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FG Blames Govs for Level of Hardship in Country Advises them to tackle poverty, stop building airports, flyovers Deji Elumoye in Abuja The federal government, yesterday, reviewed the high poverty level in the country, and said the 36 governors of the federation were to blame for not getting their priorities

right in their respective states.

But rather than fight poverty headlong by improving the lives of their citizens, the governors, the federal government, claimed, preferred to embark on such projects like airports and flyovers that were

unrelated to their welfare.

Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, made the accusation while fielding questions at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President

Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House, Abuja.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently revealed that no fewer than 133 million Nigerians, representing 63 per cent of the population were living in multi-dimensional

poverty.

Of the total, 105.98 million poor Nigerians were reportedly located in rural areas, compared to 16.97 million in urban areas.

According to the Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index

(MPI) 2022 Survey, there were high deprivations in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity, and housing.

Also, poor people were said to Continued on page 9

Sylva: Nigeria to End Import of Petroleum Products Next Year... Page 5 Thursday 1 December, 2022 Vol 27. No 10096. Price: N250

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Nwoko to PDP: Expel Wike Now, He’s No More Damage to Do... Page 10

No PVC, No Voting in 2023 Elections, INEC Declares Vote buyers, thugs won't go scot-free, IG warns EFCC: Diezani paid out $115m to compromise 2015 polls Chuks Okocha, Udora Orizu, Juliet Akoje in Abuja and Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

With 86 days to the February 25 presidential general election, the

Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), yesterday, declared that there would be no

voting by anybody without his or her Permanent Voter's Card (PVC).

Also, the Inspector General of

Police, Usman Baba, has vowed to arrest and prosecute touts obstructing campaigns by opposition

political parties as well as politicians Continued on page 9

Sanwo-Olu: I'm Seeking Reelection on Success of My First Term Promises to make Lagos a 21st century success story Segun James Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, at the formal launch of his reelection campaign bid, said the success of his first term propelled his confidence to seek re-election.

The governor, who spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, at the unveiling of the Brand Campaign heralding the start of his 2023 official re-election campaign, amidst fanfare and a boat regatta on the lagoon, said he was determined to make the state a 21st Century success story.

With the theme of his re-election campaign tagged, 'A Greater Lagos Rising,' the governor said he hoped to uplift the already established development in the state.

The event, which took place in Ikeja, the state capital, had in attendance the state Chairman

of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi; Director General of the Sanwo-Olu Campaign C Council, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon; Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Sam Egube and the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Seye Oladejo among others.

Omotoso said, "Today’s occasion is part of our plan to immerse the media and indeed Lagosians into the unique narrative that will run through this campaign from start to when we mount the victory rostrum in March 2023."

Reeling off the governor's achievements, the information commissioner recalled, "Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in China in January 2020, Lagos recorded the index case of the dreaded virus on 27th of February 2020. Governor Babajide Olusola Continued on page 9

INDUCTION CEREMONY OF ICAN...

Osun Assembly Urges Adeleke to 70TH L-R: Special guest/former Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler; special guest of honour/past president, of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Kabir Mohammed; and the 58th President of ICAN, Mr. Tijjani Isa, during the 70th Allow Status Quo on LGs... Page43 Institute induction ceremony of ICAN in Lagos… yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

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

NEWS

16TH SUMMIT OF LAKE CHAD BASIN COMMISSION...

President Muhammadu Buhari and President of Niger Republic, H.E Mohamed Bazoum, during the opening ceremony of the 16th Summit of the Lake Chad Basin Commission held at the State House Conference Centre, PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE. Abuja. . on Tuesday

Sylva: Nigeria to End Import of Petroleum Products Next Year

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report

Nigeria expects to stop importing petroleum products before or around the third quarter of 2023, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has said.

Reuters quoted Sylva as saying that a refurbished refinery in the city of Port Harcourt in the oil-producing Niger Delta would be delivering 60,000 barrels per day of refined crude by the end of December.

The minister who was said to have spoken in Abuja, also said he still expects the new Dangote refinery to come on stream in the first quarter of next year.

However, aside the Port Harcourt facility, work has barely started at the Warri and the Kaduna refineries, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), had said would make the country a net exporter of petroleum products when they come on stream.

Although the Warri refinery is expected to be active by December 2023, the Kaduna refinery has no definite time for activity resumption and only the Port Harcourt refinery

will be ready by Q3/2023, according to projections.

Figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) indicate that the national average daily consumption of premium motor spirit (PMS) also known as

petrol remains at 60,000,000 llitre "We're expecting that we will actually be exiting the importation of petroleum products from maybe about third quarter next year if I was to give it a longer timeframe, but I believe that even before the third quarter next year," Sylva said.

Reuters noted that Nigeria's production of crude had improved to about 1.3 million barrels per day from under 1 million barrels previously, and that the country hoped to meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota by May of next year.

The federal government yesterday commenced the dissemination of the 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator survey (NMIS) report.

The documents tagged, "The 2021 Malaria Indicator Survey Report,” as well as the Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation (ACSM) Strategy and Implementation Guide," was formally unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who flagged off the programme said the 2021 NMIS report provided the country and partners the necessary baseline information with which the achievements of the current anti-malaria intervention effort would be benchmarked.

He also said the ACSM strategy and implementation guide would provide direction on the implementation of ACSM activities to improve uptake of high-impact interventions that would lead to achieving the goals and objectives of the malaria strategic plan.

is in the process of modernising the Port Harcourt refinery at a cost of $1.5 billion.

With high global oil prices, Nigeria wants to refine its own fuels. Its previous efforts to revamp its refineries stalled, leaving it reliant on imports for years.

UN: 2030 GlobalTarget for Ending AIDS May Be Elusive 650,000 people died from virus in 2021 Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Ahead of World Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Day, the United Nations has estimated that based on current trends, the world may not meet the agreed global targets to eradicate the virus.

In 2021, the UN disclosed that 650, 000 people were lost to AIDS while 1.5 million people newly acquired HIV It blamed growing inequalities as a major factor obstructing the efforts to end of AIDS. A statement by the Executive Director of UNAIDS and an Under-

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Winnie Byanyima stated: "On current trends the world will not meet agreed global targets on AIDS. But the new UNAIDS report, Dangerous Inequalities, shows that urgent action to tackle inequalities can get the AIDS response on track.

“UNAIDS set out earlier this year that the AIDS response is in danger—with rising new infections and continuing deaths in many parts of the world."

She said a new report from UNAIDS showed that inequalities were the underlying reason why the set targets may not be achievable.

"It shows how world leaders can tackle those inequalities, and calls on them to be courageous to follow what the evidence reveals.

"Dangerous inequalities unpacks the impact on the AIDS response of gender inequalities, of inequalities faced by key populations, and of inequalities between children and adults. It sets out how worsening financial constraints are making it more difficult to address those inequalities.

"The report shows how gender inequalities and harmful gender norms are holding back the end of the AIDS pandemic.

FG Unveils Report on Malaria, Says Disease Prevalent in Rural Areas Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Oil is Nigeria's biggest export earner, but crude theft and vandalism of pipelines have cut oil and gas output, knocking the country from its spot as Africa's top producer.

Nigeria swaps its crude for refined petroleum products but

He said that the malaria prevalence surveys were previously carried out in 2010, 2015 and 2018.

While speaking on the results for 2021, Ehanire said the surveys showed a slow but steady decline in malaria prevalence at national level from 42 per cent in 2010 (MIS, 2010) to 27 percent (MIS, 2015), and 23 per cent in 2018 (NDHS, 2018).

He said significant declines have also been observed at the zonal and state levels.

"The third round of MIS was implemented in 2021, the report of which we are launching today.

The results of the 2021 NMIS show a further decline in the national prevalence of malaria to 22 per cent from 23 per cent in 2018 and 42 per cent in 2010.

“While this may not appear significant at the national level, at the sub-national substantial gains have been observed in several states.

"We are seeing gains being sustained in getting the general population to adopt key preventive measures. 56 percent of households

own at least one insecticide Treated Net (ITN) while 36 percent of household members, 41 per cent of children under five and 50 per cent of pregnant women slept under an ITN the night before the survey.

“Also, 31 per cent of women took at least three doses of SP/Fansidar for the prevention of malaria in pregnancy while 45 per cent took at least two doses up from 17 per cent and 40 per cent respectively in 2018," he said.

Explaining further, the minister said: "When we look at the per cent who slept under an ITN the night before the survey among households with at least one ITN then we see the percentages rise (59 percent of household members, 64 per cent of children under five and 73 per cent of pregnant women).

“This underscores the importance of access, and therefore our drive to use all means including rolling mass campaigns to reach the teaming populations of Nigeria with nets."

Despite the declining prevalence, Ehanire said the country was still

not seeing the substantial gains it wish to see.

"Malaria prevalence is still higher in rural areas compared to urban areas. We are observing a shift in the disease patterns among the various age groups with prevalence increasing with age, and those more than 5 years having more episodes of malaria (not tracked in the current NMIS).

"These call for some shifts in the way we do things especially in promoting health seeking behaviours within the general populace," he said.

Earlier in his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Mahamuda Mamam said Federal Ministry of Health in strong collaboration with the states, development partners and other key stakeholders conducted the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) in 2021 as well as developed the National Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation strategy and implementation guide, despite the challenging implementation period posed by the COVID-19 pandemic at the time.

“The world will not be able defeat AIDS while reinforcing patriarchy,” Byanyima added.

While stressing the need to address the intersecting inequalities women were facing, Byanyima regretted that in areas of high HIV burden, women subjected to intimate partner violence face up to a 50 per cent higher chance of acquiring HIV. She also said across 33 countries, from 2015-2021, only 41 per cent of married women aged 15 to 24 could make their own decisions on sexual health.

The UNAIDS director said the only effective way to ending AIDS, achieving the sustainable development goals and ensuring health, rights and shared prosperity was to adopt a feminist route map.

According to her, women’s rights organisations and movements were already on the frontlines doing this bold work, adding that leaders needed to support them and learn from them.

Byanyima said the effects of gender inequalities on women’s HIV risks were especially pronounced in sub- Saharan Africa, where women accounted for 63 per cent of new HIV infections in 2021.

"Adolescent girls and young women (aged 15 to 24 years) are three times more likely to acquire HIV than adolescent boys and young men of the same age group in sub-Saharan Africa.

“The driving factor is power. One study showed that enabling girls to stay in school until they complete secondary education reduces their vulnerability to HIV infection by up to 50 per cent," she said.

However, Byanyima said when the girl child education was reinforced with a package of empowerment support, their risks

are reduced even further.

She said leaders needed to ensure that all girls attend school and are protected from violence which was often normalised including through underage marriages, and have economic pathways that guarantee them a hopeful future.

"By interrupting the power dynamics, policies can reduce girls’ vulnerability to HIV. Harmful masculinities are discouraging men from seeking care. While 80 per cent of women living with HIV were accessing treatment in 2021, only 70 per cent of men were on treatment.

Increasing gender- transformative programming in many parts of the world is key to halting the pandemic. Advancing gender equality will benefit everyone.

"The report shows that the AIDS response is being held back by inequalities in access to treatment between adults and children. While over three quarters of adults living with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy, just over half of children living with HIV are on the lifesaving medicine. This has had deadly consequences.

"In 2021, children accounted for only 4 percent of all people living with HIV but 15 per cent of all AIDS-related deaths. Closing the treatment gap for children will save lives.

"Discrimination against, stigmatisation and criminalisation of key populations are costing lives and preventing the world from achieving agreed AIDS targets. "New analysis shows no significant decline in new infections among gay men and other men who have sex with men in both the western and central Africa and eastern and southern Africa regions," she said.

Continues online

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PRESS BRIEFING AFTER FEC MEETING...

L-R: Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice , Abubakar Malami; Minister of Information and Culture , Lai Mohammed and Minister of Education , Mallam Adamu Adamu, at a press PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI. briefing after the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja …yesterday

NBET’s Disbursement to Gencos, Others Hit N5trn in Seven Years Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) has disclosed that between 2015 and 2022, the company paid N5 trillion as part of its function as administrator of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Vesting Contracts (VCs) in the power sector.

Statutorily, NBET acts as a link between the Generation Companies (Gencos) and Distribution Companies (Discos) through PPA and vesting contracts.

To this extent, NBET ensures that Gencos are paid through the prime source of revenue which is the payment receipts from the Discos for energy sales through vesting contracts.

Speaking in Lagos at a work-

shop organised for members of the Power Correspondents Association of Nigeria (PCAN), civil society and other stakeholders, the Managing Director of NBET, Dr. Nnaemeka Ewelukwa, also noted that the proper management of the N1.3 trillion Payment Assurance Facility (PAF) led to about 30 per cent increase in peak power, resulting in the highest generation ever attained.

According to Ewelukwa, this rise was from the hitherto 4,500mw, peak in February 2015, to 5,800mw in March 2021.

“The administration of PPAs & Vesting Contracts by NBET has resulted in electricity payments worth N5 trillion from February 2015 till date.

“There is also the successful

and transparent management of the N1.3 trillion PAF which aided about 30 per cent increase in the highest peak generation ever attained, from 4,500mw (February 2015) to 5,800mw (March 2021), due to capacity recovery by Gencos,” he added.

Ewelukwa further stated that in the last 10 years, NBET facilitated the privatisation of generation companies through PPAs with core investors, including the $2.5 billion privatisation of Gencos and Discos in 2013.

The company, he stated, was also instrumental to the privatisation of Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power Limited for N105.3 billion and $343.6 million.

Ewelukwa added that NBET also finalised the first Project

Financed Power deal with Azura’s 450mw, which heralded an investment of close to $1 billion in gas Independent Power Project (IPP) and executed PPAs with 14 solar IPPs for 1GW. He also listed the operationalisation of NBET as a going-concern and building the capacity to demonstrate credibility to potential developers and investors in the power sector, especially its IPP planning and procurement capabilities as part of the achievements.

NBET, he noted was also acting as the channel for the application of the $750 million Power Sector Recovery Operation (PSRO) loan proceeds, the PAF and FGN’s budgetary appropriation in addressing tariff shortfalls in

Stock Market Appreciated by N2.08trn in Nov Kayode Tokede Despite the rising inflation eroding returns on investment, the stock market arm of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) appreciated

by N2.08 trillion in November 2022, as investors renewed interest in capitalised stocks.

Precisely, the market capitalisation of the NGX closed trading at N25.959 trillion in November 2022, compared with the N23.878 trillion it closed in October 2022.

Also, the NGX All-Share Index, the index that tracks the general movement of all listed stocks on the Exchange, including those listed on the growth board, regardless of capitalisation, appreciated by 8.72per cent or 3,820.96 basis points to close at 47,660.04 basis points from 43,839.08 basis points the market closed for trading in October 2022.

The stock market performance in November was driven by surge in investors’ interest in Dangote Cement, Airtel Africa Plc, among other highly capitalised stocks on the bourse.

For instance, Dangote Cement saw its price gaining 18.96 per cent to close November trading at N262.30 per share from the N220.5 per share it opened for trading at the beginning of the month, while MTN Nigeria Communications

gained 10.97 per cent to close at N218.5 per share from N196.90 per share.

Similarly, Airtel Africa rose by 13.7 per cent to N1,450.00 per share from N1,275.00 per share as Zenith Bank added N1.9 per share to close at N21.9 per share from N20.00 per share it closed for trading in October 2022.

The stock market since July 2022 has witnessed dwindling performance on the backdrop of hike in Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its moves to tackle rising inflation rate.

The stock market in July 2022 plunged by N772 billion to N27.163

trillion and in August, it dropped further by N283billion.

In September, the market capitalisation depreciated by N429 billion or 1.6 per cent month-on-month to N26.451 trillion from N26.88 trillion it opened for trading and in October, the market was down by N2.57 trillion as escalated global energy and commodity crises triggered massive portfolio realignments.

In the period under review, the stock market witnessed increase in interest rate to 16.5 per cent as investors continued to take advantage of the rising yield environment in the fixed-income space.

Investors reacted sharply to four

quick successions of MPR hike, beginning with the 13 per cent in May, 14 per cent in July, 15.5per cent in September, and 16.5 per cent in November 2022.

The stock market in the first half of 2022 maintained positive momentum from the prior year in the first half (H1) of 2022 with a return of 21.3 per cent over impressive corporate earnings by listed companies.

Speaking on the stock market performance, the vice president, Highcap Securities, Mr. David Adonri attributed the stock market rally to the fact that some highnetwork investors’ opted to invest in the stock market.

the electricity market.

However, with about 214 million Nigerians and grid electricity access of 55 per cent as well as grid electricity consumption per capita of 144kWh and self-generation of 8GW-13GW by commercial/ industrial customers, according to the National Development Plan (2021-2025), Ewelukwa noted that the problems in the sector were being sorted out.

In his intervention, NBET’s Head of Strategy, Coordination and Corporate Communications, Dr. Eugene Edeoga, noted that to address the challenge of stranded power, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) came up with the idea of implementing a phased activation of the contracted capacity under the PPAs between NBET and each of the Gencos as part of a strategy to ensure increased electric power supply across the value chain.

He added that the objectives of the partial activation of contracts was to enshrine market discipline among the sector operators through the mechanism of liquidated damages for breach of service level obligations.

This, he added was also to address the liquidity shortfall in the industry by providing an effective payment security framework to ensure that all market operators or vendors – gas suppliers, Gencos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and Discos – are paid all due invoices in full.

Another objective of the partial activation of contracts, Edeoga noted, was to secure available generation capacity of at least

5,500MW in Phase – 1 (1st July 2022), and 6,500MW in Phase – 2 (1st July 2023).

He noted that this would also create certainty in the gas-power market segment through contracting, as a way to improve firm gas availability to power stations.

In her presentation, the Head, Guarantees and Risk, NBET, Itohan Ehiede, said the different securitisation options in the sector were introduced to ensure some level of certainty concerning the operations in the power sector.

Based on the capital intensive nature of power sector transactions, she listed the different types of securitisation options as partial risk guarantee, put/call option, letter of credit, bank guarantee as well as security trust deed.

Also speaking, an Energy Consultant and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Dr. Peter Oniemola, explained that power projects use PPAs to determine the price to be paid for electricity generated and the amount of electricity to be generated, specifying the terms and obligations of the parties within stipulated periods in the project cycle.

“There is an obligation on the purchaser or off-taker to either purchase all the electricity generated or part of it under a stipulate framework or arrangement.

“The negotiation of the terms and conditions of the contract depends on the bargaining powers of the parties, putting into consideration the stipulations of the law and the party who is well positioned to assume the particular risks,” he stated.

House Okays N308bn to Settle Outstanding Claims for Export Expansion Grant Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives has approved for release the sum of N308,458,160,546.41 in promissory note to settle outstanding claims in respect of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) between 2007 and 2009 for 194 beneficiary companies whose claims have been reviewed and validated.

The lawmakers’ approval followed the consideration and adoption of report by the com-

mittee on commerce.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Femi Fakeye who laid the report explained that N193 billion was for 133 beneficiaries in respect EEG outstanding claims for 2017 to 2020; N108 billion is for 35 beneficiaries in respect of EEG backlog claims of 2007-2016, while N68 billion and N6 billion are for 13 beneficiaries in respect of stock of outstanding Negotiable Duty Credit Certificates (NDCCs) and 69 beneficiaries only in respect

of shortfall in the approval claims by the 8th National Assembly.

Fakeye, however said the release of N60,635,088,940.63 as outstanding to 34 companies would be stepped down due to inability of the affected companies to provide the necessary documentation to validate their claims.

He added that the claims for the affected companies had not been validated after verification and therefore not recommended for the issuance of a promissory note.

He said, "That the House do consider the Report of the Committee on Commerce on the Approval of a Promissory Note Programme to Settle Outstanding Claims in Respect of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) 2007 – 2009.

“That approval and release of the sum of N308, 458, 160, 546. 41 only for 194 beneficiary companies whose claims have been reviewed and validated. This total sum comprises the following categories of claims.

"N193, 456, 239, 386. 40 only for 133 beneficiaries in respect EEG outstanding claims for 2017-2020. N108,317,269,008.76 only for 35 beneficiaries in respect of EEG backlog claims of 20072016. N68,389,000.00 only for 13 beneficiaries in respect of stock of outstanding Negotiable Duty Credit Certificates (NDCCs), N6,617,781,151.25 for 69 beneficiaries only in respect of shortfall in the approval claims by the 8th National Assembly," he added.

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HER MAJESTY CELEBRATION OF UNITED NATIONS DAY...

Her Royal Majesty the Queen Consort hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace in celebration of the United Nations day on the Elimination of Violence against Women. In the picture, Itoro Eze-ANABA (founder, Mirabel Centre) presents a gift to Her Royal Majesty who is also the Patron of the Mirabel Centre. She is assisted by Ayotola Jagun, a Governing Board member of the Centre and Yvonne Ekeh… recently

N500bn Development Fund: Senate Threatens Federal Agencies' Heads with Warrant of Arrest DBN justifies loans disbursement Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Senate ad-hoc Committee probing the uneven disbursement of the N500 billion development fund across the six geo-political zones by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has threatened to issue a warrant of arrests on five heads of financial institutions for failing to honour its invitation.

The Committee chaired by Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East), threatened to arrest the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Olukayode Pitan; the Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Aliyu Abdulhamid, and the Director General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Olawale Fasanya.

The heads of the agencies incurred the wrath of the Committee when they did not turn up for the investigative hearing the Senate ad hoc panel.

Irked by the their absence at the session, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Musa said out of the eight relevant government agencies needed for the investigation, five were invited to appear before the committee at yesterday’s session.

The Senator said: "Out of these five, only two came while the remaining three were conspicuously absent without any letter from them explaining why.

"The assignment before this committee is a very important one, requiring cooperation and compliance from all those linked

to issues at hand.

"The MD of the Development Bank of Nigeria and his counterpart from the Bank of Agriculture are here for required clarifications and explanations, making it mandatory for the MD of BOI and DG of NISRAL to appear unfailingly in subsequent sessions or risk being coerced through issuance of warrant of arrest," he said.

He added that Ministers of Finance, Zainab Ahmed; Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo and Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, would appear before the committee today for required submissions on the roles they played in the alleged uneven disbursement of funds .

Meanwhile, the Development Bank of Nigeria has justified the criteria it adopted in the disbursement of loans to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the country from 2017 till date.

Addressing the panel, the CEO of the Nigeria Development Bank, Mr. Tony Okpanachi, said the loans beneficiaries appeared to be more in the southern part of the country because of the criteria used for the disbursement.

He said, "Our lending has criteria and they are the same with those set by the Central Bank of Nigeria," he said.

He said for a business to qualify for DBN loan, it must have less than 250 employees and must not have done a turnover of more than N1.1 billion.

"We do a risk assessment of the participating financial institutions

(PFIs) before they begin to lend to businesses. We don't want to give out money and the money fritters away. So we track the end users of the loans yearly," he said.

He also said the location of the registered MSMEs in Nigeria also explained the reason for the loan's disbursement.

He said, "Where are the registered MSMEs across Nigeria? Lagos has

25 per cent, South West - 23 per cent, South South – 18 per cent, South East – 10 per cent, North Central – 10 per cent, North West – nine per cent, FCT - four per cent and North East – two per cent."

He said the bank also observed that there were issues with interestbased banking and loans in the North.

"So, we have engaged two

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University Wukari (FUW) Chapter has condemned the failure of the federal government to pay lecturers their full salaries, saying it was criminal for the government to casualise academics.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, at the end of a protest march embarked upon by the Chapter, to express their dissatisfaction with the federal government's failure to settle salaries of ASUU members after calling off an eightmonth strike, Joe Ikwebe described

the government's action as illegal.

Ikwebe noted that the strike action was foisted on ASUU due to government's insensitivity and therefore wondered why members of the Union should be made to bear the brunt of the failure of government.

According to him "It is criminal and most insensitive, insulting, demeaning and illegal for the federal government to casualise academics and our protest is to let the whole nation know that we vehemently condemn casualisation in its entirety.

"Its unfair for members of our Union to bear the brunt of the failure of the federal government.

The Red Chamber is currently probing the disbursement of development funds to 36 states following a motion moved by the Senator Ali Ndume (APC) Borno South.

The Chairman of the ad hoc panel, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East), at the inaugural sitting yesterday, said there would be a public hearing on the matter after the current investigative hearing.

10% Tax: Lawan Promises to Address Carbonated Drinks Manufacturers' Concern Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has assured manufacturers of non-alcoholic beverages in Nigeria that the National Assembly will address their concerns with respect to the implementation of the Finance Act 2022.

The Finance Act 2022, among other things, imposes 10 per cent tax on non-alcoholic beverages.

Top officials of major players in the industry, drawn from SevenUp Bottling Company Limited, La Casera Company, Rite Foods Limited and Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, complained to the leadership of the Senate yesterday that the tax burden could lead to the collapse of the sector.

Receiving the visitors in his office, the Senate President, according to a statement by his media aide, Ola Awoniyi, assured them that the parliament would look into their

complaints particularly with respect to the excise duty.

Lawan said, "I have listened to your submissions. I want to assure you that everything that we do as a government, an administration, we do so to promote, to support, to protect and foster businesses in our country.

"You are the owners of the businesses. You invested in the soft drink industry in Nigeria.

But Nigerians are the beneficiaries because in addition to drinking the soft drink, our citizens also get jobs and for those reasons, it is always at the forefront of our considerations and focus that we must enhance the business environment in Nigeria and create ease of doing business in Nigeria.

"Besides, we are also conscious that the world is a global village.

There are so many other areas to which somebody could easily move out. We don't want to lose businesses

It is Criminal to Casualise Academics, ASUU Insists

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

non-interest banks in Nigeria to cater for that region," he explained.

He also said the DBN has asked participating financial institutions to build the capacity of small-scale businesses, and train them on how to structure their businesses for them to be able to access the loans.

"For DBN, it's a continuous process to get more businesses on board," he added.

The Union did not go on strike because we were happy to go on strike, but because the government failed to honour an agreement it willingly signed with the union.

"The Union should not be punished for the government's ineptitude and insincerity. The strike in itself was foisted on the union by the government. It is therefore illogical and illegal for the government to withhold our members’ salaries for protesting against ill treatment," he added.

The Chairman stressed that the revelations made by the Nimi -Briggs committee in a paid advertorial underscored the level of insincerity of

government and the depth of what he described as lies and half-truth the government has been dishing out to Nigerians.

He maintained that the strike was suspended due to the patriotism and sense of responsibility of members of the Union in obedience to the order of the Court of Appeal which provided a window of opportunity for the government to sort out the issues at stake.

Ikwebe wondered why salaries of ASUU members would be withheld while there are several institutions that had been on strike for several months without their salaries being withheld.

in Nigeria to our competitors. So we have to have a competitive environment here.

"I have taken note of how long you have been in Nigeria. The fact that you have stayed for 70 years(NBC) tells a story that the Nigerian environment has provided you the opportunity to invest and also reap from your investment because it is a symbiotic relationship.

While you are making profits from your business, we are also getting jobs and other benefits.

"I want to assure you that when the Finance Act 2022 was passed into law, we did so unconsciously, trying to address the issues, not to trying to overburden your businesses.

"Actually, the Finance Act is one way of responding to global situations that every country today faces and it is not peculiar to Nigeria.

But, of course, when you pass law, you find how efficacious the law is when you started to implement it.

"Maybe we are talking about the 10 per cent tax. I have noted what you have said about it. You think it is a heavy burden that can make your businesses difficult to survive. And that is not the kind of consequence that we anticipated or hoped and as a parliament that passed the law, we will look at the law and see how everybody will be protected.

"On one hand, Nigeria needs some revenue. Just like many other countries, even bigger economies are challenged today. But on the other hand, even though we need revenue, we have to be conscious of the fact that we don't kill or overburden or stress the goose that lays the golden egg.

"We will like the goose to continue to lay the golden eggs so that at the end of the day, it is better to

have something coming into the coffers of government than to have capital flight and lose everything.

"But like I have said, it is not something that I can say, well, the 10 percent is off. We will look at it and see how we can arrive at something and accommodation that everybody will be a winner at the end of the day.

"We will work and try to address the issue that you have raised and that we will try to do as quickly as possible so that we have a situation where at the end of the day, you will be happy and Nigerians will also be happy.

"What we are experiencing today is what most countries are experiencing. Even bigger economies are suffering from so many challenges - from COVID 19, now to the infamous Russia/Ukraine war and so on and so forth. But our understanding is that this is not going to be a permanent situation.

That these challenges will soon go away. We will try to take very progressive measures to ensure that we address your concerns."

Earlier, the spokesman for the delegation, Ambassador Segun Apata, who is the Chairman of the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, appealed to the Senate President for urgent intervention to save the sector from total collapse.

"We have come to you, that the sector is about to collapse. We don't be want to go into the public to announce this is happening to us without placing it before you as leaders of this country.

"The Finance Act imposes an excise tax on all non-alcoholic beverages. In our sector, the taxes we pay - company tax, VAT, education tax - are in excess of over N300 billion.

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NNPC Secures $1.4bn Funding for One Billion Barrels Kolmani Field Development Project Peter Uzoho One week after the presidential flag off of the Kolmani drilling, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) yesterday sealed a $1.4 billion external project finance agreement jointly arranged

by Standard Chartered Bank UK and the United Bank for Africa for the funding of the Kolmani Integrated Development project.

THISDAY learnt that the agreement was sealed under the NNPC Limited/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture at the signing ceremony held in London.

Speaking at the event, the NNPC Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr. Adokiye Tombomieye, expressed delight at the overwhelming response of each of the 16 lenders participating in the financing programme.

He said their participation at

the funding programme was a clear demonstration of the great confidence reposed in the NNPC by the market.

Tombomieye explained that while this level of interest was not new to offerings by the NNPCL/CNL Joint Venture, the fact that it was sustained at this time of very high uncertainties was remarkable.

He said, “I am glad to welcome you to the signing ceremony of

Project Panther, the $1.4 billion external project finance jointly arranged by Standard Chartered Bank UK and United Bank for Africa for Northern Hydrocarbon Funding Limited on behalf of the NNPC Limited/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture.

“We are truly delighted at the overwhelming response of each of the sixteen Lenders participating in this financing programme, a

clear demonstration of the great confidence reposed in us by the market.

“While this level of interest is not new to offerings by the NNPCL/ CNL Joint Venture, the fact that is sustained at this time of very high uncertainties is indeed remarkable.

“It is obvious that our diligence in meeting debt service obligations especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has not

gone unnoticed by the market, and I will therefore like to affirm our commitment delivering true value to our esteemed Lenders in this regard.”

He stated further that in collaboration with its valued partners, the NNPC Limited was firmly committed to reliably delivering energy for today and energy for tomorrow with increasing focus on sustainability

urgency.

"As you familiarise yourselves with the processes and procedures, you will also be implementing activities simultaneously. Already, some sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been delivered to your states ahead of the general election.

"This retreat, therefore, is deliberately structured to introduce you to the electoral legal framework as well as the processes and procedures for election administration that is increasingly driven by technology from voter registration, voter accreditation and uploading of polling unit level results on Election Day. "Similarly, accreditation of observers, the media and polling agents are all done online through dedicated portals," he said, explaining that the retreat would dwell on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for collection of Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs), guidelines for voter distribution to Polling Units, the framework for electoral logistics and Code of Conduct for Commission members, officials "Our success, ultimately, depends on our integrity. We should remain independent and impartial. As I said on many occasions, the commission is not a political party. It has no candidates in the forthcoming election.

“All political parties have equal standing before the commission. The choice belongs to Nigerian citizens i.e. the electorate. Our responsibility is to uphold the sanctity of the bal-

lot. Nothing more, nothing less," he stressed.

their billboards and posters and destroy their offices. Based on this, the Inspector General of Police, has categorically directed all the commissioners of police that on no account should any serving or sitting governor stop other political parties from conducting their campaigns in all the nook and cranny of the state.

"This instruction was very clear both in writing and verbal. We have told all the commissioners of police. When it happens, the commissioners of police have been directed to arrest all the hoodlums, no matter where they belong and whoever is sponsoring them; we will arrest them and charge them to court," he said.

While assuring the people, he said, "So, please, rest assured that all political parties are free to go about your lawful businesses. You are free to go to any village conduct your campaign freely and we are going to give you enough security.

“We are encouraging all the aspirants that once you are threatened and you have no access to go round, meet the commissioner of police in charge of that state. They have been directed and warned to provide security for all the aspirants. No matter where they are going, they will attach security."

NO PVC, NO VOTING IN 2023 ELECTIONS, INEC DECLARES indulging in vote buying during the 2023 poll.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has revealed that a discreet operation undertaken by the commission to tame vote buying ahead of the 2015 election, revealed that a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, paid out about $115 million to politicians to compromise the election.

At the same time, the Ebonyi State Police Command, has clarified that no sensitive materials were lost to the fire that gutted the INEC office located in Iboko community, Izzi Local Government Area of the state.

This, nonetheless, the House of Representatives, yesterday, condemned all forms of attack on the facilities and buildings of the federal government in the country, particularly, attacks on the facilities and infrastructure of INEC. Speaking at a retreat for newly appointed Resident Electoral Commission (RECs), INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed the no PVC, no voting riot act, noted that, in the last few months, INEC facilities had been set ablaze in no fewer than five local governments across the country.

"Let me seize this opportunity and comment on two issues. First, is the misleading statement shared online that voters can vote on elec-

tion day without the voter’s card.

"This is absolutely incorrect. For any person to vote in any election organised by the Commission, he or she must be a registered voter issued with a PVC. The Commission has consistently maintained the policy of ‘no PVC, no voting’. Nothing has changed.

"It is a legal requirement and doing otherwise will be a violation of the law. I appeal to Nigerians to ignore any suggestion to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, Section 47(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that ‘a person intending to vote in an election shall present himself with his voter’s card to a Presiding Officer for accreditation at the Polling Unit in the constituency in which his name is registered.

"Therefore, the position of the law is clear. The PVC remains a mandatory requirement for voting during elections,” he said.

Addressing the attacks on INEC offices, Yakubu stated that, “I wish to once again touch on the troubling issue of attacks on our facilities and the destruction of critical electoral assets in the country.

"In the last four months, five local government area offices of the commission were attacked by yet unknown persons. Buildings have been destroyed and materials lost in Udenu and Igboeze North Local Areas of Enugu State, Abeokuta South Local Government of Ogun State, Ede South Local Government Area of Osun State and, most recently, in Izzi Local Government

Area of Ebonyi State."

According to the INEC chairman, "In these mindless attacks, a total of 1,993 ballot boxes, 399 voting cubicles, 22 electric power generators and thousand of uncollected PVCs were, among other materials, destroyed. These attacks must stop and the perpetrators apprehended and prosecuted."

While reassuring Nigerians that INEC would recover from the attacks, he said the lost materials would be replaced but that there was a limit to its ability to keep replacing wantonly destroyed materials with just 86 days to the general election.

Yakubu, however, appealed to security agencies, traditional and community leaders and all wellmeaning Nigerians to continue to support the commission to stop the attacks, adding that, the ultimate solution was to arrest and prosecute the vandals so they would not feel that their bad behaviour was an acceptable conduct in the country.

The INEC chairman said yesterday's retreat was significant for many reasons, including that it came on the eve of the 2023 general election, which was just 86 days away and that also, among the 19 RECs sworn in four weeks ago, on 3rd November 2022, 14 were new appointees, holding office for the first time.

For him, therefore, it was imperative to familiarise with the commission and its processes and procedures as a matter of utmost

FG BLAMES GOVS FOR LEVEL OF HARDSHIP IN COUNTRY experience over one-quarter of all possible deprivations.

It was against this backdrop that the minister said 72 per cent of the poverty level in Nigeria was found in the rural areas, which according to him, had been abandoned by governors.

He reiterated that the governors preferred to function in the state capitals while the federal government, on its part, has done its best on poverty alleviation.

Expressing regrets that there was no reflection of the amount of investment that had been done in that area, Agba accused governors of concentrating on building flyovers, airports and other projects that were visible in the state capitals, rather than investing in areas that could directly uplift the standard of life of the people in the rural areas.

The minister pointed out that while states were in charge of land for agriculture, they did not invest in them for the desired effect on their rural citizens.

He, therefore, advised the state chief executives that rather than concentrate attention on the building of skyscrapers, flyovers and bridges, they should focus of initiatives that could pull the majority of the people out of poverty.

His words: "The question was, what is the Minister of Finance and I doing with regard to hardship in Nigeria, right? So, suggestion is that both of us are the ones creating the hardship for us to resolve it.

"In the first place. I just returned this morning from Brussels, where 106 countries nowadays are 27 countries from Europe and 79 countries from the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific countries. What was the deliberation on? Basically on how the world over tends to do around food and energy and energy crisis.

"I think that it's always good

for us to put things in the right perspective. Like I say to people, when you say government, we should be able to specify which government we are talking about.

Is it a federal government? Is it a state government or is it a local government? Because we all have different responsibilities.

"And it is for this reason that we last year started some work on the multi-dimensional poverty index, for which we recently released the report and it was lunched by Mr. President.

"To say in the past, we've always looked at monetary poverty. But poverty like we know, has different pieces, different intensity and different causes. And it is for this reason, I went around the 109 senatorial districts in Nigeria, to carry out those survey and to be able to say specifically, where this hardship is.

"The result clearly showed that 72 per cent of poverty is in the rural areas. It also showed clearly, that Sokoto State is leading in poverty with 91 per cent. But the surprising thing is Bayelsa being the second in terms of poverty rating in the country. So, you see the issue is not about availability of money. But it has to do with the application of money.

"In the course of working on the national development plan, we looked at previous plans and say,why they didn't do as much as was expected. We also looked at the issues of the National Social Investment Programme.

"At the federal level, government is putting out so much money but not seeing so much reflection, in terms of money that has been put in alleviating poverty, which is one of the reasons the government also put in place the national poverty reduction with growth strategy.

"But if the federal government

puts the entire income that it earns into all of this without some form of complementarity from the state governments in playing their part, it will seem as if we are throwing money in the pond.”

Maintaining that, the governors were basically functioning only in their state capitals, the minister said, “And democracy that we preach about is delivering the greatest goods to the greatest number of people. And from our demographic, it shows that the greatest number of our people live in rural areas, but the governors are not working in the rural areas.

"Right now, 70 per cent of our people live in rural areas, they produce 90 per cent of what we eat and unfortunately, 60 per cent of what they produce is lost due to post-harvest loss and it does not get to the market.

“When we're talking about food prices, like I mentioned right now as driving inflation, prices of food at the farm gates are low. But when you now take it to the urban areas, you find out that the prices are high due to supply chain disruptions, lack of infrastructure to take them there.

"I think from the federal government side, we are doing our best.

But we need to push that rather than governors continuing to compete to take loans to build airports that are not necessary, when they have other airports so close to them.

Governors now are competing to build flyovers all over the place and we applaud them.

“They should concentrate on building rural roads so that the farmer can, at least, get their products to the market. And you find that if they do that and with the new policy in the national development plan that talks about taking power to the rural areas, especially of out-grid power that can easily be put, you begin to attract industries

to those areas for value addition.

"UNIDO report shows us in terms of employment, the MSMEs employs 70 percent of our people. So, you can imagine how much progress we will make when you find that there are roads, there is power in these rural areas.

"In terms of agriculture, you find out that the federal government doesn't have a land that they would plant; government has pushed for the Anchor Borrowers programme and that is going on very well but the states control lands. They are the ones to provide land for agriculture.

They are not investing in that. They would rather build skyscrapers in a city, where people will see and clap but the skyscrapers do not put food on the table.

"Like I always say, if you look at the Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, he says you have to take care of the basic needs of individuals first before you begin to talk about self-actualisation.

"So, we need to take care of the issues of food, nutrition, housing and clothing for our people. Before we begin to think of how to go to the moon and begin to build flyovers and airports in the state capital, that is the missing link, which we need to push so that we'll be able to catalyze growth.

"But continuing to say federal government or my sister, Zainab and I, what are we doing? We are doing our parts. And I'm sure (Governor Nyesom) Wike told you guys about monies that have been released, over N500 billion to the oil producing states and I've seen some disclaimers from the states saying, it is small, small money they are getting on a monthly basis.

“And some are giving some halftruths of what they have received.

We need to hold them accountable so that together, we all can grow our economy," he added.

Vote Buyers, Thugs Won't Go Scot-free, IGP Warns

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has vowed to arrest and prosecute anyone obstructing campaigns by the opposition political parties as well as politicians indulging in vote buying during the 2023 poll.

Baba, who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations, Dandaura Mustapha, at the 2022 political parties' summit organised by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), yesterday, in Abuja, noted that all commissioners of police must provide security for political parties embarking on electioneering in all the nook and cranny of any state.

He stated that any commissioner, who failed to carry out his responsibility within the ambit of the law and decided to dance to the tunes of the governors would be removed.

"On the issue of election violence, the campaign has started.

We have been receiving a lot of complains from political parties. It is unfortunate of what is happening this period.

"All the political parties are complaining. It is not only APC or PDP or Labour Party or APGA. Unfortunately, some of our governors as stated by the IG during a meeting with the political parties that they are not helping matters. They have not laid a solid foundation, give other political parties access to campaign programmes. Some try to manipulate the campaign.

"Some even sponsor touts to pursue the opposition, remove

EFCC: Diezani Paid Out $115m to Compromise 2015 Polls

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, yesterday, revealed that a discreet operation undertaken by the commission to tame vote buying ahead of the 2015 election, revealed that a former Continued on page 43

SANWO-OLU: I'M SEEKING REELECTION ON SUCCESS OF MY FIRST TERM Sanwo-Olu, in a rare display of bravery and courageous leadership in adversity, assumed the role of the incident commander.

"With Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, his deputy, he rallied the best brains of the Nigerian health sector to confront the dangers the pandemic posed to millions of Lagosians. In no time, Lagos indeed became a global example for the medical world on how to fight the pandemic. As the pandemic was on, the tragic episode of #ENDSARS came.

"Taking advantage of the restraint the protest had brought on the law enforcement agents, okada and tricycle operators became laws onto themselves, riding mindlessly against the traffic, with consequential killing and maiming of innocent citizens.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu again rose to the challenge and extended the ban on Okada and Tricycles to more local government council areas.

"As each of these challenges attempted to bring Lagos State on her knees, like a tested general in a war with fierce and phased battles, Governor Babajide SanwoOlu tapped into the indomitable spirit of Lagos.

“He reminded us of the capability of the human spirit to rise and triumph over every adversity.

Rather than these challenges causing the sprawling Mega City to lie prostrate on her belly, we see the evidential signs of a city rising with best-in-class infrastructure from the ashes of her yesterday just like the proverbial phoenix.

"Even where dilapidated infrastructure once stood as public schools or health facilities, we see new ones rising. While the financial storms are raging elsewhere, hey, it is sunny in Lagos. What do we see? We see the finances of Lagos rising to enable the government to embark on landmark projects such as the Blue and Red Rail Projects, which are the first by any sub-national in our clime.

"Abundant evidence of a new city rising from the womb of time.

We do not make a false claim of having reached the zenith of our journey. Our contextual usage of the word is as an adjective that suggests an upward swing, an increase and an upward movement.

These are the signs Lagosians can see all around the state."

He reiterated that, "We are drawing the attention of citizens to the positive changes taking place all over Lagos. We are making an affirmative statement about the growth of our economy, the breathtaking rebuilding of Lagos and the fresh hope of citizens following the reopening of the economy after Covid-19. A new chapter in the development of our state just flipped open before our very eyes."

Earlier, Solomon said the governor made promises four years ago under the THEMES agenda, saying, "Every aspect of the agenda touched and doing impeccably well," noting that, despite the challenges faced by his administration, Sanwo-Olu performed creditably well.

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NEWS

CLIENT APPRECIATION CEREMONY...

L-R: Co-Head Banking Division, RMB Nigeria, Taiwo Shote; Head Treasury, Yetunde Ogunremi; CEO, Dalu Ajene; Head, Human Capital, Ayotunde Jegede; Executive Director & Chief Risk Officer, Taiwo Gabriel, and Chief Risk Officer, Phillip Spangenberg, at the RMB Nigeria end of year clients’ appreciation event held in Lagos…recently

Nwoko to PDP: Expel Wike Now, He’s No More Damage to Do Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja A former House of Representatives member, Hon Ned Nwoko, has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to immediately expel Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over alleged anti-party activities and efforts to destroy the main opposition party.

Nwoko noted that there was no point keeping the former presidential aspirant in the party as he had done enough damage and could no longer do more.

Speaking exclusively to THISDAY, the Delta State politician and senatorial candidate for Delta North, noted that he had no personal issue against Wike but as a critical stakeholder in the PDP and in Nigeria, he could not stand aside and watch Wike destroy the party.

"Wike is trying to destroy a house we all built. Yes, he was

not nominated as presidential candidate of the PDP, he also lost out in his quest to be the vice presidential candidate and we all participated in the whole process.

It was very transparent; he spent so much money. I know that, he outspent virtually everybody else.

He did; he out-spent Atiku but the battle was fought and won or lost as the case may be.

"But that is not a reason to pull down his own party. He has taken his vendetta too far. His current fight is selfish; it is of personal interest. It does not matter how he tries to colour it or whatever he calls it. The only question I always ask is, what if Wike has been chosen by Atiku and he is campaigning with Atiku as Atiku is doing now, will he in the same bend be asking the national chairman to resign or go? Of course, he will just be campaigning with Atiku and others, that alone tells you that his fight is self-centered," Nwoko said.

Nwoko further accused the Rivers governor of engaging in anti-party activities that baffled everybody with wasteful spending of state's resources in his bid to pull down the PDP and jeopardize the party's chances in the forthcoming general election.

His words: "But you know who I blame in all these, I really blame Ortom (Benue State Governor), the party had put together a committee for zoning and Ortom as the chairman, I know some members of that committee personally and the whole feelings then was that the party will zone the presidency to the south.

"I personally spoke to Okowa about his ambition, I also spoke to Atiku at some point and you know Atiku said if the party zones the presidency to the to the south, he will not contest and Okowa said if it is zoned to the south he will contest but if it is not zoned to the south, he would not want to contest. And it was thrown open

as Ortom committee did.

"If Ortom had wanted a southern president, why didn’t he impress upon his committee members to zone to the south as the APC did. But whatever it is, the deed has been done, and as a party man, we expect Wike and the rest of them to fall in line and support the party until the party wins the next election. But what they have been doing is to try tear down the fabric upon which the party was built.

"I am a stakeholder in PDP. Before I returned to Nigeria in 1998, I was a member of the party, I am a stakeholder and if somebody wishes to destroy the country as we know it today, any Nigerian who sees himself as a Nigerian has an obligation to stop that destruction if there is a way he can prevent it or discourage it, so every Nigerian is a stakeholder in this body called Nigeria, you don’t need to be a president, governor or minister to

2023: Media Critical to Successful Transition, Say Akeredolu, Adedipe Fidelis David in Akure Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)senatorial candidate for Ondo Central, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe, yesterday, contended that the roles of journalists and media organisations were critical to successful elections and transition of power in the country.

The two senior lawyers, therefore, charged media professionals to arm themselves and critically guide Nigerians on the best set of candidates to elect in the country in order to correct the ills of the society.

Akeredolu and Adedipe gave the charge in Akure, the state capital at the 2022 Press Week Opening Ceremony/Symposium organised by the Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), with the theme: "2023 Elections: Media Roles in the Quest for Desirable Leadership."

Akeredolu who was represented by one of his Aides and Chairman, OSRC/Orange FM Media Group, Mr Kunle Adebayo, acknowledged healthy cooperation between the media and his administration, commending Ondo State NUJ members under the leadership of Leke Adegbite, for ensuring balanced and fair reportage of happenings in the state especially, political activities as the general

election drew near.

Adedipe, who spoke on the theme: "2023 Elections: Media Roles in the Quest for Desirable Leadership", enjoined the media to be mindful of sponsored political news or publications capable of inciting hatred, division, violence, and chaos in the country, while also ensuring that the electoral umpire and other stakeholders play their roles in delivering free, fair, credible and transparent elections to Nigerians.

"The press is singled out in the constitutional provision to hold government accountable and it is the role of the press according to the constitution, to report objectively and hold government accountable, so one of the roles we expect from the media in 2023 elections will be to hold whoever hopes to be our leaders accountable.

"At the moment, when you read the papers or watch the television or social media, the kind of interrogation that one will expect aren't there. In Africa, particularly in Nigeria, we keep having reluctant leaders, who are elected into positions, it is therefore the role of the press to have the electorate choose wisely.

“If someone says he will bring down the value of dollar to naira, it is the role of the media to ask him how? We didn't ask this question the other time and we are leaving

with the consequences of our failure to ask," the PDP candidate said.

Chairman of the occasion and Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, represented

by Prof David Folorunso, urged media practitioners to re-strategize its formation dissemination during electioneering season towards educating the people.

Ondo NUJ Chairman, Adegbite, had earlier highlighted some of the Achievements of the union under his watch in the last five months including securing the payment of retirees at Owena Press, (The Hope newspaper), regular medical outreach for journalists, Training and facelift of facilities at the Press Centre, Akure among others.

be considered a minister, that is very demeaning to the ordinary Nigerian.

"Every Nigerian is a stakeholder and has every right to stop the destruction of this country. He should be expelled. He has done enough damage, there is nothing more Wike can do; he has been trying to use all manner of tactics to intimidate, just to grandstand, all he need to do now is to wait for election and direct his people to vote for another party.

But let me tell you, with or without Wike, Atiku is the next president, because this is a general election, we are not talking about party primaries, where he can control the structures, we are talking of a general election, so what is he going to do?

"In his desperation he has appointed about 500,000 assistants, so assuming that all the 500,000 vote for him, vote according to his instruction, so what? Is he going to make sure the other 3 millions vote for him? Is he going to intimidate them as he is trying to intimidate everybody who is opposed to his ways?

“There are so many people in Rivers State who are supportive of Atiku and these are Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Rivers State people and there are so many big political players in Rivers, who are also anti-Wike, they have made it clear that they will not go his way.

"So, what he is doing can only hurt some of his candidates,

particularly, those he is sponsoring from governorship to National Assembly and they might not do as well as they ought to, because of Wike's personal issues, it is Wike against Wike," he added.

On the allegation that Atiku promised Wike the vice president slot, Nwoko said he could not attest to that, having not been there when the said promise was made but, “know of a fact that Wike vowed not to be vice to anybody,” he said, adding that Wike was just a desperate person for power.

"Very desperate as if outside politics he has no life; as if without politics, he will not survive. I thought he said he is a lawyer, so if he is a lawyer, then, let him go and practice. I have not been in politics since 2003 and doing well.

"Do you imagine Okowa behaving like Wike, if Atiku had chosen Wike as VP? Okowa will just continue to support the party, that is how you know who a gentleman," he explained.

On the issue of the Paris Club Refunds, which states are contesting the legality, Nwoko presented documented evidence to support his engagement by various states as well as the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

While alluding the current court cases to the greed of some governors, Nwoko observed that the matter would have long ended or not even have started if he had compromised on his principle.

Foundation Empowers 3,500 Indigent Lagos School Children with Vocational Skills Peter Uzoho

In a bid to help address youth unemployment and juvenile delinquency in Nigeria through the catch-them-young approach, the Faith Iyowuna Ikekhide Foundation (FIF) has empowered 3,500 indigent senior secondary school (SS3) children in Lagos State.

The foundation at the maiden edition of its Lagos Children Empowerment Conference 2022, held yesterday, at the Abesan Ministadiium, Ipaja, Lagos, trained the participating children, who were drawn from 18 accredited private and public schools within the District 1 of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, on various vocational areas.

Specifically, the benefitting 3,500 outgoing secondary school students were trained on key areas of skill acquisition including soap making, barbing, hairdressing, cake/ doughnuts, tiger-nuts, fascinator, handbag making among others.

The foundation said the empowerment programme was in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 1, 2 and 8, which deal with ending poverty, improving quality of education, and ensuring decent work and economic growth of the people.

Speaking at the event, the President of Faith Oyowuna Ikekhide Foundation, Mrs. Faith Iyowuna Ikekhide, stated that the programme was aimed at ensuring that the

future of Nigeria was secured by empowering and teaching and empowering the children early.

She added that the idea of empowering SS3 students was to ensure that they have some economic skills they could fall back on immediately after graduating from secondary and while they await admissions into higher institutions or during holidays.

The foundation's president further explained that it was part of their ways of giving back to society in a more sustainable and impactful manner, adding that by learning skills, the children would not be idle and engage in social vices while out of school.

"We are empowering them with skill acquisition, entrepreneurship,

mentoring, so that immediately they leave SS3, they will have something doing while waiting for admission to tertiary institutions or when there is ASUU strike or whatever.

“So it is to ensure that these children will have something they are doing to fetch them money instead of them to be on the streets.

"For today, we are empowering 3,500 students from 11 public schools and seven private schools within the District 1," Ikekhide said.

Officially registered in Nigeria and the Washington DC, the president also said the formation of the foundation came about to help address the "burden" she had about what was happening with children and the irresponsible lives they now live.

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NEWS

INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO NIGERIA VISITS TINUBU...

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gangadharan Balasubramanian, during a courtesy visit to All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja…recently

Politicising National Assembly Clerk's Appointment Threatening Nigerian Democracy, Says CSO Sunday Aborisade in Abuja A civil society organization (CSO), Project Nigeria (PN) has lamented the politicisation of the appointment of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) and other management positions.

It described the development as a threat to the nation’s democracy.

PN made its position known in a statement in Abuja, by its Director General, Tabuko Kennedy and General Secretary, Dahiru Mustapha.

It nevertheless, commended the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), "for subjugating narrow self-interests for patriotic zeal and instincts in arriving at its recent appointments into the bureaucracy

of the National Assembly."

The statement read in part: “We say unequivocally that the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) deliberately took into consideration 'career path progression and seniority', obtainable in the statutory rules of Public Service and the Staff conditions of service of the National Assembly with

NAFDAC Arraigns Trader over Alleged Importation of Fake Chicken Seasonings, Others Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City A 41-year-old trader, Nnabueze Chibuike was yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State on two court charge of alleged possession and importation of large quantities of Mivina Chicken seasonings.

The case which came up for first hearing is between the Federal Republic of Nigeria as (complainant) and Nnabueze Chibuike, as Defendant is contained in suit No: FHC/B/195C/2022.

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges against him were read before Justice S.M. Shuaibu.

They included: “That you Nnabueze Chibuike, Male, Adult, 41 years old of No 20 Arondizugu Street Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, on or about the 11th day of November, 2022, at your factory at No 22, Nekpen-Nekpen , Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, was found in possession of unwholesome Processed Food to wit: Mivina chicken seasoning and thereby

committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provision) Act, Cap . C34, LFN 2004 and punishable under section 3 of the same Act “That you Nnabueze Chibuike , Male, Adult, 41 years old of No 20 Arondizugu street Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, on or about the 11th day of November, 2022, at your factory, at No 22, Nekpen-Nekpen , Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, did import unregistered Processed Food to wit: Mivina Chicken seasoning, from Cotonou, Benin Republic and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1( 1) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products ( Registration, E.T.C) ACT, Cap. F33. LFN.2004 and Punishable under Section 6 of the same Act. Counsel to the Defendant, Razak .O. Isenalumhe, pleaded with the presiding Judge to grant client bail on the ground that he responded to the invitation by NAFDAC without being arrested, while the lawyer

to NAFDAC, Okoli Chinyere, said the accused should be kept in their custody till the next hearing.

However, Justice Shaibu in his ruling fixed 6th, December, 2022. to hear the bail application.

Head of NAFDAC, Benin, Mrs. Esther Itua in an interview said the investigation started from Lagos to Onitsha, where it was later discovered that the main source was coming from Edo State.

cognisance to the 'principle of federal character' as a cardinal yardstick for appointment into the office of the Clerk to the National Assembly and other vacant positions.

“We have watched with consternation the recent unwarranted succession struggle within the National Assembly bureaucracy as stakeholders in democracy and human rights.

“It may interest you to know that we painstakingly monitored developments, regarding the new appointments made by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and concluded that it is in line with the powers vested in the Commission in Section 6 (b) of NASC Act which justified the outcome of its 565th meeting held on November 18, 2022.

“We use this medium to commend the appointment of Sani Magaji Tambuwal as the new Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, and others recently appointed into top management positions.

“We are perturbed that few altruistic narcissists within the

Two of three stowaways who were rescued in Spain's Canary Islands after enduring 11 days on the rudder of a fuel tanker from Nigeria have been returned to the ship with the aim of deporting them.

The third person, who suffered hypothermia and dehydration during the voyage, has not yet been released from hospital on Gran Canaria, a local government spokesperson said.

Under Spanish law, any stowaway who does not seek asylum must be returned by the operator of the ship to the port where the journey originated, a

police spokesman told Reuters.

In a photograph on Twitter by the Spanish coast guard on Monday, the three stowaways were shown hunkered on the rudder under the hull, just above the waterline of the Alithini II. The 183-metre ship, sailing under a Maltese flag, arrived in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria after setting out from Lagos in Nigeria on November 17 and navigating up the West African coast, according to Marine Traffic.

The ship's captain confirmed to the Red Cross that it had sailed from Nigeria 11 days earlier.

A Canary Islands police spokesperson said it was up to

erupt into unmanageable crisis within the National Assembly. We resolved that those who continuously resort to outright lies and politicising the recent appointments made by the National Assembly Service Commission, must be stopped and exposed.

“They have become 'danger' to the nation's highest legislative body and capable to provoke further instability in the system.

“With cognisance to the Act setting up the NASC, which gives it power to appoint, promote and discipline staff of the National Assembly Service, the President of the Senate and the Speaker, House of Representatives should direct the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) with the help of security agencies within the National Assembly to deploy its full statutory power, to fish out those top management staff placing daggers at the throats of the Nigerian legislature, because of their desperation to ascend to the position of Clerk to the National Assembly.

CSOs Condemn FG’s Refusal to Abolish Death Penalty Oluchi Chibuzor

The Nigeria Community of Sant' Egidio and Life Wire International Organisation have joined a growing movement in Africa to call on the Nigerian government to stop all death penalty executions forthwith in line with global trend.

The group which disclosed this at an event to commemorates the first abolition of capital punishment which took place in 1786, in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany,

acknowledged that the country cannot be left behind as more African countries abolish death penalty.

Speaking in Lagos, yesterday, the Director, Cities for Life, Debby Eselebor, appealed to policymakers and governments to be part of the growing worldwide movement, especially in African countries (majority of the African Union's Member States have actually legally abolished the death penalty or applied a de facto moratorium on

Nigerian Stowaways Face Deportation from Spain Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

bureaucracy recently resorted to cheap, wicked, frivolous blackmail and character assassination of credible personalities; as an opposition to the recent fantastic, patrotic decisions taken by the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) a constituted authority.

“As discerning observers, it's obvious that the high voltage drama and avoidable power struggle within the National Assembly bureaucracy threatens our democracy and its institution.”

“This structurised and ritualised game of 'pull him down' syndrome and the ember of self-destruction being fanned by a cabal is unprecedented in the history of the Nigerian legislature.

“We call on the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) to commence an urgent enquiry for those behind this evil tendency as that will serve as deterrent to others.

“This worrying situation can

the ship's operator to take care of the stowaways, provide them with temporary accommodation and return them to their origin as soon as possible.

The migrants should, at the least, have been informed of their right to ask for political asylum and should have been questioned before being returned to the ship, said Helena Maleno, director of the migration non-governmental organisation, Walking Borders.

"The conditions of the journey are already an indication that something very serious may be behind it because the photos are incredible. We have never seen conditions like this where they have arrived alive," Maleno said.

She added: "These people have to be in a state of shock. They need a couple of days to recover and from there they can explain what they were running from to have made that decision."

Alithini II, owned by Gardenia Shiptrade SA, is managed by Athens-based Astra Ship Management, according to public shipping database Equasis.

Astra Ship Management did not respond to multiple calls from Reuters seeking comment.

The Spanish government's representative on the Canary Islands didn't immediately respond to a query on whether the migrants should have been informed of their rights.

capital punishment), to withdraw from capital punishment and to move towards abolition of the death penalty.

According to her, “The death row phenomenon contributes to the long-term psychological decline of a person's health and harsh death row living conditions contribute to physical deterioration, mental anguish of anticipating execution; methods of execution that cause exceptional pain, and the suffering experienced by family members and those with a close relationship with the executed person.

“Discriminations based on sex, gender, poverty, age, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic minority status, and others can compound cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of individuals sentenced to death."

However, the group equally urged the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to amend the criminal code and penal code as well as the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act to remove the death sentence as punishment for crimes and replace it with life imprisonment or a term of years sentence.

“We stand for justice in Nigeria, we, therefore, call for the abolition of the death penalty for all crimes, the establishment of a moratorium on executions and amendment of criminal laws to replace death

sentences with long-term imprisonment,” she added.

Meanwhile, as 25 of the 55 African Union member states were said to have abolished death penalty for all crimes, the President, Lifewire International, Arthur Angel, said death penalty worldwide was being used as a tool of political repression.

"We would be deluding ourselves if we were to believe that the execution of comparatively few people each year will provide the solution to the unacceptable high rate of crime. I personally believe that.

“The greatest deterrent to crime is the likelihood that offenders will be apprehended, convicted and punished. It is that which is lacking in our criminal justice system. All too often, politicians have found death penalty as a useful tool in appearing to address crime and make the public feel safe. In reality, death penalty has no such effect, but simply distracts from the need to address the causes of crime and providing effective remedies."

For the founder, Justice for Peace and Development, Nathaniel Ngwu, who condemned the extrajudicial killings and jungle justice in Nigeria, said the Nigeria Police should be held accountable for witnessing mob action without intervention.

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

Ndiomu; FG Has No Immediate Plan to Wind Down Amnesty Programme Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd), recently engaged newsmen on the major achievements of the Amnesty Programme as well as his programme of action, among other issues. Segun James brings excerpts:

I

t’s almost 15 years since the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) kicked off under President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Would you say we have achieved the aims and objectives of this program since its inception?

I’d rather say partially. They have recorded normal successes, particularly in the area of education. We have had the Amnesty Program that produced approximately 3,000 graduates and among these graduates, we’ve had about 200 graduates in the first class and another 300 in the second class upper, so to that extent I believe tremendous success has been recorded.

In the area of capacity building as well, the Amnesty Program has produced many pilots in their hundreds, we have also trained people in various vocations and they’ve acquired skills in welding fabrications, deep sea diving, and several other specializations. So I believe, as regards training and education, there has been a normal success.

Ndiomu Between 2010 and 2015, a concept of impacted communities was introduced, now with the introduction of the impacted communities, it has caused the beneficiaries of the Amnesty Program to rise beyond the 30,000 initially captured by the program.And then it was possible to send young boys and girls who were qualified and serious about being educated in tertiary education, both at home and abroad and that’s how come we’ve succeeded in training as many as 3,000 students in our local universities and also in institutions in Europe and the United States of America and generally across the world.

There’s this school of thought that this program is not all about taking out former agitators from the creeks, what about those who were not part of that agitation, how has this scheme touched their lives?

Yes, that is why, if you recall, I don’t know if you’re familiar with the whole process, it started with the armament demobilization, and of course, we’re now in the reintegration phase of the Amnesty Program. When they disarmed and were eventually demobilized from 2008 right up to 2015, that process continued and the numbers began to swell from the initial 20,000 that were captured rising to 30,000 at some point.

There was this rumour about the planned discontinuation of this Amnesty Program and all of a sudden the rumour died down, what happened in between?

Yes, at the time I was appointed interim administrator, the clear directive to me was to “wind down the presidential amnesty program” there was a basis for that.

When the program was initially conceptualized, the idea was for it to run for about 5 years and so 2015 was the terminal date for the program.

However, it became clear, like I said earlier, with the expansion of the program beyond the initial 30,000 ex-agitators and extending it into the impacted communities, it became impossible to meet up with that date, coupled with the fact that the process of capacity building for the ex-agitators have not been concluded and so it became inevitable to extend the program beyond the agreed date.

And by the time I was appointed, it has gone beyond the 2015 deadline and the government was dead serious about winding it down justifiably too because if they had kept up with the directives they would expect that by now we should be winding it down.

However upon my assumption of duty, I undertook an engagement of the stakeholders across the region talking directly with the militant leaders across the region and discussing also with elders, monarchs and the feedback I got was that first of all, the program had not quite carried out the objective of which it was established, many of the ex-agitators informed me that they’ve neither been trained nor have they been empowered and we now have to reconcile this with what was on the data delivered to mean I was able to corroborate

what they had told me when I had the engagement with them and the numbers had shown that the significant number of the ex-agitators had neither been trained nor empowered and we must also realize that this program was put in place specifically for this ex-agitators and not even the impacted communities that came later on.

And I had to make that representation to governments that we would have to do what have been agreed between the government and the ex-agitators before we begin to talk about winding down the program and the government was magnanimous in listening and responding positively and for that reason and the reasons i have enumerated and the winding down of the program was suspended.

How many more years are we looking at for it to wind down?

To be honest, I’ll be careful not to put a deadline and fix the data back to ascertain the number of ex-agitators that have neither been trained nor empowered.

We also have several undergraduates in tertiary institutions within the country and outside Nigeria, all of which will have to be factored in. The cost implications for what we would have to do will also be factored in, and so to make a categorical statement at this point that it is possible to wind down the amnesty program will be difficult for me. And I do not know if the funds will be available when they’re required.

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

Bello: APC is Well Grounded to Win Presidency Again in 2023 A member of the Public Affairs Directorate of the Presidential Campaign Council of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ronke Bello, in this interview with Adedayo Akinwale, says the ruling party has no fear as far as the 2023 presidential election is concerned because Nigerians believe in APC.

H

ow prepared is the APC for the 2023 elections which is just a few months away?

APC is super prepared. And I’m sure everybody can see that.

Because for APC, apart from being the current ruling party, we have a candidate who I would like to describe as a man who, this is one thing he has always wanted and waited for. He’s been groomed for this, he’s been trained for this most of his life, to be a leader and he’s been a leader in his own capacity. He showed capacity in Lagos when he was governor and how far more can you show capacity than to really want to rule your country. So as a party, we have a good candidate who is a good manager for money or finances and of time, he understands the rudiments of governance, he’s been in the executive arm which makes it better, he’s been in the legislative arm which makes it better. He’s coming as a person from the financial field which makes it better, so he’s an all rounder. So the party is very prepared.

What are your fears for the 2023 elections I don’t think we have any fear, sincerely and I will tell you why. Nigerians have grown over time. They understand where Nigeria is, they understand what our problems in Nigeria are and every Nigerian is looking forward to a progressive nation. So we have no fear because we believe that Nigerians know, maybe I should say this at this point.

In the presidential election, everything is hinged on the man. And the man we are presenting is one person that most Nigerians know can do the job. So we have no fears.

Personally I have no fear, the party has no fear, our candidate has no fear. We know Nigerians believe in us and it is their belief that we need

Bello now and I think we’ve got it.

To APC, to the Buhari administration, the APC-led federal government has done well. But Nigerians think otherwise, considering the level of insecurity, unemployment, poverty, what is APC going to campaign on?

Let me remind you that campaigns have started. We are not just thinking, we are already campaigning. But back to what you said, Buhari’s presidency is in its twilight days, what we call the lame-duck era, I mean it’s going, but when you look at leadership, as a leadership expert, what I will tell you is that no leaders are the same, no time is the same.

Most leaders, whether we think or

the world thinks they failed or succeeded, a lot of other indices, a lot of other factors must be put in view of their leadership. As a president, Buhari has achieved something, you cannot say, or APC or Nigerians cannot say no! He didn’t achieve anything. There are things he did in infrastructure, the roads and all that.

But coming to what you said, the fact is, he had his own challenges which were global. For example, how many people knew something like COVID was going to happen, insecurity is global. I mean, it’s unfortunate that we’re going through what we’re going through, but it is equally global. So it is not like Nigeria is standing alone in these things. We’re moving forward, we’re moving progressively. We can never as a party remove the successes or some of the challenges.

I, as a leadership coach, will never use the word leadership failure. I would use the word leadership challenges because all over the world leaders have challenges.

Our candidate has made it some of his points that he’s going to build on the successes. No leadership is 100 percent, no matter how good it is. Where we have our challenges, we will work on them.

The presidential election is moreorless like a three or four horse race. Are you threatened by the PDP or the Labour Party?

We are not and I will say the reason why.

For most of us who have been blessed to be around Nigerian projects like I call it for a long time. Peter Obi, we’re not threatened by him, we know his antecedents, we know where he is coming from, we respect him as a great Nigerian. But no! I’m sure Nigerians wont go that way.

We look at Atiku Abubakar, like I said, a great

elder statesman, we know his antecedent, but Nigerians wont go that way. But our candidate, apart from being a very formidable force in Nigeria, one thing people are forgetting easily in history is that Bola Tinubu is one of Nigeria’s heroes of democracy.

Among the three of them, he is one that I will say was around, fought for Nigeria to become democratic. So to us, this is personal. And so he’s not just an executive or somebody who’s been in the corridors of power, this guy himself is a democrat. So he understands where we are, he understands where we are, he understands what we need. Certainly we are not threatened, we don’t even lose sleep over the other two candidates.

There have been a series of allegations against your candidate, his academic qualification, his alleged health challenges and we’ve seen some videos from the political rallies where he made some mistakes, do you think all these will affect his chances?

I don’t think so and I will take them one by one. You talked about education, we’re over flogging this issue. This guy’s history is out there from his days in banking to Lagos state and now gunning for presidency. Let me just say this at this point, it becomes the shame of a nation respectfully, If after somebody has been to legislative, govern a state like Lagos and then at this point is going for presidency, we are actually questioning ourselves whether he went to school. I don’t think it’s even more on the candidate, I think now it’s more on us.

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

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POLITICS

Igini: INEC Has Power to Reject Parties’ Nominations Former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, in this interview with Udora Orizu, speaks on the controversy trailing Akwa Ibom North Senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress, among other issues, Excerpts:

Y

ou were recently reported to have said the President and National Assembly should be commended for enacting the 2022 Electoral Act, how will it impact the 2023 elections?

The Act has secured INEC innovations and procedures by returning power to the people at the polling units where elections will now be won or lost and not at Wards, LGAs and other stages or points of result collation. The most profound and empowering provision is the mandatory requirement of the law that the total number of votes scored by candidates and the number of accredited voters be uploaded to the digital cloud in an INEC portal that is accessible to voters and participating political parties.

Staying on your last statement, INEC National Commissioner Haruna Mohammed has said that, you misinterpreted the Electoral Act as it affects the Akwa-Ibom North Senatorial District, how do you react to that?

First, I am very surprised that Mohammed Haruna, someone that l used to respect so much as a columnist before his appointment as a national commissioner who ought to know better, could go to the media to attack my person and question my legal competency because of Akpabio that he kept mentioning throughout the write up and he did that totally in ignorance of the true position of the law.

He accused me of “choosing and picking” provisions of the 2022 Act that suits me over this same man and other politicians he was advancing their position.

A supposed umpire defending individuals that did not participate in a senatorial primary against the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act, that such individuals should be confirmed as senatorial candidates, as he has confirmed again in his latest attack on me and Mr Femi Falana (SAN). I’m only disappointed but not surprised. l have seen things and the best and worst characters of human beings in the last ten years of public service. An individual could be a great critic and a respected columnist when he is not in government and there are many out there that we have come to know as pretenders. If the wind had not blown, we would not have seen the rump of the Chicken. The true character of a person will be revealed when you give him or her position of authority to exercise power. So, power does not change people as we think but rather It reveals their true character that has been hidden under the garb of being a critic.

What provision of the Act did he specifically accuse you of picking and choosing?

In the first interview he granted that was widely publicized in June while trying to respond to a United States based columnist, Dr Kperogi, he claimed that INEC does not have the statutory power to reject individuals who did not go through primary elections but whose names were submitted by political parties anyway, without citing any provision of the law to back up his false claim.

What he said is wholly incorrect because by virtue of section 84(13) the Commission has undoubted power to reject individuals submitted as candidates that didn’t undergo primary elections monitored by INEC and did not emerge from a valid primary under section 29 of the 2022 Electoral Act. That power to reject by the Commission could also be challenged either by any aspirant or the political party under section 285 (14) of the constitution.

Which means he is totally wrong for accusing you of picking and choosing the law that suits you?

Absolutely, I will prefer to say that he is ignorant of the law, which in itself does not excuse the egregious nature of his conduct given that he should be better advised or seek better advise that is available to him or can be made available to him in the Commission, if he spent more time at his job as gatekeeper of electoral regulatory law.

Igini

He admitted this shortcoming in his response to Dr Kperogi who drew his attention to the position of Mr Falana that l was right on the position of law. And this was what Haruna himself wrote “I had agreed that the Senior Advocate was right and l was wrong because my opinion did not take section 84 (13) of the electoral Act 2022 into consideration” , so you can see how unfair Haruna has been to me using his own opinion which is not law to challenge and attack me in the media when l cited copiously the provisions of sections 29, 31, 33, 34 and 84 of the 2022 Act that a political party intending to field candidates for election must not only conduct party primaries that shall be monitored but that unlike previous Acts, political parties no longer have power to whimsically change candidates that have emerged from party primaries.

Tragically, Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, defended Akpabio and others that he repeatedly mentioned their names in his interview in total ignorance of the law. Why should an umpire rely on his opinion which is free whereas facts are sacred to dance naked in the public ? l decided not to respond to him publicly the first time for misleading Nigerians but instead called him to express my

disappointment to him that assuming l was even wrong which was not the case, he should have spoken to me privately instead of going to media to disparage me in ignorance.

I reinstated the correct position of the law to him to be well guided given that he is not a lawyer but a very cerebral journalist that people like me used to respect so much in the past.

Even as a lawyer, l don’t know all the laws and God forbid that a lawyer should know all the laws. But a lawyer should know where to find the law just as an educated non lawyer like Mohammed Haruna that wants to challenge a lawyer and even a senior Advocate of Nigeria like Femi Falana, a legal luminary of remarkable intellectual prowess, he should know where to find the law to engage well.

What do you think could be responsible for this personal attack on your person?

Frankly, I really don’t know why and l have been asking myself if may be because out of respect for him and the image of INEC that should not be brought to disrepute, having to respond to him publicly and I restrained myself coupled with numerous calls from colleagues and well-meaning Nigerians that appealed to me not to respond to him, perhaps my restraint misguidedly emboldened him to embark on this second unprovoked and unjustified attack on my person. Repeating the attack on me again because of these persons will not go unanswered because it may give well-meaning members of the public the erroneous impression that the Commission shares such ignorant opinions as axiomatic praxis, which is not true.

What he said is wholly incorrect because by virtue of section 84(13) the Commission has undoubted power to reject individuals submitted as candidates that didn’t undergo primary elections monitored by INEC and did not emerge from a valid primary under section 29 of the 2022 Electoral Act. That power to reject by the Commission could also be challenged either by any aspirant or the political party under section 285 (14) of the constitution

What really are his specific accusations of you this time?

This time around he not only accused me ignorantly of not obeying what he called a “federal High court judgment” which is not true because he doesn’t have the full facts. For the avoidance of doubt here are the facts about the contrived APC crisis in Akwa lbom, that Haruna dabbled into without knowing the full facts, sequence and dates of all that happened.

The APC in Akwa-Ibom state had a successful State Congress on 16th October 2021 wherein all the notable key stakeholders were present.

There are video recordings and pictures of all those who were present at the Sheergrace Arena venue of the congress and staff of the Commission from Abuja and state monitored the exercise.

At the end, one Augustine Ekanem emerged for the position of state Chairman after polling 1,278 votes.

However, another aspirant and the last on the list of ten contestants, Stephen Leo Ntuekpo, who scored 006 (6) votes altered the result by dropping figure one (1) from the 1,278 and placed it behind his own 006 to now read 1,006 while the scores of the real winner of the congress reduced to 278 votes in the forged document.

This was the document he made himself that he took to INEC for certification and used same to sue the APC national body under the then acting chairman of their party Governor Mai Buni of Yobe state and Secretary, Senator Akpan Udoedehe who is now in NNPP. INEC Headquarters EPM and Legal department surprisingly certified for this document despite having the original of the successful congress report in its custody right with them at Headquarters.

When my attention was drawn to the criminal action, when I received a protest letter and I immediately called the head office.

In response, the commission wrote a letter to the APC National secretary to invalidate the forged Congress result certified as an error. In paragraph 4 of the letter it stated thus “Note that the certification in custody of the Commission in compliance with the law does not confer validity on that document that is otherwise invalid or void by virtue of the provision of the law” .

Is Commissioner Haruna aware of this letter written, dated 1st February 2022 and signed by the secretary of the Commission?

That was the document Ntuekpo used to secure a Federal High Court Judgment on 17th March 2022 that Haruna is defending vigorously. But he was never sworn in as State Party Chairman for APC in Akwa Ibom State by the then APC Acting National chairman and Secretary both of whom in their official capacity immediately proceeded to the Appeal court on the 18th of March and filed a stay of execution of the judgment obtained by Mr Ntuekpo.

When the matter came up on the 7th April, the appeal court granted an order for parties to maintain status quo and adjourned till 17th of April. The status quo ordered to be maintained at the time was the fact that Augustine Ekanem was the only duly sworn-in chairman, while Stephen Ntuekpo only had a judgment that was in his favor but was never sworn in as chairman given that the APC leadership that would have conferred him with authority appealed against the judgment.

It was not a case of two claimants chairmen who were sworn into office in which case we could be talking of the invocation of the principle of the latter in time.

But surprisingly, just four days after the Appeal court adjourned after granting an order that status quo be maintained till the next adjourned date of 17th April, this court of appeal order was disregarded and the new chairman ofAPC, SenatorAdamuAbdullahi and Secretary Senator Iyiola Omisore respectively on the 11th April sworn in Stephen Ntuekpo in total disobedience to the order of the court of appeal.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

FEATURES

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

Repositioning, Entrenching NAF Safety Management Systems To reposition and entrench safety management systems in the Nigerian Air Force, the service recently held its annual safety seminar where the NAF Safety Review Board analysed safety issues of the service with the aim of appraising the progress made so far.

Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that this was in furtherance of efforts to enhance comprehensive safety practices across board

T

hemed "Enhancing Safety in the Nigerian Air Force in Conflict Situation", the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) recently held its 2022 Safety Review Board (SRB) in Lagos where how to reposition and entrench NAF safety management systems as well as safety culture in the service was the focal discussion for two days.

Safety Review Board For the NAF, the SRB has become a yearly routine as the focus is to primarily review safety issues in the NAF with the aim of appraising the progress made so far in furtherance of efforts to enhance safety practices.

At each SRB, issues discussed are those vital to improving the safety culture as well as hazard identification and risk management techniques within their operational context because the goal is to seek realistic ways of reducing the operational risks to as low as reasonably practicable.

Although the last NAF SRB meeting was held on November 25, 2021 at Abuja, the NAF did not suspend its safety quest for a year till the next SRB, rather, safety issues has continuously been on its front burner.

According to NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, just a month ago, at the NAF Operations Seminar held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao (CFR), who also doubles as SRB Chairman, re-emphasised the need for NAF pilots to take extra safety precautions and measures to safeguard and avoid accidental air strikes on civilian lives and properties.

Safety at Core for NAF Stressing that safety is at the core of NAF’s daily routines, Air Marshal Amao said the service remains committed to developing, implementing and reviewing policies to ensure that NAF activities were conducted with utmost safety in an optimally safe environment.

While reiterating the importance of the SRB, which is to guide the NAF in appropriately allocating resources to support all safety systems and build organisational culture that fosters safe practices, he said the meeting was expected to provide an avenue to examine prevalent and evolving safety challenges to enable the NAF adopt safety processes to uphold high safety standards in all its activities.

Enhancing Safety in Conflict Situations According to CAS, the theme resonates with most of the resolutions reached at the last Operations Seminar and is equally in consistent with their tradition of being proactive in identifying safety hazards that could hamper air operations.

He said: "As aircraft operators, past experiences have revealed that non-compliance with basic aviation safety rules and regulations often lead to dire consequences for both the personnel and the NAF. "In fact, failure to strictly follow established standard operating procedures, or to review and update them regularly, especially after an incident, can result in avoidable tragedy...

"Indeed, the main objective of safety in the NAF is to preserve air combat power through accident prevention to achieve optimum operational effectiveness with minimum incidents or accidents."

Shared Responsibility However, the Chief believes that safety is a shared responsibility that requires synergy between regulators, operators and other stakeholders.

Reiterating that the joint operating environment is complex by the day as violent non-state actors and criminals continue to devise new ways to disrupt security, safety, law and order, he however stressed that as a service, they will not relent in their effort and resolve to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria and its people.

He said: "Hence, the Nigerian Air Force has intensified its combat and non-kinetic activities across all theatres of operations. In conjunction with other services, the Nigerian Air Force has brought air power capabilities to bear on insurgents and criminal elements, thus denying them their hitherto safe havens and freedom of action.

"This has been made possible by sustained intense rates of efforts of our aircrew, ground crew and capable staff who work day and night to ensure optimum aircraft serviceability and availability for conduct of operations."

Inherent Risks Despite continuous efforts to live out its mandate, the CAS believes that there are " inherent risks which we must proactively mitigate in order not to jeopardize operational effectiveness.

"As we all know, there is a direct correlation

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao with other senior serving and retired officers, as well as special guests between safety and operational efficiency which makes it an imperative for us to give it all the attention it deserves. It is in realization of the above that the Nigerian Air Force has made safety to central to its operational and non-operational activities.

"It is a major priority for the Nigerian Air Force and that is why we are investing so much in terms of safety capacity development, management and integrations. We are constantly looking at the Safety Management System in various units to ensure that it is proactive enough to meet our objectives for efficient and timely hazard identification and risk management."

Commitment to Implementing Strategies Air Marshal Amao also noted that the NAF is committed to implementing strategies that would ensure that all activities are conducted in a safe and efficient manner.

"I consider this crucial to the successful attainment of my vision of “enhancing and sustaining critical airpower capabilities required for joint force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives”.

"In the quest for safety in our operations, the Nigerian Air Force has done its bit. We have tried to put processes in place in line with our Safety Management System and best practices."

This they have done by improving the state of their military airfields, procured runway sweepers, fire tenders, Personal Protective Equipment, upgraded Base Operations Offices and other safety critical equipment for operational units.

NAF has also trained Flight Dispatchers to man the Offices and a number of instructors across relevant NAF specialties at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria. " Similarly, some officers are undergoing safety courses at notable safety training institutes overseas so as to bolster capacity. We have also upgraded some of our aircraft and equipped them with more safety features. " Additionally, we are collaborating more with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Accident Investigation Bureau and the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria in a bid to improving our safety standards and systems. " A recent dividend of this collaboration was the assessment of our airfields and some joint user airfields by a joint team constituted by the Minister of Aviation with a view to upgrading navigational and safety facilities at the airfields. " Accordingly, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has charted Performance Based Navigation approaches for some of our airfields."

Demand for Air Power and Safety Incentives On the demand for air power in the current fight against insurgency, he said it is ever increasing, thus putting a substantial amount of pressure on personnel, resources and materiel. " In the midst of such enormous pressure, we are aware that the tendency for unsafe acts, complacency and challenges of human factors could surface from time to time. As part of initiatives to prevent unsafe tendencies. " I instituted a mentorship program for our aircrew whereby some of our highly experienced retired senior officers who are safety trained, tour operational units periodically to observe activities at the units and advice commanders, aircrew and non-aircrew on best safety practices. " Some of the mentors are here present in this hall. This is in addition to the unit safety audit being conducted by the Standards and Evaluation Branch. I have also directed that past Accident Investigation Board reports be made available to all operational units and studied with a view to identifying lessons and implementing pending safety recommendations.

"We have also reinvigorated the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety to enable it meet its objectives. For instance, within the last three months about 30 officers have graduated from various safety courses conducted by the School.

"We are also collaborating with United State Air Force Safety Team. The team conducted safety assessments of some of our operational units and made far-reaching recommendations, most of which have been implemented.

"Consequently, the Pilot Basic Safety Course, which is the first of its kind run by the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety, was recently conducted for 12 pilots and 2 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operators of the Nigerian Air Force. " New sets of pilots, UAV operators and ground crew are already billed to undergo same Course. The key objective is to produce pilots, UAV operators and ground crew with analytical minds and adequate knowledge in safety procedures, hazards identification and risk assessment. " We have instituted senior management commitment to safety which is critical to the implementation of Safety Management System.

Indeed, the main objective of safety in the NAF is to preserve air combat power through accident prevention to achieve optimum operational effectiveness with minimum incidents or accidents

"I noted that many of the safety recommendations of the Board’s last meeting have been implemented by affected branches, commands and units. We know that a lot still needs to be done in spite of these efforts. That is why we are embarking on training and retraining in order to improve our safety culture. " I am particularly committed to deepening the Safety Culture within the Nigerian Air Force, which is one of the main objectives of this seminar," he added.

While acknowledging the unwavering support NAF enjoys from President Muhammadu Buhari, he said without it, they would not have been able to record the modest achievements made.

MOD's Take In his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi, reiterated that safety plays a very important role in the successful accomplishment of NAF's constitutional mandate.

Represented by Director of Air Force Affairs in the Ministry, Mr Dahiru Mohammed, he said: "While I understand the essence of safety for the armed forces in general, I must admit that the peculiarities of air operations have placed an additional burden on the Nigerian Air Force to take the lead in safety matters at all three levels of warfare; namely, the strategic, operational and tactical levels. " Military aviation safety is of great concern to us at the Ministry of Defence, particularly because aviation accidents such as air crashes, could erode the Ministry’s overall war fighting capabilities in many tangible and intangible ways.

"Apart from the loss of expensive platforms in air crashes, the accompanying irreplaceable loss of well trained and highly skilled personnel often have adverse effects on the general morale of the services and the nation at large.

"During minor incidents or accidents, injury to personnel and aircraft often lead to loss of valuable manhours, while affected personnel or aircraft are grounded during the period of accident investigation or even recovery from injuries and aircraft repairs.

"This is not to mention the financial and economic implication of such repairs or outright replacement of the affected aircraft or equipment.

"From the foregoing, it is obvious that aircraft accidents and incidents exert enormous, morale and economic pressure on the nation. Therefore, safety is everybody’s business and all hands must always be on deck to ensure and maintain high safety standards in all environments, be it at homes, workplace or theatres of operation."

He further commended the CAS and the NAF for their unrelenting efforts in ensuring a secure and safe Nigeria, especially with the deployment of air assets and crew in recent efforts to destroy the enclaves of insurgents and bandits in various parts of the country, while also decimating several of their notorious commanders and leaders.

For all those who attended the seminar, the theme was quite germane as it addressed efforts made to sustain the high operational readiness of NAF especially with its recent and frequent decimation of terrorists and other insurgent groups.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

#THISISNIGERIA -Yemi Adamolekun

Where is the Outrage?

W

hen citizens are beaten and detained by the First Lady of a democratic government, there has to be outrage. It was outrage against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that started the #EndSARS protest in 2020. Outrage against injustice and silence birthed Enough is Enough Nigeria in 2010.

Here is the email from Chude Jideonwo that became a street protest and an organisation.

“Guys, As I speak to you, the people’s president has finally given in to the constitution. But has anything really changed? Did those playing with our destinies understand the gravity of their actions? You and I know the answer to that.

Just like you, guys, I have had enough.

Enough, this time, is enough.

For more than two months, our president went away without as much as an apology or explanation, we sat and watched as Jos boiled over, we continued to face a humiliating fuel scarcity and they shamefully went back on the promise of 6000 megawatts.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have been played like fools, and in all of this, the young people have been quiet.

Where is the outrage?????

I don’t mean on Facebook, Twitter and BBM status updates – I mean, outrage that can actually be heard by those causing the damage? I mean outrage that actually means something?

We should be ashamed that at over 70, Wole Soyinka is still the most prominent voice fighting against all this insanity.

Why are Femi Falana and Tunde Bakare on the streets and we are busy shouting only on the internet where no one cares?

The young people should be on the streets, showing their rage at how our future is being ruined. But no one is taking the gauntlet.

People have begun to brand our generation as one that does nothing.

The National Association of Nigerian Students is busy giving awards to Maurice Iwu, the National Youth Council has effectively become an extension of the government. The Nigeria Labour Congress?

Its silence has never been louder.

This cannot be allowed to happen. If the present government realises that it can do anything and get away with it, then we are doomed.

But how can we be doomed when we actually have the power to make our voices heard? At The Future Awards 2010, many young people heard clearly when the Keynote Speaker, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said “In Nigeria, generation Y, 70%of our 105 million population is under 30 years old.”

We are in the majority. We have the power to actually make change happen.

So what is our excuse? What will we tell our children - that we lay down and took whatever they hit us with?

No. And that is why I have decided to initiate this charge for young people to make a statement: that enough is enough and we will not take it anymore. And I have gotten my partners at The Future Project to be a part of this. However, this cannot be a private venture. This is a fight that is beyond us.

We need ALL of us to drive it right from the beginning. Because we want history to record that this was the point that the young people in Nigeria began to drive fear into the hearts of our leaders.

The people copied in this mail are some of the leaders that young people have accepted as opinion leaders in different areas. It is time for us to fill that position and defend that trust.

What have we decided to do?

We are organising a rally – not in Lagos (what’s the point? Governor Fashola already agrees with us), but in the seat of power itself; Abuja. We are taking hundreds of young people and we will be going to the National Assembly to directly tell the people in power that we are watching them, and we are not going to take it anymore.

We are staging a walk to the National Assembly and we will force them to come out and listen and we will talk to them straight up. Before the rally there will be MASSIVE on-the-ground, media and online publicity – and then on campuses.

There will also be a strong media presence at the walk and we will be getting certain ‘celebrities’ in the arts, entertainment, business, journalism and others who will draw attention to this cause and show that ALL of Nigeria’s youth are unified this one time.

This rally will be in March.

Right now we are in the process of confirming the exact date at the venue in the National Assembly where the rally will be held. There is no doubt that we will get the permission. We will communicate the date to you within five days.

At that rally, our demands are three fold and simple: 1) We want to know exactly what is happening in the Presidency and to keep Goodluck Jonathan on his toes, 2) We want an end to the fuel crisis, 3) We want them to keep their promises on electricity We have selected you as one of the key inner team of resource people for this, and that is because we know you are committed to Nigeria, you understand the media and you have great influence amongst the youth population, as well as the resources to get this done.

However we must warn that this is not a project to be taken lightly. We are serious about this. This is not a fad and it is not for ‘show’. We need to do this; and it will involve time and it will involve money (though not a lot: principally your ticket to Abuja). So, if you cannot be a part of it for ANY reason, you can reach me with a private mail and tell me so. Better to not be a part of it than to say you will be and then fall out along the way because history will judge harshly.

There are cynics who believe this cannot work and nothing will change. They lie! Our history shows that civil action can work. Ask Babangida, Ask Abacha, Ask Obasanjo. Even if we think it cannot work, it is better that we do something, rather than fold our hands.

Listen guys, whatever industry we work in, no matter how much money we have, if Nigeria becomes a failed state, we will all suffer! We all have a stake in this! We will be unable to drive our flashy cars and have the great events and do fine dinners if we have no country!

This rally will be the first phase. Other things will come up later. But this one we have to do first. This is the one we need you for. This is one we have to make a statement with.

This is our country; our duty; our future.

I look forward to getting a formal commitment to joining this effort from you and then we will contact you immediately.

Regards, Chude.

February 26, 2010” –‘Yemi Adamolekun is the Executive Director of Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria). She has an MSc inDevelopment Studies from the London School of Economics (LSE) and an MBA from Oxford University’s Said Business School

22 T H I S D AY THURSDAY DECEMBER 1, 2022 TR

UT H

& RE A S O

Thursday December 1, 2022 Vol 27. No 10095

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

PRIORITIES OF INDIAN PRESIDENCY OF G20 NARENDRA MODI pledges to encourage sustainable and environment-friendly lifestyles, based on India’s tradition of trusteeship towards nature

See page 27

TOMPOLO AND THE AMNESTY DEAL There is need to pay more attention to issues of accountability, environmental protection, and the empowerment of the oil communities, argues OLUSEGUN ADENIYI See page 27 EDITORIAL

THE MENACE OF FOOD POISONING

28

1

The reintroduction of history to secondary schools can kick-start national rediscovery, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE

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Historical details should not be garnished to the detriment of other parties. This can be achieved without employing revisionism and other jaundiced pedagogical instruments. Our historians now have a responsibility to lead the charge against false narratives

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NARENDRA MODI pledges to encourage sustainable and environment-friendly lifestyles, based on India’s tradition of trusteeship towards nature

PRIORITIES OF INDIAN PRESIDENCY OF G20 7RGD\ ,QGLD FRPPHQFHV LWV * Presidency.

7KH SUHYLRXV 3UHVLGHQFLHV RI WKH * GHOLYHUHG VLJQLÀFDQW UHVXOWV IRU HQVXULQJ PDFUR HFRQRPLF VWDELOLW\ UDWLRQDOLVLQJ LQWHUQDWLRQDO WD[DWLRQ UHOLHYLQJ GHEW EXUGHQ RQ FRXQWULHV DPRQJ PDQ\ RWKHU RXWFRPHV :H ZLOO EHQHÀW IURP WKHVH achievements, and build further upon them.

However, as India assumes this important mantle, I ask myself - can the * JR IXUWKHU VWLOO" &DQ ZH FDWDO\VH D IXQGDPHQWDO PLQGVHW VKLIW WR EHQHÀW KXPDQLW\ DV D ZKROH" I believe we can.

Our mindsets are shaped by our FLUFXPVWDQFHV 7KURXJK DOO RI KLVWRU\ KXPDQLW\ OLYHG LQ VFDUFLW\ :H IRXJKW IRU limited resources, because our survival GHSHQGHG RQ GHQ\LQJ WKHP WR RWKHUV

&RQIURQWDWLRQ DQG FRPSHWLWLRQ EHWZHHQ LGHDV LGHRORJLHV DQG LGHQWLWLHV EHFDPH the norm.

Unfortunately, we remain trapped in the same zero-sum mindset even WRGD\ :H VHH LW ZKHQ FRXQWULHV ÀJKW over territory or resources. We see it ZKHQ VXSSOLHV RI HVVHQWLDO JRRGV DUH weaponised. We see it when vaccines are hoarded by a few, even as billions remain vulnerable.

6RPH PD\ DUJXH WKDW FRQIURQWDWLRQ DQG JUHHG DUH MXVW KXPDQ QDWXUH , GLVDJUHH ,I KXPDQV ZHUH LQKHUHQWO\ VHOÀVK ZKDW ZRXOG H[SODLQ WKH ODVWLQJ DSSHDO RI VR many spiritual traditions that advocate WKH IXQGDPHQWDO RQH QHVV RI XV DOO" One such tradition, popular in India, VHHV DOO OLYLQJ EHLQJV DQG HYHQ LQDQLPDWH WKLQJV DV FRPSRVHG RI WKH VDPH ÀYH basic elements – the panch tatva of earth, ZDWHU ÀUH DLU DQG VSDFH +DUPRQ\ DPRQJ WKHVH HOHPHQWV ZLWKLQ XV DQG between us - is essential for our physical, VRFLDO DQG HQYLURQPHQWDO ZHOO EHLQJ ,QGLD·V * 3UHVLGHQF\ ZLOO ZRUN WR promote this universal sense of oneQHVV +HQFH RXU WKHPH ¶2QH (DUWK 2QH )DPLO\ 2QH )XWXUH· 7KLV LV QRW MXVW D VORJDQ ,W WDNHV LQWR DFFRXQW UHFHQW FKDQJHV LQ KXPDQ circumstances, which we have collectively failed to appreciate.

7RGD\ ZH KDYH WKH PHDQV WR SURGXFH HQRXJK WR PHHW WKH EDVLF QHHGV RI DOO people in the world.

7RGD\ ZH GR QRW QHHG WR ÀJKW IRU RXU survival - our era need not be one of war.

Indeed, it must not be one!

7RGD\ WKH JUHDWHVW FKDOOHQJHV ZH IDFH FOLPDWH FKDQJH WHUURULVP DQG SDQGHPLFV FDQ EH VROYHG QRW E\ ÀJKWLQJ HDFK RWKHU

EXW RQO\ E\ DFWLQJ WRJHWKHU )RUWXQDWHO\ WRGD\·V WHFKQRORJ\ DOVR JLYHV XV WKH PHDQV WR DGGUHVV SUREOHPV RQ D KXPDQLW\ ZLGH VFDOH 7KH PDVVLYH virtual worlds that we inhabit today GHPRQVWUDWH WKH VFDODELOLW\ RI GLJLWDO WHFKQRORJLHV +RXVLQJ RQH VL[WK RI KXPDQLW\ DQG ZLWK LWV LPPHQVH GLYHUVLW\ RI ODQJXDJHV UHOLJLRQV FXVWRPV DQG EHOLHIV ,QGLD LV D microcosm of the world.

With the oldest-known traditions RI FROOHFWLYH GHFLVLRQ PDNLQJ ,QGLD FRQWULEXWHV WR WKH IRXQGDWLRQDO '1$ RI democracy. As the mother of democracy, ,QGLD·V QDWLRQDO FRQVHQVXV LV IRUJHG QRW E\ GLNWDW EXW E\ EOHQGLQJ PLOOLRQV RI IUHH voices into one harmonious melody.

7RGD\ ,QGLD LV WKH IDVWHVW JURZLQJ ODUJH HFRQRP\ 2XU FLWL]HQ FHQWULF JRYHUQDQFH model takes care of even our most PDUJLQDOLVHG FLWL]HQV ZKLOH QXUWXULQJ WKH FUHDWLYH JHQLXV RI RXU WDOHQWHG \RXWK We have tried to make national development not an exercise in topGRZQ JRYHUQDQFH EXW UDWKHU D FLWL]HQ OHG ¶SHRSOH·V PRYHPHQW· :H KDYH OHYHUDJHG WHFKQRORJ\ WR FUHDWH GLJLWDO SXEOLF JRRGV WKDW DUH RSHQ LQFOXVLYH DQG LQWHU RSHUDEOH 7KHVH KDYH GHOLYHUHG UHYROXWLRQDU\ SURJUHVV LQ ÀHOGV DV YDULHG DV VRFLDO SURWHFWLRQ ÀQDQFLDO inclusion, and electronic payments. )RU DOO WKHVH UHDVRQV ,QGLD·V H[SHULHQFHV FDQ SURYLGH LQVLJKWV IRU SRVVLEOH JOREDO VROXWLRQV 'XULQJ RXU * 3UHVLGHQF\ ZH VKDOO SUHVHQW ,QGLD·V H[SHULHQFHV OHDUQLQJV DQG models as possible templates for others, SDUWLFXODUO\ WKH GHYHORSLQJ ZRUOG 2XU * SULRULWLHV ZLOO EH VKDSHG LQ FRQVXOWDWLRQ ZLWK QRW MXVW RXU * partners, but also our fellow-travellers in WKH JOREDO 6RXWK ZKRVH YRLFH RIWHQ JRHV unheard.

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There is need to pay more attention to issues of accountability, environmental protection, and the empowerment of the oil communities, argues OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

TOMPOLO AND THE AMNESTY DEAL Continued from the backpage 7KH\ ZHUH WR GHWHUPLQH FDWHJRULHV RI SHRSOH WR EH JUDQWHG DPQHVW\ GHÀQH H[DFW procedures, identify, and recommend UHSRUWLQJ DQG VFUHHQLQJ FHQWUHV DV ZHOO DV modalities for the establishment of a database RI PLOLWDQWV IURP ZKLFK LQIRUPDWLRQ SURÀOHV FRXOG EH H[WUDFWHG 7KH GLVDUPDPHQW DQG GHPRELOL]DWLRQ VXE FRPPLWWHH FKDLUHG E\ 'LNH ZDV WR UHFRPPHQG SURFHGXUHV IRU GLVDUPLQJ militants who surrender and modalities for GRFXPHQWDWLRQ VWRUDJH GLVSRVDO RI DUPV DQG DPPXQLWLRQ DQG RWKHU ZHDSRQV 7KH\ ZHUH DOVR WR GHWHUPLQH WKH ORFDWLRQ RI KROGLQJ FDPSV IRU VFUHHQHG PLOLWDQWV 7KH SXEOLFLW\ VXE FRPPLWWHH KHDGHG E\ .RULSDPR $JDU\ was to identify and establish liaison with all VWDNHKROGHUV LQFOXGLQJ RLO DQG JDV PDMRUV DQG PHGLD SDUWLFXODUO\ WKRVH LQ WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD 7KH UHKDELOLWDWLRQ DQG UHLQWHJUDWLRQ sub-committee chaired by Orubebe was to work out modalities for the rehabilitation DQG UHLQWHJUDWLRQ RI H[ PLOLWDQWV OLDLVH DQG FROODWH YLHZV RI 1*2V RQ VXFK UHLQWHJUDWLRQ SURFHVV ZKLOH ZRUNLQJ ZLWK RWKHU FRPPLWWHHV to identify vocation centres where militants could acquire skills.

In their report to the President, the panel stated that disarmament and demobilization could only be achieved when sources and means of arms procurement had been severed from the militants to prevent them from reDUPLQJ ´,W LV WKHUHIRUH LPSRUWDQW WR QRWH WKH FORVH FRUUHODWLRQ EHWZHHQ DUPHG FRQÁLFW LQ WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD DQG LOOHJDO RLO EXQNHULQJ ,W LV UHFRPPHQGHG WKDW HͿHFWLYH PRQLWRULQJ DQG FKHFNPDWLQJ RI LOOHJDO RLO EXQNHULQJ LV an essential requirement for arms control and FRQÁLFW SUHYHQWLRQ LQ WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD µ 7KH SDQHO IXUWKHU ZURWH ´7KH 1LJHULDQ 1DY\ PXVW be adequately empowered in terms of new SODWIRUP DFTXLVLWLRQ WR HͿHFWLYHO\ SXW D VWRS WR LOOHJDO EXQNHULQJ ZKLOH WKH -7) VKRXOG HTXDOO\ be empowered to control the proliferation of OLJKW ZHDSRQV LQ WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD EHIRUH DQG after the proclamation of amnesty.”

At the end of the exercise, 20,194 ex-militants ZHUH UHFRUGHG DW 2EXEUD LQ &URVV 5LYHU 6WDWH where data collection took place. But the ÀJXUH VRRQ MXPSHG WR DIWHU <DU·$GXD died. When I spoke with Ndiomu, he DGPLWWHG LQKHULWLQJ D GHEW SRUWIROLR WRWDOOLQJ over N90 billion owed to sundry stakeholders, LQFOXGLQJ FRQWUDFWRUV LQVWLWXWLRQV RI KLJKHU OHDUQLQJ ERWK DW KRPH DQG LQ WKH GLDVSRUD %XW WKH ELJJHU FKDOOHQJH LQ DGGLWLRQ WR D ODFN of accountability and transparency in PAP PDQDJHPHQW LV WKH DEVHQFH RI DQ\ UHOLDEOH data of the real ex-militants. Ndiomu told PH WKDW HͿRUWV WR UHWULHYH LQIRUPDWLRQ IURP &KDPV &RPSXWHU EHOLHYHG WR KDYH FDSWXUHG the initial numbers have not yielded results. )URP WKH OLVW RI H[ DJLWDWRUV HDFK of whom earns N65,000 monthly, Ndiomu has been able to weed out 1,900 persons. But ZLWK GZLQGOLQJ UHVRXUFHV IURP WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW WKHUH DUH FKDOOHQJHV DKHDG 1GLRPX DOVR VKDUHG LQVLJKWV RQ WKH FXUUHQW VWDWH RI WKH ÀYH 9RFDWLRQDO 7UDLQLQJ &HQWUHV 97&V ZKRVH FRQVWUXFWLRQ FRPPHQFHG LQ E\ WKH -RQDWKDQ DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ XQGHU .LQJVOH\ .XNX DV 3$3 FKDLUPDQ 7KH FHQWUH LQ $JDGDJED 2QGR 6WDWH DQG *HOHJHOH (GR State are both 80 per cent completed without hostels for students while the equipment LQVWDOOHG LQ ERWK LV QRZ REVROHWH 7KH FHQWUH LQ %RPDGL 'HOWD 6WDWH LV DOVR SHUFHQW FRPSOHWHG ZLWK QR HTXLSPHQW LQVWDOOHG 7KH FHQWUH LQ -DPHVWRZQ 5LYHUV 6WDWH LV RQO\ 30 percent completed, without hostels for students and no equipment installed. Perhaps WKH UHDO VDG VWRU\ LV DW %RUR 7RZQ .LDPD

in Bayelsa State where the centre was completed and fully equipped before it ZDV YDQGDOLVHG 6R HͿHFWLYHO\ QRQH RI WKH ÀYH 97&V LV RSHUDWLRQDO DQG DFFRUGLQJ WR Ndiomu, it would require a minimum of N15 billion to complete and equip them, as well as train the instructors. “I inherited a scholarship debt of about N6 billion for just this academic session (2022/2023) DORQH , DP KRSLQJ WKHUH ZLOO EH VRPH LQWHUYHQWLRQµ 1GLRPX VDLG ZKLOH VKDULQJ KLV IUXVWUDWLRQV ´,Q WKH FDVH RI RQ JRLQJ YRFDWLRQDO WUDLQLQJ IRU VKRUW GXUDWLRQ HQGLQJ LQ 'HFHPEHU WKLV \HDU WKHUH ZDV D GHEW RI 1 ELOOLRQ ZKLFK , UHQHJRWLDWHG GRZQ E\ D ZKRRSLQJ VXP RI 1 ELOOLRQ 7KDW SURYHV FRQFOXVLYHO\ WKDW WKHVH WUDLQLQJ FRVWV ZHUH JURVVO\ LQÁDWHG µ 0HDQZKLOH WKH DPQHVW\ SURJUDPPH was structured to run in three SKDVHV 7UDLQLQJ (PSRZHUPHQW DQG (QJDJHPHQW³DIWHU ZKLFK WKH EHQHÀFLDU\ LV H[SHFWHG WR H[LW 7KDW WKH QXPEHU RI ¶H[ PLOLWDQWV· FRQWLQXHG VZHOOLQJ LV HYLGHQW RI D UDFNHW HYHQ WKRXJK PDQ\ RI WKH RULJLQDO DJLWDWRUV DUH QRW DPRQJ WKH HPHUJHQF\ ELOOLRQDLUHV VWUXWWLQJ DOO RYHU WKH SODFH 6FKRODUVKLSV UXQQLQJ LQWR ELOOLRQV RI 1DLUD WKDW DUH RUGLQDULO\ PHDQW IRU 1LJHU 'HOWD LQGLJHQHV DUH DOVR EHLQJ RͿHUHG WR people from the Southwest, Southeast and the three zones in the North, in what has become another avenue for political SDWURQDJH 1RWZLWKVWDQGLQJ , VWLOO EHOLHYH WKDW WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD DPQHVW\ ZDV ZHOO FRQFHLYHG %XW IRU WKH SURJUDPPH LW ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ GL΀FXOW WR FRQWDLQ WKH YLROHQFH WKDW KDG PDGH WKH UHJLRQ XQJRYHUQDEOH DW WKH WLPH ,W LV DOVR GRXEWIXO LI WKH RLO DQG JDV industry could have survived the intensity RI VDERWDJH 1RZ ZH DUH RQO\ WDONLQJ about oil theft, which can be resolved ZLWK WKH ULJKW WRROV DQG UHTXLVLWH SROLWLFDO will. As for PAP, Ndiomu believes it can EH UHGHVLJQHG DV D VRFLDO LQYHVWPHQW SURJUDPPH UDWKHU WKDQ ZLQGLQJ LW GRZQ WRWDOO\ 7KDW PD\ QRW EH D EDG LGHD EXW for it to happen, there must be a structure that will ensure better transparency and accountability.

2YHUDOO WKH LGHD RI SXUVXLQJ D community-based initiative to deal with SLSHOLQH YDQGDOL]DWLRQ E\ HQJDJLQJ H[ militants was sanctioned by President <DU·$GXD DV SDUW RI WKH ¶(TXLW\ 0DWUL[· IRU 1LJHU 'HOWD GHVLJQHG E\ WKH ODWH (PPDQXHO ,JERJDK WKHQ VSHFLDO DGYLVHU WR WKH SUHVLGHQW RQ SHWUROHXP 7KH FKDOOHQJH RI WKH PRPHQW WKHUHIRUH LV QRW 7RPSROR FRQGXFWLQJ OHJLWLPDWH EXVLQHVV DV RSSRVHG WR ZKHQ KH OHG D JDQJ RI RXWODZV LQ KLV ¶&DPS · DW &KDQRPL FUHHNV 5DWKHU LW LV WKDW ZH KDYH QRW PDQDJHG WKH DPQHVW\ SURJUDPPH ZHOO DQG WKH GLUH implications that portends for the future of our country. :LWK WKH UHFHQW JURXQG EUHDNLQJ ceremony at the Kolmani River oil and JDV ÀHOG WKDW VWUDGGOHV WKH *RQJROD %DVLQ WKH 1RUWKHDVW LV QRZ HͿHFWLYHO\ DQ RLO SURGXFLQJ UHJLRQ 7KH IHGHUDO JRYHUQPHQW must therefore take onboard lessons from RXU IDLOLQJV LQ WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD :H PXVW EHJLQ WR SD\ PRUH DWWHQWLRQ WR LVVXHV RI accountability, environmental protection, and most importantly empowerment for the oil communities and critical stakeholders.

Adeniyi is Chairman, THISDAY Editorial Board

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EDITORIAL

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

THE MENACE OF FOOD POISONING All the major stakeholders should ensure that the food we eat meets minimum standard of safety

T

never accurately determined, it is becoming he reported death of 11 family increasingly clear that some of them could members in Ikobi community, Apa have been caused by wilful contamination. For local government area of Benue State instance, many of the products smuggled across of suspected food poisoning deserves the borders are harmful because of the way they a serious attention. Six of the victims are preserved. Some of the meat and poultry sold died in one day while the remaining in the open market are reportedly preserved with ÀYH GLHG ODWHU LQ WKH VDPH ZHHN 7KH WUDGLWLRQDO dangerous chemicals. ruler of the community also claimed that a similar Two years ago, there was panic over beans, a incident happened a month earlier. It is good popular staple food. The worry came as result that experts were invited from the state ministry of the public health implications of misapplied of health to investigate the cause of deaths and FKHPLFDOV RQ IRRG VWXͿ $ YLGHR KDG JRQH YLUDO RQ we hope they will make their report public. As how some retailers were using Sniper, a powerful we have consistently reiterated on this page, insecticide, to preserve given the alarming beans before bagging it rate at which people, for sale. The practice is including sometimes The Agriculture Ministry could do a lot better by ensuring that allegedly commonplace, a whole family, die often used to eliminate useful and relevant information - from planting to harvesting and after meals, there is an or protect beans from urgent need for public preservation - is passed on to farmers and retailers, many of whom are weevils’ infection. Sniper, enlightenment on the a dichlorovinyl, available danger associated with unaware of the risks across the counter, is a some of the food items dangerous chemical used we consume.

T H I S D AY for killing bugs and insects.

Many retailers also That this has become a recurring tragedy EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU use calcium carbide, another dangerous substance in Nigeria explains why the recent claim by a DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA used by welders, to ripen banana, and plantain Professor of Food Science and Technology, Alfred MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO for quick money. It has also been established that DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU Ihenkuronye, that no fewer than 200,000 persons CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI other food items like corn, sorghum, apples, and die annually of food poison in Nigeria should EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN vegetables are improperly preserved or hurriedly compel attention. Indeed, hardly any day pasess MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI ripened with dangerous chemicals. without reports of some families dying after eating THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and food that may have been contaminated through other regulatory agencies must ensure proper improper processing, preservation, and service. public awareness on the right use of chemicals.

“There are many avenues through which foods T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D The National Agency for Food and Drug can be contaminated. And when people eat these EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA Administration and Control (NAFDAC) must be foods, they will have problems which may result GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, well positioned to live up to its responsibilities.

ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI in deaths,” Ihenkuronye said.

The Agriculture Ministry itself could do a lot better DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, Last year in Danzanke village in the Isa Local ANTHONY OGEDENGBE by ensuring that useful and relevant information Government Area of Sokoto State, 24 members DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI - from planting to harvesting and preservation- is of an extended family died after eating a meal SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH passed on to farmers and retailers, many of whom suspected to have been seasoned with a poisonous ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI chemical. The two female survivors reportedly CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI are unaware of the risks. It is important that we DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO work to ensure that the food we put on the table by “merely tasted the food.”

TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com Nigerians meet the minimum standard of safety.

However, since the causes of these deaths were

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 THE RETURN OF HISTORY SUBJECT The news of the federal government reintroducing history as a stand-alone subject in the basic education curriculum in Nigeria 13 years after its abolition is a good development.

Adamu Adamu, minister of education, announced this in Abuja at the reintroduction ceremony/training of history teachers at the basic education level. The minister who was represented by the state minister of education, Goodluck Opiah expressed worry about the threat posed to national cohesion owing largely to lack of knowledge of Nigeria’s evolution following the removal of history from the basic education curriculum. The minister said a total of 3,700 history teachers have been shortlisted on pro-rata basis for WKH ÀUVW URXQG RI WUDLQLQJ WR HQKDQFH WHDFKLQJ RI WKH subject.

History was removed from the Nigerian school curriculum in 2009 – supposedly because students avoided the subject, graduates did not have job prospects and teachers were scarce. But Nigerians were not happy with the decision. The 13 years without

IMPACT OF JP AWARDEES ON SOCIETY

the subject being taught have created big vacuum.

6WXGHQWV ZKR ÀQLVKHG WKHLU VHFRQGDU\ VFKRROV KDYH missed a golden opportunity to know more about their country. Interestingly, government has now UHYHUVHG WKH GHFLVLRQ +LVWRU\ FDQ EH GHÀQHG DV WKH subject of a balanced interpretation and reconstruction of the past, based on evidence with focus on causation, context and course of events. Ignorance of history creates a vacuum that misinformation or outright falsehood can exploit.

A sound knowledge of the past is the basis for nationalism or patriotism, the driving force in modern nation-building. History creates or reinforces naWLRQDO LGHQWLW\ DQG VHOI GHÀQLWLRQ 7KH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 8QLWHG .LQJGRP DQG -DSDQ DUH VWULNLQJ H[DPSOHV RI the teaching of history as a central plank of the curULFXOXP .QRZOHGJH RI KLVWRU\ KDV GULYHQ WKH SDWULRtism exhibited by citizens of those countries.

Recently, Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde conferred the awards of Justice of Peace (JP) on his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun and 398 others.

Many people in the state and even in the country at large do not know about the responsibilities and duties those conferred with the award are saddled to perform.

There are numerous statutory functions for JP awardees. As a recipient of JP award, VXFK LQGLYLGXDO KDV WKH FRQVWLWXWLRQDO SRZHU WR SUHSDUH DQG VLJQ DQ D΀GDYLW RI DQ\ NLQG EH LW FKDQJH RI QDPH ORVV RI FHUWLÀFDWHV DPRQJ RWKHUV EHIRUH VHFXULQJ SXEOLcation in recognized national dailies.

6HWWOHPHQW RI WLͿ EHIRUH LW JRHV KD\ZLUH RU OHDG WR GLVUXSWLRQ RI WUDQTXLO FR H[istence in the society is another statutory function they are saddled with. Military personnel can only be intimated if the case is beyond what can be amicably settled by an individual conferred with JP title. Also, it is not beyond the power of those awardees to stamp and append signature on search and arrest warrants prepared E\ SROLFH R΀FHUV For an individual to be awarded Justice of Peace, he/she must have formal education and be able to read and write. He/she should also have a modicum of legal knowledge. These will assist such a person in performing his function.

Ibrahim Mustapha, Pambegua, Kaduna State

Olayode Inaolaji, Ogbomoso, Oyo State

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

29

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

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NITDA Urges Stakeholders on Successful Implementation of Startup Act to Deepen Digital Economy

Emma Okonji Following the passage of Nigeria’s Startup Bill into Law, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has tasked stakeholders on the successful implementation strategies of the Startup Act and its implication to Nigeria’s digital economy.

At a stakeholders meeting in Lagos, the Director, Standards, Guidelines and Framework at NITDA, Mr. Oladejo Olawumi, said the successful implementation of

the Startup Act, became necessary, owing to the importance of technology innovation developed by startups that is currently driving digital transformation in Nigeria.

He therefore urged industry stakeholders present at the forum to come up with strategies that will enhance the successful implementation of the Startup Act 2022.

Manager, Standards, Guidelines and Framework at NITDA, Zainab Inuwa Gani, who read out the Startup Act to stakeholders, highlighted key areas of the Act,

such as the objectives of the Act, the establishment of the national council for digital innovation and entrepreneurship, operational structure of the council, the opportunities the Act offers to labelled startups, the incentives for labelled startups, and registration of intellectual property, among others. Stakeholders, in their submissions, commended NITDA for its transparency, and unanimously agreed that the Startup Act would further give direction to startups, regulators, and industry stakeholders, while

further deepening Nigeria’s digital economy.

One of the stakeholders, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Programos Software, Mr. Emmanuel Amos, said before the passage of the bill into an Act, startups were operating without guidelines and direction, adding that the Startup Act will further drive digital development and also open opportunities for investors to invest in the Nigerian startup ecosystem.

Amos called for the establishment of a national registry to enhance the successful implementation of

the Startup Act. The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Mr. Adesegun Adekunle, stressed the need for the involvement of Information Technology (IT) professionals in the implementation process of the Startup Act. Other stakeholders were of the view that the Startup Act should clearly state what it takes to become a labelled startup and how labelled startups could access the opportunities offered by the Act. They were of the view that NITDA should develop an implementation

framework to further drive the Act, as well as organise an implementation workshop to sensitise stakeholders, including startups about the importance of the Startup Act. Others talked about the need to involve educational institutions in the implementation process.

The session was moderated by NITDA Consultant, Mr. Kem Inye Abonta.

According to the Startup Act, a National Council, for Digital Continued on page 30

Outdoor Industry to Grow Annually Between 3-6% in Five Years Raheem Akingbolu Despite the challenges facing Nigeria’s economy, the Outof-Home (OOH) Advertising sub-sector has recorded a considerable growth since 2021, after recovering from the COVID-19 debacle of the year 2020, a media entrepreneur, Mr. Soni Irabor has stated.

Reviewing the industry in recent years, he stated that OOH has attracted a higher percentage share

of advertising in Africa than in most other global markets, adding that television, radio and print media have mostly remained fairly stable. “OOH and digital media have expanded dramatically. In fact, OOH media now account for 13 per cent of advertising revenue in most key African markets, ”he said.

Irabor who added that though the 2020 pandemic has negatively affected the industry, especially at airports, also pointed out that

OOH made a sharp recovery in 2021 and was projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 3 to 6 per cent over the next five years.

He also said that Africa has a large and vibrant informal market that contributes significantly to the economy and to employment, thereby presenting a huge opportunity for brands.

With the industry embracing digital technologies, Irabor noted that, “the OOH industry is already

taking a big step by playing a key role in the advertising space regardless of other forms of advertising especially social media”.

He spoke at the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria annual conference and exhibition recently in Lagos.

He further stressed that developments across the continent, along with current media trends, suggest that out of home (OOH) advertising is

in for an exciting ride.

He said OOH presently attracts a higher percentage share of advertising in Africa than in most other global markets.

According to Irabor, while television and radio have mostly remained fairly stable, newspapers and print have been declining, OOH and digital media have expanded dramatically. “In fact, OOH media now account for 13 per cent of advertising revenue in most key African

markets,” he said.

Irabor did not provide the total advertising revenue but Nigerian ad spend is over N120 billion.

He also said that though the 2020 pandemic has negatively affected the industry, especially at airports, OOH made a sharp recovery in 2021 with te industry projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 3%-6% over the next five years.

Continued on page 30

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT W E D N E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 3 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

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OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS MATURITY FDHP CP III 17-MAR-23 VHPL CP III 1-APR-23

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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 454.73 28, 2022 November 456.93 28, 2022 November 459.12 28, 2022 November 461.32 28, 2022 November 463.51 28, 2022

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Boosting Digital Economy Policy Plans by the Nigerian Communications Commission to establish Information and Communications Technology Parks in each of the six geopolitical zones, will enhance digital transformation and boost the federal government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, writes Emma Okonji

R

iding on the federal government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030), which seeks to fast-track digital development and empower Nigerians with the right technology skills that will enable them develop technology solutions that will drive digital transformation across the country, the Nigerian Communications Commission, the telecom industry regulator, has initiated the development of ICT Parks in each of the six geopolitical zones, and the Commission is in the process completing the technology parks.

When completed, it will boost youth digital skills acquisition, promote innovations, provide jobs for the teaming Nigerian youth and ultimately support the overall digital economy agenda of the federal government.

As a subscriber-centric regulator, NCC has always played a strategic role in the digital transformation of the Nigerian economy, most especially in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and digital skill development.

An ICT park comprises an area or location with concentration of all ICT facilities which enables a concerted leap into the digital age by creating a dynamic environment in which local talent is incubated, cultivated, and shared. ICT parks are designed to address the technology needs of the citizens, digital skills acquisition and the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) globally.

According to NCC, the four main objectives of establishing the ICT Parks are to provide Innovation Labs and Digital Fabrication Laboratories (Fablabs) for use by ICT innovators and entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into products and prototypes; provide a Commercial Hub for ICT capacity building and digital skills; create employment and entrepreneurial activities; and facilitate smart city deployment across the digital industrial complex.

ABOUT NDEPS

NDEPS, which is the federal government’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, which was launched in November 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari, was developed to reposition the Nigerian economy in order to take advantage of the many opportunities that digital technology provides. The policy, which provides the direction on major activities

that the ICT industry must embark upon towards consolidating on achievements already recorded in the industry and highlighting new areas that should be focused on, in order for the country to achieve a truly digital economy for the country, was developed to diversify the Nigerian economy away from dependence on oil and gas sector.

The NDEPS has eight pillars which include: Development Regulations; Digital Literacy; Skill Development; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Societies and Emerging Technologies, as well as Indigenous Development.

Consequently, the NCC’s ICT Parks project resonates with three the key pillars of the NDEPS.

ICT PARKS

the North-west.

“The projects are being implemented with a view to building capacity, exposing Nigerian teaming youths to capacity building initiatives in the areas of skills acquisition and innovation.

“The whole idea of putting these two things (i.e. skill acquisition and innovation) at the forefront of this very important initiative, is to produce youths that can be self-reliant, that can generate employment for themselves and for other Nigerians,” Danbatta said.

He explained that the project, which is consistent with global best practices, has targeted areas of in each of the zones with large concentration of youths.

He promised that since the project was designed to have a national spread, the Commission would ensure that no part of the country would be left out of the initiative, adding that every corner of Nigeria will see the initiative taking off at different times.

The ICT Parks, which is an initiative of the NCC, under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, involves the construction and equipping of fully-functional Tier-4 Digital Industrial Complex (DIC) in each of the six geo-political zones across the country The project concept is designed to support federal government ICT – related policies by facilitating the availability and accessibility of ICT services across the country and to promote their usage across all sectors.

The ICT Park consists of laboratories for ICT innovations and Commercial Hubs providing capacity building to ICT startups and entrepreneurial activities. The Parks are designed to have fast internet service (broadband) and constant power supply.

Speaking on the expected tech fruits from the ICT Parks, Danbatta said: “As I said earlier, we have four ICT parks, which are at different stages of development.

Going forward, we hope to see software development, incubation, including, even, hardware development. Above all, through NCC ICT Parks, we hope to see innovative technologies that will leverage the broadband network that the NCC is trying to deploy in order to socially and economically transform our communities and societies.”

THE IMPACT

OPPORTUNITIES

Speaking about the national spread and impact of the ICT Park project, Danbatta, who recently visited one of the parks being built in Maiduguri, North-east geo-political zone, said, the NCC decided to embark on the important project, which according to him, will see ICT parks decentralised in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

According to Danbatta, the Commission is starting with four zones at the moment.

These include the ones located in Abeokuta for the South-west; Enugu for South-east, Maiduguri for North-east and Kano for

THE EXPECTATIONS

According to Danbatta, as NCC deepens broadband access beyond its current 38 percent towards achieving the 70 percent broadband penetration set for 2025 by the federal government, the Commission, through the ICT Park, will build a pool of digital skills and literacy in line with the country’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

“As you may be aware, one of the eight pillars of the NDEPS is Digital Skills and Literacy and in this regard, NCC is

supporting this critical pillar of the digital economy agenda. This is because, when we provide resilient broadband infrastructure platforms, there is a need for us to encourage local technology products and applications that will ride on the infrastructure toward developing the country’s overall socio-economic ecosystem in a sustainable way,” Danbatta said.

Asked when the projects will be ready for commissioning, Danbatta said he just visited the Kano Park to examine the level of progress of the project while the other three ICT Parks being built in Maiduguri, Abeokuta and Enugu are also at different levels of completion.

“So, going by the level of work already done, I would like to say that before the year runs out, all other things being equal, we should be able to commission one or two of these ICT parts in the country,” he further said.

YOUTHS’ EMPOWERMENT

Danbatta explained that Nigerian youths would benefit from the ICT Parks, and encouraged them to take full advantage of the project, when completed. There are huge opportunities that come with the ICT Parks and the youths will be the major beneficiaries of the project, Danbatta said.

“I would like to send out a very important message to our youths, especially those who are currently occupied with various innovative applications, those who have even acquired the skills and are looking for where to practice these skills to bring the skills to fruition by, maybe, incubating them, by commercialising them, by giving publicity to these excellent initiatives, that there is going to be a centre in the ICT Parks.

“These centres would be used to showcase their innovations to the global community and very soon, there is light at the end of the tunnel, these various initiatives by the youths in areas of apps, various software products developed and other initiatives, will see t light of day.

“This is because, as I said, we are going to have a centre where we are going to be able to showcase this, not only to potential investors in this country but also to the international audience, who definitely will be interested in some of these important applications that, we hope, we can come up with,” Danbatta said.

NITDA URGES STAKEHOLDERS ON SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF STARTUP ACT TO DEEPEN DIGITAL ECONOMY Innovation and Entrepreneurship shall be established, and the Council shall consist of a Chairman who shall be the President of Nigeria, and a Vice Chairman, who shall be the Vice President of Nigeria. The Minister of Communications and

Digital Economy shall preside over the Council in the absence of the President and the Vice President.

The Council shall also include the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Minister of Trade and Investment; Minister of Science

and Technology; Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria; Four representatives of the Startup Consultative Forum; A member of Nigeria Computer Society; A member of the Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN) and the Director

General of NITDA, who shall serve as the Secretary of the Council. The stakeholders however called for expansion of the council members to include more of the private sector players.

The Council members are expected

to provide general policy guidelines for the realisation of the objectives of the Act, which include the provision of a legal and institutional framework for the development of startups in Nigeria; the provision of enabling environment for the

establishment, development and operation of startups in Nigeria; enabling the development and growth of technology-related talents and positioning Nigeria’s startup ecosystem as the leading digital technology centre in Africa.

excellence as well as jointly finding solutions to the challenges affecting the OOH business.

Challenges are plenty and the major one is with our regulators, I am one person that believes that we should be in partnership with our regulators. I believe strongly

that they should set the standards and we follow but the situation where they only talk about IGR is affecting our business.

“The signage agencies are there because of us, if they wish us away there will not be partnership,” he said.

OUTDOOR INDUSTRY TO GROW ANNUALLY BETWEEN 3-6% IN FIVE YEARS He identified social media as one of the biggest challenges confronting OOH. He said as of 2021, 75 per cent of Gen Z and 48 per cent of millennials are making purchasing decisions influenced by social media ads.

Other challenges, according

to him, are economic cost of transiting from static OOH, challenge in the age of targeted audience fragmentation, that other forms of media provide, especially social media, uncertainty that the upcoming elections bring, insecurity, regulations and

government policy towards OOH which differ significantly by market and even by city or council, which makes operating across markets difficult.

He said all these challenges has continued to hold back an industry that is evolving in other

climes and adapting to challenges as they evolve beyond the age of the threat of the internet, social media and the coming metaverse.

Earlier in his welcome address, the President OAAN, Chief Emmanuel Ajufo said the event was organized to reward

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

31

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Abu: Investment in Telecom Will Enhance Productivity, GDP Growth The Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Nigeria, Mr. Wole Abu, highlights the importance of the recent launch of the company’s diverse services in Nigeria, and how such investment will enhance productivity and GDP growth in Nigeria and Africa. Emma Okonji presents the excerpts: Liquid Intelligent Technologies launched its services in Nigeria last week. What is your company’s focus and why the launch in Nigeria? iquid Intelligent Technologies Nigeria is a digital power house that delivers digital transformation solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including large enterprises, corporate bodies and the public sector across Africa where we currently operate in 20 countries on the continent. Nigeria is our latest entrance, following the official launch of Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Nigeria.

Though Liquid is not new in Nigeria, because we have been in Nigeria for about years now as Liquid Telecom, building our network and diversifying our business. The diversification of our business into cybersecurity and cloud service delivery, led to the change in our nomenclature from Liquid Telecom to Liquid Intelligent Technologies. With the official launch in Nigeria last week, we are ready ro commercialise our network in Nigeria, which is the connection between Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos, known as ‘The Golden Triangle.’ We have a metro business hub in Lagos, which we intend to expand, having launched in Nigeria. So we will be providing cloud, connectivity and storage services in Nigeria and other African countries. So Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a one-stop-shop, providing technology services that will enhance digital transformation in Nigeria and Africa.

it is the reason we launched in Nigeria, after launching in other African countries. Digital infrastructure is our core business, and we are into renewable energy, data centre operation, fibre connectivity among others.

L

What in your view is the importance of the launch of Liquid Intelligent Technologies to the Nigerian economy?

For every investment in the telecom sector of any economy, there is an opportunity to drive productivity that will enhance the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of that economy. Today in Nigeria, the contribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to GDP is over 14 per cent, which is quite significant. With the launch of Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Nigeria, the support of government and the direction of Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, we are sure of further accelerating the productivity and GDP growth in Nigeria to 25 per cent in the near future.

The Nigeria digital space is growing, but we are not yet there. Our service offerings in Nigeria will help catalyse what we already have on ground, to further enhance business growth. Most Nigerian companies still operate in the old traditional way, but the launch of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, we would be able to assist them to operate digitally, in the areas of cybersecurity, storage, record keeping, business expansion and connectivity.

So the impact of our services on the Nigerian economy will highly significant, How will Liquid Intelligent Technologies support businesses in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in terms of business growth?

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement has been signed, which is designed to connect African capitals, through high-speed train network that will facilitate the movement of goods, services and people to business across Africa. The African business we are talking about is not going to be physical, but digital in nature. Going digital will enhance supply chain in businesses to be seamlessly integrated and that is exactly what we do at Liquid Intelligent Technologies. So we are ready to support businesses to go digital and we will be able to achieve this, since we are already established in 20 countries across Africa. So if a particular business signs up with us, such business will automatically have access to business in 19 other African countries, and that means a lot of business opportunities for that particular business that signs up with us.

Businesses are in search of high-speed

How will all of these lead to digital transformation in Nigeria and Africa?

Digital transformation is about those simple blocks like connectivity, cloud services for storage and accessibility as well as security.

It also comes with managed services and all these are embedded in our service offerings.

So with our service offerings, we are actually driving digital transformation in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

What is the relationship between Cassava Technologies and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, and how has it helped Liquid to grow and service its customers satisfactorily?

Cassava Technologies is the holding company and the parent group and Liquid Intelligent Technologies is part of that group. Liquid Intelligent Technologies was launched in Nigeria to tell the African story on digital transformation about the continent. Liquid Intelligent Technologies is part of a global power house called Cassava Technologies that is driving global digital transformation.

The launch of Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Nigeria will further help to connect the rest of Africa to the internet and the digital economy space. Our desire is to transform the African continent by empowering Africans, Nigeria inclusive, as well as businesses with intelligent technology solutions.

Abu internet connectivity that will address the issue of downtime in business. How will Liquid Intelligent Technologies help in addressing the connectivity needs of businesses?

The speed of light is the fastest in the world and fibre, which is what we do, has the speed of light in terms of internet connectivity. So there is nothing faster than fibre connectivity in the area of internet service delivery. Of course there are challenges that could arise, through deliberate or un-deliberate fibre cuts, and this is where we talk about collaboration with various communities and governments. Now if a fibre line is cut, it can disconnect internet activities of an entire state and businesses will suffer.

This is the more reason why the protection of critical national infrastructure is important. Within the limits of our peculiar environment, I can safely say that the best quality available is what Liquid Intelligent Technologies is offering through fibre optic cable. For the purpose of protecting our fibre cable, we installed our fibre cables on the electric power line and not in the ground, which could be affected by road construction or natural erosion. With this new development of installing fibre cables on power lines, we guarantee 99.99 per cent Service Level Agreement (SLA) with our customers. So we operate aerial fibre that is less prone to deliberate and un-deliberate attacks on fibre optic cables. Though we operate aerial fibre, but we also step it down at some points, when we are connecting to the homes and offices.

What are your priorities in cloud and co-location services offering to businesses?

In terms of our cloud and co-location services offering, we pride ourselves as the digital power house and we have

storage in our data centre business that has been launched and operational in Nigeria and connected with five other data centres on the African continent. In the area of cloud, we are platinum partner to Microsoft. Today, we have made the cloud service a lot faster, cheaper and reliable, because any data that is stored in the cloud is more secured than those physically stored on-premise. The recovery rate from the cloud is much faster also.

Businesses scale faster when they store their data in the cloud and we offer such service to customers. So our priorities are to ensure that businesses scale fast though the digital services that we offer them. Businesses do not need to spend money in building such infrastructure.

What they do is to take advantage of the co-location services that we offer to rent space in our data centre facility.

How do you address the issues around cyberseciurity, especially in an era where cyber attacks are on the increase?

We partner with the leading cybersecurity companies, to offer their services to our customers. We launched an operational centre for cybersecurity, where we track online threats everyday. We offer dedicated pipe to the cloud that guarantees safety of data and we are one of the few companies that provide such safety to organizations data.

How will Liquid Intelligent Technologies help in bridging the digital infrastructure gap in Nigeria and Africa?

At Liquid Intelligent Technologies, our business is to invest in the telecom sector to drive digital transformation. By investing in telecom, we are also developing telecom infrastructure that will help bridge the existing gap in digital infrastructure, and

What is the roadmap of Liquid Intelligent Technologies towards digital transformation?

Businesses do not need to spend so much in digital infrastructure because Liquid Intelligent Technologies has already invested in digital infrastructure that will drive digital transformation across Africa. We have a digital transformation roadmap and we a digital platform that organisations can leverage on be part of the digital transformation agenda of the federal government. We are strongly committed to connecting African countries to the internet and to the digital economy space.

We want to empower the African continent by empowering people and businesses as well as communities with intelligent technologies.

We have invested in subsea cables, connecting key countries in Africa and we are consortium partners to major subsea cable operators that have berthed their subsea fibre cables in Africa. We have pioneered several digital projects in Africa and we have the largest fibre network in Africa. What this means for us is that businesses are able to have a complete suite of products around network connectivity, cloud, managed services and cybersecurity, thus making Liquid Intelligent Technologies a one-stop-shop for all business needs in Africa. In Nigeria, we will support all government agencies that are driving digital transformation, to ensure that the goals of the national broadband plan are achieved.

How will you describe Nigeria’s digital economy growth in the last two years?

Digital economy growth in Nigeria has been tremendous, given the contribution of ICT to the economy. Nigeria has become the fastest growing ICT market globally, based on population and government initiatives in relation to policy implementation. We however have our challenges that have to do with infrastructure. Nigeria has invested so much in subsea cables that have berthed at the shores of the country. The launch of Liquid Intelligent Technologies will help in addressing some of our digital infrastructure challenges, because the company has invested heavily on digital infrastructure. We are not there yet as a country, but we are doing great to achieve the set goals, with the support of government.

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NEWS

L-R: Head of Marketing and Communications, KPMG Nigeria, Mr. David Okwara; Manager, Operations and Analytics, KPMG Nigeria, Iyinola Abosede-Brown; Partner / Head of Advisory, KPMG Nigeria, Mr.Olumide Olayinka; Senior Manager, Tech Platforms, KPMG Nigeria, Stella Adibe; and Partner/ Head, Digital go Transformation, KPMG Africa, Mr. Boye PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT Ademola, at the Press Briefing on the KPMG Africa Digital Summit 2022 held in Lagos… recently

THISDAY MD, Bello, Honoured with Media Industry Torch Bearer Award Raheem Akingbolu The Managing Director of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello, has clinched the Media Industry Touch Bearer Award of the Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN).

Bello and nine other prominent media practitioners, drawn from Print Media, Advertising and Brand Management, were recognised by the association at its 10th year anniversary

award for their contribution to the growth of the industry.

The roll call also includes; the Publisher of Marketing Edge, John Ajayi and Managing Director, CMC Connect, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya.

Speaking at the award ceremony held in Lagos recently, BJAN President, Clara Okoro said the recognition became necessary to appreciate excellence, set standard and encourage upcoming practitioners.

At the anniversary lecture, which preceded the award, the Managing Director of Nitro 121, Lampe Omoyele observed that as markets, economies and other factors change in this increasingly unstable and unpredictable environment, companies that can adapt within the eco-system have a distinct advantage.

Omoyele, a business leader made the assertion while speaking on the lecture with the theme: ‘Brands and the Role

of Technology in a Disruptive Economy’ According to him, companies can adapt through products and services that must be relevant to the consumer and think ‘Glocal’ in their business strategy. He gave an example of how 7Up Bottling Company, a soft drinking producing global company adapted by producing sanitiser to meet consumers’ needs and as part of survival strategy. He warned organisations

either to disrupt the market or be disrupted.

“To survive, organizations need to meet ever-growing consumer expectations. To thrive, organizations must go one (or many) steps further and create novel and memorable customer experiences”, he said.

Lampe who is the CEO of Nitro 121, said the difference between survival and being phased out of the market is the ability to act quickly and make

fact-based decisions. “Survival in the disruptive economy requires the ability to quickly manage opportunities and threats in an effective and efficient way. Being prepared with right leadership, governance and capabilities is crucial for survival and needs to be in place at once, he said.

He identified awareness, affordability, availability, assurance or trustworthiness as four critical keys for brands to win.

‘Embedded Finance Will Enhance ‘Increase in Reliance on Payment System across Platforms’ Telecom, Sector Growth Bane of Legal Adjudication’

Emma Okonji

Stakeholders in the Fintech industry have stressed the need for the adoption of embedded finance across all payment platforms, insisting that embedded finance is the future of payments.

The stakeholders who spoke in Lagos during one of the panel sessions at the 2022 Fintech Summit, organised by Techpoint Africa, with the theme: ‘Embedded Finance- Where it is now and where it can be,’ said embedded finance would seamlessly integrate financial services that are offered by Fintech players.

One of the panelists, Dickson Nsofor, Founder and CEO of

Kora, a plug-and-play panAfrican payment infrastructure, said embedded finance would enhance digital payment solutions, which Kora offers to customers.

“Embedded finance is the future of payments, and we are building physical solutions to support it.

Development in the financial service space is tilting towards an era where Fintechs will become embedded finance distributors by using their solutions to provide embedded financial payments,” Nsofor said.

Addressing the issue of a cashless economy in a digital era, Nsofor explained that cashless would always drag in low trust environment like Nigeria, adding

that more awareness campaigns must be carried out to educate and sensitise Nigerians on the need to build trust and fully adopt the cashless initiative, despite its teething challenges.

Co-founder and CEO, Pay-U, Temitope Adeyemi, said embedded finance would spread fast across all payment platforms and would allow customers to store financial values in relation to insurance.

Co-founder and CEO, Anchor, Segun Adeyemi, also said embedded finance would encourage organisations to have Fintech built into their business model in order to take full advantage of embedded finance,

which he added would enable organisations to launch their products to a wide range of customers.

Co-founder and CEO, Credpal, Fehintolu Olaogun, also mentioned that one of the strong drivers of embedded finance would be the opportunity for customers to pay for products over a long period of time.

Giving details about Kora, Nsofor said the infrastructure was designed to provide payments across African countries.

According to him, the platform focuses on building payment solutions that enable businesses to accept payments from any location within Africa.

Nigeria Urged to Leverage on Demographic Dividends to Build Wealth, Economy Raheem Akingbolu An international journalist and author of several history books, Prof. Howard French, has urged Nigeria to seize the opportunity of its demographic dividend to build wealth, invest more in its education, productivity and grow its economic power and resources.

Prof. French made this call at the edition of Sterling One Foundation Leadership Series 2022 with the theme: Born in Blackness: Truth, Lies & X” which was held in Lagos, was designed to bring together a diverse and distinctive group of opinion leaders, global thinkers

and change makers to shift the mindset and mental models of leadership for individuals and organizations alike.

According to the renowned journalist, education and economic development go hand in hand, therefore any nation that wants to grow in its productivity and economic power should invest more in the education of its young generation.

“I believe that education will be the key to Nigeria’s economic future and also that Nigeria needs to do more for its people in terms of education. Nigeria can redouble its investment in education and truly make this into national priority for

a sustained period of time by committing the appropriate kind of resources and really work hard towards this, Nigeria will grow in its economic productivity,” he said.

He added that in the 1980s, China was able to figure out how to put them on the road map of its economic power.

“China was able to figure out the part that put them on the road to economic power.

This was an era of economic reform for them. China was going into what demographers call demographic dividend (the ratio of young people compared to old people is very high). In the 1980s the percentage of

old people under the age of 35 compared to people who are infants and old people was very high. People at the prime of their life are producing wealth and productivity to drive the nation forward. A man called Deng Xiaoping in the Communist party who at the time that said this is an opportunity for China that they were entering demographic dividend that the ratio of young people that we have to push education because this is what will drive our industrialization and economic advancement onto an high place and historical opportunity, now they are the most successful country in the world.”

Emma Okonji Experts in the telecom and judicial sectors of the Nigerian economy have traced the delays in adjudicating telecom matters to the exponential increase in the reliance on telecom solutions, and the growth of the sector, especially in the online space, insisting that the judiciary needs broader knowledge of the sector, to enable speedy adjudication and justice in all telecom matters.

The stakeholders who spoke on Tuesday at the 2022 annual workshop for judges on legal issues in telecommunication, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), which held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, said there was need for better understanding of the diverse telecom sector, to enable speedy dispensation of justice in matters affecting the telecom sector.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the workshop became necessary, following the challenges in the telecom sector, that require the best legal interpretation from the judiciary. He said if the judges were better informed about the emerging technologies emanating daily from the telecom sector, the judges would be in a better position to dispense justice in all telecom matters, hence the need for the workshop, to equip judges with information about

emerging technologies that will help deliver quality judgment.

“The increased reliance on telecommunications, as well as the growth experienced in the sector has introduced some issues of legal connotation. One of such is the ownership of online content and materials. It is envisaged that with the increase in the amount of online content, as well as the economic value attached to it, there will be a rise in conflicts as to ownership of online content and materials. It is necessary that your Lordships are well prepared for the imminent increase in litigation in this area,” Danbatta said.

Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof Adeolu Akande, said the judiciary would continue to play important role in all conflict resolutions in telecom matters and would spur the future of adjudication in Nigeria.

In his keynote address at the workshop, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and Chairman Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who was represented by the Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said: “The Nigerian Judiciary is committed to achieving lasting structural and ethical reforms that would reposition it to adequately meet the aspirations of court users and the public for reliable, effective and efficient administration of justice through the use of ICT.”

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Public Health Emergencies as Catalyst for Financing UHC Public Health Expert and the Executive Director, Centre for Universal Health, Chatham House, London, Rob Yates, at a recently held meet-and-greet with journalists in FCT Abuja, organised by the Nigerian Health Watch, NHW, has harped on the importance of using public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic to catalyse financing of Universal Health Coverage, UHC, in Nigeria. Sunday Ehigiator reports

A

ccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), universal health coverage means that all people have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

It includes the full range of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

Achieving UHC by 2030 was one of the targets the nations of the world set when adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. To meet the health workforce requirements of the SDGs and UHC targets, over 18 million additional health workers are needed by 2030.

Gaps in the supply of and demand for health workers are concentrated in low- and lower-middle-income countries. The growing demand for health workers is projected to add an estimated 40 million health sector jobs to the global economy by 2030.

Investments are needed from both the public and private sectors in health worker education, as well as in the creation and filling of funded positions in the health sector and the health economy. Currently, at least half of the people in the world do not receive the health services they need. About 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty each year because of outof-pocket spending on health.

The situation is similar in Nigeria if not worse.

Nigeria faces challenges that delay progress toward the attainment of the national government’s declared goal of universal health coverage (UHC).

One such challenge is system-wide inequities resulting from the lack of financial protection for the healthcare needs of the vast majority of Nigerians.

Only a small proportion of Nigerians have prepaid health care, others largely spend out-of-pocket.

Out-of-pocket health expenditures have become the order of the day and it is seemingly peaking at an overall of about 70 per cent of the total contribution for health, according to UHC 2030. Financial difficulties when accessing health care services remain a major impasse for the Nigerian population, and vulnerable people are the worst hit.

Public Health Expert and the Executive Director, Centre for Universal Health, Chatham House, London, Rob Yates

Financing UHC through Health Emergencies Against the above backdrop, Rob Yates harped on the importance of capitalising on public health emergencies such as the Coronavirus outbreak, monkeypox etc. as an avenue to seek financing towards achieving UHC. According to him, universal health coverage means everybody gets quality health services without affecting their pocket. “You can only achieve that if the government or state has a great financing system policy directed towards

UHC. “One way to get the government involved and committed to UCH is by simply selling the importance of financing UHC to them when there is a public health emergency.

“These big decisions are mostly made during times of crises. For example, the UHC in the United Kingdom (UK) was influenced by the second world war (WW II).

“The crisis is a good argument to call for support from politically inclined people to finance UHC and not just those in power.

By investing in UHC during public health crises, they get more political followership and recognition from the people, and this is one thing every politician needs.

“Public health emergencies are the best card to getting good financing for universal health coverage and also to achieving major health reforms in any country. This is because politicians want something that will give them more votes and make them feel good and popular to the public.

“And the best way to strike that cord within the populace is to take care of their health needs, especially during a public health emergency. It is all about the political marketing of public health reforms. And this was how many countries achieved UHC. “Also, there should be tax-financed

health programs instituted by the government for the benefit of the poor in society. While the rich can pay out of their pockets and get care at a higher cost, the money realised from them can then be channelled towards subsidizing healthcare for the poor.”

Yate noted that although the ministry of health may not be able to come up with enough money on its own, hence it should encourage wealthy people in the society to key into the sector so that the rest of the society can benefit from it.

He said Nigeria needs to have a system whereby the state controls the health financing system and encourages other stakeholders and individuals to partner with the state towards achieving the UHC.

LilyPaelonFertilityCentreProvidesRoad-mapforCouplesonAssistedConception Mary Nnah In line with its commitment to redefining the medical ecosystem in Nigeria, Lily Paelon Fertility Centre, a subsidiary of Paelon Memorial Hospital has continued to provide a roadmap for couples through their journey of managing infertility.

Lily Paelon Fertility Centre strives to educate women about the opportunities and possibilities of becoming parents through assisted reproductive technology, especially in Nigeria, where assisted conception is strongly misunderstood.

Head Consultant/ Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (OBGYN) at the clinic, Dr. Louis Alekwe, noted that “The hospital aims to allow couples to be in control of their journey to achieve pregnancy in a most friendly environment and at an affordable price. We bring more than 14 years of experience in this area.”

Paelon Memorial Hospital The clinic has helped over 20 women experience the joy of becoming mothers. While not an easy journey, the health

workers of this clinic make it their mission to create a seamless, and pleasurable experience for patients.

According to one success story

by a client, Mrs. F. O. “I can say now that being a mother is an absolute joy that I cannot quite put into words. Thankfully,

God used the wonderful team at Paelon to make my motherhood dreams come true.

“Everyone’s journey to motherhood is different and at the end of the day, when you are holding your baby in your arms, that is all that will matter at that moment.

The journey you had to take to get there will be a distant memory, it will be well worth it, and it will be a testimony to inspire others.”

By providing affordable infertility diagnosis and family-building care, Lily Fertility Centre hopes to expand reproductive medicine in the country. It offers both surgical and non-surgical treatments and consultations.

Beyond conventional IVF, the center also offers other related fertility services such as Gestational Surrogacy, Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI), Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA), Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE),

Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA, Gestational Surrogacy, Donor Gamete, Sperm Preservation, and Embryo Freezing.

The technology available at the clinic allows the clinical research team to provide solutions that can enhance the patient experience, fertility services, and positive outcomes. From preconception counseling to treatment, the Lily Paelon Fertility Centre Team prioritises patient welfare.

While eligibility criteria differ and vary among patients, seeking consultation with a specialist, will allow patients more insight into their general reproductive health after investigations.

Paelon Memorial Hospital is a multi-specialist hospital established in April 2010, its fertility centre, Lily Fertility Clinic is a preferred center for couples to navigate their fertility journey with numerous services, high success rates, and a short waiting list, the clinic is open to cater to all types of parents.

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NEWS

Participants at the just concluded Real World Gastritis Initiative (RE.GA.IN) project that held in Venice, Italy from 7th November to 10th November 2022. In the middle is Prof. Stella Smith, the only African Consultant to the Project

Expert: Waiting for Symptoms beforeTreating Prostate Cancer is Death Sentence Sunday Ehigiator A United Kingdom (UK) based Consultant Urologist and Robotic Surgeon, Prof Kingsley Ekwueme has described as a death sentence, the act of waiting to have symptoms before commencing treatment for prostate cancer by men, while also stressing the importance of early detection He made this statement while delivering a lecture about prostate cancer, at a ‘Feast Luncheon’ organised over the weekend by Christ the King College Onitsha Old Boys Association, in com-

memoration of the ‘Feast of Christ the Universal King According to him, “The misconception that men have not just in Nigeria, I have seen it even in the UK, they come and they tell me they don’t have any symptoms, so how can they have any prostate cancer?

“The truth is that, with the PSA blood test, we can now identify prostate cancer before it becomes clinically manifested.

“In terms of the treatment outcome, if you are asymptomatic with significant prostate cancer, the outcome is far better than

when you are symptomatic. And certainly, if you are symptomatic, it could be a bad sign of metastatic cancer that is no longer localised within the prostate and might have spread.”

Speaking on new ways of treatment of prostate cancer, Prof.

Ekwueme described open surgery as morbid.

He said the location of the prostate within the pelvic is so deep that to operate by open surgery would need a head lamb to see, “and you need to retract, and it’s incredibly difficult to dig the prostate out of a very deep hole.

“But with minimally invasive surgery, be it robotic or laparoscopic surgery, the camera system magnifies the field of operation in such high magnitude that you can operate with precision and get to the area previously thought impossible.

“So why would you want to subject a man to open surgery with a bucket full of blood loss and spending three to four weeks in the hospital? Some of them even die during this process, compared to a surgery that you can perform and go home in two nights. So that is my message here.”

He, therefore, called for the gradual phasing out of open surgery in the treatment of prostate cancer and all other applicable surgeries, and the adoption of robotic or laparoscopic surgery, which has proven more effective.

Earlier while speaking with THISDAY, the Association’s Vice President and Chairman of the Feast Commission, Barr. Chuks Nnalugha noted that the fact that most members of the association have attained an age where they could be at high risk of developing prostate cancer, informed the association’s decision to invite an

expert in that field.

According to him, “We are aware that prostate cancer is one of the ailments that affects old age. We want to use this medium to create awareness and also make our members realise that it is not all that a death certificate, it could be cured.

“This was why we brought in a robotic professor who is very vast in robotic surgery in treating prostate cancer. And he has assured and proven to us that it is not all that a death sentence as people had thought, especially when it is detected very early.”

Firm Restates Commitment to Patients, Caregivers Engagement Ayodeji Ake Pfizer, an American Pharmaceutical company, during its global weeklong event which highlighted patient-centricity efforts, restated its commitment to patients and caregivers engagement and advocacy.

Pfizer’s second annual global event, Patients in Focus, is to recognise the influence patients have on every facet of their work.

This year’s theme, “With Patients. For Patients.”, signifies a renewal of Pfizer’s ongoing commitment to serving patients.

While this event is week-long, Pfizer’s commitment to patients is year-round and central to the work Pfizer does every day.

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Sally Susm said:“Pfizer needs to understand the importance of engaging patients, caregivers, and

advocates in our work.

“By showcasing real patient experiences and where we have made an impact on patients’ lives, Patients in Focus week will continue to build empathy and show colleagues how to focus on patient advocacy year-round and in everything we do.

“In West Africa, we’re demonstrating our commitment to patients through an interac-

ASSO to PartnerLASGonHealthInsuranceScheme Ayodeji Ake The Association of Friends Club has revealed plans to partner the Lagos State government on a health insurance scheme by providing affordable and quality healthcare services to the residents of Onigbongbo community.

Speaking recently at the annual Presidential Gala Night and Induction of new members, the President of ASSO, Dr. Adetokunbo Adedeji, during his speech, noted that as part of the association’s corporate social responsibility of giving back to the society, there is a need to priori-

tise healthcare services for Lagos residents.

“We hope to partner the Lagos State government in a bid to introduce the health insurance scheme for the non-organised health sector in our Onigbongbo community as part of our corporate social responsibility in the coming year,” he said.

Speaking on the importance of the event, the Assistant Social Publicity Secretary, Engr. Tunde Awe, revealed that the association has since inception impacted the public positively unrelentingly.

“This night is very significant. We are induct-

ing new members. We took our time before selecting the new members. The new members inducted have gone through some routine which we found them worthay.

“ASSO is made up of people with timber and calibre. I can boldly say that our club is the best club in the nation. We are impacting the public positively through our corporate social responsibilities.

“We have members in high places. Some are politicians and some are successful businessmen.

Tonight is indeed a great night in the history of our club,” he said.

LadywithPartial Stroke Seeks FinancialHelp Rebecca Ejifoma A Nigerian, Edoamaowo Udeme Akpan, who is currently down with a partial stroke, is in dire need of financial assistance to save her life.

Akpan, who was admit-

ted at the National Hospital Abuja a few weeks ago, said coughing up medical bills has been rather tough.

“I thought I could manage it alone. But honestly, it is hard on me and my husband. Medical bills are high,” she lamented.

She, therefore, pleaded with kind hearted Nigerians to come to her rescue.

Donations can be made to her Ecobank account 4872066042, Edoamaowo Udeme Akpan.

She can also be reached via 08034011161

tive panel discussion with the Country Manager and patient advocates in Oncology, Rare Diseases and Immunization to discuss‘Promoting Health

Equity As a Patient Advocate’.

“Patient Advocates spoke about the impact of their interventions to patients.

Patient

Advocates will emphasize the importance of including patients’ perspective in all facets of Pfizer’s work, and the impact of partnerships.”

World Toilet Summit: Harpic Reinstates Commitment to Partner on Open Defecation-free Nigeria Nigeria played host to the World Toilet Summit for the first time, with the country’s leading toilet cleaning solution, Harpic, manufactured by Reckitt Nigeria, partnering the federal government and Organised Private Sector in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (OPS-WASH) to reinforce and reiterate the need to maintain clean toilets and end open defecation.

The event was organised to drive global interventions towards improved sanitation exercises and reinforce awareness on the issue of open defecation and low investment in the sanitation value chain which has greatly reduced the African Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the years.

The summit, which was held in Abuja had stakeholder leaders in attendance including the President of Nigeria, represented by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Honourable Ministers from relevant Ministries, and developmental agencies like UNICEF and WaterAid. During a panel discussion on the topic, “Partners Perspective on Sanitation Innovations for Economic Development”, Marketing Director, Reckitt Sub Saharan Africa, Tanzim Rezwan suggested that Nigeria can convert

the challenge of Open defecation into an opportunity and make it an enabler. He said “The critical factor is to have everyone across the sanitation sector working together in synergy to achieve the common goal and collectively facilitate the process of bringing it to fruition.

He further said “We are working with the government in every way we can to achieve zero open defecation in Nigeria. As part of our agenda to continuously drive innovative ideas that will ensure more people have access to clean toilets, we recently introduced a new product, the Harpic Sachet, which has now made it possible for the masses to have access to a clean toilet with just N30. We will also continue to drive the awareness and education through our TV and digital communications as well as community programs he concluded.”

In his address, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo noted that globally, an estimated two-thirds of people who lack basic access to sanitation services live in rural areas, nearly half of them in SubSaharan Africa while 92 percent of the world’s population practicing open defecation live in these areas.

Explaining the government’s efforts in the area of sanitation and hygiene, Osinbajo said, “As a government, we have consistently

affirmed our commitment to the development of the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector, and have demonstrated our aspirations through the many initiatives we have championed, including a coordination platform for private sector organizations working in the wash sector known as the Organized Private Sector in Wash (OPS-WASH) to ensure effective coordination of private sector interventions.”

Harpic has been enhancing the toilet experience and championing proper toilet hygiene in Nigeria, driving awareness of appropriate toilet usage and hygiene through household engagement and community sensitization. The brand has donated over 100 toilet units and refurbished over 10 public toilets in Lagos State since 2016.

Also speaking at the summit, the founder of, the World Toilet Organization, Professor Jack Sim “expressed concern that over 2 million Children and people die of diarrhea every year. “ It is serious that open defecation is unspoken everywhere and the standard of living of people cannot be improved if the challenge of open defecation is not discussed”. The founder, therefore, urged the world to feel free to talk about toilet usage.

“Feel free to talk about toilets, it is normal. Sim said.

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Digital Economy: CITN Urges Decisive Step to Curb Tax Leakage Omolabake Fasogbon The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) has called for in-depth review of various taxing strategies for the digital economy.

President and Chairman of Council, CITN, Adesina Adedayo said this was necessary to resolve the uncertainty around taxing the digital economy as well as block revenue tax leakages.

Speaking at the institute’s 47th induction ceremony, he testified to the new goldmine in technological innovations and how advanced economies have explored this to their advantage.

He said the fact that Nigeria and indeed Africa, were yet to decide on appropriate tax

regime for digital economy is detrimental to the economy.

He said, “There are several international and regional efforts that have been made in recent times to address these issues. Some of which include the United Nations Guidelines on Transfer Pricing, efforts to regulate Base Erosion and Profit Shifting through the BEPS projects, OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines and ATAF guidelines on intangibles among other unilateral and bilateral efforts.

“The CITN recently engaged key stakeholders in a round table discussion to appraise the viability and adoptability or not of the OCED Two Pillar Solution. While there still exists opinions on which strategy will prove most effective for a high

consumption-mono economy like Nigeria, I believe that an in-depth impact assessment of the Tax deal would put our decision as a nation in proper perspective.”

He further tasked the over 800 inductees on skills development, reminding them on the task ahead with regards to contributing to the Country Impact Assessment of the OECD Tax Deal in Nigeria.

Earlier, Executive Chairman, Bayelsa State Board of Internal Revenue, Nimibofa Ayawei maintained that the sustainability of internally generated revenue, IGR had remained a major task for states, stressing a need to bridge gap between revenue resources and budgetary needs to boost IGR levels.

‘NPA Committed to Further Collaboration With Nigerian Army’ The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko has again given firm assurances of the Authority’s commitment to collaborate with Stakeholders and the military high command towards the protection of lives and property within Port facilities across the Nation.

Mohammed Koko made this remark when he received the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Ajunwa at the NPA Corporate Headquarters in Lagos.

He stated that the NPA has over the years enjoyed cordial working relationship with the Nigerian Army whenever there was the need to maintain Law and Order within its corridors.

Mohammed Koko thanked the Army Chief for the visit, assuring him that the Authority was ready to continue to strengthen the partnership in order to make the Port and the nation safe at all times.

He however, expressed his regrets to the Army Chief about the illegal activities said to be going on at the Takwa bay corridor.

He recalled that the Takway bay facility belonged to the Authority and had been Gazetted.

Earlier on, General Ajunwa stated that the Military Authorities were at the NPA as part of military tradition of familiarizing with its neighbors such as the NPA. He reaffirmed that his personnel would assiduously carry out their core responsibility

of protecting lives and property having assumed office in the last three months. “ I assumed duties three months ago. I felt that as part of our training, we should visit installations in my environment and one of them happens to be the NPA. My men are ready to carry out our responsibilities of protecting lives and property at all times’’ On the issue of illegal activities at the Takwa bay, Ajunwa further stated that the Command was discussing security related matters with various Government agencies by way of being proactive in curbing unforeseen circumstances as the yelutide period was fast approaching coupled with the forthcoming General elections.

TICT: No Plan to Retrench Workers Over Acquisition by MSC The Tin-Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) has assured workers that it has no plans to embark on any retrenchment exercise despite the acquisition of the African Logistics business (BAL) of its parent company, Bolloré Group by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

In a meeting with leaders of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) , TICT Managing Director, Mr. Etienne Rocher, assured that the acquisition will not have any adverse effect on jobs and workers of the company.

“There will be no change in obligations on the part of the company towards employees and vice versa,” Mr. Rocher said.

He said that all obligations

arising from existing contracts with the company will continue to be in force.

He said the services of TICT workers remain relevant to the company even after the acquisition.

Recall that MSC announced in April that it had reached an agreement to acquire 100% of the African logistic business of Paris-based Bolloré Group. The agreement followed exclusive negotiations between the two parties initiated in December 2021.

MSC’s acquisition of Bolloré Africa Logistics comprises all of Bolloré Group’s transport and logistics activities in Africa, including shipping, logistics

and terminals operations, as well as terminal operations in India, Haiti and in Timor-Leste.

Bolloré Africa Logistics is the biggest transport and logistics operator in Africa with nearly 21,000 employees in 49 countries, including 47 in Africa.

“The acquisition of Bolloré Africa Logistics reaffirms MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to invest in Africa and to strengthen supply chains across the continent, as well as connecting it to the rest of the world,” MSC had said in a statement.

Closing of the deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2023 at the latest.

Sahara Foundation Empowers African Social Entrepreneurs Sahara Foundation, the personal and corporate social responsibility vehicle for Sahara Group has announced the award of $5000 each as seed funding to African social innovators who have successfully completed its 2022 Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) Fellowship programme.

The beneficiaries of the seed funding include Ayilara Assurance Oluchi, CEO of OnePad Reusable Pad, Nigeria; Lamin Ceesay, CEO of Karakunku Farm, the Gambia; Aminu Moses Rex, CEO Delfak Nigeria Ltd; Claude Albert Moghomaye, CEO, Bertec, Cameroon; Michael Osumune, CEO, Moon Innovations, Nigeria; Adeyemi

Tunde, Ceo, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, Nigeria and Olawale Thompson, CEO, Planet Savers Global Ltd, Nigeria.

Other beneficiaries include James Thuch Madhier, SouthSudan; Ligare Allan, Kenya; Siwelwa Lazarous, Zambia; and Gerasia Laurent Andrea, Tanzania.

The three-month Fellowship was organized by Sahara Foundation in collaboration with LEAP AFRICA, a youthfocused leadership development nonprofit organization; and Impact Amplifier, a social enterprise that accelerates the investment readiness, growth and capital provision of high

impact, innovative social enterprises in Africa.

The objective of the Fellowship is to better equip African social entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skill sets required to build sustainable businesses, capable of addressing the continent’s challenges.

Faced with challenges such as inadequate energy, waste management, unemployment, poverty, climate challenges occasioned by drought, flooding, extreme heat etc. These African social innovators are helping to address Africa’s social economic issues with their business models.

The Managing Director/CEO Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Mohammed Bello Koko (Left) when he received the General Officer Commanding 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General OC Ajunwa at the NPA Headquarters 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).

39

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

MARKET NEWS

FCMB Group Declares 68% YoY Increase in PBT to N26.5bn KayodeTokede FCMB Group Plc yesterday announced its unaudited result and accounts for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 with 68 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) increase in profit before tax to N26.5billion from N15.74billion reported in nine months of 2021.

The group’s financial performance also revealed N22.92billion profit for the period, an increase of 66.04per cent YoY from

N13.80billion reported in the corresponding period.

FCMB Group announced N200.1billion gross revenue in nine months ended September 2022, an increase of 33.9per cent YoY from N149.5 billion reported in the same period prior year.

The growth in gross revenue was driven by a 33.1per cent growth in interest income and a 36.1per cent growth in noninterest income.

According to the bank, its digi-

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

DEALS

F O R MARKET PRICE

tal banking initiatives continues to gain traction across various businesses and now accounts for13.8 per cent or N27.6billion of gross earnings, 9.4per cent or N14.4billlion of interest income, 6.5 per cent or N77.0billion of the loan book and 7.3 per cent or N8.6billion of the AUM of our Asset Management business.

Operating expenses grew by 18per cent YoY to N86.4 billion in nine months of 2022, largely due to increased regulatory costs,

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

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technology-related costs and general inflationary pressures.

Overall, the group maintained a diversified earnings base as banking subsidiaries contributed 72.5per cent of Group profits, whilst other non-banking subsidiaries contributed 27.5per cent (Consumer Finance 12per cent, Investment Management 10per cent, and Investment Banking five per cent).

Financial position showed

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

22.5 per cent YoY increase in loans and advances from N967.5 billion to N1.2 trillion in September 2022, while customer deposits grew by 25.3per cent YoY from N1.5 trillion to N1.8 trillion in September 2022.

This brings total assets to N2.9trillion as of September 2022 from N2.4trillion reported in 2021.

The group said it has acquired over 1.2 million customers in the nine months to September

A S O F

2022, taking its customer base to 10.4 million customers.

According the financial institution, its FCMB capital markets raised and advised on investments totaling N599.8 billion in the first nine of months of 2022, compared to N463.9 billion in nine months of 2021.

“This delivered an 88per cent growth in fees from capital raising and financial advisory services over the period,” the group said in a statement.

3 0 / 1 1 / 0 2 2 DEALS

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QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

40

GAMINGWEEK

Edited by NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG | ikotibok@gmail.com | Tel: 08114495324

Fans Cashing Out, Winning Big on Qatar 2022 World Cup One of the biggest sporting events in the world, the World Cup is ongoing in Qatar, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for punters to win a fortune, writes Nseobong Okon-Ekong

T

he historic win of Saudi Arabia’s national team over Argentina in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar is celebrated in many memorable ways, including a public holiday in Saudi Arabia.

However, brave punters are raking in an unbelievable fortune.

For the Argentina loss, 31-year-old Tyler Faraz Niknam won £1.3 million after placing bets on four World Cup games. He staked a decent $25,000 bet in the first week of the tournament, including Saudi Arabia’s shock 2-1 win against Argentina.

According to a Daily Mail, Niknam supported France, the reigning World Cup champions, to defeat Australia. He also accurately predicted the draws in the matches involving Mexico, Poland, and Denmark.

Niknam has quite an impressive history. His profile on Wikipedia states that he was the second most watched Twitch streamer during the 2020 United States presidential election, hitting 607,000 hours watched on election night (18.2 per cent of total hours watched across Twitch).

In June 2021, Niknam moved to Canada to continue his online gambling streams and to evade US cryptocurrency tax laws. Streamers gambling on Twitch were criticised due to the alleged harmful influence that they may have on underage viewers. Niknam continued his gambling streams despite the criticisms. Large wins on his streams are typically followed by the broadcast of a message discouraging gambling by Niknam.

In 2021, Niknam was the second highest-earning slot streamer on Twitch. In October 2022, Niknam claimed to have been paid $360 million by sponsors to gamble on stream over a 16-month period.

On the other hand, a football fan lost over $160,000 after placing a bet on Argentina versus Saudi Arabia World Cup match.

British online newspaper Independent stated that “online betting platform TAB has confirmed that someone placed $160,000 on Lionel Messi’s side to kick off their World Cup campaign with a win in Doha,” adding that “at odds of $1.13, the bet would have returned the fan $180,800 (£90,000), representing a profit

of just $20,000 (£16,000) when compared to the huge sum they had to put on in the first place.”

In a funny turn of events, TV host James Corden who has been under heavy criticism was made part of the bets by fans who detest his foul mouth. Several fans requested that

Corden remain with the winner of the match between England and the US. For cashing out before the final whistle, a fan of England got a disappointing £9 bet on a 6-2 victory over Iran. He was not patient enough.

Betting on odds of 200/1, one punter won a sweet £2,000.

Gambling Prohibited in Qatar, Fans Be Warned!

Fans that have gone to watch the world cup in Qatar will have to be careful not to go against the law, as gambling is prohibited in Qatar, writes John Bamidele Located in the northeast part of Qatar boasts a well-developed economy largely driven by oil and natural gas exports. As of 2020, the country was home to 2.8 million people and generated a gross domestic product (GDP) of $146.4 billion. Qatar also has one of the

highest GDP per capita, ranking eleventh in the world according to data compiled by Statista. Qatar would undoubtedly make for a very lucrative gambling market, considering how developed its economy is. However, Islam is the official religion of Qataris. Islam

prohibits gambling participation.

If you expect to find casinos, card rooms, bookmaking shops, or bingo venues here, you will be bitterly disappointed. The general prohibition on betting extends to online casinos and sportsbooks as well. The country does not offer legal options for those interested in wagering over the web.

Many offshore gambling operators comply with the ban and decline registrations from Qatar. Few are willing to accept betting action from the country, which renders Qataris’ choice a bit limited.

Qatar outlaws gambling: No locally authorised online casinos and betting sites exist. The country has no licensing regime in place due to the illegal status of gambling. Locals keen on placing an occasional bet can do so at foreign online sites willing to accept action from Qatar.

Offshore operators generally respect Qatari laws: Gambling websites carry licences issued in other jurisdictions where gambling is legal and regulated. That said, locals face a slightly limited choice and refuse to take bets from within Qatar. Qataris can theoretically suffer financial penalties for online gambling. However, the Qatari government considers individual bettors of low priority and rarely presses charges against them for playing with offshore operators. The risk for such players is

typically low, provided they wager discreetly from the comfort of their homes.

Internet censorship system: Another thing worth mentioning is that the Qatari government filters inappropriate content like political criticism, pornography, and religious criticism.

The system is fairly transparent – users see a message stating the page they want to visit has been blocked. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology licenses and regulates telecommunication services providers in the country. The Qatari government has attempted to implement the widespread practice of blocking offshore betting sites but with little effectiveness. Local players try to bypass the restrictions by using virtual private networks (VPNs), allowing them to place online wagers discreetly.

No gambling advertisements: With the 2022 FIFA World Cup holding in the country, the Qatari authorities might resort to more thorough blocking of betting sites operated by foreign companies. Logically, the marketing of gambling businesses and products is illegal in the country. All advertisers in Qatar must adhere to the provisions of Law 1 of 2012 on the Regulation and Control of the Placement of Advertising.

Eniola Edun: Promoting Gaming in Marketing Communications, Tech Mix Nseobong Okon-Ekong

idely described as a brand-building enthusiast who has recorded many successes with an outstanding product launch that wowed audiences and left clients with remarkable experiences for close to one decade, Eniola Edun has followed her passion for

W

gaming where she is working with equally enthusiastic partners to set new standards.

As the CEO and cofounder of Africa’s leading gaming platform, Gamr, she is committed to helping gamers discover and organise tournaments, build communities, increase viewership and get rewarded while projecting Africa’s talents to the world.

She cultivated an interest in gaming from a previous assignment as TechPlus

Nigeria’s general manager. While performing that duty, Edun was the head of a team that produced one of Africa’s largest tech events.

Edun is in the vanguard of those who made it possible for the tech-savvy youth population to take more than a passing interest in Esports by bringing together all the thought leaders in related industries, including gamers, innovators and investors. She is also the cofounder of AWARRI, a robotics and AI startup.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

27

GAMINGWEEK

FOR ECAST Davidson Abraham’s Wo r l d C u p 2 0 2 2 B e t t i n g Ti p s

Despite FTX Woes, Game7 is Still Investing in Web3 Gaming Vanessa Obioha writes that investment in a new gaming format looks promising despite apparent challenges Web3 gaming is still in its infancy stage, and critics believe it will take a while before it becomes mainstream. The reasons for this are not far-fetched, from lack of trust about ownership and lack of fixed models to unfriendly government policies limiting cryptocurrency transactions, Web3 gaming, which incorporates blockchain technology, is not at its zenith yet. Add to the list the recent collapse of the crypto giant FTX, the most promising crypto platform, which bankrupted many companies.

However, Game7, a San Francisco-based decentralised autonomous organization (DAO) supported byBitDAO and Forte ecosystems, is optimistic about Web3 gaming. It recently announced that it would give a $100 million grant to Web3 game developers in the next five years.

As reported in VentureBeat, the programme will enable developers to build tools, create educational programmes, host events, and perform research to make the Web3 video game industry more diverse and accessible.

Integrating blockchain into video games comes in different paths. The most popular are resaleable in-game items represented as NFTs, crypto token rewards for achievements, and ad revenue redistribution to players. However, some gamers find the popular play-to-earn (P2E) move too complex and expensive and simply want to have fun. Due to this, developers are always looking for ways to modify the games available in Web3.

In a survey of 100 Web3 game developers, Game7 said challenges related to chain election, wallet custody, sustainability issues, and more

should be addressed. Therefore, the DAO said the funds, which will be distributed $20 million a year, will target projects that offer lasting solutions to these obstacles. The grants will be distributed to Web3 gaming projects across five categories: technology, events, diversity, education, and research.

“Improving smart contract standards, tooling, interoperable wallets, and scaling solutions will be crucial on the path to global adoption of Web3 games,” said Game7 core contributor Ronen Kirsh in a statement. “We have allocated 20 per cent of our committed treasury to fund each

of these crucial components so the gaming industry can focus on building sustainable game economies.”

The grant is also in alignment with Game7 vision to accelerate the adoption of blockchainenabled game economies. It strongly believes that blockchain technology can advance games into the future.

The company is not alone in this assertion as Cassava Network, a blockchain infrastructure ecosystem providing Africans with inclusive financial services, partnered Play1st, a Web3 gaming app store and a subsidiary of

Africa’s largest mobile games publisher, Carry1st, to launch the continent’s Web3 esports gaming league with an inaugural tournament, the ‘Cassava x Play1st Cup’.

Also, Binance Football Fever 2022 became the first-ever Web3 game and fan experience initiative for FIFA World Cup 2022, fully powered by blockchain technology. The game allows users to earn an opportunity to win limitededition NFTs, premium football club experiences such as player meetups and training ground tours, and cash prizes worth more than $1,000,000.

PROMO!!!

50 MOST GAMING ON THEIR MIND…

L–R: Managing Director, BetKing Nigeria, Mr. Gossy Ukanwoke; Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Mr. Bashir Are and Director-General, Oyo State Gaming Board, Mr. Boladuro Olajide

Pragmatic Play Expands South African Footprint with World Sports Betting John Bamidele Pragmatic Play, a leading content provider to the iGaming industry, has extended its reach in South Africa through its latest partnership with World Sport Betting. This latest agreement encompasses an array of Pragmatic Play verticals that will be delivered simultaneously, including its award-winning slots titles. This comprises recent hits such as

As we draw towards the end of the group stages of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, some pre-tournament favorites like Brazil, France, Portugal and others have secured their passage into The Round of 16.

Other big names like Spain, Germany and Belgium will have to win their final group stage games to book their spot in the Knockout round. While other Minnows and Dark Horses will fight hard into the last group games to take the remaining available slots.

Below, Davidson Abraham takes you through the final fixtures of the Group stages featuring Group E, F, G & H.

Striking Hot 5 and Happy Hooves, along with longstanding player favourites such as Sweet Bonanza. Live Casino titles will also be available to World Sports Betting, including classics such as Roulette and Blackjack, along with the highly innovative Boom City.

The agreement will also include other RNG products, including Pragmatic Play’s Scratchcards containing the popular Wolf Gold Scratchcard and Queen of Gold Scratchcard

games.

This deal highlights Pragmatic Play’s further expansion in the African Market as it continues to grow its brand exposure across the region. Irina Cornides, Chief Operating Officer at Pragmatic Play, said, “South Africa and the wider African market provide an opportunity for additional growth that we are keen to continue exploring.

We are thrilled to be partnering with World Sport Betting and to deliver multiple vertical to

their player base through this agreement. We are very excited to see the reception our content receives from players.”

Warren Tannous, World Sports Betting CEO, revealed that the firm “is excited” to announce the partnership with Pragmatic Play.

“Its product is going to be a great addition to our existing offering, and we are looking forward to being able to roll this out shortly,” added Tannous.

INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITIES IN GAMING Keep a date on Thursday, March 30, 2023 as Gaming Week reveals across the gaming spectrum, the ladies and gentlemen who turn the wheel.

GAMINGWEEK TEAM Nseobong Okon-Ekong ikotibok@gmail.com | 08114495324 John Bamidele amostogun@yahoo.com | 08022212236 Akeem Lasisi lasaisai@yahoo.com | 08023687884 Vanessa Obioha vysylver@gmail.com | 08069838305

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THURSDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

INTERACTIVE SESSION WITH PRIESTS...

Enugu State PDP governorship candidate, Dr Peter Mbah (left) and the Catholic Bishop of Awgu Diocese, Most Rev (Dr) John Ifeanyichukwu Okoye, during an interactive session with priests and other religious leaders in the diocese...on Tuesday.

We’ll Run People-friendly Govt, Atiku, Okowa Assure Nigerians My husband is Fulani but not a killer, says Mrs. Abubakar Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, took their campaign to Akure, Ondo State, with the promise to run a people-friendly government.

Atiku and Okowa made the promises while addressing thousands of PDP supporters at the South-West zonal launch of the 2023 Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Rally, held at the MKO Democracy park, Akure.

Also, wife of the presidential candidate, Titi Atiku, a native of Ondo state, told the people that her husband was though a Fulani, however, not a killer, promising that his government would provide scholarships to students and end insecurity.

Atiku said Ondo was deliberately chosen as the first state to campaign in the South West, because its ability to deliver the highest vote in the region to PDP during the 2019 general election.

"We have started our campaign rally in Ondo State in the Southwest and it is deliberate, because we want

to show you that we appreciate what you have done for us in the last election. You have given us the highest votes in the Southwest and we will never forget you.

“That is why if you repeat the same thing again, we promise to deal with insecurity, we will also make sure that all the federal roads linked to Ondo State are very motorable," he said.

The former vice president promised to set aside $10 billion USD to create employment and boost small and medium-scale enterprises to help employment drive for youths and women in

the country.

His words: "We will also make sure that our young men and women are employed, we will set aside enough money to make sure that we empower you. That's why in our policy documents, we said that we will set aside $10billion to make sure that we provide small and medium enterprises for young men and women to empower themselves. It is our number one priority.

"We will also provide enough fund for education so that our universities shall continue to work perfectly, not the one we are

Wike Mocks Colleague over 13% Derivation Fund Arrears Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has described as laughable, reaction of a certain governor in the Niger Delta region, who felt offended over his appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari, for the release of the 13% derivative fund arrears to the various states in the region.

Wike said it was out of a grateful heart that he thanked President Buhari for the release of the fund arrears, from 1999 to date, which was not paid by previous administrations.

The Rivers State governor, who made the remarks yesterday, at the inauguration of the Renal Centre and House Officers Quarters at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt, wondered why saying thank you was an offence and the particular governor felt offended as a result.

While mocking his said colleague, Wike noted that the governor in question had gone on national television to say money spent to do a 3km road in his state would be used to construct more than 15 flyovers elsewhere.

“Simply because I said you people should thank President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing 13 per cent arrears to us. I did not abuse anybody. Did I? All I said is please thank him, that if he did not release this arrears to me and some of our states, it may have been difficult for me to even talk about building a Renal Centre, Cancer and Cardiovascular centre, Basic

and Clinical Sciences faculty, House officers quarters. I don’t think saying thank you is an offence.

"On television, I heard one of the governors say in his state to do 3 kilometre road will do more than 15 flyovers. Rivers State, is it not Niger Delta State? Don't we have riverine areas in Rivers State?

Amayanabo of Opobo said since he was born, he has never driven by road to Opobo.

"The day he drove by road to Opobo, he said, ‘God is it possible that in my own time I will not go through the river again, I am now driving by road to Opobo’. That is a major riverine area. By the grace of God this December (2022), we are going to commission the first phase of Trans-Kalabari Road. That is a major riverine area.

"I didn't know that people are sick about the flyovers I do. Okay,

sorry. I don't want you to be sick again. I won't do again. Instead of you to appreciate and ask somebody how are you doing this, and justify what you're doing.

"I have turned the state capital around using a major construction firm like Julius Berger Nigeria PLC. If you know you have the capacity, if you know you have what it takes, go and take Julius Berger and see whether you can pay salary."

witnessing today. APC doesn't care for our education,” said Atiku, who criticised the APC-led government for the insecurity and infrastructure decay in the country.

"You can compare what PDP did in 14 years to what APC has done in the last eight years, and do you want vote for APC again?, We say No," he stated.

Mrs Abubakar, while speaking, said, “My people, I, your daughter standing in your presence to tell you that my husband has done it before. The last election was won by my husband but we were robbed.

My husband indeed is a Fulani but he is not a killer and we have been together.

“I taught him our culture and tradition, and he is part of us.

During Obasanjo's government, it was Atiku that brought the likes of the current Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-iweala and others, who did well for Nigeria. Atiku will defeat Boko Haram and provide you with scholarships.

“No Yoruba has ever been a First Lady and if we vote Atiku, it’s a vote for Yoruba. There is hunger in the land, don’t let the

opposition deceive you. Vote all PDP candidates during the elections," she said.

The vice presidential candidate of the party and Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, charged the electorate to embark on door-door campaign in order to give the party a landslide victory come 2023.

Okowa promised that an Atikuled government would replicate his giant strides in the area of economic performance tha would naturally boost security.

Also, the national chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyiorcha Ayu, boasted that PDP was on its way back to victory and rescue Nigeria and put it back on development track.

Present at the rally were Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa-Ibom), Ademola Adekeke (Osun), the national chairman of PDP, Iyiorcha Ayu; National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba; former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, former governor of Osun, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former deputy governors of Ondo, Agboola Ajayi, and Omolade Oluwateru and Senator Ayo Akinyelure, amongst others.

2023: Allegations of Corruption Rock Labour Party National publicity secretary, PCC trade blame Emameh Gabriel in Abuja Less than five weeks after the inauguration of its presidential campaigns council (PCC), the chances of Labour Party in the 2023 polls is being threatened by allegations of corruption.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Arabambi Abayomi, who spoke exclusively with THISDAY, alleged a grand conspiracy against him by the Doyin Okupe-led group in the party, he has also vowed to expose him (Okupe) and other members of the party involved in the alleged diversion of funds meant to prosecute the party's presidential election.

However, the party has threatened to punish its National Publicity Secretary for working against it

ahead of the 2023 election.

Ogun State Chapter of Labour Party had in separate press briefing held last week, passed a vote of no confidence on the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure and the National Organising Secretary of the party who also doubled as the General Secretary of the PCC, Chief Clement Ojukwu.

The Ogun State chapter had also demanded the immediate dissolution of the entire party’s PCC over alleged lopsidedness in its composition, stressing that the composition of its PCC did not reflect the federal character, unlike what was contained in the constitution of the party.

Arabambi who has distanced himself from the activities of Labour Party since the inauguration of the

party's PCC, disclosed to THISDAY that his grouse was with Okupe, who he accused of importing corruption into Labour Party.

Arabambi lamented that his life had been under threat since he challenged Okupe to refund the N50 million former president Goodluck Jonathan gave to Labour Party during the 2015 presidential election.

"This is my 13 years in Labour Party. People cannot just come into the party and in four months they will be telling us that they know more than us in the party.

“My life is under threat by Dr Doyin Okupe, my life is under threat by Ojukwu. I have the right to protect my life that is why I dissociated myself.

"The main cause of the matter is

Doyin Okupe. We (LP) supported Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and Jonathan gave Labour Party N50 million that was diverted by Doyin Okupe.

"These were the issues that I raised and concerning some documents and all of them now said, let us come against this guy because I told him that he has to refund that money. Okupe and others never knew providence would bring us together in Labour Party. They didn't expect it,” he said.

Arabambi vowed to seek redress in court on the matter.

He said: "As I speak to you Okupe has purchased two brand new Range Rovers worth N65 million each. This was Okupe that was using an old Sienna before he came to Labour Party.

“Okupe has not given N1 to Labour Party ever since he joined the party. He should provide evidence.

"I am the National Publicity Secretary, the Constitution of the party is expressly cleared that I shall handle all promotion, advertisement, campaign banners and anything that has to do with publicity. It's there in the constitution.

"But it was just a gang-up of which I am still going to challenge in the court. There is serious corruption going on in Labour Party that we are going to have a day for in court.”

However, in reaction to Arabambi’s allegations, Labour Party has issued him a warning, saying it would not hesitate to activate penalty measures against him for his underperformance in office.

43

THURSDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

MEDIA ACTIVATION TEAM STRATEGISES FOR SANWO-OLU'S SECOND TERM CAMPAIGN...

L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; MD/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa, Mr. Israel Opeyemi and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, when the media activation team of the State APC Gubernatorial campaign visited Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos House, Marina…yesterday

Osun Assembly Urges Adeleke to Allow Status Quo on LGs Labour pledges support for new administration Remain focused, clergy urges governor Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The State of Osun House of Assembly, has disagreed with Governor Ademola Adeleke over the local government administration, urging him to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the appeal on the judgement of the federal high court.

The assembly has, therefore, congratulated the governor on his inauguration as the sixth executive governor of the State.

This comes labour leaders in the state have pledged support for the Adeleke administration, describing him as a comrade.

Also, an Osun-based Clergyman, Apostle Lawrence Bamilaw, has enjoined Adeleke to be focused on his agenda in order to surprise the people of the state with his performance.

The Osun Assembly on Tuesday had responded to recent events in the state, stating that the legislative arm, which was saddled with the responsibility of lawmaking, only disagreed with the Governor on matters of law.

Speaker, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, while briefing members of the Assembly on the outcome of the private meeting he held with Adeleke, stated that there existed a mutual understanding that the house would be carried

along on matters that concerned the legislature.

In a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Alabi, the speaker held that the position of the Assembly was purely from the point of law and not in anyway antagonizing the Executive arm of government.

On the issue of LG administration, Owoeye informed the plenary of a notice of appeal against the decision of a Federal High Court judgment served on the 7th Assembly.

The House, thereby, resolved that the issue should be left to the court of law, ordering a status quo on all council administrations, pending the exhaustion on all legal means.

Also, at a meeting with labour, Adeleke reiterated his administration's commitment to prioritize the welfare of workers in the state, declaring a new dawn for workers in the employment of the state civil service.

"Let me assure you that I will be open and friendly to workers.

So, workers have a friend in this government, and not only will we listen to you, but do our best to make sure they are addressed," the Governor noted.

Earlier, the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, had assured workers of the administration's readiness to collaborate with them in moving the

state forward, calling for support of the civil service in serving the people of the state.

Responding on behalf of the labour leaders, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Adekola Adebowale, appreciated the governor for the interactive session, saying it conveyed how much importance the new administration placed on civil servants in the state.

"Let the governor be assured that workers in the state will support

him fully and in fact, give him the support that no other government in the history of the state has ever enjoyed," Adebowale said.

Also, speaking at this year African 24hrs marathon praise, Bamilaw noted that the only way Adeleke could achieve was to combine his wisdom with others in order to succeed in the task ahead.

"Governor Adeleke needs to surprise opposition and his supporters with his performance if he wants

to have head way in governance.

Nobody thought you could be Governor of Osun State, therefore, try to surprise Osun people with quality performance, because some people said you cannot perform but surprise them with focus on your agenda, as expectations is much,” he said.

A human rights organisation, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), has applauded Adeleke, for obeying the court judgement on the reversal

of the name of the state from the 'State of Osun' to ‘Osun State’ to be on the same page with the other states of the federation.

The rights group also commended him for implementing last Thursday’s judgement of the Federal High Court of Osogbo Judicial Division, nullifying the October 15th, 2022 council election conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) in flagrant disobedience to Court order.

Groups Raise the Alarm over Alleged 84,000 Underage Registered Voters in Plateau Alex Enumah in Abuja A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) yesterday raised the alarm over the number of underage voters contained in the list of registered voters in Plateau State.

The group at a press briefing in Abuja, also expressed worry over multiple registrations in five out of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.

The group under the aegis of "Saving Our Votes" therefore called on the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC), "to clean up the voters' register in Plateau State and in Nigeria as a whole."

They also called on INEC to ensure the investigation and subsequent prosecution of all those behind the underage registration.

Lead Trustee, Intercontinental Leadership Initiative, Prince Stafford Bisong, said the group, following INEC's publication of voters' register had embarked on a, "Claim and Objections" exercise to the 17 LGAs in Plateau State on November 23, 2022, "to see, observe and discover

for ourselves the state of affairs and level of preparation of INEC to deliver a credible election in 2023."

Bisong added that the exercise was predicated on their belief that " the credibility of every election starts with the integrity of the voters' register.

He alleged that their findings discovered that, "the voters register is replete with massive underage persons including persons that are below five years old," adding that the figure which was, " about 84,000" were reported to the Electoral Officers (EOs) in

the respective LGAs".

The five LGAs where they claimed multiple registrations abound include Wase, Kanam, Kanke, Jos North and Sharabutu in Riyom.

The group also said it observed that the INEC form EC 3 which is directly connected to the ground of objection to inclusion of names in a register of voters, "has no provision for objections based on double or multiple registration whereas the online version of the self-same form which deals with the very issue contains such."

Burnt in Ebonyi INEC Attack

the area, "No fire-fighting tools were installed in the office/premises.

Some leftover PVCs locked in the steel cabinet were destroyed by the fire. Record of the left-over PVCs engulfed in the inferno are intact with the E.O of the area.

"The value of items destroyed, thereby, is yet to be ascertained. The immediate cause of the incident is yet to be unravelled, and the same INEC office was engulfed in a similar circumstance sometime ago" he stated.

He however, called on government at all levels and Yakubu to install a solar-powered CCTV cameras and fire-fighting tools in all INEC offices to forestall such incidents ahead of the elections.

of the federal government in the country, particularly, attacks on the facilities and infrastructure of INEC. The lawmakers, however, urged politicians to uphold the peace accord, which they signed, by admonishing their supporters to refrain from attacks and violence before or during the 2023 elections.

The House also urged the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other Security Agencies such as the Department of State Services to synergise with the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minster of Justice to identify, investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators behind the attacks.

They also resolved to set up an adhoc committee to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incessant inferno on INEC offices in different parts of the country.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Olarewaju Ibrahim Kunle.

NO PVC, NO VOTING IN 2023 ELECTIONS, INEC DECLARES Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madukwe, paid out about $115 million to politicians to compromise the election.

Bawa, who was also represented by the Chief Superintendent in the Commission, Adukwu Michael, however, noted that the EFCC had embarked on voter education and working to ensure that politicians did not spend beyond the stipulated amount.

According to him, "The commission’s focus in election management is discouraging the use of money to influence the outcome of election.

Electoral spending by politicians often leads to voter inducement and vote buying.

"Parties often induce voter with money because they lack proper and realistic policies to convince the electorate to vote them into power. Whenever one is induced to sell his vote, he automatic loses moral ground to challenge corrupt tendencies of those elected.

"In the 2015 discreet investigation,

the Commission was able to uncovered a ground plan to compromise the 2015 general election through massive cash payment to politicians. $115 million was paid out to politicians by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madukwe, to compromise the election.

"Some of the money was recovered while many of the culprits are being prosecuted with few conviction recorded. At the heart of EFCC strategy to curb voter inducement is inter-agency collaboration and information sharing.

"The EFCC is complementing the efforts of other stakeholders in educating the electorate on why it is important for their votes to not be traded. We are working with INEC to determine and to enforce provisions of the Electoral Act as it relates to limit of campaign spending by different categories of office seekers. This is an intelligence-driven exercise."

Imo State Governor, Hope

Uzodimma, also said political parties and their candidates must adhere to democratic norms and "collectively intervene to achieve the kind of credible elections that would further deepen democracy.

The keynote speaker, Senator Pius Anyim, argued that political parties must adhere to the principles of social justice as a means of preventing crisis.

"The rumblings in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), are surely due to perceived social injustice in the management of the affairs of the parties. The pain of the G-5 governors in the PDP is simply the sidelining of a section of the country in the sharing of party structures," he said, calling on IPAC to step forward in playing a role to stabilise the democratic environment by ensuring that parties take their rightful position as the bedrock of democracy in Nigeria.

Police: No Sensitive Materials

The Ebonyi State Police Command, has clarified that no sensitive materials were burnt, when the INEC office in Iboko community, Izzi Local Government Area of the state was burnt.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Chris Anyanwu, the incident was an internal fire outbreak from the office, noting that the facility was not burnt by hoodlums as alleged.

"There was no sign of external attack or breakage into the building before the fire outbreak. The fire destroyed inflammable items such as generating sets, plastic buckets/ cans, ballot boxes, cubicles, etc, kept in the building, which are capable of escalating the inferno.

"There was no electric power supply at the time of the incident to infer/suspect same as a probable cause. There were no sensitive materials in the building as confirmed by the Electoral Officer in charge

Lawmakers Condemn Attacks, Urge Politicians to Uphold Peace Accord

The House of Representatives, yesterday, condemned all forms of attack on the facilities and buildings

THURSDAY DECEMBER 1, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

COACHING MAGAZINE UNVEILLED…

L-R: Keynote Speaker/Convener, The Platform Nigeria, Pastor Poju Oyemade; Life Coaches Association of Nigeria (LCAN), Board of Trustees member, Dupe Wigwe; Chairman, LCAN Board of Trustees, Dr. Lanre Olusola, and President of LCAN, Omawumi Ogbe, during the presentation of the free Africa Coaching Week Digest Magazine in Lagos…recently

Police Arrest Alleged Kidnap Kingpin after Seven Years of Manhunt David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Operatives of Anambra State Police Command, acting on a tip-off, have arrested an alleged notorious kidnap kingpin, Mr. Mathew Nwankwo, after being on his trail for seven years.

Nwankwo, was arrested at his country home, Nteje in Oyi Local

Government Area by officers of the command, very early on Tuesday morning.

THISDAY gathered that the suspect was a member of a notorious kiwnap gang that terrorised the state during the regime of Governor Willie Obiano, before his gang members were arrested, and he managed to

Bayelsa PDP Inaugurates Campaign Council Olusegun Samuel inYenagoa Over 1000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) yesterday joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State.

The defectors were announced by the Special Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Political Matters, Chief Collins Cocodia, during the inauguration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.

Prominent among the defectors are former Director-General of the APC Governorship Campaign Council in 2019, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, Dr. Steven Ogola, Mr. Lucky Amadi, Chief Ebikiri Akpolo and Mr. Edwin Oweibi.

Others are Adolphus Agwuo, Steven Adaka, Abaka Tamaraebi, Kankada Ebipabowei, Chief Ebikitin Diongoli, Adagbayan Hammoh, Kingsley Mirin and

thousands of their followers.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Prof. Brisibe and Dr. Ogola said men of good conscience cannot remain in the APC as the party lacked leadership and integrity.

They said their time in the APC was like being in the wilderness for several years but had no choice than to return to the PDP for redemption.

They also stated that their decision was borne out of the sterling qualities of Governor Douye Diri and the good governance and infrastructural transformation being witnessed in the three senatorial districts of the state under his administration.

While receiving the defectors on behalf of the party, Governor Diri said the returnees and new members would enjoy all the rights and privileges that PDP members were entitled to.

Transport Professionals Hail Jamoh’s Success as CIOTA President Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has been commended for his efforts in transforming and promoting the transportation sector as President of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA). The commendations came during the 4th National Transport Summit of the Institute in Abuja.

Similarly, the Nigerian Army and other security agencies pledged their support to the growth and improvement of the country’s transportation sector to international standards, expressing their willingness to collaborate with CIoTA to achieve this feat.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruq Yahaya, who was represented by Maj Gen. E Akerejola ,commended the President and members of CIoTA for the many economic sectors

it touches on. From facilitating international trade, supporting food security and enabling industrial and infrastructural development.

The COAS stated that the theme of the summit “Transport Safety and Security Administration in Nigeria,” was also timely, as it is “an important aspect of the Transportation sector which has often been overlooked by many including the transport professionals and academia.

“Over the years, the transportation sector has witnessed series of issues and challenges ranging from poor infrastructure, poor regulations, limited specialised professional training institutions, lack of effective and efficient transport policies, intra industry squabbles among transport professionals, to unethical behaviours, poor working condition amongst others,” he said.

escape.

He was said to have sneaked into the state recently, hoping to find refuge, especially as the Obiano government had elapsed.

A source told journalists that

Nwankwo worked with other gang members, including: Mr. Solomon Chi’buzor Morah aka Mmili and Hyacinth Chibudu.

“Their houses were demolished according to the law of the state.

They were responsible for many kidnap cases and took ransom to the tune of about N70 million from their victims before they were arrested.

The state Police Public Relations

Officer of Anambra State Police command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the arrest of the suspect, saying that he was in their custody, adding that further investigations are still ongoing.

Niger Chief Judge Commits COAS, TRADOC Commander to Correctional Centre

LaleyeDipoinMinna

Niger State Chief Judge Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik has committed the Chief of Army Staff General Farouk Yahaya and the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the NigerianArmy Major General Stevenson Oluwagbenga to the

correctional centre.

The duo are to remain in incarceration until they purge themselves of contempt. Justice Abdulmalik issued the order for the arrest of the top army officers at the resumed hearing of the case between Adamu Makama and 42 others versus the Executive Governor of Niger state and seven others in the

suit NSHC/225/2019 in Minna.

The court order came barely 48 hours after a similar order was issued for the arrest and detention of the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba for three months by a Federal Court which sat in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory.

Justice Abdulmalik in the order

declared: “An order is made committing the Nigerian Army Chief of Staff General Farouk Yahaya and the Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Minna ie 6th &7th respondents into the custody of the Correctional Centre for contempt of the order of the this honourable court made on the 12/10/2022

Ezekwesili to Nigerians: Resist Monopolistic Democracy SegunJames Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has asked Nigerians to fight against monopolistic democracy that was being practiced in the country at the moment.

She stated this at the inauguration of the Office Of The Citizen (OOTC),

a concept worked out by #FixPolitics.

According to Ezekwesili, who is also the founder of #FixPolitics, if the citizen took his rightful place as the ultimate power in the political equation in the country, there would be a phenomenal shift in political engagement in the country.

His words: “The apathy and lethargy of Nigerians are what made

the political class monopolist of our democracy. Now that monopoly will gradually be broken up and what we are doing today is to further accentuate the quality of engagement that citizens must have to break the democracy from being a monopoly in our country to be truly competitive.

“Acompetitive democracy is what

leads to better quality governance.

We now know that without quality governance, we are not going anywhere with development.”

Ezekwesili defined monopolistic democracy as a situation similar to a marketplace monopoly, adding that citizens must actively participate in governance to break the political elite’s monopolistic tendencies.

25 Firms Selected for $10.5m Nigeria-Czech Research Projects The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has shot listed 25 firms for over $10.5 million research projects by the Presidential Implementation Committee(PIC) on Technology Transfer/ Information Exchange between Nigeria and the Czech Republic.

Also, President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval to the NASENI to invest up to N2billion (about USD $5.7 million) in profitable manufacturing and commercialization of successful research products. The agency will serve as a partner with any willing company on such

products.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NASENI, Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna disclosed this during the announcement of Delta -2 results of the bids for the projects.

Haruna, who was represented by the agency’s Coordinating Director of Planning and

Business Development, Mrs. Nonye Onyechi, said the firms were shortlisted by experts including those from the Nigeria Academy of Science, Nigeria Academy of Engineering and the private sector.

According to him, the funding of the projects will last from 12 to 36 months.

NAFDAC Arraign Trader over Alleged Importation of Fake Chicken Seasonings, Others

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A 41-year-old trader, Nnabueze Chibuike, was yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State on two court charges of alleged possession and importation of large quantities of Mivina Chicken seasonings.

The case, which came up

for first hearing is between the Federal Republic of Nigeria as (Complainant) and Nnabueze Chibuike, as the Defendant is contained in suit No: FHC/B/195C/2022.

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges against him were read were read before Justice S.M. Shuaibu.

The charges brought before

the accused reads: “That you Nnabueze Chibuike, Male, Adult, 41 years old of No 20 Arondizugu Street Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, on or about the 11th day of November, 2022, at your factory at No 22, NekpenNekpen , Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, was found

in possession of unwholesome Processed Food to wit: Mivina chicken seasoning and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provision) Act, Cap . C34, LFN 2004 and punishable under section 3 of the same Act

FG Rolls Out Enhanced Passport in Canada Nigerians living in Canada will now have access to the highly coveted 64-page 10-year validity passport as the federal government has rolled out the new enhanced passport and commissioned the central Passport Production Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Speaking during the launch in Canada, Minister of Interior,

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, stated that Nigeria is amongst the first five countries in the world to have this enhanced passport and the first in Africa.

“The enhanced version we are presenting is the latest technology in identity documentation. It comes with additional security and in various categories, including

the 64-page-10-year validity Passport which is quite convenient for frequent travellers.

“It is a product of the latest technology in passport administration and issuance.

Only very few countries in the world can boast of it as of today. Indeed, Nigeria is among the first five countries

in the world and the first in Africa to have this enhanced e-passport. The document is of higher grade with additional 25 security features than the one currently in use. It is polycarbonate in design and therefore water-resistant. It cannot be compromised by counterfeiters and identity thieves,” the minister revealed.

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NEWSXTRA

PROMOTING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT…

The Coordinating Director, Planning and Business Development, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI),Mrs. Nonye Onyechi; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Research Institutions, Hon. Musiliudeen Olaide Akinremi , and Chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer/ Information Exchange between Nigeria and the Czech Republic, Dr. Mohammed Dahiru, during the unveiling of 25 firms for $10.5 million Nigeria-Czech research projects in Abuja… yesterday

House Summons NSIA CEO over Funds for Low-income Earners’Homes

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday summoned the Managing Director of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and heads of 11 affiliate companies over the management of public resources for the provision of affordable/social homes for the low-income earners in Nigeria.

The invitation which was sent via a letter with Reference No: HR/PAC/SCOS/9NASS/ QUE.64/56 dated 30th November, 2022, was targeted at revisiting

the Auditor General for the Federation’s Annual Report on the management of resources for the provision of affordable/ social homes in Nigeria by Family Homes Fund Limited.

The letter reads: “I refer to our letter Ref. No. HR/PAC/ SCO5/9NASS/QUE.62/84 dated 18th November, 2022 inviting you to appear before the Committee on Friday 25h November, 2022 on the above subject matter. In view of the above, the Committee is in receipt of your correspondence with Ref. No. NSIA/NAS/HCPA/022/01 dated November 25, 2022 and

Kwara Governor Presents N189bn Appropriation Bill for 2023 Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq yesterday presented a N189,436,248,054.00 appropriation bill for 2023 to the State House of Assembly.

The budget tagged, “Economic Expansion and Sustainable Development,”has recurrent expenditure of 49.1 per cent and the capital component of 50.9 per cent.”

Presenting the appropriation bill at the floor of the State House of Assembly, the state governor, Alhaji AbdulRazaq said, “the fiscal document focuses on strengthening the current gains and is built around the Kwara State Sustainable Development Plan 2021-2030, Medium Term

Sector Strategy 2021-2023 and citizens’ need Assessments.”

He added: “Today, I stand before this Honourable House to present the 2023 appropriation bill. This fiscal document is as significant in its provisions as it is in expanding the gains of the past three years for maximum socioeconomic benefits of the state.

“With the support of this House and the good people of Kwara State, our government has delivered on key campaign promises in education, healthcare delivery, provision of potable water, agriculture, poverty reduction, gender mainstreaming, youth and women empowerment, financial inclusion, workers’ welfare, infrastructure, and rural urban development.

Jonathan, Kukah, Amaechi, Yusuf Ali, Others to Unveil The Letterman Former President Goodluck Jonathan and other top dignitaries will converge on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, for the public presentation of The Letterman, a book on the ‘secret’ letters of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The book, written by the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, will be unveiled in front of what promises to be a packed audience at Bolton White Apartments in the Wuse Zone 7 District of Abuja.

Aside Mr Jonathan, who is the special guest of honour, an array of other top political, business and government functionaries are expected at the event which has a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Chairman of the Governing Council of Osun State University,

Yusuf Ali, as Chairman.

The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah (book reviewer) and a former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ifueko Omoigui Okauru (who is listed as chief presenter) are also expected at the occasion.

Some of the other dignitaries who have confirmed attendance at the event are a former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Senator Adelere Oriolowo, former Senator Babafemi Ojudu, a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Director General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Asishana Okauru, and a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu.

resolved to request for a soft copy and 15 hard copies of a written brief on each of the following subsidiaries and Investment Companies of NSIA to enable the Committee carry-out its Legislative mandate.

The 11 companies summoned by the Committee includes:

NSIA Motorways Investment Company; FGF Private Equity Co. Limited; FGF PE Beta Limited; FGF Investment Limited; NSIA Property Investment company Ltd; NSIA Power Investment Company Ltd; NSIA Agriculture Investment Company Ltd; LUTH Advanced Medical Service Ltd;

FMCU Advanced Medical Diagnostic Ltd; AKTH Advanced Medical Diagnostic Limited and NSIA Healthcare Development and Investment Company Ltd. “A new date has been fixed for your appearance. You are to cause appearance before the Committee on Monday 12th December, 2022

at 11:00am” the letter reads.

The Committee during its hearing also requested for relevant approvals from the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed authorizing NSIA to grant loan of N1.5 billion to Family Homes on interest free basis.

Adebomehin: We’ve Data to Assist Govt to End Insecurity Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Surveyor General of the Federation, Abuduganiyu Adebomehin, has disclosed that the office of the surveyor general, has gathered a lot of data that could help the relevant government agencies, including the military to end insecurity in the country.

Adebomehin stated this yesterday at the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) during the 2022 Survey Coordination Conference and Advisory Board on Survey Training Conference of the African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information Science And Technology (AFRIGIST), with the theme: “Geospatial Intelligence for National Security”.

He said the Office of the Surveyor -general of the Federation (OSGoF) has deployed appropriate techniques utilising geospatial intelligence for the security agencies against armed criminals for peace and security in Nigeria.

He stressed that the role of surveyors was critical in gathering, analysing and processing data

into the geospatial intelligence for national security.

“Various surveying authorities must form a common front against surveying and mapping activities that contravened the provisions of the surveyor combination Act of 1962. I believe such will go a long way in finding lasting solution to issue of insecurity and also other related issues.

Yahoo Boy Kills Girlfriend for Embezzling Booty James Sowole in Abeokuta The Ogun State Police Command said that a 27-year -old cyber crime suspect, popularly called Yahoo Boy, Obeta John, has confessed of killing his girlfriend, Idowu Buhari, for allegedly holding on to money sent into her account by a client of the boy.

The Police Public Relations

Officer (PPRO) for the State Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, revealed the concession of the suspect, in a statement.

He said the deceased was an HND1 Mass Communication student of Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun State.

Oyeyemi said the suspect, was arrested following a distress call received at Ode -Remo Divisional

headquarters.

He said the police learnt that the suspect, who reside at No 3, Mojubade Compound, Eredu Ishara, locked himself and his girlfriend inside his room and had started beating the girl and hitting her head against the wall, and all efforts made to persuade him to open the door proved abortive .

He said: “Upon the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer, Ode-remo Division, Fasogbon Olayemi, quickly led his men to the scene where they met the victim in the pool of her blood after forcing the door opened.

“The victim was quickly rushed to State Hospital Ishara,but was pronounced dead by doctor on duty.

Appeal Court Reaffirms Emenike as Abia APC Guber Candidate Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The governorship candidate of ºthe All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, has again recorded another major victory as the Court of Appeal, Owerri division reaffirmed his candidacy.

The appellate Court in delivering its judgment yesterday dismissed an appeal filed by Daniel Eke Vs APC & ORS in Appeal No. CA/ OW/419/2022.

Eke, who was a governorship aspirant on the platform of APC in Abia had challenged the outcome of the May 26, 2022 primary election on the

ground that the process did not comply with both the Electoral Act and party guidelines.

He lost the case at the Federal High Court Umuahia where it was dismissed by Justice Evelyn Anyadike on the ground that he lacked the locus to institute the matter. Not done, Eke went to the Appeal Court, Owerri to challenge the verdict of the

court of first instance.

But in the judgment read

by Hon Justice Pemu Rita Nosakhare, the three judges in the appeal panel unanimously held that the indirect primary election conducted by APC that produced High Chief Ikechi Emenike as the gubernatorial candidate of APC in Abia State was valid.

N800bn Judgement against Shell: Supreme Court Decides Tomorrow The Supreme Court of Nigeria will, tomorrow ( Friday December 2, 2022) deliver judgment on the claim by the Egbalor Community in Eleme LGA, Rivers State against Shell Nigeria and its parent companies for a devastating oil spill which occurred in

their community in 2018. The Nigerian Supreme Court is expected to deliver a judgment on a pending application by the Counsel to Egbalor Community, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed SAN, challenging the validity of Shell’s appeal against an

earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal Owerri which directed Shell Petroleum and its parent companies to deposit the entire judgment debt of N800 billion (approx. $1.9 billion) into court as a condition for stay of execution of the judgment within 48

hours of the order of Court.

The Court also granted a Mareva injunction restraining Shell Nigeria and its parent companies from selling or disposing of any of its onshore and offshore assets in Nigeria until they fully comply with the Court’s order.

Peter Obi Tasks Architects on Commitment to take Country to Eldorado Sunday Okobi

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has stated that for Nigeria to reach its enviable socioeconomic and developmental height, it requires extraordinary

commitment from the people and their leaders.

Speaking recently at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) in Calabar, Cross River State, the LP standard bearer listed what

he called 4Cs ‘competence, capacity, credibility and commitment’, as critical requirements to turn the country around.

At the conference with a theme: ‘Architecture: A Resource for Health and

Wellbeing’, Obi said: “We must aspire to put in place a leadership that is imbued with competence, capacity, credibility and commitment.

These 4Cs are leadership competencies required to turn Nigeria around.

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THURSDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Argentina completed the turnaround from the shock opening World Cup loss to Saudi Arabia by qualifying for the last 16 in impressive style against Poland - who went through on goal difference having finished level on points with Mexico.

Lionel Messi was the catalyst for the crucial win against Mexico that got Argentina's campaign back on track after their opening defeat to Saudi Arabia, and he was instrumental again as they illustrated why they were regarded as one of the tournament favourites, ahead of a second-round match against Australia.

Poland was set to progress on the FIFA Fair Play rule for having fewer yellow cards than Mexico - until Saudi Arabia pulled one back deep into stoppage time in their 2-1 loss to the Concacaf side - and will now face France after surviving an incredibly dramatic finale where another goal for Argentina or Mexico would have knocked them out.

Argentina ran out comfortable winners with second-half goals from Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister and Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez but the game still held real drama and jeopardy in the closing stages as Poland knew another goal

conceded, or another goal for Mexico against the Saudis, would send them out on goal difference.

Argentina dominated throughout but had to wait until after the break to make the breakthrough after Messi saw a first-half penalty saved

by Poland keeper Wojciech Szczesny after the pair had collided in an aerial challenge, a harsh award after a video assistant referee consultation.

Mac Allister gave Argentina the lead they deserved when he swept home Nahuel Molina's cross a minute after the break and Alvarez sealed victory with a fine finish into the top corner in the 67th minute.

DURO IKHAZUAGBE Reporting live

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Heartbreak for Mexico as Argentina, Poland Pull Through RESULTS Australia Tunisia Poland S’Arabia

1-0 Denmark 1-0 France 0-2 Argentina 1-2 Mexico

FIXTURES Canada Croatia Japan C’Rica

vs Morocco -4pm vs Belgium -4pm vs Spain -8pm vs Germany -8pm

Permutation for Dec 1 Fixtures

r $SPBUJB BOE #FMHJVN NFFU GPS the first time in a tournament setting to contest a place in the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Croatia will secure a round-of-16 berth if they avoid defeat, while Belgium can only be sure of progressing with a victory. If Morocco lose to already-eliminated Canada, it is possible that both these European teams could advance. r 8JUI EFGFBUT JO UIFJS PQFOJOH two FIFA World Cup 2022™ matches, Canada is already out, but Morocco, who are second in the group on four points, are well placed to seize one of Group F’s two qualifying berths. A draw will be enough to see them through as group runners-up – as will a defeat for Belgium against Croatia in the group’s other final fixture – while a win could see them secure top spot. The countries’ respective captains, Atiba Hutchinson and Romain Saïss, are team-mates at Turkish club Besiktas.

Argentine players congratulating each other after the 2-0 win over Poland last night

Belgium, Germany Seek Ben White Out of England W’Cup Squad Redemption Live on DStv, GOtv England defender Ben White was ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup after leaving the squad for "personal reasons", the Football Association said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Arsenal player has returned to England after leaving the team's Al Wakrah training base, the FA said.

An FA statement said White was "not expected to return to the squad for the remainder of the tournament."

"We ask that the player's privacy is respected at this moment in time," the FA said. #ThreeLions defender @ ben6white has left England’s training base in Al Wakrah and returned home for personal reasons.— England (@ England) November 30, 2022 White has excelled for Premier League leaders Arsenal this season but did not feature in any of England's three Group B games in the World Cup first phase.

England face Senegal in the last 16 of the World Cup on Sunday.

Ben White

The last set of group matches at the ongoing FIFA World Cup have some interesting fixtures to look forward today. The biggest of the clashes would take place in Group F where the bigwigs, Croatia and Belgium battle for the leadership of the group. The matches are to broadcast live on DStv channel 202 and GOtv channel 33starting at 4pm.

After losing 0-2 to Morocco, Belgium will need all three points to book a place in the round of 16, while Croatia needs at least a point to cement a place in the next stage.

Belgium defeated Canada in the first group match and currently sit third in the table with three points. Roberto Martinez’s side finished third at the last World Cup in Russia but will need to be at their very best to beat Croatia if they are to progress from the group stage this time around.

In the other group match, African representative, Morocco, will face Canada knowing a draw is enough to put them in the round of 16.

The North Africans produced one of the shocking results in Qatar with their 2-0 victory over Belgium.

Morocco currently has four points and could finish first in the group with a win over the North Americans.

Canada sit bottom of the group with just one point and could still qualify with a big margin victory

over Morocco, provided Croatia is able to defeat Belgium in the other group match. The match will be live on DStv channel 205 and GOtv channel 31 at 4pm.

There will be winner takes all in Group E when Japan squares up against Spain on DStv channel 205 and GOtv channel 32 while Costa Rica face Germany live on DStv channel 202 and GOtv channel 33 at 8pm.

Spain are current leaders of the group with four points and would be out for all three points against Japan who are currently second

with three points.

Japan defeated Germany 2-1 in the group opener but surprisingly lost 1-0 to Costa Rica in the second match.

A victory over Spain will automatically grant them passage into the round of 16, while a draw could be costly should Germany defeat Costa Rica with a wide margin.

New GOtv customers can take advantage of the new price slash and one-month free subscription to catch all the action live from Qatar 2022.

r +BQBO T NPNFOUPVT WJDUPSZ over Germany in their opening game was offset by a 1-0 defeat

by Costa Rica, and they can only be certain of prolonging their stay at the FIFA World Cup 2022™ if they win their final Group E fixture against Spain, who will go through if they avoid defeat and are guaranteed top spot if they win. This is the first competitive meeting between the teams. r (FSNBOZ XIP IBWF GBJMFE UP win either of their first two FIFA World Cup group fixtures for the first time, prop up Group E, but if they beat Costa Rica by two or more goals, they can only be eliminated if Japan defeat Spain.

Costa Rica will go through if they beat Germany, or with a draw if Spain beat Japan.

Lagos SWAN Salutes Solaja over AIPS, FIFA Honour The entire Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (Lagos State chapter) has congratulated one of its own, Kunle Solaja who was recently honoured by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) in conjunction with Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

Solaja who has covered nine editions of the world cup was honoured alongside 81 others in a brief but colourful event which took place at the Virtual Stadium 1.

Tagged Journalists on the Podium, the unique tradition which started in 2012 celebrates longevity and

excellence of veteran journalists.

The Lagos SWAN Chairman, Debo Oshundun, congratulated the former General Editor of the Sun Newspaper for the global recognition as a worthy ambassador of Nigeria and the state chapter of SWAN. “This is a landmark award which is reserved for an exclusive class inspired by excellence. We are excited that someone from Nigeria has put the country on the global map.

As expected, he is a member of Lagos SWAN who has continued to associate with what we do and

mentor the next set of sports journalists in Nigeria.”

In his reaction on behalf of all members who had since sent in their congratulatory messages, Oshundun said the honour was timely and will serve as an inspiration for generations to come.

“This recognition will serve as a motivation for those in the profession and those coming behind because such recognition shows that some people somewhere are taking note of your dedication and professionalism on the job,” he concluded.

47

THURSDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

SPORTS

Tunisia Secure Famous Win over France but Fail to Reach Last 16 Australia grab Group D second ticket behind Les Blue France had a goal ruled out

by VAR for offside in the final minute of stoppage-time as Tunisia held on to register a shock victory, but failed to

QATAR 2022 qualify for the last 16 of the World Cup and perhaps the

first African nation to exit the tournament in Qatar.

It was a famous win for Carthage Eagles and their third victory in their history of

participation in the tournament.

Substitute Antoine Griezmann volleyed in a dramatic equaliser at the Education City Stadium but the VAR decision meant

Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazi's brilliant first-half goal proved to be the winner.

However, with Australia recording a 1-0 victory over Denmark in the other match in Group D, Tunisia's hopes of progressing had been dashed before Griezmann's goal was ruled out.

France is through to the last 16 as group winners having already secured qualification with victory over Denmark in the last game.

In the other Group match, Australia reached the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time in 16 years after

shocking Denmark.

The Danes, needing victory to progress, dominated possession but were caught out on the break when Australia scored the winner on the hour mark.

Denmark lost the ball in the Australian box and Mathew Leckie finished a brilliant counter attack with a low shot past Kasper Schmeichel.

Australia finish in second place in Group D on six points, only behind world champions France on goal difference.

Denmark meanwhile exit Qatar 2022 with just one point from three games, sitting bottom of the group.

HOW THEY STAND Group A 1 2 3 4

Team Netherlands Senegal Ecuador Qatar

Pl 3 3 3 3

W 2 2 1 0

1 2 3 4

Team England USA Iran Wales

Pl 3 3 3 3

W 2 1 1 0

D 1 0 1 0

L 0 1 1 3

F 5 5 4 1

A 1 4 3 7

GD 4 1 1 -6

Pts 7 6 4 0

F 9 2 4 1

A 2 1 7 6

GD 7 1 -3 -5

Pts 7 5 3 1

F 5 2 2 3

A 2 2 3 5

GD 3 0 -1 -2

Pts 6 4 4 3

F 6 3 1 1

A 3 4 1 3

GD 4 -1 0 -2

Pts 6 6 4 1

F 8 2 1 2

A 1 2 7 3

GD 7 0 -6 -1

Pts 4 3 3 1

F 4 2 1 1

A 1 0 2 5

GD 3 2 -1 -4

Pts 4 4 3 0

F 3 1 3 3

A 0 1 4 5

GD 3 0 -1 -2

Pts 6 3 1 1

F 5 5 2 0

A 2 5 3 2

GD 3 0 -1 -2

Pts 6 3 1 1

Group B

Tunisian players celebrating the goal scored against France but crashed out of the tournament

Ronaldo Interviews Rodrygo Ahead Brazil, Cameroon Final Group Clash Twenty years ago, Brazilian striker, Ronaldo de Lima, was in penalty boxes, terrorising opponents with his shooting. Now, he’s in an interviewer’s chair, shooting questions at compatriots.

The retired football icon who is here at Qatar 2022, has teamed up with FIFA+ to run commentary on Ronaldo TV. And the incomparable Fenômeno, insisted, he wanted to be the one chatting to Coach Tite’s wards.

Tomorrow here at the magnificent Lusail stadium, Brazil will play their last Group G game against Cameroon with the original Ronaldo behind the microphone, making remarks about the game.

Rodrygo came on at half-time against Switzerland, set up Casemiro for the only goal, then sat down for a chat with the Seleção legend.

“I always talk to ‘Case’ a lot on the pitch. I shouted ‘leave it’. He left it and he was in space,” the 21-year-old said about the sequence that led to Brazil’s goal at Stadium 974. “(The Switzerland players) came at me, I played it back to him, and he produced an incredible shot and gave us victory,” recalled Rodrygo.

That goal heightened what has already been an indescribably experience for Rodrygo.

“It’s sensational, a really good experience for me,” he said. “I’ve been learning every day. Everything we do – going to training, the hotel, giving an interview – everything

has been really different. I’m very happy. Thank God on the pitch everything has gone well also. It’s been fantastic for me.”

It could get even more fantastic if Rodrygo forces his way into the starting XI tomorrow. His impact from the bench against Switzerland will aid his cause.

“I’m ready,” said the former Santos attacker. “When the coach wants me, I’m there. If it’s in the

next game, if it’s afterwards, I’m at his disposal.

“I’m training well, doing everything right, because it’s a World Cup. At any moment the chance will come. You have to be prepared.

“My life has always been like this. I went to Real Madrid when I was 18, so I had no time to prepare.

You have to arrive there prepared.

So I’m always ready for whatever

Frappart Makes History as First Woman to Referee at Men’s World Cup French match official, Stephanie Frappart, will make history today when she becomes the first woman to referee at the men’s World Cup here in Qatar. Frappart was picked by FIFA’s Referees Committee headed by famous retired Italian referee, Pierluigi Collina to lead an all women cast as Costa Rica face Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium.

However, it will not be the first time the 38-year-old French referee has written her name into football history.

Frappart reached a milestone after being selected as the first female to officiate at a men's World Cup qualifier in March and Champions League match in 2020. She is also the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1game.

“The men's World Cup is the most important sporting competition in the world. I was the first referee in France and in Europe, so I know how to deal with it," observed the French referee when it was announced Tuesday night that she will be at the centre.

She was the fourth official for the Poland versus Mexico Group C clash at Qatar 2022 last week.

Asked if she ever has comments from players, managers or fans due to being a woman, Frappart said: "Since I started I was always supported by teams, clubs and players. I was always welcome in the stadium so I feel like another referee inside the pitch. I was always welcome, so I think I will be welcome as before."

Frappart is to be assisted in the match by Brazilian Neuza Back and

Delta Grabs First Gold Medal, Edo, Rivers’ Cyclists Disqualified Team Delta began their medals rush on the first day of the 21st National Sports Festival holding in Asaba, winning the first gold medal in cycling event.

Delta cyclists beat three other states, namely; Oyo, Plateau and Lagos to emerge winners in the 12km mixed relay decided on the Ibusa Road earlier yesterday.

While Delta won in 35mins 41.84secs, Oyo got silver in 37 minutes 29.84 while Plateau cyclists grabbed the consolatory bronze medals in 39minutes 38.61secs.

comes.”

Rodrygo also discussed his sadness at Neymar’s absence before Ronaldo ended the interview by wishing the youngster the best of luck. Rodrygo concluded it my passing his hands over the legs that helped Brazil win their last World Cup and then passing them over his own - seemingly seeking a little of the great man's magic touch - before the two burst out laughing.

NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL Lagos finished fourth in 40minutes, 02.04secs Two other states, Edo and Rivers were disqualified for their inability to present the minimum three female cyclists required for the event.

The Technical Director, Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Bashir Mohammed disclosed the results of the first events concluded yesterday to journalists.

The cycling, the first event of the 21st National Sports festival, was held before the official opening ceremony held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium yesterday evening.

Delta is the defending champion of the National Sports Festival, having finished top on the medals table at Edo 2020 edition held in Benin City. Delta State has won seven times in nine appearances.

D 1 2 0 1

L 0 0 2 2

Group C 1 2 3 4

Team Pl Argentina 3 Poland 3 Mexico 3 Saudi Arabia 3

W 2 1 1 1

1 2 3 4

Team France Australia Tunisia Denmark

W 2 2 1 0

D 0 1 1 0

L 1 1 1 2

Group D Pl 3 3 3 3

D 0 0 1 1

L 1 1 1 2

Group E 1 2 3 4

Team Spain Japan Costa Rica Germany

Pl 2 2 2 2

W 1 1 1 0

1 2 3 4

Team Croatia Morocco Belgium Canada

Pl 2 2 2 2

W 1 1 1 0

D 1 0 0 1

L 0 1 1 1

Group F D 1 1 0 0

L 0 0 1 2

Group G

Frappart Mexican Karen Diaz will become the first all-female refereeing team for a men's World Cup match.

According to the Referees Committee chief: "They were not selected because they are women, but as FIFA referees. They could officiate any game."

Team Brazil Switzerland Cameroon Serbia

Pl 2 2 2 2

W 2 1 0 0

Team Pl Portugal 2 Ghana 2 Korea Republic 2 Uruguay 2

W 2 1 0 0

D 0 0 1 1

L 0 1 1 1

Group H 1 2 3 4

D 0 0 1 1

L 0 1 1 1

Philip Shaibu @ 53 Birthday Golf Tournament Tees-off Today Friends and Associates of Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu will today tee-off his 53th Birthday Golf Tournament at the Benin Club Golf Section.

The birthday tournament is packaged by the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie.; former BCGS Captains, Dr. Charles Ajayi and Dr. Bola Atua as well as the Obama Kitty Group.

According to the Chairman of

the Organising Committee, Benedict Oghumah, over 100 golfers are teeing-off to celebrate the deputy governor for his support towards the development of golf and sports in general in the state.

He said: "It becomes necessary to honour the Deputy Governor's birthday for his immense contribution and dedication towards BCGS development.

"This birthday tournament is of prime importance due to his immense

support towards golf development," he noted.

Golfers will feature in men's and ladies event, while veterans will also have a field day. It will be a unique tournament as prizes are on ground for various winners. " Golfers from Ibori Golf and Country Club, (IGCC), Asaba; Ogunnu Golf Resort, Warri; Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos; UBTH Golf Club, Edo and many more are featuring at the event," Oghumah said.

Thursday, December 1, 2022

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Price: N250

MISSILE

NANS President to Police IGP “We demand a detailed explanation by the Nigeria Police on why they will go to the school premises and ‘kidnap’ a student without due process and took him straight to the Presidential Villa where he was brutalised which violates his fundamental human rights”—NANS President demanding the unconditional release of the student detained by the police over a social media post on First Lady, Aisha Buhari

OLUSEGUNADENIYI Tompolo and the Amnesty Deal THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

‘I----, residing at----formerly engaged in militant activities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, do solemnly swear, (or affirm) that I hereby renounce all my previous acts of militancy, including my affiliation and allegiance to any militant group and/or organization; and that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and respect every constituted authority; that I shall never again engage in any act of militancy whatsoever; and that I will, in like manner, abide by; and faithfully and lawfully support every effort being made by the Federal, States and Local Governments and their agencies for the overall development of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.’

E

ach of the Niger Delta militants granted amnesty by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in June 2009 swore to the foregoing oath.

But whoever becomes president next year will inherit the challenge of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). I recently encountered PAP Interim Administrator Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd), and the conclusion I drew from our conversation is that like many government programmes initiated with good intention, a scandalous mismanagement of scarce resources over the years has turned PAP into another slush fund to line pockets for political patronage. And we are talking of several hundreds of billions of Naira over a period of 13 years.

In August, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) engaged the services of an oil pipeline surveillance firm, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, led

by Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, to guard the oil pipeline network.

Following the controversial decision, readers who sought my view could not understand my endorsement. While the NNPCL may have signed the contract out of desperation given the quantum of oil being lost to criminal cartels, I am also aware that this was part of the Niger Delta amnesty deal with ex-militant leaders.

I should know because I had the privilege of sitting with the late president, along with his principal secretary, David Edevbie, at separate meetings with Tompolo, Ateke Tom, Farah Dagogo and Henry Okah. In fact, the only such meeting the president attended without either of us was the one held in Yenogoa with Ebikabowei Victor Ben, aka ‘Boyloaf’, but he had then Bayelsa State Governor and current Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Silva with him. One of the accepted recommendations from the amnesty panel was that “qualified ex-militants should be employed by Private Security outfits to perform surveillance duties on oil pipelines and installations.”

Meanwhile, I understand that oil production has recovered from an all-time low of 1.1 million barrels per day (BPD) in August 2022 prior to signing the contract to an average of over 1.4 million BPD in November, translating to an increase of over 300,000 BPD. Data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) also reveal that more wells and associated surface facilities that were shut down because of incessant theft and vandalism are being reopened. Similar impact is being recorded on gas production.

Prior to this period, according to industry sources, outage of major trunklines had severely impacted gas production and evacuation thus depriving gas power plants and gas-based industries feedstock for operations and gas

Major General Ndiomu exports through NLNG. Several factors, including renewed offensive by the military and closer collaboration with the communities by industry operators may be responsible for

this but one can also not discount the efforts of ex-militant leaders who know the terrain.

Besides, keeping a man like Tompolo on the side of the law is a no-brainer.

Before I make my point, let me quickly add that the amnesty programme was not an event. It was a process designed to improve the environment, human capacity, and overall development in the Niger Delta.

And it was well planned. To commence the exercise, President Yar’Adua constituted an amnesty panel headed by Major General Godwin Abbe (rtd). Members included Elder Godswill Orubebe, then Niger Delta Minister, Air Chief Paul Dike, Chief of Defence Staff at the time, Mike Okiro, then Inspector General of Police, Mr Bukhari Bello, a legal practitioner, Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, a retired federal permanent secretary as well as representatives of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ondo, and Rivers States.

The Presidential directive to the committee included preparation of a step-by-step framework for amnesty and complete disarmament, demobilization, and re-integration of ex-militants with appropriate timelines. By the presidential mandate, those with criminal records should not be allowed to take advantage of the amnesty while the panel was to work out the cost to government. The panel was also given the leeway to examine any other matter considered relevant to its assignment and was allowed to invite any person or group of people that could assist them.

The first issue the panel resolved was the

legal hurdle of whether the president could offer amnesty to people who had not been convicted of any offence. Their conclusion was that although the term ‘Amnesty’ is not mentioned in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, Section 175 empowers the president to grant pardon to any person concerned with or convicted of any offence. “The same section divides the power of pardon into two categories. These are those that concern persons who have committed offences but have not been prosecuted, and those who have been prosecuted and convicted of offences. The panel believes that the amnesty being proposed would encourage the militants to voluntarily come forward and be reconciled with society. The Panel therefore recommends that all categories of militants should be allowed to benefit from the amnesty which should take the form of a presidential broadcast whereby details of it would be proclaimed to the public, including the militants and the international community,” according to their report.

In the course of their work, the amnesty panel divided itself into four sub-committees: Amnesty, Disarmament and Demobilization, Publicity and Liaison and Rehabilitation and Reintegration and coopted many people from both public and private sectors. For the amnesty sub-committee chaired by Okiro, co-opted members included Dafe Akpedeye, SAN, G. E. Odegbaro, Bestman Nnwoka, O. J. Oworibo, Azubuko Udah and Y.M. Bichi (current Director General of the State Security Service).

Continued on page 27

Obasanjo, The Letter Writer

O

ne man who has cultivated the habit of writing letters at critical epochs in our history is President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Well-timed and brutally delivered, Obasanjo takes no prisoners when he decides to write a letter, especially if the recipient is in a position of power and authority. It is therefore little surprise that Musikilu Mojeed, one of the few genuine investigative reporters in the country (and co-founder/editor-in-chief of Premium Times) has decided to dig deep into Obasanjo’s letters in his book, ‘The Letterman’ that will be publicly presented in Abuja today. By putting context to these letters, including some that are already in the public domain and others that are private, the author has given us a window into the mind of Obasanjo.

After spending considerable time at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital to research the book, the author attests to the incredible record-keeping capacity of the former president who retains huge volumes of personal correspondence, including many more than 70 years old. “For instance, I saw a letter written to Obasanjo by his father, Amos, dated 16 February 1952. There were also at least nine letters written to him by his mother, Aje, between 2 February 1952 and 11 November 1955. Also preserved for posterity are at least nine letters to Obasanjo from his late younger sister and only sibling, Adunni.

So are letters by his children to him, beginning with one by his eldest daughter, Iyabo, dated 28 January 1977,” Mojeed wrote.

With a foreword by former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the 462-page book opens with the behind-the-scenes drama of how the author scooped Obasanjo’s December 2013 letter to the then incumbent President Jonathan and

the varied reactions that followed the damaging publication. But there was nothing unusual about the letter, given the history of the writer. According to the author, Obasanjo “has been writing to almost every key person who played important roles in the affairs of Nigeria, Africa and the world since 1969” and many of those letters are captured in the book. “Some letters are just goodwill messages, salutations, or expressions of appreciation for favours done to him or telephone calls made to him. Other letters deal with issues of governance, they contain Obasanjo’s suggestions to public officials in Nigeria and elsewhere on workable solutions to some burning controversial matters. Several letters are however strongly worded criticisms and expressions of anger and irritation at certain events.”

Among those who have received intemperate letters from Obasanjo are the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Second Republic President Shehu Shagari and General Sani Abacha, as well as General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Archbishop Peter Akinola. There are also several civil war exchanges with military colleagues. But Obasanjo also wrote endearing letters like the one to Austin Jay Jay Okocha in 2002, asking the mercurial midfield football player not to retire from the Super Eagles and another to American tennis legend, Serena Williams, through her father.

As explained to the author, Obasanjo did not have copies of his own letters that elicited replies from his parents because “he was not smart enough at the time to make duplicates for his files. But some of the letters clearly indicate they were replies to missives from Obasanjo.” I found this admission rather interesting because of my own experience, which confirms Obasanjo’s love for letter writing and meticulous record keeping.

On 12th November 2007, the first Council of State

meeting held under the late President Yar’Adua and as usual, Obasanjo was at the Villa. Even though he acknowledged greetings from other presidential aides, he ignored me, and it was not the first time.

As it would happen, during the Council of State meeting, my seat was directly behind Obasanjo’s and as the session progressed, I grew increasingly uncomfortable. At a point, I picked up the papers in front of me and wrote Obasanjo a note seeking forgiveness for whatever I may have done to rile him so much. He read it, looked back, and smiled.

About five minutes later, he handed me a piece of paper on which he wrote a terse reply: “Dear Segun, you are forgiven and restored. O.O.” The next day, as I walked to the office of then Chief of Staff, Major General Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), he handed me a piece of paper, “This is a photocopy of your handwritten note to Baba. He said I should collect from you a photocopy of his own response.”

That experience taught me the importance of keeping even the seemingly minutest of records. Meanwhile, despite that professed ‘forgiveness’, Obasanjo still reserved ten pages in Volume Two of ‘My Watch’ to deal me (and my late principal) heavy blows in response to my book, ‘Power, Politics and Death’ on the Yar’Adua years. But right now, I am in good standing with the tireless and perpetually restless ‘old soja’.

In ‘The Letterman’, Mojeed offers readers a treasuretrove which, as Kadaria Ahmed, points out in the blurb, “provides significant insight into the philosophy and politics (life and times, head, heart, and soul) of one of the most consequential post-colonial African leaders, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.” It is a book I strongly recommend, especially for those to whom President Obasanjo may have (at one point or another) prefaced his remark, ‘With all due respect’, before wielding the sledgehammer!

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