THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER 2020

States Eye Capital Market for Funds to Develop Infrastructure Edo to raise N25bn bond

Goddy Egene

A wave of fundraising by state governments from the capital market through bonds to develop infrastructure is in the offing, THISDAY checks

have revealed.

Many of the states are in dire financial straits owing to the economic headwinds caused by the double whammy of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp drop in global

oil price that have depleted their main sources of revenue from the Federation Account and internally generated revenue.

The capital market had provided funds to many

states in the past to finance infrastructure and Lagos State has been leading in this regards having raised billions of naira over the years.

Capital market operators told THISDAY that some state

governors are currently eyeing the stock market to raise funds for projects in their various states with a repayment plan spread over four or five years.

The chief executive officer of a leading investment bank

confided in THISDAY that his company has been approached by some commissioners of finance with the intention of approaching the market Continued on page 8

NCC Suspends Sale, Registration of New SIM Cards... Page 6 Thursday 10 December, 2020 Vol 25. No 9376. Price: N250

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Campbell, Mason to Grace ARISE Fashion Week Starting Today Vanessa Obioha The anticipated largest fashion event on the continent ARISE Fashion Week will commence today and will be graced by prominent international models.

Denizens of African fashion universe can look forward to seeing, a long-time partner and international supermodel Naomi Campbell, American model and first black male to walk for international fashion brand Chanel, Alton Mason,

and top Senegalese model Alpha Dia strut the runway in iconic pieces.

As the fashion world adjusts to the challenges of a pandemic-riddled year, ARISE Fashion Week will be bringing the best of African fashion to

a global audience virtually.

The show will be streamed live on the new ARISEPLAY streaming service and other ARISE/THISDAY platforms throughout the three days it holds.

This year's event is

significant in many ways. First, the spotlight will be on young designers. Previous editions have mainly focused on prominent fashion designers and spotlight a few rising stars.

About 150 designers across Africa applied to be featured

on the most glamorous runway in Africa but only 30 were selected. They include Pepper Row, Onalaja, Kenneth Ize, Fruche and Geto.

Not only will the selected Continued on page 8

Buhari Makes U-turn, Ignores House’s Summon on Constitutional Grounds AGF: Lawmakers lack powers to invite president Omo-Agege backs Malami as minority caucus, lawyers disagree We are yet to be informed of president’s change of mind, say legislators Davidson Iriekpen in Lagos, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Omololu Ogunmade, Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah, Adedayo Akinwale and Udora Orizu in Abuja A day before his commitment to honour an invitation by the House of Representatives to address lawmakers on what his administration is doing to combat rising insecurity, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday walked back on his promise.

The presidency cited the constitution, which the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said does not confer the power to summon the president on the National Assembly, for Buhari's change of mind.

However, the minister's position elicited divergent reactions from a cross-section of stakeholders, with Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, concurring with him while the House Minority Caucus and lawyers differed.

Notwithstanding the presidency's clarification, the House spokesman, Hon. Ben Kalu, told THISDAY yesterday that lawmakers were still expecting the president to fulfill to his promise to appear before them today.

Kalu anchored his position on the fact that the House has not been formally notified that the president would no longer honour the invitation.

House Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, had told State Continued on page 8

N’Assembly Pledges to Legalise SCR as Yakubu Begins Second Term... Page 5

COMMITTING TO ELECTORAL REFORM...

L-R: Deputy Whip of the Senate, Senator Sabi Abdullahi; Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters, Senator Kabiru Gaya; and President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, during a public hearing by the Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters on the electoral act amendment bill 2020 in Abuja…yesterday julius atoi

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

N’Assembly Pledges to Legalise SCR as Yakubu Begins Second Term To pass electoral act amendment bill Q1 2021

Chuks Okocha in Abuja Prof. Mahmood Yakubu yesterday began his second and final tenure as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with a pledge to improve on the nation's electoral processes, with a view to delivering better elections.

Yakubu took his oath of office before President Muhammadu Buhari as part of activities of the 27th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which held in Abuja.

His pledge to give the nation better elections coincided with the National Assembly's commitment to provide the legal framework for the deployment of smart card readers in future elections.

Buhari had reappointed Yakubu as INEC chairman for another five-year term on October 27, making him the first incumbent to get a second term after the Senate ratified his nomination on December 1.

Speaking after he was sworn in, Yakubu, who will take over from Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mu'azu, who held forth at the expiration of his first term, urged Nigerians to expect better elections in his second term.

His first term had come under criticism, especially for

the spate of elections declared inconclusive under his watch.

He said: "We have clearly demonstrated in recent elections that elections are getting better and they will continue to get better.

"The National Assembly is holding a public hearing on the amendment of the electoral legal framework. This is important and this time around, working with the National Assembly, we'll ensure a speedy passage of the amendment bill and once it is assented to, it will help us enormously in confronting the challenges ahead.

"The preparations for 2023 general election have proceeded in earnest, we need certainty and, therefore, the electoral legal framework is fundamental, without which we cannot formulate our regulations and guidelines. Without our regulations and guidelines, we cannot conclude work on the manual for the training of ad-hoc staff for the elections."

N'Assembly Commits to Legalising Smart Card Reader

use of functional card readers for elections in each of the 8,803 polling units in Nigeria compulsory.

It vowed to complete legislative work on the new Electoral Act before the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Card readers, an electronic device for accreditation of eligible voters at each of the polling units before voting was introduced in the 2015 general election, but not made compulsory for an election to take place in the event of malfunctioning.

The 2010 Electoral Act, as amended in 2015, gave room for the use of manual voters’ registers after filling of index form.

But in the new Electoral Act in the works, the use of functional card readers for accreditation of voters will be made compulsory in future elections.

Explaining the new provisions, the Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon Aishatu Dukku, said at

a joint public hearing held on the two different legislations being worked upon for the conduct of future elections, that the new provisions are contained in the amendments being made to section 49 of the 2010 Electoral Act. According to her, a new subsection(3) is introduced, which provides thus: "Where a smart card reader deployed for accreditation of voters fails to function in any unit and a fresh card reader is not deployed, the election in that unit shall be cancelled and another election shall be scheduled within 24 hours."

She added that new amendments are also being sought to sections 52(2), and 63 of the proposed bill.

The proposed amendment in section 52(2) states: "In 2015, this section was amended to give INEC the discretion to determine the procedure for voting.

"Now it seeks to further amend the provision to allow the commission to conduct

elections by electronic voting or any other method of voting as it may seem fit."

Section 63(4) of the proposed laws makes provision for transmission of election results conducted at each of the polling units to the first level of collation of results to which the polling unit belongs in the constituency where the election is held.

Other new provisions in the bill titled "Repeal of the Electoral Act No.6 2010 (amendment bill) 2020" are that date for the conduct of primary elections by political parties for their candidates must hold between 120 and 150 days to the date of the election.

Others are that expenses to be made by any presidential candidate should not exceed N5 billion, gubernatorial candidates N1 billion, senatorial candidates N100 million and House of Representatives candidates N70 million.

Others are state Assembly membership candidates N30 million, local government chairmanship candidates

N30 million and N5 million for councillorship candidates.

In his remarks, while declaring the public hearing open, the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, said the proposed bills, which are repealing the Electoral Act No 6.

2010 for a more comprehensive one and enacting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Act 2020 will be passed before the end of the first quarter of 2021.

According to him, more than 85 requests were made by various stakeholders for amendments, which will be critically looked into to give Nigerians more credible electoral process.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, also said the proposed amendments to the electoral laws are important for both politics and governance in Nigeria.

"Until we fix the way we do politics in Nigeria, we cannot fix the way we run the government," he said.

Also yesterday, the National Assembly expressed its commitment to speed up the passage of the amendment to the Electoral Act to make the

NNPC Restates Commitment to Cutting Costs, Remaining Competitive Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has again pledged its commitment to slash the cost of producing oil to $10 per barrel, to enable it to remain competitive and deliver value to Nigerians.

A statement from the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, quoted NNPC Group Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari, as making the pledge during the 20th Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference (NOG) themed: “Fortifying the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry for Economic Stability & Growth,� which held virtually.

Kyari projected that the global demand in the oil and gas industry will remain suppressed till the end of 2020. He, however, noted that despite all the forecasts, oil will continue to play a significant role in the energy mix till 2050.

He said: “So, it doesn’t mean oil will vanish. What it means is that in terms of its significance, in terms of the volumes of contribution, it will reduce as the years go by. “It is also true that many countries have made significant business decisions in the use of fossil fuel, including the

United Kingdom, which has said that no car will run on fossil fuel in the next 10 years.

This portends a huge change in the way we consume fuel and as we progress, many countries may follow suit.�

According to him, the ensuing global oil challenge will have an impact on NNPC’s production, which means that the corporation must become more cost-efficient and be quick to reach the market. “As a national oil company (NOC), looking forward to 2021 means we have to be more resilient and efficient in our operations. As a country, we have decided to bring down the cost of our oil production so as to remain competitive, be able to get to market earlier and remain in this game and ultimately, return value to our shareholders," the GMD added.

He explained that the NNPC is striving to deepen domestic gas utilisation by emplacing the right fiscal environment and the right infrastructure in order to generate more employment and broaden Nigeria's economy.

Kyari said the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is the key enabler to ensure that NNPC’s fiscal environment becomes more competitive and transparent, where investors can project into the next 30 years.

TAKING REAL ESTATE FORWARD...

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Special Adviser to Governor on Innovation and Technology, Mr. Tunbosun Alake; and Oniru of Iruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, during the opening of the Maiden Real Estate Marketplace Conference and Exhibition in Lagos‌yesterday

House Seeks FG’s Intervention on Ports' Access Roads Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to pay special attention to the construction of port access roads.

It also urged the federal government to dedicate a greater part of two months revenue generated by the four commands of Apapa, Tincan Island, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal and PTML for the construction of all the access roads leading to the ports in order to complete the roads in two months for optimal revenue generation.

The resolution of the House was a sequel to the adoption of a motion on urgent public importance moved by Hon. Leke Abejide at the plenary yesterday.

Moving the motion, Abejide said the House Committee on Customs and Excise embarked

on a week-long oversight of Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service Command to ascertain the level of revenue generation and also to find out their challenges in order to find a way of addressing them using the Customs budget of 2021.

He added that the committee, having gone round the commands under a difficult terrain, discovered that if the problems facing the commands are not tackled, Nigerian ports could collapse soon.

The lawmaker noted that businesses, commuters and residents along these access roads are subjected to nuisance, pollution and emissions to the environment.

According to him, due to the challenges of inaccessibility to ports, it takes an average of 60 days to do a turnaround of a container, whereas should there be easy access to the ports, the

turnaround within Lagos should not be more than five days.

He added that the implication is that the country is losing an average of five times the revenue it should have made if the access roads were good.

The lawmaker said despite the challenges, the Nigerian Customs Service in four commands within the port, viz: the Apapa, Tincan lsIand, PTML and Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, generate an average of N100 billion in one month.

He explained that the revenue could rise to N500 billion monthly if the access roads to the ports were to be in order.

Abejide expressed concern that in addition to the poor condition of the port access roads, extortion by officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), security department, police and the Presidential Task

Force remain the major cause of unending gridlock along the port access roads.

He said stakeholders such as importers, clearing agents and truck owners alleged that they are forced to pay as much as N250,000 to N280,000 per truck for entries and exits to the ports.

He called for measures to stop the alleged extortion and the scrapping of the presidential task force for outliving its usefulness.

After considering the motion, the House urged the federal government to pay special attention to the construction of access road leading to the ports in Lagos.

It also urged shipping lines to "forthwith gate-in exports and empty containers by sea to the ports through the waterways by barges directly to the vessels or the terminals where the vessels should pick them."

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NCC Suspends Sale, Registration of New SIM Cards Emma Okonji The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed mobile network operators to immediately suspend the sale and activation of new SIM cards to allow an audit of the Subscriber Registration Database.

The Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, in a statement yesterday, said it was necessary for operators to comply until the audit had been concluded.

According to him, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, has directed the commission to embark on an audit of the database.

He, however, said an exemption might be granted following approval from the federal government through the commission.

He warned that noncompliance with the directive would attract sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating licence.

Adinde said the audit would help to consolidate the achievement of the SIM card registration.

The director explained that the objective of the audit was to ensure compliance with set quality standards and requirements by mobile network operators.

According to him, the directive became necessary in view of the preponderance of pre-registered SIMs with the attendant security implications associated with their use to facilitate criminal activities.

In May 2019, the NCC had announced the second phase of an audit of SIM registration data and registration processes.

The exercise started in 2011 with the introduction of the Subscriber Registration Regulations and Registration Specifications in 2011.

It hit a climax in August 2015 when telcos were given a deadline to disconnect SIMs found not to be fully compliant with registration requirements, or risk being

penalised.

In 2019, the commission announced that it found that

the SIM registration of 95.7 million subscribers was not properly carried out.

In November 2015, the NCC fined all the four major telcos for violating Section

20(1) of the Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulation of 2011.

RECONSTRUCTION ESTIMATES...

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, during the presentation of the 2021 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly in Maiduguri‌yesterday

NSIA: Investment in Infrastructure will Boost Nigeria’s Economy Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie The Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji, has again stressed the need for Nigeria to turn its infrastructure into investible assets by investing more in it.

According to him, the National Pension Funds will be a veritable source of revenue to fund national infrastructure investment, if properly managed.

Orji, while featuring on The Morning Show, the flagship breakfast programme on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, said creative ways

must be looked at to address the country's infrastructure challenges.

He said: “We need to turn infrastructure into investible assets that have more economic values as opposed to just doing the roads, leaving it and not monetising it. The idea is to package the project as investment entities and offer them to investors. Looking at Lagos- Ibadan Expressway, I did a tour of it recently and I could see an incredibly profitable project; but it’s just being allowed to waste.

So the essence of this is to turn infrastructure into investible assets. “National investment is everybody's business. Pensions

funds will invest, NSIA will invest and it is also open for individuals and organisations to invest because we believe these are all profitable projects."

According to him, infrastructure deficit needs to be addressed as well but the government does not have enough resources to do so.

Addressing the issues surrounding pension funds, Orji clarified that there was no attempt by state governors to borrow from retirement savings.

He explained that when some projects were being developed and designed, with the intention to fund them from the National Pension Funds, all parties, including the pension commission, a representative

of the PFAs, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministry of Finance amongst others, were all involved. “We need to realise that this was not done in isolation and the outcome was to turn infrastructure into investible assets.

"This is an investment opportunity and not an attempt to raid or grab the pension funds. All these are still talked about and worked on; none of them is operational yet.

There is a lot of structuring and consultation that needs to be done. We are still a little bit far away from real implementation but this is about turning infrastructure into investment opportunities

for both the NSIA and the pension funds.

If it does not work for the NSIA, it will not invest. And I will assume that pension funds managers and administrators will not invest if it does not work for them,� Orji stated.

He, however, noted that the year was ending quite well for the NSIA and most organisations from a performance stand point despite the negative and low-interest rate environment.

He added that COVID-19 has also made an impact domestically and internationally.

"On the domestic part, it’s been quite disruptive. It has caused delays in construction, commissioning and logistics.

Internationally, it has forced a significant response by both the monetary and fiscal policy instruments and the authorities, especially the central bank, and so there is a huge influx of liquidity. “In Nigeria, where the investments in treasury bills are now incredibly low, that has forced interest rates down across the world.

"The good news is that this has led to a significant improvement in the value of other assets. Our equity investments have done very well. Equity prices are higher both locally and internationally.

It has also led to volatility and it’s a time when you can make good returns," he said.

AfDB President Urges Nigeria, Others to Unlock $1trn Pension Funds Nume Ekeghe President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has called on policymakers in Nigeria and other African countries to unlock over $1 trillion funds locked in pension and insurance assets to bridge the continent’s huge infrastructure deficit.

Speaking at the Bloomberg Africa Media Initiative (ABMI) 20 Innovator Chat 2020 yesterday, Adesina said African countries must begin to move towards funding growth and development through

available funds from pension and insurance.

He added that African countries need to reduce their debt burden to give more room for growth and development.

He said: “African outstanding debt estimated at over $700 billion has been compounded by the rising share of commercial creditors who hold over $44 billion in Eurobond debt for 10 African countries while G20 initiative on debt service suspension has helped 22 African countries to access $5.2 billion in relief of payments. “This represents only

about four per cent of the total bilateral debt of Africa.

The lesson for Africa is clear.

Africa simply cannot accelerate its development by relying solely on debt, especially expensive bilateral debt. Africa must grow by mobilising domestic resources, especially by unlocking its over $1 trillion pension funds, sovereign wealth fund and insurance funds. “This should be better harnessed to help close the annual infrastructure financing gap as estimated by the bank to be anything between $64 billion to $108 billion annually. Africa

will build back faster by also harnessing and better managing the revenue streams from its abundant natural resources, including minerals metals, biodiversity, low economy forex resources, agriculture, oil and gas in order to boost domestic savings."

According to him, job creation and transparency in governance are pertinent towards achieving inclusive growth.

"Going forward, more transparent governance over natural resources must form a key component of financing Africa’s growth. As Africa builds

back, priority should be on the quality of growth not just the quantum of growth. Growth must be more focused on the sector that is better able to create jobs, youth and the women must be given priority," he stated.

Adesina pledged the AfDB's continued support for Africa’s recovery in several ways to help create a more conducive environment for the youth in the continent.

He said the continental bank would support countries to establish youth entrepreneurship investment banks to create financial ecosystems around

the businesses of youths.

In addition, the AfDB will mobilise $5 billion for businesses of women through its affirmative finance action for women initiative. “The bank will continue to support access to energy to drive Africa’s recovery and growth process through accelerated investments in renewable energy. We will redouble efforts to develop what we call desert power initiative that will provide electricity for 280 million people in the Sahel through solar. The bank will no longer fund coal projects," he added.

Lagos Bans Burial on Residential Premises The Lagos State Government says the use of residential premises as morgues, embalmment centres or burial sites remain banned in the state.

This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Burial prohibited on residential premises – LASG’ on yesterday.

The statement quoted the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Law Reform Commission, Mrs Ade

Adeyemo, as saying that the prohibition was to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases in the State.

While noting that “it is an offense to use residential premises as morgues, embalmment centres or burial sites�, Adeyemo stressed that the commission is tasked with the onerous responsibility of updating and reviewing laws that address immediate and peculiar needs of Lagosians at every point in time.

She said, “The Law Reform Commission is saddled with the responsibility of reviewing and reforming laws with a view to effecting necessary changes to make them more modern, fair, just, efficient, accessible and bring them in consonance with the prevailing social and moral values of society. “In this regard, the commission, after review, found it expedient to ensure that the Lagos State Public

Health Law was expanded to include present-day disease outbreaks like the Ebola, Lassa fever and other communicable diseases.�

The Executive Secretary reiterated that “there are procedures to be taken in order to eliminate all anomalies and repeal, review and reform obsolete, spent and unnecessary laws which at a time were necessary but as the State evolves, they become inapplicable because they do

not fit the prevailing situations and circumstances�.

She noted that the very first compendium of laws in the State was the 1973 laws of Lagos State which was a merger of the laws that existed in the former Federal Territory of Lagos and those of Former Western Nigeria, adding that the present Law Reform Commission evolved out of the short term State Law Review Committees/ Commissions saddled with

the responsibilities of previous law reforms.

The Executive Secretary explained that some of the Laws and Bills that have been reviewed and forwarded to the House of Assembly for the benefit of the general public include the Animals Bill, Electric Power Sector Reform Law, Tenancy Bill, Real Estate Regulatory Bill, Lotteries and Gaming Authority Law and Law Enforcement Training Institute Bill, among others.

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PAGE EIGHT BUHARI MAKES U-TURN, IGNORES HOUSE’S SUMMON ON CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS House reporters last Wednesday, when he led a delegation to convey the House’s invitation to Buhari that the president had pledged to honour the invitation.

The summoning of the president followed the consideration of a motion on December 1, moved by Hon. Satomi Ahmed, on behalf of 10 other Borno State federal lawmakers, to summon Buhari, and to amongst other things, declare a state of emergency on some areas to tackle the worsening insecurity.

The motion was informed by the killing of over 43 rice farmers in Zabarmari village, near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on November 28.

Although Gbajabiamila was non-committal on the date of the president's appearance, THISDAY had exclusively reported last week that the president might appear before the House today.

Buhari's Special Assistant (New Media), Ms. Lauretta Onochie, in a tweet a few days later, confirmed that the president would honour the House’s invitation today.

But a few days after committing himself to honour the House's invitation, the president came under pressure of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and other party bigwigs not to honour the invitation.

THISDAY had exclusively reported in its lead story in yesterday's edition that at the APC's National Executive Committee (NEC), chaired by Yobe State Governor, Mr. Mala Buni, on Tuesday, in Abuja, the party's foremost organ had queried the summon of the president by the House and prevailed on him to rescind his decision to appear before the joint session of the National Assembly today.

It was gathered that at the NEC meeting, a prominent South-west governor had reportedly put Gbajabiamila on the spot for allowing the motion summoning the president to pass, advising Buhari to ignore the invitation.

The Chairman, Caretaker/ Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Buni, had said at the meeting that the party had decided that Buhari should not appear in the National Assembly today.

Gbajabiamila reportedly interjected that it would be the president’s prerogative to determine whether to honour the summon or not.

It was also learnt yesterday that in furtherance of the NEC's decision, APC governors, led by the Chairman, APC Governors' Forum and Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, met behind closed doors on Tuesday night with party lawmakers on

why they are opposed to the president honouring the House's invitation.

They were said to have raised concerns about opposition lawmakers heckling the president to embarrass him and the party.

THISDAY gathered the lawmakers were not happy with the party's position but there was little or nothing they could do so as not to appear to be confrontational with party authorities.

However, Malami's intervention yesterday, challenging the House’s power to invite the president, made his non-appearance today before the lawmakers a fait accompli.

Malami, in a statement, said the ‘’confidentiality of strategies’’ employed by the president as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not open for public exposure in view of the security implications that could undermine the war against terror. ‘’The fact that President Muhammadu Buhari was instrumental to the reclaiming of over 14 local governments previously controlled by the Boko Haram in North-east is an open secret, the strategies for such achievement are not open for public expose,’’ the minister stated.

According to him, Buhari enjoys constitutional privileges attached to the Office of the President, including ‘’exclusivity and confidentiality investiture in security operational matters," which remains sacrosanct.

Malami added that the National Assembly has no constitutional power to envisage or contemplate a situation where it could summon the president on operational use of the armed forces.

He argued: ‘’The management and control of the security sector is exclusively vested in the president by Section 218 (1) of the Constitution as the Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces, including the power to determine the operational use of the armed forces. ‘’An invitation that seeks to put the operational use of the armed forces to a public interrogation is indeed taking the constitutional rights of lawmaking beyond bounds. As the commander-inchief, the president has exclusivity on security and has confidentiality over security. ‘’These powers and rights he does not share. So, by summoning the president on national security operational matters, the House of Representative operated outside constitutional bounds. President’s exclusivity of constitutional confidentiality investiture within the context of the constitution

remains sacrosanct."

While condoling with the bereaved and sympathising with the victims of insecurity in the country, Malami said national security is not about publicity and the nation’s security architecture cannot be exposed for the sake of getting publicity.

He added that Buhari has recorded tremendous success in containing the ‘’hitherto incessant bombing, colossal killings, wanton destruction of lives and property’’ that bedevilled the country before his presidency in 2015.

Although Malami was not categorical in his statement whether or not the president will appear today before the House, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, while responding to THISDAY inquiry on the president honouring the invitation said Buhari would not need to do so anymore, given the clarification by the AGF. Adesina explained that the AGF had issued a statement stating that the summon was at variance with the constitution.

"The AGF has released a statement on the nonconstitutionality of it," he said.

A senior aide to Gbajabiamila, who craved anonymity, also confided in THISDAY last night that the president would no longer honour the House’s invitation.

We've Not Been Informed of Buhari's Change of Mind, Says House But the House spokesperson, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, told THISDAY that he doesn’t want to react to rumour, saying Buhari has not officially communicated his decision not to honour the initial invitation.

Kalu, while reacting to THISDAY’s enquiry, added that the House still awaits official communication from the presidency on Buhari's appearance today.

"We are yet to be communicated formally if he (Buhari) is not coming," Kalu stated.

Row over Malami's Claim on Constitutionality of House's Invitation Prominent lawyers, including one of Malami's predecessors, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), as well as Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) and Mr. Raji Ahmed (SAN), however, disagreed with the AGF on his verdict that the House lacks the constitutional power to invite the president, especially on security issues.

But Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, backed the minister's position.

The senior lawyers, in separate interviews with THISDAY, said the National Assembly is legally empowered to summon the president on any issue.

They cited various constitutional provisions that empower the lawmakers to invite the president or any other public officer to answer questions on any issue.

According to Olujimi, the National Assembly has a duty to call on anyone, including the president, when the need arises.

"When matters like these happen, particularly the issue of security, they are entitled to find out from the number one citizen what exactly he is doing or proposing to do in regards to the insecurity in the country.

"It is not an issue that we begin to debate the constitutionality or otherwise of the call on Mr President," he said.

Also sharing the same views with Olujimi, Falana described Malami's statement as just "an attempt to look for justification for the unsolicited advice of the state governors."

He, however, appealed to the president to ignore the governors' advice, which is not only misleading but aimed at putting him to ridicule.

"Having undertaken to honour the invitation, the president should ignore the misleading advice of those trying to expose him to ridicule by portraying the president as inconsistent or a man who cannot honour his own words," he stated.

On the legality of the summon, Falana said sections 88 and 89 of the constitution as amended empower the National Assembly to summon any public officer in the country.

"The fact that the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces does not inhibit the National Assembly from asking him to explain what has happened to the funds earmarked for the defence of the country," Falana said.

Raji, however, described Malami's argument as "90 per cent in political content and less than 10 per cent of law."

While noting that the court is the best place to decide whether the National Assembly has the powers or not to summon the president, Raji called for a jettisoning of the presidential system of government currently practised in Nigeria.

"I think the matter should be tested in court. But most importantly, we should jettison the presidential system for a modified parliamentary system.

I wonder if any state official will

ever talk down on the House of Commons in the UK this way! I doubt if such can be uttered in any presidential system, including the USA," he said.

Another senior lawyer, Mr. Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), noted that what the National Assembly has done is not out of place when the provisions of Sections 14, 67, 88 and 218 (4) (a) of the constitution are taken into consideration.

"Much as it is beyond debate that the National Assembly cannot compel the president to appear, it is not subject to disputation that the National Assembly can invite the president to appear before it so as to address the members on the fundamental issue of national security," he said.

According to him, it will be downright insensitive and imprudent for the presidency to condemn the National Assembly by dishonouring the invitation, especially with the critical state of the nation’s security and general wellbeing.

"The National Assembly has unquestionable power to legislate on the issue of national security.

That being so, it can invite the president and or institute investigation into issues of national security. It may, however, be said that the word “summon� is too trenchant to be used in the context of the president. The more civil way to it is to say that the National Assembly has a right to invite the president," he explained.

The House Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, also faulted Malami's position.

He said the attempt to pressurise Buhari not to appear before the National Assembly shows that some highly placed political actors in the ruling party are placing politics over the protection of lives of Nigerians.

Okechukwu, in a statement yesterday, described Malami's position as “strange.�

He stated: "Without making undue efforts to win an argument, Section 89 (1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, clearly empowers the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with Section 62 of the constitution to procure evidence, written or oral and to ‘summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place. “Therefore, the attempt to pressurise Mr. President not to appear clearly shows that some highly placed political actors in the ruling party are placing politics over the protection of lives of Nigerians. The APC is evidently fiddling with propaganda and politics while Nigeria burns."

Okechukwu added that the invitation of the House was a prudent effort to find a lasting

STATES EYE CAPITAL MARKET FOR FUNDS TO DEVELOP INFRASTRUCTURE for bonds issuance.

The source said: “The market has in the past provided funds to some states for infrastructure and considering the current environment where rates are relatively low, the market is a good source for those who want to develop infrastructure in their states but do not have the required funds now. They can access the market now, raise the needed funds, put infrastructure in place to improve their internally generated revenue (IGR) and repay the bonds with little pressure on their finances. “I can tell you that some governors have approached my firm for consultation and once they meet the requirements stipulated by the Debt Management Office and market regulators, they will access the market soon.�

Apparently to buttress the claim of the operator, the Edo State Government is currently in the market to raise N25 billion bond to finance some infrastructural projects.

The state is using River

Jamieson SPV Limited to raise N25 billion Fixed Rate Senior Guaranteed Series 1 Bond. The offer opened on Monday and is expected to close tomorrow. The bond is being priced between 8.0 per cent and 9.0 per cent per annum.

Edo State is sponsoring and guaranteeing the bond by an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) on the state's revenue issued by the state's Ministry of Finance.

It was gathered that proceeds from the ISPO shall be remitted monthly into a Sinking Fund Account, established and managed by appointed Bond Trustees duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission) to meet all obligations in accordance with the Trust Deed.

It was learnt that Edo State is focusing on strengthening its public institutions, facilitating private sector investments, improving infrastructure and facilitating public education reform.

While its IGR was said to have

grown at 11 per cent between 2016 and 2019 (averaging N24 billion annually), with tax sources accounting for 67 per cent of IGR, it is embarking on raising capital to support infrastructural investments in order to enable it to improve upon its already strong growth trajectory.

Some market analysts said the state governments may be considering the bond option as moves to borrow from the N17 trillion pension assets are receiving stiff opposition.

For instance, the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to President

Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Director-General and Board of the National Pension Commission to use their statutory powers to stop the 36 state governors from borrowing or withdrawing N17 trillion from the pension funds purportedly for ‘infrastructural development. “Allowing the governors to borrow from pension funds would be detrimental to the interest of the beneficiaries of the funds, especially given the vulnerability of pension funds to corruption in Nigeria, and the transparency and accountability deficits in several states. It is patently unjust and contrary

to the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the Pension Reform Act and the country’s international anti-corruption and human rights obligations for the federal government and state governors to repeatedly target pension funds as an escape route from years of corruption and mismanagement in ministries, departments and agencies,� the organisation said.

SERAP expressed “serious concerns that the proposed borrowing by the 36 state governors from the pension funds would lead to serious losses of retirement savings of millions of Nigerians.�

CAMPBELL, MASON TO GRACE ARISE FASHION WEEK STARTING TODAY designers have the lifetime opportunity to showcase their creativity, they will also be rewarded for their talents. It is a first for the fashion event.

About $500,000 will be shared among participants in different competitive categories.

The designers will be judged based on aesthetics, presentation and market value.

Co-producer of the show, Ruth Osime, revealed recently that the monetary reward was deliberate and is a way of supporting young designers who often grapple with pecuniary challenges when launching.

"We're looking forward to launching a new designer that will also be making waves

internationally," said Osime. "It's not just enough for us to be known only in Nigeria. One of the ways to be successful is to spread your tentacles across the world."

She added that at least five designers will be given the credibility and exposure that they need to take their brand to the next level.

solution to the worsening insecurity in the country.

An erstwhile political adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Akin Osuntokun, said though the National Assembly has the powers to invite Buhari, the resolutions to do so only carry the force of moral and political persuasion.

According to him, "I think what he is saying is that they cannot mandate him to come; that the invitation is not legally binding. Not that they have no right to invite him. He can nonetheless decline the invitation.

Plenary resolutions, including the resolution to invite him, only carry the force of moral and political persuasion. “Normally it is the president who requests the National Assembly to invite him for the mandatory annual budget presentation or as it is the case in the United States to give the state of the union address. “However Nigeria is in a desperate social, political and economic situation that warrants such an invitation from the National Assembly. The problem is that, largely on account of its persistent immoral behaviour, this National Assembly doesn't command anyone's respect.�

Omo-Agege said the House or the National Assembly lacks the power to summon the president.

Referring to the United States whose system of government Nigeria adopted, Omo-Agege stated that the US Congress has never invited the president to appear before it.

He said: "I am a constitutionalist.

I believe that we are operating a presidential system of government.

I believe in the concept of the separation of power. We have three equal arms of government. “The framers of our constitution did not envisage that one arm of government will be summoning the head of another co-equal arm of government to come and offer an explanation on the floor. “I think those of you who are familiar with the constitutional process, I don't think you've ever heard that the US parliament had ever invited their president to appear before the House of Representatives or the US Senate unless for the purpose of budget or to address the state of the nation. “In any event, we also have the concept of executive privilege.

The executive arm of government has the power to claim executive privilege at any time any of such invitation is extended. “It is not envisaged by the framers of the constitution that a day will come where the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who heads the executive arm, would be asked to come and testify in the House of Representatives or the Senate. “I do not also support that. I don't believe that the president should come.�

TOP GAINERS FTNCOCOA UNIONDAC CHAMS PLC UNITYBANK REGENCY TOP LOSERS ROYALEXCH ARDOVA MBENEFITS

NGN NGN 0.03 0.37 0.02 0.27 0.01 0.22 0.03 0.67 0.01 0.23 NGN 0.02 0.21 1.25 13.20 0.02 0.22 CHAMPBREW 0.08 0.90 FIDSON 0.38 4.50 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś1,400.00 Volume: 283.091 million shares Value: N3.420 billion Deals: 3,855 As at yesterday 9/12/2020 See details on Page 37

% 8.8 8.0 4.7 4.6 4.5 % 8.7 8.6 8.3 8.1 7.7

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

ASUU: Why We Have Not Suspended Our Strike Onyebuichi Ezigbo in Abuja The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday gave conditions that must be satisfied before calling off its nine months old strike.

The lecturers said they did not reach any understanding with the government to suspend the strike on December 9, 2020.

The President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, made the clarification in a statement entitled: ‘Why the strike has not been suspended.’

He said the union representatives only told the federal government’s delegation that it would take the

government’s offer to the branches through the various organs of the union and report back.

According to him, there was nothing in the government offer of November 27, 2020, to suggest that conclusion as allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

He said, “The leadership of ASUU has been inundated with enquiries on why the ongoing strike action has not been suspended. This was sequel to the widely reported claims by some government agents that all the demands of ASUU have been met and that the union agreed to suspend the strike action today, 9th December, 2020. Nothing can

Ghanaian President, Akufo-Addo Wins Second Term President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana has been declared winner of the 2020 election.

According to the Ghanaian electoral commission, AkufoAddo fended off a hard-fought challenge from his predecessor winning 51.59 per cent of the s against old rival, John Mahama, with 47.37 per cent.

Mahama said on Tuesday he was in the lead and hoped there would be no attempts to “steal the election”.

Akufo-Addo has promised to implement a $US17 billion ($A23 billion) program to boost growth in one of West Africa’s largest economies.

The coronavirus pandemic hit the price of oil and cocoa exports this year, resulting in the first quarterly contraction in nearly 40 years for Ghana, one of Africa’s largest gold producers.

He will be under pressure to rein in government spending that has pushed the debt-toGDP ratio past 70 per cent and prompted warnings from the

International Monetary Fund.

“My immediate task is to continue the process of reversing the effect COVID-19 might have had on our economy and our lives and put the nation on course for a full economic recovery and development,” Akufo-Addo said yesterday.

Supporters danced, screamed and waved flags at a conference hall in the capital Accra.

“There has been a lot of contentions and tensions from both the NPP and the NDC but I am glad it has ended in peace,” said voter Amadu Salisu.

Ghanaian Police Service said it had recorded over 60 incidents of violence since the morning of the election, resulting in five deaths and marring Ghana’s recent record of mostly peaceful elections.

A European Union observer mission said the election was well organised but “unregulated political finance, misuse of state resources and numerous instances of vote-buying resulted in an unlevel playing field”.

FG Targeting Completion of East-West Road December 2021, Says Akpabio Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The federal government is targeting the completion and delivery of the entire stretch of the East-West Road, from Sections 1 to 5 on or before December 6, 2021, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has said.

Expressing his ministry’s commitment to deliver Section I-IV of the road in line with the present administration’s aspiration, he explained that efforts were on to see to the award of Sectiona V (OronCalabar) after necessary technical reviews.

The minister made the disclosure during a round table meeting of counterparts on the complementary programme for the road project, held recently in Abuja.

A statement released by the ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Patricia Deworitshe, qouted Akpabio as saying that the target of the ministry is to deliver completely Sections I-IV of the East West road on or before December 6.

Then ensure the revalidation and award of contract for Section V covering Oron-

Calabar initially awarded to RCC Construction Company by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), but was later abandoned due to the astronomical cost of the project when it was re-routed.

Akpabio, who appreciated the commitment of members of the counterparts’ team, noted that these deliverables would not be complete without a virile management support for the road.

“It is not just the road that is important but also the management of the corridor such that it will enable the development of aesthetics and other infrastructures along the road network,” he said.

Akpabio added that the commitment of the ministry to the roundtable meeting must therefore be complimented by the support of all the counterparts in terms of action to ensure the beauty and sustainability of government efforts and development agencies on the road over the years.

The high point of the occasion was the presentation of advisory notes to representatives of counterparts at meeting.

be farther from the truth!

“To put the records straight, the Principal Officers and Trustees who constitute the core of representatives of ASUU at negotiation meetings with government are not constitutionally empowered to suspend any strike action.

“Whatever comes out of an engagement with agents of the government is an offer which must be taken back to the branches through the various organs of the union.

“Views and perspectives on offers by governments are aggregated and presented to government agents as counteroffers. This trade union strategy of offer and counter-offer is continually deployed until the National Executive Council

of ASUU – consisting of all recognised chairpersons – finally approves what it considers an acceptable offer from the government. It is only then that any strike action by ASUU can be suspended.

“At our last meeting in the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment on 27th November, 2020, the ASUU leadership promised to faithfully present the latest government offer to its members through the established tradition. The latest offer by government makes proposals on nearly all items of demand by the union with timelines.

“Among others, the document which was signed by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris

Ngige, contains proposals on inauguration of the reconstituted FGN-ASUU Renegotiation Committee (1st December, 2020); release of details about Visitation Panels (December 1 2020); working on the actualisation of the release of the withheld salaries of ASUU members (Wednesday December 9 2020). Clause 9 on the document reads: “Based on these conclusions reached on items 1-8, ASUU’s leadership will consult its organs with a view to suspending the on-going strike” (Italics, for emphasis).

“Therefore, the ASUU leadership did not reach any understanding with government to suspend the strike on December 9 2020 and there is nothing in the government offer of November 27 2020 to suggest that conclusion as

allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment.

“The leadership of ASUU has consistently stated at every meeting with high ranking government officials that the union’s representatives have no mandate to take final decision on any strike action by the union. All the leadership does is to present government offers through its organs, and that we have done faithfully in the current situation.

“ASUU recognises and appreciates the concerns of all Nigerians who have been calling for an early resolution of the ongoing crisis. It was a needless crisis in the first place.

It happened because government has consistently failed to faithfully implement the Agreements it freely signed with the union.

WELCOME BACK...

L-R: Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Mr. Uche Ogah; Minister of State for Works and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu; and Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the inauguration of Yakubu for a second term at the Presidential Villa in Abuja…yesterday

House Proposes 30-day Cabinet Formation for President, Govs Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives is proposing compelling a new president or governor to constitute his cabinet within 30 days after inauguration or risk impeachment by the National Assembly or state House of Assembly.

The Transition and Assumption of Office Bill, 2020, sponsored by Mr Kpam Sokpo, in which the proposal is being made, was introduced at the House yesterday.

The bill also seeks to establish a special fund for the presidential transition committee and to also compel state governors to also name

their cabinets within the same time.

It reads in part, “Subject to Sections 147 and 302 of the Constitution, the President shall on assumption of office, appoint ministers within 30 days from the date he took the oath of office.

“The president shall constitute and appoint all boards of government agencies and parastatals that are due for constitution and appointment within two months from the date of his assumption of office.

“Where the president fails to comply with the provisions of this section without any justifiable reason, he shall

be guilty of a misconduct as provided under Section 143(2) (b) of the Constitution.”

Section 143(2) of the constitution lists what constitute impeachable offenses for the president.

Section 8(1) of the bill also reads, “There is established the Transition and Assumption of Fund for the administration of the committee into which shall be paid such sums as shall be appropriated by the National Assembly for the purpose of transition and assumption of office in a Presidential election year.

“The president shall apply the funds appropriated by the National Assembly to

the cost of establishing and maintaining the office of the coordinator appointed under this bill. Payment of allowances and other benefits of the members of the committee.”

It also proposes that the office should “pay allowances and other benefits of the members of the committee, pay the emolument and entitlement of the coordinator and other members of staff of the Presidential Estates Unit established in this bill, publicise the activities of the committee and undertake any other activity in connection with all or any of the functions of the committee.”

DHQ: Amnesty’s Report Designed to Discredit Military Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Military authorities yesterday tackled human rights group, Amnesty International (AI) over its recent report on military operations in the North-east, saying it discredited the military.

It said in a statement that the report, which, among other issues claimed that the military killed aged people who were fleeing conflict areas.

It said the research the AI claimed it conducted did not meet the universal academic or global best practice criteria of having the justifiable percentage of sample in the population, claimed to have been investigated and thus may not be credible.

The statement signed by the Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, queried the loyalty of the respondents

interviewed by the organisation and wondered whether they were loyal to Boko Haram or peace loving Borno citizens.

“The attention of the Nigerian military has been drawn to the recent report released by Amnesty International (AI) in its chapter 3 as ‘Nigerian military crimes.’

“In as much as the Nigerian military do not wish to join issues, it is imperative to clear the air. In the first place, the socalled research does not meet the universal academic or global best practice criteria, of having the justifiable percentage of sample in the population, claimed to have been investigated and thus may not be credible”, it said.

The DDMO noted that “for the entire so called research, the question is, to whom is the loyalty of the respondents selected by AI; Boko Haram or peace loving Borno citizens?

However, it is desirable in the interest of the general public to bring out some contradictions in the report that tends to criminalise the Nigerian military which is not true”.

It argued that “on page 34 of the report it stated: ‘AI interviewed only a few older people who had fled Boko Haram areas during 2020, so was unable to determine if there had been changes in the military’s behaviour over the last year’.

“Note; the inability of AI to determine the military’s behaviour. Additionally, in the said report, the AI claimed that soldiers killed older people, among others who were trying to flee from their homes.”

“This accusation is also baseless as the military is guided by extant regulations and Rules of Engagement”.

Enenche maintained that “AI

also admits on page 36 of their report that ‘during previous Amnesty International research, some former detainees, including children, admitted openly that they had been in the armed group - sometimes through recruitment and other times through abduction. AI cannot rule out that older people interviewed for this report at times supported Boko Haram’.

This is to buttress the fact that the military will and cannot detain civilians unlawfully”.

Additionally, AI stated that “In recent years, soldiers and CJTF members involved in ‘screening” have sent fewer older people, among other groups to detention. This report also states that “Conditions have improved in recent years, especially as the Red Cross received more access to some military detention facilities, including GIWA”.

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COMMENT

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

ASUU STRIKE: NO WORK NO PAY?

Ifeanyi P. Onyeonoru argues that the claims by the minister of labour and employment are deeply flawed

I

carefully read the press release of December 8, 2020 from the media office of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, regarding the on-going effort at resolving the industrial dispute between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The claims of the minister on ‘no work no pay’ rule are flawed on several counts.

First, the government lacks the right to impose a no work no pay rule on workers who embarked on a strike because it (government) violated the sanctity of collective agreement which it freely entered into with the trade union. If this is allowed to happen, then the industrial relations system would have lost the very self-regulatory pluralist value on which it is anchored.

Hence, in the current case, the federal government as the violator cannot at the same time reach out to invoke the no work no pay clause. This strike is clearly provoked by the government and by this singular act she strips herself of the morality and capacity to impose the no work no pay rule. Otherwise, the government could one day deny workers of their allowances thereby provoking them to embark on strike to demand it, then proceed to invoke the no work no pay rule to deny them of their salaries too. The minister had mooted the idea of taking ASUU to court - the National Industrial Court I suppose. I wish he does, so that he can be taught some lessons in collective agreement which is the centre-piece of the Nigerian industrial relations – at least going by the books.

Second, the case of the medical workers strike which the minister referred to must not be used as precedence for ASUU. Every case has to be treated on its own merit. Indeed if that case has to do with the reneging of a collective agreement by the government, then the no work no pay rule needed not apply.

Third, the minister has failed to see himself as a conciliator in industrial dispute which he is supposed to be. He is the aggressor, the accuser, the judge and the executioner. This runs fowl of the principle of natural justice as well as the letter and the spirit of ILO Conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory. In fact, it is the position of the ILO that a government cannot

THIS STRIKE IS CLEARLY PROVOKED

BY THE GOVERNMENT AND BY THIS SINGULAR ACT SHE STRIPS HERSELF OF THE MORALITY AND CAPACITY TO IMPOSE THE NO WORK NO PAY RULE

declare a strike in the public sector illegal, being one of the disputants. Someone should inform the minister that he is meant to be a conciliator – even if pretentiously. He is a public servant and not necessarily a government servant. Public interest should be the overriding interest and the guiding principle of the minister’s actions.

Thirdly, it is important for the minister to realize that the job description of the academic staff is officially three pronged, namely teaching, research and community service. These three dimensions are interwoven and mesh inextricably with each other. Until the minister is able to show evidence that no research and, or community service has been going on since February 2020 he has no basis to justify the imposition of the no work no pay clause. I think there is a subsistent court ruling on this matter, which the minister should avail himself of.

Fourth, what is this propaganda about paying lecturers’ salaries from February to June, 2020 by compassion? Did the government not shut down the institutions for about the said period due to COVID 19? Were the public servants not so compelled to withdraw their services for the period? Were they not being paid? What compassion are we talking about? This is cheap blackmail. The minister should be advised to stop using such demeaning terms for intellectuals.

Finally, one is beginning to feel that the minister is playing a cover up. Otherwise, I see no reason why he would, rather than facilitate the end of the strike (after all these efforts) by making the payments he goes on filer bursting. If the government is bankrupt the minister should come out clearly and say so rather than embark on rigmarole. It is also important he realizes that a hungry man is an angry man. He would not be deemed wise to allow lecturers to go to class without their pay. There is no need for a transfer of aggression which the minister seems to be calling for. Please let the sleeping dogs lie.

Onyeonoru is Professor of Workplace Relations, Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan

BENEDICT PETERS: A TRUE NIGERIAN EXPORT pays tribute to Peters, an entrepreneur with a dierence

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n a season when some Nigerians are being demonised across the world as agents of crime and criminalities, we cannot but raise our glasses to salute the likes of Adewale Adeyemo, Joe Biden appointee as Deputy Treasury Secretary; Dr. Onyema Ogbuagu, the Nigerian-American medic who was one of the brains behind the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. Or Benedict Peters, a Nigerian entrepreneur making waves in Africa and across the world as one who has built an enterprise from the scratch to a billion-dollar multinational.

Remember Kehinde Wiley? He’s a portrait painter of Black people who masterfully painted his way to the White House. He was commissioned in 2017 to paint a portrait of former President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery which showcases portraits of all the US presidents. Wiley is the first black artist to paint official portraits of any US president for the National Portrait Gallery.

The list is long. But we must say hello to Dr. Olurotimi John Badero who earned his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State before relocating to the United States where he became a specialist and interventional cardiologist, nephrologist and cardio-nephrologist, ranking as the world’s first and only fully trained cardio-nephrologist.

There are many more Nigerians doing exploits across the globe but the name Benedict Peters strikes a resonance with what portends the greatness of Nigeria. While others excelled as Nigerians in the White man’s land, Peters is excelling at home and successfully exporting his magical entrepreneurship skills from Nigeria to the rest of the world. He answers

the question: can anything good come out of Nigeria?

Yes, many good things have come out of Nigeria, wafting across several seas and mountains to add impactful fragrance to a world in need of heroes. Peters is one of them. He represents a true Nigerian export.

He symbolises the Nigerian spirit of derring-do, chutzpah and unvarnished excellence.

Last month, his company, Bravura Holdings Ltd., made history when it successfully entered into the competitive, capital-intensive and technology-driven platinum mining marketplace of Zimbabwe. To make good this feat, it shelled out the sum of $1 billion to engage in an industry once dominated by expatriates from Europe, the Americas and Asia. The beauty of this venture is that Peters, being a genuine pan-Africanist, would be fair to Zimbabweans and other Africans who would be directly or indirectly linked to his enterprise.

Peters would be stamping his big foot on a swathe measuring about 3,000 hectares (7,413-acre) of land in the Selous area, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Zimbabwe’s capital Harare where it plans to dig the mine. Reports said his choice of operational base is close to existing platinum mines.

Having already won the concession, a lot of activities are projected to happen in the next 18 months, explains Lionel Mhlanga, Bravura’s manager in Zimbabwe. “From where we are now, we will go to resource definition, after that we will go to resource modeling, after mine development and then mine construction. Those are all things that should happen in the next 18 months,� an obviously elated Mhlanga told the media during a tour

of the site last month.

The United States Geological Survey lists Zimbabwe as the third largest producer of platinum, only next to Russia and South Africa.

Currently, the Russian-Zimbabwean platinum venture, Great Dyke Investments (GDI), a joint venture (50% parity owned by Russia’s Vi Holding and Zimbabwean investors) is reputedly the biggest platinum mining project in the country with a $2 billion investment outlay. But the Bravura Holding venture represents the new African push for continental integration both in trade and production.

In Nigeria where Peters’ Aiteo Eastern E & P Company is the biggest domestic oil producer, the billionaire oil and gas magnate has demonstrably deployed his wealth to foster development, engender socioeconomic growth and improve the nation’s human development index.

From philanthropy to community development and sports sponsorship, Peters’ Aiteo has endeared itself to the hearts of the Nigerian people.

Since 2017, when it took over the sponsorship of Nigeria’s longest surviving club football league – The Challenge Cup – now aptly called Aiteo Cup, life has returned to the colourful multi-tier football fiesta, postponed this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is a pointer to the good times that await Zimbabweans with the admission of Bravura Holding into the exclusive club of platinum and other minerals miners in the country, a club dominated by Russian and Cypriot companies. Media reports say Bravura is already looking beyond platinum. Zimbabwe is endowed with treasures in her sub-soil and Peters’ company intends to explore mining lithium, rare earth minerals and tin in

Zimbabwe.

Beyond that, it’s also seeking to mine cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo, copper in Zambia, gold in Ghana and iron ore in Guinea, with eyes on exploring mining opportunities in Namibia and Botswana.

Quite a handful! It’s a case of Africa taking back Africa.

For far too long, Africa has left her richly endowed earth at the mercy of the western world. Nigeria has rich reserves of oil and gas which she yielded to western merchants and exploiters. It was not until Nigeria switched to the next gear in the promotion of local content in the sector that she started the journey of maximizing the benefits of having huge reserves of crude oil and gas.

Though, so much still remains to be done in the aspect of processing and minding the entire value chain, but the entry of the likes of Aiteo into Exploration and Production (E&P) has kindled hope that someday the owners of the resources would effectively process their resources and have full value of them.

Having made a success of his presence in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, Peters’ foray into Zimbabwe mining sector and plausibly into the mining sectors of other African nations is a priceless public relations stunt for Nigeria. It’s a salute to the industry and illustriousness of Nigerians. When some sections of the global community rise to tar us in evil and despicable coatings, we trot out the likes of Peters and others who by dint of hard work, academic excellence and entrepreneurial acuity have put Nigeria and Nigerians on the global map of achievers, outliers and role models.

Ugbechie wrote from Abuja

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EDITORIAL

THE EFCC PROBE REPORT

The authorities should speed up the process and bring it to a close

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fter exceeding its initial timeframe by more than three months, the Justice Ayo Salami probe panel recently submitted its report, made up of four boxes, to President Muhammadu Buhari. While presenting the report, Justice Salami’s only disclosure from its content was the reference to the institution that has produced all the chairpersons of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since inception. He drew attention to the fact that four successive chairmen were drawn from the THIS ADMINISTRATION police and advised CAME TO OFFICE WITH A that next time, the WHITE BANNER TO TACKLE president should CORRUPTION. BUT OVER cast the nets afar by considering THE YEARS, THE BANNER HAS BEEN BADLY STAINED candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and qualified core staff of EFCC. On the issue of leadership, we agree with the submission of the Salami panel. For any meaningful change to occur, the EFCC Act needs to be amended so that the agency’s leadership can be drawn from the wider society of judges, human rights advocates, clergy, retired military personnel and other professionals. In addition to the pool of police personnel that populate the EFCC, there are also career officers trained in institutions at home and abroad. For whatever reasons, these officers are cut off from leading the commission, because of the law and convention.

Yet, as we have argued on several occasions, if the police were so effective in fighting graft and narcotics trade, separate agencies wouldn’t have been created to fight these crimes. Besides, it is rather strange that the police that do not have enough officers and men for routine internal security duties would be saddled with the job of running other agencies. Yet, the scramble to be posted to EFCC has in itself become a serious ethical issue.

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AEDC: WHAT IS NORMAL ABOUT THIS?

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fter the publication of my story in a national daily recently with the title: “Help, Abuja Electricity DISCO is extorting us!� Bode Fadipe, GM, Corporate Communications, AEDC, sent a message through my Facebook Page seeking my attention to get more information about my complaints.

In my published article, I complained that the electricity units worth N5,100 last only for three days even without the use of appliances that consume so electricity. And in the situation where one uses the same N5,100 to buy units, where he or she watches only television, charges his phones and does very little things with electricity after the recharge of the meter, the durability takes not more than two to three weeks. Thereafter, I wondered how poor people can cope with the use of power when many people cannot not even eat twice in a day. How can such people afford to use electricity in their homes, or is the system not designed for the poor?

However, an AEDC representative was sent to where I work to check our meter. I told the GM it is a general problem that is being experienced by many Nigerians. The next day, someone called from AEDC to inform me that he was on his way to my place of work to check our meter.

However, in view of what has transpired on the EFCC saga, especially in recent months, pertinent questions arise. Inaugurated in July, the judicial panel was expected to look into the weighty allegations of corruption and abuse of office levelled against the suspended acting chairman of the nation’s foremost anti-graft agency, Mr Ibrahim Magu. New reports indicate that another committee has been established to distill the report of the committee. We consider every minute on this issue important because of its wide implications. The judicial panel took its time, spending more than five months for an assignment initially scheduled for 45 days.

Should the public expect another six months to put closure to this national embarrassment?

More confounding is that some of the basic things expected of the Salami panel were not done. For instance, why did the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami turn down the invitation to appear before the panel and substantiate his weighty allegations? Besides, while the judicial report was still being awaited another body was set up to dispose of the recovered assets of the EFCC. The 21-member panel chaired by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata is expected to sell off forfeited assets within six months. But experts say the Apata committee is a clear violation of the act setting up the EFCC. Unfortunately, all this add to the suspicion that there is deliberate plot to knock off Magu and castrate the EFCC. This administration came to office with a white banner to tackle corruption.

But over the years, the banner has been badly stained. Indeed, we have at different times challenged the administration that fighting corruption requires some underlying doctrines that will inform the battle plans with the overall objective of carrying the people along and strengthening critical institutions.

Given the manner in which the EFCC matter is being treated, there is nothing to suggest that this administration really puts much premium on the fight against corruption.

I waited for more than two hours without seeing anyone.

I called to find out if he was actually coming but he said that something came up and he went somewhere else. What should I call that? After two weeks of not seeing AEDC in my work place to check our meter as promised, I sent the following message: “It is unfortunate you people are only interested in 419ning Nigerians rather than providing them the needed services.

As a journalist, I will be relentless in exposing the activities of the so-called AEDC and other electricity distribution companies in the country.

What goes around, comes around. You cheat people and you will be equally short changed.�

After reading the above message, another person was sent to come over and this time around, he came, checked our meter and said it was working perfectly!

So, AEDC has now normalised its exploitative activities and wants us to applaud them by doing so. If N5,000 worth of electricity cannot last for more than three days but it is still normal, then I would like to ask for the definition of normal.

Nigerians should not sit down and watch this gets out of hand.

Awunah Pius Terwase, Mpape, Abuja

SHARE THE JOY

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he Japan 2021 Olympics may be a little different from previous ones or at least the beds the participants will sleep in. The beds will be long at 2.1m but they will be lonely as they are single beds. It appears that previously the Olympians haven’t been so lonely based on the number of condoms supplied.

They were originally supplied as a response to the spread of HIV with 8,391 athletes at the 1988 Seoul Olympics were given 8,000 or slightly less than one per person so some sharing was assumed. By the 2016 Rio games the number of condoms increased to 42 per competitor and yet some sharing was assumed.

Although the numbers are perhaps amusing, and the purpose sensible why are condoms only available for Olympians, many of whom are wealthy? The need of so many people for medical, food, health and shelter support is obvious but few governments have made any real attempts or had any success to help their citizens and yet athletes, especially the successful ones, are provided with many resources, even recreational ones. There is also the flippant suggestion that they might want more top-level athletes.

Let the Olympians enjoy their recreation opportunities but consider spreading the generosity of health product availability to all that need it.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020

POLITICS

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

‘The Courts Should Not Decide Who Has Won a Political Contest’

Nseobong Okon-Ekong holds a conversation with Professor Peter Umeadi, retired Chief Justice of Anambra State who is building a political structure from the scratch in his effort to become President of Nigeria on the ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance

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out and over night they change them and put other peoples photographs on the ones that are already there and you approach the gate to say you want to go in and they tell you the man is already in and you say, ‘’no I am the man.” They say this is not your photograph and they bring policemen to push you away.

The same thing happening inside the party is replicated on the election day in the wards.

We should respect the ballots. That is what I have been preaching. It is a collective process; from the ballot itself, to the voting, to the counting and the announcement of the result, they are all provided for in the constitution; so we don’t need new laws. You need the will. It is the responsibility of the President to ensure a free and fair election in the whole country.

ou have been a judge in Anambra State and you rose through the ranks to become the Chief Judge of the state, a state that has a history of turmoil in politics, what has been your experience in the Anambra State judiciary vis-à-vis, problems in politics?

The judiciary is the third arm of government and that is where you are faced with adjudication of matters that come before the court. Politics is essentially run by the executive and the legislative arms of government. The judiciary is not directly involved in politics, but issues as to methods of choosing political representation which are legal come to court and are decided on the basis of the facts and the law. Having said that, it is safe to say that the judiciary is there doing its job, when called upon to do so in terms of adjudication and interpretation of rules even if they concern politics, as they do with other spheres of life, but the judiciary has no direct relationship with politics.

You know as well as I do that the intervention of the judiciary in Nigerian politics even if you say it is routine as with other things, has become so critical in recent times. I am not talking about Anambra only now, but all over the country the judiciary has been in the eye of the storm several times because of its pronouncements which a critical section of the public do not see as justice served?

The answer is simple. When you talk about what the judiciary has done, you do so in terms of the powers it has and what it has been called upon to do. From my own experience, you must look at the facts and you must look at the law when you are dealing a judgment of the court.

You cannot speak in general terms. Everything has its own peculiar facts and circumstance under which it should be understood. It would be difficult for you to take a general assessment of what the judiciary has been doing. Sometimes when there is a hue and cry about what the judiciary is doing, it is because of a lack of understanding of the ground rules that guide those things. It is not safe to do that. It is always safe to look at the facts and marry it with the law and see what the probable outcome will be before you begin to make those assessments.

Having said that, are there issues with the Nigerian judiciary that the public may not know about that sometimes influence these judgments?

Don’t forget that the judiciary is an arm of government and government is there to serve the interest of the people. One of such interest is to bring stability to the polity and to make sense of what governance is all about. Sometimes, people make their own calculations. I agree that whatever output from any arm of government should be sensible, but the important thing is that you cannot do that analysis without being privy to the facts and now that they are talking about the judiciary-the effect of the law on those facts.

I am going to be specific, the President once said that the judiciary was not helping in his fight against corruption. Soon after, the houses of some judges were broken into at midnight. Thereafter, we had open protests by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against court judgments.

They even went to some embassies, how do you react to these scenarios?

In terms of what the President said, I will also rely on what a past Chief Justice of Nigeria said that it is the political class that is the political class that is responsible for the perceived corruption that is in the judiciary. We must be mindful of the fact that there has never been a time that a loser in a political contest has been satisfied that is all is done. That is why you have the appellate system. I f you are not satisfied, you begin to go up until you get to the Supreme

Umeadi Court in Nigeria, which is the last court, but even at that some people still nurse the feeling that it would have gone the other way. It has always been there. It is not new. People have always refused to accept issues as conclusive.

You must know that when there are two persons contending over an issue, one has a better case than the other. I do not see that as a new thing.

For the judiciary, a majority of the work done are by conscientious judicial officers who spend time to explain what they do and that is where our attention should go.

Do you agree that there is some kind of rot in the bench?

Yes. It is not something you cannot gloss over.

What do you think should be done?

The appropriate authorities are looking at that. It will take quite some holistic approach for us to get things right in that direction What are the most urgent reforms you think we need to carry out to attain a level playing ground on the turf of politics, because that appears to be what infuriates a lot of people right now?

I think political contests should begin and end at the polling booths in the wards. The courts should not be the ones to decide who

has won a political contest. That is where we should be looking at. It is simple, if we are honest and we want to get on with our country issues of rigging elections in terms of ballot stuffing, ballot snatching, violence should be a thing of the past. We should look forward to a time when elections are done at the time they are stipulated for and the results are announced in the wards and if you are able to do that simultaneously in the whole country, you should get the results of the election by the end of the election day, not for the courts to say who has won or lost in any event. That is my panacea for that.

Should this be in the constitution? Is that what you are asking for?

It is already there. The delineation of wards is there. The delineation of the constituency is there. The polling booths in the wards are there. Everything has already been defined by the constitution and by the Electoral Act and by all the laws that join to make it a body of laws guiding these states. But you find out that in electoral matters that go to court-you have pre-election and post-election matters, but they are all of the same hue. In the other one, you are talking about conduct of primaries or selection of candidates and it all boils down to the same thing. Many of them are rigged. You have to go and select candidates and the list is

I joined a political party because I want to be part of the process. In that decision, I had to make a choice of which of the parties to join. There is no provision for independent candidate in Nigeria. If you want to contest in an election, you have to join a registered political party. I choose to join APGA and it is my intention to seek the presidential ticket of APGA in 2023. When you have that outlook, then you begin to look for a viable vehicle that may take you there. It is true that in terms of spread you may not compare APGA with the parties you mentioned, but in this effort, it is not going to be a matter of a party, it is going to be a matter of consensus building, bridge building. That is what I hope to emphasise upon.

The important thing is that in APGA, there is a lot of enthusiasm and it is that that I decided to tap into

You are talking about election ending at the wards, but earlier you said there is room for appellate system, people who are not satisfied can appeal and go all the way to the Supreme Court, how do you reconcile these thoughts?

In that one we were talking about issues that go to court. In the second one you are asked me what I think should be the best thing to be done and I am saying there is a difference for a land case, which can go from the high court to the Supreme Court, but when it comes to election matters, it should start and end in the ward. That is my own position. If you gather the result of the wards across the country, you get the result of the whole country by the end of the day.

Is there a case that you presided over that may haunt you now that you are in partisan politics?

The first one that crosses my mind is that I was the Chairman of the Election Petition Tribunal in Benin that delivered the judgment that brought Governor Oshiomhole to power in Edo State. The beneficiary of that judgment was the All Progressives Congress (APC). Now, I have joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), I think they are miles apart.

You retired into academics and politics.

Can we be clear on which one is the academic part?

I was appointed a Visiting Professor at the Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in March, 2019.

And then you joined APGA about same time On the March 20th, 2019, I joined APGA at Nri Ward 1 in Anambra State, which is my home town.

Looking at your profile, one would have expected you to join either of the two big parties-the APC or the PDP, but you went for APGA, is it because you intend to play your politics at the local level of Anambra where APGA apparently is the dominant party?

I do not intend that. First of all, I joined a political party because I want to be part of the process. In that decision, I had to make a choice of which of the parties to join. There is no provision for independent candidates in Nigeria. If you want to contest in an election, you have to join a registered political party. I choose to join APGA and it is my intention to seek the presidential ticket in APGA in 2023. When you have that outlook, then you begin to look for a viable vehicle that may take you there. It is true that in terms of spread you may not compare APGA with the parties you mentioned, but in this effort, it is not going to be a matter of a political party, it is going to be a matter of consensus building and bridge building. That is what I hope to emphasize upon. The important thing is that Continued on page 19

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020

POLITICS

‘Oyetola’s Administration is Charitable’ Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a former Osun State House of Assembly member representing Obokun State Constituency, who currently serves as Special Adviser to Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola on Civic Engagement bares his mind on the impressive score card of the governor to Yinka Kolawole

H

ow would you appraise the personality of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola?

As it is widely known, character and competence are two major qualities that drive good leadership; the former would enable a leader to deliver with the fear of God while the later will enable him to discharge his responsibilities effectively. This is the true posture of Governor Oyetola’s personality.

Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola is commonly regarded as a quintessential servant leader whose humility, character and high pedigree is second to none. He is a man of proven integrity who is known for his personality moulded with patience, hospitality and high sense of service to humanity He is a unique, endowed and topnotch leader with touch of excellence and pre-eminence as well as a rare gem. As opined by an average resident of Osun, he is a listening and calm leader who is committed to service to humanity.

Oyetola is a financial expert of uncommon sagacity, a social engineer redefining public administration, a pace setter setting Osun on the right path of sustainable development. He is a helmsman who is replete with knowledge and experience about public administration and financial management with which has been piloting the state’s affairs in an exceptional way.

Oyetola’s administration has been described by some people as a very considerable one in terms of peoples welfare while some believe that it is unfair. What is your view on this?

In every society where liberty has its full force, divergence of opinionn is bound to occur because it is a dialectical mechanism which permeates every human endeavour but the truism is that “minority will have their say but majority will have their way”. This is why in a democratic setting everyone is entitled to his/her opinion whether genuine or otherwise but the position of the majority will always have an iota of truth. Stating the obvious, the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has been considerable not only in formulating policies which positively

administration has taken a bold step to review the state education policy in a bid to return the state education structure to the national standard based on the yearnings and aspirations of the masses.

With the foregoing efforts of Governor Oyetola, it is crystal clear that his administration is charitable and anyone who holds contrary opinion adduces it to his or her sentiment as against the obtainable fact.

Oyintiloye impact lives but also take government back to the people in form of feedback mechanism.

Governor Oyetola has committed his administration to making policies and programmes for improved citizen’s welfare. Upon assumption of office, he took it as a first point of duty to implement priorities which directly touch lives having considered the demands of the people during his “thank you tour” and as encapsulated in the DFID Citizen-Based Assessment Report. Based on the aforesaid, he made sure he restored prompt and full payment of workers’ salary which has been a point of agitation by the state workforce. As a responsible government that cares about people’s wellbeing, Oyetola’s administration embarked on massive upgrade of 332 primary health centres (PHC’s), some selected comprehensive health centres and all general hospitals across the state to give proximate advantage to people in a bid to access quality health facilities at all levels. I will state it emphatically that, there is no ward you will get to in the state that you won’t find a fully upgraded health centre (at a focal point) with necessary medications, equipment and manpower.

As a considerable government which drives its policies along people’s demands, Oyetola’s

What is Oyetola’s administration doing to improve infrastructural n the state?

Infrastructural development is a fulcrum around which economic sustainability is hinged.

This is why Oyetola’s administration has left no stone unturned in ensuring massive investment inn infrastructure. Under his administration, many road networks have been constructed or ongoing within two years in office. Among the roads are Alekuwodo/Akinlade in Osogbo, Ede-Ara_Ejigbo, Kelebe-Iragbiji, Ada-Igbajo, Moro-Akinlalu, Famia (Modakeke township), Ilesha township, Ede township, and Aagba township.

In addition to the numerous infrastructural projects which Oyetola’s administration has executed across the nooks and crannies of the state, plan is underway to give more deliveries for the betterment of the state. In a bid to commit his administration to massive infrastructural development for the socioeconomic boost, Governor Oyetola has perfected the plan to embark on the construction and rehabilitation of some strategic roads across the state. The roads include Ejigbo township, Ido-Osun township, Gbongan, Ile-Ife township, Kuta township, GOF-Ori-Oke Pure Water, Osogbo; Halelluyah Estate, Osogbo; Inisha township, Ila Orangun and Ikirun township among others.

To reduce the hardship and difficulties being experienced by the motorist as a result of traffic jam around Olaiya Junction in Osogbo, Mr. Governor has captured the construction of a flyover bridge in 2021 budget with a view to significantly eradicating traffic hassles and make the lives of the citizens more secured.

In addition to the aforesaid, other major towns will soon start enjoying “light Osun up” project which the state government has embarked on which is in a bid to secure lives and property from the unrepentant evil perpetrators who hide under darkness to unleash their orchestrated plans.

How is commerce and economy faring under Oyetola’s administration?

Without mincing words, Oyetola-led administration is massively revamping the economy through industrialization and commercialization by the establishment of Osun Ethanol Bio-Refinery factory as well as the International Trade Centre/Industrial Hub and Inland Port, which are projected to create massive job opportunities to not less than 10,000 people respectively.

There is no deny saying that Oyetola’s administration has fully committed itself to the plenary development of commercial and economic activities through empowerments, vocational trainings, giving of loans and grant for business startups among others done under the bipartite efforts of both Ministry of Human Resources and Capacity Building and Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

What achievements can you ascribe to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in the agricultural sector?

It has been the central focus of Oyetola’s administration to ensure an improvement in food security and its sufficiency for the benefits of all. Meanwhile, it is a work in progress but the resolute steps of Governor Oyetola in achieving agro economic development in the state is yielding positive result.

The Osun Broilers’ Out Grower Production Scheme continues to wax stronger under Governor Oyetola’s administration. The Scheme which started with 12 farmers at the pilot phase has now turned to a large programme with 106 participating farmers.

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

‘The Courts Should Not Decide Who Has Won a Political Contest’ policies and not to impress anybody. If you are administering an entity, there are things that need to be done. These are things you find on your desk. I am sure I will give it my best if I am there. Nobody is perfect, but I will want to be remembered as a saint when I finish.

in APGA, there is a lot of enthusiasm and it is what I decided to tap into.

You have never served in any elective office, even as a councilor and here you are stepping into the fray for the first time and straight, your eyes are set on the highest office in the land I have to make a correction there. There are three arms of government-the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. I have been at the helm of affairs in one of them, the judiciary since 2011. I have administered the judiciary in Anambra State from that year until I retired in 2019. You are talking about eight years. That is enough experience for me to administer anywhere else. It doesn’t just have to be elective. I am drawing you back to administration. If I run a judiciary as peculiar as it is in all ramifications, then it is going to be easy for me to administer as President of Nigeria.

You recently had an activity that drew women from all the towns in Anambra State, what was the purpose of that gathering?

We call it First Contact Group for Professor Peter Umeadi. That was the initial building of my political structure. I joined APGA one year ago and it is important for me to start from the grassroots up. I choose to meet with women in all the 179 towns in Anambra State. Each one was allowed to bring other people from their towns to the meeting. With all modesty, the outing was successful and if that is so, I have presented myself to the 179 communities in Anambra State. When you are doing anything there must be a starting point. It is important that you have a foundation, which is a very important part of the building that will carry the weight of whatever you want to put on it.

I am building my own political structure from the scratch. I choose to deal with the women because I do not believe in election rigging. I

Umeadi would not condone it in whatever form. I told them I would spend whatever I have to nurture my relationship with you, but I will not spend a torn One Naira note for anybody to rig election for me or rig against me. I will challenge that anywhere. Women know what is going on. They are first to turn up and they vote. They don’t fight. They don’t go into rooms, thumb printing ballot papers. They don’t carry ballot boxes.

They don’t harass voters. They do their civic duty and wait for the results. That is where I am coming from. The result should come from the wards. Whatever means you are using, it should be there for everybody to see, not to take it to one local government area and people are shooting guns everywhere. I am working with women to show the length I want to go and the type of election that I want to take part in.

The women left my town in a very happy and joyous mood and we are looking forward to benefit from that effort. We are going to have similar activities in the South-east Zone and all over Nigeria.

I want to be President of Nigeria to implement

It is good to note that the Chairman of APGA in Anambra was at the event, apparently this shows that you have good relations with the leadership of the party When you retire, there are many options before you, but try and do something that will benefit the polity. The reaction I get is that everybody is happy to have me in APGA and they want to give me all the support they can. The women too are saying that they have never had this kind of attention. This is the touch that I am bringing to it. This is the touch I want to take across Nigeria. Though I am an Igbo man and from APGA, but I want to be President of Nigeria and I want all Nigerians to see me as that and follow and trust me and we will deliver.

Is there an example of a retired judge anywhere in the world that went into politics because yours is a very conservative profession.You are revered and respected in society. Now that you are venturing into politics, are you prepared for the mudslinging and dirt that may hurled at you?

The Supreme Court Judge who built the foundation of American judiciary as we know it today was Chief Justice Howard Taft. He was 27th President of the United States of America.

It was after he became President that he became 10th Chief Justice of America. He was the one who started building the Supreme Court of America. He was the only one who was able to get his colleagues in the executive arm and the legislative arm to have a befitting Supreme Court building. If you go to the state of Georgia you can see committed citizens who have been

governors of Georgia and then Chief Justice and vice Versa. That is what I am trying to draw attention to. There is no way you can have the kind of calling that I have and you pull out of there in the way I have done, there is nothing that will befuddle me in terms of administration and the idea is to keep your oars straight and don’t mind whose ox is gored and try to meet everybody who needs justice to be served.

There is no better recommendation than having come from the judiciary with an unblemished record. Concerning what people are going to say about me? If I had anything to hide, would I have survived in the judiciary? There may be a lot of skepticism, but let us take it that the mudslinging is a part of it and that people will try to run you down. I will not join in that. I am not a saint, but I am aspiring to be one.

APGA has visibility in just one of the 36 states in Nigeria, is there something you can do to help APGA became more visible, first in the South-east and all over Nigeria since you aspire to become president of Nigeria on that platform I am a party member, I am not an official.

The election we are talking about is in 2023.

There are a lot of things that are going to happen between now and then when I will be asking the party to nominate me as its candidate to run for the presidency. The whole ground work that took place in the First Contact Group for Peter Umeadi is the work of party loyalists at the ward level. I pledged to do whatever lawful duties that is assigned to me in APGA on the day that I became a member. This APGA that you see today is not the APGA that will be in the 2023 election. I do not expect that I will be the only one that will try to get the presidential ticket of APGA, because of the efforts of those who will want to run, you are going to see a more determined and revamped APGA at the time in question.

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FEATURES

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

NFF Seeks Support to End Gender Based Violence harmful substance attacks, and incest are all recognized as punishable offences.

However, critical as legal and policy interventions are, they often suffer from lack of enforcement. Poor implementation is a serious drawback.

It is not just the government that does not want to enforce the law, there is also the unwillingness to enforce the law on the part of the police. Police officials often collect bribes from the suspects and then turn around to blame the victims.

Then there is the judiciary. The inability of the judiciary to enforce the laws – frequently due to lack of resources, and specialised knowledge.

If there is public outcry, police sometimes take a poorly investigated case to the court's only for the judiciary to dismiss it.

The other side of non implementation of the law is that the government sometimes fails to put in place facilities provided for by the law, such as a care centre for survivors of violence.

Iheoma Obibi

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s the world celebrats the United Nations Human Rights Day, the Nigerian Feminist Forum contends that feeing women from the shackles of oppression through economic development will require policy and legislation.

Introduction The Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) recognises the importance of womem and girls in the development of every society. It believes that Nigeria will not be able to attain her full potentials until it accords women their rightful place in the country.

NFF is a biennial public policy forum that brings together feminists from the six geo-political zones, government officials, and other strategic partners to deliberate on issues of key concern to the development of and emancipation of women in Nigeria.

We hold the view that Nigeria must protect women and girls from sexua, physical and psychological violence. The country must also ensure economic emancipation of women.

One of the main preoccupations of the NFF is working towards eradication of sexual and other gender- based violence against women and girls.

Adopting different strategies, NFF is determined to ensure that: women are not subjected to violence and that victims of violence are cared for and get justice.

What is Sexual and Gender-Based Violence?

The United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) defines GBV as “violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately�.

It refers to violence that targets individuals or groups on the basis of their gender. Women, girls and minors are often the target of SGBV. NFF undertakes advocacy work to eradicate Violence Against Women (VAW). Violence against women is defined by the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 1993, as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life�.

Working in Partnership NFF understands the enormity of the challenges posed to the survival of women and girls in a society dominated by men and ruled by a system that confers undue advantage on men.

In the course of its work, it has also come to

Obibi

the realisation that no single organization or institution can single handedly eradicate SGBV. Inview of this reality, NFF works in partnership with a range of organisations, networksand individuals with expertise.

State of Play NFF observes that despite gains recorded in the struggle for women emancipation, violence against women continues. For instance, the lockdown imposed on the country to curtail the spread of Covid-19 led to a sudden increase in violence against women. Rape suddenly became an epidemic.

Harmful widowhood practice, human trafficking, child marriage, female genital mutilation, intimate partner violence (‘domestic violence’), sexual violence (including sexual violence as a tactic of war), sexual trafficking of women, early and forced marriage are still common place. Opportunities for women remain few and far between.

Policy and Legal Interventions To reduce gender-based violence and ensure access to justice and support for survivors,

legislation and policy interventions remain critical.

This informed the enactment of the Children’s Rights Act. It domesticated the Convention on the Rights of the Child into Nigeria’s legal framework. However, 17 years after, eleven states have not codified the Act into law.

They include Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Zamfara, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa.

In 2015, the federal government enacted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) into law. The Act among others aims at eliminating gender-based violence and sundry discrimination and abuses.

The VAPP Act is the single law in place that transcends the criminal and penal code in guaranteeing justice and protecting the rights and properties of victims of sexual and gender-based violence by its expansion of the definition of rape, domestic offences, incest and several forms of violence.

Under the VAPP Act, a wide range of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) including; rape/defilement forced financial dependence or economic abuse, harmful widowhood practices, genital mutilation, abandonment of children,

Recommendations Responding to GBV requires addressing the multi-dimensional and complex circumstances of identity and oppression surrounding survivors and individuals who perpetrate violence.

Freeing women from the shackles of oppression through economic development will require policy and legislation. Women group should revisit the abandoned Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEOB). NFF recognises the importance of institutional responses to gender-based violence.

We therefore call for more training for professionals, reorganising the police and providing a more comprehensive and supportive response to survivors.

There is an urgent need to reform the justice sector. States that are yet to create family courts should do so while those already having family courts should provide adequate funds for them.

The education sector which should take the lead in developing a policy response to violence against women is itself bedeviled with widespread sexual harassment and other forms of gender-based violence.

Government should, working with civil society organisations, develop protocols and guidelines for all institutions of learning on how to handle complaints of violence against women. There should be prevention, protection and sanction mechanisms. There is at least some indication that talking to men helps in some ways. Promoting nonviolence among boys is also more effective than targeting adults and school girls. More work still needs to be done in these areas.

There is proof that advocacy works. We probably will not be where we are today if not for advocacy works carried out by different groups.

We should not relent. We should keep talking about violence against women. We should fine new ways to bring violence against women to the front burners in all our programmes. t 0CJCJ JT BO "GSJDBO GFNJOJTU XSJUFS

IWS Reiterates Commitment to Empowering Women Nationwide Vanessa Obioha At the investiture ceremony for its 63rd president, Ibiwunmi Akinnola, International Women’s Society (IWS) pledged to continue empowering women in Nigeria.

Held recently, the event was aptly themed 'Resilience and Reinvention' to reflect the collective strong-willed spirit of women.

The not-for-profit organisation was founded in 1957 in Lagos by a group of public-spirited women set out to champion women’s courses using its cut clear programmes that generally focus on providing for the less privileged; supporting widowed women financially; and providing avenues for acquisition of productive skills toward financial independence and development of their respective communities.

Akinnola in her remarks acknowledged the challenges women face during this pandemic, and highlighted her role in ensuring that women stay empowered. “Despite the challenges of the coronavirus, IWS has continued to drive positive change by donating to the less privileged. In the

area of personal development, the IWS has not been found wanting. We also try to lift spirits, and promote life-changing conversations with webinar programmes.�

She continued: “as the 63rd president of the IWS, I have the huge responsibility of raising funds for all our projects within the next one year, and as such, will use my network and resources to achieve the goal of raising a minimum of N100 million. It might sound like a lot, but together, we can make it happen.�

Assuming the role of chairperson for the event was Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, publisher of Guardian Newspapers. In her keynote speech, she remarked the importance of education in empowering women and children. She also spoke on the positive change women will affect if they were given a voice on the political scene. “Most of the problems we face today, will be less if our women were educated,� noted Alex-Ibru. “If 70 per cent of our women were educated, then 100 per cent of our children would be. Imagine teaching them values, and challenge all inbuilt ambitions for purpose. “Women should have the opportunity to

serve as men. If you educate the women, you educate the nation. We are able to juggle some many things [at a time], and men should learn to appreciate us. There is an urgent need to accelerate the journey to women in power. I ask myself, ‘if this is what comes naturally from women, then why is she not in politics?’�

Not new to empowering women in her current capacity as the First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun commended the IWS for their work in empowering women, especially at a time the world is still grappling with the uncertainties of COVID-19 pandemic. “In the year of a pandemic, economic upheaval, and national protest over injustice, we are compelled to have a reckoning, to a place of where they are coming from or where they would want to go to; and this is why I am inspired by this year’s theme. We have all been affected in one way or another. Resilience is needed to get through tough times and beyond that,� she said.

To help women in this part of the world catch-up to their peers globally, the language of technology must be employed in fast-tracking

their progression to positions of power and influence. Based on this logic, Senior Partner, TLcom Capital LLP, Omobola Johnson briefly spoke on the role technology plays towards achieving these goals. “Right now, the world is all about technology.

And we find out that just as women have been left behind in the pre-technology world, they are also being left behind in the post technology world‌ and if we don’t put more effort and priorities about women getting access to technology, the more your work around them is being wasted. Because if they are going to access empowerment money [from] the government or work through technology, if they don’t have a mobile phone, they can’t do it.�

Alongside the investiture ceremony, a fundraiser was initiated, officially kick-starting Akinnola’s fundraising campaign. Some of IWS’ notable projects to date include The Widows Trust Fund, Skills Acquisition Centre (Lekki), IWS Day Nursery (Yaba), LUTH Library Trolley Service, IWS Scholarship Scheme, and Home for Abandoned Children (Ijebu-Ode).

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Quick Takes AMAC Names Abuja Street after Zinox Boss

Ă’Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă™Ă˘ ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;ĂšËœ Ă?Ă™ ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ Ă•Ă?Ă’ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă’Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽ åÓÞÒ ÞåÙ ĂŽĂ“Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ‹Ă– ËÚÓÞËÖ Ă?ĂœĂœĂ“ĂžĂ™ĂœĂŁËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x;Ëœ ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ’ Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂĄĂ“ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă? ĂšĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă™ĂŽË› Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă™Ă˘ ĂŒĂ™Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă’Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă“Ă?ÓÚËÖ ĂœĂ?Ă‹ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă?Ă“Ă– Ě™ Ěš ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă˜Ă‹Ă—Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ë› ĂšĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă–ĂŁËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?Ă’ĂœĂ“Ă?ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ Ă•Ă?Ă’ Ă‹ĂŁË› Ă’Ă? Ă?ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă’Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ“Ă‘Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă”Ă‹Ëœ Ă?Ă?ÒÙÙÖĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ?Ë› Ă•Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă“Ă? ÎÓÑÓÞËÖ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁËœ Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ“ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă?×ÚÖÙã×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă™ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă—Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜Ă?Ëœ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă?Þ×Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÎÓÑÓÞËÖ Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂœĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂšĂ™ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? Ă?ÓÞÓäĂ?Ă˜Ë›

Ă˜ Ă‹ĂŽĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ëœ Ă‹Ă&#x;ĂžĂ’Ă™ĂœĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ăž ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ Ă•Ă?Ă’ Ă‹ĂŁ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă“ĂžĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÓĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ—Ă‹ĂœĂ• Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă–Ă?Ă‘Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă’Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ?Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž ĂŽĂœĂ“Ă Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÎÓÑÓÞËÖ ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă™Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?ĂŁĂ™Ă˜ĂŽË› Ă–Ă?Ă™ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁËœ Ă•Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă’Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă‘ĂŒĂ™ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă’Ă™Ă?ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Ă’Ă‹Ă—ĂšĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂžËœ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂŽ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă•Ă? Ă‹Ă•Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂžËœ ĂŒĂ‹Ă•ĂšĂ‹Ě‹ Ă“Ă•Ă?Ëœ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x;Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ—Ă?Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă˜Ăž ÙÙÎÖĂ&#x;Ă?Ă• Ă™Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜ Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă‹Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă‹Ă˜Ë› ÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ? Ă˜Ă™ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ?ĂšĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă‘ĂŒĂ™ Ă?Ă˘ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă‹Ă? ĂœË› Ă–Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;Ă? ĂŒĂ?ÞÙ Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂ?ÞÙ Ă™ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœËœ Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă?Ă™Ă˜ Ă™ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?Ëœ ĂœË› Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ“Ă‹Ă?Ă™ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă•ĂĄĂ&#x;Ă—Ă‹Ëž Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă? ĂŒĂ™Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂœË› Ă™Ă?Ă—Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă•Ă‹Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂœËœ Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? ĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂžËœ ĂœË› Ă‹Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă– Ă‹ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă•Ă‹ Ă˜ĂŁĂ“Ă?Ă’Ă“Ëž Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜ Ă˜ĂŁĂ?Ă—Ă‹ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ĂŁĂ“ ĂŒĂ‹Ă’Ëœ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘ ÙÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?Ë›

Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă•Ă?Ă’ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜Ă?Ă“ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ĂšĂ&#x;ĂžĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă?Ă“ĂœĂ—Ă–ĂŁ Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ÎÓÑÓÞËÖ Ă—Ă‹Ăš Ă™Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ–ĂŽË›

2020 BANKING SECTOR REPORT

L-R: Chief of Party, USAID Sense Project, American University of Nigeria, Mr. Audu Liman; Co- Head, Afrinvest Securities Ltd, Taiwo Ogundipe; Group Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa Ltd, Mr. Ike Chioke; Senior Economist, Greenwich Merchant Bank, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo; and Deputy Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa Ltd, Mr. Victor Ndukauba, at the Afrinvest 2020 Nigerian banking sector report launch in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

NCC Assures Nigerians of Further Reduction in Data Cost Stories by Emma Okonji The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has assured Nigerians that the Commission will continue to work towards the reduction in cost of data.

He also pledged to achieve the target of N390/Gigabyte cost of data by the year 2025, as enshrined in the National Broadband Plan (2020-205).

Danbatta who gave the assurance during an interview in Lagos, said the expectations of telecoms subscribers were high and that they wanted NCC to do more in the area of fast data depletion.

According to Danbatta, “NCC is already working hard to address their concerns.

We did our benchmarking recently and we discovered

TELECOM that the cost of 1 Gigabyte of data has come down below N500, which represents 50 per cent reduction from what it used to be. “There is however a target to reduce data cost to N390/ Gigabyte by the year 2025 and we are almost there. The target, as enshrined in the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025) is to achieve N390/Gigabyte in the cost of data by the end of 2025, but the recent benchmarking that the NCC did, showed that the cost of data has reduced to more than 50 per cent from what it used to be at the beginning of 2020. “For us as industry regulator, this is a good sign that data cost is coming down and that the issue data depletion as

experienced by subscribers, is gradually been addressed.�

He, however, explained that although the reduction in the cost of data may not completely address the issue of fast data depletion as currently being experienced by subscribers, the NCC was considering a new measure that would completely address the issue of data depletion.

According to Danbatta, “NCC has instituted a forensic audit on the cost of data, just like we did with cost of Short Message Service (SMS) on a particular mobile operator, where we discovered that the operator unlawfully surcharged its subscribers to the tune of over N100 million and we have asked the particular operator to make refunds immediately and the operator has commenced refund to the affected

subscribers. This could have gone unnoticed, if not for the quick intervention of NCC. We have plans to even extend the forensic audit on sms to other telecoms operators. “So like we did for SME, we are doing same for data to find out the reason for fast data depletion and it will be carried out across all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). By the time the audit is completed and the result is out, perhaps we will have better information of what is happening in the data segment, as it relates to fast data depletion.�

He added: “The telecoms industry is still fraught with the challenge of telecoms infrastructure deficit because of the existing clusters of access gaps in the country, which NCC Continued on page 24

Innovation Hub Empowers 2,000 Youths with Digital Skills Digital skills is believed to be one of the transformational skills that individuals need to acquire as the work culture continues to shift towards a situation where interactions with algorithms and machines will increasingly become mainstream.

To this end, between 2018 and 2020 IGHUB in partnership with The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) through the Niger Delta Youths Employment pathway (NDYEP), have trained and equipped over 2,000 out-ofschool and unemployed young people with digital skills, which will enable them compete in a highly globalised world.

TELECOM The project tagged IGHUB Netpreneurship and Developers fellowship, is focused on addressing the issue of high unemployment amongst the youths which speaks clearly to SDG Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth.

The skills acquired cut across UI/UX design, mobile development, digital marketing, graphics design, front end and back end web development.

These skills were strategically selected because of their high employability status in today’s world.

The high point of the initiative

was the first of its kind Digital opportunity fair for recruiters and digital/ICT skills and talents, which held recently at the IGHUB headquarters in Aba, Abia State.

The fair afforded recruiters of these much needed skills a chance to meet with these newly equipped youths and look at the possibility of an internship that will hopefully evolve into full-time employment, especially for those not interested in entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the event, CEO, IGHUB Africa, Mr. Daniel Chinagozi, expressed confidence in the ability of the young trainees to provide high-quality services

to clients. “We are invested in building an ecosystem that will enable young people aspire to be exceptional and start to earn a living with these newly-acquired 21st century skills,� he said.

According to him, “Our hope is to deepen our partnership with PIND and other forwardlooking organisations who see the need to channel development to other parts of the countries, thereby giving people, who do not reside in the key cities a chance to aspire. Imagine how big our impact would have been, if state governments at all levels supported hubs such as IGHUB Africa.�

Spectranet 4G LTE Bags Double Awards

ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ͳ Ëœ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ě™ Ěš Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ʹÞÒ Ă?ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă‹Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ͳ Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĚ‹ ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ

Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ÞÓà Ă?Ă–ĂŁË› Ă’Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ‘Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË? ËŤ ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ͳ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă‹ĂŽĂ”Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ‘Ă?ĂŽ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? ÞåÙ Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă‹Ă?ĂžĂ?Ăœ Ă‹ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă– Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂ’Ă™ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?˛ˏ ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽËœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ă™Ă? Ă Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă˜Ă™Ă–Ă™Ă‘ĂŁ ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ëœ ĂœË› Ă?ÖÓâ Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă”Ă“Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË? ËŤ ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ͳ ĂŽĂ“Ă?ÚÖËãĂ?ĂŽ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă“Ă‘Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂžĂ’Ă?Ăœ ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă•Ă?ĂŽ Ă&#x;Ăš ĂŒĂŁ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ăž Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’Ă?Ă?Ăž à ÙÞĂ?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ™ĂžĂ’ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜ ĂžĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽĂ?Ă— åÓÞÒ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™ĂšĂ“Ă˜Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ë› Þ˪Ă? Ă‹ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă“ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă?âÚĂ?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĂ?ËŞ Ă‹Ă?ĂšĂ“ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?˛ˏ Ă’Ă“Ă–Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂšĂ™Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă? âĂ?Ă?Ă&#x;ÞÓà Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă?Ă?ĂœËœ ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ͳ Ëœ ÔËã ĂĄĂ‹Ă?ĂžĂ’Ă“Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă— ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă–ĂŁ ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ăž Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ă‘Ă’ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• Ă&#x;ÚÞÓ×Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă˘ĂžĂœĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? ÎËÞË ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› ËŤ Ă? ĂžĂ’Ă‹Ă˜Ă• Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ă˘ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?ËÓÞÒ Ă“Ă˜ ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă Ă‹Ă–Ă“ĂŽĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂšĂžĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă‹Ă? Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ĂŽĂ™ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?ËœËŹ ĂĄĂ‹Ă?ÞÒÓ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË› Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ëœ ËŤ Ă’Ă? Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“ĂœĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?ÞËĂ?Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă˜Ă?Ăž Ă‹ĂœĂ? ĂŽĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ?ĂŽ åÓÞÒ ÞÒĂ? Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;Ă—Ă?ĂœĚ‹Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă?Ăž Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŁĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ? Ă?Ù××ÓÞ ÞÙ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ• Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ăœ ÞÙ ĂŒĂ?ÞÞĂ?Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂœĂŁ Ă–Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŒĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă’Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂ•Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?Ăœ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă™ Ă?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŒĂ–Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? ÞÙ ĂŽĂ™ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ?Ëœ ĂĄĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ă‹Ăœ Ă™ Ă™ĂœĂ? ÎËÞË ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ăœ ÞÓ×Ă? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă–Ă“Ă—Ă“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÎËÞË ĂŒĂœĂ™ĂĄĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă‘Ă™ĂœĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÙ×Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ËÖÖÙå ÞÒĂ?Ă— ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă?ÎÙ× Ă™Ă? Ă?ÒÙÓĂ?Ă? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă˜ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă‹Ă‘Ă? Ă’Ă‹ĂŒĂ“ĂžĂ?˛ˏ

Guinness Rewards Trade Partners

Ă˜ Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ?Ăœ ÞÙ Ă’Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ăœ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă•Ă?ĂŁ ĂŽĂ“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ?Ëœ ĂœĂ?ÞËÓÖĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ åÒÙÖĂ?Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂžĂœĂŁËœ Ă&#x;Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ“Ă¤Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă–Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă?Ù××Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ùà Ă?Ă—ĂŒĂ?Ăœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?Ă–Ă&#x;ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽË› Ă?Ă?Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă‹ Ă?ÞËÞĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ëœ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– ĂšĂœĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă&#x;Ă— Ă?ĂšĂ“ĂœĂ“Ăž ĂŽĂ“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ù××ÓÞ×Ă?Ă˜ĂžËœ Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂŽ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ëœ ĂŽĂ?ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂšĂ‹ĂœĂžĂ˜Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ăš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ?ĂœĂ?ĂŒĂŁ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄĂžĂ’ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™Ă?Ă“ĂžĂ‹ĂŒĂ“Ă–Ă“ĂžĂŁ Ă™Ă? Ă&#x;Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ë› ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽĂ?Ëœ Ù××Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă‹Ă– Ă“ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžĂ™ĂœËœ Ă&#x;Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ëœ ĂŽĂ?ĂŒĂ‹ĂŁĂ™ Ă–Ă–Ă“Ëœ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽË? ËŤ Ă&#x;Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ù××ÓÞÞĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă™Ă‘Ă˜Ă“Ă¤Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă–Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă“Ă?Ă’ Ă“Ă? ĂĄĂ’ĂŁ ĂĄĂ? ĂœĂ?ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‹Ă–Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“Ă Ă? ÞÙ Ă‘Ă™ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?ĂŁĂ™Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă™Ă? ĂŽĂ&#x;Þã˛ Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂŽĂ“Ă?ĂžĂœĂ“ĂŒĂ&#x;ĂžĂ™ĂœĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂšĂšĂ™ĂœĂž Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂĄĂ? Ă?Ă?Ăž Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‹ ĂœĂ?ĂĄĂ‹ĂœĂŽ Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă“ĂžĂ? ĂšĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™ ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă— ÞÙ Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙ Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă Ă?Ă˜Ăž ÞÒĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă Ă?Ă?˛ˏ

“The cost of 1 Gigabyte of data has come down to below N500, which represents 50 per cent reduction from what it used to be. There is however a target to reduce data cost to N390/Gigabyte by the year 2025 and we are almost there�

Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission,

Prof. Umaru Garba Danbatta

T H I S D AY Ëž DECEMBER 10, 2020

24

BUSINESSWORLD NCC ASSURES NIGERIANS OF FURTHER REDUCTION IN DATA COST is fast reducing. “Infrastructure deficit will deprive telecoms subscribers of the right quality of service that they deserve and the NCC is working hard to address infrastructure deficit in the country in order to boost access and connectivity,�

Danbatta said.

He said the NCC needs to act quickly in consistence with government policies on infrastructure build up.

According to him, “Government is looking at additional deployment of fibre optic cables in the next four years, in addition to what is currently on ground. “The NCC is desirous that telecoms services are pervasive and accessible to all Nigerians, irrespective of their location, even in remote and isolated communities. We need adequate infrastructure to address quality of service across networks.�

He said the NCC would continue to deploy infrastructure, especially broadband infrastructure in order to solve the challenges of congestion on the networks as well as ensure the right speed of accessing telecoms services. “Speed in accessing the internet is very important, hence the National Broadband Plan recommended two digits target of 25mb/sec for urban areas and 10mb/sec for rural areas of the country. “Another area of target as recommended by the National Broadband Plan, that will enhance quality of service, is the broadband penetration, and it recommended a target of 70 per cent penetration by 2025, but there is a recent presidential order that we should attain 60 per cent broadband penetration by 2023,� Danbatta said.

He explained that broadband penetration further deepened from less than six per cent in 2015 to 45.93 per cent as at October 2020, and assured that if the country could have a steady growth in broadband penetration per annum, which he said was possible, given the current statistics, then Nigeria is very sure of meeting and surpassing the projected 60 per cent and 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2023 and 2025 respectively.

NEWS

Operators Urge FG to Incentivise Farmers to Boost Food Production Raheem Akingbolu Stakeholders in the nation’s agricultural value chain have advised the federal government to offer incentives such as mechanised equipment, acquisition and clearing of farmland for farmers to ease production.

The experts who spoke at the 8th Annual Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) Brands & Marketing Conference, held recently in Lagos, recently, also cautioned government against frequent policy somersault like the plan to reopen Nigeria’s borders, which they argued would be detrimental to local farmers.

President, Rice Millers Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, Dr Tunji Owoeye, who commended the effort being made by current administration to further deepen investment in the agricultural sector, said it would be suicidal for government to reopen the borders without adequate protection for local farmers.

According to him, the gains of the past few months could be eroded by smugglers who would flood the market with imported rice, chicken and other food items.

The Deputy Chairman of Lagos State All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sakin Agbeyewa, who represented the association’s chairman, Femi Oke, stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural sector needs a lot of subsidy, not

just in form of cash to farmers but through the provision of a conducive atmosphere.

He said: “The subsidy we are calling for is not in form of cash to our members. The subsidy we want is ready- toplant lands. By clearing bush for our members, by helping us interface with all types of land owners who gather to disturb during planting and harvesting period. “In the northern part, farmers are being prevented from going to farms to harvest their crops by terrorists that are forcing them to heavy

dues for them to access their farms products, subsidy is also in form of provision of bulldozers for land, swampdozers for swampy areas, provision of food preservers for perishable products,�

Presenting a paper at the conference, President, Organisation for the Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa, (OTACCWA), Tunde Okoya, dwelt extensively on developing a blueprint for a national cold chain in Nigeria, pointing out that it remained the only key strategy to consolidate the expansion and growth

of agriculture in the country. “According to FAO, postharvest loss of many agric product in Nigeria could be as high as 50 per cent so invariably, a lot of production by our farmer goes into waste along the value chain and that cannot be a very productive way for any country. “So, the result of this is poor earnings for the farmers, poor nutrition for the children, and poor hygiene for the country.

Nigeria is ranked 98 out of 107 countries in the global hunger index majorly because of this.

“The problem is that, even though we are producing a lot, a large percentage of the production is going into waste. With an effective cold chain policy, Agriculture in Nigeria will soar to greater heights�, Okoya stated.

Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture on Communication, Mr. Richard Mark Mbaram, called on Journalists to hold government accountable to the citizenry, especially on issues related to government intervention in the Agricultural sector.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

L-R: Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Garba Abari; Secretary, Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta; Chairman, Overt Energy Limited, Mr. Marc. Wabara during the award presentation to Danbatta as the Co-winner of Year 2019 Zik Prize in Professional Leadership Category, at a ceremony held in Lagos‌ recently

Experts Warn against Cyber-risks Stories by Emma Okonji Accounting professionals in Nigeria have been advised to take precautions while operating in the cyberspace in order to avoid transacting with online fraudsters or from divulging sensitive information to hackers who are in search of vulnerable networks to hack into and steal valuable data.

The experts who spoke at a recent webinar, organised by Crown Height Consulting Services, Lexington, USA, in collaboration with Information Security Society of Africa in Nigeria (ISSAN), with the theme: ‘Cyber-security-Impact on the Accounting Professionals,’ highlighted several methods of online hacking and proffered solutions on how to mitigate such attacks.

General Manager, Head of

Operations and Technology at EcoBank, Dr. David Isiavwe, who presented the keynote speech, said cyber criminals would always take delight in attacking accounting professionals, including insurance brokers, just to corrupt their financial records in order to gain unauthorised access to the money and sensitive data. “What hackers do is to deceive those in accounting profession and the financial sector to transfer money to accounts not known to them. He warned accounting professionals to be mindful of insider theft, where hackers use disgruntled staff to get sensitive information from their organisation,� he said.

Isiavwe, who is also the President of ISSAN, said cybersecurity exceeded $1 trillion between 2017 and 2020, adding

that there is a lot of spend and that there is ample opportunity in cyber space.

Isiavwe quoted recent reports on cyber-security, including the recent cyber report from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, which stated that the minimum cyber-attack was up to 1,000 attacks per day, and that data breaches exposed over 4.1 billion records in the first half of last year, while 14 per cent of malicious email attachments were programmed for attack.

Isiavwe said 48 per cent of data breaches were linked to internal factors and 90 per cent of malware had been delivered through email messages to look harmless. He said US and others top the list of countries that experience more coordinated attacks, but warned

that accounting professionals in Nigeria and other organisations that operate in the cyberspace, must thread with caution with transacting online. He advised organisations to be prepared and equipped with cybersecurity solutions at all times.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Computer Audit Control and Security Associates Ltd, Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. Martin Ikpehai, who delivered the lead paper on the effect of cyber-security on accounting profession, identified some cyber threats in the accounting profession, following the change in audit evidence from manual to digital. He listed some of the threats to include virus dissemination, malware and ransomeware, phishing attacks, email bombing and spamming, Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of

Service (DDoS), Insider threats, among others. He advised that accounting professionals must continually update antivirus on their networks, implement fire walls and basic cybersecurity hygiene.

A legal practitioner and legal adviser to ISSAN, Mr. Obasi Nwabueze, who spoke on the legal aspect of cyber-security and its impact on accounting profession, said the legal side of things has often been neglected, as organisations often see cybersecurity as a technology issue. He stressed the need for accounting professionals to be acquainted with the Nigerian Cybercrime Law that has been in existence since 2015 and the need for government to continually update the Cybercrime Law in order to catch up with hackers who are becoming more sophisticated in their attacks on a daily basis.

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

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‘Technology Skills Will Continue to Redefine Future of Work’ Proservices Lead, Bincom Dev Centre, Olayinka Isimoya has said the increase in demand for software and technology skills around the world will continue to set the pace for the future of work and redefine global economy.

Isimoya said at a media briefing in Lagos that the technology ecosystem was becoming one of the highest employers of labour in the

country, adding that the advancements in technology, communication and information sharing have made it expedient for young people to learn and develop skills that will enable them interact easily with the evolving world.

Citing a recent report of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, which stated that 27.1 per cent of Nigerians

were unemployed as at the second quarter of 2020, Isimoya said there was need to beef up technology skills development among youths. “The issue for most of the tech companies is finding the right talents for the positions, as most applicants don’t have the required skill set and relevant experience for the roles available�, she said.

She further explained that

most African youths that are unemployed, was as a result of their lack of employable skills for the 21st century demands, saying that their lack of relevant skills, experience and exposure are pointers to the ills in the society.

Isimoya said Bincom Centre has been involved in bridging talents lacuna in the tech ecosystem, providing knowledge and hands-on

experience in software development and other technology skills to produce high quality tech individuals through the Bincom Global Tech Programme.

She urged young people to acquire relevant technology skills to be employable as this would further create positive impact in their lives as well as improve economic development in the country.

T H I S D AY ˾ DECEMBER 10, 2020

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Taming Corruption Emma Okonji writes that the recently launched Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability software solution by the National e-Government Strategies Ltd will help the federal government and private sector organisations to curb corruption

I

nnovation in emerging technology solutions has continued to help government agencies and private organisations to scale up business processes for quick returns on investment, while also blocking financial leakages at the same time.

In line with technology trends, software developers are leveraging technology tools to develop solutions that will help identify, trace and block financial leakages, thereby taming corrupt practices in organisations and within the government circle. One of such solutions, called the Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (TAS) software solution, that was developed in-house by the National e-Government Strategies Ltd (NeGSt), and launched recently has the capacity to help all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, including the private sector organisations, to block financial leakages and to curb corruption.

NeGSt is a wholly private sectordriven outfit mandated to implement electronic governance in Nigeria.

The Executive Vice Chairman, NeGSt, Dr. Felix Obada, who spoke during the launch, said TAS solution, which has a complete local content, was developed

by Nigerians who have attained global information technology (IT) certifications, for the purpose of blocking financial loopholes, put a stop to capital flights and end corruption in the country.

According to Obada, the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has good intentions to fight corruption, but does not have the supporting technology tools that will block financial loopholes, which he said, TAS was developed to achieve.

Transition from analogue to digital Project Manager, NeGSt Ltd, Mr., Ufot Abasiono, who presented the keynote paper titled: ‘How Nigeria Moved Government Business from Analogue to Digital Technology, said shortly after independence in 1960, corruption was not noticed in government and in the private sector, and the value of Naira was still strong.

This situation, he said, attracted strong bilateral relationships between Nigeria and the rest of the world. He, however, said corruption gradually crept into the system and spread like wild fire beyond the control of government.

He further explained that corruption persisted and lingered for too long, because successive governments have not found the right technology solution, adding that TAS, which has undergone a successful pilot test, was designed to help government and the private organisations, eliminate financial corrupt practices among Nigerians, through a transition from the old use of analogue tools to digital tools that are currently being used by the present generation who are technology savvy.

“With Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa and with the largest population of young people in the world, the country is well positioned to develop a formidable digital economy estimated to yield approximately $1.0 trillion, but corruption has, however, remained an albatross on the neck of Nigerians,” Obada said.

“Having achieved great success with the pilot project, NeGSt is set to boldly fulfill her mandate and help Nigeria address her issues of endemic corruption and inefficiency in the delivery of government services with the launch of TAS. “Working with the present generation of young, energetic and talented Nigerians, NeGSt is ready to replicate the template of the highly successful

As a matter of fact, NeGSt was created to fight against corruption in Nigeria.

“We were created in 2004 by the federal government to implement electronic governance, and electronic governance is all about transparency and accountability. It is all about efficiency, effectiveness and stemming corruption. So, we are actually fulfilling our mandate by fighting against corruption in Nigeria,” Obada said.

Obada

pilot project and help government and the people of Nigeria to do away with corruption and inefficiency in government businesses across board,” Obada added.

Giving details of the solution, Obada said TAS is a technology tool that will assist government agencies to synchronise their software applications with other existing software applications.

“Government agencies and most private organisations deploy solutions that are in silos and cannot synchronise with other solutions, which gave rise to corruption because applications were running in silos. But with TAS as a software solution, it can conveniently align and connect with other solutions within and outside of the agency and organisation.

“If this is put in place, it will end financial leakages and other corrupt practices. When solutions run in silos, they encourage inflation of contracts and leads to overbloated invoices,” Obada said.

“With the adoption of TAS, our money will remain within the Nigerian economy and government will not have need to borrow from outside of the country to support national projects.

We are putting the TAS solution at the disposal of all Nigerians in order to return Nigerians to the old good days where corruption was not known,” Obada added.

He promised that NeGSt would work with all MDAs, using TAS to improve

the finances of government and the private sector organisations.

“With TAS, there will be transparency in government and NeGSt will use the position of its mandate in implementing e-Government strategies, to ensure the successful adoption of TAS across government agencies,” Obada said.

Addressing financial losses Citing a recent statement from President Buhari that Nigeria is still struggling with illicit financial flows (IFF), making successive budget implementation a near impossibility over the past 15 years, Obada said implementation of TAS in all MDAs and private sector organisations, would help in addressing financial losses. According to the statement, by the current exchange rate of N381 to the dollar, the country’s cumulative budget from 2004 to 2017 stood at approximately N60 trillion, with so much money stolen in illicit transfers.

Obada, however, said reversing the trend must therefore become topmost priority of every Nigerian. That is the reason for the development of the TAS idea, a digital tool designed to eliminate corruption, improve efficiency, create employment pervasively and eventually increase the size of the Nigerian economy.

According to Obada, all Nigerians must put hands on deck to fight against corruption, even though corruption exists in other countries of the world.

TAS solution will address corruption even in the midst of poverty. Nigerians are hungry because some people are busy stealing our money. Corrupt people always find a way to take out our money to Switzerland, UK, USA, among other countries and bank it there. They use our money to enhance the economy of other nations while impoverishing Nigerians. If those stolen monies were to remain in Nigeria, it will be used to develop our infrastructure, and create jobs that will address the unemployment situation in the country, where millions of unemployed graduates are jobless

Corruption amid poverty Obada was of the opinion that if properly implemented, the TAS solution would address corruption even in the midst of poverty. According to him, “Nigerians are hungry because some people are busy stealing our money and statch it away. If that money is not stolen, it will be available for Nigerians to spend. Corrupt people always find a way to take out our money to Switzerland, UK, USA, among other countries and bank it there. They use our money to enhance the economy of other nations while impoverishing Nigerians. If those stolen monies were to remain in Nigeria, it will be used to develop our infrastructure, and create jobs that will address the unemployment situation in the country, where millions of unemployed graduates are jobless.”

He, however, said what was stolen in the past after independence was only a few millions, compared with the trillions of Naira that people currently steal.

“That is the unfortunate situation even as at today. So, we cannot all fold our arms, and allow this kind of situation to continue forever. Nigeria currently has one of the largest population of young people in the whole world and this young Nigerians are clamouring to have a corruption free society. I believe that by the special grace of God and the cooperation of all Nigerians, TAS will be successful to address Nigeria’s financial losses caused by greed and corruption,” Obada said.

The pilot phase Speaking about the successful pilot implementation of the TAS solution, Obada said: “We have already achieved some successes. We took a pilot project and decided to start small. We took only one government MDA and we tried to apply transparency and accountability in two small offerings of that MDA and the result was amazing.”

“Now, you will remember, in the days of old, some dubious Nigerians formed the habit of procuring several international passports. He said NeGSt had also in the past, developed a solution that was tested to address multiplicity of international passport belonging to a single individual, as it eliminated manual processing of international passports, which was the practice of old.

That was possible because passport processing was done manually. Over the past 10 years or so it is just one passport per person. So, NeGSt achieved great success with that pilot project. We also helped government agencies, through our solutions, to increase government revenue, and there has never been any report of data, money, safety, security, infringement on the platform, since our intervention.

“So the template that NeGSt has developed over the years and still developing, can be replicated across board. NeGSt is therefore saying without any iota of doubt that government revenue will increase by a minimum of 300 per cent, once the new digital corruption prevention tool is applied across revenue generating agencies,” Obada said.

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Assessing Impact of COVID-19 on W’Africa’s Economies Oluchi Chibuzor

T

he past one year has been tough for countries that depend heavily on primary products as their major source of revenue. This is because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indeed, beyond the health crisis which as at yesterday had resulted to the death of 1.6 million persons and 68 million cases globally, the pathogen also saw many countries face turmoil linked to commodity dependence as commodity prices reacted negatively to the crisis, reflecting changes in supply and demand due to measures to limit contagion.

Among those that were worst hit were West African countries because of their heavy dependence on primary products.

Therefore, in order to build resilience against external shocks and work towards repositioning their respective economies, member states of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) recently held a policy dialogue session.

The gathering provided the forum to discuss respective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and draw lessons from experiences in the sub-region for better intra-regional collaboration and coordination.

This was more so, given the common drive to achieving regional economic integration and monetary union.

The participants acknowledged that the pandemic precipitated an economic emergency of unparalleled magnitude to national and global economies. Consequently, it posed difficult challenges to policy-makers and central bankers in the maintenance of price and financial system stability, while keeping an eye on growth performance.

Unfortunately, no economy, including those of the WAMZ, was spared from the fall-out of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In his keynote address on the theme: “Monetary Policy Responses of the Member States of WAMZ: Emerging Lessons from Covid-19 Pandemic,� held in Lagos, recently, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, pointed out that central banks across the advanced, emerging and developing economies assumed a leading role in fashioning sets of policy responses to both the demand and supply-side shocks that the pandemic had exerted on their economies.

In most cases, the responses stretched monetary policy beyond its conventional boundaries, in order to prop up the many activities affected by lockdowns and the associated curtailment measures.

The CBN Governor noted that responses of central banks across the WAMZ was timely, proactive and very commendable, with a focus at ensuring price and financial system stability, while also mitigating financial fallout on both corporates and households. “Broadly, responses of monetary policy across the zone were diverse and tailored to meet the peculiar shocks the pandemic had exposed our individual economies,� he said.

According to him, monetary policy responses within the zone could be characterised, amongst others, to include reductions in policy rates, ostensibly aimed at reinvigorating growth in response to the sudden economic contraction caused by COVID-19. “Central banks have also implemented various forms of liquidity measures to support the government’s short-term budgetary needs as well as other liquidity assistance

frameworks to ensure market liquidity. There were in addition measures aimed at stabilising the foreign exchange market in the face of supply shocks precipitated by the pandemic. “Also, spates of interventions to support and strengthen health institutions and medical support services to mitigate the impact of the pandemic were undertaken. There is no denying the fact that this gamut of measures had been very helpful in navigating our respective economies through this difficult time. “The need, however, remains imperative for monetary policy responses to the pandemic in the WAMZ to be synergized and coordinated in order to preserve the gains already achieved towards regional integration, particularly given evidences of interdependencies and likely spillover of the respective macroeconomic responses across the economies of the zone,� he explained.

To achieve this, he said, “it becomes imperative to create a forum like this to facilitate sharing of country experiences on monetary policy responses in the management of the adverse socio and macroeconomic effects of the pandemic. This will go a long way to improve respective country performance in meeting the WAMZ convergence criteria.

On his part, the Commissioner for Economic Policy and Economic Research at the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, noted that global concerns about the pandemic revolved around its overall impact on the economy, health and humanitarian impacts, with particular emphasis on the sectors of the economies that are most vulnerable.

He stressed that the outbreak generated demand and supply shocks across the global economy and with economic slowdown and significant negative impacts on the financial markets. “The devastating economic and financial impacts are still ongoing. The extent of the damage would untimely depend on how

quickly the virus is contained and how governments respond in terms of the steps taken to contain it, as well as economic support governments are able to deploy to mitigate the epidemic’s impacts. “ECOWAS, like all Regional Economic Communities is very concerned about the unprecedented negative public health, economic and humanitarian impacts brought of COVID-19,� Apraku noted.

To activate a regional response to the pandemic, and based on the assessment of its effects, the ECOWAS Head of States and Government at their Extraordinary Summit held in April, 2020, expressed deep concern about the spread of COVID-19 and its negative social, economic, financial and human security impact on all ECOWAS Member States.

The Summit further acknowledged the immense efforts of Member States in terms of the various response measures put in place to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic to regenerate economic growth and to reduce negative social, humanitarian and public health impacts of the pandemic.

The Summit set up three Ministerial Coordinating Committees, namely, a Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Health, Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Finance (including ECOWAS Central Bank Governors), and the Coordinating Committee of Ministers for transport, logistics free movement and trade with the broad responsibility to establish coherence between national and regional strategies and ensure that all the economic and financial impacts linked to COVID-19 are addressed effectively.

The Summit had also appointed President Muhammadu Buhari, as the “champion� for the cause. Consequently, then the Summit took some far reaching decisions, including: deploying, through the Central Banks, tools, means and significant liquidity to support SMEs and Microfinance Institutions in all Member States.

“The Central Banks of the WAMZ have taken the bull by the horn and with this program today to examine and share country experiences on monetary policy responses in managing COVID-19 pandemic. “As the pandemic and the related containment measures undertaken by Member States of WAMZ have significant and widespread impact on economic activities, the WAMZ Central Banks have the responsibility to carry out in-depth assessment of the macroeconomic environment and outlook that would enable it set monetary policies that would ensure price stability, an essential foundation for sustainable economic growth and job creation. “ECOWAS Commission wishes to reaffirm its commitment to strengthen its cooperation with all Central Banks, Regional Institutions and Member States in the diligent implementation of the conclusions emanating from this symposium. “The ECOWAS Commission remains grateful to you, Governors for your various monetary policy interventions that have at least for now, stemmed the worst impacts “that the pandemic could have had on our regional economy.

I wish to encourage you to do more by working with all stakeholders in your respective countries to galvanise renewed interest and commitment in ensuring rapid economic recovery in your various countries.

On this note let me thank you once again for inviting ECOWAS to participate in this important event,� he added.

Analysts stressed that the pandemic has shown that there is greater role for governments and policymakers in the sub-region to play whether it be health, education, in order to ensure that economies in the sub-region fully diversify their sources of revenue away from primary products.

This is to ensure that that they are not always susceptible to external shocks.

Halogen Partners Nigerian Global Business Forum Sunday Okobi One of the Nigeria’s leading security companies, Halogen Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Global Business Forum (NGBF) for the provision of security services and solutions in Nigeria to all members of the forum from all parts of the world.

Through the partnership, NGBF, the official body that operates as an umbrella organisation for Nigerian Business Forums across the globe, seeks to leverage on the strengths and deep experience of Halogen to foster sustainable protective services, risk advisory services

and end-to-end safety enabling solutions in Nigeria, for its members worldwide.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony recently, which took place virtually in recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders of both organisations highlighted the strategic significance of the collaboration for Nigeria’s economic development, “especially in view of the boost in confidence that Halogen security solutions bring to an increasing number of Nigerians in Diaspora who nurses a deep desire to establish businesses in Nigeria but who are often dismayed by widely reported insecurities.�

Group CEO of Halogen, Mr. Wale Olaoye,

while expressing the company’s delight about being named as NGBF’s preferred security organisation, stated that Halogen sees its involvement in the provision of a safety-enabling framework for Nigerians from the Diaspora as a patriotic cause that stands to significantly strengthen Diaspora investors’ confidence.

Olaoye, who elaborated on the multi-faceted nature of Halogen’s security solutions, explained that “the world biggest multinational investors in Nigeria have a long and deep history of relying on Halogen security services, ranging from physical security and mobility; cyber security and electronic remote surveil-

lance; background check, investigations to security training,� expressing delight that Nigerians from Diaspora will now have the opportunity to discover quality Halogen services which their multinational counterparts have long enjoyed.

Speaking also at the MoU signing virtual event, Chairman of the Board of NGBF, Afolabi Andu, and President of Nigeria Irish Business Forum, Princess Pamela Ogunwusi, who also graced the event, commended Halogen for its deep and diversified security offerings and its long track record of leadership within the Nigerian security sector which motivated the partnership.

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T H I S D AY ˾ DECEMBER 10, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Gencos: We have Increased Power Generation by 93% Since 2013 Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Despite the underperformance of the power sector since privatisation in 2013, Electricity Generation Companies (Gencos) in the country said they have succeeded in achieving a 93 per cent increase in generation in the past seven years.

In the biannual magazine published by the umbrella body of the Gencos, the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), the power generators, however decried the inability of the other actors in the value chain to effectively play their part to ensure evacuation of available power.

The generating companies bemoaned the lack of infrastructure in the value chain to evacuate all the power being generated , explaining that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Distribution Companies (Discos) do not have the capacity to cope with the

expanding generation capability of the Gencos.

“The supply growth from the takeover date of 1st November, 2013, to date shows that available generation capacity which was 4,214.32MW has increased by 93.27 per cent to 8,145MW (as Gencos recovered 3,930.68MW).

“However, due to system constraints, generated power is rejected or forced to be reduced to match the infrastructure that transmits and distributes this power to the customer.

“A case in point in quarter 1, 2020 when despite an available generation capability of 8,145MW, Gencos were only allowed to generate 3,987MW, thus losing an average of 4,159MW daily,” the APGC lamented.

It said that it was imperative to note that the wellbeing of a power generation company goes beyond efficient operations to include its ability to generate income from power generated.

“With a total available

installed generation capacity of more than 7,500MW and maximum wheeling capacity of not more than 5,500MW, there will always be a recurring instance of about 2,000MW idle generation.

“Idle generation represents capital investment not able to yield revenue that will hence impact the ability of the Gencos to support efficient operations and service loans used in developing the power plants,” said the Gencos.

They stated that out of the meagre 5,500MW of transmission wheeling capacity, the Discos have not proven to be able to distribute more than 4, 500MW, continuously leaving yet another 1,000MW of generation capacity unutilised.

The Gencos added: “In total, due to the combined technical incapacitation of TCN and the Discos, the Gencos are unable to deploy a total of 3,000MW of capacity that would ensure sustainable profitable operations.

Power Minister Hails Military Chief, Harps on Motivation Minister of State, Power, Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba has lauded the recent promotion of some senior military personnel, saying that it would help motivate them to do more for the country.

The minister stated that promotion, welfare and motivation of personnel were capable of strengthening and boosting performance, not only in the military, but in all sectors and spheres of the country’s national life.

A statement by the Special Assistant, Media and Communications Strategy to the minister, Mr. Ofem Uket, quoted him as saying that security and indeed the protection of lives and property is a fundamental principle of any administration.

Speaking at his residence in Abuja, when he received in audience Maj. Gen. Sanusi Dahiru, Deputy Commandant, Martin Luther Agwai Peace

Centre, Jaji, the minister urged the newly promoted military general to see his new rank as a call to commitment and duty in defence of the sovereignty of the country at all times.

He declared that the present administration was interested in tackling the challenges of insecurity and providing an enabling environment for economic activities to thrive and as well ensure the safety of lives and property of citizens across the country.

Dahiru is among the newly promoted and decorated senior military officers in Nigeria by the defense ministry and the promotion is said to be part of the present administration’s strategy to motivate and encourage the military and other services in the country to live up to its duties of protecting lives and property.

Jedy-Agba added that it had therefore become politically and

economically expedient to boost the morale of security personals to put in their best in defense of the country.

According to the minister, security is every one’s duty especially through information gathering to equip security agencies to be more direct in their approach in the fight against insecurity across the states of the federation.

Responding, Dahiru thanked the minister for the charge to performance and promised to be more committed to his primary responsibility to defend the territorial integrity of the country at all times.

He assured the minister and the federal government that the military will continue to uphold its constitutional role and ensure that no stone is left unturned to sustain the fight against the enemies of Nigeria to further strengthen the economy of the nation.

Group Faults Extension of NDDC IMC’s Tenure The South-south Reawakening Group (SRG), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to contemplate extending the tenure of the current Interim Management (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which expires this month.

In a statement by the coalition’s convener, Mr. Joseph Ambakederimo, the SRG said it was aware of various moves by the current IMC to ensure the renewal of the committee’s term beyond December.

The group added that having been indicted by both chambers of the national assembly and being heavily investigated by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) , it would be wrong to retain the services of the IMC.

It stated: “We issue this statement in anticipation of the coming to an end of the interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC this month of December, 2020. This IMC must not be granted one minute of tenure extension.

“One trick in the books being deployed by the IMC is the late commencement of the field audit to surreptitiously put forward as the reason for the extension of their tenure when in the actual fact the substantive board is better positioned to oversee this forensic audit that was ordered by the president.

“As of now the IMC is deeply enmeshed in many scandals of which the two chambers of the national assembly have indicted them while all of them are presently being investigated by the ICPC and EFCC. The question to ask is will the report of the forensic audit capture

all of the dealings of the IMC even when it has been indicted by government institutions?

The Niger Delta group alleged that the damage done to the NDDC would become irreversible if the lobby for extension of their tenure is granted.

“Therefore, the president should be weary and be watchful of his aides and not to give in to any such pressure for approval for a tenure extension of this illegal contraption.

“The president needs to feel the anger of the people of the region and inaugurate the substantive board of the NDDC to give the establishment a breath of fresh air.

“For us in the South-south Reawakening Group, we have seen through this IMC scheme as a medium to syphon the resources of the commission for personal gains.”

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Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

L-R; Executive Director, Operations, Mutual BeneďŹ ts Assurance Plc, Mr. Biyi Ashiru-Mobolaji; Managing Director, Mr. Femi Asenuga; Chairman, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi; Company Secretary, Mr. Jide Ibitayo and Non Executive Director, Mr.Soye Olatunjiduring the Extra Ordinary General Meeting of the Company in Lagos...recently abiodun ajala

L-R, Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, Youths and Social Development, Senator Obinna Ogba; Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kola Balogun and a member of the Committee Senator Gershon Bassey, during the screening of Chairman and National Commissioners for the Commission for persons with disability by members of Senate Committee on sports, Youths and Social Development in Abuja..recently. ; Julius Atoi.

L-R: Guest Speaker, Prof. Linus Vem; Representative of the Director-General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Suleyol Chagu; and Area Manager of ITF, Khadijatu Mudi, during an interactive forum with the stakeholders at the ITF Area OďŹƒce in Jos..recently

Immediate past Director Genenral of NAPTIP Julie Okah Donli,(left) receiving Best CEO Government Parastatal Award from Mr Daniel Alabrah who represented Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State during the Shipping World Magazine Achievers AWARDS in Lagos... recently

L-R: Vice President and Business Head (Consumer Business Pasta and Semolina), Crown Flour Mill Ltd. Nitin Mehta; Nollywood Actress/ Producer and Crown Premium Pasta Brand Ambassador, Chioma Akpotha, and General Manager/ Head Marketing (Business to Consumer), Crown Flour Mill Ltd, Bola Adeniji during the contract signing ceremony of Chioma Akpotha as the Brand Ambassador of Crown Premium Pasta held in Lagos.. recently.

L-R Head, Consumer Electronics, Samsung Nigeria, Oluwaremilekun Adesola-Ogunsan; Executive Director, SIMS Nigeria Ltd, Ike Eyisi; Managing Director, Samsung Electronics Nigeria, Mr. Caden Chiyeon Yu and Head, Marketing, Samsung Nigeria, Iretiogo Oke, during the launch of Samsung ‘The Frame TV’ in Lagos..recently

L-R: Ekiti State governor,Dr. Kayode Fayemi; President, Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Arc. Sir Dipo Ajayi: and Kwara State representative, ARCON, Arc. Makanjuola Kayode, during a courtesy visit by ARCON Council members to the governor, in Ado Ekiti....recently

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ,DECEMER 10, 2020

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ ÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ äÏÙÌÓ ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Dying While Giving Life: The Pain of Nigerian Women It is still not a good time for the Nigerian pregnant woman. For every 100,000 deliveries, at least 512 of them die, hence making the country one of the worst places on earth to give birth. This record prompted a research by a consortium of health advocates into why women die in their numbers during childbirth. Martins Ifijeh writes on key findings from the research

T

wenty nine-year-old Ebiladei Amabipi was a local celebrity of some sort in Ayamasa, one of the 28 communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

She was a known campaigner for better healthcare in the riverine village. With only one health facility on ground without doctors (Ayamasa PHC), low government presence, and an uncompleted road leading to Ekeremor main town, she knew beforehand that to prevent deaths among her people, healthcare must be paramount.

But what pregnant Ebiladei feared most came upon her. With no proper health facility in Ayamasa, she headed for Ekeremor main town during labour.

Access and proximity were however not in her favour hence leading to the delivery of her baby inside the vehicle she was being transported in.

Excessive bleeding started, and before she could reach the health facility, she died.

Although excessive bleeding may be recorded as the primary cause of death for the Ayamasa champion, several factors were responsible for her death including the abandoned road project connecting the community and the main town, poor access and lack of proximity to health facilities. Ayamasa is the state Governor Douye Diri’s maternal home.

In an expanded room in Ifeku Island in Edo State sits Mr. Azeez Ayae with his three young children, who are probably within the ages of two and seven. His mien depicts hollow and emptiness. He hasn’t gone to the farm in two weeks, not because he is contented with the tubers of yam already in his barn or has harvested all his produce from the farm, but he is sad and disheartened and does not have the strength to carry on. The love of his life has left him and their children at a youthful age of 31 years.

Ayae is one of the newest widowers in Iyegbe community, a small village in Ifeku Island. The wife had died during labour after undergoing the excruciating pain for several hours without succour coming her way. She could not get the needed healthcare to enable her to deliver her baby. She was denied one of her foremost fundamental human rights –right to life and right to healthcare - which are embedded in chapter two and four of Nigeria’s constitution …and then she died from the mystery of not understanding why she has to suffer from something that is 100 percent preventable.

“I didn’t realise she would go into labour that day so I went to the farm as usual, but a few hours later, a small boy was sent to call me, saying that my wife had been in pain. I rushed back and I met her wailing uncontrollably. That was the third hour since she had been in labour.

I sought to get a nurse from the village who sometimes assists people with health emergencies like this, but she had gone to town and may not be coming back anytime soon. We had to put my wife in a wheelbarrow and transport her to the closest health facility which is two villages from here. She couldn’t wait much longer as we were almost an hour into the journey. She died on the way,” said Ayae.

24 year-old Fatima Aliyu from Bauchi LGA in Bauchi State was a happy woman when she learnt she was going to have a baby girl. It was all she prayed for after previously having two boys. But while it was almost time to behold her little beauty, life happened. It served her lemons.

Fatima who could not get a vehicle or means to go to the nearest health facility for delivery died from prolonged obstructed labour. She died from trying to bring forth another life.

In Lagos, 29-year-old Bolanle recently became a victim of quackery, cultural and religious belief against healthcare. Her mother had insisted she was going to deliver her baby at a faith based home hence ignoring expertise of health workers.

Her reason was that the gods would magically grant her daughter safe delivery even if quacks are the ones being used. But she was wrong.

Bolanle died after six days of labour and bleeding.

Not the prayer sessions could save her. No effort was made to refer her to the hospital despite a deteriorating condition. She died of ignorance

A mother after childbirth

and quackery.

Grim Picture Ebiladei, Ayae, Fatima and Bolanle are not the only Nigerian women who have died from preventable maternal causes. At least 512 women die from every 100,000 live births in Nigeria, putting the country’s global burden of maternal deaths at 20 per cent, according to an overview of community-informed maternal death review done last month by a consortium of health advocates - Nigeria Health Watch, EpiAfric and Africare.

Global index shows that a Nigerian woman has one in 22 lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum/post-abortion; whereas in the most developed countries, the lifetime risk is 1 in 4900. In March 2018, the co-Founder, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, told the Nigerian government in Abuja that the country has unfortunately become one of the most dangerous places on earth to give birth.

Reason for High Maternal Deaths Following the persistent burden of maternal deaths in the country, Nigeria Health Watch and its allies embarked on a research to ascertain why women continue to die during pregnancy, childbirth or after birth. Interestingly, it showed that excessive bleeding (clinically called postpartum hemorrhage) and prolonged obstructed labour accounted for most maternal deaths in the country.

The research, which lasted for 12 months from May 2019 and tagged: ‘Why Are Women Dying While Giving Birth: An Overview of CommunityInformed Maternal Deaths’, spanned through all geopolitical zones, with one state chosen from each zone; Lagos for South-west; Bayelsa for South-south; Ebonyi for South-east; Kebbi for North-west; Niger for North-central; and Bauchi for North-east.

Presenting findings of the research during the launch of the report recently, the Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu said of the 18 communities under focus in the six zones, 133 deaths were recorded – 63 in Lagos, 48 in Ebonyi, nine in Kebbi, six in Bayelsa, four in Bauchi, and three in Niger, adding that prolonged obstructed labour accounted for 38.3 percent, while excessive bleeding accounted for 37 per cent of the deaths.

On specifics, Ihekweazu said in Bauchi State, excessive bleeding accounted for 50 percent, while prolonged obstructed labour was 33 percent. “In Bayelsa, excessive bleeding accounted for 50 per cent, prolonged obstructed labour 33 per cent,

while convulsion accounted for 17 per cent. In Lagos, excessive bleeding and prolonged obstructive labour accounted for 26 per cent each, convulsion 23 per cent, while complications from abortion accounted for six per cent. In Kebbi, excessive bleeding accounted for 13 per cent, prolonged obstructed labour 38, while infection with fever accounted for 50 per cent. In Ebonyi, excessive bleeding accounted for 50 per cent, prolonged excessive labour 33 per cent, convulsion 17, while abortion complication accounted for two per cent.”

Analysing the systemic issues leading to the various deaths, she said poor access, communication challenge, poor attitude of health workers and rigid/expensive payment played major roles in the deaths in Bayelsa. “For Bauchi, cultural influences of gatekeepers played a key role. In Lagos, reliance on religious belief and attitude of health workers played a major role. In Kebbi, cultural influence (aversion to male health workers) and permission practice were key factors, while in Niger State; permission practice was a key factor.”

Insurgency, COVID-19 as Factors against Maternal Health Sharing her thought on the research, the First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu said Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic were in no small measure affecting maternal and child health in the country, especially in the North.

She said: “With insecurity in the Northern region, many pregnant women no longer attend antenatal because of fear of being attacked. We know the consequences of this; it affects the quality of care the women are expected to get. The COVID-19 lockdowns also had its effect. Despite these challenges, we must prioritise maternal and child health, because no woman deserves to die or lose her child while giving birth.”

TBAs as Solution or Curse?

Although it is no longer news that millions of Nigerian women prefer to manage their pregnancies and deliver in faith based homes, many health experts are still divided over whether or not services of these unskilled birth attendants are actually needed. This debate was again brought to the fore during the launch of the research.

For the coordinator of Maternal and Child Health, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Hajiya Hnnatu Abubakar, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) are important in preventing maternal deaths, as they can serve as key referral links between the pregnant women and health

facilities.

She said: “Their importance cannot be wished away. We do not engage them to provide service.

We know they are closest to the communities and can identify pregnant women, so what we do in Bauchi is that we train them to know the basis and danger signs, so that they know their limits and then refer accordingly. This has reduced maternal and child deaths,” she said.

But for the Commissioner for Health, Ebonyi State, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike faith based birth attendants have caused more damage to the fight against maternal deaths than they have provided solutions, adding that they are unacceptable in Ebonyi.

He said: “If we cannot do away with unskilled birth attendants, we have to be careful what we do with them. In Ebonyi, we have told them not to keep any woman more than 10 hours.

If you don’t closely monitor these people, you will realize that they will only refer women to you only when they are in critical conditions.

We have told them to look for alternative jobs.

60 percent of maternal deaths are caused by unskilled birth attendants. They even cause more issues for the health workers because they refer the women only during critical situations. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Recommendations Among the recommendations made in the nationwide research are that the government should revitalise primary healthcare centres for better maternal care, adding that this would improve affordability, availability and accessibility.

It adds: “There should be health education and advocacy to improve maternal care. This should be done through a bottom-up approach to counteract harmful cultural practices.

Community leaders and the media should be engaged to propagate maternal health.

“There should be improvement in human resources for health, as well as patientcentred care. There should be establishment of conditions that improve availability and remuneration, as well as establishment of core patient-centred care to improve health workers attitude. There should be enforcement of regulations for the operations of traditional birth attendants and other unskilled birth attendants.

State governments commitment and public- private partnership should be considered for improving maternal health,” the report recommended.

T H I S D AY Ëž ,DECEMER 10, 2020

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NEWS

WHO Urges Adoption of COVID-19 Approach to Tackle Other Health Challenges Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The World Health 0SHBOJTBUJPO 8)0 IBT advised governments and development partners to adopt similar strategies used JO DPOUBJOJOH UIF $07*% pandemic to address other health problems afflicting their people.

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especially people living with )*7 UP CF QSPBDUJWF JO ZPVS self-care and in understanding how to prevent the spread of infections,� he said.

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FG Adopt Strategies to Check Mother to Child Infection of HIV Ëž ĂšĂœĂ™Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă?ËÚËĂ?ÓÞã ĂžĂœĂ‹Ă“Ă˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă?ËÖÞÒ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂœĂ?

Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Federal Government has said it is determined to eliminate mother-to-childUSBOTNJTTJPO 1.5$5 PG )*7 by focusing more attention to eight highest burden states.

It said that part of the strategies to achieve this is by strengthening the linkages CFUXFFO 1.5$5 TFSWJDFT BOE maternal and child health programmes. .JOJTUFS PG )FBMUI %S 0TBHJF &IBOJSF XIP TQPLF BU UIJT ZFBS T 8PSME "*%4 %BZ OPUFE UIBU UIFSF IBT CFFO JNQSPWFNFOUT JO )*7 treatment coverage despite $07*% *OEVDFE EJTSVQtions. )F TBJE UIBU 8PSME "*%4 %BZ DPNNFNPSBUJPO QSPWJEFE iBO PQQPSUVOJUZ UP reflect on where we stand today and remind ourselves where we want to be with regard to the fight against )*7 "*%4u He said Nigeria had 1,228,100 patients on ART, 150,000 patients more than the number in June last year. i8JUIPVU EPVCU UIFSF is need to continue to raise awareness about )*7 QSPNPUF UIF SJHIUT PG QFPQMF MJWJOH XJUI )*7 BOE importantly, ensure access to MJGF TBWJOH )*7 NFEJDJOFT GPS them. i5IJT ZFBS IBT CFFO VOJRVF because of the new challenges to our health system and our lives brought about by the $07*% QBOEFNJD JO TQJUF of which, I am pleased to

note we are still on track to FOEJOH UIF "*%4 FQJEFNJD in Nigeria.� *O BEEJUJPO &IBOJSF TBJE specific policy changes were rapidly adopted, to limit EJTSVQUJPOT JO BDDFTT UP )*7 treatment.

For example, he said that multi-month dispensing’ of "37T XIFSFCZ NFEJDJOFT BSF provided to patients to last them up to three months, has been adopted. i1SPHSFTT JO i1SFWFOUJPO PG .PUIFS UP $IJME 5SBOTNJTsion� remains challenging; but we remain resolute too in our HPBM UP FMJNJOBUF .PUIFS UP $IJME 5SBOTNJTTJPO PG )*7 i5ISPVHI PVS OFX UISVTU GPS 1.5$5 PQUJNJTBUJPO XF are giving increased attention to the eight highest burden states. i 8F BSF TUSFOHUIFOJOH UIF MJOLBHFT CFUXFFO 1.5$5 services and maternal and child health programmes; and very important, increasing investment to ensure availBCJMJUZ PG )*7 UFTUT JODMVEJOH )*7 TFMG UFTUJOH LJUT u IF TBJE .FBOXIJMF B MFBEJOH non governmental organisation, APIN Public Health Initiatives, said it has been involved in the implementaUJPO PG QSPKFDUT PO )*7 "*%4 .BMBSJB BOE 5VCFSDVMPTJT JO #FOVF &LJUJ 0HVO 0OEP 0TVO 0ZP BOE 1MBUFBV TUBUFT The group specialises in designs and execution projects to reduce the burden of diseases and public health challenges in Nigeria.

In statement by the group which commissioned its new

corporate headquarters in Abuja last weekend, they said they are set to provide )*7 UFTUJOH BOE DPVOTFMMJOH services to the members of the public especially those population at risk.

The public health initiative which started as a project of the Harvard School of Public Health nearly 20 years ago, now impleNFOUT QSPKFDUT PO )*7 "*%4 .BMBSJB BOE 5VCFSDVMPTJT JO #FOVF &LJUJ 0HVO 0OEP 0TVO 0ZP BOE 1MBUFBV TUBUFT i"DSPTT UIFTF MPDBUJPOT XF QSPWJEF )*7 UFTUJOH BOE counselling services to the general population and those population at risk. i8F BMTP FOTVSF UIBU UIPTF tested receive their antiretroviral drugs and are followed up to help them stay consistent with the drugs so that their viral load is suppressed.�

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FERTILITY

with DR. KEMI AILOJE Info@lifelinkfertility.com; Website: lifelinkfertility.com 08033083580

FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE (FSH) AND YOUR FERTILITY (Part 1)

T

he Understanding of hormones and how they affect your fertility is an important part of fertility profiling.

We have discussed extensively the hormone Prolactin in the past two editions. This week our focus will be on the Follicle Stimulating Hormone.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is the most essential hormone for the development of secondary sexual characteristics and controls the function of women’s ovaries and men’s testes. In women, this hormone stimulates the growth of follicles (a sac where the egg develops) in the ovary before the release of the egg at ovulation. In men, FSH acts on the Sertoli cells of the testes to stimulate sperm production. It is secreted by the pituitary gland in response to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus both in men and women.

In children, FSH levels are usually low until puberty. FSH helps to signal the ovaries to make oestrogen in girls and helps to signal the testes to make testosterone in boys.. Too much or too little FSH levels can cause a variety of problems, including infertility, menstrual difficulties in women, low sex drive in men, and early or delayed puberty in children.

HIGH FSH AND INFERTILITY IN WOMEN When the body senses that there are only few eggs developing, it signals the pituitary gland to pump out more FSH to try to develop more eggs, thus, results in the abnormally high level of this hormone in the blood. Increased FSH levels in the blood may therefore be an indication of reduced ovarian function or failure of the ovaries. Women in this situation have significantly lower pregnancy chances than women with normal levels.

High FSH in women may also indicate any of the following: r 1SJNBSZ 0WBSJBO *OTVGĂ DJFODZ 10*

Previously described as premature ovarian failure, is the loss of ovarian function before the age of 40. Naturally, some women may experience reduced fertility when they are about the age of CVU GPS XPNFO XJUI 10* JSSFHVMBS QFSJPET and reduced fertility start before the age of 40, sometimes it may start as early as the teenage ZFBST 10* JT EJGGFSFOU GSPN QSFNBUVSF NFOPQBVTF Premature menopause causes periods to stop CFGPSF BHF BOE IJOEFST QSFHOBODZ 8JUI 10* some women still have occasional periods and may even get pregnant. r .FOPQBVTF PS 1FSJNFOPQBVTF 5IF primary role of FSH is to develop follicles that contain the eggs and after ovulation (which is the release of the eggs from the follicles), the level of FSH decreases in the body. In case of menopause, FSH levels do not reduce because PWVMBUJPO EJE OPU PDDVS .FOPQBVTF JT BCTFODF of menstrual cycles for 12 consecutive months and since menopause is also characterized by a reduced level of the estrogen hormone, the body signals the pituitary gland to produce more

FSH so that it can promote the development of ovarian follicles. FSH during menopause fails to stimulate the growth of the ovarian follicles, induce ovulation, and increase the level of estrogen. However, the pituitary gland still tries its best to induce ovulation by continuing to increase the level of FSH. This is the reason why the level of FSH in the body remains high after menopause. In other words, a consistently high level of FSH may indicate that the ovaries are failing and the woman is approaching menopause. r 1PPS &HH 2VBMJUZ 'PS BO FHH UP be healthy it must have the right number of chromosomes and it should be able to combine these chromosomes with a sperm to grow and survive. Levels of FSH are increased if the needed amounts of chromosomes are not present. It is the body’s way of telling the pituitary gland that it needs to increase the amounts of FSH to improve the quality of the eggs.

LOW FSH AND INFERTILITY IN WOMEN Low FSH levels can have a significant effect on a woman’s reproductive system and fertility. It can result in incomplete development at puberty and poor ovarian function. The underlying cause of the low FSH levels may be related to malfunctioning of the pituitary gland.

Any trauma or damage caused by tumors or inflammatory processes of the brain may affect normal production of FSH. The reduction of this hormone occurs in underweight people, smokers and those exposed to chronic stress Low levels of FSH can also be a characteristic of mental retardation, Turner’s syndrome, ovarian cysts, meningitis etc..

HIGH FSH LEVELS AND INFERTILITY IN MEN High FSH levels in men may indicate that the testes are not functioning properly. High FSH due to testicular damage may be caused by chemotherapy, radiation, infection, advancing age, testicular cancer or injuries, chromosomal abnormalities or alcohol abuse. When this is the case, the pituitary gland that regulates hormones in the brain produces additional FSH to support sperm production.

LOW FSH LEVELS AND INFERTILITY IN MEN The most common cause of low FSH levels in men is the long use of testosterone or steroids.

They send signals to the brain that the body is producing enough Testosterone and this causes the brain to shut down its natural production of testosterone and, consequently stops producing FSH. Sperm production is compromised, causing infertility. Low FSH may also be caused by disorder of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.

Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects sexual development in males often causes low FSH production and thus, leads to infertil t50 #& $0/5*/6&% /&95 8&&,

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T H I S D AY ˾ ,DECEMER 10, 2020

FEATURES

CAMALaunches StrategicPlanforEliminationof Malaria inAfrica Mary Nnah The Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa (CAMA) has announced the launch of its strategic plan for 2021-2023, which sets out the blueprint for action for the next three years.

Through private sector initiatives, the alliance aims to reach millions of people with malaria control interventions to improve awareness and scale up prevention activities.

The plan was launched at CAMA’s 2020 Partners Meeting, which took place virtually on November 24, 2020.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic places an extra burden on health systems worldwide. Many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, are now facing a double challenge of protecting their citizens against existing threats to public health, like malaria, and emerging ones, like COVID-19.

The malaria situation in Africa was critical before the emergence of COVID-19, which now threatens to derail years of progress in the fight against malaria.

In 2018, the WHO African Region accounted for 94 per cent of all malaria deaths and 93 per cent (213 million) of global malaria cases.

From its inception, CAMA has been a trusted platform for knowledge sharing and networking, with an initial focus on workplace programs and corporate-led community malaria programs.

Over the past decade, CAMA has evolved to an Alliance with broad sector representation, beyond the extractives industry, to include commodity manufacturers, construction firms, beverage firms and financial services firms. Today it also facilitates private sector engagement in the development of national malaria responses as well as region-wide initiatives.

Team Lead, Global Public Health & Special Projects, Chevron Corporation, and Co-Chair, CAMA, Michael Steinberg, said, “We benefit from healthier communities, as they’re interlinked with our business outcomes, with economies, and with improving local capacities.

“CAMA’s work also contributes to improved systems, partnerships and learnings that benefit local capacities well beyond [malaria], and really supports global health security.”

Key outcomes of the strategic plan include expanded private sector engagement and investment in malaria programming, reaching at least five million people directly with malaria commodities and 100 million people with prevention and control messages through strengthened public-private partnerships, and more.

Head, Sustainability, Access Bank, and Co-Chair, CAMA, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan said, “There’s still so much we can do together to advance our objective as a responsible coalition and as responsible businesses in the face of global health challenges

“I assure you of our continued commitment to foster collaborative efforts in the fight against malaria.”

Key elements of the strategic plan include expanding work in high burden countries to rapidly reduce malaria cases and deaths through improved private sector engagement; providing support to businesses to develop and scale up workplace as well as community-based initiatives which will enhance malaria control and elimination efforts in-country; helping to guide regional and national policies and strategies to enhance control and accelerate elimination of malaria; continuing to serve as a neutral forum and platform to share information, best practices and enhance member understanding and program visibility; and fostering multi-sector coordination and partnerships with

Medical Experts Urge FG to Subsidise Diabetes Care Rebecca Ejifoma Healthcare professionals have called on the federal government to subsidise the cost of diabetes management, including medications and monitoring devices, to reduce preventable deaths.

The experts said this would alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians living with the condition during a webinar organised by Novo Nordisk to mark World Diabetes Day (WDD) 2020.

In their call to cut down needless deaths to diabetes, the experts said the cost of antidiabetic drugs and monitoring devices have risen beyond the reach of many Nigerians living with the disease. They lamented that most of the patients are no longer able to achieve diabetes control as recommended by the International Diabetes Federation.

The Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Antonia Ogbera, said a lot of people, both children and adults, have died because they cannot afford medications.

Addressing participants on

“The rising burden of diabetes: the facts, the figures and the drivers of the disease in Nigeria”, Ogbera mentioned that 19 million adults are living with diabetes in Africa and by 2045 the figure could rise to 47 million.

She said: “Globally, 463 million people have diabetes and by 2045, it is estimated that 700 million people will have it.”

According to the physician, in 2015 about 5.0 million people died in Africa from diabetic mellitus, listing South Africa and Nigeria as top countries in Africa with highest cases of diabetes.

Giving the figures, the expert said while 4.6m people are living with the disease in SA, 2.7 adults are living with it in Nigeria.

According to Ogbera, 63,958 people were estimated to have died from diabetes-related disease in Nigeria; about 60 percent of diabetes mellitus in Nigeria are undiagnosed.

She emphasised: “The drivers of the epidemic in Nigeria are behavioural and lifestyle factors, urbanisation and health system related issues.”

key stakeholders and influencers in the health community to scale up malaria control and elimination efforts in country.

The End Malaria Project will be a major initiative under the new strategic plan. It will be launched as a pilot program in Nigeria and expand to other high-burden countries in Africa.

The project will galvanise private sector resources and capabilities towards reducing the incidence and prevalence of malaria in the most endemic communities in Nigeria by 2023 - a step towards complementing the government’s efforts in achieving a malaria-free Nigeria.

“This meeting has come at the right time; the Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) is just about to launch the new strategic plan which will run from 2021-2025,” said Dr.

Audu Bala Mohammed, Coordinator, NMEP. “We have seen how the private sector has made a big difference when the COVID-19 pandemic began… We’re sure that this partnership and collaboration will go a long way for Nigeria to address the issue of malaria”, he added.

“Over the years we’ve realised that private sector engagement is very effective when we adopt the right strategies, and so we are going to intensify these efforts in our next strategic plan,” said Eunice Mintah Agyemang, BCC Specialist, National Malaria Control Programme, representing Dr. Keziah Malm, National Coordinator, National Malaria Control Programme, Ghana.

“We have launched a committee which is looking into advocacy strategies to engage private sector and other public sector institutions that will be relevant to improving our strategies and achieving malaria elimination.”

“The powerful link between health and business is abundantly clear today,” said Nancy WildfeirField, President, GBCHealth. “More than ever, the private sector has a vital role to play in mobilising innovation and resources, and to strengthen our collective efforts to eliminate malaria. We need to think about innovation in product, in supply chains and delivery and in how we partner with each other.

“We are thrilled to launch CAMA’s strategic plan in partnership with our members. It sets out a vision and the way forward for the Alliance over the next three years,” said Ochuko Keyamo-Onyige, Country Manager, Nigeria, GBCHealth.

“Our 14-year history in Africa has an impressive legacy. This plan will continue to build on our remarkable achievements and help to achieve stronger representation, better collaboration across sectors, growth, sustainability and most importantly help to accelerate our impact on malaria control and elimination efforts in Africa.”

CAMA is a GBCHealth-led initiative to drive partnerships for malaria control and elimination.

The Alliance is a unique coalition of companies from various industries, all with business interests in Africa. CAMA channels the collective force and voice of the private sector to drive impact on malaria in Africa from workplaces to region-wide initiatives.

CAMA is a platform for corporations working in Africa to share best practices, create new partnerships and gain visibility for malaria control efforts across the continent. CAMA companies both lead and support innovative malaria prevention, control and treatment activities and collectively deploy millions of dollars to programs that serve the needs of malaria-affected people and communities.

CAMA also provides a forum for business to engage with and build relations with malaria-focused government and civil society stakeholders. CAMA is a membership-based Alliance.

Crown Flour Mill Unveils Vitamin Premix Facility, Restates Commitment to Food Fortification Top food product manufacturer, Crown Flour Mill Limited, a subsidiary of Olam Group, has committed to deliver Nigeria’s first state-of-the-art vitamin premix facility.

The delivery is in line with the 90 per cent food fortification compliance target set at the penultimate edition of the Nigerian Food Processing and Nutrition Leadership Forum.

The food manufacturer made this known at the third annual gathering of the top players in the food industry in the country, held virtually on Thursday, December 3, 2020. Speaking at the forum on the firm’s commitment to participatein the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI), Mr Ashish Pande, Managing Director, Crown Flour Mill Limited, said, “Crown Flour Mills has established a state-of-the-art vitamin premix facility in Nigeria with technical support from the international nonprofit TechnoServe, under the Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Foods

program. “ The goal is to prepare vitamin premix according to the regulatory requirement of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and to supplyCrown Flour plants with high quality and food-safe vitamin premix. This is the first ever by any flour miller in Nigeria.

“Improving the Food fortification levels of staple foods is one agenda that we are utterly committed to at Olam Grains.

“Sustainability is one of the key enablers of our operational strategy. It is at the heart of our business’ drive to reimagine global agriculture and food systems.

“Providing access to nutrition which enables Nigerians live healthy and productive lives, therefore sits at core of our purpose as a business.”

Wheat flour, edible oil, cooking salt and sugar formed the core target for fortification at the forum.

All participants at the forum,therefore, emphasised their commitment to meeting

and scaling the grand target to ensure that the over 180 million Nigerian population can access fortified foods that will aid their physical and mental development.

Going forward, a sustainability framework aimed at enforcing compliance through strict regulation and monitoring has been set up.

These include,industry led self-regulation through the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI), Joint Regulatory Framework (JRF), and Governance and Accountability Strategy (GAS).

TechnoServe’s West Africa Regional Director, Larry Umunna, highlighted that “If Nigeria is really serious about creating jobs, expanding its markets and growing its economy, nutrition and food systems should be put in the centre of the conversation.”

The forum, convened by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, in collaboration with TechnoServe and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, had in attendance His Excellency Prof. YemiOsinbajo,

the Vice President of Nigeria; Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health; CEOs of top food manufacturers, chairs of national and global food regulatory agencies, and representatives of not-for-profit organisations; Bill Gates, the co-founder of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF); and Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Others include Rizwan Yusufali, Regional Programme Director of SAPFF at TechnoServe; Ipsit Chakrabarti, Managing Director, PZ; Farouk Salim, Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria; Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC; William Warshauer, President and CEO of TechnoServe; John Coumantaros, Chairman of Flour Mills of Nigeria, and Ashish Pande amongstother Captains of industries and senior representatives BMGF, ADF, GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition), and TechnoServe, all partners in Food Solutions.

35

T H I S D AY ˾ ,DECEMER 10, 2020

NEWS

LASG Partners First Bank to Promote Access to Affordable Healthcare The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), in its commitment to ensure that residents at the grassroots have access to affordable, effective and quality healthcare, has partnered First Bank of Nigeria Limited to utilise its 6,000 Firstmonie Agents as payment channels for the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS).

The General Manager LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, made the disclosure during the flag off of the partnership in Alausa, saying

that the partnership became necessary to facilitate ease of health insurance premium transactions for residents, especially at the grassroots.

She noted that First Bank was selected for the partnership in recognition of its effectiveness, efficiency and large clientele base.

“The agency realised that not all residents can go to the Bank or use online platforms for the payment of their health insurance premiums, hence the Agency identified the need for other payment platforms such

as the Firstmonie Agents”, Dr. Zamba explained.

Asserting that the partnership would avail residents the opportunity to pay either N40,000 annually for family plan or N8,500 annually for individual plan through any of the Firstmonie Agents, the General Manager said that once the insurance premium is paid before 25th of every month, such enrollee can receive care from the first day of the following month at any public or private hospital of their

choice within the scheme’s network of providers.

While commending the good gesture of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Zamba urged other corporate and multinational organisations to support the Agency towards ensuring that Lagos residents, irrespective of their tribal, cultural or religious differences, access quality healthcare.

The General Manager disclosed that efforts are being intensified to ensure that residents can also enrol

for the Scheme at any of the Firstmonie Agents situated within their localities.

The Deputy Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gbenga Shobo, who commended the Lagos State Government for its determination in ensuring the good health and wellbeing of all residents, said “the initiative will have a crucial role at improving the life expectancy of Lagos residents, whilst promoting their increased contribution to the growth

and development of the State”.

He implored residents not to hesitate to pay their health insurance premiums at any of the Firstmonie Agents located in all the local governments and local council development areas in the State in order to have their health secured.

Shobo implored residents in the State to register and enrol on the Scheme in order to enjoy the good gesture of the present administration led by Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

‘No Deltan Should Die from Poverty, No Access to Healthcare Facilities’ Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Chairman, Delta State Contributory Health Insurance Commission (DSCHC), Dr. Issac Akpoveta, has said the objective of the free diabetes and hypertension treatment centres established by the state government was to ensure that no resident died because of poverty or lack of access to healthcare facilities.

Akpoveta, who stated this while inaugurating the clinics at the Obior Health Facility in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state, said the PPP initiative was conceived by the Okowa administration with the aim of making quality healthcare more accessible especially to rural communities.

He noted that the new clinics were products of a private-public-partnership initiative aimed at ensuring that people in hard-to-reach rural areas get access to quality healthcare services under the state contributory health insurance scheme.

The state government in collaboration with French multinational biopharmaceutical company, SANOFI, inaugurated the first three of five diabetes and hypertension clinics across its three senatorial districts, in order to give more residents access to quality and free treatment of the disease that afflicts more than 1.5 million people in Nigeria annually.

Akpoveta said, “Diabetes is a common disease and a major killer in our society today and our Commission is very concerned about people in the rural area, to ensure that the people are healthy to produce the food for urban areas and the nation. It is a PPP arrangement with SANOFI 8ccb company and the service is free-of-charge.

“Diabetes and hypertension sicknesses are silent killers.

When you have too much sugar in your blood, it destroys all the vital organs in your body, and hypertension, of course, causes stroke. And, once you have stroke, your life will never be the same.

“So, we must prevent these illnesses with today’s commissioning of the clinics In conjunction with SANOFI, we have agreed to bring these services to their doorstep, instead of

travelling long distances to access the services.”

The General Manager (General Medicines), Nigera and Ghana Country lead, SANOFI Nigeria, Folake Odediran, said the increasing burden of diabetes and hypertension was a major public health concern, adding that that initiative was part of the company’s social responsibility to the Nigerian community.

Odediran stated, “the diseases are not just a health problem but also a development challenge as they impact quality of life, undercut productivity and force many people and families into poverty due to catastrophic expenditures of treatment.

“There are factors that exist in our healthcare system, which limits the ability of many people to easily access diabetes and hypertension care. SANOFI is a global healthcare company dedicated to human health, to understand the needs of the people and to help in solving those needs.

“So, together with the Delta government, which already have the needed facilities and personnel in place, we have established four clinics in Obior (Aniocha North), Polobubo (Warri North), Oporoza (Warri South-West) and the OvworOlomu (Ughelli South) health facilities. We intend to establish five in the state.”

Earlier, the Managing Director and CEO of the DSCHC, Dr Ben Nkechika, noted that the free Medicare under the state’s Equity Health Plan was not restricted to on Delta indigenes by to everyone resident in state, adding that the state government’s efforts have been complemented through Supplementary Support from the FG. Nkechika emphasised that the commission was “determined to ensure that nobody should die because of lack of poverty or inaccessibility to healthcare facilities”.

The hightpoint of the event, which had former Deputy Governor, Chief Benjamin Elue and the Obior Monarch, HRM Kingsley Ugochukwu, Obi Ofuokwu III as special guests, was the screening of hundreds of men and women by medical staff of the facility assited by SANOFI and DSCHC health officials.

Mr. Peter Obi ( middle), presenting a cheque of N1million to the Managers of Annunciation Specialist Hospital, Enugu, to help in continued healthcare provision through settling bills of indigent patients

Prioritise Service to Humanity, Obi to Health Workers The Vice Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in 2019 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has encouraged health workers nationwide to see their profession as a very noble one, through which they can render selfless service to humanity.

Speaking to health workers at Annunciation

Specialist Hospital, Enugu on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, Obi appreciated them for the brave fight they had so far put against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obi reminded them that their profession is a big platform for them to serve God and man, who alone can reward man for every good deed.

While presenting a cheque of N1,000,000 to the hospital management to help them step up their health service delivery and to offset the bills of some indigent persons at the hospital, Obi urged them to continue to pray for the nation that its leaders may use national resources prudently for common

good.

Appreciating Obi for his benevolence, the Assistant Manager of Annunciation Specialist Hospital, Rev. Sr Uchenna Nwafor, recalled how he donated COVID-19 relief materials to the Hospital at the peak of the pandemic. He thanked Obi for his generosity and prayed God to continue to bless him.

Project SafeUp to Provide Free PPE to Nigerians In an effort to promote health and safety for Nigerians amidst COVID-19 pandemic, My World of Bags (MWOB), a bag design and manufacturing company, is partnering the Mastercard Foundation on Project SafeUp. Project SafeUp, according to MWOB in a press release it issued recently, will produce and distribute free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to health workers and the public across Southwest Nigeria.

The South-west states include Oyo, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti as well as to other areas in need across the country.

The foundation added that the PPE that will be produced are reusable non-surgical masks, face shields, gowns, scrubs, shoe, and head covers.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, MWOB said it retooled its factory to focus

on the production of PPE and established key partnerships with small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The project, it stated, has been designed to produce and distribute over 2.5 million items of PPE within the next four months.

The Founder and CEO, MWOB, Femi Olayebi stressed the company’s commitment to supporting the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

She stated, “As a company, MWOB is proud to be a part of the solution and honoured to be able to contribute to the efforts of the authorities and health bodies to protect our health workers and our citizens from the devastating impact of COVID-19.

“We believe that a country is only as strong as the health and wellness of its citizens.

We are grateful to the Mas-

tercard Foundation for its support. We look forward to continuing to work with them to improve the welfare of our citizens.”

According to the CEO, Poject SafeUp is committed to enhancing the use of PPE

by Nigerians, and to reducing the spread of COVID-19 by sensitising the public on the critical need to incorporate preventative measures in their day-to-day activities.

“The pandemic has had adverse effects on individuals and organisations across the country, but for many entrepreneurs and small business owners who make up most of the Nigerian population, and who rely on day-to-day incomes to survive, it has been particularly detrimental,” Olayebi hinted.

At the Mastercard Foundation, the Country Head, Mastercard Foundation,

Chidinma Lawanson, “We believe that this initiative will help to reduce these adverse effects by enabling people to safely return to their regular routines (education and work) with the use of PPE. “It will also improve the economic outcomes of lowincome subgroups and women in particular; and contribute to slowing down the spread of the virus,” says Lawanson.

She cited the World Health Organisation showing that there have been over 51 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 including over 1.2 million deaths across the world.

Citing the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), she said it reported that there were 62,853 confirmed cases; 58,675 discharged persons; and 1,114 deaths recorded since the first case was recorded in February this year.

36

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Kaduna, Enugu, Jigawa Lead in ICAN’s Accountability Index Obinna Chima The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) yesterday unveiled its 2019 Accountability Index (ICANAI) Report which showed that Kaduna State maintained its previous year’s ranking as the best state in terms of accountability in the country.

Enugu State emerged the second best state in terms of accountability in the 2019 index, which was an improvement from the seventh position the state attained the previous year. Enugu state was closely followed by Jigawa, Niger, Kwara, Plateau, Kogi, Kano, Ondo states, in that order. Presenting the report during a hybrid event, ICAN’s Chairman Steering Committee, Zakaria Muhammed, said Kaduna emerged the best state in terms of accountability with 72.7 percent; Enugu with 58.2 percent and Jigawa with 55.9 percent.

On the other hand, Imo, Adamawa and Edo states were the last three states on the list.

While Edo scored 15.1 per cent; Adamawa had 16.3 per cent and Imo 16.5 per cent.

In her keynote address during the public presentation, President of ICAN, Dame Onome Adewuyi, pointed out that in 2017, the ICAN-AI was launched as a mechanism for assessing the level of accountability and quality of public finance management practices across the three tiers of government in Nigeria.

According to her, the initiative was born out of the commitment to serve the public interest as well as to support the institute’s work in promoting accountability, transparency, accuracy and integrity in the Nigerian economy over the past 55 years. “I wish to inform this esteemed audience that the 2019 ICAN-AI report was initially scheduled to be presented publicly in March 2020. The plan was disrupted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and led to the lockdown of most economies across the world. “The outbreak of the pandemic, with its great toll on public finances, has made it even more urgent for countries to develop a more robust assessment framework for their Public Financial Management systems. “The need for an effective and efficient PFM system is

also underscored by the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number Sixteen (SDG 16) that emphasises Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Achieving these three global desires by the year 2030 as envisaged, requires a dogged commitment accountability and transparency in governance. “Sequel to the launching of the ICAN-AI in 2017, the institute set up a star-studded Steering Committee consisting of members with proven integrity and firsthand knowledge of Nigeria’s public sector governance. The membership of the Steering Committee was painstakingly selected to comprise Chartered Accountants who have served in the capacity as AccountantGeneral, Auditor-General, Commissioner for Finance, and Academicians with high pedigrees for seminal research in public sector governance and technologyproficient members who assisted in automating the ICAN-AI, in formulating the ICAN-AI Framework and automating its processes, thereby significantly reducing human interference and errors in the generating the results of the ICAN-AI Index,� she said.

Ambong Energy Services, PTI Seal Deal on Capacity Building Ambong Energy Services Limited and the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Efurun, Delta State have signed a historic pact to jointly build capacity for the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and across Africa.

The agreement which was signed at the PTI on Tuesday, was expected to position the two organisations to train youths on specialised skills for the oil and gas industry.

According to a statement, this would reduce the influx of expatriates, reduce capital flights associated with overseas training and position Nigeria to become a global exporter of specialized labour. The Managing Director, Ambong, Engr. John Nwosu, was quoted to have stated that the country cannot create all the jobs needed by Nigerians, “hence it has become imperative for us to impart our people with the

skills that are sort after around world.�

He added: “This will enable them to apply for international jobs and offer their services to international oil companies. The Principal of PTI while responding said he is happy that a day like has finally come.�

He stressed that the partnership will check youth restiveness and solve the youth unemployment challenge in Nigeria.

CSCS Emerges Securities Services Company of the Year Goddy Egene The Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Nigeria’s capital market infrastructure, was decorated with the Securities Services Company of the Year award at the eight edition of the Banks’ and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards 2020.

Receiving the award the Divisional Head, Shared Services, CSCS Plc, Mrs. Onome Komolafe said: “This award strengthens the self-motivation to sustainably enhance our delivery of excellent services to all market participants.

We are driven by the kaizen philosophy of always doing better, as we continue to seek innovative ways of creating and delivering value for all market participants and ultimately the growing investors in the Nigerian capital market.�

Komolafe, who represented the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CSCS Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, noted that, “the management of CSCS is humbled by the recognition that this award reflects and would like to thank the organizers, judges and more importantly the capital market participants,

who have consistently and objectively distinguished us. As we dedicate this award to our loyal participants and all investors in the Nigerian capital market, we reckon this award is a clarion call to continue to do better, as today’s best can always be better tomorrow.�

According to her, as your preferred market infrastructure, “we are committed to investing in the right technologies and best talent, as we seek to sustainably create mutual value for all stakeholders whilst deepening the Nigerian capital market for inclusive economic growth.�

Africa Fintech Foundry, Access Bank Host Forum Africa’s leading digital innovation hub, Africa Fintech Foundry (AFF) is set to host the first virtual edition of its fintech innovation roundtable on December 11, 2020.

Themed ‘Let’s Talk Tech Resilience 2021,’ the event would feature experts in venture capital, technology, innovation and tech startups across the globe.

The objective of the event is to understand and inspire disruptive technology-driven solutions in the financial services

sector. “The COVID-19 pandemic and socio-political movements have affected the world on a global scale and have interestingly accelerated digital transformations,� Head of the Africa Fintech Foundry, Daniel Awe, was quoted to have said. “For us at AFF, we have recognised the importance of focusing on topical issues and emerging trends that will transform businesses to become technology-driven, customercentric and socially relevant post-COVID. This Roundtable

will explore how technology must evolve to be a force that positively shapes businesses and the society to ensure a safe, peaceful and rewarding future for every citizen,� he said.

At the event, several discussions such as ‘Disruptive effects of the pandemic’; ‘A new reality of virtual working’; Data privacy, innovation, diversity, and the regulatory landscape; Driving reliance on digital technology and collaboration tools; Customercentricity amongst others, will be had .

Adewuyi.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JULY 2020 Money Supply (M3)

36,822,751.47

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

3,476,121.25

Money Supply (M2)

33,346,630.22

-- Quasi Money

120,764,479.02

-- Narrow Money (M1)

12,582,151.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,002,026.89

---- Demand Deposits

10,580,124.31

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,637,137.23

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

29,185,614.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,711,115.95

---- Credit to Government (Net)

19,521,851.08

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-130,189,264.87

--Other Assets Net

3,472,017.70

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,421,827.07

--Currency in Circulation

2,395,917.03

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,025,910.04 317,234.17

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ Íś Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $47.79 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $47.77 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

37

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Market Extends Losses, NSE Gets Lawmakers’ Support Goddy Egene The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index ( ASI) fell by 0.04 per cent to close lower at 35,021.26 as the equities market extended its negative performance for the third day.

The market had opened the week with a decline on Monday on profit taking, a trend that has persisted for three days.

As at the close of trading yesterday, the NSE ASI has

dipped by 0.33 per cent while market capitalisation shed N61 billion in three days. A total of 21 stocks depreciated while 13 appreciated yesterday.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria have reiterated their support for the NSE to enable the exchange play a critical role in aiding Nigeria’s economic recovery and sustainable growth.

They stated this at the

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

enlightenment tour of the Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Federal House of Representatives and the SEC to exchange.

Speaking, the Chairman, Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Federal House of Representatives, Ibrahim Babangida, said: “It is my pleasure to be at the exchange and to hear about the commendable work that is being done. At the federal level, we want to see the NSE

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

and indeed the capital market play its significant role in the economic recovery process of Nigeria especially now that the country has plunged into recession. “We recognise that some of the rules within the capital market must be revisited to deliver the results we expect, and we, hereby, reiterate our support for the NSE where legislation is required to make the necessary changes.�

Also speaking the Director

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

General, SEC, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, expressed his delight to be at the exchange and thanked the leadership for hosting the delegation. “The SEC has been working collaboratively with the exchange and we will continue to support the NSE to grow the market capitalisation, reduce the incidence of delisting and ensure that the market develops into what Nigeria truly needs. We have seen the massive infrastructure

O F

needs of the country and we are confident that the capital market has the capacity to raise the funds needed to finance infrastructure in Nigeria.�

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, said: “Advancing the Nigerian capital market is the collective goal of all key stakeholders and we remain committed to collaborating with the government at all levels to advance and deepen this market.�

1 0 / 1 2 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

38

˾ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020

Thursday, December 10, 2020 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Fell by 3bps The Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index yesterday declined 3bps to

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

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Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

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Local Bourse Extends Losses... ASI down 4bps

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

ŽīƐ ŝŶ FBNH (-Ϭ͘ϳйͿ͕ UBA (-Ϭ͘ϲйͿ ĂŶĚ ARDOVA (-ϴ͘ϳйͿ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ůŽƐƚ േϲ͘ϱďŶ ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂͲ ƟŽŶ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ േϭϴ͘ϯƚŶ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŵŽĚĞƌĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ ϯϬ͘ϱй͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĨĞůů ϴ͘Ϭй ƚŽ Ϯϴϯ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϰ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϰďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ FBNH ;ϰϬ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ GUARANTY ;ϯϮ͘ϳŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ĂŶĚ AIICO ;ϯϬ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

1,574.45

-0.03%

7.3%

57.4%

15.6%

3.2%

5.9x

0.5x

5.3%

10.9%

156.20

0.0%

30.1%

48.8%

43.3%

189.4%

11.9%

16.1x

27.1x

4.5%

6.2%

2 Airtel Africa PLC

640.00

0.0%

22.8%

114.1%

114.1%

7.7%

2.8%

19.0x

1.4x

1.8%

5.2%

33.15

0.0%

9.2%

11.6%

13.5%

27.9%

4.7%

4.8x

1.3x

8.4%

20.8% 29.5%

4 Zenith Bank PLC 5 Nestle Nigeria PLC

ŵĂƌŐŝŶĂůůLJ ďLJ ϰďƉƐ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ϯϱ͕ϬϮϵ͘ϴϮ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů-

Price Change Index to Date

1 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC

3 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

dŚĞ ƚ ƚŚĞ ĐůŽƐĞ ŽĨ ƚƌĂĚĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĨĞůů

Price Previous Current Change Price Weightin YTD Change g

23.45

0.2%

6.2%

26.1%

25.4%

3.4x

0.7x

11.9%

1,400.00

0.0%

3.6%

-4.8%

-4.8%

83.0%

20.5%

27.2x

26.5x

5.0%

3.7%

199.00

0.0%

4.7%

40.1%

40.1%

30.8%

14.6%

13.3x

4.2x

8.4%

7.5%

6 Dangote Cement PLC 7 Access Bank PLC

8.30

0.0%

2.7%

-17.0%

-17.8%

16.8%

1.5%

2.7x

0.4x

7.8%

37.2%

8 United Bank for Africa PLC

8.20

-0.6%

2.5%

14.7%

13.9%

13.9%

1.3%

3.5x

0.5x

11.8%

28.7% 29.3%

9 FBN Holdings Plc

7.00

-0.7%

2.3%

13.8%

7.7%

13.5%

1.3%

3.4x

0.4x

5.4%

10 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

55.00

0.0%

1.9%

-6.8%

-6.8%

6.6%

2.5%

40.8x

2.7x

3.2%

2.5%

11 Lafarge Africa PLC

22.50

0.0%

3.1%

47.1%

63.0%

6.5%

4.6%

15.6x

1.0x

4.4%

6.4%

0.3x

9.5%

-3.5%

5.6x

1.4x

5.4%

17.7%

0.7x

5.4%

402.30

0.0%

1.1%

-38.8%

-32.1%

-0.3%

-0.2%

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

12 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

44.05

0.1%

1.7%

7.4%

10.1%

25.8%

3.8%

14 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

25.30

0.0%

1.0%

28.4%

28.4%

15 International Brew eries PLC

7.18

0.0%

0.6%

-24.4%

-24.4%

-26.3%

-6.2%

16 Ecobank Transnational Inc

5.80

-0.9%

0.6%

-10.8%

-11.5%

0.5%

0.0%

56.1x

0.3x

17 Fidelity Bank PLC

2.55

0.0%

0.7%

24.4%

26.2%

10.7%

1.1%

2.8x

0.3x

18 11 PLC

1.3x

-24.2% 1.8% 7.8%

35.2%

228.00

0.0%

0.8%

54.2%

54.2%

16.4%

7.6%

12.4x

1.9x

3.8%

8.1%

ǁŚŝůĞ GUARANTY (േϭ͘ϭďŶͿ͕ ZENITH (േϲϵϴ͘ϭŵͿ ĂŶĚ

19 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

80.00

0.0%

0.7%

43.9%

43.9%

20.6%

13.4%

11.9x

2.4x

2.3%

8.4%

20 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

18.90

0.0%

DANGCEM (േϯϬϴ͘ϳŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

0.6%

39.0%

35.0%

30.8%

15.6%

6.7x

1.9x

5.8%

14.9%

21 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

0.95

-2.1%

0.4%

-4.0%

-11.2%

-3.5%

-0.8%

0.6x

1.1%

22 Unilever Nigeria PLC

13.00

0.0%

0.2%

-40.9%

-37.2%

-9.8%

-6.5%

1.2x

23 Guinness Nigeria PLC

-6.1% -9.2%

17.80

0.0%

0.2%

-40.8%

-40.8%

-16.2%

-8.4%

24 FCMB Group Plc

3.08

2.7%

0.5%

66.5%

69.2%

10.3%

1.2%

2.9x

0.1x

4.6%

34.1%

25 Sterling Bank PLC

1.89

-1.6%

0.3%

-5.0%

-0.5%

8.8%

0.8%

5.3x

0.4x

1.6%

19.0%

26 UAC of Nigeria PLC

7.30

0.0%

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ǁĞĂŬ ĂƐ ϰ of ƚŚĞ ϲ ŝŶĚŝͲ

0.2%

-15.1%

-18.0%

7.8%

3.7%

103.6x

0.4x

1.4%

1.0%

27 Custodian and Allied Insurance

5.85

0.0%

0.2%

-2.5%

-2.5%

13.9%

4.8%

5.5x

0.7x

7.6%

18.3%

ces ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů

29 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

Weak Sector Performance

Goods and AFR-/ d ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϭ͘Ϭй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů-ŽīƐ ŝŶ CORNERSTONE (-ϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ MANSARD (-Ϭ͘ϵйͿ ĂŶĚ AIICO (-Ϭ͘ϵйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ the Oil & Gas ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ Ϭ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϭй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ARDOVA (ϴ͘ϳйͿ͕ FBNH (-Ϭ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ UBA (-Ϭ͘ϲйͿ͘ >ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ CHAMPION (-ϴ͘ϮйͿ ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶͲ

28 Presco PLC

30 Total Nigeria PLC 31 Oando PLC

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϲdž ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ Ϭ͘ϴdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ϭϯ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚĞ Ϯϭ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ FTNCOCOA ;нϴ͘ϴйͿ͕ UNIONDAC ;нϴ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ CHAMS ;нϰ͘ϴйͿ led the gainers

ŶĞdžƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ǁĞĂŬ͘

0.3%

51.2%

51.2%

18.5%

7.7%

13.7x

2.3x

2.9%

7.3%

0.0%

0.1%

-10.0%

-10.7%

8.0%

1.0%

6.3x

0.6x

4.6%

15.8%

5.0%

130.00

0.0%

0.2%

17.2%

17.2%

10.7%

2.1%

15.7x

1.7x

2.95

0.7%

0.1%

-26.1%

-26.1%

14.5%

2.6%

1.3x

0.2x

6.4% 78.7%

16.00

0.0%

0.2%

23.6%

23.6%

18.4%

5.8%

10.4x

3.4x

2.5%

9.6%

-0.5%

0.1%

11.0%

11.0%

10.8%

1.2%

19.9x

0.8x

9.1%

5.0%

0.67

1.5%

-1.5%

6.8%

0.5%

3.9x

0.5x

6.0%

25.7%

-8.7%

0.1% 0.1%

-9.5%

13.20

-27.1%

-26.7%

3.1%

1.1%

32.2x

1.0x

7.8x

34 Wema Bank PLC 35 Ardova PLC 36 Continental Reinsurance PLC

3.1%

-100.0%

37 Beta Glass PLC

55.40

0.0%

0.1%

3.0%

3.0%

10.3%

7.2%

38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-21.3%

-6.4%

39 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

2.28

-0.9%

0.1%

15.2%

15.2%

21.5%

6.6%

40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

3.60

0.0%

0.0%

-26.5%

-26.5%

-10.4%

-5.0%

0.8x

0.0x

1.8x 3.9x

12.8% -13.3%

0.7x

25.9%

0.5x

0.0x

-20.8%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T o p 10 G a i n e r s P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

F T N C OC OA

0.37

8.8%

FB NH

40.8

-0.7%

UN ION D A C

0.27

8.0%

GUA R A N T Y

32.7

0.0%

CHA M S

0.22

4.8%

A IIC O

30.1

-0.9%

UN IT YB N K

0.67

4.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

29.7

0.2%

R EGA LIN S

0.23

4.5%

M B EN EF IT

23.1

-8.3%

LIVEST OC K

1.40

2.9%

UB A

12.6

-0.6%

FCM B

3.08

2.7%

WA P IC

11.2

0.0%

WEM A B A N K

0.67

1.5%

D A N GSUGA R

10.7

0.0%

1.01

1.0%

FCM B

9.9

2.7%

2.95

0.7%

A C C ESS

8.6

0.0%

LEA R N A F R C A OA N D O

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

1082.6

0.0%

0.21

-8.7%

GUA R A N T Y

A R D OVA

13.20

-8.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

698.1

0.2%

M B EN EF IT

0.22

-8.3%

D A N GC EM

308.7

0.0%

C H A M P ION

0.90

-8.2%

FB NH

285.7

-0.7%

F ID SON

4.50

-7.8%

D A N GSUGA R

199.3

0.0%

LA SA C O

0.31

-6.1%

UB A

103.5

-0.6%

N EIM ET H

2.40

-5.1%

N EST LE

91.3

0.0%

-4.8%

ST A N B IC

84.2

0.1%

71.6

0.0%

49.0

0.0%

R OYA LEX

UP L

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

0.0%

5.40

18.40

ǁŚŝůĞ ROYALEX (-ϴ͘ϳйͿ͕ ARDOVA (-ϴ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ MBENEFIT (ϴ͘ϯйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ tĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƉƌŽĮƚ-taking in the

71.80

32 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

T ic k er

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ

-33.4%

33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

dex ϯďƉƐ ůŽǁĞƌ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ

0.5x

1.40

C OR N ER ST

0.58

-3.3%

A C C ESS

T R A N SC OR P

0.95

-2.1%

M TNN

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com

Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

39

MARKET NEWS

Total Nigeria Projects N1.5bn Profit after Tax in Q1 of 2021 Goddy Egene

a profit after tax (PAT) of 2021, which is higher than September 30, 2020. will record a revenue of N1.504 billion for the first the N1.037 billion recorded According to the petroleum N115.975 billion and a gross Total Nigeria Plc has projected quarter ending March 31, in the third quarter ended products marketing firm, it profit of N12.403 billion.

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an ETF are bought by investors.

Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. investment vehicle that allows both small and Bid Price: The price at which Investors Investors with similar objectives buy units of the large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total that willl generate their desired return. investments. The assets are divided into shares that return an investor would have earned on An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. his investment. Money Market Funds report of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, Yield while others report Year- to-date Total bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, GUIDE TO DATA: Return. etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 08- NAV: Is value per share of the real estate shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the Dec-2020, unless otherwise stated. assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

Finance cost will print at N471 million and PAT at N1.504 billion.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 1.04 1.05 15.44% ACAP Income Funds 0.86 0.86 11.40% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.91% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.74 3.88 53.10% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 0.91% Anchoria Equity Fund 127.64 128.10 20.14% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.45 1.45 21.38% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 17.88 18.41 16.70% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 396.96 408.93 14.92% ARM Ethical Fund 33.56 34.57 15.40% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.21 1.22 21.73% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.13 1.13 12.85% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.20% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 122.02 122.88 27.00% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.49% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.25 2.25 19.38% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.22 2.26 44.62% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.54% Paramount Equity Fund 15.32 15.60 22.41% Women's Investment Fund 129.60 130.99 17.49% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.38% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 126.54 127.32 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.37 108.37 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,472.94 1,474.65 24.07% FBN Balanced Fund 180.90 182.25 23.21% FBN Halal Fund 111.34 111.37 11.34% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.43% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 121.03 121.38 7.20% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 121.20 121.56 6.82% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 147.23 149.49 13.14% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.00% Legacy Debt Fund 3.86 3.86 5.66% Legacy Equity Fund 1.46 1.49 29.52% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.13 1.13 4.73% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,738.84 3,778.15 22.65% Coral Income Fund 3,249.34 3,249.94 5.86% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 3.29% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.57% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 126.67 127.20 18.04%

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.01% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.84 2.90 29.79% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 7.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 155.62 156.53 8.62% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.38 1.40 22.38% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,148.05 1,148.05 10.34% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.60 1.63 29.50% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.11 12.21 7.51% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 2.10% PACAM Equity Fund 1.52 1.53 PACAM EuroBond Fund 108.73 111.07 SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 133.73 136.75 9.40% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 8.83% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 24.47% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 6.32% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 24.44% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 7.41% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 30.43% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.37% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 21.59% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.22 1.22 5.29% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 110.80 110.80 6.32% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.36 1.38 13.80% United Capital Bond Fund 1.88 1.88 8.17% United Capital Equity Fund 0.84 0.87 19.30% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.21% United Capital Eurobond Fund 116.62 116.62 6.69% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 1.36% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.03 12.18 17.08% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.42 13.56 15.56% Zenith Income Fund 24.98 24.98 9.96% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.82%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

120.04

6.92%

52.14

0.17%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

11.52 113.03 87.65

11.62 115.48 89.29

36.71% 19.66% 16.68%

Union Homes REIT

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

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.99

4.03

16.18%

Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund

5.59

5.67

-5.45%

Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund

15.78 1.00 16.08

15.88 1.00 16.28

31.17% 2.25% 54.24%

224.52

226.52

19.51%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.71

13.11%

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund

Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

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THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 •T H I S D AY

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Nigeria’s Anti-Graft Agencies Set to Track Covid-19 Funds ICPC, NFIU, others list 2020 recoveries

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Several agencies connected with the enthronement of prudence in government spending, yesterday gave an account of their stewardship, agreeing that there was need to strengthen the tracking of Covid-19 emergency funds to ensure accountability in the country.

In an event to mark the International Anti-corruption Day, organised by the Technical Unit on Governance & AntiCorruption Reforms (TUGAR) which works on research methods for monitoring anticorruption and governance initiatives across all sectors in the country, the agencies argued that the nature and manner of release of the funds had made it imperative for more intense oversight.

Some of the participants at the event were the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Others were the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), National Human

Rights Commission (NHRC), Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), among others.

At the programme tagged: “Recover Better with Integrity”, the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres, who was represented by the UNODC representative to Nigeria, Dr Oliver Stolpe, noted that the anti-corruption fight was being weakened by the nature of the release of emergency monies for the containment of the pandemic.

“With Covid-19, the challenges related to anticorruption work has never been more critical than today.

Our collective actions will be critical for recovery. In recent years, anger and frustration have erupted against corrupt leaders and governments.

“In some countries, people have taken to the street with demand for social justice and accountability. Amidst these deep concerns, the Covid-19 crisis creates additional opportunities for corruption.

“Governments are spending rapidly to get economies back on track. They provide

emergency support and procurement cum supplies as oversight may be weaker and the development of vaccines and treatments add to the risk of bribery and profiteering.

“Corruption drains resources from people who need them, undermine trust in institutions, exacerbate vast inequalities exposed by the virus and hinders development. Recovery from the virus must include measures to prevent and combat corruption and bribery,” he said.

In his remarks, the ICPC Chairman, who was represented by the commission’s Secretary, Prof. Usman Abubakar, stated that despite the shortage of human and material resources in the organisation, the agency has recorded huge successes.

“Many assets both capital and liquid have been recovered.

Recently, as a result of our collaboration with the federal ministry of finance, we were able to retrieve a sum of N142 million from the

MDAs. Equipment, tractors, ambulances, transformers, hospital equipment etc were also recovered.

“Earlier this year, the commission seized billions of naira from the federal ministry of agriculture because the money was moved under suspicious circumstances beyond the threshold that put it within the purview of the accountant general of the federation into an offline account in CBN where

utilisation was outside the monitoring of GIFMIS,” he said.

The ICPC listed some of the assets recovered to include 23 buildings, 15 business premises , 26 plots of land and two farms, adding that quite a number of other recoveries have been made by the commission.

It added that as a result of its initiatives, 59 contractors handling projects across the country had been forced back to site after they abandoned some projects.

OVERSIGHT VISIT...

Ex-police Officer Drags Edo Judicial Panel to Court for Inviting Her NANS Threatens to Shut down Private

L-R:Chairman,CommitteeonCapitalMarketandInstitutions,HouseofRepresentatives,Hon.IbrahimBabangida;ChiefExecutiveOfficer,TheNigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; and Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. LamidoYuguda, at the enlightenment tour toThe Exchange in Lagos...yesterday DAN UKANA

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-City A retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Carol Afegbai, has dragged the Edo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and other related abuses before a Benin-City High Court, to challenge its right to compel her to appear before it.

The judicial panel on December 1, 2020, ordered the immediate arrest of Afegbai for failing to appear before it to explain her alleged complicity in the murder of a 500 level student of the University of Benin, Ibrahim Momodu, in 2013.

The panel was of the view that the respondent, having failed to appear before it, a warrant of arrest should be issued compelling her to appear before the panel.

“Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that a warrant of arrest

be issued forthwith on the said respondent, Carol Afegbai, who shall appear before this panel following the order of this panel on December 9, 2020,” Chairman of the panel, Justice Ehigiamusoe, said.

However, at the resumed hearing, Justice Ehigiamusoe told counsel to the family of late Ibrahim Momodu, Jefferson Uwoghiren, that they (panel) had been served a court paper from the High Court restraining them for inviting CSP Afegbai before it.

Ehigiamusoe said the panel would honour the summon to show to other Nigerians that they have respect for the judicial system of the country.

Responding, counsel to the late Momodu’s family, Uwoghiren, described the action of Afegbai as an ambush, noting however that he was not served the court application.

Benue LG Worker Sets Self Ablaze

George Okoh in Makurdi

A casual staff of Gwer East Local Government Area (GELGA), identified as Mr. Aondona Yaga, has set himself ablaze.

According to his grandmother, who was seen around his abandoned corpse yesterday morning, life became very miserable for Yaga who has not been paid his allowances as a casual staff for close to three years.

He decided to take away his life when he could not find money to treat his illness.

The Information Officer of GELGA, Mr. Chris Avi, confirmed the news of Yaga’s death and status as a staff of the local government without further details.

The Public Relations Officer of the Benue Police Command, CSP Sewuese Anene, also confirmed the incident but said the police is still investigating.

Universities over ASUU Strike The newly elected president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Asefon, has threatened to lead a shutdown of private universities in the country if the ongoing strike by lecturers in public universities is not resolved.

For nearly nine months, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been at loggerheads with the federal government over non-payment of Earned Allowance, welfare of

lecturers and the abysmal state of public institutions.

Several negotiations held ended in a deadlock until recently when the federal government promised to offset a large percentage of the Earned Allowance and release more funds for the schools. Yet, the response of the lecturers has not shown that resumption is in sight.

Speaking during a Facebook live session monitored by

THISDAY, Mr Asefon lamented the effect of the strike on students, particularly those whose house rent will be due in a couple of months and students’ entrepreneurs who eke out a living from selling on campuses.

“I was so baffled during my press conference. My position is that we are to engage the representatives of the federal government and leadership of ASUU to find a lasting solution

to the strike.

“This is the longest strike in the history of ASUU strike. My administration, we frown at it.

We’ll be meeting with them to see how the two of them can shift ground so that we can go back to school.

“ASUU must stop this strike.

Federal government must listen to ASUU. The two of them must synergise. When two elephants fight, the grass that will be the one to suffer it.

Minister: How Govs Hijacked FG’s Interventions in South-east Omololu OgunmadeinAbuja Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, yesterday alleged that opposition governors hijacked most of the federal government’s interventions in the South-east, portraying them as their party’s efforts.

The minister also described as justifiable the heavy presence of military and police in the Southeast, saying military presence in the zone has attracted investments

to South-east.

Ogah who made the claims while briefing reporters in the State House after the weekly FEC meeting on the outcome of his engagement with the people of his state in accordance with presidential directive to all ministers after the #EndSARS’ protests, however, expressed concern over alleged extortion from motorists by police in the South-east.

He said he briefed FEC on the

town hall meeting he had with stakeholders in Abia State after the #EndSARS protests.

Ogah insinuated that the governors’ decision to appropriate federal government’s efforts creates the impression that the central government is not doing anything in the region.

He said, “If you look at it you will know that the entire South-east are governed by PDP, most of the federal government interventions are not communicated to the

people.

“They try to appropriate these interventions. That is one reason you need to understand but we have tried as much as possible to let them understand that these are the things that the federal government has been doing.

“In most of the states you see the governors converting most of these interventions as their own party’s interventions rather than the federal government intervention, so these are the reasons.”

Student: How ASUU Strike Turned Me to Newspaper Vendor A 400 Level Computer Science student of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Thomas Kehinde, has decried the prolonged strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), insisting that both the academic body and the government are playing games with the lives and future of Nigerian youths.

Kehinde in an interview with journalists yesterday, said the

ASUU strike has turned him into an emergency newspaper vendor just to survive with the harsh economy of the country.

Kehinde, a native of Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, said that his parent fed from hand to mouth just to see him through school; in a bid to pursue his academic dream of becoming a great computer scientist, and the strike has dashed his hope of graduating.

“My hopes of graduating from the university from a four years course this year has been dashed by the tussle between the federal government and the ASUU. “I decided to venture into newspaper business in order not to seat at home or engage in any social vices, as the strike has impacted negatively my future.”

Kehinde described the over nine-month ASUU strike as unfair, appealing to the aggrieved

bodies to sheath their swords and allow students return to the classroom.

“The last nine months have been a living hell for me. I thought I would be saying goodbye to the university by the end of 2020, but that hope has been shattered. Can you imagine, ASUU and the government are treating Nigerian Students as if we are not part of this country.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSEXTRA

FG Approves N58bn for Road Construction Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved over N58 billion for different road construction and rehabilitation in

Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Federal Capital Territorty (FCT).

While about N50.8 billion of the sum was approved for the construction of Yakassai-BadumeDamagum-Makinzali Road in

Bill on Timeline for Election Petitions Passes Second Reading Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives at the plenary yesterday passed for second reading, a Bill which seeks to alter the constitution to stipulate timeline within which to file and determine election petitions and appeals.

The legislation titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to make further Provisions Relating to the time within which to file and determine Election Petitions and Appeals; and for Related Matters,’ was sponsored

by Hon. Olajide Olatubosun.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the Bill, Olatubosun said the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has continued to ravage most countries of the world, unveils

the imperative of amending laws to accommodate force majeure in computation of time where statutes provide time within which certain things are to be done.

He said that it has become obvious that computation time in election petitions should take into account natural occurrences (force majeure) that would render it impracticable to meet the stipulated timelines provided.

The lawmaker made reference to the case of Ngige v. 0bi& Ors (2006), where it took three years for the matter to be determined from commencement at the Tribunal to its conclusion at the Court of Appeal.

Delayed cases like the above, according to him delays justice with advent effect on governance.

Ohanaeze Tackles Northern Elders for Saying Igbo are Violent The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, has frowned at what he called the incendiary, unsubstantiated and provocative statement credited to the leader of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, alleging that most violent acts against the northerners are perpetrated by the Igbo.

Reacting to “this dangerous gaff by a man who by learning, experience and exposure should know better,” Nwodo said that the unprovoked outburst by Prof Abdullahi was capable of setting the country ablaze.

The President General in a release by his Media Adviser, Chief Emeka Attamah, wondered where and when the Igbo could have killed their northern brothers when there has never been any case of mayhem and killings against the north in any Igbo-speaking state.

He challenged Prof

Abdullahi to make public facts to substantiate his wild and malicious claim, unless it was intended to set up the Igbo for another round of killings in the north, adding that with the statement, the Igbo in the north are not safe.

The President General reminded Prof Abdullahi that on the contrary, the Igbo have borne the brunt and have been victims of age-long and misguided attacks and bloody orgies by their northern “brothers” at the slightest upheavals in the country, sometimes even as a result of an event outside the country, and no restitution has ever been made for such losses.

Nwodo regretted that the Igbo, apart from innumerable dead ones, have lost property valued at trillions of naira during such senseless attacks in the north, yet they are the catalysts of development and the unifying cord that holds Nigeria together.

NIMASA Denies Granting Waivers to Shipping Firms Chuks OkochainAbuja The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has dismissed as false, allegations that it has been granting waivers to shipping firms.

It also refuted allegations of preferential treatments for foreign shipping companies in the shipment of petroleum products.

Director-General of NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh, made the clarifications during an investigative hearing on the “Urgent need to ensure strict compliance with statutory regulations and provisions regarding the Nigerian diving sector” organised by the Senate

Committee on Local Content.

The Ship Owners Association of Nigeria had petitioned the Senate, asking it to intervene in what the association described as “unfavourable treatment and injustice” towards Indigenous shipping companies, which grants undue advantage to heir foreign competitors.

However, NIMASA DG denied any waivers or preferential treatments for foreign firms.

He said that the agency lacked the powers to grant waivers, while the Ministry of Transportation, which is empowered by law to grant waivers had never granted any waivers for 15 years.

Kano as well as the rehabilitation of Kaduna-Kanbegua-Jos Road, another N7.7 billion was approved for the construction of some FCT roads.

The council also approved over N1 billion for varying aviation projects.

Briefing reporters after the 27th weekly virtual FEC meeting, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the Kano road contract was awarded to CCECC at the cost of N12.157 billion while Kaduna-Jos road was awarded at the rate of N38.701 billion to Setraco Ltd. “The Ministry of Works and Housing presented one

memorandum for the award of contract for the construction of two roads; the YakassaiBadume-Damagum-Makinzali Road in Kano, in favour of CCECC for N12.157 billion and the rehabilitation of the Kaduna-Kanbegua-Jos Road, linking Kaduna and Plateau states, in favour of Setraco Nigeria Limited, for N38.701 billion and the proposals were approved by the Federal Executive Council,” Fashola said.

In his own briefing, Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, said FEC also approved N431,640,286 as an additional cost to the initial N914,189,200 approved for the

construction of Yaba-Kpahe Road in Kwali and Abaji areas of FCT to Messrs COAN (W.A) Ltd for a period of 12 months.

Bello also said the council approved another N7,302,585,139 to bring the total cost for the construction of one service carriageway on inner northern expressway from Ring Road III to Ring Road IV towards Abuja Industrial Park to N14.481 billion from the initial cost of N7,179,322,294. The minister said the contract was awarded to Messrs Salini Nigeria Ltd. Bello said: “As part of the opening up of rural areas in the FCT, predominantly agricultural

area, the Federal Executive Council has approved the revised estimated total cost/augmentation of the contract for the construction of Yaba-Kpahe Road in Kwali/ Abaji area council in the Federal Capital Territory.

“That is in the sum of N431,640,286. As you know, that is an area that is by River Gurara, which is a very important water body crossing the FCT. ‘It is a very important agricultural area and this particular project, we hope when completed is going to enhance the economic development of that area, food security in the FCT and bring about security and peace.

STRATEGISING TO SAVE THE PORTS...

L-R: Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Mamman Ahmadu; Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; the Director General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Bashir Jamoh; and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the launch of Process Manual on Port Operations at the PresidentialVilla in Abuja…yesterday

PDP Chieftain Faults Malami’s Claim on Buhari’s Invitation Sylvester Idowu inWarri A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, last night faulted the claim by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), that the National Assembly lacks the powers to invite the President Muhammadu Buhari to speak on security matters.

Onuesoke who faulted the statement by Malami while reacting to questions from

newsmen in Warri, noted that if the National Assembly lacks the constitutional powers to summon the president as interpreted by Malami, then it means Nigeria is not practicing a democratic system of government which brought both the president and other elected office holders to power.

“Honestly, I cannot believe what I am reading. Which constitution grants Malami and his boss the right not to appear before a National Assembly summon, especially on matters that affect the people they represent when people’s lives are lost on daily

basis? Morally speaking, do they even need to summon anybody that has human feelings before such a person begins to request for appearance and give situation reports to the entire nation,?” he asked.

Onuesoke argued that the defence of Malami has no basis because the legislators represent the people and the president is answerable to the people.

He noted that a country cannot be practicing democracy and her president is not answerable to the elected representatives of the people.

According to him, by his statement, Malami is telling Nigerians that the government they learnt ias a subject in secondary school about checks and balances in a democratic state like Nigeria is fake and a scam.

“Malami should tell Nigerians what provision or section of the constitution bars the National Assembly from inviting a president, or directs us to a ruling of the Supreme Court preventing a president from honouring the invitation of the legislative arm of government.

Keyamo Asks Fikpo to Take over NDE Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has directed Mr. Abubakar Nuhu Fikpo to take over as the Acting Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

The directive, which takes effect from Monday, December 7, 2020, authorized Fikpo to take over the administration of the agency in an acting capacity

pending its ratification by the President.

Keyamo said in a letter addressed to Fikpo, which was dated December 8, 2020, and titled “Appointment as Acting Director General of National Directorate of Employment,” said that “following the directive of Mr. President relieving Dr. Nasiru Mohammed Ladan Argungu as the Director General of the NDE, you are hereby directed to take over as the acting director general of the agency pending

ratification by Mr. President.”

A statement signed by the Deputy Director/Head (Press and Public Relations) Mr. Charles Akpan, quoted the minister of state as saying that “the directive is to ensure there is no vacuum in the administration of the agency.”

He enjoined the acting director general to ensure a smooth and efficient running of the agency as well as ensuring a proper handover of all government properties in Argungu’s possession.

The President had earlier directed the Minister of State for Labour and Employment to propose an acting directorgeneral of the agency from senior directors of NDE based on competence and seniority to take over from Dr. Argungu pending the appointment of a substantive holder of that post.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier relieved Dr. Argungu of his post as the Director General of the NDE.

APC: Lawan, Govs, Others to Discuss Internal Party Contestation at Journalists’ Conference Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase, and some governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are billed to discuss practical approaches to internal democracy and contestation

within the ruling party.

It was learnt that the party chieftains would converge on Abuja at the annual conference of APC Press Corps scheduled for December 18, 2020, with the theme: ‘Contestation, A Veritable Process in Deepening Democratic Norms, Values and Culture: The APC Story’.

Also, the governors expected at the 2020 conference include

the Chairman, Caretaker/ Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee, who is the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni; his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello, and Governor Gombe State, Abubakar Mohammed Inuwa.

A statement issued yesterday by the Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Mr. Babatunde Ayeni, said Lawan

is expected to deliver a keynote address, while Wase will give an insight on the efforts of the National Assembly on the ongoing constitutional review assignment.

Also, the Director-General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, will present a paper on the constitutional review extensively.

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Alleged Forgery: Court Asks Obaseki to Show Evidence of Appeal Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday directed the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to present a Certified True Copy (CTC) of his appeal against the ruling of the court which declined to strike out his application against some paragraphs of the plaintiffs’ reply to his statement.

Justice Mohammed gave the order in a short ruling in an application seeking to stay proceedings in the suit pending the determination of Obaseki’s appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had dragged Obaseki to

court, accusing him of allegedly forging his Bachelor of Arts degree certificate as well as lying on oath in his form CF 001 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to aid his qualification for the 2020 governorship election in Edo State.

The court had late last month struck out Obaseki’s application argued by his lead counsel, Ken Mozia (SAN), that some paragraphs in the plaintiffs’ statement of reply be removed.

The court subsequently adjourned to December 9 (yesterday) for commencement of trial.

However, when the matter came up yesterday, Mozia informed the court that his

client, not satisfied with the ruling, approached the Court of Appeal to set aside the lower court’s ruling.

According to him, copies of the record, receipts and acknowledgment letter from the appeal court to prove that there is indeed an appeal are before the court.

He, therefore, urged the lower court to stay proceedings, pending the hearing and determination

of the appeal.

While responding, counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), told the court that he was served with the notice of appeal, but noted that the appeal was “an unauthorised, incompetent record of appeal prepared by Ken Mozia.”

Olujimi added that the document did not bear record of appeal number apart from the one read out by the counsel.

The counsel also claimed that the number is not on the copy of the record which was served on him.

Olujimi submitted that the proper procedure of notifying a lower court of the pendency or a stay of proceedings is through compilation and entry of record of appeal and by an affidavit, setting out all the relevant facts, and not oral notification to the court by a counsel.

According to him, “There is nothing before the court that an appeal has been entered in the court of appeal. In the absence of proper notification, the only thing we can do now is for the counsel to argue stay of proceedings and we shall respond to it.”

Olujimi reminded the court that pre-election matters are sui generis that needed to be disposed within the statutory time.

SEC Seeks Rules to Enhance Commodities Exchange Operations Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revealed that it is working to get appropriate rules that will enhance the operations of the commodities and futures exchange.

It disclosed that in a bid to ensure that the relevant standards required are approved, it was engaging with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and pulling its weight to ensure increased visibility of the nation’s commodities in the international market.

SEC Director General, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, who spoke during a visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and other Institutions to the Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange (LCFE) in Lagos, yesterday, described the development of a vibrant and efficient commodities trading ecosystem as a major driver of economic growth and development.

A statement issued by the Head, Public Communications, Efe Ebelo said that while assuring that SEC was committed to working with the Exchange to grow the commodities market, Yuguda stared that the commission was willing to work with the LCFE to develop all the rules needed to realise the potential of the country in the area of commodities trading.

He added that SEC’s responsibility was to ensure good market development, fair trading and investor protection.

“This visit is a demonstration of the commitment both the legislative arm of government and the regulator have to the development of the capital market of which the commodities market is important. We are impressed with what we have seen here today.

“We have engaged them for the past one year and are aware they have been working hard to make this exchange successful. We are working to get appropriate rules that will enhance the operations of the exchange.”

Go After Austyne Emu’s Killers, Okowa Charges Police Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has ordered the police and other security agencies in the state to hunt down the killers of President of Anti-Cult Volunteer Corps in the state, Mr Austyne Emu. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor deplored the gruesome murder of Emu, describing it as barbaric and irresponsible.

He charged the security agencies to intensify investigation into the dastardly act, and that they should leave no stone unturned to fish out his assailants and bring them to justice.

Okowa said that the killing of the anti-cult crusader was an attack against agents of peace and progress in the state, which should be condemned by every well-meaning Deltan.

He, however, sued for calm so as not to distract the Police and

other security agencies from the task of bringing Emu’s attackers to book.

He commiserated with the family of the deceased and called on residents in the state to be vigilant and report all cult and criminality related activities to security agencies.

The governor warned that government would not tolerate a break down of law and order in the state under the guise of cultism, saying that every criminal act would be tracked and unraveled.

“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I mourn Mr Austyne Emu, an illustrious son of Delta, who was gruesomely murdered a few ago by agents of darkness.

“Emu, until his untimely death was the President of the Anti-Cult Volunteer Corps in Delta where he worked in synergy with security agencies to checkmate the activities of cultists in the state.

HONOUR WELL DESERVED...

L-R: Business Executive, Zenith Bank, Mrs. Lara Gwam; Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Seni Adio; former MD/CEO, Keystone Bank, Mr. Hafiz Bakare; his wife, Adekunbi; Lawyer, Mr. Victor Gwam; Business Executive, FirstBank, Mrs. Helen Uju Ogboh, during the investiture of Bakare as Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in Lagos…recently

Imo: SAN, Ex-speaker, Imo APC, Others Task INEC Over Certificate of Return Legal luminaries have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to quickly issue Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume a Certificate of Return (CoR) for winning the December 5 Imo North senatorial by-election.

The senior lawyers who stated this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, include a former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Kelechi Nwagwu; Philip Ibekwe, Mr. K. C Nwufo (SAN), and former presidential

candidate, Godson Okoye.

Giving reason for his advice, former Imo House of Assembly Speaker, Nwagwu stated that Mr. Frank Ibezim, who is contending with Senator Araraume for the Imo North APC ticket had no locus in the election since a Federal High Court in Abuja had declared him “unfit to hold public office and contest elections’’ in Nigeria because of his alleged forged certificates and perjury.

Nwagwu argued that since both the Federal High Court in

Owerri and the one in Abuja had upheld the disqualification of Ibezim by the APC Screening Committee before the election, INEC should not hesitate to give Araraume the Certificate of Return.

He noted that since Araraume filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution at the Supreme Court on the judgment of the Appeal Court, which had pronounced Ibezim winner of the APC Primaries, nobody could remove his name for that of Ibezim, who has

been banned for life for the alleged criminal offences of perjury and forgery by Federal High Court, Abuja.

Speaking in a similar vein, Chief Nwufo (SAN), noted that since two Federal High Courts had found Ibezim guilty of perjury and forgery with the court in Abuja banning him for life from contesting elections and holding public office, INEC must save itself the embarrassment of recognising a man found guilty of criminal offences.

DAME Holds December 12, Honours John Momoh with Award The founder and President of Channels Television, Mr. John Momoh, has been named the Lifetime Achievement awardee of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence for 2020.

Thirteen media organisations will also share honours this year at the 29th edition of the award presentation billed for Saturday, December 12 in Lagos.

Momoh, according to a statement released by the organisers of the award, is being

honoured for his prodigious contributions to the development of broadcast journalism in Nigeria.

DAME noted that Momoh is a consummate professional who has devoted over four decades of service to advancing the frontiers of knowledge and strengthening the media as a market place for ideas to thrive.

Educated at the University of Lagos, Momoh’s broadcasting career kick-started with a two-year stint at the Ogun State Radio,

Abeokuta.

He later joined the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, before moving on to television at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), where he variously worked as News Anchor, Senior Reporter and Producer.

In 1995, Momoh founded the Channels TV, an all-round news channel, noted for its impactful programming and refreshing panache to what was hitherto

a staid presentation style on public television.

A Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Momoh was elected Chairman of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria in 2016 - the first private broadcaster to be so elected, among many other leadership roles in the industry. He was honoured with the Nigerian merit award as Officer of the Order of the Niger in December, 2005.

NESG Commends Giving.Ng, Shell, Others for Supporting #NES26 The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has been commended a reputable crowd-funding platform, Giving. ng, alongside other partners like Shell, Flour Mills and Nestle for supporting the recently concluded Nigeria Economic Summit (#NES26).

The event which held between November 23 and 24, 2020, had participants from private and public sectors discussing how strategic partnerships can be used as a tool

to achieve economic growth.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of NESG, Mr. Laoye Jaiyeola, lauded sponsors for their support.

He said the NESG looks forward to more engaging and rewarding partnerships with reputable organisations such as Giving.ng, Banwo Ighodalo & Co, Shell, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Nestle Plc, among others.

Explaining the rationale behind the theme, “Building Partnerships

for Resilience,” Jaiyeola noted that “There is a need to come together in partnership to revive the economy.

Neither the government nor private sector alone can do it. Civil society alone cannot do it. All segments of the economy need to come together to pool our resources to do it.”

He added that although it will take time and patience, all players must be consistent at implementing the plans on a sustainable basis.

Olapeju Ibekwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One

Foundation, owner of Giving.Ng, in her reaction, explained why her organisation supported the event: “We decided to join hands together with NESG to mobilise available resources to ensure the speedy recovery of the economy. The aim and objectives of the summit are fully aligned with why Giving. ng was founded; that is why we decided that partnering with the NESG was an investment that would benefit the people of our country.”

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Senate Seeks Probe of $9bn Annual Revenue Loss to Illegal Mining Queries permanent secretary over payment of N460m for uncompleted projects Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Senate yesterday charged the executive arm of government to investigate the alleged annual revenue loss of $9billion to illegal mining and smuggling of gold in Nigeria.

Specifically, the upper legislative chamber urged the federal government to intensify efforts to combat illegal mining and block all revenue leakages from such ‘clandestine activities’ as well as establish gold mining farms to assist artisans and miners.

It also mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy to investigate all illegal mining and revenue leakages associated with the activities.

These resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, during plenary.

Senator Kalu, while presenting the motion, noted that: “Nigeria lost close to $54billion from 2012 to 2018 due to illegal smuggling of gold. The country is said to be losing about $9billion yearly to illegal mining and gold exportation, a huge amount of money unaccounted for through the sales of the expensive commodity.”

The Abia North lawmaker added that “the activities of unlicenced miners were becoming prevalent in the industry, and also, the incessant smuggling of solid minerals out of the country by middlemen and smugglers is leading to loss of government revenue.”

According to the former governor of Abia State, gold mining operations in the country is capable of providing over 250, 000 jobs and over $500million

annually in royalties and taxes to the federal government and also as mineral resources.

This, Kalu explained, would further help in diversifying the country’s economy and improve its foreign exchange reserve.

He said: “Given our current estimated gold reserves of over 200million ounces, most of which have not been exploited, developing sustainable programmes that would catalyse increased investment in the extraction and refining of gold sourced from mines in Nigeria is indeed vital.”

While quoting data from the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, on gold deposits in Abuja, Abia, Bauchi, Cross River, Edo, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara, Osun and Kaduna States, the senator said Section 44(3) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Law of 1999 provides that ownership and control of all minerals is vested in the federal government, which is mandated to manage such natural resources in a manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.

In his contribution, Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi West) also stressed the need for the government to seal up illegal mining activities, adding that that has added to the insecurity challenges facing the country, “because most of the miners are foreigners.”

The Upper Chamber yesterday also queried the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Culture, Mr. Nebolisa Anako, for paying the sum of N460 million to contractors without completing the projects.

Senate’s action was sequel to the 2015 Auditor General of the

Sanwo-Olu Warns Physical Planning Approving Agencies against Sharp Segun James Following reports of alleged sharp practices in property ownership and approval on which the Lagos State Government has received over 4,300 land grabbing petitions, the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has warned land and property permit approving agencies to live above board.

The governor made it clear that his administration would no longer tolerate officers engaging in sharp practices in issuing approvals.

Speaking at the first Lagos Real Estate market place conference and exhibition with the theme: ‘Unearthing real opportunities in real estate, making Lagos a 21st century economy’, the governor stated that residents and real estate practitioners are complaining about turnaround time for permit approval.

Sanwo-Olu, therefore, said the ministry of physical planning and agencies under it i.e the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Agency and Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), need to scale up and do better job about physical planning

approvals.

He noted that the agencies needed to be up and doing especially as the real estate sector has the capacity to redefine the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, with Lagos not an exception.

According to the governor, “We as a government have looked at ourselves and see the need to do things differently. That is why we have to sit down with you, because one of the areas I know you have problems with us is not only in lands but also in physical planning . We need to do a better job of physical planning; we need to do a better job of LASBCA and we need to do a quicker turnaround in our lands department, as the people want to have a positive experience.

“We have started it, we have solution on this GIS for a while, and it’s a project we are desirous to live on. Once it kick-starts, what it means is that it’s one stop shop. With it, you will be able to get your governor’s consent, approval and Certificate of Occupancy (Cof O) on time, as well as all of the documentation for subsequent transaction.”

Federation’s report, indicating that 100 percent payment was made to the contractors.

The query by the Senate Committee on Public Account chaired by Senator Mathew Uhroghide ( PDP Edo South), reads: “A constituency project contract amounting to N51 million for the construction of roads, parking lots, drainage at

Ureje Dam in Ado Ekiti showed varrious part of the contract totaling N25.5 million were paid for but not executed.

“The ministry should ensure the contractor either completed the work or refund the money collected and forward the recovery particulars for audit verification.”

In his written response, the

permanent Secretary said, “the contractor has completed 60 per cent and promised to hand over the projects on or before 30th June 2017 to the ministry vide the minutes of the meeting held with the contractors handling the contracts on the 20th April, 2017”.

However, the contractor is yet to complete the project as at the

time the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry appeared before the Committee on Tuesday, December 8, 2020.

The Chairman of the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the way the contract was handled by the ministry and ordered the Permanent Secretary to go and get the contractor and complete the job.

RUBBING MINDS...

MinisterofStateforEducation,ChiefChukwuemekaNwajiuba(left), andMinisterofStateforBudgetandNationalPlanning,Mr.ClementAgba,during a virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the PresidentialVilla in Abuja…yesterday

Anti-corruption: EFCC Secures 750 Convictions in 2020 Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) announced yesterday that it has secured the convictions of 750 persons in its fight against corruption in 2020.

The Acting Chairman of the Commission and a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammad Umar Abba, made this disclosure at the presentation of the Anti-corruption Strategy and Inauguration of Kano Anticorruption Institute in Kano.

Abba revealed that despite the challenge of the COVID-19

pandemic disease, the EFCC obtained the forfeiture of illegally acquired property to the federal government.

The acting chairman was represented by the EFCC’s Director, Public Relations, Ms. Aisha Larai Musa, who stressed the commitment of the agency to rid the society of corrupt tendencies despite critical challenges bedeviling the fight against graft in the country.

The EFCC’s boss acknowledged the critical impact of intelligence gathering and information in the fight

against corruption and implored the general public to provide confidential information that would expose corrupt practices.

He also commended the efforts of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission for injecting sanity and zero tolerance to the public and private sector.

Speaking in the same vein, the Governor of Kano State, Mr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje, said his administration has signed into law an anti-corruption instrument to fight the menace of corrupt practices in the public and private sector in the state.

Ganduje, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Mr. Yusuf Nasiru Gawuna, declared zero tolerance to corruption and insisted that transparency and accountability would remain the watch word of his administration.

Similarly, the Chairman of Kano Anti-graft Agency, Mr. Muhuyi Magaji RimiGado, restated the agency’s commitment to fight corrupt practice without fear or favor.

Rimi-Gado declared that the commission would not subservient to any quarter in the discharge of its mandate.

I Have No Case to Answer, Maina Tells Court Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday closed its case after its ninth prosecution witness concluded her testimony in the N2bn money laundering trial of a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Maina told the court that he had no case to answer in

the allegations levied against him by the EFCC. Maina, who told Justice Okon Abang shortly after the EFCC, through its counsel, Farouk Abdullah, closed its case, said he would be filing a no-case submission.

Rouqayya Ibrahim, an EFCC investigator, who started testifying as the ninth prosecution witnesses on November 29, 2020, closed her evidence after she was cross-examined by Maina’s lawyer, Anayo Adibe, on

Wednesday.

Maina’s co-defendant, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, a firm linked to him, was not represented by any lawyer as was the case since trial resumed on September 29, 2020.

Justice Okon Abang ruled that the second defendant and its lawyer had abandoned proceedings.

He, therefore, made an order discharging the witness from the witness box order

foreclosing the company’s right to cross-examine the ninth prosecution witness.

Shortly thereafter, EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Faruk Abdullah, informed the judge of the prosecution’s decision to close its case.

Responding, Maina’s lawyer, Adibe, said his client, in the belief that the EFCC failed to make a prima facie case warranting him to put up a defence, would file a no-case submission for the dismissal of the charges.

Amotekun Arrests Cattle Rustlers, Seizes 16 Cows, Recovers Weapons James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Security Network, Amotekun, has arrested two suspected cattle rustlers and a herdman that attacked officials of the security corps.

Equally, men of the security agency, have seized 16 cows that destroyed farmers crops at Osi Community in Akure North Local Government area of the state while unauthorised gun and

other weapons were recovered.

The Commander of the Amotekun in Ondo State, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed the feat of the security agency, during a chat with journalists, at the agency’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital.

Adeleye, disclosed that over 100 suspects, had been arrested by men of the security agency in the state since it started operations.

Explaining how the 16 cows

were seized, the commander said the Amotekun Corps reacted to a distress call from farmers.

He said: Some farmers from Osi Community ran to the office complaining that their farms had been destroyed by herds.

“We sent our men there to assess the situation assessed and found out that the herds were actually on the farm and we invited the herdsmen.

“But unfortunately on getting

there, they attacked our men with knives and other dangerous types of weapons. We were able to arrest one of the herders named Abdulkadir Mohammed.

Narrating how the cattle rustlers were arrested, the commander said the men, were apprehended, due to investigation because the men bolted away on sighting the Amotekun men on invitation of a Fulani herder.

THURSDAYDECEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Flying Eagles Flight to U-20 AFCON Runs into Trouble Fate now in the hands of Ghanaians after defeat by Black Satellites Duro Ikhazuagbe Flying Eagles chances of reaching the semi final stage of the ongoing WAFU B Under-20 tournament becomes hazy yesterday evening after Ghana defeated Nigeria 1-0 in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.

Just as it happened in their first game against Côte d’Ivoire last week, Ladan Bosso’s boys gave away an 83rd minute goal to the Ghanaians to deny Nigeria

the chance of qualifying for the CAF Under-20 tournament in Mauritania.

Flying Eagles had two first half goals that were ruled as scored from offside positioning. Those goals would have handed the team a possible win. They also created some good chances early in the match that were wasted.

Black Satellites’ Precious Boah scored that heart breaking goal against Nigeria As has become a major

problem for Nigerian teams, Bosso also failed in game management.

While the Ghanaians resorted to time wasting tactics to wind down the clock as they were contented with a draw with Nigeria, Flying Eagles came under intense pressure as they conceded

a slew of free kicks that ultimately lead to the goal scored by Boah.

With three teams in the Group B encounters, Nigeria have played their mandatory two matches and will have to wait for the outcome of Cote d’Ivoire versus Ghana to determine their fate.

Going into the Wednesday match after having conceded a late goal in their opening match against Cote d’Ivoire which ended 1-1, seven-time former African champions Nigeria required an outright win to have a realistic chance of getting to the semi-finals.

With a loss to Ghana, the

Flying Eagles are now bottom of the log and will be hoping for a defeat of Cote d’Ivoire

by Ghana to have a chance of picking a semi final ticket.

The Black Satellites will need to beat the junior Elephants by atleast two goals margin for there to be hope for Nigeria .

CAF Fines Aubameyang £7500 for ‘Tarnishing Image of African Football’ Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been fined £7500 by CAF for sharing a series of social media posts that tarnished the ‘honour and image’ of the continent’s football body.

Aubameyang took to social media last month to reveal how he and the rest of the Gabon squad were held at Banjul Airport in The Gambia for more than six hours overnight — after having their passports taken — before being allowed into the country for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

CAF stated Aubameyang’s decision to document the event on social media was ‘offensive and degrading’.

Aubameyang began recording the squad’s situation at 11:30pm. He posted images of his team-mates sleeping on the airport floor and claimed they were made to feel like ‘hostages’ before their clash with Gambia.

Aubameyang explained how his team were held at the airport until 5.56am, less than 12 hours before their kick-off.

He called for CAF to take responsibility and use the disruption to better themselves.

He wrote: “Nice job CAF,

it’s as if we were back in the 1990s.”

Before adding: “It will not demotivate us but people need to know and especially that the @ CAF_Online (Confederation of African Football) take these responsibilities,.

“2020 and we want Africa to grow, that’s not how we’re going to get there!!!”

Gabon lost 2-1 to Gambia later in the day and Aubameyang was quick to call out the CAF once more.

After the game he took to social media to post a picture on Instagram and tag the CAF’s account alongside a middle finger emoji.

Aubameyang then wrote: “No words needed proud of the Panthers, even if we lost today.”

As a result of Aubameyang’s social media posts, CAF also fined the Gambia’s FA £75,000, half of which was suspended for 24 months.

CAF released a statement that read: “The Gambian federation did not comply to the loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship values and rules of fair play concerning the reception of the Gabonese delegation.”

Oshoala Scores as Barca Femeni Hammer PSV Ladies 4-1 Super Falcons Captain, Asisat Oshoala, was among the scorers yesterday as Barcelona Femeni thrashed Dutch club PSV 4-1 in a round of 32 UEFA Women’s Champions League clash at the Sportcomplex De Herdgang (Eindhoven).

The former Arsenal and Liverpool striker started for the Spanish powerhouse and was in action for 67 minutes before making way for Bonmati.

Jenni Hermoso gave the Barcelona ladies the lead in the fourth minute after a goalkeeping error from Sari van Veenendaal which was then followed by an own goal netted by Mandy van den Berg

in first half stoppage time.

In the 66th minute, Oshoala handed the Blaugranes a healthy advantage when she struck from close range to make it 3-0, before Martens extended the lead with fifteen minutes left.

A composed finish from Joelle Smits, following a counter-attack, reduced the deficit in the 89th minute.

The return leg between Barcelona and PSV will hold at the Estadi Johan Cruyff (Sant Joan Despí) on December 16.

Oshoala has scored three goals from seven appearances in the Primera División Femenina in the 2020/2021 season.

THE REDS RECORD SCORER...

Mohamed Salah (2nd right) became Liverpool’s record Champions League goalscorer as the Reds completed their group-stage campaign with a draw at Midtjylland. Jurgen Klopp’s side were already assured of top spot coming into the game and they began in perfect fashion as Egypt international Salah ran clear and poked home after just 55 seconds. It was the quickest goal the team had scored in the Champions League and on a night of numerous records for the much-changed visitors, Salah’s strike was his 22nd in the competition, surpassing club legend Steven Gerrard.

Real One, Baby Face Headline GOtv Boxing Two World Boxing Federation (WBF) title bouts will headline GOtv Boxing Night 22, the organisers have announced.

The event, scheduled to hold January 1, 2021 in Lagos, will take place behind closed doors in line with the dictates of Covid-19 protocols and will feature a total of seven bouts.

The welterweight category will see Nigeria’s Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, West African Boxing Union (WABU) champion take on Tanzania’s Mkalekwa Salehe Omari for the WBF (International) title.

The lightweight division will see the exciting Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, WABU lightweight champion, take on Ghana’s Emmanuel Quartey for the WBF (International) lightweight title.

The event will be beamed live to boxing fans on GOtv Select 2 (channel 34) and DStv channel 209.

GOtv Boxing Night 22 will be the second edition of the event to hold behind closed doors. The last edition, which held on 27 November, was the first.

Speaking on the coming event, Jenkins Alumona,

CEO of Flykite Productions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, said the two WBF title fights provide an indication of the resurgence of Nigerian boxing.

“The WBF is major boxing global boxing authority and we are delighted that it has approved these bouts. On account of WBF’s profile in boxing circuits, it’s safe to say that the boxing body has continued to be impressed

by GOtv Boxing Night sponsors’ intervention in Nigerian boxing.

“In 2019, we staged the WBF (Intercontinental)

heavyweight title bout and we’re about staging two WBF titles in one night.

The evidence of growth is undisputable. We thank the WBF for its support,” said Alumona.

The Flykite boss also urged fans to tune in on the event day, saying the decision to hold the event behind closed doors is in the interest of public health. He noted that many sporting events abroad are still being held behind closed doors in accordance with the advice of health authorities.

UEFA Europa League Final Group Games Live on StarTimes Today Olawale Ajimotokanin Abuja

Having done the hard work in the preceding matches, the three English clubs can go into their final Europa League group matches today without pressure.

Europa League Matchday 6 matches are to air live and exclusive on StarTimes football channels starting at 6:55 pm.

Leicester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are already guaranteed places in the knock-out stage of the competition, with the Gunners

having already secured top spot in Group B. Arsenal are the only club in the competition with five wins out of five and will be keen to maintain that record in Dublin against Dundalk.

For Arsenal coach, Mikal Arteta, a good Europa League run could be essential as he has come under increasing pressure as results in the Premier League have not gone according to the clubs’ faithful fans wishes.

In Group G, Leicester City are at home against AEK

Athens.

Like Braga, The Foxes are on 10 points but are ahead of the Portuguese team on the headto-head results and a victory against AEK will guarantee them first place, irrespective how Braga play in Ukraine against Zorya Luhansk.

Spurs coach Jose Mourinho, who has twice won the competition – with Porto and Manchester United – goes into their final game at home against Antwerp needing his team to beat the Belgian club to overtake them at the top

of Group J. “To reward our subscribers, StarTimes is giving each pay-TV subscriber three VIP membership on the StarTimes ON streaming app for free. All family members can watch their favourite content simultaneously on various devices. “This handy application provides the users with 100 TV channels which include live matches, replays and highlights,” Lazarus Ibeabuchi, PR Manager, StarTimes Nigeria said in a press statement yesterday.

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THURSDAYDECEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

ThursdaySPORTS

UEFA Investigating Official Accused of Racism in PSG, Basaksehir Clash UEFA has started a disciplinary investigation after a match official was accused of using a racist term in the Champions League game between Paris St-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir.

The Turkish club allege Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu made a racist comment towards assistant coach Pierre Webo in Tuesday’s match.

Both sets of players walked off in protestand the match did not resume.

The two sides finished the game yesterday with a new officiating team.

Former Cameroon international Webo was shown a red card in an exchange on the touchline and then accused the fourth official of using a racial slur.

The incident happened just 14 minutes into the Group H tie, which was still goalless at PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium.

“An ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to conduct a disciplinary

investigation regarding the incident and the events that led to the UEFA Champions League group match Paris St-Germain v stanbul Basaksehir being abandoned,” a UEFA statement read.

UEFA said Webo’s red card has been “frozen” while the investigation continues, allowing him to take his place on the bench when the match resumed at 17:55 GMT yesterday.

Webo’s cousin Patrick Suffo, who was a forward for Sheffield United and Coventry, said he was “very proud” of the actions of Webo, as well as the two sets of players for coming off the pitch.

“It is one of those situations where you have to make a big statement and it was the perfect occasion to highlight the problems we have had in football for years,” former Cameroon international Suffo told BBC World Service.

“We have been fighting it for years without avail. A

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Griezmann: Barcelona’s Defeat by Juve Wake up Call Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann believes his side’s 3-0 defeat by Juventus in the Champions League could be just what his stuttering team needs to knock them back into shape.

The loss followed Saturday’s shock defeat by Cadiz and meant Barca failed to finish top of their group for

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (Results) B’Munich 2-0 Salzburg 0-2 Inter Milan 0-0 R’Madrid 2-0 Mo’gladbach Man City 3-0 Olympiacos 0-2 Ajax 0-1 Midtjylland 1-1 EUROPA (Today) Maccabi v Tottenham v Celtic v Ludogorets v Sl’ Liberec v Braga v Wolfberger v CSKA Sofia Napoli v Leicester v Athens Hoffenheim Sparta Praha v Dundalk v Poznan v S’ Liege v Leverkusen v PSV v

Lokomotiv Atletico Shakhtar Marseille Porto Atalanta Liverpool Sivasspor Antwerp Lille LASK Crvena Zorya Feyenoord v Roma Sociedad AEK v Gent Milan Arsenal Rangers Benfica Sl’ Praha Omonia Nicosia

the first time in 13 seasons and will be unseeded for the last-16 draw.

But Griezmann hopes it serves as a wake up call to his side, who have made their worst start to a league campaign in 33 years.

“This is a tough blow but it will serve us well to put everything in perspective and wake us up,” Griezmann said.

“This can also show us that every game is important.”

Barca’s terrible run of results has left coach Ronald Koeman exposed but Griezmann said the only people who could be blamed for the team’s predicament was the players.

Barca host Levante on Sunday hoping to eat into their 12-point deficit on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, who face champions Real Madrid.

“Who else’s fault could it be other than the players?

Everything is going wrong but we cannot look for excuses. We must work hard and win on Sunday, we have to give a better image than we gave here,” Griezmann added.

“We have the level and the talent to achieve what we want to. We know how to work hard and run, we need to do that in every game.

We cannot be as lifeless as we were today.”

few people are still living in the 1950s.

“This happened on a

bigger stage and it will make people even more aware of the situation. I was proud

of how it was handled by Pierre and the other players.

“They made sure no-one

was singled out and they chose to leave the pitch together.”

Paris St-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir players took a knee around the centre circle in an anti-racism message before the restart of their Champions League tie on Wednesday

UCL Exit Heaps Pressure on Solskjaer Ahead City Clash Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces the unenviable task of eliciting a response from his team in Saturday’s Premier League derby with Manchester City following their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of RB Leipzig on Tuesday night.

United paid for a sloppy start against last season’s semifinalists and exited Europe’s elite club competition after a 3-2 defeat that piled the pressure on Solskjaer, with some angry fans calling for Mauricio Pochettino to replace him.

Argentine Pochettino has been out of work since being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur last November and has regularly been linked with the job at Old Trafford, where calls for change are likely to grow without a big result against City.

But former United defender

Manchester United’s Manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under intense pressure after the Red Devils were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday night

Phil Neville said dropping down to the Europa League was not a disaster for the club and backed Solskjaer to keep his job.

“Saturday is a big moment for the manager and players,” Neville told the BBC. “The narrative from inside the club is far, far different to that outside the club, where it seems there’s a total witch

hunt to get this boy out of the job.

“There are United teams in the past with better managers than Solskjaer – like Alex Ferguson – which have gone out at this stage. It does happen, it has happened.”

Another ex-United defender, Rio Ferdinand, was critical of the team’s defence after a vulnerable

display at Leipzig.

“They looked like a team that didn’t know how to play with a back five,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.

“They were being overrun totally in midfield.

United need to have a plan. A strategy of playing consistently so players can start to build relationships based off of memory, based on knowing where people are going to be.”

Ferdinand’s former teammate Paul Scholes, a stern critic of United managers following Ferguson’s departure in 2013, said Solskjaer was still struggling to build an identity. “... None of us knew how they’d play, what system they were going to do, how they were going to do it, we had no idea. It’s very difficult for Ole to find it because the team’s so inconsistent,” he said.

Covid-19: Major League Soccer Announces $1bn Loss of Revenue United States of America’s Major League Soccer lost almost $1bn in revenue during 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

MLS was only two weeks into its historic 25th season when a halt was calledto the campaign in March.

It did not resume until July,with the MLS is Back competition in Florida, before a revised regular schedule ran from 12 August.

“The overall (financial) impact is going to be deeper than we expected,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

With the three Canadian teams forced to play all their matches in the United States and Columbus Crew only able to admit a crowd of 1,500 when they host Seattle Sounders in the MLS Cup final on Sunday, the financial effects of the season will be felt for a long time.

“Revenue for the league and its clubs is down almost $1bn compared to last year,” added Garber.

“But we also incurred expenses we were not intending to occur, including charter planes for the teams and creating the whole

bubble around MLS is Back.”

It has led to a difficult first season for the two expansion teams, David Beckham’s Inter Miamiand Nashville, who made the Eastern Conference semi-finals, and creates an uncertain backdrop for Austin FC, who will enter the league in 2021.

However, while plans continue around a March launch for the next season, huge uncertainty remains.

“We are concerned about the situation leading into 2021 and we are trying to figure out how to manage

through it,” said Garber.

“No business could sustain the kind of impact we sustained for two years in a row.

“The challenge for next season is nobody has the magic date for when fans can enter stadiums and it will vary state by state.

“We need to make a schedule. We can’t wait for a vaccine and we don’t know what the reaction will be of fans returning to stadiums.

“It is not just about fans.

FIFA has laid out their international dates and CONCACAF has laid out Champions League dates.

Thursday, December 10, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE Hilliard Eta to Mala Buni

“I am already in court. The lawyers amongst them should have told them that they can’t make that pronouncement since I am in court. Their action is a nullity because it isn’t even the NEC of the party that met. Their so-called acting national chairman has no power to convene NEC” – Expelled Deputy National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing Tuesday’s dissolution of the party’s organs at all levels a nullity.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Ortom and the Wife Beater

L

ast Sunday, Mrs Ifeyinwa Angbo revealed her battered and bruised face in a Twitter video post.

The clip, which also trended on WhatsApp, alleged assault by her husband, Pius Agbo, who works with Channels television. In a swift reaction, the management of Channels released a statement condemning domestic violence and promising to investigate the matter.

Barely 24 hours later, however, the story changed when Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, with members of his Executive Council, intervened by ‘reconciling’ the couple.

Rationalising why he dabbled into the matter, the governor said the Angbos have been married for only six years and they have four kids. “Angbo himself has distinguished himself in journalism and the wife is a medical doctor with Benue State Government at the Teaching Hospital. We felt for a young couple of six years, they must be encouraged to remain married, instead of allowing things to degenerate between them. Some of us are not also innocent,” said Ortom who recalled his own marital experience. “As a young couple, we underwent some of these challenges in our marriage life and that is why when I heard (about) the unfortunate incident, I called the two of them with some of my cabinet members to assist me so that we can mediate and thank God we have done the mediation as older personalities who are more experienced in marriage like myself.”

Also speaking with reporters, Angbo said he had apologised to his wife over the assault, with a promise to mend his ways. “We’ve been in a meeting with the Governor and his cabinet members in the last four hours. They have advised us and spoken to me. I see their wise counsel.

Under no circumstances should I have hit my wife. I’m very apologetic for the action and the hurt I brought upon her,” said the repentant husband who added: “I have apologised to her on my knees and I appeal to everybody that this has insulted their sensibility. It was not a deliberate act and I’ve committed to also work on our home to avoid re-occurrence of any domestic issue.”

With the Governor behind the couple as they spoke with the media, Mrs Angbo said she had accepted the apology offered by her husband. “First of all, I sincerely want to thank the Governor of the State, he has really showed that he is a father amidst his busy schedule.” Turning to Ortom, she added: “You’ve made out time to talk to us and advise us. We’ve taken your counsel Sir and going forward, I intend to make my marriage work.”

With the Twitter post, Mrs Angbo drew public attention not only to her marital woes but also to a serious social problem that has plagued our society for decades.

After counting the cost, including those imposed by patriarchy, she has chosen to stay in her marriage. That may not sit well with some but they must accept that the woman has made a decision she considers

Ortom

to be in her best interest. And we should respect her choice. The only thing we can hope for is that her errant husband will not beat her again.

Governor Ortom is right in his summation.

Every marriage is a work in progress with its own issues. And there is no perfect union.

What he forgot though are the lines that should never be crossed, especially in a marriage. Under no circumstances should a man raise his hand against his wife. By bringing the issue of battery and assault into the public space, Mrs Angbo was reporting an alleged crime of gender-based violence.

And Ortom failed the test of leadership.

He used the instrumentality of government to impose an extra-judicial solution on the couple and by making his intervention public, he unwittingly established an unjust template for resolving domestic violence cases in Benue State.

Let’s be clear. I am not against reconciliation for the couple. But the way the incident has been handled is, to put it mildly, deplorable. Ordinarily, Ortom could have invited the Angbos for a private meeting, asked them to kiss and make up in his presence, and if he liked, follow them to ‘The Other Room’ to witness the sealing of the deal. But by involving members of his cabinet and making a public show of his efforts, the governor is telling the world that domestic violence is not a big deal in his state. More worrisome is that, in her speech, Mrs Angbo repeated the oft-used line by which married women in Nigeria have been conditioned to accept all sorts of abuses from their partners: “I intend to make my marriage work”.

I am sure there are several pressing challenges in Benue that should command the attention of Governor Ortom and members of his executive council more than spending four hours holding a national conference over a private domestic problem and turning it into a serious matter of state.

Besides, it is instructive that the drama played out at a time the Nigeria Governors Wives Association (NGWA) was holding

a policy dialogue against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria. At the opening session last week, Wife of the Ekiti State Governor and Chairperson of NGWA—GBV, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi lamented that COVID-19—and the attendant restrictions and lockdowns which forced women in abusive relationships to stay with their abusers—has escalated the problem in many homes. I wonder how she feels with the news from Benue Government House.

Although the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015 was designed essentially to curb and deter gender based violence by sanctioning the commission of such offences, nothing much has changed.

Meanwhile, under Section 55 (1) (d) of the Penal Code applicable in the northern part of the country to which Benue belongs, beating a wife for the ‘purpose of correction’ is legal.

That’s what makes Ortom’s intervention in the domestic affair of the Angbos so egregious, especially given that Benue is a state where women are routinely abused by their husbands. This despite the fact that the Benue House of Assembly is one of the few state legislatures to have domesticated the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act which he (Ortom) in 2018 signed into law.

In a paper, ‘Prevalence of Domestic Violence Against Married Women’, published in the Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Healthcare, seven researchers selected their case studies from ‘Oiji ward, a rural setting in Benue State, North Central Nigeria’ where 258 female inhabitants, representing 67.2% of the target sample “had experienced domestic violence of different types, ranging from physical assaults to emotional/ mental torture.” The Journal of Research & Method in Education also conducted a detailed study on the “causes of violence among couples in Makurdi metropolis of Benue State, Nigeria” in which nagging, sexual deprivation, dishonesty, infidelity and neglect of responsibility “emerged as the top five common causes of violence.”

From ‘Cultural Practices and Domestic Violence Against Women: A Managerial Perspective Within Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State’ to several other reports, there must be a reason why academics look towards the state over which Ortom governs when examining incidences of domestic violence.

“Nigerian law and custom categorises a woman as an object who is not quite human…

Violence against women is entrenched in the family, institutionalized by the social structure and driven by patriarchal arrangement, or class/gender stratification,” according to the Societies Without Borders journal in a study conducted in Guma and Makurdi local government areas of Benue State.

“Violence is a common practice that seems to be accepted by men as normal in order to keep the women under control. Batterers fail to see this as an act worth bringing before the law,” the report concluded.

Under this prevailing cultural background and milieu, the actions of the governor of Benue State should not surprise us. But he has done a great disservice to our society by the cynical manner he handled a very serious

social problem. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is prevalent in Nigeria because when abused, women seek closure by sharing their sordid experiences with third parties such as family elders, religious clerics and traditional/political leaders. But they hardly ever get justice. The patriarchal nature of our society ensures that these women are usually counselled to find accomodation with their abusers, especially where children are involved.

While not hoping for a reoccurrence of violence in the home of the Angbos, available studies indicate that continued abuse is possible, if not probable, once it has begun and is not addressed medically as a concerted effort. We have no knowledge about whether Mr and Mrs Angbo were counselled to subject themselves to psychological assessment or treatment, as should happen in cases of domestic violence. Besides, certain pertinent questions arise: Would Ortom be present to protect Ifeyinwa should violence emerge within their home in future? Does the entire scenario not present an intimidating picture for the woman in terms of the involvement of state authority? What does the Governor and his cabinet think are the implications of addressing domestic violence in such a ‘celebratory’ manner? Is assault no longer a crime in Benue, whether in or out of marriage? How can the governor send an unequivocal signal to gender-based abusers in his state that they must stop harming women and girls?

I am well aware that the fear of being ostracized and the general lack of sympathy for divorced women have contributed immensely to the growth of domestic violence in Nigerian homes. Many of our parents have endured this situation.

Unfortunately, the prevalent culture of stigmatization and cajoling the wife to return to the batterer, without addressing the deep-seated issues that continue to disrupt family life so violently, has only led to worse situations and even death, in some cases. So when a Governor uses his official position to endorse the notion that a woman in an abusive relationship should “make her marriage work”, he does enormous damage to the general wellbeing of our society. Perpetuating the notion that women should assume responsibility for making their marriage work, inadvertently absolving husbands of their concomitant duty of love, support and care, is what has led us to the current unfortunate situation.

The best antidote to the recurrence of harmful cultural practices is to subject all infractions to the due process of law. As the embodiment of the secular essence of a state governed by law, Ortom should not have gotten involved in a domestic matter that ought to attract criminal prosecution.

Ultimately, we can only continue to urge people in leadership positions to ensure that their actions are guided by the overall public good. No matter the status of the culprit or how glamorous their jobs are, in this day and age, ‘Ortom Formula’ should never become the template for resolving cases of wife battery anywhere in Nigeria.

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