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Report: Electronic Payment Transactions Rise to N231tn Obinna Chima The total value of transactions through various electronic payment (e-payment) channels in the country has risen sharply by 103 per cent to a total of N231.247 trillion as at June 2019, compared with the

N138.672 trillion recorded in the whole of 2018. Also, the volume of transactions jumped by 42 per cent in the period under review, from a total of 2,163,779,156 recorded in 2018, to 3,068,922,121 in the first six months of 2019.

The figures were contained in the latest industry e-payment data for the half year 2019 obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). A breakdown of the figures showed that total value of interbank e-payment transactions in the period

under review was N203 trillion and total volume at 1,756,300,720.57. The data also showed that while the combined value of Automated Clearing House System/NAPS/PMS stood at N2.271 trillion and volume at 3,416,537 in the period under

review, ATM transactions stood at N11.596 trillion in the first six months of 2019, with total volume of 424,619,677. Also, just as the value of point of sales (Pos) transactions recorded in the period under review was N1.384 trillion, the volume was 187,695,159, while

internet (web) transactions’ value stood at N233.903 billion with total volume at 47,976,900. Similarly, the industry recorded total value of mobile money transactions of Continued on page 8

Gencos Threaten to Hands off Power Plants over Payment Plan... Page 8 Monday 23 September, 2019 Vol 24. No 8932. Price: N250

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South-east Govs Reject Livestock Plan Gideon Arinze in Enugu

CELEBRATING KING’S COLLEGE @ 110... L-R: Trustee, King’s College Old Boys’ Association, Dr. Sunny Kuku; Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammadu Sanusi II; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and the association’s President, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, during the College’s 110th Founder’s Day lecture in Lagos...Friday

South-east governors have rejected the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) proposed by the National Economic Council (NEC) to address the lingering crisis between farmers and herdsmen. Ebonyi State Governor, who doubles as Chairman, South-east Governors’ Forum, David Umahi, told THISDAY at the weekend that although the NLTP is a voluntary programme of the federal government, just like the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, the Continued on page 12

Military Steps Up Fight against Insurgency, Asks North-east Residents for Identification Warns Borno, Yobe inhabitants against harbouring fleeing insurgents Senate on same page with Buhari on security, economy, says Sani

Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The ongoing anti-insurgency operations in the North-east aimed at routing Boko Haram and other militant groups from the area entered another

phase at the weekend with the military’s introduction of an identification exercise for residents of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, all in the geopolitical zone. Under the scheme codenamed “Operation

Positive Identification,” whose commencement is with immediate effect, residents are expected to produce on demand valid means of identification when demanded by security agents. Acceptable means of

identification include national identification cards, voter registration cards, driving licences and passports. Failure to produce any of these on demand would make the soldiers to subject such a person to

intense scrutiny and further interrogation. Besides, “Operation Positive Identification” is also aimed at searching for and arresting terrorists who are on the run after being dislodged by troops from

their enclaves. Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Ado Isa, unfolded the new measures just as the

Buhari Gets DHQ Panel Report on Taraba Killings... Page 12

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Gencos Threaten to Hands off Power Plants over Payment Plan Chineme Okafor in Abuja Power generation companies (Gencos) yesterday signified their intention to declare force majeure on their operations, saying they were being unfairly treated by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Plc (NBET). The Gencos said in a statement that they would be forced to return the power generation plants to the federal government and relieve their investors of the obligation of generating electricity for Nigeria because NBET was making it difficult for them to operate. The Executive Secretary of the trade association of the Gencos– the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Dr. Joy Ogaji, said the NBET was making demands on the Gencos which she claimed were

unfair. Ogaji, said the NBET claimed the Gencos were not making pro-rata payments to their gas suppliers and in that regards decided to pay the gas suppliers by itself but with a 0.75 per cent administrative charge. According to Ogaji, the development would impact the operations of the Gencos negatively as they would have no funds to run their plants. “The NBET on September 13, 2019 issued a letter to individual thermal Gencos directing them to obtain, as a matter of urgency, their respective board approvals or resolutions, bequeathing responsibility for payment of gas and transportation to the respective supply companies for an administrative charge of 0.75 per cent. “The letter gave each Genco three working days

ultimatum to respond with the board resolution or face non-payment of energy invoices,� said Ogaji. She also said the Gencos were contesting the decision because the NBET did not have the approval of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to make such decisions. “The fact that NBET is placing the extortionist 0.75 per cent administrative charge on Gencos who are already convulsing in the NESI is an aberration on the duty of care placed on NBET. “In addition, going by the principle of privity of contracts, thermal Gencos have contractual obligations to pay their gas suppliers. If they do not pay, that burden remains with them. “NBET claims that thermal Gencos have not

been making pro-rata payments for gas from monthly invoices paid by the market. For example, from the paltry 15 per cent of the June 2019 energy invoice paid to each Genco, NBET expects each thermal Genco to make pro-rata payments of 15 per cent of the gas invoice to gas suppliers and transporters. “Given that a thermal Genco’s gas bill is between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of their total monthly revenue, depending on their efficiency and tariff, the implications of carrying out NBET's directive of pro-rata payments is that a thermal Genco with about 60 per cent of its total revenue as gas cost, will be left with about 6 per cent of such total energy invoice to operate the power plant. This is because of the 15 per cent received from the market, about 9 per cent must be

allocated to gas as pro-rata payment. This is certainly not sustainable,� she added. According to her, each of the Gencos requires between 20 and 30 per cent of its total revenue to meet its direct operating cost on a monthly basis and that if NBETs directive on pro-rata payments is carried out, only six per cent of the monthly invoice would be left for them. This, she stated was not enough to pay Gencos’ staff alone. “The said 0.75 per cent administrative charge is compulsory as it is a Condition Precedent (CP) for Gencos to access the N600 billion the federal government has approved for immediate payment to gas suppliers and Gencos. “If NBET gets its way in executing its planned action, it will set in motion a significant precedent that any

entity can take up the role of a regulator in the NESI, giving directive without the relevant stakeholder engagement and regulatory (NERC) approval. “It is unfathomable that any ongoing concern gets paid only 15 per cent of its invoices and yet expected to perform within the requirement of the performance and other relevant market agreements entered into. The time may just be right for Gencos to declare force majeure and release themselves of all market obligations. Surely, gencos will remain blameless for taking such actions,� Ogaji stated. Efforts by THISDAY to reach the Chief Executive of NBET, Dr. Marilyn Amobi, proved abortive because her mobile phone was switched off as at press time yesterday.

NEITI: N28.58tn Remitted to Federation Account in Five Years Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) yesterday put the total amount remitted to the Federation Account between 2012 and 2016 at N28.58 trillion. It said the remittances came from three major sources: mineral revenues, non-mineral revenues and value added tax (VAT). NEITI said in a statement from its Director of Communications and Advocacy, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, that the information on the earnings was contained in its latest Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement (FASD) Audit report for 2012-2016. According to it, apart from remittances to the Federation Account, the audit tracked statutory allocations and their applications with specific focus on nine states, four interventionist agencies and five special funds. It explained that the essence was to examine funds receipt and utilisation, adding that the nine states

covered by the report are Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Delta, Ondo, Imo, Kano and Gombe. The federal agencies covered included the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), while the special funds were Natural Resources Development Fund (NRDF), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Excess Crude Account (ECA), Ecological Fund (EF) and Stabilisation Fund (SF). In its explanation, NEITI said the N28.58 trillion remitted to the Federation Account showed that monies from mineral resources, especially oil, contributed the highest sum of N18.15 trillion after deductions for joint venture cash calls and subsidy claims, followed by non-mineral sources’ N6.68 trillion contribution and VAT’s payment of N3.73 trillion. The NEITI equally noted that a year-by-year

breakdown of the total remittances showed that N4.19 trillion was remitted in 2012, N4.73 trillion in 2013 while in 2014, it was N4.69 trillion, in 2015, N2.89 trillion and N1.65 trillion remitted in 2016. It said an analysis of the N18.16 trillion mineral revenues shared among the three tiers of government showed that the federal government received N8.32 trillion between 2012 and 2016; the 36 state governments shared N4.22 trillion while the 774 local governments got N3.25 trillion. It added that this was, however, exclusive of N2.36 trillion earned by oil producing states as 13 per cent derivation payment. The report also added that from the share of non-mineral revenues of N6.68 trillion, the federal government received N3.52 trillion, while the 36 states got N1.79 trillion and 774 local governments took N1.38trillion. The total VAT revenue of N3.73trillion was also shared with the federal government taking N560 billion, the 36

states got N1.88 trillion and 774 local governments got N1.31 trillion. The report also revealed that out of total mineral revenue, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) remitted N8.62 trillion, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) remitted N3.80 trillion, while the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) remitted N10.46 trillion. “NNPC’s net remittances to the Federation Account reduced from N2.38 trillion in 2012 to N789 billion in 2016. Out of the N18.16 trillion mineral revenues remitted in the period 2012-2016, the year 2013 accounted for the highest receipt of N4.73 trillion. “There was a decrease in global oil revenues from 2015, which accounted for the decrease in mineral revenues from N4.68 trillion in 2014 to N2.89 trillion in 2015 and N1.65 trillion in 2016,� NEITI said. On revenues allocation and utilisation by the states, the report said Akwa Ibom received the highest

total mineral revenue of N873.59 billion among the nine states covered by the exercise, followed by Delta State, which received N713.15 billion. Nasarawa State got the lowest mineral revenue of N145.88 billion, closely followed by Gombe State with N155.22 billion. Imo and Ondo States received N190.42 billion and N247.87 billion respectively. It said an analysis of expenditure patterns among the nine states showed that from 2012 to 2016, Akwa Ibom State spent the largest amount of N947.79 billion on capital expenditure, followed by Delta State, which allocated N493.77 billion to capital expenditure. Nasarawa also had the least capital expenditure of N65.11 billion followed by Ondo State with N138.67 on capital expenditure. On management of funds in some special accounts, the NEITI explained that the Natural Resources Development Account (NRDA) for instance which was established to develop alternative mineral resources,

had N486.26 billion credited to it in the period from which N543.63 billion was released for various projects contrary to the purpose of the fund. The NRDA, it said also served as a borrowing fund for the federal government to meet its obligations in areas such as budget deficits, national security, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Nigerian Armed Forces. Similarly, for the Ecological Fund (EF), the NEITI said it was set up to address serious ecological problems across the country and got N276.5 billion statutorily transferred to it within the period. The fund in the EF, it added, were used for purposes other than which they were established. It said for instance a loan of N93,768,951,164 was released to the federal government for funding of budget deficits and advance to states and local governments from the EF to meet shortfalls in their revenue but most of the loans granted might not be recovered.

channels to be developed by banks. “Since the policy was first launched, currency management costs have continued to increase yearon-year at an average annual growth rate of 33 per cent. “Notwithstanding, electronic transactions have increased within the economy. We have provided alternative channels and people have embraced it,� he added. Meanwhile, the September 2019 Business Expectations Survey Report posted on the central bank’s website at the weekend, showed that at 26.7 index points, respondents expressed optimism on the overall confidence index (CI) on the macro economy in

September 2019. The business outlook for the period showed greater confidence on the macro economy with 59.0 index points. It stated that the optimism on the macro economy in the current month was driven by the opinion of respondents from services (14.2 points), industrial (9.7 points), wholesale/ retail trade (2.1 points) and construction (0.6 points) sectors. Further analysis showed that the positive business outlook in September was driven by businesses that are neither import nor exportoriented (21.0 points), both import- and export-oriented (4.3 points), import-oriented (2.9 points), and those that

are export-related (0.3 point). It also identified insufficient power supply (65.7 points), high interest rate (56.8 points), unfavourable economic climate (55 points), financial problems (53.9 points), unclear economic laws (52 points), unfavourable political climate (48.9 points), insufficient demand (48.8 points), access to credit (44.4 points) and competition (44.2 points), respectively, as major factors constraining business activity in the current month. Respondent firms expect the naira to appreciate in the current month, next month and next 12 months, as their confidence indices stood at 21.7, 36.0 and 46.9 index points, respectively.

REPORT: ELECTRONIC PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS RISE TO N231TN N1.966 trillion; with volume at 104,773,933 and Nigerian Instant Payment (NIP) value of N49 trillion, with total volume at 504,160,651. E-bills/PAY transactions amounted to N281 billion, with volume at 616,651; Remitta which also recorded total value of N9.839 trillion and volume at 21,614,846; M-cash with total value of N381 billion and volume at 119,197; and Central Pay with total value at N2.835 trillion and volume at 398,520. However, the value of cheque transactions within the same period was N2.271 trillion with total volume of 3,416,537. The CBN has been aggressive in its drive to discourage cash transactions

with its Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, saying last Friday that the banking sector regulator would continue to implement the cashless policy in line with its mandate to ensure an efficient payment system. According to Emefiele, contrary to claims in some quarters that many Nigerians would suffer the negative impact of the policy, only about five to 10 per cent of bank customers would be affected. The CBN in a circular last week, had announced that from September 18 it would impose three per cent processing fees on withdrawals and two per cent processing fees on lodgments of amounts above N500, 000 for individual

accounts. For corporate accounts, banks would charge five per cent processing fees on withdrawals and three per cent processing fee on lodgments of amounts above N3 million. But Emefiele said if the Nigerian economy was to compete effectively with those of developed countries, there was need to enthrone a payment system that encouraged the use of non-cash channels. He said before the cashless policy was first inaugurated before he assumed office, many stakeholder engagements were done to sensitise Nigerians. According to him, the policy was suspended to allow more payment

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Buhari Gets DHQ Panel Report on Taraba Killings Defence chief awaits further directives Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Olonisakin, has submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari the report of the panel set up by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to probe the circumstances surrounding the killing of police detectives and civilians by soldiers of 93 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Takum, Taraba State. The soldiers shot to death the civilians and policemen, who were members of a special anti-crime squad from the Office of the Inspector General of Police, as they were transporting a suspected kidnap don, Alhaji Bala Hamisu Wadume, to the state police command for interrogation, and reportedly helped the suspect to escape. THISDAY gathered at the weekend that the report, submitted penultimate week by the Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya-led panel to Olonisakin, was further reviewed by him and he made

additional recommendations before transmitting the report to the president. The CDS submitted the report to the president last week after the comprehensive review that looked at recommendations bordering on the indictment of culpable army and police personnel in terms of appropriate sanctions to be meted out to them and recommendations for prosecution of Wadume and other civilian collaborators. It was learnt that the president was left to deal with the festering disagreement between the army and the police, which continued throughout the panel's sitting. THISDAY checks showed that the police representative on the panel still harboured doubts that Olonisakin, being an army general, would be fair in his recommendations and allegedly made further moves to ensure that the contention of the police that the soldiers abetted Wadume, which it had stuck to throughout the panel deliberations, was captured in

Buhari the final panel report presented to Buhari. A competent source close to the panel told THISDAY that the CDS has submitted the report to the president and was awaiting further directives. He said: "The report has been submitted to the president. The rumour that there is an attempt to cover up the panel report is baseless. "The CDS has submitted the report to the president, who gave the directive for

the setting up of the panel in the first place. "As it is now, we await further directives from the president on the next step to take. We have done our bit and the report is now before the commander-in-chief." There had been concerns over the delay in the release of the report of the panel set up by the DHQ on the orders of Buhari, to probe the killing of police detectives and civilians by soldiers. The soldiers had opened fire on the policemen, killing three of them on the spot in spite of the fact that they were subjected to identification process. They had also set the kidnap suspect free but he was later rearrested by the police. The incident had engendered bad blood between the police and the army, prompting the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, to issue a circular warning soldiers to be careful with interactions with the police and to wear mufti while travelling to guard

against possible attacks by policemen on patrol duties, especially following intensified online campaign by the police, particularly on its social media channels. THISDAY had reported that the panel had indicted Captain Tijani Balarabe, who ordered the killing of the policemen and some of his accomplices for court-martial. Buratai also confirmed at a recent conference that army personnel involved in the killing would be decisively dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others. The report had also recommended further investigation of the connection between Wadume and some military and police personnel as regards gun-running, following the suspect’s confession. It also recommended that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should look into the assets of the suspects in Taraba and Kano States. The EFCC had told

THISDAY that it would pick up from where the panel stopped after the submission of the report. However, following the delay in the release of the contents of the report to the public after the panel’s sitting in Taraba and Abuja, a source close to one of the families of the deceased policemen said the delay in making the content of the report public amounted to a cover-up "This is getting to two months since the committee was set up. The committee rounded off sitting about two weeks ago and we are yet to hear anything. "We are uncomfortable with the situation. Our family wants to see justice done and done quickly. This is clearly a brutal killing of a law enforcement officer on national assignment. "We hope this delay is not a cover-up. The wife and children demand justice; we need to know what happened to our son because justice delayed is justice denied," he said.

support the take-off of the NLTP. NEC’s approval came barely a week after Northern governors rose from a meeting in Kaduna on September 12, to embrace the programme, initiated by the federal government, to curb persistent clashes between farmers and herders. Umahi who chaired the Sub-committee on Herdersfarmers Crisis, had earlier told State House reporters that the committee briefed

NEC on the N100 billion proposal to support the project. According to the governor, 80 per cent of the amount will come from the federal government as grants to beneficiary states while such states would contribute the 20 per cent balance. Meanwhile, the Enugu State Government has said it would accept whatever position the South-east Governors’ Forum takes on the NLTP as it does

not have any position of its own. Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, said whatever decision the forum took would be binding on the state. “We do not have our own position on the matter and as such, we are going to abide by whatever position that is agreed upon by the forum provided it is going to be in the best interest of our people,� he said.

SOUTH-EAST GOVS RE JECT LIVESTOCK PLAN South-east would not be part of it, given the controversy and misinterpretation of the whole idea. His Chief Press Secretary, Emma Uzor, who spoke on behalf of the governor, said the plan would best benefit the North because the region has a comparative advantage in terms of livestock farming. The governor said the NLTP would restrict the movements of the herders within the North since they

could now have access to whatever they need. He said: “we believe that the programme will help solve the long standing challenge of farmer-herder clashes in the country as they can have access to whatever amount of money they need to run their business.� On whether it is in line with federal government’s formerly proposed Ruga Settlement plan, he said it was a different idea because

anybody interested in going into livestock farming could access the fund and not just the herdsmen. “If you use to rear cows before, you can now have piggery as part of the business. It is left for you to know how to do your business without infringing on anybody’s right� he stated. The NEC, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, had last week approved N100 billion to

MILITARY STEPS UP FIGHT AGAINST INSURGENCY, ASKS NORTH-EAST RESIDENTS FOR IDENTIFICATION Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Uba Sani, said the Senate under the leadership of Senator Ahmad Lawan would support President Muhammadu Buhari in its determination to reinvigorate the economy and make the nation more secure. Troops of ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’ engaged in the anti-insurgency campaign in the North-east have recently unleashed massive aerial and artillery bombardments on the insurgents that triggered their mass exodus from North-east to Central, West African sub-regions and Sudan. It was in a bid to stop them from sneaking back into the country after a lull in hostilities that military authorities launched “Operation Positive Identification.� The Nigerian Army had warned communities within the theatre of war against harbouring the fleeing insurgents. It warned of dire consequences against those collaborating with insurgents. It said the fugitives were escaping and taking refuge in the residences of people in Maiduguri, Damboa, Gajiram, Monguno, Damasak, Biu, Gwoza Dikwa, Benisheikh, Ngamdu, Bama, Gamboru, Konduga, Gajigana and other smaller towns all in Borno State.

In addition, some of the terrorists are also fleeing to Damaturu, Gujba, Buni Yadi, Buni Gari, Gashua, Kanamma, Yususufari, Goniri and Kukareta towns in Yobe State, among others. Isa said in a statement that the identification scheme was informed by intelligence reports that showed that the insurgents were hibernating in some towns and villages in Borno and Yobe States. “The operation is aimed at searching for and arresting all suspected erstwhile Boko Haram/ISWAP criminal elements that roam some parts of the North-eastern part of the country. “This has become necessary following credible information that some of the fleeing criminals are hibernating in some towns and villages of Borno and Yobe States in particular and North-east in general,� he said. He urged the public travelling around the Northeast to carry valid means of identification as those not positively identified would be subjected to further scrutiny and comprehensive investigation. “Consequently, members of the public are enjoined to always carry valid means of identification when moving or passing through the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Our troops have been instructed to strictly check valid means of identification such as national

identification card, voters’ registration card, drivers' licence and international passports, or other valid official identification, before allowing such person passage,� he added. It urged the public “to bear with this measure as it is in their best interest and our national security, as well as efforts to end the madness called insurgency as perpetrated by the erstwhile Boko Haram/ ISWAP fighters�.

Senate on same page with Buhari on security, economy, says Sani Meanwhile, Senator Uba Sani, has pledged the support of the Senate to the president in its determination to grow the nation's economy and safeguard lives and property. The senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, while interacting with journalists in Abuja yesterday, also commended the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recent decision to implement the cashless policy, saying the major goal of the policy is to curb corruption, counterfeiting of notes, money laundering, terrorism and tax evasion. He added that Buhari's recent constitution of an Economic Advisory Council is a clear indication that he is committed to bequeathing a strong and virile economy

to Nigerians. ‘’The president has just passed a strong message that we need to reinvigorate our economy. We need to grow our economy because economic growth means an increase in real GDP. “Increase in real GDP means there will be an increase in the value of national output/national expenditure. The benefits of economic growth are huge; they include higher average incomes, which enables consumers, especially the poor to enjoy more goods and services and enjoy better standards of living; it also means that there will be lower unemployment. “And with advanced output and positive economic growth, firms will employ more workers, creating more employment, and it also helps to reduce government borrowing; increase tax revenues and with this, the government can spend more on public services, such as health, education and good roads and others,� he said. He also said the Senate would fast-track the passage of the 2020 Appropriation Bill. "Senate President Lawan has changed the old narrative of unduly delay of passage of annual budget. Recently, the Senate President stated that the National Assembly was expecting the 2020 budget proposal from the executive very soon, and that the Ninth Assembly would deliberate

on it and pass it within two months. We will strongly support that. “If the budget is passed on time, the process would return the country to the annual budget of January to December. The perennial delay in passing the annual budgets in the past gave a wrong impression that the legislature was either ignorant of its responsibility or intentionally frustrating the efforts of the executive arm to perform. We need to change the wrong perception’’, Senator Sani added. Early passage of the budget, he said, would promote economic growth and development, adding that the economy depends on government’s budget to function properly and the private sector, particularly, needs to see government direction to plan and execute their strategies. He described the new legislature -executive rapprochement at the federal level as salutary, saying that it must be effectively utilised in sanitising the budgetary process to enhance sustainable growth and development. According to him, “The legislature and executive, though independent, must work harmoniously to address myriad challenges confronting our country. We must synergise to give our people a good budget and see to its prompt and

effective implementation.� On the recent notice by CBN to implement the cashless policy, Sani said he had no problem with the policy as long as it would not affect the poor. Speaking on the challenges of insecurity, he said the Senate, in line with the vision of Lawan, would work closely with the president to address the challenges of insecurity across the country. He said the Senate recognised the huge efforts Buhari had made in the past four years to frontally confront insecurity, saying the efforts are yielding positive results. He said: “Security and a sound legal system are critical for sustainable development. Our country has been confronting insecurity challenges of different dimensions. They have definitely taken a toll on our people and our economy. “We pay a huge price in confronting our insecurity challenges. The huge financial resources we have spent in fighting crimes in the past few years would have helped bolster our social services. “The Senate is committed and ever ready to support President Buhari in his current determination to strengthen security and the legal order as well as addressing the socio-economic challenges confronting the country.’’

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

NPA AND THE BATTLE AGAINST PIRACY Ayo Oyoze Baje canvasses a multidimensional approach to contain piracy in the region

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n December, 2018 the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman made a passionate call on all ports facility security officers (PFSOs) to step up their efforts and remain ever vigilant. The aim is to curb high level of insecurity with regard to sea piracy in Nigeria’s maritime economic sphere. She further urged the PFSOs to pay special attention to intelligence gathering and sharing of information with other security agencies at the ports. If this is carried out and sustained it would enhance effective performance of their duties. Bala Usman made this call in her goodwill message at the 2018 edition of the annual conference of the PFSOs which took place in Calabar, Cross River. As subsequent events have revealed, there has been a 36 per cent reduction in attacks by sea pirates in the Nigerian waters in the first quarter of 2019 with reports of 14 of such attacks compared to 22 in the same period of 2018. The report came from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a specialized department of the International Chamber of Commerce. The encouraging success recorded has been attributed to the increased efforts by the Nigerian Navy, working in tandem with the NPA as well as PFSOs for their rapid response to vital information released to the agency. Sequel to this positive development in the security of the maritime sector, importers, exporters and ship owners are upbeat about a possible reduction in freight charges, war risk insurance premium and other surcharges imposed on Nigerian-bound cargo. This would become realistic if pirate attacks on Nigerian waters continue to decrease. According to an earlier media report, one Adewale Ishola, a top player in the marine sector, insists that such reduction in sea piracy is capable of boosting shipping business in Nigeria. If sustained, international shipping companies that have been raising freight charges and introducing surcharges on imported cargoes would be convinced to reduce them. According to Hadiza Bala Usman the war risk insurance premium has translated into high cost of cargo importation into the country’s seaports as importers, who pay such premium also increase the market price of goods. For instance, two shipping lines, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM operating in Nigeria recently introduced a new surcharge called “Peak Season Surchage� (PSS) on all cargoes originating from anywhere in the world. And that has to do with those coming into Tin-Can, Apapa sea ports in Lagos as well as Onne port in Rivers State. Piracy is considered as one of the most disturbing issues even in the 21st Century global community. As maritime operators and analysts explain, the cost of piracy covers a wide spectrum that affects human, economic, environmental and political landscape of several nations blessed with vast coastal lines. When and if left unchecked it has direct threat to peace, security and the socio-economic development of the affected countries as well as regions. According to former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, “the epidemic of piracy poses a serious threat to international peace and security and has destabilising effects on international navigation and maritime trade. Listed amongst the top regions for piracy today are the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Guinea, the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea. All these regions are vital shipping routes, crucial for global trade�. With specific regard to Nigeria, sea piracy has become an increasing challenge in the Gulf of Guinea region with both the frequency of piracy attacks and the level of physical violence against seafarers increasing in

THE EPIDEMIC OF PIRACY POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY AND HAS DESTABILISING EFFECTS ON INTERNATIONAL NAVIGATION AND MARITIME TRADE

recent years. Cumulatively, it has contributed to the nation’s parlous economy as over US$2.74 billion was paid by the country over the past four years. In 2018 alone, freight costs were reportedly increased six times! That came with fears that insurance also escalated insecurity traceable to the challenge of piracy. The Ocean Beyond Piracy (OBP) in a report claimed that the economic cost of piracy to Nigeria has been on the increase since 2014, reaching over $818.1 million in 2017. The report also revealed that about $213.7 million was spent to contract maritime security personnel protecting vessels in the region. Similarly, the Gulf region’s spending on law enforcement and naval patrols increased by $13.2 million in 2017. Additionally, 1,726 seafarers were affected in 2016 even as 100 crewmembers were taken hostage. As a result, shipping companies patronizing Nigeria and other West African ports were incurring additional expenses. Sea piracy has compelled them to engage the services of private security guards, even as the federal government noted that such violates Nigeria’s constitution. According to OBP breakdown of costs, coastal states incurred personnel costs of about $213.7 million; affiliated escorts, $9.4 million; and private patrols, $134.9 million per year. The report claimed that Nigeria spends about $6.6 million yearly to protect its security anchorage area. So, what is the way forward? Legal and policy statements may not be considered adequate to combat the menace of sea piracy. Nigeria, being the head of the Gulf of Guinea Commission has to rise to exhibiting its leadership role, more by practical partnerships than rhetoric. That is the opinion of maritime experts who also insist that sustaining collaborative efforts amongst the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air force and the Nigerian Army with the Nigerian Ports Authority acting as the credible catalyst would swing the pendulum away from sea piracy. The federal government should deploy the platforms which the country acquired under its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global West Vessel Specialists Limited. That is especially so for the Danish fast armoured boats, which the company purchased for the country. If not enough, more could be bought. According to researchers, Daud Hassan and Sayed Hasan, writing for the online version of African Journal of Legal Studies (August, 2017) with the title: ‘Effectiveness of the Current Regimes to Combat Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: An Evaluation,’ it is essential to apply an integrated multidimensional approach. This will strengthen maritime security while also effectively addressing the principal causes of piracy embedded in the economic, social and political conditions of the region. These include poor governance, corruption, unemployment and poverty. There is also an urgent requirement for cooperation and coordination at the regional and international levels. In addition, it should build regional maritime capacity, enhance maritime domain surveillance and ensure compliance with the best management practices by the shipping industry. With the Usman-led NPA showing that collaborative efforts and prompt actions taken by the armed forces on sensitive information gathered could reduce sea piracy, the time to up the battle against sea piracy is now.

AFCTA: A WAKE-UP CALL TO STAKEHOLDERS Critical reforms in the nation’s oil and gas sector are now inevitable, writes McDonald Onyema

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igeria’s execution of the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA) at the extraordinary summit of the AU on 7 July, 2019 marked the entry of Africa’s biggest market as a participant in the continental free trade arrangement. The wider implication of this is that Nigeria has joined other nations that are quickly setting up strategies to fully harness the potential inherent in the continental free trade arrangement. In a move to further prepare for the July 2020, launch date of trading, the FG has gone ahead to set up the AFCTA committee. While this is commendable, the job ahead would require a more strategic and practical approach than the usual blueprints that have been released by similar committees in the past. Even though the argument to diversify the nation’s economy remains valid and crucial, we should harbor no illusions whatsoever that the oil and gas sector will remain a critical driver of Nigeria’s AFCTA economy. Whilst the oil industry has borne the economic weight of the nation over the years, every objective observer is aware of the myriad of imperfections that has plagued the sector. Given its pivotal role, we cannot overemphasize the need to perfect the litany of imperfections plaguing the oil and gas sector before Nigeria can be confident enough to play in the post-AFCTA economy of Africa. The Nigerian oil and gas sector has been the unhealthy foundation that has so far sustained the humongous weight of the nation’s economy. Whilst this unhealthiness may be generically tied to the issue of corruption which has remained the bane of the larger Nigerian society, there also exist specific

inadequacies peculiar to the sector. From 1956 (when the historic Oloibiri discovery was made) till date, the nation’s oil and gas sector has remained a misty envelope of mysteries. Even though the country continues to rake in huge gains from the international crude oil market, commensurate investments towards developing the sector and integrating the operations in the sector have not been made. This explains the irony of one of the world’s biggest crude oil producers also occupying a top space in the list of top importers of refined products. While there have been continuous agitations from various sections to invest more in the revamping of the nation’s refineries and the setting up of new ones, one is yet to see any meaningful commitment in this regard. The existing refineries are still operating at sub-optimal levels hence grossly inadequate to service the growing local demand for refined petroleum products. It is common knowledge that the country makes significant gains from the volume of crude exports, however, it also incurs equally significant costs from the importation of refined products. This has given rise to a net loss according to a 2019 report which placed earnings from crude in 2018 at $54.5bn dollars while the importation of petroleum products cost the country $54.6bn in the same year. The far-reaching impact of this is the never-ending tales of economic woes trailing the nation. Further, the NNPC which is the national apex oil company embarked on a loss-making spree of about NGN547bn for a period spanning over three years. No sector sustains such faulty equation. In the area of regulation, Nigeria has approached the call for strategic reforms in the sector with little or no enthusiasm. A significant indicator is

the length of time it took the legislature to sign into law, the various oil industry reform bills (Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill (PIFB), Petroleum Industry Administration Bill (PIAB), Petroleum Host and Impacted Communities Development Bill (PHICDB)). After so many years of managing the diverse concerns and conversations by various stakeholders with obvious interests, the political will to assent to these pieces of legislation seem lacking. Hence the issues bordering on transparency and ease of doing business persist. This has remained a major hindrance to increased foreign investments in the sector. Further, it has made the sector less appealing for the already existing players. One can also argue that the nation has harnessed less gain from the industry vis-a-vis the huge potential for wealth. For instance, the existing compromise of fuel subsidy is a huge disservice to the greater good of the nation and does not seem to make any economic sense in the grander scheme of things. Troubling also, are the various implosions as a result of dissatisfactions plaguing the indigenes of oil producing areas. Huge resources are expended in stabilizing conflicts between the host communities and oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta. The increasing security challenges of kidnappings, pipeline vandalism, and extortions are too conspicuous to be ignored as it has forced a good number of the IOCs out of the Niger Delta region. Nigeria’s inability to track her production as well as the huge revenue losses incurred along the sales value chain of crude oil products remain another area of great concern. The nation’s oil and gas sector cannot present

itself as a serious market in the AFCTA economy bedeviled with this litany of problems. Though these inefficiencies may not have been occasioned by choice, it is neither a product of chance but a manifestation of the nation’s years of unpreparedness. There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria has operated the oldest oil and gas sector in the continent. Given the increasing number of African countries that are currently developing the capacity for crude oil production, the country should be better equipped to take the lead and set the pace in Africa’s nascent oil and gas market as it welcomes its integrated trade era, come July 2020. It is without doubt that the conversation in the days to come will tilt from Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to Africa’s oil and gas market. It will be a thing of great shame if Nigeria is seen to be playing ‘catch up’ having operated this sector longer than any of the new entrants (Ghana, Mozambique, Cameroon, etc.,) that will be contending for market share within the continent, given the shrinking global oil market. Hence, both the FG and private operators should be more strategic in developing the capacity for a wider coverage in the oil industry. It is encouraging to note that private sector players are gradually stepping up to this responsibility. A sterling example is the Dangote refinery project which will no doubt position the country strategically to serve a bigger African market. However, there is a greater demand for the nation to also provide the technical know-how and all relevant industry knowledge for the rest of the continent. Onyema, an Oil and Gas Tax Specialist, is the Group Tax Supervisor of Rainoil Limited

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

EDITORIAL DEALING WITH FOOD POISONING The authorities must do more to minimise the dangers

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ood safety has for years been a growing concern in the country. Increasingly, many Nigerians are dying, ironically, from what ought to sustain and indeed, keep them alive. Across the country there are disturbing incidents of deaths after meals. Last week, a family of seven comprising the husband, wife and five children were found dead in Mafoluku, Lagos, after the consumption of a meal. They were discovered by neighbours, who forcefully opened their room after no member of the family came out to perform their regular early morning chores. Foamy substances were said to be oozing from their mouths, raising suspicion that they might have eaten a food that was poisoned. The rate of deaths linked to food contamination during processing and storing is becoming alarming and should not be treated with levity. For years, the issue of food safety has posed a daunting challenge. There is need for strict compliance with laws on food preservation. The improper THE IMPROPER USE OF use of agro-chemicals AGRO-CHEMICALS AND and pesticides to PESTICIDES TO CONTROL control pests on PESTS ON AGRICULTURAL agricultural products and grains is one PRODUCTS IS ONE OF of the causes of the THE CAUSES OF THE rising cases of food RISING CASES OF FOOD poisoning in Nigeria. POISONING IN NIGERIA The consumption of food grains that have been laced with pesticides by vendors to preserve their shelf life and protect them from destruction by pests put many people at risk of gastro-intestinal disorders and some types of cancers. In Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 200, 000 persons die of food poisoning annually, caused by contaminated foods. The WHO also reported another 20,000 deaths annually arising from exposure to food pesticides. The whole essence of the National Policy on Food Hygiene and Safety that was launched in 2000 as an integral part of the Nigerian National Health Policy is being questioned if attaining food safety remains

Letters to the Editor

a mirage several years after. And like several other countries, Nigeria has to contend with the problem of food-borne diseases with their attendant social, economic and health costs. The abiding objective of the policy is to attain high level of food hygiene and safety practices which will promote health, control food-borne diseases, minimise and finally eliminate the risk of diseases related to poor food hygiene and safety. Implementation of the policy and other national legislation will address the unsatisfactory level of food hygiene and safety practices which to a large extent is responsible for the prevalence of food-borne diseases in the country.

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

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

eanwhile, associated mostly with food poisoning in recent years are cassava-based dishes which are widely consumed in Nigeria, and indeed in many places in Africa, as in South America, where it is a major source of carbohydrates. They are by far the commonest meals, with popular appeal to the poor. It has one major drawback: the roots and leaves of poorly processed cassava plants contain a substance named Linamarin which when eaten is converted to cyanide, a poisonous gas which could be fatal when inhaled or ingested. Experts say that poor preparation of cassava meals can leave enough of the poisonous substance to cause acute intoxication, goiter and in some cases death. In some cases, particularly those with high cyanide level, mere exposure to the volatile substances while being processed can cause some health disorders. The Federal Ministry of Health, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) should mitigate all food poisoning cases by applying universal food safety practices. The federal agencies should ensure safety compliance by monitoring the quality of food being sold in Nigerian markets. This can be actualised by educating food vendors on hygiene and safety practices as well as concentrating effort in enlightening farmers on the dangers of applying banned agro-chemicals to boost or preserve farm produce.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

TAMING THE FANGS OF TERRORISM

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t will be difficult to totally eliminate the act of terrorism once it has been experimented in a society. It may then become a vice just like armed robbery or kidnapping. Terrorism cannot be eliminated by the act of force alone, but also by subtle diplomacy, strategy, mass education and enlightenment. Back in the 70’s we’ve had religious skirmishes in the north (Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi States) after the three to seven days orgy, the matter is swept under the carpet, no white paper issued, no sponsors apprehended and punished and no compensation paid. We then pretend all is well, but the evil seed had been sown. Then in the 80’s we had the Maitaisine crisis; immediately the head of the organisation was killed everything was swept under the carpet. Maitaisine has metamorphosed into Boko Haram. The Fulani herdsmen are terrorizing citizens. What action has the federal government taken? Have the farmers whose crops were destroyed been compensated? Six years ago a female teacher was beheaded in Gombe State; the matter has since been swept under the carpet and culprits freed. Also four years ago an Igbo lady was killed in Kano, while a lady was killed in Abuja for preaching. What has government done? Early 2003 the CIA informed the Olusegun Obasanjo-led federal government that they should watch the activities of some Islamic groups in the north, that they could be dangerous. But government abandoned the advice. If the federal government had monitored the sect activities at that time, Book Haram would never have manifested and what is the foundation of their activities? Religion. Now the same federal government is complaining about

Boko Haram. They’ve killed thousands, destroyed businesses and property worth billions and they’ve even introduced suicide bombing into Nigeria’s terrorism dictionary. What is FG doing? Military force. But the root cause of these crises has not been unveiled. Since no sponsor has been apprehended and punished, the cycle will continue and the next time it will be sophisticated bombs on our streets and mass suicide bombing using teenagers. I suggest that a white paper should be issued on all religious crises in the country since the 70’s and the penalty should be death sentence and confiscation of all property of the culprits. A policy to control birth in the north should be instituted because in situation where by a man has 30 children, the tendency to donate some for a cause that he fancies will be there. A hungry man can perform the act of terror for N5000. Subjects on religious tolerance should be taught in schools, a legislation should be made that anyone that kills for religious sake will also be killed. The over 10 million almajiri kids should be put in schools and catered for by government; there should be free education in the North up to secondary level because religious tolerance in the north is much lower than that of the South. A befitting rehabilitation college should be established for ex-Boko Haram members. Exchanging captured Boko Haram members for kidnapped citizens may be a dangerous idea, a cue should be taken from Saudi government about their rehabilitation methods and federal government should consider setting up an anti- terrorism department and religious tolerance department in the Presidency David Atta, Abuja

WHERE IS IBRAHIM MAKAMA?

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write in search of my representative, Hon. Ibrahim Makama Misau, who since inauguration has barely visited his constituency. More so, in about hundred days of his stay at the lower chambers, he has not even once sponsored a bill. He is actually nowhere to be found. But he wasn’t sent to the NASS to either warm the bench or become a junketer. The good people of Misau/ Dambam Federal Constituency voted for him to effectively represent us at the House of Representatives where laws are made and matters of national importance are discussed. So this is a call on the Hon. member to sit up and concentrate on his primary assignment. There are so many problems relating to poor healthcare service delivery, illiteracy, poverty and infrastructural decay and deficit that are disturbing the peace of our people which Hon. Makama is expected to table at the legislature for immediate attention.

Mukhtar Jarmajo, Abuja

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T H I S D AY Ëž MONDAY Ëž SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG

POLITICS

Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

M O N D AY D I S C O U R S E

At 32, It’s a Mixed Bag of Celebrations for Akwa Ibom Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that while each administration since the return of democratic rule in 1999 has grappled with its peculiar challenges, the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration in Akwa Ibom has shown more propensity for life changing legacies that signposts the 32nd anniversary of the state

Emmanuel

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kwa Ibom State is 32 years today. The state was created along with Katsina State on September 23, 1987 by former military President, Ibrahim Babangida. At its creation, Governor Udom Emmanuel was 21 years old and a student of Accounting at the University of Lagos. Two of the notable personalities in the ruling hierarchy of the state; Senator Bassey Albert Akpan was 14 years old, while the former Speaker of the state legislature and now a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Onofiok Luke was nine years old. Emmanuel became a member of the state executive council as Secretary to the State Government at 47 years old in 2013. Akpan joined exclusive club in his late 30s. Luke was in his late 20s when he entered the corridors of power. Today, there is none of the 24-member state executive council who is less than 40 years. The Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Monday Uko is in his late 50s. In a bid to tackle insecurity in Akwa Ibom, Governor Udom Emmanuel has, at different times, provided all kinds of ‘empowerment’ programmes running into hundreds of millions of Naira to youths in the state, but much of these which are also complemented by constituency projects by legislators in the state and the National Assembly have not achieved the desired effect owing to mismanagement by politicians who take a larger sum of the amount and give the remaining a partisan

QUICK FACTS: r"LXB *CPN 4UBUF XBT DSFBUFE years ago along with Katsina State on September 23, 1987 by former military President Ibrahim Babangida r &NNBOVFM IBT OPU HJWFO BTTFOU to the Youth Development Fund Bill passed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. The bill passed into law by the 6th Assembly seeks to provide youths with job opportunities and other windows for empowerment and wealth creation r *O UIF UIJSE 2VBSUFS PG "LXB Ibom state reported the highest unemployment rate (37.7%), according to the Labour Force Survey publsihed by the National Bureau of Statistics r'PSNFS (PWFSOPS 7JDUPS "UUBI XBT credited with laying the foundation for much of what his successor achieved, while also engaging the Federal Govern-

Akpabio

Attah

colouration that reduces the impact of the programme. Till today, Emmanuel has not given assent to the Youth Development Fund Bill passed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. The bill passed into law by the 6th Assembly seeks to provide youths with job opportunities and other windows for empowerment and wealth creation. Arguably, there are a few examples of 32 year-old Akwa Ibom indigenes who have broken the glass ceiling to tower above their peers in different walks of life, but these are definitely not on account of deliberate government policies to nurture them to such heights. In the Third Quarter of 2018, Akwa Ibom state reported the highest unemployment rate (37.7%), according to the Labour Force Survey publsihed by the National Bureau of Statistics. This simply means that Emmanuel is being challenged to do more since his campaign for office since his first tenure was anchored on industrialization of the state. Lately, this slogan has changed to viable commercialisation. The reality on ground, however, is that a larger number of its population of over five million, have not found full and gainful employment in the various road construction sites, the flour mill, pencil and plastic factories, the syringe factory, the various agricultural establishments, the fertiliser plant and the metering factory. It may be argued that each administration since the return of democratic rule in 1999

has grappled with its peculiar challenges. Former Governor Victor Attah was credited with laying the foundation for much of what his successor achieved, while also engaging the Federal Government in a long drawn battle for 13 percent of natural resources sourced from the state. If not for anything, Attah will always be remembered as the champion for resource control. A pathfinding trait that he shares with one of the greatest Akwa Ibomites in history, the late Justice Udo Udoma, who was a Justice of the Supreme and Chief Justice of Uganda. It was Udoma who started the agitation for self-determination in the Niger Delta, by leading the Calabar Ogoja Rivers (COR) State Movement. The administration of Senator Godswill Akpabio flourished in a season of abundant wealth accruing to the state. He built roads and flyovers, built the stadium, expanded the five-star hotel, commissioned the airport, built the Akwa Ibom State University among other laudable projects, for which he nicknamed himself, ‘the Uncommon Transformer’. Akwa Ibom State University opened its doors to pioneer students in the 2010/2011 academic year. The government led by Emmanuel has shown propensity for life changing legacies. Last week, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Akwa Ibom State affirmed the election of Governor Emmanuel, throwing out the petition of his main challenger, Mr. Nsima Ekere. In 2015, Emmanuel was elected Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. He

ment in a long drawn battle for 13 percent of natural resources sourced from the state. Attah will always be remembered as the champion for resource control r4FOBUPS (PETXJMM "LQBCJP ĂĄPVSJTIFE as Governor of Akwa Ibom State in a season of abundant wealth accruing to the state. He built roads and flyovers, built the stadium, expanded the five-star hotel, commissioned the airport, built the Akwa Ibom State University among other laudable projects, for which he nicknamed himself, ‘the Uncommon Transformer’ r"LXB *CPN 4UBUF 6OJWFSTJUZ PQFOFE its doors to pioneer students in the 2010/2011 academic year r4UFBEJMZ "LXB *CPNJUFT BSF CFHJOOJOH to recognize the niche of the Emmanuel administration. If he calls himself Mr. Industrilisation or Mr. Commercialisation, there is growing evidence that he has the capacity to back words with action

r'PSNFS HPWFSOPST "UUBI BOE "LQBCJP have been invited for questioning by antigraft agencies for engaging in financial transactions that did not follow transparent processes r5IF "LXB *CPN 4UBUF (PWFSONFOU and all local government areas in Akwa Ibom state through the Attorney General of the state have approached the Uyo division of the FHC seeking to nullify the guidelines issued by NFIU in a suit filed with suit number FHC/UY/CS/88/2019. The NFIU had, on May 6, issued the ‘Guidelines to Reduce Vulnerabilities Created by Cash Withdrawals from Local Government Funds throughout Nigeria’ which restored the full mandate of the operations of State/Local Government Joint Accounts to be used solely for the distribution of funds directly to the accounts of the local governments r5IJT ZFBS UIF CVEHFU GPS BOOVBM BOniversary of creation of the state is said to

contested on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he won with 999,071 votes to defeat APC’s candidate Umana Okon Umana who scored 89,865 votes. In the March 9, 2019 Akwa Ibom state gubernatorial election, Emmanuel was re-elected as Governor of Akwa Ibom State defeating 44 other candidates in the election. He polled 519,712 votes as against that of his closest rival Nsima Ekere of the All Progressive Congress party who had 171,978 votes. It may be the right time to accelerate the engine of governance in the state in his second tenure, broadly labelled, ‘Completion Agenda’. Clearly, one of the flagship achievement of the Emmanuel administration is Ibom Air, a commercial airline owned by the Akwa Ibom government. Every Akwa Ibomite will always recall with pride, its maiden flight from the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, as the aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ 900 series with registration number 5N-BWM, took off for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. Thirty minutes after, a second flight took off for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Emmanuel who spoke through his deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo said, “Today’s occasion is a watershed moment for us as a people.â€? The Akwa Ibom Governor said, “Never in the history of this nation or indeed anywhere else in Africa that I can recall, has a state government gone into airline operations. Akwa Ibom state is, therefore, the first to be in excess of N1 billion, with purchase of new vehicles and hosting of a presidential delegation led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the state for three days r 5IF 4UBUF T CVEHFU PG / billion is christened ‘Budget of Industrialisation for Poverty Alleviation’ is higher than that of 2018 figure of N646.65 billion by N24.07 billion r" TJHOJĂ DBOU IJHIMJHIU PG UIF budget of Akwa Ibom State is that the governor granted approval for the state’s College of Education to become a degreeawarding institution. The college was now affiliated to the University of Uyo r"LXB *CPN JT POF PG UIF TUBUFT that were unable to raise their Internally Generated Revenue above the amount distributed to them by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) last year. In 2018, the state’s IGR stood at N24.21 billion, while it received N69.16 billion from FAAC

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY ˾ SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

MONDAY DISCOURSE

Ibom Air Crew

achieve this, and we should all collectively give ourselves a pat on the back.” The governor said the takeoff of Ibom Air was a testimony to his administration’s vision for ‘rapid industrialization’ of the state. “Investors will continue to flock into our state, given the ease of traveling the launch of this airline will engender, the peace we enjoy and the hospitality of our people. We are all winners in this. Ibom Air is a huge achievement for us all.” Having demonstrated this capacity at a time the Federal Government suspended plans to float an airline, indigenes of state eagerly await Federal Government’s approval to commence construction works on the Ibaka Deep Seaport project in Mbo Local Government Area of the state. The Technical Committee set up by the state government in 2015 to oversee implementation of the project had submitted its report, saying that a preferred bidder had emerged to invest in the seaport business. The technical committee which is headed by Mrs. Mfon Usoro, has experienced maritime professionals as members. The preferred is one of the leading companies in the maritime and cargo industry, Bollore and Power Channel. Knowing that life could be snuffed out of the project if left under the bureaucracy of government, the governor put in place a technical committee for actualisation of Ibom Deep Seaport. Steadily, Akwa Ibomites are beginning to recognize the niche of the Emmanuel administration. If he calls himself Mr. Industrilisation or Mr. Commercialisation, there is growing evidence that he has the capacity to back words with action. The state government has signed Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) with Black Rhino, operator of Qua Iboe Power Plant, QIPP, for the commencement of Qua Iboe Power Plant Project in Ibeno Local Government Area. St. Gabriel’s Coconut Oil Refinery is expected to commence production of Virgin Coconut oil before the end of the year. Under the completion agenda, there is a USD60 million investment in Qua Steel in Eket, two automobile plants by Israeli and Chinese investors, Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul, MRO hangers, a USD 3billion Fertilizer manufacturing plant at Ikot Abasi, Ethanol plant in Ikot Abasi and LED factory for manufacturing low energy bulbs. There is also the 50,000 square free trade zone at Ikot Abasi which will consist of logistics Jetty, petrochemical plant, Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG plant, among others. Modular refineries are set to take off in Ibeno, Modern-day low density housing estate along Oron road with complete amenities ranging from 1500sq-3000sq, Housing units for civil servants at Ikot Ada Idem in collaboration with APICO and the 21 Storey building office

complex which is iconic and tallest in the Southern part of Nigeria. In the catalogue of heavy key projects for the state include are a tyre manufacturing industry, Quail Petroleum in Uruan comprising a Power plant, Jetty, Gas plant; a Chinese industrial Park as well as the Ibom Power Phase 2, which will produce 500 megawatt for utilization. As good as these projects are, questions are being asked about the working relationship between the state government and the promoters of the investments in Akwa Ibom State. Officials of state government are not willing to provide a single document relating, for instance to the establishment of Ibom Air or other companies supposedly owned by Akwa Ibom State. All the processes for establishment of these companies are being done under very secretive arrangements that give a lot of room for speculation. If there are competing projects that can yield similar or better gains for the state that are being promoted by investors who are willing to work under very liberal terms, the modalities for engaging the state government are still murky. For instance, a reputable company, E-Force InterService Nigeria Limited has a proposal on to convert the gas being flared by Mobil into power solutions for Akwa Ibom State. For all his good intentions, it seems Governor Emmanuel has not learnt from what happened to his predecessors. All the former governors before him, including Attah and Akpabio have been invited for questioning by anti-graft agencies for engaging in financial transactions that did not follow transparent processes. Emmanuel has the privilege to leave a different legacy, as far as, transparency in government is concerned. Another move of Emmanuel’s that is being misconstrued in the public is the bid by the Akwa Ibom state government to stop the implementation of the guidelines on local government funds issued by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). However, all Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom state, alongside the state government through the Attorney General of the state approached the Uyo division of the FHC seeking to nullify the guidelines issued by NFIU in a suit filed with suit number FHC/ UY/CS/88/2019. Emmanuel is believed to have browbeat the council chairmen into taking the action. The NFIU had, on May 6, issued the ‘Guidelines to Reduce Vulnerabilities Created by Cash Withdrawals from Local Government Funds throughout Nigeria’ which restored the full mandate of the operations of State/ Local Government Joint Accounts to be used solely for the distribution of funds directly to the accounts of the local governments. But Nigerian governors have kicked against the

direct allocation to local government councils from the federation account. However, only the Akwa Ibom State government and its local government councils have approached the courts on the matter. Though Mr. Charles Udoh, Commissioner for Information and Strategy said the 32nd anniversary will be low key, it has nonetheless followed the pattern of previous governments which incurs bills running into hundreds of millions of Naira to host indigenes and friends of the state from all over the world. These guests are mainly executives of Akwa Ibom town unions in different Nigerian states and overseas. This year, the budget for annual anniversary of creation of the state is said to be in excess of N1 billion, with purchase of new vehicles and hosting of a presidential delegation led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the state for three days. The State’s 2019 budget of N670.72 billion is christened ‘Budget of Industrialisation for Poverty Alleviation’ is higher than that of 2018 figure of N646.65 billion by N24.07 billion. It is made up of N97.09 billion recurrent expenditure, N445.94 billion capital expenditure and consolidated revenue of N127.69 billion. Emmanuel said that the total projected recurrent revenue for the 2019 fiscal year was N374.24 billion as against N289 billion estimated in 2018. He said the budget was predicated on oil benchmark of $60 per barrel at a production rate of N2.3 million barrels per day, with an estimated exchange rate of N305 per US dollar. In the 2019 budget; roads, works and transport was allocated N157.31 billion. It is the biggest sum in the budget. N53.6 billion was proposed for housing and urban renewal, while N13 billion was for agriculture. About N15 billion was for education, and N10 billion for law and justice. A significant highlight of the 2019 budget of Akwa Ibom State is that the governor granted approval for the state’s College of Education to become a degree-awarding institution. The college was now affiliated to the University of Uyo. Akwa Ibom is one of Nigeria’s richest states. Its budget is funded largely from oil derivation fund. Akwa Ibom is one of the 34 states that were unable to raise their Internally Generated Revenue above the amount distributed to them by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) last year. In 2018, the state’s IGR stood at N24.21 billion, while it received N69.16 billion from FAAC. But the Chairman, Akwa Ibom Board of Internal Revenue Service, Okon Okon, told the state house of assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, that he was happy to achieve 72 per cent of the estimated IGR for state in that period. According to the programme released by the 32nd Anniversary Planning Committee,

“Prof. Osinbajo participated in some of the activities lined up for the event, including the commissioning of some projects today and a 32nd Anniversary Church Service at the Uyo Stadium. As part of activities marking the 32nd anniversary of Akwa Ibom State is to commission a new 2x60kva Power Plant at Ekim in Itu local government area. The governor announced this in Uyo, during a special prayer meeting to rededicate the people and government to God as the state clocks 32 years of statehood. He stated that, Vice President Osinbajo would also commission other viable projects initiated by his administration within the last four years. The governor enjoined the people to rededicate themselves to God by shunning every evil tendency that would draw back the development of the state. A significant occurrence that has been repeated since the administration of Akpabio is continuation of enmity that is usually the result of politics with bitterness. Akpabio enthroned the attitude of winner takes it all which is being continued in the Emmanuel administration. The anniversary of the state offers one of the biggest opportunity to Governor Emmanuel to practice what he preaches by extending, for instance, an invitation to all the governorship candidates and the leadership of political parties who were on the ballot against him. The state belongs to all. Let it be seen that his olive branch was rejected. Governor will be remembered for naming two monumental projects the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and the Victor Attah International Airport after the persons who initiated them. There are still many great sons and daughters of Akwa Ibom who deserve similar honours including Late Dominic Cardinal Ekandem (CFR) first cardinal in English-speaking West Africa and first Nigerian Cardinal to qualify as a candidate to the papacy, Late Chief (Dr.) Clement Isong (CFR) second governor, Central Bank of Nigeria. First civilian governor of the former Cross River State, Samuel Okon Peter (OON), (DSP) World heavyweight boxing champion, Vincent Enyeama Professional footballer (Goalie) and former Super Eagle captain, Chief Don Etiebet, Former Minister of Petroleum, Emem Isong, Multi-Award winning Filmmaker and C.E.O of Royal Arts Academy, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Nollywood Actress, Ini Edo, Nollywood Actress, Ime Bishop Umoh, Late musician, Ete Ntia, musician Etubom Rex William, Nollywood Actor, Etim Inyang, Former Inspector General of the Nigerian Police Force (IGP),1985 to 1986; Imoh Umoren, award winning filmmaker, Udo Udoma, from Ikot Abasi and one time chief justice of Uganda and a couple of others who have landmark achievement in their discipline.

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FEATURES

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

Lagos, a City IdentiďŹ able by Its Bad Roads All over Lagos – from the expressways to the inner streets – it is a tale of neglect and abandonment as people are frustrated by the crater-sized potholes and gullies that dot Nigeria’s most cosmopolitan city, writes Davidson Iriekpen

F

rom the mainland to the Island, particularly, the densely populated areas of Ikeja including the GRA, Mafoluku, Ijesha, Isolo to the upscale Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikoyi, the embarrassing sight of the decrepit roads confronts you in a dare-devil fashion. State-owned roads are just as horrible as the stretches of roads controlled by the federal government. From the expressways to the inner streets, it is a tale of neglect and abandonment, promises delayed or unfulfilled and sometimes, forgotten outrightly. Everyday, Lagosians groan under dilapidated roads littered with crater-sized potholes and gullies. Anybody who is just coming to the state for the first time would think that it just came out from a civil war. But this is not the case. For many, it is simply a case of bad governance or poor leadership or both. It does not matter how big and expensive your car or vehicle is, it can’t stand the road challenge. All over the world, one of the most visible indices of development is the state of roads, but in Lagos and other parts of the country, not only are the roads bad, they are annoying and frustrating. Deluge of Bad Roads Important roads in Anthony, Yaba, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Ogba, Ojudu, Ketu, Agege, Mushin, Ijegu, Ilupeju, Surulere, Shomolu, Bariga, Oke-Odo, Ikotun, Iyana Ipaja, Abule-Egba, Ojo, Idimu, Kirikiri, Satellite Town, Mafoluku, Ago, Ikeja, Okota and other parts of the state are all in a terrible state. The depth of gullies at the Agege Motor Road by Mushin Bus-Stop is simply unbelievable. The ever-busy Ikorodu Road is not spared. Failed portions dot most bus stops hindering free flow of traffic, ditto for Herbert Macaulay and other areas. Agege Motor Road particularly from Moshalishi, Idi-Oro to Olosa and Lagos-Badadry Expressway is a nightmare and frightening to vehicles and their owners. The Isolo-Ikotun Road, which now serves as an alternative to the Lagos-Badadry road has totally collapsed. Come day or night, weekday or weekend, the road is perpetually on lockdown due to its bad state. Residents of Apapa, Ojo, Alaba, Iba to Badadry have totally been cut off from other parts the state due to long years of neglect by both the federal and state governments. Added to the bad roads is the embarrassing flood seen on bridges on Eko, Osborne, Ikoyi and others each time it rains, making movement difficult for motorists. This is usually due to the blockage of channels that make easy flow of water possible.

In his ďŹ rst 100 days, while some state governors had one or two projects to showcase, same was not the case for Sanwo-Olu, who is daily being distracted by courtesy visits and attending events instead of focusing on how to tackle the challenges confronting the state

Some of the several bad roads that dot the metropolitan city

From time to time, people have questioned the whereabouts of the state government and even the local governments. The last time Lagosians could remember that they enjoyed a semblance of good roads was when Babatunde Fashola was in charge of the state. So bad were the roads under Akinwumi Ambode that when he did not get a second-term, many Lagosians were jubilating. Six months after he has left office, they have not forgiven him for his poor performance. The new administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, which many had thought was a ray of hope, is beginning to look like a mirage. Though many feel that it is too early to criticise him, others feel otherwise. In his first 100 days, while some state governors had one or two projects to showcase, same was not the case for Sanwo-Olu, who is daily being distracted by courtesy visits and attending events instead of focusing on how to tackle the challenges confronting the state. In the past, while the state government concentrated on major roads, local governments were given the task of fixing some inner roads. Today, these two tiers of government have gone to sleep, leaving the people to suffer. Lagosians now spend more on constantly repairing their vehicles due to the effect of the bad roads. And because of the state of roads

in the city, people now prefer driving Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), which are not even exempted from constant break down. Negative Ranking So bad are the roads in Lagos that The Economist Intelligence Unit and World Bank in their 2018 Global Liveability Index, ranked the state as the third worst city for humans to live in the world. The state was ranked 138 out of the 140 cities considered for the ranking. This, however, was a slight improvement from the 2017 ranking, where the country was ranked 139th out of 140 cities on the index. According to the ranking, Lagos only outperformed Dhaka in Bangladesh and Damascus in war-torn Syria. Out of an overall score of 100, Lagos was rated 38.5 points. Initial Blame Game Knowing that the state government gets far over N50billion monthly from internally generated revenue and the Federation Account, yet the roads are bad is most annoying to residents. To bring development closer to the people, the state government in 2004 carved out 37 development council areas from the existing 20 local government areas seems more politically expedient than administrative. Today, to many

Lagosians, not only is development still far from the state, the importance of the development council areas and local government areas is still hardly felt. Before 2015, to divert attention and exonerate itself from the accusation of incompetence levelled against it, one of the dummies the state government sold to residents was to designate some roads as federal roads and regularly blame the federal government for neglecting the state. This narrative has since been defeated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlling the federal and state governments and a former governor, Fashola, leading the Federal Ministry of Works since 2015. Today, the impression most Lagosians have of the government is that it is incompetent to deal with the problems of the state. Though many Lagosians still hold former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode responsible for the bad state of roads in Lagos, evidence from the 100 days of his successor does not show that they are ready to rejoice soon. Ironically, when Ambode assumed power in 2015, his first task was to complete the road projects, which his predecessor failed to complete before leaving office, and he immediately started winning the hearts of Lagosians. Such road projects were Ago-Palace road up to Cele Bus Stop and others. Soon after, he embarked on

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FEATURES flyovers in Ajah, Abule-Egba, Pen Cinema. In no time, the governor was hailed as a messiah. But all the praises showered on him vanished as Lagosians found it difficult to drive through even less busy roads. It got to a stage when many were wondering if there was still any semblance of government in the state house due to the slow pace of response to road repairs. This, to many observers, is the same feeling now. Any time issues concerning the state of roads are raised with the officials of the state government they are always quick to dismiss them, sometimes blaming it on the rains. Pending Promises Less than a week after his inauguration in office, Sanwo-Olu toured the Lagos-Badagry Expressway to see for himself the level of dilapidation and what the people were suffering in that part of the state. There and then, he promised the residents that work would soon commence at the Maza Maza-Iba junction up to Okokomaiko end of the road. He even added that the state government would work with the federal government on the Okokomaiko, Agbara to Seme Border section of the road. For an axis that was completely abandoned in the four years of Ambode, people in the area went wild in jubilation thinking that the real messiah had come to solve their problem. But three months after, the situation is worse with no hope in sight. Also, speaking with Muslim faithfuls at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, to mark 2019 Eid-el-Fitri, Sanwo-Olu informed the gathering that his government would soon release emergency hotlines to the public to call the state public works for immediate fixing of potholes and roads that need urgent repairs. Knowing how Lagosians crave good roads, the governor, a day after his inauguration, signed an executive order, directing the state Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to run at least two shifts and work till 11p.m and the state Public Works Corporation to commence patching and rehabilitation of bad roads to address the perennial problem of traffic in the state. Till date, Lagosians are still waiting in some areas.

More of the bad roads that dot the metropolitan city

Hard Hit on Businesses Above all this, businesses in the state have seriously been hard hit by the poor condition of roads in many parts of the state, leaving stakeholders such as the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry worried. Some times, petrol tankers and container trucks have fallen at bad portions of the roads, causing havoc to people. Stakeholders, who spoke with THISDAY in separate interviews, lamented that many roads had worsened in the state despite the high internal revenue generated by the government. The National President, Association of Small Business Owners, Dr. Femi Egbesola, said the bad roads in the state had negative impacts on business activities. He said, “Lagos roads these days have become so deplorable that where you usually spend 30 minutes, you can spend one and a half hours now. That is a massive waste of time and human capacity.

The government needs to put more than usual attention to infrastructure. Some people are very reluctant to pay tax because they believe that the government is not doing anything that is worthy of paying taxes. We have a lot of abandoned road projects in Lagos and other states in the country

“The government needs to put more than usual attention to infrastructure. Some people are very reluctant to pay tax because they believe that the government is not doing anything that is worthy of paying taxes. We have a lot of abandoned road projects in Lagos and other states in the country.� According to him, the Mainland, especially the interiors, has a lot of deplorable roads. “Apart from the IGR, the state has got a lot of loans for roads and other infrastructures. Lagos needs to remember that it is already a metropolitan state and must set the pace for others,� Egbesola added. Lamentations Lamenting the bad state of roads in the state to THISDAY, a public affairs analyst, Samuel Olayinka, advised Sanwo-Olu to concentrate on governance and leave the glamour associated with his office in order to reduce the suffering of Lagosians. “What is just annoying me about Sanwo-Olu is that everyday you see him on the pages of the newspapers posing. It is either he is receiving plaques or shaking hands with the visitors,

who came to pay him courtesy visits instead of being on the roads and streets inspecting and directing his officials to fix them. “It is as if he came to office to showcase his suits and agbada. When will he start to work? Let him work and ease the suffering of Lagosians, please. Does he think that is all to governance? I feel he just came to government to have fun. In 100 days, he has nothing to show at all than glamour. People are suffering.� A banker, Abimbola Lekan, said as far as he was concerned, there was no government in the state. He warned that if Sanwo-Olu does not redeem himself soon, he would add to the growing list of worst governors in the state. “As far as I am concerned, there is no government in Lagos. The man does not know what he is doing. It is ironic that a government that focuses on vehicles that are road worthy has forgotten that most roads are not even car worthy. Every year, they collect billions of naira from motorists and vehicle owners for road worthy certificates, yet the roads are bad,� he said. Another respondent, Ikechukwu Nwosu, questioned the quality of materials and work

done, saying most of the projects were not built to last. Nwosu, a civil engineer, observed that the major problem of road construction exercise in Lagos is the lack of proper coordination among the relevant ministries. He said: "The Ministry of Works awards or deploys contractors to fix the road, but to what extent is the Ministry of Environment ensuring that the drainages are not blocked? That is a problem of coordination. What I have seen with them is that they build or repair the roads, most times with questionable materials. “They also would refuse to maintain it or clear the drainage; allowing flood and dirt to collapse it as soon as possible and then award another millions to fix it again. That is the vicious cycle all over the state. “Yet, you don't see anyone being questioned or arrested for the failed project, because the state itself has no standard whatsoever. If they have one let them show it. Lagos is the only city in the world where you have flood on the bridge,� he said. A resident of Mafoluku, Funmilayo Ganiyu, said: “We are not surprised that Ambode did not come back, he has done poorly in the three and a half years. We have never had this bad in Lagos in terms of roads. We are suffering. Move round the state and see things for yourself. It is very embarrassing.� For Ikenna Amadi, the suffering Lagosians go through moving from one part of the state to the other is too much. “What we go through moving from one part of the state to the other is too much. We have state and local government authorities. Our sufferings are too much and it is a shame. The travel time of about 30 minutes is now taking us two hours or more. Please, help us to beg them to ease our suffering in these areas," he said. But a civil servant, Dapo Adeyemi, advised Lagosians to be patient with Sanwo-Olu to deliver his mandate. “I will advise that we exercise patience. I am very confident that the governor will not fail Lagosians. He just came in. Don’t forget that he met the problems on ground. I am very sure that he will tackle them,� he said.

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Quick Takes AfDB Approves $500,000 for NEAF

FICAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE

L-R: Head of Tax, PwC Nigeria, Taiwo Oyedele; Managing Director, Asset Management, United Capital, Odiri Ogini; Divisional Head, Strategy and Corporate Transformation, Heritage Bank, Segun Akanji, and Head, Strategic Planning, Nigeria Export Import Bank (NEXIM) at the 2019 Annual Conference of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN), held in Lagos‌recentlyy ETOP UKUTT

Report: At $1.27bn Negative Trade Balance, Nigeria Net Steel Importer Ugo Aliogo Nigeria is currently a net importer of steel with negative trade balance of $1.27 billion in 2018 a report by the International Trade Center (ITC) has revealed. The report came in the wake of the shortage of billet and this has affected the capacity of steel companies in Nigeria to produce. It was also gathered from industry players that the inability of the iron making sections of the Premium Steel plant (formerly Delta Steel Company) to function and the non-completion of Ajaokuta Steel Company have left the National Iron Ore Mining company (NIOMCO), the only beneficiation facility in the country inactive since 2008. Experts further stated that shortage of raw materials

ECONOMY (billets) had led many steel processing companies resort to the use of steel scrap for steel production, therefore depending heavily on import to fill the supply deficit. Speaking during an interview with THISDAY on the matter, the Head, Advisory and Consulting, Mining Leader, PwC, Cyril Azobu, said in 2018 the federal government presented a roadmap for the development of Nigeria’s industrial minerals’ which was developed by the World Bank and assisted by Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) project. He stated that part of the MinDiver project was a baseline study for the metals in the steel industry, adding that the study was expected to give

insights about the situation of the market and feed into institutions around. According to him, “So when you go to Kogi State where you have a lot of Iron ore deposits. There is a potential of creating an ecosystem. If you setup and stimulate activities in that area, you are going to have steel production that feeds into the massive steel rolling plants in Ajaokuta, Delta steel, linked to River Niger. “You can actually have transportation in batches. Firstly, a study has to be carried out on how to address these challenges. “There is need for the involvement of the private investors who have long term stake and with desire to invests in the sector; when we integrate all of these together, we can then create industrial parks around all of these hubs

and get trigger of activities, what is going to happen is that you are going to mobilise employment in the mining hub, where there is deposit. “Also, you will be stimulating the integration of the value chain, and bridging the gap in terms of scarcity of billets or raw materials for the rolling plants. “Again, you will be creating a big uptake that encourages investors in Iron Ore to develop their products because that is the only way that the investors can be assured that their investment will be received into the sector.� He noted that there was no need for another roadmap and appealed for continuity in the sector, adding that there was a Mining Implementation and Strategy Team (MIST) set up Continued on page 24

Public Sector Finance Professionals Seek‘Radical Future’ Peter Uzoho The public sector image as a place where little or no innovation happens has been challenged in a report by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) titled: “Innovation in Public Finance.� The report obtained at the weekend, showed that public sector finance professionals were seeking for a ‘radical future’ in the face of challenges lying ahead. The report revealed that 91 per cent of public sector profes-

ECONOMY sionals who were respondents in the survey, said some kind of innovation was happening in their organisations, with slightly less (10 per cent), as against 90 per cent that said it was happening in the private sector. It stated that some 4,436 ACCA members across 142 countries took part in the survey, with online panel discussions with 89 members across 32 countries. According to the report,

the level of innovation was measured across three areas: people-based, data and technology, and process innovation, with the report aiming to investigate what kind of innovations were taking place in public finance, while also looking ahead to future challenges. It stated that the respondents’ insights revealed a public sector that was innovating incrementally and that governments needed to embrace more radical forms of innovation. Commenting on the report, a public sector expert at ACCA

and author of the report, Alex Metcalfe, said the findings showed that innovation in the public sector was broadly incremental, and not radical or transformative innovation. “But with considerable challenges facing the public sector - from budget reductions to talent shortages - our respondents said a more radical approach is needed in the future. “Their clear message is that governments need to shift from the current dominance

The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), managed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), has approved a $500,000 grant to support the development and launch of the Nigeria Energy Access Fund (NEAF), a new privateequityfunddevelopedbyAllOn,aNigerianimpactinvestmentďŹ rm ďŹ nancedbyShell.AstatementbytheCommunicationandExternalRelations Department AfDB, Mr. Emeka Johnkingsley Anuforo, said NEAF would make strategic investments in sustainable energy in Nigeria, particularly in the country’s burgeoning o-grid and mini-grid sectors. The SEFA grant would support speciďŹ c work streams to set NEAF in motion and enhance its engagement with private and public sector investors. NEAF would be a ďŹ rst-of-its-kind facility to provide eligible projectsandbusinesseswithequitysolutionsthatarecurrentlyunavailable in the market.“Nigeria requires bespoke and innovative market-based solutions to provide its o-grid population, estimated at 100 million, access to sustainable sources of energy. “The SEFA grant will be instrumental in the constitution of NEAF, and ultimately, the mobilisation of much-needed private sector investment for the sector,â€? the bank’s ActingVice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth,Wale Shonibare said. Once operational, NEAF is expected to complement the Bank’s wide range of sustainable energy initiatives currently being implemented in Nigeria. In November 2018, the BoardofDirectorsoftheBankapproveda$200millionpackagetosupport the Nigeria ElectriďŹ cation Project (NEP), designed to help scale-up green mini-grid solutions with subsidies, among other measures.

FATE Foundation to Hold Conference

PreparationsareinearnestfortheFATEFoundationfourthannualalumni conference with the theme, “Innovating for Scale,â€? holding in Lagos on Wednesday,September25,2019.Theconferencewhichwouldbeattended by the vast alumni network of the foundation would provide a veritable platform for alumni networking and knowledge sharing. DistinguishedprofessionalsliketheFounderandChiefExecutiveOďŹƒcer of SLOT systems limited, Nnamdi Ezeigbo and Senior Partner, TLcom capital, Omobola Johnson would grace the event as keynote speakers to share insights on their experiences with the budding entrepreneurs on strategies and required skillsets for making decisions that will help their businesses have high impact growth and scale successfully. Speaking about the Conference, Lead, Growth Support Unit, FATE Foundation, Fatai Olayemi, stated that the annual alumni conference is the most anticipated event of the Foundation. He stressed that the event would provide a formal and informal platform for networking, learning and alsohighlighttheFoundation’sroleinharnessingthestrongentrepreneurial culture of young Nigerians by providing them with business incubation, growth and accelerator support required to fully explore their innovative potentials. Olayemi, noted that, “this year’s theme “Innovating for Scale,â€? was apt at this critical time when entrepreneurs need to constantly be in tune with understanding the local and global dynamics which shape business successes.â€?

YOA Insurance Partners NBA

YOA Insurance Brokers Limited has disclosed that it took its insurance advisory services to the recently concluded 2019 General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association. The week-long event, with the theme ‘Facing the Future’ was borne out of the pressing need to lay a sustainable foundation for an optimistic future. The event took place in Lagos. “The NBA conference participants avidly took turns to visit the YOA Insurance Brokers booth and were treated to cocktails while they got a dossier containing a comprehensive collection of statutory and voluntary insurance beneďŹ ts products and solutions. “The products oered help employers reduce costs associated with human resources administration andoertheemployeesbeneďŹ tsthatwillimproveengagement,productivity and loyalty. “As a leading provider of insurance and re-insurance services, YOA advocates that professionals should embrace insurance to minimise risks to their businesses as detailed in the bouquet of Employee Benefits solutionstheyexhibitedattheNBA2019Conference,â€?thecompanyexplained in a statement. Sir Afam Linus Anijekwu, Managing Solicitor of Afam Law Consult,appreciatedtheteamforanexcellentoutingatitsmaidenappearance at the conference and noted the need for more organisations.

“So, I think he has put a good team of economic advisers together, what he needs to do is to empower them to perform by putting the whole machinery of government behind them. Look we’ve lost so much time and so many opportunities under this government, look at Ghana; they are just taking so many leaps and leaving us behind�

Former Deputy Governor, CBN Continued on page 24

Dr. Obadiah MailaďŹ a

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BUSINESSWORLD REPORT: AT $1.27BN NEGATIVE TRADE BALANCE, NIGERIA NET STEEL IMPORTER to ensure implementation of the 2016 roadmap. He added: “I think what needs to happen is to take one resource and see it through. So the roadmap identifies a number of resources of which bitumen is one of them and other industrial minerals. “But if you take the steel sector and give it a push I think there are a lot of fairly immediate gains that you can achieve with that. There are companies waiting for the right actions to be taken by government so that they can step in. “Foreign investors will be looking into exportation. If the foreign investors see that there is an opportunity to make money locally because when you value add, that is, when you process and go further down the value chain, you create more value and wealth for yourself and the ecosystem. “I also think that there are financial institutions we can bring together to say how we can fund the sector and make it work. A sector like the steel sector is a massive sector in any society and there has to be a collaborative effort to unlock the values.� PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCE PROFESSIONALS SEEK ‘RADICAL FUTURE’

of incremental innovation to more radical reforms,� Metcalfe said. Also commenting, Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, (RSA), Mathew Taylor, said: “This report dispels the lazy myth that the public sector is averse to innovation. “The future is unpredictable. Leaders – whether of nations or cities – need to be able to experiment and adapt. At the RSA, we advocate ‘thinking like a system and acting like an entrepreneur’. “Change can come from anywhere in a system, but transformation means the ability continuously to experiment and adapt�.

NEWS

Marketers Decry Indiscriminate Citing of Gas Plants in Petrol Stations Peter Uzoho Marketers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have raised safety concerns over the indiscriminate installation of gas skids (gas plants) in filling stations across the country, saying, such poses great danger to the nation. The marketers under the umbrella of Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) said, siting gas skids in petrol filling stations was against global standards for LPG marketing. Addressing journalists in Lagos at the end of their executive council meeting, held on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of NALPGAM, Mr. Bassey Essien, who read out the resolution of the association, appealed to the federal and state governments to intervene and bring an end to such dangerous practice. “We wish to draw the attention of the federal and state governments on the increasingly indiscriminate deployment of LPG skids at petrol stations and retail outlets without taking into consideration the risk element in this. “That we align our association’s position with all relevant agencies, particularly the Department of Petroleum Resources, in their bid to curb this increasing menace. “We as well appeal to the government that, in as much as the association is doing so much to complement the deepening of LPG consumption in Nigeria,

we are asking the government to create an enabling environment for players in the industry, so that we can actually go further to encourage further embrace and usage of LPG in many households in the country�. Essien, however, said the Nigerian LPG was growing in an exponential manner, saying, the number of households that have embraced LPG has risen significantly as against what it was last five years.

He commended the federal government for the removal of VAT on domestic LPG in Nigeria, saying it had been helpful in deepening LPG usage in the country. He also appealed to the government to accord the association due representation in matters relating to discussions and resolutions about the LPG sub-sector in which they are critical stakeholders in. Also, a member of NALPGAM executive council, Mr. John

Yakubu, while reiterating the dangers associated with installing gas plants in filling stations, lamented the lack of technology to prevent gas from leaking at the point of disengagement. “What we have across the world is LPG bottling plants and not filling stations. For an LPG plant to be established, there are certain standards that have to be met by the operator: either the operator has a mini LPG bottling plant or an LPG bottling plant.

There is nowhere fire and petrol will go together anywhere in the world. “We are appealing to those deploying the skids either by their filling stations to adhere strictly to standard operating procedure as laid down by DPR. “We should not because of profit set the nation on fire. There is no place in the world where LPG is sold together with petrol in the world. This is our position.�

STAKEHOLDERS’ ENGAGEMENT

L-R: Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo; Chief Executive Officer, Unveiling Africa, Dr. Chizoba Imoka; Director, Lagos Education District 6, Yetunde Okunniyi; Director, Lagos Education District 2, Taye Showemimo, and Program Manager, LEAP Africa, Segun Alimi, during the LEAP AfricaCiti Foundation iLead Stakeholders Engagement Meeting in Lagos‌recently

NEPC: 30% of Nigerian Exports Don’t Meet Packaging Standard Raheem Akingbolu As stakeholders in the manufacturing sector intensify efforts to push more Nigerian products beyond the shore of the country, the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), has identified poor packaging and labelling as major stumbling blocks to Nigeria’s products exported overseas, especially the United States (US). The Director, Business Development at NEPC, Mr. Wiliam Eze, who delivered a keynote address at the 2019 Packaging, Plastics, Food Processing, Labelling and

Print Exhibition in West Africa in Lagos, said some Made-inNigeria products are faced with poor packaging which results in rejection. The exhibition was organised by Propak West Africa. According to him, a recent report revealed that 30 per cent of Nigeria’s exports to the US are rejected as a result of poor packaging and labelling, not quality of the products. He added: “Packaging has been in the forefront of product development as well as marketing efforts. Packaging and branding have been critical marketing tools both in domestic and export

market. “This has underlined the reason manufacturers, producers, Medium and Small Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) attend this event, we are in consumerism era, where consumers determine the market trend; otherwise known as consumer marketing. It has however heightened the rise in social media and internet marketing.� While speaking on why Nigeria has always found it tough to meet global standard in this regard, Eze reiterated that the problem of packaging in Nigeria today was complex, because innovation keeps on changing due to the

changing consumer demand and behaviour. “We must also follow the business squarely as SMEs or producers. Some made in Nigeria products are faced with poor packaging which results in rejection. “A recent report says that 30 percent of our exports to US are rejected as a result of poor packaging and labelling, not quality of the products. “In order words, we have to see this exhibition to be very key to our SMEs, producers and entrepreneurs. The topic of the exhibition Environmental Sustainability is a critical theme

in our country and globally. The supply value chain must be able to meet the demand for the products,� he added. Also speaking at the event, the Regional Director, Afrocet Montegomery, the parent company to Propak, George Pearson, said being the election year in Nigeria, business environment has been lulled in 2019 with flat overall growth. He stated that recent report indicated modest growth in the manufacturing sector. This, he said, is represented in Propak’s remarkable growth which has seen a 30 percent year on year increase for three years running.

NCAA,AIB Urged to Synergise for Improved Air Safety in Nigeria Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor ((Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

Chinedu Eze Industry experts have called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) to synergise their regulatory and investigation activities to ensure that the nation’s airspace is safe. There have been brickbats between the two aviation agencies in the past that appeared to have pit them against each other. But industry stakeholders noted that it was inevitable that they work together if Nigeria would continue to maintain good safety record, which it has attained since the last five years.

The last accident recorded involving commercial aircraft in Nigeria was on October 3, 2013, when the Associated Aviation Flight 361 crashed in Lagos. To ensure that such accident never happened again in Nigeria, the expert urged the agencies to work together towards fortifying the safety of airlines. Speaking yesterday at the quarterly Business Breakfast Meeting of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), the former Director General, NCAA, Harold Demuren, said the AIB does not have the authority to enforce recommendations but effective communication with NCAA was important.

Demuren, said NCAA must evaluate the safety recommendations issued by AIB, using risk-based approach with consideration of cost and time of implementation. He hinted that the American aviation regulators and airlines have implemented about 82 percent of safety recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. He further disclosed that six per cent are about to be implanted and the remaining 12 percent may not be carried out, adding that regulators in other climes

would always implement safety recommendations as long as they are the right recommendations and they can save lives. He said, “It is not the amount of recommendations we make that matters, but the quality of recommendations. A risk-based approach to implementing safety recommendations require good leadership, competence, capability to do it, robust insurance systems and more importantly, effective communication between NCAA and AIB.� Also speaking at the event, former Managing Director of NAMA, Nnamdi Udoh, said implementing accident investigation recommendations required

good leadership. According to him, aviation security was the greatest challenge that needs to be addressed in the sector. “Nobody benefitsA when an airline goes down, so we must do everything to protect the airlines. When you are not sure of the airspace, shut it down. Accident Investigation is a learning process and if Annex 13 wasn’t necessary, it wouldn’t have been written in such a robust manner,� Udoh added. However, the Corporate Communications Manager of AIB, Tunji Oketunbi, accused the NCAA of keeping serious incidences to itself instead of informing the AIB.

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NSE All-Share Index Sheds 0.29% Despite 33% Growth Goddy Egene The Nigerian stock failed to sustain the positive performance recorded the previous week as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index fell 0.29 per cent to close at 27,698.69, while market capitalisation ended lower at N13.484 trillion. The depreciation in the NSE ASI came despite an increase of 33 per cent in value of trading, which rose to N18.75 billion from N14.082 billion the previous week. The market had opened last Monday with a bearish performance, falling by 0.7 per cent. The negative trend was sustained on Tuesday with a depreciation of 0.6 per cent. However, the bulls set in on Wednesday, lifting the market by 1.0 per cent, while the bears returned on Thursday with a decline of 0.1 per cent. Although the market recovered on Friday with a growth of 0.2 per cent, the growth was not enough to off-set the previous losses. Hence, it ended the week with decline of 0.29 per cent. Looking ahead, analysts at Cordros Capital said they expected the market to remain pressured given global riskoff sentiments and weak domestic participation. “Nonetheless, we note that valuations remain attractive while price deterioration has resulted in expected dividend yields on some stocks rising significantly to levels on par with yields on Treasury bills. Hence, we advise that long-term investors consider appropriately timed investments,� they said. Across Africa, bearish sentiments prevailed as only Kenya’s market put up a positive performance. Kenya’s NSE 20 Index advanced 0.5 per cent. Egypt’s EGX 30 Index lost the most, down 2.4 per cent, followed by Morocco’s Casablanca MASI that went down by 1.1 per cent. The Ghana’s GSE Composite and Mauritius’ SEMDEX indices also depreciated 0.04 per cent and 0.03 per cent respectively. In the Asian and Middle East market, three of the five markets tracked closed in the negative territory. The attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure recently appeared to have affected the markets as Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul ASI, UAE’s ADX General and Qatar’s DSM 220 indices lost 1.2 per cent, 0.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively. On the positive side, Turkey’s BIST 100 and Thailand’s SET indices appreciated by 2.9 per cent and 1.6 per cent in that order. However, the BRICS market recorded a relatively good performance as three of five markets grew. India’s BSE Sens index gained 1.7 per cent as the government cut corporate taxes to revive waning growth. Brazil’s Ibovespa and Russia’s RTS also appreciated 1.0 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively. Conversely, South Africa’s FTSE/JSE shed 1.2 per cent, while China’s Shanghai Composite shed 0.8 per cent. Performance in the developed markets was also bullish last week as four of the seven markets tracked appreciated. The United States (US) S&P 500 and NASDAQ indices gained 0.2 per cent apiece due to the Fed’s rate cut. In Europe, France’s CAC 40 index emerged the lone gainer, rising 0.6 per cent while Germany’s XETRA DAX and UK’s FTSE All Share indices pared garnered 0.02 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively. Also, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index shed 3.4 per cent just as Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.4 per cent. Market turnover In terms of turnover, investors traded 1.272 billion shares worth N18.750 billion in 19,482 deals compared with 1.147 billion shares valued at N14.082 billion that exchanged hands in 17,980 deals two weeks ago. The Financial Services industry led the activity chart with 945.947 million shares valued at N9.743 billion traded

in 11,046 deals, thus contributing 74.3 per cent and 51.96 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Consumer Goods industry followed with 82.934 million shares worth N5.556

billion in 2,862 deals, while the third place was occupied by the Conglomerates Industry with a turnover of 80.821 million shares worth N267.101 million in 1,163 deals. Trading in the top

three equities namely, FBN Holdings Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc, accounted for 482.334 million shares worth N6.561 billion in 4,724 deals, contributing 37.9 per cent and

34.9 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. Investors in Exchange Traded Products transacted 96 units valued at N215,654.78 last week in six deals compared with a total of 6,540 units valued at N23,650.70 transacted the preceding week in five deals. Also, the bonds market recorded 17,761 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N20.361 million exchanged in five deals compared with a total of 274 units valued at N280,932.14 transacted the previous week in seven deals Top price gainers and losers Meanwhile, 38 equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 39 equities in the previous week, while 29 depreciated, higher than 19 in the previous week. Cornerstone Insurance Plc led the price gainers with 30 per cent, trailed by Livestock Feeds Plc with 28.2 per cent, while Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc went up by 22.4 per cent. The Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr. Yinka Sanni ecently assured stakeholders that the group remained strong, stable, sustainable in its operations and would continue to deliver long value. Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc posted a profit of N36 billion for the half-year which ended June 30, 2019 and rewarded shareholders with an interim dividend of N10.2 billion at 100 kobo per share. Speaking against the background of that performance and future plans Sanni said:“We remain committed to operating to the highest level of corporate governance standards while delivering sustainable long-term value to clients and other stakeholders through world-class innovative operations and our customer-centric approach.� He said that the group’s achievements were an indication that its strategy was delivering on set goals and objectives, assuring stakeholders that the organisation would continue to invest in its people, processes, and its communities to ensure business sustainability. According to him, in 30 years, Stanbic IBTC has built a culture of excellence in providing its clients with innovative financial products and services as well as contributing to the attainment of the developmental aspirations of the country. “Stanbic IBTC has grown steadily from its early days as a merchant bank to a leading end-to-end financial services provider in the countrytoday, with a balance sheet size close to N2 trillion and a market capitalisation valued at approximately N500 billion in December 2018,� Sanni said. He explained that the bank, in a clear demonstration of its confidence in Nigeria, facilitated a staggering $589.84 million capital inflow into the country during the second quarter of this year. Meanwhile, NEM Insurance Plc chalked up 20.7 per cent, while UAC of Nigeria Plc went up 19.7 per cent. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc gained 19.4 per cent, while Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc and Okomu Oil Palm Plc garnered 15.1 per cent and 13.5 per cent respectively. Jaiz Bank Plc and Linkage Assurance Plc appreciated by 13.1 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. Conversely, Airtel Africa Plc led the price losers’ table with 19 per cent, followed by Champion Breweries Plc with 11.5 per cent. Portland Paints & Products Nigeria Plc shed 9.7 per cent, just as NCR Nigeria Plc went down by 9.0 per cent. Associated Bus Company Plc, Chams Plc and Sterling Bank Plc depreciated by 8.3 per cent, 7.6 per cent and 7.2 per cent in that order. RT Briscoe Nigeria Plc went down by 6.9 per cent, while The Initiates Plc and LASACO Assurance Plc lost 6.6 per cent apiece among others.

t g e e o n n d l. e s e

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Foundation Empowers Women with Interest-free Loans

Sekibo: Poor Identity Management Greatest Barrier to Lending

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Dike Onwuamaeze and Nume Ekeghe

A Kwara State-based foundation, Gobir Organisation Foundation, has empowered 500 vulnerable women with interest-free loans worth several millions of naira in its bid to support poverty alleviation in the state. The foundation according to THISDAY checks would assist the affected women to take loans between N10,000 and N50,000 depending on the kind of trade each of them would undertake. The loans would also be financed by the Zenith Bank Plc, under the Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs) so as to boost economic growth of the state. Speaking with journalists shortly after the inauguration of the programme in Ilorin at the weekend, the founder of the Gobir organisation foundation, Alhaji Yakubu Gobir said the gesture was based on its laid down vision and mission for the people of the state. He also said that, “the aim of the foundation amongst other things is to alleviate poverty which has become a major issue of concern in both Kwara State and nationally and also to empower the women folk; often recognised as the most vulnerable in our society.�

Gobir, said the empowerment programme would bring relief and succour to every beneficiary. He, however, urged them not to abuse the privilege given to them, stressing that the money must be invested in businesses, and not on personal wants. Gobir noted further that, “the funds utilised are not from government, but a collaboration with Zenith bank and should therefore not be seen as money that can be embezzled.� He pointed out that, “the amount disbursed at the programme is between N10,000 and N50,000 depending on the organisation’s assessment of the needs of the beneficiary and organisation is also giving training on basic financial intelligence and entrepreneurship to the beneficiaries�. Gobir, who is a seasoned social entrepreneur maintained that government alone cannot provide jobs to all, hence the need for well-meaning individuals/ organisations to come to the aid of the under privileged in the state. On their part, some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the event appreciated the founder of the foundation for his large heart and kind gesture in a bid to ease the sufferings of people through his laudable actions.

The Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Mr Ifie Sekibo has identified poor identity management as the greatest hinderance to boosting access to credit, especially for small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. Sekibo, stated this while speaking as a guest speaker, at the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria, (FICAN) annual conference held in Lagos at the weekend. Represented by Divisional Head, Strategy and Business Solutions, Mr Segun Akanji, Sekibo said the dearth of effective and standard identity management infrastructure makes access to credit for the SMEs in Nigeria tough as banks

only see unmitigated risks. “I am talking about identity management challenge. That is the biggest collateral to lending and that is what is missing in this economy. “The day banks can verify where you live, everybody will get loan with ease, because you cannot run away,� he stated. According to him, there is no need for customers to provide collateral to a bank if the financial institution knows where the customer resides. “But the problem is this, I don’t know where you live. The address of the company is not where you live. And you can wake up in FESTAC today, but tomorrow you move to Ajangbadi or Victoria Island. “You don’t have to tell me. And that is a huge problem for banks,� he said.

He noted that the problem was that “there is no value in our identity management as we have it. So, it is not just about banks, it is about the holistic structure where there is no value to the person that each of us will represent.� He gave instances about developed economies such as the United States where if one changes accommodation, they must notify all relevant institutions that they deal with because of the inherent value in the system. Sekibo also observed that although the banks had pushed the government to some form of identity management system through the bank verification number (BVN), it has not been enough to solve the problem of the identity constraining lending in the country.

“You can argue that the banks have driven the government to some identity management system through the BVN, but the problem is that the infrastructure that will keep everybody in the homes where they live and not just change is non-existent. “People take a loan from banks and change accommodation, run away to Ibadan and you cannot find them. That must change. “But how do you do that? It is very simple. All the benefits that are allocated to you as a person, the day you relocate like that, you are as good as dead. “Like when you live abroad, once you misbehave with your identity, you cannot bank, your credit goes bad, you cannot go to hospital and everything else goes bad and you cannot do anything.

AFARN Reiterates Commitment to Enhancing Safety Hamid Ayodeji The Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN) has announced that its annual summit and awards is set to take place on 25th of September this year. The theme of the conference is, “Unlocking the Potentials in the Aviation Industry through Safety.� The President, AFARN, Kingsley Nwokoma, who spoke during a media briefing with journalists recently, said the summit would be addressing technical safety, maintenance and development issues that would help enhance safety as well as activities in the aviation industry. According to him, AFARN remains committed to driving safety and maintenance in the sector, which is the bedrock of the aviation practices and also the objective of the forthcoming summit. He said, “If we do not have safe skies, safe aircrafts,

adequately trained personnel the sector would not be able to survive nor develop. “We need to continue to condition our minds in this sector that in all aspects of what we are doing safety comes. If you look at it from the perspective of maintenance, the crew, so in essence we are letting the world know once more that safe is a priority in this industry.� Also, he pointed out that all the stakeholders that contribute and make up the industry such as, immigration officers, pilots, engineers, cargo crew and basically every arm of the industry present at the event. “Also we are going to recognise those that have done great and deserve to be honored during the award ceremony of the summit. “I believe that this recognition would motivate people to keep on doing great things in their various sections of the industry as awards would be given,� he added.

AUDITEXECUTIVES’ MEETING

L-R: Chairman, Association of Chief Audit Executive of Banks in Nigeria (ACAEBIN), Mr. Tiamiyu Olayinka; Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, and Vice Chairman, ACAEBIN/ Chief Audit Executive, First Bank Of Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Uduak Nelson, at the 43rd quarterly general meeting of ACAEBIN, held in Lagos‌recentl y

NIPOST RaidsThree Illegal Courier Operators in Lagos Emma Okonji The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), through its Courier Regulatory Department (CRD), recently clamped down on three courier operators in Lagos, for their alleged involvement in illegal courier operations in Nigeria. Some of the courier operators were found to be operating without operational courier license, while others were operating without course to renew their

operational license that had long expired, despite several warnings from CRD to regularise their yearly license. The three operators were Westhood Courier Service, Efex Express Limited and Easy Errand Courier, all in Lagos. Addressing the media shortly after the clampdown exercise in Lagos, the General Manager, Courier Regulatory Department, Dr. Andrew Ebiloma, warned illegal operators to desist from unlawful opera-

Organisations Supports Educational Inclusion Hamid Ayodeji As part of efforts to equip secondary school students with leadership and problemsolving skills, LEAP Africa in collaboration with Citi Bank Nigeria, recently organised a forum which featured education stakeholders. The stakeholders deliberated on how to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal on Education. The forum addressed

issues which would drive activities of localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) effectively, whilst contributing significantly towards the implementation of an ESD in Nigeria’s education space. Speaking at the ESD forum held in Lagos, Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo, said the non-profit organisation was committed to continue working towards supporting the educational space in the country, in order to help

Nigeria achieve an improved and effective education system. This, he explained, was one of the components that gave birth the organisation’s iLEAD programme which was aimed at providing an all-inclusive educational experience that would help underserved youth develop skills, knowledge and confidence to fulfil their potential and transition successfully from high school to higher education. “Investing adequately into

tions, noting that policies have been churned out to scale up legal operations. “We are warning others who are still going about their activities without having fulfilled the necessary conditions of registering themselves with the Nigerian Postal Service. “The policy of the federal government is centered around the Ease of Doing Business. In our own area, we have made it so easier for the courier operators to operate but many think that

they can successfully circumvent the law. “There are some operating legally but the illegal ones are denying them of enjoying the benefits thereof in courier business,� Ebiloma said. He painted a dismal picture of the effect of the existence of the illegal operators on the finances of the government, emphasising that the deserving punishment would be meted on anyone caught operating without a valid courier license.

Mr Bigg’s Resets Business Model the sustainable development of our secondary school educational structure is enough to have the right volume of impact on the youth which would enhance their capacity to become valuable leaders and solution inventors. “The reality is, in order to have the adequate amount of education towards an individual, you need to engage such individual at his or her prime, when they are teenagers or youths before they advance into the tertiary level of education.

Raheem Akingbolu Mr Bigg’s, the quick service restaurants (QSR) arm of UACN of Nigeria, which is run by a subsidiary UAC Restaurants Limited, has remodelled its restaurants. The initiative is aimed at redefining the lifestyle of its numerous customers as well as sustaining the heritage of the 33-year-old outfit by raising the customer service to a new level. The new initiative, accord-

ing to Marketing Manager of UACN Restaurants, Ethel Mba, was to remodel the restaurants into a go-to restaurant of high value lifestyle. Speaking at the pioneer model restaurant located at Victoria Garden City, Lagos, during a media tour of some restaurants recently, Mba stated that the new approach promises to sustain excellence in a wide variety of dishes, pastries and confectionaries to the delight of consumers, which is the heritage of Mr Bigg’s.

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CropIT, IITA to Launch Digital Advisory Agriculture Platform Oluchi Chibuzor CropIT Nigeria Limited (CropIT) in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have concluded plan to launch a digital platform that will impact more than 5,000,000 farmers and over 100,000 agricultural extension officers. The initiative would support the expansion of high-impact, digitally-enabled services to farmers and extension officers across Nigeria over the next three years. CropIT is an agriculture specialist company and a developer

that provides financing, management, advisory and services to producers, farmers and investors in the agricultural sector, within Nigeria and overseas. The digital platform, which has organisations including MTN and 9mobile as strategic partners, would create a knowledge-based farmer society and a wellstructured extension officers network. For the farmer, the platform would offer access to reliable and affordable agricultural information, certification of extension officers, development of agriculture protocols, e-advisory, and transactional services across

major value chains including rice, cassava, soybeans, cowpea, maize, sorghum, cashew, livestock and fish through their mobile phones. These services are to be delivered through onsite extension workers and mobile devices using toll free calls and messages as well as physical and digital call centers as service medium to provide wide coverage over the dispersed farming settlements with limited rural infrastructure. According to the Chairman, CropIT, Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero, “Nigerian agriculture has potential, but no one can eat potential. We must articulate

a clear vision to make Nigeria an agriculturally industrialised economy, to create wealth, jobs and markets for farmers, ensure food security and revive the rural extension system to reduce losses. “Agriculture and our small farmers in particular, must become the engine for growth. Africa and Nigeria in particular can feed the world. “To do so we must make a fundamental paradigm shift. Agriculture should be seen as a business and not a development program. It must be structured, developed and financed as a business for us to fully unlock its potential. Gains will not come

easy, but as we do the right things we will succeed.� He further said the digital era offers many new innovations and breakthrough opportunities. “This innovative effort will enable the African continent to get ahead of the curve, and more efficiently and sustainably unlock the full potential of its smallholder farmers and agribusiness sector. “Going forward, the benefits of agricultural digitalisation will require governments to do more to encourage more private sector investment across the value chain in areas as diverse as production, post-harvest handling, processing,

access to information, market, finance and effective supply chain because countries that have adopted such strategies are already reaping the benefits. Nigeria is just starting. “Countries like Rwanda whose government since 2000, has embraced an ambitious digital agenda to achieve a full digital economy by 2020, agricultural digitalisation promises to bring nothing short of a total economic transformation to the country, even as agriculture accounts for around four fifth of Rwanda’s employment and a third of its GDP,� he added.

Flour Mills Pledge to Deepen Agro- value Chain

Obasanjo:Afreximbank’s EastAfrica BranchWill BoostAfCFTA

Dike Onwuamaeze

Emma Okonji

The Chairman of Flour Mill Nigeria Plc (FMN), John G. Coumantaros, has declared that the company will deepen its involvement in all stages of agricultural value in Nigeria in order to sustain the realisation of its vision of “Feeding the Nation, Everyday,� and give a boost to the federal government’s Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI). Coumantaros said in a bid to realise the PFI, which was meant to ensure that farmers across the country have access to fertiliser blend, the FMN’s subsidiary, Golden Fertilizer Company, has set up a 20 tonnes per hour blending plant in Kaduna and has also installed a 100 metric

tonnes per hour blending plant in Apapa, Lagos, as part of the group’s extensive expansion plan. “It is worth mentioning that over the years our agro-allied business has expanded to include pilot and out grower farming and downstream activities such as blending, distribution and sale of fertilizer, production of animal feed, soya beans, maize, cassava and oil palm as well as the processing of such crops and the crushing and refining of oil seeds,� Coumantaros said. He made these comments during the 59th Annual General Meeting of the FMN, which was held in Lagos recently. He told the shareholders that the 2019 financial year, which ended on

March 31, 2019, was good to FMN, adding that the board of FMN has recommended and paid a dividend of N1.20 per ordinary share of 50 kobo each out of accumulated pioneer profit. This was 20 per cent more than the N1 they received in 2018. Coumantaros declared: “As we round off another rewarding financial year, I believe that it is pertinent that I recognise and appreciate the support of our dear shareholders, business partners, staff and all our key shareholders who continue to rally around our great company as we pursue the realisation of our mission of ‘Feeding the Nation, Everyday,’ in profitable manner that creates value for stakeholders.�

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said the establishment of the East Africa branch office of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), will represent a significant advancement in ensuring the provision and availability of trade finance in the East African region and in Uganda. Describing Afreximbank as a typical example of a strong African institution, Obasanjo noted that the establishment of a branch office would boost the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), saying that the signing, ratification and launch of the AfCFTA was one of the

best things that has happened to Africa in recent times. Obasanjo’s commendation came on the heels of the establishment and take-off of the East Africa Branch Office of Afreximbank in Kampala, Uganda. This was just as Afreximbank signed two principal documents with the government of Uganda at a ceremony witnessed by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and former Nigerian President Obasanjo, which marked the concluding formalities for the take-off of its branch in Kampala. Afreximbank President, Prof. Benedict Oramah and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Uganda in charge of regional affairs, Philemon Mateke, signed

the branch office agreement while Oramah and the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Uganda, Matia Kasaija, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the temporary and permanent pemises of the East Africa branch office in Kampala, at the Ugandan State House in Kampala. Speaking after the signing, Museveni commended Afreximbank for choosing to establish the branch office in Uganda and promised the support of the government to ensure its success. Museveni, said through its provision of trade finance and promotion of value addition to Africa’s commodities and products.

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Phillips: Why Nigeria Should Not Break Ties with S’Africa The Founder/Chairman of Phillips Consulting, Mr. Foluso Phillips, who is also the Chairman, NigeriaSouth Africa Chamber of Commerce, in this interview, speaks on the recent xenophobia attacks against Nigerians and some other Africans in South Africa. Dike Onwuamaeze brings the excerpts: Can you give us an overview of the Nigeria-South Africa relationship? I think that is a good starting point. We all are aware of the role that Nigeria played during the apartheid regime in South Africa. There is no doubt about it and sensible South Africans appreciated it. However, they have comparative advantage in manufacturing and industrialisation over Nigeria. And that was very clear when we started to engage with South Africans in 1992. We could see very clear that South Africa, from a technical point of view, was well ahead of the game. The punch line in South African’s presence was actually when MTN came into Nigeria. We cannot blame South Africans for coming into this country to sell their products because they have the goods. South Africa also has a much better structure. Their department of Trade and Industry was one that has pushed aggressively around the whole continent for trade and investment opportunities. These were the things we didn’t do. All we wanted was to sell our oil and cocoa. Our strength is in areas like fashion, music and culture and all those things that have to do with individual’s skills and ability. So, what is the level of business relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, especially the value of their investments? In terms of investments, you will find out that South Africans in Nigeria are very strong in telecoms. They are also into banking through their relationship with Stanbic IBTC and the Standard Chartered Bank. We also know that they have a very strong presence in oil and gas, brewery business, sales outlets like Shoprite, PEP, and in construction works and design. They have subtle presence in professional services like accounting, hospitality, entertainment where Multichoice is conspicuous. I cannot put a value to all these investments, but certainly it should big. We have over 100 South African firms in Nigeria that are registered. But Nigerian strategic investment in South Africa is Dangote’s acquisition in the cement industry. The reciprocal arrangement in terms of Nigerian businesses in South Africans compared to South Africans’ business in Nigeria is certainly skewed in favour of South Africans. What is your view on the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa? It’s totally unacceptable. But the attacks, for me, are not really against Nigerians, but against the system that exists in South Africa. The bottom of the pyramid in South Africa, as we can notice, even here is Nigeria, is suffering. They were just saying that they haven’t seen any change in their lives in 25 years of independence. There is no way a South African man who is living a normal reasonable life will turn around and begin to attack his neighbours. So, the xenophobia’s are simply saying that their lives are not the way it should be. Their independence gave them freedom they were not prepared for. They were not prepared in terms of human capital development to run a free country. So these attacks on Africans are simply from the attitude that “things are not working out very well for me and you foreigners seem to be doing very well. I can’t reach the leadership of my country who I really want to fight and you are the nearest.� For me, the attacks are completely unacceptable and South Africa’s government must stand up and deal with it. Otherwise the repercussion at the Pan- African level could be quite significant and I am sure we haven’t seen the end of it yet. Why did you say that we haven’t seen the end of it? Because you have to see how things are beginning to evolve. For example, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda walked out of the

Phillips World Economic Forum that was hosted in South Africa and some other individuals didn’t attend. These are expressions of saying how can we be talking about World Economic Forum for Africa and this kind of thing is going on in the country that is hosting the forum. It is a bit of contradiction for that to happen. How the South Africa’s government is reacting, the extent of the reaction and the steps it is taking to say this is not acceptable were not enough. Look, there was looting in Shoprite here in Lagos and I know the way

For me, the attacks are completely unacceptable and South Africa’s government must stand up and deal with it. Otherwise the repercussion at the PanAfrican level could be quite signiďŹ cant and I am sure we haven’t seen the end of it yet

the Nigerian Police came down on the looters and arrested over 100 people. There was a positive action from the Nigeria’s government to say that we cannot accept this here. Are you saying that you were not satisfied with the response of South Africa’s government on the situation? I think that a lot more could have been done by both Nigeria and South Africa governments and both governments should accept the responsibility of abandoning diplomacy. I saw a document signed between Abubakar Atiku and Jacob Zuma, when they were vice presidents of Nigeria and South Africa respectively, in which they declared commitment to encourage and protect investments to the extent that that document was saying that if as a result of any uprising or any action of that nature, that the countries will compensate each other for the losses that were incurred because diplomacy was working then. Don’t forget that the reason governments talk to each other at bilateral level influence how things are done socially. Do you foresee South Africa paying dearly in the future if these xenophobic attacks are left unchecked? Oh yes, it will definitely. Look, I was due to travel out to South Africa on September 10, but I decided not to do so not because I

was panicking about my safety. I just felt that the air was very caustic, very tense. If you go and ask South African Airways, I can tell you that the seats occupied in their flight must have gone down. I knew about three people that cancelled their flights within this period. I think that there is no doubt about it that if this thing continues, people are going to stay away because businesses are done through people. And if people fear each other and don’t talk to each other, there is no way their business will function. Have the South African businesses that were shut down in Nigeria due to the reprisal attack reopened? I do not know. But I know that Shoprite will have major repairs to do because the damages were very significant. When I saw it on television I wished that they have their insurance. It was a major damage. This is why again we as a chamber formally met with the leadership of Nigerian students union and the Consul General of South Africa when the union were saying that would picket MTN, Multichoice, and warned them not to begin to shut these places down and carry placards because what usually happens is that area boys and miscreants would jump on the back Continued on page 29

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PHILLIPS: WHY NIGERIA SHOULD NOT BREAK TIES WITH S’AFRICA But what we have been improving over and over again is our intellectual ability. Forget the fact that we complain about the quality of our schools, which in itself is an issue. But we are saying that the kind of thinking and the kind of direction in which the global economy is going that is the one that is just picking on your intuition and ability to think. I tell those approaching me to help with their children employment to let their children learn how to write code. Because the way the world is going, the content of artificial intelligence is across every area. We are saying that the new world that is being created is taking every one to the starting point because it never really existed before. And this where our youthful generation should jump unto the bandwagon and see how we can move. And it is already proven that Nigerian youths are intuitively capable young people. Another point is that a lot of young people ask me how they can get on and I always reply them to try and understand the concept of value change. From the minute I plant and crop to the time I buy it on the shelves, a hundred of steps and processes have taken place. Where can you plug into it and say I want to participate in this. It could be transporting the farm products to the market. Or it could be to set up a refrigeration point where fisher men can bring in their fish and store them in cold storage until there is market. Fortunately, or unfortunately, our economy is not one that has got ready paid employment. We are developing an entrepreneurial economy. And that is one thing that is good for us. I am telling you that five to 10 or 15 years from now, we are going to appreciate the power, the thinking, the philosophy and the habits that being cultivated into people to be entrepreneurial. So it is a slow process and we have to decide which part of the economy we want to fit in individually. But the government has to encourage people.

of what they were doing and it would be out of control. I guess that was what happened when the students went to picket the shops and raise issues and others who were not thinking like them went in and got things out of control. They wanted to do something that would raise awareness of the plight of Nigerians in South Africa. Yes, they have raised the awareness. But what followed it? And we told them that it would get out of their control. And that was what really happened. You had this meeting before the reprisal attacks? Yes! In fact, it was as a result of that meeting that their initial attempt to go out was stifled. The commitment we gave them was that we would create a platform for them to see Abike Dabiri, because we didn’t have a minister that time. They eventually met and issued press statement. But we have spoken to them before saying don’t do this thing. Let find a much more different approach. Can you give us an estimate of the losses to businesses as a result of their temporary closure? I will find it difficult to give you something that you can believe. I really don’t know. We are just asking for an estimate? There has been so much going on in terms of reporting that even I don’t know. I don’t know the number of Shoprite locations that were attacked; the number of MTN’s shops and outlets that were attacked, I don’t know. So, it will be a little difficult for me give you any figure. Actually I do not know. What sectors can make the relationship between the two countries stronger in the future? Let me say this with responsibility that every sector is open to investors from both sides. What we are failing to do is sitting across the table to say: diplomatically this is how we are going to operate; economically, this is how we are going to operate. These are what the governments should have been doing. We were supposed to have set up during the last administration a Business Council, where the Nigerian businesses and government and South African businesses and government would be meeting. And the protocol was that the business council will met before the bi-national so that the outcome of discussions held at the business council level would be factored into the bi-national for them to come up with the kind of policies that would be driven by people who actually were doing the businesses. We have complained before that there was not enough private sector input into the bi-national decisions. For me, there is no need government talking to government with businesses being outside. How did you view the calls for Nigerian government to nationalise South African businesses in Nigeria? I think that is a very dangerous way to go because it is not just about South Africa. We will be telling others that if they come here and have problems with us, then Nigeria will nationalise their private sector investments. It is not a responsible statement to make if you are a country that is looking for investors because everyone is watching. So, I think the whole idea of nationalising South African assets here is not the way to go. It is very wrong. It is very dangerous. It is a strong negative signal to the investing community. We must separate political relationships from economic and social relationships. For me, I do not think it is an acceptable thing. I even heard that it was said that South African Airways should be banned from coming to Nigeria. Perhaps, we should see that as a temporary measure to just knock someone on the head and say “hey, behave yourself.� It should be a way of sending out a warning and not something that should be sustained. But all these depend on the kind of conversations that are taking place between the two governments. The envoy sent by President Buhari did not say that we are going to shoot every South African. What about the call for Nigeria government to seek redress by taking South Africa to the International Criminal Court (ICC)? I don’t know whether the ICC is the way to go. I truly don’t know. But anything that will bring South Africa’s government to its

Phillips senses to appreciate that it cannot continue to mess about with things is fine. The onus is on South Africa more than it is on us, because we have not asked anybody to leave our country. We have not intentionally attacked any of the South Africans assets. The incident that happened here and went uncontrolled wasn’t premeditated and our government reacted positively to it. So the onus is on South Africa and it should take responsibility for these things. And if you feel that we need to take them to court for them to sit up, yes! I have no issues with that. Some are calling that Nigerians should be compensated? Based on that agreement that I saw and assuming that it was revalidated, this can be possible. But it was not renewed, which was more of an administrative failure. There was no reason for them not to have renewed it. So, assuming that that agreement was renewed then compensation would have been required on both sides. Because Nigeria too have to compensate South Africans for all the damages done at Shoprite, MTN and other South Africans businesses according to that agreement. Will you call for the renewal of that agreement? Oh, yes. Because these are the things that make governments to appreciate the responsibilities they have for commerce, business and the society. Yes, I will recommend that they have such an agreement. These are the things that come out of the bi-nationals and the fact that we want to walk with each other. We are talking about the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement. And this development is not going to help. The government must have enough discipline and control to

The ďŹ rst thing we have to appreciate is that moving the economy forward cannot happen overnight. There is always this initial time that is required. It is not going to be a sudden phenomenal boom

enforce its laws. What can be done to restore the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa? The starting point is for the two governments to talk to each other. They have to recognise each other. Years ago there was this great love between Atiku and Zuma. They were great friends, which is always a great starting point because there was a lot that role on the back of that friendship. The presidents of these countries got to take a decision as to the kind of relationship they want, which should be reflected in the way and manner they walk with each other. I am not saying that they should be hugging each other if they do not want to. But the point is that there must be some kind of mutual respects for the responsibilities they have over their citizens are living in both countries that need to be protected. The starting point is for the leaders to say yes we must walk together. Secondly, the governments must put in place structures that will regulate every aspect of our relationship: social, economic, political, to ensures that we are doing things together. Moreover, our fashion, music, entertainment are also a strong point for building strong relationship. Recently, about three or four months ago, some people did a Fela Show in Pretoria, South Africa. South Africans loved the show. When you look at that kind of excitement you will realise that it is a social issue and governments have to promote those things that have encourage interaction of people. Businesses don’t talk to each other, it is the people. We have to try and see how we can get people to talk and relate with each other by exploiting the different opportunities that exist for us to interact. How do we improve the economy to retain more Nigerians here than having them travelling out in droves in search of greener pastures? The first thing we have to appreciate is that moving the economy forward cannot happen overnight. There is always this initial time that is required. It is not going to be a sudden phenomenal boom. We have a youthful population, which we are saying is a great advantage but it is at the same time a huge time bomb that is ticking. And the global state of play is changing. There are things that we are not good like the technical hard things such as manufacturing, construction. We have never been an economy that is driven along that way.

What is your opinion on plan to ban forex for food importation from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s forex window? Every new policy of this kind comes with initial disequilibrium. People will complain that they are not ready and the government will insist that they take the pain because of the anticipated future gain. So, on one part I understand and support where the government is coming from because these are decisions that have been debated over and over before they were launched. But what I feel the government should do is to create an environment that should enable people to be productive to fill the gap created with the ban. What is the government doing to enable people to grow rice locally? Otherwise it will be making policies that are set to punish people rather than growing the economy. A lot of food products sold in the Shoprite were imported at their initial stage. But today Nigerians have stepped in to fill the gaps. What is your view on the move by the African Export and Import Bank to encourage African central banks to bring home their foreign reserves to ďŹ nance African trade? I think that is a brilliant idea. It is such a painful thing where a lot of foreign exchange of countries that we know that we need is tied outside. So, the whole idea that our central bank should bring them home wins my support. Billions of dollars stolen from Africa is starched away outside the continent. That is why they are lending at negative interest rate because they have so much of it. But they lend to African countries and companies at high interest rates. And the money we borrow from them are our money that were stolen from the continent. So we are re-borrowing our money at their supposedly kind good interest rate; Kind enough to do special funds to help Africa; Kind enough to give Africa aids fund and grants. But these are all our money because if you sit down and consolidate the money that is leaving Africa. So I think the bank is pursuing a good idea. Otherwise what else are we keeping money for? What is it sitting outside doing? Look, we need the money here. If the whole of Africa is in serious global debt as a result of serious infrastructural development, I will not bath an eye lid. Because we can point at things we did with them. How can we be funding countries that can buy us a million times? That is what we have been doing.

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Cashless: Why We Must Support CBN Agada Apochi Huge circulation and adoption of cash is very costly to every economy. It is costly to the government, businesses and individual citizens. The cost includes printing of notes and coins, handling and processing, high operating costs for banks who pass the costs to customers, high interest rate, lack of transparency, black market economy, violent and non-violent crime, etc. Adoption of electronic payments is a viable and cost effective alternative to cash. The CBN in September, 2019 further reduced the fee that businesses pay for accepting electronic payments at Points-of-Sale (PoS) by 33.3 per cent from 0.75 per cent to only 0.5 per cent of transaction value with a ceiling or maximum charge of N1,000. This is about the lowest rate in the world. The central bank continues to take commendable steps to make financial services especially electronic payments available to Nigerians, through initiatives such as agency banking, mobile money, PoS, instant Transfer, etc. Nigerian banks and other payment service providers are working with CBN to make

electronic payments available to Nigerians e.g. instant transafer, bills payment, etc. using mobile App, USSD, etc. Banks also provide PoS devices to customers without the customers paying for devices. In other markets, customers pay for devices in addition to transaction charges. The transaction charges in Nigeria for point of sale transactions is about the lowest in the world notwithstanding that the cost of providing the service in Nigeria ranks among the highest in the world. Also, less than five per cent of individual Nigerians have a turnover of N15 million monthly or N500,000 daily. Similarly, less than five per cent of businesses in Nigeria have turnover of N90 million monthly or N3 million daily. Therefore, let the few individuals and businesses that generate huge cash daily adopt electronic payments instead of placing the avoidable huge costs of cash on Nigerian government and Nigerians. If the National Assembly were to appropriate money annually for the cost of cash, Nigerians will understand how much it costs taxpayers to subsidise the avoidable costs of huge cash and the need to reduce same.

It is not in the interest of the majority of Nigerians to ask over 95 per cent of Nigerians to continue to subsidise the avoidable costs of huge cash that the very few impose on the masses. The poor should not continue to subsidise the rich. It is wrong economically, socially and morally. That is why the CBN should do more by reducing the threshold for free daily cash deposit and withdrawal to N100,000 for individuals and N500,000 for corporates. N100,000 daily is N3 million monthly for individuals and N500,000 daily is N15 million monthly for businesses. The few that have huge cash above these amounts should adopt electronic payments. The National Assembly as representatives of the people should be engaged to support the majority of Nigerians by supporting the CBN cashless policy. The federal government should adopt electronic payments for all Government-toPeople (G2P) and People-to-Government (P2G) transactions. Let’s support CBN for the benefit of our country and the masses. t "QPDIJ JT UIF 'PVOEFS BOE %JSFDUPS 1BZ"UUJUVEF

EmeďŹ ele

Kaduna Partners Arla Foods on Dairy Industry Raheem Akingbolu In a new public-private partnership, the Kaduna State Government and farmer-owned Arla Foods are committing to further develop a long-term sustainable dairy industry and local dairy sector in Nigeria by helping 1,000 small scale farmers create better livelihoods. Already active in existing development projects within the dairy industry, Kaduna State, Arla and the federal government are now engaging further by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding.

While the state and the government would offer 1,000 nomadic dairy farmers permanent farm lands with access to water, Arla would be the commercial partner that would purchase, collect, process and bring the local milk to market. Nigeria’s population – set to reach close to 400 million people by 2050 – is among the fastest-growing of any nation in the world, and already there is growing consumer demand for affordable nutrition in the country. The new public-private partnership entered is the first of its size in Nigeria and is an important step in developing the local dairy sector.

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai welcomed the project with Arla as a different and sustainable vision for the development of the livestock industry in Nigeria. “We are very pleased to collaborate with Arla Foods to grow and further improve our nation’s dairy industry. With our different competencies, together we can empower local farmers and promote market-driven sustainable dairy development in Nigeria,� El-Rufai said. Kaduna State and the federal government said they are committed to improving the structural conditions for the nomadic farmers. Instead of continuously moving in search of grazing areas

and water, land will be set up for the farmers to permanently base themselves and have opportunities to expand their farms. Securing the infrastructure such as roads, power and water, which are necessary to process and bring the milk to market, is also part of the public commitment. The project will primarily be funded by loans provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria and guaranteed by the local state. As the commercial partner, Arla will invest in establishing milk collection centres. These will be pivotal to Arla’s role as a processor of the milk produced by the farmers.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 • T H I S D AY

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IMAGES

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×

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, inspecting a classroom at LGEA School, Junga Aboki, Kaiama Local Government Area of the State, during his visit to the School...recently

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (right) and Ekiti State Governor/Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi at the Government House Port Harcourt...recently

Governor, Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola and Controller General, Federal Fire Service, Dr. Liman Ibrahim, during the inauguration of two ďŹ re ďŹ ghting vehicles, at the Governor’s oďŹƒce,Abere,Osogbo...recently

L-R: Lawyer to Saharawi Democratic Republic in Africa and member Nigeria Movement for Liberation of Western Sahara (NMLWS), Mr. Femi Falana (SAN); Lawyer of Saharawi to Europe, Mr Gilles Devers; Former Ambassador of Saharawi to Nigeria, Amb. Oubi Bachir and Member of NMLWS, Mr. Owie Lakemfa, during the press conference on liberation of western Saharawi by NMLWS in Abuja...recently PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

L-R Head, Listings Business Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Olumide Bolumole; Managing Director, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Kunle Oyelana; Senior Manager, Primary Market, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Morayo Adekunle and Company Secretary, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Uche Uwechia during a courtesy visit by representatives of the Nigerian Stock Exchange to GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc in Lagos...recently

L-R: Executive Director, Integrative Medicine Neurotoxicologist, Dr John Tor-Agbidye; Former Special Adviser to the Governor of Taraba State, Mr. Uchiv David; and Opinion Leader Tiv Nation, Mr. Emmanuel Ortswen, during the press brieďŹ ng on Tiv-Jukun crises of Taraba State, held in Abuja...recently PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

Vice President,Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (middle) during a meeting with stakeholders in Housing Sector at the Presidential Villa, Abuja....recently

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President Muhammadu Buhari and Ambassador Azanaw Tadesse Abreha during the presentaion of letter of Credence to the president by Ambassador of Ethiopia to Nigeria in Abuja...recently PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

L-R: General Manager, Eastern Assets, SEPLAT, Mr. Ayodele Olatunde; Wife of the Governor of Imo State, Lady Ebere Ihedioha; Wife of Deputy Governor, Imo State, OgbueďŹ Vivian Ironna and General Manager, External Aairs and Communications, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku,during the opening ceremony of SEPLAT’s 2019 Eye Can See and Safe Motherhood CSR Programmes in Izombe, Imo State...recently

L-R; Proprietor, Ken-Ade Private Primary School, Makoko, Hon. Ayeseminikan Bawo; Regional Manager, West Africa, Emirates Airline, Afzal Parambil; a Pupil of Ken-Ade primary school, Temakloa Abigael; and Class teacher, Miss Grace Kalu, during the presentation of Billboard upcycled bags to Abigael by Parambil as a Back to School CSR initiative of the Airline in Lagos...recently

The new Ambassador of Germany, Birgitt Ory inspecting guard of honour, during the presentation of letter of Credence to President Muhammed Buhari by the Ambassador in Abuja...recently PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

L-R; President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Babatunde Adejumo; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esohe Ikponmwen; and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, during the commissioning of the Benin Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Benin...recently

L-R: Corporate Communications and Government Aairs Manager, West Africa, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Frederick Mordi; Country Director, Helen Keller International (HKI) Nigeria, Philomena Orji; member, Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), Mrs. Foluso Babasola; President, NSN, Dr. Bartholomew Brai and an oďŹƒcial of HKI, Faith Ishaya at the 49th Annual General Meeting and ScientiďŹ c Conference of Nutrition Society of Nigeria in Abuja... recently.

L-R: Ona of Abaji, Alh. Adamu Baba Yunusa; Honourable Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the Honourable Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu during the visit of traditional rulers to the FCT, Abuja‌ recently

L-R; Minister of Niger Delta Aairs , Senator Godswill Akpabio ; Minister of state , Niger Delta Aairs , Mr. Festus Keyamo and the Minister of state, Petroluem , Mr. Timipre Sylva at the Federal Executive Council meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja...recently PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Unicane IndustriesTargets Q2 2020 for Completing Plant Expansion Second Phase Peter Uzoho Nigeria is expected to soon attain sufficiency in ethanol production as Unicane Industries Limited situated in Lokoja, has announced that the completion of its current plant expansion will be by the second quarter of next year. Upon completion, Unicane, a subsidiary of the country’s pioneer and leading ethanol producer, Unikem Industries Limited, would produce 400,000 litres of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) per day. According to a statement by an Executive Director of Unicane Industries Limited, Mr. Uzor Kalu, the industrial group whose presence in Nigeria exceeds nine

decades, has continuously led and defined the ethanol industry, by investing tens of billions of Naira in plant and machinery, built capacity and evolved from import reprocessing to upstream integration of local sourcing of raw materials of cassava, cashew apples and sugar cane molasses. The executive director said in 2013, Unicane acquired an expanse of land in Jamata Village, an uncharted area of Lokoja Local Government of Kogi State, to set up a state-of-the-art local cassava fermentation-to-distillation plant with 400,000 litres per day capacity of ENA from 100 per cent local raw materials. Kalu stated that this huge

industrial development which commenced its first phase of production in 2018, has quickly revolutionized cassava farming in Kogi State and its environs, turning cassava from a mere subsistence crop to a lucrative cash crop providing tremendous economic power to the farmers, a feat which indeed resonates highly with the Federal Government’s policy drive to deepen the agricultural sector for improved national economic gains. He listed other great benefits of the development as including import substitution, foreign exchange savings, thousands of direct and support employment opportunities and government revenue generation.

Access Bank Opens New Branch in Osun There was profound jubilation among the people of Ipetu-Ijesha, in Oriade Local Government of Osun State, as Access Bank opened its new branch in the sleepy community. Speaking at the event, which was graced by many dignitaries across the country, the Group Managing Director/ CEO of the Bank, Dr Herbert Wigwe, reiterated the commitment of the bank to the welfare of many inhabitants of the town through inclusive banking system. He promised to positively engage the people of the community in terms of provision of credit facilities for small scale businesses as well as employment for the youths. According to him, such banking experience would accelerate commercial

activities as well as human development, with inherent corporate social responsibility of immense value. “The coming of this Bank to Ipetu-Ijesha is a testimony of rapid commercial growth in the town. The bank will also assist to promote and encourage the development of indigenes in all ramifications. “We are committed to improving your standard of living economically and socially and we will do everything possible within our means to assist the community in their various entrepreneurial endeavors,� a statement quoted Wigwe to have said. The traditional ruler of the town, Oba Adeleke Agunbiade, Ajalaye of Ipetu-Ijesha expressed excitement over the development, saying it was a new dawn of economic

advancement in the community, as he eulogised the bank for considering his domain worthy of such developmental project. He, therefore, implored his subjects to reciprocate the gesture through optimal patronage and concerted efforts towards protecting the bank and its staff jealously. “This is indeed a dawn of a new era in our town and a move towards economic emancipation and liberation. It is a signal of more developmental projects in our domain. “I want to beg you to reciprocate this by opening accounts with Access Bank, this is the only Bank that guarantees safety of your money at any time. “It should be noted that anybody who refuses to Bank with Access is an enemy of the king and by extension an enemy of Ipetu-Ijesha�.

FCMB Rewards More Customers in Promo First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has delighted and empowered another set of 644 customers with cash and various exciting gifts at the third draws of the bank’s ongoing reward scheme tagged, ‘’FCMB Millionaire Promo Season 6’’. The electronic selection of the winners took place at the regional and zonal levels of the bank across Nigeria and was witnessed by officials of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), thousands of customers of the financial institution and other dignitaries. While four lucky customers were rewarded with the sum of N1million each at the regional draws held in Lagos, Kano, Uyo (Akwa Ibom State) and Ilorin

(Kwara State), 640 others smiled home with LED televisions, generating sets, decoders, tablets, smart phones and other consolation prizes. At the Lagos Regional draw, Hosny Mattar won the star prize of N1million, while Patricia Anya was rewarded with the same amount at the Abuja & North Regional draw. In the same vein, Orji Chinenye emerged winner of N1million at the South-East/ South-South draw held in Uyo, just as Ajai Aderotimi smiled home with N1million at the South-West regional draw in Ilorin. The ‘’FCMB Millionaire Promo Season 6’’, which is still on until November 2019, was designed to provide extra empowerment, reward and value for customers of the bank, while

encouraging financial inclusion and savings culture. The promo is targeted at all segments of the society, especially existing and potential savings account customers of the Bank. This, however, excludes salary and domiciliary account holders. Speaking on the latest draws of the promo, the Executive Director, Retail Banking of the Bank, Mr. Olu Akanmu, assured that, ‘’we will continue to appreciate and empower our customers to fulfil their aspirations. This is why we encourage them to save through programmes like our promo. The draws are unique because they take place in several cities and zones across our branches nationwide. The chances to win are, therefore, quite high for our customers, many of whom have been rewarded today.

1000 Chinese Companies to Attend Lagos Int’lTrade Fair Ugo Aliogo About 1000 Chinese companies are expected to participate in the 2019 edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair coming up in November. The four exhibitions to be co-located inside the trade fair will focus on: the International Automotive Parts, Equipment and Services Trade Fair (AutoEquip), the Nigeria International Textile Industry Fair (NGTEX), the Home Show Nigeria; and Premium Mechatronics Brand China (PBC).

The Managing Director of MD Perspective Limited, Mrs. Morenike Dele-Alimi, who disclosed this in Lagos, at a media briefing, said the 2019 Lagos International Trade Fair would hold for 10 days; from November 1st to 10th, adding that the four exhibitions would only hold for four days, from November 4-7.� She said the Chinese government has approved not less than 200 companies to participate in each of the four exhibition sectors apart from other companies not on government list that would

equally be participating. Dele-Alimi further noted that the exhibitions were being organised by United Asia International Exhibition Group, an international and professional fair and pavilion organiser, authorized by the Ministry of Public Security of Peoples Republic of China and subsidized by the Chinese government. According to Dele-Alimi, Nigerian businesses are currently being sensitized on the opportunities inherent in the trades with China.

Lin N ti on

120 KLPD Plant at Unicane Industries Limited, Jamata, Kogi State

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

NOVEMBER 2018 Money Supply (M3)

31,794,803.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

6,333,064.28

Money Supply (M2)

25,461,739.17

-- Quasi Money

14,773,076.98

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,688,662.18

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,711,763.59

---- Demand Deposits

8,976,898.59

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

18,990,400.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,804,402.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,062,986.22

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,980,229.66

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

7,093,619.43

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

-4,144,571.43

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

23,082,756.56

--Other Assets Net

13,258,583.57

Reserve Money (Base Money

6,811,192.37

--Currency in Circulation

2,100,129.91

--Banks Reserves

4,366,259.05

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month Inter-Bank Call Rate

March 2018 15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ͯ͡ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $64.39 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $64.57 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

35

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°ÍąËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

MARKET NEWS

WAPIC Insurance Applies to Raise N5.932bn via Rights Issue Goddy Egene WAPIC Insurance Plc has submitted an application to raise about N5.932 billion from existing shareholders through a right issue. In notification to market operators last Friday, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said WAPIC Insurance applied to make a right issue of 15,613,194,623 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 38 kobo per share on the basis of seven

new ordinary shares for every six ordinary shares held. The fresh capital was expected to enable WAPIC Insurance to comply with the new capital requirements stipulated by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM). The shareholders of WAPIC Insurance Plc had last June approved that the authorised capital base be increased to N15 billion in the light of ongoing recapitalisation exercise in insurance industry.

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

According to the shareholders, the new capital base would ensure that the company continues to exist and waxing stronger after the recapitalisation exercise. Chairman of WAPIC Insurance Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, had said the increase in the share capital was in the best interest of the shareholders as a whole, applauding them for voting in favour of the resolution to increase the capital base of the insurance company to N15 billion from

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

the current N8.5 billion. “That pursuant to resolution of the shareholders of Wapic Insurance Plc passed at the 58th annual general meeting(AGM) of the company on May 24, 2017 where the directors of the company were authorised to raise, whether by way of rights issue, public offering, placing, book building process or other methods or combination of methods, additional funds or capital of up to N10 billion or its equivalent in any

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

foreign currency, by way of issuance of ordinary shares, preference shares, convertible or non-convertible loans, stock, medium term notes, bonds or other securities, in such tranches, series, or proportions, at such coupon or interest rates, within such maturity periods, and on such other terms and conditions, including the provision of security repayment, as the directors may deem fit or determine, that the authorised share capital of the company be

O F

increased from N8.5 billion to N15 billion by the creation of additional 13 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares in the capital of the company.� WAPIC Insurance Plc recenty reported an impressive performance for the six months ended June 30, 2019, posting a jump of 392 per cent in profit after tax (PAT). Its PAT soared from N61.911 million in 2018 to N305.022 million in 2019.

1 9 / 0 9 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

36

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 • T H I S D AY

37

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Chams Plc Pledges Regular Dissemination of Information to Market Goddy Egene

Young, assured the NSE that Plc, Mr. Gavin Young, gave the assurance during a courtesy Chams Plc would always take the issue of compliance with all The management of Chams visit to the exchange. He explained that the the post listing requirements Plc has assured the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) of regular company would place premium seriously, saying he was looking provision of its corporate on investment in innovative forward to a strong relationship information for enhanced solutions and software across with exchange and would investment decision in line the commercial, consumer be happy to make input on with post listing requirements . and government sectors of the best ways of achieving a The newly appointed Group the economy to sustain its strong relationship. Speaking on the strategic Managing Director of Chams competitive edge. A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. investment vehicle that allows both small and Investors with similar objectives buy units of the large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their that willl generate their desired return. investments. The assets are divided into shares that An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, GUIDE TO DATA: etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 19shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the Sep-2019, unless otherwise stated.

move to upscale the company’s there are now over 40 million National Identity Numbers operations, Young said: “ Our focus is to perfect (NIN) and BVN records to and package these solutions which we can link to provide so that we can realise value such verification solutions. “Of course, we are also from our investments. As Chams is one of the foremost identity very involved in the National companies in Nigeria, we are Identity (NID) enrolment space, also focusing on innovation via our own network, and in the identity space, and through agent and business particularly verification, as partnerships, and have a close Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors. Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return. NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

working relationship with The National Identity Commission (NIMC) and Nigerian Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Our subsidiaries are also making good progress and particularly in the Fintech payment space, and we will therefore continue to drive innovative fintech initiatives across the Group.”

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.88 0.89 4.50% ACAP Income Funds 0.77 0.77 34.89% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.30% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.37 2.40 6.71% 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 14.45 14.88 -12.91% ARM Discovery Fund 332.17 342.19 -6.86% ARM Ethical Fund 28.13 28.98 -0.38% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.29% 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 93.68 94.34 -7.42% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.20% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.68% Paramount Equity Fund 12.19 12.30 3.25% Women's Investment Fund 108.45 109.18 4.75% 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 11.60% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 96.32 97.00 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 97.47 98.28 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 1,241.86 1,242.64 10.97% FBN BALANCED FUND 0.00 0.00 #DIV/0! FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.15% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 119.83 120.18 8.39% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 120.13 120.48 8.93% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 123.84 125.65 -17.44% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.67% Legacy Debt Fund 3.53 3.53 8.93% Legacy Equity Fund 1.06 1.08 -12.78% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.07 1.07 3.71% 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 3,004.56 3,035.84 0.70% Coral Income Fund 3,003.10 3,003.10 9.59% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 12.13% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.08% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 110.67 111.67 3.28% 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 10.00 10.00 12.33%

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 11.57% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.19 2.21 1.24% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.83% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 131.84 131.76 5.42% 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 1.17 1.19 5.98% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,119.34 1,119.34 9.70% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.84 9.93 -7.95% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.13% 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 1.29 1.32 5.29% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.96 12.07 7.26% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.38% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 122.61 122.67 1.35% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.03 10.17% 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 2,368.16 2,379.61 2.29% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 204.33 204.33 7.46% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.84 0.85 -11.05% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 266.18 266.27 9.73% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 145.33 146.87 -10.94% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.09% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,576.92 7,659.24 -10.79% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.14 1.14 5.50% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 100.55 100.55 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.94 10.10 -5.55% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.15 11.33 -7.34% Zenith Income Fund 22.26 22.26 10.16% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.51%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.40 117.00 53.10

-44.85% 5.33% 2.63%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.29 88.00 70.66

8.39 89.91 72.01

-16.65% -24.96% -20.29%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

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

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.46 5.25 11.97 10.88 149.66

3.50 5.33 12.07 11.08 151.66

-13.35% -30.97% -18.06% -11.91% 13.23%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.34

17.40%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

38

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍąËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

CITYSTRINGS

ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™ĂœË? Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă? äĂ?Ă™ĂŒĂ“ Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ë›Ă?äĂ?Ă™ĂŒĂ“ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ă™Ă—Ëœ ͙͖͓͓͖͓͔͓͖͑͒

Tackling Flooding through NIHSA's Strategies Udora Orizu writes that the perennial nationwide flooding and its attendant destructive consequences can be ameliorated if the strategies put out by the National Hydrological Services Agency are strictly adhered to by state governments and its citizens

T

raversing the length and breadth of the largest country in West Africa, Nigeria - starting from the Southern part to Northern region, has shown that the country is lucky to have been witnessing downpour in the last four months across the six geopolitical zones, considering its import on human life. However, this singular natural blessing, has, in the recent time created a sorrowful mood for farmers, agriculturists and other categories of living beings. The downpour, when outweighs its fortunate and unfortunate posture to the existence of Nigerians recently, may be accurate to say it takes 40 per cent and 60 per cent respectively. The rainstorm, which wrecked havoc in virtually all 36 states of the federation between June and August 2019 did not spare the seat of power, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. On Friday, August 2 to be precise, an early downpour hit the family members of a Director of Finance at the FCT High Court in Abuja, Anthony Okwecheme, who went missing for about four days after the flood submerged his vehicle at a bridge along Galadimawa roundabout before his body was later found 10km away from scene of the incident. Similarly, few days ago, flood took over the residential quarters, major roads and other strategic locations in Maiduguri following a heavy rainfall. The rainstorm, attributed to the blockage of waterways due to indiscriminate dumping of waste into drains, prevented people of the metropolis for good two days. Some of the affected areas include: Polo, Gomari major roads and Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp. Before these two incidents in both North-central and North-east, Lagos residents in the Southern region of the country have not really been finding it easy. Experts have alluded this frequent occurrence to a wide range of factors; such as the location of the state along the coast, as well as overcrowding, given that it is the business hub of the country, among other factors. In June 2019, a 28-year-old Adebola Oni was standing in front of a kiosk overlooking a marshland on Tony Enyinna Street, Gbagada. It had just rained that Sunday afternoon and the sun was forcing its way out of the sky’s grey clouds. At about 4:00p.m., Oni had spent the most part of the day gathering gravel and sand to fill up leaking crucibles in his balcony from where water had leaked into his sitting room. After several rounds of pacing up and down the compound, he took a break outside alone, contemplating the tragedy of his plight. “The rains are here again; living here is like sharing a room with the devil,� he retorted while standing over the mass of water spilling out of his apartment. This same unfortunate experience brought up by a natural occurrence also has found its way to the oil-rich South-south region of the country. In fact, it was gathered that such incident is even worse in that region than the Northern part because of the menace of erosion towards the area. For instance, on August 12 this year, this same flood ravaged Bayelsa State and paralysed banking activities in some commercial banks in Yenagoa, the state capital, as their premises were overrun by water. The worst hit was the Swali branch of the United Bank of Africa (UBA), where flood overran the entrance and poured into the banking hall. However, these ugly trends that resulted from this natural 'favour' would have been averted if all concerned stakeholders had joined hands together with the Director-General of the National Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Engr Clement Nze, who had been thoroughly carrying his assigned responsibility and the statutory mandate of the agency. The ever-ready NIHSA boss and his team, had earlier in April alerted Nigerians about occurrence which many stakeholders had taken with levity. Nze had while presenting a comprehensive 2019 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) reeled out measures that should be taken before heavy downpour begins to wreck havoc on lives and properties,

Flooded area of LaďŹ a Akwanga Highway in Nasarawa

NIhsa annual ood outlook 2019, showing probable ood-risk LGAs

Lagos is not left out of perennial ooding as is currently being witnessed in some parts of the country now. Before unveiling 2019 AFO, the NIHSA team involved themselves in tedious engagements, that if complemented by other stakeholders particularly the public, by refraining from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drainage, no single life would have been lost. THISDAY's findings revealed that NIHSA team applied two reliable models before arriving at the accurate 2019 AFO. They include: Geospatial Stream Flow Model (GEOSFM) and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). These models, according to the team, utilises hydrological and hydrogeological data, disaggregated Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), satellite rainfall data, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), topographical

and soil/water index balance data among others. One of the main strategies as spelt out by NIHSA is that, the 36 States and the FCT authority should create retention basins for harvesting flood waters downstream of major rivers where there is scarcity of groundwater thereby using the flood waters for possible groundwater recharge and other uses. By so doing, the fresh flood water will not be lost to the sea to become saline water. Notably, for the month of September NIHSA had predicted that Nigeria is going to witness more flooding, which is the situation on ground now. However, Though, agency had accused state governments of failing to heed its previous warnings on floods released earlier this year. Notwithstanding, as one of the strategies mapped out to ameliorate the situation, the agency is

however urging state governments to pull down structures built on flood plains and expand the drainages for easy flow of water as one of the strategies mapped out. In the same vein, the synergy between Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, stakeholders and other collaborative agencies should be encouraged. The effective management of flood risk should be a collective responsibility of all stakeholders from individual, local, state and federal levels. Furthermore, there should be in place, programmes to enhance resilience (insurance compensation, economic empowerment, education and awareness) flood forecasting and warning and catchment management plans, innovative building and construction schemes, enactment and enforcement of planning laws.

39

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍąËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

CRIME&SECURITY

Friends of the Earth Africa Condemn Xenophobic Attacks in SA Chiemelie Ezeobi

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riends of the Earth Africa have in strong terms condemned the recent xenophobic attacks by South Africans on Nigerians and other foreign nationals. In a statement made available to THISDAY by Philip Jakpor on behalf of Friends of the Earth Nigeria, the group said it stands in solidarity with those affected. The statement was signed by Friends of the Earth Africa Member Groups which includes Justice Ambiental, Friends of the Earth Mozambique, Les Amis de la TerreTogo, Friends of the Earth Togo, Friends of the Earth Ghana Sustainable Development Institute, Friends of the Earth Liberia. Others include the National Association of Professional Environmentalists, Friends of the Earth Uganda, Centre pour l’Environnement et le DĂŠveloppement, Friends of the Earth Cameroon, Environmental Right Action / Friends of the Earth Nigeria; groundwork, Friends of the Earth South Africa, Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team, Friends of the Earth Tanzania, GUAMINA, and Friends of the Earth Mali. The statements reads in part: “Barely recovered from the cyclones in southern Africa, which are themselves an expression of climate change effects, specifically cyclones Idai and Kenneth that killed and displaced people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and South Africa, we are witnessing today with pain and consternation the killings, beatings, and violence against women in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa. “Once again, South Africans went to the streets to kill, steal and act violently against their African brothers and sisters. This is not the first time these kind of attacks on foreign nationals has happened. In 2008, there was a wave of attacks across the country against refugees and migrants - more than 60 people were reported to have been killed and thousands displaced. “In 2015, there were outbreaks of violence against non-South Africans, mostly in the cities of Durban and Johannesburg, which also left many non-South Africans dead and others injured and a lot of property lost and damaged. Today, we see the same thing happening to our fellow Africans, which is very demeaning and devastating. “We, Friends of Earth Africa member groups from Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon mourn once again with the rest of Africa. Africa weeps with indignation at the ineffectiveness of South African justice, which allows hundreds or thousands of African citizens to be slaughtered every year under the convenient pretext of xenophobia.

Friends of the Earth Africa “We recall that this is not the first time, not even the second time this type of violence has broken out in South Africa, leading to the persecution and death of citizens of other African countries. It is a systematic problem that must be tackled with the necessary seriousness and urgency, given its complexity and the many underlying social, economic and environmental aspects of a country that insists on pursuing a model of extractive and neoliberal development that exploits most of its citizens. “Once again, Africans are mourning.And it is out of respect for this grief, and in protest at the lack of concrete action by the South African government, that Friends of the Earth Africa representatives Justiça Ambiental/ Friends of the Earth Mozambique, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria and Les Amis de la TerreTogo/Friends of the Earth Togo canceled their participation in two conferences in Cape Town, “Financing the Futureâ€? and “Financing China on Coal and Fossil Fuels â€?, which took place in the week of September 9, in addition to other events and meetings in South Africa. “It was a very hard decision to take, more so, as both events were equally important and would likely have far reaching impacts on our region. On the other hand, as activists of a Human Rights Organisation, who stand against of any form of discrimination and violence, it is clear that we needed to take a stand. “We had hoped that by this time the South African Government would have already taken the necessary and real steps to end

this violence, which has not happened. “Most African governments have not spoken out or taken a public stand on this whole situation. This apathy for the suffering of their own people has long appalled us. We believe that the condemnation of acts of xenophobia by the President of the African Union is insufficient. We call on all Heads of State to condemn this crime and take action to stop these horrible attacks in the future. “We acknowledge African governments who boycotted The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape Town over recent violent protests and attacks on foreign nationals. We commend the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Nigeria and Rwanda, who refused to attend the event to show their solidarity and stand with African nations of those killed. More concrete action needs to be taken by the Africa Union to stop the xenophobic attacks in South Africa and everywhere in Africa.� Also, in the statement, Anabela Lemos, Director of Environmental Justice, appealed to all Africans. “In the face of all this violence, we call on all our African comrades not to respond to violence with more violence, we must respond with peace, justice and dialogue, and only then can we stop this violence. This should be a time to come together as human beings, as Africans, and show South Africans and the world that it is not with violence that the future of a country or a continent is built�, Lemos said. Kwami Kpondzo(Friends of the Earth Africa Human Rights Defenders focal person) also called upon all Africa citizens to respect human dignity and human rights. “We are

all suffering from Climate change effects already. We will not accept any forms of violence anywhere in Africa. It is time to think together and preserve peace in Africa. No more violence against women!� Kureeba David(Regional Facilitator Friends of the Earth Africa) also strongly condemned xenophobic acts of violence noting that “it’s demeaning for Africans to start fighting, killing one another and destroying property, when climate change and other challenges are hitting us hard. Instead of putting our efforts together to fight climate change related challenges, we are instead finishing ourselves. I strongly encourage all Africans that it’s high time we reunited and moved forward. “No man Kill another man� brothers and sisters as put by the late Sipho Johnson Mdletshe a famous South African artist�. Akinbode Oluwafemi(Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria) said: "The disturbing xenophobic attacks do not show the accommodation and warmth that Africans are known for. They are disheartening and totally unacceptable. We rightfully demand that the South African government goes beyond sloganeering and genuinely reins in on the attacks to allow the harmony Africans are known for to continue.� The group further went on to state that they believe that structural inequities need systematic transformation in order to preserve peace. “We urge the government of South Africa to take immediate action in this regard. We call on South African Civil Society to press and hold its government. accountable for what is happening, and to demand an end to these persecutions and violence, as we are aware that the majority of South Africans also condemn these criminal actions. “We call on the South African Government to take serious and necessary measures to address this situation and to stop this wave of violence with the utmost urgency, and to be guided by the necessary short, medium- and long-term changes to address the serious situation of inequality, unemployment and poverty in the country. “We call on African Governments, to take the necessary measures to protect and defend their citizens who are still in South Africa, and to demand that the South African Government stop these criminal acts against its citizens and Africans living in South Africa. We call on the African Union and the African leaders to continuously speak out and act in a timely manner. “We also demand a real, transformative and lasting solution from the South African Government. For unity, brotherhood and solidarity with all the peoples of Africa, towards a fairer, more equitable and sustainable future,� they added.

Navy Charges Personnel to EschewViolence, Drugs Sunday Ehigiator

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he Nigeria Navy (NN) authorities have charged its personnel to shun any act of violence, use of banned substances, even as they endeavour to go for periodic checkups and exercise regularly to keep fit. This charge was given during the recent 10km

fitness walk held in Lagos Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) in Apapa. The walk which began around 6am, kicked off from NAVTRAC down to Costain roundabout and back to the command, had all members of the naval units under the command in attendance. Addressing participants after the routine march, the Flag Officer Command (FOC), NAVTRAC, Rear Admiral Stanford Enoch, said the exercise

Personnel of NAVTRAC during their route march

was aimed at enhancing the mental and physical alertness of officers and men of the navy. According to the FOC who was represented by the Chief Staff Officer (CSO), Rear Admiral Idowu Yusuf, “We have taken this directive from the headquarters, of the NN. “As I speak to you, this exercise is being conducted simultaneously all over the commands in NN. And as a matter of fact, naval headquarters is also participating. Hence, it is a great privilege. “And I hope that you are aware that the exercise is aimed at enhancing the mental and physical alertness of officers and men of the Nigerian Navy. “For this morning exercise, I did not get any report of anybody falling down or not completing the race, this is a great achievement. I must say to you all, keep it up. “The nation relies so much on us, and we cannot afford to disappoint the nation. The navy cannot do it alone; hence we need to work together with the sister services of the paramilitary. “That brings to fore the importance of interagency collaboration and cooperation. We must work together. An adage says, when one hand washes the other, the two hands becomes cleaner. “We must work together with other ministries, departments, and agencies. If we don’t work together, we would spread doom for the nation. “We must eschew violence. Running away from violence doesn’t make you a coward. You are just showing maturity. Any day you see any naval personnel fighting outside, it is a disgrace

to the naval profession. “That is why we wear white. The naval force all over the world is a symbol of peace. It is a symbol of unity. And the Nigerian navy is not an exemption. So let us eschew violence. “And of course as we often say, we must stay away from banned substances, it is not allowed. And if you are caught, there is a very serious repercussion for that. And check the armed forces act for such repercussion. “And then, I am to encourage you that you must carry out some medical checkups periodically. Check your blood pressure and other vital signs. They are very important. And because of the nature of work that you do, you must keep on exercising, so that you can be fit. “I will also say that if there is anybody who wants to seek redress, the chain of command is open. You are to follow the proper chain of command, and then seek redress. “If you want to see the flag officer, naval training command, you are welcome. You cannot be in service, and be taking the service to court. It does not speak well of us as a family. If you have any issue, go to the proper channel. “Having said this; I want to appreciate you for this feat. For this great assignment that you have achieved easily, I want to thank you. “I want to of cause appreciate the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, for this well thought process of quarterly exercising ourselves, to prove to the nation that we are able, and that we are there for them.�

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Stay out of Gulf, Iran Warns Foreign Forces Iran’s president has warned that foreign forces are threatening the security of the Gulf, after the US said it was deploying troops to the region. Hassan Rouhani said foreign forces had always brought “pain and misery” and should not be used in an “arms race”. The US is sending more troops to Saudi Arabia after an attack on Saudi oil facilities both nations blame on Iran. Mr Rouhani also said Iran would present a new Gulf peace initiative at the United Nations in the coming days. This year has seen continuing tension between the US and Iran, following President Donald Trump’s abandonment of a deal aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities in return for the easing of sanctions. The latest flashpoint was caused by drone and missile attacks on the Saudi oil facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais on 14 September. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels said they had carried out the attacks, but both the US and its ally Saudi Arabia - Iran’s main regional rival - said Iran was behind them, something Tehran has strongly denied. The crisis sparked by the attacks

is being dangerously inflamed by angry rhetoric. President Trump’s knee-jerk reaction was to tell the Iranians the US was “locked and loaded”. So the region braced for a US retaliatory strike. Washington pulled back, restrained by a nervous Saudi Arabia. Instead it is sending a small detachment of what are essentially military technicians to bolster Saudi Arabia’s blatantly inadequate air and missile defences. The move is defensive, and may not even be enough to prevent another “swarm” attack of explosive drones. Yet Iran’s hard-line Revolutionary Guards are interpreting it as an aggressive, almost invasive, act. The danger now is that one side or the other misinterprets the signals from the other side of the Gulf and does something that inadvertently propels this region into a war that nobody wants. He was speaking on the anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, and alongside a series of military parades in Tehran and other cities. Hassan Rouhani said foreign forces had always brought “pain and misery” “Foreign forces can cause problems and insecurity for our

people and for our region,” he said in the televised speech. He called the deployment of such forces in the past a “disaster” and told them to “stay away”. “If they’re sincere, then they should not make our region the site of an arms race... The farther you keep yourselves from our region and our nations, the more security there will be.” The president said it would be presented to the UN, which begins the main part of its general assembly in New York on Tuesday. However, he gave no details, saying only that peace in the Strait of Hormuz could be achieved “in co-operation with various countries. “In this sensitive and important historical moment, we announce to our neighbours, that we extend the hand of friendship and brotherhood to them,” he said. The Houthi rebels in Yemen have also made a peace initiative, saying they would end all attacks on Saudi Arabia provided the kingdom and its allies did the same. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said in a statement it was important to “take advantage of this opportunity and move forward with all necessary steps to reduce violence, military escalation and unhelpful rhetoric”.

Rights Group Urges Restraint after Protests against Egypt’s al-Sissi An international rights group has called on Egyptian authorities to protect the right to peaceful protest and to immediately release those detained, hours after the country saw rare protests against President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi. Late on Friday, hundreds of Egyptians took to the streets in the capital Cairo and other cities. The protesters chanted slogans demanding the ouster of the exgeneral, who took power in 2014, one year after he led the military overthrow of the country’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi. Protests are rare in Egypt amid a crackdown on opposition and freedom of expression. Thousands of secular and Islamist opposition figures have been detained or sentenced to prison. “President (Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi) should direct the state security forces to abide by international standards for law enforcement during demonstrations,” Human Rights

Watch said on Saturday. Citing media reports, HRW said that security forces had chased and rounded up protesters and surrounded Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the 2011 uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. “President (al-Sissi’s) security agencies have time and again used brutal force to crush peaceful protests. “The authorities should recognize that the world is watching and take all necessary steps to avoid a repetition of past atrocities,” said Michael Page, deputy Middle East and North Africa director. The protests in response to calls by activists on social media, including Egyptian contractor and actor Mohamed Ali, who is in exile in Spain. The 45-year-old contractor, who had worked in army projects for 15 years, posted a series of videos accusing al-Sissi and the military of corruption. He claimed the military had

commissioned his company to build palaces and other “failed” projects that did not generate income for the people. The videos came as Egyptians have been struggling with austerity measures introduced by al-Sissi’s government, which have triggered price hikes for goods and services. Last week, al-Sissi – who is currently in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly – defended the military against the corruption claims. “Yes, I have built palaces, and I will continue. ”They are not for me, they are for Egypt; I am building a new country. “Your son, God willing, is honest and sincere,” al-Sissi said. In April, Egypt amended the 2014 constitution, allowing al-Sissi’s current second term to be extended from four to six years, to end in 2024. He can also run for one more six-year term, potentially letting him stay in power until 2030.

WHO Says Tanzania Not Sharing Information on Ebola Tanzania has declined to provide detailed information on suspected Ebola cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. Despite several requests “to date, clinical data, results of the investigations, possible contacts and potential laboratory tests performed have not been communicated to WHO,” the UN health agency said in a statement seen by Reuters on Sunday. “The limited available official information from Tanzanian

authorities represents a challenge.” Authorities in East and Central Africa have been on high alert for possible spill-overs of Ebola from the Democratic Republic of Congo where a year-long outbreak has killed m Fears about the possible spread of the outbreak in Tanzania started this month after a woman died from an unknown illness following Ebola-like symptoms. On Wednesday, Tanzania

formally notified the WHO it had no cases of Ebola, but it declined to share detailed data on suspected cases. Last week, the U.S. health secretary, Alex Azar, also criticized Tanzania for its failure to share information on the possible outbreak. He said Tanzanian authorities had not made samples available or allowed testing of the index case.

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NEWS

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

Decomposing Body of Navy Commander Found in Shallow Well in Kaduna Chiemelie Ezeobi

The decomposing body of the Commandant of Command Secondary School of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna, Navy Commander Oluwayemisi Ogundana, with service number NN/ 2367, was found in a shallow well yesterday. THISDAY gathered that her body was found and recovered at about 12.45p.m., in Agwanloyo by the railway, inside an abandoned shallow well near Deeper Life Bible Church in Jaji Cantonment. Already, two suspects - one Mr. Bernard Simon, a teacher at the Command Secondary School, Jaji and his alleged accomplice,

Mr. Ibrahim Maman, have been arrested. Although the military authorities were yet to fully unravel the circumstances surrounding her death, a senior personnel who spoke to THISDAY on condition of anonymity, said they are keeping the two suspects under close custody for further investigation. Ogundana was on Friday declared missing after concerted efforts to ascertain her whereabouts probed abortive. According to the situation report from the AFCSC, Jaji, the deceased was confirmed missing after the military authorities broke into her apartment and found her phone ringing and her whereabouts unknown.

The deceased, who resided at AVM Crescent, House 22, was last seen last on Friday, September 13, at the secondary school within the cantonment. The incident was thereafter

reported to the authorities when her cell phone was ringing repeatedly and she did not pick her calls. The military authorities had to forcibly break into her room

and the said phone was found ringing inside the sitting room. Fears were heightened when her vehicle, a metallic gray Toyota Highlander with registration number AAA 434

CF (Lagos) was also missing. The deceased was married with three kids, who are in their Lagos residence with their father.

Telecoms Sub-sector Lost N221bn in Two Years Emma Okonji Value Added Service (VAS) operators, a sub-sector in the telecoms industry, operating under the aegis of Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN), has decried the heavy loss it incurred in the last two years, amounting to N221 billion. WASPAN National Coordinator, Mr. Chijioke Ezeh, who raised the concern at the First Annual Nigeria Value Added Service Stakeholders’ Forum, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Lagos recently, said as at 2017, the VAS industry was valued at N300 billion, but that today the value has depreciated to N79 billion, which is between 75 per cent to 78 per cent loss in revenue within a space of two years. Confirming the huge financial loss, NCC Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Bako Wakil, said the commission was already working hard to revamp the sub-sector. Wakil, who attributed the loss to the introduction of Do Not Disturb (DND) through the 2442 short code by the NCC in 2017, said NCC’s intention for introducing DND was not to kill the VAS industry, but to protect telecoms subscribers from getting unsolicited text messages and advertisement from VAS providers, who were busy deducting money from millions of telecoms subscribers as soon as they forcefully push the unsolicited messages to them, without their consent. According to him, “Two years ago, the VAS industry worth over N300 billion, but the figure we got today shows it has dropped to N79 billion, which shows it is declining in value, but this is because of the introduction of the DND. “The intention was not to bring down the market or the performance of this sector of the economy, but to regulate it as an industry regulator. Our concern is more on the consumers and Nigerian consumers were crying about the kind of money they were losing to DND without their consent. So, we have to

address the needs of the consumer, even though this has affected investment in that sector, but then at the end of the day, the consumer is the king. “NCC had to introduce the DND short code to stop the messages. If the subscriber does not want such messages, all the subscriber need do, is to subscribe to the short code, and the messages will automatically stop.” But in a quick response, Ezeh said: “The decline in value is not just as a result of the introduction of DND, but a combination of factors. The embargo on the marketing, and then the introduction of DND, were the factors responsible for the decline in the value of the VAS sector from N300 billion in 2017 to N79 billion in 2019.” He explained that cutting off bulk of subscribers from subscribing to messages from VAS providers through the introduction of DND short code and also the clamping down on VAS marketing by the NCC, were the key factors that led to the decline in value of VAS in the last two years. “There was zero marketing for VAS providers for a year, which means we cannot get new subscribers to get on to our different services. And then in some cases, some networks wiped off everything that we had accumulated over the last 12 years. It took us 12 years to develop to N300 billion, and suddenly our value was brought down to N79 billion. So what took all of us 12 years to develop from a non-existence sub-sector to N300 billion value, was wiped out completely, and the action returned us to zero level. “We were wiped out last year September 15, and from that time till now, we have not been able to come back to gain even up to one per cent of what we used to be in terms of new subscriptions. So, the N79 billion that we are left with today, is the residue of all the networks put together. That is what you are seeing now, leaving us to a huge loss of between 75 per cent and 78 per cent in revenue generation,” he said.

LEAVING FOR THE UN...

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, during Buhari’s departure to the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York...yesterday

Suspected Herdsmen Kill Two, Injure Scores in Adamawa Daji Sani in Yola Suspected herdsmen have been reported to have attacked and killed two persons and several other wounded including soldiers in Shaforon and Kodumti communities of Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the two communities at about 2. a.m. on Sunday while the villagers were still on bed The source revealed that the suspected herdsmen came in large numbers, shooting repeatedly into

the air which created tension in these communities and resulted in many fleeing the abodes to Numan and Demsa towns. Shaforon and Kodumti communities have been experiencing series of attacks since 2016, which had led to the death of many people and loss of properties worth billion of naira. One of the residents, Mr. Ibrahim Wakili, who said he escaped the attackers by whiskers, said it took the quick intervention of soldiers manning the areas to repel further attacks on nearby communities. He said soldiers exchanged fire

with the suspected herdsmen for close to three hours before they were overpowered by the soldiers and most of the herdsmen escaped with bullets wounds into the bush. The Principal Medical Officer, Numan General Hospital, Dr. Nuhu Tari, said that two persons were killed and several wounded in the unfortunate attacks, explaining that shortly after the attacks, some victims with injuries were rushed down to his hospital for treatment. The Public Relations Officer of Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed

the incident, adding that the attacks were carried out by cattle rustlers. According to him, “One of the attackers was killed in the crossfire with security operatives and his corpse has been deposited at the Numan mortuary. “The Commissioner of Police has dispatched additional operatives to join other security agencies to comb the bushes in the area and arrest the fleeing cattle rustlers.” He said security operatives were already on top of the situation and normalcy has since returned to affected areas.

Senate May Review Its Decision on Edo Assembly To deliberate on assault allegation against senator Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Senate which resumes plenary tomorrow after a two-month annual vacation may revisit its earlier decision on Edo State House of Assembly that had been embroiled in inauguration crisis since June, THISDAY has learnt. The upper legislative chamber will also upon resumption of plenary take a definite stand on the alleged assault on a nursing mother levelled against Senator Elisha Abbo (Adamawa North), which was referred to an ad-hoc committee headed by former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North). An indication to this effect was given yesterday by the Chairman of the Senate committee on Media Publicity, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye. The Senate spokesman told

THISDAY that there is an update on the Edo Assembly issue which must be collectively decided upon by all Senators. Although he was not forthcoming on the update, he however emphasised that recent developments on the Edo State Assembly issue may require the review of Senate’s earlier stand on the matter. “For all I know, the Senate’s stand on Edo Assembly issue may have to be reviewed in view of updates on the matter since we went on vacation. “The matter will be tabled at plenary and like other outstanding issues before the Senate, it will be holistically considered vis-a-vis latest information before us and it is going to be a collective decision of all senators”. Adeyeye stated that the Edo State Assembly issue as well as other issues including the assault

allegation against Senator Abbo would have been concluded long before Senate went on recess “but for the ministerial list sent to us by President Muhammadu Buhari, which took two extra weeks for the Senate to consider and approve.” “So, you could see that because of the interest Senate had for the nation, it then suspended all other pressing issues to take the ministerial nominees of the president. If not for that, all these issues we carried over till after vacation would have been over by now”. He stated that with the recess over from tomorrow, “all issues, including the report of the adhoc committee set up to probe the assault allegation against a serving senator will be on the table for discussion by the Senate before a final decision is taken on them”. The upper legislative chamber

along with the House of Representatives had shortly before going on vacation in July threatened to take over Edo State House of Assembly if the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, failed within one week to issue another proclamation for the inauguration of the state assembly. The threat led to the state government approaching a federal high court sitting in Abuja which restrained the National Assembly from interfering in the affairs of the National Assembly until the final determination of the suit. In the wake of the court’s restraining order, Senate spokesman had said all issues associated with the crisis rocking Edo state House of Assembly will have to wait till the Senate resumes from its annual vacation on September 24.

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NEWSEXTRA

No Attempt to Subvert Justice Tsoho’s Emergence as Substantive CJ, Says FHC The Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja yesterday said that there was no plot to undermine its acting Chief Judge (CJ), Justice John Tsoho, from becoming the substantive CJ. In a swift reaction to the allegations by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) the Chief Registrar, Emmanuel Gakko in Abuja, described the claim as falsehood. CUPP had on September 20, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of a plot to influence the selection of new Supreme Court justices ahead of move by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate in the Feb. 23 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his party to appeal against the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which recently affirmed

President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral victory. CUPP’s Spokesperson, Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere, who made the allegation at a news conference in Abuja, said they “intercepted a secret list of handpicked justices in violation of the Supreme Court tradition of seven most senior justices.” The coalition also alleged a “sudden change in the proposed screening of the nominated Justices of Supreme Court and the suspicion of a plot to stop the acting Chief Judge Tsoho, who is also the most senior judge, from becoming the substantive chief judge based on ethnic and religious sentiments.” Reacting, Gakko said that the court and by extension, the entire judiciary, had well-established policies and procedures guiding the issue of succession.

“Our attention has been drawn to claims by certain persons and groups (notably, the Coalition of United Political Parties [CUPP]) on alleged attempts to tamper with the hierarchy and/or succession to the headship of the Federal High Court. “We wish to state categorically that there are well-established policies and procedures guiding the issue of succession, not only in the Federal High Court, but for all the hierarchy of courts in Nigeria. “His lordship, the acting Chief Judge is well acquainted with the procedure(s) for succession in the leadership of the court, which so far have not been detracted from as to give him cause for alarm and warrant expressing any reservations or procuring anyone to make a case on his behalf.

No Going Back on Aggressive Tax Drive, FG Insists 354 different taxes in Nigeria worry private sector Dike Onwuamaeze and Nume Ekeghe The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, has said there is no going back on the federal government’s determination to increase public revenue through intensified tax collection. This is coming as the Tax Leader, PwC, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has raised the alarm that Nigeria’s tax system contains 354 different taxes, stressing that these multiple taxations do not allow businesses to thrive. Speaking during the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) 2019 Presidential Policy Dialogue on the Economy, held in Lagos at the weekend, Adebayo, said those expecting the government to reduce taxes and at the same time increase revenue to meet its responsibilities to the country should come and show the government how to perform the magic. He said: “You want us not to increase tax but you want us to increase revenue. May be, you will come and advise us on how to do it because I think that will require some serious magic. But

one thing I can assure you is that I don’t think government has any plan to reduce tax at this point in time. “What we are doing is that government has embarked on aggressive tax collection and is doing everything possible to increase the tax bracket so that all the money the government has not been able to get in the past will be collected to improve our revenue generation.” The minister said he was at the Presidential Policy Dialogue to hear concerns of the private sector operators and transmit them to the government for favourable policy formulation. “I believe that there are certain things that should be done by the private sector. That is why we are here. It is for you to tell government how to make it easie for you to achieve these things. “If you tell us, and advise us on how government can assist to make it easier for you to promote your businesses, then we will do our best to make things easier for you. I am here to listen to your problems,” Adebayo said. The minister’s statement

came after the President of LCCI, Mr. Babatunde Paul Ruwase, spoke the minds of the organised private sector in the opening in which he decried the crippling effects of taxation on businesses. Ruwase said: “Multiple taxations are still issues with many companies. There are also issues of multiple levies and fees by government agencies at the federal, state and local government levels. While we were grappling with this, we heard the announcement of an increase in VAT from five percent to 7.5 percent. “This will no doubt put additional pressure on businesses because consumer purchasing power is already weak.” He noted that these are not the best of time for the Nigerian economy, saying the short-term outlook of the key economic indicators was not looking bright. He also called for policies that would transform the economy and end the countries reliance on oil, which was the major trigger of the economic downturn in Nigeria because of the volatility in oil price.

Maina Drags Omokri to Court over Corruption Allegations Alex Enumah in Abuja The former Chairman of the Pensions Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina has dragged Reno Omokri, media aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan to court over allegations of corruption recently made against him in a national newspaper. In the suit filed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maina asked the court to award the sum of N4 billion compensation against Omokri for the

alleged defamatory publication. Sued along Omokri is the Vanguard Media Limited publisher of the Vanguard newspaper wherein the said defamatory publication was made. Maina, in the suit prayed the court to declare that the comments contained in Omokri’s right of reply titled, “General Buhari’s Cambridge Certificate is as non-existent as Louis Odion’s self esteem”, published in the Vanguard newspaper on September

12, 2019, as defamatory and libelous. The claimant, in the suit filed by his counsel, Edwin Inegedu wants the court to order the publication of an apology, retraction and rebuttal of the alleged libelous materials in the Vanguard newspaper and two other national dailies within seven days. He prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing or disseminating the libelous materials against him.

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Malami: Nigerian Delegation Departs to UK over $6.9bn Judgment Debt Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), disclosed last night that the Nigerian delegation had left for the United Kingdom to discuss with the country’s legal team the possible strategies on how to deal with the recent development concerning the Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) contract judgment. Speaking on whether the Nigerian delegation leaving for UK are to file a new case based on the new realities of the contract or would build on the previous judgement, Malami said: “All cards are on

table but it all depends on the beneficial that has potency for setting aside the award, having regards to the applicable law in the circumstances.” The AGF added that no possibility is ruled out including, “possibility of filling new case or using existing proceedings to seek relief of setting aside the award of the contract cannot be ruled out.’’ The federal government recently served noticed that all government officials and others connected with the process through which (P & ID) got the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) with the federal government and later secured an arbitral award of $9.6 billion following Nigeria’s alleged default, would not escape

the ongoing probe into the incident. Malami, who recently briefed journalists in Abuja added that although security agencies had interrogated many prominent personalities in connection with

The Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has expressed displeasure with the police over the seeming lackadaisical attitude towards apprehending the alleged Fulani herdsmen who killed the daughter of its leader, Mrs. Funke Olakunrin. Afenifere, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, lamented that over two months after the murder, no progress has been made on the case and no serious attempt to launch an investigation has been taken by the police. According to him, “It’s now over two months that Mrs. Olufunke Olakunrin, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, was murdered in Ore, Ondo State, and we are compelled to speak out over the lackadaisical attitude of the police over the gruesome assassination.” “Mr. Kehinde Fasoranti, the younger brother of the deceased, had stated openly a day after the incident that the police in Ore told him that the sister was killed by Fulani herdsmen when he went to collect her remains the day

she was killed, challenging the police to bring out the statement he wrote at their station. They have not contradicted him till date. “The first sign we got that there was no attempt to launch any serious investigation into the murder was when the car in which she was killed was released to the family from Ore police station the day after the murder without any forensic investigation into the most prized evidence at the scene of the crime. “It was when we engaged the police high command that they came to pick the car six days later. The car has now been returned to the family with no report on the examination report.” Afenifere wondered why the police never attempted to carry out an autopsy on the corpse “until we also demanded one from the police before the burial. One was carried out, and only that report was given to the family when they went to collect the car. “Beyond this, the police have not made any briefing to the family on their investigations into this dastardly act. Other bizarre developments worry us on police investigations into this murder. “For instance, the driver of

Chuks Okocha in Abuja As President Muhammadu Buhari departed Nigeria for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lamented that the President is attending the meeting without any definite objectives, plans and proposals

the car in which Mrs. Olakunrin was killed has not been asked a question by the police till date. Furthermore, a few days after the killing, a staff of the deceased’ husband, Bankole Olatunbosun, was arrested as he was said to be in touch with Mrs. Olakunrin’s driver, Femi Ajayi, who drove the Sienna van in the deceased convoy. “A week after the killing, Ajayi was brought into the family house in Akure by police officers in the anti-kidnap unit. The story from the crime scene was that Ajayi got down from the Sienna bus and followed the gunmen who killed Mrs. Olakunrin. He claimed he was kidnapped but there is no evidence of ransom requested from him or his family. He and Bankole Olatunbosun are now free men. Ajayi even strolled into the Fasoranti family house three days ago. “All the above put together suggest to us clearly that the police have not done any serious investigations into this murder. And it worries us that we are seeing all the signs of lethargy that usually attend high profile murders with powerful masterminds in our country.”

APGA: Imo Election Tribunal Judgment Mockery of Judiciary, Democracy Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said yesterday that the judgment of the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered on Saturday, was a mockery of the nation’s judiciary and democracy, and wondered why the judges overlook the “avalanche of monumental evidence’’ presented at the tribunal for the cancellation of the election. The Imo State Election Tribunal, sitting at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja, had dismissed petitions filed by APGA, APC and AA, seeking to upturn the election of Emeka Ihedioha as governor of the state. The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Dogondaji, in its ruling on Saturday, affirmed the election of Ihedioha as the lawfully elected governor of the state. But addressing a press conference

in Abuja yesterday, Dr. Henry Uzo Okafor and Emma Nwosu, the Chairman and the Organising Secretary of Imo State Chapter of APGArespectively, said the judgment was a “clear case of travesty of justice, a total miscarriage of justice and a slap/rape on the face’’ of the country’s judicial system. “How can learned justices close their eyes on constitutional issues? The issue of Ihedioha not getting the mandatory 25 per cent of the 2/3 of LGA’s in Imo State is in the public domain; such that every Imo person is aware of that including, the Governor Emeka Ihedioha and his supporters. As a result, the least the people expected to be the outcome of the judgment was a cancellation and fresh election directed. “Even the evidence of expert witnesses on the issue of spread were thrown overboard, stating that they were not the makers of the documents. The glaring

Buhari had ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Inspector General of Police to get to the root of how P&ID, a company registered in British

Virgin Island and promoted by and Irish, Mr. Michael Quinn, now deceased, got the GSPA in 2010 and the circumstances that led to Nigeria not fulfilling its contractual obligations under the agreement.

Buhari Has No Agenda at UNGA, PDP Alleges

Fish out Killers of Our Leader’s Daughter, Afenifere Tells Police Segun James

the $9.6 billion awarded against Nigeria by a United Kingdom court, many more would soon be invited for questioning in order to get to the root of the matter. In the wake of the judgment debt, President Muhammadu

evidence of scoring 25 per cent in 11 LGAs of Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezirihitte Mbaise, Ikeduru, Mbaitoli, Ngor Okpalla, Owerri West, Owerri Municipal. Owerri North, Oguta and Obowo, and in 16 LGAs where he failed woefully to garner the 25 per cent viz, Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano, Onuimo, Okigwe, Ihitte Uboma, Oru East, Oru West, Orlu, Ohaji/ Egbema, Orsu,Ideato North, Ideato South, Nkwerre, Nwangele, Isu and Njaba cannot be controverted’’, the party said. The party further stated that in law, there is the principle/legal maxim of res ipsa loquito, that is, the fact speaks for itself is available, arguing that the tribunal in the course of the proceeding was invited to take judicial notice of form EC8D, which were the summary results from the 27 LGAs of Imo State in which the scores of every candidate in each of the LGAs are contained.

to attract tangible benefits to the nation. The party also said attending such an important meeting of world leaders and policy makers without a clear-cut national agenda shows that the Buhari Presidency is not committed to the nation, but only going out for another showboating on the international platform. PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, asked: “Is it not lamentable that while other leaders are heading to the meeting with well-articulated national proposals that will boost their nations’ competitiveness on international engagements, the Buhari Presidency is going empty with zero capacity to engage; a clear signal that it will equally return empty?” PDP added that the sad effect of such leadership failure is worsened by the acceptability issues trailing the alleged rigging of the February 23 presidential election, for which the Buhari Presidency is largely

lacking in confidence and poise to vigorously engage other world leaders on issues. “In over four years of this administration, the Buhari Presidency has not been able to harness opportunities presented by such important events despite huge resources deployed for attendance,” PDP said. The opposition party recalled how earlier this month, the President returned empty from the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7), while his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Ado, sealed a deal with automobile giant, Toyota, to establish a Toyota and Suzuki manufacturing plant in Ghana. PDP said since the President is appearing before the UNGA, he should use the opportunity to address world leaders on the reports by the European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and other international bodies, detailing alleged heavy manipulations and outright rigging of the 2019 general

elections to favour him and his party. “Our party also urges Mr. President to address the world on reported issues of violations of human rights, disregard to the rule of law and constitutional order, disobedience to court orders, arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens, extrajudicial killings, impunity and swelling corruption under his watch,” the party said. PDP also insisted that Buhari should address the world on the UN Rapporteur’s report as well as issues of violent division, escalated banditry, bloodletting and general insecurity in Nigeria. In the same vein, the PDP demanded that Mr. President should address the world on how his administration purportedly wrecked the once robust economy from a prosperous nation to the world poverty capital in a space of four years. “Our party also urges Mr. President to assert the confidence and courage required to demand for help from other world leaders,” PDP said.

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2023 Presidency: Igbo Should Properly Integrate into Nigeria, Says Babangida Laleye Dipo in Minna A former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.), has

advised the Igbo ethnic nationality to endeavour properly integrate itself into Nigeria so as to realise its clamour for presidency come

Soyinka Berates FG over Charges against Sowore Raheem Akingbolu The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has chided administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for filing charges of treason against the detained publisher of Sahara Reporters and the Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 election, Omoyele Sowore. In a suit dated September 19, and filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the government charged Sowore with treason, money laundering and also accused him of granting an interview that caused an insult to the person of President Buhari. In his reaction to the charges, Soyinka, said the government “has indeed attained an unprecedented level of paranoia” over the “improbable” charges that include “insulting” President Buhari. In a statement issued on Saturday, the professor said he at first didn’t believe reports about the charges against Sowore because he thought it was a fake

news. Soyinka, who said Nigeria was yet to learn from the experience of the past, said the news about the charges was depressing and that he initially took it to be another fake news until reality dawned on him. “This is utterly depressing news. So, the Sowore affair has moved beyond harassment and taken on a sinister direction. Outside the country where I happened to be engaged at the moment, I can testify that the immediate reaction around me was to dismiss this as yet another grotesque product of Fake News, of which Nigerians have become the greatest practitioners. I confess that I also joined in this school of thought—at the start. “Further checks have however confirmed that this government has indeed attained an unprecedented level of paranoia. I do not believe that the Justice department itself believes in these improbable charges, as formally publicised”, Soyinka stated.

Lagos Police Smash Baby Kidnapping Syndicate Chiemelie Ezeobi The Lagos State Police Command has smashed a syndicate that specialises in abducting and selling children at the Ejigbo area of the state. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, two members of the syndicate were in the process of selling another abducted baby, a two-weeks-old infant, when they were nabbed. He said: “A police officer attached to the Motor Traffic Division of Ejigbo Police Division, while controlling traffic at Jakande Gate in Ejigbo, noticed some sort of commotion close to

her traffic point. He said: “She (the traffic police officer) intervened and discovered that a lady named Gift Michael, 24, was found with a suspected new born baby. In her company was her ‘madam’, one Florence Nkem Douglas, 50, both of Ijegun area of Isheri. “They were about to be mobbed due to the alarm raised by those who had been trailing the duo from their residence in Ijegun, as the whole community had been suspecting them for long for being in the business of buying and selling babies in their maternity clinic.

Edo to Divest 50% Equity in Azura Power In its determination to explore financial instruments to fast-track the development of the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park project, the Edo State Government has concluded plans to divest 50 per cent of its equity stake in the Edo Azura Power Project valued at N2.1billion for onward investment in the $200 billion industrial park project. The development is coming in the wake of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment being undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Environment to assess the impact of the project on the host communities. Speaking after the weekly Executive Council (EXCO) meeting at the weekend presided over by the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, at Government House, in Benin City, Special

Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the decision to divest 50 per cent of its equity stake in the Edo Azura Power Project was borne out of the need to leverage existing investment resources at its disposal to finance development of the industrial park. He explained that the state government’s equity investment in the power project was its land asset and other infrastructure, 50 per cent of which is valued at N2.1billion. According to him, “we will be investing the 50 per cent stake being divested from Edo Azura Power Project into the development of the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park to ensure the smooth take-off of the park.

2023. The Igbo people have been clamouring for the presidency, but this remains elusive ever since the end of the civil war in 1970. Receiving the Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA) from the 19 northern states at his Minna Uphill residence in Niger State over the weekend, Babangida charged the Igbos to work for the “promotion of the unity and

indivisibility of Nigeria.” “An indivisible Nigeria is very necessary and we must do everything possible to remain as one family though we differ in tribes and tongue,” Babangida told the IDA team led by its President, Chief Chikezie Okezie. The former military president observed that the Igbos have been able to penetrate all segments of the nation through their business

enterprises, urging them to use same acumen “to promote peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians” in whatever they do. “You have done well to keep Nigeria together,” Babangida said, adding that “the Igbo man is known to have the potentials of traveling far and wide exploring new frontiers and business opportunities.” Okezie, in his remarks, had told Babangida that the IDA members

were in his residence to felicitate with him on his 78th birthday, which was celebrated last month, praying God to “continue to grant him strength and wisdom to offer advice that will help Nigeria solve some of its teething problems.” He said the former military president’s wise counsel is most needed now to ensure cohesion and propel the country to greater development.

CONDOLENCE VISIT…

L-R: Senior Pastor, His Purpose Church, Tony Olukoyede; Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Dublin, Taiwo Olukoyede; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Secretary, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Pastor Ola Olukoyede; his wife, Olaitan; and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the funeral of the late Mrs Moroluke Fakoyede (Olukoyede) in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State…weekend

Three Soldiers, 22 Others Arrested for Cultism in Maiduguri Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Three soldiers and 22 others, mostly undergraduates were yesterday arrested by security operatives in Maiduguri, Borno State in the ongoing clampdown on alleged cultists group in the troubled state. According to the Borno State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Aliyu who paraded the suspects, they belong to a group, Neo Black Movement

(NBM), which has members cutting across students of higher institutions in Maiduguri, business community and personnel of the Nigerian Army. Parading the suspects before reporters, the Borno Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, said the group were caught at about 2a.m. in a hotel built at a deserted area of Maiduguri during an initiation process. Aliyu, who was flanked at

the briefing by both the heads of Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, said: “The strategies put in place have again yielded results as 25 members of Neo Black Movement (NBM) were arrested for criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, cultism and armed robbery.” “Following a tip-off, a total of 25 members of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) cult most of

whom are students of University of Maiduguri, Ramat Polytechnic and dismissed military personnel were arrested by the command operatives in collaboration with Hunters in Bagani Hotel at Fillin Maideribe, Abuja Sharaton while they were unlawfully gathered and conducting their initiation procession with candles, calabashes containing reasonable quantity of red substance suspected to be human blood and charms of different kinds.”

British Envoy Endorses Ooni’s Entrepreneurial Initiative Royal African Young Emerging Entrepreneurship Summit (RAYEES), an initiative of the Arole Oodua & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has been endorsed by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Catriona Laing, describing the initiative as a multiplicity for digital transformation, modern creative incubation, ideas and innovation and new wealth creation ecosystem that should be commended as a pragmatic

approach to socioeconomic development for millions of youths across the continent. The High Commissioner gave the endorsement to last week at her residence in Abuja during a meeting with a royal delegation from the monarch led by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Moses Olafare in respect of the maiden edition of the Royal African Young Emerging Entrepreneurs (RAYEES) slated for November 2019 at the Henley Business School, University

of Reading, UK. “I must commend His Imperial Majesty’s broad vision of enriching the lives of young ambitious and fantastic Africans youths through enterprises. This initiative is well structured to propel youngAfricans to redesign models of human capacities development, serve as an optimal infrastructure, transformative force, shaping business framework, socio economicprosperityandinjectinganew leadership system that is compatible with the 21st century advancement”

“I enjoyed the overall reception and strategic conversation that I had with Ooni of Ife during my official courtesy visit to the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Ife and I would like to commend the King for the choice of Henley Business School as a nurturing mechanism and training framework for these young emerging entrepreneurs’ in the UK. I’m keen to exploring synergies that would advance productive and sustainable implementation of this outstanding initiative”

Buhari Departs Abuja to Attend 74th UNGA in NewYork President Muhammadu Buhari has departed Abuja for New York where he will be attending the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The president who departed yesterday morning, will be the

fifth on the list of presidents to address the assembly. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama, President Buhari will use the opportunity to articulate the priorities of the Nigerian government to the

world. He also noted that Nigeria is hoping to partake in engagements that will help the country have seats in several organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation, the World

Heritage Committee, and the International Civil Aviation Council. Nigeria will also be pushing for the UN’s support in the war on terror, the humane treatment of migrants, as well as Nigeria’s quest to recharge lake Chad.

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Social Safety Nets: FG, W’Bank Differ on Spending in Nigeria Ahmed: Social sector budget increased to N1.24 trillion in 2019 James Emejo in Abuja The federal government and the World Bank have differed on the spending on social safety net in Nigeria. The bank has advised the federal government to increase its budget for social safety net programme in order to have significant impact on poverty alleviation. According to the bank, the social investments have become a core part of the social contract in Africa, the bank stressed that the country’s current investment in social safety nets stood at only about 0.3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that this was well below the regional average of 1.06 per cent of GDP. The bank, specifically noted that financing of social protection programmes in the country had remained a challenge as government has mainly relied on funding support from development partners to implement the scheme. Speaking at the launch of

the Africa Social Safety Nets Report which took place over the weekend in Abuja, representative of the Bretton Woods institution, Iffath Sharif in her report presentation titled:”Realising the Full Potential of Social Safety Nets in Africa”, noted that despite the current efforts, the poverty numbers were on the increase. She said it is critically important that financing is predictable, long-term and sustainable going forward. However, responding to the concerns raised by the World Bank over funding constraints for the social protection scheme, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed disclosed that the federal government’s budget for the social sector including health, education, youths and sports increased drastically from N814 million in 2015 to N1.24 trillion in 2019. She said this was in addition to the special intervention programmes allocation of N500 billion.

The minister, who launched the World Bank report, however differed with the bank on the funding status of its social investment programmes, arguing that the publication failed to take account of some government’s intervention efforts aimed at poverty reduction. Ahmed said: “Future reports in respect of Nigeria should take into account the complete remit of what we do in terms of social safety. It is not just the social investment programmes that is the social programmes in this country, we have always had pensions, we have always had health insurance, we have

always had disability insurance programmes and several other programmes that other countries put together and highlight.” She said: “So, we have to find a way to scan the Nigerian environment of what governments are doing at both the federal and state and local governments to be able to make an assessment. “I am sure if you do that, you will discover the contribution of social safety net in our programme is beyond 0.3 per cent of the GDP that has been reported today.” The minister further reiterated the federal government’s commitment to providing a

safety net for all its citizens, adding that the report speaks directly to the role of social safety nets in human development, their impact on equity, resilience and opportunity for those at the bottom rung of society’s economic and development ladder. She said the most effective programmes are those designed with clear-cut framework for evaluation and accountability. “It is my hope that with today’s launch of the Social Safety Nets Africa Report, we are armed with new knowledge and tools, to identify new opportunities, but most importantly, adopt all that is necessary to sustain quality service

delivery to those whose welfare we have a duty to cater to.” Among other things, she said the present administration had established the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) in 2016, to tackle poverty and hunger across the country. According to her: “NSIP represents a paradigm shift from past approaches, with a cluster of programmes aimed at ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth and women. It also adopts the life cycle approach that ensures no age bracket is excluded.”

Yoruba Group, Falana Kick against Increase inVAT Ejiofor Alike The Yoruba Summit Group, the umbrella body for all Yoruba groups, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana have kicked against the proposed increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current five per cent to 7.5 per cent. In a statement issued at the weekend, the Yoruba group stressed that the present and recent developments concerning the administration of VAT regime needed closer interrogation. “Figures for Value Added Tax (VAT), as released by the Buhari’s government in 2017, which we believe have not significantly changed in recent years, have long exposed the contradictions in the Nigerian federation, where states that produce the wealth that continues to sustain the country hardly benefit from the distribution,” the group said. “As revealed recently by notable persons from the northern parts, the 19 northern states as against the southern states of 17, produce just about 18 per cent of our total GDP, producing still a whole lot less about in VAT percentages. According to the then Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Lagos State alone, was generating 55 per cent of the VAT collected in the country, as at the year 2017.” The statement was signed by the Publicity Secretary of the group, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo, and the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the group, Dr. Olufemi Adegoke. The group called for equitable VAT regime in Nigeria, insisting that the federal government can generate additional revenue to plug the holes in public finances occasioned by the falling VAT receipts by first adequately policing the porous borders

of the northern parts, adding that it is obnoxious, scandalous to see the height of smuggling activities that go on without checks. The group alleged that a staggering 67 per cent of the VAT revenue is derived from the South-west, thus denting the bogus population count upon, which federally collected revenue is allocated in Nigeria. It suggested that the State Internal Revenue Service (SIRS) should administer VAT and remits an agreed percentage not more than 50 per cent to the central government as it was the case under the 1963 constitution. The group charged the federal government to rework its VAT strategies along these lines. On his part, Falana said the proposed VAT increase by the federal government is in violation of the law if the National Assembly has not passed a bill to that effect. The senior lawyer in a statement yesterday urged the federal government to propose a money bill to the National Assembly before the implementation of the increase. “It’s illegal, under a democratic dispensation you cannot impose a tax or increase tax without a law made by the National Assembly or the state assembly as the case may be,” he told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. “In this case, it has to be realised that we are not under a military dictatorship. “By virtue of section 59 of the Nigerian Constitution, any increase, levy or tax will have to be presented to the National Assembly by way of money bill by the president, it has to be passed into law.” He urged the federal lawmakers to insist on passing a law before the proposed increase can be implemented.

ANOTHER GREAT HONOUR

L-R: Chancellor, Osun State University, Dr. Folorunso Alakija; Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), and ProChancellor, Osun State University, Malam Yusuf Alli (SAN), during the conferment of honorary Doctor of Law on Babalakin at the UNIOSUN’s eighth convocation ceremony in Osun State..weekend

NIGERIA’S CONFOUNDED JUDICIARY Buhari had claimed to have obtained the secondary school certificate, not just the equivalent, and not only that, he was educated up to the secondary school certificate level. Although the onus is on the petitioner to provide proof of his claim, but in this case, the responsibility shifted to the respondent the moment the PDP and Atiku showed that Buhari did not have the qualifications as required in form CF001, because he failed to attach all evidence of his educational qualifications as stipulated in the Electoral Act. It was therefore Buhari’s responsibility to prove why he failed to attach any evidence of his academic qualifications to his Form CF001, and not that of the court. But, perhaps, in an attempt to justify his failure to attach evidence of his educational qualifications, as stipulated by law, in Form CF001, Buhari, at the Abuja High Court in 2014, deposed to a separate affidavit, in addition to the verifying affidavit in Form CF001, claiming that his certificates, as listed in Form CF001, were in the possession of the Secretary

of the Army Board. The PDP and Atiku were able to prove to the court that the army denied the claims in Buhari’s affidavit, putting the burden again on him to produce his certificate from the army, but he failed to do so. Buhari himself never testified in court. Rather, his own witnesses, under examination, even testified against him. It was however shocking that the court itself came to Buhari’s defence by attempting to rationalise his claims about his academic qualifications. In so doing, the judges ended up inferring that Buhari actually submitted his certificates to the army in 1961 even against the denial by the army and the revelation by his course mate, who testified before the court, that none of them handed any such document to the army. It was shocking that the judges excused Buhari in this regard and even declared him to be “eminently qualified”. The tribunal therefore credited to him qualifications he did not claim in his Form CF001. Now is the court saying attaching academic qualifications to Form

CF001, as required by law, is no longer necessary? Is the court telling Nigerians that they can make any academic claims to get employment without backing it up with actual certificates? Why didn’t Buhari attach/produce his attestation certificate that he claimed WAEC issued to him in the build-up to the 2019 election? It was apparent that something was very amiss. Yet, the court failed the country by turning a blind eye to the glaring discrepancies. But should we be surprised that the Nigerian judiciary continues to decline in eminence, as it plunges full speed ahead into the pits of hell? Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who was supportive of Buhari’s bid for the presidency in 2015, in an interview on Arise News Channel last week, held that the judiciary’s role in adjudicating or determining the outcome of elections in this country should be kept to the barest minimum because judges are not suited to determine the winners of elections. That, according

to Falana, is the exclusive preserve of the electorate. For him, there are no provisions in the courtroom to determine the winners of elections. However, the electorate can only have a final say when we summon the will to wholly reform our electoral system. Falana recalled that from the administration of the late Umaru Yar’Adua to the current administration, three panels have been set up to review the country’s electoral system. Each of these panels – the Justice Mohammed Uwais Panel, the Sheikh Ahmed Lemu Committee and the Ken Nnamani Panel – came up with profound recommendations that can improve and strengthen the electoral system, but all three reports have been confined to the dustbins of history. As it stands, we would not get any form of reprieve from the shameful and embarrassing pronouncements that emanate from the judiciary. At least, not until someone, somewhere does the needful by turning around Nigeria’s electoral process.

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MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

MONDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Track & Field Stakeholders Express Worries Over Nigeria’s IAAF World Championship List Stakeholders in track and field have lambasted the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) over the list of athletes that will represent Nigeria at the IAAF World Championship which begins later this month in Doha, Qatar. The AFN last week released a list of 25 athletes that will represent Nigeria and compete for medals after fruitless trips

to the last two editions in Beijing, China in 2015 and London, United Kingdom in 2017 with sprinter, Blessing Okagbare, winners of a silver (long jump) and bronze (200m) in 2013 in Moscow, Russia leading the team. While many are comfortable with the presence of Okagbare, sprint hurder, Tobi Amusan, shot putter, Chukwuebuka

Enekwechi, sprinters Divine Oduduru, reigning African Games fastest man, Raymond Ekevwo and Ushoritse Itsekiri in the team, it is the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m teams and list of coaches that have been causing controversy. Many of the stakeholders who spoke yesterday queried the rationale behind having a pool of eight athletes to pick from for the 4x100m relay while others frowned at the incredible decision by AFN to drop athletes who came third and fifth in the women’s 400m at the National Trials in Kaduna and who made the trip to Rabat for the African Games for athletes who came seventh and eight at the trials and who at the time were not considered good enough to make the team in the 1600 relay team to the Games. A former African champion in the heptathlon (1998), Patience Itanyi, was livid with rage that the federation was sacrificing

merit on the altar of friendship and nepotism. “I still don’t understand why Amarachukwu Obi and Rita Ossai who both made the team to the African Games in Rabat were dropped for athletes they defeated at the national trials,” said Itanyi who also represented Nigeria in the long jump event at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Itanyi also queried the rationale behind having a pool of eight athletes to choose from for the women’s 4x100m relay. “It is a no brainer that long jumper, Ese Brume who is the third fastest Nigerian over the 100m this year at 11.41 seconds and sprint hurdler, Tobi Amusan (who has done 12.49 seconds over the 100m hurdles this season) are also good sprinters and can be called upon to run instead of packing the team with 11.6, 11.7 runners. That space could have been freed for the likes of Grace Anigbata who won the triple jump titles in 2018 at the

African Championships and the 2019 African Games in Rabat and Nwannaga Kelechi who also won the African title in the Javelin last year in Asaba and also in Rabat this year”. Veteran journalist and a respected voice in track and field, Uzor Odigbo, expressed similar sentiments as Itanyi and queried the list of coaches the AFN wants to take to Doha. “I simply do not understand why we are having this number of coaches why most of the athletes, especially the truly word-class amongst them will have their personal coaches with them. Blessing Okagbare, Divine Oduduru, Tobi Amusan, Chuwuebuka Enekwechi, Raymond Ekevwo and Ese Brume have attained world-class status and should be allowed to have their personal coaches with them. That is the practice in saner climes. I see no reason why we should have a hurdles or jumps coach

in the team,’ he argued. Another veteran in track and field reporting, Dare Esan, expressed no surprise with the list as he has been consistently telling whoever cares that the man who heads the technical committee of the federation was not fit to be there. “I am not surprised because you can’t sow yam and expect to reap coco yam. Sunday Adeleye is not technically sound enough to head a position as important as the technical committee of the federation. That position is meant for a trained coach and a trained officiating official. He is not either and little wonders he has committed so many technical blunders since he assumed the position and be sure he will commit many more except something is done quickly,” stressed Esan who has covered the IAAF World Championships eight times and was at various times a member of the IAAF Media Study group.

Blessing Okagbare is leading Nigeria’s contingent to the World Championships in Doha, Qatar

2019 Okpekpe 10km Winner Tops Kenya’s List Sheila Chelangat, the women’s 10km winner at the seventh edition of the IAAF Silver Label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race held last May tops the list of four women Kenya has listed to compete for the three medals on offer in the 5000m event at the IAAF World Championship which begins in a fortnight in Doha, Qatar. Chelangat who holds a personal best of 30:55 in the 10km race face a herculean task trying to stop compatriot, Helen Obiri from defending the 5000m title she ran 14:34.86 to win two years ago in London. The reigning Okpekpe champion is yet to break 15 minutes so far this year while Obiri tops the world list for 2019 in the event with the 14:20.36 she ran last July in London.

Chelangat, who holds a personal season’s best of 15:00.61 will not be the only athlete in Doha who has come to Nigeria to run in the historic Okpekpe race, the first IAAF label event in Nigeria nay West Africa and the only silver label race in Africa in 2019. Fellow Kenyan, Alex Korio who won the men’s 10km title in 2015 in Okpekpe and was fourth this year (29:17) is also in Kenya’s list of athletes that will compete in Doha. Korio will compete in the men’s 10,000m event with two other Kenyans who have been charged to return Kenya to the podium as world champion since 2001 when Charles Kamathi ran 27:53.25 to give Kenya the gold.

Top, R-L: Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike; and Area Manager of Africa and Middle East for Real Madrid, Inigo Vallejo at the unveiling of the Real Madrid Academy in Port Harcourt on Saturday. Below: Aerial view of the Real Madrid Academy

Zenith Bank/Delta Principal’s Rivers Unveils Real Madrid Academy to Groom Generation of Stars Cup Prelims Begin in 25 LGAs Next Real Madrid official describes the academy as the best in Africa, commends Wike

The preliminary matches of the 2019/2020 edition of Zenith Bank/Delta Principal’s Cup football competition will start today in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state. From today, the secondary schools involved in the prelims will battle for places in the main draw of the event which starts with the opening match billed for the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba on September 30. The competition which is in its 4th edition is expected to get better in all areas this term as the final is also taking place later in the year and not next year as it was in the last three editions. Delta State’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, has assured that the tournament would be hitch-free. Ukar said: “The players expected to take part are the leaders of tomorrow and so we want the best for them since this is their foundation in the

game. “We are going to try our best to make this an improvement on the last year’s edition.” The Chief Executive Officer of Hideaplus Limited, organisers of the competition, Tony Pemu, said the tournament is wearing new look already. “We normally spill to the next year but this time everything ends this year. We have all the logistics in place to make the competition more interesting,” Pemu said Dickson Egede, Manager Zenith Bank Branch 1 Asaba, said the bank would continue to boost sports in Nigeria. “We are committed to the growth of sports generally and that is why we are pleased with the catch them young policy of the Delta state Government,” he said. About 850 private and public secondary schools have so far registered to participate in this year’s edition of the competition.

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Government has unveiled the Real Madrid Football Academy constructed by the Nyesom Wike administration to promote professional football. Inaugurating the academy in the presence of officials of Real Madrid Football Club and Rivers State Government, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said the academy would groom the next generation of stars. He said: “This project will allow the early discovery and harnessing of football talents in Rivers State. “There have always been great football talents from Rivers State. Great players like Taribo West, George Finidi and Joseph Yobo. This project will create more stars,” stressed the Oyo State governor. He described sports as one of the greatest unifying factors in Nigeria.

While commending the idea behind the Real Madrid Academy, the Oyo Governor insisted Gov Wike was indirectly promoting national unity. Makinde thanked the Rivers State governor for his commitment to the development of Rivers State, adding that as a person who lived in Port Harcourt, he knows the high level of infrastructural development the state has witnessed under his administration.. In his address earlier, Gov. Wike described the unveiling of the academy as one of the happiest days of his life as it has marked the beginning of a new football era. “Today is one of the happiest days of my life. Today, our dream has come to fruition by the help of God,” he noted. He said that the state government has resolved to

construct a school and hostel in addition to the present facilities at the academy. Wike stated that 70 per cent of the students of the academy would be from Rivers State, while other Nigerians would account for 30 per cent of the participants. “The money used to execute this project is from Rivers State. Therefore, Rivers money is for Rivers people. Seventy per cent of the students will be indigenes of Rivers State. The remaining 30 per cent will be from other states. “All Rivers indigenes to be trained in the academy will school here free of charge,” he announced. He said Rivers people deserve the best, hence his administration is committed to initiating and executing quality projects for the people. Area Manager of Real Madrid Foundation for Africa and Middle East, Mr Inigo Vallejo, assured the

state that the club would continue to support and sustained the development of the academy. He said after series of engagement with Wike on the academy, the club keyed into it and would help drive the project. While thanking the Rivers State governor for his commitment to football development, he stated that Real Madrid Football Club would provide the necessary technical support to develop the academy Earlier during a courtesy visit to Wike at Government House, Port Harcourt, Vallejo described the Real Madrid Academy in Port Harcourt as the Mother of All Football Academies in Africa. He said Real Madrid Football Club positively responded to the dream of Wike to set up an academy in Rivers State. He said: “Mr Governor, you had a dream to deliver sports programmes to the children of Rivers State.

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MONDAYSPORTS

Van Dijk Likely to Eclipse Ronaldo, Messi at FIFA’s Best Award Today Virgil Van Dijk threatens to eclipse fellow European stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to lift FIFA’s The Best Player award today, to set himself up as favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or. Van Dijk, Ronaldo and Messi are the three men’s finalists for The Best Player award, with the winner to be announced on Monday in a star-studded ceremony in Milan’s famous opera house La Scala. The towering Dutch defender helped Liverpool to the Champions League trophy last season and is well-positioned having already won the Uefa player of the year award. Since The Best award was created in 2016, the winner has gone on to also lift the coveted Ballon d’Or, which will be unveiled on December 2. Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric won both awards last year to end Ronaldo and Messi’s ten-year domination. In the past three years the podiums for both awards have been almost identical apart from Egyptian Mohamed Salah’s third place in The Best in 2018, a spot occupied by France’s Antoine Griezmann in the Ballon d’Or.

Based on Liverpool’s success last season it could be Van Dijk’s turn to become the first defender since Italy’s former World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. The 28-year-old proved himself among the best defenders in the world for Liverpool and the Dutch national side who reached the Nations League final. Liverpool also missed out on the Premier League title by just one point behind Manchester City. Both Messi and Ronaldo have won FIFA’s award in different guises five times each. Former Real Madrid star Ronaldo’s six-year reign as the Champions League top scorer ended last season. The 34-year-old scored six goals in Juventus’s European campaign, including an incredible treble against Atletico Madrid, before they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Ronaldo also won the Nations League with Portugal and his first Serie A title with Juventus. Messi was top scorer in the Champions League last season with 12 goals before Barcelona were eliminated by Liverpool in the semifinals.

CHAN 2020: Home-based Eagles Pummeled in Lome Unless the Home-based Eagles are able to beat Togo by three unreplied goals next month, Nigeria can as well forget about playing in next year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) after conceding 1-4 defeat in Lome yesterday. The Imama Amapakabo led team was thoroughly overwhelmed by the Togolese in the first leg of the final playoff. Nasarawa United’s NPFL joint top scorer last season, Sunusi Ibrahim, gave Nigeria the lead after just eight minutes, before the home team drew level on 16 minutes through Richard Nane. Nane got his brace in the 70th minute. The home team increased their lead from the penalty spot to 3-1 and then made it even more difficult for Nigeria by adding a fourth goal in the closing moments of the contest.

The CHAN Eagles were made up in the main by the country’s U23s with a sprinkling of experienced campaigners like captain Mfon Udoh, goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai and striker Sikiru Alimi. Ndifreke Effiong was booked, so too right back John Lazarus who along with left-back Ebube Duru struggled to cope with the pace of the game. The CHAN Eagles, who reached the 2018 CHAN final in Morocco, will big now to go through to Cameroon 2020. CHAN Eagles starting XI vs Togo Theophilus Afelokhai – Ebube Duru, John Lazarus, Olisa Ndah, Dennis Nya – Fatai Gbadamosi, Ndifreke Effiong, Samuel Matthias – Mfon Udoh (captain) (Chisom Orji), Sikiru Alimi, Sunusi Ibrahim

Ruiz Knocks Down Trainer in Sparring Session World heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr showed off his knockout power on Instagram yesterday after sharing a video of his latest training session. Ruiz Jr is in camp ahead of his much-anticipated rematch with Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 7. The Mexican uploaded a video on Sunday showing him undergoing a pad session with trainer Manny Robles during which he knocks Robles’ pad off his hand. Ruiz Jr stunned Joshua with a seventh round TKO victory and spent the following months enjoying the fruits of

his night’s work. His own trainer, Robles, admitted recently that the WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO world champion was in poor physical condition and had done little training before agreeing to a rematch. Ruiz Jr weighed in at 268 lbs (19 stone, 1 pound), prior to his first bout with Joshua but has claimed he will weigh in considerably lighter for their second fight. His target weight of 255 lbs means he could enter the ring in Saudi Arabia over a stone lighter as he bids to be the faster fighter on the night.

The Argentine was also the top European scorer with 36 goals and won La Liga title with Barcelona. The 32-year-old helped Argentina to bronze at 2019 Copa America. Messi however could pay for his three-month suspension by

South American football body CONMEBOL after alleging corruption at the Copa America. Among the women, American World Cup winners Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, are in the running along with England’s Lucy Bronze. Rapinoe, 34, left France with

a Golden Boot and Golden Ball award. The three contenders for the men’s coaching award are Liverpool’s Champions League winning coach Jurgen Klopp, along with Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino, who reached the European final,

and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. US women’s coach Jill Ellis is in the run n i n g f or the women’s coachin g award along with England’s Phil N e v i l l e and Dutch coach S a r i n a Wi e g m a n .

Virgil van Dijk (left) helping Chelsea’s Willian back on his feet during their Premier League match at Stamford Bridge‌ yesterday

Aubameyang Snatches Victory for 10-man Arsenal Liverpool beat Chelsea to extend lead by ďŹ ve points Ten-man Arsenal twice came from a goal down to claim a much-needed 3-2 win over Aston Villa in dramatic fashion thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s free-kick six minutes from time at the Emirates on Sunday. The Gunners’ winless run in the Premier League seemed set to stretch to four games when John McGinn gave Villa the lead and Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s sending-off four minutes before halftime gave Unai Emery’s men

a mountain to climb. Nicolas Pepe’s first Arsenal goal from the penalty spot briefly brought the Gunners level, but Wesley soon restored Villa’s lead. Arsenal heart and commitment was questioned after blowing a two-goal lead to draw at Watford last weekend. But they showed no little spirit as Calum Chambers looped home an equaliser before Aubameyang took centre stage to rifle home a free-kick from the edge of the area.

A vital three points, which lifts Arsenal up to fourth, is a huge boost for Emery, who has faced questions in recent weeks over his ability to lead the Gunners back to the Champions League next season. Elsewere at Stamford Bridge, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s thunderous strike inspired Liverpool’s 2-1 win against Chelsea as the Premier League leaders moved five points clear at the top on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side extended their perfect start to the title race as they became the first club to win their opening six games in consecutive top-flight seasons. Alexander-Arnold’s blistering free-kick opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge. Roberto Firmino increased Liverpool’s advantage before the interval and N’Golo Kante’s fine goal was not enough to give Chelsea tangible reward for a vibrant second half.

PREMIER LEAGUE

West Ham Hammer Man Utd to Pick Maximum Points Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Cresswell earned West Ham their second successive home win against Manchester United, who lost striker Marcus Rashford through injury in the second half. Yarmolenko opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime, sending a low finish past David de Gea following patient build-up play involving Mark Noble and Felipe Anderson. Cresswell sealed all three points for the Hammers in the second half with a superb free-kick into the top right-hand corner. Chances were at a premium in a cagey first half at London Stadium, with Noble’s deflected effort from Pablo Fornals’ free-kick the closest either team came to a breakthrough before Yarmolenko’s strike. Juan Mata should have levelled for the visitors two

minutes into the second half but failed to hit the target after connecting well with Andreas Pereira’s low cross. The result lifts West Ham above the Red Devils in the Premier League table, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side remain three points off the top four and without an away league win since February. After making nine changes for the midweek Europa League victory over Astana, Solskjaer fielded the same team that beat Leicester at Old Trafford in their last league game. Nemanja Matic and Rashford were the sole survivors from Thursday’s win, with teenage striker Mason Greenwood United’s match-winner against the Kazakh side - unavailable due to tonsillitis. Rashford, who had gone five matches without a goal in open play before today, looked short on confidence

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford suffered a groin injury against West Ham United yesterday. He’s expected to undergo a scan today to ascertain the degree of his injury

throughout, failing to register a single shot before going off injured just after the hour mark. The injury capped a deeply frustrating afternoon for Solskjaer, whose side looked lacklustre, lethargic and short of ideas in the final third. Matic’s long-range drive, which was easily held by Lukas

Fabianski, was the closest they came to a goal in a forgettable first half. The visitors improved marginally in the second and should have restored parity when Mata got on the end of Pereira’s delivery, but the veteran midfielder somehow managed to steer the ball wide from point-blank range.

Monday September 23, 2019

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Soyinka to FG

“Further checks have however confirmed that this government has indeed attained an unprecedented level of paranoia. I do not believe that the Justice department itself believes in these improbable charges, as formally publicised. So, once again, we inscribe in our annals another season of treasonable felony” – Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, accusing the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of attaining an unprecedented level of paranoia.

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Nigeria’s Confounded Judiciary T

he Nigerian Judiciary has fallen. It has crashed and self-destructed. All hope of bringing it back to life seems lost. There is neither trust nor confidence in our judiciary anymore. Let me adapt Abba’s song, “Money, money, money … it’s a rich man’s world” and the judiciary is in full disco dance to the tune of money which at end of the day is used to blackmail them into line by a government determined to get its way at all cost. Evidential jurisprudence has lost its place and meaning to our judges. Across the states, judges have become errand boys and girls to state governors. They don’t even pretend anymore. We are in an era of the ruthless betrayal of Nigeria, when even judges sell their country for money; a country where former chief justices and serving Supreme Court judges have become consultants to foreign interests scamming their country. Nigeria is the gift that keeps giving. These are the judges expected to be impartial in the delivery of justice? Yes, the demons of our democracy have amassed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary, which has essentially abandoned its core duty of doing justice for the pursuit of mundane pecuniary benefits. Men of courage in our judiciary have since gone into extinction. Nigerians won’t forget in a hurry the judges of the 1980s. That epochal moment - encapsulated in their judgments and rulings which somewhat ensured the enforcement/ protection of human rights, freedoms and Nigeria’s evolving democratic values, even under the jackboot of military dictatorship - was documented for future generations by the irrepressible Gani Fawehinmi of blessed memory in his book, The Judiciary: 1980 to 1989, A Legacy for Posterity. Now let’s start with the grudge I have been nursing against the judiciary for the past few years. On October 25, 2007, the Nigerian Supreme Court did the unthinkable: in a judgment that lacked rationality and common sense, the court rewrote the meaning of party politics and participatory democracy. In the process, rather than bring order to a system that was riddled with confusion and fog, it sowed anarchy in our body politic. Rather than bring clarity, it unleashed chaos and utter confusion in our politics. And rather than uphold truth and dispense justice, it entrenched vice, avarice, perjury, falsehood and criminality. In a judgment that was fundamentally flawed and clearly in defiance of the supreme will of the people and against the very principles of natural justice, or any known logical deduction or persuasive reasoning, the apex court unilaterally installed an unelected individual, Mr Rotimi Amaechi who did not participate in the Rivers State governorship election as the duly elected governor of the state. That day has lived in infamy ever after, as the court went on to rule that it was the political party that was elected and not the individual candidate. It turned everything I was taught in school upside down. Of course many celebrated that absurd judgment as “sound” but I remember vividly that the late Gani Fawehinmi and a very few others faulted it, describing it as fundamentally flawed. Honestly, I am reluctant to dabble into the legalese of points of law since I am not “learned”. While I will stand on the fringes of arguments based on points of law, I will stand firmly on the hard ground of right and

Muhammad wrong and the dictates of the ultimate ends of justice and hold on firmly to what is good for society to make my point. But do I have to be “learned” to have a clear sense of right and wrong? Or do I have to be a lawyer to visualise the inherent danger in some of the judgments that have emanated from our courts and have left us the “unlearned” stunned and bewildered? I don’t think so. Many of the judgments and rulings are like those of an apprentice in a carpenter’s workshop, viz., no quotable quote, no beautiful prose, and are even lacking in philosophy, logic and ancient wisdom that mesmerise. In a unanimous decision, the court said Amaechi was wrongly substituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that the indictment on which his disqualification was anchored in was unlawful. Justice Aloysious Katsina-Alu (presided), while Justice George Oguntade, delivered the lead judgment consented to by all six other justices of the court comprising Dairu Mustdapher, Mahmud Mohammed, Walter Onnoghen, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad (now the Chief Justice of Nigeria) and Pius Olayiwola Aderemi. Thank God we know their names, so we will tell our children what they did on that day. The court consequently held that Amaechi was PDP’s governorship standard-bearer in the said election. In a haste to do “substantial justice without regards to technicalities”, the court declared him (Amaechi) to have won the election that he did not participate in. While the Supreme Court did “substantial justice” to Amaechi by installing him as governor upon the mandate won by another person, it did mortal damage to the interpretation of the law and tenets of the presidential system of government that we practice. It did more than substantial injury to the man who campaigned, sold his vision to the electorate and won the election. It stole by judicial fiat the mandate given to Celestine Omehia by the people and gave it to Amaechi. That to me is the worst form of judicial malpractice and crime against the people. Struggling to find a plank to rest this totally bizarre and absurd judgment, Oguntade found solace in Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution which provides: “No association other than a political party shall canvass for votes for any candidate in any election or contribute to the funds of any party or to the election expenses of any candidate in an election.”

“The above provision effectually removes the possibility of independent candidacy in our elections; and places emphasis and responsibility in elections on political parties. Without a political party, a candidate cannot contest. The primary method of contest for elective offices is therefore between the parties. If as provided in Section 221 above, it is a party that canvasses for votes, it follows that it is a party that wins an election. A good or bad candidate may enhance or diminish the prospect of his party in winning but at the end of the day, it is the party that wins or loses in election…,” Oguntade added. This interpretation was not only flawed, it was mortally injurious and more than that, it substantially diminished the importance of a candidate in an election. Judges are usually clever at finding justification for their position no matter how bizarre that position may be. They do this by deploying absurd interpretations and irrational logic to walk to a preconceived judgment. In this particular case, they left gaping holes for even the unlearned to see through it straight away. But let me ask the court some salient questions that have remained unaddressed. Can the party field itself in an election without the candidate? If the candidate was less important, as the Supreme Court declared, why do parties expend precious time and resources to go through primaries to select candidates who can win elections to be their standard-bearers? Since a “good or bad candidate may enhance or diminish the prospect of his party in winning”, how come the court was so sure that it wasn’t the unique qualities of then-candidate of the PDP, Celestine Omehia, that made the party to win? Why was the Supreme Court so cocksure that the PDP plus Ameachi would have won, that Ameachi’s peculiar qualities wouldn’t have diminished the party’s chances of winning? Now, who takes the oath of office, is it the party or the individual? Who espouses their vision on the campaign field to woo voters, is it not the individual? Can the political party, as an inanimate entity, campaign for votes and espouse its vision? As central as the candidate is in democracy and governance, the judges who sat in the Amaechi case deliberately chose to diminish its relevance to arrive at an absurd pronouncement that sent shock waves across the country. By that jaundiced interpretation, the apex court chose mysteries over clarity and insulted the pursuit of truth and justice. My position also aligns with that of a former governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor. A few years ago as Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission (NLRC), he pointed out the inherent danger staring us in the face when judges become electors of candidates. He called for reforms to put an end to judges electing candidates. His words: “Elsewhere, election results are supposed to be a reflection of the will of the voters but often in Nigeria the voters are completely disregarded, their right to vote negated and their will rendered irrelevant. Instead, the will of one presiding judge, sitting with subordinate trusted judges, is substituted for the will of the entire voting population which may run into millions. There is obviously something intrinsically wrong with this practice and it may, if left unchecked, have grave security and other consequences for the judiciary, a state or even the country as a whole in future.” He faulted the lead judgment read by Justice George Oguntade,

in which he held that it was a political party that wins an election and not the candidate. “The correct position is that both the candidate and his political party jointly win or lose an election – one cannot do it without the other”. “Section 177 states: ‘A person shall be qualified for election to the office of governor of a state if: (a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of thirty-five years; (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and (d) he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent.’ “Section 179 (2) states: ‘A candidate for an election to the office of governor of a state shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates: (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one quarter of all the votes.’” “How, in the face of these clear provisions of the constitution (and the Electoral Act), it could be said that it is a political party, not the candidate that wins an election, unless it can be explained as a case of ‘judicial law-making’, remain a mystery which only time will reveal”, Osunbor wondered. To show how fundamentally flawed that judgment was, Amaechi in his second term alongside four other governors, rubbished the position of the Supreme Court and defected with the mandate won by his party – the PDP to another party - the All Progressives Congress(APC) with no consequences. You see, the judiciary’s wandering into political territory created the mess we have on our hands today. But some of those who praised the Supreme Court when it gave that sham judgment, also by some legal sleight of hand to hide the truth, hailed the defection as lawful. It was that judgment that INEC found solace in, in resolving the Kogi conundrum brought about by the sudden death of candidate Abubakar Audu, who was leading in the “inconclusive” governorship election in Kogi State. The Supreme Court decision on the Osun State governorship election between Ademola Adeleke of the PDP and Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC where the court relied solely on technicalities to dismiss the appeal filed by the PDP was another case that permanently tarnished the image of the court. The court ruled that the absence, during a previous sitting of Justice Peter Obiorah, who read the election tribunal’s majority judgment declaring Adeleke of the PDP winner, nullified the tribunal’s judgment. How could that be? But even if he was absent, he read all the proceedings and testimonies. So for an action that was not of PDP’s making, the court used technicalities, which it discountenanced in the Ameachi case, to deny the party justice? Wonders never cease! What about the just delivered verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal between President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar? There was no doubt that the judgment of the tribunal left so much to be desired. To start with, concerning the issue of the president’s secondary school qualifications, the judges ruled that the PDP and Atiku failed to prove that Buhari was not qualified academically to contest the election, even when evidence abounded for them to rule to the contrary. This is a constitutional requirement, which has many grounds. Continued on page 61

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