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NESO: Nigeria Generates Only 15.6% of National Electricity Requirement As NERC updates list of meter providers Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigeria Electricity System Operator (NESO) has revealed that at its peak, Nigeria’s power sector was only able to

generate about 15.6 per cent of the total projected national daily requirement of 28.880 megawatts.

NESO, a semi-autonomous arm under the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is

responsible for operating the transmission system in a safe and reliable manner.

The TCN network spreads to all parts of the country and across the border to several neighbouring countries. Nigeria

is a net exporter of power.

A trend analysis of data released by the system operator and compiled by THISDAY, indicated that despite the various financial interventions by the federal government, mostly through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the last seven

years, only a paltry average of 4,500MW was actually generated every day.

To make matters worse, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which is fully owned by the federal government, is able to wheel the entire generation to Nigerian

homes, sometimes, due to dilapidated infrastructure.

The data released by NESO showed that the country needs approximately 28.880MW, but is barely able to push 5,000MW for use by homes and business concerns in the country.

Continued on page 40

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PDP Caucus: NCC Misled House on e-Transfer of Results Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for criminal investigation and prosecution of officials of the Nigerian Communications

Commission (NCC) for alleged perjury and deliberately misleading the House over the possibility of electronic transmission of election results.

Leader of the PDP Caucus, Hon. Kingley Chinda, in a statement issued on Tuesday, alleged that

the officials lied under oath while appearing before the House on Friday to explain the possibility of having results of elections transmitted electronically from across Nigeria.

Following a stalemated consideration of the report on the

Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill over the controversial Clause 52(2), Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, had called for the suspension of the exercise and summoned the NCC and the Independent National Electoral Commission to appear and guide

the lawmakers on Friday.

While INEC did not show up, officials of the NCC led by the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management), Adeleke Adewolu; Executive Commissioner (Technical Services), Ubale Maska, and two others

appeared before the lawmakers.

Maska, however, answered all the questions asked by the lawmakers.

In the statement titled ‘NCC Lied to Nigerians on Electronic Transmission of Votes and Should Continued on page 40

Buhari: News of Downed Fighter Jet Devastating, But Relieved Pilot Survived Hails Dairo’s gallantry Bandits wanted me alive, says officer Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he was initially devastated by the news of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet, which was downed over the weekend by terrorist bandits in Zamfara State, but that the survival of the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, who successfully ejected from the aircraft after it came under “intense ground fire” later Continued on page 40

Abdulsalami Urges Bandits, Kidnappers to Renounce Criminality... Page 5 YUSUPH BUHARI IS TALBAN DAURA DESIGNATE...

L-R: Sabi'uTunde, Special Assistant, Office of the President, Yusuf Buhari (Talban Daura designate) and President Muhammadu Buhari, shortly after the Eid Prayers in Daura …yesterday

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NEWS

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

PRAYING AT EID-ELKABIR...

L-R: Alhaji Ibrahim Osho Adigun; Chief Razaq Akanni Okoya; Alhaji Tajudeen Okoya and Dr. Akanni Bashorun, during the 2021 Eid-elkabir prayer held at Oluwanishola Estate, Victorial Island, Lagos...yesterday MUBO PETERS.

Abdulsalami Urges Bandits, Kidnappers to Renounce Criminality Laleye Dipo in Minna A former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) has urged bandits, kidnappers and other criminals terrorising the country to renounce all forms of criminality.

The former military leader and the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello yesterday paid the traditional Sallah homage to another former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) at his Hilltop residence in Minna, Niger State.

The duo drove directly from the Eid- prayer ground to the former military president’s residence after observing the two rakkat prayer.

Journalists were however not allowed access into Babangida’s residence during the visit.

Babangida was not at the Eid prayer ground for the Eid-el-Kabir two rakkat prayer, which could have necessitated the visit. But no reason was adduced to his absence at the prayer.

The visit by the duo lasted barely one hour after which both leaders retired to their homes for a continuation of the celebration.

Abdulsalami, while speaking to journalists after the prayer appealed to "miscreants" in the country to have a rethink and repent for peace and stability to reign in Nigeria.

He also prayed to Allah to touch the hearts of criminal elements so that they would denounce banditry, kidnapping cattle rustling and all forms of criminalities.

Abdulsalami, after congratulating Muslims on the celebration, charged them to continue to remain peaceful and orderly as well as assist one another.

Governor Bello, who also

spoke to journalists after the prayers, harped on the need for peace and unity among all Nigerians.

He called on Nigerians to pray fervently for peace and especially for the security

agencies so that they would restore normalcy to troubled areas of the country.

Bello noted that most parts of Nigeria were bedevilled by insecurity, but was optimistic that God would bring peace

A group, Democracy Vanguard of Nigeria in Diaspora (DVND) has written a letter to the United States of America through its Nigerian Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard, demanding a visa ban on all the senators who voted against the electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria.

The group in a statement issued Tuesday by its President, Timothy Sule, described the action as shameful, disdainful, and completely reprehensible, saying it smacks of a clear

and security agencies to achieve maximum result.

Aliyu implored leaders at all levels to come up with deliberate policies targeted at reducing the current hardship facing many Nigerians.

Analysts Explain Eight Years of Zero Commercial Airlines’ Accident in Nigeria Hail regulator, operators

Chinedu Eze Aviation experts have identified factors responsible for the longest period in the history of air transport in Nigeria without any record of accident involving commercial airliners.

They, however, hailed the federal government and operators in the industry over efforts to ensure that the positive record was sustained.

The last accident recorded by any commercial airline in the country was the Associated Aviation Flight 361, a domestic charter flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, whichoccurred on October 3, 2013, in which 16 persons on board died, while four persons survived.

Commenting on factors responsible for the eight years zero-accident record, the Commissioner/CEO of Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N), Akin Olateru, attributed it to improvement in air safety as

well as efficient activities of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and that of AIB-N. He explained that NCAA had oversight function of regulating the operations of airlines, while AIB-N investigated serious incidents and made safety recommendations to the regulatory authority thatimplemented those recommendations and why Nigeria’s civil aviation industry had enjoyed the longest period of zero accident so far.

Olateru also noted that accidents don’t just happen, saying they build up over time, “but because AIB-N carries out investigations and makes recommendation to NCAA, which implements those recommendations, the possibility of an accident is nipped in the bud.”

He, however, added: “When it comes to safety matters you credit it to NCAA and AIB-N. NCAA has oversight responsibility and AIB-N investigates serious incidents and accidents and makes recommendation to

NCAA, which implements those recommendations. So, possible accidents are averted with the implementation of AIB-N recommendations.

“This is why it is important that the two agencies are working together. And that is why we have independent AIB-N so that it would be free to carry out investigations and come up with safety recommendations.

“Also, airlines have come to realise the huge cost of having an accident so they have also imbibed the safety culture and ensure that they operate safety and also abide by the standard set by the regulatory authority, which oversights their activities,” Olateru said.

In his opinion, the Accountable Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo, told THISDAY that education, better training and efficient regulation have contributed in improving air safety in Nigeria, noting that operators have become more conscious about safety and the introduction of Safety Management System

Electoral Act:: Group Writes US, DemandsVisa Ban on 80 Senators Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

back to the nation.

A former governor of the state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, while exchanging views with journalists after the prayers, also advised Nigerians to support and collaborate with government

contempt for the Nigerian People.

It therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold assent on any Electoral Act bill that failed to incorporate electronic voting, order of elections to start with Governorship and State Assemblies and then Presidential and National Assemblies.

It stated: "We call on the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, African Union and all ally countries to take urgent actions to nip this brewing conflagration in the bud before it consumes the nation

and creates a massive refugee crisis in the world.

"In the meantime, we have attached names of all those legislators who played one role or the other in the suppression and undermining democracy in Nigeria for a visa ban. Their family members shall not be spared of the impending visa ban as well.

"This noble intention was vehemently and vigorously challenged by some legislators from a particular zone and political party. These unpatriotic elements eventually succeeded in throwing out such a noble intention into the abyss."

The group therefore commended a few progressive opposition legislators in the Senate and the House of Representatives led by Senator Ehinanya Abaribe and Ndidi Elumelu respectively who stood for Nigeria when the occasion demanded.

It noted that those who exempted themselves from the chambers without a valid reason are equally reprimanded and condemned, adding that while those who were conspicuously absent are no better than those who shot the amendment down with their selfish and insensitive agenda.

(SMS) has also contributed in improving safety in airline operation in Nigeria.

Mbanuzuo noted that the training of engineers and the introduction of Flight Crew Resource Management, which empowered personnel to voice out their fears and recommendations, have helped to improve safety in the airspace.

“The issues that have led to improved safety in Nigeria air transport are complex. But I think education and training have contributed to that. There is better training and regulation and operators have become more conscious of air safety with the introduction of SMS. “There is also improved training of engineers and the introduction of Crew Resource Management, which had led to the training of people on how to speak up and take action.

“Overall, training has been much better. We actually operate in a more hostile environment, but training and management of the airlines have been top notch.

So, people speak out about issues before they explode and in that way, problems are averted.”

To the Senior Executive of the upcoming airline, NG Eagle, Captain Ado Sanusi, operators have imbibed safety culture and regarded it as top priority. He also hailed the NCAA which ensured that airlines strictly follow laid out regulation in its safety oversight, adding that such regulation has improved tremendously.

Further, he identified the passage of new regulation by the National Assembly, which has aided the improvement of oversight function of NCAA, the predilection of airlines to acquire more modern aircraft and the improvement of airport infrastructure, especially, navigational aids by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency

(NAMA), which established the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), the improvement of communication in the airspace and Instrument Landing System (ILS).

“Operators have imbibed safety culture. There is improved oversight function by NCAA, which ensures that airlines strictly follow the rules and this has improved tremendously and airlines now acquire modern aircraft, which have improved systems and there is also improvement in infrastructure with the establishment of TRACON, Voice Ominidirectional Radio Range (VOR), which has improved communication in the airspace and the installation of Instrument Landing System (ILS).

“Also, the establishment of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) by Aero Contractors has helped because technical issues developed by aircraft like snags are taken care of in that facility instead of leaving it until the time the aircraft will go for major checks. So, when there is technical problem they take it to Aero and get it repaired.

“Then, we have to acknowledge that the Boeing 737 Classic is a more reliable aircraft and the main operational aircraft among Nigerian airlines. They have contributed in the improvement of safety,because they are more reliable aircraft,” Sanusi said.

A senior official in the Aerodrome Engineering Department in NCAA told THISDAY that there is increased oversight by the agency.

The spokesman of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, attributed the success recorded in the past eight years to strict enforcement of compliance to safety regulations, operators’ adherence to rules of the game, training and retraining of personnel on both sides and increased surveillance and inspections.

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NEWS ABIODUN HOSTS IMAMS...

L-R: Wakeel Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta State, representing the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Iskil Lawal; Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Sheik Mufutau Ayanbadejo; Chief of Staff to the Ogun State Governor, Shuaib Salis; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Chief Imam of Yewaland and President, League of Imams & Alfas, Sikirulai Babalola and the Chief Imam of Remoland, Imam Abdulkadir Junaid shortly after lunch to mark Eid-el-Kabir at the Governor's country home, Iperu, Ogun State... yesterday

Buhari: NYSC Has Created More Opportunities to Unite Nigerians Charges security agencies to step up efforts to secure country Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has said the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has created more opportunities to unite Nigerians since its establishment in 1973 than any other initiative.

This is as the president, on Tuesday, called on the nation's security agencies to step up their efforts to adequately secure the country, surprised that only 2.5 per cent of the arable lands in Nigeria was being cultivated at the moment.

Buhari, in a release by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, spoke in his country home, Daura,

Katsina State while playing host to youth corpers, and expressed his deep attachment to the NYSC scheme and impact so far, saying it broadens the horizon of citizens, opens up opportunities and enhances understanding of cultural differences.

The president said he had consistently commended former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon for the initiative, which had created more opportunities for uniting the country.

His words: "Every time I meet with former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, like recently, I still commend him for the initiative of the NYSC. The NYSC is spectacular in many ways."

The President said the NYSC

scheme was well thought-out to unite the country through understanding.

“I feel very strongly about the NYSC and I am wishing you all the very best. I assure you that you will be much better as Nigerians after your experience,” he added.

President Buhari urged the youth corps members to make the most out of the opportunity of travelling around the country, especially, in understanding different climates, cultures, languages and views on life.

"Some of you have come from Port Harcourt, Lagos and Calabar and you can now feel the heat of Daura and how close it is to the desert".

The President, in the mood of the festive season, gave the corps members two cows from his farm, 20 bags of rice and one million naira.

Earlier, the Corps Liason Officer, Umaru Babayo, thanked the President for all the efforts and sacrifices to restore peace in the country, and the policies to diversify the economy, with agriculture as the main driver.

He said the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, had shown a lot of kindness and warmth to corps members as well in his domain, appreciating the community for always supporting them.

Babayo assured the president of their prayers for a successful

Presidency: PDP Not in Position to Win 2023 Elections Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Presidency Tuesday ruled out the possibility of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winning the 2023 presidential election in the country.

It has, therefore, urged the party to forget about the forthcoming 2023 polls because the masses adores President Muhammadu Buhari and will not abandon him.

The Senior Special Assistant to President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, told newsmen in Daura, Katsina

State, that Nigerians know too well than to allow another party take over in 2023.

According to him: "We believe the PDP and other opposition parties are nursing false hopes of taking power comes 2023.

The masses will never abandon President Buhari’s leadership and the APC. I assure you that in 2023, the masses will be waiting for the President to show the way in courtesy of what he has been building for the country in terms of infrastructure and wellbeing of young people in the country. Nobody will take the risk by inviting another party to come and take over in 2023.

’’The President enjoys unshakable support not only in his hometown but also across the country and it is enough for the opposition to admit that the

President matters a lot for the ruling party and Nigerians in general. Again he constitutes a political obstacle they cannot dismantle come 2023."

time in office, and God's providence in decision making that would move the country forward.

On security, the president in yet another release by Shehu, mandated security outfits to be more relentless in maintaining peace in the country, and ensuring a better and harmonious relationship with communities so that they could glean intelligence.

According to him, the security situation had improved considerably over time in the North East and South-south, and efforts were being made in North Central and North West, assuring them that more would be done to fish out those that had been troubling the peace of the nation and citizens.

President Buhari also urged more Nigerians to embrace farming, saying he was surprised to hear that only 2.5 per cent of arable lands in the country was being cultivated.

The President, who mentioned

COAS Praises Borno Gov for Motivating Troops MichaelOlugbodeinMaiduguri The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, has commended efforts of the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum in motivating troops engaging terrorist groups in the Northeast.

The Army Chief during a homage to the governor for the Eid-el-Kabir festival at the Government House, Maiduguri, said his host was always paying regular visits to the frontlines, interacting with troops and boosting their morales.

Yahaya, who was in company

with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, said, “From your (Zulum’s) visits to troops on the ground many times, even to several isolated and probably not too secure environments, you have always been there. Every time you have gone, it has gingered and boosted

28 Boko Haram, ISWAP Members, Families Surrender in Borno Operation Hadin Kai commander charges troops to dominate insurgents

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigerian Army has said 28 fleeing members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) as well as their families had surrendered to troops of 151 Task Force Battalion under 21 Special Brigade in Borno State.

The development comes as the Theatre Commander (TC) Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Christopher Musa, charged troops in the theatre of operations to dominate their areas of responsibility against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists (ISWAP) in order to ensure total return of normalcy and peace to the northeast.

An army statement said the terrorists, who were fleeing intense aerial and artillery bombardment surrendered to troops after

sustained interdiction.

It said the terrorists and their families were taken in at the outskirts of Aza and Bula Daloye villages in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State by troops of the battalion on fighting patrol at Miyanti and Darajamel.

"The arrested suspects comprised of 11 adult male terrorists, five adult females and 12 children. The troops also recovered 27 rounds of 7.62 mm (special) ammunition, three AK 47 rifle magazines and a black fragmental Jacket from the suspects," the statement stated, adding that the suspected terrorists were undergoing preliminary investigations.

In a separate operation on July 17, 2021, troops of 7 Division Garrison in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force, acting on credible intelligence tracked and arrested Boko Haram informants and logistics suppliers, during a cordon and search operation

this to journalists at his Daura residence after the Eid-elKabir prayers, stated that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council had notified him that only a small percentage of the land in the country had been used for farming, directing security outfits to work more with communities to create a more friendly environment for farmers.

At the prayer ground, earlier, the Emir of Daura, Faruk Umar Faruk, called on citizens to be more supportive of the President so that he could actualise his vision of improving security and boosting the economy.

He said: “Since the President came into power, we have seen some positive changes in the country. May God continue to strengthen the President with good health and courage to bring peace to the country. God will not allow Nigeria to see shame. God has been keeping the country and he will keep the country.”

in Lawanti and Gongolun Communities of Jere Local Government area of Borno State.

During preliminary investigations, the suspects confessed to have been working as informants for the terrorists, whom they provide with information on troops' movements, locations, deployments, strength, calibre of weapons and other activities.

They also admitted to supplying terrorists with basic logistics for their daily survival, ranging from Petroleum Oil and Lubricant (POL), drugs, mosquito nets, kolanuts, recharge cards and food stuff.

The suspects disclosed that they were remunerated by the terrorists with proceeds made from selling dismantled old motorcycle parts to dealers in order to fund their purchases.

According to the statement, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, commended the proactiveness of the troops in the

ongoing clearance operations. and charged them to maintain the tempo and ensure that the terrorists were smoked out of their enclaves.

Meanwhile, Musa, who charged troops in the theatre of operations to dominate their areas of responsibility against terrorists gave the charge during his visit to troops of Sector 3 in an effort to appraise ongoing operational activities as well as motivate troops of 68 Battalion and 5 Brigade deployed in the frontlines at Mallan Fatori and Damasak respectively.

The visit was in continuation of his familiarisation and operational tour of troops' deployment at the frontlines in the North-east theatre.

Musa, who was briefed on the operational engagements, logistics and challenges of the battalion by the Commanding Officer, Lt Col. Victor Ashinze, appreciated the troops for their selfless sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and

insurgency.

He tasked them to be more resilient and steadfast in the conduct of their operations, noting that as border towns between Nigeria and Niger Republics, the locations were strategic and must therefore be dominated by the troops.

He assured the troops of the determination of the Chief of Army Staff to ensure all requisite logistics and support for a successful conduct of the ongoing counter insurgency war were provided.

The commander further advised the troops to remain focused, disciplined and conduct themselves professionally.

He also visited and commiserated with wounded-inaction troops, who were receiving medical attention.

Musa was accompanied on the visit by Commander, Sector 3, Brigadier General Godwin Mutkut and other principal staff officers from the theatre headquarters.

our morale, including also all the support you have been providing to our operations and activities.

“We can only thank and appreciate His Excellency, the executive governor of Borno State for all the support that he has been providing for us in operation Hadin Kai and even before when it was operation Lafiya Dole and all along.”

Responding, Zulum thanked the service chiefs and their troops for their sacrifices. He said he hadnoted continued improvement in the relationship between the military and the civilian authorities, while urging the military to remain in close collaboration with the state government in order to defeat the decade long insurgency in the northeast.

Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, who spoke on behalf of the legislators, assured the military of support and cooperative working relationship with the governor, towards attainment of lofty goals.

However, on behalf of the state executive council, Borno’s Attorney General and Commissioner forJustice, Barrister Kaka-Shehu Lawan, assured the people of commitment to Zulum’s vision.

Secretary of Borno Elders Forum, Dr. Bulama Mali Gubio, also assured the governor of the support from elders in Borno’s match towards full restoration of peace.

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NEWS UGWUANYI CELEBRATES EID-ELKABIR WITH MUSLIMS...

Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (3rd left); Hon. Cornelius Nnaji (left); State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Augustine Nnamani (2nd left); Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga (right); Chairman, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Jacob Abonyi (2nd left); and Alhaji Sani Friday Nnaji, when the governor celebrated Eid-el-Kabir with the Muslim Community in the council area...yesterday.

Oil Price Edges Up to $69pb after Slumping to Eight-week Low Shell to appeal carbon emission restriction ruling Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Brent, Nigeria’s oil price benchmark steadied at $69.14 yesterday after a coronavirus-driven fall on Monday that saw prices tumble to an eightweek low of $68.62 per barrel.

The commodity’s upward trajectory was reversed with the latest virus waves demonstrating the uneven nature of the economic recovery, with the American Bank, Goldman Sachs, saying the delta variant may curb global oil demand by one million barrels a day for a couple of months.

But the fall from a multi-year high of $77 may not all be bad news for Nigeria, which recently expressed its discomfort over the rising price of the commodity, explaining that as a resourcedependent country, it’s not in its interest for prices to rise above its comfort zone.

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, recently raised the alarm over the rising oil price, saying it was bad for nations like Nigeria since buyers of the country’s crude will either resort to buying less or start the search for alternatives.

Kyari had put the oil price band with which Nigeria will be comfortable with at between $50 to $60, even as Nigeria’s gains from increasing international prices of the product have also been wiped out by payment of petrol subsidy which recently hit N120 billion

monthly.

Monday’s decline had also followed the agreement reached by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) to increase oil production by 400,000 barrels per day starting from August 2021.

Although the OPEC+ deal was expected to see prices rise again to

its pre-pandemic levels, the new strain could hit demand for oil.

Goldman Sachs said the OPEC+ deal to boost oil supply supports its view on oil prices and expects modest “upside” to its $80 per barrel summer Brent price forecast and a $5 upside to its $75 per barrel forecast in 2022.

Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell

yesterday confirmed that it will appeal a Dutch court ruling ordering the energy company to accelerate its carbon emission reduction target.

Shell had previously said it would appeal the May 26 ruling ordering it to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 from 2019 levels, significantly

faster than its current plans.

The Anglo-Dutch company also said it would seek to ramp up its energy transition strategy in the wake of the ruling.

Shell Chief Executive, Ben van Beurden said in a statement yesterday that although the company had already put plans in place to cut its exposure to

Senator Arise: Lawmakers' Rejection of ElectronicVote Transmission Self-serving Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former senator, Ayo Arise, has described the decision by the National Assembly to reject electronic transmission of election results as troubling and self-serving.

Arise, who spoke when he appeared on the Arise News Television, noted that it was not too late for the parliamentarians to reconsider their stance and incorporate the use of electronic transmission of results in the legislation before sending it to the president in the interest of the country.

The ex-lawmaker, who hails from Ekiti, noted that he expected the APC to act differently, having always trumpeted progressivism as the party’s slogan, arguing also that it was obvious that the clause was rejected for selfish reasons.

He maintained that the

position taken by lawmakers from the South-west did not align with the general view of the people of the region, adding that whatever they did was to perpetuate themselves in power through rigging.

“Nobody has approached me about the policy behind the way our senators voted. But it’s deeply troubling, because it's not unique to APC, but I was hoping that my party would look more into the future than what looks like an attempt at self-perpetuation in office or a deference to self security.

“I believe that this sits clearly with the National Assembly members. For me, why it's troubling is because this would continue. If another party comes to power, they will also want to preserve this type of policy that would put some shadow on transparency,” he said.

Arise explained that in Nigeria, rigging takes place in the process of results

transmission, and positedthat since there was already electronic voting in place, the next best thing would have been to take a step further by transmitting results electronically.

“If it's not done now, it will still have to be done sometime in the future, because it's the best for us. We have to start thinking about our country, about the future of this nation and reduce selfish thoughts that one has to be in office and must be able to have control, to manipulate what the results will be at the end of the day,” he stated.

According to him, if there was no intention to manipulate, then the electronic transmission of results would not have been rejected at this point in time in the country.

“It's not about ourselves, it's about our future. What is good, and what everybody should be thinking first, is about Nigeria. So, I don't think it's about ourselves. It's

about delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of this country.

“We have made some tremendous progress over the years, I don't know why this suddenly became a problem.

Anyhow you look at it, we have to move forward from point A to point B, and the progress of this nation is paramount,” he maintained.

In a separate interview on the news channels, Chairman , Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said depending on the level of data protection required, additional security may be needed if Nigeria decides to embrace electronic election result transmission.

He explained that while the first generation of technology supports voice only, the 2G delivers voice and text messages while the third generation delivers voice, data and video,

Fayemi, Senators Rejoice with Akeredolu at 65 Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Chairman, Southern Senators Forum, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, have congratulated the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) on his 65th birthday.

Fayemi in a congratulatory message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described Akeredolu as a courageous, reliable, and compassionate leader.

The Governor stated that Akeredolu had spent a larger part of his life serving the people

the fossil fuels industry, the court’s decision could upset its programme towards the 2050 date.

"We agree urgent action is needed and we will accelerate our transition to net zero.

But we will appeal because a court judgment, against a single company is not effective.

What is needed are clear, ambitious policies that will drive fundamental change across the whole energy system,” he said.

as a students’union activist, legal luminary, advocate of good governance and currently as governor, who was leaving no stone unturned in the quest for the betterment of Ondo State and its people.

He described Akeredolu as a dogged fighter, a strong voice in the fight against injustice and a man who never shied away from speaking the truth regardless of whose ox is gored.

He prayed God to give the governor long life and good health in order to continue serving the people more.

"Governor Akeredolu has spent his entire life in the service of his people. He is a

patriotic Nigerian,who is very passionate about one united, peaceful and progressive Nigeria.

A compassionate leader, who is ever concerned about the welfare of his people. We wish him many more useful and productive years in service to God and humanity.

“I, on behalf of my wife, Bisi, the government and good people of Ekiti State, celebrate Governor Akeredolu on his birthday and pray that God gives him long life and good health,” Fayemi added.

Also, Bamidele described Akeredolu as a worthy leader with unparalleled qualities for good governance and service to humanity.

Bamidele, who is representing

Ekiti Central Senatorial District, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that the Ondo populace won't forget the indelible marks already made by the Ondo Governor in the last five years of his administration that has brought positive impacts in all facets of governance.

"I rejoice with you today on behalf of all the 51 Senators from the South on your 65th birthday. You have really shown and displayed uncommon phenomenon as Ondo State Governor, Chairman of the Southwest Governors' Forum and the Chairman of the Southern Governors' Forum.

"You have really exhibited that you are one leader with penchant

for selfless service delivery and uncompromising stature on issues that affect your people.

To this extent, you have carved a niche for yourself as a strong and unsuppressable voice in both regional and national politics.

"Most exhilarating and distinguishable was how you at the most trying periods provided leadership that has made you a darling of many Patriots across party lines. You are indeed a leader with inextinguishable passion.

"We pray that God imbues you with more wisdom and vitality to be able to contribute more services to your fatherland upon which Nigerians have known you to be an exemplar and a role model."

adding that sending encrypted information will need reliable third generation technology.

“In the circumstances, if we 're looking to send reliable data at high speed with very minimal latency, it is best based on the third generation than the second generation.

“If you require information at high speed, with minimal latency and a very high reliability, recommendation will be to do use a 3G network. In terms of availability of service, yes we do have point of presence across the country.

“Under the circumstances of this conversation, I am not sure that what they are talking about is text only. If it's text only, I don't see a problem. But if you say they have to deliver election results and send photographic information, video clips, you will require 3G,” he said.

Adebayo stated that while 2G was present in all the areas of coverage, 3G was not, explaining that half of coverage throughout the country was 3G, while the other half was not, because the platform woulddefine what kind of security and safety the nation should deploy.

"We have enough firewalls to protect the national network and to protect citizens. But again, there's no system that has 100 per cent security. Hackers are traders in it and they are also very smart at what they do, but these are things that are done on a continuous basis.

“You can't come to a point where you say you have built enough firewalls and then you go and rest. It's something we need to continue to build on a daily basis. So far, we have not had any case of hacking into our national network and that speaks to the integrity of what we have put in place. But to say that it can't happen in the future, I can't say it will never happen,” he opined.

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COMMENT

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

JUSTICE FOR MURDERED IGBO TRADERS The killer soldiers must be brought to book, writes Sonnie Ekwowusi

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ast week, precisely on 13th July, 2021, some Nigerian soldiers in a shameless display of military barbarism, swooped on the defenceless Igbo spare parts dealers at the popular Ladipo Market, Mushin, Lagos and shot five Igbo traders there dead on the unfancied allegation that they (soldiers) bought a fake car engine from one of the traders at the market a year ago and had come to the market to have it replaced.

While the soldiers were mowing down the traders they were spontaneously and intermittently shouting, “now that you want to go as Biafrans we will kill you before you go”. Eye-witnesses corroborating accounts unanimously affirmed that as soon the visibly angry and trigger-happy soldiers arrived at the ever-busy Ladipo Market, they jumped out of their vehicle and started complaining aloud that the engine which they bought from the market a year ago was a fake engine and therefore needed to be replaced. The next thing they did to the rude shock of everybody at the market at that material time was to open fire on the defenceless traders and killed five of them on the spot, including the PRO of the Ladipo Market fondly known and addressed by his trader colleagues as “scatter”. No provocation prompted the murder.

Addressing the visibly befuddled traders and sympathizers who had gathered shortly after the dastardly murder, a spokesman of the traders was heard lamenting in tears, “Please, all who are on Social Media, or, wherever you are, all over the world, hear me. This is Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos, where the Igbo traders sell motor spare parts. The soldiers came here on the allegation that the engine they bought from one of us last year should be replaced, and then, before we knew it, they started shooting sporadically at us saying that now that we want Biafra we shall go to Biafra with our own blood. We have wronged nobody…we are just ordinary traders peacefully carrying out our lawful trade inside the market when the soldiers descended on us and started killing us.

We are not in government. They are in government and we said they should keep the government but that notwithstanding they have come here today in search of us to kill us for nothing…we have wronged nobody. Now the battle line is drawn; in a short time we will meet the soldiers in the battle ground.”

This is one murder too many. It is a despicable murder that cries to high heaven for justice. The Ladipo Market murder is not the first of its kind. The Nigerian soldiers under the watch of President Buhari have consistently been killing unarmed innocent civilians and Buhari does nothing to curtail the carnage let alone stop it entirely. Therefore beyond condemnation, this murder should be avenged with justice.

Look, allow me tell you one truth which you may find interesting. No peace without justice because peace grows in the crannies of justice.

Those who think otherwise are gravely mistaken. Fiat justicia ruat coelom. Justice being taken away, said St. Augustine, all are nothing but open robberies. This is why Justice Chukwudifu Oputa (of the blessed memory) once stated, “Injustice breeds intolerance, violence and social disorder in the same way justice brings along with it the blessings of peace and mutual understanding. There will be no peace in a society where justice is denied or defeated. Where there is wrong it is only justice that can right the wrong and thus restore the balance”.

Oputa was right. You cannot hypocritically be going about and preaching “One Nigeria” when you are always killing the same people and marginalizing the same people. It is nauseating that the Nigerian soldiers who should be killing Boko Haram insurgents, bandits, gunmen, hired assassins and kidnappers are turning round and killing

IT IS HIGH TIME NIGERIANS CAME TOGETHER AND AGREED ON CONCRETE TERMS ON HOW TO LIVE TOGETHER AS ONE PEOPLE UNDER ONE NATION. IT IS EITHER WE RESTRUCTURE OR WE PERISH

unarmed civilians. Prior to the murder last week, the traders did not insult the soldiers. They did not refuse to replace the alleged fake car engine as demanded by the soldiers. No altercation or quarrel between the soldiers and traders prior to the murder. So, why open fire on unarmed and defenceless traders without any provocation? But even if the traders insulted the soldiers or refused to replace the alleged fake car engine still the soldiers were not justified in opening fire on the traders. In all civilized societies, all manner of disagreements are settled through due process of the law. Recourse to violence, self-help or any form of brutality or extra judicial means in settling personal quarrels or disputes is not only an invitation to mayhem or breach of public peace, but evidence that we are still occupying the lowest rung of the ladder of human civilization. Whatever allegations the killer soldiers levelled against the traders should have been resolved through due process.

More importantly, why the “Biafra” profiling? Why fan the ember of secession and in the process kill innocent traders? At the risk of repetition, everything in Nigeria has fallen apart under this Buhari government. A few days ago the American Congress lampooned President Buhari for enthroning what it dubbed the Fulani ethnoreligious supremacy in Nigeria. Let me repeat this here once more, we have come to a point of no return in Nigeria. Why should a group of soldiers storm a market and open fire on innocent defenceless civilians whom they contemptuously label “Biafrians”? You will recall that a few months ago the Chair of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Danladi Umar (when will this man be sacked?) was caught fighting in public under the pretext that the small boys whom he was fighting against were “Biafrans”. Can you see how low we have sunk? A judge descending so low to be fighting small boys whom he branded as “Biafrans” in public for that matter. Therefore it is high time Nigerians came together and agreed on concrete terms on how to live together as one people under one nation. It is either we restructure or we perish.

Old things must pass away. We need a born-again Nigeria. As I was saying here a few Wednesdays ago, “it is obvious that the Nigerian people are looking for an opportunity to discuss how they want to live together as a people in one country. Call that opportunity anything; the fact remains that the Nigerian people are looking for an opportunity or a forum to express their views about the goings on in the country.

Whether we like it or not, this meeting of minds of the people of Nigeria shall come to pass one day. It is not possible to force people with pent-up grouses about the injustices meted out against them to live together without giving them an outlet or opportunity to express their anger and views.

As regards the Igbo traders gruesomely murdered, the authorities must quickly wade into this matter and immediately order the arrest of the killer soldiers and bring them to justice. Maintaining ominous silence on the murder or a denial of it or distortion of it will likely engender reprisal killings leading to more spilling of blood. No matter the hatred spewed out against the Igbos, the rules forbid murdering defenceless and harmless traders who were peacefully doing their business in the market. If we claim that we are practising Presidential democracy then we must allow the rule of law to reign supreme.

Under the rule of law, the judiciary occupies a unique place as a bastion of justice. Such regard for the rule of law, in contrast to the rule of force, is the bedrock upon which our country ought to lay claim to civilisation.

SOUND SULTAN EXITS MOTHERLAND AS BUSHMEAT HUNTS THE HUNTER Oludayo Tade pays tribute to Olanrewaju Fasasi, a musician who spoke truth to power

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orn on November 27, 1976 Olanrewaju Fasasi popularly known as Sound Sultan (SS) died on July 11, 2021 after succumbing to throat cancer in United States of America. He left the world at a time that Nigeria is experiencing one of his predicted outcomes of callous leadership. Sound Sultan is a social crusader who deploys his songs to interrogate societal problems of migration, poor leadership, corruption, problem of accountability, injustices and their consequences on individuals and Nigeria. Death is a social fact which every mortal must experience but our contributions (to social order or disorder) will outlive us and either locate us in the trash can of irrelevance or elevate us among social engineers who used their talents to fight for justice, peace, and social progress. Olanrewaju Omo Fasasi may have joined his ancestors but his songs will continue to speak about the monstrous problems which face motherland as he loves to call Nigeria.

Through his works, he diagnosed Nigeria’s problems and proffered solutions to them but such interventions do not matter to callous leadership structure. The hunters (parasitic leadership) failed to heed SS’s philosophic submission that a day will come when the bushmeat will turn around to catch the hunters. Today, Sound Sultan leaves motherland at the time the bushmeat (uncared for children of the masses pushed to the margins of the society by their callous political, religious and parasitic elite) is hunting their hunters. It is now crystal clear that the crumbling sky is not one man’s problem as fear of insecurity covers the land and criminals have partitioned and restructured the country along criminal enclaves. Indeed, the insignificant and un-

educated bandits cum terrorists and their kidnapping comrades have become major factors driving policies in President Muhammadu Buhari’s Nigeria. The idiocy of successive handlers of Nigeria is shaking the country’s faulty foundation. In this tribute piece, I use three of SS songs which interrogate personal troubles and social problems in Nigeria.

In his hit song, Mathematics, SS in the year 2000 depicted Nigeria as Jagbajantis facing problems capable of consuming it. He argues that just as BODMAS (Bracket of Division, Multiplication, Addition and Subtraction) was put forward to solve mathematical problems, BODMAS can also be used by sensitive leaders to solve Nigeria’s problems.

As a trained sociologist, I am not oblivious of the difficultly in being objective in human affairs. This is why the display of clannish affinity through body language, policy formulation and implementation of the ‘converted democrat’ is tearing the country apart. SS says, ‘Oyinbo say, na BODMAS we go use take solve mathematics, oya carry biro’.

Brotherhood, Objectivity, Democracy, Modification, Accountability and Solidarity are suggested solutions to Nigeria’s problems. Pretentious oneness, ethnicised governance, and regional solidarity have become the order of the day while favouritism, modified autocracy, ‘shrouded’ accountability and fostered discord have become the norm.

The problem of insecurity has made many Nigerians to continue to explore opportunities abroad and government is rallying them for remittances. This brain drain gained momentum during military misadventure over Nigeria. In his Classic, Motherland, SS showed his undying love for Nigeria’s development. He advised those who

have travelled abroad to remember motherland. He reminds them not to forget the investment of those they left behind who contributed to their emigration.

Olanrewaju calls on immigrants to return home if they are facing difficulty abroad because ‘ajo o da bi ile, no matter where u go make you try come back area oooo’. In this song, SS showed how group support facilitates transnational migration but like Nigeria’s politicians who forgets electoral promises once they get to office, these migrants forget their benefactors who sold properties to send them to obodo oyinbo. SS documents marriage-forgreen-card tragedy which makes women promised marriage by their boyfriends who travelled get jilted while these boyfriends end up marrying citizens as a strategy to obtain citizenship/stay. Apparently seeing that as betrayal of trust, SS says ‘Hilary wey u been promise to marry, still de wait, o boy she don tarry….you marry oyinbo for another nation, use mago mago get dough…now you oyinbo wife don know, next thing u know, she don go report u…..I wish say, I fit reach you anywhere you dey eeeee’.

In his collaborative work with Tuface Idia in the song, Bushmeat, SS metaphorically frames Nigerian leaders as the hunter and the children of the masses who are denied quality education, the almajirai kids who are children of the poor but dubiously pushed to the streets while the children of the rich don’t do such practice, the unemployed children of the poor and those who are victims of corruption of the privileged few as the bushmeat. He envisions a time when the bushmeat will turn back at their tormentors and begin to hunt them. He observes that Nigeria is run by cliques and cabals who

steal common patrimony while the masses lack electricity and water among other social amenities.

While the roads are bad, SS fumes that the parasitic leadership fly in the sky. Flying in this sense also shows how far they are from the realities on ground.

To this iconic musician, despite suffering neglect and hunger, the children of the masses maintained their sanity until the time they decided to catch their hunters and fight back against the system that brought out the beast in them. Hear Sound Sultan in Bushmeat: “see one day bushmeat go catch the hunter, one day bushmeat go catch the hunter… see them flying for dem aeroplane, on top all the pains my people dey maintain, I don tire to dey explain, pikin wey never chop sef dey complain, water and light na yawa, yawa, everywhere just dark no power, the only pawa wey dem get na aim dem dey take dey oppress ooooo, what could be the answer, it could have been we don’t matter to them because dem chop your money, my money every other person money, e ba mi ki gbe Ole… Ole…Ole….Barawo! dem dem na aim my pipu sabi, dem dem everything na padi padi, everybody must know somebody to grow oooo….e bami kigbe Ole!” The State of affairs in Nigeria is one in which bushmeat in the form of bandits, terrorists, ethnic militia, kidnappers are hunting their hunters and not sparing of those who voted irresponsible leadership.

To the bushmeat, the hunters are both those who hold the levers of power and those who sustain their terror reigns through voting and those who sold their future for temporal gratification in the form of stomach infrastructure.

Dr Tade, a sociologist sent this piece via dotad2003@yahoo.com

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EDITORIAL

THE CAC AND EASE OF DOING BUSINESS The Commission should live up to its responsibilities

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he Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja is not living up to public expectations despite the measures introduced by the new Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020. The essence of CAMA is to enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria as it provides a framework for reforming identified onerous legal, regulatory, and administrative bottlenecks. Ironically, the CAC is still a big obstacle to doing business effectively and efficiently in the country. Searches for availability of company names which ordinarily should not last more than a few hours at the CAC now last about four months. Meanwhile, customers applying for certified true copies of documents at the commission can hardly get them within a reasonable time.

On several occasions, the CAC had announced to the public that company registration in Nigeria could be expeditiously done online and that the certificate of such registered company could be printed online in one’s office. Besides THE CAC IS NOT JUST ANY saving time, some inOTHER INSTITUTION, formal costs incurred in the interaction IT IS STATUTORILY THE CUSTODIAN OF CORPORATE with government officials including ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA. IT CANNOT AFFORD TO ACT IN transportation, unofficial tips and A MANNER THAT CREATES THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS unnecessary delays would be eliminated.

ABOVE THE LAW All this enhances transparency. “We are coming up with the use of technology so that our customers do not have to come here, while companies can do their transactions from anywhere,” said CAC’s Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer Garba Abubakar, more than a year ago. “This is the way the world is operating; you don’t see customers around any CAC anywhere in the world. We are working hard to have a very robust solution that will allow us to render services to our numerous customers

Letters to the Editor

electronically so that anybody can deal with us from everywhere.”

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T H I S DAY

EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR 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 DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGED ENGBE 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

n practice, online company registration is still a mirage. Even some basic things work epileptically at best. For one, the CAC Server is for most time down and dysfunctional. This also applies to the commission’s portal. Besides, about 50 per cent of company information on the portal is incorrect.

Indeed, confusion seems to reign at the CAC, going by the endless customers’ complaints lodged at the complaint’s unit, and which the commission does not bother to acknowledge any longer. It is becoming apparent that the commission is finding it increasingly difficult to cope with its daily activities. Things got so bad last year that some lawyers in Abuja staged a peaceful protest in front of the CAC Headquarters to press home their dissatisfaction with the services of the commission.

Under the guise of exercising its statutory powers, the CAC is now undermining the integrity of the judiciary and disobeying court orders. The Balogun Business Association recently instituted several lawsuits in court against the Commission. Rather than wait for the determination of the suits as required by law, the CAC resorted to self-help by cancelling their certificate of registration and even went further to impose new officers on the association. That a statutory body such as the CAC which is a party to a lawsuit can act in such manner is symptomatic of the lawlessness that defines this season in Nigeria.

The CAC is not just any other institution, it is statutorily the custodian of corporate activities in Nigeria.

For that reason, the Commission cannot afford to act in a manner that creates the impression that it is above the law. Besides, a dysfunctional and corruption-laden CAC is a big threat to economic prosperity in Nigeria.

We therefore urge the Commission to adorn the breastplate of integrity, efficiency, competence, and transparency in the discharge of its duties. That is the only way it can earn the confidence of both the local and international stakeholders.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

ANAMBRA GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION AND INEC’S HIDE AND SEEK

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is about to reverse to the atrocious days when Maurice Iwu told Nigerians that the environment for free and fair elections did not exist.

The list of political parties candidates for the November 6, 2021 Anambra State governorship election released by INEC on Friday, July 16, 2021 after contradictory declarations and time - buying shuffling on some issues, give worrying indications that manipulation of election processes is afoot.

The Mahmood Yakubu - led INEC position on the state of the nominations of the APGA, PDP and APC does not make common sense. It only makes sense on the slippery playground of hidden agenda.

Consider the swift response of INEC to the said enquiry by a mere observer, Omas & Partners legal firm, on APGA’s ad hoc delegates congress and contrast it with the inaction on the rights of a participant in the election process, namely, APGA. INEC’s secretary had fired a response with despatch on June 18 to the curious letter of Omas & Partners dated June 16, 2021.

But the same efficient INEC could neither move hands or legs to publish the particulars of Professor Chukwuma Soludo as APGA governorship candidate in compliance with the Electoral Act. APGA national chairman, Victor Oye in an open letter on July 16, 2021 tasked the Commission in clear terms: “The Act requires the Commission to publish the particulars of candidates no later than seven days from date of receipt of the nomination. APGA

uploaded Soludo’s nomination and received stamped copy July 2, 2021. INEC ought to have published it not later than 9th of July.”

So what was INEC waiting for after the deadline for nomination of candidates on July 9, 2021? Defeaning silence has been the answer from our responsive INEC ever since.

Interestingly, the same INEC through its Publicity and Voter Education office had in one breath tried to fault APGA on the processes of its primaries and at the same time endorsed the party’s compliance with the legal requirements as well as outcome of its primaries.

The listing of Hon Chuma Umeoji, a man who bought his nomination form from the Oye leadership of APGA, was screened and disqualified by the same leadership as the governorship candidate of APGA must rank as one of INEC’s audacious maneuvers in the Anambra governorship process. The electoral body’s plea of court order for the action, rather than exonerate it of vested interest, actually intensifies the impression of partisanship on its part. Why was INEC silent on the other court orders on the same matter? Why did it single out the pro - Umeoji order for obedience? Why has it been unable up till now to put forward the grounds that made the Jigawa State High Court pronouncement superior to those of the federal and Anambra State High Courts which mandated it to accept Soludo as the governorship candidate of APGA? INEC’s inconsistencies are all too evident in the contradiction of its position on PDP’s case and that of APGA. Leaving the PDP column blank on the basis of withholding court order while

declaring an APGA candidate in the face of conflicting judgements bothers on enlightened self-interest. The two scenarios are substantially of the same import, just different on the surface.

But INEC’s somersaults came out forcefully in its recognition of Andy Ubah as duly nominated candidate of the APC. The scandal surrounding APC’s primaries, publicly corroborated by 12 of the governorship aspirants and leader of the party in the State, Senator Chris Ngige, is unknown to INEC. To make matters more interesting, the Commission’s Chief Press Secretary is reported in The Nation of June 30, 2021 as saying that its report on primaries of political parties is not for public consumption! A roundly denounced APC primaries report is strictly for internal use but APGA’s pre - primaries process can be made available to whoever requests it in record time!

What the INEC has succeeded with its pick and choose administration of the Anambra governorship process is to portray the Commission as compromised. It has awakened Ndi Anambra to be on the alert.

Someone should tell the critical players at INEC that Anambra State has come a long way in her democratic and development journey. The last two attempts at seizing the state’s governorship with sleight of hand in 2003 and 2007 crashed with ignominy.

Ndi Anambra are poised for a continuation of the developmental strides of the Willie Obiano administration in the next democratic dispensation. They are prepared for a long walk to secure their gains.

IfeanyiChukwu Afuba, ifeanyichukwuafuba@gmail.com

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MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

Ekiti 2022 Guber and the Zoning Conundrum Victor Ogunje writes that the impending 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State has created so much tension, heat, attraction and attention with agitations for zoning of the ticket to the Southern Senatorial District

Fayemi

Biodun Olujimi

Ojo

Oni

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only the Northern and Central sections at the expense of the Southern part.

Sharing the same viewpoint, Mr. Kayode Olubunmi Ojo, an engineer, said, “In Nigeria today, we are probably the most homogeneous state whereby we speak almost the same language, from Ikere to Otun, almost the same dialect. So we’re kind of homogeneous as a state. And as a result of that we don’t normally zone. Historically, if you look at it from 1999 to 2018 which was the last election we had, everybody contesting from all zones. So you can check that fact. And based on that, I don’t think there’s going to be any difference in 2022. What we want or project right now is actually who is the best person that can help us improve the viability of our state by bringing in investment, helping our schools, education; bringing in all the programmes that will benefit the people, putting pipe-borne water in people’s homes homes, all over the state. To tap into the God given resources that we have. So to me, that is more important than where you come from. I’m not saying that the southern people don’t have great people, we have great people in the south.

But the way Ekiti is structured, everybody’s going to go to the polls and the people will choose who they want, no matter where the person is coming from. The person might be Mrs Oloro, Dr. Fayemi’s elder sister. If she is the best, so be it. I believe Ekiti electorates are extremely sophisticated and they’re going to choose who they want irrespective of where they come from.”

The fact that heavyweight politicians from the North like Segun Oni, Wale Aribisala and others from the Central like Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Biodun Oyebanji, the Chief of Staff, Hon. Biodun Omoleye and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, are covertly interested and angling for the ticket has also been a threat to the chances of the zone in both APC and the PDP. the two parties are in a state of lull and couldn’t say precisely for now how the pendulum will oscillate regarding this issue.

The fact that two members of the House

of Representatives, Hons Femi Bamisile and Yemi Adaramodu, Senator Gbenga Aluko, the Commissioner for Public Utilities, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, all of APC stock and former Deputy Governor, Kolapo Eleka of the PDP are interested in the race hasn’t signposted any assurance or given a ray of hope for the South, as the game gathers steam and traction.

The only lifeline for the zone in APC has been the rumour that Governor Kayode Fayemi had assured some monarchs in the zone that he would look their way this time. Though, Fayemi has never believed in sectional politics, but the pressure over zoning might make him waver this time.

The presence of Fayemi’s friend, ally and one of the eggheads of his administration, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko in the South, might also help the situation. Rumour has it that Fayemi has a soft spot for Aluko and he may end up being one of the anointeds for the plum seat.

Putting it in the right perspective, the chances have become so bleak for the South in the PDP owing to the foray of the popular Segun Oni into the race and the fact that former Governor Fayose has anointed his protege, Hon. Bisi Kolawole from Efon Local government in the Central Senatorial District.

With these intriguing games evolving in PDP, it will be an herculean task and miracle for the party to cede the ticket to the South, except an ebullient personality like Senator Olujimi shows interest in the game to challenge the heavyweights.

Also from the PDP flank, a renowned former bank chief, Mr. Kayode Adaramodu from Ilawe Ekiti Southwest local government, has joined the race . As finaciallly robust as he is, he is considered a greenhorn and minnow who can’t tango with either Oni or Fayose as far as PDP politics is concerned.

Periscoping Olujimi’s political influence, who is the most vociferous zoning advocate, one would decipher that she is an old horse with vast political experience and someone with full grasp of Ekiti politics. Apart from that, she has the financial war chest and muster admirers across party lines.

In Olujimi’s wisdom, she sees this fight

as a battle of her life and a task that must be achieved at all costs. In actual fact, she has not only be fighting this in PDP where she belongs, the female Senator has also been ringing it rhetorically that the APC too must hearken to that clarion call that it is either South this time or no one.

Olujimi considered it a serious lopsidedness for the Central and North to consolidate their grips on the governorship seat at the expense of the South with wide range of politicians .

Tracing the educational and political history of the state, Olujimi said the first Professor of Economics in Ekiti, Prof. Sam Aluko, was from Gbonyin council area in Ekiti South.

Olujimi added that the only governor produced by Ekiti under the Old Ondo State, Evang. Bamidele Olumilua, was also from Ikere in the South. The Senator opined that the people were abashed how a district with such intimidating credentials could be so degraded and despised in Ekiti politics.

She said the rhythm must change in 2022.

“I don’t think we should sit back and allow the South to be subjugated just like that. This is not about parties, but about justice and fair play. As I am canvassing zoning in the PDP, so also I am advising the ruling party to follow suit. We must play politics of morality here.

“Politics to me is not dirty, it is we the players that are playing dirty games. We need to be reasonable and allow someone from the South to take a shot.

“I am not seeing this fight as a personal one, it is collective. Politics doesn’t make one lacks conscience. Those saying zoning has no root in Ekiti politics were not being fair and sincere . It is a real issue we need to settle this time and I won’t sit back in the struggle to liberate my people this time.”

Though, Olujimi has not indicated interest in the governorship seat, but it was reliably gathered that pressure has started mounting on her to throw her hat into the ring .

Without mincing words, the former Minority Leader is very influential in Ekiti politics.

Even the current governor, Kayode Fayemi has high regards for her political wizardry.

She remains a figure that can match Fayose and Oni in all departments of the game in PDP primary.

During the countdown to the 2018 governorship poll, the Senator showed interest in the governorship race of the PDP. Due to fierce horsetrading and resoluteness to defeat the then Fayose’s candidate, Prof. Olusola Eleka in the primary, she stepped down for Senator Dayo Adeyeye. The outcome of the game, where Fayose, a sitting governor narrowly won the primary for his deputy substantiated the fact that Olujimi command’s respect in PDP. With the ways thing are in Ekiti today, Senator Olujimi is now a darling of all parties in Ekiti. Due to her seeming irreconcilable differences with Fayose, some APC bigwigs have been reaching out to her to defect to the ruling.

he agitation is not peculiar to a party. It cuts across major parties.

As it is resonating in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), so also is it reverberating audibly in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The agitations are becoming deafening and creating serious abatross for the major political parties and political figures.

Without sounding exaggerative, it could be put aptly that it forms the major issue causing a serious fix in the two major parties in the state. They are becoming confused on daily basis that jettisoning such agitations regarded as way of ensuring equality in the system could spell doom for the polity.

Since the advent of democracy in 1999 , no one from the six local governments of the Southern enclave namely: Ekiti East, Gbonyin, Ikere, Emure, Ise/Orun and Ekiti Southwest, has tasted that seat. This has been agitating the minds of politicians and critical stakeholders, which makes it a serious issue prior to this election.

The politicians from that southern part, professionals, traditional rulers, are making serious case for the South in 2022. By simple arithmetic, it will be 23 years that the state has been savouring democratic rule and the South has not got a fair share. Everything has always favoured the Central and the North where the likes of Governor Kayode Fayemi, Segun Oni, Ayodele Fayose and Niyi Adebayo came from.

In actual fact, the Southern people were feeling alienated and tension has begun to mount on this zoning palaver. It has gone beyond a mere factor , it has become a real issue of monumental proportion as far as governorship is concerned in Ekiti.

Leading the Pro-zoning pack, is the PDP Senator representing Ekiti South in the Senate, Mrs Biodun Olujimi. In the countdown to the 2018 election, she was loud and dogged in her quest that someone from the South should get the PDP ticket.

That was the basis for which she formed a strong coalition with the former Minister of Works, Senator Dayo Adeyeye to wage the war. This must have accounted for why Fayose, who had earlier showed preference for his former Works Commissioner and Ado Ekiti born politician, Kayode Oso, quickly recanted and backed his then Deputy, Prof.

Kolapo Eleka , who is from Ikere Ekiti for that election.

It is not out of place to aver that the APC too has not rested on this matter. Though, some strong forces like the APC Southwest Caretaker Publicity Secretary, Hon Karounwi Oladapo, had made nonsense of the zoning brouhaha. By his own permutations, he opined that Ekiti is predominantly homogenous in language, customs and way of life and that politics shouldn’t be allowed to divide the state.

As crafty as Karounwi’s analysis seems to be, the likes of Olujimi and other like- minds didn’t see anything reasonable in his self-conceited analysis. They believe that Ekiti’s political power shouldn’t be blindedly arrogated to

The zoning duel has not also been left to Olujimi alone to fight. A group christened Ekiti South Agenda, has called for an end to the continuous marginalisation of the Ekiti South Senatorial District in the Political equations of the state. Speaking at a Summit facilitated

by Ekiti Elders Forum held on Thursday, 10th day of June, 2021, in Ado Ekiti, the group’s Coordinator, Ayodele Oguntuase, said it was wrong for the district with the second highest voting strength have tactically been schemed out of relevance in the polity of particularly producing a sitting governor in Ekiti State

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY JULY 21, 2021

POLITICS

Imo House of Assembly in Another Abysmal Outing

GOVERNANCE IN PHOTOS

Imo State has recorded another spate of shootings, but this time from the shameful show of ineptitude by the leadership of the Imo State House of Assembly, writes Amby Uneze

From left: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Oba of Lagos, HRM Rilwan Akiolu; and Lagos State Deputy Governor. Dr. Obafemi Hamzat after the Eid el-Kabir prayer at the Dodan Barracks Eid Prayer Ground, Ikoyi, Lagos

Uzodinma

Okorocha

A

to escape when he suddenly announced the suspension of the six legislators.

During the shooting, the speaker was hurriedly bundled out of the premises by his personal aides.

A source from the Assembly chamber confided to newsmen that the speaker had at the commencement of the day’s proceedings unilaterally announced the suspension of those legislators without giving reasons for such action.

It was also gathered that the action of the speaker infuriated other members including some of those suspended which generated uproar and shouting in the chambers that led to the shooting by security personnel attached to the speaker.

In the same vein, the member representing Ideato North state constituency, Arthur Egwim was removed as the Chief Whip of the Assembly and replaced with Obinna Okwarra of Nkwerre state constituency.

In the legislative process, there ought to be an internal mechanism of investigating a legislator accused of unparliamentary misconduct and if such a member is found guilty would of course face the gavel for suspension. In the very case of Imo Assembly, such procedures were not applied and the speaker, the deputy speaker and a few gullible associates of the governor in the house connived and suspended the six legislators for flimsy and unverifiable reasons which they termed as ‘unparliamentary misconduct’.

One may ask, what constitutes unparliamentary misconduct? An English dictionary defined ‘unparliamentary’ as ‘a practice contrary to the parliamentary bodies’, or ‘so rude and abusive as to be unsuitable for parliament’.

According to commentators on the vexing issue; the leadership of the Imo State House of Assembly was urged to explain to the people of the state and the various constituents of the six suspended members where those abusive language(s) or action(s) of those suspended legislators were made. They are also asking at what point or occasion they conducted themselves in such a manner that would constitute parliamentary misconduct?

Again, if truly there were instances of such misbehaviour, has the house carried out proper investigation and debate in line with parliamentary rules and found them culpable of the misdeeds?

Revealing the import of the suspension clause in the House rules without investigation, one of the aggrieved members of the House who pleaded anonymity said that such clause was unilaterally inserted by the deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu with a view to stifle democratic freedom of the members of House.

lbert Einstein in one of his classic quotes said “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” And because what is constant in life is change, therefore, society and its institutions need to change in order to progress and achieve growth and success. However, it has been difficult since 2011 to have a firm House of Assembly in Imo State without having a strong attachment to the executive arm; hence it has been regarded as a rubber stamp legislature.

When an institution such as the Imo State House of Assembly remains adamant to current realities and development, its success and growth lies beneath the ladder.

Constitutionally, the three arms of government: legislature, executive and judiciary are independent of each other. While the main function of the legislature is to checkmate the excesses of the executive in form of carrying out oversight functions; checks and balances, that of the judiciary remains the interpretation of the law, and the executive executes the policies. On this note, there ought to be the required synergy in order to streamline the democratic process and provide the needed democratic dividends to the people.

The autonomy of both arms was enshrined in the relevant laws of the country; hence the legislature should operate without reference to the executive arm, even though they are to complement each other. In Imo State, for instance, the leadership of the various houses of assembly especially since 2011 have been deeply depended solely on the executive making her lame, so to say. Prior to that time, the house was noted for her astuteness, and only answerable to their constituents. Even members of the same political parties with the governor had had cause to disagree on principle, but the gavel did not fall on them as it is the case today.

The suspension last week of six active members of the Imo State House of Assembly to many sane minds was laughable.

Those suspended are four All Progressive Congress (APC) members and two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members. They are: Uche Ogbuagu (APC, Ikeduru LGA), Anyadike Nwosu (PDP, Ezinihitte LGA and Minority leader), Ezerioha Dominic (APC, Oru West LGA), Philip Ejiogu (PDP, Owerri North LGA), Micheal Onyemaechi (APC, Ihitte Uboma LGA), and Kennedy Ibe (APC, Obowo LGA).

In the milieu that followed the suspension, there were sporadic shooting in the Assembly complex which led people to believe that the state is witnessing another unknown gunmen attack. It was later, unraveled that the sporadic shooting came from the security personnel guarding the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Paul Emeziem, probably with a view to create tension and make an easy way for the speaker and his supporters

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

Cross section of passengers boarding the free train provided by Osun State Government for the 2021 Eid-elKabir celebration, at the Iddo Terminal of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Lagos State to travel to Osun State

From Left; Comrade Andikan Umoren, Secretary, Hon Uduak Monday Isaiah, President and Pastor John S. Archibong, Organizing Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party Grassroots Mobilisers in Akwa Ibom State after a meeting in Uyo with delegates of the party

L-R: Ondo State First Lady, Mrs Betty Akeredolu; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN); Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; at the Vanguard Newspaper’s Personality of the Year Award in Lagos

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FEATURES

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

Diversifying Nigeria Economy through Integrated Farming Scheme Francis Sardauna writes that with the commissioning of Integrated Farm Estate in Katsina, the Buhari-led administration is achieving agricultural mechanisation and food security

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari on July 19, 2021 commissioned the newly established Integrated Farm Estate built and equipped by the National Agricultural Land Authority (NALDA) which is designed to efficiently accommodate, empower and position a new set of 1,500 agro entrepreneurs every year in order to diversify the nation's economy and enhance food security.

The NALDA integrated farm estate, cited in Suduje, Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State, is designed with a complete production chain for food and livestock, an irrigation system so that farmers will have three production cycles in a year, and farmers from outside the estate will also have their products processed and packaged so they can get more value.

It comprises 40 poultry pens with a capacity of over 400,000 birds, fish ponds with a capacity of 200,000 fish, cow and goat pens with a capacity of 500 animals, rabbit pens with a capacity of 3,000 rabbits, bee apiary with a capacity of 540 litres of honey per harvest, crop farming, packaging and processing zones.

The 100 hectares farm estate which is expected to generate over N1.7 billion in the first year, has a school, clinic and residential area with 120 units of onebedroom apartments for the farmers and their families to live and work on the farm. The integrated farm, if properly harnessed and replicated across the country will increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reduce unemployment thereby achieving food sufficiency.

With the farm’s poultry, fishery, rabbitry and beekeeping unit and a processing and packaging zone for chicken and pepper, it is expected that the historic integrated farm estate will attract and keep young Nigerians busy in crop and livestock production all year round.

Importantly, about 95 per cent of the nutritional requirement of the system is self-sustained through resource recycling.

Interestingly, participating farmers from the 13 communities of Suduje, Madobi, Kaya, Sharawa, Sukwanawa, Dadin Kowa, Daberan, Benga, Kurneji, Zari, Mazuji, Tambu and Dannakola are being trained on global best agricultural practices in crop farming, livestock, poultry, rabbits and fish farming, among others.

Speaking during the ceremonial commissioning of the integrated farm estate, President Muhammadu Buhari, said his administration decided to resuscitate the hitherto moribund NALDA to meet the growing agricultural needs of the country and the management of the agency under the leadership of Prince Paul Ikonne had not failed him.

He directed all federal institutions to work in synergy in lifting and diversifying the economy, and NALDA should be given all the support it needs to expand the Integrated Farm Estate across the 109 senatorial zones in the country, saying with more determination on the part of the federal government, the target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty cycle is realisable.

Buhari therefore, canvassed more synergy between government and the people, and diligence in diversifying the economy, with agriculture as the backbone to realise the goal, adding that the nation is blessed with both human and natural resources that could achieve his administration quest of lifting the 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

According to him, the mainstay of the nation’s economy remains agriculture, where the country already commands a competitive advantage, with good weather

President Buhari, Gov Masari and Ikonne during the commissioning of the farm

conditions for crop and livestock farming, available manpower and willingness to learn new skills, and good soil types for all season farming.

He said: “The country is robustly blessed with good weather conditions, good soil, human and material capacity, and a resilience to make a difference by all the hardworking youths. We can do it, and we will do it. No excuse will be good enough to remain a mono-economy with all the challenges in oil production and fluctuating global prices when we have vast opportunities in crop and livestock production.”

Buhari stated that reliance on oil has become a drawback on the economy over the years, with unpredictable and fluctuating global prices that made it more difficult to effectively plan budgets, implement and measure outcomes.

He added that: “as the world becomes more globalised, countries will continue to draw from their competitive advantage to remain relevant. My belief, and it is also shared by many Nigerians, is that our country has a special advantage in food and livestock productions that we must harness and promote to feed ourselves, and build a firm structure for exportation.

“Our vision of a robust agricultural economy continues to provide amazing results. Across the country today, we are seeing rising public and private interests in agriculture, especially among the youth, and a steady migration from subsistence to commercial farming.

“With the support of public institutions, like the Central Bank and Bank of Agriculture, old tools are giving way to more mechanised styles of farming, credit lines are becoming more accessible, and farming is becoming more acceptable and fashionable. Indeed, we are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector.”

He reiterated that a globalised world places more emphasis on competitive edge of the economy for relevance, and Nigeria will always play a leading role in the agricultural sector, with the vastness in experience, crop cultivation, animal

husbandry, and more recently, a rising youth interest.

The president appreciated the governors, who were at the event to witness the historic inauguration, particularly Governor Aminu Bello Masari of katsina State, for providing a 100 hectare land for the project, and urged them to provide more support to federal institutions that have been mandated to work in engaging more minds and hands to turn the economy around for good.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, who also spoke at the event, said the financial regulatory body would start giving special attention to NALDA, while listing some of the laudable achievements of the administration through the Anchor Borrowers scheme for farmers.

According to Emefiele: “Mr President, as you told me during the inspection and I agree with you that this is the best way to spend money. You are doing everything that is possible to bring the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians.”

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, stated that the Integrated Farm Estate had a capacity for 400 birds in the poultry, 200,000 fishes, 500, 000 cows and goats, 540 litres of honey per harvest, 120 units of one bedroom apartment, clinic and a school.

He said: “These farmers are being trained on best agricultural practices in crop farming, livestock, poultry, rabbits and fish farming. Sustainable development is the only way to promote rational utilisation of resources and environmental protection”.

“The participating farmers are from 13 communities, namely Suduje, Madobi, Kaya, Sharawa, Sukwanawa, Dadin Kowa, Daberan, Benga, Kurneji, Zari, Mazuji, Tambu and Dannakola”, Ikonne. The entire farm has the capacity to generate over N1.7b in the first year. This farm has the capacity to engage 1,500 women and youth directly".

He explained that the integrated farm estate is designed to accommodate, empower and position a new set of 1,500

agro entrepreneurs every year from this category, adding that the programme is under NALDA’s National Young Farmers Scheme (NYFS), which President Buhari launched in November 2020.

In his remarks, the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, applauded President Buhari for his leadership foresight and vission in stopping the importation of rice and other commodities which he said created additional opportunities for efficient food production and revitalisation of the agricultural sector at all tiers of government.

He explained that over 70 per cent of Nigerians depends directly on agriculture while the remaining per cent depends indirectly on the sector, hence the need for Nigerians to diversify the country's economy by farming all year round for the sustainability of food production.

According to Governor Masari, the poor of the poorest Nigerians across the 774 local government areas of the country are being empowered by the federal government through different skill acquisitions and other humanitarian social intervention programmes like the N-power, Tradermoni, Anchor Borrowers Scheme, among other notable programmes.

He said: "When Mr President stopped the importation of rice and other commodities; that we must produce what we eat and eat what we produced. Many Nigerians were skeptical that we can not produce enough and there will be hunger in the land. But today, Buhari has been vindicated and history will continue to vindicate him more in times to come".

Meanwhile, the resuscitation of NALDA

by President Buhari to meet the nation's growing needs in the agricultural sector and the inauguration of integrated farm estate in Suduje-Daura, would explores available potential of job opportunities, entrepreneurship and avert youths restiveness.

Thus, Katsina State government under the leadership of Governor Masari must be commended for donating 100 hectares of land for the NALDA's Integrated Farm Estate.

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FEATURES

Phenomenal ABUAD: Product of Excellent Vision and Creative Thinking

Seye Adetunmbi, the Convener of Ekitipanupo Intellectual Roundtable on a courtesy call on Aare Afe Babalola, the Founder of ABUD

The Greenhouse

ABUD school

The piggery

Seye Adetunmbi

I

t was a time well spent on Thursday July 15th, 2021 with the 91 years old Aare Afe Babalola, the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD). It was not my first time with him in the phenomenal ABUAD city.

As a matter of fact, my first time was in 2015 when he sponsored the hosting of Ekitipanupo 2nd Public Lecture delivered

by Emeritus Professor Michael Omolewa.

I have also been there on his invitation to other events in ABUAD including the formal commission of the huge Teaching Hospital Complex. What made my courtesy visit of July 15 different is that it took me over two hours to be taken round the expansive frontline and unique private university in Africa.

I was particularly overwhelmed seeing the rich large farmland of integrated products and various agro-allied factories.

Tree crops include fruits (mango and cashew plantations with a juice processing plant), orogbo (bitter-colar); moringa plantation complemented by a factory where moringa cream, soap and integrated herbal supplements are produced; food crops - maize, feregede, cassava, yam, maize and too many green houses for vegetables, peppers, tomatoes; mushrooms: livestocks - poultry (adiye, awo), piggery, fish ponds etc. Some of their harvests are sold to Shoprite.

As someone passionate about agriculture and commercial farming, it was an amazing experience for me. The farm had gone bigger and more robust than my last visit in 2015, the tree crops I saw in their early stages have grown and started beating fruits. I was too happy and had to take some pictures to complement my essay and message.

In addition to the vast cultivated land is a sawmill and a furniture making section. ABUAD is now set to generate its own electricity, I saw the recently

commissioned place dedicated for the plant. I must also mention the feed mill for the poultry and Youth Empowerment Centre where young people can be trained to acquire skill in various vocations with residential facilities and have practical touch to their training.the latest addition to the unequalled strides of Baba Afe is the cleated large area for ABUAD Industrial Park. The college of postgraduate studies has a separate entrance gate with everything needed to function in their section without being exposed to the restrictions associated with the undergraduate campus.

After posting my courtesy visit picture on my social media handles with an intro on my tour of ABUAD community, it generated a lot of comments from a wide range of people some of which are quoted thus: Quotes “Baba Afe Babalola is a special case study in; determination and resilience. Remember that his dream of establishing a University only came up after turning 70 years of age!

See him still standing erect and agile besides you at 91! May God grant him many more years in good health and everlasting happiness.

May we his prodigies be so blessed too. Well done Seye.” - Sir Kayode Otitoju “My niece just graduated from the university but your description of the agriculture sector makes me want to visit now“ - Mrs Monisola Oloruntoba “Visionary leaders are blessed with forsight, he is one of them“ - Olusola Ojo-Omoniyi “That's awesome! Congratulations! An icon of our time. He is silently touching lives in the medical, academic, agriculture etc. May the Lord continue to strengthen and uphold him for the nation in Jesus mighty name, anen..”

Sola Akeredolu

A very patriotic Ekiti man. I worked with him as a student's Unionist in Akure he was the Chairman of the Governing Council after the break of the Accord between the NPN/ NPP in 1982. Very pleasant and very detailed when counselling. We are lucky to have him” - Femi Adebob “I was privileged to work with Baba Afe Babalola for the creation of Ekiti State. Late Chief Ogundele, the owner of Davies Hotel in old Bodija Ibadan was our Chairman and Chief Mrs Bodunde Aduloju was our Honorable Secretary. Baba Afe Is a blessing to Ekitiland and to humanity. May almighty God continue to grant our blessed Baba long life and good health Amen” - Princess Durojaiye Ojo “May he live more purposeful life for we his people to tap more from his fountain of knowledge” - Adesola Adewumi God bless Baba richly and grant him good health Seye you have seen ,God will conquer for you. - Abiodun Akindahunsi “Baba Afe is one in a million. Baba has a genuine love for Ekiti.” Bode Ajayi “The contributions of Aare Afe Babalola to improving the quality of education in Nigera is worthy of note just as his efforts at empowering his community and young Nigerians with agricultural skills. May God reward his efforts with great success. The man is living his life as a legacy of philanthropy for our men of means to emulate if only they will learn from his good example. Thank you very much Okanlomo Eletolua for your sacrifice in documenting this.” - Tayo Popoola “ I admire the man greatly, though never met him.” - Ayo Fadaka “Olorun a tubo lora emi yin o Baba Afe Babalola. Amin. You have done beyond expectations for humanity.“ - Ayan Kolawole

Baba Afe is a gem any day - Prof Adesuyi Ajayi “Baba Afe"s set up is a mini example of how a state, indeed, a country should be run.

Awesome place” - Olu Aluko Unquote Baba Afe is certainly in a class of his own! The way he is on top of ABUAD affairs and all his other businesses as a nonagenarian, is confounding! Another remarkable dimension to all his exploits is his uncommon philanthropic disposition with a distinct milk of kindness.

He continues to give without ceasing to people in need and the society. He encourages hard working people in their respective vocations by supporting them with his substance at every opportunity. In the Nigeria of today, he is one of the few exceptionally blessed citizens who speak the truth to the government of the day on constructional matters, wrong policies, security and other disturbing issues of global concern.

I have since come to the conclusion that Baba is a gift to mankind. The long life God has granted him with a rare good health at old age is for a purpose and a special grace. He is a blessing to us in Nigeria and I am extremely proud that he is a fellow Ekiti man. You only have a very few of such phenomenon in a generation.

It would amount to an understatement that I admire his accomplishments a lot.

“Ki Oluwa lo ra emi fun won. K’eku wi un ba ni, urin a mu. Ajinde ora a aje l’ase Edumare”. Aare Afe Babalola is an elder statesman of substance who inspires me and many others a great deal. Keep up the good job sir! ...http://linkedin.com/in/seye-adetunmbi amazon.com/author/seyeadetunmbi https://mobile.twitter.com/eletolua "A good tree never begets a bad fruit"

24

WEDNESDAY JULY 21, 2021 • T H I S D AY

25

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͯ˜ 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08024557078

ͯ ʹ ˜ Ͱ ͮ Ͱ ͯ MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

REPO 4.75 4.50

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

S & P INDEX 4 6 10

INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

S & P INDEX 535. 53% 0.10% 0.48%

1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

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Quick Takes Fitch,GCRUpgradeAfreximbank’sOutlook

MEDIABRIEFING

L-R: Senior Business Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Oluranti Owoborode; Lead, Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS), Chioma Okolie; Vice President, Corporate Communications/CSR, Emeka Oparah; Head, Public Relations, Erhumu Bayagbon, and Regional Operations Director, Lagos Region, Olusina Adegoke, at the AirtelTouching Lives Season 6 Media Launch inLagos...recentlyh

Report: AfCFTA Success Depends on Regional Integration of Public Good Stories by Dike Onwuamaeze The African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) has stated in its African Transformation Report 2021 that countries in the continent should look beyond trade and markets and collaborate in delivering regional public good.

This, it noted was to ensure the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and achieve growth in their respective economies.

The report titled, “Integrating to Transform, stated: “But while past regional integration efforts have often struggled, Africa’s transformation requires much more progress on regional integration.

“To achieve growth with depth and for the AfCFTA to succeed, countries have to look beyond trade and markets and collaborate in delivering regional public goods such as transport corridors, free movement of people, well-managed river basins, cross-border digital connectivity, and systems to control future outbreaks of pests and disease.

ECONOMY “These will all help tackle the three frontline challenges of jobs, innovation, and climate— all national challenges with regional components. And in a self-reinforcing manner, collaboration to produce regional public goods will also help build experience and trust to pursue deeper regional economic integration, under the AfCFTA. “To advance on these fronts will take dedicated leadership at all levels, starting with top political leaders and extending to government, private firms, academia, and civil society.

Africa’s leaders will need to promote visions that go beyond their national interest and to pursue collective action for the common good.

“Turning top-down visions into reality needs to be complemented by a bottom-up, more problemdriven approach to national and regional problems to help overcome the political economy barriers that have slowed progress in the past.”

The Founder and President of the ACET, Mr. Kingsley Amoako,

observed that the, “main message of the 2021 African Transformation Report is that Africa’s economic transformation requires much more progress on regional integration.”

Amoako also said that African countries should tackle three frontline challenges, namely jobs, innovation and climate, which could make or break their efforts to transform their economies.

He urged African countries to focus on these three areas, “because they are the ones that will shape Africa’s future, and they are on every policymaker’s agenda. Tackling each of them supports the transformation agenda for growth with depth, and each requires and fosters regional collaboration.”

He said: “Ensure jobs for the world’s youngest and fastestgrowing labor force by imparting skills for work in 21st century agriculture, manufacturing and services and support digital innovation by enabling the private sector to deliver the many benefits from digital technologies in creating jobs, boosting productivity, and reducing poverty while managing climate risks by promoting climate-smart

agriculture, protecting green and blue ecosystems, and exploiting renewable energy.”

Amoako observed that the compelling case on the potential of regional integration to accelerate economic transformation is attested to by the reliance of Sub-Saharan African economies on importation of inputs for manufacturing and the dearth of large domestic markets that would provide their manufacturers with some natural protection from imports.

He, therefore, stated that, “integrating national markets into larger regional markets would thus help countries overcome these disadvantages and seize opportunities to transform their economies.”

Amoako noted that, “African economies must now rebound quickly with transformative and forward-looking policies that embrace regional integration.”

The report stated that the logic behind its definition of economic transformation as growth with depth was based on the need to diversify African economies, orientate them for competitiveContinued on page 26

WTO Lists Bottlenecks to Critical COVID-19 Products The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Secretariat has issued an indicative list of trade-related bottlenecks and trade-facilitating measures on critical products to combat COVID-19.

These includes inputs used in vaccine manufacturing, vaccine distribution and approval, therapeutics and pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical devices.

The list released in advance of a High-Level Dialogue by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the WTO today on

ECONOMY expanding COVID-19 vaccines manufacturing to promote equitable access.

The indicative list was based on issues identified and suggestions made by speakers at the WTO webinar Regulatory Cooperation during the COVID-19 Pandemic, in June, and the WTO symposium COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Chain and Regulatory Transparency, on June 29, 2021.

On trade-related bottlenecks,

the list identified a series of issues raised by speakers at those events in relation to: vaccine manufacturing and its inputs; vaccine regulatory approval; vaccine distribution; therapeutics and pharmaceuticals; and diagnostics and medical devices.

Regarding possible tradefacilitating measures, the list included suggestions by speakers in connection with: general import, export and transit procedures; vaccine manufacturing and its inputs; vaccine regulatory approval;

therapeutics (pharmaceuticals); diagnostics and medical devices; and general regulatory aspects.

One common theme that emerged from the list was that essential goods and inputs need to flow efficiently and expeditiously to support the rapid scaling up of COVID-19 production capacity worldwide.

The delay of a single component may significantly slow down, or even halt, vaccine production given the globally integrated supply chains that Continued on page 26

AfricanExport-ImportBank(Afreximbank)hasreceivedasetofstrong creditratingaffirmationsand“Positive”outlooksfromMoody’s,Fitch Ratings, and GCR Ratings, underlining its resilient financial position and performance.

The ratings reinforce the bank’s access to capital at a competitive cost, ensuring the continued success of key strategic initiatives to stimulate African trade.

AstatementexplainedthatFitchreviseditsoutlookonAfreximbank’s Long-TermIssuerDefaultRating(IDR)toPositivefromStable,highlighting thattheupgrade,“reflectsthebank’sgrowingimportanceasthemain multilateraldevelopmentbank(MDB)providingfundingtonon-sovereign borrowers in Africa.”

The agency further affirmed the Bank’s IDR at ‘BBB-’, its Short-Term IDR at ‘F3’ and its senior unsecured debt at ‘BBB-’.

Fitch observes that, “the significant capital increase (USD6.5 billion, of which USD2.6 billion paid-in) approved by the board of directors in June this year highlights the increased strategic relevance of the bank for its African shareholders.”

Furthermore, Moody’s affirmed the Bank’s ‘Baa1’ rating with a Stable Outlook, while GCR affirmed Afreximbank’s international scale longtermandshort-termissuerratingsofA ‘ -‘andA ‘ 2’,respectively,withthe Outlook revised to Positive from Stable.

The agency noted that the positive outlook factors in its expectation, “forthestatusoftheBankasoneofthemostinfluentialAfricafocused Multilateral Development Bank (‘MDBs’) to strengthen, cemented by its development impact on the African continent (measured by the loan book) now closing in on the USD20bln mark.”

GCR similarly affirmed the international scale long term issuer rating of A ‘ -‘ on the Bank’s $5 billion Global Medium-Term Note (GMTN) programme, with a Positive Outlook.

PresidentofAfreximbank,Prof.BenedictOramah,said,“Afreximbank believesinharnessingthepoweroftradetocreatejobs,growprosperity and help Africa reach its full economic potential. However, to support this vision the Bank must have access to diverse sources of capital at a competitive cost.”

China Unveils 600kph Train

China has unveiled a maglev train capable of a top speed of 600kph.

The maximum speed would make the train, self-developed by China and manufactured in the coastal city of Qingdao, the fastest ground vehicle globally.

Using electro-magnetic force, the maglev train “levitates” above the track with no contact between body and rail, according to Reuters.

Chinahasbeenusingthetechnologyforalmosttwodecadesonavery limited scale. Shanghai has a short maglev line running from one of its airports to town.

Whiletherearenointer-cityorinter-provincemaglevlinesyetinChina that could make good use of the higher speeds, some cities including Shanghai and Chengdu have started to conduct research.

At600kph,itwouldonlytake2.5hourstotravelfromBeijingtoShanghai by train - a journey of more than 1,000 km (620 miles).

By comparison, the journey would take three hours by plane and 5.5 hours by high-speed rail. Countries from Japan to Germany are also lookingtobuildmaglevnetworks,althoughhighcostsandincompatibility withcurrenttrackinfrastructureremainhurdlestorapiddevelopment.

EasyJet Ramps Up Summer Capacity

British airline, EasyJet plan to fly 60 per cent of its pre-pandemic capacity in the July-September period, a big jump from the 17 per cent in the previous quarter, as COVID restrictions ease and travel appetite builds across Europe.

The group said on Tuesday it was confident on demand for summer and autumn travel, adding that it was gearing its schedule towards Europeanroutes,giventhatEuropehadopenedupfasterthanBritain.

EasyJet’s boss has been one of the most vocal critics of Britain’s approach to travel over the last two months, slamming last-minute changeswhichhaveresultedinbookingsurgesandmasscancellations, according to Reuters. For now, easyJet said it had scheduled 60 per cent of its flying on intra-European Union routes, whereas normally its business is split evenly between Britain and the EU.

“We must understand that true economic diversification is a very difficult goal to achieve for resource dependent countries such as Nigeria.And yet, it remains an imperative for our country to become a part of these elite clubs” Former CBN Deputy Governor,

Kingsley Moghalu

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BUSINESSWORLD ELUMELU: NIGERIA HAS GOOD INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES ness in export markets, increase their productivity, and achieve technological upgrade and human capital development.

It said: “African countries, most of them relying on a narrow range of commodity exports, need to diversify the array of goods and services to hedge against external and internal shocks.

“Their exports, if competitive will allow them to exploit their comparative advantage to generate higher incomes, which will help pay for the investments in skills, capital, and technology needed to solidify their comparative advantage over time.

“Productivity gains, starting in agriculture, will allow agriculture to release labor to industry and services, produce more food to moderate hikes in urban industrial wages, supply raw materials for processing in industries, increase exports to pay for transformation inputs, and enhance the domestic market for industrial products.

“While technological upgrading will sustain rising productivity and enables transforming economies to produce goods and services that command higher prices on global markets.”

The report added that, “increasing incomes per capita and employment, together with health and education, as well as peace, justice, security, and the environment will help to improve human well-being and will have feedback effects of productivity and growth.”

WTO LISTS BOTTLENECKS TO CRITICAL COVID-19 PRODUCTS

underpin COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing.

The list is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all specific trade barriers, nor does it make any judgement on the existence or importance of bottlenecks, nor on the desirability of implementing any of the suggestions on trade-facilitating measures.

The Secretariat indicative list of, “Trade-related bottlenecks and trade-facilitating measures on critical products to combat COVID-19” can be found here.

NEWS

48 Disputes Resolved through Alternative Mechanism, Says DPR Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has disclosed that a total of 48 disputes in the oil and gas industry were resolved in the first three months after the inauguration of its Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (ADRC).

The centre established in January, as one of the centres in the National Oil and Gas Excellence Centre (NOGEC), was inaugurated in April this year to provide a platform where disputes in the industry could be settled in a timely, cost-effective, and mutually agreeable manner.

A statement by the agency, quoted the Director/Chief Executive Officer, DPR, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, as saying that the centre had received many cases from operators in the country.

Speaking at the Petroleum Club’s second-quarter business dinner, Auwalu stressed that the centre is currently attending to over 200 additional cases to ensure a reduction in cases that get

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

48 cases, and right now, we have over 223 cases.

“Notable among them is the first case that we resolved which had been on for 18 years. It was resolved by

simple mediation.”

In April, Auwalu stated that the establishment of the centre would ensure the settlement of disputes through the use of industry

experts with in-depth understanding of the issues before them for quick resolutions in the overall interest of industry players, stakeholders and Nigeria.

2021 STRATEGIC DISCOURSE SESSION

L-R: Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, International Breweries Plc, (IBPLC), Temitope Oguntokun; Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso; Lead, Corporate Communications/Public Affairs, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Victoria Uwadoka, and Immediate Past Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Lagos State Chapter, Segun McMedal, at the Strategic Discourse Session of the 2021 Annual Lagos Public Relations Week organised by NIPR Lagos State Chapter...recently ETOP UKUTT

‘Capacity Building Will Stop Restiveness in Niger Delta’ Okon Bassey in Uyo Indigenous oil and gas firm in Nigeria’s upstream sector, Moni Pulo Limited, has said capacity building will ameliorate the Niger Delta region’s economic challenges and reduce incidences of youth restiveness.

The Chairman/Chief Executive, Moni Pulo Petroleum Development, Mrs Seinge Lulu-Briggs made the call at a community empowerment programme for the people of Mbo and Effiat communities in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

Lulu-Briggs spoke through the

head of administration and community relations, Alabo Clifford, saying the oil firm has a passion for transforming communities and catalyst personal and community growth in sustainable manner through corporate social responsibility.

“Our passion springs from our belief that policy - level support for job creation should focus primary on capacity building.

“Therefore, the provision of an economic-enabling environment, sustainable employment, secured opportunities and capital development in Mbo LGA will remain the guiding principle for social transformation.

“Our corporate mission is to provide hope and encouragement to indigenous entrepreneurs; because when you succeed in business and life, we also succeed and the county, Nigeria,” she stated.

She said the empowerment programme provides opportunities for entrepreneurs among the beneficiaries to set up and establish businesses that will help increase the employment rate in the state and the country at large.

“Despite the socio-economic challenges that we, like everyone else had to weather, we have continued to invest in the wellbeing of our host communities

through empowerment exercise and sustainable development projects.

“We have done and will continue to do this because we know that ultimately our work is about people, men, women, youth and children of Mbo and Effiat.

“As we present our brothers and sisters in Mbo and Effiat communities with equipment to start up their businesses, our belief is that livelihoods will be secured and enhanced.” LuluBriggs posited.

She thanks the state government, royal fathers, security operatives and indigenes of the host

communities for ensuring their successful business operations.

Also speaking, the state commissioner for power and petroleum development, Dr. John Etim acknowledged that Moni Pulo has awarded scholarship to students of host communities, trained some on skill acquisition programmes and carried development projects in Mbo and Uran LGAs. “Let me appreciate the management of Moni Pulo for being a good corporate citizen by keeping to its Corporate Social Responsibility in providing people-oriented projects in the state,” he said.

Vetiva Predicts Bright Prospects for Cement Sector Goddy Egene

Group Business Editor

to the traditional courts.

He said: “The centre is involved in mediation, reconciliation and arbitration.

After the inauguration of the centre, we resolved about

Vetiva Research has predicted increased optimism for the cement sector in Nigeria, underpinned by stronger capital disbursements from the public sector.

Vetiva noted that the increased focus of the federal government on transport infrastructure projects was a key driver for its expectation, with the aim to position the transport sector ahead of the recently launched African Continental Free

Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Although it stated that capital expenditure (capex) execution could be threatened by a high budget deficit (N5 trillion), it remained optimistic that the government would obtain adequate financing to meet a sizeable portion of the funds through debt financing.

However, beyond the public sector, Vetiva Research also highlighted the continued reopening of the broader economy as well as

the mini renaissance in the Real Estate sector as critical support factors for cement demand in 2021. “Notably, after six quarters of contraction, the real estate sector gross domestic product (GDP) expanded in the last two quarters, driven by larger investments in the residential market,” Vetiva stated. Overall, the investment bank projects an 11 per cent growth in domestic cement sales in 2021, taking overall cement demand to 29.1

million MT in Nigeria.

The report forecasts a mild drop in cement prices in the second half of 2021 due to an expected increase in product supply and a potential re-launch of marketing campaigns such as Dangote Cement’s “Bag of Goodies” promotions.

However, Vetiva still projects a six per cent growth in average cement prices in 2021, driven by inflationary and foreign exchange pressure. Speaking on the cost

pressures, the Industrial Goods Analyst at Vetiva Research, Onyeka Ijeoma, said that the continuous rise in costs would push cement majors to focus more on controlling the largest controllable cost item –energy costs. “So far, the largest producer, Dangote Cement Plc has launched an Alternative Fuels (AF) strategy to manage their energy costs better, while Lafarge Africa Plc will look to ramp up on its AF utilisation,” Ijeoma said.

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) Ë×ÏÝ ×ÏÔÙ (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters

ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

Agusto, GCR Affirm InfraCredit’s ‘AAA’Long Term Credit Ratings Goddy Egene Rating agencies, Agusto & Co and Global Credit Ratings (GCR) have re-affirmed the “AAA” credit rating of Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Limited (InfraCredit), specialised infrastructure credit guarantee institution.

InfraCredit is backed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, GuarantCo and

InfraCo Africa (Private Infrastructure Development Group companies), KfW Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, and African Development Bank, to provide local currency guarantees and mobilise long term debt financing for infrastructure in Nigeria.

Assigning the highest credit rating on InfraCredit, GCR said: “The rating is underpinned by the uniqueness of InfraCredit

operations as a credit guarantee provider, and the company’s strong capitalisation, liquidity, and asset quality position, albeit counterbalanced by its self-regulated status.”

According to the rating agency, InfraCredit posts a strong financial profile score of 5.25, one of the highest in the financial services industry underpinned by the company’s growing capital

buffers, liquidity, and broader balance sheet strength, which are complemented by the sound governance and risk management culture; key fundamentals underscores the credibility of InfraCredit as a guarantor and more importantly the sustainability of the business model.

“InfraCredit grew its core capital by 64 per cent within the review period, following the equity investments of InfraCo

Africa and retained earnings.

“The strength of the rating is also partly supported by the commitment of the capital providers and the prospect of InfraCredit to sustainably grow its capital base through internally generated capital by way of earnings retention and new capital injection from existing and prospective equity and debt capital providers,” the firm said.

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LASACO Pays N365m Claims to Deceased Workers’ Families Ebere Nwoji LASACO Assurance Plc recently paid a total of N365 million claims benefits to the families of 159 deceased workers of Lagos State government and those from the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

During the cheque presentation which took place at Ikeja, Lagos, LASACO Assurance Managing Director, Razzaq Abiodun, said in presenting the cheque to the families of the deceased workers, the company was reacting to premium paid by the Lagos State Government for certain individuals based on promise it gave that in case of any eventuality, the company would pay such benefits.

“It is on that premise that we are paying the benefits. We are only making good the promise that we have made to Lagos

state who has been judiciously paying the premium over the years that in case of death of any of staff of SUBEB or local government staff within the service period, which LASACO will pay some benefits.

“The programme has been on since 2009 and I can also say that the one that we are giving publicity in terms of calling the people you see here today to come and collect benefits has been on since 2015. And we do it twice a year. From 2016 to now, we have paid over N3 billion to various beneficiaries.

“Today is the first tranch that we are doing for the year 2021 and I am sure by October, we will do another batch,” the LASACO Assurance boss said.

According to him, the symbolic issue in the presentation was the peculiarity of the project, saying it is something

that the company will give kudos to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for consistently paying the premium.”

He said this was because if there was no payment of premium, LASACO as insurer would not pay the claims.

He said the policy was a group life insurance package that the state arranged for its workers, saying the claims being paid was for members of the state Basic Education Board and local government.

According to him, the insurance company and Lagos State government arranged the same programme for direct staff that work with the state parastatals and MDAs and other civil servants but the claims cheque being presented to the deceased families was actually for local government and SUBEB deceased staff.

Standard Alliance Tackles NIA over Expulsion Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, has challenged its expulsion by the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) and is seeking N10 billion payment for damages.

The NIA said it took the decision because the company was allegedly not meeting obligations to policyholders.

But the company in reaction argued that Mr. Ganiyu Musa, who doubles as Chairman of the Governing Council of NIA and Managing Director/CEO of Cornerstone Insurance Plc, ought to have recused himself from the matter given the pending case between both companies before a Federal High Court and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Standard Alliance, equally insisted that the NIA erred in expelling it from the association over the issue of claims, saying it paid claims of N2.7 billion in 2018, N1.9 billion in 2019 and N1.1 billion in 2020 despite the

ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A letter to the Director-General/ CEO of NIA by solicitors to Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa & Co dated July 5, 2021 stated “the reason proffered for terminating our Client’s membership is glaringly and demonstrably false, considering that in 2018, our Client made a cash premium receipt of N3, 757,303,000 and it paid claims of N2, 707,875,000 inclusive of individual life policy claims.

“Also, in 2019, our client made a cash premium receipt of N2, 427,120,000 and it paid claims of N1,907,834,000 inclusive of individual life policy claims.

“In 2020, due to the effect of the Corona Virus Pandemic look-down, our Client made a cash premium receipt of N967,753,000 and it even had to resort to other reserve funds to enable it pay claims of N1,148,327,340 inclusive of individual life policy claims.”

The solicitors also averred that, “despite replying your letter of 18th February, 2021 via our Clients’ letter of 26th April, 2021 giving the association an update of its claims settlement portfolio, the association proceeded to rely on Section 4 (5) of its Constitution in the letter of termination dated 18th February, 2021, to give our client 60 days to settle all outstanding claims failing which the association will proceed to publish the expulsion in the national newspapers, which threat was consummated on 23rd day of June, 2021.” It stated further that funds which its Client reported to the association that Continental Re- Insurance Co. Ltd was supposed to refund to it were wrongly classified as outstanding claims against its Client. It said that despite the purported termination of its client’s membership of the association, the latter still proceeded to demand that its client should pay its annual subscription fees and other levies.

Sigma Pensions Boss Lists Challenges in Sector Ebere Nwoji The past President of the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) and Managing Director, Sigma Pensions Limited, Mr. Dave Uduanu, has said operators in sector are currently facing three core challenges.

Uduanu, who spoke in an exclusive interview with THISDAY at the recent third annual PenOp-NASS retreat in Lagos, listed the challenges as first, outreach.

He said the number of contributors currently reached by the operators for contribution into the Contributory Pension Scheme was still low.

According to him, the operators still have not reached up to 50 per cent of the working population.

He said the second challenge was deepening investment to create impact.

“Infrastructure, housing and SME finance, we are yet to meet our target in this aspect,” Uduanu said.

The third challenge he pointed out was to deal with the exchange rate.

He further pointed out the challenge of getting states and informal sector involved in the scheme as well as the need to deepen micro insurance which according to him was at its early days.

He said up till now many state government are yet to enact their Contributory Pension Scheme laws.

He said despite these challenges, a critical examination and assessment of the pension sector performance, showed that at 17 years, since the Contributory Pension Scheme began in Nigeria, operators have done reasonably well.

According to him, by now, the fund should have been bigger

but that it had challenges with investment in the early years.

“In dollar terms, it would have been bigger but for exchange rate of naira to dollar which is not a problem or our fault.

“But I think the scheme has done reasonably well.

In terms of building institutions, it has done well the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) are well regulated and very strong institution in terms of Investment and building capacities and financial market, PFAs are the reference in financial sector in Nigeria”, Uduanu stated.

According to him, in terms of advocacy and advancing the course, the PFAs are at the forefront and in terms of professionalism you have many of young professionals working for the industry building future leaders.

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United Capital: Outperforming the Volatile Market Despite the heavy economic headwinds, United Capital Plc recorded a growth of 65 per cent in profit for the half-year ended June 30, 2021, writes Goddy Egene

T

he first six months of 2021 were very challenging for companies due to the economic headwinds. Hence, investors and all stakeholders have been apprehensive over how companies would perform in their financial results. Operating in the financial sector and investment space in particular, was even more challenging as returns on investment was impacted negatively due to rising inflation and among other factors.

The stock market that recorded a growth of 50 per cent in 2020, was the target of many investors and investment banks, fell by 5.8 per cent in the first half (H1)of this year as the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited declined from 40,270.72 to 37,907.28. Also, the market capitalisation of NGX went down by N1.303 trillion in H1 of 2021.

Profit-taking, shift to fixed income (FI) market by local investors due to uptick in yields and low participation by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) had proved to a big challenge for players in the stock market.

Also, the steep rise in yields on sovereign instruments like Treasury Bills and FGN Bonds had undermined the risk appetite of investors for equities, as most high net worth investors (HNIs) and institutional investors took comfort on the low double digit rates in the fixed income environment in the H1 unlike in 2020 when yields on treasuries were near zero and bond yields waned to low single digit.

“More so, as concerns on probable Naira devaluation continues to fuel speculative demand for foreign currency (FCY), equities have seen notable outflow of funds, notwithstanding the attractive valuation of large- and mid-cap counters with strong fundamental,” she said.

Genuine concerns on reduced liquidity in the foreign exchange (FX) market, which has constrained some foreign investors from repatriating dividend and proceeds of divestment equally influenced the weak participation of foreign investors in Nigerian equity market.

All these made the investment banking space a challenge to navigate and report positive results.

However, United Capital Plc, which is a leading investment bank and a foremost panAfrican financial and investment services group, defied the headwinds and soared through the volatile markets to record significant growths in all performance indices in H1 of 2021.

A breakdown of the results released last week, showed a revenue of N6.85 billion in 2021, compared to N4.45 billion, which is a growth of 54 per cent. The revenue was driven by a strong growth in fee and commission income (+128 per cent) and investment income (+27 per cent) despite 60 per cent decline in net trading income Operating income printed at N6.81 billion in 2021, indicating a rise of 57 per cent from N4.35 billion in 2020. Operating expenses rose by 43 per cent to N3.11 billion from N2.18 billion in 2020.

Profit Before Tax (PBT) rose by 65 per cent to N3.74 billion in 2021, compared to N2.27 billion in 2020, while profit after tax (PAT) grew by 64 per cent from N1.91 billion to

N3.14 billion in 2021.

Total assets improved by 44 per cent to N320.23 billion, compared to N222.75 billion as at December 31, 2020.

One of the factors that was responsible for the impressive performance was efficient cost management that led to a decline in the cost to income ratio. The cost-to-income ratio for the period declined by 3.58 percentage points largely attributable to the faster growth in revenue relative to operating expenses, which indicated a continued improvement in operational efficiency.

Also, United Capital’s profitability margin improved with PBT margin gaining 3.58percentage points to 54.57 per cent for H1 2021 relative to 50.99 per cent for H1 2020 as PBT increased by 65 per cent during the period.

Similarly, PAT margin improved, gaining 2.81 percentage points despite a higher tax charge of 16 per cent Commenting on the group’s performance the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of United Capital Plc, Mr. Peter Ashade, said: “I am excited to inform our stakeholders that United Capital Plc recorded a very impressive half year 2021 result following a record year performance in 2020. We ended the first half of the year on a very high note as reflected in our earnings growth and strong financial performance.”

According to him, United Capital Plc is in a growth phase, saying that their strong financial performance was a testament of their

unwavering commitment to increasing value creation for all their clients amid the harsh socio-economic environment and lingering effects of the devastating pandemic.

“In the remaining half of the year, we will be focused on our transformation agenda by deepening our value propositions to underserved market segments especially mass affluent and mass market clients, while driving phased automation of our business processes. Our bespoke affluent segment propositions including private trusts, and wealth management solutions are curated to increase, preserve, and transfer wealth for our fast-growing affluent customer base. Furthermore, our best-in-class digital platforms remain central to our purpose of transforming lives and promoting financial inclusion across Africa by providing easy access to collective investment schemes and micro loans while promoting socio-economic development. Our stakeholders can be assured of our commitment to delivering superior returns. More importantly, we will continue to work with our regulators and other capital market operators on structural reforms to deepen the capital market as the domestic economy continues the path to recovery,” he said.

He said United Capital Plc remains a leader in the financial and investment services space, with a mission to provide bespoke and innovative value-added services to its clients.

The group, he added, aimed to transform the African continent by providing innovative and creative investment banking solutions to

governments, companies, and individuals.

Ashade had last year told shareholders that the company was optimistic about the year 2021, saying it presented greater opportunities for innovation, growth, and expansion beyond its current ecosystem.”

The GCEO had said that while the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow to businesses and economies globally including our domestic operating environment, as a responsible organisation, the focus of United Capital Plc was the safety of their staff while helping their clients to navigate those challenging times towards meeting their respective goals.

He said one of the strategies the company adopted to sustain the performance during the challenging times, was the commencement of virtual operations without significant impact on their service delivery to clients.

“Our digital platforms (InvestNow – mobile and web) continued to serve our clients globally from the comfort of their homes. In addition, we increased client engagements across digital platforms such as streaming investment clinics and other advisory services.

All internal and external workplace interactions have been seamless in a virtual environment due to our improved technology capabilities.

We developed new competencies including propositions to exploit emerging opportunities identified while also creating buffers such as income earnings on long term investments,” Ashade said.

NBC, Coca-Cola Present Start-up Equipment to Vulnerable Nigerians In furtherance of efforts to support communities and governments to cushion the impact of the COVID-19, Coca-Cola has donated business start-up equipment to women and youths in communities in Aba, Abia State and Port Harcourt in Rivers under its post COVID-19 community interventions.

The beneficiaries, who had earlier been trained by a local NGO, Genius Hub, on behalf of the Coca-Cola System, received shoe-making and tailoring equipment to start their businesses and begin their journey to self-reliance.

The Coca-Cola System, which has always supported its stakeholders and communities with positive and

impactful interventions, implemented the program with funds from The Coca-Cola Foundation.

The beneficiaries, who beamed with smiles while receiving the equipment, expressed gratitude to the Coca-Cola System, noting that the gesture would improve their economic status.

“I am very grateful for this sewing machine and other fashion designing equipment given to me, and I want to thank you, Nigerian Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Nigeria.

You have not only given us fish, but you have also taught us how to fish,” one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Gift Ejike, said.

Another beneficiary and a com-

munity leader, Azubuike Erondu, also commended the NBC and Coca-Cola Nigeria for the intervention, describing it as a more sustainable approach to helping communities overcome the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic.

“The NBC and Coca-Cola Nigeria have done excellently well for us, and we are grateful. This is a timely intervention, especially for people who are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

“The pandemic affected businesses and brought untold hardship on many people. But through this intervention, we have gained valuable skills and received start-up equipment and support to launch our businesses

and create value,” Erondu said.

According to the Director of Public Affairs and Communications, NBC, Ekuma Eze, the intervention, tagged ‘Making a Difference’, ‘was a continuation of the Coca-Cola System’s support for Nigerians adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are witnesses to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially to families, small businesses, artisans and other vulnerable Nigerians.

“As a responsible organisation committed to the growth of our communities, we believe this initiative will support and empower vulnerable people in our communities to regain their feet post-pandemic.

“We also recognise the critical role and contributions of the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector to the Nigerian economy.

Therefore, this intervention will not only lift the beneficiaries out of their present predicament, but it also presents an important avenue to stimulate the growth of this important sector.”

Ekuma, who assured that the equipment grant was a precursor to many more rewarding programs to support host communities, commended its implementing partner, Genius Hub, for the diligent execution of the program and reiterated the System’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians.

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Zenith Bank’s Rising Brand Value

Zenith Bank Plc has remained a customer-centric institution with a clear understanding of its market and environment which reflects in the numerous recognitions bestowed on the bank, writes Ugo Aliogo

S

ince it commenced business in May 1990, Zenith Bank Plc has built a respectable brand that is recognised globally.

Zenith Bank which set out with the vision of becoming the leading Nigerian, technology-driven, global financial institution that provides distinctive range of financial services has lived up to the expectations of its founder, Mr. Jim Ovia with the numerous awards the bank has won in the past two years under the leadership of Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu.

Since Onyeagwu was appointed its Chief Executive Officer, the bank has won a total of 25 awards bestowed on it both from local and international reputable institutions and agencies.

For instance, in 2019, it was named the Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria by World Finance; the Biggest Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 capital

by The Banker; the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, by The Banker; Best Digital Bank in Nigeria, by Augusto & Co.; Bank of the Year by BusinessDay Newspaper; Best Bank in Retail Banking, BusinessDay Newspaper, Most Innovative Bank of the Year, Tribune Newspaper; and Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Well-Being, SERAS Awards.

Also, in 2020, Zenith Bank was named Bank of the Year (Nigeria) by The Banker; Best Bank in Nigeria, by Global Finance Magazine; Biggest Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 capital by The Banker; Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria by The Banker; Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa Ethical Boardroom; Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice), THISDAY Newspaper; Bank of the Year by Independent Newspaper; Best Bank in Retail Banking by BusinessDay Newspaper; Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Well-Being, SERAS Awards and Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment

by SERAS Awards.

In 2021, so far the bank has been recognised as the Best Bank in Nigeria by Global Finance Magazine; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria,

by World Finance; Biggest Bank in Nigeria

by Tier-1 Capital, The Banker; Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, by The Banker; Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa by Ethical Boardroom.

On his part, Onyeagwu has also been recognised specially for the visionary leadership he has displayed at the bank with awards which included Bank CEO of the Year by Champion Newspaper in 2019; Bank CEO of the Year by BusinessDay Newspaper in 2020 and CEO of the Year by SERAS Awards.

Indeed, Zenith Bank blazes the trail in digital banking in Nigeria; scoring several firsts in the deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to create innovative products that meet the needs of its teeming customers.

The bank is verifiably a leader in the deployment of various channels of banking technology, and the Zenith brand has become synonymous with the deployment of state-of-the-art technologies in banking. Driven by a culture of excellence and strict adherence to global best practices, the bank has combined vision, skillful banking expertise, and cutting-edge technology to create products and services that anticipate and meet customers’ expectations; enable businesses to thrive and grow wealth for customers.

In the same vein, Zenith Bank has clearly distinguished itself in the banking industry through superior service quality, unique customer experience, and sound financial indices. These have become part of its corporate culture to the extent that the bank is easily associated with the following attributes: Best-in-class customer experience, creativity, excellent financial performance, good asset quality, stable management, dedicated and highly skilled work-force, cutting-edge Information and Communication Technology, efficient and effective distribution channels.

The strategic objective of Zenith Bank also includes a continuous improvement of its capacity to meet customers’ increasing and dynamic financial needs as well as sustain high quality growth through investments that impact the quality of service to its existing and potential customers, constant upgrade of its ICT infrastructure, unwavering investment in training and re-training of its people and regular reinforcing of its customer services delivery charter with regards to continually changing customer needs.

Onyeagwu Additionally, Zenith Bank places high premium on the pivotal role of exceptional service delivery in its drive to consistently exceed stakeholders’ expectations. The bank has in place a well-articulated strategy to not only meet and surpass customer expectations, but also ensure that plans are fine-tuned to address the changing taste and sophistication of the customer.

Its underlying philosophy is to remain at all times, a customer-centric institution with a clear understanding of its market and environment.

Also, the bank remains committed to promoting good corporate governance and best practices in the conduct of its business. This is because it believes that good corporate governance engenders public trust and ultimately ensures that the company meets the expectation of all stakeholders.

Zenith Bank’s business continuity policy is to maintain the continuity of its activities, facilities, systems and processes and where these are disrupted by any event, to enable it to return to ‘normal’ operations as soon as possible.

Its Information Security Policy is to provide a security framework that will ensure the protection of information from unauthorised access, loss or damage while supporting the open, informationsharing needs of the bank.

Driven by a culture of excellence and strict adherence to global best practices, the bank has combined vision, skillful banking expertise, and cutting-edge technology to create products and services that anticipate and meet customers’ expectations; enable businesses to thrive and grow wealth for customers

The bank’s unaudited results for the first quarter ended 31st March 2021, showed that its profit after tax (PAT) rose to N53.1 billion, from N50.5 billion recorded in March 2020. This was despite a very challenging macroeconomic environment aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the bank’s unaudited statement of account for the first quarter of 2021, the Group’s profit before tax also grew from N58.8 billion to N61 billion in the same period.

The profitability was driven by the optimisation of the cost of funds and improvement in non-interest income.

In addition, the bank’s cost of funds reduced significantly from 2.6 per cent in March 2020, to 1.1 per cent in March 2021. This also reflected in interest expense which dropped by 45 per cent from N32.8 billion to N18 billion over the same period.

Considering its performance over the years, Zenith Bank has been predicted to continue to retain its position as Nigeria’s leading tier-1 lender, according to a report by Coronation Asset Management.

In its 2021 Bank Report on Nigerian lenders titled, “Nigerian Banks, Resilience Built In,” released recently, the Lagos-based research and financial advisory firm stated that while Zenith Bank’s Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) is likely to come under pressure due to persisting challenges in the domestic economy.”

The report, which forecasts that the total assets of the country’s five Tier 1 lenders will increase from N37.49 trillion in 2020, to N43.93 trillion and N48.31 trillion in 2021 and 2022 respectively, projects that Zenith Bank will lead its peers with total assets of N10.11 trillion and N11.21 trillion in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

It stated: “Rated on key parameters such as asset quality, profitability and return to investors, Zenith Bank’s track record has been impressive.

The bank is a clear market leader, growing its Total Assets and Net Income by an annual average of 15.7 per cent and 15.5 per cent, respectively, over the last five years.

“Funded income has been the largest and most stable source of income for Zenith Bank over the last five years (as a share of revenue: 57 per cent). Although Net Interest Margin (NIM) compressed significantly last year, the reversal in market yields is likely to drive a strong recovery in interest income in 2021. “According to management, the bank has already re-priced most of its loans upwards by one per cent -three per cent.

We expect cost of funds to remain downwardly sticky as the bank aggressively grows its retail deposits.

“We look for a 30 basis points net interest margin (NIM) expansion in 2021 ending. The preceding is likely to offset cost growth and lead to profit before tax growth of 18.2 per cent, with RoAE settling at 21.7 per cent.

“Beyond this year, other profitability metrics look healthy, fee income growth has been consistent, and the bank has kept a lid on operating expenses.

We expect operating expenses to be well controlled during our forecast period.

“We expect the cost-to-income ratio to settle within the 43 per cent – 45 per cent range, well below the industry average,” the report stated.

It stated that over the last five years, Zenith Bank is the only bank among its peers that has kept its non-performing loans ratio below the statutory limit of five per cent (Full year 2020: 4.3 per cent) consistently.

Speaking on the various awards won by the bank, Onyeagwu said it was a demonstration of the bank’s resilience and doggedness as an institution given the very challenging macroeconomic environment brought about by the COVID-19, which had a significant deleterious impact on businesses globally.

“It is also an affirmation of our commitment to delighting and creating value for our customers through a broad range of superior product offerings, best-in-class service and top-of-the-range technology,” he added.

Onyeagwu also thanked the lenders’ numerous customers for their loyalty over the years.

He added: “First is to say that Zenith Bank has grown organically, we are disciplined, we are focused and we look for where to extract value.

“However, we would not do a deal or a corporate action just for the sake of doing it. If we find a deal that fits into our profile, of course we would do a deal. It has to be something that fits into our profile.

“Until we find such, we would continue to grow organically. We are already in Ghana, we are in Sierra Leone, Gambia, UK and by no means that is not to say that we cannot expand beyond this location. It depends on what we see as events continue to unfold.”

Clearly, Zenith Bank under the leadership of Onyeagwu has been increasing in brand strength and this has translated to better returns to shareholders, improved customer services and enhanced value to shareholders.

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INTERVIEW

Olugbenjo: Why We Floated Infrastructure Fund The Chief Investment Officer, Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund, Dolu Olugbenjo, in this interview speaks on the recently launched N100 billion Infrastructure Fund, the bank’s experience as an asset manager, among others. Excerpts:

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a contract we value wholesomely. Specifically, Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund will provide an avenue for investors to gain exposure to critical infrastructure projects while ensuring that risks are mitigated and there are commensurate returns for the risks assumed. It will provide the requisite transparency via a governance framework to ensure that investors are kept aware of the investments the Fund makes. Beyond return and risks dynamics, the Fund will make investments that have positive multiplier effects particularly in the areas of social and environmental benefits.

It will ensure sustainability is at the core of its philosophy and these are themes that resonate within the investment community.

tanbic IBTC Asset Management recently launched a N100 billion Infrastructure Fund as an alternative investment outlet for institutional investors seeking long term sustainable investment opportunities and returns. Can you tell us more about the Fund?

Yes, we launched a N100 billion Infrastructure Fund aimed at supporting efforts to close the infrastructure gap by linking investors with long term capital to infrastructure project developers and sponsors. The fund will provide long term capital to project sponsors and ensure that the investment terms enable development of projects, rather than stifling them.

You are targeting N20 billion for the first tranche, which will have a term of up to 12 years. How many tranches are planned and at what intervals?

The first tranche is for N20 billion and will be invested in energy, healthcare, and communications. We also have a robust pipeline of deals in various stages and as we conclude those deals and get approvals, we will raise additional tranches. We expect that about seven tranches will get us fully invested.

It is easy to deduce the rationale behind introduction of the Fund, given that infrastructure development remains a challenge in the country. Can you shed more light on the likely sectors and projects the Fund will be invested in?

Recent data puts Nigeria’s infrastructure stock at 25 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared with 70 per cent which is the international benchmark. Average annual budgeted infrastructure spend is about 10 per cent of annual requirement, with $3 trillion required to close the infrastructure gap over the next 30 years. These data references highlight the need for urgent and concerted efforts at solving the problem. We also know that government earnings have come under some constraints in recent times, hence why as market operators, we need to support innovative solutions that can help to solve some of these problems. The Fund will enable infrastructure investments across core infrastructure sectors such as energy (think entire power ecosystem including gas generation and distribution infrastructure), telecommunications, healthcare, water treatment, waste management, and transportation (road, rail, ports), and so on.

Olugbenjo Considering the volatile economic and investment environment due largely to the coronavirus, do you feel the appetite for a Fund like this exists?

The pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of economies across the world and Nigeria is no different. However, it also provides an opportunity for new areas of growth for these economies. For instance, the United States of America is negotiating $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan and there are other countries that have announced plans or are developing their plans. These initiatives will bode well for investors as they will bring to the fore many more opportunities for investments beyond the traditional investment propositions. For the Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund in particular, we believe investors are indeed waiting for a fund such as this and there is appetite in the market for an infrastructure-dedicated fund.

Why should investors choose to invest in the Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund as opposed to other options in the market?

Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund has been floated by Stanbic IBTC Asset Management, an entity with deep investment management experience spanning more than two decades.

Our focus on meeting the needs of our investors have made Nigerians trust us with their capital and we do not take that trust for granted. It is

Considering that inflation rate is significantly high now, what type of returns do you expect would motivate investors considering the Fund?

We have observed that safety of capital is as important as returns. Our objective is to deliver long term returns above the comparable government benchmark which theoretically is the safest long-term investment option in the market, while ensuring that risk is within a reasonable threshold.

We believe that our ability to consistently deliver on this mandate will encourage investors to come on board.

Stanbic IBTC Asset Management manages some of the highest performing mutual funds in Nigeria, including the newly introduced Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Fixed Income Fund and the Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund. Your pedigree in funds management is not in doubt.

Can you briefly describe some of the milestones the company has accomplished and what you envisage is the growth prospect for the newly introduced Infrastructure Fund?

Stanbic IBTC Asset Management has a total of 16 Collective Investment Schemes (CIS), which is the highest pool managed by any Securities and Exchange (SEC) registered Fund Manager in Nigeria. The suite of Funds that we offer provides diverse options to investors with different risk appetites and these products are also suitable for different market conditions, allowing investors freely rotate between strategies, depending on the market outlook. In addition, three of the Funds have assets over N100 billion which is a testament to the confidence that investors have in our organisation. The growth prospect for the Infrastructure Fund is based on an optimal mix of opportunity and skill. Opportunity in the sense of infrastructure gap that exists in the market, and skill of the Fund Manager in providing

tangible solutions via careful and rigorous deal selection processes; robust investment analyses and investment management processes; as well as best practices in governance framework. We believe protection of investors’ interest always wins in the long run and that will remain the clearest path to growth.

Stanbic IBTC is a leading end-to-end financial services organisation in the country, with subsidiaries offering a broad range of financial solutions. How well has Stanbic IBTC Asset Management supported clients through the other solutions offered by the Group?

As an Investment Manager, one of our objectives is to be at the cutting edge of innovation, be thought leaders and prioritise collaboration so that we can optimally serve our clients and ensure their expectations are met. We believe we are doing this within the ambit of existing regulations, and we will continue to seek optimal ways of leveraging Group strengths and capabilities for the benefit of our clients A couple of years ago, you achieved Assets under Management (AuM) for your various funds of around N600 billion, highlighting Stanbic IBTC Asset Management’s industry leadership. What is the total size of your AuM now?

The total AuM is currently in excess of N780 billion and this is spread across retail, high net worth individuals (HNIs) and institutional investors.

What is your assessment of the investment environment in the country as we gradually put the coronavirus problems behind us?

Unfortunately, the investment environment may still be characterised by uncertainty even after the pandemic as there are pending structural matters that need to be addressed to unlock a period of sustained growth and development. So, while bringing the pandemic under control will be positive for the investment environment, it isn’t a magic wand. Regardless, recent efforts such as the seeding of the InfraCorp initiative with N1 trillion InfraCorp by the trio of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority and African Finance Corporation, as well as the Highway Development Management Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing - which seeks to concession 12 major roads across the country - are steps in the right direction.

Examining Fidelity Bank’s Non-oil Export Businesses’ Support Oluchi Chibuzor With Nigeria battling the twin challenges of over-dependence on crude oil earnings and dwindling revenues, several organisations are now exploring opportunities in the non-oil export sector of the economy.

Fidelity Bank Plc is however taking the pole position in supporting these entrepreneurs through its agribusiness and non-oil export banking franchise.

According to data from The Policy Development Facility (PDF) Bridge Programme, Nigeria’s dependency on oil exports for government revenue (80%) and foreign exchange earnings (87%) has long been at odds with the sector’s contribution of just 8.33 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

No thanks to the global oil shock triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria’s economic vulnerability is glaring as GDP growth declined by 6.1 per cent and 3.6 per cent in the second and third quarters of 2020.

It is therefore no longer a policy choice but a germane initiative for Nigeria to explore other avenues to make the economy viable rather than depending solely on crude oil for foreign earnings.

As a foresighted institution driven by excellence and sustainability, Fidelity Bank has since made giant strides in this regard by giving optimal attention to non-oil sectors such as agriculture and the SME sectors -

Onyeali-Ikpe with the end results of driving job creation, improving industrialisation, increasing GDP performance, and playing a crucial role in the process of economic growth.

Fidelity Bank has, over the years, built strong partnerships across the broad spectrum of economic actors in the agribusiness space to drive their agribusiness financing interventions to micro and last-mile levels.

They successfully leveraged strategic partnerships with the CBN and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) under various industry targeted intervention funding programmes to enhance access to credit for seven eligible players in the agribusiness and non-oil exports space.

Some of these key interventions by the bank include expansion of capacities in strategic value-chain segments (rice, dairy, poultry, oil palm, cocoa, etc.) that are key to narrowing food security gaps and enhancing foreign exchange earnings.

In 2019 alone, the bank made available over N32.7 billion in credits to businesses operating in strategic sectors, including rice, dairy, poultry, oil palm, cocoa, etc.

These financing solutions helped facilitate the movement of these businesses up the production value-chain through the financing of forward integrated components to facilitate transition from primary production to value-added products, hence adding significant value to the GDP while providing employment opportunities. Some of these financing solution offerings include: the agric project finance, input finance for primary production, produce aggregation finance, equipment finance, distributor finance and flexible collateral arrangements (up to 75% credit risk guarantee).

These activities have been recognised and applauded by operators, funding partners and all other actors in the agribusiness space.

At the Bankers’ Committee meeting of December 2019, the bank was awarded second position in Sustainable Agriculture Transactions of the year.

Taking their resolve to build sustainable export capabilities for Nigerian businesses even further, Fidelity Bank Plc, in partner-

ship with the Lagos Business School (LBS) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), initiated the Export Management Programme EMP. An intense and hands-on export management programme, designed to equip Nigerian exporters, regulators, financiers and policymakers with the practical knowledge and business management skills required to compete effectively in the global export market.

The EMP is open to both aspiring and experienced exporters exploring different courses such as Overview of Nigeria’s Export Performance, Export Readiness Imperative & Assessment, Select Export Business Case Studies, Nigerian Exportable Items & Locations, Incentives for Export, Domestic Policies and Export Institutions, Export Market Accessibility – Opportunities, Entry Aspects and Guidelines for Exporting to Different Markets and so much more.

Beyond financing, the bank has leveraged its thought leadership position and strong advisory capacity in the agribusiness and non-oil exports space to help businesses bridge capacity gaps and enhance the value of their business propositions.

Fidelity Bank continues to lead the industry in this regard by making significant contributions, all geared towards the diversification of the Nigerian economy. This is in tune with their avowed desire to be number one in every market they serve and to make financial services easy and accessible to Nigerians.

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Profitability of Green Buildings Mark Chieshe

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s the world remodels towards a carbon-free economy, green buildings are fast gaining global acceptance and adoption as the future-proof standard for the construction industry.

This is because of their capacity to mitigate the negative impact of construction work on the environment.

Studies show that the conventional building sector accounts for about 28 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, 35 percent of energy usage; 60 per cent of the electricity for heating, cooling, and lighting; as well as 25 percent of global water and 40 per cent of materials extracted.

On the other hand, green buildings incorporate climate-smart practices and technologies that enable them to use key resources like energy, water, materials, and land more responsibly than traditional buildings.

This includes energy-efficient lighting and cooling, shading, natural ventilation, and low-flow water fixtures. As a result, they are able to leave a lighter carbon footprint, reduce operations and maintenance costs that lead to lower utility bills and more comfortable and healthy spaces for occupants.

Aside from climate mitigation, there is a compelling business case for building green.

Green buildings present a solid investment opportunity for smart investors who are keen to lead a profitable change in the built industry.

Banks and developers can leverage the unique resource efficiencies arising from a more intelligent and environmentally sensitive use of resources to expand and differentiate their product offerings, build brand equity, and gain a competitive edge over their peers in a fast-changing industry.

The market potential for investors is huge globally. International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates green building to represent a $24.7 trillion investment opportunity across emerging markets by 2030, one of the biggest of the decade.

The residential construction component alone is estimated at $15.7 trillion. Around the world, leading construction companies are partnering with financial institutions to gain market shares in their regions.

At the early stages, establishing what constitutes a green building posed a huge challenge to investors. This was understandable. While the benefits of building green to the environment were well established, the metrics for measuring the “green” credentials of buildings were not yet standardised, leading to confusion.

This has changed over the years. The green building trend has matured in depth and scope and the advent of smart certification systems by reputable third parties not only provide banks, developers, and business leaders with a clear definition of what makes a building green, but also an easy, transparent, and scientific platform that helps optimize designs, establish cost, and project utility savings over the lifetime of the asset.

The EDGE Advantage A good example is EDGE. An innovation of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) provides a measurable way for design teams to optimize their designs to achieve certification as “green”.

It includes a cloud-based platform to calculate the cost of going green and utility savings. Fast, smart, affordable, and inclusive, EDGE is powered by a state-of-the-art engine that possesses reliable city-based climate and cost data, consumption

patterns, and algorithms for predicting the most accurate performance results.

EDGE sets clear benchmarks for its green certification program, which it administers through reputable third parties. To qualify for EDGE certification, a building must achieve a 20 per cent reduction in energy, water, and embodied energy in materials compared to a conventional ly built building.

In Nigeria, EDGE certification is offered by Sintali-SGS. This has brought transparency to the definition of what constitutes a green building, a quantitative approach to resource efficiency measurements, and the factoring of critical local data and variables in the design of buildings for optimal performance.

With EDGE, investors can establish baseline costs and make projections on profitability of their green portfolios. Data sourced from owners/occupants of EDGE-certified buildings from over 170 countries show that although green buildings generally incur a slight premium over conventional ones, the benefits over the life cycle of the property outstrip the increased initial cost. An additional two percent Capex produces savings of over ten times the value of the initial investment over the lifetime of a certified building by decreasing operational costs by up to 37 per cent.

With advancements and technological innovation, the additional cost of going green is projected to reduce and eventually cancel out over time. All these further justify the business case for sustainable buildings.

What this Means for Banks, Developers Like their counterparts in other established markets like Mexico, China, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya, Nigerian banks and developers have a chance to define the future outlook of a climate-smart built environment that is good for the environment and good for business. EDGE offers a unique opportunity for innovation and strategic partnerships to differentiate their brands, build climate-smart real estate portfolios that reflect global trends and meet the demands of a more educated and environment-sensitive market.

Doing so would help them increase incomes and grow their businesses sustainably. Global trends show that certified green buildings command a higher value than conventional buildings.

This includes higher sale premiums of up to 31 per cent and faster sale times, up to 23 per

cent higher occupancy rates and higher rental income of up to eight per cent.

Through creative product development and marketing, Nigerian developers can leverage the utility savings and other associated benefits of living in a green house, such as comfortable and well-ventilated spaces to expand their client base using innovative product offerings that guarantee higher and quicker sales and increased tenant income.

A top market segment to explore is green commercial buildings targeting international and upscale local businesses and occupants who are educated and climate change sensitive.

This class of occupants, as evidence shows from other climes, understand the broad benefits of living in climate-smart and comfortable spaces and possess the capacity to pay a premium in rents or outright sale prices.

Leveraging the Green Advantage EDGE also offers market players in Nigeria the opportunity to chart a new, profitable, and more climate-friendly path towards tackling the rising housing deficit by exploring more innovative financing options.

In 2015, a World Bank study estimated that Nigeria had a 17 million housing unit deficit. The report stated that fixing the gap would require the annual production of about 700,000 housing units annually at the cost of N3.5 million each. About N60 trillion was estimated as the expenditure outlay.

At the time, Nigeria had a population of about 180 million. Today, with the increasing population size and increasing urbanization, experts estimate the figure to be over 22 million units and the cost above N100 trillion.

This is no doubt a huge challenge. Yet, it provides a huge opportunity for forwardlooking investors, banks, and developers who on their own, or in collaboration with government at the national and state levels are involved in the process of delivering affordable housing. By building green and using EDGE, they could leverage the benefits and investment potential of resource-efficient buildings unlock finance from international development partners. This includes exploring green bonds, green securitizations and green credit facilities potentially reducing their cost of capital.

Although the electricity supply is generally unstable in Nigeria, when it is available it eats up a huge chunk of worker’s income.

Even so, the country is set to move forward with plans to deregulate the market and make pricing more competitive and reflective of cost to deepen private sector investment. For investors, expanding offerings to include climate-smart products with utility savings would be a major attraction for occupants and tenants.

For commercial and mortgage lenders in Nigeria, this could take the form of developing green financial products around construction finance, mortgages, and home improvement loans.

Another key benefit of going green for Nigerian market players is risk mitigation. The global rally around the adoption of climate-friendly solutions makes the transition to a carbon economy inevitable. Countries and corporate leaders have set targets for zero emissions and both local and international governments are establishing systems and regulations that would eventually make building green the norm. Moreover, in a carbon-free economy, inefficient resource assets are most likely to lose their profit edge.

EDGE Trailblazers in Nigeria The good news for Nigeria is that there are some notable financial institutions and developers who have recognised the business value of building green and have blazed the trail in adopting EDGE certification for their green building portfolios.

From championing a new breed of climate-smart affordable residential housing, premium office accommodation to innovative student hostel accommodation, early adopters of EDGE in Nigeria are breaking new grounds and leading the country’s drive to a new era where building green would be the norm.

The most recent example is Greenage Development Managers. In May, Greenage , a private equity-driven fund and provider of on-campus student and faculty housing projects announced a long-term commitment to IFC’s EDGE. The company aims to transform the student housing sector by delivering purpose-built, resource-efficient hostel accommodation in higher institutions across Nigeria using a $150m sustainable housing fund. The fund commits to developing 100,000 bed spaces across Nigeria over 10 years, with an initial ticket size of $50 million for its first phase of delivery, which began with the groundbreaking development of 500-1,000 bed spaces at Veritas University, Bwari Abuja.

The development at Veritas University will be followed in quick succession by other engagements to be delivered by Greenage at the Arthur Jarvis University in Calabar and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Enugu, among other targeted locations.

Another example is EchoStone, an EDGE Champion that plans to build 100,000 EDGEcertified homes across Nigeria over the next five years. In February, EchoStone delivered 252 units of affordable homes in Idale Badagry in partnership with the Lagos State Government.

The green homes incorporate resource-efficient features that deliver 53 per cent energy savings, 42 per cet water savings and 35 per cent embodied energy in materials savings.

Accelerating the growth of EDGE certified buildings would help Nigerian market players to re-define the built environment, build more sustainable product offerings, and boost their incomes while helping the country to reduce greenhouse emissions. This is good for their brands and good for the planet. t$IJFTIF XSPUF JO GSPN "CVKB

Institute Harps on Skills for Hospitality Industry Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa has admonished youths to seek for knowledge-based skills to enhance their professional proficiency in hospitality trades.

He also urged NYSC members to consider taking up one of the

hospitality trades in order to be engaged in the sector after their compulsory service year.

Kangiwa who made the call through the Director, Media and Public Relations of the Institute, Ahmed Mohammed Sule, at the opening of a one-week training for NYSC members in Jigawa State, said the training was organised to prepare the corp members to be self-employed, self-dependent

and self-sustaining after the service year in the face of growing unemployment in the country.

Jigawa State Commissioner of Commerce and Tourism, represented by the Director of Tourism in the Ministry, Alhaji M. Ringim said Jigawa State was appreciative of the choice of the state for the training.

He noted that the state government would give beneficiaries of

the training the opportunity to utilise the knowledge and skills they acquire to better their lots.

Alhaji Ibrahim Baba, Head of Department of Hospitality of NIHOTOUR and Team Leader of the training programme said the selected youth corps members should consider themselves lucky as his Department is fully prepared to impact on them the best of skills, they need in hospitality trades to

practice professionally, proficiently and profitably in which ever trade they choose to take up after their service period.

The State Director of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) of Jigawa State who spoke through an official of the State NYSC said the Commission would continue to encourage as well as seek for partnership with relevant Institutes such as NIHOTOUR in

empowering youth corps members with skills and knowledge that will make them functional and useful members of the society after the completion of the one year mandatory service to their fatherland.

He then called on the chosen NYSC members to be attentive in acquiring all the skills needed to practice any hospitality trade of their choice.

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Enhancing Capacity of Nigeria’s Legislators

Caroline Lucas TEXEM remains a leading innovative consulting firm that seeks to offer an unmatched learning platform to African leaders. Its services help organisations achieve their goals, optimise their impact and thrive.

This is what the just successfully concluded TEXEM capacity development programme for Nigerian Senators and Members of the House of Representatives achieved. As leaders, legislators too need to acquire the right skills that can enable them to perform their roles efficiently and effectively.

Programmes organised by TEXEM mainly focus on leadership, corporate governance, successful implementation of change, enhancing performance/ workplace productivity, and winning strategies. All these topics are very vital for legislators since they are strategic leaders and bastions of democracy.

The five-day TEXEM programme with the theme, “Optimising Legislative Impact” saw legislators challenge assumptions, network, share best practices, and brainstorm on inclusive growth and nation-building strategies held at Birmingham, UK between 5th -9th of July. This capacity programme included a trip to Shakespeare’s birthplace and other exciting activities. Illustrious opinion shapers from leading citadels and eminent corporate executives shared their experiences and knowledge with the legislators during the period. The intention for bringing together such a team of faculties was to make sure that the legislators got world-class insights.

As usual, all programmes at TEXEM add value and change lives. That explains why the organisation remains the forerunner of helping organisations win and assisting leaders become better strategists and problem solvers in the current challenging, disruptive, fast paced and competitive operating landscape.

The TEXEM methodology For impactful pedagogical sessions, TEXEM utilised its tested and proven approach during the entire capacity development programme from day the first day to the fifth day. The programme comprised case studies, a boat ride, a visit to Cadbury World and presentation by the Founding Director of this iconic organisation; games and interactive daily assessments.

TEXEM’s methodology harnesses the quadruple benefit of improved engagement, enhanced motivation, optimised fun, and stimulated concentration to improve learning performance and classroom dynamics while still striving to meet the learning goals. TEXEM used case studies on the programme as it provides a simulated real-life situation that stimulates delegates into making well-informed decisions.

Also, case studies were utilised during the programme to encourage the Federal legislators to enhance their; cognitive skills, improve their analytical rigour, evaluation skills, and better manage ambiguity.

TEXEM’s approach of using a range of learning tools comprising of discussion, corporate trips and games improved; interpersonal skills, decisionmaking capabilities, communication and team spirit. That’s exactly what the legislative impact programme sought to achieve, and participants say it, indeed, achieved it.

There was a trip to Shakespeare’s birthplace on the first day, group activities daily, and all presentations by the highly experienced faculties utilised coaching, audio-visuals, role-play, and relevant examples to stimulate self-reflection and encourage personal development plans. The key themes covered during the training were leadership for sustainable success, strategic leadership in an unknown tomorrow, good governance and the importance of public participation and civic engagement during the implementation of projects by legislators and the executive arm of government.

Expected Benefits The ultimate goal of the capacity development programme was to benefit the legislators whose active role and exemplary leadership will enhance nation-building via better accountability of the executive arm of government and ultimately enshrine good governance. Whether the leaders are born or made, effective development programmes directly impact their daily roles and the outcomes of their projects.

Indeed, the 5-day programme was a perfect mix of well-planned activities facilitated by world-renowned scholars and executives whose contribution to the area of good governance and strategic leadership is exemplary.

Some Quotes from Faculties Undoubtedly, the TEXEM’s programme content was rich, educative, enlightening, and thoughtprovoking. The attendants not only got a chance to learn the art of achieving goals effectively and efficiently, but they also had memorable interactions. Here is what faculties had to say after the programme: “An interesting day with Nigerian politicians.

TEXEM performs a valuable developmental function in connecting U.K. experts with senior African executives for exchanges that enrich both,” John Buck Former British Ambassador to Portugal & Former Director of BG. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with the delegates from the National Assembly. They were engaged, thoughtful, eager to learn and great fun. TEXEM organisation was very efficient, and the day proceeded smoothly. It was a pleasure to work with the company and the delegates,” Dr Rachel Aron, Former British Ambassador to Belgium and Chair of various boards.

“It is a pleasure to work with senior executives and leading government figures in this dynamic and engaging programme designed by TEXEM, UK. The organisation and support for delegates as they engage in their learning journey is excellent.

“The opportunity to share perspectives and ideas to address the challenges of working in an uncertain world is unparalleled,” Prof.Paul Griffiths, Professor of Practice, Products & Services, Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School, said.

What Next for Nigerian Legislators?

As TEXEM has always done, the conclusion of this programme marked the end of an impactful and life-changing learning experience.

As was evident during the closing ceremony, all of those who attended are already looking forward to implementing what has been learnt and transforming their organisation and the nation.

Indeed, the programme wouldn’t have come at a better time than now when the world is fighting a pandemic, and Nigeria is facing socio-economic crises and insecurity. Notably, at this critical time and as ever, the role of legislators as leaders who aspire to champion; accountability, good governance and inclusive growth is critical and their actions influence many.

Therefore, with the right skills and resultoriented mindset, senators and members of the House of Representatives can help solve societal problems and effectively lead innovation even during tough times. Commenting on his experience from the training, Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia said: “I like the qualities of the faculties, they are first class faculties that know what they are doing as well as the flexibility of the programme “We are encouraged to participate and being assessed really kept us on our toes. Our visit to Cadbury World and Shakespeare birth place were practical teachings I liked the way the faculties went beyond legislation and went down to general politics. The teachings wasn’t just theoretical there were role plays.” Also, Hon. Akin Alabi said, “The case studies, interactive and quiz segments gets you fully engaged. The interactive sessions makes you engaged and engrossed and in line increases assimilation and learning. “The programme has increased our leadership quotient with what we have learnt and gathered from the experiences of the instructors which will be applied to real live situations when we get back to Nigeria.” Also, Hon. Olumide A. Ojerinde said, “The best part of the programme is the interactive session and the scenarios being discussed are real time situations that reflects on our day to day lives.

“The most interesting part is the teaching part, the tutors are just too great that I had no choice than to adopt them as mentors. I have been able to identify where my lapses are and make a change in my leadership skills.”

Investing in Lubricants Production, Packaging

Godwin Uba The impact of COVID-19 pandemic and resultant Lockdown on the Nigerian Economy and the entire world has changed the types and nature of investments to embark upon.

We have taken time to look at those viable and profitable investments to make after the COVID-19 Pandemic and lockdowns in Nigeria.

One of the sectors to invest into is the oil and gas sector. Under this sector we see investing into production of lubricant as a very lucrative one.

The importance of engine oil cannot be over emphasized. Oil is the life of any engine. Its main role is to provide lubrication to moving parts and transfer heat. It keeps the moving parts from grinding against each other causing wear and damage.

The demand for engine oil in Nigeria is from vehicle owners, power generator owners, industries, tricycles and motorcyclists. Engine oil is used by both petrol and diesel engine oil, though in different grades. The petrol engine oil are used in serving passenger car (light cars) while diesel engine oil are used in servicing generators (small and big) and also for heavy cars (diesel cars). There are still grades of diesel engine oil (mono grade and multi grade) mono grades are commonly used in Nigeria, although people are now beginning to appreciate multi grades. The viscosity of the oil is a function of the grade.

Statistics available confirms that the total world demand for lubricating oils is about 50 billion liters per annum (60 per cent automotive, 40 per cent industrial). However, the industrial lubricants account for more than 70 per cent of the total gross earnings and profit margin globally.

In Africa, Nigeria is said to be the third largest consumer of lubricating oils amounting to about 700 million liters (1 per cent of the world’s total demand), with a gross earnings of N150 billion in 2013 and over N450.37Billion as the end of Q1, 2021.

The cumulative assets base of the blending plants is about N20 billion, generating about N45 billion profit margins in 2013 and N120billion, generating about 300billion profit margin in the Q1, 2021.

Furthermore, it has been estimated that 75 per cent of the total need of lubricating oils is produced locally while the remaining 25 per cent are specialized products imported by the marketing companies into the country.

The Lubricant Oil Manufacturing industry produces petroleum-based lubricant and grease products, such as blended motor oils, brake-fluids, transmission fluids and lubricating machinery grease. The industry is heavily dependent on crude oil prices.

There are four (4) types of lubricants: Oil, Grease, Penetrating Lubricants, and Dry Lubricants. The two (2) most common lubricants dealing with on daily are oil and grease.

Major products of oil refineries includes asphalt, liquefied petroleum gas, diesel fuel, lubricating oils, fuel oils, gasoline, kerosene, paraffin wax, tar, petrochemicals. Lubricants (engine oil) are products of petroleum refinery. The raw materials required for the production of Lubricants are products of oil refineries which are readily available in Nigeria. It can be sourced from virgin material or through recycling.

The Lube market consists of two major segments, automotive and industrial, having a market share of 70 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively. Most of the competition is crowding into the first category. In the automotive segment, while cars, Generators and two or three wheelers segment accounts for 65 per cent of the market, diesel operated engines, trucks and other heavy vehicles have

the bulk share of 35 per cent.

The lubricating oil and grease are one of the most important sectors of the petrochemical industry. The size of lubricating oil and grease market in Nigeria is estimated at over N900 billion and it is growing at around 3.5 per cent annually.

The choice of site for this project was mainly consumer driven. The major consumers of this product are to the extent of 80 per cent plus, resident in the urban areas and mostly health sector. Besides, the fundamental business infrastructures are more readily available in the urban areas. Such facilities as electricity, good road system, experience manpower etc are better established in the urban areas.

Though one can locate the project at any parts of the country, we advise that it is located close the market and raw materials.

The project can take off in a land space of 2 plots of land. The factory building must have five (5) major rooms namely Cloak Room, Packaging Material Room, Production Room, Finished Product Room, Raw Material Room.

The factory will be located where there is no human residence within the compound.

The production process for engine oil involves procurement of base oil from refineries; the procured base oil is now filled into the blending plant after which additives such as detergents, anti-corrosive chemicals, dispersants are added. Heating and agitation simultaneously take place to achieve blending of the oil with the chemicals.

After blending, the product is allowed to cool down before being filled into various containers such as drums and kegs.

The required equipment and machines is Lube blending machine, oil filling machine, cap screwing machine, conveyor, and farm tank with total of 20,000liters, standby generator, delivery vans, interconnecting pipelines and finance.

The plant will cost about N38.5 million excluding land and building, but including machinery, generator and working capital requirement, which includes base oil stock.

There some legal and operational licenses that supposed to be obtained for smooth operations. All formulations and specifications of products to be manufactured should be forwarded to the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) for consideration and approval.

Samples of all blended batches should be retained for a period of not less than three months before disposal and be made available on demand for any desired quality verification test within this mandatory period of storage.

Upon completion of the construction of blending or recycling plant, an application for license to operate the plant should be forwarded to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). Details on all legal and operational requirements will be given.

Implementations For details on comprehensive & Bankable feasibility studies, Business Plan; procurement & installations of strong and durable machines, internationally acceptable packaging methods, Export markets and funding arrangements and Recruitment & Training of manpower please contact the writer. We assist in reviving of death manufacturing/ industrial projects.

Some prospective investors would prefer to go to internet and copy pre-feasibility reports done in India or other parts of the world.

That type of report can never lead you in terms of knowledge and sourcing of your funds. The reports are not in the business environment with Nigeria, so it could be misleading. For details contact us t6CB JT PG UIF (MPCBM 5SVTU $POTVMUJOH BOE DBO CF SFBDIFE WJB VCBHPEXJO!ZBIPP DPN

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IMAGES

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Photo Editor ÌÓÙÎßØ ÔËÖË Email ËÌÓÙÎßØ˛ËÔËÖË̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

L-R: Delta Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Pastor Monday Udoh Tom during the visit of some INEC officias to the Governor in Government House, Asaba…recently

L-R: PR and Communications Manager, Cars45, Bemigho Awala; Creative Director, Ogilvy Africa, Nigeria, Jolomi Awala; and Marketing Manager, Cars45, Ayomide Eklu at the monthly creative learning series initiative, Unboxed which held at the Cars45 Learning Centre in Ikeja, Lagos…recently

L-R: Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Plateau State, Maj-Gen, Ibrahim Ali (left) and his Deputy, Emmanuel Ado during the Commander’s first media briefing with Journalists in Jos…recently

L-R: Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Dr Mudasiru Obasa and Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC) Lagos State, Alhaji Tunde Balogun during the official flag-off of campaigns for the Local Government Elections at APC Secretariat in Lagos...recently

L-R: Head of Human Resources for West Africa Shalina Health care. Mr. Amit Nagpal; Vice president,West Africa Shalina, Mr.Arun Raj; and Head of Human Resources for Nigeria, Mrs. Amina Akinsunmbo during the company’s Business strategy and culture programme in Lagos..recently

L-R: Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Mr Joseph Ari, presenting a souvenir to the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Plateau State Hussaini Pai, during the visit of the Commissioner to ITF in Jos... recently

L-R: Senior Business Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Oluranti Owoborode; Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Chioma Okolie; Vice President, Corporate Communication & Corporate Social Responsibility, Emeka Oparah; Head, Corporate Communications, Erhumu Bayagbon and Regional Director, Lagos, Olusina Adegoke during the Airtel Touching Lives Season 6 Media Launch in Lagos…recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

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EDUCATION Etiam/Samsung: Empowering Nigerian Youths through ICT Vocational Education to Reduce Unemployment, Insecurity Human capital development of youths that comprise 60 per cent of the over 200 million Nigerian population through ICT vocational training has been identified as one of the strategies to curb unemployment and insecurity in the country. The Chairman of Etiam Innovation Systems, Mr. Mark-Anthony Nduka-Eze, explained the benefits to Chris Asika

E

tiam is a technology solutions company engaged in education technology development with governments in the public sector, as well as with corporate entities delivering solutions such as engineering academies to train youths in all aspects of vocational training, ICT learning resource centres to train the trainers such as teachers, and mobile learning tablet programmes to schools and tertiary institutions.

The company recognises unemployment as a major challenge to stability of life in Africa, particularly among the growing youth population, resulting in youth restiveness, cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping and migration, among several other vices. The desire to reduce unemployment gave birth to Etiam Innovation Systems.

“We are a diversified technology and service firm involved in technology advisory of turnkey projects using technology to promote education and agriculture. Etiam has partnered Samsung to promote smart education and has built over nine ICT training centres in Nigeria. “These vocational ICT skills training will accelerate youth development initiatives and make Nigerian workforce globally competitive. The end-to-end programmes will be delivered via ICT academies set up in the local communities and their institutions to boost entrepreneurship education and reduce unemployment, thereby creating wealth among the teeming youth population,” the Chairman of Etiam Innovation Systems, Mr. Mark-Anthony Nduka-Eze said.

Nduka-Eze began his career as an International immigration attorney with the International Rescue Committee in San Jose, California. As a law graduate of the University of London, England. He studied International Relations at the University of Warwick, England and completed a programme in Immigration Law at the Golden Gate Law School in San Francisco, California. He was also a research assistant at the Immigrant Legal and Resource Centre in San Francisco, California and a member of the New York Bar and an executive member of Africa Bar Association. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, as well as a member of the Immigration Lawyers Practitioner’s Association of England. He has also headed several top positions as a business and legal advisor in telecommunications industry in Nigeria and beyond.

He is on the board of several companies and currently the CEO of Etiam Innovasion Systems, a Samsung and Huawei Technologies partner promoting smart education projects in several states in Nigeria.

The nine ICT centres built by Etiam we’re donated to the host states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Ogun, Delta, Edo, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River State governments. Several youths have also been trained on ICT vocational skills thereby boosting youth employment in Nigeria. As the promoter of Samsung smart mobile learning project, Nd was a technical adviser to the BRACED Commission, an agency set up by the governors of the south-south states of Nigeria, aimed at harmonising and coordinating the oil rich states’ policies and the promotion of economic cooperation and integration. He is also the Chairman of Trade, Investment and Business Immigration of the African Bar Association and is currently working with the African Union and other international development agencies to develop and promote the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, with emphasis on business immigration to promote integration of trade in goods, services and the free movement of people across the continent of Africa.

“In Silicon Valley, the city of one million people with over 1 trillion dollar ICT economy in the

One of the ICT labs built by Etiam late 90s in the USA, I was working with an ICT company as an immigration lawyer and my job was to ensure that the ICT software and hard ware engineers that we were bringing to the USA are able to acquire the relevant immigration status because the country was not producing sufficient software and hardware engineers and technology is driving the economy globally. As at that time India was producing more than 600,000 software/hardware engineers more than the whole world combined.

“My company had a branch office and I played a central role of going over there to relate with the ones that can adapt with the western world because India was able to develop their economy and reduce poverty by setting up colleges of technology on almost every street, train young people at government’s expense, meanwhile these young people in India usually earn over 20,000 dollars a year in India, but when they come to the USA, they earn between 100 and 150,000 dollars a year as at that time.”

Nduka-Eze noted that as a result of this, India was able to lift a lot of people out of poverty through job creation and that in turn created wealth for the Indian government because the young people end up repatriating money back because their lifestyle salary has greatly improved. “This brought about the boom of Indian economy. The restrictions of number of migrants to USA also brought about underemployment in the USA government who has jobs but do not have enough people who have enough skills to man these jobs.”

He said because of this, American ICT companies like Microsoft, CISCO, IBM, HP and all the other big ICT companies decided to build branches (campuses) in India so that instead of struggling with immigration, they will ensure that half of the people that they recruit stay back in India but they are earning about $70,000.

“The US companies were saving money but at the same time, the Indian economy was booming.

“This was clearly not only to create employment to the youths and vibrant generation in India, but also to boost the Indian economy and Nigeria is very similar in terms of demography to India because we have a growing youthful population, we have about 60 per cent which is over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population. So it is not oil that is going to solve the problem of Nigeria, it is human capital development, however the oil proceeds can be applied to set up colleges of technology everywhere, to train people in all aspects of modern technology.

Nduka-Eze “This will reduce youth flight to the western world which is creating a lot of social problems in Nigeria, this is what informed my decision to return to Nigeria to focus on how this Indian experience can be duplicated in Nigeria among the youth population and I approached Samsung, I travelled to the headquarters and presented my proposal that Nigeria has a huge population and what they are doing is selling high end products to less than 5 per cent of the Nigerian population and they are spending over 30 billion dollars on Research and Development (R&D) but the Chinese are the ones benefitting from their hard work by producing cheap version technology and selling across Nigeria.

“So it is very important that what happened in South Korea in terms of using technology to capture the children young in primary and secondary schools is also duplicated in Nigeria because when they do that, they will capture the Nigerian population young and Samsung technology will become acceptable in Nigeria and that what I would like is for them to partner with me in using their technology to drive learning education and skills acquisition,” Nduka-Eze said.

According to him, there are three approaches: Digital virtual education, which entails the provision of tablets embedded with educational contents in primary and secondary schools; setting up ICT teacher training centres to train the trainers. “Currently we have set up centres across Nigeria, five of them in the south-south, one in Abeokuta, Ogun State, one in Imo State, one in Abuja. Once you capture the children it becomes very important that you encourage the teachers to adopt technology in their teaching methods.”

The other approach is the Samsung ICT Academy, which is set up to train youths in all aspects of Samsung products and engineering.

“Samsung as you know has different products which include TV, refrigerator, kitchen products, tablets, computers, and the youths are trained to acquire the skills to repair these equipment.

The training takes about a year and they end up having job offers all over West Africa even while still undergoing training,” he added.

Nduka-Eze has worked in collaboration with the state governors which serves a pilot/roll out to attract international funding agencies like the World Bank. “We primarily rolled out the BRACED Commission which stands for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta States. They represent the southsouth states. The idea was to roll out to the south-south and continue to expand that is why we have one in Abuja but was slowed

by the invasion of the COVID-19 pandemic which would have enabled the project to go far. The project started in 2015 Samsung and Etiam were committed to rolling out these projects all over the country. They would have solved the problem of the children having to stay at home during the pandemic with e- learning platforms but did not get adequate support from relevant government agencies they partnered with.”

He said learning using technology is a 24- hour thing, it should not be limited to physical classrooms. He added that Nigeria has over 15 million children out of school, as well as displaced children who can learn were ever they are at any time, this can only be done by using online learning.

“We have in the past also rolled out a smart education mobile online education in Kaduna for secondary schools and NNPC. Those were the funding partnership with mobile 10,000 education tabs to secondary schools in Kaduna which also attracted funds for expansion from the World Bank in 2017. Government should not look at their limited financial capacities, the key is global partnership (just like we partnered with Samsung) provide the credibility for finding agencies to provide the funding to expand the roll out projects. “The south-south government after a period of time have reconvened seeing the importance of smart education in the secondary school because of the COVID experience and have decided to continue the project through the BRACED Commission as originally agreed and recalled Etiam my company as the implementation partner and we are now at various level of discussion and arrangement to get the latest technology now they continue the roll out.

“I am using this medium to appeal to all the internal and interactively funding agencies such as NNPC, local content board, the NDDC and all other agencies that have a mandate to promote education and learning, as well as training of vocational ICT skills like coding, programming, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data science, web development etc, to focus on youths to acquire the most sought after ICT vocational skills. You can be in Nigeria yet employed in America once you have this skills.

The bottom line is while we are here fighting over dividing resources the value and wealth creation is human capital development and not oil. Oil is something that within 30 years it is gone, but these youths are trained in all aspects of technology they will be employed and this will curb the challenges of insecurity which is caused by unemployment,” he said.

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EDUCATION

LSUBEB Promotes Obaseki Lauds Imansuangbon’s Contribution Farming in Public to Education, as Pacesetters Graduates 400 Primary Schools Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

Funmi Ogundare Pupils from all public primary schools in Lagos State recently converged on the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Multipurpose Hall, for the Y2018 Agricultural Education Training Programme (AETP) exhibition show, aimed at promoting and encouraging farming entreprenership among them.

Speaking at the programme, the Chairman of the board, Wahab Alawiye-King, who was represented by a Board Member in charge of Schools Support Services, Dr. Saheed Ibikunle, noted that the programme, funded by UBEC for school farming, is not just a space for growing food items, but also learning, which has largely taken basic education to a new height in the state.

He said 51 selected primary schools were able to access funds for crop farming, snail rearing, poultry and fishing through bank account opened by the schools under the AETP, adding that pupils will be guided to plant, monitor the growth of and harvest their crops for sale.

“The sustainability of the programme is key to the board as each home must be able to produce a farmer. The pupils after getting the experiential learning can become agriprenuer in future,” he said.

Alawiye-King advised the pupils to imbibe the necessary skills for farming, adding that stakeholders should also encourage them to go to the farm.” You must imbibe certain

skills for agriculture and make the best use of it. We need more people to go into farming so that at the end of the day, we can solve one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which is to eradicate hunger.”

In his remarks, the Board Member in charge of Basic Education Quality Assurance, Mr. Dayo Israel said SUBEB understands the importance of agriculture to the growth of the economy, while describing it as a lucrative business.” What you are being taught by your teachers is the important skill for you to be able to plant and grow, do not let anything you are being taught to die,” he said.

Another Board Member in charge of Co-corricular Activities, Mrs. Sherifat Adedoyin stressed the need for the country to shift away from crude oil to agriculture, adding that there is more profit when people go into farming.” We need to be able to feed ourselves through agriculture, we can also make money from it. If you go into any kind of agriculture, you can be an employer of labour.”

She advised teachers to ensure that the pupils inculcate the habit of going to the farm to cultivate crop in their schools.

The Managing Director, Xlarge Farm Consultant, Mrs. Seyi Abimbola emphasised the importance of agriculture and food to the country, saying that without it, there is no future.”

Agriculture is the only business that takes care of your today and secures your future,” she said, “adding that crops are rich in vitamins and minerals needed for healthy living.

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has commended the proprietor of Pacesetters Schools, Abuja, Mr. Ken Imansuangbon and his wife, Kate, for providing quality education and building future leaders of the country.

The governor said this at the graduation and prize-giving ceremony of the class of 2021 of the school, where about 400 pupils and students graduated from the nursery, primary and secondary sections.

Obaseki, who was the special guest of honour, applauded the founder and the school’ s management team for their vision in setting up the school, saying,“today, we can see what two individuals have done to improve the quality of foundational education.

“These are kids that can stand their ground if they are paired with children of the same age anywhere in the world. That means the educational system if structured right can produce same quality of human capac-

ity as you find in advanced countries. That’s what we saw today,” Obaseki said.

In his remarks, Imansuangbon described Obaseki as a reference point in education in the country.

“What he is doing in Edo State, the EdoBEST; the mighty works he has done in the education sector is very encouraging.”

While announcing plans to establish a university, he said: “For me, the governor is 100 per cent right that it is time for us to own the Pacesetters University. God willing it is coming. It will come like a big bang. The world will know that a university has come.

“We have made an application to the National Universities Commission (NUC). We have some international supporters.

We have got supporters across the world.”

While stating that education opens the human mind and liberates individuals from chains of poverty and societal ills, Imansuangbon enjoined the graduating students to be of good character and set the pace

wherever the find themselves, adding that hard work, the fear of God and dedication will set them apart from others.

“Among you are doctors, lawyers, pilots, governors and ministers. I might not be alive to see all of that and I might be alive. So my prayer for you is to go out there, set the pace and excel,” he said.

Also speaking, a former Minister of Education and coconvener of #Bring Back Our Girls, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili expressed concern that nine out of every 10 African children are not able to read and learn or identify numbers at the age of 10.

Describing such statistics and reality as an economic disaster, she said for Nigeria to move forward from its present economic state, education and human capital must be the new crude oil.

Emphasising the love of oil and the gains from it by the elite and political class of the society, the one time Vice-President of the World Bank, said crude oil has a severance date and as

such, there must be a change in focus.

“If children are not able to read to get certain numerical concept before the age of 10, they are going to be completely unable to accomplish much in life. I’m citing evidence and not mere say.

“Nations where citizens are not at the economic centre have ended up at the bottom. So if the continent has to make it, education and human capital has to be epicentre of our economic strategy. Education has to be the new oil,” she said.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of prizes to outstanding graduands and special recognition awards to Obaseki and some other eminent personalities for their contributions to educational development in Nigeria.

Other dignitaries at the occasion included Senator Mathew Urhoghide, representing Edo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly and his wife; Senator Victor Oyofo; and Mike Ozekhome SAN.

OAU Inaugurates Students’ Electoral BodyBody Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo In fulfilment of his promise to fully reinstate all organs of students’ unionism in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), the Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede-led administration has inaugurated Students’ Electoral Commission and Students’ Electoral Petition Commission. Speaking on behalf of the university management, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Professor Isiaka Aransi, urged OAU student activists to emulate their counterparts in developed world where student leaders engage management in dialogue in order to meet the academic and welfare needs of fellow students. This, according to him, is done through the unions investment drives, provision of scholarships, work and study programmes, among others.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that Aransi advised the students not to be confrontational and aluta-focused in their approach.

Rather, they should employ constructive engagement and dialogue to resolve issues with the management. Restating his commitment and pragmatic demonstration of his administration’s determination to fully

reinstate students’ unionism on OAU Campus, the ViceChancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, mandated the Division of Students’ Affairs to set in motion concrete steps to achieve installation of vibrant and more articulate students unionism.

He enjoined the students to see unionism as an incubating stage of socio-political leadership where they could learn rudiments of how the people, states and nations are governed.

The vice-chancellor therefore charged Aransi to do all within his power to sensitise the generality of students on the need to see and nurture the union without any rancour or fracas.

Highlighting the essence of inaugurating the two electoral bodies, Aransi, stated that the expectation of the university community is for the Electoral Commission to conduct free, fair and credible elections, while the Electoral Petition Commission is to handle all complaints arising from the election, with high sense of duty and decency, without fear or favour.

Present at the occasion were the deans of faculties, students across departments and members of the university community.

L-R: A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome; Director, Pacesetters Academy, Mrs. Kate Imansuangbon; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; and the Chairman of Pacesetters Academy, Ken Imansuangbon, at the graduation and prizegiving ceremony of the school in Abuja... recently

Educationist Blames COVID-19 for Students’ Low UTME Scores Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja An educationist and Director, New Beacon International School, Abuja, Mr. Emmanuel Ozigi has attributed the mass failure recorded by candidates in the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ozigi stated this while fielding questions from journalists at the maiden graduation ceremony of the school for SS3 and JS3 to SS1 students. He also called on the federal government to ensure monitoring and evaluation of schools to enforce educational standards.

The director added that the government should ensure that the capacity of teachers are strengthened, while public schools should be adequately funded so that they can compete with the private sector.

Ozigi regretted that many schools couldn’t afford their teachers’ salaries even after the lifting of the COVID-19

lockdown to adequately prepare the students for the exams. He said: “Coping with COVID has not been easy. Part of the coping strategies which we expected that there should be palliative from governments. The private institutions should be supported.

I don’t think that the initiative has worked because some of us have not been able to access some of those palliatives from the federal government.

“However, on our own as directors of the school and other partners, we put funds together to see how we can run the school without stopping. Even though with COVID, you would be surprised that we are still paying teachers. We paid them up to a certain level that we now have to pay them half salary, then eventually there was a lift in September. So, we did not allow them to go because we wanted to retain them. So we did not stop or sack anyone or terminate any appointment. And they are happy for the fact that it did not

affect our calendar because we have a uniform calendar in FCT and at the same time.”

The director appealed to the government to support the private sector with some funding at a reasonable rate that they can pay back.

While regretting the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the 2021 UTME result, Ozigi added, “the JAMB outcome is a worry to me because as you rightly said it is very difficult funding education. Now paying teachers and running all the operational activities has not been an easy thing. So, some schools that cannot afford it failed and probably could not retain their teachers.“Even those in the public may not have that much zeal and support for the school because they need to earn other streams of income. So, the time to be used to take care of the children they use it on other things thereby affecting the quality hours they need to take care of and tutor the children.

“Some of them might be the outcome you see as a fallout of the JAMB result. If you are not careful, it might still come up with WAEC. But we pray that it does not. But the few children we have here had very good grades in JAMB. They had over 250. So we are happy and we believe that when they write WAEC they will have better results too.”

He said the school has been able to maintain its quality of learning which has shown in the students being churned out because the management did not compromise standards in line with regulatory authorities and in line with best practice.

According to him, the minimum qualification of a teacher in the school is B.Edu, adding that the school does not recruit people who do not have requisite qualifications. “Our NCE holders are class assistants. We ensure that we pay our teachers well, give them some welfare and ensure they are comfortable.”

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EDUCATION

School Administrator Seeks Curriculum Revamp for 21st Century Skills Acquisition Peace Obi

The need to revamp Nigerian schools’ curriculum in order to redirect it towards certain skills needed beyond the 21st century has been emphasised.

Speaking ahead of the virtual Global Robotics Competition for Students, the Administrator, Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Lagos, Mrs. Olufunke Fowler-Amba, regretted that the curriculum is based on the past glory.

“It is based on skills that have become extinct. It is based on skills that will not prepare children to be entrepreneurs in the way they think,” she said.

Stressing that the future is technology, Fowler-Amba added: “We need to redirect our curriculum because there are certain skills that are needed beyond the 21st Century and they involve collaboration and team work.

The administrator of the only Nigerian team and

the only girls’ team in the competition, which held virtually at 11pm Nigerian time on Thursday, advised the federal government to inculcate robotics in the curriculum.

While noting that robotics education will improve human capital in Nigeria, Fowler-Amba said, “we need to look at a place like Ghana. It has incorporated robotics into its curriculum and that is what the federal government should look into because by doing that, we are going to improve human capital. Human capital is very poor right now.

“The government should look at other developed countries and even the emerging economies, see that one of the things they have done is that they have injected technology into all aspects of whatever they do.”

Noting that the method of teaching students has changed a lot more, Fowler-Amba said, “in the past years, we were

into assimilation of book knowledge, but we realised that education has to be a lot more holistic, we had to inject into education soft skills that will allow them to prepare for the next stage of education.

“So that is why we are stressing robotics and it is not just as extra-curricular, but we are looking at long-term that we want robotics to be part of our curriculum.”

Speaking on the students’ readiness for the competition, Fowler-Amba said: “We have built a culture, we have let them know that we are capable. It’s not about being a Nigerian, it’s about using your ability and travelling on the road of being a life-learner, the sky is the limit.”

On the school’s vision in the next five years, she noted: “It is to become a STEM school, a technology school, one that is changing the face of women in the workforce. One of the things that we emphasise as a school is that there is

a balance. Our vision is to go beyond the curriculum to emphasise team work and collaboration.

“To prepare the students towards the 21st century, we knew that we needed to embark on this vision along with technology. What we did was to adopt robotics into our curriculum in 2017 and other extra-curricular activities.”

She said robotics will help students to discover talents that they never knew they had. “Some people are academically sound, but we found that through robotics, we are able to engage children and these children we are dealing with, which are the Alpha generation, need to engage.”

The robotics builders, Harriet Ariyo and Laila Eneche, and SS2 students, Ayoyimika Adebayo and Sarah Olomoji, expressed readiness for the global competition, assuring the school, the nation and Africa of their victory in the context.

L-R: The Director, Lagos State Library Board, Mr. Amao Oyadipe; representative of the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Scholarship Board, Mrs. Tinuola Idowu; Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab; Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adeniran Kasali; Senior Special Assistant on Tertiary Institutions and Students Relations, Mr. SanyaOlu Omotayo; and Director, Agency for Mass Education, Mrs. Oluwakemi Kalesanwo, at the three-day capacity building retreat organised by the Office of the Special Adviser on Education in Epe, Lagos... recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

FSTCY PTA Chairman Promises Efficient Health System, Better Engagement with Parents Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Emma Onyenuche, has expressed his administration’s readiness to ensure an effective health care system in the college and promote a culture of cleanliness among students and other members of the college community.

The recently elected chairman, who announced the short and long-term agenda of the PTA Exco in a chat with journalists, also promised to communicate effectively with parents to keep them abreast of all its activities.

“One of the greatest challenges we observed with the past adminis-

tration was the issue of communication, the parents complained that they didn’t get messages so they didn’t know what was going on.

We want to be able to shore up communication and make sure that as soon as information drops, it gets to the parents so they will be aware part-time of what is going on.

“This kind of population needs efficient health system because there are communicable diseases; so our clinic needs to be optimal, it needs to function well. These are the things we can do within the first 100 days,” he said.

Onyenuche, the Medical Director of Waterfalls Hospital and Maternity, also announced plans to tackle the issue of inadequate toilets, as well as the welfare

of teachers, adding that when motivated, teachers will give their best. “In any way we can, we will support them for instance during teachers’ day we can present them gifts, we will continue their building project, those are part of the long-term goals, when we evaluate, we take what we can finish or why we can go reasonably far with.”

According to him, parents are not forgotten, saying that when they come for meetings, “we can also incorporate medical outreach for them; the school community will also experience outreach time and again.”

In the long run, he said a conducive waiting area will be built for parents at the entrance of the school,

to prevent clustering at the gate and altercation with security personnel.

While emphasising that the PTA is only an intervention body, he called on the federal government to live up to its task of ensuring that the school is well maintained.

“The government should release funds, follow it up, make sure that things are done because we are just to support, we cannot run the school. The government should supervise and ensure that its impact is felt in the school.”

The chairman also solicited the support of the school management, parents and members of the school community to enable his team get down to work without much hindrance.

KEHINDE OMORU www.kayomoru.com

HEALTHY LIFE FOR MALE TEACHERS As it is customary, male teachers like all men know how important it is to be healthy. Nevertheless being typically men unlike their female counterparts, they ignore this aspect of life. Men generally seem to harbour an infinite concept of strength, which is an enduring relic from the Stone Age.Mensilentlybelievethattheirstrengthisnevergoingtodiminish.In their hay-days, men believe that they may have a few bad days, but will neverreallygetweak,orsuffertheproblemswomendo.Unfortunately,it’s neverasstraightforwardasthat.ThehecticlifestylesthatalotofNigerian maleteacherslead,pullinginresourceshereandthere,takeatollontheir bodiesaswellasontheirminds.Consequentlyistogiveprioritytoallthat constitutes their individual wellbeing.

In addition to a regular nutritious diet and fitness routine that includes exercises. There are some more lifestyle tips that male teachers could look into, which include the following: Eating nutritionally balanced meals What you eat now would determine the state of your health in years to come. If many people knew this early enough, they would have been enjoying a healthier old age. A healthy meal should consist of plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, milk (whole or skimmed), lean and whitemeatlikepoultryandfish,redmeatinsmallportionsandsoon.Make surethatyourfoodislow-fat,containsverylittletrans-fatandcholesterol, and wherever possible avoid pre-packed and processed refined foods.

Maintaining regular exercise Good fitness tips include exercising regularly up to four times in a week for an hour to help improve your overall health condition. A good fitness regime would prevent the likelihood of back injury, and in the longer run, lowertheriskofosteoporosis.Cardiovascularexercisescombinedwith aerobics exercises would improve blood circulation and prevent heart disease.Simpleactivitieslikevacuum-cleaning,walking,jogging,sprinting, swimming,bicycling,etc.canallhelptoimprovemusclestrengthandtone your body.

Maintaining an ideal body Weight Agoodbodyweightnotonlymakesyoulookgood,ithelpstooptimizeyour health.Maintainingagoodweightwouldensurethat:yourbloodpressure andcholesterolstayincheck;yourbloodsugardoesnotescalate;yourrisk ofheartdisease,diabetes,hypertensionandobesity(unlessgenetically prevalent) are lowered. A good weight is not too difficult to achieve, if you’re determined to do so. A healthy diet and exercise garnished with dedication will do the job. Looking good and being complemented for it woulddefinitelymakeyoufeelgoodandboostyourmoraleandself-esteem as you tackle your daily engagements.

Limit alcohol intake and smoking It would actually be best to avoid both of these potentially harmful elements. However, if you do take them, do so in moderation. Smoking increases your risk of lung cancer while drinking on the other hand could spilloutofcontrolandturnyouintoanalcoholdependentperson.Without doubts,addictiontoalcoholruinsanindividual’shealth,theirprofessional competence,theirrelationshipsandtheirpersonallife.Essentially,excessive intakeofalcoholandsmokingbothhaveanadverseeffectontheoverall health of any individual.

Having regular check-ups Goingforregularcheck-upisliketakingyourcarforthemandatoryMOT of car-service. It is not just a ‘woman and child thing. Men need to have regular health check-ups considering the fact that most diseases come to all without pre-announcements. Regular screening tests for obesity, blood pressure and sugar, cholesterol, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, and prostate cancer are essential.

Formenovertheageof40,cancerpopularlydevelopsinthemalereproductive gland - prostate - due to a number of reasons. An active sexual life too is imperative for good health. Managing your stress levels with the help of your family and friends has proven to be an effective tool to keep depressionatbay.Ahappylifewithwaystode-stressyourselfcombined with the above tips would definitely help you lead a healthier life.

Omoru is a freelance writer, education, health and social care advocate

MGHS Gets Cash Donation from Old Girls Sunday Ehigiator In commemoration of their 40th anniversary of leaving school, members of the 1981 set of Methodist Girls High School (MGHS), Old Girls Association have presented an undisclosed cheque to their Alma mater, for the purchase of interactive boards and equipment for the science laboratories.

They made the donation on Monday, July 12, during a visit to the school, in preparation for their 40 years school leaving anniversary.

Members present during the donation include, President of Methodist Girls High School Old Girls Association 1981 set Mrs. Aderonke Omorodion, the Vice-President, Mrs. Feyisara Osinupebi, among others.

Speaking with THISDAY after

the donation, Mrs. Omorodion expressed satisfaction with the state they met the school in, 40 years after their last visit.

“We are very happy about this because it’s like a learning aid that will help the girls excel more. This school has always been known for excellence.”

She said with the equipment to the labs, learning would be made easier for the students.

“We wish the girls all the best and admonish them to remain dedicated and hard working.”

In her acceptance remarks, the school’s Principal, Dame Adenike Idowu lauded the efforts of the old girls, and showered prayers on them. “I thank God for these lovely set of students who thought of giving back such a tech thing at this particular point in time, which is the most needed thing for now.

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Education Expert Kogi Poly Expels 150 Students for Develops Project to Various Offences, Sentences One to Boost Passion for 8 Years Imprisonment Teaching, Learning Ibrahim Oyewale

Sunday Okobi An educationist and the convener of The Effective Teacher, a teacher training and school support outfit, Mr. Sylvester Anoma, has developed techniques to help Nigerian teachers regain their passion and enthusiasm for teaching, as well as the impartation of values in their students.

Anoma, who decried the ostensible lack of motivation in some teachers for their jobs due to socio-economic and other situations in the country, noted that his recent work has developed time-tested principles capable of turning any teacher from being ordinary to irresistible.

The University of Benin, English and Literature alumnus, while chatting with THISDAY recently on his latest book: ‘Secrets of an Irresistible Teacher’, among other collections of works and poetry, also regretted the effect of insecurity on the educational system in the country, saying, “learning can only take place in a safe and conducive atmosphere.

“The major issue with this consistent target of students by kidnappers and other criminal elements is that it cripples not just the school, but life itself.

Good hands would be scared of working in such a region; parents are scared of losing their jewels to hardened criminals who have little regards for life.”

On ways to bring back life to teachers who have lost hope and love for the teaching profession, Anoma said: “The ‘Secrets of an Irresistible Teacher’ is a collection of excellent teaching practices and guidelines skillfully compiled to help teachers become better in their pursuit for excellence. In this book, the narration moves from what is required to make a good teacher, to the time-tested principles that are capable of turning any teacher from being ordinary to

irresistible.

“At an in-house staff training, and through the effective teacher training platforms, I have consistently pursued the goal of training the minds of my listeners in order to make them push for higher professional standards and ideals. This book is birth from a place I am passionately seeking to raise a generation of excellent teachers.

“It is aimed at breeding teachers whose motivation for being excellent is not merely to please their current boss, but also to stand tall in their field. The JAMB result is a call for us to replicate our kinds in the sector.

Excellent teachers are needed now more than ever.”

On what inspired his latest work, Anoma said having mentored a few teachers through his platform, the Effective Teacher, “I had been confronted with a lot of issues ranging from incompetence to lack of motivation for the work. I had seen teachers who joined private schools with great passion and enthusiasm, only to discover that their enslaved environment has quenched that flame of passion.

“I wrote this book to address these issues and to stir up that fire in again; I wrote this book to encourage my colleagues that they can become not just good but irresistible. This book wI’ll teach them how to go about it.”

Using the recently released JAMB results as a point of reference, where less than 20 per cent passed, Anoma, who also holds a Master’s degree in English Language from the University of Lagos, said that clearly “is not where we want to be as a nation. This is a regression from what we used to see. The little to no academic activity for over a year occasioned by the pandemic has increased the learning gulf, and this calls for a review of how to help the situation.”

A total of 150 students have been expelled by the management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja for various offences, while one other was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for possession of firearms.

The Rector, Dr. Salisu Usman Ogbo, who disclosed this recently, while speaking at the 28th matriculation ceremony in Lokoja, warned the new students to shun social vices that could undermine the rules and regulation of the school.

He explained that the polytechnic has zero tolerance for all forms of social vices such as cultism, gun-running, examination malpractices, drug abuse, divisive tendencies, cybercrimes, incitement, violence, gangsterism, misuse and destruction of school property, stealing and indecent dressing.

The rector appealed to the matriculants to explore and excel in any virtuous endeavour

within the ambience of the institution’s value for academic excellence, creativity and selfreliance.

“You should be informed that the reformed Kogi State Polytechnic under my watch has zero tolerance for all forms of social vices. It is important to note that while noble acts attract rewards, all vices will be met with heavy and severe sanctions. You should endeavour to obtain, read and digest the revised edition of the Students’ Information Handbook that will be distributed through your respective departments.

Ignorance of the law has no place in this school and will not be condoned.”

Ogbo said cultism and examination misconduct are completely forbidden on campus, adding that all the security architecture of the polytechnic placed in many strategic places have both visible and invisible preventive mechanisms to deal with cultists and examination

fraudsters, their sympathizers and sponsors.

“Students are advised to stay safe and free from all cultrelated lifestyles, examination misconduct and other social vices. Students are also advised to report any move intended to intimidate or lure them into cultism from any quarter to the security “Painfully but necessarily, since we came on board, following the laid down rules and regulation as contained in the Students’ Information Handbook, we have so far expelled over 150 students on cases bordering on cultism, examination misconduct and forging of entry documents, among others as part of our aggressive campaign against rots and unethical engagements.

“Recently, with the support of the Nigerian Police and the state government in particular, we successfully secured judgement leading to the conviction and sentence of a national diploma

student of Public Administration.

The said student, Mr. Tenimu Muhammed was apprehended with a locally made pistol and some live ammunition while making his way to the campus to sit his final paper.

Instead of taking the path of decent life to study and graduate to become a responsible citizen, he is currently serving an eightyear prison term in addition to payment of N8,000 fine to the state government. He was specifically convicted for belonging to an unlawful society cult which he is now regretting.”

While advising the new students, the guest speaker, Mr. Bisong P. Bisong, the acting Principal Staff Officer, Operation/Intelligence, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), disclosed that about 14.3 million (20 per cent) people have substance use disorder, which affects the user’s immediate family and the society at large with grave consequences.

The Chancellor and General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, with first class graduates during the maiden convocation ceremony of Anchor University in Lagos... recently

Anchor Varsity Celebrates First Class Graduands TETFund’s Role in Funmi Ogundare she attributed her success to Prof. Joseph Afolayan said are built for greatness and Nigeria’s Education Sector God. She said despite her poor the convocation ceremony should be proud that they It was celebration all the performance in Biochemistry in was historic, considering studied at the institution.

Commendable, Says Okowa way at the maiden convo- 200 level, two of her lecturers the teething challenges the In his remarks, the ChanOmon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its positive impact on the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria.

Receiving members of the House of Representatives Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, led by its Chairman, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, at the Government House, Asaba, the governor described as outstanding the contributions of TETFund to the funding of research and infrastructure development in its mandate area.

He however said a lot more could be achieved especially in the area of research funding in higher institutions across the country.

“As it stands in this country, the more the National Assembly

actually goes out on oversight functions, the more likely we are going to have better institutions.

There is no doubt that through various laws passed by our nation and the act establishing the TETFund, a lot has been done in tertiary institutions.

“However, I still think that generally as a country, we must begin to look very closely into the funding and research of the tertiary institutions more than we are doing at the moment.

“This will help in the development of the mind and the higher institutions, and will also help to bring us to compete with other universities of the world.”

On his administration’s entrepreneurial programmes, Okowa said ”until we began to grow youth entrepreneurs in various aspects such as skills acquisition and agricultural entrepreneurship programmes, we may not be able to sustain the peace being built at the moment.

cation ceremony of Anchor University, Lagos recently, as Miss Mary Erhumuoghene, 20, of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Science Education was called out to receive her prize from the Chancellor and General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, for emerging the best graduating student with a CPGA of 3.95 out of 4.0.

She received three other sponsored prizes for the best graduating student in the department. Erhumuoghene outshined 62 graduates the institution produced for the 2019/2020 academic session.

Twenty two graduands also obtained first class from the Faculties of Science and Science Education, as well as Social and Management Sciences.

In her valedictory speech,

had encouraged her never to see any course as unpassable.

“I didn’t plan to have first class and after my poor perfomance in Biochemistry which I saw as difficult in 200 level, my lecturers helped me to set goals and I made up my mind to be successful in it.”

She said the university has done so much to develop its students by imparting the necessary knowledge, attitude and skills in the students to make them great leaders, while commending her parents and lectures for their efforts.

She urged her fellow graduands to be good ambassadors of the institution and learn from every mistake, saying, “they will make you to be who you want to be. Earn an identity for yourself, it is about understanding more of you.”

The Vice-Chancellor,

institution has gone through in bringing forth the pioneering graduands, adding that in the last four years it is committed to the vision of being a citadel of learning for holistic human transformation and development.

“These graduands were here when we started our journey of faith in 2017. Despite all the challenges they faced as students, including tough decisions that had to be made for their progress, they wouldn’t deny the fact that those tough decisions have impacted them and made them better persons.”

He said since the establishment of the university, they have ensured relationship and linkages with institutions in other countries to gain global relevance.

The VC advised the graduating students, saying that they

cellor, Dr. William Kumuyi congratulated the graduands saying, “this is an important day in your lives; we are all happy and celebrate with you. These graduands are the very first fruit of this citadel of learning and will after now, be charged with the enviable duty of opening the Anchor University’s Alumni Association.

He advised them to ensure that they get to the peak of their careers and seek opportunities available in their fields of study.

According to him, “undermine and minimise seemingly appearing obstacles by setting your face and eyes as a flint to the zenith, research and reach your havens of icons in your field of study and go higher to become global achievers as ambassadors of Christ and expect help from God.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͯ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

CITYSTRINGS

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ ÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ äÏÙÌÓ ×ËÓÖ ÍÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ˛ÏäÏÙÌÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͖͕͔͑͑͒͑͒͑͑͘

Promoting Yoruba Culture Globally Chiamaka Ozulumba writes on the passion at which Joel Olaniyi-Oyatoye, a Canada-based Nigerian, has been promoting Yoruba culture globally

Cultural dancers at the event

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams presenting award to Alaafin's wife, Queen Ramot Adeyemi while Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye and Basorun of Oyo, Chief Yusuff Akinade look on

Guests at the event

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams flanked by the commissioner for culture and tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun and Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye at the event

F

or Canada-based Nigerian culture enthusiast Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye, his passion to promote the Yoruba culture is telling. Recently, he took a big leap in cultural promotion for the 2021 Asa day held at the Cultural Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The event was to promote the Yoruba culture and tradition and also make huge efforts in exporting those cultural ideas to the global world.

Explaining the reasons for his cultural exploits, Convener and President of Asa Day World Wide Inc.Canada, Oyatoye said the outfit is a non profitable organisation that was established purposely in order to promote Yoruba culture across the world, adding that previous events had been held twice in Canada.

The Yoruba culture ambassador maintained also that those events were truly an eye-opener, saying the annual Asa Day would bring forth the desired reward for future events "After two successive editions of Asa Day in Toronto, and Manitoba, Canada in 2018 and 2019, we decided to come down to Oyo to showcase the best of Yoruba culture and that is the reason for this event. So, I am using this opportunity to seek the support needed to take this programme to an enviable heights as it is done all over the world."

Oyatoye insisted that Asa day was a complete project designed to take the Yoruba youths off the streets, adding that the youths represented the strength of every race and if the southwest governors could key into the programme, it would add to the value and create the needed market for the youths .

"There is a global template to showcase the content of Yoruba culture to the world. We have made significant

progress with the Canada events but Asa day is a brand on its own,and as a global event, it transcends beyond Nigeria and South West. It is our plan to extend this to other South-west states, including Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun States".

He insisted that the sterling qualities of the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in the promotion of cultural values of the Yorubaland is exemplary.

"These qualities were staunchly recognised and celebrated by foremost Yoruba monarch, the Alaafin of Oyo,His imperial majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams",he said.

Alaafin and Aare Gani Adams in their separate remarks charged the remaining five governors in the SouthWest geopolitical zone of Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States to emulate Makinde in promoting cultural tourism.

Speaking on the occasion, Oba Adeyemi, who was represented by the Basorun of Oyoland, Chief Yusuf Akinade, eulogized Makinde's efforts in showcasing the cultural potentials of the Yoruba race.

The monarch said the Yoruba are a blessed race with history, values and traditions that had endured for centuries, noting that it's sad that the Yoruba culture and tradition are going into extinction.

His words: "Asa Day has brought to the fore memories of the past, including those values that have made our race a unique and distinct race among all races.

So we must applaud the converner of Asa Day World Wide Inc. Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye, for partnering with the Oyo State Government under Governor Seyi Makinde to develop an annual template for cultural transformation and development".

Also in his remarks, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, said there is no doubt that Yoruba has lost its culture and tradition to foreign culture and this had taken a huge toll on the general values and impression of the race.

He pointed out that with the new development, the convener of the programme, Prince Oyatoye, and his team have done the entire Yoruba race, as well as those that are promoting the culture and tradition a big favour by using a platform such as Asa Day to regain the lost glory and revive South West economy.

The Yoruba generalissimo, however, urged all culture enthusiasts to support the cause that would enhance everything that has to do with Yoruba culture and tradition.

Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr.Wasiu Olatunbosun,in his speech commended the courage of the convener of the programme, saying the event would open a new vista of hope for the state and Yorubaland in general.

"On behalf of our amiable governor Engineer Seyi Makinde, and the Oyo State Government, I want to extend my appreciation to the president of Asa Day Worldwide, Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye, for organising this special event in Oyo state.

I also appreciate him for making Oyo State the pacesetter as usual for cultural transformation.

"The event has showcased the tourism values and potentials of Oyo state and SouthWest as a whole. All these are the ideals being nurtured by the State Government, "Oyatoye had, through this event, exported Nigeria's culture and tradition

to the Canadian Government and he is presently enjoying massive support and leverage from the government.

"That is why today, we can witness large turnout of dignitaries, culture enthusiasts and foreign ambassadors who are ready to project the African culture and tradition.

The occasion was graced by eminent personalities and critical stakeholders in the promotion of cultural tourism towards boosting the economy of the state and South-west at large.

Prominent guests present at the event include Alaafin's wife, Queen Ramot Adeyemi;Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland,Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams,Bashorun of Oyo,Chief Yusuff Akinade, former Oyo state first lady, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja; Former Deputy governor of Oyo state Ambassador Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja, and Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Oyo State, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, and members of Oyo State House of Assembly.

The roll call also comprised former commissioner of police in Lagos State, Kolawole Esusu; as well as eminent personalities, including wife of the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaja Bose Adedibu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora Hon. Bolanle Sarumi, her counterparts on Culture and Tourism,Hon Akeem Ige and Special Adviser to the Ekiti State governor on Culture and Tourism, Wale Ojo-Lanre; Ekefa Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Lekan Alabi; as well as Mojisola Meshioye, and other dignitaries.

Governor Seyi Makinde, Alaafin's wife,Queen Ramot Adeyemi and a few other prominent dignitaries were also honoured with various awards at the event.

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CRIME&SECURITY

Cultists, Armed Robbers Worsen Insecurity in Anambra David-Chyddy Eleke reports that insecurity in Anambra has hit an all-time-high, with members of secret cults, armed robbers and petty thieves taking the lead

T

hough security in the South-east of Nigeria has worsened as a result of constant attacks by hoodlum codenamed 'Unknown Gunmen' on security officials and their facilities, there is a new twist in the insecurity plaguing Anambra state.

The attacks on security facilities and security agents have practically caused a breakdown in conventional policing, with policemen now realising their vulnerability to attacks, thereby retreating from carrying out their duties the normal way they used to.

For example, policemen no longer conduct 'stop and search' operations on major highways, just as THISDAY learnt that some police stations no longer open for duty, nor do they accept reports from members of the public, or even effect arrest any longer. This may be because of the damage caused their facilities by attacks.

On 10th June, it was gathered that gunmen in their numbers attacked Ojoto Police station in Idemili South local government area of Anambra State. During the attack which happened in the afternoon, one Police Inspector was killed but the attackers were unable to burn down the police station as policemen on duty stood their ground An eyewitness said the hoodlums came in three Sienna vehicles, but were repelled by the policemen on duty. "We are in trouble in this state now. Nobody knows which way to follow again. The problems and tension being created in Anambra are too much for us to bear " the eyewitness lamented.

"These attacks have contributed to crippling conventional policing in Anambra and the South east state".

But in Anambra, besides the reign of unknown gunmen, cultists and armed robbers have seized the opportunity to add to the fear in the state by having free reign.

For example, no day passes by without incidences of armed robbery and cult killings. In many neighborhoods in towns across the state, including the state capital, armed robbers consisting of youths sack a whole street, moving from one end of the street to the other, robbing shops and residential buildings, most times at day, without any form of challenge.

Cult Activities THISDAY cannot exactly confirm which cult groups have been operating in the state, but in Awka, there are rampant cases of killings, most of which happen at day, with gun wielding youths accosting and shooting their targets in broad daylight.

It is believed that most of those killed are cultists, who are being targeted by

Leader of commercial tricycle riders in Awka, Prince was murdered by suspected cultists

rival groups.

A source told THISDAY that majority of commercial tricycle operators in the capital city either belong to one cult or the other, just as their membership of such groups aid their commercial operations in the town.

This much was given credence recently when a leader of commercial tricycle riders in Unizik junction, Awka, popularly known as Prince was killed by suspected cultists.

Prince was shot on Thursday afternoon at Unizik Junction, Awka, and his body also severally matcheted by his assailants.

It was gathered that his assailants arrived the area in a Toyota Sienna vehicle shortly after Prince himself arrived and parked his car inside the park, before strolling on foot to the gate of the tricycle park, where he was attacked.

"The men shot at him immediately, killing him on the spot, while using matchets to mutilate his body before leaving in their vehicle," a source said. The source told our reporter that the killing of Prince, though cult-related, was not also unconnected to a fresh tussle by a certain group to take over the collection of toll from tricycle riders in Awka.

The source said, "Even the state government knows who they are, and they also know the trouble between the rival factions.

There is a big man who is in charge of collecting toll at bus stations in Awka, but the ones in charge of collecting tricycle toll

Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Chris Owolabi

want to upstage the ones collecting bus toll to add it to their revenue window.

This tussle has been on for a while now, and you know that these Keke (tricycle) riders are mostly members of one cult or the other, so the tussle has taken the shape of cult rivalry."

The slain Prince who is said to be newly married, and has a little daughter, hails from Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local Government of Anambra State.

His death sparked tension in the Anambra State capital, as it is believed that his associates may move to avenge his death. The activities of cultists in the city has totally crippled night life as residents now retire to their homes as early as 7pm.

Armed Robbery There is also a high spate of robbery in various parts of Anambra State. This has drawn concern from stakeholders in various communities, leading to the establishment of local security outfits. Like in Emma Nnaemeka Street, a neighbourhood in Awka, leaders of the area have employed private security to ensure security in the area.

Also in Onitsha and Nnewi, the traditional rulers of the areas have established security agencies, funding them with operational vehicles, arms and ammunition. In Nkpor, Obosi and other areas, residents have resorted to self-help by meting jungle justice on criminals apprehended. Recently, a pickpocket in Onitsha who had picked

a handkerchief from a victims pocket, mistaking it to be money was burnt to death. Also, in Obinagu area of Awka, three armed robbers who are said to have persistently terrorised the area in motorcycle were on Friday night apprehended and burnt alive.

A resident of the area, Mr Lawrence Ndu, a trader said, "these boys have made life very unbearable for us. Once it is 7pm, they moved from shop to shop, to rob people.

If you come out as early as 6am, they are also there to collect your belonging. It is not the first time we are apprehending and killing thieves, but they keep coming."

The Public Relations Officer of Anambra State Police Command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga reacting to the spate of insecurity said the command has been working, contrary to speculations. He said investigations have been opened about most of the killings in the state.

Reacting to the killing of Prince, Ikenga said, "Preliminary investigations revealed that it is a cult-related clash. These are part of incidents the command is worried about.

Just recently, the command took campaign against such in a security summit with the youth at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and we can assure you that we are extending the campaign to other parts of the community and stakeholders. Meanwhile investigation is on going and patrol team have been deployed. Normalcy has been restored in the area."

Oluwakemi Jegede Marks Diamond Jubilee, Launch Post-rehabilitation Centre in Lagos Chiamaka Ozulumba Mrs Oluwakemi Jegede, who recently clocked 60, has kicked off her dream to establish a rehabilitation centre to help drug addicts find their feet.

The sexagenarian said, "hard drugs are a menace to our society in Nigeria and globally. It is worrisome that Nigeria occupies a prominent place in the global hard drug use and trafficking index. Hard drugs destroy destinies, dreams and renders the user useless for life if care is not taken.

"The reason behind my drive for rehabilitating substance abusers is a personal one. A very close relative has been a drug addict for over 40 years.

He is now 65 years with no wife, children, job and shelter, all because he was an addict.

"I had severally intervened in his situation and taken him to different rehabilitation centres but little was achieved as those rehab centre are designed to intervene for just a short period of time.

"And upon graduation, most of the residents still need longer time to be fully broken,

as some of the cases being handled cannot be sorted out within a short period of time."

She added that the residents' problems upon graduation are compounded due to rejection they receive from their family and the society in addition to the fact that they are unemployable, in most cases the residents sadly return back to the streets.

"It is very easy for them to be lured back into the streets by their friends who have become so hardened in drug addiction and sadly that was the case of my relative, he always goes back to the streets after graduation from the rehabilitation homes.

"The name 'Mara to Elim' which means 'From Bitterness to Sweetness' was borne out of the fact that I realised that some of residents suffer rejection from family, some of them are unemployed and unemployable due to the extent of irreparable damage due to excessive illicit drug use.

"The societal stigma even after graduation from these centers hence the initiative was conceived to provide succour to them for a longer time after failing to properly fit into society inspire of graduating from

rehabilitation homes."

According to her, 'Mara to Elim PostRehabilitation Centre' which is a Faith-based centre would provide accommodation, feeding, counseling and vocational training whereby the residents will be trained in some art and crafts such as Carpentry, soap making, sewing, plumbing amidst other artisan works to enable them eke out a living when they are discharged from the home.

"The post-rehab centre will be for a specific period of time sufficient enough for its residents to have found their feet in life and be ready for full integration into the society", she added.

Speaking at the Launch, Head Pastor, Tabernacle Christian Ministry and House of Joy, Pastor Keji Hamilton advised parents not to impose their choices or decisions on their children as that brews rebellion.

According to him, "most times if you trace the path of a rebellious child, it leads back to the parent. A case of parental disapproval might push a child to drugs, imposing careers on children can trigger rebellion or depression.

"Parents should be more sensitive and understanding as the era of dictating careers for children has passed away, this is the 21st Century."

Pastor Keji, a former key member in Fela Anikulapokuti's Egypt 80 band, disclosed that he also struggled with substance abuse for 15 years, adding that his downward spiral started when he informed his father that he no longer wanted to study Pharmacy at University of Ibadan at age 16 but wanted to study Music abroad.

His father's disapproval made him leave home and severe family ties for 15 years when he moved in with Fela at the African Shrine. He started experimenting with different hard drugs after being introduced to 'weed' in his teens by a lady.

For 10 years he was hooked on Marijuana, Cocaine and Heroine whilst being a key member in the band. His addiction was expensive as he could spend up to N25,000 a day on drugs and it pushed him to crime when he could no longer afford the lifestyle. But he encountered Jesus when he was hiding from the Nigerian Police in a brothel in 1994.

WEDNESDAY, ͺ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

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Anambra Poll: PDP Exposes Judge, Demands Release of Court Judgment Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tuesday alerted of plots

by Justice O.A Nwabunike of the Anambra State High Court to derail the course of justice by hiding the case file on the Senator Ugochukwu UBA Vs PDP & Ors in a bid to frustrate an appeal against his judgment on PDP Anambra State governorship primary election.

The PDP, therefore, charged Justice Nwabunike to immediately release the case file, as the compromises in the case were already known to the public, especially, the people of Anambra

State.

The party, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, stressed that the only reason Justice Nwabunike disappeared with the case file and refused to make copies of his judgment available to the PDP and its candidate, Valentine Ozigbo, was because he (Justice Nwabunike) was aware that his judgement could not stand in any appeal.

The PDP recalled that on July 5, 2021, an aspirant, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, who did not participate in the PDP primary, instituted a suit against the PDP, its candidate, Valentine Ozigbo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),

wherein he challenged Ozigbo’s candidature for the November 6, 2021 governorship election.

Barely 24 hours after Senator Uba instituted the suit, Justice Nwabunike curiously granted an exparte injunction, restraining INEC from carrying out their constitutional duty and also abridged the time within which the Defendants were legally obliged to file their defence from 42 days to only 3 days in violation of Order 16 Rule 1(2) of the Anambra State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019.

The PDP said despite the obvious hardship created by this strange exparte order, the judge, on the day of hearing, being the 16th of July 2021, denied

the defendants time to respond to the processes served on them and proceeded with the hearing of the Plaintiff’s case.

According to the PDP, "Regardless of the 180 days provided by the constitution for the hearing and determination of pre-election matters, the Honorable Court hastily concluded proceedings and delivered judgment within 14 days.

"The most unfortunate part of this episode is that the judge, after hastily delivering the Judgment, made away with the case file and refused to release copies of his judgment to the defendants despite their application in the open Court as well as the officially

written application to the judge."

However, the PDP said to the chagrin of the Defendants, the Court had gone ahead to issue copies of the Judgment to the plaintiff, Senator Uba. Moreover, it further stated that the trial judge has been making every effort to frustrate the notices of appeal filed by the PDP and her candidate, Valentine Ozigbo.

The PDP said it noted that the reason Nwabunike was employing the legal shenanigans was to frustrate the Defendants’ appeal against his judgment, which was intended to assist an individual, who did not participate in the primary to distract the party ahead of this crucial election.

For this reason, the PDP said, "We, therefore, call on the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Honorable Justice O.M Anyachebelu and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to quickly call Justice O.A Nwabunike to order as there must be an end to judicial rascality.

"Justice Nwabunike must be made to release the case file as well as the copies of the judgment,because his continued refusal is capable of pitting the Judiciary against the people of Anambra, whose mandate, as being expressed in our candidate, Valentine Ozigbo, is being undermined by Justice Nwabunike", the PDP stated.

"So much more… the village I eventually entered at night, I told God that the first person I see and call should favour me and that happened, he gave me clothes, pain-relieving drugs, food and water and even malt, and he organised for a bike to carry me to Dansadau early next morning (throughout the night I couldn’t sleep, I was praying that the bandits don’t attack the village because my right leg was already swollen and very painful so I couldn’t jump fences or run again, plus I didn’t want to bring death upon innocent people, and it may force the guy to give me out to the bandits", he narrated.

The pilot said his helpers dropped him where he was picked up by soldiers.

"They dropped me with the person, who with pride and joy called the army guys to come and meet me (they all had sleepless nights). NAF helicopters came to pick me up from there. There are so much to say. All thanks to God, thank you so much", he said.

Spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet confirmed the pilot's testimony.

"Yes. It's from the pilot.

He sent it to his high school WhatsApp chat group", he said.

BUHARI: NEWS OF DOWNED FIGHTER JET DEVASTATING, BUT I’M RELIEVED PILOT SURVIVED relieved him.

While Buhari, however, hailed the pilot’s gallantry in the face of intense fire power, Dairo too said his survival was only made possible by God because the bandits wanted him alive than killing him after they knew he had ejected.

The pilot had finished a raid against kidnappers, when he came under intense fire, the Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement on Monday.

But Flight Lieutenant Dairo was able to elude several strongholds of the bandits by using the cover of darkness and his phone set to navigate and maneuver his way to a Nigerian Army Unit, where he was finally rescued.

Reacting to the development in a statement issued last night by a presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, President Buhari said he was pained by the news of the air crash.

“I was shocked by the devastating news of the air crash but felt much relieved, following the successful ejection by the pilot and his eventual rescue. May the injured pilot recover at the earliest time,” President Buhari was quoted as saying.

Shehu said President Buhari had been briefed on the successful operation by the nation’s defence forces to rescue the pilot, few days after armed bandits gunned down the military aircraft.

The attack happened on the border of the northern Zamfara

and Kaduna States.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, had immediately commended the pilot for his bravery.

Irabor, who met the pilot in company with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, before proceeding to a meeting with military veterans in the North-west, commended the pilot for the gallantry and bravery he demonstrated in the fight against banditry.

However, giving a personal account of what happened, Dairo, who declared that God made his survival possible as he waded through the stronghold of armed bandits in the Zamfara bushes at night until his rescue, said the bandits, who operated more like Boko Haram, were interested in capturing him alive than shooting him with the way they combed the bushes in search of him.

In a testimony he gave to his high school group in a WhatsApp platform, he said he prayed from the moment his plane was shot and throughout the ordeal and God answered his supplications.

He told his colleagues on the social media platform that prior to the incident, he had dreams of fighting and evading enemies.

"Before Sunday I had been having dreams, where I saw myself fighting and evading enemies like real-time war, day in day out, like nightmares, so when my jet got shot with the explosives and my flight controls

were destroyed and I had no choice than to eject, I just said ‘God, finally, here we go'.

"As I was flanked by the bandits, I kept praying and I kept telling God to answer your prayers, because I know you (his group) were all praying for me. I love you all and I thank God for bestowing his love on me and saving me from death several times within that period", he said.

According to him, "I will still share my testimonies but truly God ordered my steps, the bandits (meanwhile they are ruthless like Boko haram, I don't know why we still call them bandits) were more interested in capturing me than shooting me (even at point blank range), eventually they got neither.

"He gave me the strength to run and walk covering almost 30kms even with one strained leg. Having not had any food or water all day, I prayed for strength, because I needed it, and he gave me".

Further, the gallant pilot said, "I can spend hours talking of how I lost and regained hope multiple times throughout my adventure but God is faithful.

It’s now that I feel all the pains I suffered from the ejection (including a fracture in my neck and painful back and chest) but God didn’t allow those pains to slow me down for the bandits to capture me.

"NAF platforms overhead also helped me to deter them a lot by making some of them to

pin down while I kept running, and when they got close to me, I was still able to evade them by camouflaging (I was wearing green fg suits - in the green forest) and concealing myself", Dairo said, adding that he encountered many obstacles in the forest but survived with God's help.

"I ran into plenty spiders and I laid down several times out of weakness not knowing if anything poisonous would sting or bite me. All glory is to God, all glory. I have not been your most righteous brother, but I felt God’s hands in everything, even in every decisions I took immediately I was shot, all the decisions worked together to save my life".

He narrated that that he was able to remove his phone from his lap to his protective suit before pulling the ejection handle.

"For example, removing my phone from my lap and putting it in my G -suit before pulling the ejection handle (I had to use the compass of the phone and AirNav Pro application to navigate), and making the decision to turn hard 90 degrees immediately the bandits lost sight of me on a sandy cliff, where they couldn’t trace my footpath again (the CAS told me they got information that in turn, the bandits kept going straight in the direction I was initially going and they destroyed several villages and camps, killing plenty people, thinking those people harbored me).

NESO: NIGERIA GENERATES ONLY 15.6% OF NATIONAL ELECTRICITY REQUIREMENT In the last seven years, the CBN was estimated to have pumped over N1.5 trillion into the sector, in over 23 instances through the Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF) worth roughly N300 billion, through the Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (NEMSF), valued at N213 billion and the N140 billion Solar Connection Intervention Facility (SCIF).

Added to that, the apex bank has spent over N600 billion to augment tariff shortfall, plus a recent N120 billion intervention designed for mass metering, which is currently being deployed in the country.

The World Bank recently projected that the federal government could be paying as much as N3.4 trillion by 2023 if the current shortfall persisted.

According to the Washingtonbased institution, only 22 per cent of the poorest households has access to electricity, with Nigeria now having the largest number of ‘unelectrified’ people globally after overtaking the

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In the weekly data released by the system operator, on July 14th, peak generation was a meagre 4722.7mw, lowest generation was 3442.5mw, which is a far cry from the almost 30,000 minimum power needed to electrify the country at every point.

The system operator put the nation’s peak demand forecast for that day at 28850mw, although grid generation installed capacity still remained at 13,014 and transmission wheeling capacity peaked at 8100MW. According to the TCN, alltime peak ever attained in the country was 5801.6MW. It was same on July 15, when peak generation was only 4594.3MW, lowest power generated was 3419.8MW and highest voltage recorded stood at 351kv, according to the NESO data.

Similarly, on July 16, peak generation was 4042.4MW, while lowest generation was

2907MW, being one of the worst days during the week, the lowest voltage recorded was 300kv. It was 4598.6MW for peak generation on July 13, and 3310.5MW was its lowest generation.

Also, the data showed that on July 18th, peak generation was 4915.8MW, lowest generation was 3.413.3MW, while total generation capacity stood at 7652.6mw.

Not much has been heard concerning the deal signed between the government and Siemens last year, to overhaul the power sector, although the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Media and Communication, Mr. Aaron Artimas, assured Nigerians last week that the deal had not been called off.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has released an updated list of Meter Asset Providers (MAP), comprising 15 meter manufacturers, 23 importers,

three vendors and 58 corporate installers.

The list obtained by THISDAY indicated that the updated document now contains those who have just renewed their licences, which had earlier expired.

The commission noted that the corporate meter installers were classified into several groups, with class A1 certification authorising a holder to undertake installations at grid voltages exceeding five grid metering systems; low voltage single and three phase metering systems, including high voltage maximum demand installation exceeding 750 metering systems.

Nigeria currently has a rough energy mix, which is dominated by thermal, mostly gas-to-power of 75 per cent and hydro (water) of about 25 per cent power generating sources, although there have been recent noticeable attempts to rev up solar power use in far-flung rural areas by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

PDP CAUCUS: NCC MISLED HOUSE ON E-TRANSFER OF RESULTS Face Prosecution’, the PDP caucus alleged that officials of the commission misled the House with their presentation.

The statement read, “It was a show of shame on the floor of the House of Representatives on Friday, July 17, 2020 during the consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill “The comedy of errors started by the House stopping INEC from appearing before the House to prevent the nation from learning the truth and allowing only NCC to appear to discuss issues on the ability or otherwise of INEC to handle electronic transmission of votes.

“Officials of the NCC, led by Maska, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umaru Garba Danbatta, appeared and an oath was administered on them consistent with Section 5 of the Legislative House (Powers and Privileges) Act 2017.

“While testifying before the House, on the adoption of electronic transmission of results from the units, Maska claimed that the 2018 Technical Report of the NCC showed that only about ‘50 per cent of the polling units had 3G while 49 per cent had 2G network and below.’ His answers and body language clearly betrayed his intense desire to mislead the House and the nation.

“He cleverly sought to rely on 2018 data in 2021, when they knew or ought to know that internet penetration has advanced substantially in Nigeria since 2018.

“Indeed, a perusal of NCC website even today shows that the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 (P .33) says that

by September 2019, the spread of 3G/LTE had reached 74.2 per cent in Nigeria.”

The caucus also recalled that a

telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, recently announced that it had achieved extensive nationwide network coverage of 89.9 per cent.

“This is just MTN, not to talk of other networks,” Chinda noted.

The statement further read, “Perhaps, the worst form of perfidy, deception and outright lies is for NCC to hide the Memorandum of Understanding between NCC and INEC in 2019.

During preparations for the 2019 general election, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, had in January 2018 visited the NCC to discuss collaboration that would enhance the electoral process.

“A joint technical committee of INEC and NCC was subsequently formed with a mandate to map out strategies that would reduce human interventions in the transmission of election results. The committee was headed by Maska and co-chaired by Muhammed Lecky, an INEC National “After several meetings and engagements, it was then recommended that the ‘INEC/ NCC Joint Technical Committee should consider and adopt the traditional data communication service from MNOs using APN as the most appropriate solution for the electronic transmission of election results.”

According to the caucus, “the icing on the cake” was the categorical declaration by INEC, through its spokesman, Festus Okoye, that the commission has the capacity to transmit election results from any part of the country, no matter the terrain.

The opposition lawmakers said, Okoye’s confirmation “has put the final nail on the coffin of the purveyors of the fallacy that it cannot be done,” recalling that electronic transmission was recently deployed by INEC in Edo, Ondo, Borno, Kaduna elections, etc.

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Lawyer Calls on Germany to Stop Igboho’s Extradition from Benin Republic Lawyer to Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, a Yoruba activist, Mr.Yomi Alliyu, has called on the Germany and Benin Republic to prevent the extradition of Igboho to Nigeria. In a statement issued yesterday, the lawyer said that his client and wife, a German citizen, were arrested by the Interpol in Benin while on their way to Germany.

According to Alliyu, his client’s arrest was facilitated by Interpol in collaboration with the Nigerian government. He declared that Ighoho cannot be extradited to Nigeria because of the extradition treaty of 1984 between Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin.

He therefore called on the Germany government and Benin Republic to prevent the extradition of Igboho to Nigeria.

His statement reads:“It is a shocking news that Nigerian Government has gotten Chief Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho was arrested

by Interpol in Republic of Benin notwithstanding the political nature of his offence and what the DSS earlier said that they refrained from arresting him so as not to overheat the polity of South-western Nigeria.

“The Extradition Treaty of 1984 between Togo, Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin excluded political fugitives. It also states that where

the fugitive will not get justice because of discrimination and/or undue delay in prosecution, the host country should not release the fugitive. Now, Article 20 of African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to which the four countries are signatories made agitation for self-determination a fundamental right to be protected by all countries.

This made Chief Sunday Adeyemo a political offender who cannot be deported and/or extradited by the good people of the Republic of Benin for any reason.

“Secondly, that he cannot get Justice or can even be killed is apparent in how those arrested in his house were detained for more than 21days now without access to their lawyers. Even the wife among them could not change her undies for 21days! Which inhuman treatment can be more this?

“Again another wife of our client, Mrs Ropo Adeyemo, a German Citizen, has been arrested together with her husband in Cotonou.

What offence has she committed to warrant this?

“We urge the good government of the Republic of Benin and the international community, especially Germany, to rise up and curb the impunity of the Nigerian Government by refusing any application for extradition of our Client who

already has application before ICC duly acknowledged.

“I call upon you to rise up and curb the impunity of the Nigerian Government by refusing any application for extradition of our Client who already has an application before

the International Criminal Court duly acknowledged,” he said.

Meanwhile, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, a renowned historian and Leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, while confirming Igboho’s arrest

on Monday, announced that he along with other Yoruba patriots were working to provide assistance to Igboho to prevent his extradition into Nigeria, “Benin Republic is a land that respects the rules of law,” he said

in a statement issued by his Communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye.

He called on all Yoruba people in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to ensure that their ancestral land is not defeated by invaders.

SECURITY GETS BOOST L-R: Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Chairman, Senate Committee on the Navy, Senator George Sekibo; Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and Chairman, House Committee on the Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, during inauguration of the nation’s newest and most sophisticated maritime surveillance system, “The Falcon Eye”, at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja … recently

IG: I will Prioritise Police Eid-el-Kabir: El- Rufai, Mohammed, AbdulRazaq, Yahaya, Ndume Call for Peace, Tolerance Welfare Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Inspector General of Police(IGP), Alkali Baba, has promised to make welfare of policemen and officers his top priority.

The IGP gave the promise in Maiduguri yesterday while celebrating the Eid-el-Kabir festival with officers and men of the police in the state and those deployed to the Special Force.

The IGP, while commending the officers and men of the Borno State Police Command for their resilience gallantry and dedication to duty, promised to make the welfare of the personnel a top priority, this he said was evident in the effort he had put in so far, which had resulted in the settlement of the arrears of allowances hitherto owed personnel on special duty to the State.

The police boss re-emphasised

his resolve to restore the primacy of the Nigeria Police in the security architecture of the country.

He told the officers that he was at the Command to eat and dine with the men – in the spirit of Sallah – in order to boost their morale and show them that the High Command of the Force and the federal government always have them in mind.

Earlier in his speech, the newly promoted Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Bello Makwashi, restated the commitment of the Command to tackle crime and criminality and bring them to the barest minimum.

He, however, appealed for the continued support of the IGP in the provision of logistics and other necessities. Highlights of the event was the sharing and eating of Sallah meat, food and drinks by both senior and junior police officers.

The Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Nasir El-Rufai, that of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, Kwara State Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Gombe State Governor, Mr. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, have called on Muslims to promote peaceful coexistence between them and adherents of other faiths for the socio-economic development of the country. They made the call in their separate messages to felicitate with Muslims to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir.

El-Rufai commended the “resilience of citizens in these tough times and prayed for the blessings of Allah for the immense sacrifices that they are making.”

He also appealed for the observance of COVID-19 protocols as Muslim faithful celebrate Eid-el-Kabir.

The governor appealed to all communities in the state to uphold peace and harmony, despite the security challenges in many communities, adding that

security agencies were intensifying anti-banditry operations to secure communities.

The message, which was signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the State Governor, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, urged Muslims “to emulate the example of faith and sacrifice that Sallah symbolises.”

The governor urged the “Muslim community to keep hope alive, and to celebrate the Eid el-Kabir in compliance with public health guidelines prescribed to protect everyone from the very infectious Delta variant COVID-19 that is already circulating in some states in the country.”

On his part, Mohammed has urged Muslims to promote peaceful coexistence between them and adherents of other faiths for the socio-economic development of the state.

Mohammed in his message, which was signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Mukhtar Gidado, said as religion of peace,

Islam propagates total submission to the will of Allah.

He urged the Muslims faithful to give gifts with no consideration to religious, ethnic or political coloration and advised them to use the Salah to strengthen the existing interpersonal relationships and create new ones, adding that “there is also the need for us to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness, humility and respect for one another.”

The governor equally called for more prayers for the prevailing peace in the state to be sustained and for adequate rainfall for the state to have a bumper harvest.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to serve the good people of the state and take them to greater heights, explaining that his administration has made modest efforts in infrastructural development, education, health, youth empowerment and agriculture, which are critical to the development of the state.

The governor pledged to continue developmental projects

that have direct bearings on the lives of the people and explained that state government was not unmindful of the economic hardship being experienced by the generality of the people, which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic disease.

Mohammed described the situation as temporary and appealed to the citizens to persevere, adding that, “as a responsive government, we will continue to render palliative measures with a view to cushioning the effects of the hardship.”

Similarly, AbdulRazaq said: “It is a message of peace. There is no alternative to peace. This is a State of Harmony, and we should let it remain so. Our founding fathers worked so hard to entrench peace in the state, and we will continue to promote the peace and unity in our dear state. It is a new frontier. Security wise, we have seen improvements across the country. We are certain that the situation will continue to get better.”

Attacks: Fulani, Irigwe, Bache Youths Sign Pact in Plateau Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Youths from the Fulani, Irigwe and Bache extraction of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State yesterday signed a social media dialogue peace pact to boost peaceful coexistence among them in the area.

By the agreement signed by representatives of the tribes, which took place in Jos, the youths have agreed to check and regulate their

social media activities that could cause disaffection and crises among the youths of the area.

They would also serve as peace ambassadors to preach against the posting of harmful materials that are inimical to the society and peaceful coexistence.

Prior to the signing of the agreement, the youths had attended a three-month training where they were taught on different aspects regarding their mandate and other execution framework.

The event was facilitated by HD Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and funded by the European Union.

Speaking at the event via zoom from Abuja, HD’s African Regional Director, Babatunde Afolabi, expressed the hope that the ongoing and future dialogue processes initiated by HD would ensure that social media components or clauses as well as code of conduct that will guide youths’ behavioural pattern are made a priority.

Afolabi said the responsible use of social media would assist in addressing conflicts around the world, but its wrong use will destroy the society.

He added that the programme was facilitated by HD to stop the escalation of crisis from Bassa to other local government areas of the state.

While commending the signatories of the social media agreement for their commitment, Afolabi observed that the use of online

media to cause attacks/reprisal against community members across board is of great concern to the organisation.

In his remarks, the Director-General of Plateau State Information, Communication and Technology Development Agency (PICTDA), David Daser, said social media is like a double-edged sword possessing the capacity to defend or destroy.

He said it has been used to help polarise the society, thwart

peace movements, promote violent agenda, and a vehicle to convey inaccurate information, but can also be used positively to promote peace.

The state Governor, Simon Lalong, who was represented by the Director-General of Plateau State Peace Building Agency, Mr. Joseph Lengmang, said the purpose of the agreement signing would be defeated if after the event crises and attacks are still recorded in communities again.

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50 Die from Cholera Outbreak in Jigawa Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Dr. Salisu Mu’azu, has confirmed that outbreak of cholera has killed at least between 40 and 50 persons while more than 2,000

persons have been hospitalised in the past two months in the state.

Mu’azu said that most of the infected cases were children in nine local government areas of the state.

He said in an interview with BBC Hausa that was monitored yesterday in Kano that Hadejia,

Dutse, Kirikasamma, Birnin Kudu and Ringim were some of the areas that were worst hit by the outbreak.

He disclosed that some had been discharged while others are still receiving free medical

treatment in government hospitals out of the 2,000 infected cases.

The permanent secretary, who could not identify the cause of the outbreak, insisted that the Hadejia case could be linked to water pollution.

He alleged the possibility of water contamination from an area where people practiced open defecation near the locations water vendors collected and circulated water to residents of Hadejia town.

Mu’azu, however, stated that

the state government was on top of the situation and has been providing necessary assistance to residents of the affected areas, adding that the UNICEF has supplied medications with a promise to send more.

Group Mobilises over $1m for Vulnerable Persons in North-East Michael Olugbode in Abuja The European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) has mobilised over $1 million for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to enhance food production and mitigate protection risks among households affected by insurgency and COVID-19 pandemic in the North-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

A statement issued yesterday by the FAO Representative in Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero, said the funding is the latest of ECHO’s support to restore livelihoods and build resilience in the war-torn region.

Kafeero said through the funding, FAO would further strengthen the essential functioning of the food security sector, a multipartner unit, which coordinates the provision of food and livelihood assistance to millions of affected households in the region.

He noted that the funding would also support the restoration of agricultural livelihoods and improvement of protection of women and men through the provision of quality and improved agricultural inputs for food production during the 2021 rainy and dry seasons farming.

Kafeero added that this would be combined with the provision of extension services through the establishment of farmer field schools.

The country representative also said under the same ECHO

funding, FAO would increase the capacity for production and provision of environment-friendly fuel-efficient stoves (FES) largely to women, noting that availability of the FES is expected to reduce the women’s exposure to protection risks which are associated with frequent foray into insurgentsinfested forests for firewood.

Kafeero recalled that recent studies by FAO revealed that households that use the FES have reduced their trips to the forests for firewood by 50 percent, while they also save about 50 percent from the cost of firewood.

According to him, “This funding, which is a continuation of ECHO’s long-standing support to FAO in Nigeria, will significantly contribute to the recovery and resilience building efforts in the North-east region.”

He revealed that working in close collaboration with the Nigerian Government at national and sub-national levels, FAO would implement the initiative in partnership with local and international development partners to ensure its sustainability.

The latest cadre harmonised analysis results have projected that over four million persons will be in dire need of food assistance in the crisis most affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe between June and August 2021, an increase of about 19 percent from the same period last year, with the recent gains achieved in the region by humanitarian actors eroded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taraba to Host Pilot Wet Season Rice Project Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Taraba State is to host the wet season rice planting programme, which is designed to create employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for 1,000 women and youths in the pilot phase.

The initiative will create strong and effective linkages to quality agro-input and services, including mechanisation, credit, insurance, technology, information, and market for rural farmers to improve their livelihoods and build sustainable agriculture.

It will be a sustainable rice transformational programme which empowers clusters of women and youth agripreneurs farming together on a contiguous arable farmland to produce high quality and quantity of paddy rice for processing during the wet season farming.

The farmers are to produce high quality and quantity of paddy rice for processors to get high milling outturn which will increase the profit margin of the women and youths.

Project Coordinator, Fevick Resources, Samuel Oluwafemi Adeshina told journalists in Abuja, yesterday that the new wet season rice farming project would link farmers to new technologies and high yield seedlings.

Adeshina said: “We can derive six to seven metric tonns of rice per hectares by introducing new varieties of very high yielding seedlings.”

According to him, this variety of rice seedlings will be tested to determine the ruggedness, virility and flood resistance to see how they will survive in submerged areas during serious flood and ozone depletion.

BIG BROTHER SEASON 6...

L-R: Head, Media and Marketing, Patricia, Rotimi Ogunwede; Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Busola Tejumola; Chief Customer Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho; and Head of Business Development, Abeg App, Ayo Akinola at the Big Brother Season 6 Media Briefing held in Lagos…recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

Kwara Holdings Lauds AbdulRazaq for Paying Workers Six Months’ Salaries Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The management of the Kwara State-owned company, Harmony Holdings Limited(HHL), yesterday lauded the state Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for approving the disbursement of bailout funds to pay the six months’ outstanding salaries of the company’s workers.

In a statement issued in Ilorin by the Group Managing Director of HHL, Mallam Abdullahi Abdulmajeed, and made available to journalists, the management

also stated that the gesture had assisted the company to offset all other outstanding entitlements, including the ones inherited from the previous administration.

He said the intervention of the governor in fulfilling these outstanding salaries and other entitlements was timely, as the staff members now carry delightful expression into the Eid el Kabir celebration in the state.

Abdulmajeed added: “On behalf of Harmony Holdings Limited, I offer deep appreciations to His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is also our business owner, for his

recent approval of disbursement of bailout funds to the company.

“We are sincerely grateful as this is not the first time we would be benefitting from the governor’s magnanimity.

“Part of the funds have been judiciously used to pay the six months outstanding salaries of workers as well as several years of other entitlements, including the ones inherited from the previous administration dating back to 2018.

“This intervention could not have come at a better time as our staff members are now smiling to the banks and in

elated mood into the Sallah celebrations.

“The buck now stops on our table. We will always take responsibility and ensure the turnaround of the investment portfolios under the Holdco despite the daunting challenges we inherited. One step at a time, we will clear all the mess.”

Meanwhile, the GMD/CEO explained that the payment of all the dues would be followed up by restructuring to enable the company meet its overhead and ensure a sustainable system, adding that same will cascade to all the strategic business units.

Eid-El-Kabir: Enugu CP Assures Residents of Adequate Security Gideon Arinze in Enugu The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, has assured residents in the state of adequate protection of lives and property during and after the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

A statement made available to newsmen by the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, ASP. Daniel Ndukwe, said that the assurance was in line with the order of the Inspector-General of Police,

IGP. Usman Alkali Baba, to beef up security during and beyond the festive period.

The commissioner, according to the statement, has in line with the directive ordered the area commanders, divisional police officers and heads of tactical and operational units of the command to deploy all operational resources at their disposal.

He also charged them to further collaborate with other security agencies to intensify the existing proactive and confidence-building policing

strategies already in place in the command.

“He further tasks them to adequately supervise their subordinates and ensure they conduct themselves in the most professional manner, whilst ensuring maximum crime prevention and order at security flashpoints, including major highways, streets, public places of worship and convenience, markets, as well as sites of critical public infrastructures within their areas of responsibility” the statement read.

Aliyu also felicitated with

Muslims in the state and urged them to celebrate responsibly, amid the confirmation of the ‘most transmissible’ Delta variant of the COVID-19 pandemic disease in the country.

He tasked them to use the period of the celebration to reflect and pray for the security and peace of the state and the country.

He also charged residents in the state to remain law-abiding, vigilant and promptly report suspected criminals and their activities to the nearest police station.

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Flawed Primaries: ADC Urges INEC to Bar APGA, PDP, APC from Anambra Poll David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The national leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent three political parties from participating in the upcoming Anambra State governorship election.

The National Chairman of the party, Mr. Ralphs Okey Nwosu, who briefed journalists in Awka, the state capital, yesterday, alleged that the three political parties breached the law by not conducting primary elections or did not conduct the elections within the guidelines of the electoral body.

He said the three political parties are: All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him,“What these parties held were not primary elections, and they should not participate in the November 6,

2021, governorship election in Anambra State.

“If after 22 years of practicing democracy we cannot do the right thing, then we are doomed. INEC must learn to sanction people and parties because none of these three political parties had a primary election.

“That is why they are in court today fighting over who the authentic candidates are.

We’re not the people that told them to have several factions of the same party, so we should not be held down by their troubles.”

On whether the party (ADC) is considering going to court to stop the parties aforementioned from contesting in the election, Nwosu said his party is rather engaging in the sensitisation of the public on the reason they should jettison the parties.

He said:“We are talking to the people, and sensitising them on why these political parties should not be voted into power in the state. ADC has a strong chance

in the forthcoming election, and we know our candidate, Akachukwu Nwankpo, has all it takes to govern the state.

“We have been in the political

system of this state for many decades, and we have always participated actively in the state transition process, so I can tell you that the people are not

happy with the ruling party in the state (APGA).

“We are working with a lot of people to sack APGA in Anambra State, and you already know that

both PDP and APC have lost the confidence of the people, so the next option is the third most popular political party in the country, which is the ADC.”

Muslims Mark Eid-elKabir With Congregational Prayers in Niger Laleye Dipo in Minna Hundreds of Muslims yesterday thronged to various the Eid- Prayer grounds in Minna to offer prayers to Allah in commemoration of this year’s Eid-il Kabir festival.

They include prominent Nigerians like former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Governor of Niger State, Mr. Abubakar Sani Bello, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, a former Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu among others who attended the two rakkat prayer that were led by the Chief Imam of Minna Central Mosque, Alhaji Ibrahim Abu Fari.

Fari also slaughtered the first ram to allow other Muslims to perform the rites after.

In his sallah message the Special Adviser on Political and Strategy to the State Governor, Mr. Nma Kolo, asked the people of the state to use the Eid il Kabir festival to pray for the restoration of peace

and unity in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

Kolo also told Muslim faithful to pray for the return of peace to areas under bandit attacks and the release of all those in the captivity of bandits, especially the girls of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, in the Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

He said: “We should remember to always be our brothers’ keeper by supporting the less privileged ones among us always He also used the occasion to sue for peaceful congresses across the state by urging members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to shun any act that could lead to a breakdown of law and order anywhere in the state.

Kolo also solicited for the support and cooperation of the people for the administration of Governor Bello to enable him complete the task of revamping the economy of state, saying a lot has been done in the areas of provision of infrastructure especially the construction of roads.

Zulum, Shettima, IG Lead VIPs to Eid Prayers in Maiduguri Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, the Senator Representing Borno Central, Mr, Kashim Shettima, and the Inspector General of Police, IGP. Baba Alkali, yesterday led top government officials and other Muslim faithful to perform two Rak’at Eid Prayers in Maiduguri.

Other prominent personalities that participated in the prayers were The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Garbai Elkanemi, Senator Representing Southern Borno, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the House of

Representative, Mr. Mohammed Monguno, the Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Mr. Abdulkarim Lawan and the Borno State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Ali Bukar Dalori.

The eid prayer, which was held at Ramat Square, was led

by Imam Idaini of Borno, Mr. Shettima Mamman Saleh.

Saleh, in his sermon, urged Muslim faithful to pray for peace to return to the state and the country in general.The celebration was peaceful in the town but the faithful had to take a long trek to the Eid grounds across the town with the banning of vehicular movement.

OUR MANIFESTO...

All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate for Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area, Prince Usman Akanbi Hamzat (left); and his running mate, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Awoniyi Akerele, during the unveiling of their manifesto titled, H.E.E.D.S at the headquarters of the Ifako-Ijaiye in Lagos…recently ABAYOMI AKINYELE

BBNaija Season 6 Premieres July 24 with Double Launch Show Following the conclusion of the open call auditions in May 2021, all is now set for the premiere of the sixth season of the Africa’s biggest reality television show, Big Brother Naija, this month.

For its sixth season, BBNaija will feature a special double launch show on July 24, and 25, 2021.

Both shows will be aired from 7p.m. on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 29 with a simulcast on Africa Magic Showcase, Africa Magic Urban and Africa Magic

Family channels. And for the first time, BBNaija fans in the United Kingdom will have access to the show via the African online streaming service, Showmax, live.

Speaking on the premiere of the show, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, said: “With each season of BBNaija, we task ourselves on delivering great content that will take the excitement a notch higher and meet the entertainment needs of our customers. For this sixth

season, we are pulling all the stops to give our customers a show never before seen from Nigeria with end-to-end production best practices under global health and safety standards.”

Meanwhile, the MultiChoice also announced that there wouldn’t be text message voting for this season, adding that all voting will be on the Big Brother Naija website and mobile site as well as on the MyDStv and MyGOtv apps.

The 10-week-long reality television show will follow the lives of strangers as they interact and compete with each other to win the grand prize of N90million, which is the biggest in reality television show reward on the continent of Africa.

The Big Brother Naija season 6 will run 24/7 on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Confam and Yanga packages on channel 198 and on GOtv Max and Jolli packages on channel 29.

Imansuagbon Decries Viral Video, Says Esans Are Loyal to Oba of Benin Adibe Enenyonu in Benin-city The Proprietor of Pacesetters Group of Schools, Abuja, and politician, Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon, has reacted to a trending video, ‘where a man of Esan in Edo State extraction poured invectives on the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Oba Ewuare II’, saying the fellow must be completely ignored as “it is evident that he

requires urgent mental medical evaluation.”

Imansuangbon noted that the Esan people (Edo Central) and Afemai hold the revered Benin monarch and the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, in high esteem.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the September 19, 2020, Edo State governorship election said there was no doubts that the Esan and the Afemai people draw their linage from the respected Benin

kingdom, which, therefore, makes them brothers and sisters with the Benin people.

Imansuagbon in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Benin-city, added that the Esan people globally pledged their loyalty to the Oba of Benin and Obaseki.

While noting that the viral video was provoking, he added that the comment does not represent the Esan people or any well-meaning Edo indigene.

The statement read: “I was shocked while watching the video and listening to the rubbish the lunatic was saying. The Esan and the Benin people are brothers. It is a fact that was passed to us from many generations, and nothing can change that. Whatever he said should not be taken seriously.

“Giving him such level of recognition by listening to his rubbish talk is to make him feel important. He should just be ignored for who he is.

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Imo PDP Passes Vote of Confidence on Members in House of Assembly Party accuses Uzodimma of eroding democratic principles Amby Uneze in Owerri The Imo State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a vote of confidence on her members in the State House of Assembly (SHA), praising them for defending the tenets of democratic principles as well as being effective legislators.

Meanwhile both members of the PDP and the minority caucus in the state assembly condemned vehemently the suspension of two members in the SHA. The party also accused the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, of corroding the democratic principles of separation of powers and checks

and balances by arrogating to himself the combined powers and authorities over the other arms of government.

The Imo State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Charles Ugwuh, who addressed newsmen on Monday at the party’s secretariat in Owerri, said that the suspension of six lawmakers by the Speaker of the SHA, Hon. Paul Emeziem, was unlawful, unconstitutional, illegal and unacceptable because principal officers of any legislature should not be suspended without the benefit of fair hearing.

Ugwuh said: “Our party is most appalled that such anomaly has been allowed to be recorded in the annals of the Nigerian legislature, with the Imo House

of Assembly as the trailblazer in the ugly practice.

“We have it in good authority that the minority leader is a principal officer of the legislature and by virtue of the elevated office, he has some privileges

which preclude his suspension from office for the reasons stated by the speaker.

“As a party, we condemn in its entirety the said suspension and urge the speaker to as a matter of urgency withdraw

the suspension and allow the lawmakers to continue to carry out the task of representing the people and making laws for the proper functioning of Imo state.”

Also speaking, the Minority Leader, Hon. Anyadike Nwosu,

representing Ezinihitte Mbaise, alleged that the suspension was an attempt to intimidate minority lawmakers who have vehemently refused to compromise their conscience at the expense of their legislative responsibilities.

Anambra Guber: Moghalu Asks Court to Delist Uba, APC from Race Alex Enumah in Abuja An aggrieved aspirant in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State, Mr. George Moghalu, has dragged his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, over an alleged failure of the party to conduct a valid primary election for the selection\nomination of the party’s candidate in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

Moghalu, in the suit dated and filed July 8, 2021 by his lawyer, Mr. Chris Uche, SAN, asked the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the name of Mr. Andy Uba and the APC from among the list of political parties and gubernatorial candidates for the November 6 election or any subsequent postponement.

Moghalu, who was among 14

aspirants who purchased forms to contest for the governorship election under the platform of the APC, specifically asked the court to declare that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary election in line with the provisions of the 1999 constitution as ammended, the Electoral Act and the APC’s constitution and guidelines for election and demanded the sum of N122.5 million damages from the APC. He claimed that the sum of N22.5 million was meant for the refund of payment for the expression of interest form and nomination form.

He is also asking the court to order the APC to pay him another sum of N100 million as “exemplary and general damages for the breach of contract to commence and conclude primary election and or breach of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the regulations and guidelines of the political party.”

Global Warming: Green Sahara, Forest Action to Reforest Plateau, Others Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Green Sahara Farms Limited based in Jos, Plateau State, in collaboration with an international partner, Forest Action based in France, is set to reforest the state and other North-central states by planting 25 million trees.

Disclosing this in Jos during a stakeholders’ meeting, the General Manager of Green Sahara, Mr. Rayandy Chuwang, said the meeting was part of advocacy and sensitisation ahead of the reforestation so as to bring out the grey areas as well as the productive nature of the scheme.

Chuwang said the project would begin in July this year, and it’s expected to last for two years, during which a total of 250,000 trees of different species will be integrated.

He added that during the first year of the project, the trees would be planted within individual agricultural plots owned by 2,500 growers with

a total area of 1,250 meant to benefit the economy of farmers that embrace the programme.

The general manager of Green Sahara explained that the programme is using Forest Action in France to run the programme in the country, and it is the first in a very long time.

He added that the programme was starting with 250,000 trees, and the target for the first phase is 10 million trees while the next phase is 25 million trees.

The stakeholders involved in the project include France- based Forest Action, a non-governmental organisation that promotes agro forestry globally alongside Green Sahara, the project leaders, and partners from the Ministry of Environment, College of Forestry, Federal College of Land Resources Technology in Kuru, and the sustainable development goals in Plateau State that will carry out the pilot scheme to encourage farmers in the country to plant trees and other economic crops.

EID MUBARAK...

L-R: Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr. Gboyega Akosile; his son, Timilehin Akosile; daughter, Nusirat Akosile; and Fawaz Akosile at the 2021 Eid-el-Fitri celebration held at Alausa Central Mosque in Lagos….recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

Buhari Felicitates With Ex-Minister, Mamman, At 80 Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with the former Minister of Internal Affairs and His Royal Highness, Etsu Nyagba Kingdom in Niger State, Major General Abdullahi Mamman (rtd), as he celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary.

Buhari, in a congratulatory message that was issued yesterday by his Media Adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, offered his best wishes to the traditional ruler and member of the defunct Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) on the occasion of his birthday.

He recognised Mamman’s strong sense of duty and service

to Nigeria throughout the length of his career as a military officer that distinguished him as a courageous and dependable commander at various levels as a troop and brigade commander to the commander, Corps of Artillery and commandant, Command and Staff College, Jaji.

He applauded the elder statesman for bringing his

many years of experience as a military officer, businessman and administrator to bear in handling the affairs of his community, working tirelessly to promote peace, prosperity and social cohesion.

The President prayed God Almighty to bless the traditional ruler with more years of health and happiness.

Obaseki Hails Momodu on Emergence as THISDAY Daily Editor Congratulates Edo sons, Iriekpen, Eromosele on new roles Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated Mr. Shaka Momodu, an indigene of Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State, on his promotion as the Daily Editor of THISDAY Newspaper.

The governor, in a statement, also hailed the elevation of two

other Edo sons, Mr. Davidson Iriekpen as Editor of THISDAY, Sunday title and Mr. Abiodun Eromosele as the newspaper’s Group Business Editor.

According to him, “I am elated by the promotion of Mr. Shaka Momodu to the new position.

A brilliant and thorough-bred journalist; he is deserving of the new assignment after rising through the ranks as a rookie

reporter to this exalted position in the THISDAY stables.

“The promotion of Momodu, Iriekpen and Eromosele is a testament to the Edo spirit of hard work, diligence and excellence.

We are proud of their attainment, as they have become shining examples to our young ones, who are desirous of notable role models.”

The governor noted that Iriek-

pen, who hails from Owan West LGA and Eromosele, from Esan West LGA, have distinguished themselves in the profession and are deserving of the honour.

“I appreciate the Board of THISDAY Newspapers for recognising and rewarding the hard work demonstrated by these Edo sons in contributing to the growth of the media enterprise,” Obaseki added.

Landlord Killed in Two-storey Building Collapse in Lagos Rebecca Ejifoma A Landlord and Pastor, Mr. Daniel Obasi, was killed yesterday after his two-storey building under construction collapsed at 77, Tapa Road,, Oke Ojo Isawo in Ikorodu area of Lagos State at

about 2.30 p.m.

The Southwest Zonal Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said that the police had taken the body to the Ikorodu General Hospital morgue.

Farinloye hinted that the collapsed building was an attachment to the main building in front of the collapsed structure.

He attributed the collapse of the building to inadequate timeline that would have allowed sandfilled land to compact properly

before starting construction and poor building materials.

One of the neighbours, name withheld, disclosed that construction works were suspended today due to the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, adding that “workers were at work yesterday till late evening.”

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Police Rescue 100 Kidnapped Victims in Zamfara The police in Zamfara State have rescued 100 captives abducted by bandits in the Dansadau area of Maru Local Government Area of the state. Zamfara police command spokesman, Muhammad Shehu, disclosed this in a statement in Gusau, the state capital, saying that the rescue was done in collaboration with the state Ministry of Security

and Home Affairs, adding that the victims had spent 42 days with the abductors before they were rescued.

Shehu said: “The Zamfara state police in collaboration with the state ministry for security and home affairs have successfully secured the unconditional release of one hundred kidnapped victims who were abducted from Manawa village

of Mutunji district in Dansadau Emirate of Maru local government area of the State. It could be recalled that on 8th June, 2021, some recalcitrant bandits stormed Manawa village, and abducted 100 villagers, including nursing mothers,

males and children.”

According to him, the victims, who were in custody of their abductors for 42 days, were released without giving any financial or material gain and they will be medically checked and debriefed

before being reunited with their respective families.

“The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hussaini Rabiu, warned the recalcitrant bandits to renounce criminalities and embrace peace or face the full wrath of the law.

The command uses this medium to call on the good people of Zamfara state to support the police and other security agencies with credible information about the hideouts, movements and other activities of criminal elements,” he said.

Sallah Tragedy: 10 Persons Die in Auto Crash in Kwara Hammed Shittu in Ilorin.

Ten persons have reportedly died in an auto crash involving an 18-seater commercial Hiace bus on yesterday Sallah day in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

THISDAY checks revealed that the accident occurred at a location called Iyemoja along Olooru-Okolowo area of the Ilorin-Jebba expressway in the Moro Local Government Area of the State.

The crash, which was reportedly caused by speed violation, occurred at about 4:00 pm.

The State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Jonathan Owoade, who

confirmed the incident, said that other victims of the crash suffered varying degrees of injuries.

He gave the registration number of the commercial vehicle as LND 742XK, saying that the rescue team took the injured people to Ayo Hospital, Okolowo and the state General Hospital, Ilorin for medical attention.

The FRSC boss also said that the corpses had been deposited at the morgue of General Hospital, Ilorin, commending the officers of the Nigeria Police for assistance rendered during the incident.

He however, cautioned drivers against over speeding, saying that they should obey all traffic regulations and be mindful of other road users.

Katsina NUJ Calls for Prayers Against Insecurity Francis Sardauna in Katsina Apparently worried by the spate of banditry and other nefarious activities bedevilling the country, the Katsina State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has called on Nigerians to intensify prayers for the restoration of peace and stability in the states facing the carnage.

The State Chairman of the union, Tukur Hassan Dan-Ali, while felicitating with Muslims on the Eid-el-Kabir celebration in a statement yesterday, urged security agencies and government to intensify effort to ward off banditry and other security challenges afflicting the country.

Dan-Ali said: “As the watchdogs of society, journalists in Katsina are very much aware of

the security challenge facing not only Katsina but many other states in Nigeria which necessitated the cancellation of some interesting traditional Sallah festivities.

“The NUJ therefore urged the entire citizens to continue to pray for the restoration of peace and stability in Katsina and other neighbouring states. We are also not unaware of the brave and tireless efforts being made by our security operatives in an efforts to restore peace in the state.

“We therefore requested our Members to continue to give proper coverage as well as balanced, positive and an encouraging reportage of efforts being made by the security agents and government in an efforts towards defeating the bandits and other enemies of peace in our dear state.”

BPE, Quest Electricity Sign Agreement for Yola Disco Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and Quest Electricity Nigeria Limited,-the new investor in the Yola Electricity Distribution Company(YEDC) have signed a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (SSPA) for the privatisation of YEDC. At the agreement-signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director General of BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh revealed that in addition to paying the purchase fee of N19 billion, the new investor has committed to a performance improvement programme which will involve an investment of US$68m (N28bn) over a period of two years.

In a statement from the privatisation agency, he said Quest Electricity was committed to improving the quality of life

of the inhabitants in the North East geopolitical zone through aggressive investment drive, thereby providing an economic tool for combating the insurgency in the region.

According to him, “this investment will be utilised for the purpose of carrying out an extensive upgrade of the company’s electricity distribution network, in order to bring the business to the level of financial viability.”

Okoh added that it is expected that this investment will deliver results within a period of five years.

These results, he disclosed, include reduction in ATC & C losses from the current level of 80 per cent (which is the highest in the industry) to 29 per cent hich translates to a 51 per cent loss reduction.

EID-EL-KABIR PRAYER...

L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Islamic Matters, Hon. Abdullahi Jebe; Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, during the Eid-El-Kabir prayer held at the Dodan Barracks Praying Ground, Obalende, Lagos...yesterday

Lawmaker Urges FG to Provide Internet Coverage for e-Voting in 2027 Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti A member of House of Representatives from Ekiti State, Hon. Femi Bamisile, has tasked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on aggressive spread of Information and Communication Technology(ICT) broadband across the country to accommodate electronic voting in the 2027 general elections.

The former Ekiti Speaker, who is the Chairman, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), clarified that over 37 million Nigerians would be disenfranchised if electronic voting is adopted for the impending 2023 polls, which he said was not in tandem with

the spirit of democracy.

The lawmaker representing Gbonyin/Emure/Ekiti East Federal constituency of Ekiti State, said these in Ado Ekiti, while distributing free petrol to 1,000 commercial motorcycle operators popularly called Okada riders in the state capital .

Bamisile , who said e-voting is now what is in vogue globally, which he noted Nigeria must embrace, said: “Technology is now being adopted for free, fair and credible polls and Nigeria must move with the tide of civilisation.

“It is the best option for Nigeria, but a situation where only 50 per cent of our voting population have access to network makes it impracticable now. About 37m of our voting population

will be shut out of the electoral system. But NCC as a federal government’s regulatory agency must begin aggressive action that will ensure 100 percent network coverage before 2027 elections.

Nigeria has no excuse than to embrace e-voting in 2027,” he said.

Speaking about the humanitarian service to the people, Bamisile, said a total of 1,000 Okada riders received free petrol in the first phase of the programme.

Describing the level of joblessness among the youth in the country as frightening and disturbing, Bamisile stated that he would soon begin a special empowerment programme for degree and Higher National

Diploma holders among Okada riders in the state.

“This empowerment programme was meant to support the commercial motorcyclists in Ekiti. They have a population of over 15,000 in Ekiti with o er 5,000 parading either BSC or HND certificates, so they need our support. I am going to do the headcount of HBD and BSC holders among them and soon, I will do a special empowerment for these people that really befits their academic status . And those who are not well certificated but has interest in skills and vocational training will be trained among them. We are also extending the same gesture to commercial drivers in the future,” he stated.

No Peace Without Justice over Kanu, Igboho, Ohanaze Tells FG Apex Igbo sociocultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has told the federal government prosecuting the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho would amount to nothing except there is justice.

Ohanaeze spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, said in a statement yesterday in Enugu that as long as the federal government failed to address issues of injustice, many “other Kanus and Igbohos will sooner than later emerge.”

According to Ohanaeze, Kanu and Igboho who wittingly or

unwittingly are seen as heroes by their people were products of unjust society.

The statement reads: “Nigeria security operatives have in recent time shown that they have teeth and can bite.

“The question on every mouth is whether they can apply similar zeal in treating the Boko Haram Kingpins; Fulani Herdsmen; the North West Bandits, etc. The foregoing selective efficiency of the security operatives elicits the reason for the making of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.

“One of the departing admoni-

tions of Pope John Paul II, was “if you want peace, then work for justice” It is an age old maxim founded on reason, experience and truth that the only way for peace to reign in society is for justice to be seen to be served to all.

“We recall that Chief Sunday Igboho emerged in the scene because he could not endure the daily menace of the herdsmen in the Yoruba localities for a very long time. The herdsmen would kill, maim and rape women at random.

“All entreaties to the presidency for a swift action against the AK-47 wielding herdsmen

appeared to fall on deaf ears.

Then Igboho in a patriotic heroic zeal intervened to save the rural farmers, women and children from the daily menace of the herdsmen.

“There is no gainsaying the military operations against the Boko Haram in the North East of Nigeria but the rate at which the herdsmen destroy farm crops, attack villages, kill the indigenes and forcefully occupy their ancestral lands is most callous, unconscionable and condemnable.

This is where the intervention of the presidency is most needed; and of course, the Igboho paradox.

ish t as ery kyo ries tes rld as ent

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WEDNESDAY, ͺ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

46

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

CAS Rejects Nneka Ogwumike’s Bid to Represent Nigeria at Tokyo 2020 Femi Solaja with agency report Two women’s basketball players have had a last-ditch bid to represent Nigeria at the Olympic Games thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Nneka Ogwumike and Elizabeth Williams both participated in Olympic qualifying for the United States before not making the American team for the Games starting on Friday.

Both have Nigerian passports but players are not usually allowed to switch international allegiances after they turn 17.

According to insidethegames. com, the pair requested an

“exceptional change” to their national status under an International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule which permits switches if it is in the interest of developing the sport.

Ogwumike and Williams both play in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) so would undoubtedly have improved Nigeria’s squad.

The 30-year-old power forward Ogwumike is on the books of Los Angeles Sparks, while 28-year-old centre Williams plays for Atlanta Dream.

Ogwumike, the WNBA champion and MVP in 2016, has won two World Cups and a Summer Universiade title with the US.

Williams has three gold medals with the US from youth World Championships.

Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka’s sister who is also a power forward for the Sparks, has been made eligible for the Nigerian team.

The 29-year-old was accepted as a “naturalised citizen” of Nigeria but this status was also challenged at CAS. This is because only one naturalised citizen is allowed per squad, with the trio claiming they are all Nigerian citizens through birth because of their parents.

Third sister Erica Ogwumike, a WNBA 2020 draftee, is also

eligible to play.

“FIBA acknowledges the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reject the request for provisional measures filed by Nnemkadi Chinwe Ogwumike and Elizabeth Olatayo Williams,” a FIBA statement said.

“The players had requested that the CAS provisionally accepts the change of their national status from USA to Nigeria.

“Although both players had played for USA after the age of 17 and participated in the qualifying process to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (in February 2020 and September

2019, respectively), they recently requested an exceptional change of their national status, which FIBA declined under the applicable rules.

“In any event, the players would have to wait for a three-year period since their last game with the USA to be eligible to play at the Olympics, as per bye-law to Rule 41 of the Olympic Charter.

“The list of players for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games submitted by the Nigeria Basketball Federation to the Nigeria Olympic Committee and to FIBA does not include

these two players.”

The Nigerian Basketball Federation had claimed that “players of African descent are approved to play for other countries constantly but the reverse is not the case”.

“We do tacitly believe that there are undercurrents and motivation for such a decision which is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience ,” the world governing body said.

Coincidentally, Nigeria’s first match at Tokyo 2020 is due to be against the US on July 27. Hosts Japan and France are the other teams in their group.

AFN Rejects Gusau’s PUMA Kits, Settles for AFA in Tokyo The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has said that Nigeria’s track and field contingent to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which starts on Friday will compete in kits provided by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

Prince Adeniyi Adisa Beyioku, Secretary General of the federation insisted yesterday that the athletes like their counterparts in other sports are competing under the banner of the NOC and will use the uniforms provided by the organisation.

“The AFN does not have any kitting contract with PUMA, the German kits and equipment manufacturer. There is no copy of any contract at the Secretariat of the AFN and the kits and equipment purportedly supplied are not in my possession as the chief administrative and accounting officer. The 2017 constitution of the AFN recognises me in article 8.7.2, section 4.4.3 as the custodian of the federation's records, documents and properties,” said Beyioku.

Continuing, the AFN Secretary General insists if there was indeed a contract , the kits and equipment should have been deposited at the Secretariat of the AFN which is known to World Athletics as indicated on the AFN profile page on World Athletics website and in custody of the head of the Secretariat, the Secretary General.".

Reacting to a statement by Ibrahim Gusau, the immediate past president of the federation

that the athletes will be supplied PUMA kits within 72 hours and that the AFN board will meet in Tokyo, Beyioku says Gusau must be talking about another federation.

“Is he the one that organised the trials where the athletes were picked? Is he the one that submitted the list of athletes to the games to the NOC? Is he and his so-called board members accredited for the games? I think he is just trying to seek relevance after finding out the game was up,” said Beyioku.

“AFN President, Tonobok Okowa and my humble self as the Secretary General have been accredited for the games.

“The athletes have been given the AFA kits supplied by the NOC and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and they are raring to go,” added Beyioku who advised Gusau not to distract the athletes who want to win laurels for the country.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr. Sunday Dare, has affirmed that Team Nigeria was not in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for show, but to win laurels for the country by competing clean.

Speaking at a brief ceremony organised by the Ethiopian Airline to send the Minister and others forth, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja yesterday, the Minister said: "We are grateful to the Federal Government, Corporate Nigeria and all those who supported Team Nigeria by adopting our athletes.

I Want to Play My Best Table Tennis in Tokyo, Says Omotayo Team Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo will be making his debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games; he is eager to establish himself as one of Africa’s best representatives among the array of stars in Japan.

The Lagos State-born athlete believes knowing his first-round opponent would help him to strategize his fate in Tokyo.

He, however, said he is excited about being part of Team Nigeria to Tokyo. “I feel happy and at the same very proud of myself for qualifying for my first Olympic Games because I have always wanted to achieve this dream as only God made it possible.

“My winning the African

Games gold in 2019 has really boosted my confidence going into the Olympic Games. The win made me realise that the impossible is nothing as nobody saw the performance coming but I knew within me that I am capable of defeating any player in Africa. All I needed was to play freely without thinking about the podium. I did that, it really worked for me in the end.

“My target is to go to Tokyo and play at my best because I know if I play at my best, good results will follow. The advantage of the postponement is that it has afforded me more time to train and work hard for the games,” Omotayo said.

THE OGWUMIKE SISTERS...

L-R: Erica, Chiney and Nneka were hoping to represent Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

2020SummerOlympicsLiveonDStv, GOtv DSTv and GOtv subscribers can look forward to the world’s biggest and most diverse celebration of sport, the Summer Olympic Games which will runs from Friday, 23 July to Sunday, 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

A statement from the pay television broadcast stations yesterday said DStv will feature eight dedicated channels for the Games with SuperSport Football Plus (DStv channel 202) becoming Olympic Channel 1, while SuperSport Premier League (DStv channel 203), La Liga (DStv channel 204), Football (DStv channel 205), Variety 1 (DStv channel 206), Variety 2 (DStv channel 207), Variety 3 (DStv channel 208) and Variety 4 (DStv channel 209) become Olympic Channels 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively.

GOtv on the other hand will feature four dedicated channels for the Games, with SuperSport GOtv Football (GOtv channel 31) becoming Olympic Channel1, while GOtv La Liga (GOtv channel 32), GOtv Select 1 (GOtv channel 33) and GOtv Select 2 (GOtv channel 34) become Olympic Channels 2, 3 and 4 respectively.

This will give viewers on all DStv packages; Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Confam and Yanga as well as the GOtv Max and Jolli packages the chance to witness action from the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, which is set to be the biggest sporting

event of 2021.

Olympic themed content will also be available on CatchUp, while a focus on African athletes which will light up the games has already begun, with documentaries on Kenyan long-distance running star Eliud Kipchoge (who is favourite to defend his Gold Medal in the

Men’s Marathon), as well as Zambia’s Copper Queens, who upset the odds to qualify for the Women’s Football competition.

“Whether you are hoping to see South Africa’s Akani Simbine challenge for honours in the Men’s 100m, Kenyan Hellen Obiri blitz the field in the Women’s 5000m, Nigeria’s Men’s and Women’s

Basketball teams, Ghanaian boxer Sulemanu Tetteh, Egypt’s Mandy Mohamed in the Women’s AllAround Artistic Gymnastics or any other star from our continent and their journey through Tokyo 2020, SuperSport is your home for all the action!” observed the message from the broadcast stations’ handlers yesterday.

NFF Vows to Unmask Nigerian Who Harassed Falcons in Austria

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that it has initiated moves to ensure the unmasking of the self-acclaimed Nigerian who got on the train with the Super Falcons in Vienna, Austria yesterday and made them uncomfortable with inflammatory political talks.

Team officials explained yesterday afternoon that the girls, who had been in the Austrian capital since Thursday last week preparing for upcoming international engagements, opted to have a view of the city after their morning training, and decided on public transport to the city centre.

The guy, whose claim to be a Nigerian was much doubtful from his accent, launched into abuses against the girls for representing Nigeria, and kept saying that no one could touch him because that would amount to assault

as he had not touched anyone.

His tirade did not unsettle the girls in any way as he was ignored throughout the trip, and the disciplined response infuriated him the more.

However, Nigeria’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon told thenff.comthat the matter has been immediately reported to the Austrian Police and the Embassy of Nigeria, and the fellow, who was bundled out of the train at the next station, would be fished out.

“It is unfortunate. The girls were on the way to the city centre which was just a few minutes from the hotel. They entered this train and the guy got inside and started insulting them. He was bundled out at the next station and we have reported the matter to the Embassy of Nigeria and the Austrian Police.

We have never had this kind of

case with any of our teams and lessons have been learnt and we will be guided appropriately going forward.

President of the NFF and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick said the NFF will immediately report the matter to world football–governing body, FIFA and would pursue the case to its logical conclusion.

“We are infuriated because these are young ladies who are our ambassadors and are there in Austria preparing for major international competitions.

That was a dastardly act by that fellow and we are not taking it lightly. The girls simply wanted to go on sightseeing and there is nothing wrong with that. They do not deserve to be subjected to such diatribe by a so-called fellow Nigerian.

“We will unmask the fellow and then take it from there,” pledged the NFF chief.

WEDNESDAY, ͺ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

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SPORTS

Joshua, Usyk Heavyweight Clash Gets Sept 25 Date at Spurs Stadium Anthony Joshua's world heavyweight title defence against Oleksandr Usyk will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 25 September.

Joshua, 31, will risk his IBF, WBA and WBO belts against the Ukrainian, who is his mandatory challenger.

Usyk, 34, has not fought for a title as a heavyweight but held all four belts a division lower at cruiserweight.

Joshua was ordered to defend his WBO title after the collapse of his bout with fellow Briton Tyson Fury.

"We are two Olympic gold medallists who have fought our way to the top and never avoided challenges," Joshua said.

"The venue is exceptional, the atmosphere will be electric, I'm honoured to be the first person to fight in such an awe-inspiring venue. The stage is set and I am ready to handle business."

Despite months of negotiations a fight between Joshua and WBC world champion Fury for all four belts failed to materialise.

Joshua called Fury "a fraud" after their proposed meeting on 14 August in Saudi Arabia was called off.

Fury will face American Deontay Wilder, who he defeated to become a two-time world heavyweight champion in his most recent bout in February 2020, for a third time in Las Vegas on 24 July.

Former undisputed world cruiserweight champion Usyk has 18 wins from 18 bouts.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has a capacity of over 60,000, although vaccination proof may be requiredto attend sports events of about 20,000 or more capacity by the end of September.

Anthony Joshua (left) and Oleksandr Usyk have a September date at Spurs Stadium

Awoniyi Excited to Complete Onyeka Joins Brentford from FC Midtjylland Union Berlin Permanent Switch Former Nigerian youth international, Taiwo Awoniyi has finally secured a permanent transfer to Bundesliga side Union Berlin.

Awoniyi’s switch yesterday ended his six year association with Liverpool.

Awoniyi joined Liverpool back in the summer of 2015 and spent the majority of his six years with the Reds out on loan at a variety of European clubs.

Awoniyi did not feature for the Reds and was only granted a work permit to play in the UK in May. He had loan spells with FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen, Royal Excel Mouscron (twice), KAA

TRANSFER Gent, FSV Mainz 05 and most recently with Union Berlin last term.

The striker scored five goals and provided four assists in 22 appearances for Union Berlin last season.

“After lots of loan moves in previous years, I want to finally come and have a home,” Awoniyi told the club’s official website yesterday.

“I owe so much to Union, so it makes me happy and proud to be back here. It’s fantastic to continue on the great path with the club. I’ll give everything to quickly pick up where I was before my injury.”

Brentford have made their first Premier League signing by bringing in Frank Onyeka from FC Midtjylland.

The 23-year-old Nigerian midfielder has joined the club for an undisclosed fee on a fiveyear deal after receiving a work permit and passing a medical.

Onyeka arrived in the UK on Monday and Brentford say he "will now undergo a period of quarantine before joining with the squad for training".

"We think he's a strong addition to the squad," said Bees boss Thomas Frank.

"We are looking forward to working with him. He is a very dynamic player.

"Frank plays as an eight in our system, he is very good at getting from box to box and will

be valuable to us when we don't have the ball.

"He has come from the Danish league and was one of the best midfield players in that league, we think he has the potential to develop further."

Brentford ended their 74year exile from the top flight by beating Swansea 2-0 in the Championship play-off final in May. The Bees are owned by Matthew Benham, who is also

majority shareholder of FC Midtjylland.

Onyeka has made one appearance for Super Eagles but could be selected for Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts in January 2022.

Porto Sign Liverpool’s Grujic for £10.5m

Marko Grujic...switches to Porto

Porto have signed midfielder Marko Grujic for £10.5m from Liverpool.

Serbia international Grujic, 25, spent last season on loan at Porto, making 28 league appearances and eight Champions League outings for them.

Nigerian Awoniyi, 23, who scored five goals in 22 games on loan at German side Union Berlin last season is the other player the Reds are also offloading on permanent terms this transfer window.

Liverpool have negotiated 10% sell-on clauses in both deals.

Grujic became Reds manager Jurgen Klopp's first signing at the club when joining from Red Star Belgrade in January 2016 for £5.1m.

He made 16 appearances for Liverpool, while also spending spells on loan at Cardiff City, Hertha Berlin and Porto.

Frank Onyeka set to play in the English topflight in the new season with Brentford

Arsenal Show Interest in Former Man Utd Goalkeeper Arsenal are reportedly interested in former Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

Sky SportsNews claims the 28-year-old who now turns out for West Brom has emerged as a possible target for Mikel Arteta.

The Spaniard is thought to be in the market for a new stopper as doubts grow over Bernd Leno’s Emirates future.

Sheffield United ace Aaron Ramsdale has been strongly linked with a move to the capital.

However, it’s now reckoned Arsenal could instead raid relegated West Brom for Johnstone.

The goalie has impressed in

131 games for the Baggies over the past three seasons.

And Johnstone’s good form earned him a place in England’s Euro 2020 squad.

However, Arsenal face stiff competition for his signature should they press ahead with a bid as north London rivals Tottenham have been linked with a swoop.

And West Ham had a bid turned down by West Brom last week, with the Midlands side reportedly holding out for at least £10million.

Meanwhile, Arsenal completed the signing of Belgian midfielder Albert Lokonga from Anderlecht on Monday.

Sam Johnstone is on Mikel Arteta’s radar at Arsenal

TR

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

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MISSILE

Jega to National Assembly “What the National Assembly is doing is senseless, if not a crazy amendment. How can you make the decision of INEC subject to confirmation, concurrence and approval of the NCC? A body under the Presidency?” _Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, berating the lawmakers over their stand on e-tranmission of election results.

KAYODEKOMOLAFE What’stheWorthofFloodAlerts?

THE HORIZON

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

F

rom Lagos to Jalingo, flood news has been reported in parts of Nigeria in the last few days.

Streets and neighbourhoods have been submerged after intense rainfalls. Homes have been destroyed with farmlands devasted in rural areas.

The socio-economic cost of the destruction is huge. The implications for health, welfare and food security are immense.

In Taraba State, at least 4,000 persons have been reportedly displaced in the last two days.

About 300 houses have been damaged with some of them now under water in some places in Jalingo, the state capital. Taraba’s northern neighbour, Adamawa, is not spared by the floods. The state government has warned residents to move to safer areas.

In Cross River state a N3 billion World Bank erosion control project in Nkebre community in the state is threatened by the prevailing environmental disorder.

According to members of the community a combination of lack of drainages and bad roads may cause the failure of the project. The matter is made worse by the heavy rainfalls recorded already this year in the state. Floods have caused enormous material damage in Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti state and Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State. In Kaduna state, about 305 relocation notices have been issued by the state environmental protection agency to those living in risky areas. Residents were advised to stop dumping refuse on waterways and drainages. There are fears that endemic erosion problems in some states such as Anambra, Akwa Ibom and Imo states could compound flooding with the predicted heavy rains.

To be sure, the sad experience has been a global one. Cities in the United States have experienced flooding just as activities have been disrupted in China by floods. Flood news comes from countries as diverse as India, Turkey, Oman, Iran, Uganda, New Zealand, Japan and Colombia. The death toll in Europe is put at no fewer than 200; most of the deaths have been recorded in Germany. There is mourning in some parts of the world caused by what on the surface looks like the fury of nature.

Is mankind completely helpless in the face of floods?

Not exactly so.

For instance, two months ago in Nigeria the Minister of Water Resources , Engineer Suleiman Adamu, warned the nation about this year’s floods. The minister spoke at the presentation of the Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) prepared by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency’s (NIHSA). In the sober report, 121 Local Government areas (LGAs) in 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were listed as “probable flood risk” places.

The states are Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.

Parts of Lagos state in particular were

Water Resources Minister, Suleiman Adamu

ravaged by floods after heavy rainfalls last week. Elite areas and slums were equally troubled by floods.

In April, the state commissioner for environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, issued some flood alerts and, in fact , advised those living in coastal and low-land areas to move upland so avoid loss of lives and damage to properties.

According to Bello, the flood forecast for this year “is based on the informed global consensus that el-Nino Southern Oscillation, ENSO, is at the cool phase, which will continue till around June and likely give to a dominant el-Nino phase till the end of 2021…

“The connotation is that Lagos State shall experience a rainy season of 238-261 days, while the maximum annual rainfall amount is predicted to be 1,747mm.”

Meanwhile the director-general of NIHSA,

“The warnings given by experts about the risk of floods should be taken as a wake-up call in the context of Nigeria in which issues of the environment are not yet a national priority”

0805 500 1974

Engineer Clement Nze, has also warned that there could be worse flooding in Lagos state. Nze reportedly said that the rainfall that disrupted things in Lagos last Friday might not be as much as what may happen in September. Nze dismissed the stories of opening of dams by a neighbouring country.

He advised the public to focus on internal steps to take in responding to flood disasters.

So it was predictable that heavy rainfalls could trigger flooding in the second part of the year. The extremity of the weather was, therefore, expected by the experts.

The Lagos state government environment ministry has not only predicted heavy rains and floods for about 261 days, it has also announced plans to mitigate the disaster that floods might cause when they happen.

It is only commonsensical to be prepared for flooding once experts have made the forecasts. Drainages and canals are being cleared for water to disappear into the canals few hours after heavy rainfalls like the ones witnessed last week. For example, residents in one area in the mainland part of the state said on television last Friday that their experience this year was relatively better than that of last year because the drainage in the area was cleared in earnest.

There should more of such stories of taking the right steps from the states.

In fact, while speaking on the flood outlook for the year, the water resources minister reminded other tiers of government to get prepared for the looming floods by clearing waterways and flood paths.

The alert given by the hydrological services agency should be a telling reminder about the necessary synchronisation of policy steps among the three tiers of government in order to mitigate the effects of flood disaster.

Environmental disasters do respect federalist boundaries and principles. After all, while the federal hydrological agency could give a panoramic view of things, the real work of policy execution is to be done by states and local governments.

The flood news has, of course, been largely a bad one. But the good news is that a lot of work could still be done in the next few weeks to change the tide of things in the identified 121 local government areas.

It’s certainly worth the while to take steps to remove impediments to waterflow in the various risk zones. State and local governments should, therefore, take the flood alerts issued by the national hydrological agency more seriously to minimise flood risks. Last year, about 70 persons died in flood disasters in the country. Thousands were displaced from their villages. Kogi and Kwara states were particularly hit. The disasters should not be repeated this year.

The point at issue is that human factors in the problem of flooding should be isolated from the larger natural issues. It is within the precinct of policy conception and execution to deal with the human factors. This aspect of the problem has been repeatedly explored on this page. For instance about a year ago, this reporter observed as follows:

“Yes, flood is a natural disaster. But the failure of environment policy is a human error. That’s not natural.

“Lack of preparedness is a man-made disaster.

“Flood disasters can be scientifically explained. Researches are being conducted on the problem in Nigerian institutions despite the limited facilities. .

“If an area is defined as “flood prone,” it’s simply irrational (if not criminal) to ignore the warnings until disasters happen. . “Governments must take drastic and responsible steps to avoid disasters. The people should also be reasonable enough to respond to official warnings. If the hurricane-prone communities in other parts of the world are careless about the natural disaster as things are done in Nigeria, some coastal communities could have been long wiped out of the face of the earth.”

For policies to be executed in other departments of national life, the environment must first be preserved. Here we are talking of the primacy of the habitat. Just imagine the damage being done to infrastructure by flooding.

It is time Nigeria paid a greater attention to the larger issues of climate change as many countries are doing at present. The consequences of climate are manifest. Climate change has been categorised by some experts as an “existential risk.” And this is far from being alarmist as some climate change deniers are wont to suggest in some places. As Oxford philosopher, Professor Toby Ord, points out in his new book, The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity, climate change is as much a risk to mankind as nuclear weapons or pandemics. The havoc of flooding seems to belie the argument that talking about climate change is a luxury that only industrialised countries can afford.

The science and the geo-politics of the problems should be separated for a nation to find solutions at its own corner of the globe. It is scientifically interesting that the same climate that is blamed for flooding is also believed to be responsible for droughts in some places. According to experts, human activities are responsible for the change. With the warming of the earth by about one degree Celsius, the sea level has risen by about 2.3 centimetres.

The country is already confronting insecurity and tackling a pandemic. Mass poverty is a scourge plaguing the land. Flood disasters in most of the states should not be added to the catalogue of woes. Environmental damage could compound the other existing problems.

The warnings given by experts about the risk of floods should be taken as a wake-up call in the context of Nigeria in which issues of the environment are not yet a national priority.

All told, the funding of projects to mitigate the risk of flooding should be treated as a central budgetary item by the federal and state governments. The ecological fund should be judiciously used to partly tackle the problem.

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