WEDNESDAY 13TH APRIL 2022

LCCI Predicts Nigeria's Debts May Hit N45tn in Q4 2022 This year budget now projected to have deficit of N7.35 trillion Gilbert Ekugbe The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has predicted that Nigeria's total debt stock was expected to hit N45.86 trillion by

December 2022.

According to the President, LCCI, Mr. Michael Olawale-Cole, who spoke at a press briefing on the state of the nation, the country’s debt stock was expected to increase

following the federal government's plan to borrow an additional N1.6 trillion, while the 2022 debt target for domestic borrowing was pegged at N2.57 trillion.

He said: "There is also a plan to

borrow N2.57 trillion from foreign creditors, while N1.16 trillion is expected from multilateral/bilateral drawdowns.

“In total, the federal government plans to add N6.3 trillion new debts

to the current debt stock, which would push the country’s total debt stock to N45.86 trillion by December 2022," he added.

The LCCI boss noted that the 2022 federal government budget

was now projected to have a deficit of N7.35 trillion from the approved N6.26trillion if the recent request for an additional deficit of N965.4billion Continued on page 10

High Food Prices: FG Directs Release of 40,000mt of Grains to Nigerians… Page 6 Wednesday 13 April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9864. Price: N250

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NLC Threatens Solidarity Strike with University Workers... Page 5

President Seeks Senate’s Approval to Raise 2022 Subsidy Payment to N4trn Adjusts Fiscal Framework To raise crude oil benchmark to $73 per barrel Demands additional N182.45bn for Police Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Senate yesterday received a request from President Muhammadu Buhari to approve

adjustments in the 2022 fiscal framework, including to raise the amount the federal government would expend on fuel subsidy this year to N4 trillion.

Precisely, the president sought

the chamber to approve an increase in the estimated provision for PMS subsidy for 2022

by N3.557 trillion, from N442.72 billion to N4.00 trillion.

The increase in payment for

the contentious subsidy on petrol in 2022 followed the decision of the government in January to extend the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by 18 months after the labour unions

and civil society organisations threatened showdown with the government.

The request for approval to adjust the 2022 fiscal framework, was contained in a letter dated

April 5, 2022, read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

President Buhari, in the letter, explained that an adjustment to Continued on page 10

Buhari, Senators, Others Flay Plateau Killings, Say Act Heinous, Unforgivable Insist perpetrators must face wrath of law Insecurity: Nigeria on verge of collapse, Kukah warns 23 killed in fresh attacks on Benue communities Northern Elders call for president's resignation: “Killers and other criminals appear to have detected a paralysing vacuum at the highest levels of government, and they have grown more confident and competent in subverting the state and our security."

Deji Elumoye in Abuja, Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto President Muhammadu Buhari, the senator for Plateau South in the

National Assembly, Professor Nora Dadu'ut, and her counterpart in Plateau Central, Hezekiah Dimka, have described the recent bloody terrorist attacks on Kanam and Continued on page 10

TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE...

L-R: Bride, Osasu Igbinedion; Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, and groom, Mr. Nathaniel Ogwuche, during their traditional marriage held in Benin City… yesterday

Ayu: PDP’s NEC Decision on Zoning Out Soon as C’ttee Submits Report... Page 59

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Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322, 0807 401 0580

BRIEFING ON NIGERIA'S EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF PROJECT...

L-R: Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; President Muhammadu Buhari; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Aliyu Omar, and Prof. Lawrence Awosika, during a briefing from the Presidential Committee on Nigeria's Extended Continental Shelf Project held at Abuja...yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE

High Food Prices: FG Directs Release of 40,000mt of Grains to Nigerians Says insecurity hasn’t depleted nation's food production capacity Food crisis looms, Okonjo-Iweala warns WTO reduces 2022 global trade forecast to 3% Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari has given the go-ahead for the release of 40,000 metric tons of assorted grains to needy Nigerians from the nation's Strategic Grains Reserve (SGR).

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar, made this known to newsmen yesterday, after a close-door meeting with President Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

This is just as the Director General of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has warned that a potential food crisis was looming across the globe, especially for some African countries that relied on Russia and Ukraine for their food import.

According to Abubakar, the execution of the president's order would be carried out by his ministry, in conjunction with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, which would handle the distribution of about 12,000 metric tons of the total number.

He added that the same process deployed during the COVID-19

lockdown in 2020, to distribute 70,000 metric tons of assorted food items across some states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), would be used.

Abubakar stated that in compliance with the presidential directive, grains are readily available for immediate distribution.

The minister explained: “I'm here this afternoon as a result of summoning by President Muhammadu Buhari. He actually directed and approved the release of grains from our Strategic Grain Reserve by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

“This is to cushion the effect of some of the issues we are facing with high prices of commodities across the country and also to cushion these festivities - Ramadan, Easter, Salah - so that there will be a little cushion for the people during these festivities.

“Not just us, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, but also that we’ll be given some of these grains also to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to also do the same distribution, the grain is coming from our Strategic Grains Reserve, as directed by Mr. President.”

On the kind of grains Nigerians

should be expecting to receive, the minister said, “assorted grains.

Usually we have sorghum, maize, millet and the rest of them, we will be releasing an assortment of grains that are in our grain reserves.”

“They are located across the entire country in all probably the six geopolitical zones, we have grain silos.”

Commenting on the effect of insecurity in the north-west and

north-east on the nation’s food security, Abubakar disclosed that government was doing everything humanly possible to prevent a drop in food production, adding that there had not been any impact on food supply so far.

His words: “Certainly, some measure of insecurity might affect a bit of agriculture, however, as you can see, there's really no sharp drop in productivity in agricultural production. There's still food, and

people are still cultivating in all parts of the country.

“Some of the areas where it has some security implication, yes, it may have a little drop, but the government is doing everything humanly possible to make sure that production continues in other parts and even areas where there are issues, the government is doing whatever it takes.

“Like in the Ministry of Agriculture, we have Agro Rangers who

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) yesterday met with stakeholders in the power sector as a precursor to the signing of a 40-megawatt Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Mabon Hydro Power Plant, a private entity.

The meeting, according to the spokeswoman of NBET, Henrietta Ighomrore, had in attendance representatives of Distribution Companies (DISCOs) across the

country, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), as well as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

According to the bulk trader, the development is part of the series of actions that the NBET will undertake prior to closing out the PPA with the private organisation to ramp up power supply nationwide.

“This is timely and coming at a time when the country is in need of every available power it can

generate and wheel out to the end users.

“The 40MW electricity from Mabon Hydro Power Plant will contribute immensely to strengthening and balancing the national grid, as the power plant is the only generating plant located in the North-east region of the country,” the company said.

In addition, it stated that the private entity is strategically located in Dadin Kowa area of Gombe State and a testament to

Lawmakers okay repeal of 63-year-old Customs Act, proposed bill bans appointment of CG from outside service

The House of Representatives yesterday approved the total sum of N369.136 billion budget for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the 2022 fiscal year.

The approval followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Committee on Customs and Excise.

Presenting the report, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Leke Abejide noted that the total sum of the budget was in tandem with the projection in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) approved by the National Assembly.

He explained that out of the amount, N108.853 billion was for personnel cost; N45,896 billion was for overhead cost and N214.294 billion was for capital projects of

the Service.

In the budget, seven per cent cost of collection, amounting to N151.841 billion, being the projected revenue available to the Service was approved, as well as two percent Value Added Tax (VAT) share of N14.939 billion.

The report stipulated that the NCS should as a matter of urgency, make provisions out of the N27.848 billion surplus for the repair of 13 scanners prior to the commencement of the proposed e-Customs.

This, the report stated was to enhance maximum and effective examination of containers at the ports and other designated Nigeria Customs service formations to ensure trade facilitation and also ease the way of doing business in Nigeria.

Other projections approved

Continued on page 10

NBET Plans Power Purchase Deal for Additional 40MW to National Grid

House Approves N369bn Budget for Customs in 2022 Udora Orizu in Abuja

sometimes provide some kind of security cover that will make sure food production does not stop. I can assure you that we don't have problems with food production at this point.”

Commenting on the effects of the Ukraine – Russia war, he said: “We have met about two to three times to discuss the issue of Ukraine.

Yes, indeed, Nigeria imports grains

included the 60 per cent share of the comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) of N60.121 billion only for the 2022 intervention fund for the Nigeria Customs Service; retained income of N114.385 billion only; Share of Excess Target (in 2021) of N27.848 billion only.

The report recommended that: "The Nigeria Customs Service should make substantial provision for corporate social responsibility so that communities where Nigeria Customs operate and people that work with Nigeria Customs Service could have a sense of belonging or take ownership of the agency.

“The information required and assistance to tackle smugglers would be provided by the people easily but as it is now the NCS is seen as an outcast by these communities because they believe Customs only

want to benefit from their domain at the expense of their welfare.

"The Nigeria Army does much more Corporate Social Responsibility for the general public and their hosts, so also, other Revenue Generating Agencies; that could be the reason for less reported acrimony and attacks against them by their host communities unlike customs."

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday considered and approved a bill seeking the repeal of the Customs and Excise Management Act, enacted 63 years ago.

The approval followed the consideration and adoption of all 283 clauses in the Bill's report submitted by the Committee on Customs and Excise.

Presenting the synopsis of the

report before the Committee of the Whole, the sponsor of the Bill, Abejide, said if signed into law by the president, it would restrict the appointment of the Comptroller General of Customs (CG) within the Service, and make appointment of same from outside it illegal.

Abejide said the extant law had become obsolete and ineffective for the operations of the NCS, leading to the agency's underperformance in terms of revenue generation.

He also said the new bill exposes illegal arms importation and as well improve revenue generation.

Abejide said, "This bill when it becomes an Act will position Nigeria Customs Service to be financially stable and this will enable NCS to recruit the required number of Officers they need to man our porous border stations.”

the federal government’s drive to commercialise small hydro plants and bring them upstream to increase power generation across the country. “ It is also in line with Nigeria’s commitment to the UN COP 26 to accelerate action and support for Climate Change Framework, the hydro plant being a clean energy source propels Nigeria towards fulfilling its obligations,” the statement noted.

It stressed that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is committed to reducing carbon footprints and supporting climate change initiatives.

The additional power from Mabon , it pointed out , will also contribute further towards reducing the current Weighted Average Cost Of Power (WACP) within the NBET’s portfolio, as hydro power is a relatively cheaper cost of power generation.

NBET explained that the Discos made significant contributions at the meeting, with a commitment to work collaboratively with other market participants towards improving the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and enhancing power supply to Nigerians.

Since February this year, Nigeria’s power supply has grown from bad to worse, with several national power grid collapses, resulting in nationwide blackouts.

With deteriorating and weak infrastructure, Nigeria is barely able to supply a quarter of its so-called generation capacity to the homes of its citizenry.

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PRESENTATION OF 2021 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNT...

L-R: Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Board Directors: Frank Aigbogun, Lanre Akinbo; Foluso Phillips; Company Secretary, Olaniwun Ajayi; Mrs. Mary Joboson; NESG Chairman, Asue Ighodalo; Corporate Services Head, Ogechi Obiorah; CEO, 'Laoye Jaiyeola and NESG Board of Director, Nnanna Ude; during the presentation of 2021 Annual Report and Account, in Lagos...yesterday

Buhari: Nigeria Ready to Acquire More Maritime Territory Without Recourse to War Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday declared that Nigeria was at the verge of extending its territory without, ‘war, litigation or purchase’ saying efforts at expanding its

maritime territory, through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) were fully on course.

The president made the disclosure at the State House in Abuja, while receiving a progress report from the Presidential Committee

on Nigeria’s Extended Continental Shelf Project.

He said: “I am looking forward to the day that I can announce to Nigerians that additional maritime territory has been approved for Nigeria by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of

the Continental Shelf.”

Buhari assured the Committee, chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami of his full support on Nigeria’s submission to the United Nations for additional maritime area,

Diri Blasts Oil Firms, Regulatory Bodies over Unfair Treatment of Niger Delta Host Communities Chief of Defence seeks partnership to combat oil theft, Kidnapping Olusegun Samuel Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has condemned what he described as unfair the inordinate collusion of oil firms and regulatory bodies against the interest of host communities in the Niger Delta.

Diri made the remark yesterday, when the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as saying part of the security challenges in host communities were as a result of the injustice and unfair treatment by the oil companies aided by the regulatory authori-

ties.

Diri cited last November’s month-long oil and gas spillage in Nembe Local Government Area of the state from an Aiteo Exploration and Production Limited facility, which eventually resulted in litigation due to the manner the company and the regulatory bodies treated the impacted communities.

Diri said the disposition of his government towards the affected host communities prevented another conflict between them, Aiteo and, by extension, the security agencies.

“For us as a government, from the moment we assumed office, we have always preached peace and security and looking for constitutional, legal and

legitimate ways of addressing the injustices over the years in our state.

“A case in point was the Aiteo oil spill. That facility was said to be unproductive, was not decommissioned and it spewed oil for over a month, which was the first of its kind in the history of oil exploration in this country.

“At the end of the day, a potential source of conflict was during the joint inspection visit, which has caused a rift between the state government, AITEO and, to an extent, the supervisors from the oil and gas sector.

“However, because of our disposition, we have been able to calm down our communities.

Now it is the state government

NLC Threatens Solidarity Strike with University Workers Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on a three- day nationwide strike in solidarity with the four university-based industrial unions.

The threat came after the NLC met with the four university unions in Abuja, yesterday, over the failure of the federal government to address the concerns raised by the unions.

The leadership of the NLC had said the meeting was meant to appraise the level of engagement between the unions and the federal government.

General Secretary of NLC, Emma Ugbaja, had told some journalists before the commencement of the meeting that it was aimed at finding ways of resolving the face-off

between the aggrieved unions and government in the interest of Nigerians.

Ugbaja said NLC considered it wise to hear from the unions first before taking any position, adding that, "the interest of labour was to ensure that the matter was sorted out."

Federal government-owned universities in the country have been closed down as a result of the strike embarked by four unions – the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied Educational Institutions, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The four unions which are affiliates of the NLC withdrew their services over dispute on

introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS), non-payment of revatization funds, earned allowances and delay in the review of the 2009 Agreement with the government.

Sources at the meeting told THISDAY last night that they resolved that the NLC would summon an emergency Central Working Committee, (CWC), meeting to take a position in solidarity with the university based unions.

The source said: "The NLC will take the matter to the CWC. One of the suggested ways to make government take action was a three-day strike which will lead to shutting down the economy in solidarity with the unions."

However, the date of the CWC meeting has not been fixed.

with the local government on one side, and of course Aiteo and the supervising oil and gas bodies on the other side, which I feel should not be if we do what is right, and if there is equity and fairness.

“For the fact that the environment has been affected as well as the source of livelihood of the people, it is very human for the oil companies to have immediately responded by way of compensation.

“Unfortunately, what we have seen is that there is some collaboration and collusion with Aiteo and the regulatory agencies and we were forced to take legal action against Aiteo.”

Diri called for synergy between the state and the military and recalled that it was the focus when the Chief of Defence Staff invited governors to Abuja to discuss how to ensure uninterrupted oil and gas production in the Niger Delta when he was newly appointed.

The state’s helmsman, stressed that his administration was open to collaborate, synergise and strengthen the existing relationship between the state and the security agencies.

Earlier, Irabor said him and his team were in Bayelsa because they recognised the crucial role of the state government in accommodating and strengthening the operations of the country’s armed forces.

He added that the visit was also to solidify the partnership between both parties, particularly in combating oil theft, kidnapping and the destruction of oil facilities across the state.

The Defence Chief noted that any form of destruction of the nation's oil investment was a direct attack on the future of the country’s oil wealth and thanked Governor Diri for his unrelenting support to the military and other security agencies.

under the recognised international convention.

He commended the Committee on the progress made so far and the dedication invested on the work within a short time, assuring them of all the support to conclude the project in good time.

Underscoring his special interest on the project, the president told the Malami-led committee: “I have always had special interest in this project right from the first day I heard of it, because this type of project where Nigeria will gain additional territory without conflict has never happened before in her lifetime.

“I am therefore glad that it is happening within our lifetime.

This is one of the many reasons I have been ardently following your progress over time.

“It is my intention to support the submission to the United Nations for additional maritime area, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to claim for Nigeria every bit of space that she deserves under UNCLOS. “It is pleasing to know that most

wars that have taken place in the world since time immemorial including present times have always been territorial, and Nigeria has this one and only chance to gain territory without war, litigation, or purchase.

“More so when this territory lies within the area dubbed as ‘the Golden Triangle’ in the Gulf of Guinea, which contains unquantifiable resources some of which have not even been discovered.’’

Earlier in his remarks, Malami thanked the president for his support to the project, noting that it was dormant for more than 30 months before the president rescued it.

“I thank you for making this project your pet project, because when it was virtually dead after being dormant for more than thirty months and the Nigerian Experts had almost given up on it, you rescued it, and it is where it is today because of you”, he said.

The AGF told the president that, ‘‘by the grace of God’’ the Committee is delivering and gaining more grounds for Nigeria on the project.

Lawmakers Investigate Alleged Disappearance of FG's Transit Buses in FCT Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Federal Capital Territory to investigate the alleged disappearance of transit buses provided by the Federal Government for Transport Services within the Federal Capital Territory to recover them.

The resolution of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ikenna Elezieanya, at yesterday’s plenary.

Moving the motion, Elezieanya noted that the provision of the buses in Abuja, apart from creating jobs and generating revenue, was targeted at alleviating the sufferings of the citizens as it was designed to ease the commuting challenges of civil and public servants to and from their offices to ensure effective discharge of their duties.

He also noted that between 2003 to 2007, 5,000 buses were provided by the government to assist and complement the efforts of government workers in accessing their various offices within the Federal Capital Territory.

The lawmaker expressed concerns that all the buses, amounting to 10,000 provided by the government were gradually disappearing from the roads and not being effectively managed by the FCT administration and as such, not achieving its core objective, which is alleviating the transport challenges of the masses.

He said, "Further notes that between 2010 to 2014, the federal government, in a bid to effectively improve public service delivery in line with global best practices, provided an additional 5,000 buses for the transportation of civil servants.

“Also concerned that the citizens who are denied these services are daily faced with the risk of riding in commercial vehicles operated by kidnappers, armed robbers and bandits; cognisant of the need to recover the buses and make them operational to serve the core objectives for which they were provided."

Adopting the motion, the House gave the Committee three weeks to carryout the assignment and report back for further legislative action.

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INSPECTING REHABILITATION WORK AT PH REFINERY...

L-R: Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, and Chairman, NNPC Board, Senator Margaret Okadigbo, during an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing rehabilitation work, at the Port Harcourt Refinery... yesterday

World Bank: We are Analysing Global Impact of War in Ukraine Targets focused support for developing countries Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The World Bank President, David Malpass, yesterday said the multilateral institution was analysing the global impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine, including the spike in food and energy prices, and preparing a crisis response that would provide focused support for developing countries.

He explained that for every one percentage point increase in food prices, 10 million people were expected to fall into extreme poverty globally.

In a speech titled, “Addressing Challenges to Growth, Security and Stability," which he delivered at the Warsaw School of Economics ahead of the 2022 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings, Malpass said the attacks on people in Ukraine and infrastructure were causing tremendous suffering, threatening international peace and security and endangering the basic social and economic needs of people around the world.

The war and its consequences, he stated, were also creating sudden shortages of energy, fertiliser, and food and pitting people against each other and their governments.

He noted that even people who are physically distant from the conflict are feeling its impacts.

He said: "Food price spikes hit everyone and are devastating for the poorest and most vulnerable.

"The rich can afford suddenly expensive staples, but the poor cannot. Malnutrition is expected to grow, and its effects will be the hardest to reverse in children.

"Trade disruptions have already sent grain and commodity prices soaring. Wheat exports from Black Sea ports have been sharply curtailed. And intense drought in South America is reducing global food production.

"Global food commodity markets are large and well-established, and – after a lag – they tend to self-adjust to disruptions in production.

"However, additional factors are making the current food supply problems more acute – namely the supply of fertilisers, energy prices, and self-imposed food

export restrictions."

The World Bank President added that fertiliser prices are dependent on natural gas prices, which have surged, noting that as liquefied natural gas (LNG) is shipped to Europe, LNG shortages are occurring elsewhere, reducing fertiliser production, and disrupting the sowing season and harvest productivity.

Malpass stated that the financial repercussions of the energy shock were intertwined with the global community’s efforts on climate change.

"We are again living through a dangerous period of overlapping crises and conflicts with Poland near the center. I have been deeply shocked and horrified at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the atrocities committed against the civilian population, and the loss of lives and livelihoods for millions of Ukrainians.

"The attacks on people and infrastructure are causing tremendous suffering, threatening international peace and security, and endangering the basic social and economic needs of people around the world.

"I met with President Zelenskyy on February 19 in Munich and then spoke with him after the invasion to discuss World Bank support for the people of Ukraine.

Since the invasion, the World Bank Group has provided fast-disbursing financial support to Ukraine to help the government provide critical services to people, including wages for hospital workers, pensions for the elderly, and social programs for the vulnerable," he said.

He noted that through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group had provided immediate working capital for companies providing supplies to Ukraine.

The World Bank is currently preparing a nearly $1.5 billion operation for Ukraine to support the continuation of essential government services during the war, he said.

"This was enabled by yesterday’s approval of IDA19 support of $1 billion to Ukraine and $100 million to Moldova by IDA donor and recipient countries.

"The World Bank was created in 1944 to help Europe rebuild after World War II. As we did then, we will be ready to help Ukraine with reconstruction when the time comes.

"In the meantime, we are working to help Ukrainian refugees as they plan their return home; help communities as they absorb Ukrainians; and help the many millions of internally displaced persons in Ukraine who have lost their homes and livelihoods.

"We are analysing global impacts of the war in Ukraine, including the spike in food and energy

prices, and preparing a surge crisis response that will provide focused support for developing countries," he said.

He regretted that the violence is not confined to Ukraine, adding that just over the last year, the world witnessed serious setbacks for development and security, including Afghanistan’s collapse, Lebanon’s crisis, and coups and violence across the Sahel, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Yemen.

According to him, millions of Syrians are living in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey even as inter-ethnic and

inter-religious strife plagues Myanmar and other parts of Asia.

He also observed that in Latin America and the Caribbean, levels of crime and violence are alarmingly high, with some urban and rural areas controlled by criminal gangs or drug cartels.

Lamenting that the trend toward insecurity was deeply concerning, he noted that currently, 39 of the 189 member countries of the World Bank Group are experiencing open conflict situations or remain worryingly fragile.

"The number of people living in conflict areas nearly doubled

between 2007 and 2020. Today, in the Middle East and North Africa, one in every five people lives in an area affected by conflict. This unraveling of security has brought a surge in the number of refugees, which more than doubled over the last decade to exceed 30 million refugees in 2020.

"The war in Ukraine has already displaced an additional 10 million people from their homes, pushing more than 4 million people – primarily women and children – into neighbouring countries, most of them to Poland and Romania," he said.

FG, Coca Cola Launch Plastics Recycling Programme, Target 8,910 Tons Annually Company says 2bn bottles already mopped up Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government through the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC) and the Coca-Cola Foundation yesterday announced the inauguration of the “Cycle Plast Project” to ramp up plastic waste collection in Nigeria.

To ensure the success of the programme, the organisers during the event which took place in Abuja, noted that the informal sector will be heavily involved, as 990 waste operatives from all zones are required to deliver on the project.

In addition, while the monthly target across six project locations will be 743 tons, the annual target across six project locations will be 8,910 tons while each state state will work with 165 waste operatives.

Furthermore, at the end of each month, each project location is expected to deliver at least 124 tons while each waste picker per region should deliver approximately 0.75 ton and a project location should deliver 1,486 tons, to hit 8,916 tons a year.

According to the partners, the project will significantly improve

on the amount of polyethylene terephthalate or PET collected and aggregated for recycling, empower the participants, and organise informal sector players in the plastic waste recycling communities in Nigeria.

The target, they stated, is to promote a plastic waste free environment derived through modified behaviour and proper disposal habits of communities, while creating jobs and unlocking opportunities along the plastic waste recycling value chain of Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer, NCIC, Bankole Oloruntoba, explained that as a major actor in the plastics pollution space, Nigeria must begin to take actions that will creatively lead to disposal of the waste. “ According to a 2021 plastic pollution by country report published by the World Population Review, Nigeria was identified as the 7th largest country in the world, generating plastic waste amounting to about 5.96 million tons annually with about 70 per cent ending up in landfills and water ways .

“This project will engage the general public through innovative and disruptive behaviour change campaigns on consumption and disposal patterns of single use PET plastic bottles with the aim of encouraging plastic consumers to responsibly dispose their plastic waste to enhance and build an effective collection system.

“The informal sector is responsible for about 70 per cent of the plastic collection rate of the country and needs to be supported to do more by digitising the sector and making it more inclusive and attractive for investments,” he said.

The NCIC was created in 2018 as a collaboration between the World Bank and the federal government through the office of the vice president with the mandate to lead the growth of the Nigerian green economy.

In her remarks, Director, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Amaka Onyemelukwe, stated that the company in partnership with other foods and beverages firms, has mopped over 60,000 metric tons of plastics, which is the equivalent of over 2 billion bottles

since it started the programme in Nigeria.

She explained that through the food and beverage recycling alliance, a lot of collectors and recyclers will be empowered, but said that the company will not be phasing out glass bottles.

She stressed that there was the need to raise advocacy, awareness as well as take it to the inner communities, so that PET bottles can be returned for recycling after use.

Onyemelukwe added that Coca-Cola had always been part of creating the solution that ensures that plastic packaging do not end up in environments so better economics and better communities can be created.

According to her, the project will help improve the PET collection rates across the six geopolitical zones, improve the lives of informal waste collectors as well as encourage and inculcate the habit of recycling and sorting at source.

It is expected to be implemented in North Central (Abuja), Northwest (Kano), Northeast (Adamawa), Southwest (Kwara), Southeast (Abia) and South-South (Edo).

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TEN BUHARI, SENATORS, OTHERS FLAY PLATEAU KILLINGS, SAY ACT HEINOUS, UNFORGIVABLE Wase communities in Plateau State as atrocious, saying the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

The condemnation came as the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, said the country was at the verge of collapse. Kukah said Nigeria needed urgent measures to salvage it, especially in the face of an alarming spate of insecurity.

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), in its reaction to the worsening security situation, advised Buhari to “immediately” resign from office.

Amid the widespread mood of resentment and anger in the country, at least 23 persons were yet again killed on Monday in Benue State, when assailants believed to be herders attacked two communities in the state.

Some bloodthirsty terrorists had at the weekend killed 80 persons and abducted 70 others after an invasion of communities in Plateau State. The villages, which were attacked on Sunday, included Kukawa, Gyambawu, Dungur, Kyaram, Yelwa, Dadda, Wanka, Shuwaka, Gwammadaji, and Dadin Kowa.

THISDAY had reported that, unfortunately, while terrorists soiled the state in blood and danger, Plateau State Governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, was busy in Abuja holding political meetings with a former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Bola Tinubu, over the latter’s presidential ambition.

Observers said this was a reflection of the growing insensitivity of the country’s political leaders.

However, the president in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, directed that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts should not be spared or forgiven. The president ordered the law enforcement agencies to work actively with the Plateau State government to bring the situation under control and bring the culprits to justice.

Buhari expressed his condolences over the terrorist attacks, saying as a matter of priority, peace must return at all costs to the state and the entire country.

The president urged, "Our citizens, the people of Plateau State, in particular, to expose the perpetrators of such incidents, their sponsors and those who encourage such criminals who carry out these dastardly acts of murder, so that the law will take its course."

He added that the criminals "must not be forgiven".

A statement in Jos by Dadu'ut urged the federal government to expeditiously apprehend the perpetrators of the Plateau killings and bring them to justice. She also called on the federal government to put machineries in place that would ensure that criminals do not escape arrest and prosecution.

Dadu'ut said, "I condole with the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, Chairman of Kanam Local Government Area, the Senator

representing Plateau Central, and the people of the local government council over the sad incident."

Dimka also commiserated with the affected communities. He said he recently paid a condolence visit to the Executive Chairman of Kanam Local Government Area, Dr. Dayyabu Garga, over the killings and wanton destruction of property. Describing the act as disheartening, sad, and unfortunate, he reiterated his appeal to the federal Government to come to the rescue of the state.

The senator called on the security agencies to intensify efforts to expose the masterminds of the killings and bring them to book as a deterrent to others.

Dimka said, "I wish to most heartily, on behalf of the people of Plateau Central, condemn these dastardly acts of taking the lives of innocent people and destruction of property and to console the families of those who have lost their loved ones in the course of these senseless attacks."

Dimka said he was touched by the barbaric act perpetrated by the bandits, who used the land donated to the state government for ranching at Garga to infiltrate the communities that were attacked last Sunday.

The senator was reported to have donated bags of millet, sugar, salt and maggi as his contribution to efforts to alleviate the suffering of the affected communities.

Meanwhile, at least 23 locals were killed on Monday night

in Benue State, when suspected armed herders attacked their communities. The attacks occurred on at Mbadwem and Tiortyu communities in Guma and Tiortyu local government areas, respectively, state authorities said.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Nathaniel Ikyur, confirmed the killings, in a statement on Tuesday.

Ortom condemned the killings and asked the people of the state to rise and defend themselves.

The governor said, “It is becoming increasingly glaring every day that my people are now an endangered species and so we can no longer wait for help from anywhere.”

He was also quoted as saying in the statement, “My people will have to rise up to the occasion to defend themselves and their heritage against the Fulani army of occupation.”

Apart from the killings, the governor’s aide said scores of others were injured and had been taken to the hospital for treatment.

During the attack on Mbadwem, no fewer than eight people were reported killed, while 15 people lost their lives in Tiortyu.

Ortom lamented, “We are lawabiding citizens; we have cried for help against these invaders, but nothing is forthcoming.

“We are left alone, and it looks like it is a deliberate strategy.

“Now we have only one option:

PRESIDENT SEEKS SENATE’S APPROVAL TO RAISE 2022 SUBSIDY PAYMENT TO N4TRN the 2022 became imperative in view of new developments in both the global and domestic economies.

According to him, the developments were occasioned by spikes in the market price of crude oil, which were a fallout of the Russian-Ukraine war.

“As you are aware, there have been new developments both in the global economy as well as in the domestic economy which have necessitated the revision of the 2022 Fiscal Framework on which the 2022 Budget was based.

“These developments include spikes in the market price of crude oil, aggravated by the Russian-Ukraine war, significantly lower oil production volume due principally to production shut-ins as a result of massive theft of crude oil between the production platforms and the terminals.

“The decision to suspend the removal of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) subsidy at a time when high crude oil prices have elevated the subsidy cost has significantly eroded government revenues,” a statement quoted

the president to have said.

He, therefore, requested the upper chamber to approve an increase in the oil benchmark by $11 per barrel, from $62 per barrel to $73 per barrel.

The president also sought a reduction in the projected oil production volume by 283,000 barrels per day, from 1.883 million barrels per day to 1.600 million barrels per day.

President Buhari, underscored the need to cut the provision for federally funded upstream projects being implemented by N200 billion, from N352.80 billion to N152.80 billion.

He also proposed an increase in the projection for the federal government’s independent revenue by N400 billion; and an additional provision of N182.45 billion to cater for the needs of the Nigerian Police Force.

He added that, “based on the above adjustments, the Federation Account (Main Pool) revenue for the three tiers of government is projected to decline by N2.418 trillion, while FGN’s share from the Account (net of transfer to the Federal Capital Territory and other statutory deductions) is

LCCI PREDICTS NIGERIA'S DEBTS MAY HIT N45TN IN Q4 2022 by the president presented to the National Assembly was granted, explaining that in total, adding that with the new debts, the country was likely to have a higher debt service-to-revenue ratio if revenue levels do not increase significantly.

Furthermore, he predicted tougher times ahead for the manufacturing sector of the economy going into the second quarter of the year, predicting that manufacturing concerns would likely suffer due to poor public infrastructure, and port-related challenges as these may continue to present as headwinds to the sector’s performance.

"Additionally, with the war in Ukraine aggravating disruptions to supply chains of raw materials like wheat, barley, soybeans, sunflower, and corn, the rising cost of production may not abate soon," he added.

On the power sector, he said it was becoming clearer that the national grid cannot supply sufficient power to meet the nation's electricity demand, lamenting that on the back of the epileptic power supply, businesses have had to deal with the rising cost of manufacturing, exorbitant logistics, and constrained production.

He added that with the cost of diesel at record levels and persisting poor power supply, businesses had been running on unsustainable costs and producing at uncompetitive prices.

He warned that the situation could lead to job losses as output is constrained due to the unbearable cost of production.

"If not quickly tackled, these challenges will likely subdue the GDP growth potentials and projections for 2022," he warned.

The LCCI boss added: "The government should create funding for critical infrastructure and special purpose intervention in the power sector. The newly launched Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (Infracorp) has a mandate to focus on power, renewables, transport, and logistics. The InfraCorp will succeed in mobilizsng private sector participation if we can achieve cost-reflective pricing in the power sector," he said.

"The gas-to-power infrastructure requires an overhaul to resolve the persisting gas shortage. However, the most sustainable solution to Nigeria's power shortages is the transition to renewable energy," he advised.

projected to reduce by N1.173 trillion.”

He disclosed that the amount available to fund the FGN budget was projected to decline by N772.91 billion due to the increase in the projection for Independent Revenue (Operating Surplus Remittance) by N400 billion.

The president further explained that aggregate expenditure was projected to increase by N192.52 billion, due to increase in personnel cost by N161.40 billion and other service wide votes

by N21.05 billion (both for the Nigeria Police Force), additional domestic debt service provision of N76.13 billion, and net reductions in Statutory Transfers by N66.07 billion.

Giving a breakdown, he said the net deductions would see

a cut by N13.46 billion from N102.78 billion to N89.32 billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); NEDC,

by N6.30 billion from N48.08 billion to N41.78 billion; UBEC,

by N23.16 billion from N112.29 billion to N89.13 billion; Basic Health Care Fund, by N11.58 billion from N56.14 billion to N44.56 billion; and NASENI,

by N11.58 billion from N56.14 billion to N44.56 billion.

The president noted that the total budget deficit was projected to increase by N965.42 billion to N7.35 trillion, representing 3.99 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to him, the incremental deficit would be financed by new borrowings from the domestic market.

to defend ourselves or get extinct.

This is a case for our survival.

We have been accommodating of other people in our land, but our hospitality is misconstrued as weakness. We are not a conquered people. We will never be. We are free-born citizens of Nigeria.”

The governor called on the security agencies to do more in crime prevention and protect the lives and property of the people in the state. He also urged the residents to cooperate with security agencies to flush out the undesirable elements in the society.

The state government, Ortom said, will not shy away from its commitment to providing welfare and security for its people.

Insecurity: Nigeria on the Verge of Collapse, Says Kukah Kukah expressed concern over what he called abandonment of Nigerians to their fate in the face of terrifying insecurity.

The Bishop said, "Nigerians are like orphans in the face of this difficult situation with nobody to console them.”

Speaking to journalists shortly after the Chrism Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral, Sokoto, yesterday, Kukah said Nigeria was in a war situation, even though the authorities were not willing to admit that. He explained that the situation in Nigeria was inexplicable, stressing that Nigerians have since placed their fate, belief, and hope in God to bring about the needed change in the country.

The clergyman also expressed worry over the activities of fraudulent individuals using religion to compound the woes of citizens by subjecting them to all forms of manipulation.

He said, "The scripture has told us very clearly that there is nothing that is happening to us now that is new, that hasn't happened before, there is nothing that is new.”

He maintained that the idea of spirituality in any religion was to provide man with moral anchor, saying, “Religion doesn't make the problem go away and I am saying, for me in the Catholic Church, we have no discount."

Kukah added, "We are in a very dangerous time when many people and fraudsters are using the message of Christ in a way and manner that may suite the challenges of the moment.”

In another development a

resident of Isa local government of Sokoto State, Musa Abdullahi, said it would take the grace of God to eradicate banditry in the region.

"Let me tell you, these people have succeeded by recruiting informants, who tell them the movement of security agencies,” Abdullahi added.

He stated that the insecurity in the North-west had political undertone, stressing that the terrorists are living among the people, “but nobody is willing to expose them.”

He further stressed that the hands of security agencies were tied due to the law of engagement.

Northern Elders Call for Buhari’s Resignation

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), in a statement signed by its media chief, Dr. Hakeem BabaAhmed, called for the president’s resignation due to the high level of insecurity in the country.

NEF stated, “President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration does not appear to have answers to the security challenges that we face.

“We cannot continue to live and die under the dictates of assassins, kidnappers, rapists, and other criminal organisations who have robbed us of our right to live in peace and security.

“Now is the time for President Buhari to seriously consider that option, given his leadership’s spectacular inability to provide security to Nigerians.

“Our Forum recognises the importance of this advice and recognises that we cannot continue to live in these conditions until President Buhari’s term ends in 2023.”

The group expressed dissatisfaction with the incessant killings and attacks almost on a daily basis.

It said, “Killers and other criminals appear to have detected a paralysing vacuum at the highest levels of government, and they have grown more confident and competent in subverting the state and our security.

“Nigerians have shed enough tears and blood without receiving adequate protection from those who are supposed to protect us.”

The forum advised Nigerians to exercise extreme caution when electing their leaders in the upcoming elections, saying the country urgently requires good leaders to lead it back to prosperity.

HIGH FOOD PRICE: FG DIRECTS RELEASE OF 40,000MT OF GRAINS TO NIGERIANS and other agricultural input from Ukraine, we are making sure that we look inwards and outwards to make sure this conflict does not affect our agricultural sector.

“Inwards-looking at fabrication of certain equipment that we can do. Also surveying and looking for areas that we can even produce our own fertiliser because we have the mineral deposits that are precursors to fertiliser production and also other places where we can import, apart from Ukraine.

“But the most important thing is to up our own agricultural production and this is without saying that no administration in recent times that has given the agriculture sector such an attention and funding as the current administration of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari”, he said.

Asked about other countries that are being considered as alternative sources of the products sourced from Ukraine, the minister said, “there are countries that produce other grains or the grains that we need, we're still in the process.

"Like I said, we're also looking inward to see what we can do to cushion the effect. Right now, I cannot give you the names, but it's something that we will. We will definitely make sure that we have no food shortage in this country”.

Food Crisis Looms, OkonjoIweala Warns

Meanwhile, Okonjo-Iweala sounded the warning yesterday during a hybrid media briefing on the WTO Trade Forecast, that took place in Geneva.

According to her, the Russia-

Ukraine conflict has put the fragile global trade recovery at risk and prompted WTO economists to reassess their projections for world trade over the next two years.

The WTO stated that the world merchandise trade volume was expected to grow three per cent in 2022, as against 4.7 per cent that was previously projected, adding that it would increase to and 3.4 per cent in 2023, “but these figures may be subject to revision due to uncertainty about the course of the conflict in Ukraine.”

But commenting on the anticipated food crisis, the director general of WTO said: “This war has seen a sharp spike in the prices of foods, energy, fertiliser and important minerals which Ukraine and Russia supplied to the world market. A potential food crisis is looming.

“Food and energy prices were already high by historical standards before the war.

“Low income food deficit countries saw their food bills rise 20 per cent in 2021, an increase of over $120 billion. Since early January, according to the International Grain Council, spot prices for wheat have risen as much as 31 per cent before falling back to 21 per cent, which is 20 per cent increase as at last week. Soybeans are up by 14 per cent and barley by more than 30 per cent.

“Twenty-five African countries import food from Ukraine, Russia or both. The problem of high food prices is compounded by high fuel prices. An expensive fertiliser represents a threat to future crop yields.”

Okonjo-Iweala went on to say

that, "the war in Ukraine has created immense human suffering, but it has also damaged the global economy at a critical juncture.

“Its impact will be felt around the world, particularly in lowincome countries, where food accounts for a large fraction of household spending.

"Smaller supplies and higher prices for food mean that the world's poor could be forced to do without. This must not be allowed to happen. This is not the time to turn inward. In a crisis, more trade is needed to ensure stable, equitable access to necessities.

“Restricting trade will threaten the wellbeing of families and businesses and make more fraught the task of building a durable economic recovery from COVID 19."

She said governments and multilateral organisations must work together to facilitate trade at a time of sharp inflationary pressures on essential supplies and growing pressures on supply chains.

"History teaches us that dividing the world economy into rival blocs and turning our backs on the poorest countries leads neither to prosperity nor to peace.

“The WTO can play a pivotal role by providing a forum where countries can discuss their differences without resorting to force, and it deserves to be supported in that mission," she said.

She also expressed concern that supply chains that were already strained by the pandemic have been further roiled by the war, and disclosed that, “the WTO is working with shipping companies, port operators, logistics firms and

other businesses by identifying specific problems and solutions to supply chain disruption.

“Structural issues from labour shortages and under investments in physical infrastructure to insufficient use of digital technology for supply chain oversight and border clearance all did the ground work for today’s woes and need to be addressed.”

The director general clarified that the ongoing war in Ukraine has not grounded the activities of the WTO. She said: “Proceeding at the WTO has not been immured from the challenges resulting from this war. But it is simply inaccurate to say that the WTO has been paralysed since the outbreak of the war. We have developed walk around that have enabled us to conduct business even with diplomatic tensions running high.”

However, the WTO stated that World GDP at market exchange rates is expected to increase by 2.8 per cent in 2022 after rising 5.7 per cent in 2021.

It said output growth should pick up to 3.2 per cent in 2023, assuming persistent geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

The trade organisation stated that the, “volume of merchandise trade rose 9.8 per cent in 2021.

The US$ value of this trade grew 26 per cent to $ 22.4 trillion. The value of commercial services trade was also up 15 per cent in 2021 to $ 5.7 trillion.

“Services trade will also be affected by the conflict in Ukraine, including in the transport sector, which covers container shipping and passenger air transport.”

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MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

What Nigerians Need to Hear From Presidential Aspirants Vanessa Obioha critiques the recent public declaration of intent by some presidential aspirants

Osinbajo

Tinubu

Obi

Bello

Ameachi

Wike

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he recent declaration of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of his intention to run for the presidency caused an uproar.

Not necessarily because of his plans to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari — it has been whispered for long — rather his inability to sell himself properly to Nigerians.

Osinbajo in his declaration speech enumerated his achievements working with the president. From visiting the troops fighting the insurgency to other areas where Nigerians struggle to make a living. His speech was tinged with empathy and humility as he emphasized that he knew the hopes, aspirations and fears of Nigerians.

When it came to his plans for the nation, Osinbajo rolled out a list full of transformation in the health, education, economy, governance, judiciary, agriculture, and technology sectors as well as unifying Nigerians.

His speech was no different from what many aspirants have promised.

For instance, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Bola Tinubu who has been touring the country to get support for his presidential ambition promised to make Nigeria one of the best countries in the world. To achieve this, Tinubu stressed areas like electricity, manufacturing and oil and gas resources among others.

For Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State who is also pursuing the presidency, it’s about creating jobs and turning Nigeria into a producing nation. Obi also seeks to unify Nigeria, given the ethnic discord reverberating all over the nation.

Positioning himself as a youthful leader to lead the nation, the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, brought the promise of creating 20 million millionaires by the year 2030 using the South east model of apprenticeship.

Nyesom Wike who is peculiar for

his style of governorship in Rivers State bragged about being the right candidate to wrestle power from the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC).

His predecessor and current Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi on his part is leveraging his experience in governance to bring about the desired change Nigerians desperately need Considering the struggles Nigerians have endured from politicians, aspirants for the upcoming national elections, particularly those running for the presidency will have to do more than mention reforms in the basic areas of development.

No doubt, Nigeria still suffers a dearth of basic infrastructural development such as health, education, roads, and water, among others. To be found wanting in these areas after more than 60 years of independence is a bad report of our leaders.

For so long, Nigerians have

prayed for a saviour that will deliver them from the poverty and backwardness in the country. Too many times, they have been swayed deceptively by politicians who climbed podiums with loudspeakers blaring sweet words and their smiling faces hanging on poles.

They were led each to believe that change will definitely come. But the script remains the same: show them you care and you will have them eating from your palms.

Apparently, Nigerians’ ‘mumu don do’ as the veteran singer Charly Boy once put it. Nigerians are no longer swayed by the long and stiring speeches.

Even concise sentences hardly make an impact. The reason for this is not far-fetched. Nigerians are tired and hungry. They are tired of the same old story with little or no difference.

They are tired of the catchphrases and the symbols. An average Nigerian just needs food on the table. Whereby in the past, he was content with instant gratification, nowadays, he longs for a well-stacked barn that can last his generations.

To be fair, an average Nigerian’’s need is not overwhelming. They simply desire the basic needs of life. Access to potable water, good roads, stable electricity,

Nigerians of today desire more than words or promises. They want to see the evidence. An aspirant like Obi is one of the favoured presidential candidates for two reasons: he is from the South-east, a region that is yet to occupy the Number One seat in this new dispensation; and secondly because of his track record in Anambra during his governorship days.

While this may be sufficient to an extent, Nigerians should go beyond listening to what these aspirants plan to do but how they will do it. It is now a case of show, not tell

affordable and qualitative health, an enabling environment for their businesses and more jobs. However, these needs continue to elude them due to bad leadership. Therefore, they are gradually becoming unwilling to compromise their future by asking for better.

A smart aspirant will quickly key into this as witnessed by some of the aspirants recently. They will buy into the emotions of people by showing empathy or urging them to examine each aspirant keenly before entrusting their votes to them.

The Nigerians of today desire more than words or promises. They want to see the evidence. An aspirant like Obi is one of the favoured presidential candidates for two reasons: he is from the South-east, a region that is yet to occupy the Number One seat in this new dispensation; and secondly because of his track record in Anambra during his governorship days. While this may be sufficient to an extent, Nigerians should go beyond listening to what these aspirants plan to do but how they will do it. It is now a case of show, not tell.

If an aspirant is planning to reform the power sector, for example, it is not enough for him or her to say they are going to do it. But how are they going to do it? What models can they point to for reference? What is their depth of knowledge of the situation? Have they been confronted with similar issues? Can they give examples? Have they figured out the best way to tackle the situation? What manpower will be needed to execute his plans? These are the kind of answers Nigerians need to get from presidential aspirants.

As the political stage gets filled up with interesting characters, Nigerians need not only to look at their track records and their pedigree but their capacity to handle the pressures on the country and steer it in the right direction.

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POLITICS

Can Osinbajo Succeed His Principal?

As Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Osinbajo declares for the 2023 presidency, Emameh Gabriel looks at his chances of making history

Buhari

A

fter months of intense consultation, long spell of delay and uncertainty, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday morning mounted the rostrum on national television to announce his much anticipated intention to succeed his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, come 2023.

Despite garnering strong support early in the race, his declaration to contest came behind the declarations of other frontline aspirants of the APC, who had openly expressed their desire for the plum job.

They include: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Abia state and current Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu and the Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Rotimi Amaechi.

Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, have also been rumoured to be nursing presidential ambition and are also expected to join the race any time soon.

By throwing his hat into the ring, Osinbajo has not only put to rest speculations about his interest to contest the ticket of the ruling APC but he has also thrown up salient questions and narratives bothering on loyalty and secrete pact with President Buhari and some northern oligarchs to succeed his principal. His declaration has also divided the support base of the ruling party, leaving his supporters and supporters of his estranged political mentor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, locked in horns.

Osinbajo, who was under pressure from millions of his supporters to bite the bullet, had promised in his declaration speech reforms and improvement in key areas such security, economy, judiciary, agriculture, regulations, technology, education, infrastructure and many others, especially the unity of the country.

If things work out as planned for him, Osinbajo would be the third vice to succeed a head of government in the history of the country, though in a different circumstances this time.

Osinbajo’s declaration does not automatically guarantee him the presidential seat as there is a lot of work for him and his handlers to do, though as an incumbent who still enjoys the good will of his principal, he is one step ahead of other contenders in the race.

Vice Presidents succeeding the presidency have not always been an easy feat in Nigeria’s political history. If Osinbajo was to succeed in his quest, he would be joining the ranks former President Goodluck Jonathan who succeeded the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua who died in office in May 2010 during his first tenure in office.

Goodluck Jonathan had after completing the tenure of his late principal, contested the 2011 presidential election on the platform of the then ruling PDP and went on to defeat his arch rival, Muhammadu Buhari.

Both previous such successions of the vice residents or deputies have been in a rather difficult and controversial circumstances, as they imposed a doctrine of necessity on the constitutional order and strain on the polity.

Nigerian political system has been fraught with uneasy relationship between the chief executives and their deputies, including that of the president and vice president, which analysts often attribute to the unwieldy coalitions that

Osinbajo

back their ascension to power.

A typical example was the fall out between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his vice, Atiku Abubakar, when the latter opposed Obasanjo’s third term agenda and was forced to pursue his presidential ambition on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in the 2007 presidential election and eventually lost the election to Umar Yar’adua. At the state level, it is not a different case between serving governors and their deputies, who they hardly endorse as their successors.

However, in the case of Osinbajo, indications are that he enjoys the confidence of his principal, President Buhari and governors elected on the platform of the APC. In their seven years relationship as President and vice, there have not been any report of conflict between the two. This is one moral test Osinbajo has passed.

Analysts believe that this alone leaves no doubt in the mind of Bubari that Osinbajo can be trusted.

Recently in his 65th birthday, President Buhari described the Vice President as a loyal and patriotic deputy. The President had in a message conveyed through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, extolled Osinbajo’s virtues, as a man of many parts who has also displayed clear resourcefulness, loyalty and dedication to duty.

“President Buhari notes the worthy contributions of the Vice President to the development of the country as a lawyer, scholar, administrator and pastor, working selflessly and sacrificially to bring government closer to the people, and placing the people at the centre of governance by regularly advocating policies that support human development.

“As the lawyer and scholar turns 65, the President affirms that his loyalty and dedication to duty have been most exemplary, especially in supervising the economy, which involves regular interface with heads of public and private institutions, and other government structures to ensure synergy and harmony that put the welfare and wellbeing of all Nigerians first’’, the letter had read

Tinubu

It would be recalled that President Buhari had during one of his medical vacations handed the affairs of the country to Osinbajo. The President’s action was premised on the trust he had their n the competence of the eminent professor of law as a loyal deputy.

Osinbajo has remained a loyal lieutenant and has gone almost unnoticed in the political battlefield and limited himself strictly to his duty till recently when speculations about his presidential ambition engulfed the media space, and subsequently, his declaration.

Even as Tinubu sets to contend against the obstacles ranged against him for the biggest prize of his political career, there is a school of thought that opines that VP Osinbajo may remain Tinubu’s only game if his original plan goes awry.

Osinbajo being a Christian from the south, where the ruling party has zoned its presidential ticket to, is an advantage to his ticket. This will also galvanize the northern Muslims to his cause to balance the rotation equation, because a Southern Muslim (Tinubu) to succeed an outgoing Northern Muslim as president may not seat well with many people.

Since the advent of the Fourth Republic, the presidency has alternated between Muslim and Christian presidents. With Umar Yar’adua, a northern Muslim succeeding Olusegun Obasanjo, a Southern Christian, and Yar’adua subsequently succeeded by Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian who was also succeeded by a northern Muslim, Muhammadu Buhari.

Besides, it is almost impossible to harvest a Christian from the north with good command of a fraction of the population in the region. This one factor that would work in Osinbajo’s favour, besides being a product of the ACN block that metamorphosed into the ruling party today.

With Tinubu already in the race, it’s not going to be a smooth ride for Osinbajo even if he has gotten the blessing of his Principal. However, observers believe Tinubu’s best bet in retaining influence in the post – 2023 political dispensation, is by supporting the emergence Vice President Yemi Osibanjo as flag bearer of the party. They opined that Osinbajo being a Christian from the South with a highly touted professorial status that enticed Nigerians and galvanized the 2015 APC presidential ticket for the party, would be a better and easier sell.

It is believed that his candidacy will unite and pacify many Nigerians, especially those who reckon that the Osinbajo as Vice President was lacking the presidential mandate and freedom to exercise his intellectual and political dexterity in dealing with issues and solving national problems.

By throwing his hat into the ring, Osinbajo has not only put to rest speculations about his interest to contest the ticket of the ruling APC but he has also thrown up salient questions and narratives bothering on loyalty and secrete pact with President Buhari and some northern oligarchs to succeed his principal. His declaration has also divided the support base of the ruling party, leaving his supporters and supporters of his estranged political mentor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, locked in horns

The odds Vice President Yemi Osinbajo did not mince words as he expressed himself during his declaration in his usual eloquence that has endeared him to so many Nigerians. However he knows what he is up against- gladiators and juggernauts with powerful bottom-up political structures.

Structures that have served and are still serving their purposes among others.

While it is highly likely that with growing pressure on Tinubu to withdraw from the race on account of age and health, thus ceding his structures to his political protege, on the other hand, the old man may decide to stick to his gun and play out his luck at the party’s primary. But will this come to pass for Tinubu giving the fact that the APC is already putting a new option on the table for a consensus candidate to emerge?

If he does so, and the factional tendencies in APC play out, it will then be a test of Osinbajo’s political dexterity. But with the monetary gratifications involved in the decision of delegates to the convention, other deep pockets and money bag have an ostentatious advantage, which the VP can counter with the support of the governors and some other stakeholders who thinks favourably of him as the man history needs now.

Currently the business community in Nigeria has started building a network to raise funds for Vice President Osinbajo’s campaign. These include investors in oil and gas, real estate, mining, construction, aviation, the banking sector, agriculture, SMEs, including market women and industries.

Dr Tayo Fashogbon, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of Portal Realties Ltd, Convener of a group, Businessmen for Osinbajo (BFO) confirmed to THISDAY hours Osinbajo’s declaration that the group has started working towards mobilising interested Nigerians to sponsor the vice president election.

“We looking at players in oil and gas sector, real estate and building, transport and aviation, food and agriculture, power, construction, mining, road construction, automotive, market women and SMEs. We are already putting plans in place to facilitate a fund-raising platform this week, said Dr Fashoghon.

There are several other groups who have also vowed to beat money bag politicians at the party’s presidential primary to secure the APC presidential ticket for Osinbajo.

Despite these fears, his supporters have continued to trumpet his credentials. “Osinbajo knew what he was up against before declaring his intention. He could not been so bold to declare knowing where he was coming from. He has the blessing of the man who calls the shot in the party and that is something most people calling him all sort of names don’t know”, a source from the villa told THISDAY. While Osinbajo has chosen to stand against this political titan, may be an attempt to save face or a ploy by their fold in an elaborate scheme to ensure that either way the party’s ticket comes to the South-west and to Tinubu’s political affiliate.

Some analysts, even before Tinubu’s declaration had opined that he may have intended to play Osinbajo as a trump card in order to maintain his political power and relevance in the post 2023 dispensation.

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

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

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FEATURES

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

Achieving Healthy, Happy State of Mind through Alternative Medicine,Yoga Happiness can be evasive given the negative news of political and economic hardships as well as life's pressures in today's world but at the Happiness Centre, run by Indian entrepreneur and healthy lifestyle expert, Akshay Jain, the feeling of peace and harmony can be achieved through alternative medicine and meditation, reports Vanessa Obioha

I

n the latter part of 2021, Akshay Jain, an Indian entrepreneur who has taught happiness and is associated with the Art of Living Foundation set up a health and wellness centre: Happiness Centre.

The name of the centre often conjured activities that are associated with the state of happiness such as getting freebies or playing games with friends but the facility situated in a quiet neighbourhood in Victoria Island, Lagos offers therapies and techniques that can ease mental relaxation.

These therapies according to Jain who is the Managing Director of the centre, if wholly embraced will help Nigerians enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Having lived more than a decade in Lagos, Jain is not a stranger to the hurly-burly of the city. Therefore, the Happiness Centre is designed in such a way to give one a state of peace and harmony. Its environment is surrounded by trees and plants to give room for interactions with nature.

Happiness means different things to people but is essentially about having a positive state of mind.

"Happiness is a state of mind. It is the nature of the mind," Jain said in a recent encounter. "When the mind is stressed, it shrinks your consciousness, but when you are happy, it is expanded. So stress is a major culprit here. It takes away from your nature and then all the negative emotions such as anxiety, and anger now affect you."

Indeed, in the world today, happiness can be evasive given the negative news of political and economic hardships as well as life's pressures. While there are many ways one can achieve happiness on a short term basis such as indulging in drinking and smoking, Jain believes that one can be connected back to a state of happiness if one intentionally practises mind relaxation. This he said is the objective of the Happiness Centre.

"Everyone knows that drinking and smoking are bad for one's health but people indulge in it because of the short term relief it provides. It is a form of escapism from this stressed world. Happiness however connects you to your inner self to give you peace.

"The organisation behind this centre which is Art of Living has achieved great success all over the world in spreading peace and happiness. The mission of the organisation is to bring peace to eradicate violence and to bring smiles on everybody's face."

Elaborating more on short term happiness, Jain said that anything external or material can bring happiness but because it's short-lived, it leads one to a new quest for happiness.

"So we then tend to live life in pursuit of happiness. You do something for a day or two or whatever time, then next, you're looking for something else. So your happiness is somewhere in the future. But if you realise that your nature is happiness, you can be happy and still achieve what you want."

Contrary to the popular belief that religion plays a vital role in one's happiness, Jain argued that it can be attained through one's mental state and lifestyle. Yoga, he said, is one way to have a positive state of mind.

"Yoga is a way of living. It means the union of mind, body and spirit. It is attained by the certain knowledge of life. It is done with means of physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. A combination of these helps us to relax and focus positively because when the mind relaxes, that is the beginning of the

Jain experience of positivity."

The way Jain sees it, we feel negative emotions when our mind and nerves are too tight and the ripple effect causes our body to be stiff. Therefore, at the Happiness Centre, one is first taught the techniques to relax the mind and followed by emotional control.

There are courses and programmes tailored to achieve these. For instance, the level one programme is called the Happiness programme where breathing techniques and mind relaxation are taught. Jain emphasized that the programme is time tested and taught with the new insights researched and validated.

Another means Jain and his team of professionals help people achieve a healthy lifestyle is through alternative medicine known as Ayurveda. Ayurveda, meaning “science of life”, is an alternative medicine system that

has been in existence for over 5, 000 years originating from India. It is acclaimed to be one of the best traditional medicine systems in India. It is heavily practised both in India and Nepal.

Relatively new in Nigeria, Jain said the practice is now formalised and has universities in India teaching aspiring doctors Ayurvedic medicine. At the centre, there is an Ayurvedic doctor that attends to patients with different ailments such as people suffering from diabetes or arthritis.

Jain however shrugged off critics who question the credibility of Ayurvedic medicine. Having been introduced to the alternative medicine in 2004 and seeing its benefits, as far as he is concerned, western medicine is constantly researching to find solutions to problems. Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted that research is continuously done to find the best vaccine to deal with the capricious coronavirus.

"I am not saying that western medicine is bad. It has its own twist. If you fall, if you break your hand, you have to go

"Having lived more than a decade in Lagos, Jain is not a stranger to the hurly-burly of the city. Therefore, the Happiness Centre is designed in such a way to give one a state of peace and harmony. Its environment is surrounded by trees and plants to give room for interactions with nature"

and get operated on. But there are certain types of diseases or certain lifestyle-related disorders, which can be fixed by natural needs and Ayurvedic products and which is much more healthy."

He stressed that there has been evidence at the centre of people treated via Ayurveda.

"We have seen so many cases of diabetes being reversed. Very simple lifestyle changes.

You start exercising and you have the right type of food and at the right time, you sleep well. You see how deeply impacted the product is."

He continued: "There is a reason to satisfy the logical mind by evidence but human beings are such a complex structure where you don't have answers for everything today. We should be open to the traditions that have been passed on to us. The good thing is that it does not have adverse effects."

Committed to spreading the gospel of happiness in Nigeria, for the first time, the Happiness Centre marked the UN International Day of Happiness in Nigeria. The event was attended by the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed and representatives from the office of the First Lady of Lagos State as well as professor of political economy Pat Utomi who sits on the board of the centre.

"It was a good occasion to spread awareness, information on how we can have a better life with the knowledge of meditation and breathing techniques which affects everyday life and lengthens your life. And secondly to understand and live a healthy life through Ayurveda," he concluded.

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

FEATURES

Striving to Sequence 105,000 Species in 10 Years through African Biogenome Project Amby Uneze in Owerri reviews the academic paper by two Nigerian Scientists on African BioGenome development, who project strives to sequence 105,000 species in 10 years

S

urvival pressure faced by organisms worldwide poses a cause for concern.

Hence there is a global awareness of the need to track the hereditary domain of life of all organisms to generate essential data useful for conservation of life on earth.

This is the driving force behind BioGenome Projects. In Africa, a team of scientists, in 2019, initiated a research network known as “Digital Innovations in Africa for Sustainable Agri-Environment and Conservation (DAISEA).

This DAISEA network was coordinated by Dr ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer, Nigerian, who later in 2021, founded African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP; https://africanbiogenome.org) by initiating convergence of other African scientists around the DAISEA network to snow-ball into AfricaBP consortium.

This gregarious scientific and socio-scientific body, with key objectives carefully articulated to drive biodiversity genomics (structure and function of the DNA/genetic complement of living things that contain and coordinate all the information that control life) for biodiversity conservation, improved agricultural productivity, capacity building among others.

Genomics has taken over from advancement of Genetics in dealing with inherited genes. Genes are expressed as characters. Genomics offer a means of finding and controlling the way genes are manifested.

The impact of genomics cuts across all spheres of life including food security, biodiversity conservation, bio-medicine, industrial product development and services, climate change control and several other applications.

Whereas Africans have fared well in the field of genomics, their output has been felt much more outside the African continent. It therefore remains inevitable to bring together Africans in the field of genomics to drive the endeavour to strengthen the foothold of this field on the African soil. For this reason, AfricaBP decides to sequence and analyze at least 80 per cent of the 105,000 species in Africa.

The African BioGenome Project involves researchers and partner organisations from all economic regions in the African Union, and will cost US$100 million per year. Currently, AfricaBP governed by a Steering Committee with a Chair, Professor Anne Muigai (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya) and 5 Co-Chairs which include Professor Julian O. Osuji (University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria), Dr ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer (EMBL-EBI, UK), DR Cathrine Ziyomo (ILRI, Kenya), Prof Appolinaire Djikeng (CTLGH, Edimburgh, UK) and Prof Olivia Ntanga Mapholi, UNISA, South Africa). Professor Julian O. Osuji who is also the Chair, Genomics for the Conservation of Endangered and Endemic Species.

The West African Regional Node and the Nigerian National Node of AfricaBP are coordinated from the University of Port. At present, AfricaBP has a Pilot Project Committee and several sub-committees that constitute the genome sequencing pipeline.

AfricaBP aspires to sequence the genomes of 105,000 species of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms in 10 years. It currently involves 109 African scientists (87 of whom work in Africa) and 22 African organisations. This aspiration has commenced with a Pilot Project that is intended to sequence 2000 species in three years.

Within one year of its existence, AfricaBP has brought together scientists, Corporate and institutional partners to achieve the set targets in Africa. In support of this agenda the Vertebrate Genome Project (VGP) is sponsoring sequencing the genomes of selected animal species while and 100 species of plants is being sponsored by 10KP. Other groups are showing interest in co-funding genome sequencing of selected species of plants, invertebrates, fish, etc.

Led by Dr ThankGod Ebenezer, a Position paper that defines the strategic programme of the African BioGenome Project was submitted to Nature Journal. In the 603rd Volume of the Nature Journal, the Position Paper titled: “Africa: Sequence 100,000 species to safeguard African biodiversity” was recently published.

This paper which has 21 AfricaBP scientists, including Professor Julian O. Osuji, as authors and another twenty two as Co-Signatories emphasised

The red mangrove tree is indigenous to Africa and is being sequenced as part of the African BioGenome pilot project

Dr. ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer (EMBLEBI, UK)

Prof. Julian O. Osuji (University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria)

the essence of biodiversity genomics in securing food security and biodiversity conservation in Africa.

The publication, which has been reviewed by several non-African and African media groups including: Science Direct, Altmetric among others have described the article as a superlative and highly resourceful masterpiece.

Altimetric, a research publication evaluation medium described the publication as being in the class of top five per cent of research outputs scored by Altimetric. In the words of Altimetric, “We’re also able to compare this research output to 623 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one.

This AfricaBP Position paper has done well, scoring higher than 85 per cent of its contemporaries”. Several other similar ratings are internationally available for this publication.

Through the strategic functionality of the AfricaBP’s Open Institute Chaired

by Dr Charlotte Chichi Ndiribe (University of Lagos), to improve sharing of data and benefits of this BioGenome initiative, knowledge gathered from the sequencing pipelines shall be disseminated to Africans through a capacity building process.

It is intended that interested and qualified Africans will be trained

and empowered to understand and practice genomics and bioinformatics and deploy them in the development and controlled exploitation of the huge pool of Africa’s biodiversity. “Train the trainer” processes will also address the need to empower women in the requisite fields to improve their participation in the project.

The Position Paper reported that, which estimates, around 70 per cent of the 35 or so projects that have focused on studying, conserving or improving biological diversity in Africa over the past 15 years have been led from outside the continent.

In fact, among the plant genomes sequenced globally over the past 20 years, almost all of the African species were sequenced else where — mainly in the United States, China and Europe.

This offshoring slows down the much-needed building of expertise and resources in genomics and bioinformatics in Africa.

Again, most projects that aim to study, conserve or improve biological diversity in Africa have been led by researchers outside the continent.

Often, African researchers who contribute to data collection in such projects are not always credited for their work.

A 2021 study. revealed that about 15 per cent of 32,061 articles on global health research conducted in sub-Saharan Africa had no authors based in the country in which the research took place. This leaves Africa out of the global genome sequencing efforts. In addition, thousands of African species have been ignored by the global genomics community.

"It is intended that interested and qualified Africans will be trained and empowered to understand and practice genomics and bioinformatics and deploy them in the development and controlled exploitation of the huge pool of Africa’s biodiversity"

In 2010, nations adopted the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefits Sharing to ensure that the benefits arising from the use of biological resources are shared fairly. Certainly, any benefit derived from the genetic resources obtained through AfricaBP should be shared by the people of Africa — whether it be a superior strain of drought-resistant sugar beet (Beta macrocarpa Guss) or a new drug derived from the rooibos plant (Aspalathus linearis) of the small fish (Bostrychus africanus) that sustains larger fishes in the Niger Delta mangrove creeks.

The Nagoya Protocol has gaps when it comes to Africa. It fails to take into account the customs and practices of the diverse ethnic groups across the continent. These might not be documented or written into law, but have shaped how people interact with certain plants or animals for hundreds — sometimes thousands — of years. In West Africa, for example, some communities forbid the cutting down or harming of iroko trees, which are thought to have supernatural powers.

In order to make this happen, ssince 2009, $22 million has been spent on building bioinformatics capacity across Africa through the Pan African Bioinformatics Network for H3Africa (H3ABioNet) project - including through training 150 researchers in core bioinformatics approaches and technologies. But around 10–15 per cent of the trainees in this Africa-led project have relocated to North America or Europe, and there is no guarantee that they will return.

What’s more, H3ABioNet funding winds down this year, and there are few permanent positions for trained bioinformatics personnel in African institutions. Because of this, up to 50% of the researchers who have received training through H3ABioNet could leave Africa. The Nelson Mandela Foundation has elected to support AfricaBP and have the Pilot animal sequencing programme named after it. There is also an effort to have Pilot plant sequencing project identify with Wangari Maathai of Kenya. Many of such identification efforts are on course.

What is the case of Nigeria? It is well-known that Nigeria is very rich in biodiversity being in the biodiversity hotspot known as the GuineoCongolian Basin. This biodiversity wealth has been neglected over the years. In fact, most of the species are red-listed being endangered. This leaves an urgent need to deploy biodiversity genomics for conservation of the species which include wildlife, orphaned crops, medicinal herbs and industrially resourceful raw materials-yielding species.

There is urgent need for the Nigerian public and private sectors to invest heavily in AfricaBP to cover Nigerian biodiversity. The Nigerian Node is currently seeking fund to cover sequencing of eighty (80) of the endangered species found in Nigeria. The fund required in the first four years of this project is one hundred and thirty five million Naira (N135m).

This project, if funded will be tagged the identity desired by the financier just like the Nelson Mandela Animal and Wangari Maathai Plant sequencing projects. There is also the Aroid genome sequencing project domiciled in the Nigerian Node. This project would require about thirty million Naira (N30m) as enabling fund. Nigeria mangrove sequencing fund can sponsor sequencing of all the mangrove species found in Nigeria. Several other projects can be funded as determined or required by the funding agents to support the Nigerian or West African Nodes of AfricaBP. Foundations in Nigeria such as Dangote Fundation, Tony Elumelu Foundation, President Obasanjo Ottta Farms, Innoson Mottors, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Tertiary Education Fund (Tetfund), Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry and other capable private and Public bodies or establishments in Nigeria can take advantage of these projects to achieve their mandates, immortalise their identities and contribute to Nigerian Biodiversity conservation.

Shell Petroleum Development Company, Shell Nigeria Exploration Company, Mobil Producing, Nigerian Agip Oil Company and other oil producing companies could invest in this project as a way of contributing to biodiversity conservation in Nigeria and as a means of giving back to the environment.

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WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 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

A P R I L

S & P INDEX

1 2 , 2 0 2 2

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

14.00%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

565.29%

1/4 TO DATE

6.06%

N412.08/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

14.50%

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

–0.11%

YEAR TO DATE

– 15.66%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.41%

Budget Support: CBN TBs Auctions Up 56% to N2.1trn in Q1

Kayode Tokede Following the drive to provide short-term bridging fund to support the federal government budget spending, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022 auctioned N2.1 trillion worth of the Treasury Bills (TBs), an increase of N1.37 trillion

it auctioned in Q1 2021.

THISDAY gathered from the CBN’s financial data that a total of 10 auctions were conducted in Q1 2022 as against nine in Q1 2021.

A breakdown revealed that the CBN in January conducted a primary market auction worth N472.8 billion and it increased to N778.21 billion and N880.34 billion

between February and March 2022 respectively.

The financial data by CBN disclosed that TBs repaid in the period under review was N826.95 billion in Q1 2022 compared to N941.41billion in Q1 2021.

Commenting on the deelopment, the Vice president, Highcap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adnori attributed

the CBN’s TBs auctions in Q1 2022 to increasing borrowing by the federal government to finance budget deficit, maintaining that interest rate on these money market attracted investors’.

Analysts at Coronation Research in its ‘markets in review: titled, “Fixed Income Gains in Q1 2022,” noted that Nigeria’s money markets in the Q1 2022 proved to be liquid

with the result that institutional investors subscribed in high volumes to Nigerian T-bill and Federal Government auctions; and they were equally active in the secondary markets.

According to the report, the overall, the secondary market yield for a 1-year T-bill fell by 0.76% (to 4.48% per annum) while the

secondary market yield for the average of our basket of FGN bonds fell by 1.61% (to 10.21% pa).

Analysts at Guaranty Trust Holdings Company Limited (GTCO) in their economic outlook for 2022 said: “Going into 2022, the general build-up to the 2023 Elections will Continued on page 26

Genetically Modified Crops Harmful for Human Consumption, Group Insists James Emejo in Abuja The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), an environmental justice and policy advocacy group, has strengthened its campaign against the adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) crops, insisting these are not only detrimental to human health but to the soil as well.

An Associate Professor,

Department of Soil Resources Management, University of Ibadan, Mr. Olugbenga Adeoluwa, said most of the genetic alterations in seeds involved chemical manipulations, which are unhealthy for humans and the environment.

He told THISDAY that by and large, “We are destroying the environment by our various methods of agricultural practices”.

But he said the organic farming

approach, which is a subset of agroecology, offered the safest and most sustainable agriculture that is both beneficial for humans and the environment.”

Speaking at the practical agroecology training for farmers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja, Adeoluwa, who is also the Continental Coordinator, Network of Organic Agriculture Researches in Africa, further said

Nigerian agricultural exports to Europe and other international markets had often been rejected over the use and abuse of chemicals especially in preserving the produce.

He told THISDAY, “It’s a dangerous situation. Banned chemicals from other countries get into the hands of farmers here and there’s no control. The farmers producing them can’t even

consume them because many of them know the impact this would have on human health.”

He added that agroecology remained the way to go as it enables good market and good agricultural practices, stressing that organic farming is based on approved standards that regulate the planting, processing and handling processes.

Also speaking to THISDAY,

Head of Communications, HOMEF, Kome Odhomor, said the new GMO seeds, which are being distributed to farmers “are the things that are destroying our soil”.

She said, “These seeds have chemicals. We all know about GMOs. These are things that HOMEF has constantly talked about. We are not in support of Continued on page 26

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T U E S D AY, A P R I L 1 2 , 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

107.93 4.92 111.64 7.60 112.41 8.68 107.24 10.14 120.75 10.76

Change Updated Time (%) 08, -0.02 April 2022 April 08, 0.27 2022 08, –0.20 April 2022 April 08, 0.00 2022 April 08, 0.31 2022

Discount

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

307,00 307,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

313,00 313,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

188,00 188,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

288,00 290,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

NTB 11Aug-22

318,00 322,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

Yield

OTC F X F U T U R E S

C Ps

MATURITY

Change Updated Time (%)

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

8.93

8.93

-0.09

April 8, 2022

16.46

16.81 0.07

April 8, 2022

8.65

8.75

0.08

April 8, 2022

11.15

11.53 0.30

April 8, 2022

7.78

7.97

April 8, 2022

0.28

CONTRACT TENOR Contract (MONTH) NGUS APR 27 1 2022 NGUS MAY 25 2 2022 NGUS JUN 29 3 2022 NGUS JUL 27 4 2022 NGUS AUG 31 5 2022

Current Rate ($/₦)

Updated Time

427.24

April 8, 2022

428.93

April 8, 2022

430.63

April 8, 2022

432.32

April 8, 2022

434.02

April 8, 2022

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

L-R: 2nd Vice President Elect, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr. Dele Alabi; President Elect, CIBN, Dr. Ken Opara; President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, Dr. Bayo Olugbemi; 1st Vice President Elect, CIBN, Prof. Pius Olanrewaju; National Treasurer Elect, Mrs. Mojisola Bakare-Asieru; and Registrar/Chief Executive, CIBN, Dr. Seye PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT Awojobi, at the 2022 CIBN annual general meeting/Election of new officers held in Lagos… recently

Development Bank, DLM Capital Get Approval to Acquire Links Microfinance Bank Nume Ekeghe Development Investment Bank, DLM Capital, has received approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its acquisition of Links Microfinance Bank.

Group CEO/MD, DLM Capital Group, Sonnie B. Ayere in a statement noted that this approval would further set the Group’s much awaited Digital Banking entrance and launch.

He said: “We sincerely thank the SEC and CBN for consent and

final approval respectively of our MFB acquisition. This will help to position us more as a full-fledged financial services institution, which will develop and disseminate various financial products and services that will reach millions of

Nigerians who are underserved.

We are looking forward to working with all stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, and to expand financial inclusion to meet the ever-evolving needs of the average Nigerian.”

MD/CEO, Links MFB, Funsho Idowu also said the bank is positioned to carve a niche for itself in the market space, having just joined the unique group of digital banks to create loans, investment opportunities, support job creation and empower MSMEs

through unhindered access to its financial services, as clearly spelt out in the bank’s mission statement.

“This deal, together with our NDIC insurance, will demonstrate to our customers that they can trust us with their financial needs,” he added.

Presidential Bid: Group Asks Amaechi to Resign as Transport Minister Following his public declaration to contest the 2023 presidential election; the Niger Delta Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance Group (Niger Delta TAG), has asked Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to immediately resign as the country’s Minister of Transportation.

Amaechi had last Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, expressed interest to contest the presidential election.

“I stand before you today to declare my intention and submit

my application to serve as your next president,” Amaechi told party supporters at an event that was promoted as a “thanksgiving service” and organised by the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance Group, Julius Godspower, said while it is within Amaechi’s rights to seek election into the highest office in

the country, it is “immoral, illegal and unethical” for him to remain in office as a Minister and a member of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet while chasing his political ambition.

“The Minister placed the cart before the horse. The proper thing to do would have been to first resign, before declaring his presidential ambition. It is rather unfortunate that due process is not followed by the Minister and I hope President Muhammadu Buhari will direct him

to step down immediately.

“Be that as it may, the proper thing to do now is for him to immediately resign to pursue his dream. Remaining in office as Minister while pursing his presidential ambition will be a huge distraction to government.

The transport sector is in a very bad state, and it is bound to suffer more with a presidential aspirant as Minister.

“Also, the situation creates a clear conflict of interest for the Minister.

How are we sure contractors and agencies under the Federal Ministry of Transportation will not be cajoled or compelled to support his presidential bid one way or the other?

“Aside being immoral and unethical with the attendant conflict of interest, it is also illegal for him to pursue the presidential bid whilst still serving as Minister. His ambition could create a huge legal problem for the ruling parting considering that Section 84(12) of the new Electoral

Act does not allow serving political appointees to vote or be voted during party primaries.

“Don’t forget that that Section 84(12) of the new Electoral Act is still a matter of litigation and could create a major dilemma for the ruling party if Amaechi fights for the party ticket whilst holding on to the office of Minister. It is therefor better to for him to resign immediately so as not to jeopardize the chances of the ruling party in the 2023 presidential election,” Godspower said.

MTN Finally Gets CBN Approval for Momo PSB Nume Ekeghe Following the approval in principle granted its mobile money arm last year November; MTN Nigeria has gotten a final approval for the commencement of operation of Momo Payment Service Bank, signifying the

telecommunications company’s stride into the banking industry.

In a notice to the investing public through the Nigeria Exchange Group, dated April 11, 2022, MTN said it would be announcing the commencement date for its PSB in accordance with regulatory guidelines.

The notice to investors read: “We refer to our notification issued on 5 November 2021 in which we communicated receipt of the approval in principle from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for Momo Payment Service Bank Limited (Momo PSB).

“MTN Nigeria Communications Plc

(MTN Nigeria) announces the receipt of a letter dated 8 April 2022 from the CBN addressed to Momo PSB conveying final approval to commence operations. The date of commencement will be communicated to the CBN in accordance with its requirements.

“MTN Nigeria affirms its

commitment towards the financial inclusion agenda of the CBN and the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we are excited at this opportunity to support its fulfillment.”

In November 2021, both MTN and Airtel were granted approval in principle and with this the number of

PSBs in the country will rise to five from the current number of three.

PSB was introduced by the CBN in 2019 as a measure to increase financial inclusion in the country particularly in rural areas. It had granted licenses to Hope PSB, 9PSB and Moneymaster PSB.

every one of us.”

Further commenting on the health implications of GMOenhanced produce, she said, “Recently, we’ve been seeing too many cases of cancers, infections

and skin diseases that we can’t know where they are coming from and most of these things can sometimes be attributed to the kinds of food we eat- too much of chemicals.

“So, we are trying to use this programme today to educate farmers to let them know that there are natural ways of producing these things and can actually be beneficial to them.”

devaluation of Naira. This is the cornerstone of his monetary policy and underlines every action the apex bank has taken since the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration came into power in 2015.

Analysts attributed lack of excess liquidity in the economy to the decline in OMO auction in the Q1 of 2022.

Adnori attributed the decline in OMO auction to low liquidity in macro economy.

He maintained that the purpose of OMO is to adjust the CBN monetary policy and to ensure money in the economy is not much to spike inflation and price stability.

According to him: “The CBN sales T-Bill in two market platforms and the first one primary market auction and secondary market platform called the OMO. The secondary market has a market where banks and other approved dealers change T-Bill among themselves.

“Occasionally, from its monetary policy implementations of either increasing or decreasing money supply in the economy, the CBN intervened in the secondary market which is called OMO market auction.

“When CBN buys in the OMO, it means they wanted to stabilize the economy. Then, if there is so much money in the economy, then enters the secondary market, which is the

OMO and sales to withdraw money from the system. The purpose is to improve macroeconomy liquidity.

This year, the OMO auction of N520billion means there is no excess liquidity in the economy for CBN to auction.”

The analyst at Analyst at PAC Holdings, Mr. Wole Adeyeye, stated that CBN’s weak activities in OMO market was due to slow economic activities, stating that banks were concerned about lending to the real sector as demanded by the regulating body.

He explained further that, “We are witnessing weak activities in the money market and OMO market auction shouldn’t be an exception.”

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS HARMFUL FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, GROUP INSISTS GMOs in our society and that’s why we decided to put these programmes together about agro-ecology.”

Odhomor said, “We are of the opinion that agro-ecology can

definitely feed Nigeria and we are here today to train farmers on how they can use organic fertilisers. We are not in support of GMOs in our society.

“We are teaching them how

organic fertilisers can be used to preserve our environment.

These organic fertilisers can be used to nurture the soil and also produce good food which would be good for each and

BUDGET SUPPORT: CBN TBS AUCTIONS UP 56% TO N2.1TRN IN Q1 very likely result in a system awash with liquidity.

“We believe that the apex bank will tighten the system from the second half of the year just as political campaigns start, to mop-up excess liquidity from the system.

“Although it is unlikely that the CBN will slow down on its discretional CRR debits, we expect more banks to approach the apex bank for the release of a portion of their ‘excess’ CRR to assist them in funding their transactions, payment of regulatory levies/fees, etc.”

Meanwhile, the CBN mopped up a total of N520billion worth of Open Market Operation (OMO) in the period under review compared

to N1.45 trillion sold in prior period of 2021.

As gathered from the CBN’s financial data, a total of N1.29 trillion was repaid at the OMO market in Q1 2022 from N2.44trillion repaid in Q1 2021.

OMO is designed to be a shortterm market instrument that the CBN uses to control the supply of money in the economy.

Whenever the apex bank believes the inflation rate is high due to increased money supply, it sells OMO at the secondary market to mop-up excess liquidity in the system.

However, the CBN sold N130 billion at its OMO in January,

but the figures closed February at N270billion and March at N120billion 2022.

The CBN had restricted Nigerian corporates, and individuals access to the OMO market, also, banks were not allowed to buy T-bills on behalf of borrowing customers.

OMO bills had attracted a juicy interest rate of about 15per cent per annum making them one of the most sought-after securities in Nigeria and indeed emerging markets explaining why foreign investors hold nearly half the size.

The CBN under Godwin Emefiele is understood to have one major mandate; keep the exchange rate stable at all costs and further

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INSURANCE

Fresh Recapitalisation Huddle for Insurers Recently, the insurance sector regulator announced fresh round of recapitalisation for insurers, Ebere Nwoji, in this report, looks at possibility of its success in an electioneering year

I

nsurance sector regulator, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), at the recent insurance Committee meeting held in Lagos announced fresh bid to carry out recapitalisation exercise in the industry.

The commissioner for insurance, Mr. Sunday Olorundare Thomas, who announced this last week in Lagos at the bi monthly meeting between insurance Chief Executives and NAICOM management said the commission would by the end of this month (April) unveil the road map for the exercise.

The insurance committee meeting which is similar to the bankers committee meeting in the banking sector is a crucial meeting where the headship of all the insurance companies in the country represented by their chief executives rub minds together with NAICOM the regulator on sensitive issues that affect the industry.

At the recent meeting held in Lagos, the commission muted the idea and said the capital increase this time would be risk based in nature.

The risk based capital increase is a model of recapitalisation that requires insurance firms to provide capital based on the weight of risk they bear.

It looks at the individual liability of companies and assigns a capital that suits the risks.

TIMING OF EXERCISE

Industry analysts said the hint on the capital increase may not be a surprise to any forward looking insurance chief executive as the high level of inflation in the country has obviously rendered the prevailing minimum capital base less valuable.

Currently, insurance firms underwriting life business have N2 billion as their minimum operating capital, those underwriting general business have N3 billion as their minimum operating capital while composite firms, that is those underwriting life and general businesses have N5 billion as their minimum required capital. Reinsurance firms have N10 billion as their minimum required capital. The proposed capital increase has raised questions among the operators and industry stakeholders especially in the area of timing.

One of the operators who spoke to THISDAY on anonymous ground said personally he was not against capital increase but that the only area he was worried about was the time the regulator decided to bring up the recapitalisation issue.

The chartered insurer said though he was unavoidably absent at the meeting to personally listen to what was said concerning the recapitaliation bid, the regulator should be competent enough to study time to be able to make right decisions on sensitive issue of this nature.

In the present bid, he said the regulator should take care not to allow what happened in the previous exercises to repeat itself.

According to him, one of the issues that compelled those who frustrated the previous exercise to go to court was the fact that the

exercise came up within the election and political campaign period as such, operators found it difficult to raise money from investors because of lack of confidence in the political and economic climate of the country.

The insurer said this fresh recapitalisation bid coming up again this political period raises a lot of questions.

He however said until end of April when the commission comes up with the road map on the exercise stakeholders will have to wait to know what to do.

For the regulator, he said it would be good to rest the case until after elections or to structure it in a way that it won’t be affected by the election, especially concerning the deadline and period of capital raising.

He also advised that the margin of increase should not be much higher than the level of capital operators have already raised during the foiled exercises. He said this would make peace to rain and would give no room for agitations and controversies.

According to him, as it stands now, no life insurer in the country has just N2 billion and no non-life firm has just N3 billion as the previous attempts by the commission had compelled many to raise their capital before the cancellation.

He said this being the case, the commission should ensure that the new minimum capital should not be such that would put operators into very serious stress so that those who often contest it in the court for fear of being swept by the way side by the new capital would be able to attain the new capital and allow the exercise to hold.

For the operators, he advised that they should cooperate this time and ensure that the exercise succeeds.

He cited examples of pension and banking sectors, noting that these were sister sectors and were already gunning for fresh recapitalisation.

He said this being the case; insurers should work for success of their own recapitalisation.

According to him, when the minimum capital is spelt, operator whose capital capacity could not carry the level of risk they bear should be humble enough to descend to businesses that their financial capacity could carry rather than contesting the new capital in court or they should go into merger.

PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS

Risk Based model of capital increase was before now introduced in the insurance industry by the former commissioner for insurance Mohammed Kari on July 25th 2018 through which he divided the entire Nigerian insurance sector into three tiers of tier one, tier two and tier three according to the risk they bear.

Going by the capital regime pronounced

by NAICOM management then, tier one firms underwriting life insurance business were required to upgrade their minimum capital from the current N2billion to N6 billion, tier two life firms were asked to upgrade from N2billion to N3 billion. Non life firms on tier one level were to upgrade their capital from N3 billion to N9 billion while tier two firms under non life were to provide N4.5 billion, tier three were asked to retain the minimum existing capital of N3 billion.

Composite firms on tier one were asked to upgrade their capital to N15 billion from N5 billion while tier two composite firms were to provide N7.5 billion and tier three composite were to provide N5 billion.

NAICOM told the operators that the risk based capital increase was part of global accepted Risk Based supervision model.

But shortly after this pronouncement, some operators rose against it mainly because of issue of deadline for compliance.

DISRUPTION OF THE EXERCISE

Some operators collaborated with their shareholders to contest the development in the court and along the line, NAICOM was compelled to cancel the idea and later came up with the increase in minimum share capital model which set the capital on N8 billion for operators of life insurance, N10 billion for non life and N18 billion for composite firms giving operators December 31, 2021 deadline to comply.

But the operators again went to court and got injunction to put the exercise on hold till date.

NEED FOR THE RECAPITALISATION

Since then, industry stakeholders and business operators who have one business or the other to transact with insurance sector have been agitating for capital increase in the industry.

Recently, one of the airline operators said the entire capital of the industry put together could not insure one aircraft in Nigeria.

The same is the confession of oil sector operators who said the capital of the entire insurance industry in Nigeria put together could not insure one oil rig in the country.

The regulator itself had severally explained that having enough operating capital would enable the operators rake in more premium instead of the present situation in which huge premium meant for the industry were often flown abroad because of lack of local capacity.

The regulator also said adequate capital would enable operators settle claims with ease.

These prompted the current commissioner for insurance to insist on upgrading the minimum operating capital of the industry.

The commissioner at the meeting, however did not spell out whether it will scale the operators into tiers again or the minimum capital level operators should provide this time.

He however told the insurance Chief Executives that the picture of the current level of capital increase in the industry under the new risk based capital increase would become clearer by the end of this month.

If the commission succeeds in the exercise this time, it will rest the case of single capital requirement for operators. It will also align with the regulator’s desire to place Nigeria insurance sector on the same pedestal with the global operators whose regulatory model is purely risk based.

CAUTION BY STAKEHOLDERS

Stakeholders in the industry like the president Progressive Shareholders Association; Boniface Okezie had blamed the failed previous capitalisation attempts on the timing of implementation of its regulatory initiatives by NAICOM. According to him, NAICOM failed in its previous capital increase bid which was billed to be concluded on December 31,2021 because both the tier base and its subsequent share capital increase implementation came up when politics was the main concern of government and given investors’ scepticism of business climate of Nigeria in 2019 election and COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. He said the policy was the worst mistake any regulator would make.

In the present bid, the stakeholders are asking how the commission would manage the exercise in the face of the forthcoming 2023 election.

ANALYSTS’ VIEW

Industry analysts said NAICOM should have raised the fresh capital increase issue earlier before now to ensure it does not coincide with election period when investors will be much sceptical staking their money.

The stakeholders said on the other hand the commission should have exercised patience until after the election.

They argued that though the commission might have assumed that virtually every firm has upgraded its capital during the failed bid, there are still some firms struggling to meet the new capital and for such firms, ego may not allow them to descend to writing smaller risks.

The stakeholders cautioned that any further failure on the much talked about capital increase in the industry on account of putting right initiative at wrong time and going to court for another round of disruption or suspension would be very ridiculous for both the operators and the regulator.

They cited instance of what is going in the pension sector, adding that everything was being done peacefully and maturely.

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INTERVIEW

Adedayo: Finance Act Requires Dialogue for Effective Implementation In this interview, the President of Chartered Institute of Taxation, Mr. Adesina Adedayo advocates proper dialogue in subsequent amendments to the finance act with key stakeholders in order to have smooth adoption of the finance act. He also spoke extensively on means the Federal Government can improve tax revenues in Nigeria as well as other tax related issues: Nume Ekeghe presents excepts What has CITN done to enhance tax processes in Nigeria over the course of 40 years? hen CITN has started, the issue of tax was not taken as a priority mainly because we had resources coming in from oil. And so, we didn’t take tax as a serious issue on like what was happening in the post-colonial days. Now, at this point in time, the reality that these resources will sooner or later be dwindling and as the challenges are glaring that we’ll have to talk about what can we do for ourselves. This has prompted us to realise that we need to start talking about a profession that has to do with the internally generated revenue (IGR) that has to do with what are those issues that borders on our income, on transaction, and what are those borders on static wealth which we call capital gain.

In changing the narrative, we move tax from what people do not consider very important to a level where it has taken a prominent place.

I doubt if there is any organisation today, that when they sit at the level of board meeting, they will first consider tax issues in their business model. They will consider tax issues when it comes to everything they’re going to discuss, as it affects their staff, as it affects

everything is now revolving around the tax professional.

W

Adedayo

their transaction as it affects even their branch expansion as you must take tax into consideration. So those are the areas where we have changed the narrative over

the years now as of today, the profession of tax is beyond even talking about the challenges of our economy is something nobody can ignore worldwide. Virtually

CITN had a lot of discuss with the federal government as relates to the finance act. What has been the input of CITN in the recent finance act?

I will put that into two aspects, the input of CITN as a corporate entity, and the input of the members of CITN in the finance act.

Now let me start with the generic. The input of CITN is always done regularly and immediately the finance act comes out. We are always engaged in terms of our various faculties on how it affects the feedback we are getting. And then our research at technical department works further to see the wider implication of the amendment imposed by the finance act.

So, we tend to do more proactive and reactive input. Proactive in the sense that we look at an issue before it comes into the finance act and we also look at the issue of when the Finance Act is out From the individual perspective, a lot of our members individually are involved in terms of committee setup for the propose of finance act and for regular review and NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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INTERVIEW

Nessary: Bitcoin Can Deepen Financial Inclusion, Economic Empowerment of Vulnerable Nigerians Bitcoin transactions may be forbidden under the current financial regulation over claims that they could endanger financial stability but proceeds realised from its activities are being deployed to build and empower vulnerable communities across Nigeria. In this interview with James Emejo, the Co-Founder, Built With Bitcoin (BWB) Foundation, Mr. Yusuf Nessary, said notwithstanding the seeming apprehension over crypto assets, bitcoin could deepen the government’s financial inclusion drive. He shares the humanitarian impact of bitcoin proceeds, arguing among other things that knowledge was crucial for the economic liberation of the people.

Currently, Nigerian financial regulatory authorities believe bitcoin and other cryptoassets constitute risks to financial stability partly because they are largely unregulated.

How would you react to this? o, we remain apolitical in our foundation and we don’t make comments on any decision-making at all. We try to focus on those communities we service but if we can showcase through action, the positive activities that bitcoin can provide to a small community in Kaduna, what can it do for Nigeria as a whole? What can it do for the diaspora money coming in from overseas?

What can it do for the level of transparency like for anti-corruption for the country as well? People want to stay honest but they also want to get what they deserve too. I feel though that if I was leading a country, I want my citizens, my people to have every resource available in their hands to be able to succeed in life. And I think every leader has the same kind of mentality.

But there are certain things - diplomatic ties, geo-political issues that circumvent these from happening. It is for us to be able to focus on the optimism of the work.

The silver lining of the work we are accomplishing – this will set an example. We have been doing this for over five years now and it’s going to take a long time for us to get where we want to get. But we are committed, we are dedicated to the people of Nigeria, and we are dedicated to Africa and the rest of the world.

important for me to have my feet in the soil and to speak to everyday Nigerians. This is the difference with our foundation, we want to understand the real people on the ground but not what the media creates because that’s false. Because I know the people in Kaduna State, every time we come to their community, they say is it that the guy that brought us to the school? Let’s show him African’s hospitality, that’s that, unless you are here on this continent, living and breathing its air, you truly won’t understand.

That’s why I try welcome as many people possible to come to the Kenyans, the Ethiopians, the Nigerians, the Ghanaians, the South Africans, the Rwandans because until you are there and meet with the real people, you won’t truly understand.

S

What is the vision behind the BWB Foundation?

About six years ago, I was running another non-profit, it is a fiat traditional NGO called Zamzam and what we were doing was building water wells around the world. We had embarked on a new journey to building an education center in my mother country, and someone saw us on Instagram and wanted to contribute to that school because it was for orphaned children.

And the financial platform we were using at that time flagged his transaction and so it required me to have a conversation with him to reach out to him and say - thank you so much for the anticipated contribution – and that there is another form of payment that you can make and at that time. He responded and said is there Bitcoin in your organisation and I said, “what is Bitcoin?”.

And that was where our relationship began and the other person on the other side making donation was Ray Youssef who is a co-founder of the foundation. So, he and I started a peer-topeer relationship and friendship, now we call it brotherhood and he said he always had a dream that he wanted to build schools in Africa and the rest of the world and he wanted to use Bitcoin in doing it. He said, can you accomplish this goal? Can we work together and I said I don’t know but let’s start and that’s where it began.

So, the very first school that we built together was in 2017, we started using Bitcoin in the country of Rwanda and since that time we’ve built two schools in Rwanda, two schools in Kenya, two schools in Nigeria and we have repaired and worked on two schools in Salvador and we are currently building worked two schools in South Africa. We’ve done work in India two schools in India, two schools in South Africa; we have done work in India, and Ghana. We are a global humanitarian organisation.

We like to think of ourselves as being as being inclusive as possible, but it all began here in the continent of Africa. Africa is a very special place for me. I came to this continent almost 12-years-ago, and it showed me so much about myself, I learnt so much about myself from the people first and foremost. So, that’s why I keep coming back. It has nothing to do with tribe, has nothing to do with country, it is the African

Nessary

people in general. It is what brings me back to the continent, and want to be able to work with the people. We don’t consider ourselves a charity organization, we are not giving people things for free. People don’t need that, what they need is relationship building, they need understanding, some people just want to be heard and that’s what our foundation does. We listen and we learn from people on the ground.

Here’s a resource that this community doesn’t have, so if we can provide the resource, how can we work together to transform that community?

Some communities don’t need schools, but how can we impact their lives in a positive way, and through Bitcoin, we can accomplish this.

What is the nature of your interventions in Nigeria and what do you hope to achieve?

Well, for us, it’s about access to resources and it all comes down to opportunity and that’s why we want to work with the communities, but you can’t create opportunities or work with opportunity unless there’s trust. There has to be trust, and for us, or me coming into a random community; in Nigeria, people are not going to welcome you with open hands - there has to be a level of engagement…So for us, education is the utmost importance for us. But through education, there are some other resources as well like access to clean water, electricity, internet connectivity – these are all daily issues that everyday Nigerians have.

And if we can provide solution for these, the productivity and efficiency of those individuals in those communities will continue to rise.

So, for us, it is about access to natural resources, education as well as community engagement. If we can create or foster this positive environment for communities, there would be security, that would bring stability and that also brings inclusion.

So that’s what we are working on in Nigeria.

Specifically, we are working on two school campuses in Kaduna and there we have provided access to electricity through solar, we have built a football pitch for the students and the community members and have a Nursery School and a Primary School.

The infrastructure here is able to accommodate up to 400 students eventually, we are not there yet, so it is a process as you can imagine, but it is an investment in the Nigerian people, why? Because we believe in them, because I believe in Nigeria, and Ray Youssef, believes in the Nigerian people and if we can tell the story of the real Nigerian, not the one that other part of the world are creating, that’s why it is

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

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NEWS

L-R: Group Executive, Technology and Services, FirstBank,Callistus Obetta; Manager, Strategic Partnerships Lagos Business School, Olisa Molokwu; President /Co – Founder, DayStar Power & Sunray Ventures, Christian Wessels; Guest Speaker, Rewane Bismarck; Deputy Managing Director, FirstBank,Gbenga Shobo; Alumni Relation Director, Lagos Business School,Henry Andoh and Professor of Legal, Lagos Business school, Olawale Ajai, at the Lagos Business school Breakfast Meeting held in Lagos...recently

Allianz Nigeria Launches Funeral E xpens e s I n su ra nc e Cove r Ebere Nwoji In its bid to boost its retail insurance portfolio, Allianz Nigeria has introduced a new family protection plan that will provide succor to families of decease through insurance coverage of the funeral expenses.

The New product which provides a financial cushion against unexpected funeral

expenses; offers flexible plans that cater to customers across all income classes has already been approval by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

The company said the new product was the outcome of months of extensive market research into current and prospective customer demands in the local market, especially in

the wake of gradual recovery from the global disruption of Covid-19.

Commenting, the Chief Executive Officer, Allianz Nigeria, Adeolu Adewumi-Zer said, “Our goal is to actively seek feedback on a rolling basis from our customers and the market at large and continuously use the feedback to create value for the customer and all stakeholders.

She said Allianz Nigeria, aspired to transform the way it did business for its clients so that it could be sustainable and a long-term partner. ”A partner for life. We have a clear view of where we want to go, both in terms of market and product lines. So we are expanding and rebalancing as we go”, Adeolu stated.

Also speaking, the Chief

Customer Officer of the company, Patience Ugboajah, said the economic meltdown had highlighted the need for products that lighten the financial burden of middle and low-income families, following tragedy or loss.

“Burial ceremonies form an important part of the Nigerian culture across ethnicities. Often, paying the last respect to loved

ones that have passed on will impose a heavy financial burden upon the surviving relatives.

The cover enables the family to give the departed a desired and befitting burial. It is a simple product that enables the assured and their loved ones to enjoy peace of mind knowing their financial stability will not be threatened in the event of a loss”, said.

FG Urged to Declare State of Emergency in Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector Gilbert Ekugbe Stakeholders have called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the nation’s agricultural sector to save the country’s economy from experiencing more hunger.

They pointed out that the

exponential food crisis and the alarming prices of food items in markets nationwide called for serious concern from the government.

They further warned that if care is not taken, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s announcement that 19 million Nigerians

are currently in poverty level could be doubled and multiplied unless disruptive, innovative and strict supervising of important milestones with defined timelines between now and 2023 are sustainably implemented.

The stakeholders that spoke

to THISDAY on the telephone were the former National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Kabir Ibrahim; Chairman, Lagos Chapter of the AFAN and South West Regional Coordinator, Dr. Femi Oke; former DirectorGeneral of LCCI and Chief

Executive Officer of Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf and the DirectorGeneral of the African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC), Dr. Obiora Madu.

Ibrahim said that Nigeria’s agriculture is at crossroads and begging for urgent solutions.

He explained that Nigeria’s population explosion, the COVID-19 pandemic, general insecurity, incipient laziness in policy implementation and lack of cohesion are ‘threat factors’ to food production, processing, distribution and consumption in the country currently.

Firms Partner to Train 1,000 Youths on Agri-Processing Gilbert Ekugbe Reelfruit, Temploy and Made Culture have announced a partnership agreement to train over 1000 youths on agri-processing to drive value addition in the nation’s non-oil

export sector.

The move, they said, would also solve the unemployment crisis in the agri-processing sector in Nigeria by training 1000 youths on technical and soft skills demanded by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

within the agri-processing sector in Nigeria.

Commenting on the initiative, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ReelFruit, Ms. Affiong Williams, said: “Having realised that the Agri-processing sector offers

enormous opportunities, we are thrilled to have partnered with Temploy and Made Culture on this initiative that will enable us not only to build potentials but also offers us the opportunity to equip young Nigerians who have the interest

to grow this sector.

Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer, Temploy Nigeria, Juyin Benson, said: “Temploy is delighted to be collaborating with ReelFruit and Made Culture to build the capacity of young Nigerians.

We are devoted to recruiting, training and equipping 1000 youths within Lagos and Ogun state over the next three years with digital and technical skills that will prepare them for a career in the Agri-processing sector.”

Consolidated Hallmark Attributes 2021 Success to Staff Diligence Ebere Nwoji The Managing Director Consolidated Hallmark Insurance plc, Mr Eddie Efekoha, has attributed the success achieved by the company in its business outing in 2021 business year to

diligence by different arms of the company.

According to Efekoha, the company only toes profitability path also remains consistent with the timely rendition and approval of its operating results as a demonstration of

its commitment to regulatory compliance and shareholder information flow.

The Group’s 2021 financial result shows a Gross Premium Written of N10.5 billion, which when compared with the N9.8 billion recorded in the

corresponding period of 2020 represents a growth of 7.4 percent.

The Profit Before Tax grew by 26 percent from N772.5million in 2020 to N971.6m in 2021, while Profit After Tax grew by 17 percent from N677.9 million in 2020 to N790.6m in 2021.

Similarly, the Group’s total assets rose from N14.3 billion in 2020 to N15.7 billion in 2021, showing approximately 10 per cent growth.

Efekoha attributed the result to diligence by different arms of the company that work

on the financial reporting process. He also acknowledged NAICOM’s positive contribution to ensuring that entities meet up with reporting deadlines to the capital market without compromising on the quality of financial reporting.

AXA Mansard Insurance Announces 27% Growth in Gross Written Premium Ebere Nwoji

AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, a member of the AXA Group said it has recorded Gross Written Premium of N60.20bn in its business transactions in 2021.

This represents 27 per cent growth from N47.58 billion it made in December 2020.

According to the company, the Net Premium Income of stood at

N37.14bn, up by 17 per cent from N31.72 billion in December 2020, Investment and Other Income stood at N6.25bn, down by 12 percent from N7.09bn in December 2020.

Operating Expenses of N9.41bn, showed22 percent increase from N7.71bn in December 2020 while Profit before Tax stood at N5.78bn, 4 percent decrease from N6.04bn recorded in December 2020 .

Similarly Profit after Tax stood at N3.74 billion, down17 percent from N4.50bn in December 2020.

Commenting on the financial performance of the company for the year ended December 2021, the Chief Executive Officer, AXA Mansard Insurance, Kunle Ahmed, said “We delivered strong revenue growth across all our business lines despite the challenging macro economic terrain

and yield environment.

According to him, the strong revenue growth would have been impossible without the support of our customers and partners and we are immensely grateful. The growth in net claims is also a reflection of our financial ability to meet the promise we made to policyholders.

He said AXA Mansard Insurance had continued to be an exceptional

insurer with great financial strength and excellent underwriting capabilities.

According to him, this has been shown over the years by the organisation’s exceptional financial and technical capabilities.”

Also speaking on the results, the Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Ngozi Ola-Israel, said, “The business delivered strong growth across various indices, Gross written premium grew

by 27 percent YoY from N47.58bn to 60.2b and improved underwriting efficiency underpinned by N9.23bn in underwriting profit, growing 24 percent YoY from N7.44bn.

She explained that the decline of 4 and 17 percent respectively in the PBT and PAT was largely driven by fair values losses and non-recurrence of gain on disposal of a subsidiary in the previous year.

131

T H I S D AY WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 Wednesday April 13, 2022 Vol 27. No 9865 TR

See page 32 THE PROPOSED NITDA BILL MAY CREATE AMBIGUITY FOR ICT SONNY ARAGBA-AKPORE argues that the proposed bill should be streamlined See page 32

GBAJABIAMILA AND UNPRODUCTIVE COMMITTEES There is no room for redundancy in the House, writes SANI RINGIM See page 33 WHY APC SHOULD ZONE PRESIDENCY TO THE SOUTHEAST CHUKWUDI ENEKWECHI contends that zoning the presidency to the Southeast will strengthen the unity of the country See page 33

EDITORIAL POROUS BORDERS AND INSECURITY See page 34

& RE A S O

N

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

TRAPPED IN A CIVIL WAR IN COTE D’IVOIRE Russia and Ukraine should talk and save lives, writes RAJENDRA ANEJA

UT H

KASSIM AFEGBUA urges the feuding leaders of the PDP to zone the Presidency to the South

ATIKU: THE RACE FOR THE PRESIDENCY In the last one week, Nigeria’s political climate has been upbeat in its usual characteristic manner, when elections are knocking. It is a time you are likely going to hear all manner of prophesies and predictions. You will hear people telling you how they called on God and how God answered them. What they will not tell you is, the particular God they are calling.

Is it the one with small “g” or capital “G”?

Is it the god of Iron or the god of politics?

Is it the god of “ponmo or amala? Is it the god of “rankadede” politics? Is it the god of stomach politics or the god of perennial presidential aspiration? Is it the god they told us in 2015 that ushered in a man that has reduced Nigeria to rubble or the god that has kept us on our toes? Dino Melaye was in the forefront of those who saw a messiah in Muhammadu Buhari in 2014/2015, after seven years, we have seen the conduct of his “messiah”. Dino has started again with his SURSKHV\ WKDW LV OLNHO\ WR VQXͿ OLIH RXW RI XV ,I WKLV ´PHVVLDKµ KDV EHHQ Á RJJLQJ XV ZLWK wooden cane for seven years, be assured that his latest “messiah”, Atiku Abubakar, ZLOO Á RJ XV ZLWK LURQ URGV $WLNX·V SROLWLFDO trajectory has been based on desperation, and conquistadorial mutation. Since 1992, he has been on the score-sheet of political participation, and the quest has always been self-serving.

When a man like Dino Melaye, my friend and brother, talks about speaking with God, and coming back with a message for us, clearly speaking on behalf of Atiku Abubakar, we need to think seriously. Both Dino and Atiku played active roles in ensuring that President Buhari was delivered in 2015 to oust Goodluck Jonathan from his exalted throne. They both worked for the demolition of the PDP in 2015 in a manner that could KDYH OHIW 3'3 VSUDZOLQJ RQ WKH Á RRU unable to discover its compass. But both of them sneaked back into the party asking to govern the country using the PDP platform.

Unfortunately, the party fell for their pranks through its habitual “rankadede” politics. As soon as the results of the 2019 election were announced, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar left for Dubai. He left his supporters and followers in a quandary. Dino, was, himself, here climbing trees and falling down in dramatic scripts to escape the wrath of Yahaya Bello, the tempestuous Governor of Kogi State, famed for his “tatatata” politics.

Hearing Dino talk about God speaking WR KLP DJDLQ , JRW VFDUHG , Á DVKHG EDFN WR his 2015 prophesies which later turned out to be our collective albatross in the hands of President Buhari, who has turned his friends to foes, and has crippled the country on all fronts without batting an eyelid. Anything that Dino’s 2015 messiah touched has become a curse. Life is tough. Power is grounded.

Unemployment has increased in geometric proportion, so have job losses. Insecurity is at

its worst under a President that Senator Dino told us was a messiah in 2015. You only need to recalibrate Dino’s homily in 2015 when the campaigns were in top gear and reconcile that with his new messianic message of seeing another president in Atiku Abubakar.

I expected Dino Melaye to have observed his dissonance in the Atiku product when the latter ditched his supporters in 2019 and ran away to Dubai. A perennial aspirant will always see himself nearing the victory point each time election draws near. It is always about self and not for the general good.

There is this argument that is fuelling the urge to cede the ticket to the North, YHU\ ZDWHU\ XQVFLHQWLÀ F DQG XQHPSLULFDO argument that reduces the propagandists to PHUH QRXJKWV 7KH\ VDLG WKDW LI 3'3 À HOGV D 1RUWKHUQ FDQGLGDWH DQG $3& À HOGV D Southern candidate, that PDP would win the election. How churlish a point! I even saw one ridiculous and utterly empty barrel of an analysis talking about the geopolitical arithmetic of a country that will be 62 years old by 1st October, 2022. Such bizarre, stomach-infrastructure induced arithmetic that exposes the intellectual hollowness of WKH DXWKRU IXUWKHU MXVWLÀ HV WKH URW LQ WKH

What stops them from pulling out of the race to allow room for their southern counterparts?

What is the meaning of consensus amongst few northern aspirants when it ought to be holistic and all-embracing?

system and the danger that stares us in the face.

In Nigeria’s 62 years as an independent nation, power has resided in the north for 48 of those years. Whatever Democratic “miscalculation” that exists as a result of Yar’Adua’s death, was not a function of injustice or lack of equity. President Obasanjo handed power over to Umaru Yar’Adua until the latter died by no ordinary design of anyone. How it has suddenly become convenient to narrow the discourse to this GHPRFUDWLF GLVSHQVDWLRQ LV ED΁ LQJ 7UXWK be told, our present Northern Presidential Aspirants within the PDP are unstatesmanly, self-serving and unpatriotic. What stops them from pulling out of the race to allow room for their Southern counterparts? What is the meaning of consensus amongst few Northern aspirants when it ought to be holistic and all-embracing?

When we talk of the North, we should cast our minds back in the days of Aminu Kano, the great Premier, Sardauna Ahmadu Bello, and of course, Tafawa Balewa. These Northern leaders were the epitome of FODVV GLVWLQFWLRQ VHOÁ HVVQHVV SDWULRWLVP and service to their people. They lived and died like paupers, not like many Northern leaders of today, who have become conquistadors and economic predators in an era of dialectical materialism and grand acquisition of needless wealth at the detriment of the holloi polloi. Late Sardauna died without riches. Late Aminu Kano showed similar candour and conduct, and of course, Tafawa Balewa, an outspoken JUHDW PLQG ZKRVH OHDGHUVKLS ZDV DV VHOÁ HVV as his fearlessness. When the likes of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his supporters speak about their sense of entitlement in the north, you are most likely going to conclude that they are pro-people.

The children of Aminu Kano are almost unheard of years after their father passed.

The children of Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, are almost unheard of, ditto for the intelligent Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Apart from monuments named after them, you are likely going to conclude that their children do not populate the Nigerian space. But just imagine what is happening in Jigawa State. Alhaji Sule Lamido, is running for Senate, his son is running for Governor, yet another of his son is running for House of Representatives. Three members of one family putting themselves forward as if the state was created for them. In Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku’s son is a Commissioner under the present Governor Fintiri’s administration. Would it have been a bad idea if the young man allowed someone HOVH WR RFFXS\ WKH R΀ FH VLQFH KLV IDWKHU LV running for president?

Afegbua is a chieftain of the PDP

2 32

T H I S D AY

Russia and Ukraine should talk and save lives, writes RAJENDRA ANEJA

TRAPPED IN A CIVIL WAR IN COTE D’IVOIRE The traumas of the war in Ukraine, rekindled my memories, of being besieged during a civil war in Cote d’Ivoire in 2002.

On 19 September 2002, I woke up around DP WR WKXGGLQJ VRXQGV 7KH WKXGV IHOO into place. They started making sense. They are bullet sounds. I got a call from a colleague, that an army coup was on and I should not go out of the hotel. Awakened now, I realise the full fury of the bullets around me. At times, WKHUH DUH H[SORVLRQV WRR 7KH ÀULQJ IURP WKH machine guns is continuous now.

6RPHWLPHV WKH ÀULQJ LV GDQJHURXVO\ FORVH as if it is in the room next to mine. It is as if a pitched battle is being fought around my hotel. I thought the troops or rebels may be undertaking house-to-house searches and VKRRWLQJ SHRSOH , VZLWFK RͿ DOO OLJKWV DLU conditioners, bolt all doors, windows and switch on CNN at zero volume. The idea is not to be visible. Make no sound. Bullets again. And again. Continuous. The air is static.

The place is so eerie. Bullets again, much more strident, now.

The morning is frozen. Nothing moves.

Nothing stirs. The gunshots continue, at times dangerously close. Almost next door, in the VWUHHW EHORZ 7KH FUDFNOLQJ VRXQG RI JXQÀUH is acute and intense. They pierce the eardrums sharply. , KDYH QHYHU KHDUG VR PXFK JXQÀUH LQ P\ OLIH , KHDUG D SLVWRO EHLQJ ÀUHG IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH LQ P\ OLIH LQ 0DQDXV LQ %UD]LO RQ D VWUHHW LQ 7RGD\ LV GLͿHUHQW 7KHUH are many triggers around, in the hands of unknown people. Everything is still. Except

Now, 20 years later, I reflect if all the warring parties had talked, instead of firing bullets, hundreds of lives could have been saved. A thought, for Russia and Ukraine too the incessant, monotonous crack of bullets.

The neighbourhood cock does not understand all this. He keeps crowing since early morning, as usual, unconcerned. He does not realise today everyone was awake before him.

I identify hiding spots, in case the hotel is attacked. I dress up and keep my passport with me. I also keep adequate money, for an emergency departure. I am concerned that since the shelling is so close to the hotel, some part of it may be blown away.

I open the window, just a wee crack. There are gunshots in the street below, so I shut it again. The windows of all the neighbouring homes are tightly bolted. Sharp bullet sounds, again. Always unremitting. Always in a chain.

Another day, nothing stirs. The view outside is frozen, as in a photograph. Again, JXQÀUH VRXQGV 6RPH ORXG H[SORVLRQV WRR From the kitchen window, I see two birds Á\LQJ KLJK XS LQ WKH VN\ $ ORQH ELUG LV perched on the roof opposite. It is chirping in WKH HDUO\ GDZQ *XQÀUH DJDLQ LQ IURQW RI WKH

KRWHO 7KH ÀULQJ FRQWLQXHV VWHDGLHU QRZ ,W LV all around, now. In all directions. Continuous.

I did not have any lunch or dinner, many days. If you hear bullets outside your room, the whole day, there is little place for food in the belly. I take a “Valium” tablet, on many QLJKWV WR VOHHS WKURXJK WKH JXQÀUH +RZHYHU it does not always work.

7KH VRXQGV RI EXOOHWV EHLQJ ÀUHG FRQVWDQWO\ are very chilling and exasperating. In movies, bullets make a sharp, crackling sound when WKH\ DUH ÀUHG ,Q UHDO OLIH WKH\ PDNH WKXGGLQJ dull sounds.

I move into an apartment. There are daily curfews in the nights. Every night, I bolt WKH VHUYLFH GRRUV RQ P\ ÁRRU DQG VKXW WKH elevator gates. My laptop is my saviour. I write and absolve myself of all my ghosts and tribulations. I pour myself into the machine and exorcise myself, ephemerally.

The houses are eerie. Silent tombstones.

They are tightly shut, as if the residents do not want anyone to know, someone is inside.

I cover the glass panes in my home, with towels, so that no ray of light is visible outside.

Some of the soldiers are young, 20 to 22 years old. Two soldiers normally hide behind a bus stop, below my apartment. Gradually, they recognise me, my car. In a few days, we are waving to each other, as I go to work.

They hide, without hiding. I pretend that they DUH KLGLQJ 7KHLU ÀQJHUV DUH DOZD\V RQ WKH triggers.

We are moving towards a Level Four emergency, in security terms. This means that the police cannot guarantee our safety.

If the situation deteriorates, evacuations can only be through intelligence agencies or mercenary troops. They bring an aircraft VWHDOWKLO\ PRYH LQWR VSHFLÀF KRPHV DQG evacuate citizens. One lives these pulsating, excruciating moments, with anger and helplessness.

This is a surreal experience. Every night when you sleep, you do not know, whether you will wake up alive the next morning.

Therefore, you postpone the very act of sleeping. Not good. I hope, someday, I can sleep again, like an ordinary human being, without being roused by ghosts and bullets.

How many bullets did I hear, in the last few months? Hundreds? Thousands? I do not know. Each bullet stabbed my heart and body. Each one is unforgettable. Each bullet will echo all my life, in my head.

I telephone my father in India and tell him, that I may make it back, but may lose all my belongings. He replied, “That is the last thing you should think about. You just come safely.”

“Carry your valuables with you,” is the advice, when you evacuate under armed escort. When the chips are down, you just pack your passport, cash and vitally, your family photographs. The family photos become the most crucial valuables when you leave suddenly, with no prospect of return.

You walk out alone into the cold night. And learn not to look back.

1RZ \HDUV ODWHU , UHÁHFW LI DOO WKH ZDUULQJ SDUWLHV KDG WDONHG LQVWHDG RI ÀULQJ bullets, hundreds of lives could have been saved. A thought, for Russia and Ukraine too.

Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, and a Management Consultant.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

SONNY ARAGBA-AKPORE argues that the proposed bill should be streamlined

THE PROPOSED NITDA BILL MAY CREATE AMBIGUITY FOR ICT If the plan of the federal government to rejig the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) created under the NITDA Act 2007 sails through, then the country will have a super regulator which is amorphous for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.

Originally the Act was created for NITDA to implement “the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and coordinate general Information Technology development in Nigeria.” But NITDA, recently sent a proposed bill to the National Assembly and shared same with stakeholders that it wants a new bill to replace the National Information Technology Development Agency Act 2007.

The new bill seeks to establish a framework for mandatory licenses to be obtained by technology companies from NITDA. It also seeks to expand the regulatory oversight of NITDA; and generally, foster the development of the Nigerian ICT sector.

NITDA wants an overriding power to regulate the ICT sector including but not limited to telecommunications, National identify management, banking, among others.

“The bill proposes power to NITDA to regulate and license companies involved in digital services, products and platforms including companies that use any digitally enabled system in the provision of service or products; and companies that carry out a business within the information and communications technology space in Nigeria.”

The bill proposes that mandatory licenses should be obtained by companies regulated by it adding that operators within the information and communications technology and digital economy sector are to apply and obtain licences and authorisation from NITDA to operate.

Furthermore, it provides that companies that fail to obtain the requisite license may be guilty of DQ RͿHQFH DQG VXEMHFW WR D ÀQH RI 1 RU LPSULVRQPHQW RI LWV SULQFLSDO R΀FHUV ,I WKLV ELOO VDLOV WKURXJK WKH 1&& $FW RI may have been overtaken by the proposed NITDA Bill as the bill seeks to create three categories of licenses namely: (i) Product Licence, (ii) Service Provider Licence; and (iii) Platform Provider Licence even though the bill does not categorically state the considerations that would be put in place by NITDA in determining which of the licenses a company is to obtain.

The bill also seeks to empower NITDA to maintain a register of operators within the information and communications technology and digital economy sector and publish the register for the general public’s information. Also proposed in the bill is the establishment of the National Information Technology Development Fund (NITDF) for the advancement of the nation’s digital economy objectives and related purposes.

The NITDF will be funded by a levy of 1% of the SURÀW EHIRUH WD[ RI UHJXODWHG FRPSDQLHV DPRQJVW other funding sources set out in the bill.

As it stands, the existing Act already requires certain companies to pay a similar levy to NITDA which was however limited. The bill now seeks to extend the list of the companies required WR SD\ OHYLHV DV IROORZV PRELOH DQG À[HG telecommunications companies; information technology, e-commerce companies; digital platform operators and providers; foreign digital platforms targeting the Nigerian market; pensions managers and pension-related companies; EDQNV ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV DQG FRPSDQLHV SURYLGLQJ ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV XVLQJ LQIRUPDWLRQ technology tools; insurance companies; and such other companies and enterprises as determined by regulations from time to time by the Agency.

“The Bill seeks to empower the NITDA, with support from the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, to develop standard requirements for operators within the information technology space. The Bill also confers a duty on NITDA to regulate amongst other things, the use of digital signature and digital contracts; and the use of data for business analytics and intelligence.”

“The proposed Act seeks to uniformly and fairly regulate the technology sector and startup space in Nigeria. The Bill appears to be an attempt to create uniform platform to regulate telecommunications, banking, e-commerce and others. This, however, will become standalone and amorphous regulation to manage an already structured regulatory environment and thereby creating multiple regulation for companies in the tech space in Nigeria.

This over-regulation will weigh down to excessive levies and licensing requirements because NITDA activities will dovetail into other regulators such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the National Insurance Commission to streamline licences, levies and develop regulations that adequately govern the activities of tech companies ZLWKRXW VWLÁLQJ WKHLU JURZWK Some of the noticeable ambiguities include that “operators within the information technology and digital economy”, “foreign digital platforms targeting the Nigerian market” and “digital economy” become clear licensing categories to be established by the bill.

These and many other reasons inform why industry players think the proposed NITDA bill should be revisited.

At a stakeholders meeting recently, the Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria) (CPN) condemned the proposed NITDA Bill 2021 in its entirety.

President and chairman of Council, of CPN, Mr.Kola Jagun spoke at the stakeholders engagement recently organised by the NITDA to consider the proposed NITDA Bill 2021 which, among other things, aims at changing NITDA from an IT development agency, to a regulator of the ICT sector in general.

The CPN statement was clear on the proposed bill, “it was obvious from the comments, suggestions and opinions expressed by all other stakeholders, at the meeting which held in Abuja on Friday February 18, 2022 that the NITDA Bill 2021 arrogates powers of several other regulatory agencies to NITDA, which is an infringement on the statutory powers of other agencies of government like CPN, NCC, Galaxy EDFNERQH 2΀FH RI WKH 1DWLRQDO 6HFXULW\ Adviser (ONSA), the National Universities Commission (NUC), among others.

“Stakeholders who attended the meeting were unanimous in their opinions that several sections in the proposed NITDA Bill amount to usurpation of the statutory powers of other agencies of government that had been in existence before NITDA, and who have been performing their statutory roles accordingly.”

Aragba-Akpore is a Member of THISDAY Editorial Board

333

T H I S D AY WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

There is no room for redundancy in the House, writes SANI RINGIM

GBAJABIAMILA AND UNPRODUCTIVE COMMITTEES Give it to him, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila EHORQJV WR WKH UDUH FODVV RI SROLWLFDO R΀ FH holders who understand the enormity and the burden of trust in leadership. Having trained as a lawyer in the United States, the acclaimed bastion of the world’s democracy and the VKLQLQJ H[DPSOH RI TXDOLWDWLYH OHDGHUVKLS Gbajabiamila knows that every second counts

LQ OHDGHUVKLS 6R QR URRP IRU SURÁ LJDF\ DQG redundancy.

Since his inception as the Speaker of the +RXVH LQ KH KDV EHHQ D GHFLVLYH À UP DQG goal-oriented leader. On the same trajectory of order he instituted as the head of the green chamber, he recently threatened to disband ad-hoc and standing committees who failed to À OH LQ UHSRUW ZLWKLQ VWLSXODWHG SHULRG Gbajabiamila said, “We have to do a compilation of committees, either standing or adhoc who have failed up till now to submit their report. Most committees will be discharged on Thursday. “The list will be read

In line with global trend of E-governance, the House of Representatives under Gbajabiamila is working assiduously to incorporate E-Parliament in order to strengthen the legislative performance of members out here on Thursday and their work will be discharged. I will decide if we will constitute another committee and you hand over the little report you have to the new committees.

“We can’t continue like this. The reason being that this is an unusual year. Because of the new electoral law, the time table, a lot of members are not going to be here. Everyone will be out campaigning. There’s Ramadan, there’s primaries, there’s Easter and if we DUH QRW FDUHIXO WKLV ZRUN ZLOO JR XQÀ QLVKHG until February when there will be general elections”.

The move shows that the speaker was not ready to waste further time in view of the XUJHQF\ QHHGHG WR À [ VFRUHV RI FKDOOHQJHV plaguing the nation. The mood of the nation UHTXLUHV PHQ OLNH *EDMDELDPLOD DW D SHULORXV time like this when the strength of many have failed.

7KLV LV QRW WKH À UVW WLPH WKH G\QDPLF Speaker of the House has been providing leadership and carving a niche from the pack.

He has never lost his voice when it matters most in many times of national turmoil.

When he came in 2019, the Speaker declared that he anticipated a healthy relationship with the Executive arm of government without subjugating the Legislature to the whims

and caprices of the Villa. He nurtured the relationship that inures in the general good of the people.

The mantra of the Ninth National Assembly, codenamed, “Nation Building: Joint Task” worked well for the nation in many respects.

It ensures a delicate balance of checks on the Executive arm of government. This winning strategy has made the current National Assembly succeed where the previous Assembly had failed.

Despite not being on a warpath with the Executive, Gbajabiamila has consistently raised his voice when the downtrodden are not fairly treated or when the interests of the nation are threatened like the Ghana obnoxious trade law imposed on foreign nationals who are mostly Nigerians. *EDMDELDPLOD EHFDPH WKH À UVW 6SHDNHU who showed more than passing interest in parliamentary transnational diplomacy. He has been to many countries to douse tension and to look out for the interests of his countrymen.

Far-reaching legislations like the substantial alterations to the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, the Petroleum Industry and Governance Bill, PIB saw the light of the day.

Another landmark achievement many often overlook is the restoration of the budget circle from January to December. The new order will VWUHQJWKHQ LQYHVWRUV· FRQÀ GHQFH LQ WKH QDWLRQ·V economy, allow Nigerians and companies to plan, ensure implementation of capital projects which averaged about 30 percent implementation rate.

The PIB, which has been passed into law ZLOO DGGUHVV WKH LQH΀ FLHQFLHV LQ WKH RLO DQG JDV VHFWRU DQG DOVR HQG WKH ULS RͿ RI 1LJHULD E\ WKH International Oil Corporation (IOCs), ensure better deals for the host community and open up other ancillary sectors and create massive employment opportunities.

Likewise, in line with global trend of E-governance, the House of Representatives under Gbajabiamila is working assiduously to incorporate E-Parliament in order to strengthen the legislative performance of members.

The Speaker is always concerned about the foreign interests of Nigeria and has been D VWURQJ DGYRFDWH RI HTXLWDEOH SROLFLHV IRU 1LJHULD LQ JOREDO DͿ DLUV $W D ERRN ODXQFK authored by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Toby Okechukwu, and two others – Tony Onyishi and Emmanuel Ukhami, Gbajabiamila argued that Nigeria’s foreign SROLF\ PXVW GHÀ QH WKH FRXQWU\·V WHUPV RI engagement with other countries.

7KH ERRN WLWOHG ´5HÁ HFWLRQV RQ 1LJHULD·V Foreign Policy, 1960-2020” was launched in Abuja recently.

“What we know, and have learned from both our recent experience and the experiences of others is that in this new world, our foreign SROLF\ PXVW XQDSRORJHWLFDOO\ GHÀ QH WKH WHUPV on which we engage the rest of the world.

“This will enable the country to address WKH GLͿ HUHQW PDQLIHVWDWLRQV RI RXU VKDUHG challenges so that we can together survive through this new age of promise and peril.

“To do this, we must establish the values that GHÀ QH XV DQG EH FOHDU DERXW WKH FRQFHUQV WKDW motivate us and the interests that inspire us. ´2XU QDWLRQ·V IRUHLJQ SROLF\ GHÀ QHV WKH terms on which we engage with the rest of the world,” Gbajabiamila said.

The Speaker said that it was through a robust foreign policy that Nigeria could declare what it was and what it stood for. According to him, Nigeria had demonstrated gallantry at home and abroad in South Africa, Liberia, Sierra Leone and everywhere else that it was called upon for help.

Ringim writes from Kano

CHUKWUDI ENEKWECHI contends that zoning the presidency to the Southeast will strengthen the unity of the country

WHY APC SHOULD ZONE PRESIDENCY TO THE SOUTHEAST In every historical epoch, societies are confronted with befuddling political challenges and this seems to be the case with Nigeria at the moment in the search for a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Over the years political thinkers and leaders have analysed the heterogeneous

nature of the country and the need to ensure peace, unity and progress of Nigeria, and after a daunting search were able to arrive at a consensus that power must always shift between the North and the South.

It was this mutual agreement that enabled the two leading political parties – the All Nigeria Peoples Party and Peoples Democratic Party to jettison the presidential aspirations of some of their leading PHPEHUV LQ DQG À HOGHG RQO\ WZR Yorubas as candidates in the presidential HOHFWLRQ 7KH WZR EHQHÀ FLDULHV RI WKLV XQLTXH political masterstroke were Chief Olu Falae and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Lest we forget, the ceding of these political platforms to the two Yoruba men was an appeasement for the cancellation of June 12 election perceived to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man of the defunct Social Democratic Party by the General Ibrahim Babangida military regime.

Today history beckons again for the current political leadership especially of the APC hue to toe the path of courage, fear RI *RG MXVWLFH DQG HTXLW\ LQ ]RQLQJ WKH FRYHWHG R΀ FH RI WKH SUHVLGHQW In the search for a peaceful, prosperous DQG XQLWHG 1LJHULD WKH TXHVWLRQ LV WR ascertain which region of the country has not had a shot at the presidency since after the civil war. The answer is not far-fetched for LW LV RQO\ WKH 6RXWK (DVW $QRWKHU TXHVWLRQ LV DUH WKHUH HQRXJK DQG MXVWLÀ DEOH JURXQGV WR PLFUR ]RQH WKH $3& SUHVLGHQWLDO WLFNHW WR the South East, and the answer is also in the D΀ UPDWLYH ,W LV MXVWLÀ DEOH WR PLFUR ]RQH WKH WLFNHW to the South East considering that it is already a settled issue that power will rotate between the North and the South, and VHFRQGO\ WKH SULQFLSOHV RI HTXLW\ IDLUQHVV and justice demand that out of the six geoSROLWLFDO ]RQHV RQO\ WKH 6RXWK (DVW KDV QRW occupied the presidential seat, and the 2023 SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ DͿ RUGV WKH $3& DQG its leadership to lead by example by micro]RQLQJ WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO WLFNHW WR WKH 6RXWK (DVW JHR SROLWLFDO ]RQH This approach will not only douse the tension created by the agitation for Biafra, but will also strengthen the faith of the Southeast in Nigeria, as well as the bond that holds Nigeria together as one indivisible

and united country. It will also project 1LJHULD DV D FRXQWU\ ZKHUH HTXLW\ DQG justice prevail, and the name of President Buhari and APC will be recorded in gold E\ SRVWHULW\ DV WKH OHDGHUV ZKR À QDOO\ brought true healing to Nigeria. $JUHHG WKDW WKLV ZLOO EH D GL΀ FXOW decision and indeed a tall order, yet this LV WKH VWXͿ JUHDW OHDGHUV RI FRXQWULHV DUH PDGH RI 7KH\ DUH PDGH RI VWHUQHU VWXͿ and the new leadership of APC under Senator Abdullahi Adamu are men with impeccable record of putting the JHQHUDO LQWHUHVW RI WKH FRXQWU\ À UVW UDWKHU than pandering to narrow partisan or political interests. They should not cower or surrender to the intimidation and shenanigans of a few people who refuse to DGKHUH WR WKH XQLYHUVDO SULQFLSOHV RI HTXLW\ and justice. They should also not pander to the narrow partisan interests of those with access to the media.

Rather in taking such patriotic decision there may be need to scrutinise the presidential aspirants from the South East JHR SROLWLFDO ]RQH DQG RQH WKDW UHDGLO\ comes to mind and whose aspiration appeals to the generality of the people, HVSHFLDOO\ QRUWKHUQHUV ZKR KDYH D XQLTXH balance in Nigeria’s geopolitical space is Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the Dan Jekan Soloto, Magan Alheri Hausa and -DJDEDQ /DÀ D 7KLV LV D PDQ ZKR VLQFH 25 years ago committed his personal fortunes in establishing schools for poor Nigerians across the country. The schools can be found in Kano, Sokoto, Bauchi, Zaria, Jos, Yola, Ibadan, Calabar, Enugu, Owerri, Ogboko, and lately another one for various African countries also in Owerri. By establishing the schools he has positively impacted on the lives of millions of Nigerians, and if given the opportunity WR VHUYH DV SUHVLGHQW GHÀ QLWHO\ KH ZLOO WXUQ the fortunes of the people around for better as he feels their pain.

Nigeria is at a crossroads and needs a leader who knows and understands the country and its diversities. In Owelle Rochas Okorocha we have a leader who does not discriminate and who despite his Christian religious background appreciates other people’s religions and never misses an opportunity to support them in their faith. His accommodating nature has enabled him to build bridges where none existed thereby making him the only pan1LJHULDQ WR DVSLUH WR WKH KLJKHVW R΀ FH LQ the land.

Apart from his patriotism, he also has the passion and determination to make D GLͿ HUHQFH DV 1LJHULD·V SUHVLGHQW ,W LV therefore imperative that the leadership of APC and the Presidency should utilise WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ RͿ HUHG E\ WKH ]RQLQJ SULQFLSOH WR WDNH D À UP VWDQG E\ PLFUR ]RQLQJ WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO VORW WR WKH 6RXWK (DVW JHR SROLWLFDO ]RQH 7KH\ KDYH WKH MXVWLÀ FDWLRQ WR GR LW DQG LW ZLOO DWWUDFW applause from across the country, rather than condemnation. They will also be on the side of history as there is a precedent in 1999 when the entire country conceded WR WKH <RUXED DJLWDWLRQ E\ À HOGLQJ &KLHI Obasanjo and Chief Falae in the PDP and ANPP/AD respectively.

Enekwechi, JP, Kwechis19@yahoo.com

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EDITORIAL

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

POROUS BORDERS AND INSECURITY There is urgent need to properly demarcate the nation’s borders

I

t is well-known that Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other terror networks that have been disturbing the peace RI 1LJHULD ÀQG UHDG\ DGKHUHQWV QRW RQO\ IURP ZLWKLQ WKH FRXQWU\ EXW DOVR IURP WKH WHUULWRULHV of our neighbours. Most of these mercenaries, EHFDXVH WKH\ KDYH QR VWDNH LQ RXU FRXQWU\ TXLWH QDWXUDOO\ VHHP WR EH PRUH YLROHQW DQG UHDG\ WR H[HUW PD[LPXP FROODWHUDO GDPDJH ZKHQHYHU WKH\ VWULNH But the challenge is not restricted to the northern part RI WKH FRXQWU\ ZKHUH WKHVH LQVXUJHQWV RSHUDWH DOPRVW IUHHO\ ,Q WKH VRXWKZHVWHUQ ERUGHU DUHDV HVSHFLDOO\ WKH 6HPH %DGDJU\ ,GLURNR D[LV VPXJJOLQJ DFWLYLWLHV have continued unabated WKHUHE\ SRVLQJ VHULRXV threats to the nation’s HFRQRP\ From the economic VWDQGSRLQW WKH WH[WLOH LQGXVWU\ IRU LQVWDQFH LV D PDMRU FDVXDOW\ RI RXU SRURXV ERUGHUV DV YLUWXDOO\ DOO WKH OHDGLQJ ORFDO WH[WLOH PLOOV KDYH EHHQ VKXW GRZQ 7KDW LV EHFDXVH their products could not compete with the imported EXW FKHDSO\ SULFHG ZD[ DQG SULQW PDWHULDOV LOOHJDOO\ EURXJKW LQWR WKH FRXQWU\ $FFRUGLQJ WR PRVW HVWLPDWHV more than a million direct and indirect jobs have been lost to this menace. But the bigger problem is the contribution of these porous borders to the general LQVHFXULW\ WKDW QRZ SODJXH WKH FRXQWU\ 7RGD\ WKHUH LV KDUGO\ DQ\ FULPLQDO DFW DQG YLROHQFH LQ 1LJHULD WKDW FRXOG QRW EH UHPRWHO\ WUDFHG WR WKH UHODWLYH HDVH ZLWK ZKLFK DUPHG JDQJV HQWHU DQG H[LW WKURXJK PDQ\ RI our 149 borders 6RPH RI WKH QRWRULRXV ERUGHUV DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ include those with Niger, Chad and Cameroon in the QRUWK DQG WKH ERXQGDULHV ZLWK %HQLQ DQG 7RJR LQ WKH 6RXWKZHVW DUHD :LWKRXW H[FHSWLRQ DOO WKHVH ERUGHUV DUH ORRVHO\ SDWUROOHG LI DW DOO ZKLOH LOOHJDO PRYHPHQW RI SHRSOH DQG JRRGV ÁRZ DOPRVW IUHHO\ 0HDQZKLOH the contiguous nature of the border sometimes presents its own challenges. Most of the people in WKHVH DUHDV LQWHU PDUU\ DQG VKDUH VLPLODU FXOWXUDO DQG

religious practices. :LWK PHUFHQDU\ DFWLYLWLHV GLUHFWO\ OLQNHG WR WKH YLROHQFH EHLQJ ZLWQHVVHG LQ PDQ\ RI WKH HSLFHQWHUV HVSHFLDOO\ LQ WKH 1RUWKZHVW WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW ODVW \HDU KLQWHG RI WKH SRVVLELOLW\ RI ÁRDWLQJ D ERUGHU VHFXULW\ IRUFH 1RWKLQJ KDV EHHQ GRQH LQ WKDW GLUHFWLRQ ´7KH PRVW GRPLQDQW WUDQVQDWLRQDO VHFXULW\ issue remains the threat of terrorism perpetrated E\ WKH ,VODPLF 6WDWH :HVW $IULFD 3URYLQFH ,6:$3 DQG %RNR +DUDP 7HUURULVWV %+7V 7KHVH WHUURULVW JURXSV FRQWLQXH WR H[SORLW WKH SRURXV ERUGHU DUHDV to disrupt the livelihoods of innocent citizens in their communities,” the National 6HFXULW\ $GYLVHU 16$ Babagana Monguno, said during the eighth session of the Cameroon-Nigeria 7UDQV %RUGHU 6HFXULW\ Committee last November in Abuja.

7KH 1LJHULDQ $LU Force (NAF) and the 1LJHULD &XVWRPV 6HUYLFH 1&6 UHFHQWO\ VLJQHG D Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards VWUHQJWKHQLQJ ERUGHU VHFXULW\ DQG VWHPPLQJ WKH WLGH RI EDQGLWU\ DQG VPXJJOLQJ DFWLYLWLHV $V SDUW RI WKH DJUHHPHQW WKH 1$) LV H[SHFWHG WR PDNH DYDLODEOH RQ UHTXHVW WZR RI LWV SLORWV WR DVVLVW ZLWK RSHUDWLRQ RI 1&6 %HOO KHOLFRSWHUV DQG E\ VR GRLQJ FRPSOHPHQW WKH PDQSRZHU RI 1&6 $LU :LQJ ´7KH 0R8 ZLOO JR D ORQJ ZD\ LQ EXLOGLQJ RQ WKH DOUHDG\ H[LVWLQJ FRUGLDO DQG cooperative relationship as well as ensure seamless collaboration between our organisations,” the Chief RI WKH $LU 6WDͿ 2ODGD\R $PDR VDLG DW WKH FHUHPRQ\ While we consider this to be a positive development, WKHUH LV DQ XUJHQW QHHG IRU 1LJHULD WR SURSHUO\ demarcate the nation’s borders through the setting up RI D VSHFLDO DJHQF\ ZLWKLQ WKH (FRQRPLF &RPPXQLW\ RI :HVW $IULFDQ 6WDWHV (&2:$6 :KHQ WKH ERXQGDULHV DUH FOHDUO\ LGHQWLÀHG DQG GHOLQHDWHG LW ZRXOG EH D lot easier to monitor them. It is unacceptable that Nigeria’s borders remain the easiest crossing points in WKH ZRUOG WRGD\ 7KH DXWKRULWLHV PXVW GR VRPHWKLQJ about it.

There is hardly any criminal act and violence in Nigeria that could not be remotely traced to the relative ease with which armed gangs enter and exit through many of our borders

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

Letters to the Editor Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 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 (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

LETTERS RECOLONISATION OF AFRICA THROUGH MINERALS’ THEFT 7KH UHFHQW HPHUJHQFH RI 5XVVLD RQ WKH $IULFDQ scene is another worrisome reminder that all is QRW ZHOO 7KH VWULGHV RI WKH 5XVVLDQ PHUFHQDULHV WKH :DJQHU *URXS LQ $IULFD PD\ QRW MXVW EH DERXW FRQÁLFW UHVROXWLRQ DORQH EXW DOVR WDNLQJ DZD\ RXU PLQHUDO UHVRXUFHV , KDYH DOZD\V ZRQGHUHG KRZ the group gets paid despite the poor accounts of $IULFDQ QDWLRQV 7KH SUROLIHUDWLRQ RI DUPHG JURXSV LQ $IULFDQ WLOWV WRZDUG YDULRXV IRUPV RI LQÁXHQFHV and this might be about our natural resources. AlUHDG\ WKH :DJQHU *URXS LV SRLQWHG DW LQ LOOHJDO JROG PLQHV LQ 6XGDQ 7KH JHQHUDOV LQ 6XGDQ DUH DOVR FRV\LQJ XS WR 5XVVLD ,W KDV ORQJ FRYHWHG D QDYDO EDVH RQ WKH 5HG 6HD DQG LV DOVR D NHHQ EX\HU RI 6XGDQ·V JROG %RWK WRSLFV ZHUH SUREDEO\ RQ WKH DJHQGD ZKHQ WKH GHSXW\ KHDG RI 6XGDQ·V MXQWD 0XKDPmad Hamdan Dagalo (better known as Hemedti), YLVLWHG 5XVVLD RQ WKH HYH RI LWV LQYDVLRQ RI 8NUDLQH 0U 'DJDOR KHDGV WKH 5DSLG 6XSSRUW )RUFHV UVI D YLFLRXV SDUDPLOLWDU\ RXWÀW WKDW FRQWUROV PDQ\ RI Sudan’s illicit gold mines. He is thought to be the

UHJLPH·V OLQN WR :DJQHU *URXS D 5XVVLDQ PHUFHQDU\ RXWÀW WKDW :HVWHUQ GLSORPDWV DFFXVH RI LQvolvement in the illicit gold mines. Sudan’s governPHQW GHQLHV LW 6WRULHV OLNH WKLV VKRFNLQJO\ SRLQW WR the fear of most Africans about the recolonization RI $IULFD 7KH IDLOXUH RI $IULFDQ QDWLRQV KDV RSHQHG WKH URXWH IRU WKHVH VFDU\ SDUWQHUVKLSV WKDW ZLOO RQO\ GHVWUR\ WKH HFRQRPLF SURVSHFWV RI $IULFD ,W LV QRZ VDIH WR FRQQHFW WKH WHGLRXV OLQN RI 5XVVLD LQ $IULFD·V illegal gold trade. What other mineral resources are WKH\ WDSSLQJ DOUHDG\" ,Q 1LJHULD ZH DOO NQRZ DERXW the blood mineral case going on in the North fueling crimes. What saddens me is the nonchalance of $IULFDQ OHDGHUV LQ DOO RI WKLV 7KH\ DUH MXVW FRQFHUQHG DERXW WKHLU SROLWLFDO JDLQV DQG KRZ WKH\ ZLOO FRQtinue to loot for their own gains. While all of this FRQWLQXHV WKH ZHDSRQL]HG LJQRUDQFH DQG SRYHUW\ GRHVQ·W PDNH WKH SHRSOH DVN SHUWLQHQW TXHVWLRQV :KHQ ZLOO $IULFDQ EH IUHH" Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com

REVERSING THE UNEMPLOYMENT TREND $ VNLOO JDS VXUYH\ FRQGXFWHG E\ WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW RI 1LJHULD VKRZHG WKDW YDFDQFLHV H[LVWHG LQ IRXU VHFWRUV QDPHO\ VHUYLFHV DJULFXOWXUH construction and transportation, but were in some FDVHV ÀOOHG E\ QRQ 1LJHULDQV EHFDXVH RI WKH DEVHQFH RI WKH UHTXLVLWH WHFKQLFDO VNLOOV +RZHYHU DV SDUW RI HͿRUWV WR FKDQJH WKH QDUrative iCreate Africa in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale ZusammenarbeLW *,= %26&+ DQG 6WHUOLQJ %DQN RUJDQLVHG D VNLOO IHVWLYDO WR UDLVH WKH SURÀOH DQG UHFRJQLWLRQ RI VNLOOHG SURIHVVLRQDOV LQ 1LJHULD E\ UHEUDQGLQJ DQG projecting the value of skills in the mainstream, ZKLOH SUHSDULQJ \RXWKV IRU VNLOOV RI WKH IXWXUH 7KH *,= 1LJHULD DQG L&UHDWH 6NLOO )HVW KDYH UHLWHUDWHG WKH FDOO IRU \RXWKV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ WR HPEUDFH VNLOO DFTXLVLWLRQ SURJUDPPHV WR EH VHOI UHOLDQW 7KH +HDG RI 3URMHFW *,= 7RELDV :ROIJDUWHQ VDLG WKDW WKHUH DUH ORWV RI XQHPSOR\HG \RXWKV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ \HW WKHVH KXJH SRWHQWLDOLWLHV FRXOG EH harnessed in the labour market. He said, “What

we are doing is collaborating with the government DQG SULYDWH VHFWRU WR ÀOO WKH VNLOOV JDS <RXWKV FDQ EXLOG GHFHQW FDUHHUV DQG MREV E\ DFTXLULQJ YRFDtional skills. ´7KHUH LV D QHHG IRU SUHFLVLRQ DQG DFFXUDF\ WR FRPSHWH JOREDOO\ 6R YLD WKLV SODWIRUP \RXWKV FDQ be trained to perfect their skills and take up career SDWKV LQ DQ\ ÀHOG WKH\ ORYH µ 7KH FKLHI H[HFXWLYH R΀FHU L&UHDWH 6NLOO )HVW Mr Bright Jaja noted that the platform will help ERRVW WKH FRQÀGHQFH RI DUWLVDQV WR ÀQG FRQÀGHQFH in their chosen careers. He said via the platform artisans and skillers will update their digital skills DV ZHOO DV WKHLU ZRUNSODFH WHFKQLTXH 7KH SODWIRUP will bridge the gap between the government, inGXVWULHV DQG LQVWLWXWLRQV E\ UHVSRQGLQJ WR WKH needs of the labour market.

7KLV LV DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ WKDW VKRXOG QRW EH DOORZHG WR VOLS RͿ WKH KDQGV Ayo Ajayi, Abuja

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EDUCATION Agubata: EmpoweringYouths in STEM Will Drive Industrialisation Dr. Felicia Agubata, an Assistant General Manager at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and former president of the Association of Professional Women in Nigeria, is passionate about equipping youths with the skills. In this interview with Funmi Ogundare, she explains the need for Nigeria to continue advocating for STEM to drive industrialisation, among other issues. Excerpt:

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initiative that we executed has the science and technology laboratory component that we recently commissioned in Misau, Bauchi, was for a primary school so that both genders will use it. More importantly, we need to make a conscious effort to ensure that the education system is restored to its former glory. We need to have adequate and well-qualified teachers and amenities for the children in classes. Government cannot do it alone. Individuals who have left public schools should be able to give back to society. That is why the Nigeria Society of Engineers ( NSE) is doing a programme on ‘STEMGive Back’. I commend the leadership of the NSE for the initiative. As role models, we must go back and give back to the society and community. We don’t have to wait for the government. You can go back to your alma mater and find out what they are lacking. Is it books, school bags or desk and chairs? People did not believe that the laboratory launched at Misau, Bauchi State, recently is a primary school. It was the first of its kind in Africa. So if every one of us goes back to our primary schools, the country will be better. We can support the government in whatever way we can to restore the lost glory of education.

ou were a former president of the Association of Professional Women Engineers in Nigeria (APWEN) and now a technical board member of the Prototype Engineering Development Institute (PEDI), Ilesha Osun, under the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). How will you describe both roles?

APWEN’s role is about engineering leadership.

The key thrust is advocacy for more females to go into engineering as well as to ensure that they make the best use of career opportunities.

At APWEN, we also ensure that the ethics of the engineering profession are upheld. PEDI has its own context. It is a formal set-up, while APWEN is an association. PEDI is about working in concert with other appointees to ensure proper interpretation and execution of NASENI’s mandate as the vehicle for Nigeria’s industrialization. Research and development that will lead to industrialisation in Nigeria need to be driven and realised through the institutes. PEDI is one of the institutes. As a technical board member, it is incumbent on us to bring our experience, innovativeness and technical competencies to bear on the assignment.

How will your appointment to the board impact technical education and boost youth employment in Nigeria?

We just came back from a retreat of all technical board members and stakeholders in Abuja. Post-retreat, it became clearer what is expected of every member. I want to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for the will to do the needful by ensuring that NASENI becomes an independent agency. That is the major way Nigeria is going to be industrialised.

I must also commend the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna, who, over the years, has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Act establishing NASENI was signed into law by the president. This way, a framework to achieve their mandate was put in place. Essentially, the technical board is made up of engineers and scientists. We are eager to bring onboard our experience to drive the assignment and ensure that the institute becomes the pride of the nation. It boosts industrialisation and would have a multiplier impact across a broad spectrum of critical areas of our economy, including youth engagement and actual employment. For instance, PEDI has a lot of prototypes, such as rice polishing machines and 3D printing machines(PEDIBOT), ready for commercialisation. It is not just about innovation because the institutes are also allowed to engage in reverse engineering.

For instance, if you have a particular product that has been done somewhere, you can, with a proper level of approvals and agreements, mass-produce it.

How can the government create an enabling environment for research and innovation to thrive?

We must necessarily work towards identifying and removing barriers to enabling environments, especially the controllable factors. Some will obviously be knotty to deal with: steady power supply.

Be that as it may, things will definitely change for good with collaboration and focus.

We have the capacity and capability to deal with some of the key issues. If the executive vice-chairman and his dedicated team could bring NASENI to this level, I believe research and innovation will thrive in Nigeria as no nation can progress without industrialisation.

It will provide employment for our teeming youths and provide revenue for the country.

Once you have an industrialised nation, people are not going to remain on the streets because they will be engaged. Ensuring an enabling environment is still a work in progress, but the government can do more in terms of research and development. The government needs to

Dr. Agubata fund research institutes very well and invest in talents.

Don’t you think Nigeria has a long way to go?

I don’t think the way is too long.

With what I saw during the retreat, products on display made by the institutes, I was really happy that something like this is in this country.

I am also excited that people like Prof. Haruna have the courage and political will to go all out to push for a course that they believe in.

He started this during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. After the progress made and he left, everything seemed to hit the brick wall, but he continued until he had the ears of President Muhammadu Buhari.

What new innovations do you intend to bring on board to move the institute forward?

Each institute has its own mandate, so among us, led by the renowned professor of Mechanical Engineering, Olufemi Bamiro, as chairman and Dr. Kola Olunlade, as managing director of PEDI, will be steered in the right direction for results in line with our mandate.

We will also collaborate with the industries to ensure the commercialisation of our prototypes and the production of those designs.

Presently, we are collaborating with Kwara State Chambers of Commerce to re-fabricate some

of their members’ machines so that they can stop the capital flight of going to China to buy or repair their spare parts, and this will reduce dependence on foreign currency for trade transactions. Discussions are ongoing, and it’s yielding results as one of us is the Vice President of Kwara State chamber of Commerce, Abu Salami.

What is the importance of STEM education in industrialisation?

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM) is an economic driver. Without STEM, the economy cannot be anywhere.

Scientists, technologists and engineers are all products of STEM. Mathematicians and data analysts are all products of STEM. So what do we need to be an industrialised nation? We need scientists, engineers and data analysts.

That is why there is so much advocacy for getting the young ones to STEM because that is what drives the economy and industrialisation.

We cannot overemphasise the importance of STEM in any nation.

How do you ensure a paradigm shift in the girls’ quality of education, especially for those in the North and Southern, towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs)?

We cannot leave the quality of education to the government alone. That is why we are appealing to non-governmental organisations and individuals to become players in education.

We are not saying it has to be the girl-child alone because the boy child is also endangered.

If we keep talking about girl-child, a time will come when the boys that will marry the girls will be left out, so we need to carry them along. That is why the ‘Invent it, Build it’,

“Research and innovation will thrive in Nigeria as no nation can progress without industrialisation.

It is going to provide employment for our teaming youths and also provide revenue for the country”

There is an under-representation of girls in the field of engineering. How were you able to galvanise support to ensure an improvement in the lives of rural girls?

If you look at our flagship programme, Invent it, built It’, when I was the president of APWEN, it was designed for the rural community to ignite the passion of the girl-child towards STEM that will lead them to a career in engineering, and it paid off because we were able to use the concept of role model who speaks their language and from their locality, to tell the story to them. We made them keynote speakers and honoured them in their communities. That was how we were able to develop plans for the scholarship and laboratories. It is paying off now because the awareness has been created as some of these girls are in SS I and are enjoying scholarships and are already in science classes. In the next three years, they will be finishing school and would be entering university. I believe that they will continue in the field of engineering, and in the next seven years, we are going to have engineering graduates. For the women, we have been able to have a diversity and inclusion policy, the first of its kind, that gave birth to the election of the first female deputy president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers ( NSE). Aside from that under NASENI, for each of the board, there is a female. It is a departure from what they used to have in the past.

Do you see the females competing in the next five years with their males in engineering?

What they need is collaboration, not competition. They all started together in their various schools as males and females. The exams are the same, and the qualifications and benchmark for acceptable performance are also the same.

There is nothing like a male or female engineer.

We are all the same. Exam for employment is the same: performance and appraisal are the same. There is no discrimination. What we are saying is that women should not see themselves as lesser mortals. We are not saying that we should be called to the table, but we want to walk up to the table based on our competence and skills. Let our competence define us. Going forward, we need to de-emphasize gender bias in our conversations; we must necessarily begin to focus on cooperation and collaboration across the gender and professional divides as the preferred attitude. Gender conversations bring about unproductive competition and hypersensitivity that shift our attention from the real issues of the moment. I will always vote for developing and bringing onboard more skills across the gender and professional divides.

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EDUCATION

MTN Foundation: Bringing Dreams Alive through Scholarships Currently, in its 12th year, the MTN Foundation has continued to ensure that the higher education and future aspirations of brilliant students are not truncated due to financial constraints. The Foundation does this through its annual Science and Technology Scholarship and Scholarship for Blind Students, Uchechukwu Nnaike reports

W

ith the harsh economic situation in the country, many brilliant youths that desire higher education are denied access due to inadequate funds. Reports indicate that about 18 per cent of students in Nigerian tertiary institutions drop out of school for financial reasons, thereby truncating their dreams.

Such a challenge is gradually being addressed through the award of scholarships to deserving students to enable them to acquire higher education. The federal government, corporate organizations, NGOs, and individuals currently have several scholarship initiatives to support brilliant but indigent youths to realise their academic dreams and contribute to national development.

One of such initiatives is the MTN Foundation Scholarships which seek to provide support for students studying science and technology discipline, blind students of any discipline in public tertiary institutions across the country and the top 10 highest scoring candidates in the annual UTME exams. Annually, up to 360 new scholarships are included in the initiative, with old scholarships renewed based on ongoing academic performance.

Each recipient receives a scholarship worth N200,000 starting from when they qualify until graduation as long as they meet the required Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). The scholarship covers tuition, book allowance and stipend.

The initiative seeks to recognise and reward qualified high-performing students studying full-time courses in public tertiary institutions (universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education) in Nigeria. The foundation has so far awarded scholarships worth over N3 billion to over 4,000 students.

Established in July 2004, the MTN Foundation has facilitated deeper engagement with youths across the six geopolitical zones because of the critical role youths play in the country’s economic development. The Foundation is funded with one per cent of MTN Nigeria’s profit after tax, which places importance on education and technology development in Nigeria.

This year, 300 students were awarded the Science and Technology Scholarship.

60 students received the MTN Scholarship for Blind Students while the top 10 UTME candidates in 2021 were also awarded scholarships.

The Executive Secretary, Odunayo Sanya stated that the foundation focuses on two key areas aligned with the Sustainable

A cross-section of the beneficiaries, with the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya Development Goals (SDGs) – youth development and national priorities.

She said its interventions around youth development are tailored towards equipping the younger generation with the skills, tools, access, knowledge, and opportunities to be economically active citizens.

“Some current projects under this include MTNF Scholarships for STEM and blind students, MTN-MUSON Scholars Programme, Arts and Culture Productions, MTN School Support programme, our Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) and many more,” Sanya stated.

“We are also invested in areas we consider national priorities. In this regard, we embrace initiatives that promote community infrastructure, economic development, health and entrepreneurship,” she continued.

According to Sanya, MTNF has awarded scholarships valued at 3 billion to over 4,000 young Nigerians so far. She also claimed that upon graduation, each scholar takes part in the MTN Foundation ‘Skill Up Training’ to ensure they are well equipped to compete and add value. They are

also exposed to other opportunities for training and certification from notable organisations such as the Project Management Institute (PMI).

“We are proud of the work we do through this initiative, guided by our unwavering belief in the transformative power of education in our nation. We are also excited about what lies ahead for our scholars and alumni,” she said.

Asides from scholarships, the Foundation has also invested in infrastructure for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEM) education. Through the MTNF Science and Technology Laboratory Project initiative, the Foundation has provided modern equipment for school laboratories.

At this year’s award ceremony in Lagos recently, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, described the initiative as a step in the right direction in the pursuit of academic excellence for Nigerian students. Represented by the Director, Science and Technology, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Grace Akinboyewa, the commissioner called

for more collaborations toward adding value to the education sector of the state and nation.

The Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Adia Sowho, urged the scholars to continue to take risks and strive for success irrespective of failures. She said that within failure, is a lesson that better prepares one for tomorrow.

Some of the awardees who received credit alerts at the venue, screamed in excitement, as they can now pursue their education without fear. Parents of the awardees who were also present at the award ceremony were thankful to the Foundation for alleviating their financial burden. One of the visually impaired recipients of the scholarship aptly captured the impact of the award, when he stated that his lack of sight is not a lack of vision.

The intervention by MTNF may not be enough, considering the growing youth population in the country, but it has been described as the way to go.

More organisations are therefore required to invest in scholarships and other human capital development initiatives to support the government and groom responsible Nigerian youths.

UNICEF: 70% of Nigerian Children Greensprings Director Advocates Public-Private Partnership on Sports Suffer Learning Crisis Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that 70 per cent of Nigerian children are going through a learning crisis, as statistics from the ‘Learning Crisis in the Nigerian Literacy of 2021’ revealed that 53 per cent of 10-year-olds could neither read nor write.

It added that despite having one of the best policies globally, implementation had been a challenge that kept the teacher-pupil ratio at 1: 65.

The education manager of UNICEF in Nigeria, Manar Ahmed Sharouda, who

announced this in Kano during a media dialogue on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as child rights, said low public spending on education, 1.7 per cent of GDP, was partly responsible.

In her lecture titled ‘Stealing foundational literacy and numeracy in Nigeria’, Sharouda also explained that apart from facing a learning crisis with learning outcomes being one of the lowest, there was an inadequate and underprepared workforce.

Lamenting that only one in three Nigerian children are exposed to the mandatory one-year early

child education, she also disclosed that nationally, there is a shortage of 37 per cent shortage in classrooms at the national level.

“Seventy per cent of children are not achieving basic foundational skills, and Nigeria has one of the best policies in the world but suffers from poor implementation,” added Sharouda. Qualified teachers are in short supply. Twenty-seven per cent of the teaching staff are unqualified. There is the challenge of insufficient physical resources, and high classroom learner ratio is 1:65 in primary schools.”

Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Deputy Director of Education, Greensprings School, Lagos, Dr. Barney Wilson, has called for a public-private partnership to encourage school sports.

He said this at this year’s sports day of Greensprings Anthony Campus, held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

He stated that the partnership would address the lack of sporting activities in some private schools due to inadequate space and facilities.

“We know that all children from pre-school to secondary school need to keep moving.

Many of them have been stuck in their houses or classrooms.

So the school ensures that they are moving all the time,” Wilson noted.

The school’s Executive Director, Mrs. Lai Koiki, said the annual event was put on hold in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to her, sport instils discipline, focus, dedication, hard work, commitment, perseverance, teamwork, honesty and responsibility.

She said students that embrace sports early in life are agile and fit, improving the brain’s cognitive and memory functions.

“It is, therefore, our responsibility as a school community to encourage the participation of our children in sporting activities

with a keen focus on the joy of participation rather than winning or losing- this is the true spirit of sportsmanship,” she stressed.

The Chairperson of the PTA Activities Committee, Mrs. Yemisi Adeboyejo, advised parents to encourage their children’s participation in sports and commended the school for the event.

At the end of the events, Moremi (purple) House came first with 17 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze medals. Queen Amina (red) came second with 15 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals, while Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (blue) came third with nine gold, nine silver and three bronze medals.

44

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

EDUCATION

Group Seeks Scholarship for Students with Sickle Cell Anaemia Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Lagos State University (LASU) Sickle Cell Society has appealed to the state government to set up a scholarship scheme and give other concessions to students living with sickle cell anaemia.

The Co-convener, Miss Ayomide Durodola, stated this recently at a sensitisation programme with the theme ‘Sickle Cell Disorder: The Battles, The Fears, The Triumph’.

She added that the government should show them

consideration in employment.

She also appealed to the university to extend preferential treatment to students with sickle cell anaemia, allowing them to re-sit tests and exams missed due to health crises.

She regretted that some could not afford routine drugs.

In her remarks, the ViceChancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, said the event would contribute to the well-being of the students with benefit to the university and society.

“As you march on steadily

towards triumphing over this challenge, I encourage you to take seriously the advice and prescriptions of medical science in this regard,” said the VC. In her keynote address, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Prof. Bidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye, debunked myths associated with the medical condition.

Highlighting the triumphs, she said many battling the condition were making an impact, including Oyo Stateborn Miss Joy Sanni, who

graduated with a first class from the University of Lagos.

According to her, there are stories of people who surmounted the disorder and lived well into old age. She also disclosed that successful stem cell transplants had also been recorded.

On his part, the Head of the Department of Human Kinetics, Sports and Health Education (HKSHE), Prof.

Raimi Moronfolu, advised students with the condition to speak up to avoid being made to engage in rigorous activities and to get the support they need.

L-R: The Chairman, BoT, UNILAG Flagship Law Class 80-83, Senator Effiong Bob; Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; and LoC Chair/ newly elected President of the Flagship Class, Justice Idowu Alakija during the combined reunion dinner of the class, in Lagos.... recently. PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Kimberly-Clark Nigeria Gives Scholarship to Indigent Ikorodu Students Kimberly-Clark Nigeria, a leader in baby care and essential feminine products, has fulfilled its promise to provide scholarships to girls at the Dream Catchers Academy as part of its commitment to providing better care for a better world.

The promise was made in February 2022, during the inauguration of its Ikorodu factory, which had in attendance the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. During the ceremony, its General Manager, Vani Malik, revealed the

company’s plans to provide scholarships to 30 girls from Dream Catchers Academy, a non-governmental, free boarding education and performing arts academy for orphaned and under-served girls in Ikorodu.

Through its Kotex® She Sabi Initiative, which champions women and girls’ progress by fighting period stigma, the company fulfilled its promise to the girls.

This scholarship is in addition to donations of furniture to Agodo Alara Community Primary School,

5,000 Huggies diapers and 5,000 Kotex sanitary pads to the I-Care Foundation.

The cheque presentation and handover ceremonies to the Dream Catchers Academy and Agodo Alara Community Primary School were witnessed by the Oba of Ikorodu, Kabiru Adewale Sotobi, who commended the firm for investing in the children and the Ikorodu community.

Malik said, “Beyond commitment to the implementation of Nigeria’s national roadmap for industrialisation - to create

jobs, substitute imports and boost exports, education is very important to us, and we are dedicated to ensuring that children are able to reach their full potential and enjoy good education in a comfortable learning environment.”

The Headmistress of Agodo Alara Community Primary School, Mrs. M.I Adeniyi, thanked the te firm and the Oba for prioritising the students’ comfort.

Representatives of the ICare Foundation also lauded Kimberly-Clark Nigeria for its support.

Chrisland School Seek Collaboration with Media Funmi Ogundare

Chrisland School has expressed its readiness to collaborate with education journalists to share their experiences in their field of endeavour and impart learning to the students.

The town and gown collaboration is part of activities lined up to celebrate the school’s 45th anniversary, scheduled to

commence in October.

Speaking during a virtual briefing at the weekend, the school’s advisory board member, Mr. Akin Fadeyi, noted that education should be a holistic approach to shape students’ capacity to “think forward.”

“Education is a tool to enshrine peace and stability. It is about connecting the students to agents of a sustainable world,” ex-

plained Fadeyi. “Education should be able to shape the right narrative and value orientation so that we can have a better society.”

He expressed concern about the decadence in society, stressing that the nation is in crisis.

The school’s Managing Director, Mrs. Ibironke Adeyemi, described the collaboration as the beginning of better things

to come. According to her, developing a better relationship with the media will be most beneficial to its students and improve society.

The Chairman of the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN), Mr. Mojeed Alabi, expressed the association’s readiness to maximise the opportunity to make society a better place.

A

Teacher’s DIARY KEHINDE OMORU

www.kayomoru.com

WILL SMITH, CHRIS ROCK, JADA PINKETT-SMITH PREACH

I

n 2016 when Will and Jada won’t go to the Oscars in protest against the non-nomination of talented people of colour, it was a cry against the depths to which the kites of coloured talents and careers could be sunken forever - by no recognitions.

In 2021 when Jada made public her struggles with alopecia, it was a cry against the depths to which this autoimmune disorder - alopecia- can and has sunken the femininities and self esteems of multitudes of women all over the world struck by this disorder.

Now 2022 when Chris Rock joked, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you”, in reference to Jada’s shaved head, which provoked Will Smith to get up, walk up to Chris, hit and swore at him live on stage at the Oscars, It was a move that has now fallen Will’s kite to sunken depths.

What fell will’s kite so?Anger? Impulse? Provocation?

Stress? Pain? Protectiveness? Paternalism? Pride? Destiny?

The list of possibilities is endless and dependent on such factors as: who we each are, our life experiences, our E I levels, situations, circumstances and fate.

So what do you do when: You’ve flown their kite(s) and they’ve fallen your own; you flew their kite(s) and they fell your own; you fly their kite(s) and they fall your own; ...you flew your kite(s) and you fell your own; you’ve flown your kite(s) and you’ve fallen your own?

My long demised mother Adeyinka Omolabake Latunde-Dada, made it possible for me to have a relatively lively childhood living most of my single digit childhood years at 23 James Robertson Street SuruLere Lagos, from the beginning to the end of the 1970s.

Moments of rich persons-facing play-time engagements with neighbour-children, pop up now and again in my head, and of course, I indulge in these reveries, spiralling back well over four decades into what we were up to then.One of such recurring play moments I loved then was making kites with my friends and us flying them.

I remember being the one that mostly tenaciously searched for materials that would glide them best into the sky, carefully choosing the right broom-sticks to skeleton the kites, hunting for the tail material, sourcing and providing these; and repairing kites that won’t fly well enough.

In those evenings of 70s Nigeria, neighbouring Malams converged at gateless driveway of our houses (gateless houses being a feature that Nigerian homes have since sadly lost).

Our Malams brewed their teas in their quaint little brass kettles set upon tiny tripods & played Hausa medleys on their ‘gojes’. Against the backdrop of such lightly breezy starry nights us children launched our proudly self made kites into the sky, giggling and talking happily.

Our kites were heartily competitive or simply play in nature. We eagerly repeatedly inching up on tippy toes as gentle breezes soared our kites. Much as I loved sourcing materials for our communal kite-making use, mending our defective kites and keeping hopes alive of higher launches, I began from those tender years, through personal experiences, to realise the dissociative turn-away that people/comrades can swiftly make when one’s ‘great’ kites flop/crumble/crash down.

Will is certainly being currently turned into shreds by anyone everyone. Of course no one is saying that Will Smith’s reaction was good. However consider now how his soared kites made over the years, representative of black-success as well as Jada’s exemplary conquering of alopecia, now take on lesser relevance following a moment of destructive impulsivity.

Will’s apology and tears of regret, resigning from the academy on April 1, although in order, have not sufficed. He begins a 10 years ban from future Oscars, for his ‘unacceptable and harmful behaviour’, exhibited live to the full viewership of the world, and so indeed ‘overshadowed’ the celebrations of 2022’s Oscars.

You and I must therefore mind how we react when our kites fall by any or whichever way. That Will Smith himself found his actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation ‘shocking, painful, and inexcusable’ confirms that many out of character behaviours may be spiritually driven.

At all times, holding off your responses to clearly provocative onslaughts is key. May God help us all.

You may want to consider the following scriptures: Proverbs 12:18a - “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts...”Proverbs 29:11 - “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back”James3:5-12 - “So also the tongue is a small member....How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire....staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

-Omoru is a freelance writer, education, health and social care advocate

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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46

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

CITYSTRINGS

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

Victor Nwokeji: Celebrating a Philanthropist Per Excellence @50 Ejike Onwujiobi

T

oday, April 13, marks the 50th year Victor Nwokeji, a man who has in the last five decades extended love to millions of people across the world, came

to earth.

Nwokeji, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Palladium Mining Limited (PML), is a philanthropist whose passion for human development is unfathomable.

Fifty is no doubt, a year which every youth prays to attain in life. It is however, described as a period in a field of endeavour when great tasks were accomplished.

And for Victor Nwokeji, he has beyond reasonable doubt accomplished a lot of great things in the last five decades.

His accomplishments have focused on empowerment, employment, poverty alleviation programmes and among others.

But his ultimate goal is to explore ways and means of promoting youth development and engagement in a globalised society to ensure unemployment rate is drastically reduced.

Victor is an astute manager with over 20 years experience in management, having successfully repositioned companies in several sectors of the economy ranging from manufacturing, trading, real estate, smartcards manufacturing e.t.c.

A law graduate from the prominent University of Lagos (1993-1998), his passion for human development however didn't allow him practice the profession for long as he went straight to business to further unlock the entrepreneurial spirit in him, and that decision paid him.

Today, he can boast of a lot of achievements. He is the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of Zotmann International Ltd, MD/ CEO Palladium Mining Ltd, MD/CEO of Ahaba Natural Farms Ltd and among others.

Palladium Mining Limited (PML) is a rapidly expanding indigenous company established in 2014, with the primary goal of becoming the leading mining and exploration company that Discovers, Develops, and Delivers solid minerals in Nigeria.

Its operations span across Nigeria, comprising of green and brown field assets. Palladium Mining Limited site locations include Adamawa State, Taraba State, Ebonyi State, Zamfara State, FCT Abuja and Abia State with its principal line of minerals include Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Silver (Ag), Baryte (BaSO4), Tin (Sn), and Columbite (Fe Nbo 26).

Palladium Mining Limited is led by a diverse team of skilled and experienced professionals aligned to achieving the overall organisational goals and performance. The team has a proven ability to recognise and develop opportunities with a clear strategy to grow the company. In addition, they are developing a robust international partnership to provide expert support services to the company.

Palladium Mining Limited partners include Vultus Pro mineral resources, Black and Fze, Wishbone Gold Plc, Minex Associates, and Citigate Commodities Trading Ltd Between the years 2015 and 2016, the company has acquired various modern mining equipment and with a combination of operational excellence and innovation methods, PML is able to effectively and efficiently improve the development and production of the solid minerals prior to exportation.

Palladium Mining Limited is a member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) serving in the Mining Sector Sub Group.

Before now, Nwokeji worked as Pioneer General Manager of HENRY AND HENRY LTD (Group), which helped

Nwokeji in the development of other multi-million dollars companies and business ventures, though, his focus lately is Solid Minerals Mining and Agriculture and Ahaba Natural Farms Ltd, an export oriented agricultural company that sits on a 55 acres of land on the outskirt of Abuja.

Meanwhile, Ahaba Natural farm is currently negotiating the establishment of a 40 hectare green house for vegetable cultivation.

A devoted Christian, Nwokeji is happily married to Mrs Nneamaka Ndidi Nwokeji and they have four kids.

Although he hails from the popular Ukpor Town in Nnewi South of Anambra State, he was born and bred in Lagos and has spent almost all his life in the most populous city of Nigeria.

He attended Orisigun Primary School, Ketu, Lagos State between 1978 to 1980, Ikorodu Grammar School, Lagos State between 1989-1992

before moving to his choice of institution University Of Lagos, Akoka to study law between 1993 to 1998.

Nwokeji is a very serious minded business man who does not allow a decade pass him by without actualising a big achievement. Recently, his current mission is the establishment of auto mobile assembling plant for vehicle manufacturing and modernised industrial estates scattered all over the country to put an end to the housing deficit in Nigeria.

Growing up, it was said by his older cousins, aunties and uncles that he will be greater than his mates in all ramifications.

That is what is currently playing out as there is no dull moment in Nwokeji's life.

So far, he is accomplished in different economic sectors mining, real estate, manufacturing, finance, agriculture, import and export etc.

A big player in the above mentioned fields, Nwokeji who had a humble beginning with flamboyant lifestyle during his university days was among the few with a car. In fact, he had a Mercedes Benz as a law student in the University of Lagos.

But how did he come about that?

Nwokeji has always been a very

"Despite your several achievements, you have still remained humbled but fearless. Philanthropy is not the act of giving worthless items or what you can readily afford. It is giving selflessly without consideration for the value"

hardworking man right from his early years, doing all sorts of businesses. He started by selling of designer clothes to his fellow students and friends outside school, assisting his dad in his spare parts business when on holidays.

He has always been self dependent striving to make it in life and also cater for his siblings till date.

He loves his family both nuclear and extended and he always stretches his hands to reach each and everyone of them here and in diaspora.

He is loved by his family and friends all over the world.

He is truly a pillar and a great man. His hobbies are soccer, tennis and he is a polo player.

According to the book of Numbers 6:24-26: "the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. This is the day that the Lord has made; I celebrate my dear friend and brother.

"Despite your several achievements, you have still remained humbled but fearless.

Philanthropy is not the act of giving worthless items or what you can readily afford. It is giving selflessly without consideration for the value.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

-Onwujiobi is the Founder Jidak Standard International Co Ltd.

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022

47

CRIME&SECURITY

Police Arrest 13 For Attacking Customs Officials,Vandalising Properties

CRIME SITUATION REPORTS

BANDITRY, IMPLICATIONS ON THE SOCIETAL ECONOMY AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES (4) Gbolahan Samuel Moronfolu

Some of the burnt vehicles Stories by Becky Uba Umenyili

5

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"DDPSEJOH UP SFQPSUT USPVCMF broke out when a suspected smuggler's vehicle, which was allegedly chased by men of Nigeria Customs, knocked down

a motorcycle rider and the victim died instantly.

5IJT BSPVTFE QVCMJD outcry and unrest, following which some hoodlums im mediately went on rampage and engaged in wanton destruction of properties.

5IF TVTQFDUT XFSF QBSUT of those who went rampage and engaged in wanton destruction of properties after which they moved to a popular hotel in the area where officers of the Nigeria customs lodged and proceeded to loot and vandalise the hotel.

In the bid to bring the situation under control, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, deployed security men to the scene, but on arrival, the hoodlums attacked the policemen by throw ing stones at them and it XBT JO UIF QSPDFTT UIBU persons were apprehended.

5IF QPMJDF CPTT XIP condemned their action as barbaric, directed that others who partook in the dastardly act must be hunted for and brought to book.

Report Faulty, Abandoned Vehicles, FRSC Lagos Sector Commander Charges

5

he Sector Commander of the 'FEFSBM 3PBE 4BGFUZ $PSQT '34$ -BHPT $PNNBOE 0MVTFHVO 0HVOHCFNJEF has called on motorists to report any faulty or abandoned vehicle to the appropriate authorities rather than posting such on social media.

He noted with dismay that the regular postings of such incidents on the social media do not al leviate the possible road mishaps

posed by the presence of such vehicles but merely BSPVTFT GFBST BOE BOYJFUZ in the minds of other road users.

He emphasised on the OFFE GPS KPJOU FGGPSU CZ BMM road users, particularly motorists to ensure basic safety of the roads to avert crashes, by taking up the responsibility to call the toll

GSFF OVNCFS PS DPOUBDU UIF '34$ TPDJBM NFEJB IBOEMFT UISPVHI 5XJUUFS PS *OTUBHSBN !'34$OJHFSJB PS WJB 'BDFCPPL '34$ -BHPT $PNNBOE IBT 6OJU $PNNBOET XJUI TJY PVUQPTUT UIBU DBO promptly impound such reported vehicle to avert causing calamity on the roads.

Banditry Prevention Strategies In order to squarely address the menace of insurgency, armed banditry and corruption in Nigeria, the following recommendations may be considered; r 5IFSF TIPVME CF SF PSJFOUBUJPO to inculcate ethical values and rever ence for life and human right and UIF OFFE UP DP FYJTU JSSFTQFDUJWF of religious inclinations. Wanton killings can never be a service to God. r /JHFSJB HPWFSONFOU TIPVME strategize to create meaningful employment for the youths encap sulated in programs which aim at addressing the endemic poverty JO UIF /PSUI &BTU JO QBSUJDVMBS BOE the country in general. r 5P VMUJNBUFMZ FOE B NBKPS armed conflict, it is necessary to understand the nature of the war.

5IF 4PVUI "GSJDB NFSDFOBSJFT did, and this module remarkable resulted in fighting Boko Haram in Nigeria. Nigeria should sustain this impressive tactic of “relentless pursuit” in prosecuting the war against Boko Haram. r (PWFSONFOU BU BMM MFWFMT TIPVME put in place functional social secu rity system because it is discovered that public office holders embezzle money because of fear of tomorrow (after they have left office). r 5P BEESFTT UIF JOUFSOBUJPOBM dimension to the onslaught, govern ment need to erect fences in the borders calculated to be easily ac cessible to terrorists and intensify security therein. r 5IFSF TIPVME CF TQFDJBM DPVSUT to try suspected cases of insur gency/terrorism rather than the KVEJDJBM DPVSUT XIJDI DBO CF TMPX in their processes. Convicts should be summarily dealt with according to the statutes on terrorism so as to serve as deterrence to prospective terrorists. r 5IFSF JT UIF OFFE GPS QSPQFS orientation of the Nigerian se curity personnel on the need to maintain peace and order in col laboration with the local vigilante.

Local vigilantes understand their communities better than a newly posted police officer from outside the locality or state. r 4FDVSJUZ DPMMBCPSBUJPO XJUI MPDBM vigilante does not in any way affect their duty or commitment to the nation since both are meant to serve the purpose of security. Security personnel should also be mentally checked during recruitments to avoid causing havoc in society.

However, the government should equip the security forces with both modern equipment and necessary incentives to enable them to carry out their duty without hindrances. r (PWFSONFOU NVTU EJTDPVSBHF the attractiveness of public offices by running a low cost government and invest more in public goods for the benefit of her citizenry.

Public offices should be seen as less attractive. r 1SPBDUJWF NFBTVSF TIPVME CF put in place to tackle insurgency CPUI UBDUJDBMMZ BOE JOTUJUVUJPOBMMZ the military and other security outfits must be strengthened. r 5IF QPQVMBDF BMTP IPMET her nation the duty of reporting any strange event or persons if suspected to engage in acts of criminality. r /JHFSJBO NVTU TUPQ UIF BUUJUVEF PG EFNBOEJOH NPOFZ JO FYDIBOHF for vote from politicians who seek public offices. r "DDPVOUBCJMJUZ NFBTVSFT should be put in place in order to hold people responsible for their actions or inactions. r $JWJM TPDJFUJFT BOE DJUJ[FOT should be at the forefront of championing campaigns against corruption and corrupt leaders (public and private). r 5IF TFDVSJUZ BHFODJFT TIPVME collaborate to evolve a workable and sustainable information sharing strategies.

r 'FEFSBM HPWFSONFOU NVTU CF proactive, secure necessary and updated intelligence to deal with organized crimes and have common policy for the nation. It is not solving the problem when one state goes GPS OFHPUJBUJPO BOE NPMMZ DVEEMJOH of criminals and another one goes for shooting them. Nor should one state go for ransom payment and another one going against. r &EVDBUJPO JT POF NBJO LFZ UP solve the problem in the long run CVU JU NVTU TUBSU OPX 5IF NJMMJPO children that should be in school and are out of school must be put in school with local authorities, state governments and federal government working together. r 8FBO UIPTF XIP BSF SFBEZ UP be weaned out of the bushes and crime, settle and rehabilitate them, give them skills, empower them and let them have employment. r 5IF IBSEFOFE DSJNJOBMT NVTU be hard hit with stick. Unlawful carrying of arms should be very seriously punished. r 'FEFSBM HPWFSONFOU JO DPMMBCP SBUJPO XJUI PUIFS BGGFDUFE "GSJDBO Countries should take the issue up TFSJPVTMZ XJUIJO &$08"4 UP XPSL for a regional solution. r i&WFSZ DPNNVOJUZ NVTU CF encouraged and empowered to stand firm and strong against criminals. r i4QFDJBM DPVSUT TIPVME CF DSF ated to deal promptly with cases of banditry, kidnapping, and ransom demanding and unlawful carry ing of weapons. Let the slogan be: Security is the responsibility of all Nigerians. r (PWFSONFOU TFDVSJUZ GPSDFT such as the Police, the Military and other security agencies should be well remunerated, commensurate to the whole lot of sacrifice they offer to fatherland. r 4NBSUFS XBSGBSF /JHFSJB NVTU BEPQU B XIPMF PG HPWFSONFOU approach, with an emphasis on a military strategy that is holistic rather than piecemeal. In the im mediate term, to establish peace, the government must first gain legitimacy by protecting the people. r $PPSEJOBUJPO 1FBDF EFBMT BMPOF are not a silver bullet in the fight against banditry: But they can be managed far better than the current BE IPD BQQSPBDIFT 5IFZ OFFE UP CF QBSU PG B iKPJOFE VQu TUSBUFHZ that involves states and the federal government. r 3FQBSBUJPOT 5IF TVDDFTT PG any peace deal will depend on how victims of banditry are treated – including compensation for losses JODVSSFE EVSJOH UIF DPOáJDU 'PS QFBDF UP CF TFFO UP CF KVTU JU OFFET to include reparations. r 3FTFSWFT 5P FOE QBTUPSBMJTU encroachment on farms – and farmer encroachment on grazing lands – reserves need to be on government gazette, with water points, veterinary services, and schools also provided: an ongo JOH QMFB GSPN QBTUPSBMJTUT 5IF government has drafted a National -JWFTUPDL 5SBOTGPSNBUJPO 1MBO that aims to curb the movement of cattle by encouraging pastoralists to switch to sedentary livestock production – more mechanization and less transhumance. It’s a good start, but it is yet to be implemented – and faces financial, technical, and political challenges.

"T UIJT MJTU PG QPTTJCMF TVHHFTUJPOT show, for there to be any hope of ending the banditry in the long run, Nigeria must address the root causes of the conflict which requires GBS SFBDIJOH SFGPSNT JO HPWFSOBODF and real accountability for all those associated with the insecurity.

-Moronfolu is a seasoned security consultant with many years of security and policing experience.

FELLOW, Fourth Estate Professional Society (FFPS), he has also partaken in peace keeping operations within and outside the country and has flair for general security education.

48

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ APRIL 13, 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

FCTA Redeems N150bn Liabilities to Contractors Olawale Ajimotokan ÓØ ÌßÔË The Federal Capital Territory Administration has said it has settled over N150 billion indemnity inherited from previous administrations.

This revelation was made yesterday at by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Executive Secretary, Shehu Hadi Ahmad at an FCTA Executive Committee meeting chaired by the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu.

Ahmad stated that the present FCT Administration has cleared all the liabilities inherited from the previous administrations, which has led to the completion of some major infrastructural projects

within the city centre, He noted that before now, most contractors had abandoned their sites because of accrued liabilities from the previous administrations worth over N150 billion.

“The minister took the bull by the horn and cleared all the liabilities of these and other contractors, including those developing the Airport Expressway. So all the liabilities were cleared.

“So all the none completed segments of the works along this axis were completed. Now you can operate in dual mode on the Constitution Avenue and we are making efforts now to also finalise the development of the dual carriage of the Independence

road.

“So this is what has actually eased the traffic right from the City Centre, from Three Arm Zone through to World Trade Centre, and to the National Hospital. And the travel time for most commuters, passengers to the airport has drastically reduced.

You can almost plan your travel time now from your home to the airport,” Ahmed said.

He enunciated some of the challenges facing the administration to include inadequate funding, uncontrolled population influx and resettlement of original inhabitants, saying that a holistic review of the Abuja Master Plan will address some of these challenges.

Nasarawa Partners ITF to Train Skills Acquisition Institute Instructors Igbawase Ukumba ÓØ ËʨË The Nasarawa State government yesterday partnered the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to train instructors of the state newly established Vocational and Skills Acquisition Institute, Lafia, which was inaugurated recently

by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Consequently, a delegation from the headquarters of the ITF led by the Director General, Mr Joseph Ari, were in the office of the deputy governor of the state to finalise the partnership sequel to a letter by the state government requesting technical support to the newly equipped Vocational and Skills Aquisition

Institute.

Addressing the ITF delegation in his office, the deputy governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, lamented that the state lacked trained instructors that could handle facilities at the state’s newly established Vocational and Skills Acquisition Institute, Lafia.

This was even as he added that even if the state did have the instructors, he didn’t think that their knowledge was current to handle some of the machines installed at the institute by the state government.

He said: “For the training of instructors you (ITF) have promised you would do, we need to get appropriate instructors for

that place. Looking around, I don’t think we have our own trained instructors that can handle the facilities at the centre.

“Even if we do have, I don’t think that their knowledge is current to handle some of the machines we have there. So, it is an opportunity for us to get those instructors and update their knowledge so that they can come and impact that knowledge,” Akabe maintained.

In a remark, the DG of the ITF, Joseph Ari said the training fund was in collaboration with Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and have agreed that Nasarawa State Skills Acquisition Centre be placed on the map immediately.

Wema Bank Ranked among LinkedIn’s Top 25 Workplaces Wema Bank Plc, has been ranked among the 25 Best Workplaces where people can grow their careers in the 2022 LinkedIn Top Companies.

The LinkedIn Top Companies is a ranking of the 25 companies that are investing in their talents and helping people build careers that will set them up for long-term success.

Wema Bank, with an impressive track record in talent development and management, made the list by performing excellently on the seven assessment pillars used for the first annual ranking.

These were the ability to advance, skills growth, company stability, external opportunity,

company affinity, gender diversity and spread of educational backgrounds.

LinkedIn listed Wema Bank’s Most Notable Skills as Banking, Banking Customer Service, Consumer Services, while its most common job titles were Relationship Manager, Service Associate, Customer Service Representative. The bank’s largest job functions were Support, Finance and Sales.

In a statement explaining the assessment pillars, LinkedIn said, “Ability to advance tracks employee promotions within a company and when they move to a new company, based on standardized job titles. Skills growth looks at how employees across

the company are gaining skills while employed at the company, using standardized LinkedIn skills. Company stability tracks attrition over the past year, as well as the percentage of employees that stay at the company for at least three years.

“External opportunity looks at Recruiter outreach across employees at the company, signaling demand for workers from these companies. Company affinity, which seeks to measure how supportive a company’s culture is, looks at connection volume on LinkedIn among employees, controlled for company size. Gender diversity measures gender parity within a company and its subsidiaries.

CHI Offers Nutrition Support to Muslims During Ramadan In the spirit of the season, millions of Muslim faithful have begun devoting themselves to fasting, prayer, and communal bonding as required during the holy month of Ramadan.

Taking part in this spiritual activity means no food or drink during the daylight hours, eating one meal just before dawn and another after sunset. With this spiritual commitment of prayers, abstinence, and reflection also comes the appointed time for replenishment and revitalisation.

Underscoring the rehydrating, rejuvenating and nourishment

benefits inherent in its fruit juice and value-added dairy brands, CHI Limited encourages the Muslim faithful to complement their Sahur and Iftar meals with nutritional requirements needed to stay fit throughout the holy month, and achieve a spiritually robust as well as successful fast.

Chivita fruit juices and Hollandia dairy brands are renowned for the healthy nourishment they provide. They contain essential vitamins and minerals required for replenishment, sustenance and supporting the body’s immune function at

this time CHI Limited Marketing Director, Mrs. Toyin Nnodi, said that the objective of the Ramadan campaign is to communicate our support for Muslim faithful during the Ramadan fast by ensuring they nourish their bodies as they nourish their souls.

“Our range of Chivita juices and Hollandia dairy brands provide consumers the right nourishment to complement their Sahur and Iftar meals to enable them stay hydrated, nourished and healthy through the course of the Ramadan fast,” she stated.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- 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

---- 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).

49

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯͱ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

Wema Bank Reports 108.3% Growth in PBT, Declares N0.24 Dividend Kayode Tokede Wema Bank Plc’s resilience was on display as the digitally driven financial institution announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The bank recorded an increase of 108.3per cent in profit before tax (PBT) to close the year at N12.38 billion from N5.95 billion reported in 2020, while profit after

tax closed 2021 at N8.93 billion an increase of 94.53 per cent from N4.59 billion in 2020 financial year. The impressive performance was driven by a Year-on-Year growth of 15.35per cent in gross earnings to N92.14billion in 2021 from N79.88billion in 2020.

Also from the profit &loss figures, net-Interest Income grew to N39.87billion in 2021from N30.86billion in 2020; growth of 29.22per cent

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

as Non-Interest Income also increased from N16.83billion in 2021 to N18.83billion; a growth of 11.91per cent.

The management of Wema bank proposed a final dividend of N0.24kobo per ordinary share, subject to appropriate withholding tax and approval will be paid to shareholders.

The performance which capped a remarkable year showed strong growth in key financial indices

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

especially as the bank crossed the N1trillion mark in total assets.

As Wema bank’s loans and advances to customers rose by 16.33per cent to N418.86billion in 2021 from N360.08billion in 2020, deposit liabilities grew by 15.23per cent to N927.47billion in 2021 fromN804.87billion in 2020 to drive total assets gaining 20.23per cent to N1.164.52billion in 2021 from N968.58billion in 2020.

Key Ratios Return on average

T R A D E D

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

A S

equity of 17.26per cent.

In a statement made to the public by the bank, the Managing Director. Mr. Ademola Adebise said, “I am delighted to announce our performance for the year ended 31st December 2021. The Bank’s FY 2021 results shows robust growth in all key financial metrics despite the challenging macro-economic environment.

“Our year end numbers highlight the strong growth trajectory

O F

1 2

of the financial institution. We comfortably crossed the N1trillion mark in total assets, with a share of approximately three per cent of industry deposits.”

The Chief Finance Officer of the Bank, Mr. Tunde Mabawonku noted that “a key measure of success for us is a consistent growth in our balance sheet and customer base – and we are glad that we are reporting healthy growth in all these areas.”

/ 0 4 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

50

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

51

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 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 08Apr-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 100.00 100.00 8.61% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.52 3.57 -0.76% 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 6.29% Anchoria Equity Fund 141.48 143.13 2.48% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.20 1.20 4.03% 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 20.87 21.50 2.89% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 477.44 491.84 5.82% ARM Ethical Fund 40.94 42.17 5.08% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.06 1.06 -2.08% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.04 1.88% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.59% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 109.36 109.36 7.52% AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira 1,094.52 1,094.52 9.45% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.11 2.11 10.23% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.21 2.26 8.19% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.03 1.03 2.38% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.51% Cordros Milestone Fund 140.97 141.88 6.64% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 111.94 111.94 4.86% 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 EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com 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 8.53% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 6.63% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.02 1.02 12.06% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 101.91 101.91 3.85% 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 1,436.90 1,436.90 10.21% FBN Balanced Fund 187.28 188.68 6.86% FBN Halal Fund 118.35 118.35 9.35% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.97% 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

123.31 158.84

123.31 4.11% 160.97 5.09% 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 4,011.20 3,527.22 100.00

Offer Price 4,074.40 3,527.22 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 3.08% 1.70% 6.10%

1.10

1.10

0.97%

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 N/A N/A N/A Vantage Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) N/A N/A N/A Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A 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 1.49 1.52 3.54% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,169.05 1,169.05 2.81% 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 12.42 12.51 5.36% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.88% 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) 100.93 100.93 6.08% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.41% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.60 1.62 -0.68% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.68 11.69 4.43% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.10% PACAM Equity Fund 1.46 1.47 3.18% PACAM EuroBond Fund 115.66 118.33 0.47% 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 127.05 129.50 5.80% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 9.25% 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 N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 0.96 0.98 3.31% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.41 1.43 3.42% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.14 1.16 4.92% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.10 1.10 2.03% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.99 1.99 1.93% United Capital Eurobond Fund 124.09 124.09 1.43% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.51% 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 13.52 13.65 2.52% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.55 15.72 6.45% Zenith Income Fund 22.43 22.43 1.92% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.29%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

122.16 53.16

1.62% 0.82%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.16 134.03 106.68 20.33 20.30

14.26 137.32 108.99 20.43 21.40

1.39% 1.81% 2.94% 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

4.22 5.47 17.93 1.00 21.01 166.85

4.32 5.57 18.13 1.00 21.21 168.85

5.24% -6.27% 1.41% 5.62% 5.10% 5.72%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

Fund Name NAV Per Share Yield / T-Rtn Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund 107.53 10.80% 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.

FSDH Dollar Fund

52

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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INTERVIEW

WEDNESDAY, ͹ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

Bekeme Masade-Olowola:

Nigerian Leadership Should Take Systemic Action on Discrimination, Violence against Women Bekeme Masade-Olowola, Chief Executive of CSR-in-Action and d executive producer of Earth Women, in this interview THISDAY, speaks about the travails of Nigerian women being the worst victims of the adverse effects of mining, oil and gas exploration and solutions to reverse their misfortunes. Excerpt: What is the central theme of Earth Women?

E

arth Women’s central theme revolves revolving around gender-based violence, discrimination, oppression and suppression, health and safety issues faced by women in artisanal mining and exploration, rape and prostitution spearheaded by expatriates and locals, culture-promoted human rights abuses with the aim of educating and driving the Nigerian leadership and populace into taking systemic action on gender discrimination and gender-based violence in extractive communities.

What inspired you to produce the documentary?

Our inspiration is drawn largely from the desire for social justice for women whose voices may not be heard due to their disadvantaged positions in society.

The challenges in the Niger Delta, for instance, are well known across the country. Most times, you find people drawing attention to how these communities are suffering, but there is no one to talk about what has happened to women specifically as a direct or indirect result of these problems. Women are often the worst victims of the adverse effects of mining and oil and gas exploration, but their stories have remained largely untold because their voices are often silenced in male-dominated societies. Earth Women seeks to give voices to these women so that the larger society and maybe, the international community can hear them.

What determined your choice of setting?

Earth Women is set mostly in the Niger Delta, precisely in Kegbara Dere (K’Dere) in the Gokana area of Rivers State. Certain parts of the documentary are also set in Badagry, Lagos, where oil exploration activities take place, and there are scenes from Jos where tin mining takes place, although that footage is not owned by us. All these places are extractive communities, and although our initial plan was to go to at least six communities in the different regions, time, insecurity, and financing would not allow us.

Our choice of setting was primarily determined by our objectives, foremost among which is to tell the stories of women impacted by the work of extractive companies, and this is all over the country as portions of the entire country are blessed with these resources.

What were the challenges faced during the production?

The major challenges faced were four-fold - security, access into the communities, the willingness of the nd vulnerable and budget. g subjects to be available and rity y situation in the Niger g As we all know, the security h is bad, with perhaps p p Delta and in the North y a little improvement in the Delta recently. y Nevertheless, we had to mobilise p private security er Delta communities. for the trip to the Niger p More importantly, we liaised with respected munities who briefed us people from these communities nnect with the people. p p ahead and helped us connect n different locations Another was shooting in with a complete crew, which also meant footage from Badagry needed to be integrated with that from asing River. This ended up increasing our budget. ed What is your desired h impact for Earth Women?

Our desired impact is for the world to listen to these women and other women like them across Africa. Not only that, we want the major stakeholders who have the power to make changes to be moved into action on the issue of oil pollution and other ill

effects of extractive activities. Look at the Niger Delta and the amount of degradation that has been caused by oil spills. In addition to this, you have sporadic violence caused by youth agitation and oil theft. These problems have caused women to be in even more disadvantaged positions, with many of them subjected to rape, sex work, and other sexual and physical violence from men. In other areas of the country, including Kaduna and Zamfara, Bekeme Masade-Olowola where artisanal mining is happening, discrimination against female miners is prevalent.

We understand that this issue is complex, and host communities’ progress, they pose more solving the problems in the extractive industries risk than an opportunity for women and girls, will require a multi-stakeholder approach. This especially during this COVID-19 pandemic, with will involve the government and its regulatory increased risk for gender-based violence and agencies, extractive companies and community World Bank statistics pegging the percentage leaders sitting together to fashion out holistic of women who have suffered gender-based violence at a conservative one out of five. In the and sustainable solutions. extractives, especially in small-scale mining, where What are the negative effects of extractive women are adversely impacted by inefficient activities on women, and how can these and poor processing techniques, while there are anecdotal and academic narratives of these problems be solved?

Due to cultural practices and poor economic effects on the very poor and vulnerable women status, women are typically discriminated who operate at the bottom of the cadre, there against in many communities. However, the is hardly visual representation.

For these reasons, we intend to tactfully harmful effects of extractive activities make these challenges worse and put women at question and reverse norms that have culturally risk of being held responsible. For instance, and systematically hampered women’s progress, a man whose farmland has been destroyed with a special focus on equity, inclusion, due to oil pollution may start assaulting his justice and gender-based violence in host wife due to the frustration of it. A man whose communities in Nigeria. We intend to use wife cannot conceive or has miscarriages due existing socio-cultural networks that cater to to the introduction of dangerous chemicals to the specific needs of women and have organised the environment may tag her as being barren. training, a radio drama that caters to different In addition to this, many women are forced into language needs – in Pidgin and Hausa – and sex work and casual sex to make ends meet. now, this docudrama to enlighten women and Some become victims of rape or are assaulted. menfolk alike, including community leaders Like I said earlier, it is a concerted effort, but and gatekeepers, to drive the consciousness the federal and state governments have to take and demand for inclusion and fiscal and social the lead by stimulating the conditions under justice. We are also pushing for the adoption of which solutions can be easily attained. I believe the Community Engagement Standards, which that both the government and the extractive advocates 30 per cent women's representation companies must compensate these women in decision-making – and its recommendations directly by not only giving them stipends for for institutions to have a gender policy and to a tenured time but business grants, including conduct gender impact assessments prior to programs to educate them intellectually and project commencement. practically. Non-governmental organisations What do you do at CSR-in-Action? also have a huge role to play, but they need CSR-in-Action Consulting Ltd. is an 11-year-old support from for-profit entities. We need to continue to highlight these problems so that independent consulting company whose teams the society at large, and particularly the critical work globally with enterprises to research and develop insights into building environmental, stakeholders will listen and act. stakeholders, social and governance capacity, aligning company W Earth Women is part of an initiative business objectives with community values and S called SITEI-Woman.

What is it all preparing communities for complex change, and a corporate household name with a strong about?

SITEI means, Sustainability in the reputation for integrity and performance. The Extractive Industries. It was over 10 years ago organisation uses systems leadership to forge that we fou founded and implemented the SITEI community and corporate governance, primarily initiative, with w its annual flagship conference, in extractive communities, with the end goal th to foster through-the-year advocacy around being sustainable development through social y am equity amongst the key oil and gas and justice and accountability.

The business is broadly structured into three minin stakeholders – business, mining g government, and community, with distinct operations (CSR-in-Action Advocacy, emphasis on women and youth Consulting, and College of Sustainable rights. However, since September Citizenship), providing different solutions to 2020, we officially commenced different stakeholder groups and redefining the focussed SITEI-Woman the sustainability terrain in Africa through programme, aimed at the rural collaborative strategies with stakeholders aimed womenfolk in extractive host at attaining higher levels of corporate governance, workplace and sustainable philanthropy, through communities.

In many countries, women challenging societal norms on women, youth, and have been largely excluded environmental, human rights and compliance from the growth and the structures.

CSR-in-Action Consulting has championed development opportunities given by extractive industries initiatives, including bringing the Global Reporting in communities while being at Initiative (GRI) to Nigeria in 2011, which is the same time disproportionately the most recognised standard for measuring a vulnerable to many of the risks business’ sustainability behaviour and is used associated with them. It is a by over 74 per cent of Fortune 500 companies, a truism that while the extractive and remaining their singular key partner in industries hold promises for these parts to date. The organisation has also

set up numerous sustainability-focused networks on behalf of business leaders in Nigeria, including the Business Coalition for Sustainable Development Nigeria (BCSDN), the Telecommunication and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG), Women in Manufacturing in Africa and the Association of Sustainability Professionals of Nigeria (ASPN).

CSR-in-Action Advocacy works to shape policy around marginalised communities, is a founding member of the Women in Extractives Initiative, an initiative aimed at driving women's inclusion in governance at various levels, starting with host communities, is the first private sector member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Nigeria, has consultative status with United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and is a member of the Gold Community of the GRI, Amsterdam.

The CSR-in-Action College of Sustainable Citizenship has trained over 200 business professionals and over 350 non-profit professionals from the leading organisations in country. The company has branches in Nigeria and Canada.

How does sustainability benefit organisations in Nigeria today?

Sustainability is all about meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of others or future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability is, therefore, wide-reaching and encompasses everything we do to make sure that we take care of people, the planet and profit in the handling of our business.

As the world grapples with modern challenges like make-shift cities, climate change and globalisation, sustainability is becoming increasingly important, not just as a practice but as a critical component of business and government strategy. In Nigeria, this transformation is also happening, albeit more slowly.

Companies whose business strategies have sustainability elements – human rights, environmental management, good corporate governance and other social considerations – incorporated stand a better chance of being transferable over generations. Today, we can boldly say that sustainability is tied to the bottom line. For instance, extractive communities have been known to spend more money on remedies when they haven’t put measures in place to forestall future conflict.

According to NEITI, women make up just 18 per cent of the workforce in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. What can be done to increase female participation?

I believe that while rural women still have a way to go, we, the urban women, have a critical role to play in lifting ourselves through training, enterprise and coaching – coaching for me being the mental game of helping other women shed cultural biases embedded in their psyche. Whereas the core operations of the extractive sector have long been viewed as a man’s job, thanks to technology, which has negated the need for brute strength, women are performing excellently in Nigeria and abroad in these roles. Nevertheless, beyond what the women can do by themselves, there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way societies are structured for equity.

For instance, in some cultures in the Niger Delta, it is the women who farm, but only men own the land. So, when land is fruitful, they may decide to take it from the women because they do not own it.

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NEWS

EXPOSING GENDER BASED DISCRIMINATION...

L-R: Lead Pastor, The Elevation Church, Godman Akinlabi; Managing Partner, Zenera Consulting and Executive Producer, Earth Women, Meka Olowola; Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action, and producer, Earth Women, Bekeme Masade-Olowola; and Lead Pastor, One Church, Tunde Usidame, at the premiere of a documentary titled 'Earth Women' an expose on gender based discrimination in extractive communities held in Lagos ...recently

I Inherited a Bankrupt NAFDAC, Says DG, Mojisola Adeyeye Paid N3.01bn debt within one year Dike Onwuamaeze The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has disclosed that she inherited a regulatory agency that was deep in debt to the tune of N3.2 billion in November 2017.

Adeyeye disclosed this yesterday during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos where she said that the NAFDAC she took over had no budgetary system and hardly had its own ICT facilities while its directors were sending official memos and documents via gmail and yahoo mail.

She noted that the only thing that was left in NAFDAC was the roof on top of the agency’s building, adding that she was shocked when she found out that between 70 and 80 per cent of equipment at NAFDAC’s laboratories in Oshodi, Lagos State, were not working as at 2017 .

The DG disclosed further that there were backlog of more than 6,000 applications waiting for approvals while N500 million was blown within two months by the management that preceded hers.

She said that things were so down that businesses being regulated by NAFDAC were the ones providing vehicles and logistics support to the agency to inspect their facilities, a situation,

she noted that could easily lead to compromise.

Adeyeye said that she had to chart a new path for NAFDAC that was based on quality management system to transform the agency and enable it to attain Maturity Level Three (ML3) status from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is the major qualification that allowed Nigeria to be involved in producing vaccines.

She said: “On November 30, 2017, I was given a handover note that I never saw because it was ceremonial. But within a week I started seeing things that were probably not in the handover note; debt: N3.2 billion; my directors were mailing documents in yahoo mail and gmail in a regulatory agency. Development partners will reject it. They want government backed secured email. It was strange to me.

“NAFDAC hardly had ICT system. It was not just debts but lack of effective communication system. Directors did not even have laptops, so how do we talk even of documentations.

“Within few days I visited the Oshodi laboratory and I was shocked to the bones that about 70 to 80 per cent of our equipment were not working.

And we are supposed to test water, drugs. Then during our drug approval meeting I learnt that we had 6000 applications

backlog for approvals.

“I learnt that N500 million was spent in two months. I also learnt that there was no budget system but impress. Impress to me is a little money that you put in a drawer for just entertainment and not what you will allocate to make a directorate to function.

“I was told that we did not have vehicle and sometimes

companies would send vehicles to bring us to inspect their facilities, with implications for favouritism.

There was a propensity for that at the expense of our own lives.

“If we are in a developed world NAFDAC would have been categorised as bankrupt. It would have filed for bankruptcy on the N3.2 billion debt.

“That was how we (my

‘Earth Women’, an initiative of CSR-in-Action Advocacy, the development-focused arm of the CSR-in-Action Group, primarily funded by the Ford Foundation.

"When natural disasters occur, women suffer immensely because their sources of livelihood are threatened, and they often do not have control over what happens to them in such situations," said Bekeme Masade-Olowola, CSR-in-Action’s chief executive and producer of 'Earth Women’.

"Nevertheless, women continue to thrive and find better ways to survive. But we want to use these powerful visuals to change that narrative.”

Funke Baruwa, Country Director, West Africa for Ford Foundation, noted that "wherever you find

of 2018.

She said that the agency started getting prudent and was able to repay N3.01 billion of its indebtedness within one year.

Stating further that she got the regulations of the agency gazetted in 2021 and was able to earn the WHO’s ML3 status that has made local manufacturing of vaccines possible in Nigeria.

APC National Chairman, Deputy Resign from Senate Sunday Aborisade inAbuja The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, yesterday resigned as Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District.

Similarly, the newly elected Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, also resigned as lawmaker representing Borno North District in the red chamber.

The resignation letters of both lawmakers were read by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, during plenary.

Adamu, until his election as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), chaired the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Kyari, on the other hand, was the Chairman of the Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Adamu’s letter read: “It is with utmost respect and appreciation I inform you that consequent upon my victory as National Chairman at the just concluded convention of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on the 26th of March, 2022, I hereby resign formally as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District with effect from 1st April, 2022.

“I feel a sense of duty and obligation to convey through this letter, my appreciation for the cooperation and guidance I received from you as Chairman of the National Assembly throughout my official and private association with you.

“As I leave the Senate, I cannot easily forget the change and style of leadership that you (Lawan) brought since becoming the Senate President of the Ninth Senate.

CSR-in-Action to Raise $.5m for Female Artisanal Miners

Following the premiere of its acclaimed documentary, 'Earth Women', CSR-in-Action has aimed to raise $500,000 for Nigerian female artisanal miners.

Veteran thespian and co-executive producer of the film, Ego Boyo, announced this after Earth Women's screening. Access Bank sponsored the grand premiere.

She further called on the public to visit the Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) Initiative website to sign up for the gender mainstreaming recommendations and contribute to the $500,000 fund raised for an access-to-market platform, especially for local female miners.

The themes of social justice and gender inclusion dominated discussions at the premiere of

administration) started. I used to say at then time that the only thing we had was the roof on top of our building.”

Adeyeye however state that she piloted the agency by the grace of God and fortitude and with the buy-in of able and amiable directors, on a path that was guided by Quality Management System (QMS) in the first quarter

benefits in the form of natural resources, you find women and girls unfairly excluded from conversations around these resources."

According to her, women continue to be marginalised in formal and informal spaces.

However, she expressed delight that women "continue to challenge this marginalisation" to ensure "that our voices are heard."

Baruwa added, "We are supporting organisations like CSR-in-Action because we believe that supporting them will help in identifying gaps and driving programs and strategies that address challenges that women face in the extractive sector."

The ‘SITEI-Woman’ project is a series of initiatives targeted at empowering women, especially those impacted by the extractive

industries in Nigeria.

It is an offshoot of the 10-year-old SITEI to foster fiscal and social justice for communities with oil and gas and mining resources.

Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)'s Executive Secretary, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, commended the commitment of Masade-Olowola and her team to finding sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the extractive industries sector in Nigeria.

"Through SITEI-Woman, we want to help deconstruct some of the paradigms that have kept women away from vital decisions that have an overarching impact on their lives, especially with regards to resources available in extractive communities," stated Meka Olowola, co-executive producer of the documentary.

“Your ability to forge the deep-rooted bi-partisan approach on all issues which you chaired deliberations speaks volumes of your chemistry as a leader.”

It added: “Since your assumption of the Chairmanship of the National Assembly, you have worked so hard for the Assembly to be seen to work with the government and not against it.

“Indeed, you have roundly proved at every stage that the three arms of government are truly arms of the same national government.

“You have stirred the National Assembly to do the bidding of our great party without prejudice to the other parties irrespective of their

representation.

“In so doing, you have been able not to only carry your colleagues at the leadership level of the Senate, but endeavored to be a family head in the real sense of the word to all members of the Ninth Senate.

“My resignation will leave me with full memories of the solidarity and camaraderie that you have been able to forge over the eleven years I’ve been in the Senate.

“To say I will miss you and my colleagues in the Ninth Senate will be an understatement, but I gain consolation in the fact that my call to a higher pedestal of service will keep us all within reach of one another.”

Sonnie Ekwowusi Appointed Human Rights Chairman Lagos lawyer, columnist, essayist and human rights advocate, Sonnie Ekwowusi, has been appointed the Chairman, Human and Constitutional Rights Committee of the African Bar Association (AFBA).

Impelled by the fragrant violations of human rights in Nigeria and Africa, Sonnie Ekwowusi, for decades, has consistently been advocating that constitutional government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed and exists to secure the human rights of the governed.

A former Deputy–Governorship candidate in Lagos State, Sonnie Ekwowusi is a Legal Practitioner & Notary Public. He is the Principal Partner, Sonnie Ekwowusi & Co. (Legal Practitioners & Notaries Public). He is a law graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He bags LL.M Masters in Maritime

and Commercial Law. Sonnie Ekwowusi has mastered the strategic political communication methodologies for winning public campaigns and political support.

Sonnie Ekwowusi, together with other delegates and Parliamentary lobbyists across the world, has successfully deployed these methodologies in protecting the common heritage of mankind as enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He is a graduate of the Leadership Institute, Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A. He is an alumnus of the Lord Acton University (Acton Institute), Michigan; United States He is a recipient of the 2010 Global Leadership Award jointly awarded by the Leadership Institute, Arlington, Virginia, United States, the Howard Center and the Bow Group, United Kingdom.

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NEWS

AIRTEL UNVEILS COMMERCIAL DATA CENTRE...

L-R: General Manager, Enterprise Network, Airtel Nigeria, Rowland Akintunde; Lagos State Commissioner of Science and Technology, Hakeem Fahm; Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Surendran Photo: Abiodun Ajala Chemmenkotil, and Director, Airtel Business, Ogo Ofomata, during the launch of Airtel Data Centre to support businesses and organisations in Lagos...yesterday.

Obi: I Will Maintain Public Trust If Elected President Urges PDP to ensure justice, fairness Former Anambra governor is very competent, capable to lead Nigeria, says Bode George

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Former Governor of Anambra State and one of the presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi has promised to live up to his oath of office in the discharge of duties if chosen to lead the country.

Obi said while he was well disposed to the moves for a consensus presidential candidate in the PDP, he would like his party and Nigerians to ensure that fairness, justice and respect prevailed.

Obi who spoke on his plans to secure the PDP presidential ticket on, ‘The Morning Show,” monitored on Arise News Channel yesterday, said he would pursue an aggressive economic policy that would give priority to funding of small and medium scale businesses, improve power supply and tackle insecurity by pulling large numbers of citizens out of poverty.

In addition, he said he would

tackle corruption by ensuring that public officers do not violate the constitution or betray the confidence and trust placed on them by Nigerians.

He also said if granted opportunity to lead the country, no agency of government would be allowed to spend on non-productive venture.

When asked what he will do to address economic challenges, Obi said he would properly fund and support small and medium scale businesses to help provide jobs and put food on the tables of millions of Nigerians.

"The country is not productive and what the country is producing today is poverty which you know yourself. It is a very simple thing; from 2020 till today your growth rate is on the average of 2.1 per cent.

“In the last five years it's an average of 1.5 per cent. You can see it from the level of unemployment even in the past five years.

In 2015, 61 million Nigerians were

employed today it's only about 36 million, when the actual rate of the percentage of people who are supposed to be working in Nigeria is 120 million, because we have 200 million population and 50 per cent of your population is supposed to be productive, so we are not progressing.

"The fact is that you need to properly fund and support more small and medium scale businesses which can be done easily. You need to aggressively empower and support women in this sector. I went to the villages in Bangladesh, today Bangladesh is exporting 37 billion - 40 billion worth of textiles.

“Over six million workers in this sector, 80 per cent of them are women in the villages having small textile companies being exported all over the world, " he said.

Again, Obi faulted the level of support by banks to businesses in the country.

"If you look at our lending today,

our total bank lending is about N30 trillion; only about five per cent which is N1.5 trillion goes to MSME and that is even not true. I can tell you it is below that. No country would survive with that, you need at least 20 to 30 per cent," he said Going down memory lane, Obi said Nigeria started on a very good footing after independence but later derailed.

According to Obi, the founding fathers of Nigeria had very lofty ideas on how the country would make progress, but poor leadership got the country where it is today.

For instance, he recalled that the first loan ever requested by this country was in June 1964 by Tafa Balewa from the World Bank, which was $82 million to build Kanji dam and to produce 760 megawatts.

"Imagine we do that on a sustainable basis, against the trajectory today. Imagine where we would be. Even if you read the World Bank reply to him, they said, ‘you are

Dele Momodu Submits PDP Nomination Form, Pledges to Save Nigeria from Backwardness Urges APC to apologise for destroying Nigeria Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Presidential aspirant and Publisher, Ovation Magazine, Mr Dele Momodu, yesterday submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters in Abuja.

Describing it as yet another milestone, the businessman and newspaper columnist noted that the action was a necessary step in the right direction as he seeks the requisite mandate of his my party.

Momodu explained that along with like-minded Nigerians, his mission remains to liberate the country from the vestiges of insecurity, ignorance, corruption, division and disunity.

The chartered accountant added that if given the chance, he would rescue the country from backwardness, inequality, infrastructural decay, intolerance, vindictiveness, oppression, mass unemployment and other problems besetting the country.

While querying the wisdom in demanding a huge sum of N40

million from presidential aspirants for the forms, he pointed out that it could easily discourage and eliminate younger and more vibrant aspirants. But he said he decided to pay because it’s a demand from the party.

According to him, although Nigeria is blessed with some of the most brilliant, well-educated, ambitious, hardworking and upwardly mobile people, the lack of visionary, selfless and purpose-driven leadership has slowed them down.

“The time has come when politics can no longer be the exclusive preserve of profligate politicians who are more interested in the actualisation of their inordinate ambition, egocentric power-grabbing, greedy venality and unwholesome scaremongering rather than the welfare and well-being of the people they are meant to serve,” he argued.

In this quest, Momodu stressed that he had traversed every region and sub-region of Nigeria and, indeed, some parts of the Diaspora

reaching out to fellow citizens and re-establishing old alliances whilst reinforcing age-long friendships.

“Everyone knows about my networking habits and abilities.

I'm a natural unifier. I do not go to people because, and only when, I need their votes. I have done this all my life. It is natural to me and not a pretence.

“Through my work, I have been able to touch the lives of countless Nigerians at home and abroad.

Directly and indirectly, I've provided jobs and created opportunities for thousands of Nigerian youths in practically all spheres of human endeavour.

“I was one of the first to recognise and champion the use of technology and social media in our every day life, even as our government now seeks to stifle its majestic growth and power for their own selfish and nefarious reasons.

“My Moslem and Christian backgrounds, as well as education in African Traditional Religions, make me even more comfortable with all men and women of faiths, and I'm

dismissive of ethnic and religious jingoists,” he pointed out.

Momodu contended that Nigeria is at a crossroads and things can no longer continue as usual, adding that no God-fearing citizen can excuse the gross incompetence and ineptitude of a ruling government that is high on promises but low on performance.

“Nigeria deserves massive apologies from the APC apparatchiks who should be ashamed of the magnitude of damage they have wreaked on our long-suffering nation.

“No amount of fanciful diction, deceptive sophistry, pedantic casuistry or mendacious demagoguery can rescue them from the judgment of God for plunging our country and its people into unprecedented misery and penury,” he declared.

He expressed the hope that the PDP, and its members, most especially super delegates, would resist all temptations from highest bidders and put country above pecuniary expectations, and deem it fit to give him the the ticket to represent the party.

ambitions and right thinking, we would stimulate the economy of your country.’ That's the way our fathers started," Obi said.

Furthermore, Obi spoke on what should be the criteria for choosing the next president, saying Nigerians should interrogate the person's integrity and past endeavours.

"You should come out and tell us how you are going to solve these things and what you are going to offer Nigerians and for you who are journalists, you should investigate thoroughly the person's past, where is he coming from, what was he doing on the past.

“If he is now sharing money, where did he get the money from?

How rich was he before? I have listened to one of the shows you did with Dele Momodu and he said 25 years ago he was trying to start Ovation Magazine.

“I had £26,000 pounds and I had to go to bank in England to borrow £150,000 and they turned it down because they said it won't work.

But because I was determined I went on and this is where I am today. When I listened to that interview immediately I went into my system and looked at where I was 25 years ago.

"That is what I want you to interrogate. What is the person going to offer? Is he going to solve

this problem?

In what looked like veiled reference to the response by former Governor of Lagos state and a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo's declaration of presidential ambition, Obi said no one should assume monopoly and competence on how to solve the country's problems.

"Let it be issue-based campaign not personality. What we want is someone who will solve this problem now. Even if it is a toddler, let him come out. Jesus was virtually a toddler when he started his missionary work and he was able to solve a lot of problems and people were following him. So, if the problem is going to be solved by a toddler, let's follow the toddler," he said.

On the recent move by presidential aspirants from the South-east to work out some form of consensus, Obi said the aspirants agreed to, “sit down with our other counterparts from other regions to discuss about how reach an understanding based on fairness, justice and respect.”

He added: "We agreed to work together for the interest of Nigeria, for the growth and future of Nigeria.

This is not time to quarrel with each other, this is a time to build a relationship.

Osinbajo seeks Senate APC Caucus Support over Presidential Bid The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo yesterday formally briefed the Senate All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus over his presidential ambition and sought their support.

The briefing, which was part of Osinbajo's consultations with critical stakeholders, held over Iftar dinner at his official residence at Aguda House within the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting held behind closed doors but the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan who led the APC senators to the Villa told reporters what transpired.

"We had Iftar dinner with His Excellency, the Vice President and thereafter we had brief interaction on our government and of course on the Vice President's declaration to run for the presidency of our great country, the Federal Republic of Nigeria," Lawan said.

When pressed further, Lawan said: "naturally, the Vice President told us that he has expressed his interest and that he wanted to consult with the Senate APC caucus.

"He wanted us to hear from his mouth and we did and he was seeking our support in whatever way we can at the appropriate time and we wish the Vice President goodluck in this endeavour.

"But let me assure everyone that the Senate APC caucus and indeed the National Assembly caucus of the APC will continue to work very hard for our great party, the APC, to continue to provide services to Nigerians and also work hard to ensure that by 2023, the next administration is an APC administration at the center and majority of the States in our country, by the Grace of God will be APC."

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NEWS

COURTESY VISIT...

L-R: Director, Human Resource and Administration, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Matthews Achara; Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Ekanem Antia, Director, Public Affairs, Mrs. Gloria Makinde, Director General of the Commission, Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah; United States' Embassy spokesperson and Press Attachè, Jeanne Clark, and Chairman, Set-Top-Box Manufacturers, Sir. Godfrey Ohuabunwa, during a courtesy visit by the United States' Embassy spokesperson and Press Attachè, to the NBC headquarters in Abuja... recently.

Ayu: PDP’s NEC Decision on Zoning Out Soon as C’ttee Submits Report

Consensus presidential candidate in nation's interest, says Saraki Team parleys Fintiri, Diri, Ugwuanyi, others

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday, promised that the final decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party on zoning would be out soon.

Ayu, who spoke when zoning committee submitted its report, however, commended them, saying, "Thank you most sincerely for the wonderful job you've done in the short time for the party and how much you have done to unite this party.”

Also, a former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the idea of consensus presidential candidate for the opposition PDP was conceived in nation’s interest.

This is as the quartet of Bukola Saraki, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State and former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, had intensified their campaigns for a consensus candidate following meetings with both South-south and Southeast governors.

However, speaking on the zoning report, Ayu said, "We are very proud of the work you have done. We did not hear any rancor.

We did not hear anybody even talking about what you discussed?

“Given the sensitive nature of your assignment, if you had

already released everything either by disagreement or rancour or anything, it will be very difficult for this party, but you showed so much maturity and leadership. And I believe all members of this great party appreciate the way you have conducted yourselves.

"We want to thank you for the work you've all been doing for the party, including our leader, Ambassador Aminu Wali, who is a foundation member of this party and has never stopped working tirelessly for this party.

“Some of you, who have worked in different capacities, I want to assure you that your recommendations will be transmitted to the national executive of your party, which many of you are members, it will be discussed and then it is at that point that NEC will take a final decision."

He said the report of the committee would be made known as party members awaited it.

His words: "This decision will be known to party members across the country and all Nigerians, who are eagerly awaiting the final decision of your committee. We want to thank you very much, want to appreciate you and pray that when you are called upon to serve the party again because there are so many other assignments that senior party members like you, will have to conduct for us.

"We hope you answer that call as I've always done and help to

unite this party in such a way that by next year, we should be talking of returning to 1999 and 2003 When we had 20-something governors, controlled both houses of the National Assembly and control the presidency because our ultimate aim as we keep saying is to win the presidency and that will happen very soon.

“And it can only happen because of leaders like you. The unity you have demonstrated shows that the PDP is a very united political party.

We are not like the other ones that are bickering all over the streets and I want us to continue in that spirit, so that next year, we'll be at Eagle square on May 29, 2023."

Submitting the report to the NWC, Deputy Chairman of the committee. Ndudi Elumelu, said the committee was a bye-product of the NEC of the party and that only it could make the final decision.

Chairman of the committee, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, was absent

Elumelu, who represented the 37-man zoning committee, said, "I am not by virtue of the terms of reference allowed to roll out the content of the resolution, because our job is to finish, submit and theirs to take decision. So, I believe it is the NEC that has the statutory rights to release the content of what we have done. So, I will officially on behalf of my colleagues make the presentation of submitting the

FG Condemns 2021 World Press Freedom Index, Insists Nigerian Press Among World's Freest Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has rejected the characterisation of Nigeria by the 2021 annual World Press Freedom Index as a country not conducive to the practice of journalism.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, insisted the Nigerian press remained among the most vibrant and freest in the world.

He announced the rejection yesterday in Abuja, when he received the executive members of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI) on a courtesy visit to his office.

President of IPI, Nigeria, Mr. Muskilu Mojeed, who led the

executive members on the visit, had cited the World Press Freedom Index as an example of the country's low rating in the area of press freedom.

“I disagree with your assessment of press freedom under this government. Honestly, at times when I read what the media write here about Nigeria, I begin to wonder whether I live in the same country that they are writing about.

“I disagree vehemently with the assessment, because it is unfounded and has no scientific basis. I have been the Minister (of Information and Culture) since 2015, so, I know the state of press freedom in Nigeria,” Mohammed said.

He clarified that some people

had misconstrued government’s motive to ensure a responsible use of the social media as an attempt to threaten independent journalism, insisting that the government was not hatching such intentions.

He reiterated that the present government was not a threat to the media, and that it was not about to stifle press freedom or deny anyone his or her constitutionallyguaranteed rights. ''For example, on the issue of ethics, is it part of the ethics of journalism for a media organisation to function like an opposition party, seeing nothing good in the government of the day and only reporting bad news?'' Mohammed queried.

report.

"I must say that it was unanimously carried and all the signatures of all the members of the zoning committee are there for you. One thing I also wanted to add that in Ekiti, Ayo Fayose disqualified himself, because of his interest in the presidential election, which I've also added in the report. Everything you've seen, is in accordance with the guidelines given to us by NEC to make and recommend."

However, speaking with journalists after a closed door consultation meeting between his team of presidential aspirants and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State in Umuobiakwa, Obingwa, the country home of the governor, Saraki said PDP needed to get things right before the presidential primary.

"If PDP wins, we all win, because we all are one," he said, adding that, any process that would lead to salvaging the nation from bad leadership should activated.

He lamented the deluge of

bloodletting across the nation due to the activities of terrorists, citing specifically the massacre of 135 persons in Plateau State, a few days ago.

This, Saraki noted, underscored the urgent need to join hands to retrieve Nigeria from the hands the ruling APC that has failed in all ramifications.

He acknowledged that, "it is a tough challenge" to agree on a consensus presidential candidate, but that, "We're very determined" because the driving force is the need to move the country forward.

Saraki emphasised that picking a consensus candidate for the 2023 presidential poll would put PDP on a vantage position to win the election, stating that the four of them going round to canvass for consensus candidate had all agreed that it was the best way forward given its merits.

On the absence of former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar from the team, Saraki said he has been fully briefed as a key stakeholder, and that he (Atiku) believed that this

kind of arrangement (consensus) was in the interest of the nation".

In his remarks, Ikpeazu said he remained hopeful of the eventual emergence of a new Nigerian nation that would work for everyone and lauded Saraki and his group for forming an alliance that would bind the interest of the country and encouraged all PDP presidential aspirants to come together in the interest of Nigeria.

"The survival of our country, the survival of the common man is what should be of utmost interest.

We should at least form a common front," he said.

In continuation of their push for a consensus, they’ve also met Governor of Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri; Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

Meanwhile, 15 presidential aspirants of the party have obtained their presidential nomination forms.

THISDAY was told that the PDP was worried by the number of party members, who has bought the forms.

Train Bombing: Military Arrests Security Personnel Conveying N60m Ransom to Terrorists India begins phase two flying training for six officers Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Troops yesterday arrested an unidentified security personnel conveying N60 million ransom to free some captives in the custody of terrorists in Kaduna State.

It was gathered that some of the suspects were personnel of some security agencies.

The troops also rescued kidnapped victims including some women and children.

The operations were undertaken by ground troops of the Nigerian Army, and special forces of the Nigerian Air force.

The operation resulted in the elimination of some terrorists.

A military update said troops of 271 NAF Detachment in Birnin Gwari and troops of the Nigerian Army FOB in Gwaska, rescued dozens of kidnapped victims during the coordinated operations.

“The sum of N60,000,000 in cash, petroleum products and sophisticated weapons, were recovered during the operations.

Other items recovered by the troops from the suspects include vehicles, AK-47 rifles, magazines, various kinds of ammunition and mobile phones.

“Meanwhile, we will refer the case of the arrested couriers, who mostly have identification with security agencies to the Department of State Service (DSS) and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for further investigation," it said.

Meanwhile, the quest for the establishment of an army aviation wing of the Nigerian Army, has received a boost with the training of six officers, who were expected to undergo 70 hours of training each on Chetak helicopters.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), on Monday, announced the signing of a contract with the Nigerian Army for imparting Phase-II flying training on Chetak helicopters for six officers of the Nigerian Army Aviation Wing.

The training began on Monday and was planned to be completed

by December this year, the aero-

space firm said, adding that as part of the effort, each Nigerian officer would be imparted 70 hours of flying training.

"This training marks the continuation of a contract signed in April 2021, for imparting Phase-I flying training to six officers of that force, which was successfully completed

by December 2022," it said.

The contract was signed by B K Tripathy, General Manager of HAL’s Helicopter Division and Commodore Anthony Victor Kujoh, Defence Adviser at the High Commission of Nigeria in India, during a programme held at the helicopter division recently.

Tripathy said platforms such as Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), with a wide range of capabilities, could be of great strength for the Nigerian Army.

“Nigeria would not only like to further enhance the business relationship with HAL for training, but also towards asset acquisition,” Commodore Kujoh reportedly said.

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Tariff Hike: Don’t Dare Senate, Lawan Warns Multichoice

DejiElumoyeandSunday AborisadeinAbuja

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday warned Multichoice Nigeria not to dare the nation’s apex legislative body with its decision to increase the monthly tariffs payable by the DSTV and GOTV subscribers, when the matter was yet being investigated.

Lawan stated this while inaugurating a seven-member adhoc Committee of the Senate headed by the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.

The Senate president warned that no foreign operators in the country should take Nigeria for granted.

The committee was set up by the Senate on Wednesday, 30th April, 2022 against the backdrop of an announcement of tariff hike by the Multichoice pay TV service provider, DSTV. Lawan said: “No operator should take us for granted. We mean business. We want you to be here. Nigeria always provides the climate for you to do your businesses but don’t abuse the laws of our country.

“Our consumers here are people who are innocent and we are prepared to protect them.

“Meanwhile, stay action. No increase. No increase. And that is to say don’t dare our country. No

increase in tariffs.

“The reason for setting up this adhoc Committee is well known and this is in consistent with what we are supposed to do as members of parliament, as distinguished senators.

“When the legitimate interests of our people are threatened, we are supposed to ensure that we protect them.

“It has been the practice of many companies, especially foreign companies operating in Nigeria to treat the Nigerian consumers of their products in a different way and manner that is not consistent with global best practices.

“I’m not going to preempt the outcome of this investigation but one thing is clear, that the Senate is prepared to go all the way to unearth the exact situation that is happening with respect to how much Nigerian consumers of the DSTV or Pay-TV tariffs are charged and how does that compare to other jurisdictions in other countries.

“DSTV, one of the operators, has shown the tendency to increase the tariffs without due consultation with stakeholders and we feel this is not the right way to go about it and therefore we even need to find out whether or not what we are paying already is not out of the roof and different from what other countries are charged.

“So your task as a committee is to

look at the issue very dispassionately with a very clear mind and focus on what we need to know.

“The Consumers Protection Council and other agencies of government and even NGOs and

CSOs are supposed to attend this kind of investigation. We need to know what roles actually such government Institutions established for the purposes of protecting Nigerian consumers perform.

What are their problems if they are not doing well.

“The report, at the end of the day, is supposed to be a report that will guide the Senate to take resolutions that will ensure

that Nigerian consumers of the products, Pay-TV, are fully protected but at the same time that will not emasculate the businesses. We want to see a win-win situation for both consumers and operators.

COURTESY VISIT...

L-R: The Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe; The Chief Executive Officer, Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation, Osayi Alile, and Board Chairman, ACTFoundation,Tunde Folawiyo, during a courtesy visit to Access Bank in Lagos…recently

Rivers APC Gubernatorial House Urges Chief of Defence Staff to Flush Out Bandits from Taraba, Plateau Aspirants Insist on Rotation Udora Orizu in Abuja

BlessingIbungeinPortHarcourt

The 2023 governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have insisted that the ticket should be given to an aspirant from the riverine dichotomy.

The aspirants stated that in their recent consultation, they agreed that the Riverine-Ijaw competent person should man the affairs of the state in 2023. The aspirants, who assembled under the aegis of ‘The Progressives Aspirants Forum’, disclosed this during a briefing with journalists in Port Harcourt.

They also agreed to ensure a peaceful electoral process both in the party and state at large.

Members of the forum are Dr.

Dakuku Peterside, Dr. Dawari George, Tonye Cole, Prince Tonye Princewill, Dr. Sokoto Davies and Biokpomabo Awara.

Others are: Francis Ebenezer, Mina Tende, Ojukaye Flag Amachree, and Michael West.

THISDAY observed that the meeting was convened by George Tolofari, a former state commissioner for Transportation in the state under the governorship of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

The aspirants agreed “to consult other stakeholders, elder statesmen, opinion leaders and key politicians in the state to support power rotation to the Riverine-Ijaw in 2023 as a way of ensuring equity, justice and fairness in the distribution of political offices.

ENGIE Energy Launches Mini-grid in Niger ENGIE Energy Access, a leading provider of solar homes systems and mini-grid solutions yesterday inaugurated its hybrid 90kW minigrid to connect households and small businesses in Nigeria.

With this mini-grid, ENGIE Energy Access connects the people of Gbangba community in Niger State to an electric power supply for the first time ever and empowers over 300 customers, comprising households, and micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The mini-grid directly impacts over 1,500 people by providing them with affordable,

reliable and clean electricity.

The mini-grid was formally inaugurated by the Executive Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, and the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Her Excellency, Mrs. Emmanuelle Blatmann.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of ENGIE Energy Access Nigeria, Bankole Cardoso, said that Nigeria’s electricity challenge remains a huge gap that needs to be filled in the country’s journey to fulfill its full potential as a nation.

Fayemi Disburses N360m to 24 Communities for Rural Devt Victor Ogunje inAdo-Ekiti

As part of the ways to propel rural development in Ekiti State, Governor Kayode Fayemi, has disbursed the sum of N360 million communities across the 16 councils to undertake community projects.

Fayemi, who posited that the programme was intended to facilitate even distribution of public utilities, said the fund was captured under COVID-19 Action for Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) Programme.

Governor Fayemi, while presenting the cheques to benefiting communities in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday said the gesture was in fulfilment of his electoral promises that every community would have a taste of his administration developmental agenda.

He explained the benefiting communities spread across the 16 local government areas with the provision of infrastructural facilities in education, healthcare service, water and sanitation forming key areas of interventions.

The House of Representatives at the plenary, yesterday urged the Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor to coordinate a joint security operation and provide surveillance to flush out bandits from their hideouts, so as to arrest the wanton killings in Taraba and Plateau communities.

The lawmakers made the call while adopting a motion of urgent national importance sponsored

by Hon. AbdulRahman Gambo Mubarak.

They also urged the federal

ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management through the National Emergency Management Agency to access the level of damage in the entire communities with a view of providing relief materials to victims.

It mandated its committees on emergency preparedness, Defence, army, Air Force to ensure compliance.

In a related development, the Deputy Speaker of the House Hon. Idris Wase condemned the banditry attacks on some communities in Kanam and

Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State, which led to the death of over 70 people on Sunday afternoon.

In a statement the Deputy Speaker expressed sadness and grief over the casualties suffered in the attacks and prayed God to give the families of the victims the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

While charging the security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to book, Wase also asked them to put measures in place to ensure that such avoidable deaths and attacks are brought

to an end.

He extended his condolences to the people and government of Plateau State.

He said:“It is with heavy heart that I join other well-meaning Nigerians in condemning this dastardly act coming just at a time when farmers are preparing their farmlands for the forthcoming farming season. The security operatives must not rest on their oars in fishing out the perpetrators.

I call on security agencies in the state to spare nothing in ensuring that justice prevails for the victims and the people of Plateau State.”

Alleged Marginalisation: Group Threatens to Shut Oil Firms in Delta Sylvester Idowu in Warri An Isoko group, the United Coalition Front Emancipation Movement (UCFEM) has given a 14-day ultimatum to oil companies in Isoko land in Delta State to peacefully shut down operations over alleged marginalisation of their host communities.

At the end of the ultimatum, the group threatened to mobilise “fathers, mothers

and youths” of the area to forcefully shut down operations of the affected companies.

A statement signed by the UCFEM Spokesman, Mr. Ogbu Ogbu, and made available to newsmen in Warri yesterday said: “If the oil companies fail to address the issue of marginalisation of our people, we will be forced to launch coordinated attacks on their installations in Isoko land.”

The group disclosed that parts of their demands were engagement of Isoko youths into the onshore and offshore platforms of the oil companies; promotion of the very few Isoko sons and daughters working with them into management positions as well as intensive training of the people on various skills acquisition programmes.

“We want the operators of OML 61, 30, 26 and 28

to peacefully shut down operations in Isoko land while our grievances are attended to in a round table discussion.

“The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Heritage Energy, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and First Hydro should peacefully shut down their operations in Isoko land and comply with our demands.

Umahi Hasn’t Dropped Presidential Ambition for Senate, Says Commissioner Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barrister Uchenna Orji, has reiterated that the presidential ambition of the State Governor, David Umahi remains unwavering and alive in the hearts of Nigerians.

In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the commissioner described as mischievous,

some publications on social media which alleged that Governor Umahi has dropped his presidential ambition for Senatorial position.

“Our attention has been drawn to a senseless falsehood being irresponsibly shared in social media platforms by opposition forces and mischievous minds who are idly making mendacious propaganda against the presidential ambition of the

Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Umahi”.

“Contrary to their cowardly fabrications against the well-thought and nationally accepted presidential ambition of Governor Umahi, we restate for the pleasure of progressive Nigerians home and in Diaspora, that the falsehood trending currently in social media that Governor Umahi has dropped his ambition for Senate is

nothing but empty and vaunting architecture of political charlatans who are intimidated by the tall and admirable hallmarks of leadership excellence recorded by Governor Umahi and which has put him forward as a frontline Presidential material that can win the hearts of Nigerians in 2023 general election. Governor Umahi’s presidential ambition is unwavering and is alive in the hearts of Nigerians”.

Kogi Council Chairman Denies Sale of LG Property Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The Chairman of Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, Mr. Ibrahim Abagwu, has denied the claims that he sold some property belonging to the council.

Abagwu said that the malicious publications in a faceless online media were orchestrated by some faceless people to smear

his reputation as the executive chairman of the local government.

He described that allegation on Monday as mischievous speculations during a press conference in Lokoja.

He was alleged to have sold the local government’s chairman quarters, Ankpa Hotel, Ankpa vegetable market behind special day secondary school Ankpa and

the Agric. Quarters behind Ankpa Local Government’s secretariat.

Abagwu explained that the issue surrounding the sale of chairman’s quarters was an aged long litigation between one Mr. B.S Musa Oganaji, who was said to have lent some money to the local government to pay staff salary some years ago.

He noted that the case was

handled by Ankpa Upper Area Court and in a judgment delivered on December 21, 2021, the court gave an enrolled order which read as follows: “We have gone through the motion exparte, the affidavit in support and attached affidavit of Edwin Tebu along with the law upon which this application is made.

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Lassa Fever Kills 132 in Four Months, Says FG The federal government has said it will begin the enforcement of environmental sanitation to reduce the increasing prevalence of Lassa fever across the country.

It stated that latest statistics reveal that there have been 681 confirmed cases of Lassa fever from 23 States with 132 deaths recorded since the beginning of the year. advertisement It urged stakeholders, especially at the state level to ensure that citizens have access to portable, safe and clean water, while ensuring that environmental sanitation is enforced to reduce the prevalence of diseases like cholera, Lassa etc.

Speaking during the briefing on the update of COVID-19 pandemic response and developments in the health sector, Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, said: “As of April 10, 2022, 4,969,571 persons have been tested for COVID-19 using the PCR or Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). There has been an increase in Lagos State, decline in FCT, stability in three states – Kaduna, Kwara and Rivers, while in the other states, it has been a bit difficult to ascertain.

“As of April 11, 2022, reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed that about 255,468 Nigerians tested positive to the virus, with 2,719 cases bing active, while 249,607 people have been treated and

discharged. Sadly, so far, we have recorded 3,142 deaths. The FG has commenced planning on scaling up sequencing by the end of April 2022.

“Lassa fever confirmed cases seem to be on the rise as the present fatality rate is 19.1 per cent. There have been 3,746 suspected cases in 23 States and 681 confirmed cases, with 132 deaths recorded.

Part of the government’s response to lassa fever is there enforcement of environmental sanitation and the focus on long-term improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities to eliminate or reduce cholera.

“The NPHCDA has confirmed that nationally, 60 per cent of those that have received their first dose of the vaccine have returned to

take their second doses, and it is making conscious efforts to reduce wastage rate of vaccine.

“Despite all efforts a lot has to be done to reach the 50 per cent eligible population to be vaccinated by the second quarter of the year 2022. The eligible population targeted is 111,776,503.

“The point of entry records high compliance with PCR

results on arrival for in-bound states, especially in Lagos and Abuja, and negligible number if passengers that seek PCR tests on arrival. However, little resistance have been noticed in Kano and Enugu, with passengers not wanting to pay for their PCR tests.”

The Director General of the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, added: “Concerning cholera, we

are working behind the scenes with partners to prepare and drive the investments in water, sanitation and hygiene that are needed to prevent the kind of outbreaks that we witnessed in 2021. We do not want Nigeria to set the record as the country with the highest number of cholera cases in 2021 and to do that again in 2022.”

EYEING IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE...

L-R: Managing Director, LandWey, Ms. Shola Bello; Group Chief Executive Officer, Oxygen Holdings, Mr. Olawale Ayilara; Chairman, Zenith Construction Limited, Mr. Antoine Moudaber, and Chief Operating Officer, LandWey, Ms. Seun Eyitayo, during the signing of infrastructure partnership in Lekki, Lagos… yesterday ETOP UKUTT

FG Admits Gaps in Provision of Support Group: Osinbajo’s Declaration Not an Affront on Tinubu Health, Social Needs for Older Persons

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government has admitted that despite the numbers of Nigerians with age 60 years and above standing at 14.8 million, there is increasing gaps in the provision of health and social needs of older persons, both at the national and subnational levels.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day national stakeholders workshop on integrated care of older persons with theme: “Realigning and Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Delivery of Integrated Care for Older Persons,” the Minister

for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hadiza Sadiya Umar-Farouq, said: “There are currently over 14.8 million Nigerians, who are 60 years and above according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NLSS 2018-2019 NBS), with the rapidly increasing proportion and absolute numbers of older persons in Nigeria, despite the country’s youthful population, there are increasing gaps in the provision. Of health and social needs of older persons, both at the national and subnational levels.”

2023: Kwara, Ondo Ask Political Appointees to Resign Hammed Shittu in Ilorin and Fidelis David in Akure Kwara State Governor and his counterpart in Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), have asked all political office holders to resigned from their offices if they will be contesting in the 2023 elections.

In Kwara, for instance, some political appointees like Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants among others have been moving round their wards in the state to seek

the support of their people for various elective positions during the next polls.

The development it was gathered has caused a lot of slow pace of administration in the various ministries and parastatals in the state.

However, a statement issued in Ilorin signed by the Secretary to the State Government(SSG) Prof.

Mamman Saba Jibril, directed that all the interested appointees should forward their letter of resignation latest by April 15, 2022.

EFCC, Fraud Examiners Partner on Anti-graft War The Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said his agency is willing and ready to partner with the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria (CIFCFEN) and other organisations in a concerted effort to win the war against corruption, financial crimes, fraud and illicit financial flows.

He stated this while delivering a goodwill message at CIFCFEN’s combined graduation ceremony

of 5th Proficiency Training, 3rd Direct Membership Training and 1st Fraud Certified Training at the EFFC Academy, Karu, Abuja. The Insitute graduated 93 trainees at the event.

Bawa, who was represented by the Commandant, EFCC Academy, Ayo Peter Olowonihi noted that the investigation of economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption, demand collaborative efforts and the EFCC would always partner with agencies involved in fighting such crimes.

A support group, The Osinbajo Think Tank, has dismissed some of the insinuations trailing the presidential aspiration of VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo, saying his Monday declaration was not an affront on his leader and presidential hopeful, Bola Tinubu.

Spokesman of the group, Olugbenga Olaoye, who said this yesterday while fielding questions on the Arise Television, in Lagos State, however, applauded Osinbajo’s declaration to succeed President

Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as the preferred presidential candidate under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olaoye said Osinbajo’s cognitive experience in the corridor of power for seven years, coupled with his unbeatable CV, were part of the needed criteria to deliver better democratic projects for Nigeria and Nigerians.

On if Osinbajo’s decision to contest would not be seen as a betrayal to Tinubu, Olaoye said

Osinbajo’s interest in the presidency was not in any way an affront.

“The Osinbajo Think Tank group believes that the declaration of the vice president to have a shot at 2023 presidency, does not translate to betrayal or affront, rather it has opened the political space, where true Patriots, like him would likely align with and vote for him in the 2023 presidential election regardless of any party affiliations,” he said.

He maintained that before Osinbajo’s declaration, Nigerians

had seen the signs that he was likely to be the one to continue from wherever Buhari stops.

According to him, “Osinbajo’s declaration is a bid to continue, where the present administration has stopped. He is intellectually sound, and I am certain, he will right every wrong when he gets there.

He has thorough understanding of national issues vis-a-vis complexity, endowed abilities and the right temperaments to equitable, just and peaceful solution,” Olaoye said.

Strike: ASUU Slams NITDA DG over Report on UTAS

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday accused the Director General of the National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA), Inuwa Abdullahi, of deliberately misinforming the federal government and members of the public, on the result of the integrity test conducted on University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

UTAS, is a payment platform, developed by ASUU to replace the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), allegedly imposed by the World Bank and which is one of the issues, that necessitated the ongoing strike by lecturers of public universities in Nigeria.

The Lagos Zone of ASUU, at a news conference held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAB), on the lingering strike, said the

deliberate misinformation by Abdullahi, was capable of elongating the strike Addressing journalists, the Coordinator of the Lagos Zone of ASUU, Comrade Adelaja Odukoya, said if government allows itself to be misinformed and misdirected through the managerial incompetence of the NITDA officers, the union has it as a duty to properly inform the public on the true state of things regarding UTAS. Odukoya said that the IPPIS

was imposed on the universities, despite its demonstrated shortcomings.

He said: “Governments forceful migration of our members unto the platform, even when our union has clearly demonstrated that the system does not accommodate the peculiarities of the university system should not just worry Nigerians but should equally raise the curiosity of lovers of Nigerians on the main reasons for imposing IPPIS.

2023: Amaechi Most Qualified for President, Says Dutse Emir The Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Mohammadu Sanusi, has endorsed the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, for president in 2023, saying he was the most qualified for the job.

The Emir, who made the remarks at his palace in Dutse, Jigawa State, on Tuesday, when Amaechi visited him in view of his consultations in the North West, said his convictions were predicated on the minister’s

performances, both as governor and minister.

“He is an honest man, and whatever you say about him, you cannot change the fact that he is an honest man. He is a confident person. Wherever you see him, you know he is the meaning of total confidence.

These are qualities of leadership.

“These are things that we need in a leader especially, today – people who are confident, who

can face realities and challenges.

He is resilient. His resilience I will tell you also. If Amaechi wants to achieve something, by whatever means, he will find a way to get it done, because he is a communicator.

“This is why I have endorsed him. I have high regard for him and I have confidence in his executive capacity. He is fully competent, being a speaker twice. He is most qualified,”

recalling also that Amaechi as Rivers governor fought insecurity to a standstill and improved the lives of his people.

His words: “In Nigeria, we are always carried away by tribal, political and other issues but here’s a Nigerian that I know, and Amaechi is a true Nigerian, who is detribalised. He provided a place for Muslims to worship in Rivers State, which I understand is been destroyed after he left.

Atiku: I Contested Governorship Election Four Times

Chuks Okocha inAbuja

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar said yesterday that he contested for the governorship position four different times before he finally won it in 1999.

He spoke against the comments that he is about to contest for the president the sixth time.

The former vice president made this revelation yesterday while having an interaction with leaders

of his support groups from across the country in Abuja.

Addressing the leaders of the groups, Atiku said that he was delighted that more young people are participating in politics today and that it is his dream to mentor the young generation and handover his political structure to them.

“It is encouraging that these days I see many young people come to me declaring intentions to run for various political positions, some

state assemblies, some national assembly and even some aspiring to be governors.

“The beautiful thing is that this shows that our democracy is being strengthened. I also started early like many of you. I started in my late 30s. During our time, our direction was to fight the military and return the country to civil rule.

“In joining politics, you have to be focused, principled and courageous. For example, I

contested for the governorship position four times before I was finally elected. That is politics for you. You have to be determined and be courageous,” he said.

Atiku expressed gratitude to leaders of the support groups for the roles that they played during the 2018-19 election and commended the groups for their discipline and their determination to be better organized than the last outing.

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Chukwueze Breaks Bayern’s Hearts as Villarreal Reach Semis First Time in 16Years Chelsea's reign as European champions end in Madrid

Duro Ikhazuagbewithagencyreport Nigerian international, Samuel Chukwueze, scored a late 88th minute equaliser last night as Villarreal stunned Bayern Munich 2-1 aggregate to reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years.

The first leg in Spain last week ended 1-0 advantage for the Yellow Submarine.

However, the German team returned to the Allianz Arena

determined to make the best of the situation. Bayern looked seemingly in control once Robert Lewandowski broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute at the Allianz Arena.

With time ticking away, Coach Unai Emery brought in Super Eagles’ Chukwueze for Arnaut Danjuma.

And in just his second touch of the ball for Villarreal, Chukwueze levelled on the break in the 88th minute to give Villarreal the lead on aggregate - and earn them an historic victory against the six-time

European champions.

They will face the winner of Liverpool versus Benfica in the last four, a contest Jurgen Klopp's side currently lead 3-1 on aggregate.

Elsewhere on the night, Chelsea's reign as European champions came to an agonising end despite beating Real Madrid 3-2 on a night of high drama at the Bernabeu Stadium.

Real progressed to the semis 5-4 on aggregate.

In a Champions League epic,

Mason Mount's wonderful finish and Antonio Rudiger's powerful header wiped out Real's 3-1 first-leg advantage and brought the quarterfinal tie level in Spain's capital.

Thomas Tuchel's side were outstanding throughout and Timo Werner's clever finish from an angle put them ahead for the first time on aggregate and within sight of a place in the semi-finals.

But substitute Rodrygo - after a stunning pass by Luka Modric -

forced extra time with a volleyed finish before Karim Benzema, a hat-trick hero in the first leg at Stamford Bridge six days earlier, headed the decisive goal in the 96th minute to send Real through 5-4 on aggregate.

Benzema, who had earlier headed against the bar on a rollercoaster night, was unmarked when he scored to break Chelsea's hearts after Rudiger slipped inside the box.

EPL RESULTS B’Munich (Villarreal R’Madrid (R’Madrid

1-1 Villarreal 2-1 agg) 2-3 Chelsea 5-4 agg)

WEDNESDAY @8pm Atletico v Man City Liverpool v Benfica

Amaju Pinnick Gets New FIFA Role

President of the Nigeria Football Federation and Member of the FIFA Council, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick has been appointed into a new role within the world football –governing body’s working group.

In a letter dated 11th April and signed by Véron Mosengo-Omba, General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football, the NFF boss was informed that he has been nominated by the President of CAF, Dr Joseph Motsepe to be part of the “newly established Working Group on Normalisation Committees.”

The CAF General Secretary

wrote further: “This joint working group, to be led by FIFA, will analyse the applicable legal framework and the governance structure, mandate and mission of Normalisation Committees, and make suggestions to the FIFA Council accordingly.

“We are confident that your nomination to this working group will positively contribute to the pertinent, and often essential, role played by Normalisation Committees in support of federations and towards the fulfillment of good governance practices.”

Okpekpe 10km Road Race Registration Begins in Lagos, Benin Athletes intending to participate in the eighth edition of the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race can now get the registration forms at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State and at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, Edo State Pamodzi Sports Marketing, organiser of the first road race in West Africa to get a World Athletics label rating said yesterday that the forms can be picked up at the Marathon Office at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos and the LOC office at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

“Registration for the Okpekpe race is not limited to online platforms and we are delighted to announce the two places where forms can be picked up physically and returned. Registration for the race commenced last month on our various online platforms and it is opened to all categories of runners,” says Race Director, Zack Amodu.

“The race is not only for

professional athletes who want to run for the prize monies on offer or to improve on their times for ranking purposes. It is also opened to people who want to run for fun or for charity,” he added and revealed how intending runners can be registered.

“For quick and easy registration, intending runners for all categories can download the tracking application launched for the race in 2017 or visit the website www. okpekperoadrace.comto register.

“We are delighted to announce that intending runners at the eighth edition of the race can also use our tracking application to register for the race,” said Amodu who revealed all participants must agree to World Athletics rules and regulations governing the organisation of road races. ''The official entry form must be completed fully by each intending participant. Completion of the entry form represents acceptance of the terms and conditions for participating in the historic race.''.

Benzema Tipped to Win 2022 Ballon d'Or Real Madrid veteran striker, Karim Benzema is now the favourite to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or. This is following a change in Ballon d’Or rules, which means that the 2022 award will be received by the best player during a football season and not in a calendar year.

And Benzema could be the first player to benefit from this rule but would definitely not be the only candidate.

This season’s award will be handed to the winner in October and this year’s Champions League is expected to decide the player who will win the accolade.

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski is also top on the list of potential contenders for the award.

L’Equipe reports that Benzema

is the main favourite to claim the individual award for 2022 due to his hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea.

Other exploits of the Frenchman include his 24 strikes in the LaLiga, his UEFA Nations League success with France in October and his five goals with the French national team since September.

Apart from Lewandowski, Liverpool ace, Sadio Mane, who won the Africa Cup of Nations this winter with Senegal and also helped the country qualify for the World Cup in Qatar could also be handed the award if the Reds win the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League.

Kylian Mbappe of PSG and France could also be handed the award despite his club’s failure in the Champions League.

Samuel Chukwueze was the star of the night as Villarreal drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich and qualified for the semi final of the Champions League. The Spanish team won the first leg 1-0 to edge out Bayern 2-1 on aggregate.

Super Falcons Held by Olympic Champions Canada Nigeria’s Super Falcons early hours of Tuesday were held to a 2-2 draw by Olympic champions Canada at the Starlight Stadium in Langford, Victoria City.

US –based Ifeoma Onumonu, who scored both goals when the Falcons defeated their Ivorian counterparts in the first leg of their Women AFCON final qualifying round in Abuja two months ago, getting on the secoresheet as early as the 5th minute. The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the African champions.

Veteran Christie Sinclair pulled Canada level four minutes after the restart, but Spain –based playmaker Rasheedat Ajibade, who was remarkable in the first game, shot Nigeria in front once more in the 53rd minute. Shelina Zardosky pulled Canada level with two minutes left on the clock.

The NFF has revealed plans to have the Super Falcons camp in Morocco ahead of their participation in the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations, taking place 2nd – 23rd July. The championship also serves as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with all four semi finalists earning tickets to the event in Australia/New Zealand, which will be the first 32-team FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in history.

Speaking on the friendly with Canada, General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Mohammed Sanusi,

applauded the efforts of the girls in holding the Tokyo Olympic champions to a draw.

“The NFF is very much impressed by the performance of the Super Falcons against Canada, not only in the second match, but also in the first match despite that they lost 0-2. That first match in Vancouver was played only a day

after most of the players arrived in Canada due to delays in issuance of visa, and after long-haul flights.

To battle the Olympic champions the way they did in their second game means we now have a team that can challenge the best teams in the world competitively on a good day.

“This is a very encouraging

result and the NFF will not rest on its oars but will continue to invest even more in women’s football. The U20 girls, Falconets have recently qualified for the FIFA U20 World Cup after four rounds of qualifying matches, and the Flamingos are also in hot chase for a ticket to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in India.”

Super Falcons (in green colour) were held 2-2 by Canada...early hours of Tuesday

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Super Eagles and Qatar World Cup: Before We Cast the Stone Fred Edoreh It sure hurts our national pride that the Super Eagles failed to qualify for Qatar 2022 World Cup. Blames are being traded and even the real worms which continually disrupt the stability and development of our football are the ones carrying the biggest stick.

My take is, first, it is football.

Qualification to the World Cup is no team's birthright, a certain administrator once told us when, under the heat of Kano's hot sun, Angola denied us the ticket to Germany 2006.

But Nigeria is not alone. Italy, two times world champions, have also failed to qualify, back-to-back.

Even in qualifying, whoever could have thought that Spain, with all the brilliance with which they won the South Africa 2010 World Cup, could have been discharged as early as they were at the next edition in Brazil? Same way Germany, with all the grit with which they stole the show in Brazil were bundled out early in Russia 2018.

The game is full of upsets and therein is the drama that makes it beautiful. Winners glory, losers groan, but there is always a next time. What is important is if lessons are learnt and with sobriety as the game constantly evolves.

In Nigeria, however, it seems that what we need is to unlearn some old habits by which we all contribute to our failures.

We have always been here. Three months to France '98, we sacked Phillipe Troussier and brought in Bora Mulitinovic who also brought in a holidaying Peter Rufai to man the post a week to the opening.

We defeated Spain and shouted "Eureka" only for Denmark to pound us away, disgracefully.

Three months to the Korea/ Japan 2002 World Cup, we sacked the entire Super Eagles team and Amodu Shaibu’s technical crew on grounds that they insulted the then Minister of Sports. Thankfully, he had qualified us before then and we went to the event only to mark register.

Three months to the South Africa 2010 World Cup, we again sacked Amodu and his crew and brought in Lars Lagerback and just also made the number in Jo'burg.

The present NFF seems to have wanted a more stable coaching crew, to win, lose, learn and continue to build the team. There is never an end to team building because the game changes every season.

It was the same way Clemens Westerhorf did and finally provided us what we regard as the glorious era of the Super Eagles.

After receiving a 1-5 wallop by Algeria in the opening group game of Algiers '90, the team proceeded to finish second in the final.

Westerhorf fell back to third

place in Senegal '92 and eventually won the next edition, Tunisia '94.

Then he put an icing by qualifying Nigeria to the World Cup for the first time.

To achieve this, he went through a big fight with the then National Sports Commission which had strong grip on a helpless NFA, and bulldozed his way to source the support of the Presidency, especially the office of Augustus Aikhomu, to keep stability.

His template with Jo Bonfrere whom he brought in as his assistant provided the footballing culture, style and selection of personnel that saw Nigeria win the gold at the Atlanta '96 Olympics.

Gernot Rhor was similarly well on his way. He had his highs and lows with narrow misses against Argentina in Russia, with just four minutes to a second round berth, and against Algeria in the semi final of the 2019 Nations Cup with just seconds to berthing in the final but finished at third place.

That Central Africa Republic upset the Super Eagles in the World Cup qualifying group match in Lagos is part of the game, but we failed to appreciate too that Rohr also led the team to beat them with higher margin at their adopted home in Cameroun.

Cape Verde also has been difficult for many African teams but we beat them in their home and though they fought back to get a draw in Lagos, we triumphed on aggregate to emerge top of the group.

Point is, there are no minions any more in the game. There are teams which manage to qualify to tournaments only as best losers but go on to do well or even win the tournament proper.

So the hoopla with which we sacked Rohr with just few weeks to the Cameroun Nations Cup was most unnecessary and not well thought.

But, the NFF had been boxed in by the propaganda sponsored by the powers that be for the sacking of Rohr and the nationalisation of our coaching crew.

The debate over indigenous and foreign coaches is not new with us and the verdict is neither here nor there. In truth, none of them guarantees anything but there are certain variables that are different. These include capacity for dispassionate and uninfluenced selection, team discipline, matured temperament, man management and international contacts amongst others.

However, our game has been constantly disrupted by the 1980 and 1994 set of our ex-internationals who, with their unrestrained sense of entitlement, are always confusing the system in their urge to be made Super Eagles coach, NFF President, Secretary General or head of the league, notwithstanding that we know that playing the game

Super Eagles underachieved at AFCON 2021 and also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar does not translate to proficiency in coaching and administration.

Many of them have been opportune severally to coach various national teams and clubs, head various sports institutions, and we know the outcomes. Name them - Christian Chukwu, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Henry Nwosu, Franklin Howard, Emmanuel Amunike etc.

We can credit Siasia for 2005 FIFA u-20 silver, Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 Olympic silver and bronze medals but he also failed a Nations Cup qualifier. Chukwu made third in the Nations Cup but also failed the 2006 World Cup qualifier.

Others did even less.

Indeed, no one could have demonstrated more passion for our ex-internationals to coach our national teams than Amaju Pinnick who stubbornly settled for Sunday Oliseh from day one, but we all know the outcome, the reason why the NFF had to look out for another foreign coach against their initial disposition.

This is not to discountenance anyone but just to remind us that the oft return to the debate over indigenous and foreign coach has always been counter-productive.

The game is universal. Players and coaches of various nationalities are engaged by various other nations

just the way we have seen the likes of Chukwu, Shuaibu, Amuneke, Keshi coach other countries and clubs.

Austin Eguavoen with whom we replaced Rohr was not new as coach of the Super Eagles. He has been there for about three times earlier. He returned third at the Nations Cup and also failed an Olympic qualifier. He was also at Enyimba FC. When we shouted "Eureka" on defeating Egypt 1-0 in our opening game in Cameroon, we were insincere not to have acknowledged that when the Egyptians came out in the second half, the Super Eagles were kept mostly on the back foot.

Against Tunisia, we saw how the technical crew could not provide any other attacking option when the Tunisian defence cut off Moses Simon on the left and Chukwueze on the right.

Fair to Eguavoen, he has revealed that he advised the NFF not to sack Rohr so close to the Nations Cup and at the crucial point of the World Cup qualifier, but the decision was neither in Eguavoen's hand nor any longer in the hand of the NFF, given the massive propaganda behind the agenda and accentuated by an ever interfering power that the NFF dared not dare.

Everybody knows that after the

NPFL: Eunisell Boot 2022 Race Hots up as Ishaq, Akuneto Lead Chart Top contenders are gearing up for the coveted Eunisell Boot award for the 2021/22 season, following the resumption of footballing actions in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) after the mid-season break The annual event, which was established in 2018 by Eunisell Limited, West Africa’s largest specialty chemical and oil and gas production solutions firm, seeks to raise the standard of professional football league in Nigeria through awareness and cash rewards for highest goal scorer.

The winner, at the end of every season, receives the prestigious trophy and cash prize of N200,000 for every goal scored from Eunisell.

Following Match Day 21 games, the duo of Ishaq Kayode and Chijoke Akuneto, both of the Port

Harcourt-based Rivers United FC tops the highest goal scorers’ log with 11 and 9 goals respectively.

Ishaq’s 5th minute opener against Akwa United during the first leg of a back to back face-off saw the prolific striker tighten his grip at the top, while Chijoke’s hattrick shot him to the second position during the same game.

The table toppers are closely chased by Gombe United’s Yusuff Abdulazeez and Andy Ope of Remo FC with 8 goals each.

Kwara United’s Alao Dambani and Valentine Odoh of Abia Warriors have also netted 7 goals each to their credits while the trio of Godwin Obaje (Abia Warriors), Leonard Ugochukwu (Sunshine Stars) and Victor Mboma of Enyimba boasts of 6 goals each.

Meanwhile, six players who

have scored 5 goals each include; Ossy Martins, Chidiebere Nwobodo (Enugu Rangers), Jesse Akila, Muhammad Zulkifilu (Plateau United), Tochukwu Amaechi (Nasarawa) and Ogba Ifeanyi (Lobi Stars).

Reacting to the development, Ishaq said it felt great to be topping the scorers’ chart, and winning the Eunisell Boot, which he described as every player’s dream, will boost his profile.

“I feel so good because it will really boost my profile. The award has helped a lot of players that won it before, and it’s a big award that every player dreams of winning.

This is my 6th season in NPFL, ” he noted.

The striker also pledged to work harder and clinch the trophy.

He averred that the award has

significantly helped the NPFL league by motivating players to work hard, adding that hard work remains the key to winning it.

“Eunisell helped our league a lot, because the company motivates a lot of players in terms of winning the Eunisell award. We all know what it means for us to win it. It is not by mouth but it’s by work hard, I know I can win with hard work, “ Ishaq remarked.

Eunisell Managing Director, Chika Ikenga, said the company was thrilled with the healthy competition inspired by Eunisell Boot award among Nigerian league players.

He added that the competition brings out character, grit and resilience in players, and raises quality of games and overall league performance to the pleasure of fans and stakeholders.

forced sack of Rohr the NFF was more disposed to getting in Jose Peisero with whom they had had pre-contract talks but, again, the power that be must and had his way against the idea. It was good news for Ghana.

Pinnick has announced that he might no longer be interested in returning as President of the NFF. The worms are rejoicing because that is what they always wanted.

They had even tried it by force during the ministerial stint of Solomon Dalung.

But we must plot the future of our game with sobriety and analytical honesty. This requires that we try to separate the adminstrative efficiency of the NFF from the technical effectiveness of the players and technical crew. The questions to answer are : Was our non-qualification the failure of administration or of the players and technical crew or both? Was the mix up over the coaching crew the sole action of the administrators or was it influenced by higher powers beyond their control?

Assistant Coach Amuneke has cleared the air that the NFF did not interfere in their selection of players.

We have also seen that, against all odds in our present economy, the NFF did their bit to provide everything that the Super Eagles needed. For long, the Super Eagles have no longer been troubled about the inadequacies in accommodation, flight arrangements, ticket refunds etc that they hitherto protested about.

Not everybody would know, but I believe the Honorable Minister of Sports can honestly testify that, for several years now, the government has only provided just about 10% of the funding of the Super Eagles, not because it doesn't want to but because the national economy is suffering strains with even more critical challenges. But Pinnick has covered up reasonably well as not everybody can.

Not everybody has the contact and clout to call up state governors to host the Super Eagles at their expense. It was tough hosting the Abuja game and not everybody could have walked into the Central Bank and get them same day to approve sponsorship of N50m for camping, accommodation and feeding of the Super Eagles for the Ghana match.

Truth is most of the present sponsors of our national teams got engaged because of their relationship and esteem for Pinnick and it will be a marketing miracle if they do not pull out if Pinnick leaves,

for, as we all know, sponsorship marketing these days derives more from networking and contacts.

It is not that Pinnick is indispensable. No one is but, as somebody has joked, we might be uncannily edging ourselves to a point where Nigeria can even be walked over at home for failure to fund its Super Eagles to show up. It is eminent and those who know would know.

This suggests that we must be circumspect in our haste to cast down. The Presidency, the Ministry and stakeholders should need to sit with the leadership of the NFF to understand and work better with each other to ensure future sustainability, because football is only 30% on the pitch and more off the pitch.

Besides, football development is not only measured by match results but by the opportunities it provides for employment, enterprise and international relations. These are the real areas to work at for that is why football is homed in England despite not performing any well since after they won the 1966 World Cup. For those who begrudge Pinnick's rise into the FIFA Council and Executive Committee of CAF, there is hardly much they can do about it. It was by dint of his personal determination to penetrate the core of world football politics and there is nothing wrong with big ambition. Some other folks want to be governors, senators, ministers etc. He has chosen and pursing his path and with injury to no one.

Unlike when the last of us who tried same position was officially supported with about $3m to push and get Ghana's Abedi Pele to make way for him, Pinnick has risen by applying his personal resources. Having latched on Local Content possibilities and initiatives for over two decades now, he has developed a vast business estate in oil and gas, marine, construction, hospitality and entertainment by which rather than receive allowances and estacodes, he sacrifices his time and substance.

The NFF would still need such capacity in the face of the prevailing economic circumstances.

So, it left for us to unlearn the old habits of unbridled strife and resolve, especially in difficult times, to hold together to pursue the future or keep gyrating in the gyre of our excessive and ill propaganda only targetted at the disruption and deliberate destabilisation of our institutions.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

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Buhari to Plateau People “The people of Plateau State, (should) expose the perpetrators of such incidents, their sponsors and those who encourage such criminals who carry out these dastardly acts of murder, so that the law will take its course.”---President Muhammadu Buhari challenging the people of Plateau State on security.

KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1974

Insecurity as the Biggest Issue A

s big names continue to emerge on the roll call of presidential aspirants the biggest issue of the next year’s election, crippling insecurity, should be constantly put on the sharpest focus. Issues of elections are never invented by politicians. The condition of the economy, polity and society invariably throw up the issues to be addressed in every election. The 2023 election would not be different as the issues are manifest in the concrete situation.

So as Marxists would put it scientifically, what is direly needed now is a “concrete analysis of a concrete situation” for the ultimate purpose of action.

The crisis bedevilling Nigeria is multi-dimensional.

The dimensions include the socio-economic ones such as mass poverty, inequality, youth joblessness, decline in public education and healthcare delivery, poor infrastructure, environmental damage etc. The political ones include the threat to national unity, the shallow content of the democratic process, voter apathy, poor accountability, impunity etc.

Politicians must, therefore, be nudged towards going beyond the important geo-political calculus of the moment. They should also take definite positions on security. Anyone who wants to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari must articulate a strategy to keep the nation secure. When candidates finally emerge, their campaign teams should include experts who are competent enough to formulate these alternative strategies with sufficient professional insights It is a huge irony of the nation’s history that seven years ago, insecurity was a conspicuous issue of the election as it is today. Not a few pundits assessed candidates in 2019 on the basis of the suitability for the crucial job of the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C).

Expectedly the Buhari administration continues to defend its record in the security sector even while honestly admitting that some challenges remain in the sector. However, the consensus among the government, the opposition and indeed the public at large is that there is the urgent need to stem the tide of insecurity.

The magnitude of the challenges in the security sector is so immense that anyone seeking the job of the job of the C-in-C at this time in Nigeria beyond frivolity should be saluted for the courage and patriotism behind the professed aspiration to deliver the central public good od security. It is security that would obviously determine the delivery of all other public goods in the socio-economic and political realms.

And that’s the more reason why aspirants (and later candidates) should go beyond fine analysis of the problem which, by the way, is very important. They should tell the public what better solutions they have to tackle insecurity in broad strategic terms. While candidates of other parties may proffer radically different approaches, even aspirants on the platform of the President’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), should also articulate what to do differently to improve on the present unacceptable condition.

Ideas about how to resolve the crisis of insecurity are more than what could be found in motivational speeches, crunching of figures and display of charts.

The situation requires a strategic rethink of things in the security sector, and what’s more, reports of killings, kidnaps and destructions have become a daily affair. The sad reality is that no part of Nigeria could be said to be immune to the killings kidnaps and destruction.

In the last one month alone grim indices of insecurity have been hitting the headlines. Apart from those killed in the attack of an Abuja-Kaduna train service, scores of those kidnapped by the terrorists are still being held. Killings and destruction at Giwa in the Chikun Local Government Area Kaduna state. The Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra state was burnt down. Attacks have been reported in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. As the President described the recent terrorist killings in Kanam and Wase communities in Plateau state

President Muhammadu Buhari as “heinous”, scores have been reported killed in parts of the neighbouring Benue state. In fact, it has been estimated that in the last two days about 100 people have been killed in Plateau, Kaduna and Osun states alone. This bloody trend has continued since the first quarter of the year. In the first three weeks of the year it was estimated nearly half a million people were killed in just three weeks mainly the northwest and north central geo-political zones of the country.

Yet, some community leaders especially in the rural areas insist that the killings, kidnaps, maiming and destructions are still largely under-reported. The feeling of helplessness is palpable among the victims of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the rural areas.

In another breadth, there is the well -informed position that reports of terrorists activities and other acts of criminality should not be so saturated as to appear lionising the criminals. Attention has also been pointed to the menace of fake news of violent attacks that could provoke further violence.

Amidst these conflicting views about the portrayal of the reality of the security situation, political parties, aspirants and candidates could formulate their security agenda. The agenda could be about alternative strategies or possible areas of improvement on the current situation. It makes little or no sense for anyone to seek the job of C-in-C in Nigeria today with no evidence of having serious thoughts on the security of the nation. That’s not to say that every aspirant or candidate must be a security expert. The campaign team should work on the security. The job of the campaign team is not to insult or curse opponents of the principal in the midst of the crisis plaguing the land.

Therefore, the following random notes are suggested areas for possible reflection in formulating a security agenda, the primacy of which should be obvious to all political forces desirous of solutions to the problem of insecurity.

First, the myth, often promoted by some elements in the security and defence establishment that all aspects of security are not matters for public debates, should be exploded. A clear distinction should made between operational matters on the one hand and the broad strategic direction in terms of policies and programmes on the other hand. The former is, of course, universally the prerogative of the security and defence authorities because they are professional matters. The purpose and broad dimensions of

security operations should be of public interest. These are the aspects which are subject to political decisions. A politician aspiring to be the C-in-C should understand this and, in fact, develop an agenda for it in clear terms. For instance, at the earliest stage of the Boko Haram war Nigeria was actually lobbying at the international level that the group should not be categorised as terrorist.

The implications of such a designation for foreign and defence policies were readily cited at the time. That is why terrorism was not officially called by its name until after a decade of terror. Now such decisions were not strictly operational matters. Similarly, there the little interrogated concept of “deradicalisation” of “repentant terrorists” whose welfare often takes precedence over the welfare of a multitude of victims of terrorism. Who determines the stage of repentance?

These are strategic matters in the hands of political authorities. Anyone who aspires to be the head of the political authority must understand the issues beyond glib references to data and quoting of figures about the “level of insecurity.”

Secondly, there is a problem with job description in the security sector. Most of the issues of insecurity in the country are essentially matters of internal security. The jobs required are normally those of effective policing of the rural and urban areas and the efficient deployment of intelligence. At least, Nigeria has not formally declared a civil war. Neither is the country fighting a war against another country.

But these are abnormal times. Strange things are happening in the security sector. The armed forces have virtually taken over the job of internal security in addition to their duty of defending the nation against external aggression. A political party and its candidate interested in a security agenda should work on policies to strengthen the capacities of the agencies established for internal security such as the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service (SSS), Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence etc. Elevating the capacity of the structures for internal security would inexorably relieve the military of the burden of carrying out police duties.

Thirdly, inter-agency cooperation would be enhanced when the duties of the respective agencies are well delineated in the first place. The institution for the coordination of the agencies should be rejigged. For instance, the ugly reports of the debilitating effects of the abysmal lack of inter-agency cooperation have made a redefinition of the job of the National security Adviser an imperative. The periodic defence and strategic review made by that pivotal office should not be done in vain. The outcome of the review should guide policy steps in the sector. Besides, the firmness of the C-in-C in exercising his constitutional

The situation requires a strategic rethink of things in the security sector, and what’s more, reports of killings, kidnaps and destructions have become a daily affair.

authority is an important factor in the circumstance.

A marching order from the C-in-C should be what is it is: a marching order to be obeyed without fail by the agency to which the order is directed. Many a marching order of the C-in-C have not been seen to be obeyed by the public in the last seven years. This has engendered cynicism a great deal from the same public which should morally support government’s security policies.

Fourthly, while it is legitimate to ask questions about the competence of the apparatuses of the Nigerian state in tackling insecurity it is also important to appreciate the enormous sacrifices made by the elements of the armed forces, police, security service and other agencies. In the face of inadequate equipment and unsatisfactory welfare, the men and women of the defence and security are putting up gallant fights in the many troubled spots in the country. Many of them have been killed, injured and kidnapped by terrorists. The welfare of those who are fighting war against terrorism and other crimes should be critically reviewed to bring things up to the satisfactory level.

The degree of equipment and kitting should also be examined in the light of the yearly budgetary releases to the defence and security sector. The welfare of the survivors of those who die in action should be of prime importance. Compensations should be promptly paid. Families of those in captivity including scores of children should be supported materially and morally. Pending the liberation of their loved ones, the families in agony need some comfort. In other places, these are institutionalised matters to be implemented as policies.

Fifthly, there should be a greater sense of accountability in matters of defence and security.

Accountability in the sense it is being proposed here goes beyond calculating Naira and Kobo spent to keep the nation secure. Of course, the cost -and -benefit analysis of expenditures on security are basic for ensuring greater productivity and effectiveness.

Beyond that, however, moral accountability is also lacking. The numbers of victims of killings and kidnaps are treated as if they are unaccountable. Hundreds of students are abducted from schools and the police cannot even come up with the accurate figures months after the acts. Tomorrow it would be eight years that scores of girls were kidnapped in a school in Chibok, Borno State. The Nigerian state is yet to give the accurate figures of those actually kidnapped and those still in captivity. The trend of failure to properly account for every life lost has continued up till now. There should be regular updates on the situation of the victims. For instance, the impression is given that the release of those kidnapped is the business of their families. That should not be so.

The state has a constitutional responsibility for the security of all the people of Nigeria.

Lastly, tackling the humanitarian crisis, which is a consequence of terrorism and banditry, is also central to any productive rethink of the condition of things in the security sector. Horrific stories of terrorist attacks are unfortunately followed by heart-rending reports of sub-human conditions in the camps of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Children die in the camps out of sheer dehydration. Food and medical care are still unavailable to many of the poor people in these camps. There have been reported cases of corruption of the inadequate supplies by some officials in some places. This disheartening picture persists despite efforts of government agencies and private organisations and individuals to meet the needs of the displaced persons. The implication is that more needs to be done to tackle the humanitarian crisis in the land. The programme to address it should be part of a security policy.

There several other areas to examine in the sector.

The important thing is to embark on a rethink of security and defence policies as well as practice in order to reverse the extremely dangerous trend on insecurity.

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