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COVID-19: Ehanire Worries Over Possible Spike in Delta Variant Says countries with 70 per cent vaccination of their population are struggling 60 million vaccine doses to arrive Africa soon, says WHO Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government has raised the alarm over a

possible uptick in Covid-19 cases, propelled by a spread of the new Delta variant of the virus recently discovered

in the country.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who made a presentation at a virtual

meeting held by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the country's preparations against the third wave of

COVID19, expressed worry that Nigeria had witnessed an increase in the number of new cases of Covid-19 in the

last two weeks.

The Minister's worry came Continued on page 8

Irabor Takes Security Parley to South-east, Says Agitation Constitutional, Violence Not... Page 6 Friday 23 July, 2021 Vol 26. No 9601. Price: N250

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CBN Targets October for Digital Currency Launch James Emejo with agency report

APC GOVS PAY SALLAH HOMAGE TO BUHARI...

L-R: Osun State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola; Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari; President Muhammadu Buhari; Kebbi State Governor & Chairman Progressives Governors Forum, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi (Ebonyi). Behind L-R: Plateau State Governor, Mr. Solomon Lalong; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Nassarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule; Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, during a Sallah Homage visit by the members of the Progressive Governors Forum to the President in Daura, Katsina State...yesterday

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday disclosed that its much-anticipated digital currency will be launched on October 1.

CBN Director, IT Department, Mrs. Rakiya Mohammed, revealed this during a private webinar, explaining that the banking sector regulator had been Continued on page 8

World Bank: Nigeria Going through Its Worst Unemployment Crisis Says country’s asylum seekers grew from 27,557 to 408,078 in 10 Years Applications for refugee status increased by 1,380% Estimates 4,000 Nigerian children made orphans by COVID-19 Ndubuisi Francis and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria is currently going through one of its worst unemployment crises in recent

times, a new report by the World Bank has stated.

The multilateral institution also noted that the socioeconomic challenges facing Nigerians in the last 10 years

have led to an astronomical increase in the number of citizens seeking asylum and refugee status in other countries.

This is as the World Bank,

in a separate report, has estimated that about 4,000 Nigerian children were made orphans by the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and July 2021.

The report, which expressed concern about the country’s rising unemployment situation was published by the Washington-based institution with support

from the Korea World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF) and the Rapid Social Response (RSR) trust funds.

Continued on page 8

Beninise Court Orders Release of Igboho’s Wife as FG Mulls Options... Page 5

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NEWS

Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 08033506821, 08097777322

FUNERAL MASS IN HONOUR OF DR. MRS. TUWERE UTUAMA...

L-R: Delta Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; his wife, Dame Edith; a former Governor of the State, Chief James Ibori; immediate past Governor of the State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; his wife, Roli Uduaghan; and the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Ebierin Otuaro, at the Funeral Mass in honour of Late Dr. Mrs. Tuwere Utuama, wife of the immediate past Delta Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama at Out-Jeremi, Head Quarters of Ughelli South LGA, Delta State...yesterday

A-29 Super Tucano Fighter Planes Arrive Nigeria Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigerian Air Force yesterday announced the arrival of A-29 Super Tucano fightear planes from the United States. The aircraft arrived Kano State at about 12:34pm.

The fighter jets were received by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd) and the service chiefs.

A statement by NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the arrival of the long awaited aircraft.

"The first batch of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft have arrived Kano, today, (yesterday) July 22, 2021 at about 12.34pm.

"On hand to receive the

aircraft were the Honourable Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao,"it said.

The fighter jets departed United States on July 14, 2021.

The aircraft flew through five countries, notably Canada, Spain, Greenland, Iceland and Algeria before arriving Nigeria.

The jet fighters were billed for delivery to Nigeria between 2021 and 2022.

The Airforce, had, in earlier statements said six of the fighter aircraft were to be delivered

by July while the remaining six would be in Nigeria by December.

Dangote Cement’s $1bn Plant Set to Commence Operations in Okpella Dike Onwuamaeze Dangote Cement Plc’s $1 billion six million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) facility has been completed and is set for commissioning in Okpella, Edo State.

This followed the guarantee of a conducive business environment by the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki’s administration.

A statement yesterday explained that the plant, which sits on a 1000-hectare land, is billed to boost cement production in the state, in alignment with Obaseki’s unrelenting push to diversify the state’s economy and attract investment into its productive sector.

The Director, Stakeholder Management, Dangote Cement Plc, Engr. Patrick Omokagbo, said the construction of the plant had the input of the local community, as engineers, technicians, and other members of the community worked on the project till its completion.

He added: “In Nigeria, we have a population of over 200 million people. The per capita consumption of cement in Nigeria is low. We still need

to do more to make the cement get to the poorest of the poor.”

A visit to the sprawling facility showed that the plant was ready for operation with trucks being loaded with cement bags produced on site.

The plant is powered with a 60MW power plant produced at the site, which is connected to the Benin-Abuja Expressway with a 7.5km road constructed

by Dangote Cement.

The plant was built

by Sinoma International Engineering Company, one of the world’s largest cement engineering system integration suppliers.

About 1,500 local workers joined the Chinese engineers on the project, while the plant is expected to employ not less than 6,000 persons when it commences operations.

“Obaseki has continued to prioritise inflow of investment into the state with bold and investor-friendly policies, which has resulted in the setting up of a number of industrial plants, including modular refineries, gas processing plants, energy parks, an inland dry port, among others,” the statement added.

The Airforce had also completed construction of a hangar in Jaji, Kaduna State, where the attack aircraft would be domiciled.

A delegation of the House of Representatives had some weeks ago visited the United States to ascertain the state of the fighter jets.

The delegation had raised questions over the delay in the delivery of the fighter jets.

The first batch of 6 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft departed the United States of America on Wednesday, 14 July 2021 enroute Nigeria.

The Airforce had, in a statement, issued last week disclosed the flight path of the attack aircraft.

"The six aircraft will be leapfrogged through five countries including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and

Algeria before arriving their final destination in Nigeria towards the end of July 2021.

"An official induction ceremony of the aircraft into the inventory of the Nigerian Air Force is already being planned at a later date in August 2021 to be announced in due course.

"The office of the Director of Public Relations and Information remains open to any inquiry regarding the arrival and

induction of the aircraft".

Air Commodore Gabkwet told THISDAY that the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, was in the United States to meet with pilots before they took off.

It was further gathered that the path taken by the fighter jets was designed to avoid the Atlantic Ocean route, a distance not usually flown by fighter aircraft.

Beninise Court Orders Release of Igboho’s Wife as FG Mulls Options Falana: He can’t be extradited without due process Says Buratai hurriedly submitted request Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Cour D’Appel De Cotonou in Benin Republic, yesterday, after a hearing ordered the release of Mrs. Ropo, wife of a Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

This development came at a time the federal government was reportedly mulling its options over the fate of detained secessionist agitator in a neighbouring country, THISDAY has learnt.

Igboho appeared in a Benin Republic Court on Thursday as hearing over his extradition commenced.

But a foremost human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has said the government could not bring Igboho back to Nigeria without first making a formal request for his extradition and prosecution in Nigeria, which must pass through Benin Republic’s legal system.

Falana, however, accused Nigeria’s new Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), of hurriedly submitting an application for the deportation of Igboho to Nigeria.

He said the request for Igboho’s extradition would be pursuant to the provisions of the Economic Community of West African States’ Convention A/P.1/8/94 on Extradition, applicable in the 15 member states of ECOWAS.

Igboho was arrested with his wife, Ropo, at a Cotonou airport on their way to Germany.

The Benin Republic authorities arrested Igboho over an unspecified immigration offence and subsequently arraigned him. Igboho appeared in court yesterday.

But, while the court ordered Mrs. Adeyemo’s release after a hearing, Igboho was returned to the custody of Brigade Criminelle in Cotonou, Benin Republic, while the case was subsequently till today, July 23, 2021.

Mrs. Adeyemo was said to have been released after the court found out that she had not committed any offence.

Confirming this, National Chairman of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Wale Adeniran, said to the press,“Yes, she has been released”.

Meanwhile, THISDAY gathered that there were two options under consideration by the Nigerian government. The first option was to pursue the extradition of Igboho to Nigeria to face trial to a logical conclusion.

In the alternative, diplomatic pressure could be applied on the Benin Republic authorities to ensure that the activist was jailed in that country for immigration offences.

A source told THISDAY, "The option to bring him back to Nigeria to face trial is still on the table. There is also the other issue that it will be in the interest of peace loving people for him

to stay there, if they find him guilty of the immigration offence, which is why they arrested him.

Did Nigeria arrest him? If he is convicted there, Nigeria will rest."

On his part, Falana said Igboho could not be extradited to Nigeria without adherence to due process as prescribed by Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

The human rights activist stated, “A non-national legally admitted in a territory of a State Party to the present Charter may only be expelled from it by virtue of a decision taken in accordance with the law.

"A few weeks ago, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, was allegedly abducted in Nairobi, Kenya, and forcefully brought to Nigeria by security forces.

Even though Kanu was liable to be arrested and brought back to Nigeria to face trial, having jumped bail, the refusal of the federal government to follow due process in the case has exposed Nigeria to international opprobrium."

Falana explained, “Unlike Kenya, the Republic of Benin has rejected the demand to deport Chief Adeyemo (a.k.a. Sunday Igboho) outside the ambit of the law. Hence, the federal government has submitted a request for the extradition of Igboho in accordance with the provisions of the ECOWAS Convention on Extradition and the Extradition Law of Benin

Republic.

“On July 1, 2021, the residence of Chief Sunday Adeyemo (a.k.a Igboho) at Ibadan, Oyo State, was raided by armed operatives of the State Security Service (SSS). Even though Igboho escaped arrest, two of his guards were killed while 13 other people were forcefully arrested in the compound and taken to Abuja where they have since been held incommunicado.

Thereafter, Igboho was declared wanted and put on International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) watch-list by the State Security Service (SSS).

“We have, however, confirmed that Igboho and his wife were arrested by Interpol in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Monday, July 19, 2021 on their way to Germany. According to media reports, Igboho and his wife are currently being detained by the police authorities in a criminal police station in Cotonou. If they are indicted for breaching the criminal code of Benin Republic, they are liable to be arraigned before a criminal court in Cotonou."

Falana further said, “Contrary to speculations in the media, it is submitted that Igboho cannot be expelled from Benin and deported to Nigeria on the basis of his arrest by Interpol without due process as prescribed by Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which provides that:

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Irabor Takes Security Parley to South-east, Says Agitation Constitutional, Violence Not Assures on improved security Ihejirika advocates peace Amby Uneze in Owerri The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has assured the people of the South-east of the federal government’s commitment to security in the zone and the country at large. Irabor gave the assurance on Thursday in Owerri during an interaction with retired senior military officers in the South-east geopolitical zone.

He counselled Nigerians agitating for sectional or group rights to follow the constitution, saying the military will not tolerate any form of violence directed at the country’s unity.

Addressing participants at the forum, the CDS said the Nigerian Armed Forces were at the forefront of efforts to address the various security threats in the country. He said the military was working with the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to redress the security situation nationwide.

The defence chief explained that the current agitations in the South-east made the security situation in the zone peculiar, alleging that a good number of those who support such agitations have a wrong understanding of the reality on ground.

He described the engagement with the military veterans as useful, saying with their privileged and distinct positions, they can bring better understanding to stakeholders and help to correct certain misconceptions and perceptions among the agitators.

Irabor commended the senior citizens for their large turnout, and stated that they remained a dependable partner in the effort to build peace and stability across the country.

“Among the various stakeholders, the retired senior military officers have the greatest interest within the matrix of defence and national security,” he stated.

He condemned the use of violence and killings as a way to achieve desired goals.

Irabor said, "We will resist any attempt by anyone wanting to use instruments of violence against the state.

Again, there are provisions within the confines of the constitution for anyone, who wants certain desires, to approach.

"This is why we think that violence is not the best option.

We appeal to everyone to seek the rule of law to bring about whatever agitation they have, so that we will continue to promote peace and unity in the country."

The CDS said he was in the zone to interface with retired senior military personnel on the best ways to deal with the security threats in the zone and other parts of the country.

Irabor said, "I am honoured to see very respected retired senior military personnel, especially my former boss, Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika, retired here. You are the most critical stakeholders in our quest to end the security

imbalance in our country."

In his remarks at the meeting, Ihejirika said war was not an option in tackling the rising insecurity in the country.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ihejirika advocated dialogue as the best strategy for returning peace to the country. He advised the federal government

to engage in roundabout discussions with aggrieved groups in the system. He said it was internationally acceptable for the government to dialogue with opposing

groups instead of resorting to war, adding that he supports any approach that would ensure maximum peace and order in the country.

Ihejirika said, "All over

the world, it is better to jaw- jaw than to war war. It is important for the government to go for a dialogue. I stand for an approach that would ensure peace in our country."

Okowa Salutes Momodu, Other Promoted THISDAY, ARISE News Editors Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has felicitated with Mr. Shaka Momodu on his promotion as the Editor of THISDAY Newspaper.

Speaking on Thursday in Asaba through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, the governor equally congratulated Mr. Davidson Iriekpen as Editor

of THISDAY, the Sunday Newspaper and Mr. Goddy Egene, Group News Editor of the newspaper.

In the same vein, Okowa felicitated with Mr. Emmanuel Efeni on his elevation to the position of Deputy Managing Director, and Mr. Christian Ogodo as Managing Editor, of ARISE News.

Okowa, however, commended the Board

of THISDAY and ARISE group for the confidence reposed in the staff and officers, warranting their being assigned the new responsibilities and described their respective elevation as well-deserved.

"On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I congratulate Mr. Shaka Momodu, Davidson Iriekpen, Goddy Egene,

Emmanuel Efeni, Christian Ogodo and all other executive members of THISDAY and ARISE Group on their welldeserved promotions.

"Over the years, they have by dint of hard work and conscientious dedication to duties kept both media brands moving from strength to strength.

"They have continued to promote the kernel of

journalism by keeping Nigerians and the rest of the world abreast with the most timely and educating news from all parts of Nigeria and the world.

"As a government, we are proud of your lofty achievements and it is our prayer that your best is yet to come as we hope to see you at the pinnacle of your careers," Okowa said.

EID VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT...

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) and Group Managing Dirctor, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mele Kyari, who paid a courtesy visit to the President in Daura...yesterday

Three Abducted Tegina School Girls Reportedly Dead Laleye Dipo in Minna Three of the 156 abducted girls of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State were believed to have died, a THISDAY investigation has revealed.

Many of the remaining students were also said to be seriously ill resulting from hunger, cold and trauma.

The girls, some of their teachers and passersby were abducted more than 6 weeks ago, although 17 of the abductees – two of them school girls and the others, their teachers and passersby – escaped from the clutches of the bandits three

weeks after their abduction.

It was gathered that the bandits gave the sad information to some of the parents in a telephone conversation though they (bandits) did not disclose the names of the deceased pupils.

The Chief Imam of Tegina was also said to have made similar announcement after one of the regular Muslim prayer in the town.

According to THISDAY findings, the bandits reportedly told the parents contacted that they would send the video of the burial of the late pupils and that of the present condition of the others to confirm their state of health. They (bandits) are

yet to send the video.

THISDAY also learnt that the deadline given by the bandits for the payment of the reduced ransom of N30m lapsed Wednesday before the last.

It was gathered that, when the bandits reduced the ransom, government which hitherto had not shown any interest in the payment of ransom to bandits allegedly reached out to the parents and asked them to source for N10m while government would provide the balance.

"We contributed our own N10m but uptill now we have not seen or heard anything from the government", one of the parents confided in THISDAY.

"It appears we have been left on our own. No one is showing any interest in getting our children released from the den of the bandits", the parent stated.

However, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane, has debunked the claim saying, “There was never a time that government promised to pay ransom to bandits or assist the parents to pay any or part of the ransom. We have a policy not to pay ransom.

We still stand by that policy.

"You know this issue of payment of ransom is not healthy. Government as a policy does not do it but I know that because they are engaging with the bandits,

they can tell them anything," Matane said.

The SSG also distanced the government from any official that pledged that government would pay part of the ransom saying, "I wouldn't know who that government official is because I coordinate security and I am not aware".

Asked if government was aware that three of the children had died, he said: "I’m not aware that three of the girls have died. You know these people (bandits) can be very deceptive. They raise a lot of emotions and sentiments so that we will accept their bidding."

The girls spent the Eid- elKabir festival in the den of their abductors.

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PAGE EIGHT WORLD BANK: NIGERIA GOING THROUGH ITS WORST UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS In the report titled: ‘Of Roads Less Travelled: Assessing the Potential for Migration to Provide Overseas Jobs for Nigeria’s Youth’, the World Bank further estimated that there were 2.1 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria in 2020 alone.

World Bank, however, blamed a combination of rising unemployment, booming demographics, and unfulfilled aspirations as resulting in increasing pressure on young Nigerians to migrate in search of gainful employment overseas.

In addition, the Washingtonbased institution disclosed that the number of international migrants from Nigeria has increased threefold since 1990, growing from 446,806 in 1990 to 1,438,331 in 2019. It explained that despite this trend, the share of international migrants as a proportion to Nigeria’s population has remained largely constant, increasingly slightly from 0.5 per cent in 1990 to 0.7 per cent in 2019.

According to the bank, recent rise in irregular migration notwithstanding, the share of international migrants in Nigeria’s population was much lower compared to the shares in Sub-Saharan Africa and globally.

The data showed that the number has risen by over 1,380 per cent in the years between 2010 and 2019, indicating that in comparison, the number of persons coming into Nigeria from outside has been relatively stagnant in the decade under consideration.

“An important trend that is observed in the data is the rise in the number of refugees and asylum seekers from Nigeria.

The share of refugees and

asylum seekers from Nigeria has increased drastically in the last decade, growing from 27,557 in 2010 to 408,078 in 2019,” it stated.

It noted that although the country was reaping dividends from the success of its citizens in the diaspora, which was put at five per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019, when it comes to the discourse on international migration, the narrative has not been palatable.

“Nigeria is facing one of the most acute jobless crises in recent times. Between 2014 and 2020, Nigeria’s working age population grew from 102 million to 122 million, growing at an average rate of approximately 3 per cent per year.

“Similarly, Nigeria’s active labour force population, that is, those willing and able to work among the working age population, grew from 73 million in 2014 to 90 million in 2018, adding 17.5 million new entrants to Nigeria’s active labour force.

“Since 2018, however, the active labour force population has dramatically decreased to around 70 million—lower than the level in 2014— while the number of Nigerians who are in the working-age population but not active in the labour force has increased from 29 million to 52 million between 2014 and 2020.

“The expanding working-age population combined with scarce domestic employment opportunities is creating high rates of unemployment, particularly for Nigeria’s youth,” the World Bank report noted.

However, between 2010 and 2020, the international financial institution estimated that the unemployment rate rose five-

fold, from 6.4 per cent in 2010 to 33.3 per cent in 2020, with the rates being particularly acute since the 2015/2016 economic recession and further worsened as COVID-19 led to the worst recession in four decades in 2020.

Increasingly, it noted that educated Nigerians were struggling to find employment opportunities in the country while unemployment rates increased substantially for Nigerians across all education levels over the years, becoming progressively challenging for educated Nigerians to find employment opportunities.

“Combined with significant demographic changes and increased aspirations of the youth, Nigeria’s unemployment crisis is creating migratory pressure in the economy.

“Unemployment is considered to be a key driver of migration.

Consequently, multiple surveys show that the number of Nigerians, who are looking to migrate internationally is high and increasing,” it pointed out.

In the last few years, the bank stated that the number of persons eager to migrate has increased from 36 per cent in 2014, to 52 per cent in 2018, noting that the desire to migrate remains higher among unemployed (38 per cent), youth (39 per cent), secondary education graduates (39 per cent), urban residents (41 per cent) and post-secondary graduates (45 per cent) in Nigeria.

It maintained that since there has not been an expansion of legal migration routes for youth increasingly eager to find opportunities in the overseas labour market, young Nigerians are opting for irregular migration

In a related development, the multilateral institution has estimated that 4,000 Nigerian children were made orphans by the COVID-19 between March 2020 and July 2021.

The report by the bank's experts at the Imperial College of London, revealed that over 4,100 Nigerian children lost one or both primary caregivers within the aforementioned period, while 4,300 lost one or both primary and secondary caregivers.

The report posted on the bank’s blog was jointly authored by World Bank's Lead Economist, Laura Rawlings and a senior technical advisor, Centre for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19 International Task Force, Susan Hillis, and titled: "For every two COVID-19 deaths, one child loses a caregiver. We must do more to address the orphan crisis."

The report stated: “The COVID crisis will leave many unwanted legacies. The world has been closely tracking the COVID-19 death toll, with official mortality counts now reaching over four million people, largely concentrated among adults. The children left behind have been practically invisible.

“Our estimates of the toll on children left behind, just released, are that for every two

people, who die of COVID, one child is left orphaned, facing the death of a parent or grandparent caregiver, who had been living in their home.

“By the end of June 2021, because of COVID-19, our estimates show that nearly two million children under 18 years had lost a mother, father, and/ or grandparent caregiver, who lived in their household.”

According to the experts, countries with primary caregiver death rates of at least one per 1,000 children include Peru (10.2 per 1,000 children), South Africa (5.1), Mexico (3.5), Brazil (2.4), Colombia (2.3), Iran (1.7), the USA (1.5), Argentina (1.1), and Russia (1.0).

They also noted that at the current rate, one child was being orphaned every 12 seconds due to a COVID-19-associated death, adding that the toll was growing.

The authors noted that the COVID-19 related deaths had a wide range of effects on the children from economic, developmental to psychological impacts, which would reverberate across generations.

According to them, children orphaned by COVID face a constellation of risks, which often arrive with rapid and broad consequences.

"The threats of poverty, malnutrition, displacement and separation from siblings or other family members, school dropout, depression, violence and child marriage can emerge suddenly from the Pandora’s box of COVID-19,” they said.

Nigeria had as of July 20, 2021, recorded about 2,128 COVID-19 deaths, suggesting that for every one death in the country, an average of two children become orphans.

vaccines, with 126% of target population of just over 2 million people receiving first dose and 70% receiving second doses. Less than 2% of target 112 million population has been reached, to reach herd immunity of 70%.

Efficient data management and monitoring was performed for AEFI," he said.

On the expected vaccines, Moeti reiterated that only 20 million Africans, or 1.5 per cent of the continent’s population, had been fully vaccinated so far and that 1.7 per cent of the 3.7 billion doses given globally had been administered in Africa He made stated this on Thursday during an online press briefing on COVID-19 in Africa on Thursday, where she said no one should be under any illusion that Africa’s third wave was over.

“This small step forward offers hope and inspiration but must not mask the big picture for Africa. Many countries are still at peak risk and Africa’s third wave surged up faster

and higher than ever before.

She said that the new COVID-19 case numbers in Africa fell by 1.7 per cent to nearly 282,000 in the week ending July 18.

According to her, the continent experienced an unbroken nineweek surge, excluding data from South Africa, which accounted for 37 per cent of these cases, adding that the current peak was 80 per cent higher than Africa’s previous peak, excluding data from South Africa.

She explained that without the data from South Africa, cases rose in Africa by 18 per cent to over 182 000 in the week ending on July 18.

“The Sallah celebrations, which we marked this week may also result in a rise in cases.

We must all double down on prevention measures to build on these fragile gains,” she said.

Meoti stated further that 21 African countries had seen cases rise by over 20 per cent for at least two weeks running, adding that the highly transmissible Delta variant had been found

in 26 African countries.

According to her, the Alpha variant was in 38 countries and Beta was in 35, and that South Africa’s gains remained uncertain as protests had disrupted the country’s response, including disease surveillance and testing.

She explained that mass gatherings in the country could also trigger another rise in cases.

“A massive influx of doses means that Africa must go all out and speed up the vaccine rollout by five to six times if we are to get all these doses into arms and fully vaccinate the most vulnerable 10 per cent of all Africans by the end of September.

“Nearly 70 per cent of African countries will not reach the 10 per cent vaccination target for all countries by the end of September at the current pace.

“Around 3.5 million to four million doses are administered weekly on the continent, but to meet the September target this must rise to 21 million doses at the very least each week,” she said.

are not under the control of the central bank; they are purely private decisions that individuals make and are not part of this arrangement.

“We have spent over two years studying this concept of central bank’s digital currency and we have identified the risks. And it is one of the reasons why I said we are setting up a central governance structure that would involve all industry stakeholders to access all the risks as we continue on this journey.

“Very soon we would make an announcement on the date for the launch and by the end of the year, we should have the digital currency.”

According to her, about 80 per cent of central banks

across the world are presently exploring the possibility of issuing the central bank’s digital currency, saying that Nigeria cannot be left behind.

Mohammed had added: “You are aware that we have two forms of fiat money: The notes and the coins. So, the central bank’s digital currency is the third form of fiat money. So, this digital money is going to complement the cash and note that we have.

“The central bank digital currency will just be as good as you having cash in your pocket. So, if you are having the currency in your pocket, you are as good as having cash on your phone.

“Now, why did we need to go into this? There are different

cases that the central bank is looking at. For instance, we have remittances, which is a huge market in Africa. We also know that in the last EFInA report, our target for this year was to achieve 80 per cent financial inclusion.

We are about 60 per cent and at the rate we are going, it is unlikely we would meet this target. But the central bank digital currency would accelerate this target.”

She said it would support the cashless policy as well as innovation, adding that the central bank has a “very clear roadmap on this and we are about to move to the next stage of a proof of consent after which we would start a pilot.”

routes to realise their hopes for a better life.

“What is worrying, however, is the increase in the number of forced and irregular migrants from Nigeria,“it disclosed.

It stressed that to ensure mutual cooperation, the European Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF), which was established in 2015, with the aim to promote areas of mutual development interest between Europe and Africa, has since provided more than €4 billion in aid to African countries to address various developmentrelated challenges and priorities in Africa.

Since its inception, the EUTF, the bank stated, has provided more than €770 million for migration-related projects in Nigeria, with most of the funds invested in border control measures, awareness campaigns to stop trafficking, and the creation of jobs domestically, including for returned Nigerian migrants.

While predicting that by 2100, Europe’s working age population between the ages of 20 and 64 would decline by 30 per cent owing to low birth-rates and increased longevity, it further projected that at same time, the working age-population in Nigeria could increase by 140 per cent.

“By expanding legal pathways for migration and implementing supporting measures to reap dividends from current migrants in the diaspora, Nigeria can further benefit from international migration.

“Nigeria’s institutions are well-placed to promote managed migration approaches that help create opportunities for prospective Nigerian jobseekers to find employment

internationally and can be supported to help design schemes that increase the returns to human capital investments for Nigerian youth,” the report concluded.

4,000 Nigerian Children Orphaned

by COVID-19

COVID-19: EHANIRE WORRIES OVER POSSIBLE SPIKE IN DELTA VARIANT just as Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said yesterday that it had confirmed 238 new cases of Covid-19 in the country.

But the Regional Director for Africa, World Health Organisation (WHO), Matshidiso Moeti, had disclosed that about 60 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines were set to arrive Africa in the coming weeks from the United States of America, Team Europe, the United Kingdom, and other partners through the COVAX facility.

However, speaking during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, Ehanire said: "Covid-19 Delta variant is already entering Africa. It has been observed in several countries. In fact, has been identified in Nigeria and is sweeping across the globe now.

It is a strong warning that we should all be careful.

"Even those countries where they have done vaccination are

trembling how much more the ones like us that have not done much. UK has done two dose of 70 per cent of her population yet they are having one of their highest spike in Covid-19 pandemic right now, the same with the United States. Those of us that have only done two per cent are very worried about the situation".

Earlier, in his presentation to the WHO, Ehanire said the world had begun to see a pandemic of two tracks, where the Delta variant was tearing through unvaccinated populations.

"We witnessed the unfortunate surge in cases in India a few months ago and a similar surge is now being seen in most African countries. In Nigeria, the Delta variant was first detected two weeks ago, and we have begun to see an increase in the number of new cases," he said.

On the challenges faced by the country in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, Ehanire said Nigeria has had to contend with relatively weak health

systems and the inequities in distribution of Covid-19 response tools, ranging from Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and reagents at onset, to vaccines at present.

He said Nigeria received just over 4 million AZ doses to start with, from the COVAX facility and government of India and started deployment early, according to WHO recommendations for Health workers and vulnerable populations, vaccines received EUA from NAFDAC. According to the Minister, the vaccine deployment lead agency, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), had relied on its vast experience on routine immunisation, having recently concluded Polio eradication campaign.

He explained that the agency used ICT tools for a smooth rollout, adding that infrastructure, especially, cold chain, and precise distribution plan were ready well before the vaccines arrived.

"We have expended all

CBN TARGETS OCTOBER FOR DIGITAL CURRENCY LAUNCH conducting research towards the launch of digital currencies since 2017.

She added that the central bank may conduct a proof of concept before the end of the year.

The move to adopt the electronic currency was first disclosed by the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, during the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in May. He had said a digital currency will soon become a reality in the country, adding that the central bank had already set up its committee which was working on the concept.

The CBN governor had further restated the determination of the apex

bank to drive the e-Naira project during the recent 306th Banker’s Committee meeting, pointing out that the process was ongoing.

Mohammed was quoted

by Nairametrics to have highlighted the benefits of the digital currency, saying it would enhance macroeconomic management, boost economic growth, facilitate cross border trade, boost financial inclusion and monetary policy effectiveness.

Mohammed said the digital payment instrument would further improve payment efficiency, revenue tax collection, remittance improvement, and targeted social intervention.

She added that the

innovation would also benefit the fintech ecosystem by enhancing operational efficiency, opportunities for fintech start-ups in building services and products as well as financial inclusion that will contribute to economic growth, and the creation of a new system complimenting the traditional payment system.

Mohammed had last month said the proposed digital would be launched before December.

According to her, every Nigerian would have access to the digital currency.

She had while briefing journalists at the end of a Bankers’ Committee meeting said: “Let me state categorically that cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and the rest of them

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COMMENT

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

THEYORUBA HAVE WON THEIR AGITATION Tactfulness did it for the Yoruba, writes Fredrick Nwabufo

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he Yoruba are an exceptional people; precocious, tactful, urbane and temperate. They are about the most sophisticated of the ethnic groups in Nigeria.

They know when to pounce, when to retreat, and when to negotiate. For the Yoruba, it is about the collective. It is always about the whole. Group interest does not succumb to the sway of individual ambition.

They live by the winsome ‘’kparapo philosophy’’, and the ‘’omoluabi element’’ is never musty.

Let me detour. A united Nigeria remains the most operational means of preserving and protecting the variegated interests of those within the territory. While the ‘’big three’’ -- Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba – jostle for sectional dividends, they forget that there are other groups -- the presumed minority ethnic nationalities -- in the phylum. Nigeria has over 250 ethnic nationalities, but are the supposed small lot lesser citizens? Should the interest of the ‘’big three’’ be the governing aspiration and grail of other groupings in the taxonomy?

Have we asked what the Affade in Yobe State; the Afizere in Plateau State; Afo (Eloyi) in Nasarawa State; the Baushi in Niger State; the Boki in Cross River, the Annang in Akwa Ibom, and many other classes under the Nigerian family tree want? Some apostles of secessionism have even conscripted these ethnic nationalities into their abstract territories by fiat -- without considering their peculiarities.

The arrogance of the Igbo, the Yoruba and the Hausa is largely responsible for the parlous state of the country. Nigeria should not rise and fall on ‘’this big three’’. Nigeria is bigger and stronger than any of this group on which the country currently pivots. A united Nigeria guarantees freedom – to exist -- for the small ethnic genus.

As I have always said, a united Nigeria remains a viable venture for all. End of detour.

I have followed the agitations for self-determination by the peoples of southern Nigeria, and my interest is piqued by the crusading techniques of the agitators from the south-west. Even in potentially combustible situations, they have managed to arrest their emotions and keep their demons in the abyss.

Although they took their agitation to the streets a number of times, they have always been circumspect about when to retreat and not go off the deep end. Tact is a weapon the Yoruba deploy masterfully in knotty situations. Instead of going ‘’all-head-in’’, they step back and dispatch the greatest ammunition in the armoury of human civilisation.

Tact does it for the Yoruba.

On Thursday, the Ilana Omo Oodua, the group crusading for an independent Yoruba nation led by Banji Akintoye, released a manual to guide its members in their cause for self-determination. They declared:

BY DENOUNCING VIOLENCE AND EMPHASISING PEACEFUL METHODS FOR ACHIEVING SELF-DETERMINATION, THE YORUBA NATION AGITATORS HAVE JUDICIOUSLY SUBMITTED TO NIGERIA’S LAWS WHILE NOT OBVIATING THEIR AGENDA

‘’No to Violent Struggle’’. This declaration comes in the heat of the arrest and detention of Sunday Igboho, the firebrand agitator, in Benin Republic.

Here is a demonstration of great percipience by the Yoruba nation agitators: “We, Yoruba, lead in the choice of the peaceful and lawabiding path to our goal of a separate country of our own. And we the servants of the Yoruba nation in this struggle faithfully operate, and will always faithfully operate, with methods of peaceful organisation, peaceful demands, peaceful propaganda, peaceful protests, peaceful legal actions, peaceful political persuasion, and peaceful negotiation.

We will push for negotiating tables, and never push for street brawls or any other kind of conflicts. And if we find, among our people, any nationalist activist person or group that is inclined towards violence, we will encourage them to turn instead to peaceful and law-abiding means. ‘’After careful studies of the records of separatist movements in our world, we are persuaded that the peaceful approach is more likely to succeed. Various nationalist agitations in various countries of the world have, in the course of the past century, employed violent means at various times while striving to achieve their nationalist goals. Yoruba groups engaged in serving the Yoruba nation need to note carefully that none of these uses of violent or terroristic methods achieved their purpose of self-determination or autonomy for their nations; all they succeeded in doing was to generate confrontations and wars with the governments of their countries.’’

By denouncing violence and emphasising peaceful methods for achieving self-determination, the Yoruba nation agitators have judiciously submitted to Nigeria’s laws while not obviating their agenda.

It also wins them more sympathy. This is in contrast to the approach of their sibling crusaders in the Lower Niger Area who unleashed violence on security agents and citizens, threatening critics, destroying property, and ended up turning their region into Aleppo in Syria.

Violence achieves nothing but death, broken bones and spilled blood.

Self-determination is a universal right, but taking up arms to kill citizens and security agents of government is terrorism.

Really, in all the agitations across divides, the endgame is not to secede. The 2023 presidential election is the Venus flytrap with nectar attracting all kinds of creatures. I believe by that time these agitations will taper off. The agitations are ‘’precious material’’ for political negotiations. The Yoruba are playing their cards right.

Tact has won this ‘’agitation’’ for the Yoruba.

Nwabufo, fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com

HARNESSING NIGERIA’S POPULATION FOR INDUSTRIALISATION Francis Ogbimi writes that industrialisation is possible if the country’s population is mobilised for learning

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his is an open letter to Chief Obasanjo who has expressed his concern over the unemployment of a large number of Nigerian youths, calling it a timed-bomb, many times. This time, he is concerned with managing Nigeria’s large population and development of the next wave of innovative leadership through entrepreneurship.

Sir, I write to you with respect to the report, headlined, ‘Obasanjo disturbed, says Nigeria risks being third most populated by 2050.’ Under that heading, it was explained that you made the remark while addressing a mentoring session of students, selected from schools across the nation tagged, ‘Raising the next wave of innovative leaders through entrepreneurship,’ in Abeokuta. I happily write to tell you that our research revealed that we can mobilize the entire population of Nigeria for learning (education, training, employment and research) and achieve industrialization in a few decades. That way, our large population would be demonstrated to be the most important resource that positions Nigeria as a regional power like Japan and China demonstrated 1886-1905 and 1949-now, respectively.

I am Emeritus Professor of Technology Management. I commenced a curiosity-driven research in 1986 to establish the scientific basis of the present global distribution of wealth and power and how nations develop.

The research has been blessed abundantly.

I have summarized the highlights of the results in a seven-book series. The eighth book is in the press. I believe that the results of our research constitute a special God’s gift-package to mankind.

Our historical research revealed that after European and Asian nations suffered mass unemployment, poverty, insecurity, other problems for 2000-3000 years, they achieved industrialization and transformed

their societies and they became rich. The problems vanished. The Euro-Asian experience suggests that industrialization is the solution to mass unemployment and poverty.

Industrialization should be the main objective of Nigeria and other African nations.

Whereas economists, accountants and lawyers, for lack of the sense of history and for lack of understanding of the science of the development of societies, claimed that capital investment is the primary source of sustainable economic growth, industrialization and development (SEGID), our research revealed that learning (education, training, employment and research) is the primary source of SEGID. The history of the economic, social and political statuses of mankind is the same as his learning history.

All human beings are born as cryingbabies. The baby soon begins to babble (learns how to talk) and later talks. The baby who could not babble grows up to be a dumb-adult. Just as the baby acquires the capabilities to talk through learning, so the baby acquires every other capability through learning. If a society possesses the capabilities to manufacture many scientific products, the people must have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills and capabilities.

The rate of growth in the learning process is determined by the learning rate. European and Asian nations neglected education and training for thousands of years. They acquired science through learning-on-the-job.

Hence, the transformation from the agricultural status into the industrialized status was very slow and took them 2000-3000 years.

Britain did not have public educational systems when it achieved the first modern industrial revolution.

We developed a theory of employment which demonstrated that employment (in quantity and quality) is the blood of the economy. The theory showed that increase

in employment in an economy improves productivity and decreases inflation; improvement in productivity is the true antidote to inflation. To speak a language, the individual must acquire a certain minimum number of vocabulary and syntax of the language.

We can say that nations which manufacture many scientific products speak the language of science and technology (S & T). Unlike the individual speaking a language, it is all the citizens of a nation together who must acquire certain minimum S & T knowledge, skills and capabilities (KSCS) for a nation to achieve industrialization. Our research revealed that industrialization is achieved when a nation has learnt for a period and accumulated a critical quantity of KSCs and experts. This suggests that a nation need not wait for job openings to achieve industrialization. Rather, a nation can mobilize all its citizens for learning, accumulate the necessary KSCs and achieve industrialization, speedily.

Certain observations support the mobilization theory. First, the intrinsic values of the learning-people increase with time and learning intensity. Our modelling of the growth of the intrinsic values of the citizens of a society led to the development of a mobilization equation (MEQ). The MEQ suggests that the citizens of a society may be mobilized for the industrialization of the economy. The second observation is the lesson of the spider’s web.

The single silk-thread which the spider spins apparently does not do much for the spider.

It fails readily as a structural material when subjected to any stress regime. But when the spider through instinct combines many of its silk-threads to make the wed, the web becomes the spider’s economy which catches many small creatures on which the spider feeds. The spider’s silk thread and wed relationship suggests that the development process should be a group effort to be most

efficient.

Third, farmers in our villages apply the principle that productivity increases with the number of people working together.

Five or higher number of farmers go to each person’s farm to work together in turn. They realized that five of them working together certainly do much more than one man does going to his farm, alone, for five days or times. It is a type of farming cooperative.

Fourth, Adam Smith (1776) who is regarded as the father of economics, observed that when one man made the straight pin with one head flat and the other pointed, he made 20 pins a day. He conducted an experiment which demonstrated that the higher was the number of people who worked together, the higher was the productivity (output/input).

He observed that there were 18 operations in making the straight pin. He chose 10 men to produce straight pins. They produced 48,000 pins in a day. Productivity went up 240 (48000/20) times.

Fifth, the Meiji Japanese government decided to learn from the West. It mobilized all the citizens for learning in the period 1886-1905, 20 years and achieved industrialization. Sixth, China after wallowing in poverty under kings for about 3000 years was lucky to have Mao Zedung as its leader in 1949. He mobilized the entire nation (over one billion people) for learning and industrialization. The Chinese economy began to grow 17 per cent immediately. Unemployment, poverty, high crime wave, etc., vanished from China in a short time. That was how China accelerated its transformation to become a world power.

We believe we have found in principle, the solutions to mass unemployment, poverty and insecurity problems in Nigeria. Nigeria will surely become industrialized in a few decades, if it mobilizes all Nigerians for learning.

Prof. Ogbimi, fogbimi@yahoo.com

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EDITORIAL

STILL ON THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC The authorities could do more to stop the recurring menace

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n spite of the efforts by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to contain the current outbreak, Cholera is still spreading rapidly across the country. Last night the number of the dead in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja rose to 60 while suspected cases rose from 604 to 698 within the last 72 hours. Between January and June, about 14,300 cases were reported from 15 states and the FCT, with 325 fatalities. There is need to scale up the national response to ensure that lives are saved.

Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), has the highest burden of the water-borne disease in Africa. “Cholera is life-threatening. If you get contaminated with cholera bacteria and you do not receive appropriate treatment within 24 – 48 hours, you can pass on.

Dysentery can give you some time to take care of yourself but not cholera,” said the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) water, sanitation and hygiene specialist, FOR MORE THAN FOUR Mr Drissa Yeo. DECADES, A PREVENTABLE Symptoms include severe cramping, DISEASE LIKE CHOLERA diarrhea, vomiting IS STILL A RECURRING and dehydration.

EPIDEMIC IN NIGERIA AND It is indeed sad HAS LED TO THE DEATH OF that for more than THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, four decades, a ESPECIALLY CHILDREN preventable disease like cholera is still a recurring epidemic in Nigeria and has led to the death of thousands of people, especially children.

NCDC report on Cholera indicates that 27.6 per cent of victims across the states are those in the five years to 14 years bracket. While there have been some efforts by the federal government to deal with the challenge, there is no corresponding commitment from the state governments. Yet cholera appears to be mostly synonymous with rural communities.

Letters to the Editor

The spread of cholera is helped when the environment is dirty; when water system is not treated and when sanitation is not taken seriously. In many of our states, villagers and rural dwellers rely on streams as their source of drinking water. There are no provisions for disposing waste in many homes.

Since cholera is more prevalent in rural areas, the problem becomes compounded when and where there are no modern medical facilities to assist in the treatment of the disease.

G 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

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When I see the rail road projects we have done, at first I look critically by saying is it really worth the cost of the heavy loans and spending and what is the fraction frittered away in corruption? It has to be said because we see the cost of rail projects in other parts of Africa and the cost of this same project in Nigeria is many times higher. What is shocking for me is that we have taken close to 10 billion dollars in debt to run various rail projects only to have trains still breaking down between the Kaduna and Abuja route. I recently asked the Minister of Transportation how much is the cost per kilometer of rail track and he said he didn’t have the figure in his head. That got me thinking. I have further thought about the economic viability of the Kano to Maradi line and the cost of trade between Kano and Maradi. I dare ask again: should government be building rail lines?

America has one of the most expansive rail lines - about 257,000km and most of these lines were built by privatelyowned companies and they are run for effective productivity.

(Nigeria has less than 10,000km of rail lines). The name Cor-

It is shameful that Nigerians are still afflicted with cholera, mostly contracted through drinking of contaminated water and eating of waste products. The systemic collapse of critical institutions and basic health facilities in many of the states across the country ensured that many of our nationals are still dying of the preventable disease common among the poor, but has been eliminated in many countries.

One of the factors that has worsened the outbreak of cholera in the country is open defecation which pollutes water sources. Millions of Nigerians use the outdoor as convenience. There must be conscious effort to stop this shameful and costly practice. The states must do more to check the practice in addition to providing potable water.

These will save many of our children from cheap deaths.

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.

SHOULD GOVERNMENT BUILD RAIL LINES? have spent the past weeks thinking of the problems of Nigeria. I have made copious iterations of solutions as regards the infrastructural deficit in Nigeria which needs a colossal amount of money to reduce. In fact Nigerian infrastructural neglect has become a black hole that nobody can fill and the shocking reality is that this hole keeps opening more holes for corruption. To put a figure to it, over 100billion dollars spending year- onyear for 30 years.

oal Six of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is on ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030. This means that nine years from now, every person in Nigeria and other countries in the world should have access to safe drinking water and safe sanitation. Indeed, the UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources not long ago signed a document called Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), which aims at meeting the SDGs agenda on schedule.

But having a plan is one thing, bringing in the resources and mustering the commitment towards its fulfilment is something else.

nelius Vanderbilt comes to mind for his very influential role in building more lines. I would have thought that the government of Nigeria would have made it a private sector- led market and in the worst case scenario own a little fraction of the product rather than spending the infrastructure money on rail when Nigeria needs a lot of social welfare spending on education and health. It would interest you to know that’s Vanderbilt only got the right of way in America and he controlled these underlisted rail stations in New York and Harlem Railroad (1863–), Hudson River Railroad (1864–) New York Central Railroad (1868–), Canada Southern Railway (1873–)[33], Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway (1873?–) Michigan Central Railroad (1877–)[34] New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Road, 1882–), West Shore Railroad (1885–) Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad, Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and Pittsburgh Railroad, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Lake Erie and Western Railroad, Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad.

I think the approach for Nigeria is to liberalize the rail sector and allow for private investment and private companies to run them. In England there are private companies running different routes and lines. From Virgin train to Tata communications that runs the Paddington to Heathrow service. We can do better with infrastructural funding and kudos on the formation of INFRACO. It would help raise more capital for infrastructure.

Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com

TRIBUTE TO B.O. BENSON

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hat I can decipher here is that we are all strangers as we all have appointed flight time with Him just as Uncle B. O. Benson has taken his own turn! Whether it was too soon or not is immaterial now.

And what is most vital now is how do we wish to be remembered just like Chief B. O. Benson, SAN is being celebrated and remembered with showers of encomiums from the priest at his Church funeral for his good works to Methodist Church Ikorodu and the rest towards a better society.

Chief B. O. Benson was not only an Icon, a rare gem, bundle of talent and a genius as well with the way he does things and achieved them. I use to like his mannerisms, his Queens English and a good conversationalist at that. Yes, a good attorney must be good one with glittering advocacy! He was head of Chamber - Otunba T. O. S. Benson & Co, an old law firm in West Africa in 1959 and retires in 1984 to start his own law firm and other positive engagements. According to Apata Olumide, National President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief B. O. Benson made an history in NBA for being Secretary-General and later emerging as President of the Nigerian Bar Association. His legacy will be more felt if his struggle for Ikorodu to produce governor of Lagos State becomes a reality. May the good Lord continue to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Anozie Emeka, former Private Legal Secretary, T. O. S. Benson & Co, Lagos

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POLITICS

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

How Akachukwu Nwankpo Typifies Next Anambra Governor Tochukwu Oraekwuotu writes that Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, one of the governorship aspirants in Anambra State disqualified by the All Progressives Grand Alliance has moved over to the African Democratic Congress

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t is at times of great socio-economic challenges that great leaders are made. They bring their vision, empathy, courage and foresight to make a way where mere mortals despair. That narrative describes the leadership pedigree of Nze Akachukwu Sullivan Nwankpo, Oputa Ife Adi of Anambra State.

In 2012 when flood ravaged a great part of the riverine areas of Anambra State, the then Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Technical Matters, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo (NAN), mobilized men and resources to provide succor to the traumatized victims.

Challenged by his singular display of empathy, the state and federal government followed the noble steps by providing assistance to ameliorate the losses and reduce the shock inherent on the massive losses incurred by the people.

Earlier this year, when attempts where being made by moneybags to distort the zoning arrangement in the state, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo left whatever he was doing in Abuja and relocated to Anambra State. He set up structures and began the campaign for ‘Let’s Go South’.

Let’s Go South became a rallying cry in the state such that Governor Willie Obiano, as the leader of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) praised Nwankpo as a man of vision, integrity and courage.

The governor told political stakeholders that Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo would go places, stressing that the work of such a good man would be rewarded in no distant future.

The creativity and grassroots mobilization prowess of Oputa Ife Adi has set him apart as a problem solver and team builder. These qualities, especially his peaceable nature, came into play recently, when political jobbers moved to circumvent his ambition to serve NdiAnambra in the capacity of state governor.

It has become public knowledge how some political contractors mobilized resources to ensure that Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo did not fly the flag of APGA in the forthcoming November 6 governorship election in the state.

Overwhelmed by his grassroots following and public acknowledgement of his leadership skills by Governor Obiano, the enemies of progress orchaestrated his disqualification by the APGA governorship screening committee. But, deciding not to strive or fight with anybody, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo moved over to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

All things started working together for Oputa Ife Adi’s good and that of ADC, where the national chairman, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu, has made a name for himself as a man of integrity and due process.

Nwosu had, back in 2002 suffered similar injustice that was served Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo, as such it was easy for both young and patriotic Anambra sons to team up in the campaign against impunity and undemocratic practices in the state.

No sooner than Nwankpo emerged as the governorship candidate of ADC than the cesspool of political corruption, confusion and crisis in APGA became public entertainment and annoyance.

Disenchanted APGA faithful decided to move over to ADC en masse as the party has become the new platform of choice owing to the harmony and public goodwill available to it.

With this new understanding, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo has turned out to be the most favoured candidate in the current Anambra State governorship race.

And this tends to fulfill Governor Obiano’s

prophetic statement that Nwankpo will go far and obtain favour in political odyssey.

What is happening to the Nwankpo’s governorship aspiration seems to be scrip-

tural, because the stone, which the builders overlooked has turned out to be the pillar.

His support based has increased exponentially, particularly after the mumbo-jumbo

Group Battles Falsehood on Status of NDDC Board Akpoebide Okotiene, President and Edet Ekpenyong, Secretary, Niger Delta Integrity Group puncture the insinuation that the Senateconfirmed Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission was dissolved by President Muhammadu Buhari

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ur attention has been drawn to a news report in some newspapers such as The Guardian, Thisday and Vanguard newspapers of Thursday, July 22, 2021, credited to Rita Lori Ogbebor wherein false and dubious claims were made by her that the substantive Board of the NDDC, which is currently awaiting inauguration was disbanded in 2019 based on a court case instituted by her against its inauguration. She went further to request that the illegal interim contraption that has been in place in the NDDC for close to two years now should be allowed to continue running the NDDC until they are able to conclude the forensic audit which has been on for close to two years.

There was no dissolution or “disbandment” of the Senate Confirmed NDDC Board, as falsely claimed

by Rita Lori Ogbebor, as it had not been inaugurated. There is also no court order or judgement against the inauguration of the Board appointed

by President Muhammadu Buhari since it was confirmed by the Senate on November 5, 2019.

Rita Lori Ogbegbor is clearly acting for interests whose sole aim is to continue to foster the illegal and illegitimate interim contraptions that have held sway in the NDDC for close to two years now. It is very clear that Lori-Ogbebor is working for persons who want to perpetuate the interim management contraption at the NDDC, in opposition to the clearly-stated demands and expecta-

tions of Niger Deltans from across the ethnic nationalities and the nine constituent states.

Her assertion is against the spirit and aspiration of Niger Deltans who have asked why the NDDC Board cannot be put in place in compliance with the NDDC Act while the forensic audit of the period up to 2019 is ongoing.

People like Rita Lori Ogbebor have deployed falsehood to build a nest of unearned and undeserved privileges over the years by feasting in falsehood, acrimony and division.

A decent society cannot allow her to continue to spew lies to deliberately interfere with the legitimate process of governance.

Rita Lori Ogbebor claimed that the Governing Board of the NDDC which was appointed by the President in October 2019 and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on November 5, 2019 was stood down on account of the false claims made by her clique following lawsuits launched by them.

This is capital falsehood. The truth is that the so-called claims made by her and her cohorts have not been upheld anywhere because they are false claims. All her claims do not hold water and are intended to fraudulently ambush the legitimate process. Her strategy is to throw up inaccurate, unfounded, claims with the aim of misleading the public and institutions.

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

court judgments in the major political parties, especially APGA. Old front runners have given way to the new champions-Nwankpo and ADC- due to the high level legal battles within the state chapters of the ruling APGA, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Among the three big parties-APGA, APC and PDP, the situation of things within APGA and PDP, appear most complicated. In APC, despite attempts by the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to reconcile aggrieved governorship aspirants, courts cases have been filed to challenge the return of Senator Andy Uba as the winner of the APC primary on June 26, 2021.

It is therefore evident that as things stand in Anambra State today, if the election holds tomorrow, Nze Akachukwu Sullivan Nwankpo stands out as the most likely candidate to succeed the outgoing governor, Chief Willie Obiano in office.

The emergence of Nwankpo as ADC’s flag bearer sounds as victory over evil machinations of political undertakers.

And as evidence of good nature, Nwankpo recently accepted the party’s nomination of Mr. Law Ughamadu, a pastor, as his running-mate.

The former Presidential aide had at various times belonged to PDP and APGA. Ever since he emerged as ADC governorship candidate, the party has come alive in Anambra State as the possible alternative to APGA. National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralphs Okey Nwosu, was also a founding member of APGA. He left when leaders of the party imposed Mr. Peter Obi as the party’s governorship candidate in 2003.

Now, with the trouble in APGA, a lot of disaffected members who are kicking against the tradition of imposition have decided to identify with ADC en masse.

Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo commended Nwosu for being steadfast, saying that his insistence that things should be done the proper way has paved way for Anambra people to have a governor of their making. In line with Nwankpo’s campaign promise, billboards bearing such messages as ‘Anambra Families First’, ‘Give the Voice Back to the People’ are springing up at strategic junctions by volunteer sponsors.

In his acceptance speech shortly after his nomination, the ADC candidate said he was manipulated out of APGA after Governor Obiano had publicly praised him for being a good man by some party leaders for their selfish ends.

Nwankpo stated: “When I started this journey there are people who never believed my name will appear on the ballot paper.

“Some didn’t believe it because they felt I have no money, some didn’t believe it because they felt I have no connection, and some didn’t believe it because they believe they can steal it. Those who stole it in the first party I went to, will see they have stolen nothing.”

He assured that after being sworn in as governor, he would restore family values and protect the life and property of every person in the state by encouraging good neighbourliness and harmonious interpersonal relationships.

Come November 6, 2021, protest votes from disaffected members of APGA, APC and PDP, in addition to Nwankpo/ Ughamadu’s goodwill, will help ADC supplant APGA as the dominant party in Anambra State by winning the governorship seat.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY JULY 23, 2021

19

PERSPECTIVE

Why Support for Rotational Presidency is Flawed Bombshell Books on the Trump Presidency Chido Nwangwu, Publisher, USAfricaonline.com examines an American journalism tradition to publish books on past or serving presidents of that country

W

e have seen a barrage of books this Summer of 2021 focused on the previous, giddy, colourful and divisive four years of Mr. Donald Trump as the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States of America.

Some presidents attract more interests and more books are written to dissect the ups and downs of their presidency — especially if the subject had a controversial time.

As you will agree with me, and like I have written at different times, we have not seen a president quite like the one; the only Donald J. Trump!

It has remained an American journalism tradition to publish books about the dynamics of public policy and power-play drawing from inside information and sometimes extravagant claims about an incumbent and/or an immediate past president.

The two of the best known journalists in this tradition are Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, famously of the Watergate expositions of the disgraced former President Richard Nixon.

Among the bestsellers are Michael Wolff who only a few days ago released ‘Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency.’ His first book on Trump in 2018 was the scorching “Fire and Fury,” where he presented a catalog of surreal, out of control and disorganized presidency. Yet Mr. Trump, surprisingly, granted him an interview for this new book?

“The fact that he was talking to me might only reasonably be explained by his absolute believe that his voice alone has reality-altering powers,” Wolff scoffs and noted that Trump told him, “I don’t blame you. I blame my people.”

Another surprising revelation by Trump to Wollf is his caustic comments and condescension against a sitting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He appointed the man in 2018, and the Justice has not always voted to meet Donald Trump’s desires and wishes. Trump mocks Kavanaugh: “Where would he be without me?

I saved his life. He wouldn’t even be

in a law firm. Who would have had him? Nobody. Totally disgraced.

Only I saved him.”

Trump’s reference and use of the word “disgraced” is regarding allegations and accusations of sexual assault and improper business transactions.

Especially, it was so difficult for Trump to come to terms with the fact that Kavanaugh voted with the majority opinion that rejected a challenge to “Obama Care” — the Affordable Care Act in June, 2021.

“I can’t even believe what’s happening. I’m very disappointed in Kavanaugh. In retrospect, he just hasn’t had the courage you need to be a great justice”, said an agonizing Trump.

Wall Street Journal reporter Michael C. Bender ’s book is titled “Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost.” He is the one who claimed in a bombshell but disputed reporting of a Trump trip to Europe for the anniversary of World War I that Trump told his Chief of Staff, retired General John Kelly, “Well, Hitler did a lot of good things.” Trump and his team have denied making such a statement; and called it fake news.

The problem is that Trump lies too many times that we don’t know when he’s telling the truth.

Among the bestsellers are Michael Wolff who only a few days ago released ‘Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency.’ His first book on Trump in 2018 was the scorching “Fire and Fury,” where he presented a catalog of surreal, out of control and disorganized presidency. Yet Mr. Trump, surprisingly, granted him an interview for this new book?

The fact that he was talking to me might only reasonably be explained by his absolute believe that his voice alone has reality-altering powers,” Wolff scoffs and noted that Trump told him, “I don’t blame you. I blame my people

Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr., Convener, CountryFirst Movement, argues that there is no place for rotational presidency in the Nigerian body politic

I

would not have responded to that uncouth and demeaning press statement penned by one Chief Alex Ogbonnia and credited to Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, but for the tissue of lies, perfidy and conceit that liter that ignoble effort at rewriting history.

First that Press Statement clearly exposes the Ohaneze disrespect and disregard for youth. Does youth to Ohaneze mean the inability to follow the events of history properly? Does blackmail legitimize falsehood? And to what end was that mendacious Press Statement credited to Ohaneze Nd’Igbo?

I am a Nigerian of Igbo extraction, and do not subscribe to rotational presidency, and there are millions of Igbo who believe that competency and capacity must denominate the entire space of our politics as 2023 approaches.

Again there is also no constitutional backing for zoning and/or rotational presidency. Infact the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended provides for the freedom of all citizens above the age of 35 to aspire to the office of President. To zone and/or restrict the high office of President to a particular region is therefore unconstitutional. How does that logical argument of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State merit the kindergarten response of one Chief Alex Ogbonnia who claims to be the Spokesman of Ohaneze Nd’Igbo? Even more curious is the effort to drag a highly respected Socio-Cultural group like Ohaneze Nd’Igbo in the mud by deploying

If zoning and/or rotational presidency was settled as a protocol on our body polity, would President Mohammadu Buhari have been a three-time candidate before he won the 2015 Presidency in his fourth attempt? If zoning/ rotational presidency were a settled item in our body politic would former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have been a three-time presidential candidate? Would the array of Northern and Southern aspirants who participated in the various presidential primaries of the leading political parties between 1999 and 2019 have been?

To attempt to blackmail a sitting governor with deceit, falsehood and perfidy should not be allowed

very unworthy and uncharitable language in that foul attempt by Chief Ogbonnia to rewrite history.

Let me state prestissimo that that 1998 meeting at the National University Commission Conference Centre in Abuja referred to in the Ohaneze Nd’Igbo statement did not settle the issue of zoning and/ or rotational presidency. Yes, there were persuasive arguments on the need for zoning but no such thing was agreed upon. It is on record that a few months after, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Chief Jim Nwobodo and a few others outside the Southwest zone were to contest for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who was the leading candidate of the South-west in the PDP primaries.

So where and when was zoning/ royational presidency settled?

Noted that Governor Yahaya Bello may have been in Ahmadu Bello University at the time that the Ohaneze statement seeks to misrepresent, must they deny the young man the right to an informed position on the Nigerian polity?

Must they continue in the ignoble trajectory that denigrates youths?

If zoning and/or rotational presidency was settled as a protocol on our body polity, would President Mohammadu Buhari have been a three-time candidate before he won the 2015 Presidency in his fourth attempt?

If zoning/rotational presidency were a settled item in our body politic would former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have been a threetime presidential candidate? Would the array of Northern and Southern aspirants who participated in the various presidential primaries of the leading political parties between 1999 and 2019 have been?

To attempt to blackmail a sitting governor with deceit, falsehood and perfidy shouldnotbeallowed.

May I state without an ounce of equivocation that what those who believe in Igbo presidency should do is deploy tact and diplomacy rather than blackmail and diatribe, because those who believe in competency and capacity as the linchpin for the president we crave in 2023 cannot be cowed.

Finally I implore the eminent leader of Ohaneze Nd’Igbo Chief George Obizor to helm in the rabid Spokesman of the group for Ndigbo are good students of history and we do not deploy falsehood, mendacity and perfidy in pursuit of any worthy cause.

20

FRIDAY JULY 23, 2021 •T H I S D AY

21

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͱ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun

Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com 08056356325

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Quick Takes

Qatar Named Airline of the Year

QatarAirwayshasbeennamedAirlineoftheYear2021byAirlineRatings.

TheairlinehasalsoclinchedtheBestMiddleEastAirline,BestCatering,and the Best Business Class awards.This marks the third year in a row Qatar Airways has achieved the Best Business Class accolade, recognising its patented Qsuite product.

The AirlineRatings A ‘ irline of the Year’ award acknowledges the best in aviation,withafocusonproductinnovation,goodroutenetworkandoverall safety. All AirlineRatings awards are given based on strict assessment criteriaputtogetherbyindustryprofessionalswithextensiveexpertise and experience in the aviation field.

QatarAirwaysGroupChiefExecutive,Mr.AkbarAlBaker,said:“Receiving the 2021 Airline of the Year, Best Middle East Airline, Best Catering and Best Business Class awards by AirlineRatings is particularly special for QatarAirways.Overthepast16months,theaviationindustryhaswitnessed someofitsdarkestdays,butQatarAirwayshascontinuedtooperateand stand by our passengers despite many other airlines halting operations duethepandemic.QatarAirwayscontinuestoreachnewheightsandset industrystandardsthatdeliverunrivaledpassengerexperiencebecause it is in our DNA to do everything with excellence. Our commitment is to providethehighestpossiblelevelofhealthandsafetystandardsbothon the ground and in the air, with 5-star service at the core of our business.”

WELCOME TO NPA

R-L: The Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, presents the authority’s plaque to the President Italy-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Silvano Bellinato, who paid a working visit to the Management of NPA at the Corporate Headquarters in Lagos...recently

NIMET Warns of Possible Flight Disruptions Due to Heavy Rains Chinedu Eze With the rainy season in full bloom, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has warned that there would be more heavy rainfall in Lagos and other coastal areas in the country that might disrupt flight operations.

This is just as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has assured that its navigational aids would enhance flight operations during the rains.

NiMET, in its latest weather update, stated that there would be more heavy rains in the coastal cities in southern Nigeria, including Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom and later Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti,

AVIATION Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

The agency said the synoptic causes indicated the presence of very deep vertical extent of moisture and moisture-laden winds up to about 3000m (700hPa) level in the atmosphere, coupled with instability vortices and trough lines that indicate more heavy rainfall.

“These features are usually accompanied by monsoonal rains otherwise referred to as continuous rainfall. The scale of these rains has been getting stronger spatially and temporally, hence leading to high impact and extreme weather events.

“On July 16, 2021, at around 0130GMT, according to the Nowcasting Satellite Application Facility (NWCSAF), pockets of mesoscale convective systems started developing over the Atlantic Ocean. The systems grew bigger, expanding northward and slowly moving westwards, making landfall at around 0545GMT over Lagos and its environs. The system further intensified, became quasistationary and started to produce rainfall around 0800GMT till around 1630GMT,” NiMET said in a statement signed by the General Manager, Public Relations, Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim.

The agency said that during the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) held on the February 2, 2021, it projected a normal-to-

above rainfall and followed with advisories on the socio-economic implications.

“As such, high volume and high intensity rainfall are expected. These are capable of faster saturation of the soil making it difficult to hold more volume of rainfall, hence excess runoffs with the ability to flood the environment.

Nigerian Metrological Agency will continue to monitor the weather and give alerts as at when necessary, ”NiMet said.

It described as highly unfortunate the heavy rain that occurred on July 16 in Lagos State and environs, which wrecked a yet to be financially quantified havoc, with properties such as vehicles Continued on page 22

Umoren: W’Africa’s Sub-Regional Law Will Optimise Shipping Industry Eromosele Abiodun The Acting Director General of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding, Captain Sunday Umoren, has said that the proposed law that will govern regional shipping activities of member-states in the West African sub-region will change the face of shipping activities when it comes into force.

Umoren, who stated this at the just concluded Women in Shipping International (WISTA) conference, stressed that the draft law, when concluded and legislated upon, will uproot several battlements against the growth and development of shipping activities in the region.

Work has reached advanced stage on the drafting of the law which is an offshoot of efforts by Nigeria to harness

MARITIME the potentials of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA), which came into effect in January.

Umoren also called on the women involved in shipping activities to take advantage of the law when it eventually comes into being to grow their businesses taking advantage of the AFCFTA. He explained that the proposed bill which is known as ‘Near coastal Voyage Code (NCV Code) was initiated five years ago by a member of the Nigerian delegates to the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) conference in 2017.

The proposal was unanimously endorsed and was noted as one of the major actions for the facilitation of

trade within Africa.

Umoren stated: “Some of the key issues discussed at the conference and resolutions reached includes adoption of resolutions on the institutionalization of July 25th of every year as Africa’s Day of the Seas and Oceans, Resolution on Member State to ratify, domesticate and implement relevant international maritime treaties, Commitment on best practices on Port State and Flag State responsibilities resolution on collaborative efforts in the training of Cadets and determine the role of Regulatory Agencies and Facilitation of Maritime Trade.

“The Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African Region (Abuja MoU) in collaboration with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and

Safety Agency (NIMASA) is currently working on the establishment of the Near Coastal voyage code for the region.”

He added, “NIMASA under the leadership of Dr. Jamoh Bashir is sponsoring the drafting and eventual delivery of the code which Abuja MoU will liaise with the member States to review and endorse for implementation.Recall the Abuja MoU covers 22 West and Central African countries.

“The code will cover the requirement for Bilateral Agreement and mutual acceptance of certificates issued by member states and shall cover domestic Passenger ferries and convention/non-convention cargo and fishing vessels (exiting, new and re-built) registered and trading

Air Peace Commissions Brand New E195-E2

West Africa’s premier airline, Air Peace, has officially deployed its brand new Embraer 195-E2 airplanes for scheduled flight operations.

The three ultramodern 124-seat capacity jets, which were delivered in the first half of 2021, commenced entry into service on Monday, July 19, 2021, amidst fanfare and excitement.

TheSpokespersonoftheairline,StanleyOlisa,inastatement statedthat the airline is delighted to finally commission into service the brand new Embraeraircraft,addingthattheacquisitionoftheaircraftisatestament to Air Peace’s commitment to giving the flying public world-class flights.

Olisaasserted:“AirPeacecaressomuchaboutthecomfortofitscustomers and that explains why we keep investing in brand new aircraft to give the averagepassengeramemorableexperiencetolookforwardtoon-board.

This fleet expansion is also driven by our ambition to provide numerous connections for the flying public.”

ThefirstsetofpassengerswhoflewontheE195-E2aircraftwerethrilled with multiple bags of goodies and they expressed excitement over the unparalleled comfort they experienced on-board.

Air Peace has taken delivery of 3 E195-E2 aircraft this year from the 13 on firm order and has purchase rights for 17 of the same aircraft type.

The airline had announced that it was expecting 5 more of these aircraft before the year runs out.

‘AviationIndustry70-85%BacktoPre-COVIDEra’

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has said that the country’s aviation industry is 70-85 per cent back to pre-COVID era especially as new airlines are emerging with new stateof-the-art technology which gives local engineers window to get skills, job and technology transfer.

Also, the association has commended Air Peace for the acquisition of a brand new Embraer E195-E5.

PresidentofNAAPE,AbednegoGaladimamadethisknownwhilediscussing developmentsintheaviationindustryattheNAAPEHeadquartersinIkeja, Lagos.

He noted that investments like new aircraft acquisition would provide job opportunities for the industry.

Abednego said,” In my opinion, the sector has recovered 70-85 per cent pre-COVID and it is highly commendable because we have a leadership in the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that pulled us through and guided the industry right.”

Onhowtheindustryhasfared,Abednegosaid,”Wearehavinganemergence of new airlines that is an indication that there is renewed confidence in the industry, which is highly welcome by our organization.

“Particularly, you see some new investment are beginning to come in for instance, we commend Air Peace for bringing in new aircraft that would open a vista of opportunity for pilots and engineers in terms of skills acquisition, technology transfer, open opportunity for jobs. These are good developments and it is something we welcome and support.”

On the readiness of Nigerians to handle this new technology in terms of flying and maintenance, the NAAPE president said they were ready and

“The issues that have led to improved safety in Nigeria air transport are complex. But I think education and training have contributed to that. Operators have become more conscious of air safety with the introduction of safety management system (SMS)” Accountable Manager/COO, Dana Air,

Obi Mbanuzuo Continued on page 22

22

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͱ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD NIMET WARNS OF POSSIBLE FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS DUE TO HEAVY RAINS and buildings washed away.

“It would be recalled that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency Forecast Office had on the 14th of July 2021 made a three-day forecast and predicted cloudy skies are expected over the Inland and the coastal cities of the South with chances of morning rains over parts of Rivers, Cross River and AkwaI bom states later in the day rains are anticipated over parts of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

“On the 15th of July 2021, forecast was made again with respect to Lagos state, this time there was development and the trajectory suggested that cloudy skies and rains are expected in the morning afternoon and evening. These forecasts anticipated a rainy day in the coastal city of Lagos state for 16th July 2021. Consequently, the eventual heavy rainfall that occurred in Lagos state on the 16th of July 2021 was expected, “NiMet explained.

However, the Managing Director of NAMA, Capt Fola Akinkuotu has assured air travelers that the agency has navigational aids and communication systems that would not be disrupted by the rain.

UMOREN: W’AFRICA’S SUB-REGIONAL LAW WILL OPTIMISE SHIPPING INDUSTRY within the Abuja MoU region.”

According to the Director of Shipping in the NIMASA, some objectives of the proposed bill are aimed at harmonizing constructional standards, Standard of training, improved acceptability of NCV Licenses issued by Member States and to improve economic cooperation within the states and unify the quality of training, certification and general acceptance with a view to ensure safety of lives and avoidance of unduly expose our waters.

“The trade or movement of vessels from one country to another is usually considered as an international voyage and trade and thus exposed to more stringent requirements; however, neighboring countries can have an agreement in which a certain area can be considered as an acceptable near-coastal region in the certification and general shipping activities-process.

NEWS

IMO Applauds Alliance to Combat Piracy in Gulf of Guinea EromoseleAbiodun Following renewed effort by Nigeria and other governments to combat piracy and criminality in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), the SecretaryGeneral of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Kitack Lim has said that the launch of a new collaborative framework to combat illicit maritime activities in the region will enhance the economy of the nations in the region.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum and Shared Awareness and De-confliction conference (GOG-MCF/SHADE), Lim said he was encouraged by its establishment of the forum.

GOG-MCF/SHADE aims to facilitate shared awareness and de-conflict activities in the region by linking all relevant stakeholders to advance and coordinate maritime security activities.

The GOG-MCF/SHADE is co-chaired by the Inter Regional Coordination Centre (ICC) Yaoundé and Nigeria.

According to the IMO boss, “The security situation in the Gulf of Guinea remains at the top of IMO’s and my personal priorities.

International shipping is suffering. Piracy and armed robbery continue to damage the economy and trade. This situation has continued for several years, and these illegal acts must be stopped.

Now is the time to make

real progress.”

Lim acknowledged positive strides in the area of interagency cooperation and response on a regional and international level, highlighting anti-piracy legislation passed by Ghana, recent convictions of pirates in Togo, and Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project.

He said IMO will continue to support training and other

capacity-building activities for Gulf of Guinea states as well as cooperative regional efforts, under the framework of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, an agreement signed by countries in the region who commit to working to repress piracy, armed robbery against ships and other illicit maritime activity.

At the request of the Economic Community of Central

African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission, IMO continues to work with the ICC Yaoundé, including supporting a series of regional expert level online meetings aiming to assess the implementation and sustainability of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct and to provide recommendations to the three

organization.

President MuhammaduBuhari had last month commissioned the Deep Blue Assets geared towards deterring all forms of illegalities on the nation’s territorial waters.

This is in addition to the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act signed into law on June 24, 2019 to prosecute and punish criminalities.

CELEBRATING A WINNER

L-R: Channel Manager; Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Charles Nwachukwu, Managing Director, Lagos State Ferry Services, Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi-Balogun, Winner at the Weekly Raffle Draw, Mr. Uka Japhet, Founder of Energicity Ltd (Elevate9ja Raffles), Mr. George Ogan, Ferry Passenger, Mrs. Mary Ogeah, at the presentation of the Washing Machine to the Winner held at Five Cowries Ferry Terminal, Falomo, Lagos...recently

RTEAN Threatens NPA with Court Action Over Extortion Eromosele Abiodun The Apapa branch of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has threatened a legal action against the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) if it fails to stop its personnel from extorting its members inside the Tin-Can Island Port.

Alleging extortions by officials of the NPA and the Nigeria Police deployed at the port, the Vice Chairman of RTEAN Lagos State, Mr. AdeolaAdeyemi, told told news menthat there are about eight extortion points inside the port mounted by officials of both organizations.

Adeyemi, who is a truck owner and Vice Chairman of the Council of Maritime Truck Owners Association (COMTUA), also said that between Anyman Canteen and Tin-Can Second gate, a total of

N84,000 is extorted from each truck on a daily basis.

He explained that the situation is so bad that trucks with Electronic Call up slip are not allowed into the port because the NPA officials are not able to extort truckers adding that the development has given room to increased illegality of truck entry and exit of the ports.

He said, ‘‘They are extorting so much from us; from Anyman Canteen into the port, between N60,000 and N65,000 is paid by each truck. I personally visited the Port Security Officer, Mr. Albert Onyeka, two days ago to report the development and he only told me that he will work on it. ‘‘What is happening at the Tin-Can Island port is illegal passing of trucks but extortion by officials of NPA right inside and that is why many truck drivers refuse to enter the port. ‘‘There are five or six extortion points right inside the port

where drivers are extorted.

After you paid at NAPS garage, near Anyman Canteen, they will request N20,000 from us, from there to the Round About in front of the administrative building of the Tin-Can Island Port, another N10,000 is paid by truck drivers and immediately after the gate another N5,000 is paid which lead to Five Star Logistics to your left and Port and Cargo to your right.” ‘‘After the payment of N5,000, if you are going to Port and Cargo, you will spend additional N15,000 for Police, NPA officials and for members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN.Immediately after the round-about and if you are going to Tin-Can Second gate, you will pay another N20,000 at a particular junction along the port access road. Once you get to flat body gate, as you know Flat body will not follow normal container lane and at that flat body gate you

will pay N5,000.

“After the flat body gate, the next junction is called Arisekola along the same port access road where illegal container striping was being done before now, they collect N10,000 there.

Before Second gate round about there are some Unions that are not known to us, they also collect N4,000.Then at Second gate round-about we will pay N5,000 before truck drivers are inside to port to pick up containers,” he said.

Adeyemi also said he can make available ten truck owners who have been victims of the extortion currently being perpetuated by officials of the NPA and the Police right inside the port.

Meanwhile, the Port Manager of the Tin-Can Island Port, Mr. Yinusa Ibrahim, denied the allegations saying that there was no room for any form of extortion as the Task Force initiated by both the

Lagos State Government and the management of the NPA have cleared all the shanties in and around the port premises.

Ibrahim confirmed that there was extortion before his redeployment to Tin-Can but said that he has put a stop to the practice adding that most times the issue only takes place at night when he must have closed and gone home.

He stated: ‘‘There is nothing like that, they are the cause of whatever problem in Tin-Can and we have destroyed all the shanties, you can go to TinCan and see for yourself.We have destroyed the houses of those area boys that have been disturbing them, we have destroyed all their shanties, there is no body on the road again.Before I came I heard there was extortion particularly at night and I reported to my management and Committee was set up to clear the shanties.”

Group Business Editor

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COSCO Shipping Orders 10 Containerships for $1.5bn Cosco Shipping has announced a $1.5 billion order for ten new containerships.

The order was placed by COSCO Shipping Holdings at COSCO Shipping’s whollyowned shipyard subsidiary COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Yangzhou).

The order comprises six ships of 14,092 TEU capacity for an

aggregate price of $876 million and four 16,180 TEU capacity ships for $630 million.

Delivery of the 14,092 TEU ships is planned from December 2023 to September 24, while the 16,180 TEU ships will deliver from June 2025 to December 2025.

COSCO said it will finance at least 40 per cent of the total

$1.496 billion consideration with “internal resources” with the remaining from bank borrowings.

“The Shipbuilding Transaction is in line with the 14th Five Year Plan of the Group,” COSCO Shipping Holdings said in a stock exchange filing. “The Group can benefit from the Shipbuilding Transaction to

maintain its first-tier position in the industry and corresponding transportation capacity, and the Shipbuilding Transaction can also increase the competitive advantage of the Group and compel the Group’s expansion of new markets. In addition, the Shipbuilding Transaction can lower the cost of the transportation network and increase the

core competitiveness of the Group.”

According to Alphaliner, an online research firm, the COSCO Group ranks as the third largest shipping line by capacity with nearly 500 ships representing a little over 3 million TEUs, amounting to about 12% market share. This latest order will add about 150,000 TEU to its capacity.

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Air Operators Commend FG over Duty Waivers on Aircraft, Spares Stories by Chinedu Eze The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has commended the federal government for its swift response in removing 7 per cent surcharge on imported aircraft and spares.

The Vice Chairman of AON and Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema stated this in a chat with newsmen in Lagos.

He frowned at media distortion of the proceedings of the interactive forum at the Senate recently, where he made presentation on behalf of the airlines on the challenges the operators are facing.

According to him, an online medium reported the meeting as an issue concerning Air Peace alone and brought ethnic dimension to it, which he described as highly condemnable.

Onyema explained that the Senate Committee on Aviation held an interactive meeting with all the aviation agencies in Nigeria led by the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika together with all Nigerian airlines represented by the AON. He said he only represented the leadership AON as its Vice President and made presentation on behalf of the body.

“The meeting was called by the Senate to discuss the reasons for the recent upsurge in flight delays and flight cancellations amongst other issues and challenges facing the aviation

industry. It was on this occasion that AON made its presentation of challenges facing all the airlines. Our member airlines were present but we made an articulated collective presentation to the Senate, which I read as the Vice President on behalf of the association, ”he said.

“It was on this occasion that AON presented the issue of the partial implementation of the Finance Act 2020, which prohibits the payment of duties and VAT on imported aircraft and aircraft spares by the Customs Service. Of note, was the presence of a 7 per cent Surcharge on the assessed duties which was not supposed to be. This caused delays in the clearance of aircraft and aircraft spares leading to grounding of aircraft that would have been flying, ”he explained.

The AON Vice Chairman stated that after the Senate meeting, the airlines contacted the Minister of Finance and Minister of Aviation on the aforementioned challenges.

“AON, for the avoidance of doubt, commends the federal government for its unflinching support for the growth of indigenous investments in Nigeria.

This was very evident in the manner the government got this challenge addressed immediately within 48hours to the joy of the airlines.

“We equally commend the Nigerian Customs Service for also assisting the airlines, including

but not limited to Air Peace which was used as an example, in getting their aircraft spares and aircraft released. Our planes have since started flying,” he said.

Onyema said since the 7th day of July 2021, airlines have been clearing their aircraft spares and aircraft without having to pay any 7 per cent surcharge.

“It is therefore very mischievous for any media outfit to be circulating videos of the presentation of AON complaints made on July 6th two weeks after the said presentation and two weeks after the issues had been resolved as though they are still existing.

“The target of the sponsors of this falsehood is the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari. I personally frown at the ethnic angle presently circulating in the social media that the ‘fulani’ is destroying Air Peace.

“Those who want the country to go up in turmoil will never stop fanning divisive falsehood.

The video was deliberately doctored to show only my face while obscuring the presence of the entire Senate committee members, Minister of Aviation and the leadership of all Aviation agencies in Nigeria. The target here is also me. No amount of deliberate intimidation, blackmail and falsehood will deter me from standing up for Peace and unity in my country. This has been my life since my childhood.”

OVID-19: IATA’s Efforts to Get More People to Fly Chinedu Eze Since mid last year the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has been making efforts to make more people travel by air and restore confidence in air transport despite the devastating effects of Covid-19.

To achieve this, IATA has held meetings with the International Civil Aviation Organsiation (ICAO), the Airport Council International (ACI), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other regional aviation agencies to galvanise air travel after it was literally paralysed by Covid-19 lockdown in many countries.

IATA has vigorously campaigned against impediments to air travel worldwide and has recently warned that the reliance on taxation as the solution for cutting aviation emissions in the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ proposal is counter-productive to the goal of sustainable aviation. The body said EU policy needed to support practical emission reduction measures such as incentives for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and modernization of air traffic management.

“Aviation is committed to decarbonization as a global industry. We don’t need persuading, or punitive measures like taxes to motivate change. In fact, taxes siphon money from the industry that could support emissions’ reducing investments in fleet renewal and clean technologies. To reduce emissions, we need governments to implement a constructive policy framework that, most immediately, focuses on production incentives for SAF and delivering the Single European Sky,” said IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh.

IATA recently welcomed the decision by the government of Canada to further ease border restriction for fully vaccinated passengers. It noted that eligible US citizens and permanent US residents arriving from the US would be permitted to enter Canada as from August 9, 2021 and foreign nationals arriving from all other countries would be allowed as of September 7, 2021. IATA also explained that fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and residents have been able to enter Canada without the need for hotel quarantine since July 5, 2021.

“The decision by the government of Canada to gradually allow fully vaccinated foreigners travellers to enter the country is good news on various fronts. First and foremost, it restores the freedom of travel, which will be especially welcomed by those who were barred from seeing friends and family. Moreover, airlines can now start reinstating international connectivity. This will be a boost for rebuilding the Canadian economy, especially through the contribution of international business and tourism. Nevertheless, we ask the authorities to consider the latest recommendation from the World Health Organisation regarding alleviations for those who are unable to get vaccinated, ”Walsh said.

IATA has also called on states to follow travel protocol from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The guidance recommended a “risk-based approach” to implementing measures related to COVID-19 and inter-

IATA had in March this year outlined three priorities for African governments to ensure that the airline, travel and transport industry survived the COVID-19 crisis

Walsh national travel.

Specifically, WHO had recommended that governments should not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a mandatory condition for entry or exit, may relax measures such as testing and/or quarantine requirements for travelers who are fully vaccinated or have had a confirmed previous COVID-19 infection within the past six months and are no longer infectious, should ensure alternative pathways for unvaccinated individuals through testing so that they are able to travel internationally.

The WHO also recommended rRT-PCR tests, or antigen detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) followed by confirmatory rRT-PCR tests of positive samples, for this purpose; implement test and/or quarantine measures for international travelers “on a risk-based manner” with policies on testing and quarantine regularly reviewed to ensure they are lifted when no longer necessary.

“These commonsense, risk-based recommendations from WHO, if followed by states, will allow for international air travel to resume while minimizing the chance of importing COVID-19. As WHO notes—and as the latest UK testing data proves—international travelers are not a high-risk group in terms of COVID-19. Out of 1.65 million tests carried out on arriving international passengers in the UK since February, only 1.4% were positive for COVID-19. It’s long past time for governments to incorporate data into risk-based decision-making process for re-opening borders, ”Walsh explained.

WHO had also called on states to communicate, “in a timely and adequate manner any changes to international health-related measures and requirements.”

Speaking further, Wals said, “Consumers face a maze of confusing, uncoordinated and fast-changing border entry rules that discourage them from traveling, causing economic hardship across those employed in the travel and tourism sector. According to our latest passenger survey, 70 per cent of recent travelers thought the rules were a challenge to understand.

“The pandemic has put more than 46 million jobs, normally supported by aviation, at risk. By incorporating these latest WHO recommendations into their border opening strategies, states can begin to reverse the economic damage of the past 18 months and put the world on the road to recovery.“ Additionally, WHO encouraged states to look at bilateral, multilateral, and regional agreements, particularly among neighboring counties, “with the aim of facilitating the recovery of key socioeconomic activities” including tourism, for which international travel plays a vital role.

IATA had in March this year outlined three priorities for African governments to ensure that the airline, travel and transport industry survived the COVID-19 crisis and was able to support economic recovery, growth and development throughout the continent.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Policy Summersaults and Growth of Nigeria’s Aviation Industry Aviation industry stakeholders attribute stunted growth of the sector to policy summersaults and have called on government to review some policies that are antithetical to the development of the sector and its subsequent impact on the profitability of airlines and other businesses in the country. Chinedu Eze writes.

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irline operators and other private investors in the Nigerian aviation industry have consistently made the claim that government policies and interventions are often misdirected, especially when operators in the sector are excluded from making input into such policies. The consequence is that Nigerian airlines are not profitable, which explains the short life span of domestic carriers that survive for an average age of 10 years.

They noted that while foreign airlines make huge profits on their Nigerian routes, local carriers struggle in their domestic services despite the potential of the sector to yield more dividends to them because of the growing number of air travellers in the country.

A travel agent and industry analyst gave example with the decision of the federal government to ban direct flights to South Africa in order to stop the Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus from spreading to Nigeria.

He said that that policy stopped Air Peace flights to Johannesburg, which means that the airline lost huge revenue, but it did not stop movement of passengers from Nigeria to South Africa and from South Africa to Nigeria.

“What it did was that Nigerian airlines were denied avenue to make money but passengers took other airlines to South Africa. They can take Rwanda Air, stop at Kigali and from there go to South Africa. They can take Ethiopia Airlines and from Addis Ababa go to Johannesburg. It was less than two weeks after the flight ban; the federal government announced that the Delta variant of the pandemic is here with us.

So government stopped a Nigerian airline from generating revenue and made Nigerian travellers pay more money to travel to South Africa but it did not stop the Coronavirus from spreading to Nigeria. So, whichever way, Nigeria and Nigerians lost, ”the analyst said.

Regulation and Policy Industry analyst and the publicity secretary of Aviation Round Table (ART), Olu Ohunayo told THISDAY that government should limit its activities to regulating the industry and making policies that would guide activities in the industry, mindful that private operators aim to make profits, which is the major reason they invested in the sector.

“Government has always been advised to stay on the line of regulation and policymaking and leave other parts of the industry to the private sector. Airlines are struggling. They are not making profits in their business, but how long will they remain unprofitable? They are not profitable not because they don’t have the ability to be profitable but because some of the policies are inimical to their growth.

“We have the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) that should lead and speak for the airlines, but the association is weak and that is why individual airlines are speaking for themselves in the absence of a strong body. Maybe the airlines can one day declare a one-day national strike to make government listen to them and know their grievances.

“Then, we have the issue of the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) negating the rule of engagement as contained in the constitution and introduces arbitrary charges to tax the airlines more. Government designates airlines to operate international routes but leaves them in the lurch instead of following them up with support and they become victims of aero politics.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) charges airlines extra if they wish to operate to some airports after 6:00 pm. For example, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which has airfield lighting on its runway but any airline that wishes to operate there after 6:00 pm must pay money to FAAN. This is a clear case of disincentive to air travel. Nigerians like to travel. They should be encouraged to travel, ”Ohunayo said.

However, travel expert and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ambassador

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Ikechi Uko told THISDAY that he does not completely agree that government policies are the only factor inhibiting the growth of the aviation industry and the profitability of airlines.

He acknowledged that in the past many investors who owned airlines that had today gone under attributed their failure to government policies but he has a different view because as businessmen, before they decide to go into the business they should have studied the operational environment and what it would take to survive in doing business in that environment.

“In the past a lot of the people who operated airlines that have run out of business feel that government policies were not fair to their enterprise, but before they get into the business they ought to know what will make them succeed or what will hinder their success.

So, I don’t completely agree with that.

“How did Medview Airline succeed when it was operating hajj service and did not succeed when it started scheduled operations? So, I expect a businessman to put into consideration the operating environment. People need to understand the terrain; so I have never believed that government policies are inimical to business growth in the industry but I agree that such policies should encourage business in the sector,” he said.

Public private partnership In his opinion, the Managing Director of Flight Logistics Solutions, Amos Akpan told THISDAY that the public private partnership is not working because existing experience shows discouraging signs. Many of the companies already under PPP in the industry are racked by controversies due to the terms of agreement or policies introduced after the agreements have been signed.

“Developing infrastructure for maintenance facilities in the airport has issues of clear cut agreement between FAAN/MOA (Ministry of Aviation) and the private investor. Is the land available for lease at the airport? What are the lease payment terms? If build, operate and transfer, how much is due to government as annual royalties? And what is the tenure?

What will be the ease of bringing in equipment; considering impediments like limited forex, bogus import duty charges, and scarcity of skilled manpower?

“We have to know the gap between existing aircraft technicians/engineers and the technical personnel required in the industry so that NCAT (the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology)

can work on filling the gap. What are the finance lease structures on ground to enable access to finance in terms that would mitigate default and create integrity? Our policies should address above issues first before going to set up maintenance hangars because these issues will act like ambush against the success of the maintenance policy, ”Akpan said.

Survival of Airlines He said that the purpose behind the establishment of any airline is to make money,“so after investing in such capital-intensive business; there would be no guarantee of its profitability.I have consistently maintained that nobody sets up airline with the intention to fail or fold up in months or in three to five years. Also, all the investors in those airlines were not daft in strategies. I think the entire management of the aviation sector should accept responsibility for past failures. They should honestly research into reasons for past failures.

“They should outline what must be done to prosper the industry and they must have the courage to implement them. Since we cannot eliminate politics from all we do, let us set up a framework that trims politics into the goals we have set for our industry. Governments have made pronouncements on the issues that hinder profitable operations by the airlines. But there still exist gaps between what the operators experience in field of operations and those government pronouncements.

“For instance, multiple taxes on airlines, inadequate/lopsided provision of services by the government agencies, insertion of customs duties waver in gazettes and customs tariff schedule, special allocation of forex for importation of spares. I have not heard that Nigerian pilots have started undergoing simulation training on the simulator bought and delivered to NCAT one year ago. There are lots of good intentioned policies, which are just sound bites that never translate into enhancing profits and sustainability for the airlines. The economic audit-monitoring unit of civil aviation authority needs to devise more suitable measurement tools for gauging economic performance of the airlines. The regulators have to come to table with the airlines management and work on achieving profitable operations while in compliance with regulations. The image of a big monitor wielding big stick behind the operator must be replaced with partnership for progress, ”Akpan said.

Government has always been advised to stay on the line of regulation and policymaking and leave other parts of the industry to the private sector

Training He observed that NCAT was set up to meet manpower needs of the industry.

The body he added, was also set up to equip personnel with skills relevant for the industry’s operational needs, noting that this was the primary purpose for the set up of NCAT. “NCAT is not an academic institute that graduates people that would search for jobs and be recruited for training, “he pointed out.

Akpan said there are institutions offering management, production, and business development courses.

“What we need now in the aviation industry are flight operations dispatchers, aircraft technicians, ground operations personnel with certificates on dangerous goods regulations and skills on computerized passenger handling, aircraft engineers, air traffic controllers and air traffic equipment technicians, ramp/apron traffic managers. We need skilled personnel to handle evolving new equipment and techniques coming into use in our industry. This is what we should prompt NCAT to do because they are in short supply. How many operations managers can use the current computerized flight planning tools? Does this have any impact on the current wave of flight delays? Are you aware that many pilots do not have jobs because it costs a lot for the airlines to put a fresh pilot on the flight line to train?

“Fresh engineers pay airlines to allow them work to gain logged duty hours. The government policy should address this gap by sitting with the airlines to mitigate these costs. Getting degree programs from NCAT is good but let us not widen the gap of the manpower needs for the industry’s field operators. Airlines, FAAN, AIB (Accident Investigation Bureau), NCAA (the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority), aviation handling companies, NAMA (the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency), cargo /passenger agencies, maintenance companies need skilled manpower now,” he said.

Akpan also added the industry should bridge the gap between the intentions of the aviation policies and what is obtained in the field of operations, adding that what the industry said it wants to achieve “is usually different from what we practice and experience in the field of operations.”

Duty Waivers On his part, Chief Executive Officer of Mainstream Cargo Limited, Seyi Adewale said that airlines used to enjoy duty waivers with only payment of ECOWAS Trade Liberation scheme (ETLS) and Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) on aircraft and its spares.

“But with the enactment of the new financial act as spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, airlines now have an additional charge called Surcharge which they were not paying prior and described it as unintended consequence.

“So, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Ministry of Finance need to address this issue because airlines will now pay more to clear their aircraft and spares. The Ministry in my opinion confused the general application for Duty Waivers with that affecting the airlines specifically. This needs to be addressed quickly.

“Another softer issue is the application of FAAN Car Park Permits/ Stickers at the Airport This is discretionary applied especially with access to the Toll Gate Access and Access to the Cargo Area/ Hajj Camp. FAAN changed the management of Toll Gate Fee Collection and there appears to be so much confusion regarding the application of the airport access stickers duly paid by eligible partners There are different types of stickers whereas it ought to be one and FAAN Toll collectors apply their own interpretation on its access stickers especially at the Hajj Camp/ Handling Areas,” he said.

Other stakeholders also shared the view that for investors in the industry to survive, government must give consideration to the impact any policy would have in the industry before introducing it.

FRIDAY JULY 23, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͱ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

As Piracy Declines in Gulf of Guinea Eromosele Abiodun writes that the International Maritime Bureau report, which revealed that maritime crimes declined in Q2 shows that Nigeria’s effort at tackling the menace, is yielding the desired results

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fter several years of unchecked maritime crime and criminality, calm seem to be returning to the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), once the hotbed of piracy, as efforts by governments in the region, led

by Nigeria, to tackle maritime crime and criminality is beginning to pay off.

Early last week, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) gave credence to Nigeria’s efforts in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, especially with the launch of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project.

In its second Quarter 2021 report, the IMB said there was a general global reduction in piracy during the period under review.

According to the IMB, “The number of kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea in the second quarter of 2021 is the lowest since Q2 of 2019. While 33 incidents of piracy were reported in the last quarter of 2020, 6 cases were reported in the second quarter of 2021.”

The IMB report also noted that the number of kidnapped crew in the region also declined from 50 in the last quarter of 2020 to 10 in the second quarter of 2021.

Whilst IMB welcomes reduced piracy and other criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea, Michael Howlett, a Director at IMB, commended the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to tackle the challenge of piracy in the region, adding that reporting all incidents to the Regional Authorities and IMB PRC will ensure seafarers maintain pressure against pirates.

“Bringing together maritime response authorities through initiatives – like Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project and Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum – will continue and strengthen knowledge sharing channels and reduce risk to seafarers in the region,” he said.

Reacting to the report, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, described the IMB report as a welcome development and also gave the assurance that the agency would not rest on it oars in ensuring zero tolerance for piracy in the Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea is achieved.

While ascribing the feat to the concerted efforts put in place by the GoG countries, the NIMASA DG called for a more holistic approach in quelling the incidences of piracy in the region.

“Matters concerning maritime security are everybody’s business as no country has immunity against insecurity and piracy related offences. Crime is usually a step ahead of every organized society, hence the need to step up our game through continuous synergy and enhanced information sharing in the West and Central Africa sub-region,” Jamoh said.

He further observed that with consistent reduction of criminal cases in the region, Nigeria will be engaging the international maritime community in the near future with the intention of removing the War Risk Premium charged on vessels calling at Nigerian ports.

FG hand over of ‘Marine 707’ Vessel Before the IMB report, Nigeria was already making gains in the fight against piracy.

Late last year, the federal government handed over a fishing vessel, ‘Marine 707,’suspected of carrying out illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea to the Ghanaian authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Nigeria also handed over 51 crew members, including 48 Ghanaians and three South Korea nationals to the government of Ghana and Korea respectively.

The vessel, which had authorisation to fish in Ghana and Benin waters, was arrested by the Nigerian Navy around Lagos waters. Its Automatic Identification System (AIS) was switched off when it

Jamoh

was discovered that it was being used for piracy or as a mother ship to conduct piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

While speaking during the official handover of the Ghanaian-flagged vessel and the crew to the respective authorities, Jamoh said the partnership between the Navy and NIMASA, which is now hinged on intelligence, has put Nigeria on a pedestal of winning the war against piracy and other illegal acts at sea.

Jamoh who was represented by the agency’s Commander, Maritime Guard Command, Commodore AnieteIbok disclosed that though preliminary investigations could not establish that the vessel and her crew were directly linked to piracy, he argued that the vessel still ran afoul of international laws for shutting down its Automatic Identification System (AIS) 36 times in the last six months, three of which were done in the Nigerian waters.

According to him “we are handing over this vessel to the Ghanaian authorities in the spirit of bilateral cooperation between both countries enjoy. We have done our preliminary investigations and we are yet to establish any concrete evidence against the vessel but again, we would not know what she would be doing whenever she turns off her AIS, which occurred 36 times without being logged in her record book in line with international protocols and three of these were in our domain. “However in the spirit of brotherhood that Ghana and Nigeria enjoys we are handing over the vessel to Ghana for further investigations.”

Fresh Attack However, as the news of the IMB report was about to settle in, daredevil pirates on Monday this week kidnapped eight travellers in Rivers State, five among them were members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).

The incident happened at Abonnema area of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State.

It was learnt that the eight persons were

travelling to Port Harcourt from Kula area in Akuku-Toru LGA before the gunmen struck at Kula-Abonnema waterway.

Confirming the development, the state chairman, MWUN, Jonah Jumbo revealed that among the eight kidnapped persons, five are members of the maritime union in Kula, Akuku-Toru local government area of the state.

Jumbo, who said the victims were travelling to Port Harcourt for a meeting appealed to the abductors to release the victims unconditionally.

He said, “The Kula unit and Abomema unit (of maritime workers union) were asked to come for a meeting in the state office here in Port Harcourt, on Monday morning. On their way from Kula, we got a report that the officials who were coming for the meeting were kidnapped.

“All the passengers were kidnapped, including three others in the boat. Up till now, nobody has heard anything from the kidnappers. So, we are appealing to the general public, the government and security agencies to really help us and see how they can reach the kidnappers.”

Maritime Security Architecture President Muhammadu Buhari had early last month launched the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project, in Lagos with a declaration that Nigeria now boasted better capability to control its maritime domain.

Buhari said the maritime security project offered a standard for other Gulf of Guinea countries in terms of strategy and collaboration.

Referring to the Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act, which he signed into law in June 2019, the President said, “I am confident that the project, which provides a robust maritime security architecture, will enhance maritime domain awareness capability and improve law enforcement action.”

Buhari said the flag-off of the Deep Blue

Before the IMB report, Nigeria was already making gains in the fight against piracy. Late last year, the federal government handed over a fishing vessel, ‘Marine 707,’suspected to be carrying out illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea to the Ghanian authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution

Project was, “an important step in the continuing shift in strategic action about regional maritime security.

“It will serve as a benchmark for member states in the Gulf of Guinea and other relevant stakeholders to further develop innovative strategies and align efforts with the subsisting framework to improve maritime security in the region. The launch marks an important milestone in our collective effort to tackle security challenges in the form of piracy and other maritime crimes in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

It is also a demonstration of government’s strong commitment to ensuring security.

This intervention, no doubt, will facilitate a conducive environment for the maritime sector to thrive and contribute to the diversification of the Nigerian economy.”

On his part, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi stated that the conceptualisation of the Deep Blue Project resulted from his assessment of the critical role of maritime in Nigeria’s effort to diversify its economy. Amaechi pledged that the maritime security assets being deployed would be maintained for the country’s short and long term economic and security benefits.

“The Project Management Team shall work out a framework to ensure maintenance and sustainability of the project,” the Minister stated.

He said, “When I assumed office as the Minister of Transportation in 2015, I carefully evaluated the transportations requirements of the country and the overall state of the Nigerian economy and made a clear assessment that the development of the maritime sector was the future of the Nigerian economy in view of the worldwide decline in fossil fuel requirements due to climate change and the oil industry’s uncertainties.”

Amaechi stated that to achieve the objective of a pivotal role for maritime in the country’s economic development effort, “I developed an agenda to secure the channels of maritime growth, review shipping cost, and expand indigenous participation in the maritime sector in order to facilitate increase in the contribution of the sector to national revenue and GDP. To achieve this, the Ministry of Transportation developed an Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, otherwise called the Deep Blue Project.”

Also speaking, Jamoh said the completion and launch of the Deep Blue Project, which commenced in 2018, represented the fulfillment of a central mandate of his administration.

Jamoh stated, “When I took up office with my executive team in 2020, we set out on a Triple S agenda of Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, and Shipping Development. We devoted most of our energy and focus in our first year to addressing the problem of maritime security. Without security of our seas, no meaningful seaborne trading or shipping economy can be possible. Securing our seas became a pressing mandate.Today marks the fulfillment of that mandate.”

He said upon assumption of office as Director General of NIMASA, “and at the inauguration of the agency’s Governing Board, we were given a clear mandate to fund and deliver the Deep Blue Project.”

In his goodwill message, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Kitack Lim, extolled Nigeria’s role in the effort to achieve security in the Gulf of Guinea. Lim said the launch of the maritime security infrastructure was a major development in the war against piracy. He said the Deep Blue Project reflected Nigeria’s determination to lead the fight against piracy and armed robbery, not only in its national waters, but also in the Gulf of Guinea.

Lim stated that IMO was committed to supporting Nigeria in the search for a safe and secure maritime industry.

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PERSPECTIVE

Nigerian Shippers’ Council: Jime and the Task Ahead Francis Ugwoke

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or the ports economic regulator, it is indeed a new dawn.

The local slogan is: “government come, government go”, in what describes change in guards in every bureaucratic setting in the public service.

Over a month ago, Mr. Hassan Bello retired as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) with fanfare. A few days after, Hon. Emmanuel Lyambee Jime was appointed by the federal government to mount the mantle of leadership in the Council.

With the pains of missing Bello for his 8 years of meritorious service, it was with enthusiasm that the staff of the council and industry stakeholders welcomed his successor to the new seat. The job of the Executive Secretary of NSC carries a lot of weight and responsibility because of the peculiarity of the shipping industry, often adjudged as a ‘mafia sector’ apparently because of the craze or intrigues to maximize profit by both the service providers and consumers of shipping services, including the policemen of the system at the detriment of the state.

For Jime, the task has begun and he has so far demonstrated determination to deliver on various expectations.

Looking at his background, Jime does not appear new for this type of task having been the Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA). Also, he was former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly from 1992 to 1993 and member of the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2015.

Task Ahead The key point of expectations from industry stakeholders is one of continuity on the statutory obligations of the ports economic regulator. Over the years and even on acquiring the status of the ports economic regulator, it has not been easy confronting the service providers for obvious reasons. Relying on the high level connection of their principals, some of the service providers could be difficult to regulate. This is the same for some of the government agencies who fall under port regulation as service providers. Among these agencies include the landlord, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) who deal with the terminal operators, shipping companies and the shippers as well. The NSC as umpire in the ports regulates these two agencies, among others to ensure smooth trade facilitation. Undoubtedly, most of them are difficult to regulate in view of their status in the industry. For any leader, a lot of wisdom is required to get them to flow along.

Cost of Doing Business The crux of most issues in the shipping industry has over the decades revolved around the cost of doing business. In the early days of the NSC, the statutory regulation has been to protect shippers from the shylock service providers, mainly the multinational shipping agents and their conference liners. It was not until the ports were concessioned in 2006 that the NSC expanded its scope to also try to police the NPA as the landlord of the system. This was to protect the interest of terminal operators who are also under check against illegal shipping charges. This has been challenging from every indication because of what I had earlier pointed out in terms of the Nigerian factor,which tends to weaken the power of regulation at some point and in respect of some particular operators.This has been the scenario in the case of NSC and the shipping service providers in respect of charges.

While the agency may be willing to

Jime

push the case, there could be instances of the lack of political will from the side of the presidency or other powers.

It had happened at one instance when the NSC at a stage as recounted by the former Executive Secretary, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, was asked to hands off a particular case against shipping companies over illegal charges. The decision was simply to protect political interest. In the current case between the Council and some service providers, it appears the latter are lucky. Having lost in the High Court and Appeal Court, the service providers had gone to the Supreme Court while continuing the collection of their charges, which the Court had ruled against and ordered themto refund. The amount of refund runs into hundreds of billions of Naira. The Nigerian court system in addition to the Covid-19 crisis as well as the judicial workers industrial action for some months earlier may have been a blessing for the service providers.

For more than three years, it has been speculated about planned settlement out of court between the parties in the case to no avail. Early this year, one of the parties in the case was said to have indicated interest in settling out of court with the NSC. The extent to which this has become a reality is not known. The new ES/CEO of NSC needs to understand the importance of the case. What this means is that the outcome is crucial and for the best interest of consumers of shipping services because of the issue of cost.

Cargo Tracking Note Electronic Cargo Tracking Note Cargo (ECTN) was introduced and managed by the Nigerian Ports Authority until the federal government suspended it. The suspension was as a result of costs associated with it. The federal government later changed its mind and reintroduced the policy but directed that the NSC should manage it. The CTN as it is popularly called which was earlier opposed now enjoys the support of many stakeholders. This is following the understanding that CTN remains a key factor in addressing issues of fraudulent practices in goods declaration and gross registered tonnage of vessels used in determining duties to be paid by importers and ships. There is the need for the new leadership of NSC to ensure its takeoff.

Dry Ports/TTPs The idea of Inland Dry Port (IDP) was conceptualized in 2005 as part of the efforts to bring shipping services closer to the hinterland. On the other hand, the Truck Transit Part (TTP) followed some years later in what was to rise to the challenges of infrastructure and lessen the burden of truck drivers involved transporting goods from the ports to different parts of the country.

In the case of dry ports, initially, there were six locations, but three more dry ports have come up, bringing the number to nine. The dry ports are to improve on trade facilitation for shippers who are not close to the seaports.

Two of the dry ports are currently in operation. They include Kaduna Dry Port and Dala Inland Dry Port, Kano, whichwere expected to start with skeletal services in June this year. The TTPs on the other hand are to serve as places of rest for drivers on far journey to deliver goods. Each TTP will serve as stop over where the driver could park and rest before continuing his journey. This is for safety reasons. It will have restaurants, lodging facilities and other facilities. Both dry ports and truck transit parks which will be under Public, Private Partnership (PPP) have potentials to create jobs and improve on trade facilitation in the country and should be taken seriously. To stakeholders, the economic value is enormous.

Port Process Manual The introduction of the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) in December was part of the efforts of the federal government to achieve efficiency at the nation’s ports. It came some years after the introduction of the ease of doing business in every sector of the national economy, including the nation’s seaports. This time, the NSC was specifically singled out as the lead agency in the implementation. This means a lot of task for obvious reasons. So much fraudulent practices could be found in the ports. But the biggest problem is the delay in goods delivery, part of which could be for poor infrastructure. Other times, it could be for the reason that the importers failed to do the right thing in which they are expected to perfect to take delivery of their consignments.

In the ports system, the importers are culpable for trade malpractices in terms of under-declaration, under-valuation and outright concealment in a bid to

maximize profit. Personnel of agencies of government, such as customs officers who are supposed to check these malpractices are also culpable for the continued trade crime. The point is that the officers are easily influenced to look the other way while the fraud continues.

Importers claim that even if they do the right thing, they will still have to settle customs officers and others at the ports.

With the NPPM, the NSC is saddled with responsibility of addressing these problems because of its negative effect on trade. The Council has been involved in enlightenment campaign to compel importers to end decades of fraudulent practices. The ports economic regulator has also been involved in getting the NCS to discourage their officers against corruption in the system which will go a long way in raising revenue from the ports. The NSC has been having an interface with the customs leadership on this. To ensure that there is an efficient service delivery at the ports, the NSC has also been having equipment audit on terminal operators to ensure that they provide modern cargo handling equipment. This will facilitate in fast discharge of vessels and position containers for examination by customs officers. It is expected that the NSC under the new leadership sustain this effort as it will impact positively in creating efficiency at the ports. Similarly, protection of the shippers remains very paramount as their saviourremains the Council. Already, the NSC now has an Enforcement Unit, which has been able to compel some shipping companies to refund arbitrary charges imposed on some shippers. The Council under Jime should continue on this path and advance further for the interest of the industry. In all this, there is the need to ensure that CTN which promises to aid in checking all fraudulent declarations, whether as it affects importers of ships should be deployed. This will also reduce the bribery and corruption in the system as a clean declaration on the part of the shipper will put him in a position to resist any attempt by customs officers to seek ‘settlement’ before treating documents for release of goods.

Can Jime perform?

There is no doubt that Jime is equipped to do the job. But he needs advice where necessary. This was part of the secrets of Bello as he sought advice from predecessors and other industry experts on issues, which guided him in reaching certain decisions. The Chairman of the Nigerian Ship Owners Forum, Barr Mrs Margret Orakwusi, who is also a member of the Board of Shippers Council, said such advice is necessary.

Orakwusiis of the view that when necessary, the new ES should reach out to Bello for advice. She said, “one good thing about Hassan is that he also shares his knowledge, he’s forever there to help. So, the new executive secretary is a lucky man to have taken over from Hassan Bello. I can tell you if he humbles himself and seeks advice from his predecessor he’ll make way”.

Orakwualso said she is optimistic that the new ES will not have problemas the personnel of the NSC is blessed with depth of knowledge as far as maritime is concerned and can offer advice when necessary.

She said, “NSC is the heartbeat of all other agencies in the Ministry of Transportation, technical and professionalism is their watchword. So, the new boss will be inheriting a huge staff, dedicated management staff and our guardian angel in the person of Hassan Bello will always be there to ensure that NSC be on that progressive path. So, that makes it easier for all of us”.

-Ugwoke is Editor-in-Chief, SHIPPING DAY NEWS/Online/Magazine

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NEWS

Firm Secures $1.5m NBMA Assures of Safety of GMOs in Pre-seed Funding in Nigeria to Drive Digital Investments Ugo Aliogo

Ugo Aliogo Digital sub-broker and digital investment platform, Chaka Technologies has raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Breyer Capital, a global venture capital and private equity firm.

A statement by the firm stated that other participants in the round were 4DX Ventures, Golden Palm Investments, Future Africa, Seedstars, and Musha Ventures.

The statement also noted that the funding would serve as a catalyst to enable Chaka to continue to power on its mission to enable borderless investments across Africa and deliver digital investments solutions for African businesses.

It hinted that the funding would also be used towards the expansion of fintech’s footprints in West Africa to reach more retail investors and attract more foreign players to African capital markets.

Commenting on the funding secured, Chief Executive Officer, Chaka Technologies, Tosin Osibodu, said: “This is indeed a significant milestone for us at Chaka. We see digital investments as an opportunity to boost economic transformation in Africa, and our goal is to use this funding to bring this vision to life. With this capital, we will focus on our goals to build a roster of formidable partners and

accelerate our expansion to other markets within Africa.

“This investment also enables us to hire top talent and integrate more advanced functionalities into our investment and wealth management solutions for businesses.

“Our mission remains the same and we are excited to be backed by VCs like Breyer Capital that trust us and are extremely optimistic of the possibilities that exist for Chaka and Africa.”

Also commenting on the milestone, the Chief Executive Officer, Breyer Capital, Jim Breyer said, “We are proud to combine efforts with a company that is leveling the investment playing field for Nigerians (and Africans at large).

“We’re confident in the value Chaka provides through its digital tools, and we look forward to playing our part in supporting Chaka’s team on their mission to drive borderless investments in Africa.”

The statement further explained that the pre-seed round comes on the heels of Chaka becoming the first start-up to acquire the new digital sub-broker license issued by Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), “in line with the regulator’s efforts to safeguard the investing public and accelerate innovation within the sector.”

FG Trains 100 Youth in Metal Sector Kasim Sumaina and Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja No fewer than 100 youths across the country have participated in Entrepreneurship Training on Steel and Foundry Technology programme at Metallurgical Training Centre Ajaokuta, Kogi State.

The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Uchechukwu Ogah, described the Entrepreneurship Training on Steel and Foundry Technology as value added initiative that will significantly contribute to the socio - economic growth of the country.

Ogah, who made this known while speaking at the closing ceremony of the event organised by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, stated that the federal government under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has good plans for Nigeria youths towards development of the country and resuscitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Limited.

The Minister of State who was represented by Mr.Patrick Ojeka commended President Muhammadu Buhari for creating opportunities and lifting millions of Nigeria

youths, stressing that the federal govt has resuscitated Small Scale Businesses that had engaged many youths.

He explained that Ajaokuta Steel company if operational had capacity to employ no fewer that 10,000 workers, urging the trainees to remain focus, warnimg the trainees not to sell the starter parks received after the training to enable them become self-reliant .

He also called on government to sustain the programme, urging it to fix the Ajaokuta Steel Company to meet the yearning for development and industrialisation in country Speaking at the event, the Director, Steel & Non Ferrous Metals, Engr.

Olasupo Kolawole, among other things, posited that the Nigerian youths play key role in National development and the present Administration has drawn a framework to provide a conducive environment that will enable them to maximally realize their creative and productive potentials.

He noted that the programme is an appropriate strategy meant to launch the mainstream youths in the Metal sub-sector into the national developmental

The Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Ebegba, has assured of the safety of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) released in Nigeria.

He stressed that rigorous analysis and risk assessments had been carried out on them.

Ebegba, who disclosed this in Lagos, at a Sensitisation Workshop on Biosafety (GMO Safety and Regulation), noted that since the commercialisation of GMOs in 1996, there have been speculations that it is harmful to human health, without any scientific evidence.

He said the regulation of GMOs was based on scientific evidence and not people assuming that

GMOs are harmful to human health.

“The modern biotechnology application is what has brought about GMOs, and this application is a very powerful tool that will be coming out with new products from time to time.

“Therefore all allusions about GMOs should be properly verified before some people go to the media to mislead the public,” he noted.

According to him, the NBMA has what it takes to determine which products of modern biotechnology are safe and unsafe.

He further explained that there is a trade war between modern biotechnology sector and agro-sector because genetically modified crops are being developed because they have the ability to resist diseases, “and pests, in that case, there will

be less use of chemicals.”

Ebegba stated that the fruits and some food items which are said to be genetically modified and available in the market are not genetically modified rather, they are hybrids or improved through conventional breeding technique.

He expressed the commitment of the federal government through the agency to protect the health of Nigerians and environment by providing case by case analysis of GMOs of the potential risks associated with it.

According to him, “Since the inception of the NBMA in 2015, the obvious impact of the Nigeria Biosafety Authority has been felt all over the globe. From the decision to approve Bt Cotton for environmental release in 2016 to the

decision to approve PBR Cowpea for environmental release in 2019, the NBMA has made decisions based on scientific facts for the benefit of the Nigeria people and just like our activities that have not gone unnoticed in Africa, it has not gone unnoticed globally.

“This is why Nigeria Biosafety system is well sort after in Africa and the world as our regulation and guidelines have become models that other countries use in developing their own guidelines and regulations.

“The Nigerian Biosafety system is a source of inspiration to other Africa countries and this is due to our doggedness in ensuring that our mandate is achieved and no matter the challenges, safety is our watchword.”

LEAD WAY/EKO ATLANTIC MOU

L-R: Sales Executive, Eko Atlantic, Pierre Edde, Sales, Marketing & Development Director, Eko Atlantic, Olawale Ayilara, GMD, LandWey, Tara Durotoye, Chairperson, LandWey Advisory Board, Adeshola Bello, Ag. Managing Director, LandWey, During the The Audacity Skyline set to become the new addition in Eko Atlantic City As LandWey and Eko Atlantic City sign Contract of Sale,held in Lagos …recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

Bauchi Gov Flags Off 2021 Crop Demonstration Package for Farmers Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed on Sunday flagged off the 2021 Crop Demonstration Packages with 2,000 farmers selected to benefit from the package to enable them cultivate a quarter of a hectare of either improved maize, rice, soybean and millet.

The Governor also flagged off the local poultry upgrading, small ruminants breeding, livestock feed alternative using Napier Grass and three crop seedlings programme where farmers in the twenty local government areas of the state will benefit from one to five of the newly improved crop varieties.

Speaking at the occasion held at BSADP headquarters in Bauchi, Governor Bala Mohammed said his administration had placed

a premium on agriculture not only as means of food production, but for economic empowerment.

He said 2000 livestock farmers will also benefit from the newly introduced Napier Grass cuttings, while 200 communities will benefit from the local poultry upgrading using noiler cocks.

According to him, 90 communities will benefit from the small ruminant breeding programme packages which includes, seeds, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, noiler cocks, napier grass cuttings among others.

The Governor expressed optimism that the outcome of the initiative will contribute significantly to improved varieties of crops, improved animal feed and local poultry as well as youth and women job opportunities.

“It may interest you to know that our Administration has provided an enabling environment for the BSADP to discharge its mandate of linking with Agricultural Research Institutions within and outside the country to search for new technologies for transfer to the farmers in the state.

“I want to appreciate all the research institutions and non-Governmental organizations that are working in partnership with Bauchi State Government through the BSADP, towards the realization of our noble objective, “he said.

He said the introduction of improved early maturity varieties of crops in the package has come at a right time when the rainfall is fluctuating as a result of climate change, adding that, napier grass for livestock

farmers will no doubt make animal feed more available.

He added, “We have our agricultural policy which we would implement to achieve food security, poverty reduction, job creation and income generation through the value chain process.”

Bala Mohammed assured all partners in Agricultural Development that his doors are open for collaboration towards the betterment of working condition of farmers and by extension improvement of agricultural production in the state.”

In a welcome address, the Programme Manager, Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme, Abubakar Jafaru Ilelah said BSADP will continue to contribute to the advancement of agricultural sector by supporting farmers to modernize their farming activities.

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

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

Amaka Beatrice Ogba: Impacting the World through Gospel Music

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Amaka Beatrice Ogba: Impacting the World through Gospel Music ANigerianUnitedKingdom-basedgospelartistewithdualcitizenship,AmakaBeatriceOgba,popularlyknownasAmiexcel, is the convener, host and founder of one of the biggest virtual programmes, themed Worship Experience withAmiExcel UK , that won the Best Gospel Event Organiser worldwide award in the Maranatha Award USA 2020. In this interview, she revealed that her entrance into the Nigerian gospel music industry is to make an impact on the world through music, with the youth as an immediate focus. For the indigene of Eluama in Abia State with Bachelors and Masters degree from Imo State University and University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, respectively, music has always been a gateway for her while growing up and even more now with her sound being accepted in the UK. CHIEMELIE EZEOBI brings excerpts:

H

ow did you get into music?

I am that child of God who boldly declares with every element of conviction that God loves me and in His infinite loving-kindness is mindful of me. He has told me from the very beginning, I have given you a voice that will be heard globally. Walking through life experiences, having started my music career in 1994, I can reflect and tell of God’s overwhelming love and promotion right from my university days when I was appointed state zonal choir coordinator for Imo State (Owerri) at the age of 20.

Hosting some of the cream of gospel music in Christendom at the time, and holding big choir events, among other giant strides, discharged supernaturally even up till this day and forever.

Today, from the UK, something tremendous has been happening. It all began at a time when there was great turbulence in the world. God again picked me as a vessel and an outstretched arm of help, motivation, support and inspiration to the nations of the world, one of the biggest virtual gospel programmes, Worship Experience With AmiExcel (WEMA), was born.

WEWA Global has grown in leaps and bounds, and is in the business of hosting all categories of gospel music ministers worldwide. The records are there of God’s awesomeness in my life as the founder, and convener of this life-transforming virtual gospel programme.

This has been a big accomplishment. It was a vision I saw and heard quite early from Lincoln, United Kingdom, to the rest of the world. Recently, in 2020, Worship Experience won the Maranatha USA Awards for the Best Worship Event Organiser.

How long have you been doing music?

My love for music began at a very tender age but I joined a choir at 11. In 1994, I underwent a phase of training, which transitioned into me being choir leader with developed skills in songwriting. Officially, in 2019, I became a recording artiste, releasing my first single, “Shine the Light.” Since then, it has been astronomical growth in my music journey, releasing more singles and featuring top-notch gospel artistes, and now I am putting finishing touches to my upcoming album.

Why did you choose gospel music?

Gospel music is a genre of Christian music.

The creation, performance, significance and definition of gospel music vary according to knowledge of the scriptures, culture and social context. The music I do is born from a standpoint of hope, magnification and inspiration of all and sundry because It is a quick work God is doing in these last days through gospel music ministers to get people’s minds and hearts prepared. Just by listening to the very lyrics of gospel music, they automatically find that pressing need to give their hearts to Christ.

“All We Ever Need,” a powerful single released in 2021, featuring the impeccable Ruthney Daibo, is one to reckon with, based

top of current technology, marketing trends and legal situations to get the best and profit from your gospel music career because, in all honesty, a whole lot goes into the gospel music business. It is beautiful to see the end results of hard work and sacrifice, not knowing all that happened behind the scenes in creating these contents.

Ogba

on the foregoing.

Do you have an album?

So far, I have released three singles, “Shine the Light 1” and “Shine the Light 2,” featuring Min. Ntieno, “All We Ever Need” and, in a matter of days, two other powerful singles tilted “Supernatural” and “Great God” will be hitting the airwaves on local and international platforms and I urge you to stay tuned and be greatly blessed. I am optimistic that, by the end of this glorious year, my first album will be released. Do kindly stay tuned.

What inspires your lyrics?

The inspiration is from my ever-consistent relationship with God. My songs are a great reflection of his never-ending love, faith, hope, healing and inspiration. For no more delay or excuses, all we need He has given unto us. I must also add that my music encompasses all the musical influences I have been exposed to. My inspiration comes from nowhere but from God, His word, my experiences, the different genres of music and great musicians I have had the privilege and opportunity to listen to.

Are you an independent artiste?

So far, I can say I am an independent artiste.

Although, of recent, I have had labels offer contracts but until now I have not been interested.

What are the challenges you face as an independent artiste?

It is possible for an independent artiste not to know his or her strengths and weaknesses because it is largely believed that the labels exert a great deal of expertise in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their signed artistes. Also, there is the challenge of not studying the business for those who choose to completely monetise their gifts. It is important to know and manage the financial side of your music career.

It is also important to know how the music business really works. Not knowing this can cause you to overlook income streams, enter bad contracts and just make bad career decisions. So, what experience does for us is to become a student of the industry. Study what is happening in the music business. Keep on

One of the challenges facing females in the entertainment industry is sexual harassment. Have you experienced such?

I think that’s one statement that is attributed to the secular music space and not popularly the gospel music space. I am largely convinced that, in the gospel music space, a true female gospel music minister who upholds the commandments as neatly written in the scriptures and leans firmly on Christian values, will never engage in any form of immorality just for the quest of fame or riches. Our bodies are living tabernacles, Christ dwells in us and upright gospel music ministers never lose sight of this.

As a beautiful diva, have you had an embarrassing encounter with a male fan?

There has not been any such thing.

Why did you leave Nigeria and decide to sing in the diaspora?

As life unfolds, our goals, careers, dreams and aspirations set us apart, putting us on preconceived pedestals, and that’s how I have become a UK-based Nigerian gospel artiste.

How has the foreign audience accepted your music and how are you coping with racial discrimination?

As a gospel artiste, it is expected that your church members and colleagues are your number one fans and I must say that the feedback, love and encouragement I have received from them have been heartwarming. You find your white friends, colleagues and church members singing your songs and asking when the next release would be. Since I relocated from Nigeria to England, the feedback has been amazing, overwhelming.

Are you ever intimidated in your field?

Everyone’s got his or her space. The sky is big enough for everyone to shine. When God gives you an assignment, everything you require for the fulfilment of such assignment is embedded in that call. If you are conscious of this mindset, there would be nothing like intimidation, for your recipe and necessary ingredient for your success is already on the inside of you.

What did the 2020 pandemic deprive you of and how did you pull through?

For me, the global pandemic was an era of promotion because it was at that time that a phase of my walk in ministry and in God began. It was a time where there was great turbulence in the world but God picked me as a vessel and an outstretched arm of help, motivation, support and inspiration to many people in nations of the world. It was in that period that WEWA was born.

What are the major challenges of doing

gospel music abroad?

One of the major challenges of doing gospel music abroad is the crossover appeal. Most gospel music ministers lack a global view and attitude. I once heard someone say just because I had an African name or background it did not limit me in being able to carry people from other cultures along.

Before now, I have had to tackle the distorted thoughts that most Africans ponder while living abroad. Many of us make excuses like, “We have an accent. We have an African name.

They only accept their own. They may not like my own kind of music, so I had better stick to my own or try to sing like them.”

But we fail to remember and value our potential as children of God, and the same God who created the people overseas also created us. And, if he has called you, he will give you the resources and the help to make the vision a reality, regardless of the odds that are stacked against you. Know the child of who you are so as to break loose from this.

Another challenge is the lack of excellence in our music. We don’t want to take the time to write and produce excellent songs.

We are in a country where excellence is a priority. We cannot afford to take the rush mentality and translate it into our work.

Whatever you produce as a musician lives on even after you are gone. And if you want to be taken seriously, be consistent in all that you do. Excellence is key and must be highly brought to bear on everything. I pray God helps us with the rush mentality and excellent spirit!

What are your projections for the rest of 2021?

I am largely optimistic to bless the world with a well-packaged studio album from the stables of Worship Experience With AmiExcel, before the end of this year. It is in my projection.

Also, WEWA Global have plans to have one of the biggest live concerts in the UK, where we will fly in top gospel artistes for a life-transforming musical jam that will bless lives without measure and also transform the gospel music sphere.

What is your message to the youths and government?

God has graced you with a unique gift. Look inwardly, ask the Holy Spirit after you get born-again, ask Him to help you and He definitely will. Begin to live for Christ, if you haven’t been living for him. That’s the life that truly matters. Nothing else makes sense.

The government should begin to work on ensuring that the country is conducive for its inhabitants. Government should create jobs and equip citizens so society can be a better place to live in.

Any last words?

I would also like to say thanks for supporting me on this journey. I also appreciate all who have gone out of their way to send me messages on how my latest single ”All We Ever Need” has blessed them. Please, keep praying for me, and may all the songs I produce bring you closer to Christ. God bless you all, greater is coming, in Jesus’ name.

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Mentoring the Youths Will Secure their Future, Says Onabrakpeya Stories by Mary Nnah Acelebrated Nigerian painter, printmaker, sculptor, Bruce Onabrakpeya has advised the Nigerian society to mentor the passion of the youths in order to secure their future.

Onabrakpeya made this assertion during an inaugural public art exhibition tagged: La Vie (Life) at Didi Museum, Lagos.

The exhibition had 26 creative paintings displayed by a 17-year-old girl, Ayomide Fadase, who is passionate about creativity and interested in charity.

Onabrakpeya urged government to recognise talents in the art who may not have funds to develop their talents by sponsoring and providing them the platform to showcase their talents.

“Government should award them scholarship, where expense for the workshop and institutions should be initiated for them to actualise their goal in life. Government needs to

L-R: Ayomide Fadase, artiste; Busola Fadase, mum of the artiste; Sir Bruce Onobrakpeya, renowned artiste; Ayodele Fadase, dad of the artiste and Ayotomi Fadase, sister, at Thelma Vie Art Exhibition of Ayomide Fadase at Didi Museum, Victoria Island over the weekend

make it possible for talents like Ayo to learn, and harness their potentials”, he noted.

Onabrakpeya lauded the parents of the teenager for encouraging her to pursue her passion and talents, adding that the school the child attends equally should be commended for mentoring her.

“Kids with talents should be encouraged. Our government needs to do more by investing

on the youths. That is the only way the future of the youths can be secured.”

The initiator of the event, Ayo Fadase, said she wanted to do something for the physically challenged, so she met a woman in her church, who was taking care of kids with cerebral palsy, and she was passionate about it.

“I felt I need to create awareness after discovering that the set of people are really not given

attention. The society view them as a burden, coupled with the fact that their condition is more demanding, most people in the society are not aware of this set of kids, so I am creating awareness and donating proceeds from the exhibition to kids with cerebral palsy.

Fadase said studying FineArt in school as a subject was just an academic training for her, she never knew she had the talents.

While at school in Nigeria she was given rudiments, like the positioning of her pencil.

She added, that when she moved abroad to continue her education, another chapter on art was opened and she discovered that there was a lot more to art and she started developing herself.

At 17 year old, she was able to harness her art potential and organised the first exhibition where she painted 26 creative paintings to depict real life situation.

Fadase spent 336 hours to get the paints done for the exhibition.

PFN President Dedicates Church Branch in US The President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and founder, The Sword of The Spirit Ministries International with headquarters located in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, last weekend, dedicated a new building for the church in Glen Burnie, Maryland, US. The man of God seized the occasion of the dedication, which coincided with the church’s 2021 North America Holy Ghost Convention, to enjoin Nigerians in the diaspora to lend their hands to ensure that Nigeria does not become a failed state, urging that no matter how long Nigerians live abroad, there is no substitute for their home country.

He however acknowledged that Nigeria and Nigerians are going through trying times with the activities of bandits, killer herdsmen, general insecurity, corruption, and economic hardship, but assured the people that “we can come out of the

PFN President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke and wife Rev (Mrs) Victoria Tokunbo Oke flanked by Pastor Moses Lana and wife, Pastor Mrs Iyabo Lana (left) and Bishop Olumuyiwa Ojo and his wife, Pastor Mrs Patience Ojo (right) at the dedication of Christ Life Church at Maryland, USA

woods if we all sincerely pursue equity and justice”.

Oke, who is also the presiding Bishop of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, advised Nigerians living abroad to develop positive attitude about the nation.

Addressing the congregation drawn from across the US in his sermon titled ‘Abundant Rain’, the renowned cleric who is currently in the United States ofAmerica for the annual convention of his ministry in

“FG Targets Nigeria’s Dominance of Oil, Gas in West Africa” Director/CEO of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Sarki Auwalu, has said that the Federal Government aims at Nigeria’s dominance of the oil and gas market in the West African region with its ongoing Refinery Revolution and Decade of Gas initiative.

The DPR boss who delivered a paper titled, “A Discussion on the Future of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry”, at the 2nd quarter, 2021 Business Dinner of The Petroleum Club Lagos, explained that the target of the government was to increase its oil reserves to 40 billion barrels and grow gas reserves to 220TCF by 2030. He said the government also plans to increase production capacity to three million barrels per day, adding, “This is achievable with the ongoing rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries, the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery and other modular refineries that are under construction.”

He however stressed that

to establish the future of the industry; we need to re-write the history of our economy.

“Nigeria must rewrite its history and reverse the resource curse syndrome which has plagued the country for decades by ensuring utilisation of its vast oil and gas resources for national development”, Auwalu noted. “None of the West African countries have a refinery producing Premium Motor Spirit and this presents a great opportunity for us. We can take over the market and it is a future we are looking forward to,” Auwalu said. He said the focus on development of the nation’s gas resources would help transform Nigeria to a gas-based economy which would create employment opportunities for the populace.

Auwalu said the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was needed to drive these initiatives so as to provide clarity in legal framework, institutional alignment and improved investment climate.

America and Canada, said, “The truth of the matter is that there’s no place like home.

“In this wise, I want to implore all Nigerians living in other countries of the world, to develop a positive disposition towards Nigeria.

“Unless we all see the country as our common heritage and a project that must not fail, we will continue to move in the abyss of hopelessness and by so doing, ruining the future of

generations yet unborn”.

He said though Nigeria is currently at crossroads and going through some challenges that bother on insecurity and economic hardship, among others, the situation, he maintained, was not irredeemable.

According to the PFN President, with sincerity of purpose and the fear of God, especially on the part of the country’s leaders, the nation would be bailed out of the doldrums it has found itself.

“There’s no doubt, Nigeria and Nigerians are going through some difficult moments occasioned by banditry, killer herdsmen, general insecurity, corruption and untold economic hardship, we can come out of the woods if we all sincerely pursue equity and justice” he stressed. He commended the presiding pastor of the US branch, Pastor Segun Lana for actualising the church project, saying “What we are doing today is major.

CCC Makoko Set for 70th Anniversary Thanksgiving The Celestial Church of Christ, Arch Diocese and National Headquarters, Makoko, Lagos is set for its 70th Anniversary Thanksgiving with an array of events which which culminates in the anniversary Harvest / Thanksgiving service on Sunday, August 1, 2021.

Tagged the “Return of the Lord”, the month long activities for the event which started on June 27 with the anniversary logo unveiling at the church permeases, will feature among otherthings,agala/awardnight on Friday, July 23; while on July 25, the church will hold a road walk – Walking for Jesus – in the Yaba community.

Other events include the CCC Women’s Day on Monday, 26; the Youth Day would holsd on Tuesday, July 27 while on Wednesday,anOpenAirRevival will hold at the CCC national headquarters. On Thursday, June 29, the church will display one of its rare gifts – prophetic ministrations for those looking for direction in life and on

morning of Friday, July 30 there will be free medical outreach, communityoutreach–provision of relief materials to members of the public while in the evening of same day, the church will hold a musical concert. On Saturday, July 31, the SBJ Oshoffa International Bible Quest will hold.

Organisers assured that strict COVID measures will be put in place for activities, which will culminate in the 70th Harvest ThanksgivingServiceonSunday, August 1.

The Chairman, 70th Harvest Anniversary, Gbenga DanielAdebayowhoaffirmedthatGod has been faithful to the church in these 70 years, noted, “We all know that the number 70 is very significant. It represents a significant milestone both spiritually and also in our physical realm. 70 is a very significant milestone in a life time. We are also celebrating the 70th year of God’s mandate in the Celestial Church of Christ through his servant; Rev. SBJ Oshoffa.”

UAC Restaurants Unveil New Mr Bigg’s Bakery in Amuwo Odofin

L-R: Manager CEESAM International Limited (UAC Restaurants Franchisee) , Ms. Ogunrinde Ann; MD/CEO UAC Restaurants Limited, Mr Debola Badejo; Chairman, CEESAM International LTD, Honorable Sam Nwaire; and Digital Marketing Manager UAC Restaurants, Dr. Rejoice Orjiene at the event

In a bid to ensure that its bread brand is accessible by consumers, UAC Restaurants Limited in collaboration with CEESAM International Limited, a UAC Restaurants’ franchisee, has commissioned a state-of-the-art bread bakery in Amuwo Odofin, Festac area of Lagos to cater for the neighbourhood.

The Mr Bigg’s Family Loaf Bakery was officially unveiled recently and in attendance were Managing Director of UAC Restaurants Limited, Mr. Debola Badejo, Chairman of CEESAM International Limited, Hon. Sam Nwaire and other dignitaries.

The bakery is equipped with modern day bakery facilities and the plant has the capacity to feed the Festac, Mile 2, Oluti, Amuwo Odofin, Ojo and the environs.

Speaking on the importance of bread business to UAC Restaurants Limited, Mr. Debola Badejo said, “We are constantly looking for ways to offer new and affordable products to the market and the Mr Bigg’s family loaf bread, is one of the many new retail offerings that we have in store for Nigerians.”

On the expansion of bread offering across the country, Mr. Badejo stated that this is one of the many bakeries that we are going to open across Nigeria, and this is in addition to our existing Mr Bigg’s restaurant as well as Debonairs Pizza stores. Badejo said, “The Mr Bigg’s family loaf is one of the key growth drivers for our retail business. While our traditional Mr Bigg’s and Debonairs Pizza restaurants remain our core businesses, we believe our retail unit has the opportunity to attract wider patronage and ensure Nigerians have access to Mr Bigg’s products outside our restaurants.”

Reiterating the importance of bread to their business, Hon. Sam Nwaire, Chairman, CEESAM International Limited, a UAC Restaurants’ franchisee said that Mr Bigg’s family loaf has the capacity to contribute about 25 per cent to the business turnover.

Ogbuefi Christopher Chukwuka Agu - A Life of Service From a small village of Umuabi Town in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, 94 years ago, a young energetic and vibrant child was born to the families of Mr Edward ZeruigboAgu and Mrs Margaret Nwakwoene Agu of Okpebe village of Umuabi Town in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu Ogbuefi Christopher Agu State.

MAU MAU as he is fondly called due to his physique and hugeness always said the definition of the success of a person was not measured in terms of material acquisition but in character formation, values and integrity.

On July 30, he will be interred and it offers an opportunity for sober reflections of these wonderful husband, father and community leader’s extra ordinary qualities of uprightness, industriousness, veracity of issues, astute knowledge of issues, family values and tradition crowned by his ever infectious humility.

He was a man, who from inception sacrificed so much for his children and inculcated in them the values and important of good education as a strategic instrument in human development, building simultaneously a united cohesive and God- fearing family. Married to Mrs Stella Nwamaranma Agu, this began what turned out to be a rich, fulfilled, contented and happy matrimonial life. The union is blessed with four children who identify themselves in their various endeavours, including grand children and great grandchildren.

Ogbuefi Chukwuka is a dedicated husband, community leader, construction guru, philanthropist with over 50 years experience in the building/ construction industry.

He constructed over 100 houses in Onitsha - Anambra State to his credit with a successful career in a Michelitti, an Italian construction firm. Notably in his building masterpiece is the wonderful sculpture opposite Enugu State House of Assembly, described as one of the best works on Eastern part of Nigeria.

Ogbuefi Chukwukawuka , an astute member and devoted Christian, a bonafide and celebrated member of Cathedral Church of Emmanuel, Imeama - Umuabi Community, Anglican Diocese of Udi, his commitments and efforts in God’s vineyards including dedications accorded him the title of Ezinna which decodes a special seat in the church to befits his status while on Earth.

He will forever be remembered for his wonderful care, decency, and sense of purpose as he slept peacefully on April 30, 2021.

Ogbuefi Chukwuka is survived by a wife, and four children, including grandchildren and great grandchildren among who are Doctor Alphonso Agu, a medical practitioner based in Lagos.

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

The Voice Nigeria Coaches Relive the Season as Grand Finale Holds Tomorrow Vanessa Obioha chats with the coaches —Darey, Waje, Yemi and Falz — as the third season of the music reality TV show wraps up

“L

et the grand finale begin!”

This may likely be the opening line of The Voice Nigeria third season host Nancy Isime tomorrow when the finale holds.

The show which began late March will finally be drawing its curtains tomorrow after 17 episodes and 18 eliminations. Only one of the six finalists will be crowned winner of the season and cart away N10 million, a car and a recording deal with Universal Music Nigeria. The coaches are hopeful that their talents will emerge as winners.

“It’s team Waje,” chimed in Waje. “But I believe every one of them deserves equal opportunity.”

Interestingly, only the male coaches have two talents going into the grand finale. Darey has KPee and Esther while Falz has Dapo and Naomi Mac. Waje and Yemi talents are Eazzie and Kitay respectively.

One of the talking points of this season is the diversity and experience of the coaches. Like the talents, they add entertainment value to the show.

For instance, Waje is given a mother hen character, Yemi, the fashionable and drama queen, Falz the bahd guy with his colourful attires and humourous lines, and of course Darey, ‘The I no dey turn guy’ as he puts it in a recent chat.

Beyond their peculiar traits, an admirable feature of the coaches is the chemistry between them. The

The Voice Nigeria S3 coaches

camaraderie they exude is so infectious that one may wonder if they have been friends all their lives.

“We respect each other’s talents. When you have mutual respect for each other, it’s very easy to flow.

But the Voice Nigeria brought us closer. We have spent more time together this year than we have ever in our career,” explained Waje.

The coaches had the power to save a talent for most stages of the show. It wasn’t an easy task. Therefore, when the live shows began and the audience had the power to save a talent, they were all relieved. “It was a relief. That pressure was released off our shoulders,” said Falz.

“It just makes you realise people and their taste.

It is very interesting to see your audience and what really appeals to them,” said Waje.

But there were times when the coaches got the heat from fans for their choices, particularly Waje,

who many thought was biased to Eazzie.

“That’s why I’m the coach and they are the audience. I hear things that they don’t. I listen and I hear the flat notes and the technical errors that they don’t hear, and at the beginning of the show, I made it clear that my strategy was to show growth. Many people have gone through shows and fizzled out. You are not just teaching them how to perform but principles, character and professionalism that will carry them after The Voice is over,” she argued.

From the blinds to the live shows, the coaches have their memorable moments. While Waje enjoyed the blinds because it allowed her to listen to the authenticity of the talents’ voices, Yemi Alade finds the elimination process, the toughest.

“The talent that performs very well the last time may not meet up to par the next time. But I’m

Kayode Kasum’s ‘Dwindle’Satirises Social Vices Stories by Vanessa Obioha The saying ‘two heads are better than one’ holds for Kayode Kasum in his latest film ‘Dwindle’, which debuted in cinemas recently.

To help bring his concept to life, he collaborated with Dare Olaitan who he met in Paris at the Nollywood Week Film Festival, two years ago. Though they shared the directorial credit, it is not the first time they are working together. However, what made ‘Dwindle’ peculiar according to

Kasum is “the existing chemistry between us and how we made this fantastic, funny, rollercoaster film.”

The concept and title of the film were inspired by a play on the word ‘Dwindle’. It was used colloquially to reference an overwhelmed crew member on set at Film Trybe Media, where Kasum is a creative director. The crime-comedy which runs for over one hour reflected the hustling spirit of the average Nigerian to make ends meet against all odds

In a series of unfortunate events, two unlikely friends, Chinedu (Jidekene Achufusi) and Buta (Broda Shaggi), conned their way out of securing a car to start a ride-hailing service.

As though destined for failure, they inadvertently kidnapped the governor of the state, leading all parties involved in the ever-evolving kidnap saga to enter a rat race.

‘Dwindle’ touched on the sensitive topic of insecurity and kidnapping, which has, in

recent times, plagued Nigerian communities. Funny, lighthearted, it presented these pressing societal issues in a relatable manner that elicited a chuckle or two; however, it is not void of plot holes typical of comedy films but does an excellent job at coupling together a grand, satisfying finish that had the audience at the Watch Party give a standing ovation. The film featured Funke Akindele-Bello, Timini Egbuson, Bisola Aiyeola, Lateef Adedimeji, Efa Iwara, and Gregory Ojefua.

Special Tribute for Sound Sultan to Hold Tomorrow A special tribute to the late musician Sound Sultan will take place tomorrow Saturday, July 24, at Terra Kulture, Lagos.

Organised by the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive), in collaboration with The Fasasi family, friends, colleagues and fans of Sound Sultan, the event will celebrate the extraordinary talent of Sound Sultan whose notable contributions are evident in music,

The late Sound Sultan

film, basketball and creative art.

Tribute events organised by friends of the beloved icon will

also be hosted simultaneously in London, New York and Atlanta.

There will also be music, poetry, dance, comedy and talk, in honour and celebration of the deceased.

“Sound Sultan was one of the earliest and most consistent supporters of the NECLive mission – both as a conference participant and as a leading contributor to the development of Nigeria’s entertainment and

creative sectors,” said CEO, ID Africa, Femi Falodun.

Founder, Now Muzik and Chairman of the Organising Committee, Efe Omorogbe also indicated that the event is set to remind the world of the social impact of Sound Sultan.

Born Olanrewaju Fasasi, Sound Sultan died of Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma on July 11.

He was aged 44.

Nollywood Actor Lands Multi-year Contract Renewal with Goldberg Popular Nollywood actor Odunlade Adekola, recently signed a contract renewal as brand ambassador for the top beer brand, Goldberg Lager Beer. The multi-year deal will see Adekola continue in his current role as a chief promoter of the culture and history of the people of the

southwestern region where the beer brand dominates.

According to the Senior Brand Manager, Goldberg, Olaoluwa Babalola, the Goldberg brand extended the ambassadorial deal because of the pivotal role Adekola played in recent years.

“I am sure that Adekola will work

in tandem with the set goals of Goldberg Lager Beer: serving an experience through culture, history, and the best of beer brews.”

Adekola who was joined by friends and loved ones — like DJ Kaywise and comedian Mr Macaroni — to celebrate the deal said the ambassadorial role is a

fulfilling one.

“It feels like being part of something bigger, something that will outlive us all. I have been given another shot at not only experiencing this process unfold but also to be part of it in more ways than that will engage beer lovers.”

super confident of my team.”

For Darey, however, hearing Esther, his talent sing, is magical.

“When she sings, it’s not for the show. It’s just the way she makes you feel.”

He continued: But they have done very well.

Behind the scenes, they work really hard. The sleepless nights, singing the same song over and over, and everybody just gets to see a couple of minutes. They deserve it.”

Falz’s highlight was when Darey stole KPee from him. “I was very pained,” he said jokingly.

Though they are established acts in their rights, the coaches are inspired by the determination of their talents. “It’s just the reassurance that even under pressure, you still have something in you that you can always bring out. I admire that a lot in them. This is a lot of pressure,” said Waje.

With the grand finale barely 24 hours away, Falz is looking forward to spectacular performances from the final six.

“We have been working with them right from the blinds. We’ve seen the growth. It’s been an upward trajectory. They are very close to finished products.”

“They are all ready for the world,” added Darey.

“They have gone through the rigorous process that we have and like an onion, layer upon layer they just keep digging deep and bringing new elements that we never knew they had before.

So we are really looking forward to a solid finale, full of twists and turns, emotional rollercoaster, but they are all winners.”

His Kingdom is Finally Here For a very long while, Kingdom Kroseide was eager to prove to the world that he could sing. Not a few doubted his singing capabilities and almost laughed at him when he told them he taught music. With this mindset, he went into Nigerian Idol season six, determined to show the world that music was his passion.

His dream turned to reality when he was crowned the winner of the sixth season.

Kroseide, a Bayelsan walked away with N50 million worth of prizes.

The accolades have been pouring in since then, and he is still basking at the moment he was announced the winner of the show.

“I keep reminding myself that Kingdom you won Nigerian Idol. It’s more like a driving force and an unforgettable moment.”

The winning song for Kroseide was ‘One Hit’ which he performed with renowned musician Cobhams Asuquo. The performance put him ahead of Francis Atela who dueted with The Voice runner-up, Chike.

Though Atela rendered a lighthearted, enjoyable performance, the minute Kingdom picked up his mic to perform, a real-time poll kicked off in the small crowd backstage that watched the show on an expansive screen, with most of them projecting a win for Kingdom.

Kingdom’s song choice allowed him to display his best vocal

Kroseide

capabilities, leaving no stones unturned.

Although he was focused on winning, Kroseide, like Atela found a family in the competition.

“Akunna was a close friend and Atela was like a brother,” he said.

“I came to the competition with a mindset to win,” said Atela. “But I ended up making friends. I met very kind and talented people in this journey that we all felt like a family.”

With this win, Kroseide who fell in love with music at a young age is ready to show the world his Kingdom sounds.

“I can’t wait to start working on my EP. To hear what people think of my sounds.

It is paramount to me now. A friend called and suggested I travel to Dubai or Seychelles but that’s not what’s exciting me now. I can’t wait to go into the studio, hibernate myself from the general public and create something. That’s my number one goal. Everybody’s eyes are on Kingdom. So I’m looking forward to working with the best producer now to be able to bring Kingdom sounds.”

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WAYC Honours Dr. Funmilayo with Nelson Mandela Leadership Award Chiamaka Ozulumba In recognition of her contributions to humanity, youth empowerment and development in Nigeria, the West Africa Youth Council (WAYC) has presented the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award of Excellence and Integrity, to the MD/CEO, Funmiayinke Nigeria Ltd, Dr. Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo.

Funmilayo, according to a recent statement from WAYC, was considered deserving of the award for her hard work, goal oriented personality, leadership dexterity, integrity and passion for entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

The statement read: “We are gathered here to celebrate achievement, dedication to duty, industriousness and to appreciate and salute and encourage an apostle of posi-

tive change, a lover of youth, education and a philanthropist par excellence.

“We salute the actualisation of your dream in propagating the message of peace, national integration, and human capital development in all areas to the world and your leadership acumen both physically and spiritually to develop and make the world a better place.

“A woman that stands up as first among his equals, a woman that have and still contributing his quota to nation building, humanity and the promotion of youth development, educational system, employment and empowerment of youths which remain the best legacy that can be bequeathed on the children of the common man in any society.”

Speaking with THISDAY after the presentation, the

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Funmiayinke Nigeria Ltd, Dr. Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo, being presented with the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award of Excellence and Integrity West Africa Youth Council (WAYC) recently in Lagos

latest ECOWAS Youth Ambassador, Dr. Funmi, who is also

EddyEguavoenCallsforEntriesforArchitectureCompetition Yinka Olatunbosun Unplanned urbanisation, waste management and pollution are some of the leading challenges confronting Lagos with a population of 21.3 million. Named as the second largest metropolitan area in Africa, after Cairo in Egypt, the recent years had been characterised by government’s efforts to tackle these issues.

In response to this environmental challenge, Architect Eddy Eguavoen Foundation has called for entries that provide architectural solutions to the problem of plastic pollution.

This year’s Voen Foundation Architecture competition is tagged Lagos: Plastic City

Architecture Competition 2021.

According to a statement by the organisers, participants are expected to design creative architectural solutions to plastic pollution in Lagos. The competition is open to students, graduates and young architects around the world, allowing a group of no more than four individuals to submit projects.

“We are not going to limit the scale or type of architecture your design should represent.

The only requirements are that your designs must aim to solve the issue of plastic pollution and must use Lagos, Nigeria as a context. “ Your design is a single house that makes efficient use of recycled or up-cycled plastic, a master plan for a com-

munity that engages in plastic recycling and uses it as their way of generating income or even an industrial building or master plan that presents a creative way to combat plastic pollution,” the announcement read. In 2020, the maiden competition attracted over 100 contestants from across the world. Contestants designed floating housing solutions for communities-in-need, an idea that was inspired by the Makoko Community.

Last year, two members of Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Ladi Lewis and Kayode Anibaba were on the panel of judges alongside Ladi Olatunde, Usman Mohammed, Soye Oni, Debo Adesanya and others.

an engineer by profession, said her first agenda with her new

office would focus on properly orientating African youth to believe in themselves.

According to her, “When the youth have knowledge of who they are, and their abilities, they will believe more in themselves, and then we take it from there.

“I’ll try as much as possible to see how we can educate them, especially our girl child, so they know they also deserve the front sit. “And as to Nigeria as a whole, the vision is to see how we can leverage on this platform as provided by ECOWAS, and influence the government to do more for its citizens, including those in the most interior parts of the country.

“This is the only way we can bring out the best from every Nigerian youth, so they can do more for themselves, get involved in national development, and also give back to the

country.

“Our role as leaders is to ensure the youth enjoy good education by improving on the country’s educational system, infrastructure and the security architecture of the country; in summary, the basic needs of our society.

“I always say this, I poor man automatically is an hungry man. By God’s grace, the goal is to find more ways to empower our people. We will provide more platforms for them to acquire new skills, or even improve on their skill sets.”

She added that her focus would continue to be on agriculture, education, and technical skills which “we know are a quick fix to poverty alleviation. And government must be willing to do more than they are currently doing in these areas,” she said.

Advocating for ‘The Impeccable Driver’ Sunday Ehigiator With an aim of tackling issues associated with driving in Nigeria, Information Technology Expert, and Brand Consultant, Babatunde Ogunsugba has launched a book, ‘The Impeccable Driver’.

In a signed statement by the author, which was recently made available to THISDAY, the book is said to provide practical solutions and techniques to raising exceptional drivers with the right mindset, attitude and work ethics.

According to him, “the Impeccable Driver is a useful resource and tool for every individual who drives and/ or who is driven whether in personal or official capacity.

This invaluable book is interesting to read, easy to understand and simple to apply.”

Ogunsugba said the book was inspired by his years of experience and knowledge of driving, which spans over two decades. “I had an early exposure to driving which led to my knowledge of driving.

However the experience only started much later based on the practical side of things, thorough training and engagement.

“My experience was anchored on the orientation of doing things right and doing them excellently well. I discovered that I treat my car and other road user’s vehicles in a special way. I saw every car like a living being.

“They had to be nurtured,

groomed, cleaned up etc. This created a habit of excellence in me and equally around the things that I do. It was this knowledge that I applied and integrated in the book.”

Ogunsugba said the book was also inspired by the death of professionalism, the poor level of service and performance of drivers, as well as the dissatisfaction of employers by their drivers.

“The profession is witnessing a major crisis in the areas of safety, excellence, competence and skillfulness. All these formed the urge to provide a solution that will serve as an intervention to curb these issues.”

He however expressed optimism, and expects a total shift

As CG Babandede Winds Down in Immigration Toni Akuneme The name Muhammad Babandede MFR, may mean different things to different Immigration Officers both senior and junior but none of them can deny the Jigawa born officer and gentleman, the well deserved accolade with regards to the way and manner he had repositioned the Service in the last five years.

The 11th Comptroller General of Africa’s largest Immigration Service will go down in history as perhaps the best in terms of prudent management of men and materials and also provision of capital projects with a penchant for solid state of the art infrastructures.

As at the last count, Babandede had turned the Sauka, Airport Road Headquarters of the NIS into one huge construction site with asphalted roads criss-crossing the entire space and several buildings dotted on every available land, the climax being the multi level, multi purpose billion naira TECHNOLOGY BUIDING built by the famous Julius Berger company which is indeed a wonder to behold and was commissioned by no less a personality than President Buhari himself few months ago.

Indeed, to many people both within and outside the NIS circle, Muhammad Babandede

MFR, is to Immigration what Governor Zulum is to Borno State or Governor Wike is to River state (Mr Projects). Its is common knowledge that the CGIS has built permanent Command offices in nearly half of the state Commands of the Nigeria Immigration Service nationwide and has challenged all his state Comptrollers to secure a land from their state governors and he will give them a befitting state command office in record time.

No doubt Mr Babandede will be missed by many officers as he is said to be one of the few CGs that brought respect to the Service through his avowed discipline across board and his exemplary conduct and zero tolerance for corruption and laxity. One of his silent but very unique achievements was also his determination to ensure that all officials wore the same shade of uniform each day of the week unlike the practice in the past where some officers turned up in the brown khaki jackets while others turned out in the butter colored tops and the impression for several years was that of a Service that was largely unserious and unworthy of respect from the public whom they served. Even those who criticised him previously based on his perceived preference for infrastructural development to officers’ welfare are fast singing a new song,

as the CG has in the recent past inundated the entire service with a gale of promotions galore across boards.

Infact, most of the officers and men who had hitherto felt stagnated or shortchanged like the set of 1993 cadets who spent eight years as Assistant Superintendents after they were recruited as fresh graduates, are already heaving a sigh of relief and fulfilment as they prepare for rapid progression in view of the numerous vacancies showing up at the top most of which the outgoing CG is looking set to fill before his September 2021 exit date.

Thus, as Babandede winds down after a very active and remarkable 35 years of serving his fatherland the immigration way and another 365 days of extra time granted by the magnanimity of Mr President to enable the CG conclude most of his sweeping reforms and 3D projects like the enhanced e- passport and the Technology Village, many of the personnel have already started to miss the man whom they describe as having a MIDAS TOUCH and everything he touches produces positive outcomes.

Right from his younger days as a Foreign Attachee in the Nigerian Mission in Germany or when he helped to set up the now popular

National Agency for Prohibition in Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), he has continued to attract positive images to the NIS. Not a few officers and men agree that perhaps the greatest parting gift which the CG can give to them is a SMOOTH TRANSITION to another equally intelligent and purposeful Comptroller General who will sustain and possibly surpass the enduring legacies of the retiring CGIS. A lot therefore will depend on the disposition of the outgoing boss whose duty it will be to recommend to the President through the Interior minister who and who are fit in character and record of service, to become the 13th Comptroller General of the most attractive uniform Service in the world. This is a toast to Mr Muhammad Babandede, a true General who knew nothing else than the business of Migration management in the last 36 years.

I truly look forward to seeing you transform seamlessly into either a firsr class traditional ruler in jigawa or indeed a Governor or Senator or minister (of Interior). For sure you are retiring but definitely not TIRED. t"LVOFNF JT B %FQVUZ $PNQUSPMMFS PG *NNJHSBUJPO JO UIF 4FSWJDF )FBERVBSUFST "CVKB

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

Ndidi Dike’s Panoramic View of the Pandemic

ArtTwenty-One showcases the latest collection of Nigeria’s leading female artist, Ndidi Dike which capture the collective experience of quarantine and isolation, globalisation, consumption and market culture in the light of COVID-19 pandemic. YINKA OLATUNBOSUN reports

F

ace masks, goggles, gloves, hand sanitizer and medical valves for vaccines are just a few of the plastic residue that the current global health crisis breeds. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, plastic waste had been one of the concerns of many environmentalists.

During the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, it was noted that up to 12 million tonnes of plastics are being swept into the oceans annually and gyres, also known as ‘islands of plastic’, are evolving.

But for the Nigerian leading female sculptor and multi-disciplinary artist, Ndidi Dike, these obstacles to cleaner earth might as well be raw materials for her art pieces.

As the pandemic enters into its third wave in different parts of the world, Dike unravels a powerful visual commentary on the complexity of humanity and societies under the siege of COVID-19 in her latest solo exhibition. Titled ‘Working Through An Impasse,’ the show opened last Friday at Art21 Gallery, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island Lagos. The works at the show constitute a varied and complex response to challenges brought about by the pandemic.

“Not only did the virus bring the engines of global capitalism to an abrupt halt, it has also eroded the myth of the West’s invincibility,’’ Dike, the 1984 graduate of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka began. Caught in the whirlwind of the lockdown in 2020, she jettisoned the idea of a solo show, recalibrated to parade iconic installations and mixed media pieces that are historical signposts.

“In this new body of work, I respond to the collective experience of quarantine and isolation, inequities surrounding sanitation and health, recent histories of racial and political upheaval, and the exploitation of natural resources and human labour,” she continued.

Remarkably, ‘Taking Stock,’ a plastic-themed installation was made from empty medical valves for vaccines.

A product of the artist’s keen observation of the Lagos Island design and topography, the floor masterpiece visualises urban migration, mass production and interconnectivity.

“The individual effort resembles the mass movement of people and the mass production of therapeutics like I mentioned. It evolved naturally as I was watching how vaccines were being made on automated assembly lines that called to mind the movement of people across the cities all over the world. Even the story behind corona is layered. The narratives are layered so I also want to transfer that into the actual work,’’ she explained, occasionally casting a side glance at the piece.

‘Residues of Provoking Dissents’ projects noticeable decay element that is metaphorical for the nature of the Nigerian state that the series allude to. Dike

Residues of Provoking Dissents

appropriates political posters from various political campaigns trails. For the electorates, the daily realities of poor infrastructure, lack of access to quality healthcare, rise in insecurity amongst others are the ingredients for societal decay. Dike conveyed that sense of decay by aging and manipulating the materials.

In the colourful installation titled, “Building Blocks of Desire and Consumption,” she infuses the Uli colour schemes on fuses, radiator covers, lighters and more.

“I am always referencing natural resources be it cobalt from Congo or oil from Nigeria. A lot of resources that are taken from the continent are fed to the industrial global north and other continent,’’ she remarked. The works are pointers to the concept of resource curse- that is, a situation where naturally-endowed countries lack economic

growth.

With the ‘Quarantine Ward,’ Dike reimagined the quarantine unit as a sober, quiet, lonely place.

“The interesting thing about coronavirus is that it actually exposes the inadequacies of our healthcare system not only in Nigeria but all over the globe,’’ she added.

In a similar way, ‘Luxury of Distance, Empathy and Apathy,’ comprising handwashing plastics attempts to model and reconstruct the history of modern healthcare in Nigeria, focusing on the aesthetics of the era of the 60s and 70s wards and their visual correspondence to contemporary spaces designed for quarantine. The work raises questions about the efficacy of social distance practice, the scarcity of sanitation resources and the inadequacies of local authorities to ensure the health and safety of the nation. The show runs till September 25.

NFVCB,FilmmakersUrgeEffectiveImplementationofAfCFTAAgreementtoProtectFilmIndustry Yinka Olatunbosun The National Film and Video Censor Board (NFVCB), filmmakers and other key players in the Nigerian film industry have called for an effective and systematic implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. This was a major highlight of the gathering of stakeholders including regulators, economic experts as leaders of the various guilds and associations in the Nigerian Film industry designated as Nollywood. At a press briefing held in Lagos last weekend, the Executive Director/CEO of the board, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas said that the forum was organized to address perceived challenges, concerns and suggestions that would form the basis for trade negotiations.

Thomas remarked that stakeholders have the prospect of reshaping the landscape of the film industry as it is the stakeholder’s input that the board would incorporate for submission to NOTN for implementation.

“The Board as the regulator of the film industry has been attending meetings with the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN) to extract inputs for relevant stakeholders to guide the country’s participation in the implementation of these protocols at the continental level. As it relates to the entertainment industry, we will be looking at the real and perceived challenges,

worries and suggestions that would form the basis for a national position in negotiations of the protocols,’’ he said.

Mr. Andy Boyo, National Patron, Actors Guild of Nigeria and Chairman of the roundtable said with the full implementation of the AfCFTA, Nollywood would grow fast when it collaborates with other film industry. He added that films would then have a range of stars and wider reach across the continent to attract foreign direct investments.

“This will lead to more income generation and high rate of return on investment for the investors/producers as opposed to if the income is only from one country,’’ he said.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe (MFR), National President Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and founder, Africa Movie Academic Awards (AMAA) urged the government to protect the rights of film makers. “The regulator must protect us the way other African countries are protecting their actors because if they don’t, it will kill the film industry,’’ she said.

Mr. Victor Okhai, National President, Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) saw the agreement as an opportunity for Nollywood to offer products and services. Okhai added that for the industry to benefit from the agreement, it should ensure that it has visa free entry into the African countries for at least 90days, 120 days or even nine months.

He proposed that customs and immigration

barriers should be lifted across the continent boarders, filmmakers should get temporary employment permit, access to grants and subtle loans, improved networking infrastructure for easy and fast movement to and fro other business destinations within Africa.

Also, Mr. Patrick Lee, Chairman, Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) said that the emergence of the One-African market has offered doors to further showcase Nigerian films to the world. He however called on relevant authorities to ensure that all negations were made in the best interested of the nation’s film industry reputed to be the largest in Africa and second on the global stage. The AfCFTA with its secretariat in Accra, Ghana is a free trade area created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union (AU) nations. The free-trade area is reputed to be the largest in the world in terms of the number of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organisation. The main objectives of the AfCFTA are to create a continental market for goods and services with free movement of people and capital and pave the way for creating a Customs Union. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA), the AfCFTA is projected to lift intra-African trade by as much as 52 per cent by 2022.

NigeriaInt’lBookFair BerthsinVictoriaIsland Yinka Olatunbosun

The 20th edition of the Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) tagged ‘The Hybrid Experience’ is set to change tradition as its venue this year is the prestigious Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The fair had been held in University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba for about two decades. In order to upscale the fair in tangent with the COVID-19 protocols, the organisers are breaking the boundaries to attract wider audience while providing better security, cleaner venue and access to conveniences starting from Monday, July 26.

With the theme ‘Awakening the Giant in Women: For the Growth of the Book Ecosystem,’ the international conference which holds on July 27 will be chaired by the women rights’ activist and Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi.

The next day of the fair will be marked by Mathematics and Spelling Bee Competition, UN SDG Book Club’s presentation and discussion; librarians’ workshop, publishers’ seminar and book reading.

At a recent press briefing held in Lagos last week, the Chairman, Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBTF), Gbadega Adedapo described NIBF as the second-largest international book fair in Africa which is organized in collaboration with stakeholders in the book ecosystem.

“The programmes for the book fair have been carefully put together to harmonise the interest of women, discuss the strategies to empower women in the book value chain for the benefits of all and sundry. It is believed that Africa would take a cue from facts, opinions and working strategies that would be shared at the event,’’ he declared.

Meanwhile, the keynote speaker for the international conference is the President of the International Publishers Association, Geneva, Switzerland, Shiekha Bodour Al-Qasimi. The special guest of honour is the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila while the Executive Governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the Chief Host for the conference and event.

Also, the official tour of the exhibition stands will be conducted by the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu. The latest book by the Secretary General of Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Dr. Wale Okediran will be launched at the book fair. The book titled ‘Madagali’ which was published

by Evans Publishers Pl is set in North-east Nigeria. It x-rays the pathetic nature of Nigeria’s current war against insurgency. The book will be reviewed by Prof. Kayode Soremekun.

The book fair which runs till Thurs July 29 is organized in collaboration with Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN), Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigerian (CIPPON), Reproduction Right Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS).

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Chioma Akpotha: I’m MoreThan just a Face for Crown Premium Pasta Very fewA-List actors have the charisma, intelligence, diligence, level-headedness and pragmatism of Chioma ChukwukaAkpotha. The multiple award-winning actor has endeared herself to Nigerians, particularly the youth, and is well loved. She is seen as a positive role model by many because of her comportment and positive values. Chioma is a wife, a mother, a homemaker, a fitness buff, and healthy-living advocate. It is no surprise, therefore, that an iconic brand like Crown Flour Mill Limited, a subsidiary of Olam Nigeria, chose her as the brand ambassador for its Crown Premium pasta, due to shared values. In this interview with MARY NNAH, this consummate actor of “Sins of the flesh”, movie producer and director, talked about the partnership with CFM, pasta, and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

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but about the experience that comes with it. There is nothing like a taste of something that is etched in your memory forever. For me that’s “Spicy Jollof Pasta”.

Pasta is one of those meals that one can have anytime in the day, i.e., as breakfast, lunch or dinner.

ow do you feel about being in this ‘partnership’ with the Crown Premium Pasta brand and by extension Crown Flour Mill Limited?

Like all other amazing brands under Crown Flour Mill Ltd, Crown Premium Pasta is a great healthy high-quality product made to delight your family. There’s truly nothing greater than getting to be a part of something you truly love and use personally. I’m really excited to be representing Crown Premium Pasta - it’s a delicious family meal, Non-sticky, Great Quality, Healthy with high Protein from Durum Wheat and contains Vitamins and Micronutrients.

When in the day would you rather eat your pasta?

I usually have pasta for lunch or dinner, but I prefer having it as dinner.

You studied Banking and Finance in the University. How did you get into Nollywood?

I enjoyed banking and finance because I like to deal with figures; but I didn’t just connect with it. However, I did it and did it well. It was fun balancing sheets and all of that. I toyed with the idea of juggling a bank job with acting but that never happened.

While I was growing up, I had always tilted towards the arts. Even though I was shy as a child, singing and acting was a medium to express my inner self and bring me joy and inner peace. I was convinced that this was something that I wanted to stick with. Also, the environment I grew up in was the hub for home video producers and actors. So, it was easy for me to make a decision to take up something art-related; even though I wasn’t sure which particular aspect I wanted. I just prayed for direction from God and I am grateful He did and here I am today.

What is it about Crown Premium Pasta that made you feel confident and friendly towards the brand to the extent that you are willing to use your name/ brand to promote it?

Chioma Akpotha is a premium family brand. I share the same DNA with Crown Premium Pasta which is also a premium family brand. It’s just the right fit. I also align with the company whose mission is to provide top quality local products at accessible prices to the Nigerian consumer. For a company that prides itself on providing the nation with nutritious and great tasting flour varieties, I’m glad to be a part of that journey of helping Nigerians see better, know better and eat better.

You have been a brand ambassador to a number of iconic brands. Many may consider this a simple and interesting task, how has your experience been?

The truth is, no two brands are the same.

Being in the public eye, you definitely get a lot of propositions to represent and be a part of so many things but it’s important that you align only with brands that represent your values and that is what Crown Premium Pasta is for me.

In what ways do you think your partnership will bring value to the

Chioma Akpotha is a premium family brand. I share the same DNA with Crown Premium Pasta which is also a premium family brand. It’s just the right fit. I also align with the company whose mission is to provide top quality local products at accessible prices to the Nigerian consumer

Akpotha

brand?

As an ambassador, I am more than just a face for the Crown Premium Pasta brand.

All through my 20+ years in professional career, I have been able to build a premium brand for myself with the love and support of my family, friends and my ever-amazing fans (My Omafam). I will not only embody the brand but also champion its causes because its values align with mine. I truly love how the company combines Consumer Insight from studies of consumer food habits & needs with their Superior Agro-Technological capability to incorporate consumer needs innovations and high quality into all of their products. Communicating through my network all the values and benefits the brand offers will be almost second nature as I identify truly with the brand. I love the quality of this non-sticky, healthy

and nutritious pasta that is priced right for Nigerians even though it is premium.

It’s a win-win for your pockets and your family needs.

As the brand ambassador for Crown Premium Pasta, what message do you have for your teeming fans and followers across the country?

I’ve had the opportunity to eat pasta from some of the best locations around the world and I have to say this has to be right up there with the best of them. We all have had pasta and it’s pretty popular in Nigeria’s but I promise you haven’t eaten anything like Crown Premium pasta.

It’s literally the taste of the world and it’s now within your reach.

Do you eat pasta, if you do, how do you like your pasta prepared?

I believe food is not just about the taste

How has your acting experience been so far?

I had done a couple of dramas and montages for churches when I was younger, but the first major film I did was in 2000 called ‘The Apple’. It was produced by Theodore Anyangi and directed by Lancelot Imasuen. It was quite memorable for me as I was a greenhorn and had to learn on the job. I started learning my camera angles, points where I was supposed to speak, taking a particular scene over and over again. Then by the time I saw my face on the poster of the next film, ‘The Handkerchief’, I was literally blown away seeing my face all over the place. Then more jobs started coming in, the awards and endorsements started rolling in; it’s been very eventful.

What has been your major challenge over the years?

In the beginning, my challenges were just learning on the job. I had to learn very fast - hit the ground running - because I was getting a barrage of scripts with different roles to play. Then of course, there were several other challenges - things as simple as regularly switching roles, acting with more experienced actors, dealing with some people who are not professionals.

Like every other career, each job has its own different challenge. I had to understand that every character, director, set, location and project was different from the next. I give every job the professionalism it requires.

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Celebrating Raheem Adedoyin @60 Ojo Folorunso

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t is yet another day to celebrate Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, the intrepid reporter, prose stylist, editor par excellence and astute political strategist as he turns 60.

Adedoyin,who is fondly called Raheem in professional circles or Oloriewe by his crop of ardent admirers, is unarguably one of Igbomina’s best gift to Nigeran journalism.

While the Diamond Jubilee is a milestone often celebrated to the hilt in this clime, there may be no clinking of glasses this time in celebration of Raheem and this is quite in tune with the sobriety of the times.

Nigeria is certainly not at peace, and the public lecture to honour Raheem is at once a protest at the dire straits this benighted nation state has found itself in and the need for deep introspection on the human condition in the country.

The lecture to be delivered by the quintessential journalist and publisher of Premium Times, Mr Dapo Olorunyomi, is billed for the expansive Banquet Hall in Ilorin while doyen of Nigerian journalism and former governor of Ogun, Aremo Segun Osoba, is chairman of the occasion.

Of course, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq will be there, leading the cult followership of All Progressives Congress foot soldiers who hold Raheem in high esteem.

But so would others from diverse political divides who share deep affection for him.

The Oloriewe of Oro Kingdom and Bobakeye of Agbonda Eku Apaland,all in Kwara deserves all these and even more!

Raheem’s background is a study in resilience, iron clad determination and clarity of vision.

Starting out early in life in the laid back ambience of his Ijomu Oro community, the starry-eyed lad was not in doubt that education offered the ladder to a world of limitless opportunities.

He began his climb on the education ladder at Ansarul Islam Primary School, Ijomu-Oro, in 1967.

Raheem was to later attend the Ansarul Islam Grammar School, Ijomu-Oro, for the West African School Certificate, Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin, for the General Certificate of Education(GCE) Advanced Level and the elite University of Lagos, Akoka, for the B.Sc Mass communication degree.

He also has in the kitty the Masters of Public Administration (MPA) degree of the Lagos State University(LASU),Ojo. While he had a smooth climb up the education ladder, some of the defining moments of his life were, however, to be recorded in the practice of journalism, a profession he dedicated about four decades to serving.

At The Guardian, which prided itself in its “ intellectual journalism,” Raheem was one of the poster boys of the newsroom.

Indeed, it is to his credit that transport reporting became an attractive genre for young and eager reporters and it was no surprise that Raheem was made Transport Editor of the Guardian in record time.

Expectedly, rewards came in torrents and most notable was being pioneer winner of the Lt-General J.T Useni Prize in Transport Reporting at a ceremony attended by the top brass of the Nigerian military, including late military president Sani Abacha, General Oladipo Diya and Useni himself.

He was also an Assistant Editor, deputising for the Editor of the Guardian on Sunday, one of the paper’s leading titles.

In the temptous times of the Sani Abacha era, the late business mogul, Chief Akanni Aluko, had invited Raheem and his firebrand editorial crew from The Guardian to help save his failing Third Eye newspaper titles located in Ibadan, South West Nigeria.

Alhaji Adedoyin

As pioneer Editor Daily of the Third Eye between 1995 and 1996, Raheem worked with his colleagues from the Guardian to change the fortunes of the newspaper titles, thrusting it to the national stage in newspapering.

At The Comet where he was also General Editor, Raheem had the responsibility of coordinating various aspects of the media outfit, especially its business development programmes.

An ingenious rebranding specialist, Raheem was to return to his home state of Kwara to revive yet another moribund newspaper stable, The Herald, working with top media consultants in Taijo Wonukabe and Associates.

As Chief Executive of the Herald titles, Raheem and his editorial team embarked on an ambitious resuscitation programme to breathe life into the media outfit and fortuitously emerging an early innovator in colour printing in the nation’s newspaper industry.

That the state government-owned newspaper is still on the streets is a testament to the structures and processes put in place by the Raheem administration.

A restless soul, Raheem was to turn his attention to politics in the heady days of the Obasanjo administration, pitching his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party.

His first shot at politics was to be elected a national officer of the PDP-- Deputy National Publicity Secretary--at the party’s national convention in Abuja in 2001.

For a fresh entrant, it was an ambitious move, yet Raheem made it! Since then, he had not looked back.

Appointed a member of the Kwara PDP Special Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution and Secretary of the

Publicity Committee of the Obasanjo/ Atiku Presidential Campaign between 2002 and 2003, Raheem played a crucial role on the national stage.

This role was further amplified as Chairman of the PDP State Electoral Panel for Jigawa State and National Delegate to the PDP National Convention in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Although a critical player on the national stage then, Raheem was literarily dragged home and was variously Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs and Commissioner for Education.

In the crisis that engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2015 general elections, Raheem and some other party stalwarts joined the then putative coalition of some four legacy parties that eventually resulted in the APC. Raheem was a delegate to the first national convention of APC in Lagos and the Kwara State Coordinator of the National Committee for Buhari Support Groups (NCBSG) for the 2019 general elections.

While holding his own with stoic comportment in the murky waters of Nigerian politics, Raheem was able to build bridges of alliances and friendships across diverse political divides through his “ politics without bitterness” mantra.

To be sure, Raheem today continues to make seminal interventions in sundry political circles, especially in his home state of Kwara, he, however, remains firmly entrenched in the practice of journalism, especially in promoting the activities of the prestigious Nigerian Guild of Editors and the International Press Institute(IPI) in particular to which he has devoted much of his energy.

Raheem, who is the longest serving Secretary of IPI and headed the institute’s Secretariat for the hugely successful 2018 World Congress and General Assembly in Abuja , Nigeria, is a regular delegate at the World Congresses and other events.

This representative of Nigeria at the inaugural meeting of IPI National Committees in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2011, has been involved in IPI Advocacy activities, including an IPI Mission to Zambia, in 2010.

A widely travelled journalist, who had traversed countries such as the U.S, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, The Netherlands, Finland, South Africa, United Arab Emirate, Poland, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Zambia, Russia, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya and Benin Republic, Raheem is also deploying much of his wide network of contacts and reach toward growing the Nigerian chapter of IPI. Only last year, he was elected into the highest echelon of IPI, the IPI Executive Board, representing Nigeria and Africa.

Apart from producing the glossy “The Icon” Magazine, Raheem is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Londonbased but continental operational African Leadership Magazine and one if its leading contributors.

Steeped in the very art of intellectual journalism, Raheem is also giving back to the profession. He is a regular face at the University of Ilorin where he teaches some mass communication courses for free.

As Raheem marks his 21,915 days on mother earth, this is to wish him many more years of self rediscovery. Happy birthday sir! t0KP XSJUFT GSPN "CVKB

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POLSCOPE

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áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

The Things That Annoy the Southerners

here is no doubt that there is tension in the polity. Much of the tension derives from the reluctance or outright failure of the federal government to accede to the clamour for restructuring. If there was any hope left that the polity could be restructured soon, it was dashed few weeks ago, when President Muhammadu Buhari declared that there is nothing to restructure.

But that is like a complete reversal of the disposition of the government. The APC-led federal government had set up the Restructuring committee headed by the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. The committee submitted its report on what and how to restructure in the polity in February 2018. More than four years after, the government has not had the will power to implement what it commissioned.

It is also true that the loudest agitation for restructuring comes from the Southern part of Nigeria.

This is not for nothing. Many of the southerners believe that the Buhari administration is overtly skewed in favour of the North, where he comes from, while the Southern part is practically left in the cold or served the dregs and left-over of democracy dividends It is equally true that the quest for restructuring was not as loud as it is today, especially in the days of previous administrations. Some pundits say it is because previous administrations were sensitive in ensuring a fair distribution of government’s privileges and largesse in a way that almost all parts of the country had a fair sense of belonging. But the Buhari administration seems to have cared less about the quest for such geo-political balancing, and this has inadvertently fueled the clamour for restructuring.

According to the agitators, if and when the country restructures, there will be a redistribution of wealth in accordance with the ethos of natural justice. The Niger Delta agitators, for instance, believe that restructuring the polity will see them virtually controlling their resources in such a way that they will merely be paying taxes and royalties to the federal government. That way, they can sufficiently deploy their resources to the growth and development of their region, and free the region from the grip of poverty and under development.

However, those who argue against this perspective are wont to ask how well the oil-bearing states have been able to meaningfully use their 14 per cent derivation fund in the development of their various states.

Perhaps, it is the fear of the fiscal consequences of the restructuring that has made the federal government to develop cold feet on the matter.

But beyond the controversy of resource control, which the federal government does not want to concede, are the various other sore points in the relationship between the Federal Government and Southern agitators. Some of the issues include, but limited to: Top jobs going to the north Many have accused President Buhari of unbridled nepotism. This derives largely from his appointments. He does not seem to care a hoot about the requirement of the Federal Character Commission, which basically advocates a fair distribution of federal appointments The examples of nepotistic appointments abound so glaringly across board in the country. Until recently, and for over six years, for instance, all the service chiefs, save one, were all from only one section of the country—the north.

Heads of prized government agencies and parastatals including the Police, DSS, Army, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, NPA, NIMASA, Federal Character Commission, RAMFAC, NNPC, DPR, FIRS, etc. etc., are all northerners, and predominantly of the Fulani stock.

It is the fear of such i-don’t-care dominance by a certain section of the country that further fuels the fear that even the 2023 election will not be free and fair. The tension being generated by the vote against the non-electronic transmission of election

Buhari

Malami

results is just a manifestation of such suspicion, if nNorth’s Unfair Waivers and Concessions This is one sore area that irks people from the south. The concessions and waivers granted people from the northern part of the country are huge, most times to the detriment of people from the Southern part of the country.

The argument is that some waivers have to be introduced to avoid one section of the country over-running federal facilities etc.

I recently read the very brilliant write up of the former Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on the position of northern students in the 70’s over the removal of feeding subsidy in Nigerian universities: how he, along with some northern students teamed up with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to oppose the increment of meal ticket in Nigerian universities, even though majority of the northern students were under various forms of scholarship, while majority (if not all) of the students from the south were self-sponsored. So, how come northern students had scholarship while southern students did not? That’s story for another day.

But that is not all. Few weeks ago, I saw the cut-off mark released (is it) by Federal Ministry of Education on children who wrote National Common Entrance Examination, seeking admission to Federal Government colleges. There was one scheme and syllabus for all Nigerian children, whether they are from the south, east, west or north. The children wrote the examination same day under the same condition of timing, Test and Measurement parameters etc. When results are released, the cut-off marks became different. While the candidates from Abia State, for instance, are expected to score as high as 130 to get admitted into any of the federal Government Colleges, the candidate from Jigawa would need just 44, Yes, 44 or even 2 (for a male candidate from Yobe or Zamfara States) to get admitted into the same school where an Imo-state candidate who scores 135 may not be admitted, all in the name of educationallyadvantaged state and educationally-disadvantaged state. What kind of double standard is that? Little wonder they (northern students) would be the ones

that would publicly write: “You Feeds Us at School and You Feeds Our Fathers…”, even before Mr President, at the Sallah rally last Tuesday in Daura!

How can we truly preach the gospel of one united country in the face of such wicked and discriminatory policy? How can the Delta born child forgive a system that denies him or her admission on account of coming from Delta State, yet grants admission to a child with far lower score than his or hers, just because he or she comes from Gombe State, for instance?

What is worse, it is the children who enjoy these unfair parities that rise even far much faster in Civil service than their southern counterparts.

That explains why today, we have more Judges in the nation’s judicial system of people from the north, essentially because they do not go through the competitive rigour their southern contemporaries go through in climbing their career ladder.

Many really wonder how long this disparity of educationally-advantaged states and educationallydisadvantaged states will continue to polarize standards in the Nigerian educational system.

Under Age Voting At Elections--- The practice of allowing under-aged voters in the northern part of the country had become so aged that it hardly counts as an electoral oddity anymore.

As a Political reporter, I had covered elections in virtually all parts of the country, including the north. There is no argument about the fact that during elections, under-aged minors (sometimes as little as eight year olds) are verily accommodated on the queues, all with their voter’s cards. Nobody challenges them. Not even the law enforcement agencies or Electoral officers dare raise an eyebrow.

They are all jolly well allowed to vote. Their votes count. Yes, the north has huge population, but the voting figures that come from the north are somewhat wild, making some people to wonder (if not allege) if cows and goats are not counted along with human voters.

Such waiver hardly takes place in the Southern part of the country. Even if does happen, it is not with such brazenness as it happens in the north.

Security agencies and Electoral officers down south are far more vicious in ensuring compli-

ance with electoral rules and guidelines than it happens up north. These are hardly spoken about inequalities.

Unfair Political Skewing Perhaps, more than any other factor, the issue of unfair political skewing irks Southerners to no end.

Maybe, it can be argued that the northerners are not to blame for the cartographical inequality of the Nigerian map, as drawn by the colonial masters.

While the north has 19 states, the south has 17.

Yet, the political gladiators, over the years, have unwittingly established the ratio.

I had cited, in previous articles, for instance, of how the South East is under-served by giving them only five states in their geo-political zone (even when the late Dr Alex Ekwueme supervised that geo-political allotment in the country), while all other geo-political zones have six states with the North west even having seven states.

Even then, the skew is huge. Until August 1991, the present Jigawa State was part of Kano State.

While old Kano State got split, Imo State largely remained what it was.

Today, while the duo of Kano and Jigawa States have a total of 82 LGAs, the entire five South Eastern states have just 95 LGAs. What that means is that the two states of Kano and Jigawa will draw almost the same amount of resources from the federation account as the entire five south eastern states.

What is more, in terms of representation at the National Assembly, Jigawa and Kano States would have more representations than about four states of the South East.

That explains why at almost all times, when it comes to voting, the northern lawmakers would always have their way, as they would always overwhelm the south, no matter how cohesive the south may be. The modifications on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and even the Electoral Amendment Bill are very clear and present examples.

In all, Nigeria will witness less agitation if and when leaders spare a thought for all. Both parts of the country: north and south should enjoy fair and equal treatment, no matter which of the sections produced the sitting president.

The Arrest of Sunday Igboho Twenty days after his Ibadan home was raided by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic last Sunday, as he was about fleeing to Germany along with his wife. He was de-boarded from the Germany-bound plane.

He had been under the searchlight of security operatives in Nigeria, for calling for Yoruba Nation. He is being accused of a separatist tendency.

His lawyers had indicated that they had filed for asylum for him before his arrest.

With his arrest, it is assumed that the two

main “troublemakers”—Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho have been tamed and caged; the one arrested in Kenya and the other in Cotonou.

What that means is that the government has the capacity to trace and track down anyone troubling the peace of the nation.

So the question is : If the government can show such security dexterity that stretches even beyond this country, and make a good success of it, why has it been difficult tracking gown the bandits that have been harassing and even killing our people all over the country?

After the fiesta of kidnapping school

children, the bandits have now scaled up to kidnapping traditional rulers, even from their palaces. Last Wednesday, the mother of the Secretary to the Bayelsa State government, was kidnapped, for the second time. What device or skilled instrumentations is being used to track down ethnic agitators even outside the country, that doesn’t work for crass criminals in Nigeria? Or is the rumour that government knows those behind these acts of banditry to be believed?

Let what is good for the goose be made good also for the ganders. Nigerians are tired of these double standards in every

Sunday Igboho

38

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͱ˜ 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

PTAD Pays Pension Increment Arrears to Beneficiaries James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr. Chioma Ejikeme has said that the directorate had commenced payment of an additional nine months of consequential adjustment arrears occasioned by the new minimum wage increase of 2019 to pensioners.

She said the beneficiaries included pensioners of the civil service pension department including six months of the same arrears to parastatals, police, customs, immigration and prisons department.

The PTAD boss further explained that the development brought the arrears paid to pensioners so far to a total of 18 months out of the 24 months

arrears of the pension increment.

The directorate had in May this year, implemented the consequential adjustment on pensions as a result of the minimum wage increment of 2019 and commenced payment of arrears to pensioners of the four operational departments as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The civil service pensioners were paid nine months of the arrears while parastatals, police and customs, immigration and prisons pensioners were paid 12 monhs arrears in May. With the payment, each of the pensioners in the four operational departments would have a balance of 6 months arrears left to be defrayed. The ES in a statement, pointed out that the payment was to further support pensioners

under the defined benefit scheme (DBS) particularly during festive period of the celebration of this year’s Eid el Kabir.

While wishing all Muslim Pensioners a Happy Eid El Kabir, she promised to continue to support and promote the welfare of the senior citizens in accordance with the mandate of the directorate.

Earlier in June, Ejikeme had announced that the directorate had received the sum of £26.51 million, which was repatriated from the United Kingdom.

She explained that the pension funds had hitherto been under investment with Crown Agents Investment Management Limited based in the UK. The ES said the funds will be used to settle part of the accrued arrears owed to its pensioners worth over N120 billion.

‘Market Formation Framework Key to Development of Solid Mineral Sector’ The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo has said that market formation framework is the key to optimally exploit Nigeria’s precious metal and solid minerals endowments.

He disclosed this during a webinar organised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development with the theme, “Financing the Solid Minerals Sector through the Capital Market and the Critical Role of Commodity Exchanges.”

Sekibo explained that a fully established market formation process that would lead to having a Corporation as an integrated solid mineral institution like NNPC which allows the collateralisation of assets that banks can rely on for alternative funding options.

According to him, this will guarantee other creative ways of raising funds for financing commercial activities relating to solid minerals and viable projects

along its value chain.

Sekibo who was represented by the Divisional Head, Strategy and Business Solutions, of the Bank, Olusegun Akanji, said for the sector to be viable, it requires lots of converged government interventions because for any development focused sector to kick-off around the world, it needs government intervention to lay the foundation for the private sector and funders to step-in and pool their resources.

“Once, we can collateralise these assets, whether they are under the ground or being determined, you use different instruments to bring liquidity into them. Then investors will follow up once we have established there is enough they can explore.” the MD stated.

He further suggested that finance sector regulators need to expand its Prudential Guidelines to accommodate the instruments such that precious metal backed or solid minerals backed assets could qualify as part of the

computation of liquidity ratios.

“Once banks start injecting their resources, customers would certainly follow that trend. You can start arranging for sophisticated solutions like bonds, bullion backed assets and pension notes. Again, banks will have to be poised to hold the funding that comes from this sector; that way, they can open new transactional frontiers either locally or internationally.

“At the base of this, are the issues of pricing and integrity of the market. Once banks play in that sector and we have a government institution like the NNPC type to hold all these documentations, it would be very easy to establish price discovery on an ongoing basis. This will in turn attract international funders, hedge funds and retail investors. Today, we have retail bonds in the same way; we can have gold backed or any of the solid mineral assets where retail investors can put in the funds,” Sekibo explained.

Microsoft Tops Brands with Most Phishing Attacks in Q2 2021 Emma Okonji Check Point Research, the Threat Intelligence arm of Check Point Software Technologies Limited, a global provider of cybersecurity solutions, has published its new Brand Phishing Report for Q2 202, highlighting the brands that were most frequently imitated by hackers in their attempts to steal individuals’ personal information or payment credentials during April, May and June 2021.

According to the report, Microsoft topped the list of brands that were most frequently targeted by cybercriminals, in Q1 and Q2 2021, and Q4 2020, despite its warning of a new Russian Nobelium phishing campaign during the period.

The report said 45 per cent of all brand phishing attempts were related to Microsoft in Q2, which were up six points from Q1. It further said shipping company, DHL, maintained its position as the second most impersonated brand, with 26 per cent of all phishing attempts related to it, as hackers continue to take advantage of the growing reliance

on online shopping.

The report listed phishing attacks on other brands to include: Amazon (11%), Bestbuy (4%), Google (3%), LinkedIn (3%), Dropbox (1%), Chase (1%), Apple (1%) and Paypal (0.5%).

The Check Point latest report also revealed that the technology industry remained the most targeted by brand phishing, followed by shipping and retail. In Q1 2021, retail was interestingly overtaken in the list by banking, but it has now reclaimed its position in the top three possibly owing to the likes of the Amazon Prime Day sales, according to the report.

Analysing the report, Data Research Group Manager at Check Point Software, Omer Dembinsky, said: “Cybercriminals are continually increasing their attempts to steal peoples’ personal data by impersonating leading brands. In fact, in the run up to Amazon Prime Day in Q2, more than 2,300 new domains were registered about Amazon.

“Unfortunately, it’s the human element that often fails to pick

up on misspelled domains or suspicious texts and emails, and as such, cybercriminals continue to impersonate trusted brands to dupe people into giving up their personal information. In Q2, we also witnessed a global surge in ransomware attacks which are often spread initially through phishing emails containing malicious attachments. As always, we encourage users to be cautious when divulging their data, and to think twice before opening email attachments or links, especially emails that claim to be from companies such as Amazon, Microsoft or DHL as they are the most likely to be imitated.”

In a brand phishing attack, hackers try to impersonate the official website of a well-known brand by using a similar domain name or URL and web-page design to the genuine site. The link to the fake website can be sent to targeted individuals by email or text message, a user can be redirected during web browsing, or it may be triggered from a fraudulent mobile application.

L - R: Group Managing Director/Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) Plc, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema; Past President, NSE and Chairman, Coronation Capital, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Chief Executive Officer, NGX Regulation (NGX RegCo), Ms. Tinuade Awe during a condolence visit to Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede, to commiserate with his family on the death of his mother Mrs. Emily Aig-Imoukhuede in Lagos recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ ͯͳ ͰͮͰͯ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $73.15 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $75.29 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

39

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͱ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

CAP Plc Targets 25% of Nigeria’s Market Share in Five Years Peter Uzoho CAP Plc, a paint and allied products manufacturing giant that emerged from the merger of two subsidiaries of UAC Plc -Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc and Portland Paints and Products Nigeria Plc, has indicated its plan to achieve 25 per cent market share of the Nigerian paint industry in the next three to five years.

The Managing Director of

CAP Plc, Mr. David Wright, disclosed this in Lagos yesterday at an interactive session between the company’s management and journalists, adding that the two companies wanted to create a single company that would be formidable and dominant in the market.

Wright said the transaction for the merger of both companies had been in the works for more than one year, noting that executing the merger would

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

give rise to Nigeria’s biggest paint and chemical company by market capitalisation.

The company had stated in January this year that the proposed merger presented a compelling opportunity to create significant value for shareholders of CAP and achieve the company’s strategic growth objectives as a larger company with a broader product portfolio, more corporate-owned brands and diversified revenues.

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

It had also added that the deal would position the business to leverage the combined market shares and influence of the firms in delivering better shareholder’s value while pooling their assets together towards this end.

However, reinforcing the aspiration of the two companies in the merger, the CEO explained: “CAP has about 11 to 12 per cent market and we think Portland was number four

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

in the market with about three per cent market.

“So, when you bring the two together, we have 15 per cent market share as of when the merger was first put into place, and that makes us clear leaders in terms of turnover, and our aim is really to push that up. I would like to say, we will get up to 25 per cent market share within the next three to five years...

“The move for the merger has

O F

been in the process over a year ago. One of the reasons why we were asked to join was because we wanted to grow the business aggressively both organically and via acquisition.

“The logic that UAC had two paint companies seemed to be strange. So, the first obvious thing is to bring those two paint companies together which was when we announced that we were looking to merge the two businesses.”

2 2 / 0 7 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

40

FRIDAY JULY 23, 2021 • T H I S DAY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 19Jul-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 156.18 157.73 -3.46% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 4.81% Nigeria International Debt Fund 316.70 316.70 -21.50% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 111.29 111.29 -0.72% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.31% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.26 3.42 -4.13% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 4.51% Anchoria Equity Fund 134.18 135.71 0.88% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.09 1.09 -17.80% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Eurobond Fund ($) N/A N/A N/A ARM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 105.27 105.27 3.50% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,010.48 1,010.48 1.05% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) N/A N/A N/A CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.24% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 117.51 118.25 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 107.26 107.26 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.70% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.18 1.19 -1.73% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.36 1.36 -14.12% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 6.23% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 3.61% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,131.18 1,144.69 -1.84% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Halal Fund 111.32 111.32 8.20% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.38% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

126.21 157.07

126.21 3.58% 159.24 3.90% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.96 1.57 1.18

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 4.85% 3.96 2.26% 1.60 3.16% 1.18 3.87% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 3,681.72 3,358.16 100.00

Offer Price 3,733.15 3,358.16 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn -1.70% 2.50% 5.57%

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.55% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.89 2.96 1.29% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 151.49 151.77 -2.58% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.27% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.09 1.09 0.32% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.41 1.43 3.47% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,136.22 1,136.22 4.69% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.4370 11.55 9.84% 10.00 Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 8.18%

PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.63 1.67 7.28% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.61 11.66 -4.33% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.80% PACAM Equity Fund 1.63 1.64 3.07% PACAM EuroBond Fund 112.24 113.95 2.12% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 132.76 135.04 9.69% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 10.11% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,258.69 3,290.60 1.42% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 231.45 231.45 2.94% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.21 1.23 3.39% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 304.51 304.51 3.34% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 220.67 223.98 1.12% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.64% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,302.07 10,447.56 -1.84% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.26 1.26 3.04% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 114.84 114.84 3.38% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 102.42 102.42 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.29 1.31 1.05% United Capital Bond Fund 1.90 1.90 3.61% United Capital Equity Fund 0.86 0.88 8.39% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.74% United Capital Eurobond Fund 119.08 119.08 4.03% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.04 1.06 2.55% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.06 1.06 5.69% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.89 13.00 8.58% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.16 14.29 15.92% Zenith Income Fund 24.21 24.21 0.96% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.25%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.53 51.79

10.25% 2.65%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.27

13.37

0.41%

125.83 99.22 18.04 18.15

128.85 101.33 18.14 18.25

4.60% -0.02%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund

SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.94 5.91 17.38 1.00 19.14 150.52

3.98 5.99 17.48 1.00 19.34 152.52

4.28% 3.76% 7.11% 5.23% -6.70% -31.25%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.52

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

FRIDAY, ͺͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

41

NEWS

1.7 Million Children Living With HIV Missed Treatment in 2020, Says UNAIDS Female HIV infection rate declines Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has said almost half of the world’s 1.7 million children living with HIV (46%) did not get treatment in 2020.

It also said 150, 000 children were newly infected with HIV, four times more than the 2020 target of 40, 000.

In the final report from the "Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free" initiative, UNAIDS and partners warned that progress towards ending AIDS among children, adolescents and young women has stalled and none of the targets for 2020 were met.

It added that the new report revealed stark inequalities in access to HIV prevention and treatment services for children.

In a joint press statement issued in Geneva, Switzerland on July 21, by UNAIDS and partners, it said the new report

showed that "the total number of children on treatment declined for the first time, despite the fact that nearly 800 000 children living with HIV were currently not on treatment.

"It also shows that opportunities to identify infants and young children living with HIV early are being missed – more than one third of children born to mothers living with HIV were not tested.

If untreated, around 50% of children living with HIV die before they reach their second birthday," it said.

According to UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Shannon Hader, the initiatives for families and children to prevent vertical transmission and to eliminate children dying of AIDS started 20 years ago but despite early and dramatic progress, despite more tools and knowledge than ever before,

children are falling way behind adults and way behind.

“The inequalities are striking—children are nearly 40% less likely than adults to be on life-saving treatment (54% of children versus 74% of adults), and account for a disproportionate number of deaths (just 5% of all people living with HIV are children, but children account for 15% of all AIDS-related deaths).

This is about children’s right to health and healthy lives, their value in our societies. It’s time to reactivate on all fronts—we need the leadership, activism, and investments to do what’s right for kids," he said.

The UNAIDS report said, 11 countries account for nearly 70% of the “missing children”—those living with HIV but not on treatment, adding that there was a 24% decline in new HIV infections among children from 2015 to

2020 in focus countries versus a 20% decline globally.

“Focus countries also achieved 89% treatment coverage for pregnant women living with HIV, compared to 85% globally, but still short of the target of 95%, and there were huge differences between countries. For example, Botswana achieved 100% treatment coverage, yet the Democratic Republic of Congo only reached 39%.

“While we are deeply distressed by the global paediatric HIV shortfalls, we are also encouraged by the fact that we largely have the tools we need to change this,” said Angeli Achrekar, Acting United States Global AIDS Coordinator, who added: “So, let this report be a call to action to challenge complacency and to work tirelessly to close the gap.

"The report outlines three

actions necessary to end new HIV infections among children in the focus countries. First, reach pregnant women with testing and treatment as early as possible—66 000 new HIV infections occurred among children, because their mothers did not receive treatment at all during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

"Second, ensure the continuity of treatment and viral suppression during pregnancy, breastfeeding and for life—38 000 children became newly infected with HIV because their mothers were not continued in care during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Third, prevent new HIV infections among women, who are pregnant and breastfeeding—35 000 new infections among children occurred because a woman became newly infected with HIV during pregnancy or

breastfeeding.”

Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free is a five-year framework that began in 2015, following on from the hugely successful Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.

It called for a super FastTrack approach to ensure that every child has an HIV-free beginning, that they stay HIVfree through adolescence and that every child and adolescent living with HIV has access to antiretroviral therapy.

The approach intensified focus on 23 countries, 21 of which were in Africa, that accounted for 83% of the global number of pregnant women living with HIV, 80% of children living with HIV and 78% of young women aged 15–24 years newly infected with HIV.

BOOSTING FIGHT AGAINST INSURGENCY...

L-R: Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya; Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (Rtd); and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, during the unveiling of the Nigerian flag on Super Tucano aircraft...recently

Okowa, Uduaghan, Ibori, Others Bid Farewell to Utuama’s Wife Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba and Sylvester Idowu in Warri Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and wife, his predecessors, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and wife as well as Chief James Ibori, were among the dignitaries, who bade Mrs. Tuwere Nelly Utuama, wife of the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Professor Amos Utuama, a final goodbye as she was committed to mother earth.

Other personalities at the funeral included Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Senator James Manager, wife of the President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Mrs Taiga, and a host of others.

The remains of Mrs. Utuama

were interred at her husband’s hometown of Otughievwen in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.

Mrs. Utuama, 65, died earlier this year after a brief illness in Warri. She hailed from Otukutu in Ughievwen Kingdom, Ughelli South LGA of the state.

Her husband, Professor Utuama, was former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s deputy between 2007 and 2015.

Utuama was also Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under the Chief James Ibori administration between 1999 and 2007.

Among dignitaries at the church service were Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and wife, former Governor Emmanuel

Uduaghan and wife, Chief James Ibori, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Senator James Manager, wife of the President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Mrs. Taiga, and a host of others.

Speaking at the church service, Okowa, described the death of Mrs. Utuama as shocking and a big loss to the Utuama’s family and the state as a whole.

The governor said the deceased was a committed Christian, who spent her time serving God and also contributed to the development of her communities and the state through her support to her husband, both as deputy governor and commissioner.

He commiserated with the

deceased’s husband, Prof.

Utuama, her children and the people of Otukutu community for the loss, saying it was only God that could fill the vacuum created by her passage.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I again condole with the family of Prof. Amos Utuama on the demise of his wife, Dr. Tuwere Nelly Utuama.

“When we heard about her death, it was very painful to us, because she was very close to God and I had seen the family commit to building for God. “I feel very fulfilled that she put her faith to practice, because Prof. Utuama couldn’t have done all he did for the church and humanity without the assistance of his beloved

wife”, Okowa said.

Okowa, however, assured the family that his administration would support and fulfil the deceased’s development desire for her people in Otokutu community, which she was passionate about until her death.

Earlier, eldest child of the deceased, Mrs. Fejiro Utuama Smooth, described her late mum as a kind and trustworthy mother, wife and sister, whom, she said was committed to God’s work.

In his homily, Catholic Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese, Most Rev. (Dr.) Michael Elue, urged Christians to work for God, when they still have the opportunity as the late Mrs. Utuama worked for the growth and development of the church.

While condoling with the deceased’s family, Bisho Elue, said the hope of the resurrection morning promised by Jesus Christ has been guiding principle of every Christian in every assigned duty on earth.

According to him, the late Utuama was a good woman and true Christian, who spent her time actively involved in God’s works especially, in the famous Catholic Women Organisation (CWO).

The burial ceremony was also attended by the State PDP Chairman, Olorogun Kingsley Esiso; Secretary to the Delta State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah; Prof.

GG Darah, Hon. Peter Mrakporand David Ekuetafia among others.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021

NEWSXTRA

Atiku Group: Electronic Transfer of Elections Possible Chuks Okocha in Abuja A group, Atiku Support Organisation (ASO), has said a real-time electronic transmission of election results is 100 per cent possible in Nigeria, contrary to the position of the“transparent election-phobic All Progressives Congress (APC)led Senate.”

The group canvassed the argument in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. El Mo Victor.

In the statement titled: ‘With a 98 percent tele-density rate and over 80 percent MTN Nigeria

3G broadband coverage, real-time e-transmission of election results is 100 percent possible’, the group claimed that the data from the National Communications Commission (NCC) website contradicts the ‘outdated’ information presented by the NCC head of technical team to the House of Representatives.

It stated that: “the current figure, which the NCC technical team mischievously conceals to mislead Nigerians shows that the tele-density rate in Nigeria as of May 2021 is 98 per cent.

“For every 100 inhabitants in

an area, at least one person is actively connected to a network through a mobile phone or other devices, thus proving the presence of a network service.

“It may display either of the following alphanumeric characters

like 2G (GPRS), E (EDGE), 3G, H, H+, 4G/LTE among others enough to access the internet.

“In the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025, which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the

Communication Minister, Dr. Isa Pantami, on March 10, 2020, the NCC stated on page 16 of the document that Nigeria has achieved 74 per cent 3G coverage of the entire country as of March 2020.

“This is contrary to the outdated 50 per cent misleading figure presented by the NCC and some Nigerian senators, including Senator Ali Ndume and others, who see electoral transparency as a threat.

Fake Custom Officer Jailed 20years for Employment Scam in Kwara Hammed Shittu in Ilorin A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, yesterday, sentenced a self-styled custom officer, Mr. Yakubu Azeez Afolayan, to 20 years imprisonment for impersonation and job scam.

The convict was allegedly parading himself as a custom officer and fraudulently swindled a number of unsuspecting job seekers under the guise of helping them secure employment into the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), before the long arm of law caught up with him.

The 34 year-old Yakubu, who hailed from Share in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, was arraigned on March 14, 2019, on four-count charges by the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission (EFCC).

One of the charges reads: “That you, Yakubu Azeez Afolayan, between the months of November 2018 and January 2019 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with the intent to defraud, obtained the gross sum of N267,000 (Two Hundred and Sixty-seven Thousand Naira) only from one Usman Janet Opeyemi through your UBA account number under the false presence that you are capable of securing employment for her son with the NCS; the representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.” But Yakubu pleaded not guilty to the counts thereby setting stage for full trial.

Agency, Academy Partner to Boost Livestock Business Sequel to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently, between Premier Agribusiness Academy (PAA) and Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) towards capacity development of livestock farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain, the Registrar/CEO, NIAS, Professor Eustace Ayemere Iyayi, has expressed optimism that the collaboration will soon begin to yield positive results.

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists, Prof.

Iyayi said the purpose of the MoU was to create a convergence between what NIAS does as a government agency purposely for the regulation of the animal husbandry industry which includes training and development of stakeholders in the livestock value chain.

According to him, while NIAS has the repository of the expert body, it is not oblivious of the need for a recognized, professional training institute like PAA to help drive its livestock development agenda, consequent to the market development knowledge and skills acquired by the academy over the years.

He said: “We expect that with our collaboration with PAA, there will be an upliftment in the skill acquisition of all those that are connected with livestock production. We are very hopeful that the knowledge that will be acquired through the trainings that will take place, will help sharpen our skills and upscale livestock businesses across the value chain, resulting in higher productivity and profitability of livestock businesses.”

WE SHARE YOUR GRIEFS… L-R: Enugu State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs. Mabel Agbo; wife of one of the police officers killed by yet-to-be identified gunmen, Mrs. Janet Okuma; and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, when the governor paid a condolence visit to the family of the slain police officer at his residence, at Ugbo Odogwu, off Trans Ekulu, Enugu…yesterday

Obaseki Pledges Increased Support for Security Agencies in Edo Oluchi Chibuzor The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has promised that his government will continue to partner with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and other security outfits in the state to ensure the protection of lives and property of citizens.

A statement yesterday quoted Obaseki to have given the assurance when he received the Edo State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Aniekan Udoeyup, who was on a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin City.

According to the governor, “I will continue to help you advocate to the federal government to support you with more funding to

enable you and your men function optimally. They should be able to do more for you; we will notify them of the good work you are doing and the need to increase funding for you to support your activities.”

He added: “For us, we will continue to do all we can to support and encourage you; we cannot promise you that we can

meet up with all your demands, as we have our own constraints as a state.

“I want to assure you that we will continue to work with your command. Let’s note that we are a small state with a lot of challenges security-wise; it is almost going to be impossible to bear the burden of federal security agencies.”

Local Govt Elections: Lagos Restricts Movement UK Envoy calls for peaceful polls Segun James The Lagos State Government has announced restriction of movement across the state between the hours of 8a.m and 3p.m on Saturday, July 24, 2021 to enable the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) conduct a hitch-free elections into positions

of Chairmen and Councillors in all the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.

According to the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, “The restriction will facilitate the ease of movement of the electorate, election materials and LASIEC officials for the sanctity of the election, effective monitoring

and enhanced security.”

He, however, urged “all eligible voters to participate in the elections, which require the cooperation of all residents.”

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom (UK) Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, has called for a peaceful and credible electoral process in elections.

The UK Deputy High Commissioner, was quoted in a statement to have spoke with the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Alade Balogun and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Chairman, Deji Doherty, on Wednesday 21 July about the importance of a free, fair, credible and peaceful elections process.

Nasarawa APC Suspends Commissioner over Insubordination Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The Leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nassarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State has suspended the state’s Commissioner for Lands and

Survey, Dr. Salihu Alizaga, over alleged insubordination to the party in the area.

The Nassarawa Eggon Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC, Mr. Malle Moses, announced Alizaga’s suspension after constituting a seven man committee to investigate the

allegations that were leveled against the commissioner by the APC leadership of Nassarawa Eggon/Alizaga ward.

Moses said that the suspension of the commissioner would pave way for thorough investigation into his alleged insubordination to party’s leadership in his ward.

He said: “As you can see, we have received formal complaint/ petition against Hon. Dr. Ahmed Salihu Alizaga from the APC leadership of Nassarawa Eggon/ Alizaga ward; that is his ward. We have decided to constitute a seven man committee to investigate the allegation leveled against

the commissioner by the party leadership of his ward.

“It is in view of this that we the leadership of the party at the local government level decided to suspend the commissioner pending the outcome of the investigation on his alleged insubordination.”

He, therefore, urged the committee to do a thorough investigation in the interest of the party and for the overall development of the country, even as he also urged stakeholders of the party to work in unity in order to take the party to the greater height.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021

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Buhari: Security Situation in North East, South South Much Better Now Than Before 2015 Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday did an overview of the security situation in some parts of the country since his assumption of office six years ago saying security has improved considerably in both the North East and South South geo-political zones as against what was obtainable before 2015.

The President, according to a release issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, spoke in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State while playing host to some governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressed that the security situation had improved compared to the instability in the North East before 2015, and the South South,

where some parts of the North were directly under the control of terrorists, while the South was facing serious challenges.

He said: “The subsequent development in the North West is the most amazing, where people who lived together, spoke same language and shared common faith started killing each other and rustling cows.

“I had to change the security chiefs and we had to get down to the fundamentals of providing security. If you look at the situation in relation to time and resources, you will find out what we have been able to achieve”.

President Buhari has, therefore, implored historians and intellectuals to be factual in keeping the records of his administration, especially in

guiding electorate to make right choices of leadership for the country.

According to him, the future of the country would be shaped by the diligence and honesty of those who document history and provide analysis of situations, knowing the value of what obtained in the past, and afterwards.

He stressed that it would be

unfortunate to mislead electorate with lies, and personal bias, reiterating the need to put the larger interest of the country beyond other colorations.

His words:“For the time remaining, and for those who have one more term in office based on the provision of the constitution, the elections are important to the parties.

Intellectuals and historians should be fair to us so that those who are looking for leadership positions will not exploit the political ignorance or lack of knowledge of the people”.

The President told the governors to remain steadfast on delivering their promises to the people adding that “we have done our best and thank God for what we have been

able to achieve with the available resources, otherwise we would have been in trouble”.

He said oil prices fell from more than 100 dollars to less than 38 dollars under his administration, while the output that was 2.1 million barrels a day dropped to about 500,000 barrels, yet a lot was achieved.

Security Operatives Foil Attack on Yobe Town Michael Olugbode in Damaturu An attempt to infiltrate of Geidam, one of the major towns in Yobe State, by suspected Boko Haram terrorists has been foiled by security operatives.

Residents of the town told THISDAY that the military and other security agents in the town pushed the terrorists back last Wednesday during the failed attempted infiltration.

They claimed the criminal elements were overpowered and had to retreat in the night.

Confirming the attack in a statement yesterday, the Yobe State Governor, Mai-Mala Buni, commended the Nigerian army and other security operatives in Geidam for the uncommon bravery in confronting and repelling an attempt to attack the town.

Buni, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mallam Mamman Mohammed, saluted the commanding officer who

mobilised his men in Geidam to confront the enemy outside the town.

He said: “It is heart-warming that, although the enemy withdrew, the soldiers gallantly pursued them and cleared an ambush mounted on their way.

“The government and the people of Yobe State appreciate this act of bravery to secure the general area and allow the people of Geidam to continue celebrating the Sallah festival peacefully.”

The governor said such proactive measures would check the wanton attacks on innocent communities.

He told the military and other security agencies that: “You have done us proud; the government and people of the state will continue to support you.”

Buni, however, called on the people to always volunteer useful and timely information to the security operatives to enhance proactive measures against such attacks.

Environmentalists Lament Impact of Water Hyacinth in Bayelsa Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has deplored the menace of water hyacinth on Epie Creek in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

The State Coordinator, ERA/ FoEN, Mr. Alagoa Morris, spoke during a field advocacy visit by the environmental rights group to the leadership of Onopa community yesterday.

Morris said that the blocking of the Epie Creek by water hyacinth had resulted in economic hardship and loss of livelihood as the residents could no longer engage in their traditional fishing and farming occupation.

He, therefore, called on the Bayelsa State Government, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to come to the aid of Onopa people and clear the accumulated weeds.

Morris noted: “This (water hyacinth) is unacceptable because it is a huge breeding ground for

mosquitoes in Yenagoa; snakes and other reptiles could make this their home and it could be dangerous to human existence because they can enter homes.

“But the most important is that it has denied the people of Onopa community thoroughfare to and from their farms (across the creek) and fishing settlements.

We ought to enjoy this creek as a watercourse that has fish for fishermen and women.

“So it is a huge denial of our people, short-changing our people of their means of livelihood and it is a threat to life. Incidentally, I heard a life was lost. And this (problem) is just by the Government House, they do not need anyone to tell them.

“We join our voice with the good people of Onopa community and Epie-Atissa to call on the authorities, especially the Bayelsa State Government and the federal government intervention agencies such as the NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs not to allow this menace remain like this or get even worse.”

COURTESY VISIT...

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Smart Adeyemi; Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; and Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, during the committee’s visit to the governor in Ibadan …recently.

Court Jails Two Fraudsters in Edo Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Two fraudsters, Noah Omoregbe (a.k.a Frank Mark) and Destiny Efewengbe (a.k.a William Scot), have been jailed in Benin City, Edo State. Omoregbe was sentenced to two years imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 , while Efewengbe (a.k.a William Scott ) was sentenced to six months imprisonment with

an option of N200,000 as fine.

Their sentence was sequel to a conviction secured by the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.

The defendants were arraigned on one count charge each of impersonation and intent to defraud contrary to section

484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 48 Laws of defunct Bendel State of Nigeria (as applicable in Edo State) 1976 and punishable under the same Law. The charge against Omoregbe reads: “That you Noah Omoregbe (a.k.a Frank Mark) on or about the 21st day of June 2021 at Yoruba Street, Benin City, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did with intent to defraud, falsely represented

yourself as one Frank Mark, an American Soldier, and sent scam messages to one Liud Mila via your iPhone X with IMEI No: 354862090120911 with intent to obtain money from her and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 48 Laws of defunct Bendel State of Nigeria ( as applicable in Edo State) , 1976 and punishable under the same Law.”

Lagos LG Election: Youth Party Accuses INEC of Disenfranchisement Sunday Ehigiator The Youth Party (YP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of disenfranchising its members from contesting in the Lagos State Local Government Area chairmanship and councillor-

ship elections scheduled for July 24, 2021.

It described the situation as a continuous victimisation of the party.

In a statement issued and signed by the Trustee of the party, Francis Akinlotan, yesterday the party accused INEC of refusing to list the

party on its official website as a registered political party, and also refusing to confirm the party’s status to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), despite several court judgments.

Akinlotan said the party commenced the process of registration in December 2016,

“and INEC was against us from the outset. We had to get a court judgment to be considered for registration at all cost.

“Essentially, we had to get a judgment to get an application form. A process that should not take three months according to the law, took more than two years with dire consequences.”

Bauchi APC Condemns Mohammed’s Comments on Abuja Politicians Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the state Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, for alleging that some Abuja politicians were responsible for the criminals in the state with the intention to pull down his government.

The APC, while reacting to the recent statement credited

to the governor, who claimed that he knows the people that are bringing criminals into the state, asked him to expose them (the Abuja politicians.)

The governor had accused Bauchi State politicians based in Abuja of sponsoring criminality, kidnappings and stealing in the state, in order to pull him down.

The state APC Chairman, Uba Nana, who condemned the

governor at a press conference yesterday at the APC secretariat in Bauchi, said the allegations were “cunning attempts to cover-up the ineptitude, administrative blunders and apparent failure of the governor.

“The people of Bauchi State do not deserve such treatment in view of the trust and confidence accorded him in 2019.”

He said: “In the history of Bauchi State, it is witnessing

for the first time a government that is less committed to the people’s welfare,” pointing out that “social welfare is next to nothing in the agenda of the governor; civil servants are reduced to paupers, begging for charity in order to survive; inconsistent and lopsided payment of salaries are now the order of the day, and contractors are reduced to jobless fellows among others.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021

NEWSXTRA

Police Confirm Killing of Five Villagers

by Gunmen in Nasarawa Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The Nasarawa State Police Command has confirmed the killing of five villagers in a particular compound at Gidan Sule village in Keana Local Goverment Area of the state in the early hours of yesterday.

The killings were confirmed in a press statement that was issued in Lafia by the the Nasarawa State

Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP. Ramhan Nansel.

Nansel said that “on 21/7/2021 at about 23.00 hrs, information was received that unknown gun men, while shooting sporadically, attacked a particular compound at Gidan Sule Village along Lafia- Makurdi Road.

“Upon receipt of the information, a detachment of police personnel comprising of the Police Mobile

Force, the Counter Terrorism Unit, vigilante and hunters, with support from the military were immediately deployed to the area where the attackers were repelled.”

He stated that four corpses were recovered at the scene, while three

injured victims were rescued and rushed to Odumu Hospital for medical attention; one person later died while receiving treatment at the same hospital.

“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State, Bola

Longe, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, has deployed additional police personnel led

by Area Commander Awe, ACP. Dankwano D. Wilson, to go after the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

“The Commissioner of Police hereby condoles with the families of the deceased and assured that the police command is doing everything humanly possible to arrest and bring to book the perpetrators of the act,” Nansel said.

Woman Arraigned for Allegedly Giving Police False Information on Ohakim Alex Enumah in Abuja A Nigerian woman, Chinyere Igwegbe, was yesterday arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for allegedly giving false information to the Nigeria Police Force on former Governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, and one Chinedu Okpareke.

She was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, intimidation, defamation of character, attempted kidnapping, and threat to life.

The offence is punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.

However, she pleaded not guilty to the charges, and her lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Obasi-Nweze,

accordingly moved for her bail application.

Obasi-Nweze informed the court that the same matter for which the defendant was just arraigned is before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The defence lawyer disclosed to the trial Judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, that the Federal High Court has already fixed the ruling for September in an application by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) seeking to take over the case.

He explained that the defendant is the nominal complainant at the Federal High Court, adding that the police have no right to take over a matter that has already been taken over by the office of the AGF.

Abia APC: I have no Candidate, Says Kalu Ugo Aliogo The Senate Chief Whip, Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has declared that he had no favourite candidate for any position ahead of the party’s ward, local government and state congress in Abia State.

Kalu stated this in a statement that he used to address critical party affairs in his capacity as the Party Leader and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Caucus, Abia State.

He appealed to the APC members in the state to imbibe the spirit of love, tolerance and sacrifice and work for the party’s unity ahead of 2023

Kalu said: “My candidate is the candidate everyone has chosen. I do not have a personal candidate. I want every member to understand the importance of a strict democratic approach at the congress. We can’t have two ward chairmen or secretaries but one.

We wish everybody well in their endeavours to lead our party in different capacities starting from the ward level to the state level.”

He commended party members and leaders for the critical roles they have been playing in deepening the APC in the state, adding that their efforts were the reason the party has been waxing strong in Abia State.

Bandits Acting with Impunity under ‘Sleepy Buhari’, Says US Economist Chuks Okocha in Abuja An American applied economist at John Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, Steve H. Hanke, has stated that bandits are acting with impunity under a “sleepy” President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Hanke, who is one of the Buhari-led administration’s critics, said Nigerians helplessly witness an upsurge in insecurity issues across the country.

He said this in a reaction to the recent attack on a Nigeria Air Force jet by bandits.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha jet, that flew out of base

for an assault on Sunday, crashed after it was attacked by bandits.

But no casualty was reported as the Pilot ejected before the crash. The fighter plane routinely conducts air raids on the KadunaKatsina-Zamfara corridor.

Reacting, Hanke in a tweet via his Twitter account on yesterday slammed Buhari for allowing bandits to keep terrorizing Nigerian citizens under his watch.

According to him, “Nigeria ranks a terrible 161 out of 162 in security and safety, a report recently released by Caton Institute. On the border of the Nigerian state of Kaduna, bandits have shot down a Nigeria Air Force jet.

BOOSTING CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY...

L-R: Chief Customer Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho; Executive Head, Customer Value Management, Ms. Omoyeme Effiong; and Head of DStv Business, Mr. Abayomi Famakinwa, at the launch of new and revamped DStv Business packages in Lagos …recently.

Congresses: Tinubu Loyalists Kick against Consensus Arrangements in Ekiti Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, the South West Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tiinubu 2023 presidential ambition (SWAGA), has vehemently opposed the consensus arrangements being proposed by the National Caretaker Committee of the party in the state.

In a statement signed by the

Ekiti State Chairman of SWAGA, Senator Tony Adeniyi, yesterday, the group said the consensus won’t work on the strength that the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and his caucus have allegedly handpicked the delegates for the congresses without the inputs of other party stakeholders.

Adeniyi stressed that the APC in the state got its body fractured with the taking over of the party affair by a group

within the state chapter under the name ‘Tokan-Tokan, populated by loyalists of Fayemi.

He noted that the splinter group had allegedly dominated state affairs and had held down other party members by retaining its grip on their jugular.

Adeniyi, who commended the resolution of the national caretaker committee to ensure a swerve in the constituted state Congresses Electoral Commit-

tees, advised that there should be a level playing ground for party members to carry out their aspirations without fear or favour.

“We hereby state categorically that the APC in Ekiti State is fully prepared to go for direct congresses immediately after the registration/revalidation exercise.

We are not, and shall not be part of any unilateral ‘consensus’ arrangement whatsoever.

Anambra: PDP Mobilises Nigerians over Seized Case File Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to prevail on Justice O.A Nwabunike of the Anambra State High Court to release the case file as well as copies of his judgment on the Senator Ugochukwu Uba vs PDP and others.

The judge is alleged to have refused to release the case file.

Justice Nwabunike was alleged to have taken the case file away

to stop the PDP from appealing his ruling against the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the Anambra State November 6 governorship election, Valentine Ozigbo.

The party in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described as vexatious that upon resumption of court activities yesterday after the public holidays, Justice Nwabunike remained adamant in withholding the documents, “all in his desperate

bid to frustrate and distract the PDP and its candidate, Valentine Ozigbo, in the Anambra State governorship election.”

The party asserted that “the deviltries of the judge in seizing the documents is aimed at frustrating the notices of appeal filed by the PDP and its candidate against his aberrant judgment, knowing that such black-market judgement cannot stand in appeal.

“Our party, therefore, cautions Justice Nwabunike not

to continue to test the will of the generality of the people of Anambra State, whose mandate, being expressed in our candidate, Ozigbo, is being undermined, as such may trigger serious crisis in the state.

“It is indeed indefensible that a court Judge is bent on causing crisis in Anambra State, and we call on Nigerians and the people of the state to hold Justice Nwabunike directly responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in the state.”

Workers Commend Fayemi for Releasing 10% IGR to LGs Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has commended the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for approving the release of 10 percent of the state’s Internally

Generated Revenue (IGR) fund for local government areas in the state.

The state branch of NULGE made the commendation in a letter of appreciation to the governor, which was signed by its Secretary, Victor Adebayo,

this week.

The union, in a statement made available to journalists yesterday by the chief press secretary to the governor, applauded Fayemi’s gesture, saying it would reposition local government administration in the state for excellent service

delivery.

While noting that the gesture would in no small measure address the challenges of insufficient fund, the union said the approval had put an end to years of agitation for increased local government allocation.

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2021

45

NEWSXTRA

FCT Cholera Death Toll Hits 60 Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has stated that 60 persons have died from the current Cholera outbreak in the FCT. The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, gave the update yesterday during the continuation of the community sensitisation on cholera and severe acute diarrhea outbreaks in Pyakasa and Gwagwa respectively.

The minister, who was represented by the acting Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, also revealed that suspected cases had

risen from 604 to 698 in last 72 hours, while the death toll had also climbed from 54 to 60.

She noted that Abaji Area Council recorded three suspected cases and no death, while Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has 281 suspected cases with 22 deaths. Meanwhile, Bwari Area Council recorded 134 suspected cases with 22 deaths.

Others are Gwagwalada Area Council, 220 suspected cases and nine deaths; Kuje Area Council, 23 suspected cases with four deaths, and Kwali Area Council, which recorded 37 suspected cases with three deaths.

The Aliyu described the cholera outbreak in the FCT as unaccept-

able, adding that the administration would not fold its arms and watch residents die helplessly over preventable diseases.

The minister said every necessary step to curb its further spread must be made, just as she urged FCT

residents and critical stakeholders to publicise the message of cholera disease prevention, and proper sanitation with practice of hand hygiene in their respective communities.

In his remarks, the Chairman

of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, affirmed the commitment of his council to forestall continuous spread of the disease to adjoining and other communities.

He added that the Primary

Health Care Department of the council had embarked on a sensitisation tour in all the four chiefdoms in AMAC to enlighten the traditional rulers and their councils about the cholera outbreak and preventive measures.

FG to Reposition Federal Housing Scheme Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government has initiated actions to reposition the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Programme so as to make life more meaningful and comfortable for the people.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade YemiEsan, disclosed this yesterday during the inauguration and handing over of erosion, flood control and road improvement works at Amal Pepple Public

Buhari, Abdulrazaq Felicitate with IPI Secretary, Adedoyin, at 60 President Muhammadu Buhari and the Kwara State Governor, Kwara State Governor ,Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. have felicitated the Secretary of the International Press Institute (IPI), Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, as he marks his 60th birthday today.

The president in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, joined members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), to celebrate with the senior journalist, “whose antecedents have continued to inspire many in the media profession.”

Gombe Gov Presents 11 Utility Vehicles to LG Chairmen Segun Awofadeji in Gombe Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya yesterday presented brand new GAC Sedan ( Saloon) utility vehicles to the 11 Local Government Councils Chairmen in the State.

While performing the ceremony at the Government House, Gombe, Yahaya said the decision to procure the vehicles was necessary to enable the local government helmsmen function in their official duties.

Servants ‘ Housing Estate , Lugbe, Abuja.

She said that critical infrastructure is to be constructed in estates occupied by civil servants under the FISH programme.

She disclosed that an Inter-Ministerial Implementation Committee on FISH had been resuscitated to give teeth to the federal government’s intervention efforts.

The committee is to co-opt respective member institutions of the committee in the provision of infrastructure and amenities such as roads, water supply and lighting.

The Head of Service explained that the objective of federal government’s intervention was to make houses inhabited by civil servants comfortable and conducive so as enable them to be more committed to their duties and be more productive.

She appealed to Nigerians to take ownership of the intervention projects and ensure their proper maintenance.

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YOUTH AFFAIR...

L-R: Communication Officer, Lagos Food Bank Initiative, Favour Latunde- Dada; Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo; Communication Officer, Nigeria Network of NGOs,Olaife Ilori; and Grant/Partnership Officer, Donors for Africa Foundation, Juliana Olamide, at the media briefing organised by LEAP Africa to announce youth day of service 2021 in Lagos…recently ETOP UKUTT

Buhari: We will Increase Budgetary Allocation to Education Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that his administration would increase in budgetary allocation to the education sector, which remained the top priority of his administration.

Buhari, in a release that

was issued yesterday by his Spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu, said that improving the quality of education would continue to be his administration’s priority.

He gave the assurance while receiving the proprietress, principal and students of a private school, Premier Pacesetters School (PPS), Daura, at his house.

He said: “We will allocate an

increasing share of resources to improve learning in the country in our effort to reform the educational sector.”

The President, who interacted with some of the children, emphasised the importance of character, in addition to learning, urging them not to lose sight of the aspirations of the country.

The Proprietress of the PPS,

Mrs. Celine Friday, conveyed to the President the Sallah greetings of staff and students of the institution and commended the special attention given to education by the Buhari administration.

She used the forum to appeal for federal government’s assistance to private schools in rural communities.

Voice of Nigeria DG Endorses Proposal for APC Consensus Presidential Candidate Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has lauded the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for proposing the presentation of a consensus candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

In a chat with journalists in Abuja yesterday, he said: “One slept well last night after reading the profound statement from the social media credited to our National Secretary, Senator John

Akpanudedehe, that at the appropriate time, APC will come up with a consensus and agreeable presidential candidate that will fly its flag in 2023.

“I hail the consensus proposal, for it is a deft move which will perish the phobia of implosion of our great party as touted by some naysayers.”

Akpanudoehede made the announcement in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.

The party national secretary said the adoption of the use of

a consensus is one that is bound to upset permutations by some pundits, “who are hoping that with 22 governors, majority parliamentarians at national and state levels and uncountable presidential hopefuls, the APC will definitely implode.”

Akpanudoedehe’s statement was in reaction to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recent allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari had a self-succession plan.

The APC scribe, however,

stressed that the party would not allow individual ambitions to derail the Buhari administration ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.

He said unlike the opposition, PDP, the APC is a disciplined party, noting that the former was just been haunted by its past.

Akpanudoedehe recalled the third term agenda of the PDP while in power, pointing out that the APC would surprise it with the outcome of its planned congresses scheduled to commence on July 31, 2021.

Desertification: Ekiti Needs N1bn to Plant Trees Annually, Say Stakeholders Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Stakeholders in the forestry business in Ekiti State have agreed on a roadmap to rescue the state from desert encroachment.

They said the sum of N1 billion would be required to achieve the planting of the projected four million tree seedlings yearly.

They unanimously agreed

that the government should henceforth deny saw millers and loggers the renewal of their operational licences if they refuse to plant trees.

The stakeholders disclosed this in Ado Ekiti yesterday at a workshop organised by a nongovernmental organisation, New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), in partnership with the Ekiti State Forestry Commission.

An expert and former Federal Director of Forestry, Mr. Michael Osakuade, who spoke on the topic: ‘The Ekiti Forest We Want’, said part of the roadmap has been that the stakeholders would plant four million seedlings yearly for the next 15 years.

Osakuade added that serious efforts needed to be applied for sustainable forest management and governance in Ekiti State, in

view of indiscriminate deforestation practice and the emerging desertification in some areas of the state.

According to him, “Actually, Ekiti State is seriously endangered by this indiscriminate deforestation. To ensure that we get to that level we want, our target is 4,000 to 5,000 hectares of lands for the planting of four million seedlings annually for the next 15 years.

46

FRIDAY, ͺͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

CAF WOMEN’S LEAGUE

Rivers Angels Get N1m Per- goal Motivation as Team Departs for Abidjan OLYMPIC GAMES

Team Nigeria Athletes Aim to Rewrite History as Tokyo 2020 Begins Duro Ikhazuagbe The much-anticipated Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games officially begin today despite some sports like football and softball already recording some mind-blowing results. For Team Nigeria, the journey will start with medal hopefuls, Odunayo Adekuoroye and Quadri Aruna leading out the contingent at the ceremonial match past, bearing the country’s green-white-green flag.

After attending several editions of the Olympiad without any commensurate silverware achievements like Atlanta in 1996, Nigerians have become nonplused. They are no longer sure of what to expect from Team Nigeria but disappointment. After Atlanta ‘96, Nigerian athletes tried to match that feat four years later at Sydney 2000 by winning two silver medals and a couple of bronze medals. Although one of the silver medals got elevated to gold following the disqualification of Team USA over dope use several years later, none of our outings in the subsequent Games produced anything near the two gold medals in the 1996 edition. Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and the last Games in Rio in 2016 did not fare better.

However, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.

The delayed edition in Tokyo starting today may signal the turnaround for Nigeria sports.

Suddenly, Nigerian athletes at Tokyo 2020 have become the talking points of their various events. Take for instant, D’Tigers and D’Tigress who made history as the first teams from Africa to qualify for the men and women’s basketball events at same edition have been tipped to make waves. The men’s team in particular stunned both world number 1 and 4, USA

and Argentina in a pre-games outing in Las Vegas penultimate weekend to send warnings to all countries coming to Tokyo for the competition.

The story is the same in track & field, wrestling, taekwondo, gymnastics and canoes. It appears Nigeria’s years of locusts are about to be rewritten.

Speaking ahead of today’s opening ceremony, sprint hurdler, Tobiloba Amusan, insisted that she and her colleagues are raring to go and make Nigeria proud.

Amusan will be making her second appearance at the Games debuting five years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 24-yearold will be hoping to become only the second sprint hurdler to win a 100m hurdles medal for Nigeria after Glory Alozie won a silver medal in Sydney, Australia in 2000.

“Our stay in Kizarazu has been very helpful. The hotel, the food and everything has been great as we head for the Olympic Village,” observed Amusan who made it all the way to the semifinal of her event at Rio 2016.

The petite hurdler who placed fourth at the World Athletics Championship two years ago in Doha, Qatar running inside 12.50 thrice wants Nigerians to keep the athletes in their prayers as they strive for podium finishes for the first time in 13 years.

“Our practice sessions have been good and the athletes have been putting in 100% each time. We are just praying that everything work well for us at the games. Nigerians at home should support us in their prayers and we know with God all things are possible,” stressed the USA-based hurdler.

Amusan will start her chase for a podium finish on Saturday July 31. The semifinal is on Sunday August 1 while the final will be on Monday August 2, 2020.

Similarly, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa believes the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics will rewrite Nigeria’s record of participation at the quadrennial games.

Nigeria's track and field team has failed to win a medal in the last two Olympics and Okowa believes the story will be different in Tokyo.

“I am confident our athletes will rewrite their record of participation at the event. The AFN has provided the enabling environment for the athletes and I am sure they will live up to our expectations,' said the AFN president who will be in Tokyo to support the athletes.

Okowa is predicating his optimism on the pre-Games form of the athletes and the huge support received from both the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympic Committee. ''Ese Brume has proved her status as one of the best horizontal jumpers in the world. Her African record setting 7.17m leap at the end of May is the farthest any long jumper has landed so far this year,” observed Okowa who also believes Amusan, sprinters Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru and hammer thrower Annette Echikunwoke are worldclass athletes ranked among the top 10 in their events. ' “Enoch Adegoke and Grace Nwokocha area dark horses waiting to spring surprises. Our 4x100m relay team is the best we have ever assembled in terms of individual performances and should make it a hat-trick of Olympic medals in Tokyo,” said a confident AFN head who reserved special praise for the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare for his efforts in getting the athletes ready. ''The Minister's adopt-an-

athlete initiative has proved a game changer. For the first time in over two decades we have athletes who live here, train here and compete here achieve unprecedented feats.

Adegoke ran 10.00 seconds to win the 100m at the Olympic trials at Yabatech last month.

It is the fastest legal time ever achieved by a home-based athlete on Nigerian track. ''Grace also achieved her phenomenal feat at Yabatech in March. Her 11.09 seconds time which qualified her for the Olympics is the fastest time achieved by a home-based athlete in Nigeria in over two decades,' revealed Okowa who charges the duo to emulate the feat achieved by Ese Brume at the 2016 Olympics.

“Ese also qualified for her debut Olympics here in Nigeria as a home based athlete when she jumped 6.83m at the AFN Golden League in Akure. She proved her feat in Akure was not by happenstance by jumping her way to the final in Rio. Enoch and Grace can do it.'

The AFN president advised the athletes not to get distracted by people who are bent on pulling them back. ''I will be in Tokyo when I am done with arrangements for the preparations of our young athletes for the World Juniors in Nairobi, Kenya.

These are athletes that will become the fulcrum of our team at the next Olympics,' said the president who revealed the Secretary General of the AFN is already there with the Olympic athletes at their Kizarazu camp near Tokyo in Japan.

The track and field athletes will move into the Olympic Village on July 25, five days before the start of the athletics event.

Players of Rivers Angels Football Club of Port Harcourt have been assured of maximum support by the Rivers State Government and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Rivers, Ambassador Desmond Akawor as they represent Nigeria in the maiden edition of CAF Women’s Champions League.

And to prove the level of support, the team has been promised N1 million for every goal scored during the qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire by the PDP chairman.

Speaking as Special Guest at a send-forth party organised in honour of the Angels in Port Harcourt, Ambassador Akawor charged the girls to dust all comers and make Nigeria proud, stressing that he was making the pledge on behalf of the party as a way of motivating the players to give their best.

“It is great that it is happening at a time that there is a sports-loving man as the governor of Rivers State who by the Grace of God is the Power of Sports in Africa, and it’s only a man like Gov. Nyesom Wike that will invest in Real Madrid Football Academy to prove his love for sports development,” he said.

And to further deepen his appreciation for the governor's efforts in promoting the team, he rechristened the team as Rivers Angels International Football Club; adding that “You must sustain what we have, and not bring down the bar; “You are the representative of

MEN’S FOOTBALL

Brazil Hammer Germany 4-2, Côte d’Ivoire Pick Maximum Points against S’Arabia Everton striker Richarlison scored a first-half hat-trick as Brazil's men began their Olympic campaign with a 4-2 victory over Germany.

In a repeat of the 2016 Olympic gold-medal match, the defending champions raced into a commanding lead despite Matheus Cunha having a penalty saved.

Richarlison scored on the

rebound inside seven minutes, before heading home a second and curling in his third inside 30 minutes.

Germany put up more of a fight after the break as goals from Nadiem Amiri and Ragnar Ache made it 3-2, making it a nervous finish for Brazil.

But Bayer Leverkusen striker Paulinho finished brilliantly

in injury time to make it 4-2 and put the game beyond the Germans.

Also in Group D, AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie scored in Ivory Coast's 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Spain were held to a goalless draw by Egypt in the opening game of the men's competition despite the inclusion of Euro 2020 young

player of the tournament Pedri.

A frustrating result for Spain was compounded by an ankle injury to Real Madrid's Dani Ceballos as they struggled to break Egypt down.

Ceballos had Spain's best effort, hitting the post in the first half.

Former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi played a key role in keeping Spain out.

Cô ’I ’ F K 2 1 S A

Nigeria, you must exhibit the greatest discipline and move as a team; “Comportment is key and means a lot: Don’t be deterred until the laurel is brought to the state."

Also speaking, Rivers Commissioner for Sports, Barr Boma Iyaye was full of encomium for Governor Nyesom Wike for his deep passion and commitment to sports development.

“There should be no excuse for failure, there is nothing like second best, everything has been provided for you, allowances, accommodation, etc; we are going there for business and not for a show or jamboree, we must succeed; we want to conquer Africa, we are already champions in Nigeria, the only thing we can do for Rivers Government is to qualify for the next stage,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Sir Honour Sirawoo, Rivers Football Association Chairman, Barr. Chris Green, and Rivers SWAN Chairman, Sarah David, in their separate speeches admonished the players and officials saying, "This is one opportunity by God to change your lives, do your best to get to the next stage.

They described the girls qualification to represent Nigeria as a “special project” since sports was in the Rivers State Government development agenda; as such, “the circumstances leading to this send-forth is a dividend of service delivery by Governor Wike”, and charged them to be worthy ambassador of not just the State but the country.

47

FRIDAY, ͺͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

SPORTS

Real Madrid Eager to Sell Hazard Back to Chelsea

Guinea Make U-turn, Back to Tokyo Olympics Games Guinea's government has reversed its decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics, a day after saying its delegation should not attend the Games, which officially open today.

Sports Minister Sanoussy Bantama Sow said on Wednesday that there were concerns over a recent rise of Covid-19 variants.

"Guinea will participate in the Tokyo Olympics," Sow told BBC Afrique.

"It was not a question of finances," he said in response to such accusations. "We were

simply caring about the life of our Guineans.

"We spoke with the organisers and they told us they will do everything to make sure our athletes will be safe."

On Wednesday, Sow had issued a statement announcing Guinea's late withdrawal, which came with the small delegation yet to fly.

"Due to the rise in cases of Covid-19 variants, the government, out of concern for the health of the Guinean athletes, has regretfully

decided to cancel their participation," the statement, dated 21 July, read.

The Guinean delegation features five competitors one apiece in athletics, judo and wrestling, while two are swimmers.

One of them, Mariama Toure, is the first in action as she is due to race in the women's 100m breaststroke heats on Sunday, with judoka Mamadou Samba is scheduled to compete the following day.

Guinea's withdrawal - had it lasted - would have been

the second time a country withdrew from the delayed Games, after North Korea cited Covid concerns when pulling out in April.

Elsewhere, there was better news for six players from Kenya women's rugby sevens team who are expected to come out of a 14-day Covid quarantine in time for their first match against New Zealand on 29 July.

"Until yesterday, they were confined in a government facility where they weren't able to train," Kenya's Chef de mission Waithaka Kioni

told BBC Sport Africa on Thursday. "But they have now come to the village. Each has a room individually."

"The girls have been returning negative Covid tests and that is encouraging that no player tested positive.

But because one passenger in their flight tested positive and they were judged as close contacts, they had to quarantine for 14 days."

Team Kenya arrived in Japan early to acclimatise in the city of Kurume prior to moving into the athletes' village earlier this week.

Murray Feels Good About Games, Expresses Covid-19 Fears Andy Murray has said that he "feels good" as he prepares to defend his Olympic tennis title in Tokyo, but admits there is anxiety among the team over Covid-19.

The Briton won back-to-back gold medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016 but has twice required hip surgery since and is currently ranked 104th in the world.

Murray will open against ninth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"I've prepared as best as I can.

I have tough draws in singles and doubles but I think I have a chance," he said.

Speaking to BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Murray added: "If I can get through a round or two I'll start to feel more comfortable.

I also have the experience of playing in the Olympics, which I can use to my advantage" Murray also says there has been an "anxiousness" among

the British team in the build-up to the Games because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Britain's highest-ranked tennis players Dan Evans and Johanna Konta were both forced to withdrawfrom the Olympics after testing positive for coronavirus this month, while Amber Hill had to withdraw from the women's skeet competitionon Wednesday after testing positive.

"It happened to me before the Australian Open and I was gutted," said Murray, who was unable to travel to Australia in Januaryafter testing positive for Covid-19.

"Thankfully I was able to compete in another Grand Slam a few months later, but if you've been preparing for something for five years and something like that to happens to you it would be brutal.

"So there is an anxiousness, but

from what I've seen everyone is taking the protocols seriously so hopefully there won't be too many issues."

Former world number one Murray won consecutive matches at a Grand Slam for the first time in four years when he reached the third round at this year's Wimbledon.

The 34-year-old said he needed to weigh up "if all the hard work is worth it"in the immediate aftermath of his third-round defeat by Canada's Denis Shapovalov, but insists he has no plans to retire just yet.

"It can be hard and after tough losses like that at Wimbledon you question a lot of things," he said.

"I do still feel like I am capable of playing high-level tennis and when that isn't the case I will stop playing. But right now I don't believe that is the case."

Murray

Real Madrid are looking to sell winger Eden Hazard this summer and intermediaries working on behalf of the club have reached out to Chelsea to try send the Belgian back to Stamford Bridge.

Hazard was a fan favourite at Chelsea between 2012 and 2019, but his blockbuster move to Real, which is worth up to £150m, has not gone according to plan. Injuries have prevented him from producing his best form and Los Blancos are now keen to cut their losses and get rid.

The problem for Real is there are few sides willing to pay a sizeable transfer fee or meet Hazard's wages, so club officials are left with very few options when it comes to offloading the 30-year-old.

Their latest tactic, according to AS, is to reach out to Chelsea to gauge their interest in bringing the winger back in the hope that the emotional link between club and player could help facilitate things.

It's said that Chelsea aren't exactly against the idea of bringing Hazard back to the club, but despite their love of the 30-year-old, they are no more willing to meet Real's demands than any other side.

Real are looking to sell Hazard for around £50m, which is how much they currently owe Chelsea from their deal to sign him in the first place, but the Blues aren't particularly keen to pay that or meet his wage demands.

Chelsea's focus is on splashing out on a new striker, with top target Erling Haaland valued at around £150m by Borussia Dortmund, so Chelsea are understandably very reluctant to commit so much money to Hazard.

Thomas Tuchel is also not looking to add any new wingers this summer, having already struggled to manage the minutes of his current crop of players in that position.

Timo Werner, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech are all pushing for minutes out wide, and that number could go up if any of the returning loanees can impress Tuchel in pre-season.

Should Real lower their demands, Chelsea may well consider doing business over Hazard, but there is no chance of them committing big money to the Belgian at this point in time.

Barca Set to Offload Griezmann, Coutinho, Dembele, Others to Balance Books BarBarcelona's financial troubles could see big names like Antoine Griezmann, Martin Braithwaite, Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho leave this summer to finance arrivals and help balance the books.

Although Lionel Messi's future at the Nou Camp appears all-but assured, Barcelona will only be able to invest in further additions to their squad by arranging

some significant departures.

Griezmann is undoubtedly the most eye-catching name among the group due to the massive £100m+ (€120m) investment it took to sign him from Atletico Madrid just two years ago. He was then the fifth-most expensive transfer of all time.

But Coutinho, Dembele and striker Martin Braithwaite are also at the forefront of the push for funds to boost the finances

of a club which is mounted with huge debts exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Barcelona believe Braithwaite in particular has increased in value because of his performances for Denmark during Euro 2020 - he was also one of the cheaper arrivals in Catalonia, having only cost around £15m to trigger his release clause from Leganes in February 2020.

Griezmann is one of the

highest-paid players in world football and Barcelona also need to cut down their wage bill, which led to recent discussions over a potential exchange that would have seen his return to Atletico and Saul Niguez join Barca - the clubs were unable to come to an agreement.

The Frenchman's substantial salary means there are only a handful of clubs that can afford to take him on and Juventus

are one big club not currently interested, according to Sky in Italy, nor in a return for Miralem Pjanic, who moved to Barca in a swap with Arthur Melo last summer.

Dembele and Clement Lenglet are other high-profile names Barcelona would be willing to listen to offers for - or at least include in swap deals for their targets - as well as goalkeeper Neto and right-backs Emerson and

Moussa Wague.

Barcelona's management is also talking with a number of veteran players - Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto - over contract extensions and want them to follow their captain Messi in taking wage cuts.

Sky Sports News has been warned by sources in Spain that one of these stars also leaving cannot be ruled out at this stage.

Friday July 23, 2021

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MISSILE

Ohanaeze to FG “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 selective efficiency of the security operatives elicits the reason for the making of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho” – Ohanaeze Ndigbo reacting to the arrest of Kanu and Igboho, while calling for justice for the duo.

AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akin.osuntokun@thisdaylive.com

The Case Against the British “By 1914, modern Nigeria came into being under an autocratic Governor, Sir Frederick Lugard, who succeeded in isolating one Nigerian group from the other….It was Charles Temple, the senior resident in the North and his racist fellow traveller, Sir Richmond Palmer, who indoctrinated Northern emirs about their total difference, not only politically, but even racially from their Southern compatriots. Sir Theodore Adams went as far as to say, in 1941, that the emirs considered the Northern provinces as a separate country and that enforced cooperation with the South would lead to a demand for ‘Pakistan” –Akinjide Osuntokun “With Lord Lugard’s arbitrary conception of Nigeria in mind, one can begin to see the many and varied problems colonialism created in Nigeria, across West Africa, and around the world.

Not least among these problems, for Nigeria in particular, was the problem of a unifying national identity. It is no wonder that diverse peoples, forcibly united into single states, sometimes turn to separatism”–Jack McCaslin

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radually the chicken is coming home to roost as Nigeria fractures into it’s pre amalgamation components of the Northern and Southern protectorate.The British was at the same time the amalgamator of Nigeria and its divider-in-chief, to borrow the parlance of the Nigerian Presidency.

After joining the two protectorates together, they spent the rest of their colonial and neo colonial rule wrenching them asunder. “A frequently heard quip was that if all the Africans were to leave Nigeria, the Southern and Northern administrations could go to war....in administration, in land policy, in a dozen different fields of colonial government, the administration reinforced not the unity of the colony, but the differences between North and South”. As Nigeria, once again, tethers on the brink, we must begin to lay all the cards on the table.That it is not all of Nigerians fault and that Nigerians are more the victim than the villain in its predisposition to political implosion. As Nigeria and Africa, sink deeper in the pit of developmental failure, there has proceeded apace the minimisation of the role and responsibility of colonialism in the bleak fate of the former colonies. In the spirit of full accountability and colonial entrapment of Nigeria, it is necessary to let the facts of colonialism speak for themselves.

I got really nauseated at the smugness and deriding condescension of Prime Minister David Cameron talking down Nigeria as “fantastically corrupt” the other day.

Never mind that (indulging in his habitual sham self-righteous indignation), the Nigerian President, Mohammadu Buhari eagerly embraced the role of uncle Tom and enthusiastically endorsed the indictment. It grates on the nerves not because Cameron’s

Buhari allegation is not true but because it is the seed his British forebears sowed that has predictably blossomed to become this monstrous oak beginning with the superfluous cruelty and racism of Frederick Lugard. The Nigerian crisis is as much (if not more) the responsibility of the British as it is of Nigeria. This responsibility does not just stop at the ill conceived creation of Nigeria. The bad beginning was persistently reinforced with the insemination of hate and division and Nigeria has (as programmed) consequently become a house divided against itself.This house has fallen, wrote Karl Maier a while ago. Yet there is this British cynical indifference to how Nigeria has become a prison into which inmates are consigned haven committed no crime.

The political malignancy that increasingly debilates Nigeria is a self fulfilling prophecy of British colonialism. They encouraged the two halves of Nigeria, the North and the South, especially the former, not to see one another as mutual partners in the difficult task of forging a Nigerian nationhood but as antagonistic rivals who have every reason to be fearful and suspicious of one another. It was under their guidance and tutelage that the party being groomed to take control of Nigeria was, in flagrant and defiant show of regional separatism, christened the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC. How would it have looked if the corresponding dominant parties in Eastern and Western regions called themselves Eastern Peoples Congress (EPC) and Western Peoples Congress (WPC). Against the rule of the development ethic, British colonialism of Nigeria started by fostering the politics of consumption over the politics of self-sustenance and development. If the North is perceived today as a ‘parasite’ on the South, it is a perception that hacks back to the amalgamation prescription of underwriting the cost of administrating the North with the economic surplus realised from the South. Lord Lugard who, by all accounts, had a pathological hatred and

contempt for the South, spitefully framed this arrangement as “a marriage between the “rich wife of substance and means (the south) and the “poor husband” (the north) which would lead to a happy life for both. Words matter. It is difficult to fault the assessment of Harold Smith that ‘Lugard certainly left a legacy of dottiness and nasty racism behind him...his fabrications still colour Whitehall’s attitudes to Nigeria, which can be summed up as pale-skinned Moslem North good, black-skinned Christian South bad”. So when, in their perennial inter ethnic bickering, you hear Southerners bemoan that the fulani has appropriated Nigeria as family patrimony and estate-to which the latter concurs, it is a soundbite inherited from the ‘line that was pushed right from the very start of Lugard’s occupation of Nigeria, and extended through the sixty years of British occupation, that the North was Nigeria, and the ever-shrinking South an alien and extra mural, marginal extravagance’. All along, evidence abound in the dark musings of British colonialism patriarchs that they knew all was not well and will yet get worse with Nigeria. It is the reason why the notion that the British set up Nigeria to fail is as perplexing as it is compelling. Try this for size “Sir Francis Cumming Bruce was the incumbent British High Commissioner to Nigeria in the uniquely fateful days, weeks and months of 1966. In that capacity and more than any other individual, he was responsible for persuading the North against secession.

Of his encounters with Cumming Bruce, the frontline British journalist in Nigeria in the late 60s, Walter Gould revealed “Cumming-Bruce was able to persuade the Emirs that secession would have been an economic disaster…As Cumming-Bruce stated: ‘But it wasn’t on the face of it easy to get them to change, but I managed to do it overnight. On a second meeting with Cumming-Bruce he greeted me with the comment: ‘I sometimes wonder whether I did the right thing in keeping Nigeria together”.

President Mohammadu Buhari was right when he, in what has turned out a self-indictment of gargantuan proportions, hypocritically proclaimed ‘corruption will kill Nigeria if Nigeria does not kill corruption” What he was unable to articulate was that this peculiar degree of corruption fundamentally derives from the subconscious alienation of Nigerians from Nigeria. You don’t revel in a behaviour that damages and wrecks what you love- which is what corruption does to Nigeria. British colonialism and neo colonialism have groomed and nurtured Nigeria in a manner that precipitated the alienation of Nigerians from Nigeria. It has created a Nigeria without Nigerians, who have no empathy, who harbour no emotional nor sentimental attachment to Nigeria. In place of bonding the citizens of Nigeria, they sowed and cultivated mutual fear, division and hate.There is the prime example of the insulation of the North from Western education with the predictable outcome of fomenting a modernisation wedge between the South

and the North. British economic and soical policies, noted Mahmud Tukur, ‘such as blocking access to western education for the masses in most parts of northern Nigeria, did not bring about development but its antithesis of retrogression and stagnation’.

They encouraged and engineered wedge issues, tribalism and cultural division. Emile Durkeim may not have Nigeria in mind when he propounded the theory of ‘alienation and anomie’ but no characterization better defines Nigeria than a ‘state of anomie’, of normlessness. It is difficult if not impossible to discern any long term vision of Nigeria in the instant gratification syndrome that has come to define the governance and politics of Nigeria.

As the Nigerian political crisis snowballs, the logic of neo colonialism and globalisation has highlighted the imperative of the intervention of the international community.

Only a fortnight ago and with his back against the wall on the spiralling security crisis bedevilling Nigeria, Buhari specifically requested the United States (U.S) to relocate its Africa Command (AFRICOM) headquarters from Stuttgart in Germany to Nigeria. The request comes against the background of Africa’s collective disavowal of the American initiative at its formation years ago.This is a mark of the desperate straits Nigeria has found itself. The governor of Katsina state, Aminu Bello Masari, conveniently forgot this international outreach backdrop when (playing the nationalist patriot game) he castigated anyone calling for the intervention of the international community in Nigeria as unpatriotic. “For any compatriot to wilfully call on foreign powers to meddle in the internal affairs of Nigeria is to display the highest level of unpatriotism”. He admonished. To the contrary, the moment we become mutually unintelligible on issues that bind us together (as it is presently the case) the better to seek third party intervention to forestall violent breakdown. No critical member of the international community owe the obligation for such intervention than the United Kingdom, UK, at least as atonement for the many mishaps it has foisted on Nigeria. Here is a reiteration of such mishaps as reported by Gould “If Cumming-Bruce (British high commissioner) had not interfered in the civil war, Nigeria would have fragmented into several states, possibly as a confederation, in the style proposed by Ojukwu, and most importantly war would have been avoided. However, Cumming-Bruce was only extending British policy that had been formulated in the run-up towards independence: that Britain’s investments will be best protected if the country was left to run in a ‘safe pair of hands,’ those of the Northern rulers…” This is the realpolitik of British neo colonial policy on Nigeria- which makes sense and serves British purpose to the extent there is a Nigeria, stable and secure enough for British economic exploitation.

The moment this utility evaporates, it then becomes untenable to argue that the vested interests of the British patriarchy is served by the perpetuation of Nigeria’s political status quo.

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