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Ihekweazu Named WHO Assistant DG, Heads Global Pandemic Hub As world health body launches disease intelligence preparedness initiative Governor Uzodinma, Moghalu hail appointment

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu,

has been appointed Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in charge of Health Emergency Intelligence. The appointment

takes effect from November 1, 2021.

A statement by WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, yesterday, explained that

Ihekweazu would lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic

Intelligence in Berlin, which was launched yesterday.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank

of Nigeria, Professor Kingsley Moghalu, lauded the appointment, calling it well-deserved.

Continued on page 10

Matawalle Imposes Curfew in 14 LGAs After Bandits Abducted Over 100 Students from Gov’s Domain... Page 8 Thursday 2 September, 2021 Vol 26. No 9642. Price: N250

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Court Restrains Buni, Others from Parading as APC Caretaker Committee Members Halts party’s local government congress in Delta Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba and Sylvester Idowu in Warri A High Court sitting in Asaba yesterday restrained Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State

and other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from acting or parading themselves as the National Caretaker Committee of the party until the determination

of a substantive suit before the court.

The court, presided over

by Justice Onome Marshal Umukoro, also put on hold, the APC local government

congress scheduled for Saturday, September 4, 2021 in Delta State.

APC Deputy Chairman, Olorogun Elvis Ayomanor, leading other officials of the

Delta APC, had approached the Court, following the July 10, 2021 controverted Ward Congress, which many members of the party claimed was hijacked by certain elements

within the party in the state.

In the ex-parte motion by the Claimants/Applicants, lead counsel, Daubry Ebipade RichContinued on page 10

In Surprise Move, Buhari Rejigs Cabinet, Fires Agric, Power Ministers Redeploys two others Abubakar replaces Nanono, Aliyu replaces Mamman Says changes part of his government's ‘tradition of subjecting projects and programmes implementation to independent, critical self-review’ Don’t use sacked ministers as cover up for your failure, PDP tells president Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos For the first time in the over six years old administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, a minor cabinet reshuffle was effected yesterday, with two ministers losing their jobs and two others redeployed.

Those sacked were Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Sabo Nanono, and Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.

Minister of Environment, Continued on page 10

Ahmed: NSIA Assets Grew by 250% to $3.5bn BOARD OF NSIA INAUGURATED... in Six Years...Page 5 L-R: Non-Executive Board Chairman, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Farouk Gumel; Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Chief Executive Officer, NSIA, Uche Orji and Board Member, NSIA, Babatunde Sobamowo, at the board's inauguration during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja...yesterday

PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

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

NEWS

Ahmed: NSIA Assets Grew by 250% to $3.5bn in Six Years Buhari inaugurates new board, charges members on increased investment Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has revealed that the assets of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) increased from $1 billion in 2015, to $3.5 billion in 2021. This was as President Muhammadu Buhari charged the new board of the authority to make more investments to boost the country's economic diversification drive.

Zainab spoke yesterday at the inauguration of the third board of NSIA at the State House, Abuja. She said from a base position of $1billion, when the Buhari administration assumed office in 2015, the NSIA now had about $3.5billion in assets.

The minister explained that the board would, on behalf of the Nigerian people, guide and oversee the NSIA management’s activities towards delivering outcomes that would transform the fortunes of the country.

She stated, "Using the NSIA Act as its guide, the Board will be required to superintend initiatives that meet the current and future needs of Nigerians.

“On our part as a government, we will continue to support the authority with the necessary poli-

cies and framework to ensure that the mission of the institution is delivered in a transparent, sustainable and inclusive manner."

Speaking while inaugurating the nine-man board, Buhari reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to implementing long-term projects and programmes that create jobs for Nigerians.

The new board members are Farouk Mohammed Gumel (North-west), Non-Executive Chairman; Ike Chioke (Southeast), Non-Executive Director; Babatunde Sobamowo (Southwest), Non-Executive Director; Isiekwena Ikemefuna Louis (South-south), Non-Executive Director; Ali Goni Kadugum (North-east), Non-Executive Director; and Oniyangi Kabir Sulaiman (North-central), NonExecutive Director Buhari stated that the full impact of most of the strategic projects started on his watch would only be felt long after he had left office. The president described the appointment of the board as a call to duty, action and performance, adding that they are eminently qualified for the job.

He said, "This government operates on the agenda for long-term change, which we all agree is inevitable. Change

happens, whether you are ready for it or not. As representatives of the federation, you are required to continue to drive the performance of the authority to deliver benefits to all Nigerians.

“You must bear in mind that the National Economic Council, your Governing Council, and Nigerians as a whole will hold you accountable for this mandate.

Periodically, you will be required to provide evidence of your stewardship at the Governing Council Meetings where your performance will be assessed.

“The bar before you is very high and all of us are counting on you to deliver. If you do, I assure you that government

and, indeed, all Nigerians will be unflinching in their support for you."

The president recalled that the NSIA, which is one of Nigeria’s premier economic institutions, was conceived to be a store of wealth that might be drawn upon in times of economic challenge, thereby encouraging external investors and lenders.

He expressed delight that so far the institution had discharged its mandate dutifully.

"This is why we prioritised the appointment of a new Board to ensure that the Authority does not lose steam and can continue to benefit from the oversight it needs to deliver on its mandate,”

Buhari stated.

He added, “The new Board we assembled has a crop of seasoned, eminently qualified, and experienced professionals.

We expect these individuals to bring their wealth of experience to bear, in the next phase of NSIA’s journey.”

Buhari also appreciated the last Board of Directors whose tenure ended in May 2021.

Acknowledging their commitment, dedication and contributions to the implementation of the objectives of the authority, the president said, “This distinguished group of patriotic Nigerians heeded the call to serve and deployed the

best of their abilities to oversee the affairs of the authority on behalf of the nation over the last four years.”

The president stressed that the immediate past board guided the organisation through a critical stage of its existence and left it standing as a credible worldclass institution that turned out consistently good results.

According to him, "This administration took the very difficult decision to invest for the long term. We avoided taking short cuts, knowing very well that the full impact of most of the projects we started will only be felt long after we have left office.”

Labour Threatens Industrial Action to Halt Electricity Tariff Hike Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Organised labour, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has warned that it would embark on an industrial action if the speculation about an increase in electricity tariff becomes a reality.

NLC stated this in a letter titled, "Notice on Speculations on increase in Electricity Tariff," signed by its president, Ayuba Wabba.

The current electricity tariff charged for residential areas in both Abuja and Lagos ranges from N36 to N47.09 per kilowatt.

The federal government approved the last increase in electricity tariff in January 2021 following complaints by the operators of the distribution companies that low tariff was adversely affecting their business.

However, there have been speculations that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) was planning to grant fresh approvals for an increase in tariff by commencing the processes for the Minor Review of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO-2020).

According to reports, NERC is considering the inflationary pressure, foreign exchange, gas prices and available generation capacity as part of the reasons for the proposal tariff hike.

However, there have been negotiations between the federal government and organised labour on modalities to use in arriving at a tariff mechanism acceptable to both parties.

In the letter, NLC dismissed reports of an on-going plan to increase electricity tariff as mere speculation.

The letter read, "We wish to draw your attention to the wave of speculation, especially as widely reported in the media, that there are fresh plans to grant approval to Electricity Distribution Companies to hike electricity tariff.

"We write to remind the minister that organised labour on September 28, 2020 through the federal government-organised labour committee on Electricity

Tariff agreed to freeze further increases in electricity tariff until the committee concludes its work and its report adopted by all the principals in the committee.

"It is in light of this that we dismiss the on-going speculation on increase in electricity tariff as mere speculations. We, however, find it prudent to put you on notice that should government make true the swirling speculation by approving an increase in electricity tariff, oganised labour would be left with no option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in our laws for the defense of workers’ rights."

IHEKWEAZU GOES GLOBAL...

Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu (left) and President Muhammadu Buhari, when the NCDC boss visited the President to brief him about his appointment as the Assistant Director General of WHO in charge of Pandemic and Epidemic Response Hub in Berlin, Germany…recently.

FG Okays N86.6bn Projects for Aviation, Works Ministries Approves national policy on IDPs Fashola harps on road maintenance contingency fund Deji Elumoye in Abuja The federal government has approved the execution of N86.6 billion worth of contracts in the ministries of Aviation as well as Works and Housing.

It also approved the draft national policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) just as the Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola yesterday canvassed for the setting up of road maintenance contingency fund to cater for the repairs of federal highways across the country.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave the approvals at its Wednesday's weekly meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

Fashola, who briefed newsmen after the FEC meeting, said Council approved for the Ministry of Works and Housing, contract for the dualisation of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road at the cost of N79.649 billion.

He explained that the contract was for the section from Oku Iboku Power Plant to Abak of about 26 kilometre stretch.

According to him: “The Ministry of Works and Housing

presented the memorandum for the completion of the dualisation of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road. And this is in relation to the section from Oku Iboku Power Plant to Abak of about 26 kilometre stretch.

“Council approved the award to Messers Sematech Nigeria Limited for N79.649 billion to be executed over 16 months.

So, this will help complete the dualisation gaps between the one awarded to Julius Berger and the section awarded to CCECC. “When this is done, motorists in that area will now have an option of the dual carriageway instead of the existing single carriageway.

“And this is in recognition of the heavy cargo that passes through that area from the Southsouth through to the North central, Benue through Katsina Ala through to the South east to Abia. It is a very important trade link for the country.”

Part of the road project had in 2020 been awarded at the N54 billion.

Giving an update on the 2020 contract award for the same project, Fashola regretted that there had been paucity fund to implement the project.

He said: “Okay, first of all, it's important for us to have a common understanding of the area, that is the rain forest area of Nigeria, mangrove areas, very high water table and rains in seven, eight months of the year.

“So, when we awarded the first section, from Odukpani-Itu to Julius Berger in 2016, they could not move to site because of the limited budgetary requisitions.

“So, that slowed down work in that area and they didn't move to site until 2018. And the second section, which was from Abak to Ikot Ikot Ekpene was awarded in last year, February 2020. We have had to mobilise some Suku resources to the area.

“Sometimes last year, you might recall that I was there visiting with the governor, I actually went twice and we focused first on the link road from Alese Ugep area because that was a very big bad one, that one use to take like, three, four days to traverse a 70 kilometer road.

“Now, we have that under control, resolved, motorable in the first phase to Odukpani.

That has reduced the journey time there to less than two hours,

from days. So, again, it's a work in progress.

“We're still challenged by resources. What we can mobilise there when you look at the contract amounts is about N54 billion, as you rightly pointed out, we have about N4 billion, N5 billion in the Suku. And if you look at this year's budget for the whole area, the amount approved by parliament was N100 million.

“So, again, we're hoping that we can fund this one, because we've proposed it for this year’s Sukuk. So, these are the challenges that we face.

We mobilised the contractors.

Now is to keep them resourced and financed so that they can do the work, especially during the forthcoming dry season.”

He added: “So, when you see the Minister of Finance, talking about the deficit that needs to be financed by borrowing, this is what is largely deployed to.

But it’s just not enough because almost all of what was left undone for about two decades, we've inherited it, and we ask for the job and we commit to doing it.”

Fashola blamed the collapsed of a section of the Lokoja-Kabba road on natural causes.

Also briefing, Special Adviser to the President on Media, Femi Adesina, who stood in for Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika , stated that the Ministry of Aviation brought the memo for award of contracts for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; and Katsina Airport in Katsina.

He said for Lagos, it was for the expansion of terminal building at domestic terminal GAT at the sum of N2,817,579,271.99.

For the Katsina Airport, it was for the expansion of the Katsina Airport Apron, awarded at N527,353,693.12.

According to him, there were also the expansion of Lagos Cargo Apron Area awarded at N1,982,943,242.81, expansion of Abuja Domestic Apron Area at N795,976,947.94 and the expansion of Kano Apron Area at N1,059,120,234.37.

On her part, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management, Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, said the council approved a memo for the approval of the draft national policy on internally displaced persons in Nigeria.

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WE FEEL YOUR GRIEF...

L-R: Senator Adamu Aliero; Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Senator Ibn Na’Allah during a condolence visit to the latter in Kaduna over the death of his son, Abdulkareem Na’Allah, who was killed by unidentified criminals... recently.

Crisis Looms Over Planned Recall of 11 DPR Deputy Directors Action capable of destabilising Nigeria’s oil sector regulator Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The gains recorded by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) as the regulator of the oil and gas sector may be wiped out soon if the move to recall some directors who were recently retired by the agency is not handled properly, THISDAY learnt yesterday.

It was gathered that the DPR had been directed to recall 11 deputy directors who were asked to proceed on retirement in March this year, after a petition by the affected directors.

The DPR had in what it termed: “Reorganisation of the Department of Petroleum Resources-Retirement from Service,” retired some top management staff, including Dr. M.M. Zagi, Sani Hassan, A.Buba, E.Amadasu, A.R. Shakur U.B. Nkanda, M.A. Alaku, A.E. Antaih, Bassey Nkanga, Isa Tafida, and J.M Ajewole.

The affected directors were said to have sought the intervention of the authorities in a March 30, 2021 petition, and called for rescind of the decision. They argued that

retirement from service was upon the attainment of 60 years of age or 35 years of service.

The Head of Service (HoS) was alleged to have investigated the matter, prompting the decision to recall them to the oil and gas sector regulatory agency, a situation that is causing tension in the important government agency.

But THISDAY learnt from sources in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources that a crisis might ensue if the directive takes effect, as offices of the retired staff are now occupied by others who have moved up the ladder and may sour the smooth relationship between the unions and the management.

A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stressed that the position of the affected staff that they had not reached the age of retirement was untenable since with or without attaining the statutory retirement criteria, the appointment of staff found liable under Section 18.10.6 (Vi & Viii) Corporate Policy and Procedure Guide (CPPG) may be terminated.

In addition, the rules may be applied in instances where fraud or dishonesty and disloyalty through divulging official secret or classified documents at the detriment of the organisation, is found to be true.

THISDAY further learnt that a substantive director of the organisation was empowered to reorganise the structure to fit into the vision of the federal government of an effective and efficient industry regulator.

While the reorganisation was usually done with the exigencies of the job and set goals for achieving the corporate mission and vision, the source noted that the movement or redeployment of staff was usually carried out as the need arises to achieve set goals, including the retirement of staff that fall short of expectations.

He stated, “Approval for such reorganisation was duly obtained from the president, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources, which was conveyed via a letter from the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President to the Minister of State,

and authority given to proceed.

“The HoS directive questions the power of Mr President/ Minister of Petroleum Resources to authorise the reorganisation of the department to reflect the aspirations of the petroleum industry, which is unprecedented.

“The affected staff in addition to resorting to superior influence through the HoS also have sought legal relief through the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), thereby effectively suing Mr President who is the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources.”

A bag containing bundles of local and foreign currencies, jewelry and other valuables worth millions of naira that was forgotten inside one of the buses for conveying passengers at the Airside of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Terminal Two (MMA2), has been returned to the owner by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the terminal.

The Group Corporate Affairs Manager of BASL, Mikail Mumuni, disclosed this in a statement. Mumuni explained that the bag belonged to a prominent Nigerian (names withheld) who boarded an Arik Air flight from MMA2 to Port Harcourt, Rivers State on August 30, 2021.

According to the statement,

"About 1510hrs of 30th August 2021, a black bag that was forgotten inside a Coaster bus, used for conveying passengers at the airside, with the number plate BDG 689 GW, was picked up by the driver of the bus, Mr. Emmanuel Eluu and brought to the Aviation Security (AVSEC) Airside Supervisor, Mr. Taiwo Adelakun.

“Eluu was accompanied

by Gbadamosi Olasunkami (Operations, Airside Supervisor) and Oluwole Alonge (Operations, Airside Head of Shift) to ascertain what was kept in the bag and for safe keep.”

The BASL spokesman added that items found in the bag were: $20,000 in two bundles; N500,000 in five bundles; nine wristwatches in black and yellow pouches, a bead in a yellow bag,

one eyeglasses in a yellow bag, pieces of jewellery in two golden purses, four bank cheques, eye drop, envelopes of different sizes, bundle of the Business cards belonging to the owner of the bag (names withheld), an identification card and a Samsung Note 20 Ultra.

Mumuni added, “The items were kept in security custody by Adelakun as instructed by the AVSEC Manager, Mr. Okeowo Olatunbosun and confirmed by Gbadamosi Olasunkanmi.”

He said the bag owner was contacted by the security supervisor on the instruction of the AVSEC Manager based on the phone number on the business card. Upon arrival at his destination (Port Harcourt), the owner of the bag who had boarded an Arik Air flight from

the way for realignment of job functions, creation of new strategic business units, as well as promotion of deserving staff to various positions.

According to the DPR, the reorganisation had brought a new lease of life to the affairs of the agency given the successes recorded in the oil and gas industry value chain in the last few months, including the successful conclusion of the marginal field bid round award and inauguration of the National Oil and Gas Excellence Centre (NOGEC).

NDA: Army Chief Vows to Track Down Killers of Military Officers Security forces intensify search for abducted personnel Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, yesterday vowed to track down the

MMA2 Driver Turns in Bag Containing Money, Jewellery worth Millions of Naira Chinedu Eze

It was learnt that except for one of the affected staff, all the 10 other retirees had duly signed for and collected their terminal benefits worth over N2 billion since April 2021.

In addition, four of those already laid off were said to be among the five claimants in the deposition at the NICN, Abuja, seeking additional N100 million for wrongful retirement, it was gathered.

In a statement on Monday, DPR said the restructuring process necessitated the retirement of the management staff to pave

MMA2 instructed his protocol officer to collect the bag on his behalf.

“The owner of the bag initiated a video conversation with Adelakun (Security Supervisor) affirming the identity of the protocol officer and thanked the management and staff of MMA2 for the honesty and professionalism displayed by them.”

Mumuni recalled that an AVSEC staff of MMA2 had in April found the sum of N2.3 million misplaced by an Uyobound passenger on Ibom Airline, and the money was returned to him.

"All these actions are consistent with MMA2’s position of delivering the best services in the Nigerian Aviation Industry," he added.

killers of military officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). Yahaya said the security agencies had launched a manhunt for the abductors of the military personnel.

Some unknown gunmen recently breached the security of the military institution and killed two military officers and abducted one other.

Speaking during a visit to the institution, Yahaya said the perpetrators of the act would be brought to book.

A statement by the Nigerian Defence Academy said the army chief "vowed that no matter how long it takes, the perpetrators of this heinous act would be brought to justice".

It said the COAS visited the academy to get a first-hand brief on the incident and to commiserate with the Commandant of NDA, Maj Gen. IM Yusuf, and the NDA community.

He reassured the commandant and staff of the academy of the Nigerian Army’s support and solidarity in the fight against insecurity.

He further commended the Commandant, NDA, the GOC 1 Division, the Air Officer Commanding Air Training

Command, and heads of other security agencies in Kaduna State in the ongoing efforts to ensure the safe return of the abducted officer. He assured the academy that the Nigerian Army would also provide the it with additional operational enablers to further enhance the security of the institution.

The COAS appealed to the staff of the academy to remain loyal to the country and not allow the unfortunate incident to deter them from their ultimate objective of grooming officer cadets for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

Yahaya enjoined officers, soldiers and civilian staff in the academy to remain vigilant because the fight against insecurity must be a collective effort.

The army chief vowed that no matter how long it might take, perpetrators of the heinous act would be brought to justice.

He urged the commandant not to be deterred, but remain focused on the good job he was doing in the academy.

The COAS also undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the scene of the incident before departing the institution.

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MORE HOUSES FOR ALL...

L:R Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr. Babangida Hussaini; Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and Managing Director/CEO, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga Ashafa, during an inspection tour of the 764-Units of the Federal Housing Authority Residential Layouts (Abuja Mass Housing Scheme) in Zuba, Abuja... on Tuesday

Matawalle Imposes Curfew in 14 LGAs After Bandits Abducted Over 100 Students from Gov’s Domain Shuts down primary, secondary schools Police confirm 73 kidnapped, commence rescue operations Tambuwal issues executive order, places restriction on movements

Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto The Zamfara State Govenor, Bello Matawalle, has imposed curfew in all the 14 Local Government Areas of the state, following the abduction of over 100 students of Government Day Secondary School in Kaya, Maradun Local Government Area, the governor’s home town.

The governor also ordered the immediate and total closure of all primary and Secondary schools across the State to prevent future occurrance of the incident.

But the state police command has confirmed the abduction of 73 students, even as it has immediately commenced a search and rescue operations.

Relatedly, the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has also issued an order, restricting movements in certain local governments and areas of the state in obvious response to the increasing banditry in that part of the country.

The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State, CP Ayuba Elkana, who disclosed Matawalle's directives while addressing journalists shortly after a closed-door security meeting at the Government House, said all primary and secondary schools in the state remained closed till further notice.

He said: "Following a security threat, the governor has directed the closure of all primary and secondary schools with a view to ensure safety of citizens in the state.

"In Gusau, the state capital, the lockdown would start from 8pm to 6am, while the remaining 13 local government areas would be from 6pm to 6am”.

The state police chief explained that all security personnel were directed to ensure the total compliance of the governor's order, even as he called on the public to remain calm and law abiding as well as support the security in their bid to protect

people and their properties in the state.

But the state’s Police Command has later put the number of abducted students at 73, as against the initial 100.

In a different statement by the public relations officer, a Superintendent of Police, Muhammad Shehu, said the Command has deployed search and rescue team to work with the military and ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students The statement appealed to the public, especially, parents and relatives of the abducted students to exercise patience and continue to pray for the success of the ongoing rescue operation.

Gunmen Suspected to be bandits abducted scores of students at Kaya Day Secondary School in Maradun council area, after invading the school at about 11am yesterday and took the students to an undisclosed location.

A resident of Kaya, Musa Kabiru, while confirming the abduction to THISDAY in a telephone interview, said the bandits stormed the school premises around 11:15am on Wednesday when school was in progress.

"As soon they entered the school, they began to shoot sporadically and kidnapped over 100 students and dozens of teachers on the spot,” he said.

Another source claimed the bandits, who stormed the school on motorcycles, started shooting sporadically to scare people away and later abducted students and some teachers in the said school.

The abduction is coming barely a week after students and staff of the college of Agriculture and Animal Science were released.

The state government has also rolled what it called proactive security measures aimed at flushing out the criminal elements and restore peace in the State.

A statement by the Director of Press to the governor, Yusuf Idris Gusau, also stated that the

measure had become necessary in view of the incessant abduction of school children in the state In Sokoto, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Orientation, Isa Bajini Galadanci,said Tambuwal, in the exercise of powers conferred upon him by subsection (2) of Section 176 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, issued the order to be known as Security Challenges (Containment) Order.

He said the order took immediate effect yesterday, September 1, 2021 and directedimmediate and total closure of Isa Marnona Road to all motorists until further notice,advising travelers plying that road to go through GoronyoSabon Birni axis.

Also, he prohibited lorries/ trucks or other vehicles carrying firewood from the forests.

Bajini further announced the

suspension of the sale of all animals at the markets of Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Ilela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah, Tambuwal, Tangaza, Tureta and Wurno Local Governments Areas.

The commissioner explained that as part of the measure to contain insecurity in the state, the governor has equally approved the prohibition of transportation of cattle using trucks/lorries in Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Illela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah Tambuwal,Tangaza, Tureta, and Wurno Local Governments Areas.

He said the governor has approved the prohibition of carrying three persons on motorcycles and more than three passengers in a tricycle throughout the State.

The order prohibited the sale of second-hand motorcycles at Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Ilela, Isa, Kebbe,

Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah Tambuwal, Tangaza, Tureta, Achida, Gande, Gwadabawa and Wurno Markets.

He explained that the order prohibited the operation of commercial tricycles and motorcycles from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am in the state capital, and 6:00 p.m 6:00 a.m in Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Gwadabawa, Illela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah, Tambuwal, Tangaz, Tureta and Wurno Local Governments Areas.

Further to that, the statement announced the prohibition of the sale of petrol in jerrycans at filling stations, adding that only designated filling stations are allowed to sell petrol and diesel of not more than N5,000.00 to motorists in Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Ilela, Isa, Kebbe, Sabon Birni, Shagari, Rabah, Tambuwal Tangaza, Tureta and Wurno Local

Governments Areas The order, however, authorised only essential workers, which included health personnel, security personnel and Joumalists as those, who could use tricycles and motorcycles beyond the banned periods.

Tambuwal urged the people of Sokoto to adhere to the provisions of the order, which was passed after wide consultation with all stakeholders and constituted authorities as well as security and law enforcement agencies.

He said government had taken the measure out of the need to introduce additional countervailing measures in the affected areas in order to contain the banditry and mitigate the damages it was causing to social and economic activities, as well as to preserve peace.

CBN Faults Senate's Position on Alleged Unremitted Operational Surpluses Says 80% of excesses remitted yearly Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday disagreed with Senate over allegation of unremitted 80 per cent of operational surpluses into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) since 2016.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Adeola Olamilekan had at an interactive session with revenue generating agencies accused the CBN of not remitting its operational surpluses within the last five years.

The ranking Senator in making the allegation had said, "Nigeria wouldn't have been having problem of inadequate revenue to fund its annual budget if revenue generating agencies, were remitting 80 per cent of their operational

surpluses into the CRF as required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act. "Specifically, the Central Bank of Nigeria which has yearly budget of N2.3 trillion has not remitted any revenue from its operational surpluses into the Consolidated Revenue Fund within the last five years."

But in a swift reaction, the Deputy Governor of CBN in charge of Economic Policy, Dr. Kingsley Obiora debunked the allegation, saying 80 per cent of the central bank's operational surpluses have always been remitted to the CRF annually.

The remittance, he explained was usually done in line with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and not that of the CBN Act which stipulates 75 per cent remittance.

His words: "With all due respect to the Senate and in particular this committee, the CBN as a law abiding government agency, had not at any time, defaulted in the remittance of its operational surpluses.

"We do this on yearly basis as required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act despite the fact that the CBN Act requires us, to remit 75 per cent only."

The Chairman of the committee however directed the CBN to produce documentary evidence of its remittances in the last five years unfailingly by Friday.

Adeola also told the apex bank to produce its Audited Account in the last five years as well as its position paper on monetary policy point of view on the 2022 - 2024 Medium Term Expenditure

Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper being considered by the committee.

According to him: "He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Since you have declared before the whole world that CBN has been remitting 80 per cent operational surpluses into CRF, it is necessary that we see the documentary evidence as that would lay the controversy to rest. Let's have these documents latest by 11:00am on Friday."

Attempt by the committee chairman to get the Director General of Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, to confirm or dispute the claims of the CBN proved abortive as Akabueze said verification to that effect would be determined by an ongoing process.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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TEN IN SURPRISE MOVE, BUHARI REJIGS CABINET, FIRES AGRIC, POWER MINISTERS Mohammed Abubakar, was redeployed to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, while Minister of State for Works and Housing, Abubakar Aliyu, was elevated to Minister of Power.

It was the first midstream cabinet reorganisation by Buhari since the inception of his government in 2015.

The president said the changes were part of his administration’s strategy of independent self-review.

But the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the president’s sack of the two ministers as an attempt to mask his failure in office.

Buhari broke the news of the cabinet reshuffle at the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja. He hinted that more ministers would be shown the way out in an urgent need to reinvigorate his cabinet.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who read the president's statement to newsmen after the FEC meeting, quoted Buhari as saying that the cabinet rearrangement was part of measures to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy, and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians Adesina also revealed that the president would fill the two vacant ministerial positions soon after confirmation of substantive nominees to be sent to the Senate in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The president’s statement read, "On Wednesday 21 August 2019 the current FEC was sworn-in after a rigorous retreat to bring returning and new members up

to speed on the accomplishments, challenges and lessons drawn from my first term in office and to emphasise the nine priority areas of government for the second term.

"Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programmes implementation to independent and critical self-review has taken firm roots through sector reporting during cabinet meetings and at retreats.

"These significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.”

It added, “I must commend this cabinet for demonstrating unparalleled resilience that helped the government to navigate the disruption to global systems and governance occasioned by the emergence of COVID-19 shortly after inauguration. The weekly FEC meetings were not spared because the traditional mode was altered.

"As we are all aware, change is the only factor that is constant in every human endeavour and as this administration approaches its critical phase in the second term, I have found it essential to reinvigorate this cabinet in a manner that will deepen its capacity to consolidate legacy achievements.”

The president pointed out that he had personally met with the sacked ministers to thank them for their contributions to discussions in cabinet as well as the invaluable services they rendered to the nation.

He stated, “Today, effectively marks their last participation in the FEC deliberations and I

wish them the best in all future endeavours.

"Finally, I wish to reiterate once more, that this process shall be continuous.”

However, reacting to the president’s decision to sack the two ministers, some operators in the power and agriculture sectors said both men added no value to the respective sectors they were overseeing.

National Coordinator, All Nigerian Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, Mr. Adeola Samuel-Ilori, told THISDAY, with regard to Mamman’s sack, that consumers were indifferent to his discharge because they never felt his impact throughout his time in the saddle.

Samuel-Ilori said there was hardly anything that portrayed him as being in-charge of the power ministry. He alleged that Mamman was merely interested in protecting some interests in the sector.

Samuel-Ilori alleged, “The consumers’ feeling cannot be different, we are indifferent, and you know why, while the man held sway, there was no feeling of his presence in that office.

There was nothing he did that showed that he was in charge of the ministry or that he was overseeing either TCN or NERC and every other person. So, I don’t see any reason why the consumers should feel anything about his absence.

“If you go back to how the man emerged, it would tell you that the man came for a purpose and I’m sure that the purpose must have been fulfilled.”

An operator, who pleaded to remain anonymous, also alleged that the sacked power minister never added value to the sector.

The operator said about Mamman, “He was just a stumbling

COURT RESTRAINS BUNI, OTHERS FROM PARADING AS APC CARETAKER COMMITTEE MEMBERS ard, prayed the court to grant the seven-point reliefs sought, adding that going ahead with the Saturday, September 4, 2021 local government congress in the state, would cause more damage to the persons and interests of his clients.

Principal among the reliefs sought was "An order of interim injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd to 14th Defendants/ Respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the 1st Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed and served in the suit.

"Alternatively, An order of interim injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd-14th Defendants/ Respondents from conducting the Local Government and State Congresses slated for September 4, 2021 or any other date, and other Congresses of the 1st Defendant in Delta State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served.

"An order of interim in-

junction of this Honourable Court restraining the 2nd to 14th Defendants/Respondents from further acting or parading themselves as the members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the 1st Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served in the suit."

Lead counsel to the Defendants/Respondents, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, had initially challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit but later on sought that certain parties be joined as co-Defendants/ Respondents.

However, counsel to the Claimants/Applicants, Richard, guided the defence counsel to the fact that the matter before the court was an ex-parte motion, which does not require parties' consideration.

In his brief ruling, Justice Umukoro granted seven (7) days order of interim injunction restraining Governor Buni and the CECPC from conducting the local government and state congresses in Delta State scheduled for September 4, 2021 or any other date, and

other Congresses of the APC in Delta State, or parading as National Caretaker Committee of the party, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed and served.

Umukoro also granted that Governor Buni and others at the National leadership be served Originating Summons "by means, to wit, by serving same on any officer or staff of the All Progressives Congress, at the All Progressives Congress National Secretariat at No. 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse, Abuja, and deeming such service in the circumstances of this case.”

While also "granting Leave to the Claimants/Applicants to serve the Originating Summons and all other processes in this suit on the 15th Defendants/ Respondents by substituted means to wit by serving same on any officer or staff of the Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress at the All Progressives Congress Delta State Secretariat, Asaba, Delta State and deeming such service proper in the circumstances of this case".

Meanwhile, further hearing on the suit was adjourned till September 7, 2021.

CBN Announces New Appointments Confirms Nwanisobi as director of corporate communications James Emejo in Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday confirmed the appointment of Mr. Osita Nwanisobi as the Director, Corporate Communications Department, with effect from August 25, 2021.

Nwanisobi had acted in acting capacity since October 2020, when his predecessor, Isaac Okorafor retired from service.

Also appointed Directors were Mrs. Elizabeth Omolara Fasoranti, who steps in as the Director, Branch Operations; Dr. Abdulkadir Abdullahi Jibril as Director, Medical Services and Mrs. Rashidat Jumoke Monguno, who now directs affairs in the Consumer Protection Department (CPD).

Other appointments included those of Mrs. Amina Habib, who

is now the Director, Human Resources Department; Dr. Blaise Ijebor, Director, Risk Management; Mr. Chibuzo Anthony Efobi, Director, Financial Policy and Regulation and Mr. Benjamin Nnadi, who assumes the position of Director, Reserve Management.

According to a statement issued Wednesday by the bank, all the appointments became effective from August 25, 2021.

block in the system. The president told him to set up a board for the Transmission Commission of Nigeria, but he was just foot-dragging. Also he wasn’t willing to support Siemens and he kept foot-dragging as well.

“We hold regular meetings with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the power sector, where we always have top officials of the central bank, but he hardly attended.

“We also met with the Minister of Finance and officials of the Debt Management Office, but he was hardly in attendance. All our challenges, he is not the one resolving them, it is either the CBN Governor or Minister of Finance.”

Similarly, commenting on the sack of Nanono, an operator in the agriculture sector said he was never fit for the role. The source also preferred to remain anonymous.

The source also noted the recent stockpiling of some agricultural produce by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under Nanono, which contributed to inflationary pressure in the country.

Nanono had awarded contracts to some organisations to mop up some commodities, including maize, sorghum and rice and the move led to increase in the price of maize and rice.

The arrangement, which was termed, “Emergency Procurement”, had contradicted efforts by policymakers in the country

to tame inflation.

PDP Tackles Buhari on Ministers’ Sack

Meanwhile, PDP described the sack of ministers as an attempt to cover the president’s failure in office.

In a statement by the PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said it was investigating the real reason behind the ministers’ sack given the president’s public approach to fighting corruption by “easing out” the culprits.

PDP asserted that the inefficiency of the Buhari administration was a product of his myopic and divisive approach to governance as well as the impunity and corruption deeply embedded in his government and party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP said even if the best hands were recruited, they would be contaminated by “incompetence, impunity, disregard for rules, divisiveness and corruption that have become the hallmark of the APC and its administration.”

The party called on Buhari and APC to note that Nigerians were not swayed by the sack of the ministers but “are eagerly awaiting the exit of the Buhari presidency and the APC come May 29, 2023, as there is no hope in sight under their purview.”

On its part, a civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) urged Buhari to sack the Attorney General of the

Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd); as well as the National Secretary Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd.).

According to the group, the three ministers have failed in terms of containing the security challenges plaguing the nation.

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja According to the HURIWA coordinator, "The Minister of Defence and the NSA to the President should be sacked.

There is no doubt that students are constantly kidnapped and the security situation in Nigeria has become like a war situation and deteriorated almost to a point that the president is openly accused of undermining national security.

“The NSA should have been sacked about two years ago…

“The country has never had it so bad in terms of security threats. Borno, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna are all under the control of terrorists and even Nigerian Defence Academy was not spared of the disgraceful attacks by terrorists.

“The fact that the justice minister justified the illegal rendition and abduction by government of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (Nnamdi Kanu), from Nairobi, Kenya, means that the justice minister is grossly incompetent and unfit for that high office.”

IHEKWEAZU NAMED WHO ASSISTANT DG, HEADS GLOBAL PANDEMIC HUB The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence is a global platform for creating shared and networked access to vital multi-sectoral data, driving innovations in data analytics, and building the communities of practice needed to predict, prevent, detect, prepare for, and respond to worldwide health threats.

In addition, the WHO Hub is a new global collaboration of countries and partners dedicated to driving innovations to increase availability and linkage of diverse data; developing tools and predictive models for risk analysis; and monitoring disease control measures and infodemics.

The WHO Hub would enable partners from around the world to collaborate and co-create the tools and data access that all countries need to prepare, detect and respond to pandemic and epidemic risks.

The statement by the WHO director-general said, "I am pleased to welcome Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu as an Assistant Director-General for Health Emergency Intelligence from November 1, 2021. He will lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin.

"I am confident that Dr. Ihekweazu’s appointment will help further accelerate WHO’s work in health emergencies.

“Please, join me in welcoming him to WHO." Speaking on the need for the new global initiative, German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, was quoted as saying, "The current COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that we can only fight pandemics and epidemics together. The new WHO Hub will be a global platform for pandemic prevention, bringing together various governmental, academic and private sector institutions.

“I am delighted that WHO chose Berlin as its location and invite partners from all around the world to contribute to the WHO hub."

The German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, said there was need to identify pandemic

and epidemic risks as quickly as possible.

Spahn stated, "For that aim, we need to strengthen the global early warning surveillance system with improved collection of health-related data and interdisciplinary risk analysis.

“Germany has consistently been committed to support WHO’s work in preparing for and responding to health emergencies, and the WHO Hub is a concrete initiative that will make the world safer."

The minister assured that the WHO Hub would work with partners globally to achieve a scale-up in innovation for existing forecasting and early warning capacities in WHO and member states.

He also said the WHO Hub would accelerate global collaborations across public and private sector organisations, academia, and international partner networks.

According to Spahn the pandemic intelligence hub would help countries to collaborate and co-create the necessary tools for managing and analysing data for early warning surveillance.

Ihekweazu, while speaking in an exclusive interview with THISDAY, said the decision to appoint him to lead the global initiative was a recognition of the work the NCDC under his leadership.

Ihekweazu said, “It is in recognition of what we have done in Nigeria with the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Presidential Steering Committee in responding to this pandemic in Nigeria; in responding to many other infectious disease threats that have happened over the last few years - monkey pox, Lassa fever and the rest of them.

“Also, it is in recognising that in order to have a global initiative to respond, there is need to have deep knowledge about how local systems work. So, I think it is a recognition that the work that we have done over the past five years to develop this system will have a big contribution in the global context.”

The NCDC boss was trained as an infectious disease epidemiologist, and he has over 20 years

experience working in senior public health and leadership positions in several National Public Health Institutes, including the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD); the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency; and Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

He has led several short-term engagements for WHO, mainly in response to major infectious disease outbreaks around the world.

Ihekweazu, a Nigerian, was born in Germany. He is a graduate of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and holds a Master in Public Health (MPH) degree from the Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany.

In 2003, he was awarded a Fellowship for the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET) and, subsequently, completed his Public Health specialisation in the United Kingdom. He is widely published in medical peer-review journals.

Meanwhile, Uzodimma lauded the appointment of Ihekweazu as WHO Assistant Director-General.

The governor said in a statement by his Special Adviser (SA) Media/Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, he wasn’t surprised over the appointment because Ihekweazu demonstrated capacity and exhibited professional competence as DG of NCDC. “Ihekweazu is one of Imo State’s best and brightest and that the state is proud to be part of the human capital contributing towards the wellbeing of the global family,” the governor stated.

Uzodimma reiterated that Ihekweazu’s pick was fundamental because, “it will help to further bring Imo State into global focus, particularly Amaigbo in Nwangele Local Government Area of the state where the NCDC DG hails from.”

The governor urged Ihekweazu to continue to do the state proud, and assured him of the support of the government and good people of Imo State to ensure that his outing at the WHO is exemplary.

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NEWS

STRENGTHENING THE EU PARTNERSHIP...

L-R: Political Officer, EU, Mr. Paulo Barroso Simoes; EU, Charge d’ Affairs, Mr. Alexander Borges Gomes; Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; Head of Section, Democracy, Governance and Mitigation, Mr. Clement Boutillier and Programme Officer, Democracy, Governance and Migration, Mrs. Laolu Olawumi, during a visit by officials of the European Union Delegation (EUD) to Nigeria and ECOWAS to the INEC headquarters, Abuja... yesterday.

NBA Calls for Total Overhaul of Judges’ Recruitment Process Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie The Public Interest and Development Law section of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for the complete overhaul of the recruitment process for judges in the country.

Chairman of the section, Mr. Monday Ubani, who made the call, said the total overhaul of the recruitment process for judges became necessary, following the conflicting judgments on political matters, passed by judges whom he said had no interest in the judiciary system, but found themselves in such position by proxy.

Ubani, who spoke yesterday on the ‘Morning Show’ on ARISE NEWS Channels, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said: “I think the National Judicial Council (NJC) must be bold enough to take decisions against some of these judges who have erred gravely to face the law. Also, the NBA itself as a body must begin to discipline some of our erring members, especially senior lawyers.

“Most people who are judges in Nigeria today do not have interest to be judges but they get nominated by the Governors, Emirs, and Obas. We need to review our recruitment process of justices in all the various courts."

Speaking further, he said, “We are not even engaged in disciplinary action, we are currently looking at the act and conduct of our colleagues. I am a chairman of this section and it is a very important section in the NBA. Akpata is the president of the NBA and he is the number one lawyer in this country.

“There is no provision in the law that says for you to be a president or for you to vote any position in Nigeria within the bar, you have to be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The issues of seniority and experience at the bar,

should always be considered before the appointment of judges."

Speaking about the abuse of ex-parte orders by judges, Ubani said there had always been a directive by most of the chief judges of the various courts of jurisdiction that caution and restraint in issuing ex- parte orders should be exercised.

He said issue of fair hearing which is a constitutional issue must always be accorded to everybody.

Citing the recent PortHarcourt judgment on the leadership of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP), Ubani said it was curious that a judge could remove a substantive chairman of a political party by ex-parte order, insisting that it was a mere show of madness.

"The proper thing to do is that, if the order was procured wrongly, then it should be appealed and have it set aside or even approach the same court to set aside that order on the ground that it may have been given clearly in error probably because of some wrong information that was given to that judge.

"I don’t see the reason why a judge who knows the jurisdiction, hierarchy and issues of court will keep giving orders that sound strange even in the ears of common men who are not learned.

“It only makes a mockery of the entire system and to end this mockery, we must begin to look into our professionals who in the course of doing their duties, are used by politicians whose intention is to derail the political process,” Ubani said.

He, however, said the

NBA, under the leadership of Mr. Olumide Akpata, would ensure that things were done properly within the legal profession.

"The NBA is taking the lead, we have agreed that the legal profession must start by disciplining its members in terms of violations of our norms, ethics, and I think what the NBA President has done by raising the alarm and decrying what has happened so far with some of these ex-parte order, is something that is commendable.

“We have also started by looking at those processes and

contradicting rulings that have been given by those various courts in order for us to make appropriate recommendations, with regards to if there are disciplinary measures to be taken against any of our erring members. I think that is the way to go.

“To me, the process has just begun and we want to set examples in this country as a profession that we will not allow some of our members to derail our democratic system.

I am totally in agreement with the process and procedure taken by the NBA President so far,” Ubani further said.

COVID-19: Obaseki Insists on No Vaccination, No Access to Public Places Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

In spite of the restraining order of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt stopping compulsory vaccination in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki has vowed to deny unvaccinated persons access to large crowd in the Edo from the middle of this month.

Obaseki, who reiterated his last Friday's directive on the issue maintained that while nobody would be forced to take the COVID-19 jabs, those who chose not to be vaccinated would not be allowed access to large public gatherings, insisting that the government would enforce the earlier directive in the overall interest of the people of the state.

He also threatened that the state might be forced to implement a lockdown if there was a failure to follow the directives for vaccination and compliance with the NonPharmaceutical Intervention (NPIs) in order to halt the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 which is currently raging within the state.

The governor, while addressing a media briefing yesterday, described the litigants in the Port Harcourt court as embarking on, "litigation tourism."

He vowed that his administration would do

everything legally possible to challenge the injunction in the appellate court, stressing that he owed it a responsibility to protect the larger population against a very few who felt no need to take the vaccination.

He hinged his insistence on denial of access to large crowd and public places to unvaccinated persons on the alarming rate of the third phase of the virus ravaging the state, disclosing that within a spate of two days, one of the front line doctors working with the state's COVID-19 team, was rendered orphan by the pandemic as the medical personnel lost both parents.

Obaseki added that at best, the court injunction, asking the state government to maintain the status quo was at best, "speculative and preemptive," saying the directive would not become effective until the middle of September.

According to him, "The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to an order by a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, directing the Government to maintain the status quo on the purported compulsory vaccination of its citizens with the COVID-19 vaccine.

"To the best of our knowledge, the order is at best speculative and pre-emptive as the scheduled

date for the commencement of the enforcement of the directive by the state government is the second week of September, 2021.

"It must be stated that there is an obvious misconception that the directive issued by government was to make vaccination compulsory for all citizens.

"Although the State Governor, in truth, has the power to make such an order under the Gazetted Quarantine Regulations, this directive is actually only a denial of access to public places of persons who chose not to be vaccinated.

"We believe government’s overriding concern is the safety and health of its citizens."

He further added: "We are currently confronted with a situation wherein the Case Positivity Rate (CPR) for COVID-19 hovers between 15 and 25 percent as deaths are consistently being recorded daily from COVID-19, with unvaccinated persons accounting for 100 percent of deaths in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

"Government, therefore, finds it strange that some persons in purported pursuit of their fundamental human rights would embark on litigation tourism outside of our state, seek to become a source of public health danger and put

at risk the safety and health of the larger population.

"Government owes a sacred duty to the populace to take all actions necessary to protect the health of the majority of the citizens and in this connection, an even greater quantity of vaccines is being secured for the use of the people of Edo State.”

According to Obaseki, the Edo State Government has instructed its lawyers to vigorously pursue and challenge all such orders in the courts from where they emanate and if necessary, at the appellate level, while affirming its position as a law-abiding government.

"It must be made clear that the government shall continue to pursue all legal and administrative options available for the protection of the best interest of the good people of Edo State.

“The Edo State governor appreciated all leaders in various spheres within the state for their support so far for the vaccination exercise which, he noted, had resulted in unprecedented uptake of the vaccines by Edo people."

Nevertheless, the governor thanked religious bodies, hotels, banks, event centres, restaurants and bars, among others, that had volunteered their premises for use as vaccination posts.

He reiterated that the directives on vaccination stands, adding that, “people who are planning social, religious, political or business events after the second week of September should ensure that both themselves and their guests are not only vaccinated but possess vaccination cards as proof of vaccination, as anyone without this proof will not be granted access to crowded facilities."

Additionally, he said that the government was commencing intensive enforcement of use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) to curb the current spike in COVID-19 infections and deaths.

These measures he reiterated, include compulsory wearing of facemasks, regular washing of hands under running water and/ or use of hand sanitisers, and maintenance of recommended social and physical distancing in public places, among others.

Obaseki warned,/"Consequent on the rapid rise in infections and death from COVID-19, government may be forced to implement a lockdown if there is a failure to follow the directives for vaccination and compliance with the Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention (NPIs) in order to halt the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 which is currently raging within the state."

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NEWS

Corporate Earnings, Others Lift Stock Market by N350bn in August Darasimi Adebisi Despite the economic headwinds and relative low patronage by foreign investors, the Nigerian equities market recorded improved performance in the month of August as investors’ worth appreciated by N350 billion.

Analysis of trading data for August obtained at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), revealed that the market capitalisation rose from N20.084 trillion at the end of July to N20.434 trillion in August.

Also, the NGX All-Share Index (ASI), which opened the month of August at 38,547.08 basis points, appreciated by 1.74 per cent to closed the month at 39,219.61 basis points on August 31, 2021.

Capital market operators attributed the improved performance of the market to the strong first half (H1), 2021 corporate earnings and improving macro-economic indices shown in the second quarter (Q2) GDP quarter-onquarter growth of 5.01 per cent.

The likes of Zenith Bank, Total Nigeria Plc, among others have released half year (H1) 2021 results with interim dividend pay-out to shareholders.

The analysts added that the recovery in the country’s economic position, offering an insight into what the future holds for the stock market and economy in general.

Speaking on market

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio is billed to submit the muchawaited forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Attorney General (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, today (Thursday).

The submission is expected to hold at the AGF’s office in the Central Business District, Abuja by 10 am.

The Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Patricia Deworitshe, confirmed this to THISDAY last night.

It is not clear why the audit report is now being submitted to Malami as against President Muhammadu Buhari earlier

The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abok Ayuba, has allayed fears emanating from some quarters that the House was plotting to impeach Governor Simon Lalong, reassuring that there was no such agenda.

The governor and the lawmaker recently had a strenuous relationship following persistent attacks and killings in the state. This culminated in the lawmakers issuing the governor a twoweek ultimatum to stop the carnage.

Lalong and his men possibly got agitated by the ultimatum,

conditions are improving with increasing GDP and drop in inflation rate.

“The crude oil price is also high and government visits the market for more bond issuance, “he said.

On his part, the Managing Director, Enterprises Stockbroker Limited, Mr Rotimi Fakayejo, attributed the stock market marginal growth to improved results by listed companies.

L-R: Director, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Isyaku Tilde; former Director General, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Professor Ndi OkerekeOnyuike; President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Omotunde Amolegbe; Founder, FCMB Group, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun; Chairman, NASD Plc, Mr. Tola Mobolurin; Chairman, Coronation Capital Limited, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; and Group Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Mr. Oscar Onyema, at unveiling Roll of Honour and inauguration of Special Facilities by CIS in Lagos… yesterday

scheduled to receive it.

Akpabio had on June 23, 2021 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, assured that the final audit report would be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for implementation by July ending.

The minister had on August 11, 2021 received the report from the field auditors who scrutinised over 12,000 projects handled in nine states of the Niger Delta region by the NDDC between 2001 and 2019.

The audit activities commenced in March 2020.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in August 2020 approved N722.3 million for eight auditors besides the N318 million earlier approved for some lead auditors who mobilised to the region in March.

No Plan to Sack Lalong, Says Plateau Speaker Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

According to him, the marginal increase is a factor of released results. He explained further that the stock market is expected to maintain the same trend in September considering the fact that the macro-economy

HONOUR FOR SECURITIES MARKET GURUS…

Akpabio Submits NDDC Forensic Audit Report Today Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

performance for August, the Vice President of Highcap Securities, Mr. David Andori said the stock market regained lost ground and it replicated the recovery that started in the last quarter.

interpreting it to mean an attempt by the House to oust the Governor over his perceived weak handling of the crisis in the state.

But the Speaker’s reassurance yesterday calmed fray nerves.

Ayuba, who spoke with newsmen in Jos said as representatives of the people it was only incumbent on them to get worried about the persistent killings and mowing of crops across the state, saying he had to call on the state Governor and the federal government to act fast.

He said the House has respect for the governor, and would not contemplate impeaching him.

Police to Upgrade Forensic Investigation Laboratory Chiemelie Ezeobi and Precious Ugwuzor

The Nigeria Police Force has revealed plans to upgrade its forensic laboratory to aid criminal investigations and intelligence gathering.

The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Usman Baba, who made

this disclosure yesterday during the three-day residential training for Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs), noted that the needed boost is underway.

This is just as he lauded the training of police spokespersons, which is targeted at equipping them with effective and strategic communication skills necessary

for criminal investigations.

The workshop with the theme “Crime Scene Management and Conclusive Criminal Investigations- The Role of Police Spokespersons”, was organised in collaboration with the Nigeria-German Development Cooperation (GIZ), to avail PPROs relevant skills for appropriate

responses to citizens’ and media enquiries into matter of forensic and evidential nature connected to ongoing criminal investigations.

Speaking at the event which held in Lagos, the IG noted the importance of forensics department in crime fighting, acknowledging there was room for more improvement.

Gunmen Kill Nine Persons, Injure Others in Kogi

Ibrahim OyewaleinLokoja

At least nine persons have been allegedly killed and several others received varying degree of injuries when unknown gunmen attacked Bagana community in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.

THISDAY gathered the gunmen invaded a provision shop located in the heart of the village and opened

fire killing four persons on the spot on Tuesday evening.

Sources said that the attackers then went on shooting spree in which many people who were running to escape were hit by stray bullets.

He disclosed that he counted five dead bodies from his hiding which included one Alias Barrister, an diesel oil dealer and a dispensary

staff of the Local Government Health Center at Ogba, residing in Bagana.

Confirming the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer of the state command DSP William Aya, said, one Usman Salifu called the District Police Officer (DPO) on phone around 9.30pm on Tuesday that his shop had been attacked by gunmen leading to the death

of his sales boy, Bashir Sule and three other customers, while scores sustained various degrees of injury.

He added that on receipt of the distress call, the DPO mobilised his men to the scene and evacuated some of the injured to the Hospital for treatment, adding that the force has commenced manhunt to bring the perpetrators to book.

FCT Demolishes Gwarimpa Tipper Garage

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has demolished illegal markets and the Tipper garage in Gwarimpa Estate as part of the ongoing sanitation exercise to rid the city of slum and criminals.

The Chairman, FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, who led the

operations, said the exercise would be sustained for days.

He lamented that the illegal markets and Tipper garage had been turned into hiding places for criminals and other hoodlums.

He also stated that the perennial traffic gridlock in parts of Gwarimpa was as result of the activities of the illegal tipper garage operators.

He added that the sanitation

exercise even more important, as it had corrected the contraventions of both AEPB and FCT Urban and Regional Planning laws, being committed by residents.

“We are removing illegal shanties markets and Tipper garage. The most painful thing is that the transit corridors have been taken over by shanty squalors.

“It is contravening Abuja Environmental Protection Board

Act and the Urban and Regional Planning laws, “ he said.

He said notices and warnings about the demolition were given in January before final notice was issued last week.

Also speaking, AEPB Enforcement Leader, Kaka Bello, said that measures had been put in place to secure the reclaimed area, so as to avoid a return of the nuisances.

Finally, Anambra Joins League of Oil-producing States To benefit from 13% derivation fund

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Anambra State has officially joined oil-producing states in Nigeria, following an approval granted by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), which has ratified the attribution of 11 oil wells to the state.

With the approval, the Southeastern state is expected to

henceforth be eligible to benefit from the 13 per cent derivation fund, which minerals-producing states in Nigeria are statutorily entitled to.

For the state, it has been a long-drawn-out battle to be recognised as an oil-producing state, but with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) insisting for years that the state has not met all the

pre-conditions to be added to the list.

Two years ago, the DPR when confronted by the Senate on why the state had not been recognised, insisted that Anambra, Enugu and Kogi States could not be declared oil-producing states until the company prospecting for the commodity scaled up its operations from an oil

prospecting to oil mining lease.

But in the approval which was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the RMAFC, Mr. Mohammed Shehu, and dated August 24, 2021, the commission stated that Anambra will be eligible for the 13 percent derivation fund immediately it begins to contribute to the federation account.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

COMMENT

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

DOES AFRICA NEED CUBA?

The continent has a duty to promote Cuba’s friendly visibility among African peoples, writes Okello Oculi

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n 1996 Nelson Mandela’s post-apartheid government adopted a policy of ensuring that his government would serve the vast majority of African citizens who had been denied medical care by decades of racist governance by European immigrants. Accordingly, Mandela chose to focus on providing ‘’Primary Health Care’’ as opposed to ‘Secondary Curative Health Care’.

In Nigeria this policy was initiated by Professor Beko Ransome-Kuti during General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration despite opposition by the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association. Curative care is popular with companies that sell medical drugs; medical equipment to be housed in medical wards and theatres; employing medical doctors located in urban areas and serving patients with high-income.

Future South African doctors and nurses trained to provide ‘’Primary Health Care’’ had to go to Cuba whose leaders remained highly indebted to poor rural communities from whom they recruited fighters for their guerrilla war against the American-backed government of Batista. Accordingly, the ‘’Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro medical collaboration’’ programme was launched.

The programme sent 800 South African students annually to study medicine in Cuba. By 2017 a total of 4000 medical graduates had returned to South Africa. As a liberation movement which had anchored its strength in promising a better life for oppressed and neglected Black people, the African National Congress had chosen an appropriate strategy for building a cadres for supplying a democratic medical health care for this constituency.

Buhle Maud Donda has reported that: ‘’South African medical students returning from five years of training in Cuba were ‘’seen as foreign and incompetent’’ by the Boer-controlled medical establishment. The University of KwaZulu Natal Medical School provides ‘’one to three years of extended medical school training when they return’’. A total of eight years of medical school attendance delayed access to needy populations, while seducing them with curative urban-based care, and Specialisation fields, notably surgery, which yield lucrative income.

In the early years of independence, most British-trained Nigerian/Ugandan/Ghanaian/ Kenyan officials treated with loud contempt the quality of degrees awarded by American, Indian and Soviet Union universities. When the Soviet Union was the first to put Satellite SPUTNIK into space and the astronaut Yuri Gagarin into space, they swallowed their foolishness.

South Africa’s medical gatekeepers also subject Cuban graduates to “education with humiliation’’ and high rates of failures; thereby, brutally undermining the goal of the ANC

FOLLOWING HIS WINNING POWER IN 1959, FIDEL CASTRO SHIPPED MILITARY WEAPONS TO SUPPORT ALGERIA’S LIBERATION WAR; AND TRAINED TUNISIAN FIGHTERS. SOMALIA, ETHIOPIA, ANGOLA, SOUTH AFRICA, TANZANIA, AND NAMIBIA ALSO RECEIVED CUBAN MILITARY SUPPORT

government to take medical care to the masses of the people.

It is puzzling that the ANC lacks the vigilance against predictable sabotage. Cuba owes Africa resilient broadcast of Primary Health Care scheme; and teaching African peoples the virtue of vigilance.

Fidel Castro boasted, justifiably that his bold policy of sending Cuban troops to defeat and drive back South African troops from Angola ensured the collapse of the myth of South Africa’s military superiority in Africa. Bitterness towards Cuba runs deep among white South Africans.

Cuba has trained thousands of medical doctors and nurses for export to support medical needs in countries in Asia, South America and several African countries despite diplomatic opposition from Euro-American corporations who find that Cuba’s gospel of promoting ‘’Primary Health Care’’ denies them markets in poor countries with predominantly rural populations. It prevents piling debts for importing medical drugs and expensive medical technology.

America’s use of its global financial power to intimidate rich European and oil-rich Arab Gulf states from trading with, and investing in, Cuba forced them to turn to intensive research to produce what they could not import.

Despite Cuba’s invention of medicines from herbal materials, they are denied markets. In 2021, its invention of a vaccine that is 92 per cent effective against COVID-19, more expensive and less effective American vaccines are imposed on African governments. The African Union must give Cuba publicised diplomatic support against this economic terrorism; and prevent a COVID-19 debt burden. A Cuban-African Research collaboration is imperative.

America’s high-cost of medical care would lose billions of Dollars if ‘’Medical Tourism’’ to Cuba is allowed to American people. Cuba eliminated MALARIA through disciplined community cleaning the environment; NOT with money for buying millions of anti-malaria drugs. African medical tourists would gain cheaper high quality services.

Japan, China and Cuba have built national strength on free universal elementary education; and high quality university research and publications. Africa has over 80 million unemployed youths who experience violence as income and religious barbarism. Paul Kagame has condemned African leaders who travel to Paris to be told about problems they see in their own countries.

Following his winning power in 1959, Fidel Castro shipped military weapons to support Algeria’s liberation war; and trained Tunisian fighters. Somalia, Ethiopia, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania, and Namibia also received Cuban military support. They have obligation to promote Cuba’s friendly visibility among African peoples. And combat hostile Euro-American propaganda.

CURBING ILL-TREATMENT OF NIGERIANS ABROAD Paul Ejime urges deliberate measures by the authorities to correct the negative perception of Nigerians abroad

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he mistreatment of Nigerian citizens abroad is nothing new. But the 7th August, 2021 man-handling of a Nigerian diplomat in Jakarta by Indonesian Immigration agents was so ruthless, appalling and undiplomatic, to evoke public outrage.

In a video of the incident, widely shared on social media the visibly distressed Nigerian diplomat, Mr. Abdurrahman Katsina Ibrahim, was forcibly restrained inside a vehicle by several men.

“I can’t breathe,” he yelled, in the video, with his head pinned to the seat.

The Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama strongly condemned the incident, describing it as “an egregious act of international delinquency by Indonesian state actors.”

In an unusual but largely popular move by an administration often criticized for lethargy on public policy matters, the government summoned the Indonesian ambassador to protest the apparent mistreatment of the Nigerian diplomat. The Foreign Ministry also demanded “appropriate sanctions against the relevant (Indonesian) officials,” and recalled Nigeria’s ambassador in Indonesia for consultations, warning that the sanctions could include “a review of bilateral relations” between the two countries.

Indonesia’s immigration office initially defended the actions of its officers, saying the Nigerian diplomat had been “uncooperative” when questioned during what an official called routine checks on the validity of permits held by foreigners in Indonesia.

However, the Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah later said the ministry regretted the incident, and was continuing to communicate with the Nigerian government on the matter. “That incident was an isolated incident and does not have anything to do with Indonesia’s

commitment to performing its duties as a host country as per Vienna conventions on diplomatic relations,” he said, adding: “the law and human rights ministry had launched an internal investigation as a follow up to that incident.”

Apparently unimpressed by the explanation by the Indonesian government, sections of the Nigerian population, from lawmakers to civil society, weighed in on the matter, all condemning and describing the Indonesian incident as one too many.

Many public commentators also recalled several recent mistreatments of Nigerian citizens in other countries including in Ghana, Malaysia and South Africa and called for concrete remedial measures from the government.

The Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) was very emphatic in its condemnation of what it called “unprovoked attack by Indonesian Immigration Officials on a Nigerian diplomatic agent. The attack was not only unprovoked and unwarranted, but it was also a glaring abuse of established conventions and international norms and conduct as enshrined in the Vienna Convention (1961), on Diplomatic Relations,” the Association said. It supported the “interim steps so far taken by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry by summoning the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria to protest the actions of the unruly Indonesian Immigration Officials and recalling, for consultation, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Indonesia.” ARCAN goes further to express “the hope that …other rogue officials in Indonesia and elsewhere in the world would have learnt the necessary lessons and ensure that this type of clear breach and barbaric behaviour never rears its head again.”

There has been no escalation and it might be unwise to canvas the extreme measure of severance of diplomatic relations, but three weeks on, there

appears to be a disturbing silence even on the diplomatic front regarding the incident. Both governments might be working behind the scenes using back-stop channels, but the Nigerian government owes it a duty to keep concerned Nigerians duly and consistently abreast on the incident.

Such matters, even when resolved secretly or in private, the public must be in the know of key elements of the resolution. For instance, an effective public communications strategy would recommend openness, follow-ups and sensitization to ensure that the general public is carried along, not only to assuage the anger but also to ensure that there is no repeat of such an ugly incident.

Generally, the recurring mistreatments of Nigerians abroad have to do with the wrong perception that Nigerians are corrupt or criminally minded, which is not only false, but grossly unfair on the overwhelming majority of Nigerians who are contributing to development in various parts of the world.

This unfortunate profiling which has persisted over time must, therefore, be rectified, both through the conduct of Nigerians everywhere and the actions and body language of the government at home.

Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora have a responsibility to conduct themselves as worthy ambassadors of their country. It is a collective responsibility on the part of the government and citizens to ensure that the country enjoys international goodwill and positive public image. There must be a deliberate public policy commitment and efforts by both government and the citizens to ensure that Nigeria and its nationals command respect at home and abroad.

The Indonesia incident is a reality check and a call on all Nigerians to wake up to their patriotic duties.

If a Nigerian diplomat can be man-handled in a foreign land, what is the fate of ordinary Nigerian

citizens abroad? It is a diplomat today; it could be anybody else tomorrow. Some analysts have called for a review or overhauling of the country’s foreign policy architecture. But the challenge lies more with the political will of those in authority to provide the required leadership for the restoration of Nigeria’s glory days.

Nigeria used its resources to energize the emancipation of Africa and contributed enormously to the independence of several African countries, including by providing military training to freedom fighters and education scholarships to political exiles.

The country, which set up a widely acclaimed Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme that provided skilled manpower to a number of developing countries cannot now watch its own skilled personnel including medical doctors troop out, with others queuing up regularly in front of foreign embassies or undertaking desperate perilous journeys through the hostile desert and the Mediterranean in search of so-called greener pastures abroad.

In 2001, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nigeria’s Worldrenowned playwright and Nobel Laureate for Literature had threatened to turn down all British invitations because of “routine obstruction and delay” at that country’s immigration checkpoints. He said then that he suffered “unbelievable questions and degrading treatment” at airports and the Channel tunnel terminus.

In one of the incidents at the Manchester airport en route to make a speech at Leeds University, where he had studied, Soyinka said he was officially detained and “aggressively questioned” after all other passengers on a flight from Los Angeles via Milan had been let through.

Ejime, an Author and former Diplomatic/War Correspondent, is a Consultant on Communications, Media, Elections and International Affairs

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

EDITORIAL

FOR UWAIFO, THE BEAT GOES ON Victor Uwaifo, sculptor, visual artist and ‘guitar boy’ of highlife music, dies, aged 80

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hen a great musician passes on, the music does not stop. Instead, the beat often gets louder and resonates more in its timelessness. This much can be said of Sir Victor Efosa Uwaifo, the great high life artist who died last week. Born in Benin city on 1st March 1941, Uwaifo was among Nigeria’s highlife greats of all times. His passage, not long after Victor Olaiya, marks the beginning of the end of the musical tradition which featured the likes of Rex Jim Lawson, Stephen Osadebay, Victor Olaiya, Bala Miller, Bobby Benson, Eddy Okonta and a host of others. This was an authentic African genre that united the whole of West Africa in a fluid cultural canvas.

Throughout his glorious career, Uwaifo struck his distinctive identity by bringing into the thriving highlife tradition an authentic streak. His authenticity derived from his instant ability to fuse his Edo ethnic tradition with the prevailing THROUGHOUT HIS African urban rhythm GLORIOUS CAREER, that resonated across the continent from the UWAIFO STRUCK HIS mid-1950s to the 1970s.

DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY Within that musical

BY BRINGING INTO THE tradition, Uwaifo’s THRIVING HIGH LIFE TRADITION AN AUTHENTIC electric guitar and very contemporary themes STREAK struck an electrifying immediacy that brought in a younger segment of the audience. Unlike his older contemporaries, he subjected the leisurely pulsating rhythm of the highlife tradition to constant experimentation and innovation. In the process, he was restlessly expanding the frontiers of the original highlife tradition.

The creative restlessness and experimentation by Uwaifo were the expression of a certain inner versatility.

As a musician, he was a multi-talented instrumentalist.

He was first and foremost a distinguished electric guitarist, the indisputable ‘Guitar Boy’ of Nigerian highlife music. His exhilarating and distinctive string composi-

Letters to the Editor

tions and arrangements gave us such classics as ‘Guitar Boy’ and ‘Joromi’, tunes that were instant hits in their time and have remained timeless and classical features of Nigeria’s highlife lore. In addition, he was a flutist, a saxophonist, pianist, and percussionist.

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

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

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.

THE TRAMADOL GENERATION

PLAYING WITH OUR SANITY

Continued from backpage any of the smaller countries on the continent, including neighbouring Chad, have been more serious in dealing with the supply side of the problem. On 24th July 2020, 10 Chadians, including two army generals and a colonel, were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for their involvement in transnational tramadol trafficking. A year before, in July 2019, two senior officials of their Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also arrested for tramadol trafficking from India through the Benin Republic capital, Cotonou. They were tried and imprisoned. We hope the Nigerian authorities will learn from Chad!

Literature abounds regarding how consumption of psychoactive substances promotes the kind of mindless violence that we see all over Nigeria today. Understanding this relationship and agreeing that we do have a serious social problem with dire implications for our national security will help to design appropriate responses. We must commend Marwa for his campaign against substance abuse that is now prevalent in the country and hope the authorities in Abuja and all the states can see the clear and present danger it poses to the future of our country.

Olusegun Adeniyi, Abuja

s we, in Melbourne Australia, enter into day 213 of lockdown, broken into six separate occasions, there has finally been one eased restriction, access to playgrounds. They will reopen tomorrow night for children under the age of 12. The child can be supervised by only one person who must check in with a QR code, wear a mask all of the time which means no eating or drinking.

I thought the world had gone crazy when Trump was elected as president but now, I know the world is crazy and I don’t think everyone is playing with a full deck of cards. Hopefully the Martians will abduct me and bring me back in a few years when the world gets rid of the COVID pandemic and returns to normal.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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s a song writer, Uwaifo combined the poet’s attention to thematic relevance with a certain attention to the musician’s ear for cadence and audience appeal. Above all else, he was a vocalist whose youthful voice combined with his stirring string arrangements which energised both listeners and live concert audiences. He sang in Edo, English and Pidgin. In live performances, Uwaifo came across as youthful, vibrant, and energetic. That youthful energy earned him the followership of a younger fan base as distinct from the usual ageing audience of the traditional highlife genre. Uwaifo quickened the pace of highlife and in the process made it less predictable and trans generational.

What particularly stood Uwaifo apart from the rest was that his creativity transcended the various artistic genres. He was a sculptor, visual artist, fabricator, and inventor. He invented a personalised guitar which he went ahead to construct and produce a prototype. He insisted on adding his personal creative touch to both the design of his home and even his automobiles. In recognition of Uwaifo’s versatility, the University of Benin appointed him a professor of creative arts to give him the opportunity to share his creative talents and insights with the younger generation and the academic community.

Similarly, the Edo State government once appointed him a Commissioner for Arts and Culture to give the wider community the benefits of his artistic vision and spirit of service.

Victor Uwaifo never really retired from either his music or his multiple creative undertakings. Even in his late 70s, he occasionally collaborated with younger musicians in ventures that led to very contemporary tracks that became instant hits. As news of his demise spread across the nation, the air waves announced his passing with nostalgic musical tributes of his trademark tunes and tracks.

May God comfort the family he left behind.

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TACKLING SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

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exual and gender-based violence is a contemporary misdemeanour, a nauseating menace manifested as rape, female genital mutilation, human trafficking, and child marriage, to mention but a few. Characterized by gender inequality, power domination and exacerbated by cultural and religious biases which limit capabilities of women and girls to care as well as absence of economic opportunities, gender-based violence makes women and girls susceptible to antics of sexual predators. Gender-based violence continues to persist due to silence, shame and stigmatization as victims are shamed and stigmatized in their communities for daring to speak up about their abuse. This is also worsened by weak judicial structure which does not treat cases of sexual and gender-based violence with utmost urgency coupled with unprofessional attitude of law enforcement officers who blame victims for injustice melted on them by abusers. In my view, sexual and gender-based violence is exacerbated by patriarchy which promotes toxic masculinity and submissive femininity. This ensures that women and girls are subservient to dictatorial tendencies of the male gender. The school curriculum outlines roles such as work to provide basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter for men and going to the market to buy foodstuffs for women. Inability of men to meet these responsibilities imposed on them by culture and religion oftentimes due to unfavourable economic situations results in aggressive behaviour and assault on their female partners.

A strategic way of tackling sexual and gender-based violence is needed for a school curriculum which promotes shared responsibility in not only the household but also the importance of gender equality and its link to rapid socio-economic development. Religious and traditional leaders also need to change their biases about the cultural role of women but instead champion their inclusion in religious and cultural programs as well as political leadership while also promoting mutual submission between men and women in households.

Oluwatoyin Olabisi, Executive Director, Women & Girls Capabilities & Empowerment Organisation

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

SPECIALINTERVIEW

CHIKWE IHEKWEAZU: N E W PA N D E M I C H U B TO D E V E LO P CAPACITY TO TACKLE EMERGING DISEASES The World Health Organisation yesterday unveiled a global Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, a platform for creating shared and networked access to vital multi-sectoral data, driving innovations in data analytics and building the communities of practice needed to predict, prevent, detect, prepare for and respond to worldwide health threats.

Interestingly, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, was yesterday named Assistant Director General World Health Organisation, WHO, and Head of the newly created Global Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, situated in Berlin, from November 1, 2021. In this interview, Ihekweazu and Mirjam Jenny, who leads the Science Communication Unit at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, spoke about the initiative as well as its role in the quest to develop capacity against pandemic. Obinna Chima and Onyebuchi Ezigbo bring the excerpts: What is the whole idea about a global hub for the World Health Organisation (WHO) global hub for pandemic and economic intelligence which was inaugurated yesterday all about? irstly a little bit about the hub so that it provides context and why this has become necessary.

Obviously we have seen an increasing number of new emergent infectious diseases globally over the last 50 years and we are all witnesses to the largest pandemic of our lifetime. In reviewing all these incidents that had happened, WHO set up several partners to look at the causes and how the world can actually come together to mitigate the impact of this to protect everyone from similar occurrences happening in the past and also to be able to respond quicker to incidents when they happen. So there have been a lot of thinking on how to do this and one of the biggest consensus area is that there is a lot of capacity in the world to detect, prevent and respond, but a lot of that capacity is not aligned in a way that makes the best use of it and these capabilities are within

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countries, within academic institutions, within regions and there isn’t enough capacity to pull all of this together in a collaborative way so that if there is a new emergent incident somewhere in the world, whether it is in South East Asia, Europe, Africa or China, how do we collect this information in an effective manner to analyse it and then use it to define a public health response. So, this has really been the thinking that has been going on over the last few months and in response to this, WHO and its partners and member states have come up with a concept of a new pandemic preparedness hub or pandemic intelligence and preparedness hub. But basically the concept is around getting better data, analysing it quicker and better and using it to make decisions to support the world in decision making. So, this is a new exciting project that would be carried out led by WHO but with active collaboration with many countries in the world working together with them in a way. If you can imagine some group that have the ability

to collect, synthesis and quickly use information.

The world is now global village. So that is a bit of what the hub is going to do and it will start in Berlin and Geneva, working collaboratively but primarily out of Berlin and pulling together the word’s resources to support the different governments in the world to make the decision. So that is the summary of this new initiative which will kick off on Wednesday and which will be launched by the Director General of WHO together with the German Chancellor.

So where does Nigeria fit in this global health pandemic intelligence preparedness hub?

I think where Nigeria fits in is for instance the choice of the leader of the NCDC to lead this global initiative is probably a recognition of the work we have done in Nigeria with the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health led on by the presidential staring committee in responding to this pandemic in Nigeria; in responding to many other

infectious disease threats that have happened over the last few years - monkey pox, Lassa fever and the rest of them. Also, in recognising that in order to have a global initiative to respond, there is need to have deep knowledge about how local systems work. For instance, when a report comes in the newspaper that there were XYZ number of deaths in a certain local government, someone needs to go there, collect these data and samples and report and we need the system to do that, which is the same thing that happens all over the world. So, I think it is a recognition that the work that we have done over the past five years to develop this system will have a big contribution in the global context. I think the choice of the leader of the NCDC to work along with the global initiative is something that needs to be celebrated in Nigeria as a recognition of the work that has been done so far.

How would this initiative improve our data reporting and collection challenges in Nigeria?

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

SPECIAL INTERVIEW

Mirjam Jenny: WHO is Committed to Increasing Access to Healthcare Globally Yes, we struggle with our system, but we have made a lot of progress in Nigeria. We have built up a digital surveillance system for infectious diseases called SORMAS, which has now been deployed across all the 774 local government areas to report the cases of infectious diseases from the local level to the national level. In developing this system we have learnt a lot about what works in Nigeria and to make a system work in Nigeria you can probably get it to work anywhere in the world. So, the recognition that yes, we work in a very tough context which is not just about health, but agriculture, insecurity, internet and so on. If we can deliver a system that works in Nigeria then we may be have a chance of delivering systems that work across the world. In many parts of the world, when you are thinking about building a new architecture survey system, you’re not think about electricity, transportation or internet. A lot of these things are taken for granted because they work at the background. But in Nigeria, we have to think of all these things properly, same as in many other developing countries in Africa, in South East Asia and many other countries. This is what is translating to the local challenges that we have. Taking that into consideration and recognising that they are important and for someone to lead a new global initiative, you have to really understand the difficulties, challenges and impediment of making these things work in context in order to implement it at a global level.

Earlier you said the WHO came up with the initiative in active collaboration with countries, so is there a role for the private sector to play in this arrangement?

When we say WHO, it is the organisation and its member-states. Now, the whole concept of the hub is based on the recognition that we have to work with every sector to bring in the data that they have. So, whether it is the not-for-profit or academia institution – a lot of data are in academic institutions; the private sector, if you think about global travel, the airline industry how much data they have in terms of passenger transport.

If you think about sea transportation, which is localised in cruise ship which collect data on people travelling; and that data is not in any way systematically included in the analysis that is required to be done. If you think about the animals, remember, most infectious diseases jump from animals to humans and we are still looking for the primary animal host for this new coronavirus because everyone agrees that it is most likely to have come from an animal host. So, we need to understand that we need data from agriculture, data from travel and that is really our engagement with the private sector. Once we get this started, we will demonstrate to the world that they must be a part of this and there is a lot of prediction that there would be a lot of support from the private sector. Remember, as much as there have been incredible human consequence of this pandemic if you think about up to five million lives lost, the human impact has been incredible, but the impact of this pandemic on the global economy is unprecedented. So, I think it would be to everyone’s best interest to invest in supporting the emergence of a hub that can warn us on time about the prevention of a new infectious disease threat so that we can all prepare and make sure we can prevent it if possible, but if not, reduce its impact on human life and also on the economies of our countries.

Considering the fact that Nigeria and the rest of Africa share a common experience in terms of many unreported epidemic or neglected epidemic cases, do you think this initiative will be of great assistance to address this problem?

I think this is a point that really demonstrates that there is recognition by the DG of WHO that every part of the world is important and Africa is just as important as every other continent in the world. It is in that context of wishing for a more equitable world and working towards it, that Africa is now being recognised as the front and centre of the work that needs to happen moving forward. So, I think that yes, there are many challenges on the continent but no doubt about it we have many human resources like many other continents in the world that focuses on the goals we set for ourselves in the continent but I think it is in recognition of the role that we need to play and the fact that we can’t continue to be recipient of solutions, but that we have a part to play in the creation of these solutions that will make the world a safer place. In that recognition, I think that Nigeria and Africa is going to play a big part in this new global initiative and I think we will make Nigeria, Africa and ultimately the world a safer place.

We can see that the third wave is ravaging countries globally even countries that have achieved 60 percent vaccination. Where does that leave Nigeria that is still around two per cent vaccination rate?

There is a lot that we are still learning about this virus and the emergence of new variants and one of the key part is the ability to get information and this happens when we work with academics that have information on the virus in other to then understand the impact it has, the tools we need to respond, one of which are the vaccines. Now, the hub in itself will not overnight change the access to vaccine, but will clearly, in an evidenced-based means demonstrate the link between the emergence of new variant and

Ihekweazu effective of vaccine deployment efforts. So you asked two questions in one: The first one which is access to vaccine and I think this hub will do a lot of things that are being done by small groups around the world, in an evidenced-based way.

When the analysis and presentation is done by an initiative that has the authority and credibility to do so, hopefully that will help in making better decisions in terms of where to deploy the vaccines.

So, I think we are undergoing a third wave in Nigeria but for the first time in a long time we have some substantial amount of vaccine and a good number of that will come in between now and the end of the year. We have started receiving the Moderna vaccine and many other sets of vaccines will come in between now and December and I believe before the end of the year we will be in a much better position to respond to this.

There has been this vaccine inequity and Africa has really lagged behind in vaccination.

How will this hub help to tackle this aspect of the whole pandemic campaign and the vaccine inequity which is a major issue?

Jenny: WHO has a general mission to increase equity in access to all healthcare materials, not just vaccine and of course during this crisis vaccine is the biggest and most important equity that we have because it is the most powerful tool against the virus and I think a lot of people have being raising awareness in the political world on a policy level globally in supporting WHO’s ongoing campaign to promote vaccine equity, access to vaccine around the world in terms of more logistical detailed solutions. We don’t know exactly, but there is a lot of political convenience that we are negotiating to do in upcoming convention. So WHO is the convener of getting people together on one table to discuss these things as Dr. Chikwe already mentioned to discuss the evidence that people need to see more and have a global solution which is more effective, distribute vaccine equitably and that is basically the work that the hub is set to do. I think in away science is in a haste in terms of what works globally and the way scientists communicate and we have to find a way to get that global thinking and make them understand that it is in their own interest.

How would this global effort or new initiative also encourage heads of government to look towards the direction of improving the health budget?

What this new initiative will do is really raise the profile of what we need to do protect the world.

Of course, you think about the investment made in military interventions globally and you think about the threat that it poses which you can’t equate with the threats of an infectious disease.

I mean what else can lead to five million deaths globally in one and half years? There is very little that can do that other than a virus. What else can be done in preparing the world to mount

defensives and prevent this globally? You will find out that the dollar spent on this particular threat is minimal.

So, what I think the main benefit of this initiative would be to raise the profile of a threat that affects all of us globally to the level that our politicians will have to listen and once they start listening the next step is to invest in the healthcare infrastructure that we need to do this because no matter how good WHO is or even National Public Health Institute is, ultimately what we need is a well-functioning healthcare delivery infrastructure in countries such that if you are ill, a patient will have the confidence of going to that primary healthcare centre, saying I have a fever, the sample would be collected from that individual, test can be done quickly if it is one of the common cause of fever, will treat the patient but on a rare occasion that it is one of something new that the system will work in order for that information to be taken up to a level that require a response to health.

So, for all of that to work, for the system to work in every country, we need a significant amount of investment in healthcare and that investment hasn’t happened because I think the threat that we face are not positioned in a way particularly to enable our government to pay attention. But if we don’t use it in a way the opportunity that the global pandemic has provided for the health sector to make this investment, they would never be made. So one of the drivers of this initiative is to really use the momentum of the attention right now on this infectious disease threat to build the systems that we need for the future so that we don’t lose the attention span of our political leadership if we don’t act now that this is very present.

I still have a lot of people who don’t believe that there is COVID-19, what message do you have for such persons?

So, five million have died from this disease and because one of those people are not within our immediate family network doesn’t mean that each of the five million doesn’t have a family, friend, loved one that their lives has been torn apart by this loss. We have been fairly lucky in Nigeria so far and with fingers crossed that we haven’t been hit as hard as many other countries. In my work around the country, part of it includes international work, the impact has been devastating. Just last week, I was speaking to a colleague who works in the main national hospital in Nairobi, I don’t want to use a more distant example because sometimes it appears too distant. But this colleague works in the main National Hospital in Nairobi.

He was completely exhausted because literally for the past five months he hasn’t had a day of rest as their hospitals have been overwhelmed; he has lost colleagues that he worked with every day; doctors, nurses and still their wards are full and they are struggling to provide patients the

care that they need. I think at this stage, all of us have a responsibility to that this is not only for health workers, we all have to continue educating our people that God has given us a brain for a reason, to be able to help those that don’t really understand how viruses lead to diseases and make that as simple as possible and educate them on how they can prevent themselves from contacting the diseases.

Don’t you think that politics or political decisions by heads of governments of member countries might affect the smooth operation of this initiative?

Jenny: I think you are raising a very hard issue there and that is going to be one of the biggest challenges as I mentioned earlier to make politicians think globally and make them realise that some of the local actions can get them re-election but global actions can clear all from future pandemics. Nigeria is a federated state where you have compromise and talk to people, learn from and collaborate with climate scientist because they have similar challenges because if we must fight the climate challenges globally, then you have to work together to fight it and emerging diseases are part of the climate crisis. This would be very hard but we have no other chance but to try and the WHO of course is the one you need which is the organisation that can tackle this because it is a member of aid organisation and because it has the mission of keeping the world safe.

The time to act is now; like I can speak for Germany where the funds for healthcare has increased and take this thinking to a global and how people understand and again at the end it is important to find global solutions because viruses will always fight back. In a way it is a question of continuous campaigning.

By the way, about this earlier question on what you say to someone who doesn’t believe there is COVID 19, of course one of the reason could be you have a person that doesn’t know much about medical illness and infections but sometimes you also have some persons that actually know quite a lot about this but are derailed by conspiracy theories which are very hard to erase from people’s mind. If you have that kind of situation where the person has been convinced by conspiracy thinking that COVID-19 doesn’t exist, usually it is better to talk to them about what kind of benefits do they get from joining such conspiracy theory and thinking, how does it make them feel better and kind of address those issues that the person has and give them some sense of security and not trying to discuss the details of the illness because that is usually much harder because what helps is usually to think with them on a personal connection.

Why is it difficult to convince political leaders in Africa to develop the health sector?

You know we are faced with many challenges, security, basic infrastructure, among others and very often health is not present in our day to day discussion.

People are not talking about health, so it won’t be on the political agenda and the reason I think is that we all take health for granted until we lose it and when we lose it we are not in the best place to ask for it because we are either very ill or we are gone. If you read about development of modern society you will see that relationship between the role of health and reducing health challenges and health inequalities really played a big role in the development of societies in countries. This question demonstrates that at least you are aware of this, the issue then is how do we, at least from the point of view of the media, put it more in the national consciousness of all.

I hope this new hub will have a role to play with that by providing the world and Africa as a big part of it the information in a way that we can use it for running these organisations in our communities and drive the conversations with our political leaders in other for them to find a link between investment in health and economic development of country and once we can achieve that narrative I think we will have a better position and chance of convincing them because ultimately politics is the same globally. We have to offer them a link between health and political sustainability like I call it now. If we sell health as something you just do as an altruistic activity for the people it doesn’t have political value, it doesn’t have value. So, we have to change the narrative a bit and I am hoping this hub will provide not only the data but also the interpretation and presentation in order for our politicians to understand why they need to increase investment.

I don’t know if we have touched on the issue of funding of this initiative, are there any form of assistance to member countries on this initiative?

At this stage that the German government has provided an initial $100 million grant for this hub and ultimately the hub will attract the support which will not just go and sit in the hub, the hub will work with countries around the world and once it delivers, it will attract more funding to them and all the other countries, WHO member states and deliver on what it needs to succeed. Really, this hub will be linked to countries and work together with countries to develop the data and resources needed in making decisions.

While the initial funding in the beginning we are hopeful that there would be a lot more funding as soon as we demonstrate the value of collaborative thinking, collaborative working, collaborative decision making in tackling the world’s hardest problems.

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

Maduka: I’m One of Anambra’s Godfathers Accord Party governorship candidate in Anambra State, Dr Godwin Maduka, tells Nseobong Okon-Ekong that given the opportunity to govern the state, his administration would go beyond perfunctory tasks to executing transformational projects in all spheres. Excerpts:

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in this town. So I joined PDP, and I won the primary election going by the nomination, anybody can check it out, I had the majority of the adhoc statutory delegates. We bonded, they loved the Okonkwo in ‘Things Fall Apart’

by Chinua Achebe. I made sure that I continued my philanthropy using the statutory adhoc delegates. I enlightened them on what I intend to do when I become governor.

ow did you become the renowned physician that you are today?

Upon completion of my course, I went to Las Vegas where I was working as a Physiologist and doing minor surgeries. I had to leave after one year and a half to open my own practice called Las Vegas Pain Institute and Medical Centre. I was doing most of the minor surgeries, which entails pharmaceutical as well as surgical intervention to pain management. I ended up building six pain hospitals.

One of the things that helped me is that, when I was practising, I was gaining results. One thing that doesn’t discriminate in human beings is health. If you have to get good healthcare from anybody, you don’t need to don’t care about the caregiver’s skin colour. So it was a zeal and I did it very well. At one point, I had to think of home. I decided to embark on developing this place.

How did you start?

I started with my home, my brothers and sisters. All of us were living in a five-story building, which at that point was the tallest in the whole local government. Upon completion of that, I embarked on building homes for the homeless, the widows and widowers and all the less privileged of this town. When I see a thatched house it has to come down. We gave them a new home. In two weeks they have a five-bedroom house. Also, I had to go into the educational system. At that time, we didn’t have a primary school, so we built a primary school and a secondary school and we gave it to a church to manage. We also built a hospital, which we also gave to a church to manage.

We embarked on building a civic centre for assembly and worship. We also built homes for resident priests for the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church in the town. We embarked on building the roads and bridges. We took a while to build this, but from 2016 to 2018, it was a serious development. We started building that 17-floor pain centre about 16 years ago.

While I was building it, something came up and I had to stop, do what I had to do and continue. It was like one year, one block but within that period, we were able to finish the 16 floors. We were also able to build the police stations with their barracks, the only one we have in Anambra State.

We went on to the Magistrate Court, but the place where it was so difficult to deal with is the High Court. Nobody ever told me that you have to build a high court at the headquarters.

I was designing a city, so I had to build the high court in the town of Umuchukwu and it caused crisis. The neighbouring town that was supposed to be the headquarters said “how dare you build a high court in your town.” It took almost two years to open. Can you imagine spending close to N4 billion, to build a high court with majestic looking building for the judge? With the panelling, the US procured items of furniture, it is still the best high court in Anambra. It’s just like what happened to me now in the governorship race, I was humbled.

Lucky enough, we were able to open it after some months. I lost my mind because I was trying to do good; they have congestion at Ekwulobia, cases are not being dispatched fast, so I thought it wise to build a high court to ease the workload but unfortunately, it became political. Anyway, it has been opened. We built the magistrate court too. We built homes for the monarchs both the dead one and the new one. They are very happy about it and now we have 82% of graduates in this town. I grew up in a town where the majority of us were underprivileged. Funny enough, where I built our monastery was where I fell from a palm tree.

Can you walk us through your early life and educational background?

I grew up in this village, Umuchukwu in Anambra State. I was born in 1959, and in 1982, I migrated to America. I had a rough childhood.

Maduka For some of us that were born around that time, we didn’t start school till age 11. I migrated to America after gaining a scholarship and I was lucky enough to finish a four-year course in one year and six months.

You finished a four-year course in one year and six months?

Yes. Because then, for WAEC, GCE, we used to read above and beyond the course of study. Upon migrating to the US it was so easy to go to class and they were able to test me from freshman to sophomore and junior. In the middle of my junior year, that was when I stopped.

So within two weeks of being in the US, I’d already read two and half years.

After that I was lucky enough to enter for Doctorate programme in Pharmacy and in 1988, I got my Doctorate in Pharmacy. In 1989, I entered the Doctor of Medicine programme and finished. In 1992-1993, I finished my internship. I was lucky enough to enter Harvard School of Medicine to study Medicine, which was where I did my four-year course in Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Management.

How did your sojourn into politics

start?

I used to be an APGA sympathiser. I was never a member. I watched them over the years. I saw the trend of APGA when they used to take Certificate of Return from people that won an election and give it to somebody else. At that point, I was like this is not happening. So, some of the people I helped during their campaign that were supposed to make it, didn’t.

That is one of the things that made me start looking into this politics. At that point, I decided that PDP is the next thing. I entered PDP, and when it was time, I started running for the position of Governor of Anambra State. I had to overcome the stereotype about being from the US, but what happened is that they forgot the fact that I grew up here in the village. They also forgot the fact that I’ve been a philanthropist for more than 20 years. I had to come home more often than ever. I think I come home more often than people that live in Abuja or Lagos because sometimes I come home two or three times a year and sometimes, I stay for one month. I started coming home in 1997 and there has always been construction or something important going on.

That is what made it possible for me to coordinate this level of development

I can tell you that 30-40 percent of that Internally Generation Revenue in Lagos is from the Igbos. The point is that our people that are the Igbos are taking over the trade in Lagos. That’s why I am trying to encourage our people to come home here and start building the factories. Let’s start building Anambra

What are some of those things you intend to do as governor?

From building pharmaceutical industries without sugar pills to building roads and bridges, modernising and upgrading the airport, bringing the seaport to Onitsha, from the Atlantic Ocean straight into Onitsha so we can clear our containers easily; no more Tincan or Apapa. I’m also going to build 21 emergency rooms in 21 Local Government areas. So that whenever you have an emergency like, heart attack or stroke you would not have to run helter-skelter, you would have a place to run to where they would recognise the signs and symptoms that would save your life, because nobody is free. If you have a cut in America, they would get the wound and patch the ruptured vessels. In America, if you have a stroke, there is an emergency centre that would take care of it and you would be free. All you need to do is manage and get to the nearest local government emergency centre where there are 24 hours running staff. That is what I plan to do in terms of medicine with all other kinds of stuff that I have been doing. In terms of education, I also promised to build 21 university campuses in 21 local governments in the state by looking at what the local government is known for.

For instance, in Onitsha, I would build the department of Legal Studies; they have more lawyers than any other town in Anambra State.

So, since that’s what they are known for we would build it for them. We can build a Marine Biology campus for people in Ogbaru Area such that ‘keke’ drivers can go for their formal routine in the morning and in the evening they go to a class. I promise to increase the percentage of literate people in Anambra to a level that surpasses any other state in this country, after all, that is what I’m known for. I also told them we are going to bring technology.

Anambra would probably be the first state to build a phone. We all know that if you need a phone it is possible to go to Aba and get a phone coupled for you. But, why is it that our people would not do that? It is all greed-driven.

I also promised that we would have religious tolerance. The white people came here and taught us that instead of going to the Umo, the shrine, instead of circumcising women, and other similar kinds of stuff, like ‘juju’, there are better ways of doing things. Our people went through all that and I feel that we need to change this country for the better. More so, I don’t like the fact that black is being painted as inferior. In as much as I attended college in the US, when George Floyd was killed like a little bird on the streets, our people should have to take note of that so that we can develop our own country. So religious tolerance should be there. You don’t have to be Catholic, Anglican, Deeper Life or traditional worshipper. As long as you are praying to God, it is all fine and one shouldn’t touch that part. There should be women and youth empowerment but how many other women and youth get that? Sometimes you feel bad for our graduates something has to be done. The next mass protest would be worse than ‘EndSars’. I’m telling you. If we don’t intervene now, this nation is going to explode. What is bothering me more is the women, they go to school do the NYSC and there is no job. What do you expect her to do?

It bothers me a lot. The wastage in this country is beyond imagination. That is why I’m here to change things.

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Okonkwo: Anambra’s Biggest Problem is Abandoning Her Values Following his recent move to Zenith Labour Party as its governorship candidate, Obiora Okonkwo, a former card-carrying member of Peoples Democratic Party, who declined a senatorial ticket in 2019 to pursue his governorship aspirations, is concerned about restoring the values of Anambra State. He spoke to Vanessa Obioha. Excerpts:

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ill you consider yourself lucky that you were not announced winner of the primary due to the controversy in PDP, with Val Ozigbo and Ugochukwu Ubah emerging from parallel primaries, particularly now that other parties like APGA and APC, are also having problems?

Yes, there are problems in all the major political parties. Litigations are endless in PDP because they have two major things to contend with.

They are already saying that the product of that exercise is null and void. That means that the PDP might not have a candidate in that election.

APC also has its own issues and the problems are still there coupled with the latest Supreme Court judgment that may have made it null and void for any primaries conducted by the national chairman of the party. Then the other party is APGA, which is going from one crisis to the other.

It looks like a good number of the people of Anambra have realised that our state is in a total political quagmire. There were concerns that we might fall from frying pan to fire and that people might wake up one day and an unexpected person might just be declared the governor of Anambra State. So, I hearkened to the voice of the people and decided to take up this project with full knowledge that this is a difficult task. This is because anyone that hears that I am from a known party to one that is relatively not well-known, will wonder what happened. If the person does not have the other details, one may conclude that one is going on a suicide mission. I would not blame anybody. I would have thought so myself. However, there is prospect in this venture.

We decided to agree to this call because the people who were with us in PDP are still with us today. We decided to seek the governorship on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). There was a window for substitution of candidate and we took advantage of it. I have looked at the advantages. As we speak today, I am the only governorship candidate from Anambra Central, which has the highest number of registered voters. Apart from that, I am from Idemili Federal Constituency that has over 600,000 registered voters. So, that flank is open. There is the North, which has the second largest number of registered voters and they were compensated with Governor Willie Obiano.

Many people from the North are angry, having thought the PDP could pick a running mate from there, which didn’t happen. We have taken care of this in my candidature.

Strategically speaking, we thought that with my strength in Idemili, and my reach in the Central and a partnership with the North, we could make a difference. There is work of mobilisation and sensitisation to be done. We will do our best. The choice of ZLP is strategic. It is the last party on the ballot paper. We will tell voters to go vote for the last party on the ballot paper, instead of leaving them to start looking for our logo in the midst of so many others.

It is not going to be easy, but I believe that it is only people that can make things easy. Political structure is human and not spirit. Anambra people are already in the kind of mood that what would determine the outcome of this election is individual and not political party. Internally, political parties are flawed and the best, most times, does not emerge. I am not in this race by my strength, but I believe that with God, everything is possible. Human beings have spoken but God would always have the final say. We have something to offer in Anambra. It would only take a good person on a platform of governance to be able to influence what is happening. With my background and exposure, we will give Anambra the best. I am in this because I believe that the greatest resources are available in Anambra State and human resource is more important than anything. The world today is knowledge driven.

I was telling a group of people that the Israeli

Okonkwo prime minister has the capacity with drone technology to determine the type of soil in a farm and use the same drone to correct whatever is in that soil without going there physically. If Americans would stay in Washington and pick the enemy one by one in Iraq or Afghanistan without putting foot on ground; even pick those inside an armoured car, then what are we talking about? That is the world of the future and the brain power is there in Anambra State. I do tell people that what makes the difference is leadership and you do not need all the people; just one or two people, to drive the process. I studied in Russia; had my PhD in political science, Masters in Economics and first degree in Economics. I have what it takes to be Anambra governor.

With your recent move to Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), what political structure are you taking to the polls on November 6, considering the time constraints?

The essence of structure is about servicing them. We are relying on what we built as personal structures. The Zenith Labour Party may not have all their cells right now, but we can populate the entire structure in 48 hours. My team is already having an audit of the party in the state.

We controlled 80 per cent of PDP structure.

Nobody has left our structure. ZLP is the latest talk in town and I am happy about it.

So you are confident that the crises

in the major parties will work help parties like ZLP show their political stamina?

The winner of this election will be determined by the personality and antecedents of individual and then the stability of your own ticket. If you are the best candidate and you are in a good party with a large number of litigations, you know what it means. I know that the people wanted us and what we need to do is just to remind them that it is no more about party anymore but the individual candidate.

It might interest you to know that there is an organisation called Save Anambra Group, which was set up by a good number of politicians in the state who are unhappy with what has become the outcome of the primaries in various political parties. They are also desirous of having a consensus candidate and I happen to be their choice. We are inheriting about five other political parties. We are moving with a lot of people and we have chosen our deputy, Mrs. Balonwu.

With that, we think we should be able to get votes from the North because she is quite acceptable.

Can you take us through your political trajectory?

I have been involved in politics as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In 2015, I contested for the Senate and there were issues about who was the valid candidate of the party. The court

That is why we are planning to have a special Ministry for Diaspora Affairs. We need to engage our people wherever they are. Those people who are in China, we do not have to ask them to come back. We will encourage them to set up things in Anambra. The world is a global village. I will just set up a liaison office in China and direct them

eventually decided that I was the candidate and actually ordered that I should be given a certificate of Return and sworn in as senator.

The Appeal court later ruled otherwise. In 2019, the PDP offered me a ticket to go to the Senate for Anambra Central. I looked at it and felt that my political ambition should be better realized on a platform like the governorship where you are responsible for your actions. It is a platform where you take initiatives and carry it out. I offered to work with a candidate that the party would provide. That was how Uche Ekwunife is the senator today from Anambra Central. We had an understanding that she would go to the Senate and I would go for the governorship seat.

Immediately after the election, we embarked on the process of putting the party together to deal with all the issues that are common with political parties in Anambra State. God helped us to bring it to the level that we had until 48 hours to the governorship primaries on June 26, 2021 and the party, in its own wisdom, dissolved the executives for what they termed conflict of interests. We were concerned initially because we knew that with that singular action, they had breached the constitution of the party. The constitution of the party is very clear, that the state congress should elect the gubernatorial candidate of the party; and that state congress was very specific –the state exco, Local Government excos and the five man per ward and three ad-hoc members. The constitution went further to say two third of that number shall form a quorum. What it means is that in any business of the party, if you do not form that quorum, that business is null and void. The party went ahead to conduct that exercise.

Eventually, the primary was conducted. When that result was announced many people were disappointed. I did not know that for the short period we were marketing ourselves and the programme, we had been able to build a silent, committed followership that has turned into a movement. There were calls that this project should not just end like that. I recall the commitment of those who decided to work with us that they would not be behind me but with me. This is because if somebody is behind you, you might be moving forward and he might be moving backwards. So, remembering that it was a commitment we made to one another, I was not flattered when they made that appeal that we should not just stop. It took a while to decide what to do next. I made some further consultations and I saw that genuine and honest confidence that we have something to offer; that somebody like me with the 10-point agenda will be needed for Anambra State and even the South East, and that we could be a source of inspiration for Nigeria at large.

Do you think the issue of zoning would affect your chances?

We have come to the end of that agitation.

Like I have always said, in the first place, the agitation was unfounded. It was for the simple reason of some people who wanted to eliminate me from the race without reasons. Anambra has never zoned the governorship seat. And it might interest you to know that the biggest propagandist of that zoning was APGA. One wonders, if APGA had zoned its ticket to south, why are they pushing other political parties to go to south? The only reason you were hearing about zoning was because I am in the race. They did not want me to be in the race because they knew that I would win. Inside the PDP, you heard about 14 aspirants from the South talking about zoning then. If they had the strength to win, they would not have been agitating for zoning. But talk about zoning has ended. Even those who were talking about zoning before now would tell you that it ended during the primaries. It is not an issue now and nobody talks about zoning.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

POLITICS

Lessons from the Life and Times of Baba Joda The death, recently, of Baba Ahmed Joda, one of Nigeria’s most acknowledged ‘super’ permanent secretaries, should galvanise the leadership of the country towards a worthy legacy, writes Ladi Thompson

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y gaze settled on him while he was expounding on the security situation in Nigeria and I just marveled at the acuity of his cogitations and the precision of his delivery, taking note of his frail frame and the fact that the ravages of time had deepened since our last meeting. We were at a session of the Burdened Elders of Nigeria and Professor Anya was seated to his right, somewhere to his left Dr. Christopher Kolade sat relaxed with that signature inscrutable expression on his face. Engineer Shyngle Wigwe, Professor Joe Irukwu, and the brainiac Philip Asiodu were also in attendance.

Quietly tapping his fingers on the table, Professor-double Ambassador George Obiozor ’s eyes peered from behind the facial mask he wears to hide the acute brilliance of his brain.

My presence at the table was by default since 60 year olds in the Africa hardly qualify as elders’ talk less of those who were a few months shy of 60 but my elders had chosen to be gracious.

Every time these elders met, it was obvious that deep was calling to deep!

They collectively represented a quality and quantity that is melting away in the Nigerian narrative. These were true elders and I dare say that Baba Ahmed Joda was one of the deepest elders seated at the conference table. There are three definite assets he had besides the obvious that stood him out.

First, Baba Ahmed Joda had a rare grade of humility that was difficult to detect as most brilliant personalities have a challenge serving under less gifted people but this man could serve and in the course of his brilliant career had served under diverse personalities of varying intelligence grades without giving or taking offence. Even in his old age, Ahmed Joda had something that is described as “quick grasp” yet he tamed it with patience and would not move a discussion forward until everyone had caught up. For the second virtuous trait, as an old school Fulani, Ahmed Joda had an instinctive mantle of leadership but his leadership style went far beyond the stoicism of sheepherder enculturation. He was a model of steward leadership that believed in promoting others above himself if it was in the national interest.

On the third point, I was privileged to see the old man espouse a national success progression that many younger generation leaders are struggling to learn. Like babies, nations may be born dependent but they soon grow to become independent when they are weaned properly. From the second phase of independence the wise nation learns that interdependence is much more profitable. Ahmed Joda understood that both northern and southern Nigeria would be better off if we learned how to be interdependent but he also knew that interdependence requires a lot more intelligence to operate than independence.

Awhile back we had a private dinner in the Lagos home of one of his many protégés, a brilliant Fulani banker of note and I was amazed that Ahmed Joda was carrying a deep burden for the legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari. Devoid of any guile Ahmed Joda agonized over the plight of the average citizen and voiced his opinion that the current president deserved better counsel than whatever he was receiving at the moment.

When I was informed that Baba Ahmed Joda had departed, my friends thought I would break down and weep knowing how much I respected his words. I cannot weep for a man who lived an impactful and fulfilling life because my tears are reserved for Nigeria.

understand why an Ahmed Joda would be kept on a farm instead of a university environment where his brains should be picked until his legacy is stored in a digital format. What a tragedy! I smile every time I recall our conversation about his days in Ibadan and his recollections of the native authority police era when we discussed the issue of state police. Off course, I amended my opinion about the introduction of state police structures in Nigeria after his submission.

Sadly there are two major components to the Nigerian problem, one portion is a brilliant ancient colonial construct that has remanded us in the kindergarten of independence when we should all be thinking interdependence! The second portion is a modern maze that we have not yet mastered. The key to unlock the prison of “independence” thinking was in the heart of Ahmed Joda and a few other true elders like himself. We need to treasure those who are still alive and extract that wisdom. Finally Ahmed Joda is now gone and the loss is irreplaceable, he was an exemplar of what the Fulani leadership heritage could contribute to national progress when it is properly harvested instead of this cattle herders’ nuisance that is being projected. My hope and prayer is that President Muhammadu Buhari heard and understood the counsel that Baba Ahmed Joda gave to him.

Late Joda

A nation that does not recognize the gifts God has given to her should be mourned. Sometime last year we had agreed that I would come over

to Yola where he was retired as a farmer and he instructed me to call from the airport so he would arrange for my pick up. I could never

-Reverend Ladi Peter Thompson , a clergy and security expert is a member of the Burdened Elders of Nigeria

Good Governance as Key Factor to Dream Africa Sharing his thoughts at a recent Africa Advancement Forum Global Summit in Accra, Ghana, Noah Dallaji harps on the leadership question in Africa

T

he challenge of development in Africa really calls for an urgent action towards breaking from the recurring dilemma we find ourselves. COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious effect on economies, we know, but the situation in critical terms predates the pandemic. It is becoming more and more expedient to take necessary action and we have no choice but take the bull by the horn.

This is why my attendance at this summit is important to me and the organization I represent. At the African Children Talent Discovery Foundation (ACTDF), we are quite Afrocentric in the sense that the plight of the African children and the young people remains our focus, even as we are a part of the global community going by the larger view of our activities.

Attendance is thus a matter of passion to see what we can do as Africans for the greater good of the continent.

So when I got the invitation to this summit, I felt a sense of obligation to attend, hoping that the basic issues of development would be discussed and I am happy to see such a broad network of like minds gathered at this event organized by the Africa Development Forum. I have so far listened to some good conversations on “The Africa We Want” being the theme of this summit.

The various views have also been revealing and in some cases challenging to our hopes and aspirations as a people and a continent.

In all of this, I think one major concern we should address more seriously is the leadership question in Africa, a situation which I believe has had its impact on the level of development in the continent. I think leadership, an effective leadership, is the foundation upon which every other factor rests upon as we hope to have an Africa that works for all. For without a credible and patriotic leadership, the new Africa which this summit wants us all to see would still be a mirage, even as I recognize the strides some of the nations in the continent are making and as reflected in their socio-economic indices.

Thus the leadership question has to be

Dallaji

addressed which, arguably, is at the heart of the matter and that is the challenge which this summit has to tackle, thereby paving the way for a new Africa we really want.

But this won’t happen by accident, we have to work for it, especially through advocacy and platforms like this to raise the bar of leadership. Just as we do at the ACTDF, we must necessarily engage the youths and prepare them to be active participants in this crucial conversation, adding value not only for personal development but that of their countries.

It is for this reason that one would call for a new thinking that focuses on renewal of values and attitudinal change in African leadership towards creating a new Africa that works for all.

The truth is that there is still much to do to change the situation towards a more dedicated and altruistic leadership that serves the greatest good for the greatest number where good governance and vibrant leadership constitute the basic ethos of our governance culture. In this regard, we also have to look at our politics which should be redefined to focus on

values that make it a potent force of development, that is, a people- centred political enterprise. The bulk of the issues here, I think, reside with the young and vibrant individuals, who should take their destiny into their hands by being patriotic during elections. The young people should be credible enough to herald the necessary change and development in the continent.

However, I am not oblivious of the reality that achieving the Africa we want or deserve would be a collective responsibility by first changing at individual level, to that of country and then the continent.

I am optimistic that we would get there and the time to think and act that way is now. Yes, Africa deserves the best because it has the best of all things, from the abundant resources, weather to healthy food, intellectual capacity and creativity, spanning the music, arts and entertainment, we are blessed. But in spite of all this, one begins to wonder why government and governance have been too lethargic to the detriment of the people in the continent.

Of course, the simple answer is that we, the people, failed in our duties to elect the right leaders.

So that’s the responsibility we have. We must choose our leaders wisely. We have to decide the kind of leaders we want. We surely need a new Africa where there’s political stability, deepened democracy, equity and justice and economic prosperity.

But all this will only materialize when we could attain a position of self reinvention imbued with vision, which I usually refer to as a ministry because of the intrinsic values, inclusive government, leaders with capacity and competence and altruistic enough to be servant leaders.

And on the sub-theme of this summit, I believe Africans must now tell their own stories more favourably rather than just accept the narrative as told by Western media which is anti-Africa and misleading.

-Noah Dallaji, an engineer is the Founder of African Children Talent Discovery Foundation

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

Advertorial

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ 2, 2021

FEATURES Green Building Pioneers Delivering Business Value in Nigeria

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

Mark Chieshe

G

lobal trends indicate that green buildings will eventually transform the real estate market. World leaders are fast adopting sustainability policies and setting ambitious net-zero emissions goals to mitigate climate change in alignment with the UN SDGs and Paris Agreement. In response, international finance institutions and leading investors are re-orienting finance towards more sustainable investment portfolios.

The growing shift towards sustainable financing is evidence of the significant benefits of investing in green in lieu of conventional buildings. Lower interest rates, extended loan terms, and other benefits can be realized by green developers and tenants. Statistics show that inefficient buildings risk a loss in value as regulatory authorities enforce stronger building regulations and policies mandating energyefficient structures and more tenants become aware and knowledgeable about the impact of climate change and the utility savings and comfort that green buildings offer.

In contrast, real estate developers who build sustainably have better access to financing and attract investors and partners that help them scale operations in an evolving market to meet changing tenant preferences and building regulations. In their design, construction, or use, sustainable and net-zero carbon buildings produce minimal negative impacts on the environment and climate. According to the requirement set by the Paris Agreement, all new buildings should be carbon zero by 2030 while existing buildings need to meet this challenge by 2050 to prevent a 2 degree rise in temperature. Furthermore, sustainable buildings preserve natural resources and improve the quality of life.

As sustainable building pioneers, developers leverage a historic opportunity to play vital roles towards the emergence of a new housing industry that is good for the environment and good for the bottom lines of their stakeholders.

Sound industry facts underpin this trend.

International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates green buildings will represent a $24.7 trillion investment opportunity across emerging markets by 2030, one of the biggest opportunities of the decade. A recent report by Market Research Future, a global market research company based in the United Kingdom, anticipates that the green buildings market would grow at 14.3% between 2020 and 2027.

In Nigeria, the green building movement has gained some housing industry traction within the past three years. Reputable developers in key sectors of the built environment are leveraging EDGE, a global green building certification system currently available worldwide to build green. An innovation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), is helping developers to champion eco-friendly change in different building sectors. The scope of adoption cuts across critical segments such as residential, office buildings, and hostel accommodation.

The EDGE assessment tool is accessible and usable for all free of charge at edgebuildings. com.

Greenage: Championing Green Hostel Accommodation for Universities A recent example is Greenage Development Managers, a private equity-driven fund and on-campus student and faculty housing projects provider. Greenage aims to transform the student housing sector by delivering EDGEcertified student housing in higher-education institutions across Nigeria. With over 170 universities, 43 polytechnics, and an annual enrollment of over 2 million, Nigeria has a massive deficit of quality and affordable student accommodation. Greenage plans to leverage green building solutions and EDGE certification to unlock innovative financing to lead in this segment on the back of its $150M Student Housing Fund.

Greenage will use the fund to deliver 100,000 bed spaces across Nigeria over ten years. The first phase kicked off in May with the groundbreaking ceremony to develop 500-1,000 bed spaces at Veritas University, Bwari Abuja. Other universities, including

Bluewaters, an EDGE-certified building in Lagos

the Arthur Jarvis University in Calabar, University of Abuja, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Enugu, are all on the line as potential clients of Greenage.

Pioneers of "Green" Residential Buildings In the residential building segment is Echostone, an EDGE pioneer that uses its innovative building technology to deliver resource-efficient buildings that target the mass market in Nigeria. The firm has an ambitious plan to build 100,000 EDGEcertified homes across Nigeria over the next five years. With Peridot Parkland Estate, Echostone partnered with the Lagos State Government to deliver 252 affordable homes. The green homes incorporate resource-efficient features that give 53% energy-savings home, 42% Water Savings and 35% Carbon Savings.

Alpha Mead Development Company, another EDGE client, has pioneered the construction of climate-smart residences that target the mid-to-high-end segment of the Lagos elites with the Lekki Peal Estate. The estate comprises 112 units of flats, contemporary terrace units, stylishly designed semi-detached & luxurious apartments.

With 40% energy savings and 30% reduced water consumption, Pearl Estate has received an EDGE Advanced Certification. Despite the premium prices for its residences, occupants are happy to live there because they enjoy lower utility bills and the comfort that green solutions provide make it all worth it. Also, the construction costs are not significantly higher as some developers believe. Savings can be seen with an incremental cost increase of as little as 0.5% up to about 3% with reasonable improvements. Therefore, it is appropriate for both affordable and luxury buildings.

ACA – A String of Green Partnerships Another prominent real estate investor that has invested heavily in green buildings in Nigeria is African Capital Alliance (ACA). ACA has formed several strategic partnerships to deliver premium and resource-efficient residences in Lagos, Nigeria's biggest city.

ACA has teamed up with Elalan Group,

a construction and civil engineering firm, to develop Blue Waters. Located in Lekki Phase 1, an affluent area on the south of east of Lagos city, Blue Water is an imposing architectural masterpiece that dots the Lagos skyline.

The first phase of the project, named Sapphire, is a 17-story 124-unit residential tower. The modern building has thermal performance glass, energy-efficient lighting, and cooling systems to reduce energy use by 27%, low-flow faucets, and dualflush water closets that minimize water use by 28%. For occupants, this means lower utility costs while owners have the room to charge premium rates. The project received a preliminary design stage EDGE certification.

Green EDGE Office Buildings The global trend also indicates that green office buildings are the wave of the future. Beyond climate-change mitigation, sustainable office buildings emphasize health and wellness – both key to increased employee productivity. Africa Capital Alliance (ACA) has recognized this segment's investment value and partnered with Samges Investment Limited to build Alliance Place. This high-performance office accommodation is in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The building plan considered the benefit to the environment and employees' comfort and well-being. Some of the green solutions used include features that allowed natural daylight and well-ventilated spaces. As a result of its impressive green credentials, Alliance Place has attracted international tenants that are sensitive to the impact of buildings on the environment and value the benefits that sustainable office buildings have on staff productivity and utility payments. They include the ACA and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. Alliance Place has received the final EDGE certification from Sintali-SGS. Cornerstone Tower African Capital Alliance (ACA) has also partnered with Cornerstone Insurance to build Cornerstone Tower, a premium resource-efficient office accommodation in Victoria Island, Lagos. An architectural masterpiece that has at its design core respect for the environment, the EDGE-certified

The world is moving towards a green economy, and companies and investors that move in another direction run the risk of being left behind. The time for action is now

building incorporates a range of climate-smart solutions that guarantee comfortable spaces for occupants, a sense of prestige, and lower utility operations and maintenance costs.

By optimizing the building design using the EDGE software, the developer achieved 31% energy savings by using a reduced window to wall ratio, insulated roof, higher thermal performance glass, lighting controls for corridors, staircases, and occupancy sensors.

The building would also use 53% less water owing to fixtures such as low-flow faucets, dual-flush water closets, and water-efficient urinals. This saves both the building owner and the tenants money.

Africa Capital Alliance is not the only big player in Lagos's emerging "green" luxury office accommodation. ITB, a leading construction company specializing in designing and building high-rise structures, is also leveraging EDGE certification to map a more sustainable future for its investments. The company is developing Alpha 1 – Eko Atlantic City, a 14-floor structure with modern, tastefully furnished offices in the Marina District of the new Eko Atlantic City.

The EDGE-certified building has climate-smart features such as smart metering and building management systems that save energy and water while lowering the impact on the environment.

Time to Scale The green building space in Nigeria now is mainly concentrated in Lagos, the nation's commercial capital. Most of the buildings are in strategic city areas such as Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikoyi, and Marina. For a start, this welcome and understandable.

However, more Nigerian developers need to start building more sustainably to play their part as responsible corporate citizens in the global rally to defeat climate change and build future-proof business portfolios.

Sustainable buildings have proven to make remarkable business sense for investors. They attract premium tenants and have higher future value because of their inherent capacities to lower utility, operations, and maintenance costs.

The resale value of a sustainable building is also significantly higher. The premium for going green pays off several times over in the short to medium term of a building's life cycle, a fact that validates the business case for climate-smart portfolios.

More so, the world is moving towards a green economy, and companies and investors that move in another direction run the risk of being left behind. The time for action is now.

The confluence of government and business bolsters the case for developers to go green, and for a good reason. It is time for more developers in Nigeria to get on board – for business and the environment. t$IJFTIF JT B IPVTJOH QPMJDZ BOBMZTU CBTFE JO "CVKB

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#THISISNIGERIA -Kingsley Ekejiuba

GOING GREEN OR BURNING OUT

L

ow carbon, sustainability, social inclusiveness and resource efficiency - keywords that characterise the United Nations definition of a green economy. A lucid description refers to an economic model that ‘results in improved human well-being and social equality, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities’ as the benchmark for a green economy. David Pearce, in his exciting work on green economics, opined that a green economy has the capability of replicating itself on a sustainable basis.

The concept of a green economy, though alien to most third world countries, is not entirely new. ‘Blueprint for a Green Economy’ written by the trio of foremost environmental economists Pearce, Markandya and Barbier (1989) captures the essential pillars of a green economy. Expansively, these strategic pillars hinge on climate change, resource-saving and management, circular economy, environmental protection, ecosystem protection and recovery, water conservation and natural disaster prevention.

But how does a green economy affect me as an individual? How does a green economy affect the average Nigerian who is most interested in putting food on the table at all costs? What economic rewards await me in a green economy?

The need to illuminate to a point of effervescence the enormous potentials of a green economy and dire consequences of an irresponsible one (not green) motivated this exposition that aims to inform and create a vivid distinction between the facts and fiction around green economics.

In a country where little attention rests on actions that deplete biodiversities, and in a system with maximum focus on ‘constantly taking from the environment’ to satisfy homo-economicusdriven desires, one should think that it will be naturally beneficial to seek ways of preserving this environmental space that has harboured generations and blessed men with abundance.

A green economy serves us in different ways; its potentials will see to the appreciation of environmental policies with a reduction in global warming, creation of sustainable jobs

and introduction of measures to reduce waste.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOOA) annual Climate Report 2020, the combined land and ocean temperature has increased at an average of 0.32oF per decade since 1981. In that report, 2020 ranked as the second-warmest year in 141 years. In the article, Act Now or Face Costly Consequences (OECD 2012), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) exposed prospective irreversible damages that could be done to our environment in the long term if necessary, and proactive measures are not taken.

In that article, OECD stressed that without new environmental-friendly policies: World energy demand in 2050 will be 80% higher and 85% reliant on fossil fuel-based energy. This could lead to a 50% increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally and worsening air pollution. Urban air pollution is set to become the top environmental cause of mortality worldwide by 2050, ahead of dirty water and lack of sanitation.

On land, global biodiversity is projected to decline by a further 10%, with significant losses in Asia, Europe and Southern Africa. Areas of mature forests are projected to shrink by 13%.

About one-third of biodiversity in rivers and lakes worldwide has already been lost, and further losses are projected to 2050. Global water demand will increase by some 55%, due to growing demand from manufacturing (+400%), thermal power plants (+140%) and domestic use (+130%).

GOING GREEN 27th largest country in the world in terms of nominal GDP, 24th largest in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), undoubtedly the largest economy in Africa with an estimated population well above 210million people, Nigeria has paid lip service to the call for a green economy and the economic, social and environmental consequence is untold. Heat waves, heavy flooding, erosion and rainfall variability are clear indications that the effects

of global warming are gradually creeping into the green land and we must take proactive measures to prevent more loss. Wole Soyinka’s brilliant mind once stated that “Looking at faces of people, one gets the feeling there’s a lot of work to be done.”

Extensively, looking at the “face” of Nigeria, it is obvious that there’s a lot of work to be done and we are lagging.

Government must go beyond the usual media gimmicks to facilitate policies that synchronize with the green concept. It is not enough to have the Vice President drive an electric car within the villa or a group of students assemble an electric vehicle in a school whose research apparatus is underfunded. We must move beyond the usual, into a realm of intentional action where policies are driven by an environmentally friendly agenda that will sustain the current generation and preserve the next.

Diversifying our energy sector to include wind and solar power whose major resources are renewable as primary energy sources should be a foremost step in meeting rising demands for electrical energy and cutting down on carbon emissions. World Data Info (WDI) recorded a total of 130.57mt of CO2 emissions in Nigeria (2018) with projections indicating a potential significant rise in CO2 emissions in 2022. 80% of our electrical energy is produced with fossils aiding the significant rise in annual carbon emissions which contributes to the greenhouse effect. An expected demand of 15GW by 2025 poses more threats if we don’t change our current energy framework.

With the consumption of about 1.5 million tons of plastics in Nigeria in 2020, an estimated 45% increase in 2025 and about 1.125 million tons (75%) ending up in landfills, dumpsites, waterways and rivers, Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Regulations and policies that will reduce the consumption of plastics while improving recycling (less than 12% currently) will guarantee a cleaner society that will create jobs, reduce pollution and preserve biodiversity. Bio-plastics (degradable

plastics) are options that players in the packaging industry must explore to provide products that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Demand and supply characterize the basics of human economics but between the inverse relationship of demand and supply lies a critical factor in the quality of supply. The World Bank recorded a total of $53,617,812.19 in exports for Nigeria in 2019 with crude contributing about 84% of the proceeds and other products (433) contributing just over 15%. The quality of our export commodities plays a huge role in determining the demand for our products. Over time, Africa depended on the export of raw materials to survive but the rising population of youths and the need to create jobs means that African leaders must wear their thinking caps and think beyond simple export.

We must transition from exporting raw materials to exporting finished products. We must INDUSTRIALIZE AFRICA for Africa to survive.

To export finished products, we must ensure that our products meet the best global standards in sustainability and content; a green economy is a necessary condition for a globally-acceptable African finished product.

Bearing in mind the significance of the green economy and its prospective impact on international trade, FDI and local businesses, Nigeria as an influential market in Africa must rise to meet the best global standards in making eco-friendly policies. Globalization and ease of fortune transfer mean that what affects the world affects Africa, what affects Africa affects Nigeria, and what affects Nigeria stays Nigerian.

It is on this premise that we must make the unavoidable choice of ‘practically GOING GREEN’ to preserve our ecosystem and secure not just a life but a good, sustainable life for the next generation or risk BURNING OUT (creating avoidable environmental problems for us and ours). t,JOHTMFZ &LFKJVCB JT UIF $IBJSNBO PG UIF 1SPHSFTTJWF "CJB :PVUIT "TTPDJBUJPO B TUVEFOU PG UIF 4DIPPM PG 1PMJUJDT 1PMJDZ BOE (PWFSOBODF 411( BOE BO FOWJSPONFOUBM FOUIVTJBTU

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

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

08056356325

S E P T E M B E R

S & P INDEX

1 , 2 0 2 1

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

15.50%

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4%

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558.25%

1/4 TO DATE

4.74%

N411.00/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

15.75 %

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6%

1-DAY

0.43%

YEAR TO DATE

-16.71%

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How Agriculture, ICT Sectors’ Contribution in Q2 2021 Accelerated Nigeria’s GDP by 5.01% Year-on-Year

Emma Okonji As investors continue to bet on the nation’s as Agriculture and the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sectors, it has emerged that the sectors contributed the most, to accelerate Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 5.01 per cent in second quarter 2021, the highest quarterly growth since 2014.

The recent statistics on the 5.01 per cent jump in GDP in second

quarter (Q2) of 2021 released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), showed that both sectors led the non-oil sector to drive the growth in GDP. Specifically, the ICT sector has since the ease in Covid-19 lockdown witnessed massive outlay of investment in tech startups raking in about $500 million.

According to the NBS numbers, while agriculture, which is a combination of Manufacturing and Trade, contributed 23.78

per cent to GDP during the period, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector alone, contributed 17.92 within the same period, its highest ever contribution to Nigeria’s GDP. GDP, according to the NBS statistics, grew by 5.01 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in Q2 2021, compared to the -6.10 per cent recorded in Q2 2020.

This, according to NBC, marked three consecutive quarters of growth following the negative

growth rates of -6.10 per cent and -3.62 per cent in Q2 2020 and Q3 2020 year-on-year respectively.

Analysis of the NBS numbers showed that the oil sector contributed 7.42 per cent to total real GDP in Q2 2021, compared with the 9.25 per cent seen in Q1 2021 and 8.93 per cent in Q2 2020, while the non-oil sector contributed 92.58 per cent to GDP in real terms in second quarter 2021.

Agriculture’s contribution to GDP grew to 23.78 per cent in Q2

from 22.35 per cent in Q1 2021.

A further breakdown of the figure from the agricultural sector, showed that real contribution of the manufacturing sector to GDP in Q2 2021 stood at 8.69 per cent, lower than the 9.93 per cent in Q1 2021 and 8.82 per cent in Q2 2020. The contribution of trade to GDP increased to 16.66 per cent in Q2 2021 from 15.61 per cent in the preceding quarter as well as 14.28 per cent in Q2 2020.

Also, the Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) sector contributed 17.92 per cent to GDP in Q2, 2021 compared to 14.91 per cent in Q1 2021 and 17.83 per cent in the previous year.

Giving insight to ICT contribution to GDP, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, said the ICT sector contributed 17.92 per cent to the total real GDP in Q2 2021, 20.54 per cent higher than its Continued on page 26

Repealing of NITDA’s ACT Necessary to Strengthen National Digital Economy Policy, Says Abdullahi Emma Okonji The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has said the planned repealing and re-enacting of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Act, 2007, is necessary in order to strengthen the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), which effectively replaced the Nigerian National

IT Policy, 2000.

President Mohammad Buhari in Abuja launched NDEPS last year in Abuja.

NITDA, in its efforts to ensure that Nigeria benefits maximally from the global digital economy, has drawn the attention of stakeholders in the Information Technology sector and the general public to its plan on how to commence the process of repealing and re-enacting the NITDA Act 2007.

According to Abdullahi, since

the enactment of the NITDA Act 2007, NITDA had operated as the catalytic government agency for developing and regulating the Information Technology sector, and the Act had not been reviewed “In the light of recent advancements in Information Technology and the paradigm shift in the global economy, the NDEPS was envisioned to transform Nigeria into a leading digital economy, providing quality life and digital economies for

all. This current reality has necessitated the re-imagination for the establishment of NITDA. It is a known fact that digital technologies have created new forms of economic activities that have been beneficial to the global economy.

“However, these digital technologies comes with their promises and perils such as cybercrimes, privacy invasion and other social problems.

This necessitates the need to proactively manage their adoption

through the development of a stakeholder-led robust regulatory architecture to enable Nigeria to maximise the benefits of such technologies and mitigate the negative consequences, ”Abdullahi said.

He emphasised the need for a more agile and practical approach to regulations, standards-setting, and guidelines development for the country, with a focus on digital and emerging technologies.

According to him, “Based on the foregoing, we identified the

need to update NITDA’s legal framework for regulating and developing a digital economy for Nigeria. The Agency’s current establishment law is outdated.

It cannot meet the needs and requirements for supporting a digital economy as well as effectively protect the rights and interests of stakeholders in the digital world. The review of the NITDA Act 2007 aims to address contemporary digital issues, Continued on page 26

D ATAA SA SATATW W D AY,S EAPUTGEUMS BT E1R1 ,1 ,2 02 20 12 1 MM A RA KR EKTE TD ATA E DE ND ENSEDSAY, ONNDDSS FFGGNN BBO DESCRIPTION 11.668 FGNSB 11.150 15-AUG-2021 11-SEP-2021 10.301 FGNSB 12.364 16-AUG-2021 12-SEP-2021 11.150 FGNSB 12.175 11-SEP-2021 10-OCT-2021 12.364 FGNSB 11.244 12-SEP-2021 16-OCT-2021 12.175 FGNSB 10.296 10-OCT-2021 13-NOV-2021

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30-Sep-21 NTB 14-Oct-21

3.25 3.59

0.00 -1.02

NTB 28-Oct-21 14-Oct-21

3.35 3.90

Price

101.47 101.51

Yield

3.08 3.31

MATURITY

Change(%) (%) Discount Yield Change

26-Aug-21 NTB 9-Sep-21

3.00 2.80

3.00 0.00 0.00 2.80

CONTRACT TENOR (MONTH) 1

Contract

Current Rate ($/₦)

AUG29 252021 2021 420.93 NGUS SEP

2

SEP 27 29 2021 422.38 NGUS OCT

3

OCT 27 NGUS NOV 24 2021 423.83

3.26 0.00 0.00 3.60

4

NOV29 242021 2021 425.28 NGUS DEC

3.37 0.00 0.00 3.93

5

DEC26 292022 2021 426.73 NGUS JAN

CCPs Ps MATURITY

Discount Discount Yield Yield Change Change(%) (%)

MREPCP CPIII XXXI UNCP 2713-AUG-21 AUG-21 UNCPCP CPIIII 27VAAG 27AUG-21 VAAG CP III 27TTNG 31AUG-21 TTNGCP CPI 2-SEPII 31SIBP AUG-21 21 SIBP CP 2-SEPNBRP CPI XIII 21 2-SEP-21

9.02 4.42

9.03 4.42

4.26 10.40

4.27 10.40 0.00 0.78

10.20 4.76

10.25 4.76 0.00 0.69

4.59 4.30

4.60 4.30

0.00 0.66

4.13 4.98

4.14 4.98

0.00 0.66

0.00 0.78

26

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN TECH…

L-R: Chief Digital Officer, Sterling Bank, Olayinka Oni; Co-founder and Executive Director, Tech4Dev, Oladiwura Oladepo; Talent Acquisition Partner, Sterling Bank, Oluwakunmi Idowu; Head, Organisation Development and Talent Acquisition, Sterling Bank, Dipo Adebajo; Women Techsters Programme Associate, Tech4Dev, Joy Uche and Team Lead, Organisation Development and Change Management, Oluwafemi Ehindero, at the MoU signing between Sterling Bank and Tech4Dev to provide employment opportunities for women in tech, which held in Lagos... recently

NCC Reaffirms Nigeria’s Readiness for 5G Rollout, Lauds Industry’s Competition The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said the commission is ready for the implementation of government’s decision to roll out 5G across the country.

NCC’s reaffirmation is coming after the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, recently revealed the federal government’s position on the deployment of 5G networks in Nigeria.

Danbatta who also lauded the thriving healthy competition in the telecommunications industry,

which he said contributed to the reduction in the prices of data in the country, further said the reduction in the cost of data would help drive faster adoption of 5G, when it is eventually rolled out.

Danbatta who spoke during the reception of the newly posted Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr. Bitrus Bako Nabasu, in Abuja recently, said the commission as a federal government agency, had always aligned its position and plan with the federal government.

According to Danbatta, “On the 5G, the Minister of

Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami has spoken about the federal government’s position to deploy 5G network as soon as possible. Our state of readiness is very high. There’s an auction committee for 5G with a deployment plan ready.

As you know, without a plan you cannot have a successful deployment.

“All we are asking is additional spectrum to be allocated by the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC). Of course some of these spectrums are ready but we have to get the federal government’s approval

to go ahead with the auctions,” Danbatta said.

His presentation at the reception ceremony, touched on the enabling laws and mandates of the commission, its structure as well his scorecards among others.

Intimating the new Permanent Secretary on the forthcoming book launch of the commission scheduled to take place next month, Danbatta noted that the book, which is technical in nature, would provide more insight into the workings of NCC under his watch.

“I have spoken about the first Strategic Vision Plan (SVP),

comprising NCC’s 8 agenda items. The SVP has come to the end and we have written a book providing documented progress we have made while implementing it. I am pleased to inform you that the book will be unveiled on 7th September, 2021,” Danbatta disclosed.

While commending the minister for his efforts toward resolving some of the perennial challenges in the industry especially the Right of Way (RoW) charges, Danbatta urged governments at every level to respect the resolution of the National Economic Council on the harmonised RoW charges, to

enable the industry to continue to grow and prosper.

“The commission will continue to put in its best in the discharge of its mandate, especially in facilitating the deployment of broadband infrastructure, which is central to diversifying the Nigerian economy and national development.

“It’s our belief also that the communications industry, under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, will experience more quantum leap and retain its current flagship role in the telecommunication space,” Danbatta said.

OPEC Leaves Oil Output Unchanged, Forecasts Higher Demand Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led

by Nigeria’s Sanusi Barkindo and its allies known as OPEC+, yesterday agreed to adhere strictly to their existing policy of gradual oil output increases in the coming months.

However, the oil producers’ group revised its 2022 demand outlook upwards, even as it stated that it was sticking with its decision in July to phase out

record output cuts by adding 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil a month, continuing in October.

The oil cartel expects demand to grow by 5.95 million bpd after a record drop of about nine million bpd in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But demand only rose by about three million bpd in the first half of 2021.

A release after the 20th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting (ONOMM), held via

videoconference, noted that while the effects of the pandemic continue to cast some uncertainty, market fundamentals have strengthened.

The meeting welcomed the positive performance of participating countries in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC), noting that overall conformity to the production adjustments was 110 per cent in July, reinforcing the trend of high conformity by the countries.

“In view of current oil market fundamentals and the consensus on its outlook, the meeting resolved to reaffirm: The decision of the 10th OPEC and non-OPEC ministerial meeting on 12 April 2020 and further endorsed in subsequent meetings, including the 19th ONOMM on 18 July 2021.

“Reconfirm the production adjustment plan and the monthly production adjustment mechanism approved at the 19th ONOMM

and the decision to adjust upward the monthly overall production by 0.4 mb/d for the month of October 2021.

“Extend the compensation period until the end of December 2021 as requested by some underperforming countries and request that underperforming countries submit their compensation plans by 17 September 2021,” the organisation stated.

OPEC reiterated the critical

importance of adhering to full conformity and to the compensation mechanism, taking advantage of the extension of the compensation period until the end of December 2021 and fixed the next meeting for 4 October, 2021.

Earlier, Barkindo had said that as a result of the wisdom of OPEC decisions, the market rebalancing process had continued, while the market outlook appeared generally robust.

REPEALING OF NITDA’S ACT, NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL DIGITAL ECONOMY POLICY, SAYS ABDULLAHI

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

revamp Nigeria’s economy, build trust and protect the rights and interests of players in the ecosystem.”

Abdullahi added that the review of the NITDA Act 2007 would serve as an enabler for the growth and development of Nigeria’s digital economy. He highlighted some areas that the planned repeal would address

to include creating a framework for: promoting the startup ecosystem; promoting indigenous products and services through standardisation; collaborating with the requisite public and private sector partners to carry out activities that would assist in electronic waste disposal; and fostering collaboration to facilitate the implementation of robust

cybersecurity measures aimed at building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Others areas include facilitating capacity building through the digital literacy and skills initiative; entrenching stakeholder participation in developing regulations through the rule-making process; and promoting the safe use of digital

technologies, including social media, for the attainment of national objectives.

The NITDA boss said the introduction and implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) by NITDA, which is a subsidiary legislation enshrined to ensure data protection and privacy of Nigerian citizens; and the

implementation of the IT Project Clearance initiative that supported the federal government’s fight against corruption, that resulted in over N22.45 billion savings with significant increase in local content consumptions by over 300 per cent in four years, were some of the achievements of NITDA, despite the limitations posed by the current NITDA Act.

HOW AGRICULTURE, ICT SECTORS’ CONTRIBUTION IN Q2 2021 ACCELERATED NIGERIA’S GDP BY 5.01% YEAR-ON-YEAR contribution a year earlier and in the preceding quarter, in which it accounted for 14.91 per cent, adding that it is the highest contribution ever of ICT to Nigeria’s GDP. Pantami said this in a statement released by his Technical Assistant on Information Technology, Dr. Femi Adeluyi. According to Pantami, “The growing contribution of the ICT sector to the GDP is as a result of the commitment of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, to the development of

the digital economy. The 16 National Policies developed by the ministry, the 1,667 projects and programmes, the large scale digital skills and general capacity building efforts, stakeholder engagement and creation of an enabling environment, have all played an important role in this achievement.”

He added, “The support of President Buhari has contributed immensely to the impressive developments in the sector. The unprecedented contribution of ICT to Nigeria’s GDP can also

be attributed to the dynamic and results-oriented leadership of the sector, which has been acknowledged and appreciated by a wide spectrum of the stakeholders in the sector, both locally and internationally.”

Pantami said the Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Mr. Houlin Zhao, had commended him for Nigeria’s accelerated digital transformation.

He also said the Chairman of the United States-Nigeria Council (USNC), also commended him for

the commitment to diversifying Nigeria’s great economy through digital technology and innovation.

Pantami further said the recent GDP report showed how critical the ICT sector is to the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy and, by extension, the general economy. The minister therefore called on all other sectors of the economy to take advantage of the federal government’s new focus on the digital economy to enable and improve their processes through the use of ICTs, which he said,

would enhance the output of all the sectors of the economy and further boost Nigeria’s GDP. Industry analysts have however attributed the GDP performance to some interventions put together by the federal government to reposition the economy after the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The analysts however noted that the GDP growth does not necessarily indicate that the challenges confronting the economy were over.

27

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

BRANDS AND MARKETING

Leveraging on Youth-focused Initiatives Raheem Akingbolu harps on the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to Return on Investment (RoI), citing the example of how the Coca Cola brand has, over the years, leveraged youths focused initiatives to drive sales and win more consumers

A

ugust 12 is a date set aside annually by the United Nations as “International Day of the Youth,” to acknowledge and celebrate the role young men and women play in creating change in society by tackling global issues with sustainable solutions.

Today, young people all over the world hold vital and insightful positions working towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related frameworks. This can be seen in the zeal in which the young generation optimises every opportunity available to create value.

The international community bears witness to this unprecedented mobilization around the world, which has shown the measure of power and influence the youth can wield in holding decision-makers accountable for the transformation required.

Gitanjali Rao was only 11 years old when she invented a lead detecting device to help with the Flint water crisis. She is currently 15 and has been recognized by Time, BBC and Forbes for creating devices to solve world problems and inspiring others to do so. Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzi are world influencers and voices to respect in the areas of climate activism and education advocacy respectively. Betta Mussa and her team of accountability advocates in Tanzania, are using data to influence local leaders to engage young people in decision making.

Nigeria is not alien to this transformative disruption and has visibly seen the laudable efforts and recorded accomplishments of some young Nigerians, which have contributed both directly and indirectly to the growth of the country’s social and economic capital.

However, in a country with a population of about 200 million people, of which 53.7 per cent are aged 15 to 65, the level of unemployment is currently at an all-time high at 33 per cent. There is a vacuum in the utilisation of human capacity available in the country.

This gap is what the Coca Cola brand seeks

to close by employing several innovative initiatives to drive the engagement and empowerment of the Nigerian youth. Its management recognises the significance of International Day of the Youth as it raises awareness on the need for young people to have access to education, healthcare, employment, empowerment, and complete participation in public life. These rights are being upheld and emphasised in the company’s sustainable empowerment projects. This is a culture that has been enshrined in the company’s corporate strategy and sustainability journey which started as far back as 1917 when the company partnered with the Red Cross. This is a partnership that has grown into a commitment of more than a decade, supporting underserved communities in need through blood drives, volunteering, disaster relief and much more.

The Coca-Cola System – through several impactful projects that cater to wellbeing, climate action, recycling and waste management, women and youth economic empowerment, among others – have continued to lead the way with regards to youth development in Nigeria.

The system has launched several youth-focused initiatives which have recorded giant strides, some of which

“Through youth education and engagement, the company has continued to provide platforms for youth to excel while gaining the momentum requiredto make their impact in society.”

include Copa Coca-Cola – an under-15 grassroots football development programme launched in 2009, providing an opportunity for young football players and aspiring football professionals to develop and showcase their talents in competitive matches. More than 10,000 players, from 500 schools and 50 celebrity football coaches have participated in the programme reaching the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja for eight years.

In Nigeria, the brand is also one of the longest-running corporate sponsors of Special Olympics Nigeria (SON) since the initiative was launched in Nigeria in 2006. This follows the footsteps of The Coca-Cola Company that has remained a founding Partner of Special Olympics since 1928 creating smiles and making a difference in the lives of these special and unique people.

Youth Empowered for Success! Nigeria (YES! Nigeria) is another equally laudable initiative funded by the philanthropic arm of the company, The Coca-Cola Foundation and implemented by WAVE academy and Mercy Corps. YES! is a social enterprise preparing and matching young people to entry-level jobs in the retail and hospitality sectors. This programme was implemented across 96 hubs, established in five (5) countries including Nigeria impacting over 25,000 youths who were engaged, trained over 20,000 youths with 2,800+ opportunities created for 3 years (2015- 2018).

YES! was a testing path to scale for formal entry-level job placement through partnerships with replicators, including the National Youth Service Corps and Ministries of Education in Kano and Lagos.

There are strong synergies between YES! and the brand’s bottling partner, Nigerian Bottling Company’s existing Youth Empowerment project (YE) which targets young graduates to support them

build life skills, business skills, transition to meaningful employment & long-lasting networks. These programs complement each other: while YES! Nigeria targets more vulnerable youth, the Youth Empowerment targets university graduates. Under the YE framework, over 30,000+ Graduates of tertiary institutions have benefited from training programmes designed to boost entry-level job linkages to multi corporations for beneficiaries across 10 states of the federation including FCT, Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Enugu, Ogun (Abeokuta) and Cross River (Calabar).

Other youth-focused programs funded under The Coca-Cola Foundation and implemented by multiple NGOs includes Youth ICT and Skill Acquisition Project (YISAP), Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment (RESWAYE), Waste in the City, Waste to Wealth, Trash to Cash, SHAPE and many other environmentaldriven initiatives. These projects are targeted at building a new generation of sustainability changemakers to drive the required behavioural change to create a better-shared future. A total of over 10,000 youths and women are to be economically empowered under these initiatives thereby closing the unemployment and poverty gap in Nigerian society.

The company has a lasting commitment to building sustainable communities. It has undoubtedly set itself apart as a company focused on initiatives that promote the wellbeing and economic development of communities across the world.

Through youth education and engagement, the company has continued to provide platforms for youth to excel while gaining the momentum requiredto make their impact in society. The company recognises the relevance of prioritising the Nigerian youth as fundamental contributors and partners of change, and this is evident in its commitment to making a difference of one project at a time.

28

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

29

30

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Taming Banditry in Schools Ugo Aliogo examines the level of destruction in the country’s educational system due to the continuous kidnapping of school children and the demand for ransom by bandits, with possible solutions on how to address the menace

T

he continuous kidnapping of school children and the demand for ransom have been viewed as an indication of government’s failure to address the insecurity problems in the country.

No doubt, this ugly development poses a huge challenge to children in actualising their dreams. It also threatens the fabric of growth of the education sector, especially in a country where the number of out of school children is currently at 10.19 million according to recent statistics.

There are myriads of challenges facing the education sector in Nigeria which government at all levels seems not to be addressing from infrastructural decay to poor funding, incessant strikes, and now kidnapping of school is the new unpleasant development that has reared its ugly head.

The arguments from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), affected parents, human rights organisations, and International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) are that there is a lackadaisical attitude on the part of the government in tackling the challenge. While some contend that there is a need to beef up security in schools in the North, others are of the opinion that there is a need to implement the recommendation of Safe School Initiative (SSI) setup in 2014 in the aftermath of the kidnap of the 276 Chibok Girls in 2014. According to the BBC report, authorities in Kano and Yobe states ordered more than 20 schools to be shut down recently because of the insecurity. Some schools were also recently closed in Zamfara and Niger states. In Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states, dozens of schools have been shut for years because of the Boko Haram insurgency.

To broaden the perspective of the discourse, THISDAY spoke to Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, who frowned at the the growing rate of kidnapping for ransom and banditry, said the situation would continue to escalate, if not addressed by government.

He argued that the kidnapping was still taking place in spite of huge budgetary allocation to the defence and security, rising investment in intelligence gathering to get advance information to nip their activities in the bud, and the formation of the various special task forces.

Rafsanjani expressed his worries that kidnapping for ransom and banditry still strives despite persistent public outcries over their unbearable impact including killings, physical and psychological trauma, and socio-economic setback suffered by the victims and their families. He said: “Apart from paying huge ransom, many of the victims did not live to tell their stories.”

He added: “More recently, the recurring kidnapping of school children constitutes a serious setback to our literacy level and the nation’s development.

While security of lives and property constitutes the fundamental purpose of government, it is worrisome that banditry and kidnapping for ransom as a critical part of the evolution of crimes in Nigeria and direct threat to the constitutional right to live and freedom of movement of the people have received little concern from the Government of Nigeria.”

However, the Country Director, United Nation Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Peter Hawkins, said the issue of kidnapping of school children is something that

Nigeria has been grappling with for many years, noting that the most prominent was the kidnap of 276 Chibok Girls in 2014 by Boko Haram, “and since then it has expanded to become a bigger issue with multiple reasons behind it.”

Hawkins disclosed that in the North-east, there were five million children who needed to attend school, pointing out that the situation of education in the North-east has improved when compared with Maiduguri in 2015, where few children were going to school.

“Presently, in Maiduguri more children are going to schools now. It is a fantastic situation, but it hides the fact that over one million children are unable to go to school as a result of the conflict.

For them, it is imperative that we ensure that they do go to school. The issue of attacks in the northeast on schools is more around availability and access to schools, and quality of education.

UNICEF is doing everything it can to expand the availability of classrooms, teachers and working with the government to ensure that those teachers are able to go places where the children are, not just Maiduguri. But go to the wards and Local Government Areas.”

Providing deeper insight into the discourse is the Education Project Coordinator, Actionaid Nigeria, Kyauta Giwa, maintained that since the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 and the Dapchi girls in 2018, the attacks have continued to spread to other parts in Northern Nigeria.

She also noted that more than 100 girls are still missing from the Chibok incidence, stating that this has huge implications on the number of children who are out of school, and “being that the zone is already disadvantaged in terms of enrolment, retention, transition, and completion of school.”

SAFE SCHOOL INITIATIVE PROGRAMME

The Safe School Initiative programme was launched in May, 2014 after the Chibok girls were abducted to strengthen security in schools in north-eastern Nigeria by building fences around them.

At least $20 million was pledged for the threeyear project, which was supported by the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, and former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Many container schools were built as temporary learning spaces as part of the scheme, but it is not known if any fences were built in communities affected.

There is also the Safe School Declaration (SSD) which Nigeria ratified in 2020 among other 105 countries. But Nigeria has not done much from commitment to accountability, and she will be hosting the Safe School Declaration Conference in October 2021.

KIDNAPPING OF SCHOOL CHILDREN

From the 2014 incident of the Chibok girls to the mass abduction in Dapchi in Yobe State,

terrorists and bandits have specifically targeted vulnerable school children.

Since December 2020, when suspected gunmen attacked the Government Boys Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State and abducted over 300 students, the payment of ransom has remained a key motivation to driving the illicit activity.

Two months after the Kankara incident, on February, 17, suspected bandits abducted 27 students and 15 others from Government Science School, Kagara in Niger State. Less than 10 days, bandits kidnapped 317 female students at Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe, Zamfara State, in an early morning raid. Then, in late May, heavily armed men on motorcycles attacked the town of Regina in the Rafi local government area of Niger State, shot indiscriminately, and abducted about 150 children of Salihu Tanko Islamic School.

DRIVING FORCE FOR KIDNAPPING

It has been argued by security experts that one of the driving forces for kidnapping of school children is the proliferation of small arms and overstretched security forces which makes it difficult for the government to maintain control, while peace deals and huge ransom payments create perverse incentives that encourage more kidnappings. Blanket amnesties have recently gained even more traction through the support of Sheik Gumi, a leading Islamic cleric in northern Nigeria who appointed himself as a negotiator working to secure the release of victims of kidnapping.

In his view, Rafsanjani explained that aside from increasing poverty and unemployment rate that enhanced the nation’s susceptibility to kidnapping and banditry, the recent counterproductive strategy like habitual ransom payments employed by government at all levels have paved way for sustained engagement of the unwary activities, “instead of critical diagnosis with holistic solutions to the fundamental issues that trigger the menace.”

He observed that from the cases of kidnapped students of Chibok, Dapchi, and Chikun, the perpetrators inflict sufferings on innocent school girls primarily to pressurise the system or traumatised parents to fulfill certain demands.

According to him, “At community level, the lack of an appropriate monitoring system and inadequate protection for whistle-blowers activities have discouraged vigilance and a sense of responsibility to proactively report or take lawful action on suspected persons or a group of persons.”

Hawkins’s stance is that the factors responsible are insurgency conflicts mainly in central and north-central areas between farmers and herders, adding that the crisis has affected schools and education, “what we have seen in the last six months is the kidnap of school children especially

girls by criminal elements.”

He revealed that many schools have been affected and 137 pupils/school children have been abducted mainly in the north-west, and it is due to ransom, “the target is secondary schools because they have the profile that the kidnappers are looking for and a lot of these schools are girls’ schools.”

In lending her voice, Giwa espoused that the demand for ransom is one of the major reasons for the abduction of school children, stating that the collection of ransom has continuously financed their activities and ensured that they unleash terror on schools, thereby weakening the educational system in the northern region.

IMPACT OF KIDNAPPING

Hawkins decried the kidnapping of children in schools across the country, noting that the unpleasant development has a profound impact on children’s education, and it is believed that 1.3 million have been impacted in the last academic year by the abduction or attacks on schools.

He affirmed that the impacts are in three folds; one directly on the children because it is traumatic and shows lack of value for their personality, the second impact on the parents of these children who begin to have doubts if they are going to send their children to school especially the girl-child.

The CISLAC Executive Director lamented that kidnapping activities constitute a serious setback to the country’s educational system with potential impact on literacy level.

He maintained that education is a fundamental human right that should be availed to all citizens irrespective of age, sex, and nationality.

He further stressed that there should be no discrimination as to who goes to school and who does not, hence education recognizes and helps to unlock the potentials in every child.

“To educate means to train the mind, character, and abilities of individuals. The importance of education in the life of an individual can never be overemphasized.

As a result of this and related development, low enrolment of the girl-child in school is evident and already widening the educational and socio-economic gaps in Nigeria.

“Addressing the challenges of the kidnapping of school children in the country has become paramount in view of not only the ignorance of rural dwellers on the importance of education but also the dehumanizing impact of keeping children out of school,” he asserted.

The ActionAid Nigeria Education Coordinator bemoaned that the impact is on the education of the girl child, where data has shown that the girl child is disadvantaged in the northern region compared to the southern region.

She admitted that though no current statistics have been provided in terms of the number of children who have dropped out due to the kidnap of school children, but certainly, there will be an increase on the already existing figures of 13.2 million in Nigeria.

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

31

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

E–BUSINESS

As Computer Professionals Chart New Course At the inauguration of the 2021-2023 national executive council members of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) in Lagos recently, the body promised to inject fresh campaigns into its advocacy programmes that will guide Nigeria in achieving her digital transformation drive, writes Emma Okonji

W

ith the successful completion of its national conference and annual general meeting (AGM), held last month in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, which produced a new set of national executive council members of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the body, last week in Lagos, held an inauguration ceremony for its newly elected council members who will drive the computer society in the next two years, from 2021 to 2023.

The newly elected national executive council members, during the swearing-in ceremony, promised to work with the local, state and federal governments, through its advocacy programmes, to chart a new course that will assist government to achieve faster digital transformation across the country.

In his acceptance speech, the re-elected president of NCS, Prof. Adesina Sodiya, promised to raise the bar through renewed advocacy that would address key issues like electronic voting during general elections, appointment of professionals into technical positions in government, the use of Information Technology (IT) professionals in executing government projects, quackery in IT profession, national security issues and the need to apply technology in addressing banditry in Nigeria, among others.

REPOSITIONING NCS

Speaking about the repositioning of NCS for the greater task ahead of its newly elected council members, Sodiya said the new National Executive Council (NEC) members of NCS, would build on the existing structure of the past NEC, complete on-going projects and programmes of NCS, and introduce new initiatives that would further drive NCS advocacy campaigns.

“We will set up various working groups and committees that will help complete existing projects, introduce new projects and expand the scope of NCS. We are national IT body and we will discuss about collaboration with Financial Technology (FinTech) players and cybersecurity professionals, including blockchain group. The idea is to form a formidable team that will help address our national issues that relates to IT and cybersecurity,” Sodiya said. He further explained that the new NCS NEC would come up with solutions through strong advocacy that would help achieve faster digital transformation in the areas of smart city, national security and the adoption of emerging technologies that would further drive the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Sodiya, who spoke about the recently concluded

national conference in Uyo, said over 900 persons attended both online and physical.

He promised to leverage on the large number of NCS members to make future conferences, the largest body of IT professionals across Africa. He also stressed on the code of conduct document of NCS, that spells out the rights and privileges of members of the computer society and what is expected of IT professionals, which he said, would be infused into the constitution of NCS.

ADVOCACY

Sodiya who reiterated the essence of the formation of NCS as an advocacy group, said the body would continue to ensure that government at all levels, do what they were supposed to do to improve national security and the well-being of Nigerians. He said NCS would leverage on IT devices and emerging technologies to create awareness on the need for technology adoption and practice that would benefit Nigeria and Nigerians.

“We are all stakeholders in the IT development of Nigeria and we will continue to advocate the use of technology to address national security issues in Nigeria. The security architecture in Nigeria has collapsed and this is evident in the rising cases of banditry and kidnapping. We are even more worried that bandits could break into the security architecture of the Nigerian Defence Academy to kill and kidnap the military. These are some of the reasons why the new NEC members of NCS will intensify efforts in its advocacy campaigns in order to compel government to adopt and deploy the right technologies that will address insecurity across the country,” Sodiya said.

He charged government to do more to address national security challenges, and

“We are all stakeholders in the IT development of Nigeria and we will continue to advocate the use of technology to address national security issues in Nigeria.”

promised collaboration between NCS and the federal government in mitigating national security threats.

He revealed that NCS had already developed a document on national security challenges and solutions, which he said would soon be submitted to the federal government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

He listed some of the recommendations in the security document developed by NCS, to include the use of drones for surveillance and the use of sensor-based monitors for the tracking and location of bandits. “Technology can address so many societal ills and it takes the will and commitment of government to implement technology solutions that will address societal issues,” Sodiya further said.

REDEFINING LEADERSHIP

Elders of the NCS profession who were present at the inauguration of the new NEC members, charged them with sustainable leadership roles that will redefine the leadership of NCS. The fifth president of NCS, who ruled between July 1993 and June 1995, Mr. Samuel Ezechi, advised the new council members on the need to strengthen the NCS Secretariat, its members and to promote professionalism among members. He equally advised council member on the need to generate funds that will help them execute programmes across Nigeria. He reminded the new NEC of their roles to serve the national community and not their immediate community. He challenged them to always uphold truth, fairness, goodwill and other ideas that will be of benefits of all members.

Another past leader of NCS, who is the eight president of NCS, Alhaji Ladi Ogunneye, stressed on discipline, timeliness to meetings and ethics of the NCS profession and advised the new council members to abide by their rules.

He spoke on leadership styles and advised council members to be more open to all and give listening ears to all complaints.

Ogunneye spoke on leadership types, styles and roles, and identified three types of leadership, which he listed to include Self-centred leader, Tribal leader and Ideal leader. He said the self-centred leader, also known as ‘idiot’ or ‘upgraded barbarian’, is a kind of leader that does not have the feelings of others and do not care about

their well-being. He said the Tribal leader is only concerned about people from his ethnic group and friends, with less affection for others, while the Ideal leader is someone that has developed the skill and knowledge to live a public life, and strives for the common good of others, especially the oppressed and the minority groups.

Ogunneye therefore charged the new NEC members, especially the president, to demonstrate the attributes of an Ideal leader, in order to lead members of NCS in the right direction, and without rancor.

The past Provost, College of Fellows at NCS, Dr. Abimbola Salako, advised the new council members to make the constitution of NCS available on the website, to enable all members have knowledge of the constitution.

“We are in a global world where distance is no longer a barrier to communication. We must therefore populate our website with all the activities of NCS, including conferences. The history of NCS, where it is coming from, should also be uploaded on the website for all to see and learn, especially those outside of Nigeria,” Salako said.

He also spoke on the need for NCS to collaborate with FinTech players in developing technology solutions that will address all the identified needs of the country.

CHANGE OF BATON

One of the highlights of the inauguration ceremony was the official handover, which symbolised the change of baton from the past council members to the newly elected council members of NCS. Former heads of committees like the Innovation and Research Committee, among others, handed over to the new committee members and all the newly elected council members were sworn-in by the legal officer of NCS, Olusoye Obiyomi Akerele, who administered the oath of office to all council members. They all promised to preserve and defend the constitution of NCS and they also promised that they will not allow their personal interests to influence their official conduct and decision. They promised to abide by the contents of the NCS constitution in all circumstances, according to law, without fear or favour.

The newly elected Deputy President of NCS, Dr. Seraju Aliyu, who gave the vote of thanks, thanked the past presidents of NCS, and its members for attending the inauguration, which he said was a success and an avenue for council members to state their commitments.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Akinola: More FinTechs, Banks’ Partnership Underway In this interview with Nosa Alekhuogie, the Director, Abeg Technologies, Mr. Ayo Akinola who is the headline sponsor of reality show, BBNAIJA 2021, talks about the emergence of Financial Technology (FinTech) innovation, the future of financial system in Nigeria, as well as other issues in the FinTech space. Excerpts: FinTech players brought lots of innovations that made the financial space very competitive.

What stands you out and what are you doing differently from the banks? anks are very good in what they do which is basically holding customers’ money in a safe space and helping customers move it around but for the future, we need to go beyond traditional methods, we need to think more of the users and customers than just the business and I think that’s what traditional banks don’t do.

Specifically for one, we’ve been able to digitise alms giving and it’s part of our culture as Nigerians to give alms. At every point in time, everybody is giving somebody something. We all do it on every level and it’s a favorite for some people.

Also, we have made it a step easier to be able to spend money. You have your ATM cards, but what happens when they fail, those weekends when you go out, and when you try to pay but you can’t leave the place because it keeps declining or you want to do a transfer and they say they have to confirm from the manager? These are practical issues that we all face, but with Abeg you don’t have those problems anymore. Businesses don’t need to worry about confirmation of credit alerts ,customers don’t need to worry about the fear of being debited twice in a single financial transaction. So all those things are things of the past and those are some practical issues we have been able to solve with our solution. FinTech has always been a thing and it has always been there, it’s basically just financial technology and the banks have technology too but those things have always been sitting at the back end of the banks. But with the rise of new FinTech companies, they are bringing all those solutions to users themselves where they can do all those things without having to go and line up in the banks. So now with your Akinola phones, you can do things that people in the and not everybody can do it easily but as back end of banks are doing. I think we are just I have said before, we have had experience doing it faster, better than the traditional banks with this for over five years and with that and we can move in ways that they can never experience, we have put all that; Security, move, that’s why you can’t see banks trying to marketing, branding into this one product so compete with FinTech companies, maybe what yes, we do have bank level security and we they want to do is either partner or try to take are adding so many other things to make sure down because they can’t do it. your profile on Abeg is completely secure.

Moving forward, we will see a lot of partnerships Regardless, everybody needs to be safe and between these FinTechs and banks because the banks careful. are needed. We will also see a lot of partnerships Also, there are lots of things that are among FinTechs themselves because I believe encrypted on the servers and anyone in the collaboration is the new competitive advantage. space will know that’s priority and for our We have a vision for Abeg to not just be a tool engineers and company, that’s also priority. but also a major financial tool in the ecosystem We have taken that whole wealth of as a whole. experience to make sure we are completely There is enough space for everyone to be honest in line security wise. and I sincerely believe that there will be a lot more collaborations than competitions in the next Being the Headline sponsor of the Big three to five years.

Brother Naija 2021 reality show, how were you able to get funding?

What is your projection of FinTechs in the So our parent company is PiggyTech and next five years? they own PiggyVest, which is a big player First of all, we are going to see a lot of investments in the financial space and has been around in that space. Five years ago, raising money was for over five years with over three million very hard, people were skeptical about putting users. Last year alone, they paid about N90 money into FinTech but we have had companies billion back to users. Having a parent like who have already set the pace, opened the doors, that, money really isn’t an issue in the sense. and exited the FinTech space in this country so So being on Big Brother, yes the money is we’ll have a lot more investments in that area huge but we have a parent company that over the next couple of years, we have more now can easily get that done. We are very much than we had before. fully funded and are not afraid of anybody Also, regulatory wise, we will have a lot more coming to use money to threaten us. clarity because the FinTech space wasn’t as much We are also in partnership with VFD Micro regulated before as it is now. finance bank as they power the product right We do question the regulation, but those are now. things that are needed to ensure that we are in Through this, we’ve been able to fund Abeg line with the financial directives of the country. I as a platform and product. A lot of investors, believe the government is going to do a lot more even in the international community are trying in that space to make sure everything is in check, to get in on Abeg. I cannot reveal who we are that’s what I see happening in the next three to in bed with currently, but over the next couple five years. I also think we will see much more of weeks, we will make some announcements international companies coming to Nigeria and to see who we’ve tied hands with. also, we going out of Nigeria. A lot of Nigerian companies will also be playing globally as opposed How can people protect themselves from to playing just in Nigeria. selfish investors who try to takeover the entire business of startups in the long run?

Cyber security and data protection is very The first thing I’ll say is, if you don’t need to important. How do you protect people’s information raise money, then don’t, if you can bootstrap from cyber attacks? all the way, then keep it that way.

To be able to play in this space, there is a level The kind of investors that you are looking at of protection that you need to have and to be are not just investors that have cash, because honest, the highest level is the bank level of security you need people that are what we call, your systems. So, if you are a small FinTech company, sponsor. A sponsor is someone that will hold security is the biggest thing you have to tackle

use it versus the number of people in Nigeria as a whole, you will be surprised. A lot of FinTechs still operate in bubbles. In five years, we will definitely be closer than we are today but definitely not anywhere near full. What can be done to achieve digitalisation is more inclusion, more FinTechs, more customer specific products, as there are lots of agency networks and agency banking happening outside. You see a woman that has a shop who is actually a human POS system or human ATM machine, you see that because a lot of people in that area don’t have access to apps. They go to her, we need a lot more of that and it’s happening a lot. A lot of FinTech products are becoming so simple that if you can use WhatsApp, you can use the products.

They will grow to even become much easier. A lot of FinTechs will be doing this and there will be more digital penetration.

B

What advice do you have for startups looking to come into the FinTech space?

We are also a startup as we came onboard about a month ago. My advice will be to have a good team; you can never substitute or discount this. If you have a great team and a working product, you will make it with a sprinkle of grace and luck here and there. I’ll want more startups to come onboard and they need to be more audacious. They should stop hiding and shouldn’t be afraid of regulations, because there are so many partnerships you could do to cover yourself even if you don’t have the financial capacity to stand on your own. There are so many ways to survive the first growth level. We need more startups not just in the FinTech space but in the medical field, transportation and every sector of the economy.

your hand, take you, kick down doors that you cannot do. Apart from giving you cash, if you are not sitting down on the right table, you will be spending money outside the club.

If you have the right investor, it has to be very strategic and not just financials.

So anybody trying to come into the space, should as much as possible try to get a lot of traction on their own and then you will have more bargaining power in terms of when you are trying to raise money. Many people get discouraged because they think they wouldn’t be able to get the money they need and also, so many people get too cocky due to over confidence and it doesn’t work that way. If you’ve been able to sit down and prove that the product is doing what it’s saying it will do, put it together, there are people willing to bet on not just the product but the team.

It’s important to get a good partnership going amongst yourself as a team, work on the product that solves a problem and then go for investors that are also sponsors.

Since the rise of FinTechs in Nigeria, there are fears that they are beginning to take over some financial services roles of the banks. Is this statement correct and what is your view on this?

This statement is not correct. FinTechs cannot take over the banks, banks still and will always exist. What we will have is a lot more collaborations between banks and fintechs. There have always been FinTechs, just that now, it is more consumer facing.

Do I see some FinTechs being bigger than banks? Definitely. There are already some FinTechs that are bigger than some of our commercial banks but will that take that bank space, probably not. We will see more partnerships because FinTechs will want to remain in the line at which they are going. Will there be more digital banks? Most definitely.

Nigeria is known to be a leading player in the digital space in Africa. Do you think we will achieve full digitalisation in the next five years, given that digital penetration is still very low in some parts of the country?

Five years?, definitely not, there is a lot of work to be done. As popular as some banks or products are, you will find out that if they mention the number of people that

What is the correlation between FinTechs and Banks in terms of service delivery in the financial sector?

What has happened with the FinTech companies is that they are more consumer-centric. So, you as a user can take your app and do your investments yourself. You can put money and buy an investment, security or whatever it is.

Before, you couldn’t do that, you had to got to a bank or company to do this, so now, FinTechs are just more consumer-centric. It helps banks as well because at the end of the day, the money still sits somewhere but there will always be that relationship between the two. Even when you have virtual banks, you might be looking at your app and you will see N50,000 there in words but it’s still actual money so there will always be that relationship between them.

Who are your target audience?

Primarily, generation Z (Gen Z) and the millennials are our target market. So, I’ll say between the ages of 20-45 years old. In that age bracket, you have different groups. There are equally older people who are equally tech savvy as well. Definitely, we are going to have a spill into the older generation and we are doing our best to make it as saturated as possible where you’ll be able to go to the market, buy fish, pay using your Abeg and the sellers will receive payment using Abeg as well. The goal is that, majority of your spending, you should be able to use Abeg to pay. If you go to Kenya, M-Pesa is widely used no matter what you are buying. In Ghana, you have MoMo. They have saturated into the economy so much that people who sell on the roadside will collect money with their MoMo or M-Pesa. Abeg is going to do the same and do it a lot better.

For more clarity, for a start, the people that are going to be making all of these payments, go out, buy all these things right now, are the millennials and Gen Z. The older people are more at home, you wouldn’t find them in the clubs. Those that have that spending power right now are the millennials. The Gen Z are coming up to meet them so, that bracket is our target market. Any other person that comes on board is most welcome to the party. We have to look at the bigger picture, in the next 10 years, who is going to have the spending power, who is going to be in control of the money, those are the people you have to look at and catch out for now.

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Federal Govt Mulls Fresh Technology Partnership with Japan Emma Okonji The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy is considering entering into a fresh partnership with Japan in the area of technology that will boost local content development in Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr. Bitrus Bako Nabasu, gave the hint in Abuja recently, while receiving the Ambassadordesignate of Japan, His Excellency, Mr. Sadanabu Kusaote Umer and his entourage in his office, during a courtesy call.

Nabasu, who received the Japan Ambassador and his entourage on behalf of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, said it was a pleasure to have the Ambassador to interact with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy at a time like this when the ministry is working assiduously towards digitizing the country’s economy.

According to Nabasu, “The economy of Japan is being driven by modern technology, which will be of immense benefit for Nigeria to collaborate with the government of Japan to develop her digital economy sector, which will in turn increase her Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The Digital Economy that was added to Communications Ministry, is to enable it digitize

the economy thereby enhance economic growth, create employment especially for its teaming youths and bring about better life for the people generally.”

He reiterated that to partner with Japanese companies on technology development, particularly in the area of digitalization of Nigeria’s economy, would be a very welcome development.

According to Nabasu, “Nigeria is a mono economy of which its main source of revenue is oil and the price of crude oil is no longer attractive in the global market. Therefore Nigeria can no longer depend on oil alone to advance as a nation. Time has come to “think out of the box” by diversifying our economy in the area of digitalization of the nation’s economy.”

He added that the ministry was looking forward to a stronger partnership with the Japan technology companies for employment generation for its people who are unemployed, especially its youths. Nabasu noted that the minister was very passionate about the digitalization of the Nigerian economy and had been working assiduously to actualise it.

The Japanese Ambassadordesignate said the purpose of Japan’s cooperation with Nigeria were numerous; first; for the realisation of a digital Society in the country; introducing digital technology for more effective and efficient development cooperation in various areas, through

Foreign Investors Renewing Confidence in Economy, Says Adebayo James Emejo in Abuja

towards a collective objectives of attracting more investments The Minister of Industry, to the nation’s economy.

Adebayo said,”I would Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo yesterday said like to reiterate my ministry’s the economy was coming commitment to the strategic back strongly adding that relationship that exists with foreign investors are making the chamber and to continue a commitment to invest in the working with the leadership towards our collective country.

Adebayo, during a meeting objectives.

“This is even more germane with Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, with the implementation of the Industry, Mines and Agriculture Africa Continental Free Trade (NACCIMA in Abuja, said, Agreement (AfCFTA).

“AfCFTA will enhance “Nigeria is open for business and our investment climate is Africa’s capacity to unlock growth and create jobs by continually improving.

“The year 2020 was building our industrial capacity, challenging for all economies enlarging our productivity and but Nigeria is coming back making us more competitive globally. strong.”

According to him, NACCIMA He said investments announcements totalled $10.1 remained pivotal in ensuring billion in first half of the year, Nigerian businesses remain representing an increase of 100 competitive in the new environment. per cent in 2020.

The minister also highlighted But investment announcements don’t necessarily efforts being made by the translate to actual investments. federal government to create He said,”Investors from an enabling environment for Europe, China, Morocco and foreign direct investment.

These according to him the UK are making strong commitments and this include the Executive Order administration is working 001, which is a directive that tirelessly to ensure that these promotes transparency and commitments turn into projects efficiency in the business that positively affect our nation.” environment and facilitates obtainment of In a statement by his media timely aide, Ifedayo Sayo, the minister government approvals for said the federal government businesses in areas such as recognised the importance of visa processing and business attracting and retaining patient registrations.

Others are the revised investment into economy, adding that this accounted for Bilateral Investment Treaty his ministry’s commitment to (BIT) model to include specific the strategic relationship that provisions for investment facilitation and to support exists with the chamber.

He said both parties will investors in actualizing their continue to work together investments among others.

infrastructure development for building a digital society; supporting spontaneous

development through the spread of digitalization; and developing a secure, free and

open cyber environment to ensure Nigeria’s ownership of data. He added that other

areas of cooperation would include existing projects and future plans.

INDUCTION CEREMONY…

L-R: Chairman, Planning and Resources Committee, Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Governance (INSLEC), Prof. Ayandiji Aina; Chairman,Media and Public Relations Committee, INSLEC, Prof. Iyabode Kehinde; Representative of Board of Governors, INSLEC, Dr. Mercy Ogbari; President, INSLEC, Prof. Gabriel Emecheta and Registrar, PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT Mrs. Chioma Onagiyama, at the INSLEC induction ceremony for new members in Lagos recently

Event Management App, ‘eSprayMe’ Goes Live Emma Okonji A new event management mobile app and website, known as eSprayMe that will revolutionise the world of event management through virtual conferencing, is set to launch in Nigeria. eSprayMe is a product of eSprayMe Incorporation, headquartered in Texas, USA, and invented by Nigerian-American Information Technology expert, Fisayo Olamigoke. eSprayMe is designed for event hosts and attendees of social and corporate events to meet, network and celebrate seamlessly.

By signing up on the eSprayMe app and website, subscribers can plan events, distribute invite links on their social media platforms, remotely engage the services of workers in the events industry, host it virtually on eSprayMe, and receive cash gifts all on the

eSprayMe platform.

All event hosts on the platform will have a unique QR-Code that attendees can scan to virtually spray monetary gifts. This virtual platform adheres to national policies on currency use.

The eSprayMe platform offers time and cost savings of organising and attending events, as users can navigate from one event to another on the eSprayMe web and mobile app. Users would be notified of public events holding within their location, and would have the option to attend virtually.

Celebrants have the option of holding events that are open to the public, or creating a personalised invite link to selected guests only. eSprayMe is synchronised with the social media pages of subscribers to easily share invite links to guests and live stream events.

The innovative app deploys

a first-of its kind Hologram Technology, which means that a three-dimensional projection of guests, hosts and performers would appear on the virtual platform as though they were all in the same room on eSprayMe. Pictures of guests can also be taken together using this technology. eSprayMe presents job opportunities for merchants trading in goods and services, event engineers, managers, advertisers, speech writers, Disk Jockeys, Master of Ceremonies, among others.

Corporate bodies, small and medium enterprises as well as individuals can advertise their products on services on eSprayMe, during and after events.

The eSpayMe platform ensures adherence to government regulations on war against defacing and abuse of currency, while giving subscribers the opportunity to

virtually spray money at events.

Speaking about the benefits of the mobile app and web solution, Olamigoke said: “eSpayMe enables subscribers hold social and corporate events online via hologram technology.

The solution ensures security by eliminating the need to carry large sums of cash at event locations, and prevents money laundering. The platform creates jobs for eSprayMe event engineers to manage and set up the holographic equipment at different event locations worldwide, and also presents more business opportunities for merchants selling goods and services and shoppers buying from eSprayMe e-Store.”

Local and foreign currencies can be sprayed on eSpayMe, and the platform gives hosts the option to customise their event based on themes. It also allows merchants sell new and used event items and services, Olamigoke further said.

NEPZA, NIPC Partner to Facilitate Investments’ Migration to Economic Zones James Emejo in Abuja The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) are currently seeking partnership to stimulate the migration of huge investments to the newly approved Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Lagos, Kwara and Katsina.

The federal government last year approved six SEZs to be evenly sited in the six geo-political zones. Three have already been earmarked for development in 2021 while work on the remaining zones were deferred till 2022.

Managing Director/Chief Executive of NEPZA, Prof.

Adesoji Adesugba and the Executive Secretary of NIPC, Ms Yewande Sadiku, both agreed on the partnership to boost investments into the economic zones during a meeting in Abuja.

Adesugba explained that efforts were underway to use the special economic zones to stimulate genuine

economic activities across the country, adding that a synergy with NIPC would help to migrate the desired local and international investments to those zones.

The NEPZA boss said that the three new zones which were approved as medical, agro-allied and cotton clusters respectively would help to boost production linkages required for economic growth.

He said the partnership would also significantly spur the interest of international investors on the medical free zone to be sited in Lekki, saying that the zone would drastically reduce the country’s capital flight through medical tourism abroad.

Adesugba said,”We are also hopeful that the medical free trade zone will be a convergence of world-class hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, aged homes, hotels and medical based research institutes.

“This enclave when operational would retard the migration of medical

professionals abroad.

The Authority has in the last one year under my watch adopted a few innovations to assist the workforce to execute our mandate.

“These include restructuring of the directorate cadre; establishment of Health and safety unit; establishment of NEPZA security outfit; establishment of special economic zones’ association; establishment of Alternative Dispute Unit among others.”

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari had great expectation of the authority to fast track the country’s industrislisation, stressing that the management team and the entire workforce appreciated the huge investment the federal government had so far made to upscale the potentials of the agency.

He said,”This visit is aimed at seeking more investment information and direction from the commission so that we can jointly deliver on our mandates.”

Head, Corporate

Communications, NEPZA, Martins Odeh, he said all the agencies with direct affiliation to execute the country’s lofty economic programmes must engage in frequent cross fertilisation of ideas as doing so will help to expand the country’s investment horizon.

Sadiku on her part, expressed satisfaction in the way and manner the NEPZA boss had repositioned the agency and promoted the special economic zones model across the country.

The NIPC boss had described Adesugba as an investment promotion guru with long years of experience.

She said,”I am not surprised with the high level of successes recorded so far within your 12 months of being the MD of this important establishment.’’

She said that the commission was prepared to partner with NEPZA to accelerate economic development, adding that the three new special economic zones would be used as pilot scheme for vigorous investment drive.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

Agroecology, a Viable Solution to Climate Change, Says Group Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt A Non Governmental Organisation, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has noted that agroecology is a viable solution to climate change.

The group noted this at a workshop to examine the importance of Agroecology in climate change mitigation/ adaptation as well as in ensuring food sovereignty, featuring researchers, policy experts and representatives from the Ministry of Environment as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In his address, Executive Director of HOMEF, Rev Nnimmo Bassey stated that to successfully address the challenge of climate change there is need to change the way people relate with the ecosystem; the way natural resources are exploited and consumable food are produced.

“Climate change increases the vulnerabilities and uncertainties of Nigerian farmers while agroecology reduces environmental footprint of agriculture as opposed to fossil-fuels driven industrial agriculture. We must desist form production measures which disrupt ecosystem balance and which pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.” He added.

Speaking on Agroecology as a Viable Solution to the

Climate and Food Crises, food sovereignty Activist, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje explained that Agroecology is a bottom-top approach, which harness local/ traditional knowledge as well as scientific innovation in Agriculture.

According to her, Agroecology uses a range of practices including mixed cropping, crop rotation, composting, agroforestry, biological pest control, cover cropping, biomas recycling, which do not only help to optimize and improve yields but help with resilience to the impact of climate change.

She added that Agroecology promotes biodiversity, which is a key principle in climate change mitigation.

“Agroecological initiatives aim at transforming industrial agriculture by transitioning existing food systems away from fossil fuel-based production largely for agro-export crops and biofuels towards an alternative agricultural paradigm that encourages local and national food production by small and family farmers based on local innovation, resources and solar energy. This implies ensuring the access of peasants to land, seeds, water, credit and local markets through the creation of supportive economic policies, financial incentives, and market opportunities; as well as the scaling up of agroecological technologies, ”she further explained.

NEWS

NITDA Highlights Importance of SMEs to Economic Growth, Stability Emma Okonji Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are predominantly the backbone of economic growth in any country and they have accounted for the successes of most businesses globally, with ICT being a major driving force for enhancing efficiency, according to the the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.

He highlighted the importance of SMEs recently, when he delivered a keynote address at the 8th edition of Business 360

To boost access to power, improve building aesthetics and increase national productivity, architects and builders in Nigeria have been urged to embrace the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) solution. BIPV is an innovative customized renewable energy solution that enables the integration of solar modules into building facades, rooftops, wall cladding, bus shelters and gatehouses among other facilities producing electrical power in addition to aesthetic enhancements.

Managing Partner, Niteo Limited, Adedayo Afolabi, who made the call while speaking at the inaugural BIPV seminar in Lagos recently, revealed that solar solutions were all about harnessing the power of the sun to produce electrical energy.

According to Afolabi, “The BIPV solution, deployed in partnership with German-based Green Glass Africa, is a welcome development especially in urban areas such as State Capitals where there is a reduction in space availability and a growing current trend of utilizing glass for

curtain walls of buildings. With BIPV, every available space on building wall claddings, rooftops, bus shelters, factories and warehouses now can generate power.”

He stated that while challenges are a part of life, the secret of progress is to understand how to spot and take advantage of the opportunity inherent in challenges. Nigeria, he noted, has power challenges which solar solutions could tackle effectively because of the sheer amount of sunlight available everyday. With climate change as a growing source of concern, the increasing use of solar solutions, particularly BIPV, will help Nigeria positively reduce its carbon footprint and avert environmental disaster. Co-CEO, Green Glass Africa, Kevin Noukam Tiangueu, in his presentation, provided an in-depth exposition of the BIPV technology, its application in real-life projects, with relevant case studies and ROI calculations.

According to Noukam, “With BIPV, the target is to transform every building to a power generating set so that each building or structure essentially powers itself.”

Emma Okonji Building on its quest to grow a diverse and inclusive team, Sterling Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative (Tech4Dev), a non-profit social enterprise, working to provide access to decent work for Africans through digital and technology skills empowerment and advocacy.

At the signing ceremony held recently at the Marina Headquarters of the financial institution in Lagos, Sterling Bank officially committed to partner with the Tech4Dev as

He noted that the real advantage of the BIPV is that it can be customized based on the customer’s application, specifications and available space. The bespoke product can be designed based on the size and shape of the available space, or the colour preferences of the customer.

The solar power startup expert explained that BIPV is flexible, so much so that the customer’s goals and ideals can be integrated into the design to improve the outlook. BIPV is a multifunctional product with constructive, architectural, aesthetic and power generation functions and capabilities. He revealed that another advantage of the BIPV is that it is fire resistant class A, making it a good construction material for buildings.

Co-CEO, Green Glass Africa, Igor Mbakom Tchiengang, noted that BIPV would be the solution for Africa. He said: “BIPV is versatile, with immense potential and suitable for a variety of projects. BIPV can completely or partially replace building material in addition to generating power, improving transparency and efficiency.”

PIA: N’Delta Activist Insists 3% Fund be Managed by HCTF as Specified by Act Sylvester Idowu in Warri A Niger Delta based activist and National Coordinator of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) Chief Sheriff Mulade has called on the federal government to establish and inaugurate the Host Community Trust Fund (HCTF) provided for by the PIA, to manage the Petroleum Industry Fund.

Mulade in a chat with Journalists maintained that the 3 per cent fund, if properly managed by HCTF, will address environmental and infrastructural

issues affecting the oil and gas Producing host communities in the country.

The environmental activist condemned the idea being muted in some quarters that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs or the Governors of oil and gas producing States should control and manage the 3 per cent allocation provided for in the PIA, based on the oil and gas resources derived from, and the degradation effects of oil activities in the host communities.

He warned that if the Minister or State Governors control the

than 50per cent of employment globally, the NITDA boss also quoted the recent report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, which said SMEs contribute 48 per cent of the National GDP and account for 96 per cent and 84 per cent of businesses and employment respectively.

“SMEs are therefore key contributors to employment, economic and export growth to the Nigerian economy” Abdullahi said. He also explained how the increase in revenue, operational cost reduction, customer service improvement, employee experience improvement and constant

innovations, were all important for enterprise productivity while laying emphasis on technology as a driving force in achieving success.

The NITDA DG mentioned that NITDA had always been at the forefront of supporting SMEs and disclosed how the agency through one of its subsidiaries, has supported over 200 local startups that leveraged on technology as tool for entrepreneurship.

“You may be aware that, as part of our 20th anniversary celebration, we launched and unveiled a four-year Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021 – 2024).

Tech4Dev Partners Sterling Bank to Enhance Women Employment in Tech

Niteo CEO Tasks Architects, Builders on Power Solutions

Emma Okonji

Clinics, organised by the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA).

In his address titled: ‘Leveraging on Technology and Innovation for Enterprise Productivity’, Abdullahi described the topic as apt and timely. He affirmed that innovation and entrepreneurship were essential for long-term economic gains and prosperity.

“SMEs provide cornerstones on which economic growth and stability of any country solidly depends,” he said.

Citing the World Bank Report on Finances, where SMEs were pronounced to represent 90 per cent of businesses and more

3 per cent fund, it might be mismanaged the same way the 13% derivation fund allocated to oil and gas producing States for the development of oil and gas host communities, was misappropriated.

Mulade recalled that the 13 per cent oil derivation fund, and the PIA fund are meant to address the environmental, ecological and infrastructural development issues of oil communities insisting that the 3 per cent PIA fund should be managed by the Host Community Trust Fund as stipulated by Section 2 of the PIA.

an experiential learning partner for its Women Techsters initiative.

The Women Techsters is an initiative of Tech4Dev aimed at bridging the digital divide between men and women in the technology ecosystem, with plans to empower five million women across Africa with digital and deep tech skills by 2030.

The organisation is currently in partnership with Microsoft to empower 10,000 women in 2021 across five African countries, which include Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Tech4Dev’s Co-founder and Executive Director, Oladiwura

Oladepo reiterated the importance of the partnership with Sterling Bank.

According to Oladepo, “Gender equality is at the heart of what we do at Tech4Dev and is a huge part of our Women Techsters initiative. We are delighted about forward-thinking organizations like Sterling Bank, who are thinking of what the workforce will look like in the next two, three, five years and the importance of gender balance within the ecosystem. At the end of the internship period, we want Sterling Bank to be able to say they got value from the interns.”

The Chief Digital Officer at Sterling Bank, Olayinka Oni, spoke on the company’s desire to build a diverse team. “Diversity is not a compliance agenda, it is an intentional strategy. Internship for us is also intentional. We are interested in any project that grows the ecosystem like the Women Techsters initiative,” Oni said.

Some of the Women Techsters Fellows across the five countries are presently in the final week of their intensive training and will be direct beneficiaries of this partnership with Sterling Bank on a six-month internship period with the company.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

IMAGES

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Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: Vice President, Queen of the Rosary Old Student Association (QROGA), Jennifer Igoh; Mrs. Akpagher Vihimga Vivian (Karen Mother), and Executive Director, Men Against Rape Foundation, Lemmy Ughegbe, at a press briefing on revelations related to Karen’s death and the position of the school, Premiere Academy in Abuja…recently PHOTO: AYO AJAYI

L-R: Otu of Igarra, High Chief Joseph Apeji Mayaki; the New Oshemi Onayinmi of Igarra, His Royal Highness Samuel Sunday Mayaki; and his wife, Mrs. Grace Mayaki, during the installation of Oshemi Onayinmi of Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State...recently PHOTO: DAN UKANA

L-R: Pioneering Mission, The Church of the Lord Worldwide (TCLAW), Archbishop Amos Ajibola; AdministratorGeneral and Provincial Head of Nigeria, TCLAW, Archbishop David Fabusoro; Special Adviser 2021 Tabieorar Planning Committee, Senior Prophet Funso Fadayini; the host, His Holiness, Primate of TCLAW, Most Rev Rufus Okikiola Ositelu; and Secretary-General, TCLAW, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolawole; during the 85th annual Mount Tabioerar anniversary celebration at Ogere in Ogun State…recently

L-R: Founder/Director, Drinks NG, Lanre Akinlagun; Country Manager, Nigeria, William Grant and Sons, Frances Nwosa; and Nollywood actor and producer, Eyinna Nwigwe, at the official launch of Balvenie Whisky in Lagos…recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

L-R: National Technical Secretary, Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Dr. Imhade Okokpujie; Chairman, Planning Committee of the third edition of Mayen Adetiba Technical Boot Camp for Girls, Laolu Adedapo-Aisida; Founding member, APWEN, Mayen Modupeola Adetiba; President, APWEN, Funlola Ojelade; the eighth APWEN President, Dr. Patricia Ogene-Odili; and the fourth APWEN President, Idiat Amusu, during the third edition of Mayen Adetiba Technical Boot Camp for Girls organised by APWEN in Lagos…recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

L-R: Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, Professor Abdullahi Shehu; Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (rtd); Defence Adviser, Nigerian Embassy in Russia, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya; and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, at the International Military-Technical Forum tagged: ‘Army-2021’, in Russia...recently

L-R: Vice President, National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), Joshua Nkute; Chief Executive Officer, New Women Microfinance Bank (MFB), Esther Adeola Balogun; CEO of Mainstreet MFB, Adegoke Adegbami; National President, NAMB, Yusuf Gyallesu; CEO of Accion MFB/Chairman, NAMBLAG, Lagos State, Taiwo Joda; and CEO of Richway MFB/Vice President, NAMBLAG, Adenrele Oni, at the NAMBLAG retreat held in Ibadan, Oyo State…recently

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T H I S D AY ˾ , SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ Chiemelie Ezeobi ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

NSSF to Vaccinate One Million Nigerians The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, a non-for-profit institution established as a partnership between the Global Citizen and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, is set to vaccinate one million people in Nigeria while solving vaccine hesitancy, writes Rebecca Ejifoma

S

ince the chaotic outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe last year, getting people vaccinated became the solution towards mitigating the spread of the virus following the non-pharmaceutical interventions like wearing of nose masks, handwashing, and physical distancing.

“The

NSSF decided to assist in vaccinating one million Nigerians, of course it has to be the most vulnerable Nigerians that will otherwise not be vaccinated. And we have a two-approach for it. The first is to collaborate with partner organisations to purchase more vaccines for Nigeria, and the second is to solve the vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria”

Bridging the Gap Several organisations like the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) made it a priority to bridge the gap of vaccine shortage and hesitancy as some of the factors that may affect the country’s goal to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity, the post impact of COVID-19 on the health and economic sector of Nigeria among its other focus for this year and next year. These were the words of the General Manager of NSSF, Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, at a webinar with newsmen in Lagos State.

According to Chinye-Nwoko, the NSSF has three major quests off its sleeves for this year and next year. Among them is vaccination. “NSSF was on to solve the post impact of COVID on the health and economic sector of Nigeria. The first was to assist vulnerable populations in Nigeria, that is those who would be most hit from the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

“The NSSF decided to assist in vaccinating one million Nigerians, of course it has to be the most vulnerable Nigerians that will otherwise not be vaccinated. And we have a two-approach for it. The first is to collaborate with partner organisations to purchase more vaccines for Nigeria, and the second is to solve the vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria.”

While conceding that a lot of people are quite reluctant to get vaccinated despite availability, Chinye-Nwoko said this is owing to the fact that these people are simply either not willing or they don’t know the benefits of the vaccine. “So we are going to be doing a bit of advocacy to promote the uptake of the vaccine so that we can get hold of this pandemic once and for all”.

Benefits In the words of the GM, one benefit that a lot of Nigerians overlook is that getting the vaccine not only protects them, but it also protects vulnerable populations. “We know that by vulnerable population, the elderly are more vulnerable in terms of getting adverse effects of COVID-19, death is the last spectrum. There are several adverse effects like permanent lung damage that a lot of clinicians are noticing with the COVID. “So even after people have recovered they still have lung damage that lead to other lung disease in the future and so a person not taking the vaccine is not only because your immunity is strong, what of other people whose immunity isn’t that strong, people living with comorbidities, sickle cell patients or diabetics or people with hypertension, even children are beginning to come down with symptoms of COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, Chinye-Nwoko is worried about the Delta variant, which is beginning to affect a lot of children. “A lot of children under 12 are not taking the vaccine yet. So, we are exposing the children that already have comorbidities like cardiac diseases, holes in the heart or sickle cell anemia. We are exposing them because we will be in contact with them. So the vaccine is not only saving your life, if we look beyond ourselves and say, ‘I don’t have a low immunity my body can fight it’, what about the people that are susceptible?”

For the GM, when they get about 80 to 90 per cent of the population vaccinated, the remaining 10 or 20 per cent that are skeptical are protected. However, she cautioned, “We need to get there right now. We are one per cent nowhere near that”.

Strengthening Health System Beyond vaccination, the NSSF has also mapped out plans to strengthen the health system. “We know that out of all the sectors that were impacted by COVID-19 the health sector is the first. So, making the health sector recover from the assault of the pandemic was our second objective while our third objective is to re-skill the youth to help post

Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko COVID-19 to regain economic stability.

Accordingly, the GM acknowledged that during the pandemic a lot of people lost their means of livelihood. Thus, NSSF came up with the aim to re-skill the youth to make them more economically competitive in the post COVID-19 world, knowing that the skills that were required pre-COVID-19 may not be the skills that will be required post.

She emphasised: “The activity we plan is a youth-focus campaign. It’s going to focus on artistic expression of Nigerian youth using readily available digital tools.

We know that a great proportion of our population is the youth, and we also know that the youth are influencers (they

have a lot of ability because of social media) to influence peer behaviours. So if we target the youths we have more influence over the information.”

Complimenting Government’s Effort When the NSSF was created, the GM said one of its statements is to add to what the federal government is doing. “Our help is additional, not supplementary. We are not working in silo, we are working with the federal government. We are already in conversations with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and they have done a fantastic job in terms of storage and distribution to

the 36 states.”

And in terms of procurement of the one million vaccines, Chinye-Nwoko assured newsmen that the NSSF would work with the federal government to see that they get these one million doses.

Call to Nigerians With some Nigerians yet to accept the idea of vaccination, the NSSF boss urged everyone to get vaccinated. “Get vaccinated.

If you haven’t, join the train of believers, get vaccinated, encourage your colleagues, and family members to get vaccinated. COVID-19 is real. I think we are moving out of the denial phase. So yes, jump on this moving train and get vaccinated.”

T H I S D AY ˾ , SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

39

NEWS

FERTILITY

Info@lifelinkfertility.com; Website: lifelinkfertility.com 08033083580

Fidson Rewards DANGER SIGNS IN Academic Excellence

PREGNANCY (PART 1)

W

L-R: Head of Marketing Fidson Healthcare Plc., Friday Enaholo, Astymin, School Promo Coordinator, Yetunde Adesola; Director of Co-Curricular Division of Ministry of Education, Lagos State, Mrs Sosanya Olubunmi, representing the Hon. Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo; Corporate Services Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc., Temitope Akindele Mary Nnah 'JETPO )FBMUIDBSF 1MD UIF leading pharmaceutical company, last weekend rewarded TUVEFOUT BDSPTT UIF OBUJPO for exceptional academic performances. This was done through its academic reward programme – the Astymin #SJMMJBODF 3FXBSE "#3

organised to reward academic excellence among students in Nigeria.

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"45:.*/ UIF áBHTIJQ brand of Fidson, sponsoring UIF "#3 FWFOU QSPNPUFT healthy living, physical activity, mental alertness, good sleep, and immunity. According to

the product manager, Tunde Balogun, Astymin is a blend of essential amino acids and is BWBJMBCMF JO BCPVU DPVOUSJFT in the world. *O IJT SFNBSLT (FOFSBM Manager, Fidson Healthcare 1MD 0TIPLF "ZFCBF DPOHSBUVlated the winners for doing their best and coming out tops noting that education is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give to a child to set him/her up for the future.

He specially appreciated the teachers for doing a good job in managing and training the students.

5IF 1SPHSBNNF $PPSEJOBtor, Yetunde Adesola disclosed UIBU "#3 TUBSUFE JO BOE till date has rewarded close to DIJMESFO BEEJOH UIBU the event which used to be a funfair, rewards students in both government owned and private schools across the country. i"#3 JT B QSPHSBNNF UIBU encourages children to be good academically and all other activities they take part in UIFJS TDIPPMTu TIF TBJE The representative of the $PNNJTTJPOFS GPS &EVDBUJPO congratulated the students, encouraging them to put more effort and aspire to be great MFBEFST 4IF BMTP HBWF LVEPT

UP 'JETPO )FBMUIDBSF 1MD GPS organising the programme.

While congratulating the awardees for earning the recognition, Mrs Toyin Akingbade from Association GPS 'PSNJEBCMF &EVDBUJPOBM %FWFMPQNFOU "'&% BGGJSNFE UIBU 'JETPO )FBMUIDBSF 1MD JT B QBSUOFS XJUI "'&% BT CPUI organisations share a common goal which is to ensure that the Nigerian child is well taken care of.

Head of Marketing, Fidson )FBMUIDBSF 1MD 'SJEBZ &OBIPMP explained that there were also monthly essay competitions where winners are rewarded on a monthly basis. He added UIBU "#3 XJMM BDDPNNPEBUF more awardees in the near future.

4PNF PG UIF "#3 BXBSEFFT present at the event – Caroline Olufowote; Oluwadarasimi Adetiloye; Arokoyo OluwaseNJMPSF BOE 4BNVFM .BSWFMPVT Ajayi – were presented with certificates of excellence and Astymin branded gift items.

Arokoyo Oluwasemilore gave an appreciation remark on behalf of the awardees.

The programme coordinator reiterated that all the winners including online participants will get their certificates and gifts delivered to them.

FG Advised to Partner Pharmacists to Produce Vaccine Locally Omolabake Fasogbon The federal government has been advised not to rely on foreign countries for vaccine supply, but to strengthen local resources with needed support to enable vaccine production within.

This became more urgent as the Minister of state for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, decried lack of access to the vaccine despite their availability in developed countries. &YQFSUT HBWF UIJT BEWJDF BU a virtual media roundtable

omen across the world were reported to have died from pregnancy and child birth related complications. It is estimated that the majority of global maternal deaths occur in Africa.

The majority complications that account for 80% of all maternal deaths are severe bleeding, infections and high blood pressure during pregnancy, obstructed labor and unsafe abortion. However, many maternal deaths can be prevented if appropriate action is taken early and promptly by health care givers/specialists.

Today’s topic will highlight the global pursuit for safe motherhood initiative where every woman needs to be aware of the danger signs that occur during pregnancy, as complications can be unpredictable. These signs usually indicate the presence of an obstetric complication that may arise during pregnancy, delivery or post-delivery. Knowledge of these danger signs will help women to make the right decisions and take appropriate care, which reduces maternal mortality (death rate) and morbidity (incidence of disease).

The ongoing efforts to improve maternity care has resulted in the adoption of the World Health Organization focused antenatal care (FANC) program consisting of only four visits for low-risk pregnancy (that is pregnancy without complications). This version of an antenatal care (ANC) program includes health promotion, prevention, early detection and treatment of existing diseases.

This program allows couple access critical information for birth preparedness including the danger signs of pregnancy.

Most women will go through pregnancy with some uncomfortable symptoms but no serious problems. Normal discomforts of pregnancy can include nausea (especially in the first three months), heartburn, a need to urinate often, back ache, breast tenderness, swelling and physical tiredness. However, there are some other symptoms that may mean danger for mother or the baby. Being aware of these danger signs can help one know when the need for special care from your healthcare provider/specialist arises.

DANGER SIGNS/SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE r 7FSZ CBE IFBEBDIF PS B IFBEBDIF UIBU lasts for several days r 4FWFSBM WBHJOBM CMFFEJOH r 4FWFSF OBVTFB BOE WPNJUJOH r'FWFS 5FNQFSBUVSF PWFS ' $

r #MVSSZ WJTJPO r 3FEVDFE NPWFNFOU BOE LJDLJOH CZ UIF baby r 4VEEFO XFJHIU HBJO UP LH XJUIJO UP EBZT XJUI B MPU PG TXFMMJOH PG UIF feet, ankles, face or hands. r 4FJ[VSFT

TFTTJPO PO UIF 1VCMJD )FBMUI &NFSHFODZ 0QFSBUJPO $FOUSFT 1)&0$T JO 8FTU "GSJDB where they encouraged all African countries to strive to produce their vaccine locally, given the trends of shortage lately.

4QFBLJOH BU UIF TFTTJPO %JSFDUPS PG UIF 4FOFHBMFTF &NFSHFODZ )FBMUI 0QFSBUJPOT $FOUFS %S "CEPVMBZF Bousso, stated that Nigeria will need to strengthen partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, especially in the area of research to expedite the

process of local production and curtail the spread of SBWBHJOH $07*% Bousso also hailed NigeSJB T SFTQPOTF UP $07*% emergency and its recovery efforts.

He requested for the country to make its strategies open for struggling African countries to learn from them.

4QFDJBM "EWJTPS UP UIF .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS 5IF 3PDLFGFMMFS 'PVOEBUJPO "GSJDB 3FHJPOBM Office, Wadzanayi Muchenje, added that the foundation was in support of local production of vaccines.

r #MPPE JO UIF VSJOF r #VSOJOH BOE QBJO XIFO VSJOBUJOH r %JBSSIFB r 7BHJOBM EJTDIBSHF XJUI B CBE PEPS irritation or itching r 1BJO QSFTTVSF PS DSBNQJOH JO UIF CFMMZ CFGPSF XFFLT PG QSFHOBODZ r $POUSBDUJPOT UIBU IBQQFO NPSF UIBO UJNFT BO IPVS MFTT UIBO NJOVUFT BQBSU

r 4FWFSF CBDLBDIF QBJO Leaking of fluid from the vagina 4&7&3& /"64&" "/% 70.*5*/( 4FWFSF nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) UIBU EPFT OPU TUPQ JO UIF àSTU NPOUIT PG pregnancy could result in loss of too much weight and fluid from the body with mother and baby not getting enough nutrients. The body’s electrolyte and chemicals may become imbalanced. The need for treatment in the hospital may be recommended in some women.

Morning sickness usually gets better after the àSTU NPOUIT PG QSFHOBODZ JO NPTU XPNFO CRAMPING, CONTRACTIONS AND BLEED*/( 4FWFSF DSBQJOH DPOUSBDUJPOT and bleeding during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy can be seen as a sign of a QMBDFOUB 1SFWJB QMBDFOUB DPWFSJOH UIF opening of the mother cervix), placenta abruption (placenta detaching from the womb), miscarriage and possible loss of baby. Women experiencing any of the above symptoms need specialist’s management.

4PNFUJNFT B NJTDBSSJBHF DBO CF BWPJEFE with complete bed rest and sometimes it is DPNQMFUFMZ JOFWJUBCMF &WFO JG VTVBMMZ UIF baby is lost, there is still need to see the healthcare provider/ specialist to ensure that no tissue from the pregnancy is left in the womb which can cause an infection later.

ABDOMINAL PAIN: Aches and pains are to be expected to an extent during pregnancy since the baby is growing bigger by the day and the muscles and ligaments will need to be stretching to accommodate the growth. The discomforts caused by that are called round ligament pain and is not XPSSJTPNF 4FWFSF BOE DPOTUBOU QBJO XIJDI may not be accomplished by bleeding or other symptoms must be treated as urgent.

1BJO PS QSFTTVSF EVSJOH UIF GJSTU NPOUIT of pregnancy could mean the fertilized egg may be outside the womb. This is called an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. The pain may be worse on one side of the abdomen or in the shoulder, coupled with dizziness or even fainting, with nausea or vomiting.

A baby cannot survive in an ectopic site, as this may cause severe eternal bleeding BOE UISFBUFOT UIF MJGF PG UIF NPUIFS &BSMZ diagnosis depending on location requires termination with medications, otherwise surgery must be done to remove the ectopic pregnancy if diagnosed late

r .VTDMF JSSJUBCJMJUZ TO BE CONTINUED

40

T H I S D AY ˾ , SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

NEWS

Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund Partners Global Citizen to Ensure Vaccine Equity Rebecca Ejifoma The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF or the Fund), has partnered Global Citizen, at the Global Citizen Live event to call on world leaders, corporate organisations, and foundations on COVID-19 Pandemic, vaccine equity, and vaccine hesitancy.

As an advocate for impact, the NSSF is one of the partner institutions headlining the event alongside Global Citizen, an international advocacy organisation.

Established as a partnership between Global Citizen and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the NSSF is an innovative platform for resource mobilisation primarily created to complement government’s efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians.

The Fund has set its strategic priority for 2021/2022 to ensure that one million Nigerians are vaccinated against COVID-19 and is partnering Global Citizen to amplify this call on global organisations and world leaders to address the issues of equitable

distribution of and education about COVID-19 with the urgency it deserves.

The Vice Chairman of Global Citizen Nigeria, Aigboje AigImoukhuede, “There is only one way of dealing with this pandemic, which is the vaccines and as we well know, to get the type of herd immunity that makes a nation safe, there is a minimum percentage of the population that needs to be covered, typically well above 60 per cent.

“In Nigeria, we are way below that with only about one per cent of the populace having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines.”

According to him, considering the scary statistics and the need to act fast to save lives, we are putting necessary mechanisms in place to enable us to mobilise the required resources to get at least one million Nigerians vaccinated before the end of 2022.

He further added, “The Global Citizen Live event affords us the opportunity to tell our impact story and get the support we need to end this pandemic in the quickest time possible.

4-year-old Boy Needs N13m for Cerebral Palsy Surgery Rebecca Ejifoma Four years old Jeremiah Ilori needs N13 million naira to help him walk after he was diagnosed with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy secondary to Neonatal Jaundice.

Since he was diagnosed with the disease at three days old, baby Ilori has neither crawled nor walked like his age mates.

He cannot speak or hear either.

Hence, the surgery is recommended to help improve his quality of life to walk, talk, and hear.

According to the mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Ilori, the family has been able to raise N2.4m and have a number of promissory notes.

“He has Athetoid Cerebral

Palsy secondary to Neonatal Jaundice. He was born Preterm with G6PD deficiency through Cesarean Section at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH),” she added.

Narrating further, she said Ilori had received three exchange blood transfusions. While on admission, he contracted Meningitis and other infections, but was discharged after two months of intensive treatment.

The family, therefore, desperately called on Nigerians home and abroad to help give baby Ilori a normal life.

Donations can be made to 3017004809 First Bank, Elizabeth Ilori. And the family can be reached on 07060902624.

28-year-old Sickle Cell Winnie Urgently Needs N2m from Decaying Limb, Amputation Rebecca Ejifoma Winnie Onuoha-Momodu, 28, urgently needs over N2 million to save her left arm from total decay and possible amputation.

Winnie, who was a janitor at a private firm before the unfortunate situation began last April, is reacting to excessive intake of pentazocine injections.

Pentazocine injection, according to research, is a pain reliever used to treat or moderate severe pain during childbirth or surgery.

And it is highly addictive and imperious to sickle cell patients, experts have warned.

Winnie narrated: “This incident started when I began to have sickle cell crises back to back last year. I couldn’t breathe, had constant pain, and a blood clot.

“So I got a nurse who started treating me at home. She used Pentazocine injection on me. After

my crisis stopped coming in frequently, I had already become addicted to taking the injection.

So I continued getting it and injecting myself.”

Lamenting, Winnie said the reaction started as a result of excessive intake of the injection last year. “It began like a blister, then snowballed into what I can’t even describe just this year.”

Sadly, the severe skin damage has eaten up her flesh to the bones, which are now uncovered. “It’s decaying daily and my bones are breaking right before my eyes; it hurts so much,” she bemoaned.

Having been to the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba to treat Pentazocine addiction, she was referred to the Nigerian Army Hospital in Yaba to see an orthopedic surgeon for further treatment.

Some of the participants

Kerrygold Avantage Milk Promotes Smoothie as Key to Healthier Life Chiamaka Ozulumba Two malls in Lagos, namely the Ikeja City Mall and the Leisure Mall Surulere, recently saw lots of activity as shoppers “set the wheels in motion” participating in the Blender Bike challenge and other activities at the Kerrygold Avantage Milk activation.

This promotion took place in conjunction with Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board), who hosted a series of in-store and online campaigns throughout Africa in recognition of World Milk Day, celebrated on Tuesday 1 June.

World Milk Day is an annual event that is held to promote global awareness around the benefits of milk.

Milk is packed with nutrients, is a good source of quality protein, it is associated with healthy bones and is a versatile ingredient that in addition to being a wholesome drink, can be used in meals such as oatmeal,

breakfast milky rice, soups, desserts as well as making excellent smoothies.

One of the highlights of the day’s activities was the Blender Bike, where participants demonstrated their fitness levels by riding a stationary bicycle that had a blender attached. The blender spun as the bike was ridden allowing the participants to make their favourite milkshakes and smoothies.

Adding glamour to the occasion were celebrity influencers Ufuoma Mcdermott and Adedimeji Lateef as well as Ify Mogekwu of Ify’s Kitchen and nutritionist, culinary expert and talk show host Jamila Lawal, who created their own milkshakes and encouraged their followers to do the same. Some fortunate shoppers met the celebrities and collaborated on the milkshake making! For those with a creative flair, there was the opportunity to share a video on social media demonstrating creative ways

to make a milkshake with the Kerrygold Avantage Milk.

After working through all the submissions from entrants who participated in the Milkshake challenge, the judges identified fifteen winners who were rewarded with Kerrygold products, branded items, and shopping vouchers.

Besides the health benefits of milk, Kerrygold Avantage from Ireland is premium fat filled milk powder, meaning that it has extended shelf life without needing refrigeration and is suitable for the whole family.

The powder is produced from natural, fresh skimmed cow’s milk, vegetable fat and fortified with vitamins to provide essential nutrients.

A rich heritage of family farming in Ireland, passed from generation to generation, combined with lush green fields, clean air and plentiful rain create the perfect environment for dairy farming, which converts grass

into nutrient-rich, premium quality products. The objective of the promotions was to highlight the benefits of milk to Africa and to drive consumption of Irish milk beyond the use of cream.

“Our aim with this campaign is to create new consumption patterns for milk with the consumer outside the regular creamer pattern that is currently predominate pattern irrespective of the consumption occasion.” says Ese Okpomo, Bord Bia’s West Africa Manager.

Bord Bia works to enhance the reputation of Irish food, drink and horticulture, to develop markets for Irish suppliers and bring the taste of Irish food to more tables world-wide. With its headquarters in Dublin, Bord Bia’s extensive overseas presence, coupled with authoritative strategic insight, enables Bord Bia to pursue emerging opportunities and actively respond to significant market issues that affect the industry.

Stakeholders Commend CBN’s N100Bn Intervention Fund for Health Sector Rebecca Ejifoma Stakeholders have commended the progress made by the Central Bank ofNigeria’s (CBN) N100 billion Pharmaceutical Intervention fund for COVID-19 which was part of proactive measures to cushion the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

They said most local pharmaceutical industries, with the help of the fund, have been able to boost their production capacities to manufacture facemasks, personal protective equipment (PPP), hand sanitisers, gloves, anti viral drugs, ventilators, medical supplies, and vaccines.

In response to COVID-19 pandemic, CBN last April took measures to extend credit facilities of up to N100 billion to support intervention efforts geared towards the healthcare sector.

It was to stimulate economic activities locally within the healthcare sector while making products and services readily available to service Nigerians, thereby building, diversifying, and expanding the capacity of the Nigerian healthcare sector.

However, it was learnt from the CBN that N93 billion of the fund has already been disbursed to

beneficiaries and serious positive impact has also been felt in the private sector, as envisioned by the apex bank.

The intervention was with a view to strengthening the sector’s capacity to meet potential increase in demand for healthcare products and services.

Specifically, the scheme was to provide credit to indigenous pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare value chain players to build or expand capacity.It is expected to increase private and public investment in the healthcare sector, facilitate improvements in healthcare delivery, and reduce medical tourism to enhance foreign exchange conservation.

Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, hinted that every company that met the loan requirement got it.

“We are happy with CBN for the initiative and the way it was implemented.

“Members that are yet to access it are working with the commercial banks with whom they have a relationship to close up documentation gaps before moving on to CBN. Overall, it is success in intervention.

Some of the impact can already be seen in the financial performance of the early recipients of the loans.”

Speaking also, President, Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, explained that the federal government, through the CBN, offered pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners low interest rate loans up to N100 billion from March last year as intervention to improve local manufacturing and increase their capacities to combat the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic and other related health challenges. “It is commendable.”

A Consultant Pharmacist and Medical Director, Merit Healthcare, Dr. Lolu Ojo, noted: “I know some big companies that got the money. Many companies have offers but funds were released late. Although there were challenges, the intervention fund has made huge impact.”

Now, pharmacists under the aegis of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) have confirmed that they have accessed over 90 per cent of the N100 billion COVID-19 intervention fund for the healthcare/pharmaceutical industry.

President, PSN and Convener,

the New Nigeria Group (NNG), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said: “I have said it over and over. The CBN and COVID-19 intervention funds, a laudable idea as it is, is yet to achieve its objectives.

The impact of difficulty in forex access is that it portends grave danger and may undermine the noble objectives.

“First, the longer it takes to get the machines and equipment in, the longer it will be for Nigeria to begin to see an enhanced local production.

Second, the longer it takes, the more difficult it will be for the benefitting companies to begin production and generate cash flow to meet the interest and repayment obligation, as the moratorium is fast approaching.”

He also highlighted that with forex at rates higher than the planned or forecasted rates in the business plan, the money received in Naira may no longer be sufficient to meet the stated needs. “And fourth is that the longer the Naira is left in the banks awaiting piecemeal allocation of forex, the faster the value depreciates by growing inflation and the fewer the number of machinery and equipment or even raw materials that can be bought.”

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

41

42

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ 2, 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Sylva to Launch $50m Oil Industry Research, Development Initiative Peter Uzoho The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, will next week launch the oil and gas Research and Development (R&D) Fund Utilisation Protocol put in place by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Fund (NCDMB).

Sylva will also inaugurate the R&D 10-Year Strategic Roadmap as well as the Technology Innovation and Incubation center established by the NCDMB to facilitate innovation and incubation of ideas for market adoption.

The minister will be performing the three functions at the second edition of the NCDMB’s R&D Fair and Conference slated for September 9, 2021 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with the theme, “Creating Sustainable Collaboration in Research and Development for the Energy Sector.”

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, disclosed this in Lagos at a press conference to herald the upcoming R&D fair and

conference.

He said the R&D fair was intended to bring together industry stakeholders, academia, and researchers towards achieving a common agenda on R&D as a pillar for sustainable local content Wabote added that the maiden edition of the fair organized in 2017 witnessed exhibition of research breakthroughs and facilitation of linkages between researchers and end-users in the oil and gas Industry.

According to him, since the successful hosting of the maiden edition, significant progress had been made in elevating the industry collaboration on R&D. Wabote listed the progress recorded through the R&D fair to include the establishment of Nigerian Content Research and Development Council, with a mandate to advise the board on matters relating to research and development in the oil and gas industry.

Others, he said, included Development of the R&D 10-Year Strategic Road Map; development of frameworks for supporting research break-

throughs to products for industry application; and the fact that over 20 researchers are benefiting from the board’s intervention.

He mentioned other progress recorded from the R&D fair as the creation of $50 million Research and Development Fund; inauguration of the Technical Advisory Board on Nigerian content Research and Development Fund; the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish R&D Centers of Excellence in five universities.

“The Board has concluded plans to host the 2nd edition of the NCDMB Research and Development Fair and Conference with the theme: “Creating Sustainable Collaboration in Research and Development“, through hybrid participation in compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

“It promises to feature presentation of Research breakthroughs, panel discussion on R&D pillars of success and a special feature on how Nigeria can adopt a sustainable acceleration programme for launching innovative ideas into the market,” Wabote said.

Unity Bank Builds Office Complex for Borno SUBEB Michael Olugbode ÓØ ËÓÎß̋ ÑßÜÓ Unity Bank Plc has built and handed over an ultra modern office complex to Borno State Universal Basic Education.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony in Maiduguri, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum said the completion and subsequent handover of the office accommodation stand as a testament of the commitment of Unity Bank Plc to support the aggressive mass literacy programme of the State and federal Government.

He said: “Given the effort made by my administration to significantly boost school enrolment of every child of school age as well as the educational infrastructure through support and encouragement of development partners and the organised private sector, this gesture counts as an act of corporate magnanimity with meaningful impact for uptake of SUBEB activities in Borno State.”

The governor said: “Our case in Borno State is a peculiar one, but with Unity Bank Plc showing a good example of multi-sectoral participation in providing critical

educational infrastructure for the benefit of our people, we are indeed delighted that this has added one more fruitful step to reaching our goal.”

He added that: “I, therefore, thank the Board, Management and Staff of Unity Bank Plc for donating the office complex to Borno State in a bid to promote education in the State and support our laudable programme in the sector.”

Earlier in her speech, the Managing Director of the bank, Mrs. Tomi Somefun said the SUBEB Office building stand as a symbol of the bank’s resolve and commitment to education in the North East and in Nigeria/ The effort, she added, is also a demonstration of Unity Bank Plc’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Managing Director who was represented by the bank’s Zonal Head, Abuja and North central, Nuruddin Mohammed Bashir said: “This (the project) was thus conceived as a long standing partner to Government and people of Borno State not only committed to supporting initiatives for revamping education, but also a significant gesture of appreciation of the cordial relationship that the State

and the Bank have enjoyed over the years.”

She said she was happy that signs of the end of the scourge of the insurgency that has affected the development of education over the past decade are clearly seen. Promising that: “As the state Government embarked on massive rebuilding of the sector, we remain committed to lending a hand of support in the best way we could.”

She said: “At Unity Bank, we understand the critical role of education in driving developmental aspirations of both individuals and the state as an entity, so we are determined to continue to work with the state to provide the critical infrastructure that is needed to support this goal.”

She however disclosed that: “Long before the intervention to aid the resettlement of the IDPs, the Bank had donated N25 million in support of the State’s University projects in 2014.

Furthermore, the bank through the Corporate social responsibility initiative supported the SUBEB with a utility vehicle to ease their logistics for project supervision.

All these gestures buttress the Bank’s commitment to education in the State.”

‘NGX Aims to Leverage on Technology to Digitise Trading’ Darasimi Adebisi The Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Mr. Temi Popoola reiterated the Exchange commitment to leverage technology to digitize securities investment and other market related transactions.

Popoola, disclosed this during the Business Morning Show on Channels Television on Tuesday.

Popoola who spoke on the journey of the Exchange in 60 years, said that even though there

has been few challenges, NGX has experienced strong track of growth whether from the view of the number of securities listed now, the types of securities listed and types of business activity.

According to him, “The Exchange is in sync with the apex regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to digitalize the market and make sure that investors can buy and sell securities easily.

“The Exchange on its part is doing its bit to coordinate

the activities of players across the entire investment value chain to create an experience where within the space of minutes, a transaction can be initiated and completed.

“This is particularly important given that the next generation of investors are typically on their mobile phones, and until we can meet them there the value we can deliver to them will be limited.

Over the next few months, we expect to deliver some positive structural changes building on our existing activities in this regard.”

Sylva

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 ˜ͱͯ ͰͮͰͯ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $71.88 a barrel on Monday, compared with $71.48 the previous Friday, 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).

43

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Profit-Taking Persist as Stock Market Drops by N18bn Darasimi Adebisi Transactions on the Nigerian equities market yesterday closed on a negative note, taking the trading losses to the third consecutive day as investors’ profit-taking down market by N18 billion.

The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) All-Share Index (ASI) dipped by 35.43 basis points, representing a decline of 0.09 per cent, to close at 39,184.18

basis points. Similarly, the overall market capitalisation value lost N18 billion to close at N20.416 trillion.

On sectors, the Consumer Goods (-0.6per cent), Banking (-0.2per cent), Insurance (-0.2per cent), and Oil & Gas (-0.1per cent) indices declined while the Industrial Goods index closed flat.

The market negative performance was driven by price depreciation in large and medium

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

capitalised stocks amongst which are; Nigerian Breweries, UAC of Nigeria (UACN), Honeywell Flour Mills, Morison Industries and Dangote Sugar Refinery.

Furthermore, the market breadth closed negative, recording 17 losers as against nine gainers. AIICO Insurance recorded the highest price gain of 4.04 per cent to close at N1.03, per share. Custodian Investment followed with a gain 3.15 per cent to close at N6.55, while Fidson

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Healthcare went up by 2.80 per cent to close at N6.25, per share.

Fidelity Bank rose by 2.55 per cent to close at N2.41, while Livestock Feeds gained 0.95 per cent each to close at N2.13, per share.

On the other hand, FTN Cocoa Processors led the losers’ chart by 8.77 per cent to close at 52 kobo, per share. Morison Industries followed with a decline of 5.42 per cent to close at N1.92, while UACN Property Development

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

Company (UPDC) lost 4.84 per cent to close at N1.77, per share.

Jaiz Bank lost 4.76 per cent to close at 60 kobo, while Wema Bank shed 4.65 per cent to close at 82 kobo, per share.

The total volume of trades declined by 60.23 per cent to 169.297 billion units, valued at N1.424 billion, and exchanged in 3,449 deals.

Transactions in the shares of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) topped

O F

the activity chart with 28.537 million shares valued at N25.756 million.

Zenith Bank followed with 16.592 million shares worth N398.197 million, while Honeywell Flour Mills traded 13.234 million shares valued at N54.949 million. United Capital traded 12.798 million shares valued at N91.393 million, while Mutual Benefits Assurance transacted 8.322 million shares worth N2.523 million.

0 1 / 0 9 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

44

THURSDAY, ͺ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021• T H I S DAY

45

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 31Aug-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 160.73 162.08 -0.72% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 5.15% Nigeria International Debt Fund 323.99 323.99 -16.01% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 110.37 110.37 -1.52% 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 7.23% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.30 3.46 -2.87% 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 7.73% Anchoria Equity Fund 138.51 140.18 4.13% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.14 1.14 -13.98% 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 19.54 20.13 7.72% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 431.44 444.45 7.76% ARM Ethical Fund 38.17 39.33 13.24% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.09 1.10 -0.65% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.97 0.98 -7.24% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.31% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 105.97 105.97 4.19% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,030.42 1,030.42 3.04% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.04 2.04 -8.41% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.13 2.17 -7.81% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.01 1.01 2.83% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.14% Paramount Equity Fund 16.43 16.74 2.76% Women's Investment Fund 136.14 137.71 2.30% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.63% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 118.31 119.06 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.05 108.05 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 N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 8.35% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 7.68% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,157.48 1,174.01 0.48% 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 1,409.20 1,409.20 11.27% FBN Balanced Fund 191.84 193.15 2.22% FBN Halal Fund 112.21 112.21 8.37% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.11% 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

126.97 158.21

126.97 3.48% 160.43 4.65% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.97 1.59 1.19

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 5.80% 3.97 2.52% 1.62 4.29% 1.19 4.38% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 3,740.91 3,358.16 100.00

Offer Price 3,795.85 3,358.16 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn -0.11% 2.50% 4.96%

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 7.82% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.79 2.85 -2.42% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 152.73 153.01 -1.78% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.52% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.10 1.10 0.62% 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 1.43 1.45 4.86% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,147.23 1,147.23 5.65% 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 11.96 12.00 9.48% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 9.16% 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 1.66 1.69 7.17% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.56 11.56 -4.96% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.10% PACAM Equity Fund 1.64 1.65 3.58% PACAM EuroBond Fund 112.99 114.87 2.87% 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 131.60 134.17 8.84% 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 1.05 1.05 10.02% 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 3,290.31 3,325.07 2.44% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 232.61 232.61 3.45% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.22 1.24 4.24% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 306.56 306.56 4.04% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 226.18 229.52 3.63% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.65% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,436.26 10,583.52 -0.56% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.27 1.27 3.64% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 115.46 115.46 3.94% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 103.39 103.39 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 1.31 1.33 2.36% United Capital Bond Fund 1.91 1.91 4.43% United Capital Equity Fund 0.87 0.89 9.57% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.16% United Capital Eurobond Fund 120.03 120.03 4.86% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 3.94% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.06 1.06 6.10% 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 12.85 12.96 8.28% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.27 14.42 16.92% Zenith Income Fund 24.32 24.32 1.41% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.28%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

125.54 51.92

11.09% 2.90%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.29

13.39

0.56%

121.00 96.42 17.42 18.30

124.02 98.53 17.52 18.40

0.63% -2.82%

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

3.89 5.48 17.37 1.00 19.39 157.50

3.93 5.56 17.47 1.00 19.59 159.50

3.04% -3.63% 7.04% 0.00% -5.50% -28.37%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.40

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.

46

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

47

NEWS XTRA

Presidency Accuses IPOB of Stockpiling Arms, Bombs Nationwide Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Presidency has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of stockpiling substantial quantity of arms, ammunition and bombs across the country.

The allegation was contained in a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

In the statement titled, “Why Amnesty entreaties should be

ignored”, the Presidency in reaction to Amnesty International’s recent defence of IPOB activities declared that, “Amnesty International’s latest salvo at Nigeria is but more of the same.”

It stated that, “IPOB murder Nigerian citizens. They kill police officers and military personnel and set government property on fire. Now, they have amassed a substantial stockpile of weapons and bombs across the country.

“Were this group in a western country, you would not expect

to hear Amnesty’s full-throated defence of their actions. Instead, there would be silence or mealymouthed justification of western governments’ action to check the spread of ‘terrorism’.

“Despite Amnesty’s self-proclaimed mandate to impartially transcend borders, unfortunately in Nigeria, they play only domestic politics. The international NGO is being used as cover for the organisation’s local leaders to pursue their self-interests.”

Ortom to Sue Akume over Allegation of N500bn Fraud Accuses ex-gov of plotting with Miyeti Allah to attack state George Okoh in Makurdi Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has hinted at the possibility of suing the Minister for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume over accusations of fraud labelled against him.

The governor, who chided Akume, revealed that he might sue Akume to seek redress over the allegation while stating that his records on the finances of the state were open and clean.

At a press conference yesterday at the Government House, Makurdi, Ortom too accused Akume of plans to incite the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the state,but expressed confidence the move would fail.

“He attempted to impeach me in the past but it didn’t work, and now, he wants Buhari to declare a state of emergency on Benue.

That too will fail,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) has defended theOrtomled administration, saying the government did not hate President Muhammad Buhari as being insinuated in some quarters.

Chairman of PDP in the state, Sir John Ngbede, who stated this during a press conference at the party secretariat in Makurdi, said the govermor has tremendous respect for the presidentas a person. Ngbede was reacting to the statement credited to Akume, who accused the governor of disrespecting the president.

Ekiti Residents Protest as Kidnappers Abduct Four, Demand N10m Ransom Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Irate residents of Ajebamidele area of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday stormed the streets in protest over the kidnap of four residents by the suspected gunmen.

The incident, according to the protesters, happened last Tuesday evening, even as the criminals yesterday demanded N10 million ransom from the victims’ families.

The protesters blocked the Ado-Ikere highway during the protest that started at about 7

a.m. yesterday, which triggered serious traffic in the area.

They bore placards which read: ‘Save Us from Kidnappers’; ‘We Are No Longer Safe, Government Come to Our Rescue’; ‘Ajebamidele On Fire, Kidnappers Have Taken Over’; ‘No Movement on the Road Until Government Stops Kidnapping’; ‘Citizens Are No Longer Safe, What is Happening’, among others.

The incident, which took place in Goshen Land community in Ajebamidele, had left residents in shock with

economic and social activities paralysed in that area-shops and business centres remained closed yesterday morning.

The protesters disclosed that a couple, whose names were given as Mr. and Mrs. Falomo, and a man said to be a pastor, were among those kidnapped.

Mrs. Falomo was said to have been trailed to her residence by the kidnappers who were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles, while her husband who came out on a rescue mission was also abducted.

Don’t Waste Party’s Ticket Again, PDP Group Tells Atiku Chuks Okocha in Abuja The struggle for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has begungather speed as a pressure group within the party, the PDP Action 2023, yesterday, warned that to give former Vice President Atiku Abubakar another chance as the party’s presidential candidate was to ensure a clear defeat for PDP in 2023.

But, this is as Atiku has intensified consultations with the PDP governors over his presidential aspiration in 2023.

He has so far taken his presidential consultations to states like Rivers, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Benue State.

However, the group has further admonished that the former vice-president not to deceive PDP members a second time.

Chairman of the group,

Dr. Rufus Omeire, said the group frowned at Atiku for abandoning PDP members and running away to live in Dubai, after the elections, shielding himself from PDP members, only for him to re-surface now that the presidential primaries are at hand.

“In his response, we are surprised Alhaji Atiku claimed that his absence from Nigeria for so long was to acquire a degree from Cambridge University.

Policemen Teargas Commuters, Protesting Handicapped Persons in Bayelsa Olusegun SamuelinYenagoa An otherwise peaceful protest by a group of Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWD) in the Tombia roundabout in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, left many commuters, travelers and the disabled persons in pain and anguish as policemen released multiple teargas canistersin the air, causing pandemonium yesterday.

The protest by the disabled

persons over the alleged suspension of a deputy bursar, who was their member by the authorities of the state owned Niger Delta University (NDU), had grounded vehicular and commercial activities in the Tombia area before the policemen came in many vans.

Commuters traveling to the university town of Amassoma, Tombia in Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa Local Government Areas

of the state and other neigbouring states were stranded for hours along the Edepie corridor as the protest lasted.

THISDAY, however, gathered that the protest by the disabled persons was that the deputy Bursar (a physically challenged person) of the institution was allegedly barred from contesting for the vacant position of a substantive Bursar of the institution on account of his physical disability.

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Zulum Visits Pastor Whose Son was Killed in Church Demolition Saga Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has visited the family of Pastor Bitrus Tumba whose son died in reaction to an attempted demolition of a branch of EYN Church in Maiduguri on August 5, 2021, by the Borno Geographic System (BOGIS).

Worshippers at the church were alleged to have attempted

to stop a task force by BOGIS from demolishing their worship centre but their action was suppressed by security men in the demolition team who shot bullets that killed the pastor’s son and injured several others.

The Christian community in the state subsequently took the case up with the governor and staged protest against what they alleged was a persecution of their faith.

Lagos Records over 10,000 Sexual Violence, Abuses in Two Years

Segun James

Lagos State Government has disclosed that 10,000 cases of domestic violence, including sexual abuse, have been perpetrated against adults and children between May 2019 and August 26, 2021.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, disclosed this in Alausa, Ikeja, lamenting that over 150 cases are being recorded daily as against less than 50 previously.

Onigbanjo, who is also the chairman of Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team

(DSVRT), while briefing journalists as part of activities to commemorate the 2021 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, said despite the team’s initiatives as well as the zero-tolerance declared in the state, it has continued to experience a steady increase of formal reportage of domestic violence daily.

The commissioner stated that “under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, DSVRT, from May 2019 till August 26, 2021, has handled 10,007 cases, which are into two categories of adults and children.

Zulum, who had earlier sent his deputy governor to the family of the deceased, in order to appease the family and the entire Christian community in the state and douse the tension, personally on Tuesday night paid a visit to Pastor Tumba where he was received by the

family and some officials of Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, led by the association’s chairman, Bishop Mohammed Naga.

The governor had apart from sending the Borno State Deputy Governor, Mr. Usman Kadafur, to the

deceased family had also met with Christian leaders in the state and directed the police to thoroughly investigate the incident and report to him.

Zulum addressed his host and said: “Let me start by apologising for delaying my visit even though I had

sent a delegation to explain this to you. We deliberately delayed because of the tension in town. We thought it was not a good time to pay you a visit then. I am here to commiserate with your family over the unfortunate death of our brother, Ezekiel Bitrus.

Kano Allocates 100 Hectares of Land for Naval Base

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

As a response to the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s request for the presence of Nigerian Navy in the state, to strengthen the security of the state, the Nigerian Navy has approved the establishment of Kano State Naval Base.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, disclosed this yesterday in Kano when

he paid a courtesy call to the governor at his office.

The CNS is in the state for the Chief of Naval Staff Annual Conference 2021, between September 1 and 4, 2021.

“Your Excellency, I am glad to inform you that the Nigerian Naval Board has approved the establishment of naval base in Kano, and this falls among other naval bases approved by the board in some selected states.

“We are equally thankful to

the governor’s effort and support by allocating 100 hectares of land for our new naval base in the state,” the CNS said.

He further explained that: “We have already appointed the acting Commander of the base, Captain Muhammad Abubakar Alhassan, who should henceforth be part of the security architecture of the state.”

According to the Chief of Naval Staff, when the base has been established, “it will

contribute to showcasing the effort of the Nigerian navy in keeping Nigeria as one indivisible country.”

While speaking, the governor commended the Nigerian navy for choosing Kano for their conference, appreciating that: “Your choice of Kano State shows how confident you are concerning the security and safety of the state. It also tells others that Kano State is safe, secure and peaceful.

FCT Minister Decries Dearth of Infrastructure in Area Council Six area councils share N4.1bn allocation Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has decried the dearth of infrastructure in the six Area Councils of the territory, charging the chairmen of the councils to initiate projects that would benefit the rural communities.

She made the charge when

she presided over the 156th Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) that allocated N4, 119, 421,409.95 billion to the six FCT Area Councils and other stakeholders, as share of statutory disbursement for the month of July 2021.

The minister said: “With the improved revenue allocation to your various councils, you

should begin to initiate projects that will benefit the rural people.

The infrastructural dearth in the area councils and satellite towns does not speak well of the administration.

“Much has been achieved in the city, but regrettably we have seen much in the suburbs.

Use what you have now to do something for your people.”

While calling for more commitment on the part of all stakeholders, she, however, commended them for showing understanding in the distribution of monthly allocation to the area councils and other stakeholders.

The latest allocated figure represented an increase from the N2,660,740, 632.40 billion that was disbursed in June.

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PwC Disagrees with Tribunal’s Order for Multichoice to Deposit N900bn Dike Onwuamaeze The PwC Nigeria, in its review of the Tax Appeal Tribunal’s ruling in MultiChoice Nigeria Limited vs. the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), has stated that it was wrong for the tribunal to order the MultiChoice to deposit half of the disputed N1.8 trillion before it could hear MultiChoice’s appeal against the FIRS. The FIRS had alleged that MultiChoice had under-remitted about N1.8 trillion in taxes, and directed banks with which the MultiChoice had accounts to freeze such accounts, recover the said sum and pay over to the FIRS. But the PwC pontificated that based on the provision of the law, it would be perceived that “it is not mandatory for the tribunal to make the order for the statutory deposit.”

The PwC also stated that it would be arguable that even if the FIRS ccould prove at least one of the conditions listed in the provision, the tribunal might still exercise a discretion on whether to order the appellant to make a statutory deposit or not because the provision stated that “the tribunal may adjourn the hearing of the appeal to any subsequent day and order the appellant to deposit with the FIRS.” It said: “The tribunal’s ruling

in this case did not provide insights into how they reached the conclusion that a deposit was required based on the three conditions in the law.

“Therefore, there is room for taxpayers to challenge it if the

FIRS attempt to cite this ruling as a precedent to argue that taxpayers must make a statutory deposit prior to filing an appeal.

“It is advisable for the tribunal to carefully consider the requisite conditions for ordering the

statutory deposits, and duly exercise its discretion under the provision in good faith.

Not doing this may result in indiscriminate assessments and a decline in taxpayer confidence in the appeal process.”

The law provided, according to the PwC that the tribunal would make an order “if the representative of the FIRS proves to the satisfaction of the tribunal…” at least one of these three conditions: that the appellant

failed to file tax returns for the year of assessment concerned; that the appeal is frivolous or constitutes an abuse of court process, and, three, that it is expedient to require the appellant pay the statutory deposit.

SUPPORTING ORPHANAGES…

L-R: Head of Retail, Dashme Store, Ms Dedun Fabikun; Head of Corporate Communications, Oando Plc, Mrs. Alero Balogun; General Manager, Corporate Services, Oando Plc, Mr. Demola Ogunbanjo, and Chief Operating Officer, Dash Me Foundation, Ms Morinsola Arogundade, during the commencement of a donation programme to orphanages

by Oando Staff in support of Dash Me Store, held in Lagos… yesterday

Abductors of Kogi Poly Sule Seeks Catholic Bishop’s Support for Students, University Peaceful Coexistence in Nasarawa Staff Demand N3m Igbawase Ukumba inLafia

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Abductors of two female students of the Kogi State Polytechnic (Itakpe campus) and a non-academic staff of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) have demanded N3 million ransom for their freedom.

The victims were kidnapped last Sunday at a Living Faith Church located in Osara community in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State during a night rehearsal.

The female students of the Kogi State Polytechnic kidnapped were identified

as Christiana and Kemi, and a staff of CUSTECH working with in the ICT department, Joseph Arome Simeon, who was abducted alongside the two girls.

It was learnt that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N30 million to secure their release, N10million for each of them. After much pleading, the abductors reduced the ransom to N3 million.

A relative of one of the abducted students, who craved anonymity, told journalists that the kidnappers have been in touch with family members of the abducted student and university staff.

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule yesterday sought the support of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lafia, Most Rev David Ajang, for peaceful coexistence in the state.

Sule made this known when he

hosted the Lafia Catholic Bishop, who was on a thank-you visit in the Government House, Lafia, just as the governor assured the cleric of his total support to the church.

The governor assured the bishop, saying: “The doors of my administration remains open, especially towards encouraging

religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence among different religious beliefs. “No governor will like to ignite violence, as that will not only be a distraction but will hinder developmental initiatives. If there is any person that requires peace, it is the state governor because without peace, there won’t be

space to govern.”

The governor, therefore, dismissed claims that certain governors are inciting violence in their state, stressing that governors are the last people to seek violence as such will distract them from carrying out developmental initiatives.

2023: Akeredolu Dissociates Self from Pseudo Presidential Campaign James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has dissociated himself from promotional activities linking him with the 2023 presidential election.

Akeredolu’s position was expressed in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary,

Richard Olatunde, declaring that his principal has nothing to do with the pseudo campaigners.

In the last two weeks, campaign posters and fliers urging Akeredolu to contest the next presidential election in 2023 have dotted a section of the social media.

The latest poster had depicted an Akeredolu/Buni joint All

Progressives Congress (APC) ticket. Alhaji Mai Mala Buni is the governor of Yobe State and the chairman of the APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

But Akeredolu’s spokesperson described the development as a “needless distraction.

“Undoubtedly, the development is no less a needless distraction.

Even though the governor’s constitutional right, qualification and competences are not in doubt, this particular campaign does not represent in any manner his immediate political disposition.

“For emphasis, Akeredolu, who has just been re-elected for his second term in office, wishes to be left to focus on deepening good governance in Ondo State.

Journalists Tasked on PDP Chieftain Wants Big Brother Naija Banned the programme for promoting in Warri yesterday lamented that recklessness. We are encouraging Gender Based Violence SylvesterIdowuinWarri indecency, immorality and the show is eroding the norms it so badly that we allow it to be Blessing Ibunge inPort Harcourt Female journalists have been charged to step up the reporting of issues of sexual and gender based violence, (SGBV), with intent to encourage the elimination of violence in private and public life.

Speaking in Port Harcourt yesterday, during the launch of the ‘Report Women Project of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism’ organised by Mrs. Ann Godwin, WSCIJ 2021 FRLP Cohort, the Executive Director of Media Career Development Network, Lekan Otufodunrin, also charged the female journalists to adopt qualities that can enable them stand out in the media industry.

Otufodunrin, who spoke virtually, further advised the reporters to be intentional,

focused and move with the trend if they want to be distinguished in the profession.

Addressing the participants, the organiser of the training, Mrs. Godwin, said, she was spurred to transmit what she learnt during her training at the FRLP in Lagos to her colleagues in the state so that together female journalists in Port Harcourt can work together and give more voices to issues of SGBV, cross more frontiers and give spaces to women in various sectors of the economy.

Godwin charged the reporters who were mainly women not to limit themselves in the profession but to step up and build their professional carriers by utilizing what they learnt in seminars, trainings workshops to enable them fill the leadership spaces in newsrooms.

Former Delta State Governorship aspirant in Delta State, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has expressed worries about the benefits of the ongoing TV Reality Show Big Brother Naija (BBN) Naija and has called on the federal government to ban

corruption. He equally appealed to religious leaders, including Muslims and Christian clerics, to add their voices to put a halt to the programme on Nigeria televisions.

Onuesoke, who made the appeal while addressing newsmen

and values of the Nigerian society.

He noted that allowing “immoral” shows like the ‘Big Brother Naija’ to be broadcast in Nigeria is corroding the minds of the younger generation, especially teenagers.

“BBNaija is an exhibition of

displayed openly on television.

It is an invitation to chaos and exhibition of nudity. We now idolize idleness and immorality.

What do we gain from open vulgarity, open nudity, the spread of shamelessness? For me BBNaija is “an abomination”, he said

Customs, NDLEA, DSS Uncover Prohibited Hard Drugs at Apapa Port Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Department of State Service (DSS) have uncovered and seized hard drug named Captagon Pills.

Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, said this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Abubakar Usman, in Lagos yesterday.

Yusuf said the drug was

concealed inside an imported machine at Apapa Port, Lagos.

He noted that the discovery, which was made in a joint operation by the three services lasted for about a week, following intelligence and painstaking dismantling of the machine involved, deployed service personnel and sniffer dogs “The seizure is a fallout of renewed synergy and cooperation aimed at curbing any form of port related lawlessness,”

he said.

Yusuf noted that he and Mr. Samuel Bashir Gadzama, Commander of NDLEA, Apapa and the Officer in charge of the DSS at the port were in the forefront of the weeklong operation.

“Further dismantling of cylinders in machine is ongoing.

The operation which involved heads of the three services will be sustained in the fight against all forms of smuggling

and infractions. “One suspect in connection with the seizure was arrested while further examination and counting are ongoing before more details will be released,” he said.

According to him, the long-term use of the drug led to serious side effects, the most common of which are extreme depression, lethargy, insomnia, occasional palpitation of the heart, blood vessel toxicity and malnutrition.

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Veterinary Doctors Seek Recognition to Fight COVID-19 Pandemic Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), has asked for recognition that would enable its members to collaborate with other medical personnel in the country in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The association made the appeal in Benin yesterday when its leadership paid a courtesy call on its former National President, Dr. Clement Alile, ahead of the association’s national convention slated for Benin City from October 25 to 29.

The acting National President of the NVMA, Dr. Ibrahim Ado, regretted that their expertise in animals and associated diseases has not been utilised in the efforts to combat the ravaging pandemic disease.

Ado said: “Veterinarians are noble professionals that stand out among others. But sadly in this country, our roles as veterinarians are not duly recognised by the government.

“However, we are making conscious effort to let the public know who we are and what we do. We are pushing hard to see that things are done the way they should so that our roles will not be neglected.

“If you take a look at the current COVID-19 pandemic, we have veterinarians that are

experts as far back as 40 - 50 years. But the people just know of it with this pandemic.

“All the theory of the current pandemic is that it came from animal and we are authority in diseases of animals.

“So we should be brought into the fold so that we all can collaborate and save humanity together.”

On his part, Alile who served as the President of NVMA from 1983 to 1985, noted that the

policy trust of the government among others have not served as an encouragement to the veterinarians.

Alile, who was a former Secretary to State Government of Edo State, however said that as

a disciplined body, the members must continue to do their best to lift humanity.

He said: “Veterinary doctors are very responsible and disciplined people who will rather take these challenges

as they come and attend to them.”

He also justified the incessant strike by medical professionals and urged the government not to renege on its agreements with unions or associations.

COURTESY VISIT…

L-R: Chief Commercial Officer, AirSmat, Olasunkanmi Alabi; Chairman, HighHill Group and Founder of Gogreenafrica Initiative, Sola Bunmi Adeniyi; Chief Product Officer, Uche Olukoju and Lead Agronomist, Isaac Akande, during the visit to HighHill Farms in Abeakuta, Ogun State...recently

Ekiti Anti-land Grabbing OML 150: Oil Workers’ Protest Threat to Conoil Production in Delta claim to leadership of OML 150 to the crisis, which started However, the indigenous Sylvester Idowu in Warri Law Checkmating Community Trust Committee by in December 2020, the state Oil Workers’ Union in a under the auspices one Monday Agbeyi group on government had penultimate statement issued yesterday Racketeers, Says Expert Workers of Indigenous Workers Union one hand and Charles Omadeli- Monday set up a seven-man and signed by its Chairman, of OML 150 field, operated led executive on the other has committee to oversee the Mr. Ebamije Edemeko, said the

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Chairman of the T. Pumpy Concept Limited (TPCL), Mr. Akintayo Adaralegbe, has described the Ekiti State Antiland Grabbing Law 2019 as a catalyst that would promote estate developing business in the state.

Aderalegbe said the law has ensured proper protection of landed property of people and warded off illegal occupation and sale of lands by racketeers and grabbers under the facet of ‘Omo Onile’ (land owners).

The law prescribed fouryear jail term for those who fraudulently occupied or sell lands belonging to others in Ekiti .

He said this yesterday in Ado Ekiti during a pre-launch press conference that would herald the official take off of the operations of the TPCL, a real estate developing firm, in Ekiti.

The real estate guru said that the existence of the law has ensured the ease of doing business in Ekiti, which has helped his firm to take off smoothly without encumbrances in estate business.

Adaralegbe disclosed that the TPCL, which began operations in 2016, has over 40 estates in Abuja, and added that he is in Ekiti to add value in the provision of infrastructures in the real estate sector.

by Conoil Producing Limited, yesterday protested against prolonged leadership crisis in the 14 Itsekiri host communities to the oil company in Delta State.

They alleged that the sustained

been threatening their work as staff of Conoil Producing Limited despite the Delta State Government intervention in the crisis.

In an attempt to put a halt

affairs of OML 150 field and interface with Conoil Producing Limited on behalf of the seven host communities, but Agbeyi has allegedly been resisting the move.

continued leadership claim of Agbeyi despite the government intervention is threatening the operations of the oil company, which in turn might affect their continued employment.

30th Anniversary: Osun to Honour Ajiborisha, Akande, Adeboye, Others Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

As part of activities lined up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the creation of Osun State, the state government has unveiled plans to honour 28 distinguished and prominent citizens of the state.

The Chief of Staff to state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, Dr. Charles Akinola, stated this

yesterday while addressing journalists at a press conference on the imperatives of the anniversary celebration.

According to Akinola, the celebration, which began last week with the governor featuring on special television and radio interview sessions, will on September 9, 2021, feature an anniversary colloquium fielding high-profile resource persons

like former state Governor, Chief Bisi Akande; Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar (Sultan of Sokoto), former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, among others.

According to Akinola, the anniversary colloquium will

be a hybrid event, organised both in the physical and virtual spheres, adding that the decision was necessary because of the peculiarity of the season.

He said: “This is an anniversary worth celebrating because of the illustrious struggles and successes the state has recorded in its journey, and also an opportunity to catalogue milestones recorded in the journey so far.

Shareholders of the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) Limited, jointly owned by the 19 northern states, would receive dividends from their investments after a very long time.

The Chairman Board of

while presenting the company’s financial statement at its 52nd Annual General Meeting in Kaduna.

Yakubu said that the directors of the company has proposed for approval the appropriation of gross

based on earnings per share of 55 kobo.

Yakubu added that another additional appropriation of N15 million each for the Young Professional Development Trust (TPDT)and Musa Bello Learning Resource Centres

achieved by the company during the year under review yielded a turnover of N854.13 million against the corresponding period of N637.24 million, which represented an increase of N216.90 million or 34 per cent.

Insecurity: AIG Pledges Enhanced Synergy with NNDC to Pay N100m As Dividends to Shareholders Directors of the NNDC, Mr. dividend of N100 million at were also approved.

Other Security Agencies John Shiklam in Kaduna Tanimu Yakubu disclosed this the rate of 20 kobo per share He noted that the progress Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto In continuation of his tour in the zone, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Zone 10, Ali Aji Janga, yesterday visited the Sokoto State Police Command.

Addressing men and officers of the command, Janga pledged to ensure enhanced synergy between the police and other sister security agencies to effectively address the prevailing security challenges in the zone.

The AIG said his visit was coming against the backdrop of the current security challenges in different parts of the zone, stressing that the police needed the support of other security agencies to tackle them.

He further explained that in spite of the fact that police were the lead agency in the maintenance of internal security, the current circumstances require the support of other agencies.

According to him, “I need to come here and encourage you to continue the good works you are doing. I’m proud of you.”

The police boss assured the men and officers of the command that he would always work with them in whatever way that would make the zone peaceful and enable the residents to go about their lawful businesses.

The AIG warned them not to connive with illicit drugs peddlers, saying if caught, the law would be applied.

Suspected Kidnappers Shot Police Officer in Edo Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igarra Police Division, Headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, Suleiman Muhammed, was reportedly shot by suspected kidnappers on the Auchi-IgarraIbillo road in the state.

The incident, according to eye

witness account, occurred last Tuesday at 7 p.m., and made commuters stranded until the local vigilante group came to evacuate the seriously injured officer, whose assailant’s had thought was dead, and cleared the road.

Narrating the incident yesterday, a member of the vigilance group from Igarra, who

did not disclose his name, said the DPO was shot in the eyes, arm and stomach.

He added that he may have been shot with AK-47 riffle, as they recovered bullets and other cartridges from the scene of the attack.

According to the vigilante, “The DPO had earlier called us in the morning to a place where some

suspected kidnappers (Yahoo boys) constituted nuisance.

“Later, around 3 p.m., he told us that these suspected kidnappers were blocking the road, so we went there and chased them away. I was told that later in the evening after inspecting the change of guard, the DPO left in his Toyota Camry car to Auchi where his family resides.

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THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

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Cape Verde, CAR Draw in Douala to Leave Room for Eagles’ Ascendancy of Group C Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong (left) tackling forward, Victor Osimhen at training yesterday.

Femi Solaja with agency report The one-all result posted

by Cape Verde and Central African Republic (CAR) in the opening Group C fixture of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match yesterday afternoon in Douala, Cameroon has opened a leeway for Nigeria’s Super Eagles to take control of the pairing.

The Nigerian senior national team will open their campaign in the race to Qatar 2022 with a home fixture against the Lone

Star of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Friday.

CAR who were the home team played ‘away’ in Douala yesterday due to the political situation of Banjui. And Cape Verde took advantage of the Central Africans not having their fans rooting from the stands, to race to the lead in the 36th minutes when Julio Tavare put the ball beyond goalkeeper Prince Samolah in goal for CAR. That early strike created anxiety for Nigerians watching

Pinnick: Beat Liberia and Get Your Bonuses Instantly In his determination to see Super Eagles begin the race to the 2022 World Cup with maximum points against Liberia on Friday, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Melvin Pinnick, guaranteed the team instant payment of their winning bonus.

Speaking when he met with the players and coaches on Tuesday in Lagos, the NFF president who also doubles as a FIFA Executive Committee member, also promised to seat with the leadership of the team to iron out issues relating to match bonuses and camp allowances. They are likely to meet after this evening’s light work out.

He disclosed that talks were underway to guarantee the welfare of the team to ensure the boys focus on the task ahead and not be bothered

by when they will get their money.

“I like the spirit in the camp and this is the spirit to qualify for the World Cup,” Pinnick started.

“I will be sitting down with the leaders of the team to discuss the World Cup bonus.

We must qualify for the World Cup. You win on Friday and you get your bonus.”

He further revealed that talks are ongoing with an unnamed insurance company to insure the players.

“We have an insurance deal we are working on, about N17m per player. Once you are in the Eagles you have an insurance.”

“We are not just looking at finance but the value in kind that will enhance you talk less and act more on the pitch. I’m very proud of you guys; we fight, argue but importantly we settle,” Pinnick stressed.

2 0 2 2 W O R L D C U P Q UA L I F I E R S the game. They feared that a resolute win for Cape Verde was going to create advantage for the Blue Sharks whom Super Eagles are playing on Tuesday just four days after taking on Liberia.

Nigeria will be heading

to the Island nation with an under strength team as all the English Premier League refused any player from the league traveling to any of the countries on UK’s Covid-19 high risk list. Cape Verde is on the list and 10 Nigerian

players will not be on the chartered plane to Praia on Tuesday.

Therefore, the possibility of Cape Verde having six points after two games would have loomed large.

However, CAR redeemed the situation by equalizing in the 53rd minute through Tresor Toropite who scored

the equaliser in the 53rd minute when his low drive beat goalkeeper Vozinha.

Nigeria will face Liberia in Lagos on Friday and will attempt to leapfrog ahead of the trio of other Group C teams and look forward to consolidate when they face Cape Verde on Tuesday in a potentially explosive encounter.

Uzoho Rejoins Omonia Nicosia on Three-year Deal

Francis Uzoho...rejoins Omonia Nicosia

Francis Uzoho and Apoel FC have parted ways by mutual consent, the Cypriot First Division club announced yesterday.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper rejoined AC Omonia despite having two years left on his current contract at Apoel.

After completing his loan spell at AC Omonia, the Nigeria international joined the Legend in July 2020 on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

His maiden game for Apoel was a 3-0 triumph over Ermis Aradippou before injury crept in to make him miss the crucial games which his team lost.

During the 2020-21 campaign, Uzoho, a former Deportivo La Corunna featured in 18 league matches as Sofronis Avgousti’s men finished third on the log.

While no reason was given for the mutual termination of the contract, the club wished the African star all the best

for his future future.

“The company Apoel Football (public) limited announces the completion of its cooperation with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho,” a statement on the club’s website announced yesterday. “We wish Francis the best of luck.”

Currently, he is in Gernot Rohr’s squad ahead of this month’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde.

He would be looking forward to displacing Maduka Okoye and Daniel Akpeyi to man the post of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winners when they square up against Peter Butler’s Liberia on Friday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Uzoho was shown a straight red card for the first time in his career on April 2, 2019, during his spell at Anorthosis Famagusta.

Even at that, his team cruised to a 3-0 win over Alki Oroklini in a Cypriot First Division fixture.

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SPORTS

Mane Helps Senegal Sink Togo as African Qualifiers Resume

Sadio Mane opened the scoring as Senegal beat Togo 2-0 on home soil to earn three points in their opening Group H encounter as Africa's second round of World Cup qualifying began yesterday.

After blazing over the bar in the first half, Mane played a neat one-two before poking home just before the hour as the Liverpool star took full advantage of his ability to represent his nation.

Unburdened by the threat of having to quarantine for 10 days upon his return to England,

Mane was lively throughout in a game wrapped up when Abdou Diallo lashed home nine minutes from time.

The victory represents a modicum of revenge for the Senegalese, who could not beat Togo as the Sparrowhawks pipped them to the 2006 World Cup when they last met at this stage.

Senegal will travel to Congo on Tuesday, while Togo seek their first points at home to Namibia on Sunday.

WORLD CUP 2022 QUALIFIERS Elsewhere, it ended 1-1 as neighbours Guinea-Bissau and Guinea met in a World Cup qualifier for the first time in 25 years.

The game should have been played in Bissau but as the stadium there was deemed unfit by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) last month, it took

place in Mauritania.

An available Liverpool player was again in the thick of the action as Naby Keita teed up Francois Kamano for Guinea's opener before Joseph Mendes earned both sides a point in Group I.

How Queen Idris Inspired Omolayo to Win Gold Medal Omolayo broke the World Record and landed Nigeria her second gold medal in the Para-Powerlifting event, “I had to motivate her psychologically and promise her $500. It gave me great joy when she broke the World Record because the only language Bose Omolayo understands Is Para-Powerlifting.

“Bose Omolayo is an orphan.

She cannot read nor write and the only language she understands is sports,” revealed Queen Idris.

The former NPPF president further revealed: “She had challenges catering for her children before the Tokyo Paralympics. I informed her that winning a gold medal is a plus for her and she will be able to cater for the needs of her children.

“Most of the athletes know that I have special love for them. I am willing to make more sacrifices for them and that is why I am currently in Tokyo to cheer the Para-Powerlifters to victory,” Idris added.

Bose Omolayo and her teammates are expected back in Lagos today

AFRICA CAR Senegal G’Bissau Egypt Libya Mali

1-1 2-0 1-1 1-0 2-1 1-0

Cape Verde Togo Guinea Angola Gabon Rwanda

EUROPE Lux’bourg Portugal Kazakhstan France Denmark Moldova Norway Turkey Russia Slovenia

TOKYO 2020 PARALYMPIC The timely intervention of Former President of Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation (NPPF), Queen Idris provided the needed push and encouragement that saw Bose Omolayo win a gold medal at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games.

Queen Idris who is a special guest of the World Para-Powerlifting Federation had promised to give Bose Omolayo $500 if she delivered a gold medal at the Games.

Speaking after the victory, Idris said the morale of Bose Omolayo was low before she participated in her weight class adding that she had to cheer her up with her local dialect.

She said, “I am in Tokyo for the Paralympics Games on a special invitation from the World Para-Powerlifting Federation. They knew the role I played when I was President of Nigeria ParaPowerlifting Federation,” observed the former sports chief.

She stressed that before Bose

RESULTS

2-1 Azerbaijan 2-1 Rep. Ireland 2-2 Ukraine 1-1 Bosnia & Herze.

2-0 Scotland 0-2 Austria 1-1 Holland 2-2 Montenegro 0-0 Croatia 1-1 Slovakia

Sadio Mane helped Senegal secure maximum points in opening game with Togo

Afrobasket: South Sudan Targets Fairytale S’final Spot South Sudan coach Royal Ivey has praised the bond within his squad as the Afrobasket debutants try to book a shock place in Saturday's semi-finals.

Today in Kigali, Rwanda, a team that only joined world body FIBA in 2013, two years after the country's independence, could become one of Africa's four best if they beat Tunisia in the quarter-finals.

On Wednesday, Senegal and Ivory Coast set up a semi-final clash against one another when beating Angola and Guinea respectively.

Thursday's game will be South

Sudan's biggest challenge so far, with the Tunisians not only the defending champions but also one of three sides yet to taste defeat at the tournament in Rwanda.

"These guys are great, they do all the right things and the biggest thing is the brotherhood - it is family," head coach Royal Ivey told BBC Sport Africa.

"The way they care about each other is really love in that room.

And I am so fortunate to be their head coach. They are teaching me day in, day out how to be a better coach and how to be a better person. So I want to thank them."

Ivey, an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA, took charge of South Sudan earlier this year after previous coach - and former NBA star Luol Deng stepped down.

Deng is now president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation and has repeatedly stressed the importance of the sport to a country which celebrated its tenth year of independence in July.

"We come from a country that has been through a lot," the two-time NBA All-Star told BBC Sport Africa.

"Some of these kids - what they

went through - is something that you cannot control and as life goes on, a lot of people never get an opportunity to come back home, let alone to wear a jersey and represent the nation.

"For them it is more than just a game, it is really emotional, to just be recognized by their own people and to be known even for the game.

"I really believe that sport can turn a lot of things around for us - for us just to see us in the news and see others things besides the conflict and what is going and the difficult times people are having."

Dallaji Foundation Awards $4.2m US Scholarship to 14 Basketball Talents Olawale Ajimotokanin Abuja The African Children Talent Discovery Foundation (ACTDF) has awarded $3.6 million scholarship in some U.S colleges for 14 talented basketball players discovered in Kano during the recent Noah Dallaji U-17 Basketball Tournament.

The facilitator of ACTDF, Engr. Noah Dallaji announced the package on Monday in Abuja at an elaborate ceremony that was attended by former D’Tigers Captain, Olumide Oyedeji, Super

Eagles Stars, Daniel Amokachi and one time Newcastle United striker, Lomana Tresor LuaLua. The first batch of the discovered talents, comprising five students were each presented with the awarded $300,000 which will cover the cost of scholarship and living expenses.

The include; Emmanuel Peter (Bauchi State), Taiwo Ibrahim (Kebbi State), Alphonso Samuel (Kaduna State); Daubunachule Ibrahim (Kaduna State) and Solomon Ominu also of Kaduna State.

In the same manner, Ominu will be going to Bridgton Academy in Washington DC, with full yearly sponsorship package of $120,000 due to be provide by the sponsor.

Dallaji said in two weeks’ time, the remaining nine unearthed talents will be unveiled and will be on their way to the U.S. “The platform we are given you is to take you out of the street so that you can be of use to yourselves, families, states and country,” Dallaji said.

He warned the students to be

upright saying the foundation would not hesitate to withdraw the scholarship from the students in the event of abuse.

Also speaking LuaLua described the gesture by Dallaji as unprecedented by anybody in Africa.

Lualua, who stayed in Nigeria for about months while running from conflicts in DR Congo in the early 1990s, before arriving UK, advised the talents to give their best and improve on their potential and see themselves as ambassadors of Nigeria.

South Sudan will be aiming to reach the Last Four of the 2021 Afrobasket Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda when they file out against Tunisia... today

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SPORTS

Incredible Ronaldo Breaks Men’s Football World Record

Cristiano Ronaldo broke the world record for goals scored in men's international football as he hit his 110th and 111th goals for Portugal in their dramatic 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over the Republic of Ireland.

The 36-year-old scored two late headers - to break and extend the record - after he had a penalty saved by Gavin Bazunu.

Ali Daei, who scored 109 goals for Iran between 1993 and 2006,

held the record which Ronaldo equalled with a double against France at Euro 2020.

The Manchester United forward has also equalled Sergio Ramos' European record for men's caps - with his 180th Portugal appearance.

The world record - only ratified by FIFA this summer - is the 195 Malaysia caps won by Soh Chin Ann between 1969 and 1984.

Ronaldo, who rejoined United from Juventuson deadline day, and Daei are the only two male players to score 90 or more international goals.

"I'm so happy, not only because I beat the record, but for the special moment that we had," he told RTE. "Two goals at the end of the game. I have to appreciate what the team did, we believed until the end. I'm so glad."

This is the latest landmark to push the argument for the Portuguese to be considered an all-time great.

He is already the top scorer in club football's top tournament, the European Cup/Champions League, a trophy he has won five times.

The former Real Madrid forward is also the top scorer in European Championship history (14) and in Euros and

World Cups combined (21).

Almost half of Ronaldo's goals have come in the final 30 minutes of games.

He has netted 33 times in the final 15 minutes - including twice against the Irish - and 22 times between the 61st and 75th minute.

Ronaldo has scored 17 times between minutes 16-30 and 16 times between 31-45, with 11 in the opening 15 minutes of the

FACT FILE OF HIS INTERNATIONAL GOALS

33 31 19 14 7 5 2

- World Cup qualifiers - European Championship qualifiers - International friendlies - European Championship - World Cup - UEFA Nations League - Confederations Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the world’s all time leading scorer in the men’s game

Atiku, Akeredolu, Others Hail Makinde at Inauguration of Remodelled Lekan Salami Stadium Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday applauded the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde over the massive infrastructural developments he has been able to put in place in the past two years.

Alhaji Abubakar said this at the inauguration of the remodelled Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In attendance were also many dignitaries including Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of Ondo State; Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, former Governor Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo State; his successor Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Military Governor

of Oyo State Gen. David Jemibewon who constructed the stadium in 1976, the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Engr.

Rauf Olaniyan, among others.

The event was kick started

by Governor Makinde with a Novelty Match between former Super Eagles players and ex players of 3SC. The governor himself was among the players with his OYSGinscribed blue jersey worn on ox-blood track trousers.

Among the popular players on the pitch were: Ike Shorunmun, Victor Ikpeba, Taribo West, Felix Owolabi, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Tijani Babangida, Mutiu Adepoju, among others.

In his goodwill message on the occasion, Abubakar said that "it is no means achievement that Governor

Seyi Makinde has made in this state. I have gone round the city of Ibadan and I have seen that a massive infrastructural development is taking place in this city. I congratulate the governor for performing wonderfully well".

Similarly, Governor Akeredolu said: "Seyi has done well. Let us give him a round of applause. This stadium is seriously beautiful. Ibadan is home and I am happy to witness this".

Otunba Adebayo AlaoAkala also commended Gov. Makinde for the massive turn around of the stadium, saying that the past governors were happy to witness the epoch-making event.

In his remarks, Makinde said he will fix the other Stadia in the different zones

in the state.

He said the inaugurated complex was a first phase, noting that the other phases will soon be completed in spite of some challenges being faced by the administration.

The Governor thanked the people of Oyo State and the different officials of his administration for keeping the flag flying, promising that "we shall not let you down".

Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunnoso I were prevented from entering the stadium by some overzealous security operatives and both monarchs had to turn back and left.

While the Soun of Ogbo-

moso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade was represented, the Aseyin of Iseyin Oba Abdulganiyu Ajinase, the Onpetu of Ijeruland, Oba Sunday Oyediran, and Olu of Igboora, Oba Jimoh Olajide Titiloye, were present.

Other dignitaries present included: Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde (former Head Coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club and Super Eagles), the South West Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Taodeek Arapaja, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (former Osun State Governor and Chairman, Reconciliation Committee of the PDP in the South West), among many others. 3SC played Tabor Sezana of Slovania to wrap up the inauguration.

first half and 12 in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

Some 91 of his goals have been inside the box with 20 from outside. He has scored 14 penalties and nine free-kicks.

Lithuania and Sweden - seven each - are the sides he has scored the most against. He had not scored against the Republic of Ireland before Wednesday's game in the Algarve.

There is no official database for top men's international goalscorers which makes it hard to say exactly who ranks where.

Ronaldo is top on 111 and Daei is next on 109, of that there is no doubt.

Iran's Daei, who played for Bayern Munich, was said to have broken Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas' record in 2003 with his 85th international goal.

That is the year Ronaldo made his international debut.

Cynics could argue that Daei's goals were against easier opposition - with 95 against fellow Asian sides.

He scored eight against the Maldives and Laos and six against Lebanon.

But Ronaldo has also benefitted from facing weaker nations including six against Andorra and Luxembourg each.

The only question is who ranks below them? Mokhtar Dahari of Malaysia - who played in the 1970s and 80s - is credited as being third in some places with 89 goals. A Fifa tweet this summer seemed to confirm thatdespite it never being officially validated.

Puskas is definitely next, with 84 goals in 85 caps for Hungary.

He was the top-scoring European before Ronaldo.

Zambia's Godfrey Chitalu scored 79 goals between the 1960s and 1980s - again not certified but also mentioned on that Fifa tweet.

Ronaldo is unlikely to beat the world record, including women's football, of Canada striker Christine Sinclair. She has scored 187 goals in 304 caps and has not yet retired.

In the strange modern-day phenomena of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fanboys, this is another tick in the Ronaldo column.

Ronaldo's 111 goals in 180 games is well clear of Messi's 76 in 151 - roughly 0.6 goals a game compared with 0.5.

Messi - the joint eighth top scorer in the world - is 34 and on current form would need to play into his forties to reach 111 international goals.

The highlight of Ronaldo's international career was undoubtedly winning Euro 2016, although he went off injured early in the final.

He has scored in two Euros semi-finals too, 12 years apart against the Netherlands in 2004 and Wales in 2016.

His finest hour at a World Cup was a hat-trick against Spain in the group stages three years ago in Russia, including a late free-kick. That is one of his nine international hattricks - including one against Switzerland in the 2019 Uefa Nations League semi-finals.

He has also scored in all nine major tournaments he has played in - World Cups and European Championships. Including the Confederations Cup and Nations League, he has scored in 11 out of 11.

He won the Golden Boot at Euro 2020 with five goals in four games, beating five-goal Czech Patrik Schick on assists.

Thursday, September 2, 2021

TR

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& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Bello-Koko to Police/Navy ”There are multiple checkpoints in the ports extorting people. You have multiple checkpoints that are just springing up. These checkpoints are manned by police officers. At times you find men in Naval or military uniform, escorting vehicles illegally” —Acting Managing Director, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, accusing Naval personnel and Police officers of hampering ports operation through corrupt practices.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

The Tramadol Generation T

he revelation by the National Law Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman, BrigadierGeneral Buba Marwa (rtd) that close to two million Kano residents abuse tramadol, codeine, and other cough syrups, should concern not only state authorities but all stakeholders in the Nigeria project. While the figure may not be as high in other places, it is a notorious fact that substance abuse is a national problem today. Kano also presents a peculiar challenge. “In Kano State, drug abuse prevalence is 16 per cent. That is, in every six persons, one is a drug addict; and they are between the ages of 15 years and 64 years,” said Marwa during a courtesy visit to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Monday. “Drug abuse has gone to the level of destroying our families unless it is tackled with all seriousness it deserves,’’ he added.

As shocking as the revelation may seem, Marwa is not the first person to raise this alarm.

In September 2015, Mr. Ali Baba Mustapha, then the assistant superintendent in charge of exhibits at the NDLEA Sokoto State Command, spoke about the increasing number of married women taking cough syrups that contain codeine. At about the same time, Daily Trust newspaper published a lengthy feature which revealed how Benylin, Emzolyn, and Asad as well as Rohypnol and Tramadol tablets were destroying families in the region. “There is the case of a new bride whose husband discovered under their bed, a carton of Tutolin, usually abused to induce intoxication and supposedly boost sexual drive,” the newspaper wrote. “Even before then, during the wedding, the loss of a necklace had prompted a search that led to the astonishing discovery that women at the occasion, mostly housewives, had varieties of cough syrup containing codeine in their handbags.”

Even the Senate has had to wade in on the problem. In October 2017, Senator Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai led 37 colleagues to move a motion on the “increasing abuse of cough and prescriptive drugs among the youth and women across the 19 northern states” which he argued “has devastated many upper- and middle-class families in the region.” Available statistics, according to Garbai, revealed that Kano and Jigawa states consume more than three million bottles of codeine syrup daily, while “young girls in tertiary institutions have taken to an alarming abuse of the codeine cough syrup, which is often mixed with soft drink.”

The problem, Garbai added, “is destroying even mothers in homes, as they use same codeine and other drugs as an escape from their abusive relationships and invariably get hooked on them.”

Sadly, these revelations have not led to concrete measures to address a problem that threatens the future of our country. The economic desperation of the times we live in and the spread of a mass psychology of hopelessness have combined to create a ready market for illicit substances for a generation of young Nigerians, especially those without education or skills. The problem is compounded by the fact that we live in a country where amphetamine-type stimulants and dangerous over-the counter (OTC) drugs are available on demand. Even the neighbourhood tailor and security guards who run kiosks openly prescribe and sell drugs for all types of ailments—from

Marwa

malaria to cancer. Yet, given the national security challenge we face, the implication of having our young people hooked on drugs needs to be properly interrogated.

Anybody who has paid attention to the experiences shared by victims of kidnapping/ abduction must conclude that these criminal elements are acting under the influence of drugs to be as bestial as they reportedly are.

On Tuesday, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Director-General, Basheet Mohammed added a more sinister dimension by linking the endemic human trafficking in Kano to organ harvesting. “Organs like eyes, kidneys, and lungs are harvested to service the medical needs of Europe,” said Mohammed. “NAPTIP

vulnerability index analysis showed that human trafficking is endemic in Kano. Out of the 482 convicted persons by the agency from inception, 110 are from Kano zonal command of NAPTIP, representing the highest in the country.”

I doubt if anybody is connecting the dots.

Who in their right mind would engage in such criminal enterprises? As I have argued in the past, even without available statistics to prove the point, there must be a correlation between substance abuse and most of the prevalent heinous crimes we now contend with in Nigeria today. Incidentally, many of our top government officials share that viewpoint without doing anything to address the problem. In their communique following a meeting in Jalingo last month, the Northeast Governors’ Forum proffered no solution beyond the usual lamentation despite noting “the negative impact of drug and narcotic substances in the region and the extent to which it fuels the insurgency and other forms of criminality.”

This idea of highlighting what ails us without concrete efforts on how to address such problem is fast becoming a national ideology to our collective detriment. Following the 2018 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary, ‘Secrets of Nigeria’s illicit codeine trade revealed’,

by Ms Ruona Meyer, the then Senate Leader (now Senate President), Ahmed Lawan lent credence to the nexus between substance abuse and Boko Haram insurgency. “The information I got this morning is that 70% of this codeine that comes into Nigeria finds its way into Sambisa forest and what that tells us is that we have Boko Haram elements who are using this,” said Lawan. “We may even have some of our security agents who are under the influence of drugs.”

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State recently argued along similar lines. While receiving the Sheikh Ahmed Gumi-led Bandits Repentance Initiative in February this year, he shared a story. “A counterpart of mine, a serving governor, once narrated to me an incidence. He visited a hamlet and wanted to patronise the local women coming back from

Ihekweazu Goes to Berlin

O

ne of the understated ladders to success in professional life in this increasingly competitive world is allowing one’s work to speak for them. And because of that, I have always known that at some point, a global institution would tap from the expertise and strength of character of the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu. Incidentally, I told him so in a lighter mood chat in 2019 at Kotoka International Aiprort, Accra, Ghana, shortly before he was reappointed for a second term. Now that the moment has come, I have mixed emotions over his appointment as the Assistant Director General of Health Emergency Intelligence at the World Health Organisation (WHO). While I am happy that the global health institution recognized and is rewarding his talent, I am also quite aware that this is a huge loss for our country. By every standard, Ihekweazu has been one of the brightest stars of the Nigerian public space in the past five years. It is my hope

that in the two months that he has left before resuming at WHO, President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him will find a similar replacement at the NCDC. Meanwhile, the infectious disease epidemiologist, according to the WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, will “lead the work on strengthening pandemic and epidemic intelligence globally, including heading the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin.” Ihekweazu will be at home not only because he was born in Germany but also because he has in recent years led several short-term assignments for WHO, including being a member of the WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19.

At home, he has helped to make the NCDC more alive to its responsibilities. It is indeed to his credit and that of others that Nigeria has managed the pandemic better than most countries despite our glaring shortcomings. As he therefore goes to Berlin, I wish Ihekweazu all the best in his new assignment.

the market where they had gone to hawk dairy products, and one of them ran away.

He asked what the problem was and was told that she (the woman who ran away) wasn’t carrying dairy products in her calabashes but drugs,” Tambuwal recounted. “My colleague told me that much of the drugs used by the kidnappers and violent marauders get to them this way.”

From the foregoing, it is clear that tackling insecurity in Nigeria requires more rigour than what we are seeing from the authorities.

Apparently thinking throwing money at every problem offers a solution, you hear of some ‘Safe Corridor’ operations anchored on empowering ‘repentant’ insurgents who are then returned to the communities. But when most of these people are already hooked on drugs, is it not obvious that they will be back to crime the moment they no longer have the means to fund the habit over which they have no control?

In the past, some NDLEA officials have spoken about how these illicit drugs were usually transported in heavy duty vehicles and stuffed between other commodities in what is clearly an organized crime. But nobody has ever been brought to book in Nigeria because the security agencies as well as the institutions responsible for control and regulation are weak and most often compromised.

NOTE: This piece is concluded on Page 15

On Abdulkareem Na’Allah’s Murder

T

he murder, last Sunday, of Abdulkareem Na’Allah, son of Senator Bala Na’Allah, is another sad reminder of the level of insecurity in the country. The killers, according to a statement by the Senator, “simply gained access to his (Abdulkareem) house through the roof and strangulated him to death.” Nothing can be more tragic for any parent than to lose a child in that circumstance. More depressing when that child happens to be a successful one in his thirties. But Na’Allah has taken the tragedy with uncommon grace and a strength that can only come from total submission to the will of the almighty. His public posture is no different from what he has been saying privately to his friends.

While I commiserate with Senator Na’Allah and his entire family as I pray God to grant them the fortitude to bear this huge loss, the authorities must get to the root of this murder.

Anybody that would go through the roof of a house to get at their victim before subjecting him to such a gruesome death must have a motive. And this kind of murder is becoming all-too frequent, perhaps because culprits are never brought to book.

The essence of crime investigation and diligent prosecution of culprits is not only to ensure justice for victims but also to deter other potential criminals. And in the past, in this same country, no matter how clever they thought they were (like Jimoh Ishola Adeyemi aka Ejigbadero and others), the authorities always got and brought them to justice. Conversely, where criminals know they can easily get away, as it is the situation today in Nigeria, nobody is safe!

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