FRIDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2022

IG: Many Rescued Chibok Girls Running Back to Their Abductors Justifies police negotiations for release of kidnap victims Says suspects arrested over US/UK terror alert to be prosecuted soon Declares force’s PRO in Borno hasty on Maiduguri PDP attack Explains why he’s against withdrawal of protection for VIPs Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, yesterday, said some of the recued Chibok girls, particularly, those who had been

put in the family way, might be suffering the Stockholm syndrome, as they always made moves to return to their abductors under different guises.

Baba, who spoke at a media

briefing at the State House, Abuja, also justified the engagement of criminals in negotiations by security agencies to secure release of kidnap victims.

The IGP confirmed the arrest of

some suspects in connection wit the recent terror alert in Abuja, and disclosed that plans were underway to prosecute them after necessary investigations.

Baba spoke on the recent

attack on members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Maiduguri. He said the police spokesperson in the state, ASP Kamilu Shatambaya, was hasty in dismissing the attack on members

of the opposition party as false.

He advised politicians to play by the rules ahead of the general election in 2023 and avoid violent Continued on page 5

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NPAN to Organise Roundtable on Industry Regulation...

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Atiku: APC Will Become Extinct After Their Defeat in 2023 Boasts he personally wrote his agenda without help of any professor Welcomes reports of Wike's willingness to engage party leadership PDP inaugurates youth council, cautions against reprisal attacks Tambuwal commends Edo for warmly receiving presidential train

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Presidential candidate of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, predicted that the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) would cease to exist

as a political party after losing the 2023 general election.

Atiku spoke at the inauguration of the PDP Youth Campaign Council,

where the party leadership cautioned members against reprisal attacks on opponents.

Atiku also welcomed reports

that the G-5 group of dissenting PDP governors, led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, was willing to negotiate with the PDP leadership.

The former vice president’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, disclosed this in Continued on page 5

Buhari: No Going Back on Naira Redesign Insists nobody will be allowed to mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate people CBN reiterates commitment to real sector intervention LCCI urges apex bank to convert lower naira denomination to coins

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that his government would not go back on the planned redesign of N1, 000, N500, and N200 notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Buhari said this Wednesday evening in London, shortly after meeting with King Charles III at the Buckingham palace.

The president said the naira redesign policy announced last month by the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, had come to stay.

“No going back,” Buhari said of the decision to reshape the three naira notes.

Relatedly, the CBN disclosed that it would continue to foster and support interventions that facilitate macroeconomic stability.

Continued on page 5

LAUNCH OF THE ADOPT-A-HEALTHCARE-FACILITY PROGRAMME...

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe; Chairman/Founder, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; Chairman, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), Mr. Jim Ovia; Founding Patron, PSHAN, Alh. Aliko Dangote; GMD/CEO, Access Corporation, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; CEO, PSHAN, Tinuola Akinbolagbe; MD/CEO, ETOP UKUTT Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou;and Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, at the launch of the Adopt-A-Healthcare-Facility Programme in Lagos, yesterday.

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PAGE FIVE IG: MANY RESCUED CHIBOK GIRLS RUNNING BACK TO THEIR ABDUCTORS clashes during the exercise.

The police boss explained why he was against the withdrawal of police protection from prominent persons in the country, saying despite the attendant misgivings, many of them would be exposed to dangers.

Baba said some of the Chibok girls, who had been put in the family way and were rescued while wandering in the bush, had actually been making moves to return to their captors.

He stated, “The issue of Chibok girls, you know they are coming out one after another and gradually. Sometimes they come out and say, yes, we have come to see our parents and we want to go back.

“So, maybe they have been assimilated or acclimatised with the situation and being indoctrinated and had become part and parcel of those, who have abducted them. But as I have said, it is a continuous effort and even last month, you saw a Chibok girl coming out with two or three kids and said she only came to greet her parents and she wants to go back. So, we are still on it, there is hope,” he assured.

Justifying negotiations by security operatives to secure release of kidnap victims, Baba said it would be an exercise in futility if terrorists, who were armed, abducted persons and the police went in search of them under captivity, using extreme force.

Over 80 Chibok girls are still in Boko Haram captivity, including 29 students of Federal Government College Birni Yauri, Kebbi State.

The IGP stated, “You see, the issue of kidnapping is an issue that bothers almost all the security agents, including the military; it is a crime that once it is committed, you have to tread very softly and with all sense of professionalism.

"If you do not rescue the person, safely, unhurt, you have not achieved anything and once somebody is in the captivity of an armed person, then, you need to do a lot of things; it is not all about guns and other things.

"There are a lot of other things that can be done. We were able to rescue the whole of forestry students in Kaduna through negotiation; we were able to rescue many others, which I can give you example. For those that we are in contact with, there are things that we are doing. It is a new crime and requires new ways of approaching it and new ways of dousing it.

"Clearly, it is under study.

For instance, the issue of train negotiators and so forth, were not an issue before, but now we are looking into it and we are putting our personnel to undergo such training and courses. So, we will not say hope is lost. We are still on it."

Highlighting developments and achievements of the Nigeria Police, the police boss confirmed arrest of suspected terrorists and plans to prosecute them. He was reacting to a question on the recent security advisories issued by the United States (US), which generated panic in the federal capital a couple of weeks ago.

Baba said, “Yes, actually, arrests

BUHARI: NO GOING BACK ON NAIRA REDESIGN The apex bank’s Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, said this yesterday in Lagos on CBN’s Special Day at the on-going Lagos International Trade Fair.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) called on the CBN to turn the lower denominations of the naira from notes to coins. Deputy President, LCCI, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, who made the appeal, said the change of the lower denominations to coins would save the country the burden of producing low-value notes with short lifespan.

Buhari said enough time had been given by the CBN for Nigerians to deposit the present naira notes at banks in exchange for the newly redesigned ones, which would be issued by December 15.

He stated, “On this change of currency, there will be a lot of money but time has been given from October to December, three months is enough for whatever money you have, to get it changed through the legal system. So, I don’t know why people are complaining about it."

Buhari also said politicians would not be allowed to mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate voters in the 2023 general election.

“My aim is to make sure that Nigerians believe that we respect them as an administration,” he stated.

The president added, “So, Nigerians should vote for whoever they like from whichever political party. Nobody will be allowed to mobilise resources and thugs to intimidate people in any constituency. That is what I want to go down in Nigerian history for as a leader.”

Buhari had last month doused the tension surrounding the plan by the CBN to redesign and replace N1, 000, N500, and N200 notes by declaring that the decision had his backing. He said he was convinced that the country stood to gain immensely from the currency change.

Speaking in a Hausa radio interview, Buhari had said the reasons given to him by the CBN convinced him that the economy stood to benefit in terms of reduction in inflation, currency counterfeiting, and the excess cash in circulation. He said he did not consider the period of three months for the change to

the new notes as short.

“People with illicit money buried under the soil will have a challenge with this, but workers, businesses with legitimate incomes will face no difficulties at all,” the president had stated.

In the interview, the president also addressed the issues of food security and national security, among others.

In an apparent move to tackle vote-buying and control the amount of money in circulation, the CBN last month announced a redesign of the currency in the variations of N200, N500, and N1, 000.

But beyond the reasons officially adduced, many believe campaign financing, money laundering, terror financing, ransom payment to kidnappers, and other illicit transactions would be adversely affected by the change.

Emefiele had pointed out that the change was sequel to approval

by Buhari. He added that the development was also aimed at checking the increasing ease and risk of currency counterfeiting evidenced by several security reports, and the increased risk to financial stability as well as the worsening shortage of clean and fit currency, with the attendant negative perception of the central bank.

Emefiele said there was significant hoarding of naira notes by members of the public, with statistics showing that over 80 per cent of the currency in circulation was outside the vaults of the commercial banks. He said as of September 2022, a total of N3.2 trillion was in circulation, of which N2.73 trillion was outside the vaults of the banks, describing the development as unacceptable.

Emefiele explained that the new and existing notes would remain legal tender and circulate together until January 31, 2023, when the existing currencies shall cease to be legal tender.

He said all banks currently holding the existing denominations of the currency might begin to return the notes to the CBN immediately, adding that the newly designed currency would be released to the banks on a first come, first served basis.

Emefiele also urged bank customers to begin paying into their bank accounts the existing currency notes to enable them to withdraw the new banknotes once circulation

have been made for those we believe are planning to commit crime in whatever form and we have done that arrest and as at when due, those arrested will be charged to court by any of the services, which have them.”

While denying insinuations that the government tried to dismiss the advisory, he noted that it drew criticisms from security stakeholders, because it caused apprehension on the citizens.

He said, “Nobody has dismissed as just an alarm. Government has never dismissed it as alarm but we only said it was blown or made in such a way that our people became apprehensive to the situation or to the way it was done.

“The embassies have their own responsibilities to their citizens and they can make their advice and the government has not dismissed what has happened because they have also informed us of what they foresaw as threats.

“And we, on our part, have also looked at what they put as threat as something that has been with us and efforts are being made daily to see that those threats are mitigated or prevented from happening and that is what has been happening in Abuja and all over the country.

“Sometimes, these threats or things happen but nobody has dismissed it as mere alarm and a lot of efforts have been made, like you said, to douse tension."

He advised political parties, politicians and their supporters to stay within the space granted by the law while carrying out their campaigns, and urged them to

avoid activities and actions that could lead to breakdown of law and order.

On the Wednesday attack in Maiduguri, Baba said the state police spokesperson might have reached a conclusion too quickly in his assessment. He felt the assessment by the state PRO was too hasty and not conclusive, hence, the decision to establish a team to make holistic assessment from the various narratives to ascertain the true picture and prevent a reoccurrence.

The IGP said, “On how realistic it is in stopping the issue of violence in our political agenda either in rallies or campaigns, well, it takes two to tango. There are laid down means, ways, procedures to do rallies and campaigns.

“On our part, we have gone out to appeal to politicians to play the game by the rules. And at the same time, allow us to regulate political processions, campaigns and rallies, to avoid clashes and so forth.”

The IGP said the alleged abuse

begins mid-December 2022. He said all banks were expected to keep open their currency processing centres from Monday to Saturday so as to accommodate all cash that would be returned by their customers.

The CBN governor also said for the purpose of the transition to the new notes, bank charges for cash deposits had been suspended with immediate effect. He added that no bank customer should bear any charges for cash returned/ paid into their accounts.

Emefiele had emphasised that in the meantime, the present notes remained legal tender and should not be rejected as a means of exchange for the purchase of goods and services. He reassured the public that the CBN would continue to monitor both the financial system, in particular, and the economy, in general, and always act in good faith for the achievement of the bank’s objectives and the betterment of the country.

Meanwhile, the CBN said it was committed to ensuring the economy was resilient in order to endure unanticipated shocks.

Nwanisobi, who was represented by the CBN’s acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Sam Okogbue, at the trade fair said, “The CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and his team are resolute in steering the ship of Nigeria's economy to prominence.

“The focus of the bank is macroeconomic stability, which entails building a strong, stable, and resilient economy that is selfsustaining and able to weather unanticipated shocks.

“This, the bank will do, by applying appropriate monetary policy tools, striving to rein in inflation, and continuously encouraging a productive economy through its interventions.

“We have no other country than Nigeria, and it is our collective responsibility, as Nigerians, to make the country work.”

Nwanisobi added that the various interventions, which he said had yielded positive impact on the economy, were a testament to CBN’s commitment to macroeconomic stability.

He listed the interventions to include the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF), which had

supported entrepreneurship development with over N39.26 billion; the Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) through Differentiated Cash Reserve Ratio (DCRR), where disbursements to 426 projects across the country stood at N2.10 trillion as at September 2022; and the 100 for 100 Policy on Production and Productivity (PPP) with cumulative disbursement of N93.39 billion to 62 projects within the aforementioned period.

Nwanisobi listed others to include the Tertiary Institutions Entrepreneurship Scheme (TIES), which had total disbursement of N332.43 million; the Healthcare Sector Intervention Facility (HSIF), with cumulative disbursement of N130.54 billion for 131 projects, comprising 32 pharmaceuticals, 60 hospitals, and 39 other services.

He added that the central bank would continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to supporting a productive economy and prudent management of the country's vast resources, saying that is the only panacea to reaching Nigeria's desired economic destination.

Nwanisobi said, “The establishment of the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act (National Collateral Registry Act) and the Credit Reporting Act are part of the efforts of the Bank to institutionalise a business-friendly environment where businesses could thrive seamlessly, particularly the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which is the engine of growth in any economy.”

However, the LCCI deputy president said, “We urge the CBN to implement the correct calibration of monetary policy considering the resilience of our economy and the implementation of the global monetary spillover to financial stability.

“As regards the issuance of new naira notes, the CBN should also consider converting the country’s lower currency notes into coins to facilitate highly repetitive retail transactions and avoid printing pieces of low-value notes with a short lifespan.

“We also appeal to the CBN to adopt more innovative ways to establish appropriate policies and take actions that will drive down the inflation rates and strengthen the value of our naira.”

of power by a local security outfit, Ebubeagu, in Ebonyi State and similar activities were being checked.

He said, “I think I have even made announcements earlier than even their letter. On the day of the signing of the peace accord, I observed that we have not less than 64 security outfits that have been created by different state governors with names for different purposes.

“But most importantly, the crime prevention and space is so wide, that we are encouraging everybody to come in. And that is why we said policing is something that requires the contribution of everybody.

“So, while these outfits have been created to checkmate crime and criminality, we have also told them that they are not to be used for politicking or to be used for political reasons.”

He confirmed that some aspects of police duties had been commercialised to generate more revenue through the Police

Specialised Automated Services (POSSAB) portal but added that the service had been abused.

Baba, however, dismissed the suggestion that unscrupulous persons could use the portal to gain protection from the police.

He said he was against the withdrawal of security personnel attached to VIPs, saying some of them may be exposed to dangers.

According to him, “On the issue of security personnel being attached to VIPs to be withdrawn, for every rule there are exemptions, these people need to be protected, but we try to do it with all sense of humility. VIPs need to be protected, because some people, if left unattended to, can be easy target and we will make too much noise.

“So, we're not withdrawing personnel, or I am not of the view of completely withdrawing security aides from VIPs. But that we will manage what we have and also checkmate crime and criminality without actually leaving them bare.”

ATIKU: APC WILL BECOME EXTINCT AFTER THEIR DEFEAT IN 2023 a statement last night.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Atiku campaign and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, expressed appreciation to the Edo State chapter of the party for the impressive reception accorded the presidential campaign train during the campaign flag off in the state.

The appreciation was contained in a letter signed by Tambuwal, and addressed to Edo State Chairman of PDP, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Youth Campaign Council, Atiku said, "To be honest, PDP is the only political party, APC is not a political party; it is an alliance between the CPC and Tinubu's party, and we have seen how alliances in this country have disappeared overnight.

“I don't think APC would survive after this election. We are going to vote them out and by the time we vote them out, they will be dead."

The PDP presidential candidate said his party would always withstand any storm. He stated, "We are 25 years now, so, we have succeeded in laying the foundation for a sustained democracy in our country. You have a legacy to be proud of by being a member of this political party. Let me, therefore, charge you with the responsibility of making sure that you carry the message of the PDP to the nooks and crannies of the country."

Atiku said the essence of the youth campaign council was to pass the message of sustained democracy. He explained, "This democracy, some of us fought for it all our lives. Many of us have sacrificed our lives and today, you have a freedom of speech, movement, and freedom of everything simply because some of us have sacrificed our lives to make sure there is democracy in this country.

"The youth council is another step to further enthrone democracy, sustain democracy in our country through our own political parties. Therefore, I charge you to mobilise all Nigerians, in particular, PDP supporters.

"Let me tell you, no matter your background, PDP will give you the opportunity to be anything you want to become in life, because my five point programme, I sat down by myself to write it; I did not give it to any professor or doctor to write it for me.

"If you study those points from national unity to security, to education, you will find out that they seamlessly interconnect with each other. Therefore, I want to assure you that, no matter your background, PDP will help you to achieve your aspirations in this country. Even if Atiku goes, another Atiku will come."

He told the members of the youth council that they were "representative of the youths across the country, who are in millions, who are the most voters in this country, you have a responsibility and it is not a small one.

"Each and every one of you should go back to your state, local government, wards and polling units and mobilise the youths. Give them hope that all is not lost. APC has dashed the hope of Nigerians in the last seven years and we do not expect that there will be any change in the next five to six months.

"For my love of Nigeria, I wrote the five point agenda myself, I did not employ any professor to do it for me. I believe in it and will implement to the last letter.”

Deputy national chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum, charged members of the PDP

presidential youth council not to engage in violent acts, as was the case, when PDP members were violently attacked in Maiduguri Damagum, who represented the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, told the youth, "Don't be violent like we saw in Maiduguri. Go for issue-based campaigns. Go for what the PDP governors have done.

Campaign with the performances of our governors. Campaign with what we did and what we are promising to do as we have done in the past."

He described PDP as the only party that had the interest of Nigerians and the youth at heart, and urged the PDP youths to always ask the ruling party to account for what they had done in the past seven and a half years.

Welcoming the willingness to negotiate on the part of Wike and the other governors, Ibe said in the statement, "Atiku Abubakar welcomes reports that the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and his group are favourably disposed to the resolution of the issues with the PDP candidate.

"It’s an alliance. There is no common interest binding them like the PDP." The statement said further, "Atiku Abubakar also expresses his commitment to a negotiation that will resolve the crisis of confidence and pave the way for a much stronger and united PDP. “The former Vice President of Nigeria notes that never at any time of the differences that has ensued has the doors been shut to Governor Wike and his group.

He enjoins every leader of the party and their supporters, irrespective of their leanings, to be open-minded and support the process of resolution of the extant issues." If the crisis is finally resolved, it will bring to an end months of acrimony over the outcome of the PDP presidential primary.

Meanwhile, Tambuwal said in the appreciation letter to the Edo State chapter of PDP, the contents of which were shared in a statement by the office of the Deputy Director, Edo State Campaign Management Council, Mr. Chris Nekhihare, “I wish to convey to you and our teeming party members in Edo State the deep appreciation of our presidential candidate, H.E. Atiku Abubakar, GCON, the vice presidential candidate, HE Dr, Ifeanyi Okowa, and members of the National Campaign Management Committee for the magnificent reception and support extended to all our party leaders and members that attended the rally of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign in Benin City, Edo State.

“The tumultuous turnout of our members during the rally was a clear demonstration of your efforts, the party hierarchy, and our teaming members in the state. Please, accept on behalf of our presidential candidate, assurances of my esteemed regard.”

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NEWS

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

MARKING INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING DAY WITH A HEALTH WALK...

L-R: Council Member, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Dr. Adedeji Awobotu; Deputy Registrar, Corporate Services, ICAN, Mr. Mukaila Lawal; ICAN President, Mallam Tijjani Musa Isa; 1st Deputy Vice president, ICAN, Chief Davidson Alaribe; ICAN council member, Mrs Njum Nnennaya Uma-Onyemenam; and Deputy Registrar, Technical Services, ICAN, Dr. Ijeoma SUNDAY ADIGUN Anaso during a health walk to mark the International Accounting Day Celebration in Lagos….. yesterday

CBN, World Bank Move to Improve Access to Credit for MSMEs with Collateral Registry Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The National Collateral Registry (NRC), a financial infrastructure set up by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank group have expressed readiness to address the challenges around access to finance by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.

Expressing their readiness during a town hall meeting for MSMEs in ICT, e-Commerce,

poultry value chain and financial institutions in Jos, Plateau State, which was facilitated by the Deutsche Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Registrar of NRC, Mr. Musa Bulus said his organisation was committed to further deepening credit delivery to MSMEs and also reduce the challenges of collateral as a requirement for loans to MSMEs. Represented by the Principal Manger at NRC, Mr. Christian Nwosu, the Registrar said the NRC remains an online database that allows lenders register

their interest and determine their priority interests over movable property taken as collateral for loans.

According to the Registrar, the NCR was a notice-based registry for collaterals and an online centralised, publicly available data that allows financial service providers to register security interests in movable assets after accepting such collateral for loan.

From inception of the registry till date, over 500,000 MSMEs have accessed credit from

various banks in total.

He said the town hall meeting titled, ‘Value Chain Physical meetings’ aimed at sensitising MSMEs operators and representatives of lending banks, explaining that the development facilitates lending to individuals, farmers, macro entrepreneurs, and small and medium-scale businesses.

He added that the information registered with NCR enables other financial institutions verify whether movable collateral given

by MSMEs owners in seeking

ICAN President Highlights Pathway to End Drain Says Nigeria needs fiscal federalism to be true federation, commends CBN on redesigning naira Dike Onwuamaeze The 58th President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Tijjani Musa Isa, has tasked Nigeria’s political leaders on delivering improved productivity in the economy, security and governance in order to create enabling domestic conditions that would stem the tide of brain drain afflicting the country’s economy.

Isa said this yesterday, in Lagos, during a press conference to mark the global celebration of the International Accounting Day 2022, where he commended the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) decision to redesign the naira. However, he said Nigeria’s federalism was presently structured in a manner that would hardly enable the economy to grow.

He said: “The November 10 commemorates the day in 1494 that Venetian Mathematician, Mr. Luca Bartolomeo de Pacioli, published his critical work titled ‘Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proportioni et proportionalita,’ which translates to ‘everything about arithmetic, geometry and proportion’ that included analysis and documentation of bookkeeping practices.

“This publication was the foundation for further advancement of accounting and positioned de Pacioli as

‘The father of accounting."

Commenting on the brain drain affecting the nation, the ICAN President noted that, “there is no forced labour in this country. So, the point is that we should create the enabling environment if we do not want people to leave the country.

“I was a student in The United Kingdom (UK) for six years, three months. I lived in London for five years. But it never crossed my mind to remain in The UK. My return ticket was with me all through because the jobs were here in Nigeria.

“I got two jobs on the day I finished my NYSC, one from the Kano State Government and another from the Bank of the North. Now your child will finish NYSC and stay in your house for five years or more because the enabling environment is no longer available.”

He also pointed out that there was no incentive for a medical doctor that trained in Britain and exposed to excellent enabling environment to remain in Nigeria where he might not be able to have access to simple diagnostic equipment.

The president of the ICAN said creating enabling environment also demanded infusing Nigeria’s federalism with fiscal content and improving local value addition of commodities and products that are exported from Nigeria.

He said: This country is

structured in a way that the economy will hardly grow because our federalism is only in a name. There is no fiscal federalism. The oil we are taking from the South-south belongs to the South-south if we are operating a true federalism.

That was how the four regions in the First Republic developed and made their economies very healthy. Our federalism should be a reality and not in theory.

“Again we have to look at our economies in terms of value addition. What value are we adding to the crude oil we export? Do we have the technology for the oil exploration? Do we have the technology for oil drilling? Do we have the technology for transporting the crude from the oil wells to the oil tankers? No! “What are we doing to develop and exploit our God given landmass? What has happened to out textile industry that has tremendous multiplier effect in terms of the value chains in the textile industry from growing the cotton and rolling it out in fabrics from the textile mills.”

He added that insecurity has so much degenerated that farmers in Zamfara State would pool N172 million as ransom to bandits before they could go and harvest their farm products.

Isa also acknowledged, “the CBN’s objectives in its recent

initiative to redesign the Naira: discourage hoarding of bank notes by members of the public, address the worsening shortage of clean banknotes and reduce the increasing risk and ease of counterfeiting.

“While ICAN would soon release its position on this policy initiative, it suffices to say that the CBN should consider the views of the various stakeholders and ensure that critical issues (such as the cost of designing and printing the new currency notes, the timing of the policy, the policy’s likely impact on inflation and exchange rates) are satisfactorily addressed.”

He, however, noted that the naira, which depreciated on the parallel market last week, could not be helped.

“You can hardly control the rate of your currency if you are not an industrialised country.

That is the truth. This problem started with the Structural Adjustment Programme, which to me was implemented more out of political expediency than economic expediency.

“I think the government then wanted acceptability by the West and was ready to destroy our economy to please the West and remain in power. I may be wrong. But what were the elements of SAP? And how do you expect Nigeria to float its currency when it was not an industrial power?” he asked.

a loan has been used in other banks as collateral by the loan takers.

Urging participants to explore the opportunities provided by the NRC to grow their business value chain, Bulus said previous bogus assets required as collateral to access loans were no longer needed, and that the law allows loan takers to use the items given as collateral for business since the items will aid repayment of the loan.

Meanwhile, Local Economic and Value Chain Development advisor, Stella Yusuf DimLong noted that GIZ provides technical cooperation as well as working with partners in private, public and civil organisations for sustainable economic growth and development to improve outcomes, job creations and income.

She also urged participants to explore the interactive session to ask questions on improving their business goals.

NPAN to Organise Roundtable on Industry Regulation Leading media houses in the country and stakeholders, including civil society and non-media groups would gather in Lagos on Monday to discuss an acceptable framework for regulating the media industry in the country.

The Executive Secretary, Newspaper Proprietors ' Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Feyi Smith, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

It explained that the move to deepen public trust by setting up a credible adjudicatory mechanism, was under the auspices of NPAN in collaboration with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the MacArthur Foundation.

Respected media guru and erstwhile governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba would preside at the roundtable.

Other prominent leaders from media practice, management, ownership, the academia, and professionals, leaders of prominent media NGOs, the Bar, the legislature, and the diplomatic corps are also expected.

The theme of the roundtable would be: “Deepening Media Professionalism Through Coregulation,” and the programme would be in two sessions.

The first would be on, ‘Thoughts on co-regulation through an independent

Ombudsman framework,’ the second session would consider, “the revised draft of a new Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists.”

The event would hold at Protea Hotel Ikeja Select, Alausa, Ikeja at 10.00am, President NPAN and President of the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO), Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, would be supported by the President of the NGE, Mr. Mustapha Isah; President of the NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo; President of BON, Mr. John Ugbe; President ot the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, Mr. Mr Guy MurrayBruce; President of IBAN and Mr Yakubu. C. Maikyau, SAN. President of the NBA. Others include the Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka; Chairman of THISDAY and Arise News Channel, Nduka Obaigbena; Mr. Ray Ekpu, former Editorin-chief of Newswatch; Lady Maiden Alex- Ibru, Publisher of the Guardian Newspapers; Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Publisher of Business Day, Ms Angela Emuwa, Chairman of Punch Newspapers; John Momoh, Chairman of Channels TV; Mr. Lade Bonuola, former MD of the Guardian; Mr. Lanre Idowu; CEO, Diamond Publications; Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM, Vanguard; Mr. Azu Ishiekwene, Editor-inChief of Leadership, Ms. Kadaria Ahmed, CEO, Daria Media and Radio Now, and NPAN’s Mr. Feyi Smith, among others.

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STEERING A SHIP ABOVE MURKY WATERS...

L-R: Outgoing Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and incoming VC, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, during a book launch in honour of Ogundipe held in Lagos... yesterday

Again, Sirika Explains Choice of Ethiopia Airlines as Preferred Bidder for Air Nigeria Slams foreign airlines over profit repatriation Olawale Ajimotokan and Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government has fiercely justified the deal it struck with Ethiopia Airlines as the preferred bidder for Nigeria Air scheduled to take off at the end of the year.

Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika rationalised the pick yesterday at the PMB Administration’s Scorecard 2016-2023 series in Abuja, noting that the Ethiopian Airlines was the only airline that responded to its requests for expression of interest and fulfilled all the stipulated conditions laid down by Nigeria.

Sirika said the agreement was in line with the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) agreement of a single African market and also the African Union's Agenda 2063 on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), aimed at creating a single unified air transport market in Africa, liberalising civil aviation and driving the continent's economic integration agenda.

Ethiopia Airlines was expected

to stump $171.5 million of the total $350 million investment to start the airline for a stake of 49 per cent equity, while the federal government would provide $17.

5 million of its five percent stake in the business. The remaining 46 per cent would be held by institutional Nigerian investors.

“I am not making case for Ethiopia Airlines. It is an African Airline and it has been in existence for 70 years. They fought a war but the airline was saved.

“Ethiopian airline was the only airline on earth that made profit during COVID and today it declared this year a profit of $1 billion. The only other airline that declared profit is Qatar Airline. Yes, they are doing it correctly. “They have not passed the 170 airline mark, but they have a robust organisation and are a member of Star Airline. They are a huge company. Because they are African does not mean they are not good,” Sirika said.

He brushed aside criticisms of

the deal, insisting the reason why the federal government decided to partner Ethiopian Airlines was because the negotiations with it went through a transparent process.

“Whether you like it or not, an airline to serve about 250 million Nigerians at the centre of Africa must interact, must associate and partner with a foreign airline. And Ethiopia is the second largest country in Africa while Nigeria is the largest in Africa.

“Transportation is about population. Connecting those two populations is the best thing to happen to Africa. If it happens by sheer luck, I think it will be the best thing to happen in Africa.”

Sirika said.

He also urged the foreign carriers threatening to withdraw from Nigeria over their inability to repatriate their profit to respect the sovereignty of the country and the guarantee by President Muhammadu Buhari that he would resolve the dollar crunch before the end of next month.

“One would have taught that since the President had demonstrated he is responsible and his government had paid what it met and had promised he would pay before the end of December, one would have expected they would believe and trust us because of future benefits.

“But they are insisting Nigeria should be banned. Honestly, we need their service, but they need our market more. We are 250 million people while some of them are not more than 10 million. They should give us breathing space and respect.

“We need some honour as a country. We are a sovereign nation and they should understand,” Sirika said.

Speaking further, the minister noted that going forward, all airports in the country must be built and operated in accordance with the Aviation masterplan that had been developed in order to avoid chaotic situations that have already sprung out in many of

Kyari, Wabote to Lead Oil Industry Conversations at NAPE's 40th Annual Conference

Peter Uzoho

The duo of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote would next Tuesday in Lagos, lead oil industry conversations at the 40th annual international conference and exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE).

The conference slated to hold from 13th to 17th November, 2022, would focus on the theme, "Global Energy Transition and the Future of the Oil and Gas Industry: Evolving Regulations, Emerging Concepts and Opportunities."

Announcing the event during a press conference in Lagos, the President of NAPE, Dr. James Edet, disclosed that the opening ceremony of the conference would be on Tuesday, November 15 and that Kyari would be attending the event as the special guest of honour while Wabote would appear as

the guest of honour.

Edet added that the Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Roger Brown, would deliver the keynote paper on the theme.

According to him, the conference would host speakers who are high level industry practitioners, key personnel in government and the academia, delivering technical papers on seven sub-themes namely.

He listed the sub-themes as Energy Transition and Evolving Regulatory Framework; Gas Development, Commercialization and Monetization in the Energy Transition Era; Geo- Environmental Strategies in the Energy Transition Era; New Concepts and Approaches in Geo- Physics; Petroleum System Studies and Integrated reservoir Modelling; New Technology Applications in Exploration and Production; and Geo Science Training in the New Energy Mix Adapting in a Changing World.

Edet observed that the rising need for transition towards more sustainable energy sources, energy poverty and global geopolitics required strategic reappraisal of the energy industry in Nigeria.

He said Nigeria has an energy transition plan to get the country to net zero greenhouse gas emission by 2060, pointing out, however, that there were many factors that needed to be considered and appropriately addressed in the nation’s shift to its sustainable energy future.

The NAPE boss maintained that the reality of the climate change was facing Nigeria with desertification in the north and flooding in the south and some parts of the north, saying this change called for a crucial need to significantly reduce carbon emissions while ensuring available and affordable electricity.

Noting that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was now in place and the Climate Change Act signed into law, Edet stated that the oil and gas industry has a role to play towards the successful implementation of these regulations and ambitious plans.

Admitting that globally, significant consumers of the hydrocarbon industry were undergoing a massive technological shift towards low or zero carbon energy usage like electric vehicles,

he posited that the ongoing war, global politics, in-country insecurity challenges and asset divestment had exacerbated the impact of energy supply shortage and altered the energy landscape.

Edet further said, "Furthermore, there are other contenting and increasingly relevant issues such as: energy security; the dynamics of gas development, commercialisation and monetisation; development of Nigeria’s under explored gas rich cretaceous basins; and how Nigeria will adapt her policies and diversify her energy portfolio in the energy transition era so as to achieve sustainable growth for her economy.

"It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists will at its 40th Annual International Conference and Exhibition be deliberating on the petroleum business and the regulatory environment with a view to addressing the challenges of the global energy transition, evolving regulations, and geo- environmental strategies in the energy transition era.”

the airports including Lagos International airport, where many structures have already been marked for demolition in overall public interest despite the cost involved.

Regarding the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Abuja, the minister pointed out that the entire stretch running from the Bill Clinton Way through Gwagwalada was captured under the Abuja Airport Masterplan, adding that any development that does not fit into the masterplan would be demolished.

He, therefore, cautioned individuals and entities currently carrying out development project along the stretch measuring about 12,000 hectares of land, to pause and await further information to avoid demolition.

He listed as the greatest legacy of the Buhari Administration in the aviation sector as the strengthening of the institutions running civil aviation in Nigeria to run on the

standard of ICAO and in line with global best practices.

He identified the Nigerian aviation sector as the second most recovered in the industry, after Colombia, following the development, from the scratch, of the protocols for the safe, secure, orderly restart of the aviation industry after COVID-19.

He added Nigeria had achieved a total radio coverage of its entire airspace and in addition had developed the capacity to decode and decipher the 'Black Box' of aircraft in the event of any air crash.

Also, the country’s airports were for the first time in Nigeria's history, certified, he said, adding that five international airports (Abuja, Kano, Enugu, Lagos and Port Harcourt) have been designated as Special Economic Zones, while a Boeing 737 simulator has been bought at a cost of $21 million to further build the capacity of pilots.

Presidency: Buhari Will Inaugurate VIP Hospital Before Leaving Office Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Presidency has given an assurance that the presidential wing of the VIP hospital situated within the State House would be inaugurated before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration in May, 2023.

Buhari had in 2021 approved a site for the construction of a VIP wing of the State House clinic within the precinct of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The state-of-the-art clinic which would offer medicare for the country's President, Vice President and other officials of government was expected to be completed before the end of the present administration.

Answering reporters' questions yesterday, after being led by the State House Permanent Secretary, Tijjani Umar to inaugurate some of the legacy projects in the State House Clinic, located in Asokoro, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, affirmed that the Multi-billion naira project "will not only be completed but also commissioned before we exit."

On the ongoing construction of the Presidential Wing of the State House Clinic, designed to be a

one-stop shop Medicare services for the President, the Vice President and their families as well as other high-level dignitaries, Mustapha assured that the project would be delivered on schedule before the end of this administration.

He described the projects as being among the front-burner initiatives of the Buhari Administration towards the provision of excellent healthcare services to Nigerians.

The SGF said the projects would collectively help to build a State House Clinic that is people-centred and technology driven, delivering services and motivating the workforce towards addressing some of the healthcare service delivery challenges.

He commended the Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, for the completion and commissioning of the projects, and his tireless effort to raise service delivery standards, not only in the Clinic, but in the State House in general.

The SGF particularly praised the Permanent Secretary, who assumed duty in State House in 2020, for completing the Dental Wing Extension, which had been left uncompleted since 2013, and also embarking on other important projects despite the paucity of funds.

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PUBLIC HEARING ON NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL PLANNING...

L-R President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan; Chairman Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) former Governor of Yobe State, Senator Ibrahim Geidam; and Vice-Chairman of the JULIUS ATOI Committee Senator Akon Etim Eyakenyi on a one day Public Hearing on National Institute for Educational Planning (Establishment Bill 2022) held yesterday in Abuja.

Forfeited $460,000: PDP's PCC Dismisses Tinubu's Denials Insists forfeiture establishes link to drug money Reno: Keyamo lied about Tinubu’s drug related asset forfeiture

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation yesterday said after a review of issues arising from linking of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to a drug cartel surmised that the forfeiture of $460,000 by the former Lagos governor to the authorities of the United States of America established his connection to drug money.

In a statement, one of the PDP presidential campaign spokesman, Kola Ologbondiya, said, "Our campaign maintains that Nigeria as a nation cannot afford to allow an individual with the remotest link to a drug cartel near the presidential Villa.

"We insist that the mention of Tinubu’s name in a crime bordering on drugs and consequent upon which some monies were forfeited,

raises a moral question and issues of serious national security threat."

Furthermore, Ologbondiyan asked: "How, for instance, will our nation cope with a president who will be consistently harassed, intimidated and blackmailed by a drug cartel?

"It is also disturbing that Tinubu’s handlers are running around an ocean of excuses from where they have been fetching what they believe will convince Nigerians.

"We ask; what business was Tinubu running that such a whopping sum of $460,000 would be deducted as tax from his account?"

The PDP presidential campaign spokesman said that it was easily deducible that the $460,000 removed from the account represented the illicit fund that accrued from the drug.

He further stated, "That accounts for the reason why no other sum was removed from the account contrary to argument from Tinubu’s minders that the amount represented a tax.

"If indeed, like Tinubu’s handlers have said, Tinubu ‘took responsibility’ for drugs money, it goes without saying that he must also take responsibility for the consequences of that action."

In a related development, in an article he published on Instagram titled: “Incontrovertible Proof That Festus Keyamo Lied About Bola Tinubu’s Drug Related Asset Forfeiture,” a supporter of the PDP presidential candidate, Reno Omokri, pointed out that on November 9, 2022, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo, appeared on Channels TV’s Politics Today and told the presenter, Seun Okinbaloye that the monies Bola Tinubu forfeited to the US Government was just tax.

“To show that Festus Keyamo is a liar whose words can’t be trusted, consider that whereas he told Seun the money Tinubu forfeited was tax, right there on paragraph 1 of the court document, it says the funds

were forfeited pursuant to 21 U.S.C. section 881. That section of the US Code deals with DRUG MONEY! “The section of the US Code reads as follows: The following shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States and no property right shall exist in them: (6) All moneys, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value furnished or intended to be furnished by any person in exchange for a controlled substance or listed chemical in violation of this subchapter, all proceeds traceable to such an exchange, and all moneys, negotiable instruments, and securities used or intended to be used to facilitate any violation of this subchapter.

“Please note that the words “controlled substance” refers to narcotics, or to put it simply, hard drugs, such as white heroin, which Bola Tinubu’s cartel was trafficking in.

“And to show that Festus Keyamo

Senate Hails NIMASA for Eradicating Piracy, Criminality on Nigerian Territorial Waters Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Senate Committee on Marine Transport yesterday commended the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for achieving zero attacks on any vessel on the Nigerian waterways in the last one year.

The panel, chaired by Senator Danjuma Goje, gave the commendation when the DirectorGeneral of the agency, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, presented his agency's 2023 budget.

The DG told the panel that the agency was proposing N160 billion as its total expenditure for the 2023 fiscal year.

He explained that the implementation of the Deep Blue Sea project greatly enabled the agency to tackle the unfortunate wave of banditry and piracy on Nigerian waterways.

He said the attacks on vessels

on the Nigerian waterways, worsened some time in 2019, forcing stakeholders in the global maritime sector to declare Nigeria waters as the worst to navigate on.

Jamoh, said the situation led to the establishment of the Deep Blue Sea Project to tackle the menace.

He explained, "The Deep Blue Sea Project was initiated between 2016 and 2017 when the international community declared Nigerian waters as the most dangerous to trade.

"The budget of the Navy, whose responsibility it is to ensure security on the sea, was too slim to carry out the task.

"At the same time, the Act establishing NIMASA stipulates that we should provide security for the vessels navigating the nation's territorial waters. We are to safeguard and protect the vessels against attacks.

"This led to the establishment of the Deep Blue Sea Project which

made use of the land, air and sea assets.

"That led to the use of the Nigerian Navy Platform on land, we have 16 armoured vehicles specially built to take care of creeks. In the whole world, Nigerian creeks are the biggest and most dangerous terrain to penetrate.

"That was where the men of the underworld hide and launch consistent attacks on the vessels.

They kidnap people in the process and hide them in the creeks.

"The armoured vehicles were built specially to enter the creeks and fish out the criminals and their victims.

"We also have the Command and the Command Centre which enables our personnel to see any target on the sea throughout the day and night. It also enables them to react to anything that constitute danger either in the sea, or land. " Apart from that, we have the

sea platforms which constitutes two special mission vessels which have the capacity to stay on the high sea for almost three days without refueling.

"We also have some aircraft which were also deployed for the project. As of 2020, Nigeria was recording one attack of vessels per day. However, by February 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that only the NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy should provide security on the nation's territorial waters.

"All the platforms were handed over to the Nigerian Navy, Air force and the Army. By the third quarter of 2021, we have achieved the milestone. We reduced the attacks, from one per day to one per month.”

Speaking further, he said: "I am happy to announce to this committee, that we have not had a single attack since the third quarter of 2021 to date.

lied to Seun, the account was opened in December of 1989, and frozen in January of 1992. The money in the account could not have generated enough revenue to attract a $460k tax bill in just 2 years. This was a forfeiture of DRUG MONEY. Pure and simple!”

Court documents from the United States had revealed how Tinubu forfeited $460, 000 to the American government in 1993 over alleged complicity in hard drugs dealings and money laundering.

The Certified True Copy of the court documents, which included the judgement delivered by Magistrate John Nordberg of a United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, was dated August 10, 2022, and signed

by Thomas Bruton and Johnny Khuu, both Clerk and Deputy Clerk, respectively, of US District Court, Northern District of Illinois.

The documents revealed how Tinubu and his associates were involved in the distribution of white heroin and money laundering between 1988 and 1992, when

investigations closed in on them.

According to the documents Tinubu’s involvement in the shady deal was traced to the arrest of one Abiodun Agbele, who was nephew to one Adegboyega Mueez Akande, a major drug trafficker between the US and Nigeria.

The document read in part, “Beginning as early as 1998, Adegboyega Mueez Akande, with others operated an organisation which distributed white heroin, a controlled substance under Title 21 of the United States Code.

"This distribution operation was conducted on a large scale and the proceeds of the operation substantial."

In a Verified Complaint for Forfeiture of funds in several accounts linked to Tinubu in First Heritage Bank and Citibank in the US, a United States Attorney, Michael Shepard, had narrated how Tinubu opened about 10 accounts in the name of Bola Tinubu and Compass Finance and Investment Limited in late December 1989 and Continued on page 42

Soludo Proposes N258.9bn Budget for Anambra in 2023 David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has presented a budget estimate of N258.9 billion for the year 2023 to the State House of Assembly.

Soludo stated this while presenting a budget estimate before the state assembly yesterday.

The budget tagged, "Budget of Acceleration" was made up of a capital budget of N164.2 billion, accounting for 63.2 per cent of the budget with a recurrent expenditure of N95.5 billion, accounting for 36.8 percent of the budget.

Soludo while presenting the budget commended the working relationship the members of the State Assembly had accorded him since he became the governor.

He said: "The executive and

legislative arms of government have had a cordial relationship, and I want to thank you all for it.

"Amidst visible challenges, my administration would implement our agenda of industrialising Anambra State."

The governor told the lawmakers that a loan approval for his government to borrow N100 billion, had not been borrowed implemented yet.

He added that the 2023 budget has a deficit of N13 billion, with N91.8 billion or 56 per cent of the total being capital expenditure, which was dedicated to roads, transport, power and urban regeneration.

Speaker of the State Assembly, Uche Okafor praised the governor for his achievements in just eight months as governor of assumption of office.

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

Crushing Opposition in Nasarawa President Muhammadu Buhari recently inaugurated the Nasarawa State Campaign Council for Governor Abdullahi Sule with a call on APC members to crush opposition in the state ahead of the 2023 general election, reports Igbawase Ukumba

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resident Muhammadu Buhari on November 5, 2022, launched the 385-member Nasarawa State Campaign Council for Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, ahead of the 2023 poll at the Public Square, Lafia.

Perhaps, with the unveiling and inauguration of the state APC Campaign Council by the president, the coast might have been cleared for Governor Sule to start the 2023 campaigns to not only crush the opposition, but to also return to Lafia Government House.

The mammoth crowd, who turned out for the well attended event, received a message from President Buhari that members of the state campaign council, as well as members and supporters of the APC, should work harder to deliver the party in order to sustain his (Buhari) legacies which he (Buhari) was going to leave behind after eight years on the saddle of governance.

Nevertheless, the president also called on electorate of the state to vote for the return of the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, for the continuity and consolidation of his achievements in his first term.

Buhari, who inaugurated the Nasarawa campaign council through his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, said his leadership of the APC was committed to a number of principles.

According to him, “my leadership is committed to the safety and security of this country. My leadership is committed to the revitalisation of agriculture and diversification of the economy of this country.”

Buhari said he was committed to leave the country much safer. He also said he was committed to leaving the country where probity and transperancy is the key.

And therefore, these legacies he was going to leave: the legacy of infrastructure, the legacy of diversified economy, the legacy of a safer country, hence he wanted the best to consolidate on those of his legacies.

“What I want first of all is that my party should be returned. I want all the governors of APC to be returned. I want most states to become APC states. And, therefore, in that context, what do I want?

Continuity and consolidation of our achievements in Nasarawa State,” Buhari maintained.

With the unveiling and inauguration of the Nasarawa State Campaign Council, the APC in the state was ready to start campaigns to surpass the victory recorded by the party in 2019, said Governor Sule. He boasted that the party’s 2019 victory will be a child’s play, because as a student of the Dangote, he will not take the opposition lightly, but will crush the opposition.

“The victory you saw in 2019 will be a child’s play. I am actually a student of the Dangote. And in Dangote we don’t take competition lightly. We crush competition.

We make sure it does not exist. We don’t want to see one out of the 24 members of the house of assembly that is not an APC,” Sule vowed.

To match words with action by way of facilitating the APC 2023 campaigns, the governor distributed 30 Sharon vehicles, 300 motorcycles and 20 wheelchairs to party officials, groups and associations, as well as women, youths and persons living with disabilities.

This was even as he emphasized that the APC must deliver Nasarawa State because it produced the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

“We are determined. This is the state of our national chairman, therefore this is the state that APC must win. This is the state of Senator Tanko Al-Makura. Therefore, this is the state that A. A. Sule must win. This is the state of A. A Sule. Therefore, this is

a state that all our Senators must win. By the grace of God we are going to come out victorious,” he prayed.

He however pointed out that the APC will go out to campaign as if the party was the underdog until the party was returned to power to continue with the good work that his administration was doing in the state.

“We are going to go ahead with this campaign as if we are the underdogs, we are not going to have any overconfidence the way other people are having. We are going to put in all our energy into this campaign until we deliver. Because we want to deliver. We want to come back. We want to continue with the good work that we are doing,” the governor insisted.

For the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, it was time for

the Nasarawa State electorate to deliver the party at all the levels of the general election, from the president to members of the National and State Assemblies.

Senator Adamu concluded that the only way Nigerians would show appreciation to President Buhari, who is completing his second term in office, was to vote overwhelmingly for the APC so that the party will produce his successor.

On his part, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura assured that the APC has a lot to sell to the people of Nasarawa State, hence urging every citizen of the state to be proud of the party.

According to the immediate past governor of the state: “The APC should also be proud of Nasarawa State because it was the goose that laid the golden egg back in 2011.”

Al-Makura was, therefore, optimistic that with the array of individuals at the event, the people of the state were ready to repeat the feat achieved in 2019 which saw Engineer Sule defeated two political juggernauts of the state.

“I believe by seeing the congregation here, the faces that are here, that we are definitely going to repeat that feat and make it even better. My people of Nasarawa State, you have not disappointed us. You have made Nasarawa to be mainly, solidly and thoroughly an APC state. I am calling on you to repeat the feat and even improve on it because APC has done so much for Nasarawa State,” Al-Makura said.

He, however, called on the people to commence campaigns immediately and not to isolate it to rallies, lectures or town hall meetings, but to sell the party at every given opportunity. While highliting what the APC has done for Nasarawa State, the senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District in the National Assembly said the people of the state will ask for more because they will do more to ensure that APC was elected from top to bottom.

On his parts part, Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, said people of the State will re-elect the incumbent in 2023, considering his developmental strides in almost all sectors of the state economy. Hence Abdullahi was optimistic that the Nasarawa people will return Sule to consolidate on his achievements.

The Speaker also promised President Buhari and the APC family that the people of the state will give the party 85 percent of total votes cast in the 2023 general election in the state.

“Let me give a message to our President Muhammadu Buhari through his Chief of Staff that the people of Nasarawa State are promising him 85 percent of total votes cast in the state in 2023. Governor Sule has no opposition, therefore, people of the state will return him come.”

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

Eno Unfolds Vision of a Prosperous Future for Akwa Ibom Anieten Usen writes about the flag off of the campaign of Peoples Democratic Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, in Uyo recently

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ith barely four months to the March 11, 2023 Governorship election, the Akwa Ibom State PDP Governorship candidate, Pastor Umo Eno on Tuesday flagged off his campaign in Uyo with a pledge to continue the legacies of the Governor Udom Emmanuel Administration so as to ensure Akwa Ibom becomes the envy of other States in the Gulf of Guinea.

In a show of support and solidarity with Eno, thousands of PDP faithfuls from the 31 LGA’s of the State converged on the 30,000 capacity Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo for the flag-off, in a move that has sent a clear message to opposition parties in the State that PDP is poised to win again the Governorship election the record seventh time in 2023, having won all Gubernatorial elections in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019.

When elected as Governor, Eno will become the fifth Civilian Governor of the State and the fourth since the advent of the fourth republic, following Governors Obong Akpan Isemin, Obong Victor Attah, Chief Godswill Akpabio and M.

Udom Emmanuel.

Addressing the mammoth PDP crowd who thronged the Stadium, Eno thanked God for His grace that has located, shaped and raised him, stating that he remains eternally grateful to God and Governor Udom Emmanuel for propelling him to

political limelight.

In a speech he titled “My Contract With Akwa Ibom People” and delivered with the fervour of apostolic conviction, Eno, a successful entrepreneur, unleashed his economic blueprint for Akwa Ibom State to include massive job creation, aggressive food production programs, rural development and consolidation of the peace, and security of the State which Governor Emmanuel has recorded high marks.

“The peace currently enjoyed in the state, unlike what was obtainable in the recent past, cannot be taken for granted and there will be no compromise on the subject of peace and security in the State”, he said.

Eno stated that the many successes in the Aviation sector recorded by Governor Emmanuel Administration will be improved upon and expanded to remain a pacesetter not just in Nigeria but beyond.

-Usen writes from Uyo NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY ˾ DAY ͯ​ͯ˜ 2022

Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R (front row): National President, Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA), Hajiya Nana Aisha Gambo; DEPOWA National President and wife of Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs. Victoria Irabor; former DEPOWA President and Special Guest of Honour, Hajiya Aminat Modupe Ibrahim; NAOWA National President, Mrs. Salamatu Yahaya; and other senior officers’ wives (behind), during the unveiling of the NOWA Guest House and Banquet Hall at the NOWA national secretariat in Abuja…recently

L-R: Convener of Africa-Canada Investment Summit (CAIS) and Founder, Hope4Sure Foundation, Naomi Peju Sigismund; Chairman, Cubana Group, Chief Obinna Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana); and Founder, Saga Foundation, Shola Agboola, when Obi Cubana received the Africa-Canada Investment Summit Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Canada…recently

L-R: Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar; and Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held in the Presidential Villa, Abuja…recently PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

L-R: Bauchi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports/Chairman, state National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Governing Board, Hon. Adamu Soro; Director-General, NYSC, Brigadier-General Muhammad Kaku Fadah; and representative of the Bauchi State Governor/Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, during the unveiling of the new clinic built in the state NYSC orientation camp in Wailo…recently

L-R: Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; state Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf; and Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Mr. Femi Martins, during the official opening of Eko NAFEST 2022 in Lagos...recently

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu(left), and the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jian Chun (right), during a courtesy and congratulatory visit toTinubu in Abuja... recently

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Embkem, Usman Isah; Chairman, GHI Assets, Mr. Femi Adefope; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; Convener/Founder, Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ikechi Uko; Head, International Business Development Regional Medical Park, Turkiye, Sema Gun; representative of Turquaz Health, Turkiye, Idil Saguner; and Namibian Ambassador to Nigeria, Humphrey Geiseb, at the health panelists’ session of the 2022 Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLAWOLE ALLI

28 T H I S D AY FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2022 TR

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Friday November 11 2022 Vol 27. No 10076

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

LAGOS ART FAIR AND THE BEAUTY OF CULTURE TOURISM ETIM ETIM writes Art X Lagos contributes hugely to the growth of tourism in the country

See page 29

SANWO-OLU AND GREATER AJAH Ajah in Eti-Osa local government area is in dire need of attention, writes BIOLA ONITIRI

See page 29

EDITORIAL GUARDING AGAINST ANOTHER EBOLA OUTBREAK

See page 30

1

HARRISON EROMOSELE argues for the immediate completion of the Dasin Hausa Dam to avert another disaster

TACKLING THE MENACE OF THE GREAT FLOOD

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2022

Ajah in Eti-Osa local government area is in dire need of attention, writes BIOLA ONITIRI ETIM ETIM writes Art X Lagos contributes hugely to the growth of tourism in the country

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23

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, ͰͮͰͰ ˾ T H I S D AY

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

US: Russia Suffered over 100,000 Military Casualties in Ukraine America’s top general estimated on Wednesday that Russia’s military had seen more than 100,000 of its soldiers killed and wounded in Ukraine and added Kyiv’s armed forces “probably” suffered a similar level of casualties in the war.

Reuters could not independently confirm the estimates.

But Gen. Mark Milley’s remarks offered the highest US estimate of casualties to date in the nearly nine-month-old conflict and came as Ukraine and Russia face a potential winter lull in fighting that experts say could offer an opportunity for some kind of negotiations.

Asked about prospects for diplomacy in Ukraine, Milley noted that the early refusal to negotiate in World War One compounded human suffering and led to millions more casualties.

“So, when there’s an opportunity to negotiate when peace can be achieved ... seize the moment,” Milley told the Economic Club of New York.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russia announced its troops would withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, in a significant setback for Moscow and a potential turning point in the war.

even as the nation’s intelligence minister and army chief renewed threats against local dissent and the broader world.

Meanwhile, a top official in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed it had “managed to achieve” having so-called hypersonic missiles without providing any evidence.

The protests in Iran, sparked by the September 16 death of a 22-year-old woman after her detention by the country’s morality police, have grown into one of the largest sustained challenges to the nation’s theocracy since the chaotic months after its 1979 Islamic Revolution.

At least 328 people have been killed and 14,825 others arrested in the unrest, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that’s been monitoring the protests over the last 55 days. Iran’s government for weeks has remained silent on casualty figures while state media counterfactually claims security forces have killed no one.

Lula’s Victory: Brazil’s Military Cites Electoral Flaws, Dismisses Fraud Claims

Russian President Putin Shuns G20 Summit

Biden, Xi Meeting Good for Taiwan Strait Stability, Says Foreign Minister

Indonesia, the host of the G-20 summit, has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the gathering of the world’s twenty largest economies in person, which starts on November 15 in Bali.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Moscow, Jodi Mahardi, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, told VOA. Putin may “participate online in one of the meetings,” he added.

Putin’s virtual participation is perhaps the best-case scenario for Jakarta, which has been under extreme diplomatic pressure from the West to rescind its invitation to the Russian leader amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has resisted such pressures and instead invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to participate despite Ukraine not being a member.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Indonesia, Vasyl Hamianin, told VOA President Zelensky is “definitely” participating but still no confirmation whether he will do so in person or virtually.

Taiwan said open lines of communication would reduce the risks of miscalculation in the Taiwan Strait as US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are prepared to have their first in-person meeting since taking office, on the margins of next week’s G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

“If the senior leaders or the president, the vice president of the United States are able to speak with the Chinese leaders to address the concerns about the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait or China’s violation of the status quo, I think it’s going to be very helpful to regional peace,” Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told VOA State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching in a recent exclusive interview.

“There’s been no official contact between Taiwan and China for quite some time. If the United States is able to talk to the Chinese side some of the concerns on the Taiwanese side, that will be very helpful to Taiwan as well,” he added.

Tuesday, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang ahead of the planned Biden-Xi meeting.

China Refuses to Pay into Climate Fund for Developing Countries

Court Drops $60m Fraud Case Against Kenya’s Deputy President

China Wednesday said it would not pay into a climate loss and damage fund for developing nations after small island nations cited its responsibility as a high carbon emitter at the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt, COP27.

On behalf of the Association of Small Island States, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Tuesday called for major greenhouse gas emitters China and India to chip in for a fund to compensate poor countries for the consequences of climate change.

It was the first time developing nations have included China and India, among countries financially accountable for emissions.

Beijing would support such a mechanism, but would not pay cash into the loss and damage fund, Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua said Wednesday.

Xie added that China is not obliged to contribute but reiterated the country’s alignment with developing nations in seeking such fund from developed countries.

Despite being the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter China has long been categorized as a developing nation and is put into the same group with developing countries at COP for climate discussions.

China has contributed to about 13 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions since the start of the industrial revolution, while the United States and the EU account for over 20 per cent each.

A court in Kenya has allowed prosecutors to withdraw a $60 million fraud case against the country’s deputy president, who was elected in August.

Anti-corruption court magistrate Victor Wakumile cited insufficient evidence Thursday in granting the request to withdraw the corruption case against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua was charged with corruption in July of last year with nine other people and companies and was released after depositing cash bail equal to about $100,000. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Earlier this month, Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions Nordin Haji asked the court to allow the withdrawal of the corruption charges against the newly elected deputy president.

The court, however, has warned the accused persons that they may be rearrested in the future over the same charges should investigators find evidence.

Prosecutors have withdrawn a number of cases involving allies of President William Ruto since Ruto was elected president and formed Kenya’s new government.

Taliban Bans Women from Afghanistan’s Gyms The Taliban are banning women from using gyms in Afghanistan, an official in Kabul said Thursday, the religious group’s latest edict cracking down on women’s rights

and freedoms since they took power more than a year ago.

The Taliban overran the country last year, seizing power in August 2021. Despite initial promises to the contrary, they have banned girls from middle and high school, restricted women from most fields of employment, and ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public.

A Ministry of Virtue and Vice spokesman said the ban was being introduced because people were ignoring gender segregation orders and women were not wearing the required headscarf or hijab. Women are also banned from parks.

The ban on women using gyms and parks came into force this week, according to Mohammed Akef Mohajer, a Talibanappointed spokesman for the Ministry of Virtue and Vice.

The group has “tried its best” over the past 15 months to avoid closing parks and gyms for women, ordering separate days of the week for male and female access or imposing gender segregation, he said.

Pakistan Ex-PM Khan’s Supporters Resume Protest March After Assassination Attempt Thousands of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s supporters resumed a protest march Thursday on the capital, Islamabad, to push for early elections a week after an assassination attempt on the 70-year-old opposition leader halted the rally.

The so-called “real freedom movement” set off from Wazirabad, the same place in Punjab province where Khan was shot on November 3.

The cricket-star-turned populist politician suffered bullet wounds to his leg and is still recovering at home in the provincial capital, Lahore. The shooting left a member of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PT) party dead and 13 others injured.

Khan addressed the marchers virtually Thursday and reiterated his allegations that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major-General Faisal Naseer, an official in the military-led spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence or ISI, had plotted the attack to kill him. Khan again alleged he had information from within Pakistani intelligence agencies that a plot was being hatched to assassinate him.

Iran Protests Rage on As Officials Renew Threats Protests in Iran raged on streets into Thursday, with demonstrators remembering a bloody crackdown in the country’s southeast,

The defence ministry has put out a report highlighting flaws in Brazil’s electoral systems and proposing improvements, but there is nothing to substantiate fraud claims from some of President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters protesting his October 30 defeat.

The document released Wednesday was the first comment by the military on the runoff election, which has drawn protests nationwide even as the transition has begun for President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s inauguration January 1. Thousands have been gathering outside military installations in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia and other cities, calling for intervention by the armed forces to keep Bolsonaro in office.

When the defence ministry announced this week that it would present its report on the election, some Bolsonaro supporters rejoiced, anticipating the imminent revelation of a smoking gun. That didn’t happen.

“There is nothing astonishing in the document,” Diego Aranha, an associate professor of systems security at Aarhus University in Denmark, who has been a member of the Brazilian electoral authority’s public security tests, told The Associated Press.

“The limitations found are the same ones analysts have been complaining about for decades ... but that doesn’t point to evidence of irregularity.”

Ukraine: Key Town in Strategic Mykolaiv Region Recaptured Ukraine Thursday claimed the recapture of its southern town of Snihurivka from Russia, the last remaining town under Russian occupation in the Mykolaiv region and a strategic location leading to Kherson.

“Today, on November 10, Snihurivka was liberated by the forces of the 131st Separate Intelligence Battalion. Glory to Ukraine!” a soldier shouted as civilians clapped and cheered, according to Reuters. The video’s location, shared by the Ukrainian national television and posted on social media, was verified by Reuters but not the date the video was taken.

Russia’s defence minister said Wednesday that Moscow’s troops were retreating from the key southern Ukraine city of Kherson, although Ukrainian officials expressed scepticism that a full withdrawal was underway from the lone regional capital Russia had captured since its invasion last February.

Despite Russia’s announcement of withdrawal from the area, Ukraine’s officials say they are erring on the side of caution and suspect it could be a Kremlin trap.

Although such a withdrawal would be a major setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden would not say Wednesday whether this would prompt Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow.

30 4

T H I S D AY

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

GUARDING AGAINST ANOTHER EBOLA OUTBREAK A good personal hygiene is essential

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borders in the country, particularly because Ebola ollowing incidences of the Ebola Virus is deadlier than COVID-19. According to Dr. Moses Disease in Uganda, the Nigeria Centre Adewumi, a virologist at the University of Ibadan, for Disease Control and Prevention “We don’t have to wait for alert. We are already in (NCDC), last week stepped up a belt. Uganda is a neigbouring country and we all preparation against possible outbreak in know that infectious diseases can’t be stopped by the country. In a public health advisory boundaries.” by its Director General, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, NCDC Ebola is a communicable disease and has the said the outbreak of the Sudan strain in Uganda, risk of international spread. The disease can be last September risked being imported into Nigeria. spread through human to human contact, through “Based on available data and risk assessment travels, migrations and the movement of animals. conducted, Nigeria is at high risk of importation of It has similar symptoms like malaria: fever, sore the virus,” said Adetifa. “This risk is due to the large throat, headache, vomiting, etc. The virus spreads volume of air travel between Nigeria and Uganda by contact with infected and the mixing of EORRG DQG ERG\ ÁXLGV passengers, especially at and it takes between two the regional travel hubs Notwithstanding the preparations of the authorities to contain Ebola, days to three weeks before of Nairobi, Addis Ababa, the complete symptoms and Kigali airports, and we urge Nigerians to continue to observe good hygienic behaviour that manifest. the additional risk from Many Nigerians and includes regular handwashing and general environmental cleanliness other neighbouring indeed the international countries that share community commended a direct border with the federal government Uganda, should cases and the health authorities for their swift response T H I S D AY arise in other countries in the region.” in dealing with the outbreak in 2015. The EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU :H UHFDOO WKDW WKH ÀUVW (EROD RXWEUHDN EHWZHHQ DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA appropriateness of the response saved the lives of 2014 and 2015 infected 28,616 people and claimed MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO many Nigerians. But same cannot be said of the 11,310 lives. The current outbreak in Uganda, DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU outbreak of meningitis thereafter, where the health coming few days before the EVD in the Democratic CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI authorities were evidently caught unawares. That Republic of Congo was declared over, has already EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN epidemic claimed more than 1000 lives.

MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI claimed 34 lives with more than a hundred others THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE Thus, notwithstanding the preparations of the infected. The previous reports of Ebola infections authorities to contain Ebola, we urge Nigerians in Uganda also triggered an alert in neighbouring to continue to observe good hygienic behaviour countries as Goma, a major transport hub and a that includes regular handwashing and general border town between the Congo and Rwanda is a T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D environmental cleanliness. The sanitisers that EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA SRSXODU GHVWLQDWLRQ SRLQW DQG ÁLJKW URXWH IRU PDQ\ GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, disappeared from the banks’ entrances, schools, Nigerians.

ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI R΀FHV WKH WKHUPRPHWHUV WKDW KDG EHHQ ZLWKGUDZQ Nigeria’s index case of the outbreak in 2015 was DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, from the local and international and local airports D /LEHULDQ GLSORPDW 3DWULFN 6DZ\HU ZKR ÁHZ LQWR ANTHONY OGEDENGBE as well as other border entries should be restored as the country carrying the virus unchecked – a single DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI a means of constantly monitoring people until the SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH act that caused the deaths of eight persons and viral disease is exterminated.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI wreaked enormous economic havoc. :H FDQQRW DͿRUG DQRWKHU (EROD RXWEUHDN LQ It is in the bid to avoid another outbreak that CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO Nigeria. medical experts are calling on the federal government TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com to increase the surveillance system across all

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 NDAYEBO’S EXIT: VALHALLA OPENED TOO SOON Life is like money, some people will never know what it means to spend it. For the likes of Danladi Ndayebo, the former commissioner for Information during the administration of governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state, he spent every single currency of life during his short stay on earth imparting positively to serve God and humanity. Valhalla gates however opened too soon for this great media warrior.

Danladi Ndayebo has indeed transited beyond our wretched physical human form. The amiable media general took an early bow at a time his fountain of knowledge is required. The traditional media space has indeed lost one of its best to the cold hands of death.

In the mix of all the pain his sudden passing has caused, I am sure heaven has gained a gem while we mourn his exit.

It is indeed a fact that the dead have the greatest number of the best of humanity. The world can only try to repopulate and replicate but the Ndayebos of today are more on the other side. I have no doubt he is surely with his peers, the best of them all, the shakers and movers of their time. They are up LQ WKH VN\ VPLOLQJ GRZQ DW WKH UHVW RI XV ZKR DUH À[DWHG ZLWK WKH XQHQGLQJ FKRUH RI ÀQGLQJ D SDWK WR WKH HYROYLQJ ZRUOG RI

constant change. They are happy to receive him, he has gone to rest! , ZLOO DOZD\V UHPHPEHU 1GD\HER DV D SUROLÀF ZULWHU RUDtor and distinguished gentleman. I worked with him while I as a reporter with Daily Trust newspaper. We also worked together as a team in the media unit at government house, Niger State. We had an excellent working relationship. He was DͿDEOH LQWHOOLJHQW DQG RQH RI WKH EHVW MRXUQDOLVWV , KDYH HYHU worked with. Very creative and always pushing against the tide to give the global best media perspective. His meteoric rise from mainstream journalism, special assistant, press secretary to commissioner for information was indeed based on hard work, commitment and professional passion.

His record as one of the top shots in Leadership newspaper prior to his series of political appointments stood him in a galaxy exclusively reserved for the best in their chosen career.

He was quick at critical thinking, smart in connecting the dots and articulate in presentation of ideas designed at result seeking. I am indeed glad I shared the same space with a media colossus like Ndayebo and at the same time saddened by his early exit from this world.

I recall that receiving the mantle of leadership from Danladi in the year 2014 as Chief Secretary to Dr Aliyu, was indeed the height of my professional litmus test. I knew I had to race quickly to spread myself across the space he once occupied. I had no time to celebrate my appointment because I had to contend with bringing myself to the realm Ndayebo once occupied and to also hit the ground running to manage a powerful personality like Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu. You must be good in writing speeches, excellent in writing press statements within the shortest period of time and be information seeking to know the next moves from opposition forces in their unending media attacks.

I am sure Ndayebo transitioned to the other side with the gallantry of a warrior, preparing himself for the Valhalla that awaits him without fear. He was a man of strong conviction, insurmountable energy, unrivaled resilience who appreciates life at the value of human contribution which he knows can end at any time.

Israel Ayegba Ebije was Chief Press Secretary to Dr Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Niger state

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022

27

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

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

08056356325

N O V E M B E R

S & P INDEX

1 0 , 2 0 2 2

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

10.25%

INDEX LEVEL

613.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.85%

N416.86/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

9.56%

1-DAY

0.16%

YEAR TO DATE

7.64%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10.52%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.44%

As Yuletide Approaches, Nigerian Carriers Acquire More Aircraft to Meet High Season Demands

Chinedu Eze In order to meet the envisaged high passenger demand during the Christmas season when passenger traffic more than double that of the previous months, Nigerian airlines have started acquiring more aircraft to meet the expected surge in passenger movement.

THISDAY learnt that some of these airlines have leased aircraft while some are in the process of leasing.

Some others, THISDAY learnt, are bringing back their aircraft earlier sent out for major maintenance, which exercise has been completed.

Since 2022 there have been

recorded depletion of operating aircraft to the extent that by July this year all operating aircraft in scheduled domestic commercial service was put at 28, but indication shows that the number in the aircraft fleet of Nigerian carriers has started increasing.

It was learnt that in addition of having the highest number of operating aircraft, Air Peace recently acquired four Airbus A320s and intends to add more before the height of the season in December.

Competent sources told THISDAY that Ibom Air is expected to have additional two Airbus A320 land in Nigeria before the end of this weekend.

In an exclusive chart with THISDAY, United Nigeria Airlines spokesman, Achilles Uchegbu, said the airline is expected to bring in additional aircraft in the next two weeks.

Also the Head of Communications, Arik Air, Adebanji Ola, told THISDAY that the airline has made adequate preparation for the high season and would certainly add more aircraft to its existing fleet.

It was earlier projected that that if the current cost of ticket, which base fare is now N75, 000 continued, it would rise to N200, 000 for one hour flight because of surging demand at that time.

Currently fares rise to over N100, 000 if bought 48 hours

or less before flight time and industry insiders attributed it to inadequate equipment, the high exchange rate and high cost of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1.

Experts project that passenger traffic in air travel would have depleted to about 40 per cent of the current statistics if other means of travel like the road were safe, noting that the high airfares are not connected to demand and supply principles but exigencies that have to do with high exchange rate, the cost of aviation fuel, the cost of maintenance, scarcity of dollars and limited operating hours due to many sunset airports.

The genesis of the high cost of fares and relatively fewer

number of equipment could be traced to the impact of COVID-19 during the lockdown, industry experts said.

The industry insiders said airlines spent hugely to resume flights after the lockdown in training to prepare for flight service that was safe from spreading the pandemic.

They got involved in the procurement of COVID-19 kits and other attendant stringent measures, including vacating middle seats in the aircraft.

By the time the lockdown came to an end, aircraft that were still airworthy after servicing them for operation became due for C-Check. C-check is compulsory after 18 months, according to

the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Before the lockdown, airlines like Air Peace already had some of its aircraft ferried overseas for checks, due to the lockdown, maintenance facilities were not working and after the lockdown they were not quickly returned for service.

Some existing operational aircraft in Nigeria then became due for C-check.

Then the Nigerian economy was hit by scarcity of forex, which value astronomically began to rise against the naira and made it very difficult for airlines to source dollars to pay and bring back their aircraft.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

Young Chae: Korea-Nigeria Bilateral Trade to Hit $2.4bn by End of 2022 Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The bilateral trade between Nigeria and world’s 10th biggest economy, South Korea is expected to reach over $2.4 billion by the end of the year.

The Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Nigeria, Kim Young chae made this disclosure at the occasion of the Korean National

Day in Abuja.

He said the growth represented a 20 per cent increase in bilateral trade between both countries.

Kim said the growth in trade between both nations is driven by the activities of about 20 Korean companies that are currently doing business in Nigeria.

He said that both Daewoo ENC,

which is a major partner of the Nigerian government in the oil and gas sector and Samsung Heavy Industry invested more than $300 million to build an ultra modern shipyard at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

He said Korea considers Nigeria as a strategic partner because the West African country is Africa’s biggest economy with the world’s

sixth largest population of over 200 million and abundant natural resources.

He noted that Nigeria is improving its environment to attract foreign direct investment, focusing on manufacturing and agriculture, adding in 1960 when it became an independent nation, its economy was similar to Korea’s.

He said the Korean Cultural Centre, Abuja is reaching out to more Nigerians by signing MoUs with universities and three television stations, noting with great satisfaction, the rising popularity of Korean music, movie and drama among Nigerians, particularly among young generation.

“Our development agency KOICA

is expanding its activities in training, education, e-government and humanitarian assistance. More than 2,500 Nigerian government officials have enjoyed study opportunities in Korea under the KOICA Training Program.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 2 2 BILLS

BONDS DESCRIPTION Price ^14.20 14MAR-2024 13.53 23MAR-2025 ^12.50 22JAN-2026 ^16.2884 17MAR-2027 ^13.98 23FEB-2028

Yield

98.83

15.14

98.04

14.51

94.22

14.80

105.26

14.60

97.32

14.71

Change Updated Time (%) 3, 0.69 November 2022 3, 0.00 November 2022 3, 0.00 November 2022 3, 0.00 November 2022 3, 0.00 November 2022

MATURITY NTB 10Nov-22 NTB 26-Jan23 NTB 9-Feb23 NTB 9-Mar23 NTB 27-Apr23

Discount 8.00

8.01

10.85

11.13

8.32

8.51

8.96

9.24

Change Updated Time (%) November 3, -5.13 2022 November 3, 0.00 2022 November 3, 0.00 2022 November 3, 0.00 2022

8.37

November 3, -0.01 2022

8.05

Yield

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS MATURITY DLMG CP IV 11-NOV-22 FDHP CP III 17-MAR-23 VHPL CP III 1-APR-23

Change Updated Time (%) November 3, -0.01 2022 21.76 21.86 November 3, 15.24 16.14 0.03 2022 November 3, 19.28 20.93 0.04 2022

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CONTRACT TENOR Contract (MONTH) NGUS NOV 30 1 2022 NGUS DEC 28 2 2022 NGUS JAN 25 3 2023 NGUS FEB 22 4 2023 NGUS MAR 29 5 2023

Current Rate Updated Time ($/₦) November 3, 454.73 2022 November 3, 456.93 2022 November 3, 459.12 2022 November 3, 461.32 2022 November 3, 463.51 2022

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AIR WATCH

Reps Frown at Exclusion of NAMA from 2023 Budgetary Allocation Chinedu Eze The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has decried the exclusion of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) from 2023 budgetary allocation, asking the Minister of Aviation to give clarifications on it.

The Committee Chairman, Honourable Nnolim Nnaji, while describing NAMA as a critical safety arm of the aviation sector that should not be ignored, stated this during the committee’s 2023 budget defence meeting with the Minister of Aviation, Senator HadiSirika, who led the

Ministry officials to the National Assembly Tuesday.

The Chairman’s remarks were prompted by the omission of the agency in the 2023 appropriation Bill, which according to him, would be corrected.

He however stressed the need for the Minister of Aviation, Senator HadiSirika to give clarification on the exclusion of NAMA in the 2023 federal budge even as he added that his Committee was already deliberating on the issue with Senate committee counterpart to ensure that the anomaly was rectified during appropriation process.

Nnaji noted that the prevailing security challenges have put enormous pressure on the available infrastructures in the industry and as such the country could not afford to neglect the needs of a safety agency like NAMA. The committee chairman disclosed that the committee would critically examine the performance of the Ministry’s budget from 2020 to 2022 because some of the projects had been on-going since 2020.

He stressed that the committee expected that the current budget performance report should comprise the full implementation details of the two previous budget years.

A I R WATCH

As Dana Air Rejoins Flight Service

‘Abuja Airport Second Runway to be Delivered in Six Months’ The National Assembly Joint Committees on aviation has been assured of the completion of the N92 billion second Abuja International Airport runway, before the exit of the current regime.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika gave the assurance recently during an oversight visit to the airport by the joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives led

by Senator Abiodun Olujimi and Honourable Nnolim Nnaji.

Sirika who conducted members of the committees of the two Chambers of the National Assembly round the on going projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, disclosed that the contractor for the second runway, Chinese Civil Engineering

Construction Company, (CCECC) had been fully mobilised.

Both chairmen stressed that the Construction of the second Abuja Airport’s runway was long overdue considering the strategic importance of the airport to the nation.

Nnaji who sought the commitment of the contractor that the project would be completed on schedule observed that Abuja being the admistrative capital of Nigeria, coupled with its growing economy, could no longer cope with a single airport runway.

The CCECC project manager, Yang Yantao, while responding to Honourable Nnaji’s demand on the runway, stressed that with proper funding, the CCECC would deliver the runway and all the components

in six months.

Senate Olujimi also used the occasion of the visit to assure the minister that the committees of both Chambers would do whatever possible to restore the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) back on federal budget because of its critical role to the safety of air navigation.

Senator Sirika had earlier in his remarks applauded the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation for their continued supports to the aviation sector.

The legislators equally inspected the airport’s cargo terminal and the multi story car park both of which were at the advance stages of completion before departing back to the National Assembly.

Euro pe P ro sp e rs fro m Connectivity Policies, Says IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments and regulators to encourage stronger European cohesion and economic development by embracing policies to promote greater air connectivity.

Key to this is recognising the different strengths and benefits offered by the diverse types of carriers operating in Europe.

IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, said: “Europe, just like the rest of the world, relies on air connectivity, which is vital for society, tourism, and trade. Business users of the European air transport network-large and small—have confirmed this in a recent IATA survey: 82 per cent say that access to global

supply chains is existential for their business. And 84 per cent cannot imagine doing business without access to air transport networks.

The deregulation that delivered the Single Aviation Market is one of the significant successes of the European project and it would be a travesty if regulations that failed to take proper account of the realities of the airline business were to undermine this achievement.

New evidence shows that Europe benefits from many different kinds of airlines and it needs all these different business models and the services they provide to thrive.”

European regulators have chosen to tackle several challenging air

transport issues in the coming months, including airport slots, passenger rights, and sustainability.

These all have a potential impact on the choice and value that European travelers have come to expect, and it is vital that regulators have the full picture on the contribution different airline business models bring to air connectivity. To assist policymakers, IATA Economics developed a report analysing the extent of the connectivity provided

by Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs) and network carriers in Europe.

The report shows that they offer different and complimentary types of connectivity, while also competing on many popular routes.

FindMech Mobile App Launched to Address Automobile Needs, Maintenance Emma Okonji

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

A mobile app known as FindMech has been launched in Lagos to address the needs of vehicle owners in areas of maintenance and repairs of vehicles by a team of professional automobile technicians.

The app, which is a platform for vehicle owners, fleet owners and professional automobile technicians, including automobile spare parts dealers, enables vehicle owners to locate the nearest automobile technician, when in need of car repairs, maintenance, or purchase of genuine automobile parts.

Speaking at the launch of the mobile app in Lagos on Wednesday, the Managing Director, FindMech App, Mr. Dipo Akinfaye, said the app was locally developed to address the needs of vehicle owners, who want to repair their cars or carry out routine maintenance on their cars, without having difficulties in locating a professional and tested automobile

mechanic in the neighbourhood.

“FindMech App is a locationbased app that will also enable car owners to quickly locate a professional automobile technician in the neighbourhood, when there is a sudden breakdown of the car while in motion. The app is a platform where professional automobile technicians are registered to offer various automobile services that range from engine repairs, car maintenance, purchase of genuine automobile spare parts, panel beating, painting and general body work, including automobile electrical works,” Akinfaye said.

According to him, each technician will be trained, tested and verified as competent automobile technician with good character, before registering such person on the platform. He said the technicians would be trained frequently on how best to build and maintain customer relationship as well as maintain trust.

Chinedu Eze Last week, Nigeria’s major carrier, Dana Air resumed operation nearly four months after it stopped service. Air travellers who spoke to THISDAY said they were relieved that the airline is back on the skies again.

They told THISDAY that the return of Dana Air means that airfares would come down, as more airlines join the market. They also expressed hope that the airline would continue with its inimitable inflight service.

Some of the persons who spoke to THISDAY at the domestic terminal of the Lagos airport also expressed hope that Aero Contractors would soon take to the skies so that airfares would come down further, believing that the more airlines that fly the more the fares will become competitive.

A traveller, who joined Dana Air’s first flight, told THISDAY that the airline is his favorite; so immediately he heard the announcement that the airline would resume flight operations, he bought its tickets.

Dana Air in July this year was grounded for technical issues but mainly for debts it owed the regulatory authority, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over ticket service charge and cargo service charge that accrued into millions of naira. The airline offset substantial part of the debts and signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how to offset the remaining debts.

According to NCAA, airlines are hugely indebted to the agency. When Azman Air was grounded at about the same period, it offset some of the debts and also signed MoU. Inside NCAA source told THISDAY that all the airlines indebted to NCAA must sign MoU on how they would offset the debts.

“Those airlines that have outstanding debts must sign MoU on how they will pay it. We are doing it gradually. As their licence expires we subject them to signing the MoU before the licence will be renewed. Azman Air has signed. Max Air is about to sign now because they want to renew their licence. So they must sign it,” the NCAA official told THISDAY. Meanwhile, Dana Air has announced that it is celebrating its 14th anniversary by gifting free tickets onboard its flights for 30 days from the 10th of November 2022.

Dana Air said it commenced scheduled flight operations on the 10th of November 2008, with an unrivaled on-time performance, world-class in-flight service as its unique selling points and have steadily grown its fleet to about 9 aircraft with over 9 million passengers flown in the last 14 years.

According to the Accountable Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Dana Air, Ememobong Ettete, “We want to first appreciate all our travel partners, loyal customers, vendors, and most importantly our staff for keeping fate with us and believing in the brand - Dana Air, without them, there is no us.

“We are resilient, dogged and passionate about what we know how to do best, which is flying safely, and this is just to reassure the flying

public that we are back, better and improved.”

The airline said that there is no better way to celebrate the last 14 years than to appreciate all those who have stood by the airline both in its smooth and challenging times and it would be giving out free tickets onboard its flights for the next 30 days. ‘’We remain eternally grateful to our staff for being loyal, professional and very understanding in the course of our recent audit. The successful completion of the audit is a huge blessing to the flying public as the generic fares are relatively low and stable now and we will offer superior options, competitive fares, more capacity from now till the yuletide and beyond,’’ Ettete further said.

Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines with a varied fleet of Boeing aircraft and daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Owerri.

On Wednesday when it resumed flight service it said that it had to start operations after a successful conclusion of the audit organised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

“We are pleased to announce that we will resume flights operations on November 9th, having successfully concluded an audit organised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,” Ettete said.

According to him, “The audit for us was a re-engineering and restructuring process and having successfully concluded the audit and an extensive one at that for the second time, and with a new management team fully in charge, we are now well positioned despite the current challenges and hostile economic environment, and concentrating fully on strengthening our operations efficiently for sustainable growth while still offering safe, reliable and exciting flying experience to our loyal guests.’’

He added, ‘’As a proudly Nigerian brand with Nigerians at the helm of affairs and with over 14 years service to the Nigerian flying public, we remain eternally grateful to our customers, travel partners, clients and vendors for keeping faith with us while the audit lasted and we would never take your loyalty and support for granted as it means a lot to us.’

“We wish to also express our profound gratitude to the NCAA for the painstaking Audit process and the professionalism exhibited by the team of inspectors and also the management personnel who stayed sometimes beyond their official closing times to see that we do what is needed to be done properly and in good time during the course of the Audit process.”

The airline said the audit repositioned it as a vibrant and resilient brand and it turned out really good for the airline and for the industry at large and recommending the audit for all domestic airlines for the good of the industry.

“For customers with unused tickets, and as a little token for our short absence from the market, we have extended their validity for one year, a transfer option is also available to them and we shall be offering competitive fares as always, and gifting free tickets onboard our flights for the next 30 days from November 9th,” the airline said in a statement.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022

29

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

Export: NPA Processing Terminals to The Rescue Nigeria’s first Export Processing Terminal at Lilypond in Ijora, commissioned last week by the Nigerian Ports Authority, will ensure prompt and seamless processing of export cargoes accessing Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos, writes Eromosele Abiodun

E

ver the years, efforts by Nigeria to import less and export more have not yielded any tangible results. This is despite several measures put in place by successive governments.

Some of the very important role export plays in an economy include increase productivity, provides employment, improves trade balance and expands the growth of a nation’s economy.

Hence, the diversification of the economy from oil to non-oil export is imperative. This is currently the focus of the federal government.

The government wants the development of non-oil export process that is expected to play significant role in revamping the ailing economy.

But to make exports to be one of the main stay of the Nigerian economy, the ports will play a vital role. The sea is the medium through which goods are transported to various parts of the world. Seaports in relation to trade are major gateways to the economy of Nigeria, hence, play an important role in the development of the country. Freight types are mainly containerised cargoes, general cargoes, roll-on-roll-off cargoes and petroleum products. In Nigeria, ports across the country handle specific cargos. In recent years, general cargo were handled mostly by Tin Can Island Port, dry cargo by Apapa port and liquid cargo by Okrika port. Apapa port accounts for 30 per cent of cargo throughput in the Nigerian seaports. This form of port specialisation has implications for the provision of facilities at the ports.

Between 1990 and 2005, there was an increase in the cargo throughput, container traffic, net registered and gross registered tonnage of vessels at the ports and crude oil terminals.

Major problems affecting freight traffic include inadequate cargo handling plants and equipment, long turnaround time, cargo pilferage and excessive charges.

EXPORT PROCESSING TERMINAL In a bid to address some of the problems highlighted above and boost exports, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) last week commissioned Nigeria’s first Export Processing Terminal at Lilypond in Ijora, Lagos.

The facility, the NPA said, will ensure prompt and seamless processing of export cargoes accessing Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos.

Speaking, the Managing Director of the NPA, Mohammed Belo-Koko stated that the Export Processing Terminal will further enhance Nigeria’s non-oil exports currently in the region of $2.5 billion.

Bello-Koko said the export terminal will help Nigeria optimise the benefits inherent in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement as greater efficiency will be infused into the logistics surrounding the entry of export boxes into the ports for onward loading on vessels.

Bello-Koko who commissioned the terminal, said the facility will help to reduce wastages and rejection of Nigerian export goods, and also reduce the time wasted before exports gain access to the port.

According to him, there have been several cases of rejection of export originating from Nigeria, which could be attributed to time wastages and spending longer time at the port, but the terminal will ensure speedy processing of exports.

He added that the initiative is in line with the NPA’s commitment to the implementation of the National Action Plan on agro-export and the federal government’s desire to diversify the national economy from oil to non-oil export.

He said the NPA is also working to integrate the Central Bank of Nigeria’s NXP (Nigeria Export Proceed Form) into the electronic call-up regime.

According to him, “The need for Export Processing Terminals is underscored by the limitations of current port facilities in the Lagos area which are operating beyond their built capacity for cargo handling. The export terminals will serve as holding areas positioned in Lagos and Ogun States to help exporters prepare the arrival at port terminals in view

MD NPA, Bello-Koko of the traffic management challenges that are visible in Lagos.”

He said the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has served as the technical partner of the NPA through the journey of setting up the terminals.

Also, he applauded the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), for creating an export command, saying that the authority will work with the Customs’ export command to bring up seamless modalities that will govern export trade.

“We are also working to integrate barge and train movements to complete the circle in collaboration with Nigerian Customs. The movement of export boxes from the Lilypond Export Terminal shall be directly through Warehouse Road to cut down on time for arrival at the port. Similarly, movement of export boxes to Tin-Can Island Port shall be from the DiamondStar consolidation point at Emmadunamix Terminal in Okota,”he added.

in our GDP, ”she said.

She advised exporters of agro-based products to adhere to both regional and international market standards to enable them to compete favourably in the international market.

In his opening remarks, Managing Director of Diamond Star Port and Terminals Limited, Olatunji Baale said the company has the capability and competence to render prompt services to exporters and other stakeholders in the value chain.

He promised that there would be seamless delivery of export boxes, and the terminal is a one-stop-shop that houses all the government agencies in the export value chain.

Baale said that the terminal can handle about 50,000 boxes of export containers on a weekly basis, and will help to grow Nigeria’s export trade by reducing the trade imbalance.

AGRO EXPORT TERMINALS Three days after the Processing Terminal

DRIVING NON-OIL EXPORT at Lilypond in Ijora was flagged off, the NPA Also, speaking, Executive Director/CEO of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Ezra Yakusak, who was represented by Haruna Ali, said the terminal will help to create more room to increase the volume of non-oil export in Nigeria.

On her part, Assistant Comptroller General NCS, Zone A, Adeyanju Aremu, said the service had developed Standard Operating Procedure in line with global standards to remove impediments along the export value chain.

Aremu however urged the users of the port to take advantage of Customs’ commitment to the facilitation of legitimate trade to excel in their business and put Nigeria on the global map of top non-oil exporters.

“We are confident this terminal will serve the purpose for which it was established as the initiative is quite apt and coming at a time the country really needs a paradigm shift.

Nigeria is no doubt blessed with enormous natural agro-based resources which if well harnessed can lead to accelerated growth

approved five export processing terminals (EPT) to boost the nation’s agro export.

At the public presentation of export processing terminal licenses in Lagos, Mohammed Bello-Koko explained that movement of agro export boxes arriving the ports from Lagos & Ogun states shall only be allowed into the ports from any of the five Export Processing Terminals.

Koko who was represented by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Mr. Onari Brown, said for export containers arriving from the Domestic Export Warehouses (DEWs) located across the country, the NPA is committed to receiving export containers subject to compliance with the traffic management put in place by the Lagos State Government in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority.

“We have found the partnership with Lagos State Government very effective in taming the traffic gridlock and we are desirous of ensuring the export boxes which represents important deliverable for us and the Federal Government work in

sync with the structure for the mutual benefit of the state, national economy and Nigerian export community,” he said.

He added: “For our terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders, you have been fully briefed on the procedure for ensuring success of the Federal Government National Action Plan on agro - export development in the country. You have a responsibility to ensure strict compliance in this regard.”

He added that the official presentation is a testament of the NPA’s unflinching resolve to transform Nigeria’s export potentials into actualities.

“We are presenting operational licenses to five EPTs namely; Messrs. Diamondstar Port & Terminals Limited, Messrs. Esslibra Terminal, Messrs. Sundial Global Trade & Service Limited, Messrs. Bellington Cargo Limited and Messrs. Tenzik Energy Limited.

These terminals are to support our ongoing efforts to create the enabling environment that will scale-up our export development initiative,” he added.

He noted that the procedure for licensing the terminals commenced in April 2021 after 30 companies expressed interest.

He pointed out that the inspection committee and the Project Delivery Team (PDT) following a thorough engagement including presentation by prospective companies arrived at a list of 10 companies, which were subsequently granted approval to join the Lilypond Export Processing Terminal.

According to him, only five out of 11 companies have met its stringent conditions and would be granted formal certification, stressing that the remaining six who hold provisional licenses would unfortunately be dropped at the end of this month if they fail to meet its standard to allow the NPA consider other applicants on its waiting list.

“This journey has not been easy but we have insisted on ensuring that only venture capitalist willing to deploy appropriate resources can make the cup. We have also used this project to encourage local content in the export value chain and we are proud of that. We will offer all support policy wise to ensure the growth and stability of the terminals, “he averred.

He stated that the need for the Export Processing Terminals is underscored by the limitations of current port facilities in the Lagos area which are operating beyond their ‘as built capacity’ for cargo handling, stressing that the EPTs are therefore holding areas positioned in Lagos and Ogun States to help exporters prepare their arrival at port terminals in-view of the traffic management challenges that are visible in Lagos.

In his words: “This initiative signposts the Nigerian Ports Authority’s commitment to implementation of the National Action Plan on Agro-Export and the Federal Government of Nigeria desire to diversify the national economy from oil export to non-oil exports.”

Also speaking, the Comptroller, Lilypond Export Command, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Muhammed Babandede, said Nigeria has the potential to be among the top economies of the world and also one of the top export nations across the globe, saying that the present administration is prioritising efforts to promoting exports.

“Once exports is promoted, at least there should be procedures for exports that will add to our national reserves. We cannot be a country of only import, we have to also export, we have to produce and Nigerian Customs Service is doing everything to promote the business of export, “he said.

He added: So that is why a whole command is established at the Lilypond. If there is anything that has to do with export, it will be jointly examined. The command is a onestop shop where all the relevant agencies of government are there. So once a container is examined, seen, it will go to any of the ports of the choice of the exporter and the container will be escorted by our officers and NPA security personnel.”

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AVIATION

Managing Airspace for Flight Safety Many Nigerians are anxious while travelling by air in the country. Their anxiety is occasioned by the number of air crashes, which experts have described as outrageous and tragic, considering the fact that Nigeria has relatively low air traffic. Chinedu Eze writes that government’s efforts to provide more equipment to further improve safety in the airspace should be encouraged

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any air crashes in Nigeria were attributed to infractions and communication gaps between air traffic control and the pilots and some of them were also caused by bad weather and wrong decisions taken by the pilot. But so far, there have been continuous improvement of communication, navigation and surveillance in Nigeria’s airspace.

The ADC Airlines Flight 086 (ADK086), which crashed into the lagoon on arrival to Lagos airspace from Port Harcourt on November 7, 1996 was attributed to air traffic control error because the crew of the Boeing 727.200 operating the flight lost control of the aircraft while avoiding a mid-air collision on approach with Triax aircraft. The aircraft reportedly crashed at a very high speed into the lagoon, killing 144 passengers and crew on board.

Many years ago, a cargo plane owned by Hydro Cargo was made to land on construction site on runway 18R at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. That was November 29 2003. The air traffic control asked the pilot of the aircraft to proceed and land, despite the fact that NOTAM (Notice to Air Men) indicated that the runway was closed for construction. The aircraft landed and was severely damaged. The airline went to court and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) were forced by the court to pay damages to the airline, as the accounts of these two agencies were garnisheed.

IMPROVED AIRSPACE

But since these accidents happened, so many changes have taken place in NAMA. Nigeria had established Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON), built Aeronautical Information Service and installed other safety critical equipment, including communications equipment that have contributed immensely in improving safety in the airspace.

Recently, the acting Managing Director of NAMA, Mathew Pwajok, had a chat with aviation journalists and gave detailed explanations on what the federal government has done to further secure safety in the airspace. The critical areas in airspace management are communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS). CNS/ATM is a popular term in airspace management and it stands for Communications, navigation and surveillance for Air Traffic Management. They use various systems including satellite systems, and varying levels of automation to achieve a seamless global Air Traffic Management system in the airspace.

During an interaction with aviation writers, Pwajok said: “On navigation, we have done tremendous investment knowing that most of our navigational facilities have become obsolete.

We have virtually replaced all the Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) with a minimum of Category 2 (CAT 2) Instrument Landing System.

The category two instrument landing system gives capability approach and landing visibility use up to 300 meters as against category one that requires about 800 meters for approach and landing.

“At the moment, we have done category two instrument landing system in over 10 airports.

We have done on the domestic runway of Lagos 18L. We have done in Benin, two instrument landing systems are actually installed in Benin on both runways, even on runway 23.”

The NAMA boss also disclosed that new ILS installed in Enugu, another new one (ILS CAT 2) in Maiduguri, in Sokoto, in Abuja (in runway 04), just as category 3 was installed on runway 22 of Abuja airport and Lagos runway 18R. NAMA has also installed category 2 ILS in Yola, in Sokoto, in Jos, in Minna, in Akure, in Ilorin and others.

INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM

Instrument Landing System (ILS), is a safety critical equipment, which is a standard International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) precision landing aid that is used to provide accurate azimuth (an azimuth is an angular measurement in a spherical coordinate system) and descent guidance signals for the guidance to aircraft for landing on the runway under normal or adverse weather conditions.

The higher the category of ILS the higher the visibility, Category 3 ILS will enable the pilot to see clearly with decision height lower than 100ft (30 meters) and runway visual range of

Pwajok not less that 700ft (200 meters).

According to Pwajok, “We are installing additional 3 category 3 instrument landing systems in Katsina, in Kano, and in Port Harcourt in addition to Lagos and Abuja that are operational. So for navigation, we have Doppler VOR (Voice Omnidirectional Radio Range), Doppler Very High Omni Directional Radio rate navigational guidance facility in over 10 airports as well. That also includes Maiduguri, we did Kano, we did Jos, we did Yola and we did Minna. We have also done Lagos, Benin. We have done Akure, we have done Ilorin and we have also done Jos. There are over 10 airports with brand new Doppler VOR, which have the capability for aircraft guidance within the country. We are still ongoing with the deployment of new systems of navigation to enhance access to our airports and enhance en-route navigation nationwide.”

SATELLITE BASED NAVIGATION

Pwajok said NAMA has also installed satellite-based navigation, provided a backup system for the conventional navigation or navigation based on ground systems; so what NAMA has done in the four international airports is to install what is called Performance Based Navigation (PBN) approach on both sides of the runway to provide backup in the event of a failure in any of the ground navigational systems.

Performance-based Navigation (PBN) is said to redefines the aircraft’s required navigation capability from sensor (equipment) based to performance based. The foundation for Performance Based Navigation is area navigation or RNAV. Pwajok said the satellite system would be used with the GPS (Global Positioning System) to approach and land in any runway.

“We have done over 32 airports and that included all the federal airports, basically all the states airports. I think the only airport that we have not done this navigation in Nigeria will be Jalingo airport. That has to do with some issues of lack of survey for Jalingo airport in Taraba. Otherwise, we have done performance-based navigation in all the Nigerian airports, including Zaria (Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), including the airstrip at Eket, including a military airport in Port Harcourt and a military airport in Makurdi. We are currently working with the Nigerian Air Force to assist them also in Satellite Navigation in Kaduna military airport.

“We have done the survey, we are currently

developing the procedures to ensure that any airport in Nigeria can be accessed using ground based navigational facilities or satellite based navigational facilities to increase access with these facilities in these airports. On navigation recently we implemented what we call Free Routing Airspace (FRA) in Nigeria. This is the first time in the whole of continental Africa that this concept is implemented.

“This is a new concept and the benefits it gives to airspace users is that, pilots or aircraft for airsides are able to fly a shorter route in shorter flight time reducing fuel consumption, reducing flying time, reducing distance flown, reducing Co2 emissions and reducing pilot work load. This has put Nigeria above a few countries that have been able to do this. Aircraft takes advantage of the wind direction, wind speed, fly shorter distance within our airspace following the implementation of the Free Routing Airspace, which is a newer concept aimed at assisting airlines during the coming recovery to enhance occasional efficiency globally,” the NAMA boss explained.

SURVEILLANCE

On surveillance, Pwajok said NAMA made some advancement in providing equipment and facilities that enhance surveillance in Nigeria’s airspace.

The concept of surveillance is to have a sensor (or a network of sensors) that detects aircraft, calculates their position, obtains other data (such as identification, level, etc.) and then present it to the controller on a situation display. This is what TRACON, which was built 10 years ago does. It captures the aircraft in the air, provides other information and data needed. But while TRACON has captured Nigeria’s airspace, there are lower areas the radar cannot capture, hence multi-lateration, which is described as a technique for determining a “vehicle’s” position based on measurement of the times of arrival of energy waves traveling from or to multiple system stations having been synchronized. Putting it simply, the objective for the installation of multi-lateration in the Niger Delta area

by NAMA is to capture low flying aircraft like helicopters that operate in the region and other regions in proximity. This is very critical for safety purposes.

“On surveillance, like I mentioned earlier, we were in Port Harcourt over a project geared towards wide area lateration for low flying helicopters in the Gulf of Guinea. It is

a project we started with the Federal Executive Council in October in 2018. We are in the process of concluding this project, we have to have a stakeholders’ sensitization to get the buy in, understanding of further cooperation of the operators. The surveillance system or the air-land system is for low flying helicopters.

And the beauty of this new concept, or new surveillance capability we are inheriting, is that it is to capture low flying helicopters that have increased within the Niger Delta area. And knowing the strategic nature of this sector, is its strategic nature in the economy; so we had to implement the surveillance system that will enhance the efficiency of low flying helicopters in that region.

“We incorporated what we call also the UTN system, which is unmanned aircraft system traffic management system. That is the surveillance and air traffic management that can detect drones or what is being referred to as remotely piloted aircraft systems or unmanned aircraft systems or unmanned area vehicles. We will be able to monitor them and control them within the entire Niger Delta. So it is part of the multilateration project, because we have low flying drone and also low flying manned aircraft or helicopters within the sector. Most of these low flying aircraft are carrying out some duties either logistics supplies or carrying out pipeline monitoring or inspections or also carrying out security surveillance within the Niger Delta. So this lateration project provides the opportunity for surveillance or monitoring or control of both manned aircraft and unmanned aircraft operating within that area and exploration activities,” Pwajok explained.

He said in the area of surveillance that it is one of the key projects that has reached probably 80 per cent implementation. He also explained that the moment the equipment is being installed, the transmitters, receivers are spread over 29 locations covering the entire Niger Delta. And the system would be centralised in Port Harcourt in three sectors to cover the entire Niger Delta.

“In surveillance also we are currently doing an upgrade of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, the TRACON project. The project as you well know was commissioned in 2010 October and since then we have not been able to do an upgrade. So we are upgrading the system to what we refer to as Top Sky Radar System, to improve on the functionality of the system, improve on the efficiency of the system and also increase air traffic management capacity.

The system will come automated as against what we currently have, where air traffic controllers drive the traffic manually. With upgraded system, which we are going to do, they will have the capacity to use electronic drive progress. That will reduce workload on the air traffic controllers and reduce pressure on the pilots and it becomes digital functionalities that will avail the air traffic controllers with additional information that they don’t need to ask the pilot. Information that can be extracted automatically and this will be included in the system to reduce the pressure on both sides.

It will also reduce voice communication, congestion by air traffic controllers asking pilots for certain information like aircraft type, registration, operating company, nationality, persons on board. These are all the information the air traffic controllers try to get to be able to give statistics in the industry. With the upgrade of this system, most of these data, if not all, will be available automatically and reduce the pressure of asking the pilot for all these kind of information. The upgrade of the system will be in the nine radar sites covering the entire Nigeria. These sites are in Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Maiduguri, Talata Mafarawa, Obubra; nine locations where we have the total coverage.

It will be hardware and a software upgrade.

The project is already in progress and we have to increase to improve safety, efficiency and capacity of the air traffic management system. In surveillance also, we have done the automatic dependence surveillance contract covering the entire airspace using satellite surveillance. We are also planning to implement what we call Space Based Automatic Dependence Surveillance Broadcast, other layer of surveillance that will enhance the total coverage as a backup, the ground radar system in line with ICAO requirement for ensuring redundancy in every system that we implement,” Pwajok further stated.

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WEEKLY MAGAZINE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022

NEWS BusyBee Holds 6th Businesss Summit November 15th See page 33

METRO Tackling Get-rich-quick Syndrome amongst Youths through Wealth Creation See page 34

POLSCOPE Nyesom Wike: The Portrait of Vengeful Governor See page 35

Idris Olorunnimbe: Group Features Editor: CHIEMELIE EZEOBI chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com om

07010510430

Driving Holistic Change in the Creative Sector

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COVER

Idris Olorunnimbe: Driving Holistic Change in the Creative Sector ÎÜÓÝ ÖÙÜßØØÓ×ÌÏ ÓÝ ÞÒÏ ÜÙßÚ ÒÓÏÐ âÏÍßÞÓàÏ ÙÐ ÒÏ Ï×ÚÖÏ ËØËÑÏ×ÏØÞ Ù×ÚËØã ËØÎ Ë ×Ï×ÌÏÜ ÙÐ ÞÒÏ ÍÙ×ÚËØã˪Ý ÌÙËÜÎ ÙÐ ÎÓÜÏÍÞÙÜÝ áÓÞÒ ×ÙÜÏ ÞÒËØ ͖͒ ãÏËÜÝ ÙÐ ÓØÎßÝÞÜã ÖÏËÎÏÜÝÒÓÚ˜ ÏØÞÏÜÞËÓØ×ÏØÞ ÏâÚÏÜÞÓÝÏ ËØÎ ÏâÏÍßÞÓàÏ ×ËØËÑÏ×ÏØÞ ÏâÚÏÜÓÏØÍÏ˛ ØÎÏÜ ÒÓÝ áËÞÍÒ˜ Ï×ÚÖÏ ÒËÝ ÛßÓÍÕÖã ÏÝÞËÌÖÓÝÒÏÎ ÓÞÝÏÖÐ ËÝ ËØ ÓØØÙàËÞÓàÏ ËØÎ àÓÝÓÙØËÜã ÖÏËÎÏÜ ÓØ ÐÜÓÍËØ ÝÚÙÜÞÝ ËØÎ ÏØÞÏÜÞËÓØ×ÏØÞ˛ ÙáÏàÏܘ ÓØ ÒÓÝ ÍËÚËÍÓÞã ËÝ ÒÏËÎ ÙÐ ÍÙÜÚÙÜËÞÏ ÎÓÜÏÍÞÓÙØ ËØÎ ÝÞÜËÞÏÑã ËÞ Ï×ÚÖϘ ÒÏ ÒËÝ ÐËÍÓÖÓÞËÞÏÎ ÞÒÏ ÍÜÏËÞÓÙØ ÙÐ Ë ÜÏÍÙÜÎ ÖËÌÏÖ˜ ʨÖ× ËØÎ ÚÜÙÎßÍÞÓÙØ ÍÙ×ÚËØ㘠ÎÓÑÓÞËÖ ËØÎ ÑË×ÓØÑ ËÜט ÏàÏØÞ ÚÜÙÎßÍÞÓÙؘ ÖÓàÏ ÏØÞÏÜÞËÓØ×ÏØÞ ËØÎ Ë ÝÚÙÜÞÝ ÎÓàÓÝÓÙØ˛ ÒÓÝ ÓÝ ÓØ ËÎÎÓÞÓÙØ ÞÙ ÏÝÞËÌÖÓÝÒÓØÑ ÚÜÏÝÏØÍÏ ÓØ ÐÙßÜ ÐÜÓÍËØ ØËÞÓÙØÝ˞ ÓÑÏÜÓ˘ àÙÜã ÙËÝÞ˜ ÏØãË ËØÎ ÙßÞÒ ÐÜÓÍ˲ ØÎÏÜ ÒÓÝ ÖÏËÎÏÜÝÒÓÚ˜ Ï×ÚÖÏ ÒËÝ ËÖÝÙ ÐÙÜ×ÏÎ ÝÞÜËÞÏÑÓÍ ËÖÖÓËØÍÏÝ áÓÞÒ ÙÍ ËÞÓÙØ ÓØ ÞÒÏ ˜ ÓÜÝÞ ÍÍÏÝÝ ØÞÏÜÞËÓØ×ÏØÞ ÓØ ÞÒÏ ËØÎ ÙßÍÒ ÏÎÓË ÓØ ÙßÞÒ ÐÜÓÍ˲ Ø ÞÒÓÝ ÓØÞÏÜàÓÏá áÓÞÒ˿Chiemelie Ezeobi˜ ÞÒÏ ÍÙØÝß××ËÞÏ ÝÞÜËÞÏÑÓÝÞ ËØÎ ÚÒÓÖÙÝÙÚÒÏÜ ÜÏÓÞÏÜËÞÏÝ ÒÓÝ ÚËÝÝÓÙØ ËÌÙßÞ ÎÜÓàÓØÑ ÍÒËØÑÏ ÓØ ÞÒÏ ÍÜÏËÞÓàÏ ÝÏÍÞÙÜ ÏÓÞÒÏÜ ÞÒÜÙßÑÒ ÑÓÎÓ ÞßÎÓÙÝ ÙÜ ÏàÏØ ÞÒÏ ÜÏÍÏØÞÖã ÝÏÞ ßÚ ÓÎÓ ÜÏËÞÓàÏ ÏØÞÜϘ áÒÏÜÏ ÞËÖÏØÞÝ ËÜÏ ÒËÜØÏÝÝÏÎ ËØÎ ÑÜÙÙ×Ïβ You are known for your impact in the creative sector, what actually influenced your interest and why are you so passionate about driving change? t the beginning, people thought that it was a wrong move, and that it would be a waste of time because the sector wasn’t ready for serious business.

There was only one question that I asked and after the question, their perspective always changed. The question was that, ‘Can you imagine the English or the American economies without the impact of entertainment and sports?’

That’s the potential of what we’re sitting on with our creative industry.

I mean, when we say entertainment, a lot of people always pretend sports is not part of entertainment but I belong to the school of thought that sport is the greatest form of live entertainment. So, when I say entertainment, sport is also captured. I think the fact that as a country with over 100 million people, with a population of more than 50 per cent of that, and the world has a demand that we cannot satisfy for, for content and for entertainment. There’s only one thing to do, let’s equip as many people as possible to be able to get into that space by providing what the world needs..

A

The first time I saw your studio, I was amazed. I initially thought it wasn’t in Nigeria, until I read that it was right here in Lagos.

What made you put up something that big?

It is solely based on the foundation it’s built on - to be proudly Nigerian. Every time we go abroad to have meetings or work together, one of the excuses they usually give is that there are no facilities in Nigeria. This was always very, very painful to hear because I’ve never been to a meeting anywhere in the world and seen people whose brilliance cannot be matched by the brilliance that we have at home.

The simple thing to do is to have our own.

When we have our own, we’re not going to be measured by any standards other than this, the global standard for excellence. Excellence does not have two variants; it is only one and it means the same thing everywhere in the world. Therefore, we thought that with the quality of talents that we have in Nigeria, with the potentials that we have in the sector, it was only proper that we have our own and we are proud to say that we will deliver them with Ogidi Studios, which would compete with anything like it anywhere else in the world. When the history of the Temple Company has been written after we are gone, it would be said that we are the ones that did it.

You recently entered a partnership with the Lagos State government on a training academy, which is commendable. How far is the partnership going and what are the processes?

I mean, for this one, I think that it is right that we commend the government of Lagos State, because you see if from where I’m sitting based on the research that we have done, and based on our experience, with what is obtainable in other parts of the world, we have two deficits. First is the infrastructure deficit that we have tried to bridge with Ogidi, and we’ll continue to bridge with the students that we are going to design and implement as we go forward.

Second is the skill deficit, which the Ogidi Creative Centre in partnership with the Lagos State government is tailored to address. States like Georgia, in the United States of America, Toronto in Canada, have different incentives that they have put in place for productions. An example is that when you go there, you get significant

tax breaks.

In our case, there are two things that we need to be able to put that together. One of it is to increase our pool of skilled labor across the entire value chain by not just having brilliant directors, but also have brilliant line producers, outstanding gaffers, amazing sound designers, and so on in the movie industry.

So based on our population of 200 million people, the number of people that we currently have, that have the skills that can compete with their counterparts in other parts of the world is very minute. So we therefore have to meet, recruit and increase the pool of talent, which is what the Gidi Creative Centre is addressing. In the entire industry, I can see that Temple is the only one that’s addressing the deficits on both sides, infrastructurally and skillfully, so between both of them, there’s a convergence.

With enough infrastructure and skilled talents, the industry will truly take off the way that we imagine and it would be able to get the kind of national patronage that would knock the millions of Dollars, Pounds, Euros and all the international currencies.

and privately managed. Itt means that when that comes on stream as well, you can access it based on the fact that we know that the certificate that you’re taking away from the Gidi Creative Centre is not just a piece of paper, we also have access on the back end to know how you did in terms of how seriously you took your work, you’re disciplined in terms of punctuality, and more.

So these are the tools used to evaluate applications around the world and we’ll be able to use those tools as well. We had over 1000 applications and currently have 200 trainees who are part of the full time program, the online masterclasses were designed to accommodate another 300 to 1000. So, ultimately, there will be 200 people who have gone through the rigors of a three month program, and another at least 300 that would have been able to take a masterclass, or more from the best in the game across the different disciplines.

So does your curriculum include content creation given that it’s become a cash cow for content creators?

Yes, we recognize the importance of content creation as a lever for creatives and this is why Talking about patronage, when you’re it’s woven into the fabric of all ten training done with this training for your students, courses. are there plans for continued mentorship Ultimately, all of us are content creators, and recommendations for jobs and depending on what part of the content to fill. opportunities? in the case of a fashion design, for instance, Oh, yes, there is already. For the training, his input will be needed for films for gaming, we have two partnerships - Henley Business the services of a sound designer will be needed School, University of Reading, UK and the the same way as that of a filmmaker. other with the University of Lagos. Now, what is best expressed as a good part of You were recently at TIFF, what were the training includes business acumen and the lessons learnt that we’re not doing entrepreneurship. So, we understand that it is yet and we should be doing? not about just being able to acquire a special TIFF for me was an eye opener and validation skill, your mindset is as critical to your success in a way of some of the things that I knew. as the talent or the skill that you possess, so I mentioned earlier the importance of skill that is being addressed. development and infrastructural development and one of my takeaways from Tiff is that the Now when they finish, these are our first Toronto Film School graduates 1000 people sets, so they are pioneer sets. The people who every year, and their courses ranges from will be trained will also belong to an alumni three months to one year to 18 months to that they are leading and they are also part of three years. the Henley Alumni. This gives them access What that gives us is that every year, to the entire alumni of the Henley Business they have a minimum of 1000 more people School across the world which gives them that are launched into the creative industry access to talents, access to mentors, like you through rigorous trainings and so we have mentioned, and it also gives them access to decided, and it helped us to also redesign materials. some of our courses. For instance, before this On our end, part of what we have done is class, a lot of the trainings in music production that the Lagos State government, through the and audio production that I had seen… I Lagos State Film Board, led by Mrs. Adebukola mean, I don’t enter everybody’s classrooms, Agbaminoja, have grants that our graduates but from what is shown on social media, it can access. The Lagos State Ministry as looks as though there is an unstructured well as the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and instructional process. For instance, all Culture, also have grants and loans that trainees sharing the same system with are available either through the Ministry their facilitator. or through the Lagos State Employment One of the things we noticed was that Trust Fund. they are like labs where everybody had a Part of the problem with accessing it is the system of their own. I don’t know what fact that to ascertain your level of competence the technical name for the device is. But as a startup is difficult. What we get from it’s like a beat maker. It has the keyboard, this training, either as an individual or as a and some other tools that are used to make group, because we were teaming them in music and to make design audio. Immediately groups, so that if somebody writes, some we came back, we redesigned our program. people who have learned filmmaking, some And what we saw there is what we’ve who have learned some design can come been implementing- a classroom of people together, to create and develop a short film or who do the learning, audio module, sound a series. Now, those guys as a group would design, and audio engineering. be able to apply with the certificate that will At the moment, quite a few people be issued or recognized by the ministry and think Nigeria is too far. What I said to by the Lagos State government. them was that the distance from Lagos to Access to finance is important, what it also Toronto is the same distance from Toronto does, is that we we’ve been talking and we’re to Lagos. So it’s too far, because you are designing the fund that will be privately owned not aware of everything that we have and

so we’re going to continue working. working We’re willing to, in fact, double our efforts to ensure that we give you 1000 reasons to think next door. One of the ways is what I mentioned to you regarding deficit in hiring infrastructure.

Part of the conversation also is for them to know that Ogidi is already working with or we’ve already been patronised by the big platforms like Netflix and Amazon. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose because we signed an NDA, but permit me to mention that the soundtracks of one of the biggest movies that’s going to be released in the world, was produced in Ogidi Studios because they found out that was the place where they had the kind of infrastructure they needed. For about two weeks, all our studios were locked down. They had the best of Nigerian talents and other African countries and a couple of people from their studio in the United States come to our workshop to create the soundtrack.

FACTS ABOUT IDRIS Under his leadership at Temple so far, the company has produced movies like ‘Introducing the Kujus’ and ‘My Village People’ which are part of the Top 100 movies in the Nigerian Box Office. Over the years, Temple has solidified its position as an industry leader by launching Ogidi Studios, West Africa’s foremost creative production complex. Ogidi has already yielded several movies, TV shows, documentaries and award-winning music.

Idris is a member of the board of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and is the Chairman of the Stakeholder Committee.

In 2018, he was awarded by the League of African Development Students (LEADS) as a pioneer in the entertainment industry.

A consummate strategist and philosopher, Idris has a Law Degree from the prestigious University of Lagos, Nigeria where he sits on the University’s Enterprise Board.

As an entrepreneur, he has helped build an unusually wide variety of businesses, including a Pre-School, an Automobile Company, a Record Label, and two Nigerian fashion brands.

He continues to serve in an advisory capacity in those companies even as he admits that Temple represents a culmination of his life’s work.

In 2020, he was named by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as part of a 13-man task force charged with reviving the socio-economic value of the National Stadium, Lagos. He has also served as a member of the ministerial focal group to establish the National Youth Investment Fund.

In 2021, He cofounded the Lagos Independence Festival of Excellence (LIFE) in partnership with The Balmoral Group to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration. He was appointed as the Project Lead for the 2022 UNILAG NUGA Games by the management of the University of Lagos based on his track record for leading and executing herculean projects that position the state and country positively, his passion for sports, and being a proud alumnus of the university.

Idris mentors several young creatives, and frequently engages in public speaking in that capacity. An avid art collector, he has long standing relationships with creative talents and entertainers alike and is one of the industry’s top investors. He has supported several concerts, shows and sports tournaments in Nigeria.

He is married to Abisoye, a fashion and beauty entrepreneur, and their marriage is blessed with three daughters. He is a proud Lagosian and has lived in the city all his life.

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NEWS

BusyBee Holds 6th Business Summit November 15th

L-R: Head of Sponsorships, BusyBee Excellence Awards, Stella Naiye; Team Lead, BusyBee Excellence Awards Committee, Nneoma Jide- Ebelendu; Convener BusyBee Event Business Summit 6.0, Bisi Sotunde; Team Lead, Masterclass Committee; Adeola Sessio-Traor; Event Producers, Kikelomo Idowu and Adetunji Ajadi at the press briefings

Stories by Mary Nnah All arrangements have been concluded for the 6th edition of the BusyBee Event Business Summit scheduled for slated for Tuesday, November 5th and Wednesday, 16th November 16th, 2022 at The Vantage Point Event Centre Ikeja.

Speaking during a press briefing held recently at the BusyBee Group Head Office, Herbert Macaulay, Yaba, Lagos to announce the forthcoming event, the CEO BusyBee Events and Convener of BusyBee Event Business Summit, Bisi Sotunde, said this year’s summit will be a 2- day power packed activities with the theme, “The Power of You.” The award-winning leading

events planner, thought leader and influencer, said further that the Masterclass for day one of the event will feature international speakers who have been selected from the Event Industry such as Jacqueline Vasquez from the USA, Precious Thamaga-Mazibuko from South Africa and Sonu Shau from Dubai. She said further that the event will also feature Nigerian panelists such as Ope Bello of Oomph Events, Bukola Laguda of Freesia Foodies Restaurant, Bisola Bamidele of Bisbam Global Ventures, Yagazie Eguare of Gazmadu Studios, and so on.

Special sessions include conversations around spouse support/work-life balance with Bolaji Sotunde, The Chairman of the BusyBee Group while handson practical Etiquette Sessions will be taken by Glory James,

an Etiquette Consultant.

Sotunde, also revealed that the Lagos State Government through its parastatal Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is on board as a Partner/Supporter of this year’s project.

“There will be Business Pitch Competition, as 10 finalists shortlisted weeks earlier will present on D-day. The winner who emerges will get a cash prize of 150,000 as support to their business with consolation cash prizes to the runner-ups. All these have been made possible by our Corporate Sponsors AMROD, E320 Associates, BusyBee Academy, Psquare Events and Ofada Boy”, she added.

The BusyBee Excellence Awards will hold on day two of the programme with the theme, “Bridgerton” and will

be celebrating 10 outstanding heroes for the night.

“Different members of the Well Watered Garden Tribe Nation were nominated for their intentional hard work, growth, development, support and active participation in the community within the year 2022”, she noted, adding that eight winners will emerge going home with various brand products courtesy of the event sponsors.

She event convener revealed further that recognition awards will be given to Bisola Borha of TrendyBEEvents as the Industry Icon of the Year for her influence and inspiration to many event professionals while Mrs. Olajumoke Oriloye of Manifold Events and Rentals will be receiving The Excellent Leadership Award of the Year for building a sustainable brand in the last 17 years.

Nana Biyang Emerges Experiential Marketer of the Year at 2022 NMNA In what looks like a fulfilling business year for the leading experience company, MPXM, the chief experience officer of the firm, Nana Milagrosa Utomi Biyang in times has got two major industry recognition.

One of the first females in the business of experiential marketing and brand activation in West Africa, Biyang was three weeks ago recognised as one of the top 50 women in integrated marketing communications in Nigeria by the Women in Marketing Communications Awards (WIMCA) organised by the Brand Communicator Magazine.

Recently, marketing communication amazon rose to emerge as the best practitioner in experiential marketing, a sub-sector in the marketing communication industry in Nigeria.

Speaking after picking up the award, Nana said, “I am delighted to see women doing amazing things in their chosen professions and fields. I am particularly grateful to God for this award because I’ve found myself in a male-dominated industry but I still manage to operate and stand out.”

She said that “Congratulations to all the women who have won an award tonight. This is a testament that we cannot be held back by any form of diversity, adding that “I would like to thank the organisers for finding me worthy of the laurel.

The result of hard work is more work,” Nana added.

Nana has put in over 18 years of demonstrated experience and skill in curating Experiential Initiatives, Strategy and Customer Experience Management (CXM).

Nana develops brand experience strategies both for the company

AT AFRIFF, MULTICHOICE REITERATES COMMITMENTTO SUPPORT FILMMAKERS Vanessa Obioha At the ongoing Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Nigerian filmmakers Obi Asika, Delmwa Deshi, Tola Odunsi, Victor Aghahowa, and Padita Agu were joined by Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, Busola Tejumola during a fireside chat that discussed the progression and sustainability of the Nigerian film industry.

Tagged ‘The Jewel Within: Showmax and DStv In Conversation With African Filmmakers’, the crux of their dialogue revolved around the impact of local content production and upscaling of the film industry.

In various capacities, all filmmakers who have worked on various projects with MultiChoice commended several initiatives of the outfit towards advancing their careers as well as propelling the industry.

Asika recently produced ‘Journey of the Beats’ for Showmax, the streaming business of MultiChoice. The 10-part series documents some of the untold stories of legendary Nigerian music artistes, either given by them or relayed through the accounts of others. The film’s impact has led to two Western universities seeking permission to incorporate the film’s content in its syllabuses of African music history. Deshi on the other hand spoke to the power of storytelling in a fashion that spurs others into action.

“Through storytelling, what we did was: we targeted communities in the Niger Delta, the North of Nigeria, which impacted education.

What then happened at the end of the project was, in a community where education was not widely accepted, it became a thing that was accepted. After some time, we began to see the accumulated impact on our students.”

Busola stated that the issue of unavailability of media consumption channels has almost been closed through technology. She then went on to state that the next contention would be the quality of said content.

“You can’t have great content without upscaling the industry. It goes beyond just making the content and people watching it. It is also about the longevity of what we are doing in the industry. We want individuals to put in the work, learn, and then start being employers of labour, and that’s how persistent we are at MultiChoice.”

In addressing some of the pathways to sustainability, the panel also noted that the film industry is lagging in the area of animation production, with Busola noting that MultiChoice is taking strategic steps towards ensuring that there is an established ecosystem of animators to work in and continuously churn out content at a good rate. To this effect, MultiChoice reinstated its commitment to work with established and emerging producers.

ZAGG REDEFINES ENERGY DRINK EXPERIENCE WITH EXCITING LAUNCH PARTY Zagg, the new energy malt drink on the block by the Nigerian Breweries, was the star at the electric, high-energy event, tagged ‘The Trilogy’, which was held on November 5th at Landmark Beach, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The brand treated guests to an unforgettable experience with skateboarding, quad bike riding, paint-balling, cart racing, wall climbing, immersive VR experiences and electrifying live performances by Reekado Banks, Alternate Sounds, Shody, Femi Kuti, and Wande Coal.

“Zagg is an experience. It is not merely another addition to our burgeoning portfolio,”, “It is a redefinition of culture’, said the Portfolio Manager, Non-Alcoholic Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Elohor Olumide-Awe. “With Zagg, we are challenging consumers to be unapologetically multifaceted. Zagg is a fusion of elements. It is bold, dynamic and non-conforming, and everyone will agree that we have created perfection’, Olumide-Awe said further.

Gracing the event were many of Nigeria’s favourite faces and celebrities, including Ex-BBNaija Housemates, Neo and Emmanuel as well as buzzing Instagram sensation, Iamitom. The event was truly a flavorful mix of personalities, much like the new drink is lauded to be.

FILMHOUSE TO CLOSE UNEMPLOYMENT GAP IN CREATIVE SECTOR WITH FOUR NEW CINEMAS Iyke Bede

L-R: Chief Experience Curator / Officer MPXM, Nana Milagrosa Utomi Biyang receives Experiential Marketer of the Year Awards from Chief Executive Officer, Eden Organics, Ronke Ogunbufunmi; while Chief Operation Officer, MPXM, Francis Atafiri looks on, during the 16th edition of Nigeria Media Nite-out Award on Sunday, 30th October in Lagos

and key client accounts.

She believes in a consumercentric, strategic approach for brands, creating meaningful experiences across all channel touchpoints. A creative artist’s heart with a strategist’s soul, Nana’s vision integrates innovative ways of solving longstanding challenges.

CXO focuses its efforts on improving the overall consumer experience. Adept in both experiential, digital and interactive design, and delivered outstanding brand and economical solutions for FMCG, Fintech, Alcohol Beverage, Beauty, Healthcare and Retail Organizations across the country.

Nana loves sharing her passion for fresh approaches to empowering clients and sparking chemistry between brands and consumers

such as Maybelline, Soft Sheen Carson, Molfix, Absolut Extract, Martel, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Dark and Lovely, Garnier, Sanofi Aventis, Chi Pharma, Sygen Pharmaceuticals, BAXI, Imperial Leather, Cussons Baby, Black Opal, etc. She has a strong history of working in the Integrated Marketing Communications industry in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

In 2020, she was appointed as Advisor Communications, Marketing and Business Development for GEPETROL – The National Oil Company for Equatorial Guinea, Africa for 3 years. One of her major successes was developing the National SME/ MSME Business Incubator project for the Oil

and Gas Servicing Industry in Equatorial Guinea.

Nana is a board member for RED ONION MEDIA FIRM – An integrated live marketing company that creates and distributes content across multiple platforms. She is a Founder and Marketing Director of Alpha Y Omega {AOSL} an Oil and Gas NonDestructive Testing and Lifting Inspection Service Indigenous Company in Equatorial Guinea.

Nana serves as Advisory Marketing for POST BIRD West Africa – a digitalized APP for Logistics. She was recently offered Advisory Board Member Mood Africa Productions – an ecosystem for Curators.

In efforts to boost the Nigerian creative economy through unique cinema experiences, Filmhouse Cinema, a fast-expanding cinema chain in Nigeria, has introduced four new cinemas to promote job creation. Three of the four cinemas are located in Lagos: Ikota, Festac, and Lekki. Out of all three locations in Lagos, Lekki plays home to the formerly vandalised cinema located in Circle Mall. The revamped version comes two years after the tragic #EndSARS movement. Meanwhile, the fourth cinema is planted in the Garden City Mall, Port Harcourt.

According to the Chief People Officer, Filmhouse Group, Onaolapo Thomas, the move for the addition is a step toward attaining the firm’s long-term goal which includes expansion for jobs creation for the teeming youth population, especially after the crippling effect of the COVID-19 pandemic that regressed the progression of the global cinema industry.

“I can say that we are currently behind the curve because we were supposed to expand during the COVID years but of course that slowed us down,” Thomas explained. “Adding four new cinemas brings it to 13, but there is still so much that we need in Nigeria.”

On his part, the Chief Cinema Operating Officer, Dr Onamari Horsfall revealed that Filmhouse has recorded healthy post-pandemic growth —despite the mainstream status of streaming services— which will require more workforce in various departments.

“The streaming business is not affecting the cinema business,” Horsfall asserted. “ Each of the cinemas costs us a lot of money.

If it is not a good business, we could have as well started selling other options. But beyond watching movies, there is the uniquely

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

METRO

…Your city life in print

Tackling Get-rich-quick Syndrome amongst Youths through Wealth Creation To tackle the increasing get-rich-quick syndrome, particularly amongst the youth, that has torn the fabrics of the society, the duo of Rear Admiral Kasimu Bushi, Chief of Accounts and Budget of the Nigerian Navy and Dr John Toro, an intellectual elite, co-authored a book titled “The Wheels of Prosperity”. Through the book, the authors proffer a comprehensive top-down approach to influence attitudes and social behaviours while propagating the basic and essential principles of wealth creation, Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

“M

ost societies today are challenged by a getrich quick syndrome particularly amongst the youth. This unlawful getrich-quick syndrome is unsocial, uneconomical, unreasonable, untenable, and even ungodly.”

The duo of Rear Admiral Kasimu Bushi, Chief of Accounts and Budget (CAB) of the Nigerian Navy (NN) and Dr John Toro, an intellectual elite, co-authored the book titled “The Wheels of Prosperity” to tackle the menace of get-rich-quick syndrome.

Dedicated to Professor Theresa Udenwa for her mentorship and dedication to improving learning in Nigeria, the authors opined that when money is involved, many people tend to be overcome by presumptions as illustrated in the concept of money illusions.

However, they said this illusion can be surmounted through financial education, which was they set out to achieve through their book.

The Illusory Purpose of Get-rich-quick Syndrome In the first foreword, Dr Chidi Amuta, CEO, Wilson & Associates Ltd, lamented that the getrich-quick syndrome breeds laziness, indolence, and an entitlement mentality.

Stressing that it gives off an illusory purpose, he posited that it is one of the contemporary social problems of the Nigerian society. Describing it as the culture of quick fixes or shortcuts, he added: “at best, it has an illusory purpose to save time and energy in the effort to get things done. “ However, at its worst, it breeds laziness, indolence, and an entitlement mentality. In the social-economic space, this culture of quick fixes results to a get-rich quick syndrome or the expectations of unearned and overnight financial success.

“This unlawful get-rich-quick syndrome is unsocial, uneconomical, unreasonable, untenable, and even ungodly. A culture that urgently needs to be removed and banished from any progressive aspirational society as we claim to be in Nigeria.”

Norms as an Enabler of Social Behaviour Sharing his views on the get-rich-quick syndrome, Mr Femi Otedola, Chairman, Geregu Power PLC, in the second foreword, noted that all societies are made up of social norms which are shared standards of behaviour.

“At its highest form, norms are codified laws and at the lowest, are folkways or traditional behaviour that influence the way of life of a community. In between, there are taboos and mores. “ Norms are learned, adapted, and shared by social groups. Amongst the youths, norms, particularly the unwritten ones, provide impressionable pathways to behavioural acceptance, rejection, or modification and facilitate social participation, influence, and leadership.

“In view of the preponderance of youths in contemporary societies especially in developing nations such as Nigeria, the place of norms in social conduct (or misconduct) becomes quite significant. “ Prosocial norms such as altruism, solidarity and volunteerism amongst youths bring about progressive change. Typically, anti-social norms such as: peer pressures; sexual conduct; attitude to the law; attitude to wealth creation; and even attitude to the future could be quite concerning.

These tendencies elicit deliberate effort and action to effect remedial change.

“The purveyors of change in every society include activists, intellectuals, writers, community leaders, military leaders, and the political class.

Stricto-sensu, these are the small but influential group or elites of society. Writing in the The German Ideology, Karl Marx and Friedrick Engels in 1845 postulated that the ideas of the elites are, in every epoch, the ruling ideas and are critical to societal change.

“Clearly, Rear Admiral (sic..) Kasimu Musa Bushi, the Chief of Accounts and Budget (CAB) of the Nigerian Navy is a bonafide Nigerian elite of the Marxian genre. He is a senior military officer, an intellectual, a writer, a community leader, and a moral compass.

“Dr Gimba J. Toro is also an intellectual elite in his own right. Together, they have taken it upon themselves, like Chidi Amuta in 2014 to “writing the wrong” in the attitudes of youths

Rear Admiral Bushi

Dr. Toro

to wealth, wealth creation and indeed, their future.”

Recommendations In his recommendation, Dr. Amuta said the book “Wheels of Prosperity” is expected to meet this aspiration of tackling the getrich-quick syndrome.

He said: “The book attempts to provides basic and essential principles of wealth creation and prosperity for individuals and corporate entities as a panacea to this ugly trend of get-rich-quick syndrome.

“It offers an insight into unfailing and timeless insights into the perceptions and attitudes, the general and specific knowledge, requisite experiences, and specialised skills required to create sustainable wealth and prosperity.

“Interestingly, it is a book that would benefit individual investors, employees, entrepreneurs, business executives, corporate management teams, company shareholders and corporate stakeholders.

“Most importantly, this book would shine the light and show the path of rectitude to some of our teeming youths, who are intoxicated by the get-rich-quick syndrome. “ Consequently, and without equivocation, I make bold to proclaim that the “Wheels of Prosperity” holds good potentials to positively impact on the social and economic concern, particularly the youths. I therefore recommend the book to all who seek knowledge to improve their lives and aspire to add value to our society.”

On his part, Otedola said the authors wrote authoritatively on the need for youths to eschew short-cuts to wealth, or the so called get-rich-quick mentality. “ Rather, they admonish readers to imbibe the disposition of systematic commitment to different asset classes of investments to fulfil their immediate, mid-term and lifelong aspirations for financial freedom and happiness.

“This is the raison d’etre of this book “Wheels of Prosperity”. It provides insights into building a prosperity mindset; investing early; using the power of compounding and accelerated value; creating multiple streams of active/passive income; and applying wealth to creating human values and promoting

the common good. “ I particularly find the six personality and character traits of billionaires quite instructive.

I therefore recommend the book to all who seek knowledge and to all who seek wealth in an ethical but vigorous, sustainable, and beneficent manner,” he added.

Way Forward While stressing that the Nigeria society today is challenged by a get-rich-quick syndrome particularly amongst the youth, the authors lamented that it manifest social problem with economic and political ramifications.

Positing a way forward, they said the remedy for this problem requires a “comprehensive top-down approach to influence attitudes and social behaviours. “ Massive social engineering efforts of this nature are often carried out by governments with support from the media, the academia, the intellectuals, and public-spirited advocates.”

About “Wheels of Prosperity” According to the authors, the book “Wheels of Prosperity” is a genuine contribution to the efforts in Nigeria to overcome this social malaise as it provides, to the reader, a dozen scales of enlightenment on the ways and means to sustainable wealth creation and prosperity.

“It is an inspirational book intended to change get-rich-quick syndrome particularly amongst the teeming youths in Nigeria,” they said.

They added that the book “Wheels of Prosperity” can be described as a treatise on financial education as it seeks to engender the right attitudes to treating money matters by emphasising the need to do the right thing in the pursuit of wealth.

“It offers 12 chapters of seemingly common knowledge about wealth creation in a rather uncommon manner. Chapter 1 explores emotional intelligence and establishes the nexus between hard work and talent in the success equation; Chapter 2 provides useful case studies of some billionaires of the century; Chapter 3 presents ground rules on improving personal finance; Chapter 4 seeks understanding of business ethics and conduct; Chapter 5 veers into the utility of

The Nigeria society today is challenged by a getrich-quick syndrome particularly amongst the youth...The remedy for this problem requires a comprehensive top-down approach to influence attitudes and social behaviours... “Wheels of Prosperity” is a genuine contribution to the efforts in Nigeria to overcome this social malaise

Book cover

networking in the business world of today; and Chapter 6 explores the unfailing wisdom of improving time management which is critical to wealth creation.

“Furthermore, Chapter 7 stands on the aphorism that “health is wealth” and so the need to improving our health; Chapter 8 explores the improvement of management skills and knowledge; Chapter 9 deals with improving leadership skills; Chapter 10 extols the virtues of effective communication skills. Chapter 11 focuses on entrepreneurship education; and Chapter 12 brings the curtain down on effective preparations for retirement as a key to future. financial freedom and happiness.

“Generally, the book systematically peels off the scales of ignorance and enables enlightenment on wealth creation. It provides exploratory knowledge on some key principles as well as essential Knowledge, Skills and Aptitudes (KSAs) required for financial success. “ In particular, it promotes financial literacy critical for informed and effective financial decisions so that the reader can quickly get on the wheels of prosperity.”

The Authors Kasimu Bushi hails from Kumbo in Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1991, enrolled into the Nigerian Navy in 1993 and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant on 23 August 1994.

His academic qualifications include: BSc (Hons) Accounting: PGD in Banking and Finance, PGC in Public Administration and Personnel Management from the Ghana Institute of Administration; MBA (Finance), MSc Financial Mathematics; and PhD Finance.

He also has an honorary Doctorate Degree in Leadership and Good Governance from South America University: Life Member of the US Naval Institute.

Interestingly, Bushi is a Fellow of eight institutes both national and international including: Fellow Certified National Accountant (FCNA): Fellow Chartered System Accountant (FCSA-USA); and Certified Fraud Detector (CFD)-UK amongst others.

Bushi has served in the public sector for 28 years in various capacities which has enabled him to gain wide experience and expertise in public finance and accounting.

His co-author on the other hand is also a thorough-bred scholar and researcher with cognate university teaching experience in financial management.

Toro hails from Gahi-Kagoma in Jema’a Local Government of Kaduna State and has a BSc in Banking and Finance from the University of Maiduguri in 2013; and MSc in Business Administration with Finance specialisation from Nasarawa State University, Keff in 2017.

He also holds a PhD in Finance from Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He is a multi-disciplinary researcher with over 4 years experience as a part-time lecturer with the Nasarawa State University, Keth.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯ​ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

POLSCOPE

áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

Nyesom Wike: The Portrait of Vengeful Governor

Gov Wike

F

or nearly five months now, the name of Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State has not ceased to seize the front pages of the national newspapers. It has been for good and bad reasons. The good reasons are essentially stemming from the dividends of democracy which he has unarguably been able to deliver to his people, what with the many flyover bridges, road reconstructions, schools, and other public-connected projects and programmes. So impressive has his score on that been that even the federal government controlled by a rival party to his (Wike’s) recently singled him out for an award. Thus, Wike has been shining bright in terms of developing his state.

But the bad reasons for which his name almost now collocates with partisan troubles derive from the outcome of the PDP presidential primary of late last May. By a twist of political conspiracy, Wike was beaten to the second position.

And since then, the bile of Gov Wike has been spraying and diffusing its bitter content into the political space.

Matters were not helped by the unguarded comment of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, who had, in a jocund mood, with no attention to discretion, hailed Gov Tambuwal as being “the hero of the contest”.

That information has continued to rile Wike who now hides under the so-called pledge of Ayu to resign if a northern aspirant emerges as the party’s presidential candidate.

More than the pledge to resign, Wike is bitter that Ayu surreptitiously supported and rooted for Abubakar Atiku instead of himself. It is for that reason that Wike, five months after, has remained inconsolable, despite all peace initiatives, meetings and programmes of rapprochement. Every day, he fires deadly darts from his angry quiver, all aimed at literally scattering the party. But the party has refused to scatter, though weakened.

And since the party will not scatter, Wike seems to have vowed to ruin and wreck the presidential potential of Atiku, in a manner that aligns with that other woman in the Bible story of how King Solomon adjudicated on the two women – one with a dead child and the other with a living child.

Both women were laying claim to the living baby. By sheer application of wisdom, King Solomon offered to slice apart the living baby so both

women will go childless. While the woman whose baby truly died accepted that the living baby be sliced, the real mother of the living baby refused and preferred the other woman have the baby instead of watching her own baby being sliced.

The second woman’s selfish mindset is that of saying, “if I can’t have the living baby, then, let none of us have it”; let the baby be killed instead.

That is the mindset that had governed the bitter position of Gov Wike. After all, he too had reneged on his promise of abiding by whatever outcome of the primary election, without any fuss. But now that the outcome did not favour him, he has been kicking and throwing reckless jabs all over the party.

And many have continued to wonder why the party apparatchik has lost the courage to address and deal with the Wike menace.

Not only has he continued to cause the leakage of the political compressor of the party, he has since formed the G5 team—five sitting governors, who are loyal to him, and like Wike, have sworn to work against the interest of the party at the presidential election. Two days ago, the pro-Wike governors visited Gov Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State to woo him. If all that is not anti-party, then I don’t know what else can be so described. If the Ayu issue is a legal matter, not moral, I am sure that Wike would have sued the hell out of the PDP. Like the Biblical Samson, Wike appears poised to pull down the house where he is.

Perhaps the electoral value attached to the Wike factor is so high that the party leadership has deliberately shied away from calling the bluff of Wike and co and perhaps sanctioning him and his ilk by suspending him from the party. Analysts have said whilst Wike wants to hang on to the party’s effigy now, as he hopes to take over the control of the party’s structures after the party may have lost the 2023 presidential election, as he hopes to take a bolder shot at the presidential contest in 2027. And I chuckle at the future of the PDP. Deft as his moves are in his political calculations, one thing clear about the profile of Gov Wike is that he is a vengeful governor, a brute political operator who brooks no opposition or disloyalty. Before him, you are not expected to have alternate initiative. He browbeats his followers to some measure of acquiescence if

not outright pusillanimousness. He had declared Lee Maeba and co as “enemies of the PDP in the state” for aligning with Atiku.

He vents a mix of his power and his anger on any one that crosses the red line he often draws. When he declared ‘No Show with Atiku’, his followers who dared to establish romance with Atiku , got various bruises on their noses. Senator Lee Maeba who frolicked with Atiku reaped the angst of the governor.

The senator’s cousins, who run filing stations, Lounges and hotels in Port Harcourt got them all sealed up for strange reasons. That was two months ago. Early this month, Gov Wike hit Maeba again, by revoking the Certificate of Occupancy of a parcel of land around the Golf Course layout in Port Harcourt, which belonged to the Senator.

Perhaps the greatest show of this vengeance was when the governor, last month, decided to cut his own nose to spite his face by revoking the ex-governorship status of Sir Celestine Omehia, because Omehia decided to pitch tent with the Atiku campaigns, to the pain of Gov Wike.

It was the height of charlatanism. The Supreme Court had, in 2007, ruled that in the eye of the law, Omehia was never a governor in the state.

But Wike, on ascension to the seat of the governor of the state in 2015, ignored the pronouncement of the apex court, even though he is a lawyer, and restored Omehia as former governor, all to spite his predecessor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, with whom he has been in a political duel. But last month, he got the state house of assembly to reverse itself and stripped Omehia of the ex-governorship status, adding that he (Omehia) should refund over N600 million plus over N96 million received as pension.

But he is determined to ride roughshod over the 2023 election.

With the appointment of 200,000 special advisers on the eve of his stepping down as governor, many have interpreted this to mean a preparation for election duel in the state.

But undaunted by his studs, the PDP campaign train has since moved on, as Wike continues to threaten the victory of the party at the presidential election. Nobody is sure where he will pitch his tent. He has held several rounds of meetings with rival political leaders. He is politically restless and he appears worn, even in his physique.

Canticles….

Bayelsa Flood: Does the Minister of Disaster Management Live in Nigeria?

Sadiya Umar Farouk

Gov Douye Diri

I

But our dear Minister of Disaster Management said Bayelsa State is not among the ten worst states hit by flood. That statement itself is a disaster that needs to be managed.

She chose to mention Jigawa State, as the most affected state. Jigawa State is in the northern part of the country, the same region from where Madam minister is from.

Yes, in August flood ravaged many communities,farmlands and washed away two major bridges in Jigawa State, as well as claimed many lives, but experts would really have to assess the degree of damage done both in Bayelsa and Jigawa to know which state was worst hit. But it is even more befuddling to say that Bayelsa is not among the worst ten hit states? Really? So, madam minister, which are the other nine states, after Jigawa? Perhaps Kogi and eight other northern states!

Many suspect that she said what she said so that Bayelsa and other Niger Delta States will be excluded from foreign funds that may come in aid of flood victims.

Many think it was a deeply reckless statement from a federal minister.

It is certain she has never been to Bayelsa State or even any state in the Niger Delta. So, she can hardly connect with the depth of damage done by the flood.

But are the NEMA officials not giving her report? Many communities like the Isoko nation, Kwale nation, parts of Urhobo nation in Delta State, have long been sacked by flood. Canoes and boats are the only means of movement even within the towns and villages.

Large stretches and portions of the East-West road, connecting over fourteen states have been cut off.

But our dear Disaster management minister does not know or pretends not to know.

hear that the Minister of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), Mrs Sadiya Umar Farouq and who oversees seven agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Commission for Refugees etc., does not live in Nigeria. One mischievous fellow said she actually lives in Niger Republic and tries to manage the Nigerian disasters from there.

That is not true. She lives right there in Abuja, Nigeria. How can she be living in Niamey? She was born in Zamfara State.

But she lives in Abuja.

So, why is she not in tune with the developments in Nigeria?

Who says she is not? How can anybody say so of a very busy minister supervising seven major agencies? Do you know she oversees the affairs of the North East Development Commission (NEDC)? She presides over the ministry with the longest name.Andatatimelikethiswheredisaster is like a national plague, Mrs Umar Farouq is the toast of many distressed people and communities, who see her as God-sent burden bearer.

What kind of burden bearer is that?

God-sent my foot! How much burden has she borne for people in the Niger Delta who have been living either on top of water or even inside water ever since the flood sacked them from their homes and farms?

Yes, but she sent relief materials, using the Airforce jets to those distressed people, since they cannot be accessed by road.

Rubbish! So she knows that their roads have been cut -off? She sent those so-called relief materials after Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa State raised the alarm that long after his people had been pummelled by the flood, no agency of the federal government had reached out to them.

And then, last week, the minister, while briefing the press, claimed that Bayelsa State is not even among the top ten states in Nigeria that suffered the flood effect. It was like a vexatious heresy. Nigerians were alarmed. Very alarmed and really wondered whether the minister truly lives in Nigeria. And if she does, whether she listens to news broadcast or if she even receives messages and video footages on her phone. Bayelsa was completely submerged in water.

Schools were sacked. Many public institutions shut.The below-the-sea level of the Bayelsa topography made the state all the more vulnerable to the crushing flood.The homes and communities of even the former President Goodluck Jonathan, and the serving governor of the state were all ravaged by the flood.TheTV houses have been focusing on how devastated some of the Niger Delta States like Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom etc., have been.

Don’t put all the blames on her. The people in the Niger Delta also have other federal agencies like the NDDC to come to their rescue at such times.

What have they done?

Did you not see the NDDC also sending relief materials to the distressed people now hibernating in Internally-Displaced Camps? Did you not even see that the NDDC has begun the reconstruction of the badly damaged portions of the East-West road?

Ok, it is enough. Tell all those people calling for her resignation to withdraw their demand, as she will neither resign, nor be sacked.

Tell them Madam minister made that statement in error. It was on her birthday, and she was carried away in her birthday mood. Can’t you see that ever since then, she has not retorted on the matter? We are one people. The federal government is concerned about the plight of her people in distress whether they are in Jigawa or Bayelsa. Efforts are being made to meet displaced people with packages of succour and palliatives, as we pray for no such disasters again in Nigeria.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Alaghodaro 2022: Edo Agog as Obaseki Showcases Impact of Partnerships, Projects at Summit Gilbert Ekwugbe All is set for the sixth edition of the yearly Alaghodaro Investment Summit, scheduled to take place in Benin City between Friday, November 11 and Sunday, November 13, 2022, with the theme, “Edo’s Transformation: Partnerships, Resilience, Impact.”

Already, different parts of the Benin metropolis have been adorned with bright colours amid an increase in economic activities, in anticipation of the big-ticket event expected to bring local and international investors, captains of industry, among others into the state.

The summit is organised yearly to mark the anniversary of Governor Godwin Obaseki in office and showcase the progress

being recorded in transforming the state into an investment haven.

Guests expected at the summit include Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu and Chairman of Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, Dr. Aderemi Makanjuola, among others.

According to Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, “This year’s edition, apart from providing the platform for both local and international investors to tap into the investment opportunities created by the business-friendly disposition of the Governor Obaseki-led government, it will further showcase the impacts of the years-long public-private partnership that

has translated to the remarkable transformation of various sectors of the economy including education, agriculture, healthcare, civil and public service, security and infrastructure, among others.”

Others expected at the summit are the Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Dr. Atedo Peterside; Founder, Silverbird Group, Ben Murray-Bruce; Founder of Persianas Nigeria Limited, Tayo Amusan and the Managing Director, Saro International, Mr. Rasheed Sarumi, among others.

The event will commence with the Edo Summit tomorrow, Friday, November 11, 2022 by 9am at the New Festival Hall in Government House, Benin City, while a State Banquet will be held, same day, at the Edo Hotel Marquee by 6pm.

NDIC Set to Pay Depositors of 20 Liquidated Banks Nume Ekeghe ËØÎ Oluchi Chibuzor The Managing Director, of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Bello Hassan, has said the corporation has concluded plans to pay depositors of the 20 liquidated banks.

According to him, the corporation through its resolute liquidation efforts has realised enough funds to fully pay all depositors of the listed banks.

The affected banks are ABC Merchant Bank Limited; Allied Bank of Nigeria: Alpha Merchant Bank Plc.; Amicable Bank of Nig. Limited; Commerce Bank; Commercial Trust Bank Limited; Continental Merchant Bank Plc. Cooperative & Commerce

Bank Plc.; Eagle Bank; Financial Merchant Bank Limited.

Others are Icon Limited (Merchant Bank); Ivory Merchant Bank; Kapital Merchant Bank Limited, Mercantile Bank of Nig. Plc.; Merchant Bank of Africa Limited, Nigeria Merchant Bank Plc.; Pan African Bank Limited; Premier Commercial Bank Limited; Progress Bank of Nigeria; and Rims Merchant Bank Limited.

Speaking at the ongoing Lagos international trade fair, in Lagos recently with the theme, ‘Connecting Businesses, Creating Values’, Bello said the corporation has recorded significant achievements in the area of bank liquidation.

“Therefore I’d like to once again call on depositors,

creditors and shareholders of the listed closed banks to avail themselves of the verification platforms provided by the Corporation to claim their funds. They are at liberty to visit any of the Corporation’s nearest offices physically or utilise the NDIC online App or visit the Claims Page on our website: www.ndic.gov. ng, to expedite processing of their claims, “he said.

Represented by NDIC Director, Communication and Public Affairs Department, Mr. Bashir Nuhu, Hassan, he explained the modalities for the payment adding that the NDIC has spread its staff at all the branches nationwide so that people can go and claim their benefit.

InfraCredit Secures UK-funded Debt Issuance Guarantee Kayode Tokede InfraCredit, yesterday announced the credit enhancement of Darway Coast Nigeria Limited’s green debt issue, under a co-financing arrangement with the £10 million Climate Finance Blending Facility funded by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), an initial transaction under InfraCredit’s Clean Energy Funding Programme.

The Programme seeks to aggregate, de-risk and unlock domestic institutional investments to support eligible clean energy projects in Nigeria to contribute towards meeting the country’s universal electrification goal by 2030 and the SDG 7 target of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustain-

able, and modern energy for all, whilst putting the country on a path to achieve net zero emissions by 2060.

Speaking on the transaction, the Managing Director of Darway Coast Nigeria Limited, Mr. Henry Ureh in a statement said, “For mini-grid developers, access to long term affordable local currency finance is critical for sustainability and scale, which is why we are extremely excited about the possibility of participating in such a milestone transaction.

“That mini-grid developers like us can now access patient green capital in naira from domestic institutional investors, to construct off-grid infrastructure for renewable energy access to unelectrified rural communities in Nigeria for productive use,

is unprecedented.”

Also, the CEO of InfraCredit, Chinua Azubike, in a statement said, “According to Nigeria’s Integrated Energy Planning Tool, it is estimated that up to $16.4 billion of funding will be required to finance off-grid infrastructure for solar minigrids and stand-alone solar systems that will electrify 621,000 unserved communities not connected to the grid, which represents 98% of the identified settlements without energy access.

“However, Nigerian domestic institutional investors assets under management in local currency, is estimated at over $35 billion, but less than one per cent is currently invested as domestic credit to the private sector due to perceived risks and limited quality projects.”

Addosser Microfinance Bank Unveils New Head Office Building Nume Ekeghe Addosser Microfinance Bank has recently unveiled its Corporate Head Office Building at No 32 Lewis Street, Lagos Island, Lagos as part of its efforts to put in developmental measures towards serving its customers in a more conducive banking facility.

The bank, which has been in existence for over 14 years has supported the growth of over 100,000 MSME’s through its 21 branch network in Lagos state.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the Managing Director, Addosser Microfinance Bank, Mr.

Bayo Fabiyi highlighted that the remodelling of the Head Office was a strategic move to reposition the bank for its next phase of growth which will include the introduction of Agent Banking, Digital Banking, continuous expansion within Lagos State and obtaining a National license to extend its business operations to other parts of Nigeria.

He noted that the unveiling ceremony held at the building had in attendance strategic partners and customers who witnessed the event.

Fabiyi said “The transformation witnessed serves as the bank’s

affirmation that it is not a flash in the pan institution but one that is sustainable, enduring, and here to support MSMEs.” On her part, the Chairman, Addosser Microfinance Bank, Mrs Omolara Adebiyi in her vote of thanks expressed her deepest thanks to the staff, management for their tenacity and hard work in contributing to the growth of the institution, and to customers of the bank especially the host community for a mutually beneficial long standing relationship since the bank commenced in 2008.

L-R: Iya Oloja of Oluwole, Lagos Island, Mrs Josephine Onudike; Founder Addosser Microfinance Bank Mr. Ayodeji Sobulo; Chairman, Board of Director, of the bank, Mrs Omolara Adebiyi; Managing Director, Mr. Bayo Fabiyi; Development Bank of Nigeria Representative, Mrs. Maryesther Ezeadi at the unveiling of Addosser Microfinance Bank’s new corporate Head Office in Lagos… recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

AUGUST 2022 Money Supply (M3)

49,356,443.6

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

50,601.36

Money Supply (M2)

49,305,842.3

-- Quasi Money

27,869,678.3

-- Narrow Money (M1)

21,436,164

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,680,236.81

---- Demand Deposits

18,755,927.2

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

5,074,909.92

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

27,869,678.3

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

61,195,142.4

---- Credit to Government (Net)

21,001,401.5

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

40,193,740.9

--Other Assets Net

6,785,979.22

Reserve Money (Base Money

14,040,351.9

--Currency in Circulation

3,210,664.98

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,829,686.9 390,557.8

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

July 2022

Inter-Bank Call Rate

13.00

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

2.76

Savings Deposit Rate

1.42

1 Month Deposit Rate

3.64

3 Months Deposit Rate

4.96

6 Months Deposit Rate

5.87

12 Months Deposit Rate

5.76

Prime Lending rate

12.10

Maximum Lending Rate

27.61

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 24 OCTOBER, 2022

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $92.17 a barrel on Monday, compared with $92.09 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

37

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022

MARKET NEWS

Stock Market Maintains Positive Trend, Up N253.5bn Kayode Tokede The stock market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday extended the bullish run as capitalisation gained N253.5 billion on investors’ renewed interest in Airtel Africa Plc, Dangote Cement Plc and 13 others.

The NGX All Share Index (ASI) rose by 465.34 basis points or 1.07 per cent to close at 43,942.82 basis points from

43,477.48 basis points it closed for trading.

Accordingly, investors gained N253 billion in value as market capitalisation went up to N23.934 trillion from N23.681trillion The upturn was impacted by gains recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are: Dangote Cement, Airtel Africa, MRS Nigeria Oil, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) and Nigerian Aviation

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

DEALS

F O R MARKET PRICE

Handling Company (NAHCO).

However, market breadth remained slightly negative as 15 stocks posted gains while 16 stocks posted declines. MRS Nigeria Oil recorded the highest price gain of 9.83 per cent to close at N12.85, per share.

Courteville Business Solutions followed with a gain 8.70 per cent to close at 50 kobo, while Unity Bank rose by 8.33 per cent to close at 52 kobo, per share.

S E C U R I T I E S QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Dangote Cement went up by 7.77 per cent to close at N238.50, while Mutual Benefits Assurance appreciated by 3.70 per cent to close at 28 kobo, per share. On the other hand, Julius Berger Nigeria led the losers’ chart by 9.81 per cent to close at N21.15, per share.

Cadbury Nigeria followed with a decline of 9.69 per cent to close at N10.25, while Prestige Assurance went down by 9.52 to close at 38 kobo, per share.

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

Multiverse Mining & Exploration lost 9.41 per cent to close at N3.85, while Wapic Insurance shed 5.71 per cent to close at 33 kobo, per share.

Meanwhile, the total volume traded rose by 203.59 per cent to 405.005 million shares, worth N3.097 billion, and traded in 3,188 deals.

Transactions in the shares of Sterling Bank topped the activity chart with 171.155 million shares valued at N231.1.292

A S O F

billion.

Access Holdings followed with 78.765 million shares worth N634.062 million, while Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) traded 36.764 million shares valued at N38.611 million.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) traded 23.878 million shares valued at N420.269 million, while Zenith Bank transacted 17.170 million shares worth N343.120 million.

1 0 / 1 1 / 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

38

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022 • 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 09Nov-2022, 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 173.08 174.23 3.72% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.48% Nigeria International Debt Fund 318.17 318.17 13.20% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 106.54 107.69 7.96% 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 N/A N/A N/A AIICO Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 8.79% Anchoria Equity Fund 133.76 135.22 -3.94% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 -0.10% info@anchoriaam.com ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 20.20 20.80 -0.44% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 475.25 489.58 5.34% ARM Ethical Fund 41.09 42.33 5.48% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.09 1.09 1.03% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.07 1.07 5.06% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.34% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 91.63 91.63 -10.74% AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira 1,073.45 1,073.45 7.08% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 135.85 136.80 1.95% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.57% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.09 2.09 1.97% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.20 2.24 1.05% CAPITALTRUST INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED halalfif@capitaltrustnigeria.com Web: www.capitaltrustnigeria.com; Tel: 08061458806 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Capitaltrust Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.80% Paramount Equity Fund 17.43 17.74 4.42% Women's Investment Fund 142.81 144.48 0.59% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.92% Cordros Milestone Fund 127.90 128.73 2.93% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 112.05 112.05 5.05% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 10.41% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.26% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,136.13 1,146.07 1.72% 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 10.40% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.05 1.05 8.71% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.00 1.00 -0.27% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 104.04 104.04 2.52% 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 1446.34 1446.34 11.41% FBN Balanced Fund 189.32 190.54 8.03% FBN Halal Fund 125.53 125.53 12.18% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.65% FBN Dollar Fund 127.29 127.29 6.52% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 152.39 154.49 1.52% 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 12.72% Legacy Debt Fund 3.59 3.59 -10.34% Legacy Equity Fund 1.79 1.82 2.77% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.25 1.25 3.61% 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 Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

3,982.17 3,665.54 100.00

4,008.70 3,665.54 100.00

1.75% 6.63% 13.03%

FSDH Dollar Fund 100.00 1.12 4.10% GUARANTY TRUST FUND MANAGERS LIMITED enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.69% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.88 2.92 3.34% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 8.62% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 144.08 144.08 6.83% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.15 1.18 -3.49% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.08 1.08 6.62% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.62 1.65 14.21% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,166.37 1,166.37 8.12% 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 N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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) 101.66 101.66 9.27% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 11.29% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.60 1.64 1.91% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.61 11.68 4.04% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.25% PACAM Equity Fund 1.30 1.32 -8.23% PACAM EuroBond Fund 117.50 120.61 3.28% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 120.05 122.62 0.05% 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 1.07 1.07 10.04% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,399.37 3,432.24 0.36% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 243.74 243.74 3.47% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.31 1.33 4.76% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 328.86 328.86 5.02% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 247.19 250.47 5.90% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.05% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,374.51 11,526.90 4.24% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.35 1.35 4.64% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 120.31 120.31 2.91% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 113.85 113.85 7.03% 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 0.88 0.90 -0.36% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.31 1.33 0.74% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.12 1.14 8.72% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.09 1.09 7.22% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.93 1.93 6.29% United Capital Eurobond Fund 124.41 124.41 5.81% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.21% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.26 13.37 0.49% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.08 15.16 2.92% Zenith Income Fund 23.31 23.31 6.16% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.22% 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 3.67 3.77 -8.32% Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund 5.47 5.57 -6.27% Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund 15.91 16.11 -9.96% Vetiva Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.07% Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund 19.07 19.27 -4.57% Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund 133.88 135.88 -15.05%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

119.29 52.14

5.27% 2.50%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.03 118.23 88.76 17.10 16.40

14.13 121.21 90.69 17.20 16.50

0.32% -6.99% -11.03% 2.01% -8.25%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.59

0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

39

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2022

NEWS

STATE HOUSE WEEKLY BRIEFING...

L –R: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity , Shehu Garba ; Inspector General of Police , Usman Alkali Baba; Senior Special Assistant on General Duties ,Assistant Inspector General of Police Kayode Aderanti and Assistant Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Akingbola, during the State House weekly briefing held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja..yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

Floods: Finally, FG, NEMA's Food Items Arrive Bayelsa as DG Explains Delay Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa The Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the office of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development has finally presented food items to the Bayelsa State Government for onward distribution to flood victims in the state.

The Director General, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, who handed over the food items to the state government yesterday in Yenagoa, said the intervention was a testimony that the federal government through NEMA was always in support and care about the well-being of the people of the state.

Represented by Air Commodore Kolawole Adedokun, the NEMA DG, explained that the delay in the late arrival of the food items was because the vehicles transporting the food items got stuck in Uromi, Edo State for more than three weeks.

He said the agency had to contact the Nigeria Air Force, the Navy and other security agencies to the be able to airlift some of the non-food items that was to the resented to state two weeks ago, adding that federal government will bring more food items to

ameliorate the sufferings of the victims of the natural disaster.

He said, "today is yet another significant milestone towards consolidating the mutual support and collaboration between the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the government of Bayelsa State on disaster management and humanitarian service delivery.

"You will all agree with me that in the last couple of months several states of Nigeria including Bayelsa State have suffered widespread flood disaster. The unfortunate flood incidents have resulted in loss of lives, human displacement, loss of means of livelihoods and socio-economic dislocation.

Furthermore, “banditry and economic downturn and preharvest food shortage has increased the vulnerability of a segment of the populace in the recent past.

"In this regard, the Zonal Office of NEMA has continuously worked with the Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to conduct damage and loss assessments to guide relief intervention to persons in need of support in Bayelsa state.

"In line with assessments conducted and reports to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari

FRC Seeks Early Adoption of Sustainability Reporting Standards The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) has announced its intention for early adoption of IFRS S1 & S2.

The announcement which was contained in a communication sent to the Chairman, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) by the FRC, was expected to be one of the highlights of the ongoing COP 27.

It stated that the FRC Nigeria was working in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant regulators and professional accounting organisations, to develop a strategy to raise awareness, engage stakeholders around the standards and develop a roadmap for timely implementation in the Nigerian market.

In arriving at the decision, it noted that Nigeria actively

participated in the process of developing a single set, high quality global standard on sustainability reporting which included wide consultation with Nigerian stakeholders, collation and submission of comments on the consultation paper and the exposure drafts.

“Disclosure by corporates on these matters has the potential to unlock international investment into Nigerian businesses to support their transition to sustainable and resilient business models. We have further followed with keen interest the progress being made by ISSB towards issuing sustainability standards.

“For a seamless adoption, a Technical Readiness Working Group is being constituted to be made up of major stakeholders,” it added.

approved the release of 12,000 metric tons of assorted grains from the National Strategic Reserve Stock for distribution to all states of the federation and the FCT. Part of the grains delivered to Bayelsa state which are expected to give succor to

the most vulnerable groups of persons."

Among the food items received by the state included 1,000 bags of 10kg rice, 1,000 bags of 10kg beans, 1,000 bags of 10kg maize, 75 bags of salt (20kg), 75 kegs of vegetable oil

(201trs), 150 cartons of seasoning cubes (maggi/knorr), 75 cartons of tin tomato (50 sachet) each.

(BYSEMA) has acknowledged the receipt of non-food Responding, the Governor, Senator Douye Diri, represented by a member of the State flood mitigation

committee and Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, David Alogoa' than the federal agencies but asked the e federal government to do more as the state was the worst hit with millions of people still displaced.

Ikpea, Lee Engineering Boss Insists Nigerian Experts Not Inferior to Foreign Counterparts Marks 31st anniversary of company Advocates security fund to tackle crimes nationwide Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Chief Executive Officer, Lee Engineering and Construction, Dr Leemon Ikpea, yesterday maintained that from his over 40 years experience in the oil and gas industry, expatriates are not more competent than Nigerian technicians and engineers.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, to mark the company’s 31st anniversary, Ikpea lauded the federal government and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for the renewed attention to boosting local production of equipment used in the oil industry.

He stated that from almost zero participation, Nigerians now occupy major positions in the oil and gas industry, stating that the multi-million dollar fabrication factory under construction by the firm will be ready sometime next year.

Ikpea, a veteran of the industry stated that foreigners are wary of

technology transfer because it will eventually take away their jobs, but insisted that Nigeria must develop its local economy to be able to play big at the world stage.

The Lee Engineering CEO, who explained that his humble background would forever remain a motivation to help the needy, noted that the current NCDMB management must be encouraged, stressing that they have continued to do a good job, having increased local content to about 50 per cent.

While underscoring the importance of hard work and integrity, Ikpea stressed that Lee Engineering has been diversifying its portfolio , including the floating of Kizi, one of the companies which recently won one of the marginal fields awards, the aviation subsidiary as well as the travels and tour company, among others.

Ikpea urged the federal government to tackle insecurity, pointing out

that the company is losing a lot to insecurity since it has exited sites it was supposed to be doing engineering and construction work.

He suggested that the federal government should float a national security fund into which International Oil Companies (IOCs) as well as local firms can pay a percentage of profits to boost security nationwide.

Ikpea bemoaned the incessant vandalism of national oil and gas assets which is currently robbing Nigeria from taking advantage of the high international oil prices, but noted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) was doing everything to ramp up supply.

“So if they vandalise the pipelines, how would the production go to where they're supposed to get to.

By the time you put more oil there , it doesn’t get to the destination.

“We need to tackle insecurity immediately. But the effort they're

putting in, including the military, the NNPC, everybody is supporting to fight this evil. I'm pretty sure in the next two or three months you'll see the difference,” he assured.

He maintained his stance that IOCs should be compelled to patronise local firms, explaining that in terms of quality Nigeria can compete favourably with their counterparts worldwide.

Using his upcoming factory as an example, Ikpea stated that by April next year, his fabrication subsidiary, Lee Engineering International Machinery Services Limited which will produce high pressure vessels, heat exchangers, scrubbers , among others will be fully ready.

According to him, while over 2,000 personnel from all over the country currently work for the company, majority of those employed are from communities in the Niger Delta which are also host communities to the company.

Shehu: RMAFC Approved N10bn Disbursement from Stabilisation Fund Account to States Reverses self, says C/River earns N500m monthly

James Emejo in Abuja The Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammed Shehu yesterday said the commission had recommended for approval and disbursement of over N10 billion from Stabilisation Fund Account of the federal government to various states within the last two years.

Shehu, said such recommendation was given in line with the provision of section 5(7) of Cap A15 LFN 2004, under which the fund was established, and empowers the Commission to

work out an acceptable threshold from the stabilisation account.

He also clarified that Cross River State remained one of the states benefiting from the disbursement, adding that the state had been having a five-year/renewable recommendation for payment of the monthly sum since 2008.

The RMAFC boss had been under fire from the Cross River State Government after he initially claimed that the former had been receiving $500 million from the Stabilisation account.

In a statement issued by RMAFC's Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nwachukwu Christian, he

said the disbursement was part of federal government’s effort to settle and stabilise the displaced Nigerians who relocated from Bakassi Peninsula to the state after Nigeria’s ceding of the Peninsular to the government of Cameroon in 2008.

He said the gesture was also meant to address revenue decline of Cross River State from the offshore oil wells that were hitherto attributed to the state which ceased to be good source of revenue to it after the ICJ judgment while the Akwa Ibom State Government became a beneficiary of those oil wells.

Shehu, further stated that the Act that established the fund was specifically for any state of the federation that suffers absolute decline in its revenue arising from factors outside its control, stating that the stabilisation fund shall in such case be used to initially augment the allocation to that state in accordance with acceptable threshold to be worked out by RMAFC. Shehu, clarified that the recommendations from the Commission for approval and payment was always in naira and not the US dollar as he earlier claimed.

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NEWS

BLUE ECONOMY INITIATIVE ON THEIR MINDS...

Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh (left), in handshake with President Yoon Suk-Yeol of South Korea with President Muhammadu Buhari, behind, during a Bilateral Meeting after the DG addressed a business gathering on the development of Blue Economy initiative in Nigeria at the Korean Presidential Villa Seoul…recently

Attack on Atiku Convoy: Convene Emergency Peace Meeting, NNPP Urges Abubakar Condemns Maiduguri attack on PDP Campaign

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP), yesterday, called on the Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abdulsalami Abubakar, to convene emergency meeting of all the political parties to review the peace accord signed months ago.

The party, which spoke against the recent attack on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)presidential campaign convoy in Maiduguri, Borno State on November

9, described the situation as outrageous and barbaric.

A statement by the national publicity secretary of the party, Dr. Agbo Major, stated that, "The attacks happened despite the Peace Accord signed by presidential candidates and national chairmen of all the 18 registered political parties on 28th September 2022, in Abuja, organised by the General Abdulsami Abubakarled National Peace Committee in which political parties and their presidential candidates resolved

House Committee Moves to Abolish NDE, NEMSA Demands five-year performance assessment report from NDE in one week

Juliet Akoje in Abuja The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating Overlapping Functions of Government Agencies yesterday said the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the National Electricity Management Agency (NEMSA) were not living up to their mandate of providing employment to teeming unemployed Nigerians.

The committee also stated that there was weak metering system by electricity distribution companies in the power sector.

The lawmakers also demanded a five-year performance assessment report from the NDE for it to justify its existence in line with the mandate of the probe panel.

The Chairman of the House Committee, Hon.Victor Mela while ruling at an investigative hearing where NEMSA, NDE NELMC and NAPTI were invited by the Committee said the agencies have not lived to the expectations of citizens.

Mela noted that the House Committee was inaugurated by the House Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila to investigate the issue of overlapping mandate of some of the government agencies, adding that there was need to merge some of the agencies.

The Managing Director of NEMSA Engr. Aliyu Tukur during the hearing

said the agency was established in 2015, by federal government to ensure that there was reliable electricity supply in the nation's power industry.

Tukur added that the agency was mandated by laws to ensure that materials used in the industry are of confirmed technical specifications, adding that the agency is in-charge of quality metering.

However, members of the Committee, Hon Adedeji Olajide and Hon. Zacharia Yanpan, while expressing their displeasure over their overall performance in the electricity industry, argued that the agency has and overlapping mandate with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria and lamented that government was facing huge challenge in funding them.

Olajide said: "The agency is sucking the blood of Nigerian citizens and should be merged with other agencies performing similar functions."

The Director-General, NDE, Mr. Abubakar Nuhu said that the agency was mandated by law to provide employment to unemployed Nigerians and vulnerable persons residing in Nigeria.

"The agency has presence in all the states of the federation and local council areas and had been providing employment and skills for unemployed Nigerians in line with the mandate," he added.

to carry out civil, decent and issue-based campaigns as well as promote respect and tolerance of differences."

NNPP, therefore, urged the National Peace Committee to urgently intervene by convening an emergency meeting of the leaders of political parties and their presidential candidates to review the peace accord in view of this glaring violation that constitutes a threat to the nation's democracy and chart the way forward to save our constitutional rule.

"President Muhammadu Buhari should also call his party governors to order so as not to truncate our hard earned democracy.

The Inspector General of Police and Director General of State

Security Services should ensure adequate security at political rallies to forestall any breach of the peace. The party commiserates with victims of the attacks and pray for their quick recovery,” it said.

Condemning the attack on PDP, NNPP stated: "In spite of these unprovoked attacks, a new Nigeria is possible with the New Nigeria People's Party. We urge Nigerians to vote for NNPP candidates in all elections. Together, we will build a strong, virile, united, progressive, equitable and decent democratic nation," the party said.

"It is outrageous, barbaric and repulsive intended to undermine the nation's emerging democracy ahead of the crucial 2023 general

election that will redefine and redirect the destiny of the country."

NNPP also called on all lovers of constitutional rule to condemn and resist the act by anti-democratic forces that want to foist the rule of might and thuggery in place of our cherished rule of law, tolerance and unity in diversity.

"This latest attack on the foundations of the nation's frail democracy shows the level of desperation and intolerance of opposition political parties by the outgoing All Progressives Congress in Borno State.

"In August this year, our great party, the NNPP was a victim of this political intolerance and executive recklessness in the state,

when Governor Babagana Zulum, jittery over the ever increasing popularity and acceptance of the party's Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (FNSE), PhD invited the police to seal off NNPP's two secretariats in Maiduguri, the state capital ahead of his visit to commission the secretariats.

"The national outcry it generated forced the police to vacate the secretariat, which paved way for the party's presidential candidate to visit the state. During the same visit, our presidential candidate’s convoy was attacked at the Bulumkutu railway crossing at the suburbs of Maiduguri as he made his way to the airport to depart the state,” he said.

Suspected Hoodlums Set INEC’s Offices Ablaze in Ogun, Osun Commission summons emergency security meetings over attacks at parties’ campaign rallies Chuks Okocha in Abuja and James Sowole in Abeokuta Two offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were yesterday attacked and set ablaze in Ogun and Osun States by suspected hoodlums.

This was just as the Commission yesterday summoned a security meeting over reported attack on rallies and campaigns of political parties.

Precisely, the suspected hoodlums in the wee hours of Thursday, set INEC offices at Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on fire, while its Ede South Local Government Area office was attacked and some portions burnt by the hoodlums.

A statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Voters’ Education, Festus Okoye, stated that the rising incidents of attacks on supporters of various political parties since the commencement of campaign barely two months ago and the use of hate and incendiary language by some politicians were extremely

disturbing.

The PDP presidential campaign rally was attacked in Maiduguri, where several vehicles were destroyed and persons were injured.

Also in Kaduna, the PDP presidential campaign was attacked three weeks ago.

Owing to these, Okoye said the Commission decided to convene an emergency meeting of the InterAgency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to discuss the disturbing trend.

Okoye also announced that two of its local government offices in Ogun and Osun States have been attacked The statement by Okoye explained: "The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ogun State, Dr. Niyi Ijalaiye, reported that our office in Abeokuta South Local Government Area was attacked and set ablaze.

"The incident occurred around 1.15am when some unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and set the entire building ablaze."

Furthermore, Okoye said

the main building and all the Commission's movable assets in the office were destroyed.

He listed items destroyed to include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, eight electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

THISDAY gathered that the suspected hoodlums, numbering about eight scaled the perimeter fence into the premises and set the INEC building on fire from the back.

They were said to have soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw same into the building at different angles to light up the electoral body office.

The security guard at the facility, Azeez Hamzat, was said to have made a distress call to the police around 1:00am, informing the police of the incident.

The police from Ibara division were said to have mobilised detectives to the scene, while contacting fire fighters, who raced to the scene to put out the fire.

The Registration Area Officer's

office and the conference room were affected by the inferno.

A source also said non-sensitive materials were also affected by the fire.

Continuing, Okoye also said the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, reported that INEC's office in Ede South Local Government Area was attacked and set ablaze.

According to him, the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when some unidentified persons attacked the building and set a portion of it ablaze.

Fortunately, he said, "the damage to our Ede South Local Government was limited to a section of the building and only some furniture items were destroyed.

"The attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other security and safety agencies has been drawn to the incidents and they have commenced investigation.

"With just 106 days to the 2023 General Election when the Commission has commenced the movement of materials to our offices Continued on page 42

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CONFERENCE ON STATE OF THE DOWNSTREAM...

R-L: Financial Secretary, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN )/ MD and CEO, Mainland Oil and Gas Ltd, Mr. Chris Igwe; Secretary ,Governing Council, Ikem Ohia; DAPPMAN Chairman /MD/CEO, Northwest Petroleum and Gas Company Ltd, Winifred Akpani; Second Vice Chairman / MD/CEO, Ashgrove Oil, Mr. Mahmud Tukur; Treasurer/Group Executive Director, Sahara Energy, Mrs. Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka; Asst. Secretary / GMD, SwiftOil Ltd, Mr. Stilian Mitakev, and Executive Secretary, DAPPMAN., Mr. Olufemi Adebayo Adewole during the conference on the state of the downstream sector by the association in Lagos...recently

Shettima: Obi Has Nothing to Offer Except Dubious Statistics Says Nigeria will go through some rough waters in coming months Nigeria in safe hands with Tinubu as president, Aisha Buhari assures Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Vice-Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the presidential candidate of the

Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has nothing to offer apart from dubious statistics.

Shettima disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at an event organised by APC Professionals Forum with the

Kogi Govt Targets N591bn Annual IGR, Deepens Business Relations with China The Kogi State Government and China yesterday set the stage for the expansion of business relations, especially as the state aims at N591 billion annual Internally Generated Revenue in the nearest future.

The foundation for the renewed collaboration was laid during a dialogue meeting on industry and trade between Kogi State and Chinese entrepreneurs, co-hosted

by Governor Yahaya Bello and the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun, at the Chinese Embassy in Abuja.

Addressing the entrepreneurs, Bello said the Government of Kogi State was ready to engage the Chinese business community in order to expand business and investment opportunities with China.

According to him, for both countries to make progress, there was a need for willingness, commitment, readiness and sincerity of both parties to collaborate on harnessing all the resources, both natural, human and otherwise, for the benefit of both countries and humanity in general.

Bello, who also said there was the political will to attain the desired collaboration, pointed out that he shared a lot of ideology with the people of China, politically and personally.

In a statement, the Governor said he was aware that tribes and religions exist in China, yet, the Chinese people were able to put all the differences behind them to have one common goal of coming together to harness all that are available within China.

He added that the Chinese people were able to achieve their goal successfully, politically, economically, and in terms of technology, noting that today, China had become one of the first two leading nations of the world.

The Governor stated, “I have that

political will of putting all of our people together. That is why ever since I assumed office on 26th of January, 2016, I have been working tirelessly to ensure that I unite my people, to ensure that there is security of lives and livelihood of my people and everybody that wants to stay and live and earn in Kogi State, including Chinese and the various investments so far in the state.

“I have that political will to continue to engage China and the Chinese, to ensure that all the benefits that are available for us, we take the full benefits of them for our people.

“There are several areas we can engage ourselves. We have the institutional framework ready to engage and we have the authority to engage and get things done as quickly as possible.

“The people are our cardinal objective to serve. And I have given a blanket and an open approval to my people to engage the Chinese side on all fronts for the benefit of all of us,” Bello said.

Earlier, Cui recalled his recent visit to Kogi State, saying the state and China had so much in common.

He expressed delight that both the Chinese and Nigerian sides recognised development in deepening relations.

Cui expressed confidence that with the cooperation between the leadership of Bello in Kogi State and the Government of China in the coming years, a lot would be achieved, particularly in the area of power plants and nuclear energy.

On how the state intends to hit the target of about N591.6 billion IGR, Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Economy, Finance and Investment, Abdulkareem Siyaka, told reporters:

theme: “Dissecting the Asiwaju Manifesto”.

He said the trajectory of the world facing Africa and Nigeria would make or mar the 2023transition, adding that, if Nigeria failed, the black man has failed.

According to him, while he was an incurable optimist, he was also a realist, saying the nation could not shield itself from the global realities and from the challenges in Ukraine.

"We're going to go through some rough waters in the coming months and years. This is why

leadership is very crucial. 2023 will be a watershed election in the history of this country.

"What are the options available?

Our political space is filled with a lot of very careful snails. We have to provoke conversation without descending so low to engage in malicious concoction or dubious aspersions on personalities.

"So what are the options available? I don't want to mention the whole incident, I will respect our convener. He is an elder statesman that I hold in the highest esteem, I will not question his nationality. No! “He is a bonafide Nigerian. Peter

"Gringori" Obi is my friend but "Gringori" has absolutely nothing to offer apart from dubious statistics.

So, the choice before us, there is a difference between daylight and darkness."

The first lady, Aisha Buhari, said having gone through the manifesto of Tinubu, she had no doubt in her mind that given his experience in governance and passion to make a positive impact on national development, "we would be in safe hands."

The first lady, who was represented by the Director General of National Women Development

Centre, Dr. Asabe Bashir, suggested that every idea and strategy for national security must factor women, because the world has accepted the reality that women are agents of peace, growth and development.

Mrs. Buhari, therefore, pointed out that national security was a precondition for economic and social development, stressing that no nation could progress in the absence of peace, adding it was why the Constitution was emphatic that the primary responsibility of government was to secure lives and properties.

Tinubu: Mining Sector Key to Resuscitating Nigeria’s Economy

By Buhari’s decree, ex-Lagos gov will be next president, says Adamu Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has said the mining sector would play key roles in his administration’s determination to resuscitate the country’s economy.

Tinubu stated this yesterday during a town hall meeting with mining and agro-processing stakeholders in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital, yesterday.

The APC presidential candidate, in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr. Tunde Rahman, noted that his campaign for the nation’s number one seat would only be issue-based, centered on bringing prosperity to the nation.

“We shall allow the desperate, devoid-of-substance campaigns of others engage in divisive identity politics and the promotion of untruths and ugly rumours.

“We, the APC, shall continue to stand before the Nigerian people to discuss the real issues of the day and offer insight into the policy solutions, we intend to deploy to solve them. In this, we remain the best and only hope for progressive good governance in Nigeria,” he said.

Tinubu stressed that few nations were as endowed as Nigeria, given the industrious, energetic population and vast inventory of the land, water and natural resources, saying Nigeria has abundant, commercially viable

solid mineral deposits such as coal, limestone, iron ore, bitumen, lead, zinc, gold and a variety of gemstones.

The former Governor of Lagos State noted that it was the obligation of government to use those gifts wisely to benefit the nation and improve the living standards of the average Nigerian.

On his plans for the sector, Tinubu promised to make the Ajaokuta Steel Company fully operational again, saying, “My administration will ensure the full completion and operation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company under a viable Public-Private Partnership structure.”

The presidential hopeful noted that the sector would contribute

more to the nation’s economy by building the GDP. His words: “We seek to turn this economy into a more active engine of growth, productivity, jobs and income. We seek to establish a broad-based economy that ensures broadly-shared prosperity for all.

Solid minerals and mining will play key roles in our campaign toward prosperity and our economic offensive against poverty and underdevelopment.”

Also, the National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has told Tinubu to get ready to assume the presidency of Nigeria in 2023, saying, he was merely echoing President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement.

APC PCC: We'll Neutralise Kwankwaso in North West 2023 presidential poll a walkover for Tinubu, says Ribadu Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, said it has devised a campaign strategy that would neutralise the influence of the presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabi Kwankwaso, in the North West zone.

Director of Contact and Mobilisation for the North-west,

Tinubu/Shettima PCC, Hon. Aminu Jaji, while inaugurating members of the committee in Abuja, said the region would determine the next President of Nigeria going by its voting strength.

He said it was time to pay back the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the people of the South west for the way they stood by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019.

Jaji noted that having supported President Muhammadu Buhari in the last seven and a half years as president, the North-west must mobilise support and deliver victory for Tinubu/Shettima ticket in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

His words: "North-west has one of the most populated states in the country (Kano), which is currently under the APC and looking at the 2015 and 2019 elections results, APC

will definitely coast to victory in 2023.

"The best thing that we can do in 2023 is to pay back to Tinubu, who has supported our son to be president twice. It is time to pay back what the other zones did for our son – a father and a role model – that is President Muhammadu Buhari. How the people from South-west stood their ground, supported him throughout, unconditionally.

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BUSINESS MEETING/COURTESY CALL ON ABIODUN...

L-R: Newly installed Olowu of Owu, Oba Adelola Matemilola; Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Chairman, Gasoline Integrated International Limited, Dr. Lukman Bolaji, during a business meeting/courtesy call on the governor at Abeokuta…recently

Obi Flags Off Otti's Campaign, Decries Factories’ Collapse in Abia Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday flagged off the 2023 governorship campaign of the party's governorship candidate in Abia State, Mr. Alex Otti, with

assurance that Nigeria would experience a new lease of life with LP in charge of affairs.

The flag-off ceremony was initially mired in controversy, following the attempt by the Abia State government to force a change of venue on the ground that the Ngwa High School was

a public facility that could not be used for political activities.

But reason eventually prevailed, and the LP faithful popularly branded as "Obedients" thronged the school premises in Aba to welcome Obi and his wife, Margaret as well as the VicePresidential candidate, Yusuf

Dati Baba-Ahmed.

National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, led other members of the party's National Working Committee (NWC) to give support to the party's governorship standard bearer in Abia.

Obi said he was sad that all the factories in Aba and other

Dele Momodu: We’re Hopeful Wike, Others Will Come Around Soon Chuks Okocha in Abuja Director of Strategic Communication, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign, Dele Momodu, yesterday, said there was glimmer of hope that the aggrieved five governors of the party led by the Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, would return to the party soon and also join the presidential campaign.

He also said the presidential campaign was already compiling reports of the attack on the presidential campaign on Wednesday in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, Momodu said, "Good news. I’m sure most of you most have heard that our governors, the integrity

group, said yesterday that the window of reconciliation has not been shut permanently.

"We've been at it for some time trying to see how we can bring everybody under the same umbrella. So, hopefully, in the next couple of days and weeks, all of us will be able to work as one family. PDP is the biggest political family in Africa and we want it to remain so," he said.

On the attack on the presidential campaign team of the party, Momodu said, "Yesterday, we were attacked in Borno State.

We've been attacked in Kaduna and it's so unfortunate, because there was a peace accord that was signed by most of the presidential candidates.

"So, we plan to report formally to the security authorities, we plan

to report to the Peace Commission, because democracy is not by force, it is a game of choice. So, if I choose to support my candidate, there shouldn't be any problem about that.

"So, firing dane guns, throwing stones and all manner of weapons, for me, is a very unfortunate development. So, we hope that you're able to help us send the message across to the authorities that PDP is worried.

“My heart goes out to one of our colleagues, Mary Chinda of Arise News, who sustained injury. In fact, I've just seen an x-ray of her arms, so, I hope nothing serious happened to her, because she fell in the process of that attack yesterday. I saw that the police, PRO or someone denied that any of such thing did not happen.

"It's obvious that the other parties can see that Atiku Abubakar GCON is the leading candidate and he's going to win the next election Otherwise, why are they jittery?

"You can see that we have done four states already. And all the four states recorded resounding successes, so, we shall continue to campaign in every part of Nigeria for PDP. It's a carnival of ideas. It is not a carnival of war. So, we shall continue to campaign vigorously, rigorously. Any candidate, who can match that should also go ahead and do his own," he stated.

He also said the presidential campaign council has set up a committee of experts to study the US alleged indictment of Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the APC.

FORFEITED $460,000: PDP'S PCC DISMISSES TINUBU'S DENIALS January 1990, wherein he deposited funds far in excess of his earnings in Mobil Oil, where he was working at the time.

Some of the bank account numbers were 263226700 (First Heritage Bank), 39483134, 39483396, 4650279566 (Citibank N.A), and 52050 – 89451951, 52050 - 89451952 and 52050 – 89451953 (Citibank International) all in the US. Shepard noted that the funds in Tinubu’s accounts were suspected to represent proceeds of drugs or property involved in money laundering, hence the initiation of a warrant of seizure and monition was requested from the court.

In an affidavit deposed to in support of the Verified Complaint for Forfeiture by a Special Agent with US Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Kevin Moss, Tinubu was said to have contradicted himself during interrogation on his relationship with Agbele and Akande. While in one breath he admitted to receiving $100, 000 from Akande and used $80, 000 of the money to open the

Heritage account, he had at another time denied having any financial relationship with Akande. He also denied having any other bank accounts in the US. Based on the above, Moss said they had cause to believe "that the funds in the amount of $460,000 in account in the name of Bola Tinubu represents proceeds of narcotics or were involved in financial transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C ss 1956 and 1957 and therefore these funds are forfeited to the United States”.

Shepard noted that although, “a less prima facie” case was established against Tinubu, the case was beyond mere suspicion, hence, a motion exparte application for order for seizure of the said funds was made by the US attorney on August 18, 1993, which was subsequently granted.

“It is hereby ordered that the United States Marshall shall hereby have authority to execute the warrant of seizure and monition issued ….by serving the warrant on mail on Citibank and First Heritage Bank,”

the documents read regarding the judgement.

The documents, however, revealed that after protracted litigation in which Tinubu claimed that the monies legitimately belonged to him, his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, and his surrogate mother, one Alhaja Mogaji, Tinubu finally opted for a stipulated settlement with the US government.

According to the settlement order dated September 15, 1993, Hon. Judge Nordberg “ordered that the sum of $460,000 held by Bola Tinubu in the First Heritage Bank account be forfeited to the United States Government.”

Part of the agreements reached in the “Stipulation and Compromise Settlement of Claim to the Fund Held

by Heritage and Citibank,” were that “funds held by Citibank shall be released to K. O. Tinubu and the actions filed against these funds in the accounts held by Citibank shall be dismissed with prejudice”.

According to the documents, “The parties further agreed that $460, 000 from the defendant’s account held

by Heritage Bank in the name of Bola Tinubu shall be forfeited by the United Sates and shall be disposed of according to law. The funds remaining in the account shall be released to K. O. Tinubu.”

While Masha McClellan had signed on behalf of the plaintiff, one Patrick Coffey signed for the claimants.

In the decree of forfeiture as to funds held by First Heritage Bank, dated October 4, Judge Nordberg, having observed that “Neither a claim nor answer have been filed on behalf of the defendant funds other than the claims previously resolved by this court, in its settlement order dated September 15, 1993, accordingly ordered that the funds in the amount of $460, 000 in account 263226700 held by First Heritage Bank in the name of Bola Tinubu represents proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were involved in financial transactions in violation 18 U.S.C 1956 and 1957 and therefore this funds are forfeited to pursuant to 21 U.S.C 881 (a)(6) and 18 U.S.C 981.”

industrial cities like Onitsha, Kano, Kaduna, had collapsed due to the effects of bad economic policies and inept leadership.

He assured his teeming supporters that the dead factories would be brought back to life by the time Labour Party took control of affairs and started rebuilding Nigeria.

"Our commitment is to secure and unite Nigeria. We are energetic and committed to rebuild Nigeria," he said.

In his remarks, Baba-Ahmed said the era of deception by the ruling class was gone for good, because "our eyes don open and our minds don clear".

He said what Nigeria needed now was a leader with "credibility, character and capacity", adding that Obi embodied all the three

characteristics.

Otti, who is yet again taking a shot at the Abia governorship seat, told his supporters that he remained committed to the task of freeing Abia from bad governance.

"This gathering is a declaration of intent to rescue Abia from bad governance that has held it down for decades," he said, adding that it was time for Abians to tell "the evil cabal that enough is enough".

He lamented the sorry state of affairs in Abia under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has been in power for over two decades, saying bad governance has driven the people to despondency.

"If we were dissatisfied in 2015, we should be outraged now (hence) we are saying, enough is enough."

SUSPECTED HOODLUMS SET INEC’S OFFICES ABLAZE IN OGUN, OSUN nationwide, these simultaneous attacks are very worrisome indeed,", Okoye said.

Okoye also said the Commission deliberated on the forthcoming display of the entire national register of voters for claims and objections by citizens as required by law and approved the methodology for the exercise.

Also, he said, "as earlier announced by the Commission, the entire preliminary register containing 93,522,272 registrants will be published. The exercise will last for two weeks, from 12th -25th November, 2022.

"The physical copies of the register will be displayed in all the 8,809 Registration Areas (Wards) and 774 Local Government Areas on polling unit basis nationwide.

“For the first time, the soft copy of the entire register will also be published on the Commission's website (visit/www.inecnigeria. org/display_register and follow the instructions).

"The register will give the name, picture, date of birth and Voter Identification Number (VIN) of each registered voter. However, for data protection and security reasons, critical information such as biometric details, residential addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of voters will not be made public on both the physical and soft copies."

He explained that during the display, “any person may make a

claim that the name of a registered voter has been omitted, make corrections on his/her personal details on the register, raise an objection against the inclusion of any person not qualified to vote or the name of a dead person on the register.”

"As the exercise commences on Saturday 12th November 2022, we appeal to Nigerians to seize the opportunity to scrutinise the register and draw the Commission’s attention to any corrections in their personal particulars and any malicious registrations, multiple registrants, non-Nigerians or any other person not qualified to be on the register.

"Detailed clarification on the processes and procedures for the exercise, including relevant forms, can be obtained from the Commission’s officials at the points of display at Registration Areas (Wards) and Local Government Areas. The information has also been uploaded to the Commission's website and social media platforms.

"By the provisions of the law, cleaning up the voters' register is a collective national responsibility.

So far, the Commission has weeded out ineligible registrants using our Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS). “By working together with citizens, we can clean the register further as it is the critical foundation for credible elections.", Okoye explained.

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2022˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

DLM CAPITAL GROUP WINS AWARDS…

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Sofri (powered by Links Microfinance Bank), Funsho Idowu; Executive Assistant, DLM Capital Group, Maeyen Okon; Corporate Communications Executive, DLM Capital Group, Chiamaka Obiefuna; Vice President, Corporate Finance, DLM Capital Group, Ekanem Etim; and Director General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Adebola Oyerinde, at the Banks’ and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards where DLM Capital Group emerged “The principal Finance Firm of the Year 2022” and Sofri was awarded with “The Consumer Digital bank of the Year 2022” in Lagos…recently

Gani Adams: Allow Us Flush Bandits Out of Lagos-Ibadan Express Way Forests Segun James Following the continued attacks on people along the Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land,

Chief Gani Ige Adams has asked the Governors of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states to give Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) the go-ahead to enter the forests and flush out the bandits terrorising

commuters and motorists along the road.

Adams, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, expressed concern over the incessant attacks on travellers plying the road, saying that since the police had failed to flush out

the bandits and had faltered in an earlier arrangement to provide effective security along the road, it is pertinent to ask the governors to allow the OPC and Amotekun and other security groups like the Hunters, Vigilance, and the Isokan Oodua to undertake

the task to get rid of terrorists.

Expressing worry at the increasing spate of insecurity along the road, Adams stated further that the only way out of the problem is to allow the OPC to face the battle for the restoration of peace along the road.

“There has been an abnormal surge in cases of kidnapping along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way. The information at my disposal indicates the surge in the numbers of terrorists and kidnappers hiding at Sapade, a community that is about 62 km from Ibadan.

of the conference include the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (FMPR).

It listed other major stakeholders invited to the programme as : the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (FMMSD),

Corporation (NNPC), Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), and Zenera Consulting.

The SITEI conference, according to ‘Bekeme Olowola, CSR-in-Action’s Chief Executive and Convener of SITEI, the programme was birthed in

High Commission of Canada in October 2012, in Lagos.

The conference, it added, is an annual conference and would feature active dialogue and focused interactions among global industry stakeholders – business, government, community, civil society, development institution, academia, and the media.

‘We are Counting the Number of Days for Bauchi Gov to CSR-in-Action to Host Extractive Industries Relinquish Power to Us’ Stakeholders at SITEI Conference in Lagos existing and invited partners Nigerian National Petroleum conjunction with the Deputy incumbent governor, saying the Segun AwofadejiinBauchi

The Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Bauchi, Alhaji Sani Shehu, has said that the party is counting the number of days for the incumbent Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed to relinquish power to the party’s candidate, Senator Halliru Dauda Jika.

Speaking at a rally in Bauchi to receive 50, 000 defectors from nine different political parties in the state to the NNPP yesterday, Shehu, popularly called Sanin Mallam, expressed optimism that the party’s candidate, Senator Jika will dethrone incumbent Governor Mohammed from power come 2023.

Shehu described the Bauchi NNPP gubernatorial candidate as more youthful than the

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

days of free distribution of goats as empowerment to youth and women by the present administration in Bauchi would soon be over.

Also speaking on the occasion, a member of the NNPP, Alhaji Baba Mallam Katagum, called for a 40-day prayer for the repose of some Bauchi deceased pensioners and civil servants who lost their lives while waiting for the payment of their entitlements and salaries respectively.

Katagum decried the state of health service delivery in the state where, explaining that hospitals and primary healthcare centres have been turned into mere consulting facilities without the necessary drugs to administer on patients.

According to him, the situation is extremely worrisome.

CSR-in-Action yesterday announced that it is set to host various stakeholders at its 11th Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) Conference and CAHR Africa Awards 2022 on Tuesday, 22 November in Lagos.

In a statement in Abuja, the organisation stated that

Martyrs Day: Abe, Kwanee Want Wiwa, Others Exonerated of Criminal Charges Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt As the people of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State mark the 2022 Ogoni Martyrs’ Day, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state, Magnus Abe said it is a period for sober reflection.

This is as the governorship candidate of Zenith Labour

Party (ZLP), in Rivers State, Leyii Kwanee has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to exonerate the environmental right activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni compatriots of alleged criminal charges that led to their murder 27 years ago.

Abe, in a statement yesterday, said the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the gruesome murder of foremost

environmentalist, Saro-Wiwa and his fellow compatriots, calls for sober reflection.

He said: “It is a great opportunity, once more, for the Ogoni people to reflect not just on the supreme sacrifice of blood, which the martyrs shed for the Ogoni cause but the reasons for which they made that sacrifice.

“I want to use this opportunity of the remembrance to thank the

Ogoni people for their resilience and their determination that the sacrifice of the martyrs will not be in vain.

The struggle for the liberation and prosperity of the Ogoni people and indeed all those oppressed, economically, politically, environmentally, will continue until not just the Ogoni but all of God’s children across the world are liberated.

N5 million annual funding scheme for PWDs in Lagos, which was introduced by the former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and was implemented till the ex-governor left office.

The Lagos Chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) made the assertions yesterday in Lagos, at a media parley and public presentation

of their Charter of Demands ahead of the 2023 general elections in collaboration with BONews Service.

Presenting the charter of demands, the Lagos Chapter Chairman of JONAPWD, Dr. Adebukola Adebayo, said the current government had not been responsive to their needs and challenges unlike the former governor.

“Things were quite better for persons with disabilities in Lagos when Ambode was the governor.

Ambode introduced the disability fund where N5 million was disbursed annually to PWDs for their economic empowerment. But since the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu, that disability fund has not been disbursed to us,” Adebayo said.

Tinubu Will Win Landslide in the South-south, Says Group Persons with Disabilities Rate Sanwo-Olu’s among the winning ballot in Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa the landslide victory of Asiwaju Administration Poor in Responding to their Needs The South-south Agenda for Tinubu/Shettima (SSAT) has declared that the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the election by a landslide in the South-south region.

The leader of the group, Mr. Bitrus Nta Oliver, said in a press statement no geopolitical zone will want to be in the opposition in 2023, hence the zone has resolved that the votes of the people of the South-south zone will be counted among the winning votes of Tinubu.

The statement read in part: “No geopolitical zone will like to be in the opposition in the new dispensation. That is the only way every zone will protect their share of the national cake.

Our votes must be counted

Bola Tinubu as President. As a matter of fact, we thank God our people have realised this and have resolved to vote for Tinubu/Shettima come 2023”.

He said the SSAT was poised to take the resounding message of victory of Tinubu and Shettima to all nooks and cranny of the South-south and called on the members to continue spreading the message as Tinubu was the most experienced, competent, prepared and credible person to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari and fulfill the expectations of Nigerians.

The group, who described itself as an independent support group in the region, also accused the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele of working against the party and its presidential candidate.

Peter Uzoho Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos State have rated the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu poor in responding to their needs through policies and programmes aimed at enabling their survival.

They also lambasted the SanwoOlu government for jettisoning the

2023: Arewa Community in A’Ibom Drums Support for PDP Guber Okon Bassey in Uyo

The leadership and members of the Arewa Community in Akwa Ibom State have drummed support for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the state, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno and his running mate, Senator Akon Eyakenyi for the 2023

elections.

The endorsement of the PDP gubernatorial hopeful, took place yesterday at a rally held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The Arewa Community led

by Chairman, Arewa People’s Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbole and the Sarkin Hausawa, Alhaji Hassan Sadauki, who is the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State

Council for Islamic Affairs, pledged their total support for Pastor Umo Eno and his running mate, promising to deliver bloc votes for the PDP Governorship candidate and other candidates of the party in the election.

They hailed the current administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel for fostering

peace in the state, saying the Hausa Community was desirous of the sustenance of the peace and have absolute confidence in Pastor Umo Eno’s ability to drive the peace sustenance efforts and as well consolidate on the development strides of the Udom Emmanuel administration in other sectors of the state’s economy.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS XTRA

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY…

L-R: District Police Officer (DPO), Ijora Police Station, Ayoola Moses; Group Executive Director, SIFAX Group, Bode Ojeniyi; Basohorun of Ijora Land , Akeem Oladipupo, representing the Ojora of Ijoraland, Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Ojora; Managing Director, SIFAX ICT, Paul Linden, and Facility Manager, SIFAX ICT, Ijora, HelenTunde-Oyeluyi at the inauguration of Ilaje Bus Stop built by SIFAX ICTin Lagos … yesterday

Desist from Any Act that Will Trigger Violence, Kano REC Urges Politicians

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano State, Ambassador Abdul Zango, yesterday declared readiness for the difficult task ahead of the 2023 general election in the state.

Zango, who made the

commitment while addressing the management of the commission in Kano, said that he has aligned ‘wholeheartedly’ with the trust of credible and transparent election.

HE SAID: “About a week ago, we took our Oath of Office as Resident Electoral Commissioners. During the occasion, the Chairman of INEC,

90 Missing Jeeps: Osun PDP to Report Oyetola to ICPC, EFCC, Others Yinka KolawoleinOsogbo The Office of Osun State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Governor Gboyega Oyetola to return over 90 vehicles already carted away by top officials including the office of the First Lady, the son of the Governor and other top officials.

“We are compiling detailed petition to be sent to the anticorruption commissions, EFCC, ICPC and others. We are providing details of the sharing of exotic vehicles and beneficiaries” In a statement issued yesterday, the party announced that it is in possession of official records of number of cars, jeeps and other assorted cars already shared among the officials including ongoing raiding of key agencies for clean

vehicles as parting gifts to leading officials.

“We have documentary proof of about 15 vehicles with the First Lady, 20 top cars with the governor’s son, and about 30 variously shared to five other top officials. “We have records of about 30 other vehicles raided from some top agencies. In RAAMP, eight vehicles including jeeps, hummer bus and others were taken away.

Other cronies including a professor based in Abuja also went away with a jeep belonging to a top agency.

“We have full inventory of all the vehicles including the plate numbers, engine numbers and their state before they were shared out. We call on those holding the vehicles to return them before November 26th.

Scores Feared Dead as Auto Crashes Trigger Gas Explosion in Kogi Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Several lives may have been lost in a multiple accident that occurred at a military check point at Ochadamu along Anyingba -Lokoja highway in Kogi East Senatorial District of the State.

Eye witness disclosed that the accident occurred when other vehicles rammed into a gas laden articulated tanker at Ochadamu Check point at about 2.00pm yesterday.

THISDAY gathered that most of the dead were burnt beyond recognition while no fewer than to 30 vehicles were burnt.

“I learnt that the accident was caused by a disagreement between soldiers and tanker drivers. Soldiers reportedly shot two tanker drivers and their colleagues in anger, used a tanker

loaded with fuel to barricade the highway leading to the ancient town of Idah. People gathered and pleaded with the tanker drivers to remove the tanker that they used to block the road but they refused” our source said.

Sources stated that suddenly, a speeding coal truck ran into the petrol tanker causing it to explode. An inferno engulfed the scene, killing scores of people and injuring many others”.

It was learnt that no fewer than 20 corpses some of which were burnt beyond recognition have been counted so far while over 50 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) when contacted, said that officers were still at the spot. He pleaded for more time to profile the actual casualty figure.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu reiterated the need for all to demonstrate commitment to free, fair, credible, transparent and verifiable elections.

“Professor Yakubu stressed the fact that pursuing this course is not only in line with the Oath of

Office. We willingly submitted ourselves to but indeed the path to honor and integrity.

Accordingly, I wish to align myself with this commitment to ensure free, fair, credible and transparent elections in Kano State.”

He explained that INEC considerable progress in reforming the electoral process essentially in the area of technology and related innovations have ushered in a new era of hope in the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

Abdul pledged to provide

leadership and team player, guided by fairness and justice to all, he cautioned politicians to play by the rules.

He urged the critical stakeholders to desist from any act capable of triggering violence during the poll in Kano.

NSCDC Arrests Travel Agent for Swindling Intending Pilgrims in Ekiti Victor Ogunje inAdoEkiti The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) , Ekiti State Command, has arrested a travel agent for allegedly defrauded prospective pilgrims a sum of N13million in Ekiti, Ondo and Osun state.

The suspect identified as Alhaji Nurudeen Razak, according to the NSCDC spokesman in Ekiti, DSC

Tolu Afolabi, had in 2020 and 2021, collected the huge amount from some Muslims ,who wanted to travel for Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

Afolabi, who paraded the suspect at the NSCDC’s headquarters in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, said: “Alhaji Adebayo did not process any document in respect of the Hajj exercise instead, he disappered with the money since 2021.

“All efforts to trace him proved

abortive as he has changed his mobile number and his known addresses making it difficult to locate him.

“The Counter Terrorism Unit has been inundated with complaints from Muslim community in Ekiti State about his fraudulent activities and threat to life of the victims, which made the unit to track down the suspect to Oyo state where he was arrested and brought to

Ekiti State.

“The suspect has confessed to the crime and he is assisting the Unit in her investigation. He will be charged to Court as soon as possible”.

Afolabi said the CTU operatives also nabbed two persons at IseEkiti in Ise/Orun local government area of Ekiti State for alleged Cybercrime, drug peddling and cultism.

Again, Ex-Militant Leaders Tackle Amnesty Boss over Verification Exercise Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

A group of ex-militant leaders and stakeholders from the Niger Delta region have faulted the verification exercise of beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) by the Interim Administrator, Maj. Gen. Tariye Ndiomu (rtd.), and described it as a ruse and part of a hidden and heinous plan

to systematically delist up to 10,000 amnesty beneficiaries.

The group also alleged that the exercise is meant to deduct 650million per month (and N4.550 billion for the remaining seven months) from the delisted beneficiaries account would be filtered away into private pockets to cover their inflated flight tickets, travel, hotel accommodations and their

allowances.

The group, in a statement signed by former Ex-militant Leader, Mr. Boma Inewariku, (AKA Atangba-One), noted with concern that despite successive interim administrators subjecting the amnesty beneficiaries to numerous screenings and verification exercises with data and numeration figures available, the latest screening exercise

under Ndiomu, is a deceitful ploy to systematically delist up to 10,000 amnesty beneficiaries

by December 31, 2022, deadline.

The statement said that contrary to denials by Ndiomu that the federal government has rested all actions to dismantle the PAP, the federal government is forging ahead to conclude plans for the scrapping of the programme.

Oyo PDP Chieftain, Abidikugu, Tasks Politicians to Put Interest of People First Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan As the 2023 general elections draw nearer, politicians in the country have been charged to always see themselves as the servants of the people whose interests must be protected at all times.

A Chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Dr. Kazeem Adesina Abidikugu, gave the charge

in a message to felicitate with the Deputy National Chairman (South) of PDP, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, on his 64th birthday.

Abidikugu said that the present situation in the country required politicians who would serve wholeheartedly the interest of the masses.

He noted that in doing this politicians would contribute immensely in moving the

country forward, thereby ensuring that the masses would enjoy the dividends of democracy.

The PDP chieftain maintained that politicians have a responsibility to make the country a better place for the people, stating that most Nigerians are today loosing trust in the politicians.

He described Arapaja as a politician who in all the political

offices he had held had ensured that he touched the lives of the masses positively, stating that he is a mentor to many young politicians because of his leadership style.

Abidikugu added that the experience of the former deputy governor would come in handy for PDP to triumph resoundingly in Oyo State and at the national level during the coming elections.

Enugu Gov’s WifeMrs Urges Victims of Gender Violence to Speak Out The wife of Enugu State Ugwuanyi made Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugochi Ugwuanyi has decried the prevailing rate of gender-based violence in the country, which occurred mostly during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Mrs. Ugwuanyi, therefore, called on victims of the inhuman acts not to keep quiet but to always speak out so that the perpetrators must be punished.

the call during this month’s women’s prayer rally at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, yesterday, where she flagged off a 16-day activism to enlighten the rural dwellers on the negative consequences of gender-based violence, rape and other acts of domestic abuse, as well as the need for the victims to speak out for possible assistance.

She explained that the 16 days activism will enable the organisers to touch all the local government areas and communities in the state to further sensitize the people on gender-based violence, stressing that “no knowledge is a waste”.

According to her, the Nigerian governors’ wives, concerned about the increasing rate of gender-based violence in the country during the COVID-19 lockdown, which forced

victims and their perpetrators to stay together, came together and prevailed on their husbands (governors) to declare a state of emergency against GBV through adequate sensitisation.

“Today in all the states of the federation, we (governors’ wives) are going round our different communities especially those hard to reach areas to carry this sensitization exercise.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

45

NEWS XTRA

DISCUSSING WINE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES...

L-R: Export Director, CMW South Africa, Nico Smit; Managing Director, The Wine Shop, Kenya, Soraiya Ladak; Senior Trade Analyst, Italian Trade Agency, Luanda-Angola, Deslandes Monteiro; Chief Executive Officer, VDB Consultancy & Trade Ghana Limited, Vannessa Koko Djaba, and Founder/Director, Drinks Revolution Limited, Nigeria, Dr. Victor Ikem, at the Wine2Wine Business Forum to discuss opportunities in Africa for Italian wine producers in Verona, Italy...recently

Court Sets Aside Conviction of EFCC Boss for Contempt

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory yesterday set aside the contempt proceedings and all the orders of conviction for contempt against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Justice Chizoba Oji set aside the proceedings yesterday after

hearing an application brought by the EFCC Chairman.

The application was brought pursuant to Section 6(6) (a) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Section 91 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, Cap S6 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 and other relevant enactments.

The court found that at the time of the order, the EFCC Chairman was not in contempt of court as he had complied with the order that the respondent’s Range Rover be released and by several internal memoranda, the applicant had initiated the commission’s internal mechanism to ensure the payment of the sum of N40, 000,000 to the respondent.

Jusyivr Oji said: “I hereby set aside the entire contempt proceedings in Suit No. FCT/ HC/CR/184/2016 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria v AVM Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo.

“That I further set aside the conviction of the applicant, the Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for contempt unconditionally.”

The judge had in a ruling on Tuesday, had held that Bawa was in contempt of the order of the court made on November 21, 2018, directing the commission to return to an applicant, his Range Rover (super charge) and the sum of N40 million.

She also ordered that Bawa should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre Abuja for his disobedience,

and continued disobedience of the said order until he purges himself of the contempt.

Justice Oji further directed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to ensure that the order of this court is executed forthwith.

The judge rejected the arguments put forward by the lawyer to the EFCC, Francis Jirbo to justify his client’s action.

Duchess Hospital Marks One Be Assets, Not Liabilities, Cleric Counsels Nigerian Youths Mary Nnah The Chief Executive Officer of Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Adetokunbo ShittaBey, has reiterated the hospital’s commitment to impact the lives of all Nigerians through access to affordable world-class healthcare.

He made the announcement as the hospital marked its first

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as AMU VERONICA OLUWAFUNMILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as AMUDA VERONICA OLUWAFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as DAVID CLEMENT, now wish to be known and addressed as DAVIS BASSEY EKOK. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS IKPO IFEOMA IFEANYI HELEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ANIUKWU IFEOMA HELEN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OWOLOLA MARIAM WURAOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OWOLOLA MARIAM SEUN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, CHUKWUMA UDOCHUKWU AFORONWA wish to inform the JHQHUDO SXEOLF WKDW DOO P\ RI¿FLDO documents shall henceforth bear CHUKWUMA UDOCHUKWU AFORONWA. ALL former documents remain valid.

I, ABOKI INDOSIRE GRACE, my date of birth was wrongly written on my BVN as 29th June 2003 instead of 29th June 2004. All former documents on the old date of birth remain valid, the general public should please take note.

anniversary recently.

At a well-attended ceremony at the hospital’s main auditorium, Shitta-Bey emphasised the hospital’s priorities to include building trust in the healthcare system; providing high-quality and affordable services to Nigerians, and reversing the trend of medical tourism abroad.

He reaffirmed the affordability of the hospital’s services and further confirmed that “to register as a patient at the Duchess International Hospital is N5,000, and to have a consultation with a specialist family physician is also N5,000.”

Reflecting on the landmark achievements of the past year, the Duchess Hospital boss remarked that the hospital is proud to have successfully conducted a wide variety of routine and complex specialist interventions across a range of specialties and subspecialty clinical services.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as OLARONKE OLABISI MATILUKURO, now wish to be known and addressed as OLARONKE OLABISI OGUNSOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS ANNE ABASIAMA EVANS OGURU, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS ANNE ABASIAMA DOMINIC OKON. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEDEJI FUNMILOLA IMOLEAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EWETUNDE FUNMILOLA IMOLEAYO. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as CHINELO ETHEL IBE, now wishes to be known and addressed as CHINELO ETHEL EZEIKE . All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

Sunday Okobi The Head of Lagos Province Two (LP2), Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Funsho Ayinoluwa, has enjoined Nigerian youths to rise up and be assets rather than liabilities in every area of their endeavours.

The cleric who stated this at the just concluded annual youth convention, which took place

at its provincial headquarters, Israel Assembly, Ikeja, Lagos, stressed the need for the youths to avoid wasting their precious time doing nothing tangible for God, themselves and others in their immediate community.

The youth convention was organised in collaboration with the Chicago, United States of America (USA)-base outfit of the church tagged: ‘Hangout with

Jesus’, which attracted no fewer than 845 persons from around the world.

Ayinoluwa who was represented by the Assistant Pastor in Charge (APIC), RCCG. LP2, Mr.Tope Abe, following his trip overseas on official assignment, maintained that youthful age is the time to reset one’s life for God and humanity.

According to him, “The time of youth is the time of resetting

your life for God and humanity.

It is time to become an asset to the kingdom of God and not a liability. It is time to add value to yourself and the people around you.

Most of the great servants of God that I know started serving God when they were very young. In fact, they started serving God when they were teenagers. Do not waste your time doing nothing tangible for God and yourself.”

Gunmen Kidnap Two Clerics, Demand N10m in Jos Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Gunmen on Wednesday night abducted two Pastors at the Mararaba Jama’a roundabout of Jos South local government area of Plateau State. The victims were travelling from Mangu Halle to Jos when they were ambushed and abducted at about 8:30pm.

One of the victims identified as Pastor Nuhu Bakwa, who resides

in Abuja had lost his aged father in the village, Farin Kasa, Mangu Halle in Mangu Local Government Area of the state, and had travelled with his family and friend, who is also a cleric to prepare for the burial. It was in the process that they were kidnapped.

Spokesman of the state Police Command, Mr. Alfred Alabo, was yet to react to the incident at the time of this report, but a family

member confirmed the abduction, saying: “Pastor Nuhu Bakwa lost his father on Tuesday at Farin Kasa, Mangu Halle. He left Abuja where he stays to the village to start the preparation for the burial yesterday (Wednesday) he was on his way to Jos from Farin Kasa when the kidnappers picked him at Mararaban Jama’a.

“He was in the car with his wife, children and Pastor friend.

His vehicle was stopped and the two pastors were kidnapped, while his wife and children were left. I learned that the kidnappers have made contact and are demanding N10 million before their release.

“The incident happened between 8pm and 9pm on Wednesday. It is very sad, his father’s corpse is yet to be buried.

He only came to make arrangements for the burial.”

NUC Presents Letter of Recognition to Osun for Ilesa Varsity Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The National Universities Commission (NUC) yesterday presented a ‘Letter of Recognition’ for the official take off of University of Ilesa to the Osun State Government.

The presentation of the letter has given birth to the successful completion of the formal documentary process into the

establishment of the university.

This is even as the state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the establishment of the university will not in any way put unnecessary financial burden on the state.

By the recognition, the university becomes the 60th state university and 220th university in Nigeria.

The letter conveying the

recognition was personally received from the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, by the state governor.

This is just as the NUC Executive Secretary lauded the governor for the initiative, noting that the establishment of the university remains one of the most important legacies of Governor Oyetola, and added that the governor established the university in the “right place, with

the right people. I am sure the people of Ilesa will not allow it to go under.”

Among those present at the brief ceremony were former state Governor, Chief Bisi Akande; Emeritus Prof. Olu Aina; Speaker of state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Charles Akinola; former Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, among others.

HYPPADEC Decries Lack of Equipment in Niger Hospitals Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has decried the lack of modern standard equipment in hospitals in Niger State, and therefore, pledged assistance to correct the anomalies.

The Managing Director OF THE commission, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, stated in Minna that

the findings of the commission showed lack of scanning machines and near absence of optical and dental facilities in the hospitals.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ forum on the proposed HYPPADEC Medium Term Strategic Plan 2022 to 2225,Yelwa disclosed that the commission would install optical and dental equipment in the Minna General Hospital.

In addition, he said CT Scan machines would be donated to hospitals in each of the catchment states of the commission.

Yelwa also expressed concern at the high rate of out-of-school children in the state, especially girls, promising that HYPPADEC will assist to bring down the numbers.

He, however, praised the state government for embarking on the

channelisation of flood affected areas of Kontagora town, saying the commission will donate N200million to the execution of the project for it to be completed before the next rainy season.

Yelwa disclosed that arrangements have also been completed for the construction of new settlements at Ketso and New Muregi to enable displaced persons relocate upstream.

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Man Utd Make Osimhen Major Transfer Target Real Madrid’s Ancelotti also interested in luring the Nigerian to Spain

Femi Solaja with agency report In-form Super Eagles’ forward and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, is back on the radar of Manchester United just as current UEFA Champions League winner Real Madrid have also shown interest in the player.

According to Manchester Evening Newspaper, the Red Devils have drafted up their long and shortlists of goalscoring targets for next season with Osimhen top on the agenda.

Osimhen, 23, is the top scorer in Serie A and has plundered nine

goals in 13 games this season for Napoli who are on top of the Italian topflight.

The Nigerian international is a club-record signing and is contracted to Napoli until 2025 but the Neapolitans will come under pressure to sell if he enters the last two years of his contract.

Napoli finally sold Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer to Chelsea for £33million yet he was valued in excess of £100m three years ago.

Their most expensive departures have been strikers Gonzalo Higuain and Edinson Cavani.

Delta State Denies Any Death at Asaba Stadium

Osimhen appeals to United as he has thrived in two of the major European leagues, having played in Ligue 1 with Lille prior to his €80million transfer to Napoli in 2020.

According to Manchester Evening News, United are continuing to compile long and shortlists of targets as part of their recruitment process.

Figures at United concede they have a surfeit of right-footed left wingers, which partly influenced manager Erik ten Hag's recommendation of the left-footed Antony.

There is already a growing clamour among the United fan base to sign a forward in the

January transfer window but the club's preference is to start the next phase of their rebuild in the summer.

It would be nigh-on impossible to extract Osimhen mid-season as Napoli are unbeaten and eight points clear, having also topped their Champions League group.

Napoli's only titles remain the two won under the influence of Diego Maradona in 1987 and 1990.

Bayern Munich did not directly replace Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is only a stop-gap at Chelsea and Harry Kane's future at Tottenham is unclear as he approaches the last 18 months of his contract.

United have scored a meagre 18 goals in 13 Premier League games - fewer than Fulham, Brighton, Brentford, Leeds and Leicester - and they finished second in their Europa League group stage on goal difference.

Elsewhere, Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly pleaded with Real Madrid President Florentino Perez to do everything to sign Osimhen and AC Milan star Rafael Leao in January.

Ancelotti has been wanting to bolster his attack since returning to the Bernabeu last year and became frustrated after failing to land Kylian Mbappe this summer.

Victor Osimhen...back on the radar of Manchester United and Real Madrid

Insists work resumed after the minor incident at the indoor hall

Delta State Government yesterday said no life was lost in the accident which occurred at the construction site of the indoor sports complex of the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who is also the Chairman, Media Committee of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Delta 2022 National Sports Festival, insisted nobody died in the accident.

In a live video released after a section of the sporting media reported the death of three construction workers at the venue due to what they reported to be as a result of substandard materials, Aniagwu said the accident was caused by misalignment of the crane by its operator, which led to the heavy duty equipment crashing on the wall in one of the floors.

According to him, contrary to reports of loss of lives, only one person sustained minor injury and has since been treated while other workers have also returned to site.

He said the contractor has assured that the crashed wall would be fixed within 48 hours.

“Right behind me is the premises of the indoor sports hall

under construction at the Stephen Keshi Stadium. The accident was caused by the crane operator who couldn't properly align the lift while trying to take up some very heavy duty equipment from the particular floor, and it fell on the wall, leading to the crash of a part of that wall.

“One person sustained minor injury and has since been treated and they have returned to work.

The workers are very much on site and we are moving with speed.

“The unconfirmed reports of loss of life is not true and any body saying the Stephen Keshi Stadium has come crashing down is also peddling the wrong information,” Aniagwu stated.

He continues: “As a matter of fact, the Stadium is undergoing some renovation work ahead of the National Sports Festival. The contractor has assured us that in less than 48 hours, the part of the wall that collapsed on account of the misalignment of the crane would be fixed.”

Aniagwu urged the general public to discountenance any report stating loss of life on account of the minor accident at the construction site.

Hot Spot Travel & Tours Offers World Cup Packages for Football Fans Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Hot Spot Travel & Tourshas created packages that cover the 3rd place and final games of Qatar 2022 which begin from November 15-December 19.

The CEO of Hot Spot Travel & Tours, Femi Soneye, disclosed yesterday that the five-day tour package for Nigerian fans going to the World Cup include flight tickets, medical, insurance, transportation and match tickets in Qatar.

He said the packages will provide football fans an enriching experience of warm Arab hospitality and the best of both Dubai and Doha.

The FIFA World Cup is the most thrilling sporting spectacle in the world with Qatar projecting to welcome about 1.2 million fans from all over the world.

Soneye added that in between, there will be two days of excursions for visitors to explore alluring beaches, tour world-class museums, shop at enticing markets, sight impressive architecture and unique landscape. They will also experience

QATAR 2022 the carnival on the day of the final.

According to the travel agency, the packages include a 4-nighteconomy package starting at $3,500, and a gold 4-nightpackage starting at $9,500. All rates are per person.

“The economy package includes standard or three-star deluxe hotels, pre-travel concierge, transfers between the airport and hotel and between the hotel and stadium on match days while the gold package includes first-class accommodation at one of Doha's top 5- Star hotels, with daily breakfast, transfers between the airport and the hotel and between the hotel and stadium on match days, and high-touch service from Hot Spot’s ' 24-7 on-site host team.

“We at Hot Spot have kept our packages very competitive so that football fans can enjoy the spirit of football while having less focus on logistics which will be well taken care of by us,” Soneye said.

Southgate’s Three Lions for the Qatar 2022 job excluded Tammy Abraham (right)

WORLD CUP 2022...WORLD CUP 2022...WORLD CUP 2022...

Abraham,Tomori Missing in Southgate’s 26-man Squad The hope of Nigerian-born Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham to play for the Three Lion of England suffered a major blow yesterday as England Manager, Gareth Southgate, picked his final 26-man World Cup squad without the two players.

England are featuring players from 11 different clubs, all but one of which are from the Premier League.

All of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ clubs – Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham – are represented in the squad.

Manchester City are the domestic team with the most players included, with five names.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle have three players each, while there are two

in from Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham. West Ham and Leicester have one player respectively.

Borussia Dortmund are the only overseas club with a player in the England squad as a result of Jude Bellingham’s inclusion, although AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori was arguably unlucky to miss out.

Roma striker Tammy Abraham was also in with a chance but was not chosen.

England Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal) Defenders: Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Eric Dier (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Conor Coady (Everton), Ben White (Arsenal), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) Midfielders: Jude Bellingham

Ronaldo, Pepe in Portugal’s 26-man Squad Cristiano Ronaldo may have struggled for first-team football at Manchester United this season but is in Portugal's 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup. The 37-year-old has played 16

times, including 10 starts, for United this season and scored three goals.

"All the players called up come with the hunger to win and make Portugal world champions, Ronaldo included," said Portugal coach

Parimatch’s N10m on Offer as Teams Unveil Squads for Qatar 2022 Parimatch, one of the biggest sports betting companies in the world is now in Nigeria and is presenting passionate and esteemed fans with one of the highest money-spinning offers across the globe.

Qatar will take to the field on November 20th against Ecuador in the opening match of the World Cup. This will signal the start of the biggest football fiesta and officially opens the way for fans to win a share of the N10Million on offer

(Borussia Dortmund), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City) Forwards: James Maddison (Leicester), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Callum Wilson (Newcastle), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

during the course of the tournament on Parimatch.ng.

“This is in addition to other fabulous offers available on the Global giant's website.”

According to the statement issued by the company, “Parimatch offers safe and secure betting but there is more to the world-class brand than our reputation which makes us worth a visit during the biggest football showpiece on earth.”

Among the several special offers

from Parimatch during the World Cup in Qatar, is the N10,000,000 Terminator Jackpot.

“For this offer alone, fans will have a chance to participate in seven different competitions in order to claim a piece of the big prize. There are also a couple of other special offers and jackpots for all the stages of the tournament in Qatar which punters can access on the Parimatch website - www. parimatch.ng.

Fernando Santos.

Also listed for Qatar 2022 actions is Porto defender, Pepe, 39.

There are 10 players from the Premier League in the squad.

Ronaldo's club team-mates Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, Manchester City's Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Wolves trio Jose Sa, Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes have all been selected. However, there were no spots for veteran Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho and club team-mate Goncalo Guedes, with Paris St-Germain midfielder Renato Sanches also missing out.

Portugal will be without injured Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.

Portugal, who are in Group H, open their World Cup campaign against Ghana on 24 November before taking on Uruguay on 28 November and South Korea on 2 December.

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SPORTS

Mbeumo in Cameroon Squad, but Ngadeu-Ngadjui Omitted Recently-capped Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has been included in Coach Rigobert Song's 26-man Cameroon squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

The 23-year-old represented France at youth level before switching allegiance to the central African nation, and won his first two caps for the Indomitable Lions in September.

"It's a dream come true for me to go the World Cup," Mbeumo wrote on social media.

Vincent Aboubakar, who featured as a teenager at the 2010 World Cup and also appeared in 2014, captains a squad that has three surprising inclusions and one shock omission.

Former international Song has

left out long-serving centre-back Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, who helped Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title and started all but one match at this year's Nations Cup on home soil.

He gave no explanation for the exclusion of the 31-year-old Belgian-based defender at a news conference to announce his squad on Wednesday evening.

The Indomitable Lions, who finished third at this year's Nations Cup, had earlier drawn 1-1 with Jamaica in a friendly in Yaounde, playing with a side drawn from clubs in Cameroon.

Song surprisingly included uncapped teenaged Marseille

goalkeeper Simon Ngapandouetnbu and two domestic-based players Souaibou Marou and Jerome Ngom - who both won their maiden caps against the Reggae Boyz.

Nicolas Nkoulou and Bayern Munich attacker Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting have been handed the chance to play in a third World Cup for Cameroon, but Lens midfielder Jean Onana was omitted.

Nkoulou, 32, made a comeback to the team in September after a five-year absence, having retired from the side after the Nations Cup success in 2017.

Quarter-finalists in 1990, Cameroon will be playing in an African record-extending eighth

World Cup finals and have been drawn in Group G alongside five-time winners Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland, who they will face first on 24 November.

Despite impressing at both the 1982 finals, where they were unbeaten, and in 1990, Cameroon's recent World Cup is poor - with the Indomitable Lions having won just one of their last 15 matches dating back to 1994.

Cameroon will face Panama in Abu Dhabi on 18 November in their final warm-up match for the finals in Qatar.

Cameroon squad Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy (Abha Club), Simon Ngapandouetnbu

(Marseille), Andre Onana (Inter Milan).

Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto (Nantes), Enzo Ebosse (Udinese), Collins Fai (Al Tai), Olivier Mbaizo (Philadelphia Union), Nicolas Nkoulou (Aris Salonika), Tolo Nouhou (Seattle Sounders), Christopher Wooh (Stade Rennes).

Midfielders: Martin Hongla (Verona), Pierre Kunde (Olympiakos), Olivier Ntcham (Swansea City), Gael Ondoua (Hannover 96), Samuel

Oum Gouet (Mechelen), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli).

Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (Al Nassr), Christian Bassogog (Shanghai Shenhua), Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting (Bayern Munich), Souaibou Marou (Coton Sport), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu (Young Boys Berne), Jerome Ngom (Colombe Dja), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Besiktas), Jean-Pierre Nsame (Young Boys Berne), Karl Toko Ekambi (Lyon).

WORLD CUP BLUES

Ngadeu-Ngadjui Cameroonian Defender, Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui gave an interview on Wednesday where he was quoted thus: “I am a hungry lion... we will reach the final of the FIFA World Cup... we are going there to die on the field."

Eto’o Cameroon football federation (FECAFOOT) President, Samuel Eto’o in apparent reference to Ngadeu-Ngadjui said in an interview few minutes after the Indomitable Lions final 26-man squad was released: “I think to win the World Cup, you don't need monsters or extraterrestrials. It takes good preparation, a strong mentality and a pinch of madness. I'll always take Inter Milan as example. At the start of the 2009-2010 season nobody could believe we would win the Champions League, but at the end, Mourinho did something crazy with a group of men and warriors. I want something like that for Cameroon."

FIFA Rejects Denmark’s Request to Wear Pro-human Rights Jersey Denmark's request for its players to be permitted to wear prohuman rights training shirts at the World Cup in Qatar has been rejected by Fifa. The Danish football federation (DBU) asked if its players could wear shirts with the words "Human Rights for All".

World football's governing body prohibits all political messages and has asked teams to "focus on football" following a controversial build-up.

The DBU disputes that it is a political message but accepted the decision. "For me, this is a jersey with a very simple message about universal human rights," DBU director Jakob Jensen told Danish agency Ritzau.

Indomitable Lions of Cameroon

Lukaku Listed in Belgium Squad Despite Fitness Worries Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku has been named in Roberto Martinez's Belgium World Cup squad, despite concerns over his fitness.

The on-loan Chelsea forward, 29, has made only five club appearances this season because of a hamstring injury.

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has been selected, alongside six Premier League

players.

Leicester City trio Wout Faes, Timothy Castagne and Youri Tielemans are among the players named.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa defender Leander Dendoncker, Everton midfielder Andre Onana and Brighton forward Leandro Trossard make the 26-man squad.

Real Madrid's former Chelsea

Ohaka Shines as Costa Rica Gun Down Eagles Ahead Qatar 2022 Dominion Ohaka caught the eye and the Super Eagles B team posted a decent performance, but it was not enough as hosts Costa Rica won 2-0 on their way to the World Cup in Qatar.

The Nigeria U23 star was very comfortable on the ball going forward and produced some decent crosses, but the team’s strike force did not have enough confidence to really trouble the defence of Costa Rica.

Second-half substitute Sunday Faleye also showed some glimpses of the player who shone at the 2018 CHAN. However, Sweden-based central defender Isaiah Ejeh was lucky not be sent off for a rugby-like tackle in the second half and crowned a below-par outing by helping home Costa Rica’s second goal

by Kendall Watson.

The opening goal was from a long-distance free kick and while the Nigerian defenders were ball watching, Oscar Duarte poked it home early in the first half past goalkeeper and skipper Kayode

Bankole as the packed National Stadium in San Jose erupted in joy.

The Eagles B team can only build on this performance as the core of the team continues to prepare for an U23 AFCON final playoff against Guinea in March.

forward Eden Hazard captains the side and is joined by team-mate and goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois.

Jan Vertonghen, 35, Toby Alderweireld, 33, Dries Mertens, 35, and Axel Witsel, 33 - who form part of Belgium's 'Golden Generation' - are among the players in the squad featuring in their third World Cup. Belgium were World Cup semi-finalists in 2018, suffering a 1-0 defeat to eventual winners France, and quarter-finalists in 2014, losing to Argentina by the same scoreline.

They begin their campaign against Canada on 23 November, before facing Morocco and Croatia in Group F. Belgium squad Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge), Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg)

Defenders: Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Toby Alderweireld (Antwerp), Leander Dendoncker (Aston Villa), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Arthur Theate (Rennes), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund), Timothy Castagne (Leicester City), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund) Midfielders: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Andre Onana (Everton), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge) Forwards: Eden Hazard (Real Madrid), Charles De Ketelaere (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Brighton), Dries Mertens (Galatasaray), Jeremy Doku (Rennes), Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan), Michy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce), Lois Openda (Lens)

Lewandowski Leading Poland in Anticipation of Miracle in Middle East

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has been picked in Poland's squad for the 2022 World Cup. The 34-year-old also played in 2018, when Poland qualified for the first time in 12 years.

Aston Villa defenders Jan Bednarek and Matty Cash, and midfielder Krystian Bielik, who is on loan at Birmingham City from Derby, are the three England-based players in the squad.

Napoli's Piotr Zielinski and Juventus forward Arkadiusz Milik also feature.

Poland, managed by Czeslaw Michniewicz, play Mexico on 22 November, Saudi Arabia on 26 November and Argentina on 30 November in Group C. Poland squad Goalkeepers: Bartlomiej Dragowski (Spezia), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna), Wojciech

Szczesny (Juventus).

Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Kamil Glik (Benevento), Robert Gumny (FC Augsburg), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Jakub Kiwior (Spezia), Mateusz Wieteska (Clermont), Nicola Zalewski (Roma).

Midfielders: Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City), Przemyslaw Frankowski (Lens), Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin), Jakub Kaminski (VfL Wolfsburg), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Al-Shabab), Michal Skoras (Lech Poznan), Damian Szymanski (AEK Athens), Sebastian Szymanski (Feyenoord), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli), Szymon Zurkowski (Fiorentina).

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus), Krzysztof Piatek (Salernitana), Karol Swiderski (Charlotte FC).

Drogba, Other Legends to Meet at CANEX WKND 2022 Two-time African Footballer of the Year, Didier Drogba has confirmed his participation at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2022.

Drogba, who is widely seen as one of the most accomplished football stars from Africa, has made tremendous impact, using football as a tool for peace and empowerment in Cote D’Ivoire.

The former Chelsea star who will be featured as an African Icon in one of the Fire Chat sessions will be sharing his amazing story with the continent.

The CANEX WKND 2022 is a three-day gathering of creatives

from across Africa and the diaspora, and the event is billed to take place from 25–27th November 2022 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. This event will lead up to the CANEX Summit at IATF2023.

Besides Drogba, other top African creative experts and thought leaders expected at CANEX WKND 2022 include the Nigerian trio of Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Alex Okosi, Managing Director of EMEA Emerging Markets at YouTube and award-winning author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Others are Abdul-Karim Abdullah, Founder and Chief

Executive Officer of Culture Management Group (CMG) and Afrochella Festival (Ghana); Magali Ohouens, Modern Art Specialist and Exhibition Coordinator at Cécile Fakhoury Gallery (Côte d’Ivoire); Armando Cabral, Founder and Creative Director, Armando Cabral (Portugal) and Elvis Adidiema, Director, Sony Music for French-speaking Africa, amongst others.

The CANEX WKND 2022, through the Roundtables, fireside chats, masterclasses and conversations, will provide an opportunity for sector specific experts to critically dissect

issues impacting the continent’s creative industries with a view to developing interventions that will provide an enabling environment for the Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) to thrive.

Some of the topics to be deliberated upon include why increased investment in the African music ecosystem is crucial.

There will equally be a conversation with key film industry stakeholders on the distribution of African-made content to local and global audiences.

The need to promote vertical and regional integration in the African Fashion ecosystem will also be

discussed by fashion strategists.

As expected, there has been growing interest in participation in CANEX WKND and organisers have simplified the process for all across Africa and beyond with free registration at www.canex.africa “Simply by creating a CANEX account and registering for CANEX WKND, delegates can attend all the key event sessions including a range of intensive masterclasses commencing on Thursday 24 November and running through Sunday 27 November, alongside the main plenary session on Saturday, November 26,” a representative of the organisers explained.

Friday November 11, 2022

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MISSILE CAN to Federal Government “This is a very difficult time for our nation, particularly the insecurity. You know it increases every day, with all kinds of rumours, causing all kinds of uncertainty in the minds of people…you hear rumours that even the elections may be truncated by some elements in the society, but God knows where they are, He is able to disable all the weapons of war“ –CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, assuring that God will disable the enemies’ weapons of war.

OKEYANUEYIAGU GUEST COLUMNIST

Nigeria’s Forgotten Heroes and the Phantom National Honours Awards

I

t has been clear for many years that Nigeria is a house divided, a country besieged with dysfunctional governments and rapidly declining values in all spheres of its existence. It has become very difficult to ask even the most basic questions – whether we are still in existence as a nation, whether we have totally lost our common sense of knowing what is right, and fallen prey to the weights that are breaking our institutions and tearing at the bonds and strings that hold our country, Nigeria together?

Only recently, the government of President Buhari announced and awarded a bounty of National Honours to a score of Nigerians in various fields of endeavours. Many critics of government challenged this Presidential gesture, claiming that only a few of those who received these awards are deserving of such honours. One of these critics went as far, without mentioning any names, to say that only 7 out of the 400 plus recipients are worthy of any National honours. The fierce critics of the government lamented the diminished value of these once revered conferments. Some claimed that these titles now go to the highest bidders, and that those most deserving of these honours have been forgotten.

When the list was published, I took particular interest in seeing who-and-who made the list. My interest was elicited by certain curiosity heightened by the need to know the criteria by which certain people made this list. I must confess that, apart from a few individuals that I know of their activities in nation-building and philanthropy, I didn’t recognise most of the other recipients, nor decipher how they deserved to be so honoured. That is not to say that because I didn’t know of these people’s contribution to our country, they didn’t deserve the honours. For this and other reasons, one expected that government should have taken the extra steps of providing the citizens with reasons for these awards to all the individuals. To simply cite their areas of endeavours, was just not enough. For instance, if an individual is in manufacturing, should we not be told elaborately how he or she was able to impact the economy? If a musician was equally awarded a title, did his or her music inspire some form of national consciousness, did it bring fame and fortune to Nigeria?

While I was despondently pondering upon these dustbinning of our values, I quickly reminded myself that our society is not a helpless victim of exogenous forces; that we get and deserve the calamities that have befallen us, and that we are collectively the real culprit of our problems. It is evident that alongside this particular issue under discourse here, that no other parts and corners of our lives have been left adversely unvisited.

Interestingly, my inclination to discussing and writing about this subject comes absolutely with no wistfulness, but with a sense of history resulting from my own personal family experience. For me, the issue of forgetting our National Heroes as a social pathology, has become an immoral blight and a shame of a nation that should never be allowed to continue to fester and endue in our country. This problem comes across as deliberate and almost disdainful. Indeed, the bitter lessons of this track record of misdeeds are clear, pointing to the malady of our national decision-makers’ failed obligations to make choices in a transparently open, dynamic nonlinear system that is rarely in equilibrium, and that has become incrementally straitjacketed by grand deceit and illusionary discontent and disconnect.

By my personal family experience, I am making reference to my late father’s fate in being one of the Forgotten Heroes of our country. By me personalizing his experience, I plead that readers not infer that I have a personal stake in this issue, or that I am finding an opportunity to promote family prominence or fame. Even at the risk of patronizing my father, I will only attempt at using him as a signpost for the endangered ills of our past, and the continuing

Buhari ugly experiences of our today.

Today, my worry is that what gets less attention from the populace is that the pre-meritocratic society that existed in the 1960s, has now become a rigorously past historical fact. This element in our past, though tendentious, has become a synonym for uncompetitive mediocrity. I recognize the saying that history doesn’t repeat itself, but for me and for many, it rhymes in our clime. My knowledge of history offers me the fact that we keep repeating the mistakes of the past. Otherwise, how far back does one need to go to see how often our governments have neglected and failed to honour those that truly made meaningful sacrifices for our country.

Now, back to my father and the issues of the Forgotten Heroes of Nigeria. My father who was born in 1915, after attaining lofty heights in his educational pursuit, settled for a life and career in journalism. At various times in the 1940s to the 50s, he became the Editor-in-Chief of various newspapers; The West African Pilot, The Spokesman, The Guardian, The Daily Comet, all newspapers in Azikiwe’s stable. These newspapers became powerful weapons deployed in the fight for independence.

My father who was in the forefront of this fight, was credited with possessing a dangerously caustic pen that he used to vilify the colonizers, and unsettled the British, especially the Royals. My father became, naturally the target of the British vile and consternation. He was arrested, locked up and dehumanized for being a thorn-in-the-flesh of the imperialists.

As a child growing up in our household in the 1950s, I witnessed my parents, especially my father, being subjected to levels of harassment by the authorities. At various times, my father was arrested and charged to court and imprisoned for writing what was considered to be seditious editorials against the colonialist. He was even accused for having the temerity to write uncomplimentary essays about the Queen, Her Royal Majesty. My father, Chukwuma Anueyiagu and his colleagues were courageous and unrelenting in their criticism and radical confrontation of the British rule. My father became a marked man for the uncomfortable and discomfited British rulers who tried unsuccessfully to shut him and his newspapers up.

Without any doubt, the efforts of the media were principally the major reasons the British relinquished their rule in Nigeria. My father and his colleagues succeeded in exposing the evils of colonial rule, awakening the consciousness of the Nigerian people

who rose up, demanding for independence.

After Nigeria gained independence, my father left journalism and veered into politics and business where he recorded huge successes. He, at a time became the Chairman of NCNC, one of the top political parties of the time. He also established successful interests in the Oil business, in the hospitality, printing, agriculture and trading industries. With these successes he ventured into philanthropy. He, in the company of a few friends began the Ibo Union Education philanthropy. He was the Founding Chairman and the major contributor to the Ibo Union Elementary and Grammar Schools built in most Northern cities. These schools were opened to Nigerians from all tribes and various religious backgrounds. These beautifully built and equipped schools that equalled any imaginable international standards, provided the strong background for the growth of education in Northern Nigeria in the 1960s. Many successful non-Igbo products of these Ibo Union schools in the North include the Ombu brothers; Air Vice Marshal Emma Ombu, an exceptional jet fighter pilot, Vice Admiral Victor Ombu, Vice Admiral Jibril Ayinla, both Chiefs of the Naval Staff, and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, former Managing Director of the Daily Times newspaper, and so many others.

My father’s service to our nation became even more evident when the war ended in 1970. He abandoned all his extensive enterprising businesses and stayed back to help rebuild the completely destroyed and devastated Awka, his hometown. He chaired and contributed immensely to the rehabilitation of the town’s water system, the markets, the schools, the post office and other essential infrastructural and social needs of his people.

The backdrop of this short story about my father, is a reflection of how after his commendable national contributions, he was never recognized by our government for any National Award while alive or posthumously. When he was 90 years old, he was interviewed by a team of journalists from many newspapers. I recall that the Managing Director of the Guardian and his team visited the old man in his retirement home in Awka. One of the striking questions they asked him was significant, and his profound answer was epic. The journalists asked my father what he thought about the fact that despite all he did in National affairs, he was never given a National Award. His answer was a classic: “I do not care that our dear country has not recognized and rewarded me and my colleagues…. what do I need this worthless award for? …an award that has become so commonized and given to all-comers.

The Award that I await is that which my God will give me when I go very soon to meet Him … that is the worthy Award…”.

When Chukwuma Anueyiagu died in 2015 at the ripe age of 100 years, he was truly honoured by his younger colleagues in the media. Six of the major newspapers in the country wrote glowing editorials extolling his virtues and praising his courage and bravery in national affairs. One of the editorials headline was: Chukwuma Anueyiagu, The GodFather of Journalism Goes Home. One of the publications deserves to be quoted thus: “Today, as Nigerians continue to develop the penchant for forgetting the people of yesterday, they spend so much time and expend so much energy singing the praise of the people of today, even when they are unworthy of such praises. In the process they build monuments to perpetuate the memory of those who have left no memory… They will be wise to stop polishing pebbles and darkening diamonds, start giving honour to whom it is due…”

With the recent death of the veteran nationalist Chief Mbazulike Amechi, this issue of our Forgotten Heroes reappeared in the banner of our National discourse once again. When my father died, Amechi attended his burial and with little fanfare hoisted a large banner in the middle of my father’s compound with the inscription: “THE FORGOTTEN HEROES

OF NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE”. He read a long and moving funeral oration for my father in which he extolled his national contributions, and in which he expressed regrets that he and his colleagues like; Babatunde Jose, Malam Raji Abdallah, Mokwugo Okoye, Lateef Jakande, Bob Ogbuagu, Adewale Fashanu, Nduka Eze, Ebun Adesioye, Kola Balogun, Peter Osugo, AK Blankson, AK Disu, Alade Odunewu, Osita Agwuna, Anthony Enahoro, MCK Ajuluchukwu, Ikenna Nzimiro, Okoye Isiadinso, and many others, who toiled tirelessly and selflessly for the benefit of the country, have remained unsung, forgotten, and neglected. His oration was quite a chilling and remarkable reminder that somethings are obviously not right with our country, Nigeria.

If a country cannot say with confidence where it has come from, it may be impossible to know where it is going. Identifying these kinds of trends has historically helped countries prepare for their future.

After reflecting on the practices of our government in neglecting to rightly reward those who deserve to be honoured, it is easy to conclude that the inflexibility of our rulers in this department should be a major concern of all right-thinking Nigerians.

By using my father’s example as a case study, I was only trying to imply the closeness of this malaise to reality. Also, the fact that my father never cared and never complained about this abhorrent treatment, made it even more profoundly relatable to nationalism and self sacrifice. For those of us who were crying more than the bereaved, my father would say to us with prophetic perspective, that this neglect by government is a symptom of injustice, which God emphatically stands against, but uses as a gauge to measure and test our commitment and loyalty to Him and to our fellow human beings. He often said that when the people you do good for do not reward you, it is a sign showing forth the Goodness of God. My father professed rather philosophically, that the purpose of worldly wickedness and evil is designed by God for the purpose of allowing us to be humble and allowing us to gain the happiness of heaven by knowing, loving and serving God in this world. He saw a deeper purpose in the things he did, than in receiving any National Honours from a country that cares less about its citizens, but rewards some unworthy and undeserving persons of questionable character with these Phantom National Honours Awards.

This essay is not in the least suggesting or implying that everyone on that list, and most people that have in the past received these honours are unworthy or undeserving of the awards. Instead, it is a perspicacious look at the raging illogical inconsistencies and the lack of righteousness in our government’s actions, and our predictable deprecation and imprecation of the processes leading to the selection of the recipients of these conferments. When we witness that our society rewards people of questionable character and impugned integrity, and ignores hardworking and honest citizens whose national service become self-sacrifice, we know that our country is doomed.

These National Honours Awards should be transparent and should expouse diligent scrutiny to ensure and drive the opportunity for the transformation of citizens’ reward for hardwork, diligence and loyalty to country. For the good citizens who have received National Honours deservedly, you know yourselves, and I implore you to hold on to the awards with pride and joy, and for those who acquired these titles through the backdoor, hide your face in shame and banish your plaques in the dustbin of a pyrrhic and nugatory crevasse.

Our government must in this regard be guileless in displaying sincere and trustful dispositions by showing us that hardwork and loyalty must teach and point us to the essence of life in the affairs of our country.

•Dr. Okey Anueyiagu, a Political Economist, writes from Ikoyi, Lagos

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