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Nigeria Gains $10bn FDI, NLNG Selects Train-7 Project Contractor Saipem, Daewoo, Chiyoda to build $7bn plant Chineme Okafor in Abuja Up to $10 billion worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) is expected to flow into Nigeria in the next five years from the decision of the Nigerian

Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited to finally go ahead with the expansion of its LNG capacity by an additional eight metric tonnes per annum (MTPA), the company said yesterday.

NLNG is owned by four shareholders: the federal government, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with 49 per cent interest; Shell Gas B.V, which

has 25.6 per cent; Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France with 15 per cent and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr. l - 10.4 per cent.

The Shell-run NLNG said in Abuja yesterday that it

had selected a consortium comprising Italian firm, Saipem; South Korean Daewoo Engineering and Japanese Chiyoda to build its $7 billion Train-7 LNG expansion plant.

The company added that an

additional $3 billion worth of investment would be spent on upstream gas development to meet the expected demands of the new capacity.

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Analysts: Major Airports' Concession Could Yield N45bn Annually... Page 8 Thursday 12 September, 2019 Vol 24. No 8921. Price: N250

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S’Africa Goes Tough, Allows Airlift of only 187 Nigerians... Pages 9

In Victory, Buhari Extends Hand of Fellowship to Opposition Atiku, PDP Head to S’Court Oshiomhole: It’s win-win situation

Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Chuks Okocha, Omololu Ogunmade, Alex Enumah, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari exhibited the stuff of a statesman yesterday as he extended hand of fellowship to the opposition moments after the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) upheld his February 23, 2019 victory at the poll.

The five-man tribunal,

chaired by Justice Mohammed Garba, in a unanimous judgment that lasted over nine hours, had thrown out a petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his party, challenging Buhari’s declaration as winner of the election.

It said the petition lacked merit and accordingly upheld Continued on page 6

FEC Approves N10.07tn 2020 Budget Proposal, Increases VAT to 7.2% Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, yesterday said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N10.07 trillion as the budget for 2020.

The minister also said the council approved the increase of value added tax (VAT) from the current 5 percent to 7.2 per cent. However, she was quick to add that implementation of the new VAT rate would

be subject to amendment of the extant VAT law.

Briefing reporters at the end of the first FEC meeting since the swearing in of new ministers, Ahmed said the estimate was contained in 2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) presented to the council by her ministry.

Continued on page 6

HOME SWEET HOME...

Some of the 187 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa on arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos… yesterday kola alli

Governors Reject Calls to Scrap Security Votes... Page 10

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PAGE SIX IN VICTORY, BUHARI EXTENDS HAND OF FELLOWSHIP TO OPPOSITION the re-election of the president.

The battle is, however, to shift to the Supreme Court as Atiku and the PDP yesterday signified their intention to challenge the judgment of the tribunal.

Both Buhari and his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomed the judgment, with the president dedicating his victory to Nigerians just as he extended hand of fellowship to the opposition. The APC also described the verdict as a victory for the rule of law and decency.

Atiku and PDP failed to get the tribunal to declare them winner as they had prayed in their petition because, according to the judicial panel, they were unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt their claims.

The petitioners in their joint petition filed on March 18, 2019, had asked the tribunal to disqualify Buhari on the grounds that he did not possess the requisite academic qualification to contest for the election.

The petition was premised on five grounds, among which is the allegation that Buhari lied about his academic qualification as well as schools attended in his Form 001 submitted to the

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the purpose of contesting the 2019 presidential election.

However, in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba, the tribunal held that the petitioners did not discharge the burden of proof and as such dismissed the petition.

Apart from the issue of alleged non-qualification and submission of information of fundamental falsehood to INEC by Buhari to aid his qualification, other issues the petitioners raised included deployment of electronic voting, over voting, substantial non-compliance with the electoral law as well as use of security agencies to rig the election in favour of Buhari.

The tribunal held that despite the 62 witnesses called by the petitioners, they were unable to prove their allegations against the conduct of the February 23 presidential poll.

Before delving on the merit of the petition, the tribunal had delivered ruling on eight motions filed by parties in the suit.

INEC filed three motions, praying the tribunal to strike out the petition or in the alternative expunge certain paragraphs of the petition

for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

While Buhari and the APC filed two motions each seeking to strike out the petition, Atiku and PDP filed one in objection to the position of the APC in the petition.

During the ruling, the tribunal dismissed the motion by APC seeking the disqualification of Atiku on the ground that he was not a Nigerian.

The respondents had claimed that Jada, the birthplace of Atiku in 1946, was part of Cameroon and not part of Northern Nigeria.

But the tribunal dismissed the application on the ground that the respondents ought to have filed a cross-petition against the candidature of Atiku rather than raise the issue in his reply.

On the issue of qualification, the tribunal held that Buhari does not need to show proof or attach copy of his certificate to his INEC Form 001. The tribunal chairman held that the provision of the law was for the president to be educated up to secondary school level or its equivalent or worked in the public or private service for at least 10 years without blemishes.

The tribunal said evidence abound that West African

School Certificate (WASC) was in existence in 1961 when Buhari claimed to have sat for the examination.

The tribunal also resolved that there is overwhelming evidence on the existence of Provincial Secondary School, Katsina in 1961 before it later transformed into Government College.

Quoting a press statement released in 2014 by BrigadierGeneral Olaleye Olaniyi (rtd), the then Secretary of Army Board on Buhari's certificate issue, the tribunal held that Atiku failed to call the army spokesman to testify in the petition.

Justice Garba held that from the totality of the statement of the former army spokesman, there was a presumption that Buhari had certificates because the army itself produced a recommendation of the former principal of the Katsina Provincial Secondary School that the president sat for six subjects in WAEC and expressed optimism Buhari would perform well if enlisted into the army in 1962.

The tribunal, therefore, agreed that the inability of Buhari to attach photocopies of his credentials to the INEC Form CF 001 should not be misconstrued as not having certificate because the

petitioners failed to prove that he did not have the certificate.

On the issue of alleged perjury, the tribunal disagreed with the petitioners on the ground that Buhari did not swear to an affidavit to specifically make claim of depositing his certificates with the army board as envisaged by the relevant laws on election.

The tribunal held that the fact that Buhari made claim of submitting his credentials to the army at the point of his enlistment in 1962 could not by law translate into lying on oath as alleged by the petitioners.

The tribunal delved extensively on the merit and otherwise of Atiku's petition and rejected the claim that Buhari was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast in the February 23 presidential election.

The tribunal held that the petitioners ought to use polling booth by polling booth to give correct and authentic final election results, adding that it was not enough for Atiku and PDP to have tendered election results from the bar only but it is incumbent on them to call witnesses to establish their allegations, adding that the 62 witnesses called by the petitioners did

not disprove forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C and EC8D. Justice Garba said when words of statute are not ambiguous they must be given their ordinary meaning, adding that in the instant case, Atiku and PDP did not establish how the use of INEC election manual and guidelines substantially affected the collation of election results as evidence adduced by petitioners' witnesses have no bearing on the petition itself.

The tribunal held that the evidence that election results were altered, depleted and manipulated against the PDP's candidate was caught by section 37 of the Evidence Act as they are manifestly unreliable hearsay that cannot in any way be classified as expert opinions.

In resolving the controversy over INEC’s server, the tribunal said the petitioners were unable to establish the existence of a server and that results were transmitted into it through the use of smart card reader.

The tribunal also held that the petitioners could not adduce concrete evidence that the results of the election were electronically collated and transmitted as alleged by the

at the rate of $122 million but the ministry requested for the approval of another $56 million to accommodate additional jobs.

Amaechi said the jobs were broken down into $38.8 million additional works and $17.2 million variation now bringing the contract of Itakpe to Warri to a total of $178.7 million.

He also said the ministry requested for the extension of Lagos - Ibadan rail line to Lagos port complex in Apapa with additional cost of $374 million and another variation cost of $282 million, totaling $656.8 million. He said approvals were in addition to $1.5 billion that the contract was initially awarded for.

Minister of State for Works, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, said the council approved a total of N182 billion for road construction and rehabilitation in different parts of the country.

Breakdown of the approval, according to the minister were extension of LagosBadagry expressway project to Benin-Nigeria border at N15.2 billion; two bridges at Kontagora in Niger State at N1.1 billion; Kano - Katsina road at the cost of N9.4 billion; Kontagora-Bangi road in Niger State at N20.3 billion and Marina-Bonny camp road in Lagos State at N9.2 billion.

Other road projects approved according to the minister, were N4.5 billion for Western road linking Edo and Delta States; N18.4 billion for Kwara road; N2.5 billion for a Kano State road; a Taraba State road at N12.3 billion; a Niger State road at N10.6 billion; Jigawa State road at N25.3 billion; Aba - Owerri road at N6.98 billion; Yobe State road at N16.9 billion, Yaba - Yangoji road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at N17.3 billion and Arondizuogu road at N12.7 billion.

Continued on page 8

FEC APPROVES N10.07TN 2020 BUDGET PROPOSAL, INCREASES VAT TO 7.2% According to her, the document contains N10.07trillion budget proposal for 2020 fiscal year, revenue target of N7.5 trillion and additional N2.09trillion revenue from VAT, $55 per barrel oil benchmark, N305/$ exchange rate and oil production of 2.1 million barrels per day.

Ahmed, who said the budget would run at N2.15 trillion deficit, which she described as a reduction from the N2.24 trillion budget deficit of the outgoing 2019 fiscal year, also said the economy had been projected to grow at 3.01 percent at the end of 2019.

According to her, the economy had grown from 0.8 per cent in 2017 to 2.02 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, adding that inflation has also fallen from 18.7 per cent in 2017 to 11.02 per cent as at July 2019.

On VAT, the minister said the council approved the

increase of value added tax (VAT) from the current 5 per cent to 7.2 percent to assist the states in revenue generation for salary payment.

According to her, only 15 per cent of VAT revenues accrue to the federal government while the bulk of the remaining 85 percent goes to states, explaining further that the planned increase was necessitated by the need to assist the states in shoring up their revenues to meet the new minimum wage demand.

She said: "We also reported to council and council has agreed that we start the process towards the increase of the VAT rate. We are proposing and council has agreed that we increase the VAT rate from five per cent to 7.2 per cent. This is important because the federal government only retains 15 percent of the VAT, 85 percent is actually for the states and local government and the states need additional

revenue to be able to meet the obligations of the minimum wage. “This process involves extensive consultations that need to be made across the country at various levels and also, it will involve the review of the VAT Act. So, it is not going to be implemented immediately until the Act is reviewed. “So accordingly, following these assumptions, the total revenue estimate in the sum of N7.5 trillion for the year 2020 and N2.09 trillion will be accruing to the federation account and the VAT respectively.�

She explained that VAT proceeds would be distributed to the three tiers of government based on the statutory revenue sharing formula as defined in the constitution.

Subsequently, Ahmed further explained, the federal government would receive proposed aggregate of N4.26

trillion from the federation account and the VAT pool, while the states and the local governments would receive N3.04 trillion and N2.27 trillion respectively."

The finance minister also said 2020 MTEF consisted of N2.45 trillion for debt service with sinking fund of N296 billion and N3.43 trillion personnel and pension costs.

She said the personnel cost is an increase of N453 billion from the 2019 approved figure.

The minister explained that following the approval of MTEF by the council, the federal government would go ahead to consult the National Assembly and present the document to it for approval.

Also briefing, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said the council approved a revised estimate cost for the rehabilitation of Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line.

According to him, the contract was initially awarded

NIGERIA GAINS $10BN FDI, NLNG SELECTS TRAIN-7 PROJECT CONTRACTOR It stated that after about 12 years of delay, it would finally start the expansion drive for its LNG plant from 22MTPA to 30MTPA, adding that Saipem, Chiyoda and Daewoo, which formed the consortium called the SCD consortium would build the plant.

Shortly before signing the Letter of Intent (LoI) with the consortium, the Managing Director of NLNG, Mr. Tony Attah, said the next step in the Train-7 expansion project would be to sign the Final Investment Decision (FID)

by October.

According to him, the Train-7 project will take at least five years after the FID and as well as increase NLNG’s market share in the global LNG industry.

He also said it would raise the global profile of Nigeria as the fourth largest exporter of LNG in the world. “Today, we are here to progress another milestone by issuing a Letter of Intent to award the Engineering,

Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contract for Train 7 project to the preferred bidder SCD JV Consortium. As we issue this Letter of Intent today, we will be even closer to signing of the FID. “Train 7 is our sure way to attaining that ambition with 35 per cent increase in our production capacity, from 22MTPA to 30MTPA. We are working to achieve this project within four to five years after we sign the FID if we must stay competitive and profitable in the global market. “Our greater joy is that Train 7 at construction phase will attract an investment of over $7 billion, boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) profile of the country and provide about 10,000 jobs during the construction stage,� he added.

He said the LoI was one of the key milestones to be achieved on the road to FID by its shareholders and that it showed commitment to realise the Train-7 project.

Attah assured the gathering that the process for picking the EPC contractor was transparent in full compliance with all applicable laws and good industry practices.

Similarly, the Chairman of the NLNG board, Dr. Osobonye LongJohn, lauded the selection of the EPC contractor, saying the board will support it to build the plant.

He said: “Our determination to achieve Train-7 has been sustained and we can only continue to work towards actualising that objective. That is why we have gathered here to issue the Letter of Intent for the EPC contract. “I commend the management and staff of Nigeria LNG for showing such resilience that has brought us all to this point in the planning towards realising Train 7. I assure every party involved in this project, especially the preferred consortium, of the unalloyed commitment of NLNG board of directors

and the shareholders towards achieving Train 7 seamlessly as we live our vision of helping to build a better Nigeria.�

Also, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, stated that the project would bring many job opportunities to Nigeria.

He said: “Permit me to share with you some of the opportunities to be provided by the Train-7 project development to the local businesses and investments. “The NLNG Train-7 will deliver 100 per cent engineering of all noncryogenic areas in-country. The total in-country engineering man-hours is set at 55 per cent which exceeds the minimum level stipulated in the NOGICD Act in line with our resolve to push beyond the boundary of limitations.�

According to him, the fabrication scope will bring many of Nigeria’s fabrication yards into operation with

over 70,000 tonnes of incountry fabrication covering condensate stabilisation units, tanks, pipe-racks, flare system, non-cryogenic vessels, and many other spools and fittings. “The benefits extend to site civil works on roads, piling, and jetties, 100 per cent local procurement of all LV and HV cables, non-cryogenic valves, protective paints and coatings, sacrificial anodes and many other direct procurements from our local manufacturing plants. “Those in the service industry are not left out with the target to assemble over 70 per cent of all non-cryogenic pumps and control valves in-country. Other spin-off opportunities include logistics, equipment leasing, insurance, hotels, office supplies, aviation, haulage, and many more.

The target job numbers are very exciting. At its peak, the project will provide over 40,000 direct jobs and over 100,000 indirect and induce the employment of over 100,000 workers,� Wabote added.

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Analysts: Major Airports’ Concession Could Yield N45bn Annually Chinedu Eze Nigeria’s major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano could generate over N45 billion annually from the current N19 billion, if they are given out in concession to attract private sector funding, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

THISDAY gathered that the concession of these airports would expand and modernise the facilities.

With such facilities, it is expected that more international carriers would fly into the country, which would boost the aeronautical revenues.

Industry experts who spoke to THISDAY said most of the additional revenues would come from non-aeronautical resources, including advertisement, service charges, concession fees, excursion charges and access gate charges and others.

Aviation industry consultant and Chief Executive Officer of Belujane Konsult, Chris Aligbe, told THISDAY that if the airports were concessioned, they would generate over N45 billion annually, adding that concession not only creates jobs but also multiplies revenue. “Under concession, N45 billion is a child’s play. That is mere $12 million; even the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) will generate more than that if concessioned. They have no idea what a concessioned airport can generate until they compare the revenues of the airports under government

management and the one that had been concessioned.

MMIA can generate more than that, followed by the Abuja airport. People do not know the magnitude of the money the airports could generate. There is a system of incompetence in the management of the airports.

The system they are managing is incompetent, which is imposed on competent managers and making them look incompetent. What will be realised will be huge - much more than N45 billion,� Aligbe stated.

Currently, none of Nigeria’s airports is in the first 10 rating of the best airports in Africa and none of them has met any global standards of good airports.

The federal government had indicated that it would concession the airports so that investors would commit funds to infrastructural development.

The government would start the concession with the four major airports in the country, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; and Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

In the first tenure of the Buhari administration, concession was identified as one of the cardinal goals to transform the aviation industry.

In 2017, the scope of the concession was expanded into two phases, and the Ministry of Aviation was working in collaboration with

Sirika the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to concession those airports by 2020.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, had explained that the quest to concession the maintenance of airport infrastructure and the building of new ones across the country was to maintain high standard and efficiency in the running of airport operations in tandem with global standards.

In an interview on Channels TV on Sunday, renowned Economist and CEO of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said it had become critical for the federal government to concession the airports as a way of boosting the nation’s economy.

Rewane added that government does not have the funds to improve and modernise the airports and its best option is to concession them so that entrepreneurs will commit their funds to revamp the facilities.

Industry stakeholders were of the view that the 22 airports

under the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were grossly underutilised.

They said if given out to the private sector under concession arrangement, the revenues would multiply and also the employment would more than double.

THISDAY’s analysis of the non-aeronautical revenues generated by the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) at the Lagos Airport Domestic Terminal, known as MMA2, showed that the facility, which is just one terminal, generates over N1 billion annually from advertisement but all the airports under FAAN generate less than N500 million annually from advertisement.

THISDAY gathered that FAAN earns this sum under an agreement signed many years ago with two outdoor advertisement agencies.

However, under concession such revenue would be multiplied.

Statistics gathered from FAAN showed that the biggest revenue earner is Lagos airport, which generates N12 billion annually.

This is followed by Abuja airport that generates about N4 billion annually while Kano and Port Harcourt generate N2 billion and N1 billion respectively.

Industry analysts said without interference from government, the revenue sources in these airports would be multiplied.

Also, currently the total number of FAAN workers

is 8,000 but it is projected that this would increase if the airports were given out in concession.

Aligbe told THISDAY that concession is the only option Nigeria has to revamp its airports. “First, this will enhance infrastructural development.

Currently we do not have any airport that is of international standards. None can even compare with the best in Africa, but if the airports are given out in concession, more airlines will come into the country and Nigeria will begin to develop into a hub. “I hope that Air Peace will remain in this form and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) will let go of Arik Air and Aero Contractors and return them to their original owners because they don’t know how to manage airlines so that the indigenous carriers can grow stronger. We also hope that the national carrier will come up and with modernised airport, Nigeria will grow into a hub. This will create more jobs. Even now the facilities at the airports are nothing so there is nothing to concession. Nigeria does not have any standard free duty shops and Nigerians are known to patronise duty free shops. This is because there is no room to establish such standard shops at the airports,�

Aligbe stated.

According to him, if the airports are concessioned, the Lagos airport alone would multiply the number of jobs there in the next five years and

this would have significant impact on the economy.

Aligbe said there should be no more delay in the concession of the airports and advised that the issue of labour must be settled before concession is done. “But before the concession is done, government must address labour issues.

Government must give the workers their entitlements.

Government owes labour their entitlements. While government owes labour their entitlements, government owes young Nigerians jobs. “Majority of the workers in FAAN are about 50 years; so, the government does not owe them jobs anymore; government owes them their entitlements but government has to create jobs for the young Nigerians. So labour cannot tell government not to concession and create more jobs; they can only demand for their entitlements. “In five years under concession, government will create more jobs for the teeming youths while it takes care of the entitlements of those who have put about 25 years in FAAN. And about 60 per cent of the workers in FAAN today will be retained because they cannot be eased out suddenly; it will take some time,� Aligbe added.

On security at the airports, Aligbe said security would not be a challenge because government would retain aviation security personnel (AVSEC) and dismissed the fears that concession would make the airports porous.

the mandate. We are now vindicated,� the president said.

He dedicated the victory to God and to Nigerians while also commending the judiciary for “dispensing justice without fear or favour.�

Buhari also extended a hand of fellowship to those who had felt aggrieved at the outcome of the election, and went to court, noting that it was within their democratic rights.

He, however, said with the judgment of the tribunal, “it is time for the country to move forward as one cohesive body, putting behind us all bickering and potential distractions over an election in which Nigerians spoke clearly and resoundingly.�

2019 elections.

"We note the painstaking efforts and thoroughness of the justices of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in arriving at their decision.

Today's (yesterday) judgment, no doubt, would go down in the annals of our nation as the longest and detailed, spanning almost 10 hours.

"The PDP and Atiku's petition was largely hinged on the educational qualification of President Muhammadu Buhari and tales of an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server and allegations of electronic transmission of election results. This was rightly dismissed by the tribunal for lacking in merit," he said.

He said from the outset, the ruling party was not perturbed over the PDP and Atiku's petition, which it said would go down in Nigeria's history as the most frivolous.

Issa-Onilu added that the position of the party has now been justified that the PDP and Atiku's petition was a complete waste of time.

He stated that APC's victory at the presidential poll and the election tribunal represented the collective desire as a people to remain focused on the progressive growth and development of the country’s economy, fight against corruption and providing security.

IN VICTORY, BUHARI EXTENDS HAND OF FELLOWSHIP TO OPPOSITION petitioners, adding that the evidence of the petitioners’ expert witness contradicted the petition itself because the witness admitted obtaining his information from a whistle blower site, whose identity he could not ascertain.

On the issue of over voting, massive rigging, harassment and intimidation, arbitrary arrest, the tribunal held that failure to join the security personnel alleged to have committed the crime as respondents to defend themselves was fatal to the petition.

Justice Garba in the unanimous decision held that any decision to look into the allegations would violate Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution on fair hearing.

In the final analysis, the tribunal chairman held that the petition was without merit, liable for dismissal and was consequently dismissed in its entirety without cost against the petitioners.

Reacting to the verdict of the panel outside the court, lead counsel to the petitioners, Dr. Levy Uzuokwu (SAN), said his client would appeal the tribunal's decision.

He thanked Nigerians for their overwhelming support, adding that they have truly been encouraging.

"Well we have done our job; the court has also done its own job. First of all, let me

congratulate the millions of Nigerians that have supported us, it encourages us and we are happy about it," he said.

When asked about the next step for the petitioners, Uzuokwu, however, responded this way: "Certainly I don't think that is the end of the journey.�

Also speaking, lead counsel to the APC, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), described the judgment as a good one and commended the justices for the efforts in delivering a quality judgment.

"The justices worked hard to ensure the matter didn't lapse, hardly any aspect of the case that they didn't touch; there is no aspect that they didn't resolve. I am satisfied with it," he said.

PDP Rejects Verdict, to Head to Supreme Court The PDP, however, rejected the judgment, describing it as provocative, barefaced subversion of justice and direct assault on the integrity of the nation’s justice system. It said it would be heading to the Supreme Court to appeal the judgment.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was particularly shocked that the tribunal failed to

point to justice despite the flawless evidence laid before it, showing that Buhari was not only unqualified to contest the election but also did not score the majority of valid votes at the polls.

The PDP added that it finds it bewildering that a court of law could validate a clear case of perjury and declaration of false information in a sworn affidavit, as firmly established against Buhari, even in the face of incontrovertible evidence.

It said: "The party is also rudely shocked that the court took over the roles of the respondents’ lawyers, who clearly abandoned their pleadings by refusing to call evidence in defence of the petition. The court raked up all manner of excuses to make up for the yawning gaps occasioned by the total absence of any evidence from the respondents.

"Nigerians and the international community watched in utter disbelief when the tribunal ruled that one need not provide a copy or certified true copy of educational certificate such individual claimed to possess, contrary to established proof of claims of certification.

"The party notes as strange that the court even went ahead to provide rationalisations in favour of President Buhari, even when all hard facts before it shows that he did

not possess the claimed educational certificate and that the Army was not in possession of his WAEC certificate as claimed in the affidavit he deposed to in his presidential nomination form."

It also described as shocking that the court approved the declaration of Buhari as winner of the election despite evidence of illegalities, manipulations, alterations and subtraction of valid votes allegedly belonging to Atiku.

The PDP, however, encouraged Nigerians to remain calm and not to lose hope or surrender to despondency or self-help, as its lawyers are upbeat in obtaining justice at the Supreme Court.

Buhari Dedicates APC: It's Victory for Victory to Nigerians, Rule of Law, Decency Extends Hand The APC also hailed the of Fellowship to judgment, describing it as a Opposition victory for rule of law and Welcoming the judgment, the president, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Mr. Femi Adesina, described it as victory for Nigerians who trooped out to give him a fresh mandate for a second term in office. “Good conscience fears no evil report. I was unperturbed all along, because I knew Nigerians freely gave us

decency.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement yesterday, commended the judiciary for refusing to succumb to what he called the “PDP subterfuge.�

According to him, the judgment validated the decision of most Nigerians to do away with the past as expressed in their overwhelming votes in the

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

S’Africa Goes Tough, Allows Airlift of Only 187 Nigerians Another 327 to be evacuated on Friday Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja South Africa authorities yesterday frustrated the evacuation of many Nigerians who were among the first batch to be airlifted from that country, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

Air Peace, the largest Nigerian airline in terms of volume of passengers, facilitated the evacuation of 187 Nigerians living in South Africa for free in response to renewed wave of xenophobic attacks in parts of Johannesburg.

This is coming as the federal government has revealed that the second batch of Nigerians, numbering 327 are expected to be evacuated from South Africa on Friday.

The 187 Nigerians, about 30 of whom are children, were airlifted from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg around 3.00p.m South African time, after hours of delay caused by biometrics capture.

Many of them said they had been living in fear for their lives as the attacks continued to escalate on a daily basis.

Nigerian Consul-General to South Africa, Godwin

Adama, who met with the Air Peace evacuation team at the OR Tambo airport prior to departure back to Lagos, said over 900 Nigerians had been registered as at Tuesday.

The Air Peace crew had expected to evacuate 320 passengers in the first flight yesterday, but 187 people were eventually evacuated because South African authorities frustrated the efforts of many others to leave the country.

THISDAY gathered that out of the 320 Nigerians who indicated interest to leave the country yesterday, only 187 were allowed to board the Air Peace flight as South African’s Immigration officials embarked on the arrest of others, accusing them of entering their country without valid papers.

Many Nigerians who wanted to be evacuated were accused of entering South Africa, without complete documents.

“These Nigerians are excited and they want to go back because they feel they can do something better in Nigeria,” Adama said.

He also clarified that no Nigerian life was lost during the recent xenophobic attacks.

While most of the violence was

concentrated in the areas with large population of poor people, attacks mostly focused on burning and looting of businesses and property belonging to foreign nationals from different African countries.

“Some of the videos you see on social media are old videos and some didn’t happen in South Africa,” Adama said.

He also disclosed that about half of the Nigerians returning did not have proper documentation, hence the Nigerian mission in South Africa had to provide an Emergency Travel Certificate.

However, the passengers were informed by the Consulate that they wouldn’t be able to go back to South Africa unless they get the right documentation.

“The issue here is there is negative perception about

foreigners. SA has the highest rate of crime, not less than 20 people are murdered in this country every week. It is a volatile society, there is this feeling of insecurity in SA,” he said.

The Nigerian government sent an envoy last week to South Africa to formally register their displeasure with the security of African nationals. The envoy accompanied by the Consulate, also held a meeting of African ministers aimed at bringing the violence to an end.

“The evacuation is also a plus for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because it shows that the government cares about the welfare of Nigerians in South Africa,” First Secretary, Crisis Monitoring and Public Communication Division,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ebienfa Kimiebi, who was among the welcome team to South Africa, said.

“By yesterday we have to be calling people to be sure they are going on the Air Peace flight.

We demanded for consent letters to accept any lady with children who are not travelling without their husband. We have accommodated quite a number of them to make sure they join us,” Adama said.

Air Peace officials said the airline plans to fulfill its promise of evacuating all the registered passengers first yesterday and a second flight today. The Air Peace flight P47806 is one of the latest fleets in the airline’s possession. It has a maximum capacity of 364 passengers.

“We commend Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace for this great gesture. It is indeed a one of its kind,” Kimiebi said.

The flight arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) at 9:34pm.

Meanwhile, the second batch of Nigerians, numbering 327 are expected to be evacuated from South Africa on Friday.

Ebienfa, in a short statement issued yesterday, noted that the returnees would be received on arrival by senior officials of the ministry.

According to him, “Three hundred and thirteen Nigerian Nationals are ready for evacuation today; 640 registered; second batch to be evacuated on Thursday or Friday.”

PDP Heading for Crisis as Wike Accuses BoT Committee of Corruption Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt and Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be heading for crisis as the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, yesterday berated the committee set up by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the main opposition party to investigate the emergence of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives against the wish of the party, describing the committee as the most corrupt in the history of PDP. Speaking in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike also hailed a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Austin Opara, for withdrawing from the committee.

The governor said that by withdrawing from the committee, Opara has refused to allow himself to be entangled in what he described as the “illegal outcome” of the committee’s activities.

“The Committee set up by the PDP on the illegal emergence of Ndudi Elumelu is the most corrupt committee ever set up by the party.

“We thank our worthy son, Hon. Austin Opara, for withdrawing from that committee, so that he is not entangled in the illegal activities of the tainted committee “.

Wike warned the party not to toy with Rivers State, adding that it is not in the interest of the party to do so.

He said: “We are warning PDP to be careful not to toy with Rivers State. Rivers State has all it takes to withstand the PDP and fight the party to

a standstill. The Rivers State governor is not one of those governors that anyone can cajole.

The Rivers State governor is not one of those governors that will kowtow to their illicit activities,” Wike said.

THISDAY had reported that there indications that the dust raised by the emergence of Elumelu as the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives would soon finally settle.

This followed the submission of the report of the committee constituted by the BoT of the part to look into the minority leadership crisis in the House.

THISDAY had learnt that the report was finally submitted to the Chairman of the PDP BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, on September 9 in his Legacy Building office, Abuja.

The Chairman of the committee and former President of the Senate, Iyorchia Ayu, and a member of the committee and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, submitted the report.

In one of its recommendations, the committee also advised the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to work with Elumelu, and other minority leadership officers of the House in the interest of “a united and stronger PDP in the National Assembly.”

But reacting to Wike’s allegation and threats yesterday, Walid denied the report that the committee had submitted its report The BoT chairman told THISDAY that it was not true that the report had been submitted and a decision taken in favour of Elumelu.

85 HEARTY CHEERS…

L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; the celebrant and Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion; and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, at the Interdenominational Thanksgiving service to mark the 85th birthday celebration of the Esama of Benin in Benin City... yesterday

We Must Not Fail, Buhari at Maiden FEC Meeting Tasks Ministers Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja charged members of his new cabinet to live up to their responsibilities, warning that “we must not fail.”

Buhari gave this charge while delivering opening remarks at the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in the second term of his government at the State House.

The president had on August 21, 2019, swore in 43 ministers, the largest cabinet in the history of the country’s democratic practice.

The cabinet size slightly exceeded the records of 42-member cabinet led by the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governments from 1999 to 2015.

The number of the ministers rose from 36 in Buhari’s last administration to 43 in this new government, following the president’s decision to appoint a minister from each of the

five geo-political zones of the country and two each from Kano and Kaduna States, both in the North-west, in addition to 36 ministers chosen from each state as constitutionally required.

Buhari had in his opening remarks at the meeting, told the ministers that the new administration would be committed to delivering selfless service with safety, prosperity and security of the 200 million Nigerian population as its focus.

He therefore challenged members of the cabinet to bear in mind the oath of service they swore to uphold while being sworn in on August 21, insisting that they had the responsibility to live up to expectations of the citizenry and they must not fail.

“I will conclude by tasking you all to keep in mind the oath you took in this very room three weeks ago. As a government, our focus must remain that selfless service. The

safety, security and prosperity of Nigeria’s 200 million people are our responsibility. We must not fail them,” Buhari warned.

He also informed the cabinet that the re-election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the February 23, 2019 presidential election was a mandate “to create a diversified and inclusive economy that will bring prosperity to all.”

He also said the mandate was a call “to install governance and accountability in our systems and processes, thereby eliminating corruption.”

The president therefore charged the ministers that the new cabinet will be preoccupied with the delivery of projects and ideas aimed at fulfilling the mandate in the next four years.

“Therefore, all ideas and projects that will contribute to achieving these goals shall be foremost in our deliberations,” he said.

Buhari also proceeded to disclose the reason he

reappointed some ministers who served in the last cabinet, explaining that their appointments were purely based on merit.

According to him, during the last administration, they discharged their duties in a diligent and patriotic manner, thus earning them an automatic return to the cabinet. He therefore charged the 14 returning ministers to double their efforts in this new administration.

“For returning ministers, my decision to re-appoint you is based on merit. During the first term, you executed your mandate diligently and in a patriotic manner. I expect you to double your efforts in this second term,” he stated.

Buhari also explained that the decision to create new ministries as announced during the swearing in of the ministers last month, was a drive to restructure the system in a way that would enhance service delivery.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Govs Reject Calls to Scrap Security Votes ICPC chairman demands parameters for appropriation Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) yesterday kicked against calls for the removal of security votes, insisting that doing so would be inimical to development.

NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said in Abuja that the abolition of security votes as being advocated by many in the country would breed chaos in the polity instead of curbing corruption as is being widely believed.

He said there was no development without security.

The position of the governors came just as Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof.

Bolaji Owasanoye, advocated parameters for appropriating and accounting for security votes without jeopardising national security.

The NGF chairman was addressing discussants in Abuja at the quarterly policy dialogue on accountability for security votes, organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN).

Fayemi’s topic for the keynote address was “Security Votes: Are they necessary? Are they legitimate?”

In his address, which was laced with quotes from various authorities and sources, including books written by such First Republic icons as Chief Jerome Udoji, he said security votes had existed even before the military came to power in Nigeria.

He said doing away with them, instead of addressing corruption, would hinder development and security.

According to him, the answer to the question as to whether

security votes are necessary is an transparency in the utilisation He said the mechanism would pushed up rather than diminish and categories of MDAs given emphatic “Yes” and buttressed of security votes in line with ensure that secrecy is not allowed insecurity. This is because the security votes suggested that his arguments with copious global best practices. to void accountability in the money that should ordinarily be something is wrong with the anecdotes from the United States Earlier, the Provost of the Anti- management of security votes. available for social and economic parameters for determining Congress, several publications Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Owasanoye said this was development is appropriated the agencies entitled to security and examples.

Professor Sola Akinrinade, necessary because accountability as security votes and used votes, saying that it was clear The Ekiti governor said had while welcoming the was key to diminishing discretionarily. from the current approach to the abolition of security votes guest speaker, said removing corruption.

“The 2019 Budget as budgeting for security votes that would slow down development, security votes would be counterHe added that security votes appropriated by law, 162 no principle is being followed. increase insecurity and impair productive. were an easy and attractive route Ministries Departments and “This is clear from the the various states’ response to Meanwhile, the Chairman of for stealing public funds and Agencies (MDAs) had monies quantum and range of sums emergencies.

ICPC, Owasanoye has advocated veritable avenue for abuse of appropriated as security votes. appropriated in the 2019 budget Fayemi argued against parameters for appropriating and public trust and escalation of The MDAs include boards, for MDAs where the lowest those who said security votes accounting for security votes poverty. “In other words, the committees, national parks, amount for security votes was were illegal, quoting from the without jeopardising national permission of appropriation among others,” he stated.

N3,600 while the highest amount constitution and other relevant security. for security votes has ironically According to him, the number was N4.20 billion. authorities to emphasise the fact that security votes are not only legal but have been in existence since the colonial era.

“Governments all over the world have security votes but they may not call it the same name as ours because for obvious reasons, government business may not necessarily be all in the public glare,” he stated.

Fayemi attributed the Iran Contra affair and other government action in South America as products of the use of security votes, which those governments conveniently put away from the eyes of their citizens.

However, the governor stated that in his state every transaction involving security votes are well documented and receipted but added that unless something is done to stop the abuse of security votes, it would continue to be rife.

Fayemi also made a case for the creation of state police, which he prescribed as the antidote to the expenditure being incurred R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss by governors in the types of Mustapha, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Council Chambers, State House Abuja...yesterday STATE HOUSE assistance that governors render to the Nigeria Police Force.

He called for partnership between the NGF and the ACAN to work out modalities on how to ensure accountability and identified as Moji, was caught he said sparked off the fire. everyone around.”

Chineme Okafor in Abuja A driver of one of the The fire, which lasted for in the raging fire, and sustained and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan severe burns. affected tankers, who pleaded about two hours, was however, Activities at the depot have anonymity, however, disagreed quenched by a team of the Oyo Tragedy struck yesterday in however been suspended that the fire was caused by State Fire Services operatives Ibadan, Oyo State, when the forthwith, as the usual loading electrical surge, stating that and men of the NNPC fire Nigerian Pipelines and Storage of fuel has been shut down. the fire was caused by one fighters who struggled to Company Limited, a subsidiary There was pandemonium of the tanker drivers at the put it out. of the Nigerian National when people around the loading point.

Members of the Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) NNPC depot, including the According to him, “I was Security and Civil Defence Attah added: “As part at Apata, Ibadan depot, was staff, saw billows of fire, there when one of the tanker Corps (NSCDC), DSS and of the efforts to sustain gutted by fire, leaving about causing the people to start drivers was removing his a team of policemen were scaling the fence and running battery and using another also at the scene of the fire the rigorous patrol along seven persons injured.

THISDAY learnt that a helter-skelter to avoid being truck’s battery to kick-start to maintain law and order the national borderlines, his truck. It was when he put Meanwhile, the NNPC the Comptroller General section of the loading point caught by the fire.

The immediate cause of the battery and was hitting yesterday stated in a statement of Customs, Col. Hameed was completely damaged by Ibrahim Ali (rtd), Comptroller fire while three petrol tankers the inferno could not be the battery terminal trying to that the fire outbreak forced ascertained, but a source fix it that fire sparked from it to shelve loading of General of Immigration, were also burnt.

It was gathered that one of attributed the afternoon fire the battery and resulted in the petrol from the depot by 48 Mohammed Babandede, and the Coordinator of the exercise, the persons injured, simply to an electrical surge which full-blown fire, which trapped hours.

Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Aliyu Ndagi, have commenced an on-the-spot-assessment of the implementation and compliance of the ongoing border security drills.

“The exercise, which is being led by the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian protest to demand for the premises no later than 10am leaving many people, including Immigration Service (NIS), in Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti restoration of electricity to of September 11, 2019. journalists, with varying collaboration with the Armed “Further developments degrees of injuries.

Forces of Nigeria (AFN) as Following the attack on the the two campuses in Oye and “While not denying the well as the Nigeria Police Force convoy of the First Lady of Ikole, where cars on the convoy will be communicated in due students the right to express (NPF) and other security and Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, of the First lady, who was on course,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State their grievances on any issue, it intelligence agencies, is intended by protesting students of a local government tour, were to better secure our borders, Federal University, Oye destroyed and many sustained Government, in a statement is expected that such be done boost national economy and –Ekiti (FUOYE) on Tuesday, bodily injuries in the process. by its Commissioner for without resulting to violence.

He said: “We hereby Information, Mr. Muyiwa “As a responsible the university authorities strengthen border security.”

Speaking on behalf of the had closed down the school announce the immediate Olumilua, has confirmed the government, it is on record and indefinite closure of the attack on Fayemi’s wife. that the state government NCS Comptroller General, indefinitely.

Olumilua, who has been engaging the The university, in a statement university to forestall further Attah appealed to the patriotic spirit of all Nigerians, especially by its Vice Chancellor, Prof. breakdown of law and order. acknowledged that the electricity company (BEDC) “In the same vein, the protest might have started as on how to improve the power members of the business Kayode Soremekun, yesterday, community to see the exercise as said the management has also students’ union of the a peaceful one, hinted that it situation in parts of the state, an opportunity to further create proscribed the Students’ Union institution is disbanded escalated to violence, possibly long before this unfortunate due to infiltration by hoodlums. incident, and we promise to a conducive environment for Government (SUG) in the indefinitely.

“Following this closure, the “The convoy of the Wife of continue to engage them on the local businesses to thrive in institution henceforth.

Students of the university students are hereby ordered the Governor was attacked with improvement of their service the overall interest of national had on Tuesday held a violent to vacate the university several vehicles vandalised, delivery to Ekiti State. security and development.

FIRST FEC MEETING…

NNPC’s Ibadan Depot Gutted by Fire

Border Closure: Nigeria Customs Arrests 100 Illegal Migrants, 177 Smugglers Eromosele Abiodun Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it has arrested not less than 100 illegal migrants and 177 suspects engaging in smuggling activities since the nation’s land borders were closed three weeks ago.

NCS Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, in a statement, said the arrests were made after the intensive joint border patrol by the security agencies coordinated the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The security agencies, he said, have continued to receive reports of large numbers of seizures and arrests from the four sectors of North-west, North-central, South-west and South-south geopolitical zones.

“As at September 10, 2019, 100 illegal migrants have been arrested while seizures so far made include: 8,360 - 50kg bags of parboiled foreign rice; 122 bags of fertiliser; 77 vehicles; 781 drums filled with PMS as well as 16,371 empty 200 litres drums to be used for smuggling PMS; 1,491 packs of assorted drugs; three outboard 40HP Engines; 13 Cotonou boats; 185 drums of groundnut oil; six trucks; 114 motorcycles; among other items with 117 suspects,” he said.

FUOYE Shuts down Indefinitely, Proscribes SUG over Attack on Ekiti First Lady NUJ condemns attack on members

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NEWS

Buhari Orders Urgent Negotiation of Minimum Wage Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Joint Committee on Consequential Adjustments on the new minimum wage to move swiftly with negotiations and avoid further delay on the matter.

As part of measures to ensure that the federal government is

no longer taken off-guard on the issues of salaries and wages adjustments, the President said his administration would put in place a Presidential Committee on Salaries and Allowances that would be able to take requests after the committee on consequential adjustment has concluded its assignment.

This was disclosed by

Police Parade Kidnappers of Lawmaker, ABU Students Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Nigerian Police yesterday paraded 58 crime suspects among whom were kidnappers of a member of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State, Hon Suleiman Dabo and three students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Kaduna State.

The suspects were also involved in the kidnapping of a Turkish national in Kwara State and gunrunners who supply arms to bandits in Zamfara and Katsina states.

Nine kidnap suspects donning military uniforms were also paraded with 12 AK 47 rifles at the Special Armed Robbery Squad (SARS) office in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Frank Mba. The kidnappers admitted collecting N10 million ransom for the release of the lawmaker and N5.5 million for the release of ABU Students.

Mba said the suspects were arrested for different offences ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, homicide, murder, car theft and robbery in unpainted commercial vehicles known in local parlance as “one chance” in Abuja.

He said the suspects were picked up by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) attached to

the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed.

“The suspects in military uniform, who are between the ages of 24 and 38, confessed to series of kidnapping and armed robbery within Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Kogi states, including the kidnap of the lawmaker in Sokoto and Kaduna states and ABU Zaria students respectively,” he said.

The Police Spokesman said the suspects, Buhari Bello, Abdullahi Dotim, Kabir Malam, Adamu Ciroma and others confessed “to have physically participated in the kidnap of Hon. Suleiman Dabo, demanded and collected N10 million as ransom and narrated how they shared the money among themselves.

“During the course of investigation, suspects led to the recovery of the sum of N450,000 which was part of the ransom earlier collected from the honourable member”.

Items recovered from the suspects and gun runners who supplied arms to bandits in Faskari Forest in Katsina State include one hand grenade, 25 Ak 47 rifles, 12 magazines and 1, 339,000 live ammunition and two golf cars with registration numbers SBG 836 XA Kaduna (red colour) and FUF 513 AE Kwara (blue colour).

N537m Debt: Court Clears Donald Duke after Settling AMCON A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday cleared a former Cross River State Governor, Mr. Donald Duke, of his N537,334,360.77 debt to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) after he paid N350 million as final settlement.

The court discharged its August 21 interim order which had permitted AMCON and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to seize Duke’s property and funds in his accounts.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo cleared Duke following settlement terms filed and moved by AMCON’s legal team from Benson Reeds legal practitioners, Abuja.

AMCON counsel, Mrs. Juliet Benson, told the judge that Duke had fulfilled the terms of the out-of-court settlement and both parties had agreed to the terms.

“I hereby pray the court to adopt the terms of settlement as the judgment of court,”

Benson said.

Duke’s counsel, Mr. Edoigiawerie Omoruyi, confirmed that his client had “shown good faith by promptly making the payment of over N350 million, which parties all agreed to.

“I join my colleagues in praying the court to enter our terms of settlement as the full and final judgment of court.”

In a bench ruling, Justice Oweibo upheld their prayers.

The judge added: “All orders in the case stands discharged.”

AMCON had on August 8 sealed off Duke’s Ikoyi home following the interim order.

Justice Oweibo, on September 3, upheld Duke’s prayer and adjourned till September yesterday, for a report of settlement, after Duke promised to pay off the debt.

Stonehedge Investment Ltd, Duke and his wife, Owanari Bob-Manuel Duke, were first to third defendants in the suit.

the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday when he received the leadership of the Association of Labour Correspondents in his office in Abuja.

The minister hinted of the federal government’s plans to create jobs and empower the middle income earners, but blamed the unemployment rate on the upsurge in Boko Haram and banditry attacks

and social agitations by some groups. Ngige said the President is very worried about the delay in the commencement of payment of the N30,000 new minimum wage and has instructed through his Chief of Staff that a deadline be set to end the ongoing negotiations.

“It is the determination of the President and this administration to fast track the negotiation on consequential adjustment. I have just received a correspondence

from the Chief of Staff to the President and we are putting a deadline to that negotiation.

We are fast tracking it because the government will also want to put in place a Presidential Committee on Salaries and Allowances that will be able to take requests after this consequential adjustment,” he said.

The Joint Committee on the Consequential Adjustments that was set up shortly after

the signing of the new minimum wage bill into law by the president on April 18 has failed to reach an agreement with the representatives of unions in the public sector.

Several meetings on the matter have ended in deadlock with both government’s negotiating team and labour representatives disagreeing on the percentage increase workers at each level are expected enjoy.

PARTNERSHIP THAT WORKS…

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde (left), and Managing Director/CEO of Unity Bank Plc, Mrs. Tomi Somefun, after a meeting at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan...recently

Ogun Govt Equips Hospitals for Excellence The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has disclosed that the state government had approved the importation of some vital medical equipment needed by the secondary health facilities across the state.

According to the governor, the General Hospital, Ilaro now wears a new look as facilities are being upgraded to meet international standard.

“When I visited the General Hospital, Ilaro, I was scandalised by the structures and facilities there. I wondered whether what was described as theatre

was suitable for animals. We had to step in and today we have a modern hospital fitted with equipment that we will all be proud to call a modern health facility,” the governor said.

He added that beside the facelift and restructuring of wards, the state government has procured Medical Laboratory Blood Bank, Infant incubator, Resuscitaire, Phototheraphy unit, Anesthetic Machine, and Siniacid, among others.

Abiodun promised that similar turnaround maintenance would be carried out in all state hospitals

in all the three senatorial districts.

He said the General Hospital at Ijaye, Abeokuta would be next as he had issued an order for standard modern equipment there.

“Very soon, the equipment would arrive to ensure efficient service delivery in the health sector”, Abiodun added.

The equipment bought for the re-accreditation of State Hospital, Ijaiye, include Cardiotocographic (CTG machine), Anaesthetic Machine Halothane, Patient Monitor, Double Humidifier, Cardiac Defibrillator, Souctioning Machine, Autoclaving Machine,

Gurney Trolley, Neonatal resuscitation and wheel chairs, among others.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Mr. Kunle Somorin, in a statement issued in Abeokuta further noted that the Abiodun’s administration would ensure that dividends of democracy would be evenly spread in the state.

“No section of the state would be marginalised or shortchanged under my watch,” Somorin quoted the governor as saying after being conferred with the honorary membership of Abeokuta Club.

Despite Peace Deal, Bandits Attack LG Chairman in Katsina, Kill Guard, Abduct Two Children Release 10 kidnapped women Francis Sardauna in Katsina Gunmen suspected to be bandits have reportedly attacked the house of Matazu Local Government Transition Committee Chairman in Katsina State, Mr. Kabiru Matazu, and abducted two of his children.

Repentant bandits in the state have however released 10 women, including a nursing mother with her three-monthold baby as part of the ongoing dialogue between them and the state government.

The suspected bandits also killed his watchman before gaining access to the house where they kidnapped Aliyu

and Ahmed, Matazu’s two sons.

This is coming barely 24 hours after the state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari had a peace deal with repentant bandits who have so far released 15 kidnapped persons in their custody.

It was further gathered that the hoodlums stormed the residence of the chairman, situated within the local government headquarters, yesterday at about 2:15 a.m.

Matazu, who was said to be inside the house when the miscreants struck, managed to escape the attack with his wife and other children.

A credible source in the

council told THISDAY in a telephone interview that the bandits numbering about 20 stormed the house and started shooting sporadically for almost one hour before kidnapping his children.

According to the source, “The bandits arrived at about 2.10a.m., and shot the night watchman. The chairman managed to escape with some of his family members, with the bandits took away two of his children.

“The children are two boysone of them has just completed his senior secondary school while the younger one is still in school. Up till now, we have

not been able to establish contact with the hoodlums.”

However, all effort made to reach Matazu for comment on the incident went futile as calls and text messages put to his phone lines were unanswered as of press time. But the spokesman of the state police command, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident, and said investigation was ongoing to unravel the identities of the culprits.

Meanwhile, repentant bandits in the state have again released 10 women, including a nursing mother with her three-monthold baby as part of the ongoing dialogue between them and the state government.

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NEWS

Motorists Groan as Petrol Tankers Block Lagos-Badagry Expressway Segun James Hundreds of motorists were last Tuesday forced to spend the night on the Lagos - Badagry expressway as petrol-laden tankers blocked the way leading to Badagry, Agbara, and Lagos State University (LASU) areas of the state.

The gridlock created by the trucks forced people to sleep in their vehicles at Trade Fair ‘Under Bridge’ bus stop even as robbers, brandishing machetes, broken bottles and other weapons had a field day breaking into vehicles and disposing motorists of their belongings.

One of the victims of the robbers, Segun, a banker, told THISDAY that he spent four hours on the road before the armed robbers attacked him and disposed him of his valuables.

He said: “The tankers block the roads between 6p.m. and 6.a.m., and this became an opportunity for criminals to rob motorists. This started last Friday. We understand that these drivers have been chased away from Apapa so they shifted to this axis. We are complaining that Lagos–Badagry road is bad, but these tankers have worsened the situation.”

THISDAY checks further revealed that the tanker drivers decided to use the road as park while waiting to enter the petroleum tank farm located at Ijegun to load products.

Residents of Ijegun and Satellite Town whose access roads were blocked by over 500 tankers and trucks had protested, and their protest forced the tankers to troop out to the expressway where there

are parked indiscriminately.

When THISDAY visited the area yesterday, the tankers were still parked on the road even as some of the drivers alleged that they pay money to LASTMA officials to park on the highway.

According to them, LASTMA officials collect at least N1,000 from each truck to allow them to take a vantage position along the road in order to load their trucks.

One of the drivers, who

identified himself as Sule, told THISDAY that he paid N1,000 to park under the Trade Fair bridge.

Another driver, Ukpong, also corroborated the claim, alleging that he paid N800 per night.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer for LASTMA, Mr. Olumide Filade, denied that his men collected bribe to allow the trucks park on the highway.

He challenged THISDAY to provide proof of such deal.

Filade said LASTMA officials only work from early morning to 11.00 p.m. “It is after this time, when our men have closed for the day that the truck drivers take the laws into their hands.”

The LASTMA spokesman stressed that the situation became worse after the presidential task force set up by the federal government wound down its activities, leaving the traffic situation unsolved.

He disclosed that LASTMA

and other relevant agencies are talking on how to solve the chaos created by the trucks.

Filade lamented that the tank farm located at Ijegun is actually giving LASTMA officials headache as the drivers refused to park inside the trailer park provided for them. “The drivers abandoned their park and come onto the road. That is the problem. We are going to take action against them very soon,” he promised.

INEC Lists Political Parties Contesting Bayelsa, Kogi Guber Elections 59 parties to contest in Kogi, 64 in Bayelsa Chuks Okocha in Abuja Ahead of the November 16 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday released the names of the political parties that conducted their primary elections in line with the guidelines of the Commission.

In an INEC news bulletin released yesterday, the commission listed 59 political parties in Kogi State as having met the guidelines for the governorship elections, while 64 political parties conducted the primary elections.

In an explanatory note to the bulletin, INEC Director in charge of Information and Public Education, Osaze Uzzi, said: “All should kindly note for purposes of clarity and to avoid any ambiguity that the lists above are not the list of candidates contesting the respective governorship elections.

As stated in the heading, they are the results of the political party primaries monitored by the Commission. Some parties may choose, for whatever reason, not to sponsor any candidate even after conducting primaries.”

In the list, INEC said the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Zenith Labour Party among other political parties are the parties that conducted their governorship primaries as monitored by the staff of the commission.

From the INEC bulletin, four female candidates are contesting in Kogi State and eight female candidates are contesting in Bayelsa State.

INEC said the list does not represent clearance of political parties for the elections but those that conducted the primary elections in line with the guidelines for monitoring the governorship elections.

ON GLOBAL MARITIME MAP…

Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside (right), and Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr. Kitac Lim, at the IMO headquarters in London…recently

Ooni Lauds Obaseki’s Administration The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has endorsed the administration of the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, urging the governor to remain focused on his quest to engender sustainable development in the state.

The Ooni, who made the commendations yesterday during a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin-city, the state capital, said the governor deserves all the support he needs to continue in his transformative work as the state governor.

Applauding the governor’s seamless transition from the

boardroom to politics, the Ife monarch said: “I am here to associate myself with you for all the good things you are doing and to let you know that we are watching all the good things you are doing for the state. You have brought in your capacity as a player in the private sector, combining your wealth of experiences from the private sector with that of the public sector to take the state to greater heights. You are one of the greatest financial engineers the country has ever produced, as your success is there for all to see in the private sector.”

He continued: “I am sure you are applying the same

principles in the public sector because the people of Edo State need you to put up a good legacy that posterity will always remember you for.”

Ooni noted that Edo State “is fortunate to have you as the governor. You are forthright, disciplined and articulate in all you do. I am very positive that you are going to change the narrative in governance. We in the traditional institution should be very supportive of you. For your laudable achievements in the state and encouragements like this visit should come once in a while. You are not alone, that I can assure you from the throne of Oduduwa.”

The traditional ruler described the state as strategic, adding that “Edo State is consistent, and has continued to play strategic roles in the country since we became a republic. You are a very prepared and bold leader. What is critical is that you are one of the greatest financial engineers in Nigeria, and I urge you to create more employment opportunities for the youths in the state as they are the future of this country. Please remain focused; complete all the good things you are doing, and I assure you history will never forget you.”

A member of the House of Representatives for Abi/ Yakurr federal constituency in Cross River State, Dr. Alex Egbona, has raised the alarm over threats to his life and family members, following his decision to approach the Court of Appeal after the election tribunal nullified his election.

Egbona, who was the only member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to have won an election in the general election in the area, has however, come under attack in the last one week.

The first attack was the invasion of his Ekureku country home by men in military uniform about 24 hours after the tribunal judgement gave victory to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, John

Gaul Lebo.

Egbona in an interview with journalists said: “The soldiers allegedly took over the village, especially the routes leading to and out of Egbona’s home.

They spent the entire day in the village and left at night.

“The following day, they returned to my village and moved round the place before leaving later in the day.

“Yesterday again, I got a message that some unknown gunmen terrorised my village in the midnight shooting sporadically. About the same time too, another set of unknown gunmen went to my house in Calabar and shot several times before leaving.

“I cannot understand why my homes have come under attack. If the tribunal has ruled

that the PDP candidate won at the tribunal, I have the right to appeal, and should be allowed to be alive and pursue my case at the court of appeal.

“This intimidation will take us nowhere. I am going to the court of appeal to test the law, and no amount of intimidation can stop me. My mission to the court of appeal is to proof that my people freely gave me a mandate, and that mandate cannot be taken away through a bush market judgement.

“I am, therefore, appealing to law enforcement agents in our state to ensure my safety. I have drawn the attention of the police in my local government area to the threat to my security, and I believe that they will take appropriate actions.”

Egbona said he had received

threat calls “warning him to stay action on the appeal if I wanted to remain alive. My family members in the village are now living in fear. This is not the democracy we fought for. I do know that this is a phase and that it will pass away.

“Let me state for the umpteenth time that I will not back down on the case. No amount of attacks, invasion of my homes or threat calls will deter me. I have a covenant with my people to change the narrative in representation, and nothing can stop me.”

He urged all his supporters and family members to remain calm and unmoved by the threats, just as he expressed maximum confidence in the ability of security operatives to contain the situation.

Tambuwal Appoints Special Adviser on Media, Publicity C’River: I Won’t Suspend My Appeal, Says APC House Member The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has approved the appointment of Muhammad Ahmad Bello as his special adviser, Media and Publicity.

Bello, a 1994 Sociology graduate from Bayero University, Kano, also holds a Masters degree in Conflict, Peace and Strategic Studies from Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja.

Before his appointment, Bello was an editor of LEADERSHIP Friday and LEADERSHIP Weekend newspapers. He was also a deputy Editor of The Authority newspaper.

He started his career in journalism at the Kano State Government-owned Triumph newspapers where he rose through the ranks to

become an Assistant Editor, Sunday Triumph. Thereafter, he joined The News, TEMPO (now rested) and PM News as North-West correspondent based in Kano. He was also a district correspondent with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Funtua, Katsina State.

Bello, who was the Regional Editor of THISDAY newspapers in the South-South, also covered the House of Representatives and the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for the paper between 2012 and 2015.

He was a stringer for the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA) in Port Harcourt and had a brief stint with Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, and The Will, an online news platform as a freelance writer.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Two Killed, Scores Missing as Gunmen Invade Taraba Village Gunmen yesterday attacked and killed two people in Yongogba village in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.

A local resident said the

attackers who invaded the village from Takum burnt the entire village and looted valuable property.

The resident who craved anonymity, said the attackers

Alaibe Debunks Defection Rumour, to Decide His Next Move in 48 Hours Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and governorship aspirant in the just-concluded primaries in Bayelsa State, Chief Timi Alaibe, yesterday refuted insinuations that he had defected to another political party.

While calling for patience among his supporters, Alaibe promised that his next line of action would be made known in the next 48 hours to put paid to all the rumours making the rounds that he had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Alaibe, in a statement by the Administrative Secretary of his campaign organisation, Prof.

Seiyefa Brisibe, again faulted the process that threw up the candidate of the party, Senator Douye Diri, describing it as an adulteration of due process.

“The ‘Timi Alaibe Campaign Organisation has observed that since the declaration of the results of the Peoples Democratic Party primary election for the governorship of Bayelsa State, our teeming supporters have been left without clear and precise information as to the next step to be taken by our principal, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, in

search of justice in what was generally seen as a deliberate adulteration of due process in the conduct of the primary election.

“We thank our supporters and the good people of Bayelsa State for their unprecedented support (evidenced by dead silence in the state on Wednesday September 4, 2019), peaceful conduct and patience since the unacceptable election result was announced last week. We apologise for the vacuum created by our silence which has given rise to various speculations planted in the media by those who masterminded the injustice in order to confuse the people.

“Be assured that this evil act against the wish of the people of Bayelsa State, carried out by a handful of selfish people who decided to play god by arrogating to themselves the unrighteous act of imposing their personal decisions on us, will not go unchallenged. At the end, Bayelsa people - who are in the majority - will have their way,” he said.

The former Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme explained that he was still consulting with major stakeholders on the next line of action, revealing that the process was almost concluded.

Rivers Now Home of Tourism, Says Wike Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on Rivers people to patronise the entertainment industry in the state for the growth of state economy.

While inaugurating the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park Cinema yesterday as part of his first 100 days in his second term, Wike said Rivers people should expend their money on relaxation and entertainment facilities in the state capital.

According to him, “This time, there is no need to travel to Dubai, United States or United Kingdom to relax or be entertained.

“We now have those facilities here in Port Harcourt. We have provided entertainment facilities to stop our people from travelling out for such purpose. Spend your money in our state. There’s no need for you to even go to Abuja.”

The governor said the new cinema though built by the state government would be administered by a private investor for sustenance.

He added that high a level security has been provided in

and around the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park to protect the serene and beautiful facilities.

Wike assured the people that the state government would continue to work to satisfy them and create the right environment for them to live comfortably.

He reiterated that the leadership of the state would not succumb to blackmail and negative propaganda.

In a project description, the Permanent Secretary of the Special Projects Bureau, Sunny Okere, said the project was designed to give the people maximum comfort.

He said the 250-person capacity cinema is divided into three sections, adding that the cinema has standard walls, lighting effects and sound proof.

Also, Chairman of Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area, Solomon Eke, commended the governor for executing key projects in the area.

He said the people of Obio/ Akpor LGA would continue to support Wike, maintaining that they exhibited their love for the governor by the way they defended their votes in the 2019 elections.

riding on motorcycles and two Toyota Hilux, invaded the village in the early hours of the morning, killing two people, with scores still missing.He explained that the attackers who came through TY Danjuma farm killed two people who were already in their farms before proceeding to burn the entire village.

The eyewitness who said the casualty figure may be higher as many people were already in the farm along the route the attackers came called on Governor Darius Ishaku who had said he had the capacity to end the killings in Taraba to do so immediately.

“I was on my way to the

farm when I sighted two Toyota Hilux vans and motorcycles advancing towards our village.

“I couldn’t call the people back home because of the poor network. “Many people are still missing and I am sure many of those missing might have been killed by the attackers who came in their

numbers.

“Our governor who recently kicked against a commission of inquiry into the crisis said he has the ability to solve the problem, so I want to plead with him to end these killings.”

Efforts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer, David Misal, to confirm the attack proved abortive.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE…

L-R: Deputy Governor, Kaduna State Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe; Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Odubiyi; Director, Book Buzz Foundation, Ms. Lola Shoneyin, at the opening ceremony of Kaduna Book and Arts Festival (KABAFEST) sponsored by Sterling Bank …yesterday

Nigeria Seeks Return to IMO Council Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, George Oguntade, has assured the international maritime community of the commitment of the federal government to enhance security on Nigerian waters.

This was as the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, announced Nigeria’s quest to return to Category C of the IMO Council this year.

Oguntade stated this at the dinner hosted in honor of a delegation from Nigeria at the headquarters of the

International Maritime Organization (IMO) with the Secretary General Mr. Kitac Lim, leading other permanent and alternate representatives to the dinner which also had the Chairman of the House Committee on Maritime Safety Education and Administration, Honorable Linda Ikpeazu in attendance.

Oguntade, who also doubles as Nigeria’s permanent representative at the IMO, said that the Nigerian government is committed to providing conducive environment for business in the Nigerian maritime sector to thrive.

He noted that the Global

Maritime Security Conference, which Nigeria has committed to host from October 7 to 9 this year, is another show of commitment to talking issues that may hinder business in the Nigerian maritime sector.

Peterside while announcing Nigeria’s quest to seek election back to the council noted that Nigeria has done enough to merit a return to council at the IMO. “Nigerian is willing and prepared to play more regional and international roles to the global maritime community but that would only be possible with your support. Let Nigeria contribute

from within the council to the growth of the maritime sector globally. Let’s contribute significantly to the work of the IMO,” Dakuku said.

He noted that the AntiPiracy Act in Nigeria took firm root from the technical support that was provided by the IMO. He also disclosed that Nigeria has ratified 40 IMO conventions and domesticated 19 with plans to ratify and domesticate 6 more in the very near future, adding that Nigeria topped the chart on Port and Flag State Administration in West and Central Africa sub-region.

Akpabio Loses at Election Petition Tribunal Okon Bassey in Uyo The National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal, sitting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, yesterday upheld the victory of Senator Christopher Ekpenyong as declared by the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the February 23 elections to represent Akwa Ibom North west senatorial district at the Senate of the National Assembly.

Akpabio, the first petitioner had challenged the elections on the ground that that

Ekpenyong was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election and that the election that produced Ekpenyong as winner was invalid owing to non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in the conduct of the elections.

But in a majority judgment, two justices dismissed the petition and upheld as valid the declaration of Ekpenyong as the winner of the election.

There was however a dissenting judgment by one out of the three judges of the tribunal.

Economic Zones Target 350,000 Direct Jobs James Emejo in Abuja Acting Managing Director, Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Mr. Terhemba David Nongo, yesterday said about 350,000 direct jobs and over a million indirect employment opportunities would be created when the

seven Economic Free Trade Zones (EFTZs) spread across the country are fully operational with world-class infrastructure and investments.

He said lack of funding by previous administrations had constrained the viability of both Kano and Calabar free trade zones.

But, he assured that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has since inception improved funding of the free trade scheme with total budgetary support totalling N100 billion.

He added that the funds had been used in upgrading facilities in Calabar free trade zone as well

as completing Kano free trade zone, which would soon be ready for commercial operations.

He said the provision of power remained the major obstacle in the operation of both Kano and Calabar zones, adding that about $15 million was required to provide 15 megawatts of power to the duo.

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

COMMENT

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

ENDING SPASMODIC XENOPHOBIA

Now is the time for constructive diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and South Africa, writes Oseloka H. Obaze

T

he spasmodic xenophobic attacks, which commenced around 2000 and escalated recently, has placed South Africa front and centre of global criticisms. It is also fraught with correlations. This would have been anecdotal, if it wasn’t tragic. Between 2000 and 2019, there have been 12 xenophobic attacks in various cities resulting in over 152

fatalities.

In the 1980s, when Nigerians felt exactly how South Africans feel now, they compelled government use of executive fiats to expel Ghanaians and other African immigrants. This gave rise to the “Ghana Must Go� mantra. The tables have turned. South Africans shouting “Nigerians Must Go� should not irk us. As fundamentals of international relations inform, foreign policy is an extrapolation of domestic policies. Public policies in Nigeria and South Africa have failed their respective domestic populace woefully, and orchestrated the present crisis.

Ironically, South Africa escaped apartheid in 1994, only to succumb to hate, in the joyful aftermath, by coveting xenophobia as its forte. This is like the catfish that swam the great sea, only to drown in a pot of soup. Justifiably, South Africans resent influx of aliens.

Still, these spasmodic xenophobic attacks are hardly contrived.

Inertly, they mimic black-on-black violence of yesteryears. And what are the root causes? Unfulfilled political promises, missed opportunities, dashed aspirations and hopes, deprivation, unemployment and ennui, all intrude, ramping up anger, stoking with fervour, violent pushback without reprieve. In this regard, South Africa mirrors Nigeria. Simply, South Africa has failed to uplift its struggling masses. As such, the aggression and attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners are misplaced.

Nigeria for its part, has similarly failed its masses causing many to emigrate or in the local parlance “check out�. Many have perished doing so. Nigeria’s failed domestic policies, youth unemployment, insecurity, absence of enabling environment for its teeming work force, are combined drivers that push Nigerians to search for greener pastures. The badly devalued Naira is a magnetdriver for the quest for convertible currencies, by any means, including internet scams, prostitution, drug and human trafficking, which admittedly, are prevalent irritants and offending variables in South Africa.

Truth be told, aversion to aliens is barely a novelty; but conventional wisdom abhors collective criminalization. The wave of xenophobic attacks have been incremental and peaked only recently.

Not being robustly addressed is a failure by both sides; South Africa and Nigeria. We arrived at this juncture because South African authorities - including the South African Police Force - often accused of complicity - deferred to inertia. The result; the crisis of locals with grievances was allowed to exacerbate and turn catastrophic, as the state demurred, pussyfooting without concern, until such levity became the trigger point.

Nigerian authorities, on their part, also pussyfooted. When aggrieved South Africans, sensing their sinking fate, took laws into their hands and the killings began, neither South Africa nor Nigeria acted robustly and sufficiently to mitigate the conflict. The world also watched, aghast with disdain, but hardly lifting a finger. There were missed opportunities and some hard lessons learned. The first is that South African authorities have failed to educate their youths. True, you cannot rid one oppressive yoke only to accept to be subjugated by another. But then, xenophobia, the discriminatory act against a collective, this time ÊmigrÊs, is as odious as apartheid; the discriminatory policy by whites against blacks. You can’t trade

THE BADLY DEVALUED NAIRA IS A MAGNET-DRIVER FOR THE QUEST FOR CONVERTIBLE CURRENCIES, BY ANY MEANS, INCLUDING INTERNET SCAMS, PROSTITUTION, DRUG AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WHICH ADMITTEDLY, ARE PREVALENT IRRITANTS AND OFFENDING VARIABLES IN SOUTH AFRICA

apartheid for xenophobia. The upshot: History untaught is a dangerous tool. Despite surfeits of global early warning tools, resentments were allowed to fester.

Nigeria, also failed woefully, in its responsibility to protect her citizens. Recently, her consular engagements with her nationals in South Africa were reportedly abysmal. Moreover, the Nigerian government had sufficient intelligence to know, that while a majority of Nigerians in South Africa are law abiding and domiciled there legally, most victims of the xenophobic attacks, were scofflaws engaged in some illegalities. Often, in turf wars, they orchestrated the attacks on their compatriots, deploying jobless South Africans and using xenophobia as a cover. Fatalities resulting from intra-Nigerian conflicts in South Africa, probably outstrips fatalities from xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. Nonetheless, African countries whose nationals are victims of the xenophobic attacks are entitled to feel let down by South Africans; after all they did to support the global anti-apartheid campaign.

These happenings aside, constructive efforts must be made to reverse the present ugly state of affairs. This requires returning to the drawing board, where both countries should have been some years back. The reactions, pushback, mission closing, envoy recalls and attacks on South African owned businesses, have happened, and regrettably so. Now is time for constructive diplomatic engagement. Beyond imminent strained relations, South Africa and Nigeria are already badly maligned by these incidents. With the challenges at hand, some potentially game-changing policy proposals should be considered.

First, Nigeria must not consider the xenophobic crisis strictly a South African problem. Its deleterious consequences on intraAfrican relations could be huge. Ahead of the summit meeting of the two Heads of State in October, Nigeria should engage South Africa robustly, to ensure positive outcomes. Nigeria must forestall any form of recrimination or reprisal, targeted at South African businesses in Nigeria. Moreover, a standoff will be defeatist.

Nigeria stands to lose more, considering the existing imbalance in bilateral investments.

Second, without prejudice to the decision to repatriate Nigerians who wish to leave South Africa, there should be short to long term plans to avoid repeat attacks. The primary concrete policy option is to deploy several ranking and skilled police officers as AttachĂŠs to the Nigerian High Commission and Consulate in South Africa immediately, to interface with their South African Police counterparts and the Nigerian community. Third, Nigeria should propose deploying several Nigerian security operatives on a ‘collaborative exchange programme’, to be embedded into the South African Police Force, in identified flashpoints.

Fourth, since South Africa needs to protect her long term national interests: she should be encouraged to consider expanding this novel policy, by including select Nigerians, Malawians, Mozambicans, Zimbabweans and Kenyans in South Africa in a civilian security mechanism that works with the South African police, with a view to focusing on preventive measures.

Finally, ending the spasmodic xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa must be seen as a collective mission in this era of globalization and African integration.

Political manoeuvring will be most unhelpful.

Obaze is Managing Director/Chief Executive OfďŹ cer, Selonnes Consult – a policy, governance and management consulting ďŹ rm in Awka

EL-RUFAI’S (UN)SPILT MILK Olusegun Adeniyi writes that the ‘Milky Way Partnership’ between Kaduna and Arla Foods is good for the economy

A

s the first to arrive for the KIF Board meeting in Kaduna on 15th August, I waited in the office of Governor El-Rufai who was having a meeting with some foreigners. As he greeted me the moment his meeting ended, it was obvious something was amiss. I asked whether there was any issue with the meeting he just held. He didn’t dissemble. “The regulatory environment in the country can sometimes be very frustrating�, he said and added, “Those guys are from the globally renowned Danish company, Arla Foods and we have been negotiating with them for the past two years on a public-private partnership that will help resuscitate the local dairy sector industry in Kaduna State. But the recent statement by the federal government has put spanners in the works.�

The statement El-rufai was referring to was the ‘directive’ by President Muhammadu Buhari for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to sell Forex to persons in the business of importing food products into the country. El-Rufai—who explained to me how President Olusegun Obasanjo

was able to ensure Nigeria produces enough cement for local needs and is now exporting the product (through a well-articulated and scrupulously managed import substitution policy)—believes the same could be done in pastoral agriculture in the country. But he also added that it would require different phases and timelines. Given how despondent he sounded, I decided I was going to write on what I thought was a botched deal with the Danes and I already had the headline in my head: El-Rufai’s Spilt Milk!

I am happy I did not rush to write given that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was finally signed on Monday between Kaduna State government and Arla Foods. I am encouraged that El-Rufai eventually found a way around the challenge. While the state government will offer 1,000 nomadic dairy farmers permanent farm lands with access to water, Arla will be the commercial partner that will purchase, collect, process and bring the local milk to market. The project will primarily be funded with CBN loans guaranteed by the state while Arla, as the commercial partner, will invest in establishing the milk collection centres.

The collaboration between Kaduna and Arla is envisioned on a five-year project called the ‘Milky Way Partnership’ to develop a sustainable dairy value chain. “The partnership and project have demonstrated a viable scalable business model that has created both an increase in income and job opportunities for local farmers and employees in the dairy sector. At the Amana Dairy Cooperative in the outskirts of Kaduna, the farmers see the benefits of being part of the Milky Way Partnership.

They now have steady access to water and a milking parlour has been installed to ensure that the milk is cooled down immediately after milking to preserve quality� Alhaji Sani Aliyu, one of the dairy farmers at Amana Dairy Cooperative, said on Monday.

Mr Jesper Kamp, the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, was also effusive about the project. “The ongoing collaboration between Arla and Kaduna State Government is a great example of the positive impact EU companies can bring when they engage with local producers‌This project has great potential to develop the local dairy sector and make a real difference in many farmers’ businesses and livesâ€? he

says. Mr Steen Hadsbjerg, Vice President Sub-Saharan Africa Region for Arla Foods shares his sentiment: “Bringing local milk into our product portfolio is part of the way we believe that our business will be long-term successful in Nigeria. We will only succeed in growing local farmers’ incomes, building Nigeria’s dairy sector and achieving Arla’s ambitions in West Africa if the project and its activities are commercially viable. This is a great example of business and development going hand in hand to ensure long-term sustainable solutions that are built to last.�

As things stand in Nigeria today, the domestic dairy industry is supplying less than 10 percent of our current demand, leaving a huge gap that is filled by importation. Aside the fact that investments in this sector will help to create wealth and put many of our people to work, it also has a potential to resolve a serious national security problem. If we get it right, the idea of some people roaming the bush with herds of cattle would gradually be eliminated. That will also reduce their incessant clashes with sedentary farmers. I commend El-Rufai for seeing through the initiative.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

EDITORIAL TREATIES BETWEEN GOVERNORS AND BANDITS The amnesty to the bandits offers little comfort

D

esperate to find a solution to the widespread insecurity in his state, Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari last week did the unthinkable. He, along with other top government officials, security operatives, traditional rulers and representatives of Miyetti Allah, held sessions with representatives of bandits terrorising his state. “We are ready to dialogue with the bandits and ready to go anywhere they invite us,” said Masari. “We are not afraid to meet anybody to end this problem.” At yet another meeting, Masari told the heads of the criminals, one brandishing an AK47 assault rifle: “We were advised by the President to talk to you. And we did.”

Katsina State is in a mess. So are Zamfara and Kaduna States in the northwest of the country which share borders with Katsina. They are all under siege by rampaging gang of bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers and cattle rustlers.

THE AMNESTY IS A Nigeria’s Northwest, TESTIMONY TO THE earlier insulated GENERAL INSECURITY from the havoc and ACROSS THE COUNTRY ghastly atrocities of the decade-long Boko FOR WHICH THE Haram insurgency AUTHORITIES MUST in the Northeast, has FIND A MORE ENDURING become another major SOLUTION theatre of violence.

In the last few months, dozens of our citizens have been maimed or killed within the zone. In addition, many lives were lost in clashes between farmers and herders.

The former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari reckoned that about 500 villages and 13,000 hectares of land have been laid waste, 835 people killed between 2011 and 2018 and about 44,000 children orphaned since 2010 in Zamfara. “They arrest rural people at will and demand ransom which, if not paid, results in the killing of their victims,” said Galadiman Katsina and District Head of Malumfashi, Justice Mamman Nasir who recently survived a kidnap attempt.

Letters to the Editor

Indeed, all the security agencies of state have been rendered impotent. Thus in their desperate bid to restore order to their ravaged states, the Northwest governors are signing ceasefire “treaties” with the bandits and granting them “amnesty,” the terms of which were undisclosed.

But the governors agreed that in pursuit of peace, bandits should drop their weapons. “As from today, no vigilante group member or volunteers should attack or kill any herdsman, as sacrifice must be made by both sides to ensure peace to reign,” the communiqué read. The bandits were further enjoined to surrender their weapons while setting free kidnapped people in their custody.

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

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NIGERIA-USVISA FEES

CHALLENGES OF KOGI AND BAYELSA ELECTIONS

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s the Independent National Electoral Commission prepares for its first major election since the 2019 general elections, the issues that plagued the February and March general elections may rear their head again if not properly addressed. The Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections are a little over two months away, yet the signs witnessed before the 2019 elections took place are still obvious, and may affect the credibility of the November polls. In a recent report, YIAGA Africa said one of the major issues that affected the 2019 elections is undemocratic political party primaries and commercialized candidate nomination process. It is no more news that political parties deliberately flouted their guidelines, constitutions, and INEC guidelines on party primaries as well as the Electoral Act. The party primaries during the 2019 general elections were marked by financial inducement and horse-trading. There was also reported inducement of delegates with local and foreign currencies during direct and indirect primaries and deliberate substitution of candidates who won in primaries with supposed “anointed choices” of party leaders. The current situation in Bayelsa and Kogi may just be pointing to a similar direction as report has it that delegates were induced with cash amidst controversies and unrest that beclouded some party primaries in both states.

Beyond political party primaries, INEC needs to take actions on critical issues after a lot of recommendations by election observers following the 2019 elections. For

ello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara State added: “The governors took a uniform measure, you should also take a uniform decision not to rustle animals, kidnap or kill anyone.” The permanent secretary, special services, office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Amina Shamaki commended the efforts, arguing that the “dialogue” initiated

by Matawalle and the other governors in the zone should be adopted by states with similar security challenges.

“The application of the carrot-and-stick approach is an effective strategy that enables criminals willing to embrace peace to do so while repentant ones are identified and isolated for appropriate actions by security agencies,” she said.

On paper, the dialogue with the bandits seems a welcome compromise. But what assurances are there that they will not relapse? Can a group of outlaws keep to agreement? Can they be taken at their words? Will cash handouts to some identified criminals stop the wave of violence? It was Masari himself who said a while ago that the grip by the bandits was total. “If you kill one person, another one will come out because they don’t know the value of life because of lack of education.”

For us, the challenges are enormous. With more than 60 per cent of the youth unemployed, the dark clouds will not go away and the humiliating amnesty offers little comfort. It is a testimony to the general insecurity across the country for which the authorities must find a more enduring solution than signing ‘treaties’ with criminals.

instance, YIAGA Africa noted some lapses in the design, communication and lack of uniformity in the implementation of the guidelines issued by the electoral commission.

One major technical issue that affected the 2019 elections and may be rearing its head again is the fact that there was no clarity on who reserves the authority to cancel ballots and the levels where cancellation will take place. This led to collation officers exercising excessive discretionary powers in cancelling results and declaring winners where the total number of registered voters in cancelled polling units had the potential of affecting the margin of lead between candidates in flagrant violation of Section 26 and 53 of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended.

As a result of this arbitrary cancellation, there has been increase in the percentage of polling units where elections were cancelled as political parties seem to have deployed this strategy against opposition strongholds. Overall, the percentage of cancelled ballots announced by INEC was 3.3% of all registered voters according to YIAGA Africa report. This is four times higher than the rate from 2015 when registered voters in cancelled polling units were less than 1% of all registered votes. As a matter of exigency and even as it plans for the governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi, INEC needs to undertake a public investigation into the cancelation of ballots and to take appropriate legal actions should it be discovered that any INEC staff or collation officer cancelled ballots with intent to affect the election outcome.

Moshood Isah, Media Officer, YIAGA Africa

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he Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has approved lower visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy as recommended by a committee. Accordingly, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has been directed to implement the new fee in Nigeria’s visa charges to US Citizens to USD 150 with effect from Thursday, 29th August, 2019. It is a valuable tool in supporting tourism and trade, public diplomacy, and national security.

Aregbesola comes out with new initiatives to promote Nigeria as a premier destination for international travellers by making the processes for moving people and goods more secure and efficient. In a manner consistent with our responsibility to protect Nigeria’s borders, the minister has taken steps to improve the visa process for all legitimate travellers who wish to visit our nation. Travel and tourism strengthen Nigeria’s economy by creating jobs in communities.

The minister will devote significant resources to increase efficiency and capacity in the visa process, deploying additional personnel, expanding visa sections, and utilizing new systems and technologies to facilitate legitimate travel without compromising national security.

There were engagements with the United States Embassy on the issue and in the aftermath, a committee was set up to conduct due diligence in line with the Ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of visa fees. The committee had concluded its assignment and submitted a report but the issuance of authorisation for its recommendations was delayed due to transition processes in the Ministry at the policy level. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola wants Nigeria-US relations to function efficiently with a common visa policy which facilitates the entry of legal visitors into the two countries while strengthening internal security. High quality visa facilitation and border processes are essential to supporting growth from emerging markets. Visa policy remains particularly subject to political risk. Visa policy plays an increasingly important role for the security of countries around the globe. Nevertheless, state institutions worldwide have to solve the dilemma of establishing visa procedures that would correspond to their security needs but would not create unnecessary barriers for tourists and investors. There is little debate about the importance of visa as an instrument that protects state borders and efficiently regulates migration, especially in these days of globalisation.

Inwalomhe Donald, Abuja

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THURSDAY SEPTMEBER 12, 2019 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

POLITICS

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

‘Niger State is Relatively Safe’ Nseobong Okon-Ekong dialogues with Abduba’qi Usman Ebbo, Director General, ICT and Public Enlightenment, Government House, Niger State on some of the issues of public concern about the administration of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello

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Brains and Hammers Limited is also constructing a 200 housing unit samples in Suleja Local Government.

We are hoping to expand and replicate these projects in other local governments within the state.

hat are you doing about the increasingly bad state of one of the major roads in the state; Minna-Bida Road?

You’ll agree with me that the state has sunk some reasonable amount of money into maintaining that road. The truth of the matter is, that road can no longer take maintenance, it requires total reconstruction and there is a process in place already to ameliorate the condition of the road with the aid of the Islamic Development Bank loan.

The government feels that maintenance could be done before the dualization of the road by Islamic Development Bank. And efforts are in place to ensure this is done.

Why is there no gainful success on agriculture as can be seen in many northern states?

It is wrong to say that there’s no record of any success in agriculture in the state.

Bobi Grazing Reserve is one of the biggest investments in agriculture in this country.

It is the fist indigenous milk center to be situated there, construction is already ongoing by WAMCO company.

The reserve, which will offer jobs to thousands of residents across the entire state, will be fortified with facilities, including electricity supply, modest accommodation for inhabitants of the reserves, toilet and ancilliary conveniences some of which are already in place while others are ongoing.

The veterinary clinic has already been completed.

This administration has purchased, so far, over 230 tractors since assumption of office and same were given to the state farmers at subsidized rates.

Fertilizers are also made available to farmers at reduced rate and also easily accessible unlike before.

The government has also keyed into the DFID ,Fadama III project, CBN-AnchorBorrower scheme amongst others for the benefit of farmers in the state.

In 2016/2017, Niger State was recorded as the highest rice producing state and this feat has been maintained till date.

Dangote Group is set to commence work at Wushishi Local Government. The rice mill project being built by the Dangote company is said to be one of the largest of its type in West Africa. The UBEC building in Wushishi is already housing over 100 containers and equipment in readiness for kickoff.

BOA group has also carried out its feasibility report in Lapai lLocal Government for a similar project and would soon transport necessary equipment to the site.

In Borgu Local Government,the Swashi Rice Farm is already producing rice on an industrial scale.

The introduction and training of green house farming in the state has produced young green house farmers in the state and they are all now independent farmers.

This administration also started a reactivation and revitalization exercise on six irrigation schemes within the state. One of which is currently on lease to AFEN company, an Abuja-based company that produces rice. This is located in Loguma Local Government.

The state has also keyed into Agricultural Accelerated Development Scheme (AEDS) where over 350 youths were empowered last year through provision of agricultural tools, seeds and land in Akare, Wushishi Local Government Area.

Among the reactivated irrigation schemes are the Edozhigi, Zara, Loguma and Lioji.

A recent statistic by STATISENSE (@statisense), a data company with expertise in data analysis, market survey, training, research and data advocacy, placed Niger State as the highest contributor to the agricultural

Would you say the state has made any gain on its investment in the life of this administration?

When I discussed agricultural achievements in the state, I mentioned the Dangote Rice Mill, WAMCO is setting up the indigenous milk center in Nigeria, the BOA projects,the AFEN rice production, Adaminna is an indigenous company that’s into production of Rice, Maize, Beans; all on industrial scale. These are investments in the state. There’s currently a cashew producing company located in Suleja.

The issue of insecurity is becoming worrisome in Niger state, how can the governor nip some of these issues in the bud before an embarrassing malaise?

The security challenges in the state is under control and this is based on the proactive approach and measures in place by the state government. These measures, I cannot discuss publicly as security measures aren’t meant for public. The government can’t reveal its security strategies. However, You can find out from the residents that Niger State is relatively safe.

Ebbo economy in Nigeria.

In addition to the above, 574km rural roads were constructed in conjunction with RAMP to link the rural farmers and ease the process of transportation of agricultural products to the urban cities.

The government started so well with renovation of school buildings, but why does it look like that effort has been abandoned?

The government has not abandoned the school renovation exercise. About six schools were captured in this year’s budget, among them are; Bahago Secondary School, Government Day Girls Secondary School, Lapai; Suleiman Baro Secondary School, Suleja and Government Secondary School, Eyagi-Bida.

What happened to the civil servants leave grant that the government gave

The process is in batches. The first and second batch of the civil servant leave grant has been paid. The government is working on payment of the third batch.

There is no refusal to pay the leave grant and only mischief makers would say payment has been abandoned

its word on?

The process is in batches. The first and second batch of the civil servant leave grant has been paid. The government is working on payment of the third batch. There is no refusal to pay the leave grant and only mischief makers would say payment has been abandoned.

Why is the governor going back and forth on the initial agreement to complete the assembly quarters, city mall and stadium?

I am not aware of such agreement.

However, on the issue of assembly quarters, this will have to be completed as the old state assembly quarters were sold to the old members. The new members, who are residing outside Minna need a place within Minna,and as such, having a state assembly quarters to serve as residence to members is not misplaced.

The city mall project was sold to Jaiz Bank.

This is because, the business of buying and selling is always more productive in the hands of private investors.

Jaiz Bank is an Islamic financial institution which, until the purchase of the mall, did not have any branch in Minna. So, acquiring the structure will enable them own a branch in the capital, Minna. And those who’re interested in non-interest banking can now do their transactions with ease.

The construction of a stadium in the state is of economic importance. Not only will it attract sporting events to the state, but it will enhance the economic activities within the state. For example,if the state is to host the National Sport Festival,it will attract economic growth to small scale businesses within the state and also boost other social activities.

Therefore,this is a good project. Although the bond taken by last administration to build the stadium was squandered but the current governor has already set up a committee for the stadium.

The issue of adequate housing has been highlighted for some time now, how is the governor addressing it?

A sample of one of the housing projects the state has embarked on is in Chanchaga.

The section of the road between Bilkebab and COE is deteriorating fast, is there a palliative measure that put can be urgently implemented to redeem it?

The Road section between Bilkebab and COE is what the State Road Maintenance Agency can handle,and have tried to maintain, but unfortunately, heavy duty vehicles keep plying the route even before completion of works on the road.

This has been been a major problem.

However, a lasting solution is underway as the government will resume enforcement the law regarding the movement of heavy trucks in the state.

It looks like the governor has lost touch with the people completely.

We were told contracts were awarded but there doesn’t seem to be any work to justify these contracts. The governor’s frequent travels out the state and out of the country is also not helping his image. The initiative to curb wastage by bieng meticulous with approvals and payments is being mismanaged.

When payment for legitimate work is not being paid, the wheel of progress will grind to a halt. An example is the Bida Basin project The Maitumbi Road was previously awarded to a contractor and work actually commenced. However, it was discovered that the guidelines and terms of the contract of award was breached by the contractor, consequently, the government has halt the work until the contractor reverse to the original agreement or the work may be terminated by the government. This was why work was paused on the road.

The Governor definitely hasn’t lost touch with his people. And I’ll use this opportunity to address the issue of his traveling.

I want to categorically state that,all of the governor’s travels are official outings and not some private vacations. And all other state governors do this.

I’m often amazed when people make this a big issue, I sometimes tell people to take time out and research about this with other state governors and maybe they will have a better understanding of the matter.

The Governor did not truncate Bida Basin, and the project hasn’t stopped.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

POLITICS

‘Yoruba Leaders Lining Their Pockets with the Name of the OPC Know Themselves’ Nseobong Okon-Ekong holds a discussion with Prince Osibote, President of the PanYoruba pressure group, Oodua Peoples Congress on the increasing possibility of a major violent conflict within the group that may lead to tragic loss of lives, like in the past

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n h ow m a ny s t a t e s o f t h e f e d e ra t i o n d o e s t h e O P C currently have a presence?

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) is very active in 11 states of the federation. These are Edo Ekiti, Ondo, Kano, Ogun and Plateau. The organization also operates in Kwara, Osun, Oyo and Lagos. We are active in the FCT, as well Can the OPC conduct its activit i e s o u t s i d e t h e S o u t h - we s t o f Nigeria?

Definitely. We have been carrying out our activities in two Northern states and the FCT. We see, everywhere, signage of t h e O P C c l e a r l y s t a t i n g ‘ l e d by G a n i A d a m s ’ , h ow e f f e c t ive i s your disclaimer since some sort of legitimacy has been conferred on Adams following his liaison w i t h a n d w i d e a c c e p t a n c e by l e a d i n g a n d r e s p e c t e d Yo r u b a Institutions and the establishment?

No legitimacy was conferred on him, Gani is an usurper and you know traitors and sell-outs always have their listeners and followers who sometimes are of like minds.

Others have just come to accept him so or believe him so due to the constant and unrelenting propaganda he puts out claiming to be a leader of the OPC, when in actual fact he broke away from the OPC. Also, please kindly note that Yoruba people are aware of the solid antecedence of the late founder of the OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun even before the creation of the OPC. Those who are peddling lies with Gani wittingly or unwittingly, are using him as a tool to achieve their own goals. Gani doesn’t have any control over OPC because he wasn’t anointed, but anyway we will sort that out very soon and people will see.

A r e yo u s ay i n g G a n i A d a m s has no claim to or stake in the O P C , w hy d o e s h e c o n t i n u e t o use the name and paraphernalia s o b ra z e n l y ?

Gani Adams has no claim to the OPC founded by the late Dr. Fasehun, that l, Prince Osibote succeeded. The OPC remains one indivisible organization. Can a child who rebelled against his father lay claim to his inheritance? Otherwise, please tell me how. It’s not done in our culture.

What legal steps have you exploited to end the misuse of the O P C a s e x e m p l i f i e d by A d a m s ?

All I can tell you for now is that various options are being exploited at the moment.

Is there a shift in the OPC , in terms of ideals and ideas? Where is it heading?

Yes. Fresh ideas are being injected into the organization. As a matter of fact, the group has just undergone a reform process to make it more effective, and this will be continuous. We do realize that the times are changing and we must become reflective of the present times whilst not losing our core values. We intend to be a more nimble, disciplined and a

Prince Osibote, OPC President

very focused group, with an eye on the future and the survival and thriving of our people and Nigeria.

No legitimacy was conferred on him, Gani is an usurper and you know traitors and sell-outs always have their listeners and followers who sometimes are of like minds. Others have just come to accept him so or believe him so due to the constant and unrelenting propaganda he puts out claiming to be a leader of the OPC, when in actual fact he broke away from the OPC

Would you agree that the OPC failed Yorubas and other Nigerians in Yorubaland when it could not rise to defend the threat to their lives and scores were killed?

Have you suddenly forgotten our history? The creation of OPC was a reaction to the annulment of June 12 , 1993 general election won by Late MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man. The OPC has been defending the interests of the Yorubas and non Yorubas all together. In Okota where l live, the Igbos have the highest population.

As a result of that, l am involved in every aspect of life there from settling disputes between Yorubas and Igbos; Igbos and Hausa etc. And again the OPC has been fighting and agitating for restructuring of Nigeria to the benefit of all, so OPC is useful to everybody.

This OPC (not that fake, gallivanting one) has been and is working quietly to secure the region in the face of the present onslaught and you might have noticed that there has been a slight mitigation, but there is so much more to do. We are ready to work with the authorities and are awaiting their reach out.

What is the nexus between OPC and other Yoruba pressure groups like Afenifere and YCE? Afenifere is a social, political and cultural Pan-Yoruba organization whose aims and objectives are similar to that of the OPC in that they share a common understanding in

the defence of the interests of the Yoruba race, and these two groups are at the fore front of calling for restructuring of the nation. There has always been a synergy between the OPC, Afenifere and other Yoruba pressure groups.

Th e O P C h a s b e e n s a i l i n g f o r 2 5 ye a r s n ow, w i t h s o m e t ra g i c instances in its history that looks set to repeat itself, how can this b e avo i d e d ?

It is very simple, those people including their cohorts in Yorubaland who are claiming to be leaders of Yoruba people, distorting the history of the OPC, peddling lies about its founding and dragging the name of the organization in the mud in order to line their pocket should desist henceforth. The Yoruba leaders know themselves. We will not mention names now.

Is it unreasonable to think that ego of the leading personalities i n t h e O P C i s a t t h e ro o t o f t h e c o n f l i c t s w i t h i n t h e g ro u p ?

Yes it is very unreasonable, because the OPC founded by the late Dr Frederick Fasehun that is under my leadership is one and indivisible. There is no other OPC. Can those who are distorting history about the founding of the group just because of money and position be regarded as leaders? Like l said earlier, can a rebel son lay claim to his father ’s inheritance?

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325

Early Start for Budding Whiz Kids Maduabuchi Ubani writes on TeenHack Inclusive Project, a hands-on community technology project, that is transforming kids into whiz giants within five days by teaching them basic programming, teamwork, critical thinking, leadership and logical reasoning in my twenties, one cannot comprehend what young people can do when they are exposed to technology education from an early age. As the team lead, we decided to add up more classes to enable the kids have varieties to choose from. It is such a humbling experience to see these young people showing so much enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. With our league of volunteers and facilitators, there is no way kids that made it to TIP will leave the same way they came,�’Agwa enthused.

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n a certain Friday, four young boys stood outside the hall of the Abia State Polytechnic ICT Lab. Their eyes were glued to the laptop held by their team lead; he seemed to be drawing their attention to something they had overlooked. These young boys within the age of 10-17 years were talking in almost muted tones. They were almost oblivious of the happenings around them. On a closer look, you could feel the intensity of their focus, the spark in their eyes, and the proud look on each of their faces.

Their time to be called up to the stage was almost by the corner. They had queued up and watched other kids present their tech projects to the parents in the other room; projects they had poured their heart and energy into for the past four days. There was no room for loopholes or failure given that parents had practically suspended work that particular Friday just to come see them show their skill.

Without mincing words, everything had to be perfect; exactly the way it was arranged to be.

Bethel Ogbonnaya was the team lead of the four youngsters. They had been learning how to build websites using Wordpress for the past four days. After being divided into teams, Ogbonnaya‘s group was assigned to build a website using Wordpress.

They had ideated on their kind of website, and even built one as a team; a job placement site which will help connect skilled people to local jobs in the community.

The website is “what we came up to build as a team.� Ogbonnaya continued, “we see so many graduates that are looking for jobs in our community, but they don’t really have skills or even a job. So when they go to our website and see the skills that people are really looking for to give employment, they will learn this skills, and get jobs�.

While Ogbonnaya and his team members were going over the website to clear up loopholes before their presentation, other teams were also doing something similar.

These kids, more than 130 in number, within the age range of seven to 17 are beneficiaries of a free technology summer code camp program which has been happening every August for the past four years in Aba, Abia State.

TeenHack Inclusive Project The program, TeenHack Inclusive Project (TIP) is a social enterprise of RAD5 Tech Hub, a technology-focused and innovation-powered hub, that is focused on helping businesses scale through using technology.

TIP is focused on teaching kids and teenagers about basic programming, teamwork, critical thinking, leadership and logical reasoning.

This year’s TIP added more value to the line of events by adding Chatbot development, and photography. In all, the kids in their different groups got to learn Web development, Chatbot development, Scratch Programming and Photography.

TIP was born out of the need for kids to learn something different during the August break. So instead of these kids to go for extra mural lessons, which is also the same reading and writing they do during normal school sessions, kids can do something different by attending practical technology classes which will teach them skills that are in demand, and also guide them in their journey into technology literacy.

Early Exposure to Technology Just recently, a group of young ladies from Anambra State won the Technovation in Paris, France. Their technology knowledge made them build a platform that will help curtail fake drug infiltration in their community The early exposure to technology is one of the reasons behind the success of the girls.

This exposure is what keeps people like

Processes Due to the challenge that most kids that make it to the program every year have neither touched a computer mouse nor a keyboard, a plan was put in place; for the first and second day, the kids are intimated on the basic use of the computer as it concerns the very area they are going to be taught.

After the practical computer introduction, the kids and teenagers are segmented into various classes with different tutors. Here, they are further placed in different groups to work on their projects, which will be shown to parents on the Demo Day. So far, TeenHack inclusive has trained more than 1,300 three kids and teenagers in Aba, Abia State alone. Some of the kids have moved on to study computer science in various tertiary institutions due to the basic background that the program offered them.

Some of the participants in the website class

Cross section of TeenHack 2019 participants

Participants in the ICT lab

Some teenagers preparing their project for the demo day

Peter Agwa energised to do more for young people in the community. Agwa is the 2019 TeenHack team lead, and he is putting his best foot forward to ensure that more engaging classes are adopted into the program.

As an Android Developer, Agwa bumped

into active programming in his twenties. If the upcoming generation can be exposed to technology literacy at an early stage, he believes there’s nothing stopping them from doing the impossible. “If I got to learn how to build android apps

Funding One of the visions of TeenHack is to move past the annual program, and engage the kids in an after school training all year round.

This of course demands funding and active partnership. “We have been running TeenHack for the past four years. This year alone, TeenHack took place in Abia and Oyo State. All of these feats we have achieved without funding from anyone or any organisation�, said Igwe Uguru, who is the co-founder of Rad5 Tech Hub and co-organiser of TeenHack Inclusive Project.

Uguru has seen promising young people attend the project without continuous follow-up.

This is because there is no financial strength to link up with the kids and work with them actively.

Working with the kids entails that after the yearly TeenHack Program, the ones showing great promise will be brought in the RAD5 training programs where they can be shown how to be core developers and amazing technologists. “There is willingness on the part of the hub and even on the kids, but then the financial involvement and resources becomes a problem.

Most of the kids come for TeenHack because it’s free. But when it comes to closely working with them as a hub, their parents cannot afford it. “Also, most of the kids don’t even have laptops. So there is very little we can do.

It grieves our heart to hold the event just once in a year and see these young minds wait till another year to attend. We want a situation where we can work with them all year round. With more support, we will definitely do more and engage more children,�

Uguru explained.

This is necessary because as each Demo Day, the parents are amazed and awed by what their kids can do within five days, spurring them to applaud and encourage the efforts of the program organisers and facilitators in propagating the gospel of technology literacy in the community.

TeenHack Inclusive Project is in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goal on education with the aim of not only raising technology and digital literate young minds, but also providing an enabling platform for young people to solve problems in the community using technology, and eventually become financially independent using their technology skills.

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#THISISNIGERIA -

Olawale Opayinka

The Church Has Lost its Way - Nigerian Pentecostals

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f My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14).

This is God speaking to the children of Israel, HIS chosen people. And He was talking of healing the place they occupied not the world that included the ones He had not called HIS own. Today, the children of God through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ include the Gentiles; the Gentiles being the modern-day church outside Israel.

The Church today has lost its way and it is time to turn back from its wicked ways so the Lord can heal our land. The Church is our land as Colossians 1:18 puts it - And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the pre-eminence.

Our Lord Jesus Christ remains the head of the Church, what we have on earth is the body of Christ. The abnormality we now have in the Nigerian-styled Pentecostal Church today is that the Pastor is the Head of the Church and when the Pastor is kind, he adopts his wife as the co-Pastor. They are the de-facto owners of the church. Whoever else they bring along is serving their ministry.

However, the template for the body of Christ as it operated in the early church is the operation of the five-fold ministries as explained in Ephesians Chapter 4 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [a]edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head —Christ

(vs 11-15).

Our Lord Jesus Christ knowing what was required for the Church, His body, to thrive, gave the five-fold ministries. Nowhere in God’s word does it lay claim that the Pastor was the higher ranked gift. All the five-fold giftings of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers are to work together for a unified purpose. Infact, if you ranked the giftings just by the listing alone, Apostles came first and rightly so as they are the strategists; the ones who know the direction in which the Church is heading and are meant to serve as custodians of the vision. The Prophets come second speaking of things to come; then Evangelists to show the demonstrative power of God to save. The Pastors are there to look after the day to day needs of members within the Church as administrators of the faith; while the Teachers break down the Word of God. Each representative body of Christ must have all five-fold giftings in play without the Pastor and his wife running the errant role of being superior.

Today the situation we have with the abuse in the church by self-styled Pastors would have been better managed if those churches operated with a body of leaders who are coadministrators as Apostles, Evangelists etc. Then, if one member of the body of elders errs, like a pastor for example, it is dealt with objectively and appropriately. It will save the situation that exists with the rape allegation against the Pastor of COZA who unilaterally decided when to take a leave of absence and when to return to the pulpit. The optics would have brought more healing. The scandal would have been better managed without the body of Christ, the Church, being brought into disrepute. The body of elders, which includes all the five-fold giftings, would have decided the fate of the Pastor without the church worrying, or the society feeling that the church is complicit in the abuse of the vulnerable saints.

The Nigerian-styled Pentecostal Church is incessantly becoming a scourge instead of a comfort to many societies across many nations around the world where it is fast spreading

in its unregulated and risk-centred operating structures. It is time for it to find its way. It needs to humble itself and turn from its wicked ways. If it does not, God himself will judge it before the society does. When there was a similar chaos of abuse within the Catholic Church, the Pope and its Cardinals at the Vatican were held responsible and they were forced to deal with errant Vicars and Bishops. Today, if there is a similar indiscriminate abuse as we have across many pentecostal churches – where does society go? In Nigeria, even the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), at a crucial moment, claimed the errant church was not under its purview. A classic comfortable posture of kicking the can down the road.

The case with COZA is a shot across the bowels of the Pentecostal movement in Nigeria.

It is however not the first of such abuses that have come to the fore in other churches and or indeed about self-styled pastors or church owners without the needful being done.

Unfortunately, the society has nowhere to go. Church members continue to seek their blessing from the same polluted altars!

These types of churches need to repent as there is no place for a one-man led church with his wife or husband as the case maybe. The Head of the Church is our Lord Jesus Christ.

When a church is established, the men and women with the five-fold giftings should form the Elders of the Church. The other members of the church who are not Elders but whose wealth sustain the church have a big say in how the church is run. The failure to start dealing with this scourge is delaying the day of reckoning which even if it tarries in mercy, will surely come. Our Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for the Church. While the Pentecostal church movement as a great role to play in the society; however, as salt, it is losing its flavour. And when salt loses its flavour, it is thrown out as Matthew reminds us in Chapter 5 - You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (vs 13).

There can be no halfway house in the journey

to a restoration of grace and power in the Pentecostal Church movement. The society needs that demonstrative transformative power of healing. The one man and his spouse led church is evidently today devoid of that power.

That power which captures the man or woman, leads to salvation and warms the heart of the new born-again Christian to seek God is fast becoming a thing of the past. Lets not forget Paul’s warning - For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God (Romans 8:19).

This necessary redemption of the Pentecostal Church in question is not only needed in the Nigerian marketplace where it operates but in other nations of the world where the church has been exported. The church with its fervency of prayer is needed amongst the nations but a new cistern is required.

If the self-styled Pentecostal Church movements as it operates in Nigeria, and it does in the United States of America (USA), where the worst part of it has been imported, the Lord will do the needful however delayed.

The Word of God refers: And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and [a]cruelty you have ruled them (Ezekiel 34:1-4).

It is time for the Church to turn around from its wicked ways so that the Lord can heal their Land and the power of God can be restored. The world needs the church and its incredible networks flowing with that power.

A word is enough for the Wise.

-Olawale Opayinka is an actuarial and a ďŹ nancial engineer.

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VDT Opens Experience Centre in Lagos

NBCC INVESTITURE

L-R: CEO Richardson Oil & Gas Limited, Mr. Akin Osuntoki; GMD/CEO Greenwich Trust Limited, Mr. Kayode Falowo, and GM/Group Head, Business Development, BUA Group, Mr. Tajudeen Ahmed, during the investiture of Falowo as the 16th President/Chairman of Council of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce in Lagos...recently

FG Insists on Practical Skills for e-Government Processes Emma Okonji The federal government through the Ministry of Communications, has stressed the need for all government officials to take the issue of e-Government initiative from theoretical to practical approach, in order to ensure strategic implementation of all government online processes.

This, the government explained, would be in tandem with the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The Minister of Communications, Dr. Isa Pantami, who gave the order during the recent meeting with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), led by its Country Director, Mr.

TELECOM Woochan Chang, at Abuja, said the federal government recognised the support, collaboration and trainings facilitated for many public servants in Nigeria by KOICA, noting that government was ready to continue to partner and work with them to move the e-Government implementation to the next level.

According the minister, “We must sit down and take the issue of e-Government from theoretical to practical approach. I am glad we already have e-Government Master Plan in place but I always challenge my colleagues that producing master plan, blue print or strategies is not enough

until we do what we can to translate it into action�

He added, “If a document is produced and documented in our place without implementation, the aims would have been defeated because the strategy is just theoretical, execution of that theory is where our expertise needs to be displayed.�

Pantami said living in theoretical form would not solve the problem, while stressing the need for government officials to ensure that they put a strategy in place to implement the master plan religiously and ensure that the country reaps the expected result for its socio-economic development, by creating digital jobs. “We want to ensure that all

the agencies under the Ministry play significant roles in the area of E-Government implementation,� he added.

The minister thanked the KOICA team for the provision of e-Government Training Centre at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) and assured them that government would ensure that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) do partake in the training.

Responding, Chang pointed out that the team had been collaborating with the ministry to develop e-Government in Nigeria and that it has engaged with many other stakeholders such as the Open Government Continued on page 24

Expert Advocates New Roles for CEOs, CFOs in Financial Technology Adoption Nosa Alekhuogie Following the rise in emerging technologies globally, that are currently shaping financial transactions, a financial technology expert has called for the adoption of new roles for chief executive offices (CEOs) and chief finance officers (CFOs) of financial institutions.

This, he said would enable them align with the technology evolution currently sweeping across global financial institutions.

Speaking at a financial technology workshop organised

by Microsoft in partnership with the Harvard Business

TELECOM Review in Lagos, recently, the Partner/Experience Center and Emerging Technologies Leader at PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Nigeria, Mr. Femi Osinubi, said: “Technology is taking over from the financial sector, therefore, new roles need to be adopted to guide the daily operations of finance officers in financial institutions�.

Osinubi however noted that the future of financial institutions goes beyond technology and includes people and processes.

According to him, finance executives and machines could work together to drive

financial transactions in financial institutions. “The future of finance is now.

In changing its role, finance can also meet the needs of both the business and its workforce, and a digital core competence will enable to accelerate this. “A different set of skills and competencies, a modern finance workplace and career path flexibility will also be required, and billions of dollars are going into this investment in the world at large,� Osinubi said.

He added: “You can start on different pathways, but the opportunity to transform and deliver value is lost if the pathways don’t come together.

“Different models should also be considered when running financial institutions as finance can respond and drastically change its impact with business.�

Emphasising the changing the narrative and the transformation to modern finance, Osinubi canvassed for finance modern work spaces. “Different work spaces should also be created for the finance people in the future. It shouldn’t be your regular work station. “In the future, people wouldn’t want to come to work unless you make that place Continued on page 24

Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ÙÚĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă–Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ͳ ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ åÙÖÙåÙ ÙËÎ Ă“Ă˜

Ă•Ă™ĂŁĂ“Ëœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă•Ëœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ ĂĄĂ‹Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ëœ Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖĂ?Ëœ ĂžĂ?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă– Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă•Ëœ åÓÞÒ Ă‹ ͰͲ˚; Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ? ËÞÞËĂ?Ă’Ă?ĂŽË› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă“Ă? ÞÙ Ă‘Ă“Ă Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ě‹Ă™Ă˜ Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ͳ ĂžĂ? ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› ĂŽĂŽĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă– ÙÚĂ?Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœËš Ëœ Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ĂœË› ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă“ĂŁĂ“Ëœ Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂžĂ’Ă‹ĂžËœ ËŤ ĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ÙÚĂ?Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœËœ Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? ÞËÕĂ?Ă˜ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă‹ Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ?Ă’ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă?ĂœËž Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— ÞÙ Ă?ÒÙåĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ?Ě‹Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“Ă? ĂŽĂ“Ă?ÚÙĂ?Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ ËÞÞÓÞĂ&#x;ĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă“Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž Ă‹Ă–ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁĂ? Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă•Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ?βˏ Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă“ĂŁĂ“Ëœ ËŤ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ăœ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? ÙÚĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă“Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ͳ ĂŽĂ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ë› Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ăœ Ă‹ ÒÙÖÓĂ?ÞÓĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÙÞËÖ ĂšĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă&#x;Ă— Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂšĂœĂ?Ëœ ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂœĚ‹ Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ? Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ě‹Ă?ÒÙÙÞ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ÞÒĂ? Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă? Ă?ĂŁĂ˜Ă™Ă˜ĂŁĂ—Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? åÓÞÒ˛ˏ Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă? ͎͎ͯ͡Ë? Í°ÍŽÍŻÍł Ă?Ă?ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂŽË› Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă–Ă?Ă™ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?Ăž

Í°ÍŽÍŽÍŽÍŽË?Í°ÍŽÍŻÍŻ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă?ĂŽ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù× Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂ‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžËŹ Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă“ĂŁĂ“ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ?ĂŽË›

9mobile Reinvents 9TEPP

ÍˇĂ—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŁĂ?Ăž Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă?ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ù××ÓÞ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă›Ă&#x;ËÖÓÞã Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ åÓÞÒ Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă“Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ó×ÚËĂ?Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ?ĂžĚ‹Ă“Ă˜Ě‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜ĂŽ ÍˇĂ—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă˜Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă?ĂžĂ‘ĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ? ĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă—Ă—Ă? ̙͡ Ěš Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă’Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ&#x; Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă™ Ă˜Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă‹ ÞËÞĂ?Ë› ͡ Ă“Ă? Ă‹ ÞËĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă’Ăž Ă—Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂœËŞĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă—Ă—Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ă? Ó×ÚÖĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš åÓÞÒ Ă–ĂŁĂ—Ă™Ă&#x;ÞÒ Ă˜Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă“ĂžĂŁËœ Ë› Ă’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă“ĂžËœ ÍˇĂ—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ă–ĂŁ ĂŽĂ?Ă Ă?Ă–Ă™ĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂžĂ“Ă?Ă? åÓÞÒ ĂœĂ?Ă‘Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ? ÞÙ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ù××Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă•Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă?Ë› ͡ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă–Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍą åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă– Ă?Ă“Ă Ă?Ě‹ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽ Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă“Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?âÞĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă‹ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽË› Ă™ Ă?Ă‹ĂœËœ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă—Ă—Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ͹͹ Ă—Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂœËŞĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă’ Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă?Ë› ÙÞÒ ÍˇĂ—Ă™ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœËœ ĂžĂ?ĂšĂ’Ă‹Ă˜Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂžËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ëœ Ă–Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă™ĂœËœ ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă‹ĂœĂŒĂ‹Ëœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?Ù××ÓÞ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă“Ăž Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă‘ĂœĂ‹Ă—Ă—Ă?Ëœ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă—ĂšĂœĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂĄ Ă™Ă? ͡ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁĂ? ÞÙ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? Ă“Ăž Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ó×ÚËĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă&#x;Ă– Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ‘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ ĂžĂœĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ë› ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă Ă?Ă–Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă“Ă‘ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ͡ ÞÙ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă˜Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă? ÚÖËÞĂ?Ă™ĂœĂ— ÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŒĂŁ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă‹Ă? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă? ÚÙĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÞÙ Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂŽĂŁ Ă™Ă˜Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ Ă“Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă Ă? Ă“Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ“Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă&#x;Ă— ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂŽĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ě‹Ă?Ù××Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂ?Ă–Ă?Ě‹Ă—Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ăž ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?Ë›

“I have directed all agencies under my supervision to play their roles and ensure that much is achieved in the area of e-Government implementation, because we cannot afford to fail and betray Mr. President’s directive on the ICT sector�

Minister of Communications,

Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami

24

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

FG INSISTS ON PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR E-GOVERNMENT PROCESSES Partnership (OGP), Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and others for effective implement of the e-Government in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Pantami has reiterated the mandate of the Ministry of Communications to coordinate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) activities in Nigeria.

He stated this during his meeting with the Deputy Managing Director, Head of Public Sector, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Michael Zhauang at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja recently.

The minister noted that the ministry had been mandated to coordinate ICT activities in the country, give direction and ensure that agencies under the supervision of the ministry, actively participate in the process.

Pantami assured Huawei Technologies that the ministry’s doors were open and that it would be on the same page with them on issues relating to ICT development in Nigeria.

EXPERT ADVOCATES NEW ROLES FOR CEOS, CFOS IN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION very interesting. It is not just human practice because you are just too smart to stay in a workplace for a long time. “So you have to define a role for them because they are very useful. “There should be office layouts including collaboration spaces and tele-presence, flexible working arrangements, flexible resource pools and technology to enable virtual teaming. “The finance function will be significantly more effective as a result. It will be able to pivot to an advisory role for the business,� Osinubi added.

In his presentation, he also noted that different models should also be considered when running financial institutions “Robots across all processes have to be put in place. The robots would always be counted as part of the finance team, because they work 24/7, they don’t go on leave, they don’t go on strike or public holidays, they work 168 hours a week.�

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

ÙÎÎã Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?

Comms/e-Business Editor

Ă—Ă—Ă‹ Ă•Ă™Ă˜Ă”Ă“ Senior Correspondent

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (Finance) ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ? åÙÔÓ (Insurance) Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă‹Ă?Ă™ (Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (ICT)

Minister Foresees Higher ICT Contribution to GDP Stories by Emma Okonji

Citing statistics released recently by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that showed the contribution of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was13.8 per cent, the Minister of Communications, Dr. Isa Panrami, has predicted that ICT contribution to GDP will double the present 8.8 per cent contribution of the Oil and Gas Sector to the country’s GDP in the next two years.

The minister made the assertion at the ongoing session of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU Telecom World 2019) in Budapest, Hungary.

Pantami, said the government wanted to sustain the steady growth of ICT in the country hence the need to attend global events like ITU, which would enable delegates network and get the best ideas.

According to him, “When we return home from the global event, we will put all our experiences to work towards the development of our country Nigeria�.

Pantami said: “I’ve been saying it and I’ll repeat it again that the future of the world is in the ICT. It is a privilege to be part of this sector and at the same time to be with the stakeholders

of the ICT in Nigeria.�

The minister added: “If you look at it critically, and most importantly the recent statistics released by the NBC, it will tell you that the future is indeed in the ICT. “So this is a clear indication that at the pace ICT is growing in Nigeria, most probably in the next two or three years, the contribution of the ICT to

the GDP will, at least, double that of oil sector. “This is a country that was relying so much on oil sector but they are not even neighbours and now the gap between the two is wide, eight and 13. The credit should however go to every stakeholder in the sector including a driver.�

The Chairman, NCC’s Board,

Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye commended the minister for his assertion and projection.

In his remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, told the minister that the Commission had this year decided not to erect a pavilion, “which is consistent with the cost-saving measures of the

federal government.�

He said, “The ministry is aware of this cost-cutting measures we put in place to scale down the resources we deploy in hosting Nigeria at important international events. “We have provided information on what agencies under Ministry of Communications are busy doing to grow the ICT sector in Nigeria.�

CAPACITY BUILDING

L-R: Zonal Head, South-west 2, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Babatunde Onadeko; Group Head, Corporate Aairs, Mr. Diran Olojo; Head, Communications & Digital Marketing, Mrs. Lola Egboh; Guest Speaker, Dr. Vincent Nwani, and Regional Head, South-west, FCMB, Mr. Adelaja Adeleye, during a media parley and capacity building programme organised by the bank for journalists in Ibadan‌recently

CBN Set to Deepen Digital Transformation Culture The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it will deepen its digital transformation culture in response to the everchanging market conditions.

The financial services industry has witnessed several evolutions within the last two decades and would be subject to many more changes in the next few years, and the CBN has recognised the need to adapt an internal culture and operations to meet present-day reality.

The need to deepen its digital transformation culture, was part of the discussion at the recently concluded Digital Transformation Session, which held in Abuja.

The central bank is consulting with Reliance InfoSystems Ltd., Microsoft’s Tier1 Partner in West Africa to drive technology adoption internally and intensify its internal digital transformation culture.

The goal according to CBN, was hinged on

the four pillars of digital transformation which is to empower employees of the CBN to reimagine work and productivity.

The initiative was expected to identify transformation opportunities that would support the CBN’s corporate objectives, engage customers leveraging digital tools and services, optimise operations which include minimising running costs, improve service delivery and facilitate collaboration within teams, and

transform its products.

The Deputy Director of CBN, Enterprise Division (IT Architecture and Strategy Division), Mr. Paul Ojeikere, while speaking at the session, highlighted the need for enhancing productivity and collaboration, in order to improve how employees, communicate, collaborate on projects, and develop ideas.

The Managing Director of Reliance InfoSystems, Mr. Olayemi Popoola, while thanking the CBN

for the opportunity to collaborate on the initiative, said: “Even with the best practices templates, no external consultant can perfectly pinpoint and successfully drive DT opportunities within an organisation.�

He reiterated that it would take employees of the apex bank across all cadres of the organisation to deliberately turn the transformation wheels as they spot opportunities in the course of their daily routines and interactions.

WSPD: Facebook Moves to Prevent Suicide, Self-Harm As part of activities to mark the World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) which is observed globally on September 10 every year, Facebook has restated its commitment to keeping people safe online on all of its platforms.

Facebook’s Global Head of Safety, Antigone Davis, noted that since its inception, the platform has worked with experts from around the world to inform users of its policies, practices and products supporting those at risk of suicide or self-injury.

Revealing some of the steps Facebook has taken in the past year, as well as additional actions it plans to take, Davis said the intention was to keep

people safe on its apps, especially those who are most vulnerable. “Earlier this year, we began hosting regular consultations with experts from around the world to discuss some of the more difficult topics associated with suicide and self-injury. These include how we deal with suicide notes, the risks of sad content online and newsworthy depictions of suicide. Further details of these meetings are available on Facebook’s new Suicide Prevention page in our Safety Center,� Davis stated.

As a result of these consultations, she said: “Facebook has made several changes to improve how it handles

content, tightened its policy around self-harm to no longer allow graphic cutting images to avoid unintentionally promoting or triggering self-harm, even when someone is seeking support or expressing themselves to aid their recovery. “On Instagram, we’ve also made it harder to search for this type of content and kept it from being recommended in Explore.

We’ve also taken steps to address the complex issue of eating disorder content on our apps by tightening our policy to prohibit additional content that may promote eating disorders.

And with these stricter policies, we’ll continue to send resources to people who post content promot-

ing eating disorders or self-harm, even if we take the content down.

Lastly, we chose to display a sensitivity screen over healed self-harm cuts to help avoid unintentionally promoting self-harm.�

She said Facebook’s engagement with experts had proven so valuable that it is also hiring a health and well-being expert to join its safety policy team. “And for the first time, we’re also exploring ways to share public data from our platform on how people talk about suicide, beginning with providing academic researchers with access to the social media monitoring tool, CrowdTangle. To date, CrowdTangle has

been available primarily to help newsrooms and media publishers understand what is happening on Facebook. But we are eager to make it available to two select researchers who focus on suicide prevention to explore how information shared on Facebook and Instagram can be used to further advancements in suicide prevention and support,� she added.

On how it intends to make its platforms safer for difficult conversations, Davis said Facebook has a unique role in facilitating those kinds of connections and it is taking additional steps to support those who are discussing these sensitive topics, especially young people.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Managing E-Waste The renewed global call for electronic-waste legislation among nations by the International Telecoms Union, the United Nations agency on telecommunications, is a pointer to the fact that global e-waste dumpsites are on the increase with many dangers, writes Emma Okonji

T

o address the health challenges posed by electronic waste (e-waste) globally, United Nations University (UNU), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the UNU, ITU, and ISWA joined forces in January 2017 and launched the Global Partnership for E-waste statistics. Its objective is to help countries produce e-waste statistics and to build a global e-waste database to track developments over time. Better data is an important step towards addressing the e-waste challenges. Statistics help to evaluate developments over time, set and assess targets, and identify best practices of policies. Better e-waste data will eventually contribute to minimising e-waste generation, prevent illegal dumping and improper treatment of e-waste, promote recycling, and create jobs in the refurbishment and recycling sector.

Despite this and other global initiatives on e-waste, Nigeria and other African countries are still faced with the rising dump sites of e-waste, which pose serious health hazards to citizens living around such dump sites.

About e-waste Electronic waste, or e-waste, refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use. E-waste is also referred to as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment(WEEE), electronic waste or e-scrap in different regions and under different circumstances in the world.

It includes a wide range of products – almost any household or business item with circuitry or electrical components with power or battery supply.

According to a recent coalition report on e-waste, many health and environmental risks are associated with improper disposal of e-waste. Experts are of the view that the global amount of e-waste discarded every year weighs the equivalent of more than 125,000 jumbo jets. Of this total amount, 40 million tonnes of e-waste are discarded in landfill, burned or illegally traded and treated in a sub-standard way every year.

Global statistics on e-waste Discarded equipment, such as phones, laptops, fridges, sensors, and television sets, contain substances that pose considerable environmental and health risks, especially if treated inadequately.

Most e-waste is not properly documented and not treated through appropriate recycling chains and methods. At the same time, e-waste streams challenge the efforts towards a circular economy as valuable and scarce resources are wasted.

The report on Global Partnership for E-waste Statistics that was launched in 2017, represents an important step to identify current challenges and solutions.

The report shows that the amounts of e-waste continue to grow, while too little is recycled. By 2016, the world generated 44.7 million metric tonnes of e-waste and only 20 per cent was recycled through appropriate channels. Although 66 per cent of the world’s population is covered by e-waste legislation, the ITU, in its recent call for e-waste legislation, stressed that more efforts must be made to enforce, implement, and encourage more countries, especially developed counties, Nigeria inclusive, to develop e-waste policies.

The report also highlights the lack of reliable e-waste data at the country level. Often, merely anecdotal evidence is available on the production, management, and recycling of e-waste, and only 41 countries in the world collect international statistics on e-waste.

E-waste dumpsite

Danger of e-waste Increasing levels of electronic waste, and its improper and unsafe treatment and disposal through open burning or in dumpsites, pose significant risks to the environment and human health, according to experts, who are also of the view that e-waste also presents several challenges to sustainable development, and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A better understanding and better data on e-waste will contribute towards the achievement of several goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In particular, it will help address the SDGs related environmental protection and health goals.

Today, a large number of the world’s population use the internet and most people in the world have access to mobile networks and services. Many people own more than one information and communication technology (ICT) device, and replacement cycles for mobile phones and computers, and also for other devices and equipment, are becoming shorter. At the same time, disposable incomes in many developing countries are increasing and a growing global middle-class is able to

To date, 41 countries report compiling comparable national statistics on e-waste.

Better e-waste data will help track progress towards global ITU e-waste targets that member states have set for 2023. With its extensive private-public membership, ITU is pleased to be part of the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership, and the new portal is a vital step towards addressing the e-waste challenge

spend more on electrical and electronic equipment, consequently generating more e-waste. Current trends suggest that the amount of e-waste generated will increase substantially over the next decades, and that better data to track these developments are needed.

Generating e-waste According to recent report from Global E-waste Coalition, Asian countries generate the greatest amount of e-waste and Africa countries remain the least of countries that generate e-waste, yet African countries have the highest number of dump sites for e-waste.

Currently available statistics are not able to track the amount of e-waste or used electronics shipped from richer to poor sub-regions in the world. One case study on Nigeria showed that in 2015/2016, EU member states were the origin of around 77 per cent of Used Electric and Electronic Equipment (UEEE) imported into Nigeria.

In Nigeria, there are several dump sites for e-waste, which are burnt periodically, thus showing high level of improper disposal channel of such e-waste in the country, which oftentimes, pose serious health risks to people living around e-waste dump sites.

Computer Village, located in Otigba, Ikeja, Lagos, which is the largest concentration of sales of used electronic new electronic devices in West Africa, is a typical location where electronics devices with expired lifespan are traded and most Nigerians with low income see it as big opportunity to purchase and own electronic devices because they are relatively cheap, but unknown to them that their lifespan has either expired or about to expire. The resultant effect is that the buyers will use the devices for few months and probably few years before the device eventually pickup and they are dumped at various e-waste sites scattered around the country, and eventually pose health risks to people leaving around such dumpsites, since the dead devices continually emits electromagnetic rays that are harmful to human health.

According to statistics, in 2016, Asia was the region that generated by far the largest amount of e-waste, amounting to about 18.2 metric tons, followed by Europe 12.3 metric tons the Americas 11.3 tons, and Africa 2.2 metric tons. The low collection rate compared to the total

amount of e-waste generated is partly explained by the fact that only 41 countries have official e-waste statistics. For 16 other countries, e-waste quantities were gathered from research and estimated.

In countries where there is no national e-waste legislation in place, e-waste is likely treated as other or general waste.

This is either land-filled or recycled, along with other metal or plastic wastes. There is the high risk that the pollutants are not taken care of properly, or they are taken care of by an informal sector and recycled without properly protecting the workers, while emitting the toxins contained in e-waste, according to expect views.

Renewed call for e-waste legislation Disturbed by the rising rate of e-waste dumpsites in developing countries, and the potential health danger they pose to people, ITU has renewed calls for e-waste legislation and implementation, among countries that are yet to be covered by e-waste policy implementation.

Although the e-waste challenge is on the rise, a growing number of countries are adopting e-waste legislation. Currently, 66 per cent of the world population is covered by national e-waste management laws, an increase from 44 per cent that were covered in 2014, according to ITU. ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao, in a renewed call for e-waste legislation, said: “Reliable and official data and statistics on e-waste provide the foundation for sound e-waste legislation and management at the national level.�

According to him, “To date, 41 countries report compiling comparable national statistics on e-waste. Better e-waste data will help track progress towards global ITU e-waste targets that member states have set for 2023. With its extensive private-public membership, ITU is pleased to be part of the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership, and the new portal is a vital step towards addressing the e-waste challenge.�

The Director, Department of Environment, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Stephan Sicars, said: “E-waste is a growing global challenge that poses a serious threat to the environment and human health worldwide. To minimise this threat, UNIDO works with various UN agencies and other partners on a range of e-waste projects, all of which are underpinned by a circular economy approach.�

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‘Cooperative Societies Need Government Support to Create Jobs’ Business Director, Emerging Markets, Mr. Charles Ibonye and Product Manager, Unified Cooperative Platform, Mr. Lateef Fadeyi, both from CWG Plc, spoke to Emma Okonji on the need for government to develop cooperative societies with right technology tools for economic growth. Excerpts:

C

ooperative societies, just like Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), are veritable platforms for economic growth. What is your view about government’s position on cooperative societies?

Cooperative societies in the country have been neglected by past governments. There is need for government’s intervention to address the challenge of neglect of the cooperative society members. There is also need for government to establish a commission that will support and regulate the cooperative sector of the Nigerian economy.

Government has an obligation to develop the SMEs, especially the cooperative society members to enable them become self reliant and create more jobs. With the proposed commission, government can provide support for members and help them to scale up their businesses. Empowering cooperative societies is key to national development and government must understand this and provide the necessary support.

We have long discovered that members of cooperative societies have been neglected by government to the extent that government do not have appropriate data on them and again, majority of them do not have proper record keeping of their transactions, which makes it impossible for them to get government loan as well as foreign grants and support. In order to address the challenge, CWG developed the Unified Cooperative Platform (UCP) solution, which is a mobile app that facilitates electronic transactions on mobile devices and addresses the challenges of cooperative societies and position them for future growth.

What is the UCP solution all about and what does it seek to address?

Before I explain details about the solution, I will like to give a brief overview of CWG Plc as a company and how we were inspired to develop the solution. First of all, CWG is a technology company and we deploy technology to enable people. From history, we have been building platforms and one of the platforms that we have developed for SMEs, is Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP). Over time, we have realised the need to help small businesses that are at the bottom of the pyramid. We have looked at their challenges and one of the major challenges that we observed about cooperative societies is that they do not have proper record keeping, and there are no data that will enable government to support them.

International donors that want to give them grants cannot do so because they have no proper record and data to even locate them.

So it is a major challenge, because without data, they will not have visibility. Again, the time it takes them to process an operation is pretty much and these actually inspired us at CWG Plc to develop the UCP solution.

We then went to the National Cooperative Federation Association of Nigeria (CFAN), and we looked at how best we can work together to provide a centralised platform where most of the cooperatives today can use to manage their basic operations. We also realised that a lot of the members in the cooperatives today do not have access to any other financial means, except through cooperatives. And from our research, we found out that over 14.8 million of them do not have other means of accessing cash except through the cooperative bodies. Members of cooperative societies are large in number and having identified their challenges, we came up with the Unified Cooperative Platform solution.

So what exactly inspired CWG Plc to develop the solution for that segment of the market?

So today, within the cooperative society,

into our solution which is like a banking app that will enable them see their savings at a glance. If today I want to make a transfer to my cooperative, I can make it online real time, and once I make it I see the transaction history. So our solution is giving access to people in the rural area as well because we’ve integrated the app to players like the insurance and affordable homes and some other programmes that CFAN is participating in. With our app, cooperative members are able to access those programmes and information that are required. The objective for CBN this year is to ensure that about 8.3 million people are brought into the financial system. What this means is that those adult population that are excluded, will then be included through our solution. So our solution is helping to create the best agency network through the cooperative societies to drive agency banking that will bridge financial inclusion gap.

Ibonye

Fadeyi

there is no visibility, and some set of people who are mostly executives, are the ones running it and members do not have visibility into what they are doing and do not have proper accounting record. By the time you go to them to submit any form or report, be it their financial report, they find it difficult to access information. Some cooperatives need to employ a bookkeeper to help them with all of these record keeping and it takes them up to seven days to do so, because they need to pick up the forms, fill the forms manually and get a guarantor since they do not use collaterals.

These are challenges that inspired us to develop the solution that we think could feel the gap within the cooperative ecosystem.

Another major challenge is that even when

you eventually submit your application form, you still need to follow up with calls, because some people would have submitted their forms and at the end of the day their forms will disappear. So the sector is just not properly organised and we were moved by such challenges.

One critical thing that we need to focus on is capacity development, and we have been doing that, and that’s where we really need the government support as well. On capacity development, we have the skills, we’ve identiďŹ ed the people, but we need to scale.

So we need funding from government to be able to do capacity development for these people

So let’s look at government’s role in all of these. How can government intervene to further help drive the solution?

We need a lot of government intervention in this and one of the things we are already advocating through CFAN is to have a commission similar to that of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that will regulate the sector and help develop the small medium enterprise sector that are over 34 million.

Imagine that at the end of the day, each one creates a job, and that will amount to creating over 34 million jobs over a period of time as you begin to develop that sector. So, when we talk about jobs, they are the fastest that can create jobs, and they are the ones that can develop the GDP of the economy.

So if they have the right support and the right environment, they will turn around the economy faster than we can imagine.

One critical thing that we need to focus on is capacity development, and we have been doing that, and that’s where we really need the government support as well. On capacity development, we have the skills, we’ve identified the people, but we need to scale. So we need funding from government to be able to do capacity development for these people. We also want to expand in terms of our technology research, and once there is a commission, there will be focus.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is driving cashless policy, which seeks to support electronic payment and to reduce physical cash ow, and that is what your solution is also driving at, which could result in conict of interest.

What do you think about this?

Our solution is actually addressing what CBN seeks to address with its cashless policy, and in my view, our solution complements that of CBN cashless policy without any conflict of interest. If members of cooperative society want to make payment safe, it’s either they take the cash to the cooperative office, or they have an agent go round to the market women to get the cash. But with our solution, they do not need to carry cash anymore. All they need do is to key

Since your mobile app supports electronic transaction among cooperatives in rural communities, how simpliďŹ ed is your app for ease of use by rural dwellers, who may not be schooled?

We saw that challenge ahead that most rural dwellers are not schooled and we made the solution very simple to use and aside that, we usually organise training programme from time to time for rural dwellers on how to use the solution, which is all about capacity building on digital products. With our solution, we are also creating jobs within some cluster of cooperative societies. It is like using the agency network to carry out ‘train the trainer’ programme who will in turn go into each of these clusters to train the market men and women.

So how robust is your solution in addressing the needs of over 14.8 million cooperative customers across Nigeria?

We have positioned our infrastructure and our platforms in such a way that it is robust enough to serve even 30 million cooperative members. So today, as we speak, the platform can take over 30 million cooperative members on real time services.

At all time the solution has 100 per cent availability because we don’t want it to be down at any time, we have also ensured a strong security framework around the solution to ensure that all data are secured and the next person doesn’t have access to other customers’ data, and everybody has his unique access to his own data for each cooperative and for each member.

Do you have plans to expand to other sectors of the Nigerian economy, outside the ďŹ nancial sector?

In the area of expansion, we are looking at expanding more around the value added services that we provided already on the platform. So that is one of the key focus now, without necessarily taking away the core banking transactions. We will be working with the core banking sector, because we can’t do without working with them. We will also expand our services around the agency banking where we now have an agency to develop that app for agency network, in other order to scale and reach out to more people in the rural area. So those are the kind of expansion we are looking at.

We are also looking to expand this to the various African regions where we operate today. So currently we operate in Ghana, Cameroon, and Uganda and we are looking at having that expansion to these regions to make the platform available within the regions in Africa as well.

Continued on page 28

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

SystemSpecs Shows Commitment to Develop Nation’s Technology Stories by Emma Okonji SystemSpecs has demonstrated its commitment to develop the nation’s technology ecosystem by investing resources in young talents through the facilitation of rigorous coding sessions for secondary school students drawn from over 18 different schools from nine states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) organised in Lagos.

The summer two-week coding class, organised for selected students, was hosted in collaboration with Techquest Academy, a technology college charged with the training of people on coding, by using robots and other gadgets.

Tagged Remita Summer Coding Camp, the camp was purposed to open the mind of the children to latent opportunities in the technology space and creatively expose them to the technological world while arousing their

interest in exploring the world of innovations, creativities and developments.

Managing Director and CEO of SystemSpecs, Mr. John Obaro, said the the summer coding was organised to engage the students and build their skills and create in them the desire to be creative and innovative while guiding them towards exploring the world of technology. “We just saw this coding camp as part of the opportunity to work with the kids and show them what the future is and encourage them to embrace software development since everything around us these days is technology-enabled. So being able to give these young ones the opportunity to understand what it is and being ready to take over the future of technology,� he said.

Techquest Operations Manager at SystemSpecs, Mr. Olumide Aderewale,

one of the facilitators at the summer camp, pledged the company’s commitment towards a continuous follow-up on the students after the summer camp. “This is just an introduction to whet the appetite of the students and also to create a hunger for them to learn. With this training, they will able to think creatively, work collaboratively and even build simple solutions. “After the two weeks

intensive session, they will also grow with the support of follow-up from us and their parents who will support them by getting the necessary resources. On our part, we have a link posted online that the kids can continue to learn under our tutelage,� he said.

One of the parents, who accompanied Aishat Lawal, one of the participating students to the camp, Olajide Lawal, told the media that he purposely brought her

12-year old daughter who is in JSS3 at the Federal Government College, Ibillo, Edo State, to the camp to learn how to write a line of code.

Lawal said that he had to register her ward when he learnt about the opportunities available to students who are digitally-inclined in this present digital age.

Speaking with the media during the summer camp, 13 years old and SS1 student of International School, University

of Lagos, Diekoloreoluwa Ajayi shared the impact of the summer camp. “I have learnt a lot. I have learnt how to build blocks from scratch.

There is a programming language called Scratch.

You don’t have to start building from Scratch.

With the programming language called Scratch, you don’t have to write code, you just have to bring out the blocks. So I have learnt how to put blocks together,� Ajayi said.

TECNO Launches New Smartphone TECNO has launched a new device under its camera-centric flagship, the Camon smartphone series. The new device, which is a testament of the brand’s improvement and development of smartphone photography, comes with a number of enhanced features that in many ways validates the brand’s ability to always raise the bar with every device it releases into the Nigerian mobile market.

The Camon 12 spots a lot of upgraded features, one of which is the inclusion of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Triple Camera as against the dual rear-camera spotted on the Camon 11 Series, which was launched last year.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos recently, its Public Relations and Strategic Partnership Manager, Mr. Jesse Oguntimehin, said: “The Camon 12 is more than just any device, it is the device. It comes with a lot of physical and inbuilt upgrades from the Camon 11 launched last year, ranging from its look and feel, to its camera, to its security feature upgrade, the brand has it all covered.�

According to him, the Camon 12 Series, which is

the seventh generation of the Camon Series, would unlock a new era of smartphone photography, having made it possible for millions of users to see the world through the device. “Coming few months after revealing its new philosophy for users to expect more in terms of creativity and quality, the Camon 12 comes with a nebula gradient glossy back that gives it an extraordinary look and feel unlike other devices in its flagship line and would be available in three colour options a Bordeaux Red variant, an Aqua Blue variant and a Midnight Black variant, which gives users a line of choices to pick from when making a device choice,� Oguntimehin said, adding that the Camon 12 Pro gives users more in terms of smartphone photography with its 32 MP and dual front flash, which solves the problem of lowlight selfies. The device also comes with an upgraded beauty mode, which has an advanced 3D stereoscopic facial beauty to make selfies more natural and charming. The beauty mode also expands its scope to body beauty and video beauty.

CERTIFICATE PRESENTATION

L-R: Head of Sales Resourcery Plc, Angela Chike-Dike; Managing Director, Mr. Tani Fafunwa; Group Head, Technology Division, GTBank Plc, Olusina Ayegbusi, and Group Head, Service Management, Olawale Williams, during the presentation of the Uptime Institute Tier III Design CertiďŹ cation to the bank in Lagos...recently

GTbank Achieves CertiďŹ cation

Visa Empowers Female Entrepreneurs

GTBank’s purpose-built Data Centre has received the Uptime Institute Tier III Design Certification.

GTBank accomplished this with technical and professional support from West Africa’s foremost information technology company, Resourcery Plc. Resourcery worked with the bank, its architects and structural engineers to design and implemented the technologies within the stand-alone data centre. It also worked with the bank to achieve the Uptime Tier III Certification. The certification is based on set criteria covering mechanical, electrical, structural and site elements that ensure appropriate maintenance and seamless, continuous operations. The rigorous certification process included production and presentation of hundreds of design documents in special formats, multiple reviews, amendments and validations that ultimately led to the issuance of the respected Tier III Design Award.

Uptime Institute is the global data centre authority, the most trusted and adopted standard for design, build and operation of data centers, the backbone of the digital economy. The Central Bank of Nigeria

Visa has launched a new campaign initiative called ‘She’s Next’, which seeks to empower and encourage African female micro-and small-business owners as they fund, run and grow their businesses across the continent.

The global expansion of the campaign was announced at the 28th World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, as part of Visa’s ongoing commitment to support female entrepreneurs.

According to Visa, the number of women entrepreneurs is growing around the world, with 163 million starting businesses since 2014 alone. Additionally, the highest percentage of these women are in Africa, where 26 per cent of women start or manage a business. She’s Next campaign in Africa that is powered by Visa, is expected to harness the power of Visa’s global brand and network to build awareness of African women entrepreneurs and invest in them to provide them with tools to build their businesses.

Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager, Visa sub-Saharan Africa, Aida Diarra, said: “Women entrepreneurs are the backbone of local economies, and the need for support is real.

Closing the gender gap requires persistent hard work and support.

That is why Visa is using its voice to shine a light on the contributions and economic potential of female-owned micro-and smallbusinesses around the world.� “Women typically reinvest up

(CBN) stipulates that all Data Centre infrastructure and facilities for financial institutions shall satisfy the requirements for Uptime Institute Tier III design and construction. The directive requires that all commercial banks design, implement and manage a Tier III Data Center infrastructure to enhance the capacity, cost effectiveness and efficiency of banking services in line with best global practices.

The Uptime Institute Tier III Design Certification awarded to GTBank confirms the organisation owns and manages a concurrently sustainable Data Centre infrastructure that may be operated and maintained without impediments.

Solutions Manager, Network Infrastructure for Resourcery Plc, Tunde Eso, in his remark, said: “Resourcery as a leading system integration company in Nigeria and West Africa, have always offered cutting edge IT solutions that optimise productivity and performance of business organizations. Indeed, we are glad to have provided GT Bank with the Uptime Institute Tier III Design Award and the technical support required to achieve certification of their data centre facility.�

to 90 per cent of their income in the education, health and nutrition of their families and communities - compared to up to 40 per cent for men, which makes investing in women’s businesses one way that Visa can help transform societies,�

Diarra said.

Launched in January 2019 in the United States, She’s Next campaign, empowered by Visa, is expanding globally for the first time in Africa. With the expansion, She’s Next extends its signature pop-up events to offer networking opportunities for female entrepreneurs in Africa.

A new study, which was commissioned by Visa and conducted by research firm 4Sight Africa, investigates the role of technologies like electronic payments in enabling the business success of female entrepreneurs in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.

Some key findings showed that African women acknowledge the role of electronic payments in business success, with 83 per cent of respondents who said accepting or receiving electronic payments improves their businesses’ bottom line, while 74 per cent said customers spend more when they have access to electronic payments. The report findings however said most have not moved beyond cash and mobile money except in South Africa, where credit cards are more ubiquitous compared to Kenya and Nigeria.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Expectations as PRCAN Gets New Leadership Raheem Akingbolu writes on the need for the new leadership of Public Relations Consultants’ Association of Nigeria to work closely with government at various levels to change narrative about the Nigerian project.

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hree months after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office and barely a month after he named members of his cabinet, the Public Relations Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), has also equally named a new president and other members of executive. Though coincidental, experts believe the development should set the tone for collaboration between the two parties considering the experience of the new leadership in both public and the private sector as well as the challenge relating with the country’s image.

At the Annual General Meeting and election of the association held last week, the Chief Executive Officer of Chain Reactions, Mr. Israel Jaiye Opayemi, emerged PRCAN President, while the Managing Director and founder of Caritas, Mr. Adedayo Ojo became the association’s Vice President. Before establishing Chain Reactions, a PR firm, Opayemi, was an aide to a former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu. With his firm, he has also worked for many multinational companies and consulted widely for the governments of former Governor Babatunde Fashola and Governor Kayode Fayemi in Lagos and Ekiti respectively.

Meanwhile, Ojo, who has since assumed office as Vice President is also an expert in public communication and crisis management, given his biases for community relations and strategic communications for companies in the oil and gas sector.

Other members of the executives, who will be steering the affairs of PRCAN over the next two years are; Mrs. Tokunbo George-Taylor (Secretary General); Ms. Martha Okpeke (Assistant Secretary General); Mr. Bolaji Abimbola (Publicity Secretary) and Mr. Raheem Olabode (Treasurer).

Prior to establishing H+K, Tokunbo GeorgeTaylor, who had practiced Public Communications in United Kingdom and South Africa, had also served as the Corporate Communication Head, Oando Plc. She is expected to bring in lot of experience.

Bolaji Abimbola, who is the Managing Director of Integrated Indigo Limited, has rich experience working for businesses in both public and private sector. He is expected to deliver seamlessly as Publicity Secretary given the fact that he is on a familiar turf.

For bringing in Raheem Olabode, a Chartered Accountant as Treasurer of the association, some industry watchers have also commended

spoke in separate interviews with THISDAY also advised Government and the media to begin rewriting the country’s story by playing up the beauties of the country as well as celebrating Nigerians who are doing well globally.

Opayemi PRCAN leadership for putting round peg in a round hole. A lot is expected from Olabode in the area of accountability and transparency.

Promise to the nation As if reading the mood of Nigerians, while giving his inaugural speech, Opayemi had offered the professional body’s assistance to the Federal Government in improving Nigeria’s battered image on the international scene.

Speaking in the wake of the recent grand jury indictment of 77 Nigerians for alleged involvement in online fraud schemes in the United States, Opayemi said what was needed was a robust response strategy and campaign plan and not knee-jerk reactions from several government spokespersons.

The new PRCAN President explained that the FBI investigation and subsequent indictment has further sullied Nigeria’s brand reputation and that the association was in the best position to help. “The truth is, a narrative has been created about us as Nigerians. “A wrong perception with its attendant generalisation has also been created. Not a few Nigerians have cancelled their planned trips to the United States for fear of Sunday

September 8, 2019, Sunday Telegraph the horrible treatment they will be subjected to by the United States Immigration Service.

The PRCAN leadership takes the view that rather than engage in the needless game of blaming the government for the character of its response to this issue, we on this occasion offer the professional assistance of our member firms to the Federal Government at a time like this,� Opayemi said.

He added that: “In times like this, governments the world over would rely on the professional advice and expertise of practitioners who are not in any short supply within the Nigerian Public Relations community to help craft a response strategy and a campaign plan to manage the narrative and shape the perception. This has not been the case here.�

Opayemi has simply toed the line of marketing communications experts, including a former President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), President, Mrs. Bunmi Oke, who spoke to THISDAY on the same subject recently and urged Federal Government to apply “positive shock therapy� with action that is fact-based and attention grabbing to sanitise the country’s image. The experts who

Expectations As one of the professional bodies that have been consistent in calling on government to engage registered marketing communications agencies to handle government communication, many stakeholders expect PRCAN to explore the relationship between its current leadership and people in government to push the agenda.

Speaking while handing over the mantle of leadership to Opayemi, the immediate past president of the association, John Ehiguese, said he was confident that the leadership of the association was going to the hands of practitioners, who understand both the industry and the association. He however urged them to be steadfast in promoting the objective of PRCAN. “I’m excited today because PRCAN is transiting to the right hands -hands of men and women who understand PR and appreciate PRCAN. To this end, I’m not in doubt that they are going in to raise the stake of Public Relations and PRCAN but we can only implore them to be steadfast in promoting the objective for which the association was established,� he stated To ensure PRCAN is a complete representation of all PR consultants in Nigeria, the founder of PRNigeria and award-winning Public Relations practitioner, Yushau Shuaib, has called on the new leadership to see the association as a national body and begin rotating its activities beyond Lagos axis. He also advised Opayemi and his team to start projecting PRCAN image to represent a champion of local content on PR patronage in the private and public sectors of the economy.

He said: “PRCAN is national body and should be accorded that treatment. Under Opayemi, I expect the association to begin rotating its activities beyond Lagos axis. Again, I think PRCAN should improve its relationship and partner NIPR in campaign against charlatans and quacks in PR. As part of the ways to deepen PR practice, PRCAN should engage in sponsorship and mentorship to advance the practice of PR. At this crucial moment, if there is any leading role PRCAN should play, it is to promote the image of PR consultants as reliable partners to in house practitioners by closing the seeming conflicts and rivalry,� Shuaib said.

‘Cooperative Societies Need Government Support to Create Jobs’ Despite these solutions designed to drive cashless, Nigeria is still perceived as a cash-based nation. Why is this so?

Your question is all about adoption of new technology and generally people find it difficult to adopt new technology which is a general problem, and not a technology problem. So for me what I feel we could do to change people’s orientation about accepting new technology is to create more awareness. So, we need to create more awareness, which is one of the reasons why we need to present our platform to customers at every point and in every function they attend. We must be close to them to tell them about the importance of technology adoption. Some people may find it difficult to accept new things for the first time, but over time, they will accept, and so we just need to keep creating the right awareness.

Fear of adoption is the reason why Nigeria is seen a cash-based society despite the several technology solutions that are geared towards achieving financial inclusion. With more awareness, people will see the need to avoid carrying cash. So the heavy circulation of cash in the society is not as a result of insufficient technology solution, but general challenge that needs the attention of government. Some people have already made up their minds that the use of technology will expose their data vulnerability while most Nigerians also feel that the moment they

sign on to mobile banking system, their bank savings are exposed to online fraud, but all these must change though intensive campaign and awareness creation on the part of government.

Your solution rides on network connectivity and broadband access. Do you see the high cost of broadband affecting the adoption rate of your solution?

One thing I want people to realise is that we have advanced beyond the issue of connectivity challenges. Last year, Nigeria had a set target to achieve 30 per cent broadband penetration at a time when cost of internet bandwidth was on the high side, but today we have reached and also surpasses the 30 per cent broadband penetration, to reach 33.2 per cent broadband penetration. So if you also look at the cost that we used to buy data before, you will realise that cost of data has dropped from what it used to be. Today, the penetration of mobile phones and smartphones have increased and the cost has also reduced, but there is need for further drop in cost to increase access to connectivity. Our target is to deepen broadband and smartphone penetration and also reduce cost. We are aware there are connectivity issues, and it is the reason we established our agency banking where trained agents interact with people where there are no networks, and still make transactions possible, by using our mobile app.

What will you say are the added value of your UCP solution to cooperative societies?

The added value is huge, and the first thing we are providing is realtime access to the cooperative members, and we are also providing accountability, access to information, making payment a lot easier and also creating jobs. Again government can, through our mobile app, gain accessibility to a cooperative societies in the country, which will enable government to do proper planning. It will help government and international donors to properly monitor members of the cooperative societies after grants have been given to them.

What will you say is the economic value of your solution?

The economic values are equally huge because they will make cooperative societies work smatter in accomplishing their daily tasks. It will make operational efficiency a lot easier for these cooperatives, so it makes them more efficient, and it will help them to be more creative. One other major economic impact is that through the solution, we will be able to bring huge number of people that are excluded from the financial system into some form of inclusive financial system, where the government can plan and work towards scaling them to the next level.

So the solution will give them that visibility that will grow their businesses.

Now that CWG has the solution, how can cooperative societies key into the solution?

To them to keep into the solutions and services that we are offering, they need to register by first visiting our website, www.coopplatform.com.ng to register as a cooperative or as a individual member.

Members can download the mobile app from Google Playstore or Apple Store and search for CWG UCP and they will see the app and download the app. So they can have easy access to the mobile app on the go, just simple like the banking app today, where customers can do most of your banking transactions. That is what we are trying to achieve with our mobile app as well, where they can do their transactions.

So when cooperative societies register, its members can have access to the app.

How critical is the adoption of your solution to cooperative societies?

Adoption is very critical and that is why we are engaging CFAN to drive the endorsement and adoption, the reason being that technology has been able to scale us twice as fast as the regular way we do things. And what we are doing is leveraging technology to do things quicker and faster.

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Establishing Chicken Processing, Packaging Plant Godwin Uba

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n every nation of the world, an economic reform is a continuous process. Agricultural & economic reforms aimed at improving on the self-sufficiency rate of food.

This reforms aim to reviewing the basic law of food, Agriculture and Rural Areas promulgated and to increase the self-sufficiency rate of food on a calorie basis from its present level to 45 percent as at the year 2018.

Despite the advent of Globalization all the developed economies of the world are very keen on the issue of self-sufficiency especially as relates to food and drinks.

The same view of self-sufficiency led to the Japanese Government comparison with other developed economies in the area of self-sufficiency rate which led them to think of Agricultural reforms.

Based on the efforts of other parts of the world, the present Government had introduced Agricultural reforms which led banning of imported frozen chicken and turkey. The main objective behind this policy is to encourage local poultry farmers as well as creation of new industries that will process the chicken produced by the nation’s numerous poultry farmers into the so called “frozen chicken�.

The ban has created another lucrative business opportunities for Nigeria investors. If this opportunity is well utilized it will go a long way to discourage the importation of frozen chicken/turkey and other similar products into the country. It will make poultry/ livestock farming more lucrative, since more farmers would be created out of the policy.

From study carried out, the ban has led to high cost of available frozen chicken and other such related food items.

Furthermore, the ban on importation of the frozen chicken has thrown some Nigerians out of business since a lot of the petty traders cannot afford the cost of running the business.

Moreover some merchants still smuggle frozen chicken and turkey into the country, but their prices are out of the reach of the teeming population of poor masses. These smugglers pay through their noses to pass through customs check points. By the time their products arrive into the country, the prices of the commodities will go up.

The only solution to these problems is to develop a project that will compete favorably with the imported products in terms of quality and quantity.

This project is considered a very good one and will be in a position to replace the imported products.

There is no doubt that the demand for chicken/ turkey grows expands every day with the rapid increase in population of Nigeria (now estimated at about 140 million) there is need to increase food items as well.

The level of consumption of any food (including chicken) is direct proportional with the increase in population. As the population increases, urbanization also increases. All this creates awareness and changes in tastes and preferences.

With the fast increase in the numbers of fast food centers, the need for increase in the setting up of local chicken processing and packaging plants will not be over emphasis.

There are so many fast food centers that require several tons of processed chicken. There are so many market women that are in need of where to purchase that processed live chicken for sales. Therefore study has shown that there is wide market for this product.

For one to set up this project there is need to asses some vital require-

ments to ensure the success of this project. One of such requirement is availability of raw materials.

One may ask how we can get sufficient live chicken on daily basis so as to remain in business.

From research carried out, so many poultry farmers are looking forward to seeing where they will sell their products for immediate cash on maturity. From survey carried out, raw material will not be a problem.

Details will be given to prospective investors on contacting the writer.

Another important thing is the Technology. The major machines required are processing machines, Deep freezers and other miscellaneous equipment.

There is need to have a very good standby generator so as to store the products as they are produced. All the machines are locally available.

They can as well be imported from

oversea.

Detail will be given to prospective investors.

It is very imported to mention that NAFDAC consent must be sought since this project related to foods & drinks. Therefore, all the rules and regulations of NAFDAC must be followed.

Based on our rough estimate the promoter(s) should provide at least N29, 000, 000 for take-off. This can be sealed down as well depending on the promoter.

The payback period is about two (2) yeas. The return on investment is 58%. The cost-benefit ratio analysis is in the ratio of 1:3 tons.

Finally, this project will go a long way to increase the supply base of frozen chicken to bridge the gap between the short in supply as a result of the ban; increase employment opportunities, create more selling points

for the numerous poultry/livestock farmers and at the same time generate huge income to prospective investors.

Interested investors should also note that they can take advantage of the SMIEs funding scheme to obtain part of the funds required to set up this project.

Some poultry farmers or those who may wish to set up poultry livestock farms can benefit so much from investing in this project.

For details on the procurement and installations for the machines (both local & foreign), preparation of comprehensive & bankable feasibility studies/reports, sourcing of the required funds as well as other investment advisory services on industrial projects please contact the writer.

-Uba can be reached through 08034494437

Firm Unveils Plans to Protect Electronic Devices, Smartphones Emma Okonji TantaSecure Limited, an indigenous device protection and information technology (IT) firm in Lagos, recently unveiled their flagship products termed Corporate and Individual Plans, known to be the first extended device and smartphone protection solution in the country.

Unveiling the plans in Lagos recently on how it intends to protect home and office appliances, including mobile phone devices through an organised automated service offering, the company said its initiative would change the narrative on how Nigerians use and fix their devices ranging from smartphones to home appliances.

The plan is such that TantaSecure has assembled a crop of trained technicians that will fix any faulty device and appliances, using sophisticated technology tools.

The company has developed a mobile app, where customers could download and report any faulty device, and within few minutes that the complaint is uploaded, the customer gets TantaSecure technician to fix the device at their homes, offices, or any public place

of choice that the customer may have indicated on the app, when filing complaints.

As Nigerians get busier by the day and also embracing sophisticated technologies, the need to maintain these technologies and the complicated devices that come with the technologies, becomes imperative and imminent. With the TantaSecure plan, the company bridges those needs, while offering convenience and confidence, through the TantaSecure Corporate and Individual automated plans.

Explaining how the company intends to fix the smartphones and devices when they get damaged, and how to get reputable technicians from TantaSecure that would deliver automated services, the Chairman and Founder of TantaSecure, Mr. Abraham Tanta said: “TantaSecure protects all devices, appliances, electronics and gadgets, no matter the manufacturer or model or even the time of purchase, as long as they are in good condition, apart from the fault it may have developed. If customers currently have device insurance through other agencies, they can easily switch to TantaSecure and save up to 50 per cent no matter

the type of device.�

Director of Marketing, TantaSecure Limited, Mr. Semilore Adeosun, said: “We know that the things you protect are more than just things—they’re valuable parts of your life. We also understand that accidents and malfunctions aren’t your fault. That’s why we promise to make filing a claim easier, get it fixed or replaced fast, and help get your life back to normal with as little hassle as possible. We have designed these products to individuals and corporate organizations in mind. We are trying as much as possible to reduce the burden of maintaining, repairing and souring for original parts of these sets of people.�

The company highlighted that students can get the protection of their devices with the paltry sum of one thousand Naira only.

With various payment plans of six months and twelve months, the device protection plan looks at capturing various segments of the society.

Marketing Director of TantaSecure Limited, Mr. Sam Igwe, explained that for any plan that has to do with depositing of money,

the company gives back 70 per cent of the money when the device did not go for repairs during the stipulated period of the plan. “We believe that Nigerians must start protecting their devices at a very cost effective method and also in a convenient manner. We designed our plan to cater for all segments of the society, while doing this, we give 70 per cent of the money back , if eventually there is no claim at the end of the duration. This set us apart from the conventional insurance policies littered in the country,� Igwe said.

Addressing the dearth of qualified technicians and original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) parts, the company noted that they have established a strategic relationship with technicians across Lagos. “This relationship includes trainings, certifications and customer service. Deploying a mobile app which can be downloaded in the Goggle Playstore, Tanta Secure has deployed an artificial intelligent (AI)enabled app that scans for problems in smartphones and locate nearest technician within a one kilometre radius,� Tanta said.

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IMAGES

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

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

L-R; Minister of State Science and Technology, Mohammad Abdullahi, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Sen George Akume, Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Sunday Dare, Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of State Transportation, Sen Gbemisola Saraki during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting held at the Council Chambers, State House Abuja.

State House

L-R: Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Avilex Biotech Ltd, Alex Lemmy Ochonma; Founder, Ibeju-Lekki Connect (IBLC), Ore-Oluwa Solana; Head of Private Sector, HCI Healthcare, Murphy Aruna; and Broadcast Journalist, Radio Nigeria, Radio One FM, Olayinka Yusuf, at the second edition of Ibeju-Lekki Connect Meet and Greet in Lagos ‌ recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Lanre Fagbohun SAN (left); and Managing Director/CEO, Seagle Property Development Company Limited, Otunba Yemi Lawal, during the maiden edition of LASU Career Development Center fair 2019, at the University Main Auditorium, Ojo Campus....recently kola olasupo

L-R; Manager, Adeola Odeku Branch (Victoria Island), First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Kola Kareem; Regional Head, Lagos, Mr. Oliver Opara; one of the winners of the fourth draw of the FCMB SME Race to China Promo/Managing Director of Success Excel Global Investment, Mr. Olabode Osho and Group Head, SME Banking, FCMB, Mr. George Ogbonnaya, during the Lagos Regional draw of the promo held at Victoria Island, Lagos...recently

L-R; Senior Business Analyst, Sahara Group, Joke Olatunji,; Head, Energy Audit, Ikeja Electric (A Sahara Power Group aďŹƒliate), Adetowun Adekoya; HR Business Partner, Africa Businesses, Jessica Akintade and Legal Manager, Sahara Group, Chineze Nnama during the Group delegates to the ongoing London Business School Accelerated Development Programme in London, United Kingdom...recently

R-L; Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Agency (Lawma), Mr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin; Chief Human Resources OďŹƒcer, EKEDC Mr. Aik Alenkhe and General Manager, Corporate Communications EKEDC Mr. Godwin Idemudia during the donations of overall Kit to Lawma in Lagos... recently

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L -R; Guest Speaker, Son of Founder, Dr. Ojetunde Aboyede; Chief [Mrs] Folake Solanke SAN; Chairman Development Policy Centre, Prof. Bimpe Aboyade and Chief.Ayo Adebanjo, at the 2019 Founder’s Day Celebration of Development Policy Centre in Ibadan ...recently FELIX ADEMOLA

AKINYELE ABAYOMI

L-R: Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Shenbee Travels Ltd, Mr. Wole Shenbanjo; Chief Operating OďŹƒcer, Teraworks, Titi Taiwo; Director, E L-R: Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Shenbee Travels Ltd, Mr. Wole Shenbanjo; Chief Operating OďŹƒcer, Teraworks, Titi Taiwo; Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan- Atlantic University, Mr. Peter Bamkole; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Maidville Consulting Ltd, Detoun AbbiOlaniya; and Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Birthedge Mercantile Ltd, Omoneke George- Aiyuydu, at the media brieďŹ ng on launch of Enterpise Development Centre and SME conference in Lagos...recently ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Registrar/Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr. Seye Awojobi; President, CIBN,Dr. Uche Olowu and Registrar, JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, during the CIBN Stakeholders engagement with Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in Abuja... recently

R-L: Representative of Governor of Lagos state/ Commissioner for Education Lagos State, Mrs. Folashade AdeďŹ sayo; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, X3M Ideas Lld, Mr.Steve Babaeko and Principal, Agidingbi Junior Grammar School, Mr. Ayodeji Ojo, during the Commissioning of the school’s renovated Block-4 Building housing the new state-of-the-art library facility at Agidingbi Junior Grammar school Ikeja sponsored By X3M Ideas Limited as the company’s 2019 Corporate Social Responsibility project in Lagos... recently ETOP UKUTT

Contractor carrying out repair work on Marina Road in Lgaos... yesterday

L-R; Managing Director, Symrise Nigeria, Rudy McLean; MD, Symrise ME Flavor Division, SoďŹ ane Berrahmoune; Vice President EAME Cosmetic Ingredients Division, Dr.Daniel Ibarra; Vice president sales, Alexander Lichter; and Vice President, Fragrances Africa, Middle East & Turkey Division, Rene Hemeier at a press conference by Symrise application Laboratory Launch and Tour in Lagos ‌ yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

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Between Rising Inequality and Fight against Poverty Ugo Aliogo examines the latest Oxfam International report which revealed that three richest billionaires have more wealth than the bottom 50 percent in the continent and its implication

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he latest Oxfam International report has revealed that the richest persons in Africa own 40 per cent of the wealth of the entire continent, adding that three richest billionaires have more wealth than the bottom 50 percent of the population of Africa, approximately 650 million people.

The report explained that the continent was rapidly becoming the epicentre of global extreme poverty, adding that while massive reduction in the numbers living on less than $1.90 a day have been achieved in Asia, these numbers are rising in Africa.

The report titled: ‘A tale of two continent,’ further examined efforts

by African countries to reduce the gap between rich and poor.

According to the Executive Director, Oxfam International, Winnie Byanyima, “Africa is ready to rise - but only once its leaders have the courage to back a more human economy that works for the many and not a few super-rich men. “They can achieve this by investing in inequality-busting, universal and quality public services like health and education and by developing truly progressive tax systems. These are particularly powerful for women and girls living in poverty. They can also back a transformation towards decent and dignified work that protects the rights of workers, especially in the age of the African Free Trade Area and the new digital era.�

Experts’ View The report noted that in Nigeria, poverty and destitution were stubbornly high, adding that around 10 million children are out of school, a quarter of citizens lack access to safe drinking water, and half are living below the $1.90 poverty line.

Commenting on the findings of Oxfam, the Director, Research and Training, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Study, Prof. Yemi Fajingbesi, noted that an individual cannot solve the problem of poverty.

According to him, it requires inclusive policies that include everybody.

He stated that from the report, it could be inferred that there was problem with the income distribution policy, adding that there should be deliberate and sustained policies by government would encourage redistribution of income in a fair manner. “Nobody is saying that income should be distributed equally; there is a difference between equality and equity or fair distribution. Unlike in advanced societies where the sources of income of individuals are known, the system in those societies are also able to know what is coming in and then impose taxes,� he added.

Fajingbesi explained that in Sub-Sahara Africa, the rich don’t pay taxes, but are easily collected from the poor citizens with low income than rich men with high income. “In addressing poverty, what is key is the creation of the environment that will lead to provision of job opportunities that will give income and food that can end poverty, it is not just the bringing the $24 billion that the report stated will help end poverty. “But the issue should be more on how the money will be spent or appropriated. There are other activities that are better in poverty reduction which the money can be invested in.

Therefore, in solving poverty there should be an effective mechanism to target the poor. “Most of the policies of government

are targeted at the poor and it widens the gap between the rich and poor, whereas there should be policies that close the gap. The policy will also encourage redistribution of income in such a manner that the inequality we are witnessing now will reduce to the barest minimum. There is nowhere in the world, where there is equality in income distribution. “The economist uses Gini-coefficient to measure income distribution, when you calculate the income distribution, the closer you are to one, the more uneven is the distribution, the closer to zero, the even the distribution. When you talk about even distribution, it doesn’t mean everybody will be endowed with income, what it simply means is that what is the percentage of income that is held by x-amount of the population?

We have a situation where 20 percent of the population is controlling the wealth of 20 percent of the country in that manner,� he said.

Also reacting to the report, the Executive Director, Director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, opined that the issue around poverty alleviation was multi-faceted and requires strategic intervention.

He explained that the engagements so far have taken the form of short to medium term remedies which would not yield much result that the short-term results that would reduce poverty and inequality.

He added that poverty eradication in Nigeria would require a long term strategic and consistent plan and implementation to solve the issue or even reduce it to the minimum.

Poverty Alleviation Outlook Fajingbesi, stated that government had in the past put in place various programmes and initiatives to address poverty, but government lacks the political will to follow these initiatives to fruitful end.

Rafsanjani, argued that the poverty alleviation outlook has been more of humanitarian handouts than the strategic planning and implementation that it really requires.

The CISLAC boss further stated that

there was need to examine the process of accessing the specific needs that predisposes each locality to poverty which may differ from the other, “so far we have been approaching the issues with a one cap fits all interventions.

This may not yield as much results and impact as may be anticipated.�

According to Fajingbesi, “The policies are well crafted and designed, but the issue is implementation. When it is time for implementation, we bring in issues such as ethnicity, religion, and party politics comes into it. Our policies implementation has been fraught with a lot of irregularities and the major problems are politics and religion. Any country that feds its policy on religion is doomed to fail. The political will to really implement the programme has been a major problem. “Now government is talking about the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP). One of the main focuses of the plan is to reduce poverty and the same thing is applicable to the Sustainable Development Growth plan (SDG); but my challenge is that we are not short of policies and programmes. The problem has been the implementation of these programmes to the objectives of which those programmes were designed.

The programmes were designed, but government didn’t follow up by providing adequate resources to ensure full implementation of those programmes.�

Education, Health and Social Protection On his part, Rafsanjani espoused that spending on pro-poor sectors such as education, health and social protection, have a major role to play in reducing poverty and inequality, adding that in the country, “there has not been any meaningful share and size of the allocations to these sectors both allocation and implementation (non receives up to 7% of the budget).�

He maintained that there was no streamlined monitoring of what goes into those sectors and how optimally they are used.

According to him, “The education trust fund generated from the education tax is not properly administered both in collection and implementation of the

projects. There is high level of drain of human resources in the health sector occasioned by an alleged poor funding in the sector leaving that aspect of the economy contributing very minimal to human development in Nigeria especially as it affects the low-income earners. These and many more contribute to the poor performance from these sectors and consequent expansion of the poverty and inequality gap.�

Fajingbesi, remarked that the country’s spending whether social or economy was very low, adding that the country’s per capita spending was still low compared with other countries.

He explained that due to the low budgetary spending, the country would not be able to address health problems, saying there was need to invest more money into the budget.

He added: “It is noteworthy to state here that allocation is backed up by cash and often times, there is approval for certain projects but there is no cash backing, so that is the major problem why budgets are not implemented. We depend on oil and we don’t pay taxes. “In other advanced economics, the major source of revenue is taxation.

It is easier to predict how much you can get from tax as revenue, than oil because we don’t have control over oil prices, the volatility in prices, and the regulating body OPEC allocates the barrel each country produces daily.

Taxes cannot be taken because income is low, those who control the resources don’t pay taxes, and government has no control over them.�

Way Forward Fajingbesi affirmed that in order to properly position the economy, there is a need to embark on effective tax reforms that would help to block all holes that encourage tax exemption, adding that there is need for government go after implementing luxury taxes.

He urged government not to allow double taxation and a tax system that discourages investment, “government needs to take stock on those people who are supposed to pay tax, but are not paying tax. We have to build a database for tax collection in the country.�

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

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BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

UNIDO, FAO to Accelerate Employment in Africa’s Agricultural Sector Ugo Aliogo with agency report The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the African Union (AU), with numerous other partners have launched the flagship initiative to accelerate youth employment in agriculture and agribusiness in Africa.

According to a statement on the website of FAO, Africa has the youngest population in the world, with more than 600 million young people in the labour market.

The statement explained that based on the principles of southsouth and triangular cooperation, the initiative aims to enhance the

business ecosystem by creating more jobs and opportunities for African youth.

It further stated that the main focus of the initiative was to provide technical assistance, capacity development and knowledge exchange to youth enterprises by prioritising agricultural value chains.

The statement added: “As such, responsible agricultural investment to develop rural areas and reduce urban-rural disparity through public-private partnerships is fundamental. When we talk about the potential of human capital in Africa, we are particularly referring to young people,�

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said. “African agribusinesses are expected to create a

market worth US$1 trillion by 2030, so agriculture and agribusiness have an invaluable and untapped potential to address the youth unemployment challenge.�

The statement maintained that the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can further leverage the capacity of young people to innovate and launch a new business.

According to the statement: “These technologies connect small farmers to markets, reduce transaction costs and mitigate risks as well as establish new possibilities for education and technical training in remote rural areas. Agenda 2063 for Africa aspires to achieve equal prosperity, based on inclusive and sustainable growth, driven by the potential of women and youth

in particular,�

UNIDO Director General Li Yong, emphasised that, “Integrating youth in agriculture and agribusiness is a key priority in the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).�

The statement explained that the launch of the FAO-UNIDO flagship initiative reflects the global commitments towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and calls for action among its partners to further strengthen collaboration by implementing a blueprint and a platform to forge more partnerships and mobilize resources: Africa needs to promote youth employment and self-employment as part of the development momentum.

L-R: Executive Head Corporate Aairs Multichoice, Carol Oghuma; CEO Ladybird, Bunmi Oke; Head marketing PZ Cussons, Charles Nnochiri; Managing Director, AT3 Resources, Limited, Tosin Adefeko; Convener WIMCA, Joshua Ajayi Omobolanle; Head Sustainability Access Dangote Industries, Victor-Laniyan; and Group Chief, Sustainability and Governance Dangote Industries, Dr. Ndidi Nnoli during the WIMCA 2019 conference themed: ‘Better the balance in the workplace; Equity or Equality recently, in Lagos...recently

CSOs Condemn Xenophobia Attacks in South Africa Civil Society Organisation (CSOs) actors across Africa have expressed deep concern and condemned the ongoing violence against African foreign nationals in South Africa.

This comes in the wake of recent xenophobic attacks reportedly perpetrated by South African citizens against other African foreign nationals who reside and own businesses in the country’s largest city, Johannesburg.

The attacks which allegedly began in September, have been described as inhumane acts of violence in which lives and properties of many African foreigners, resident in South Africa have been lost.

In a statement signed by 10 CSOs and coalitions from across Africa, the actors led by the Executive Director, Nigeria Network of NGOs, Oyebisi Oluseyi, described the attacks as criminal, as it contravene the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. “These attacks regress our common economic and development agenda as Africans as enshrined in Agenda 2063 and stands in the way of attaining the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) recently put in place by our governments to ensure that as citizens of mother Africa, we become prosperous.�

The statement further noted that the xenophobic attacks which have been prevalent over the years challenge the continent’s common heritage and value systems.

In commending the efforts of many global civil society organisations who openly condemned the attacks, the CSOs commiserated with victims of the attack while calling on governments of Nigeria and South Africa as well as the African Union (AU) to develop a comprehensive plan to address this issue.

The CSOs further charged Nigeria, South Africa and AU to use diplomatic routes to launch a joint-national campaign against crime and xenophobia by tapping into the expertise of civil society and the private sector in these regards.

Oyebisi reiterated the commitment of civil society organisations to using their organisational platforms in raising awareness on the need for Africans to remain united especially in the context of Ubuntu.

The CSOs in the statement called on the media, leaders of thought, clergy, public servants, politicians, business and civil society in and out of South Africa to use their platforms in educating and sensitizing citizens on the ills of xenophobia and its implications for unity and social cohesion of

Hamid Ayodeji As part of efforts to enhance economic activities, the Councillor of Ward A5 Epe LGA, Hon. Pitan Kareem of the All Progressive Congress Party (APC) has empowered primary and secondary school students with educational materials for the recently resumed academic session.

The councillor during the presentation of the educational materials to the students, disclosed that education was a major factor in driving the state and country’s economic landscape, adding that his office and administration does not only recognise this, but is also taking the right steps to see that the policies are implemented to boost the educational sector in the area.

According to the Councillor, Epe is currently undergoing a transformation and development as its industrial activities have increased and factories, industries were growing.

Also, in his keynote speech at the presentation of the educational materials, the President, Concerned Nation Builders Initiative, Idris Tele-Olukoya said, “The future and development of the country is in the hands of the youths so this initiative by the councilor would go a long way towards impacting the lives of the student positively. “Efforts like this should be supported in order for the society to be developed at a larger scale just as the Councillor of Ward A5 is ensuring with this back to school support materials for the students of Epe.�

PR Firm Wins M&B Paracetamol Account

PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY

Ugo Aliogo

Councillor Supports Students with Educational Materials

Africans. “We the undersigned leaders of civil society across the African continent are deeply concerned about the ongoing xenophobic attacks on African foreign nationals residing in South Africa. We deeply regret these unfortunate incidents that have claimed the lives and properties of our African brothers and sisters and led to the destruction of their properties and businesses. “We are worried that these attacks regress our common economic and development agenda as Africans as enshrined in Agenda 2063 and stands in the way of attaining the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) recently put in place by our governments to ensure that as citizens of mother Africa we become prosperous. “More than this, the spate of violence undermines our common heritage and value systems as the African people. These actions negate the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, are inhumane and undermine progress that have been made to advance human rights across the continent. “We condemn in its entirety these barbaric acts and call on the government of Nigeria and South Africa, and the African Union to take decisive steps and develop a

comprehensive plan of action to address this issue while encouraging our brothers and sisters affected by these attacks to remain calm and continue to remain safe. “We welcome the steps already taken by some governments, including the South African and Nigerian Government and further encourage the use of diplomatic routes and launching of a jointnational campaign against crime and xenophobia by tapping into the expertise of civil society and the private sector in these regards. “We further commend the calls of our civil society colleagues globally, and particularly in Africa, who openly condemn these attacks. We encourage them to work with the government and the good people of South Africa in developing plans and actions capable of bringing these attacks to a halt. “We are convinced that those who perpetrate these heinous acts do not reflect the values that South Africans cherish and uphold, hence we call on leaders of thought, clergy, public servants, politicians, business and civil society in and out of South Africa to speak up against these attacks; which no doubt could reverse gains already being made on attaining the sustainable development goals across the continent.�

Raheem Akingbolu Renowned Pharmaceutical company, May and Baker (M & B) Plc, has appointed CANOD Advertising, as the agency to handle its M & B Paracetamol campaign.

The appointment followed a rigorous pitch process that involved four leading media agencies at which the firm emerged victorious and the subsequent hard negotiations that further confirmed it as an agency deserving of the media account.

The pitched brand, M & B Paracetamol, “the Red one�, has fast acting and effective tablets as well as pleasant tasting pineapple flavoured syrup for children. M&B’s avowed aim to sustain its dominance of this particular market category with “the Red one� led to its resolve to partner with an efficient agency hence the need for the pitch and the eventual triumph of the agency.

The campaign which commenced in the last week of July is flighted on both television and radio with its execution in both English and vernacular languages to effectively penetrate the target markets.

According to a statement issued in Lagos, the advertising agency is a young and dynamic Agency being led by a foremost practitioner, Tony Udenze. “It is a team of consummate marketing communications practitioners with over 30 years’ experience that cuts across FMCG brands, Telecommunications, Hair & Beauty Care, Pharmaceuticals; Banking & Financial Services; Government & Public sector, Electronics and Insurance,� the statement stated.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

34

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 08152252325

Lagos and its Stagnant Health Insurance Scheme In a highly celebrated ceremony last December, the Lagos State government launched what was supposed to be the biggest mandatory health insurance scheme in the country -The Lagos Health Insurance Scheme. However, 10 months later, the process appears to have towed the line of the National Health Insurance Scheme which refused to grow since the past 13 years of its existence. Martins Ifijeh writes

Sanwo-Olu

W

hen on December 18 last year the Lagos State government launched what was supposed to be the biggest mandatory health insurance scheme in Nigeria – the Lagos Health Insurance Scheme - because of its plans to enroll 2.5 million Lagosians in 2019, and over 10 million residents within years of commencement, healthcare stakeholders and lovers of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) saw it as a welcome development that would not only disrupt the healthcare space of the entire country, but bring Nigeria closer to achieving health for all. They ticked it in their bucket list as one of the things that have been kickstarted to better the country’s health sector.

Healthcare stakeholders and development partners at the launch even had a stronger belief in the scheme when the then Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the present Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, walking side by side at the launch, both pledged to ensure the scheme succeeds, with Lagos residents, especially poor ones, no longer having to pay out of pocket for their healthcare For lovers of the UHC, their hopes are gradually being dashed. 10 months after the hugely celebrated launch that brought Lagos to a standstill, with the venue almost turning to a campaign hub of some sort, nothing has been heard of the scheme. Not even residents of the state whom the government had said at the launch would be visited in their homes for registration, are aware there is anything called health insurance scheme for Lagosians.

The residents, most of whom, have continued to grapple with health expenses from their pockets, with those unable to pay for healthcare now living at the mercy of their immune

Adenusi

systems or waiting for any outcome that may result from the ill health.

At the launch, the then Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris said systems were put in place to ensure healthcare providers target residents even in their homes to ensure everyone was registered into the scheme.

He also emphasised that civil servants in the state would be automatically registered into the scheme and that government would pay 75 per cent of their contributions, while those in the informal sector, which constitutes a huge chunk of the population, were being talked to through their various unions to be part of

10 months after the hugely celebrated launch that brought Lagos to a standstill, with the venue almost turning to a campaign hub of some sort, nothing has been heard of the scheme. Not even residents of the state whom the government had said at the launch would be visited in their homes for registration, are aware there is anything called health insurance scheme for Lagosians

the scheme, assuring that a huge number of them have embraced the idea and were ready to be registered immediately after the launch.

He also outlined beautiful blueprints which he said would ensure members of families no longer die from preventable diseases since they could walk into designated health facilities and have their children or themselves attended to even without monies in their pockets.

He said in an exclusive interview with THISDAY in December that, “the scheme has about three plans – basic, private and then general. We are starting with the basic plan which involves care at the primary healthcare level. Treatment of commonly seen conditions like malaria, typhoid, measles, including immunisation, counseling for non-communicable diseases like cancers, among others will be covered.

“We are also focusing on maternal and child care because that is part of where you have high mortality rates. Some key diseases like Human Immuno Virus (HIV) and tuberculosis, which are common with the poor, will be financed by some organisations that have signified interest. A huge chunk of the scheme is directed at the poor. That is why the law establishing it says a minimum of one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund of the state will go into a pool which is an equity fund basically to address people who cannot afford to pay. That is to guarantee a financial protection for them.

“In preparation for this launch, we did a poverty assessment of some areas like Makoko as a pilot. We have a designed tool to know those who are poor. Their own contributions will be paid from that equity fund. Again, insurance is more like subsidisation such that the rich covers the poor. It is going to be a new dawn for Lagos residents.”

But 10 months after the launch, Lagos residents are still patiently waiting for that new dawn which seems to either be walking

at a slow pace or even at a pause.

One then wonders whether the state hopes to go the way of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which refused to grow itself since the past 13 years, when it was first launched.

Till date, NHIS has only enrolled four per cent of Nigerians, while its counterpart agency in Ghana, which started the same year with Nigeria, has enrolled over 45 per cent of its citizens.

With the Lagos State government still on about 100,000 enrollees, according to the General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Peju Adenusi at the four-day flag off training for LSHIS Wellness Ambassadors in Lagos recently, it shows the state is so far at 0.5 per cent with a population of 22 million. It also shows that for its 2019 target of 2.5 million residents, it has only enrolled four per cent of the entire population.

Members of the public are still patiently waiting for the ambassadors which the state government said would move from house to house to enroll residents.

With the civil servants regarded as an easy catch for the government to enroll into the scheme considering the laws guiding it, it still baffles why the total enrollees of the state still rests on 100,000, especially considering that Lagos State workers are more than that figure.

How many Lagos residents in the informal sector are enrolled in the scheme? How many poor have been approached or enrolled in the scheme? Has Governor Sanwo-Olu decided to jettison the otherwise beautiful programme or healthcare is just not one of its priority? Or could we just regard the celebrated December launch as one of the ‘Ekos for Show’ such that it was designed only to tell the world that Lagos has started its health insurance scheme, whereas in reality, the scheme is only on paper.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

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NEWS

Malaria can be Eradicated Globally by 2050, Report Shows Martins Ifijeh A new report published by The Lancet, an international weekly general medical journal, has shown that malaria epidemic can be eradicated globally by year 2050 if the right tools, strategies and sufficient funding are deployed.

The study, tagged ‘The Lancet Commission on Malaria Eradication’ was authored by 41 world’s leading malariologists, biomedical scientists, economists, and health policy experts in the United States.

The study says: “This seminal report synthesises existing evidence with new epidemiological and financial analyses to demonstrate that – with the right tools, strategies, and

sufficient funding – eradication of the disease is possible within a generation. This report is the first peer reviewed, academic document of its kind.

“For too long, malaria eradication has been a distant dream, but now we have evidence that it can, and should be eradicated by 2050,” said the Co-chair of The Lancet Commission on Malaria Eradication and Director of the Global Health Group at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Sir Richard Feachem.

“This report shows that eradication is possible within a generation. But to achieve this common vision, we simply cannot continue with a business as usual approach. The world is at a tipping point, and we must

instead challenge ourselves with ambitious targets and commit to the bold action needed to meet them,” he said.

Recent decades have seen unprecedented progress made against malaria, prompting discussions about the feasibility of eradicating the disease altogether.

Earlier figures show that since 2000, global malaria incidence and death rates declined by 36 and 60 per cent respectively, due to strong leadership, countrydriven ambition, innovative new tools and strategies, and increased investments peaking at US$4.3 billion in 2016. Today, more than half of the world’s countries are malaria-free.

However, this progress hangs in the balance. Despite global

efforts, there are over 200 million cases of malaria reported around the world each year, claiming the lives of nearly half a million individuals.

The achievements of the past two decades are threatened by recent plateaus in global funding, together with a rise of malaria cases in 55 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America and increasing concern about parasite and vector resistance to currently available drugs and insecticides.

Additionally, malaria continues to perpetuate cycles of inequity, with 29 countries accounting for the large majority of new cases and 85 percent of global deaths reported in 2017.

All but two (Papua New Guinea and the Solomon

Islands) of these countries are located in Africa. Just two countries, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, account for 36 per cent of global cases alone.

The Lancet report, a joint endeavor between The Lancet and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), was convened in 2017 to consider the feasibility, affordability, and merit of malaria eradication, inform global opinion, and identify priority actions for the achievement of eradication.

The report says, “We used new modelling to estimate plausible scenarios for the distribution and intensity of malaria in 2030 and 2050. Analyses indicate that socioeconomic and environmental trends, together

with improved coverage of current malaria interventions, will create a world in 2050 with malaria persisting in pockets of low-level transmission across equatorial Africa.

“Rather than continue efforts to gradually reduce malaria in most countries, hold the constant threat of resurgence at bay, and fight an ongoing and increasingly difficult struggle against drug and insecticide resistance, we note the malaria community can instead choose to commit to a time-bound eradication goal that will bring purpose, urgency, and dedication. The objective of these efforts is to convert the modelled future of persisting malaria into an engineered future of a world free of malaria in 2050.”

FGVows to Revitalise Health Sector, Commences AssessmentTour Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja As part of its plans to revitalise the Nigeria’s health sector, the federal government said it has commenced an assessment tour of all federal teaching hospitals and other tertiary health institutions in the country.

It said the aim was to know their current status in terms of facilities and healthcare delivery capacity with a view to improving on their performances.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with THISDAY, a member of the Health Sector Reform Committee and Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole said the government has embarked on the programme of reforms in order to correct wrongs in the health sector and to restore and refocus the country’s public hospitals so that they can deliver quality healthcare services to Nigerians.

Meribole said a situation whereby some public hospitals lack basic operational tools like drugs, the right quality of staff and even buildings was becoming worrisome.

“You will hear that Nigeria has the highest rate of maternal deaths, children under five years most often die of vaccine preventable diseases. This is why reform has become very necessary,” he said.

He also said that the life expectancy of Nigerians is going from 53 years downwards whereas in some other countries, it is about 80 years and above.

He explained that some of the indices they are using to measure the quality and efficiency of the health sector include; under five years mortality rate and life expectancy.

He said the initiative known as the Health Sector Reform Programme was to be implemented over a 10-year period.

According to Meribole, one of the key mandates of the health sector reform committee, whose membership is drawn from the ministry of health, the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), private

sector and labour stakeholders, is to carry out diagnostic analysis of the operations of some selected federal tertiary health institutions across the country.

“The mandate is to explore the possibility of adopting a public-private-sector initiative to help transform operations of public health institutions in the country.

“As part of strategies to make healthcare accessible and affordable, the federal ministry of health has proposed a new compulsory health insurance scheme for all Nigerians working in both public and sector entities,” he stressed.

He said the Bill on the mandatory health insurance scheme was currently before President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

Meribole,who stated that the new health insurance Bill was passed by the last National Assembly at twilight of its tenure, explained that government’s interest in driving the reform was to get public-owned health institutions to imbibe the recognised expertise and efficiency of the private sector players while at the same time retaining the core mandate of the hospitals as public service entities.

Meribole added that the intention of government in implementing the reform “is to make things better so that it moves from bad to good and better.

“Health Sector Reform Programme is born out of the desire to change what is happening in the health sector.

You and I are aware of the stories we have hearing about the health sector, somebody goes to the hospital to get treatment and at the end of the day he doesn’t get the care he wanted.

“Also, some people are afraid of going to the hospital because they don’t have the money to pay for services.

Others go to hospitals but instead of getting better they get worse. Our health sector has been bedeviled by a lot of issues”.

L-R: Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Mohammed Sambo; and Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, during a Strategic Stakeholders Engagement in Abuja recently

Nurses Decry Poor State of Hospital Facilities in FCT Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Chairman of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, (NANNM), Comrade Deborah Yusufu, has lamented the poor state of funding and facilities in most of the public hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking with THISDAY during the FCT Nurses Week celebration in Abuja recently, Yesufu pleaded with the authorities of urgently release funds to clear the arrears of salaries and allowances owed health workers.

She said: “Honestly, the challenges we are facing are enormous. For instance, there

is the shortage of manpower in the hospitals in the capital city.

“In the past seven years, there has not been any fresh recruitment of staff. What we were having was replacement of retired staff.

“In the same vein, there are no new equipment. All our equipment are obsolete

and this has been affecting our work.”

Yusufu also complained that most of the nurses’ allowances are outstanding.

The association’s scribe appealed to the minister of the FCT, to urgently come to their assistance to pay outstanding allowances and to reequip the hospitals.

Ojo LGA to Enact Bye-law to End Girl-child Marriage Oluchi Chibuzor The Chairman of Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Mr. Rasulu Taiwo, has stated the readiness of the council to enact and implement a bye-law that would eliminate child marriage in Imude Community.

In view of the high prevalence in Imude Community, records at the Federal Ministry of Health National Management Information System, at Imude Maternity and Healthcare Centre, shows that out of every 10 women that visit the health facility for antenatal clinic and delivery, four are young girls between the ages of 12 to 17 years.

Taiwo, made this known recently, in an exclusive interview with THISDAY in Lagos, when he received a delegate from Bella Foundation, who were on an advocacy visit to his office.

He said as a government that has the interest of its people at heart, they cannot continue to watch without proactive measures to support good initiatives that would help eradicate the issue of child marriage in the LGA and in the state in general.

While commending the impact of the project, he said, “We will do anything within our power to facilitate the project. Within now and next week, I will get the legal

team together and invite the initiator of the bill so that we can talk together and resend the bill immediately to the legislative arm to work on it and see that it is passed into law.

“This will be a bill that would reshape the economic stability of girls in the local government and make parents accountable to the wellbeing of every child within their environment.”

Speaking, Founder, Bella Foundation, Bella Akhagba, said these girls were prevented from furthering their education or acquiring skills that can empower them economically.

She noted that there were cases where these girls get

impregnated by young men who do not have means of livelihood but are forced by their parents to marry the men responsible for their pregnancies.

“Recently we lost a girl who died a month after delivery due to infections and malnutrition and some other cases that victims refuse to talk about.

“Because of stigmatisation and shame, these girls do not like to go to the maternity or antenatal care, rather they go to the patent medicine store owners who do not have the knowledge; hence, they end up in complication. With this project that is sponsored by Cummins Foundation and RISEUP, we hope to end this menace.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

NEWS

Tackle Poor Funding, PHC Rots, Brain Drain, HEWAN Tells Minister Martins Ifijeh The Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) has called on the new Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and the Minister of state for Health, Senator Adeleke Mamora, to jointly tackle the myriads of healthcare issues bedeviling the nation.

The group said some of the key areas needing urgent interventions include the incessant poor health allocation in the national budget, the non-viability of primary health centres, high maternal and child mortality rate, brain drain, intra-sector rivalry, among others.

In a statement made available to THISDAY recently to congratulate the new ministers on their appointment, the President, HEWAN, Mrs. Chioma Obinna, said one of the issues affecting

the sector was poor funding, adding that one of the priorities of the new ministers was to ensure the federal government increases health allocations, as this will not only help in ending brain drain, but also help in improving the entire healthcare of Nigerians.

The Nigerian government had in April 2010 in Abuja agreed with other members of the African Union to increase health sector allocations from the national budgets in their various countries to 15 per cent.

Nigeria has however, consistently reneged on this agreement, thereby allocating between 2.8 per cent to five per cent on healthcare annually.

Last year, it allocated a paltry 3.9 per cent of the entire budget to health.

Obinna said: “We need to address brain drain. A 2017 poll by the Nigerian polling

organisation, NOI, found that over 90 per cent of medical doctors in the country intend to seek employment opportunities abroad because of low job satisfaction, poor remuneration and high deductibles from their salaries. This should be addressed.

“We also want the new ministers to adequately fund primary healthcare as well as implement PHC policies it has put on ground. The disease burden will drop drastically if the challenges affecting primary healthcare are addressed properly.

“It is in the interest of the nation for the ministers to rejig our PHCs to make them viable. It is also pertinent for the ministers to continue with the 10,000 PHC project across the country.”

The health writers body also called for subsidised healthcare

services for the elderly, adding that there was urgent need to put in place measures to cater for aged Nigerians as old age comes with unavoidable associated ailments.

“We also call on our ministers to tackle medical negligence and misdiagnosis. The country is in dire need of effective medical laboratory services. Many of the national laboratory facilities have gone moribund. For instance, the vaccine laboratory in Lagos. There is a need to revitalise these facilities for better treatment outcomes as medical laboratory remains the bedrock of medical treatment.

“We are also expecting that maternal and child deaths are tackled head on in this dispensation. There is the need for improved efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity, which has continued to be on the

increase.”

The group also called for an end to the reoccurring rivalry among healthcare providers.

“We believe that paying attention to the inter-professional rivalry in the public health sector should be among the first steps by the new health minister. There should be zero tolerance for discord in the sector.

“As a matter of necessity without prejudice, the age-long inter- and intra-professional rivalries, discord, acrimony, and crisis that have always thrown the Nigerian health sector into unending and perennial discord should be tackled.

“This has always been described in some quarters as irreconcilable differences and cold war. What this has brought to the health sector is retrogression, stagnation, motion without movement,

among others.”

She added that “the rivalry has eroded patientcentred practices, especially openly demonstrated in public health institutions.

This has gone unabated for years. Patients have suffered the consequences in no small way, and has greatly led to the loss of confidence in our sector.”

While noting that the appointments were round pegs in round holes, Obinna called for improved management of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), adding that the country cannot achieve Universal Health Coverage if health insurance remains optional.

HEWAN is the umbrella body of all health/science reporters and editors in Nigeria, including those with television, radio, print and online media

NAFDAC Integrates Electronic Licensing for ImportTransactions Martins Ifijeh The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has completed its integration of electronic licenses for the procession of import transactions across Nigeria.

In a statement made available to THISDAY recently, the Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said importers, freight forwarders, Nigerian Customs licensed agents, port stakeholders, authorised dealer banks and the general public should take notice of the new policy.

Stating that this will help for seamless processing of import

transactions on the Nigeria Single Window for Trade, she said: “This commenced September 9, 2019. “ In order to utilise the electronic licenses for the processing of Form “M” for the NAFDAC Regulated Products, clients would be required to input their Approval Reference Code stated on their NAFDAC e-licenses on the platform.”

“Holders of valid NAFDAC registration certificates and other import documents that are not in electronic formats are advised to visit the web address b..tlPs:I Itrade.gov.ng/ nafdac and click NAFDAC e-License for digitisation of such documents,” she added.

LASUTH Cardiologist, Team Record Another Medical Feat Ayodeji Ake A medical team comprising of an Interventional Cardiologist and other medical doctors recently carried out a lifesaving surgery by using improvised methods in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

In a statement made available to THISDAY recently, the Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, said cardiology, as a branch of medicine still has shortage of skilled manpower and equipment, adding that despite this challenge, doctors at LASUTH saved the life of the patient.

He said: “Pulmonary embolism is a form of medical emergency which happens when a clot is lodged in the pulmonary artery of the individual. “ It is a medical condition which the fatality rate is quite high, and urgent intervention

was needed to dislodge and remove the clot in order to save the life of the patient who would have succumbed to heart attack.

“In order to carry out this procedure safely, a Catheterisation laboratory (Cath Lab) is required, which costs about 150 million naira to set up. Even though, LASUTH does not, as of now, have a Cath Lab, we are excited that our intervention cardiologist and other doctors recorded another feat in this area of medicine using improvised methods.

“This was indeed the second time this team would successfully carry out this kind of high-profile procedure in LASUTH.” Fabamwo is optimistic that there were lots of medical possibilities in LASUTH if more facilities were made available to the team of medical experts across all branches of medicine in the institution.

ChiefExecutiveOfficer,NationalPrimaryHealthCareDevelopmentAgency(NPHCDA),Dr.FaisalShuaib(2ndright);andmembersoftheTulsiChanrai Foundation,duringacourtesyvisittoNPHCDAinAbujarecently

Kano SBMC Backs Child Spacing, Girls Enrolment in Curbing Population Explosion Kuni Tyessi in Abuja Residents of Kano State, under the auspices of the School Board Management Committee (SBMC) have put their weight behind child spacing and girl enrolment into schools, stressing that its dividends are insurmountable.

The Coordinator, Mothers’ Association, Gwale Local Government Area, a branch of the committee, Mrs. Umma Ahmad Abubakar, who stated this in Kano during a visit by journalists and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) officials, said the rising population

in the state can be harnessed through child spacing.

She said with education and enlightenment, girls will know and put into practice benefits of child spacing and the need to permit their bodies rest, before planning for another child, stressing that with this in place, households will plan their families well and have only the number of children they can afford to maintain and send to school.

She recalled that there were women who have had up to 17 births and living in single rooms with the children who

because of their number have been denied basic education which is bound to have its attendant consequences of crime, early marriage and other anti-social behaviours.

She said: “Many are gradually getting to understand the benefits of education especially in child spacing. With education, the girls will be able to know the importance of discussing with their husbands on the need for their bodies to rest before the preparation of another child.

“In this town, we have women who have given birth to up to 15 and 17 children

and are unable to provide their basic needs, not to talk of sending them to school.

Sometimes you will see all of them living in a single room and being exposed to all kinds of health hazards and social ills. But with education, they will know better.” Project Coordinator, UNICEF, Kano State, Mr. Richard Akanet had earlier revealed that reason given so far for non-enrolment into schools include distance, opportunity cost and direct cost which have been pegged at 44 per cent, 36 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

Foundation Partners RCCG, Gives Free Medical Services Rebecca Ejifoma A non-governmental organisation, Daniel Ogechi Akujobi Memorial (DOAM) Foundation has continued to stretch its humanitarian services across the country by rendering free medical services to over 300 residents.

The outreach, in partnership with the Redeemed Christian Church Victory Chapel Akowonjo Egbeda, held at the church premises

last weekend.

Residents were given medical services like dental care, high blood pressure, malaria, diabetes, body mass index screening, vitamins deficiency and deworming.

The Chief Programmes Officer, Mrs. Dorcas Martins, said the move was part of the mission DOAM is trying to execute across the country since 2006 when the foundation was established to execute charitable and

humanitarian services.

“This project is part of our many projects. Health is very important. We saw the need of the people and rendered the services,” she said.

She added: “DOAM is a non-racial, non religious and non discriminatory organisation. So we are going round the nation and spreading this much love and care”.

Still spreading its tentacles, the non governmental

organisation is dedicated to the enhancement of the education, health and empowerment programmes for the less privileged children and the youths.

Hence, to achieve this, some sponsors like Afrab Chem Pharmaceuticals, Lifeback Pharmacy and Stores, JB Pharmaceuticals and Reals Pharmaceuticals Limited came on board to make the programme a success.

37

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

FEATURES

Providing Healthcare to the Underserved Ivy Nwaeze writes that the Good Samaritan Ministry of the Glory Worship Center of the Redeemed Christian Church of God recently partnered the Labours of Love Mission, an American-based non governmental organisation, to carry out a free medical outreach to those who do not have access to good healthcare and also provide preventive health education for the underserved

F

or the past five years, the Good Samaritan Ministry of the Glory Worship Center of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Province 4, Region 20, in partnership with the Labours of Love Mission has kept the faith with its free medical outreach. Launched in 2014, the annual outreach is targeted at reaching the hosts in their respective communities where they have satellite churches.

Although the zonal church, with its membership of 1,300 is located at Sabo, Yaba, and is headed by Pastor Tope Akinbola, its five satellite branches and parishes spans from Yaba to Makoko, Bariga and Ijesha.

This year, the free medical outreach was held on August 30 and 31 at the zonal headquarters at 322 Murtala Muhammed way Sabo, Yaba. However, its five satellite churches and parishes which are City of Refuge located at Indian Quarter Railway Compound Yaba; Everlasting Father Parish located at 1, Mccullum Street off Murtala Muhammed way, Yaba; Glory Worship Centre extension located at 22, Makoko road, car wash Makoko Yaba; Glory Worship Centre extension located at 36, Ilaje Road Bariga and Sought out Tabernacle located at 14, Shodipe street Abule Ijesha, all participated.

According to the Chairman of the Good Samaritan Ministry, Elder Gbolahan Ojora, said the ministry is in charge of assisting the congregation, neighbourhood and society meet their spiritual, material, medical and financial needs, adding that this is part of bearing one another’s burden and bringing them into the kingdom in line with the scripture.

This year’s medical outreach was centered on free cervical cancer screening for 500 women, prostrate cancer screening for the men, health talk, medical consultation, free drugs, eye checks and then free glasses for those that need it.

They had in attendance 13 medical volunteers which comprises one medical doctor, one general practitioner, six pharmacists, one mental health specialist and psychologist, one obstetric and gynecologist, one pulmonologist, a nurse in training and one chiropractor.

After the free medical checks, patients tested positive to prostrate cancer and cervical cancers were further treated by the Good Samaritan Ministry through NGOs associated to RCCG. Ojora noted that in as much as the funding for the yearly free medical outreach was borne by the members of Good Samaritan Ministry and the Labours of Love Mission, part of their major challenges include creating awareness, procurement of local drugs, logistics like transportation, honorarium for the volunteers like medical practitioners, feeding and accommodation of the Labours of Love Mission teams.

For Founder of Labour of Love Mission,

Some of the beneficiaries

The volunteers

a non-profit organisation in the United States with members spread across the world, Dr Olujoke Jones, the vision of the NGO is to serve the population who do not have access to good medical care and also provide preventive health education like good nutrition, blood pressure control, weight management and lots more.

The NGO was founded in 2014 and partners political organisations, missions, schools and communities but the Glory Missions Centre is their main anchor. Jones said the services are provided just for Nigerians as a way of giving back to her country Nigeria, but would be extended in due time to other countries.

She mentioned that some of the problems encountered during the yearly medical outreach is hitches encountered while getting visas for the volunteers. She went on to request that the government look into this as they are helping Nigerians.

A resident in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a medical volunteer, Dr Gladys Ohiomoba, applauded the Good Samaritan Ministry on how smooth the medical outreach went and that the volunteering health workers were friendly. She however mentioned her major challenges as communication barriers as most of the patients are from low social economics background.

She also mentioned that she had a challenge diagnosing an elderly patient as she complained of black patch on her thigh but was not willing to pull off her cloth for examination. She had to refer her to see a dermatologist.

Mrs Ojoawo Orebowale, a member of RCCG Peace Parish, Ilasamaja, but who came as a patient and was treated during the free medical outreach, expressed her gratitude on the seamless process and ability to be seen by a doctor. She noted that she was given medication for her illness.

One Mrs. Adewale, a patient from the neighbourhood, was glad that she was opportune to be part of the 500 women who was tested for the cervical cancer and when the result was reviewed she was negative.

She was also reviewed by the Chiropractor of a long back pain. She was treated and shown procedure on how to give herself first aid when the back pain occurs again.

One of the highlights of the outreach was Mrs Abimbola Owuchekwa, a member of RCCG Glory Worship Center, a cervical cancer survivor, who was part of the first beneficiaries of the free medical outreach.

During the previous cervical cancer screening she was confirmed to have stage 1 cervical cancer, and was sponsored to go through the chemotherapy by the Good Samaritan Ministry and later vaccinated.

This year, she was made the team lead of the cervical cancer screening in charge of creating awareness.

Dr Lynda, an Optometrist was glad to be part of the volunteer doctors to reach out to people who cannot afford proper eye test and reading glasses. She mentioned that situations like glaucoma and cataract that require surgery are referred to an ophthalmologists for further investigation and for children they cannot carryout a refraction on them, so they are referred to health centers or a nearby clinic for further investigation.

Part of the mission of the Good Samaritan Ministry is to be burden bearers to one another and this is done by paying of school fees for people, assisting many in securing jobs, getting accommodation for people, medical outreach and CSR programs like sanitation,evacuation of sands in the drainages, organising competitive football matches and medical check up for the football team members in the neighbourhoo, using a mobile clinic to carryout medical check up at high density populated areas which lead to the planting of the Makoko Satellite Church.

During the medical outreach, the Good Samaritan Ministry ensured they met medical standards set by professional association by not allowing a non- pharmacists dispense drugs, a non-doctor consulting. They currently have some medical cases which the ministry is currently handling some of which are ; a woman who was operated upon at the cost of over N2 million two years ago, the children are also being treated of an infection that has lasted for over two years.

They were provided an accommodation, a help was gotten for them and the children were placed in a school with school pick up and drop off services.

Another case is a guy with a hole in the neck who was operated on at LUTH. Just as another case of a man whose leg is been strengthened at Igbobi in Lagos.

In all, the medical outreach reached and went beyond its goal of touching the lives of its immediate environment and the underserved.

MACCI Charges Minister on Implementation of Climate Change Plan of Action Martins Ifijeh As part of efforts to mitigate the hazards associated with climate change, the Media Advocacy on Climate Change Initiative (MACCI) has set a performance agenda for the recently sworn in Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood.

MACCI said the minister must be determined to do things differently to tackle climate change, as Nigeria

was not moving fast with adaptive measures to mitigate the impact of the change. In a statement made available to THISDAY recently, the Executive Director, MACCI, Victor Emeruwa said the country faces an enormous risk if nothing is done to urgently reverse the already observable consequences of climate change which is already showing up in the form of extreme flooding, and shortage of water in the Lake

Chad regions which is causing conflict between herders and farmers. He said: “As a country, we must put back the issues of climate change as an integral element for our national priority and form a common ground for adaptation of all activities required for mitigating the impact on our economy and livelihood.

“In Nigeria’s vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint, climate change

is recognised as having the potential to cause damaging and irrecoverable effects on infrastructure, food production and water supplies.

“The minister of environment as a matter of priority must implement the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change in Nigeria, (NASPA-CCN), a policy document drafted since 2011.

This is a comprehensive

policy material that requires immediate execution.” He urged the minister to call a Conference of Party on the document and present a guideline and timeline for implementation of the policy.

He added that as signatories to several United Nations Treaties on Climate Change, including the 2016 Paris Agreement, Nigeria must apply urgency to the issues of reduction of greenhouse emission, adaptation and

financing.

MACCI said: “According to the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change in Nigeria, the country will lose 15 to 25 percent of the GDP to effect of Climate Change if urgent actions are delayed.”

The group therefore urged the newly appointed minister to take leadership in addressing and prioritising all issues of climate change as it affects Nigeria.

38

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍ°Ëœ 2019

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

NigComSat Cuts Entry Barriers to Internet Services Chineme Okafor Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has initiated measures to improve the coverage area and lower cost of satellite internet in Nigeria, using new delivery approach.

NigComSat which is run by the federal government, is a satellite operator and service provider in Africa, providing connectivity solutions to key markets such as government, defense, maritime, enterprise and cellular back-haul.

However, it was reported to have opted to deliver satellite connectivity solutions by establishing an eco-system of Virtual Internet Service Providers (VISPs).

A statement noted that NigComSat would operate a digital Business Support System (BSS) referred to as PortaBilling, which would be provided by PortaOne – a leading global vendor of BSS and Online Charging System (OCS), to deliver internet service to key markets such as government, defense, maritime, enterprises.

The statement from PortaOne explained that the VISPs would rent data channels from the NigComSat orbiting satellite and then rely on the PortaBilling self-care portal to manage their tariff

plans and subscribers.

It added that PortaBilling would carry out all service monetisation including service activation, charging, invoicing and payment collection. “So, a VISP does not need to purchase or implement any infrastructure, and the only action required on the VISP side is to install the customers’ equipment. Such low entry barrier enables nearly any local company such as system integrator, utility or even a supermarket chain to become an ISP. “It will have major effects in several key markets, in particular for Small Office or Home Office (SOHO), these customers will benefit from better satellite connectivity,� said the statement.

It quoted the Managing Director of NigComSat, Dr. Abimbola Alale, to have said with the deployment of PortaBilling which he said was robust and flexible, the common challenges that ISPs face in Nigeria would be addressed. “It will also aid profitability, market readiness and a need for technology, which evolves with the market because PortaOne offers a license, unlimited in terms of number of subscribers or resellers.

This helps to maintain a low and predictable TCO (Total Cost of Ownership),� said Alale in the statement.

She further the PortaOne team were agile in their work on the project which has been integrated with other elements such as online payment through REMITA. According to the statement, PortaOne which is based in Canada, has developed software for agile service provisioning and billing systems for modern telecommunication companies across the world.

Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Andriy Zhylenko, was equally quoted in the statement to have said that the project with NigComSat would be a success. “At the heart of PortaBilling is an open architecture that will integrate seamlessly with NigComSat valueadded services. The two will work smoothly together to create cutting edge solutions that will meet the needs of today’s customers,� said Zhylenko.

He further stated that PortaBilling will make internet access in Nigeria more abundant and affordable, by building a vast network of VISPs in the country, as well as enable prepaid satellite internet access across Nigeria.

Heritage Bank Supports Entrepreneurs Heritage Bank Plc has once more thrown its support behind the organisers of ‘The Next Titan,’ so as to have a better and improved season six of the programme.

The programme focuses on ensuring that the entrepreneurial goals of the Nigerian youths are achieved, had its auditions in four of the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Speaking during the audition at the Sheba Event Centre in Lagos, the MD/CEO of the bank, Ifie Sekibo, was quoted in a statement to have said the bank has continued to demonstrate its commitment towards developing and positioning youths to become world-class citizens equipped and ready to be absorbed into an increasingly competitive workforce. “One of the reasons why we chose, as an organisation, to support the entrepreneurial

growth and welfare of the youths is to see young men and women play vital roles in the socio-economic development of the country and help curb the high level of unemployment,� Sekibo said.

The MD, who was represented by the Head, Brand Management & Sustainability, Corporate Communications, Heritage Bank, Ozena Utulu, said Heritage Bank is positioned to lead the recovery of the economy through enhancing youth entrepreneurship development and engendering self-employment via its various initiatives and products.

According to Sekibo, the drive to support youths seeks to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

He explained that the entrepreneur schemes

of the bank has always focused on dependable job-creating sectors, such as the agricultural value chain (fish farming, poultry, snail farming), cottage industry, mining, and solid minerals, creative industry (tourism, arts and crafts), and ICT. Sekibo stated that the bank supported the initiative because of its belief in Nigerian youth, who make up about 80 percent of the country’s population.

He further explained that Heritage Bank was impressed with the nature in which talents were sought out, the rigorous selection process and the integrity with which the overall scheme was delivered.

Sekibo expressed satisfaction in the long term sustainability of the initiative, stating, we will not support something that will not stand the test of time.

Lagos Hosts Cake Celebrities Nosa Alekhuogie Lagos State recently hosted about 4,000 bakers from across the world for a cake fair in Lagos.

The 2-day event titled: ‘Dewdrops Uncut Leaning Cake Fair,’ had in attendance Buddy Valastro, the number one cake celebrity in the world from the United States, and other notable names in the cake world which included Terry Adido (Canada), Rossana Schrappe (Brazil), Chef Tuba Geckil (Turkey) and Nguyen Hoong Anh (Vietnam).

Speaking at the event which was sponsored by the state government, the

Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State, Mrs. Shuli Adebolu, said: “Lagos is one of the most beautiful cities in the world that tourists and funseekers need to discover.

Our culture is amazing and welcoming. “Aside from being the home of entertainment - the rating attained through the resourcefulness our music and movie industries, Lagos is also home to arts. “Entertainment and Tourism are a focal point of this administration. The state government is open to meaningful collaborations that will support its vision of positioning Lagos State

distinctly on the global map.�

Earlier, in her speech, the CEO of DewDrops Cake Limited, Mrs. Ezinne Okonkwo, who was also convener of the event, lauded the state government for supporting the programme.

According to Okonkwo, “With the vision of Lagos State Government for Entertainment and Tourism shared by the Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Shuli Adebolu, I am convinced that Lagos State will occupy a premium position among tourist destinations in the world in the next couple of years.�

L-R: Head of Research, Coronation Merchant Bank, Guy Czatoryski; Head, Corporate Communications, Events and Digital Marketing, Meksley Nwagboh, and Director/Group Head, Investment Banking, Mr. Abiodun Sanusi, during a media briefing to unveil the company’s 2019 Insurance Sector Report, held in Lagos...recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

NOVEMBER 2018 Money Supply (M3)

31,794,803.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

6,333,064.28

Money Supply (M2)

25,461,739.17

-- Quasi Money

14,773,076.98

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,688,662.18

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,711,763.59

---- Demand Deposits

8,976,898.59

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

18,990,400.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,804,402.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,062,986.22

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,980,229.66

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

7,093,619.43

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

-4,144,571.43

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

23,082,756.56

--Other Assets Net

13,258,583.57

Reserve Money (Base Money

6,811,192.37

--Currency in Circulation

2,100,129.91

--Banks Reserves

4,366,259.05

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month Inter-Bank Call Rate

March 2018 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

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ÍŻÍŽ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $62.74 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $62.00 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

39

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

MARKET NEWS

Uduk: Capital Market Key to Economic Growth, Development Goddy Egene The acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk, has said the capital market can serve as a key catalyst for Nigeria’s economic growth and development because it offers a credible platform for obtaining long- term financing.

Uduk, stated this during the opening ceremony of a two-day international capital market conference held in

Lagos, Wednesday, organised

by SEC, in collaboration with the University of Lagos.

According to her, long-term and affordable funds were required for businesses to thrive and in turn contribute to employment, growth and development. “Beyond capital market’s contribution to economic growth, we aim at the larger goal of economic development.

Added to increased production, the latter entails advancement

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

in the quality of life and living standards of citizens in areas such as improvements in literacy, health and life expectancy, better savings/investment culture, financial inclusion, as well as improved wealth distribution, housing and environment,� she said. The acting DG stated further that capital markets across the world have products and mechanisms to stimulate economic growth and development.

She said although many of such products are available in

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Nigeria, there are aspects still untapped, thereby limiting the realisation of the nation’s potential. Uduk, disclosed that one major initiative to tap this potential was the development of a 10-year Capital Market Master Plan (CMMP), launched by the commission in 2014. “The plan has over 100 initiatives to spring–board the Nigerian capital market as one of the world’s deepest and most liquid, as well as the largest in Africa by 2025. It is also aimed

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

at ensuring that the market contributes much more to the socio-economic development of the nation, particularly in facilitating capital-raising for sustainable development and transformation of key sectors,� she said. She said the successes recorded from these initiatives notwithstanding, the SEC recognised that much more still needed to be done for the Nigerian capital market to contribute its desired quota and take its rightful place in issues and discussions of Ni-

O F

geria’s economic growth and development. “As we move into the future, we need to continuously embrace innovation in the way we carry out our market operations and regulation. Financial innovation is germane for the conception and delivery of a dynamic industrial society. Market participants and regulators have to continually familiarise themselves with the rapid ever-changing economic, regulatory and business environment.

1 1 / 0 9 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

40

˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

Thursday, September 12, 2019 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Up 0.64%

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Yesterday, the Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index gained 64bps to ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϭϱϱ͘ϯϴ ĂƐ Ă ƌĞƐƵůƚ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ GUARANTY (+0.2%), ZENITH (+0.3%) and NESTLE (+3.7%). These stocks

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϯϵ͘ϳй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ƋƵŝƟĞƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ WŽƐƚƐ 'ĂŝŶ͙ ASI Up 0.4%

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Price Price Previous Current Change Change Price Weightin YTD Index to Change g Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

1,155.38

0.64%

-21.3%

15.5%

18.6%

5.7%

4.6x

0.6x

7.4%

18.3%

At the close of trade yesterday, the local bourse gained as the

1 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

26.90

0.2%

19.2%

-21.9%

-22.0%

34.8%

5.2%

4.0x

1.3x

10.2%

24.8%

2 Zenith Bank PLC

18.25

0.3%

12.6%

-20.8%

-20.8%

24.8%

3.4%

3.0x

0.7x

15.3%

33.3%

ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ; ^/Ϳ ŝŶĐŚĞĚ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ďLJ ϯϵďƉƐ ƚŽ 27,153.53

3 Dangote Cement PLC

155.00

0.0%

9.4%

-18.3%

-16.7%

51.6%

23.4%

6.7x

3.2x

10.3%

15.0%

1,120.00

3.7%

7.9%

-24.6%

-24.1%

105.8%

29.7%

18.6x

19.4x

5.1%

5.4%

50.75

0.0%

4.6%

-40.6%

-35.2%

8.5%

3.8%

28.0x

2.5x

4.8%

3.6%

4 Nestle Nigeria PLC

points. Investors gained N51.5bn in value as market capitalisa-

5 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

ƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ƚŽ Eϭϯ͘ϮƚŶ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ůŽƐƐ ĞĂƐĞĚ ƚŽ –ϭϯ͘ϲй͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕

6 FBN Holdings Plc 7 Cement Co Northern Nigeria PLC

5.00

0.0%

4.2%

-37.1%

-37.5%

9.4%

1.0%

3.6x

0.3x

5.2%

27.4%

16.50

1.5%

4.9%

-14.9%

-14.9%

5.8%

5.4%

6.6x

0.6x

2.4%

15.3%

2.6x

0.4x

13.7%

38.0%

ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĨĞůů ϰϭ͘ϵй

8 United Bank for Africa PLC

6.20

0.8%

4.5%

-19.5%

-20.5%

15.5%

1.7%

ĂŶĚ ϳϬ͘Ϯй ƚŽ Ϯϭϭ͘ϱŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϭ͘ϰďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ

9 International Brew eries PLC

12.00

0.0%

1.8%

-60.7%

-61.9%

-23.2%

-2.3%

450.00

5.6%

3.2%

-29.7%

-29.7%

13.7%

8.7%

3.2x

0.4x

4.0%

31.0%

7.1%

56.2%

17.8%

10 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

3.6x

-7.6%

ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ COURTVILLE (35.2m units),

11 Access Bank PLC

7.00

0.7%

4.5%

2.9%

7.7%

22.8%

2.2%

1.8x

0.4x

STERLING (34.7m units) and ACCESS ;Ϯϵ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ AC-

12 Ecobank Transnational Inc

7.30

-0.7%

1.9%

-47.9%

-49.0%

15.9%

1.1%

2.1x

0.3x

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

35.75

-0.7%

2.5%

-25.4%

-25.4%

28.0%

4.4%

5.6x

1.4x

5.6%

17.8x

2.2x

5.4%

CESS (N208.4m), ZENITH (N206.8m) and ^ W> d (N147.8m) led by value.

48.3%

14 Unilever Nigeria PLC

29.30

0.0%

2.5%

-20.8%

-20.8%

12.2%

7.5%

15 Lafarge Africa PLC

14.40

-0.7%

2.5%

15.7%

20.0%

2.1%

0.7%

16 Guinness Nigeria PLC

37.00

-0.8%

0.9%

-48.6%

-48.6%

6.2%

3.5%

14.8x

0.9x

4.1%

6.8%

17 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

44.15

0.0%

1.0%

-42.1%

-42.1%

18.2%

13.5%

8.3x

1.5x

6.8%

12.1%

1.0x

5.6% -0.2%

18 Total Nigeria PLC

100.00

0.0%

ƵůůŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

0.8%

-50.7%

-50.7%

9.2%

1.8%

13.3x

1.3x

17.0%

7.5%

19 11 PLC

158.00

0.0%

1.4%

-14.8%

-14.8%

24.8%

10.9%

7.1x

1.6x

5.5%

14.1%

ĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͕ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ďƵůůŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŽĨ ϲ ŝŶĚŝͲ

13.25

-1.9%

0.9%

-42.6%

-40.3%

3.1%

1.1%

11.7x

0.4x

9.0%

21 Oando PLC

3.91

0.0%

1.2%

-21.8%

-18.5%

14.3%

2.5%

1.8x

0.2x

ces under our coverage closed in the green. The Oil & Gas

ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕ ƵƉ Ϯ͘ϴй ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƚŽŽŬ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŝŶ ^ W> d ;нϱ͘ϲйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ͕ ƵƉ ϭ͘ϲй ĂƐ NESTLE ;нϯ͘ϳйͿ ďƵŽLJĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ĂŌĞƌ ƚǁŽ ĐŽŶƐĞĐƵƟǀĞ ĚĂLJƐ of losses. Similarly, the Banking and Industrial Goods indices ƌŽƐĞ Ϭ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ & D (+5.8%), ACCESS (+0.7%), UBA (+0.8%) and CCNN (+1.5%). On ƚŚĞ ŇŝƉ ƐŝĚĞ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ĞdžƚĞŶĚĞĚ ůŽƐƐĞƐ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϭ͘ϯй due to sell pressures in D E^ Z (-2.8%), LINKASSURE (5.8%) and AIICO (-ϰ͘ϳйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ the AFR-/ d ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ hŶĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ

20 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

22 Fidelity Bank PLC

1.57

1.3%

1.1%

-22.7%

-22.7%

12.4%

1.4%

1.8x

0.2x

7.0%

54.5%

23 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.01

0.0%

1.0%

-23.5%

-21.7%

14.2%

3.2%

4.3x

0.6x

3.0%

23.2%

24 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

8.50

0.0%

0.7%

-44.3%

-42.6%

20.7%

11.4%

5.0x

1.1x

12.9%

20.1%

1.9x

25 Diamond Bank PLC 26 FCMB Group Plc

1.64

5.8%

0.7%

-13.2%

-8.9%

9.2%

1.2%

27 UAC of Nigeria PLC

6.05

-2.4%

0.4%

-37.9%

-36.6%

-6.9%

-3.3%

0.2x

8.5%

51.4%

0.3x

10.6%

-30.5%

2.35

1.3%

0.8%

23.7%

23.7%

8.1%

0.8%

7.7x

0.6x

29 Presco PLC

44.80

0.0%

0.3%

-30.0%

-30.0%

7.3%

4.6%

13.4x

1.7x

4.8%

7.5%

30 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

13.00

0.0%

0.3%

-27.8%

-27.8%

35.9%

12.1%

9.4x

3.2x

7.7%

10.7%

31 Forte Oil PLC

28 Sterling Bank PLC

14.00

0.0%

0.2%

-49.0%

-50.0%

48.9%

7.4%

2.2x

1.1x

32 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

7.00

0.0%

0.5%

25.0%

25.0%

7.0%

1.1%

11.3x

0.9x

33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

18.55

0.0%

0.3%

-7.7%

-16.1%

21.8%

2.5%

3.4x

0.7x

117.5%

38.3%

34 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

13.0%

46.0% 8.9% 10.8%

5.90

0.0%

0.2%

-51.2%

-52.0%

0.0%

0.2%

-29.0%

-29.0%

36 Wema Bank PLC

0.59

1.7%

0.2%

-6.3%

-6.3%

7.8%

0.7%

5.7x

0.4x

5.1%

17.6%

37 Beta Glass PLC

59.75

0.0%

0.2%

-12.5%

-12.5%

16.8%

11.3%

6.0x

0.9x

2.4%

16.7%

23.2x

0.5x

2.5%

4.3%

8.7x

10.5x

11.9%

11.4%

38 Dangote Flour Mills Plc

22.10

-0.7%

0.6%

222.6%

234.8%

-30.8%

-9.1%

39 Transcorp Hotels Plc

5.40

0.0%

0.1%

-11.5%

-11.5%

5.1%

2.6%

14.3x

0.7x

40 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

1.75

-2.8%

0.1%

-4.4%

-4.4%

9.4%

2.6%

8.9x

0.8x

T o p 10 G a i n e r s

3.9x

-9.5% 3.1%

IONDAC (+8.7%) and UAC-WZKW ;нϱ͘ϵйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ , D^ (-7.7%), LIVESTOCK (-7.7%) and LINKASSURE (-ϱ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ ĞͲ ƐƉŝƚĞ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶĚĞdž LJĞƐƚĞƌͲ ĚĂLJ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƚŽ ďĞ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ŝŶ ƐƵďƐĞͲ quent sessions in the absence of any market catalyst. NeverƚŚĞůĞƐƐ͕ ǁĞ ĚŽ ŶŽƚ ƌƵůĞ ŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐƐŝďŝůŝƚLJ ŽĨ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ

T ic k er

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

M A YB A KER

2.09

10.0%

UN ION D A C

0.25

8.7%

UA C -P R OP

1.25

SEP LA T

P ric e C hg %

C OUR T VILLE

35.2

0.0%

ST ER LN B A N K

34.7

1.3%

5.9%

A C C ESS

29.9

0.7%

1.64

5.8%

T R A N SC OR P

15.8

0.0%

450.00

5.6%

UB A

12.5

0.8%

J A IZ B A N K

0.40

5.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

11.3

0.3%

1120.00

3.7%

UA C N

9.2

-2.4%

C OR N ER ST

0.28

3.7%

C OR N ER ST

6.6

3.7%

LA SA C O

0.29

3.6%

M B EN EF IT

6.6

0.0%

WEM A B A N K

0.59

1.7%

A IIC O

5.4

-4.7%

N EST LE

ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ͘

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

Vo lum e

FCM B

T ic k er

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

CHA M S

0.24

-7.7%

A C C ESS

208.4

0.7%

LIVEST OC K

0.36

-7.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

206.8

0.3%

LIN KA SSUR E

0.49

-5.8%

SEP LA T

147.8

5.6%

A IIC O

0.61

-4.7%

N EST LE

147.3

3.7%

M A N SA R D

1.75

-2.8%

GUA R A N T Y

122.4

0.2%

UA C N

6.05

-2.4%

M TNN

81.2

0.0%

F LOUR M ILL

13.25

-1.9%

ST ER LN B A N K

78.1

1.3%

GUIN N ESS

37.00

-0.8%

UB A

77.5

0.8%

ST A N B IC

35.75

-0.7%

UA C N

56.0

-2.4%

WA P C O

14.40

-0.7%

D A N GC EM

43.7

0.0%

P ric e C hg %

Asset Management

Investment Research

Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Oluwarotimi Ashimi | oashimi@afrinvest.com

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

Brokerage

7.0% 11.3%

ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ƵŶĐŚĂŶŐĞĚ Ăƚ ϭ͘ϱdž ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ

ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĞƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ D z < Z (+10.0%), UN-

29.5%

24.75

35 Chemical and Allied Products P

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ

ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ϭϵ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϭϯ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ƚŚĂƚ

8.6% 56.3%

41

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Nigerian Entrepreneurs Urged to Tap into $250bn Global Investment Capital Chinazor Megbolu The Founder and Chief Strategist, Nicky Okoye Organisation(NOO), Dr. Nicky Okoye, has urged entrepreneurs, project promoters and state governments to access over $250 billion in new investment capital primarily from sovereign funds, bilateral financial support

agencies and other sources of alternative investment.

Okoye made the call at the Global Capital Strategy Session hosted by NOO in Lagos, saying there are three global areas that promise monumental opportunities for Nigerian and African business people.

According to him, the areas

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

include: adopting and developing a China Strategy, positioning for the inevitable transfer of 85 million manufacturing jobs from China, a technology strategy supporting over 10 million African businesses into the digital age, and a Diaspora strategy adopting products and services to supply to the $270 billion annual earnings of the Nigerian in

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 10Sep-2019, unless otherwise stated.

Diaspora market place.

He further advised project promoters, entrepreneurs and businesses that they should start to consider the use of a strategic approach to access funding, noting that the Global Capital Strategy developed by his team was available to them.

Meanwhile, The Honourable

Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo has lauded the NOO’s Global Capital Strategy solution as highly commendable and qualifies as an alternative investment solution for Nigerian entrepreneurs, projects and ventures that are seeking foreign investment and capital. He was represented by the Director for

Investment at the Ministry, Mrs. Olukemi Arodudu.

Also speaking, the Executive Governor of Lagos State Jide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Solape Hammond, said that Lagos State was excited about keying into the Global Capital access strategies.

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 N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 0.87 0.88 3.65% ACAP Income Funds 0.77 0.77 34.64% 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 12.20% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.35 2.38 5.74% 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 13.49 13.90 -18.68% ARM Discovery Fund 317.64 327.22 -10.94% ARM Ethical Fund 27.57 28.40 -2.39% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.34% 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 91.11 91.75 -9.96% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.46% 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 1.85 1.85 11.14% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.47% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 93.24 93.90 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 94.39 95.11 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 12.21% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.07% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,103.47 1,109.14 11.04% 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 1,237.11 1,237.89 10.57% FBN BALANCED FUND N/A N/A N/A FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.30% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 119.66 120.01 8.24% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 119.90 120.26 8.72% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 118.06 119.78 -21.29% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.65% Legacy Debt Fund 3.52 3.52 8.61% Legacy Equity Fund 1.03 1.05 -15.24% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.07 1.07 3.59% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,936.72 2,964.62 -1.61% Coral Income Fund 2,994.78 2,994.78 9.29% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 12.41% 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 100.00 100.00 11.13% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 108.69 109.64 1.24% 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 12.51% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.14 2.16 -1.03% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.71% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 134.37 134.41 7.50% 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 1.15 1.17 4.26% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,115.49 1,115.49 9.35% 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 9.39 9.47 -11.87% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.11% 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 1.28 1.30 4.28% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.94 12.04 7.08% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.33% 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 122.12 122.17 0.94% 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 1.03 1.03 9.88% 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 2,330.25 2,341.41 0.65% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 203.74 203.74 7.15% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.81 0.82 -14.21% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 265.04 265.14 9.27% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 139.05 140.52 -14.79% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.07% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,371.39 7,449.81 -13.22% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.14 1.14 5.36% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 100.41 100.41 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.14 1.15 -2.54% United Capital Bond Fund 1.66 1.66 10.47% United Capital Equity Fund 0.65 0.66 -9.83% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.72% United Capital Eurobond Fund 109.29 109.23 8.15% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.04 1.05 5.15% 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 9.62 9.77 -8.10% Zenith Ethical Fund 10.75 10.92 -9.42% Zenith Income Fund 22.30 22.30 9.87% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.89%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.40 116.88 53.10

-44.85% 5.22% 2.63%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.35 83.47 66.90

8.45 85.28 68.18

-20.75% -28.83% -24.53%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

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 Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.25 4.89 11.37 10.70 147.05

3.29 4.97 11.47 10.90 149.05

-18.73% -35.64% -22.09% -13.34% 11.42%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.34

17.40%

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.

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THURSDAY SEPTMEBER 12, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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INTERNATIONAL

2,500 Persons Unaccounted for in Hurricane-hit Bahamas About 2,500 people are still unaccounted for in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency said on Wednesday.

NEMA spokesman, Carl Smith, said some of the missing people may eventually be located.

“At this point, there are approximately 2,500 individuals registered on the Bahamian government register (of missing people),” Smith said.

“This list has not yet been checked against government records of who is staying in

shelters or who have been evacuated,” he said.

At least 50 people died in the hurricane, which slammed into the northern Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, and officials have said they expect the number to rise significantly.

The NEMA spokesman said more than 5,500 people have been evacuated so far from the northern Bahamas islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco, which were devastated by the storm.

He said that over the past day or so there had been a “significant reduction,” however, in the numbers

of people seeking to leave.

Smith also said that

permission was being given to resume commercial flights

to Abaco on a “limited basis” but priority would be given

to relief and evacuation flights.

Mugabe’s Corpse Arrives in Zimbabwe for Burial The body of Zimbabwe’s longtime President, Robert Mugabe, arrived in the capital Harare on Wednesday, after being flown from Singapore where he died last week at the age of 95.

His coffin, draped in a Zimbabwean flag, was carried by military officers out of the plane and down a red carpet flanked by soldiers, live television broadcasts showed.

“The entire nations of Zimbabwe, our people across the board, are grieving and are in mourning because the light, which led us to independence, is no more,’’ President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the crowd gathered on the airport runway.

The Zimbabwe government has said that Mugabe will be buried on Sunday at the National Heroes Acre, a hilltop shrine reserved for the country’s ruling elite.

But family members, awaiting the arrival of the body at the airport on Wednesday, declined to confirm the site of the burial, amid media reports that they opposed the choice of the National Heroes Acre.

Mugabe had been seeking treatment for an undisclosed illness in Singapore since April.

He died nearly two years after having being deposed in a military coup.

A former liberation fighter, who waged a guerrilla war against white-minority rule in what was then Rhodesia, Mugabe clung to power for nearly four decades, becoming one of Africa’s longest-ruling leaders.

Still revered by some on the continent for his fight against white domination, he is widely despised by others, who see him as responsible for destroying the country’s economy and violently oppressing any opposition.

The arrival of his body attracted hundreds of people to the airport and surrounding streets.

Live broadcasts showed them singing, ululating and holding up pictures of Mugabe as the motorcade carrying his coffin to an army barracks passed by.

The body was later due to being taken to Mugabe’s former residence.

Egypt’s Court Hands 11 Brotherhood’s Leaders Life Sentence, Drops Charges against Morsi An Egyptian court has sentenced 11 prominent figures of the currently-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, including the group’s top chief, to life sentence in jail on charges of spying for foreign organisations.

Life sentence in Egypt is 25 years in jail.

Official news agency MENA reports that among the defendants are the Brotherhood’s guide Mohamed Badie, tycoon businessman Khairat el Shaater, and former Speaker of the Parliament Saad el Katatny.

Vice Chairman of the group’s Freedom and Justice party Essam el Eryan and the party’s General Secretary Mohamed el Beltagi are some of the defendants.

Other 17 Brotherhood’s members were handed lengthy

jail terms ranging from 7 years to 10 years in prison in the same cases.

Meanwhile, six Islamists were acquitted, while charges against former president Mohamed Morsi were dropped due to his death.

The defendants have been convicted of spying with foreign organisations and leaking classified national security information.

They were also found guilty of working with armed groups inside and outside Egypt with the aim to conduct terrorist operations at home.

Morsi was ousted by the military in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his Brotherhood group, which was later blacklisted as a terrorist organisation.

JOURNEY HOME...

The remains of former Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, arriving from Singapore in Harare...yesterday

PHOTO REUTER

Netanyahu’s Pledge to Annex Parts of West Bank Triggers Condemnations Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank has triggered condemnation.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu pledged to annex the Jordan Valley if he wins next week’s elections.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War, and hundreds of thousands of Jewish Israelis are now living in the territory, which is claimed by Palestinians for their future state. Several Arab countries and groupings have decried Netanyahu’s plan.

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the plan, describing it as a dangerous escalation.

“Saudi Arabia declares its condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli

prime minister’s intention to annex lands from the West Bank occupied in 1967 and considers this measure as totally null,” the Saudi royal court said in a statement carried by the official news agency SPA on Wednesday.

The kingdom stressed that the move was a “dangerous escalation against the right of the Palestinian people and a violation of the charter of the UN and international law.”

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-member bloc, on Wednesday said it would hold an extraordinary meeting on Sunday to discuss what it called “dangerous Israeli escalation.”

The OIC meeting would be held at the level of the grouping’s foreign ministers at its premises in the Saudi

city of Jeddah, SPA reported.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a Saudi-led bloc of six countries, also denounced the Israeli plan as a “provocation and aggression”.

In addition to Saudi Arabia, the GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S.-allied grouping said that Netnayhu’s statement on the Jordan Valley annexation contradicts international law and the UN charter, Saudiowned television Al Arabiya reported. The EU meanwhile said it “will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders,” a spokesman for the bloc said in Brussels in response to Netanyahu’s announcement.

“Actions taken in this context, undermine the viability of the two-state

solution and the prospects for a lasting peace,” the spokesman added.

On Tuesday, following a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, the Arab League said in a statement that Netanyahu’s announcement undermines any prospects to achieve peace.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also condemned the announcement as a dangerous escalation that undermines the foundations of peace and pushes the whole region towards violence and conflict.

Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries having diplomatic ties with Israel.

Netanyahu said on Tuesday that he would apply Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley if he is re-elected.

Over 10,000 Migrants Deported from South Africa in 2019 South Africa Department of Home Affairs on Wednesday said that more than 10,000 illegal migrants have been deported from South Africa in the first six months of 2019.

Home Affairs Minister spokesman Siya Qoza said it was clamping down on illegal migration and that plans were in place to secure the country’s porous borders.

“These deportations happen regularly, following the prescribed legal processes.’’

He said charges had been lodged against companies that employ undocumented foreign nationals.

The department would intensify inspections of

companies, who were breaching the law.

“In the same period we have charged 1,048 employers for breaching immigration laws and more than half of these were in Gauteng.

“With regards to hiring of undocumented foreign nationals, we will clamp down on private business owners who do not abide by the Labour and Immigration Laws,” said the spokesman.

Qoza said the department was planning to implement the Border Management Authority in the next financial year to improve the security at the borderline and ports of entry.

“The Border Management Authority will help us because the problem is not the actual port, but the border line.

“This will allow us to have guards along the borderline and also simply process people around the border,” said Qoza.

Some South Africans including Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba have criticised the Department of Home Affairs, claiming it was not doing enough to tackle illegal migration.

Trump Promises Strong Military Response if Terrorists Strike US Again United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday

used a ceremony to honour the nearly 3,000 people, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to warn that any future attack would be met with a large military response.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 18th anniversary of the attacks, Trump spoke about the strength of the US military and its resolve to defend the US as he noted current attempts to end the war in Afghanistan.

“If for any reason they come back to our country, we will go wherever they are, and use power, the likes of which the U.S. has never used before,” Trump said.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Makinde Increases Car, Housing Loans for Oyo Workers Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, yesterday disclosed that the wage bill of workers in the state increased by N1 billion shortly after the governorship election of March 9, 2019.

Makinde, who made the disclosure during an interactive session with workers in the

employ of the state government, said the development increased the wage bill to about N5.2 billion from March 10.

A statement from the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, also confirmed that Makinde increased the car loan to civil servants from N500,000 to N750,000 and the housing loan from N2 million

to N3 million in order to assist the civil servants in the state.

The Head of Service, Mrs. Amidat Agboola, in her speech at the session, disclosed that the governor had approved a monthly grant of N20 million for car loan for the state workers; N15 million as car loan for Teaching Service Commission staffers and N20 million for

Enugu Govt Purchases 360 Patrol Vehicles to Tackle Insecurity Gideon Arinze in Enugu The Enugu State Government has said it has purchased 360 security patrol vehicles made up of 260 Siena vehicles and 100 Hilux vans to be distributed to security agencies, vigilance groups and forest guards in the state.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi disclosed this yesterday while showing journalists the vehicles at the Government House, Enugu.

Ugwuanyi said that the 260 Siena vehicles would be distributed to all neighbourhood watch groups and forest guards while the Hilux vans would be given to the army, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence

Corps (NSCDC).

The governor said that the state government had also placed order for security patrol motorcycles and bicycles.

Ugwuanyi said that the move was to further strengthen the security architecture of the state.

He said that the new move would ensure that all the 478 autonomous communities in the state were secured.

Ugwuanyi said the state government was in constant consultation with security experts in its bid to ensure the implementation of a laudable forest guard security outfit in the state.

He said that being the first state in the country to have forest guards, “we do not want

to make mistakes. That is why we are consulting security experts at every stage.”

The governor said the security architecture of the state would be such that even local hunters would be empowered with one form of mechanical mobility or the other.

Ugwuanyi said that in spite of recent incidents of insecurity in the country, “Enugu is only second to Abuja in terms of safety.”

He said that his administration had concluded plans to set up a security trust fund that would be managed by experts.

The governor said that the trust fund would be modelled alongside that of Lagos State.

housing loan to ensure that more civil servants benefited from the schemes.

According to Adisa: “Between March 10 when we were declared the winner of the election and May 29 when we eventually got into office, the salary bill of Oyo State increased by N1billion but we paid it and some questions are being asked. We promised oneness and, for us, that is the path we are going to continue to tread on.”

The governor further declared

that his administration would embark on a verification of workers in the state to ensure that the payroll is not suspicious, adding that the state government would “remain committed to the welfare of workers in the state because as a son of former civil servants, he was fully aware that workers need the support and assistance of the state government to do good things.”

He also enjoined workers to ensure that the verification

would be completed within the shortest period of time. “The not-so-good news, which will be good in the end, is that, we have to carry out a verification exercise. This is not to witchhunt anybody but to convince ourselves that we don’t have fraud in our payroll system.

If we are able to save money through that exercise, we can also utilise it to take care of the welfare of the workers and use the rest for the generality of the people of Oyo State.

South African Poet Condemns Xenophobic Attacks on Nigerians KABAFEST 2019 begins Peter Uzoho in Kaduna A renowned South African performance poet, writer and cultural worker, Ms Natalia Molebatsi, has condemned the ongoing xenophobic attacks being perpetrated by her countrymen against citizens of fellow African nations living in the country.

Delivering her poetic piece at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Kaduna Books and Arts Festival (KABAFEST) yesterday in Kaduna, Molebatsi described the ugly incident as not only

targeted at the people of other African nations, but to the white-skinned South Africans and their women.

She said: “I hope that we find a better place, and hope that through our words, we are able to mend the situation. And I hope we are going to find the spirit of Africanism, because this is what we were taught. And I hope that my young sisters and I are going to help the situation.”

Molebatsi, however, thanked the organisers of the festival, Book Buzz Foundation, the Kaduna State Government and

all other Nigerians present at the event for the hospitality shown her, saying “Above all, I thank you for welcoming me into this space.”

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, while declaring the festival open, explained that the state conceived the festival a platform to celebrate literary arts and to encourage literary talents in the north, expressing his optimism that this year’s edition would build on the successes accomplished during the previous ones.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

REACTIONS TO PEPT JUDGMENT...

Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Others Describe Buhari’s Victory at Tribunal as Resounding Our Correspondents The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, and Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase have congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his resounding victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Lawan said, “The judgment of the tribunal has again put a judicial seal on the mandate freely given to the president by the Nigerian people in the February 23 presidential election.”

He urged the president to accept the affirmation of his election as a reminder of the confidence of Nigerians in his capacity to continue to lead Nigeria towards its manifest destiny of greatness.

The Senate President said the Nigerian people have great expectations from the Next Level Agenda of the President and further pledged the full cooperation of the National Assembly with the Executive in the pursuit of the best interest of the Nigerian people.

Also, Gbajabiamila in a statement he personally signed, applauded the judiciary, especially members of the tribunal, for doing its job without fear or favour.

He also felicitated with the Nigerians and the entire members of the APC family nationwide for the victory.

He said: “I am elated to congratulate the President on his victory at the tribunal. Ab initio, I had no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the President would come out victorious, considering the massive support Nigerians gave the President before and during the February 23 Presidential Election.”

On his part, Omo-Agege in a congratulatory message he personally signed, described the decision as victory for democracy.

“I join the millions of Nigerians in congratulating you on your overwhelming electoral victory won on the basis of a populist mandate as well as today’s judicial victory won on the strength of our constitution, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal today.”

He added that it was no surprise, therefore, that the petition of Atiku and the PDP was torn to shreds and dismissed unanimously by the five-man panel.

Wase, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, congratulated Buhari on his victory, describing the judgement as victory for democracy and the rule of law.

He said the Presidential Election Appeal Tribunal has by its verdict vindicated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which declared President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC as the winner of the presidential election in line with the mandate freely and willingly given by Nigerians.

Abiodun Expresses Joy over Decision

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed joy at the outcome of the verdict confirming the mandate of President Mohammadu Buhari at the February 23 presidential election.

“It is victory for Nigerians and democracy. It shows that while minority would always have their say, the majority would always have their way,” the governor said yesterday, after the tribunal dismissed the case brought by a former vice president and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

“I am very proud of the judiciary. This arm of government has again, for the umpteenth time, demonstrated exemplary candour, courage and integrity for which modern democracies thrive,” Abiodun said, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin.

While urging Atiku to see the verdict as the voice of the people, the governor reiterated his conviction in the fact that power belongs to God who bestows it on whom He wishes.

He called on all democrats to support Buhari, who has the divine mandate of God and endorsement of the people till 2023 to keep leading the country.

Obaseki Says Verdict Well-deserved

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, describing the verdict of the tribunal as well-deserved.

In a statement, Obaseki noted, “I heartily congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his well-deserved victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on September 11, 2019, which is a resounding affirmation of the choice of Nigerians on February 23, for a second term for the President.”

He said, “The tribunal confirms our stance that President Buhari remains the preferred leader at this time, to reset our country on the path of greatness.”

Obaseki saluted the courage of the tribunal in upholding the mandate given by millions of Nigerians, noting, “It is refreshing that we have reached this threshold and I am confident that this outcome would enhance this administration’s resolve in championing the next level agenda of the president.”

“On behalf of the government and people of Edo State, I once again, congratulate the president and our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC), on this landmark victory. Congratulations, our dear President,” Obaseki added.

Wike Urges Buhari to Work for All Nigerians

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on the validation of his election by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, calling on the president to use his victory to work for all Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings In a statement yesterday, Wike called on the president to work towards the unity of the country, noting that the country is divided.

Sanwo-Olu Congratulates Buhari

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the Presidential

L-R: Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta, Festus Keyamu (SAN); Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, during the delivering of judgement at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja... yesterday JULIUS ATOI

Election Appeal Tribunal.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the victory as a final lap of a relay race where the real victor is evidently seen at the finishing line.

Sanwo-Olu said, ‘’although millions of Nigerians were not in doubt as regards the mandate freely given to President Buhari to steer the ship of the country for another term of four years, the opposition politicians were also not wrong to have approached the court to seek redress, noting that they were free to test the country’s judicial system. ‘’With this pronouncement, it is clear to everyone that contrary to misinformation being spread against our party during the electioneering by the opposition, the All Progressives Congress under President Muhammadu Buhari performed to the satisfaction of Nigerians in his first term in office.’’

The governor therefore enjoined Nigerians across party divide to team up with the president to deliver the real dividends of democracy to the people.

He said the next level campaign of the president is not only exciting but also a clear indication of the new frontier the country will reach in the next four years and beyond.

Ambode: Victory Validation of Second Term

Former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, describing the verdict as a validation of the second term mandate of the people given to President Buhari to continue the strides of development and to take Nigeria to the next level.

Ambode, in a statement by his media aide, Habib Aruna, said, “I join millions of Nigerians, the leadership of our great party and all members of our party across the nation to congratulate President Buhari on this well-deserved victory at the tribunal.

This victory is a validation of the confidence in the president’s re-election and a testament to the fact that the people are happy with the progress made by his administration and are keen to see four more years of progressive governance.”

He urged all supporters of the party and Nigerians in general to rally round President Buhari in his quest to return Nigeria to the path of greatness and respectability.

We Expected No Less, Says BMO

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has commended members of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) for not being deterred by threats and intimidation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its agents to taint its sense of justice.

This, the group said, is proof that the justices are men of honour that cannot be intimidated by social media bullies bent on arm-twisting them to ignore the evidence tabled before the tribunal.

BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, that it was expecting nothing less than the outright dismissal of the petition like the panel members did.

“It was glaring to everyone, aside from PDP elements, that the petition challenging the overwhelming electoral victory of President Muhammadu Buhari was not only frivolous, but also useless as Festus Keyamo famously said soon after the case was filed.

“However, the Tribunal has now further shown how ridiculous the electoral challenge was and made it clear that the President was duly qualified to contest in the February 23, 2019 election in the first place, on the basis of educational qualification and

professional attainment.

“To quote the panel directly, it said President Buhari ‘is not only qualified but also eminently qualified’ to stand for election.

This is a direct message to naysayers.

Victory Would Spur the President to Do More, Says Okorocha

Former Governor of Imo State and senator representing Imo West senatorial district, Rochas Okorocha, has described the tribunal judgment that affirmed the election of President Muhammadu Buhari as victory for lovers of democracy.

Okorocha who congratulated the President in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said that the victory would spur the President to do more.

According to the statement, “with the victory, President Buhari would now be more encouraged to continue to work for the unity, progress and peace of the nation, while the distractions associated with the case while it lasted have now been jettisoned.”

The former governor commended members of the Tribunal for “doing a good job and making the nation proud.”

He also commended Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for “giving good account of himself and for his contributions to the nation’s democracy”.

Okorocha noted that with all these, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the nation’s democracy.

CUPP Rejects Tribunal’s Verdict

The Coalition of the United Political Parties (CUPP) said it received with angst the judgment of the Presidential Election Tribunal which upheld President Muhammadu Buhari’s election.

The CUPP spokesperson, Mr. Imo Ugochinyere, said CUPP rejected the verdict totally since, according to him, CUPP viewed it as law turned upside down and an insult and a provocation to Nigerians.

He said, “From the totality of the judgment, the Court of Appeal PEPT panel has lost the rare opportunity presented to it by the petition of the consensus opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to put an end to electoral fraud, leadership incompetence and the imposition of an unfit leader on the people.

“By their judgment today, majority of Nigerians who had believed, though erroneously, that the judiciary was indeed independent have been brazenly awakened to the fact and correct belief that the presidency had successfully hijacked the judiciary and Nigerians can only expect judgments and not justice.

“All credible observer groups both local and international were unanimous in their verdict that the election was below the standard of the 2015 and was massively rigged in favour of the President, the Court of Appeal wasted the opportunity and have by so doing endorsed the insecurity in the land, mismanagement of national resources, electoral fraud, forgery of documents and certificates submitted to INEC and indeed threatened the very foundations of our democracy.

“Could the court as it had done in times past not this time also considered the state of the nation, mood of Nigerians, national security issues and taken a decision boldly, impartially and firmly in the interest of Nigerians and Nigeria? Today’s judgment is a manipulation of the law and the brazen use of technicality to stamp injustice, Rob the people of justice and deny the nation the chance to have a leader that they truly elected in the Person of Atiku Abubakar.”

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Amuneke Drags Tanzanian FA to FIFA’s Arbitration Committee over Terminated Contract Femi Solaja After qualifying Tanzania’s Taifa Stars for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)

for the first time in 39 years and leading the team to the continental showpiece in Egypt, Emmanuel Amuneke, has asked the Arbitration Committee of

N AT ’ L S P O R T S F E S T I VA L

Ogbemudia Stadium Will be Among Best Facilities in Nigeria, Contractor Pledges Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The contracting firm handling the reconstruction of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, has rated the facility as one of the best in the country.

Femi James, Site Engineer for Peculiar Ultimate Consult, the firm handling the reconstruction, stressed that the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will rate next to the Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo and the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja when fully completed.

Speaking when he conducted sports journalists on tour of the stadium yesterday, the site engineer confirmed that the stadium which will be installed with modern sporting facilities as part of the reconstruction work, has attained 85 per cent completion.

Noting that preparation for the laying of tartan tracks have been concluded with the casting of the surface, James said the contractors were only awaiting the arrival of the tracks from Germany.

According to him, the mainbowl of the stadium will boast of the FIFA required facilities such as Surveillance Monitor and Standard Studio that will make it easier to relay

live matches across the world.

“As you can see, a whole lot of work have been achieved; while various fittings are currently being installed with others completed, installation of seats is also being completed.

“This stadium which is about the best in the country, will be fitted with surveillance monitor 5km radius and also a studio facilities. It will be about the only stadium in the country with these facilities, the stadium will only be compared to that in Uyo and Abuja when completed.

“As for the tracks, we are done with the ground work and only awaits the arrival of the facility which payment have been made from Germany,” he declared.

James said aside the tracks, ordered and payment have been made for the floodlights and the scoreboard.

“Though, we have already installed lights inside the covered stand and also installed that shadow casting lights, we are only awaiting the arrival of the aforementioned light for installation.”

Similarly, the site engineer gave progress of work in the swimming pool and that of the lawn tennis courts to be between 50 to 55 per cent.

FIBA WORLD CUP

France Stuns Holders USA to Reach S’final Holders the United States suffered a shock 89-79 loss to France in the quarter-finals of the ongoing Basketball World Cup in China on Wednesday.

The US had won the past two World Cups and not lost in 58 international games, a run stretching back to 2006.

France were 51-41 ahead in the third quarter before the United States moved into a 72-65 lead, but the French fought back to take the victory.

Evan Fournier scored 22 points, while Rudy Gobert finished with 21.

France will play Argentina in the semi-finals on Friday, with Spain taking on Australia in the other match.

This will be the first time the United States have failed to win a medal at the World Cup since 2002, when they finished sixth.

As well as winning the past two World Cups, they have also won the past three Olympic titles.

With the victory, Spain and France became the last teams to clinch direct qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, having locked in their status as the two

best-ranked European teams in the tournament with victorious quarter-finals performances.

France joined their continental rivals Spain through to the semi-finals, while the trio of Czech Republic, Poland and Serbia failed to make it past the quarter-final barrier.

The two European sides joined the previously qualified Argentina, Australia, Iran, Nigeria, United States to claim the last of the seven available direct qualification tickets. The tournament hosts Japan will also have a spot in the 12-team Olympic lineup.

Argentina and the United States are guaranteed to be the best-ranked national teams from the Americas region in the World Cup, Iran are tops in Asia, while no team can finish higher than Nigeria and Australia in Africa and Oceania, respectively.

Spain will now make their sixth straight and 14th overall appearance at the Olympics.

Their best performance was in Rio 2016 when they clinched the bronze medal, squeaking past Australia, 89-88 for a spot on the podium.

FIFA to compel the East African nation to pay him his outstanding wages.

The former Nigeria and Barcelona winger who is AFCON 1994 winner with the Super Eagles wants the football world body to compel the Tanzanian FA to settle the contractual entitlement to him following the mutual agreement to terminate the remaining part of the contract last July.

Amuneke, 48, was relieved of the Taifa Stars’ job as the Tanzanian FA leadership was not satisfied with his inability to take the team beyond the

group stage of AFCON 2019.

Tanzania lost 3-2 to Kenya in the opening group match; were beaten 2-0 by Senegal and completed the Group C outing with another 3-0 loss against Algeria.

But almost two months after the AFCON in Egypt, the Tanzanian FA appears to have reneged on its promise to pay the FIFA U-17 World Cup winning coach his entitlement.

But when THISDAY spoke with Amuneke on the matter yesterday from his base in Spain, the ex-international admitted contacting FIFA on the matter.

“Yes, it is true that I have not been settled what I am entitled to in my contract with the Tanzanian FA. I have already asked FIFA to help me intervene on the matter,” stressed the former left-winger who won the AFCON 1994 for Nigeria with his vital goals.

Amuneke who is not given to frivolities insisted that “it is left for FIFA to decide whether it is right to terminate a contract without any payment as stated in the contract we signed.”

Amuneke who also played a vital role in Nigeria’s 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games men’s

football victory gave Tanzania the ticket to AFCON 2019 with Taifa Stars 3-0 home win against Uganda’s Cranes on the final day of the qualifiers.

The former Nigerian star who took up coaching after retiring and completed his coaching coaches in Europe in 2008 was coach of Sudanese side Al Khartoum Al Watani Sports Club in November 2017. But he walked away after just four months when the club told him to take a pay cut.

The Tanzanian job was Amuneke’s sixth in his coaching career.

France outwitted USA 89-79 to reach the semi final of the ongoing FIBA World Cup in China …yesterday

ZENITH WOMEN’S B’BALL LEAGUE

Ogun Babes Pick Final Qualifying Slot in Ibadan The Ogun Babes Women’s Basketball Team yesterday at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan picked the final national qualifiers ticket of the ongoing Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League.

It was not a feat achieved easily as the team had to endure a highly competitive match to pip Oluyole Babes 74-73.

The one point victory was recorded in an entertaining tie

which was a winner-takes-all for both sides.

Coach Peter Akindele of Ogun Babes said he was elated with the development which came at the home of the Oluyole Babes.

“My players are so young and I did not expect them to exhibit such composure and determination which gave us the victory. We worked so hard for it and of course luck was on our side. The crowd cheered

and cheered our opponent but it did not affect us too much,” Akindele recalled. As expected, First Bank and Dolphins finished as first and second respectively in the centre which is the South West Zone of the League.

In the final match of the centre on Wednesday, First Bank defeated Dolphins 66-58.

In the Abuja centre, Nigeria Customs who have been consistent walloped Nasarawa

Amazons 101 - 29 points and whipped Black Gold 63-29 to shoot on to the top of the table.

Also at the Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Air Warriors Babes beat Plateau Rocks 56-25 and also defeated FCT Wings 83-40.

The Zenith Women’s Basketball League comes to an end today at the four centres nationwide as teams are expected to depart on Friday.

Sports Minister Pledges Massive Tapping of Talents from the Grassroots Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Minister of Sports and Youths Development, Mr. Sunday Dare has reiterated the commitment of the federal government to embark on massive tapping of talented sports men and women that would be representing the country in global competitions in future.

Dare who spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State during a courtesy call on the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Lekan Alabi at Government House said that the present administration would work harder to ensure such feat so as to move the nation’s sports development forward.

The Minister who was in Ilorin to flag off of the 5th

National Youths Games at the University of Ilorin Sports Ground where over 5,000 sports men and women are participating in the competition, expressed the hope that budding talents that would represent the nation in international championship would be discovered during the two-week fiesta.

He used the occasion to laud state government for its support to ensure successful hosting of the games.

Dare acknowledged and appreciated the state government for its supports on National Youths Games over the years and solicited for more.

His words, “Federal Government is committed to

bring back resurgence of various sporting activities and culture of sports to discover young athletes who would go on to represent the state and country at the national and international levels”.

While affirming that Kwara State is one of the sports loving state in Nigeria, the Minister hinted that the state would soon host one of its international competition.

Responding, the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Alabi restated government’s commitment to develop grassroots sports for discovery of more talents.

Mr. Alabi who recalled his playing days in the 1970s as a footballer and handballer

representing Kwara State identified sports as unifying factors among Nigerians.

He noted that the state government has been supporting the National Youth Games and would continue to do so to make sure hidden talents are uncovered among the youths in the state and country at large.

He called on the three tiers of government to use sports to positively engage youth and reduce poverty.

Mr. Alabi noted that the state had produced stars in the past especially in Table Tennis, Badminton and in Athletics pledged that the present administration would give attention to sports to maximise it advantages.

TR

Thursday, September 12, 2019

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MISSILE Buthelezi to South Africans “Many of the countries whose citizens were coming to South Africa had given sanctuary to our political exiles during the struggle for freedom. This is our history. African countries like Lesotho, Swaziland, Nigeria, Zambia and Tanzania took huge risks on our behalf. Is this how we repay them? ” – Homeland Minister and leader of Zulus, Mr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, addressing a mob in Johannesburg on the Xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals of African descent.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Abuja-Kaduna Train as a Metaphor I

n May 2017, my first daughter had just completed her West African School Certificate Examination and was home when I got a message that her siblings were at the National Children’s Park and Zoo on excursion from their school. She decided to accompany me to see them. As we drove into the park, I said, “I am sure you don’t even know a place like this exists in Abuja”, thinking she had never visited the park before. “I have been here several times.

Mummy used to bring us here when you were working at the Villa. But the place was better than this then” she said. After a few seconds, she then asked, “Daddy, why is it that things in Nigeria were usually better in the past?”

She was just 17 at the time and I had no answer to her question that speaks to how things consistently regress in our country.

Take for example the Abuja-Kaduna train.

I first experienced the train ride two years ago and was impressed that everything worked perfectly. The trip took exactly two hours. The convenience was neat and nearly all the facilities were in good condition. As I continued to travel the route, I noticed a steady decline in both operations and facilities. Clocks stopped working, breakdowns occurred en route, cockroaches appeared, seats were torn and racketeering and touting of tickets became obvious. My experience last Thursday has compelled this intervention.

Billed to attend the board meeting of the Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship (KIF) in Kaduna that morning, I arrived at the station by 5.55am for the 7.00am train and joined others on the queue waiting for officials who only began selling tickets at 6.10am.

Meanwhile, it was drizzling and that led to a rush. While contemplating whether it was worth the trouble, a man who recognized me told me to leave the queue. He said someone would bring him tickets and he would give me one. Since I had promised to secure a ticket for Kadaria Ahmed, I told him I needed two. The man obliged and gave me the two tickets, free of charge.

Soon, boarding was announced. At this point, many were still on the queue trying to buy tickets. Pandemonium ensued. We eventually left them behind at the station.

During the journey, I made mental notes.

One, the majority of passengers in the Business Class compartment did not queue for tickets (which meant they secured them through ‘other way’) and two, the journey that took exactly two hours on my first experience was now two hours, 25 minutes.

But that is just the beginning of the story.

Having been booked on the 2pm train back (or so we were told), the moment our meeting ended about 12.40pm, I decided to head straight to the train station. But Governor Nasir el Rufai, whose conference room we used for our meeting, invited members for lunch. In requesting that I wait, he said we needed only 20 minutes to get to the train station where our tickets would be ready. I replied that I don’t take chances when travelling within the country.

My aburo, J.J Omojuwa decided to join me.

We arrived at the train station early

Amaechi...Transportation Minister enough but because it was raining, there was confusion everywhere. To compound matters, tickets were being sold in only one small cubicle. That led to hundreds of people pushing and shoving in their attempt to secure tickets. Omojuwa and I thought we would be spared the ordeal.

We were wrong. The Kaduna government official could not get our tickets though he ran from one place to another. And for those who did secure the elusive tickets, it was another battle accessing the platform.

Policemen, who had created their own melee by the entrance, beat back desperate passengers. When it was almost 2pm and we saw that the train had roared to life, we joined the madness. In the process, Omojuwa and one of the policemen nearly resorted to fisticuff. Eventually we fought our way to the platform even though we had no tickets. By then the train was about to move. Then we heard a woman shouting, “Where are the two men from the Government House?”

We rushed to her thinking she would give us tickets. She simply said, “follow me” and took us inside the first coach where she found seats for us in a rather dramatic fashion that is a story on its own.

Once we sat down, the ‘action woman’ bade us goodbye and alighted. Then the train moved. So, we travelled back to Abuja without tickets! Those that were left behind at the Kaduna train station numbered more than those who made the journey to Abuja.

My observations. One, we like to complicate simple things in Nigeria. In the disorder created by inept management of the train, corruption is bound to thrive.

Two, the best way to eliminate racketeering is for people to buy their tickets online. We have chosen a primitive method that is not working, cannot work and is open to abuse.

Three, when shall we do something about our maintenance culture? Even a simple thing like the clock on the train doesn’t work and nobody pays attention. Four,

the fare is ridiculous. It is being heavily subsidized. This is a $876 million project partly funded with a $500 million loan from the Exim Bank of China. The way we are going, we will soon run the train aground while still saddled with the loans.

I wrote the foregoing on 15th August upon my return to Abuja with the intention of publishing it in my column the next Thursday. As it so ever happens in Nigeria where we experience one day, one drama, other more important issues cropped up and I discarded this draft. When on Tuesday the Presidential Election Tribunal decided to deliver its verdict yesterday, I felt another sense of De Javu. But after reading a story published Saturday by Blueprint newspaper, I believe election matters can wait. Titled “Insecurity: Tension mounts as politicians ‘hijack’ Abuja – Kaduna trains”, the report details how, with the Kaduna-Abuja road now practically taken over by kidnappers, rail has become the only secure means for commuting, especially for the high and the mighty. With that also, tickets are no longer available to ordinary citizens.

The newspaper had sent undercover reporters to train stations at both ends to observe for two days and their report is damning not only about how the facilities have deteriorated but also on corruption of the management. Their story on how the only readily available tickets now are “for those who want to stand”, with the others taken over by politicians, senior security personnel, public officials and those who are ready to pay premium prices reveals how officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have gamed the system.

Given the huge investment in transport infrastructure by the current administration (mostly from Chinese loans), there is need for a management strategy, especially since other lines will soon come on stream. It seems we are using the old failed railway

model that is also bound to crash. Elsewhere, the railway line belongs to the government as public infrastructure while the railway coaches and locomotives belong to an operating company. If we are not to run the Abuja-Kaduna train aground, maintenance should be outsourced to a company that works with the Chinese suppliers of the rolling stock. Passenger handling and station operations could then be run by a private entity.

We cannot be borrowing to build the railway and be managing it the way we currently do. It makes no sense. The NRC should retreat into a regulatory and supervisory function while outsourcing the management (ticketing, maintenance etc.) to competent third parties. If that doesn’t happen, knowing the way Nigeria works, a time will come when train tickets will be available only to people who know somebody at the Villa!

Adieu Tijjani Yusuf When Major General Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd)—who remains a father figure to many of us—called sometimes last month to inform me of the death of Mallam Tijjani Yusuf, I felt a deep sense of loss. The 40th day prayer for the late admin officer held on Monday. There is hardly anyone who has worked in the Villa in the past two and a half decades (or had been sworn in for a cabinet position in Nigeria within the period) that would not know Tijjani Yusuf.

Yet I doubt if anyone can say anything unkind about him. He was a model of simplicity, respect for authority, dedication to duty and friendliness. May God comfort the family he left behind.

NOTE: Please see ‘El-Rufai’s (Un) Spilt Milk’ on page 14.

AbdulRazak’s First 100 Days On a Sunday afternoon about six weeks ago, I got a call from the governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazak, asking whether I was at home. When I replied in the affirmative, he asked me to send the address as he wanted to visit.

I did and within an hour, the governor was in my house. He came in just one car without any protocol and entered alone.

He left after spending almost three hours during which we discussed what he met on ground in our state and how he intends to turn around the fortune of our people.

As at the time the governor visited, he had only just spent two months in office but he had already visited every part of the state as he shared with me potentials that I never knew existed in different areas. He started with Kwara North where, as he told me, the first rice mill in the entire northern Nigeria was built (in Patigi) by the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He told me of an abandoned farm settlement within

the area. With agro-processing as his idea for empowerment, his eyes are trained on sugar and its by-products, including power generation.

In Kwara South, the governor sees cashew, cassava and poultry as the areas to pursue while maize production will be encouraged essentially for feed mills. As he talked about each area and what could be done, the governor reeled out statistics to back his point. From education to health and other sectors, there is no area that we did not cover in our discussion. The state, he assured me, is currently embarking on the enumeration of workers, teachers and pupils to be able to work with accurate data. By the time the governor left my house, I had no doubt in my mind that he has started on a good note. What is now left is for him to put in place his own team (he has thus far relied on staff inherited from the previous administration) and begin to work for our people. I wish the governor well.

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