28th Nigerian Economic Summit Holds October 24
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Nigerian Economic
Summit (NES) will hold between
October 24 and 25 this year,
Minister of State, Budget and
National Planning, Prince Clem
Agba has announced.
Friday 7: 08: 2022
Dwindling Allocation: Salaries
Other Recurrents to Suffer – NGF
Blames rising Petrol Subsidy
Pay up or Face Strike Next Week, Marketers Tell FG
By Joseph Amah, Abuja
The Nigeria Governors’
Forum has lamented that the
subsidy on Premium Motor
Spirit (petrol), has placed a
huge financial burden on the
states.
The NGF, which is the
umbrella body for the 36
governors of the federation
across party lines, made this
known in a memo forwarded to
the House of Representatives.
The memo is in response to
the call for memoranda by the
House’ Ad Hoc Committee on
the Volume of Fuel Consumed
Daily in Nigeria, which is
investigating the actual amount
of PMS the country consumes
daily.
The memo, which was
CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
Youths Take Lead as
Fresh CVR Hits 10.4m
account for 6.9m New registrants
The Independent
National
Commission
Electoral
(INEC)
says fresh registration in
the ongoing nationwide
Continuous Voter
Registration (CVR) has
hit 10,487,972 as at 7 a.m.,
on July 4.
FAAN to Close Lagos Airport Domestic Runways for 90 Days
The minister made the Shared Prosperity” is organized in the area of infrastructure is
announcement while by the Nigerian Economic key which is why the National
inaugurating the Joint Planning Summit Group (NESG) in Development Plan (NDP)
Committee (JPC) for the event, collaboration with the Federal is focusing on addressing
at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Ministry of Finance, Budget and the infrastructure gap in
Abuja on Thursday. National Planning. collaboration with the NESG
Thia years’ summit tagged According to Agba, the need to He
“2023 and Beyond: Priorities for tackle key economics especially said CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 Zainab
FIRST PUBLISHED: JUNE 12, 2017
www.dailyasset.ng @DailyAssetNG facebook.com/dailyassetnewspaper ISSN: 2616-1036 Vol. 2 No. 594 N200
Queues Worsen, Petrol Sells N175 Per Litre
Kuje Prison
attack: FG
Orders NCoS,
Security agencies
to Fortify
Correctional Pg. 7
Police arrest Pg. 6
Four Suspected
Gunrunners in Benue,
recover 300 rounds
of ammunition
Kidney donor not
a Minor, UK Court
rules, denies
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, testing his hands on a super bike, during the biker’s visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday. With him are: Chairman, Nigerians Ekweremadu, Wife
in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa (L); London to Lagos biker, Tunde Adeyanju (R) and other Bikers Bail yet again
Pg. 5
We’ll Ensure
Changes in
disCos don’t
disrupt Service
which 3,314,169 registered
while 4,773,162 are females,
of which 71,998 are Persons
With Disabilities (PWDs)
above.
The commission also – FG Pg 14
The commission disclosed that it had so
disclosed this in its
Quarter Four, Week 12
through online and
6,141,029 registrants did
It also revealed that
6,698,446 of the registrants
far received 25,056,633
applications including
FG declares
update released in Abuja physical registration. were youths; 1,894,39 were those for voter transfer, Monday, Tuesday
on Wednesday. The gender breakdown of middle age between 18 requests for replacement Public Holidays
The commission also of the figure indicates that and 34 years; 758,300 – the of Permanent Voter Cards
disclosed that 9,455,198 4,682,036 of the registrants elderly between 50 to 69 (PVCs), update of voter to Mark Eid-el
registrants completed who completed their years while 104,056 were information record, among Kabir Pg. 5
their registrations, out of registrations are males, the old from 70 years and others.(NAN)
Pg 15
 DAILY ASSET
2 COVER Friday, July 08, 2022

Dwindling Allocation: Salaries Other Recurrents to Suffer – NGF

<< from cover
signed by the Head, Legislative
Liaison, Peace and Security, NGF,
Fatima Usman Katsina, for Chairman
of the Forum, was titled ‘Findings on
the Volume of Fuel Consumed Daily
in Nigeria,’ dated July 1, 2022, and
addressed to committee’s Chairman,
Abdulkadir Abdullahi.
“Fiscal pressures are growing
unsustainably with the PMS subsidy
significantly reducing the flow
of revenues into the Federation
Account. Thirty-five out of 36 states
are likely to see transfers from the
federation fall (in nominal terms)
between 2021 and 2022, with the
average decline projected to be about
11 per cent. Most states are already
experiencing fiscal stress, with 30 out
of 36 states recording fiscal deficits in
2020, including Lagos and every oil-
producing state except Akwa Ibom.
“With the projected decline in gross
distributable federation revenues in
2022, fiscal deficits and debt burdens
will grow even larger and faster.
This will mean that transfers from
the federation will not be enough to
cover even salaries, and certainly not
recurrent costs, which are growing in
nominal terms.”
The governors referred the House
to a November 2021 report by its
National Executive Council’s ad
hoc committee interfacing with
the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation on the appropriate
pricing of PMS in Nigeria, which was
chaired by Governor of Kaduna State,
Nasir el-Rufai, and had governors of
Edo, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and
Ekiti, as well as the Governor of the
Central Bank of Nigeria; Minister
of Finance, Budget and National
Planning; Accountant-General of the
Federation, Group Managing Director
of the NNPC and the Permanent
Secretary, MBNP.
The memo partly read, “Although
the operating environment has
significantly worsened since the
report was released, with NNPC now
consistently reporting zero remittance
to the Federation Accountant as
profit from joint venture, production
sharing contract and miscellaneous
operations, the position of the forum
remains generally the same.”
The NGF recalled how the report
noted that the “federation (FAAC) net
oil & gas revenues have been declining
since 2019 and are projected to decline
significantly in 2022 by between N3bn
and up to N4.4bn unless action is
taken now.” The memo read, “The
following are some of the major
findings relating to the volume of fuel
consumed in the country:
Fayemi
“Remittances to the Federation Account
Allocation Committee have continued to
shrink as NNPC recovers shortfall quite
arbitrarily from the Federation’s crude oil sales
revenue. FAAC deductions for PMS subsidy
are above 2019 levels, even without adjusting
for reduced purchasing power of the naira due
to inflation and FX rate deterioration.
“An analysis of the average monthly PMS
consumption by states showed that a third
of the country accounts for over 65 per cent
consumption of PMS. The analysis showed
that the following States of Lagos, Oyo,
Ogun, Abuja, Delta, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Rivers,
Kaduna, Kebbi and Adamawa accounted for 65
per cent of PMS consumption in the country.
Most states with high PMS consumption either
have borders with neighbouring countries
or are in close proximity, this has been an
avenue for smugglers to benefit from profitable
arbitrage opportunities in PMS pricing.
“Households directly consume only about
25 per cent of the PMS that is consumed
nationally, with the remaining three-quarters
being consumed by firms, MDAs, transport
operators or smuggled to neighbouring
countries where the PMS price is nearly three
times what it is in Nigeria; and of the PMS
consumed by households, the richest 40 per
cent of households account for over three-
quarters of the PMS purchased by households,
while the poorest 40 per cent of households
purchased less than three percent of all PMS
sold in Nigeria.
“In the current fiscal regime, remittances
to FAAC would continue to shrink as NNPC
recovers this shortfall from the Federation as
a result of crude oil price recovery. The report
recommended a PMS pricing structure that
addresses regional arbitrage and smuggling
of PMS and provides additional revenue to
the Federation Account. There is a significant
market opportunity for additional export
revenue streams for Nigeria to be had given the
price parity with our neighbouring countries.
“Privatisation of the three government
refineries as is, or after their full rehabilitation
if affordable and viable, and expediting the
licensing procedure for modular refineries will
reduce the recurring government expenditure
on refinery maintenance and increase the
country’s refining capacity.”
The governors also noted that there were
also economic risks highlighted in the report.
“Fiscal pressures are threatening Nigeria’s
recovery, as rising prices continue to push
millions into poverty,” they stated.
The memo further read, “Rising
prices are pushing millions of
Nigerians into poverty. Rising
inflation between 2020 and 2021
is expected to have pushed an
additional 5-6 million Nigerians
into poverty. Food insecurity is
increasing in both poor and non-
poor households, with some adults
skipping meals. Because inflation
is high, even if it remains stable, it
will continue to push many more
Nigerians into poverty.
“With the coming into effect of the
Petroleum Industry Act, gross oil &
gas revenues could be (much) lower
than currently projected because
of the new fiscal terms and the
earmarking of deductible revenues
specified in the PIA, and that could
reduce net oil & gas revenues even
further.”
The NGF stated that greater
accountability and transparency
around oil and gas revenues “are the
only immediate options for easing
the pressure on government finances
and maximising socially responsible
profit gain.”
N175 Per Litre, Marketers Plan
Strike, Queues Worsen
Meanwhile several petrol
stations are now dispensing petrol
at over N175/litre, higher than the
government-approved N165/litre
price. This is as oil marketers insist
on embarking on strike from next
week if the government fails to pay
them.
Some outlets in Lagos that sold
the commodity at N169/litre last
week had to adjust their pumps on
Wednesday, as they dispensed PMS
to motorists at N175/litre.
Also, queues by motorists at filling
stations, which have persisted in
Abuja and environs since February
this year, gradually resurfaced in
parts of Lagos on Wednesday.
Our correspondent also observed
that many fuel stations, particularly
those belonging to members of the
Independent Petroleum Marketers
Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN)
were shut due to a lack of products
to sell to customers.
Gegu Oil, Eterna and Oando
stations at the Dutse end of the
Kubwa-Zuba Expressway in Abuja,
for instance, had remained shut for
days for lack of products to sell,
despite the heavy queues of motorists
in a nearby NNPC retail outlet.
Amidst these concerns, oil
marketers under the aegis of Abuja-
Suleja IPMAN, stated on Wednesday
that their proposed strike would go
ahead next week if the government
fails to substantially clear the
bridging claims for transportation
of petrol being owed marketers.
Last week, oil marketers warned
that Nigeria could witness “the
mother of all queues” soon if the
Federal Government fails to pay the
12 months bridging claims being
owed operators in the downstream
oil sector.
They had also denied being
paid N74bn by the Federal
Government as bridging claims for
the transportation of petroleum
products.
The Federal Government
through its Nigeria Midstream and
Downstream Petroleum Regulatory
Authority had said last week that it
paid N74bn as bridging claims to
oil marketers for the transportation
of petroleum products across the
country in seven months.
But the Secretary, Abuja-Suleja
IPMAN, Mohammed Shuaibu,
whose unit covers Abuja, Kogi,
Niger and parts of Nasarawa and
Kaduna, told our correspondent
on Wednesday that though some
members had confirmed the receipt
of payments, a host of others had yet
to receive theirs.
“Few of our members have
confirmed receiving alerts, but the
majority have not been paid and
so the decision to embark on the
mother of all strike still stands,
except we get our payments,” he
stated.
Shuaibu added, “Many
independent marketers are closing
shop and because of these debts. We
cannot continue to fold our hands.
We are sorry about the hardship,
but the government has to pay us,
otherwise we will withdraw our
services.”
Reacting to the concerns,
the spokesperson, NMDPRA,
Kimchi Apollo, earlier told our
correspondent that the petrol price
had not changed from the approved
N165/litre price, as he also stated that
efforts were on to settle to bridging
claims being owed the marketers.
Meanwhile, there were indications
that long queues were beginning
to resurface in Lagos State and its
environs on Wednesday, as findings
showed that filling stations were
beginning to sell petrol above N175
per litre.
The Federal Government and
oil marketers are yet to come to a
compromise on how much a litre of
petrol should be sold, and marketers
are beginning to sell products at
prices not approved by the Nigerian
Midstream and Downstream
Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Marketers, however, said they
could no longer bank on the Federal
Government’s promise to pay the
claims, while they continue to run
at a loss for selling petrol at N165
per litre.
Marketers had held a similar
meeting with the NMDPRA two
weeks ago, where they aired their
grievances on the high costs of
running their petrol stations.
Also, the Depots and Petroleum
Products Marketers Association of
Nigeria had hinted that it would be
impossible for its members to keep
prices at N165/litre when the landing
costs to their stations were already on
the high side.
NLC President Wabba Calls
for Fixing of Refineries, Subsidy
Removal
As a solution, the President of
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),
Ayuba Wabba has told the federal
government to fix the nation’s
refineries and get rid of subsidy
payments.
He also advocated the
participation of private investors
in building refineries adding that
importation of fuel poses threats to
the country.
Wabba revealed these in
a presentation made to the
House of Representatives ad
hoc committee investigating
daily PMS consumption in the
country.
According to the Labour
leader: “We do believe that even
if there is subsidy, it cannot be at
the level quoted by authorities
in the sector. In our document
on the oil sector, we have
outlined conditions precedent
for removing subsidies, if any,
including fixing the refineries,
creating conditions for private
sector participation in the
building of refineries, even if
they are modular.
“Sadly, we are not aware if any
of the terms and conditions we
have recommended have been
met, several years after. We
are nonetheless conscious of
the fact that the continuous
opaque importation of PMS
holds clear and present danger
to the country.
“On the other hand, the
transparent operation of the
importation of PMS has two
major advantages. The first
advantage is that, knowing
the exact volume of PMS the
country needs and publicising
it will deter further falsification
of imports, hopefully,” Wabba
said.

28th Nigerian Economic Summit Holds October 24

<< from cover
“The ministry just launched
the Nigerian Infrastructure
Master plan which identifies
the strategies to be taken in
tackling infrastructure deficit
with huge collaborations from
the private sector. We have to
address these issues not only
road or housing infrastructure
but also ICT, agriculture and
others aspects.
“The economic summit no
doubt has served as a forum
to articulate our policies and
strategies which is why we are
fully committed to driving the
cause of the summit,”
The minister said the federal
government will be committing
N15 million for the planning
and preparation of this year’s
summit, as against N10 million
it provided the Planning
Committee last year.
Earlier in his remarks, the
Chairman of NESG, Mr. Asue
Ighodalo said the summit since
it’s inception in 1993 has offered
workable solutions to economic
challenges, adding that “This
years own will provide an
opportunity for aspiring leaders prepares for general
to present a clear cut agenda elections next year, the
that will steer Nigeria from the 28th Economic Summit,
current economic headwinds it “presents a unique
is experiencing,” opportunity to galvanize
Ighodalo reiterated the stakeholders to articulate
committment of the group to the country’s development
continue synergizing with the imperatives that must
federal government ahead of satisfy the need for inclusive
the 2022 Edition of the Summit. economic growth, security,
He noted that as the country social justice...”
DAILY ASSET 3
Friday, July 08, 2022

VIEWPOINT
Making Votes Count in 2023 General Elections
By Ibrahim Faruk
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) commenced the online registration of Nige-
rians who turned 18 (fresh registrations) or had nev-
er registered since the 2019 General Elections as well
as Nigerians seeking to transfer their registrations,
apply for replacement for defaced or lost PVCs and
information updates on the register. On June, 27
2022, one year after the commencement of the con-
tinuous voter registration (CVR) process, INEC an-
nounced that there were a total of 10,487,972 fresh
registrants; however only 8,631,696 had complet-
ed their registration, with 3,250,449 starting online
and completing it at the INEC registration centres
while 5,381,247 where started and completed phys-
ically at the INEC registration centres.
An estimated 4.5-5 million Nigerians turn 18,
which is the constitutional age of electoral fran-
chise, each year. This translates to between 18-20
million potential ‘new voters’ from the 2019 gen-
eral elections to the 2023 general elections. This is
the generation that largely participated in the Octo-
ber 2020 #EndSARS protests. One of the prevalent
narratives during and after the protest centered on
a need to participate in political, electoral, and dem-
ocratic processes and indicated a need for youth to
move beyond the protests. To move from protest to
power is the work when the protest crowds eventu-
ally go home, and a lot of the decisive politics and
power-broking happens. The post-protest moment is
of vital importance in influencing whether protests
are ultimately meaningful – and whether their im-
pact is positive. However, once the continuous voter
registration process began 8 months after the pro-
tests, the level of youth participation in the CVR pro-
cess compared to the protests in October 2020 was
abysmally low. The thousands of Nigerian youth who
marched on the streets were absent at the voter reg-
istration centres.
This has changed since the political party prima-
ries were concluded between May – June 2022 by
various political parties in preparation for the 2023
General Elections. There has been a noticeable in-
crease in the number of young people flooding the
INEC registration centres to register, transfer, apply
for replacement or update their information on the
voter’s roll. The political party primaries, it seems,
served as a greater trigger than the #EndSARS pro-
tests to move the country’s largest demographic to
register to vote.
The efforts of civil society groups such as Yiaga Af-
rica with the #YouthVoteCountNG Mega Concerts
in Lagos and Abuja, #SixtyPercentOfUs and #Run-
ToWinNG Projects which seek to increase youth reg-
istration, PVC collection and voter turnout towards
the 2023 Elections as well as efforts by ABENOL,
TASCK, #YVoteNaija and #GoNigeria contributed
to creating awareness on the importance of the elec-
toral process. A cocktail of these factors contribut-
ed to the surge of young Nigerians who continue to
throng the voter registration centres and have ac-
cused INEC of frustrating their efforts to partici-
pate in the 2023 Elections.
In 2011, INEC procured and deployed over 132,000
direct data capture machines (DDCMs) – one per
each of the 119,974 polling units (PUs) and each of
the 8,809 registration areas (RAs), with a provision
for some contingency, to facilitate the capture of the
biometrics and other data of registrants during the
three-week voter registration exercise conducted be-
tween January 15th and February 4th, 2011. This fa-
cilitated the registration of a total of 73,528,040 eli-
gible Nigerians at the end of the exercise.
By 2021, INEC had established 56,872 new poll-
ing units in a bid to expand access to polling units
for the increased number of voters. This was the first
time additional polling units have been created in Ni-
geria since 1996, when the Commission established
119,974 polling units. This increase brings the total
number of polling units in Nigeria to 176,846. It is
expected that INEC will deploy the Bimodal Voter
Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to each of
these polling units on Election Day.
Considering that the BVAS machines are also used
by INEC as the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED),
INEC should be able to deploy these machines as part
of decentralizing the voter registration to the polling
units so as to register as many eligible Nigerian citi-
zens as possible before the 2023 elections.
However, this has not been the case as the lack of
adequate machines is hampering the CVR process,
and could be an impediment to ensuring all willing
and eligible voters are able to register before the pro-
cess ends.
The inability of INEC to provide more machines to
ensure the voter registration process is as smooth as
possible for every Nigerian raises questions on the
readiness of the Commission for the 2023 Elections
in terms on the number and current level of func-
tionality of the IVED/BVAS machines that have been
procured for the elections.
Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act (2022) has
strengthened the financial independence of the In-
dependent National Electoral Commission by ensur-
ing that funds for general elections must be released
at least one year before the election. The insertion of
the clause is aimed at preventing such situations by
ensuring that INEC has the needed funds it needs
for the smooth running of activities preparatory to
elections, in this case, to procure the adequate num-
ber of IVED/BVAS machines for voter registration.
It is incumbent upon INEC to ensure that every
eligible and willing Nigerian registers to vote and is
able to vote in the 2023 elections. However, with-
out INEC increasing its capacity to register all pro-
spective voters, the opportunity presented by its ex-
tension of the deadline for closing voter registration
will not be maximized.
More importantly, it must also ensure that the
Permanent Voters’ Cards of all those who have un-
dergone fresh registration, transferred their PVCs,
or requested for replacement of lost PVCs are pro-
duced in time to enable registered voters to collect
them and participate in the General Elections sched-
uled for February and March 2023.
This is critical to increasing the level of turnout in
the elections and reversing the declining turnout re-
corded in the last two elections.
To quote the INEC chairman at the #YouthVote-
CountNG concerts in Lagos and Abuja, votes cast in
the 2023 elections will count. However, citizens have
to be able to vote first before their votes will count.
As former US President Barack Obama once said,
“There is no such thing as a vote that does not mat-
ter. It all matters.”
Ibrahim Faruk is a Programme Manager with
Yiaga Africa’s Governance and Development Pro-
gramme

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4 DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022

NEWS dEputy Editor: 08111845063

Benue SUBEB
Blames Farmers/ Northern Governors Tackle FG over Slow
Herders Crisis,
COVID-19 for Rise
Implementation of National Livestock Programme
From Jude Dangwam, Jos told newsmen yesterday in Productivity and Resilience issue of insecurity as it has
in School Dropouts The Northern Governors
Jos that the meeting held at the
Transcorp Hilton Abuja was
Project (L-PRES) which was
believed to compliments the
been a matter of concern
where in some places
From David Torough, Makurdi Forum has expressed worries chaired by Governor Simon NLTP and will yield a positive farming activities have been
In furtherance to the Benue State over slow implementation Lalong. result. interrupted.
Universal Basic Education Board of the National Livestock Governor Lalong He maintained that the “We are working with
(SUBEB) Back-To-School campaign Transformation Programme alongside other members implementation of the other stakeholders especially
programme supported by the United and the State Level Project of the Forum said they programmes will have direct the security agencies to see
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Socialisation on Livestock were worried over the slow bearing on the lives of the how to help farmers. This is
collaboration with Global Partnership Productivity and Resilience pace of the implementation people especially the Northern the time that farmers would
for Education (GPE) and Federal Support Project (L-PRES) in of the National Livestock region of the country known need a lot of our support and
Ministry Of Education (FME) to end the region. Transformation Programme for farming and animal assurance to produce food for
the menace of out of school children The Forum made this which was conceived to tackle husbandry in the country. the nation,” Governor Lalong
and improve pupils’ enrollment in known during a meeting in the challenges confronting Governor Lalong reiterated stated.
Benue schools, a media engagement Abuja with the Minister of herdsmen and farmers in the that the implementation of the Amidst the rising insecurity
for the implementation of the Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed country. programmes would also help in the Northern region of
programme was on Thursday held in Mahmood Abubakar. The Chairman among in addressing the security the country, members of the
Makurdi, the state capital. Director of Press and Public other Governors said he was challenges which farmers are Forum in attendance were the
Addressing the participants at the Affairs to Governor Simon particularly disturbed because experiencing in the course Governors of Kwara, Niger,
event, the Executive Chairman of Lalong of Plateau State, who agriculture is the main stay of of their farming activities in Kebbi, Kaduna and Deputy
SUBEB, Comrade Joseph Utse who doubles as the Northern the North, and the Forum the region and the country at Governors of Benue, Kogi,
was represented by the Permanent Governors Forum Chairman, welcomes the introduction large. Bauchi and Nasarawa States,
Member 1, zone A, Mr. Mike Kusah Dr. Makut Simon Macham of the new outfit Livestock, “We are not sleeping the respectively.
identified the crisis between farmers-
Herders crisis which have displaced
and disorganized to send the children
out of school mostly in the ruler areas,
the devastating effect of the Covid-19
as some of the factors responsible for
some children to be out of school.
He explained that it was in
recognition of the need for these
children to be sent back to school that
UNICEF and GPE in collaboration
with the Federal Ministry of education
thought it wise that the former
campaign should be launched to
ensure that out of school children are
returned to school to continue their
studies.
The SUBEB Chairman stressed
that the meeting was a continuation
of efforts aimed at implementing
strategies and plans that have the
support and are being implemented
under the watch of UNICEF, GPE
and federal ministry of education in
collaboration with the state ministry
of education and State universal
education board.
He appreciated the media who he
said over time have been supportive
of efforts, programmes and activities
known to the general public in the
area of sensitization and sued for its
sustenance.
In her goodwill message,
Permanent Secretary, Benue State
ministry of education, Mrs. Margaret
Ikpe said that the ministry was ready From left: Managing Director, Wema Bank PLC, Mr Ademola Adebisi; Consular-General, People’s Republic of China, Lagos, Mr Chu Moaning; Chairman, GAC Motor, Chief Diana Chen; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of
to partner with the global partners and Lagos; Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Chinyere Almona and Vice President, CIG Group, Mr Linus Idahosa, during the GAC Motor G-Style grand opening and unveiling of the All New
federal ministry of education as well GS4 car in Lagos yesterday /NAN
as other concerned Stakeholders to
ensure that the children who are out
of school for the not fault of theirs but
Troops Neutralise Five Terrorists in N/East, Recover Weapons
The Defence Headquarters says two AK47 rifles, three dane guns, Safe had on July 5, rescued the 16 rescued.
are displaced due to some human and troops of 24 Task Force Brigade two AK47 magazines, 70 rounds meters surfer passenger boat MV According to him, the crew
natural factors go back to their classes. operating under Operation Hadin of 7.62mm ammunition and seven NUE SWIFT belonging to Lagos and boat were handed over to
While appreciating the effort of Kai have eliminated five Boko locally fabricated rounds of 7.62mm based oil service company. Forward Base Operation Bonny
the media for their support, called Haram terrorists in an encounter ammunition. He said the troops responded to on Wednesday.
for more sacrifice to reach people in at Gamage Village in Borno. He added that four cell phones, a distress message about propulsion “The military high command
the hinterland saying, that the state The Director, Defence Media three ATM cards and several bags of a boat on transit. commends troops in the frontlines
ministry of education was making Operations, Maj.-Gen. Bernard of assorted food stuff were also He added that the boat lost for their timely interventions,
effort to reach the Benue children Onyeuko, in a statement yesterday, recovered. her propelling ability at Agbara encourages the general public
with other ways possible through said the encounter took place on In the maritime domain, Platform while transiting from to avail troops with credible and
the e-learning so that the education July 3. Onyeuko said the Nigerian Navy Forcados to Bonny Mooring and timely information on criminal
can get to the Benue child anywhere He said the troops recovered Ship ‘Okpabana’ of Operation Delta drifted for 32 hours before it was activities,” he said. (NAN)
within the state.
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
2021 Batch B Stream 1 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) corps members giving three-hearty cheers the passing out parade of 2021 Batch B Stream 1 National Youth Service Corps
(NYSC) corps members at Ekiti Parapo Pavilion Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State yesterday
Nigerian Navy Ship Rescues
Distressed Oil Vessel on High Sea
By Gom Mirian, Abuja
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS)
OKPABANA has rescued a Surfer
passenger boat, MV NUE SWIFT on
the Nigerian high sea in portharcourt
The rescue mission was carried
out off Bonny Fairway Buoy at about
2pm on Tuesday July, according to the
Naval spokesperson, Commodore AO
Ayo-Vaughn in a statement yesterday.
He said the 16 metre Surfer
FG Declares Monday, Tuesday Public
Holidays to Mark Eid-el-Kabir Celebration
The Federal Government has
declared Monday and Tuesday as
public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-
el-Kabir celebration.
This is contained in a statement
issued by the Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore,
yesterday in Abuja.
Belgore said the Minister of Interior,
Rauf Aregbesola, who made the
declaration on behalf of the Federal
Government, congratulated all
Muslims and Nigerians both at home
and in the Diaspora on the occasion.
Police Pledge to Intensify Collaboration with South-East Governors, Leaders
The Deputy Inspector-General of
Police (DIG) Supervising South-East,
Mr John Amadi, said the force will
intensify collaboration with South
East governors and leaders to ensure
improved security.
Amadi, who is also the DIG in-charge
of Research and Planning, gave the
assurance while speaking to newsmen
during an oversight visit to the Police
Command in Enugu yesterday.
The DIG said it would meet with
the governors and leaders of the zone
to come up with a robust security
Passenger Boat MV NUE SWIFT,
which belongs to a Lagos-based Oil
Service Company, had a crew of 5
Nigerians onboard.
He explained that the boat lost
her means of propulsion at Agbara
Platform while transiting from
Forcados to Bonny Single Buoy
Mooring and drifted for about 32
hours without any help or assistance.
“NNS OKPABANA in swift
response to the boat’s distress message,
“I call on Muslims to continue
to imbibe the spirit of love, peace,
kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified
by the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(Peace be upon Him).
“We should also use the period to
pray for peace, unity, prosperity and
the stability of the country, considering
the challenges of insecurity we face at
the moment,” Aregbesola said.
The minister assured Nigerians of
President Muhammadu Buhari’s was
commitment to the security of lives
and properties of all.
architecture that would reduce crime
and criminality to its barest minimum
in the zone.
He assured South-East residents of
improved security as the police had
deployed fresh strategy in tackling
insecurity in the zone.
“What we are here to do is to ensure
that our people sleep with their two
eyes closed and they are assured of their
safety always.
“We are working out a fresh strategy,
which might not be discussed in the
public.
located MV NUE SWIFT and towed
the boat to Bonny Anchorage.
“Accordingly, the crew members
were medically evaluated and
counselled by Nigerian Navy
medical personnel onboard NNS
OKPABANA.
“Thereafter, the crew and the
boat were handed over to the
Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy
Forward Operations Base BONNY,
on 6 July 2022 at about 10am, for
Aregbesola, while wishing Muslims
a happy Eid-el Kabir celebration, urged
Nigerians to take responsibility by
reporting any suspicious individuals
and criminal activities they observed
around them to law enforcement
agencies.
This, he said, can be done using the
N-Alerts application.
The minister said the N-Alert
application was designed to mitigate
security challenges with prompt
response from security agencies.
“As soon as you see something do
“To ensure we achieve this; we will be
working with the active collaboration
of the state governors and prominent
sons and daughters of the zone as well,”
he said.
Amadi noted that he would be
meeting with various security
stakeholders in the zone to have
intensive and robust interaction with
them.
He however, charged the police
personnel to redouble their efforts
and remain focused in ensuring peace,
safety and orderliness in the zone.
/NAN
onward transfer to the Company’s
representatives.
“The Nigerian Navy, under
the leadership of Vice Admiral
Awwal Zubairu Gambo, remains
committed to her constitutional duty
of promoting, co-coordinating and
enforcing safety regulations in the
territorial waters and the Exclusive
Economic Zone of Nigeria amongst
other constitutional roles,” he
explained.
N-Alerts most especially, during this
festival.”
He also enjoined all Nigerians to be
vigilant and observant of intruders in
their communities.
“We must all take responsibility for
the security of lives and property as we
celebrate this year’s festival.”
Aregbesola craved the indulgence of
every Nigerians to come together, put
their heads, hearts and all they have
together to achieve relative peace for
harmonious co-existence and put an
end to insecurities in Nigeria. (NAN)
Speaking, the Commissioner of Police
in Enugu State, Mr Lawal Abubakar,
noted that in spite of heightened violent
crimes, the command had reasonably
maintained peace in the state.
Abubakar attributed the successes
achieved in the state to the support
of the state government, other sister
security agencies, traditional rulers,
residents and private organisations.
The commissioner pleaded with the
Inspector-General of Police to deploy
more manpower and give a facelift to
the command’s office environment.
NEWS 5
Kidney Donor not
a Minor, UK Court
Rules, Denies
Ekweremadu, Wife
Bail Yet Again
By Idris Umar, Abuja
Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate
President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu
and his wife, Beatrice was again denied
bail yesterday by UK court, however the
Westminster Court in the ruled
that David Ukpor, the controversial
kidney donor to Senator Ekweremadu’s
daughter was indeed not a minor.
Both are facing trial for allegedly
coercing the 21-year-old David
Ukpo, who upon agreement with
the Ekweremadu’s was flown to the
UK in January for kidney extraction
procedure for the purpose of saving
the life Miss Sonia, a young daughter
of the Ekweremadus.
Ukpo certified by Nigerian
authorities to be 21, curiously got to
UK and turned heel, reporting the
Ekweremadus to British authorities,
claiming falsely that he was rather15-
year-old and was picked up in the street
of Lagos, Nigeria by the Ekweremadus
and flown to UK for the purpose of
harvesting his kidney, leading to the
arrest of the serving Nigerian senator
and his wife when they arrived the UK.
Gavin Irwin was the counsel who
represented Ekweremadu, while
Szilvia Booker represented his wife
in yesterday’s court sitting. A high-
powered Nigerian delegation was in
court for the trial of the former Deputy
Senate President.
Despite establishing Ukpo as a liar,
the court denied the couple bail, yet
again and adjourned the case till August
4, 2022.
Sabore Farms
Commissions Largest
Solar Powered Dairy
Factory
By Solomon Okoliko, Abuja
Sabore International Farms in
Adamawa State has commissioned
largest Solar powered dairy factory in
West Africa yesterday, targets 150,000
litres daily milk processing in years
says Aminu Murtala Nyako, the Chief
Executive Officer of the company.
The company which commenced
in 1982 has “focus primarily on dairy,
horticulture and agricultural extension
services,” he said.
“Currently, the farm collects milk
from over six thousand farmers on
a regular basis. This opportunity for
guaranteed milk off-take from the
local community has given farmers
economic security in terms of source
of livelihood and access to finance
which enables them to solve other
challenges.
“Sabore Farm can boast of about
2,500 litres of milk daily from the
various Farms we are in the process
of increasing our capacity to 150, 000
litres daily and hope to commission
the factory by the end of 2022,” Nyako
added.
 6 NEWS
Police Arrest Four Criminals with
300 Live Ammunitions in Benue
From David Torough, Makurdi
Men of Operation Zenda JTF
have arrested four criminals
with 300 live ammunitions in
Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
DAILY ASSET gathered that
the policemen on stop and
search, arrested Mr Terhile
who was transporting 180
bullets to Ikyogen in Kwande
Winners of Nestle for Health Kids Quiz Competition for Primary Schools in Abuja yesterday
Fake Army General Bags Seven Years Jail for Impersonation, N266.5m
An Ikeja Special Offences Court
yesterday sentenced a fake Army
General Bolarinwa Abiodun,
whose real name is Hassan Ayinde
to seven years in prison for
impersonation and N266.5 million
fraud.
The convict also disguised as the
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to
carry out the N266.5 million fraud.
Abiodun pleaded guilty to an
amendment 13-count charge
bordering on obtaining money
under false pretences and forgery
after the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-
arraigned him yesterday.
Delivering judgment, Justice
Oluwatoyin Taiwo, sentenced
Abiodun without an option of fine,
Benue SUBEB Pledges Support for NHGSFP Enumeration Programme
From David Torough, Makurdi
The Benue State Universal Basic
Education Board (SUBEB) has
guaranteed its support towards the
success of enumeration exercise for
the National Home Grown School
Feeding Programme, NHGSFP in
the State.
Executive Chairman of the Board,
Comrade Joseph Utse, gave this
assurance in his office when he played
host to Benue Project Task Team,
B-PTT, in Makurdi, the Benue State
capital.
Represented by the Board Secretary,
Mr. Agbo Ochekpe, the Executive
Chairman welcomed members of
the team and commended them for
Local Government Area on
Dura Bridge in Buruku Local
Government Area, he allegedly
said the bullets were meant for
one commander in Cameroon.
Mr Terhile took Zenda
operatives to Mr Emmanuel,
a security officer with Stanbic
Bank in Gboko who gave the
first suspect the consignment,
he claimed he had received N2
following his guilty plea.
“The defendant portrayed himself
to be an Army General who
forged the signature of the former
President Olusegun Obasanjo and
current President Muhammadu
Buhari in defrauding and obtaining
by false pretenses to the victim.
“He so perfected the scam by
the level of his education, that one
wonders whether such individual
should be allowed to work scot free.
It is so sad that people like this have
given our dear country a bad name.
“I hereby sentence you
Bolarinwa Abiodun to seven years
imprisonment without an option
of fine.
“The convict should pay the
victim the N20 million to the
their commitment to the success of
the first phase of the enumeration. He
was optimistic that the second phase
will also be a success.
Also speaking, State Focal Person
of the National Social Investment
Programme, Dr. Terris Damsa,
represented by the Head of
Operations of the NHGSFP,
Pastor Jonathan Iorhemba
commended SUBEB for always
opening its doors to the team and
providing the desired support for the
accomplishment of the assignment.
He further charged the team and
the consultant not to relent, assuring
that Governor Samuel Ortom would
remain supportive of the exercise.
The Focal Person also received the
million from a client through
his Stanbic Bank account to
purchase the bullets.
Mr Terhile and Mr Emmanuel
then led men of Operation
Zenda to Vandeikya were they
picked a former Councillor Titus
Ikyo in Mbaduku and traced
another suspect to Makurdi and
arrested him with 120 bullets
totaling 300.
victim and his First Bank Account
with number 3050622693 used in
carrying out the fraud be closed.
“He is to also forfeit building at
No.1 Joke Ayo St., Alagbado.
“His four vehicles, Blank Range
Rover, Black BMW car, Black
Toyota Land Cruiser, and White
Toyota Hilux with reg no Lagos
KTU 985 ET which were recovered
from him be forfeited,” the judge
said.
The EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi
Oyedepo, submitted that he
forged the signature of Obasanjo
and the signature of President
Muhammadu Buhari in defrauding
his victim of N266.5 million.
The prosecution submitted that
the defendant forged a letter of
new State Director of the National
Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr. Joseph
Ijir and his National Population
Commission counterpart, Mr. Isah
Ayuba who made their debuts at the
meeting.
Presenting an update on the first
phase of the Enumeration Exercise,
the Project Consultant, Comrade
Francis Ihyongu briefed the meeting
that 198 Enumerators from the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
and the NOA were used for the first
phase to cover 2,740 public primary
schools. He also announced that the
second phase of the exercise would
capture pupils who had enrolled after
the first phase of the exercise as well as
pupils, Cooks and school stakeholders
Briefing newsmen at the
Police command in Makurdi,
SP Sewuese Anene said efforts
are in top gear to unravel the
source of the ammunition,
and called on the general
public to be vigilant and report
suspected activities around
their environment to the law
enforcement agencies to protect
them better.
/NAN
appointment as Chief Of Army
Staff, dated May 20, 2020 and
purportedly said the document
emanated from The Presidency.
He also said that the defendant
forged a Nigerian Army Identity
Card with serial number 387140.
The defendant was also said to
have been in possession of a forged
certificate of confirmation, dated
Nov. 7, 2018, purporting same to
have emanated from the Nigerian
Army Headquarters.
The prosecution said the offence
contravened the provisions of
Sections 1(3) and 6 of Advanced
Fee Fraud and other Related
Offenses, 2006 and 363 of the
Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011
(NAN)
who missed out during the first phase.
Comrade Ihyongo appreciated the
support given him by the stakeholders
to carry out the task, soliciting for
increased support as he assured that
technical challenges experienced in
the first phase had been addressed
successfully.
The team analyzed the challenges
reported from the field during the
first phase and advised the relevant
authorities to consider an upward
review of the cost of feeding from the
present rate of One Hundred Naira
in line with the present economic
realities. The team also encouraged
the government to extend the School
Feeding Programme to all pupils in
the benefitting schools.
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
Pope Ordains Most
Rev. Bakeni as
Auxiliary Bishop of
Maiduguri Diocese
The Catholic Diocese of
Maiduguri, yesterday organized
Episcopal Ordination of Most Rev.
Dr. John Bogna Bakeni, the Auxiliary
Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese at the
St. Patrick Catholic Church of Christ
in Maiduguri.
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, was
represented by Papal Noncio (The
Pope’s representatives in Nigeria),
Most Rev. Antonio Gudo Filipazz.
Presiding over the Episcopal
Ordination, Most. Rev. Filipazz
congratulated and appreciated the
new Bishop for his efforts, services,
dedication and commitment to God
and humanity.
He prayed God to revive him as a
minister of Christ and a steward of
the mysteries of God.
The Papal Noncio also
commended him for being entrusted
with the task of bearing witness to
the truth of the Gospel and with the
ministry of the Spirit and of Justice
while urging the new ordinates
Bishop to remember the words
Christ spoke to the Apostles.
“Whoever listens to you listens to
me, and whoever rejects you, rejects
me, and whoever rejects me, rejects
the one who send me”.
“And now, who you have been
chosen by the Lord, consider that
you are chosen from among men
and appointed on their behalf for
those things that pertain to God”.
“The title of Bishop is one of
services, not of honour and therefore
a Bishop should strive to benefit
others rather than lord it over them,”
Antonio said.
The Most Rev. Antonio further
explained that such is the precept
of the Master, the greater should
behave as the least and the ruler as
the servant, tasking him to preach
the word in season and out of season,
reprove with all patience and sound
teaching.
The Apostolic Nuncio also advised
him that as he pray and offer
sacrifice for the people he should
be committed to his care, devote
himself wholeheartedly to seeking
every kind of grace for the people
from the fullness of Christ’s holiness.
“As the church entrusted in you,
be a faithful steward, moderator and
guardian of the mysteries of Christ.
As one chosen my the Father to rule
over his family, be mindful always of
the Good Shepard, who knows his
sheep and is known by them, and
who did not hesitate to lay down his
life for them.
“With the charity of the father
and brother, live all who God places
in your care, especially, the priests
and deacons, your co-workers in
the ministry of Christ, but also the
poor and the weak, immigrants and
strangers”, he said.
After the homily, the Bishop-
elect rose and stood in front of the
principal ordinating Bishop who
questioned him in some words in
form of taking oaths of office and
allegiance.
The Bishop-elect, Most Rev. Dr
John Bogna Bakeni was then handed
over his pastoral staff and espicopal
(ring).
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
From left: Senior Nutrition Officer, Federal Ministry of Health, Eunice Kodak; Public Affairs Specialist, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Edidiog Peters; Head Teacher, Gado
Nasko Science Primary School, Gwagwalada (GNSPS), Larai Babakacha; winners of Nestle for Healthier Kids Quiz Competition, Felicia Abraham; Elijah Awelawe;
Chairperson, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Abuja Chapter, Florence Uchendu and Deputy Director, School Health/Sport, FCT Universal Basic Education Board,
Baba Danladi-Aboki, during Nestle for Healthier Kids Quiz Competition for Primary Schools in Abuja yesterday
We’re Focused on
Ending Oil Theft - Navy
From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa
The Flag Officer Commanding,
Central Naval Command, Rear
Admiral Idi Abbas has once again
given assurance that the Nigerian
navy will continue to do everything
possible to make sure that it protects
the national asset.
Speaking yesterday when
the leadership of the federated
correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria
union of journalists Bayelsa state
council, paid him a courtesy visit
disclosed that the central naval
command was focusing more on the
fight against illegal oil theft adding
that the rate of oil theft in the region
was alarming.
FG Orders NCoS, Security Agencies
to Fortify Correctional Facilities
The Federal Government
has ordered the Nigerian
Correctional Service (NCoS)
to work with other security
agencies to fortify all
correctional facilities in the
country to forestall a repeat of
attack on the Kuje Correctional
Centre.
This is contained in a
statement issued by the Media
Adviser to the Minister of
Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Mr
Sola Fasure, yesterday in Abuja.
Aregbesola also directed
that all personnel be vigilant
and alert, to avoid recurrence
and also directed that full
investigation into the incident
be carried out as soon as
possible.
Thanking the group for their visit
and their commendation on the
activities of the Navy, the FOC said
that the command has a very good
relationship with the media.
“We will do all we can to protect
the national facilities because we
are aware that that is where the
nation gets there revenue from. So
we know that if we don’t project it,
we will be in trouble. We will do all
that we supposed to do to guide our
wealth.
“I’m delighted at your visit and I
will not take that for granted because
the media is a very important tool
for governance and as a military
man, I Know the importance of
media especially when it has to do
He warned that appropriate
actions would be taken should
any complicity be established
and pledged to continue to
strengthen all correctional
facilities to keep all Nigerians
safe at all times.
“We are working with the
Ministry of Defence and the
office of the National Security
Adviser and other intelligence
and security agencies to ensure
the attackers and the escaped
inmates are captured and
returned to custody.
“As we speak, security
personnel are combing the
whole area, up to a distance of
100km radius, looking for them.
All checkpoints nationwide
have been put on alert.
with the issue of security agencies.
“Thank you for commending
our effort in the waterways. We
are doing our best but what we are
taking seriously now is oil theft.
“So far, so good. We have a very
good relationship with the media
and we shall continue to partner
with you to showcase our own
success through you and possibly
pass important information through
you,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the chairman of
federated correspondents’ chapel of
Nigeria union of journalists, Bayelsa
state, Tife Owolabi had told the
FOC that the group was there to
seek for synergy between FCC and
the navy.
“However, more than 400 of
them have been brought in and
more are still coming,” he said.
Aregbesola appealed to
all residents to be calm but
vigilant, adding that security
was a collective work between
government and the citizens.
“Kindly therefore, report
all suspicious individuals and
activities to the nearest security
agency around you.
“We appeal also to doctors
and medical workers to treat
and then immediately report
anyone with gunshot wounds
to the law enforcement agency,”
the minister added.
The NCoS said that a security
personnel of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence
/NAN
He said the essence of the visit was
to cement the partnership.
“We are partners in progress,
especially in the area of security.
We need to cement the symbiotic
relationship to make Nigeria great.
We are partners and we can’t wait
until something happens before we
can come. We want you to see us as
one of your own,” he said.
The chairman also used the
opportunity to remind navy of the
chapel’s annual lecture which deals
more on the issue of security. We
want you buy into it.
“We still want to remind you to
be at alert because of the series of
insecurity going on the country
now.
Corps,, (NSCDC), drafted to
the centre was shot dead by
the attackers who stormed
the facility through the fence
and the main entrance using
explosive devices.
A total of 879 inmates escaped
the facility during the attack.
Out of this number, 443 were
said to be on the run, another
443 were capture leaving the
total inmates currently in the
facility at 551 in total.
The NCoS said it will deploy
its Corrections Information
Management System, (CIMS),
in collaboration with the
National Identity Management
Commission, (NIMC), to track
all fleeing inmates and return
them to custody.”(NAN)
NEWS 7
FG Inaugurates
Technical
Committee to
Review Borstal
Institutions
The Federal Government
yesterday inaugurated the Technical
Committee on the Review of the
Borstal Institutions and Remands
Centre Act 2004 LFN.
The members consisting of 13
people including representative
from UNICEF and UNIDO with
a child rights expert, Mrs Ugona
Edekwemu, as the team leader.
In his keynote address at the
event, the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, SAN noted that
millions of children in Africa and
around the world had their rights
violated.
Malami was represented by the
Solicitor-General of the Federation
and Permanent Secretary Federal
Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice
Ejodamen Jeddy-Agba.
“Aside from being separated
from their families and affected by
exploitation, abuse and violence in
their homes and communities, they
were also denied access to education,
health care and social benefits.
“A large number of children in
Nigeria come in contact with the
law as survivors of violence, but
very few of those cases make it to
the courtrooms,” he said.
He, therefore, said the government
is committed to partnering
with stakeholders to enhance
reformation, reintegration and
reunification of minors who came
in contact with the law as offenders
into the society.
Also speaking, the former
Chief Judge, FCT High Court and
Chairman Presidential Committee
on Correctional Reforms and
Decongestion, Justice Ishaq Bello
commended the government on
past interventions.
Bello called for the need to amend
the law of the juvenile justice system,
encourage public support for
rehabilitation and improved system
of monitoring and evaluation in
order to enhance socio-economic
and political stability in the country.
“Assessment of my committee
revealed the shortfalls of the present
law as against the provisions of the
Borstal Institutions and Remand
Centers Act 2004, which allows
for only the institutionalizations of
offenders between the ages 16 to 21.
“Most of the children in the
borstals are either below or above
the age bracket.
“Children are not classified on
the basis of their age, physical and
mental health, length of stay, degree
of delinquency and character.
“Factors like sequence of the
delinquency, possibilities of
functioning as a contamination
risk and requirements of custody,
educational background and
vocational training needs of children
are not taken into consideration”.
8
NEWS
Organised Labour
Seeks Traditional Rulers’
Support to End Illegal
Logging in C’River
The Organised Labour in Cross
River yesterday sought the support
and partnership of traditional rulers
in its ongoing campaign against illegal
logging in the state.
The Chairman, Joint Negotiating
Council in the state, Mr Godwin
Otei, told youths and women in Efraya
Community, Etung Local Government
Area, that their cooperation was
needed in the fight against the illegal
logging.
Otei said that if the act was not
controlled and stopped, the state
might lose all its forests in the nearest
future.
He told them that the activities of
illegal loggers were causing more harm
to the forest reserve, flora, fauna and
the climate, adding that all hands must
be on deck to avoid desertification.
According to him, the organised
labour was no longer comfortable
sighting trucks of woods leaving the
state everyday for other states, hence
the need to embark on the advocacy.
The leader of the group urged
members of the community to rise
and defend their forest reserves by
forming vigilante groups to ensure
that no one was allowed to illegally
fall any tree in the area again.
“We have embarked on this
advocacy campaign because we care
about the future of our state and the
environment.
“The indiscriminate felling of
trees for selfish benefit by some
groups of persons across the state, is
condemnable.
“We have come here to seek the
support of traditional leaders, youths
and women to ensure that we stop
this trend before we lose our forest
reserves to illegal loggers.
“Cross River is being treasured across
the world for its mass forest reserves;
we should not allow the greed of a few
individuals to kill our forests,” he said.
Also speaking, a former Chairman
of Trade Union Congress in the state,
Mr Clarkson Otu, urged members of
the community to resist all attempts by
those who came to the area to degrade
their forest.
Otu lamented that there had been an
uncontrollable act of tree felling in the
state, adding that the time to stop the
illegality was now.
He added that the occupation of
residents in the state was farming and
not logging, hence the need for them
to support the campaign.
Responding, the Clan Head of Efraya
Community, Mr Richard Attah,
assured the group of their partnership
and commitment towards protecting
the forests.
Attah said the community on its
part had been doing a lot to prevent
the illegal loggers from degrading the
forests. (NAN)
Experts Task Sahel Region to
Rise against Violent Radicalism
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
Worried by rising cases of terrorism and
trans-border crimes, governments of the Sahel
region have been charged to rise against trends of
violent radicalism threatening the peace of their
countries.
Experts at a Panel Discussion on Security
Sector Governance and Countering Radicalism
in the Sahel, organised by West Africa
Democracy Radio (WADR) in Abuja, said
trends of extremism has become too ominous
to be ignored.
The Panelists unanimously called for more
inclusion in tackling insecurity and radicalism
across the region as voices of the people matter
in decision making.
They also pointed that violent extremism thrive
on exclusion and marginalisation and so call for
good governance that allows for inclusion, job
creation, among others.
A Federal Commissioner at the Nigerian
Police Service Commission, Rommy Mom, who
decried the low rate of implementation of laws
in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, said victims of
violent crimes need to be brought into security
NYSC 2021 Batch B’ Stream I, Corps members during their Passing out Parade in Jos yesterday
Commission Plans Resettlement Cities
in Borno, Zamfara, Four Other States
The National Commission for Refugees,
Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons says
it is building six resettlement cities for use by
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the
country.
Federal Commissioner Imaan Suleiman
made this known yesterday, at the weekly
ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential
Communications Team in Abuja.
She listed Borno, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara,
Nasarawa and Edo as states where the pilot phase
of the scheme would be executed.
“When displacements happen; flood, communal
clashes, people lose their homes and means of
livelihood.
“We have started the piloting phase of our
project resettlement in 2020. The project
resettlement city will entail building small cities
because Persons of Concern (POCs) have three
options of doable solutions.
conversations else top level policy drafts will only
end up as policies on paper.
“Citizens ought to be in communion at all
levels. Their voices should count in sharing
information and participation. The problems of
insecurity in the Sahel and indeed other parts of
Africa are not the absence of laws and policies but
lack of implementation,” Mom said.
Admin officer at Engaging Borders, Janice
Malachi, explained that extremism and human
trafficking across the Sahel are not sustainable on
their own but depend on ideologies and promises
of economic empowerment in recruiting youths
and women who are the targeted groups.
Malachi therefore urged governments and
opinion moulders to effectively play their parts
in order to deprive groomers of potential recruits.
Also speaking on the topic Combating
Extremism in the Sahel; what strategies should
we employ? Brigadier General Saleh Bala (Rtd),
noted that the rising threats flowing from the
Sahel region down to the coast, was largely
responsible for the increasing insecurity that has
held Nigeria down on its knees.
He added that multiple factors, like increasing
desertification, drug abuse, climate change and
“They can either locally integrate, resettle or
they can go back to their homes but sometimes
they are unable to go back home and that is why
there is need for building of new communities
or strengthening the capacity of their host
communities.
“We are in the third phase of our resettlement
city project but the pilot phase is in Borno, Kano,
Katsina, Zamfara, Nasarawa and Edo States.
“Most of them are now at between 70-90 percent
completion but that of Edo State is about to take
off,” he said.
According to her, as part of its doable solutions,
the commission intends to address hunger as
well as implement empowerment scheme among
displaced persons, as they imbibe new forms of
livelihood.
“When displacements happen within Nigeria we
are not the first responders so we are expected to
come in after they are stable to be able to provide
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
burgeoning unemployment have made it difficult
for families to control radicalism.
According to him, the most effective and
sustainable way to combating violent extremism
in the Sahel is having or promoting good
governance that would ensure inclusion, rule of
law, transparency, justice, peace and employment.
A media practitioner from Senegal and also an
Executive of WADR, Mrs. Agnes Thomasi, said
the media has a key role to play in countering
radicalism in Sahel region, and even in Nigeria.
Thomasi said the focus of the project being
carried out by WADR was pertinent considering
the urgent need to restore peace and security in
Nigeria and Africa through strategic measures
towards deradicalism of arms bearers.
Similarly, a broadcast journalist and public
commentator, Tok Samson Morgan, called for
respect for the rule of law, peace and security in
the Sahel.
Morgan, while treating to the topic: “Building a
Culture of Democracy, Good governance”, stated
that the citizens have to own the governance
process by taking responsibilities through
effective participation and contribution to the
affairs of the society.
NAN
them with doable solutions so that they can go
back to normalcy.
“So the recent adoption of the National IDP
Policy in 2021 by the Federal Executive Council
is epic because that gives us the legal framework
and clearly highlights everybody’s role including
the IDPs and the host communities.
“We have been able to continue to strengthen the
psycho-social support system for the commission
because people are displaced, they go through all
kinds of trauma so, psycho-social support is key.
“We have begun the piloting phase for the
transitional learning centers in some locations,
Edo, Zamfara, Imo, Bauchi, Federal Capital
Territory and Katsina.
“We’ve been able to give persons of concerns
access to COVID-19 vaccines and also conduct
medical outreaches in collaboration with the
National Primary Health care Development
Agency.”
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022 NEWS 9
ESLF Donate
Drugs, Medical
Consumables to
General Hospital in
Benue
From David Torough, Makurdi

The Eunice Spring of Life

Foundation (ESLF), an NGO of
the wife of Benue State Governor,
has donated drugs and medical
consumables to the General
Hospital Naka, Gwer West Local
government area of Benue State.
Donating the items, ESLF
Programme Manager, Tine
Agernor stated that the gesture
was part of the Foundation’s efforts
at strengthening service delivery
in health facilities across the State
thereby promoting access to health
services by most needy persons.
Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo State (2NDL); laying wreath at the grave of his father, Pa Olatunbosun Makinde, during the 10th year remembrance in Ibadan yesterday. With him are: Mr Agernor also mentioned that
his siblings: Mr Sunday; Moji; Muyiwa; Omololu and Kayode Makinde /NAN the donation was in recognition

Rights Group Condemns Monetisation of Party Primaries

of the adverse impacts occasioned
by the ongoing violent farmer-
herder crisis which had resulted
to the mass influx of displaced
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja messages. director further called for more elections,” he said. persons into Naka, a situation
Miliki condemned the proactive measures by anti- Miliki urged all eligible which occasionally overstretched
A civil society organisation, outrageous alleged expenses corruption agencies in timely citizens to participate in the available facilities and supplies in
Conscience for Human Rights and monetisation of the party investigation and prosecution of electoral process by registering the hospital.
and Conflict Resolution primaries, and the buying and political and election offenders. and obtaining their Permanent “These items are given to
(CHRCR), has condemned the selling of votes by political He enjoined the relevant Voters’ Cards especially during support your hospital cope with
outrageous alleged expenses and parties, which had led to the institutions to hasten the the ongoing registration process these occasional demands,” the
monetisation that characterized highest bidder emerging as process of establishing Electoral by INEC before the 2023 Programme Manager stated.”
the recently held party primaries Candidates across board Offences Commission to punish elections. Receiving the items, Medical
across the country. He urged the Independent electoral offenders. The meeting was organised Officer in Charge of the hospital,
Executive Director of National Electoral Commission “Political parties must by CHRCR in partnership Dr Edward Abicha appreciated
CHRCR, Idris Miliki, made the (INEC) to improve on its endeavor to practice improved with Civil Society Legislative the gesture by ESLF, stating the
condemnation on Wednesday enlightenment and stakeholders’ internal democracy especially Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), hospital’s commitment to making
in Lokoja, in a communiqué mobilization on its activities at during the conduct of their supported by MacArthur the best judicious use of the
issued after the stakeholders’ State level to encourage citizens primaries, conventions and all Foundation. items. The Medical Officer also
meeting of “Post Primaries confidence and participation. other elections. Miliki emphasised that appreciated the Government of
Engaging Political Parties on He called on political parties “There must be strategically the goal of CHRCR was Benue State for ongoing renovation
Prioritising Anti-Corruption to increase Voters’ Education designed, issue-based primaries to institutionalize Anti- works at the hospital which he said
and Accountability Issues especially before elections to to elect Candidates in political corruption, Transparency and would enhance efficient service
Towards 2023 Elections at the ensure adequate awareness parties to reduce the influence Accountability in Nigeria by delivery.
State level”. creation on the electoral process. of money politics that lead to ensuring necessary political Highlighting the many health
The meeting which had in He also advised the Media to corruption. commitment. challenges plaguing the community,
attendance all INEC recognised increase their reportage and “Genuine effort must be put The state’s Chairmen and Dr Abicha also called on other well
political parties and media investigation on Corruption in place to reduce the high Representatives of various meaning persons/ organisations
practitioners, also enjoined and Accountability issues level of poverty in the society political parties recognized to support the hospital address
political parties to mainstream in government and non- to discourage people from by INEC were present at the the rising cases of Hepatitis B and
Anti-Corruption into their governmental entities. embarking on corruptive meeting except that of the ruling C as well as Water, Sanitation and
manifestos and campaign The CHRCR executive tendencies particularly on All Progressive Congress (APC). Hygiene (WASH) related diseases

We Demolished Odumeje’s Church for Violating Government’s Directive – Soludo

Anambra State Governor, the government as one of the “The exercise which is manhandled by
such as typhoid fever which he said
had led to complications such as
security perforated bowels which according
Chukwuma Soludo has buildings sitting on drainage being carried out by a joint agencies who accompanied the to him, were prevalent going by the
explained why the demolition channels, and marked for government task force, demolition team following his hospital records.
of the Mountain of Holy Ghost demolition, in line with commenced the exercise from attempt to stop the officials from He called for concerted attention
Intervention and Deliverance Onitsha Urban Renewal Plan Bida Road by Modebe Avenue, demolishing his church. to be paid to the provision of safe
Ministry owned by controversial spearheaded by Soludo-led Fegge Onitsha. A viral video showed the water facilities within the hospital
Prophet Chukwuemeka administration. “The affected buildings comic cleric being manhandled and in the larger Naka community
Ohanaemere, a.k.a ‘Odumeje’ in The statement reads: include Mountain of Holy by security men, including saying such action would lower
the commercial city of Onitsha “Following the expiration Ghost Intervention Deliverance police officers and men of the the prevalence of WASH related
took place. of the more than two weeks Ministries, shops and other vigilante services. diseases.
Soludo, in a statement by his notice beginning from April perimeter fences. He was severally slapped, Also on the ESLF Team were the
Chief Press Secretary, Christian 2022 served on developers “The structures were marked and restricted from moving to Coordinating Programme Officer
Aburime, said the cleric failed and building owners who since April, 2022 and all the demolition area by armed Health, Karen Erdoo Yankyaa,
to comply with government’s built several illegal structures developers and building owners security men. Media Assistant, Mhen Kwaghzan
directive to remove illegal along the waterway in Fegge were served notice to remove The video however sparked and Acting Chairman of the
structure he built on the and environs within Onitsha, such illegal structures.” mixed reactions, with many Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria
waterway. Anambra state government The Nation gathered that condemning the treatment on (PSN) Benue Chapter, Pharmacist
Odumeje’s church in March has begun demolition of such during Thursday’s demolition the cleric, while others described Aloysius Ikyon, who is a member of
this year was identified by structures. exercise, Odumeje was it as welcome development. the ESLF Medical Team.
 10 NEWS DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022

NUJ Appeals to
ASUU, Tasks FG on
Insecurity, Inflation,
Bayelsa Deputy Gov Charges FIDA
Rule of Law
The Nigeria Union of Journalists
(NUJ) has appealed to the Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
to call off the over five months
on Protection of Women’s Rights
From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa principle of equity. of available resources. not ready to patiently learn under
strike to allow students go back to According to him, there are still “You need to advocate for equity their more experienced senior
continue their studies. Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, a lot of repugnant cultural practices to enable women get the rights due colleagues in the legal profession,”
NUJ also called on the Federal Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has against women in society, which calls them. The only way we get this is for he stated.
Government to address issues charged the International Federation for sustained advocacy by all well- us to rigorously advocate for women’s Speaking earlier, the
of security, healthcare, food of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Nigeria meaning organizations, including rights. Let them get their rights before Chairperson of FIDA, Bayelsa
security, inflation, rule of law and to redouble their efforts at protecting FIDA, to eliminate such demeaning we talk of ameliorating the pains they State, Barrister (Mrs.) Deme
intimidation of journalists in the and projecting the rights of women practices. suffer. Debrah Pamosoo, said FIDA
country. and children in the country. The Deputy Governor pointed “There are still a lot of repugnant had been in the vanguard of
NUJ National President, Chris Senator Ewhrudjakpo gave the out that women suffer a lot of abuses cultural practices against women championing the protection of
Isiguzo made the call in his state charge when the state chapter of FIDA ranging from sexual harassment, that entail a clear violation of rights the rights of women and the girl-
of the nation press conference led by its Chairperson, Barrister (Mrs) domestic violence to maternal of women. For example, in some child and handled several rape,
yesterday in Abuja. Deme Debrah Pamosoo paid him a assaults, which demand concerted communities here in our state, women defilement and abduction cases.
“We have looked at the abysmal visit in Government House, Yenagoa efforts to stamp out from society. are not allowed to be buried in the She appealed to the State
situation in the education sector yesterday. He used the opportunity to also town, no matter how highly placed Government to assist the FIDA
with particular reference to tertiary The Deputy Governor noted that call on FIDA to counsel their junior the deceased was in her life time. with an official bus to enhance their
education in the country vis-à-vis though the activities of FIDA were colleagues to be patient in learning “Another example, which amounts operations, and logistics support
the five months old strike embarked laudable, the group still has a lot to do the ropes in the legal profession, to maternal assault is a situation where to enable the body participate in
upon by ASUU. in protecting women’s rights at home, noting that many young lawyers in some institutions do not allow nursing the 2022 Nigerian Bar Association
“We appeal to the leadership and the workplace and society in general. contemporary times were too much in mothers to bring their little babies to (NBA) Conference in Lagos.
members of ASUU to in the overall Senator Ewhrudjakpo said as hurry to become expert professionals. work because they don’t want to hear Barrister Pamosoo also
interest of the nation, accept some of female lawyers in the vanguard of While commending FIDA for the baby cry in the office. informed the Deputy Governor
the offers the Federal Government justice for women and the girl-child, their achievements so far in the state, “I also want you to really talk to our of FIDA’s intention to carry out an
is proposing to allow for the FIDA should do everything humanly Senator Ewhrudjakpo assured the younger ones in the profession. Some enlightenment campaign in some
resumption of academic activities possible to ensure that women get group that government would look of them are too much in a hurry to rural communities in the state later
in the universities. their rights in full in line with the into their requests within the remits become professionals, but they are this year.
“We can only remain and call
ourselves Nigerians only on the
premise of the fact that there is a
country known and addressed as
Nigeria.”
He said a look at developments
within the country, it “does not
require beating the drums for any
discerning and critical mind to
know, understand and appreciate
the need for an urgent appraisal to
assist the country.”
“The NUJ as a critical stakeholder
in the Nigerian project, feels
seriously concerned of the need for
the Federal Government to quickly
move more than ever before in
addressing some critical areas of
governance.
“On insecurity, it is almost
becoming unbelievable the
geometric rate of attacks by
terrorists/bandits in different
locations. The unfortunate
development is certainly
unacceptable particularly with
the proportion and dimension
insecurity has assumed in the
country.
“The security agencies must
rise to the occasion, especially in
Imo where some arrests have been
reportedly made with suspects
making mind-boggling revelations
of their sponsors. Such revelations
should not just be ignored,” Isiguzo
said.
The NUJ president said that just
last Tuesday night, the audacity of
criminal gangs was expressed in a
daring raid on the Kuje Correctional
Facility in Abuja.
According to him, the
Assistant Director, Special Duties, External Relations and Technical Cooperation, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Daniel Kajo (R) distributing school materials
Correctional Centre was breached to the pupils of Olusegun Obasanjo Model Primary School during the distribution of school materials and hospital equipment by NIMASA in Jos yesterday NAN
for hours without any reinforcement
being sent after the soldiers and
other guards were overpowered. Police Arrest 14 Suspected Criminals in Jigawa
“Before then, a Presidential The Police Command in Jigawa Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the arrest the suspects when its operatives According to him, the suspects
convoy conveying an advanced has arrested 14 suspected criminals in Dutse on Thursday. raided black spots and hideouts for will be charged to court upon
party of officials for the Sallah visit during raids on black spots in Shiisu said the suspects, aged criminals in the affected areas. completion of investigation.
of President Muhammadu Buhari to Gwaram Local Government Area between 18 and 52, were arrested The spokesman said the police Shiisu reiterated commitment of
Daura was attacked and it took the of the state. in Sara and Old Gwaram town on also recovered 525 bottles of the command to flush out criminals
Presidential Guards much effort to The Police Public Relations June 6, at about 2:00 p.m. assorted alcoholic drinks during and enhance security in the state.
repel the attackers. Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP He said the police arrested the raids. (NAN)
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
Members of Organised Labour with the Clan Head of Efraya Community (M), during an advocacy campaign against illegal wood logging in Etung local government Area, Cross River State
Yesterday
Anambra NYSC Sanctions 42 Corps Members, Rewards 14 Others
No fewer than 42 Corps members of the
2021 batch B, Stream 1, in Anambra that
defaulted during the service year were given
sanctions ranging from two weeks extension
to outright repeat of service.
Also three Corps members that
distinguished themselves during the period
got the governor’s awards and while 11 others
were given letters of recognition.
NAN reports that 2,343 corps members
comprising 1,166 males and 1,177 females of
the batch passed-out in the state yesterday in
Awka.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Ekene Iruma,
Coordinator of NYSC in Anambra urged the
governor to come to the rescue of the Scheme
by checking gully erosion threatening the
massive facility.
“I present to you these patriotic youths that
have completed their services in the nooks
and crannies of the state and have partnered
with this administration in education, health,
skills acquisitions, and construction works.
“We have been receiving glowing
commendations from their host communities.
“While we appreciate His Excellency’s
Army Donates Educational
Materials to 287 Pupils in Bayelsa
From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa
The 16 Brigade, Nigerian Army in Yenagoa on
Wednesday donated educational materials worth
millions of naira to 287 pupils in Ekeremor Local
Government Area to commemorate the 2022
Nigerian Army Day.
Items donated were notebooks, textbooks, pencils,
calendars, crayons and alphabetical picture books
among others.
The Commander, 16 Brigade Nigerian Army, and
Sector 2 Operation Delta Safe, Brigadier-General
Olurotimi Awolo presented the educational materials
to management and pupils of Ayamasa Community
Primary School, Ekeremor.
He said the event is held on July 6 every year in
honour of members of the Nigerian Army, especially
those who took part in World Wars 1 & 2.
He said the celebration was also to celebrate those
who lost their lives during the Nigerian Civil War and
those currently serving in the Army.
Speaking on the theme for this year’s celebration
numerous assistance to the Scheme in
the state, we are still appealing for speedy
intervention on the menace done by erosion
at the Nnamdi Azikiwe NYSC Permanent
Camp,” she said.
Responding, Gov. Chukwuma Soludo
commended the NYSC and corps
members for their contribution towards the
development of the state and unity of the
country.
Soludo, represented by Mr Patrick
Aghamba, Commissioner for Youth
Empowerment, said his government was
aware of the erosion challenge facing the
scheme at the Orientation Camp.
He expressed gratitude to God for his
protection upon corps members throughout
the service year and congratulated them for
successfully completing their service year.
According to him, I am in contact with
professionals that will handle the landscaping;
we cannot in any way watch our highly
admired structures at the camp be washed
away by erosion.
“It is a unique opportunity for us to
appreciate the NYSC for availing us with the
with the theme: “Repositioning the Nigeria Army in
Joint Environment a Panacea for Security Challenges”,
Awolo said this year’s celebration marked the Nigerian
Army 159 years of existence.
He said following the establishment of the 16
Brigade in Bayelsa, the Army had continually enjoyed
a very cordial relationship with the people of the state.
He noted that it was in appreciation of that support
and in fulfilment of the directives of the Chief of Army
Staff that the educational materials were donated to
the school.
“The donation of the education materials is a
part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
in commemoration of the Nigerian Army Day
celebration 2022,” Awolo said.
Awolo also sought the cooperation and
collaboration of stakeholders including the state
government and people of various communities to
boost security of lives and property of the citizens
of the state.
Responding to the gesture, King Oyaseiye Moses,
the Amananowei of Ayamasa Federated Community,
( /NAN
services of these young ones and bid farewell
to the outgoing ones.
“I wish to remark that reports received from
the NYSC office and the NYSC State governing
Board were all highly commendable,” he said.
Soludo regretted the death of members
of the batch in the course year while
commiserating with the NYSC and members
of the deceased family.
He said his government and the good
people of the state were committed to
supporting NYSC in every way possible to
actualise national development, integration
and unity of Nigeria.
“We avail corps members a conducive
environment for we believe that enough
welfare induces optimal productivity.
“Once again, I congratulate you on this
achievement and wish you journey mercy
back to your loved ones,” he said.
Feyi Fatoye, Joy Nse and Adejoke Adelowo
with call up numbers AN/21B/0352,
AN/21B/0956 and AN/21B/0845 won
the Governor’s Honour’s Award while 11
others got State Coordinator’s Letters of
Commendation. (NAN)
commended the Nigerian Army for the donation to
the school within his precinct.
“We are so appreciative. This is the first time we
have seen this type of gesture in the community
primary school.
“I never knew Nigeria Army could present
educational materials to school. If they can continue
to do that, I think Nigeria is going to move forward.
“The promotion the Army has given to the
community is highly impressive and commendable.
Thank you for this gesture.”
The Headmaster, Ayamasa Community Primary
School, Mr Ibokeme George, expressed gratitude to
the Army for the educational materials.
“These educational materials by the special grace
of God will be used for the promotion of our future
leaders. The educational materials will be effectively
used as instructed by General Awolo,” Moses stated.
The Senior Prefect, Abaide Bake, and Head Girl,
Ebkegbe Rejoice, thanked the Nigerian Army for
coming to their aid and promised that the pupils
would utilise the books judiciously.
NEWS 11
Police Train 192
Officers on EOD-
CBRN
The Police have trained 192
personnel on Explosive Ordinance
Disposal – Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-
CBRN) to tackle the menace of
insecurity in the country.
Inspector – General of Police (I-
G), Alkali Baba-Usman, said this at
the closing ceremony of the EOD-
CBRN Basic Course 19/2022 at the
Mobile Police Training camp, Ende
Hills, Nasarawa State yestersday.
The IG, represented by the DIG
Operations, Bala Senchi, said that the
four weeks training was to expose the
personnel to current methodology in
preventing, detecting, interdicting
and responding to threats associated
with Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs), unexploded ordinance and
nuclear terrorism.
He noted that the EOD-CBRN
command had recorded several
achievements in the fight against
criminal use of explosives and allied
materials in perpetrating heinous
crimes.
“It’s note worthy to state that this
course is the first of its kind after
the official addition of CBRN to the
nomenclature,” he said.
Baba-Usman said that the training
curriculum was packaged to improve,
reinvigorate EOD-CBRN operations
to effectively confront the current
increasing threats in the country.
He said that the Police under his
leadership was committed to further
develop the capacity of EOD-CBRN
command and provide it with
requisite equipment and logistics to
undertake its services with highest
standard of professionalism.
“In this view, the completion of the
EOD-CBRN International Training
School located in Maiduguri,
remains a priority focus of this
administration,” he said.
The I-G therefore, urged the
trainees to apply the knowledge
gained to stem the tide of unlawful
use of explosives, chemical,
biological, radiological and nuclear
materials to perpetuate crimes in
the country.
The Commissioner of Police in
charge of EOD-CBRN Command,
Zannah Shettima, said that the
training was approved by the I-G to
boost the capacity of the command
to curtail the Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear explosives
threat nationwide.
According to Shettima, the
Command has over the years
lost experienced and well-
trained personnel to retirement,
demobilisation, promotion to CP
cadre and death, hence the need for
fresh hands to boost its capacity.
He said that the trainees were from
the ranks of Constable to Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP)
drawn from all the state commands
and police formations across the
country.
The police commissioner
expressed confidence that the
trainees had developed basic skills
and proficient knowledge on CBRN
explosive detection, identification,
response and security as well as
disposal and demolition techniques.
12 NEWS DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022

No DSS Personnel
escaped from Kuje
prison
By Gom Mirian, Abuja
The Department of State Services
(DSS), has dismissed reports that one
of its personnel escaped from Kuje
prison during an attack on the facility
on Tuesday night.
The report also alleged that one of
the escaping inmates who claimed to
be a DSS personnel was apprehended
by NCS operatives near Kwali after a
chaos, adding that the DSS operative
also claimed to be “carrying out a
special mission in the forest”.
Reacting to the report, the DSS
spokesperson, Dr. Peter Afunanya, in
a statement on Thursday maintained
that none of its personnel was involved
in the escape episode.
“In fact, at the point of the attack
on the prison, no DSS personnel was
an inmate at the holding facility just
as the claim of carrying out a special
assignment was non-existent.
“The report is not factual and
therefore misleading. The public is
advised to disregard it,” he said.
Nigeria Faring
Well in Global
Biotechnology
Space – NBDA
The National Biotechnology Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi (R) presenting the State Honour Award Certificate to a corps member, Tom Udoudo, during the passing out parade of 2021 Batch B
Stream 1 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) corps members at Ekiti Parapo Pavilion Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State yesterday NAN
Development Agency (NBDA),

NYSC Debunks Claims of Corps

said Nigeria is faring very well in
global biotechnology space.
Deputy Director, Agricultural
Biotechnology Department,
NBDA, Dr Rose Gidado, disclosed

Members’ Rape in Akwa Ibom

this in an interview yesterday in
Lagos.
Gidado said that biotechnology
has come to stay in the country.
She expressed optimism
that the recent signing of the
Act establishing the NBDA by
President Muhammadu Buhari
would further spur the agency to
do more.
Gidado said that biotechnology
has a lot of benefits not only in
agricultural sector but in the
environment, medicine and
industrial sector.
“We now have an Act
establishing us but we have been
in existence for over 20-years
without it. Now that we have a
legal backing, it will further spur
us to do more.
“What this means is that we
are being recognised. We are
going to operate legally now and
biotechnology has come to stay in
Nigeria,” she said.
Gidado said that the benefits of
biotechnology cut across many
sectors of the economy.
“Biotechnology is not just
in the area of agriculture, it is
also in environment. It is used
for environmental restoration,
deforestation, mitigation of
climate change effect, enhances the
mitigation of green house gases.
“Also in the area of medicine,
it is used for diagnostic, greater
medicine, cheaper medicine and
improved medicine service.
By Evelyn Terseer, Abuja
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
in Akwa Ibom State has denied an online
publication, with the caption: “Akwa Ibom
Gunmen attack NYSC Lodge, Rob, Rape
women”, published by Punch online and
reported by several other online media.
In the said story making the rounds, it was
alleged that gunmen attacked, raped, robbed
and dispossessed Corps Members of their
valuables at Udo Ekong Ekwere Street, off
Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
where they reside.
Reacting to the report, the NYSC said that
an attack on the corps members was actually
carried out by thieves who made away with
their valuables, including phones, laptops and
some cash but there was no bodily harm to
Ohanaeze Elders Solidly Behind Ekweremadu, Says Iwuanyanwu
The Chairman, Council of Elders of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu,
says that the Council remains solidly behind former
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, detained
in the United Kingdom.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is the apex socio-
cultural organisation of the Igbo people.
Iwuanyanwu said this in a release which he signed
and made available to newsmen in Owerri, yesterday.
Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, are facing trial
in a Westminster Court, in the United Kingdom for
allegedly coercing a minor, identified as David Ukpo,
any of them.
“To put the unfortunate incident in proper
perspective, the State Coordinator, NYSC
Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Chinyere Ekwe in
company of the State Police Commissioner,
Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi, visited the Corps
Members for an on-the-spot assessment.
“While there, it was confirmed that 21
Corps Members occupy the said property. The
interaction with the Corps Members further
revealed that an attack on them was actually
carried out by thieves at about 1am.
“In the process, the invaders took their
valuables including phones, laptops and some
cash. They confirmed that no bodily harm was
meted on them, and no corps member was
raped.
“While the actions and intentions of those
criminal elements remained condemnable,
to have his kidney harvested and transferred to the
Senator’s daughter, Sonia.
Iwuanyanwu, an elder statesman said the
Ohanaeze Elders Council was determined to defend
any honest and patriotic citizen whose right and
freedom is being unduly trampled upon anywhere
in the world.
He described Ekweremadu as a very active
member of the Organisation, adding that the news
about his arrest and that of his wife in far away
London was received with shock.
He urged the Westminster authorities to strive for
we passionately appeal to the social media
operators, particularly, Punch online, to
exercise restraint and not trivialize such
unfortunate incident as the consequences
on the psychology of parents and guardians
of Corps Members in the state would be
dangerously affected.
“However, it is worthy of note that the
State Commissioner of Police has assured the
Corps Members and members of the public
that an investigation on the matter has been
launched and that the culprits will soon be
apprehended.
The State Coordinator, Mrs. Chinyere Ekwe
reaffirmed that there was no incident of rape,
and therefore urged the Corps Members in
the State to go about their lawful duties and
make use of the security phone lines already
provided, while in distressed situations.
justice while expressing delight that the true story
about the predicament of the embattled former
Deputy Senate President and his wife had began to
emerge.
“We do not have any doubt whatsoever that the
truth will soon emerge and our son and his wife will
be vindicated.
“We wish to express our solidarity to a dear
colleague and friend during this trying period,” he
said.
He however, prayed God to grant divine healing
to the ailing daughter of Ekweremadu, Sonia. (NAN)
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
BUSINESS
Why We don’t Relent on
CSR Initiatives — Fidelity
Bank
Fidelity Bank Plc has said that it does
not relent in delivering goodwill projects
to improve lives in its host communities
nationwide because of its belief that
corporate success is tied to the well being
of everyone in the operating environment.
Divisional Head, Internal Control,
Fidelity Bank, Daniel Okorie affirmed this
at the unveiling of a borehole, structural
renovation and furnishing, various food
and sanitary wares delivered to St. Vincent
de Paul/The Child Special School, Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, under the Fidelity
Helping Hands Programme (FHHP).
The Child Special School, an institution
under the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt,
presently caters for 30 boys and 34 girls
from ages five to 32, intellectually impaired
with learning disabilities and unable to
benefit from the normal education system.
Okorie said: “It is in recognition of the
needs of the school that we decided to carry
out this Corporate Social Responsibility
under our FHHP.
“With FHHP, staff across our business
locations identify projects that impact their
immediate community and raise funds to
execute them. The bank’s management
thereafter matches this contribution with
an equal amount and disburses it for the
selected project.”
EEDC Board appoints
Mupwaya as new DMD
The Board of Directors of Enugu Electricity
Distribution Company (EEDC) has appointed Dr
Ernest Mupwaya as the new Deputy Managing
Director (DMD) of the company.
The Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC,
Mr Emeka Ezeh, said in a statement on Thursday
in Enugu that the appointment took effect on
June 25, 2022.
Ezeh recalled that in April, 2022, Mupwaya
joined EEDC as an Executive Director in-charge
of Technical and Operations, as part of the
organization’s efforts towards the actualisation
of its Sustainability and Transformation
Programme.
“His wealth of experience will no doubt
bring about positive change in the company’s
commercial and technical functions, thereby
resulting in enhanced overall performance, for
sustainable growth.
“With over 30 years of experience garnered in
the electricity industry, Mupwaya has occupied
very senior positions, part of which was as the
Managing Director, ZESCO, Zambia; Commercial
Director, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company
(AEDC), where he was later elevated to the
position of Managing Director/CEO.
“He has been involved in the execution of
strategies for Aggregate Technical Commercial
and Collection (ATC and C) loss reduction,
improvement of operational efficiency through
effective use of integrated business information
system, pre-paid meter roll-out, and customer
service programmes,” he said.
Ezeh said that Mupwaya holds a Doctorate
degree in Business Administration from California
Intercontinental University, USA (DBA).
“Mupwaya also holds a Master’s degree in
Business Administration from University of
Glamorgan and University of South Wales, United
Kingdom, and also a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical
Engineering from University of Zambia,” he
added. (NAN)
From left: Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Funminiyi Afuye; Guests at Occasion, Chief Folake
Solanke (SAN); Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); Justice of Supreme Court, Justice Amina Augie; Moderator,
Mr Andrew Eghobabamien; Mr Kunle Aderemi, during the Memorial Lecture of Justice Pius Aderemi in
Ibadan yesterday
16 Firms Pre-qualified For 5 NIPPs Privatisation –BPE
By Tony Obiechina Abuja
Sixteen firms have been pre-qualified for the
privatisation of five National Integrated Power
Projects (NIPPs) in the country, Director
General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises
(BPE), Mr. Alex A. Okoh has announced.
Okoh announced this at the Investor Pre-
bid Conference for the privatisation of the
five NIPP plants namely: Geregu, Omotosho,
Olorunsogo, Calabar and Benin-Ihovbor which
held in Abuja.
He listed the16 pre-qualified bidders as: Mota-
Engil Nig, Amperion Power, Sifax Energy,
Pacific Energy Company Ltd and Globeleq
Africa Limited.
Others are: Geoplex Drillteq Limited, Asfalizo
Acquisition Ltd, Launderhill PJB, Lauderhill
Tata, Unicorn Power Genco Ltd, Connaught
Energy Services Ltd, ENL Consortium Ltd,
Ardova Plc, Central Electric and Utilities Ltd,
North South Power Consortium and Quantum
Megawatt Consortium.
Earlier, Okoh noted that the power sector
remains a viable investment in the country
given the low per-capital Megawatts recording
Nigeria.
He added that the interest shown by bidders
and the opening up of the generation aspect
of the power sector confirmed the vast
opportunities abound in the sector and that
the Bureau and other relevant stakeholders
were committed to making the sector very
sustainable.
Naira Weakens against Dollar at Investors, Exporters Window by 0.10%
The Naira depreciated against the
dollar at the Investors and Exporters
Window on Thursday exchanging at
N428.16 to the dollar.
The figure represented an
appreciation of 0.10 per cent
compared with N427.75 for which
Okoh revealed that the objectives of the
pre-bid conference were to address possible
questions from the prequalified bidders with
regards to the transactions and provide clarity
on some issues in the Transaction Documents
as may be necessary.
He also said that the forum would also
highlight the potentials in the Nigerian power
sector and provide a platform for potential
investors to understand the process for the
privatisation of the NIPP power plants as well
as to enable them adequately to prepare their
bid documents.
BPE DG further said: “this event is a
continuation of the Federal Government’s
reform of the power sector with the aim of
ensuring that assets within the sector are fully
utilized and transformed into world class
facilities, through the injection of private sector
capital and deployment of more efficient and
technical capacity”.
He allayed the fears of potentials buyers of
some of the plants which have litigation issues,
saying that such litigations were baseless and
frivolous as the Bureau and the Niger Delta
Power Holding Company (NDPHC) were
empowered by the bids’ provisions under NIPPs
transaction to terminate bids that violated the
ground rules.
The event attracted critical stakeholders in the
power sector including the National Electricity
Regulatory Commission (NERC), Niger Delta
Power Holding Company (NDPHC) and
Nigerian Bulk Trading Company (NBET).
It would be recalled that the National Council
it exchanged for the dollar on
Wednesday.
The open indicative rate closed at
N426.31 to the dollar on Wednesday.
An exchange rate of N444 to the
dollar was the highest rate recorded
within the day’s trading before it
13
on Privatisation (NCP) in April 2021 approved
the adoption of a fast-track strategy for the
privatisation of the five NIPP Plants:
NCE also approved the engagement of CPCS
Consortium as the Technical Adviser (TA) for
the 100% sale of the 5 NIPP Plants, in line with
the policy of divesting government shares from
thermal generating plants.
Subsequently, the Bureau advertised in Three
(3) national dailies (This day, Business Day &
Daily Trust Newspapers) and an online news
platform (The Cable) on Thursday 6th May
2021, calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI)
from prospective investors for the sale of the 5
NIPP Power Plants, with a submission deadline
of Wednesday, 30th June 2021.
At the expiration of the deadline for the
submission of EOIs, thirty-six (36) EOIs were
duly submitted from the prospective investors
and the closure for the receipt of the EOIs
was witnessed by the representatives of the
Department of State Security Services (DSS),
Anti-corruption and Transparency/Servicom
Unit (ACTSU) of the Bureau.
Director General of the Bureau of Public
Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh, (2nd
Right), with the Chairman, Nigeria Electricity
Regulatory Commission (NERC), Mr. Sanusi
Garba; Managing Director, Niger Delta Power
Holding Company (NDPHC); Mr. Joseph
Chiedu Ugbo; and Managing Director Nigerian
Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET) at the
Pre-bid Conference on the Privatisation of the
Five National Integrated Power Project (NIPP)
Plants in Abuja
settled at N428.16.
The Naira sold for as low as N413.50
to the dollar within the day’s trading.
A total of 222.84 million dollars
was traded in foreign exchange at
the official Investors and Exporters
Window on Thursday. (NAN)
14 BUSINESS News
Nami Tasks Professional Bodies on
Tax Nigeria’s Development
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Executive Chairman of the Federal
Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Muhammad
Nami has called on professional bodies in the
regulation of tax practice to lead conversations
on matters of tax policy and tax laws in the
country.
Mr. Muhammad Nami made the call while
hosting a meeting of the Council Members of
the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria
(CITN), the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of Nigeria (ICAN), and the Association of
National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) to
discuss the implementation of an MoU on
standardisation of tax practice in Nigeria.
While calling for value-based leadership
approach from the councils Mr Nami urged the
professional bodies to work hand-in-hand with
the Service to deepen the FIRS institutional
framework through qualitative reporting and
effective representation of their clients.
He said, “Our professional bodies need to
speak on matters of tax policies and tax laws
FCC with Flag Officer Commanding in Yenagoa
We’ll Ensure Changes in DisCos don’t Disrupt Service – FG
The Minister of Power, Mr Abubakar
Aliyu says the ministry will ensure that the
changes in corporate governance do not
impact on the service and stability of the
Distribution Companies (DisCos).
Mal Isa’ Sanusi, Special Adviser on
Media to the Minister of Power, made
this known in a statement in Abuja on
Wednesday.
Sanusi said that the minister had
reassured electricity consumers that the
recent changes in the governance of the
DisCos would not adversely impact on the
ongoing reform initiatives including the
National Mass Metering Programme.
He said that the minister had been
briefed by the Nigerian Electricity
Regulatory Commission (NERC) and
Bureau of Public Enterprise(BPE) on
the recent events relating to corporate
governance in Kano, Benin, Kaduna,
lbadan and Port Harcourt DisCos.
Sanusi said that the event had
necessitated a change in the respective
especially on proposals to annual Finance Bills.
“We also urge you to help the Service to
deepen institutional framework through
quality reporting and effective representation
of clients by our professional colleagues.
“We need to stem the tides in improving
financial reporting to reduce the spate of ‘copy
and paste’ financial reporting system as we
experience today”.
Speaking further, the FIRS Executive
Chairman who is also a Fellow of two of the
three professional bodies explained that on the
part of the FIRS, the tax authority had adopted
renewed strategies to tackle financial reporting
concerns.
He disclosed that the Service had created new
departments such as the Intelligence, Strategic
Data Mining and Analysis Department, the
Special Crimes Department, the Tax Incentives
Management Department and the Emerging
and Special Taxes Department, which he stated
are at the forefront of unravelling financial
reporting issues through data mining.
He also noted that the FIRS alongside State
Board of Directors and Management of
the DisCos.
According to him, the changes
announced was as a result of the
receivership of the core investors in Kano,
Benin, Kaduna and lbadan DisCos.
”Whereas the actions in Port Harcourt
DisCo are sought to provide much needed
liquidity and prevent the insolvency
and risk of collapse of the utility in
implementing the changes.
Sanusi affirmed that while the
Government continue to hold a 40 per cent
equity stake in all the DisCos.
“ The utilities are still private sector
led “going concerns” falling under the
provisions of the Companies and Allied
Matters Act (CAMA) and subject to
regulation by the Nigerian Electricity
Regulatory Commission (NERC).
” The ministry had received a
confirmation from the Bureau of Public
Enterprise (BPE) and the Central Bank
of Nigeria that in exercising the rights of
Inland Revenue Services are collaborating
with the National Identity Management
Commission (NIMC) to build a databank to
improve tax investigation.
According to him, other strategies include
the accreditation of tax consultants and
auditors in the FIRS, the review of data from
Automatic Exchange of Information as well as
increased enforcement actions.
The Presidents of the three bodies, Professor
Benjamin Osisioma of ANAN, Mr. Tijjani
Musa Isa of ICAN and Mr. Adesina Adedayo
of the CITN commended the FIRS Executive
Chairman for showing leadership in pushing
for and enabling a resolution of the squabbles
between the three bodies.
While thanking Mr. Nami for his leadership
roles, Professor Osisioma noted that failure
to cooperate amongst the three bodies would
lead to chaos in tax practice regulation in the
country.
“If we fail to cooperate and collaborate, we
would destroy what we are trying to build,” he
stated.
lenders to the core investors.
”The financial institutions do not
retain the ownership of the shares and
management of the DisCos in perpetuity.
‘It is therefore expected that clear
timelines for exit of the banks would be
prescribed by the regulators as and when
appropriate,” he said.
Fidelity Bank said it planned to take over
the boards of Kano, Benin and Kaduna
Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and to
collateralize their shares.
The Director-General of BPE, Alex Okoh,
and the Executive Chairman, Nigerian
Electricity Regulatory Commission
(NERC), Sanusi Garba said this in a joint
statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
“Today, we were informed by Fidelity
Bank that they have activated the call on
the collateralised shares of Kano, Benin and
Kaduna (Fidelity and AFREXIM) DISCOs.
“They have also initiated action to take
over the Boards of these DISCOs and
exercise the rights on the shares.(NAN)
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
APM Terminals
Apapa Sponsors
Campaign against
Drug Abuse, Illicit
Trafficking
Nigeria’s largest container terminal, APM Terminals,
Apapa, Lagos, took part in sponsoring this year’s
International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug
Trafficking.
The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit
Drug Trafficking is observed on June 26 annually.
APM Terminals Apapa also participated in activities
organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA), Apapa Area Command, to mark
the day.
Speaking at the event, Legal and Corporate Affairs
General Manager at APM Terminals Nigeria, Chinenye
Mirian Deinde, said, ”It was a collaborative and
interactive workshop comprising of participants in
the maritime industry and port community.”
While the audience included secondary school
students, members of the National Youth Service
Corps (NYSC), government enforcement agencies,
community leaders and traditional rulers from
the community as well as other port stakeholders,
terminal operators had the highest representation of
the corporate stakeholder group.
“This shows commitment to partner with the
NDLEA to curb the menace of drugs coming in through
the seaport,” Deinde said.
Also speaking, the Government Relations Manager
at APM Terminals Apapa, Kayode Daniel, said, “APM
Terminals was a proud supporter and sponsor of this
year’s program and this gesture was highly appreciated
by the NDLEA. We look forward to more collaboration
with the NDLEA towards building a drug-free Nigeria.”
Stanbic IBTC Rewards
more Customers in
Saving Promo
Stanbic IBTC Bank, has rewarded more customers
in its ongoing Reward4Saving Season-2 promo with
seven persons winning one million naira each in a
draw held at its corporate head office in Lagos.
The second Reward4Saving promo themed:
“Bigger and Better”, encourages Nigerians to imbibe
a savings culture.
Speaking at the live draws where 70 customers
won N100,000 each, the Head, Main Markets
Clients, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Emmanuel Aihevba,
said: “As a progressive organisation, our quest to
encourage people to cultivate the habit of saving
for rainy days led to the Reward4Saving initiative.
The result of that encouragement is impacting the
lives of customers as we have all witnessed from the
winners of the first season of the promo.”
He stated that the initiative has empowered
customers through the rewards, reiterating that
empowerment is one of Stanbic IBTC’s core pillars.
Over N44 million has been credited to more than 300
customers in the promo; cash prizes ranging from
N100,000 in the monthly draws and N1 million in
the quarterly draws.
The promo, which extends across seven regions,
will cover next 10 months and over 735 winners
would emerge winners of the outstanding N142
million.
Head, Sales and Distribution, Stanbic IBTC
Bank, Oluwakemi Zollner, said: “We are truly glad
that we started this initiative to let people know
the importance of saving and even happier that
they are being rewarded for it. We have rewarded
70 customers from seven zones and more of our
new and existing customers still stand a chance of
winning a whooping sum of N2 million at the grand
finale.”
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022 BUSINESS NEWS 15
IOCs Lament Escalating
Oil Losses, Say Threat has
Reached Existential Level
International oil companies (IOCs)
operating in Nigeria including Shell,
Chevron, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil
have again expressed their frustration over
the escalating oil losses in the Niger Delta
due to the activities of oil thieves.
Speaking at the industry leaders’ panel on
From left: Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reform the topic: “The Future of Nigeria’s Energy
and Decongestion, Mrs Leticia Ayoola- Daniels; Solicitor-General of the Federation Sector in the PIA Era,” Managing Director
of Shell Nigeria Limited, Mr. Osagie
and Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba and Chair- Okunbor, said the high oil losses caused by
man of the Presidential Committee, Justice Ishaq Bello, during the inauguration of the crude theft had resulted to Nigeria’s daily
Technical Committee of Borstal Institutions in Abuja yesterday /NAN oil production declining from 1.8 million
barrels per day in the last three years to just

FG to Fund Infrastructure Delivery a little over 1 million bpd.

This was just as despite current low oil
production levels, the Nigerian Upstream

from External Borrowings - Minister

Petroleum Regulatory Commission
(NUPRC), yesterday reiterated its resolve
to pursue a three million barrels per day
oil production as well as raise the crude
reserves to 40 billion barrels.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja Infrastructure Master Plan increasing role either directly with other stakeholders Okunbor also warned that the new
(NIIMP). or in collaboration with the including MDAs, sub national marginal field licensees that would be
The federal government says “Presently, Nigeria needs government through the Public governments, the Private sector, operating Shell’s Oil Mining Lease (OML)
it will continue with external US$150 billion yearly to Private Partnership (PPP)”. international donor partners etc”. 53 and 57 may experience difficulties
borrowings and draw downs implement the National Governments at both the “In this regards, the MDAs evacuating their products.
from Sovereign Wealth Fund Integrated Infrastructure Master national and sub-national levels would be required to set up “In three to five years, we were brought
and the Pension Fund to support Plan (NIIMP) between 2020 and he said will be “providing a Infrastructure Delivery Units down from 1.8 million barrels a day to a
infrastructure delivery. 2030. supportive environment with to ensure effective coordination little over 1 million barrels a day and frankly,
The Minister of State, Budget “This will amount to stable and transparent policies, with IDCU on infrastructure most of that comes out of deep water.
and National Planning Prince US$2.3 trillion required for rules and regulations required development. “So, our OML 53 and 57 marginal field
Clem Agba who disclosed this, the implementation National for a robust PPP investment”. “Likewise, the sub-national licensees, depending on how quickly they
explained that the reason for Integrated Infrastructure Master He then stated that the Federal governments will be required can bring production on stream, those who
funding infrastructure provision Plan implementation which the Government will “continue to to develop States Integrated are on land, swamps and shallow water,
from these sources is because federal government says “is explore external borrowing as Infrastructure Master Plan in evacuation is going to be an issue. So it’s an
the yearly budgetary allocation enormous and tasking”. well as opportunities created by tandem with the aspirations and existential issue for us,” he explained.
available to fix and upgrade the
nation’s infrastructure is too
insignificant.
Prince Agba said the Federal
Government alone cannot
provide all the needed resources,
other government controlled
sources such as the Sovereign
Wealth Fund and the Pension
objectives of the NIIMP” he said.
In his goodwill message,
President of Manufacturers
IOCs Lament Escalating
Agba was speaking at the
formal launch and presentation
therefore, a well-coordinated
and strategic approach will be
Fund to support infrastructure
delivery.
Association of Nigeria(MAN),
Mansur Ahmed, underscored the
Oil Losses, Say Threat has
of the reviewed National
Integrated Infrastructure Master
required to harness sufficient
resources to increase the stock
The Federal Ministry of
Finance, Budget and National
need for faithful implementation
of the NIIMP by the government
Reached Existential Level
Plan (NIIMP) in Abuja on of Nigeria’s infrastructure to the Planning he disclosed “has and other critical stakeholders. International oil companies (IOCs)
Thursday. desired level by 2043. established an Infrastructure Ahmed observed that operating in Nigeria including Shell,
According to him, “to address Besides investments by sub- Delivery Coordinating Unit enabling environment and Chevron, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil
the nation’s infrastructure deficit national governments, Prince (IDCU) within the Ministry legal framework had not been have again expressed their frustration over
the federal government has Agba noted that “the private to effectively coordinate the provided for its implementation the escalating oil losses in the Niger Delta
launched a National Integrated sector is expected to play an implementation of the NIIMP since it was first initiated in 2014. due to the activities of oil thieves.
Speaking at the industry leaders’ panel on
FAAN to Close Lagos Airport Domestic Runways for 90 Days the topic: “The Future of Nigeria’s Energy
Sector in the PIA Era,” Managing Director
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria completed in 90 days. Ground Lighting system on Runway 18L/36R. of Shell Nigeria Limited, Mr. Osagie
(FAAN) says it will close domestic runways 18L It assured that normal flight operations would “The project, which will commence effectively Okunbor, said the high oil losses caused by
and 36R at the Murtala Muhammed Airport not be affected by the installations. on Friday, July 8, 2022, is expected to last for crude theft had resulted to Nigeria’s daily
(MMA) in Lagos to install an airfield ground “As part of efforts aimed at improving the 90 days. Consequently, Runway 18L/36R will oil production declining from 1.8 million
lighting system. safety and efficiency of flight operations at the be closed to flight operations during this time. barrels per day in the last three years to just
FAAN disclosed this in a statement on Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, the Federal “However, stakeholders are to note that a little over 1 million bpd.
Wednesday. Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),” it said. there will be no disruption. All normal flight This was just as despite current low oil
The agency said the installations would “FAAN has concluded arrangements to operations will be conducted through runway production levels, the Nigerian Upstream
commence July 8 and are expected to be complete the installation of CAT III Airfield 18R/36L. Petroleum Regulatory Commission
(NUPRC), yesterday reiterated its resolve
Ekiti Airport ‘ll be Completed Before I Leave Office – Fayemi to pursue a three million barrels per day
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has assured that the project would be delivered before he Agriculture Technologists, biotechnology and oil production as well as raise the crude
the people of the state that the International lives office. medical tourism. reserves to 40 billion barrels.
Airport under construction will be completed Fayemi disclosed that the various legacy This, he said, was in line with the Afe Babalola Okunbor also warned that the new
before the expiration of his tenure on Oct. 15, projects put in place by his administration were multi-systems hospital. marginal field licensees that would be
2022. designed to completely change the character of Fayemi said the Ekiti Airport’s 3.2km operating Shell’s Oil Mining Lease (OML)
The projects is valued at N20 billion. Fayemi the state by turning it to an economic zone. runway was constructed with the capacity to 53 and 57 may experience difficulties
gave the assurance on Wednesday during a tour He said the idea of Knowledge Zone project accommodate all types of aircraft. evacuating their products.
of the airport and other projects in Ado- Ekiti, was about using knowledge for wealth creation in According to him, the airport will also have “In three to five years, we were brought
the state capital. the drive to turn Ekiti to a destination of choice facilities for the Nigeria Airforce to have their down from 1.8 million barrels a day to a
The governor expressed delight at the level of for innovation, creativity, startup activities, talent own operations as well as for maintenance and little over 1 million barrels a day and frankly,
work done at the airport, saying he is confident city for Engineers, Computer Technologists, associated engineering components. most of that comes out of deep water.

16
AGRICULTURE
Enhancing Livestock Productivity Via
Improved Animals Healthcare Services
Zubairu Idris examines
the causes of low
productivity in milk and
beef in livestock breeds in
the country in comparison
with others in other parts
of the world and highlights
efforts at reversing the trend
Undoubtedly, cattle in
Nigeria produce less milk
and meat, and in most cases,
are not resistant to diseases,
compared to cattle in other
parts of the world.
That is because Nigeria
still use traditional methods
of livestock management.
Experts say that Nigerian
cows produce an average of
one-to-two litres of milk a
day, compared to cows in the
United Kingdom and other
parts of the world, where
they produce about 20 litres
per day on the average.
They further said that
livestock productivity can be
achieved through improved
animals’ health services,
like artificial insemination,
enhanced nutrition and
improving animals’ health
services.
Kano State Government,
in order to change the
narrative, is collaborating
with the Islamic
Development Bank (IsDB)
and Lives and Livelihood
Fund (LLF) to boost milk
and meat production.
The five-year project
called “Agro-pastoral
Development Project
(KSADP),” which has
commenced, focuses on
improving crop production
and enhancing livestock
productivity.
To enhance livestock
productivity, five Friesian
bulls have been purchased
for Artificial Insemination
(AI).
KSADP Communication
Specialist, Mr Ameen Yassar,
said that in AI “semen of
bulls of superior quality
is collected and used to
inseminate females to
conceive offspring with
desired traits, such as high
milk and meat, as well as
disease resistance.”
He explained that experts
believed that, artificial
insemination would result
in the development of a
more productive cattle
population.
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje
of Kano State recently
inaugurated the artificial
insemination at Kadawa
Animal Insemination
Centre, equipped under the
project for effective service
delivery.
Ganduje said that the
intention was to inseminate
at least 25, 000 cows
annually.
He said his administration
was promoting artificial
insemination as part of
“deliberate move to change
herdsmanship from a as diagnosis, determination of
socio-cultural activity to a
socio-economic venture,
in tandem with prevailing
realities across the globe.
“It is aimed at achieving
genetic improvement of
our local cattle productivity,
thereby significantly
improving the income of our
herdsmen and mitigating
the population’s nutrition
challenges,” he said.
The programme has also
been launched state-wide
for 2022, under the Mass
Cattle and Small Ruminants
Vaccination, also aimed
at improving the health of
animals.
Ganduje who spoke
at the commencement
of the campaign said the
programme, which is free,
is targeting 1, 025, 000 cattle
and 750, 000 goats and sheep
across the state.
The governor revealed that
the objective is to protect
livestock from Contagious
Bovine Pleuropneumonia
(CBPP), and Peste des Petits
Ruminants (PPR), which are
the major diseases affecting
animals’ productivity and
health.
“It will also improve the
livestock’s overall quality of
life, prevent economic losses
and in the long run, promote
human health,” Ganduje
said.
He added that the
vaccination conducted in
2021 was “very successful, as
701, 042 cattle and 663,570
sheep and goats were
vaccinated.
“I did not receive
information on outbreak
of CBPP and PPR in Kano
State last year, but we are not
relenting in our effort.”
On his part, the KSADP
State Coordinator,
Malam Ibrahim Garba-
Muhammad, said that 220
Community Animal Health
Workers were engaged to
conduct the statewide mass
vaccination across the state.
He also said that 30
International Committee
for Red Cross Supported
Community Animal
Health Workers and 880
inoculators would also
take part in the exercise,
under the supervision of
41 veterinary doctors.
The coordinator said the
animal health personnel
were supported with kits
containing basic equipment
and drugs, to enable them
offer basic services in their
localities.
“In return for such
services, they will charge
fees to restock and earn a
living,” he said.
The animal health
personnel were recently
trained to enable them
provide quality health
services.
Dr Garba Saleh, KSADP
Livestock Specialist,
explained that the training
was aimed at equipping the
Animal Health Workers
with veterinary techniques
in line with international
best practices.
Dr Olaniran Alabi, the
Chief Veterinary Officer
of Nigeria, who spoke
during the vaccination
exercise, said vaccination
would guarantee successful
livestock transformation in
the country.
Alabi, who is the Director,
Department of Veterinary
and Pest Control Services,
Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural
Resources, also gave details
of cattle population in the
country.
He said that as at 2020,
the estimated cattle
population in Nigeria
stood at 20,585,153;
sheep, 47,926,393; goats,
84,039,153; camel, 280,617,
and chicken 223,704,135.
Alabi, represented by
Dr Muhammad Ali-
Gana, said that among
the major factors affecting
livestock production and
productivity in the country,
is Transboundry Animal
Diseases (TADs)
He said that TADs
included Contagious
Bovine Pleuropneumonia
(CBPP), Peste des Petits
Ruminants (PPR), Foot
and Mouth Disease (FMD),
Avian Influenza, African
Swine Fever, among others.
He commended the
efforts of Kano State
Government for launching
the animals’ vaccination
exercise.
He said that the
Federal Government is
constructing a Federal
Veterinary Medical Centre
in Gabasawa, meant to
enhance the health of
animals.
The director also
announced that the
government is upgrading/
renovating one abattoir in
Kano State, to ensure safe
and wholesome meat for
human consumption.
Nevertheless, the project
coordinator said that,
KSADP has wide-scale
initiatives that would
deepen agro-pastoral
productivity.
The initiatives, he said,
include commercial
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
fodder production, crop
residue utilisation from
emerging sources, upgrade
of 20 slaughter houses and
establishment of 200 milk
collection centre, among
others.
Furthermore, KSADP
recently awarded contract
for the construction of
a Veterinary Reference
Laboratory at Gwale, in Kano.
Garba-Muhammad said
the laboratory would render
several vital services related
to veterinary sciences, such
treatment options, prevention,
and monitoring of animal
diseases.
He said that the “laboratory,
which is the first of its kind in
Northern Nigeria, will secure
both livestock and human
health.
“When completed, the
facility will not only serve Kano
State, but all the neighbouring
states. It will drastically cut
the cost of managing animal
health in our communities,”
he said.
Musa Jibrin, a pastoralist,
commended KSADP and IsDB
for the project, which he said,
is assisting in enhancing health
of their animals.
He urged the government to
establish under path at Garun-
Mallam, to prevent their
animals from being crushed
by motorists while crossing
the road.
The Kano State Government
has remained resolute to
improve livestock production
as well as the welfare of
herders.
The governor
announced recently that
his administration has
established Ruga settlement
at Dansoshiya forest, with
about 200 houses, earth dam,
market, health facility, school
and a police outpost, all
designed to enhance welfare
of pastoralists.
He warned herdsmen in
the state against engaging in
banditry and kidnapping,
adding “for banditry, is
life imprisonment, while
kidnapping is death sentence.”
All in all, the efforts of
Kano State Government are
designed to boost livestock
production through improved
animal healthcare services.
(NANFeatures)
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
How to Start Profitable Poultry Farming Business
Poultry farming can be defined as the
process of raising various domestic birds
such as chicken, turkey, emu, ducks,
geese, etc. for their eggs or meat. This
has been a common practice in Nigeria
for such a long time that it has become
an indispensable part of the farming and
agriculture system.
Poultry farming could be considered
as one of the most lucrative agricultural
business ideas in Nigeria today. It
requires not huge capital to start as you
can start from the comfort of your house
if you have enough space to take the
number of birds that you desire.
Poultry Farming in Nigeria
The demand for livestock products,
including poultry, is fast expanding
in Nigeria and across Africa as a result
of population growth and increased
urbanization. Poultry farming is one
of the fastest growing segments in
the Agricultural industry in Nigeria.
According to ThisDay Newspaper,
Nigeria’s poultry industry is worth over
N1.2tn as of 2017.
From a market size perspective,
Nigeria’s egg production is the largest in
Africa followed by South Africa. Chicken
importation (with the exception of day-
old-chicks) was banned by Nigeria in
2003, which spurred growth in domestic
poultry production. The Nigerian poultry
sector is extremely fragmented with most
of the chicken raised in ‘backyards’ or on
poultry farms with less than 1,000 birds.
Amongst all kinds of poultry farming
(chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks),
chicken is the most common one as
farmers get a great number of chickens
regularly either the egg for food or the
farming meat. The high consumption
of the end product; chicken and egg are
in constant demand in the marketplace
and even at various homes in Nigeria
today and this makes poultry farming
very lucrative as it seems to be a potent
source of animal protein outside fish,
pork and beef.
5 Steps to Starting Poultry Farm
in Nigeria
Are you planning to start your own
poultry farm? If so, then you should enter
the business well prepared by considering
all of its aspects. Right from setting up
some basic equipment to raising the birds
and marketing your business, you have
to take every step wisely.
Poultry farming is of different types
such as duck rearing, rearing chicken,
quails, turkey, emu, broiler, etc. However,
the principles and practices underlying
are the same. Below are the five basic
steps you need to follow to start a
profitable snail farming business in
Nigeria.
Step 1: Choose the Type of Poultry
Bird to Rear
Before you kickstart your poultry
farming business venture, it is important
to have a clear picture of what type
of poultry breeds to farm (most
importantly, poultry breeds that lay a
lot of eggs). In Nigeria today, aside from
locally grown chickens, there are two
major breeds that are common among
poultry farmers.
Broilers: Young males and females
raised for meat. They grow from a
hatch weight of 40 g to a weight of
approximately 1.5 to 2 kg within 6 weeks
only.
Layers: Hens used for commercial egg
production and then killed for meat.
Layer chickens are raised from one day
old. They start laying eggs at the age of
18-19 weeks and continue until they are
72-78 weeks of age.
Cockerels: Just like the broilers,
cockerels are also for meat production
and have a special market demand but
then, its growth is very slow, unlike the
broilers that grow very fast. Cockerels
can survive in many environments.
Step 2: Select a Suitable Farm
Location/Site
Where your poultry farm is situated
is very important for your business. To
start poultry, you need a farm site. The
size of the poultry farmland should be
determined by the number of birds you
want to rear. If you have enough land at
your backyard and can’t afford to acquire
a new site, its always better to start small.
You can start with what you have but
make it a priority to get a better farm as
soon as you can afford it.
A good poultry farm site should be
away from the chaos and hustle-bustle of
the city. It should be calm and pollution
free environment. The farm must have
adequate, clean and fresh drinking water
sources nearby. Also, the site must be
free of poultry enemies and predators
like foxes and leopards. The site must be
easily accessible from main roads so as to
ease the transportation of farm products
when they are ready for sale.
Step 3: Provide Good Housing and
Shelter for the Birds
When it comes to poultry farming,
housing is the next important factor
after getting a farm site. A proper poultry
housing is necessary for the protection
and survival of your commercial poultry
birds. The Housing system you choose
totally depends on the poultry breeds
and farming method. Housing design
varies in accordance with various types
of poultry raising methods.
The housing to be built should
be spacious enough to permit free
movement and running of the birds.
shelters must be raised adequately to
prevent the risk of flooding. It should
be spacious enough to permit free
movement and running of the birds. In
addition, the shelter must be adequately
ventilated and protected from sunlight.
Step 4: Feeding and Medication of
the Poultry Birds
For commercial poultry production,
good quality, highly nutritious food is a
must. Quality and neat feeds keep the
AGRIC 17
bird healthy always and very productive.
The feed must be kept clean and dry
always, as contaminated feed can infect
poultry. Fresh quality and nutritious
food is the key to success in poultry
farming business. Your birds need not
lack water. Lack of adequate water supply
can impede their growth.
Proper medication and vaccination
can prevent many poultry diseases. As a
commercial poultry farmer, you need to
have a veterinary doctor that can come
run a check on your birds when the
need arises. There are various routine
medications and vaccinations that help
towards the healthiness of your birds
to keep them safe from viruses and
bacterial infections, peradventure they
catch an infectious disease.
Step 5: Marketing and Sales of the
Poultry Birds
Poultry farming is a profitable business
and the desire of every poultry farmer is
to make good sales after every harvest.
So you need to pay attention to the
marketing and sales aspect of your
business. Do not be caught up in the
operational aspect of your business so
much that you ignore the sales aspect.
Nevertheless, the following ideas can
help you in the marketing and sales
of your chicken; taking your business
online, selling to hotels and restaurants,
advertising your products, employing
marketers, home delivery, etc.
Cost of Starting Poultry Farming
Business
Many new businesses require a large
capital outlay, which is not within reach
of most business owners. A typical
startup business also takes a long time to
produce a return on your investment. By
contrast, a small-scale poultry business
has a relatively low start-up cost and
rapid returns.
You can begin with as little as N50,000
(which basically to covers the cost of
buying the day-old chicks and feeding
them) and get a 100% return on your
capital investment within six months.
And because chicks take only 21 days
to hatch, you can start generating an
income just three weeks after starting.
No other business can provide such a
quick turnaround.
Conclusion
Commercial poultry farming in
Nigeria has created and still creating
a profitable business opportunity for
Entrepreneurs and can provide a great
employment source for job seekers. Most
entrepreneurs prefer to produce day-old
chicks and sell them to growers, as this
option is easier and less risky. The choice,
however, is up to you.
As a business owner, you need to get
your business finances right from the
onset and at the heart of these viable
business opportunities in poultry
farming are platforms, such as our online
invoicing software that helps you keep
proper track of your business revenues
and expenses with ease.

18
Bwari Council
METRO
Chairman Charges Staff
on Diligence, Promises
Better Working
Condition
the Chairman Bwari Area
Council in FCT, Mr John Gabaya,
has charged staff of the council
on diligence to service, while
promising to ensure a better
working condition for them.
Gabaya gave the charge yesterday,
while addressing the staff at the
council secretariat in Bwari, Abuja.
The chairman, who was re-
elected into office, stressed the need
for punctuality, respect and total
submission to work, urging the
staff to shun absenteeism at work.
While appreciating the staff for
the support given to him during
his previous tenure, he also urged
them to put in their best at work
and support his administration
to achieve its set goals for the
development of the district.
He noted that the economic
challenges were far from
encouraging productivity but that
must not deter staff from taking up
their responsibilities.
Gabaya, however, promised to
improve welfare and other working
conditions of the staff to motivate
and encourage performance.
“Your support in the past was
enormous. You no longer owe me
but I owe you and will try my best
to meet your needs. All I want is
for you to continue to give me that
support.
“We may have not been able to
meet your expectations in the past
but I assure you, we shall make
up where we fell short in this
administration.
“I am ready to work alongside
the new legislative arm and the
council NULGE chapter, all for the
development of this council but
you must be willing and ready to
work with me to achieve success.
“You must be regular at the
office, be punctual and be different
from every other area council.
“It is time to work again like I
was never the council chairman.
Let’s all join hands and serve the
people together and I believe with
the available resources, we will
achieve our desired goal.”
Speaking on behalf of the staff,
Mr Matthew Okpeku, the Head
of Administration in the council,
appreciated the chairman for his
show of good will towards the staff
and the entire people of Bwari.
He also assured that the
administration would be
successful, while also appealing
to the staff to join hands and give
it all necessary support for further
development.
Heads of all departments in
the council and all members of
staff were present at the meeting.
(NAN)
Ram for sale at Railway line area, Iyaganku as Muslims prepare for Sallah celebration in Ibadan yesterday
95 Per Cent of FCT Park Owners
Abuse Them — Minister
Minister of Federal Capital Territory,
Malam Muhammad Bello, has explained
why his administration is enforcing the
policy on parks operation in the nation’s
capital.
He said that his administration decided
to revert to the policy in order to ensure the
attainment of 40 per cent threshold of green
areas in the city.
Bello gave the insight when the
management of the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) led by its Managing Director, Mr
Buki Ponle, paid a courtesy call yesterday
in Abuja.
“The whole concept of the park policy is
to make sure that these green areas within
Abuja as a city and to some extent parts of
the territory are left green to be able to meet
the 40 per cent threshold of green areas.
“Abuja was way ahead of many cities
in terms of climate consideration and the
whole idea was that you develop these
green areas to make them truly green with
vegetation, with green land, flowers and
trees.
“That was achieved to a large extent some
I’d El Kabir: Group Donates Cash, Food, Cows, Books, Textbooks to Abuja Orphanage
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
In the spirit of celebration, a Non-
Governmental Organization (NGO),
KEMTOYE Care & Support Foundation,
yesterday put smiles on faces of over 500
orphans for Id El Kabir, by donating cash over
(N.5m), for school fees and hospital bills, food
items, cows, notebooks, textbooks, toiletries,
cleaning agents, school uniforms etc.
The coordinator of the NGO, Janet Shehu,
while speaking with journalists at the orphanage
Al’ Yatama foundation, Sherrette village Abuja,
she said enumerated the joy she feels in giving
out to the less privileged in the society.
“Well am the promoter, the idea was mine
and my sister, the NGO was named after my
father, my sister and brother.
“The reason why we established the NGO is to
be able to reach out to the less privileged and our
years back but with population growth of
the city and demand for housing and land,
if we are not conscious about it then we may
derail ourselves and just make it a concrete
city,” he said.
Bello said that the abuse on green areas
had affected the ecosystem, adding that
government realised sometimes in the
mid 2000 that it was simply impossible to
maintain all the green areas.
This, he said, informed the concessioning
of green areas to private operators to
develop as parks
“A park in the real sense of a park like we
see in other countries is neat, clean with
sidewalks, with areas for playground for
children, playground for family members
and areas of relaxation.
“And everywhere in the world, these
parks have opening time and closing time
and normally they are done in the day time
may be from 8a.m. or in some cases 7a.m.
and then by night they close,” he said.
The minister stated that almost
95 per cent of those who took parks
under concession converted them into
focus is on women, orphans and communities
that lack basic amenities.
“Being a Christian, am married to a Muslim
family and I see Muslim and Christian as the
same.
“The joy of reaching out to the less privileged
is immeasurable. If you put price on what you
are giving then you won’t feel fulfilled. The joy
that people get from sowing, cannot be compare
to anything,” she said.
On giving during Sallah, she said, “Well
beyond the challenges we have in this country,
we should not say because they are orphans that
they shouldn’t have enjoy at this festive period.
The same way we are merrying in our houses,
they should have fun too.
“And from the supports from our friends and
the NGO, we try to meet some of their needs.
They also asked us to help them renovate the
clinic but when we visited the place we knew
DAILY ASSE
Friday, July 08, 2022
/NAN
structures thereby abusing them and the
environment.
“Instead of temporary structures
using environmental friendly materials
they started constructing solid concrete
structures.
“And instead of making green areas they
started creating concrete basement and
that totally jettisoned the idea and as time
went by, these concrete and permanent
structures started to be converted into areas
where a lot of things were done wrongly
“Parks that were meant to be areas where
there will be aesthetics like you see in New
York, London and so many other cities in
the world gradually were converted into
places where criminals stayed there.
“Because it is an open public space they
will stay there in the night until midnight
and after midnight you know what they
do in the city.
“They create havoc in many of the parks
and because the parks owners have not
been able over time to invest to maintain
it green it became easier for them to stay,”
the minister said. (NAN)
renovating it, will be waste of resources and we
will rebuild for them a clinic that would serve
the home once they have perfected the papers
for the property,” she noted.
Aliyu Umar, the public Relation Officer of
the orphanage, expressed the gratitude of the
orphanage to KEMTOYE CARE & SUPPORT
FOUNDATION.
“We have over 500 kids spread across,
Sherrette, Wassa, Apo, Kabusa and we have been
operating over 11 years.
“We have graduated two people from
universities and we have two others that are in
higher institutions, some are learning vocation.
“Our major challenges include food stuffs,
books, school fees, writing materials, salary for
school teachers,” he said.
He said the orphanage pay N501,992 as
school fees, every term, depending the number
of children in school.
DAILY ASSE
Friday, July 08, 2022
FCT NYSC Honours
Seven Youth Corps
Members, Sanctions 74
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
has honoured seven youth corps members
posted to FCT in 2021 Batch ‘B’ Stream One
service for outstanding performance.
The Coordinator of the scheme in the
territory, Alhaji Suleiman Abdul, said this
yesterday in Abuja at the Passing Out Parade
(POP) ceremony for the batch.
“I am happy to inform you that a total of
4,472 youth corps members are exiting the
service today.
“Out of this number, two are to receive
FCT State Honours Award and five will get
letters of commendation for outstanding
performance during the service year.
“A total of 74 members who failed to
conform to the dictates of the NYSC have
been sanctioned in line with the NYSC by-
laws,” he said.
Abdul, however, said that the sanction was
an extension of service for those affected,
pointing out that “the POP signals another
page in the story of the success of the NYSC
in grooming virile, intelligent and diligent
young graduates in the society as powerful
development influencers.”
He added that the strategies of the
scheme had proven to be highly effective,
considering the contributions of the youth
corps members in Agriculture, Economy,
Health, Rural Infrastructure, among other
sectors.
He said “while these activities have
drawn positive commendations to the
scheme, the NYSC is pressing forward in the
humanitarian and social responsibility front.
“This is by harnessing the human resource,
expertise and malleability of members to
move our great country forward.
“Furthermore, with the passage of the
NYSC Trust Fund by the Senate, we are
confident of better days for the scheme.”
The Minister of State for FCT, Hajiya
Ramatu Aliyu, said that the FCT would
remain grateful to the NYSC for the various
contributions the scheme had brought to
education, health, agriculture, economic and
infrastructure sectors within of the territory.
Aliyu was represented by the Secretary,
Social Services Department, Hajiya Hadiza
Kabir, where she urged the management
of the scheme to continue the laudable
contributions with successive batches of
members.
Aliyu, however, charged the youth corps
members to take the Skills Acquisition and
Entrepreneurship Development (SAED)
training they had during the service year
seriously.
She added that “you are all aware that
the era of white collar jobs is fast fading
out and the option left for every serious-
minded person is acquisition of skills and
entrepreneurship development.
“Do the nation and indeed yourself a
favour by continuously improving on the
skills you have acquired, set up a business
and aspire to become employers of labour
in the future,” she said.
One of the award recipients, Ms
Ruth Dasukuk, with state code number
FC/21B/0955, donated 12 chairs to the
Command Day Secondary School in
Lungi Barracks, FCT, and sensitised
women and girls on breast, cervical cancer
and rape.
Dasukuk said she was moved to
contribute her quota to the society
through the sensitisation because she lost
her mother and sister to breast cancer.
She said she would move on from the
NYSC and face her hairdressing business.
Court Adjourns Alleged N10m Bribe Suit against
Gwagwalada Council Chairman Until Oct. 31
An FCT High Court yesterday
adjourned until Oct. 31 the alleged
N10million bribery suit filed against
the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area
Council, Adamu Danze.
The Independent Corrupt Practices
and Other Related Offence Commission
(ICPC) charged Danze with six counts
of demanding N10million kickback
from a contractor handling construction
projects in the area council.
Justice Peter Kekemeke fixed the date
following the opposition of Danze’s
counsel, Abdul Mohammed SAN,
on the eligibility of the second ICPC
witness.
Kekemeke further directed
Mohammed to provide the relevant
literature which stated that the second
ICPC witness was not eligible to testify.
Earlier, the ICPC counsel, Micheal
From left: Igwe Julius Agbo, National Population Commission (NPC) Coordinator for trial census, Mr Niyi Alayaki;
State Coordinator, NPC, Enugu Office, Ms Ngozi Onyia; NPC South-East Zonal Coordinator, Ms Ekwi Elibe, federal
commissioner representing Enugu State in NPC, Chief Ejike Ezeh and representative of the Chairman, Nkanu
West LGA of Enugu State, during NPC town hall meeting with stakeholders for Enugu east Senatorial Zone at Isu
Uzo LGA of Enugu yesterday
Bwari Farmers Decry High Cost of Fertiliser, Solicit FG Intervention
Some small scale farmers in Bwari Area
Council of the FCT have decried the high
cost of fertiliser.
They also described it as a threat to better
yield and food sufficiency in the country.
The farmers, who spoke in separate
interviews yesterday in Bwari, Abuja, opined
that high cost of production may lead to food
insecurity.
A farmer, Mr Musa Adamu, said that most
people have embraced the culture of farming
but lacked the vital input needed to boost
production.
“People have gone back to farming, so
many have taken it up as a contingency
plan, especially with the present economic
challenges.
“Unfortunately, most crops do not yield
well without fertiliser and this has affected
production in quite a great deal.
“In the past, you could buy three different
bags of fertiliser with not more than N23, 000
to N25, 000 but today, that is the price of one
50kg bag of Urea.
“The worst part is, the price keeps changing
and rising every week. I just bought two litres
Adeshola presented the second
Prosecution witness who happened
to be a lawyer from the law Chambers
that handled the defendant’s election
petition matter.
Mohammed, the defendant’s lawyer
opposed the prayers, saying that the
witness cannot give evidence in the
matter by virtue of Section 192 of the
Evidence Act.
“I will be asking for a date to bring
relevant literature and a written
submission on whether or not she can
give evidence in this matter.
“She is not permitted to do that,” he
submitted.
Adeshola, prosecution counsel
told the court that, this was another
opportunity to delay the proceedings.
“The list of witnesses was served on
the Defence a year ago. They did not
of liquid Super Grow fertiliser for N7, 000 last
week.
“In the past, this same product costs
between N15, 000 to N16, 000 for five litres.
Today, only four litres is N29, 000. We can’t
cope, especially those of us with large farms.
“This may force us to reduce the amount of
land to cultivate on while others may not use
fertiliser at all, which may also lead to lower
yield per hectare,” Adamu said.
He called on relevant stakeholders to salvage
the situation to secure food security in the
country.
Similarly, Mr Simon Yakubu, another
farmer in the area also described the challenge
as devastating.
Yakubu said that the high cost of fertiliser
was a major threat to food production in the
country at large and not just at the community
level.
According to him, in as much as
government at all levels has called for a boost
in crop production, little effort have been
made so far, to enable especially farmers
achieve the goal.
“Government keeps saying go back to farm,
METRO 19
oppose it.
“Since they will have opportunity to
address the court at the appropriate
time, the proceedings can go on,” he
argued.
ICPC had alleged that the defendant
in March, 2018, demanded a N10
million bribe from contractor handling
the construction of a Double Cell
Culvert at Paiko – Kore (Gwagwalada).
It alleged that the defendant
demanded that the director, Remotosh
construction Ltd, Mr Aremu Omotosho,
should transfer the money to the counsel
handling his election petition matter.
ICPC stated that this offence
contravenes the provisions of sections
10(a), 18(d) and 19 of Corrupt Practices
and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to
the allegations against him. (NAN)
NAN
yet, little or no assistance gets to especially
those of us at the grassroot.
“Fertiliser is not an easy farm input to
access; the sellers even go to the extent of
hoarding I to sell later for an even higher price.
“Again, you also find out that some products
are fake that may not help your produce or
even destroy it if you are unlucky. This is really
drowning farmers’ efforts in food production.
“I know in this council in the past, the
administration gets to support farmers with
these inputs and others at subsidized prices,
but we have not seen this act in a while now.
“We need government’s assistance, at all
levels and early enough too so as to meet up
the procedure of application and also to take
advantage of the rainy season,” he said.
Alhaji Mani Baba, a fertiliser seller said that
a 50 kg bag of NPK 15-15 now goes for N33,
000 as compared to N8000 in 2021.
The challenge, he explained, was not
from the sellers nor the suppliers but may
not be far from the global inflation faced
by most countries as cost of importing the
raw materials for fertiliser production has
increased as well.

20
opinion
What Kwankwaso Failed to
Tell us About 2023 Presidency
By Ocherome Nnanna
When Rabiu Kwankwaso
came on Channels TV last
Sunday, curious Nigerians
expected him to “show
himself ”. Oh, how he did!
What else did he have to
offer beyond sharing red
and white caps, strutting
like an overdressed
cockatoo with bellhops
bowing and scraping to
him before he boards
a car, and propagating
Arewa irredentism?
Being an engineer,
PhD holder, Minister,
Governor and Senator,
Kwankwaso packs an
enviable pedigree that
qualifies him in terms of
academics and experience
to vie for president.
But, it takes more than
paper certificates and
experience to make a
good president. Also, one
can come with the wrong
kind of experience.
No one who has
continuously been in
political offices since
1999, growing wealthier
by the day and without
any track record of private
sector experience, can fit
into the picture of the
leader we need in Aso
Villa in 2023. These are
treasury looters. Nigeria
does not need that sort of
“experience” at this time.
We expected
Kwankwaso to seize the
golden opportunity to
tell Nigerians what he
had to offer as solutions to
the failed situation of the
Nigerian state. I expected
substance, deep insights,
vision, knowledge,
wisdom, direction and
atoms of patriotism. I
expected him to show he
is better than President
Muhammadu Buhari
in ability to unite the
country, restore the
economy, rebuild our
educational system, end
insecurity and terrorism
and give every section a
sense of belonging.
Honestly, I was shocked
to see that Kwankwaso is
fatuous – empty! He could
not raise the narrative
from the gutter level of
a cart pusher in Kofar
Wabe Market in Kano.
He was an insult to his
PhD certificate. He only
showed he is running
for president with the
wrong “experience”. Such
a fellow should never be
found near Aso Villa as
president. His regional,
religious and ethnic
adventurism will make
Nigeria “miss” even
Buhari!
Let us look at the
substance of Kwankwaso’s
30 minutes of “fame”
on Channels Television
last Sunday. He said
that “people” are not
comfortable with “what
is happening” in the
South-East and would not
vote for someone from
there. Let me ask: Which
“people”? Why was
Kwankwaso too cowardly
to say “Northerners”?
Since 1999, the South-East
has voted for a president
from the South-West,
Kwankwaso’s North-West
and South-South.
Apart from pure
hatred as propagated
by Kwankwaso, what
reason would “people”
have not to reciprocate
the South-East’s patriotic
gestures now that it is
their turn? Awon l’okan!
The rotation machine
gets to the doorstep of the
South-East and suddenly
screeches to a halt. And
intending “president”
Kwankwaso is celebrating
that!
Second question. What
is “happening” in the
South-East? Insecurity?
Where did Kwankwaso
obtain the temerity to talk
about insecurity in the
South-East with the Boko
Harm, ISWAP, Bandits
and Fulani herdsmen
terrorism rocking the
entire country, especially
the North? Guess what,
all the terrorists are
Northern youths rebelling
against an oppressive,
incompetent and corrupt
system where leaders like
Kwankwaso manipulate
ethnicity and religion to
stay in power.
Northern misrule
created these monsters.
The Northern elite
and politicians like
Kwankwaso have been
in charge of security,
Army, Police and others
since the rise of Boko
Haram jihadism in 2009.
Thousands of lives and
trillions of naira have
gone down, yet Northern
politicians cannot even
protect their own people.
Where is the justification
for another Northern
president in 2023 after
Buhari?
What is “happening”
in the South-East,
anyway? Biafra agitation,
right? Who created the
situations that led to
Biafra I and II? Was it
not the North? Where
was Biafra II before
Muhammadu Buhari’s
emergence as president
in 2015? Was the South-
East not the most peaceful
zone in the country? Is
it not Northern leaders
like Kwankwaso who
are behind the influx of
armed militants from the
Sahel (Northern Nigeria
and beyond) who are
occupying forests in the
South and Middle Belt,
killing people, destroying
farms, kidnapping
for ransom and now
reportedly poised for
a “war of conquest” of
indigenous people?
So, to Kwankwaso and
his cohorts, it is “bad”
for some youths in the
South-East to defend
themselves and their
land against Northern
invaders? It is okay for
Fulani militants to attack
and occupy indigenous
people’s lands? Just listen
to a former Minister of
Defence and a budding
“president” talking!
Kwankwaso did not go
to Channels Television
to market himself. There
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
is nothing to market.
We already know him,
anyway. The only time
you see him pussyfooting
around is when there is an
ethnic conflict between
Northerners and others,
especially in the South.
He does not go there to
make peace. He goes to
“defend the North”. This
Kwankwaso should run
for the president of the
North. He has no pedigree
as a national leader.
Kwankwaso is
blindfolded by the
perceived massive votes
of Kano. But we are yet to
see any evidence that the
crowds vote for him. We
saw mammoth crowds in
Kano in 2019, but when
the presidential result
came in, Buhari and
Governor Umar Ganduje
polled 1,464,768 (78.9%),
while Atiku Abubakar
and Kwankwaso only
managed 391,593
(21.1%). Kwankwaso’s
governorship candidate,
Abba Kabir Yusuf,
was comprehensively
trounced by Ganduje.
Kwankwaso only enjoys
“audio” popularity. Where
else in the North have his
Kwankwasiyya supporters
won anything?
Kwankwaso only came
to Channels Television in
panic mode and failed in
his attempt to de-market
Labour Party’s candidate,
Peter Obi, after their
merger talks collapsed
on the former’s over-
bloated ego. Every party
or candidate is trying to
diminish Obi’s wildfire
rising profile. They are all
looking for mud to sling,
but Obi remains firmly
above board and above
all.
The collapse of the
LP/NNPP talks was a
great blessing to Obi.
Kwankwaso would have
disappeared on him to
greener pasture at the last
moment, the same way
he disappeared on Atiku
in 2019.
21 OPINION
2023: Nigerian Youths as Third Force
By Jerome-Mario Chijioke Utomi
As the nation Nigeria
braces up for the 2023
general election in
the country, many
personalities, mostly of the
old order, with a sprinkle
of very distinguished and
development focused
personalities, have
indicated interest to
contest for the nation’s
number one position- the
Presidency.
However, as this angling
rages, one thing stands out;
with the prevailing security
challenge, harsh economic
situation in the country,
a state of depression (or
is it a recession) that has
been designed by yet to be
established architects, the
countdown to the next
general elections appears
to be comical, yet laced
with trepidation. Many
young Nigerians who were
not of age in 2015/2019
will get the chance to vote
for the first time, while
those who voted last time
will want to activate their
dreams in another call for
change; this time for the
better.
After seven years of
unfulfilled change/Next
Level, the electorate
mostly the youths, should
be excused if they enter
2023 with a new dream
on their minds, and head
to the polls with a different
mentality from what they
had in 2019. The new
orientation would be
shaped by recent fiscal,
sociological, political and
communal happenings
in the country; coupled
with the pockets of ethno-
religious upheavals and
misgivings from one
region against another
or powerful personalities
against each other.
It can, therefore, also be
safely deduced that many
different strata, sectors,
and sections of the country
will be looking up to 2023
as a year to settle various
scores – both idealistically
and holistically. Recently,
the talk has been about
making a point and calling
for a change to the current
dispensation through mild
aggression, in the form
of protests, rallies, sit-at-
home and heated public
comments.
Though 2023 will again
accord Nigerians the
chance to make a change
through a legitimate and
democratic means, tension
is already up and has
again heightened by the
realization that the nation
is still being governed by
people who do not feel the
pinch the common man is
made to endure, or that the
leaders have simply chosen
to be compassionate by
proxy.
Consequently, the
political leaders have
fractured our nation’s
geography into polarised
ethnosyncrasies and
idiosyncrasies, all of which
have led to agitations
of different sorts and
capacities. These have
disjointed the amalgams of
the country and made the
nation that was once called
The Giant of Africa now be
referred to by friends and
foes as a wobbling tripod.
Also, these developments
have made 2023 a year with
history in that it’s a year of
elections, a year for another
session of politicking when
elections into various
offices from the Presidency
down to the state Houses
of Assembly are billed to
hold. Most importantly,
2019 is bound to be a
year in which the people’s
actions and decisions
will shape their political
destiny and determine
their socioeconomic
future.
Obviously, that year will
be pregnant with high
hopes and has equally
necessitated the need for
electorates to develop an
objectified oneness as well
as an action plan that will
aid them in taking whole.
It’s a year for the masses
and youths, in particular,
to team up and fight the
common enemy called
bad leadership and its
proponents. If the masses
can achieve these, every
other thing including
restructuring shall be
added unto it.
This role is pivotal
because the strength of
a nation is a direct result
of the strength of her
leaders. Everything rises
and falls on leadership.
This remark is visibly
evident in the qualities
of leaders the nation has
unfortunately blessed
herself with since May
1999. The result of these
political miscalculations
led us to rhizomes of
excuses thereby turning
the country into a nation
of narrative rather than
action. The score cards of
the present crop of leaders
have visibly advertised
them as being clueless,
lacking in creativity and
outright lack of propensity
to perform.
To exit this vicious circle
of mal-performance,
the people need
reprogramming of their
mind- set as once the mind
is enslaved, the body can
never be free. To make the
reorientation work, early
preparation is key as once
remarked he that arrives
first and takes a position is
at ease while he that arrives
late labours.
Conventionally, 2023
may be far but viewed from
political pragmatism, it is
just a stone throw. So, this
is the time for the citizens
to start asking solution-
providing questions as
well as perform the agenda
setting roles. This is not the
time to start waiting for the
visitors called politicians
whose visits occur once
in four years and that are
the electioneering period.
Also, the masses have in
recent elections voted based
on vanity without recourse
to their consciences.
The worrying side of this
narrative is that this is a
nation filled with a people
that predominantly practice
religiosity signposted with
symbolism but completely
bankrupt in spirituality.
This attribute has always
given them away without
resistance to their nefarious
politicians who know how
to buy their consciences
with paltry sum and at the
end leave them to suffer
protracted neglect for four
years.
This has played out for
over two decades.
To therefore arrive at the
Nigeria of our dreams,
this is time to say no to
this illicit incentivizing by
these politicians now that
the nation prepares for
another round of political
ultimate search come 2023.
Voting based on pecuniary
inducement or stomach
infrastructure should be
discouraged.
To make 2023 bear the
anticipated political result
as proposed, the people
need the moral force to
activate a shift in paradigm.
Part of this needed strategy
is the admission of the
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
youths into their political
school and calculations.
The youths have watched
for too long the political
drama involving their
nation from the political
gallery.
It is time for political
apprenticeship for our
youths. Supporting
the constitutional
amendment which
we hope will open the
window of opportunities
with the not too young
to run bill waiting before
our parliament should be
considered as the right
step in the right direction
as their involvement
will help soak up the
mal-performance flood
created by cluelessness.
We have to brace up with
trends as it unfolds on the
world stage.
Again, enthroning
upright personalities as
our leaders is important as
leadership is about vision
and is also about creating
a climate where the
truth is heard and brutal
force confronted. My
imagination tells me that
all we have been having
were not leaders but
sets of opportunists that
appear from the political
moon, fed us with what
we want to hear, win the
election and that ends
the political oratory and
relationship till the next
election year.
We obviously need
to take this step as we
have previously seen
some of our elected
officers become the
reality to worry about
as they became visibly
determined to work
across purpose with
us while some of
them consumed by
the vertical pursuit of
self-aggrandizement.
Allowing this trend and
expecting a different
result is tantamount
to insanity. For us, as
a people, to break out
from this vicious circle
of worries and poverty,
the time to cause a real
change is now.
Utomi is the Programme
Cordinator (Media and
Public Policy), Social
and Economic Justice
Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos.
He could be reached via;
jeromeutomi@yahoo.
com/08032725374
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
Oyo: APC
POLITICS
Lawmaker Dumps
Party, Joins PDP
A serving lawmaker in the Oyo State House of
Assembly, Simeon Oyeleke has announced his exit
from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oyeleke dumped the APC and joined the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) which is the ruling party
in the State.
The lawmaker is currently representing the Ogo-
Oluwa/Surulere State Constituency in the Oyo State
House of Assembly.
The lawmaker was elected to represent the
constituency in 2019 on the platform of the APC.
He has, however, announced his movement to
the PDP.
The lawmaker made the announcement on
Wednesday few weeks after he failed to secure a
return ticket in the APC.
Oyeleke was one of the two APC lawmakers who
could not secure a return ticket ahead of the 2023
general elections.
The lawmaker, while speaking on Wednesday,
said that APC in the State had failed to uphold the
tenets of democracy.
He said that he cannot continue to be in a political
party that does not respect democratic tenets and
ideas.
He said, “I am now a member of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and no more a member of
the APC. This is official now.
“Thousands of my supporters have joined the
PDP with me. As a matter of fact, the decision was
taken together with my supporters.
“I can’t continue to be in a political party that does
not respect democratic tenets and ideals and value
my political interest.”
It could be recalled that across the country, most
of the legislatures who failed to secure their return
Court Disqualifies PDP
Delta Governorship
Candidate Plateau: Choice of My Running Mate Strategic- APC Guber Candidate
The Federal High Court, Abuja has disqualified
the governorship candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta,
Mr Sherrif Oborevwori, from contesting the
2023 election.
Delivering judgment on Thursday in a suit filed
by Mr Olorogun Edevbie, Justice Taiwo Taiwo held
that Oborevwori lacked the legal competence to
participate in the election.
Edevbie had approached the court following
his grievance with the process that produced
Oborevwori as the party’s governorship candidate.
It was his contention that the defendant was not
validly nominated by his party.
He also held that the PDP violated both its
constitution and the electoral guidelines, during
its state congress that produced Oborevwori as its
flag bearer for the governorship election.
He prayed the court to restrain the party
from forwarding Oborevwori’s name to the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC).
The aggrieved party member also asked
the court to restrain INEC from receiving or
recognising Oborevwori as the duly nominated
candidate of the party for the election.
The plaintiff also sought an order to restrain
Oborevwori from parading or carrying himself
as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the
state.
The judge held that the suit had merits and
accordingly granted the reliefs sought by Edevbie
against Oborevwori.(NAN)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, being decorated by the London to Lagos biker, Tunde Adeyanju, during
the biker’s visit to Vice President at Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday
Obi Set to Unveil Ahmed
Dati as Running Mate
By Jude Opara, Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Labour
Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi will today unveil
Sen. Ahmed Dati as his running mate ahead
of the forthcoming 2023.
The unveiling which will take place at the
National Secretariat of the party is expected
to be performed by the candidate, Mr. Peter
Obi alongside other party leaders.
DAILY ASSET gathered that the event ought
to have taken place on Thursday but for the
flight hitches which affected Obi who was said
to have traveled to Borno state.
The Labour Party had gone into an
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The governorship candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State,
Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda has said the choice of
his running mate is strategic for the party to
retained power come 2023 general elections.
He said the ticket alongside the
Commissioner of Works in the Governor
Simon Lalong cabinet, Hon. Pam Botmang
will gather the needed mandate in 2023
elections which will enable them build a
peaceful, prosperous, and greater Plateau
State.
Yilwatda stated this during the unavailing
of his running mate at the APC Secretariat
located at Kalwa House in Jos the Plateau State
Abia Senatorial Candidate Prays Court to Stop APC, INEC from Substituting him
Mr Samuel Onuigbo, the All Progressives
Congress (APC)’s candidate for Abia Central
Senatorial District, has prayed a Federal High
Court in Abuja to restrain his party from
substituting his name for the 2023 election.
Onuigbo sued the APC, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC)
and Mr Emeka Atuma as 1st, 2nd and 3rd
defendants respectively to court over alleged
substitution of his name with another name.
The suit, dated June 21 and initially marked
FHC/ABJ/CS/963/2022, was filed on Onuigbo’s
behalf by his counsel, Chief Emeka Obegolu.
NEWS ANALYSIS INTERVIEW 22
POliticS EDitOR: JUDE OPARA
08035991159
NAN
unproductive merger discussion with the
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The
talks eventually collapsed following the
disagreement between Obi and the presidential
candidate of the NNPP, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso
over who will be the presidential candidate.
Obi had said repeatedly that he would want
to run with a running mate who also has a
grasp of the problems bedeviling the country.
Meanwhile, the Director General of
Peter Obi Campaign Organization, Dr.
Doyin Okupe has submitted a letter to the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), withdrawing from the position of the
running mate to Peter Obi.
The Labour Party and its presidential
capital.
According to Yilwatda, “I am happy to
announce that I have picked Engr. Pam
Bot-Mang as my running mate in the 2023
governorship election in Plateau State.
“I wish to therefore call on the good people
of Plateau State to support the choice of
Botmang as my running mate. I also enjoin
them in coming out en-masse to vote for our
ticket during the forthcoming 2023 general
election. Your mandate in 2023 will enable us
to build a peaceful, prosperous, and greater
Plateau State. “
The State Chairman of the APC, Hon.
Rufus Bature said the party has the best
Governorship candidate and running mate
that will matched any party in the coming
However, the Chief Judge of federal high
court, Justice John Tsoho, transfered the suit
to Justice Evelyn Anyadike of FHC, Umuahia
Division, under suit number FHC/ABJ/UM/
CS/113/2022.
The plaintiff, in the suit, sought an order of
court nullifying the unilateral substitution of
his name as the validly elected candidate for
that of Atuma, who he said never participated
in the primary election of the APC for the Abia
Central Senatorial District held between May
28 and May 29.
He is also praying the court to nullify and set
candidate had submitted the name of Okupe
as their Vice-presidential candidate on a
temporary basis (Place holder) to beat the
INEC’s deadline.
Okupe served as a placeholder pending
when the party and its candidate were ready
to announce a substantive running mate.
The former Presidential spokesman
tweeted; “This afternoon I submitted my
withdrawal letter from the position of the
Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour
Party to INEC.
“A replacement will be announced by the
national chairman of the party shortly. I
feel greatly blessed to have been part of the
foundation of success for the LP.”
2023 general elections.
He assured citizens of the State that
campaign for the party’s Governorship
election would be rancour free, while
promising the candidate and his running mate
as well as APC faithful that the party would
market their best products to the people of
Plateau in not distance time when campaigns
are officially on.
Hon. Pam Bot-Mang is the son of the former
Deputy Governor of Plateau State Macheal
Bot-Mang from Berom speaking tribe of Jos-
South LGA of the State. He is a graduate of
Management and Law from the prestigious
University of London and also a post graduate
alumnus of the University of Buckingham,
United Kingdom.
aside the election result submitted to INEC on
June 16, parading the name of Atuma as the
candidate of APC for the senatorial district.
Onuigbo sought court order mandating the
APC and INEC to immediately include his
name as candidate of the party, having emerged
the winner of the poll, among others.
Meanwhile, Justice Anyadike, who granted
leave to the plaintiff to serve the originating
summons and other processes on the
defendants by substituted means, directed that
the court documents be delivered at the APC
Headquarters.
23 DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022POLITICS NEWS
2023: Profile of Presidential Candidates
Former Vice-President
Atiku Abubakar was born on
November 25 , 1946 to Garba
Abubakar and Aisha Kande in
Jada village of Adamawa. His
only sister died at a young age
and that made him the only
child of his parents. At a young
age, Abubakar lost his father to
an accident at a neighboring
village in 1957.
At the time, Abubakar’s father
did not believe in modern
education, so he stopped
his son from attending the
compulsory traditional
school. However, when the
government discovered
Garba Abubakar’s action, he
was jailed for few days before
his mother-in-law was able to
pay for his bail. Afterwards,
Abubakar started his primary
education at Jada Primary
School, Adamawa at the age of
eight.
Thereafter, in 1960, he
proceeded to Adamawa
provincial secondary school
for his secondary education.
He graduated in 1965 and
enrolled in Nigerian Police
College, Kaduna. Shortly after,
he left the college to take on
the position of tax official at
Regional Ministry of Finance.
Also, in 1966, he gained
admission into the school of
Hygiene, Kano and graduated
with a diploma in 1967.
In the same year, Abubakar
proceeded to Ahmadu Bello
University on scholarship.
There, he graduated with a
diploma in law in 1969 and
Atiku Abubakar: Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP)
immediately got employed
with Nigeria Customs Service.
In 1989, Abubakar was
selected to represent his
constituency at the constituent
assembly, set up to form a new
constitution for Nigeria.
In September 1990, Abubakar
joined the governorship race
for the former Gongola state.
However, in 1991 before
the election could hold, the
Federal Government divided
Gongola into two – Adamawa
and Taraba. Abubakar fell into
Adamawa. Although, he won
the Social Democratic Party
(SDP) primaries in November
1991 he was disqualified from
contesting in the election.
In 1998, he contested as
the governor of Adamawa
on Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) platform and
won. However, before his
swearing-in, he accepted to be
the running mate of former Atiku
President Olusegun Obasanjo. Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari to the Government of the
Abubakar was thereafter of the ANPP. He contested the presidential Federation, Anyim Pius
sworn in as the Vice-President primaries of the PDP during the 2011 presidential Anyim, scored 14 votes,
of Nigeria on May 29, 1999. election losing out to former President Goodluck Governor Bala Mohammed
Since his joining politics, Jonathan. of Bauchi got 20 votes,
Abubakar has unsuccessfully In 2014, he joined the All Progressives Congress while Governor Udom
contested five times for the (APC) ahead of the 2015 presidential election Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom
office of President of Nigeria. and contested the presidential primaries losing scored 38 votes.
He did so in 1993, 2007, 2011, to Muhammadu Buhari. In 2017, he returned to Dele Momodu and Ayo
2015 and 2019. the PDP and was the presidential candidate for Fayose, Charles Ugwu, and
In 1993, he contested the the 2019 election, which he lost to Buhari. Chikwendu Kalu scored
(SDP) presidential primaries On May 27, Abubakar won the PDP presidential zero votes each, while
and lost to late Moshood ticket for 2023 general elections, after polling Tarella Diana and Sam
Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe. 371 out of the 767 accredited votes to defeat his Ohuabunwa each received
He was a presidential candidate closest rival, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers one vote each.
of the Action Congress (AC) in who polled 237 votes. Abubakar is married to
the 2007 presidential election Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, came a four wives and is blessed
coming in third to late Umaru distant third with 70 votes. While former Secretary with 28 children.(NAN)

Bola Ahmed Tinubu: All Progressives Congress, (APC)

Tinubu
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
was born on March 29, 1952
in Lagos state. His mother
Abibatu Mogaji, was a trader
that later became the Iyaloja of
Lagos State. She died on June
15, 2013, at the age of 96.
He attended St. John’s
Primary School, Aroloya,
Lagos and Children’s Home
School, Ibadan. Tinubu
travelled to the U.S in 1975,
where he studied first at
Richard J. Daley College in
Chicago, Illinois and then
at Chicago State University.
He graduated in 1979 with
a Bachelor of Science (BSC )
degree in Accounting.
Tinubu worked with some
U.S companies- Arthur
Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins,
& Sells, and GTE Services
Corporation before returning
to Nigeria.
After returning to Nigeria
in 1983, he joined Mobil Oil
Nigeria and later became an
executive of the company. He
joined politics in 1992 and was
elected as Senator representing
Lagos West at the National
Assembly on the banner of
the Social Democratic Party
(SDP).
After the late military head
of state, General Sani Abacha
dissolved the Senate in 1993,
Tinubu become an activist,
campaigning for the return of
democracy as a part of the National
Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
Although he was forced into exile
in 1994, he returned after Abacha’s
death in 1998.
Tinubu was elected the governor
of Lagos State in 1999 on the
platform of Alliance for Democracy
(AD).
During his eight-year in office,
he made large investments in
education in the state and also
initiated new road construction,
required to meet the needs of the
fast-growing population of the state.
After leaving office in 2007,
Tinubu retained his status as one of
Nigeria’s most influential politicians
and he played a key role in the
formation of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in 2013.
He was among the politicians who
created the APC as a opposition
party with the merger of Nigeria’s
three biggest opposition parties
– the Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN), the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC), the All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP), a faction of
the All Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA) and the new PDP (nPDP),
a faction of the then ruling Peoples
Democratic Party.
This key role in the formation of
the party gave him the title of the
APC National Leader.
On June 8, Tinubu won the APC
presidential ticket for the 2023
general elections, after scoring
1,271 votes to defeat 22 other
aspirants at the Special National
Convention of the party in Abuja.
The aspirants included Mr
Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Pastor
Tunde Bakare, Chief Ikeobasi
Mokelu, Sen. Rochas Okorocha,
Mr Tein Jack-Rich and Gov. Ben
Ayade.
Others were Governor David
Umahi, Sen. Ahmad Yarima, Dr
Ahmed Lawal, Vice-President
Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Rotimi
Amaechi, Gov. Yahaya Bello and
Mr Ogbonnaya Onu.
The race began with 23 aspirants,
but nine withdrew shortly before
the commencement of voting at
the convention.
They included Mrs Uju
Kennedy-Ohnenye, Dr Felix
Nicholas, former Gov. Godswill
Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, former
Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun,
former Speaker Dimeji Bankole,
Sen. Ajayi Boroffice, Gov.
Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa,
Sen. Ken Nnamani and Gov.
Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.
(NAN

24 POLITICS NEWS
2023: Profile of Presidential Candidates
Peter Gregory Obi was born on
July 19, 1961 in Onitsha. He attended
Christ the King College, Onitsha, where
he completed his secondary school
education.He was admitted to the
University of Nigeria Nsukka, in 1980
and graduated with a B.A. (Hons) in
Philosophy in 1984.
Obi attended Lagos Business School,
where he completed the Chief Executive
Programme, Harvard Business School,
where he completed two major
programmes, the London School
of Economics, Columbia Business
School, and the International Institute
for Management Development where
he received certificates in the Senior
Executive Programme and the Chief
Executive Officer Programme.
He also attended the Kellogg School of
Management of Northwestern University,
Saïd Business School of Oxford University
and the Judge Business School of
Cambridge University.
Obi was a businessman before he
ventured into politics. He contested in
the Anambra State Governorship Election
as a candidate of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2003, but his
opponent, Chris Ngige of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), was declared
winner by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
After nearly three years of litigation,
Ngige’s victory was overturned by the
Court of Appeal on March 15, 2006. Obi
assumed office on March 17, 2006, but
was impeached on November 2, 2006, by
the State House of Assembly after seven
months in office and was replaced by his
deputy Virginia Etiaba.
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso: New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP)
Kwankwaso
Musa Kwankwaso was born on
October 21, 1956 in Kwankwaso,
a village located in Madobi Local
Government Area of Kano State.
His father was the village head of
Kwankwaso with the title of Sarkin
Fulani, Dagacin Kwankwaso.
He was promoted to the District
Head of Madobi with the title of
Majidadin Kano, Hakimin Madobi
by the Kano Emirate Council of
Peter Obi Labour Party, (LP)
He was re- instated on February 9,
2007 by the Court of Appeal, sitting in
Enugu. In April 2007, Obi was removed
from office after a new governorship
election was held by INEC, but the
judiciary intervened again and ruled
that he should be allowed to complete
a full four-year term. In 2010, he won a
re-election for a second term in office.
Obi assumed a new status as an
Emir Ado Bayero.
He attended Kwankwaso
Primary School; Gwarzo Boarding
Senior Primary School, Wudil
Craft School and Kano Technical
College before proceeding to
Kaduna Polytechnic where he did
both his National Diploma and
Higher National Diploma.
Kwankwaso was an active student
leader during his school days and
Peter Gregory Obi
advocate for good governance after
leaving office in 2014, leading to his
defection to the PDP from APGA.
In 2019, Obi was picked as the
Atiku Abubakar running mate on
the platform of the PDP, but lost to
President Muhammadu Buhari of the
ruling APC.
Obi was among the top presidential
aspirants of the PDP for the 2023 poll,
was an elected official of the Kano
State Students Association.
He also attended postgraduate
studies in the United Kingdom
from 1982 to 1983 at the Middlesex
Polytechnic; and Loughborough
University of Technology where
he received a master’s degree in
Water Engineering in 1985.
He also got his PhD in Water
Engineering at Sharda University,
India in 2022.
Kwankwaso joined the Kano
State Water Resources and
Engineering Construction Agency
of the Government of Kano State
in 1975. He served there for 17
years in various capacities and
rose through the ranks to become
the principal water engineer.
Kwankwaso made his entry into
politics in 1992 on the platform
of the Social Democratic Party
(SDP). He was a member of the
People’s Front faction of the SDP
led by the late General Shehu
Yar’adua.
He was elected as a member
of the House of Representatives
representing Madobi Federal
Constituency. His subsequent
election as deputy speaker in
the House brought him to the
limelight of national politics.
During the 1995 Constitutional
Conference, Kwankwaso was
elected as a delegate from Kano,
as a member of the People’s
Democratic Movement led by
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
before defecting to the Labour Party
(LP) in May.
On May 30, Obi was declared the
presidential candidate of the LP after
three other aspirants -Prof. Pat Utomi,
Mr Joseph Faduri and Mrs Olubusola
Tella stepped down for him.
Obi is married to Margaret
Brownson and they have two children
– a boy and a girl.(NAN)
Yar’adua.
He later joined the Democratic
Party of Nigeria (DPN) in the
transition programme of late
head of state, General Sani
Abacha.
Kwankwaso joined the PDP
in 1998 and was elected the
governor of Kano State in 1999,
but he lost his re-election bid in
2003. After he lost his re-election
in 2003, he was appointed the
Minister of Defence by former
President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was re-elected as the
governor in 2011 and in 2015 he
was elected Senator representing
Kano Central on the platform of
APC.
In 2015, Kwankwaso contested
the presidential primaries
nomination on the platform
of APC, but lost to Buhari.
In 2018, he returned to PDP
and contested the presidential
primaries losing out to Atiku
Abubakar.
He remained in the PDP until
May 30, when he defected to
the New Nigeria Peoples Party
(NNPP).
On June 8, Kwankwaso
emerged as the presidential
candidate of the NNPP for the
2023 general elections.
Kwankwaso, who was the sole
presidential aspirant, emerged at
the party’s special convention in
Abuja.(NAN)
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022 POLITICS OPINION 25

2023: Profile of Presidential Candidates NOA Expresses Readiness

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd): Action Alliance, (AA)
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha
(retd) was born on July 27,
1960 and was educated in
Nguru, Yobe. He enrolled in the
Nigerian Defence Academy in
Kaduna and was commissioned
into the Nigerian Army in 1983.
Al-Mustapha was trained
as a military intelligence
operative. He held various
command posts in the Security
Group of the Directorate of
Military Intelligence (SG-
DMI), 82 Division and Army
Headquarters and Ministry of
Defence among others.
From August 1985 to
August 1990, Al-Mustapha
was Aide-de-camp (ADC) to
Chief of Army Staff, late Gen.
Sani Abacha, who eventually
became the military head of
state in 1993.
He served as Abacha’s Chief
Security Officer from 1993
until his sudden death on
June 8, 1998. Following his
death Al-Mustapha assembled
the military hierarchy in
Al-Mustapha
order to avoid a succession
crisis. General Abdulsalam
Abubakar emerged the head
of state on June 9,1998 and
Al-Mustapha was removed
from office and subsequently
arrested.
After his arrest, Al-
Mustapha was first held and
questioned during the Oputa
Panel, then accused of plotting
at least four coups from prison,
before being moved to the
Kirikiri Maximum Security
Prison, Lagos where he was
detained for some years.
Al-Mustapha relocated to
Kano after his release before
joining politics in 2017
when he founded the Green
Party of Nigeria (GPN).
In 2019, he emerged as
the presidential candidate
of the Peoples Party of
Nigeria (PPN) but couldn’t
make much impact at the
election.
On June 8, Al-Mustapha
clinched the Action
Alliance (AA) presidential
ticket for the 2023 general
elections.
He scored 506 votes to
beat his only opponent,
Chief Samson Odupitan,
who polled 216 votes at the
party’s primaries in Abuja.
Four aspirants began the
contest, but two of them,
Mr Tunde Kelani and Chief
Osakwe Johnson, stepped
down for Al-Mustapha
shortly before the election,
which was conducted using
the option A4 formula.
to Partner with CSOs,
Others against Vote Buying
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has
expressed willingness to partner with Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders toward
curbing vote-buying in Nigeria, ahead of 2023 poll.
The Director-Deneral, NOA, Dr Garba Abari,
said this when he declared open a capacity building
training for members of staff in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement in Abuja on
Wednesday by NOA’s Assistant Director, Press, Mr
Paul Odenyi.
Odenyi said that Abari was represented by the
Director, Special Duties and State Operations, Mrs
Mette Edekobi at the event.
He quoted Abari as saying that the agency
would leverage on its existing relationship with the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
to keep Nigerians well informed on the 2023 general
elections.
According to him, NOA, in line with its mandate,
is poised to lead the charge of voter education,
sensitisation and mobilisation ahead of the elections.
The director-general tasked members of staff to be
ready at all times to communicate essential electoral
information to Nigerians using various conventional
and unconventional channels.
According to him, NOA will also be at the forefront
of combating fake news and hate speech which are
bound to be on the rise during the electioneering

Our Governorship Candidate Yet to

period.
“We will discourage electoral violence and ensure
free, fair and credible elections, come 2023,’’ Abari
said.

Announce Running Mate – Lagos PDP

The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), says the
governorship candidate of the party, Dr
Olajide Adediran, is yet announce his
running mate.
The Lagos PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr
Hakeem Amode, told the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) that the party was not aware
of any running mate yet.
Amode was reacting to reported
emergence of a Popular Nollywood actress,
Funke Akindele, as running mate nominee
to the PDP governorship candidate.
According to him, the candidate will soon
announce his running mate without delay
and everybody will know.
“It is not in my place to announce who
the running mate to our governorship
candidate, Jandor, is. Let us wait for the
candidate himself to announce.
“Has the candidate of the party
announced anywhere that he has picked
his own running mate?
“What you are reading online on this, is it
from the candidate of the party?
“The candidate of the party will announce
who his running mate is and he has not
done that. We should wait for the official
announcement,” Amode said.
When probed further to know if the
party had settled on anyone for the running
mate slot for PDP governorship candidate,
Amode declined response.
The party’s spokesman added that
he could not also confirm the choice of
Akindele as the running mate of the party’s
governorship candidate.
According to him, it is the candidate,
not the party, that will announce who the
running mate will be just like the PDP
Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar did when he announced Gov.
Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta as his running mate
for the 2023 election.
“He will do that in no time and you all
will hear. I will not confirm anything, the
candidate of the party will do so,” he said.
NAN reports that there are speculations
in some sections of the media that Akindele
beat other shortlisted nominees for
Adediran’s running mate. (NAN)
He said that the training would be cascaded to the
State Directorates and Local Government Offices of
the agency to ensure uniformity of preparedness.
He expressed optimism that with massive
deployment of members of staff on voter sensitisation
duties across the country, Nigerians would have
a better informed electoral outing that would help
deepen the nation’s democracy. (NAN)
Departing REC Charges
INEC Staff to Build
on Commission’s
Achievements
Dr Mutiu Agboke, who completed his five years
tenure as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)
in Oyo State on Wednesday, has urged INEC staff
members to build on the commission’s achievements.
Agboke made the plea at a send-off programme

CVR: INEC Establishes

organised for him by the commission’s staff members
in Oyo State, in Ibadan.
While appreciating them for their cooperation and
supports since he assumed office on Jan. 25, 2018, he
urged the commission’s management to sustain the

Additional 15 Centres in Katsina

The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) has approved
the establishment of additional 15
registration centres for the Continued
Voter Registration (CVR) in the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the
Commision in the state, Malam Aliyu
Garba, disclosed this in a statement on
Thursday in Katsina.
According to him, the 15 new
centres will be spread across 13 Local
Government Areas (LGAs) of the state,
with Katsina LGA having three.
Garba said the LGAs are Bakort,
Batagarawa, Baure, Dandume, Daura,
Dutsinma, Faskart, Funtua, Kankara,
Kankia, Katsina, Malumfashi, and
Zango.
“The public will recall that INEC has
acceded to the request for the extension
of the CVR exercise from the date
earlier set for stoppage, June, 30, 2022.
“The extension is intended to give all
eligible persons intending to register,
correct mistakes in their registration
or transfer to another polling unit, the
opportunity of doing so.
“We want to inform the public
that in that direction, the INEC has
approved additional 15 centers for the
registration exercise.
“And 15 registration Machines will
be deployed to the additional centres
which are located in the LGAs.
“We want to further inform the
public that three of the registration
centres will be at the old Katsina
Township Stadium, Kofar Keke in
Katsina City, and one at Kambarawa
Secondary School Daura Road Katsina.
“All other known locations of
registration which include INEC
Katsina State Office and INEC LGA
offices, will continue to be conducting
the exercise.”
He further drew the attention
of the public that registration of
voters in Katsina State was still low,
particularly with regard to transfer to
the new 1,750 Polling Units created.
According to Garba, the 1,750
units are created to reduce congestion
and address the problems of unserved
and under-served areas.
“We therefore call on eligible
persons to take this opportunity of
the new polling units which have
been created near their homes and
transfer their voting locations,” he
advised. (NAN)
good collaboration with other major stakeholders.
Agboke attributed the successes recorded
during his tenure to the support received from
the management and the entire staff members.
“Our engagement with the stakeholders
should be sustained. INEC activities should be
transparent to the public and media should carry
correct information about the commission.
“And of course, members of the public
should know that the same trust they have in
INEC should be there toward the 2023 general
elections,” he said.
Agboke, also urged the Administrative
Secretary of INEC in Oyo State, Alhaji Abiodun
Amosun, to sustain the good programmes put in
place during his tenure.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the
occasion, Prof. Taiye Simbine, who was a National
Commissioner of INEC, described Agboke as a
blessing to the commission.
According to Simbine, Agboke has instilled
discipline in the staff and made sure that they
delivered the mandate of the commission at the
state level.

26
FOREIGN
Major German Airports Request
2,000 Temporary Foreign Staff
Some of Germany’s larger airports
have registered requests to temporarily
employ foreign workers to solve
staff shortages under a government
scheme.
Ralph Beisel, head of the German
Airports Association (ADV), said
he had received requests for about
2,000 temporary workers from both
EU Will Not Let Russia Use G20
for Propaganda – Spokesperson
The European Union is not
going to let Russia use a G20
meeting of top diplomats in
Bali for political propaganda,
EU foreign affairs spokesperson
Nabila Massrali said.
“The EU is committed to the
success of the summit and will not
allow “Moscow to abuse the G20
It’s Wrong to Force Pacific Island
Countries to Take Sides - N/Zealand PM
New Zealand Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern said it would be wrong
to characterise China’s engagement
with Pacific islands as new or to force
the island countries to pick sides.
She made the remarks yesterday
while delivering a speech at the
Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy
Institute, during her visit to Australia
to attend the Australia New Zealand
Leaders’ Meeting (ANZLM).
She highlighted engagement
with Pacific island countries as an
important principle for New Zealand’s
foreign policy but noted that this did
not mean other countries may not
engage with this region.
“That is not to say there will not
be others who have an interest in the
Pacific, there are,” she said.
airport operators and private ground-
handling service providers.
According to government plans,
most of the workers are to come
from Turkey and be paid German-
level wages.
The state would act to expedite
temporary entry, residential and
employment permits.
as its own propaganda platform,”
Massarali told a Brussels press
conference.
Massarali said Russia’s high
level political participation at the
G20 meeting might pose a threat
to the G20’s credibility, efficiency
and relevance.
She said Russian President
She noted that France, Japan,
Britain, the United States and China
had all played a role in the Pacific for
many years.
“It will be wrong to characterise this
engagement, including that of China,
as new.
“It will also be wrong to position the
Pacific (island countries) in such a way
that they have to pick sides.
“These are democratic nations with
their own sovereign right to determine
their foreign policy,” she said.
As foreign ministers of the Pacific
Islands Forum were due to meet in Fiji
on Friday, Ardern highlighted the role
of regional mechanisms such as the
forum in solving regional issues.
She called for more regional
cooperation instead of competition.
The recruitment by the airports
and other providers which is set to
be negotiated with the government is
intended to alleviate staffing problems
that have led to numerous delays and
complaints from passengers.
Frankfurt Airport expects to
deploy the new employees in
September.
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of
Ukraine “excludes any business
as usual” but the commission did
not want to the G20 paralysed as
a result of a boycott.
She added that the commission
is not skipping the meeting, as the
G20 forum is too important to risk
paralysing with a boycott.
“Rather than the increased strategic
competition in the region, we need
instead to look for areas to build and
cooperate recognising the sovereignty
and independence of those for whom
the region is home,” she said.
The prime minister also stressed
the use of diplomacy as the
strongest tool in an increasingly
contested environment and to
strengthen trade and economic
cooperation to bolster the region’s
resilience.
“At its heart, trade creates
connections, mutual obligations,
shared interests and joint benefits.
“And all those things reduce
conflict, and ultimately contribute
to peace and stability, and
prosperity,” she said.
NEWS ANALYSIS
Crisis-hit Sri Lanka Asks
Putin for Help to Buy Fuel
Sri Lanka’s president says
he has asked Russia’s Vladimir
Putin to help his cash-strapped
nation import fuel, as it faces
its worst economic crisis since
independence from Britain in
1948.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa said
he “had a very productive”
discussion with Mr Putin.
It comes after Sri Lanka’s
energy minister warned at the
weekend that the country may
soon run out of petrol.
On Wednesday, hundreds
of people took to the streets of
the capital Colombo to protest
against the government.
“I requested an offer of credit
support to import fuel,” Mr
Rajapaksa tweeted in reference to
his conversation with the Russian
leader.
Mr Rajapaksa also said he
had “humbly made a request”
for flights between Moscow
and Colombo to resume, after
the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot
suspended services last month.
“We unanimously agreed that
strengthening bilateral relations
in sectors such as tourism, trade
and culture was paramount in
reinforcing the friendship our
two nations share,” he added.
The country has already
purchased oil from Russia in
Egypt Arrests Organisers
of Joke ‘Batman Battle’
Four organisers of a joke
Facebook event have been arrested
in Egypt on charges of “planning a
riot” and “using reactions... to make
money”.
“Helwan Real Batman Battle” was
set up after two users argued in jest
over whether they were the caped
crusader.
A third proposed that they dress
up in superhero costumes and “fight
a battle” in Cairo’s Helwan district
on the night of 13 August to “solve
this issue”.
“Whoever is still alive is the real
Batman,” the event’s description said.
The post prompted a wave of
memes, jokes and quotes, and
attracting favourable reactions from
Egyptian celebrities.
However, a few days later TV
channels loyal to President Abdul
Fattah al-Sisi expressed concern
about the event, suggesting that it
could be used to promote violence
against law enforcement agencies.
More than 900 people were killed
when security forces broke up sit-
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
recent months to help bolster fuel
supplies during the crisis, and the
government has signaled that it
is willing to buy more from the
energy-rich country.
Attempts by Mr Rajapaksa
to resolve Sri Lanka’s worst
economic crisis in more than
70 years, including securing
financial support from India and
China, have so far failed to end
weeks of shortages of fuel, power,
food and other essential items.
On Sunday, energy minister
Kanchana Wijesekera said the
country only had enough petrol
left for less than a day under
regular demand.
Last week, authorities
suspended sales of petrol
and diesel for non-essential
vehicles in an attempt to
preserve its dwindling fuel
stocks.
On Thursday, the Central
Bank of Sri Lanka raised its key
interest rates by one percentage
point to tackle the soaring cost
of living in the country.
The lending rate was raised
to 15.5%, while the deposit
rate was increased to 14.5%,
the highest in 21 years.
It comes as annual inflation
hit a record high of 54.6% in
June as the cost of food rose by
more than 80%.
ins by tens of thousands of Morsi
supporters in two squares in Cairo
on 14 August 2013, according to
Human Rights Watch.
Hadidi warned viewers against
“taking such things lightly”, despite
acknowledging that it all started as
a joke.
She also urged the organisers to
seek a licence from the authorities
for the event, noting it was a legal
requirement. Unauthorised public
gatherings of more than 10 people
have been banned in Egypt since
2013.
Social media platforms are still
seen by many in Egypt as the last
“safe haven” for critics of President
Sisi’s rule. However, that appears to
be a mistaken belief, since there is an
interior ministry department tasked
with monitoring the platforms 24
hours a day.
The arrest of the “Helwan Real
Batman Battle” organisers comes
four months before Egypt hosts a
UN climate summit in the Red Sea
resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
Russian UN Veto Could
Threaten Aid to 3m Syrians
Russia has threatened to veto a
UN Security Council resolution
reauthorizing cross-border deliveries
of vital aid into opposition-held
north-western Syria. The closure of
the last route from Turkey would
immediately put more than 3 million
people at risk of starvation. The BBC’s
Anna Foster has been following one
of the last UN aid convoys that could
be allowed into the country.
Umm Ali carefully boils a pot of
water to cook dinner for her seven
children. She feeds the fire with scraps
of cardboard and rubbish, whatever
she can find to keep the flames going.
The meal she makes is small and basic,
because here at the Al-Sadaqah camp,
in the Idlib countryside, supplies are
scarce. She’s thankful for the food
aid she receives, but even that isn’t
enough.
“Every day the kids go to the landfill
to collect aluminium cans, nylon bags
and iron. They sell them for a pittance,
it’s just enough to buy four packets of
bread. That’s only enough for one
meal, our breakfast,” she said.
The UN says the number of Syrians
in need is higher now than at any
point during the 11-year civil war,
as the toxic mix of years of fighting,
the Covid-19 pandemic and the
war in Ukraine have devastated the
Investment, Trade Fair Opens in North-West China
The 28th China Lanzhou
Investment and Trade
Fair opened yesterday in
Lanzhou, capital of northwest
China’s Gansu Province.
The five-day event that will
feature business negotiations
and forums aims to boost
economic and trade
cooperation among countries
along the Belt and Road.
Malaysia and the United
Arab Emirates have been
country’s economy. The World Food
Programme (WFP) says the cost of
food has risen by 800% in just two
years.
Umm Ali says her family could not
cope without international aid
At a Turkish compound just a few
kilometres from the border, lorries
are loaded with humanitarian aid.
It could be anything from food to
temporary shelters, or vital medicines.
Hakim Froissart is logistics officer
for the WFP in southern Turkey, one
of the key people who keeps things
running smoothly.
“We’re waiting for the vote, we don’t
know what will happen,” he says.
“If there is no resolution we don’t
have any mandate to operate any
more. So we would have to stop the
operations. And we would have to
find a solution. But there’s no-one
who can take over,” he adds.
Part of the reason for that is the
sheer logistical effort needed here.
Around 1,000 loaded lorries make
the journey across the border every
month. In the last few weeks there
have been more than usual. Aid
agencies have been so concerned
about the potential of the crossing
being closed that they have been
sending extra shipments to build up
a small surplus on the other side.
invited as the guests of honor
at this year’s fair.
The representatives of
business associations and
commercial establishments
from countries including
Australia, Spain, Pakistan,
Thailand and Indonesia are
also attending the event.
The fair which was first
held in 1993 has become an
important platform for the
opening up of northwest
FOREIGN NEWS
The process is well practised and
fast. Two rows of lorries line up back
to back. One is Turkish, the other
Syrian. They pull together until they’re
touching, and piles of cardboard
boxes are pushed from one into the
other, ready to be transported to the
border and beyond.
The whole cross-border
operation only exists because of
a UN mandate which allows it to
happen without the permission of
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,
Russia’s ally.
The north-west of the country is
outside his control, in the hands of
the jihadist alliance Hayat Tahrir
al-Sham and Turkish-backed rebel
groups. The Syrian regime has
only facilitated a small amount
of what is called “cross-line” aid.
That means it crosses the front
lines within a country, rather than
international borders.
WFP food aid that has come
via Damascus has fed less than
50,000 people. From the hub at
the Turkish crossing, the UN and
its partners sustain 1.4 million.
Despite that, Russia believes
President Assad’s sovereignty
takes precedence, and that the
job of providing aid should lie in
Syrian hands.
China and a major event
for Belt and Road economic
and trade cooperation.
Gansu saw rapid growth
in trade revenue with
countries along the Belt
and Road this year, rising
24 per cent year on year in
the first five months and
accounting for nearly half of
the province’s total foreign
trade revenue during the
period.
Nearly Half of Australians
Live with Chronic Health
Conditions – Report
Almost half of Australians
are living with a chronic health
condition, a report has said.
The Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (AIHW)
yestersday published its latest
two-yearly report on the nation’s
health.
It found out that the life
expectancy rate at birth increased
to 83.0 years in 2020, or the
sixth-highest rate among the 38
Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development
(OECD) member countries.
However, with people living
longer the number of Australians
with at least one chronic health
condition such as diabetes, cancer
or mental conditions.
These conditions have increased
to 11.6 million, or 47 per cent of
the population.
“With a population that is living
longer, we are now experiencing
higher rates of chronic and
age-related conditions, such as
dementia,’’ Matthew James, deputy
chief executive of AIHW, said in a
media release.
“For example, we know that
older Australians use a higher
proportion of hospital and other
health services and 54 per cent
Nicaragua expels
Mother Teresa’s nuns
Nuns from the order
founded by Mother Teresa
have left Nicaragua after their
organisation was stripped of
its legal status.
They were escorted by
police to the border and
crossed into neighbouring
Costa Rica on foot.
Their organisation is among
the latest to be shut down
as part of a crackdown on
anyone deemed to oppose
President Daniel Ortega.
The Catholic Church has
been outspoken about human
rights abuses in Nicaragua.
Local media said 18 nuns
from the Missionaries of
Charity were driven to the
border in a bus escorted by
migration officials and police
officers.
Nuns of the Missionaries
of Charity, established by
Mother Teresa, arrive at
an immigration office in
Costa Rica after Nicaragua’s
government shut down
their organization along
with other charities and
civil organizations, in Penas
Blancas, Costa Rica July 6,
2022.
The group had been
stripped of its legal status on
28 June by the Nicaraguan
parliament, where members
of President Ortega’s
27
of all subsidised medicines were
dispensed to people aged 65 and
over.”
According to the AIHW, two-
thirds of Australian adults are
either overweight or obese.
Carrying excess weight accounted
for 8.4 per cent of Australia’s total
disease burden.
The report found the rate of
excess mortality, which showed
the difference between the actual
number of deaths compared
with the expected number based
on previous trends, jumped
significantly in 2022.
James said this measure includes
both COVID-19 and non-
COVID-19 deaths, reflecting both
the direct and indirect impact of
the pandemic.
“Death rates were decreasing
before the onset of the pandemic,
with this trend continuing in 2020
and 2021.
“When variation is taken into
account, there are 205 fewer deaths
than expected in 2020 and 94 more
deaths than expected in 2021.
“However, there was a marked
change in January and February
2022, with 3,105 more deaths than
expected in those two months
alone,” James said.
Sandinista party are in the
majority.
The nuns had been working
with the poor in Nicaragua
since 1988 and ran a children’s
nursery, a home for abused
and abandoned girls and a
nursing home.
A government department
which oversees non-
governmental organisations
accused it of “not meeting
its obligations” to declare the
provenance of its funds.
More than 200
organisations have been shut
down in Nicaragua since
2018 for allegedly breaching
with strict new laws about
funding.
Among those closed down
is the renowned Nicaraguan
Academy of Language as well
as a medical charity providing
surgeries for children with
cleft palates.
Tension between the
government of Daniel Ortega
and the Catholic Church
has been high ever since
clergy sheltered students
protesting against President
Ortega during a wave of anti-
government protests in 2018.
In 2019, the outspoken
auxiliary bishop of Managua,
Silvio Báez, left the country
after receiving several death
threats.
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022 ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS/LIFE 28
BBNaija Season 7
Premiers July 23 Nigerian Movie ‘Citation’ Wins
Best International Film Award
The seventh edition of popular television reality
show, Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) is set to begin on
July 23.
This was disclosed by Busola Tejumola, Executive
Head of Content and West Africa Channels,
Multichoice, at a news conference on Tuesday in He added that NFF took the case of a trendy
Lagos. award, happens to be university don to the
According to Tejumola, the show is a much an annual awards that institution’s senate body,
anticipated one as the winner will go home with a celebrate achievement on account of the latter’s
grand prize of N100 million. of filmmakers, actors, treatment of her.
She explained that the winner would have N50 actresses among others. They were unfold
million cash prize and N50 million worth of other “The National Film events that eventually pit
prizes from the sponsors of the show. Awards is an annual awards her world against that of
She disclosed that the headline sponsor of the show ceremony celebrating the respected academic,
was Pocket by Piggyvest while the associate sponsor the achievements revealing the realities
remained Flutterwave. of established and that frequently play out
“Yes, the Big Brother Naija season 7 is here, with a independent filmmakers, in many male-dominated
double launch from Saturday July 23 to Sunday 24 on actors, actresses, casting educational environments.
Africa Magic Urban, Showcase and Family. directors, production The movie featured some
“This can be viewed on DSTV channel 198 and Go companies, and crew Nollywood stars such as
tv channel 29 from 7pm. who make up the motion Ibukun Awosika, chairman
“This is expected to run for 72 days, which is 10 picture industry. of First Bank of Nigeria
weeks, there will be live eviction shows every Sunday “The National Film (FBN); Temi Otedola, Joke
as the show runs. Awards holds four events Silvia, Jimmy Jean-Louis,
“The theme for the show is “Only Way is Up”, she annually in the United Ini Edo, Yomi Fash-Lanso,
said. Nigerian filmmaker of lobbying to win, it was a Kingdom, USA, South Adjetey Anang, Gabriel
Tejumola said that in view of the fact that Nigeria Kunle Afolayan’s movie merited one. America, Africa, and Afolayan, Bienvenu Neba,
had started recording minimal cases of COVID-19 ‘Citation’, has won the ‘Best “Two days ago in Australia. among others.
pandemic, the show would witness some level of International Film’ award London, Citation won Best “The nominations and The video clip showed
individual engagement. at the 2022 National Film International Film. The voting for the NFA are the moment the lead
She said that the live shows would engage the Festival (NFF) in the United Director and the entire submitted and voted for characters, Jimmy Jean
audience unlike what was obtainable in the last two Kingdom. production team did not by movie fans. Louis and Temi Otedola,
editions of the show. The renowned filmmaker see the award coming. “The NFA is produced received the award and
She said this year’s season of the show would witness took to his Instagram page “We are grateful for the by the National Film Otedola said “it was a win
a return of a few pre-COVID-19 elements including @kunleafo to announce the support and recognition Academy which also for Nollywood and Africa”.
the fan-favourite ‘Ninjas’ and a live studio audience. great achievement to his of the public and the produces the new National Fans have taken to
“Fans can also expect a line-up of more engaging fans and well wishers. organisers. Film Festival,” he added. his Instagram page to
tasks, unpredictable twists and Big Brother’s wit. According to him, the “I am glad we got The movie was about a congratulate Afolayan
“The show will also retain its voting style from award came as a surprise to recognised without even 21-year-old female student for the remarkable feat.
last year, voting will only be on the Big Brother Naija him, as there was no form lobbying,” he wrote. in the campus, who (NAN)
website, mobile site, and the MyDStv and MyGOtv
apps for active customers,” she said. Eedris Battling Kidney Failure, Needs Help – MI Abaga
Simi NAMED SPOTIFY Popular Nigerian rapper, MI recover, adding that the singer yesterday that Nigerian music Icon surgery urgently. We have a
EQUAL Africa Artiste for July Abaga has disclosed that colleague is undergoing dialysis in a Lagos @EedrisOriginal Eedris Abdul donor in His Family the Hospital
A global streaming platform, Spotify, said Nigerian Eedris Abdulkareem is battling hospital and is scheduled to have a Kareem has been battling with has fixed 27th July 2022 for this
singer and songwriter, Simi Ogunleye, popularly kidney failure. transplant by the end of July. Kidney failure and needs our help. Emergency surgery.
known as “Simi”, has been selected as Spotify EQUAL MI revealed this in a tweet on He mentioned that the kidney “SAVE EEDRIS “I will share the information
Africa music programme ambassador for July. Wednesday on his Twitter page. to be transplanted was donated by ABDULKARIM NOW! Our below in the following tweets
Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s head of music for sub- The rapper asked Nigerians a family member. brother has been diagnosed please share and support as you
Saharan Africa, disclosed this in a statement on to donate and help Eedris “I received the sad news with Kidney Failure and requires can,” he tweeted.
Tuesday in Lagos.
This announcement followed the release of her
latest album, “TBH (To Be Honest)”, which came
out in June.
Patoranking’s Keyboardist Bright Dies in Portugal
Okumu said that Simi joined other Nigerian Bright Nicholas, a been travelling with him
artistes like Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Asa, and FAVE member of Patoranking’s within and outside the
to be part of EQUAL Africa, which aims to spotlight band, has passed away. country.
and amplify the voices of talented African female The keyboardist died “We heard that he
artists making waves in the music scene. on Monday after a show vomited blood before he
She said Simi had also become the second African outside Nigeria. died, though this is still
artiste after Tiwa Savage, to be named as an EQUAL Bright and the crew unconfirmed. We were
performed alongside also told that an autopsy
global and EQUAL Africa artiste. Patoranking (real name will be carried out.
“Spotify welcomes Simi to the EQUAL Patrick Okorie) at the “Persons who knew
programme which aims to foster gender equality Afro Nation Portugal him are in a mourning
and provide a platform to celebrate influential female 2022. mood, he was a very
artistes. The event took place at talented instrumentalist.
“She joins a list of talented African women the Praia da Rocha beach, It’s sad news.”
who are driving the culture and breaking Portimão, Algarve from The source shared
through barriers in the music industry. July 1 to 3. screenshots of WhatsApp
“We are proud to welcome Simi to the He died in his 30s and status of friends who
EQUAL programme, and we are so excited married. posted Bright’s photos
to see where her talent continues to take her The deceased played with different solemn
keyboard at Harvesters captions.
from strength to strength,” she said. International Christian In March 2021, another
Okumu said that the Nigerian musician, Centre, Gbagada, Lagos. Harvesters church
sound engineer and actress, started her A source said he joined member, Caleb Itietie
musical journey as a chorister in church. Patoranking’s band also known as Calibird,
some years ago and has died after an illness.
29 DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022

SP RTS NEWS INTERVIEW ANALYSIS

Tunisia’s Jabeur Downs Maria to

Become First Arab in Major Final
When Ons Jabeur in the applause to
sealed the match point salute a 34-year-old
that made her the who had become the
first Arab to reach a first mother of two in a
Grand Slam final at Wimbledon semifinal
Wimbledon yesterday since Margaret Court
all she could think of in 1975.
was rushing over to her “I don’t know what to
vanquished barbecue say. It’s a dream come
buddy at the net to true from years of
give Tatjana Maria the work and sacrifice.
tightest of hugs. I’m happy that’s paid
While Jabeur’s coach off and I’ll continue
Issam Jellali jumped to for one more match,”

Oshoala, Rasheedat Make CAF Award List
as South Africa Top Women Nominees
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
South Africa have emerged tops
on the list of nominees for the African
Women Footballer of the year
Awards, billed to take place in Rabat,
Morocco on July 21st, 2022 with
6 players. Nigeria and Cameroon
followed with four players each while
Ghana and Morocco are next on line
with 3 each.
In the list released yesterday by
CAF, Banyana Banyana Striker,
Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana of
Atletico Madrid lead the other
five players that featured Andile
Dlamini, Linda Motlhalo, Refilae
Jane, Bambani Mbane and Jermaine
Seoposenwe while Asisat Oshoala
of Nigeria, four time winner returns
to the stage with compatriots,
Rasheedat Ajibade, Uchenna Kanu
and Chiamaka Nnadozie of FC Paris,
France.
The award, partioned into
categories include Player of the Year,
Interclub Player of the Year, Young
Player of the Year and Club of the
Year. The nominees for two other
categories; Coach of the Year and
National Team of the Year will be
revealed in due course.
CAF noted that performances at
the ongoing Women’s AFCON
will be taken into consideration in
deciding the nominees for the two
categories.
The winners of the respective
category will be announced at the
Awards Gala on 21 July 2022 in
his feet with raised arms
to join 15 000 cheering
fans in hailing the first
Jabeur told the crowd
after setting up a
final showdown with
African woman to
reach the title match,
Russian-born Kazakh
17th seed Elena
Rabat, Morocco with a panel of Jabeur simply smiled Rybakina.
technical experts, CAF legends and as she ended Maria’s ”It was more difficult
media representatives shortlisting remarkable run with a running for her balls.
players to win in each category. The 6-2 3-6 6-1 victory. She has to make me a
ultimate winners will be decided On the eve of the barbecue now for all
by a voting panel made up of CAF contest, Jabeur had the running I did on
Technical Committee, media vowed that the “hug the court.
representatives, head coaches and
captains of Member Associations at the end will be “I wanted to share
and clubs involved at the group stage amazing” and she was the moment with her
of the Interclub competitions. not wrong. at the end because she’s
The CAF Awards 2022 will be held The two players held such an inspiration
ahead of the final of Africa’s flagship each other across the for so many people
women’s competitions, TotalEnergies net for what seemed including me, coming
Women’s Africa Cup of Nations an eternity, with both back after having two
Morocco 2022 scheduled to take whispering into each babies I can’t believe
place between 02 July – 23 July 2022. other’s ears. how she did it.
The event will also coincide with the With the cheers still “Physically Tatjana is
two-year anniversary of the launch of ringing around Centre a beast, she doesn’t
the CAF Women’s Football Strategy.
Court, Jabeur pulled give up... Let’s not play

Sports Minister Backs NFF Congress Maria to her side of

the court and joined
again, I’m good for
now”.
Gouveia Grabs Early PGA Barbasol Lead
to Decide Pinnick’s Third Term Fate
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief never told me that he is contesting but I have listened
Portugal’s Ricardo
Gouveia, playing only
Kim and Max McGreevy.
The event is co-
Sunday Dare, yesterday said that he is not against to interview where he said he is not contesting, so on his second US PGA Tour sanctioned by the US
Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju the basis of that I am saying the right thing should event, fired an eight- PGA and DP World
Pinnick’s third term agenda but he believes the be done. There has been so much crisis over the years under par 64 to seize the tours for the first time
Federation’s congress decision is supreme and will and that necessitated President Buhari insisting that early lead in yesterday’s as is this week’s Scottish
decide the issue. an election should be held in on or before September opening round of the Open, where most of the
Dare stated this in an in a chat with newsmen in with major stakeholders being carried along to Barbasol Championship. world’s top players are
Abuja where he said the congress of NFF will forestall any recurrence of what we had in the past’
determine whether Pinnick will get a third term or “We have done our part as government institution The 30-year-old, who competing ahead of next
not. but now it is now left for NFF congress to decide their missed the cut at Bay Hill week’s British Open at
“I am not against Pinnick’s ambition though he has faith,” the minister statted. in his only prior US PGA St. Andrews.
start, fired nine birdies Gouveia reeled off

McGregor, Nisbet Survive Scares to against a lone bogey to

grab a one-stroke lead at
Keene Trace Golf Club in
three birdies in a row
starting at the fifth
hole, closed the front

Maintain Berg Marathon Leads Nicholasville, Kentucky.

“It was a great round,”
Gouveia said. “Really
nine with a 32-foot
birdie putt at the par-
3 ninth for back-to-
Paarl – Race leaders Hank McGregor and Jenna Nisbet McGregor winning the Virgin Active bridge prize at Gouda. solid off the tee, hit a back birdies and holed
both overcame drama on the technical second stage from However, at Ysterpen the pair encountered a massive
Delsma and Bridgetown to retain their leads in the Berg tree block and took very different lines to deal with it. lot of fairways, a lot of back-to-back four-foot
River Canoe Marathon. While Hart struggled to get under the trees, McGregor ran greens, holed some good birdie putts at the par-5
McGregor started with a slim lead over under-23 Uli to the bank to portage around the tree block, and once he putts.” 11th and 12th.
Hart, and they worked well together to keep chasers Simon returned to the river he did not know where Hart was. Sharing second after After a 10-foot birdie
van Gysen and Wayne Jacobs at bay, racing on a good river “I took the chance and portaged and fell into the river opening 65s were putt at the par-3 16th,
level on a second consecutive day of warm, windless mid- because the bank was so steep,” said McGregor. Germany’s Matt Schmid, Gouveia missed a five-
winter weather conditions. Jenna Nisbet started the women’s race with a three Colombian Camilo foot par putt to bogey
However the thick trees blocks that characterised the 48 minute lead over defending champion Nikki Birkett, Villegas, England’s David 17 but finished with a
kilometre stage to the headwaters of Misverstand dam but needed to keep calm as she saw that lead erased in a Skinns and Americans 14-foot birdie putt at
allowed McGregor and Hart to get away at the front, with moment of high drama at a tree block early on in the stage. Trey Mullinax, Michael the 18th.
30 SPORTS NEWS
Senatorial Candidate Buys 3000 Tickets Zedcrest Promises to Invest
for Kwara Utd Fans to Beat MFM
The Kwara Central Senatorial
candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in the 2023
polls, Malam Saliu Mustapha,
has bought 3,000 tickets for
soccer fans ahead of Sunday’s
match.
The match is the last home
game of Kwara United FC in the
2021/2022 Nigeria Professional
Football League (NPFL) against
MFM FC of Lagos.
Mustapha also pledged to pay
a bonus to the Kwara United
players should they emerge
victorious in the match.
The purchase of tickets was
contained in a notification
letter sent to the Executive
Chairman of Kwara State Sports
Commission by the club’s
Secretary, Hamidu Olowo.
“The Management Board of
Kwara United Football Club
Krawczyk, Skupski Retain Wimbledon Title
American-British duo Desirae
Krawczyk and Neal Skupski
clinched their second straight
Wimbledon mixed doubles title
yesterday after sweeping aside
Australia’s Matthew Ebden and
Sam Stosur 6-4, 6-3 on Centre
Court.
In Handball Development
wishes to inform you that Mall.
Saliu Mustapha; had agreed to
purchase Match Day Tickets for
3,000 Club Supporters.
“He will also pay winning
bonus to our players for Kwara
United FC last Home Match
against MFM FC on Sunday 10
July, at the Main Bowl of the
State Stadium Complex, Ilorin,
in our Quest to Qualify for ‘CAF
Continental Ticket,” he wrote.
Kwara United FC will lock
horns with already relegated
Lagos-based team in the Match
Day 37 of the NPFL at the Kwara
Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
The team is currently fourth
on the league’s table with 55
points from 36 matches, and a
strong prospect of picking one
of the continental slots at the
end of the last match against
Heartland FC in Owerri next
The second seeds edged a close
first set and stepped up their game
in the second, roaring back from
an early break down to win four
consecutive games and wrap up
victory in an hour and 26 minutes.
The Australian duo failed to get a
foothold in the second set, with
weekend.
Mustapha believed that
having the stadium filled with
fans will go a long way to
motivate the players to victory.
It is also believed that the
opportunity will drive more
youths to get their Permanent
Voter Cards (PVCs) and
ultimately participate in the
2023 general election.
The Club Chairman, Kumbi
Titiloye, in the letter thanked
Mustapha for identifying
with the club, and also
complementing the efforts of
the state government on the
team.
Titiloye also appreciated the
Executive Chairman of the State
Sports Commission, Mallam
Bola Mogaji, his Board members
and other stakeholders for their
support to the team. (NAN)
Krawczyk’s left-handed serve
and Skupski’s deft play at the net
causing them constant trouble.
It was the fourth mixed doubles
Grand Slam crown for 28-year-old
Krawczyk, who won all the majors
except the Australian Open last
year.
Para-athletes Seeks Support to Sports
Development in S’East
Enugu para-athletes have
called on Governments
in the South-East to pay
greater attention to sports
development in the zone.
A cross-section of the
athletes made the call on
Wednesday during an
interactive session with
newsmen in Enugu.
They appealed to the
governors in the zone
to provide the necessary
modern sporting equipment
and also upgrade the
existing ones.
They said that the lack of
modern sporting facilities
and standard stadia was
the reason the zone could
not host major sports
competitions.
Silver Ezeikpe, the
Southeast Zonal Para-
Athletics Representative at
the Federal, identified the
absence of standard stadia as
one of the major challenges
confronting them.
“We always have the
problem of the lack of
standard stadia whenever
we attract competitions
from the federation.
“Even when we
represented the state with
impressive performances,
government does not
Okpanechi Enejo, the Business
Manager of Zedcrest Capital
Limited has promised to invest
in the development of Handball
Federation of Nigeria (HFN) to
ensure sustainability and growth
in the sport.
The manager disclosed this at a
news conference at the Moshood
Abiola National Stadium in
Abuja.
According to him, they decided
to invest in HFN as their
responsibility to give back to the
society.
“We are giving it back to the
society by sponsoring the NHF
tournament, the 2022 African
Men’s Handball Championship,
which is scheduled to hold in
Cairo, Egypt from July 9 to 19.
“At Zedcrest, We decided to
choose handball because football
has als of sponsors.
“What the company saw before
venturing into sponsoring the
HFN is about corporate society
responsibility.
“A corporate social
responsibility (CSR) is a form
of international private business
self-regulation, which aims
to contribute to societal goals
of a philanthropic, activist, or
charitable nature by engaging in
or supporting volunteering or
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
appreciate our efforts by
offering us employment,” he
said.
According to Ezeikpe, the
zone loses its quality athletes
because of government
negligent.
“Our athletes are not
being taken care of or
offered employment for
representing our states well.
“As a representative of
para-athletes at the federal,
we do go extra mile to
attract sporting events
but government does not
provide the necessary
logistics,” he said.
Also, a Paralympic Power
Lifter, Lucy Ejike, called on
the governments and South
East Federal representatives
to show more commitment
toward sports development
in the zone.
Ejike said that the zone
recently elected capable and
viable representatives for
the seven athletics under
the Paralympic Committee
Nigeria.
He said that another
“peculiar problem” in the
zone had to do with the
lack of facilities and funds
to raise young athletes to
takeover from the aging
ones. (NAN)
ethically oriented practices.
“We decided to choose
Handball to make the sport
well known in every part of the
country.
“We want to see how we can be
part of the development of
building handball sports in the
country,” he said.
He said they will work to
provide Handball Gear – clothing
and apparel – to players so that
they would be well presented.
“I will discuss with the
management of the company
so we can know how we can
provide or sponsor the team with
accessories.
“My advice for the players is for
them to be focused, committed
to the championship so that
they would be able to qualify for
World Cup in Poland and Sweden
in 2023.
“We will ensure more publicity
for HFN through our
sponsorship,” he said.
On his part, the team manager
of the HFN, Jibril Ojeh, said
with self- determination, the
team would make it in the
championship.
“We are having the best players,
we have players from four
different countries that completed
our national teams.
DAILY ASSET
Friday, July 08, 2022
Nadal Pulls Out of Wimbledon
Semi-final with Abdominal Injury
Rafael Nadal announced
yesterday that he was
withdrawing from Wimbledon
after failing to recover from
an abdominal injury, ending
his hopes of a calendar Grand
Slam.
Semifinal opponent Nick
Kyrgios will receive a walkover
into Sunday’s final, where he
will play either top seed and
six-time champion Novak
Djokovic or Britain’s Cameron
Ronaldo to Miss Man Utd Asian Tour
Cristiano Ronaldo will not
travel with Manchester United
for their pre-season tour of
Thailand and Australia after
the Portugal striker was given
additional time off to deal with a
family issue.
Ronaldo was absent on
Monday when new United boss
Erik ten Hag welcomed the
club’s international players to
Carrington for the start of pre-
season training.
The forward told the club he
Pogacar Takes Tour de France Lead with Stage Six Win
Defending champion
Tadej Pogacar of the UAE
Emirates team launched a
blistering attack on a late
climb to win stage six of the
Tour de France and reclaim
the overall leader’s yellow
jersey yesterday.
He then warned his rivals
he couldn’t wait for the
mountains, with a first
summit skirmish expected
on stage seven on Friday.
Pogacar attacked on a
steep climb 500m from
Norrie.
Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam
champion, was visibly in pain
during in a grueling five-
set win against 11th-seeded
American Taylor Fritz on
Wednesday.
Spanish sports daily Marca
earlier yesterday reported that
Nadal had a “seven-milimetres”
tear to his abdomen but still
intended to play.
But the 36-year-old
was dealing with a family
matter and remained absent on
Thursday.
As a result, Ronaldo will not
be part of the group flying to
Bangkok on Friday and there
is no estimate of when he
will link up with United, who
face Liverpool in Thailand
on Tuesday before flying to
Australia.
It emerged over the weekend
that the 37-year-old had asked to
leave Old Trafford after growing
the finish here and was a
class above his key rivals
Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo
and Adam Yates of Ineos,
who are now 31sec and
39sec behind him in the
standings.
“It feels like the first time
I had it,” Pogacar said while
pulling at the yellow jersey
he last wore on the 2021
final podium beneath the
Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
“It was a real battle to get
it again,” he said.
scheduled a press conference
later in the day at the All
England Club at which he
confirmed he was withdrawing.
“Unfortunately as you can
imagine I am here because
I have to pull out from the
tournament,” said the two-
time Wimbledon champion.
“As everyone saw yesterday I
have been suffering with a
pain in the abdominal and
something was not OK there.
unhappy with their poor form
since his return last year.
United missed a Champions
League place after finishing sixth
in the Premier League.
However, United insist
Ronaldo will be part of the
squad this season amid reported
interest from Chelsea and
Napoli.
“Cristiano Ronaldo will not be
part of the Manchester United
party scheduled to depart for
our pre-season tour of Thailand
A battle he seemed to
win with relative ease
however as the Slovenian
took the overall lead ahead
of EF’s American rider
Nelson Powless thanks to
the 10 bonus seconds on
offer for the stage winner.
“I believe in myself, the
cobbles went well yesterday,
today too, but tomorrow
will be the biggest test of
the Tour so far,” Pogacar
warned of Friday’s climb
to the storied Planche des
SPORTS NEWS
That is confirmed, I have a tear
in the muscle.”
The Spaniard said he had
been weighing up what
decision to make all day.
“It doesn’t make sense to
go (on), even if I try
through my career to keep
going. It is very tough
circumstances but it is
obvious if I keep going the
injury will be worse and
worse,” he said.
and Australia on Friday. He has
been granted additional time
off to deal with a family issue,”
a United spokesperson told the
Manchester Evening News.
“Cristiano remains under
contract with Manchester
United for another season and
he is not for sale.”
Ronaldo scored 24 goals in all
competitions last season and was
named the club’s Player of the
Year, but United’s wait for a first
trophy since 2017 dragged on.
belles Filles mountain
summit.
The 23-year-old
celebrated this win by
repeatedly punching the
air and is in prime position
in his bid to win a third
consecutive Tour de
France.
He beat Australian
Michael Matthews into
second on the day while
David Gaudu of FDJ was
third and Briton Tom
Pidcock fourth.
31
Wasteful
Banyana through
to WAFCON
Quarters with
Sloppy Win
South Africa made heavy work as
they squandered a myriad of easy-
looking chances but still ensured their
progress at Women’s Africa Cup of
Nations by beating Burundi 3-1 in
Rabat yesterday.
It was a second victory at the
tournament in Morocco for Banyana
Banyana, ensuring their progress to
next week’s quarterfinal, with goals
from reigning African Women’s
Footballer of the Year Thembi Kgatlana,
Amogelang Motau and substitute Linda
Motlhako.
But it was the embarrassing
performance that coach Desiree Ellis
had feared. She had warned before
the match of complacency and under-
estimating the tiny Burundi, making
their debut and the lowest ranked of the
12 teams at the tournament.
South Africa’s list of missed sitters
should have them cringing with
embarrassment, including a penalty
miss and twice going round the
goalkeeper only to miss the target.
Kgatlana was particularly guilty with
both poor finishing and selfish play
while Jermaine Seoposenwe, back in
the team after a three-year absence, had
her penalty on the stroke of halftime
saved.
Gomez Signs New
Liverpool Contract
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez signed
a new five-year contract with the club
yesterday.
Gomez had been linked with a move
away from Anfield after making only 21
appearances last season.
The 25-year-old has fallen behind
Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima
Konate in Jurgen Klopp’s list of preferred
centre-backs.
Gomez has also endured serious knee
and ankle injuries since joining the Reds
in 2015.
But Klopp remains confident Gomez
still has a big part to play after extending
his spell on Merseyside.
“One of the many wonderful things
about Joe is he has experience and youth,
that’s not a bad combination,” Klopp said.
“He has not long turned 25 but he was
at the club before I was. The best thing of
all is that his best years are still to come,
and I could not be happier that this will
happen with us.”
Gomez, who was signed from
Charlton, has helped Liverpool win the
Champions League, Premier League, FA
Cup, League Cup and Fifa Club World
Cup.
“It is an unbelievable place to be. In
my eyes, probably one of the best - if
not the best - clubs in the world at the
minute.
“The opportunity to extend my stay
here was an easy decision to make, really.
“Obviously, I have been here quite a
while now, but in the grand scheme of
things I still feel young and the best years
are ahead of me. I have got more to learn
and the time to do that,” Gomez added.

Friday, July 08, 2022
Fashola at 59: How Yoruba politicos Shot Themselves in the Crotch
By Steve Osuji
If Nigeria was on the
right trajectory, Babatunde
Raji Fashola should
be contesting for the
presidency of the country
right now. He, along with
Peter Obi, Yemi Osinbajo
and to an extent, Kayode
Fayemi.
By the reckoning of this
column, these four men
are probably the most
suitable public officials
primed to lead the
country today. But the old,
decadent order has shoved
them aside as usual.
However, Obi
gatecrashed into the fray,
through the backdoor,
using a lesser known
party having had the door
slammed in his face by
PDP.
Osinbajo, on the other
hand, had a worse fate. Not
even his being a sitting vice
president stemmed his
humiliation. The process
was subverted ab initio
and and he was shredded
by the powers that be.
Fayemi too, a sitting
state governor, was also
consumed by the raging
inferno of the moment
and he was left with no
choice than to capitulate
in a most ignominious
manner.
It may be said that
Fashola must have been
clairvoyant to have read
the mucky political
scenario correctly. He
didn’t venture unto the
arena lest he would have
been pulverised and left a
political destitute.
Fashola chose to be
president of his household
for now.
Such is the political
anomie in the land which
often gobbles up the best
men for the job while staid
monoliths rule the stage.
Fashola turned 59 a few
days ago, but he packs the
experience of an 89-year-
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By Steve OSuji
Guest Writer
old: two-term governor
of Lagos State and a super
federal minister in the last
seven years.
But if it were merely
about experience,
several other popinjays
would also be qualified.
It’s about perspicacity,
tenacity, infrared-focus
and diligence. It’s also
about character, carriage
and good sense. One
wagers without a fear of
contradiction that hardly
any public official today
is as diligent. He remains
the best governor to lead
Lagos State after Lateef
Jakande. He lifted the
face of the city and for the
first time, bequeathed her
with first grade modern
infrastructure. Never
mind the baloney about
somebody laying Lagos
masterplan for eight years.
It must he a very dull fellow
who would spend all of
eight years to lay plan for
another to execute…
President Buhari
seeing the magic Fashola
had wrought in Lagos,
couldn’t help but saddle
him with three major
portfolios: power, works
and housing during his
first term. In spite of a
paucity of funds and
bureaucratic bottlenecks,
he laid important markers
in all the sectors. He
embarked on massive road
intervention across the 36
States of the federation at a
scale never known before.
Federal mass housing last
seen in the time of Shehu
Shagari sprung up once
again across the country.
And power infrastructure,
especially transmission
SPACE FOR SALE
politico willfully betrayed
not just the likes of BRF
and Osinbajo, but it
betrayed itself and the
nation generally. The
Yoruba political elite shot
themselves in the crotch.
It must be said that it is
perverse that an ageing
capacity, was on a steady and evidently health-
increase. In the Buhari challenged Bola Ahmed
second term in 2019, Tinubu is contesting
the power portfolio was for the presidency of
excised from his holdings. Nigeria while the duo of
Observant Nigerians Fashola and Osinbajo are
must have noticed that gawking forlornly from
power supply which had the sidelines. The Yoruba
improved incrementally nation and indeed Nigeria
to about 20 hours per day may rue for a long time,
in many areas, has dropped the sidelining of some
miserably as grid collapses of the ablest and most
have become the order of agile minds of this age.
the day since BRF dropped Again the politicos of the
the power portfolio. south of Nigeria generally
The Fashola phenomenon couldn’t ensure that the two
may seem to have been mega parties – APC and PDP
diminished and his produced candidates fit for
mystique faded in the battle. Pity.
lacklustre Muhammadu While we wait to see how the
Buhari administration, 2023 elections pan out, we say
but he doesn’t only stand happy birthday BRF, the one who
out from the pack, he’s could have been … president.
the credence and signpost
of this era. He must have Osuji is a newspaper columnist
supervised the highest and public affairs analyst.
number of projects across
the land – from Yenegoa to
Damaturu. And he would QUOTE ME
visit each one personally,
traversing the country from
the terror-seized Northeast, This afternoon I submitted
Fashola is known to have my withdrawal letter from
inspected his numerous the position of the Vice Presidential
roads, bridges and school- candidate of the Labour Party to INEC.
enhancement projects. A replacement will be announced by the
In spite of its generally
poor outing, the national chairman of the party shortly. I
Buhari administration feel greatly blessed to have been part of
probably executed more the foundation of success for
infrastructure projects
the LP.
than at any other time
since Independence. Few
around can match Fashola’s Dr. Doyin Okupe, announcing his
capacity. withdrawal yesterday as placeholder
In ordered climes, his
presidential running mate to the Labour
natural progression would
have been presidency for Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter
the one popularly called Obi in accordance with the rules of the
BRF. He is well imbued national electoral body, INEC towards
with all the attributes fielding a substantive running mate
required for the job. Plus
more. But the Yoruba