THURSDAY 23TH JUNE 2022

MOMAN: FG Must Deregulate Downstream to Address Fuel Supply Challenges Don't sell fuel above N165/litre, IPMAN, ADITOP warn members, appoint consultants to recover debts Nigeria’s problem is distribution, not supply, PENGASSAN declares Emmanuel Addeh, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja, Emma Okonji, Nosa Alekhuogie and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

As petrol scarcity in Lagos, Abuja, and other cities persists, petroleum products marketers under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) have said the

most viable solution to the supply and distribution challenges is full deregulation of the downstream oil and gas sector.

The suggestion came as the

Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), yesterday, warned

their members against selling petrol above the government approved price of N165 per litre.

The oil marketers made the remark a day after President

Muhammadu Buhari said his government suspended the petrol subsidy removal because it was not Continued on page 10

Senate Probes Shell over Joint Venture Breach, Seeks $200m Refund to FG... Page 5 Thursday 23 June, 2022 Vol 27. No 9935. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

FG: Many States Would Have Collapsed But For Bailouts From Current Administration... Page 6

Buhari: We Won’t Let Anyone Put Nigeria Under Unnecessary Religious Stress Says wicked people behind recent attacks on churches Vows perpetrators will be brought to justice Urges Nigerians to come together in prayer against coward attackers Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari,

yesterday, reacted to recent incidents of attacks on churches in Ondo and Kaduna States and

vowed never to let anyone put the secular nation under unnecessary religious stress.

The president, who described as unacceptable, such moves by some disgruntled elements in the

society, however, laid the blame on the doorsteps of evil doers, saying wicked people were behind the

dastardly acts.

Continued on page 10

Adamu Meets Senators, Says He is Worried By Gale of Defections Senators list conditions to halt action Two more lawmakers quit their parties 22 others planning to defect soon, Fani-Kayode raises the alarm PDP may soon form majority in upper chamber, Aduda boasts INEChaspowerstoreject Lawan,Akpabio,Falanadeclares Sunday Aborisade and Alex Enumah in Abuja National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, met with senators elected on the platform of the ruling party behind closed doors, yesterday in Abuja.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting with the APC caucus in the senate, Adamu said the party was worried by the gale of defections among senators. He however, said it was a usual occurrence in election periods and not peculiar to the Continued on page 10

CBN Restates Commitment to Meet Legitimate Forex Demands... Page8

TÊTE-À-TÊTE AT FEC...

L-R: Head of Civil Service, Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at Abuja …yesterday PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

2

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

3

4

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

5

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

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

NEWS

BUILDING RAPPROCHEMENT...

L-R: Vice National Chairman of PDP, South South, Dan Orbih; Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke; Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed and Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, when the Bauchi Governor led a delegation to visit Governor Wike at his residence in Port Harcourt... yesterday.

Senate Probes Shell over Joint Venture Breach, Seeks $200m Refund to FG

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate yesterday constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) over non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act and breach of the Joint Venture Agreement entered into with the federal government.

The Ad-Hoc committee was mandated to probe the oil mining lease granted to SPDC between 1959 to 1989, and 1989 to 2019 under the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture agreement.

The Ad-Hoc Committee which was constituted by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi as its Chairman.

Other members on the panel include Senators George Thompson Sekibo, Abdullahi Yahaya, Bassey Albert Akpan, Olamilekan Solomon Adeola, Smart Adeyemi and Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed.

Accordingly, the chamber demanded a refund of $200 million (USD) or any amount short of what was paid by SPDC, including penalties and interests under the said lease agreements to the coffers of the federal government.

The resolution was reached by the chamber after it considered a motion sponsored by Senator George Thompson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East).

The motion was entitled, “Nonpayment of the sum of $200,000,000 accruals from the Oil Mining Lease (OML), by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria

Limited under the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture Agreement and, illegal and unlawful renewal of Oil Mining Leases by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) contrary to the provision of paragraph 10 of the First Schedule to the Petroleum Act 1969 (now Section 86(1) and 86(6) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2022.”

Sekibo, in a presentation observed that the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture (JV) agreement, in alleged contravention of the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1969, by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, granted to the SPDC/NNPC a 30-year OML from 1959 to 1989.

He observed that doing so constituted an illegal extension of the OML by 10 years in the first instance, instead of the prescribed term of 20 years, without recourse to the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1969 in paragraph 10 of the First Schedule.

According to the lawmaker, “upon the expiration of the initial OML in 1989, SPDC/NNPC JV, was granted another 30-year OML again from 1st July 1989 to 30th June, 2019, by the Ministry of Petroleum Resource/DPR instead of the 20 years lease period prescribed by the Petroleum Act, which is contrary to paragraph 10 of the First Schedule to the said Act.” He disclosed that in the initial additional 10 years OML of 1969 to 1989, allegedly granted illegally to the SPDC/NNPC JV by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/DPR, the

federal government lost from fees, taxes, rents and royalties the sum of $120, 000, 000.

He stated that in the second instance of the extra 10 years the federal government also lost a further sum of $80,000,000, making total of $200,000,000.

He noted that a loss of $200,000,000, which was equivalent to N83, 130, 000, 000 billion, could have been of great value to the economy of the nation.

He observed that the illegal action by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/DPR as regards the SPDC/ NNPC JV may not be the only non-compliant grant as details of other Joint Venture agreements with: Chevron Nigeria Limited, ENI Joint Venture, EXXON Mobil Upstream JV, Total E & P Nigeria Limited JV, need to be ascertained through a

thorough investigation to verify compliance with the provisions of the extant law.

He expressed worry that the trend of illegal extension of Joint Venture (JV) period from 20 years to 30 years lease period without recourse to the Petroleum Act may have also applied to other Joint Venture agreements with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and need to be investigated.

Sekibo informed the chamber that SPDC went to Court on the clarity of the lease period and the judgment was not in their favour as regards the additional 10 years lease period in the two instances.

“Regrettably, the court failed to order the SPDC to pay the arrears the 20 years lease period to the tune of $200,000,000 to the federal government for the illegal

Tinubu, Abubakar have both been accused of corruption Issue is unlikely to feature on campaign trail, analysts say Peter Uzoho with agency report The fight against corruption has been a top campaign issue in Nigeria’s last two presidential elections, but the history of graft allegations surrounding the two main candidates means neither is likely to raise it in the run-up to February’s vote.

Front-runner Bola Tinubu, who secured the ruling party’s nomination earlier this month, was

being investigated by the country’s anti-corruption agency as recently as last June. Three decades ago he fought a lawsuit in which the US government accused him of laundering the proceeds of heroin trafficking and eventually reached a settlement, Bloomberg reported.

Also, Atiku Abubakar, his chief rival, allegedly brought tens of millions of dollars of “suspect funds” into the US when he was

Okays digitisation of NSITF operations The rising wave of unemployment in the country has caught the attention of the federal government as it has announced the opening of employment and job creation portals for unemployed Nigerians living in the country as well as in the Diaspora.

Labour and Employment Minister, Senator Chris Ngige, who made this known yesterday, while speaking with newsmen after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari

at Abuja, said Council approved a portal called Nigerian Labour Exchange (NILEX) that would be domiciled in his ministry for employment and job creation.

"The FEC approval has to do with employment and job creation.

It is a portal called Nigerian Labour Exchange (NILEX), housed in my ministry,” he explained.

He said the platform had not been developed over time and could not take stress of the number of people wanting to go into it, adding that the digital platform was supposed to be used by employers on one hand and job seekers on

out appropriate investigation on observed misapplication of the laws enacted by the National Assembly, as provided in Section 88 of the Constitution.

He stated further that Section 89 of the same Constitution provides the process on how such investigation should be carried out.

Accordingly, the Senate resolved to constitute an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate the non-compliance with the Petroleum Act and the Oil Mining Lease granted to SPDC between 1959 to 1989, and 1989 to 2019 under the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture Agreement; and compel SPDC to refund to the Federal Government the sum of $200,000,000 or any amount short of what was paid, including penalties and interests under the said lease agreement.

Bloomberg: Graft Allegations Dog APC, PDP Presidential Candidates

FG Opens Job Creation Portal for Unemployed Deji Elumoye in Abuja

extensions,” he said.

The lawmaker further disclosed that a whistle-blower had petitioned the EFCC on the need to recover the sum of $200,000,000 from SPDC for the illegal extensions by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/ DPR and to further investigate all other Joint Venture agreements that involved the aforementioned IOCs. He noted that the power to make laws for the Federation as vested in the National Assembly by the Constitution also encompasses the power to make laws for the promotion of national prosperity and a dynamic self-reliant economy as provided in section 16(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

He emphasised that the Constitution also gives power to each House of the National Assembly to carry

the other.

His words, "The employers will come in and load the vacancy they have, the type of skill they want, the qualifications of people that can fit in there.

"Then the job seekers those who are looking for job, graduates, non-graduates will register, put in the qualification, put in their skill and what you can do and then the two groups are matched.

The employer can speak with a job seeker, via that platform.

"So over the years we have not been able to expand it. But on a bilateral, multilateral agreement now

the funds are provided. So we are redesigning it, remodeling it, and then upgrading the infrastructure.

"Council approved that consultant also do that with a completion period of 12 weeks and with that we have passed the first stage of digitalising that particular platform.

"One of the good things about our platform now when it becomes operational, all those phones platforms that ask people to register for work, pay in N10,000 or N20,000, will become a thing of the past because this will be a government Continued on page 8

Nigeria’s vice president in the 2000s, according to a US Senate report, and was implicated in a bribery case that resulted in the imprisonment of an American congressman. Neither episode resulted in charges against Abubakar.

Spokesmen for Tinubu and Abubakar didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The next president will face a daunting challenge to turn around Africa’s largest economy. Falling oil production threatens Nigeria’s place as the continent’s biggest crude producer, inflation is soaring and more than half of the working-age population are either unemployed or underemployed.

The local currency has depreciated steeply under outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari, falling from around N220 to the US dollar on the parallel market when he was first elected in early 2015 to about N600 this week.

Nigeria vies with India as the country with the highest number of people living in extreme poverty despite having a seventh of the population. Meanwhile, secessionists, Islamist militants and armed criminal gangs terrorise large swathes of territory.

Efforts to restore security and fix the economy alone will likely fall short because there’s an unavoidable

connection between financial graft and government dysfunction in Nigeria, said Leena Koni Hoffmann, an associate fellow at Chatham House in London. Corruption “hollows systems out and cripples them from the inside,” she said.

The race will see the two wealthy septuagenarians mobilise impressive political machines built over more than 30 years pursuing power in Africa’s most-populous country, the report stated.

It alleged that voters in Nigeria are often offered cash, food or clothing to persuade them to cast their ballots for particular candidates.

On the eve of the last election in 2019, two armored bank vans were photographed driving into Tinubu’s home.

“If I have money to spend, if I like, I give it to the people for free of charge as long as it’s not to buy votes,” he had told reporters when asked what the vehicles were transporting.

Tinubu and Abubakar have cultivated deep systems of political patronage, according to Hoffmann.

Both men excel at “engineering and expanding political networks through co-optation, through channeling and redistributing money and positions and favors,” she said.

Continued online

6

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

ARASE'S FOUNDATION ANNUAL LECTURE...

L-R: Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Sam Igbe; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Philip Shaibu; former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, and his wife, Agharese Arase, during the Arase's Foundation Annual Lecture, in Benin City...yesterday

FG: Many States Would Have Collapsed But For Bailouts From Current Administration Says 24 benefited from N477bn refund for executed federal projects Head of Service: 6,000 fake workers discovered at information, labour ministries Federal government begins process of appointing substantive Accountant General of the Federation Deji Elumoye and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government, yesterday, disclosed that many states were in serious financial mess by the time President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29, 2015. It also said several states were now afloat because of the financial reliefs the Buhari administration had provided for them.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the assertions while addressing newsmen at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, chaired by Buhari at the State House, Abuja. Mohammed said although some states, especially those governed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had in recent times claimed they were not gaining from the Buhari administration, most states were being sustained with bailouts and lifelines from the federal government.

Yesterday, also, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, revealed that 6,000 workers without employment letters were detected in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment during the cleaning up of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Yemi-Esan further disclosed, via a circular dated June 21, 2022, which was sighted by THISDAY last night, that the process of appointing a substantive Accountant General of

the Federation had commenced.

She said the president had ratified the process.

Mohammed stated that no fewer than 24 states, across party lines, had demanded and received refunds from the federal government for works done on federal roads and bridges, adding that records show that the refunds total about N477 billion.

He explained, “I think this is a good opportunity to also let you know exactly what the federal government has done between 2015 and today, to ensure that states stay afloat. Honestly, without the federal government bailout, most states would have gone under.

“Like I said, apart from these refunds that were made, I said earlier on that when we came in, 27 states could not pay salaries and the federal government had to bail those 27 states out. Not only did they give them money to pay salaries, they also gave them bailout to pay arrears.”

The minister clarified that refunds were different, saying repayments are made for jobs done on behalf of the federal government.

He stressed, “I have here phase one of 24 states that were refunded for what they did on behalf of the federal government, even before we came in.

“These claims were not based on what they did on our behalf, but what they did in previous administrations. Number two, I have said that when we came in, 27 states could not pay salaries, so

we bailed them out to be able to pay salaries and pay their arrears.

“Now, in addition, we found out also that the states were in difficulties and they could not start any work, in terms of infrastructure, and the federal government gave each of them N10 billion.

“When the price of oil, again, collapsed and states were in trouble, the federal government gave out a bailout of a billion naira per month to each state for eight months and N800 million per month, per state, for over eight months and the records are there.”

Mohammed said when the states complained that they did not benefit from the Paris debt refund, the federal government gave the states their own share of Paris Fund.

“And I know that Jigawa State, in particular, received N40 billion of this Paris Club Refund,” he stated.

The information minister added, “Next time I come, I’ll give you what every state received in terms of Paris Club.

“Again, when states complained to the federal government for deducting what they owed the federal government, Mr. President also said they should be refunded because times were hard.

“I've said this to let you understand that in spite of things some states are saying about the federal government, many of them would have gone under without this government because there's no constitutional duty on the part of the federal government to do what

we're doing.

“Only last week, Lagos State Government came to Federal Executive Council (FEC) with a memo asking for us to convert the Lagos State Lekki Concession Company loan to a sovereign guarantee and what that means, effectively, is that Lagos State Government could no longer bear the burden of paying for the loan they took to construct Lekki.

“So the federal government accepted. By doing so, now they're given a longer term to pay the loan and lower interest. These are some of the things that the federal government has been doing to ensure that there’s stability and everybody is happy, irrespective of whether you are APC or PDP.” Elaborating on refunds to states for works done on federal roads and bridges, the minister stated, “I think it's important to say that, well it’s true that we’re just reporting this particular memo, which is the refund being sought by Yobe State Government; Yobe State Government is asking for the sum of N18, 663,843,109 as reimbursement for five federal roads, which they rehabilitated or constructed.

“A committee as was set up to inspect the claim, they were actually found to be true. They reviewed the N20 billion they asked for and certified N18 billion as refund due to Yobe State for undertaking the construction/rehabilitation of these federal roads on behalf of the federal government.

“But this is not the first time, we

NBS: FG Raked in N5.70bn from Rail Transportation in 2021 as Food Prices Soar James Emejo in Abuja The federal government generated N5.70 billion as revenues from rail transportation in 2021, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said yesterday.

This represented an increase of 226.44 per cent when compared to the N1.75 billion recorded in 2020.

According to the rail transportation data for 2021, which was posted on the NBS website, a total of 2,714,458 passengers traveled via train in the period under review

compared to 1,020,368 passengers recorded in 2020. This translated to a 166.03 per cent rise.

Similarly, a total of 168,301 tons of goods were transported in 2021, as against the 87,440 recorded in 2020, indicating a growth rate of 92.48 per cent, the statistical agency further noted. The NBS said, in addition, revenue generated from goods in 2021 amounted to N317.57 million, higher by 12.87 per cent compared to N281.35 million in 2020.

However, other income receipts in 2021 stood at N66.80 million, higher

than the N5.19 million recorded in the preceding year.

Separately, the average price of 1kg of beans (white, black eye, sold loose) rose on a year-on-year basis by 37.22 per cent from N382.37 in May 2021 to N524.70 in May 2022, the NBS noted.

Month-on-month, this increased by 1.09 per cent from N519.05 in April, according to the Selected Food Price Watch for May 2022.

Also, the average price of 1kg of a Yam tuber increased on a year-onyear basis by 37.87 per cent from

N269.98 in May 2021 to N372.23 in May 2022. Month-on-month however, the average price of the item increased by 3.05 per cent in May 2022.

Similarly, the average price of 2kg of Wheat flour; prepacked (golden penny) on a year-on-year basis, rose by 34.92 per cent from the N785.87 recorded in May 2021to N1,060.26 in May 2022.

Also, month-on-month, wheat flour increased from N1,047.74 in April to N1,060.26 in May indicating a 1.20 per cent growth.

have, since 2015, made refunds to about 24 states, if my records are correct, and I want to put on record here that but for the benevolence of this administration, many states would have sunk under.

“You will remember that by the time we came in, about 27 states of the federation were unable to pay salaries, they owed salaries and could not pay, it took this federal government to really bail many of them out so they could pay not only salaries, but also they could pay the arrears.

“When the price of crude crashed, this same government gave each state what is called a bailout and some of the states today that complain that they've never benefited from the federal government, especially the PDP states, are the ones that have taken the lion's share of this reimbursement.

“The records I have here say that Akwa Ibom got to the tune of N61 billion from this federal government for works they did on behalf of the federal government and, especially, before we came in. Rivers had upwards of N100 billion. It does not matter whether you are PDP or APC or you’re Labour or you’re APGA, this administration looks at you as a Nigerian and when largesse are being distributed, it does not favour you just because you are from APC state or from a friendly state.

“The first tranche of these reimbursements, about N477 billion, was refunded to many states. Edo got N8 billion; Lagos got N106 billion; Niger, N333 million; Ogun, N37 billion; Delta 56 billion; Ebonyi, 10 billion; Enugu, N12 billion; Jigawa, N10 billion; Ekiti, 10 billion, and this was the first tranche.

“Second tranche and the last tranche, I think it's Yobe and two other states that are supposed to be the next batch.

“We have Yobe, which has gotten its N18 billion today for works that they undertook on behalf of the federal government.”

FG Discovered 6,000 Fake Workers at Information, Labour Ministries

Head of Service of the Federation, Yemi-Esan, disclosed that 6,000 workers without employment letters were discovered in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment

during the cleaning up of the IPPIS. She made the revelation yesterday in Abuja, while briefing the media as part of the activities marking the 2022 Civil Service Week.

Yemi-Esan said 5,000 of the ghost workers were detected in one MDA at the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

She also said the Director of Human Resources at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment was handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after 1,000 fake workers were uncovered at the ministry.

According to the head of service, “In one MDA we got over 5,000 fake employment letters at the Ministry of Information alone and we had to suspend all of them. And when we got to Labour, we discovered over a 1,000. At that time, we said we would not just lay off, we let the ICPC hold the Director of Human Resources at that time as all the employments were fake.

“We are trying a lot, unfortunately, it is the people trying to beat the system that go out to bad mouth the Office of the Head of Service.”

She stated that following sustained efforts to clean the system, the payroll had currently come down to 74,000 workers from the bloated over 100,000 workers that were earning salaries illegally.

Yemi-Esan said many of the fake workers were detected from the payroll through the human components of the IPPIS, which was started few years ago and designed to verify important credentials, including letters of appointment, academic certificates, the age declaration at entry, and birth certificates.

She added that the Civil Service Commission, which was still in the process of verifying letters of employment from 2010 to date, two months ago sent her 3,000 names of fake workers to suspend from the IPPIS for possessing fake employment letters.

Her revelation was also corroborated by Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Dr. Maurice Mbaeri. Mbaeri said five fake workers were laid off at the OSGF on Tuesday after a screening exercise discovered they were neither Continued on page 36

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

7

8

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

COMMONWEALTH BUSINESS FORUM 2022...

WIKE THE BEAUTIFUL BRIDE?...

Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia (left) and the Country Director Nigeria, Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Mr. Obinna Anyanwu, at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Business Forum 2022 holding at Kigali, Rwanda...recently

Former Governor of Anambra State and Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi (right) and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, during Obi's visit to the Rivers Governor, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

CBN Restates Commitment to Meet Legitimate Forex Demands Refutes reports on withdrawal of ‘Form A’ discounted rate James Emejo in Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday reiterated its resolve to meet all legitimate demands for foreign exchange in the country.

The central bank also faulted reports in the media suggesting that it planned to withdraw the “Form A” Discounted rate with effect from December 31, 2022, and suggesting that payments of overseas tuition fees from Nigeria will cost more from January 2023.

The bank’s clarification came against the backdrop of reports

which quoted a tertiary institution in the United Kingdom as claiming that Nigeria had withdrawn the Central Bank “Form A discounted rate” in order to encourage more funds to remain within the Nigerian economy.

However, CBN Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, in a statement said the apex bank had not issued such a policy, and cautioned concerned parents and students to disregard any advisory to pay up as much portion of their outstanding fees as possible,

FG OPENS JOB CREATION PORTAL FOR UNEMPLOYED platform. And when you go there, you know is a genuine platform.

"Apart from that, people in diaspora can also upload their expertise and tell Nigerians, what they have that qualifies them for special jobs and if they are employers in Nigeria that need them, again there will be a handshake through that same portal."

Ngige further said another memo was presented before the Council for approval on behalf of one of the parastatals under the Labour Ministry, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Ngige also stated that Council approved the digitisation of the operations of the NSITF which was estimated to cost N1.2 billion.

According to the minister: "As you're aware, a lot has happened in the NSITF in terms of revenue losses and pillage of funds that have been given to that organisation.

"The NSITF implements the Employee Compensation Act ECA 2010 and by that Act, Employers in both public and private sectors are supposed to pay one percent of the emoluments of their staff into a social fund in NSITF. "And this one is to be used as a premium or insurance fund to cater for workers or staff members who have accidents, injuries, disabilities and even deaths that occur in the cause of their work. So it's like an accident or injury insurance.

"The Pension Act makes reference to it that it must be done for workers in addition to the group life. So, the monies that have gone in there have not been properly utilised, the payments have not been tracked.

"So today we brought to council a memo for an e-NSITF by which their operations will now be digitalized. Both the payments that are put in from any of their stations, they have 56 branches and 11 regional offices. So in the comfort of your office, you can pay and register in that platform and that money is now tracked into Central pool.

"For from the central pool if claims are made and payments are also made to the insurance on those who are beneficiaries, you also track them.

"So this is one of the things the government has done in the spirit of digitalisation of the economy and ease of doing business for everybody.

"So this will make for efficiency and help the organisation to grow it leaps and bounds. already the organisation is revitalized following the present restructuring agreement for them.

"Today. NSITF can pay all their salaries, they can boast of even doing capital projects. And this digitisation of funds operation is part of the capital project that they are doing and like I said earlier, the accountability that is there will make for non-leakages of funds.

"We also know that previously, they have been complaints of claims not being paid but with e-NSITF will track claims and allow people to know who and who benefits from those claims. So this is one of the memos presented today.

"A consultant is going to handle it and council approved that the digitalisation should be completed in eight weeks."

through Flywire, prior to December 31, 2022.

The UK institution’s advisory purportedly urged new and returning students from Nigeria, “to take advantage of the Central Bank Form A discounted rate while this is still available.”

Nwanisobi described the report and advisory as false, misleading

and speculative.

The apex bank also reminded all stakeholders that front-loading for both visible goods and invisible was contrary to the provisions of extant regulations adding that the bank would continue to meet all legitimate demands for foreign exchange.

Nwanisobi urged all authorised

dealers to ensure that payments for tuition outside Nigeria were made no earlier than 30 days prior to the due date, even as he charged them to put in place measures to forestall abuse.

A Manchester-based university was purported to have issued an advisory urging students whose tuition was paid from Nigeria to

pay up as much portion of their outstanding fees as possible, through Flywire, prior to December 31, 2022.

The advisory was premised on speculations that the central bank planned to withdraw the “Form A” discounted rate in order to encourage more funds to remain within the Nigerian economy.

Senate will Screen Buhari’s Ministerial Nominees Next Wednesday, Says Lawan Passes public private partnership regulatory commission bill, one other President seeks red chamber's nod for new RMFAC boss Sunday Aborisade in Abuja President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan has said the upper chamber would next Wednesday screen the seven ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation.

Lawan stated this in an announcement yesterday, moments before the Senate adjourned plenary.

“The ministerial nominees will be screened on Wednesday, next week,” he said.

Buhari had in a letter dated June 15, 2022, requested the Senate to confirm the nomination of seven ministerial nominees.

He said the confirmation request was made in accordance with Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

The nominees for confirmation included: Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh - Abia State; Umana Okon Umana - Akwa Ibom State; Ekumankama Joseph Nkama- Ebonyi State; and

Fashola to Flag Off NembeBrass Road Project in Bayelsa Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola will today flag off the construction of the Nembe-Brass road project in Bayelsa State.

The long-awaited project, which had been on the drawing board of the federal government for decades, is being undertaken by the Governor Douye Diri administration in the state and the government has awarded its construction to Setraco Nigeria Limited.

The first phase covering a distance of 21 kilometres with 10 bridges was estimated at N54.1 billion.

Diri said yesterday, during the 79th state executive council meeting in Government House,

Yenagoa, that the project had a historic significance and economic importance to the state and the country.

Located on the Brass Island are an oil export terminal operated by oil major, Nigerian Agip Oil Company as well as the ongoing Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Company project.

The governor called on wellmeaning sons and daughters of the state as well as leaders of Bayelsa East Senatorial District to be present at the flag-off ceremony.

“Let me use this medium to invite and call on all of us from the eastern senatorial district, particularly communities in Nembe and Brass, as we kick-start the construction of this historic road project,” he said.

Goodluck Nanah Opiah - Imo State.

Others are Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub - Kano State; Ademola Adewole Adegoroye - Ondo State; and Odum Udi - Rivers State.

The nominees would be screened individually by the upper chamber during plenary.

Also yesterday, Buhari appointed Alhaji Mohammed Bello Shehu, as the Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, and has asked the Senate to screen and confirm his nomination.

This was a contained in a letter from Buhari read at plenary by the Senate President.

Senate Passes Public Private Partnership Regulatory Commission Bill, One Other Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday passed the Public Private Partnership Regulatory Commission Bill, 2022.

Also passed was the Chartered Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2022.

The passage of both bills was sequel to the consideration of two separate reports by the Committees on Works; and Establishment and Public Service.

Senator Emmanuel Yisa OrkerJev (PDP, Benue North-West), in a presentation delivered on behalf of the Chairman, Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central), who was absent during plenary, said the Chartered Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2022, seeks to provide the requisite legal

and institutional framework for the Institute.

He said upon its passage and assent into law, the bill would provide the necessary legal regime for the effective specialisation, standardisation and professionalism of the field of engineering in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the report on the Public Private Partnership Regulatory Commission Bill, 2022, was presented by Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central).

Aliero, in his presentation, said the bill seeks to strengthen and enhance the supervisory role of the Commission and effectively position it in regulating the participation of the public and private sectors.

The Commission’s scope, he added, would include the financing of construction, development, designing, operation or maintenance of infrastructure, service or development projects of the federal government through public private partnership arrangements.

Lawan, in his remarks on the Public Private Partnership Bill said, “We have so much Infrastructural deficit and yet we have very little resources to deal with our deficit.

“It is important that we diversify our sources of funding of our infrastructural development.

“This piece of legislation, will turnaround in a way, our approach to the development of our infrastructure in Nigeria.”

Both bills were passed by the Senate after a clause-by-clause consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

9

10

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

TEN MOMAN: FG MUST DEREGULATE DOWNSTREAM TO ADDRESS FUEL SUPPLY CHALLENGES in the country’s best interest. Buhari, who said this in an interview on Bloomberg, stressed that while removing subsidy looked good on paper, the human consequences could not be ignored. Although his administration was on the verge of removing petrol subsidy last year, Buhari said it became inadvisable after inputs from industry experts and other economic factors were considered. He said issues around petrol subsidy would be resolved through on-going efforts at boosting local refining, especially through private sector involvement.

Nevertheless, National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr. Festus Osifo, yesterday, insisted that Nigeria had enough stock of petrol, despite the scarcity in various parts of the country. Osifo, who spoke on a national television programme, maintained that Nigeria’s major problem was with the distribution of petroleum products. He said the tanker drivers were not loading as much products as they should because of pending issues around the “bridging fund.”

Analysts had warned that the federal government’s inability to take the tough decision on the subsidy issue was bound to have massive consequences for the overall implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The implementation of the PIA, which requires the removal of petrol subsidy, ought to have commenced in February 2022, but it was shifted to July 2022.

However, due to pressure and threats of protests by the Nigeria

Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the decision on subsidy removal was suspended to next year. There are concerns that due to political considerations, it might not be implemented till 2023.

But in a statement yesterday, MOMAN stressed that urgent and full implementation of the PIA 2021, as regards full deregulation of the downstream sector to allow market forces determine the prices of products, especially petrol, was the way out of the frequent product shortages and attendant hardships on Nigerians.

The MOMAN statement was issued in Lagos at the end of its virtual press conference, which was jointly signed by its Chairman, Mr. Olumide Adeosun, and Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Clement Isong.

"The full deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector and full implementation of the PIA 2021 clearly remains the most viable long-term solution to the country’s supply and distribution challenges," it added.

The association also empathised with customers of its member companies, as it continued to grapple with recurrent scarcity of petrol in various parts of the country. It said the current scarcity of petrol was occasioned by two main reasons, namely, supply inadequacy in the last few weeks, and distribution challenges created by the unavailability and continuous surge in international prices of diesel.

MOMAN said its members were working with the Nigerian

Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited through its marketing arm, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), the National Association of Road Transport Operators (NARTO), and other industry stakeholders to make petrol available at the pumps and eliminate the queues as quickly as possible.

The statement said, "MOMAN, as an association, fears that the current supply framework cannot guarantee steady and consistent supplies to the country, given the current state of government finances and unpredictable international supply shortages.

"We, therefore, recommend a gradual price deregulation with targeted palliatives (eg. transport and agricultural subsidies) to the public to ease implementation.

“However, in the interim, MOMAN recommends: the current single supplier strategy be reviewed; the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant MDAs, should set up a taskforce to immediately focus on increasing diesel supply through accelerated initiatives to increase local modular refining capacity."

The marketers' union noted that the suggestions proffered would tackle the supply and distribution challenges, adding that the phased rehabilitation of existing NNPC refineries would hasten supply of middle distillates: diesel and aviation fuel.

The statement further said, "MOMAN recognises and closely

associates with the need to ease challenges with respect to high energy and transportation costs occasioned by extraneous circumstances.

"MOMAN shall continually do its best to distribute petrol to its customers across the country and keep exploring opportunities to partner with industry stakeholders, the Authority, and the Government to ensure the sustainability and institutionalisation of a viable petroleum downstream sector in Nigeria."

Don't Sell Fuel Above N165/ litre, IPMAN, ADITOP Warn Members

ADITOP and IPMAN warned their members against selling petrol above the government-approved price of N165 per litre. The bodies gave the warning in Abuja, following reports that IPMAN in Lagos State had directed their members to start selling fuel at N180 per litre.

IPMAN National President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, told journalists in Abuja that his members had earlier briefed him on why they wanted a price hike. Okoronkwo said the federal government had released enough fuel from its depot, which would enable them "to maintain the status quo antebellum".

Okoronkwo also said the unions had engaged the services of Benham Group to recover money owed them for the supply of petroleum products. He expressed the hope that the partnership would help in ending fuel scarcity at the filling station.

Okoronkwo said, "Our business requires technology, that is why we brought a seasoned financial expert

ADAMU MEETS SENATORS, SAYS HE IS WORRIED BY GALE OF DEFECTIONS ruling party.

Two senators from Bauchi and Imo states resigned their membership of APC and PDP, yesterday, further compounding the woes of their parties.

That was as other senators from the ruling party, who were said to have planned their defection for next week gave conditions under which they would halt the trend.

They said only justice could reverse the gale of defections currently rocking the party.

A chieftain of the APC and former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, hinted that no fewer than 22 more APC senators might dump the party for the main opposition PDP soon.

Similarly, the new Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda, yesterday, boasted that the opposition PDP would soon form majority in the senate if the gale of defection by APC senators was sustained.

In a related development, Lagosbased lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered by both constitutional and electoral provisions to reject the names of candidates from political parties that ought not to be on the ballot in any election.

Speaking after addressing the senators yesterday, Adamu said, “The meeting with the senators was most fruitful. The issue of defection is an unfortunate development, when it happens, but this is a season where there

are all sorts of behaviours in the political space and ours is not an exception. In every election year, this kind of thing gives cause for stakeholders to sneeze and Nigeria is not an exception, so is the APC not an exception.

"I don’t care about what is happening in other parties, my focus is on the APC. But we all know that the occurrence is not only happening in the APC; it’s happening across other political parties, too. And because we are the ruling party, our problems are exaggerated before the public."

The APC chairman said he did not know if the problem of defection was surmountable.

He added, "There is no responsible leader that would not be worried, when he loses one member, not to talk of two. At the moment, we are faced with the stark reality of our problems.

"I have committed my colleagues at the National Assembly to face the problem squarely and see the problem as solvable. We are in politics, I don’t know what would happen tomorrow, and nobody does.”

Senators Lists Conditions to Halt Defection

THISDAY learnt from some senators, who attended the meeting that Adamu, that he cited intelligence reports available to the party leadership as reason for convening the parley.

A senator from the North-west told THISDAY, on the condition of

anonymity, that the APC national chairman said he learnt that some APC lawmakers were planning massive defections on the floor of the two chambers next week.

But he said his colleagues told Adamu that only justice could reverse the gale of defections rocking the party, noting that they sought the immediate intervention of the APC leadership to stem the tide.

The senator said, "The national chairman said the essence of his meeting with us was to find out the reasons APC senators were defecting. Adamu said he had intelligence reports that many senators were planning massive defections next week and he came to find out what could be done to halt the action.

"Some senators actually stood up to give different scenarios of the type of injustices they suffered in the hands of their governors.

Adamu, after listening to them, promised that the National Working Committee of the APC and the leadership of the senate would meet soon to address the lawmakers' grievances.”

No fewer than eight APC senators, including the Majority Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, had so far dumped the ruling party on the floor of the red chamber.

Bauchi Central and was elected on the platform of APC, while Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi, representing Imo East Senatorial District, was elected on the platform of the PDP. Jika and Onyewuchi stated their decisions in separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, where they gave reasons for resigning their membership of APC and PDP, to join the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Labour Party (LP), respectively.

Jika said, “I hereby wish to notify you of my defection from the APC to the NNPP, whose ideals are in line with my political aspirations.”

Onyewuchi, on his part, said, “I wish to inform Mr. President and the distinguished senators of my defection from the PDP to the Labour Party. This is after due consultation with my family, constituents and supporters. This will enable me participate fully in the movement for a new Nigeria.”

Yesterday’s defection brought the number of APC senators to 61, with members of the minority parties standing at 48.

The minority parties in the senate were five as at yesterday, Wednesday, June 22. They are the PDP, Young Peoples Party (YPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), NNPP, and Labour Party.

Two More Senators Quit Their Parties

Fani-Kayode: 22 More APC Senators Planning to Defect to PDP

Two senators from Bauchi and Imo states resigned their membership of both the APC and the PDP. Senator Dauda Jika, represents

BUHARI: WE WON’T LET ANYONE PUT NIGERIA UNDER UNNECESSARY RELIGIOUS STRESS He, therefore, called on all Nigerians – Christian and Muslim – to unite in prayer against the coward perpetrators of the evil acts.

In a release issued by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari emphasised that from the tragedy in Owo two weeks ago that shook the nation to its core, to the killings and kidnappings, last weekend, in Kaduna State, it was clear that there was a design by wicked people to put the country under religious stress.

According to him, “Our religious freedom, our diversity, is what makes Nigeria great. It is this diversity that gives Nigeria its strength. That is why Nigeria’s enemies seek to destroy it, by putting us against one another.

We will not let them. The nation

will not be distracted or divided by these obviously planned and politically motivated criminal outrages.

“The perpetrators are cowards; weak and wicked men with guns murdering, in cold blood, unarmed women and children at their places of worship."

Having noted the starkness of the contrast between the actions of those hateful cowards and those of true Nigerians in the aftermath of the Owo killing, the president observed that,“seeing the crowd of Nigerians voluntarily rushing to donate blood after the attack, thronging the local hospitals, even in the midst of mourning, I was proud of my country. I was filled with hope.

“As for the cowards, they will

be punished for their crimes. We will bring them to justice. Rest assured that the full might of Nigeria’s formidable security and intelligence forces are involved in that endeavour.

“For now, I urge all Nigerians to come together in prayer – whether Christian, Muslim or any of our great faiths – let us hold the victims and their families in our hearts and minds.

“Let us show the cowards, who seek to divide us along religious lines that we will not be divided.

Let us show them that Nigerians will continue to cherish what we share while respecting each other’s differences. Let us show them that Nigerians will never be bullied by cowards, extremists or terrorists," he concluded.

Except there is a quick intervention, some 22 APC senators might leave the party soon for the PDP, a chieftain of the APC and former Minister of Aviation, Femi FaniKayode, alerted.

In a post on his verified Twitter handle, yesterday, Fani-Kayode claimed the senators were threatening to defect to the PDP, because they had been denied the tickets to return to the Senate.

“This is serious and something must be done to prevent it. Many are concerned and we urge our able Nat. Chairman and the National Secretary to reach them. We cannot afford to lose them,” Fani-Kayode tweeted.

When THISDAY contacted him on what informed his Tweet, FaniKayode said the lawmakers were very unhappy and had concluded plans to defect en mass soon.

He said this was why he raised the alarm so that those concerned in the party hierarchy might try to save the situation before it got out of hand.

and we've been able to recover a lot of funds in other countries and Nigeria.

"The incessant mishaps and destruction of trucks on the road, banditry and kidnapping is the reason we are bringing the insurance company to help us.

"Leaving the risk for the owner of the truck to bear will affect our businesses."

Okoronkwo maintained that petrol must be sold at N165 per litre since the federal government had released fuel from the depot.

He said, "Our members in Lagos were getting the fuel at N170 -N173 that's why they wanted price increased.

"It's only the Nigerian National Petroleum Company that is importing the product.

"The cost of doing business had changed, so it becomes difficult to sell at N165 per litre.

"That is why we are thanking the NNPC for bringing the product to N143. So, our members must sell the product at N165, which is the government-approved price."

National President, Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products in Nigeria (ADITOP), Alhaji Mohammed Danzaki, also said Nigerians had suffered a lot from fuel scarcity because of the problems the association faced.

Danzaki said, "ADITOP and IPMAN are the ones suffering, since we need return for our investment.

"NNPC has done a lot to import the product but the main issue is the transportation. We have not been getting our payments.

That's why we engaged a financial expert, Benham Group, to recoup

Fani-Kayode claimed the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and National Secretary of the party, Iyiola Omisore, and himself had started to engaged with some of the senators.

Aduda: PDP May Soon Form Majority in Senate

The new Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda, boasted that PDP might soon form the majority in the Senate, with the number of senators defecting to his party.

Aduda stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja. He said as the new Minority Leader, there would surely be challenges, expressing hope, however, that those challenges would be surmounted.

He stated, "There are a lot of challenges as 2023 approaches; we will manage them. This is the season you have aggrieved members from all sides, various defection by those who are aggrieved and those who got their parties' tickets. I can assure you that we will ensure we give meaningful leadership to the minority in the Senate."

Speaking on the support that Mr Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), was getting from some PDP members, Aduda said he wasn't perturbed.

Aduda said, "Make no mistake about it, grassroots politics is different from Internet politics. You can have a lot of followership on the Internet but when you go to the grassroots, it is not so.

"The hype is not what is in the grassroots. It doesn't matter if Peter Obi is gathering followership, because in politics, we lose some and gain some."

our money for Nigerians to get regular supplies in the fuel stations."

The chief consultant and chairman of Benham Group, Dr. Maurice Ibe, said the collaboration was to ensure stabilisation of fuel supply at the filling stations.

Ibe said they were doing everything in their powers to stabilise activities in the downstream sector and ensure that products were transported to every nook and cranny of the country.

He said the fuel scarcity was affecting the country's economy.

According to him, "You can't hold a businessman's money and expect the business to flourish. So, rescue our members so that they can function very well.”

In a related development, IPMAN proposed dialogue between government and oil marketers in an effort to solve the recurrent fuel scarcity.

National Operations Controller, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, said the fuel scarcity would continue if the government failed to consider dialogue as a key solution.

According to him, a meeting with the government, stakeholders, and security agents is needed to settle the crucial issues.

Osatuyi, who spoke yesterday on Arise News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, lamented the reoccurring queues at petrol stations. He advised that meetings should be held bi-quarterly to review situation, even when products sold at the official price, instead of waiting till there was a problem.

He stated, “Once you don’t give us the product and we buy from a third party, then there is no way things can go right. We need to go back to the drawing board, revise the template, and put all cards on the table.

“If it involves increasing the pump price officially, why not, if the figures are right.”

Osatuyi further explained that in Nigeria, half a billion naira of subsidy every month was incurred, when gotten at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rate of about N420 per litre.

He said, “They should call a meeting to discuss and solve the problem at once. I believe there’s no problem that doesn’t have a solution. There’s no point going back and forth and we can’t keep pretending things are okay because they are not.

“You can have three million litres of fuel in your reserve but are you giving it to the right people at the right time and at the official price?

The answer is no. So having these conversations everyday is not fair on Nigerians.”

Osatuyi, however, admitted that little was being done in terms of production, saying it does not go round. But he expressed optimism that at the commencement of production in the first quarter of next year, there would be enough fuel in the country.

Nigeria’s Problem is Distribution, Not Supply, Says PENGASSAN

Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered by both constitutional and electoral provisions to reject the names of candidates from political parties that ought not to be on the ballot in any election.

Falana's remarks was in reaction to a statement attributed to a National Commissioner of INEC, Mr Mohammed Haruna, to the effect that the commission's responsibility did not include rejection of names submitted to it for an election by political parties.

National President of PENGASSAN, Mr. Festus Osifo, said yesterday that there was enough stock of petrol in Nigeria, despite the scarcity in various parts of the country. Osifo spoke on a national television programme.

He maintained that Nigeria had a distribution problem, since the tanker drivers were not loading as much as they should because of unresolved issues around the “bridging fund.”

In addition, the PENGASSAN leader stated that private depots were selling their products above the N148 official ex-depot price because of some inbuilt logistics, making it impossible for retailers to sell at the official N165 per litre.

Osifo stated, “The ex-depot price of this product is N148 as of today and there are some costs that are built into it. And one of the costs is the bridging fund, which NNPC would collect and remit to the NMDPRA. “So now at a particular time,

Continued on page 36

Continued on page 36

Falana: INEC Has Powers to Reject Lawan, Akpabio

11

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

40TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ODU’A INVESTMENT...

L-R: Incoming Group Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and the Group Chairman, Odu’a PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN Investment Company Ltd, Segun Aina at the 40th Annual General Meeting of Odu’a Investment Company Ltd. Held in Lagos…yesterday

Sanwo-Olu Heads APC Osun Election Campaign Council Lawan, Gbajabiamila, 21 governors to champion Oyetola’s re-election bid Segun James Ahead of the July 16 governorship election in Osun State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced an 86-member National Campaign Council for the poll with the Lagos state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Chairman.

The Campaign Council which was announced in a statement signed by the National Chairman, Senator Abdulahi Adamu and Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has 21 other Governors and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila as members.

Beside Sanwo-Olu, Governors

Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), would serve as co-chairman and deputy chairman respectively.

The campaign council is to be inaugurated today at the APC national headquarters in Abuja, according to the statement.

The Sanwo-Olu-led APC National Campaign Council is expected to work for the victory of APC and the party's gubernatorial candidate in Osun State, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who is seeking re-election.

The campaign council comprises serving and former governors, ministers, members of the National Assembly, political appointees and

APC chieftains across the country.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello and 18 governors, which comprised Chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Chairman, Southern Governors Forum and Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu; Chairman, Northern Governors Forum and Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong will serve as vice-

chairmen of the APC National Campaign Council.

Other APC governors who are vice chairmen in the campaign council are Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Aminu Masari (Kastina), Abdulrahmah Abdulrasaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Yahaya Bello (Kogi).

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; his counterparts Abubakar Malami;

Oando Releases 2 Years Results, Declares Losses, Resolves Shareholder Dispute Oando Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy solutions providers has finally released its long-anticipated full-year end 2019 and 2020 financial statements.

The 3-year delay in the release of the company’s results was precipitated by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) suspension of Oando’s 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM) following a dispute with an indirect shareholder, Ansbury Investment Inc. However, according to a statement yesterday, after 12 consecutive quarters of profits up until third quarter (Q3) 2019, the company reported in its 2019 audited financials a loss-after-tax of N207.1 billion, which it attributed to impairments for goodwill and loans associated with the indirect shareholder dispute.

It pointed out that the settlement of the long-running dispute led to an impairment of N148 billion on financial assets but formed the final resolution and settlement of the dispute with Ansbury, the indirect shareholder whose actions had significantly destroyed shareholder value over the last four years.

It stressed that the company has been resolute in reiterating that all actions taken to date, “have always been in the interests of all Oando shareholder, furthermore shareholders have consistently asked the company to take all necessary steps to resolve this dispute and move the business forward.”

The actions of both SEC and the indirect shareholder contributed largely to eroding Oando’s stock’s

value significantly from its listing price of an average of N9 per share in 2017, to an average N3 per share in 2022.

“Despite the loss, this one action has far-reaching and positive implications - the settlement finally takes Ansbury out of the picture and will be a welcome relief for the company, her shareholders and market as it finally allows management to focus their efforts on setting a new path for growth and value creation for her shareholders,” it stated.

But with 2019 behind it, the company faced a new challenge in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic which negatively affected all corporates not just those operating in the oil and gas sector.

In the company’s 2020 full-year end financials, a loss after tax of N132.6 billion, a 36 per cent drop from 2019, was reported. A positive skew in results from the previous year.

The decline in oil revenue was on the back of the decline in crude oil price following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, which led to a supply glut.

The price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia that broke out on March 4, due to the collapse of the OPEC+ agreement was a big factor in taking an alreadydeteriorating situation and turning it into an existential crisis for many companies including International Oil Companies like Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, etc. and indigenous companies like

Oando amongst others. Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, Total, ENI, Baker Hughes, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Equinor, Halliburton, and Schlumberger posted a cumulative net loss of $119.2 billion.

Against this backdrop and like other oil and gas players across the world, Oando reported further impairments across financial and non-financial assets which significantly impacted its financials after tax.

Commenting on the 2020 results, the Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu said: “2020 proved to be an unprecedented year for the global economy due to the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic.

The oil and gas industry was no exception as the year turned out to be one of the most challenging years in its history as we witnessed the lowest oil prices since our sojourn into Nigeria’s upstream sector in 2008, thus negatively impacting our revenue during the period.

“This resulted in us having to impair a portion of the goodwill on our balance sheet to ensure the carrying value of our assets was a true reflection of the environment we were operating in.

“Furthermore, the second tranche funding of the settlement of a protracted and disruptive shareholder issue resulted in us taking a further impairment on a category of our financial and non-financial assets. Despite these challenges, our hedging policy and long-term offtake contracts ensured our cash flows were not severely stressed during this period.”

The suspension of the company’s 2018 AGM and attendant issues prevented shareholders from being kept abreast of business operations, a move decried on numerous occasions by Oando and her executives as not being in the best interests of the market.

In July 2021, Oando had entered into a settlement with the SEC on all matters subject to litigation and other issues flowing therefrom, thus putting an end to one part of the dispute with Ansbury. Key for Oando was that the SEC did not find the company guilty of any wrongdoing and by way of a settlement, was able to prevent further market disruption and harm to Oando’s shareholders.

(Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation), Niyi Adebayo (Industry, Trade and Investment), Gbemisola Saraki (State for Transport) and Timpreye Sylva (State for Petroleum) as well as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Sanwo-Olu on New

Media, Mr. Jubril Gawat are also part of the campaign council.

Mallam Aliyu Ahmed and Prince Tona Famodera are the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the APC National Campaign Council.

DHQ Urges Disgruntled Military Officers, Soldiers to Resign The Defence Headquarters, (DHQ) has ordered the immediate retirement of ‘disgruntled’ officers and men of the Nigerian military who had been found wanting in unethical behaviours and acts of gross misconduct, PRNigeria has learnt.

It also directed the leadership of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, to ‘sack’ their personnel who are no longer motivated to discharge their ‘constitutional duties.’

The DHQ gave the marching order in a memo dated May 26, 2022, and titled, “Retirement of Disgruntled and Unmotivated Personnel’.

The memo, signed by Rear Admiral MB Nagenu, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor, stated that he disgruntled and unmotivated officers and soldiers no longer exhibit a high level of undivided loyalty, and the presence of mind required of military operations.

The CDS, while lamenting that some military personnel were disgruntled or greedy.

“In view of the above, deployments of such personnel do not benefit the services and are in fact counter-productive.

“Consequently, on the identification of disgruntled or unmotivated personnel, services are advised to take steps to compulsorily discharge or retire such personnel in line with extant laws, instead of deployment, it said.

When contacted, the Director, Defence Information (DDI), Major General Jimmy Akpor, said the Nigerian Armed Forces depend on loyalty, discipline, integrity and self-sacrifice, amongst other core values, in troops, to carry out its constitutional roles efficiently.

“Anything to the contrary portends negative perception for not only his team but also the entire Armed Forces.

“Such negativities also erode the morale of the fighting troops and overall efficiency of the Armed Forces", he said.

“The point must not be lost that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a well-structured organisation with requisite departments and branches to deal with all issues, administrative or otherwise.

“Hence, no personnel would be retired or made to exit service without rigorous administrative processes and procedures being exhausted,” he told PRNews.

Alleged Money Laundering: Court Revokes Mompha’s Bail, Declares Him Wanted Wale Igbintade The Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos State has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of embattled suspected internet fraudster, Ismaila Mustapha alias Mompha.

Ismaila Mustapha is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an 8-count charge bordering on the offences of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of over N6 billion, along with his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited.

He was arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada and granted bail.

Mompha was arrested on January 10, 2022, by the EFCC, arraigned and granted bail.

However, the defendant on two occasions failed to appear in court for his trial.

At the last adjourned date, the defendant’s matter could not proceed due to his absence.

During proceedings yesterday, the judge stood down the matter for a while in expectation of the defendant's arrival, yet he failed to appear in court again.

Subsequently, the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo and defence counsel, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole, told the court that the development shocked them.

Justice Dada, thereafter expressed concerns about the excused that was given that the Defendant tested positive to COVID-19, which was found to be false.

Consequently, Justice Dada revoked the defendant’s bail and ordered his arrest.

She adjourned further proceeding till 30th June, 2022.

12

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

13

14

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022

POLITICS

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com (08033025611 SMS ONLY)

Igbakpa: Why I Want N’Assembly to Override Buhari’s Veto on Statutory Delegates In this interview with Udora Orizu, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ben Igbakpa, speaks on why he wants his colleagues in the National Assembly to override President Buhari’s veto on statutory delegates and other salient issues. Excerpts:

T

A lot of them turn out because how much can they get from the system, it became a cash and carry thing and even after the cash and the carrying, after the cashing, they don’t even carry because they still waited for their owners to give direction and that makes it difficult.

But for the working committee whom you have been working with, they understand the system, you have been with them for more than two years now, they understand who has done well as a representative, they understand who has done well as a governor, they understand who has done well as a president, so when they are voting they will be very objective in their voting.

Unlike these people that just showed up two weeks to the primaries, all they know about is how much is this person ready to bring, who brought me here, who did he say I should vote for. So funny that apart from the cash, they will still wait for their owners to give them directions, so that really has thrown up a lot of challenge in the caliber of persons that will occupy office between 2023 and 2027 because the recruitment process is very very faulty and it is likened to the foundation of a house that is not properly built, it is definitely going to crumble; so we don’t expect too much from them apart from those ones that actually merit being in the ballot.

he primaries of political parties have come and gone and this time around it is the election proper we are waiting for while INEC is compiling names and political parties are submitting names of candidates.

You participated in the primaries of the PDP in your constituency, can you tell us actually what transpired and how would you review the primaries generally across the federation?

For mine, it has come and gone, political parties primaries are internal working of the parties to throw up candidates, whichever way it went, good or bad, fair or not fair, whatever it has come and gone and winners in wherever form has emerged and losers have also emerged but losers have rights to have a rethink about what transpired and think of the way forward.

For me, I am thinking of the way forward, I am no longer looking at what transpired at the primaries any longer.

What are the feelers you are getting as you talked about the issue nationwide because I understand that people felt bad, most party members felt bad and a total of 178 lawmakers in the 9th assembly are not likely to come back. There is that feeling on the ground that something is not right. Again House Speaker, Gbajabiamila talked about the system that denied so many of them, so how would you react to all of these?

Yes, most of the problem that happened at the last primaries is that frenzy that the seeming error which was not really an error but what the National Assembly seems to do is to clarify to avoid ambiguity and just clear it so that the common man on the street can look at the law and say this is what the intention is about because the issue seems to be around section 84 (8). If you look at the 2010 Electoral Act it is exactly the same thing but in this 2022, somehow I don’t know where it came from, there is this fear that statutory delegates were not particularly mentioned and the parliament said okay if that is the issue let us just put it there for people to know if there is really nothing. What we try to do is just for clarity so that people don’t misunderstand anything but it turned out to be our biggest undoing, trying to correct, not that there was anything wrong, we were just trying to make things clearer for people to understand.

So if you look at the 2010 Electoral Act and the 2022 Electoral Act prior to the amendment we did on the 11th of May, it is exactly the same thing, it is just to clear issues and some persons who seems to know what they were looking for, who probably threw up that confusion harped on it and that led to the massive loss of members. And people keep saying that laws were made for somebody, no, it was not made for anybody, it was actually the same that we were just trying to say let us explain it more so that people can understand what it is about.

But my own quarrel still goes to the fact that the President did not assent to it when he ought to because it is a national issue, it is a serious issue, it is an election cycle and this is the time. My quarrel really is about our leadership recruitment process and when the leadership recruitment process is faulty, you don’t expect the best from the leaders that are being selected.

There are good ones, there are bad ones, there are some that fall far far below the threshold of the standard those certain persons have set but here they are, they have been thrown at the people. And I keep saying it that, nobody is a slave to any organization you belong to including the political parties. The political parties as far as I am concerned is a vehicle to a destination, it is not really, you wouldn’t take it as if it their problem or it is their fault but that is what Mr President not signing has thrown the country into. I quite agree if there are two laws that the 9th assembly will be known for, the PIB and this Electoral Act 2022 and we can’t

Igbakpa

afford to leave it with any doubt, we can’t afford to leave it in such a way that people will not know where it is, neither here nor there as to what is happening.

So we will try everything possible, I believe and trust in the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate, they will look at it and bequeath that Nigerian law that will give us the enabling electoral process that Nigerians can actually harp on and move forward.

Talking about statutory delegates, the Speaker Gbajabiamila also touched on the matter, now there is a motion you are actually championing that says National Assembly will start overriding the veto of the President; how about that sir?

I think that there is something that we need to be really clear about.

First the constitution, anything that you are doing that is in the constitution it is nothing new, it is not grand standing. I don’t know

why people see overriding the president’s veto as a big deal, it is the constitution, it is the rule of law. The law of the land provided for it, they envisage that and that is why they put it that the president could have a position with the parliament that is not going on the same side and if the parliament believes that they have done what is right, the constitution said that they should do it.

People seems to be giving section 58 (5) of the 1999 constitution one big interpretation as if you are trying to overthrow the president, no, it is just the rule of law, it is the beauty of democracy. We looked at it and believed that he ought to have signed but instead he travelled outside the country, ignored and now exposed Nigerians to a recruitment process, a leadership recruitment process that has thrown up certain persons. Now, talk about the three adhoc delegates, these adhoc delegates are not people that are familiar, most of them, there are some that are politicians who have been around but a lot of them are people that are not familiar with the political workings, they don’t even understand who is who, we don’t know them and they don’t know us and they are not even bothered about the pedigree of the individuals they are voting for.

People now understand that there is need for us to have a free, fair and credible elections, the person was not elected, the person have no term of office; for members of parliament, for Mr President, governors, they have terms of office and nobody is going to that side, we are talking of people that have no term, people that are appointed that the constitution does not give any term to, that they should resign if they want to contest.

You must relinquish that power, that privilege that you have and come clean like an ordinary man then you can contest with the other person, not sit in that office, enjoy the privilege and say you are contesting

What happens now that the motion has been stepped down?

Yes, I immediately met with the Chairman, Rules and Business on it. He should be the one but naturally, what I expected the Speaker to do was to mandate the Chairman, Rules and Business Committee to list the particular bill for consideration and passage and announce to members. The bill has passed the normal cycle of legislative process. We are going to take the third reading again. A lot of members came to the chambers today in preparation for this exercise but unfortunately, it was aborted.

Do you see President Buhari’s refusal to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment bill as the revenge for Lawmakers turning down his request to expunge section 84 (12)?

Well, Mr President is the head of the executive; he is not as per section 4 of the constitution, the powers of law making reside with the National Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate. So section 5 gave them the powers to implement what we have churned out and section 58 is for him to sign and if he does not sign within 30days or communicate his reason to us, the parliament, both Chambers have the powers using two third majority to pass the bill again and override his veto, meaning that his signature will not be required any more.

So I don’t think he is revenging, I don’t see why he should do that, the question should go to Mr President or his handlers who should actually tell us why he did not sign and he did not send anything to tell us this is the reason why.

Yes he wanted certain parts off it but that part is actually one of the major change, a very major change in the Electoral Act. How will somebody in an office, be seated in his office and still contesting because it means that you are going to use the power of that office, it is giving somebody undue advantage against the person that is not in office.

So that is why we said if you want to contest election, resign and be an ordinary man like other aspirant so that you can contest. You can’t sit in the office and contest election using that office to your advantage and the other person will be at huge disadvantage and that is an ailment that the law seems to cure, that is what we are trying to cure and Mr President is taking us back, that is taking us back years behind.

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

15

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022

POLITICS

Eta: Atiku is No Match to Tinubu A former National Vice Chairman, South-south of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hilliard Etta, in this interview says the Presidential Candidate of the Party, Senator Bola Tinubu will beat his opponent in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, hands down in the 2023 presidential poll. Excerpts:

P

rior to the APC convention, the national chairman of the party, Senator Abdulahi Adamu almost derailed the convention by saying Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has been anointed as the consensus candidate. Now, do you see the national chairman of the party playing Hanky Panky games?

The issue is that the Chairman took a unilateral decision. Of course, we heard from other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), he took a unilateral decision that was disowned by the presidency, disowned by the NWC, disowned by Northern APC governors, disowned by the membership of the party. He stood on his own. There is a saying in my place, monkey dey make show when tree near tree. If you put monkey for desert, he no dey do jack.

Only the Chairman will not derail us. Some of us who are progressives will call on the Chairman to join the train. If he was left in the past, if his mind was left in the past, in the relic of Nigeria, he should join the train. This train is a new Nigeria. What the Chairman said reminded us of the old Nigeria. So, we can only ask him and urge him to join the boat and join the train of new Nigeria led by a captain that is capable, competent, courageous; who has shown it all across board, whether in private business, public service, political arena, that he is capable. So, Mr. Chairman, I ask you that you lead a progressive party, not a Conservative Party. Not the party where people sit in a room, a cigar filled room, drinking whiskey and deciding for the others, what will happen to them. A progressive party is a party that is inclusive, that is empathetic, that is people- oriented, that is populist, that is a progressive party, as against the conservatives who rejoice at the status quo and believe that they and their friends are entitled to the commonwealth of the people, we cannot do so. So I urge the chairman, he should purge himself of those anti democratic tendencies of the Conservatives and come aboard the progressive thing.

not. So I’m not the right person for that question.

Asiwaju is far better to me than even pastors on the pulpit who spew hate, they spew bile.

Asiwaju shows only love. Have you ever seen Asiwaju having a public spat with anybody?. I don’t care about religion. I care more about the bread and butter issues of Nigeria.

Eta

The convention has been lost and won but there is an acid test before Asiwaju and that’s the issue of the running mate of the APC. There are so many insinuations out there that we may end having a Muslim Muslim ticket from the APC. What if we do? first of all, I do not predicate my politics on religion. I don’t even predicate my politics on ethnic consideration. If my politics was considered on ethnic considerations. I would have worked and voted for (Rotimi) Amaechi. He’s from my zone, I don’t care about those kind of things. Those are the things that have held Nigeria down. In any case, has anybody in Southern Nigeria looked at Asiwaju as a Muslim? Is he really our definition of the Muslim? Please, Asiwaju represents development and that is all. Whoever he chooses does not matter to people like me, it does

Hilliard Eta is from Cross Rivers and that is incidentally a South-south state.You had two chieftains, one in the ruling party and the other in the opposition party who were contenders. Ameachi in APC, Nyesome Wike in PDP. In the two parties, the South-south could not produce a presidential candidate.

Where does it leave the region in the power equation?

First of all, I must thank the nation for giving us the opportunity. We have presided over this country for six years and we have absolutely nothing to show for it. You see, I have told you I am not the right man for the question that border on religion or ethnic consideration, regional consideration, it does not matter to me. I want to see a Nigeria that is competing with Singapore.

I want to see Nigeria who will stop being the dumping ground for China. I want to see an ideal nation that will not be exporting jobs to China and importing unemployment. That is the Nigeria I want to see. I don’t care whether Wike is from Ikwere or whether Asiwaju is from Osun state, it doesn’t matter to me. If Asiwaju was a Northerner, my head, my shoulders and my legs will be there. If he was from Katsina Ala. You go to Rwanda today, Rwanda is a success story. You go to Ghana, go to all of these places, you have countries that are less endowed than Nigeria doing the right things and are moving ahead. We keep pulling ourselves back because we’re talking about basic things. Things that should not even bother us.

The battle ahead now is much more between Tinubu and the northern hegemony.

We have Atiku in the North and we also have

Kwankwaso. How do you think Asiwaju will be able to win the presidency?

I do not see the North and the South in the next elections. People who saw this in 1993 were disappointed, they did not see North and South. They saw an Abiola who went through the villages and defeated champions of ethnic chauvinism, all over the country, defeating Tofa in his local government area and in his state. I’m not seeing that. I see Asiwaju presenting Lagos as his own antecedent and I also see Atiku presenting Adamawa. It cannot go beyond that. He should bring Adamawa to the table, Asiwaju will bring Lagos, Nigerians will compare. You see, we have gone beyond rhetorics. Nigerians must not be persuaded by primordial issues. Atiku has no story to tell. We will take him to the cleaners. It is not yet time. Asiwaju has never lost an election, not one. He has never lost an election. Atiku is a serial loser. We will compare all of this. For anybody who thinks that Asiwaju’s influence is restricted to the South, Northerners gave us more votes in these primaries than Southerners. Go and find out how APC voted. We had more support in the north than in the south. So don’t ever think that Asiwaju versus Atiku or Kwankwaso. In fact Kwankwaso is not even in the equation. Kwankwaso can take his Kano if he is able to do so, in fact we welcome him. You cannot for instance put together kwankwaso thoughts for Nigeria. Let somebody bring any document that you can see Kwankwaso thoughts or Atiku’s thoughts on Nigeria except that he would privatise Nigeria and give it to his friends.

That is the most that he has said that he would do. But I can give a book, I have it in my house here, to hear and feel the thoughts of a deep thinking man, a visionary, a courageous man, a man who loves his people with a very acute sense of history. We’re not going to be fooled.

We will not be fooled.

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

Enugu Guber: Let’s Forget Our Grievances and Move On, Says Agbo Lawyer and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Charlie Agbo, speaks on the party’s recent primary in Enugu State and urges unsuccessful contestants to put their grievances aside and rally support for the party’s candidate, Ugo Aliogo brings excerpts:

I

t appears that the last primary of your party in Enugu State left many people aggrieved. Many in hushed tones express their frustration with the outcome of the convention. What’s your take on this?

That’s not unusual. In every election, there will always be one winner. Which is to say that there may be one or more losers. In the history of politics, that is the tradition. All through the Federation, there is jubilation and mourning.

Those who won naturally are jubilating, while those who lost are mourning their loss. In the Senate for instance, over seventy per cent of its members are not returning, while in the House of Representatives, about 180 members are not returning. This is about fifty per cent of the membership of the lower House. So you can see that it’s a tough call. It’s not an Enugu phenomenon. Politics is a very emotive endeavour, so it’s understandable.

There were more contestants in all positions in Enugu State in this election cycle than you have had in the past. Don’t you think that if the governor’s endorsement came earlier, many might not have entered the race therefore minimizing the number who are now mourning their loss?

Well that is hypothetical. There is something phenomenal about the 2023 elections as the process unfolds. We are obviously witnessing greater participation of the youths. The massive upsurge in voter registration is a pointer in that direction. People are getting conscientised and are increasingly recognizing the power of the voter’s card in their possession. They can see how potentiated they are with the power of their card. They want a change, and they want to be part of that change. Then many more

Agbo

want to be change agents also by offering themselves to be voted for. They know that the only way that that will be possible is that they are on the ballot, so that also accounts for the exponential rise in the number of participants.

Are you saying that those eighteen aspirants would still have ran in the PDP governorship primary if the governor had clearly anointed a candidate ahead of the convention as was the case in the two preceding administrations in Enugu State and also across the federation?

Well, as I tried to explain some-

where else on this subject matter, Governor Ugwuanyi’s transition is more challenged than those of his predecessors since 1999.

Some powerful individuals in the party wanted an anti-clockwise trajectory for his endorsement while others wanted a staccato approach, arguing that there was no zoning.

That wasn’t too easy and might have been challenged in court. As a veteran of political maneuver, having been around this business for a while, the Governor knows which fight to pick and which battle to duck. The options available to him dictated some measured and deft steps so he had to put on his thinking cap to create ways to navigate the tricky situation.

So those candidates who were part of the wide canvas already know who to blame.

Ortom, to fly its flag for the senatorial election in his district. The same also applies to Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State who has been nominated to fly PDPs flag in Abia South, his senatorial District. If you move across the aisle to the APC, you will see that the party also recognizes the standing of an individual when it comes to certain privileges. That is why Governor Dave Umahi has been given his party’s flag in Ebonyi State to contest the senatorial election in his senatorial district. The same applies to Plateau State, where Governor Lalong is going for Plateau-South. So why would the case of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi be different? Is it just because he is an Nsukka man? Is that the way to show him gratitude for all he has done for Nsukka?

Some people are alleging that going by the zoning order in Enugu North Senatorial Zone, that the pendulum should swing in Nsukka’s favour for the position of senator.

They also contend that by offering himself to contest the senatorial seat, Governor Ugwuanyi has violated the existing zoning arrangement. Don’t you think this runs against the governor’s philosophy on zoning?

I am not aware of any zoning of political offices outside of the governorship position. As a matter of fact, many indigenes of Enugu State have been clamoring for the drawdown of the zoning order to all other political offices. But one fact is worthy of note. The zoning of political offices is a party affair. This being the case, the party may decide to give priority to certain individuals in recognition of their standing in the party. This is the case in Benue State for instance where the party nominated Governor

How do you look at the prospects of Mr. Peter Mbah, your party’s governorship candidate? Do you foresee a heady contest with the other parties in the state?

I think he is entering the race with impeccable credentials. When you possess proven experience in both the private and public sectors, you should be said to be ready to go. And then when you are a candidate of the PDP, you are a few steps away from the Government House. Some people see this adumbration as taking the electorate for granted. But I see it as a celebration of the goodwill of the people because the standing of the party in Enugu State since 1999 has been the creation of the people. Without the people Enugu State will not be a PDP state.

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

16

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱͱ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

FEATURES

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

UBA: Changing the Narrative of Africa with Rich Cultural Heritage The United Bank for Africa yet again took a definitive lead in hoisting Africa's inalienable values, rich cultures, and priceless heritage to mark the fourth Africa Day. This is to change the narrative and encourage Africans home and abroad to be patriotic and embrace their inherent Africanism. Rebecca Ejifoma reports

I

t was a potpourri of culture, costumes, colours, intriguing entertainment, and insightful discourses at the Africaninspired decor concept to mark the 4th Africa Day at the UBA House Marina in Lagos State.

A troupe of dancers and actors represented a few countries in Africa – Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa among others. Their energetic and lithe entertainment, ebullient music serenaded the audience from the entrance of the building to its doorways through to the Tony Elumelu Amphitheater hall. Their overall performances diffused good vibes and earned them a sixmillion dollars clap ovation.

Today, Africa has unarguably positioned herself as the second largest continent in the world. It remains the only continent of the seven that was evidently bequeathed with the most colourful and distinctively diverse culture appreciated across the globe.

From her aesthetic art works, ethnic costumes, expressive dances, mind-blowing plethora of languages, amazing dishes, tourists attractions, and wildlife among others, Africa is seen as a world power that is yet to explore.

It is, therefore, to proudly project her cultural heritage that the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc hosted the 4th Africa Day conversations in Lagos to commemorate this year's Africa Day. Part of its aim was for dignitaries to map out lasting solutions to persisting challenges in the continent. The UBA Africa Conversations was established in May 2019 as a hallmark initiative in a series of celebrations for Africa Day. The conversations provided a platform for African and global audiences to connect with global thought leaders both in the private and public sectors, on their African journey. This was all in a quest to change the narrative on Africa from desolate to successful.

Themed, "The Importance of Reflecting our African Culture in Global Success Stories", the day underscored the tremendous shift in Africa’s cultural influence – from Afrobeat to African films; Big African fashion labels and African authors; entertainment and culture.

According to UBA, Africa is creating a positive impact globally.

According to the Deputy Managing Director, UBA, Oliver Alawuba, “It is from Africa that UBA Africa was set up," he conceded, adding that UBA has invested so much in Africa. "We are in 20 African countries and four countries outside Africa. Our focus has always been on driving investments into Africa, through conversations such as this."

For Alawuba, UBA aspires to develop and grow in the world. Unity is critical and very important in Africa. Our focus has always been on how to change the narrative. "Unity is critical and very important for the future of Africa, we need to remain united to achieve our aspirations.

Taking a cue from the MD, the Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Humphrey Desmond Geiseb, talked about how globalisation has been good for Africa.

“Of course, there are still some gaps. There are still a lot of things about Africa that are not known. And I believe that culture and arts can help to get it right for us.”

He added that UBA’s foray as an African bank into the US is a testament to this fact.

This is as Geiseb envisaged that by 2063, Africa should have become a united and prosperous continent, and have the ability to take care of its own development.

In the cases of export and import, the ambassador and panelist at the conversations insisted that Africa should export more and add values to her own product. In his words, "The free trade will inculcate an environment where Africans trade more and enjoy intratrade opportunities.

"We need to master the 2063 African agenda so that by then we are all in a better place to maximise different situations and remain united."

He also emphasised the need for governments in each country to give a lot of consideration so the commitment to the African agenda is laudable. Adding, he encouraged that as Africans, "we should be proud of who we are, where we've come from and the days ahead".

To further enlighten and engage participants,

L-R: UBA Company Secretary, Bili Odum; UBA ED Chukwuma Nweke; Fashion Designer and Panelist, Kenneth Ize; High Commissioner of Namibia to Nigeria and Panelist, Humphrey Geiseb; UBA DMD, Oliver Alawuba; Culture and Entertainment Commentator and Panelist, Steve Ayorinde; Ghanaian Actress and Panelist, Lydia Forson; ED UBA, Chiugo Ndubisi; Nigerian Journalist and Moderator, Laila JohnsonSalami and Group Head, Human Resources, UBA, Patricia Aderibigbe; at the 4th UBA Africa Conversations, themed, The Importance of Reflecting Our African Culture in Global Success Stories, organised by UBA Group in commemoration of Africa Day 2022, held at the UBA House, Marina, Lagos on Tuesday

Troupe of cultural dancers UBA brought together a rich and diverse panel including Legendary African musician and songwriter, Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; the former Commissioner for Tourism, Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde; African Movie Academy Award-winning Ghanaian Actress, Lydia Forson; young talented Fashion Designer, Kenneth Ize; and Geiseb.

Giving his presentation, Ayorinde highlighted, “As Africans, we are at the point where no one denigrates African culture anymore. Indeed there is still a gap, but we are bridging it." He, however, pointed out that the liberalisation of the media and digital content is helping to improve the African narrative.

Forson, on the other hand, commended UBA’s contribution towards transforming

the African tale. She enthused about how African culture is now more widely accepted around the world. The actress expressed, “It is great to see a bank like UBA being intentional about promoting Africa. Now, the world gets to see more of us, because we have started to tell our own stories.

On his part, Ize, said that the continent holds a lot of potential that Africans are yet to tap into. “Africa is our home, our culture, and we have to do everything to preserve our culture,” he told the audience during the panel session moderated by television anchor and journalist, Laila Salami-Johnson.

Speaking on the need for collaboration to boost the continent’s fortunes during his keynote address, Ndour insisted

It is great to see a bank like UBA being intentional about promoting Africa. Now, the world gets to see more of us, because we have started to tell our own stories... the continent holds a lot of potential that Africans are yet to tap into. Africa is our home, our culture, and we have to do everything to preserve our culture

that young people in Africa have a lot of questions and "We have to listen to them and see how together we can be a solution for Africa. We need to understand that there is a lot to do. Together we can make it".

Since Saturday 25th May 1963, Africa Day has been celebrated across the continent and worldwide.

The day was inaugurated by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in celebration of the unity, diversity and beauty of Africa and its people.

Consequently, as one of Africa’s leading financial services institutions, with a pan-African footprint spanning 20 African countries and globally in the US, UK, the United Arab Emirates and France, UBA says it's fully committed to unifying Africa. It also continues to lead the narrative focused on the development, growth, and unity of Africa.

Indeed, UBA Plc prides itself as a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more 25 million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries.

With presence in New York, London, Paris, and an operating license in Dubai, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services. UBA is Africa’s global bank.

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱͱ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

17

NAFRC: Fulfilling Its Mandate of Transitioning Armed Forces Retirees Aspartofitsmandatetohelpthetransitionprocessofmilitaryretirees,theNigerianArmedForcedResettlementCentre,recentlygraduated 316 non commissioned officers after an intensive training on vocational skills and entrepreneurial courses, Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

W

ith a vision to be a world class training institution capable of transitioning retirees to cope with the challenges of post service life, the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) was borne.

Essentially, it was established to provide military personnel with relevant vocational and entrepreneurial training, in preparation for living a productive and fulfilling life in retirement.

During the training, vocational courses which comprises management, fashion, shoe making, laundry, fine arts, photography, printing, soap making, agriculture, wood work, building and civil works, electrical and electronics, fabrication and welding, are taught to help the retirees reintegrate into civilian life and provide a source of living for them after retirement.

Just last week Friday, NAFRC graduated 316 retirees of the trainees’ Course 01/2022, comprising 283 from the Nigerian Army, 27 from the Nigerian Navy and six from the Nigerian Air Force.

For the current graduates, they were equipped with relevant trades and vocational skills. For the fashion wing, courses like shoe making, barring, tailoring, laundry and weaving were taught, while the fine arts and printing training had courses like fine arts, ceramics making, photography and printing as its core base.

While the soap and cosmetics department had courses like soap and cosmetics making and domestic products, the agricultural section had general agric/food/cash crop, poultry, piggery, fishery, rabbitary, ruminants and snailery.

Also, the wood work sections boasts of carpentry and joinery, furniture design and construction, as well as the machine wood work, while the building and civil works section has bricklaying and concreting, plumbing and pipe lifting, painting and spraying.

For the electrical and electronics section, courses like refrigeration and air conditioning, electrical installation and maintenance practice, as well as radio and television. The auto mechanics wing boasts of mechanical engineering, battery charging, vulcanising and car wash.

Other departments like fabrication and welding have the fabrication, welding, machining and fitting, as well as foundry, while the music department deals with instrument learning and entertainment, even as the food and beverages department deals with bakery and the information technology department takes care of computer appreciation, hardware maintenance, networking and internet, as well as systems development and design.

During their graduation at the centre, they were charged to be mindful of the challenges of post-service life. Giving this charge, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Leo Irabor, said although many challenges are associated with post-service life, they need to be proactive in their conduct to overcome the challenges.

He said: "Some of the challenges you will face include how you manage your resources, especially your retirement benefits, and the influence from members of your family and friends.

“Others include management of your physical and mental health, integrating with the civil society as well as the high level of insecurity in our nation."

While charging them to be bold, courageous, remain disciplined, and focused as they take full charge as planners and executors of their daily activities, he added that "this may sound exciting and promising but beware; you need to properly manage your freedom and make good use of

L-R: General Lucky Irabor; wife, Mrs. Anwuli Irabor; NAFRCOWA Coordinator, Mrs. Naomi Lubo and NAFRC Commandant, AVM Idi Lubo

L-R: Director of Finance; Brig Gen ZI Ohiaka, Rep of CNS R Adm Ayafa, DEPOWA President Mrs Vickie Irabor, CDS Gen Lucky Irabor, NAFRC Comdt AVM Idi Gamso Lubo, Mrs Naomi Lubo, Air Cdre ASA Bwari Rtd, Dy Comdt NAFRC Maj Gen SI Igbinowanhia your resources to be successful.

“The society will expect a high moral standard and discipline from you, you will also have to prove in your relationships that you passed through a highly disciplined system.

“As our ambassadors, always remember that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remains your primary constituency. I believe in your capabilities to do us proud".

The general also advised them to be wary of subversive elements within their environment and avoid associating with them in any form as they retired into the larger society.

“It is also risky for you to embark on a new lifestyle that is above your means, or engage in non-lucrative ventures, neither should you abstain from physical exercises.

“Your training has exposed you to several vocational opportunities, entrepreneurship procedures, and general managerial skills to alleviate the above-mentioned pitfalls for meaningful retirement life.

“In this wise, employ the various knowledge and skills you have acquired while undergoing NAFRC training for peaceful and productive

economic life as you reintegrate into the Nigerian civil society,” he added.

He further commended the leadership of NAFRC under AVM Idi Lubo for his relentless efforts at ensuring that discharging armed forces personnel were exposed to the latest trends in global entrepreneurship and management training.

Also speaking, the Commandant NAFRC, Air Vice Marshal Idi Lubo, in his welcome address explained that in a bid to reposition the centre to function in line with current realities in vocational and skill acquisition training, the CDS directed the review of the NAFRC Curriculum which was already being implemented that saw a merger of some of the workshops and the introduction of Event Management Workshop amongst others.

He said "In order to enhance the quality and content of our training, this centre is presently in partnership with various organisations for the delivery of vocational and skill acquisition training. It is in this line that the centre is currently making

efforts to enter into partnership with the Songhai Centre in the Republic of Benin for delivery of lectures to the Trainees and for the conduct of Train-The-Trainer courses for our instructors”.

While highlighting the provision of commensurate health care support for the trainees as part of the challenge associated with reverting to the initial six months duration for the pre-retirement course, the commandant said, “ this was surmounted with the support of the CDS and the Service Chiefs in the construction of a Radio Diagnostic Centre (RDC) as part of the expansion and repositioning of the centre’s hospital for better healthcare delivery for the trainees and the entire NAFRC community.

"Hitherto, minor ailments that could be easily treated are referred to other healthcare facilities within Lagos for proper diagnosis and treatment”.

At the sidelines, the CDS went round the exhibition centre and also inaugurated a state-of-the art diagnostic centre built beside NAFRC hospital with medical equipment donated by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oludayo Amao, who was represented by NAF Chief of Logistics, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Olatokunbo Adesanya.

Nigerian Journalist Princess Amalaha appointed UTA Country President Precious Ugwuzor

P

ublisher and award winning journalist, Princess Abigail Chinyere Amalaha, has been appointed President of United Towns Agency (UTA) in Nigeria.

The UTA is a United Nations (UN) accredited Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with consultative status of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

According to a statement by UTA Board Member, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, Princess Amalaha’s appointment came on the heels of a rigorous process of election, interviews and background checks of her humanitarian works conducted by the UTA Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

UTA Secretary-General, Tunisian born award-winning Eya Essif who broke the cheering news said the current activities of the organisation are represented in 110 countries around the world.

The immediate task before Amalaha is

to establish a full fledged office of UTA in Nigeria and commence operations on the implementation of various charity works and humanitarian projects of UN NGO in areas of human rights projects for irrigation systems, electricity supply, alleviation of poverty and attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the country. Amalaha described her appointment to the coveted position as an act of God and an honour to Nigeria and a big challenge for her to prove mettle and show that Nigeria is capable of hosting the UTA and make the desired impact.

She expressed her profound gratitude to the UTA management at the headquarters in Geneva and the Secretary-General Eya Essif who gave her the necessary support and encouragement since her appointment on March 18, 2022.

The UTA Country president in Nigeria also thanked her bosses for the confidence Amalaha reposed in her.

18

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

119

T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNEJune 23, 2022 Thursday 23, 2022 Vol 27. No 9937 TR

See page 20 BALA MOHAMMED: NIGERIA’S LOSS, BAUCHI’S GAIN EMMA AGU writes that the Bauchi governor is highly valued by his people See page 20 WHY OHANAEZE SHOULD EMBRACE THE ATIKU/OKOWA TICKET IFEANYI MADUAKO argues that the chances of Peter Obi in the presidential contest are slim See page 21 BEYOND BANNING PORNOGRAPHY The authorities should do well to enforce the ban, writes SONNIE EKWOWUSI See page 21

EDITORIAL FUEL SCARCITY WITHOUT END

See page 22

& RE A S O

N

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

ONDO CHURCH ATTACK AND SUSPECTED ISWAP TERRORISTS Threats by ISWAP should not be casually handled, contends AFAKRIYA A. GADZAMA

UT H

Peter Obi is a great brand who stands apart from his rivals, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE

OBI: COCKTAIL OF IDEALISM AND REALISM In a matter of weeks, a former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has assumed the status of a folk hero on the Nigerian sociopolitical scene. The journey to this point is both planned and dramatic. After losing the 2019 election as the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he did not leave the stage like most of his colleagues. He stayed connected to the people by taking advantage of private and public functions to explain his convictions about the problems and prospects of the country. Strategic, though not elaborate, communication ensured that the image of a very knowledgeable person, passionate about leading Nigeria out of the woods, was created - to some degree.

Fast forward to last month. As the PDP prepared for its presidential primary, it became clear to watchers of the intriguing, and sometimes vicious, game of politics that the battle for the top ticket would be of epic proportions. All the signs that dollars and naira, in addition to cold sectional calculations, would determine the outcome were visible to discerning eyes. Obi, a shrewd businessman, manager and administrator, decided that he stood no chance in the midst of political whales and sharks.

His departure from the main opposition party few days to that contest and eventual emergence as the presidential standard bearer of the Labour Party (LP) have been expectedly praised by some people and criticised by others. At any rate, his movement from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the platform that gave him the governorship, to PDP and now LP, is very much characteristic of our polity, a practice that has since evolved into a thriving culture.

If Obi had stayed back in the PDP, would the Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have picked him as his vice? If yes, would that have made them a perfect pair as some people believe? Why did he leave a huge and structured organisation that once boasted to be Africa’s largest political umbrella for a much smaller group? Belated and not too useful as these posers may appear, they are necessary in attempting to decode the character and political fortunes of a man who can no longer be ignored and also XQGHUVWDQG WKH VRFLRORJLFDO FRQÀJXUDWLRQV that have conspired to make him someone to watch in the race towards the 2023 polls.

It is instructive that Obi has not claimed WR EH D PHVVLDK 3ROLWLFDO R΀FH VHHNHUV ZKR did so directly or otherwise or were cast in that mould in the past failed woefully. Yet, the surge in his support base is growing and does not show signs of waning. The somewhat manic following he enjoys at the moment, most notably among young people, can be situated within the nation’s SUHVHQW SUHFDULRXV SURÀOH ,Q GHVSDLU VRPH

people have since concluded that President Muhammadu Buhari has achieved nothing.

7UXO\ LW LV GL΀FXOW IRU DQ\ERG\ ZKR KDV been at the receiving end of the numerous adversities facing the country today to think clearly, not to talk of judging fairly. I would rather see Buhari as someone whose best plans and actions have been overshadowed by the rampaging forces of lack, decaying socio-economic infrastructure, diminution of self-worth and life itself, centrifugal tendencies, and a rapid loss of hope in the future.

That last point, more than any other, is what seems to energise the followers of Obi, now proudly called the “Obi-dient” generation. I sense some déjà vu here. In 2014, the Boko Haram onslaught under the government of President Goodluck Jonathan ZDV DW LWV ÀHUFHVW &RUUXSWLRQ ZDV SHUFHLYHG WR KDYH GHÀHG DOO NQRZQ FRQWUROV 0DFUR economic indices were beginning to falter.

Government borrowing to pay salaries, DQ HDUO\ ÁDJ IRU EDQNUXSWF\ KDG EHJXQ Desperation was written on individuals, families, institutions and communities. It was the quest for salvation that fuelled the gravitation towards Buhari who had cut the image of a competent general and an antigraft crusader. As Buhari’s tenure gradually winds down, the results of his leadership and interventions will for long remain subjects of interrogations at various fora.

I am afraid that we are now back to where we were eight years ago, perhaps in heightened degrees, in terms of dashed dreams, endangered existential variables and search for a deliverer. As things stand, Obi, whose support is on steroid, especially on social media, has at least three more politically exposed men to contend with.

Abubakar, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Alliance (APC) and Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) were all many years in the terrain before Obi’s entrance. Underrating them should, therefore, not be contemplated. Depending on how well the elements are galvanised

to favour Obi, however, the intimidating pedigree of his opponents can even become disadvantageous to them. Reason: They all belong to the old order which the teeming disempowered youths of Nigeria blame often and squarely for their abject conditions.

Luckily for Obi, he has somehow managed to connect not only with young adults but also other demographic segments and discuss relevant issues in relatable ways.

Even with that, to assume that majority of the youth population will automatically become active voters and queue behind him would be to live in the skies. We cannot stop those whose job it is to promote the deeds of the government but there is enough angst in the land to propel him into Nigeria’s topmost position next year if the critical factors are properly exploited. This country is now in its most polarised state.

Among the four frontrunners mentioned, Obi is the only Christian. His handlers have a duty to package him not as representing any religion or region but as a nationalist.

President Jonathan who took his campaign to churches in 2015 can now testify that God is for all human beings in matters of earthly authority, after all.

The LP candidate needs to rise to the challenges that come with being his party’s leader. Meaningful mobilisation can happen in the seven to eight months before the polls.

His inability to strike the right chord with the political class in his own home zone must have given him the enormous picture of nationwide networking. And his swelling army of internet supporters should also be guided into actual participation in the electoral processes. Obi’s slogan of moving the country away from consumption to production cannot be faulted. His FDSDFLW\ IRU ÀVFDO GLVFLSOLQH DQG SUXGHQW management of resources is needed to pull Nigeria back to the path of recovery. The ‘generosity’ of his opponents has not rescued tens of millions of citizens from penury, so, no tag of stinginess should bother him. Not much is known about his ability to arrest the nation’s largely unchecked descent into insecurity and anarchy, though.

In many other countries, when the people are united by broken political promises and other vicissitudes, they simply rise above WKHLU GLͿHUHQFHV DQG DFW WR DFKLHYH UHDO change. Even though Nigerians have done VDPH DW VRPH SRLQWV PDQ\ FDQ EH LQGLͿHUHQW and cynical too. It is Obi’s responsibility to give such people enough reasons to believe again and get involved. In many ways he stands apart from his main rivals. He has a golden opportunity to maximise the moment and avoid ending up as a psychological president.

Dr Ekpe is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

2 20

T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022

EMMA AGU writes that the Bauchi governor is highly valued by his people Threats by ISWAP should not be casually handled, contends AFAKRIYA A. GADZAMA

ONDO CHURCH ATTACK AND SUSPECTED ISWAP TERRORISTS It was predicted that with the incursion of the Islamic State into the West African subUHJLRQ UHFHQWO\ WKH WKUHDW OHYHO LV H[SHFWHG to heighten. The attack on a Catholic Church in Ondo State was therefore not unexpected as it is noticeable that the activities of the %RNR +DUDP DQG LWV ,6:$3 D΀OLDWHV KDYH EHHQ RQ WKH LQFUHDVH UHFHQWO\ 7KH VHFXULW\ IRUFHV SDUWLFXODUO\ WKRVH LQYROYHG LQ WKH RQJRLQJ FRXQWHU LQVXUJHQF\ RSHUDWLRQV LQ WKH 1RUWK (DVW KDYH JDOODQWO\ FRQIURQWHG WKH WHUURULVWV 6LPLODUO\ VHFXULW\ IRUFHV LQ neighbouring countries have raised the alarm on the upsurge of ISWAP activities in their respective countries. It should be noted that the activities of the group in the FRXQWU\ LV D VSLOO RYHU RI ZKDW LV KDSSHQLQJ LQ WKH QHLJKERXULQJ FRXQWULHV HVSHFLDOO\ Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

It is suspected that the attack on the church in Ondo State might be the result of the upsurge in the activities of the group.

This might have informed the Minister of ,QWHUQDO $ͿDLUV· FRPPHQWV RQ WKH LQFLGHQW indicating that ISWAP was responsible for the attack. As things are at the moment, one cannot take the statement of the Minister for ,QWHUQDO $ͿDLUV OLJKWO\ HYHQ LI LW ZDV IDXOWHG E\ PDQ\ DQG WKHUH ZHUH QR FRUURERUDWLYH IDFWV IURP WKH 6HFXULW\ )RUFHV DQG WKH R΀FH RI WKH 1DWLRQDO 6HFXULW\ $GYLVHU LQLWLDOO\ It is important to mention that in other FOLPHV WKH R΀FH RI WKH 1DWLRQDO 6HFXULW\ Adviser which is the central collection point of intelligence has at its disposal YHULÀHG LQIRUPDWLRQ IURP DOO RUJDQL]DWLRQV RQ VXFK D VHQVLWLYH QDWLRQDO VHFXULW\ EUHDFK 7KH R΀FH ZRXOG KDYH SURYLGHG DQ authoritative statement on the incident and HYHU\RQH ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ EHWWHU LQIRUPHG ,W LV QRWHZRUWK\ WKDW WKHUH KDYH EHHQ DWWDFNV E\ WKH JURXS LQ VHYHUDO SDUWV RI WKH FRXQWU\ LQ WKH SDVW IHZ ZHHNV )RU example, there have been reports of ISWAP related attacks in parts of Borno and Yobe States and communities in Kaduna, Sokoto, Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa States. Lassa town in Askira/Uba in Borno State was PRUH WKDQ WZLFH DWWDFNHG E\ WKH JURXS LQ WKH ODVW PRQWK 0DQ\ WRZQV DQG YLOODJHV are under siege of the group and as a result have been deserted. $OWKRXJK WKH 1LJHULD $UP\ DQG 1LJHULD 3ROLFH KDYH JDOODQWO\ FRQIURQWHG and repelled the Boko Haram and the ,6:$3 D΀OLDWHV DWWDFNV E\ WKH JURXS DUH FXUUHQWO\ KDYLQJ YHU\ VHULRXV HͿHFWV RQ socio-economic activities and are the major VRXUFH RI LQVHFXULW\ DQG GLVHQFKDQWPHQW LQ WKH DͿHFWHG FRPPXQLWLHV DQG VWDWHV 7KH activities of the Boko Haram and armed bandits are also providing convenient covers for the Islamic state terrorists. The DOOLDQFH EHWZHHQ WKHVH JURXSV ZLOO FHUWDLQO\ compound the plight of the people in WKH DͿHFWHG DUHDV DQG WKH RQJRLQJ DQWL WHUURULVP HͿRUWV There have been disturbing reports WKDW WKH JURXSV KDYH LQÀOWUDWHG PDQ\ communities in the South West, South East and the North Central. From available LQWHOOLJHQFH WKHUH LV QR SDUW RI WKH FRXQWU\ WKDW KDV QRW EHHQ LQÀOWUDWHG E\ WKH FULPLQDO JURXSV DW WKH PRPHQW $OVR VFDU\ LV WKH fact that there might be an upsurge in the activities of the group in the South West DQG 6RXWK (DVW YHU\ VRRQ 7KLV FRXOG KDYH

serious implications for these parts of the FRXQWU\ WKUHDWHQLQJ WKH VHFXULW\ RI WKH FRXQWU\ DV D ZKROH It is important to mention that the South :HVW LV D IDYRUHG GHVWLQDWLRQ RI PDQ\ terrorist groups and armed bandits in WKH FRXQWU\ DW WKH PRPHQW 7KLV LV ZK\ the establishment of Amotekun should EH FRPPHQGHG 7KH H[LVWHQFH RI PDQ\ ungoverned spaces and groups whose DFWLYLWLHV VKRXOG EH RI VHFXULW\ LQWHUHVW PDNHV PDQ\ SDUWV RI WKH UHJLRQ DWWUDFWLYH to the ISWAP elements. Some isolated FRPPXQLWLHV LQ WKH DͿHFWHG DUHDV DQG PDQ\ XQJRYHUQHG VSDFHV KDYH OLWWOH RU no government presence. The thick forest DUHDV LQ PDQ\ VWDWHV KDYH GHÀQLWHO\ DOVR facilitated the movement of suspicious VXEYHUVLYH JURXSV DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ The lawless groups including the ISWAP PRYH IUHHO\ LQ PDQ\ DUHDV LQ WKH 1RUWKHUQ VWDWHV 7KH\ HYHQ UHSRUWHGO\ FROOHFW WD[HV in some areas and enforce their rules. An XQGHUFRYHU RSHUDWLYH VDLG WKDW UHFHQWO\ \RX FRXOG HYHQ LGHQWLI\ VRPH RI WKHP LQ VRPH UXUDO PDUNHWV 0DQ\ KDYH WDNHQ UHVLGHQFH LQ WKH FRXQWU\ GXH WR GHÀFLHQFLHV LQ RXU immigration laws and ECOWAS protocol.

From available intelligence, the suspected WHUURULVWV DUH FXUUHQWO\ KLEHUQDWLQJ LQ isolated areas, communities and forests in Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara States. Well informed sources KDYH DOVR UHSRUWHG WKDW WKHUH DUH PDQ\ sleeper cells in several other Northern states.

The Falgore forest that traverses Kano and Bauchi States for example is suspected to be a haven for armed bandits and terrorist groups including the ISWAP elements.

The forests are linked to each other and H[WHQG WR VRXWKHUQ SDUWV RI WKH FRXQWU\ ,W LV WKHUHIRUH QRW XQOLNHO\ WKDW WKH WHUURULVWV WKDW attacked the Catholic Church in Ondo State might have used these forests as a cover to PRYH IUHHO\ WR RWKHU SDUWV RI WKH FRXQWU\ Such clandestine movements could have EHHQ IDFLOLWDWHG E\ WKH VOHHSHU FHOOV DQG RWKHU XQGHVLUDEOH HOHPHQWV V\PSDWKHWLF WR WKH JURXS·V DFWLYLW\ DOUHDG\ LQ H[LVWHQFH LQ these areas.

7KH LQFXUVLRQ RI ,6:$3 LQWR WKH FRXQWU\ VKRXOG QRW EH WUHDWHG WKH ZD\ %RNR +DUDP was handled until it got out of hand. In the absence of helpful information from VHFXULW\ DJHQFLHV HVSHFLDOO\ WKH 3ROLFH DQG WKH 0LOLWDU\ RQH FDQQRW GHOLQN WKRVH responsible for the attack on a Church in Ondo from the ISWAP. This demands that there should be caution and vigilance on WKH JURXSV DFWLYLWLHV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ ,I WKH WHUURULVW DWWDFN LQ 2QGR 6WDWH ZDV E\ WKH ,6:$3 DOO VWDNHKROGHUV SDUWLFXODUO\ WKH VHFXULW\ DJHQFLHV VKRXOG EH RQ DSSURSULDWH level of alert to forestall a repeat. Also, given the confusing situation, stakeholders, HVSHFLDOO\ WKH VHFXULW\ RUJDQL]DWLRQV should maintain a heightened level of alert DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ 6SHFLDO DWWHQWLRQ VKRXOG be paid to facilities and institutions and those who want to make political capital out of the incidents in areas adjudged vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

Gadzama, OFR, mni, former Director General SSS, is Chairman, National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja

BALA MOHAMMED: NIGERIA’S LOSS, BAUCHI’S GAIN Those are the attributes of Bala Mohammed that Nigeria cannot have at the moment but which are still available to the people of Bauchi State, When Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, BAM, entered the presidential race, on the platform of the 3HRSOHV 'HPRFUDWLF SDUW\ 3'3 VRPH NHHQ observers of Bauchi State politics insisted WKDW KLV HͿRUW SRVVHVVHG DOO WKH WUDSSLQJV RI D PHORGUDPD 7KHUH ZDV DOZD\V WKH $WLNX Abubakar factor, looming large on the horizon; not to be disregarded, also, was BAM’s pledge that we would not run against his former boss, former President Goodluck -RQDWKDQ VKRXOG WKH ODWHU HQWHU WKH IUD\ DV was being speculated. But of all the factors, none seemed as potent as the wellspring of opinion in Bauchi State against, a presidential UXQ E\ WKH PDQ ZKRP WKH\ KDYH FRPH WR UHJDUG DV D FDWDO\VW IRU WKHLU HPDQFLSDWLRQ IURP \HDUV RI XQLQVSLULQJ UXOH SULRU WR To the average Bauchi person, the prospect of their son becoming President SDOHG LQWR LQVLJQLÀFDQFH DJDLQVW WKH burning desire to sustain the developmental PRPHQWXP LJQLWHG E\ WKH %DOD 0RKDPPHG Administration. For these people, the question was: what would be their fate should Bala Mohammed leave for the FHQWUH" :KDW JXDUDQWHHV GLG WKH\ KDYH WKDW KLV VXFFHVVRU DQ LGHD WKH\ ORDWKHG would be able to run with the same zeal, SDVVLRQ DQG SURÀFLHQF\ WKDW KDG LJQLWHG DQ XQSUHFHGHQWHG VWDNHKROGHU EX\ LQ IRU governmental activities?

But Bala Mohammed was undaunted, DZDUH WKDW WKH 3UHVLGHQF\ ZRXOG LQIXVH LQ %DXFKL DQ HYHQ JUHDWHU FDWDO\VW WKDQ his governorship had achieved. More LPSRUWDQWO\ WKH *RYHUQRU RSHUDWHG IURP WKH mindset that a new leadership was required WR VWHHU 1LJHULD IURP WKH ÁDZHG JRYHUQDQFH HQYLURQPHQW WKDW KDG VWLÁHG JURZWK VHW WKH \RXWK RQ WKH SDWK RI UHEHOOLRQ DFFHQWXDWHG WKH FRXQWU\·V GHELOLWDWLQJ IDXOW OLQHV DQG JHQHUDOO\ UHGXFHG D SRWHQWLDOO\ JUHDW QDWLRQ LQWR D ODXJKLQJ VWRFN LQ WKH FRPLW\ RI QDWLRQV Was Bala Mohammed right in his presumption? That is debatable. If the verdict RI WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO SULPDU\ LV DQ\WKLQJ WR JR E\ LW FRXOG EH VDLG WKDW KH ZDV ZURQJ 1R matter how defeat is rationalised, at the end RI WKH GD\ LW LV WKH YHUGLFW RI WKH SHRSOH WKDW LV important in such matters; not withstanding how that verdict is arrived at.

Even at that, Bala Mohammed’s sense of GXW\ QRW HQWLWOHPHQW ZDV QRW PLVSODFHG ,W LV QRW DOZD\V WKDW 1LJHULD LV SULYLOHJHG WR KDYH DQ DVSLUDQW ZLWK KLV ULFK SHGLJUHH RͿHU himself or herself to lead a national revival as in the instant case. Check out his rich career path: bureaucratic exposure, (Federal Civil Service) to the directorate cadre; legislative exposure as Senator of the Federal Republic, executive branch exposure as Minister of the Federal Republic and Member of the )HGHUDO ([HFXWLYH &RXQFLO DQG FXUUHQWO\ Governor, superintending the administrative PDFKLQHU\ RI WKH VWDWH %H\RQG WKDW WR OLPLW KLV VXLWDELOLW\ IRU WKH job to positions occupied will diminish the qualities of this patriot, federalist, nationalist and astute manager of men and resources. +LV FRPPLWPHQW WR QDWLRQDO XQLW\ LQFOXVLRQ and people empowerment, stand him out as a statesman and role model. %XW KLV SDUW\ PDFKLQH KDV VSRNHQ $QG

in line with his earlier pledge to support whoever emerged as the candidate of the PDP, Bala Mohammed has since thrown his weight behind former Vice President $WLNX $EXEDNDU ZKR ZLOO Á\ WKH ÁDJ RI WKH SDUW\ DW WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ 1DWXUDOO\ WKDW GHYHORSPHQW KDV JODGGHQHG WKH KHDUWV RI PDQ\ LQ %DXFKL 7KRXJK QRW H[SUHVVO\ FRPPXQLFDWHG WKH ERG\ ODQJXDJH RI PDQ\ D %DXFKL supporter of Bala Mohammed, even during the consultations before the SUHVLGHQWLDO SULPDU\ KDG VXJJHVWHG DQ

inclination to dissuade him from running for President. To them, his administration had reset Bauchi State for greater heights. +LV KLJK PLQGHG LQFOXVLRQ SROLF\ WKH breath-taking infrastructural projects, the people empowerment programmes of his administration, the revival of social LQIUDVWUXFWXUH E\ ZD\ RI ZDWHU KHDOWK and education and the urban renewal SURMHFWV WKDW DUH UHGHÀQLQJ WKH %DXFKL ODQGVFDSH DOO UHVRQDWH YHU\ ZHOO ZLWK D people that had long resigned themselves WR DUURJDQFH RI SRZHU IHVWHUHG E\ WKRVH who had consigned the state to the backwaters of development.

Little wonder that a major reservation, during Bala Mohammed’s consultation with various stakeholder groups prior to WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO SULPDU\ ZDV WKH IDWH RI WKH %DXFKL HOHFWRUDWH ZKRVH FRQÀGHQFH in government had been restored, thanks WR WKH SDUDGLJP VKLIW LQWURGXFHG E\ %DOD Mohammed. In their interventions, at the consultative meeting with the Board RI 7UXVWHHV %27 RI WKH SDUW\ IRUPHU Governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Sule Lamido and Senator Abdul Ningi (from Bauchi), both extolled Bala Mohammed’s leadership and counselled that it would IXUWKHU WKH FRXUVH RI GHPRFUDF\ LI KH UDQ IRU UH HOHFWLRQ ZKLFK WKH\ VDLG KH ZRXOG get.

There is the temptation to think that both Lamido and Ningi could have EHHQ VHOI VHUYLQJ VLQFH WKH\ ZHUH NQRZQ SURPRWHUV RI WKH $WLNX FDQGLGDF\ 7KDW is possible. But assuming, without FRQFHGLQJ WKDW WKH\ ZHUH OHVV WKDQ forthright, where do we place the accolades of President Muhammadu Buhari for Bala Mohammed?

Agu is a media veteran and fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors

321

T H I S D AY THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022

IFEANYI MADUAKO argues that the chances of Peter Obi in the presidential contest are slim

WHY OHANAEZE SHOULD EMBRACE THE ATIKU/OKOWA TICKET If the recent report credited to the leadership of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) calling Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa a betrayer is true, it’s most unfortunate and uncalled for. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is the governor of Delta State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Granted, he hosted the meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum sometime LQ ZKHUH WKH IRUXP DJUHHG WKDW WKH

presidential ticket of all the political parties should be zoned to the southern part of Nigeria for the 2023 general elections. The Southern Governors’ Forum comprises JRYHUQRUV ZKHUHDV WKH 1RUWKHUQ *RYHUQRUV· )RUXP FRPSULVHV JRYHUQRUV The North has a greater number of LGAs than the South. Since PDP presidential primary election was based on one delegate per LGA, what magic did the leadership of SMBLF expect Governor Okowa to have performed in order to ensure that a southern aspirant emerged as the candidate of the PDP? Since the voting during the presidential primaries ZDV GRQH E\ WKH PRGH RI RSHQ VHFUHW EDOORW system, how did the SMBLF know that Governor Okowa didn’t give the entire 28 votes from Delta State to any of the southern aspirants especially, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who was an aspirant in the presidential primaries?

Now that PDP had produced a Northern candidate, did SMBLF leadership expect *RYHUQRU 2NRZD ZKR·V QRZ WKH 9LFH Presidential candidate of the PDP to play DQWL SDUW\ DFWLYLWLHV E\ HLWKHU GHIHFWLQJ from the PDP or staying put in the party while working against the party because it produced a Northern candidate? Did SMBLF expect Governor Okowa to support Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) even as a PDP governor just because Tinubu is a southern candidate? Or did they expect KLP WR KDYH UHMHFWHG WKH YLFH SUHVLGHQWLDO candidacy in order to support either Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party or Asiwaju Tinubu of the APC? Did they expect *RYHUQRU 2NRZD WR KDYH UHMHFWHG WKH YLFH presidential candidacy while expecting QRUWKHUQHUV WR DFFHSW WKH YLFH SUHVLGHQWLDO candidacy position from Tinubu, Obi and other southern presidential candidates?

The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo and Ndigbo all over the world must rally around Governor Okowa as Atiku’s YLFH SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWH DQG HQVXUH that they vote massively for the ticket to win. Okowa is an Igbo man. There’s no

GLͿHUHQFH EHWZHHQ ,IHDQ\L IURP 'HOWD State and another Ifeanyi from Imo State. $UWLÀFLDO ERXQGDULHV OLNH VWDWHV RI RULJLQ or geopolitical zones must not confer VXSHULRULW\ WR ,JER PHQ IURP WKH 6RXWK East and inferiority to Igbo people outside WKH 6RXWK (DVW 'HOWD 6WDWH RQFH SURGXFHG WKH 3UHVLGHQW *HQHUDO DQG 6HFUHWDU\ *HQHUDO RI 2KDQH]H Ndigbo in the persons of late Ambassador Ralph Uwechue and Col. Joe Achuzia (rtd) UHVSHFWLYHO\ 'U 0UV 1JR]L 2NRQMR ,ZHDOD is an Igbo woman from Delta State but married to Abia State. Are those saying that Okowa is not a “core Igbo man” also implying that late Uwechue, Achuzia and 2NRQMR ,ZHDOD DUH KDOI RU IDNH ,JERV" Like I pointed out in my previous articles, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) can never win the presidential race on the platform of the Labour Party even if he resurrects the late Premier of the Northern region, Sir Ahmadu Bello and makes him his running mate. Peter Obi is a good candidate for the presidency of Nigeria, no doubt, but he should understand that there’s no way he can dislodge the PDP and the APC to snatch the presidential seat from these two major political parties.

If President Muhammadu Buhari could not win the presidency on three previous RFFDVLRQV EHIRUH MXVW EHFDXVH KH ZDV only popular in the North, I do not see the magic that Peter Obi can do to win in the whole of the South and the North in the 2023 presidential election on the platform of Labour. The popularity or perception of a messiah that Peter has now pales into LQVLJQLÀFDQFH WR WKH JUHDWHU SHUFHSWLRQ Buhari had before he became the President of Nigeria. If perception and popularity are enough criteria to win a presidential contest, former U.S.A President Barack Obama shouldn’t have contested the presidency of America on the platform RI D ZHOO HVWDEOLVKHG SROLWLFDO SDUW\ OLNH the Democratic Party. Even in America whose democracy is over 200 years old, no candidate can win the presidential race except on the platform of either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party no matter how good and popular the candidate might be otherwise Reverend Jesse Jackson would have become the President of America even before Obama happened.

Atiku is the most popular politician from the North in contemporary Nigeria.

There’s no way most northerners would prefer to vote a southern presidential candidate even if a Northern Muslim pairs the ticket. Atiku almost defeated LQFXPEHQW 3UHVLGHQW %XKDUL LQ $WLNX LV IDU PRUH FRVPRSROLWDQ DQG EURDG minded than Buhari. The ordeal of the Igbo nation in this present regime of President Buahri would never be experienced under Atiku’s presidency.

Peter Obi should work for the Atiku/ Okowa ticket. When Atiku becomes the President, he should compensate Obi with the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Maduako, writes from Owerri via ifeanyimaduako2017@gmail.com

The authorities should do well to enforce the ban, writes SONNIE EKWOWUSI

BEYOND BANNING PORNOGRAPHY In a rather dramatic twist last week, the federal government gave online interactive platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and others 24 hours deadline to remove, pull down or disable, block access to all pornography on their platforms which include full or partial nudity, sexual acts or content that exposed a person’s private parts targeted to corrupt, harass, intimidate or to bring others into disrepute. These platforms were also asked to exercise due diligence in order to ensure that henceforth no pornographic material RU DQ\ VXFK RͿHQVLYH PDWHULDOV LV XSORDGHG to their platforms. The Code of Practice containing the prohibition of pornographic materials was developed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) with inputs from Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google and TikTok. This is praiseworthy. I remember attending a stakeholders’ meeting at the NCC headquarters in Abuja three years DJR WR GHOLEHUDWH RQ WKH RͿHQVLYH PDWHULDOV uploaded on the Internet. In that meeting, the NCC assured all the attendees that it was poised to eliminate pornography on the Internet and social media spaces in Nigeria. Also I remember having a meeting with the NBC Monitoring Team at the NBC headquarters in Abuja last year for the same purpose. Also in that meeting, the NBC Monitoring Team did not mince words in assuring me that the NBC was working hard to rid the TV in Nigeria of sexual and pornographic materials. It is gladdening that both the NCC and NBC DUH ÀQDOO\ OLYLQJ XS WR WKHLU SURPLVHV DQG now tackling porn and eroticism on the Internet and social media.

Pornography is a bilion dollar business. Movies, musical videos, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok are fraught with erotic and sleazy scenes and immoral sexual cues. Nudity is promoted and dished out in spades. The minds of the younger generation are gradually becoming attuned to thinking that a woman’s body is an object that has no other value except sexual value.

Explicit commercial pornography, which appeals to the prurient interest in sex and eroticism, damages a country’s moral ecology in an analogous way in which oil pollutant damages a country’s ecology and environment. A report recently released in the US says that adult pornography contributes to child sexual exploitation.

The report also shows that men act out with child prostitutes what they view in internet adult pornography and that pimps use internet adult pornography to instruct child prostitutes.

In case you don’t know, porn has destroyed many marriages. A husband or wife who is a porn addict is unlikely to be faithful to his or her spouse in marriage.

You may be aware that the TV Reality Show %%1DLMD LV FODVVLÀHG DV SRUQ ,Q 'HFHPEHU 2007 the NBC slammed a gargantuan ÀQH RI 1 PLOOLRQ RQ 0XOWL FKRLFH Nigeria for airing BBNaija containing pornographic scenes (If you are in doubt RI WKLV MXVW JRRJOH ´0XOWLFKRLFH ÀQHG IRU

showing BBNaija porn in 2007”). Earlier, Multichoice had been dragged before the House of Representatives Committee for Information and National Orientation.

After deliberating on the pornographic content of BBNaija, members of the committee unanimously agreed to punish Multichoice for violating the NBC ODZV 2΀FLDOV RI 0XOWLFKRLFH SOHDGHG for leniency. The then MNET tendered an apology to Nigerians for showing pornography. Heads rolled at MNET. 6RPH 01(7 VWDͿHUV KDYH EHHQ ÀUHG The most frightening aspect of porn

A report recently released in the US says that adult pornography contributes to child sexual exploitation

addiction is that the greater majority of viewers and recipients of porn debauchery are children. Times have changed. We have lost the control of our children. We are experiencing online child terrorism. Most Nigerian children now watch porn online or on their mobile phones. With their eyes glued to their smartphones, many children nowadays FDQ KDUGO\ WHOO WKH GLͿHUHQFH EHWZHHQ truth and illusion. They can hardly GLͿHUHQWLDWH EHWZHHQ WKH UHDO ZRUOG DQG imaginary world of the internet and social media. The high incidence of rape and child sexual molestation in Nigeria are traceable to pornography. As I earlier said, times have changed. Parenting is failing or has failed in Nigeria. Workism WKH DGRSWLRQ RI SURIHVVLRQDO ZRUN DV RQH·V KLJKHVW YDOXH LV WDNLQJ D ELJ WROO RQ Nigerian families. Engrossed in the hustle and bustle of urban life in order to earn enough money to pay school fees and fend for their children, most parents in urban areas have little or no time to look after their children. The consequences of this neglect have been devastating.

One major consequence of this shirking of parental responsibility is the increase in child pornography. Armed with their respective mobile phones, most children are now porn addicts. Aside from child porn, child LGTB culture is gaining ground in Nigeria. Disney and other PRUDOO\ EDQNUXSW DJHQWV RI WKH :HVW DUH now promoting gay movies, gay cartoons DQG /*7% LGHRORJ\ DPRQJ XQGHU VL[ children in Africa (Nigeria inclusive) in order to damage the character of these kids. Is this not criminal? Of course, it is. I remember travelling to Abuja and getting the National Film and Video Census %RDUG 1)9&% WR VWRS D JD\ ÀOP ZKLFK had been advertised and scheduled to be shown at a popular Abuja Cinema Hall.

Ekwowusi writes from Lagos

4 22

T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

FUEL SCARCITY WITHOUT END Government should summon the will to deregulate the downstream sector of the petroleum industry

A

s we have repeatedly said on this SDJH QR VHFWRU H[HPSOLÀHV WKH failure of Nigeria more than the oil and gas industry. Aside having to contend with wasting trillions of naira annually on subsidy payments, a resurgence of fuel queues in major cities across the country has exposed the mess in the sector and there is need to demand accountability. The expectation now is that a full deregulation of the downstream sector (with implication of high fuel price) could guarantee fuel availability and free funds hitherto used in subsidy payment for development. But in the absence of any clarity on that policy decision, the federal government must deal with the current problem.

For almost three months, the Federal Capital Territory has been hit by an acute petrol scarcity. This has resulted in a long stretch of vehicles DW IXHO VWDWLRQV ZLWK WKH DWWHQGDQW WUD΀F VQDUOV slowing down commercial and social activities. But the situation has since degenerated and the problem is now national. While blaming the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) for the current crisis, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said not a litre of PMS has been lifted at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) satellite depots at Ejigbo since last December.

That, the marketers argue, has left them in the hands of private depots who have increased their ex-depot price WR D OHYHO WKDW PDNHV LW XQSURÀWDEOH WR VHOO 306 DW 1 But the NNPC insists that the pump price remains.

As the problem persists, numerous productive hours are being lost while people’s savings are getting depleted. At a period when public universities are closed and many people are out of job, the patience of Nigerians is ebbing fast. Meanwhile, it is unfortunate that in the past six decades, oil has continued to be

the hope and the despair of Nigerians. As Nigerians JURDQ GDLO\ DW ÀOOLQJ VWDWLRQV WKH VWDUN LURQ\ RI RXU predicament is that citizens of one of the largest producers of oil cannot fuel their vehicles. It is as confusing as it is frustrating. Yet, resolving the logjam is not a mystery. After all, countries like Ghana and Niger, who are not in the same category as we are, seldom witness such fuel scarcity.

The question that remains unanswered is whether Nigerians would ever see an end to the perennial VFDUFLW\ WKDW KDV FRPH WR GHÀQH WKH PDQDJHPHQW RI the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. This should worry the current administration, especially since there seems to be no coherent policy in place to deal with the issue in a holistic and lasting manner.

For years, the falling price of crude was the “saving grace”. But the country is now badly exposed at a time of high crude price occasioned by the current war between Ukraine and Russia.

0HDQZKLOH WKH UHÀQHULHV KDYH FRQWLQXHG WR IDLO LQ terms of satisfying the essence of their establishment, given that the importation of petroleum products has become a major and running routine in the economic management of the country. The reason, as often DGGXFHG E\ WKH LQGXVWU\ H[SHUWV LV WKDW WKH UHÀQHULHV have either all broken down due to poor maintenance culture or that the installed production capacity cannot meet the ever-growing local demand for petroleum products. Yet, hundreds of billions of naira are pumped into them every year.

While it makes no sense that Nigeria continues WR LPSRUW ÀQLVKHG SHWUROHXP SURGXFWV DW KXJH FRVW to the economy, experience has also shown that the JRYHUQPHQW LV QRW DGHSW LQ WKH H΀FLHQW PDQDJHPHQW of businesses. If anything, the tales of corruption, ineptitude, sabotage and other sharp practices in the RLO DQG JDV LQGXVWU\ KDYH FRQWLQXHG WR FRQÀUP WKLV widely held opinion.

As Nigerians groan daily at filling stations, the stark irony of our predicament is that citizens of one of the largest producers of oil cannot fuel their vehicles. It is as confusing as it is frustrating

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

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

Letters to the Editor Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

LETTERS

MBAKA AND DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA Concluded from the backpage This followed an agreement reached by the three APC camps in the state to work together. The other two are led by former governor Abdulaziz Yari and former Senator Kabiru Marafa, whose court case handed the governorship to Matawalle (then of the opposition 3'3 IUHH RI FKDUJH DIWHU WKH JHQHUDO HOHFWLRQ 7KHVH DSSRLQWPHQWV LQFOXGH VHQLRU VSHFLDO DVVLVWDQWV 66$V 'LUHFWRUV *HQHUDO DQG VSHFLDO DVVLVWDQWV WR WKH JRYHUQRU 7KH OLVW DOVR LQFOXGHV QHZ SHUPDQHQW FRPPLVVLRQHUV DQG SDUW WLPH PHPEHUV of various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), among others. One notable appointment in this ‘political sharing formula’ is that of Chairman, Zamfara Independent Electoral Commission!

Whatever human development indicator one uses, Zamfara remains a backward state. To worsen matters, the industrious people who are renowned for agriculture can no longer farm as a result of banditry and the general climate of insecurity. But the government in power, like preceding ones, can live with these problems without consequences. If Matawalle is not sharing expensive vehicles purchased from scarce public resources, he is making meaningless appointments that are mere distribution of spoils and will not advance the public good. To be fair, one can say the same of many governors in Nigeria today whether in the north or south. But the DXGDFLW\ RI DVNLQJ SHRSOH WR WDNH RQH ZHHN RͿ LQ RUGHU WR VHFXUH

their PVC while resources of the state are shared in phantom appointments is beyond the pale.

Ordinarily, what distinguishes democracy from other forms of government is the notion that those who hold the levers of power can be held accountable. This is not what obtains in Nigeria today.

Citizens who periodically elect demigods are so disempowered that they have been reduced to no better than serfs. That is where the Mbakas come in. What the reverend father takes from politicians who visit his adoration ground is what ordinarily should be deployed in service to the people. The problem, however, is that the theology that makes the people accept crumbs taken from their oppressors also disempowers them from asking questions that could ultimately turn the table. That renders the man of God complicit.

Whichever way one looks at it, the Mbaka anomaly raises many issues about our society and the ills that plague it. The Catholic Church, known for its discipline and systemic orthodoxy has, for some inexplicable reason, left a priest in one station for almost three decades. In the process, the reverend father adulterates the gospel with transactional political partisanship, while at the same time cultivating cult-like followership with philanthropy. It is therefore little surprise that politicians have converted his popular place of worship into a platform to seek his endorsement. But this is a general problem that the Church in Nigeria must deal with.

Meanwhile, the good thing about the Mbaka/Obi saga is that both are ethnic kinsmen who also share a similar Catholic faith. But DV ZH HQWHU D VHDVRQ RI FDPSDLJQ IRU WKH JHQHUDO HOHFWLRQ FOHUics need to be careful. As prominent stakeholders in Nigeria, it is within their rights to support any candidate of their choice. They can even openly endorse those candidates. But to weave their personal prejudices in the spiritual garb of prophecy is wrong. Exploiting the gullibility of their followers by turning faith into a weapon of manipulation is also dangerous. As I argued in the past, while WKHUH VKRXOG EH D KLJKHU SXUSRVH WR VHHNLQJ SXEOLF R΀FH WKDQ WKH prospect of winning elections, it is also clear from the ‘prophecies’ that come with seasons like this that clerics who should ordinarily be showing the way are now part of the problem of Nigeria.

We live in a country where men of God appoint themselves political prophets, confusing the traditional separation of church and state. And the evidence of that anomaly can be seen in the rot that now permeates every segment of our society. The lesson of Mbaka’s recent misadventure with the Peter Obi phenomenon is that the power of religious authoritarianism and demagoguery stops where the will of the people becomes a potent force. We are probably at that tipping point in Nigeria.

Olusegun Adeniyi, Abuja

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

23

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

REPO

A T

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

08056356325

J U N E

S & P INDEX

2 2 , 2 0 2 2

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

10.25%

INDEX LEVEL

613.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.85%

N416.86/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

9.56%

1-DAY

0.16%

YEAR TO DATE

7.64%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10.52%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.44%

Domain Name Registration, Renewal Increased Slightly from 179,336 to 179,420 in May

Emma Okonji Nigeria has experienced a slight increase in domain name registration, renewal and restoration, including the total number of domains in the third and second level categories, from 179, 336 active domain names in April to 179,420 active domain names in May 2022, the latest statistics released by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body responsible for managing Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), has revealed.

The statistics, which THISDAY

obtained from the official website of NiRA, showed that in March 2022, total registration of domain name was 6,242, renewal was 5,190, while restoration was 118. The third level active domain name was 119,573, while the second level active domain name was 59,166, which brought the total number of active domain name in March 2022 to 178,739.

The .ng domain name figure however increased in May 2022 to 179,420, showing a slight increase.

Details according to the released statistics, showed 5,866 domain name registration, 4,863 domain

name renewal, with 112 restoration.

Within the same period in May 2022, third level active domain name was 114,647, while the second level active domain name was 64,773, which brought the total number of active domain name in May 2022 to 179,420.

The ccTLD .ng domain name is Nigeria’s identity in cyberspace, which has the .ng at the suffix of every official email address that originates from Nigeria. In the United Kingdom, official email addresses end with .co.uk, in United States of America, it ends with .com, while in South Africa, official

email addresses end with .co.za.

In Nigeria, NiRA has carried out several campaigns to sensitise Nigerians on the need to populate .ng domain name, which is Nigeria’s identity in cyberspace.

Pleased with the slight increase in domain name registration and renewal, the President of NiRA, Mr. Mohammed Rudman, told THISDAY that Nigerians were beginning to understand the need to identify with .ng domain name for every online transaction and communication.

THISDAY had last month, exclusively reported a slide in

.ng domain name registration and renewal of previous months, a development that Rudman had blamed on the adverse effect of COVID-19 that paralysed businesses 2021.

The total active .ng domain name in the country, decreased from 180,763 domain in March 2021, to 178,739 domain in March 2022, with a further deep in April 2022, before rising slightly to 179,420 in May 2022.

According to Rudman, “All those that registered in 2020, could not use the domain name in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic

and as such, they did not renew their registration in 2021 and new registration also dropped in 2021 for ccTLD .ng domain name.”

He however attributed last month’s slight increase in domain registration and renewal, to the continuous sensitisation campaigns carried out by NiRA, as well as the slash in the cost of .ng domain name by 40 per cent, which NiRA introduced in March this year, but took effect from April this year.

According to Rudman, “The decision to reduce the cost of Continued on page 24

Mobile Broadband Penetration Hits 83.37m as Impact of Ban on New Sim Wanes Emma Okonji After a drop in mobile broadband penetrating to as low as 75.57 million subscriptions, equivalent to 39.59 per cent penetration in May 2021, following the ban on new sim registration by the federal government, Nigeria’s broadband penetration picked up again, one year after, to reach 83.37 million subscriptions, equivalent to 43.67 per cent penetration in May 2022.

The mobile broadband penetration data, which THISDAY obtained from the official website

of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), showed a rebound in mobile broadband penetration, one year after it dropped in May 2021.

According to the data, as at May 2021, active mobile broadband subscription as reported by MTN, Globacom, Airtel, 9mobile, Smile and ntel, was 75,569,442, equivalent to 39.59 per cent penetration. The figure however increased in December 2021 to 78,041,883 subscriptions, equivalent to 40.88 per cent penetration.

The statistics on data usage also

showed that the total volume of data consumed by subscribers increased from 205,880.4 terabytes (TB) in December, 2020 to 350,165.39 terabytes (TB) as at December 2021, indicating a percentage increase of 70.8 per cent mobile data usage year on year.

In January 2022, mobile broadband subscriptions also increased to 79,433,833, equivalent to 41.61 per cent mobile broadband penetration.

The penetration however dropped in February 2022 to 40.91 per cent, with 78,082,273 subscriptions, but

picked up again in March 2022 to reach 42.24 per cent penetration, with 80,678,301 subscriptions. In April 2022, it increased again to 42.79 per cent penetration, with 81,676,539 subscriptions, before rising again to reach 43.67 per cent mobile broadband penetration, with 83,365,233 subscriptions in May 2022, which is the latest of the statistics released by the NCC. Analysts attributed the initial drop in mobile broadband penetration to the ban placed on all new SIM cards in 2020 by the federal government.

The Minister of

Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, had in December 2020, directed the NCC to order telecom operators to stop activation of new SIM cards and to deactivate any SIM card that was not duly registered and linked to subscribers’ National Identification Number (NIN).

According to analysts’ views, “Through effective regulatory regime emplaced by the NCC, the country has rebounded in its broadband growth, as broadband penetration as of May 2022 stood at 43.67 per cent, with 83,365,233

subscriptions. It is expected that greater penetration would be recorded, as the Commission, supported by necessary stakeholders, continues with diligent execution of the digital economy policies.”

The Commission, THISDAY gathered, had long exceeded the target of 30 per cent penetration as at December 2018 and has begun implementing new strategies to meet the new target of 70 per cent broadband penetration by year 2025 as contained in the new Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (NNBP).

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT W E D N E S D AY, J U N E 2 2 , 2 0 2 2 BILLS

BONDS DESCRIPTION

Price

Yield

14.20 14-MAR2024 13.53 23-MAR2025 12.50 22-JAN2026 16.2884 17MAR-2027 13.98 23-FEB2028

109.71

8.10

108.02

10.12

106.45

10.30

120.20

10.74

113.20

10.80

Change Updated Time (%) 16, 0.22 June 2022 16, 0.00 June 2022 16, -0.02 June 2022 16, 0.00 June 2022 16, 0.00 June 2022

MATURITY

Discount

Yield

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS

Change Updated Time (%)

NTB 14-Jul22 NTB 11Aug-22 NTB 8-Sep22 NTB 13-Oct22

3.00

3.01

-0.25 June 16, 2022

3.70

3.72

0.00 June 16, 2022

3.45

3.48

0.00 June 16, 2022

3.90

3.95

0.00 June 16, 2022

NTB 10Nov-22

3.90

3.96

0.00 June 16, 2022

MATURITY TRBH CP V 26-JUL-22 FSDH CP VI 1-AUG-22 NENL CP I 24-OCT-22 FSDH CP VII 27-OCT-22 SIBP CP III 27-OCT-22

Discount Yield 11.55 11.70 8.09

Change Updated Time (%) -0.19 June 16, 2022

8.17

-0.16 June 16, 2022

15.17 16.03

0.26 June 16, 2022

9.48

9.82

0.27 June 16, 2022

8.67

8.95

0.27 June 16, 2022

CONTRACT Current TENOR Contract Rate ($/₦) (MONTH) NGUS JUN 29 1 427.24 2022 NGUS JUL 27 428.93 2 2022 NGUS AUG 31 3 430.63 2022 NGUS SEP 28 4 432.32 2022 NGUS OCT 26 5 434.02 2022

Updated Time

June 16, 2022 June 16, 2022 June 16, 2022 June 16, 2022 June 16, 2022

24

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS Human Resource Director, AXA Mansard Insurance Plc,Omowunmi Adewusi(left); Chief Executive Officer, AXA Mansard Insurance , KunleAhmed; Chief Financial Officer, Ngozi Ola-Israel; Chief Executive Officer, AXAMansard Health Limited, Tope Adeniyi, Chief Client Officer, AXA MansardInsurance, Rashidat Adebisi, Chief Executive Officer, AXA Mansard InvestmentsLimited, Deji Tunde-Anjous- at the company’s Ecobonding activities to mark thecommencement of its Corporate Social Responsibility Week - AXA Week forGood in Lagos… yesterday

Ogun, Ondo, Others Reiterate Support for Odu’a Investment Company Kayode Tokede Over an improved 2021 financial year result and accounts, the five governors of South Western States, yesterday reiterated support for Odu’a investment company Limited.

Aside the Lagos state governor, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu who was absent, other state governors; Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN; Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; representative of Oyo state governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi; Deputy Governor of Ekiti state, Otunba Adebisi Egbeyemi who represented the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi at the investment

company’s 40th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos, commended the management for posting an impressive 2021 performance and dividend payout to shareholders.

However, in accordance with the established principle of rotation of Chairman among shareholder States every four years as enshrined in the shareholders agreement the tenure of Dr Segun Aina, OFR came to an end on the completion of the AGM. Consequently, the Board and Shareholders have approved that Bimbo Ashiru will take over as the new Chairman.

At the meeting, the shareholders approved the audited financial statement of the company for the financial year ended December 31st, 2021 as well as the payment of cash

dividend of N418.4 million to its shareholders which is a 15per cent increase over prior year.

Speaking at the AGM, Akeredolu noted that all the states owners of Odu’s Investment are pleased with the trajectory performance of the company in the last few years.

He commended the management for undertaking fundamental changes as directed by the owner’s states.

He added that, “We want to thank the outgoing chairman, Dr Segun Aina, OFR and with the incoming chairman, Bimbo Ashiru, Odu’s Investment poised to be a world class company.”

In his part, Abidoun noted that the state is deeply committed to the course of which Odu’a investment

company was created to achieve.

According to him, “We will continue to give the needed support in order to realize the economy and financial objectives of Odu’ investment company.”

Speaking at the AGM, the outgoing Group Chairman, Odu’a investment company Limited, Aina, stated that profit before tax grew significantly by 149.8per cent from N3.75billion achieved in 2020 to N9.37billion, driven by the increased focus on the different areas of the business and gains in investment properties.

According to him, on the strength of this performance, the company increased its dividend pay-out by 15 per cent to N418.4 million for 2021 Financial Year (2020: N364million), “This marks the 8th consecutive year that the

company is declaring and paying dividends to shareholders,” he said.

He assured shareholders that the Board had put in various best practice governance policies in the year under review that will ensure the company’s investments create sustainable impact in the ensuing years.

He thanked the shareholders for the great privilege and rare honour to have been given the opportunity by shareholders to be the Group Chairman of Odu’a Investment between May 2020 and June 2022 and urged fellow Directors and Management to remain focused on the delivery of the Company’s 5 Years “SRC-2025” (Sweat, Revive and Create 2025) Strategic Thrust.

Commenting on the result, the Group Managing

Director/CEO, Mr. Adewale Raji buttressed that PBT for 2021 included revaluation gains of N7.11billion from the company’s investment properties portfolio which was N2.63billion in 2020.

He said, “If this Accounting gains are stripped off, the normalized PBT for 2021 will be N2.26billion and N1.12billion for 2022; representing an appreciable 102per cent growth.

He also reported that the company celebrated 45years since it commenced operations in November 2021 and that as part of the celebrations, the Odu’a Investment Foundation was established to positively influence the next generation of youths with focus on Health, Education and Youth Empowerment.

Rack Centre Becomes First IFC EDGE Certified Data Centre in Europe, Middle East, Africa Emma Okonji Rack Centre, an Actis majority owned data centre and the leading carrier-neutral Tier III data centre in West Africa, with operations in Nigeria, has become the first International Finance Corporation (IFC) EDGE certified data centre in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Edge, an innovation of IFC, member of the World

Bank group, is a preeminent international green certification system that focuses on empowering developers of residential and commercial buildings to deliver resource efficient buildings in a fast, easy and affordable way, enabling such developers and builders to quickly identify the most effective strategies to achieve energy saving, water saving and embodied energy materials.

The green building certification recognises the

significant savings the centre will achieve in energy and water use, incorporated as part of the design to expand the facility’s IT load from 1.5MW to 13MW. On completion of the expansion, Rack Centre is forecast to achieve 35 per cent more energy savings, which is estimated to avoid carbon emissions totalling 100 tonnes each year.

Rack Centre’s Chief Operations Officer, Mr. Ezekiel Egboye, said: “Rack

Centre has a track record of setting the standard for power usage efficiency in the region.

Sustainability is at the core of what we do, a quest that permeates through all our actions. We are delighted to be the first to be certified in Europe, Middle East and Africa, which is really a continuation of Rack Centre’s firsts in Africa.”

CEO of Actis-Convergence Partners, pan African Data Centre platform, Jasper

Lankhorst, said: “Sustainability is key to meeting the growing demand for digital infrastructure on the African continent. At Rack Centre, being the first data centre to secure the IFC Edge certification in Europe, Middle East and Africa, make us very proud.

Our goal is to implement similar improvements across future investments made by our pan-African data centre platform to help the continent secure a low carbon data

revolution.”

Director for Climate Business Department at the IFC, Vivek Pathak, said: “It had been a hugely rewarding process to work in partnership with Rack Centre to develop this EDGE assessment tool for data centres.

We hope other data centre operators will follow in Rack Centre’s footsteps and take the necessary action on the digital economies environmental impact by becoming IFC EDGE certified.”

Financial Inclusion Will Propel Nigeria’s Economic Growth, Says 9PSB CEO Emma Okonji

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Deputy Business Editor Chinedu Eze Comms/e-Business Editor Emma Okonji Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) KayodeTokede(CapitalMarkets) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Reporters Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy) Ugo Aliogo (Development)

The Chief Executive Officer, 9 Payment Service Bank (9PSB), Branka Mracajac, has said access to finance is key to drive growth and expansion that will enable Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), effectively grow and contribute to the economy.

Mracajac however said to provide the much needed access, there must be a concerted effort to provide SMEs with the means of creating the income they need to be financially included.

Mracajac made this known while addressing delegates and

participants at the opening of the 22nd edition of the Digital PayExpo Conference and Exhibition, themed: DeFi Africa: Beyond Hype, Understanding Use Cases for the Continent.

Speaking on the topic, ‘Financial Inclusion and The Prospect for Banking the Unbanked,’ Mracajac noted that the foundation for economic growth of countries would be to achieve an inclusive society when it comes to access to financial services and products, which she added, could be achieved through digitization.

She said: “Statistics show

that Nigeria, with 63 per cent, has the largest informal sector in Africa and micro, small, medium enterprises account for the majority of this. While 80 per cent of Nigeria’s employment comes from the informal sector; still about 36 per cent, which is about 38 million of Nigerian adults remain financially excluded. Much as this shows some improvements from the figures of 2018, it still leaves much to be covered to achieve the National Financial Inclusion Strategy targets.”

Commending the contribution of the various

industry stakeholders in driving value and impact in the payment service sector, the Chief Executive Officer, Intermarc Consulting and convener of the Digital PayExpo, Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemi, noted that the conference would create an opportunity to assess the successes made so far by stakeholders in accelerating financial inclusion and project the future of the industry.

“We are seeing the impacts that the banks, PSBs, Fintechs are making in driving traction to bring onboard into the financial ecosystem, people at the bottom of the

pyramid who lack access to finance. However, because the market is ever-changing and technology is dynamic, there is a need to prospect what is next and how we can change the current narrative,” Adeyemi said.

The two-day event brought together a group of DeFi innovators and change-makers from across Africa to share their stories, knowledge and insights into decentralised finance from different angles of interest and use cases, including the practical gaps and challenges to implementation on the African continent.

DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION, RENEWAL INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 179,336 TO 179,420 IN MAY .ng domain name by 40 per cent was made by the NiRA board of directors after reviewing the slow growth trajectory of .ng domain

names across the country over the last two years.

“The board’s decision to lower the cost of .ng domain name was

communicated to NiRA’s accredited registrars, who are in charge of .ng domain name registration, renewal, and restoration. The move

to slash cost of .ng domain name became necessary, due to NiRA’s 3R model (Registry, Registrar, and Registrant), which means that it

does not sell domain to the general public, since all registrations go through its registrars, ”Rudman further said.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

25

BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Taming Risk Factors in Open Banking The open banking system, which mandates banks to open up their Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to Fintechs to access financial information needed to develop new apps and services, is beginning to pose some regulatory risk factors as perceived by the Central Bank of Nigeria, writes Emma Okonji

L

Last week, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), organised the maiden edition of the Community of African Banking Supervisors (CABS) Fintech forum, with the primary objective of contributing to the strengthening and harmonisation of banking regulatory and supervisory practices in Africa.

The Fintech forum, which was held as an hybrid event and hosted from Abuja, attracted Financial Technology (Fintech) players and heads of Central Banks across African countries. The forum focused on the risk factors emerging from open banking system and how best to tame them.

The emergence of Fintech firms, coupled with developments in telecommunications across Africa, have resulted in the rapid growth of digital payment platforms, as major emerging markets in Africa such a Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Egypt, key into more efficient tech-enabled solutions.

In 2021, the interest in African Fintech start-ups exploded, with Fintech start-ups in the continent raising $3.03 billion in disclosed funding rounds. This accounted for 62 per cent of total investment inflows into Africa, according to the latest Africa Investment Report by research and intelligence firm, Briter Bridges. While the growth in Fintechs has come with its attendant risks, the capacity of regulators across Africa to supervise these firms has sadly not kept pace with the growth and complexity in risk management.

Until recently, the Fintech space was largely unregulated, which underscores the need to bring together Fintech players and regulators within Africa with the aim of understanding the industry players, building the capacity of the regulators, with a view to taming the risk factors associated with open banking system.

ABOUT OPEN BANKING

One of the buzz words in the global Fintech ecosystem today is open banking, which was extensively discussed by a team of panelists, anchored by the Head, African FinTech Foundry, Mr. Daniel Awe, at the just concluded Community of African Banking Supervisors (CABS) Fintech forum.

The buzz word, Open Banking is a system under which banks open up their Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), allowing third parties to access financial information needed to develop new apps and services and providing account holders greater financial transparency options. According to Awe, the notion of open banking has been central to financial services dialogue for a few years, fueled in part by the build-up to the European Union (EU’s) revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2).

Awe explained that the global open banking market currently worth a massive $10.39 billion, and is forecast to reach as much as $37.8 billion by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.98 per cent.

“Several economies around the world are opening up their finance service industries to embrace Open Banking, being led by the PSD2 directive in 2016 and followed shortly after by the UK Open Banking Legislation in January 2018. In the same vein, we must acknowledge the works of the Apex Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which issued a Regulatory Framework for Open Banking in early 2021. The CBN framework details the method of financial data sharing in the country and is in line with CBN’s mandate to promote financial system stability in the country,” Awe said during the panel session.

OPPORTUNITIES

Industry experts have revealed that about 82.8 per cent of finance executives believe that Open Banking is revolutionary, after being tried and tested. This is because Open Banking brings about the new opportunities, as listed by financial experts to include: Enhancing customers’ operation; Centralisation of services; Increase in the financial market; and Key driver of financial inclusion.

Analysing the opportunities, Awe said in enhancing customers’ operations, all operations are automated and time spent is reduced due to the vast array of APIs that already exist and the new ones that emerge. All the customer needs is access to technology.

In the area of centralisation of services, he said with open banking, banks once again have full control over the various services their customers need, such as advice, loans, transfers, and financing. Thus, everything is done with greater visibility and under a single administration.

For increase in the financial market, Awe explained that with the arrival of more clients in open banking, the diversification of APIs and services will be greater. In this way, there will

be numerous offers adapted to the needs of everyone, he said.

He further explained that with key driver of financial inclusion as another opportunity, Nigeria’s Financial Exclusion rate dropped from 46.3 per cent to 36.8 per cent, representing a 10.2 per cent reduction in 2020, even though the target of 20 per cent was not reached, after the introduction of FinTech companies and other financial services innovations.

“Through open banking, micro, small and medium companies can access a larger pool of relevant tools and services targeting their needs. For customers, open banking can bring access to more personalised and affordable financial products,” Awe said.

LEVERAGING THE OPPORTUNITIES

Awe described how the African Fintech Foundry (AFF) and Access Bank are leveraging the opportunities of open banking to enhance customer’s experience, despite its regulatory challenges as identified by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

According to him, from the API economy, Access Bank was able to identified, standardised, secured, published, productised, and deployed over 183 APIs to third-party consumers. The API economy creates a digital banking ecosystem that offers consumers more services than ever, provides banking information and capabilities in more useful and convenient contexts, expands the market reach of ecosystem participants, and boosts financial participation among the unbanked and underbanked, Awe said.

In the area of Open Banking Sandbox, Awe described sandbox as a virtual, isolated testing environment, which developers could use to run programs or execute files without affecting the application or platform on which they run. “At Access Bank we already have an online sandbox environment that allows developers to test our APIs, by replicating the end-user operating environment,” Awe said.

CHALLENGES OF OPEN BANKING

In the area of online banking security, open banking is perceived as a disadvantage, as customers fear that their data will be shared with outsiders. This concern also exists within some banks themselves. There is a growing fear that customers information will be exposed to cyber-attacks. In any case, the solution to the problem of security in online banking is the development of software and APIs with appropriate structures and controls to ensure their operation.

In this way, both banks and customers can be rest assured that there will be no unnecessary risks. Experts are of the view that the challenge can be addressed through multi-factor authentication (MFA), biometrics

technology and proactive cybersecurity.

In the area of API performance and reliability, banks can create public APIs to enable open banking, but that doesn’t guarantee the APIs will work reliably, especially across the various third-party applications and end-user configurations that they need to support. Based on this fact, Awe argued that this could be one reason why the ability for developers to test third-party APIs is more important than ever. “If you’re creating an open banking application, you need to be able to ensure that whichever APIs it relies on will remain available and high-performing for your users.

Otherwise, you risk letting API performance problems undercut the seamless experience that open banking is supposed to deliver.

This challenge can be addressed through API monitoring across three key metrics; API uptime, API performance and API response,” Awe said.

In the area of identity management, there has been no effort to build any kind of universal identity management framework for open banking.

According to the panelists, “That’s a problem because it means that developers lack a reliable way of identifying and tracking users across Open Banking applications.

Public APIs make it possible to pull data from banks, but they don’t provide a means of keeping track of which accounts belong to which customers in each bank, for example. Developers simply have to do the hard work of building their own identity management and integrating them with the APIs that banks offer. This challenge can be addressed by leveraging the digital identification systems, automated integration with third party providers, and finally developing a central database for Open Banking identification.”

RISK MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

The Fintech forum stressed the need for a holistic risk management framework for open banking that should cover the five crucial components, which includes: Cybersecurity, Regulatory Compliance, Data Privacy, Contract Management and Product Management.

For cybersecurity, they were of the view that cybersecurity becomes more critical when talking about Open APIs over the internet and building an integrated platform to consume and deliver banking services.

Awe stressed that for regulatory compliance, responsibilities to ensure compliance would remain with bank, be it for Know Your Customer (KYC) acquisition, or anti-money laundering, explaining that robust consent management framework is essential for data exchange between two parties, with open APIs. In the area of contract management, the

panelists said risk management framework needed to look at contract management between parties, not only at partner – services level but also at the API level of the contract too.

For product management, they said open banking would throw innovation wide open to allow banks and Fintechs to experiment. “So, it is also vital to build a robust procedural framework to allow product innovation,” Awe said, adding that the Central Bank of Nigeria also stipulates some risk management implications of open banking such as: the need to designate a chief risk officer, maintain up-to-date API catalogues, agree with partners on risk management processes, provide the CBN with a risk assessment report and ensure regulatory compliance with data privacy laws.

According to Awe: “After all that has been said, the truth is that risk management in an open banking environment requires an organisationwide approach. It is not something for the chief risk officer or the chief technology officer alone, and neither is it strictly a management issue. In promoting an organisation-wide risk management culture; establish board expectations on risk management, make sure organisational values and risk culture interact, integrate risk management into decision making, structure incentive programs to promote your risk culture, share mistakes and lessons, employ a preventive approach to risk management, and build engagement with leadership and stakeholders.”

FUTURE OF OPEN BANKING

Experts at the forum were of the opinion that open banking has the ability to support the Nigerian economy and promote financial system stability. Through innovation, open banking will lead to more disruptive solutions in various areas in the financial services industry.

In terms of payments, open banking leads banks to open their systems and data to third-party providers. This will cause banks to reinvent their payment business models and build ecosystems of services, the financial experts said at the forum.

Awe however said regulation would be central in controlling the risks that come with open banking integration into the financial system.

When open banking becomes mainstream in Nigeria, it will be accompanied by an avalanche of innovation in the financial services industry.

The availability of more innovation may expose the public to risk, hence the need for efficient regulation.

“Beyond Africa, open banking has the potential to bring the United Nations closer to achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Open banking is a critical success factor when pursuing financial access and inclusion, and this is important because financial inclusion itself has been cited as an enabler of at least seven out of the 17 SDGs, especially to reduce extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity, gender equality and the promotion of good health and well-being,” Awe added.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

26

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Mofikoya: Vitapur is Committed to Ideals of SON Certification In this interview, General Manager, Vitapur Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Yemi Mofikoya, explains the strategic relevance of the company’s products towards the federal government’s efforts towards bridging house deficit gaps in Nigeria. Gilbert Ekugbe present the excerpts Why did Vitafoam Nigeria PLC establish Vitapur? itapur was established in alignment to the vision of Vitafoam Nigeria PLC, because Rigid Polyurethane is part of Polyurethane foam products. With a deficit of 19 million houses in Nigeria, and the possibilities of using Prefabricated structures, there was a huge market for rigid panels used in dry wall construction. Also, Vitapur was established to blend chemicals (Raw materials) for the flexible foam industry which is backward integration thereby saving the foamers FOREX used for importation.

Vitapur Nigeria Limited (a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria PLC) is an insulation manufacturing company incorporated on 30th March 2009. The company commenced business on 1st October 2010 as a wholly-owned Nigerian company established to manufacture PUF (Rigid Polyurethane) and PIR (Poly-Isocyanurate) foam insulation products.

Vitapur’s core values are Experience Professionalism, Innovative Engineering, Focus on our Clients and High Quality products.

The company manufactures, fabricates, and installs its various polyurethane rigid foam products, some of which include Prefabricated buildings, Sandwich panels, Insulation boards, Chemicals systems, and pre-cut pipe sections.

Vitapur also performs in-situ insulation services by means of spray foam equipment and other Utility Machines like Air Compressor and Electric Power Generator.

V

Let’s know who you are and your profession before you assumed duty at Vitapur?

My name is Engineerer Yemi Mofikoya, the General Manager of Vitapur Nigeria limited.

I hold a B.Eng degree in Electrical Engineering and M.Sc (Control Engineering). I’m a Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA), Certified Automation Engineer (CAE), PostGraduate Diploma in Industrial Automation (PGDIA), a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (MNSE), a Registered Engineer (COREN) and a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administrators of Nigeria.

What were the initial challenges and how were they managed?

Some initial challenges were product acceptability, inconsistent Government policies, sourcing of FOREX and limited technical know-how and Technology transfer.

We leveraged on the parent company’s brand strength to educate prospects and also develop the market. We attended and sponsored strategic exhibitions to propagate our products & service.

We explored relationship with chemical systems producers and original equipment manufacturers to improve our technical knowhow and technology transfer.

Innovation is our watch word, as we keep evolving and improving on our processes and products. We are the largest manufacturer of Rigid polyurethane foam products (Sandwich panels, Insulated roof, Insulated doors, Pipe insulation, Insulation boards and Spray foam).

We ensure all our staff are continuously trained onshore and offshore on latest technological developments. Also, we have a state-of-art laboratory for adequate testing of raw materials through finished products.

Our chemicals are ozone-friendly has we have phased out HCFCs in our processes two years ago.

Vitapur Manufactures Rigid Polyurethane foam insulation products, what specific problems are they meant to solve?

Vitapur is the foremost manufacturer of Rigid Polyurethane products in West Africa, our products are used for Thermal insulation (Energy savings). These insulation solutions are available for Roofs, Walls, Floors, Pipes and Tanks.

Our products are Sandwich panels, Pre-

Mofikoya insulated roof panels, Insulation boards, Pipe sections, Spray foam, Insulated doors, Adhesive, Pigments and Pre-polymer.

With our insulated products, we produce to our customer’s specification, thereby reducing waste, this is also done using Just-in-time (JIT) thereby reducing shipping costs and period.

Same JIT methodology is used for our Chemical systems, this help increase product performance and potency. We also sell in drums thereby helping with a better cashflow for our clients.

Our products have helped our clients stay competitive by providing savings on energy costs, reduction on cost of funds, savings on shipping period, reduction on waste generation and better cashflow as order can be placed as at when needed, better product performance caused by potency. Technical support and product trials are conducted as value-add by Vitapur.

Who are the Company’s target customers and what strategy is put in place to connect with them?

Our target Customers are Professionals in the Building & Construction industry which range from Architects, M&E Consultants, Project Managers, Quantity surveyors etc.

Also, Coldchain professional Manufacturers, Farms and agro allied, Food and Beverage, Pharmaceuticals etc We are members of some strategic associations; we sponsor monthly meetings, partake in paper presentations and exhibit our products at some events/ meetings like Organization for Technology advancement of Cold chain in West Africa (OTACCWA), NigeriaInstitute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Quantity surveyors (NIQS) etc As part of efforts towards strengthening and deepening knowledge of what we do, members of these strategic associations conducted facility tour of our new factory at during its commissioning.

Like many manufacturers in Nigeria , how is Vitapur contending with imported products and adulterated products?

It has been tough but we ensure we continuously evolve and innovate. We take innovation very seriously so we

keep improving our products and service.

As we innovate, we take customers’ feedback very seriously which is significant in our strategic approach and this gives us competitive advantage in the market.

Vitapur provides technical support (at no cost) to our esteem Customers, we ensure our Customers are satisfied. Our factory is strategically located on the Mainland in Lagos, Nigeria.

All our finished products are produced to meet all international standards especially in Quality. Our products are produced and customized to client’s requirements; this is a WIN/WIN solution.

There is a huge market for Vitapur as despite the high quality of its products, many prospective customers have not appreciated it. Why? Insulation is not cheap anywhere in the world so some customers find it hard to afford it but now that energy cost is increasing, People see the need for insulation.

Our clientele base cuts across various industries from Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Oil & Gas and Manufacturing. Some of our Customers are CHI Ltd, Dangote, Reckitt Benckiser, PerfettiVan Melle, Rite foods, Krones, Friesland Campina, CappaD’alberto, Monterosa, Elalan, Fenlab, Sarafoam, Unifoam, Vitafoam, Tejufoam, Harafoam , Nigerian breweries, Guinness, May & Baker, Mikano foods, Deli foods, OK foods, Olam, Indorama, NLNG, Shell, Chevron, FMA Architects, MO&A, KOA Consultants, Imo Hills farms, MDS logistics, IPI, Fanmilk etc Congratulations on the recent certification of the Company’s products

by Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON). What does this mean to you and the Company?

Vitapur Nigeria Ltd., a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc. has just been certified

by Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) with Integrated Management System ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 after conducting an intensive audit of the factory and its production processes. This is a huge one for the company as Vitapur Nigeria

limited is the only insulation manufacturing company in Nigeria presently that possesses Integrated management system certification.

This certification is a clear demonstration of Vitapur’s commitment to offering quality products and ensuring customer satisfaction.

ISO 9001:2015 talks about quality management system which ensures that all customers and stakeholders’ needs are met. Products are built to the required standards so that the requirements are met in terms of quality and customer satisfaction. This standard is in conformation to world best standard practices; this means that the same product quality that can be gotten in Europe or in America or anywhere in the world, is the same product that will be gotten at Vitapur Nigeria.

ISO 14001:2015 focuses on the Environmental Management System; what this implies is that, in terms of the environment, Vitapur has been certified as being environment conscious. The blowing agents and chemicals used for their products are green chemicals which means that they are Ozone friendly chemicals. This management system also focuses on waste management and the general housekeeping of the factory. We are committed to the obligation compliance requirement of operations.

ISO 45001:2018 focuses on the occupational health and safety of everything within the organization (lives, equipment and properties).

Vitapur has been certified as a safe place to work and health hazard risks have been reduced to the barest minimum. This means that in terms of on-site installations and spray foam applications, Vitapur is sure to meet up to all safety standards and regulations. We Our Policy of “Do no harm to Customer, Man and Environment” resonates with all we do at Vitapur Nigeria limited. We are committed to the ideals of our certification by SON. How does Vitapur source raw materials and what are the challenges involved?

Most of our Raw materials are sourced offshore and the major challenge is availability of FOREX. The other challenge is high custom duty and freight from the port to the factory.

Regrettably, some of our raw materials is levied 50% import tariff (5% VAT inclusive) on imported raw material i.e. Pre-Painted Hot dip Galvanized induced steel (PPGI) – HS Code: 7210.4910.00 which is used for the production of these insulated panels and insulated coldroom doors; whilst imported finished goods of insulated panels and insulated coldroom doors has Zero duty import tariff. The imbalance poses a danger for local manufacturers of the finished products in Nigeria.

What are the main achievements of Vitapur over the years?

We are the largest manufacturer of Sandwich panels in Nigeria, the only manufacturer of insulated doors (Hinged & Sliding) for Cleanroom, Coldrooms, Telco shelter and blast freezers.

We have grown to blending of chemical systems like MDI-prepolymer, Non-flammable adhesive and Rigid polyols.

We have saved the Country of some Foreign exchange (FOREX) demand on major projects like Dangote fertilizer, which sourced their insulation boards from us.

Also, we are the only insulation company in Nigeria to possess IMS ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 certification We have created employment opportunities for talented Nigerians and also conscious about our operating environment.

How can Vitapur generate forex for Nigeria?

Leveraging on the AfCFTA implementation, we are positioned to export our products especially the Chemical systems and sandwich panels products into other African countries.

This will generate FOREX for Nigeria as these products are technologically driven.

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

27

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

28

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Biotechnology Act to Crash Cost of Vaccines, Drugs Import, Drive Research The Chief Executive Officer (CEO With the passage of the Biotechnology Act by the National Assembly and its assent by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief Executive Officer of Biotechnology Development Agency, Prof.Abdullahi Mustapha, opined that it will crash the high cost of vaccine and medicine importation into the country. Chiamaka Ozulumba reports

T

he Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has said the passage of the Biotechnology Act by members of the National Assembly and assented by President Muhammadu Buhari will crash the high cost of vaccine and medicine importation into the country.

The good thing about the passage of the Act, he acknowledged, is that the era of importation of substandard drugs is surely coming to an end because local production of medicinal and vaccines products will lead to quality enhancement.

On the free fall of the naira, the NABDA boss, expressed optimism that when pharmaceutical companies start local manufacturing of drugs, the strength of the naira will regain its value.

Mustapha, expressed excitement that the agency is hitting the ground running on deployment of research activities, adding that the Act will fuel research as it indexes Nigeria’s readiness to harness cutting-edge technologies for sustainable development, particularly, those that guarantee better life for all Nigerians.

On food security, Mustapha, said the law which confers legal authority on the agency to conduct research in biotechnology will drive Nigeria’s food security, industry, job creation and environment for national development.

He commended the lawmakers for the passage of the Act in April even as he added that they have demonstrated sound understanding of the dynamics of development in a globalised knowledge economy, specifically using biotechnology.

Briefing the media on the significance of the law at NABDA Headquarters in Abuja over the weekend, Mustapha, said the agency now has a legal framework that guides and guards its researches, aimed at boosting agricultural produce, promoting environmental sustainability, development of vaccines and drugs.

According to him, no nation can insulate science from its development agenda and thrive. This is particularly true, if the nation seeks to replicate the amazing development miracle of the Asian Tigers, he added.

As a developing nation with a low-income economy, he said Nigeria must conduct research to accelerate national development, lower Nigeria’s debt burden, and extricate it from the poverty trap.

Biotechnology, the NABDA boss added, is an accelerator of inclusive national growth that provides a knowledge-based approach to solving public challenges, and ensuring future sustainability, as witnessed in the height of COVID-19 Pandemic, where biotechnology provided a quick and safe solution.

“With this development, we are optimistic that the agency will be able to consolidate Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s biotechnology space, and launch the nation into the stratosphere of global economic players.

“The Act makes NABDA; “a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal.”

It is heartening to note that this development

“With this development, we are optimistic that the agency will be able to consolidate Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s biotechnology space, and launch the nation into the stratosphere of global economic players”

Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, DG, NABDA has moved NABDA from the realm of a promotional agency to that of a research institution.

“It has strategically poised NABDA to pursue its mandate of driving national development by ethically harnessing applications of biotechnology. Some of these applications which are vital to Nigeria’s development are: “First, green biotechnology, which encompasses the agricultural field; second, red biotechnology, which relates to the medical field; third, blue biotechnology, which consists of the aquatic field; fourth, white biotechnology, which is about the industrial domain.

“In addition, the Act will enable the agency draw up programmes and policies for biotechnology utilisation in Nigeria as well as create an avenue to publish and disseminate research findings and recommendations of the agency on biotechnology.

“The passage of the Act will be a catalyst for the stimulation of rapid commercialisation

of Biotechnology Research and Development products.

“It will afford the agency a platform to collaborate with International Research Centres, NGOs, national and international biotechnology agencies and institutions, and ensure a sustainable mechanism for adequate funding of biotechnology activities through national and international funding agencies.”

On Public Private Partnership (PPP), he said the Act recognises the imperative of the collaboration for groundswell private-sector participation in biotechnology enterprises, stressing that it stipulates that NABDA should coordinate and conduct “strong advocacy programmes, seminars, conferences and workshops” to foster multi-stakeholders’ cooperation for inclusive national development.

“I am optimistic that private sector participation in biotechnology will extend the frontiers of economic development, and thereby, abate Nigeria’s over reliance

on petrodollar.” he said.

Mustapha, said private sector participation is needed for the mass production, commercialisation, and supply to end-users of the Bio-digesters invented by the agency, adding: As you are aware, the biodigesters which were locally fabricated with locally sourced material, would foster energy generation and efficiency.

He said: “The research efforts of the agency are contributing enormously to abate exchange rate volatilities in Nigeria. A good example of this is cotton lint, a raw material for textile manufacturing.

It was key on Nigeria’s import list, he said.

“However, due to NABDA’s collaboration with the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, and Bayer and Mahyco Agricultural Nigeria Ltd, for the development, commercialization and deployment of new varieties of transgenic hybrid cotton, import of cotton lint is declining.”

He said: “Very soon, we shall attain self-sufficiency in the production of cotton. The point to underscore is, this Act by extension, would catalyze a resurgence of Nigeria’s Textile Industry.

“Recall that the Textile Industry in Nigeria was a major employer of labour and revenue-earner in the 70s.

“Furthermore, the agency, recently, formalized partnership with the Government of Cuba. The main objective of the partnership is to promote joint research in Tissue Culture, Drug and Vaccine manufacturing.” Speaking further, he said: “Because of my background as an academic and actor in policy making space, it gives me a certain sense of elation to inform you that the Act, also, underlines the important nexus between innovative practice of biotechnology and research.

“The Act encourages bridging the gap between laboratories and markets. It stipulates the formation of collaborative enterprises among research institutions and commercial sector.

“This is why since my assumption of office as the Director General of NABDA, the commercialisation of research findings has been my clarion call.”

3000 Residents Benefit from Ijebu Boys Association Medical Outreach Funmi Ogundare Over 3,000 indigent and residents of Ijebuland have benefited from the third phase of free medical outreach sponsored by Ijebu Boys Association (IJ Boys).

The three-day medical outreach which kicked-off on June 9, at the Millennium Hall, Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat, Itooro Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, saw 40 medical service providers volunteering their time and resources to conduct test and treat medical conditions such as tooth and eyes problems, hepatitis B and C, malaria , HIV/AIDS tests and treatment, diabetes and blood sugar tests and treatment,

toxicology vital signs checks, among others.

A standby ambulance, medical laboratory, dentistry were also provided with optical tests facility. Five brand new wheel chairs, about 20 walking aids were given out to patients that required them.

The Gbegande of Ososa Ijebu, and a foremost medical practitioner, Oba Adesoye Alatishe, appealed to the state government and the Alaiyeluwa of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona to find a way to recognise and honor the invaluable contributions of IJ Boys to the people of Ijebuland and beyond.

“This is the third edition of this capital intensive medical outreach and I have personally witnessed two editions. Health is wealth, and healthy citizens are those that can bring about a healthy nation. “ We must appreciate the invaluable contributions of this middle age men who preferred calling themselves ‘boys’. This is not the only service Ijebu Boys Association are rendering to the people.”

He recalled that during COVID-19 pandemic, the association gave out massive palliatives in form of food items, saying, “they did this twice during the long pandemic.

They shared this across towns and villages in Ijebu land.

“My people in Ososa received from the goodies. They have other things they are still doing.

I heard they even painted the hall they are using for this medical outreach. Let’s join hands to pray that God continues to prosper and protect them and their families.”

The Oru of Imoru Ijebu, Oba Adeposi Bashorun, who also participated, expressed delight about the initiative after he did his vital checks. He donated financially to the association.

The President of the association, Mr Olagbuyi Oduniyi commended its members in

Nigeria and in diaspora for adopting and sponsoring the annual medical outreach as a give back to the community that gave birth to them.

Explaining how Ijebu Boys association came into being, the Publicity Director, Mr. Adetola Odusote said, “IJ Boys came into being in 2017 after the death of some of our prominent childhood friends in 2016, among whom were Bolaji Osinowo and T-Bello. Few of us came together to form a platform through which we could be checking on one another. “ We adopted the motto, ‘Idagbasoke Gbogbo Akile Ijebu’, meaning, the Progress

of Ijebuland. We had as our mission statement; to cater for the well-being of our members and drive socio economic development of Ijebuland.”

Membership, he noted, is “by your root to Ijebuland or as a friend who grew up together with us and who had primary or secondary education in Ijebu in the 70s and 80s.

“We have liberalided conditions for membership by reducing age limit to 45. It can also be by marriage to Ijebu daughter or by resident in Ijebu land. But you must know at least three members who can attest to your character and commitment to IJ Boys cause.”

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

29

NEWS

World Blood Donor Day: Cycology Riding Club Creates Awareness on Saving Lives Funmi Ogundare $ZDPMPHZ 3JEJOH $MVC weekend, trooped out in their numbers on an awareness ride to The General Hospital, Gbagada, Lagos, to emphasise the importance of donating blood to save lives.

This year’s theme is, ‘ Donating Blood is an act of Solidarity, Join the Effort’.

Speaking with THISDAY, UIF $BQUBJO PG UIF DMVC .ST Temitope George noted that it had posted a form on its WhatsApp group for people who may be interested in donating blood.

This she said, is an act of kindness, just as she recalled UIBU UIF DMVC MPTU B NFNCFS .S "GPMBCJ .BCPHVOKF XIP EJFE last year from loss of blood, adding that they struggled to get blood for him to save his life. “ We know that it was a struggle to get blood for him then, but we thank God that the Lagos State government has done a lot to create awareness for blood donation and the importance for people to

willingly donate blood at their various blood banks.

“We were told that the blood donated is safe and we actually know that donating blood can definitely save a life,” she said.

5IF $IJFG .FEJDBM %JSFDUPS $.% PG UIF IPTQJUBM %S Segun Babafemi commended the donors saying that giving blood is an act of kindness which could mean life or death for someone.

He noted that all blood taken from the hospital are safe as they have been thoroughly screened by an independent body. “ All our blood are safe if it is taken from any Lagos state general hospital because they have been screened by the hospital and another independent body,” he said.

In an interview with THISDAY, he noted that anyone can donate blood TP GBS IJT IFS CMPPE MFWFM 1$7 JT VQ UP B DFSUBJO MFWFM after being tested. “ We will test the person and if the person has any ailments, we will use the opportunity

to treat him/her. For instance, if the person has hepatitis , we will not take his blood, but treat him.”

Dr. Oluwakemi Famuyiwa said since blood cannot be produced commercially, people have to donate blood for accident victims, pregnant women or sick people, adding that it is an opportunity for the donor to get a free medical check. “ If people don’t donate blood, nobody will have access to good blood. Remember that when you donate blood to someone, it is a free medical check for you and you are reducing your chances of having other forms of diseases because you are going to lose iron. It is also a very good way of reducing cardiovascular diseases.

“If they find out about any disease that the donor have, they will counsel the person and he or she can access treatment and the hospital will follow up on you on that.”

She added that by donating blood, one may also be saving a family member.

Chief Medical Director, General Hospital, Gbagada, Dr. Segun Babafemi flanked by members of Cycology Riding Club during the 2022 world blood donor Day, held in Lagos... recently

500,000 Lagos Households to Benefit from Door-to-Door Hygiene Education Ayodeji Ake In a bid to reduce the spread of diseases caused by open defecation, Harpic, Nigeria’s leading toilet cleaning brand manufactured by Reckitt, has in collaboration with the Lagos 4UBUF .JOJTUSZ PG &OWJSPONFOU and Water Resources, launched BO 0QFO %FGFDBUJPO 'SFF 0%' campaign to educate 500,000 Lagos State households on toilet hygiene.

The campaign was announced at the recent introduction of a pocket-friendly sachet Harpic product, held in Lagos, which comes at an affordable 30 price point and is designed to enable the massmarket consumers who could not afford the bigger packs to also experience the premium quality of Harpic, bridging the access gap to toilet hygiene in the country.

Speaking on the partnership, UIF .BSLFUJOH %JSFDUPS 3FDLJUU Sub-Sahara Africa, Tanzim Rezwan, said: “At Reckitt, we live by our purpose, which is to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner healthier world.

“With Harpic toilet cleaner which provides superior clean-

ing and kills 99.9 per cent of illness-causing germs in toilets, our purpose is to provide safe, hygienically clean toilets, which we have been doing for the last 100 years.

“Across the world, we know poor hygiene and sanitation are linked to the transmission of diseases, which is why Harpic has reached almost 90 million people globally through educational communications around health and hygiene. We enable and empower consumers to embrace improved sanitation for better health.

“Today, in continuation of our commitment in the fight to end open defecation and play our part in the achievement PG UIF A$MFBO /JHFSJB 6TF UIF Toilet’ campaign goal of an open defecation-free Nigeria by 2025. Harpic is today launching a new Harpic Sachet at an affordable cost of 30 to assist Nigerian consumers to maintain hygienically clean toilets and be an enabler for change in the fight for improved sanitation for all Nigerians,” In his keynote address at the launch, the Lagos State $PNNJTTJPOFS GPS UIF &OWJronment and Water Resources, .S 5VOKJ #FMMP SFQSFTFOUFE

by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Gaji, Omobolaji Tajudeen, commended the long-standing relationship between Reckitt, and Lagos State Government through the .JOJTUSZ PG &OWJSPONFOU BOE Water Resources.

“Reckitt has a long-standing partnership with Lagos State Government through the .JOJTUSZ PG UIF &OWJSPONFOU and Water Resources on various environmental initiatives and projects with a special focus on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene 8"4) 5IJT QBSUOFSTIJQ has birthed activities such as sensitisation and awareness campaigns and developmental projects.

“The launch of the pocket-friendly Harpic Toilet $MFBOFS TBDIFU UPHFUIFS XJUI a sensitisation campaign on open defecation at the local level are welcome strategies toward achieving a cleaner and safer toilet facilities for home, schools, and other public places in tandem with the theme for the Year 2022 World Toilet Summit, “Sanitation Innovations for Economic Development,” he said.

FERTILITY

With Dr. Kemi AILOJE drkemi@lifelinkfertility.com www.lifelinkfertility.com +2348033083580

Female Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (Part 2)

L

astweek, we started a topic on Female Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder. We explained some of its symptoms and causes. This week, we will be concluding with the classifications of female HSDD, Diagnosis, Prevention and treatment of Female HSDD.

r .FEJDBUJPOT NBZ CF VTFE UP USFBU hypoactive sexual desire problem r $IBOHFT JO ZPVS XBZ PG MJGF TVDI as exercise, diet, stress management)

TREATMENT OF HSSD t -JGFTUZMFDIBOHFT Low libido may SFRVJSF B DIBOHF JO MJGFTUZMF $FSUBJO SFBTPOT of HSDD such as tiredness, body image CLASSIFICATIONS OF HSDD problems, life stress, and weight gain, may t 1SJNBSZ PS -JGFMPOH )ZQPBDUJWF 4FYVBM be handled with stress management, self-care, %FTJSF %JTPSEFS The term “primary” or diet, and exercise. “lifelong” HSDD refers to a person’s lack of sexual attraction throughout his or her life. t $PVOTFMJOH $PVOTFMJOH F H TFY It may show itself as low libido, a lack of therapy) may aid in the treatment of HSDD’s sex ideas before the first sexual interaction, psychological causes. Talking therapy is and disinterest with lowered sexual desire used by specialists to treat psychological right from the start. conditions or relationship issues that may be influencing a person’s desire for sexual t 4FDPOEBSZ PS "DRVJSFE )ZQPBDUJWF activity.

4FYVBM %FTJSF %JTPSEFS Sexual disinterest that develops after a time of normal sexual t )PSNPOBM5IFSBQJFT For some women, functioning and desire is referred to as estrogen therapy may be beneficial in the secondary or acquired HSDD. treatment of HSDD. Estrogen is a sex hormone that, among other things, affects t (FOFSBMJ[FE )ZQPBDUJWF 4FYVBM %FTJSF libido. This sort of treatment is known as %JTPSEFS Sexual desire is missing in all sexual systemic estrogen therapy, and it aids the situations in generalized HSDD, regardless brain in making the chemical connections of the partner, the scenario, or the type of it needs to boost desire. sexual activity. t .FEJDBUJPOT When dealing with HSDD, t 4JUVBUJPOBM )ZQPBDUJWF 4FYVBM %FTJSF it is crucial to consider both medications that %JTPSEFS Situational HSDD is a type of HSDD BSF LOPXO UP MPXFS MJCJEP F H IPSNPOBM that is found only in certain conditions and birth control and antidepressants) and medicapeople. It is possible that it just happens UJPOT UIBU JODSFBTF TFYVBM EFTJSF IPSNPOF in response to a particular sexual partner UIFSBQJFT $POTVMU ZPVS QIZTJDJBO BCPVU or aspect of sexual activity, or when you drug choices for treating HSDD symptoms. are stressed. t 1BJO NBOBHFNFOU Pain relief during DIAGNOSIS OF HSDD intercourse can be achieved in a variety of HSDD is defined as a reduction or absence of ways. Before intercourse, you may experisexual desire that causes emotional pain, and ment with different sexual positions, vaginal this distress is essential for diagnosis. Sexual lubricants, and relaxation techniques. Vaginal desire differs from one person to another. If dilators may also be discussed with your a person’s degree of desire does not disturb health care provider. them, they most likely do not have HSDD. t ,FHFM FYFSDJTFT These can assist to The main symptom of HSDD is a lack of improve sex drive by increasing blood desire in sex, however because everyone flow and sensation to your genitals. is different, there is no universal threshold or diagnostic tests to determine whether a CONCLUSION person has HSDD. Rather, a person’s low sex HSDD can be distressing in your life drive is diagnosed based on how concerned and relationships, but it is important to they are about it and whether it is causing remember that it is a treatable disorder. any other issues. Doctors will normally try $POTVMU XJUI ZPVS EPDUPS UP EJTDPWFS UIF to discover any underlying problems if a most likely causes of HSDD. Knowing person expresses worries about decreased these things may help you make better libido.They frequently begin by conducting treatment options and allow you to enjoy a comprehensive medical workup, which new levels of intimacy with your partner. includes a medical history, screening tests, Sexual dysfunction in some women may and a physical examination. Other testing, resolve on its own. It may also occur just such as imaging, may be required in some at specific times, such as after childbirth circumstances. These tests are used by the or during hormonal shifts and others doctor to check for tumors, cysts, and other may require continuing treatment for abnormal growths. Hormonal abnormalities sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction can be diagnosed through blood tests. Vaginal frequently necessitates the support of a culture sample may also be taken to check variety of health care providers, such as for an infection. physical therapists and counselors.Your doctor will also look at the possibility of psychological issues.

PREVENTION OF HSDD Discuss any sexual difficulties you are Although it may be quite difficult to prevent hypoactive sexual desire disorder, having freely and honestly. Donot be scared to the combination of the following ways can express your worries or fears. Your health care provider may suggest that you consult with help to avoid its occurrence. a mental health professional or a relationship r 4FY FEVDBUJPO BOE QTZDIPUIFSBQZ counselor in some circumstances. r )PSNPOBM UIFSBQZ

30

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

31

32

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

FMDQ Exchange Trains over 2,600 Stakeholders on Derivatives The FMDQ Derivatives Market Development Project (the “Project”) was activated in 2018 to break the ground and facilitate the launch of a standardised derivatives market in Nigeria.

The Project was also created to cater to the risk and investment management needs of diverse market participants. Given the novelty of derivatives as an asset class in Nigeria, a Stakeholder Education and Sensitisation workstream was designated and activated by FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited (“FMDQ Exchange” or the “Exchange”), targeting investors and market participants.

FMDQ Exchange, through the FMDQ Academy (the “Academy”) franchise, kicked off a series of bespoke training sessions in April 2019. Since inception, over 2,600 participants have benefitted from the trainings and they include Financial Market Regulators, Financial Institutions, relevant Market Associations, Corporates, Media Practitioners, etc. The trainings are specially designed to address the diverse interests represented in the derivatives market and provide a holistic understanding of the market ahead of the official launch of

the FMDQ Exchange-Traded Derivatives (ETD) market.

For the year 2022, some of the themes covered during the trainings include Understanding the ETD Market; Derivatives Market Regulation and Market Documentation; Derivatives Trading, Clearing and Market Operations; and Understanding FMDQ ETD Products. In addition to these trainings, various engagement sessions were held with key regulators in the industry including the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure the pivotal ETD market takes off on a sure footing.

To ramp up the capacity building programme, FMDQ Exchange will on Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24, 2022, host another webinar themed “Derivatives Clearing Operations – Understanding the role of the CCP and Clearing Members”. The webinar, targeted at Treasury Operations functions, Clearing Operations functions, Risk Management functions of the banking sector, will introduce participants to the clearing operations, role of the central counterparty (CCP) and Clearing Members in the FMDQ ETDs market.

As a sustainable marketplace,

these training sessions are consistent with the Exchange’s mission to enhance investor awareness of financial markets products.

FMDQ Exchange will continue to equip its stakeholders with the necessary tools to effectively utilise its market to meet their investment goals, capturing opportunities and effectively managing their risk exposures.

FMDQ Group is Africa’s first vertically integrated financial market infrastructure (FMI) group, strategically positioned to provide registration, listing, quotation and noting services; integrated trading, clearing & central counterparty, settlement, and risk management for financial market transactions; depository of securities, as well as data and information services, across the debt capital, foreign exchange, derivatives and equity markets, through its wholly owned subsidiaries – FMDQ Exchange, FMDQ Clear Limited, FMDQ Depository Limited and FMDQ Private Markets Limited.

As a sustainability-focused FMI group, FMDQ Group, through FMDQ Exchange, operates Africa’s premier Green Exchange – FMDQ Green Exchange – positioned to lead the transition towards a sustainable future.

SAIL Lab Supports Startups With Grant Oluchi Chibuzor The Senator Abiru Innovation Lab (SAIL) has empowered small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the Lagos East Senatorial District with asset grants to scale up their businesses.

Out of 47 individuals that enrolled for the training, 41 entrepreneurs successfully completed the three months intensive business training handled by Co-creation Hub (Cc-Hub).

SAIL is an initiative of the Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team (TACT) Foundation, a dedicated innovation and tech lab that provides relevant technology, business and digital skills to tech enthusiasts and young entrepreneurs across the Lagos

East Senatorial District.

In his remarks to the recipients, Abiru, a former bank Chief Executive, said his Foundation established the Innovation Lab in response to growing unemployment in the country and also to position the younger generation for the enormous opportunities available in this current fourth industrial revolution.

“Now, we are in the digital revolution age, we therefore cannot as a nation afford to miss out on the enormous opportunities available in this innovation and digital age. Also, the rise in the deployment of robotics and artificial intelligence all point to the fact that we either brace up for technology or we lose out again. ‘’So, I knew, when I became

Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the most enduring empowerment I can give to young people and entrepreneurs, in my constituency is to leveraging my global exposure and experience to make them globally competitive by equipping them with premium digital, innovative and technological skills which are in high demands globally.

This was in keeping with the social contract that I had with the people of the Lagos East Senatorial district when seeking their votes,” Abiru said.

Commending the programme, the Managing Partner of the Creative Economy Practice at CcHUB, Ojoma Ochai, challenged the graduating participants to harness the huge opportunities in the creative sector.

Jaiz Bank to Open 5 New Branches Jaiz Bank Plc, Nigeria’s premier Islamic bank, plans to open five new branches across the country as the non-interest bank continues to expand.

Speaking in Gombe at an interactive session with religious leaders and scholars drawn from Gombe, Bauch, Yola, Jos and Yobe, Managing Director, Jaiz Bank Plc, Mr. Hassan Usman,

said the bank has made tremendous achievements in the last 10 years of its establishment.

He said the bank which started business activities with only three branches in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano in 2012, now have a total of 45 branches across the country.

Represented by Executive Director, Business Develop-

ment, North, Jaiz Bank Plc, Dr Sirajo Salisu, Hassan said plan is underway to add five new branches in the northern and southern parts of the country before the end of this year.

He urged the clerics to help in enlightening the public on the benefits of non-interest banking in ensuring financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

Consumers Laud Chivita Campaign Since the launch of the “Everyone Has a Chivita” marketing campaign earlier in the year, Nigeria’s leading juice brand, Chivita is resonating more with consumers who are increasingly connecting to their brands as well as adopting them for their varying consumption moments for health, nutrition, and refreshment.

A cross-section of shoppers interviewed at the Ikeja City Mall, Lagos stated that they were already consumers of Chivita brands but the “Everyone Has a Chivita” campaign has created a unique consciousness of associat-

ing with their favourite Chivita brands more in their moments of indulgent taste, refreshment, active health, and rejuvenation.

Kehinde Olawale, a fashion entrepreneur, stated that he enjoys a pack of Chivita Active regularly, especially during his weekly running around due to its benefits to his active lifestyle.

“I am always on the go, buying materials and delivering finished products to my customers, which is why Chivita Active is beneficial to me. Anyone who cares about wellness and active health would enjoy Chivita Active,” he said.

For Favour Agwu, a mother of three, breakfast or lunchtime for her family is not complete without a glass of Chivita 100% Fruit Juice for its nourishment.

“Chivita 100% is our family favourite because of its no added sugar, artificial colours, or preservatives. The exciting variants mean that we can explore great fruit juice taste and healthy nourishment as part of our breakfast all year round” Marketing Director, CHI Limited, Mrs Toyin Nnodi, describes the feedback from consumers to the “Everyone Has a Chivita” campaign as extremely positive.

L-R: Chairman, National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP),Dr. Muhammed Ibrahim; General Manager, Supply Chain, Shell Companies Nigeria,Madam Laurie Schmidt; Project Manager, Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC),Afolabi Ojo; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kasiye Wabote; Chairman, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission Board (NUPRC), Mallam Isa Madibbo and MD/CEO, Nivafer Engineering and Construction Limited, Chris Ijeli at the Unveiling and Load-Out ceremony of HP fuel gas treatment skid for Assa North-Ohaji gas project, at Nivafer Facility in Lagos, yesterday

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT MONDAY MAY 30, 2022

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $118.84 a barrel on Friday, compared with $116.50 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

33

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

MARKET NEWS

Domestic, Foreign InvestorsTraded N1.51trn Equites in Five Months Kayode Tokede The total value of domestic and foreign investors transactions on the equities market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) in five months of 2022 has increased to N1.51 trillion, representing an increase of from 61.3 per cent from N933.65 billion total transactions carried out in the corresponding period of 2021.

In a report released by NGX Regulation Limited, the Domestic and Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) May 2022 report captured these transactions as well as trading figures from market operators.

Additionally, domestic investors have continued to hold ground on the floor of the NGX despite rising inflation and currency volatility in the foreign exchange market

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

which remained key drivers of the Domestic & Foreign Portfolio Investment.

Capital market analysts stated that local investors are taking advantage of the incredibly low prices of stocks in NGX to increase their investments.

They explained that local investors are increasing their stake in the equities market due to the attractive dividend yield in the

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

market and because of the low yield environment in the fixed income market. They observed that the development is good for the local bourse, saying that it would restore credibility and stability to the market, which was hitherto marred by volatility occasioned by the activities of foreign investors.

Further analysis has shown that foreign transactions stood at N201.29 billion, accounting

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

for about 13.37 per cent of the total transactions carried out from January to May, while domestic transactions constituted N1.304 trillion, representing 86.63 per cent of the total transaction, outperforming the foreign investment during the same period.

Analysis of domestic transactions showed that institutional investors outperformed retail investors. A comparison of domestic transac-

O F

tions in the period under review revealed that retail transactions pulled N408.03 billion in investment, while institutional investors’ investment amounted to N896.21 billion from January to May 2022.

For May, total transactions at the nation’s bourse increased by 195.05 per cent from N205.88 billion (about $494.26 million) in April 2022 to N607.45billion (about $1.45 billion) in May 2022.

2 2 / 0 6 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

34

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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

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

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 21June-2022, unless otherwise stated.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 191.86 193.01 14.93% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 6.32% Nigeria International Debt Fund 319.72 319.72 4.86% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 105.92 107.07 7.35% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.11% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.69 3.75 4.07% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 3.96% Anchoria Equity Fund 146.75 148.39 5.38% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.20 1.20 5.10% info@anchoriaam.com ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 21.71 22.37 7.05% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.06 1.07 -1.61% ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.37% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 105.84 105.84 8.70% AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira 1,117.51 1,117.51 11.75% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.13 2.13 7.58% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.34 2.39 16.88% CAPITALTRUST INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED halalfif@capitaltrustnigeria.com Web: www.capitaltrustnigeria.com; Tel: 08061458806 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Capitaltrust Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,014.96 1,014.96 4.40% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.05 1.05 4.07% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.74% Cordros Milestone Fund 135.40 136.24 8.58% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 109.92 109.92 5.09% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.03% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.05 1.05 8.50% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.06 1.06 16.15% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 102.61 102.61 4.54% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Bond Fund 1466.09 1466.09 10.55% FBN Balanced Fund 194.68 196.04 11.08% FBN Halal Fund 120.61 120.61 10.15% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.72% FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) 124.26 124.26 5.68% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 165.43 167.57 8.93% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.74% Legacy Debt Fund 3.96 3.96 -1.09% Legacy Equity Fund 1.94 1.97 11.27% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.23 1.23 1.87% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn

Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

4,158.09 3,570.86 100.00

4,218.24 3,570.86 100.00

14.45% 6.27% 7.06%

FSDH Dollar Fund 1.10 1.10 3.92% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.34% Vantage Balanced Fund 3.02 3.06 12.05% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 140.94 140.94 2.85% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.30 1.34 9.35% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.09 1.09 4.10% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.57 1.60 10.70% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,173.06 1,173.06 4.63% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 12.24 12.30 12.17% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.25% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 102.49 102.49 7.82% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 7.96% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.68 1.71 6.56% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.82 11.85 5.77% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 5.55% PACAM Equity Fund 1.48 1.50 4.07% PACAM EuroBond Fund 114.69 117.68 0.79% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 128.59 131.45 8.68% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.04 1.04 8.54% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,667.51 3,709.02 -2.80% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 239.34 239.34 0.20% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.46 1.48 -2.65% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 321.28 321.29 0.31% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 272.24 275.84 -1.59% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.67% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 12,340.49 12,510.38 -2.47% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.32 1.32 0.31% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.70 118.70 0.19% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 109.93 109.93 0.42% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 1.01 1.03 13.29% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.43 1.45 9.13% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.15 1.16 10.84% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.06 1.06 3.44% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.89 1.89 3.09% United Capital Eurobond Fund 121.52 121.52 2.60% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.72% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.81 13.94 4.72% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 16.22 16.40 11.01% Zenith Income Fund 22.71 22.71 3.47% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.96% VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD funds@vetiva.com Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund 3.92 4.02 -2.33% Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 6.26 6.36 7.13% Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 18.81 19.01 6.35% Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.83% Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 21.52 21.72 7.65% Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 153.53 155.53 -2.67%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

117.02 51.68

3.38% 1.63%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.90 142.94 112.75 17.10 16.40

15.00 146.39 115.17 17.20 16.50

6.48% -5.37% -5.16% 20.43% 5.19%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.55

12.10%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

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

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

35

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

KUMUYI'S COURTESY VISIT TO ABDULRAZAQ...

L-R: Mr. Timothy Opoola; Mrs Esther Folashade Kumuyi; General Overseer Deeper Life Bible Church Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Mr. Adebiyi Dada; Mrs. Adebiyi Mary; Vice Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria State Chapter Bishop Sunday Timothy Adewole; and Special Adviser Religion (Christianity), Timothy Oluwagbemiga Akangbe, during a courtesy visit by the General Overseer to Government House, Ilorin... yesterday

Senate Probes Corruption Allegations against CJN By Supreme Court Colleagues Sunday Aborisade in Abuja President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday,

mandated the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, which has Senator Opeyemi Bamidele

as Chairman, to as a matter of urgency, wade into the crisis presently rocking the judiciary.

Lawan gave the directive moments before the chamber adjourned plenary.

“We may recall that there

were some issues coming out of the Judiciary. We must have interest in what is happening in that arm of government.

INEC Has Agreed to Extend Voter Registration, Lawmaker Reveals Commission denies CVR extension Ekiti Poll: Oyebanji, deputy-elect get certificates of return Chuks Okocha and Udora Orizu in Abuja and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu has agreed to extend the ongoing continuous voter’s registration (CVR) by 60 days in line with the resolution passed by the House of Representatives, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Aisha Dukku yesterday.

But a source at INEC who spoke with THISDAY on condition of anonymity, stressed that the Commission did not arrive at any agreement with the House of Representative Committee for an extension of the CVR. The lawmakers had at the plenary last week, while adopting a motion sponsored by House Spokesman, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, urged the electoral body to extend the June 30, 2022, deadline for voter registration, so as to enable more eligible Nigerians register, get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the 2023 general elections.

They mandated its Committee on Electoral Matters to engage with INEC to examine and proffer solutions to the shortage of registration machines and manpower.

At plenary, Dukku gave the update in response to the point of order raised by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu.

Elumelu, while expressing concerns over INEC’s activities, frowned at government’s agencies’ disregard to various resolutions passed by the House.

He said: “We passed a resolution on INEC by way of consideration extend the tenure of continuous voter’s registration, which they had wanted to stop. And I’m also aware that the court of competent jurisdiction also gave a judgement to the effect that they are also urging INEC not to stop or end the continuous registration.

“But from the feelers that I am getting, it’s like INEC is even threatening to appeal against that judgement, jettisoning the resolution that was passed on this floor. So Mr. Speaker, I will like the chairman of

the House Committee on Electoral Matters to educate us on the efforts that they have made. The second leg of the motion is for them to follow up and ensure compliance, that is the point of my order,” Elumelu said.

Commenting, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who presided over the session, explained that he had an interaction with the Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters.

He said, "I met with the Chairman, Committee on electoral Matters, Hon. Dukku and she has briefed me and I told her she will brief the House today on how far she’s gone with the assignment that was given to her by the resolution of the House last week. The resolution was for the extension of the voter’s registration.”

In her presentation, Dukku affirmed that the Committee had a meeting with the INEC Chairman, and he agreed to comply with the House resolution.

According to her, “Mr. Speaker, as I earlier told you we met with INEC chairman yesterday (Tuesday) based on the referral to our committee we thought it was urgent so we invited INEC and Professor Yakubu Mahmood was with us throughout yesterday afternoon and part of what we agreed to was that he has already agreed to extend but for the court injunction he is to appear on the 29th of June.

“That notwithstanding, he said it has been guaranteed that it has to be extended, and not just extending, but also during weekends.

"He has agreed to that and that he is going to make a statement very soon to that effect. That extension also involves additional machines, additional ad-hoc staff and of course he’s going to collaborate with the security agencies to make sure that that is also done. So all the prayers of the motion were approved and all members of the committee were there including the mover of the motion."

Ruling, Gbajabiamila commended the committee.

But speaking with THISDAY, the senior INEC official said: “If we are going to extend the CVR, the Commission will issue a formal statement, stating the reasons for

doing that, but we haven’t done that.

“But what is more complicating is that somebody took us to court, asking the court to stop us from ending the CVR. So, we have received an order of the court that we should not do anything about it, until we get to the court on June 29, to respond to issues raised with respect to that.

“So, we can’t take any action on the CVR until June 29. So, we haven’t extended and if we are going to do so, we are going to announce it.”

Ekiti Poll: Oyebanji, Deputy-Elect Get Return Certificates Meanwhile, Ekiti State governorelect and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 18 governorship election, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji and his Deputy, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, yesterday, got their certificates of return, indicating their victory in the just concluded poll.

Oyebanji at the event, described the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Authentication System(BVAS) as a game changer in the country's electioneering process and predicated the credibility of Ekiti poll on the technological innovation.

Oyebanji garnered a total of

187, 057 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Engr Segun Oni, who polled 82,211 votes, among other contenders.

The governor-elect who spoke while receiving the certificate alongside Afuye at INEC's office in Ado Ekiti, promised not to betray Ekiti people in his service to them.

Similarly, the winner of the Saturday's House of Assembly byeelection conducted simultaneously with the governorship poll in Ekiti East Constituency 2, Hon Oyewole Fatoba, also got his certificate from the commission.

Addressing the crowd of party supporters and admirers, Oyebanji said the victory was not about him, but was made possible by God and the people of the state, promising that he would execute his 6-point agenda zealously to usher a new dawn of progress and development in Ekiti.

"Let me thank INEC for providing a level-playing ground for the contenders in this election. I can't agree with INEC less that the BVAS was a game changer in our election.

"Nobody ever believed what happened on Saturday could ever happen. Some people still not believed that the rigging of election was over, but Ekiti election really convinced us.

"Thanks to the security agencies and the people of the state for having trust in APC. The people committed such huge trust in us because of the stellar performance of Governor Kayode Fayemi, and it was that I will build on. What happened on Saturday was a referendum and validation that the APC-led government has performed."

Oyebanji stated that he would partner INEC as a governor to fortify the electoral process, while striving hard not to disappoint Ekiti people who overwhelmingly elected him.

Addressing the recipients, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ekiti State, Dr. Adeniran Tella, said the presentation of certificates was in line with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act, which stipulated that the commission should present certificates to governor and deputy within 14 days of being elected.

Continued online

“I believe that we owe it to Nigerians, to look into what is happening in that arm of government, with a view to bringing solutions to the problem that our Judiciary in Nigeria faces.

“So, I’ll urge our Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, to get involved with the CJN and Judiciary generally, at this level with the Supreme Court, to find out what the real issues are, and how the National Assembly can help,” he said.

Recently, 14 Justices of the Supreme Court, leveled allegations of corruption against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed.

The Justices, in a memo, protested the non-payment of legitimate entitlements by the CJN. According to them, annual foreign training, meant to enhance capacity building for the country’s judicial process, had been blocked.

They also protested the non-replacement of poor vehicles, accommodation problem, lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic, epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court, increase in electricity tariff, no increase in the allowances for diesel, and lack of internet services to residences and chambers, amongst others.

Sahara Group’s Trainee Programme Promotes Downstream Expertise in Ghana Sahara Group has commenced a Graduate Management Trainee Program in Ghana to give young graduates in the nation an opportunity to make a difference in the oil and gas sector.

With focus on Sahara’s downstream operations in Ghana, the GMT program would offer successful applicants an opportunity to “upgrade their unique skills and ensure exposure to top-level responsibility early in their careers,” the Managing Director, Sahara Downstream in Ghana, Yvette Selormey said.

“Sahara Group is renowned for transforming young talent into global icons in the energy sector and this is a platform specially designed

for every young graduate in Ghana seeking to learn and grow within a work culture that encourages and rewards excellence,” she said.

According to a statement from the company, Ghana’s downstream sector continues to experience significant growth as a result of the government's strategic reforms, policies and investments.

“There are also increasing efforts by the government to boost the adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) LPG as a cleaner fuel compared to biomass and kerosene.

LPG consumption in Ghana for Q1 2022 stood at 101,362 MT and this is projected to quadruple by end of year.

“Sahara Group is expected

to contribute significantly to the nation's energy transition drive through continuing investments and the operations of LPG vessels, storage and distribution facilities associated with the energy conglomerate in Africa.

Selormey said the program would give individuals with good first degrees in applicable disciplines a secure shot at kick-starting their careers with world-class training modules, mentorship, and selfdriven goals.

“Details of the application process which will run from June 20th to 3rd of July 2022 are available on all Sahara Group's social media channels. We invite youths in Ghana to start their

journey to making a difference by applying today,” she added.

According to Selormey, Sahara Group has operated as a foremost business in Ghana’s oil and gas sector for over 20 years, facilitating access to energy and contributing to economic growth and development.

She said: “So Energy, a Sahara Group downstream company in Ghana continues to raise the bar in the sector, leveraging innovativeness, top-notch quality and safety policies, good corporate citizenship, and a unique service experience. The So Energy brand is renowned for integrity, reliability, efficiency, and implementing sustainable interventions in health, education and capacity building."

36

THURSDAY, ͺͻ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

OYEBANJI, DEPUTY GET CERTIFICATES OF RETURN...

L-R: Ekiti State First Lady, Bisi Fayemi; Ekiti State Governor-Elect Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji; Deputy Governor-Elect, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, and Wife of Governor elect, Mrs. Olayemi Oyebanji; during the presentation of Certificate of Return to the Governor-Elect at Ado-Ekiti… yesterday

ADAMU MEETS SENATORS, SAYS HE IS WORRIED BY GALE OF DEFECTIONS Haruna spoke against the backdrop of the submission of the names of Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and former Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election.

Both Lawan and Akpabio contested the presidential primary of APC, while Akpabio later stepped down, Lawan lost to Senator Bola Tinubu, who won the party's ticket.

Yet, APC sent the names of Lawan and Akpabio as Yobe and Akwa Ibom states’ senatorial

candidates, respectively. Though, both men never bought the expression of interest and nomination forms of their party for the position of senator, and they were neither screened nor did they participate in the primary elections for such position.

While the Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini, had faulted the action of APC, Haruna, on the other hand, claimed that the electoral umpire had no power to reject names sent to it by political parties. In justifying his position, he maintained that

primaries were the sole prerogatives of parties, adding that INEC's responsibility is merely to monitor the primaries and make sure they abide by their own regulations, the Electoral Act and the Constitution.

But Falana faulted Haruna based on the provisions of the Electoral Act, stressing, "Section 84 (1) clearly states that a political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the commission. The monitoring by INEC is mandatory. To that extent,

any primary of a political party not monitored by officials of INEC is illegal.

"Contrary to the views credited to Mr. Haruna, the powers of INEC have gone beyond ‘merely to monitor’ party primaries. For the avoidance of doubt, Section: 84 (13) unequivocally provides that, ‘where a political party fails to comply with the provisions of this Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate for election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.’”

He said the legal implication of

MOMAN: FG MUST DEREGULATE DOWNSTREAM TO ADDRESS FUEL SUPPLY CHALLENGES they agreed with the truck drivers that bridging fund will be N10 per litre, depending on the destination you are going all over the country.

At the time they agreed, the cost of diesel was about N250.

“But today the cost of diesel is over N700, it has tripled. So the expectation from the tanker drivers is that since the cost of diesel has gone up, instead of paying N10 you have to multiply by three.”

Osifo stressed that the tanker drivers were not charity organisations, but were in business to make money, saying that even though Nigeria has close to two billion litres available in terms of petrol stock, it has been difficult getting the fuel to the filling stations.

“So the problem is not the stock, we have the stock all over depots.

The truck drivers, most of them are not willing to lift this product,” he added.

NNPC is the sole importer of petrol.

Osifo stated that while it was possible for the national oil firm to sell at N148 at NNPC depots,

private depots could not sell at the same price to retailers because of extra costs they bore to take the products to their depots.

He explained, “So they sell at a premium. And at the end of the day, they sell between N150 to N160.

In some cases, they sell at N162 and if they sell at that amount, it will now be difficult for the retailer to go and sell about N165.

“This is because you cannot buy products at up to N163, then pay some other transportation costs, plus your cost of operation and you are being asked to sell for N165.”

For this reason, he explained, some retailers had declined to buy the products, leading to many petrol stations being closed for not having supply.

Osifo added that Lagos had been free from supply issues before now because until recently, the retailers were okay with how much they were getting the product and selling to retailers.

But he said, “There’s problem along the distribution line.”

To resolve the problem, Osifo

insisted that the federal government must define the short, medium and long-term approach to tackling it.

In the short term, he stated that there were already on-going discussions between the government and the tanker drivers, with a deal in sight to increase the bridging fund from about N10.4 to over N20.

He said, “So if they do that, although the tanker drivers are still pushing to add something to that, what is going to happen is that drivers will start loading and once they start loading, you are going to have petrol all over the country.”

Osifo also urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to visit the private depot owners and discuss with them with a view to enforcing and implementing the approved price regime.

In the long term, Osifo maintained that Nigeria must begin to refine its products in-country, which had been the yearning of the trade unions. He said the cost of fuel

was generally higher in countries that did not produce or refine their products.

He said if subsidy were removed today, Nigerians would be buying petrol for between N400 to N500, stressing that while the subsidy is meant to pay for the difference between the price it is imported and when it gets to the depots, it doesn’t necessarily take care of bridging costs.

Osifo stated, “You remember when the subsidy of N4 trillion was agreed and when the calculation was done, the landing cost was around N300 to N350. It wasn't what it is today. So now there is more pressure. If we go by the data we have today, I can tell you that we will not be spending N4 trillion; we may be spending upwards of about N4.5 to N5 trillion in subsidy.

“So the major bulk of that subsidy goes to ameliorate or to cater for the difference between the amount of money that the PMS is bought in to the amount of money that NNPC supplies to the retailers.”

Gbajabiamila: Why we Stepped Down Motion to Override Buhari's Veto on Statutory Delegates Udora Orizu in Abuja The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila at yesterday’s plenary gave reasons why the lawmakers stepped down a motion seeking to override President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to assent to the Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act (Amendment) bill, 2022, which provides for statutory delegates.

The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase who presided over the plenary session on Tuesday, had told the motion sponsor, Hon. Ben Igbakpa, that according to House rules, a

motion cannot be used to override a bill, hence he should step it down and liaise with Chairman Rules and Business, Hon. Hassan Fulata to do the needful.

Revisiting Wase's ruling, at plenary yesterday, Gbajabiamila stressed that according to order 12 rule 20 of the House rules, the lawmaker would present the matter as a substantive motion to be recommitted or go by way of reintroducing the bill again for first, second readings or you commit to committee of the whole for consideration.

He said, "There is no contradiction or difference between what the

Deputy Speaker said yesterday and what I pronounced on Wednesday.

They are one and the same. “The combined reading and the constitution and our rules. Honourable Igbakpa, I indeed said that you should come with a substantive motion. Can you read order 12 rule 20? This is a matter that has not been touched upon except for one of two instances, so it is important to give it clarity. I noticed that it was a subject of debate on Channels TV this morning.

"If you read that with the rest of our provisions in the rules and our constitution. You have to bring

the bill back for consideration, but how do you bring the bill back?

You have to bring the bill back by way of substantive motion.

“And you now recommitting it to perhaps the committee of the whole or in the alternative you go through the whole process again, first, second readings or you commit to committee of the whole for consideration. You still have to bring a substantive motion to bring the Bill back, not just by saying let us override. The Bill has to be brought back to the House. There is judicial interpretation in the National Assembly vs Attorney General."

the provision is that INEC shall not include the candidate for the particular election.

Falana stated further, "Furthermore, Section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which provides for the submission of lists of candidates and their affidavits by political parties, states that, ‘Every political party shall, not later than 180 days before the date appointed for a general election under this Act, submit to the commission, in the prescribed forms, the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections, who must have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the political party.’”

According to Falana, Section 29(1) has imposed a duty on political parties to ensure that the candidates whose names are submitted to INEC have emerged from valid primaries.

He said this position was quite different from the provision in Section 31 of the repealed Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which provided that INEC could not reject the name of any candidate submitted by the parties for any reason whatsoever.

Falana said, "Thus, in the present law, the parties can only submit for the commission’s acceptance, the names of candidates who emerged from valid primaries conducted by the parties and monitored by INEC. "This position is clearly fortified

by Section 84(13). Thus, INEC having sent a team of monitors across its 36 states offices and the Federal Capital Territory, to monitor the primaries, is legally obligated to check the names submitted to it and ensure they are confirmed by the various reports compiled by its officials.

"If the candidates, whose names are submitted to INEC have not emerged from the primaries, the commission will reject such names in exercise of its power under Section 84(13) of the Electoral Act 2022. That was what INEC did in Zamfara State, when that power was not even expressly provided for.

"It is, therefore, most shocking to read in the social media statements attributed to some INEC National Commissioners to the effect that INEC is bound to accept the names of candidates, who did not participate in valid party primaries.

"With respect, the statement that INEC does not have power to reject names of persons submitted by political parties that did not emerge from valid primaries is grossly misleading. In fact, the embarrassing statement amounts to abdication of statutory duty under the above quoted provision of the Electoral Act aimed at sanitising the process of nomination of candidates for national elections in Nigeria."

FG: MANY STATES WOULD HAVE COLLAPSED BUT FOR BAILOUTS FROM BUHARI ADMINISTRATION validly employed through the Civil Service Commission nor could their files be found at the commission after further investigation.

FG Commences Process of Appointment of Substantive Accountant General of the Federation

Yemi-Esan announced in a circular dated June 21, 2022 that the process of appointing a substantive Accountant General of the Federation had been ratified by President Muhammdu Buhari.

The former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, was suspended following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N80 billion fraud.

According to the circular, referenced OHCSF/PS/CMO/193/03, addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, all serving ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chairman EFCC, and National

Security Adviser, among others, all accountants in the mainstream of the Federal Civil Service in the pool of the Accountant General of the Federation, who have attained the position of substantive Director on Salary Grade Level 17 on or before January 1, 2020 and not retiring from the service earlier than December 31, 2024 were eligible to participate in the exercise.

Yemi-Esan said officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings were precluded from the exercise.

She urged all permanent secretaries to forward the list of eligible directors on SGL 17, confidential and personal files of all eligible directors, five copies of curriculum vitae of each eligible director, and a brief on each eligible director in the attached format to be produced in Microsoft word in both hard and soft copies to facilitate the process.

She requested that all the documents must reach the office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO), Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, on or before 4 p.m. on July 6, 2022.

37

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Navy Recovers N2bn Stolen Crude Oil, AGO in Niger Delta Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigerian Navy said yesterday said that operations conducted against economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta region led to the recovery of stolen crude oil and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) worth N2 billion A statement issued by naval headquarters in Abuja last night said naval troops recovered hundreds of thousands of litres of stolen crude oil and AGO from oil bunkerers in the last one week.

Giving further details, it said n June 14 2022, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder in Rivers State intercepted and seized two wooden boats at Rumoparale within Port Harcourt channel.

It said the boats were laden with about 200,000 litres of illegally refined AGO. Accordingly, the boats and products were destroyed.

Similarly, NNS Victory in Cross Rivers State intercepted and impounded three wooden boats laden with drums of suspected illegally refined PMS around Ikang channel, suspected to be transported to Cameroon.

The boats and products are

in custody. Also, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny in Rivers State intercepted two wooden boats laden with about 400,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil at Iwokiri. The wooden boats and products were destroyed.

It said that on June 15, 2022, NNS Pathfinder arrested one wooden boat laden with about 450,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO at Choba within Port Harcourt Channel.

“The boat and products were destroyed appropriately.

Also, the patrol team located and deactivated an Illegally Refined Site (IRS) which had eight metal storage tanks with about 400,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and four metal storage tanks containing about 200,000 litres of illegally refined AGO as well as one metal storage tank filled with about 50,000 litres of suspected illegally refined DPK. “The products were destroyed accordingly. Similarly, NNS Soroh in Bayelsa State intercepted a wooden boat laden with about 60,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO. The boat and contents were destroyed. Also, a reactivated IRS at Okubotuwo Camp, Brass LGA was discovered

with one oven, one dug-out pit, and three metal tanks cumulatively filled with about 40,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO and 10,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil”, it said. The statement further disclosed that a wooden boat containing unspecified quantity of crude oil was also discovered

and handled appropriately.

“Furthermore, the team located and deactivated another IRS within same vicinity. The site had three metal storage tanks filled with about 50,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and illegally refined AGO respectively.

“Additionally, one wooden

boat laden with unspecified quantity of suspected stolen crude oil was discovered and handled appropriately. Relatedly, NNS Delta in Warri, Delta State intercepted two speedboats cumulatively laden with about 2000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO around Isaba Community in Warri South

LGA”, it said.

Also, the team located and deactivated an IRS around Benett Island in Warri South LGA. The site had 15 metal storage tanks and seven ovens cumulatively filled with about 25,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 100,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.

AREWA WOMEN SUPPORT TINUBU…

L-R: Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; National Women Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Betta Edu, and President, Arewa Women for Tinubu, Hajiya Saadatu Dogonbauchi, during a courtesy visit to SulaimanIbrahim in Abuja…yesterday

Kogi Assembly Justifies Impeachment, Court Orders Interim Forfeiture of Property Linked to Dasuki’s Son Suspension of Members Hon. Ahmed Ahmed; former Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Alex Enumah in Abuja

The impeached and suspended members of the Kogi State House of Assembly have been described as black legs whose stock in trade was to cause disharmony between the executive and legislative arms of government and amongst members of the house.

The assembly made this position is known at its plenary session yesterday following the deliberation on the discovery that the suspended three lawmakers forged members’ signatures in a bid to impeach the speaker.

The impeached lawmakers, namely former Deputy Speaker,

Majority Leader, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, and former Chief Whip, Hon. Moses Ododo, released a statement in which they claimed to have purportedly impeached the Speaker by a notice signed by nineteen members.

Consequently, the House of Assembly at its plenary yesterday ordered its Ethics and Privileges Committee to commence investigation into the alleged forgery as members whose signatures were found in the documents have denied ever signing any impeachment notice against the Speaker, Hon. Mathew Kolawole.

Obi Cubana Sets Up Golf City in Abuja Renowned businessman and entertainment mogul, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, has promised to mitigate the housing challenges faced

by Nigerians by providing affordable accommodation for residents of Abuja irrespective of status or class.

He made this known during the official groundbreaking ceremony of a $1million New Dawn & Casa Cubana Golf City yesterday in Abuja.

The sprawling site, sitting on about 45 acres of land situated at the Jabi- Airport Road, has started to experience massive development with roads construction, drainage, plotting and layout and architectural masterpiece.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of the project, Mr. Cubana said: “Yes, I have broken every record when it comes to entertainment, not only in Nigeria but throughout Africa, and there’s need for us to diversify and offer quality service to our various clientele.

“That’s why we incorporated the golf course. You can just take a walk from your house to the play golf. You don’ t need to drive anywhere.

“We have the low-income earners in our plans. That’s why we are saying it’s for everyone. Also, we are creating hundreds of jobs for all manners of people.”

He added that the Luxury Apartment will cost a whopping $1 million (about N620 million), saying the Estate is having 12-month timeline to be ready to the public.

“The Estate will boast of 24-hour power supply, central sewage system, shopping mall, banking , gymnasium with a golf course”, he further stated.

It was gathered that eco-friendly blocks that are fire retardant will be used throughout in the construction of the exquisite homes.

Dignitaries that attended the glamorous groundbreaking event include former Kogi state Governor Idris Wada, Maj-Gen.B.A Abba, Senator Bola Origen, Hon. Mohammed Ibrahim, Sir Dave Nwosu, Dr. Shuaibu Mohammed and several business associates and members of the diplomatic missions.

The business mogul who chairs Cubana Groups, is renowned for entertainment, hospitality, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the temporary forfeiture of a property linked to Abubakar Dasuki, son of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to the Federal Government.

The property, located at House No. D1064 at the Brains and Hammers Estate, Apo, Abuja, is a seven-bedroom detached

duplex with basement and two servant rooms.

The order of temporary forfeiture of the property said to worth N90 million was sequel to a formal request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The application, which was moved yesterday by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Olanrewaju Adeola is marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/589/2022 and was filed on April 29.

According to Adeola, the suit

was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and the inherent powers of the court.

He urged the court to grant the application on the grounds that, “The property as contained in the schedule in respect of which the reliefs are sought is subject matter of investigation and is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

“The person under investigation

and in whose possession the property was found had agreed to forfeit it to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” among others.

The judge while granting the request directed the anti-graft agency to give a 14-day notice in a national daily and on its website for interested person(s) to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government and adjourned the matter till July 14 for hearing.

UNIDO Targets 75 Nigerian Industries for Energy Efficiency Dike Onwuamaeze The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has declared that it would support 75 industries in Nigeria to improve their abilities on Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) and Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE).

UNIDO said that this would help them to reduce energy consumption, environmental degradation and resource

depletion.

This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Country Representative and Regional Director, UNIDO Regional Office Hub, Mr. Jean Bakole, during the “GEF-UNIDO Industrial Energy Efficiency and Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production Capacity Building Workshop for Media Stakeholders,” which was held in Lagos State.

Bakole, who was represented

by UNIDO’s Environment Expert, Mr. Oluyomi O. Banjo, said that

UNIDO is presently implementing the Nigeria country programme, which has been approved to be transformed to a Programme for Country Partnership (PCP). He added that the programme, which has environment and energy as its two distinct programmes, would run from 2018 to 2022.

He said: “We hope to support not less than 75 industries across five sectors of food and beverages, wood and furniture, steel and metals, textile and garment and petrochemicals. We will develop

the capacity of the organised private sector and develop not less than 300 Nigerian RECP-IEE experts.

“UNIDO has implemented IEE in over 18 countries around the world and has also implemented RECP in over 60 countries.

This programme will create an opportunity to develop the IEE and RECP methodologies, human capacity building which will also see Nigerians being trained to a global standard as energy assessors and RECP experts.

ADC Presidential Candidate, Kachikwu, Dismisses Tax Evasion, Fraud Allegations Oghenevede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, has dismissed allegations of tax evasion and fraud made against him as untrue, baseless and politically motivated.

An online newspaper had alleged that a United States.

Court had ordered the

confiscation of Kachikwu’s property over tax evasion.

The online platform also alleged that Kachikwu was indicted for fraud in the past and therefore not a first-time offender.

Reacting to the allegations in a statement yesterday, Kachikwu blamed his political opponents for smear campaign against him.

The statement reads: “Yesterday, I was inundated

with calls and messages over a libellous and defamatory publication by an online blog known as Peoples Gazette.

“The publication not only accused me of tax evasion but also accused me of delivering cash bribes to former US Congressman. These are untrue. Here are the facts of the matter: “A few days ago, my campaign team received information that one of the

aspirants who lost out in the just concluded ADC presidential primaries was planning a series of smear campaigns against me.”

The presidential candidate said he was, therefore, not surprised when he saw the story yesterday, adding that contrary to the information being peddled, he was assessed an additional $9million several years ago by the US Inland Revenue Service (IRS).

2023: Kumuyi Flays Muslim-Muslim Ticket Talks Hammed Shittu in Ilorin General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has advised Nigerian political leaders to consult widely and conduct research before coming to conclusion on the issue of Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

Kumuyi told journalists yesterday in Ilorin after meeting with Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq at Government House, Ilorin, that the presidential flag bearers should look at heartbeat of the country and desires of the people before making their decisions.

He said: “Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christan ticket is a difficult and slippery area.

“So, what I will say is that the political office holders should look at the heart beat of the country as well as the desires of the people.

“They should know that they are not there for themselves.

They are there for all of us.

They should ask and make their research about what the country wants; what the people want and we will be confident

that they will listen to us when they get there.”

On the prevailing security challenges in the country, the clergyman applauded the security agents for doing their best.

Kumuyi stated that “by the grace of God, I believe that the security agents are doing their best. We can always improve.

In every area of life I will say there’s room for improvement.

38

THURSDAY JUNE 23, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Military Officer’s Wife, 15 Others Abducted in Kaduna Retired top civil servant abducted in Ekiti John Shiklam in Kaduna and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Sixteen people, including the wife of an army officer have been abducted by terrorists in multiple attacks on communities in Kaduna state.

The wife of the army officer and the six others were said to have been abducted at about 11pm Tuesday when the terrorists attacked Keke ‘A’ and Keke “B” areas of New Millennium City, in Kaduna metropolis.

Also, a retired Chief Pharmacist with the Ekiti Ministry of Health, Mr. Israel Bamisaye, has been abducted by suspected kidnappers.

Residents said the attacks in Kaduna started at about 11pm and lasted for about an hour before security operatives arrived.

The wife of the army officer and two others were abducted during the attack on Keke ‘A’, while four others, a couple and their two house helps were abducted in Keke ‘B’.

One of the residents said: “It appears the main target of the kidnappers was a big house at Keke A, belonging to an army officer. The bandits

came around 11pm. I think their main target was a house at Keke A. The house belongs to an army officer. But the officer was not at home. So, the kidnappers broke into the house and picked his wife. They also

kidnapped another man who is the immediate neighbour of the army officer.

“The neighbour was picked alongside his eight-year old daughter, but they eventually dropped the daughter when

her mother was shouting.

“At that point, they started shooting sporadically to scare away anyone who might think of coming to their aid.

“While all that was happening, another man who

was just returning home in his car at that time ran into the kidnappers. He was the third person that was taken away from our area.”

At Keke ‘B’, a resident confirmed that, a man, his wife

and their two house-helps were abducted.

In yet in other attacks on Gwando community, Kajuru LGA and Ligari community in Chikun LGA of the state, nine people abducted.

CSR IN ACTION…

L-R: Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, Mr. Ekuma Eze; General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni; and Director, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Amaka Onyemelukwe, at the Coca-Cola System beach cleaning exercise held at the Elegushi Beach, in Lagos…recently ETOP UKUTT

Two Persons Arrested for Producing Delta PDP Picks Technocrat as Oborevwori’s Running Mate Fake Drinks in A’Ibom Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Two persons have been arrested in Akwa Ibom State by a combined team of security operatives and government officials for the manufacturing of fake alcoholic beverages and drinks.

The operatives, who were made up of the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Ministry of Environment and Eket Local Government Area Council,

uncovered two illegal distilleries in Ikot Abia, in Okon Eket community of the state.

The Divisional Police Officer of Eket LGA, DSP. Sunday Digha, said Pthat the police worked on intelligence report to raid the illegal distilleries which produced and circulated fake alcoholic beverages in Okon Eket village.

Digha frowned at the development and said that the culprits would be charged to court after investigation.

Don’t Sell Your Votes, Oyetola Begs Electorate Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has urged the people of the state to shun the act of selling their votes to politicians whom he said have been boasting to induce electorate with ‘dollars and pounds’.

Oyetola also explained that the state election is a pointer to the 2023 general election, and

that recently, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had delivered Ekiti State, “so Osun State is the next.”

The governor alleged that a gubernatorial candidate was planning to involve in the act of vote-buying, calling on the people of the state to reject the act, encouraged the electorate should collect their money without voting for them.

Lagos Launches Floating Clinic for Emergency, Outreach Services The Lagos State Government has launched a ‘Floating Clinic Boat’ for swift medical interventions along inland waterways and riverine communities as part of efforts to enhance access to prompt, qualitative and efficient healthcare services across Lagos.

Unveiling the floating clinic after inspection, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, explained that

innovation was introduced to help provide first aid, medical emergency care and basic healthcare services at accident scenes on the inland waterways and riverine communities in Lagos State.

He said: “This is part of initiatives by the Ministry of Health to ensure that we extend our medical and ambulance service to the waterways, remote riverine communities and areas that can only be accessed by water. “

NAHCON Condoles with Sokoto over Bandits’ Attack on Hajj Pilgrims Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Chairman National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan has sent a condolence letter to the government and people of Sokoto State over bandits’ attack on pilgrims from Isa

local government.

The pilgrims were said to be travelling to Sokoto on Monday for take-off to Saudi Arabia for the 2022 Hajj before they were attacked.

The condolence was contained in a statement issued yesterday

by NAHCON spokes person, Fatima Sanda Usara.

After several weeks of speculation, the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has settled for a technocrat and seasoned expert on taxation, Sir Monday John Onyeme, as running mate to its 2023 gubernatorial candidate, the

Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.

He is a 57-year old chartered accountant and has also obtained a Certificate in Information and Communication Technology, as well as a Master Degree in Business Management from the Northumbria University

in Newcastle, United Kingdom.

Onyeme, who is currently the chairman, Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR), hails from Ibabu village in Ndokwa West Local Government Area in the Ndokwa ethnic nationality of Delta North senatorial district.

Onyeme, who also holds a traditional title, served for

nine years as the bursar of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

THISDAY learnt that the party’s state leadership zoned the position to the oil and gas producing Ndokwa nation in Delta North senatorial district following the emergence of Oborevwori from Delta Central as the gubernatorial standard bearer.

Water Scarcity Persists in Katsina Despite N60bn Intervention Francis Sardauna inKatsina

Perennial water scarcity has again hit residents of Katsina State despite the over N60 billion expended on the sector by the Administration of Governor Aminu Bello Masari from 2015 to date.

This was revealed by THISDAY’s investigation, which showed that long queues of water vendors at commercial borehole centres were

rife in both Katsina metropolis and Government Reservation Areas (GRAs).

Findings indicated that residents were forced to patronise water vendors popularly called “Mairuwa” on account of the water scarcity occasioned by failure of the state water board to supply water to homes despite billions spent on the sector.

The State Commissioner for

Water Resources, Mr. Musa Adamu Funtua, told journalists at a press conference that the sum of N18,798,640,116.83 has been approved for the provision of potable water to urban areas between 2015 to 2020.

This is aside the sum of N41,038,773,669.00 allocated to the water sector in the state’s 2022 budget that would, among other things, facilitate the procurement

and installation of 7.5 KVA injection substation at Ajiwa Water Treatment Plant at the cost of N353,682,129.60.

But a visit by THISDAY to Rimi Guza, Makurda and Sheme communities in Rimi and Mashi Local Government Areas of the state, revealed that hundreds of residents of the communities lived at the mercy of water vendors and ponds for their daily water supply.

Court Reinstates Sacked Lagos Education Varsity Deputy Registrar

Wale Igbintade

Justice Elizabeth Oji of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Lagos Division, has declared the compulsory retirement of the Deputy Registrar of the Lagos State University of Education, Mr. Bola Sikiru Disu, unlawful, and consequently ordered the reinstatement to his substantive

position as the deputy registrar of Lagos State University of Education (formally Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education) Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos State.

The court held that Disu’s compulsory retirement was in breach of the provisions of Chapter 3 of the Senior Staff Conditions of Service, Section 32 of Lagos State College of

Education Law, Chapter L11, Laws of Lagos State 2003, Lagos State Public Service Rules 2015, and the claimant’s constitutional right of fair hearing enshrined in Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, and therefore, it’s unlawful, null and void.

The court also granted all the reliefs sought by the former registrar, which included the

payment of all his entitlements since his purported compulsory retirement on August 31, 2016.

The court declared that the university’s disciplinary committees set up to look into the matters relating to Disu, in the eyes of the law, constituted themselves into the claimant’s accusers and judges in their own case.

Man, 50, Jailed for Raping Four-year-old in Ekiti Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 50- year old man, Mr. Usman Tajudeen, to life imprisonment for raping a four- year old minor.

Usman was arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on one

count charge of rape, contrary to Section 31 (2) of the child’s Right Law, Cap.C7 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

Delivering his judgment yesterday, Justice Ogunmoye said that the prosecutor had established before the court that the defendant had sexual intercourse with the minor and

committed the offence of rape as charged.

“In all, the prosecution had proved his case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant. The sole issue for determination is resolved in favour of the prosecution.

The defendant is convicted as charged.

“The sentence for the offence of rape under Child’s Right Law is mandatory. He is sentenced to life imprisonment,” the court ruled.

The charge reads “that you Usman Tajudeen, on August 21, 2020, at Ikere Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did rape a 4 year old girl.”

FRSC Inaugurates Dangote Truck Driving School Dangote Cement Plc yesterday launched the Dangote Articulated Truck Driving School in a move to inculcate safe driving culture in its drivers so as to stem the tide of road crashes.

The opening of the school in

partnership with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the company management reasoned that that would also make the drivers become better road users.

The driving academy, which was officially inaugurated by

Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Olayemi Oyeyemi, was described as historic and unique.

The new academy for truck drivers, according to the Corps Marshal, is a significant step forward that will benefit not

only the Dangote Group but Nigeria in general.

The country’s road safety chief hailed President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for taking ‘a big step’ towards reducing truck Road accidents.

39

THURSDAY, ͺͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Sadio Mane: Right Time for My Bayern Munich Challenge Says Senegal forward after signing a three-year contract at Allianz Arena Sadio Mane has completed a £35m move from Liverpool to Bayern Munich on a three-year contract.

The Reds will receive 32m euros (£27.4m) with an additional 6m euros based on appearances, plus 3m euros for individual and team achievements.

Liverpool turned down two bidsfrom Bayern before agreeing a fee for the Senegal forward, who was under contract until next summer.

"This is the right time for this challenge," said the 30-year-old.

"I felt the great interest of this big club from the start so there was no doubt in my mind."

Mane joined Liverpool for £34m from Southampton in June 2016,and scored 120 goals in 269 games, finishing last season with 23 goals in all competitions.

"Sadio Mane is a world star who underscores the appeal of FC Bayern and increases the attractiveness of the entire Bundesliga," said Bayern President Herbert Hainer. "It is for such unique footballers that the fans come to the stadiums.

Mane helped Liverpool win the Champions League and the Premier League, and in February scored the

TRANSFER NEWS winning penalty as Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nationsfor the first time.

"With his outstanding performances and his great successes at the highest international level over many years, there are very few players like him in the world," added Bayern's chief executive Oliver Kahn.

"We're sure that Sadio Mane will delight our fans in the coming years with his spectacular style of play.

He's ambitious and eager to win more titles. This package is very strong. With players like him at FC Bayern, all the biggest goals are possible."

Last week Liverpool confirmed the signing of Uruguay forward Darwin Nunezfrom Benfica for an initial £64m.

In a farewell interview for the Liverpool website,Mane said: "It is really strange to no longer be a Liverpool player but I had an unbelievable time. I am going to be Liverpool's number one fan forever."

....Bayern: No Deal with Barca on Lewandowski Sadio Mane...completes Bayern Munich switch

Robert Lewandowski...Bayern insist no deal this summer window

Edo Upbeat Ahead of 22nd Commonwealth Games Trials in Benin City Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Twenty-four hours to the muchanticipated trials for the 22nd Commonwealth Games and the Athletics World Championships scheduled for the prestigious Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, the Edo State Government has declared its readiness to make the event one of the best in recent times.

Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon. Philip Shaibu yesterday restated the readiness and commitment of the government and people of the state to showcase the world-class facilities and equipment for the success of the competition.

“The Government and good People of Edo State, the heartbeat of Nigeria, are profoundly delighted to welcome athletes and officials to the Commonwealth and World Athletics Championships Trials being hosted by Edo State.

"For us, this event billed to last for three days between 24th and 26th of June,2022in the ancient city of Benin is very historic, as Edo is hosting the trials for the first time in the history of the competition,” observed the deputy governor.

Similarly speaking on the readiness of the state to host the trials, Chairman of Edo Sports Commission, Yusuf Alli, expressed his joy over the state government's readiness and support for hosting

sporting events in the state.

"I am so excited with the level of support we are getting from His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki.

The state government's interest in sports is second to none.

"For instance, the govt has given us the full assurance of hosting the Commonwealth trials in a manner that has not been witnessed in Nigeria, this gives me joy.

"One thing I can assure you is that the athletes, the officials and the journalists will have a memorable

time in Benin. Everything from decent accommodation to security and transportation is being put in place.

"This is coupled with first-class facilities at the Ogbe Stadium. On behalf of the state government and the people of Edo State, I want to welcome the athletics family to Benin.

"I also want to use this opportunity to invite athletics fans wherever they are to troop out to cheer the best of Nigerian athletes

who are reading to make Nigeria proud during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom as well as the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA,” observed Alli, a former Team Nigeria Captain.

Athletes and officials have started arriving in Benin City ahead of the trials starting on Friday, June 24th.

The Open/Closed trial will see over 480 athletes compete for slots in Birmingham and about 111 officials for the trials.

Bayern Munich Chief Executive, Hasan Salihamidzic, has warned Robert Lewandowski that they are ready to reject any amount Barcelona will offer for his signature.

Barcelona are pushing to sign the Poland striker, who has openly declared he wants the deal to be done.

However, at yesterday’s presentation of new signing Sadio Mane, Salihamidzic said: “Our position on this matter is clear: Robert has a contract until the summer of 2023.

Mark D’Ball Championships: Igoche’s Plaudits for Stakeholders The Initiator and Chief Executive Officer of Mark D’Ball Basketball Championships, Mr. Igoche Mark, has thanked all those who contributed in different ways towards a hugely successful 10th edition of the championship.

It was the first edition to be held in Abuja, the nation's federal

LASU, UI Draw as HiFL 2022 Kicks off across Nigeria UNILAG, DELSU, BUK record victories

The 2022 edition of the Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) got off to a thrilling start on Tuesdaywith matches played across five centres.

HiFL is an initiative of Pace Sports Entertainment and Marketing Limited in collaboration with the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) and sponsored by StanbicIBTC, Bold and the Lagos State Internal Revenue Services.

In the match played at the Lagos State University Sports Complex, the Lagos State University Football team, LASU Blazers played a 1-1 draw with the UI Pioneers from the University of Ibadan.

The UI Pioneers took an early

lead and scored the opening goal through a penalty in the fourth minute after a rash challenge from one of the Blazers defenders.

Ijimakinwa Oluwakayode of the Pioneers took the penalty and sent the Blazer’s keeping in the wrong direction.

The Blazers did not wait too long to equalise the game through a goal from Opeyemi Tokede in the 13th minute after a good run of pressure on the Pioneer's defence.

Tokede in jersey number 14 scored with a screamer from outside the 18-yard box.

Speaking after the game, Coach of LASU Blazers, Omosaiye Thompson thanked the organisers for the laudable initiative in helping

to bring together students from different parts of the country and allowing them to showcase their talents every year.

In his reaction, Coach of UI Pioneers, Eduviere Allen said he was impressed with the game's outcome and praised his boys for playing to his instruction.

He promised to improve their performance to qualify for the next round as he maintained that “my team is here to make a statement.”

In the second match played at the centre, OOU Gatekeepers from Olabisi Onabanjo University came from behind to defeat the FUOYE Dazzlers from Federal University of Oye-Ekiti 2-1 and took the lead

“I hope that we will see Lewandowski in Säbener Strasse to train on July 12.”

The Bayern executive was also asked about a possible higher offer from FC Barcelona, but he assured the club’s fans that he is not going to change his position on the matter.

“I don’t care,” he declared.

Lewandowski has already said publicly on several occasions he wants to leave before his contract expires in 2023 and has called on the club to try and find a solution.

in the group.

Uthman Teslim gave the FUOYE fans something to celebrate in the 57th minute before Olabode Samuel and Olusukanmi Oluwasegun scored in the 63rd and 64th minutes to take the game past the FUOYE boys.

In other centres, UNILAG Marines defeated ABUAD Stars 3-1, BUK Stallions defeated UNIJOS Highlanders 1-0; UAM Tillers played a goalless draw with the team from Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University while DELSU Titans beat the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun 7-2. The Group games that started on Tuesday will end on Sunday, June 26.

capital.

In a statement he signed on behalf of the Organisers of the 2022 Mark D’Ball Basketball Championship, Mark said the success achieved in this year's championships which saw a total of 24 elite men's teams and 16 women's teams compete for honours, testifies to the irreversible fact that the new era of the nation's domestic basketball has come.

He enunciated that by this his pet project, the new face of Nigeria's basketball is well underway and fully on course to achieving greatness.

Mark who is also a factional President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), also reserved praises for the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports; Officials of the federation (NBBF), Referees, Technical Officials, Club Owners, Security Operatives, Coaches, Players, and the Media for their unflinching and professionsl support throughout the period of the championships.

He pledged his absolute loyality to all facets of the slam and dunk game in Nigeria. Mark further promised to invest more resources and time in the game with a view to engendering a rancour-free NBBF.

Thursday, June 23, 2022

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE

Ayo Fayose to Tom Ikimi

“Age, they say, comes with decorum and maturity, not only grey hair. It appears that the reverse is the case with Chief Tom Ikimi, who is ranting on matters of Ekiti. Apart from being Chairman of (defunct) National Republican Convention (NRC), a party he led to electoral defeat in 1993, has he ever contested or won a state election?

If Ikimi is seeking relevance with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, he should do same more decently”—Blame game over PDP defeat at last weekend governorship election

OLUSEGUNADENIYI Mbaka and Democracy in Nigeria THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

S

ince the advent of our democratic dispensation in 1999, every election has witnessed some sort of drama from the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministries Enugu (AMEN), Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, especially in the Southeast. His stock rose even higher in the prelude to the 2015 presidential election when he first predicted that then incumbent Goodluck Jonathan would be re-elected, before recanting to say the main opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, would win. With the latter ‘prophecy’ eventually coming to pass, Mbaka has since trained his spiritual antennae on Abuja and those who seek to be president of Nigeria. But in confronting the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, Mbaka may have bitten more than he could chew.

In a recent ‘homily’, Mbaka declared that Obi can never be president of Nigeria. Like his previous fall-out with other politicians, it was all about unmet expectation. “A stingy man that cannot give people his money with this hunger ravaging the land and you are saying he is the one you want. You want to die of hunger? Are you people insane? Where is the Holy Spirit?” asked Mbaka who dealt heavy blows on the former Anambra State Governor and running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abukakar in the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “It is now that Atiku is seriously contesting for president; now that he is contesting without Peter Obi; it is now that he is serious…Peter Obi is going nowhere as far as God lives.”

Following the uproar that greeted the ‘sermon’, especially on social media where Obi has a strong support base, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Calistus Onaga, announced the suspension of all religious activities by Mbaka and his Adoration Ministry. But this is an issue the

The Wigwes at 60

I

have over the years benefitted from the kindness of some members of the older generation of Nigerians who, for inexplicable reasons, have taken me as their son. These are hand-lifters who have at different times encouraged and supported me and my family.

One is the former Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Director General, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe.

Ever since he read a column I wrote in 2001 and called, he has taken me and my wife under his wings, always praying for us, as he does for several other young families. Despite the fact that we left Lagos in 2007, he has kept in constant touch. It is therefore with delight that I learnt during the week that Pastor Wigwe and his wife will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this Sunday. In the world in which we live, the Wigwes are a perfect example of what marriage and family is all about. And for those who are curious about names, the Wigwes are the parents of Herbert, the Group Managing Director of Access Bank, and my sister, Joyce, until recently the Executive Director for Government Affairs and Policy in West Africa at General Electric.

I wish them a happy diamond anniversary.

Mbaka Catholic Church must handle with care lest they create a social problem in Enugu and environ.

Whatever the misgivings regarding Mbaka’s theology and politics, thousands depend on him, essentially because the reverend father takes from the rich to empower the poor. That means a lot in an impoverished society like ours and explains why there was a protest last weekend about the shutdown of the Adoration Ministry.

Before I go further, it is important to situate how Mbaka moved from a local champion to national limelight. On 9th December 2014, the then First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan’s visit to Enugu included a detour to the ‘Adoration Ground’ for a special prayer. Instructively, Mrs Jonathan was asked to take the scriptural reading from the Biblical Book of Genesis chapter 12; verses 2 and 3: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” With the service over, Mbaka released birds he said would go and fight for the First Family after prophesying that Jonathan would be re-elected.

Precisely 22 days later, at the Cross-over

service on 31st December 2014, Mbaka titled his message ‘From Good Luck to Bad Luck’. After accusing the Jonathan administration of failure in all sectors, Mbaka said: “We need change.

NEPA is not working because of corruption.

The privatization of public companies has not yielded any fruit because of corruption.

Nigerians are sick and tired of wasting innocent lives without government doing enough to stop the destruction.” More tellingly, Mbaka told his congregation that one of the birds released during Mrs Jonathan’s visit three weeks earlier had refused to fly. “All the other birds I released flew away but the healthiest of them which is Jonathan’s bird could not fly. I tried to make it fly but it could not fly,” said the cleric who then added a clincher: “Nigerians are calling for change. We need a change. We don’t want to move from bad luck to bad luck; Nigerians want to move from bad luck to good luck.”

Mbaka spent the remaining part of the sermon essentially campaigning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate. And when Buhari won, Mbaka was received in Aso Rock with fanfare. In an interview he later granted, Mbaka explained that the problem started because Mrs Jonathan would not oblige him with her direct mobile line. That was a fatal political error. People who know Mbaka liken him to Constantin Demeris, the fictional Greek tycoon in Sidney Sheldon’s bestseller, ‘The Other Side of Midnight’, reputed as never forgetting an insult nor forgiving an injury. And many politicians know that. But the power Mbaka wields is also derived from the mismanagement of our affairs.

My column 20 years ago on the Mbaka phenomenon (7th March 2002 to be precise), ‘Before the Slide into Adoration Ground’, followed a stampede that claimed the lives of 14 worshippers and injured scores of others.

He accused the then Enugu State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani of instigating the mayhem.

I crave the indulgence of readers to recall a few lines from the piece: “…The man of the moment in Enugu today is a young, fiery and charismatic reverend father. The attraction of the cleric is that in a system where government has become rather removed from the people, it is very easy for the critic to be popular.

Father Ejike Mbaka is almost a cult figure. So

Lumumba in Memoriam

C

ome Monday, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will celebrate its 62nd anniversary of independence.

But the real highlight of that day will be the official burial of a lone tooth, the only surviving remains of the assassinated first post-independence Prime Minister, and icon of African liberation, Patrick Lumumba. The story of how Lumumba was ousted from power and murdered in January 1961, before his body was dismembered and dissolved in acid is just too gory. But in his column yesterday, my colleague, Kayode Komolafe recounted the sinister role played by the Belgian colonial authorities at the time while also paying an appropriate tribute. I leave readers with the

moving lines of Lumumba’s last letter from custody to his wife, Pauline Opango: “Neither brutality, nor cruelty nor torture will ever bring me to ask for mercy, for I prefer to die with my head unbowed, my faith unshakeable and with profound trust in the destiny of my country, rather than live under subjection and disregarding sacred principles. History will one day have its say, but it will not be the history that is taught in Brussels, but the history which will be taught in the countries freed from imperialism and its puppets. Africa will write her own history, and to the north and south of the Sahara, it will be a glorious and dignified history.”

I say Amen to that!

popular is he that I have been told that there are two Governors in Enugu now: One in the Lion Building as the Government House is called. The other one holds court weekly at the Adoration Ground…Mbaka does not offer any alternative to (Governor Chimaroke) Nnamani in terms of leadership, but he at least says the kind of things the displaced, the disenchanted, the hungry and the marginalised would love to hear. He can articulate their anger. He can put words to their disappointment. And he can apportion blames. People like that offer temporary relief in times of distress and they can cause trouble for those in authority…”

I am pretty sure that Mbaka will soon be back to business. The Catholic Church cannot shut down the Adoration Ministry for long without social upheaval. I hope the reverend father will also learn useful lessons from this experience. But my main message is to young Nigerians who are enthusiastic about the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC). It is commendable that they want to exercise their franchise in 2023, but they need to go beyond that to seek a seat at the table. This requires getting involved in political parties and demanding accountability of public officials.

Democracy must mean more than voting at periodic elections. It must translate into a better life for people. Until that happens, Nigerians will continue to troop to the Adoration Grounds that offer nothing more than temporary relief to long term problems.

The universally accepted definition of democracy is one by the 16th United States President, Abraham Lincoln: ‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people’. But I prefer that of the late American journalist and scholar, Henry Louis Mencken which defines democracy as “the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.” Whichever we go with, the constant is that people’s welfare is, or should be, at the centre of any democratic project. Sadly, we run a system where voting has become an end in itself. And with that, those who romanticise collection of their PVC merely play into the hands of politicians who behave as though they are doing the people a favour while mismanaging public affairs.

The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, last week took two important decisions that tell a compelling story not only about the place of accountability in the Nigerian public service but also about the nature of our democracy. First, the governor declared this week (from Monday 20th to Friday 24th June) work free to enable the public and civil servants in the state go to their respective communities to obtain their PVC. He also directed, as a matter of priority, that all commissioners, special advisers, permanent secretaries and other public office holders, as well as party officials and traditional rulers must monitor and supervise the ongoing voter registration exercise.

That done, the governor then approved the appointment of an additional 169 top government officials and aides, “in a bid to promote unity within the APC in the state.”

Continued on page 22

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com