WEDNESDAY 8TH NOVEMBER 2023

NPA Launches Audacious $1.1bn Plan to Rehabilitate 100-year old Tincan Island Port, Others Discloses 25-year port masterplan

Eromosele Abiodun

In a bid to enhance trade competitiveness and wrest cargo from

neighbouring countries, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), yesterday, announced plans to embark on a $1.1 billion port rehabilitation project.

Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, disclosed the plan at the ongoing 43rd Port Management Association of West

and Central Africa (PMAWCA) conference in Lagos.

Koko also revealed the development of a 25-year port masterplan that

would serve as a national working document uniting all stakeholders towards marine and logistics development.

He said the port rehabilitation project would cover the over 100 years Continued on page 9

NNPC-Aiteo Venture Launches New Crude Oil Grade, to Compete in Europe... Page 9

Wednesday 08 November, 2023 Vol 28. No 10437. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Cervical Cancer: Nigeria Governors' Wives Committed to Tackling Barriers, Upscaling HPV Vaccination in the Country... Page 41

Labour Commences Indefinite Strike in Imo State To shut down Owerri airport Threatens to begin nationwide industrial action November 14 Adegboruwa urges TUC, NLC to declare total strike Says Tinubu administration has no regard for labour

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

Organised labour, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress

(TUC), resolved to commence an indefinite strike in Imo State midnight yesterday, to protest alleged violation

of workers’ rights as well the recent brutalisation of NLC president, Joe Ajaero, during a protest in the state.

The leadership of NLC and TUC, which addressed a joint press conference in Abuja, yesterday, said

they would also begin a nationwide Continued on page 9

Yakubu: Results of Polling Units with Record ofViolence Will Not Be Counted Imo: LP, PDP guber candidates stage walkout during INEC's stakeholders’ meeting Demand removal of Resident Electoral Commissioner Don't test our resolve, IG warns trouble makers in Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo Orders restriction of movement on election day Deploys three DIGs to man elections in three states

Story on page 9

COURTESY VISIT...

L –R: Special Assistant to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Tony Ogufere; CEO, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Mr. Temi Popoola; CBN Governor,Mr. Olayemi Cardoso; Founder and CEO, Petralon Energy Limited and Chairman, NGX, Mr. Ahonsi Unuigbe, and Deputy Governor, CBN, Mr. Mohammed Sani, during an official visit to the CBN in Abuja…yesterday.

Bayelsa Poll: Diri Deserves Another Term, Says Jonathan... Page 43

2

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

3

4

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

5

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023

NEWS

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

BOosting support FOR DIRI...

L-R: Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas; Bayelsa Governor, Senator Douye Diri; former President Goodluck Jonathan, Acting National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Amb. Umar Damagum; former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; his successor, Sheriff Oborevwori; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal and other PDP leaders during a visit to the Yenagoa residence of the former President ... yesterday

Presidency: Tinubu's Economic Policies Will Shock FX Speculators, Dollar Hoarders CBN targeting 95% access to financial services for Nigerians, says Cardoso Pledges to work towards increased diaspora remittance inflow

Michael Olugbode and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Presidency yesterday, said the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would soon shock speculators and those hoarding the United States dollars.

Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this in Abuja, at the lecture and launch of a book titled, "Cowries to Cashless," that was authored by Princess Iphie.

Also, the CBN Governor, Dr. Yemi Cardoso, revealed that over 64 per cent of Nigerians have access to formal financial services, adding that the vision was to increase it to 95 percent.

The launch of the book coincided with the 65th anniversary of the CBN. Shettima, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economy Affairs, Dr. Tope Fasua, said naysayers should be afraid now because the President thinks far ahead of those hoarding dollars as well as foreign exchange (FX) speculators.

He stated: "For those who are speculating and praying and wishing that the currency would become nonsense, I believe that the policies being rolled out by the central bank and the government that I serve, led

by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will shock some of them very soon.”

Asked to explain what he meant further, Fasua said: "You need to listen to the agenda, the man himself.

And you see that the level at which he is thinking is far ahead of most of us.

"You know; he has some very great ideas coming up. Some of them are what you've seen reverse in the fall in the value of the naira, but he has also challenged us to review forward many of the targets. For example, the idea that Nigeria's economy will get to a trillion dollars.

He wants to achieve it by 2026.

"People thought naira will continue to lose value and that was what I was mentioning. So when someone is a visionary, and that's what leadership is about. Leadership is about vision, and the man has the right vision for this country, and to back it up the passion, the passion for the country, the belief in the country. For anyone that has that, you have to be fearful betting against his policies.”

Speaking further, Fasua said: "Like I said, you know, a weak currency is not something to brag about. And you have to be strategic. If you want to position your exports properly, you have to be strategic, even in terms of the value of your currency.

“So you're going to see all of these, including efforts from the fiscal side, the Minister of Finance, coordinating Minister of the Economy. We have patriots running the economy right now. And naysayers have to be very, very afraid."

On his part, Cardoso, who was represented by the Director of Banking Supervision, Mr. Mustapha Haruna, noted that the country was

going through economic challenges occasioned by a number of macroeconomic issues. He said this could link to some of the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

He expressed belief that the book captured the evolutionary journey into the history of the CBN, adding that he expected a number of landmark developments — especially from the use of cowries to manillas and to the more contemporary and modern era of cashless options.

The CBN Governor highlighted the journey of the apex bank particularly with regards to the phenomenal

transformation of the Nigerian payment system in the last two or three decades.

This transformation, Cardoso noted, had been deepened by the implementation of the cashless policy.

His words: "One of our strategic priorities in this effort is to foster financial inclusion and I'm very sure you will also relate to the progress we have made based on the current numbers.

“We have financial inclusion in the neighborhood of about 64 percent.

Over 64 percent of Nigerians have access to formal financial services.

Our vision is to push the boundaries

to over 95 percent and we are well on course, in achieving that objective."

Cardoso, assured that the CBN would continue to collaborate with key stakeholders, particularly the fiscal authorities to address a number of the essential issues and challenges facing the country.

Speaking on the essence of the book, the author and the Executive Director of Asher Global Treasures, Iphie, emphasised the need to preserve the evolution of money and its history in Nigeria.

She said: "If you don't know what yesterday was and you don't know what is today, definitely you will

Chartered Arbitrators Urge FG to Strengthen Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism Dike Onwuamaeze The Nigeria Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICARB) has asked the federal government to put in place frameworks that would ensure that matters arising from commercial contracts that opt for arbitration as preferred dispute resolution are referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism.

The request was made by the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of NICARB, Ms. Shola Oshodi John (FCArb), when she briefed

journalists on the upcoming 2023 Annual Arbitrators Conference that would take place in Abuja between November 15 and 17, 2023.

The theme of the conference is, “Repositioning Arbitration and ADR Practice in Africa: Unlocking the Continent’s Dispute Resolution Potential.”

Oshodi-John, said during the briefing that arbitration could earn the country foreign exchange if the government should invest resources in developing Nigeria’s ADR process and institutions, especially

now that the African continent is set for the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

She said: “If parties put an arbitration clause in their contract before commencing business transaction, once a dispute arises from the contract the courts should send them to ADR for arbitration.

“If we have courts emphasising this, and ensuring that matters that have been arbitrated are referred back to arbitrating institutions to handle, a lot of matters that lie in

Tinubu Presents Public Servant Award to NILDS DG Names Mukhtar national coordinator of presidential healthcare value-chain initiative

Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu would next month confer the 2023 Integrity and Public Servant of the Year Award on the Director General of National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.

The awardee dedicated the award to leadership and staff of the National Assembly, their counterparts in NILDS and the media.

Presentation of the award as contained in a letter signed by the National Coordinator of the award, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, would

hold at the State House Conference Centre.

Ibrahim said the Public Service Institutes ( PSI), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations ( NIPP) and Nigerian Television Authority ( NTA) were collaborating on the award.

The DG NILDS as stated in the award letter, titled: "Nomination as a Public Servant of the Year," (Shehu Shagari Gold Medal), secured the highest number of votes after an extensive three-month consultation and rigorous voting process conducted by a panel of 51 members from the PCI - Technical Advisory Committee, representing five strategic public institutions in

not know what tomorrow will be.

“So we started from Cowries to Manillas and then other ones before we started with exchange of goods and then this is where we are right now — the technological age and loads of innovation."

Meanwhile, Cardoso has pledged to look into the high charges on remittances inflow to Nigeria.

The CBN Governor gave the assurance during a strategic meeting, led by the Chairman/CEO and Management of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the CBN headquarters in Abuja.

Nigeria.

Part of the letter read, " The award presentation has received full endorsement from the presidency and technical support from the Public Service Institutes (PSI), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)."

The letter further explained that the former Minister of National Planning, had been recognised for his exceptional contributions to Nigeria's democratic institutions, a recognition validated by esteemed national and international organisations.

Reacting to the award at the Head Office of NILDS, Sulaiman said it

was a pleasant surprise to him.

He said, "I never knew that credible public institutions totalling 51, were observant of my contribution to national development in NILDS .

"I am elated by the Award and see it as call to do more. I dedicate it to the leadership and members of the National Assembly, management and staff of NIILDS and of course, the media for the usual coverage and reportage of our activities geared towards deepening democratic governance in Nigeria, "he said.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Abdu Mukhtar as National Coordinator of the Presidential

'Unlocking Healthcare Value-Chain' Initiative, which is domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare.

The President, according to a statement issued yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, expects the National Coordinator of the new cross-ministerial initiative to bring to bear his vast experience and academic qualifications in the effective execution of the essential national assignment such that the massive economic boom represented

by Nigeria's healthcare-delivery system can move from potential and theory into reality and practice in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.

courts will no longer be there.”

Oshodi-John explained that the essence of arbitration was for speedy resolution of disputes and warned that dragging a matter that had been resolved by an arbitration panel up to the Supreme Court would defeat the purpose of arbitration.

She added that, “people do not embrace arbitration because it lacks ability to be the final, which it ought to be, but has been abused.

“So there has to be a policy change to ensure that arbitration matters that end up at appeal courts are dealt with at certain fixed period. That way, the winner of arbitrational hearing will have the dividend. Because when the matter ends up in Supreme Court and last for say 15 years, it is like everything you have worked for, and even the reason you went to arbitration has been defeated.”

The registrar stated that arbitration was a money spinner that Nigeria had not been able to tap into it even though some African countries like Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa, among others, were becoming arbitration destinations because they have created enabling environment for parties, including international investors, to resolve their disputes in their countries.

According to her, “ADR should be developed and encouraged by the government and should not be left for individual institutions like us.

6

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

Board and Management of odu'a Investment visit abiodun...

L-R: Group Chairman, Odu'a Investment Company Limited, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Odu'a Investment Company Limited, Mr Adewale Raji, shortly after a visit to the governor by the Board and Management Team of Odu'a Investment Company Ltd... yesterday

NESG Rallies Partners, Stakeholders to Strengthen Food Safety, Seeks Passage of Quality Bill US gives reasons for rejection of Nigerian products, offers help

James Emejo in Abuja The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) yesterday rallied stakeholders and partners towards enhancing the framework for the food safety system in the country.

The group reiterated the need to expedite the passage of the Food Safety and Quality Bill into law in order to enhance access of Nigerian agricultural products in

the international markets without further obstacles.

Speaking at the opening of the Food and Feed Safety Expertise Co-ordination Workshop in Abuja, Chief Executive Designate, NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, said the delay in the passage of the bill had partly contributed to the continued rejection of some of export products by foreign countries especially the European Union (EU), United States

and the United Kingdom, among others.

This comes as the US also said Nigerian products often don’t meet all the regulatory and safety requirements specified by the country, leading to their rejections.

The Councillor for Agricultural Affairs, Nigeria, Benin and Cameroon, US Department of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Bielecki, told THISDAY that the US cannot allow

such unsafe products to endanger the country.

He acknowledged that Nigerian businesses had raised concerns over the high rate of export rejections they faced in the US and other parts of the world adding that the countries cannot afford to lower the bar in the interest of public food safety.

Bielecki, however, said the US was ready to do whatever it could to help Nigeria overcome

Adelabu: Why I Boarded, Personally Paid for Private Jet to Ibadan Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, yesterday said he boarded and personally paid for an aircraft operated by Flint Aero which crash-landed at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, Oyo State last Friday, because of his desire to prioritise national assignment over personal interest.

A statement from the office of

the minister said Adelabu spoke on Monday when he was accosted by journalists at the portals of the ministry on his resumption for duty.

The minister said he left Abuja on Friday because he had an appointment to visit the soon to be commissioned 2 X 60MVA, 132/33KVA transmission Station in Ogbomoso, Oyo State on Saturday morning.

In addition , he noted that he was

Insecurity: 3 Killed in Police Raid in Kogi as Political Parties React Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Apparently disturbed by the level of operation by the security operation and its attendant consequences , the political parties in Kogi have cried foul, urging the security agencies to be fair in their operations.

Just as police explained that based on series of credible Inteligence on the repeated/recurring incidences of violence in Kogi East Senatorial District, which recently led to an attack on a Police Team and disarming and snatching of one AK47 Rifle from one Policeman, early this morning, Tuesday 07/11/2023, a Special Joint Operation involving the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was carried out on building where Political Thugs are being housed

by Political Parties.

This was contained in different statement signed by the police authority and political parties copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja on Tuesday .

The Police Public Relation Officer, William Aya in statement states that during the Cordon and Search Operation, the Team, even after identifying themselves came under serious gun fire and in response

three of the Political Thugs were gunned down and Two AK47 Rifles recovered while two members of the Team sustained gunshot injuries and seven suspects arrested.

"To this end, to make for a peaceful Election in the State, the Raids on suspected Criminal/Thugs hideouts will be sustained to deny them safe heavens to operate. The ongoing operation will be sustained until after the Election," Aya stated Reacting in a statement by the spokesperson of the All progressive Congress, Femi Fanwo said.

"We wish to reiterate that as a Campaign Council, we welcome every effort at ensuring a peaceful poll on November 11, 2023. The election is for the electorate to determine who leads the state from January 27, 2024 and therefore shouldn't be a reason for insecurity in the state.

"However, we express deep concerns regarding the needless raid on the residences of some of our chieftains in Kogi East. We hold the hope that they are not specifically targeted ahead of the election.

"We hereby call on security agencies to act professionally, fairly and with the patriotic intent to maintain law and order before, during and after the election.

to join the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu to commission the Oyingbo overpass of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) route on Sunday. “ You will recall that we had a ministerial retreat with Mr President till late Friday evening. However, due to the prior appointment in Ogbomoso, Oyo State I had to personally pay for a private jet to convey us to Ibadan from the Villa where the retreat was held in order to meet the Saturday and Sunday's appointments,” he noted.

The minister who expressed appreciation to everyone that showed concern over the incident, said he had put the matter behind him.

“We thank the Almighty God that the incident was not more than that, however, we have a mandate from the President to boost power supply in the country. “ We should not let anything deter us from that objective. You

can all see that I am in the office to resume for work. That is what matters and in the next few weeks, Nigerians will see further improvements in power supply,” he stressed.

Adelabu said since his appointment, he has seized the opportunity to engage the various stakeholders such as the generating and distribution companies and other related organisations in the power sector value chain.

He noted that he had been seeking to identify the issues and why Nigeria has not had any improvement in the sector in spite of government's huge investment in the sector. “ You all know that I am not the first minister to be appointed in this ministry. We have had a lot of prominent Nigerians holding forth here. The question to then ask is ; why have we not had any significant improvement in the sector?

its limitations as well as expand its access to foreign markets, and improve bilateral trade relations between both countries.

He said: “My job here is to promote international trade, bilateral trade with the US in Nigeria, in food and agriculture, beverages, feeds, and fuel.

“Whatever we can do to help improve trade not just between our countries but also greater West Africa, the continent; we want to do whatever we can do to help Nigeria access foreign markets.

“So, we want Nigeria to lead on this and even when they ask us for help, we will certainly be there to help them.”

Nonetheless, Aduloju said the event marked a critical juncture in the country’s global efforts towards transforming food systems, emphasising the vital role of coordination, cooperation, and collaboration among relevant stakeholders.

He said Nigeria's commitment to upholding the highest food safety standards remained paramount to its wellbeing and progress, stressing that through collaboration and pooling collective expertise, the regulatory frameworks would be strengthened, leading to enhancement of the overall quality of food and feed in our country.

He said Nigeria’s 70 million hectares of agricultural land, presented massive potential for economic growth and development.

“We must have effective regulatory, institutional, and policy frameworks. Frameworks that address the gaps in food and

feed safety systems will not only improve the wellbeing of citizens but also impact Nigeria's position in international trade,” he added.

The incoming NESG chief executive also stated that for Nigeria to benefit effectively from the AfCFTA, reforming food and feed safety systems was inevitable.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to show political will and authorisation towards the passage of the Food Safety and Quality Bill – which was passed by both chambers of the legislature last year but couldn’t get the crucial assent of the president to become.

He said the government needed not to wait for another four years to pass the bill as this could be accomplished within a year.

Aduloju said safety and quality remained a key component of the food security agenda of the current administration, adding that it was time for political authorisation to align with policy and legislative action to make it happen.

He said passing the bill into law would also ensure that the country’s food exports can access international markets, especially at a time when attracting foreign exchange is inevitable to shore up reserves.

On his part, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, expressed satisfaction that food safety stakeholders were uniting to consider and deliberate on the priority areas for capacity building with a focus on modernising the food safety system.

Abiodun: Why Governors Ended Political Interference, Mediocrity in Odu’a Group Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has said the owner states of the Oodua Investment Company Ltd have decided against interfering in the running of the conglomerate.

Abiodun, speaking while receiving the board and management of the conglomerate, led by its Group Chairman, Bimbo Ashiru, expressed delight at the successes recorded by the company in recent years.

Commending the sense of creativity, direction and purpose of the new management team, Abiodun noted that he and the other South-West governors adopted a non-interference approach in order

to reposition the conglomerate to reflect the true worth of the people of the zone.

He said: "I want to recall that in 2019 when I assumed office, my colleagues and I sat and we decided that it was high time we began the process of repositioning Odu'a and that the present Odu'a at that time did not reflect the quality of us as a people of the South-West.

"We decided that no longer would we want an Odu'a where the members that represent the various states are just politicians; that we would ensure that we have members that are fit for purpose, and also that we should ensure that even the management itself and the

directors are professionally recruited so that they can complement the board.

"Today's Odu'a is a complete departure, night and day from what Odu'a used to be. I want to commend your sense of creativity, direction, purpose, sincerity, and commitment to all that you signed up to do, and we are very happy with the results we have seen.

"Because of that, all the governors have adopted a non-interference approach; we have decided not to interfere with you. We are happy with what we are seeing."

Abiodun also noted that his administration had come up with an inter-ministerial business

environment council saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that investors don't find it difficult to set up businesses in the state, adding that the state is number three in internally generated revenue in the country.

The governor noted that reforms and the ability to block leakages and loopholes without putting so much burden through increased taxes on the citizens were some of the reasons why the state would continue to soar in its determination to improve it's internally generated revenue.

He added that his administration had created business clusters across the state, such as Remo, Ijebu, Egba, Magboro, and Yewa.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

7

8

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

AWARD PRESENTATION...

L-R: Head, Commercial News Central Television, Mrs. Rosemary Egabor-Afolayan; Category Manager, Dairy and Snacks CHI Limited, Gloria Nwabuike; Brand Manager Hollandia, CHI Limited, Tosin David-Adeniji, and President Upticomm Marketing Company and immediate past Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Lagos State Chapter, Segun Mcmedal, at the recognition of Hollandia Yoghurt as the most outstanding Yoghurt Drink Brand of the year during the Brandcom Awards 2023 held in Lagos State…recently

UN Lists 33 African Nations among World's 46 Least Developed Countries Asia has nine countries, Caribbean one, Pacific three

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The United Nations (UN) has listed no fewer than 33 of Africa’s 54 nations among the world's Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in 2023.

According to the just-released 'Least Developed Countries Report 2023' published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Angola, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau are LDCs from the African continent.

Others are Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.

Nine LDCs from the Asian continent were Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal, Timor-Leste and Yemen.

Haiti is the only LDC from the Caribbean while Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu were listed as LDCs from the Pacific.

The list of LDCs is reviewed every three years by the Committee for Development Policy (CDP), a group of independent experts that reports to the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Following a triennial review of the list, the CDP may recommend, in its report to ECOSOC, countries for addition to the list or graduation from LDC status.

The next triennial review is scheduled to take place in March 2024.

The CDP is bound to apply the criteria and the thresholds for inclusion into the LDC category and for graduation from the category as: “An income criterion, based on a three-year average estimate of the gross national income (GNI) per capita in United States dollars.

“The threshold for inclusion is $1,088 or below; the threshold for graduation is $1,306 or above.

Naira Appreciates to N990/$ on Parallel Market

Nume Ekeghe

The naira appreciated marginally against the dollar on the parallel market where it exchanged at N990/$ yesterday, stronger than the N1000/$ it closed the previous day.

However, on the official Investors and Exporters’ (I&E) forex window the naira depreciated to N869.91/$, compared to the N809.02/$ it closed

on Monday. However, intra-day trade from the data obtained by FMDQ showed that the highest spot rate exchanged at N1100/$1 while the lowest spot rate recorded was N700/$1.

The official I&E window reported a daily volume turnover of $70.92 million representing a 19.09 per cent decline compared to the $87.65 million, it recorded on Friday.

“A human assets index (HAI), consisting of two sub-indices: a health sub-index and an education sub-index.

“An economic and environmental vulnerability index (EVI), consisting of two sub-indices, including an economic vulnerability sub-index

and an environmental vulnerability sub-index.

“The Least Developed Countries Report 2023 highlights that the 46 countries have very high external financing needs as they pursue sustainable development, adding that these needs have become

even larger due to the emergence of multiple global crises.

"At the same time, the international financial environment cannot provide least developed countries with the financing they need in the required amount and with appropriate conditions. Its reform is unavoidable," the

report stated.

UNCTAD with a membership of 195 countries is the UN’s leading institution dealing with trade and development. It is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.

Akpabio Warns MDAs on Consequences of Non-compliance with Resolutions, Laws Juliet Akoje in Abuja The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has warned Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government, against non-compliance with Senate resolutions and laws.

Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin at a National Workshop on Legislative Compliance in Abuja, yesterday, stressed the importance of MDAs adhering to Senate’s resolutions.

The workshop which was organised by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance in collaboration with Green Mount Consulting Ltd was tagged, "the imperatives of legislative compliance in deepening democracy and ensuring good governance."

Akpabio, stated that non-compliance with Senate resolutions was unacceptable, as it undermined the foundation of the country’s democracy and further urged MDAs to fully comply with the Red Chamber’s resolutions, emphasising the Senate’s

dedication to fulfilling its mandate.

The Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, in his remarks, emphasised the significance of legislative compliance, highlighting its role in maintaining the rule of law within a democracy.

He stressed the need for Senators to adhere to their own resolutions and

the responsibility of the legislative compliance committee to ensure compliance.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, Sen. Garba Maidoki, while assuring that the 10th Senate was committed to addressing issues of compliance emphasised the importance of

working together with MDAs to improve the country’s compliance with laws and resolutions.

However, Sen. Ayogu Eze, in his remarks on the critical role of the compliance committee, urged members to draw up an agenda to enhance the country’s compliance with laws.

President Tinubu Appoints Three New Executive Commissioners for NUPRC

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of three new Executive Commissioners for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) pending their confirmation by the Senate.

The President, according to a statement issued yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, also approved the redeployment of one

current Executive Commissioner.

The new appointees were Mr. Bashir Indabawa — North West — Executive Commissioner, Exploration & Acreage Management; Mr. Enorense Amadasu — SouthSouth — Executive Commissioner, Development & Production; Mr. Babajide Fasina — South West — and Executive Commissioner, Economic Regulation & Strategic Planning.

However, Dr. Kelechi Ofoegbu — South East — Executive Com-

missioner, Corporate Services & Administration, was redeployed.

According to the statement, Tinubu, approved the reshuffling and replacement based on his deeply informed assessment of all factors concerning the sector with a view to establishing a regulatory framework and culture that comprehensively disincentivises errant behaviour and incentivises diligence and rules-based business practice across the industry.

Moghalu, to Headline Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade Fair The newly appointed Chairman of the Advisory and Executive Boards of the Africa Private Sector Summit (APSS) and a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof.

Kingsley Moghalu, would deliver the keynote address at the Joint African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Private Sector Session, with the Africa Private Sector Summit (APSS) Co-Hosting an Ecosystem-based session at the 2023 Intra-African Trade Fair hosted by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Cairo, Egypt from

November 9th to 15th, 2023.

A statement explained that the joint AfCFTA Private Sector Session would feature a focused conversation on the Private Sector Bill of Rights (PSBoR) for an Enabling Business Environment in Africa proposed by the Africa Private Sector Summit.

The Private Sector Bill of Rights aims to ensure a predictable and conducive climate for the vast business opportunities in intra-African trade and investment as the private sector leverages the various protocols of Africa’s Regional Economic Communities

(RECs) and the AfCFTA treaty, which came into effect in 2021 and has been ratified by 43 African countries and signed by 11 others.

“Only 16 per cent of Africa’s global trade is regional within the continent. In contrast, 68 per cent of Europe’s global trade is within Europe, 59 per cent of Asia’s trade and 30 per cent of North American trade is intra-regional.

“It is estimated that when fully implemented, the AfCFTA will boost intra-African trade by 52 per cent, lift 30 million people out of poverty, and boost the continent’s GDP by

$450 billion by 2035,” it stated.

According to the statement, the APSS would launch a process of engagement with African leaders around the five geographic regions plus the diaspora, and governments to vet, validate and adopt a set of 24 rights for the private sector in the proposed Private Sector Bill of Rights.

“These include the right to peace, security and stability, effective legal systems that protect the sanctity of contracts, harmonised quality assurance standards in global trade, and a healthy consultative relationship

between the public and private sectors to drive trade and investment across Africa.

“The Joint AfCFTA Private Sector Session at the IATF will underscore the need for an ecosystem approach to improving trade and economic performance on the African continent, including creating and scaling up value chains.

“Prof. Moghalu will address the gathering of high-level international trade officials, business executives, African diplomats and political leaders on ‘The Private Sector Bill of Rights as a Companion Instrument to RECS and AfCFTA, to Deliver

the Africa We Want.”

“Mr. Wamkele Mene (South Africa), Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Yusuf Daya, Director of African Union/AfCFTA Relations and Trade Policy of Afreximbank, Ali Adji Mahamat Seid (Chad), President of the PanAfrican Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Amany Asfour (Egypt), President of the African Business Council (ABC), and Hon. Dr. El Gabaly (Egypt), a member of the Pan-African Parliament, are billed to deliver goodwill messages and responses to Prof. Moghalu’s keynote address,” it added.

9

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023

nine

NNPC-Aiteo Venture Launches New Crude Oil Grade, to Compete in Europe Two cargoes of 950,000 barrels each of Nembe crude oil grade exported to France, Netherlands

Peter Uzoho in Lagos

The NNPC-Aiteo OML 29 Joint Venture (JV) took centre stage at the ongoing Argus European Crude Conference in London when it announced the introduction of the Nembe Crude Oil Grade to the market.

The Nembe Crude Oil is produced from OML 29, onshore Nigeria.

A statement yesterday, explained that the Asset is operated by an indigenous operator, Aiteo E&P, which took over operations from Shell after their divestment from the Asset.

The Nembe Crude was previously blended with the popular Bonny Light grade and exported via the Bonny Oil &Gas Terminal.

As a side event to the Argus Conference, a delegation led by both the Aiteo E&P executives and the NNPC Limited leadership highlighted the unique selling point of the Nembe Crude Oil grade with an API of 29, low sulphur content and low carbon footprint due to flare gas elimination, it perfectly fits the required spec of major buyers in Europe.

This announcement also signaled the commencement of activities at

Nigeria’s newest crude oil terminal, the Nembe Crude Oil Export Terminal (NCOET), which was licenced in line with the extant laws and Crude Oil Terminal establishment regulations.

“The terminal was conceived as a Floating Storage and Offloading Vessel (FSO) with a storage capacity of two (2) Million Barrels and the ability to offload crude oil to any export tanker from AFRAMAX to Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC).

“The terminal has a loading capacity of 25,000 barrels per hour and will be exporting over 3.6 million barrels of Crude oil monthly at full

scale of operation.

“With this development, hydrocarbon production from OML 29, which was hitherto constrained due to evacuation challenges owing to the security issues around the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL) corridor, has now been debottlenecked through a collaborative and creative approach that led to the innovation of the Alternative Crude Oil Evacuation Solution,” the statement added.

The achievement highlighted the benefit of the strong collaboration of stakeholders, including NNPC Limited, the Operator, and industry

regulators, among others, to overcome challenges.

This, it noted, was clearly a testament to what could be achieved with the right combination of critical thinking and open communication between stakeholders.

“Two cargoes of 950,000 barrels each of the Nembe Crude Oil grade have already been exported to France and the Netherlands. With its attractive Assay of API 29 and low sulphur content, the Nembe Crude Oil grade commands a premium to the global Brent benchmark.

“With the NNPC-AITEO OML 29 JV back onstream, Nigeria now

Yakubu: Results of Polling Units with Record of Violence Will Not Be Counted

Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa, Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja and Tony Icheku in Owerri

Ahead of Saturday’s off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned politicians and political parties that it would not count votes from polling units where violence was recorded. Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, while addressing election stakeholders during a meeting in preparation for the governorship election on November 11.

Yakubu said the commission would not return to any polling unit, where there was violence, for election.

Equally, yesterday, InspectorGeneral of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, warned individuals and groups intent on disrupting the election to think twice, as the police high command was prepared to deal decisively with troublemakers.

However, in Imo State yesterday, the governorship candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), Senators Samuel Anyanwu and Athan Achonu, respectively, staged a walkout at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by INEC to press home their demand for the redeployment of the state Resident Electoral (REC), Professor

Sylva Agu. Nevertheless, less than four days to the three off-season governorship elections, PDP yesterday said exit polls’ predictions favoured the party winning the November 11 governorship elections. PDP also said the victory of Senator Natasha AkpotiUduaghan would count positively for the party in the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.

Yakubu, who was represented at the meeting in Yenagoa by INEC National Commissioner supervising Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, disclosed that all the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BIVAS) that would be used for the elections were customised for INEC. Agbamuche-Mbu said INEC details were in the BVAS, while the list and serial numbers of all the BIVAS qwre with INEC. According to Yakubu, “I want to let you know that our BVAS have been customised for INEC, so INEC details and the name of the parties are on the BVAS. So any BVAS you see without INEC details cannot be from INEC. “Another thing, we have all the list of the serial numbers of the BVAS we are going to use, the result sheets will be signed at the polling units.

“Where there is violence, it will be zero. We will not return to that polling unit to conduct election.

“We have recruited and carefully trained all category of ad-hoc staff

NPA Launches Audacious $1.1bn Plan to Rehabilitate 100-year old Tincan Island Port, Others

old Tincan Island Port, Apapa Port, and other ports across the country.

Koko added that with almost every port in Nigeria requiring rehabilitation, NPA was initiating a substantial overhaul, starting with the TinCan and Apapa ports in Lagos.

He said the objective of NPA was to enhance the physical infrastructure of the ports to accommodate vessels of all sizes and increase the draft at the quayside, with the aim of achieving draft depths of up to 14 meters. He said the initiative would make Nigerian ports more competitive on a global scale.

The managing director stated that NPA was also strengthening collaboration with the private sector to establish new seaports.

He said the Lekki Deep Seaport had already commenced operations, “and the Badagry Deep Seaport recently signed an agreement with a Middle Eastern party, with construction scheduled to commence early next year.”

The endeavour, he stated, “exemplifies NPA's determination to create a multimodal transportation system connecting all ports seamlessly.”

Koko said the 25-year port masterplan that would guide the location, sizes and activities of ports, terminals, and jetties in the country.

He said the masterplan would serve as a national working document, uniting all stakeholders towards marine and logistics development.

Recognising the inefficiencies associated with road-dependent cargo evacuation, he said NPA was actively working on alternative initiatives, which he said included implementing barges and expanding rail infrastructure.

He informed the gathering that the rail line had reached Apapa port and would soon be extended to the TinCan port.

Koko said the survey for deploying cargo rail and tracks to Onne port had been completed, setting the stage for the project’s kick off next year.

To streamline operations and reduce cost, Koko said NPA was embracing automation.

According to him, "The authority has automated its collection system and is collaborating with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to introduce a state-of-the-art port community system, poised to optimise cargo clearance processes."

He said NPA was working on clarifying the responsibilities of government agencies within the ports with the newly developed port process manual aimed at reducing overlaps and eliminating duplication of duties.

On security, he said the deployment of the Deep Blue project, equipped with air and sea assets, was enhancing security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and had contributed significantly to the reduction of piracy incidents in Nigerian waters.

Koko stated that NPA was collaborating with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to reduce bottlenecks and cut the cost of doing business within the ports.

Earlier in his speech, President PMAWCA, Mr. Martin Boguikouma, urged African countries to address challenges facing the region to be able to receive the new volume of traffic that would emerge from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

to be deployed to the fields, all non-sensitive materials have been distributed to all the eight local government area offices of the state; voter education and sensitisation is ongoing.

“We have made arrangement for the transportation of personnel and materials to ensure that polling units open on schedule on election day.”

Speaking further, he said, “For more effective supervision of the process, we are deploying two National Commissioners, eight Resident Electoral Commissioners to support our office in Bayelsa. I wish to assure you of our commitment to free, fair and credible election come Saturday."

INEC Publishes List of Candidates, Details of 40 Polling Units without Voters

INEC, yesterday, published the list of candidates and detailed information on the two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo without registered voters.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement issued

in Abuja, reiterated that elections would not hold in these polling units. Olumekun added that no materials had been produced for these locations and no officials would be deployed to them.

He explained, "In continuation of the commission's preparations for the three off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, the commission is making available two publications on the forthcoming polls as follows: "This publication contains an infographic summary of registered voters and Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) collected by Local Government Areas (LGAs) as well as the distribution of registered voters by gender, age group, occupation and disability.

"The publication also includes the list of candidates and detailed information on the two polling units in Bayelsa and 38 in Imo State without registered voters. The commission has repeatedly said that elections will not hold in these polling units. No materials have been produced for these locations and no officials will be deployed to them."

The national commissioner stated that 16 political parties were

sponsoring candidates for the election in Bayelsa State, while 18 parties were sponsoring candidates in both Imo and Kogi states.

He noted that elections would be held in 10,470 polling units (excluding the 40 polling units without registered voters).

Olumekun explained that each political party was expected to nominate polling agents for all the polling units as well as 649 Ward, 56 LGA and three state collation centres.

He added, "However, at the close of the deadline for uploading the list of agents to the INEC dedicated portal by political parties, 34,704 agents were uploaded for Bayelsa State, 65,274 for Imo State and 37,995 for Kogi State, making a total of 137,973 polling and collation agents for the three states.

"However, the detailed breakdown shows that not all the parties nominated agents for the polling and collation centres across the states.

"Indeed, some political parties have no polling unit or collation agents in some states, despite having candidates in the election."

Olumekun noted that information booklets as well as the comprehensive

Labour Commences Indefinite Strike in Imo State strike if by Tuesday, November 14, their demands were not met by the federal and Imo state governments.

The strike notice came as human rights activist and lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, urged organised labour and civil society to resist the oppressive tendencies of the state and its collaborators, saying that the President Bola Tinubu administration has shown lack of regard for labour.

Addressing a press conference shortly after a joint emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NLC and TUC in Abuja, President of TUC, Festus Osifo, described the move by organised labour as a national action on Imo State.

Among the demands made

by NLC and TUC were that the federal government should immediately order the redeployment and investigation of the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Barde; sack the Area Commander and police officers and men involved in the attack and brutalisation of Ajaero and other workers in Imo State; and immediately arrest and prosecute Adviser on Special Duties to Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, Mr. Nwaneri Chinasa, the for allegedly supervising the brutalisation of Ajaero.

Other demands of labour included an independent and unbiased professional medical examination of Ajaero to ascertain the extent of the physical and psychological injuries he suffered, and the implementation of all outstanding agreements reached with the Imo State government.

Reading the communiqué, Osifo said, "The NEC of all congresses frowned completely at what happened in Imo, it shouldn't have happened.

"For the President of the NLC leading workers to examine, protest the non-payment of salary of some of the workers in Imo, to protest the declaration of ghost workers when these people actually go to work

every day and several issues that have bedevilled workers in Imo State "We went there without guns, a single machete but only to protest.

Protest is something that is in the law, it’s a fundamental position that is purely guided by our constitution, that is guided by International Charter, that is guided by the ILO Convention, but, unfortunately, Hope Uzodimma organised the police and thought to attack the Nigerian worker.

"NEC completely frowns at it and resolves as follows: that from midnight today (Tuesday), we are going to carry out a national action that is going to zero in on Imo State.

These actions are not limited in any form.

"Then on Tuesday next week, there is going to be a total nationwide strike because as at last week, we issued a directive that had some series of actions that were stated therein and none of them as at today has been met, and no attempt whatsoever has been made to address them."

The communique further stated, "Consequently, the NLC/TUC NECin-session resolved - to order the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State beginning midnight today. All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are.

"All flights into and out of Imo State, fuel supplies and electricity be stopped immediately as applicable.

All public and private sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely.

"That if our demands are still unmet, workers all over the federation shall join in withdrawing their services by midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, 2023.

"All state councils of NLC and TUC and affiliates are by this resolution mandated to ensure full compliance with NEC’s decision."

NLC and TUC had earlier given the federal government till Wednesday, November 8, to respond

to their demands on the brutalisation of Ajaero in Imo State or risk an industrial crisis.

At a joint press conference on Friday, in Abuja, addressed by Deputy President of NLC, Adewale Adeyanju, and his counterpart from TUC, Erin Oko, the two labour centres had accused Uzodinma of serially undermining the rights of workers in Imo State by retrenching workers, owing workers 44 months salaries, and maintaining a backlog of eight years of gratuity arrears of workers.

They also condemned what they described as "systematic intimidation of trade unions and trade union leaders, dismantling of trade union structures, regular bullying and beating of workers, and denying them of access to the fruits of their labour.”

While recounting the ordeal Ajaero went through in the hands of his abductors, Adeyanju alleged that the NLC president was abducted by officers and men of the Imo State Police Command.

He stated, "They came in a convoy of vehicles and gun trucks, hooded and armed to the teeth. Ajaero was blind folded, beaten to pulp, brutalised, humiliated, and violated by the police personnel and taken to an unknown destination, where he was subjected to more battering and torture as well as threatened with death before help came his way via the National Security Adviser; Mr Nuhu Ribadu who ordered his immediate release.

"However, due to the severity of his injuries, the police had to take him to the Police Hospital, where we made contact with him at 3:30pm.

At the time of our first contact with Comrade Joe Ajaero, his right eye was puffed, black and shut, one of his ears has tiny trace of dried blood, his speech was slurred and incoherent.

He had welts all over him.

"He did not recognise the people around him and could not walk without being aided or supported.

GMD, NNPlc, Mele Kyari boasts an additional crude oil export of 2 Cargoes of 950,000 barrels each per month and 1.2 Bcf of export gas monthly. summary of the agents and their distribution by polling units, and the Ward, LGA and State collation centres had been uploaded on the INEC website and social media platforms for public information.

The Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, Mr. Tolani Alausa, said the police were fully prepared to ensure peaceful election in Bayelsa State this Saturday.

Represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations, Mr. Ijamah Daniel, the police boss said the force would deploy six personnel in each polling unit.

Daniel stated, “In every polling unit, we are going to deploy three to six personnel, outside that, the IGP has deployed as much as 21 units of mobile police force, under tactical unit, like the special force, the counter terrorism unit, special protection unit are all coming to Bayelsa State.

“I will advise every one of us to be law abiding, because we are prepared to withstand any type of challenge that will arise. We are equal to the task."

Continued on page 44

Inevitably, he had to be taken to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, for more investigation."

Adegboruwa: NLC, TUC Should Declare Total Strike

Adegboruwa urged organised labour and civil society to resist the oppressive tendencies of the Imo State government and its collaborators, saying the Tinubu administration has shown it has no regard for labour.

Adegboruwa, in a statement titled, "NLC and TUC should declare total strike action," said there was no need for a prolonged meeting on the matter.

The statement read, "I support the move by labour and civil society to resist the oppressive tendencies of the state and all its collaborators.

“There is no need for a prolonged meeting on this matter. It has been all promises, no concrete action.

And people are buying yacht and billion cars for their wives while the masses hold the short end of the stick. Enough is enough.

"The Tinubu administration has shown that it has no regard for labour.

The Uzodinma government insulted the collective mentality of all labour unions and subjected the symbol of their leadership to unprovoked terror and humiliation. It is totally unacceptable.

"The state unleashed terror on NLC President, who was only deploying civil and lawful means to register a protest. The reaction from NLC and TUC must be reciprocal, decisive and equal to the terror from the state and its collaborations, or else they should forget that they are labour unions.

"Let there be a total strike and showdown until the government would do the needful.

"This should not be a matter for a long debate by NLC and TUC. The foundation of their very existence has been challenged by the state and it must be resisted with all available labour forces and remedies."

10

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

11

12

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

13

14

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

15

16

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

politics

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

Intrigues as Race to Lugard House Hots Up in Kogi

Ibrahim Oyewale writes that the off season gubernatorial poll on Saturday, November 11, 2023 in Kogi State is a three-horse game between the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party

Ododo

A

ll is set for the off season gubernatorial poll in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states this Saturday as candidates of the various political political parties round off their campaign in the three states on Thursday.

The electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had expressed As the clock ticks towards the governorship election on Saturday, the battle for the soul of Kogi State has taken several dimensions in the past seven months as various stakeholders, gladiators and foot soldiers at the grassroots level have not left any stone unturned to ensure victory in the polls.

The stage has been set for the battle of the gladiators and the question agitating the minds of the political observers in the Confluence State is who succeeds Governor Yahaya Bello among the cleared 18 gubernatorial candidates to contest election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Political parties in the State have gone to the trenches strategizing to outwit each other. The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is working hard to retain the the seat of power at Lugard House in Lokoja while the opposition parties are not relenting in their efforts to wrest power from the APC that has been in the saddle on the state in the last eight years.

Out of the 18 cleared political parties for governorship election in Kogi State as at Tuesday 7th of November, 2023, only six parties are very visible on the political landscape canvassing for votes for the next Saturday’s election. The opposition parties’ common enemy is APC and they are working hard to unseat the present government in the State.

The contending parties are the All Progressive Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance and Accord Party snd have traversed the 21 local government councils in the state while others have not been known beyond the State Capital and others were said to have collapsed their structures across the state for other parties.

Watchers of political events in the Confluence state are of the opinion that the contest is between APC, SPD and PDP, describing others as not too serious contenders because some them do not have presence and structures in other parts of the State.They are also unanimous in their opinion that the coming election may be tilted toward ethic biases.

Analysts further argued that the three leading candidates in the race are from different ethnic background namely Ebira, Igala and Okun respectively and the voting pattern may likely reflect the same, while APC will dictate the pace in Kogi central, the SDP will make huge statement in Eastern senatorial zone of the state and probably the remaining die hard supporters of PDP will still vote for Dino Melaye in Kogi West.

Although this may not affect the outcome of the poll because other factors would be considered in an election of this nature.

The battle lines have been drawn between the opposition parties and the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello, the APC-led administration in the State as the party is not leaving any stone unturned

Melaye

Ajaka

to ensure that it retains power.

According to political analysts, the time has finally come to separate contenders from the pretenders as the November 11 gubernatorial election would be a straight contest between the ruling APC presenting Ododo Ahmed Usman/Joel Oyibo ticket, the Peoples Democratic Party with Senator Dino Melaye /Hajia Habibat Deen as flag bearers and the Social Democratic Party producing Murtala Yakubu Ajaka/Sam Abenemi ticket.

contest election because the governorship is beyond senatorial issue which is an integral part of the State.

Also, the arrangement has been concluded that all House of Representatives members, five out of six State Assembly members, all political office holders, local government chairmen and all other appointees are to deliver their wards if they want to remain relevant in the politics of their areas.

The machinery has been set in motion to ensure the victory. Ododo is believed to have good financial standing to prosecute the electoral battle.

APC’s Ododo Ahmed Usman Ododo Usman is the APC Gubernatorial candidate in the November 11th election.

The young man, until his emergence as the flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress was Auditor General of the Local Government in the State in last seven and half years and was believed to have participated actively in the kitchen cabinet of Governor Bello.

He has also steadily contributed positively to the processes that have led to the current massive infrastructural development of the Bello administration in Kogi State.

He was said to have pledged to sustain the legacy of the present administration if elected governor. Ododo hails from Okene, the headquarters of the Local government area of Kogi.

Kogi Central senatorial district has been the traditional home of the All Progressive Congress since the emergence of Governor Bello in 2016 not withstanding the recent development when Appellate court declared PDP senatorial candidate, Natasha AkpotiUduaghan, winner of the senatorial seat.

The APC Gubernatorial candidate may still have the upper hand in the four local government areas in the central senatorial district. The fact remains that no Ebira governorship candidate has ever lost the district any time they

Strength One of the things going for the APC candidate, Ododo, is that he has the backing of Governor Bello who has been campaigning vigorously for his victory at the poll.

Besides, all the political appointees, the legislators at national and State Assembly, all the local government chairmen are seriously working hard to deliver Ododo/Joel ticket come Nov 11.

Also the ruling All Progressive Congress still remains a party to beat in Kogi State. Following Ododo’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer, many opposition members who defected to the ruling party have vowed to work for his victory at the poll.

The centripetal and centrifugal forces may help boost his chances as the APC controls the centre and has strong structures across the the three senatorial districts of the state. Lastly, the achievement of Yahaya Bello administration in the past eight years is expected to work for Ododo.

Ododo’s chances are brighter as many support groups are rooting for him across the 21 local government areas.

SDP’s Murtala Yakubu Ajaka Ajaka was a strong member of the All Progressive Congress in Kogi State.

But following his inability to secure the governorship ticket on the platform of the APC, he was said to have dumped the party and subsequently emerged as the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party in Kogi.

Prior to April, 2023 when he contested for APC governorship primary and lost, he was the

One of the things going for the APC candidate, Ododo, is that he has the backing of Governor Bello who has been campaigning vigorously for his victory at the poll. Besides, all the political appointees, the legislators at national and State Assembly, all the local government chairmen are seriously working hard to deliver Ododo/Joel ticket come Nov 11.

Also the ruling All Progressive Congress still remains a party to beat in Kogi State. Following Ododo’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer, many opposition members who defected to the ruling party have vowed to work for his victory at the poll.

National Deputy Publicity Secretary of APC in Abuja. But with his emergence as the candidate of SDP, political observers in Kogi State have argued that it may have altered political permutations in Eastern Senatorial zone as the Party has been hijacked by those seeking for an agenda to return seat of power from the Senatorial zone which was inadvertently tagged “Igala Agenda”.

Sources hinted that those who joined the Party across the state are working hard to oust the ruling Party during the November 11 poll.

As earlier pointed out, all aspirants from the Eastern Senatorial flank who felt cheated and betrayed in APC and other parties during the Party primaries have subsequently moved to join the relatively unknown party in the state, the Social Democratic Party to wrest power from the ruling All Progressive Congress.

The political pundits are of the view that the rising profile of the SDP flag bearer, Murtala Yakubu, in the Kogi East was said to have drawn the ire of those in authority in the State which has culminated in serious frosty relationship between APC and SDP supporters in the State in the recent past. Though the SDP may be looking good to have an edge over other political parties, however, other candidates from the zones will share out of what would have been the block votes for SDP. Meanwhile, Labour, APGA, Accord and other parties are not relenting in the efforts to garner votes from the same district.

Strength There is no doubt, the SDP flag nearer has majority of the people in Kogi East behind him if this claim is anything to go by.

Sources hinted that those that joined the movement are those that have been frustrated after losing the seat of power to the Central Senatorial District which produced Governor Bello who still want to retain the power by bringing another Ebira man from Kogi Central.

Although pundits may have blamed him for the move by this current arrangement, but pointed accusing fingers at those leaders from the East who had allegedly blocked the gentle man power rotation agreement between three senatorial district since 1992.

However, the SDP will want to rely on the block votes from all the nine Local government areas in the Kogi East.

It was however learnt that external backers are not relenting in their finances and logistics to wrest power from the APC. Weakness The Social Democratic Party is relatively an unknown party in the Confluence State, political observers argued. They pointed out that apart from the fact that the current senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti -Uduaghan, had used the same platform to prosecute her governorship ambition in 2019 much is not known about the Social Democratic Party which has never won even a councillorship seat in Kogi state.

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

17

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

politics

Imo Guber Poll A Straight Fight Between Uzodinma, Anyanwu and Achonu

Tony Icheku Analyses the chances of All Progressives Congress candidate in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Samuel Anyanwu and Athan Achonu of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party respectively.

Uzodinma

T

hree political parties, namely the All Progressives Congress; People’s Democratic Party, and Labour Party, currently traverse the State’s political space, creating an impression of a three-horse race.

An impression not entirely conclusive as 14 other political parties whose governorship candidates were cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission are equally jostling to occupy Douglas House, in Owerri, the state capital.

Nonetheless, the loudness of the trio reflects the capacity of their governorship candidates and presence of party structures across the 27 local government areas of the State, thus it could really be a three-horse race all things being equal.

The APC governorship candidate, Governor Hope Uzodimma, is the incumbent seeking a second term. APC emerged in the State when former governor, Rochas Okorocha, defected from APGA in 2023. The party suffered a mild casualty when Okorocha’s misadventures in the succession game cost the party the State, however, it quickly recovered via the Supreme Court judgement of January 14, 2020 which removed PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha and declared Uzodimma as the duly elected governor of Imo State with the majority of lawful votes cast in the 2019 governorship election.

The PDP governed the State from 1999-2007, and briefly made a rebound in 2019 election when INEC declared Emeka Ihedioha winner with 273,404 votes.

The Labour Party emerged as a strong force in the State in the 2023 general election buoyed by the Peter Obi - it’s presidential candidate’s frenzy or what observers described as a populist yearning to overthrow the old political order which appear crippled by fresh leadership ideas for a new dawn.

The LP and ‘Obidatti’ movement, empowered by technology and youthful dynamism has quickly established its presence nationwide, Imo State inclusive.

Definitely the outcome of the Imo off season governorship poll would not be determined by the campaign promises of the governorship candidates to deliver on unemployment, infrastructure, healthcare, or insecurity - it’s biggest challenge so far, but by intrigues and subtle manipulation of the process.

Hanging like a dark cloud over the State is the outcome of the 2023 general Elelection which created the impression that votes do not count.

Though various non-governmental and civil society organisations have embarked on various voters education workshops, the negative impression, especially at the grassroots point to voters apathy during the election. Thus, faced with a low voters turnout, it is the camp able to manipulate the low turnout that would run away with the prize.

Uzodimma’s albatross is the perception of Imo under his watch as a hotbed of insecurity and bloody violence, a phenomenon which has whittled down the socio-economic fortunes of Imo people.

His invitation on February 23, 2021 to the military to ‘crush’ the IPOB irredentists backfired and today few days to the election certain portions

Anyanwu of Orlu, Oru, Okigwe and Osu local government areas are depopulated as the residents have all fled or the areas are under the grip of so-called unknown gunmen.

In addition, LP’s guber candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, argued that the climate of violence and insecurity in the State are further orchestrated by the governor as a strategy of suppressing dissent and pushing the opposition to the wall in order to record overwhelming victory in the November 11 election.

However, APC’s State Publicity Secretary, Cameron Duke, argued that “No LGA is off limits to any party or its candidates, and no LGA has been overtaken by hoodlums or non State actors.

Insecurity is not significant enough to threaten participation in the election, in as much as we acknowledge that there is insecurity, but it is not significant enough to constitute a threat to the election “, he submitted.

Hope Uzodimma The election would be a vote of confidence on Uzodimma. Is he really a ‘Supreme Court governor’ or not? The sobriquet ‘Supreme Court governor’ hangs on his neck like a milestone, an oblique reference to the January 14, 2020 Supreme Court judgment which pronounced him as the duly elected governor of Imo State with the majority of lawful votes cast in the 2019 governorship election. Though the decision of the apex Court is clear enough, but the perception on the streets refuses to buy into the apex Court’s argument that there are extraneous factors which catapulted Uzodimma from the fourth position he was placed by INEC after the election to the top, thus the taunting reference to him as ‘The Supreme Court governor’.

A joker in Uzodimma’s favour that may stop his opponents include the

Achonu clannish card, plus the Federal might. He had been two-term Senator of Imo West Senatorial district which with its 12 local government areas clearly dictates who governs the State, Uzodimma is bent on riding on this wave to victory. Other political heavyweights from the zone including Senator Osita Izunaso have also promised him their support.

Uzodimma is working the clannish card to suit his interests, by playing up the almost non existent ‘Imo Charter of Equity’ as a non stop song. Eze Cletus Ilomuanya from the same zone once described the Charter of Equity which recommended rotation of the governorship as dead and buried, but Uzodimma has resurrected it, promising to pick his successor from the Owerri zone.

It seems a juicy bait, especially for the political elites from the zone who have bought into it hook, line and sinker.

In a divide and rule strategy, Uzodimma has sharply divided the Mbaise and Owerri sub-groups in the Imo East Senatorial district, with the Mbaise political elites literally eating from his palms.

The federal might would equally come in handy for Uzodimma as the APC-led Federal Government would not be willing to lose Imo, it’s strongest South-East ally either to the ubiquitous Labour Party or the fractured PDP. APC, as a ruling party is an attractive bait to political elites, some seeking political rehabilitation and revival or as a safe haven to escape investigation or prosecution for alleged corruption charges.

Big names clustering around the Uzodimma ticket are described by observers as only bargaining for a piece of the pie and may not really have the political goodwill to deliver him at the poll.

Further enhancing Uzodimma’s chance is the APC structure which is spread across the length and breadth of Imo State and further consolidated under his administration through the victory

by APC of all the 27 House of Assembly seats in the March 18, 2023 poll. Though the results are being contested by other parties which argue that the party rigged the process with some of the seats being contested either at the Elections

In a divide and rule strategy, Uzodimma has sharply divided the Mbaise and Owerri sub-groups in the Imo East Senatorial district, with the Mbaise political elites literally eating from his palms.

The federal might would equally come in handy for Uzodimma as the APC-led Federal Government would not be willing to lose Imo, it’s strongest South-East ally either to the ubiquitous Labour Party or the fractured PDP. APC, as a ruling party is an attractive bait to political elites, some seeking political rehabilitation and revival or as a safe haven to escape investigation or prosecution for alleged corruption charges.

Petition Tribunal or Court of Appeal.

From Okigwe or Imo North Senatorial district, APC stalwarts like former governor, Ikedi Ohakim, multi millionaire businessman, Tony Chukwu, are working round the clock to realize Uzodimma’s second term ambition.

Samuel Anyanwu Two-term local government chairman, twoterm House of Assembly member and former Senator, Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, is from Owerri zone and has so much going for him, that only an unserious opponent would dismiss him with a wave of the hand.

The PDP, like APC equally boasts of widespread structures, but the bickering and sabotage rocking the party presently leaves much room for speculation whether Anyanwu’s potentials and enormous goodwill would draw the winning votes.

“Nov 11 is an election between Uzodimma and the masses, and Anyanwu is the face of the masses, he is a homeboy and a national figure”, says Sunny Ndukwu, the Deputy Director of Media and Publicity in the Divine Mandate Campaign Organization of Anyanwu.

Ndukwu further rationalized his position that Uzodimma’s despotic approach and intolerance manifested in the brutal assault visited on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, who was assaulted in his home State for coming to defend the interests of the workers.

But can the masses defend their votes? Ndukwu dodged the crucial question in this election and pointed to the State actors - The security agencies and INEC to do the needful as the only responsibility of the people is to vote their choice.

Observers see Anyanwu’s potentials being diminished by the squabbles and internal contradictions in the PDP. With it’s strongman, Emeka Ihedioha, chickening out early in the race from the governorship contest. Inside party sources finger Anyanwu who as the PDP’s National Secretary as being the reason for Ihedioha’s sudden exit, having outsmarted him in the run up to the governorship primary. Ihedioha’s withdrawal from the race eventually led to the exit from PDP of seven members of the state working committee (SWC) who subsequently defected to the APC, pledging loyalty to Uzodimma.

Though Ihedioha has refused to declare his support either for Anyanwu or Uzodimma, his indifference has led to a leadership vacuum in the PDP which Uzodimma is milking to his advantage and weakening Anyanwu’s chances.

However Ndukwu contends that PDP’s fate would not be determined by an individual, and argues that Anyanwu has become the rallying point of disenchanted Imolites.

“From the SDP, Action Alliance, AA and LP, various groups are indicating interest in working with Anyanwu to free Imo from it’s travails.

The likes of Captain Emma Iheanacho, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and well meaning Imolites are interested in moving towards a peaceful, progressive Imo which Anyanwu represents”, he argued.

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

18

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

politics

Political Battle for Soul of Bayelsa

Segun James reports that incumbent Governor of Bayelsa state, Douye Diri will be seeking re-election on Saturday as he slugs it out with former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress and Undengs Eradiri of the Labour Party.

Sylva

B

ayelsa state is an unusual state in the Nigerian Fede r a t i o n . I t s i t s s q u a re l y on the most aquatic of all the states in the Niger D e l t a re g i o n ; a n d u n t i l re c e n t l y, i t i s p ro b a b l y t h e m o s t v o l a t i l e i n t h e re g i o n .

Until it was created out of the old Rivers state, it had no road leading to any community as most communit i e s a re l o c a t e d a m o n g t h e r i v e r s , creeks, rivulets and waterways that make up the Niger Delta.

A s a t t h e t i m e i t w a s c re a t e d i n 1 9 9 6 , i t w a s a c o m p l e t e l y v i rg i n s t a t e , e x c e p t t h a t i t w a s f ro m i t s bowels that oil was first struck in the country and one of the four big o i l p ro d u c i n g s t a t e s i n t h e c o u n try and was not connected to the national electric grid until 2006!

Almost homogeneously an Ijaw s t a t e , i t i s t h e c e n t re o f g r a v i t y o f the Ijaw nation and the centrifugal f o rc e o f t h e N i g e r D e l t a .

H o w e v e r, t h e s t a t e h a s b e e n t h e hotbed of militancy in the country since 1998. Although this activities has reduced considerably in recent years, it is in the midst of this that Bayelsa governorship election is taking place this weekend.

The battle for the soul of Bayelsa will be primarily between the incumbent governor, Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governor, Ti m i p re S y l v a o f t h e A l l P ro g re s s i v e s C o n g re s s ( A P C ) . A l t h o u g h the Labour Party (LP) also has a c a n d i d a t e i n M r. U d e n g s E r a d i r i , w h o i s c o n s i d e re d a n o u t s i d e r i n the race.

B a re l y 7 2 h o u r s t o t h e e l e c t i o n , all the indices of a possible volatile election has surfaced, a situation which forced the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Egbetokun to pay an unscheduled visit to the state to plead with the combatants in the election.

H e , h o w e v e r, re a d t h e R i o t A c t to militants to stay away from the election or face the consequences.

F o r s o m e p a l p a b l e re a s o n s , t h e impending battle for the governor-

Diri

ship election in Bayelsa state is not just about ambition, but that of political survival and dominance and a battle for the soul of Bayelsa.

The Bayelsa election is v e r y c ru c i a l t o t h e c o u n t r y. T h e s t a t e i s i m p o r t a n t to the economy well-being of the nation and houses many strategic economic i n f r a s t ru c t u re s .

It will be the first election, along with that of Kogi and Imo states to be held under President Bola Tinubu. Thus, h o w t h e s e e l e c t i o n s a re handled will certainly set the tone for what to expect in subsequent polls.

Ordinarily, politics in Bayelsa state is centered around individuals and not the party they belong to. Since most political leaders in the state belong to the PDP, elections i n t h e s t a t e , u n t i l re c e n t l y, was always within the PDP a n d w h o e v e r e m e rg e s t h e PDP candidate wins.

That was the situation until the political upset of 2019 when the APC won a highly disputed election.

B u t t h e c o u r t re t u r n e d t h e mandate to Governor Douye Diri, who, not surprisingly is today called the miracle

Eradiri

g o v e r n o r.

O n S a t u rd a y, f o r m e r G o v e r n o r Ti m i p re S y l v a i s e x p e c t i n g t o re enact the miracle of 2019.

Politics in the state is intriguing and action packed. The two m a j o r g l a d i a t o r s a re f o r m i d a b l e and have the capacity to deploy t h e re s o u rc e s t o c o n t e s t i n a v e r y h o s t i l e e n v i ro n m e n t .

D o u ye D i r i S i n c e h e a s s u m e d o ff i c e a s t h e Miracle Governor, Bayelsans have prided Diri as the “talk-na-do” governor and an achiever who, more than any other governor bef o re h i m , h a s p r a c t i c a l l y t u r n t h e s t a t e f o r t u n e s a ro u n d i n t e r m s o f d e v e l o p m e n t a l p ro j e c t s .

This has held him in high stead among the people despite the fact t h a t h e c a m e t o p o w e r t h ro u g h c o u r t ’ s p ro n o u n c e m e n t s .

Diri’s emergence as the governor is nothing short of a miracle, hence, the appellation the Miracle Govern o r. I n a s u r p r i s e u p s e t , t h e A P C candidate in the election who had b e e n d e c l a re d w i n n e r, M r. D a v i d Lyon, was stopped from assuming o ff i c e , b a re l y 2 4 h o u r s b e f o re h e w a s t o b e s w o r n i n t o o ff i c e .

The surprise ruling of the Supreme Court which upturned the election of Lyon ensured that Diri was sworn i n a s t h e G o v e r n o r.

S i n c e b e c o m i n g g o v e r n o r, D i r i

Former Governor Timipre Sylva and the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources is the candidate of the APC in the November 11 election.

But will he be able to take advantage of a last minute upset? The is a question that will only be answered by how he plays his politics. To most people in Bayelsa state, Sylva is one formidable political leader who has defied the odds in all elections he had participated in the state.

has spent his time trying to prove to the people that he is capable a n d h a s t r i e d t o e a r n t h e i r t ru s t .

Ti m i p r e S y l va Former Governor Timipre Sylva and the immediate past Minister o f S t a t e f o r P e t ro l e u m R e s o u rc e s is the candidate of the APC in the N o v e m b e r 11 e l e c t i o n .

But will he be able to take advantage of a last minute upset?

The is a question that will only b e a n s w e re d b y h o w h e p l a y s h i s politics.

To most people in Bayelsa state, Sylva is one formidable political leader who has defied the odds in all elections he had participated in the state.

However, to most political leaders in the state, he should not have presented himself as the APC condidate. This however has not deter the youth who make up 90 percent of his followership, even though the political class have moved away f ro m h i m .

Although Sylva may have survived various political prosecutions, his loss as the governorship candidate of the APC in the 2015 election to Governor Seriake Dickson has not deterred him from seeking elective position again.

This is his second attempt at contesting the governorship since leaving office as governor in 2011.

Will he be second time lucky? Only time will tell.

U d e n g s E ra d i r i This is the first time Eradiri will be contesting the governorship. He was a former president of the Ijaw Youth Council and a former member of the state cabinet under Dickson.

He later fell out with Dickson.

He is very popular among the youth who see him as one of them.

Although his political antecedent is nothing to write home about given t h e f o r m i d a b l e c re d e n t i a l s o f h i s opponents and the war chest at their disposal, the belief is that he could be a surprise element in the election.

19

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

FEatures

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

Naana Winful Fynn: Norfund to Drive Sustainable Development in Nigeria through Private Sector Investment

Nigeria's current economic landscape is characterised by both challenges and opportunities. On the one hand, the country is facing a number of headwinds, including high inflation, unemployment, and foreign exchange shortages. On the other hand, Nigeria has a large and young population, a growing middle class, and several untapped resources. Despite these challenges, there are many development financial institutions (DFIs) that are working to support businesses in Nigeria by supporting businesses that create jobs, improve lives, and protect the environment. One such is Norfund, the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries. In this interview with Naana Winful Fynn, Regional Director - West Africa of Norfund, she highlights the fund’s focus on investing in businesses and projects with strong developmental impact and commercial returns. Precious Ugwuzor brings excerpt

C

an you share an overview of Norfund and the role it plays in sustainable development?

Norfund, also known as the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries, is a state-owned investment fund based in Norway. It was established in 1997 to promote sustainable economic and social development in developing countries. Norfund is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and operates under the guidance of the ministry.

Our primary role is to provide investment capital and expertise to businesses in developing countries and markets that would otherwise have struggled to obtain financing. We focus on investing in profitable and sustainable companies that have a positive impact on economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and transition toward a more sustainable and inclusive economy in these countries. We primarily target sectors such as renewable energy, financial services, agribusiness and manufacturing, and green infrastructure.

We play a crucial role in sustainable development by addressing the funding gap faced by businesses in developing countries. We provide long-term risk capital, including equity, mezzanine, and debt financing, to support the growth and expansion of enterprises.

Moreover, we place a strong emphasis on environmental and social sustainability in our investment decisions. We assess potential investments based on their environmental and social impacts, aiming to support projects that promote sustainable practices, resource efficiency, and social responsibility. This approach ensures that our investment contributes to sustainable development goals (SDGs) while generating financial returns.

Additionally, we collaborate with local partners and stakeholders to build capacity, transfer knowledge, and foster sustainable business practices in the regions where we operate. We seek to promote good governance and support the development of vibrant private sectors.

What are some of the businesses Norfund has invested in or partnered over the years in Nigeria and West Africa?

We have made several investments and partnerships in Nigeria and other countries in West Africa.

We recently invested in OH Ecosystems Ltd, a player in Sub-Saharan Africa’s cocoa processing and confectionery industry. The company recently successfully acquired a majority stake in FTN Cocoa Processors Plc, and our investment will go toward upgrading FTN’s facilities and extending its reach to produce and sell additional products into the cocoa supply chain.

We also committed to investing in WeCyclers, a for-profit social enterprise operating in Nigeria focusing on waste management and recycling with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability, improving waste management practices, and creating economic opportunities for low-income communities. Our investment will finance a new plant for the recycling of PET bottles for use locally and in Europe.

In 2017, we made an initial commitment to Sundry Foods, a leading indigenous food services company that operates bakeries, canteens and the ‘Kilimanjaro’ Quick Service Restaurant Food chain across Nigeria. Since our initial investment, the Company has grown its footprint to over 180 QSR outlets across the country.

Through our Frontier Facility, Norfund invested in Arnergy Solar, an early-stage solar systems provider that provides solutions for residential, commercial and industrial clients. Norfund has been a shareholder in Arnergy since 2019. We have

the region.

Through our investments in these key sectors, Norfund aligns with multiple SDGs, including but not limited to SDG 7, 8, 9, 2, and 17. Norfund's focus areas contribute to poverty reduction, inclusive economic growth, improved access to essential services, and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, in line with the broader global agenda set by the United Nations.

How does Norfund's investment strategy in the region differ from its investment strategy in other countries/markets?

Irrespective of region, Norfund’s strategy is led by its mission to provide sustainable economic development in developing countries. Norfund’s Development Mandate is consistent across all our investment departments, with Scalable Enterprises being the only department with a specific regional focus (Sub-Saharan Africa).

That said, we utilise the local context of our West African team to better understand local market dynamics, assess risk and identify specific sector opportunities. This local market knowledge, coupled with our overall strategic focus on promoting sustainable development, allows us to effectively have the positive impact that we seek to make in West Africa.

Fynn also exited two investments in Nigeria; an investment in Starsight (2017 & 2022), a C&I solar power provider; and Access Bank Nigeria (2017).

Across other West African countries, some selected investments include Miniplast Ghana Ltd (2023), CBI Ghana Limited (2022), Nouvelle Mici Embaci [NME] (2023), CIV (2022), First National Bank Ghana (2020), Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (2021), AktivCo (Solar Power, 2021), and Baobab+ (Solar Power, 2021).

The mission to create jobs and improve lives is a challenging mandate due to its scope. What specific investment areas does Norfund focus on?

We focus our investments in Sub-Saharan Africa across various sectors that align with the United Nations SDGs. Some of our key investment priorities in the region include renewable energy, financial institutions, agribusiness, manufacturing, and green infrastructure. We place a strong emphasis on investing in renewable energy projects such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power. These investments contribute to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by increasing access to reliable and sustainable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting climate change mitigation.

We invest in financial institutions such as banks, microfinance institutions, and fintech companies.

These investments promote SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by expanding access to financial services for underserved populations, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.

We support agribusiness investments that promote sustainable agricultural practices, increase food production, and improve food security. These investments align with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting sustainable farming methods, and supporting rural livelihoods.

By investing in manufacturing businesses, we aim to support local industries, enhance productivity, and foster economic diversification. These investments can contribute to value addition, technology transfer, and the development of local supply chains. Our investments in the manufacturing sector may cover various subsectors, including but not limited to textiles and apparel, food processing, consumer goods, and industrial equipment.

Lastly, we invest in green infrastructure projects such as waste management, including waste-toenergy, and water supply and sanitation, including waste-water treatment. These investments contribute to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by improving the sustainable growth of cities and towns, reducing adverse environmental impact and improving people’s standards of living in

Through our investments in these key sectors, Norfund aligns with multiple SDGs, including but not limited to SDG 7, 8, 9, 2, and 17. Norfund's focus areas contribute to poverty reduction, inclusive economic growth, improved access to essential services, and sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, in line with the broader global agenda set by the United Nations.

As a responsible investor, how does Norfund address cross-cutting issues in its investments?

Norfund has recognised four main areas of concern that need to be considered in our projects, i.e., Gender Equality, Human Rights, Climate and environment, and Corruption Prevention. As a responsible investor, we look to take an active role, bringing value to our portfolio companies in terms of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance through the following approaches – board representation, capacity building, ESG integration, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder engagement.

Kindly expatiate on Norfund’s additionality framework and how the fund adds value beyond capital.

Norfund’s mandate requires that our investments are both financially and value-additional. Financial additionality is gauged on whether our investments are in underserved, risky, capital-constrained markets that not only provide much-needed development financing but also help mobilise other private investors.

Norfund’s role in the market is to provide support to companies beyond our financing – we typically like to take a hands-on role in our investments, contributing with our expertise in various verticals of a business, particularly on the Environmental, Social and Governance fronts. We also have a Business Support facility that provides technical financing assistance to our portfolio companies to undertake non-commercial projects and initiatives that are ultimately beneficial to the investee company.

What are Norfund's plans for expanding its investments in Nigeria and the West African region?

Nigeria is a very important market for Norfund – we believe that it is a market that is brimming with potential. We will continue to invest across all our investment sectors, i.e., Renewable Energy, Agribusiness and manufacturing, Financial Inclusion and Green Infrastructure, to promote sustainable development and private sector development within the region.

We are actively looking to build pipelines and support businesses that are aligned with our mandate not only in Nigeria but across the entire West African region.

20

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

21

22

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

23

24 T H I S D AY WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

IMO GUBER OVERSHADOWED BY UNRESOLVED PAST KINGDOM NWOKEOCHA argues why many people are not excited about the forthcoming election in the state

See page 25

NIGERIAN STOCKBROKERS AND THE ABEOKUTA AGENDA Stockbrokers meet in the gateway state to discuss issues weighing down the economy, writes SOLA ONI

See page 25 EDITORIAL

CRIME AND ABIA’S CATTLE MARKET

26

1

Wednesday November 8, 2023 Vol 27. No 10435

Rapid industrialisation is promoted through integrated learning, argues FRANCIS E. OGBIMI

NIGERIA AND ISSUES IN INDUSTRIALISATION The title in this article is a billboard one.

It is one we ought to place on billboards in an outline form so that Nigerians can read it every day, understand the science which underlies the growth and development of a society, hence no one can continue to deceive them that there is an overnight route to developing adequate and reliable infrastructure for a nation.

All nations need adequate and reliable infrastructural network (reliable electric power system, good road and telecommunication networks, clean and safe water supply, good drainage system, complex buildings and other structures).

How can they be built? Nigeria has been trying to build critical infrastructure, why has Nigeria’s infrastructure always been in bad state with attendant accumulation of huge debts? Is it that infrastructure cannot be erected and sustained in agricultural/ artisan/craftsman production systems like Nigeria’s? Yes, our approach to developing infrastructure is wrong.

All structures are depreciating assets (DAs); they immediately begin to depreciate in intrinsic value and performance once they are acquired or erected. Erecting complex infrastructure in a knowledgeskills-competences (KSCs)-starved nation may therefore be likened to attempt to fill a profusely leaking water-tank with water – a futile effort. This means that Nigeria – a KSCs-starved society cannot establish a reliable infrastructural network by awarding contracts to foreign and local contractors to erect complex structures that Nigerians lack the competences to build and maintain.

Nations just do not fix roads as Nigerian politicians say.

The region occupied by the modern Western Europe was harnessed into the Roman empire in 55 B. C. The western portion of the empire broke-up in 406 A. D. England and other modern nations of Western Europe were clearly defined in the period between the tenth and thirteenth century. England, the most progressive nation in Europe achieved the first modern Industrial Revolution (IR) in the period 1770-1850. When England achieved the first modern IR, the roads in the nation were still those left by the Roman empire, showing that England did not build roads and telecommunications networks and other structures as prerequisites to promoting sustainable economic growth, industrialisation and development. But immediately England achieved the modern IR, good roads, railways and tubes, canals and other infrastructure were developed rapidly as aftermath of industrialization.

The original thirteen colonies in the New World, the Americas, declared independence in 1776 and fought the War of Independence 1775-1783 with Britain. At the end of the war, the Americans wrote and adopted the popular American constitution in 1789 and

declared the new nation the United States of America. The Americans did not award contracts to its colonial master, Britain, to erect complex infrastructure as a prerequisite to achieving rapid growth and industrialization.

Americans reasoned that it would require a lot of resources to build roads; also roads would continuously demand resources for their maintenance. They then resorted to building canals to connect the rivers in the United States of America and used water courses as transportation infrastructure for a long time as alternative to roads. Similarly, when Mao Zedung became the leader of Communist China in 1949, the nation did not begin to award contracts to the more technologically advanced nation, Russia, to erect complex infrastructure in China as a prerequisite to promoting sustainable economic growth.

Mao Zedung focused on developing the people that would enable China to address its problems, including building the relevant infrastructure. Objective sources suggest that the existence of the Chinese people dates back to 1000 B. C. So, China was already about 3000 years by 1949 when Mao Zedung became the leader. China had depended on Russia for a long time as an ally to build its railways, bridges and other structures. But China and Russia quarrelled and Russia stripped Machuria, the most built-up city of all the structures it had helped China to erect.

Britain, America, China and other technologically advanced nations of today had to develop the people and the KSCframework for solving the problems of their nations before focusing on building the relevant infrastructure. That is what nature and wisdom demand.

The hibiscus flowering plant like other flowering plants, has the root and shoot systems. Whereas the root system is buried in the soil, the shoot which bears the beautiful flowers is usually above the ground. The root system is always established before the shoot system. The beautiful bright-red five-petal flowers are borne by the shoot system. The shoot system expresses and announces the healthy status of the root system. Once the root system is cut off from the shoot system, the beautiful flowers wither. So, no root system, no shoot system and the beautiful

flowers the shoot bears. This explains why a nation should not and cannot erect complex infrastructure before developing the necessary knowledge, skills and competences for building and maintaining the structures.

What is Nigeria’s experience? Nigeria has always had epileptic electric power supply, no reliable potable water supply, perpetually bad road and telecommunication networks, dilapidated buildings, failing dams, etc. This is in view of the fact that Nigeria has been investing a lot of money on erecting all types of complex infrastructure and accumulating huge debts. The Kainji 760-megawatt hydropower plant was commissioned by Gen. Yakubu Gowon in 1969, then Head of State of Nigeria. Its out-put has since dropped to just a few hundred megawatts. Nigeria had to request Sweden who built it in 1969 to come to give the plant a full overhaul because Nigerians do not have the knowledge, skills and capabilities to overhaul it. The contract for erecting the Egbin 1300-megawatt power plant was awarded in 1981. The construction was completed by Japanese companies in 1987. The plant broke down a short time after. Nigeria also had to request the Japanese companies that built it to come to repair it. Our experience demonstrates clearly that Nigerians lack the competence to build and sustain electric power generating and distributing systems. We also lack the competence to build other infrastructural systems.

History, science and our experience therefore show that there is precedence in the growth and development of societies.

Just as the individual human being achieves biological puberty before becoming a party to procreation, so a society achieves technological puberty or industrialization before establishing an adequate and reliable infrastructural network. Thus, we can say that the establishment of a reliable infrastructural network in a nation is a fruit or aftermath of industrialization. To disregard this natural sequence is to attempt to build the roof of a house before laying the foundation. There is no short route to development.

Nigerian leaders have been trying to erect complex infrastructure through inflated contracts to no avail. In other words, Nigeria has been trying to build the roof of a house before laying the foundation – a futile effort.

The right thing to do is to pursue rapid industrialization in Nigeria. Industrialization is a learning and capability-building process.

Rapid industrialization is promoted through integrated learning (intensive education and training, employment and research).

That is how rapid industrialization can be achieved. That is how adequate and reliable infrastructure can be established speedily in Nigeria.

Prof Ogbimi, fogbimi@yahoo.com

T H I S D AY

3 25

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023

KINGDOM NWOKEOCHA argues why many people are not excited about the forthcoming election in the state

IMO GUBER OVERSHADOWED

BY UNRESOLVED PAST This week, Imo will join two other states, Bayelsa and Kogi, to hold an off- cycle governorship election. Whereas the circumstances that brought Bayelsa and Kogi to join the league of states whose governorship elections hold off season are hardly unusual, that of Imo is peculiarly unfamiliar. The state was visited with the most unusual when the Supreme Court, on January 14, 2020, removed the governor of the state and installed another in circumstances that were unknown to electoral jurisprudence in Nigeria. The judgment was a rude shock to everything that was usual. It got tongues wagging. The propriety of the judgment was called to question.

Since the judgment was given, legal luminaries are still sharply divided over the sense and

nonsense of the legal drama. Whenever issues that border on electoral litigations come up, Imo is usually singled out as a subject of unedifying banters. The joke around the judgment has remained odd ever since. Given this unflattering scenario, it would have been interesting to see how the imposition of 14th January, 2020 would be dismantled on November 11 via the ballots.

But that is hardly the case in Imo. The people of Bayelsa and Kogi may be excited over the prospect of an election that will usher in a new leadership in their states. But not so with Imo State. The people are not excited about the coming election.

They see it as ill-conceived and premature. Their state, they argue, is not yet ripe for a new election given the fact that issues around the earlier governorship election held on March 9, 2019 are yet to be resolved.

It should be noted that the Supreme Court which disrupted the electoral calendar of Imo State through the controversial judgment of January 14, 2020 had earlier, on December 20, 2019 adjudicated on the same subject matter but failed, most regrettably, to give effect to its judgment.

The issue here is that the supreme court ruled on December 20, 2019 that one of the candidates in the March 9, 2019 governorship election, Mr Uche Nwosu, violated the constitution and the electoral law for holding the gubernatorial tickets of two political parties in that election. Nwosu was the candidate of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Action Alliance (AA).

By that act, neither him nor the political parties that sponsored him qualified to participate in that election. The meaning of this was that Nwosu’s participation in the election under reference was null and void. It also meant that the parties- APC and AA- whose tickets he held did not take part in the election.

But what spoiled the broth was that the Supreme Court contradicted itself a few weeks after. Rather than give effect to its judgment that disqualified APC and AA and their candidate, by making a definitive pronouncement on who

the candidates for that election were and who won the election, the court side-stepped that judgment and entered a fresh one that assigned a candidate to APC. The court did not just assign a candidate to APC, it went further to declare that candidate the winner of the election. By its action, the court wittingly reprobated and approbated.

In one breath, it said APC had no candidate and did not participate in the election. In another, it assigned APC a candidate and awarded it victory.

This contradiction is what Imo has been dealing with since four years. The same contradiction has been haunting the apex court. The people of the state and all men and women who care about democracy and rule of law are insisting that the right thing should be done on the Imo governorship case. That is why the people are not excited about a new election in the state. How can they be when there is a subsisting issue around an earlier election that needs to be settled?

Significantly, the Supreme Court which caused the confusion has provided a window of opportunity. It appears set to put right what it left hanging. For nearly four years, it left Imo in the cold. The imposed candidate who became governor in a most unusual circumstance has had a field day. The experiment he embarked upon without being sure it would yield results has paid him handsomely. He has been governor for almost an entire tenure, a prospect he never imagined. You could, if you like, say that he has had his day. But because humans have a way of aspiring even beyond their imagination, the accidental governor of January 14 has thrown his hat in the ring for a second term contest. An election to that effect is expected to take place this week. But that is beside the point. Truth is, the election of November 11 can wait. But since it cannot because it is almost here, its outcome, whatever it may be, must be seen to be of less consequence than the resolution of issues around the 2019 governorship election.

The real issue at moment is that the Supreme Court, after a near four-year lethargy, has decided to take its judgment of December 20 to a logical conclusion. It has fixed the 5th day of December 2023 for an appeal lodged on the matter by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Peoples Party. The parties are asking the supreme court to give effect to its declaration that “a political party is not capable of sponsoring two candidates for the same office in the same election”. The logical consequence of this is that the APC and the AA did not field any candidate in the 9 March governorship election in Imo State. It further means that it was wrong for the court to have returned the APC which fielded no candidate as the winner of that election.

This is the task before the Supreme Court. This task borders on integrity. It also has so much to do with the future of legal practice in the country.

Since courts rely so much on decided cases, the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, must be mindful of judgments passed by it . It must shun judgments and decisions that will bring it to disrepute. What is considered wrong in the eyes of the law today will still appear wrong in centuries to come no matter the cloak with which it is wrapped. The Supreme Court of Nigeria has a historical responsibility to resolve the Imo governorship tussle on the side of the law. Let justice prevail, regardless of whose ox is gored.

Nwokeocha is of the Neo Africana Media Centre

Stockbrokers meet in the gateway state to discuss issues weighing down the economy, writes SOLA ONI

NIGERIAN STOCKBROKERS AND THE ABEOKUTA AGENDA The trends in the global financial markets have become a wake-up call for those who manage the Nigerian economy. In Nigeria, inflation rate hit 26.72 percent in September, but this is a mere official figure. The Naira has been devalued by almost 1000 percent.

Exchange of the Naira to Dollar and other convertible currencies is always a sore point.

Many Nigerian youths are in dire need of jobs while millions of Nigerians live below one dollar per day. The question that recurs like a decimal point is how did we get here?

It is not a rocket science to say that inflation, international transactions, government policies, demand and supply of goods and services, speculation and expectations, generally shape every financial market. Our financial market has been integrated into the global market since the abrogation of the Exchange Control Act of 1962 and its replacement with some investment acts.

A global leader in digital transformation, Capgemini Consulting, identified four basic trends that impact the global capital markets, particularly the intermediary firms: Increased regulatory reforms; effects of dark pool trading on the total volumes of trading; likelihood of increased consolidation in the financial intermediary industry and focus on

technology upgrades by the firms. Despite the myriad headwinds plaguing the Nigerian economy and the financial market, regulators and operators have been working tirelessly to further integrate the market. Expectation is high that the Bola Tinubu administration shall revive the economy. Nigeria has never been bereft of ideas, but implementation.

I had some conversation with one of the most cerebral Chief Executive Officers in the Nigerian financial market recently. He has just returned from Ghana where he made a brilliant presentation to distinguished audience on how African countries can address some impediments to trade among themselves. He was particularly perturbed about the needless devaluation the Naira without any justifiable reason. He lamented that Nigeria was neither in recession nor depression. “ Ghana’s economy went bankrupt and the country defaulted in its bond obligations. Mali was plunged into coup while Ukraine has continued to slug it out with Russia on the battlefield. The currency of each country has not suffered huge devaluation. Why did Nigeria which has no similar challenge devalue its currency with reckless abandon? “I was in Ghana recently, it was sad that I have to convert the Naira to Dollar before I can change it to Cedi. Ghana imports many things, including cow and rice.

While the members of European Union take joint position on trade , African countries operate in silos. The minimum that the Nigerian government should do to strengthen trade relationship among African countries, is

to review tariffs at the Nigerian port . Our tariffs must be competitive with that of the global community: This will significantly minimize smuggling, and other vices that are plaguing import and export trade.

Government should liberalize export and import trade. “ Other countries protect their economy by not allowing foreign investors to own 100 percent stake in a company. But Nigeria had at a period in the past opened up its economy to foreigners by allowing them to own 100 percent in a company registered in Nigeria . No country allows such, hence the Nigerian law has become trite. It has become necessary to protect the Nigerian economy from capital flight”, said the CEO. The issues raised are expected to be addressed at the 2023 Annual Conference of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) in Abeokuta, an ancient city and capital of Ogun State from Thursday, November 9 to Friday, November 10. The Conference Theme: “Appraising New Trends in the Global Capital Market: Localizing the Benefits. “ The Conference is expected to examine the merit and drawbacks of unbanning access to forex on 43 items, the government’s current strategy to address forex scarcity and implications of adoption of unified exchange rate in Nigeria at the moment.

The conference, which will involve investiture of the Fellows and induction of new Associates is endorsed by the Ogun State government. Participants at the conference, including top government officials will direct searchlight on critical issues such as “ Pathways to rejuvenate the Nigerian Economy through the Capital Market”, Capital Market Operations Amidst Disruptive Technologies;” “Enhancing the Nigerian Capital Market: An in-depth Exploration of the Functions and Impact of Securities Exchanges” and “ Operating with CIS Certification in a Diverse Economy”. The choice of Abeokuta as the venue for the conference is intentional. Stockbrokers understand how an environment can stimulate creativity and let ideas flow naturally. The Institute’s President, Mr Oluwole Adeosun and his co-office holders and the members of the conference committee, under the leadership of Mrs Elile Olutimayin, have reached out to the key speakers and panelists across various sectors.

Abeokuta, renowned for commerce, has become a metaphor for agenda setting for public policy, particularly on the strategy and tactics for the Nigerian economic revival. Individual stockbrokers and their corporate members - Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) and other participants will speak to the possibilities of a new model of economic turnaround. The conference will open up conversations that will form a blueprint for the federal government in its bid to reform the Nigerian financial market.

Oni, an Integrated Communications Strategist, Chartered Stockbroker and Commodities Broker, is the Chief Executive Officer , Sofunix Investment and Communications

26 4

T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

F

CRIME AND ABIA’S CATTLE MARKET The impunity that pervades the Southeast zone should not be allowed to continue

ollowing disturbing reports about the Lokpanta Cattle Market and environs in Abia State, Governor Alex Otti sent a security outfit for discreet investigations.

Discoveries were chilling: dozens of decomposing and headless bodies of men, women, children, and many skeletons were found in the immediate vicinity and around the forests surrounding the market. “We have installed electronic equipment that tells us what is happening in every part of the state,” the governor explained. “A few weeks ago, we found that a lot of ransom that was paid for kidnapping ended up somewhere around Umunneochi, and we decided to raid the place.”

But the northern community in Umunneochi has challenged the governor to authenticate his claims. Spokesman for the traders’ community, Buba Abdullahi, views the allegations as a ploy to chase them out of the state.

We hope the governor will allay the fears of the traders even as we endorse his efforts to rid the state of criminals. The cattle market, situated in Umunneochi local council, off the Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway, occupies a sprawling 80 hectares of land. Donated to the traders in 2005 by the Orji Kalu’s administration, the market is a community of its own with about 150,000 inhabitants, predominantly of northern stock. It serves as an important centre of commerce, a place where people from surrounding states and beyond buy cows and foodstuff. But the area has also been marked down as a breeding ground for criminals. The governor had stressed that the ongoing campaign against insecurity in the state, particularly in the Umunneochi/Isuikwuato axis, include sanitising and securing the seedy cattle market, heaving with brothels, and squatter settlements. Otti has vowed to eject residents out of the market and make it like any other market that closes in the evening, a position the northern communities claim is inimical

to their business.

While we endorse the idea of restoring law and order, the governor should reach out so that his intention would not be misconstrued. But the gruesome killing of innocent people, including children in the vicinity of the cattle market reflects the insecurity across the nation. The level of cruelty and barbarism being reported around the market is unimaginable. That it is not an isolated problem is why Otti should be supported. In 2013, for instance, dozens of corpses floated to the surface of the Ezu River in Amansea, a border town linking Anambra and Enugu States. The police confirmed the bodies and said they were carrying out investigations to confirm their identities and their cause of death. A decade after, there are not yet answers to confirm who they are and what killed them.

In the past few years, hoodlums masquerading as ‘unknown gunmen’ in the Southeast have killed hundreds of people, including personnel of the army, police civil defence and civilians. Dozens of these innocent victims were summarily executed on the street. Thousands of Nigerians have also disappeared in misty circumstances. The southeast has for long been a theatre of violence, battered by a combination of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, and sheer criminality. Individuals and groups with criminal motives cash in on the apparent air of lawlessness.

But the state of impunity that pervades the zone cannot be allowed to continue. It is incumbent on the authorities to demonstrate the capacity to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.

To do that, authorities in Abuja and the 36 states must assume a larger premise of sovereign responsibility. They should protect the people from each other and from bad people. The overriding doctrine ought to be that the nation is unsafe for as long any inch of the nation space is unsafe or any one citizen is unsafe.

The gruesome killing of innocent people, including children in the vicinity of the cattle market, reflects the insecurity across the nation T H I S D AY

EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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

LETTERS PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM DRUG-TRAFFICKING PARENTS

The rate at which women are involved in the illicit trade of drug trafficking is alarming and should be a subject of concern to the Nigerian public.

In the past three months, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced the arrest of an unprecedented number of female suspects. One of them was the alleged female head of a drug syndicate who was arrested at her residence in Lagos, shortly after she returned from a warehouse at Amuwo-Odofin, where she loaded eight cartons of tramadol into an unmarked SUV. Similarly, a Lagos, female lawyer, alleged to have specialised in the production and distribution of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance (NPS) that is a mixture of cannabis, opioids, and black currant, was arrested in a follow-up operation in Awka, Anambra State, following an earlier seizure of cannabis and bottles of prepared skuchies in her apartment in Lagos.

In the first week of October, there was a mugshot of a 45-year-old woman who was arrested at Kano airport on her way to Saudi Arabia with cocaine and methamphetamine. A week earlier, two women were arrested

with bags of cannabis.

These women are among a long list of women arrested by NDLEA in the past three months.

What is appalling about their situation is that they conducted their illicit businesses in their homes, where they lived with their children. This should be of concern to Nigerians. And we should start pondering: What kind of children are these women raising? Again, this raft of arrests of female traffickers should also turn our attention to the possibility that not all teenagers picked drug abuse or drug trafficking habits from friends and peers. Some of them actually ‘inherited’ the habit from their families. If a mother or father sells cannabis or any other illicit drugs for a living, what is the possibility that the child will deviate from the ‘family’ business? What is the possibility that the child will not end up as a user?

This is not about women alone but about parents in general. It is disheartening to see fathers and grandfathers dealing in drugs, like the case of the two old men recently arrested in Ihila, Anambra State, with 49kg cannabis sativa, 127g of methamphetamine, and 15g of

cocaine.

Do we seriously expect their offspring not to be interested in the livelihood of their parents?

In our collective drive―spearheaded by NDLEA―to rid our country of the menace of dangerous drugs, we need to pay attention to children from homes where parents are active producers and traffickers.

As a society, the onus is on us to protect the rights of the child, and this includes looking out for their wellbeing and ensuring that they grow up in a wholesome environment where they will not be introduced to abnormal behaviour by their families.

The NDLEA should expand its WADA advocacy campaign to target community leaders, religious leaders, and teachers to further amplify the message to parents to think about the future of their offspring before venturing into the trade and trafficking of illicit substances.

Nanzem Nkup, Rikkos, Jos

27

T H I S D AY • Wednesday, November 8, 2023

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

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

08056356325

N o v e m b er

S & P INDEX

7 , 2 0 2 3

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

19.12%

INDEX LEVEL

611.31%

1/4 to daTE

-0.07%

N795.28/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

16.25%

1-DAY

0.03%

YEAR TO DATE

0.48%

*AS AT Monday, July 24, 2023

3-MONTH

15.75%

MONTH-TO-DATE

-0.7%

15 Listed Firms Dominate Stock Market Trading with N32.53trn in Capitalisation Airtel, Dangote Cement, MTN valued at N16.54tn

Kayode Tokede As the stock market continued on a positive trajectory in 2023, an investigation by THISDAY revealed has that only 15 out of over 150 companies on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) accounts for 85.5 per cent or N32.53 trillion market capitalisation as of October 2023.

The market capitalisation of all listed companies on the NGX increased to N38.039 trillion from N27.915 trillion it closed in 2022, representing N10.12 trillion yearto-date (YtD) growth in 10 months of 2023.

The 15 companies are: Airtel

Africa Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, MTN Nigerian Communications (MTNN) Plc, BUA Cement Plc, BUA Foods Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, and Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc. Others include: Nestlé Nigeria, Seplat Energy and Geregu Power, United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Access Holdings Plc, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, FBN Holdings Plc These 15 stocks, otherwise called large cap stocks, dictate market trading direction through positive or negative performance- a company’s stock is generally classified as large-cap, mid-cap or small-cap.

The stock market has recorded

an upward trajectory since the entry of the new administration led by President Bola Tinubu. The positive trend, analysts said, is due to the proactive implementation of reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidy and the liberalization of the foreign exchange market.

Foreign investors and High Network Investors have continued to take position in these 15 stocks amid Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) foreign exchange policies as their prices in the past was undervalued on the bourse.

The market sentiment for the segment, which comprises of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Africa and Dangote

NGX market cap up N10.12tn in 10 months

Cement have remained resilient in the face of the pandemic. The combined three companies’ market capitalisation is above the N5trillion threshold each.

Despite dropping by 5.8 per cent YtD to N1,540.10 per share as of October 31, the Airtel Africa’s market capitalisation stood at N5.79 trillion, becoming highest on the Exchange followed by Dangote Cement.

The stock price of Dangote Cement gained 25.67per cent YtD to N328 per share as its market capitalisation closed the period under review at N5.59trillion.

Positive investors sentiment lifted Dangote Cement’s stock as the cement maker generated N billion

profit before in nine months ended September 30, 2023, representing an increase of per cent from N billion reported in nine months of 2022.

Dangote Cement, however, reported N404.89billion profit before in nine months of 2023, a growth of 21 per cent from N335.9billion reported in nine months of 2022.

The Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Cement, Arvind Pathak, in a statement had said the positive nine months result is a combination of our strong value proposition, improved operational efficiency and a sustained drive to contain cost amidst an accelerating inflationary environment.

However, MTN Nigeria’s market capitalisation stood at N5.16trillion when the telecommunication company’s stock price appreciated by 14.42 per cent YtD to close at N246 per share as of October 31, 2023.

MTN Nigeria declared N147.36 billion profit in nine months of 2023, a decline of 45.2 per cent from N269.04 billion reported in nine months of 2022.

The two BUA companies, BUA Cement and BUA Foods are the only two companies with N3 trillion in market capitalisation.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

Five Tier-1 Banks Generated N1.74tn Profit in 9 months Nume Ekeghe

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Zenith Bank Plc, and three other financial institutions generated N1.74 trillion profit in 9 months ended September 30, 2023, representing an increase of 168 per cent over N648.84 billion reported in nine months of 2022.

The remaining three banks are Access Holdings Plc, FBN Holdings and Guaranty Trust Holdings Plc (GTCO).

The combined five financial institutions generated N2.01trillion profit before tax in nine months of 2023, a growth of 163 per cent from

N763.3billion in months of 2022.

The growth by these banks profit is coming on the backdrop of interest income on loans to customers, and foreign exchange revaluation gain.

UBA for the second consecutive quarter maintain its position as the leading Tier-1 bank in Nigeria, followed by Zenith Bank.

UBA reported N449.3billion profit in nine months of 2023, a growth of 287 per cent from N116.04billion in in nine months of 2022, while profit before tax hits N502.09billion in nine months of 2023, an increase of 262.54 per cent from N138.49billioon reported in

nine months of 2022.

For Zenith Bank, it generated N434.17billion profit in nine months of 2023 from N149.05billion in nine months of 2022, while its profit before tax hits a record of N505.04billion in nine months of 2023, an increase of 149.05 per cent from N174.33billion in nine months of 2022.

The Group Managing Director/ CEO, UBA, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, remarked that the Group has once again shown sustainable and remarkable improvement in key performance metrics over the period, reflecting its commitment to delivering value to shareholders and various stakeholders.

He said, “This significant improvement is attributed to the impact of FX harmonisation, efficient balance sheet management, and our service-focused strategies.

Our banking operations outside of Nigeria have continued to capture the broader business opportunities inherent across, and beyond SubSaharan Africa.

Speaking on plans and strategy to sustain and surpass the performance at the end of the year, he explained that the bank will continue to leverage its customer-centric strategies, speed to market, and innovation to consolidate market share in its various jurisdictions, as

he pledged the bank’s commitment towards expanding and deepening digital and other transactional banking offerings while building strategic alliances to take advantage of emerging opportunities in due time.

“Looking ahead, we are optimistic that the growth trajectory will be sustained in the final quarter of the year as we remain focused on consolidating the gains achieved so far in delivering enhanced returns to our shareholders,” Alawuba pointed out.

The Zenith Bank in a report disclosed that it achieved a year-onyear (YoY) growth in gross earnings

of 114per cent from N620.6 billion reported in Q3 2022 to N1.33trillion in Q3 2023.

“This triple-digit growth in the topline also enhanced our bottom line as the Group recorded a 149per cent YoY increase in profit before tax, growing from N202.5 billion in Q3 2022 to N505 billion in Q3 2023. Profit after tax also grew by 149per cent from N174.3 billion to N434.2 billion in the same period.

The growth in the topline arose from both interest income and non-interest income.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

M a r k e t d ata A s at T u e s d ay, N o v e m b e r 7 , 2 0 2 3 BONDS Description Price Yield Change Updated Time (%) ^13.53 23October 100.95 12.77 0,00 31, 2023 MAR-2025 October ^12.50 220,00 31, 98.78 13.11 2023 JAN-2026 ^16.2884 17October 108.14 13.24 0,00 MAR-2027 31, 2023 ^13.98 23October 99.32 14.18 0,00 FEB-2028 31, 2023 ^14.55 26October 98.82 14.87 0,00 31, APR-2029 2023

BILLS Maturity

Discount Yield

Change (%) Updated Time

Maturity

NTB 26-Oct23 NTB 9-Nov23 NTB 7-Dec23 NTB 25-Jan24 NTB 8-Feb24

1.80

1.80

October 0.00 31, 2023

2.57

2.57

October 0.00 31, 2023

3.92

3.94

October 0.00 31, 2023

3.75

3.79

October 0.00 31, 2023

4.45

October 0.00 31, 2023

JULI CP II 25-OCT-23 ZEDC CP I 17-NOV-23 NSDL CP IIA 22-NOV-23 MTNN CP V 23-NOV-23 NSDL CP IIB 23-NOV-23

4.39

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPs Discount Yield 16.82

16.88

14.68

14.86

19.23

19.60

11.26

11.39

19.22

19.60

Change (%)

Updated Time

October 105,00 31, 2023 October 79,00 31, 2023 October 74,00 31, 2023 October 72,00 31, 2023 October 72,00 31, 2023

Contract Current Tenor Contract Rate ($/₦) (Month) NGUS OCT 1 – 30 2024 NGUS NOV 2 – 27 2024 NGUS DEC 3 – 24 2024 NGUS JAN 4 – 29 2025 NGUS FEB 5 – 26 2025

Updated Time

October 31, 2023 October 31, 2023 October 31, 2023 October 31, 2023 October 31, 2023

28

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

Pension

PenCom: Many Rivers Crossed, Many More to Come In the last three years, since a new Management Team was appointed for the National Pension Commission (PenCom), there has been a number of initiatives that have changed the landscape in the Pension Industry positiveslu. In this report, Gilbert Ekwugbe writes on what has changed and what still had to change in the industry.

A

ny official compensatory scheme is going to be herculean. Little wonder, the years preceding 2004 when the Pension Reform Act was enacted in Nigeria were replete with all manner of problems. Specifically, the public service had operated a scheme known as Defined Benefits Scheme, which was largely unfunded.

In addition, the annual government budget for pensions had suffered major constraints leading to either inadequate or untimely release of the funds, which in turn led to accumulated arrears. Therefore, a sustainable scheme was direly needed, giving birth to the Pension Reform Act that was signed into law in 2004 with the target to regulate and supervise the Nigerian Pension Industry to ensure that retirement benefits are paid as and when due. It was also targeted to be an efficient regulator that serves to promote a resilient and sustainable Pension Industry that would deliver what would be generally accepted as positive measurable impact for contributors and ultimately the economy.

Although an informal pension scheme may have existed in Nigeria before the advent of colonial administration, it was through the efforts of the colonialists that the scheme was formalised on March 24, 1945, taking effect the following year and then literally staggering through the National Provident Fund (NPF), National Provident Reserve Fund (NPRF) and National Provident Fund Investment Committee (NPFIC) till 2004 when the administration of president Olusegun Obasanjo finally gave it a strong teeth, as it were.

When Mrs Aisha Dahir-Umar came on board as the substantive Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) in 2020, she realised the weight of responsibility that she had to carry, although she took everything with a huge sense of duty which has so far motivated her to see more successes than challenges in the three-year reign.

Contributory Pension Scheme Challenge

By far the most challenging aspect of the pension scheme is the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). But the director general has ensured the efficiency and transparency that the CPS requires to succeed through the implementation of crucial reforms aimed at optimising procedures and fostering compliance among pension contributors and employers. Not surprisingly, the result has proved remarkable: with pension assets shooting up by N5.94 trillion, from N11.35 trillion in August 2020 to N17.29 trillion in August 2023, in addition to over 1 million new contributors that have imbibed the CPS tenets within the last three years. Today, contributors have passed the 10-million mark. These huge figures happened despite that not all the 36 states of the federation have adopted the CPS and the Micro Pension Plan for the Informal Sector is yet to penetrate the critical mass.

Recapitalisation of the shareholders’ fund of Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) has also shot up from N1 billion to N5 billion, representing a significant increase in the number of registered contributors and pension assets under the management of PFAs, leading to increased capital injection which targets at meeting minimum service standards and addressing various operational needs in the pension industry. The successful conclusion of the recapitalisation exercise has also led the PFAs to become financially stronger and better equipped to offer quality service to holders of the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders.

The Enhanced Contributor Registration System (ECRS), which in June 2019 replaced the obsolete Contributor Registration System (CRS), has been maximised to enable more than 1 million RSA holders up till in September 2023 to get recaptured on the ECRS, consequently improving the integrity of contributors’ data and resulting in the automation of the process of generation of Employer Codes for employers of labour in Nigeria. The ECRS had itself enabled PenCom to launch the RSA Transfer Window on November 16 2020, providing a veritable platform for the RSA holders to transfer their RSAs with the associated balances without hassles from one PFA to another once annually. The competition that this development engenders among the PFAs has helped PenCom to promote quality service delivery and investment returns. In specific

made by the employer and employee into the employee’s RSA, agree on the payment of additional benefits to the employee upon retirement. Therefore, especially employers in the public sector can take advantage of this provision to enhance their employees’ retirement benefits. An employer may also opt to bear full responsibility for the pension contribution of the employees after upward reviews as may be deemed necessary through agreements between both parties.

Wrong Impression

Dahir-Umar terms, 222,141 RSAs have been transferred to new PFAs alongside associated pension assets from the inception of the RSA Transfer Window to 31 August 2023.

Accessing Retirement RSA

The Guidelines issued on Accessing Retirement RSA Balance towards Payment of Equity Contribution for Residential Mortgage by RSA holders remarkably gave effect to the provisions of Section 89 (2) of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014, which provides that “a Pension Fund Administrator may, subject to guidelines issued by PenCom, apply a percentage of the pension assets in the Retirement Savings Account towards payment of equity contribution for payment of residential mortgage by a holder of Retirement Savings Account”. It is even more remarkable that the commission has so far approved 339 applications for payment of residential mortgage equity contributions, amounting to over N4 billion, since its commencement on August 31 2023.

Along the line, PenCom has introduced the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) to broaden pension coverage, particularly for individuals and small businesses in the informal sector. So far, about 105,455 contributors have been enrolled in the MPP, nevertheless that several factors have led to the amount of registered individuals falling short of initial projections, not helped by the fact that the PFAs are said to be not too keen on it. PenCom has acknowledged the challenge and

actively exploring the introduction of health insurance coverage for MPP participants as one of the incentives to address it. Although the commission also acknowledges the MPP as a vital initiative, it says it remains committed to making it more accessible and appealing to a broader spectrum of individuals and small businesses in the informal sector.

The challenge of the exemptions granted some government agencies and personnel from the CPS has proved formidable for PenCom, prompting Mrs Dahir-Umar to express dismay that the Federal Government is already overburdened with the payment of pensions under the Defined Benefits Scheme, as illustrated by the 2023 Appropriation Act which made a provision under the Service Wide Vote for the sum of N854.8 billion as total allocation for Pension and Gratuities; the amounts including allocations to Military Pension (N244.6 billion), National Intelligence Agency (N10.4 billion) and the Department of State Security (N18.5 billion), representing 29 percent, 1.2 percent and 2.2 percent respectively.

Insufficient pension benefits occasioned by low salaries, especially in the public sector, has posed hydra-headed challenge to the commission over the years, although in fairness the challenge extends beyond PenCom. However, Section 4(4)(a) of the Pension Reform Act provides that an employer may, notwithstanding the pension contributions

A general impression is that PenCom has unfettered access to funds as other institutions like the NNPC and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. But interestingly, the differentials between these bodies and PenCom constitute a great challenge for the latter. For the umpteenth time, Mrs Dahir- Umar recently explained in a media interview that the functions of PenCom include the regulation and supervision of the CPS, issuance of guidelines for the investment of pension funds as well as approving, licensing, regulating and supervising Pension Fund Administrators, Custodians and other institutions relating to pension matters as may be determined

by PenCom accordingly. In other words, PenCom statutorily neither has custody of pension assets nor can access the funds that are held in custody by PFCs. In essence, the N11.35 trillion pension assets are not PenCom’s coffers.

The “blackmail industrial complex” is another challenge that Mrs Dahir-Umar has described as virtually entrenched. A clear indication of this complex is what she calls “undue influence and intimidation by some media outlets, particularly online media establishments”. But rather than see this particular challenge as daunting, she says she has resolved to tackle it with transparency, accountability and a robust regulatory framework in line with the commission’s commitment to preserve Nigeria’s pension system and uphold the highest ethical standards.

Standing at N17.29 trillion on August 31, 2023 the Nigerian Pension Industry has witnessed significant growth in assets under management, with the funds significantly enhancing savings mobilisation, capital market development and economic growth. Funds have been deployed for investment in infrastructure targeted at financing waste management, independent electricity generation and road construction (Sukuk), in addition to having increased the availability of long- term funds for investment in the real sector of the country’s economy.

The Akute power plant, Island power plant, Pipp Genco, Gasco Marine limited and the Construction of 1,200 hostel rooms at the University of Calabar are some of the infrastructure that have been developed across the geo- political zones of Nigeria.

Despite the foregoing, however, PenCom would still lean on the Tinubu Administration’s economic reforms to attain its goals. Aside from the administration creating what Mrs DahirUmar calls definitive policy pronouncement to stop further exit from the CPS, there would also be a need for the Federal Government to fund accrued pension rights, pension increases and other outstanding pension obligations.

“A general impression is that PenCom has unfettered access to funds as other institutions like the NNPC and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. But interestingly, the differentials between these bodies and PenCom constitute a great challenge for the latter. For the umpteenth time, Mrs Dahir- Umar recently explained in a media interview that the functions of PenCom include the regulation and supervision of the CPS, issuance of guidelines for the investment of pension funds as well as approving, licensing, regulating and supervising Pension Fund Administrators, Custodians and other institutions relating to pension matters as may be determined by PenCom accordingly.”

29

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

Interview

Isiavwe: $7tn Available to Be Stolen Via Cybercrime Recently, the Information Security Society of Africa-Nigeria (ISSAN) held a-day cybersecurity roundtable 2023 with the theme: “Re-thinking corporate governance rules of money transfer.” The president of the non-profit association, Dr. David Isiavwe in chat with Kayode Tokede disclosed that there is $7 billion available to be stolen through cybercrime, stressing that the rising trend of cybercrimes can only be tackled through collaboration.

Cybercrime has been on the increase in recent years. What is ISSAN in collaboration with CBN doing to guide commercial banks and customers against cybercrime in the country? ybercrime is increasing globally, not just in Nigeria, as it is everywhere. There are different types of attacks. If you look across the threat landscape, we see different types of attacks.

The common one is called a social engineering attack, where the fraudsters call people and ask them all kinds of questions, pretending to be calling from the banks or the telcos, central bank, and people divulge this sensitive information.

Some cases, these fraudsters tell customers that they will receive a code because they’re trying to upgrade their systems, telephones or bank accounts, cards, among others. There are a number of reasons we are witnessing increasing social engineering attacks in the banking sector.

The first reason is called the greed factor.

People are greedy generally, not just in Nigeria or in Africa but across the world. A lot of people do not want to work to earn money, but they want to spend and want to live a big. I’m sure you’ve heard about the celebrated cases of cyber thieves across the world.

Some Nigerians who are outside in US and UK, are doing all kinds of things. Greed is one of the main causes of cybercrime increase across the world.

A lot of people out there want to spend money and spend uncontrollably. The only way you can do that is through crime.

Now, in the past, connectivity was not so much available. Even in Nigeria, there was a time when we had less than 1000 mobile telephone lines in the country. But now, everybody, the common man on the streets, has telephones, and they have access to the Internet.

All you need is a maximum of $100 and with that, you can get a telephone, a SIM card, and you have access to the Internet.

Mind you, the amount of money that is available to be stolen is increasing as we continue to have increasing

C

Isiavwe phone penetration in the country.

Currently, there is about $7 trillion amount to be stolen and in two years, it is going to rise up to a minimum of $10.5 trillion, according what research has shown. Most people know that there’s so much money to be made since they have access to the internet.

In addition to that, for instance, the legal conditions that we have today in Nigeria and across the world need to be looked at in order to prevent people from going into crime. The reason is that people engage in bad behaviour online because there is no court to jail them.

Sometimes they steal millions of naira. When they are taken to court, they get penalized and

the judgment for a man who has stolen N60 million gets a penalty of N1.5million.

So, that also stimulates and motivates people to do bad things. If you add all of that together, and then you look at the conditions of living of life in Africa, you will understand that poverty also contribute to cybercrime in Africa. The unemployment rate is quite high and a lot of people now have the capacity to access the internet, another contributing factor to cybercrime.

They have the equipment, just a telephone that has access to the internet, and they can make a lot of money, stealing other people’s money.

And then you also have love scams that are happening across the world. That is a big problem. You find out that almost every month, we continue to find out that somebody is convicted of a crime involving love crimes.

They fake the lives of celebrities, pose as them on the internet and people fall into their trap. They post pictures online and they get into relationships with vulnerable people, especially old ladies and then they begin to extort money from them.

So, in a nutshell, cybercrime is growing because of the predisposing factors that facilitate the root of it. There is greed, unemployment, and poverty, and there is easy access to the equipment required to commit the crime.

At ISSAN, we act as an advocacy team that steps up and be at the vanguard of creating awareness of the cyber threat in the financial sector, among other sectors.

As to the do’s and don’ts in cyberspace, we informed stakeholders on what should people know, what should people do, and what they should not do.

We engage across the entire stakeholders on a monthly basis to focus on building capacity and human capital development, and we hold our training for people free of charge.

We educate stakeholders on how we can minimize fraud, both in Nigeria and across

Africa. Central Bank has a forum called the Nigerian Electronic Fraud Forum and it is basically devoted to fighting electronic fraud, and we are an active member.

So, we take steps to ensure that we collaborate with key parties across the industry. In fact, at ISSAN, we believe that one very good fight against cybercrime is through collaboration and much more collaboration.

We bring people together, and then we begin to educate them and inform them of what is going on in cyberspace. From there, everyone will go back with the information and knowledge to protect their own organization.

ISSAN also played a key role in ensuring that countries in Africa, come together and look at this area this problem, and the problem is not going to go away anytime soon. But we can take steps to minimize the impact so that people do not fall prey. So, we build capacity, and knowledge and then we encourage, the entire industry frequently to ensure that whatever is happening, information is disseminated across the board.

Everybody takes action to protect themselves. So our philosophy is to ensure that every time there is an attack, that attack will be the last of that type. Because what fraudsters do is that they repeat the same tactics.

So, they go to one entity, they hit that entity. They take a lot of money, but since money is very easily made, you just spend it easily.

What are the major takeaways from this conference?

The key takeaway is that very soon, we are working on policy pronouncements that will help to improve the security of digital transactions in Nigeria.

The gaps are being discussed, we have identified different areas, especially the tier one accounts, those wallet accounts that no have limits transfer or any form of documentation.

The account is just the same as a telephone number and it is very risky. A lot of money goes in there.

People lose their money. We are going to work to see all these stop and that is the major objective we seek to achieve from this conference.

30

T H I S D AY • Wednesday, November 8, 2023

BUSINESSWORLD

News

ART X LAGOS OPENING…

L-R: Head, Group Marketing and Retail Analytics, Access Bank Plc, Toyin Henry-Ajayi; Group Chief Executive Officer, Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe; founder, ART X Collective, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, Roosevelt Ogbonna and Chief of Staff to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Access Holdings Plc Victor Willie at the ART X Lagos opening event in Victoria Island… recently

Nigeria Losing $1tn Annually to Lack of Shipping Capacity, Cargo Freight Gilbert Ekugbe The Chief Executive Officer of Starz Marine and Engineering Limited, Greg Ogbeifun, said Nigeria is losing an estimated $1 trillion annually in the entire shipping sector due

to lack of vessels, infrastructure, human capacity and cargo carriage.

He stated this during his speech at a national discourse with distinguished maritime personalities (DMPs) organised by Maritime Nigeria.

According to him, “If I am to just hazard a guess, this country is losing close to a trillion dollar in the entire shipping sector both infrastructure, human capacity and cargo carriage.”

He also called on the private

sector in the shipping subsector of the maritime to establish platforms to help actualise the policies of the sector.

According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done what he is supposed to do by separating

International Breweries Offers N60m Grant to 50 Young Entrepreneurs International Breweries Plc through its subsidiary, International Breweries Foundation has offered a grant of N60 million to 50 young entrepreneurs as seed fund capital to scale their businesses.

A total of 26 females and 24 males received the award yesterday with a grant value ranging from N750,000 to the grand prize of N3 million.

This year’s grant which is the 8th edition of the Kickstart Awards Ceremony, themed: “From Ideas to Impact: Nurturing Young Entrepreneurs for Economic Growth,” will sum up the total amount of beneficiaries of the grant since inception to 425 with 1,600 direct jobs and by extension 3,000 indirect jobs.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director, International Breweries plc, Mr. Carlos Coutino, stated that the initiative underscores the company’s vision to positively impact the societies where it exists.

Coutino further explained that beyond the iniatiative as a Corporate Social Responsibility, the event is in line with the company’s dream for an empowered youth population to reduce the scourge of unemployment and boost the confidence of young people in their individual creativity and capacity.

“This year, our theme: “From Ideas to Impact: Nurturing Young Entrepreneurs for Economic Growth,” resonates deeply as it captures our vision to contribute

and support Nigeria’s economy for prosperity. I am very excited as I stand before you today because Kickstart is not merely a project, but a passion for us at International Breweries Plc. “Kickstart has been a beacon of hope touching countless lives through its commitment to effectively help young Nigerians navigate the entrepreneurship journey. This has contributed meaningfully to transforming the landscape of small, medium-sized enterprises in Nigeria,” he said.

On his part, the Chairman International Breweries Foundation Advisory Board, Mr. Peter Bankole, shared that the Kickstart Project is highly commendable as it coincides

with the aspirations of the Nigerian government at all levels to provide an environment which encourage businesses to thrive.

He said, “Kickstart initiative aligns with the vision of our government, especially in the area of a better Nigeria where youth have sufficient jobs and decent wages, where citizens manufacture, create, and invent more of the goods and services we require, making Nigeria a nation of creators, and not just consumers.

“It is a catalyst that promotes the sustenance of thriving businesses, while positively igniting a real respect to others. We hope to continue counting on your unwavering support. Let’s build a better Nigeria together.”

the Maritime ministry from the transportation hence it behooves on the sector players to take it upon themselves to make out something from the government’s laudable initiative.

He maintained that creating private platforms will help to refloat the sector and ensure its continuity.

For the purpose of floating the private platforms, the shipping magnate said he decided to come out of retirement back into active shipping operations even as he promised stakeholders to watch out for him in days to come.

“We must commend him for having the boldness to come out whether he understands the implication or not, it is irrelevant. They have done what they are supposed to do. They have appointed whoever they want to appoint but the private sector should now rise up to set up platforms to help that ministry to actualise its objective,” he said.

“If we get established platforms for the policies of that ministry to be actualised, that ministry can get better than others and that is what has called me out back into active Maritime activities. Not because I am looking for money, or because I am looking for a contract but because we must talk the talk and walk the

talk,” he stated.

On his part, the Former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, emphasised the need for Nigeria to build and design its ports for exports, lamenting that all the ports in the country are not configured for export.

“They are just there to receive. When are we going to start exporting? We either export or we perish. So we have to concentrate on the ports.

The AfCFTA will favor Nigeria if our port infrastructure is modern and efficient,” he said.

He however, commended the Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed BelloKoko, for licensing export terminals in the country, saying that it would go a long way to boost Nigeria’s export trade.

The Convener, National Discourse 2, Mr. Kelvin Kagbare, expressed concerns that Nigeria may lose out in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) due to the country’s shipping development capacity index which they said is almost nil.

He bemoaned that the leaders vision for the nation’s youths and indeed the maritime and transport sector is not in sync with the speed and efficiencies of modern day international maritime trade.

Mbah’s Investment Pilgrimage to Jakarta, Indonesia Uche Anichukwu

W

hen Governor Peter Mbah unveiled his Statement of Purpose ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State, his promise to grow the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) seven folds from $4.4 Billion to $30 Billion generated mixed reactions, as many saw it as a tall order for a state renowned as a public service state. Five months down the line, however, Mbah is gaining more converts as he presses towards the target with the right policies, structures, and both local and international partnerships in place.

From tackling the security challenges headlong, including putting an end to the illegal sit-at-home, to improving ease of doing business, hosting the first Enugu State Investment and Economic Growth Plan Stakeholders Roundtable, introducing e-ticketing and automating revenue collection, and the recent flag off of the construction of a New Enugu City and 400 kilometres of various roads to bolster infrastructure needed to attract investments, the governor is not leaving any stone unturned.

Last week, Mbah took his quest for investments to southeast Asia where he marketed Enugu to investors at the Nigerian-Indonesian Investment Trade Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia. Themed “Rediscovering Business Potentials in Nigeria and Indonesia”, the event, which was facilitated by the Nigerian-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI), came after the first edition in 2022 attended by the then Vice of President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. It is an outcome of more than five years of previous trade missions and bilateral business expos by the business communities of both nations that continued this year with the 38th edition of the Nigerian Indonesian Trade Expo. Recently, Nigeria became Indonesia’s largest trade partner in

Africa, overtaking South Africa.

But is Indonesia a worthy direction to look in search of economic cooperation and FDI? Yes. In 1967, Indonesian GDP stood at $5.67 Billion, while that of Nigeria was $5.20 Billion in 1967 and $6.37 Billion in 1966. Fast-forward to 2022, Nigeria’s GDP stood at $477.39 Billion, while that of Indonesia stood at $1.319.10 Billion (approximately $1.4 Trillion), driven by the production sector that sees the southeast Asian nation export machinery, steel, textile, footwear, among others. At the same time, Indonesia is doing so well in agriculture, exporting palm oil, rice, rubber, coffee, cocoa, among others, while Nigeria has declined from a net exporter of palm oil to an importer. Nigeria imports about 800,000 metric tons of palm oil annually estimated at over N500 Billion.

Indonesia has done so well for itself despite serious disadvantages imposed by geography. It is the world’s largest archipelago, consisting of 17,504 islands of which only 6,000 are inhabited.

These have made it extremely difficult for the country to exploit its 2.5 Billion barrels of crude oil reserves, producing about 0.3 billion barrels only in 2018, according to Worldometer.

Obviously, a return to 1956 to 1966 mentality, Nigeria’s most prosperous era, also known as the golden era of Nigeria’s federalism when the federation units unleashed their potentials in a competitive manner, unhindered by an overbearing, over-bloated, and resource-expropriating central government becomes imperative. Despite the debilitating constitutional constraints, there are a lot the states could do to turn things around.

Nigeria’s exit from the present economic quagmire lies in the states reinventing themselves from the status of spoilt, indolent, and uncreative appendages to resourceful sub-nationals. And that is exactly

how Mbah’s effort in Enugu and his investment pilgrimage to Jakarta could best be understood.

Speaking at the Forum, Mbah observed that whereas the growth of trade volume between both nations to $4.7 Billion was commendable, they could actually do much more. He went to enumerate the abundant investment opportunities in the state, spanning agriculture, mineral resources, logistics, aviation, tourism, real estate, mineral resources, ICT, to name a few.

Delivering the keynote address at the gathering, he said: “In the area of Agriculture, Enugu is blessed with 100 per cent arable, fertile land with a high factor of productivity and good access to both surface and subterranean water that makes all year-round agriculture possible.

“The State is climatically disposed to the production of key produce like Cassava, oil palm, Cashew, spices of various types. These areas offer not only the opportunity for primary agricultural production, but also the opportunity to invest in industrial facilities to add value to these produce for local consumption as well as export.

“The State is also blessed with significant deposits of minerals. In the area of petroleum, Enugu State has proven deposits of oil but more importantly has extensive deposits of natural gas.

Other minerals within the state include Coal, gold, kaolin, gypsum, clay and limestone, among others.

This makes Enugu ideal not only for mining, but also for the siting of key industries.”

However, while anchoring his $30 Billion GDP target on heavy private sector investment and utilisation of strong local and international partnerships, Mbah, being a successful businessman himself, having founded and nurtured Pinnacle Oil and Gas from ground zero to leadership of the Nigerian downstream petroleum subsector,

understands and has also often emphasised that businesses/investors are not philanthropists or Father Christmases. They are in it for profit. They go where the business environment is better de-risked and where ease of doing business is higher.

Consequently, while declaring to the government and business community in Indonesia that “Enugu is open for business”, the governor equally outlined some of his administration’s deliberate steps to improve the investment and business climate of Enugu State. They include expansion of security networks for improved security, functional One Stop Centre for speedy processing of investment interests and needs, massive urban and rural infrastructural development, establishing about 300,000 hectares land bank for both for corporate farmers and special agro-processing zones, establishing of Free Zones, the recently signed Enugu State Electricity Law to create a free market for electric power, and the effort to build a Tier 4 HyperScale Data Center, far-reaching reforms towards stronger contract enforcement, ease of procurement of land titles, which would now take 48 to 72 hours, among others.

The Ambassador of Indonesia to Nigeria, Dr. Usra Hendra Harahap, while acknowledging Mbah’s determination to make Enugu State the preferred destination for business, investment, living, and tourism, said there was an ongoing discussion between Enugu State Government and Pertamina, the national energy company of Indonesian to build a gas power plant in the state. He emphasised the need for greater cooperation between Nigeria and Indonesia for greater mutual prosperity.

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

31

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Property & environment Government Should Strengthen Regulations in Mortgage, Real Estate Sectors, Says Kuyebi Ayo Olanrewaju Kuyebi, the Chief Executive Officer of GMH Luxury tells Bennett Oghifo that the government needs to strengthen regulations in the mortgage and real estate sectors for sustainable housing in Nigeria. The builder, and project management consultant of many years, discusses issues in the housing sub-sector of the nation’s economy and shares insight on his transition from an employee to establishing a thriving real estate firm with prominent projects located in Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki, Gbagada and among others. He also gives an opinion on the high rate of building collapse in Nigeria, urging Nigerians to stop building on water channels

P

oor mortgage system has continued to frustrate home ownership in Nigeria. What is the way out of the problem?

The poor mortgage system in Nigeria has long been a barrier to achieving widespread homeownership and effective home ownership and housing programmes. High-interest rates, limited access to affordable mortgages and a range of challenges have frustrated the aspirations of many Nigerians to own their homes. To address these issues and make homeownership a reality for a broader section of the population, a comprehensive approach is needed. To improve the mortgage system in Nigeria, the government can collaborate with financial institutions to offer more affordable mortgage rates. They can establish housing funds or subsidies to assist low-income earners with down payments. Implement credit scoring systems to assess borrowers’ creditworthiness accurately. They can also reduce bureaucracy and streamline the mortgage application process ; encourage private sector participation in the mortgage market. The government can strengthen regulations that govern the mortgage and real estate sectors. This includes creating legal safeguards, improving transparency, and ensuring that foreclosure processes are clear and efficient.

How are you able to carve a niche for yourself in the housing sector?

It’s by actually placing a premium on experience. As you know, there is a popular saying that the level of your training will determine

the level of your reign. In 2006, I was actually given the opportunity to work in the bank as a teller but I rejected the offer. Instead, I joined an engineering firm for training purposes whereby I was not placed on any salary, but I walked away from a job where they would have been paying me over N200,000 as at that time. For me, it’s all about experience, because I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve there. It’s all about experience. To be the best, you have to learn from the best. When I was a young engineer, all I set out to achieve was to be one of the best to be reckoned with in the industry and that is the driving force. To be very candid, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon so I have to survive. I have been learning this since age 9, on how to survive. What I did differently was that, in the company, I was working then, they were training me on how to design, and there was a tutorial close to the office, so in the evening when I closed by 5 pm, I will go to the tutorial to do two hours that they would paid me N150 per hour and that was what I used to sustain myself on, couple with the little allowance I was getting from home. So after seven months, they placed me on a salary of N15,000 and I worked with the firm for two years. I later moved from the job. I went to work with another company, it’s a group of companies because I moved away from working with one man to a group of companies where they have a bit of structure. I just want to experience how structure works, because where I was coming from, we are the accountant, site clerk, store keeper. I want to work in a company where we have site engineers, others

and to ensure I stay around and understand how a standard organisation operates, looking at the organisation’s organograms and all that.

I worked with the firm for three years and to my surprise, when they interviewed me for the job, they placed me on a salary of N32,000 weekly allowances and I rose from being a site engineer to Deputy Project Manager. I was coordinating three projects at a time, one in Ilaje Bariga, Makoko and Agunlejika in the Cele area of Lagos and shuttled all these sites every day.

At those sites, they were constructing different structures at that time. So, after working for a group of companies for about one and half years again, I also wanted to experience how it feels to work in a multinational company.

I wanted more roles, and also wanted to see how multinational company looks like; what does it feels like to work in a multinational company, so I applied and as at the time I was applying, the available role was a trainee engineer. So, I accepted the offer but it was a massive pay cut for me but I experienced efficiency, specialisation at the highest level working with an organisation like that. And in 2010, I pulled out to form a company called Geostruct konsult Limited where we major in piling works. Why I want to be in the building sector is the fact that people rarely get value for their money in the sector, the majority of people get their fingers burnt, you promise this A and deliver Z. As at that time, pilling was very complicated, people doing it at that time don’t have the technical prerequisite to undertake such projects and rate of foundation failing at that time was actually alarming and I took it

Kuyebi

upon myself to venture into piling, promising myself to do something differently and ensure that every client get value for their money. In 2010, the little money I gathered was around N570,000. I used it to start up a company called Jostrut Consult Limited. I put the money into the fabrication of what they called a dandle rig.

It’s a smaller pilling ring locally manufactured and when this was done I called on people; the operators, we called them the riggers and they have many years of experience like me, so we formed partnership on this project. In 2014, Jostrut Consult has grown up to become a company that has over N500 million in both equipment and cash in the bank.

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

Cedrus Group Africa Receives Fastest Growing Trust Company of the Year Award Fadekemi Ajakaiye Cedrus Group Africa has announced that it has been honoured with the esteemed “Fastest Growing Trust Company of the Year” award at the recently held BusinessDay Other Financial Institution Awards (BAFI) 2023. The

award ceremony took place on October 28, 2023, marking a momentous occasion for Cedrus Group Africa and the entire financial industry.

The BAFI Awards, hosted

by Business Day, are known for recognising and celebrating excellence and innovation in the financial sector. The “Fastest

Growing Trust Company of the Year” award is a testament to Cedrus Group Africa’s commitment to exceptional growth and its dedication to maintaining a position of trust and reliability in the market.

The award was presented to the team by Mrs. Toyin Sanni, the Vice Chairman of

the Emerging Africa Group, a respected figure in the industry and a business leader in Trusteeship. Her presentation of the award added an extra layer of significance to this accomplishment.

The CEO Mr Olubusayo Adeniyi stated, “It is a big honour for CGA and the

entire team! This award is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to our exponential asset growth, strategic market expansion, innovative offerings and impressive client retention and acquisition rates.

This achievement is not just a recognition of our hard work, but it’s a result of divine favour

upon us as an entity and the relentless dedication of our team.”

This marks the third prestigious award that Cedrus Group Africa has received in 2023, and it underscores the company’s continuous efforts to excel and innovate in an ever-evolving financial landscape.

You Don’t Need Godfather to Excel in Business, Ofure Tells Women Fadekemi Ajakaiye Real estate investment expert and developer, Grace Ofure has told women who

desire to succeed in their business to understand the importance of absolute reliance on God and having the right mindset in order

to get to the top without connections.

Ofure, founder of Lifecard University and CEO of Lifecard International

L-R: Director, Mint Industries Limited, Melody Fidel; Director Mint Industries Limited, Beth Knight; member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi; Co-Founder, Royal Leadership Consults, EPR, Director, NHIS, Dr. Evelyn Okpanachi; and Founder/CEO, Lifecard International Investment, Grace Ofure Ibhakhomu, at the WIMBIZ conference… recently

Investment, stated this at an event, organised by Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ), which brought together prominent women leaders and entrepreneurs from across the globe to discuss important issues facing women in the business world.

Grace Ofure, a renowned life coach, and women’s empowerment advocate, captivated audiences at the recently concluded WIMBIZ International Conference with her inspiring plenary session participation.

She inspires women leaders with her powerful story centered around “Soaring Over Setbacks”, and shared her remarkable journey and insights on organic wealth creation, resilience, and breaking barriers in a world where recognition is only based on connection or ‘god-fatherism”. Her speech resonated deeply with the attendees, earning her a well-deserved ovation.

She also shared personal

anecdotes and practical strategies, encouraging women to embrace their unique strengths and talents to drive positive change in their respective fields. Her message of empowerment and self-belief struck a chord with the audience, inspiring them to aim higher and shatter the glass ceiling.

The WIMBIZ International Conference, held at Hilton London Kensington, United Kingdom, featured a lineup of distinguished speakers, panel discussions, and interactive sessions focusing on various aspects of women’s leadership and women’s limitless potentials. Grace Ofure’s story stood out for its authenticity, passion, and actionable insights, leaving a lasting impression on all attendees.

Ofure, a trailblazer in her industry, continues to make significant contributions to the empowerment of women entrepreneurs and leaders. Her presence at the

WIMBIZ International Conference served as a beacon of hope and motivation for women striving to excel in their careers and make a difference in the world.

She is a global business leader, life coach, an author, and a seasoned cash-flow and investment expert. She is the CEO of Lifecard International Investment Company and founder of Lifecard University. With over 18 years of experience in the real estate space, Grace Ofure has played a major role in the industry with her innovative and growth-driven strategies.

Ofure helps individuals to create and build sustainable wealth for future generations. Through her digital university; The Lifecard University, she seamlessly and strategically teaches real estate innovation and literacy programmes, to over 2,000 budding and existing entrepreneurs and investors. This is to enable them to attain optimal financial realities.

32

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 •T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

33

34

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Education Sainani: Learn Star Carving Niche in Teaching Non-traditional Subjects In this interview with Ugo Aliogo, the Chief Executive Officer of Learnstar, Kshitij Sainani, speaks on the education platform, which focuses on non-traditional subjects, and how it will contribute to education in Nigeria

W

hat is the background of Learn Star?

Learnstar is an online educational platform that focuses on non-traditional subjects that you don’t learn in school. So, subjects like music, music business, sports, sports management, fashion, and fashion business are what we will be starting within the creative space.

But in the future, the next few courses are going to be also in the technology and business space. We are going to be teaching taxation and insurance. Things that you don’t learn in school.

Things that Africans need to know.

Our unique selling point is that all our courses and curricula are not only built by celebrities but also conducted by celebrities and the A-list of the industry. I can give you an example: Asa Asika, who is presently doing a course on the music business, and Swanky Jerry, who is also doing a course on fashion. We have Wavy the Creator, who is doing a course on how to launch yourself as an artist and others, who would not only be building the course but will also conduct the course.

What is your experience in the edtech space and what inspired the creation of this platform?

The edtech space in Africa is pretty new. A lot of people you have seen in this industry don’t even have up to 10 years of experience, even myself. This is my first platform. But Kundan and myself have been in the education sector before. We have been in overseas education migration consultancy for about two years.

We have experience in the international trade sector. I also have experience in entertainment and events. The major reason for me is that education is the solution to all our problems today and that is what I truly believe. Whether it be the lack of jobs in the country, corruption, and illiteracy rates, any major problem we have today in Nigeria and Africa can easily be solved by education. Now, the problem is that we are not getting the right source of education. Most

Sainani of our teachers and administrative staff are not the best, and I think that is where the technology industry also comes into play. That is our vision in Learnstar; if we can even help increase the literacy rates and the employment levels by one or two per cent in the next five years, we consider ourselves successful.

It is important to note that we have spent many years in Nigeria. I have personally spent almost 25 years in Nigeria and in various sectors. And so basically, when we got into Learn Star, we saw a need as well as an opportunity in the sector; the way the education technology sector is growing and also, especially on the creative side.

We saw there is a huge gap and we realised that this is something we can do in the sector.

Whatever we have learned over the last two decades in Nigeria, we would like to give it back and education is the best sector we thought that we could venture into and do whatever we can.

Just to touch a little bit more on the

entertainment and creative space, they were, I think, definitely in the top five contributors to the GDP of Nigeria in the last year. The edtech space, by the next two to three years, is supposed to be a $1.8 billion market in Africa. So, there is definitely an opportunity to tap in, and nobody in Africa for now is doing a creative school or a school for non-traditional subjects. You mainly have stuff for your high schools and middle schools, English languages. But for the creative space, we have non-traditional subjects, and there is not a single platform in Africa.

Personally, as an individual, we may not have a lot of experience in the tech sector, but we are the entrepreneurs, we are the startup and the only members of this project, with a very strong team. We brought in experts in the tech sector. We have consultants and directors on the board who have very strong backing on the technology side.

Tell us about the curriculum and why you developed new courses.

The curriculum, like I said, is based on nontraditional subjects. We are starting with six but we plan on adding one each month, so that is 12 months in a year. By the end of next year, we should have 18 courses on the platform, with one additional going forward from there. There are two main ways we build the curriculum. Of course, number one is research, but where the magic of Learn Star comes in is that before the production of the courses, we have about five to six hours of sit-down with the mentors, the celebrities and all the secrets that you cannot learn online, coming from personal life experience is inculcated into the course.

So, these are our two main aspects of the curriculum, which are research from Google Scholar textbooks from other course platforms like YouTube or Udemy. But the magic and essence of the course come in when the tutor-celebrities are giving their daily life experience as well as the secrets, tips and tricks of the industry.

It is also a blending of the standard curriculum with the personal experience of successful

celebrities.

What is the process of selecting the mentors?

The best of the best, and A-listers only; that is the main criteria and for now, we have been reaching out to them through personal connections, sometimes through friends and family help us to get these mentors. But we are looking for the best to come on this platform.

What is the duration of the courses?

Duration can vary between two hours to four hours depending on which course it is. All courses are split into different modules, each module ranging from about 15 minutes to 20 minutes with the quiz in the middle, short courses, and masterclasses for two to three hours. Based on our study, we realise that in today’s world, especially among the millennials, they have a low attention span to do a three-month course or four-month course online. So, we are doing short courses. But all information is embedded in the course, and after the course, we are going to offer scholarships to the students where they can go to maybe Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) or another country to do a full programme for three or four months with practical learning, not only online learning. So that is what Learn Star is doing.

How affordable is it in terms of fees?

It is for the masses. It is not a premium or highly-priced platform. We have about three subscription methods: three months, six months and 12 months. On average, the cost is about N 30,000 to 35,000 per month. It is important to understand that the subscription or payment is not only for one course but to access the whole six to 12 courses. It is like the master class Netflix model, where you pay a one-time subscription and get access to everything.

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

Women in Colleges of Education Advocate for Digital Learning Uchechukwu Nnaike

Women in Colleges of Education (WICE) in Nigeria and other stakeholders recently returned to the classroom to learn innovative ways to leverage technology and digital tools in teacher education.

The occasion was the 27th national conference and workshop, organised by the National Association of Women in Colleges of Education at Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri.

It was an eruption of intellectual fireworks at the Jubilee Auditorium as the keynote speaker, Prof Eucharia Onyeka from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and other scholars dissected the theme of the conference, ‘Digital Learning Innovation in Teacher Education in Nigeria’.

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof.

Paulinus Okwelle, said the conference provided a platform to brainstorm on ICT and described the theme as apt. He explained that the 21st

century was marked by several ICT innovations, which placed a higher demand on workers to enhance their ICT skills for quality service delivery.

Okwelle, who doubles as the Grand Patron of WICE, commended colleges of education for running a uniform scheme of work and condition of service. He described WICE as a reflection of the passion and love among staff in colleges of education in the country. He stated that women are nation builders and pledged his unwavering support to the association.

He also applauded the federal government for upgrading the Alvan Ikoku College of Education to a university and expressed hope that it would increase students’ access to degree programmes.

The National President of WICE, Prof. Theresa Okoli, said the theme became necessary because of the

advancement and revolution in ICT globally.

She said discussions at the conference would help equip WICE members and teacher educators on more efficient ICT usage.

Okoli explained that digitisation is moving so fast that it has become expedient to move with speed to remain relevant in the education sector.

She said a workshop was also held during the conference, which focused on the theme, ‘ICT and Work Challenges in a Digital Economy’.

Okoli, who is the provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Anambra State, expressed delight at the creation of six new colleges of education, adding that five more colleges would soon be unveiled. She thanked the NCCE executive secretary for his pragmatic leadership that has enhanced the pedigree of colleges of education in the country.

The chairman of the occasion and Provost of the Imo State College of Education, Ihitte Uboma, Dr. Nwachukwu Chinyere, said the conference was symbolic in bringing women

in academics from far and near together to discuss pertinent issues in the education sector.

Nwachukwu noted that women in academia had done a lot of good research while promising that presentations at the conference would be used to produce the 27th journal of WICE. The Provost of Alvan Ikoku College, Dr. Stella Lemchi, expressed gladness that the college was recently upgraded to a university of education, adding that it was hosting the WICE conference for the last time.

She recalled the milestone recorded by the institution since its establishment in 1963, saying that it made an impressive mark in the context of girl-child education, with over 80 per cent of the student population as women.

“This is not just statistics. It is a powerful statement about our dedication to empowering women through education. Our institution has been a beacon of hope for women seeking quality education, personal growth and professional development,” she explained.

Lagos Teacher Emerges 2023 Maltina Teacher of the Year Adeola Adefemi of Keke Senior High School, Agege, Lagos, has emerged as the winner of the ninth edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition at the grand finale, held in Lagos recently.

Adefemi received a cash prize of N6.5 million.

She will also enjoy all-expense-paid capacity development training in the UK. At the same time, her school will get either a fully equipped computer laboratory or a six-classroom block worth N20 million in her honour.

Azuh Chike of Ezemu Girls Grammar School, Delta, emerged as the first runner-up, with a cash prize of N1.5 million. Adam Abdulqadir Ndi of Model Science College, Niger, was the second runner-up, with a N1.25 million cash prize. In

addition, 27 other teachers who emerged as state champions from their respective states received N500,000 each.

In his goodwill message, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, disclosed that there are growing national efforts to bring back the glory days of teachers in Nigeria. He noted that the new national teaching policy developed by the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with education stakeholders, addresses the career path, remuneration, teaching standards, qualification, capacity development and other vital issues to revitalise the teaching profession.

“Education is our collective responsibil-

ity, and its failure can be taken as the failure of the entire country,” stated Sununu. “It is based on this that the Federal Ministry of Education recognises and commends the efforts of Nigeria Breweries Plc-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund to celebrate outstanding teachers across Nigeria.”

The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, lauded Nigerian Breweries Plc for its significant contributions towards making the teaching profession an enviable one amidst the low morale. He said that the state government appreciates the significance of such competition in improving the quality of teaching and students’ performance.

“As a government, we are proud to identify

with this Award because it resonates with our teacher’s welfare programme. We appreciate that teachers are at the heart of successful learning, so we introduced the EKOEXCEL TRAINING to support and empower them and impact pupil and teacher success,” he said.

The Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sade Morgan, thanked all valued stakeholders and partners for their support for the competition, particularly the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) for providing the company with access to its database of verified and registered teachers, as well as providing the teachers with adequate information about the competition and requirements for the application process.

35

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

education

ICGS Old Students Experts Seek Adoption of Digital Tools to Improve Learning Outcomes Celebrate 40th Anniversary, Unveil Projects Uchechukwu Nnaike

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Old students of Iroko Community Grammar School (ICGS), Ibadan (1983 set), have pledged their continued support to the school to advance its infrastructural development and educational excellence.

The chairman of the set, Mr. Tairu Lawal, said this at the inauguration of two blocks of classrooms and an administrative building renovated to mark their 40th anniversary at the school premises.

He said, “It has always been part of our imbibed culture as a set to look back at our school and this suggests the renovation of a block for the use of teachers. On behalf of myself and colleagues, I would like to reinstate that apart from our contributions to the school as a class of 1983 set. We are readily available to participate and contribute to any developmental project as deemed fit by the larger alumni.”

The chairman of the planning committee for the

anniversary, Ambassador Akinremi Bolaji, said the members decided to give back to the school as it contributed immensely in making them who they are today, maintaining that the school academically equipped them to be leaders in all spheres of life.

Bolaji added that the school produced him, and he was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Persons in Africa in 2023, stating that the anniversary was to celebrate the goodness of the Lord in their lives and to rejoice among themselves in reminiscence of their days as students.

“We all from different backgrounds but attended the same classes, taught by the same set of teachers, sat the same examinations from form one to form five,” Bolaji explained. “In fact, we read and studied under unpalatable conditions with no electricity, no bore-hole or pipe-borne water or any social amenities, but we created fun for ourselves and made our stay worthwhile.

Experts in the education sector have stressed the need for government and other stakeholders to devote resources or energy to teachers and learners to encourage the adoption of digital tools to improve learning outcomes.

This was one of the major takeouts at the just concluded October edition of Edtech Mondays, organized by the Co-Creation Hub (CCHUB) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT. The edition, with the theme ‘Building Digital Tools that Empower Teachers and Learners’, was moderated by the Practice Lead, Education, CCHUB, Chinyelu Akpa, and

featured edtech experts including Instructional Development Lead, Exampadi, Joy Bassey; Basic Science teacher, Aguda Junior Grammar School, Abiola Alabi; programme analyst, Olanike Aladeojobi; coach, Teach for Nigeria, Jemima Nnamdi-Iyeha and co-founder, GotoCourse, Dr. Success Ojo. According to a UNESCO report published in 2016, it was estimated that the entire Sub-Saharan Africa would still need 15 million teachers to reverse the teacher shortage. This emphasises the role of teachers as critical resources for making impactful transformations in people’s lives.

Speaking during the session, the global award-winning teacher, Alabi, said there is a need for relevant stakeholders, most especially the government,

to create an enabling environment as well as motivation for teachers to embrace technology.

While calling for the review of the school curriculum in such a manner that would give room for better understanding and collaboration to make learning fun, Alabi noted that with the right incentive, the majority of teachers would be discouraged from leaving Nigeria’s shore for greener pasture.

In her remarks, Bassey identified three major factors that must be considered when designing instructional tools, including understanding learning objectives, provision of actionable content, and availability of appealing, engaging visuals that give context based on different learning demographics.

Bassey advised edtech

organisations to pay adequate attention to theories or principles underlining the development of educational tools, as this would go a long way to assist them in producing relevant products that are capable of transforming learning outcomes for students.

On his part, Ojo stated that support from the government has become necessary if we are committed to promoting digital literacy among Nigerians.

Ojo advised the government to invest in digital infrastructure and resources to improve the adoption of digital tools among learners and teachers, noting that digital tools hold the future for learning. She equally emphasized the need for stakeholders to create communities where teachers can share best practices to enable them to learn from one another.

Lagos SUBEB Holds Health Week, Tasks Staff on Healthy Lifestyle Funmi Ogundare

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB) recently held the Y2023 Health Week, which enabled its staff to check their health status and take necessary steps towards controlling their lifestyle. The one-week long programme was themed, ‘Healthy Living’.

Speaking with journalists, the Chairman of the board, Dr. Akeem Shittu, expressed concern that most people don’t check their health status because they seem to be too busy.

He explained that good health means productivity and that a healthy mind and body will be productive.

He appealed to its staff to take advantage of the opportunity to know their health status.

“Quite a number of people suffer from one ailment or another, but early detection is key to treat such ailment as it will enable you to control your lifestyle,” said Shittu.

A medical doctor and head of clinical services at Clinix Healthcare Limited, Oluwaseun Akindasa, who lectured the staff on the various diseases and ailments and their prevalence, stated they needed to take their health seriously and go for regular check-ups.

She called on governments at all levels to improve on making healthcare facilities available for the masses in Nigeria and ensure that there is adequate health education in the country that will focus on disease prevention rather

than treatment.

Akindasa noted that more healthcare facilities and personnel needed to be on the ground, especially in the rural areas, adding that the government should focus on campaigns that will educate the people on preventing diseases rather than on treatment to improve healthcare in the country.

She expressed concern that accessing healthcare is expensive in Nigeria and that poor people, especially in rural areas, have to trek several miles to access quality healthcare.

“For instance, in the rural areas, pregnant women have to trek several miles to access anti-natal care. There should be room for improvement in the healthcare system,” Akindasa explained. “We need to subsidise healthcare delivery and ensure healthcare insurance. There are so many things that should be done by government and individuals.”

She advised Nigerians to curtail certain lifestyle habits such as drinking and smoking and ensure a general health screening regularly by having their blood pressure and general health check, as well as a breast examination, saying that early disease detection saves lives.

“Nigerians should look out for signs and symptoms and understand their health. As an individual, you need to know what to avoid and how your lifestyle can affect your health. Unhealthy lifestyles such as drinking and smoking can lead to death,” she stated.

The Vice-Chancellor, Federa University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Sunday Abayomi Fasina and wife, with other worshippers at the just concluded week-long Christian retreat and prayer session, organised by the institution

Chemstar Group CEO Establishes, Donates School to Church Funmi Ogundare

The Chief Executive Officer of Chemstar Group, manufacturer of Finecoat and Shield Paints, and other paint allied products, Dr. Emmanuel Awode has built and donated a one-storey school structure to the Galilee Land City Headquarters of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide (CSMC), Orile-Igbon, Oyo State.

The Galilee Primary and Secondary School project worth several millions of naira, under the Remi Awode Foundation (RAF), is part of his contribution to enhance the education of the children and a push for

human capital development of people in the area.

The keys, building plan, structural design and other documents of the new school were handed over to the leadership of the church, led by the Chairman and spiritual father of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide, Dr. Samuel Adefila Abidoye, during the inauguration and dedication ceremony, at the just concluded 2023 conference and convention of the church.

In his remarks themed ‘Vision and Mission Behind the School Building Project and Handing Over’, Awode said the school project was borne out of his

passion and determination to ensure that the students have a befitting learning environment and acquire quality education.

Awode, who is the pioneer Chairman of Galilee Land Development Committee between 2021 and 2015, stated that he is a strong believer in the dream and vision of Galilee Land City, as championed by the chairman.

“The best legacy that parents and government could bequeath to the children or younger ones is quality education. The magnificent school building complex that comprises the Galilee Land Primary and Secondary School is an attesta-

tion to the belief in that vision and support of the carrier of the Galilee Land City vision, who is Baba Aladura Dr. Samuel Abidoye, the Chairman and Spiritual Father of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide.

The chief executive officer explained that the need to have a school in the 21st century, an age of knowledge-driven economy, at the Galilee Land City, established about 13 years ago, has become imperative given the pivotal and critical role education plays in the life and development of individuals, and particularly as a fulcrum of national growth.

Stepping Stone College, Ilorin Emerges Winner of 2023 Tax Club Quiz Contest in Kwara Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Stepping Stone College, Agbabiaka, Ilorin, has won the grand prize of N2.5 million in the just concluded 2023 Tax Club Quiz Competition in Kwara.

The event, organised by the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, was held at the

State Banquet Government Hall, Ilorin.

The college defeated five other schools that competed in the final stage of the competition.

A strong competitor and winner of last year’s edition of the annual tax quiz competition, Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Model College, Ilorin emerged as the first runner-up and won a cash prize of N1.5 million.

The Government Secondary

School, Lafiagi, clinched the third spot and got N1 million for schools’ projects.

Students in the first, second and third positions got prizes of N400,000, N300,000 and N200,000, respectively, while rewards for the teachers’ category were N150,000, N100,000 and N50,000.

Eighteen secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state qualified for the semi-final round of the

competition and after rounds of contested computer-based tests (CBT), six schools advanced to the final rounds of the competition.

The six schools were Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Egosi-Ile; Baptist Model High School, Kaiama; Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Model College, Ilorin; Government Secondary School, Lafiagi; Stepping Stone College, Ilorin; and UMCA Secondary School, Share.

36

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday NOVEMBER 8, 2023

CITYSTRINGS

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

A'Ibom Govt Signs MOU with Nigerian Navy for Ibom Fish City Project

Rear Admiral Ayo Olugbode, Hydrographer of the Nigerian Navy at the signing Chiemelie Ezeobi

I

n furtherance of the vision to explore the blue economy, Akwa Ibom State government recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Navy Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of the Nigerian Navy (NN) for Ibom Fish City Project.

Speaking at a brief ceremony at Government House, Uyo, the state Governor, Pastor Umo Eno said the MOU is meant to solidify the existing relationship between the two parties and affirm that they are ready to do business.

He recalled that discussions on the project had started under the former administration when he was Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, and appreciated the management of Naval Holdings Ltd for being steadfast.

According to him, "what we are doing today is to come into agreement that we really want to be in this marriage, between Nigerian Navy and Akwa Ibom

State government. So by signing a memorandum of understanding, it means we should be able to progress.

"I have brought in the Managing Director of Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, AKICORP, because that is the investment arm of government, just as Naval Holdings, is the business arm of the Nigerian Navy "We are signing the MOU to reiterate that it is a worthy project, because apart from providing jobs, this government is really interested in maritime security.

"One of the things my brother, Rear Admiral Ayo Olugbode promised me was that if this project was there, it would provide security around the area.

"We are interested both for economic and security purposes. These a two reasons give me joy because we want to get our waterways

Akwa Ibom team led by Governor Pastor Umo Eno with GMD of Navy Holdings Ltd, Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje and other senior naval officers, at the signing of the MOU between Akwa Ibom State Government and the Nigerian Navy for Ibom Fish City Project very safe for our people to do business.

"Again, we all know that part of our ARISE Agenda is to explore the blue economy, therefore, this will be a bold step forward. " I believe this will be a good marriage, we don't want it to fail and we want to make sure that this is a model for other coastline states to copy," he said.

Earlier in his remarks, GMD of Navy Holdings Ltd, Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje appreciated the Governor for his commitment to the development of Akwa Ibom State.

He commended the governor for setting the machinery in motion to facilitate the project through the MOU and assured that the partnership deal will add enormous value to the State.

Speaking on the project, Rear Admiral Ayo Olugbode, Hydrographer of the Nigerian Navy said the project when completed would, in five years, generate estimated revenue of N500 million and employment of between 2000 and 5000

people depending on the scale.

According to him, "the project is cascading from a bigger vision, which is the African Maritime Strategy, a way of providing socio-economic solution to the root causes of maritime malfeasance in the entire West African Coastline."

He said when completed, over one million tonnes of fish would be produced with a ready off-taking market.

Olugbode noted that Akwa Ibom State was chosen as preferred location for the project due to its riverine and coastal areas with numerous water bodies and fisheries and assured that it will add great value to the State economy.

At the event were the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Uko Udom, SAN; Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor; Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko; MD of AKICORP, Pastor ImoAbasi Jacob, and others.

NAF Bags Global PR Award on Crisis Management in Barcelona

T

he Nigeria Airforce (NAF) has won the 2023 Golden World Awards (GWA) on Crisis Management instituted by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) for outstanding PR campaigns.

According to PRNigeria, the Nigeria Air Force bagged the award under ‘Crisis Management Category’ in partnership with the Image Merchants Promotion (IMPR) Limited, publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential for providing enablement for independent media reports and third-party news narratives on counterinsurgency operations.

Speaking on the award, the SecretaryGeneral of IPRA, Philip Sheppard, commended NAF and IMPR for the alternative narratives and independent reports on counterterrorism campaigns which were widely used in the media that boosted citizens’ confidence and the morale of the troops.

Similarly, AT3 Resources, the strategic communications partner of Meta in West Africa, won the ‘Technology Category’ award with its multi-pronged communication campaign, “#NoFalseNewsZone” in Nigeria and Ghana.

After receiving the award on Crisis Management from IPRA President Dr. Anne-gret Iturriaga Abarzua, the Chief of Administration of NAF, Air Vice Marshall Idi Sani, dedicated the glory to the men and women of the Force who are facing the fire and sacrificing everything to keep the country safe.

“This recognition means a lot to the men and women of the Nigerian Air Force who have continued to toil, day and night in finding lasting solutions to the security problems that currently plague our dear nation.

Yushau Shuaib of PRNigeria; NAF Director of Public Relations, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet; AVM Idi Sani of NAF and Dr. Sule Yau Sule of PRNigera with IPRA Secretary Phil Sheppard at GWA Barcelona “The Nigerian Air Force, being a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s security architecture, finds itself in the middle of this situation, hence the need to deploy its fleet in decimating these criminals.

However, its achievements sometimes get drowned in doubts expressed by our citizens, especially when we are the source of the success story. The need to think outside the box thus gave birth to the utilisation of a third-party medium to tell our story.

“To our amazement, the acceptance level of our successes being told by a third party received overwhelming cheers from many Nigerians,

hence the reason why we are stuck with this strategy. We therefore recommend this strategy, especially for military institutions who find it difficult to sell their own story.

“I must also state here that this strategy was implementable through the directive of our amiable Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, whose inspirational leadership style has taken us to where we are today,” he said.

Speaking on the award, the IMPR Board Chairman, Dr. Sule Yau Sule expressed delight that more PR agencies in Nigeria are supporting brands and organisations in achieving maximum results that are now being recognised on the global scene.

Sule, who is also the Chairman of Policy, Strategy and Media Partnership of the

Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), noted that more PR firms in Nigeria are up to the task in reputation management, crisis communication and other tools of public relations.

He also added that the leadership of NIPR under its current President, Dr Ike Neliaku, has put in place innovative programmes and provided credible platforms for policy analysis, and public debate to ensure regular engagement of policymakers, legislators and other public officers and experts in order to improve good governance.

The Managing Director of IMPR, Yushau A. Shuaib, and of AT3 Resources Tosin Adefeko also received awards on behalf of their PR firms.

More than twenty countries were represented at the annual event, with 70 winners emerging in different categories.

A good number of the entries tackled emerging issues such as cryptocurrency, influencer management, and virtual reality.

The GWA jury of experts met in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic at a session at London’s Institute of Directors to assess the entries. The jury comprised judges from Austria, Bulgaria, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

IPRA was established in 1955 and is the leading global network for PR professionals in their personal capacity. IPRA aims to advance trusted communication and the ethical practice of public relations. IPRA is the organiser of the public relations’ annual global competition, the GWA. IPRA’s services enable PR professionals to practice with a set of guidelines, ethics, and rules that do not mislead, disrupt, or destroy but add value to individual and organizational reputation

37

THISDAY • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023

issue Zamfara: What’s Matawalle’s Agenda?

Louis Achi

N

ot unlike some medieval seer, the astute former labour leader and diminutive dynamite of Edo State politics, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, once peered into his crystalball and proclaimed that, “Once you join APC, your sins are forgiven.” The ex-national chair of the ruling party and former Edo governor made the quirky proclamation in January 2019 and strangely, his compelling decree has hardly been meaningfully rubbished to-date.

But while this peculiar rule may hold true in the APC, in the Peoples’ Democratic Party-ruled Zamfara State, it lacks significant traction and cuts little ice with Governor Dauda Lawal. As it were, these apparently contradictory philosophies have pitched Governor Lawal against the state’s former chief executive Bello Matawalle, whom Lawal insists, has many questions to answer on his stewardship. There is more.

It could be recalled that in what was probably the biggest upset of the March 18 2023 governorship elections, PDP’s Dauda Lawal routed APC’s erstwhile Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State. Matawalle is now the Minister of Defense, courtesy of an adroit political soft-landing provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The rest is history. Or is it?

It would appear that from his cosy perch as a defense minister, Matawalle is plotting disruptive interference of governance in his home state – directly and through proxies. But Governor Lawal would have none of that.

Currently, it has been alleged that Matawalle’s proxies in the form of some former commissioners who served under the former governor’s administration are pitching for the Zamfara State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Lawal, over spurious, harebrained allegations of corruption.

It could be recalled that in May, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probed Matawalle over the alleged diversion of N70billion concerning the Gusau International Cargo Airport project and through the ex-governor’s proxies and contractors who received payment for contracts that were not executed. But many would laugh off the idea of an administration agency of the government-controlled ruling party probing a member of the same party. Oshiohmole had settled the incongruity of such possibility way back.

The ex-commissioners or Matawalle’s proxies are

Matawalle saying that Governor Lawal had planted the allegation in a bid to conceal his own misconduct.

Many believe they need a better spin.

However, Matawalle has denied the allegations of embezzling billions from the Zamfara Cargo Airport project. But in a statement issued in Gusau, the spokesperson to Zamfara Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, explained that the response

by Matawalle exposed a blatant violation of trust.

His words: “To avoid doubt, the embezzlement of resources from the people of Zamfara through the airport was just a tiny part of many other acts of theft and financial banditry committed by Bello Matawalle in various incomplete projects.

“The tragic financial situation the current administration met in Zamfara State is manifestly a product of the past government of Bello Matawalle, who, through a mere telephone

call, directed the Ministry of Local Government in complete disregard of any due process to remove 1,000,000,000 billion Naira from the Local Government Joint Account on October 25th, 2021, and paid 825,000,000 million Naira to the contractors without any valuation.”

The statement read in part: “The Zamfara State Government would ordinarily not respond to an accused embezzler. However, as a responsible government, we feel compelled to provide the facts following his denial of the alleged embezzlement.

“It is doubtful that the project’s cost was reduced from 28 billion Naira to 11 billion Naira in round figures. No reputable bidder would agree to a drastic reduction of 61% in cost without a corresponding reduction in the scope of work. This raises questions about the integrity of the bidding process. Matawalle is seemingly trying to cast doubt on the credibility of the contractor.

“Matawalle has claimed that the Airport Project was financed through what he called ‘contract financing’; the former governor should have asked before embarrassing himself. It is known as the ‘Contract Financing Facility, CFF, which happens between the bank and the contractor.

“The government isn’t involved at all. All available documents indicate that the contractors were paid using funds from the state government and not through the Contract Financing Facility, CFF. “We must emphasise that the claim that payments were made to the contractor solely based on certificates issued by the supervising ministry or agency is false. Our records clearly show that the three payments made to the contractor were not based on an accurate assessment of the work done and certified by the supervising ministry.

“Available records show that Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, were only involved in the project after it had already begun, which goes against the standard practice in the aviation industry. Usually, they must be involved in all project stages, including planning, design, and implementation.”

It must be noted here that the position of the

Minister of Defense is particularly important because of the critical statutory content it drives. The ministry has the statutory responsibility of overseeing and supervising the nation’s armed forces. Its leader who is a cabinet-level head reports directly to the President.

The Defense Ministry’s core mission is to provide timely and effective administrative and support services to enable the armed forces build and maintain a modern, compact, strong, professional, mission-capable and mission-ready forces, for national territorial/maritime/ airspace defence and contributes to peacemaking and peace-keeping duties.

In all of these listed mandates none mentioned covert or overt interference with the governance trajectory of Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State. The governor does not deserve distraction at this dangerous phase of the country’s socio-political evolution.

Governor Lawal recently reiterated his administration’s uncompromising position of not engaging in dialogue with bandits across Zamfara in sharp contrast with what his predecessor Matawalle did. He correctly stressed that no meaningful progress can be achieved without security.

The governor further elaborated the negative impact of negotiating with bandits, stressing that it only encourages the hoodlums and creates an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for law-abiding citizens. He also tasked political leaders and citizens to prioritise the state’s security over politics, emphasising that the peace and stability of Zamfara is non-negotiable.

A key flagship programme in his six-point agenda is Security. The other five are - Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Healthcare, Economy and Empowerment Governor Lawal is a nifty political scientist with topdraw diplomatic exposure who demands accountability from his colleagues, friends and foes alike. He impatiently rejects staying tamely at the end of received policy prescriptions. He rather covets knowledge-driven innovations, proactive engagement with stake-holders, policy makers and sure-footed action.

These dimensions have been boldly mirrored in his leadership of Zamfara State and perhaps not surprisingly brought him on collision course with politicians who want to undermine his governance trajectory. And this is what key stakeholders of the state believe that Bello Matawalle is plotting.

The question looms large: what really is Matawalle’s agenda?

NEWS

Total Energies, NNPC Move to Raise Road Safety Awareness, Target 20,000 Young People Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Total Energies in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) yesterday announced the winners of ‘The VIA Creative Contest’, a programme meant to enlighten young people on road safety.

The programme seeks to encourage

and train young people enrolled in schools, youth clubs and youth organisations to become ambassadors of safe mobility so they can be safer on their way to school and beyond, the organisers said.

Speaking during the event in Abuja, the Education and Inclusion Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Division, Total Energies E&P, Tonye

Osifo, explained that the programme carried out in concert with the project implementer, ‘Slum2School Africa’, was to reduce deaths from road accidents involving young people.

The presentations were made to Government Secondary School, Orozo in Abuja, which came first while Expressway High School, Tolu, Lagos and Government Secondary

School, Gwarimpa in Abuja were second and third respectively.

“VIA creative contest also addresses these problems because if they (children) keep dying in road accidents, then we will not have the youth that will lead this country.

“So we’re concerned about the impact of road safety issues on the young children. And that is how this

project came to be.

“For Nigeria, this is the second year we’ve participated in this competition.

Each year we’ve done 100 schools and 100 schools have participated in this project. For last year and even this year, so we have taken schools from Port-Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos and then we talk to them about road safety,” she stated.

Obaseki Offers Automatic Employment to 12 First Class Graduates of Edo Varsity

Pledges completion of teaching hospital, others in 2024 Edo gov planning to unveil successor at Alaghodaro summit, group alleges

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has offered automatic employment to 12 first class graduating students of the Edo State University, Uzairue.

The governor, at the school’s fifth convocation ceremony in Etsako West Local Government Area of the State, reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building quality manpower to sustain the ongoing reforms in the State’s civil and public service to drive development in the State.

A statement quoted him to have said, “As usual, all those 12 students that made a first class in this set have automatic employment into Edo State Civil Service; your job is waiting for you.

“We have made it a standard that any graduate from any of our universities in Edo State who makes a first-class should be given automatic

employment in our public and civil service. We want to build quality manpower.”

He continued: “As we mark the fifth convocation, the institution has continued to blaze the trail in teaching and research in Nigeria. This academic year has been challenging but we are, today, celebrating the first set of our nine doctorate degree students.

“The university has played an indispensable role in shaping the academic and personal growth of all of you who have graduated today. This university has nurtured your mind and infused values of critical thinking, and integrity and has propelled you to become responsible citizens of our State and country.”

“It is not just celebrating your individual successes but also about acknowledging the responsibilities that come with the knowledge that you have acquired. The knowledge and education we have given you is

to enable you to navigate the very difficult but inspirational times ahead of you.”

Commending the governor’s sustained investment in the education sector, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Engr. Emmanuel Aluyor, linked the successes recorded in the institution to the governor, who is the visitor of the university.

Earlier in his message, the Chancellor of the school and Chairman of the occasion, Prof Emeritus Thomas Okpo K. Audu lauded the governor for creating an enabling environment and the needed support for the institution to thrive.

Meanwhile, a group, the Rescue Edo Movement, has alleged that Obaseki was planning to use this year’s Alaghodaro Economic Summit slated for today in Benin, to unveil, market and get corporate endorsement for the Chairman of the Summit, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, as his preferred candidate for the Edo

2024 governorship election.

Its Convener and the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Andrew Emwanta, made the allegation yesterday, while addressing a press conference in Abuja.

He noted that as the state moves into the electoral season of the 2024 governorship election, it became imperative to address certain topical issues that would help the people of Edo make the right choice.

Emwanta, emphasised that from the time Edo was known as Midwest, the State has never been as backward as under the present administration.

He stressed that while other states in Nigeria were celebrating visible development in critical sectors, Edo State was experiencing visible underdevelopment in almost every sector. The former commissioner noted that the only visible development was the renovation of the abandoned civil/public service buildings and the

digitisation of the work environment of civil/public service offices within Benin City.

He alleged that N50 billion of Edo State fund was spent on this project, with only one foreign building contractor engaged in the entire exercise.

Emwanta pointed out that Obaseki had no doubt set a new benchmark of underdevelopment within the subnational sphere in Nigeria, when the economy of Edo State is x-rayed without the aid of the propaganda lenses.

He stated: “From Wednesday, which is the 8th day of November 2023, the Governor will assemble some members of his government, fellow technocrats, his consultants, his Lagos paddies, business partners, fellow golfers, his political party members, some family members and inlaws in Government Benin city, to celebrate what he named some years ago as “Alaghodaro summit”.

Osifo stated that the creative process which included drawings on safe mobility for young people, also gave the youths the opportunity to express themselves concerning their concerns while on the road.

Some of these concerns , she said, include absence of pedestrian bridges in strategic places, urging the government to address the suggestions made by the young people on ways to better their lot. “ And we pray that with this, our government will also listen and try to address those suggestions and recommendations that the children have made to keep them safe so that they can grow up to fulfil their full potential and positively impact our nation,” she added.

The goal of the programme, the company added, is to contribute to education on road safety and citizenship with the best educational quality and the greatest possible impact through awareness on safe mobility to at least 20,000 young people within the age range of 10 to 18 years across selected schools.

Also, Total Energies stated that it aims to identify 100 schools, train 300 volunteer teachers, intervene in classes, lead awareness sessions by having students work in groups and coordinating their creative work as well as reward the best contributions in each school and then at the national level.

Also speaking, the Partnership Manager, Slum2School Africa, Hauwa Yahaya, said the best three presentations emerged from a pool of 100 schools.

She stated that what the programme intended to achieve was to make sure that school children leave their houses and return safely back home.

38

WEDNESday, NOVEMBER 8, 2023, 2023 T H I S D AY

business/MOnEYGUIDE

Yuqing: China’s Investments in Lekki, Ogun-Guangdong FreeTrade Zones Exceed $1bn Kayode Tokede The Consul General of People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Ms Yan Yuqing, yesterday disclosed that the country’s investments in the Lekki Free Trade Zone and the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone has exceeded $1 billion.

Yuqing asserted that the bilateral trade volume between China and Nigeria reached $23.9 billion in 2022, adding that imports to Nigeria was $22.3 billion and exports from Nigeria was $1.6 billion.

Speaking in Lagos at the Opening ceremony of the China Commodities Expo-Nigeria organised

by Brightway International Exhibition Company, the Consul General explained, “In the first three quarters of 2023, bilateral trade stood at $17.25 billion, with exports to Nigeria being $15.67 billion and imports from Nigeria at $1.58 billion, marking a 22.5per cent increase in imports from Nigeria compared

to the same period last year.

Nigeria has become China’s second-largest trade partner in Africa, and China is Nigeria’s largest global source of imports. The 134th Canton Fair was successfully held, with nearly 200,000 overseas buyers from 229 countries and regions participating, an increase of 53.4per cent over the previous session.

“The 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is currently being held in Shanghai. China is actively working to transform its vast domestic market into a market that the world can share, providing new opportunities for the world through China’s new development initiatives. Nigeria is a pilot country for China and Africa to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative.

We welcome more Nigerian businessmen to buy goods in China and encourage more Chinese companies to hold exhibitions and invest in Nigeria so as to bring products and technologies for green and high-quality

development to Nigeria.”

She added that Nigeria was China’s biggest contractor market and a major investment destination in Africa, adding that China’s investments in Nigeria were primarily concentrated in the manufacturing sector.

Meanwhile, the governor of Lagos state, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medeben, reiterated the commitment of state government at providing enabling environment for investors, saying that his administration through friendly policies had attracted more investors.

“Our administration in Lagos State would continue to initiate policies and implement programmes that would support the large micro-operators and Small and Medium Enterprises in Lagos, while improving the business environment towards making it more attractive for investment, “Sanwo-Olu said.

Customs Intercepts Drugs, PMS, Rice Worth N1.242bn Eromosele Abiodun

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, yesterday said that it intercepted 167 (202 kg) parcels of Indian hemp, 13 trailers load of rice, 14,825litres of premium motor spirit and other valued at N1.242 billion in one month.

Addressing journalists during a press briefing in Lagos, the acting Area Controller of the Unit, DC Hussein Kehinde, said the Unit, in its continuous quest to prevent revenue loss through various infractions such as; under-valuation, under-payments, and wrong classification, collected the sum of N115. 456 million.

This, he said, was achieved via issuance of demand notices to defaulters while nine suspects were arrested in connection with various seizures.

“As I have always stated, the Federal Operations Unit Zone A is sustaining its resolve to protect the Nigeria’s economy by enforcing the anti-smuggling laws in an uncompromising manner. Just as intelligence reports gathered over the years indicated a higher degree of desperation by economic

saboteurs to smuggle during the yuletide periods.

“While noting this challenge, we have fully deployed the improved logistics supplied by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir A Adeniyi; provided support for our officers with strategic manpower placements to achieve our ongoing drive to suppress smuggling,” he said.

According to him, the unit’s strategies have been paying off as reflected in the seizures made for October, saying that the Unit shall sustain its efforts towards deploying these strategies continuously.

“Before reeling out the list of seizures which amounts to N1.241 billion in duty paid value, I want to state that this Unit of the Service under my watch will make the remaining part of 2023 and beyond tough for smugglers in the interest of our country.

“We are ready to intercept them and frustrate their antics of concealment, illegal route passage, false declaration and under declaration. In addition, we are also determined to implement all the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, including the various

penalties attached to offences while striving to ensure that perpetrators face the full wrath of the law,” he assured.

He said rice has been a recurring commodity in the Unit’s list of seizures across various borders in the southwest zone.

“We were able to seize a total of 7,381 units of 50kg foreign parboiled rice from smugglers.

This amounts to almost thirteen trailer loads of rice. A total of 17 vehicles were also seized from smugglers who wanted to circumvent the law by evading duty payment. For the avoidance of doubts, let me state again that the ban on vehicle importation through land borders subsists.

“Our officers also intercepted 593 jerrycans (14,825litres) of premium motor spirit. Because of the volatility of this product, we have safely disposed of them in line with laid down due process. Other seizures include 657 pieces of used tyres, 167 (202 kg) parcels of Indian hemp, 39bales of second hand-clothing, 100 packs of tomato ketchup, 4 units of used motorcycle, 600 cartons of GIV soap and 730 sacks of hide and skin hidden in a 1x40 container equivalent to 5,033 pieces, “he said.

Access Bank Donates Medical Equipment to Ogudu PHC Sunday Ehigiator As part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR), and commitment towards reducing infant morbidity and maternal mortality in Nigeria, in line with Nigeria’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Access Bank PLC, through its Retail Operations Group, yesterday commissioned delivery equipment’s which it donated to the Ogudu Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), in Lagos The bank also revealed that it equally donated similar delivery equipment to five other PHCs spread across the various geo-political zones in Nigeria, including, River State

PHC, Port Harcourt; Badarawa PHC, Kaduna; Basic Health Centre, Ado Local Government, Ado-Ekiti; PHC, Gurku 1, Gurku, Kari LGA, Nasarawa, and PHC, Yalwan Kagadama, Bauchi.

Addressing journalists, Access Bank Zonal Head, Lagos 1, Adenike Jegede, said the bank has a corporate philosophy to always give back to society.

According to her, “Out of the numerous themes for the year 2023, which the bank has, we picked health and decided to partner with health centres because we are aware of the high rate of child morbidity and maternal mortality in the country. With the understanding that the health centres are the first point of call, if we must

begin to change the trajectory, we decided to partner with selected primary healthcare centres across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, and not just Ogudu.”

Also speaking at the event, Access Bank Head of Retail Operations Group for South, Foluso Adedeji, noted that the gesture was, “an opportunity for us to give back to society. And we are here to commission the equipment we bought for Ogudu Primary Healthcare Centre. The intention behind this donation is to help the women in the community.

We know that when you help a woman, you are helping the whole community.”

L-R: Chief Executive Officer Ladybird Advertising, Bunmi Oke; Head, Brand Marketing and Communications, Access Pensions, Mojisola Coker; Corporate Business Development Manager, Access Pensions, Adaeze Raji and President Red Slate Group, Obinna Aniche presenting the ‘FastGrowing PFA 2023’ award at the Brandcom Awards 2023 to Access Pensions in Lagos...recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS (MILLION NAIRA) August, 2023

Money Supply (M3)

65,445,154.2

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

552,553.58

Money Supply (M2)

64,892,600.61

-- Quasi Money

40,870,301.28

-- Narrow Money (M1)

24,022,299.33

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,295,309.10

---- Demand Deposits

21,726,990.23

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,144,158.92

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

58,300,995.27

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

87,273,966.81

---- Credit to Government (Net)

32,511,333.17

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

54,762,633.63

--Other Assets Net

13,347,376.27

Reserve Money (Base Money

19,429,603.25

--Currency in Circulation

2,660,138.92

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

16,769,464.34 428,519.21

• Source - CBN

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

August 2023

Inter-Bank Call Rate

3.89

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

18.75

Treasury Bill Rate

5.13

Savings Deposit Rate

5.26

1 Month Deposit Rate

7.31

3 Months Deposit Rate

7.55

6 Months Deposit Rate

8.30

12 Months Deposit Rate

8.13

Prime Lending rate

13.99

Maximum Lending Rate

27.59

• Monetary Policy Rate - 13%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE As At 29th September , 2023

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $97.48 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $97.08 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

T H I S D AY • WEDNESday, NOVEMBER 8, 2023

39

mARKET NEWS

SEC, Stakeholders Harp on Fintech, Collaborations for Capital Market Efficiency

KayodeTokede

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other stakeholders in the Nigerian capital market, have championed the adoption of technology and fintechs in the development of innovative products critically needed for capital market efficiency.

This was revealed over the weekend at the 12th annual conference of the Institute

of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR) with the theme: “Navigating Nigeria’s Economic Realities: The Transformative Power of Technology in the Capital Market.”

Speaking on the topic; “Empowering market participants through education and capacity building,” the Executive Commissioner, Operations, SEC, Dayo Obisan, urged registrars to first of all identify the participants in the

P R I C E S MaiN Board

F O R DEALS

sector, which has changed due to technology, in order to educate them.

He said, “The market has changed. There has been a lot of dynamics. A lot of people use the word, fintechs loosely but a lot is happening in that space and that was one of the reasons we had to quickly revise the capital market master plan. Back then, there were no fintechs, there were no digital brokers, there were no robot

S E C U R I T I E S Market Price

quantity traded

advisors, but we now have those, and we had to quickly register.”

The President, FinTech Nigeria, Ade Bajomo, during his keynote address urged capital market operators to harness technology’s potential to boost their operations while being cautious of associated risks.

Bajomo said, “Technology has the potential to be a powerful equaliser and if our industry is to play a part in the fifth

T R A D E D

value traded ( N )

MaiN Board

A S O F

industrial era, then we must have capital market operators use the technology. It has been proven time and time again that those who exploit technology in a certain manner will keep competitive advantage.

“We must also be mindful of the potential risks in the use of the technology in our capital market. We must ensure we have appropriate regulatory framework in place to protect investors

and maintain market integrity.

In conclusion, the power of technology in transforming the capital market is undeniable.

However, we must use this power responsibly and with caution.”

In his presentation at the conference, Professor of Capital Market, Uche Uwaleke, advised companies to diversify their business operations in order to weather the economic headwinds in the country.

N OV E M B E R / 7 / 2 3 DEALS

Market Price

quantity traded

value traded ( N)

40

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 06Nov-2023, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 282.86 286.53 49.44% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 4.45% Nigeria International Debt Fund 341.46 341.46 13.83% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 109.26 110.36 5.46% 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 13.34% AIICO Balanced Fund 4.75 4.85 40.07% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com info@anchoriaam.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 29.26 30.14 33.34% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 643.36 662.75 23.43% ARM Ethical Fund 0.00 0.00 -100.00% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.17 1.17 3.54% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 3.62% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.02% ARM Short Term Bond Fund 1.05 1.05 1.88% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 101.09 101.09 11.22% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,118.96 1,118.96 4.50% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) N/A N/A N/A CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.00% Paramount Equity Fund 24.58 25.05 41.96% Women's Investment Fund 195.07 198.08 40.80% CHD Nigeria Bond Fund 100.83 100.83 12.48% CHD Nigeria Dollar Income Fund 1.02 1.02 11.13% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.33% Cordros Milestone Fund 158.79 159.84 23.76% Cordros Fixed Income Fund 105.95 105.95 10.07% Cordros Halal Fixed Income Fund 108.17 108.17 11.39% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 113.44 113.44 6.18% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 1.00 9.71% Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund 1.37 1.37 0.58% Coronation Fixed Income Fund EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.18% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.09 1.09 9.79% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.25 1.25 26.17% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 106.43 106.43 5.65% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Bond Fund 1520.37 1520.37 11.53% FBN Balanced Fund 254.54 256.71 38.16% FBN Halal Fund 131.15 131.15 12.77% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.13% FBN Dollar Fund 122.50 122.50 7.49% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 230.68 233.63 52.88% FBN Specialized Dollar Fund 110.16 110.16 9.36% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.06% Legacy Debt Fund 3.56 3.56 -0.51% Legacy Equity Fund 2.61 2.66 30.47% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.32 1.32 4.48% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A

GUARANTY TRUST FUND MANAGERS LIMITED enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.gtcoplc.bank; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Guaranty Trust Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Guaranty Trust Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Guaranty Trust Equity Income Fund (VEIF) N/A N/A N/A Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A 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 1.82 1.85 14.18% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,192.01 1,192.01 8.99% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com/funds/; Tel: +2348028496012 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 16.75 16.88 43.52% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.36% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 102.88 102.88 11.84% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 11.54% Norrenberger Dollar Fund (NDF) ($) 102.47 102.47 11.21% 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 2.11 2.15 33.79% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.91 12.10 7.27% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.56% PACAM Equity Fund 2.17 2.19 52.33% PACAM EuroBond Fund 128.45 131.36 15.24% SCM CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT 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 The Frontier Fund 148.04 152.65 17.76% 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 1.09 1.09 10.05% 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 4,692.80 4,730.69 38.44% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 255.08 255.08 8.28% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.93 1.96 54.37% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 348.59 348.72 11.35% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 365.47 369.89 56.48% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.69% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 17,173.23 17,384.90 57.30% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.45 1.45 12.12% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 127.04 127.04 8.66% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 124.27 124.27 16.82% Stanbic IBTC Absolute Fund 4,935.46 4,935.46 16.02% Stanbic IBTC Aggressive Fund 4,995.60 5,057.51 79.67% Stanbic IBTC Conservative Fund 5,136.10 5,150.15 34.84% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund 1.26 1.27 37.75% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.74 1.75 34.06% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.34 1.35 24.83% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.16 1.16 11.07% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.93 1.93 6.85% United Capital Eurobond Fund 123.34 123.34 5.58% United Capital Global Fixed Income Fund 1.07 1.07 8.33% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.66% Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 18.06 18.26 30.34% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 21.59 21.82 36.65% Zenith Income Fund 25.16 25.16 6.79% Zenith Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD funds@vetiva.com Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund 7.13 7.23 76.82% Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 11.45 11.55 95.15% Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 25.20 25.40 42.27% Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.70% Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 28.13 28.33 40.57% Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 147.83 149.83 -6.26%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

127.24 55.72 101.33 9.88

11.81% 5.09% -13.49%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

20.80 436.00 480.00 22.06 30.62

22.99 436.00 480.00 22.16 30.72

41.05% 238.72% 375.95% 53.76% 80.53%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.40

0.00%

Fund Name

SFS REIT Union Homes REIT Nigeria Real Estate Investment Trust UPDC REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

I N F R AST R U CT U R E F U N D

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.

41

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023

NEWS

NIGERIA AT UNESCO SESSION...

L-R: The Special Assistant to the Minister of Education, Dr. Rukayyatu Abdulkareem Gurin; the Executive Secretary, Almajiri and Out of School Commission, Hon.Sha’aba Ibrahim Sharada; Nigeria's Permanent Representative to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Amb. Hajo Sani; the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Higher Education, Sen. Muntari Dandutse at a UNESCO session in Paris …yesterday

Cervical Cancer: Nigeria Governors' Wives Committed to Tackling Barriers, Upscaling HPV Vaccination in the Country Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Wives of Nigerian governors have expressed their commitment and determination to intensify advocacy and awareness efforts regarding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in order to address the resistance being encountered at the grassroots level.

To this end, they committed to

collaborating closely with primary health workers and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to ensure comprehensive awareness campaign towards scaling up the vaccination across the country.

This was part of the resolutions reached in a communiqué issued at the end of their quarterly meeting and third annual retreat under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors'

Wives Forum held in Bauchi State capital on Tuesday.

The communiqué was read by the Chairperson of the Forum and First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq and flanked

by Dr. Aisha Bala Mohammed, First Lady of Bauchi State.

According to her, the annual retreat provides a platform for members to deliberate on the Forum

work-plan for the incoming year 2024, adding that the retreat also serves as an avenue for members to fraternize and gain a deeper understanding of the diverse states within the nation.

She pointed out the successful and wide mobilization and engagement of the First Ladies in the World Breastfeeding Week sensitization, hand washing awareness, Human

Papillomavirus Vaccine sensitization, drug eradication campaigns sustained advocacy on sexual and gender-based violence, improved nutrition, women and girl child education, skills acquisition and empowerment of women and youths among other engagements in their various states.

The wives of the governors resolved that Nigeria Governors

Plateau: A'Court Upholds Judgment Sacking PDP Senator, Bali Declares labour minister senator

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Court of Appeal, Abuja yesterday upheld the judgment of the tribunal that nullified the participation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its senatorial candidate in the February 25 National Assembly Election, Napoleon Bali.

A three-man panel of the appellate court in a judgment agreed with the findings of the Plateau National and State As-

sembly Election Petition Tribunal that the PDP ought not to have contested the Plateau South Senatorial District election on grounds of disobedience of court order.

The appellate court after sacking Bali, affirmed the declaration of the Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong as the authentic representative for Plateau South Senatorial District.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared PDP's Bali as winner of

Lawmaker Condemns Killing of 14 Kinsmen by Katsina Bandits, Condoles with Families Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The lawmaker representing the Musawa-Matazu federal constituency in Katsina, Abdullahi Aliyu Ahmed, has condemned the killing of 14 people by bandits at Rugan Kusa community in Musawa LGA. The bandits killed 14 Maulud celebrants, wounding 19 others after the bandits attacked the fest venue in the Rugan Kusa community on Sunday night.

The bandits stormed the Maulud celebration venue at about 10:00 p.m. when the victims from Yar Ungwa and Gidan Malamai communities in the Matazu council area assembled at the Rugan Kusa for the fest.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those murdered," the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker said while sympathising with the communities on Monday.

Mr Ahmed noted that most of the deceased were children, revealing that the bandits kidnapped 20 villagers.

"Thirteen people died on the spot and another child died this afternoon (Monday) at the Federal Teaching Hospital (Katsina), 19 people injured

and more than 20 missing. And one person later died in the hospital here," stated Mr Ahmed.

The federal lawmaker raised the alarm over the rising spate of killings and kidnappings by the bandits in communities in Musawa and Matazu local government areas.

Mr Ahmed said the situation has negatively impacted the livelihoods of inhabitants and subjected them to hardship, as they can no longer go to farms and perform other day-to-day commercial activities.

Describing the recent attack as horrendous, the federal lawmaker said the security situation of the constituency remained precarious despite security agencies and the government’s efforts to address the challenges.

Mr Ahmed urged the Katsina government and security agencies to rekindle their efforts and adopt revolving security strategies to arrest the bandits.

The legislator, who visited the teaching hospital where the injured victims are receiving treatment, donated some cash to them to clear some of their hospital bills.

the February 25 senatorial election for Plateau South Senatorial District, having won majority of votes cast in the poll.

But the tribunal in a judgment in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his candidate, Lalong, voided the primary election that produced Bali for being unlawful, illegal, null and void.

The tribunal then went ahead to declare the APC and Lalong, who came second as lawful winner of the senatorial election; an action which provoked the instant appeal

by Bali.

However, the appellate court in its judgment delivered by Justice Elfaida Williams-Dawodu, held that the appellants failed to provide convincing evidence why the judgment of the tribunal should be set aside.

Besides, the appellate court declared as unlawful and wasted all votes cast for PDP in the election and declared the former Governor as the Senator for the Plateau South Senatorial District.

According to Williams-Dawodu, the PDP and its senatorial can-

didate have no legal ground to participate in the election having failed to obey the judgment of a Plateau High Court that the party should conduct lawful elections for the purpose of having officers for Wards, Local Governments and State Council.

The Plateau High Court had in 2022 ordered PDP to conduct elections for the selection of officers for Wards, Local Governments and the State Chapter of the party which was not complied with.

The Court of Appeal said that disobedience and disregard to clear lawful order of court was fatal because PDP hurriedly put an illegal caretaker committee in place in utter confrontation to the court judgment.

Specifically, the appellate court held that PDP did not sponsor any candidate for the Plateau South Senatorial District because it was not qualified to stand for any election as at February 25, 2023.

"As at February 25, PDP was on a faulty background at nomination of candidate for any election. It has no legal foundation upon which it's candidate nomination

can stand.

"A positive order of court must be complied with unless such order is voided and set aside by a higher court.

"In the extant case, the lawful existing and subsisting court order was that PDP should conduct elections in line with provisions of the law to have officers at Wards, Local Governments and State Council but the party for reasons best known to it, opted to go against the order.

"I cannot but agree totally with the judgment of the Plateau National Assembly Election Tribunal which in its judgment of September 11, 2023 nullified the participation of PDP in the February 25 National Assembly Election," the justice said.

The Court of Appeal subsequently upheld the declaration of Simon Lalong as the lawful Senator for Plateau South Senatorial District having scored second highest votes at the election.

Other Justices of the Court of Appeal who agreed with the judgment were Mohammed Mustapha and Okon Abang.

Wives' Forum" (NGWF) should transit to the "Nigeria Governors Spouses' Forum", pointing out that the change underscores the active role the First Ladies play in advocating for increased women's representation in leadership positions.

According to her, the First Ladies collectively endorsed the Women Digital Up-skilling program in partnership with the Lagos Business School and Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), adding that the initiative is designed to have the First ladies sponsor girls and women from their respective states for digital training, with the goal of reducing the gender gap in the digital industry and ensuring that women can benefit from the significant sector.

Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq further said: "Demonstrating their ongoing commitment to capacity development, the First Ladies will actively participate in a workshop on Sexual and Gender-based violence organized by the Nigeria Governors Wives Forum (NGWF) in partnership with UN Women on the 9 and 10th of November 2023.

"Additionally, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA, the Forum will facilitate a capacity-building program focused on drug abuse prevention and mitigation" "These initiatives are designed to equip the First Ladies with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively engage and advocate for these critical social issues within their respective states to drive change. The First Ladies endorsed the joint compact on ending Gender- Based Violence and Harmful Practices. This is a joint collaboration of the NIGWF and UNICEF.” The meeting was attended by 17 First Ladies and closed at 2pm.

Wike Tasks Foreign Missions on Bilateral Agreements Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, expressed displeasure at the practice where bilateral agreements were not followed to the logical conclusion beyond discussion stage.

He expressed the concern when he received in audience the Ambassador of Republic of Ireland to Nigeria, Peter Ryan.

He urged the visiting ambassador to take advantage of the very vast arable land in Nigeria's

capital territory to strengthen the partnership between both countries.

"Relationships should be beneficial. I won't be in a hurry to enter arrangements that end immediately after discussions.

"Nigeria has strong ties with the Republic of Ireland and so we will like to leverage on that, especially in the area of agriculture which Ireland is known for,” Wike said.

He said one of the important focus of President Bola Tinubu’s administration was to harness the potential in ICT in the interest of the youths, adding that they would

seize the opportunity to visit Dublin to see some of the ICT hubs so as to replicate same in the FCT. Earlier, Ryan said Ireland was willing to partner with the FCT Administration in the area of education, agriculture and ICT. He noted that Ireland has a very large Nigerian population, with many of them making remarkable contributions to the economy of the country especially in the area of sports and ICT. He noted that he saw the potential in Abuja and promised to connect the FCTA to the vibrant

cultural ecosystem in his country as well facilitate practical collaborations with key investment experts and other stakeholders in the Irish private sector.

"Education is very important to us and has helped us achieve the success we have in the area of technology.

"From the first week of December, we are bringing to Abuja, the head of the largest vocational education provider on the land of Ireland. He will be here and has no agenda, so he is at your disposal,” Ryan said.

42

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

Interactive session with heads of Media Organisations...

L-R: Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alh Mohammed Idris Malagi and the Director General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr Charles Ebuebu, during the Minister's interactive session with heads of Media Organisations in Abuja...recently

FG Unveils Additional e-Passport Facilities in Europe Michael Olugbode in Abuja The federal government has unveiled additional enhanced e-Passport facilities at selected Nigerian Embassies in Europe.

The facilities were inaugurated on Monday at the Nigerian Embassy in Rome by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo who emphasized the dedication of President Bola Tinubu’s government to citizens' diplomacy and the enhancement of services to the diaspora community.

According to a statement by the spokesman of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Aridegbe Adedotun, the minister, represented by the Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Caroline Adepoju,

announced the phased rollout of the enhanced e-Passport in Europe.

The phase one, which includes Spain, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, was officially introduced in Rome, while phase two is scheduled to be implemented by the end of the week.

He said the e-Passport complies with all standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), was positioning Nigeria as the first country in Africa and the fifth worldwide to embrace the technological achievement, noting that the accomplishment had garnered high regard from the international community.

Adepoju highlighted that the enhanced e-Passport will signifi-

MultiChoice Bags Promax Awards for Fight Against Content Piracy MultiChoice, Africa's leading entertainment company, has been recognized as a leader in creativity and social responsibility for its pioneering campaign, Piracy Untells Our Stories, at the prestigious Promax Awards 2023.

The campaign received multiple awards across various categories, including Best Directing, Best Music Composition, Best Sound Design, Best Animation Design, Best Visual FX and Compositing, and Best Public Service Announcement.

The award-winning anti-piracy TV commercial features MultiChoice's top-tier talent from local shows across its various countries.

The collaborative effort has been instrumental in delivering a strong message to audiences about the damaging effects of piracy on the African creative industry.

Commenting on the award, Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, Dr. Busola Tejumola, emphasized the need for

creatives to join hands in the fight against piracy. “We are delighted to have been recognised for our contribution to the fight against piracy in the entertainment industry.

Piracy untells the stories that are being told by creatives, it kills the hard work creatives put in to bring the stories to life. We are gradually winning this war, but there are more grounds to cover. It’s time for not everyone to join hands to tackle piracy,” she said.

In Africa, piracy's presence is alarming, with millions of visits to piracy sites recorded over short periods, threatening the very foundation of the continent's cultural narrative.

MultiChoice, through Africa Magic, has invested over $85 million in local content in the last two decades. This includes commissioning, production and acquisition of content which has created opportunities for young creators to earn a living from their work.

cantly reduce processing delays in Europe, provided applicants adhere strictly to application guidelines, including utilising the online ap-

on experience is critical. Hence, BHOSA USA members donated N7.3 million to build the biology laboratory to prepare students for careers in this important science sector," said a statement issued

by Damisa.

According to Damisa, the benevolence rendered by BHOSA USA to Baptist High School, Benin, also supports what the Edo State Government is doing to salvage the educational infrastructure deficit. Edo's Commissioner of

Number (NIN).

She added that the advanced travel document offers three categories, namely :32-page five-year

validity category, 64-page five-year validity category and 64-page 10-year validity category, which is for adults only.

Assassination Attempt: Kogi SDP Guber Candidate Accuses Security Chiefs of Complicity Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The Kogi State governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Murtala Ajaka has alleged that a combined team of police officers and thugs invaded the residence of his campaign Director, Ibrahim Jubril in an attempt to assassinate him in the early hours of yesterday.

Ajaka made the allegation on at a press conference in his campaign office in Abuja According to him, it was by the grace of God that he is alive, adding that three police officers who were assigned to him lost their lives in the attack.

"It is by the special grace and mercy of almighty Allah that I sit here to address you today. If men were God I, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party for this weekend’s election would have been assassinated this morning by an ad hoc force of thugs and policemen who invaded the residence of the DG of my campaign Sheik Ibrahim Jubril for the sole purpose of assassinating me.

"In the course of the attack which lasted for almost two hours between 5am and 7am this morning, three policemen officially attached to protect me from the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police were killed by the rogue force hurriedly put together by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Berthrand Onuoha; the Kogi Director of Department of State Service (DSS) Mr Tosin Ajayi and

BHOSA USA to Inaugurate Biology Lab at Baptist High School, Benin Lady Anne Damisa, the Baptist High School Old Students Association (BHOSA) USA Branch chairwoman, has announced the grand opening of a multimillion-naira, ultra-modern biology laboratory built and equipped for their alma mater, Baptist High School, Benin.

The event was scheduled for October 31 at Baptist High School, 5 TV Rd, Benin City, Nigeria.

"As the demand for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) graduates grows, hands-

plication and payment platform and ensuring the synchronisation of their passport application data with their National Identification

Education is expected to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Amongst the other dignitaries expected to attend the BHOSA USA Biology Laboratory grand opening are UNIBEN's ViceChancellor, Prof. Lillian Salami; former Head of Service of Edo, Mrs. Gladys Idahor; Justice Helen Adesuwa Courage-Ogbebor of the Benin High Court; and former Edo First Lady, Mrs. Eki Igbinedion.

These dignitaries are alumni of Baptist High School, Benin City.

the Officer Commanding the NNS Lugard Ajulu for that purpose.

"We had planned a rally for today in Anyigba. My advance party, including about six policemen had gone on advance party yesterday to await my arrival last night.

"Three among these officers were assassinated this morning while others including the Director of New Media for Campaign Council, Mr ID Ijele were abducted, " he alleged.

He added that one policeman was killed at the scene, while two others were taken alive, stressing that: “my information is that they were summarily executed in a bush around Ajegwu on Itobe- Ayingba highway at about 8am this morning while the rogue force was returning to Lokoja."

He accused the security chiefs in the state of culpability in the assassination attempt on his life.

"This outrageous act masterminded by the security chiefs in Lokoja is the manifestation of the desperate effort by the State Governor, Mr Yahaya Bello to frustrate the resolve of the federal government to guarantee a free and fair election in Kogi this weekend.

"As you are aware, following the

promise of Mr. President that this election will be violence-free, the federal government began deploying soldiers to Kogi particularly Kogi East where thugs of the governor had virtually taken control attacking supporters of other parties and every single rally or meetings of the SDP, " Ajaka further alleged.

He praised the military which had shown great level of professionalism in providing peace and security at the critical election period.

"The arrival of the military greatly reduced the ability of these thugs to move around to cause havoc and it is obvious that if such a peaceful atmosphere is sustained till Saturday it will be impossible for Bello's cousin who he anointed as APC candidate to measure up in the election," he said.

He also noted that they were privy to information on the planned attack.

"We uncovered the plot for this violence last week and the spokesman of our campaign raised the alarm in a statement last Wednesday when the rogue ad hoc force was being constituted and given the directive to kill the DG, Sheik Ibrahim and the youth leader Alhaji Ahmad Attah.

"This timely outcry forced them

to abort the diabolic plan and we thought they had abandoned the plot following our exposure.

"Unfortunately, these three officers who had not made any pretences of executing the agenda of the governor got wind of my planned movement last night and decided to invade the house they expected I slept early this morning," he alleged.

Ajaka claimed that the state police commissioner issued a statement that they invaded a house where thugs were living.

"I have heard that the police commissioner issued a statement earlier claiming they had invaded a house where thugs are being kept and killed three thugs and recovered two AK 47 from the thugs.

“This is really sad for a police commissioner to coordinate the killing of police officers to serve the interest of a politician. Are policemen officially attached to me now thugs?

“If the policemen and our director of new media, a senatorial candidate in the last general elections were indeed thugs who did they attack?

"How can a police commissioner and his collaborators attack a private house with an armoured tank in search of thugs? he queried.

Mutfwang Present N295bn Budget Proposal for 2024 to Plateau Assembly Seriki AdinoyiinJos Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has presented a N295,434,568,464 appropriation bill to the State House of Assembly.

The appropriation tagged ‘The Budget of New Beginnings’ surpassed the 2023 budget of 145,483,233,873.

In 2023, the appropriation passed by the Assembly was N149,951,334,591.

Speaking on the 2024 proposed budget, the Governor said it consists recurrent component of N157,563,316,462, which was 53.33 per cent of the total budget size, and capital estimate of N137,871,251,992.00, representing 46.66 per cent of the total budget estimate.

He said the proposed budget was aimed at laying a solid foundation for

the peace and prosperity of the state, adding that the vision and mission of the present administration was to intervene in the area of security, agriculture, human capital development, public health, industrialisation and aggressive revenue generation.

He said, “As we are all aware that the State went through numerous challenges in recent years, especially in the area of insecurity; it becomes incumbent on us as a government to intensify efforts to curtail the ugly situation in the best interest of the state, so that citizens lives and properties can be secured.

“To this end, the present administration has designed several strategies in collaboration with security agencies to address the situation. However, citizens are encouraged to be vigilant in their respective domains and report any

suspicious movement to relevant authorities for quick intervention.”

He added that the intention and desire of his administration was to address the current infrastructural and human capital development deficit of the state within available resources, adding that it will no longer be business as usual.

The governor said in order to ensure that government revenues are judiciously managed, the state Internal Revenue Service had been mandated to synergise and collaborate with all revenue-generating MDAs to ensure accountability and transparency in all processes.

He added: “By this development, citizens are therefore advised to as an obligation pay all their taxes to relevant authorities as at when due, to promote the spirit of teamwork in the system.”

43

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023

NEWS

Exploring potential partnerships for human capital development...

L-R: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Madam Abiola Arogundade and Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari during an official consultative visit to ITF’s Corporate Headquarters at Wuse, Abuja by Madam Arogundade to explore potential partnerships for human capital development ... yesterday

Bayelsa Poll: Diri Deserves Another Term, Says Jonathan Why Bayelsans will vote me for 2nd term –Diri

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that for the stability of Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri should be encouraged to complete a second term in office.

Speaking at his Yenagoa residence on Tuesday when members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Bayelsa National Governorship Campaign Council, alongside governors, former governors of the party and National Assembly members and other stakeholders paid him a visit, the former Nigerian leader said he is in touch with Governor

Diri and his activities in the state.

The party leaders visited the state for the grand finale of the Governor Douye Diri re-election campaign rally.

Dr. Jonathan said Bayelsa has made progress in the area of security and infrastructural development under Diri.

He expressed delight over the involvement of critical stakeholders such as former Governor Seriake Dickson and the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, in the affairs of the party, stressing that it signifies unity within PDP.

Jonathan restated the need for a peaceful election in Bayelsa, insisting that politics was not a do-or-die affair but should be a means to serve the people.

His words: "I have been in touch with our governor and I believe he should be encouraged to do his eight years. He has been able to stabilise the state.

“Let us find a standard way of doing things. We cannot kill ourselves; we do not want crisis.

"I thank you all for what you are doing. While we struggle for leadership, we must have a country.”

The delegation which included

PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagum, former National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, Governors Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Eno Umoh (Akwa Ibom), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Senators Abdul Ningi, Ned Nwoko, later stormed the Ox-Bow lake pavilion for the grand finale of the governorship campaign.

Speaking at the rally, Diri, said Bayelsa people will re-elect him for a second tenure on the basis of his first-term performance.

Addressing a large crowd at the pavilion, Governor Diri said his

Appeal Court Reserves Judgement in LP, PDP Petitions against Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat Wale Igbintade

The State and National Assembly Appeal Court sitting in Lagos has reserved judgement in two separate appeals filed by Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo RhodesVivour and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Olajide Adediran, (also known as Jandor) challenging the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the March 18 governorship election.

The three-member panel of the Appellate Court presided over by Justice Yargata Nimpar, yesterday, reserved the two appeals for judgement after hearing submissions from Counsels to all the parties.

Justice Nimpar stated that the date for judgement in the two appeals will be communicated to all the parties.

Other members of the panel are Justice Samuel Bola and Justice Justice Paul Bassi.

The Lagos Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had on September 25, 2023 dismissed the petitions filed by the PDP candidate Olajide Adediran and that of the Labour Party against the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.

The tribunal presided over

by Justice Arum Ashom, in its unanimous decision, held that all the issues raised by the petitioners are pre-election matters of which the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain.

Dissatisfied, PDP candidate Olajide Adediran, through his lawyer, Clement Onwuenwunor SAN, filed a 38-page document dated October 13, with 34 grounds of appeal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, the All Progressive Congress (APC), the

Labour Party and its Candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour were all listed as respondents in the notice of appeal.

Also the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Gbadebo-Rhodes Vivour (GRV) in his Notice of Appeal challenged the decision of the State Governorship Tribunal which upheld the return of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. At the hearing of the appeal yesterday, lead counsel of the Labour Party, Olagbade Benson, urged the court to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the tribunal and grant the reliefs sought.

He urged the court to interpret Section 182 (1) (a) of the Constitution and its implication to the qualification of 2nd and 3rd respondents.

Benson argued that the tribunal failed to disqualify Sanwo-Olu and his deputy having found that Hamzat is a naturalised US citizen who made a declaration of allegiance to that country.

He stated that the case of the appellant was substantially that the 3rd Respondent made a declaration of allegiance to the United States America and voluntarily acquired the citizenship of that country.

Benson argued that Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution states that only a Nigerian citizen by birth is qualified to contest for the office of Governor and Deputy Governor of a State.

In his response counsel to governor Sanwo-olu and his Deputy, Hamzat (2nd and 3rd respondents), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

He contended that the dual citizenship argued by the appellant was never presented before the Tribunal.

He stated that after a total decapitation of the remnant of the Appellant’s case before it in

accordance with laid down rules and procedure from factual and evidential perspectives, the lower Tribunal still took its time to consider the relevant provisions relating to non-qualification of the Appellant and decided on the merit, out of abundance of caution and, not being a final court, whether the case of the Appellant had any hope ab initio.

Olanipekun submitted "for the sake of argument, assuming without conceding that the Appellant successfully proved his case that the 3rd Respondent indeed took an oath of allegiance to the United States of America, our vehement submission

is that the 3rd Respondent, by virtue of his being a Nigerian citizen by birth, and in the absence of any evidence of renunciation of same in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, would still not have been disqualified from contesting election into the office of Deputy Governor of Lagos State, and that the lower Tribunal was on a strong legal footing when it so held after a detailed and painstaking consideration of all applicable provisions of the Constitution as well as applicable judicial decisions".

Continues online

administration completed projects he inherited and equally embarked on his own projects in a terrain his opponent in the All Progressives Congress (APC) described as difficult.

The Bayelsa governor said: "They say we only completed projects that we inherited. But the Unity Bridge in Nembe, where my APC opponent hails from and which he abandoned, was constructed and completed by my administration.

"Today, one of the best dual carriage roads in Yenagoa, the Glory Drive, for which they collected money in billions and abandoned, has been completed and inaugurated by my administration.”

Diri, who stated that the APC candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, was governor for five years but had no achievements to campaign with except fake promises, said his administration had been in the saddle for about four years and was rolling out projects he inherited and initiated.

"Today, we are all witnesses to the fact that there is peace and security and we can all sleep with our eyes closed."

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Bayelsa Governorship National Campaign Council, Dr. Agbu Kefas, who is also governor of Taraba State, described Diri as a symbol of peace, development and prosperity.

Governor Kefas said his Bayelsa colleague has demonstrated through his projects and programmes that he was concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of his people.

Also, former Speaker of the House

of Representatives and two-term governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues in the National Assembly, attested to the exemplary character and capacity of Diri.

Acting PDP National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, presented the party's flag to Diri and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

Damagum noted that PDP was the only party that had given the state and South-South zone the opportunity to produce president of the country in Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, saying that Bayelsans should reciprocate the gesture by voting the party again in this Saturday's election.

Former PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said former Dr. Jonathan’s and the Ijaw nation’s endorsement of Diri and Ewhrudjakpo were indication of the governor's victory.

Speaking on behalf of the PDP governors, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, described Diri as a humble and focused personality that is determined to reposition the state.

In his remarks, former Bayelsa governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, stated that he is solidly behind the re-election of his successor and his deputy, and called on Bayelsans to vote for them again.

He stated that Diri had done very well in development of the state, having built on his achievements and embarking on his own projects.

Continues online

Women's Rights Bills will be Revisited by 10th Assembly, Deputy Reps Speaker Vows …As Olu of Warri, Mahmoud, others advocate women inclusion Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has assured Nigerians that bills supporting women's rights and inclusion that failed to pass during the 9th Assembly will not suffer the same fate in the 10th Assembly.

Kalu spoke at the 40th anniversary celebration of NEWS Engineering Limited and launch of NEWS 40/40 Leadership Development Fellowship, held at the Abuja International Conference Centre, on Tuesday in Abuja.

He therefore expressed his commitment to championing the cause of women's empowerment and ensuring that their voices are

adequately represented in legislative processes.

His words: “I am sure when we take the constitutional amendment bill to Mr. President that will preach gender equality; that will preach gender equity; that will preach gender inclusiveness, the president will not say no to it.

“So, keep hope alive because we are coming with the renewed hope agenda that will renew the hope of women and bring them into the scheme of things.

"It is high time we stopped underestimating the power of a woman. Everything they handle with dedication they multiply. As the chairman of the constitutional review committee, I have a lot of work in my hand to make sure the

repositioning of women folks in our country is achieved.

"The president, the vice president and the chief of staff are products of the parliament. The secretary to the federal government is also the product of the parliament. So, they understand the role that legislative intervention plays with regards to this kind of intervention that is needed and what is that?: that women should be given their place."

While eulogizing the current Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the organization, Lady Josephine Nwaeze, for her exceptional ability to lead the company successfully following the tragic loss of her husband, Kalu emphasized the need for Nigeria to recognize and appreciate the power of women.

According to him, "You know, most businesses come and die because the succession plan is not thorough. When they are thorough, the people they are handing over lack the capacity to take the dream and achieve the mission. But, she has been able to interpret the vision of her husband and has made it a mission such that a lot of missionaries are coming up on board and that's a power of a woman.”

In the same vein, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, commended Nwaeze for building on the legacy left behind by her husband and stressed the need for women to be given key positions in government to fast-track Nigeria economic development.

Continues online

44

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

Courtesy visit to the NCC by NIMC DG...

L-R: Ag. Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Odusote; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida and Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management NCC, Mr Adeleke Adewolu, during a courtesy visit to the NCC by NIMC DG in Abuja ... recently

With 78 People Killed, House Warns Boko Haram May Overrun Communities in Yobe

Urges Army to rescue missing farmers, fortify security in Geidam, Yunusari LGAs Laments occupation of Ogwuaniocha community for two years by criminal gangs Vows to tackle financial crimes, money laundering Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday, raised the alarm that communities in Yobe State may soon be overrun by Boko Haram terrorists if urgent and drastic steps were not taken.

The House raised the alarm following the killing of 78 people by the terrorists namely Koshebe, Karkut and Bulabulin in Jere Mafa Local government and Nguro Kayaiya, Gumsa and Kusur towns of Geidam local government areas.

To this end, the Green Chamber called on the Nigerian Army to immediately mobilise troops to the affected areas, neutralise the terrorists and restore normalcy to the villages.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion

moved at the by Hon. Ahmed Satomi.

Moving the motion, the lawmaker disclosed that on Saturday, November, 4, 2023, heavily armed Boko Haram terrorists attacked Zabarmari farmers working on their rice fields in the villages of Koshebe, Karkut and Bulabulin of Jere Mafa Local government area killing several of them.

Satomi, expressed worry that the attack was carried out by terrorists less than 20 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital He explained that the terrorists were on motorcycles, divided themselves into three groups and attacked the villagers with cutlasses and knives to stab and butcher the victims.

The lawmaker stressed that currently, security forces and Civilian Joint Task Force groups in Borno State

have recovered nine dead bodies while search continued in a bid to find more persons still missing.

Satomi, noted that in spite of the terrorists’ attack on November 4, and the current search and rescue operations still ongoing, another attack and massacre of about 50 persons was again carried out on Sunday night on November 5, 2023.

He said: "Further alarmed that if urgent and drastic steps are not taken, the area may be overrun by terrorists with attendant dire consequences."

The House resolved to, "Mandate the Army to immediately mobilise troops to the affected areas to neutralise the terrorists and restore normalcy to the villages."

The House also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the North East Develop-

ment Commission and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to as a matter of urgency mobilise humanitarian and relief materials to the affected villages.

In the meantime, the House has called the military to fortify security in Geidam and Yunusari Local government area to secure the communities and in order to forestall future attacks.

The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion on terrorists’ attack on some villages in Geidam Local Government Area, Yobe State moved at plenary by Hon. Lawan Ali. Also moving the motion, Ali pointed out that there was an attack by terrorists in Nguro Kayaiya a Community under Kusur Damakarwa Ward in between Gumsa and Kusur towns of Geidam LGA, Yobe

State on Monday October 30th and Tuesday, October 31st, 2023.

He noted that the terrorists who were on a revenge mission, went to Nguro Kayaiya riding on about 15 motor bikes with sophisticated weapons, paraded and killed 16 villagers at the outskirts of the village and later burnt down the village including houses, vehicles and tricycles.

Ali, added that on October, 31, in the afternoon, villagers from neighboring Mallam Kelluri of Gumsa village unit numbering about 14 on a tricycle ran over explosive device planted by the terrorist around the village which exploded and killed 12 persons while 4 who were taken to hospital.

He expressed concern that several villages including Nguro Kayaiya Village, Jororo Village in Geidam

LGA, Garin Bulama Garaiye, in Yunusari Local Government were burnt down.

Ali, noted that this was one of several attacks in Geidam and Yunusari LGAS within the spate of 13 years.

He expressed worry that the recent attack had caused serious humanitarian crisis as a result ejected residents out of the town fleeing to bushes, nearby villages, and some other Local Governments as they were made homeless.

The House, therefore, urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide succour and relief materials to the victims of the affected communities with utmost urgency.

Continues online

Yakubu: Results of Polling Units with Record of Violence Will Not Be Counted

Imo: LP, PDP Guber Candidates Stage Walkout at INEC Stakeholders’ Meeting

The governorship candidate of PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and that of LP, Senator Athan Achonu, yesterday, staged a walkout at a stakeholders’ meeting in Owerri organised by INEC to press home their demand for the redeployment of the Imo State REC, Professor Sylvia Agu. The stakeholders’ meeting was organised by INEC as part of its pre-election interactions with the governorship candidates, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders. It was chaired by INEC’s National Commissioner representing South-east, Kenneth Ukeagu, who represented Yakubu.

The meeting in Owerri first ran into commotion when Ukeagu, after his opening remarks, ordered journalists to shut their cameras/gadgets and leave the hall.

However, LP's deputy governorship candidate, Mr. Tony Nwulu, and that of PDP, Jones Onyereri, who represented their flagbearers, and other officials of the opposition political parties vehemently opposed the directive. They argued that the press, as critical stakeholders, could not be excluded from the meeting.

Nwulu asked if the meeting was "a secret cult affair" and alleged that there were plans by INEC to rig the election in favour of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Onyereri, speaking in support of Nwulu, displayed copies of

documents he described as fake result sheets posted on the INEC portal during the House of Assembly election in the state.

The session turned rowdy, as supporters of both the ruling and opposition parties rained abuses on each other, with the situation nearly degenerating into fisticuffs Order was restored about 20 minutes later, with several stakeholders calling for peace. But hell was let loose again when a chieftain of APC, Macron Nlemigbo, rained abuses on the state chairman of LP, who, in his remarks, maintained the party's position that a credible, free and fair election could not be guaranteed with Agu as REC. The abusive remarks by Nlemigbo, which were ignored by Ukeagu, made Nwulu, Onyereri, and their supporters to storm out of the hall.

Onyereri told newsmen that he was forced to walk out of the meeting because the INEC commissioner had shown by his body language and actions that he was in bed with the Imo APC "The PDP is resolute on its demand that the REC, Professor Sylvia Agu, be redeployed, and the refusal of INEC to look into our demand indicates that there is nothing to discuss in this meeting,” he said.

Nwulu also declared that LP walked out of the meeting because they could not trust Ukeagu or the REC, Agu, to conduct a free and fair election.

He added, "By ignoring our request for the deployment of Professor Agu, it is either that the INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu, is deaf or compromised, but we do not trust the REC to conduct a free and fair election. You can even hear

officials of the APC bragging in the hall that Professor Agu cannot be removed.”

The state chairman of LP, Callistus Ihejiakwa, said the inability of Ukeagu to take charge of the meeting showed that he was already compromised.

Ihejiakwa pointed out that the APC chieftain made threats to his life in the hall, but was not called to order.

PDP: Exit Polls Give Us Victory in Imo, Bayelsa, Kogi Off-season Governorship Polls

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said exit polls in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states gave victory to his party in the three states.

According to the PDP spokesman, "In Imo State, PDP is the only party that has campaigned in all the local government areas of the state.

"Our candidate is a well-known grassroots politician. He is not a Supreme Court-imposed governor.

He is a two-time local government chairman, two-time House of Assembly member, a senator and, above all, a National Assembly member.

"Uzodinma never lived or worked in Imo State. He was imposed on the people by the Supreme Court.

He has not won any election in the state. In Imo State, Hope Uzodinma cannot win freely and fairly in any ward in the state."

Ologunagba added, "The Imo people are ready. The PDP is ready. We cannot be cowed. We are determined that the votes must be counted. The voters will not leave the polling stations till the votes are counted.

"We take it as President Tinubu said that he has no interest but to

ensure a free and fair election in the state.”

Ologunagba repeated PDP’s calls for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo State, Professor Sylvia Agu, insisting that she has the tendency to manipulate the outcome of the election in favour of APC. He referred to the infamous role played by Hudu Ari in the Adamawa State governorship poll, urging Yakubu to heed wise counsel and remove the Imo State REC. Ologunagba also called on the INEC chairman to remove the Imo REC, as the Inspector General of Police had done by removing the controversial Commissioner of Police in Imo State.

According to Ologunagba, "We Urge the INEC chairman not to succumb to pressure not to remove the Imo REC. Her mission is to manipulate the election in Imo State.

Her antecedents in the last national election speak volumes.

“Let the tripartite arrangement be removed as the Police IG has done by removing the Commissioner of Police. The remaining leg must be dismantled "Imo people and the PDP will not accept any result that is inconsistent with genuine result. We are very confident the INEC will remove the Imo REC.” On Kogi State, Ologunagba said PDP would win, as the influence of Senator Natasha Uduaghan would help neutralise the Kogi Central Zone to the advantage of PDP. He insisted that the two other senatorial zones in the state would cast their zones for PDP, arguing that Kogi State is a PDP state.

Don't Test Our Resolve, IG Warns Troublemakers in Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday warned individuals and groups intent on disrupting the elections to reconsider their actions, as the police high command was prepared to deal decisively with troublemakers.

Egbetokun also ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12.01 am to 6pm on election day in the affected states, with the exception of those on essential services, such as INEC officials, accredited electoral observers, ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, media, among others.

Moving in the same direction, the Police Service Commission (PSC) said it had concluded arrangements to deploy staff monitors for the November 11 governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa.

A statement issued by the spokesman of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said the staff monitors were expected to be deployed to all the senatorial districts in the three states and were mandated to monitor strictly the conduct of policemen on election duties in the three states.

At a media briefing in Abuja, the Nigeria Police affirmed that in pursuit of its commitment to neutrality and as part of the bid to enhance the supervision of the elections, the IGP had deployed Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) to oversee the security arrangements and ensure the elections run smoothly in the

respective states.

The police stated, "This added layer of supervision is intended to guarantee that the elections meet the highest standards of transparency and credibility.

"Therefore, the Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police in charge of the Department of Training and Development, DIG Frank Mba, has been deployed to oversee elections in Imo State; DIG Habu Sani in charge of the Department of Force Intelligence to Kogi State, and DIG Daniel SokariPedro in charge of the Department of Information and Communication Technology to Bayelsa State," It stated that in a bid to ensure a smooth electioneering processes, the IGP ordered the distribution of an additional 220 operational vehicles, including water cannons, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), gun boats for riverine areas, helmets, bullet proof vests, tear gas canisters among others to the three affected states to intensify security arrangements for the elections to augment the already deployed assets.

The IGP, who spoke through the Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said, "The IG has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12.01 am to 6 pm on election day in the affected states with the exception of those on essential services such as INEC Officials, Accredited Electoral Observers, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, media, etcetera.

Continues online

wednesday November 8, 2023 • T H i s d ay

45

NEWS

PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP…

L-R: Chairman, Advisory Board, International Breweries Foundation, Dr. Peter Bamkole; First Lady, Osun State, Erelu Ngozi Adeleke; 2023 International Breweries (IBPlc)Plc Kickstart Entrepreneurship Awards Grand Prize winner, Mr. Atsegha Vesega; Managing Director IBPlc, Mr. Carlos Coutino, and First Lady, Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, at the 8th awards ceremony of Kickstart, an entrepreneurship initiative of IBPlc held in Lagos...yesterday ABIODUN AJALA

Again, Terrorists Strike in Katsina Community, Kill Five, Abduct Seven Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have killed no fewer than five farmers, kidnapped seven and left scores with varying degrees of gunshots injuries in fresh onslaught on Sayaya community in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A security source, who

confirmed the incident of Monday to THISDAY in a telephone interview yesterday, said the hooligans attacked the agrarian community in the wee hours with sophisticated weapons shooting sporadically.

This is coming barely three days after the suspected terrorists killed 14 Maulud celebrants, abducted 20 and wounded 19 others after

New Bayelsa Varsity, Hensard, Set to Commence Operations

Hensard University, a newly established private university in Bayelsa state, is set to commence academic programmes in various disciplines as approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to the promoters of the institution, Hensard University, which was licensed in 2023 by the Federal Government of Nigeria is located at Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government of Bayelsa State.

The university, which has Senator Henry Seriake Dickson

as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, is first private university in Bayelsa, and the fourth in the 27-year-old State.

A statement from the institution noted Dickson established Hensard University through the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation as a special institution to drive entrepreneurship, leadership, and the maximisation of skills and knowledge to create a new generation of leaders with the requisite character, and passion to improve the society.

they attacked the fest venue at Rugan Kusa community in the neighbouring Musawa Local Government Area on Sunday night.

The source said the terrorists met stiff resistance from vigilance members and other residents, but despite the fight-back, they succeeded in killing five persons

and kidnapped seven while many others were wounded.

He said: “They (terrorists) came into the community through the southern part

riding on many motorcycles with sophisticated weapons such as AK-47. They killed five people and kidnapped seven to their hideouts.

Police Parade 18 Suspects for Robbery, Murder, Possession of Indian Hemp in Ondo Fidelis David in Akure

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Asabi, has paraded 18 suspects for various crimes including armed robbery, rape, cultism, unlawful possession of Indian hemp and other vices across different locations in the

state.

Parading the suspects before the Journalists at the State Command Headquarters in Akure, the commissioner said the arrest was part of achievements made by the command in the last four weeks.

Particularly, Asabi said the

police arrested a community leader, Mr Moses Adeyemo for allegedly shooting two persons during the celebration of the popular Ajagbo Festival in Ogbagi community in Akoko North west local government area of the state.

He said: “On the 19th of

October, 2023 a case of attempted murder was reported against Moses Adeyemo, the Sajowa of Ogbagi Akoko. The chief shot the youths who were celebrating the Ajagbo festival while on procession to the Palace claiming the youths were singing ridiculous songs in the community.

Court Jails Community Leaders Five Years for Leaking Osun Ex-speaker’s ‘Ritual Video’

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital, yesterday convicted and sentenced five individuals who engaged in blackmail and fraud against the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoye.

The perpetrators defrauded the ex-speaker of the sum of N38 million and maliciously released a nude video of the politician while allegedly having a ‘ritual bath’ in public.

The incident dates back to 2018 when the blackmailers released a 13-second nude video that quickly went viral

on the internet.

In the video, Owoye, who represented Ilesa East at the State Assembly, was seen being accosted by a group of individuals.

The individuals alleged that he was involved in a ritual bath in a market square, which they claimed was meant to ensure

his success in the forthcoming 2019 General elections.

The convicted individuals, namely Kazeem Agbabiaka, Femi Oyebode, Abdul-Rasheed Ojonla, Babatunde Oluajo, Adebiyi Kehinde, along with Oyebanji Oyeniyi and Ismaila Azeez, were initially arraigned in court on October 19, 2018.

Oba of Benin Pledges Land for Skill Acquisition to Check Unemployment

in response to a request by the forward to worship in the church the Presbyterian church, His Emenyonu in Benin City 300 Traders Benefit from Free Adibe Prelate of the Presbyterian Church, in future.

Eminence, Dr. Ekpeyong “Your request is noted and Akpanika, who was represented In order to reduce the growing His Eminence, Dr. Ekpeyong Medical Outreach by Insurance Firm unemployment of youths in Edo Akpanika’s courtesy visit to approved. We will work on it. by Most Reverend Dr. Umahi, We will do our best to assist you. JP, expressed his gratitude and State, the Omo N’ Oba N’Edo, his palace in Benin City.

Blessing Ibunge inPort Harcourt

As part of its corporate social responsibility(CSR), Cornerstone Insurance Plc Foundation (CIPLCF) has organised a free medical outreach for over 300 traders in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The traders who benefited from the medical outreach, held at the Fruits Garden Market, Port Harcourt, expressed joy that the insurance firm recognised the need for their good healthcare,

hence the free healthcare delivery.

The Marketing and Cooperate Communication Officer for Cornerstone Insurance, Karyne Onyema, who spoke with journalists during the event, said a similar outreach was also organised by the firm in Lagos, Ibadan, Uyo and Abuja.

She said: “CIPLCF has put together plans to conduct free medical tests in various markets of the federation in a bid to improve the health of traders.

Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, Oba of Benin has pledged a parcel of land for a skill acquisition centre.

Oba Ewuare’s made the pledge

The traditional ruler said the Benin throne will assist the 177-year-old Mission in realising the noble objectives and look

No doubt that opportunity will present itself for us to come and worship in your church.

Addressing the Benin throne,

admiration for the extraordinary contributions of the Oba Ewuare II and his forebears in the preservation of Edo heritage.

Over 100 Lagos Residents Benefit from CCRW Free Surgeries Ayodeji Ake

About 100 residents of Ikorodu, Lagos State, have benefited from the ongoing free medical surgeries and drugs organised by the Christ Compassion to the Rural World (CCRW), initiated by Pastor Mattew Ashimolowo of

Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC).

During a visitation to the Ikorodu General Hospital where the surgeries are taking place, one of the surgeons, Dr. Olalekan Ajayi, told journalists that the surgeries have been successfully carried out and working on others.

He noted the surgeries are for indigents who cannot afford surgeries for battling ailments.

He said: “We have been organised to give free surgeries to the less privileged in Ikorodu and its environs. People who have been unable to have their conditions treated because of money are the

main beneficiaries of this program.

This is an opportunity for them.

“There are a lot of people who also won’t benefit because the scope of the surgeries is necessarily constrain to surgeries that we can perform and the patients can return home the same day.”

The Civil Liberties Organisation ( CLO), Akwa Ibom State has expressed dissatisfaction over the efforts by the Federal and the Akwa Ibom State government to secure the release of kidnapped intended corps

The intended còrps members were kidnapped three months ago in Zamfara on their way to Sokoto to partìcipate in the national orientation practice.

In a statement issued in Uyo yesterday, the CLO called on

action on the release of the Corp members as well as improving the security architecture in the country to protect the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens and foreign nationals.

The statement signed by the

Assistant Secretary, Barr Goodnews Njoku, Comrade Eridiong Obong and Comrade Idorenyin Sampson respectively, decried the unimpressive efforts so far by the state government towards the release of the kidnapped Corp Members.

Old Students to Celebrate Decries Poormembers Govt’s Efforts to Release Kidnapped Corp Members Ekiti Parapo 70th Anniversary CLO from Akwa Ibom State. government at all levels to expedite state Chairman ,Vice Chairman and OkonBasseyinUyo

Ekiti Parapo College Old Students Association (EPCOSA) will hold its 2023 annual general meeting (AGM) and reunion at the school’s premises at Ido Ekiti on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

EPCOSA National President, Mr. Dotun Adekanmbi, said: “The AGM and reunion, which will be hosted by the 1983 Set of old students, is an annual performance presentation by the National Executive Committee(NEC) to avail members a status report on the Association vis-à-vis the development and growth of

our alma mater,” adding, “It is also an annual get-together of members to celebrate and share experiences of the outgoing year.”

He explained that the 2023 edition of the AGM/reunion is special as it is the lead-up to the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of Ekiti Parapo College (EKPACO), Ido Ekiti, which was the brainchild of two dynamic, though defunct associations of Ekiti indigenes, namely, Ekiti National Association (ENA) and Ekiti Progressive Union (EPU).

IPAC: We’re Impressed with Sule’s Performance Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

Members of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) yesterday said that they were impressed with the performance of the Nasarawa State Governor,

Mr. Abdullahi Sule.

The IPAC members also commended the Nasarawa State governor for executing legacy projects with direct bearing on the lives of the citizenry.

The National Chairman of

the IPAC, Mr. Yabagi Sani, gave the commendation at the headquarters of Karu Local Government Area of the state when he led members of the IPAC on an inspection of projects executed by the

governor of Nasarawa State.

Sani said that the group had decided to go round the country to inspect projects executed by state governors to ensure accountability in governance.

46

wednesday november 8, 2023 • T H I S D AY

NEWSextra

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CONFERENCE…

L-R: General Manager, Lagos Building Control Agency(LBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki; Founder/ Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Enterprise Governance(CEG), Dr. Adeyinka Hassan; Chairman, Lagos Building Investment Company Plc(LBIC), Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran; Wife of the Founder, CEG, Mrs. Temitope Hassan, and President, Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB),Mr. Aiderton Ewa Ewa, at the second biennial corporate governance and enterprise development conference organised by CEG held in Lagos… yesterday ETOP UKUTT

Abia House Deputy Speaker under Fire for Leading Protest against A’Court Judgment Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Austin Nmeregini, has come under scathing criticism for leading a protest march in Umuahia over the judicial

pronouncement on the Abia Central Senatorial seat.

Nmeregini, was part of the demonstration by Labour Party members on Monday, who expressed their displeasure over the Appeal Court judgment on the Abia Central senatorial election of February 25, 2023.

Fish Sellers Protest Hike in Prices

JamesSowoleinAbeokuta

The fish sellers in Ogun State, yesterday, took their protest to the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, to decry the incessant increase in the prices of fish.

The fish sellers, who were armed with placards bearing various messages appealing for government intervention over the skyrocketing prices of fish, said that many of them were already in debt while some are now leaving the business because they could no longer operate given the current economic realities.

The fish sellers were, however, barred by the security agents from entering the Governor’s Office.

Fish sellers in Sagamu, had also last week staged a peaceful protest over the increasing economic hardship imposed on them by the exorbitant prices of fish, disclosing that many of them were already being forced out of the business due to reduced patronage while the inflationary trend had also swallowed their working capital. n Speaking with journalists during the protest, the Chairman of Fish and Seafood Sellers Association of Ogun State, Chief Onajobi Aremu said that the fish sellers are now finding life so unbearable because of the daily increase in the prices of fish while their only means of livelihood is under serious threat.

Kano Approves N40bn for Various Projects Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The Kano State Executive Council (KSEC) has approved the release of N40.353 billion for the execution of various projects across the state.

A statement that was signed by the State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, Mr. Baba Halilu Dantiye, said that the council approved the amount in its 8th meeting.

Dantiye said that the council approved the release of N15.974billion to the state’s Ministry of Works and Housing for the construction of Dan Agundi Interchange Underpass and Flyover.

He added that the sum of N14.455 billion was approved for the construction of Tal’udu Interchange Clover Leaf Flyover, all in the metropolis.

He further explained that the council also approved the release of N3.360 billion to the Ministry of Works and Housing for the upward review of rates for the construction of covered sewage conduit/road along the Jakara-Kwarin Gogau River.

“The sum of N1.579 billion had been approved for the construction of Kofar Waika - Unguwar Dabai- Yan Kuje Western bypass road in Gwale Local Government Area.

The Appeal Court in Lagos, had nullified the election of the Senate Minority Whip, Darlington Nwokocha,

in favour of Col. Austin Akobundu of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

Speaking at a press

conference in Umuahia, yesterday, the Vice-chairman/ Acting State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) in Abia State, Hon Abraham Amah descended heavily on the Abia Deputy Speaker.

Troops Neutralise Bandits, Arrest 19 Suspected Kidnappers in Plateau

SerikiAdinoyiinJos

Military task force (Operation Safe Haven) taking charge of maintaining peace in Plateau State, said its troops have neutralised some bandits and arrested 19 suspected kidnappers terrorising the state.

This is coming barely two days

after the troops also uncovered an illegal weapon manufacturing factory in Vom, Jos South Local Government Area of the state.

A fortnight ago, the troops had arrested 73 kidnappers, including bandits that have been terrorising various communities in the state and the neighboring Kaduna State.

Spokesman for the task force, Captain James Oya, confirmed the arrest of the 19 suspects in a statement he issued in Jos on Tuesday, noting that the troops neutralised more bandits and rescued some kidnapped victims during the latest operation which lasted about one week.

Captain Oya said: “Troops of

Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) on Operation Hakorin Danisa IV from October 29 to November 5, 2023, neutralised suspected bandits and arrested 19 suspects in connection with kidnapping, criminal attacks, cattle rustling, armed robbery, farm destruction, theft as well as recovered arms/ammunitions and illicit drugs.

Oborevwori Harps on Role of NYSC in Deepening Democratic Governance

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has described the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as veritable vehicle for harnessing Nigeria’s diverse human and

natural resources towards national cohesion, unity and development.

Oborevwori also said that the mandatory national youth scheme should be utilised in deepening democratic governance in the country.

Although, the youths are

often regarded as “leaders of tomorrow,” the NYSC scheme gives young graduating youths the opportunity to imbibe fundamental leadership culture that thrived on the virtues of consensus-building, patriotism and making personal sacrifices, the governor pointed out.

He made the remarks yesterday at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2023 Batch ‘C’ Stream I, NYSC Orientation Course, held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Mohbad: I’ve Been Receiving Death Threats, Wife Tells Coroner

Wale Igbintade

Cynthia Omowumi Aloba, wife of late musician Ilerioluwa Aloba a.ka. Mohbad, yesterday told the Lagos Coroner sitting in Ikorodu that her life is being threatened.

She also told the Coroner Inquest that Mohbad had died

long before he was declared dead due to past incidents of bullying, psychological trauma, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrest.

In her testimony before the coroner, Omowunmi said the death threats started coming after her husband’s death.

The wife of the deceased, who was brought to Candide-Johnson Court House, Ita-Elewa, Ikorodu under police escort, told the coroner, Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi that she gets death threat every day including on the social media.

“A lot of people are defaming me on the ‘Tik Tok’.

“I left my husband’s house because I am not safe there”, she said.

Under cross examination

by David Fadile,, counsel to the father of the deceased, Omowunmi said she was in good relationship with her father in-law who she described as her best friend.

Soludo Mourns Three Students Killed by Lightening

David-Chyddy ElekeinAwka

The Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has expressed grief over the death of three students who were said to have been trucks by lightening while playing football last weekend.

The students who were said to

be of Tansi International College, Okpuno, near Awka, were holding their football training in readiness for a friendly match with another school when they were struck by lightning during rainfall.

Soludo who spoke through his Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, said: “The governor

extends his deepest condolences to the Tansi International College community, their grieving students, as well as the bereaved families who have lost their beloved three children.

“The death was caused by the devastating effects of electrostatic discharge from lightening that

unfolded on the school grounds in Anambra State.

“Governor Soludo acknowledges the profound magnitude of this loss to the State and offers fervent prayers to the Almighty to grant both the school and the bereaved families the strength to endure this irreplaceable loss.

in their places of primary assignment.

Governor Mohammed gave the challenge yesterday at the NYSC orientation camp, Wailo, in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2023 Batch C stream 1 corps

members posted to the state The governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Security and Internal Affairs, Abubakar Bununu, said while the initiation of meaning projects were going through their minds, it would as well keep them from

inappropriate behaviours on camp and during their service year.

He also enjoined them to take the noble call with utmost seriousness and dedicate themselves toward achieving the scheme’s goal of national unity and development.

ASUU Donates Relief Materials to Sokoto IDPs Bauchi Gov Challenges NYSC Members on Meaningful Projects

Onuminya InnocentinSokoto

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has donated food and non-food items to the Internally Displaced Persons in Sokoto State.

Making the donations yesterday at the Kasuwa Daji IDP camp in Sokoto, the National President of ASSU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the gesture was to show kindness to the Sokoto IDPs. Osodeke, who was represented by the Chairman of ASUU Usman DanFodio University, Sokoto, Dr. Nurudeen Almustapha, said that the donation was a national programme embarked upon by the union, noting that the same programme was going on

simultaneously across the country.

“This is part of the programme initiated by our union to help the needy, this time around it is for Northwest and North-central, we are done with North central while we started that of North-west in Katsina.

“We have done it in Zamfara and Kebbi States and now we are in Sokoto today as part of our visit to the North-west where we are flagging off the distribution of relief materials for 250 family members of the IDPs. “The union earmarked the sum of N50 million for this exercise in the North-central and North-west.

Other zones have received their own.

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed has challenged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to start initiating meaningful Community Development Service projects

Glo Gives 18GB Free Data on Purchase of iPhone 15 Models

Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has announced the availability of new iPhone 15 models in its retail shops across the country.

In a statement it issued in Lagos on Monday, the telecoms company disclosed that customers who purchase any model of iPhone

15 from any Gloworld outlet would receive 18GB data bonus for 6 months. This offer is exclusive to Glo. “We are excited to offer the muchcoveted iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, made with a gorgeous new durable aluminum and color-infused

back glass design with the Dynamic Island, a 48MP Main camera with 2x Telephoto option, as well as A16 Bionic chip, and USB-C in Gloworld outlets across Nigeria.

“Also on offer are the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple’s lightest Pro models ever,

featuring a strong and lightweight titanium design with powerful camera upgrades including a more advanced 48MP Main camera system, A17 Pro chip for next-level gaming and pro performance, a new Action button, and USB-C with USB 3 speeds,” the company explained.

47

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2023

WEDNESdaysports

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Panic in Leicester’s Camp over Ndidi, Iheanacho’s Potential Exit in January TRANSFER NEWS

Femi Solaja with agency report There are strong indications that Leicester City’s quest for promotion back to the Premiership is now threatened, following reports that top elite clubs are aiming to snap the duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho in the coming January transfer window.

According to TEAMtalk.com, the former Premiership champions are battling to keep the two Nigerian players who are likely to be in the final team list of Super Eagles to the AFCON 2023 next January in Cote d’Ivoire.

According to the report, Tottenham Hotspurs and Newcastle United are targeting the signature of Super Eagles’ Stand-in Captain, Ndidi and while Crystal Palace and West Ham United want Iheanacho in the January window.

Both players will be out of contract at the end of the season, which means they run the risk of losing them on free transfers next summer.

With these clubs on their trail, Leicester could be forced into letting them go if they cannot tie them down to fresh terms before January.

Leicester have enjoyed an excellent start to life in the second-tier league. They have won 13 of their 15 Championship matches so far, losing two, and currently sit four points clear at the top of the table.

Ndidi has been key to Leicester’s early success and is undoubtedly one of their best players. The centremidfielder has made 15 appearances in all competitions this term, scoring three goals and making four assists.

As for Iheanacho, he has featured 17 times for the Foxes this season, netting six times and making two assists.

Erling Haaland scored a brace as Manchester City defeated Young Boys of Switzerland 3-0 to reach the Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League ...last night

Haaland Fires City into Last Sports Stakeholders Raise Concern over 16 with Two Games to Spare the Concession of Sportscity in Lagos C H A M P I O N S L E AG U E

Erling Haaland took his Champions League goal tally to 39 in 34 games as Manchester City defeated Young Boys 3-0 to cruise into the last 16 with two games to spare.

The Norwegian striker shrugged off the ankle injury that forced him off at half-time in Saturday's hammering of Bournemouth to clinically convert a 23rd-minute penalty after Sandro Lauper had fouled Matheus Nunes.

He then smashed home a second from the edge of the area six minutes after the restart, shortly before Lauper was sent off for a second booking following a foul on Nathan Ake. In a bizarre exchange, Haaland had already handed his shirt over to Young Boys skipper Mohamed Ali Camara at the break when the Guinean asked for it as the players made their way to the tunnel.

Elsewhere, Newcastle's hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League were dented as they fell to 2-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund.

Niclas Fullkrug opened the scoring for the hosts midway through the first half, with Julian Brandt adding a second from a superb counter attack late on as the Germans completed a Group F double over their English opponents.

Newcastle's best chance fell to Joelinton just after the break but the midfielder headed Tino

Livramento's cross wide from five yards out.

Newcastle's return to Europe's elite competition began in fine fashion with a draw at AC Milan before they thrashed Paris St-Germain on Tyneside.

However, they now face an uphill challenge to progress further, with Dortmund's victory at St James' Park and again in Germany on Tuesday, moving them three points clear of Newcastle, who travel to PSG in their penultimate group match.

RESULTS Atletico 6-0 Celtic Lazio 1-0 Feyenoord Dortmund 2-0 Newcastle AC Milan 2-1 PSG C’Zvezda 1-2 RB Leipzig Man City 3-0 Young Boys Shakhtar 1-0 Barcelona FC Porto 2-0 R’Antwerp

today Copenhagen v Man Utd B’Munich v Galatasaray Arsenal v Sevilla PSV v Lens Napoli v U’Berlin R’Madrid v Braga Sociedad v Benfica Salzburg v Inter

Duro Ikhazuagbe

The abandoned National Stadium in Lagos has come under the spotlight again with some stakeholders in Nigerian sports calling for transparency in the manner the complex was concessioned to some faceless individuals.

The edifice built by the General Yakubu Gowon-led Federal Government in 1972 to host the 2nd All Africa Games the following year, played hosts to several continental and global sporting events until two decades ago when it was abandoned.

Several past sports ministers made attempts to lease out the complex to interested parties without success.

The last Sports Minister, Chief Sunday Dare, succeeded in getting billionaire sports betting entrepreneur, Chief Adebutu Kessington, to agree to adopt the facility for renovations. That process only succeeded to refurbish the playing turf and installation of a brand new scoreboard at the main bowl. The decaying seating terraces were left untouched, thereby making it impossible to use the lush-green turf.

Only the indoor sports hall has been used maximally by the basketball federation and a few other federations while skeletal activities hold in the Olympic-sized swimming pool renovated by proprietor of O’Jez Restaurant who was earlier stopped from selling alcohol in the area formerly occupied by Martins Osaile’s CaterBest.

But sources with the complex confided in THISDAY at the weekend that it appears some individuals who were negotiating to concession the

facility during the tail end of the Sunday Dare tenure as sports minister may have succeeded with the new helmsman, John Owan Enoh.

“We have started to see some individuals come around the facility to start inspecting the complex. We really don’t know if these people are to continue from where Baba Ijebu (Kessington Adebutu) stopped or are interested in other things,” observed a former national athlete who frequents the complex daily but would not want his name in print.

Another source within the Federal Ministry of Sports Development however insisted that those interested in the concession of the facility are doing so because of the vast empty

land behind the main-bowl.

“It is no longer secret that those who are interested in the complex have other motives beyond the resuscitation of the long abandoned edifice. We are aware that developers in real estate want the land for residential purposes because it is situated in the heart of Mainland Lagos,” observed the informed source who also craves anonymity.

He however stressed that stakeholders in the country’s sports are not against the concession of the facility but that such process should be transparent.

“Nobody says the stadium should not be concessioned. It’s in a bad state and we want it renovated but

people must be carried along, why are they hiding it? “We have not been told about how they arrived at who they want to give the facility to, which shouldn’t be,” stressed the top official.

Sports Ministry’s Director of Facilities, Abolore Alanamu, however insisted that there was nothing secret about the process to concession the facility.

“The relevant committee is continuing with its work (to concession the facility). So whatever the outcome of their report is, will be made public to the relevant management. The ministry will announce the bid winner at the end of the process,” Alanamu stated as a matter of fact.

Six Barau Jibrin Football Academy Players to Play in UK, Holland Efforts of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin to promote sports have started to yield results as six players from his football academy have been selected to play in clubs in Holland and the United Kingdom.

Senator Barau established the Barau Jibrin Football Academy in 2021 to promote football. Players in the academy are selected from across the country.

According to the Chairman of the Academy, Ibrahim Shehu Chanji, players of the academy on Monday paid courtesy call on the founder of the club, Deputy President of the

Senate, Barau Jibrin at the National Assembly, Abuja.

He stressed that since the establishment of the Academy two years ago, it has achieved a lot of success with some of its players currently plying their trades in some African clubs.

The latest success of the Academy, according to Chanji was the selection of the six players to play in Holland and UK clubs after a recent scouting programme they attended in Abuja.

"We are here in Abuja for a scouting programme, and I am happy to inform you that six of our players have been selected to play in clubs in Holland and England. This is a

remarkable achievement for us having these boys begin their careers in such places.

"We also have other players in Niger Republic and Congo. We use this opportunity to thank our founder and financier for his support to the academy.”

Responding, Senator Barau commended the management and players for the success recorded so far, urging them to sustain the tempo.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Senator Barau reiterated his commitment to the development of sports in the country.

Wednesday, November 08, 2023

TR

UT H

& RE A SO

Price: N250

N

MISSILE Keyamo to Heads of Aviation Agencies

“We had a three-day retreat with Mr. President, all the ministers. At the end of the day, we signed a performance bond. So, if you don’t want me to get sacked in the next few months, you need to support me. “On this side, it is either I get sacked or they get sacked. So, it is a race to who will survive.” – Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo reading the Riot Act to heads of aviation agencies on performance.

KayodeKomolafe The Horizon

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1974

Not Yet Electronic Voting

A

s the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) gears up for the Saturday off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states the role of technology in the polls will be a focus of attention beyond the three states. This is because the observers and critics of the electoral body would be watching if it could improve on its performance. All eyes will again be on INEC’s chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, as they say.

It is somewhat reassuring that INEC has assured that there would be no technical glitches in its operations in the three states. Not a few commentators have reckoned that the elections of governors in the states would be a litmus test on the performance of INEC, including the effective use of technology.

So INEC has again raised the bar for itself and the expectations would remain high in the process.

Instead of the demonisation of INEC the emergent issues from the commission’s assurance should be constructively critiqued.

The role of technology has become pivotal in Nigerian elections especially after election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. To start with, the Buhari campaign strategy was considered a leap compared to the more conventional mode of electioneering. The campaigns were vigorous in the social media and his messages were spread more on handsets than on bill boards and posters.

And remarkably, INEC employed biometric voting cards in the bid to bolster the integrity of the voting process. The Permanent Voters Card (PVC) was rated as a revolutionary thing to happen to the electoral process in many informed quarters. Little surprise, therefore, when 35 days to the end of his tenure Buhari looked backed at his success at the 2015 poll and said “God, through technology and PVC, made me President.” The former President spoke in an exceptionally grateful tone as he played host (for the last time in Aso Rock) to well-wishers who paid him Sallah homage.

Given the Buhari story, would you blame any politician or pundit who sees the application of sophisticated technology as the panacea to all the problems of election?

Politicians and their strategists as well as some civil society organisations are making the electorate develop a deep faith the in the role of technology in electoral efficiency. The corollary to that trend should the increased efforts on the part of INEC to make clarifications on exactly what role technology is playing in the electoral process at any point in time. The specific role shouldn’t be understated and by no means should it be exaggerated. Hopes should not be raised hopes unduly.

Due lessons should be learnt from the experiences of liberal democracies around the world. The limits of technology and the risks involved in its use should be made explicit in the discussions of problems of elections. This is a proposition that should not be glibly dismissed as the thinking of a 21st Century Luddite.

Caution is the Word.

In 2005, Germany experimented with electronic voting. Two voters contested the process at the German Constitutional Court. The court upheld the following argument: “All essential steps of an election are subject to the possibility of public scrutiny unless other constitutional interests justify an exception . . . The use of voting machines which electronically record the voters’ votes and electronically ascertain the election result only meets the constitutional requirements if the essential steps of the voting and of the ascertainment of the result can be examined

Yakubu reliably and without any specialist knowledge of the subject . . . The very wide-reaching effect of possible errors of the voting machines or of deliberate electoral fraud make special precautions necessary in order to safeguard the principle of the public nature of elections” There is the ample evidence that the evolution of the German electoral process continues because 17 years after that court ruling. More than 23 million online voters participated in the social election to elect council members to supervise the running health and pension schemes. Apart from the digital voters the traditional postal voting was also permitted in the poll which took place on June 12 this year.

This trend made some analysts to arrive at the following conclusion: “We argue that precisely (the) contrast between the recently strongly increasing number of postal voters, the new technological possibilities available, and the great willingness of the German population to vote online, on the

one hand, and the absence of any concrete plans regarding e-voting in political elections on the part of politicians on the other hand, make Germany an interesting case for our analysis.”

In the light of the foregoing, the clarification that INEC should be making continuously is in many respects. For instance, there is relatively a greater clarity about the essence of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) than the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. Really, INEC’s promise of IReV is that of taking the picture of the polling unit results and uploading them in the IReV portal in the bid to make the process more transparent.

But INEC’s critics have accused the commission of not fulfilling its promise of “transmitting in real time” the results of the elections. Now, in the present context of INEC’s operations, “transmitting” and “uploading” of results seem to mean quite different things.

Meanwhile, the flagellation of INEC by those who insist that it failed to “transmit” results continues.

It would be a surprise if INEC is not expected to “transmit real time” the results of the governorship elections Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.

However, the energy expended on making a fetish of transmission of results should be better devoted on the nitty-gritty of the election - what will actually take place at the polling unit.

The simple fact is that it is not yet electronic voting in Nigeria. Yet, given the way pundits make magisterial pronouncements on the work of INEC regarding the deployment of technology you would think that voting in Nigeria is completely electronic.

That would be a mistaken view of the process.

The fundamental thing is the act of the voter thumb-printing the ballot paper in the polling booth.

This balloting that takes place after the BVAS must have captured the biometrics of the voter is the strongest proof of the election. BVAS tells you who is the authentic voter.

Therefore, political parties and candidates ought to pay a greater attention to having loyal polling agents on ground at the polling unit to sign the result sheets rather hankering for “real-time transmission”

of results in the social media. The integrity of the result sheets may prove to be more important than some other factors for a candidate in some circumstances. Operational efficiency of INEC in ensuring that voting materials arrive at the polling units as scheduled on the election date are very crucial aspects of the process. So also is ensuring that eligible voters secure their PVCs early enough.

Some aspects of the electoral have been successfully aided by computer, but not all. It is important to disaggregate the voting process to know the limit of application of technology at this level of Nigeria’s development. Four important steps come to mind in this respect. First, the choice is made by the voter by composing the ballot. Secondly, the ballot is submitted into the box. Thirdly, the submitted ballots are recorded in the result sheets.

And fourthly, the results are tabulated. At present in Nigeria, BVAS has been acknowledged to be helpful in record keeping particularly to authenticate the voter while the technology of IReV has been useful in recording and tabulation. But the first step, the composition of the ballot which is the real act of choice making by the voter, is not yet computer-aided. It involves neither the Internet nor scanning. That’s why voting in Nigeria cannot be said to be electronic in a fundamental sense.

Besides, a greater premium should be placed on cyber security as any digital system could be vulnerable. The mystification of technology is not helpful given the peculiarities of the Nigerian system. The techno-ethical anxiety that envelopes the development of the Artificial Intelligence should temper the faith in the efficacy of technology in solving all the problems of election.

Credible elections would ultimately be a product of a liberal democratic culture. The application of technology alone will not develop such a culture in which elections would be conducted credibly and results accepted in a festival of democracy.

In philosophical terms, it may not be out of place to imagine that technology cannot replace completely the human factor in the administration of elections.

Justice for Ajaero

T

he assault on the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, in Owerri last week is unacceptable.

Whatever the dispute might be such a treatment of a fellow human being should not be permitted in any civilised setting.

The issue here is the dignity of the human person which is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

So no person with an iota of humanity in him or her would justify this barbaric act on any ground.

The NLC’s position is that Comrade Ajaero was in Owerri to lead a workers’ protest against the Imo state government over poor working conditions.

In counter-position, the Imo state government has accused Ajaero of partisan involvement in the politics of the state. The state government says it has fully paid workers their wages.

To be sure, a lot of questions could be raised with Ajaero’s mission to a Owerri. Organising a workers’ protest a few days to a crucial election in a state is not the wisest step to take by a labour leader in the circumstance. Ajaero is from Imo state. Worse still, the reported security problems in Imo state are well known.

The Labour Party, a creature of NLC, is presenting a candidate to contest the election. For clarity, Ajaero’s

Ajaero support for the Labour Party is legitimate. He has not violated any law by supporting the candidate of a party formed by NLC. But that fact should make it clear to him that partisan motives would easily be read to any labour action at the eve of a governorship election in the state. This should put him naturally in an awkward position. So a greater tact should have been deployed.

If Ajaero has probably committed a tactical error by his ill-fated mission to Owerri, those who attacked him have certainly committed a crime. Ajaero’s error could be organisationally corrected by the NLC; but his criminal attackers should be arrested and prosecuted and there must be restitution.

The police failed to protect Ajaero against the aggressors. The police should not fail to bring the perpetrators of the assault on Ajaero to book.

The Imo state government should not rationalise, let alone, justify this brutal act. The state government should instead resolve whatever disputes it has with labour using the machinery of industrial relations.

The federal government should move quickly to engage the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in discussions to avert their threatened nation-wide strike against next Tuesday to protest the assault on Ajaero. It is a good thing that labour has acknowledged that a highly responsive call from the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, prevented the situation from getting worse in Owerri on that day.

On its part, labour should temper it’s understandable anger and reconsider its position on the strike and opt for other less disruptive ways of seeking redress on this unfortunate matter.

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. Email: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. Telephone Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com