THURSDAY 28TH MAY 2020

CBN Reduces Interest Rates on OFIs Facilities to 5% Analysts foresee hold on MPR as MPC Meets Obinna Chima As part of its continued efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on households, businesses and regulated institutions, the Central Bank

of Nigeria (CBN) has reduced interest rates on its facilities through participating Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) from nine per cent to five per cent per annum for one-year, effective March 1, 2020.

The bank, in a circular signed by the Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Mr. Kevin Amugo, posted on its website yesterday, said CBN intervention facilities obtained

through participating OFIs Microfinance Banks (MFBs), Primary Mortgage Banks and institutions, among others, would be given a further one-year moratorium on all principal repayments, also

effective March 1, 2020.

According to the circular, OFIs have also been granted leave to consider temporary and time limited restructuring of the tenor and loan terms for households and businesses

affected by COVID-19, subject to the recently issued guidelines for restructuring affected credit facilities in the OFI sub-sector.

Continued on page 8

FG Directs Conclusion of Electricity Deal with Siemens...Page 5 Thursday 28 May, 2020 Vol 25. No 9180. Price: N250

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COVID-19: FG Considers Two-shift Option for Reopening of Schools Mulls morning, afternoon classes Agrees with religious leaders on unlocking of places of worship To rely on NAFDAC’s clinical trials Shortlists three local herbal cures for virus Finally, Kogi gets index case as 389 fresh cases increase tally to 8,733 with 254 deaths Evacuation of Nigerians abroad suspended Emma Okonji, Martins Ifijeh, Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos, Olawale Ajimotokan and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government has disclosed that it would soon unveil the policy for safe reopening of schools, saying it's also weighing the option of running two classes in the morning and afternoon in secondary schools to enable

students make up for lost grounds.

Also, the federal government and religious leaders have reached an agreement on proposals for the reopening of worship centres nationwide.

As the government made these considerations, the virus increased its victims by 389 to 8,733 with 2,501 persons Continued on page 8

Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu Set for Battle in Edo APC Pick gov nomination forms

Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The battle line for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming election in Edo State was drawn yesterday as the two main contenders from the ruling party's factions,

the incumbent, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Mr. Osagie IzeIyamu, obtained nomination forms to run.

While a group, Obaseki Mandate Forum in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), purchased the nomination form for Obaseki ahead of the Continued on page 8

FLOWERS FOR THE PRESIDENT...

President Muhammadu Buhari, receiving flowers from a child during the activities to commemorate 2020 Children’s Day celebration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja…yesterday

Adesina Reaffirms Innocence of Alleged Wrongdoing in AfDB...Page 6

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NEWS

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

FG Directs Conclusion of Electricity Deal with Siemens Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government yesterday directed the Ministries of Power, and Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to speed up the process of finalising the pre-engineering and concessionary financing agreement with Siemens AG, to rev up power supply in Nigeria.

In an apparent reference to the initial opposition to the deal by Distribution Companies (Discos), which had kicked against the deal with the claim that the federal government could not negotiate on their behalf at the time, the presidency noted that all parties had been carried along before the agreement was sealed.

It said the agreement under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) would see the financiers get up to a three-year moratorium with end-year repayment at concessionary interest rates.

President Muhammadu Buhari, during the signing of the power deal, had directed both teams from the company and their Nigerian counterparts to first focus on fixing the transmission and distribution infrastructure that had threatened Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry.

He said the goal was to achieve 7,000 megawatts of reliable power supply by 2021 and 11,000

megawatts by 2023 in phases one and two respectively, noting that after the transmission and distribution system bottlenecks have been fixed, the third and the final phase would be to drive generation capacity, and overall grid capacity to 25,000 megawatts.

As part of the deal, it was learnt that the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning would pay from the Signature Bonus Account about ₏15.2 million and N1.7 billion as Nigeria’s 15 per cent counterpart funding for the concessionary loan after the federal government convinced the Discos to sign the concessionary loan agreement, despite their initial opposition.

In a series of tweets from the verified twitter page yesterday, the presidency noted that Siemens would singlehandedly pick the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) partners for the sake of transparency. “President @MBuhari has directed the Ministries of @ PowerMinNigeria and @ FinMinNigeria, and the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) to conclude the engagement with Siemens AG to commence the pre-engineering and concessionary financing aspects of the Presidential Power Initiative. “All items to be purchased were provided by the Discos

and Transmission Company of Nigeria @TCN_NIGERIA and they will be vetted by a professional Project Management Office. “The funding for the PPI will be secured under concessionary terms (up to three-year moratorium and 12-year repayment at concessionary interest rates) through the German Euler Hermes cover, which @NigeriaGov will on-lend as a convertible loan to the other shareholders in the DisCos. “Under the PPI, @NigeriaGov will on behalf of the other shareholders in the electricity distribution companies invest in infrastructure upgrades in

the form of improved payment systems, distribution substations, transformers, protection devices, smart meters, transmission lines,� the presidency tweeted.

According to the government, all Discos have, directly, and through BPE, been diligently carried along over the last 15 months to understand in detail the challenges in the electricity systems, adding that the president has approved the release of funding for the first part of phase 1 of PPI to kick-off the pre-engineering and concession financing work streams.

The president noted that to ensure fairness and transparency of the intervention, he has also

directed that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) should be engaged to assist in developing the commercial structure of the intervention, as well as in undertaking an independent company valuation of the Discos. “The president has also directed that to ensure value for money and preserve the integrity and transparency of the procurement process under the government-to-government framework, Siemens AG shall be solely responsible for nominating its EPC partners to perform all onshore works; no middlemen. “Our goal is simply to deliver electricity to Nigerian businesses

and homes. Our intention is to ensure that our cooperation is structured under a governmentto-government framework. No middlemen will be involved so that we can achieve value for money for Nigerians,� Buhari said.

Spokesman for the distribution companies, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, was not immediately available for comments, as calls to his mobile phone, were not answered, but a source privy to the negotiations said the Discos had decided to set their differences aside and cooperate with the federal government since the end goal was to provide stable electricity to Nigerians.

Finally, South-east Govs, IG Agree on Community Policing Template Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki South-east governors and the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, have finally agreed on a template for the implementation of community policing in the zone.

The governors had accused IG of breaching an earlier agreement reached on the matter.

But after a teleconference held with IG yesterday, the Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Umahi, said they had agreed on modalities to implement the policy.

Umahi said there was no longer disagreement between the governors, other leaders of the zone and Adamu.

He stated that after the meeting, IG agreed that the various security apparatus at the local communities should be deployed in the areas to safeguard lives and property.

Umahi noted that part of the agreement reached at the meeting was the training of community members by the police, while those trained would carry out the community policing in the different states of the zone.

He added that an advisory committee, to be set up in each area to supervise the operations, would be headed by the traditional ruler of the community with other selected stakeholders as members. “This is at the community level and this is well accepted by the governors of South-east and other leaders of the zone,� the governor said.

Umahi explained that IG also agreed that state Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the zone made a mistake by making the selection, adding that anyone

that had gone ahead to do the selection process made a mistake.

He said it was left for the governors and stakeholders to select those that would form members of the community police.

Umahi said: "Since the last hours today, we have been having meetings with the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Adamu, and the five governors of South-east attended with the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, in attendance.

Others in attendance were the leaders of South-east, including Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Jim Nwobodo, and traditional rulers.

"The meeting centred on the communiquĂŠ we issued after our Sunday meeting of governors and leaders of South-east at Enugu.

"We, the governors of Southeast, and our leaders, were the first to accept community policing because of the beautiful ingredients of community policing. “IG explained to us when we had the meeting at Enugu and we saw that the idea in the policy will assist us. So, when the CPs made a mistake by going to do the composition by themselves and asked the governors to inaugurate, we felt that something was wrong somewhere and we had to contact IG. "At the local government level, we agreed that there will be a local government advisory committee to be headed by the local government chairman at each local government area.

The DPOs (Divisional Police Officers) and other security agencies, the traditional rulers of that local government, and other stakeholders will be the members at that local government level.

OILY MATTERS...

Chief of Sta to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari (left), and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Malam Mele Kyari, after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa Abuja...yesterday

Amnesty Accuses Military of Subjecting Children to Torture in North-east

Ejiofor Alike

A global rights group, Amnesty International, has condemned the treatment of children arrested for allegedly engaging in terrorism, accusing the Nigerian military of subjecting children to torture in prolonged and illegal detention.

It urged the Nigerian government to urgently address its failure to protect and provide education to an entire generation of children in the North-east, a region it said was devastated by years of Boko Haram atrocities and gross violations by the military.

In the 91-page report entitled: ‘We dried our tears’: Addressing the toll on children of North-east Nigeria’s conflict,' the rights group highlighted how the military’s alleged widespread unlawful detention and torture have compounded the suffering of children from Borno and Adamawa states who faced war crimes and crimes against humanity at the hands of Boko Haram.

It also revealed how international donors have bankrolled a flawed programme that claims to reintegrate former alleged fighters, but which overwhelmingly amounts to

unlawful detention of children and adults. “The past decade of bitter conflict between Nigeria’s military and Boko Haram has been an assault on childhood itself in North-east Nigeria. The Nigerian authorities risk creating a lost generation unless they urgently address how the war has targeted and traumatised thousands of children,� said the Acting Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International, Joanne Mariner. “Boko Haram has repeatedly attacked schools and abducted large numbers of children as soldiers or ‘wives,’ among other atrocities. “The Nigerian military’s treatment of those who escape such brutality has also been appalling. From mass, unlawful detention in inhumane conditions, to meting out beatings and torture and allowing sexual abuse by adult inmates – it defies the belief that children anywhere would be so grievously harmed by the very authorities charged with their protection," Mariner added.

Between November 2019 and April 2020, Amnesty International said it interviewed more than 230 people affected by the conflict, including 119 who were children

when they suffered serious crimes

by Boko Haram, the Nigerian military, or both.

According to the group, this included 48 children held in military detention for months or years, as well as 22 adults who had been detained with children. “Children have been among those most impacted by Boko Haram’s string of atrocities carried out over large swathes of North-east Nigeria for nearly a decade. The armed group’s classic tactics have included attacks on schools, widespread abductions, recruitment, and use of child soldiers, and forced marriage of girls and young women, which all constitute crimes under international law,� the group said. “This pattern of crimes is well-known because of highprofile cases like the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014. However, the scale of abductions has been often underestimated and certainly appears to run into the thousands.

Boko Haram continues to force parents to hand over boys and girls, under threat of death. It continues to forcibly 'marry' girls and young women. And

it continues to murder people who try to escape. “Children in areas under Boko Haram control have been subjected to torture, including floggings and other beatings, as well as forced to watch public executions and other brutal punishments. “Children who escape Boko Haram territory face a raft of violations by the Nigerian authorities, also including crimes under international law. At best, they end up displaced, struggling for survival, and with little or no access to education. At worst, they are arbitrarily detained for years in military barracks, in conditions amounting to torture or other ill-treatment. “The UN told Amnesty International it has verified the release of 2,879 children from military detention since 2015, although it previously cited a higher figure of children detained between 2013 and 2019.

These statistics are likely to be a vast underestimate, and the UN has said its access to military detention is restricted so it cannot provide the actual number of children detained in the context of the conflict,� the report explained.

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Adesina Reaffirms Innocence of Alleged Wrongdoing in AfDB African lender bows to US pressure to reopen probe Peter Uzoho with agency report President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, yesterday maintained his innocence over allegations of fraud and breach of code of ethics of the bank levelled against him by whistle-blowers.

Adesina, in a statement, said he remained confident that ultimately, and as one collective entity, the bank would emerge stronger than before and continue to support Africa's development drive.

Despite being cleared of the allegations by AfDB Ethics Committee, the United States Treasury Secretary, Mr. Steven Mnuchin, a few days ago, called for an independent investigation into the same allegations.

AfDB Board has bowed to pressure from the United States, the third largest shareholder after Nigeria and Egypt, and agreed to an independent probe of Adesina.

The US had rejected an internal investigation that cleared him of allegations of wrongdoing.

Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland are among countries that wrote to AfDB to back the US demands for professional outsiders to look into the allegations, according to Bloomberg.

But AfDB has described the allegations as unprecedented attempts by some to tarnish Adesina's reputation and

prejudice the bank's governance procedures.

Adesina said he was being inspired by the lives of the duo of the late South African President, Mr. Nelson Mandela, and the former SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan.

He said: "In recent weeks and over the last few days, I have been overwhelmed by the tremendous support received from around the world. I have absolute confidence in the integrity of the bank that I lead and its governance systems, rules and procedures.

"In spite of unprecedented attempts by some to tarnish my reputation and prejudice the bank's governance procedures, I maintain my innocence with regard to trumped up allegations that unjustly seek to impugn my honour and integrity, as well as the reputation of the African Development Bank.

"I sincerely appreciate the support of the bank's shareholders.

"At this time, I remain confident that ultimately and as a collective, the bank will emerge stronger than before and continue to support Africa's development drive.

I draw great inspiration from my heroes, Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan, whose lives have shown that through pain we grow.

"As Martin Luther King Jnr. once said, 'the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.'

Carlyle’s Africa Dealmakers to Start Own Firm Peter Uzoho with agency report

Four dealmakers responsible for Carlyle Group Inc’s Sub-Saharan Africa Fund - Genevieve Sangudi, Eric Kump, Idris Mohammed and Bruce Steen - are leaving the global investment firm to set up their own business called Alterra Capital.

Reuters quoted Carlyle to have disclosed this yesterday in the latest private equity retreat from the continent.

Carlyle said Sangudi, Kump, Mohammed and Steen were leaving to set up a new venture dubbed Alterra Capital.

Carlyle stated that it would remain active in Africa with its other funds, including Carlyle International Energy Partners.

But, the Washington D.C.-based firm said it would no longer pursue an Africa-dedicated buyout fund to succeed its $700 million Carlyle Sub-Saharan Africa Fund, which it raised in 2014.

This made Carlyle the latest private equity giant to reduce its African exposure and underscored the challenges of deal-making for Western private equity firms used to large leveraged buyouts of mature companies that could be saddled with debt.

Deals in the region tend to be smaller, the companies younger and thirsty for capital, and opportunities to cash out fewer, often fraught with political and economic risks.

Carlyle said it would have no stake in Alterra, but would provide deal referrals, advice and co-investment.

Alterra would also assume management of Carlyle’s Sub-Saharan Africa Fund as sub-advisors starting from July 1.

Carlyle’s deals in Africa have included a $147 million bet on Nigeria’s Diamond Bank, which soured after a shrinking economy, a plunging currency and an oil price slump fuelled a spate of defaults.

Access Bank, another Nigerian bank, took over Diamond Bank last year.

Carlyle also bought into J&J Transport, a transport firm with mining customers and Traxys, which trades commodities and provides logistics.

In 2017, peer KKR & Co Inc disbanded its Africa deals team and sold off its controlling stake in an Ethiopian rose farm. That same year, Blackstone Group Inc. sold its stake in Black Rhino Group, an African infrastructure development firm, back to its management.

He expressed his confidence that fair, transparent and just process that respects the rules, procedures and governance systems of the bank and the rule of law would ultimately prove that he had not violated the code of ethics of the bank.

"I will, therefore, continue to work with each and everyone of our shareholders to ensure that the African Development Bank maintains its hard-earned global reputation; and that credible and well-functioning institutional and governance

systems are reinforced, as we collectively press on to fulfill the mission of our founders to accelerate and transform Africa's development," he added.

AfDB Board to Raise Independent Panel to Review Allegations Bowing to pressure from the US, AfDB, however, has agreed to set up an independent panel to consider the allegations against Adesina.

Bloomberg, in a report, citing two sources familiar with deliberations on the matter said Adesina may have to step aside until the probe is completed.

The unidentified whistleblowers had accused Adesina, who is angling for a second term in office, of handing contracts to acquaintances and appointing relatives to strategic positions, allegations which AfDB has denied.

The proposed investigation comes three months before

the bank’s annual meeting, at which Adesina is the sole candidate to extend his fiveyear term.

The AAA-rated lender’s 80 shareholders in October pledged to provide funding that would help to more than double its capital base to $208 billion.

Mnuchin last week had written to AfDB to express “deep reservations� about the integrity of the lender’s ethics committee after it exonerated Adesina.

THE RACE BEGINS...

L-R: Edo State All progressives Congress governorship aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; APC National Organising Secretary, Mr. Emma Ibediro; and Vice Chairman, South-south, Mr. Hilliard Etta, during the collection of governorship interest forms by the aspirant at APC Headquarters in Abuja‌yesterday enock reuben

NCC Suspends Spectrum Trading Guidelines for Telecoms

Emma Okonji

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has suspended the Spectrum Trading Guidelines 2018 for the telecommunications industry, a statement from the commission said yesterday.

NCC Board of Commissioners, who took the decision to suspend the spectrum trading guidelines at a recent meeting, has since informed all licensed telecommunications operators, prospective investors, industry stakeholders and the general public to that effect.

NCC had before 2018, auctioned spectrum licences to telecoms operators, which include 2.3GHz Spectrum, 2.6GHz Spectrum, Mobile Network Service Spectrum, Rural Telephony Spectrum, among others.

The different spectrum licences allow telecoms operators to roll out different telecoms services for national, state and regional purposes.

In 2018, NCC came up with some guidelines that would authorise the resale of such spectrum licence by the original owner to other

interested telecoms operators who are in need of the licence, where the original owner of such licence is yet to roll out services with the spectrum licence.

According to NCC, the suspension of the 2018 trading guidelines would allow for fresh guidelines that would make it more flexible for operators to trade on, in line with the new National Broadband Plan (2020-2025).

THISDAY gathered that the implications for the suspension of the 2018 spectrum trading guidelines is that those that have already traded their unused spectrum would continue to enjoy the benefits from the resale of the spectrum, but going forward, no operator would be allowed to trade unused spectrum licences, until a new spectrum trading guideline is released by the NCC. NCC Board of Commissioners is expected to come up with the new spectrum trading guidelines within the next three months.

Announcing the decision of the board in a statement yesterday in Abuja, NCC Director of Public Affairs,

Dr. Henry Nkemadu, said the board had earlier taken the decision for spectrum trading in response to telecommunications global dynamics as well as the efforts to optimally utilise and maximise the benefits of the spectrum scarce resource.

According to the statement, “spectrum is a scarce commodity, which when inefficiently utilised greatly, limits broadband coverage and speeds. The current Spectrum Trading Guidelines were developed in 2018 after industry-wide consultations and this instrument allows that the spectrum resource be traded on the secondary market through transfer, sharing or leasing upon satisfying stipulated regulatory conditions. “The Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 20202025 launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja in March 2020 requires that these guidelines be reviewed to ensure that unutilised spectrum is fairly traded and to facilitate rollout by other operators among others.

This is to address the need for ubiquitous broadband deployment to accelerate penetration and access in line

with the economic agenda of the federal government. “In accordance with the NNBP 2020-2025, for optimal use of spectrum, licensees have the obligation of the ‘Use it or Lose it Policy’ because idle high demand spectrum does a disservice to poorly served populations and should be released for effective use as may be required to promote efficient use of assigned spectrum.

"The ‘Use it or Lose it’ rule should, therefore, apply in all instances where assigned spectrum is found to be nonutilised or underutilised and ensures the unutilised spectrum is fairly traded to facilitate rollout by other operators.

"In response to the need for the review of these guidelines as highlighted above, and also following paragraph 12 of the Spectrum Trading Guidelines, 2018 which vests the commission with the right to review/vary and modify these guidelines from time to time as it may deem fit, the Spectrum Trading Guidelines 2018 application in Nigeria is hereby suspended until further notice, as declared by the board.�

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PAGE EIGHT OBASEKI, IZE-IYAMU SET FOR BATTLE IN EDO APC June 22 primary election, IzeIyamu, a former Secretary to Edo State Government, picked his at the party's national headquarters in Abuja.

APC in Edo State has been enmeshed in a crisis since last year, which has defied all efforts of the party leaders and other well-wishers to resolve.

The crisis has resulted in the factionalisation of the ruling party in the state, with one faction pitching tent with the APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, and the other backing Obaseki.

However, amid controversy over the directive of APC National Working Committee (NWC) that direct primary would be used to decide the party's standard bearer in the election, Ize-Iyamu, who had earlier been endorsed as the consensus candidate by Oshiomhole's faction of the party, obtained his nomination form with an assurance that the election would not be lost to the opposition.

However, the governor, whose faction opposed the direct primary directive of the party, has vowed that no man could deny him a second term in office, adding that “power comes from God.�

Ize-Iyamu was accompanied to the national secretariat of the party in Abuja by other aspirants from Oshiomhole's faction, including: Prof.

Ebegue Amadasun, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Mr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma and Hon. Saturday Uwuilekhue and others.

At the event, the national body of the party warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is waiting for APC's implosion ahead of the June 22 governorship primary in Edo State, but assured party members of a free, fair and credible primary.

Addressing journalists after picking his form, Ize-Iyamu said the other seven aspirants had stepped down for him,

while Edo State members at the National Assembly were backing his aspiration.

He explained that the other aspirants stepped down for him because the party does not want a rancorous primary or anything that would give the opposition the opportunity to take over the state.

Ize-Iyamu said though there were issues in the state, the leaders of the party were resolute that the state would not be lost to the opposition. “Every one of us here may have personal ambitions, but we are bound together by the common desire to fast-track the transformation of our state through transparent, effective and accountable governance that will improve the living standards and social wellbeing of our people. “And we all recognise that this cannot happen unless we dislodge the present administration that has failed this great party and the people of Edo State,� he stated.

Ize-Iyamu said he was reluctant to criticise Obaseki, but added that even though APC is the ruling party in the state, majority of its members are not happy with the pace of development, rancour and the level of insecurity in the state.

Asked if Oshiomhole had endorsed him, he noted that while he would have loved the national chairman to endorse him, he (Oshiomhole) could not do that now in order not to compromise his integrity as the father of all the aspirants.

On the mode of the primary that is generating controversy, Ize-Iyamu said he had no problem with the method to be adopted by the national body of the party in picking its governorship candidate.

He said he would abide by the party’s rules as set

by NWC, ‘’the organ that is empowered to fashion out guidelines’’ for the conduct of the primary.

"If they want us to do indirect primary, so be it; if

they want us to do direct, so be it. But if you want to use the COVID-19 situation what should be recommended really is direct primary, because the process decentralises the system. Meanwhile, indirect will congregate thousands of people in one place for voting.

"But the governor is insisting on indirect primary because it is easier to buy delegates. Those who are afraid of the direct primary are those who are afraid of free, fair and credible election," he stated.

Earlier, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Mr. Emma Ibediro, had said APC’s major opponent, PDP, was praying for an implosion in the party, adding that the opposition party “will wait forever and wait for nothing.’’ He said: “With the way we are going to conduct our primary, it will leave no one in doubt that APC is more united more than ever.

Naturally, the social media has been awash with a lot of comments, but I want to assure you that contrary to what people may think, I am very optimistic that the forthcoming primary will prove APC as a party that will be fair to all.

"The processes that will lead to the primary will be so transparent that whoever wins will know that he has won and whoever loses, it will be obvious that he/she has lost. I urge all of you to see this contest as a game," he stated.

Ogiemwonyi, who stepped down for Ize-Iyamu, said he shared the same commitment and vision for accelerated development of Edo State, anchored on purposeful and effective leadership with Ize-Iyamu leveraging on the abundant human and natural resources in the state.

No Man Can Stop My Re-election, Says

Obaseki Obaseki, however, expressed confidence yesterday that he would get a second term in office, adding that no man could stop him from returning as governor.

Obaseki, while featuring yesterday on Channels Television‘s Sunrise Daily, said: “I am not a violent person.

But I am confident that the way I got into power is the same way I will return. “God gave me power. If he wants me to return I will continue. No man can stop me. Power comes from God.�

Obaseki also denied claims that his ambition to return as governor would be hindered by inadequate “resources.â€? “I have friends with resources. I worked for eight years behind the scene before I became governor. “So, all that insinuations about using somebody’s resources‌I became governor on the platform of the party and I am grateful for it. “It does not matter whether it is direct or indirect (primary), I will win,â€? he stated.

He appealed for peace in the state, and cautioned against bloodshed over the election. “We have always canvassed for peace. What are the issues in Edo and what are the issues that cannot be resolved in a democracy? Our concern is to use the resources of the people to develop the state. “This shouldn’t lead to bloodshed. We will not accept to be cowed and intimidated because some people think that they can manipulate rules and cut corners," he said.

Reacting to Ize-Iyamu’s emergence as the consensus candidate of the Oshiomhole faction, the spokesman of the governor, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said in a statement yesterday that the governorship candidate of the party would not emerge from Abuja.

According to him, the state

chapter of the party, which is responsible for superintending over the emergence of a candidate of APC, resides and operates in Edo State and not Abuja. “It is, therefore, hilarious to hear that a so-called consensus candidate for the party in Edo State governorship election was selected in Abuja. It is not surprising that the charade was hatched and actuated by Oshiomhole and members of his Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a proscribed dissident group in the state. For us, this is a joke taken too far and clearly shows that Mr. Adams Oshiomhole once again has set APC on a journey to perdition in Edo State as he did in Zamfara, Bayelsa, Rivers, Taraba and several other states,� he said.

He said under Oshiomhole, APC did not lose elections due to unpopularity but as a result of the lawless conduct allegedly choreographed by the national chairman. “The last time we checked, the timetable released by Oshiomhole's National Working Committee (NWC) fixed Edo Primary election for June 22, 2020, and it is expected to hold in Edo State, but we now hear that they have conducted the primary election three weeks before the set date in a jurisdiction far away from Edo State, making a mockery of our great party, APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidency and all other institutions and esteemed individuals associated with our party. “Our conclusion on this matter is that like all other illegal actions taken by Oshiomhole, this too is a nullity and shall come to no-effect," he added.

A group, Obaseki Mandate

Forum in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has purchased the governorship nomination form for Obaseki.

Addressing journalists after purchasing the form at the national secretariat of the party yesterday in Abuja, the Chairman of the forum, Chief Nathaniel Momoh, said the action was a demonstration of the support and acceptability of majority of Edo State people towards the re-election of Obaseki.

He added that the form was a sign that the will of the people would prevail by ensuring that plots for the imposition of any candidate did not materialise.

Momoh noted that by this purchase, the people have spoken with one voice and have decided to entrust their mandate into the hands of Obaseki to enable him to consolidate his achievements.

He stated: "If almost all previous governors of the state have enjoyed a second term, some of them, despite their not too impressive performance in office, it will be a travesty of justice, a mockery of equity and fairness to deny a man whose tenure has touched every community in the state.

"The choice of Obaseki is not just an APC project as I have just mentioned. It is also the project of the market woman in Uselu market, the trader in Aviele, Council of Chiefs in Ososo, the 18-yearold and above student in Owan, the fruit trader in Iruekpen, that meat seller in Agenebode, that palm wine tapper in Esan, the cassava farmer in Ikpeshi, and many others.

"This is not a project for a gang of elite, who seek to whet their appetite with political power, relevance and undue control of the resources of the state, but one for the masses and well-meaning individuals passionate about the progress and development of the state."

in place for the safe reopening of our schools. “The Hon. Minister of Education (State) will be elaborating on the subject, this afternoon. He will also clarify the purported announcement of the resumption date which went viral last week."

Also speaking at the briefing, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, assured Nigerian

children that all hands were on deck to reopen schools at a safe time and urged states, local governments, proprietors and other stakeholders to begin to take steps that would facilitate an early and safe reopening.

Nwajiuba said until the government is sure that children could go to school, and return safely without being infected, it would not take that risk of reopening the schools yet.

Group Purchases Nomination Form for Obaseki

COVID-19: FG CONSIDERS TWO-SHIFT OPTION FOR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS discharged and 254 dead in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The 389 new cases are reported in 22 states with Kogi recording its first index case and one other. The other states are: Lagos 256, Katsina 23, Edo 22, Rivers 14, Kano 13, Adamawa 11, Akwa Ibom 11, Kaduna seven, Kwara six, Nasarawa six, Gombe, Plateau, Abia, Delta, Benue, Niger and

Oyo two each, while Imo, Borno, Ogun, and Anambra have one each.

Even as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has temporarily suspended clinical trials on Hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, the federal government has insisted it would only make its decision based on the recommendations of the National Agency for Food

and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other government agencies researching on the drug.

This is coming as the government has suspended the evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad until it unveils new policy on evacuation next week.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on

COVID-19, the Chairman of the task force and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, assured Nigerians that plans for the safe reopening of schools across the country would soon be unveiled. “PTF has been deliberating on this situation and wish to inform Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will roll out measures to be put

Continued on page 9

CBN REDUCES INTEREST RATES ON OFIS FACILITIES TO 5% Expatiating on the decision of the bank, the Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okoroafor, said the approval was in line with the bank’s desire to alleviate momentary strain on households, businesses and regulated institutions triggered by the lockdown due to COVID-19.

He explained that CBN would also continue to monitor developments and implement appropriate measures to safeguard financial stability and support stakeholders impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analysts Foresee Hold on Interest Rate as MPC Meets Meanwhile, some economists and financial market analysts

have predicted that the CBN Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would leave the benchmark monetary policy rate (MPR) and other tools unchanged at their meeting in Abuja, today.

The commentators made the prediction in separate interviews with THISDAY. MPC had at its last meeting in March resolved to allow its interventions on COVID-19 to permeate the economy and had retained MPR at 13.5 per cent.

The committee had also left both the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Liquidity Ratio unchanged at 27.5 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

MPR is the rate at which CBN lends to commercial banks and often determines the cost of borrowing in the economy.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had explained that the decision to keep

all monetary policy tools unchanged was to allow previously announced interventions “time to permeate the economy and allow pandemic to wear out itself.�

But as the committee holds the meeting, which was rescheduled for today because of the Eid-el-Fitr holidays, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said: "I don't think there would be any change.

"This is the time to stabilise the patient (the country) and so I don't think there would be changes. First and foremost, the level of capital formation and national savings are low, but at the same time, we have inflationary problems. So, I don't think the policy makers at this point in time should tighten monetary policy, which

is what they should do.

"The announcement of tightening can even send the wrong signals. So, for now, you can still tighten, but without adjusting MPR." Also, the Co-founder, Cardinal Stone Partners Limited, Mr. Mohammed Garuba, said CBN was likely to keep stable most of the variables.

"If for anything at all, this is the best time to drop MPR, but because of the level of uncertainty and there is not much clarity, I think things would be held stable," he said.

Similarly, analysts at Nova Merchant Bank Limited predicted that at the end of the meeting, the committee would maintain status quo on key policy rates, especially MPR, "as we believe it will do little to support aggregate demand

given that loan to deposit ratio has had more significant impact on lending rates."

Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.87 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the first quarter of 2020 (Q1 2020).

The Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report - Q1 2020, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday, however, showed that the performance represented a contraction by 0.68 per cent compared to the 2.55 per cent growth rate recorded in the fourth quarter (Q4) 2019.

Also, the consumer price index, which measures inflation, hit a two-year high in April to stand at 12.34 per cent, according to data released

by NBS last week.

The last time inflation was in this region was in April 2018 when it stood at 12.48 per cent.

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NEWS COVID-19: FG CONSIDERS TWO-SHIFT OPTION FOR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS Nwajiuba disclosed that the church, while every worshipper Policy on Evacuation and explore opportunities for announcement that schools must wear face mask. local solutions to the COVID-19 of Nigerians would be reopening on June 8 did not emanate from the federal government, adding that the government would work with the guidance of experts and the World Health Organisation (WHO) before it reopens the schools.

He said the Federal Ministry of Education would publish post-COVID-19 guidelines for school reopening.

The minister said the government is working on a model to ensure that all the children do not return to their schools at the same time to ensure physical and social distancing as well as proper sanitation and hygiene at every school. “We are going to publish a specification on what we expect COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 reopening to look like. We are not talking about coping with COVID-19 but in spite of COVID-19, we expect that we will adapt. “For a country that has over 115,000 primary schools, you will understand that 35,000 of these who are private must agree to set up the same standard in order to allow children to go in. “We may have classes in the morning and classes in the afternoon so that we will have the whole of the infrastructure divided, provided they can serve us. I am not sure we will have classes at night. But we can do with morning and afternoon for now,� he explained.

He added: “The plan entails adopting a two-shift system and allowing those who will write exams to return earlier than others. Use this period to upgrade skills and think of how to make their teachings impactful. Those running the secondary schools should think of what to do. “We are looking at sanitary conditions of all the schools.

SUBEB should use some of the monies we give them to upgrade sanitary conditions in schools.

We are also looking at having sanitisation booths working with NASENI. It is a forewarning to private and state governments to ensure that these things are put in place before schools can reopen.�

He urged state governments and owners of private schools to plan ahead on how to ensure maximum safety for students when the resumption plan is unveiled.

FG, Religious Leaders Agree on Modalities for Reopening Churches, Mosques In a related development, the federal government and religious leaders have reached agreement on proposals for the reopening of worship centres nationwide under COVID-19.

The Special Assistant to the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Bayo Ayodeji, said the agreement was reached yesterday at a meeting between PTF, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), CAN and the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Abuja.

Ayodeji, who spoke to THISDAY, said the meeting proposed guidelines for the eventual reopening of the churches.

According to him, churches are expected to carry disinfection of their premises, provide alcoholic sanitisers, temperature readers, soap and water in their premises to be supervised by medical professionals in the

He added that part of the understanding is that social distancing should be observed in the sitting arrangement with a one-meter gap between two worshippers being strictly maintained.

Regarding pattern of worship, the proposal states that churches’ several mass services on Sundays should end at 5.30 p.m.

"There should be a gap of 10 minutes between one service and another where there are multiple services to avoid crowd.

Churches can make use of classrooms and multipurpose halls for services where available especially in big churches in order to accommodate more worshippers at a go. Television circuit and speakers can be used for those who are not inside the main auditorium.

"Hand-shaking and hugging should be avoided before, during and after the service.

Children should worship with their parents," the guidelines stipulate.

CAN said it would constitute a joint committee with law enforcement agencies to ensure full compliance.

THISDAY gathered from other sources privy to the meeting that Muslim leaders also submitted their proposals.

According to one of the sources, Muslim leaders want their worship to be held the same hour according to the Qur'anic injunctions but that children would not take part.

PTF and NCDC were said to have promised to prepare recommendations that would cover requirements for all religious groups, which would be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.

If the president approves the proposal, he would announce them in his next national broadcast.

FG to Rely on NAFDAC’s Clinical Trials, Not WHO Despite the temporary suspension of clinical trial on Hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 by WHO, the federal government has insisted it would only make its decision based on recommendations from its agencies researching on the drug.

Speaking yesterday on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY, the Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, said NAFDAC has a responsibility to determine the efficacy of the drug, noting that the government would wait for its own findings.

"It is better for us to do our own check. It is not out of place as a nation to look at our own realities. If a particular drug appears to be promising one way or the other, we should engage and embark on clinical trial in respect of that drug.

"For us in Nigeria and Africa, Chloroquine is not really new to us. For ages, we have been using the drug even though not for the treatment of COVID-19 which is a new disease, but at least, while we were using it for the treatment of malaria, it was well tolerated.

"We have heard of issues of the drug being toxic to patients with heart diseases and the likes, but notwithstanding, it is not out of place to still carry out our own study based on realities of our own situation," he explained.

FG to Unveil New

The federal government has suspended the evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad until it unveils a new policy next week.

Speaking at the PTF briefing, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, said the suspension was to allow take-off of a new policy on evacuation of Nigerians.

He said the evacuation was suspended to give room for new measures that would require citizens returning from overseas to get tested and self-isolate at home rather than in selected hotels.

Onyeama said henceforth evacuated Nigerians would not have to go straight into 14-day government monitored isolation if they test negative from their country of origin.

The minister said the new policy would take effect from next week.

According to him, “There is going to be a change in that protocol and that is going to affect the timing of any further evacuation we are going to undertake. “Anybody that is going to be evacuated will first of all undergo a test from the countries they are leaving from, at least five days before travel and not later than nine days before. “That will be a pre-condition for boarding the flights to Nigeria. And if they are positive, they will not be able to board the flight. “The passengers will then be able to go home and not into prescribed hotels to self-isolate.

Results from those samples will then be ready within a day or two; those who are positive will then be taken in for isolation."

He said with the new policy evacuees would have to be tested at most nine days before their flight take-off.

The new policy, he said, would give the government enough latitude to fly more Nigerians home. “The whole issue of quarantining in hotels will no longer be necessary. This can also mean more people can also come back more frequently, and it will be a lot easier than it has been up to now. “What we have been asked to do is to cease or suspend all evacuations for now until this new structure is put into place. We are very hopeful that maybe by next week, we should be able to commence evacuation,� the minister said.

FG Considers Three Local Herbal Cures In another development, Mamora said only three out of the numerous claims of local remedies for the pandemic have been approved for further analysis.

He disclosed that the three claims have now been forwarded to NAFDAC and Pharmaceutical Institute of Research and Development (NIPRD) for further evaluation.

Speaking at the media briefing by PTF, the minister said the federal government would be strict and meticulous to ensure that all necessary scientific processes were adhered to before certifying any drug for use by Nigerians.

He said Nigeria has been part of the global efforts to find a cure for the disease, adding that the Federal Ministry of Health team recently held a virtual meeting with traditional, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners to discuss

pandemic.

He said the ministry had received a few proposals for local remedies for the disease, out of which three have been forwarded to the relevant agencies for evaluation.

"For a preparation to be approved for use in Nigeria, it must be subjected to safety, toxicological and efficacy tests as well as clinical trials," he said.

Mamora said the meeting with traditional doctors provided an opportunity for the practitioners to understand the procedures for validating medicines for use in the country.

He addeed that 19 traditional and herbal groups that attended the meeting sought the assistance of, and collaboration with the government to facilitate the process of evaluation and eventual production of their herbal regiment.

The minister said one of the major findings during the interface with the traditional medicine practitioners was that they were having issues with the process of getting listed with NAFDAC. According to him, the claimants were also concerned about protecting their intellectual property, and getting government funding to facilitate commercial production of the remedy.

The minister said there was also the challenge of getting volunteers for clinical trials on the herbal remedies when eventually they scale through the evaluation.

He noted that the federal government was concerned about the increasing number of confirmed cases, adding that the very high cases could seriously exceed the capacity of the country’s health system.

"At present, we have a total of 112 treatment and isolation centres in all the 36 states and FCT with 5,324 beds. While only five states including the FCT have at least 300 beds as prescribed for isolation and treatment, 21 states have less than 100-bed spaces," he said.

Mamora also explained that NIMR in collaboration with other institutes in the country was able to generate the genetic sequencing of COVID-19 which showed similarities with the virus traits in Wuhan, China.

While making his presentation at yesterday's briefing, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said there was a new finding on the nature of coronavirus, which indicated that the lifespan of the virus is not beyond 10 or at most 14 days contrary to previous belief. “What has emerged over the last few days was that the detection of fragments of this virus doesn't in itself mean that there is an active virus over time so studies have now shown that the longest viability timeframe for the virus is now 10 days," he said.

FG Not Researching in Vaccine, Says PSN President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr. Sam Ohuabunwa, has said the federal government is not researching on vaccines unlike most countries of the world such as China and Unites States of America that have different companies researching on the vaccine that would cure the dreaded pandemic.

Ohuabunwa, who also spoke yesterday on the Morning Show of ARISE NEWS Channel, said: “The federal government used to have a vaccine plant in

Yaba, Lagos, but since it was shut down, government has not been involved in vaccine research and government has not been involved in the research of COVID-19 vaccine. “About 10 years ago, the federal government called for participation of the private sector to join government in the research of vaccine, in order to revive the Yaba Vaccine Plant.

Some companies bided, May & Baker was selected to form a joint partnership with the federal government for the research of vaccines, but up till now, the Yaba Vaccine Plant is not still functional, even though a lot of investments have gone into it to redesign the plant in line with modern realities and demands,� he explained.

He said for Nigeria to benefit from any country that is currently researching on COVID-19 vaccine, Nigeria must participate in the clinical trial of the vaccine administration.

Ohuabunwa called on the federal government to begin funding of research institutes in Nigeria like National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), among others and give them mandates to research on.

He backed the decision of NAFDAC to continue with the clinical trials of Chloroquine. “Nations have a right to try any product in their territory.

In principle, NAFDAC has the right to continue any clinical trial of any vaccine, if the trial was initiated and sponsored

by NAFDAC, but if the trial was initiated and sponsored by WHO, then NAFDAC and all other global regulatory bodies that are affiliated to WHO, have the obligation to respect the demands of WHO, concerning the clinical trials of the vaccine,� he explained.

Lagos Discharges 87 More Patients, Predicts Decline in Cases by November Lagos State Government has discharged 87 additional patients from its isolation centres, bringing to 825 the total number of successfully treated persons in the state.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu said 47 of the discharged patients were males and 40 females, adding that they are all Nigerians.

He said: "Twenty-six of the patients were discharged from the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, 24 from Onikan Isolation Centre, 12 from Eti-Osa (Landmark), 11 from Agidingbi, nine from Gbagada Isolation Centre and five from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Isolation Centre.

"With this, the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from our isolation facilities is now 825."

The state government also predicted a drastic decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state by November.

It has also concluded arrangements with the 57 flagship Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state to embark on monitoring of patients with asymptomatic, mild and moderate cases of the virus who it hoped to confine to homecare soon.

At a press briefing to commemorate Sanwo-Olu’s one year in office, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said: “It is difficult to predict when the pandemic will end in Nigeria because this depends on a lot of factors. But in the next

four to six months (between September and November), we will see a sharp decline in number of cases in the country and this will signal that we are coming towards defeating the outbreak. “We are watching what is happening across the world and using the pattern of the outbreak in different environments to try and reach some kind of modelling pattern. This will tell us when it will peak, and then when it will finally end.�

He reiterated that by the end of July, Lagos was likely to reach between 90, 000 to 120, 000 cases of COVID-19, adding that these figures do not signify a peak period for the state. “Because of this projection, we are ramping up our testing capacity. We are currently doing 2,000 testing every day, and this represents the highest in the country. “Of the 90,000 projected cases, don’t forget about 95 per cent of the persons will be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Only five per cent will require serious or intensive attention. It is this small percentage we are worried about, and it is the ones we will like to manage in our isolation centres because we hope to give them close medical monitoring,� he stated.

He said for those asymptomatic or with mild to moderate symptoms, the state would confine them in their homes, adding that “we will use the PHC platform to deliver COVID-19 response to this category of cases. We have been revitalising our primary healthcare structure, and we are in the process of cascading management of the disease at primary healthcare levels. We are going to do that through our 57 flagship facilities.�

PDP Faults FG's Method of Handling Pandemic The federal government has come under criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its method of combating the pandemic.

According to the opposition party, there's nothing commendable in the role played by the federal government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) under Buhari in the fight against the pandemic.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke yesterday as a guest on ARISE NEWS Channel and said: “If you ask an ordinary Nigerians to commend this government on the fight against COVID-19, I want to assure you they wouldn’t answer. We are closer to the people; we are not locked up in the villa, we relate with them. “Before the emergence of COVID-19 in Nigeria, we advised the federal government to come up with stringent measures, particularly in the area of our borders and airports, to ensure that we lock up our own country but the federal government under President Buhari has absolute disrespect and arrogance towards the opposition. “So, there is no space for whatever suggestions or solutions we provide even though, sometimes they end up implementing these same solutions we provided.

"We also advised that we cannot assimilate in totality the procedures of the western world that we should have our homegrown methodology of fighting COVID-19 but nobody considered our suggestion."

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THURSDAY MAY 28, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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POLITICS

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

‘Diri Believes in Bayelsa First Before Any Political Party’

Segun James holds a conversation with Moses Oruaze Dickson, philanthropist and lawyer on governance in the first 100 Days of Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri

H

ow will you assess the 100 days in office of Governor Douye Diri?

I must say the achievements of Governor Douye Diri in the last few weeks is a tale of the unexpected among naysayers in Bayelsa state. I recall that after his inauguration, some prophesies came forth that he was not going to stay beyond 40 to 70 days. But here we are today. Power comes from God. As someone with the tailored capacity for the position, Diri has shown leadership since he came on board. He has made governance to be more simplistic. In Bayelsa today, there is resounding joy among the state workforce because of the prompt payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.

The governor has prioritized workers welfare and even the labour unions in the state can attest to that.

Also, driving round the streets of Yenagoa, especially at night, you will see the beautiful solar powered street lights that has added to the aesthetic beauty of most part of the city centre and still expanding. He has prepared the ground for commencement of the Etegwe/Tombia flyover to allow for free flow of traffic in that axis of Yenagoa. He has also concluded plans for the completion of the AIT/Elebele road and other internal roads that will decongest traffic on the two major roads.

However, as the world continues to struggle with the realities of the health emergency, the first 100 days has been a challenge because of the Coronavirus pandemic. It has slowed down most of the plans of the government.

Thankfully, the good people of Bayelsa by the grace of God are standing by their government as we confront the emerging realities that has shaped our lives.

How has the government fared in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the state?

The government has been very proactive. If you recall, it took a while for Bayelsa to have the first case and even before the first case was reported, the government had raised the bar in terms of public awareness and other prompt actions well in anticipation.

Since then the government has instituted some measures in line with the WHO and the Federal Government established protocols.

I am aware the governor recently directed that 10,000 face masks be produced locally and shared to residents of the state. In addition, the borders of the state have been shutdown for weeks now, there is a stay at home policy and so on.

But most importantly is the establishment of the standard isolation centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH).

As we speak, out of the six cases including the index case that was reported have all been discharged from the isolation centre. In terms of sensitization, the government has also not done badly and I think that it is the level of awareness campaign by the government that has made the people to relax and not panic as we have seen elsewhere.

In my own little way, my foundation, the Goldcoast Developmental Foundation, working with donors and volunteers have carried out door-to-door enlightenment and soon we hope to start major support to the frontline workers at the borders who are protecting us all in the rain and sun to screen people and enforce the lockdown order.

We hope that if we can raise enough funds, we will take it a little further to continue to support the government’s effort by reaching out to the needy and vulnerable. We don’t work alone, we partner with other NGOs and kind hearted donors and volunteers who freely give their time and expertise to serve humanity.

Dickson Looking at the legal battles that threw up Governor Diri as the number one citizen in Bayelsa State, will you say that the sobriquet ‘Miracle Governor’ is justified?

How best can one explain the last minute judgement of the Supreme Court just on the eve of the swearing-in other than the fact that God manifested Himself? Most people had completely lost hope. But you see, God is not man. Douye Diri has long been pencilled down by God for the position. The whole delay, trials and so on was to expose a lot of things. For me I believe that God wanted to use those moments to show Diri some hidden things, to open his eyes to a lot of things. It was also a period to test his faith.

He is a man of destiny. His meteoric rise in the politics of Bayelsa and Nigeria can only be attributed to divine orchestration of the Almighty. Like David in the Bible, Gov. Diri is a man after God’s heart and I like the fact that just like his predecessor, he acknowledges God in all that he does. For me, I was confident that he was going to be sworn in. I knew God will vindicate him and everyone who genuinely stood by him.

So in the end it happened and we give God the praises. Indeed he is a Miracle Governor.

You were one of those who worked hard for Governor Diri in the last governorship election. What gave you that level of faith,

even when some persons ditched him?

I am a man of conviction. When I believe in a cause I stay with it. There are things in life that I don’t compromise and one of which is loyalty. When Diri emerged as the PDP candidate after the September 3, 2019 primary election, it was only natural that those of us who want the best for our state give him all the support to win the main election. So, from that moment I made up my mind alongside many of my colleagues both in the legal profession and within corporate Bayelsa to support him and contribute our own little quota to ensure his victory. I didn’t look back and even when the election went the other way, I still saw him as the authentic winner of the poll.

I never for once saw another person taking over that seat. In my dreams, in trance, I saw him sitting comfortably on the chair. So, throughout the legal battle, I was calm. In fact, I kept telling some of my friends, staff and associates that it is not over, even after the Appeal Court delivered its judgement in favour of the other person. As a lawyer, I also looked at the case and came to a conclusion that there was no way if it is viewed on its merit that he will not be sworn in. And I believed in the impartiality of the apex court.

But above all, I knew God was at play.

Looking back at the role you played before the election, would you say it had

Douye Diri has long been pencilled down by God for the position. The whole delay, trials and so on was to expose a lot of things. For me I believe that God wanted to use those moments to show Diri some hidden things, to open his eyes to a lot of things. It was also a period to test his faith. He is a man of destiny. His meteoric rise in the politics of Bayelsa and Nigeria can only be attributed to divine orchestration of the Almighty. Like David in the Bible, Gov. Diri is a man after God’s heart and I like the fact that just like his predecessor, he acknowledges God in all that he does

an impressive impact on Diri’s victory?

Well, no one person makes a leader. It’s the people that select their leader and whatever I did was only a contribution just like others.

Nonetheless, every contribution was important and I remember Governor Diri and his Deputy went round the state to sell their manifesto which the people liked and became interested in them. But to answer your question, yes it helped. I say yes because an independent poll was conducted online which affirmed the positive impact on his candidature.

Prior to the election, there was a strong need to make him have more media presence and for him to connect more with the people, particularly the youth populace in the state and beyond using the social media.

When we spoke to him about it, he liked the idea and gave us the support. So, I assembled a crack team of young professionals within and outside the state. Very smart people to build his online media profile and enhance his personality.

It didn’t take too long before we changed the narrative. We got testimonies from people of how they have changed their perception about him. People saw him more often and were able to judge by themsleves his lovely disposition and beautiful mien.

I recall during that period, how people will stop in their cars and inside tricycle to wave at him during his morning jogging excercise and in one of those days he was joined by popular comedian, I GO DYE, who was in the state for an event. When we pushed all of those contents out and people saw it, the reaction was always positive.

During his inaugural speech, Diri extended the olive branch to members of the opposition and those in the PDP who were dissatisfied with the process of his emergence. Has any action of the governor so far reflected that pronouncement?

Yes it has. You see Diri is a man of peace and someone who loves to carry people along.

His own brand of politics from what I know about him is not to promote animosity or violence. As an experienced politician he knows that in the game of politics, numbers... numerical strength is important. The governor understands what it takes to manage people.

For him, this is not the time for politics. It is time for development. And there is need to bring people together to take Bayelsa to a greater height.

So, I think he has started the process long ago. Recently I read that he re-echoed it during the inauguration of the new State Working Committee of the PDP. He charged them to reconcile all aggrieved persons. Don’t forget that two crucial elections are coming soon, the Bayelsa West and Central Senatorial elections and the PDP needs everyone to ensure victory for the party.

Recently too some close associates of the governor have been going round, meeting with some opposition figures. Gov. Diri believes that it is Bayelsa first before any political party.

He is interested in the growth of the state and if people with the right experience and ideas are available why not work with them?

To underscore this point, there is currently an ongoing collaborative effort between Agip oil company and its partners as well as the state and federal government to build a world class hospital somewhere around Igbogene.

The foundation laying ceremony of that project was done recently by the governor with the support of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva who is also a son of the soil. All of these are indications of the kind of politics Gov. Diri plays and advocates.

Developmental politics.

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

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POLITICS

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DISSENTING VOICE...IN HIS OWN WORDS

Why Ndigbo Must Come Together Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, Founder, Igbo Youth

Nseobong Okon-Ekong holds a conversation Movement, reminds people of the South-east of with Samson Itodo, Executive Director of the the importance of unity in the face of an alleged leading good governance group, Yiaga Africa on unfriendly central government the response of federal lawmakers to COVID-19

Lawan

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ow far have you gone as the chairman of Governor Obaseki ‘s faction of the APC saddled with the responsibility of mobilizing and reconciling members ?

What’s your assessment of the National Assembly’s response to COVID-19 The National Assembly is taking proactive legislative actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these actions are yielding limited or no results. This assessment is contained in a report on Assessing Legislative Response to COVID-19 in Nigeria released by the Yiaga Africa Centre for Legislative Engagement. We are assessing the National Assembly response against four core principles; Responsiveness, Accountability, Transparency, and Inclusiveness.

On Responsiveness, the National Assembly is rated high for several proactive steps it took to respond to governance challenges and citizens’ needs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. As noted earlier, the January 30 motion on the COVID-19, passage of the ‘Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill’, and the engagement of the NASS leadership with the Executive on fiscal policy and social welfare culminate into proactive legislative actions. It is noteworthy that the Economic Stimulus Bill is an initiative of the House of Representatives sponsored without prompting from the Executive. The engagement with Executive on Social Investment Programme (SIP) and the call by the National Assembly for a review of the framework and criteria for the distribution of palliatives during the pandemic was a direct response to public outcry and constituents’ needs.

The intervention has equally thrown up the need for a legislative framework for social security in Nigeria.

Although some of these actions are commendable, it has, however, yielded limited or no results. For instance, the Economic Stimulus Bill passed by the House of Representatives is yet to be considered by the Senate when it ought to have passed it before proceeding on recess on March 24, 2020. There is still a lack of transparency in the management of COVID-19 donations and distribution of palliatives by the Federal government. The decision to shut down the legislature for over a month undermines checks and balances and weakens the oversight required in the fight against the pandemic. Legislators across the globe, and indeed, countries’ worst hit than Nigeria, have continued with the regular legislative business, albeit, with precautionary measures and practices in

compliance with WHO protocols.

On Accountability, The NASS leadership undertook some actions geared towards holding the Executive to account, however it recorded minimal success in ensuring proper scrutiny of the funds expended on COVID-19 or monitored compliance with its resolutions concerning the fair and equitable distribution of palliatives to the vulnerable poor. This can be attributed to the closure of the National Assembly and the inability of its committees to function. Executive actions are taken without legislative scrutiny and approval. For instance, President Buhari approved the withdrawal of $150m from the Sovereign Wealth Fund for distribution to states and local governments without appropriation. Additionally, the response by the National Assembly is yet to address the legal uncertainties trailing the innovation of the Quarantine Act and imposition of lockdown by the President. Furthermore, the reported cases of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses by security agencies require legislative action. Civil society should be commended for its continuous oversight and demand for accountability in the absence of legislative oversight.

On Transparency, the NASS leadership maintained a considerable level of openness in all its engagements and meetings on COVID-19 pandemic through regular updates on its online and offline media channels. However, those meetings were closed to civil society groups and other critical stakeholders. A review of the communication and public engagement of the NASS during this period shows that both chambers utilized their Twitter and Facebook pages to provide information on major interventions undertaken by the National Assembly on COVID-19. What remains unclear is the extent legislators kept their constituents abreast of actions taken by the National Assembly on the pandemic. Also, the National Assembly lost the opportunity to dispel the misinformation and misconception on the salary of legislators when it announced its salary donation to the fight against COVID-19. It could have gone further to clearly state the exact amount of its contribution in the spirit of transparency. Despite the controversy surrounding the foreign trip undertaken by the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), the Senate has yet to provide detailed information on the journey to clarify or set the record straight.

Lastly on Inclusiveness, the National Assembly adopted an inclusive approach in responding to the pandemic. This is in relationship to the issues addressed under its response, e.g. economy, health, housing, social security, infrastructure, etc. However, it performed poorly in its engagement with critical stakeholders like constituents, civil society organizations, and faith-based organizations playing essential roles in the fight against COVID-19. Consultations with these stakeholders will enhance the quality of legislative response to COVID-19.

While the NASS used its online platforms to showcase activities undertaken mainly by the Senate President and Speaker of the House, the platforms were hardly utilized to sensitize or educate citizens on preventive measures against Coronavirus. NASS Nigeria twitter handle made an effort to retweet several updates and precautionary measures by WHO, NCDC, Minister of health, amongst others.

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

Umahi

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ime has come for all Igbos to mobilise and give our governors all the necessary support they need to move Alaigbo forward.

Given the obtuse political arrangement in Nigeria today, the deliberate isolation and oppression of our region, common sense demands we stick together with our elected leaders, especially as they carefully manoeuvre the intricate web of intrigue and marginalisation meted out against our people by the central government.

Finding ourselves in the uncomfortable position we are facing today, with an unfriendly central government boastfully applying the strange and distasteful 97%/5% formula that jolted and discombobulated the land, especially through discriminatory appointments and lopsided infrastructural development of the regions, we need, as a people to come together as one and face the future united. Disrespecting our governors will not solve any of our problems. Spectators do not see all the challenges facing the actual players in the pitch. We know that our governors are facing tremendous challenges.

The uncommon times we are in, the unpredictable economic future facing us all, as a result of the lockdown, the incursion into our homestead by belligerent and bellicose herdsmen, the uncertain future of our singular-source wealth( petroleum ), the crippling unitary structure and regional, ethnic and religious realities of our time, makes it all too necessary, that we wake up to the fact, that we need a robust political leadership. The urgency and necessity of this fact, is so obvious today.

When you add this to the uncomfortable fact that we are constantly mocked as lacking effective leadership, it becomes absolutely necessary that we as a people must sit up and influence, guide and inspire our governors, lest a worse situation envelopes us all.

Name calling, disrespecting and distancing from our elected leaders, hasn’t helped our cause as a people. It is time for Ndigbo to ask our governors :what’s going on?

Are there unseen difficulties, challenges, problems or pressures holding you guys down? We must face reality. Alaigbo is at the bottom.

We are talented and gifted people. We are not getting it right. How come?

Our eggheads, clerics, traditional rulers, opinion leaders, professionals, activists, even agitators, must confront our governors and enquire about our future as a people. We must begin by standing by them as they shape the security outfit that would protect and defend our land in this trying time.

All Ndigbo are proud of the decision of our governors to get “all the South-east states Houses of Assembly to commence the process of enacting of state security laws in line with the South East Joint Security Programme.” Quoting directly from the communique of the South East Governors forum, two days ago.

With every sense of responsibility and as their avid critic over time, it has become necessary to commend our governors on this and also assure them that they have the total support of the masses this time.

Our people are very proud of our governors’ stand on the security issue and hope that no protocols will delay implementation of this very development that has made them popular overnight. Doubting Thomases should be put to shame this time.

It is up to the governors to sustain the template of sustaining the confidence of the masses, as aroused by their popular decision to calm the fears of our already helpless people, by showing commendable leadership by their beautiful communique two days ago. Our role remains to give them all the necessary support they would need to succeed.

We are hopeful of better days ahead.

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COMMENT

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

MADAGASCAR, AFRICA AND THOMAS KUHN Okello Oculi urges Africa to buy into Covid Organics

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n April, 2020, the charismatic leader of Madagascar, Andry Rajaolina, shocked the global pharmaceutical and frightened victims of COVID-19 virus with a boastful announcement that ‘’Malagasy Institute of Applied Research’’ had created ‘’COVID ORGANICS’’ from Artensia, an anti-malaria plant as a cure for COVID-19 Virus.

Political leaders of Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and several other African countries immediately rallied behind Madagascar, with South Africa offering to provide scientific tests to back up Rajaolina’s pride. The leaders of Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Association responded with dismissal of a claimed achievement by a tiny island country. Their reaction recalled shock following Madagascar’s two goals to zero defeat of Nigeria at the African continental football tournament in Egypt.

What is unknown to most people is that Madagascar is endowed with flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world. Plunder and piracy has depleted her resources but not diminished their rare attributes. What is also not recalled was the big pharameutical companies behind the World Health Organisation (WHO) would not allow the organisation to acknowledge the curative authenticity of an anti-malaria herbal medicine discovered by a Chinese doctor until China became the second economic power after USA. Rajaolina was enraged by WHO’s denigration of his country’s medicinal achievement, openly accusing them of dismissing their genius because it was by an African country.

There is credibility in that proposition. A Norwegian visitor claimed that Norwegians often suffer from inferiority complex having been colonized by Denmark. They too wish to see some people as lower in status to themselves and resent people like Robert Mugabe humiliating European immigrants in Africa with arrogance and superior brilliance.

Thomas Kuhn argued in his 1962 book titled: ‘’The Structure of Scientific Revolutions’’ that history, philosophy and enthusiasm have effects on the advancement of scientific knowledge. The core insights of a dominant ‘’paradigm’’ may be rudely disrupted by discordant concepts. The proponent of the new ‘’revolution’’ often meets very hostile reactions, including getting killed. If the dominant ‘’paradigm’’ is sold as textbooks, its overthrow may mean losses of millions of dollars and prestige by the old intellectual champion.

The book became a bestseller, with the 4th edition of its publication coming out in 2012. As graduate students, we hailed its demolition of the arrogance by scientists that they only work with ‘’data’’; free from sentiments. Kuhn

MADAGASCAR HAS PROVOKED BRITISH AND CHINESE RESEARCHERS WORKING AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY TO HURRIEDLY ANNOUNCE THAT THEY ARE TESTING ANTI-MALARIA ‘CHLOROQUINE AND HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE’ FOR PREVENTING OR CURING COVID-19

as a philosopher writing on the history and sociology of scientific research had revealed that ‘’inconvenient’’ insights and challenges to ‘’data’’ are too often suppressed, distorted or declared to be heresy. Mr. Coker, a graduate student from Lagos, was once told that there was no such thing as ‘’imperialism and neo-colonialism’’ – as propagated

by Kwame Nkrumah. There was only United States of America’s ‘’national interests’’.

In the current drama around COVID-19, alternative media has shown two medical doctors in California asserting that propaganda has been used to justify the bizarre notion that Persons Who Are Healthy must be held in quarantine; while detaining people inside their homes depletes their immunity from numerous bacteria which are ever present in our environments. Dr Judith Mikovitz was falsely imprisoned for five years by corrupt scientists notably Robert Galo and Tony Fauchi and other government officials because she isolated a way if injecting HIV/AIDS virus into human cells and create a vaccine. The false claim by Galo and Fauchi earned them hundred of millions of dollars; and resulted in deaths of millions of a generation of educated Africans. In her view the current COVID-19 was manipulated by scientists in a military laboratory in North Carolina working with scientists at an institute in Wuhan in China. It takes 800 years for an organism to cross over from an animal into human cells‌ Thomas Kuhn would have seen claims by herbalists as rude challenges to laboratory scientists. The multinational drug companies would rise to crush its experts‌ In Kenya, the media reported the ‘’mysterious death’’ of a herbalist whose herbal medicine was said to cured HIV/AIDS. The police never announced results of their investigation.

The practice of pharmaceutical companies bribing doctors to prescribe their drugs is widespread in American health care. Such bribes include family trips - with all expenses paid - to holiday resorts in the Caribbean; or Switzerland’s ski resorts, or Africa’s game reserves. Reports in the Alternative Media that drug companies in which Bill Gates has major shares are interested in earning monopoly for a vaccine for COVID-19 should not be dismissed with intellectual laziness.

Madagascar has provoked British and Chinese researchers working at Oxford University to hurriedly announce that they are testing anti-malaria ‘’Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine’’ for preventing or curing COVID-19. African leaders should collectively manufacture ‘’Covid Organis’’ from Madagascar’s anti-malaria plant called ‘’Artensia’ to benefit from Nigeria’s vast market, South Africa’s industrial capacity, and markets in Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt.

HIS EXCELLENCY, GOVERNOR BEN AYADE Ă’Ă? ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă Ă?Ăœ ÞËÞĂ? ÑÙà Ă?ĂœĂ˜Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă‘Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Olusegun Adeniyi t $POUJOVFE GSPN CBDLQBHF

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f there is any lesson Nigerians have learnt during the past weeks, it is how powerful governors are. They are not only erecting borders on federal roads, they are also closing air space and waterways that are within the exclusive legislative list. Some are also signing executive orders that grant them extra-constitutional powers with which they trample on the rights and liberties of residents of their states. In Cross River, the governor is more ‘magnanimous’. if you are caught not wearing a face mask, you will be arrested on the spot, pay a fine of N300,000 and be quarantined for 14 days.

The governor has a reason for insisting on face masks. Social distancing, by his expertise, is useless. “Social distancing presupposes that things are so equal, that you stay in an isolated room. It is completely wrong because in natural circumstances, in our own cultural habit, people are used to interacting, we are not electric poles, we are not trees, we are interacting by nature,� Ayade said in a video released by his media people, where he added: “Social distancing gives a false impression of security because I know that if you and I stand together and I sneeze, that two metres distance, the factors that govern the transmissivity are things that are beyond your own control. Variables like humidity, wind speed, wind direction, how do you control those factors?�

No one should query the authority of the

governor on this. “I am a professor of science and I know how this virus moves; I know its etiology, I know its transmissibility, I know its antigenicity. I know that once you put on these masks, you already have been protected.

You don’t need social distancing when you are properly protected because your mucal glands that secrets the mucus and the musins already form a network of coats to attack the virus.�

With effect from last Sunday, all places of worship in Cross River State have been declared open by Ayade who has joined the conspiracy theorists on the COVID-19 pandemic: “Out there in the Western world, a businessman is fanning all of this, making sure they sell reagents. Indeed, my friend out of Switzerland, a Chinese, says he has made so much money importing reagents out of the Philippines and shipping to the world.

So it has turned into a full-scale business. I can tell you this testing for Coronavirus has gone Ecopolitical. In the US for example, it is about the November elections and for some businessmen, it is about more reagents, more money. But for me, it is science, it is reality, and because a wrong mentality will give you a wrong reality, I will hold the right mentality.�

So poetic! But the governor has also made an important point. “Globally, hunger and hunger-related diseases like kwashiorkor and tuberculosis kill about 8.4million people every year and so there will be more pandemic when it comes to hunger. There must be a holy matrimony between protection of lives and protection of livelihoods. Some of our brothers and sisters depend on daily work. If

you carry blocks for a living, the day you are stopped from going to work, there will be no money to feed the children,� he stated.

The foregoing focus on Cross River State is important as we approach the 21st anniversary of our current democratic experiment–the longest in the history of our country–with salient questions about how we have fared as a nation. Instructively, in the weeks preceding the 2015 general election, I did a five-part series titled, ‘A Time to Choose’ devoted solely to gubernatorial elections where I argued that “who the people elect as their governors will matter�. I then borrowed extensively from the June 2014 Babcock University convocation address by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, where the then Coordinating Minister for the Economy asked: “Do the (36) states have the resources to deliver services? And why do some states happen to do more and better than others? How can we hold our states and local governments more to account, just as we hold the federal government to account?�

In her paper, Okonjo-Iweala presented a breakdown of what ten states earned in 2013 and made a comparative analysis with West African countries: “Many Nigerian states receive revenue allocations which are larger than the budgets of neighbouring countries such as: Liberia ($433 million), or Gambia ($210 million) or Benin Republic ($1.47 billion). The top two recipients of state allocations–Akwa Ibom and Rivers–receive $3.1 billion, which is about half of the entire budget of Ghana (about $6.4 billion). On a per capita basis (i.e. revenues/population),

the top three recipients of FAAC allocations are: Bayelsa (N84,500 or $545), Akwa Ibom (N55,600 or $360) and Delta States (N42,000 or $270). On this per capita basis, many Nigerian states receive more than neighbouring countries such as: Ghana ($255), Benin Republic ($146), Liberia ($103), and Gambia ($117).�

Before the election that brought Ayade and others to power in 2015, I wrote on the necessity of demanding accountability not only from the federal government but also the states and reiterated same last year. If we are to develop as a nation, our focus can not only be on Abuja. In Cross River, for instance, we need to know how Ayade has used ‘intellectual money’ to build ‘super highways’ and yet five years in office, he is now shedding tears and outsourcing his responsibility to God. We also need to know how the governor’s knowledge of etiology, transmissibility and antigenicity of virus has helped to ensure that not a single person in Cross River State has been infected by COVID-19.

As early in the day as it may seem, Ayade is already my governor of the year 2020. Only Yahaya Bello, another smart governor who has been using ‘contact-tracing apps’ to ward off coronavirus from Kogi State comes a close second. But it all reminds me of the favourite Yoruba adage of my late mother, God bless her soul: You don’t argue with a farmer who plants 100 yam seeds yet claims to have planted a thousand. In the fullness of time, he will harvest not only his 100 tubers of yam but also the 900 tubers of lies!

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

EDITORIAL A CURIOUS HOME FEEDING PROGRAMME The feeding programme is ill-advised

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ublic disapproval has greeted the announcement by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq that the federal government would be feeding school children in their homes amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The ministry said it was doing so because of its commitment to alleviating the hardship vulnerable school children were facing at home following the Covid-19 lockdown. Many stakeholders, including the main opposition, see this scheme as yet another duplicitous scam to loot scarce resources. There is nothing to suggest they are wrong.

Under a modified arrangement, according to its promoters, children in public schools from primary one to three and drawn from 3,131,971 households, will each receive uncooked food rations, valued at N4,200, comprising some quantity of rice, beans, eggs, palm oil, tomato paste, salt and vegetable oil. But many stakeholders, including the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) IT IS CURIOUS THAT THE have knocked this FEDERAL GOVERNMENT controversial scheme IS SPENDING A WHOPPING which is perceived SUM OF N13.5 BILLION ON as a smokescreen to AN ELABORATE FEEDING deceive Nigerians.

While we have nothPROGRAMME AT A TIME ing against poverty SCHOOLS ARE SHUT alleviation ideas, we NATIONWIDE insist on accountability and demand that the coronavirus crisis should not be used as a conduit for mismanagement of lean resources.

Although the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has justified the distribution of Take Home Rations (THR) to the households as way to enable the children access nutrients disrupted by the spread of the virus, it is clear that the programme is another version of the Conditional Cash Transfer where government is already distributing N5,000 per month to over three million vulnerable households on

the national social register. But it is curious that the federal government is spending a whopping sum of N13.5 billion on an elaborate feeding programme at a time schools are shut nationwide. The THR, which the ministry has defended as the Covid-19 version of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, is needless at a time when there are contending priorities that are also seeking urgent national intervention.

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

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

e appeal to our policymakers to avoid doing the same thing under different guise in the name of palliative schemes that do not in any way advance the cause of the people.

The home feeding programme is ill-advised, lacks a clear objective and is not transparent. We therefore agree with those who contend that it is an avenue to milk the country of its lean resources. There is indeed logic in the argument put forward by critics that as the whole country is in a lockdown mode, it is normal that the children, who have been at home for the past eight weeks should continue to be under the care of their parents and guardians. Besides, it will cost the federal government about N697 million daily to sustain this school feeding programme.

Our submission, therefore, is that the substantial money earmarked for the programme should be committed into other pressing and measurable Covid-19 response activities like the provision of isolation centres, scaling up of screening centres, provision of reagents and drugs for Covid-19 patients, among other needs. Given that the management of the palliatives has shown quite clearly that the ministry has no capacity for such venture, we will not be surprised if it all ends in another scandal.

From the selective appointment of vendors without due process to lopsided and discretionary distribution of money and food items during the lockdown, most Nigerians have no confidence that anything will be different with this controversial scheme. Indeed, considering the outcry that attended the sharing of related palliatives meant for communities, which only benefited middlemen and influential stakeholders at the expense of the vulnerable people, we do not believe this idea is in public interest. It should be shelved.

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Letters to the Editor

How Not To Police A Pandemic

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s soon as the COVID-19 pandemic was announced and its widespread implications made public, everyone including governments around the world went into a panic mode. Fear! The media went berserk with many conspiracy theories and junk news hitting the airwaves.

Soon, it was a dose of news of deaths from Wuhan, China. Next it was to Italy, and America cases were rising daily, then index case in Nigeria, and before you say ‘Corona’ the entire world had been overwhelmed by the virus.

Back home in Nigeria, the rush was on slowly, but soon hit the peak and the ‘small’ panic soon turned to another ‘big’ power game of a sort, providing opportunities for officials of government and politicians to demonstrate their competence or lack of it. Mind you, in a short time it was no longer about public health concern of COVID-19, but more about the demonstration of character and competence that soon transformed into overzealousness and brutality.

Gradually, we all forgot that we are all equal victims. Those in government soon saw themselves as more morally anointed to teach, and most times flog, everyone else into compliance.

It must be a total lockdown! Suddenly, the army shooting was announced in Warri. Some residents were said to have revolted against the alleged killing and an army official was allegedly beaten. Then, a video went viral on social media in which some supposed uniformed officers threatened to unleash their anger on residents of Warri. They promised all manner and forms of vengeance, all because of Coronavirus! Not only that,

in Anambra State, a man left his home in his car to get money from the Automated Teller Machine, where he was accosted by some police officers and had his life threatened and his car tyre shot. Another resident of Abuja was seen in a video chased and bullied by officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

This health crisis, once more, has exposed our penchant for abuse of power, state brigandage, and rascality by those in power. How do we explain this? That a state government would embark on the demolition of properties in the name of COVID-19? How do we explain that a state governor would advocate for the flogging of citizens and journalists because of COVID-19? How do we explain the brutalities and extortion by officers of the law in the name of ‘Task Force Agent on COVID-19”? There is something fundamentally wrong in our value system.

The bribery on our highways. While the interstate lockdown was still in force, several reports showed that agents of the state had embarked on tips collection to allow travellers access to other states under lockdown. This is another demonstration of a lack of faith in the battle to combat the pandemic.

Several cases of victimization and stigmatization were reported in some states. Chief amongst which is that of a lady who arrived from the United Kingdom and was quarantined for almost 40 days without having to properly brief her on her status and reasons why she was still being held after series of tests. It was evident that governments (state and federal) did not have a proper communication mechanism to ensure that those infected or suspected to have been infected would not feel

stigmatized or victimized on account of the disease. Confidence building through effective communication remains a fundamental element of health risk management. Anything otherwise will breed suspicion, doubt, and resistance from the public.

On palliatives, whereas the governments at both the state and federal levels have pretended to be giving out palliatives in form of food items, the majority of the households were left unattended to and those who received items lamented the very poor nature of the palliatives. This goes to show that governments across the country are not prepared enough for any form of crisis or a major national emergency.

While the COVID-19 pandemic still ravages the world with its aggravated impact felt in Nigeria, it is an opportunity to identify the loopholes in our national security, crisis response, and welfare systems to mitigate these, so far, bad experiences.

There is a need to develop a national response strategy to crises, whether global or local, in such a manner that the nation will not be deeply exposed as in this case; poor human rights record and poor welfare systems.

In policing the pandemic, Nigeria has fallen deeper into state repression, tyranny, and human rights violations with claims of massive corruption attending the distribution of palliatives and cash transfers to the vulnerable. It is hoped that the right lessons should have been learned by relevant governments and agencies to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of these kinds of negative events. Nigerians need care, not false palliatives, brutalization, and or stigmatizing.

Victor Ikem, Lagos

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THURSDAY MAY 28, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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FEATURES

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

Governor Umahi Boosts Lives of Ebonyi Indigenes in Lagos Stories by Chinecherem Ojiako As many Nigerians grapple with the hardship precipitated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi has come to the rescue of his subjects in Lagos State by donating 13,000 bags of 5kg rice and N13million to cushion the effects of the lockdown.

Beneficiaries of the palliatives are indigenes of the 13 local government areas that make up the Development Association of Ebonyi State in Lagos. This means, each local government area is entitled to 1000 bags and N1million.

In a press statement issued by the President of the Development Association of Ebonyi, Mayor (Dr) Felix Amah Nnachi at the weekend, the palliatives which were facilitated by the "father" of Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos cum President of Ndigbo, Lagos; Major-General Abel Obi Umahi (rtd); the Executive Assistant to the Governor and Liaison Officer, Ebonyi State in Lagos; Mrs. Ogechi Anaso Kalu and himself were in line with the governor’s historic humanitarian gestures.

According to Nnachi, the governor, who has always factored the interests of Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos into his governance agenda, was the first governor among other state governors to practically donate some palliatives to the state indigenes residing in Lagos since the dawn of the COVID-19 lockdown and its attendant hardship.

Describing the governor as a leader with the fear of God and love for his people, Nnachi recalled that last year, Governor Umahi gave empowerment assistance to the tune of N250million to Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos. " This is despite the fact that the governor is in his last term in office and not seeking a re-election that would necessitate any such assistance as may be the case elsewhere�.

The governor; a time tested engineer who holds Fellowship of the Nigerian Society of Engineers

Dr Felix Amah Nnachi, President Development Association of Ebonyi State in Lagos (middle); Mrs Ogechi Anaso Kalu, Executive Assistant to the Governor/Liaison OfďŹ cer, Ebonyi Liaison OďŹƒce in Lagos (left); Chief Ezeaku Sunday, Technical Assistant to the Governor (right); Mrs. Ngozi Egbo, President Ebonyi Women in Lagos and Comrade Engr Emmanuel Chukwu - Chairman BoT Development Association of Ebonyi State, Lagos sharing the palliative donated to Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos

(FNSE) and FNATE, has also been in the forefront of hosting the annual Ebonyi Cultural Day in Lagos in recent years. "His recent donation to us was therefore not a surprise but we are ooverwhelmly joyful", Nnachi stated.

As the leader of Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos, Dr.

Nnachi attributed much of Umahi’s show of love to them to his innate character in the uplifting of his people both at home and in the diaspora.

According to him "the executive committee of the Development Association of Ebonyi under my leadership had promised to show transparency

in our administration and protect the interest of Ebonyi indigenes in all walks of life in Lagos."

He applauded the support of the governor to the association and all Ebonyi indigenes in Lagos even as he urged them to continue supporting the governor in executing his administration's agenda.

Poultry Association of Nigeria Donates Palliatives to LASG The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State chapter recently donated palliatives to the Lagos State government as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

At the handing over of the poultry products which took place at 21st Century Warehouse, off Oba Akran, the President of Feed Industry Practitioners of Nigeria (FIPAN), Dr Folarin Afelumo, expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the good job so far in curbing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

On the donation he said: “We made available 60,000 pieces of eggs which translates to 2,000 crates for the state victims of the pandemic and vulnerable families because we know that egg is one of the recipe recommended to stimulate immunity against the disease as we so not have any treatment yet. “ It is a natural food created by God and it contains essential vitamins, minerals and very good quality protein, so we believe that as we hand it over to our state governor he will be able to distribute it to the one they are already giving. “ I want to thank the state as I read that the home feeding program is starting with 37,000 plus families and each of those families will be given half crate of eggs. “We are in the era of Agricultural revolution and poltury wants to occupy its rightful place.

Our contribution to the GDP will further increase as we are planning to move into egg powder and egg liquid processing so that we don't just boil egg and fry it but we can also present it in various forms. “The farmers were overwhelmed when they heard of the contribution towards this project as we exceeded the planned number of crates because the farmers were excited to contribute.“ Noting that FIPAN is an umbrella organisation for all the field value chain in Nigeria, he added that they are also a member of the International Field Federation (IFIF)and are also in collaboration with PAN and Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) in Abuja. Mr Godwin Egbebe, Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Lagos Chapter, said they were initially looking at 1400 crates but it exceeded because the farmers donated with joy as this product is one of the

The PAN, NIAS and FIPAN during the donation to LASG

recipes used for those that are down with this COVID-19. He said: “We donated these eggs to the government to also assist them in feeding the patients and also the frontline workers as it is very important because they are also at risk in getting the disease. “During this period, farmers put in much effort despite the risk to ensure that we have these products, both chickens and eggs, to the 27 centers that lagos state goveenment created so I want to thank the farmers for their resilience.�

Despite the resilience, he lamented that they have been having some challenges with law enforcement agencies, who sometimes impound their vehicles or even prevent them from moving.

He said: “We have been having challenges with the law enforcement agency as it concerns moving the products to others states. Most times you tell them that you are part of the essential workers but they still will not allow us pass. “We had a case of about 22 vehicles loaded with day old chicks going to the east from Ibadan, but law enforcement agencies locked them down and they lost about 300,000 birds despite explaining to them.�Debunking claims that the price of eggs have gone up, he said the opposite was the case.

He said: Instead of the price of eggs going up, it is coming down because people are not buying because they cannot come out to buy. “The farmers are now having glut, some even bury their eggs so we are reducing the price instead of taking it up despite that all other materials of producing the eggs are going up, we still cannot increase the price, so that is one of the challenges we are facing.�

Chief Simeon Ohwofa, Vice President Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) said: �When this pandemic came, it became very obvious that NIAS needed to play a fundamental role and having understood that, they got in touch with PAN and FIPAN. So we congratulate PAN and FIPAN. “We recommend that anybody donating palliatives should make sure to give an egg to complement the carbohydrate or anyother form of nutrition. “The school feeding program that is ongoing is a laudable program and we believe that eggs should be part of it so as to help improve brain activities for the children. “There is a misconception in Nigeria about eggs, people used to think that eggs contain lots of harmful cholesterol but that has been disproved.

Eggs does not have bad cholesterol.�

Also speaking, Prince (Dr.) Olabode Adetoyi, National Vice President PAN said: “Our expectation is to bring into the consciousness of people that they must eat an egg a day to boost immunity.�

In his response, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Lagos State, expressed appreciation over the donation.

He said: “We are proud of PAN, NIAS and FIPAN. Meanwhile, I want to say that egg is very key to the norishment of children, that is how they can grow well and become good students. “The school feeding program being implemented by both the federal government and the Lagos State government is focused on the nutrition of our children because without nutrition we cannot have bright students. “The eggs here will also contribute to the wellness of those who are sick as a result of the pandemic.

Eggs have active amino acids and can therefore build immunity. “So this is a welcome development and we will ensure that all the necessary people will be given this very Important food. “We cannot talk of nutrition without talking of protein, lipids, carbohydrates because they have to be in good combination.“

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THURSDAY MAY 28, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S

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Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

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Quick Takes Firm Uses ICT to Boost Agriculture

CSR IN ACTION

L-R: Executive Secretary, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Ajibola Olude; President, Mr. Olusola Teniola, and Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State, Dr. Frederic Abimbola Oladeinde, during the presentation of medical equipment to the state, by ATCON in Lagos...recently

Group Backs Oronsaye’s Report, Calls for Reappraisal of CPN Act Emma Okonji The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has thrown its weight behind the move by the federal government to implement the Stephen Oronsaye committee report on the restructuring and rationalisation in public service, which called for the merging and scrapping of some government parastatals and commission, whose roles are similar and same.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently gave a nod for the implementation of the recommendations of the report.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the federal government wants to conclude the process for implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye committee report by October, THISDAY had reported.

To this end, the NCS pointed out that while it supports the merging and scrapping of

TELECOM government parastatals and commission whose roles are similar, the federal government must strengthen those parastatals that have key roles to play.

Identifying the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), the body responsible for the regulation of all computing and computational processes in the country, as one of those parastatals with key roles, NCS urged the federal government to strengthen the CPN Act to enable it fight quackery in the computing profession.

NCS President, Prof. Adesina Sodiya, who made the call in Lagos recently, called for the review and reappraisal of the CPN Act, in line with today’s digital transformation era.

According to Sodiya, “the NCS calls for a thorough reappraisal of the existing economic template of Nigeria, with a view to having sound fiscal public management during a period of global economic downturns, cannot be faulted.

“It is worrisome that after 60 years of oil boom, Nigeria still has over 80 million out of its estimated 200 million population tagged as poor and living below the United Nations poverty threshold.

“As a way of out of the quagmire of over-bloated bureaucracy and excessive spending on recurrent expenditure, President Muhammadu Buhari, has nodded in agreement that the rationalisation and restructuring of the federal government report popularly referred to as ‘Oronsaye Report’, should be implemented to cut government

spending.

“This portends that about 220 parastatals, commissions, agencies and bodies of the federal government will either be merged or scrapped; such that a chunk of national resources from these Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) is channeled into running a government that is lean and concise.”

According to him, “As cogent and timely this intervention is, there is need to reflect on certain parastatals, commissions and agencies before they are stripped of their legislative powers.

“One of such bodies that the federal government must be careful with is the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).”

Sodiya said the reappraisal of CPN became necessary with a Continued on page 20

COVID-19: FG to Partner PR Practitioners on Communication Strategy Raheem Akingbolu The Federal Government’s Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has expressed its readiness to partner with Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), the umbrella body responsible for the professional practice of public relations in Nigeria with a view to develop a robust communication strategy to effectively; inform, educate, enlighten and engage with Nigerians on the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was made known recently by the Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) and the Chairman of the Presidential

PR Task Force, Mr. Boss Mustapha.

“I am happy to inform you that our risk communication strategy has been enhanced

by PRCAN. The professional body has offered the services of its members pro bono to the PTF, in order to strategically and effectively communicate with more Nigerians on this pandemic. The PTF appreciates this offer and look forward to consolidating the relationship,” he said.

Mustapha thanked the association for offering to provide their quality service pro bono to the government, assuring them that government

would be looking forward to consolidating the relationship going forward.

Mustapha stated that the PTF would leverage on existing community structures and assets available from the top to the ward level to push through a massive public awareness campaign aimed at ensuring voluntary community engagement and ownership of the fight against COVID-19.

In his reaction, PRCAN President, Israel Jaiye Opayemi described the development as a welcome development that would afford the association the opportunity to bring its professional expertise to support the efforts of the federal

government free of charge in this emergency.

“The nation is at war. We are fighting an invisible enemy in the form of the ravaging virus.

In any war, communication is always critical to victory.

“Your communication rests on a strategy. The word strategy itself has a military origin. Your strategy determines whether you are wasting money and wasting human lives in a war.

“This is where we are stepping in to support the PTF. This is our calling. Our role is to help evaluate the current strategy and where necessary refine it for greater results.”

Continued on page 20

Solidaridad West Africa has adopted the use of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) to reach palm oil farmers in rural communities in Nigeria to overcome the gap created by measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19, which include social distancing.

Solidaridad said the use of IVR platform has increased its access to render agronomic and other production support information to farmersandcommunitiesthatproduceoilpalmandotherfoodstaples.

The platform is compatible with basic features of android phones to enable the target audience to receive pre-recorded messages in real time as an important part of a remote support approach that helps Solidaridad to quickly assess ground situations to generate response plans and interventions.

Solidaridad,aninternationalcivilsocietyorganisationthatisempowering 18,500 smallholder oil palm farmers and millers in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu and Kogi states, said the restrictions on movement and limited social interactions would strain livelihoods and agricultural supply chain, since access to inputs and extension support services available to farmers have been interrupted.

The Regional Director for Solidaridad in West Africa, Mr. Isaac Gyamfi, said: “At this pandemic time when physical interactions are less desired, the IVR platform helps us to reach out to a large number of our programme beneficiaries quickly to share important information on COVID-19 protection protocols and to deliver other technical crop production content that aligns with the farming season and the cropping calendar.”

Anti-theft Solution Unveiled

CargoSafe, the next-generation anti-theft solution, developed by ConceptNova,hasbeennamed‘thebestanti-theftsolutionavailablein themarket’bycorporateorganisationsduetoitsstrategicroleinsaving cost.ConceptNova’sGeneralManager,ItiekhaoIkpeminogena,saidthe CargoSafesolutionwasdesignedtohelpcorporateorganisationsand essential service providers save cost by preventing potential losses incurredfromtheftorgoodsdiversionsintheirdaytodayoperations.

“Formostbusinesseswithgoodseitherintransitorstoredinwarehouses, theft or goods diversion occurrences lead to massive losses because they are unprepared to handle such situations.

“With our affordable tamper-proof solution, CargoSafe, threats are neutralised,valuablegoodsandassetsremain100percentprotected and high return on investment is enjoyed.” Ikpeminogena said.

Warehouse Manager at a Manufacturing company, one of many customers of the solution, Mr. Abiodun Adedeji, said CargoSafe had helped his business to succeed.

AccordingtoAdedeji:“Successforusmeansaccountabilityandproper storagekeeping.Lastyear,ourwarehousesinApapaandMile2inLagos, werefrequentlyrobbed,leavinguswithdamagedpropertyandlossof goods.We tried several security measures, from new security guards toCCTVbutnothingfullyworked.ConceptNova’sCargoSafesolution stepped up security game with its product. Since we fully integrated thesolution,wehavesavedmillionsofNaira,increasedaccountability and successfully mastered how to prevent theft incidents.”

Interswitch Donates Medical Equipment

The Interswitch Group has donated 1,500 units of rapid diagnostic test kits to the Enugu state government to support the COVID-19 fight. This was facilitated by employee-led voluntary contributions andasupplementaryfundprovidedbythecompanyanditsdirectors.

According to the company, the donation to the state government was part of the company’s on-going support for the numerous local intervention efforts between state governments and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), in the fight against the pandemic.

Founder/Group Managing Director at Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, said: “As the coronavirus continues to ravage across the globe with increasingnumbersofconfirmedcases,ithasbecomenon-negotiable and imperative to ramp up the testing capacity in Nigeria.”

HerestatedInterswitch’scommitmenttocontinuetosupportgovernment in combating the deadly disease.

Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Lolo Cecelia Ezeilo, who was elated by the donation, commended the Interswitch Group for the kind gesture, noting that the donation of test kits will ensure early testing of suspected cases and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19. She alsoimploredInterswitchtocommencethedeploymentitsCOVID-19 pathway platform, which is designed to help citizens determine their pre-disposition to the virus.

“The main variable that can take this economy out of this current problem is investment.

Until you do something that would make investors, both domestic and international, to have confidence in this economy, then we are not going anywhere” MD/CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Limited,

Bismarck Rewane

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BUSINESSWORLD GROUP BACKS ORONSAYE’S REPORT, CALLS FOR REAPPRAISAL OF CPN ACT view to aligning the nomenclatures with current global practices especially as regards job contents and definitions. “Therefore, it is not out of place to suggest for the strengthening of CPN by the National Assembly to carry-out the peculiar responsibilities to regulate, control and supervise the computing profession and practice in Nigeria in line with Section 1 (2) of the Act,� Sodiya said, while calling on the National Assembly members to urgently look into it, if Nigeria was serious about tapping into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

He was also of the view that computing professionals’ actions change the world, but must be subject to act responsibly. “The practitioners should reflect upon the wider impacts of their work, consistently supporting the public good of the government. “CPN deserves the opportunity to continue to uphold the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of computer practitioners in Nigeria to express the conscience of the profession, Sodiya insisted.�

COVID-19: FG TO PARTNER PR PRACTITIONERS ON COMMUNICATION STRATEGY Opayemi, further hinted that the association’s role will be more advisory than executional. “We are not taking over from those who are currently doing the job. We are only bringing our professional expertise to bear on what is being done with a view to sharing knowledge and improving it from the best practices’ standpoint,� he added.

He also disclosed that the association would be naming members of the PRCAN Covid-19 Advisory Team that would be working with the PTF in the next few days now that the association has received formal communication from the PTF describing those who will serving in the advisory team as, “best of breed professionals that Nigeria and indeed Africa can boast of with years of professional experience managing crisis locally and internationally,�

NEWS

Istifanus Highlights Role of Technology in Fighting Pandemic Stories by Emma Okonji The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr. Musa Istifanus has said the ministry will leverage information and communications technology (ICT) to help defeat the COVID-19.

He stated this during a Webinar on Pan-Nigeria Economy Intervention Forum (PANEIF), which was organised recently in collaboration with ICT stakeholders with the theme: ‘Post COVID-19 Technology Intervention Towards Economy Rediscovery.’ Istifanus said the ministry would continue to collaborate with the relevant public and private stakeholders on the acquisition of requisite sectoral skills and competences in the overall efforts to leverage ICT to solve Nigeria’s problems generated by the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently ravaging the world.

He said COVID -19 further showed how connected and inter-linked the world really is and the need to check coherence of policies and programmes across the ICT sectors, noting that the initiative is apt and couldn’t have come at a better time than now.

According to him, “We have to embrace a whole of society approach, where everyone’s voice and input in planning and implementation counts, whilst finding the best ways to cushion the challenges this pandemic has brought.�

Istifanus, pointed out that there was need to, “improve efficiency in the use of our scare resources and be much more

innovative and come up with creative strategies and platforms for mobilising policy interventions in these trying times.� “COVID-19 has made the world a more challenging place than ever for many of us. The Ministry will acquaint itself creditably and remain focus on the implementation of laudable programmes and projects that will turn around the fortunes of the country,� the Permanent Secretary added.

One of the speakers who participated in the webinar from South Africa, Mr. Andile Ngcaba, stated that Nigeria’s digital infrastructure was critical to the development of the digital economy in the continent and

urged Nigeria to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Robotic Technology, 5G in the public and private sector.

He said Nigeria has the capacity to lead the continent and supply other African countries ICT services and expressed the need for Africans to share ideas and build partnership to address global challenges through innovative solutions.

Ngcaba, urged African countries to surprise the world by digitalising the informal sector using digital tools such as open data system, digital plant recipes, plant coding, cloud computing and servers.

In his contribution, the coordinator Local Content

for Development, Mr. Inye Kemabonta, argued that COVID-19 was the best thing to happen to Nigeria because it brings great opportunities in the disruption of normal situations and opportunity to look inwards.

According to him, “ICT is an answer to COVID-19 and full implementation of the Nigeria content program is the obvious key to economy recovery.�

He urged the taskforce to adopt a Nigeria first attitude in ICT as an initiative and passionately call and appeal to government to fully and rigorously implement its Nigeria Content Policy.

The Executive Director,

Centre for Cyber Space Studies, Nasarawa State University, Dr. Uche Mbanaso, pointed out that there was a huge disconnect between the industry, academia and the government.

He recommended complete overhaul of Nigeria education system to make the system functional, noting that the ICT industry, academia and the government must work together and ensure that Research and Development (R&D) is demand driven.

Mbanaso, added that accreditation of courses in the tertiary institutions must involve ICT industry stakeholders, professional and non-government organisations (NGOs).

COURTESY VISIT

Registrar/CEO, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr. Seye Awojobi, (left) and Registrar/CEO, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Prof. Ahmed Kumshe, during a courtesy visit by ICAN to CIBN’s head oďŹƒce, in Lagos‌recently

CWG Gives Insight into Successful Cooperative CWG Plc has adduced reasons it decided to engage critical stakeholders in cooperative societies across Nigeria on how to manage a successful cooperative during Covid-19 pandemic era.

Product Manager, Unified Cooperative Platform at CWG, Mr. Lateef Fadeyi, noted that interacting with the stakeholders became imperative as cooperatives in Nigeria were facing the urgent issue of the financial crisis affecting their day to day

operation.

He, explained the need to engage them with a solution that could easily drive their operations on how to run a successful cooperative in the Covid-19 era.

Fadeyi who spoke at a recent webinar organised by CWG, said with the pandemic, cooperative societies, especially in Nigeria, would need help to successfully run their operations.

While identifying the problems of cooperative societies

in Nigeria, which he listed to include readily available data for planning, lack of access, improper record-keeping, inefficient operations, lack of visibility, and financial exclusion, Fadeyi disclosed that CWG’s Unified Cooperative Platform (UCP) has been designed to address these challenges.

The platform, according to him, was an integrated core operations solution with front and backend access to both members and administrators,

which gives an automated loan, automated reporting and secured access. “UCP features include Automated Deduction Schedule, Loan Management, Member Management, Surplus Appropriation and Dividend, Business Management and Automated Reporting,� he said, adding that UCP remained one of CWG’s solutions geared towards promoting the growth of cooperatives in all countries where it has operations.

The benefits of the solution include worldwide accessibility, ease of operations, up to date and efficient data, enhanced knowledge for planning, ease of payment and collections, increased productivity, data security, broad visibility and transparency and no complexity of infrastructure setup. It is also a one-stop-shop for the entire cooperative ecosystem to address financial inclusion, accountability, accessibility and visibility, Fadeyi said.

Huawei Academy Enhances ICT Skills with Online Training Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

Huawei Technologies has continued to ensure that Nigerian students registered under its Authorised Information and Network Academy are trained in core ICT skills in the face of the Covid19 pandemic.

The company moved its classes online, engaging hundreds of students across the country on their computer screens from the comfort of their homes.

The Huawei Authorised Information and Network Academy (HAINA) in collaboration with more than 70 universities in Nigeria was established to train students for free in the latest internationally relevant ICT skills in subjects

such as Networks, Cloud Computing and Big Data. As at today, over10,000 Nigerian students have benefitted and certified.

In a recent interactive session with some of the teachers and students of the academy, they gave insights into the structure of the academy’s online training program and its impact.

Head of IT Technical Support Unit, Kastina State Institute of Technology and Management, Mr. Lawal Ahmad Alassan, who is also a Huawei Academy Instructor in Routing, Switching, Storage and Security said his first batch of online classes held from

the 10th till the 15th of May 2020 and he had between 75 to 50 students from different educational institutions from all over Nigeria. He said classes were split into two classes of 40 each. The training was structured for three hours daily with breaks in between. The entire course was broken down into four and five topics daily.

Speaking about his experience teaching the students online, he said “It was a wonderful experience coming from a virtual classroom organised

by Huawei. The students were so overwhelmed and as we speak now we have over 250 students waiting to be trained

and still making enquiries and application for training. To some of the students it was a new experience and they never thought they could achieve such training process while staying at home.�

Excited about the regular participation of the students, he said: “The online training has made instructors and the students bother less about the lockdown because we have been made to acquire knowledge through Huawei’s training platform in the most incredible manner. With these trainings, the ICT industry in Nigeria will grow faster.�

According to Alassan, “If our education sector could

include virtual classes in our educational platform, it will go a long way in solving most of our educational challenges in Nigeria. Huawei has made the stay at home caused by the COVID-19 a blessing in disguise.�

Another Huawei Academy Instructor from the University of Port Harcourt, who teaches Programming, Algorithms, Data Structures and Artificial Intelligence said he also held his classes from the 10th till the 15th of May 2020 with over 100 students from various location in Nigeria from Port Harcourt, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Niger, Anambra, Delta, among other states.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Aziz: Government Will Scale Up NIN Registration The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, Aliyu Aziz, speaks on the journey so far in enrolling Nigerians and issuing the National Identification Number. He also addresses the challenges and the way forward. Emma Okonji brings the excerpts:

H

Nigeria (FRCN), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Voice of Nigeria (VON), and all other national media outlets and companies to enlighten the general public, we still need to do more. As stakeholders in the ID sector, we need the support, partnership, cooperation and assistance of all media companies and outlets on this national assignment. The best repositioning is to start with our communities, local governments and regions to share the news and speak to the people in the language they best understand on the ID need and use.

Let’s join hands to bring everyone on board.

ow prepared is the government and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to meet the demand for enrolment for the National IdentiďŹ cation Number nationwide?

Government and NIMC have made significant stride to scale up enrolment for the issuance of National Identity Number (NIN). In September 2018, The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a strategic roadmap for accelerating the development of digital identity in Nigeria using the ecosystem approach by leveraging the capabilities and facilities of public and private sectors to speed up enrolment. Government has also got commitment and approval from three development partners - the World Bank, Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) and the European Union (EU) – to fund the roadmap implementation in the tune of $433 million.

You can obtain a copy of the roadmap on the NIMC website. The project preparation is currently ongoing and full implementation was originally scheduled to kick start by June 2020, but with the COVID 19 pandemic, we may extend to September or December this year.

Our target is to have at least 4000 enrolment centres across the nation: one enrolment centre per 50,000 people.

Given the new date for full implementation of identity registration in the country, what is your advice to Nigerians for NIN enrollment?

The federal government has approved NIN as the only valid means of identification for government services by law. As a foundational ID, everyone must register and obtain a NIN. Kindly do so to avoid any restrictions on use or access to government services in the future.

The process takes less than 10 minutes and can be further reduced if you pre-enrol online.

The law provides punitive measures for those who fail to comply with or disregard the law.

NIMC is collaborating with a number of government institutions including JAMB and other examination bodies, and they are making NIN a prerequisite for registration for their respective examinations.

What plans do you have in place to enrol eligible and intending candidates in time for those examinations?

With NIN as the valid means of ID for government services, it is the responsibility of every individual on the soil of Nigeria or of Nigerian descent to register and obtain the unique ID. Enrolment commenced since the year 2012, that is eight years ago and the NIN is issued instantly upon complete registration. Eight years is enough time for people to present themselves for registration in accordance with the NIMC Act. We should not always wait for the last minute or for government to resort to aggressive enforcement and punitive measures for people to do the right things. NIN is issued free of charge and to everyone, children and adult alike. Do not wait to be told you cannot transact or access service to register.

You recently raised concern about poor funding of NIMC programmes by the federal government, has the situation improved?

NIMC through the federal government has obtained funding to accelerate digital identity enrolment within the next three to five years. The funding covers digital ID enrolment, issuance and usage; strengthening the enabling law, security, privacy, data protection and cybersecurity mechanisms; as well as strengthening the information technology (IT) and other backend infrastructure. There is still need for funding on the card aspect of the programme as well as on the other regulatory functions of the commission. We are consulting with the Federal Government on these aspects.

What will you say is the rationale behind the federal government making the NIN compulsory for government services?

NIMC has extended registration to Nigerians in the diaspora. How have those in the Diaspora welcomed this and what is the level of diaspora enrollment so far?

Diaspora enrollment was greatly received by the Nigerians in other countries and it has been going well since the launch. Enrolment is happening in over 15 countries across the world, with more countries to come on board in the near future. We are optimistic that more Nigerians will turn up to obtain the NIN; since it is a requirement for the application of a new and renewal of an expired Nigerian passport.

Aziz

The NIMC Act of 2007 which is the legal framework on which the commission is operating stipulated that the NIN is a unique identifier for all citizens and legal residents; and must be presented and verified to confirm your identity before other functional agencies can provide service. This is the law and government is simply reminding us to comply and working to ensure the enforcement of the provisions of the law. It is not a new thing or new policy. Please feel free to read the NIMC Act and in particular sections 26, 27, 28, among others.

You have explained a number of times that NIMC’s focus now is the enrolment and issuance of the NIN. At what time do you think the National eID card could be issued to those that enrolled?

The commission is currently issuing the National ID card but on a low scale due to the capacity of the card personalisation bureau deployed to pilot the scheme in 2014. We are still working out strategies to scale up the card production and issuance with the help of the government and in future with the private sector. NIN is your identity and is sufficient to prove or assert your identity

Diaspora enrollment was greatly received by the Nigerians in other countries and it has been going well since the launch. Enrolment is happening in over 15 countries across the world, with more countries to come on board in the near future

anytime, anywhere. The commission is also aware of the demand by the public for the physical token (ID card) for a number of valid reasons. Please bear with us as we do what is necessary to issue this card to those who are in need of it. Also, NIMC is modifying the NIN credential to address the physical token request. All these new initiatives are in the works and would be released soon.

Many Nigerians who have the eID cards seem to have difďŹ culty on how to use the card for ďŹ nancial transactions.

How can the card be used for ďŹ nancial transactions and what are the security features in the card?

The payment applet on the card is usually activated before the card is issued to the rightful owner for use. The card carrier contains the information on the use of the card for financial transactions. In a simple term, the card functions as a debit card with virtual account where money can be loaded and used on Point-of-Sales (POS), Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and other payment channels including the web. The card has 18 security features and has been ranked as one of the most secured National ID cards in the world. Some of the security features can be seen with the eyes (ghost image, hologram, coat or arms, etc), while others require some special tools and light to see.

There was a recent news item on a court order stopping activities related to Nigeria’s national identity card system.

What can you tell us about that and how is it being resolved?

The court case you are referring to is between Chams Plc and MasterCard. Unfortunately, NIMC was included as a co-defendant and that affected some of our card operations.

Since it is still an ongoing court case, therefore, I will not be making any further comments on the matter. We will await the outcome of the court proceedings and ruling.

How are you repositioning NIMC to increase awareness creation to sensitise Nigerians about the importance of NIN? Nigeria is a big country with a huge population. Creating awareness and sensitising about 200 million people is not an easy task and requires a lot of resources and logistics to achieve. Even though we collaborate with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Federal Radio Corporation of

NIMC, in collaboration with the federal government, declared September 16 as National Identity Day. What is its signiďŹ cance to the Nigerian society on a global perspective?

Nigeria formally launched and celebrated as the first country in the world to adopt and declare September 16 as International Identity Day. The event is a culmination of an enormous collective effort, which began in April 2018 when our country Nigeria successfully hosted the 4th Annual Meeting of the ID4Africa Movement here in Abuja and joined a global coalition for recognition of September 16 each year as International Identity Day. That call was embraced with tremendous support and over 1500 individual signatures endorsing the proposition were collected from delegates which cut across 81 countries, including 41 African nations. The endorsement represented nearly 99 per cent of the participants that attended the conference in Nigeria. To formalise Nigeria’s membership of the global coalition, the NIMC, sought and obtained approval from the federal government through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Providing legal identity to all including birth registration is one of the global SDGs target, specifically SDG 16.9; and Nigeria is endorsing and supporting this achievement by declaring September 16 each year as National Identity Day as a way to create the awareness and get the buy in required.

Having entered your second tenure in ofďŹ ce, what speciďŹ c achievements did you record. What are the challenges faced on the Job so far and how are you addressing them?

The mandate of NIMC has not changed and my focus remains to ensure that every person is enrolled and issued a unique national identification Number (NIN) also known as a digital identity. One of our greatest achievements was increasing the enrolment figures from seven million in 2015 to 39 million by the end 2019. As at today, we have reached 41 million records by sheer determination and hard work. I owe all of this to the great staff of NIMC who pushed themselves beyond their limits to see this happen.

The challenges we are facing are still the same challenges the commission has been facing for years. Power issues at our enrollment centres, sensitisation and awareness to the general public, inadequate enrollment centres and enrollment devices, maintenance and support of our IT infrastructure, consumables, among others.

All of these issues affect our operations and require a lot of funding to address. We will continue to do our best to address them in consultation with all the relevant stakeholders, government and with the help of the media.

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Uniting against Covid-19 Peter Uzoho writes about a partnership that seeks to raise billions of naira from Nigerians at home and abroad to combat the coronavirus pandemic and other public health challenges in the country

Aig-imoukhuede

A

t a time of global economic and political upheaval when business and political leaders are looked upon to provide solution as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Global Citizen, an international citizens’ action-led advocacy organisation that is working with the United Nations is partnering with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to launch a Covid-19 Solidarity Fund in Nigeria.

A virtual press conference to announce the Fund recently had the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; Chairman of Global Citizen in Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Folawiyo; Vice Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Global Citizen Chief Policy Officer, Mr. Michael Sheldrick, as participants.

Representing the NSIA were the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Jide Zeitlin and Managing Director of NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji.

According to the promoters of the initiative, the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund was designed to provide additional support for Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund, according to Folawiyo, would enable Nigerian Citizens resident at home or in the diaspora as well as international donors to come together and directly contribute to Nigeria’s fight against the pandemic.

Globally, there are nearly 5.7 million confirmed cases and over 360,000 deaths. As political, business and public health leaders are balancing every decision to ensure life can return to normal, the pandemic and its negative impact on socio-economic activities has not abated.

The number of reported cases in Nigeria is inching towards 10,000 and this has made the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, to impose another round of two weeks limited easing of lockdown on the country.

Since Nigeria recorded the index case on the 27th of February 2020, the virus has spread to 35 of the 36 states in the country. The spread of the virus has brought to light the weak capacity of our health care systems and the likelihood of this exacerbating the impact of the pandemic on the Nigerian economy. Monetary and fiscal authorities are scrambling for different measures to reduce economic hardship that will follow.

Many private organisations and individuals have contributed money to support Federal and State governments’ efforts in the last 3 months but none of the supports have taken the form and shape of what Global Citizen and NSIA have put in place in terms of structure and scope.

Before the outbreak of Covid-19, Global Citizen Nigeria at a Policy Dialogue held in December of 2019 in Lagos, had unveiled a plan to intervene in Primary Healthcare delivery in 774 Local Governments in the country. The Covid-19 pandemic has made the intervention more compelling according to the Vice Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede who raised other public health challenges Nigeria and Africa still face like Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis all of which, he said, require attention.

In the words of the Global Citizen Nigeria Vice Chairman, over 500,000 HIV/AIDS patients have not been able to access treatment since the outbreak of COVID-19 in many African countries because government efforts across the continent have shifted

Folawiyo

to combating the scourge of coronavirus. The problem with this approach is that inability to provide antiretroviral treatments and other healthcare needs of these patients for up to a period of 6 months could result in deaths, almost at the scale African Countries recorded over a decade ago.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant health, social and economic challenges across the world. The Federal Government of Nigeria instituted measures such as increasing access to testing, contact tracing, isolation and implementing social distancing protocol to contain the potentially devastating impact of this deadly virus; however, more support is needed.

Given the unprecedented nature of this global pandemic, both in its impact and severity, it is clear that this is a challenge that the public sector cannot tackle alone. The virus can only be defeated through careful coordination and collaborative efforts of the public sector, private sector, and philanthropists.

As the pandemic’s impact is unprecedented; so too is the commitment of Nigerians both at home and abroad who have rallied to help one another and stand in solidarity against this deadly virus.

The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund will be incorporated as a non-government charitable foundation. In line with global best practices, it will be professionally managed and transparently governed through a strong Advisor Board comprising eminently qualified men and women to ensure that the funds are effectively used and properly accounted for.

This stakeholder led-and-resourced mechanism will provide tools to augment ongoing efforts to respond to COVID-19 in communities across Nigeria, as well as to strengthen health systems in the aftermath of the acute pandemic response. “The government of Nigeria is delighted that the NSIA, together with the world’s leading international advocacy organization, Global Citizen, and their partners, have embarked on a process to set up a new funding vehicle. The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) will provide support to our most vulnerable communities in the fight against COVID-19,� said Osinbajo The NSIA plays a leading role in driving Nigeria’s sustained economic development through the careful implementation of its three core mandates: building a savings base for the Nigerian people, development of infrastructure and providing stabilization in times of economic stress. “As the SWF of the most populous country on the continent, it is important for the Board of the NSIA to support collaborations of this nature which further strengthens the nation’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The unprecedented challenge posed by the outbreak demands that we embrace flexibility as never before on partnerships with the right organizations to help mobilize support for the fund as well as building sustainable systems in our communities,� Zeitlin said.

The Chief Executive of NSIA noted in his presentation coronavirus has already put a major strain on public health infrastructure coupled with dislocation it has caused for social and economic activities, adding that working with the Global Citizen will help to bring much needed relief.

Orji

Orji said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has strained the nation’s health, social and economic systems, yet our resolve to work together to contain it remains unflinching. Against this background, we are thrilled to partner with Global Citizen in launching the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, as the Fund Manager.�

NSIA’s long term infrastructure investment strategy entails creating model tertiary healthcare facilities designed and equipped to international standards to reduce the foreign exchange burden of medical tourism and to develop domestic expertise in tertiary healthcare. The collaboration with Global Citizen will help extend the agency’s primary care footprint in healthcare. The Solidarity Support Fund will enable the expansion of primary health care, thereby improving access, building capacity, and enhancing the resilience of Nigeria’s health delivery, especially in rural and underserved communities.

Global Citizen is the world’s largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty by 2030. With over 10 million monthly advocates, Global Citizen’s voices have the power to drive lasting change around sustainability, equality, and humanity. The organization’s work with partners, the actions of its global community, along with high-level advocacy efforts, has resulted in commitments and policy announcements from world leaders valued at over US$48 billion (N18.7 trillion), affecting the lives of more than 2.25 billion people across the globe by 2030. “Global Citizen’s ongoing commitment to the African continent and, in particular, Nigeria is motivated by two key factors: The shift in geopolitical power towards emerging markets, and the recognition that developing countries want and need to have agency over their own

development, this makes a presence in the subSaharan region vital to the long-term success of any initiative seeking to end extreme poverty,�

Sheldrick explained.

On his part, Folawiyo said: “As we embark upon our work in Nigeria, Global Citizen will mobilize Nigerians, Nigerians in the diaspora, global partners, together with the philanthropic and private sectors in our nation’s fight against COVID-19.�

Nigeria’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic requires individual and collective commitment.

Through the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, together, and in solidarity, the nation will rebuild towards a more responsive and resilient Nigeria in the aftermath of this disaster.

It will target four core COVID-19 response, mitigation and recovery areas including: supporting the most vulnerable populations; strengthening the domestic healthcare systems; expanding access to rural and community focused universal healthcare access; and re-skilling and re-tooling for the “New Nigerian Renaissance� post COVID-19 “Our efforts must ensure that we are able to envision and meet the demands that will emerge in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is imperative as the nation adjusts to the realities of a changing economy, transitions to a “new normal� and embraces the Nigeria of the future�. - Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

The COVID - 19 pandemic manifests primarily as a global health challenge. It is clear however that its impact far exceeds the health sector. Mitigation efforts, therefore, must not be limited to the acute health sector needs. To effectively support Nigeria’s response and to emerge from this as a more resilient nation, efforts must take an integrated, systems approach at the center of which is a mandate to support the most vulnerable communities.

Oando Employees Raise N25m to Feed Vulnerable Persons in Lagos Peter Uzoho Employees of Oando Energy Resources, under the ‘#HumansOfOando’ have launched an initiative known as ‘The Aggregator Platform (TAP),’ aimed at achieving ending hunger and alleviating poverty across the nation and Lagos State in particular, by helping one community at a time, through structured intervention.

With over N25 million already raised by the employees and other donors since it announced TAP, no fewer than 24, 000 less-privileged and deprived Lagos residents have been penciled down for feeding as the first step of the journey to ending the poverty, with 21, 000 already fed.

The employees in a statement said apart from raising of over N25 million, nine non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including

Lagos Food Bank, Project Ark, Child Protection Network, Grocedy, Lekki Food Bank and Abraham’s Tent had already signed up as implementing partners in the project, with an intent to sign one more NGO by May 22.

According to the statement, with funding from TAP, these nine implementing partners would feed over 24,000 Lagosians across 16 of the most deprived communities over a one-month period.

It said as at Wednesday, May 20, 2020 about 21,000 people had already been fed with the balance 3,000 to be reached and fed by the end of May. “TAP has brought to the fore the fact that with as little as N350 you can feed one person for one day. The platform is encouraging wellmeaning Nigerians to take on the challenge of ending hunger in the country by

donating to the initiative, specifically to donate to feed one for a week, month or even a year,� the statement added.

Commending TAP during one of the food disbursement drives, the Lagos Coordinator of Child Protection Network (CPN), was quoted in the statement as saying, “the people are hungry so feeding them gives us joy and we are very grateful to the employees of Oando for supporting us.�

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a member of one of the impacted communities, Edatomola Arowojolu, was also quoted as expressing his appreciation on behalf of the community to the employees of Oando, the TAP platform, those who had donated and CPN for the disbursement of food, for their kind gesture to the residents, and lauded the impact of the exercise, which according to him, was a huge success.

THURSDAY MAY 28, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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IMAGES

Chairman, COVID-19 Prevention and Control Committee, lmo State, Prof. Maurice Iwu updating newsmen on the latest COVID 19 development in Owerri...recently

Johnson,Jakande and Tinubu Park at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja in Lagos closed to fun seekers due to Covid-19 lockdown to prevent the spread of the pandemic in Lagos...recently

L-R: Secretary to Anambra State Government, Prof. Solomon Chukwulobelu and Secretary to Delta State Government, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, at the Asaba end of the Niger Bridge during the Inter-state Boundary Committee (COVID-19) meeting to sort out the gridlock on the bridge as a result of boarder closure between the two states....recently

Violators arrested by FCT Task Force in Abuja...recently

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°ÍśËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

TraďŹƒc logjam along Suleje/Minna road by the Emir’s roundabout during the ease of COVID-19 lockdown in Suleja, Niger state...recently

Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum (left) and the Commanding OďŹƒcer, 251 Task Force Battalion Lt.-Col. Jerry Maigari, during Governor’s tour of the 28 displaced communities in the shores of Alau to ascertain the level of peace in the area...recently

Governor Hope Uzodimma receiving documents for the donation of lands for a Hosing Estate from HRH Eze Oliver Ohanwe, Chairman, Okigwe Elders Forum in Government House, Owerri....recently

Fun seekers carrying their take away to round o Eid-al-Fitr festival at Awolowo road, Ikeja in Lagos...recently

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T H I S D AY ˾ , MAY 28, 2020

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ ÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ äÏÙÌÓ ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Amibor: Lack of PPE, N95 Masks Hampering Pharmacist’s Fight against COVID-19 Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Amibor is the National Chairman, Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria. In this interview he exrayed the challenges faced by pharmacists and what the government must do to win the war against COVID-19. Martins Ifijeh brings excerpts

H

ow would you assess the contribution of hospital pharmacists in the fight against COVID-19?

Pharmacists as frontline healthcare workers have made huge contributions towards the curtailment of the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria. This ranges from the production of hand sanitisers, provision of medications used in managing COVID-19 to making face masks and other personal protective equipment available to those that need them. Our members also offer pharmaceutical care and medication therapy management. In collaboration with other healthcare professionals, hospital pharmacists are ensuring that there is improvement in quality of life of patients as well as reduction in hospital stay. Pharmacists in virtually all hospitals (federal and state) with the exception of few, have been involved in producing millions of litres of hand sanitisers in both single packs for individual use and large packs for use in wards, clinics and so on.

Amibor

What challenges are your members facing in curbing COVID-19?

The biggest challenge confronting our members right now is inadequate personal protective equipment which is in short supply. In particular, the N95 Face masks which to some extent can prevent the healthcare worker from being infected with the virus are in short supply. Even the surgical face mask is equally not adequate. This is a major source of discouragement to our members.

Why are health professionals opposed to the importation of Madagascar COVID-Organics into Nigeria?

There have been several controversies around the importation of COVID-Organics into Nigeria.

One of the grounds for opposition is that for a long time, Nigerian scientists have been proclaiming that they have herbal cure for COVID -19. But, nobody seemed to give them a chance, in terms

of inviting them for clarifications.

At the same time, many universities and research institutes have been crying for funding to enable them carry out research into cure for various ailments.

And then all of a sudden, Madagascar, a third world country just like Nigeria came out to say, oh we have discovered a herbal cure for COVID-19 and then the government now begins to show interest and say, okay bring this product into Nigeria and lets use it on our people. Don’t forget that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had warned that clinical trials have not been conducted on COVID-Organics to establish its safety and efficacy profiles. Moreover, in the country where it was produced, the product was only used on few people, the results obtained with those few people could have been subjective, in other words, it may or may not have been due to the COVID-Organics.

Another reason for the opposition is that the parent plant from which COVID-Organics is produced Artemisua annua grows here in Nigeria. Nigerian pharmacists have the potential and wherewithal to extract the active ingredient which is artemisine from the parent plant if given adequate support.

What is your take on the use of herbal remedies in the treatment of COVID-19?

Herbal products generally find use in the treatment of many diseases including infections.

These products are believed to be generally safe and of low toxicity, compared to most orthodox medicines. One challenge with their use is that herbal products are not standardised, and so you find one herbalist will tell you to drink two glasses morning and evening for example to achieve laxative effect

with a particular herbal product. Another herbalist will produce his own from the same leaves and tell you to drink half glass may be three times daily to achieve the same effect.

What kind of motivation do your members need to perform optimally?

There are many challenges confronting our practice as hospital pharmacists. First is our work environment. There is hardly enough space in most pharmacy departments. Some do not have counseling rooms to ensure patient’s confidentiality. We are asking that pharmacy departments in various hospitals be restructured to make room for offices, patient counseling rooms and so on. The existing pharmacies that still have some space can be restructured to provide for counseling rooms.

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has a prototype of what each pharmacy department in our hospitals should look like. All hospitals are encouraged to key into the PCN model. Second, is that the out-of-stock syndrome is gradually creeping back to our hospitals because the Drug Revolving Fund which was put in place by government to guarantee continuous medicines availability in hospitals is being mismanaged by most hospital’s top management. You collect medicines from a drug manufacturer on credit, promise to pay within 60 days, the medicines are sold and rather than settle the supplier, such monies are diverted to meet other hospital needs.

This practice is rampart in virtually all the hospitals in the country. The result is that as at today, most tertiary institutions owe drug manufacturers close to N3 billion from unpaid drug purchases.

Combating COVID-19 Spread in Nasarawa Igbawase Ukumba writes that Governor Abdullahi Sule has taken measures towards containing the spread of COVID-19 in Nasarawa State Prior to recording the first confirmed case of COVID-19 April 28 in Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule had implemented 20 measures as strategic approach to combat the pandemic.

Outlining the approach, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abubakar Kana, said Sule had so far committed hundreds of millions to complete, furnish and equip the world class Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Centre behind the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia.

According to Kana: “Nasarawa State is one of the few that put in place at least five isolation and treatment centres even before a confirmed case was recorded. One each in Mararaba, Keffi, Akwanga, and two in Lafia. It was also the first to establish mobile clinics and check points at major entries into the state.”

The Attorney General said Governor Sule has signed two Regulations and five Proclamations to regulate and restrict activities capable of increasing the spread of the disease, adding that the government imposed a total lockdown of Karu due to its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“Nasarawa State government ensures the distribution of palliatives to households in every

ward in the state,” the Justice Commissioner explained.

However, on April 28, Sule broke the unfortunate news of an index case during the state security meeting held at the Government House, Lafia that an indigene of the state who tested positive to the virus was a lady from Garaku, the headquarters of Kokona Local Government Area of the state.

According to Sule, “the lady, who is a trader, returned from Kano and developed some signs and was taken into isolation before she tested positive and was quarantined at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia where we have good facility for such victim.”

Nevertheless, following the confirmation, the state government established six additional sample collection centres, in addition to the hospitals already taking samples of the three categories of risks associated with COVID-19.

The governor pointed out that “our administration is taking additional measures to prevent further spread of the pandemic: We locked down Karu Local Government Area and equally restricted movement in Lafia, the state capital, and other urban centres across the state from 8:00pm to 6:00am.”

“The lock down of Karu was particularly necessary considering the influx of people from the FCT, Abuja which has been locked down as part of measures to control the spread of the pandemic. All civil servants from GL. 01 – 12 are to remain at home except those on essential services until further notice. All security personnel are hereby directed to ensure the enforcement of these directives.”

He however said a palliative committee has been constituted to ensure that citizens of the state were provided with necessary succour during this trying moments.

Backing words with action, Sule commenced a mandatory 14 days quarantine of citizens of the state returning from either Lagos or Kano States.

“It has become necessary to take this step because of the alarming increase in the spread of the pandemic, as well as the need to protect people of the state against the virus. Instead of the pandemic subsiding, the coronavirus is unfortunately spreading fast with now Katsina and Kano states also under total lockdown.”

Be that as it may, Sule recently announced a personal donation of N10 million to support the fight against coronavirus in the state.

Complementing the fighting against COVID-19, members of the Nasarawa State Executive Council and other political appointees also donated 50 per cent of their salaries for a period of three months to combat the pandemic in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Culture, Dogo Shammah, disclosed this at a joint press briefing shortly after the monthly executive council meeting held at the Government House, Lafia. Shammah said during the meeting, it was unanimously agreed by concerned parties to donate 50 per cent of their salaries as support to government, and that the deductions will commence in June.

Still determined to tame monster, the governor recently shut down the Nasarawa State House of Assembly complex following the killing of its member, late Adamu Suleiman, by COVID-19.

Late Suleiman, until his death, represented Nasarawa Central State constituency at the state assembly. On palliatives, the governor said materials which include 50,000 imported face masks, 30,000 face masks from Kenyang Mining Company; four trucks of food items from the federal government have all arrived in the state for distribution.

Nestle Restates Commitment to Tackle Malnutrition Martins Ifijeh As Nigeria, yesterday marked the annual children’s day, Nestle has restated its commitment to support the fight against malnutrition in the country. In a statement made available to THISDAY recently, the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria, Mrs. Victoria Uwadoka said the

firm recognises that children need the right nourishment and an active lifestyle hence its decision to always support in that regard.

She said: “At Nestle Nigeria, we remain committed to helping children imbibe healthy habits early while enabling their parents and caregivers with nutritious food products and the right information to make

healthier nutrition choices.

“In the past three years, our company has launched unique products specifically adapted to the needs of children, including Cerelac Junior, Golden Morn, Maize and Soya, as well as Milo Ready to Drink, all fortified with micronutrients to meet the needs of pre-school and school age children.

“In addition to these, we have

also reached over 1.5 million children each year through the N4HK school-based programme and Milo School Sports Development Program.

“To help children imbibe healthy habits including good nutrition, active lifestyles through adequate physical activity, good hygiene practices, and healthy hydration, over 200 teachers have been

trained in Ogun State and the FCT in collaboration with the Nutrition Society of Nigeria and the Universal Basic Education Boards. Nestle also invested in enhancing the teaching and learning environment by renovating school facilities as well as by donating relevant education aid materials.”

Speaking while receiving materials for the N4HK

schools in Ogun State on behalf of the Ogun State SUBEB earlier in the academic year, the Board Secretary, Mr. Olalekan Kuye said, “Children are the future of Ogun State, so investing in them is investing in the future. I commend Nestle for the consistent work they are doing through the Nestlé for Healthier Kids Initiative”.

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Full Deregulation Will Attract Investment to Oil Sector, Says Expert Dike Onwuamaeze Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Nume Ekeghe The full deregulation of Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector will attract the required investments need to boost the country’s local refining capacity and make it possible for Nigerians to enjoy cheaper petroleum products.

This view was expressed by Ms. Aderonke Onadeko, on Tuesday, during a virtual conference organised by the Facility for Oil Sector Transformation (FOSTER) in partnership with the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Lagos, with the theme: “Financial Impact of the Crashing Oil Price on Nigeria.�

Onadeko, argued that investments in the local refining capacity would eliminate costs that accrue from the export of crude and the importation of refined petroleum products back to Nigeria with attendant associate costs like demurrages, taxes, shipping, among others.

She said it would also lessen the pressure on the forex market as well preserve the external reserves and create more jobs in the country.

She said the time has come for

Nigeria to terminate the increasingly unsustainable petroleum subsidy, especially now that the crude oil revenue is at its lowest ebb and the country is reeling under the crushing impact of COVID-19 on the economy.

She said: “Nigeria spent more than N462 billion on subsidies and under-recovery of petroleum product in 2019 with a projection to spend N417 billion in 2020.

However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse effect on crude oil prices, which account for 90 per cent of the country’s source of foreign exchange and 60 per cent of government revenue. “Nigeria’s crude value is benchmarked against the Brent crude.

Presently, a barrel of Brent crude is $25 while Nigeria’s Bonny light grade is selling between $13 and $15 per barrel. This makes it significantly impossible to fund the 2020 budget without borrowing.�

She also posited that a fully deregulated downstream segment would trigger competitiveness as well as merger and acquisitions in the oil and gas industry.

Other benefits that would come out of the deregulation, according to her, include the passage of the overdue Petroleum Industry

Bill (PIB), improved policy and governance in the oil and gas sector as well as enunciation of better policies that would enthrone transparency in the industry. “The downstream segment is going to become more competitive and more liquid. We are going to see more deepening in its value chain. We will see international and local companies coming together to invest in refineries.

If we had had adequate local refining capacity in Nigeria, now that the price of crude oil has dropped internationally, Nigeria will switch to refining more petroleum products locally and supplying them to the rest of West Africa sub-region and Africa at large,� she added.

Onadeko, pointed out that the implication of the government’s announcement that the downstream segment would be deregulated is that it should hands off the importation and the pricing of the sale of petroleum products in the country.

She, however, noted that in spite of the announcement, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) is still the one setting at the beginning of every month what the price the petroleum products would be.

Veritas Kapital Assurance Donates Palliatives to Gombe Hamid Ayodeji Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc has donated hospital equipment and materials to the Gombe state government’s Committee on COVID-19.

The donation, comprising a sizable quantity of hospital beddings intended to alleviate discomfort for COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at the state’s isolation centres, were received by the Chairman of the Gombe State Covid-19 Committee, Prof.

Idris Mohammed.

Mohammed, thanked Veritas Kapital for supporting the state during these difficult times, and provided assurance that the items would be judiciously used.

In another development, Veritas Kapital Assurance is offering discounts on its comprehensive motor insurance policies through December 31, 2020.

According to the company, the offer was to provide relief to customers that are experiencing financial pressure in the current economic environment.

Commenting on the gesture, the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Kenneth Egbaran, said, “Covid-19 has had far reaching effects across the country, challenging both businesses and individuals. “Our decision to offer the discount is our way of showing empathy with the general public on the economic strain that they may be experiencing during this

challenging period�.

As various sectors of the society work together to slow the spread of COVID-19, Egbaran reiterated that, “Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc remains extremely focused on managing the risk customers may encounter through the fastevolving nature of the current uncertain economic environment. “We are confident that we will continue to discharge our obligations effectively at all times. “As a responsible corporate citizen, we enjoin all our customers and Nigerians to adhere strictly to the guidelines stipulated by the appropriate government agencies and health authorities managing to curb the spread of this pandemic.

Eroton E&P Donates Palliatives to 60 Rivers Communities Ernest Chinwo Ă“Ă˜ Ă™ĂœĂž Harcourt An indigenous oil firm, Eroton Exploration and Production (E&P) Company Limited, has distributed food items numbering over 2000 bags of rice and noodles, tomato paste and vegetable oil to 60 host communities in Rivers State as part of its contributions to ease the suffering of the people as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Eroton E&P is the operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) joint venture) in the operation of Oil Mining License 18 (OML 18) which until 2014 belonged to SPDC in the Cawthorne Channels and areas in Rivers State.

The company delivered the palliatives at the secretariats of the various cluster boards of the host communities in Port Harcourt and Okrika for onward delivery

to the creeks. The communities cut across five Local Government Area of the Rivers State: Degema, Asari Toru, Akuku Toru, Bonny and Okrika.

Some of the items included 1000 bags of rice; 1000 280g tin tomatoes; 1,750 cartons of noodles (Indomie brand); 1000 1 litres of vegetable oil, etc.

Delivering the donations, the Head of Operations, Eroton E&P, Emmanuel Thompson, said the company’s move was informed by the need to cushion the hardship occasioned by COVID-19 in the communities.

Thompson said, “Eroton has earlier participated in interventions in the communities led by NNPC under the independent petroleum producers group, which is an organisation of indigenous oil producing companies and in that intervention we provided ambulances, COVID-19 test kits, surgical and non-surgical masks (N-95), hospital bed, googles and

oxygen concentrators, that was our second stage. “Our first stage of intervention was the sensitisation of host communities, provision of face masks, sanitisers and hand gloves. The host communities are divided into five clusters cutting across 60 communities.�

He added, “The third stage is what we are doing today which is the provision of food palliatives to our host communities and the fourth stage would be the provision of COVID-19 palliatives to the Rivers state government, this would be done when we get a firm date from the state government. “Like I mentioned earlier, we had given hand sanitisers, face masks to the communities, so within that period we sensitised them and discovered that the next to do was to provide food palliatives to them and that is why we are here.�

Buhari

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)

35,029,779.72

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

7,374,356.91

Money Supply (M2)

27,655,422.82

-- Quasi Money

116,533,891.21

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,121,531.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,625,047.69

---- Demand Deposits

9,496,483.91

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

13,911,335.83

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

21,118,443.89

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

35,918,179.45

---- Credit to Government (Net)

10,452,199.38

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

11,007,422.79

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

25,465,980.07

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-14,799,735.56

--Other Assets Net

7,000,253.07

Reserve Money (Base Money

2,005,600.83

--Currency in Circulation

4,677,530.81

--Banks Reserves

317,121.43

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Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ͯ͡ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Vienna, Austria, 20 May 2020--The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $28.43 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $28.21 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

27

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°ÍśËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

MARKET NEWS

Ardova Grows Revenue By 22% to N53bn in First Quarter Goddy Egene Ardova Plc has reported a revenue of N52.1 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, showing an increase by 22.3 per cent, compared with N426 billion posted in the corresponding period of 2019. The rise in revenue was primarily driven by a 24.6 per cent growth with fuel business constituting 92 per cent and a marginal increase in the lubricant

business constituting eight per cent of total revenue.

The company continued to focus on driving operational efficiency and rein in costs while maximising revenue streams.

Consequently, operating expenses ratio on revenue improved by five per cent in Q1 2020, from 5.4 per cent in corresponding period. Net financing cost improved from N651 million in 2019 to N155 million in 2020, primarily driven by

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

reduction in interest due on early payment of outstanding debt and a reduction in interest rates paid on trade finance, loans and overdraft facilities during the period.

The company ended the Q1 of 2020 with a profit after tax of N497 million, compared with N3.334 billion in 2019.

The 27.6 per cent growth in core profit before income tax was masked by divestment proceeds from the sale of

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the company’s subsidiaries, Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited, Forte Upstream Services Limited and AP Oil and Gas Ghana in 2019.

Commenting on the results, the Chief Executive Officer, Ardova Plc, Olumide Adeosun, said: “ Despite the challenging operating environment in the first quarter of 2020, our business remained resilient in delivering sustainable value,

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

evidenced by a 22.3 per cent growth in revenue. We were able to improve the supply of white products across our retail outlets amidst the nation - wide lockdown and in a market of compressed margins.

Our strong operational and efficiency focus also resulted in an improvement of 5.0 per cent in our operating expense ratio. As a formidable player in the downstream sector, we continued to re - validate our

O F

long - term operational strategy across the entire energy value chain.�

According to him, with the fast - paced evolution of energy beyond fossil fuel consumption, the company has continued to invest in non - fuel revenue initiatives while working with right - fit partners to further drive its aspirations of achieving a 20 per cent contribution from renewables and higher - margin products by 2024.

1 9 / 0 5 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

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28

THURSDAY MAY 28, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Buhari Approves Five New Zonal Commands for Nigeria Police Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday approved the creation of five new zonal commands of the Nigeria Police Force.

He also directed the reorganisation of the departments of the force notably the Force Intelligence Bureau and the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

The five newly created commands are Ondo/Ekiti

command with headquarters at Akure, Ondo State; and Enugu/ Anambra/Ebonyi Command with headquarters in UkpoDunukofia in Anambra State.

Others are Balyelsa/Rivers command with headquarters in Yenogoa,Bayelsa State; Katsina,/Kaduna command with headquarters in Katsina; Yobe/Borno command with headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State.In the new command structure arrangement, the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB)

Lawan, Govs, Aisha Buhari Pledge Commitment to Children’s Education

Seriki Adinoyi inJos, Hammed Shittu inIlorin, Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia, George Okoh in Makurdiand Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and governors across the country have expressed commitment to the welfare and education of Children.

In an address he delivered yesterday to mark this year’s Children Day celebration in Makurdi, the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom, assured that his administration would continue to make massive investment in the educational sector in order to bequeath a secured future to children living in the state.

He also stated that the ongoing upgrade of facilities in the public

primary and secondary schools across the state would be sustained, adding that more customised furniture would be acquired for primary schools across the state, in addition to the 35,000 customised desks and chairs recently distributed to the schools.

On his part, the Kwara State Governor, Mr. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investments in girl child education as a way of encouraging gender inclusion in the state.

A statement issued yesterday in Ilorin to commemorate this year World Children’s Day celebrations signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, said: “We have given the girl child a bragging right to say that her state, Kwara, holds the ace on the African continent in terms of women inclusion in governance.

Dangote Writes Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Denies Haulage of Almajirai to South-east

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Dangote Industries Ltd has distanced itself from any involvement in the haulage of youths (Almajirai) from Northern Nigeria to the South-east.

The company in a letter it addressed to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, dated May 27, 2020 and entitled, “Allegation of illegal haulage against Dangote Industries Limited,” profusely denied any involvement.

President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nwodo had recently expressed concern over the involvement of vehicles

belonging to Dangote Industries in conveying the almajirai to the South-east and advised the company to halt it.

But the company in letter signed by the Group Chief Branding and Communications officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, said “it categorically denies these spurious and misleading allegations, and hereby calls upon the public to disregard such report.”

The company however solicited the assistance of the general public in the fight to rid the organisation of illegal haulage activities being perpetrated by some unscrupulous persons using its trucks.

Senate Insists on Investigation of NDDC over Alleged N40bn Fraud

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Senate yesterday insisted on going ahead with the probe of the alleged N40 billion fraud at the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC) despite moves being made by the agency to stop the National Assembly from probing the alleged fund misappropriation by the management between January and March, this year.

The Red chamber in its reaction to witch hunting allegations levelled against both Chambers of the National Assembly declared that no amount of blackmail will stop

the ongoing investigations .

This is just as the upper legislative chamber asked the commission to drag before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) any suspected beneficiaries of fake contracts awarded by the agency.

The Senate position was canvassed at a news conference addressed by the Chairman of its Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who alleged that its insistence on the probe of the NDDC was why the IMC members embarked on open media attack against the leaders of the National Assembly.

is formally excised from the FCID to become a full-fledged department to be headed by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG).

A statement signed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, said the new structure is expected to fully integrate intelligence-led policing strategy and community policing.

President Buhari, who is the chairman of the Nigerian Police Council, also approved the decentralization of the FCID in line with the principle of

community policing.

The statement said two additional annex offices of the department is to be established in Enugu to take care of investigations of major crimes emanating from the South-east and South-south geo political zones, while the second in Gombe State would take care of investigations from the North-east geo-political zone.

He said the new annex offices are in addition to the existing anex offices in Lagos and Kaduna, while the FCID annex offices in Lagos, Kaduna, Enugu

and Gombe states would be headed by Assistant InspectorsGeneral of Police (AIGs) who are to report to the DIGs in charge of the FCID, at the Force Headquarters Abuja.

The president also approved a new structure for the four police colleges in the country located in Kaduna, Ikeja, Maiduguri and Orji-River, which is geared towards training and capacity development of the junior cadre of the force.

“The president approved that the status of the commandants of the colleges be upgraded to

the rank of Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police (AIG). This will strengthen administration, enhance the commitment of staff and engender higher level of discipline and the quality of training at the colleges,” it said.

The statement noted that the approvals were granted in order to expand and strengthen the intelligence department towards driving the intelligence-led policing strategy of the force leadership and to aid in the entrenchment of the community policing practice as approved by the federal government.

CRIMINALS IN TROUBLE.....

L-R: Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sina Olukolu; Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan; Governor Seyi Makinde; Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operation), Mr. Abdulmajid Ali; Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone XI, Mr. Bashiru Makama; and Aare of Ago Are, Oba Abodunrin Oyetunji Kofoworola, during the unveiling of patrol vans and inauguration of No. 72 Squadron, Police Mobile Force in Ago-Are area of Oyo State...yesterday

NLC Gives Kano 14-day Ultimatum over Salary Deductions Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Kano State government to pay back all the deductions it made on workers’ salary in the month of May or face strike.

A communique issued yesterday by the NLC in Kano said the action of the state government clearly violated the 2019 agreement it had with the congress and demanded

that the deductions should be quickly reversed.

The communiqué declared the salary deduction for the month of May without the consent of the labour union as illegal because it violated the existing minimum wage law of 2019, which is a product of tripartite committee, entered into and sent to the legislature by the executive body by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The NLC also lamented that the government reneged on

its promise for the payment of April and November 2019 arrears to workers from the implementation of the consequential adjustment arising from N30, 000 minimum wage as agreed in December, 19, 2019.

According to the communiqué, “the state government fails to implement fully, the signed agreement of the consequential adjustment arising from the N30, 000 minimum wage to workers in the local government, Primary

Health Care and SUBEB (primary school teachers), tertiary institutions and Ministry of Justice, thereby unilaterally implement partially without the consent of the labour side representing them.

“The meeting in session demands the refund of relativity allowances to all entitled and affected members in the State for the month of May 2020 and stop further deduction to respect the agreement reached in May 2018.”

Court Stops Revocation of Ororo Marginal Field Davidson Iriekpen

Justice Muslim Sule Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) from revoking the Ororo Marginal Field in OML 95, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The judge granted the order of interim injunction against the

respondents following a May 19 motion ex parte filed by Owena Oil and Gas Limited.

He ordered the parties to maintain status quo in relation to the revocation, pending the determination of the motion on notice and adjourned till June 10 for hearing.

The Ororo field, discovered in 1986, is located within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 95 in shallow waters offshore Ondo State. It lies in water depths

ranging between 23feet and 27 ft.

Owena, in suit FHC/L/ CS/587/2020 filed through its counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), said the 1st and 2nd respondents “purportedly revoked the Ororo Maginal Field without recourse to the plaintiff.”

It contended that it would suffer “irreparable damage unless the defendants are restrained.”

Justice Hassan upheld the argument.

“An order of interim injunction of status quo is hereby granted retraining the defendants/respondents from taking any step in respect of the revocation of the Ororo Marginal Field in OML 95 pending the determination of the motion on notice,” the judge held.

The oil firm filed the motion on notice with the minister, DPR and Guarantee Petroleum Company Ltd as first to third respondents.

Abducted Naval Commander Regains Freedom in Ondo James Sowole in Akure The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, Undie Adie, yesterday said a Naval Officer, Lt Commander Ajare Uchegbulah Amadi, who was kidnapped by criminals on Ago Ajayi, Oba Akoko road, Ondo State, on May 17, 2020, has regained freedom.

The release of the naval officer was disclosed in a statement issued by the Police

Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Tee- Leo Ikoro, adding that the officer was set free yesterday.

Adie said the naval officer’s release was sequel to the aggressive manhunt the state police command and other sister agencies placed on his abductors.

The commissioner said the abductors abandoned their victims and ran away from the bush when they realised

that there was no place to hide any longer, Adie warned travelers within this period to strictly adhere to the travel ban on interstate movement imposed by the federal government as a means to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

He said criminals are already using the advantage of the roads which are relatively empty to advance their nefarious acts. .Adie

vowed that criminals would not be allowed to operate in the state as the command was ready to rid the state of criminal elements.

He enjoined residents of the state to go about their normal businesses, while also urging them to always stay safe by keeping social distancing as they adhere to the directives of both the state and the federal government to stop the spread of COVID-19.

THURSDAY MAY 28, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

29

NEWS XTRA

World Bank Approves $346m for Projects in Nigeria, Others Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja In a bid to strengthen resilience and livelihoods, the World Bank has approved a total of $346 million for two projects in the

Lake Chad region covering Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.

The prevailing security situation in the region has hindered over 49 million people

AMCON Urges FG to Provide Bailout for Aviation Sector Chinedu Eze

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has joined stakeholders to call on the federal government to provide bailout for the aviation sector, noting that airlines and agencies in the industry critically need financial support in order to sustain their operations.

The call was made by the Executive Director in charge of Operations at AMCON, Mr. Aminu Ismail, who controls the aviation portfolio in the agency.

AMCON, which injected about N50 billion between 2012 and 2020 to stabilise the operations of the aviation sector in Nigeria, said air travel buoys the economy of any nation because it is the fasted means of transport and very crucial in the growth of nations.

Ismail said that it was AMCON’s intervention that led to the purchase of about $1 billion Non-Performing Loans (NPL’s) from Nigerian banks owed by major Nigerian airlines including Aero Contractors, Arik Air amongst others.

He added that although the aviation sector accounts for around eight per cent of AMCON’s restructuring portfolio, AMCON’s actions in restructuring the loans of airline operators protected a critical sector of the economy for Nigeria.

Ismail noted that given the critical nature of the essential services rendered to the economy by the sector, the objective of the intervention of the agency was to stabilise the operations of the airlines rather that realise the assets of the airlines in settlement of their outstanding debt.

Crisis Hits Oyo APC over Plan to Expel ex-Communication Minister, Shittu Kemi OlaitaninIbadan Another crisis is brewing in the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following alleged clandestine moves to expel former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, from the party.

THISDAY reliably gathered that leaders of the party in the state loyal to the former Governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, are putting pressure on executives of the party in his Ward two and Saki West Local Government Area to expel him. It was gathered that events leading to this began when four APC local government chairmen, representing Forum of APC Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, paid a visit to the

former minister about a month ago preaching the need for reconciliation in the party which he did not object to.

A source at the meeting, however, said Shittu told the chairmen that to achieve genuine reconciliation, there are conditions which must be met in order for the aggrieved members to have a sense of belonging.

The first condition which the former minister gave, according to the source, was that members of the party, particularly those who belonged to the Unity Forum group, who purchased nomination forms during the last state congress but not allowed to be part of the party primaries, must be refunded their money.

CSO Accuses Politicians of Working to Truncate Forensic Audit of NDDC An oil and gas industry watchdog “the accusations leveled against the has called on the National Assembly to refrain from actions that could distract the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), from completing the forensic audit on time as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The organisation, Transparency in Petroleum Exploration and Development Initiative (TIPEDI), lamented that the current crisis of confidence between elected politicians particularly from the Niger Delta area and the NDDC will have serious negative effect not only on the commission but on the hapless people of the area who have suffered neglect for many years. TIPEDI’s National Co-ordinator, Chief Nathan Egba in a statement issued from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, said

National Assembly by the NDDC management are serious but common knowledge, because some federal legislators have perpetually milked the commission over the years. It is therefore not surprising that they are now engaged in a plot to derail the forensic audit exercise which obviously will unearth their nefarious activities”.

He said some legislators deliberately orchestrated the present conflict between the Prof. Keme Pondei-led management of the NDDC and the National Assembly as a means of blackmailing the commission to bow to some illegal demands as well as derail completion of the forensic audit, adding that their plo has backfired as the NDDC management courageously called their bluff”.

from attaining their livelihoods in fishing, livestock farming, and agriculture.

The bank said in a statement that the projects, which are to be financed through the International Development Association (IDA), will be shared between Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

The IDA is a member of the World Bank Group, which offers concessional loans and grants to the world’s poorest developing countries.

The World Bank stated that the Lake Chad region suffers from poor development and economic indicators compared

to the averages in other areas in the four countries.

There are significant gaps in infrastructure, poor access to basic services, while natural resources and livelihoods are severely impacted by climate change.

It noted that since 2009, the situation in the region had been worsened by insecurity due to the activities of insurgents.

The World Bank Director of Regional Integration for Africa, Ms. Deborah Wetzel, said the Lake Chad region remains a priority area of engagement as a result of the common nature of the challenges

faced by the sub-region and the huge potential for regional cooperation.

The Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) for North Eastern Nigeria, Additional Financing (AF) for which the bank allocated $176 million, will help the Federal Government of Nigeria to improve access to basic services and livelihood opportunities for crisis-affected communities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

According to the bank, it will also enhance coordination among the states and other Lake Chad countries, adding

that it will expand the ongoing $200 million MCRP project and ensure enhanced emphasis on support for agricultural livelihoods and investment.

The MCRP AF will provide support for labour-intensive approaches and works programs, promote rural and regional connectivity, rehabilitate market infrastructure, and prioritise climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The project will also expand its education and health activities by providing grants to school committees and incentives to returning teachers.

GIVING ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP...

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Shina Thorpe; Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello; his counterpart in the Ministry of Waterfront, Mr. Kabir Mohammed; Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye; and Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, during the ministerial press briefing to mark the first year in office of the present administration of Lagos State, at Alausa, Ikeja...yesterday KOLA OLASUPO

Military Kills 30 Bandits in Zamfara Forest

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

No fewer than 30 bandits were killed in airstrike conducted by the Air Component of the Operation Hadarin Daji in Doumborou forest area of Zamfara State, the military has disclosed.

The Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, said in a statement issued yesterday that the logistics store belonging to the bandits

was also destroyed in the attack.

According to the statement, the military acted based on credible intelligence, which indicated that a structure within the forest was being used by bandits to store their logistics.

“The Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has destroyed an armed bandits’ logistics store and neutralised no fewer than 30 bandits in air strikes conducted yesterday, May 26, 2020, in the Doumborou

Forest area of Zamfara State.

“The operation was executed based on credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports indicating that a thatched structure within the Forest was being used by the bandits to store their logistics items.

Fortuitously, an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft on patrol spotted some of the armed bandits on motorcycles who were tracked to the storehouse where they

lodged some items.

“The Air Component therefore dispatched an attack helicopter to engage the location, scoring accurate hits resulting in the destruction of the store, which was seen engulfed in flames. The attack helicopter subsequently trailed the armed bandits who fled the location and mopped them up in follow-on attacks, neutralizing no fewer than 30 of them as later confirmed by HUMINT sources”.

EFCC Lawyer’s Absence Stalls former HoSF’s Alleged Fraud Trial Alex Enumah in Abuja Trial of former Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, at the Federal High Court in Abuja was yesterday stalled following the absence of the prosecution lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in March arraigned Oyo-Ita and eight others on 18 counts charge

bordering on fraud and money laundering to the tune of over N400million.

The alleged offences were said to have been committed when Oyo-Ita was a deputy director at the Federal Ministry of Power.

The companies sued as defendants are: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, Gooddeal Investment Limited, U&U Global

Services Limited and Prince Mega Logistics Limited.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.

Trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in granting the bail, ordered that the defendants be released to their respective lawyers pending the perfection of their bail.

The decision, he noted, was in view of the coronavirus

pandemic in the country, adding that lives should not be put in unnecessary danger.

He accordingly adjourned trial till May 27, 2020.

When the matter came up yesterday, the prosecution counsel was absence in court.

Responding, Oyo-Ita’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), informed the court that he does not know the reason for the absence of the prosecution counsel.

FG to Amend Act Establishing National Endowment for the Arts Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government will amend the Act establishing the National Endowment for the Arts to enable it play pivotal role in responding to the demands of the sector, which has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this in Abuja yesterday in his opening remarks at the Virtual Forum of the African Union

Ministers responsible for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Mohammed said the government decided to amend the Act establishing the National Endowment for the Arts to better meet the demands of the sector, which has been greatly impacted by the pandemic.

“The main objectives of the Endowment is to support every medium and area of creative activity in the art, culture and heritage sector as well as to foster professional excellence in the

sector,” the minister, who doubles as the second vice chairperson of the African Union 3rd Specialised Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sport.

He noted that the creative industry remains the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic because it is audience-centred, and with the social distancing, ban on mass gathering and travel restrictions put in place globally, the fortunes of the industry has taken a nose dive.

“This is why we have decided

to face the challenges squarely.

Realising the imperative of having a collective and governmentsupported approach in dealing with the situation, we have set up a 22-member stakeholders committee, cutting across art, culture, heritage, tourism, streaming, music, film, among others, to come up with immediate, short and long term economic stimulus and initiatives for the industry in order to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the sector,” he said.

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THURSDAY MAY 28 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

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NBC Imposes Fines on Three Radio Stations in Ondo, Kwara The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has imposed fines on three stations over broadcast of invariable content on COVID-19 and has also

sanctioned 28 others for other violations against the Nigeria Broadcasting Code The Acting Director-General of NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba,

Amotekun will Only Succeed in Lagos, Says Alao-Akala Former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has said that the joint security outfit set up by governors of the South-west, will fail in all the states in the zone except in Lagos.

Speaking on his memoirs titled: “Amazing Grace” which is scheduled for launch in June, as part of activities for his 70th birthday, the ex-governor said the security outfit would fail over leadership challenge.

He faulted the decision of the governors to appoint retired military officers as director-generals of the corps.

Alao-Akala, a former assistant commissioner of police, said police officers would have been a better option to occupy the position.

He said while a soldier is trained to lead wars, a police officer has better knowledge

of internal security, which Amotekun is more concerned about.

“The Amotekun Corp will fail in the South-west states except for Lagos. The outfit is supposed to take care of the security of the people and their property across the zone but it will fail in every state except Lagos because the right people were not appointed to head it,” he said.

“You cannot expect a soldier to head Amotekun successfully.

A police officer is trained specially on internal security management. If fundamentally the foundation is weak whatever you want to put on it would be weak. When you have a soldier there, he is taught how to kill.

The governors don’t get it right by appointing ex-military men to head the outfits in the other states.

made this known yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja.

Idachaba said the three stations fined were Adaba FM and Breeze FM, all in Akure, as well as Albarka FM, Ilorin.

He said the stations were fined N250,000 each for broadcasting invariable claims and misleading information about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NBC boss further stated that 28 other stations were sanctioned for violation of

the code in areas bordering on hate speech, obscenity, technical breach, advertisement, invariable claims and unprofessionalism.

“All the stations have been either queried or sanctioned according to the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code ”The commission wishes to, again, re-emphasise that all broadcasters must adhere strictly to the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and National Broadcast Act CAP

N11 Laws of the Federation, 2004,”Idachaba said.

Speaking on reforms by the NBC, Idachaba said the amendment of the sixth edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari made provisions for local content in the broadcast industry.

According to him, it also makes provision for increased advertising revenue for local broadcast stations and content

producers.

“It also creates restrictions for monopolistic and anti competitive behavior in the broadcast industry. It further makes provision for responsibility for broadcast stations during national emergencies. ” I am glad that the work is ready now, and the commission has published the provisions of the amendment of the code,” he said.

SEALED AND DELIVERED…

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST), Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar; Minister of State in the ministry, Mr. Mohammed Abdullahi ; Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; and Chairman of the Committee/Director Bioresources Technology (BRT) Department of the ministry, Mr. Oguntunde Abayomi, during the presentation of report of the Ministerial Committee on the Repositioning and Strengthening of the FMST to the minister in Abuja... recently

There is Nothing to Lagos Issues 479,028 Number Plates, Celebrate on May 29, Driver’s Licences in One Year PDP Tells Buhari, APC Segun James

Chuks Okocha inAbuja Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the present administration, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday counseled President Muhammadu Buhari to avoid making false performance claims and empty promises to celebrate May 29 Inauguration Day. The party said President Buhari should rather apologise for the tragic failures of his administration, which wrecked the once robust and cohesive country, imposed hardship and created acute despondency across the country in the last five years.

The PDP stressed that Buhari should also address the manifest manipulations, bloodletting, intimidation, coercions, abuse of power and human right violations that characterised the 2019 presidential elections, as such is the only way to achieve healing

in the national polity.

According to the PDP in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, “Our party further advises President Buhari against living in denial of the ugly fact that his administration and his dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) had deserted, betrayed and abandoned underprivileged Nigerians, particularly our youths, after the APC deceived them with false promises to grab power in 2015.”

The party further urged the president not to allow his handlers push him into sugarcoating the colossal failures of the last one year, which had been characterised by humongous corruption, worsened insecurity and economic hardship, while the president, who had promised to lead from the front, recedes deeper into the luxury and safety of the Presidential Villa.

Akeredolu Directs Guided Opening of Worship Centres in Ondo James Sowole in Akure Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwaroyimi Akeredolu, yesterday directed the resumption of ‘guided and syndicated’ religious activities throughout the state.

Akeredolu gave the directive at a weekly media briefing on COVID-19 in the state.

The governor explained that a total number of 432 persons had been tested in the state, and out of which 24 persons tested positive.

Akeredolu said of the 24 that were admitted, 19 had been treated and discharged; three still on admission at the state Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) while two patients have

died.

The governor said the resumption of guided religious activities was done in consultation with religious leaders. According to him, “As agreed with religious leaders, in specific terms, worship centres are to commence their main activities from tomorrow.

However, such approvals are not blanket and without restrictions, rather, they are to be guided by the rules which are derived from the general response protocols on COVID-19 nationally “Only weekly Friday Jumat services and Sunday church services will commence in the first instance. Other daily programmes within the week are not yet approved for commence.

The Lagos State Government has issued over 479,028 vehicle number plates and driver’s licence in the state in the last one year, the state Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, has disclosed.

According to him, the breakdown showed that

288,000 number plates and 191,028 driver’s licence were issued by the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) on a weekly basis, even as he said the agency issued a total of 6, 000 new number plates weekly; 24,000 monthly and a total of 288,000 in the last one year.

Oladeinde said the administration had recently

re-introduced the Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT) to assist in providing a robust data base and sharing of valuable information about all new vehicles entering the state with the law enforcement agencies, which he said harped on safety as well as security alertness.

“In conformity with the international standard, Lagos State Government has launched

a newly designed Articulated and Allied Vehicle Number Plate (AVNP). The new AVNP comes in a set of three, which will be fixed on the cabin head, body and rear. ”A new website (verify. autoreg.ng) has also been created to enable law enforcement agency verify the authenticity of vehicle number plates,” he said.

Kano to Enrol Repatriated Almajirai into Conventional Education System Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, yesterday formerly announced the abolishment of traditional Almajiri education system in the state, insisting that all Almajirai repatriated to Kano from other states will be enrolled into the

conventional education system.

According to the state Commissioner for Local Government, who doubles as the Chairman of the Almajiri Evacuation Committee, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, 723 indigenous Almajarai have also been reunited with their families.

Garo, who spoke during the

Kano State Government state Task Force on COVID-19, said about 28 Almajirai who tested positive to coronavirus are already receiving treatment at the isolation centre.

Ganduje, during his speech at the COVID-19 press conference, declared that as a matter of policy, “every child in Kano State, including Almajarai, must go

to school and be educated.”

The governor, who disclosed that the fight against COVID-19 in the state is yielding positive results, said his government has concluded plans to incorporate the repatriated Almajarai into the state free and compulsory primary and basic education policy.

Political Parties Back INEC’s Plan to Hold Edo, Ondo Elections Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Registered political parties under the auspices of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed supports for the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) new policy on conducting elections in the country in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement issued by the group which was signed by the

National Chairman of African Action Congress (AAC), Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, described the new measure outlined recently

by INEC to conduct elections in the context of the pandemic as being “realistic, exhaustive, health-sensitive and in tune with reality of the time.”

In the statement, the parties said: “Coronavirus scourge has altered the country’s political horizon with its health, social and financial

implications, making the use of electronic voting imperative. The council commends the electoral umpire for agreeing to use electoral voting machine in 2021 polls on a pilot scale.”

According to Nzenwa, IPAC has been in the vanguard for the use of electronic voting system in conducting elections in Nigeria which will assure free, fair, credible, transparent, acceptable and peaceful polls.

He said IPAC welcomed INEC plan to experiment on e-voting in 2021 in major elections, adding that it is a giant step forward in the country’s political process.

“The exigency of the moment has made it imperative for INEC to receive political parties’ nomination forms for Edo and Ondo State governorship elections online in compliance with various established coronavirus preventive protocols such as social distancing.

Nasarawa to Complete N5.4bn Abandoned Power Project Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The Nasarawa State Government yesterday disclosed plans to complete the abandoned N5.4 billion Farin-Ruwa Independent Power Plant (IPP) awarded in 2004 by the first civilian Governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

The state Governor, Abdullahi Sule, disclosed this shortly after

inspecting the 15.5km Sisin Baki-Kwarra road he awarded as part of activities to mark his one year in office.

While highlighting the reasons his administration embarked on the completion of the power project, the governor said with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources constructing another dam in the area, the state government was looking

forward to completing the project started by the former governor.

He said his administration was as well looking forward to generating additional 20 megawatts of electricity from the Farin Ruwa waterfalls.

Commenting on the progress of work at the site of the Sisin Baki-Kwarra road project, the governor expressed satisfaction

that in spite of the challenges by the coronavirus pandemic, work was progressing steadily, noting further that from all indications, the job will be completed on time.

The 15.5km Sisin Baki-Kwarra road, which was the first of the major project under the present administration of Sule, was awarded early February this year at the cost of N2.4billion.

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31

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Pinnick Dismisses Redknapp Speculations, Confirms Rohr’s Contract Extension

Duro Ikhazuagbe

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),

Gernot Rohr....new deal with Eagles conďŹ rmed

Amaju Pinnick, has finally put to rest speculations about the future of German Gernot Rohr with Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles.

Pinnick confirmed yesterday that the contract of the Super Eagles Head Coach due to end June 30 has been extended by another two and a half years.

The confirmation has also put to rest speculations in a section of the local sporting media that former Portsmouth and Tottenham Manager, Harry Redknapp, 73, was been considered to replace Rohr. “I am happy to announce that the NFF and Coach Gernot Rohr have concluded all contractual discussions and he will stay on as the coach of the Super Eagles�, Pinnick said in a statement on

Twitter on Wednesday. “We can now look forward to qualifying for the World Cup (2022) and winning the Nations Cup (AFCON 2021). These are sacrosanct and Coach Rohr is aware of these conditions,�

Pinnick added.

However, the NFF President earlier told BBC Sport Africa: “We (NFF) do not know

anything about Redknapp being appointed as Super Eagles coach.�

Rohr’s former contract was set to expire in June 2020, and while he was presented a new deal at the start of April, there were uncertainties about an agreement based on new clauses set by the NFF. Some of the conditions in

the new contract offered Rohr include; accept to be paid equivalent of his month salary in the Nigerian currency, Naira; He is to stay most part of his contract in Nigeria and be part of the process of monitoring the domestic league with the prospect of discovering new talents for the senior national team, amongst other things.

Although Pinnick did not state some of the concessions in the new contract waived before Rohr agreed to sign the documents, both parties appear happy.

In the last 24 hours, there was increased speculation about the possibility of Redknapp stepping into the most coveted job in Nigerian sports circle.

Liverpool Submit N30b Bid for Osimhen European Champions, Liverpool FC have joined London side, Tottenham Hotspurs in submitting a â‚Ź70 million (N30 billion) bid for bereaved Lille striker, Victor Osimhen.

The 21-year-old, who was brought in last summer by the French club to replace the Arsenal-bound Nicolas Pepe, has filled those shoes impressively with 18 goals in 38 games.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham have all been linked in recent months and the latter side reportedly emerged as the mystery club who submitted a ÂŁ75 million bid for the attacker.

Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss, Italian journalist, Diego De Luca, revealed that Liverpool have now followed suit with Spurs in submitting a sizeable bid for Osimhen. “Victor Osimhen? He is a player owned by Lille,� the journalist said. “The deal is very complicated because there are various teams on the player.

“Liverpool and Tottenham have offered 70 million for the player.

In the short term, there may be some news on the renewal issue.�

Osimhen is said to have snubbed interest from the Serie A and has his heart set on a move to the Premier League or LaLiga.

Late on Tuesday evening, there were reports in Italy and France that the Nigerian forward has agreed personal terms with Serie A giants Napoli.

Italian media, namely Footmercato, Telefoot and Sport Mediaset claimed that Osimhen who is in Nigeria to mourn his father who died last Saturday has made Napoli his primary objective and worked out personal terms with Director of Sport Cristiano Giuntoli.

Although Lille are asking for â‚Ź80m similar to the amount Arsenal paid to lure Nicolas Pepe to England, transfer market sources insisted that the more realistic price-tag for Osimhen is in the region of â‚Ź55m.

Ighalo Close to Man Utd Extension, Says Agent Former Super Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo, is ‘edging closer to an extended stay at Manchester United’ after it was revealed the Chinese Super League’s foreign players are set to be banned from returning until October.

Ighalo moved to Old Trafford on a short-term loan deal from Shanghai Shenhua back in January, but despite impressing in his spell in England his future is currently unclear amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The striker’s loan deal is set to expire this Sunday, leaving him in limbo between England and China, but his agent has now revealed that an extension is close to being agreed. “On the one hand, the Super Eagle (Nigerian) feels very good in Manchester with which it is very close to a salary agreement,� Ighalo’s agent, Ladi Salami, told FootMercato. “Negotiations with the Chinese are ongoing and are going well. On the other

hand, in view of the latest regulations in force in the Far East, it is almost impossible to offer such amounts.�

The news of Ighalo’s potential extension to his time at Manchester United comes amid reports in China that foreign players may not be able to return to the country until October - despite the new season being set to start next month.

Up to a third of the Chinese Super League’s players are currently outside of China and face being refused entry until much later in the year, according to Sike football reporter Miao Yuan.

Ighalo is among a huge group of players and managers that fall into that category, including Dalian Yifang manager Rafa Benitez.

The ex-Newcastle boss, and two of his new signings Marcus Danielson and Sam Larsson, have been waiting for news in Hong Kong on when they will be allowed back into mainland China amid the pandemic.

Victor Osimhen....European champions Liverpool want him at Anfield

N AT I O N A L S P O R T S F E S T I VA L

Sports Minister Tasks Edo 2020 Covid-19 The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has charged the Covid-19 Edo 2020 National Sports Festival Committee to work as quickly as possible to deliver on their mandate.

Speaking during the inauguration yesterday, Mr. Dare said: “The inauguration of this committee is a fallout of last week’s Council of Sports

meeting. The effort to deliver on your mandate has started. “This assignment must be given the urgency it deserves.

We must follow the regime of what obtains globally. This is a call to duty which must be handled with all the seriousness it deserves. I charge you to carry out this task within the stipulated period of 30 days in which you are expected

to submit your report,� the minister charged the committee members.

Dare said the terms of reference of the committee include; interface with all stakeholders and relevant agencies to determine the readiness of Edo State to host the festival; ascertain the level of health infrastructure; prepare code of operation for athletes

and officials; and propose a new date for the Festival.

In his response, Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Tonobok Okowa, said: “We thank the Minister for the opportunity to serve in this important sector which counts alot for the youths of this country. We assure you that with our wealth of experience, we will deliver on time.�

Premier League Club’s Vote to Resume Contact Training Premier League clubs have unanimously voted to resume contact training as ‘Project Restart’ moves to phase two.

Players will be able to “train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising unnecessary close contact,� a statement said.

Discussions continue on plans to resume the season when “conditions allow�, it added.

Premier League players and

staff will continue to be tested twice a week for coronavirus.

So far eight people have tested positive after 1,744 tests across the league. The third round of results were been expected to be released late yesterday.

The decision to return to contact training was agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the Professional Football Association

(PFA), the League Managers Association (LMA) and the government.

Plans for the third phase of Project Restart include a step towards normal training and build-up to competitive games.

Speaking last Friday, Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Masters, told BBC Sportthe league was “as confident as we can be� about resuming the season in

June, with 92 fixtures still to play.

Squads started non-contact traininglast week for the first time since the Premier League was suspended on 13 March because of the pandemic.

Clubs will discuss further issues on Thursday including the use of neutral stadiums, how to decide the season in the event of curtailment and voting on rebates to broadcasters.

CAF Set to Move AFCON to 2022 Africa’s flagship sports competition, the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to hold in January next year is set to be postponed till 2022 just as UEFA has done to its own version of the competition.

French Radio Monte Carlo unveiled the possibility of shifting the event to the summer of 2022 due to Coronavirus pandemic.

It will be the first time the continental premier football competition will hold in an even numbered year since the

edition of 2012.

The French radio quoted a source within the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who pointed out the difficulty of organising the tournament on schedule The next edition expected to hold in Cameroon was initially fixed to run from 9 January to 6 February 2021.

But the source said: “There is almost no chance for the African Cup of Nations 2021 to be held next January.�

The source revealed: “The

intention is to postpone the competition to be held in January 2022.�The source further explained that postponing it for 12 months is not the only option on the table, but rather it is proposed to postpone it for 18 months.

The source said: “It’s also possible to make it in the summer of 2022, because the World Cup will take place in November 2022.� “But we have to study this idea very well so as not to destabilise the African teams

participating in the World Cup,� the source said.

There are four full rounds in the African Nations Cup qualifiers, in addition to the play-offs, less than seven months ahead of schedule, which reduces the possibility of holding the tournament.

The competition, which was held every two years in January, saw a new date in the last version in Egypt when it was played in the summer, before CAF modified its date again to be in January.

Thursday, May 28, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE Ade Adeogun to Tukur Buratai “It is unprofessional for soldiers to go to warfront with cameras because it is a huge distraction. I have been involved in security before and it is a no-no for someone carrying a weapon to carry a phone. What happens when the phone rings? Then, you have to look at the fact that it actually compromises the position of the military because anybody can track a phone� – House of Representatives member, Hon Ade Adeogun, on soldiers who record military operations for social media.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade

I

n the past one week, dozens of people have sent me a four-minute video clip of Governor Ben Ayade becoming emotional over the plight of the downtrodden in his state during the inauguration of an anti-tax agency. While the clip was prepared and circulated by government officials in Calabar, I am also moved to tears that Ayade is concerned that “five years as governor, there would still be people living in thatched houses in Cross River. I knew how prepared I was but it didn’t end the way I dreamt for the state. I wish God would intervene because I really wish I could help. It’s very painful.�

This is not the first time Ayade would cry before cameras when discussing the living conditions of his people. My concern is that his tears do not match the bravado with which he recounts his numerous accomplishments.

Besides, Ayade merely regurgitated what he said in January 2017: “Let me state very clearly that in Cross River State today, we have put an end to any taxi driver, cyclist or okada rider being made to pay any form of tax. This is so because we want them to have disposable income that can keep the economy spinning. That is one fast-track way other than putting a pay cheque on their tables. I don’t want to see a hotel that is struggling to survive with challenges of diesels being chased after by government officials for taxes.

I have seen poverty in my personal life and I know what that small N2,000 means to them. I have warned anybody who is still collecting money from these people to desist forthwith.�

Those words, let me not forget to add, were accompanied then by a few teardrops from the governor whose baritone voice and eloquence could earn him a job in any broadcast media house. Only a few weeks later, while visiting the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Bakassi Peninsula, Ayade again shed tears. As an emotional person myself, I can understand the governor tearing up once in a while but this video has left me a bit confused. I have not been to Cross River in the past decade but I follow what Ayade says about his achievements so I do not expect him to be reading from the Book of Lamentations on the eve of his 5th anniversary in office.

According to figures just released by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Cross River State earned a total of N58,909,943,120.51 (roughly N59 billion) revenue last year. This comprises N36,312,879,237.96 from the Federation Account and N22,063,597,882.55 Internally Generated Revenues (IGR). But those little details were of no consequence to Ayade who “fully implemented� his 1.4 trillion ‘Budget of Qabalistic Densification’ which included ongoing projects like ‘Bakassi Deep Seaport’, ‘CaliVegas’ and ‘Super Highways’.

And despite the impact of COVID-19 on oil prices, Ayade is going ahead with his plan to build an international airport, among other projects earmarked for 2020.

Indeed, the governor disclosed recently that additional equipment is being deployed to the proposed site, located near the Obudu Cattle Ranch. “The airport will offer opportunities so that Cross River will be exporting ornamental

Governor Ayade

flowers to Europe. Obudu Ranch will not only provide tourism, it is now going to be an agro-horticultural business hub, producing flowers and taking them to the cargo airport for export to Europe. If Kenya can make 9 billion Euros from exporting flowers from 8,000 ft, then Cross River which has 11,000 ft above sea level, should do better.�

This grand vision underpinning the governor’s administration is captured in the names he bestows on his budgets. He began in 2016 with the N350 billion ‘Budget of Deep Vision’ before moving to the N1.1 trillion 2017 ‘Budget of Infinite Transposition’ and then a year later, to the 1.3 trillion ‘Budget of Kinetic Crystallization’. The modest sum of N1.1 trillion has been projected for this year’s ‘Budget of Olimpotic Meristemasis’.

Don’t ask where the money comes from in a state that has earned an average of N60

billion annually in recent years. A very creative mind, Ayade has explained how he does the magic: “The use of intellect to make up for naira and kobo is what is called intellectual money. Intellectual currency is stronger than paper currency and so where there is a deficiency of funds, the intellect takes over.�

Rather than continuing to state that yet another recession is inevitable, the federal government should seek the counsel of Ayade on how to secure ‘Intellectual Money’ to execute multi-billion projects and put Nigerians to work. A month ago, Ayade approved the appointment of 427 additional aides to join more than a thousand special assistants that already work for him. According to his spokesman, Christian Ita, “The governor has said repeatedly that he only needs about five per cent of his appointees. So he deliberately creates these jobs to put food on the table so as to reduce social tension.�

On the political scene, the governor is also ‘putting food on the table’. Since he assumed office, Ayade has refused to conduct local government elections, like most of his colleagues. But on Monday, the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) chairman, Dr Mike Ushie, suddenly announced that the election will hold on Saturday. Aside the ridiculous short notice, there are suits challenging the reconstitution of CROSIEC which had earlier been dissolved with other boards at the end of Ayade’s first term. The chairman had in fact resumed his job at the University of Calabar before he was recalled and members sworn in without their names being sent to the Assembly for confirmation as required by law. The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has threatened to boycott the election. But were they expecting to win council seats in

a PDP state? How many of such councils do the opposition win in states controlled by their own party? But if Ayade is as clever as some of his colleagues, I see APC being allocated two or three wards, especially in parts of Bakassi local government controlled

by Cameroon. Those councillors can then go and hold sessions with the gendarmes!

For sure, Ayade gets a few things right. He is building a rice mill in Ogoja, a garment factory in Calabar and a cocoa processing plant in Ikom. There is also a cotton farm in Woda, Banana Plantation in Odukpani and a poultry and yellow maize farm in Obubra.

The challenge, however, is that while each of these projects is being funded 100 percent with public money, there are no enabling laws to explain the stakes of the state and the ownership structures.

Meanwhile, if there is any area where Ayade has excelled beyond measure, it is in the management of COVID-19. Cross River and Kogi are the only two states in Nigeria from which the virus has been effectively banished. While inaugurating the state’s COVID-19 Response Team for which he approved the release of N500 million on 31st March, Ayade charged them: “You are all aware that there is no unanimity about the history of this global pandemic but as a state governed by two Professors, we must find ways and provide a leading direction at the sub-national level. It is, therefore, our desire to ensure that Cross River continues to maintain ZERO (emphasis mine) incidence as far as this pandemic is concerned.� A week before that mandate that has been scrupulously enforced, Ayade had declared: “All the entry points into Cross River State (land, air and water) are hereby locked down.� r/05& 1JFDF DPODMVEFE PO QBHF

Banking with Coronavirus Ever since the five-week lockdown imposed

by President Muhammadu Buhari to contain the spread of COVID-19 was partially lifted, bank customers in Abuja have been going through hell. While some banks have devised methods to handle the deluge of customers who huddle together by providing chairs, canopies and a measure or order, GTBANK in particular seems to enjoy drawing large crowds of customers they treat with contempt. Yesterday, I spent almost two hours at the Asokoro branch without being able to enter the banking hall. Before I left in frustration, I interacted with dozens of other disillusioned customers and heard harrowing stories of people spending days (going home and coming back) without being able to access the bank. It is the same in many other branches.

I am not ashamed to admit that I belong to the category of Nigerians without internet banking. I have never subscribed to it as I remain blissfully analogue. And because I go to my bank for every transaction, I have for years been at the receiving end of jokes from some of the officials. I am aware it is not convenient, but I recognise my

weakness. If I can access the little money in my account as easily as I can access the one in my pocket, I would be a most miserable man indeed, because I would be left with no savings. If anything, this lockdown period has proved that to me.

For instance, if you sent me a message on a Friday night that your family had not eaten for days and were on the verge of death, the only thing I could offer was prayers.

If by Monday you still send a reminder, then I would not be wrong to conclude that the God who kept your family alive during the weekend would continue to perform his miracles!

While their services may still be skeletal following the directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), I do not know of any country where banks were closed as we did in Nigeria for five weeks. Now that the lockdown has been partially lifted, and the banking halls are deemed to be accessible again, customers are being made to suffer.

With many of these banks reducing their operations to as little as 30 percent and also limiting working hours, we have unwittingly created a perfect condition for all manner

of unwholesome practices. Yet, people have reasons for going to the banks where they keep their money and that should not be criminalised.

What is happening at the banks is antithetical to the battle we are supposed to be fighting against coronavirus and I wonder why some people cannot see it.

Why are we creating needless crowds at a time we are preaching social distancing?

What exactly is the meaning of subjecting bank customers to hours of hardship that could in fact become double jeopardy if they catch the virus from people they are forced to mill around with? Has COVID-19 revealed its time of infection during the day which then necessitated the limited working hours? Why do bank customers now have to resort to man-know-man to access their money?

The situation that obtains outside most of the banking halls in Abuja makes no sense. Except the idea is for us to go and be collecting COVID-19 at our banks, the CBN and body of bankers must have the common sense to address this ugly situation without further delay.

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