the police more than the federal government, quote me.

"State governors fund police more than the federal government. We buy them vehicles and we pay them allowances. In some cases, we even buy ammunitions, of course under the same federal system.

"And if we are to engage our military in aid to civil authority, which you will find, actually in 36 states in this country today, the military is involved in internal security operations, which really is a problem. Now, when you inflate the role of the security institution beyond its primary responsibility, you also have consequences that will come with that. That may not be palatable. But that's where we are, because most Nigerians don't trust the police.

"They will still come and beg governor, ‘Governor, please, can you ask the brigade commander to put a roadblock in my area.’ And this, right from the bottom up you are talking about, ordinary citizens insist that we should fund and you can’t put military roadblocks everywhere,” he explained to the cheering of the crowd.

In addition, the Ekiti State

governor pointed out that the National Police Council does not operate maximally as the National Judicial Council, explaining that so far, the Police Council only meet to approve the appointment of the Inspector General of Police, already appointed by the President.

On governors’ funding of the military, he said: "But if you engage the military in a civil authority, your state is only responsible if you are to pay for the number of men engaged.

"You've taken them out of their primary responsibility, you have to pay for it. So, we pay for that, we pay for civil defense, there is no security institution that you have that states are not responsible for more than the federal government that has primary responsibility for them."

Speaking on the imperatives of state police, the Ekiti state governor said it was a constitutional issue.

He added: "This is a perennial excuse that we get. I'm not going to sit here and make an excuse that such powers in the hands of some local actors may not be abused.

The federal police that we all know abuses the rights of citizens, including the rights of governors, even with immunity, you may not know that. I was abused by a federal police in 2014, during my election and

I had immunity.

"Anybody could be abused.

It could happen, even if you devolve security to the local level. However, what we need to be talking about is what institutional frameworks should we put in place to ensure that such powers are not abused, not to use it as an excuse not to do the right thing. Because at the end of the day, there are mechanisms in our constitution to protect citizens’ rights."

Speaking further, Fayemi said: "In relation to the police, we have a body in the Constitution, a statutory body known as the National Police Council. The National Police Council is presided over by the president as chairman and he has over 36 governors as members. Unfortunately, unlike the National Judicial Council, that is very effective in meting out punishments, sanctions, promotions, appointments for judicial officers across the length and breadth of the country, the National Police Council has only succeeded since the 1999 constitution to ratify appointment of Inspector General of Police.

"We are only summoned to National Police Council and this is a constitutional body by the way, check your constitution you find it there. It only meets when a new or acting Inspector General of Police is to be confirmed and ratified.

“That meeting is summoned and it meets for 10 or 30 minutes and then we look at the CV of the acting IG, and we approve. You're not expected to disapprove anyway; the president has already appointed him. But that body actually has powers beyond that," he explained. .

The Ekiti State Governor noted that in most countries where there are multi-level policing, there is a regulatory authority that is responsible for punishment and for sanctioning those who go beyond their own responsibilities.

"And I think that's what we should be talking about. Rather than talking about the possibility of abuse, there would always be possibility of abuse; we can't run away from that. But do we have effective policing now that is federal?

“I said multi-level policing; which means local police, state police and federal police and arguing for multi-level policing does not suggest that we want the federal police to go because there are federal crimes.

"There are also crimes that are within the borders of our states in accordance with the statute that's been promulgated or enacted by our local state assemblies. And there are also crimes that are local, because they are local jurisdictions by local governments.

"If you have not paid

tenement rate, the local police should deal with you, it shouldn't be state police, because tenement rate is the responsibility of the local authority, not the responsibility of the state. So that's my take on that," the governor explained.

Fayemi said he has no objection to local authority playing a role in local security.

"But the debate about local government autonomy is a totally different debate. The principle of federalism is very clear about federating unit. Local government as a federating unit is a unique innovation in Nigeria. I don't see it in any research work, in any book on federalism. Local government autonomy is the business of the state, because the state is the federating unit.

"So, those who are clamoring for local government autonomy, it is a populist demand and is very exciting to talk about it.

But I don't think ultimately it serves the purpose that they want it to serve because we have capacity challenges at that level just as we have at the state level. But the result is what matters,” Fayemi said.

Commenting on State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), he said: "Again, it’s a popular discussion, but I will tell you it is a surreptitious way of undermining Nigeria’s federalism.”

dear party. It is a disdainful narrative,” Akeredolu said in a statement.

Nevertheless, he stated that the courage and determination as well as shrewd sincerity of purpose demonstrated by most of the APC governors remained a delight and should be commended.

The governor said the swift response and prompt action taken by the president had, in no small measures, salvaged the party from “internal scavengers”.

He insisted that the APC indeed survived a civilian coup largely inspired by people he said were mischievous and had incurable lust for power through artificial barricades.

The Ondo governor explained that aside feeling very delighted as a major stakeholder in the latest “successful rescue mission,” his confidence in the ability and capacity of the new party chair, Bello, remained unflinching.

“We, the governors are for the party, except for the few ‘yahoo, yahoo' governors (apologies to Salihu, former DG of the Progressive Governors' Forum), who were hand in glove with Buni to circumvent the will of majority of our party (APC) members.

“Progressive governors in the true name, mostly all of us, are determined to see our party through these patchy parts at all cost. None of the scanty number has the guts to carry out their imaginary threats as reported in sponsored stories.

“We dare them to leave the party. Their short-lived antics in arm-twisting Buni and probably, some pocket-filling elements within the corridors of power to supplant the president's will through fake letters, endorsements as well as 'black market' injunction (procured since November, 2021) are despicable,” he said.

He recalled that the moments of the struggle as compatriots from all walks of life enunciated and had berthed Nigeria's most ingeniously successful political network, the APC, adding that without being immodest, APC's birth was a novel instance as the party’s philosophical beacon woven around its ideological leaning was alluring.

“Undoubtedly, the firm leadership, candour and honesty exemplified by Mr President, who heads the administration that is the product of the APC, deserve no less of support and complimentary responsibilities from all stakeholders,” he said.

According to him, the installation of CECPC of the APC was beyond a call to service, but was a child of necessity moulded to, one, instill discipline in leadership and engender coherence among stakeholders and more importantly, deepen the rule of law in the party.

“Now that the clear motive aimed at frustrating our national convention has been botched, our dear party is on the track to greatness. Governor Sanni Bello, carry on; you have the

backing of the majority of us.

“You shall see our full backing come Thursday, 17th March, 2022, at the National Executive Committee meeting.

But as you know, this is only for the conduct of the national convention,” Akeredolu concluded.

Meanwhile, Buni had in the leaked letter to Bello, informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that he would be embarking on a medical trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and that he would assume his duty as the party chairman as soon as he returned from Dubai.

The letter read: "This is to please inform you that I will be embarking on a medical trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from today, 28th February, 2022.

I will resume office upon my discharge from the hospital.

"In my absence, I hereby transmit the functions of my office as the National Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to you.

"This is to enable the committee conclude all arrangements leading to the National Convention slated for March 26th, 2022 and other duties that may be required of the office.

"I invite all members to cooperate with Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, by extending to him all the support that I have enjoyed from you.

Please do accept, the assurances of my best regards."

BUNI FIGHTS BACK, PLEADS WITH BUHARI FOR HIM TO STAY ON him to return and conclude the convention in order to forestall any form of legal interpretation of his dramatic removal.

In addition, some of the Yobe State governor’s supporters who are mainly first term governors have also pleaded with Buhari to allow the CECPC chairman to finish his assignment, hand over to the new executive that would be constituted at the national convention and go away. They reason that allowing Buni to conduct the convention which is just two weeks away rather than create unnecessary problems and all sorts of legal complications. According to his supporters, this option is far less complicated than if he doesn't resign and then resorting to legal challenge of his removal.

It is however not certain how disposed the president is to Buni and his supporters' plea.

However, apparently worried by some of the developments in the ruling APC, some governors and other stakeholders of the party, who are concerned about the state of the party, are jetting out to meet with Buhari in London this weekend, to clarify issues and put closure to the lingering leadership drama.

This is as the Ondo State Governor and Chairman of the South-west Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), yesterday, vowed that no black market court order procured against the party’s national convention would prevent the exercise from holding.

Akeredolu, who did not hide

his disdain for Buni’s style of leadership of the CECPC, described his actions as both disdainful and embarrassing.

But while the fireworks appear not ceasing anytime soon, a leaked memo written

by Buni, has revealed that he actually handed over the leadership of the party to the current acting chairman and Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello, before embarking on medical treatment.

However, disturbed about how things have turned out in the party, especially the way the coup that ousted Buni was executed, some of the aggrieved governors, have established the need to see the president in person and address some of the grey areas.

This, a source among the governors claimed, had become imperative because everything that was done was achieved because they dropped the name of the president all the way, even when there was no communication to that effect to the best of their knowledge.

“It’s important we see the president to seek closure to this whole drama and we are seeing him this weekend. They made up too many stories just so their plan works, especially, a deliberate effort to demonise Buni, which is not true,” he said.

The source, who hinted that things would become clearer

by Monday, explained that, “Some people went to go and say certain things to the

president, which made him angry and reacted immediately.

The truth of the matter is that certain things the president said are not implementable.

“But what really angered the president is the court thing, because they made him believe Buni knew about it, but that is not true. There is no record for the injunction and yet, no one is even taking ownership of the court injunction.

“So, the governors are going to see Buhari this weekend in London and that includes the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; the acting chairman, Bello and some other stakeholders. The issues must be understood properly and a closure brought to be,” the sources explained.

But Akeredolu, while singling out Buni and those he characterised as pocket-filling black legs in the corridors of power, for allegedly trying to supplant President Buhari's will, claimed that the APC did not deserve the kind of antics Yobe governor subjected it to.

“However, the insidious and appalling happenings within our party in the last few months, especially, under the immediatepast leadership clearly posit a huge embarrassment.

“Without necessarily dwelling on details that are known to critical stakeholders, the path taken lately by Governor Mai Mala Buni, the immediate past head of the CECPC and an indivisible few, is an unenviable trajectory undeserving of our

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NEWS WITH OIL PRICE SURGE, NIGERIA IMPORTING 100% FUEL NEED, SUBSIDY THREATENS TO CRIPPLE ECONOMY that the country would be comfortable with the price range of between $70 and $80 per barrel.

Analysts say the reason for this odd wish is the country’s huge fuel subsidy payment and its complete dependence on imported petrol to meet domestic consumption.

In addition, there is the problem of waning investment in the oil sector as well as massive oil theft that has gone unabated in the last few years and drastically reduced Nigeria’s crude oil export, leading to inability to meet the country’s OPEC quota. These factors have combined to ensure that the country does not benefit from the current soaring crude oil prices, buoyed by the RussiaUkraine war.

For instance, in terms of rig growth, Nigeria's count had fallen from 11 in September to nine in October 2021, according to data released

by OPEC. This got worse after Nigeria began shutting down many of its offshore platforms as oil prices took a downward slope and the producers' group embarked on production curbs to stabilise the market.

Historic rig count figures earlier obtained by THISDAY showed that in May 2020, the country's producing oil rigs fell from 16 to eight and two months later, in July, it fell further to six.

In January 2021, only six rigs produced while in February, it was seven; in March, it fell to six again, while in April 2021, total rig count was just five.

In the oil industry, the rig count is a major index for measuring activities in the upstream sector.

Recently, a THISDAY review showed that Nigeria was producing far less oil than it did 25 years ago when the estimated population was lesser than what it is today and government spending was far below what it is in 2022.

A comparison of the country’s average oil production per day in 1997, as indicated in the NNPC yearly statistical bulletin, showed that while Nigeria pumped 2.344 million barrels per day, plus condensates, over two and a half decades ago, it can hardly produce 1.4 million as of this year.

Furthermore, while 26 rigs were in operation, on both onshore and offshore terrains, in 1997, Nigeria as at January this year had just about 12 active oilrigs, with about half of them not in use.

To underscore the gravity of the problem, just yesterday, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, lamented that the rise in crude oil price had further widened the country’s budget deficit.

Brent crude price stood at $112.43 a barrel yesterday, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 63 cents to $109.33 a barrel.

Concerned by the scarcity and high cost of aviation fuel, which has exacerbated flight delays and cancellations in the aviation sector, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, yesterday assured Nigerians that the company would work with relevant authorities to ensure that the current crisis in the aviation sector was resolved.

Aviation fuel, which presently sells for N670 per litre, far higher than the N190 per litre sold about a month ago, is also imported 100 per cent.

However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

Mele Kyari yesterday faulted the claim by the federal government that it would spend N3 trillion on petrol subsidy this year.

NLC described the claim as bogus, unreal, insisting that the real government subsidy component in petrol consumed in Nigeria was N19 per litre.

But President Muhammadu Buhari recently requested the National Assembly to approve a total of N2.557 trillion for the federal government to fund fuel subsidy in 2022 after the current administration suspended its plan to remove the monthly under-recovery.

This may be exceeded with the skyrocketing international crude prices.

The lack of funding for major upstream infrastructure has ensured incessant breakdown of existing assets. This has led to the highest single-month crude oil loss in a long time, as a result of disruptions due to maintenance and declaration of force majeure at the Forcados terminal and others in January.

Country Director of World Bank, Shubham Chaudhuri, recently said Nigeria’s decision to postpone the full deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry by 18 months might cost the country over N4 trillion in subsidy payments on petrol in 2022.

Chaudhuri argued that for a purely economic phenomenon, Nigeria was not meant to make a political decision, adding that the decision to defer the subsidy removal will cost the country in fiscal terms.

It is estimated that with the current surging price of crude oil, Nigeria could be paying as high as N300 as subsidy per litre of petrol supplied at the pumps.

NNPC Limited recently disclosed that it spent N173.488 billion in excess of the budgeted N36.893 billion on petrol subsidy in January.

A document detailing the company's presentation before the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) showed that instead of the projected under-recovery for the month, NNPC paid N210.382 billion for the purpose. During the month, NNPC had also failed to make any contribution to the Federation Account, although its forecast payment for January topped N122.7 billion.

To underscore the severity of the problem, in 2021, NNPC recorded a whopping deficit

Sylva of approximately N2 trillion out of its projected N2.511 trillion remittances and was unable to pay roughly 80 per cent of its contribution to the Federation Account for the year.

Rising Crude Oil Price Has Widened Budget Deficit, Ahmed Laments Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, stressed that rising crude oil prices had widened the country’s budget deficit. Ahmed pointed out that the federal government was presently in the process of amending the budget to accommodate fuel subsidy.

The minister spoke yesterday at the 10th African Fiscal Forum titled, “The Political Economy of Fiscal Reforms,” organised virtually by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

She said, “We are cleaning up our subsidies; we had a setback as we were to remove subsidy by July this year, but there was a lot of pushbacks.

We have elections coming and also because of the hardship that companies and citizens faced due to the COVID and we were told that the timing was not right, so we pulled back.

“But we have been able to quietly implement subsidy in the electricity sector and as it is, as we speak, we don't have subsidies in the electricity sector.

“Fuel subsidy is a huge problem for us. It has thrown up our deficit much higher than we planned. What is happening to the global oil prices is also going to, perhaps, worsen matters.

But the current review we are doing is to say we will hold the subsidy at the level in which it is planned.”

Speaking on how much global prices would affect subsidy payment, Ahmed said, “We are currently doing a budgetary amendment to accommodate the incremental subsidy as a result of the reversed decision and we want to cap it at that.

“Hopefully, the parliament will agree with us and also at least contain the subsidies; otherwise, the way things are going now, we will not be able to predict where the deficit will be as a result of the fluctuation in the global markets.”

Commenting on increased revenue generation recorded

by the country, she explained, “We have also enhanced our budget process. Three years ago, we had no government enterprise on the national budget, just the government itself. We started with 10, three years ago.

“Two years ago, we brought in 40 and now we have all the government-owned enterprises, which is about 61 agencies, in the national budget. So, we are able to see the whole of the revenue and the whole of the expenditure.

“This is enhanced also by automation in terms of the public financial management.

As a result of that, we have been able to see the need to refine our fiscal laws.

“We have seen revenue from government-owned enterprises increase by 100 per cent within a 12-month period just by being able to pull everything together, put monitoring mechanisms, and being able to track and also put regulations and laws in the finance bill that caps the expenditure to revenue ratio of these government enterprises to 50 per cent. “So, we saw our revenue double and we are seeing the potential revenue from these enterprises again doubling in this current year as we speak.”

NLC: Over 74% of Petrol Subsidy Comprises Insurance, Freight Charges, Levies NLC faulted a claim by the federal government that it would spend N3 trillion on petrol subsidy, describing it as bogus and unreal. The congress insisted that the real government subsidy component in petrol consumed in Nigeria was N19 per litre.

It alleged that over 74 per cent of what the federal government purported as subsidy comprised of insurance, freight charges, and levies imposed by government agencies, such as the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

President of NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, said these during the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) webinar on “Impact Assessment of the 2021 Finance Act.” Wabba, who was represented by the Head, Research Department,

NLC, Dr. Onoho’Omhen Ebhohimhen, stated that NLC was not averse to privatisation of the country’s moribund refineries as long as it would follow the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) model.

The NLC president said, “For the purpose of clarity, what our government propagates as fuel subsidy does not fit into the logic, theory or the practice of subsidy. Subsidy, in macroeconomic theory, is provided to companies to help reduce production cost so that products can be passed on at lower cost in order to encourage consumption.

“What obtains in Nigeria about PMS are oligopolistic practices by agencies of the government of our country.”

NLC disclosed that Nigeria imported petrol largely from North West Europe.

It identified other components of the petrol price as insurance on vessels that bring in the product and insurance on the goods in transit, as well as the freight charges.

Wabba stated, “These three items I have mentioned are about 74 per cent of the petrol prices in our country. This is from government data that it spent 74 per cent on cost, insurance and freight of imported PMS. “When the oil tanker comes into Nigeria it does not dock in our ports. It stays in the high sea while smaller vessels, called barges, are hired to offload the products from the ship to the storage facilities.

“We pay the tank farm owners for the storage. We pay the NPA, NIMASA, and DPR for market regulation.

We pay NNPC for the cost of finance on the basis of opportunity cost model.

“All these are costs that are passed over to the consumers.

But if you consider all these charges, you can then ask: where is the subsidy?

“What government calls subsidy is the landing cost of PMS, which comprised insurance, freight and local levies, taxes and its administrative charges. That is what they talk about as subsidy.

“If they are the subsidy, it means that the Nigerian government and Nigerian people are subsidising foreign countries and foreign businesses. That is not subsidy.”

NLC said the real subsidy component was about N19 a litre of petrol, made up of the

bridging cost, retailers margin, and transport cost to different parts of the country.

The labour union leader said, “We pay transporters, we pay retailers margin, and we pay bridging cost. This may be considered as subsidies. But why are they there? We must understand their implications before we remove them. One fundamental implication is that the cost of production will go up.

“If you remove these subsidy elements, a manufacturer in Kano will not be able to compete with the one in Lagos. It will compound the uneven industrialisation we have in our country. If that is what the government wants to do, they should be honest and come forward to say so.”

Wabba believed the best solution to the fuel crisis is local refining of the product.

“Let us refine our products locally,” he stated, adding, “Warri and Kaduna refineries were established as refinery and petrochemical companies.

But the petrochemical segment is dead because we are exporting our crude oil.

“Nigeria has experience in the construction and management of refineries.

Buhari signed two agreements in 1977 to construct the Warri and Kaduna refineries. Warri was delivered in the middle of 1979. So, nobody can tell us that it is impossible to build refinery in two years. We have done it before. So, what has changed? Is it our capacity or vision that is lower now? Or has our government become different now?

“We as a labour congress are agreeable and committed to the privatisation of government’s refineries. But we give only one condition: let us prioritise based on a model that has worked for our country.

“Late Ernest Shonekan sorted the problem with NLNG within three months that his administration lasted in 1993. He ceded Nigeria’s interest in the NLNG to the private sector that have 51 per cent. Since then the NLNG has functioned well.

“We have said let us try that model in the refineries, but government drags its feet.

Government is unwilling to do that.”

Petrol Subsidy Unsustainable, Road to Bankruptcy, Experts Insist Economic experts and opinion leaders in the private sector said the current reliance on importation of refined petroleum products and subsidy on the pump price of petrol (PMS) had become clearly unsustainable and could plunge the country into bankruptcy.

They pointed out that Nigeria could only sustain the current subsidised consumption of petrol at a high cost of public borrowing.

They advised the government to accelerate domestic production of crude oil to enable the country satisfy its OPEC quota and earn more foreign currency to build its foreign reserves.

Economist and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, told THISDAY yesterday that subsidy was clearly no longer sustainable with the current development in the crude oil market, unless the intention was to plunge Continued on page 8

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NEWS WITH OIL PRICE SURGE, NIGERIA IMPORTING 100% FUEL NEEDS, SUBSIDY THREATENS TO CRIPPLE ECONOMY the nation into bankruptcy.

Yusuf projected that the subsidy budget might climb up to N5 trillion, while the expected revenue of the federal government is about N10 trillion, out of which N4 trillion would be devoted to debt servicing.

Yusuf said, “We are faced with a situation where the combination of debt service and subsidy payments would consume the entire revenue.

Yet we have to fund personnel cost, overhead expenditure and capital projects. Where will the money come from?

“Are we going to depend on borrowing to fund these major line items? Are we going to continue to print money to fill these financing gaps, with the profound inflationary effects?

“We have some difficult choices to make if we must save the country from bankruptcy. And we need to do so very quickly.

“We need to quickly revisit the conversation on the liberalisation of the downstream oil sector. We need to urgently create a private sector window for the supply of petroleum products. Clearly, NNPC cannot do this alone.”

Former Professor of Economics, University of Benin, and Chairman, Goldmark Education Academy, Professor Mike Idi Obadan, told THISDAY yesterday that the issue of sustainability of subsidy on refined imported petroleum products would continue to elicit more concerns under this circumstance as oil prices rise.

Obadan, who is also a non-executive director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee said, “Subsidy payment may become unsustainable, except it has to be financed with more borrowing, which in itself the country should be wary of. The opportunity cost of increased subsidy payments is on the high side.

However, if the government is able to do the needful to step up crude oil export, it will minimise the negative impact on the economy of increased subsidy payment implied by rising crude oil prices “If Nigeria were to be able to raise oil production and export to take advantage of the rising crude oil prices, the undesired impact of the subsidy payments would have been mitigated. But this tends not to be so.

“Finally, there is need to fast-track the repairs of the public refineries to provide a basis for deregulation of fuel prices and, hence, elimination of subsidies.

“In this same direction, whatever support that could be given by the government to the Dangote refinery to fast-track its debut in the refined petroleum products market should be considered.

All these actions will result in the early stoppage of fuel subsidy payments while the earmarked resources are freed for commitment to other sectors of the economy.”

Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Uyo, Professor Akpan Ekpo, said the issue of sustainability of oil subsidy was a problem created by the government. Ekpo told THISDAY yesterday that the removal of fuel subsidies could only be initiated properly and effectively after the domestic refineries were made to work.

He said it did not make economic sense for a country to export crude petroleum and import refined products.

Ahmed Ekpo said, “Why are the refineries not working? First things first, get the refineries working so that Nigerians can be sure of refined products.

Thereafter revisit the subsidy issue cautiously.

“Once the domestic supply is guaranteed, then subsidy can be phased out while providing succour to the poor through a kind of targeted subsidy. But let us not forget that most of what we call subsidy is corruption.”

He noted that there would be structural inflation once the subsidy was removed, and more untold hardship for Nigerians.

President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Michael Olawale-Cole, who spoke to THISDAY, recently, stressed the need for the government to get the refineries working again.

Olawale-Cole said, “The answer to all these problems is to ensure that we are adding value to our crude oil here and stop depending on imported refined products.

That is the solution and it can be met by government showing commitment to ensure that our existing refineries are maintained and made to work.

“It is agonising that we are producing crude and exporting them abroad for refining and later import them at prices that we cannot afford. Naturally, this is going to affect inflation and add to the suffering of the people.”

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said the organisation supported subsidy removal. But he said certain measures must be put in place before it could be implemented.

Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, stated that for the sector to work optimally, it should be deregulated.

However, Ukadike stressed that in-country refining must be achieved while pipelines should be fixed.

He stated that the current practice of going cap in hand when there was need to allow the forces of demand and supply take effect was not helping the sector.

Ukadike stated, “As it is now, we are not making any margin because it is regulated.

Even when it is expensive, our margin remains N9.70.

It has not moved. We do not want a regulated system.

“But local refineries, pipelines must be put to

Buhari work. Government should encourage the establishment of modular refineries. We should be able to purchase products directly from our refineries.

“If the pipelines are good, you won’t see many trucks on the road, bridging gap will not be there. If the trains work, pipelines work, these issues may reduce.”

National President, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Mr. Yusuf Othman, stressed that in a deregulated downstream sector, stakeholders would not need government consent before taking economic decisions.

Othman explained that when the forces of demand and supply were allowed to take firm root, the sector would flourish, because freight rate, for instance, will ordinarily increase with cost of transport across the country.

“So I can tell you that we will do better under a deregulated system,” he said.

NNPC Promises End to Aviation Fuel Crisis, Says Price Reduction to N200 Per Litre Not Feasible Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari, yesterday assured Nigerians that the company would work with relevant authorities to ensure that the present crisis in the aviation sector was resolved.

That was as Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Shuaibu Nuhu, warned that the aviation industry might soon be shutdown, saying with the current jet fuel scarcity, it is not safe to fly anymore.

Kyari gave the assurance while addressing the leadership of the House of Representatives, who were investigating the sudden scarcity and high cost of aviation fuel.

At the meeting well attended by members of the House Committees on Petroleum Downstream and Upstream, Jet A1 marketers, and airline operators, the NNPC GMD regretted the late intervention, saying all the supply data showed there was sufficient Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) in the country.

Given the current situation,

Kyari advised airline operators to have the right commercial arrangement with their support petroleum products, particularly ATK. Kyari said, "Why we didn’t act was that all the supply data we have showed sufficient ATK in the country.

This means that it may be in the wrong hands. There’s frenzy in the market today, no one knows what the price will be tomorrow.

“That’s still not an excuse for escalation of prices, we will work with the relevant authority to ensure that if there’s any such thing, we will deal with it jointly as an industry. We will work together to ensure that this is resolved."

Addressing the demand by airline operators and lawmakers that the fuel price should be reduced to at least N200 per litre, Kyari said it was not feasible, as they had no control over it. He said the price was determined internationally price.

He said, "It’s impossible; today the landing cost of ATK is N480, the price, we have no control on that.”

Responding to concerns raised by the lawmakers regarding the crisis in the energy sector, despite the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the NNPC GMD said PIA passage was not a mistake. He said the company would work with other stakeholders to ensure gaps in the sector are closed.

“Whenever there’s supply gap it is our role to ensure that supply gap is closed, we will work with the authority and other stakeholders to ensure that if there’s any gap that’s existing we fill it," Kyari added In his presentation, Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Shuaibu Nuhu, warned that they might shutdown aviation industry soon as it's not safe to fly anymore.

Nuhu said, "Over the last couple of weeks we have seen a significant rise in the cost of aviation fuel. One year ago it was selling at N190 per litre and as of this afternoon it has gone for N670 per litre, what this has done is that it has increased the cost of operations.

“This is a significant safety concern to us, if airlines cannot have enough financial margin to comply with all the mandatory requirement then we really have to look at, God forbid I don’t want to come before this committee

to explain why something happened.

“Every day it increases. I won’t be surprised tomorrow if it sells for N700 per litre.

Considering the ticket price now, the airline industry cannot survive. The option is we shutdown, because they cannot generate enough revenues to operate safely."

Earlier, Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, who spoke on behalf of the airline operators appealed to NNPC to ensure that in the coming days, the price of aviation fuel dropped to N200 per litre.

Onyema said, “That’s the only time we will be able to operate safely and ensure some running of the schedule operations in this country. I don’t know how they will do it but they should, it will be good because even at N200 it’s a lot for the airlines. Not N400 or any other higher price, as we are talking now it will soon hit N700 and possibly N1000.

"What happened in the last two weeks is alarming.

From a price of N190 per litre two weeks ago, the price is now N670 as at today and we don't know what it is going to happen.

“The government has done so much for us in this industry with the president granting us waivers. We held a meeting and decided to shut down our operations because of the cost of operation. We are owing so much money and we don't want AMCON to come after us.”

Onyema added, "We cannot survive like this for another three days. We had to reduce our operations to 30 per cent because the product is not even available.

So, I am surprised that the Executive Director said they have supplies to last 34 days.

We are making so much sacrifice here.

“I am evacuating Nigerians from Poland and I had to pay three times the usual amount and I am not asking for a refund. So, something needs to be done and done fast."

On his part, Executive Director, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ogbugo Ukoha, noted the role of the agency in regulating the industry, and issuing licenses to importers of the product. Ukoha said from his records, there was enough aviation fuel to last the country for 34 days. He also said that aviation fuel was one of the petroleum products that had been fully deregulated

and was, therefore, controlled by market forces, adding that the authority has issued licenses to about 28 companies to import the product into the country.

But his explanation did not go down well with Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase, and other lawmakers.

Wase questioned why there should be scarcity of the product if there was enough supply to last for 34 days, alleging that there must be a cartel working hard to sabotage the efforts of the government.

Former CEO of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told THISDAY on Wednesday that due to the scarcity and high cost of aviation fuel, fuel marketers now gave airlines new conditions for selling the product.

The marketers insisted that airlines must pay before the product was supplied to them, an aberration in an industry globally known for payment after purchase of the product.

Sanusi said, “You pay for fuel in advance, which is not done in the aviation industry.

It will make operations very difficult and lead to more delays and cancellations.

You cannot deposit money before you buy fuel.

“If nothing is done urgently, this may lead to the beginning of airlines going down because they cannot continue operating like this. The federal government should urgently look for solution to the problem.”

Sanusi said government must intervene by doing away with the middlemen, but allowing marketers to import the product and sell directly to the airlines.

He said, “These middle men don’t understand aviation.

The marketers are part of the industry whose operations are approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Ideally, the airlines can buy from the marketers who will issue them invoice and they pay in 24 to 48 hours.

“This is the way it is done.

You cannot even deposit money with the marketers because if you do, they may not even have the product at the time you want it because of uncertainty and volatility in the supply of the product.

If care is not taken, Nigerian airlines may go down.”

THISDAY also spoke with Managing Director of Clean Serve Energy Limited, Chris Ndulue, who explained the challenge the aviation fuel marketers were facing.

Ndulue stated, “There are three basic things: the cost of crude oil in the international market and the price of the dollar. We have failed to refine fuel locally, so we have to import. The price of crude oil has been rising and the price of dollar has been rising. Supply of the product has been facing disruptions because there is war in Europe. There is scarcity because people have not been producing, so price is rising. We need to start producing refined product here.

“The price of diesel has risen, that it is over N600.

We need to refine crude oil here so that we end these disruptions and high prices,” Ndulue said.

THISDAY findings show that airlines spend huge operating fund on purchase of aviation fuel. A Boeing 737 Classic, for instance, consumes about 2, 300 -2, 500 litres of aviation fuel for one-hour flight. Airbus A320-200 consumes about 3, 125 litres of aviation fuel or 2,500kg per hour.

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COMMENT

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

UMAHI’S CONTEMPTUOUS OUTBURST

Ebonyi governor’s recent flareup highlights the need for a clearer anti-defection law writes Bolaji Adebiyi

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eacting to his removal from office by the Federal High Court, Abuja, Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi State, said the judgment was a hatchet job by a judge who was bought. He contended that the judge lacked the power to oust him and vowed not to vacate his seat, adding that he had written a petition to the National Judicial Council against the judge.

Justice Inyang Ekwo had on Tuesday delivered a judgment removing Umahi and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, as well 16 members of the state House of Assembly from office for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored them in the 2019 general election to the All Progressives Congress.

Relying on section 221 of the 1999 Constitution as altered, Ekwo said Umahi and his colleagues lost their offices having left the PDP that sponsored them for the APC. According to him, they had abandoned the mandate given to them because the votes that brought them to office were cast for the PDP and not them.

Opinions have since differed on the merits of the decision of the court with senior lawyers standing at far ends of the divide. Every student of foundation law class knows that whereas a judgment is subject to academic, even public, reviews, it remains the law until overturned by a superior court. And that such reviews must be decorous. Had Umahi been properly briefed by his counsel about this, he would have been less contemptuous of the court. The Nigerian Bar Association had immediately intervened on behalf of the judge and had asked the governor to apologise for his outburst that was generally found to be unbecoming of a person holding a high public office.

But Umahi is a typical Nigerian big man and politician with little or no modicum of respect for rules and institutions. Clearly lacking in integrity, they accuse others of what they routinely do in the dark but cannot do in the open. Umahi complained that the judgment must have been bought simply because the outcome was against him. Yet he has a couple of other judgments in his favour. What he has not told the people was that he was aware of this instant case, which was filed in November 2020 but failed to defend it. And it is a basic law that where issues are not joined prayers so unchallenged are deemed admitted.

Umahi understandably relied on section 189 of the constitution, which lays down the conditions for the removal of the governor and the deputy from office, to vilify the Ekwo ruling but conveniently ignored section 221 of the same grundnorm that establishes the dominance of political parties. No association, other than a political party, it says, shall canvass for votes for any candidate at any election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any candidate at an election.

There are several case laws, from Rotimi Amaechi to James Faleke, upholding this provision of the constitution that what is voted for in an election is the political party and not the individual candidate. So, in 2007 the

THE QUESTION UMAHI AND HIS COHORTS IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY SHOULD ANSWER IS WHY WOULD THE CONSTITUTION FROWN UPON CROSS-CARPETING IN THE LEGISLATURE BUT PERMIT IT IN THE EXECUTIVE? SHOULD IT NOT BE OBVIOUS THAT THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION DID NOT FORESEE THE SITUATION WHERE A GOVERNOR WOULD JUMP SHIP WHILE IN OFFICE?

Supreme Court declared Amaechi who was not on the ballot, the winner of the election on the ground that in the eyes of the law, he was the candidate of the party.

There are two recent validations of this principle. In 2016 the apex court held that Yahaya Bello who was not on the ballot could inherit the votes of the APC’s Abubakar Audu who died before the final declaration of results. And in 2019, the highest court having voided all the votes cast for the APC in the Zamfara State governorship election ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to declare the candidates of the party with the majority of the remaining votes as the winner of the elections.

The point, therefore, is that the principle applied by Ekwo in this instant case is not new even though some senior lawyers have expressed reservations about it having regards to section 189 of the constitution without due consideration for the moral and legal implications of section 221. In other words, should a mandate given to a political party be transferred to another political party without recourse to the people who gave the mandate?

This question would appear to have been answered in the negative by sections 68 (1) (g) and 109 (1) (g) of the constitution which forbid legislators from crossing the carpet. The latter, which is more appropriate to the 16 state legislators, states, “A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.

“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.”

As clear as this provision is, many legislators at the federal and state legislatures have switched allegiances without any consequence. Interestingly, in the same Ebonyi State when the lawmakers crossed the carpet to the APC, nothing happened. But when three of them returned to the PDP their seats were declared vacant.

What was the logic behind that?

The question Umahi and his cohorts in the legal community should answer is why would the constitution frown upon cross-carpeting in the legislature but permit it in the executive? Should it not be obvious that the framers of the constitution did not foresee the situation where a governor would jump ship while in office?

Whatever is the case, what needs to be done now is for the anti-defection bill before the National Assembly to be speedily considered and incorporated into the constitution in order to make it clear that this odious behaviour of mandate abandonment is not permissible in both the executive and legislative arms of government.

Adebiyi, the managing editor of THISDAY Newspapers, writes from bolaji.adebiyi@thisdaylive.com

EQUITY, FAIRNESS AND KWARA 2023 Dapo Olaosebikan canvasses a commanding place for Kwara north in the next political dispensation

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ecent events in the Nigerian socio-political space are all indicative of the on-going calculations and permutations at state and regional levels for pre-eminence and control of authoritative power at the centre and in the states in 2023.

Another unhidden truth about goings-on, particularly in the political arena, and, amongst Nigerian politicians all over the federation is that; though the period of next electioneering campaigns vis-à-vis general election is still a few months away, alignments and realignments have begun in calculative gang-ups for which particular geopolitical zone will produce next president to lead Nigeria or the next governor for almost all the 36 states of the federation.

Putting Kwara State in focus in particular, it is an open secret that all the talks and moves about which senatorial zone should produce next governor is still about Kwara South and

Kwara Central, which have literarily monopolized political leadership of Kwara State since the beginning of current democratic dispensation in Nigeria in 1999.

Undoubtedly, this is where the whole affair of who leads the state at the expiration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s term in 2023, becomes imperatively interesting and thoughtprovoking, especially, for North Senatorial Zone.

It is stating the obvious that North Senatorial Zone has been playing the third fiddle in the political affairs and configuration of Kwara State in the current democratic dispensation in our country. This uncomplimentary historical development, which, of course, dates back to the First, Second Republics; save for the short tenure of Alhaji Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi in the ill-fated Third Republic, is the encumbering group albatross which Kwara North may no longer accept according to fillers from the state.

In a recent group discussion at a function in Ilorin, the state’s capital, which was amplified on some social media platforms, some top citizens of Kwara North expressed their belief that the political leadership of their state cannot continue to be exclusive preserve of the other two senatorial zones. The reasons for this position are compelling and deductively evident.

According to them, Kwara North cannot continue to be the slave-partner in the state because Nigerian Constitution; particularly the 1999 Constitution, is unambiguously and explicitly against inequality in running the affairs of our country. In effect, this Constitution conspicuously provides that there should be equality, social and political justice for all Nigerians. In particular, Section 17, subsection 1 of Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria states: “The State social order is founded on ideals of Freedom, Equality and Justice” , and therefore, Kwara as a prime part of our great country, cannot and should

not be an exception in this regard.

The implicit question in the quoted portion of our Constitution is apparent and the poser is: Where is the ‘ideals of freedom, equality and justice’ in Kwara State? This question becomes quite pertinent in a situation whereby two out of the three micro geopolitical zones evidently created for socio-economic balance and political equity, seem to believe and scheme in perpetuity, to be the ‘men on the horseback’; while Kwara North remains on its kneels as an on-looker in the political aggregation and power-sharing in the state.

Considering the foregoing scenario, which is akin to what obtains in Ekiti State for which political pundits have predicted possible PROTEST VOTE against the candidate of the ruling party later in the year, one may not be off the course of civility to admonish current political leadership and powers-that-be across the state to begin to eschew all actions and decisions that can resurrect ghosts of internal crisis in the state.

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EDITORIAL AVOIDABLE ACCIDENTS ON ABUJA ROADS Relevant authorities must do more to contain the scourge

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hat the roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are the widest and smoothest in Nigeria is not in doubt. But driving on those roads is now being increasingly undermined by the dangerous habits of some young boys. As the seat of the federal government and the foremost political city in the country, this paradox is unedifying. The road network whose master plan was derived from some of the most efficient cities in the world must not continue to witness largely avoidable calamities.

It is unacceptable that road accidents have become a common feature of life within the city. And majority of the crashes occur at night. These disasters have continued to cause anguish while tarnishing the image of the federal capital of Nigeria. Understanding the psychology FUNCTIONAL STREETLIGHTS of the classes of ARE VITAL FOR OPTIMAL motorists involved VISIBILITY. APPROPRIATE and tackling their ROAD SIGNS ARE ALSO excesses frontally REQUIREMENTS FOR would be necessary steps towards HARMONIOUS DRIVING achieving order and safety.

Between January and 19th November last year, according to the FCT sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oga Ochi, at least 159 people died and 1572 were injured in 859 road accidents in Abuja. He attributed many of these accidents to disobedience of traffic rules and lack of patience among road users. “This trend, if not quickly addressed and reversed, could constitute a major impediment to the economic growth of FCT,” he said. What Ochi failed to highlight is that disobedience to traffic rules is perpetrated mainly by children of the high and mighty within the city who pull all kinds of stunts on major highways with their very expensive cars and power bikes, threatening the lives of others in the process.

Meanwhile, the figures of related tragedies are

Letters to the Editor

indeed alarming. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), for instance, the record of people lost to road accidents across Nigeria from January 2013 to June 2018 is as follows: 2013, 5,539; 2014, 4,430; 2015, 5,400; 2016, 5,053; 2017, 5,049; and in the first half of 2018, 2,623. These data clearly show that at least 28,000 lives were sent to their graves in just 68 months. That is approximately 415 people per month, 14 persons daily, and an individual every two hours. In May 2017, the FRSC revealed that there were over 33 deaths per 100,000 people nationally every year. The report made Nigeria one of the nations with the largest number of fatalities on the continent. Unfortunately, two years after, not much has changed.

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T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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

ny real search for solutions to this sad situation should start with a proper understanding of its likely causes. Thankfully, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has already identified reasons for road accidents. They include over-speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and other intoxicating substances, non-use of protective gadgets like seatbelts, distractions caused by passengers, decrepit or substandard road amenities, unsafe vehicles, inadequate post-collision response, and poor enforcement of traffic laws.

Interestingly, the profile of the offenders is as diverse as the triggers of road mishaps suggested by WHO. Some public transport drivers, their private and corporate counterparts, uniformed personnel, chauffeurs of dignitaries and convoys are united in unsettling an otherwise tranquil motoring environment. The exuberance of the last group of transgressors is traceable to the ubiquity of Very Important Personalities (VIPs) in the city.

On a final note, like what obtains in other aspects of the nation’s life, impunity often leads to more law breaking. Punishment of convicted persons is, therefore, mandatory. Functional streetlights are vital for optimal visibility. Appropriate road signs are also requirements for harmonious driving. The nation stands to gain greatly from a capital that ceases to unwittingly jeopardise the lives of its road users.

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.

SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING

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n March 8, 2022, Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Women’s Day which is celebrated the world over every year. This year`s celebration coming against the backdrop of Russia`s devastating invasion of Ukraine and the significant challenges women continue to face the world over certainly highlighted what has been done to give women a sense of safety and inclusion in the world and just how painfully short efforts to guarantee better treatment for women and girls remain.

Women form a very sizeable chunk of the world`s population. In human affairs, the contributions of women have remained indubitable, indispensable and indisputable in spite of the historic discrimination they continue to suffer everywhere.

In many countries of the world especially developing countries, women continue to be short-changed by shameful superstitions, antiquated customs and traditions, archaic religious beliefs and the malignant mentality that insists that women must remain in the backstage when the men come to the front stage. This prevalent way of thinking and acting as pernicious as it is continues to wreak havoc in the world but especially in countries where efforts to include women in national affairs have always been stymied by a lack of political will.

All over the world, in the course of history, women have always shown that when given opportunities to contribute, they can hold their own while giving the best of men a run for their money. The debate about when and how those opportunities should come have always been a matter of heated contention but that there is even a debate about the role women should play in an ever-changing world betrays the fact that women are not given the seriousness they deserve.

In Nigeria, in spite of the best efforts of civil society groups which advocate for gender equality, and the effusive promises of Nigerian politicians, there remains

a yawning gap between where women are and where they should be in national affairs. This gap which has so far defied many efforts to close it must be closed if Nigeria is to achieve its development goals.

In politics for example, women continue to play second fiddle in spite of the overwhelming evidence that they form the bedrock of the democratic process at all levels by their customarily unwavering participation.

Yet, year after year, government after government fails to appoint the requisite number of women that should be in government before it could be said to be inclusive. While this goes on, women continue to be left behind when and where it matters most.

Today, insecurity poses an existential threat to Nigeria. Every day, as innocent people are slaughtered, their houses and farms torched, and their livelihoods completely obliterated across Nigeria, women and children remain vulnerable witnesses to the unspeakable upheavals these conflicts engender.

Women continue to feel powerless to protect themselves and their children and to give their lives much needed stability. To achieve gender equality across all spheres of life in Nigeria, it is crucial that women are empowered with the education and economic resources they need to build stable homes and protect their children. For this to happen, the education of girls and women must remain top priority while the economic inclusion of women must continue to find space in government policies and programmes.

All efforts must also be made to stamp out every form of discrimination against women. The law must be especially deployed to go after all those who hide behind obnoxious religious doctrines and obscene traditions to discriminate against women and girls.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

ENOUGH ALREADY

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he bombing, and destruction, of a hospital, especially a maternity one is horrendous and without doubt a war crime. None can justify this.

The lack of concern from Putin shows his character and how wrong his actions are.

Someone has to stop Putin, by economics, pressure, isolation, condemnation but not by violence as there has already been too much violence.

Support and pray for Ukraine but don’t fight, let Peace win.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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2023 CAMPAIGN WATCH SAMUEL AJAYI

E-mail: yemielegance@gmail.com

Mobile: 08033083367

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

The Gathering Momentum…

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cross the two main political parties, events are fast picking up ahead of the 2023 general election especially, since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), released the Notice of Elections and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 polls.

While the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had since held its national convention and elected Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as its national chairman, is still battling with the issue of zoning of its presidential ticket, which some want zoned to the South, citing equity, justice and fairness; the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is in turmoil and yet to conduct its national convention let alone consider moving to the next stage.

But, generally, events have begun to pick up and the possibilities of what is likely in either of the parties, are still very fluid and most uncertain, despite the heightening theatrics. This is why the days ahead promise to be interesting and at the same time, utterly apprehensive. It’s going to be a long walk to 2023…

agreed with the person and nobody knew about this order,” El-Rufai said.

The signing of the 2022 Electoral Act by President Buhari has, however, changed the dynamics of the 2023 presidential contest as a section of the act stipulated that parties must produce their presidential candidates on or before June 2, this year.

The implication of this is that many presidential hopefuls, who have hitherto refused to officially declare would have to do that now and sell themselves to party members, who would choose the party’s flagbearer. But while contenders are preparing for their parties’ convention, confusion that seems to be reigning in the APC will go a long way in shaping the contest ahead.

When taking over the party, Bello told newsmen that he was not aware of Buni’s position. When asked what prompted some of the decisions he took, he said he did so as the “acting chairman of the APC and governor of Niger State. I am acting chairman (of the) caretaker committee.” That’s instructive and it showed how confident Bello was that Buni might have become another footnote in the chequered history of the party.

TROUBLE IN THE RULING HOUSE During the week, there was a very serious drama at the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, took over the party as the new caretaker committee chairman, with sources saying he took that step with full support of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bello will now be the one to organise the party’s convention that would produce a new National Chairman but he had to do that with the endorsement by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. However, for the party to be able to hold any NWC meeting, the National Secretary, has to be the one to call the meeting.

But, apparently in same clique with the ousted Caretaker Committee chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, the National Secretary of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, resigned creating a vacuum. Now, sources told THISDAY that a new protem National Secretary would be appointed so that the March 26 national convention of the party could go ahead.

Top leaders of the party have been singing like canaries, revealing how Buni had been doing everything possible to ensure that the convention never held or if it would hold, then, he would still be in charge of the party and the convention to

ANYIM’S CHALLENGE AND THE IGBO QUESTION Many political neutrals have stated that if the two major political parties will be willing to zone their presidential ticket to the South, then, the ticket should to the Southeast. This, according to them, is for equity and fairness as the last time any Nigerian of Igbo extraction,presided over the affairs of the country was between January and July 1966 and that was the late General Thomas Umunakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi.

Now, even if the Presidency would be zoned to the Southeast, who are the contenders? There are quite a number of them. There is a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, who some northerners had even ‘begged’ to run for the Presidency. There is also a former banker and one-time governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi. Though Obi has not officially come out to say he wanted to run, his name has remained a recurring decimal among contenders from the zone. There is also a former governor of Imo State and serving senator, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

However, leading the pack and one who had taken practical steps, is Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation during the administration of former

Okorocha choose the presidential standard bearer of the party, would be held same day the national chairman would be chosen.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, told newsmen in a statement yesterday that Buni tried to undermine President Buhari and put the party in turmoil.

“Without necessarily dwelling on details that are known to critical stakeholders, the path taken lately by Governor Mai Mala Buni, the immediate past head of the CECPC and an indivisible few, is an unenviable trajectory undeserving of our dear party. It is a disdainful narrative,” Akeredolu said.

Speaking further, Akeredolu said but for the courage displayed by other governors on the platform of the party, the civilain coup against the party by Buni would have succeeded.

“Nevertheless, the courage and determination, as well as shrewd sincerity of purpose

demonstrated by most of the APC Governors, remain a delight. Significantly, the swift response and prompt action taken by Mr President have, in no small means, salvaged our great party from internal scavengers. We, indeed, survived a civilian coup largely inspired by mischief and incurable lust for power through artificial barricades.”

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, speaking also on ‘Politics Today’, a Channels TV programme, said Buni and his lawyers had already procured a court order since November last year to frustrate the party’s convention to choose the new National Chairman.

“We got to know of a court order last year.

It was obtained in November. A member of the party went to court to say there must not be a convention until his case against the party is disposed of, which can take months or years and the lawyers of Buni went to court and

Continued on page 17

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

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2023 CAMPAIGN WATCH

Staying Close With 2023

President Buhari (left) and Buni

Anyim (left) and Governor Ikpeazu of Abia State

Segun Oni campaigning President Goodluck Jonathan. If experience was all that was needed to be the preferred candidate, then, Anyim stands shoulders above any other contender from that zone. In terms of public service, he has occupied very critical and important public offices in the past and these were the Senate Presidency and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

However, beyond this, he has remained a loyal party man and attested to this himself. “I have stood with our party, the PDP, in good and bad times.

Like most loyal party members, I have had my moments of elation, as well as some difficult times, but I never moved. I have never switched parties.

Therefore, I make bold to say that I can be entrusted with the vision, mission, values and principles of PDP as a committed party man.”

And then he spoke about his experience. Here: “My records as President of the Senate and as Secretary to the Government of the Federation clearly show that I am more interested in building strong institutions than seeking enhancement of personal power or position. My records show effective and efficient management of the nation’s diversity on the basis of equity, justice, fairness and inclusiveness. I am a committed believer in the rule of law; and will always promote and protect the sanctity of lives as well as the rights and liberties of all citizens.”

Having said this, Anyim might have all it takes to become president but it is not handed down on a platter of gold. Even if he was, arguably, the most acceptable to the rest of the country from the Southeast, the Igbos have to show the rest of the

country that they are serious about it this time around. Can Anyim be the solution to resolving the Igbo question in 2023?

OSINBAJO: NOW, THE ‘STAR BOY’ HAS HIS JOB CUT OUT He has not officially declared but Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has arguably run one of the most effective presidential campaigns with different groups already working for him and a very strong social media team propagating his message – defending and, at times, attacking those who criticise him.

In fact, late last month, a group of youth from the 19 northern states under the name ‘North 4 Osinbajo’, announced they were throwing their weight behind the Vice-President. Coordinator of the group, Sani Mohammed, said at a rally in Jos, the Plateau State capital, that the vicepresident was a man of honour, who has what it takes to lead the country.

His words: “The North-4-Osinbajo is a northern political group that is conceptualised to push the ambition of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Our conviction as youths is borne out of the experience, expertise and commitment of the Vice-President.” Osinbajo has so much going for him. In his consultations, he has been practically doing this in official capacity; same activities that are costing his rivals tens of millions of naira, the vice-president has been able to do using official facilities.

However, when the ticket of his party, APC, is up for grabs, he might be forced to realise that being the vice-president might just be advantage on paper going by the current battle for the soul of the party and its 2023 presidential ticket. The governors seem hell bent on dictating things while the president appears to have grown tired of their antics. That’s why, sources told THISDAY, the president moved against the ‘cabal’ controlling the party.

“The President has been meeting with the governors on the need to have the convention since last year,” a source in Abuja told THISDAY, adding: “While they didn’t pointedly disobey the President, they have been doing everything to frustrate the convention. The plan of the Buni-led caretaker committee was to ensure that the convention to choose the new national chairman of the party and the primary election to pick the presidential candidate were handled by them. That was why they wanted to abort the new convention date.”

Now Osinbajo has his job cut out if he is to pick the ticket.

2023, SDP AND WHY EKITI 2022 IS KEY Many have been talking in hushed tones about the re-emergence of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the alternative platform in 2023. Analysists have been predicting that disgruntled elements in both the ruling APC and the opposition PDP might find the party an

alternative platform to try and realise their ambitions if the outcomes of their parties’ respective primaries did not favour them or they were muscled out by stronger and more influential members. Sources told THISDAY that funding for the party, presently, might actually be coming from those, who are currently prominent members of both the APC and the PDP. However, whatever joker the party might want to pull or whatever some politicians might want to use it for, the governorship election coming up in Ekiti in June might become pivotal. And the reason is not fa-fetched. Former Governor Segun Oni, who was outfoxed by former Governor Ayo Fayose, during the January governorship primaries of the PDP in Ekiti State, had moved to the party to realise his ambition. The rumour initially was that he would be defecting to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), but he eventually pitched his tent with the PDP. Now that will be a joker.

Even his opponents admit, albeit grudgingly, that he remains the most popular candidate. Sources close to the ruling APC had confided in THISDAY, prior to the primaries of both parties, that if PDP should pick Oni, then, APC would have had their jobs cut out. But as expected, Fayose pulled the strings and Bisi Kolawole emerged as the flagbearer of the PDP and Oni, feeling he was rigged out, moved to the SDP to prove his popularity.

Oni is very popular among teachers and civil servants in the state, no doubt. But even his most ardent of supporters know that you also need a very strong platform to show that you are very popular especially, in a political environment, where structures are very important to the outcome of political contests. This is why those folks are seeing the SDP as a viable alternative should they leave their present political abodes. No brainer then why all eyes are on Ekiti 2022. Can Oni pull this off?

WILL OKOROCHA RUN AGAIN? A former governor of Imo State, Owelle Rocchas Okorocha, is one flamboyant politician that is always unmissable in the crowd. In his political career, he has attracted a considerable number of foes and admirers. He it was who gave the governorship ticket of his home state to his son-in-law in 2015 to go and contest the presidential ticket of his party, APC. He eventually lost and came back to his state and collected back the governorship ticket his son-in-law had supposedly won.

Not a few political watchers were shocked

by Okorocha’s unusual brinksmanship. But it also showed he was in charge of his party’s structure in the state at the time. He went on to win another term as the governor of the state but his attempts to foist his son-in-law, yet again, on the party as the governorship candidate for the 2019 elections were frustrated by powers that be as Hope Uzodinma, the current governor, picked the ticket, and became governor through the instrumentality of the Supreme Court, even though he came fourth in the election.

Okorocha is currently in the Senate but he has always dreamt of becoming the President of the country. Will he run again, especially now that the timetable of the election proper is known?

Distinguished, kindly pick up the mic.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MARCH 11, 2022

18

POLITICS

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

Why Nigerian Patriotic Quest Wants Emefiele for President Ahmed Ja’Usman Tijani explains why he is coordinating a group that is persuading Central Bank of Nigeria, Governor, Godwin Emefiele to contest the 2023 presidency

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ith the rising clamour for Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele to throw his hat in the ring for the 2023 presidential contest; some public commentators and analysts have started crawling out of the woods to cast aspersions on the legitimate desires of a large number of Nigerians for Emefiele to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming elections.

We, the supporters of Emefiele are equal stakeholders in the Nigerian enterprise; therefore, nobody has the right to denigrate our democratic privilege to support any person or candidate of our choice. Especially, as Godwin Emefiele, by all standards, is very qualified for this position.

This statement is in response to the upsurge of negative articles in the media with the intention of discouraging our candidate and demonizing his supporters.

Most of these contributions are an amalgam of baseless insinuations and innuendos against Godwin Emefiele.

Perhaps, for the further enlightenment of the naysayers, that is, if they have not been blinkered by their biases against our candidate; the upswell of support for Emefiele are borne out of his solid achievements in his previous professional engagements and also as the CBN Governor.

Never in the history of central banking in Nigeria have we had a CBN Governor who took on frontally the various challenges of the Nigerian economy: cutting across agriculture, industries, forex management, monetary policies, fighting the COVID 19 pandemic etcetera.

In the area of boosting food security, we witnessed well thought out policies aimed at increasing access to funding by the generality of our farmers, who hitherto were locked out from the major financial institutions.

The flagship of these policies is the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which has noticeably boosted local output in rice, sugar, wheat, cotton, cassava, maize etcetera, and helped in conserving our scarce foreign exchange.

In the area of employment generation, the investments in agriculture and industries have heavily impacted opportunities for direct and indirect employment within the economy running into millions of jobs.

The economic importance of these interventions are further highlighted by the sub 10% interest rates charged across board, coupled with requisite moratoria on repayments.

Under Godwin Emefiele, despite the diverse unforseen economic shocks that bedeviled the economy: ranging from the drastic drop in the price of crude oil for years, the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent economic lockdown; the CBN deftly managed the nation’s balance of payments, boosted forex inflows and exponentially increased the forex reserves overtime with various incentives to encourage diaspora and export proceed remittances.

These are the qualities that have inspired a large number of people and organisations to selflessly deploy their own resources in advocating for the candidacy of Emefiele as a suitable presidential candidate come 2023 elections.

We believe, that at this time of great economic challenges in the life of our nation, there is no better candidate than Emefiele, to steer the economic ship of this nation to calmer waters. He has seen it all and battled with very intimidating economic hurdles in the past seven years or so, with outstanding equanimity and dexterity.

Despite these qualities and achievements, some analysts in the media are fixated with justifying why Emefiele should not run.

What are they afraid of? Or could it be

a case of the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob? Only time will tell.

Why should they cherry pick who to run down amongst the gamut of potential/ declared presidential candidates parading the national space today?

The illogical arguments against the candidacy of Godwin Emefiele has rein-

vigorated our campaign for him to be part of the answer to the presidential question come 2023.

In order to give their postulations some semblance of objectivity and authority, some of the writers sometimes claim that their findings are based on “enquiries in government and banking circles.”

These claims are mostly unsubstantiated and, we dare say, products of their fertile imaginations.

Until those who have the advantage of access to organs of mass communication respect the wishes and desires of ordinary Nigerians, then the Nigeria of our dreams may become more difficult or impossible to attain.

Some contributors try to be clever by half by highlighting some of Emefiele’s indisputable achievements, possibly as a way of hoodwinking the unwary.

However, we are not deceived by this, as the sole purpose of their vituperation is to cast aspersions and even criminalize the proponents of Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele’s candidacy in the 2023 presidential elections.

We will like to declare at this point, that everyone have the right to support and encourage any qualified Nigerian to contest for any political position.

Therefore, the naysayers of this world and their groups can never deny us this constitutional privilege. They are free to support and highlight the qualities of their choice candidates; but to undermine our right to choose who to support will not be condoned.

We, the supporters of Godwin Ifeanyichukwu Emefiele will continue to campaign and encourage him to step into the ring and use his wealth of experience and knowledge to chart a new course of peace and prosperity for our beloved nation, Nigeria.

-Ahmed Ja’Usman Tijani, Co-ordinator Nigerian Patriotic Quest

Lori-Ogbebor’s Lies, Ethnic Agenda on NDDC’ Board Inauguration Akpoebide Okotiene takes a swipe at Rita Lori-Ogbebor for making several false and unsubstantiated claims regarding the substantive Board of the NDDC

O

bviously realizing that her futile but callous attempts, laced with lies and subterfuge, to interfere with President Buhari’s promise to inaugurate the Board of NDDC have come crashing, Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has again relapsed to regurgitating her jaded clannish and outlandish ethnic claims that are antithetical to the laws of Nigeria.

In a story in a national newspaper of March 8, 2022 titled “Lori-Ogbebor to Akpabio: We Need New NDDC Mgt, Make Public findings of Forensic Audit,” based on her letter to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, titled “Re: The Matters of the NDDC and the Poor People of the Niger Delta” she, in her usual style, made several false and unsubstantiated claims regarding the substantive Board of the NDDC. Among other false claims, Lori-Ogbebor said that the NDDC Board, which was appointed by President Buhari in October 2019 and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on November 5 2019 and is currently awaiting inauguration was “nullified” based on a court case instituted by her and others, against its inauguration.

This is not only false but disgraceful.

The fact of the matter is that there was no dissolution or nullification of the SenateConfirmed NDDC Board, neither has there been a court order or judgement anywhere against the Board’s inauguration.

The facts are very clear.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in exercise of his constitutional powers forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, the appointment of a 16 – member board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) via a letter dated 18th October, 2019, personally signed by him.

The President’s letter read: “In accordance with the provision of Section 2(2)(a) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) (Establishment) Act, 2000,

I write to forward, for confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the under listed nominees for appointment into the NDDC board, to occupy the positions indicated against their names.” President Buhari, in the letter, expressed hope that “the Senate will consider and confirm the nominees in the usual expeditious manner.”

Accordingly, the written request, which was read on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 by its President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, was given expeditious consideration by the upper legislative chamber, which directed its Standing Committee on Niger Delta, to screen all the nominees and report back within a week.

The Senate screened and confirmed the appointments of 15 out of the 16 nominees on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, based on the report tabled before it by the Committee on Niger Delta.

What then happened in the case of the NDDC Governing Board, which was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2019 is that after the appointees were vetted by all relevant agencies of the federal government, screened and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on the 5th of November 2019, Mr President asked that the

inauguration of the Board should be put on hold pending the completion of the forensic audit, for which an Interim Management Committee was appointed for the NDDC. The decision to step down the inauguration of the Senate confirmed Board was not due to any non-compliance with the NDDC Act. It was strictly to make way for the “Forensic Audit” to be undertaken. There was no dissolution or nullification of the Senate confirmed Board as it had not been inaugurated.

The Federal Government announced during the inauguration ceremony of the IMC that the Senate-Confirmed NDDC Board will be inaugurated after the forensic audit. The decision to step down the inauguration of the Senate Confirmed Board was not due to any court case. There was no dissolution of the Senate Confirmed Board as it had not been inaugurated, nor was it disbanded.

On the 24th day of June 2021, while receiving the Ijaw National Congress at the State House in Abuja, President Buhari said that the NDDC Board would be INAUGURATED as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted. The President said: “I want to assure you that as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted and accepted, the NDDC Board will be inaugurated”.

In typical fashion, Lori-Ogbebor has deployed lies and innuendos in her dubious narrative, as published in her letter and other such campaigns. This is clearly a desperate agenda to cramp the public space with falsehood in the hope that she can achieve her ethnic agenda, which she has been openly canvassing.

-Okotiene is President of Niger Delta Integrity Group.

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

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MARCH 11, 2022

19

POLITICS

EPISTLES of ANTHONY KILA

Ebonyi Governor’s Truckload Ebonyi: Politics, Law and of Troubles Common Sense

Chido Nwangwu opines that despite the infrastructural development achieved by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, he has since made a marked departure from the aspiration of his people, leading to his current travails

Anthony Kila examines the sound judgement that may escape many partisan commentators in the subsisting legal challenge faced by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State

A

significant political event occured on March 8, 2022 in the politics of Nigeria. It’s the decision and order of the Federal High court in Abuja that the Ebonyi state Governor Dave Umahi and his deputy, Eric Igwe vacate their current positions, respectively.

Umahi’s tenure as the Governor of the South-eastern State of Ebonyi, from May 29, 2015 to March 8, 2022, has been followed and burdened by rounds of rancour, sets of schism and bloody conflicts.

For the Igbo, such as myself, who meet without calling a meeting, we know Umahi no longer hears us. And, of course, we do not hear him! We hear the pretentious fulminations and submissive subjugation of a once promising technocrat who has since surrendered and ceded the spiritual home of our reverred Dr. Akanu Ibiam to those Ibiam stood against as a high moral buffer to keep Igbo/Biafra kids (including me and Dave Umahi) alive during the Nigeria-Biafra war, 1967-1970.

Today, Afikpo and Abakiliki have become arenas of blood, tears and sorrow.

To put in blunt terms, the Igbo do not trust, or think Umahi’s allegiance is with his people. They think and know, even if unspoken, that Umahi has since chained himself to some domestic “foreign” obligations and dubious allegiances.

Ebonyi was known for what I’ll characterize as, relatively, cordial but competitive politics.

Generally, the good people of Ebonyi, the kinsmen and women of the home of the great, late Dr. Akanu Ibiam have watched with astonishing disbelief how their land of nobility and civic values has since, literally, been turned into a battlefield during Umahi’s combative and controversial tenure.

The Court ruled that it was the political party PDP that won the election in March 2019 and not its candidate. Therefore, Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that having defected from PDP to another political party, namely the APC, David Umahi and Eric Igwe cannot transfer the mandate of the PDP to the APC. “The votes in any election in Nigeria are to political parties, and not candidates,” the judge stated.

Justice Ekwo cited Section 221 of the Constitution of Nigeria to order the PDP to send, immediately, names of replacements to INEC for the conduct of new elections. The PDP has done so with unusual speed and gusto.

Umahi is at loggerheads with two Glgovernors from the same South-east and most of the previous leaders from the same Ebonyi State.

Umahi, an engineer, is one of the governors

“planning to run” or indeed “running” for President of Nigeria in 2023. Evidently, the man’s ambition would have been impacted by the latest decision of the Federal High Court.

With the latest judicial order and the unfolding dynamics of Nigeria’s presidential power politics, the omens seem unfavorable to Umahi as his negatory factors are multiplying.

He said he would disregard the Judge’s order. He dismissed the Judge as someone on a charge to get him! He said that Judge Ekwo is unworthy of rendering fair and judicious decisions.

Hence, the Nigeria Bar Association (of lawyers/attorneys) cautioned Umahi for “very uncomplimentary adjectives and intemperate language in characterizing both the judgment and Hon. Justice Ekwo, including but not limited to describing the judgment as ‘jungle justice’ and His Lordship as ‘a hatchet man’.”

-Dr. Nwangwu serves as Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

D

ear Readers In a good and stabile society, its law sanctions and its politics represents what is regarded as consonant with common sense, a society wherein law, politics and common sense are not in harmony is a society on the brink of rupture; in such a society, something has to and tends to happen: such imbalance is not sustainable. One of two things tend to happen when rupture looms: It is either the system automatically and internally adjusts itself by a process of reform that sees its ruling class making the necessary modifications or the system breaks and new figures outside the ruling class leads a revolutionary process towards a dramatic change.

Amongst the biggest political news in the country this week not doubt is the case of the Federal High Court’s decision pronouncing the sack of the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, along with 15 lawmakers in the state over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC). The court’s position in plan language is that the votes that got these politicians into their respective offices are votes that were casted for the party and not an endorsement or appreciation

for the persons of the politicians that can be transferred to a party of their choice.

Expectedly, partisan reactions immediately followed with members and sympathisers of the PDP shouting bravo and giving their thumbs up to the judgement of the Court and hailing it as real justice, whilst members and sympathisers of the APC saying the judgment is biased, wrong and unfair. The most visible, most dramatic and most colourful partisan voice against the Court’s judgment has been that of the ousted Governor David Umahi. Not only did he reject the judgment, Governor Umahi went on to attack the integrity of the Judge, termed the judgment as “bought” then threatened and promised a petition to the Nigeria Judicial Commission (NJC).

No matter where one stands on the political and legal divide, it is, on a personal note, easy to understand David Umahi’s pain.

Generally speaking, no one wants to be ousted, not even a hardworking dentist, let alone a Nigerian governor. Even amongst fellow governors, the situation here is even worse because inside voices have it that one of the reasons for which David Umahi left the PDP for the APC is for him to be able to run for president. To find himself in a twist of fate with no presidential ticket and no governorship position might be funny to some but certainly painful for David Umahi.

He truly has my understanding and even sympathy. Without dwelling on it, Governor David Umahi must however be told that in expressing his disagreement with the court judgment, his choice of words and tone were rather crass and certainly not statesmanlike. The legitimate and logical thing for him to do is to file an appeal. No drama, no insult, no threat, just filing of an appeal as he has the right to do.

Other voices who think the judgment of the court is wrong seem to base their position on the lack of any law that expressly prohibit governors to cross carpet. They seem to be saying everything that is not forbidden is allowed. Some of these voices then go on to cite other cases like that of the Zamfara State where the governor successfully defected with the ruling of another court. Rightly, they point out that the conditions that regulate the process of losing a gubernatorial seat are clearly stated in the constitution. Lacuna and contradiction therefore seem to be their ammunition.

These are strong ammunition.

-Prof. Kila is Centre Director at CIAPS Lagos NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

Group Set to Mobilise Women and Youth in Enugu State Towards 2023 Election

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he Patriots for Restoration of Integrity to Enugu State (PRIEST) Group has announced the formation of its Voter Education Unit in its bid to undertake a mass mobilization campaign to galvanise women and youths in the state to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) in preparation for the 2023 Governorship election.

In a statement signed by its convener, Jude Udekwe, the socio-political group said the key to successfully bring about the desired transformation and development of the state which all well-meaning citizens are currently clamouring for lies in the hands of

the teeming women and youth population.

The statement noted that with about 70 percent of the state’s population spread between the youth and women, majority of expected voters in the coming election fall in the youth and female categories, if they collect their PVCs and exercise their democratic right to vote.

The group beckoned on women and youths in the state to recognize the power they have to bring about the socio-economic change they desire by using their votes to elect leaders that would truly serve them.

Udekwe also called on Enugu indigenes

home and abroad to support the growing efforts by patriots to bring an end to the culture of anointing and imposition of candidates by the ruling party, adding that the practice has brought nothing but under-development and the creation of a cult of unfeeling leadership that has little feeling for citizens’ welfare.

“Enugu needs independent, focused and capable people to lead as governor and National Assembly representatives come 2023. Only people who are truly chosen by and answerable to the masses of our people can understand and work in the collective interest of the state; not puppets that are lining

up to be anointed, selected or sponsored as proxies by the incumbents”, the statement averred.

He therefore called on the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission and the ruling party to join his group to embark on qualitative voter sensitization campaign well ahead of the 2023 election to solve the problem of voter apathy in the state.

Government and ENSIEC, he said, must show that they are committed to deepening the practice of real democracy in the state by getting the people to be more involved in the voting process.

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FRIDAY MARCH 11, 2022 •T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

REPO

A T

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

M A R C H

S & P INDEX

1 0 , 2 0 2 2

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How Lessors Rip-off Nigerian Airlines with Exorbitant Rates

Chinedu Eze It has emerged that the Nigerian air travel market has become a huge windfall for leasing companies as they rake in millions of dollars from Nigerian airlines.

According to THISDAY investigation, after the lockdown in 2020, Nigerian operators suffered under capacity, as fewer aircraft

seats were available for increasing passenger traffic.

The unfortunate development jerked up the airfares, such that by April 2021, tickets were going for N60, 000; N80, 000 for Economy, one hour flight.

Industry sources told THISDAY that since 2020, Nigerian airlines have leased about 17 aircraft, which boosted their capacity and

enabled them to meet the high demand of the 2021 Christmas season.

However, it was learnt that airlines had to pay a prohibitive high rate of about $7 million a month.

It was learnt that lessors give out these aircraft to Nigerian carriers at high exorbitant rates, citing country risk; which industry

observers argue could be the highest rates among countries that are not at war in the world.

For instance, THISDAY learnt from informed source that a Nigerian airline leased a B737-700 for $494,000 a month for 1, 200 hours, about $3000 per hour for wet lease, which means that the lessor would provide aircraft, crew, maintenance insurance (ACMI)

and which industry stakeholders described as outrageous.

In addition to this, the airline would still pay for security of the aircraft and crew, hotel accommodation and also provide funds for logistics.

Aviation experts told THISDAY that the leasing rate is high and stated that in Europe leasing on ACMI could go from $1, 800, $2,

200 to $2, 300 per hour.

They however noted that because Nigeria is designated as high risk, the rate could rise to as high as $3000 per hour.

Former Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, remarked that there was a time Nigeria was blacklisted Continued on page 23

House Urges FG to Review Mass Transport Policy, Resuscitate Urban Mass Transit Scheme Juliet Akoje in Abuja The House of representatives has urged the federal government to review the Mass Transport Policy and Management with a view to making transportation affordable and accessible as a social right to all Nigerians.

It also urged the federal government to resuscitate the Urban Mass Transit Scheme in the interest of Nigerians.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the need to Resuscitate the Urban Mass Transit Scheme in Nigeria moved by Hon. Aniekan Umanah

at plenary presided by the deputy speaker, Hon. Idris Wase.

Umanah noted that in 1989, the Urban Mass Transit Scheme was established by the federal government to ameliorate transportation challenges in Nigeria.

According to him, “The

objectives of the scheme were to moderate the national urban transit scheme, alleviate the problems of urban commuters and the general masses as well as lay the foundation for organized mass transit in Nigeria.”

The scheme, he added, helped to reduce the overriding gap

between increasing public transport demand and the decreasing supply in the transport market.

He added that almost all the States and Local Government Councils in the country including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as private entities

participated in the scheme, which greatly improved transportation for the people.

“The Mass Transport Scheme failed due to factors such as poor management and lack of strict processes, which weakened Continued on page 23

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 1 0 , 2 0 2 2 BILLS

BONDS DESCRIPTION 12.75 27-APR2023 14.20 14-MAR2024 13.53 23-MAR2025 12.50 22-JAN2026 16.2884 17MAR-2027

Price

Yield

106.80 6.49 112.34 7.52 113.86 8.29 108.16 9.91 124.59 9.96

Change Updated Time (%) 4, -0.01 March 2022 4, -0.01 March 2022 March 4, 0.00 2022 March 4, 0.03 2022 4, -0.09 March 2022

OTC F X F U T U R E S

C Ps

MATURITY

Discount

Yield Change Updated Time (%)

NTB 28-Apr22 NTB 12May-22 NTB 9-Jun22 NTB 14-Jul22

3.07

3.08

0.00

March 4, 2022

3.13

3.14

0.00

March 4, 2022

3.24

3.27

0.00

March 4, 2022

3.38

3.43

0.00

March 4, 2022

NTB 11Aug-22

3.50

3.55

0.00

March 4, 2022

MATURITY

Discount Yield

Change Updated Time (%)

UNCP CP VI 2-MAY-22 NEVE CP I 24-MAY-22 DANC CP II 25-MAY-22 TRBH CP V 26-JUL-22 FSDH CP VI 1-AUG-22

8.78

8.91

0.00

March 4, 2022

16.31

16.92 0.01

March 4, 2022

8.69

8.86

0.01

March 4, 2022

11.45

11.99 0.00

March 4, 2022

8.15

8.43

March 4, 2022

0.00

CONTRACT TENOR Contract (MONTH) NGUS MAR NGUS MAR 30 30 2022 2022 NGUS APR 27 2 2022 NGUS MAY 25 3 2022 NGUS JUN 29 4 2022 NGUS JUL 27 5 2022

Current Rate ($/₦)

Updated Time

427.24

March 2, 2022

428.93

March 2, 2022

430.63

March 2, 2022

432.32

March 2, 2022

434.02

March 2, 2022

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FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AIR WATCH

NCS NIIT to Counter Illicit Importation A I R of Weapons, Boost Trade Flow WATCH Oluchi Chibuzor

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has reiterated that the imminent introduction of the Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology (NIIT) at the nation’s port is primarily aimed at enhancing national security.

Also, the service said that the system was designed to improve trade for compliant stakeholders with necessary customs process the opportunity to avoid unnecessary deumorage.

Similarly, NCS emphasized that when fully implemented, the NCS would be in position to utilize the scanner to improve operation in line with the 21st century ease of doing business.

Addressing stakeholders at the NCS Apapa Command in Lagos, the Assistant Comptroller, ICT modernisation, Saidu Galadima, assured those present that the new technology would facilitate trade, reduce human contacts, save time, thereby promoting ease of doing business, and called for the cooperation of the importers and

customs agents.

According to him, the gathering was to intimate all the various stakeholders with the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) of the NIIT so that “both parties can be prepared in anticipation of the launch.”

He noted that on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), the sensitization was very key to the success of the NIIT. “The management of the NCS directed us to come here to sensitize you on the SOP flow on how the scanning operation will work. It is very important that we sensitize you, carry you along, have your buy-in to realize the benefit therein in this technology.

“By the time the comptroller NIIT takes you through the flow, you will appreciate the beauty therein in the flow and the whole essence is geared toward trade facilitating,” he started.

Galadima, who hinted the success of the NIIT to the compliance of traders we will celebrate, said, “if

you are compliant enough you are not going to have any contact with custom officer, if you are compliant enough the image analyst will be fine and your cargo will be released as you do not need to go to custom office.

“But then we are here to put you through on how it is going to work; your questions, observation is welcome, because your feedback is very critical.

So we need your feedback in order to go back and review our protocol.”

He warned that non-compliance traders would pay more when they are found to be undermining the service, noting that the “NICIS II risk engine will profile compliant traders over time.”

Explaining the SOP flow of the NCS NIIT, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs, ICT, Paul Ekpenyong, noted that critical component of the NIIT includes shipping companies and terminal operators, NCS, declarants-Agents and Importers, Image analyst, scanner manager and recheck officers.

NANTA Says Increase in Airfares Adversely Affects Business Chinedu Eze The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has criticised the recent increase in airfares by the airlines, which raised base fare to N50, 000 for one-way trip, saying it has adversely affected its business, as demand for air travel has nosedived.

The association made this known while unveiling its plans for theforthcoming 46th elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for Kano State later this month with the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, as the Royal Father of the Day. NANTA President, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye who made this known to newsmen in Lagos, stated that the law recognised that business entities, including the airline sub-sector should compete with one and other, but kicked against the alleged price fixing, which may have prompted all the airlines to raise base fare at the same time.

She, however, observed that the recent hike in the price in aviation fuel and forex scarcity were negatively affecting the performance of the local airlines and called on the Federal Government to address the challenges.

She said: “Now, some airlines have removed low fares from the market because they can’t afford to be buying from the

black market and still sell the lowest fare. I see it as a crisis in life in which we need to remain strong and of course, it will affect us a bit. You are talking of minimum of N50, 000 on local ticket and N100, 000 for a round trip, yet, our roads are not safe.

“However, I think price fixing is anti-competition. The law says there should be competition and when there is competition, the benefits go to the public. What the local airlines are doing is anti-competition. As it is now, passengers don’t have a choice.

However, I believe it is just for a while because they can’t maintain it; they will fly empty.

“The passengers are not happy with the situation. However, travelling by air is a necessity and it is the safest form of travelling.

The passengers are grumbling no doubt and they are buying the tickets with much pain.

“You can’t make all the profits in just one trip. The international airlines still use same aviation fuel and they have not increased their fares. I was speaking with an international airline representative recently and he said even if there is going to be an increase, it should be according to your capacity. What is your stake in it? Everybody’s capacity is not the same and it should be gradually. How can you attempt to make all the profits in one ticket because

aviation fuel has gone up? They should look at their capacity and re-evaluate.”

Akporiaye emphasised that the forthcoming AGM with the theme: ‘Anti-Trust Opportunities Available for Protection for the Nigerian Travel Market,’ would be a test run for the main Durbar Festival.

She also disclosed that she would re-contest as the President of the association, stressing that she had delivered on all her campaign promises, which included unification, opening of business opportunities and training of all members that she promised two years ago.

She explained that the theme for the AGM was informed by the presentation of Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, the Chairman of Lagos State Law Reforms Commission who would also act as the Keynote Speaker at the conference.

Also, she mentioned Capt.

Musa Nuhu, the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Samson Fatokun, the Head of Account Management, West /Central Africa, International Air Transport Association, Mr. Bernard Bankole, the immediate past President of NANTA, Dr. Gabriel Olowo, the President, Sabre Networks and Mrs. Christine Qantin, the Country Manager, Nigeria, Air France/ KLM as the panel of discussants.

LASU Upgrades Certificate with Instant Verification Feature Emma Okonji The Lagos State University (LASU), has upgraded the university’s certificate for graduating students with instant verification feature.

With the upgrade, the certificate for graduates of the 25th convocation and beyond will now carry a very unique addition, by way of an instant verification feature.

The need to upgrade the certificate, based on the intervention by the university’s Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), is to further improve the security of the university’s certificate and to ease the verification process.

The Acting Director, DICT at LASU, Dr. Toyin Enikuomehin, who

disclosed the initiative in a statement, said with the new feature of the certificate, verification request for certificates would henceforth need not be sent to LASU, as the technology embedded in the certificate and it’s photocopies will permit the verification of the document without any compromise in the verification process life cycle.

He further explained that since security item is ubiquitous, documents could be verified using a smart phone so that decisions on those wishing to study abroad, and for those seeking promotion at workplaces, could be reached at real time.

“This initiative is in furtherance of the digitalization project of the University of Lagos,” Enikuomehin said.

The DR Exams and Record also adds that the old certificates earlier issued without the newly deployed feature will still have to go through the existing process for conventional certificate verification as advertised on the LASU website whenever the need for verification arises On completion of the verification process; if genuine; relevant information on the graduate will be generated for the verifier to print or save.

LASU’s Registrar acknowledged with thanks, the efforts of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, to reduce the life cycle of the existing verification process and minimise complaints received on delayed verification.

Sway of Middle East Passenger Traffic

Doha Inaugural flight to Kano Chinedu Eze Last week Doha based mega carrier, Qatar Airways marked its inaugural flght to Kano and Port Harcourt, thus speading its wings to four destinations in Nigeria, including its ealier operations to Lagos and Abuja.

This has spurned a new trajectory in passenger traffic to the Middle East and beyond, as Doha serves as hub to connect the rest of the world by the airline.

In almost one year, the airline which first started operating three weekly flights to daily flights to Lagos multiplied its operations and became strategic at the period when diplomatic impasse and unnecessarily stringent COVID-19 protocol forced some major comeptitors from the region out of Nigeria’s airspace.

Qatar Airways and Egypt Air consolidated, ramping up passengers to Middle East destinations. That consilidation has tossed up the market share and redefined passengers choice of airlines, as every vacuum was snapped up by airlines that chose to operate at the time with the result of increased load factor.

On March 2, 2022, Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner touched down at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport to a water-cannon salute, marking the start of four new weekly services to Kano from Doha via Abuja and the third Nigerian destination served by Qatar Airways.

The inaugural flight was flown by Qatari Captain Mohammed Abdulla and Nigerian First Officer, Adeola Olamide Ogunmola, from Gwagwalada, just outside Abuja – a symbol of the close ties between the two countries.

The airline said that state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which is serving the route, is one of the most modern aircraft in Qatar Airways’ fleet. It offers 22 seats in Business Class and 232 in economy.

Qatar Airways’ Vice-President, Africa, Hendrik du Preez said, “The new route will connect Kano, via Doha, to more than 140 destinations across its network.

“Kano has been a trade and travel hub for hundreds of years. Now by linking it to the world’s best airport, Hamid International Airport in Doha, we hope to grow traffic between these two important hubs. We anticipate particular demand to and from India and other markets. We also expect there will be strong cargo demand. This new service not only underpins our commitment to Nigeria but is also a clear indicator of recovery and expected growth,” he said.

Qatar Airways said it has stayed steadfast in its commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic, noting that it has since increased frequencies and grown its network, considerably improving connectivity to and from the continent and providing passengers with more choice and convenience.

In Nigeria, the airline offered three weekly flights to Abuja via Lagos in November 2020, which grew to four direct flights to Abuja in December 2021. In addition to the four weekly flights to Kano via Abuja, Qatar

also started operating three weekly flights to Port Harcourt from Thursday March 3, 2022. This would bring the number of services it operates between Africa and Doha to 188 weekly flights serving 28 destinations across the continent.

Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Hadi Sirika, said: “The new flights provide important travel and trade links between Nigeria and the world. As the largest economy in Africa, this enhanced global connectivity via the new Qatar Airways service will provide a vital network to move goods and people, as we recover from challenges of the pandemic and prioritise growth. Kano and Port Harcourt are both important to this recovery. This reinforces the close ties between Nigeria and Qatar, and it paves the way to explore new, untapped opportunities.”

The airline said that it has continued to apply its flexible booking policy that offers unlimited changes to travel dates and destinations, and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued for travel completed by 31 May 2022.

“Passengers flying to and from Kano will also benefit from Qatar Airways’ new baggage allowances which provide for up to 46kg in Economy class, split over two pieces, and 64kg, split over two pieces, in Business Class,” the airline said.

Qatar Airways said it is the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by Skytrax. This follows the success of HIA as the first airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating.

“These awards provide assurance to passengers around the world that the airline’s health and safety standards are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented on board and at HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety,” Qatar Airways stated.

Reacting to Qatar Airways inaugural flight to Kano, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Susan Akporiaye, said that the decision of the airline to operate to four destinations in the country is in consonance with the federal government’s policy of designating international airlines to every region so that passengers from different states in that region could come to the major airport to fly out of the country.

“So 11 states which make up the northern region can come to Kano and travel out of Nigeria. This is very good and travel agents in the northern region are very happy about it.

“It is also good for copetition because before now, the travel agencts from the north complain of exploitative fares from Emirates and Ethiopian Airlines, but with the coming of Qatar Airways, the fares will come down, which will be to the benefit of the passengers and travel agents,” she said.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

23

BUSINESSWORLD

PERSPECTIVE

Galaxy Backbone Offers its Facilities to Organisations to Boost Nigeria’s Digital Economy Ibrahim Idris Bello

I

t was Lou Holtz, a former American Player and Head Coach who once said; “Show me someone who has done something worthwhile and I will show you someone who can overcome adversity.”

Nigeria’s Galaxy Backbone is the network communications and data hosting Infrastructure platform for public and private sector organizations. Only a few weeks ago, ICT and telecommunications organizations, experienced an outage on its Infrastructure.

This incident tested the tenacity of its facilities, its service reliability and its ability to manage customer experience. Most importantly, the outage tested the competence of the team at Galaxy Backbone (GBB).

In all of these, the organization stood tall, as it resolved the outage and brought back the operations of the affected organizations to full normalcy.

I do know that customers, stakeholders and massive array of global service providers who manage the sort of Infrastructure Galaxy Backbone manages realize that there are no perfect Infrastructures. What is critical is to have a partner who will be there to guide them through whatever challenge that could come up and resolve it promptly and adequately. This was what GBB has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate in the lives of its customers and other stakeholders.

GBB commenced operations in 2007 and has since focused on improving and enhancing its service infrastructure in such a way that it consistently meets world class standards in terms of its operations and management. Through the intervention of the Federal Government and a number of global partners, a lot of investment has been made in the area of enhancing and expanding this infrastructure not just at the Federal Capital Territory, where GBB currently has the largest fibre cable roll-out, but also laid across the country as well. Nationwide, it

continues to lay fibre optic cables and build world class data centres that aim to improve the Internet services of small businesses, government establishments and homes, while expanding broadband penetration and improving the standard of living of the people.

One of the core areas of focus for GBB, which the organization has expanded and strengthened over the years, is in its Network Communications Infrastructure that is capable of meeting the changing needs of its customers in the environment in which they find themselves. Its state-of-the-art Network Monitoring & Management Centre helps manage and control the connectivity and unified communications experience of its customers within the public sector.

The main objectives of GBB’s current efforts are to achieve the following: r &OIBODF UIF TUSFOHUIT PG (## JO Service Delivery; and r 1PTJUJPO (## BT B DSVDJBM QBSUOFS to services providers in both the public and private sectors.

With high-speed fibre optic cables being laid in over 20 states of the Federation and more to be deployed over the next 24 months in the other parts of the country, speed of connectivity will be significantly improved within a short time.

Investments have also been made in F-5& CBTF TUBUJPOT DVSSFOUMZ JO B OVNCFS of cities across the country. These will provide reliable alternatives to customers, based on their unique locations.

This provides excellent multimedia communications services for voice, SMS, data and Video for organizations, estates and homes. Most importantly, it can be modulated to support 5G network.

GBB has been operating the only Uptime certified Tier III data centre within the nation’s public sector for over eight years without any record of a downtime since its inception. This Tier III data centre has been built and equipped with

best-in-class equipment that enhances the colocation and managed services experience of all customers who currently have their applications or servers with that infrastructure.

As a commitment to its focus on highly standardized infrastructure, a Tier IV data centre is being built in Kano, which will be completed before the end of the first quarter of the year. This will serve customers in that area as well as serve as a backup to the Tier III data centre in the Federal Capital Territory. The mid- to long-term plan is to ensure a state-of-the-art data centre is established in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country to ensure everyone is covered in one way or the other.

In addition to these investments in ICT infrastructure, GBB has also established a Security Operations Centre where clients’ applications on the GBB Network are kept secure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year.

This underscores the fact that security is an integral part of the Galaxy Backbone Infrastructure service experience. A number of intelligence agencies and public services organizations rely on the Galaxy Backbone Infrastructure to ensure the nation and its citizens are kept safe.

Revving the GBB engine is Muhammed Bello Abubakar, its .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS $IJFG &YFDVUJWF Officer. The Gombe State-born professor of Petroleum Geosciences, and a former oil and gas exploration research consultant to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He is an alumnus of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi where he obtained B. Tech in applied geology and M.Sc. and Ph.D. in sedimentology/ petroleum geology. He also holds (FSNBO "DBEFNJD &YDIBOHF 4FSWJDF (DAAD) and is a recipient of several

awards among which is National University Commission’s best Ph.D. thesis award in physical sciences from all Nigerian universities.

Under Professor Abubakar, Galaxy Backbone is doing quite a lot of work to maintain, manage and sustain the technology experience it wants its users to have. But the organization understands that with its huge responsibility, it would require the support and partnership of other service providers and customers in ensuring that its objectives are met.

It is true Galaxy Backbone provides services similar to a number of other ICT organizations. However, not many of those providing similar services have the level and depth of infrastructure available to GBB. It is the hope of its leadership that organizations in the private sector or public sector do not see GBB as competitors but as collaborators in Nigeria’s journey towards becoming one of the leading digital economies JO UIF XPSME *UT .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS $&0 Professor Muhammad Bello Abubakar, has on different occasions invited other originations to partner with Galaxy Backbone towards leveraging its huge infrastructure to help in digitally transforming the nation.

This call is being heeded as between 2020 to date, not less than ten partnerships and collaborations with the private sector were achieved. Such collaborations include; with %BUB4JYUI 4)&-5 (MPCBM -JNJUFE BOE 1BMP Alto on cybersecurity, Interra Networks and BCN on connectivity, Zadara on data centre and cloud services, Yahlink on satellite connectivity, New Waves in hosting services; all in addition to the enhanced collaboration with Huawei, MainOne, etc.

These collaborations will further enhance public-private sector partnership, drive down the bandwidth price for the benefit of the end user, contribute to the GDP of the nation and improve the standard of living of the citizens. t #FMMP JT B QVCMJD mOBODF BOBMZTU CBTFE JO "CVKB

NCS Seizes 11 Trailer Load of Rice, 36,575 Litres of PMS, Others Gilbert Ekugbe The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja has stated that about 6,749 bags of smuggled parboiled rice at 50kg each equivalent to 11 trailers load, 36,575 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) and 906 cartons of frozen poultry products have been seized by the unit.

Confirming the seizure, the

Acting Controller of FOU, Deputy $PNQUSPMMFS ), &KJCVOV XIJMF addressing a press briefing said other seizures include 599 bales of secondhand clothing, 2,001 pieces of used tyres, 175 pieces of used compressors, 180 cartons of foreign soap and 52 used fridges.

Others items include 285 cartons of unregistered pharmaceutical products, 13 units of fairly used vehicles, 15 cartons, 23 bales of lace materials and 338 cartons of

mosquito repellant all with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of a 587,901,165.

According to him, the revenue generated through recoveries of low value, transfer of value, wrong classification and public auction sales of PMS amounted to N79,067,560.75.

In his words: “You will agree vith me today that Southwest zone has become quite hot for smugglers to operate freely in recent time.

The seizure we are showcasing

were intercepted between the 3rd and 28th of February, 2022.”

He added: “We are however, not singing a victory song yet because of what we still have up our sleeves.

As | always say, no one claps with one hand. The fight against smuggling and smugglers needs the cooperation and collaboration of everyone. We need credible information to successfully combat smuggling considering the overwhelming negative

consequences.”

He noted that the press briefing is the second for the year 2022 to xray the Unit’s activities for the month of February, 2022, saying that inspite of the lull in business activities, the deployment of the Unit’s strategies and officers’ determination is to suffocate smugglers, adding that a lot had been done within the period under review.

He advised that smuggling is a complete monster with a direct

link to illicit drugs and drug abuse, armed robberies, kidnapping, balance of trade deficit, unemployment, increased crime waves, high mortality rate as a result of fake drugs and youth restiveness. It is therefore our collective responsibility to say no to smuggling.

“My message to smugglers as usual is to eschew smuggling and embrace legitimate trade or business or be ready to damn the consequences,” he warned.

HOUSE URGES FG TO REVIEW MASS TRANSPORT POLICY, RESUSCITATE URBAN MASS TRANSIT SCHEME its sustainability. Millions of commuters across the country still experience difficulties in

commuting due to insufficient mass transit vehicles thus exposing them to grave dangers

such as harassment, kidnappings, and robbery, among other things, “he said.

The House however mandated its Committee on Land Transport to liaise with

relevant stakeholders with a view to establishing policy frameworks that would further improve the

transportation sector and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

aircraft leasing, titled, “Aircraft Lease in Nigeria: Addressing the Concerns of the Lessor,” Aviation &YQFSU 0MVNJEF 0ZJOMPZF explained that the lessor often like to know if Nigeria has ratified any of the conventions bordering on aircraft transportation.

“Of paramount importance to the lessor are conventions that grant security on operation of the aircraft as well as repossession of the aircraft in the event that there is a default or termination of lease. Such conventions include the Chicago Convention of 1944 on International Civil Aviation, the 1948 Geneva Convention on the International Recognition of Rights in Aircraft, the 1933

Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to the Precautionary Arrest of Aircrafts and more particularly, the 2001 Cape Town Convention on the International Interest in Mobile &RVJQNFOU BOE UIF BTTPDJBUFE protocols on matters specific to aircraft equipment,” he explained.

He noted that not only would the lessor be interested on the ratification of these conventions and the associated protocols but the extent to which they have been enforced or made applicable in the jurisdiction, example, “the extent to which Nigeria has derogated from the Cape Town Convention and the associated Protocol.”

HOW LESSORS RIP-OFF NIGERIAN AIRLINES WITH EXORBITANT RATES because airlines that took aircraft on lease did not allow lessors to repossess their equipment and this eroded the trust lessors have on Nigerian carriers.

According to him, “Lessors increased their lease rentals because of what they deemed country risk and when they say country risk they are referring to political interference in the regulation but without such interference the regulation is very clear.

“When lessors want to repossess their aircraft there is no need to go to court, the regulator and the judiciary should allow them to take their equipment, abiding by the rules of the international

treaty of aircraft leasing, which is the Cape Town Convention.”

Sanusi who is also the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said Nigeria has to abide by international convention, which is one of the factors the lessors look at. He added that the other factors they consider are the company that is leasing the aircraft, “how strong it is, whether it is in receivership or it has strong goodwill, adding that a company that has government support may attract lower rates because it has stronger credit profile.

“The rates are not the same.

Some are paying higher than

others. IbomAir for example, may pay lower rate than a company under receivership, so the lease rates are different.”

He also noted that some leasing companies may not give aircraft directly to some companies, except through facilitators or middle men that have strong goodwill an credibility.

“These facilitators can go and pay four months in advance for the aircraft. Then the lessor can lease the aircraft to the facilitator who will in turn hand over to the airline and collect his commission,” Sanusi explained.

Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Abdullahi

Mahmoud, told THISDAY that Lessors charge Nigeria higher because many of the leased aircraft come through third party who collects commission, thus making the cost higher, adding that the facilitator or middle man is a person the lessor can trust and would be willing to lease aircraft to him. i#VU UIJT JT EJGGFSFOU JO &VSPQF or the US where leasing rates are lower. But lessors have had their fingers bitten in Nigeria by past airlines that use the courts to stop lessors from repossessing their aircraft when there is breach in the agreement between the airline and the lessor,” he said.

In a presentation recently on

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Sustaining Nigeria’s Airspace Safety Recently joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation inspected facilities of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency in Lagos and other airports and brought to focus the critical role the agency plays in ensuring safety of flights in Nigeria. Chinedu Eze writes that to sustain the good record of safety in flight operations, government must fund the installation of needed landing aids for continued safety of the airspace Managing Director of NAMA said.

A

ir traffic management is an aviation term encompassing all systems that assist aircraft to depart from an aerodrome, transit airspace, and land at a destination aerodrome, including air traffic control, air traffic services, airspace management, and air traffic flow and capacity management. This is the major duty of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) but significant input to make this happen is contributed by other aviation agencies, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N) as well as airlines.

But without landing aids, aircraft cannot take off and land, so landing aids is safety critical, just as Air Traffic Controllers. For traffic management to be efficient there must be effective communication, navigation and surveillance and these facilities ought to be provided and updated regularly.

In Nigeria, efficiency in airspace management is still debatable because, according to pilots, so much needs to be done to ensure effective ground to air, ground to ground and air to air communication. More equipment is needed to ensure that flights can land at all the airports in Nigeria at low visibility. So far, NAMA has sustained the airspace safety and recently when the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Aviation conducted inspection of airport facilities at the Murtala MuhammedInternational Airport, Lagos, it created a platform for the agency to showcase what it has done, the challenge it is facing and the projects that are on going.

The acting Managing Director of NAMA, Matthew Pwajok who addressed the Senate and House members stunned them with his professionalism, as he reeled out the achievements and challenges of the agency.

Pwajok said NAMA provides key services that ensure efficient service of the airspace. It provides communication, navigation surveillance and search

COMMUNICATION

and rescue in case there is accident.

SEARCH AND RESCUE

“We provide search and rescue in the event that any things goes wrong. NAMA in collaboration with NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) and other key stakeholders provide search and rescue service. We need facilities for this critical service that we provide while we plan to ensure safety, anything could go wrong, it could be a natural situation, it could be system failure, it could be human error, and it could lead to an accident. It requires that we must have the capacity to be able to quickly identify the areas of accident and incidence and to be able to address it accordingly.

We are happy to hear that the AIB is having a drone that will help in the event of an accident.

For us search and rescue is very strategic. We need mobility, vehicular movement to be able to access sites,” he said.

Pwajok said facilities for rescue should include the use of drones to be able to access areas that might be very remote.

“Like the AIB Commissioner said there are certain places you might not be able to access for investigation. For us to be able to discover areas for search and rescue, we might also need capabilities like drone to be able to access crash sites which might not be accessible easily and in some cases that could safe a whole lot of lives and property. So going forward we look forward to strengthen the search and rescue structure in NAMA by equipping it with personnel, facilities that would be able to enhance search and rescue in an effective and efficient manner,” the acting

In the area of communication, he said NAMA had a few challenges, noting that over time the airspace is increasing because of growth in traffic and the air routes are many and they cut across the nation because there are more connections between various airports, as new airports are coming up.

“So communication becomes a challenge where they were not envisaged or pre planned. In response to this, what we are doing is that we are deploying very high frequency system to enhance our extended coverage communication, from bandwidth to bandwidth to enhance safety of air navigation. That is the project that will enhance communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, which is voice communication and air to ground. We also have projects that are ongoing to provide capability for ground to ground collections or communication between air traffic control units.

“For exchange of flight, an aircraft departs you need to inform the airport where the aircraft is going for them to also prepare and expect the aircraft. All the necessary information needed to be passed. There are more digital means of sending this information, we call them data link, that is what we are also working on to get funding to be able to provide not just voice communication but also data links that can provide accurate and more express exchange of sensitive information and flight movements,” he said.

On navigation, Pwajok said NAMA has done reasonable well in terms of deployment because it has deployed instrument landing systems (ILS) with Category (Cat) 3 in Abuja and Lagos.

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

THIS WEEKEND TR

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& R E ASO

NEWS METRO THISLIFE

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WEEKLY MAGAZINE

CSP Oriyomi-Oluwasanmi

Hon. Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay

Eunice Iferi Chukwuemeka

Dr. Ibilola Amao

ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 07010510430

Hon. Oluwabunmi Amao

Dr. Dolapo Fasawe

IWD: Women Who are Breaking The Bias

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IWD: Women Who are Breaking The Bias The International Women’s Day, IWD, is a global day commemorated every March 8 to celebrate the social, economic, political and cultural achievements made by women. For many, it’s also time to reflect on growth towards gender equality, call for action while celebrating acts of courage and determination by women who break the glass ceiling at different endeavours.

This year, to commemorate the 2022 International Women’s Day, the theme was centred on “Breaking the Bias” because whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. However, knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field, which is why Chiemelie Ezeobi, Mary Nnah and Vanessa Obioha profiled some Nigerian women who are breaking the bias in their respective fields

Kemi Ogunkoya

Nonny Ugboma Oluwabunmi Amao: Repositioning the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation on. Oluwabunmi Amao is the DirectorGeneral, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC). At CBAAC, the DG has repositioned the agency to be a vibrant cultural centre. But before her appointment, Amao was once a Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism as well as Special Adviser on Establishment and Training under the administration of the erstwhile Executive Governor of Oyo State from 2011 to 2015.

With her educational background which spanned through England and America, where she obtained B.Sc (Business Admin and Accounting), MBA ( Business Admin and Finance), Amao has vast experience in different capacities in various fields. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Tourism Professional (FITP) and was also a co-founder of the House of Furniture and Designs Ltd in Nigeria.

Since assumption of office at CBAAC on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, she has rebranded the image of the agency while reviving Africa’s Rich cultural heritage. Recently, she set up a Hall of Fame in Abuja, a rich cultural and historical treasure that celebrates black personalities and professionals that have played prominent roles in the emancipation of Africa and contributed to the development of the continent in diverse fields.

She has also refurbished CBAAC offices in Lagos and Abuja, thus reviving the spirit and morale of its staff while placing premium on their welfare too.

But aside all these, she is also putting measures in place to recreate FESTAC’77, a move that has been hailed in many quarters. In shattering the glass ceiling, the DG CBAAC has shown that to educate a woman is indeed to educate a nation.

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Dr. Dolapo Fasawe: Making Case for the Environment through LASEPA For the first female General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in its 25years history, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, the responsibility of protecting and improving the

environment of a megacity like Lagos State, although enormous, is one she is bent on doing with passion.

Aside building a portfolio of sound environmental management programme and projects, Fasawe, who is a medical doctor, public health physician and environmental advocate all rolled into one, has taken up the gauntlet to ensure the development of sustainable environment in conjunction with other arms of government.

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) is charged with the responsibility of being a the environmental regulator for Lagos State in charge of assisting the public and private organisations, industries, businesses and non-governmental organisations to achieve compliance by providing environment friendly solutions to varied environmental challenges, is one task to be taken seriously.

With Dr. Dolapo Fasawe as the general manager, the agency has grown in leaps and bounds since she assumed office on August 19, 2019. She is saddled with the responsibility of implementing policies, aimed at protecting and improving the environment in Lagos.

Fasawe, an award-winning Public Health Physician, played a very pivotal role in engaging state governments and non-governmental organisations towards improved healthcare service delivery, innovations and initiatives across Nigeria.

Among her track record was her coordination of the State Emergency Public Health Information Strategy for the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Lagos State in 2014.

Prior to her current appointment, Dr Fasawe served as the Coordinator of the Lagos State Special Health Programs where she pioneered and coordinated the Eko Free Health Mission, serving across all local governments in Lagos State. She was also the pioneer Desk Officer for Mental

Health Programs, facilitating the promulgation of the Mental Health Bill for Lagos State, which was passed into law in January 2019.

As the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr Fasawe has driven a number of environmental and sustainability projects with success including the Noiseless Lagos Campaign and Ban of Single use Plastic Bags Campaign.

She is a member of several local and national committee including the National Committee on the Study on Available Sustainable Alternative Materials to Plastic and innovative Packaging and Recycling Technologies Sponsored by United Nations industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

She is considered one of the foremost experts in Nigeria on exploring the nexus between public health and environment for building resilient urban cities for the 21st Century.

She received her MBBS Degree in Medicine and Surgery from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-ife on Honours roll. She was also adjudged the House Officer of the year at the end of the housemanship at the same university.

Dr. Fasawe holds a Masters Degree in Public Health from the Lagos State University College of Medicine, in addition to Diplomas in International Health Consultancy from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Global Mental Health Management from Kings College London.

CSP Oriyomi-Oluwasanmi: The Face of Traffic Policing in Lagos CSP Titilayo Oriyomi-Oluwasanmi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), is the Lagos State Police Traffic Officer (Motopol).

As the Motopol of the Lagos Police Command, the CSP is in charge of clearing Lagos roads of traffic which requires grit and wit to tackle, thus earning her the sobriquet as the ‘Face of Traffic Policing in Lagos’.

Since assumption of office from Ilasa Police Division where she was the Divisional Police Officer, she has faced the task of decongesting

Lagos, a herculean task.

From ensuring her officers understand that their primary assignment is to decongest traffic, to making sure they dress smarter in their uniforms and are more cordial in their dealings with motorists unlike the situation before, Oluwasanmi has also ensured that they are always on their duty posts to avoid giving false reports.

Oluwasanmi, who has bagged over 32 awards, both internationally and locally, was born in Lagos. She is a graduate of Philosophy from Ogun State Univeristy, now Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye.

She also has a Masters Degree in Leadership and Management from the London School of Management. In 2015, she also attended the Police Officer’s Course in Management in Guandong Police Academy, Guangzhou, China.

After her NYSC programme she enlisted into the Nigeria Police as a cadet ASP in 2002. She was trained at Police Academy, Wudil, Kano.

Nonny Ugboma: Championing Social Development With over 25 years of professional experience, Nonny Ugboma is one of the Nigerian women breaking the bias. She has successfully merged her passion for social development with her expertise in finance and strategic business management.

For 13 years, she headed the top corporate Foundation in Nigeria, MTN Nigeria Foundation where she spearheaded campaigns such as the Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) targeted at youths across the country.

Ugboma has a proven track record in commercial and policy issues in the telecommunications industry, corporate social investments in healthcare and education, and the energy sector.

She was awarded Distinction by the University College London (UCL) in MPA Innovation, Public Policy and Public Value in 2020. She is currently a PhD researcher at the UCL in Innovation and Public Policy, towards improved outcomes in public sector capabilities and capacities in innovating for youth development.

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Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim \Through her policy and project management firm, Nonny is recognised as a global development consultant. She is the lead consultant for Lagos State government as it plans to transition to a circular economy.

Eunice Iferi Chukwuemeka: Philanthropist Extraordinaire Eunice Iferi Chukwuemeka is a life coach, talk show host, producer, Tv personality, human resources management consultant, entrepreneur, philanthropist, CEO of Eagle Group of Companies.

Eunice is the president of Stop Hurting People Foundation (SHPF), a non-governmental organisation that caters to street children widows, abused women, and rehabilitates youths. At the advent of COVID-19 SHPF gave over 5000 people N2000 each via social media for food. She also provided relief materials for over 8000 street people in Lagos.

This singular act earned the NGO and Chukwuemeka an award from the Sapele Okpe community in Delta State, a community she physically knows nothing about, only by the spread of her philanthropy.

Chukwuemeka via her pet project SHPF organises free medical outreaches, a few are free eye checks and free glasses for the people of Awoyokun at Onipanu, Lagos. As a matter of tradition, Chukwuemeka carries out a charity on Christmas, valentine, Easter seasons and has a monthly kitchen for the street children.

Chukwuemeka is the convener of DMWE fixing the woman, an enlightenment arm of SHPF, this platform is a mentorship set built to create a holistic paradigm shift in girls and women by bringing obviously successful women in their various fields of endeavours to enlighten women and girls.

At the advent of COVID-19, this platform went virtual as a global conference inviting notable women from Nigeria, the UK, the USA, and Canada to share their views in the spirit of mentorship as panelists at the conference.

Asmau Benzies Leo: Public Policy Analyst Asmau Benzies Leo holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology, a Master’s degree in Conflict Management and Peace Studies, with a specialty in Gender, Conflict, and Development, and a Certificate in Global Executive Leadership from Howard University, School of Business from the United States of America.

She had been honoured globally with several Ambassadorial titles for her leadership roles and humanitarian activities among which are Global Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Humanity, an Ambassador for Female Wave of Change, a Global Youth Ambassador from the National Youth Network of Nigeria, Ambassador of Peace and Humanity from YELI, Integrity and Leadership Award as Icon Of Nation Building and Women Emancipator by the Young Youth Network of Nigeria, currently an Ambassador for the Federation for International Gender and Human Rights, USA. She is a Vital Voices Fellow, the Founder of the Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN), a non-profit NGO that works towards the Achievement of Peace, Gender Equality, and Sustainable Development. She had worked with women and youth groups in Jos - Nigeria on interfaith mediation and peace building for over 10years.

She has worked with the Academia and has consulted for the World Bank, UN Agencies, and Development Partners. She was the pioneer

Asmau Benzies Leo Head of Gender and Vulnerable Group Care Unit, with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) where she worked with Internally Displaced Persons specifically women and children affected by conflict and disasters, and was instrumental to the development of the Gender in Disaster Risk Management Policy for Nigeria and was involved in policy engagement within the public sector on Gender, inclusion and social protection.

An International Conference Speaker, a public policy analyst who had appeared on several media platforms both locally and internationally and have represented Nigeria in many United Nations fora and other international organisations.

A Transformational Leader and a Mentor to many young Nigerians. She is the convener of Peace Hub-Nigeria’ a global campaign on the engagement of young people in building a culture of peace and nonviolence in Nigeria and Women in Public Service Initiatives (WIPSI).

She had worked on several committees including as a member of the Technical Working Group on the Draft of the Nigerian National Development Plan 2021-2025 and Agenda 2030, Advisory Board Member for the Implementation of the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 and a member of the National Steering Committee for the implementation of Women in Agriculture Policy for Nigeria, Regional Women’s Network on Security Sector Reform and Governance among others She is a recipient of many international awards including the GLOBAL PEACE AWARD 2020 for Nonviolence in WPS from the Federation for International Gender and Human Rights, USA, Listed among 100 African Women in Development by Donorsfor Africa, honoured as one of the 50 most Inspiring Women in Nigeria 2021 in the same category with the Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala by Business Day Newspapers and one of the 100FemiList in the Global South by Gender and Security Project and 2021 award recipient for Women Activism by Women Hub - Business News Paper with Women as Ibukun Awosika and Tony Elumelu as awardees.

Kemi Ogunkoya: Leadership Development Strategist Kemi Ogunkoya FIMC, CMC is a renowned Leadership Development Strategist, Management Consultant, Author, Creator of The Dozen Model Leadership Framework and a member of the prestigious Forbes Council.

For close to a decade, she has conducted and facilitated high-impact leadership development interventions across; Africa, North America, and Asia.

Ogunkoya prides herself in the ability to help business leaders and organisations enjoy seamless leadership transitions and executive onboarding to eliminate deficiencies that invariably minimise their costs and let them focus on growth.

She has helped over 90 organisations nationally and internationally creates amazing results equipping businesses and their leaders with the appropriate leadership competence to effectively perform their jobs and businesses.

Ogunkoya has rich experience across industries including but not limited to; Oil & Gas (Downstream), Aviation, Financial Services, Educational Sector, SMEs, and the public sector. She has created some of the most remarkable transformations for her clients.

She is an alumna of The Said Business School, University of Oxford, She is a Certified Management Consultant, a Masters Neuro-Linguistics Programming Practitioner certified by the INLP Centre in California, USA, and an Emotional Intelligence Certified Specialist.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education & Economics from the University of Ibadan and has an MBA in Management Consultancy from the University of Wales, Cardiff UK. Ogunkoya is the creator of The Dozen Model Leadership Framework, a model that has been adopted by numerous corporate organisations and political structures for effective leadership development.

Kemi is the Founder of Rellies Works, a leadership consultancy firm, and CoFounder of SpeakersHQ. She is the Chairman board of trustees of The PowerWoman Network and The Lead Africa Now Initiative.

She is also the Programs Director for Women in Tech ® Nigeria, a global organisation with a presence in over 100 countries. She is the convener of the Business Edge Workshop, Leadership Guardian Summit, and the Aspire Conference. She is a mentor on The Cherie Blair Foundation.

She is the author of The Leadership Guardian, Goal Mastery Book, and Magical Pills and has delivered numerous keynote addresses and received several awards, most recently; the Role Model of the Year 2020 and The Eloy Awards Female Entrepreneur of The Year 2020, She has been recognised by the African Chamber of Commerce and Industry for her role and contribution to youth development in Africa.

Ogunkoya has been featured in multiple prints and also appeared in numerous TV shows.

Hon. Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay: Multi-faceted Politician, Astute Lawmaker Honourable Mrs. Mojisolaoluwa Kehinde Alli-Macaulay is an astute lawmaker, women leader, wife as well as mentor, and mother to many.

Born on October 10, 1977, in Surulere, Lagos State, Honourable Mojisola Alli-Macaulay is from Lagos Island which is located in the southwestern part of Nigeria. She is a confident, articulate, and multi-faceted politician who is well-respected by the electorate in her native ward and beyond.

She is currently is a serving honorable member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1, and also the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation & Job Creation.

With an unquenchable passion for social justice, making a tangible difference in the community, resolving people’s problems, and also sharing in the weight of the historical, political, and socio-economic burden of the people, she began her political career in the year 2010, with prior experience in handling leadership positions.

Hon. Alli-Macaulay is currently serving

as a member of the 9th Legislative Assembly, Lagos State House of Assembly where she is the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation, and Job Creation.

She is a strong advocate of Gender Equality, Women & Youth Empowerment and has constantly inspired and empowered thousands of women, children, and youths through her numerous initiatives, motions, and projects.

She also mentors a number of youths to build them up in order to become a force for positive change in society and nation building. By virtue of her office as a representative of the people, she has sponsored and co-sponsored numerous bills and motions charged towards the welfare and development of the people with a special interest in the female gender, children and youths, with the most recent BILL that was accented into law last year, “Establishment Of The Lagos State Domestic Violence Agency And The Establishment Of Sex Offenders Register.”

She believes the younger generations should be drawn closer, protected, encouraged, and empowered, and that she has over time exhibited in her many engagements with the people and at any slightest opportunity possible.

Dr. Ibilola Amao: Building STEM Capabilities Dr. Ibilola Amao is the Principal Consultant at Lonadek Global Services, a multi-award-winning, women-owned company that builds capacity, capability, and competence of STEM talent to deliver value in the energy, power, infrastructure, manufacturing, oil, and gas sectors.

Since its inception, over 5,000 Engineers have been trained, alongside a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project that has counselled and empowered over 100,000 STEM Talents. A fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD) and a Co-Founder of the Women In Energy Network (WIEN), Ibilola sits on the board of other STEMfocused firms.

She is a Fellow of the Energy Institute (EI), a member of the EI Council and as well sits on the International Petroleum (IP) Week Board. She is equally on the panel of judges for the Royal Academy of Engineering United Kingdom (UK) Africa Prize and a member of the She established WIEN in 2020 to provide a platform for Women that work across the Energy Industry value chain to network and build confidence and links to progress their careers or businesses. It is a place where women are a majority in the dynamics of gender diversity in the energy value chain.

Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim: Catering to the IDPS in Nigeria Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim is the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).

As an emerging politician, administrator and a strategist, Hon. Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Federal Commissioner is daily faced with the daunting task of catering for the millions of internally displaced persons across the nation.

At the age of 21, Hon Imaan bagged two master’s degrees from Webster University in the United Kingdom and has relentlessly continued in her quest for excellence and self-development in different sectors as entrepreneur and an administrator.

Prior to her recent appointment, Hon. Imaan was appointed DG OF NAPTIP between December 2020 and June 2021 where she recorded several successes.

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Aisha Buhari: ‘The Future is Bright for the African Woman’ Stories by Mary Nnah The wife of the president of Nigeria, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has said the future is bright for the African woman if only they would put into good use their God-given potentials.

Speaking during the two-day maiden edition of the APC National Progressive Women Conference held recently in Abuja, the wife of the president, who called on women to adopt new strategies to ensure more women’s participation in decision-making processes in the country, added, that the future of Nigeria depends on the potentials of women.

She called on the APC to move beyond “paying lip service” to women’s involvement in governance, noting that women need to be encouraged to participate more in politics.

She also urged the party and all stakeholders to keep supporting and empowering women in order to enable them to have their pride of place.

She stressed therefore that it was necessary to look forward on how best we can work together to unite women in the forthcoming campaigns.

While commending the organisers of the conference, she said, “You efforts in empowering African women is highly commendable and I am sure it is the same desire to advance the course ofAfrican women that has brought you here together today.

“There is no doubt that with women leaders like you, the future is bright for the African woman. I thank you for obliging me to be here and I appreciate your role as a model for the younger generation of women of Africa. You have set

a lead in promoting women’s development.

“For all leaders and members of our great party, the All Progressive Congress, this large gathering will go down in history as a major turning point in our efforts to establish the APC with utmost dedication to the advancement of women in Nigeria. This is the first time that the National Women’s Conference of APC is showing commitment to strengthening the position of women in matters of national importance, especially in increasing the visibility of women and positioning women for future political offices and encouraging their desires towards more progress of the great party.

“Since 2015 I have had the privileged of engaging Nigerian women across the entire country. My conviction

is that Nigeria Nigeria’s future depends entirely on actualising the potential of our women.”

Aisha Buhari said further that there was a need for stakeholders to support the efforts of the Nigerian women towards realising their demand for increased participation in politics. “We need to adopt better strategies to maximize our chances of having a reasonable number of elective positions and other opportunities for our womenfolk. We also need to support each other as women tobetterourchances”,sheadded.

Tagged the ‘Progressive Women Conference 2022,’ its organisers said it was aimed at bringing women together to dialogue and come up with solutions on issues affecting women and to strengthen the positioning of women in matters of national importance, party progress, and economic growth.

L-R: First Lady Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun; panel moderator/founder Emerge, Women, Mary Ikoku; First Lady Osun State, Kafayat Oyetola; Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Edward David Onoja; First Lady Ekiti State, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi and member Caretaker/extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) APC and Convener APC Progressive Women Conference, Stella Okotete and during the event

Guinness Nigeria Set to Break the Bias against Female Inclusion at Workplace Guinness Nigeria PLC is set to break the bias against women’s inclusion at the workplace by ensuring the removal of restrictions placed on the female gender from attaining equal opportunities with their male counterparts at the workplace.

The Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria PLC, Baker Magunda said this during a press briefing where Guinness Nigeria Plc shared information on its efforts in Diversity and Inclusion strategies aimed at driving sustainable growth for women in leadership, among other relevant focal areas of gender equality.

Magunda, who reiterated that the company is committed to creating the most inclusive and diverse culture in Nigeria, added that for this to be done, policies are needed to address issues that negatively affect women, adding that the company will be leading policy changes in Nigeria.

Magunda stressed further that the company is set to change the story of stereotype in the workplace noting, “by 2030, we will have a 50-50 workforce of both males and females at Guinness, and we have to start at the top because people who make policy and people who execute policy need

L-R: International Premium Spirits, Reserve & Modern Trade (IRM) Director, Viola GrahamDouglas; Corporate Relations Director, Rotimi Odusola; Human Resources Director, Ayodeji Ajibola; Managing Director, Baker Magunda; Marketing Director, Adenike Adebola and Legal Director, Chinwe Odigboegwu at the event to understand and learn how to work in a mixed team.

“Our board is 50-50 female and male, our leadership team is almost 50-50 female and male and the next level we have reached 35 per cent female and the rest are male and this would soon reflect because the last 12 months, we have gone after equal recruitment

opportunity and nobody will accept anything less than that”.

He said the company’s recruitment process was to show everybody that the doors are opened for everybody to be their best. “That is what we have been trying to do. For instance, in all the hiring in the last 12 months, 67 per cent of them have been

females. It has improved the percentage of females at Guinness. And we will be doing more”, he said.

Magunda revealed further that talks were ongoing with policymakers on how to address laws that prohibit women from working certain jobs, and from working at a particular period of time.

ILAJE COMMUNITY WOMEN GET SENSITISATION ON PROPER WASTE DISPOSAL Atunlo Project recently held a community sensitisation event at the Ilaje community recently in Lagos where women residing in the community were sensitised on the proper ways to dispose waste materials.

The event was well attended by over 80 women who were sensitised on the importance of proper plastic waste disposal, the impact of plastic waste on the environment, the environmental and economic benefits of recycling as well as the opportunities available with recycling and upcycling.

The event started with an opening address by a representative of the US Consulate, Ms. Brianna Olson, who highlighted the importance of preserving the environment.

The Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) was ably represented by the Head of Recycling, Mr. Olaseni Ogunlana, while the Head of the National Association of Scraps and Waste Pickers of Nigeria (NASWON), Comrade Friday Oku also graced the occasion. Six metal waste bins, which were produced with the support of the Nigerian Breweries, were also commissioned at the event and donated to the community. These bins were very well received by the Palace Secretary who represented the Baale of Ilaje at the event. The bins will be placed at strategic locations across the community to encourage members to recycle plastic pet bottles. The initiative was well received by the target beneficiaries as women who engaged in recycling shared their experiences.

HERVEST CEO GIVES INSIGHTS ON LEVERAGING THE NIGERIAN DIGITAL, INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Nwamaka Co-founder HerVest’s Izugbara and CEO, Solape Akinpelu Co-founder and CEO, HerVest, Solape Akinpelu recently gave insights on how to leverage the Nigerian digital and innovation ecosystem.

She said there is no way one can speak about the Digital and Innovation Ecosystem in Nigeria without mentioning the use of digital technologies, which she said provides solutions to everyday problems, resulting in the creation of smart and digital communities.

She said this while speaking during a high-level panel focusing on “Digital and Innovation Ecosystem in Nigeria - challenges, success stories and opportunities.

Hosted by the Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Samuela Isopi, and the CEO of The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, the panel held on the occasion of the visit to Nigeria of the Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Ms. Margrethe Vestager.

Akinpelu stated that the Digital and Innovation Ecosystem simply entails the digital networks and how they are applied in day-to-day living to solve problems.

Explaining that for her team at HerVest, as a product operating in the digital and innovation ecosystem, their goal is to continuously provide financial inclusion for women through a Gender Lens approach, using digital tools.

She explained that HerVest is an innovative enterprise that heavily leverages digital systems to help women everywhere to take control of their finances, one impact at a time, taking advantage of digital tools to provide access to a cooperative community of women who in turn receive competitive returns on both savings and partnerships with female farmers, and free mentoring on financial literacy.

Akinpelu highlighted some of the tools to include file sharing and storage tools, team and project management tools, website tools, productivity, design tools, mobile applications, payments and money management systems, digital banking, and investment systems, among others.

“HerVest takes technology to these women and with technology, we are able to strengthen their capacity through a guided gender-lens approach.

“We also provide customer support through location-based channels towards making decisive impact investments, especially in female small-scale farmers who mostly lack access to capital and market.

“Acknowledging that it is a 360-degree process facilitated by technological tools, we go from boardroom to the farm and back all the while addressing the gender gap in agriculture, providing growth opportunities towards specific crops, training, and market linkages for female small-scale farmers in rural areas,’’ she said.

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Nigerian Female Content Creators Amplifying Their Voices on YouTube In celebration of the International Women’s Day marked annually on March 8, Vanessa Obioha writes about four female content creators onYouTube who are not only using the platform to tell their stories but are reflecting the tenacity of the African woman

Nwamaka Izugbara

T

heir journeys to YouTube may be different but the outcome is similar.

For Nwamaka Izugbara, Chinyere Abang, and Ikede Adebisi Oluwafunmilayo (Fummee), using YouTube has gone beyond sharing their passion but also growing a thriving business.

This year, however, started on a good note for them when the digital video platform announced this year’s class of #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund— an initiative dedicated to equipping up-and-coming Black creators and artists with the resources to thrive on the YouTube platform.

The program which started last year is focused on investing to present fresh narratives that emphasise the intellectual power, authenticity, dignity and joy of Black voices, as well as to educate audiences about racial justice.

The four female creators are among the 135 creators selected from around the world.

They also make up the 26 Africans on the list and will receive seed funding alongside dedicated support to help them develop their channels. They will also take part in bespoke and hands-on training, workshops and networking programmes.

The opportunity for these Nigerian creators is overwhelming as their journey to YouTube is filled with challenges and triumphs. They share their journeys below.

Nwamaka Izugbara (Sky Belle) Izugbara, who applied for the fund on the last day of submission, has a flair for skincare and beauty. She stumbled on the platform in 2012 in her search for knowledge.

“I was trying to learn how to do simple things like make-up, hair styling, etc. I absolutely fell in love with the platform.”

The beauty expert, whose channel has over 25,000 subscribers with over 2.1 million views after a while nursed the idea of having her channel but was too scared to proceed. Her fears stemmed from the resources needed such as funds and filming equipment. She would finally set up her channel five years later.

“You just don’t start a channel, you have to learn how to edit your videos, how to film yourself, set up equipment and communicate effectively on camera. I had to learn all of this before I set up my channel,” she explained.

There were times she had to shoot a video four times before getting the right one to upload.

Today, Izugbara is known for her skincare and travelogues on YouTube.

Her decision to become a YouTuber coincided with a cabin crew job she was applying for.

Thus, the name of her channel, Sky Belle, is a portmanteau of both worlds.

At first, Izugbara’s focus was on make-up because it was trending but in real life, she was more passionate about skincare. According to her, she was having an acne breakout at the time and needed to find a solution. She would later realise that content creation was

Chinyere Abang more about creating unique experiences than following the crowd.

“The moment I started uploading skincare content after two years on the platform, my videos went viral.”

Also, a storyteller, Izugbara through her travels to other parts of Africa, introduced the Rooted Experience where she shares the lifestyle of African villages with emphasis on the manufacturing of local beauty products. For instance, in one of her trips to Ghana, she shared how the shea butter is locally made. This form of storytelling has helped her to connect with more audiences beyond Nigeria.

Although her YouTube experience started as a passion, today, Izugbara is grateful that the platform has gone beyond a medium of self-expression to a thriving career and business.

“I didn’t start my YouTube channel thinking one day I will have a skincare line. It was never in the mix for me. It was through constant content creation for my channel that I explored other passions.”

With the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, she is looking forward to gaining more knowledge and collaborating with other YouTube creators. Her goal is to have up to 100,000 subscribers by the end of the year.

Chinyere Abang Abang, on the other hand, joined YouTube seven years ago.

The stay-at-home mother started as a blogger during her National Youth Corps Service (NYSC) year, where she shared with her readers her fashion and makeup tips unknown to her that she was generating interest. She started receiving tons of requests to do a tutorial video.

“When I discovered there was a platform where I can upload videos, I jumped on it.”

Her eponymous channel is known for exploring topics that cover womanhood, marriage and motherhood, although she started with make-up tutorials.

Her reason for branching out, she said, was more related to time.

“I started having children at the time and discovered I had less time for makeup videos. Also, there was an influx of such videos on YouTube.”

Another reason, she said, was because she didn’t want to stay away from her children. Thankfully, YouTube provided her with a platform to work from home and connect with her children.

Her videos usually featured members of her family. For example, in one of her YouTube videos, she shared how

Chikodinaka Chima she gave birth at the age of 22. In another, she discussed imperfect marriages. Other times, she shared tips on home decor and designing. Each of these videos sometimes garners more than 100,000 views. At the moment, she is nearing 40,000 subscribers.

Abang may have started YouTube as a way of sharing her life with others but with time, she realised that being a YouTube creator is actually a career. As a content creator, she explained that one of the things that keep people away from exploring YouTube is that they feel the platform is saturated.

“Everything is content but the key is finding people who are interested in what you are offering. Better content does not guarantee that you will meet a lot of people.”

She added that though the content creation industry has grown, they need more opportunities like the one YouTube is offering them to compete with their counterparts outside Africa.

“The #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund will provide an opportunity to grow my brand,” she concluded.

Chikodinaka Chima (Hn Clothings) A mathematician and fashion designer, Chikodinaka Chima is known for her scientific and artistic approach to fashion. On YouTube, the creator of Hn Clothings gives tutorials on pattern drafting, corset making, bridal wear among other fashion skills.

Like most people who suffered boredom and depression during the lockdown period of COVID-19 in 2020, Chima found YouTube as a way to kill the ennui. Since schools were shut down, the educationist found she had ample time to play around.

“I was in bed one day and the thought just hit me that I could actually be a YouTube content creator.”

It was not the first time such ideas ran through her mind. Some time ago, she said she and her husband tried their hands on a couples channel for YouTube but it didn’t work as planned. Therefore, when the idea of having a fashion channel came, she was determined to get things right. She started by watching tons of videos to master the skills needed.

“Sharing your knowledge and not being able to maximize your potential on the platform will make you stagnant so I had to learn how YouTube worked and then I was able to grow with that.”

Though she is relatively new, Chima currently has over 50,000 subscribers.

Her videos primarily focus on the basics of fashion designing for up-and-coming fashion designers.

“Fashion is something that people always follow and it is something I am very passionate about.”

Being on the YouTube platform she said

Funmi Ikede is the best decision ever.

Yet, when she got the email informing her that she’s been selected to be part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund 2022 class, she found it unbelievable.

“I kept asking my husband why me. Of course, I worked super hard on my channel but it was still overwhelming. I cried that day when I got the email. I saw that the people who participated last year were already established and for me being part of this year. The feeling was indescribable.”

Chima’s hopes to get more collaboration and maximize the full potential of the platform from the initiative.

Funmi Ikede (Fummeee Ayo) A computer engineer by profession, and an award-winning baker and decorator, Funmi Ikede is one of the emerging storytellers on YouTube. Her channel Fummeee Ayo focuses on sharing African stories through baking tutorials and lifestyle videos.

Based in Delta, Ikede was not expecting to be part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.

But then it happened and she was overjoyed.

Her journey towards becoming a YouTube content creator is instructive. After graduating from the university, she got married and began job hunting but was not lucky.

“I started looking for a business I could do at home because I already had a daughter and I didn’t want to leave her alone. I started baking from home but I still found it limiting. My sister who was also on YouTube suggested I upload my baking videos on YouTube.”

It took two years later for Ikede to finally upload her content on the platform. Describing herself as a shy person, she didn’t expose herself initially.

Her love for YouTube, she disclosed, is linked to her technology background.

“I wanted something that could merge my love for the camera and baking, and YouTube gave me that. YouTube changed my life.”

Beyond the passion, YouTube has elevated her reputation as a baker. Most of her clients come from YouTube and they encourage her to upload most of her content on the platform.

She has had people beyond Nigeria such as Canada reach her to commend her videos.

Ikede’s videos are sometimes laced with humour. One of the videos on her channel showed her accompanying her friend to the market to buy second-hand clothes. In another, she shared laughable moments on her wedding day.

Ikede believes poor internet connection, unstable electricity, and lack of equipment are still challenging to most content creators. This is why she is enthralled by the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund.

“With the grant, I will be able to get a better camera and the training will help me understand how to monetise my content,” she enthused.

32

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ, 2022

ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

Breaking the Bias for Women in Arts In Nigeria, it has been reported that some female artists have stopped practicing and showcasing their gifts due to their husbands’ disapproval. In commemoration of the International Women’s Day with the campaign theme ‘Break the Bias’ the President, Female Artists Association of Nigeria, Chinze Ojobo revealed how the association is advancing the interests of women artists amidst the challenges that are peculiar to the gender in art practice in this interview with Yinka Olatunbosun

NightNurserypicked as2022iREP’s ClosingFilm

H

ow has the association projected women artists in Nigeria in recent years?

As the current president of FEAAN, we have been able to do quite a lot for female artists. We have had a series of exhibitions and made it a duty to do at least three exhibitions every year.

During the time of Covid lockdown, we had an online exhibition. FEAAN is an old association. We started in 2001 with just a few artists but now we have over 300 artists. We try as much as possible to do exhibitions to promote female artists. We do it every March 8 and speak against violence against women. But on October 1, we have a September show that flows into October 1 celebrations.

We have done cultural exchange programmes and workshops. We have done it with China. We have had scholarship opportunities which we have given to three of our members at the Nile University and they have taken advantage of this for selfdevelopment and have graduated.

We have done workshops where the French embassy sponsored 40 of our female artists to Agbarha Otor, Delta State for the Harmattan workshop

by Bruce Onobrakpeya. We have the International Child Arts Olympiad DC. It is for children but then women are given the opportunity to travel to DC. We did a workshop for children.

We have an exhibition that opened on March 5 in Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos. The one in Abuja is at the Korean embassy, the one in Lagos is at Olori gallery and another one in Port Harcourt. The good thing about our exhibitions is that it empowers the female artists to sell their works and get connected with collectors.

It is quite discouraging to see the trend of gender inequality in the visual arts sector. At most group exhibitions, you’d find more male than female artists. What factors are responsible for this?

Art is considered as a male-dominated field and there is a lot involved.

Yes, there is inequality but I also think that the main cause is the way society is. When you graduate, people try to encourage you to go look for a job and teach instead of being an artist. You must be very daring as a woman to say that you want to be a full time artist. It is more or less a society that makes it easy for men to overshadow the women. The main essence of our association is to make women come together and show their works. Even if you don’t have a lot of work, you will at least have one. I know some women artists that

A still shot from the documentary film

Yinka Olatunbosun

Chinze Ojobo

their husbands did not allow them to paint since they got married.

Some even paint but hide their paintings from their husbands, and when their husbands find their paintings, they restrict them from participating in exhibitions. That’s also part of the problem. There is also a case of getting married and having children. While taking care of the family, you don’t have time to paint. But the male folks practice more and because they do, they tend to get better. For women, it is a huge sacrifice. So, if you say I want to do this full time and I am not getting married, it is a huge sacrifice. That is why it appears that the men are outshining women.

and painting, still participating in exhibitions, taking care of the family and still have full time government job. She couldn’t even stay long on the exhibition opening because she has to go and attend to other things. There are those who actually pushed towards their career but they had to sacrifice a lot. Due to gender bias, a lot of women can’t reach their career potential. Then it depends on what you are looking for. Some people want the money, some want the recognition so it depends on what you want. Some people want artistic excellence.

Define what your career potential is, where you are going and you will get there.

How can women artists then strike a balance between career and motherhood in this regard?

It is a lot of work for us women because the UN statistics say 70 percent of 1.8billion people living in poverty are women. Now, how can a woman with several jobs and her art keep up? I know female artists who are selling food stuff

What role has female mentorship played in nurturing winning women in arts?

Dr Ngozi Akande, Chief Nike Okundaye-Davies, Prof. Bridget Nwanze and many other leading female artists have given us a lot of support. Mama Nike has mentored a lot of female artists.

The mentorship has been very

good. Also, Dr. Stella Awo and Prof.

Peju Layiwola have also helped female artists develop an identity -to have their own style and know who they are, what they can do and how far they can go. It helps them develop a network to get to know art buyers, where to buy materials and the various art schools and you’d know where the exhibitions are, what to do and how to get there. It helps you gain high level career insight.

Women should be given credit when they perform very well. And when you are evaluating performance, be fair. We need to learn to empower women. Men should not deny women money. They shouldn’t say you have to do something for me to get this done. Women should be empowered. Some banks give lower interest rates to the women than the men which is very good.

Work distribution should be even.

We need our women to do works that are bold so that they can be on the same stage with the men. Women are divergent thinkers and they do better under collaborative settings.

Okhide Promotes Unity, Love in New Solo Show Yinka Olatunbosun The artist and educator, Klaranze Okhide is gearing up for a solo exhibition of paintings with the theme, ‘Triumph.’ The week-long show which opens on March 23 at the National Museum, Onikan is a collection of works anchored on the subject matters of unity, nature and love.

“The challenges of our daily struggles sometimes are gloomy, disastrous, frustrating, traumatic,’’

she revealed in an electronic chat.

“It is sometimes filled with trying moments. I am using these works to wish the world goodness. To make a clarion call for peace amidst war, for love amidst hatred, for charity amidst want. A call for positive change. To be human means to be sensitive, reflective, positive, creative, constructive and provide. Outside these virtues, we cannot lay claim to our humanity but have chosen the path of savagery and barbarism. When we no longer respect the next person’s rights, we

pay deaf ears to nature’s cry for humanity, the sound of guns banging out in cold winter Ukraine. The whole world cries in one voice, Peace. Our humanity must triumph beyond our present challenge of poverty, injustice, oppression and aggression,’’ she said.

Born Clara Nze, Klaranze draws inspiration from everyday life, creating art through diverse mediums as she promotes art at workshops, seminars, school art competitions and exhibitions. After her formal training at the prestigious Auchi Art School

(1999), she obtained a post-graduate diploma in Education at the University ofAbuja (2003).After her marriage, she became known as Klaranze Okhide.

She has won several awards and prizes including the International Red Cross society Geneva (women and war) in 2000, 2nd place winner at the “Life in my city art Competition 2008” by Alliance Francaise/Rocana,etc. Klaranze is one of the founding members of Female Artists Association of Nigeria (FEAAN) and Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Abuja.

GARDERIE NOCTURNE (Night Nursery), the film that won the Best Documentary film grand prize at the 2021 Pan African Film Festival, FESPACO in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, has been selected as the closing film for the 2022 iREP International Documentary Film Festival, holding from March 17 to 20 in Lagos and virtually.

The 67-minute film directed by Moumouni Sanou, will be the last of the over 60 films to be screened in the course of the 4-day festival, which will also feature conversations, training, workshops, mentorship session and producers’ roundtable among other niche items that distinguish the festival from others in its class.

The 2022 iREP Festival dotting on its conceptual framework of ‘Africa in Self-Conversation’ is exploring the theme ‘UNFILTERED: African Stories. Stories from Africa’, which according to the organisers is to examine “how Africa is being represented or otherwise by filmmakers and storytellers who engage her issues.”

Scheduled for screening on Sunday February 20, as the last of the over 60 films featuring in the festival, Night Nursery, which drew popular appeal after it was announced at the winner of the FESPACO 2021 Stallion of Gold of Yennenga Prize, is a fascinating story of the lives and activities at a popular ‘social’ centre in Bobo Dioulasso, one of Burkina Faso’s major cities.

Set in the county town of BoboDioulasso, near Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, sex workers leave their offspring in the care of Ms. Coda, an elderly lady who has been caring for children whose mothers earn their living on the streets at night for decades. Filmmaker Moumouni Sanou has managed over the years to gain the trust of everyone involved and gain a deep insight into the lives of Odile and Farida, both of whom depend on Ms. Coda’s services.

Sanou’s reserved, respectful look makes clear the advantages of horizontal filmmaking, which is characterized by the greatest possible attention and sensitivity towards the protagonists.

The 67-minute flick, produced by Berni Goldblat, juror at the African Movie Award Academy (AMAA), it is co-produced by Les Films Du Djabadjah (Burkina Faso), Vrai Vrai Films(France), and Blinker Filmproduktion (Germany), had also won Best Film Award Astra Film FestivalRomania2021’BestDocumentary Award Mashariki Film Festival Rwanda 2021; Honourable Award at Panorama Internacional Coisa De Cinema Brazil 2021. It was a major feature at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival; and in January began its European tour, starting in Germany.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ, 2022

33

IWD 2022: Simba Group Reiterates Commitment to #BreakingBias Precious Ugwuzor THE Simba Group has restated its avowed commitment to removing the barriers to financial independence for women, particularly women from underrepresented backgrounds, by equipping and empowering them with the necessary skills to defeat poverty and thus take their destiny into their hands.

Mr. Mahendra Pratap, Business Head, Simba TVS revealed the organisation’s position at the Women Strategy conference 2022 organised by the Women In Africa Transformation Initiative as part of activities to celebrate International Women’s Day 2022 in Abuja.

Mr. Pratap, who was represented at the August event by Mr. Taiwo Akinpelu, Divisional Head of Marketing, Simba TVS, stated that Simba Group celebrates all women and girls everywhere in the world while stressing the importance of the role organisations play in creating a world where all women have equal opportunities to succeed economically.

According to Pratap: “We are delighted to be the lead sponsors of this year’s Woman Strategy Conference 2022 organised by the Women In Africa For Transformation Initiative as part of the activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).

“In the light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it

has become more urgent and important today to unlock the potential of women.

“Without a doubt, the economic success of women benefits everyone, and would naturally translate to improved quality of life for families across Nigeria and the world at large.”

He noted that the theme of the IWD 2022 campaign #BreakTheBias is timely and germane adding that in furtherance of efforts to break the bias in the community and workplace, Simba TVS has over the years, been actively promoting Women’s Empowerment in Nigeria through the Simba TVS Queen Riders program.

In his words: “We set up the Queen Riders’ program to teach women from under-represented backgrounds how to safely ride and repair tricycles, enabling them to partake in the burgeoning transportation industry and increase their families’ disposable incomes.

“In collaboration with The Simba Training School, we conduct advanced courses in tricycle repair and maintenance in addition to the riding programs.”

“The Queen Riders initiative also collaborates with other NGOs who work to promote Women’s Empowerment. Simba also partners with Microfinance Bank to provide graduates of the program an ecosystem that is led by women, for women, in the industry,” he concluded.

International Women’s Day, commemorated annually on March 8, is a global

day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

The day also marks a call to

action for accelerating women’s equality.

This year’s campaign theme— #BreaktheBias —

spotlights the individual and collective biases against women that fuel gender inequality.

“Whether deliberate or uncon-

scious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead,” the International Women’s Day website reads.

L-R: Mr. Kamlesh Pilate, Regional Manager Simba TVS; Mr. Taiwo Akinpelu, Divisional Head of Marketing, Simba TVS and Mr. V.D.S.L Surendra, Acting Indian Commissioner to Nigeria while inspecting one of the TVS Queen Rider tricycles at the Women in Africa Strategic Conference, in commemoration of the International Women’s Day, held in Abuja, recently

Farouq Urges Women to Embrace Education Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has urged women to embrace education to put them in position to become change makers of the society.

She made the appeal in Lagos when she was conferred with the 2021 DUSUSU Gender Minister Award by DUSUSU Foundation (Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up). She also promised to continue the uplifting women to be change makers in the society.

The minister said young women can attain any height with determination and focus.

“The Gender Minister Award may, at first glance,

CEO of DUSUDU Foundation, Zuriel Oduwole, left, presents the Gender Minister Award to Umar Farouq

seem surprising to be awarded to myself as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

“However, taken as a whole, along with all the programmes under my purview, we have made a conscious effort to mainstream gender considerations

and ensure that women are enabled to be change makers in their immediate communities and beyond,” she said.

The minister noted that

most of the beneficiaries of the economic buffers like Conditional Cash Transfer, Cash Transfer for Rural Women, the N-Power Scheme, Gov-

ernment Enterprise Empowerment Scheme and the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme were women in addition to the upcoming Alternate School Programme.

In her remarks, the CEO of DUSUSU Foundation Ms Zuriel Oduwole said that the minister was presented the award following her humanitarian role in Nigeria and contributions to the development of women, girls and children.

She said the Gender Minister Award followed the collation of all the data, information, corroboration of trends, compilation of external inputs, verification of all information received, transparency of definition models and authentication of all sources in delivery by the various external audit support groups from June 2020 to July 2021.

IWD: Group Encourages More Women into Technology to Break Bias Rebecca Ejifoma In commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), a group of women in the tech space has encouraged other women and girls to join the technology space.

The event, which was powered by Duale Ovia and Alex-Adedipe (DOA), pulled female students from six secondary schools

across the state. It was on the theme, “Girls in Technology: Breaking the Bias in Technology”.

In her remarks, the CEO of Future Software Resources Ltd, Nkemdilim Bhego, spurred the girl child to embrace technology, adding that they should upgrade their skills.

“Accelerate and dig in.

Your skills will speak for you. Without any kind of tech skills, you are not going

to be relevant in the next 10 years,” she added.

According to Begho, girls in technology is a laudable initiative. She harped on the importance of why organisations should support getting more women into technology.

“They should inspire young women to want to pursue careers in technology because there are not enough women in technology,” she noted.

As a Digital Transformation and Digital Marketing expert, she implored all women to support initiatives that have been working on technology in the last 10 years with funding so that they can widen their reach.

The Managing Partner of DOA Law firm, Adeleke Alex-Adedipe hinted that although there are a lot of women in technology today, the issue around

that is how celebrated these women in technology are. Apart from that, he continued, we can actually have a lot more women participating in technology. “As they participate, the world should learn to celebrate them, which is the focus and the reason we join every woman and the entire world today to celebrate the IWD.” At DOA, Alex-Adedipe told newsmen that they de-

cided to call on six schools and have older successful celebrated technology practitioners in Nigeria speak to and encourage them.

“We also make them realise that there is a bright future out there and that together even with the men they can break the bias against women in the world.

We need these older women who are being celebrated to encourage the younger girls,” he said.

34

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ​ͯ˜ 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Analysts Optimistic of Nigeria’s Economic Growth in 2022 Kayode Tokede Analysts have predicted that Nigeria’s economy may witness growth in 2022, stating that the recovery path in 2021 will be critical in shaping the business and macroeconomic environment this year.

Speaking at the 4th edition of Coronation Merchant Bank Interactive Session Series, themed; “Nigeria’s Economic Landscape – a blend of optimism and uncertainty,” the analysts called on the federal government to pay more attention to the non-oil sector.

Giving his economic prediction for the year, Advisory Partner/ Chief Economist at PwC Nigeria, Andrew S. Nevin expressed his optimism for 2022, stating that: “We have a bigger economy and more economic activities than we think.

He said, “The official number from NBS is about N20trillion in the fourth quarter which understates the economy perhaps as much as 25per cent. We also have a smaller population than estimated, so we are actually

richer than we think.”

Speaking on the economic landscape of Nigeria, Founder and Chief Consultant, Adedipe Associates, Dr. Biodun Adedipe noted that: “We’ve seen the pattern in the last 10 years of non-oil sectors accounting for between 77per cent and 82per cent in terms of contribution to our GDP, while the oil sector has repeatedly accounted for less than 10per cent.

“It is now obvious that what drives the economy is the non-oil sector and that is where we will have to pay a lot of attention.

Looking at this in the context of where we are, I see an economy that will grow very strongly, and I expect growth to be sustained this year, ”he said.

Delivering her macroeconomic presentation at an event hosted virtually, Chief Economist at Coronation Merchant Bank, Chinwe Egwim said: “Looking ahead, on the back of specific factors we expect upward pressure on prices.

“Overall, consumption patterns are relatively better and are almost

mirroring pre-pandemic levels.

However, we must note that consumer pockets are still steadily being rebuilt.”

Speaking during the panel discussion, Prof. Joseph Nnanna added that, “Taking a look at the diversification strategy we need as a country to restructure the economy, moving from the factors of production within and across different sectors towards high productivity so that diversification can be achieved through encouraging private investments, foreign investments, improving infrastructure and so on.”

In his welcome remarks, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Coronation Merchant Bank, Banjo Adegbohungbe stated that, “There are a number of factors, both positive and negative that are expected to influence the macroeconomic landscape in 2022.

“The lessons learnt on resilience as Nigeria embarked on a recovery path in 2021 will be critical in shaping the business and macroeconomic environment this year.”

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021

BOI’s $1bn Syndicated Term Loan Facility Receives Accolades

Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

Nume Ekeghe

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

The Bank of Industry (BOI) has received the highly coveted award for the ‘International Syndicated Loan Deal of The Year’ at the Bonds & Loans Africa Awards ceremony.

The award, which took place in Mount Nelson, Cape Town was in recognition of its $1billion Syndicated Term Loan Facility successfully raised in the international market in December 2020.

The award comes on the back of BOI’s successful issuance of a €750mn Senior Eurobond (the first by any African national DFI) in February 2022. In the last

four years, Bank of Industry has raised about $3.8billion from the international financial market: This includes another syndicated loan of €1bn in March 2020; and a $750million syndicated medium-term loan in 2018 which has been fully paid off.

“This recognition highlights our impact as Nigeria’s leading Development Finance Institution committed to maximizing our developmental impact by raising and deploying the funds that enhance our capacity to support our customers.

“We look forward to intensifying our efforts to catalyze sustainable economic growth for Nigeria and the continent

at large,” Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Industry, Mr. Olukayode Pitan said.

Pitan acknowledged the significant role that myriad strategic partners played in the consummation of this deal in spite of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic: “We are especially grateful for the support of our lead arrangers, underwriters and book runners; Afreximbank, Credit Suisse A.G, Rand Merchant Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; and The Central Bank of Nigeria which provided a 100% currency swap that allowed us to mitigate foreign exchange rate risks.”

Firm Develops Payment Solution for Lagos Taxi Riders Hamid Ayodeji Univasa, an indigenous ridehailing company in Nigeria, has announced the launch of its Verify and Pay solution, an innovative digital payment system designed to reshape and ease the payment system of the transportation space in the country.

Through the Verify and Pay platform, passengers hailing a cab can scan the barcode on the taxi to confirm the details of the driver and the vehicle, input their destination to check and negotiate fares, and select preferred payment options such as card payments or USSD. Speaking at the launching,

recently in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Univasa, Ben Adeniyi said, “The verify and pay platform initiative was born out of the need to be an enabler to service providers and consumers.

“For us at Univasa, providing innovative services is at the helm of our operations and we continue to hold it as a top priority.

“The Verify and Pay is a new face to transportation in Nigeria, it has currently been launched for the Lagos Yellow Cabs but will also cut across other forms of transport within Lagos state and other states such as, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt before the end of the year.“ On his part, President of Lagos

State Taxi Drivers and Cab Operators Association, Omolekan Taiwo, urged the association’s members to embrace the technology driven initiative to enhance revenue growth.

He also pointed out that the association regularly organises training to educate members, especially older persons on how to use digital applications in order to carry out their day to day business transactions.

Taiwo added: “We are optimistic about these innovations because we believe it would help improve the reputation of the association as riders will be more assured of their safety and accountability.”

FirstBank Rewards Customers with N50m inVerve Card Campaign FirstBank, Nigeria’s leading financial inclusion services provider has urged its customers to take advantage of the Bank’s ongoing Verve Card campaign designed to reward customers for their continued usage of the Verve debit Card.

The bank in a statement said the eight-week promo will end on Wednesday, 30 March 2022 as 2,601 customers will win various prizes.

“These prizes include: N20,000 Cash Prize, N10,000 Cash Prize, N10,000 worth of airtime; power generating sets, refrigerator, cook-

ing gas and the grand prize of a brand-new car.The promo will reward customers on a weekly and monthly basis. In every week of the promo, 200 customers who carry out a minimum of 2 transactions with their Verve debit card stand a chance to win N10,000.00 worth of airtime, cash prizes of N10,000 and N20,000.

“Furthermore, 100 customers who perform a minimum of 8 transactions within 4 weeks with their Verve debit card will be rewarded with either a Generator set, Refrigerator,

Gas Cooker or N50,000 cash prize every four weeks.A Grand prize of a brand-new car will also be won by a lucky customer who performs a minimum of 16 transactions during the campaign period, “it said.

Commenting, FirstBank’s Group Executive, e-Business & Retail Products, Chuma Ezirim said, “we are happy with the ongoing verve debit card promo designed to appreciate customers for their continued usage and adoption of the card for various digitally-driven transactions.

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ 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 AS AT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

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).

35

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ​ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

Popoola: Capital Market Stands to Gain From 2021 Finance Act Kayode Tokede The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) has said collaboration and engagement with stronger voice will help to address several policy changes recently affecting the capital market.

The CEO, NGX, Mr. Temi Popoola, disclosed this at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Fiscal Policy Roundtable held yesterday.

Speaking at the webinar tagged ‘impact assessment of the 2021 Finance Act’ organized by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Popoola commended the economic policy direction of the current administration citing the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act and the 2021 Finance act as indications of the government’s commitment to drive non-oil revenues into the country.

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

The CEO of NGX said the tenets of the 2021 Finance Act brought a lot of more clarity on investment such as the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), Capital Gain Tax (CGT) and Securities Lending transaction.

Investing in real estate investment brings a lot of potential gain, saying that “If you look at our market today all our assets class has help to boost investors’ confidence.”

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

QUANTITY TRADED

Further highlighting the direct impact of the act, Popoola stated that the introduction of the capital gains tax on transactions over 100 million naira is a welcome development in line with the government’s drive towards an increased tax bracket. He however cited that the policy might have the adverse effect of discouraging high-end investors including institutional investors.

T R A D E D

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

A S

According to him, as retail investors were the primary drivers of the market in 2021 and largely fall below the N100 million cap, this policy should drive further participation by those in this category.

He also noted the potential macroeconomic effects of the finance act including the introduction of excise taxes on Non Alcoholic beverages and the Education tax and the

O F

1 0

potential impact on the abilities of the affected entities to raise capital and pay dividends to investors citing the timing and recovering economy as factors that may influence this.

He, however, noted that overall, the law serves to boost the capital market and the economy reiterating NGX’s commitment to adhering to government policy and driving growth in the capital market.

/ 0 3 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

36

FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS 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

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 09Mar-2022, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 7.10% Anchoria Equity Fund 143.44 145.18 3.35% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.23 1.23 7.35% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com info@anchoriaam.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 21.09 21.72 3.95% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 476.83 491.20 5.69% ARM Ethical Fund 39.57 40.76 1.58% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.05 1.06 -2.31% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.03 1.40% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.35% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.09 2.09 11.11% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.25 2.29 17.79% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.92% Cordros Milestone Fund 138.75 139.66 4.96% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 111.43 111.43 0.90% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.57% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.02 3.00 104.32% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.04 1.04 13.85% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 101.49 101.49 3.44% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED 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 1,423.87 1,423.87 10.79% FBN Balanced Fund 183.94 185.33 4.95% FBN Halal Fund 117.52 117.52 8.70% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.18% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund FSDH Dollar Fund

122.98 155.76

122.98 3.98% 157.90 3.29% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price N/A N/A N/A N/A

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 3,985.06 3,508.49 100.00

Offer Price 4,045.76 3,508.49 100.00

1.09

1.09

Yield / T-Rtn 2.38% 1.16% 5.79%

3.41%

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 5.63% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.86 2.92 0.07% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 142.93 142.99 -8.15% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.61% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.08 1.08 4.04% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.57 1.60 4.41% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,161.96 1,161.96 2.19% 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 1.57 1.60 4.41% Meristem Money Market Fund 1,161.96 1,161.96 2.19% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 103.77 103.77 12.56% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.99% 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 N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM EuroBond Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 132.54 134.77 8.50% 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 1.08 1.08 10.03% 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 3,534.02 3,573.01 2.65% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 236.91 236.91 0.50% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.35 1.37 4.62% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 316.53 316.53 1.02% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 246.80 250.39 1.92% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.54% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,292.14 11,451.80 1.65% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.30 1.30 0.83% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 117.68 117.68 0.61% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 107.99 107.99 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 0.97 0.99 4.28% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.42 1.44 4.17% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.15 1.17 5.85% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.09 1.09 1.40% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.98 1.98 1.39% United Capital Eurobond Fund 123.54 123.54 0.99% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.98% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.41 13.53 1.66% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.31 15.48 4.77% Zenith Income Fund 22.33 22.33 1.51% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.27%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 54.65

10.62% 8.10%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.13 135.33 106.96 20.09 22.32

14.23 138.72 109.32 20.19 22.42

1.15% 2.83% 3.23% 0.00% 0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

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

4.36 5.71 18.60 1.00 21.04 169.69

4.46 5.81 18.80 1.00 21.24 171.69

15.83% 12.15% 8.23% 6.89% 8.46% 7.51%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

10.80%

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.

37

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

NEWS

Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322

ACCESS BANK INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY...

L-R: Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc. Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Special Guest/ Musician, Bukola Elemide (ASA); Chairman, Access Bank, Ajoritsedere Awosika; and the former Bank’s SUNDAY ADIGUN Chairman, Mrs. Mosun Belo-Olusoga, at the 2022 Access Bank International Women’s Day Conference held in Lagos... yesterday

IMF: Ukraine War Threatens Africa in Food, Fuel Prices Okays $1.4bn emergency financing for war-torn country

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has warned that the war in Ukraine threatens to undo Africa’s progress in recovering from the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic and presents new challenges for the continent.

She, however, expressed IMF's readiness to help African countries reduce the cost of any needed policy adjustments through policy advice, capacity development, and lending, adding that recent reforms to the Fund’s lending toolkit provide greater flexibility to help meet financing needs.

In a statement yesterday, the IMF chief said policy makers at a meeting of African finance ministers and central bankers expressed concerns about their domestic policy space to address the ongoing crisis.

According to her, Africa was particularly vulnerable to the impact of the Ukraine war through four main channels increased food prices, higher fuel costs, lower tourism revenues, and potentially more difficult access to international capital markets.

She said: “A recalibration of policies appears inevitable in many countries. At this difficult moment, the fund stands ready to help African countries reduce

Federal Fire Service Expresses Disappointment over Handling of Petroleum Products Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has expressed disappointment over the manner in which some Nigerians handle petroleum products.

The FFS had warned that petrol should be handled with care and should not be stored

by Nigerians.

Recent incidents however showed that this advice may not have been heeded.

In a statement yesterday by the spokesman of the FFS, Abraham Paul, the Acting Comptroller General of the FFS, Dr. Samson Karebo expressed disappointment over the attitude of some individuals handling petroleum products, making reference to an incident in Lagos State were a celebrant presented jerry cans of petrol to guests at an event as souvenirs. The act was in contravention to public safety.

Karebo, however, instructed all States and Zonal Commands to be on high alert and begin overt operations in high risk areas especially during this period of fuel scarcity, while encouraging all

stakeholders to always acquaint themselves with the fire safety code and report any fire incidents to the fire station near them.

He also reiterated that the Service would not tolerate any attack on fire men or any form of disruption to their lawful duties, just as he appealed to members of the public, especially commuters to always give the right of way to fire fighters.

He commiserated with the governments and people of Kwara, Plateau and Lagos States on the recent fire incidents in which some persons lost their lives and millions of properties destroyed.

He particularly expressed deep sadness over the accident at Airport Road, Ilorin, Kwara State involving a commercial bus carrying petrol that exploded and another incident in Plateau State where a couple were reportedly burnt to death as a result of an explosion from the storage of petrol in their apartment as well as the recent tanker explosion at Mobil Filling Station in Idi-Oro, Mushin area of Lagos State. All of which resulted in the destruction of lives and properties.

the cost of any needed policy adjustments through policy advice, capacity development, and lending.

“Recent reforms to the fund’s lending toolkit provide greater flexibility to help meet financing needs.”

The IMF in 2020 provided 13 times its average annual lending to sub-Saharan Africa and increased access limits to its zero-interest lending that comes mostly without the fund’s traditional conditions.

The IMF also disclosed that its executive board has approved $1.4 billion in emergency financing to support Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.

The Bretton Wood institution, in a statement, said the executive

board gave its approval on Wednesday night.

According to the IMF, the support comes from its rapid financing instrument (RFI).

The RFI provides rapid financial assistance available to all IMF member countries facing an urgent balance of payments need.

Expressing its strong support for the Ukrainian people, the IMF said the economic consequences of the war are already very serious, with refugee flows of over two million persons in just 13 days and large-scale destruction of key infrastructure in Ukraine.

It said: “This disbursement under the RFI, equivalent to 50 percent of Ukraine’s quota in

the IMF, will help meet urgent balance of payment needs arising from the impacts of the ongoing war and will provide critical support in the short term while playing a catalytic role for financing from other partners."

According to the global lender, Ukrainian authorities had cancelled an existing stand-by lending arrangement with the IMF but would work with the fund to design an appropriate economic program focused on rehabilitation and growth when conditions permit.

The IMF chief executive, Kristalina Georgieva said the Russian military invasion of Ukraine had been responsible for a massive humanitarian and economic crisis.

She said: “The tragic loss of life, huge refugee flows, and immense destruction of infrastructure and productive capacity is causing severe human suffering and will lead to a deep recession this year.”

“Financing needs are large, urgent, and could rise significantly as the war continues.”

According to him, the financial support should help fill the financing gap and mitigate the economic impacts of the war, adding that "once the war is over and a proper damage assessment can be performed, additional large support is likely to be needed to support reconstruction efforts.”

The World Bank had also on Monday approved a $723 million package of loans and grants for Ukraine.

Volume of Nigeria, Korea Bilateral Trade Hits $2bn Korea calls for timely commitment from Nigeria on $13m digital governance programme Michael Olugbode and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Republic of Korea has disclosed that the volume of trade between the country and Nigeria last year rose to $2 billion.

The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Kim Young Chae, disclosed this yesterday, when he addressed the media on the heel of the election of Yoon Suk-yeol as South Korea’s President-elect on Wednesday.

He said the bilateral trade figure was a 50 per cent increase in compared to that of 2020. He said the boost in bilateral trade occurred in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I hope that this year our bilateral trade rises further and at the end of the day I want to see Nigeria become Korea’s biggest trading partner in Africa. Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa, so it should be Korea’s number trading partner among Africa’s countries,” Kim said.

Presently, Nigeria is Korea’s third biggest trading partner in Africa.

The ambassador said the balance of trade between both countries was driven mainly by Korea’s manufactured goods, like plastic

and aluminum related products and Nigeria’s oil and gas.

“We are importing a lot of Nigerian gas to further increase our bilateral trade. Of course oil and gas is very important, but we want to see some agricultural products from Nigeria and manufactured goods in order to penetrate into Korean market.

“I hope more Nigerian companies will study Korean markets and Korean consumers. For example, we import a lot of sesame seed and I know that Nigeria produces a lot of sesame seed. There is a huge potential for Nigeria’s sesame seed or sesame oil,” he said.

He also stated that his country wants Nigeria to back the candidacy of Korean Foreign Affairs Minister, Kyung-wha Kang for the DirectorGeneral of the International Labour Organization (ILO) at the election scheduled for Geneva on March 25.

Kim said Kang had met the Chief of Staff to President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and NLC President Mr. Ayuba Waba during her visit to the country to campaign and seek Nigeria’s backing for her candidacy.

Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea has called on Nigeria to fulfill her

commitments and support the set objectives of the $13 million Digital Governance Programme.

Speaking during the recently conducted two-week pre-kick-off survey for the project titled: “Project for Building Foundations Towards Digital Governance in Nigeria (2021~2026),” the KOICA Nigeria Country Director, Mr. Sungil Son said engagements with government stakeholders was focused on the need to have all commitments from the Nigerian government.

The Republic of Korea through its grant aid agency, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Office in Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE) recently conducted a 2-week prekick-off survey for the project.

The project is expected to enhance Nigeria’s e-Government implementation system through the update of the current Nigeria’s e-Government Master Plan (NeGMP), upgrade of Nigeria’s Enterprise Architecture and development of a 10-year eGovernment Implementation Plan.

Other objectives of the project includes improvement in competencies for e-Government

service delivery through capacity building programs designed for policy makers and technical officers at both federal and state levels of government, enhancement of the quality of government digital services through the activation of the Government Service Portal www. services.gov.ng and create increased access for NIN enrolment through the establishment of additional NIN enrolment units.

A statement from KOICA yesterday, disclosed that during the survey, an initial 3-member Project Management Consultant (PMC) team led by the Project Manager, Prof. Hung-Kook Park from Sangmyung University and KOICA Nigeria Country Director, Mr. Sungil Son, had detailed technical and high-level engagements with representatives of key project stakeholders namely; Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone (GBB), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), and National Population Commission (NPC).

38

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

NEWS

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN...

L-R: Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano receiving a report of the Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led Anambra Vision 2070 Committee, after a valedictory cabinet council meeting by the governor and members of his executive held at Awka...yesterday

We've Received Substantial Funds to Prepare for 2023 Elections, Says INEC Gives reasons Commission's independence can't be fully guaranteed Emameh Gabriel in Abuja Ahead of next year's general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday disclosed that it has received a substantial amount of its budget to prepare and conduct the polls in 2023.

Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure when he spoke as a special guest of honour during the second edition of #FixPolitics Dialogue organised to engage the INEC on the commission's independence and the future of elections in Nigeria.

Yakubu who left the session before it fully came to life for an emergency official engagement was later represented by Prof Mohammad J. Kuna, who spoke on the topic: “INEC and the Future of Nigerian Elections,” in a two-hour interactive virtual session attended by several panelists including Ambassadors of the United States to Nigeria and her counterparts from the United Kingdom, the European Union, United Nations and African Union as well as civil society organisations in the country.

While fielding questions from the panelists and other members in attendance regarding the

provision of the new Electoral Act, the independence of the INEC, funding and preparation for subsequent elections in the country, he said the commission was fully prepared for the 2023 general elections considering the amount made available to it so far.

Yakubu added: "As for fund, the commission has received significant amount for the conduct of the 2023 elections that would enable it to do a substantial part of what is needed for the election. Not all the funds have been released but a substantial part of it have been made available.”

The INEC representative also spoke on the operational context in which electoral management bodies across the world operate, the nature of political competitions and culture, strength and weakness of institutions and the impacts they have on the electoral process of the country, noting that several commission of inquiries had shown how political interests and electoral contexts affects electoral and political process, especially in Nigerian due to desperation on the part of political actors, the state and the tendency to win election at all cost.

He said: "I want to speak on the notion of independence,

PDP Holds NEC Meeting Tuesday, 2023 INEC’s Guidelines Top Agenda Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has summoned a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for Tuesday, to discuss among other things, how to implement the agenda for the 2023 general election and the guidelines recently released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to a statement by the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, "All members of the National Executive Committee of our great party are invited to the 95th NEC

meeting scheduled as follows: “Date: Tuesday March 15, 2022; Venue: NEC Hall PDP National Hqs., Wadata Plaza, Abuja; Time: 2.00pm. All members are enjoined to be in attendance,” the notice stated.

But party sources claimed the main agenda of the NEC was to discuss the election timetable and schedules released by INEC last week.

All political parties have between April 4 and June 3 to conduct and submit the names of their presidential candidates within time specified, the INEC schedule stated.

not only for institutions but also of individuals. I think that it's important to emphasise that the notion of freedom from both individuals and the freedom of institutions are things that have to be placed in their proper context" "All over the world, individuals have been fighting for freedom but that freedom hasn't been given. But both individuals and institutions have to take steps to get that independence they have or that which they ought to have.

"I think in terms of the operations of INEC, over the years, there have been concrete efforts to ensure that freedom and independence. Having said so, elections management bodies across the world operate within and response to specific political

competition in the country or the area we are looking at.”

Citing the Babalakin Commission of Inquiry, he said political contest has always been a cut throat process between politicians and political culture.

"This is quite true in the contest of Nigeria. Many African politicians do not have defeat as part of their political vocabulary.

So the matter generally is to win and to win by all means.

“The matter generally has affected the way and manner elections and electoral processes are managed and other relevant issues connected to the electoral processes. It's the same thing in terms of political culture, it's the same thing to how instructions react to what is being done by

the state.”

On the independence of the Commission, Mohammad explained: "Since 2010, the INEC had tried to affirm its independence as guaranteed in the constitution as well as the Electoral Act," citing Section 81(3), which deals with financial independence of INEC, 158(1) appointment and disciplinary control, which has been re-enforced by Section 160 (sub section 2).

He said, although, "the Electoral Act 2022 as amended, has also expanded the three key sections of the 1999 Constitution earlier highlighted, in terms of the exercise of the independence of the commission, there are always dangers, cases that the commission would be pushed by

the state and the independence guaranteed by the constitution and the electoral act but it needs to jealously guide it."

Earlier in her remarks, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesisil, a co-founder of the FixPolitics initiative, said it was launched to conscientise and mobilise the citizens against a dominant culture that had pervaded the entire political space in the last decades, in Africa and Nigeria in particular.

Similarly, panelists who contributed in the discussion all agreed that there must be conscious efforts by the citizens, the youth especially, to engage in the political system as they are critical stakeholders who must function uptimatly to make the system work for the interest of all.

FG Seeks US Funding for Development of Nigeria’s Natural Gas Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, yesterday called on the United States Government to provide funding support for Nigeria to develop its natural gas resources.

The call by Sylva is coming on the heels of Russian war with Ukraine, which currently threatens the disruption of gas supplies from Russia to the entire European continent.

Speaking during a meeting with the US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, on the sidelines of the ongoing CERAweek, in Houston Texas, Sylva said the collaboration between the US and Nigeria in this area would be of immense benefits to both countries as well as the entire globe.

“It is in the interests of the global community that there is alternative supply of gas to Europe. The challenge for us to achieve this feat has been lack of infrastructure and we need funding to development infrastructure for our gas and we believe that the US can provide that funding,” Sylva stated.

Stating that the natural gas could serve as an alternative source of energy for Europe, Sylva told Granholm that Nigeria has abundance of the commodity that

can meet European gas demands, but said that the problem has been access to funding.

He explained that as part of efforts to boost gas supplies across the African continent, Nigeria has embarked upon the construction of 600 kilometres of the AjaokutaKaduna- Kano (AKK) gas pipeline designed to take gas to Europe via North Africa.

Sylva therefore called on the US to provide the needed funding for infrastructure for the exploitation of the huge natural gas in Nigeria.

“We have access to gas but access to funding has been the problem. Our desire is to be able to take gas from Nigeria through Algeria to Europe. We have already kick-started the AKK gas pipeline project and if we have the required funding we can complete that project in two years.

“Nigeria has over 206 tcf of natural gas reserve and unproven reserve of 600 tcf and we believe that if we target exploitation of natural gas in Nigeria, we will be able to get up to 600 tcf. We need to have the needed funding to develop our gas and the US can provide us this funding,” he added.

The minister said the crisis between Russia and Ukraine was a wake-up call to have alternative sources of gas to Europe, stressing

that in situations like this, it is always good to have alternatives.

Speaking on the issue of global energy transition, Sylva said for the energy transition programme to be meaningful, the peculiar problems of Africa must be factored into the entire energy transition arrangement.

“We have to be given some special considerations. I am excited that the world has started listening to us. I was particularly happy that John Kerry echoed our position when he spoke at a panel session.

“Inasmuch as we want to be part of the new economy, we can not move at the same pace. We still have people without clean cooking fuels, so we want to achieve our energy base load through a multi pronged approach. The reality check is that we cannot move at the same pace. There is gap between expectations,” he noted.

Sylva however cautioned that such funding and technological supports must be made accessible to interested countries.

“We have to work out a structured way to access the funding. We must create that understanding to make the loans accessible. The issue of sovereign guarantee must be removed so that interested countries can easily access the funding. “the minister further stated.

Citing the case of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), Sylva said since the programme came into force so many years ago, no African country has been able to successfully key into the project for maximum benefits.

He said: “It has not been easy for Africa to access AGOA. so the type of funding we are looking at is the one that Nigeria will be able to access”.

In her remarks, Granholm expressed the readiness of the US to cooperate with Nigeria to develop her renewable energy sector, noting that her government was not against the development of gas or other sources of energy.

She therefore called for a coordinated strategy to pin down specific areas of focus where funding and other supports would be required.

“Investors are interested in funding renewable energy in Nigeria but they are interested in knowing possible areas of focus.

We have to work out a structured way to access the fund” Granholm said.

In an earlier meeting with the US Assistant Secretary of State, Harry Karman, Sylva expressed Nigeria’s willingness to develop the different sources of renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydrogen.

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NEWS

UK Freezes Assets Belonging to Roman Abramovich, Six Other Russian Oligarchs Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report Chelsea Football Club owner, Roman Abramovich, has been hit with an assets freeze and travel ban as part of new UK government sanctions targeting seven Russian oligarchs.

Among others sanctioned are leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska, Chief Executive, Rosneft, Igor Sechin and the Head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, the government announced on Thursday.

Speculation had swirled for weeks about whether Abramovich would be included in the targeted action against Russian billionaires perceived to be close to the Kremlin.

Abramovich announced last week that he was selling Chelsea, after buying the English Premier League side in 2003 and bankrolling its successes at the domestic and European level.

The UK government estimated his net worth at £9.4 billion ($12.3billion), but said it was mitigating the effect of the sanctions on Chelsea by allowing the club to continue to operate.

A special licence “authorises a number of football-related activities”, the government said in a statement.

“This includes permissions for the club to continue playing matches and other football-related activity which will in turn protect the Premier League, the wider football pyramid, loyal fans and other clubs,” it added.

Deripaska, who has stakes in En+ Group, an Anglo-Russian green energy and metals company, is Abramovich’s one-time business partner, while officials described Sechin as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “right-hand man”.

The four others – Miller, VTB bank chairman Andrey Kostin, Transneft chief Nikolai Tokarev and Bank Rossiya chairman Dmitri Lebedev – are part of his inner circle, according to the UK government.

Collectively, the seven have a net worth of about £15 billion ($19.2bn), the statement read.

British Prime Minister Boris

Johnson, according to Aljazeera, called the sanctions “the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people”.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss added: “Today’s sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society.

“With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.

The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame,” she said.

The government’s statement also noted that a new Economic Crime

Former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister and father of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections, General Mohammad Gado Nasko has lost no fewer than 400 cows to rustlers who stormed his farm in Nasko town in the Magama loca government area of Niger state.

The 400 cows that belonged to Nasko were part of the more than 1000 of such animals stolen from the area by the rustlers One security man attached to the Gado Nasko farm was killed during the invasion of the facility.

Reports from Nasko indicated that the rustlers in their numbers who were heavily armed carried out the raid last Monday.

According to the findings, the bandits reportedly overpowered other security men on the farm before making away with the cattle after which they went on a raid of other cattle farms in the community.

THISDAY learnt that a large number of villagers were also kidnapped by the gunmen.

According to reports from the are,a the cattle rustlers and the

Chelsea owner’s plan to sell the Premier League club will be stalled after his assets were frozen by the UK Government.

The prime minister had last week promised to publish a list of Russian elites who are said to have links to President Vladimir Putin’s regime, with officials saying work was being undertaken to build the legal case for further sanctions on individuals.

Johnson’s administration has faced criticism for failing to target oligarchs and their assets in the

same way the European Union has done, with Brussels seizing super yachts owned by wealthy figures in recent days.

The UK Government had deemed that Abramovich has obtained “a financial benefit or other material benefit from Putin and the government of Russia”.

Those benefits included: “Tax breaks received by companies linked to him, buying and selling shares from and to the state at favourable rates, and the contracts received in the run-up to the FIFA 2018 World Cup”.

He has also been targeted for his associations through “close business relationships and mutual assistance” with already-sanctioned Igor Shuvalov, a former Russian deputy prime minister and general director of Russian gas giant Gazprom, The Foreign Office also concluded that Abramovich “is or has been involved in destabilising Ukraine” via Evraz plc, a steel manufacturing and mining company in which he has “a significant shareholding and… exercises effective control”.

BILATERAL MEETING ON THE SIDELINE OF CERAWEEK...

United States (US) Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm (left) and Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, after a bilateral meeting, on the sideline of the ongoing Ceraweek, in Houston, Texas, US, on Wednesday

Former FCT Minister, Mohammad Gado Nasko, Loses 400 Cattle to Rustlers Laleye Dipo in Minna

Bill will go into effect next week and will “significantly simplify” the process of imposing sanctions.

In total, the U.K’s updated sanctions list includes 65 individuals and entities linked to the Russian government.

“There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine…We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies,” Johnson stated.

With the latest action, the

herds of cattle were later seen along the road to Gulbin boka village though their exact destination was not known.

Unconfirmed source said Nasko was outside the country for medical treatment when the incident occured.

Sources informed THISDAY that several communities in Magama local government area among them Maganan daji, Gyangi ,Genu, Azozo ,Ashuwa Yangalu Taka lafiya and Ibeto have been taken over by bandits.

It was learnt that most of the villagers sacked by bandits from the LGA are now living in several uncompleted buildings in Kontagora town.

The Police could not be reached for confirmation of the report but an official of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the story on condition of anonymity.

The official said a team from the agency had been deployed to the troubled local government area to collect the data of those affected.

"We want to get the statistics ready because it might be needed in future" the official said .

However, the Director General of the Agency could not be reached to confirm the information.

After Years of Agitation, Petroleum Truck Owners Get 25% Freight Increase Lament N625 diesel price

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja After years of agitation, the federal government has finally approved a 25 per cent increase in the freight rate for members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).

Making the announcement yesterday, during the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) which held in Suleja, Niger state, President of NARTO, Mr. Yusuf Othman, however lamented that the gains of the hike may have been wiped off by the current rising price of diesel.

The transport owners stressed that NARTO made modest achievements recently, including the negotiation of a new freight rate; securing the contract for the transportation of fertilisers and wheat seeds; refurbishment and procurement of new vehicles for office use; and improvement in relations with stakeholders.

Specifically, Othman noted that during the period, the organisation in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was able to transport 2,000 tons of fertilisers from Lagos to different parts of the

country.

In addition, he explained that 14,000 tons of wheat seeds were moved in 2021 from Lagos to different parts of the country, adding that 41,431.60 tons of fertilisers as at 2022, had been transported from Port Harcourt to different parts of the country.

For years, the federal government had foot-dragged in considering an increase in petrol freight for the transport owners in order to enhance their revenues.

Othman stated that although the Ukraine/Russia war could be blamed for the current rise in diesel price, saying if it persists, the organisation may need to go back to the federal government for another raise to enable the organisation breakeven in its operations.

“As at today, the price of diesel is impacting negatively on our business, not only our business, but almost all activities in Nigeria because as at today, this fuel is imported into the country.

“And naturally, it’s usually at the international price that it is purchased, and everybody knows that that the international price is affected by the current war in

Ukraine and Russia. So of course, because we import it, it's really very costly.

“We appreciate the effort of the government for this increase, but at the same time, we appreciate the fact that the increase may not have been noticed because of the higher cause of diesel.

“But we know the cost of diesel has gone up and we know the war will not last forever. Very soon of course, we will expect things to normalise. The price will normalise, meaning that the increase will be meaningful. But in any case, if this continues to go up, we will have no option than to go back to government,” Othman stated.

He also acknowledged that there had been serious progress on the repair of roads for which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is paying N621 billion as tax credit, noting that the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, had carried the group along as to the progress being made.

Apart from the 25 per cent increase, Othman stated that after setting aside 20 per cent of its revenues for capital projects,

NARTO has acquired a new office building at Apapa, Lagos for its head office at the cost of N200 million.

He explained that workers’ welfare was also being considered, plus the achievement of closer collaboration with stakeholders.

Othman explained that while NARTO was aware of the difficult conditions its members were operating in, it was doing everything possible to ease the difficulties.

“To this end, I am pleased to inform you that 25 per cent increase in freight rate has been approved by the government. Though this might not be adequate but it is the best we can get under the existing PMS pricing template of N165 per litre,” he said.

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, who was represented by the Executive Director, Distribution System, Storage, Retail and Infrastructure of the Authority, Ogbugo Ukoha, lauded NARTO for delivering petroleum products to retail outlets from coastal facilities through over 195,000 km vast road network.

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NEWS

CELEBRATING WOMEN...

L-R: Chief Brand & Marketing Officer, Union Bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem; Chief Executive Officer, Emeka Okonkwo; Chief Risk Officer, Olajumoke Odulaja, and Head, Retail Banking and Digital, Lola Cardoso, during the bank’s celebration of International Women’s Day 2022...recently

DHQ: Military Campaign in North Claims 186 Terrorists Navy troops deactivate 30 illegal refineries in Niger Delta

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said yesterday that troops routed 186 terrorists and armed bandits in the North-east and North-west.

It said 174 insurgents and families surrendered to troops in the North-east, adding to the 26,000 insurgents, who have so far laid down their arms.

It said naval troops discovered and deactivated 30 illegal refineries in various parts of the Niger Delta.

Reviewing military operations in various parts of the country in the past

two weeks at a media briefing in Abuja, the Director, Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Bernard Onyeuko, said troops of Operation Hadin Kai battled the insurgents in various locations in the North-east, notably, Mandara Mountain, Kwatara Hill, Fadagwe Village in Gwoza Local Government Area, Timbuktu Triangle, Buk Village in Damboa Local Government Area, Hawul Village and Mallam Fatori in Biu Local Government Area all in Borno State.

He said troops, during a

clearance operation, engaged Islamic State for West Africa Province (ISWAP) at Mandara Mountain in Gwoza Local Government Area and Timbuktu triangle in Damboa Local Government Area Borno State.

He said: "During the encounter 10 terrorists were neutralised. Troops also recovered 4 AA-guns, 2,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, 10 bicycles, one unexploded Improvised Explosive Device (IED), one MOWAG APC, one truck mounted with 122 artillery gun, one machine gun, four AK 47 rifles, one 60mm

Lawmakers Urge Security Agencies to Enforce Bandits’ Proscription Order Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Army, the Police and other security agencies to ensure the enforcement of the proscription order as published in the official gazette 108, which declared the activities of bandits and such groups as terrorists.

As contained in volume 108 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria official Gazette titled: “Terrorism (Prevention) Proscription Order Notice, 2021,” the federal government had officially proscribed bandit groups in Nigeria as terrorists.

Owing to this, the House mandated the security agencies to rise up and stem the rising killings of innocent persons across Benue communities, especially those bordering Nasarawa state.

It urged NEMA and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to send relief material to those in the affected areas who had been displaced.

The resolutions of the lawmakers were sequel to adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored

by Hon. Bem Mzondu.

Moving the motion, Mzondu said there's urgent need to stop the renewed increasing terrorist attacks and gruesome killings by armed herdsmen and bandits in Benue communities.

He recalled the attack and gruesome killing by herdsmen in Benue communities in Guma, Markudi, Gwer west local governments of the state.

One of such attacks, according to him, happened at the early hour of Monday, March 7, 2022, when suspected herdsmen and bandits unleased terror on a community, killing five persons while several others sustained different level of injuries.

He expressed concerns about the suspicious collusion of army and other security agencies in the attack, as an army unit is stationed less than 5km from the location where the herdsmen and bandits operated for more

than two hours without any intervention from security agencies.

Mzondu said, "Again, aware of the official gazette that any person or group of person participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities concerning or involving or concerning proscription collective intention or otherwise or group referred to in paragraph one of this notice will be violating the provision of the terrorism provision act of 2011 and liable to prosecution.

"Also conscious of the provision of Section 4(2b) of the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria as amended which guarantees that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, especially the federal government."

Adopting the motion, the House commiserated with the families of those killed in the dastardly attacks and observed a minute silence.

motar tube with five bombs."

Onyeuko disclosed that troops had another encounter with ISWAP fighters along Debiro-Shaffa Village in Hawul Local Government Area where two terrorists were killed and recovered one AK 47 rifle, three magazines, 143 rounds of 7.62mm special, one dane gun, one pump action rifle and six cartridges.

"Cumulatively, the operations neutralised 96 terrorists, rescued eight kidnapped victims, and recovered large cache of ammunitions. All rescued civilians have been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action," he said.

Onyeuko said troops of Operation Hadarin Ndaji operating in the North-west conducted operational activities in Gargwaje Village in Gusau Local Government Area, Danmarke Village and Goronyo Mailele axis in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Other locations are: Kurami Village, Batasani, Yargamji in

Batsari Local Government Area, Dantambara, Kolumbo, Tsambe Daji, Kyabbo Village in Jibia Local Government of Katsina State and Dankolo in Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

"Consequently, the operations resulted in the neutralisation of 90 bandits, eight civilians were rescued, and two locally fabricated rifles, two pump action guns, one locally made pistol, five rounds of 7.62mm special and four phones were recovered.

"Furthermore, the Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province have continued to surrendered to own troops at different locations in the theatre.

"A total of 174 Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists and their families comprising 43 adult males, 58 females and 73 children from Villages around Bama and Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State surrendered to own troops. All surrendered terrorists and their families have been profiled," he said.

In the Niger Delta region, Maj Gen Onyeuko affirmed that troops of Operation Delta Safe conducted operations against oil thieves and other criminal elements within in various communities in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Abia States.

He said troops in the last two weeks discovered and destroyed 30 illegal refining sites, cooking 29 ovens, 9 receivers, 12 coolants, 73 storage metal tanks, 248 polythene bags, 16 boilers and eight pumping machines.

Others are 14 wooden boats, 29 dugout pits, two speed boats, four trucks, one bus, 44 drums of AGO, three outboard engines, one barretta pistol, three locally made pistol, eight explosive devices, evacuated 57 galvanized pipes and arrested 25 economic saboteurs.

Troops also recovered 2,852,900 litres of crude oil and 3,862,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) "All arrest and recovered items have been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further actions," he said.

USAID Announces Additional $10.6m in COVID-19 Assistance to Nigeria Michael Olugbode in Abuja The United States has announced additional $10.6 million to boost the COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Nigeria that has a target of vaccinating 600,000 people daily.

A statement yesterday by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) disclosed that the funds would also support integrating COVID-19 vaccinations into routine immunisation and primary health care systems, state level data collection and

analytics, health worker training, and expansion of vaccination access points at the community level.

The statement stated that the additional $10.6 million in development assistance was for the goals outlined in a 2021 bilateral agreement between the US and the Nigerian governments.

The USAID Mission Director, Anne Patterson was quoted to have said: “Given the significant progress Nigeria has made, we are pleased to provide more funds to improve COVID-19 vaccine

delivery services. These new funds will deepen our support for all levels of government to meet their vaccination targets.”

The statement said the funding increases the total US assistance to the Nigerian people to $179 million under the five-year $2.1 billion Development Objectives Assistance Agreement signed between USAID and the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning as affirmed by the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken during his visit to Nigeria in November 2021.

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NEWSXTRA

IKORODU YOUTHS GET CENTRE...

L-R: Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Wasiu Adeshina; Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Youth Ambassador, Funmilayo Akanni-Sele; Olorunfemi Bashorun and Chairman, Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, Sesan Daini, during the cutting of the tape to inaugurate the Ikorodu Youth Centre, Ita-Elewa...yesterday

Obaseki: Only PDP Can Rescue Nigeria, as Ayu Promises Edo’s Matter Will Be Resolved Shaibu blows hot, protests exclusion of new members from party Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, led leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to receive the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, declaring that only the PDP could rescue Nigeria from its current socio-economic woes.

Obaseki, who spoke at a grand rally in honour of the national chairman in Benin City, expressed confidence that the party would produce the country’s next president, even as Ayu promised that the issues in the Edo PDP would be resolved.

But the deputy governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, protested the exclusion of new members from the party, and urged Ayu to help resolve the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP. According to Obaseki, “I want to thank you for coming with members of the National Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party.

PDP is the party of Edo; PDP is in the DNA of Edo, and we do not want that to change. The deputy governor said something and I want to restate it: wherever Edo goes, Nigeria will go.

“Our chairman has what it takes

to produce the next president, because Nigerians are suffering too much. How can diesel be sold for over N700? You have all it takes to help us. Only PDP can rescue Nigeria from these sufferings.

“The only issue is the small quarrel in Edo PDP. Once you can solve the quarrel in Edo and other states, we will take over power in 2023,” the governor said.

Ayu, while speaking, said the party would set up a team to resolve the crisis in Edo PDP, and ensure that the governor did not leave.

“Let no one deceive you that he (Obaseki) is leaving PDP. Nigerians will see how we will receive all those from other parties. In 2023, we shall be back in power; we have started working towards that.

“Edo people, learn from my own state, Benue. If you fight, you will lose the election. I am going to bring a team that will settle the issue in Edo. “I have been working from behind. I am happy that the Deputy Governor, Shaibu said the truth that the leadership of the party in the state is not working.

We are very close to solving the crisis in Edo. “Once the leadership is divided,

Lagos Suspends NURTW From Parks, Takes Over Operations Segun James As the crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW) in the state continues to rage, the Lagos State government late yesterday night announced it has suspended the activities of the union in the state.

The Government, in a statement said it has a duty to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Lagosians and visitors, hence there is an urgent need to douse the unnecessary tension generated by the leadership tussle in the NURTW and protect the citizenry from the likely fallout of the situation.

"After considering the provisions of the law, the Government hereby suspends the activities of NURTW, which must cease to operate in all parks and garages in Lagos State.

The Government will set up a Committee to immediately take control of the parks and garages.

Members of the committee will be key stakeholders in the sector," the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso said.

According to him, "the Government’s position is premised on its responsibility to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in all parks and garages in Lagos State."

you won't get a good result.

All our emphasis is on unity.

We cannot talk about taking over power in 2023 if our state leadership is not on good terms.

“Edo is going to produce the highest number of votes in the next general election. We shall win all the Senatorial and House of Representatives seats. I want to assure you that by next week, all the issues in Edo PDP will be resolved. All the leaders in Edo should help to resolve the problem, not to fire it more. We will engineer the process and they will conclude the process," he stated.

Earlier, Shaibu, who alleged exclusion of new members from the party, stated: “Sir, people are saying that the governor will not leave the PDP, but he will only remain if his soldiers remain in the party.

“We want you to resolve this problem in our party. We have what it takes to take over the national position in the next election. Wherever Edo goes,

is where Nigeria will go. If you solve the problem in Edo, you have solved the problem in Nigeria.”

Among those at the event were the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun and State Chairman of the PDP, Tony Aziegbemi.

Others were former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo; Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Senator Walid Jubril; Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Senator Clifford Odia, Chief Tom Ikimi and PDP National Women Leader, Josephine Anenih.

Meanwhile, the Deputy National Chairman, South-south zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih was absent at the unity rally, later held in Benin City, Edo State, to honour Ayu. While Orbih was of the view

that there was nothing like harmonisation of party positions because a congress had been held before Obaseki joined the party with some factional member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and as such, the State Working Committee (SWC) should be allowed to serve out its tenure; Obaseki supported the ideas of harmonisation of the SWC positions to accommodate his people.

The disagreement took a new dimension last week when Obaseki told Orbih off and branded his position as "irresponsible".

"I heard that Chief Dan Orbih went around, saying there is no harmonisation in Edo PDP. This is really irresponsible to say and an insult to members of the party, as the party has truly harmonised in the state.

"PDP in Edo State is harmonised, because before we made any appointments in any ward, we made sure the party at that level was harmonised. We

are gathered here now as election timetable is out; harmonisation has been done, appointments made and we are ready to win any election before us.”

Dwelling on this at the rally, Ayu stayed away from harmonisation and opted for peace and unity by urging all and sundry in the party to tow the path of peace just as he noted that unity remained the only key to election victory.

Ayu, who said he was married to an Edo woman, who also was once a PDP national women leader, declared that he would not allow anything that would bring division in the party.

He said as one of those who formed the party out of the G-34 group, he would not fail to ensure unity, recalling that PDP lost Edo in 2007 governorship election to then Action Congress (AC) in the state as a result of disunity and infighting between former Governor Lucky Igbinedion and Chief Tony Anenih of blessed memory.

Ebonyi: South-east in Jubilation over Court Ruling, Says Umahi’s Ex-aide Nume Ekeghe in Lagos, Kingsley Nwezeh and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja A former Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi State, Abia Onyike, has said the state and the entire Southeast were exultant over a recent court judgment, sacking Governor Dave Umahi of the state and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe.

Onyike, who said this yesterday while featuring on The Morning Show, Arise News Channel, noted that the Ebonyi people were happy and that the reaction to the court ruling,has exposed the unruly character traits of Umahi.

He said, “The issue is that the people of Ebonyi State are highly jubilant. People are happy;they are celebrating all over the place.

And some of them who are

afraid, because of the dictatorial tendencies of the governor and his unpredictability, would prefer to, celebrate quietly in their homes.

“People are happy, not only in Ebonyi State, as I'm speaking to you, I'm talking from Enugu and I have been able to monitor events and reactions to this development from the entire South-East as people are jubilant, because there is the thinking that some of the excesses we are getting from our present crop of leaders should be checkmated. So, that judgement came at the right time to try to instill discipline into the attitudes and conduct of the political class.”

On the attack on the judge, who ruled against Umahi, the former commissioner added that this was unacceptable of a leader and that it was the right

judgement, stating that PDP had won the seat.

According to him, “The attack by Governor Umahi on the judiciary and the Judge and his unleashing of that very judgement, which was seen to be very acidic is part of the character of the governor, because in Ebonyi State, we have learnt to live with his excesses and he is generally perceived as a bully and doesn’t take to any opinion that is contrary to his own.

“His vituperations presented his totalitarian and dictatorial mindset, which was condemned by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). He has already been unsettled, because he never believed this would happen to him.”

“Do you know that this is not

a man, when he was still in PDP? One day, he told us that he was both PDP and APC and that he was the only person that can belong to two political parties at a time, and that anybody who ever tries to emulate him will get into trouble? So, what kind of mentality is that in a democracy?

“Why should he blame the PDP when he himself was the one who defected from PDP to APC? So, what did he expect the PDP to do, because he stole their mandate and took it and another political party after having been elected twice as governor? And he is also a former state chairman of the party, and former deputy governor of the state. All this under the platform of the PDP and there was no reason for him to decamp.”

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ART EXHIBITION BY THE KOREAN EMBASSY… L- R: Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae; his wife, Mrs. Young-Chae; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Yalwaji Katagum and iconic artist, Chief Nike Okundaye, during the Art Exhibition organised by the Korean Embassy at the Embassy Garden, Abuja.... recently

APC's Zoning Arrangement Unjust to Southeast, Deepens Alienation, Say IPN Alex Enumah in Abuja The Indigenous People of Nigeria ( IPN) yesterday rose in condemnation of the zoning arrangements for political offices of the all Progressives Congress (APC) describing it as unjust to the people of the south-east geopolitical zone and a danger to the unity of the country.

The group lamented that the zoning of political offices as released recently by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Sani Bello, further deepened alienation of the

Southeast geopolitical zone from the rest of Nigeria.

IPN further expressed regret that the APC despite call to adopt a zoning arrangement that is favorable and acceptable to Nigeria, chose to do otherwise.

Convener of the group, Nnamdi Iroegbu, alongside some other members of the group made their position known during a press conference in Abuja.

"Going by the zoning arrangement made public by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Sani Bello, the

Security Has Improved Across the Country, Says Boss Mustapha John Shiklam in Kaduna The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has said that, “the security situation has relatively improved across all parts of the country.”

He also said the insurgents terrorising the north east have been decimated considerably, adding that over 30,000 of the insurgents and their family had so far surrendered.

In a keynote address at a “Stakeholders Engagement in the current security situation in the North-west,” which held yesterday in Kaduna, Mustapha said, the threats of the separatists in the south-east and parts of south-south geo-political zones have reduced in traction, adding that in the maritime domain, “our waters are now calm and we no longer receive reports of daily attacks by priates.”

According to the SGF, “Troops of Operation SHARAN DAJI, in conjunction with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and other intelligence/security and para-Military agencies, have sustained onslaught against the criminal elements.”

He said the federal government was concerned with the challenges and has been working assiduously to reduce them to the barest minimum.

According to him, the federal government had taken far-reaching measures to address the security challenges.

He said, “Some of the measures include; increase in budgetary allocation as well as shoring up the equipment holding of the military and other security agencies.

“Similarly, approval was granted for the recruitment of 10,000, police personnel for three consecutive years while their salaries have been upwardly reviewed to boost their morale, enhance productivity and elicit hard work.” he said.

The SGF said the workshop was part of the non-kinetic approaches to sensitise communities on the need to collaborate with government at all levels in order to tackle the menace of armed banditry and other related crimes in the North West geo-political zone.

“With the recent dimensions of security challenges including, human/child trafficking, baby factory syndrome, ritual killings and the like, the sanctity of the human life has been called to question.

“The perpetrators of the evil acts live among us and are our relatives.

This highlights the need for the cooperation of the communities and the whole-of-society approach to tackle insecurity”.

position of National Chairman is zoned to the North Central, Deputy Chairman North, to the Northwest, Deputy Chairman South to South East, and National Secretary to South West.

"We observe that this zoning arrangement of political positions under the ruling APC is unjust to a section of the country, specifically, the Southeast. We view it disheartening that the APC is toying with the unity and oneness of Nigeria.

"The view earlier expressed

by APC was that the North and South swerved positions , such that all positions initially held by the North automatically go to the South and vice versa.

"However, it is apparent that while the South West held the first chairmanship position of the party, Vice

President and Speakership positions, and the North East Secretary and Senate President, members of the party from the South East are treated with disdain, giving the impression that they do not belong to the party", Iroegbu said.

They went further to state that the manifold imbalance clearly manifest that the APC does not care about Nigeria's unity, adding that the development is very dangerous and portends danger to Nigeria's corporate existence.

"Needless to say that this is an unjust treatment so provocative and vindictive that immediate redress is required.

Failure on the part of APC to correct the wrong treatment amounts to deepening the South East alienation and further threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.

"IPN is not unaware that Nigeria, under the watch of APC, has been in terrible disarray; and the Party cannot pretend to show comfort in this sad state by not doing anything to unite the people of Nigeria.

"We the Indigenous People therefore frown seriously against this, and urge the party to take necessary steps towards the correction before the Convention,” he added.

IPN also called on well-meaning Nigerians, particularly, leaders of South-east in APC, to reject in its entirety the proposed zoning formula as made by the Acting Caretaker Chairman, and immediately commence engagement to rectify it so as to bring sense of belonging to Nigerians from the Southeast", Iroegbu noted.

To remedy the situation,

the group demanded that the position of National Secretary be zoned to the south-east, just as PDP did.

"We also expect that the party will go further to ensure that the next presidential candidate of the APC should come from the Southeast in the Spirit of Justice, equity and fairness.

"Our position can be excused by the assumption that it will amount to an overburden for a South East that has the zoning of presidency to still share equally with other zones.

Otherwise our position is cemented by a recent statement credited to our elder statesman, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo that unless due care is taken to address all agitations, Nigeria may cease to exist beyond 2023", he said.

Passengers Fear as Lagos-Ibadan Train Runs Out of Diesel James Sowole in Abeokuta

Tension gripped scores of passengers on a Lagos-Ibadan train service yesterday as a train, which departed Ibadan for Lagos stopped along the way after the engine ran out of diesel.

The incident was disclosed by one of the passangers on board, King Isaiah Obadore, on his twitter handle, when he wrote: "The crew members said the train stopped moving, because it had exhausted its diesel.

“Boarded Train from Ibadan to Lagos. We’re still stuck in the forest with unknown Chinese Men. They said fuel finished. What a beautiful country, Nigeria,” Obadore said.

THISDAY learnt that it took the Nigeria Railway

Corporation (NRC) about two hours to restart the locomotive engine after the diesel supply was brought in from somewhere in Ogun State.

Another passenger, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that many passengers were gripped by fear, when the train suddenly stopped working.

The passenger said, “We had left Ibadan for Lagos in the morning and were hoping to get to Lagos before 10:00 am, only for the train to stop in the middle of nowhere.

“When the train refused to restart after ten minutes, most of us (passengers) became apprehensive. We had heard news of unknown persons attacking the Lagos-Ibadan trains in recent times by removing some of the track

components. So, many of us initially thought we were under attack.

“After about 45 minutes, the NRC officials onboard the trains told some of us that it wasn’t a case of attack, but that the train stopped due to shortage of diesel. We waited for close to an hour before diesel was brought in from one of the NRC stations nearby.

“It wasn’t a funny experience as many of us (passengers) were apprehensive due to stories of attacks on the Lagos-Ibadan and KadunaAbuja standard gauge trains.

After we got diesel, the train continued its journey to Lagos from Ibadan.”

A staff of the NRC revealed that due to scarcity of fuel in recent days, the trains have not been getting adequate fuel supply.

According to him, “We have not been getting adequate fuel supply in recent days due to the scarcity of fuel in the country. Sometimes, we leave for Lagos or Ibadan with insufficient fuel supply with the hope of getting a refill along the way.

“What happened this morning (Thursday morning) was not envisaged, because the driver failed in estimating the amount of available diesel in the locomotive tank before departure from Ibadan.

“It was just unfortunate that the train stopped in the middle of the journey, due to diesel shortage. Since the fuel shortage issue started in Nigeria, we have been running our Lagos-Ibadan trips with insufficient fuel and have had to make do with refill along our trips most times."

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NEWS

Again, Bandits Kill Three, Abduct Two in Kaduna Community Herdsmen kill scores in Benue

John Shiklam in Kaduna and George Okoh in Makurdi

Three people were killed while two others were abducted in an attack on Ungwan Galadima, Gonin Gora, a suburb in Kaduna metropolis.

This is just as suspected Fulani terrorists killed many farmers in Ye village Guma Local Government Area of Benue state A resident of the Ungwan in Kaduna, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, said the bandits invaded the community at about 1.00 am and operated for over an hour.

He said the bandits who were well armed came in large numbers and operated freely as nobody could challenge them.

He said three people killed during the attack while two women were abducted.

He said among those killed is one Gius Nengi, a staff of MotherCat Construction Company whose wife was abducted after he was murdered.

He said one Aminu Bege and his son were also killed by the bandits.

The latest incident came barely 24 hours after two people were killed while a Catholic priest, alongside a woman and her two children were abducted by bandits in

an attack on Kudendan, also a suburb of Kaduna metropolis in the early hours of Wednesday.

It was gathered that many residents in the various suburbs within Kaduna metropolis have relocated to safer places following frequent attacks by bandits.

Spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached as he did not respond to telephone calls when contacted.

Meanwhile, Suspected Fulani terrorists on Wednesday, killed many farmers in Ye village Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The marauding herders also attacked branch Udei and killed more than four people and injured many who have been taken to a nearby health centre.

The gunmen who invaded the villages in the early hours are believed to have crossed over from a neighbouring state into Benue to wreak the unprovoked murder on the villagers.

Eyewitnesses said the terrorists who had earlier issued a threat to the Tse Torkula community, asking them to leave the village or face dire consequences came on motorcycles and without any herd of cattle.

The invaders were said to have shot sporadically into the

air before breaking into the houses of their victims who were already fast asleep.

There have been renewed Fulani herdsmen terrorist attacks

on border communities in Benue State with heavy casualties on the Benue side.

Suspected Fulani militia on Tuesday also killed five

persons in the Ahentse, Nzorov council ward of Benue State and wounded many now receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.

Governor Samuel Ortom,

while reacting to the recent attacks, reiterated his call on the federal government to step up security operations along the crises areas of the state.

A WORTHY AMBASSADOR…

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (left) with the Ambassador of Enugu State in Creative Arts and winner of Big Brother Naija, Season 6 (Shine Ya Eye),Hazel Oyeze Onoduenyi (Whitemoney), when he visited the governor in Enugu…yesterday

Cultists Behead 30-year- Gender Bills: Don’t Lose Hope on Your demands, Lawan Tells Women old Man in Bayelsa Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

OlusegunSamuelinYenagoa

The bloody war between rival cult groups in Bayelsa State has continued unabated yesterday, as dare-devil cult members in Sagbama town in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of last Wednesday beheaded a 30-year-old man.

The severed head of the deceased identified as Honest Mathew also known as ‘Onions’, was taken away and hung on a pole at the city centre for the indigenes of the community to view. Rival cult war began over a month ago with over 30 people feared killed in separate incidents in the state, especially the state capital, Yenagoa, where a man was reportedly burnt to death when he could not produce his

son when rival cult group visited him last week.

It was gathered yesterday that the cult groups involved in the cult war are the members of the Icelanders, Greenlanders and Bobos cult groups.

THISDAY gathered that the killer cult group sneaked into the Sagbama town at about 1.30a.m. and invaded the home of the deceased. They reportedly dragged him out of his house and severed his head and took it away with them.

A community source, who pleaded anonymity, claimed the deceased was dragged away from his wife and three children, and butchered, adding that: “We gathered he was shouting but the guys slit his throat and cut off his head.”

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan yesterday advised the Nigerian women not to lose hope on their demands for legislations on gender related matters.

Lawan, according to a statement, gave the admonition in Agasa, Kogi State against the backdrop of some gender

related bills that recently failed to scale through at the National Assembly in the ongoing review being carried out on the 1999 Constitution.

The Senate President, according to the statement, made a strong case for education of the girl child shortly before he inaugurating a 600-capacity JAMB CBT Centre which was facilitated by Senator Yakubu Oseni, who is representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

Lawan said: “I know somebody will say gender bills have failed in the National Assembly. That is democracy. Let’s continue to lobby.

“We should continue to lobby because nobody will like to undermine anybody. Let’s not lose hope.

“Every male member in the National Assembly is a “He for She” because I don’t think there is anybody who is not married

in the National Assembly.

“We will continue to work together with gender-based organisations especially those that genuinely want to engage with members of the National Assembly.

“This is because if you are not able to get something, if there is a failure, we should make it a political capital that tomorrow, we say, you were not able to do it yesterday, can you do it today.

Youth Group Tells Buhari to Sack NNPC, NMDPRA Heads over Fuel Scarcity Alex Enumah in Abuja

A civil advocacy group, the Youth Arise for Undiluted Leadership and Development Initiative has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to “replace” the heads of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian

National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over the lingering scarcity of petroleum products in the country.

The group, which made the call yesterday said that the apology tendered by the leadership of the NNPC and the other agencies was not enough because it would not restore the damages done to the vehicles

and machines occasioned by the contaminated fuel brought into the country by the NNPC and without the detection of relevant regulatory agencies.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, National Coordinator of the group, Lucky Akharame, traced the current unending fuel to the importation of contaminated

petroleum products by the NNPC, which according to him, has brought untoward misery and agony upon Nigerians.

Akharame told journalists that the NNPC cannot absolved itself from blame because under the Petroleum Industry Act, it is the sole importer of Petroleum Products into Nigeria.

The pioneer Vice Chairman, Governing Council, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Aare Hakeem Olanrewaju, has given reasons why there is a rush by freight forwarders to occupy positions in the council.

While picking holes in the way and manner the council is presently run, he also proffered solutions on the myriad of ills plaguing the

and second Governing Council elapsed years ago.

In a statement addressed to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, he drew his (minister) attention to the anomalies in the council.

The statement, which was obtained by journalists, gave an insight into why he decided to go public with his position on the matter.

the cause to write this second statement for the attention of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and by so doing, I know too well the level of commitments and selfless sacrifices deployed to attain the milestones achievements recorded by members of the first and second Governing Council.

“I am stating so in my capacity as the former Governing Council

Governing Council and chairman of the second Governing Council of the CRFFN. Neither conscience nor posterity will be fair to me to witness the way and manner our professional essence (the regulatory council) is drifting at an alarming speed and I would keep mute and watch in the face of a thriving professional recklessness and impunity, it would amount to leadership failure on my path.”

APC Chairmanship: Mustapha Operator Explains Rush to Occupy Positions in Freight Forwarding Council Promises More Roles for Women Sunday council since the tenure of the first According to him, “I have first vice chairman in the first Okobi

A major contender for the position of National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Saliu Mustapha, has promised to pave way for women to play greater roles in party administration and governance if voted into power.

He spoke when he received representatives of APC women groups in Abuja.

A statement quoted Mustapha as saying that women deserve greater representations in all organs of the party at all levels in response to a 10-point demand from the women.

“As someone who believes strongly in gender equality, I agree that a critical mass of the voting public that was responsible for APC’s winning streak at the centre deserves

better. “ So, under my watch, APC women will have greater voice in decision making and also have better opportunities to aspire for elective positions.

“On the gender-specific bills that failed to scale through the recent constitution review process at the National Assembly, I see it as a minor setback but in spite of that we will engage party stakeholders at all levels with a view to creating a conducive environment for hardworking female members to get what is due them,” he said.

Mustapha explained that the party will have a uniform policy on political appointment such that women will not be denied roles in governance on account of their gender.

2023: Foundation Launches Campaign against Vote-buying Sunday AborisadeinAbuja A non-governmental organisation, the Akin Fadeyi Foundation yesterday in Abuja, unveiled a comprehensive, massive campaign to sensitize the electorate on reasons they should shun corrupt politicians during the 2023 general

elections.

The group said it had designed jingles and video clips which would be aired in various Nigerian languages on television, radio and all social media platforms.

The Election sensitisation project, titled, “2023 Elections: Put on your thinking cap,” was

unveiled by the Manager, Brand and Communications of the AFF, Sarah Amanabo, at a media conference.

The event was attended virtually by prominent citizens and media professionals including Messrs Akinola Idowu, Simon Kolawole, and Mojeed Jamiu among others.

The participants, except Jamiu believed that the project was timely as the 2023 elections approaches.

Jamiu, who held a contrary view, however said the AFF should have targeted the 2027;elections because it could be too late to start sensitising Nigerians ahead of the next year’s polls.

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Ondo Women Farmers Lament Insecurity, Fuel Scarcity Fidelis David ÓØ ÕßÜÏ The Small-scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Ondo State Chapter, yesterday expressed worry over the continuous rise in the prices of premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, in the state that is having a huge toll on their source of living.

The farmers also called on the State governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), to find lasting solution to the farmers-herders’ crises in the state in order to end destruction of farmlands by cattle.

The organisation also asked the state government to consider payment of compensation to victims as a means of support.

The State Coordinator of SWOFON, Mrs. Grace Oyediji, stated this at a press conference in Akure, the state capital with the theme: “Gender Equality Today for Sustainable Tomorrow,” organised by Life and Peace Development Organisation (LPDO).

Oyediji, who spoke against the backdrop of the 2022 International Women’s Day Campaign, with the theme “Break the Bias,” advocated for a policy environment in the state that support genderresponsiveness and focused on empowering the needs of the

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smallholder women farmers in the 18 local government areas in Ondo State.

She said: “The challenges facing women farmers in Ondo State are enormous, including lack of finance, absence of farm equipment and as well

agriculture input which are as a result of detached attitude of the government to the plight of women farmers and lack of financial support for them.

“What has become the order of the day is that the enabling environment is not there for

smallholder women farmers to survive. Since there are no tractors or equipment to work with, we have to traveled out of the state to rent such. The same is applicable to chemicals and other agro inputs needed to facilitate agricultural product.”

She specifically said that cattle menace and general insecurity have remained threats to the survival of women farmers within the state.

“We have cases whereby we sourced loans to farm only for cows to ravage the farms.

Such is devastating and tragic.

Worse still, there are no forms of compensation to such victims since they are not aware of the state policy, which facilitates women-friendly environment and security. We need gender friendly machines.

MOVING AGAINST LAND GRABBERS…

L-R: Onijanikin of Ijanikin Kingdom, Oba Momodu Afolabi Asafa; Ahahade 1, Oniba-Ekun of Iba Kingdom, Oba Sulaiman Adeshina Raji;Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilayo Shitta- Bey, and Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Surajudeen Olatunji Tijani, at the stakeholders’ forum on ‘Land grabbers, the law and your rights’ in Lagos… yesterday

Gunmen Kidnap Two Siblings, Demand N15m Ransom in Ogun James Sowole in Abeokuta

Two siblings, Esther Kehinde, 20, and David Kehinde, 15, were recently abducted from their house at Oremeji Street, Ijoga Orile area of Ayetoro in Yewa North Local Government, Ogun State.

A source with credible insight, said the victims were abducted from their residents around 9:00pm while they were carrying out domestic chores.

According to the source, the Kidnappers accessed the house as gentlemen, held the victims’

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hand and forced their way out of the premises at gun point.

The victims’ grandfather, who was also present at the scene, was said to have passed out when he was hit in the head by the kidnappers.

It was gathered that after about twelve hours, the kidnappers contacted the family of the pupils and requested N15 million ransom

before the duo could be freed.

“They came into the house around 9:00 pm, just behind our house, where David and her sister were washing their school uniform.

Their grandpa too was seated there when the kidnappers appeared and held the two of them.

“The grandpa challenged them but one of them hit the man on the head and he passed out

immediately. Their mother heard the noise and rushed out, but met the kidnappers’ stiff resistance.

“They shot in the air for a few minutes before taking to their heels,” the source said.

Spokesperson of Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, when contacted, confirmed the incident, and said the police were on top of the matter.

He, however, appealed to the family to carry the police along in their conversations with the abductors.

“We are frantically on top of the matter. We would like to also use this medium to appeal to the family of the victims to please carry us along in any conversation with these hoodlums,” Oyeyemi pleaded.

TUC Pledges to Help Enthrone Credible Leadership in 2023 Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has assured Nigerians that it would mobilise its members to support the emergence of credible leaders with great potential and vision at various levels the country in 2023 General Election.

Speaking at TUC Political Roundtable 2022 held yesterday in Abuja, President of TUC, Comrade

Quadri Olaleye, said the union convened the conference to discuss, redefine, and strategize on how to rescue the soul of our dear country.

“Our aim is to work together to provide a platform to change the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria. We must ensure that credible leaders with great potentials and great vision emerge to lead at various levels if we

conscientiously want to change the narrative. A people united can never be defeated! We must not derail again. Never again,” he said.

Olaleye said that the TUC has realised that it was the lack of active participation of the organised labour in Nigerian politics that is partly responsible for the pains Nigerians are going through today.

‘Today, we are here to discuss, redefine, and strategize on how to rescue the soul of our dear country. Some naysayers have said “what are they going to do differently this time?” I am of the opinion that we should not react to such, rather it is our action after this conference that would convince them that we are not ready to waste the opportunity in our hands this time around.

Obiano Holds Valedictory Exco Meeting, Receives Soludo C’ttee’s Report David-Chyddy Eleke ÓØ áÕË Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano yesterday held a valedictory executive council meeting in readiness for his handing over, a week from today.

Obiano also used the opportunity to receive a report of the Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led Vision 2070 committee.

The Vision 2070 committee had been inaugurated by Obiano on November 20, 2019, with a mandate to produce a report that would ensure the full industrialization of the state before 2070.

Soludo, who is also the Governor-elect, while presenting the report thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve in that

capacity.

Talking about the report, Soludo said: “What makes this document outstanding is ownership. This is an Anambra plan rather than a government plan. We made extensive consultations, to come out with this report.The implementation of this report will begin with the coming administration.”

Obiano reassured the people

that the transition will be seamless, emphasizing that he will ensure that the incoming administration will not experience any challenge.

Chairman of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), Prince Ike Chioke, has expressed confidence in the capability of Soludo to take the state to a higher height.

NIPOST e-PIN Outlet Excites JAMB Registrar The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede, has expressed satisfaction and excitement at the ease with which registrants are taking advantage of the e-PIN vending outlets of the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST).

NIPOST had, since April

2021, announced to the general public, especially the 2021 JAMB prospective candidates, that it had made adequate arrangements to commence the vending of JAMB e-pins as announced by the JAMB Registrar on Thursday, April 8, 2021, in all post offices in Nigeria.

Oloyede, who was on a

working visit to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to monitor the progress of the exercise, while fielding questions from journalists, hinted that over 500,000 PINS had already being vended.

He disclosed that he was excited with the capacity with which NIPOST was setting the

pace for other vendors adding that no other vendor had vended more than 10 per cent of PINs compared with NIPOST’s performance.

“NIPOST has proved to be a worthy and dependable partner.

I can only admonish NIPOST to keep up the good job,” Oloyede said.

Global Citizen Fellowship Programme Opens for Young Change Makers International advocacy organisation Global Citizen yesterday announced that application for the 2022/23 Global Citizen Fellowship Programme powered by BeyGOOD is now open until 29th of April 2022.

Fifteen young African changemakers: five from

Nigeria, five from Kenya and five from South Africa, aged between 21 and 25, will be selected to join the coveted fellowship programme commencing in July 2022.

Through the program, which is now in its fourth year, the 15 changemakers will each engage in a paid, year-long, full-time

placement aligned to one of Global Citizen’s four pillars of activity: creative, campaigns, rewards, and marketing.

Powered by BeyGOOD, the Global Citizen Fellowship Programme will unearth African youth with remarkable potential.

The Global Citizen Fellowship, supported by Beyoncé’s

BeyGOOD philanthropic initiative and United States (US) actor and filmmaker, Tyler Perry, aims to empower young Africans to become agents of change, and provide them with tools they need to thrive – not just during their time with Global Citizen but also in any future professional environment.

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WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Islam and Science (4)

By: Bruno Abd Al Haqq Guiderdoni/ University of St. Andrews/IslamiCity (Continued from two weeks ago)

T

he Islamic world met modern science during the 19th century, as a double challenge, a material one and an intellectual one. The defense of the Ottoman empire in front of the military invasion brought by Western countries, and the success of colonization, have made the acquisition of Western technology necessary, and also of Western science which is the foundation of the latter. The West appears as the model of progress that has to be reached, or at least followed, by a constant effort of training engineers and technicians, and by transferring the technology that is required to develop third-world countries.

But the encounter between Islam and modern science also gave birth to a reflection, and even a controversy, the nature of which is philosophical and doctrinal.

To cut a long story short, the Islamic world now has a great interest for science, but a lot of disagreement about what science is, or has to be, to be fully incorporated in Islamic societies by being made “Islamic”. For the modernist stream, “Islamic science” is only universal science practiced by scientists who happen to be Muslims. For the reconstruction stream, “Islamic science” has to be “rebuilt” from Islamic principles, in the prospect of the needs of Islamic societies. For the traditional stream, “Islamic science” is the ancient, symbolic science that has to be recovered, in a prospect that is more respectful of nature and of the spiritual pursuit of the scientists. The various streams of the contemporary Islamic thought show an intense activity on the relationship between science and religion. All of them have to identify pitfalls on their path. The main issue is that they are conceptions that are elaborated a priori, as mental representations of the activity of Muslim scientists, and may have little to do with the actual practice in laboratories. If I were to comment on these streams, I would say that each of them seizes, and emphasizes, a part of the situation. Yes, it is true that science, in its methods and philosophy, is largely universal, and the common property of the human kind. Yes, it is true that science cannot be decoupled from the society in which it develops, and that the way it is organized, the topics that are highlighted, the ethic that is practiced, are influenced by the worldview of the scientists.

Yes, it is true that, even if science describes the material cosmos, the issue of meaning and purpose, and the inclusion of the scientific pursuit in a broader quest for knowledge, have to be considered by scientists who are believers.

As a matter of fact, most of the debates between science and religion in the Islamic perspective simply forget a fundamental starting point, that is, the nature of the knowledge brought forth by the Koranic revelation. As it is explained already in the first verses that descended on Prophet Muhammad during the Night of Destiny, God speaks to the human to teach it what it does not know: “Read in the name of your Lord who created. He created the human from a clot of blood. Read, and your Lord is the most Bountiful, who taught the use of the pen, and taught the human that which he knew not.” The teachings of the Koran primarily consist in highlighting the spiritual vocation of the human being, the purpose of creation, and the mysteries of the hereafter. They speak mostly of what to do to act righteously, and to hope to be saved.

These teachings are proposed under the veils of myths and symbols. Here, we must give these words a strong meaning. Myths and symbols in holy texts are not simple allegories.

The language of the muthos conveys meanings that cannot be expressed otherwise, that is, in the language of the logos, the language of articulated and clear demonstration. Myths, and symbols are just like fingers that point to realities that would be otherwise beyond our attention. They just call for the meaning they allude to, to knowledge that is obtained by an intuition in relationship and resonance with the contemplation of the symbols. In some sense, all ritual actions are like “symbols” that bring spiritual influence. With this view, it is possible to avoid a literalistic reading of the text, and to focus on spiritual realities.

The verses on heavens do not speak of astronomy, but of the upper levels of being inhabited by intellectual realities, as much as the chronicles on the wars and struggles

that the first Muslims had with the pagans do not speak of general rules for the relation of Muslims with non-Muslims, but of the symbols of the “greatest effort”, which is the struggle against our own passions that darken our souls.

Faith as a matrix for purpose Let me now propose a view on how the articulation between modern science and religion can be addressed in the Islamic tradition. I would like to suggest that the theological and metaphysical corpus of the Islamic thought is rich enough to help the Muslim scientist find a meaning in the world as it is described by the current scientific inquiry. Of course, I am not going to propose a new form of parallelism.

I will rather speak in terms of convergence.

Reality uncovered by modern science can fit in a broader metaphysical stage. I will only give four examples on how this convergence can take place.

(1) The intelligibility of the world The fundamental mystery that subtends physics and cosmology is the fact that the world is intelligible. For the Islamic tradition, this intelligibility is part of the divine plans for the world, since God, who knows everything, created both the world and the human from His Intelligence. Then He put intelligence in the human. By looking at the cosmos, our intelligence constantly meets His Intelligence.

The fact that God is One, guarantees the unity of the human and the cosmos, and the adequacy of our intelligence to understanding at least part of the world.

The Koran mentions the regularities that are present in the world: “you will find no change in God’s custom”. Therefore “there is no change in God’s creation.” Clearly this does not mean that Creation is immutable, since in many verses the Koran emphasizes the changes we see in the sky and on earth.

These verses mean that there is “stability” in Creation reflecting God’s immutability. Moreover, these regularities that are a consequence of God’s Will can be qualified as “mathematical regularities”. Several verses draw the reader’s attention to the numerical order that is present in the cosmos: “The Sun and the Moon [are ordered] according to an exact computation (husbân).”

(2) God’s action in creation How does God act in His Creation? According to the mainstream Islamic theology, God does not act by fixing the laws of physics and the initial conditions and letting the world evolve mechanistically. As a matter of fact, the “secondary causes” simply vanish, because God, as the “primary Cause”, does not cease to create the world again and again. “Each day some task engages Him.” In this continuous renewal of creation (tajdîd al-khalq), the atoms and their accidents are created anew at each time. This is the reason why “the accident does not remain for two moments.” The regularities that are observed in the world are not due to causal connection, but to a constant conjunction between the phenomena, which is a habit or custom established by God’s Will.

The examination of causality by the Islamic tradition emphasizes the metaphysical mystery of the continuous validity of the laws. “All that dwells upon the earth is evanescent” and should fall back into nothingness. But the (relative) permanence of cosmic phenomena is rooted in God’s (absolute) immutability (samadiyyah).

This is the reason why “you will not see a flaw in the Merciful’s creation. Turn up your eyes: can you detect a single fissure?”

In any case, the metaphysical criticism of causality by Islam did not hamper the development of the Islamic science at the same epoch. On the contrary, the criticism of the Aristotelian conception of the causes as mere conditions for effects to occur necessarily and immediately opened the way to a deeper examination of the world to determine what the “habit” or “custom” proposed by God actually was. Deductive thinking that goes from causes to effects cannot be used a priori in the realm of nature. One has to observe what is actually happening. The development of science in Islam during the great classical period was closely linked to the will to look at phenomena.

To Be Continued

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

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Balogun, Iheanacho, Olayinka, on Target as Rangers, Others Win Big Super Eagles central defender, Leon Balogun was on scorers’ sheet last night as he jumped higher than three opponents to crash a powerful header from James Tavernier’s corner kick for Rangers’ third goal of the night in the clash with Red Star Belgrade.

Rangers were in the drivers seat of the Europa Last 16 clash right from the kickoff at the Ibrox. James Tavernier slotted in the opener from the penalty spot after the referee checked out a trip on Ryan Kent on the pitchside monitor.

Alfredo Morelos then banged in his 32nd Europa League goal to double the lead on 15 minutes before Balogun added the third.

Elsewhere on the night, another Nigerian international, Kelechi Iheanacho got on the scorers' sheet in the added minutes as Leicester City defeated Rennes

EUROPA LEAGUE

Chelsea Shirt Sponsors Three Suspend £40m AYear Deal

in the Europa Conference League.

Peter Olayinka was also on target as Slavia Prague thrashed LASK 4-1 in their Europa Conference League Round of 16 tie at the Sinobo Stadium.

Olayinka scored Slavia Prague’s third goal of the encounter.

The reverse fixture will take place next week Thursday at the NV Arena.

At the Stadion Partizano, another Nigerian international, Cyriel Dessers, scored one of the goals in Feyenoord’s 5-2 away win against Partizan Belgrade.

Dessers scored the hosts second goal in the 51st minute.

The forward was replaced by Bryan Linssen in the 87th minute.

Brume Leads Team Nigeria to World Indoor Championships in Belgrade World and Olympics long jump bronze medallist, Ese Brume, tops the list of six athletes the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has announced for the World Athletics Indoor Championships which runs from 18 to 20 March, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia.

Others on the list include; Ruth Usoro, the reigning NCAA indoor champion in the triple jump and the 4x400m quartet of Sikiru Adeyemi, Ifeanyi Ojeli, Nathaniel Samson and Timothy Emeoghene.

Brume, competing in her first World Indoor Championships will be aspiring to become the second Nigerian woman after Glory Alozie to win medals at both the indoor and outdoor World Athletics championships.

Alozie won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles at the World Indoor Championships held inside the Green Dome in Maebashi, Japan and also at the World Outdoor Championships in Seville, Spain, both in 1999.

Brume has not competed indoors since February 2020 but the 25-year-old who set a new 7.17m African outdoor mark last May will be Nigeria's biggest hope for an indoor medal this year.

Usoro, like Brume will also be competing in her first World Indoor Championships a year after conquering the NCAA indoors and outdoor.

Unlike Brume, the 24-year-old has competed indoors this year and will be in action this weekend at the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, Alabama where she will be hoping to add the long

jump title to the triple jump she won last year.

Usoro holds a personal season's best of 6.59m in the long jump and 13.66m in the triple jump.

Nigeria has won a total of 11 medals made up of two gold (Sunday Bada, 400m in 1997 and Olusoji Fasuba, 60m in 2008), six silver and three bronze medals.

Long jumper Paul Emordi won Nigeria's first medal in the history of the championships when he leapt 8.01m to win the silver medal at the inaugural edition of the championships at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, USA in 1987.

The late Sunday Bada remains the only Nigerian to have won multiple medals in the history of the championships after winning silver medals in the 400m event in 1993 and 1995 before becoming the first Nigerian to be crowned World Indoor champion in 1997 in Paris, France.

Ese Brume...leads Team Nigeria’s squad to the World Indoor Championships

Women’s T20 Cricket is a Litmus Test for Nigerian Team, Says Obalola Vice-President and facility subcommittee Chairman of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Oyewole Obalola, has said that the newly upgraded Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Turf in Lagos will be a good test for the female national team, when the six-nation invitational tournament gets underway later this month.

According to Obalola, “The campaign to have better playing facility is one of the cardinal goals of the Federation and we are glad that our prime facility, the Tafawa Balewa Square Oval is now at par with international standard,” he said.

He added that the lack of top-grade cricket turf wickets has been one of the limiting factors for developing top cricket talents in

the past and the current spate of development of facilities across the country will help relegate that to the background.

The 10-strip Tafawa Balewa Square turf in Lagos is one of the seven new facilities that the NCF has put up in the last two years to compliment the talent development plan of the federation and will be the centre stage of the forthcoming Nigeria International Women T20 Tournament to start in Lagos from March 26th, 2022.

“We want our girls to get accustomed to it and get comfortable with playing competitive events off the turf wickets. So the coming event is a litmus test for the girls and an upgrade for the level of home games they are usually exposed to,” Obalola also said.

Leon Balogun (left) celebrating his third goal for Rangers against Red Star Belgrade at the Ibrox in Scotland...last night

Oshoala Seals New Barcelona Femeni Deal Until 2024 Femi Solaja withagencyreport

Super Falcons Captain and Africa’s most decorated female footballer, Asisat Oshoala, has signed a new contract with La Liga and Women's Champions League holders Barcelona Femeni.

The 27-year-old forward will now remain with the Spanish giants until the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Oshoala has scored 80 goals in 101 appearances for Barca since joining in January 2019, initially on loan.

"I'm really happy and excited to continue the journey the best team in the world," she told Barca TV shortly after signing the new deal yesterday.

"It is not just because of the trophies. The management has done a good job to help every player improve on and off the pitch.

"I have learnt a lot being here."

Oshoala, who is currently sidelined with a thigh injury,

has scored 19 goals in 16 La Liga appearances this season.

Oshoala will hope to lead Nigeria to a record-extending 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations

title in Morocco in July.

Before moving to Spain, Oshoala previously had stints at Liverpool, Arsenal and Chinese side Dalian Quanjian.

Asisat Oshoala has penned new Barcelona Femeni deal until 2024

Telecommunications firm Three have confirmed that they are suspending their £40million a year shirt sponsorship deal with Chelsea following sanctions imposed on Blues owner Roman Abramovich, UK’s the Mirrorreports.

Abramovich has had his assets frozen in the UK in the wake of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, although he continues to deny any links to president Vladimir Putin.

Three’s logo will now be removed from Chelsea shirts and from advertising boards around Stamford Bridge with immediate effect and until further notice.

Chelsea have been given a sporting licence to continue playing and trading despite the move, although the measures will put a block on Abramovich’s proposed sale of the club.

Three have been Chelsea’s main shirt sponsor since the start of the 2020-21 season.

A spokesperson for Three has said: “In light of the government’s recently announced sanctions, we have requested Chelsea Football Club temporarily suspend our partnership of the club, including the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice.

“We recognise that this decision will impact the many Chelsea fans who follow their team passionately.

“However, we feel that given the circumstances, and the Government sanction that is in place, it is the right thing to do.

“As a mobile network, the best way we can support the people of Ukraine is to ensure refugees arriving in the UK from the conflict and customers currently in Ukraine can stay connected to the people who matter to them. Therefore, we are offering connectivity packages to all Ukrainians arriving in the UK, and those in Ukraine.“ Meanwhile, a statement from Hyundai, Chelsea’s shirt sleeve sponsor, said on Thursday afternoon: “Hyundai has become one of the strongest partners in football over the years & the company supports the sport to be a force for good.

“We are currently assessing the situation with Chelsea FC.” Chelsea’s deal with Hyundai is worth £10million per year.

NFF Announces Daar Communications as Ticket Rights Holder The Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday publicly presented Daar Communications PLC (owners of Africa Independent Television and Raypower Radio) as the exclusive ticket rights holder for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 playoff battle between Nigeria and Ghana in Abuja on Tuesday, 29th March 2022.

At a press conference inside the NFF Secretariat in the Federal Capital, NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said the Daar Communications bade for the right as part of its corporate social responsibility, and the NFF had accepted based on the Federation’s trust and confidence

2 0 2 2 W O R L D C U P P L AYO F F S in the broadcast company.

“Since inception of its operations, Daar Communications has consistently shown remarkable love and support for the growth and development of Nigeria football. The ticketing rights awarded to Daar Communications PLC today is a reflection of our confidence in the organization to raise the profile of the game and fill the stadium to the capacity approved by FIFA with passionate fans who will cheer the Super Eagles to victory and on to Qatar 2022.”

Responding, the Group Managing Director of Daar Communications, Mr Tony Anegbe Akiotu said: “The Super Eagles need all the support they can get for this big match. This move is part of our own efforts to re-ignite the passion of Nigerians in the National Team and Nigeria Football generally. Getting fans into the stadium, building up their excitement and anticipation in a unique way and finally getting them to unleash their energy in support of the Eagles is our over-riding primary objective.”

Nigeria take the pitch against Ghana as from 6pm on Tuesday, 29th Marchin what will be the reverse leg of a final round of qualification campaign for a ticket at the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals.

Both teams will in the process write another note in the two countries’ 71-year football rivalry, during which 58 matches would have been played before the day.

The encounter will also be the first time in seven years and five months since the Eagles last played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium. That was in October 2014, in a 3-1 win over Sudan in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.

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MISSILE Gov Ortom to Killer Herders

“’The situation where killer herdsmen take shelter with our neighbours, sneak in and kill our people without provocation will not be tolerated any longer. It is no longer fashionable to continue to cry out for help. We must now be alert and ready to confront these killers. This is another way we can assist the security agencies…” – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, asking the residents to take the bull by the horns, and confront the murderous herders.

KINGSLEYMOGHALU GUEST COLUMNIST

Why I Became a Politician A

s recently as 7/8 years ago, I would have reacted with disdain and disgust if you had suggested that I would ever enter the murky waters of Nigerian politics. But some things made me change my mind and to realize there’s no other place to make the real change we want happen.

First, I find the level of poverty in Nigeria heartbreaking. Why, I ask myself, should a country with so much potential be so poor? Answer: because it suffers from a lethal combination of incompetent governance, industrial scale corruption and willful mis-governance.

Sometime in 2017 I delivered a lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos. After the lecture people surrounded me expressing appreciation for the insights the lecture gave them.

But several people, including an old friend who was decidedly a university educated middle-class individual in the 1980s and 90s, were begging me for transport money to get to different parts of Lagos. This was a painful experience for me.

Second, I know from experience, having been a top technocrat, that technocrats can’t make any country achieve progress.

Countries make progress only when they have competent political leaders and strong, effective institutions. So having brilliant technocrats is not the answer.

Nigeria has tons of brilliant economists but our economy is heading to Venezuela and Zimbabwe (diesel is now around 600 Naira a litre).

Lamido Sanusi, I and our other colleagues ran a transformational, highachieving Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2009-2014 because we asserted and protected the statutory independence of the Bank and had the capacity and competence to do the things we did in the financial/ payment/monetary systems. That was an exception to the norm in Nigeria.

The great, Amazonian Ngozi OkonjoIweala also made a lot of progress with fiscal reforms, but she was blocked by politics and politicians from doing even more. She did not have the statutory independence of the CBN. That’s why, though she was Minister of Finance, she was never in effective charge of Nigeria’s oil revenues. As I told her a few years later at a meeting in Washington DC after we had both left the government, “Sis, you were the Coordinating Minister of the Economy by day but not at night”!

In other words, the failures and shortcomings of the elected political leadership constrained what could have been achieved. This realization also made me enter politics and seek the presidency in 2019 and, again and ongoing, in 2023. No retreat. No surrender.

Moghalu

We press forward.

Third, I entered politics because of the increasing joblessness and hopelessness of Nigerian youth. The young people of any country are its future. If they have no future, then the country in reality has none. We must change this, working with teams of like minds. I have children too who are young adults and teenagers. I want them too to have a future in our country. And I want to help build an education system that gives millions of our youth the opportunity I have been blessed to equip my own children for because I had an international career in the United Nations System, earned my salary in dollars, and lived in various advanced countries where they were born and grew up.

If it’s good for the goose, it’s good for the gander. This calls for reshaping

our education system to face technology, give the young ones skills and access to finance to create their own businesses and therefore jobs for themselves and others.

Fourth, I am in politics because ideas matter. Ideas rule the world. We need to educate our citizens, whose minds have been twisted by our corrupt, wicked politicians and the poverty they inflict on citizens so they can buy their votes, that every society that makes progress is one led by political leaders who have and are comfortable with ideas and intellect.

Japan, China, UAE, and the USA were not built by Nigeria-like politicians who dismiss intellect as “blowing grammar”.

The politicians in these successful countries lead with vision and win elections via contests of ideas about how to achieve human progress, not just by worshiping corrupt “structures” that serve the interests of politicians to rig/ win elections but not good governance for the people.

The time has therefore arrived for Nigeria to be led by a lettered man or woman, a philosopher-king in the mold of the Azikiwes, Awolowos, Aminu Kanos, Alex Ekwuemes of our distant past before politics became almost the exclusive preserve of the “barbarians”.

These men (mostly) are worshiped by those whose thinking processes they have corrupted into becoming willing accomplices in what Paulo Freire called “The Pedagogy of the Oppressed” or, in other words, “happy slaves”.

I am a thinker and a doer combined.

If you can’t think it (transformation) you can’t do it. If you can’t conceptualize it, you can’t execute it. There is no “practical” that can work without a sound theory or concept. Nigeria simply

The time has therefore arrived for Nigeria to be led by a lettered man or woman, a philosopher-king in the mold of the Azikiwes, Awolowos, Aminu Kanos, Alex Ekwuemes of our distant past before politics became almost the exclusive preserve of the “barbarians”. These men (mostly) are worshiped by those whose thinking processes they have corrupted into becoming willing accomplices in what Paulo Freire called “The Pedagogy of the Oppressed” or, in other words, “happy slaves”

can’t be transformed without a leader with a powerful worldview anchored on sound intellect and strong political will to drive the vision. I am a Lee Kwan Yew from Nnewi. And to transplant an Igbo saying literally into English as was Chinua Achebe’s literary habit, “ no one will steal my bicycle because I said so”.

Fourth, I entered politics because Nigeria is now broken by our ethnic and religious divides. We have had a country for 60 years but have not been able to build a nation. This requires a national leader with a clear worldview of unity in diversity through justice and equity to all Nigerians and all groups within Nigeria -a unifier. A leader that can create -and inspire Nigerians with - a national goal or ambition that rises above the issues that tend to divide us. A vision that does for our peaceful coexistence, for our economy and our international relations what soccer does for us, making constant the fleeting moments when we forget our tribe and tongue. I am a nation-builder with a worldview of transformation who has played key roles in nation-building in the UN Service , from Cambodia to Angola, from Rwanda to Croatia.

Finally, I entered the political terrain because for me it’s simply the last bus stop. I realized that I don’t care for personal success anymore. I’ve had more than my fair share by the Grace of God. “Vanity of vanities”, saith the preacher in the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes, “all is vanity”. What matters most to me now, as always, is to change my environment and make it better than it was before I entered it, for the sake of others and not just for myself.

There is no other way to change the destiny of our 200 million people, nearly 70 percent of whom are youth, other than through getting involved in politics. That means participation through membership of political parties, voting for the right kinds of leaders at every level, and running for office. That means not just me, but you as well. The challenge we face, and I and other like-minds are working on, is a strategy to translate all this into a winning electoral formula at the polls.

So you see, I am practical too. It’s just that my practical plans are based on a sound conceptual foundation, for that’s what guarantees not just short-term electoral victory, but longer-term good governance for Nigeria and Nigerians too. God bless Nigeria.

•Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was a presidential candidate in 2019 and is a presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for 2023.

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